enter name and hit return
BROOKLYN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES
History / Members / Pastors
New York Methodist Conference at White Plains, NY:
The records of the Washington Street and York Street churches are
located at :
The United Methodist City Society
475 Riverside Drive
New York, N.Y.
10115.
Sands Street Methodist Episcopal Church
1831
The pioneer of Methodism here was Thomas Webb, a captain in the British army, who began
to preach "in his own hired house," near the barracks, in New York,
as early as 1766. Subsequently be visited Brooklyn, and preached salvation.
Woolman Hickson,
His first sermon in Brooklyn was delivered in the open air at Sands street,directly in front
of the site of the present Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Peter Cannon, a cooper, living near the ferry, another early preacher.
In 1793, the Rev Joseph Totten and George Strebeek was appointed to Long Island,
alternating a month in Brooklyn and a month in other parts of the Island,
On the 19th of May,1794, during the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Totten, the Methodist
church in the village of Brooklyn, was duly incorporated; and at a meeting held at
the house of Peter Cannon, an election was held, at which
John Garrison
Thomas Vaupelt,
Burdet Stryker,
Stephen Hendrickson,
Richard Everit
and Isaac Moser, were chosen as Board of 11 Trustees.
September 1794, they purchased from J. & C. Sands the grounds
on New (now Sands) street, upon which the present edifice stands, and
commenced the erection of a house of worship, the corner-stone of which was
laid by the Rev. Wm. Phoebus, and subsequently a sermon was delivered upon
the foundation by Mr. David Buck, from Isaiah, xxxviii, 16. The completed
edifice was dedicated to the worship of God, Sunday, June 1st, 1794, by the
Rev. Joseph Totten, who preached on the occasion from Exodus, xx, 24. At
the annual conference of this year Brooklyn was united with New York, and
Rev. Messrs. Ezekiel Cooper, Lawrence M. Combs, W. Phoebus, J. Brush and D.
Kendall were appointed preachers to the station. Brooklyn appears as a
separate station, for the first time, on the minutes of the conference in
1795, with twenty-three white and twelve colored members, under the
ministry of Rev. Joseph Totten. The congregation so increased, that, in
1804, during the incumbency of Rev. Cyrus Stebbins, it was found necessary
to enlarge their accommodations by an addition to the size of the church
edifice. In December of the same year, Mr. Stebbins left the connection and
joined the Protestant Episcopal Church of England and was settled at
Schenectady, N. Y. The records of the church also adds in connection with
the above, that: 11 Little Reuben Hubert left our connection and joined the
church; he was formerly a Methodist preacher stationed in Brooklyn. Poor
things ! " In 1806, as appears from the church records, Mr. Samuel Thomas
was appointed by Bishop Asbury, as supernumerary preacher at Brooklyn, and
the society promised to supply house rent and $160 per annum for his
expenses. During the same year, also, it was resolved, 11 that there shall
be a new set of steps erected at the front door of the church, and seats
inside the altar, all round from the altar door ; also that of a dark night
when there is public meeting, the sexton shall light the lamps at the
church door." Joseph Moser was then sexton, on a salary of L7 currency, or
$17.50, and grave digger's perquisites, per annum. In 1808, when the church
committee waited upon Mr. Joshua Sands to pay a bond of $100 due him on the
land upon which the church was built, he generously returned them the money
and cancelled the bond; and when, in the following year (1809), through the
exertions of the Rev. Mr. David Ostrander, money had been subscribed for
the purpose of building a parsonage, and the committee again waited upon
Mr. Sands to negotiate for the purchase of a " strip of land on High
street, against the lots belonging to the Methodist church," he surprised
them with a gift of the desired property. These acts were characteristic of
Mr. Sands, whose impulses were never limited or restricted by
denominational prejudices, and, who though himself an Episcopalian, was
ever ready to respond to the wants of the master's servants.
Again the old house of worship was found to be altogether too small
for the accommodation of the congregation, and it was resolved, September
10, 1810, to erect a new edifice. Through the exertions of the trustees and
the indefatigable labors of the then pastor, Rev. William Thatcher, a
plain, neat church, forty-five by sixty-five feet, and capable of
accommodating from one thousand two hundred to one thousand five hundred
persons, was erected on the side of the old building, and was generally
known to the inhabitants of Brooklyn, at that time, and to many of the old
residents at the present day as the Old White Church. On the church
records, for the year 1815, we find an amusing list entitled,
"What is the duty of a sexton in the Methodist church." Among the articles of this list
we find the following, viz:
"3. To have the church open and candles lighted at least a quarter of an hour before
the time of beginning the meeting, and
to have them snuffed once before the meeting begins.
4. To see that the boys make no disturbance.
6. When lighting the chandelier there must be a piece of board laid on the seats, to step on,
to prevent rubbing off the paint and dirtying the seats."
About 1817, the colored members of the church had so increased in
numbers as to create the necessity for a separate place of worship. By
their own exertions, therefore, and the assistance of the members of the
church generally, they succeeded in erecting a small house of worship, but
were under the pastoral care of regular stated preachers. But after having
commenced to worship by themselves, there appeared among them a spirit of
insubordination to the discipline, and, in 1818, during Mr. Alexander
McCaine's term at Brooklyn, they all (six excepted), seceded in a body.
In 1823, during the residence of the eloquent and lamented Rev.
Win. Rose, the church and congregation had so increased, that it colonized
and formed a church now known as the York Street Methodist Church.
In the year 1843, and during the Rev. Mr. Vincent's ministry, the
Old White Church building was demolished, much to the regret of many of the
older members, by whom its destruction was deemed little less than a
sacrilege, and upon its site was erected and completed during the following
year, a new brick edifice, which was destroyed by the great fire of
September, 1848, together with all the church buildings, viz: the
lecture-room, classrooms, and parsonage. The walls of the building being
found, on examination, to be perfectly safe for rebuilding, a building
committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs.
David Coope,
Warren Richmond,
Nathaniel Bunnell,
Jacob Brown, and J. J. Studwell, under whose superintence the present edifice was erected.
It is of brick, sixty feet front and rear, by eighty feet deep, the outside presenting a very
neat appearance, interior plain, but commodious, and is calculated to hold about one
thousand two hundred persons, without crowding. In the rear of the church, fronting on High street,
is a building thirty-three feet front and rear, by sixty deep; the first story of which is
occupied as a lecture room, and the sabbath school room. The class rooms building forms a second
floor as a sabbath connecting link between the church and lecture room, and is sixty feet long
by eighteen deep, and two stories high. The parsonage, a modern threestory
brick building, attached to the church, is on High Street.
The remainder of the ground, save a stone walk between the church and the parsonage, is
occupied by the graves of the good who have, in other days, sung the
praises of God in this sacred spot. These graves are green and marked only
by simple headstones, bearing, merely names, dates and modest epitaphs. [5]
======================
CHART
No of members
YEAR Namzs of Preacher White Colored
1795 Joseph Totten [6] 23 12
1796 David Buck 24 15
1797 Joseph Totten 23 27
1798 Andrew Nichols 52 29
1799 Cyrus Stebbins 48 25
1800 David Buck 34 28
1801 David Buck 42 29
1802 Peter Jayne 42 29
1803 Ezekiel Canfield 42 31
1804 Cyrus Stebbins 44 30
1805 E. Cooper 94 42
1806 E. Cooper; S. Thomas, (died 1812) 154 71
1807 Elijah Wolsey; J. Wilson 168 85
1808 Daniel Ostrander, (died 1844) 152 93
1809 Reuben Hubbard, (withdrew 1809 170 85
1810 William Thatcher 133 73
1811 William Thatcher 140 70
1812 Lewis Pease 179 73
1813 Lewis Pease 170 69
1814 Samuel Merwin, (died 1839) 138 60
1815 Nathan Emory 162 69
1816 Joseph Crawford 225 80
1817 Joseph Crawford 189 82
1818 William Ross 198 122
1819 Alex. McCaine 202 125
1820 Alex. McCaine 120 6
1821 Lewis Pease, died 1843 275 6
1822 Lewis Pease, died 1843 396 5
1823 Win. Ross, (died 1826) 470 5
1824 Win. Ross, (died 1826) 408 6
1825 T. Burch 417 7
1826 T. Burch; S. L. Stillman 428 7
1827 S. Luckey; S. L. Stillman 444 10
1828 S. Luckey; L. Landon 496 12
1829 Noah Levings 554 12
1830 James Cover, Jr
1831 John C. Greene
1832-33 Thomas Birch
1838-34 Thomas Birch
1835-6-7, Bartholomew Creagh.
1837--8-9, W. H. Norris.
1839, Fitch Reed.
1840-1, P. C. Oakley.
1842-3, Leonard W. M. Vincent.
1844-5, H. F. Pease.
1846-7, Nathan Ban,
1848-9, W. H. Norris.
1850-51, J. W. B. Wood.
1852-3, H. J. Fox.
1854-5, L. S. Weed.
1856-7, Jno. Miley.
1859, J. B. Hagany.
1860-61, B. H. Nadel.
1862-3, L. S. Weed.
1864-6, Charles Fletcher.
1867, E. G. Andrews.
1868, H. B. Elkins.
Among the early officers of the church we find the following
officiating as treasurers:
John Garrison, 1794;
R. Everit, 1797;
Thomas Van Pelt, 1798;
James Harper, 1800;
Thomas Kirk, 1807;
Isaac Moser.
The church records give the following list of early members at the
end of the year 1798: trustees,
Thomas Van Pelt,
John Garrison,
Burdet Stryker,
Isaac Moser;
class leaders,
John Garrison,
Isaac Moser,
James Degraw.
Members of the Sociely. Males:
Thomas Van Pelt,
John Garrison,
Burdet Stryker,
Isaac Moser,
James Degraw,
Caleb Shreve,
John Hastings,
Joseph Moser,
Jeremiah Smith,
James Hubert,
Joseph Webb,
John Leaneigh,
Samuel Engle,
John De Vosuell,
Joseph Herbert,
John Haness,
John Cornelison,
Win. Foster,
John Finn,
John Shnell.
Members of the Sociely. Females:
Sarah Van Pelt,
Mary Garrison,
Mary Powers,
Margaret Moser,
Sarah Everitt,
Rachel Moser,
Jemima Kissam,
Idah Moser,
Deborah Hasting,
Sarah Hillear,
Catharine Johnson,
Sarah Engle,
Rebecca Lynch,
Anna Sutliff,
Mary Denton,
Caty Herbert,
Hannah Smith,
Elizabeth Rote,
Sarah Cornelison,
Sally Howzy,
Leanah Smith,
Milicent Shreve,
Anna Day,
Betsy Dale,
Lear Conner,
Elmer Ward,
Ann Senell,
Rachel Carman,
Lamy Acker,
Elmer Ferguson ;
and twenty-seven blacks,
thirteen of whom were females,
under Peter Conger and James Titus, colored exhorters.
1803. Peter Jayne.
1304. Ithiel Smead.
1806. George Smith.
1808. Win. Foster.
1808. Andrew Mercein.
York Street Methodist Episcopal Church is the child of Sands Street
Church, whose congregation had so increased that, in 1823, during the
pastorate of the eloquent William Ross, it was found necessary to erect
another house of worship. This, a neat, frame building, forty-two by
fifty-five feet, with a small gallery, was built by Gamaliel King and
Joseph Moser, at a cost of $5,000, and was dedicated June 6th, 1824, by the
venerable Bishop George, who was assisted in the remaining services of the
day by the sainted Summerfield and Rev. John Hannah, a delegate from the
British conference, thirteen candidates for the ministry being also
ordained by the bishop on the Same occasion. In 1828, a parsonage was
erected near the church, and the congregation continued under the watchful
eye and careful nursing of its devoted parent until it attained its twelfth
year, 1835, when it was "setoff" and "setup" for itself. Rev. Seymour
Landon was on the circuit which included York Street,
in 1828, Rev. Charles Carpenter,
in 1832-33 and Rev. J. Luckey from '33 to '35.
The first meeting of the separate board of trustees was held June 4th, 1835, and there
were present
Benj. R. Prince, elected president;
M. Suydam, treasurer;
Christopher M. Hempstead,
Joshua Rogers and one more.
Shortly afterwards,
Linus K. Henshaw,
Alvin S. Mulford, and John Benam were added.
Rev. Raphael Gilbert was the first minister stationed in
York street after the separation from its parent church. He remained two
years, 1835-37, and was succeeded by the following named preachers in
order:
John L. Gilder, 1837-38,
E. E. Griswold, 1839-40,
Seymour Landon, 1841-43,
John Poinsal, 1843-45,
Buel Goodsell, 1845-47,
Phineas Rice, 1847-49,
W. C. Hoyt, 1849-50,
Joseph Law, 1851-52,
John L. Gilder (second term), 1852-54,
Geo. W. Woodruff, 1854-57,
C. Kelsey, 1856-7,
J. E. Searles, 1858-9,
E. Sands, 1860-1,
W. H. Boole, 1862-3,
R. C. Putney, 1864,
S. Rushmore, 1865-7,
Charles Backman, 1868
In 1835 an alteration was made, enlarging the old building
about twentyfour feet in its length; and in 1839, during the administration
of E. E. Griswold, side galleries were added, and the building thoroughly
renovated.
The present large and substantial brick building was
erected in 1851, during the administration of Rev. Joseph Law, at a cost of
13,000. The corner-stone was laid by Bishop Janes, and the church was
dedicated by Dr. Foster, January 23, 1852. At that time the present
parsonage was built. In April, 1853, the ground on which the present
commodious school and lecture room building stands were generously given by
Rutson Suckley and sister, and the brick building was put up. The Sabbath
School was organized in 1830, by Rev. Charles Carpenter. The first
superintendent was Father Booth.
Washington Street M. E. Church (Washington street, between Concord
and Tillery streets), was erected' in 1831, at a cost of $15,000, and was
set off as a separate station in 1835. It was then on the outskirts of the
city, which has since grown around it until it has become the centre of a
dense population, and the parent of Several of the most flourishing
churches in the community. Adam Seabury, who met the first class formed in
Washington Street, is still leader of that same claw, and the only member
that survives the original number that composed his little band. The first
Sabbath school in connection with this church, was organized in 1832, by
Judge John Dikeman, who was also a teacher in the first Sunday school
formed in Brooklyn. His first female superintendent was Miss Hannah
Stryker, both of whom are still spared to gather some of the rich fruit of
their early labors.
Mary Cornwell, Stephen Haynes, and a few others of the original members,
still linger on the shore of time, but the greater part of them have fallen asleep, and
now rest from their labors in the hope of a blessed immortality.
The following ministers have been regularly stationed in
Washingtonc street since it became a separate charge in 1835. Revs. Stephen
Remington 1835-7, J. B. Sratten; Robert Seney, 1837-8 and 1847-48, James
Floy) D.D., 1841-2, James Sewell, 1842-43, [7] Charles W. Carpenter,
1845-46, Daniel Curry, D.D., 1849-50, John Crawford, 1851-52, John
Kenneday, D.D., 1852-54 (two terms), [8] Robert M. Hatfield, 185457,
Charles Shelling, 1856-7, Jac. Kenneday, 1858-9, M . L. Scudder, 1860, F.
S. De Hass, 1861-2, W. F. Watkins, 18535, A. S. Hunt, 1866-8) and 1869,
Rev. C. E. Harris. The church and chapel are valued at $35,000, the
parsonage (No. 217 Washington street), at $5,500. Membership in 1868, about
two hundred and ninety.
African Wesleyan Methodist Episcoval Church (colored), in the
village of Brooklyn (Regular Line), High street, near Bridge. The
beginnings of this church have been noted on page 700. On the 18th of
January, 1818, it was duly incorporated under the above title, with the
following trustees: Peter Crager, Israel, Jemison, Caesar Sprong) Benjamin
Cruger, John E. Jackson. Ministry, as far as known : Rev. Stephen Dutton,
in charge 1823; Samuel Todd, in charge from.1829 to 1837; Richard Williams
in 1837-8; Wm. Moore, in 1839-40; John Spencer, 1841-2; Edmund Cosby, in
1842-3; William Moore, in 1844-45 ; Ely N. Hall, 50-51 ; Israel Paterson, 1854
The Ebenezer M. E. Church was organized June 18, 1837, at the Wallabout, by
the formation of a class of eight persons, and preaching was held at a
school house in that vicinity. In 1841, a church edifice, forty by
thirty-five feet was erected on Franklin avenue, near Park, at a cost of
about $2,000, besides $800 for the ground. Ministers: 1853-4, Orlando Starr
; 1845, Jacob Shaw; 1846, Ezra Withers; 1847-8, D. Osborn; 1849-50, William
Gothard; 1851-2, Jos. Henson; 1853, Samuel W. King.
The Centenary M. E. Church (Johnson, corner of Jay), originated in
the dissatisfaction of a large portion of the Washington street
congregation with the appointment of a preacher to that station in 1838
They remonstrated against the appointment, while the conference was still
in session, but without effect. The house of worship being under the
control of the congregation, the people refused to receive the appointed
preacher, and provided themselves with another. The preacher appointed by
the bishop, and those who adhered to him withdrew, and maintained service,
during the current year at Classical Hall. In 1839, a new society was
organized, and a church erected on Johnson street, corner of Jay, eighty by
fifty feet, for $8,000, which was finished and occupied in 1840. It
received its name from the date of its commencement, that year being the
centenary of Methodism (Prime's L. 1, 393). Ministers: 1840, Benjamin
Griffen; 1841, Jarvis Z. Nichols; 1842-3, James Young; 1844-5, Jno. M.
Pease; 1846, J. C. Green ; 1847, B. Griffen ; 1848-9, J. Law; 1850-51, J.
G. Smith; 1852, Geo. Brown; 1853-4, C. H. Whitecar; 1855-6, J. S. Inskip;
1857-8, Heman Bangs; 1859, Jos. Law; 1860-61, T. D. Stevenson ; 1862-3,
Chas. E. Glover; 1864-5-6, William McAllister; 1867, J. E. Searles.
Mount Zion African Protestant Methodist Church. Prime gives
the following account of this organization In the early part of 1842, the
Rev. William Harden, a blind colored preacher, commenced preaching in
Brooklyn. His hearers assembled temporarily, in a room provided in a
rope-walk, in Nassau street near Jackson. The rope-walk being burned down,
they assembled for a time in private houses. A church of fifteen members
was organized June 18, 1842. It was incorporated under the above name June
4, 1844, and they procured a small building in Navy street, near Sands," in
which they worshiped under Mr. Harden, as a stated supply. He died in the
autumn of 1847, and shortly after, May, 1848, the church became broken up,
its membership mostly uniting with the African M. E. church in High street.
South Brooklyn (at Gowanus, Eighteenth street), was
commenced about 1842, in which year a small church church edifice,
twenty-five by thirty-five feet, costing $700, was erected. The
incorporation was effected February 4, 1844, under the style, Sixth M. E.
Church of Brooklyn, and the charge included service of New Utrecht.
Ministry: 1846, Henry Hatfield; 1847-8, E. S. Hebard; 1849, H. D. Latham;
1850, H. D. Latham; 1851-2, Geo. Taylor; 1853-5, Wm. B. Hoyt; 1856-7, M. N.
Olmstead; 1858-9, Joseph Henson; 1860-1, S. W. King; 1862-3, Stephen
Rushmore; 1864-5, A. Nash; 1866-8, A. Hubbell; 1869, Calvin B. Ford.
Carlton Avenue M. E. Church. This congregation was organized as the
Eighth M. E. Church with eight members in the month of September, 1844,
under the pastoral charge of Rev. Paul Goodsell. During the following
summer a small building was erected on Carlton, near Myrtle avenue for this
society, whose certificate of incorporation had been recorded on the 24th
of February, 1845. In 1851, the membership had increased to one hundred and
twenty-eight, and was constantly receiving new accessions, and on the 24th
of September of that year the corner-stone of a new church edifice was laid
by the Rev. Dr. Kennedy. This building, which was located on the original
site, was constructed mostly of materials from the old York Street M. E.
Church, of wood, with brick basement, forty-two by ninety-seven feet,
costing about $5,000, and was then under the pastoral charge of the Rev.
Nicholas White. Ministers: 1849, R. Seney; 1852-3, S. A. Seaman; 1854-5, J.
H. Perry; 1855-6, J. W. B. Wood; 1857-8, Geo. A. Hubbell; 1859, Chas. E.
Harris; 1860, C. Kelsey; 1861-2, J. A. Roche; 1863-5, Francis C. Hill;
1866-7-8, G. L. Taylor.
The Pacific Street M. E. Church is built in the romanesque style of
brown stone, and is the most costly and attractive of the churches of this
denomination in the city. On Tuesday evening, October the 1st, 1844, a few
persons belonging to the denomination met at the house of Aaron B. Marvin,
corner of Court and Livingston streets, to deliberate as to the purchase of
the property formerly occupied by the South Presbyterian church, on Pacific
street, between Court and Clinton, as a place of worship for the Methodists
in South Brooklyn. A committee was appointed which lost no time in
effecting the proposed purchase for the sum of $6,500. The Rev. George
Peck, D.D., then editor of the Quarterly Review, having been appointed to
take charge of the movement, preached the first sermon on Sunday, October
13, 1844. On the Sunday following, October 20, the church was formally
organized under its present charter, as the fifth separate Methodiststation
in the city of Brooklyn, forty persons connecting themselves by certificate
with the new society. [9] It is a singular circumstance that notone of the
original official members is now in connection with this church. Most of
them have 11 fallen asleep," and others have removed to other places or
churches. The society continued to worship in this place till the 18th of
May, 1851, when they removed to their present beautiful edifice, on the
corner of Clinton and Pacific streets. The corner-stone of the present
church was laid by their pastor, the Rev. J. Kennedy, D.D., assisted by the
Rev. Waters Burrows, of the New Jersey conference, on the 13th of June,
1850. The following ministers have been regularly stationed in Pacific
street since the church was organized : Rev. George Peck, D.D.; Luther
Peck, 1845; A. M. Osbon, D.D., 1846-7; W. K. Stopford, deceased, 1848-9;
John Kennedy, D.D., deceased, 1856-7 ; John Miley, D.D., 1853; R. S.
Foster, D.D., 1854 - W. H. Milburn, 1859-60; J. H. Perry, D.D., deceased,
1.861 ; M. R. Vincent, and F. S. De Hass, 1864-5. The present pastor, Dr.
Sewell, 1866-7-8. His place is being most acceptably filled by the
historian of Methodism, the Rev. Abel Stevens, LL.D.
The (True) Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized in
April, - 1845, and consisted of thirty members. It is in connection with
the organization formed at Utica, May 31st, 1843. They first held their
meetings in an academy hall, corner of Atlantic and Henry street.
First Place H. E. Church. In the year 1849, the Washington
street M. E. Sunday school authorized Charles Bridges, one of its members,
to survey the south of Brooklyn and report on a position eligible for
opening a Sunday School. The Atlantic docks had recently been built and the
Hamilton ferry established. The streets had many of them been graded, but
there were few houses. A large hill extending from Fourth Place to Degraw
street, and from Columbia street nearly to Gowanus canal, which was some
forty to fifty feet in height, was being removed. Mr. Bridges spent some
months in exploring the locality. There were no churches or schools south
of Atlantic street except in the vicinity of that street. In his searches
he found several brethren, Baptist and Methodist, who united and organized
a union school in the upper part of the engine house in Van Brunt, between
Carrol and President streets. This was continued for some months with the
most friendly feeling, until some eight or ten Methodists being engaged in
the work, it was thought by them advisable that they should separate and
organize a Methodist school. A sincere and candid explanation was made to
the Baptist brethren, and a separation effected in the most Christian
spirit. The Baptist brethren formed the nucleus of the organization that
ultimately became the Strong Place Baptist church. During the week a vacant
store in Columbia street was secured and fitted up as a school room, and
for church services, and on the following sabbath, which was in November,
1849, the school was opened, under the superintendence of Mr. Chas.
Bridges, and with an attendance sufficient to encourage the projectors.
Church services were also held the same day.
At this time the Rev. Samuel W. King became the first pastor,
preaching on alternate Sundays for the Dean street M. E. church (since
Hanson Place). During the same month, three lots on Hicks street, corner of
Summit (each twenty-five by one hundred feet), were purchased, and a rough
frame building immediately put up on the corner. The first board' of
trustees were elected March 25, 1850, and consisted of Lindsay J. Wells,
Charles Carter, William H. Story, Charles Bridges and Stephen Haynes;
afterward Thomas Emereon, Ola Helland, Nathan Carpenter and John W. Cantine
were elected to complete the number allowed by the law. A brick building on
the rear of the lots facing on Summit street, was now commenced. It was
about tbirty-six. feet on the street by fifty feet deep. It was designed
ultimately. to extend it so that it would have a front (the main one), on
Hicks street. The cornerstone was laid the 13th of August, 1850, by Dr.
Nathan Bangs. When the walls were up, a gust of wind prostrated one of the
side walls, entailing much loss on the young society.. In the spring of
1850, Rev. Mr. S. H. Clark was appointed to the charge. His health was
feeble, and he remained but one year. In 1851, Rev. Gad S. Gilbert was
appointed. He served the church for two years, and was followed, in 1853,
by Rev. Mr. Wm. F. Collins, who also had charge of the Warren street
mission, where he preached on sabbath afternoons. During his pastorate,
viz: on the 23d of Augustj 1853, the church property was sold for $7,000,
which was about the amount of the encumbrances upon it. The building was
rented from Mr. Bridges, and worship continued therein. Until this time the
pastors had been in part supported by the Ladies Home Missionary Society.
In 1854, Rev. Thomas H. Burch was stationed in the charge. A pledge having
been given that steps should be taken toward building a new church, Iota
were accordingly procured on Henry street, corner of Summit, being
seventy-four feet by one hundred, and a church edifice fiftythree feet on
Henry street, by seventy-five feet deep, was commenced with a parsonage on
the rear of the lots facing Summit street. The church is of brick with
brown stone trimmings, and of the romanesque order. An octagon tower is
surmounted by a spire one hundred and thirty. four feet high. The Sunday
school and class rooms are in the basement of the church, which is above
the surface of the ground.
On the 26th of October, 1855, the first board of trustees of the
new church was elected as follows: Harvey E. Hicks, Daniel Carpenter,
Robert Cranford, George F. Bulley, Pickering Clark, Wm. B. Barber, Samuel
Cox, Emery Bemis and Chas. H. Smith. As the lots faced First Place, it was
incorporated under the name of the "First Place M. E. Church."
The lecture room was dedicated January 13, 1856, Rev. Dr. Hodgson
officiating, and the church was dedicated September 14, 1856. Rev. Dr.
Durbin preached in the morning, Dr. McClintoch in the afternoon, and Rev.
Abel Stevens, the historian of Methodism, in the evening. The contributions
made by one hundred and eighty persons, were $7,682 36.
The cost of the entire church property was over $34,000, and in
1864, was freed from all debt.
The history of the church could not be written without stating that
it is to Messrs. Wm. B. Barber and Isaac Henderson that it is mainly
indebted for its financial success. It is worthy of mention that during the
war of the rebellion the cotton with which the church cushions was filled
was sold for $1.10 per pound, and New Orleans moss substituted, leaving a
profit of some $1,200 after paying expenses.
Rev. Thomas H. Burch was succeeded in the pastorate of the church
by Rev. Joseph H. Rylance, in 1856. During his term the society enjoyed the
preaching of Rev. Abel Stevens, then editor of the Christian Advocate, on
sabbath mornings. He was succeeded from 1858 to 1859 by Geo. C. Robinson.
From 1859 to 1861, Rev. George Taylor was pastor. From 1861 to 1862, Rev.
Charles E. Glover. From 1862 to 1863, Rev. R. M. Hatfield. From 1863 to
1866, Rev. Albert S. Hunt, and from 1866 to 1869, Rev. John A. Roche. In
1867, the centenary year of Methodism, the church contributed $5,000 to a
fund raised throughout the United States for educational and other
purposes. The Sunday school superintendents, since the organization have
been: in 1851, Lindsey J. Wells; 1852, Samuel Carter; 1853, Samuel Cox;
1854-5, Samuel Carter; 1856, Charles H. Smith; 1856 to 1861, Isaac
Henderson; 1861-2, Phillip Walters; 1863, Wm. B. Barber; 1864-5, Rev. A. S.
Hunt; 1865-6, W. B. Barber ; 1867-9, Richard 0. Currie.
Fleet Street M. E. Church, corner of Fleet and Lafayette streets,
originated in the action of certain members of the Sands street and
Washington street M. E. churches, [10] at a meeting in the early part of
March, 1850. During the same month the land on which the church now stands,
was purchased for $4,000, and the erection of an edifice commenced, fifty
by seventy feet, and two stories high. Public religious services were held
for three successive sabbaths (April 14, 21, and 28), at Mr. J. De Gray's
residence; and at a legally called meeting, held May 6, 1850 (Messrs. N. T.
Beers, S. H. Humford, J. H. Taft, Chas. Barnum, Stephen Haynes, Wm. Hyde,
Thos. Read, Thos. S. Simmone, James De Gray, Thos. Burch, Chas. H. Fellows
and J. G. Dollbear, voting), S. H. Humford, Thos. S. Denike, J. H. Taft,
James De Gray, and Thos. S. Simmons were elected trustees, Rev. Dr. Curry
being appointed pastor, by the conference on the 22d of same mouth. The old
oil cloth factory, Nos. 95 to 101 Prince street, was temporarily occupied
by the new congregation; and there the sabbath school was organized June
9th, 1850, with Mr. John E. Humford as superintendent, and five teachers,
and some sixteen or twenty children. The new brick lecture room was
dedicated September 6, 1850, by the Rev. John Kennedy, D.D., and by
November following, two hundred names were enrolled, with an average
attendance of ninety. In June, .1852, the Rev. R. M. Hatfield was appointed
pastor, and the present church edifice commenced. It was completed and
occupied in the early part of 1853, at a total cost, exclusive of ground,
of $27,000. In May, 1854, the Rev. J. S. Inskip was appointed pastor; and
was followed, in May, 1855, by the Rev. Dr. James H. Perry, and he, in
April, 1857, by Rev. William Lawrence. In April, 1859, the Rev. C. D. Foss
was stationed here; followed in April, 1861, by Rev. J. F. Booth; and he in
April, 1865, by Rev. R. M. Hatfield (for second time); he in April, 1863,
by Rev. B. M. Adams; then, in April, 1868, by Rev. S. H. Platt, the present
incumbent, by reappointment in April, 1869. In 1859, the parsonage was
erected, and lecture room enlarged for Babbath school purposes. The total
membership of the church, in 1869 (inclusive of ninety-nine probationers),
was seven hundred and thirty-nine, with eight hundred and six sabbath
school scholars and seventyfive officers. The church, chapel and parsonage,
with furniture, and ground, estimated at $80,000, free of debt.
Summerfield M. E. Church, located on the corner of Washington and Greene
avenues, was the result of a meeting held on the 27th of January, 1851, at
the residence of Mr. Ibbotson on Washington avenue. The edifice was built
and occupied before September, 1851. A chapel, in rear of the church was
formally opened on the 20th of March, 1869. Ministry : 1852, C. Fletcher;
1853-4, David Osborn; 1855-6, John M. Reid; 1857-8, Wm. S. Studley;
1859-60, Geo. R. Crooks; 1861, T. G. Osburn; 1862-3, B. Sing; 1864-5, L. S.
Weed; 1867-8, J. M. Buckley; 1868-9, Wm. S. Studley.
Hanson Place Methodist Church, Hanson Place, corner of St. Felix street,
was organized on the 3d of January, 1858. A very neat and commodious church
edifice was erected, and though when it was opened for divine service there
were but sixty members of the church, all told, there are now about six
hundred. Very few church societies in the city can show a larger
membership. The first pastor was the Rev. Joseph Law; in 1859-60, the Rev.
James H. Perry; 1861-2, the Rev. Cyrus D. Foss; 1863-5, the Rev. G. W.
Woodruff; 1866-8, W. F. Watkins; 1868-9, A. S. Hunt. Under all these, the
utmost harmony prevailed in the society., all laboring to promote its
interests, and with wonderful success. The value of the church and its
property, at a low estimate, is at least $55,000.
The Sunday school connected with the church, has been wonderfully
successful, and is quite a feature among the. sabbath schools of the city.
It was organized on. the 17th of January, 1858, and increased with such
rapidity that it was found necessary to erect a commodious building
especially for its uses. The success of the school is mainly due to the
earnest and indefatigable exertions of its superintendent, ex-mayor Booth.
The new building used by the school was chiefly designed by Mr. Booth, and
is very superior to most edifices of the kind.
Nostrand Avenue M. E. Chapel, corner of Nostrand avenue and Quincy street,
was dedicated February 28, 1869. It is a neat gothic edifice, fronting on
Quincy street forty feet, and running back eighty-five feet. The interior
of the building has a high arched ceiling and a rear gallery. The furniture
is of black walnut and presents a neat appearance, and will seat five
hundred persons. There is a Sunday school room in the basement of the
building. The main edifice, when erected, will front on Nostrand. avenue,
and will measure sixty by ninety feet. The same style will be preserved in
the construction of the main building. The location is in a region which is
being speedily developed by the ever increasing population that is
gathering from New York and other crowded neighborhoods. The chapel has
already cost $25,000. The Sunday school is capable of accommodating four
hundred children, and that number is now in regular attendance. Ministry:
1865-7, S. M. Hammond; 1868-9, R. H. Rust.
Seventh Avenue M. E. Church, corner of Butler street, was organized
about 1866, by members of the Hanson Place M. E. church. Eight lots of
ground have been procured, on which a chapel building, ninety-eight by
fifty-six feet in size, and two stories high, has been erected and
dedicated December 26, 1869. A church and parsonage are to be erected.
Ministry 1867, G. A. Hall; 1868--; 1869, C. M. Griffen.
Simpson M. E. Church, at corner of Willoughby and Clermont avenues.
The new edifice of this congregation was dedicated May 17th, 1869. It is
one hundred and sixteen by seventy-seven feet, and will accommodate from
one thousand five hundred to two thousand persons. The roof is about eighty
feet high, to the ridge, with a square tower at each front corner, one
about one hundred and ten feet in height and the other about sixty feet.
The walls on both sides will be of Philadelphia brick, with elegant Jersey
stone trimmings and buttress, and circle windows will add to the general
effect. Galleries will run round the interior of the building. The site
will cost $12,000, and includes the land for a chapel, school house and
parsonage. The total cost of site and church is estimated at $82,000.
Tompkins Square M. E. Chapel, have a neat and commodious frame
edifice, on Greene avenue near Tompkins, the land and building being valued
at $15,000. It was dedicated June 25th, 1869. Ministry: 1865, G. S.
Gilbert; 1866-7, F. C. Hill; 1868-9, A. H. Mead.
In March, 1869, a new Methodist congregation was organized in the
21st ward, under the ministry of the Rev. Robert P. Christopher, formerly
of Cook street church. Their building, located on Kosciusko street, near
Broadway, E. D., is a neat frame structure, sixty by thirty-six feet,
costing $7,000.
First Methodist Episcopal Church (E. D.). The first ecclesiastical
organization in the village of Williamsburgh, and the second in the old
town of Bushwick, was formed about the beginning of the present century.
Their first house of worship was erected in 1808, on North Second street,
between Fourth and Fifth; was repaired in 1821, and was still standing in
1845; but in the year 1837, the society having greatly increased, the
foundation of a spacious brick church was laid on South Second street,
between Fifth and Sixth streets. The church here was organized in August,
1838, its first trustees being David Garret, Henry E. Bodwell, Geo. W.
Pitman, John L. Gray, Simon Richardson, and James D. Sparkman. The building
was erected in 1839, and dedicated on the Sth of January, 1840, at which
time there were about fifty communicants, and such has been the rapid
increase of the congregation, -that all the Methodist churches of the
Eastern District of Brooklyn (with the exception of St. John's), have since
been colonized from it. Notwithstanding the mother church thus sent out so
many, it continued full. During the pastoral care of Rev. C. B. Sing, in
1866, the debt of the church, which had rested upon it like an incubus for
thirty years, was entirely paid off. The building was unroofed in the great
storm of 1853, when a number of church steeples were blown down; it was
then extended, and is now the largest and oldest Methodist Episcopal church
in that part of the city. The present membership is about six hundred;
about one thousand two hundred persons can be accommodated in the building.
The church is justly celebrated for its large and prosperous Sunday school,
which numbers about one thousand children.
Ministry: 1838, Richard Seaman and James Rawson; 1839, William Thatcher and
James Rawson; 1840-1, John Le Fevre and C. Ross; 1842-3, Henry F. Roberts;
1844-5, Paul R. Brown; 1846, John M. Pease;
1847.4, Edwin L. Janes; 1849-50, W. F. Collins; 1851, R. H. Loomis;
1852-.3, Harvey Husted; 1853-5, J. Miley; 1856-7, John S. Mitchell; 1858-9,
M. L. Scudder; 18,50-1, Rufus C. Putney; 1862-3, James W. Home; 1864-66, C.
B. Sing; 1867-8, W. H. Boole.
Grand Street, or Second Methodist Episcopal Church (Gothic Church),
located on the corner of Grand and Even streets, was organized September
4th, 1845, with ten communicants. The first board of trustees were Lemuel
Richardson, Daniel Manjer, John F. Luther, Robert G. Thursby, Isaac
Henderson, and Charles Maujer. The corner-stone of the church edifice which
is a neat gothic building, was laid December 4th, 1845, and the edifice
itself was dedicated on the 26th of November, 1846.
Ministry : 1846-7, W. R. Stopford; 1848, John J. Matthias; 1849, Samuel
Meredith; 1850-1, Wm. C. Hoyt; 1852-3, John Crawford; 1854, J. W. B. Wood;
1855-6, Seymour Landon; 1857, Abm. S. Francis; 1858-9, Charles T. Mallory;
1860, D. A. Goodsell; 18612, F. Bottome; 1865, George Taylor; 1866--8, J.
B. Merwin; 1869, George C. Dunbar.
North Fifth Street M. E. Church, North Fifth street near Fifth, was
organized April, 1849, and at that time, met in a school house, in North
Sixth street, near First, from whence they removed to a frame building in
North Fifth near Fourth street. Its first officers were David H. Betts,
Henry 0. Austin, Richard White, John C. Brig,",, William Johnson, John Cox,
Wm. P. Coleman, Wm. Butler and Henry A. Bodwell. The present edifice was
erected in 1849 ; the officers being D. H. Betts, H. 0. Austin, R. White,
J. C. Briggs, W. Johnson, J. Cox, W. P. Coleman, W. Butler, and H. A.
Bodwell. Number of members at that time forty-three. The first pastor was
the Rev. S. H. Clark, 1848; followed by Revs. S. Meridith, 1849; E. S.
Hebberd, 1851-2; C Gorse, 1853-4; 1. Wildey, 1855; C. T. Mallory, 1856-7;
M. Staples, 1858-9; J. D. Bouton, 1860-1; S. W. King, 1862; H. F. Pease,
1863; W. F. Collins, 1864; E. S. Hebberd, 1865-6; and W. Platts, 1867-8.
The number of full members on record since its organization, was six
hundred and seventy-six, number at present time, one hundred and sixty;
scholars and teachers in Sunday school, three hundred and seventy-five. The
church is a plain, substantial edifice, built of brick, with lecture and
class rooms in the basement and capable of seating in the audience room a
congregation of about five hundred persons. The building is valued at
$20,000. The parsonage, in North Fifth street near Fifth, is a frame
building valued at about $4,000.
St. John's M. E. Church (formerly known as Third, or South Fifth
street), E. D. was colonized from the First M. E. church of Williamsburgh,
and was organized May 6th, 1849; its first trustees being James D.
Sparkman, Nathaniel Briggs, Dr. S. Wade, Thomas Lewis, William Y.
Hemmingway, Gilbert Potter, Wm. Morgan, Geo. W. Smith, and Geo. D. Hubbard.
Ground was purchased on the corner of Fifth and South Fifth streets; the
Rev. E. L. Janes placed in temporary charge of the society, and services
held in the lecture room of the Reformed Dutch church, corner of Fourth and
Second streets, until the completion of their building. It was dedicated
July 25, 1850, by Bishop Morris. The congregation increased and prospered,
so that in April, 1866, it was decided to erect a new building, and lots
were secured for the purpose on the corner of Bedford avenue and Wilson
streets. At a meeting of the trustees, held on the 18th of the same month,
it was resolved to call the church the St. John Methodist Episcopal Church,
and s, large sum of money was contributed toward its erection. This
building was dedicated April 3d, 1868, the sermon being delivered by the
venerable Bishop Janes. The new edifice is built in the decorated gothic
style of the 13th century, of Belleville brown-stone, and has a frontage of
one hundred feet on Bedford avenue, including twenty feet of parsonage. It
extends a depth of one hundred and sixty-seven feet on Wilson street,
including lecture room, etc. There are five entrances from the outside,
three on Bedford avenue, and two on Wilson street, and two towers, one
ending in a spire one hundred and eighty feet high. The audience room is
ninety-five feet in length, sixty-eight feet in width and forty-four feet
in height, with one hundred and forty pews on the main floor, and sixty-two
in the gallery. The pews are of black walnut, and capable of accommodating
one thousand one hundred and fifty persons. There are, also, five class
rooms, one Bible class room, a lecture room, seating about four hundred
persons; a sabbath school room, which including the infant clan room,
seating about five hundred and twenty-five children; library, laboratories,
water closets, etc. The windows are of stained glass, and the interior of
the structure, the audience room, will, at night be lighted by glass jets,
arranged in a dome, similar to that in the House of Rbpresentatives at
Washington. The choir is in the rear of the pulpit, in a recess around
which are triple columns, from which the ceiling springs in rich ribbed
work, etc. Between these columns will be the organ pipes. Altogether the
church is one
of the most complete in the city. The cost is from $150,000 to $160,000.
The parsonage, which is nearly completed, on Bedford avenue, adjoining the
church, is a neat compact edifice, built in the same manner as the church,
and will be complete in all the conveniences of a home.
Ministry : 1849-50, E. L. Janes; 1851-2, B. Creagh (who
died during his term of service, August 10, 1852); 1853, F. W. Bill;
1854-5, H. Fox; 1856-8-9-60, W. S. Studley; 1861-2, A. S. Hunt; 1863-4, C.
0. Foss; 1866-7-8, C. H. Payne; 1868-9, E. G. Andrews.
The South Third Street M E. Church, corner of Union avenue, E. D.,
was organized in 1854, by members from the old South Second street church.
Ministry : 1854-5) A. S. Francis; 1856, L. C. Cheney; 1857, Daniel Curry;
1858-9, Samuel W. King; 1860-1, J. L. Peck; 1863, Benjamin Pillsbury;
1864-5, J. S. Inskip; 1866-8, A. C. Eggleston; 1869, W. T. Hill.
First M. E. Church of Green-Point, Union avenue, near Java
street, E. D., was organized in the winter of 1847-8, by the Rev. Sylvester
H. Clark, of the New York East Conference. The society had been commenced
by three laymen, viz: Messrs. Benjamin Downing, Charles Huff
and one other, who hired a small room on Franklin street (occupied as the
office of Hopkins's livery stable), where, assisted by a few earnest laymen
from Williamsburg, they established prayer and clam meetings.
Mr. S. H. Clark remained a pastor two years, during which time the present
site was purchased, a frame edifice erected and covered, and a lecture room
finished in the basement. In the year 1850, Rev. Harvey Hustead was
appointed pastor, and remained two years; being followed in 1852, by Rev.
Julius Fields, and in 1853-4, by Rev. George Hollis. Under hi's labors the
audience room of the church was completed and the entire property much
improved. He was followed in 18554, by Rev. William Gothard; in 1857-8, by
Rev. Seymour Landon, under whose labors the church was much increased; and
in 1859-60, by Rev. Buell Goodsell; in 1861-2, by Rev. George Taylor; in
1863, by the Rev. John F. Booth. Under his labors the congregation so
largely increased that in 1864 a vigorous and thriving colony swarmed, and
with Mr. Booth as pastor, commenced the present large and commodious brick
church known as the Green-Point Tabernacle. In 1865-6-7, the Rev. Henry
Asten was pastor; and in the spring of 1868, the Rev. John W. Leek, the
present pastor, was appointed. The congregation has during the past year so
largely increased as to necessitate measures for a new and larger' edifice.
Lots have already been purchased for that purpose, and a fine brick church
is in contemplation.
In 1849, there were about thirty members, and there are now
(1869), three hundred in the First church and as many more in the
Tabernacle, making a twenty fold increase in twenty years.
Greenpoint Tabernacle was commenced in 1864, by members of
the First M. E. Church of Green Point, under the leadership of Rev. J. F.
Booth; he was followed in 1866-7-8, by D. A. Goodsell; in April, 1869, by
Rev. Freeman Pratt Tower. On his taking charge the basement of the present
edifice was the only portion completed, but in August of the same year the
work of finishing the edifice was commenced, and probably the dedicatory
services will take place in January, 1870.
The exterior of the church building is plain, yet massive
in appearance, constructed of brick, surmounted by a very high peaked roof
The front is supported by four large hexangular buttresses, between which
are the three entrances, and over the main or centre entrance is a ten-foot
Catharine-wheel window. The length of the building is ninety feet, with a
front sixty feet wide. In the rear is an extension twenty-one feet Iona,
and running the whole width of the building, which contains the class
rooms, infant claw, and church parlor. The basement exclusive of the
vestibule, is fifty-eight feet wide and sixty-three feet long, and capable
of seating seven hundred persons. The audience room is to be furnished in
black walnut and chestnut.
The intention is to afford sitting room for only eleven
hundred, and standing room for three hundred additional. The real estate
and building will be worth about $80,000 when finished. The present
membership is about four hundred and is increasing. The Sunday school
registers eight hundred scholars, and fifty-four teachers, under the
superintendency of William Clark. It has the largest congregation and
school of any church in that section, and is among a population of twenty
thousand.
Central M. E. Church, was formed in March, 1868, by a
number of persons from the old mother church (South Second street), who
purchased the South Fifth street M. E. Church (that society having built
St. John's M. E. Church), and organized a new congregation under the above
title. Pastors: 1867, E. L. Janes; 1868-9, B. M. Adams.
Hatfield X. E. Mission Church, Conselyea, corner of Leonard
street, a part of the city which has been technically called the 11
Backslider's Retreat," was established by the exertions of Rev. Henry
Hatfield. Trustees: Wm. Yorks, John Clarke, E. Smith, J. Cox, J. Benham.
Pastors: 1866-9, Henry Hatfield; 1869, J. H. Hall. A substantial frame
edifice has been erected, and was dedicated February 13, 1869. It is fifty
feet by seventy, seats six to seven hundred persons, and cost $11,000.
The African M. E. Church (Zion), South Third, corner of Union
avenue E. D., was organized in the year 1835, and, at first, worshipped in
the old Methodist church, then in a school house, and afterwards in a small
frame building, erected by themselves with much difficulty, in North Second
street, above Union avenue. Ministers: (as far as known), Peter Lee, 1855;
Kenneday, 1869.
Brooklyn Home Mission. Ministers, 1850-1, S. H. Clark; 1852, Jno.
Morris Pease; 1853, W. F. Collins; 1854-5, A. Nash.
Hicks Street M. E. Church, corner of Summit, 1851-3, G. S. Gilbert;
1854-5, T. H. Burch.
Atlantic Dock Mission, of which, in 1851-3, Henry D. Latham was pastor.
Dean Street Church. Minis": 1852-3, Nicholas White; 1855-6, C.
Gorse; 1857, Jos. Law. This became the Hanson Place church.
William Street Bethel Mission, William, near Van Brunt street.
Ministry 1854, S. Rushmore; 1855-61, E. 0. Bates; 1862-3, Miles N.
Olmstead; 186", A. S. Francis; 1869, William P. Estes.
De Kalb Avenue M. E. Church, De Kalb avenue, near Franklin.
Ministry : 1856, Joseph Law; 1857, John S. Inskip; 1858-9, Geo. Dunbar;
1860-1, A. H. Mead; 1862-3, Rufus C. Putney; 1864, G. S. Gilbert; 1865-7,
J. W. Leek; 1868, D. 0. Ferris.
Nathan Bangs M. E. Church, Clove road, corner of Butler street,
from 1856 to 1859, called a mission. Ministry: 1856; 1857-8, S. H. Platt;
1859-60, A. S. Hunt; 1861, A. C. Eggleston; 1862-3, William F. Hatfield;
1864-; 1865-6, H. P. Shepard; 1867-; 1868-9, A. S. Francis.
Janes M. E. Church, Reed avenue,- near Gates. Ministry: 1859-61, S.
H. Platt; 1862, A. C. Eggleston; 18684, W. H. Simonson; 186", H. C. Glover;
1869, S. C. Keeler.
Warren Street, East Warren, near Smith street. 1860, J. Law; 1861, J. S.
Mitchell; 1862-3, A. S. Francis; 1864-5, E. Sands; 1866-8, W. W. Bowdish;
1869, G. A. Hubbell.
Einbury M. E. Church, Fulton avenue near Marcy, of which, in
1867-9, Thomas Stevens was pastor.
John Wesley M. E. Church, Tompkins corner of Willoughby avenue,
1868, F. C. Hill; 1869, J. W. Barnhart.
Johnson Street M. E. Church, corner of Jay. 1868-9, J. E. Searles.
Free Union Methodist Church E. D., (African), was organized
February 4, 1842, and erected a small building, in 1851, on South Third,
near Ninth street.
A Wesleyan Methodist church was organized (in the E. D.), August
23d, 1843, but dissolved, by consent of the members, April 15, 1844.
Bushwick and Williamsburgh City Mission. Ministry: 1850-1, Jos. H.
Frost; 1852-3, Joseph Law; 1854, J. S. Mitchell.
Division Avenue, of which in 1853, Julins Field was pastor, is
perhaps the same as the Broadway Mission, Williamsburgh, 1854, of which
Julius Field was also pastor.
Cook Street M. E. Church, Cook street, corner of Bushwick avenue.
Ministry: 1855, J. S. Mitchell; 1856, G. L. Fuller; 1862 (with Flatbush),
J. Henson; 1863, Joseph Henson 1864, R. Roberta; 1869, Robert P.
Christopher.
An Asbury M. E. Church was organized in Williamsburgh, in 1844, and
a small building erected in North Seventh street, near Sixth, Rev. John
Seymour, pastor in 1856-7.
First Bethel H. E. Church (colored), Frost, near Lorimer street, E.
D., was founded in 1847.
Scandinavian Chopel, Pacific near Flatbush avenue, 1869, John
Swanstrom.
German Missionary District of the N. Y Conference (Williamsburgh
circuit). 1852, Francis G. Gratz; 1853, John J. Graw; 1854-5, Jacob Kendler
; 1856, Jno. Swahler; 1757, Henry Kastenarick ; 1858 (including Brooklyn,
N. Y. Bethel Mission and Greenville), John W. Freund and H. Kastendrick;
1859-60, C. F. Grimm; 1859 (Brooklyn and Greenville), J. W. Freund; 1861,
Simon F. Zimmerman (Williamsburgh), Henry Leibhart; 1862 (Williamsburgh and
Long Island), Leibhart; 1863 (Williamsburgh and Long Island), J. G. Lutz,
and (Bethel and Brooklyn), H. Kastendrick; 1864 (Brooklyn and Greenville),
F. Bonn; (Williamsburgh and Long Island), J. G. Lutz; 1865 (Brooklyn and
Greenville); Williamsburgh and Long Island, S. F. Zimmerman. Eastern German
Conference, 1866, Brooklyn south charge, Wm. Kruth, east charge, Lewis
Walton; 1867, Brooklyn (Wyckoff Street), Wm. H. Kruth; 1867-8,
Williamsburgh (Lorimer Street), Fred. Glank; 1868, Brooklyn (Wyckoff
street), F. G. Gratz.
METHODIST (NON) EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
The Methodist Protestant Church (E. D.), being the third ecclesiastical
organization in the former village of Williamsburgh, originated in the
secession of thirty-five members from the existing Methodist Episcopal
church of the place. It was organized in 1832, and a small, but comfortable
edifice was erected, which was dedicated in the autumn of 1853, and was
replaced, in 1850, by a brick structure. Its first board of trustees were
Frederick Dickerman, John Snyder, Benjamin Doxey, Peter Merrit and Stephen
Baker; the number of communicants at the time of organization being twenty.
Rev. Ruel Hanks was installed pastor in 1835, and Rev. Wm. H. Johnson was
pastor from 1849 to 1854.
The Brooklyn Primitive Methodist Church has existed since 1839. In
church government it is entirely democratic, and all matters of progress
and discipline are settled by the will of the people. The church is
Situated in Bridge street, between Concord and Tillary streets. It is a
wood frame building, the inside plain and nest, and the religious devotions
are energetic and lively. All the seats in the church are free. An
interesting Sunday school is also in operation. Revival services have been
conducted in the church since the commencement of the present year (1869).
Pastor, Rev. Charles Spurr.
Protestant Methodist Church, originated in a schism, which took
place among the Primitive Methodists, in 1839. The secession first assumed
the style of Wesleyan Methodists, and hired the building that had been
erected by the Primitive society, and sold for the debt, with which it was
encumbered. The preacher of the original society went with the secession.
For a while the new organization appeared to prosper, and numbered nearly
one hundred members. They purchased a lot of ground on Kent street, and in
the autumn of 1840, commenced the erection of a church, thirty by forty
feet, which was completed at a cost of about $2,000, and occupied in the
spring of 1841. Difficulties subsequently arose, and the society being in
debt, and unable to extricate themselves, in 1845, the church was sold to
the Roman Catholics, and it is understood that the society is dissolved.
(Prime's L. I., p. 400). Fred. W. Holland was pastor, 1839-40; George
Parsons, 1841-2; Win. Birch, 1844-5.
Notes:
1 Methodist Hag. and Quart. Review, vol. xiii; New Series, vol. 11, 1831,
p. 258
[2] In 1768, when he preached at the house of James Harper, the father of
Harper Brothers, the celebrated publishers. Mr. Harper afterwards removed
Brooklyn, and his house was a home for the preachers, some of whom boarded
there of the to while serving at that station. See Bang's Hist. ff. E.
Church, 1, 298, 299, et seq. Mr. Powers and others of the early Methodists
of Brooklyn, had to go over the river in a row boat to hear Capt. Webb in
the Old Sail Loft.
[3] Lost Chapters from Early History of Methodiom, 314, 315.
[4] At Recond Methodist conference, in June, 1789, at New York city, Rev.
Win. Phoebus and John Lee were appointed to Long Island, Plicebus serving
also for New York. Lost Chaptem, 825, 333.
[5] Beneath the altar of the church rest the remains of the Rev. John
Surnmerfield, widely known as one of the most eloquent preachers and godly
men connected with the Methodist church, and who was buried here by his own
request. A marble slab in the rear of the church, bears the following
Inscription: " Sacred to the memory of the Rev. John Summerfield, A.M., to.
27; a preacher of the Methodist connection; born In England -born again in
Ireland; by the first, a child of genius; by the second a child of God
called to preach the gospel at the age of nineteen, in England, Ireland and
America. Himself the spiritual father of a numerous and happy family. At
this tomb, genius, eloquence and religion mingle their tears. Holy in life,
ardent in love and incessant in labor, he was to the church a pattern, to
sinful man an angel of mercy, to the world a blessing. In him were rarely
combined gentleness and energy, by the one attracting universal love, by
the other diffusing happiness around him. Singular sweetness and simplicity
of manners, inimitable eloquence in the pulpit, natural, graceful and
fervent, rendered him the charm of the social circle and the idol of the
popular assembly. Upon the lips that moulder beneath this marble, thousands
hung in silent wonder. His element was not the breath of fame, but the
communion and favor of God. He closed a scene of patient suffering, and
slept in Jesus, in the city of Now York, on the 13th of June, 1825. By
faith he lived on earth, in hope he died, by love he lives In heaven."
[6] He was a man of deep piety and burning zeal, a native of Hempstead, L.
I., and died in Philadelphia, in 1818, in the sixtieth year of his age.
[7] In Brooklyn Directory for 184", Rev. George Pock is Put down as Pastor
[8] Mr. Kenneday had charge of the church in 1834-35, before it was set
off as a distinct organization.
[9] Certificate of incorporation recorded October 28, 1844, but, under some
misapprehension of mistake, renewed January 29,1845.
[10] These were Rev. Dr. Curry, pastor of Washington street church, Rev.
William Norris, of Sands street church, S. H. Humford, J. S. Taft, M. F.
Odell, A. A Gale, Stephen Haynes, L. S. Simmons, J. Studwell, and James De
Gray.
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Current listing for :
Bushwick Ave. Methodist Church
1139 Bushwick Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11221-4802
718-574-6610
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