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Pew Register of St. Mary’s Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1787-1791

Pew Register of St. Mary’s church, Philadelphia, PA from 1787-1791

The Pew Register of St. Mary’s church, which is here published for the first time, gives the names of the pew holders from December 8, 1787, down to May, 1791.

The location of the pews (in the church) may easily be ascertained by reference to the diagrams of the church sittings published in the former volume of the Records.^F1 By referring to them one can easily understand the letters employed in the present list of pew holders to indicate their sittings in the church. The letters are as follow: “E. G.”, “L. P.”. “N. G.” and “S. G.”; these refer to East Gallery, Lower Pews, North Gallery and South Gallery respectively. Opposite Thomas Fitzgerald’s pew “No. 13,” in the Rent List for December 8th, 1787, are two letters--”S. N.”, which thus appear in the original. Their significance is not understood; neither are the crosses, as + or X, which the clerk has occasionally added to the pew numbers. The determination of the pew charges, as well as all other financial matters connected with St. Mary’s church appertained to the Trustees, as may be seen by reference to the Minute Book published in the preceding volume of the Records.

From the regulations drawn up [therefor?] by the Trustees ^F2 in 1782, it appears that the pews were put up at auction, and that the highest bidder or subscriber had the first preference. At the same time the yearly rent of each pew was set at thirty shillings, to be “paid in half yearly payments, viz., on the 24th of June and the 8th of December”.^F3 The old plan of putting up pews at auction were opened.^F4 at this time John Ashley subscribed $1,000., being entitled thereby to the first choice of the new pews.^F5 In the following year--1810, preference in the choice of pews was similarly regulated by the amount of one’s subscription.^F6

The Rev. Francis Beeston named in the text was one of the first Trustees of St. Mary’s church;^F7 in 1790, June23, the church minutes mention his departure from Philadelphia for his new mission at Bohemia in Maryland.^F8

The names of the persons given as the occupants of the “Ambassadors Pew” have so far evaded recognition.^F9 The parties named in the Register as occupying the “Ambassadors Pew” were a “Mr Gouver, “elsewhere written “Ghouvare,” and a “M. Lombart,” or “Lombaert.” There was also a “Mrs. Gouver,” This “Gouver” or “Ghouvare,” I take to stand for Gouvea. In the interment List of St. Mary’s, for August 29, 1793, is oted the burial of one “Henry J. Lombart,” for the [the?] expenses of which was paid the sum of £1 and 5 shillings. This person may be the same as the occupant of the ambassador’s pew, referred to in the Register.

In 1795, the Trustees passed a resolution, namely, that Thirty dollars per Annum be demanded from the Spanish Ambassador, and a like Sum from the Portuguese Ambassador for one years rent of the Pew they occupy in St. M. [Mary’s] church due the 8th inst.^F10 Any one desirous of further information relating to the pr regulations of St. Mary’s, may find ample references to the same in the Minute Book of the Church, published in volume IV of the Records of the Society.

Footnotes

The following databases for St. Mary's Church, Philadelphia Pennsylvania are being transcribed by Olive Tree Genealogy volunteers. Bookmark this page and check back often to see what new files have been completed!

Pew Rentals St. Mary's Church, Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Interments (Burials) in St. Mary's Church New Chapel Burying Ground