416 



HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



ter and spring of that year there was a series of revivals, 

 in which Mr. Wilson was assisted by Rev. Mr. Hawley, of 

 Penn Yan. 



The fifth pastor, Rev. S. Mills Day, was a young man 

 of much talent and ability, just from the seminary. He 

 remained five years, and received 44 members into the 

 church. Then came Rev. S. Yorhis, who was the sixth 

 pastor of the church. He held protracted meetings in the 

 winter and spring, resulting in quite an extensive revival. 

 As the fruit of his labors 42 were added. Mr. Vorhis 

 was radical in politics as in religion, and it was during 

 his ministry here that the late war was begun and ended. 

 The church was united in sustaining, him ; its doors were 

 thrown open for war-meetings, and whatever pertained to 

 the interest of our soldiers and the Union. Four young 

 men of this society were sacrificed upon the altar of our 

 country, — Willie Vorhis, the eldest son of the pastor, whom 

 many remember as a young man of great promise ; Solomon 

 Clark, son of Matthias Clark, a former elder of the church ; 

 George K. Benham, and Daniel S. Layton. The first died 

 in Libby prison, Richmond ; the others were killed upon 

 the field of battle. 



Rev. 0. H. Seymour was the seventh pastor. Forty- 

 eight were added under his ministry, — 32 at one time, — 

 mostly young people, who were converted during the re- 

 vival in the winter of 1866. Rev. D. Chichester succeeded 

 him, and remained over six years. Eighteen were added 

 during his ministry, which was suddenly terminated by death, 

 in January, 1876. He was a man to whose sterling worth 

 and genial social qualities the church and the county will 

 ever delight to bear testimony. He had arranged, previous 

 to his death, for a series of meetings to be held during the 

 '' week of prayer," which were afterwards ably conducted 

 by Rev. Mitchell, of Lakeville, with a deep religious im- 

 pression upon the community. 



After the death of Mr. Chichester, the church was with- 

 out a settled pastor for some time, although never without 

 church services. A part of the time the church was ably 

 supplied by Rev. Mr. Townsend, of xlttica, N. Y. 



Rev. B. Bos worth commenced preaching for the church 

 on the first Sunday in November, 1876, as a stated supply, 

 and was subsequently chosen pastor, in which capacity he 

 still ofiiciates. 



The elders of the church have been Samuel A. Hastings, 

 Dr. N. Stebbins, William Brewster, Elijah Judd, Matthias 

 Clark (deceased), Allen Dunning (deceased), Aaron Rosen- 

 krans, Solomon Clark, L. D. Hastings. 



The Sabbath-school was organized five years before the 

 formation of the church, exercises being held in the old 

 school-house. It has ever since been maintained with 

 interest. The early members are now widely scattered, — 

 some among the living, others among the dead. China 

 holds the dust of one young man, Frederick Brewster, who 

 went from this Sabbath-school, and died upon the mission- 

 ary field. To many it is still a place of sacred memories, 

 around which cluster the familiar faces of teacher, pastor, 

 classmate, friend, — a dear remembered group, now widely 

 separated by distance, perchance by death. 



This church was early in unison with the temperance 

 movement, and was instrumental in bringing about a better 



state of things in regard to the drinking and sale of in- 

 toxicating liquors in this* village, resulting in the total 

 abolishment of it from the dry-goods stores, in all of which 

 it was previously sold the same as any other article of mer- 

 chandise. 



ST. JAMES' CHURCH. 



St. James' Church, Hammondsport, was organized June 

 15, 1829, by Rev. William W. Bostwick. The following 

 were the first ofiicers certified to in the instrument of incor- 

 poration : Henry A. Townsend and John Powers, Wardens ; 

 Lazarus Hammond, Cornelius Younglove, Ezekiel B. Pull- 

 ing, Israel R. Wood, John Mitchell, Jr., and Zelotes Knapp, 

 Vestrymen. Said certificate was signed and sealed in the 

 presence of Mrs. Elizabeth H. Townsend and Charles N. 

 Tuttle, by Rev. William W. Bostwick, John Powers, and 

 H. A. Townsend. 



During Mr. Bostwick's rectorship, in 1832-33, the first 

 church edifice — which is still standing, although removed 

 to give place to the new one — was erected, and was con- 

 secrated by Bishop Onderdonk, Aug. 27, 1833. At this 

 time 25 communicants were reported. The lot on which 

 the old church stood, and where the new church now 

 stands, was given by Messrs. Germain and Whiting, and 

 deeded by them Sept. 24, 1836. The building committee 

 of the old church were Lazarus Hammond, Ira Gr. Smith, 

 and John J. Poppino. Nathan Taylor was the builder, 

 and the cost was $1600. Rev. Mr. Bostwick retained the 

 rectorship some fourteen years, residing at Hammondsport 

 all the time. Up to 1833, when the church was conse- 

 crated, his services were given to several places ; but from 

 1833 to 1840 his time was divided equally between Bath 

 and Hammondsport. Then for two years he gave part of 

 his time to Wayne and Hornellsville instead of Bath. In 

 1842 he resigned his rectorship and soon went West, where 

 he died Oct. 5, 1845, in the forty-ninth year of his age 

 and the twenty-first of his ministry. 



In the spring of 1835 a bell was procured for the old 

 church, of Lewis Aspinwall, of Albany, N. Y. It cost 

 $119, and is now used temporarily in the new church. An 

 organ was also procured of Thomas Wagstaff*, in 1846, 

 costing $300. 



After Mr. Bostwick, Rev. Philemon Coe officiated awhile 

 in 1842-43. Then for some six years Rev. Erastus Spald- 

 ing had charge of the parish, up to 1849. For some time 

 in 1849-1850, Rev. Loren Russ was minister in charge. 

 The next rector was Rev. Charles Woodward, who remained 

 from November, 1850, to some time in 1852. After Mr. 

 Woodward, Rev. (now Dr.) Parke officiated from 1853 to 

 1855. All those following Mr. Bostwick held short rector- 

 ships. Then came Rev. Daniel E. Trowbridge, who was 

 rector fifteen years. After 1870, when Mr. Trowbridge 

 resigned. Rev. James Stoddard was in charge about three 

 years. Then, with some vacancies. Rev. Mr. Cushing 

 officiated about one year, and was succeeded by the present 

 rector. Rev. H. V. Gardner, who entered upon his duties 

 July 1, 1875. 



The corner-stone of the new church was laid by Bishop 

 Coxe, April 18, 1876. It was consecrated by the same 

 June 12, 1877. The new church, valued at $10,000 and 

 complete in all its appointments, is of a style and workman- 



