1880 History of Ulster County New York - Saugerties Section

HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
kind in the country. It was designed by William Morris,
of London, and has attracted much attention from American
artists. The parsonage is situated in the rear of the
chnrch. In the summer of 1875 a neat Sunday-school
room.was built near the church at a cost of $3000.
The parish was organized Bug. 16, 1831. The first pastor
was Rev. Reuben Sherwood, who remained for four years,
1831 to 1835. Subsequent rectors have been Revs. Cicero
Hawks, Kearney, Nicholas, Lynd, and J. J. Robertson.
The services of the last named commenced in 1859, and
for twenty years his unwearied labors have been given to
this church and congregation. With the weight of increming
age upon him, and enfeebled by an accident a year
ago, he still remains senior pastor., Rev. Thomas Cole was
engaged in 1879 as assistant minister, and the principal
work of the parish now devolves upon him.
The present officers (March, 1880) are Cornelius Battelle
and Hobart Bogardus, Wardens; William Wilson,
Gilbert Spalding, William Mulligan, John Myer, Henry
Ohley, Charles Clum, and Ernest Vanderpocl, Vestrymen.
CHURCH OF ST. MARY (CATHOLIC).
Rev. Father Reiley is mentioned in the annals of Saugerties
as the first Catholic pastor who visited this town and
held religious services. This is said to have been in 1832.
It was soon after the extensive operations of Henry Barclay,
Esq., had been inaugurated, and a large population began
to gather in this place. Among them were included many
families of Catholic faith, and these were desirous of enjoying
worship according to the forms in which they had been
educated. These early services were doubtless helil in private
dwellings, and they are believed to have been the first
Catholic woiship in Ulster County. The buiiding of a
church was undertaken soon after. It was erected in
1833 so as to be used for service, but was subjected to
many changes, improvements, and additions from time to
time, so that it can scarcely be said to have been finished
until 1852,-the work extending over a period of ninetcen
years. It mas built by Michael Quigg, and is supposed to
have cost nearly $30,000. It occupies a commanding pwition,
overlooking the village of Saugerties, the harbor with
the adjoining mills and iron-works, the valley of the Hudson,
and the surrounding country north, west, and south
for many miles. It is a handsomc edifice, spacious and
convenient for the purposes of the church. Its tall and
graceful spire may be seen from' many distant points.
Around it upon all the grassy slopes are buried the Catholic
dead of half a century. The graves are almost nnmberless,
but well marked with memorial stones. Some have
the tall and handsome shaft wealth has been able to lavish
upon the beloved dead ; others the simple slab which poverty
has struggled to placc above the departed. All bear
the holy symbols of faith,-the cross wreathed with
I. H. S.,"-telling in three letters the story of redemption.
Many of the inscriptions close with thc universal
expression of humanity, '' Requiescat in pace I"
During the past gear (1879) a spacious pastoral residence
has been erected upon a finely-rounded summit, not far
from the church and nearer to the village. It is built of
brick, two stories in height, with basement. When the
grounds are fully graded and adorned, and all the improvements
complete, the Catholics of Saugerties may well congratulate
themselves upon their success. The cost of the
residence was about $7000.
The society became incorporated Oct. 18, 1878. The
certificate was signed by '~rchbisho~ McCloskey, Vicar-
General Quinn, Rev. John P. Lynch (pastor), and two laymen,
John Quinn and John Cleary. These proceedings
were verified in part before William P. O'Connor, notary
public, in New York City; in part before Benjamin M.
Coon, justice of the peace, in Ulster County ; and recorded
in the office of the county clerk.
The present pastor of the church is Rev. Denis Paul
O'Flyn. To his vigorous administration of the parish and
his persistent, tireless energy, as well as that of his imme
diate predecessor, the recent improvements are largely due.
The trustees are John Quinn and John Cleary, who have
actively seconded the pastor in his work.
A statement of receipts for the year ending Peb. k, 1880,
presents a suggestive view of the church-work, and evinces
the generous, sacrificing spirit of the congregation :
Pew-rents and offerings for seats ........................ $1669.70
Plate collections .............................................. 806.08
Father Mathew T. A. B. entertainment ................ 25.00
Entertainment, March 15, 1879 .......................... 173.49
Festival, July 4, 1879 ....................................... 817.09
Cemetery receipts ............................................ 282.00
Altar society .................................................. 42.23
Subscriptions for new pastoral residence .............. 1863.75
Receipts for out-missions .................................. 854.94
Collection for St. Joseph's Seminary ................... 107.39
'< " Archhishop Purcell ....................... 64.00
" " the Holy Father ........................... 69.20
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Total .............................. ,. ..................... $6774.87
A new burial.place has been consecrated, to the west of
the church edifice.
To complete all these improvements a debt of $9200 has
been incurred,-a small sunl compared to the entire value of
*the property. It is intended to largely reduce this during
the ensuing year.
The successive pastors have been Rev. Father Reiley, the
founder of the church ; Rev. Pathcr Smith ; Rev. Father
Killbridc; Rev. Father Powers, who came in 1852, and
labored in this congregation more than a quarter of a century,
wielding a strong influence and planting Catholic institutions
upon a sound basis ; Rev. Father Lynch ; and
the present pastor, Rev. Father O'Plyn. The extent of the
congregation requires an assistant pastor, and Rev. Daniel
Cronin is now the incumbent of that office.
The Catholic work extends over a very large portion of
the town. The church numbers more than 1000 members,
and as the seating capacity of the edifice is not more than
700, various plans of enlargement are under consideration.
The pressure for room may be relieved by the establishment
of churches at other points. Wit.hin the last few
years convenient chapels have been built at " Fish Creek,"
-so called,-in the neighborhood of the old powder-mills,
and at Quarryville. Catholic services are also held at Qlasco,
and arrangements are in progress to establish a church at
that point.
BAPTIST CHURCH OF SAUQERTIES.
In the year 1832, Elder Mansfield Barlow, pastor of the
Baptist Church in Kingston, began to preach at intervals in