Christ Church of Herkimer, NY
Services of the Episcopal
Church began to be held in Herkimer and German Flatts in 1833, and a parish
was organized in that year by the name of St. Luke's Church, German Flatts,
which organization seems to have been abandoned later. In March,
1839, the parish of Christ Church, Herkimer, was organized. Andrew
A. Bartow and Matthew Myers were the wardens. Services were held
irregularly for a few years in the Court House, and, by courtesy, in the
Reformed and M. E. Churches, by Rev. O. P. Thackera. Visitations
were made by Bishops Wainright and Horatio Potter.
The Rev. O. P. Thackera was rector of the parish, with Byron Laflin and Samuel Earl as wardens. Mr. Thackera had a group of clergy under his supervision, Revs. Fairbanks, Capron and others, who did work in a wide circle about Herkimer and Richfield Springs. Part of Mr. Thackera's work was a large and successful boarding and day school. In 1857 Mr. Thackera removed from this vicinity and soon after his associates also went away. For More than a year services were held and a Sunday-school was conducted by Rev. Mr. Perry, of Utica. During part of 1858 Rev. Mr. Ludlum was in charge. In November, 1858 Rev. J. Julford Hedges became rector, and remained until 1861. Rev. Edward Pidsley was in charge from March 17, 1861, until the end of 1862, when Mr. Hedges again took charge until 1864. Rev. Herman G. Wood then became rector and remained until 1871. In his rectorship a rectory was built and also a school-house, in which was maintained a parish school until 1877. Rev. J. D. Morrison was rector from March, 1871, to August 18, 1875; Rev. W. B. Walker, August 15, 1875, to October, 1884; Rev. Charles C. Edmunds, from January 1, 1885, to June 1, 1893; the present rector, Rev. William C. Prout, has been in charge since September 1, 1893. During the rectorship of Mr. Edmunds, July 1, 1886, land was purchased for the present church on the corner of Main and Mary Streets. The corner-stone was laid by Bishop Doane, October 6, 1888, and the church, parish-house, and rectory were completed in 1889. The church was consecrated on November 7, 1889. The old church was taken down and the old rectory and parish-house were sold. Since July 1, 1858, (date of first record) there have been baptized 858 persons; confirmed, 461; marriaged, 247; burials, 361. At this date, December, 1900, the parish has 125 families, numbering over 500 persons, of whom more than 200 are communicants. |
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