Town of Hunter Churches
As Identified in J.B. Beers' History of Greene County, published in 1884
Retyped by Arlene Goodwin
Presbyterian Church
Not until 1822 were
steps taken to establish a church. In an appendix to the published sermon
preached at the dedication of the Presbyterian meeting-house in Hunter, November
12th 1828, by David Porter, D. D., pastor of the Presbyterian church
at Catskill, printed at Williamstown, 1829, he says:
“The society is
confined almost entirely to a part of the town of Hunter, known
by the name of
Edwardsville. This spot, previous to the year 1817, was little more than a
forest, but two or three families residing within its limits. Owing to its water
privileges it was selected by Colonel William Edwards as a proper place for a
large leather factory. February 13th 1822, the church was organized,
consisting of seventeen members, and a room was gratuitously furnished and
fitted up as a place of worship. For a considerable time the church did not
enjoy the stated preaching of the gospel; nor was a pastor settled over them
till 1825. As late as the commencement of the year 1828, the number of
communicants was but 28. The present pastor began his labors in October 1827,
and was ordained the April following. During the month of February 1828, there
began to be encouraging appearances of a revival. The church manifested deep
feeling, and great contrition in view of former neglects. They seemed dispose to
arise and call upon God, if so be God would think upon them, and the multitude
around them, that they perish not. During the latter part of February and the
month of March, eternal things maintained a strong hold upon the thoughts and
feelings of this community. In the course of this year, 29 were added to the
church, so that it now consisted of 57 members. A useful lesson, it is thought,
might be learned from this little society by others far wealthier and numerous.
Besides honorably supporting the gospel among themselves, they maintain a
beneficiary in a course of preparation for the ministry, at an expense of
seventy-five dollars a year, and from time to time have contributed considerable
sums to aid the benevolent object of the
day.”
Among the members of
this, the first church organized in Hunter, were Colonel William Edwards and
wife, from the Congregational church of Northampton Massachusetts; John Bray,
then one of the leading spirits of Lexington; Samuel Henson and wife, from the
church at Windham; and 12 from the church of Lexington. The first services were
held in a rudely fitted and furnished room, made in the tannery loft, by the
Colonel, which was used until the new building was completed, in 1828. Dr.
Porter took for his text at its dedication, I Kings, VIII, 27:
“But will God indeed dwell on earth? Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Him! How much less this House that I have builded.”
It was an eloquent and
fervent discourse. In closing, he said:
“And let the subject
come home and be deeply felt by this church and congregation, that, Christ
strengthening you, you can do all things. Be stimulated to take strong hold of
every good work for Christ and the glory of His kingdom. And now, O Thou,
adorable Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we do most solemnly and most
willingly, and with our whole heart, dedicated this house to thee and thine
forever. Accept the offering of Thy unworthy servant, of God. Arise, oh Lord,
into thy rest; thou and the ark of thy strength. O Thou Almighty Redeemer, help
thou us to inscribe thy name upon this pulpit, upon these seats and upon these
walls, in characters that never shall be obliterated, and whenever thy people
look toward this house, may they think of it as thine own; may they never forget
that they enter upon holy ground. Divine Spirit, by thy kindly influence at this
interesting moment, breathe on every one of thy servants and cause their
dedication to the simple, and entire, and unreserved. Eternal and everlasting
God, this house is thine, not, henceforth and forever, and especially so by our
free act of dedication to thee. An oh, let the pillar of the cloud hang over
this tabernacle by day and by night, as a signal of thy presence and
benediction. Let this house be thine to bless, to the latest ages. Here, oh God,
let thy church, planted by thine own hand, live and flourish and extend her
branches, and be fruitful as Eden, and green like a cedar of Lebanon. In this
dedication, we would, of God, comprise all that we have and are, and entreat
that we may be owned by thee, not for our sakes, but for thine own name’s
sake; and thine, eternal Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, shall be the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.”
The year of dedication,
a successful effort was made to build a parsonage. Colonel Edwards gave the
land, and resolutions of thanks were tendered him, who, though burdened with the
cares of a great business, stands out strong and clear, like a beacon light in
the annals of this church.
The church edifice was
thoroughly repaired in 1864, and a new bell added in 1867. The following names
clergymen have served as pastors: David Porter D. D., Seth Chapin, Calvin
Durfee, J. J. Buck, J. F. Ingersol, Henry Osborn, J. R. Fish, C. Reynolds, F. F.
Judd, A. Parson, and the present pastor, R. H. Wilkinson, a graduate of Columbia
College. It has on numerous occasions contributed toward the needy resident
citizen. It is in a prosperous condition at present, and with good prospects for
the future.
The Methodist Episcopal
Church
This church dates its
first class meetings from about the beginning of the second quarter of the
present century. The absence of all its first records precludes a possibility of
chronicling its early history. It is known to have been in a flourishing
condition in 1830, and that a revival took place in 1843. It was first within
the Windham circuit, which was divided about 1845, and a new circuit erected,
termed the Lexington division to which Hunter was attached. Among its first
circuit riders was a gentleman named Osborne, who came from Windham, by the way
of Parker Notch, every two weeks. Another was a Mr. Hull, said to have been a
very clever exhorter; John Davy, Daniel Wright, Daniel Bullock, and a Mr. Davis
followed him. The class of 1844 consisted of 86 members, chiefly farmers,
lumbermen, and tanners, with their families. Valentine Buck was presiding elder
for several terms. After this class belonged to the Lexington circuit, Stephen
Marlendale and William B. Mitchell were exhorters. It is believed that no
regular pastor was ever in charge as a settled preacher. This class was formed
and held its meetings near the old Olmstead settlement, adjacent to the
Tannersville cemetery, west of the Plaaterkill road. This class, in 1835, had a
comfortable building in which it held its fort-nightly meetings—not always
upon a Sabbath day, but as best suited the itinerant preacher. The
discontinuance of the tanning industry, scattering and thinning out the
population of Hunter, soon caused the disbandment of the class, and cessation of
preaching. The building was razed to the ground many years ago.
A few years later, the more zealous of this disbanded class, who remained residents of the town, reorganized the class, which is now known as Haines Falls Methodist Episcopal church. Notes taken from Levi Haines show the organization of this branch to have taken place some 30 years ago, and until 1880, the society held their meetings in the school-house of that district. The present place of worship is in the new and neat edifice, built in 1880, on land donated by Levi and Samuel Haines.
The Methodist Episcopal
church in Stony Clove was organized in 1851, with a membership of 12, under the
leadership of John Chase, a local exhorter. Their meetings were held in the
school-house near Nealville until November 1879, when a happy effort secured the
present suitable and appropriate church building at this point. It was dedicated
November 9th 1879, by Rev. William Green, who took for his text,
“Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.”
The Methodist Episcopal church building at Hunter village was built in 1861.
There had been a class for some time previous to this. The absence of authentic
records pertaining to early history of this sect, in the town of Hunter,
necessitates but a brief mention. There are to-day three societies of this
church in the town, and the Nealville and Haines Falls societies attached to the
Hunter village charge.
The first pastor in
charge of this church was the Rev. William Fiero. Among the trustees of the
church are found the names of John Martin, James Douglas, H. C. Rundel, Orrin
Burgess, and Robert Smith. On the 23d of March 1883, the church building was
burned. An immediate effort was made, and through the energy and perseverance of
a few leading members, a new building rose on the former site, and was dedicated
August 23d of the same year. It is, undoubtedly, the most commodious and
convenient, as well as the best designed and costliest ($5,000) church structure
in the town. The parsonage is adjacent, as well as a cemetery, in which many of
its former members are interred. Under its present pastor, the Rev. J. P. Race,
it is in a prosperous condition.
The Roman Catholic
Church
The history of the
Roman Catholic church dates back to about 1830, when Father Farrell made
occasional visits to the tanning village from Albany. It was not established as
a mission, however, until 1836 or 1837. The ground for the church and cemetery
was given by James Kerr, the lumber was furnished by Wooster Perkins, and the
contractor and builder was a gentleman named Mac-donald. This was in 1837. The
first priest settled here was Father Gilbride. In regular succession the fathers
have been as follows: Fathers Constantine, Carroll, Myers, Gratton, Riley,
Murphy, Cannane, and the present incumbent. The house has been thrice repaired.
Father Delehanty is the present incumbent.
The Protestant Episcopal
Church
Episcopal services have
been frequently held in the parlors of the Blythewood Boarding House for a
number of seasons. Efforts were made last season to raise a sum sufficient to
build a small stone chapel, which have been generously responded to by
interested parties, and work is now bringing to completion a neat stone building
of gothic design. As it is intended only for summer services, visiting clergymen
officiate, as they happen to be in the neighborhood.
Hunter Camp Meeting
Grounds
“The groves were
God’s first temples. Ere man learned
To hew the shaft, and
lay the architrave
And spread the roof
above them--ere he framed
The loftly vault, to
gather and roll back
The sound of anthems.* *
* * Ah, why
Should we, in the
world’s riper years, neglect
God’s ancient
sanctuaries, and adore
Only among the crowd,
and under roofs
That our frail hands
have raised? Let us, at least,
Here in the shadow of
this ancient wood,
Offer our hymn.”
And what fitter, more
naturally adapted spot in which “to kneel down and offer to the Mightiest
solemn thanks and supplications,” what more appropriate temple of God than the
grand old amphitheater formed by the two projecting spurs high up in the heart
of this forest clad monarch, Hunter Mountain, with its battling cliffs rising
hundreds of feet as a back ground of pillar-work, its icy caves, and towering,
twisted trees of hemlock and of giant maple.
Several gentlemen closely identified with the interest of the Methodist Episcopal church at large, formed themselves into a company early in 1883, and bought some 200 acres of these lands, as the site of a national Methodist Episcopal camp meeting ground. In the summer of 1883 they were laid out into lots, and a road built to the village. It is intended to erect suitable and permanent buildings, and to make it of national interest to this sect. Its location cannot be equaled. Some 6,000 souls sought these clam shades to meditate this season. The Hunter Camp Meeting Ground will certainly be historically interesting to thousands in years to come.