Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.—
Is situated on the west side of Second Street, near its intersection with Santa Clara Street. The organization was effected in the fall of 1849, with the following members: Wm. Campbell, Mark Williams and wife, Asa Finley and wife, John Jones and wife, Mrs. Nancy Young, and a French gentleman and wife whose names are forgotten. Very soon after, a building on Third Street, opposite Moody's mills, was purchased by them and dedicated early in the year 1850. July, 1853, it was moved to the corner of Second and Santa Clara Streets, and enlarged.
In 1868 a frame building, capable of holding six hundred persons, was erected on the lot upon which the present edifice now stands. On the twenty-second of February, 1868, this church was burned to the ground by a supposed anti-Chinese incendiary. The loss was $18,000. Another building was erected on the same site, at a cost of $21,000, and was dedicated on the eighteenth of July, 1869, Bishop Kingsley preaching the sermon.
There have been seventeen pastors appointed to the charge since its organization, as follows: Revs. Charles McClay, William J. McClay (twice), Mr. Brier, Robert R. Dunlap, William Hulbert, John Daniels, Mr. Phillips, R. Y. Cool, Thomas Dunn (twice), P. G. Buchanan, Isaac Owens, D. A. Dryden, John R. Tanzy, E. S. Todd, C. C. Stratton, R. L. Horford, Frank F. Jewell, Robert Bentley, T. S. Dunn, Frank F. Jewell, D. D. In 1882, about $8,000 was expended in building a brick addition to basement of church for use of Sunday-school, social hall, etc., and in placing a new organ in the church. The church has been refurnished throughout, and $2,000 of the church debt paid off this year.
Methodist Episcopal Church, South.—
On the twenty-fifth day of May, 1851, Rev. A. L. Wynne organized this society with the following-named members: Charles Campbell, Nancy Campbell, Margaret Campbell, Elizabeth Ray, Alexander Hatler, Nancy Hatler, Marcus Williams, Anson Williams, and J. W. Powell. The first building was on the corner of Second and San Fernando Streets, and was constructed of brick, and was used as a place of worship until the fall of 1874, when it was removed to give place to the present wood structure now used by the church as a house of worship. Mr. Wynne was succeeded as the pastor of this church in 1854 by the Rev. Mr. Graham. In 1855 Rev. B. F. Johnson was the pastor. In 1856 and 1857 Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald, D. D., was the pastor. He was succeeded by the Rev. J. C. Simmons, who served for two years. Rev. Mr. Rubel was the successor of Mr. Simmons, and served in 1860. Rev. Morris Evans was pastor in 1861 and Joseph Emory in 1862. Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald, D. D., was returned to this station in the fall of 1862 and served during 1863 and 1864. Rev. George Sim was the pastor in 1865 to 1867. Rev. W. F. Compton was pastor in 1868 and 1869, and Rev. A. M. Bailey in 1870. In the fall of 1870 Rev. George Sim was again appointed and served for two years.
Rev. J. C. Simmons was again the pastor in 1873. Rev. Mr. Hopkins came to the charge in the fall of 1873, and remained until the fall of 1876. Mr. Hopkins was succeeded by the Rev. E. K. Miller, who remained two years, and was succeeded by Rev. H. B. Avery, in 1878, and resigned October, 1880. He was succeeded by Rev. George Sim, who remained in charge till the fall of 1883, when he was succeeded by J. W. Atkinson, who resigned October, 1885. During Mr. Atkinson's term the remainder of the church debt, amounting to $1,100, was paid. Mr. Atkinson was succeeded by C. Y. Rankin, D. D. Since Mr. Rankin's incumbency, the church has been renovated, and new rooms opened up. The membership has been increasing steadily. The church, during the past year, has purchased the following property: House and lot on Delmas Avenue, same being used as a permanent home for the presiding elder of San Francisco district; house and lot on South Seventh Street, residence of the pastor of the church. E. R. Bailey is superintendent of the Sunday-school, and has over one hundred children under his charge.
First Baptist Church.—
Organized May 19, 1850, by Rev. O. C. Wheeler, of San Francisco, who was the first Baptist minister on the Pacific Coast. It had only eight members at the beginning. This small membership could not afford to engage a permanent pastor, and arrangements were made by which monthly meetings were held, which were conducted by Mr. Wheeler. In November of that year a lot was purchased, and a building erected, at the corner of Third and Santa Clara Streets. Here Rev. L. O. Grenell, from the Baptist Home Missionary Society, took temporary charge, and in the following February was elected permanent pastor. The place of meeting was afterwards moved to the corner of Second and San Antonio Streets, where a brick building had been erected for that purpose. In 1877 a new and commodious structure was built, which was burned in 1882. The present tabernacle was then erected. The pastor now officiating is Rev. A. W. Runyon, who was called in 1887.
Trinity Church (Episcopal).—
Rev. S. S. Etheridge began the regular services of the Episcopal Church in San Jose, in November, 1860, occupying the old City Hall. The first organization of the parish of Trinity Church was made in February, 1861. Trinity Church was built in 1863. The Rev. S. S. Etheridge continued in charge of the parish until his death, in February, 1864 After his death the Rev. T. A. Hyland officiated for some months. The Rev. D. D. Chapin was then called to the rectorship, and remained in charge until January, 1866. During this time the mortgage upon the church lot was removed, and improvements were made upon the church and grounds. In April, 1866, the Rev. E. S. Peake was called and remained rector until December 1, 1870. On July 27, 1867, the whole debt of the church having been removed, or assumed by individuals in the vestry and congregation, the building was consecrated to the worship of God by Bishop Kip. In January, 1871, the Rev. Geo. Wm. Foote was called to the rectorship of the church. In 1876 the church was enlarged to nearly double its former capacity, and much improved. In 1872 the rectory was built. In 1880 four stained windows were presented to the church, and the Sunday-school was presented with a chime of five bells. Mr. Foote resigned the rectorship in October, 1884, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. B. Wakefield, D. D., who came from Richmond, Indiana, where he was rector of St. Paul's Church for twenty-nine years. Since Mr. Wakefield's appointment the church has been completed by the erection of a tower and spire, and a considerable sum is now on hand for the building of a chapel, guild rooms, etc., to be built upon an adjoining lot. The church is in a prosperous condition, and has over four hundred communicants.
Christian Church.—
This church was first organized about 1870. The members met in a little hall over the Home Mutual Fire Insurance Company's office, on Santa Clara Street; Rev. Cary, minister. They afterwards met in Champion Hall for several years, Rev. W. D. Pollard officiating. In March, 1883, Rev. J. W. Ingram came to San Jose from Omaha, Nebraska, and was appointed minister. The members then moved to the California Theater, where they held their meetings until January, 1885, when they moved into their new church, which had been erected on Second Street, between San Antonio and San Fernando Streets. When Mr. Ingram first took charge, the membership was about fifty, and has gradually increased in numbers. At the present writing they have a membership of three hundred. On July 15, 1888, Mr. Ingram resigned, and was succeeded by George E. Walk.
The First United Presbyterian Church of San Jose.-
This church was organized November 6, 1874, twenty-eight members uniting at that time. Rev. A. Calhoun, by appointment of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, commenced missionary work in San Jose in the fall of 1874, and remained in charge until the spring of 1879, when he was chosen pastor of the congregation, and regularly installed by the United Presbytery of San Francisco. The organization occupied a little hall over the San Jose Savings Bank, now the Home Mutual Insurance Company's building, for about four years. In the fall of 1878, the congregation erected a church on the corner of Fifth and Santa Clara Streets, the lot and church costing them over twelve thousand dollars. The location is good and the church a model of neatness and comfort.
The Society of Friends.—
The first religious meeting of the Society of Friends, otherwise known as Quakers, was held in June, 1866, in the building at the corner of Ninth and St. John Streets. The lot was donated by Jesse and David Hobson. In 1873 these meetings were regularly organized under the authority and discipline of the Iowa Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends. Jane M. F. Canney and Adonijah Gregory were the regularly appointed ministers. In 1886 the society purchased a lot on Stockton Avenue, near the Alameda, and erected a neat meeting-house, where services arc now held.
German Methodist Episcopal Church.-
This church was founded in the year 1861, by Rev. A. Kellner, but the first regular pastor was Rev. G. H. Bollinger. After the lapse of several years, the Rev. Hermann Brueck arrived, in 1868, and preached to the German residents in the old City Hall, when a small society was formed and a Sunday-school organized. Mr. Brueck's term of service lasted three years, when he was succeeded by Rev. C. H. Afflerbach. During the first year of this gentleman's administration the prescot valuable church property, on Third Street, between Santa Clara and San Fernando Streets, was acquired.
Mr. Afflerbach served four years, and was succeeded by the Rev. G. H. Bollinger, who served a term of three years, and was succeeded by Rev. F. Bonn, who served four years, and was succeeded by Rev. F. A. Worth, who had charge for four years. Mr. Worth was succeeded by Rev. C. H. Afflerbach, who is now the pastor. The church has a membership of about one hundred.
The First Congregational Church of San Jose.‑
Services were first held in connection with this church April 11, 1875. On May 3, an "ecclesiastical society" was formed, and on June 2, 1875, the church was organized, Rev. Theodore T. Munger acting pastor, who officiated until the appointment of Rev. M. Willet in 1879, who served for three years and was succeeded by Rev. Martin Post. Mr. Post was succeeded by Rev. Chas. W. Hill, who is the present pastor. The church building was first erected on San Antonio between Second and Third Streets. In 1887 the building was moved to the corner of Second and San Antonio Streets, and a large addition was built to it, making in all a very handsome structure. The new building was dedicated December 27, 1887.
Evangelical Association.-
This society was formed in October, 1879, with Rev. F. W. Voeglein acting as pastor. The meetings were held in Druid's Hall on First Street until 1881, when they moved into their new church, which had been erected on their lot on the corner of Second and Julian Streets. Mr. Voeglein left for Japan in 1882, and was succeeded in turn by the following-named gentlemen: Revs. F. W. Fisher, T. Suher, C. Gruen, and F. A. Erase. Mr. Frase came in May, 1887, and is now officiating as pastor.
First Presbyterian Church of San Jose.-
This church was organized on the afternoon of October 7, 1849, by Rev. Mr. Douglass, James Mathers and his wife, Sarah Warren Dutton, S. W. Hopkins, Oliver Crane, Austin Arnold, and Dr. James C. Cobb. The first services were held in the juzgado, or judgment hall, of the Alcade's court. The organization was called the Independent Presbyterian Church of San Jose. The first sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered in February, 1850, in a blue tent made by "Grandma" Bascom. Mr. Brayton succeeded the Rev. Mr. Douglass as pastor, and was duly installed, and first administered the sacrament October 6, 1850.
Up to this time the State House had been used, in conjunction with the Baptists, as a place of worship. In the latter part of 1850 a neat building of wood was erected on a fifty-vara lot situated on the east side of Second Street between Santa Clara and St. James Streets. This building cost $3,000, and was dedicated February 9, 1851, by Rev. S. H. Wiley. Mr. Brayton, the pastor, resigned January, 1852, and was succeeded by the Rev. Eli Corwin.
On March 19, 1865, the name of the church was changed from that of the Independent Church of San Jose to the First Presbyterian Church of San Jose. Mr. Corwin severed his connection with the church in the month of October, 1858, and was succeeded by the Rev. L. Hamilton, who entered upon his labors as pastor May 1, 1859. Mr. Hamilton's incumbency continued until the end of 1864.
On January 10, 1865, the Rev. William Wisner Martin was elected in his place. Mr. Martin was taken ill and never returned to his parish. He was succeeded by Rev. James S. Wylie. Mr. Wylie tendered his resignation and the same was accepted March 25, 1869. On account of damages done to the church building by an earthquake, October 10, 1868, services were held in the Young Men's Christian Association Building. On April 4, 1869, Murphy's Hall, at the corner of Market and El Dorado Streets, was secured, and the assistance of Rev. P. V. Veeder engaged. The pulpit was without a permanent minister until October 28, 1869, at which time the Rev. William Alexander was appointed. Mr. Alexander resigned March 28, 1871, and was succeeded by the Rev. Eben Morrison Betts, who was appointed October 22, 1871.
On July 15, 1877, he resigned the pastoral office, and was succeeded November 4, 1878, by Rev. John Paul Egbert, who served a term of four years.
For several years subsequent to Mr. Egbert's resignation, the church was without a regular minister. In 1884, Rev. H. C. Minton was elected pastor, and is now occupying that position.
Unitarian Church.—
First organized as the Unity Society of San Jose, in 1867. The pastors up to April, 1888, were: Charles G. Ames, J. W. Hatch, D. Cronyn, W. W. McKaig, and Mr. Fowler. Its meetings were held in Murphy's Hall, corner of Market and El Dorado Streets; then at Armory Hall, afterwards San Jose Opera House; then at Music Hall; then at California Theater. In April, 1888, the Unity Society dissolved and the Unitarian Church was organized, with N. A. Haskell as pastor.
St. Joseph's Catholic Church.—
The history of the Catholic Church has been told all through this narrative. It was the pioneer of the county, and has exerted its influence during all the subsequent years. The first building, as we have related, was erected in 1803. In 1835 a better building, constructed of adobes, was erected on the same site. This building was afterwards encased in brick. It endured many vicissitudes, having been racked by earthquakes, and was finally destroyed by fire. The present magnificent building was erected during the last ten years, having been completed in 1887. It stands over the site of the original church of 1803.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT