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 n 
 
 ^^i- 
 
 I 
 
 HISTORY OF THE CORPORATION 
 
 OF THE ^ 
 
 I^eform^d Dijtel7 (^l7iJr(;l7 I 
 
 S 
 
 OF THE n 
 
 TOWN OF BROOKLYN, 
 
 tKnowiT. as the F^irst Reformed. Dutch Church. ) 
 
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HISTORY 
 
 iorporation of %' l^efornied Butcb Sliurch 
 
 TOWN OF BROOKLYN, 
 
 ( Kno^pvn as ttie F^irst Reformed Diatcti Chiarch.) 
 
 By A. J. BE&KMAN. 
 
 COMPILED FROM THE ORIGINAL RECORDS. 
 
 PKKSa OF BRnOKI.YN KAOI.K. 
 
o,5^-b 
 
 '^^ 
 
 
I'lRST KEFORMI 
 
 1) DcTcn Chirch i)F Brooklyn, N. \. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The compiler of this History removed from New York to Brooklyn 
 in April, 1828, and immediately identified himself with this Church, 
 and has been connected with it most of the time since. He has 
 been a member of it longer than any male member for many years. 
 He was Clerk of its Consistory for a long time, and also its 
 Treasurer for years ; was associated with its old members, and 
 obtained from General Johnson, personally, many facts, which he 
 has incorporated in these pages. He has submitted this manuscript 
 to the Hon. Benjamin D. Silliman (the oldest male attendant of 
 the Church), who pronounces it correct. 
 
 He had access to all the minutes of the Consistory, and has 
 noted, from time to time, all facts which he thought would be 
 important in the History, and submits it to the members of the 
 Church and congregation, and others, what he thinks will be the 
 most complete history of the Church that has ever been published. 
 He has availed himself of the translations of its history by the 
 late Hon. Teunis G. Bergen, and had many intercourses with 
 him in regard to the subject, and received from him much per- 
 sonal information of how he obtained the facts. 
 
HISTORY 
 
 First REPeRMED Butch Shurch 
 
 OK BROOKlIvYN. 
 
 That a grant of land for this Church was made by the Provincial 
 Governor and Council as early as the grants to the churches at Midwout 
 (Flatbush) and Amersfordt (Flatlands), there is no doubt, and that 
 it was on the site of the first Church appears from the following : 
 
 In the orginal records at Albany, in the Dutch language, certain 
 leaves are torn out, which were spoken of by Dr. C. D. Westbrook, 
 the translator. 
 
 In the records of the Council in 1656, a grant was made of Morgens 
 on the west side of the burial ground, and in 1657, of Morgens on the 
 east side of the burial ground, and Gen. Jeremiah Johnson, in the 
 paper prepared in 1834, to put in the corner-stone, which was recently 
 taken up, said, " From tradition we learn that a place for Divine worship 
 was prepared before the first Church was built, on the stone foundation 
 of a Fort, which had been erected to protect the earlier settlers against 
 Indians." 
 
 And in Domine Selyns' letter to the Classis of Amsterdam, dated 
 October 4, 1660, he says : "We do not preach in a Church, but in a 
 barn." And in the original records of the Church is the following 
 
 TRANSLATION: 
 
 Ancke Jans made application to the Consistory of the Reformed 
 Dutch Church, of Brooklyn, for permission to enclose the grave of his 
 deceased wife (Magdalen) with a fence, to prevent the swine from 
 rooting up the grave. The application was referred to Rev. Henry 
 Selyns and the Deacon Jacob Jorsin, with instructions to have the 
 
burial ground fenced as soon as possible. Whereupon the Rev. 
 Henry Selyns and Jacob Jorison contracted with Ancke Jans to en- 
 close the burial ground with a good clapboard fence, five foot high, 
 and to make a good board gate, and frontispiece for the entrance, for 
 which they were to pay him seventy guilders. 
 
 Dated October 25, 1662. (Signed) 
 
 Ancke Jans. 
 
 In 1654 the Rev. Johannes Theodorus Polhemus came from Itamarca 
 in Brazil, where he had been laboring as a missionary. He was a de- 
 scendant of an ancient and respectable family in the Netherlands, and 
 commenced preaching in Brooklyn, Flatbush and Flallands in that year 
 — in the morning, in Flatbush, and alternating in Flatlands and Brook- 
 lyn in the afternoon. The people of Brooklyn were not satisfied with 
 this arrangement, and in the Fall of 1658 a letter was sent to the Classis 
 of Amsterdam, asking that a good Dutch clergyman might speedily be 
 sent over to America. 
 
 On the 1 6th of February, 1660, the Rev. Henricus Selyns was ex- 
 amined by the Classis and admitted to the ministry, accepting at the 
 same time a call from the Church of Brooklyn to serve them for four 
 years. The approbation of the Directors of the West India Company 
 was granted March 27th, 1660, and about this time, in company of 
 Rev. HermanQs Blom, who was afterward settled at Esopus, now Kings- 
 ton, he sailed for America. On their arrival here they presented to the 
 Governor their letters, who issued a protocol on the ^th of Septem- 
 ber, 1660, and appointed two of his principal officers, Nicasius de Sille, 
 a member of the Council, a man of no mean attainments and well found- 
 ed in the law, and Martin Krigier, Burgomaster of New Amsterdam, to 
 attend to the installation. He had preached for them the first time on 
 the 30th of August, 1660, but met them for the first time as their pas- 
 tor on the 7th of September, 1660. The following is a literal transla- 
 tion of the protocol, made by Doctor P. H. Vander Weyde, the organ- 
 ist of this Church : 
 
 Protocol of the' Church Council of Breukelen. — September 
 5,1660: The congregation of Bruekelen having requested the Hon. 
 Director-General and Council (for the reason of the difficulty of the 
 road from Breukelen to Midwout (Flatbush), and the high age of the 
 Reverent Dominie Johannes Polhemus, to whom it is a heavy task) to 
 
have a preacher for themselves to the promotion of true religion and 
 edification ; and as the request was reasonable, it was expected it would 
 be granted as soon as the proper knowledge of the circumstances was 
 given to the Hon. " Autorities " (authorities) ; and according to the re- 
 quest mentioned, having obtained the person of Henricus Selyns to 
 promulgate the Gospel and serve the Sacraments — his honor theDiiec- 
 tor-General has, after different " conferenties " (conferences), and a pro- 
 per contract with the Deputies of Breukelen, sent the said preacher in 
 company of the Hon. Deputies, the Hon. Nicasius de Sille, Fiscal 
 Council of New Netherlands, the Hon. Martin Krigier, Burgher of New 
 Amsterdam in New Netherlands, to be presented to the congregation, 
 and to be confirmed as their preacher with the following letter : 
 
 Honorable Dearly Beloved : This short and open letter serves 
 only as an introduction to the bearer, the Rev. Do. Henricus Selyns, 
 by the Government of Amsterdam at your request, he having accepted 
 the calling of Preacher and all other duties depending thereon in the 
 Village of Breukelen. We recommend you to receive him affection- 
 ately, and keep in respect, honor, and love ; to attend with diligence 
 the services he will conduct ; to procure him according to your prom- 
 ise decent and comfortable lodgings, so as to honor God in His service, 
 and prepare you more and more for eternal happiness, for which God 
 alone will grant His blessing. I close in recommending you one and 
 all in God's care and protection, and remain 
 
 Your well-wishing friend and Governor, 
 
 (Signed), P. Stuyvesant. 
 
 [Given in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherlands, Anno 1660, Sept. 3] 
 
 After the letter was read by the mentioned Fiscal Council to the 
 Consistory and Schepens of Breukelen, the Consistory and Schepens 
 thanked the Governor and his Deputies, and accepted the said Hen- 
 ricus Selyns for their legal pastor, who then went with said deputies 
 to give his inaugural sermon, declaring his affection towards the 
 congregration nevvly intrusted to his care. (See page 140, vol. I., 
 " Stiles's History of Brooklyn.") 
 
 On the 1 2th of September, i66o, he received from Dominie Pol- 
 hemus a list of members, consisting of one elder, two deacons, and 
 twenty-four members, thirty-one householders, and one hundred and 
 thirty-four persons. Under the ministry of Do. Selyns the church 
 increased so that in 1661 there were fifty-two communicants. In 
 1664 his time having expired, he at the urgent solicitation of his 
 
lO 
 
 aged father was most tenderly and affectionately dismissed from his 
 charge, and on the 23d of July sailed for Holland in the ship BeaveVy 
 the same which brought him to America. 
 
 After his departure Charles Debevoise, the schoolmaster of the 
 town, who was the church sexton, was authorized to read prayers and a 
 sermon from some approved author each Sabbath in the Church, 
 for the improvement of the congregation, until another minister could 
 be found. The Revs. ATegapoknsis and Drisius of New York, and 
 Polhemus of Flatbush, administered the ordinances and occasionally 
 preached until May, 1670, when the Rev. Mr. Polhemus was so far 
 restored to health that he preached again in Brooklyn in connection 
 with his own congregation? until his death, which occurred June 9th, 1676. 
 
 The first Church was built on the road what is now Fulton street, 
 between Lawrence and Bridge streets. It stood in the middle of the 
 road, unprotected on either side, with burial ground on the west. It 
 stood for 100 years, and was built on the walls of a stone fort which 
 had been erected to protect the first European settlers from the 
 Indians. There has been no plan or picture of this Church preserved. 
 
 The second Church was built on the same spot, a plan of which has 
 been preserved, and is shown in " Stiles's History of Brooklyn," Vol. I., 
 page 192. 
 
 It was described as a large square edifice, with solid and very thick 
 walls, plastered and whitewashed on every side up to the eaves ; the 
 roof, as usual in those days, ascending to the peak in the centre, capped 
 with an open belfry, in which hung a sharp toned bell brought from 
 Holland, which bell as late as 1840 was hanging in District School 
 in Middagh street. 
 
 The Church is described as follows : " Its interior was plain, dark 
 and very gloomy, so that in Summer one could not see to read in it 
 after four o'clock in the afternoon, by reason of its small windows. 
 These were six or eight feet from the floor, and filled with stained glass 
 lights brought from Holland, representing vines, loaded with flowers. 
 This Church, like the first, stood in the middle of the road leading from 
 the ferry into the country. 
 
 On the 28th June, 1805, the corporation of this Church purchased 
 from John Jackson the property on which the recent Church stood, 
 
1 1 
 
 the deed for which is recorded in Liber 9, pages 301 and 302 of Kings 
 County Records. 
 
 In 1807 the third Church was built on this property, which is now 
 Joralemon street, in the rear of the City Hall. It was described as 
 being built of blue stone, of heavy walls, plastered and painted a dark 
 lead color, a tower on the eastern front, standing near to the road or 
 street, with two aisles, gallery on three sides, and but limited accommo- 
 dation. The corner-stone was laid May 15, 1807, by the Rev. Peter 
 Lowe, and the building was so far completed that it was dedicated 
 on the 23d December, 1807, by the Rev. J. H. Livingston, preaching 
 from the text Heb., 4 chap., 12 verse. The building cost $13,- 
 745-53- The congregation came mostly from the country, in their 
 long green wagons, and of course could only be expected to attend the 
 morning service. The following list of persons has been found, and 
 are supposed to be part of those families that attended the Church 
 about 1810 to 1820: 
 
 From Bedford— Abraham De Bevoise, Lambert Suydam, Leffert 
 Lefferts and others; from the Wallabout— Jeremiah Johnson, Abraham 
 A. and Jeremiah Remsen, Martin and Jacob Schenck, Martin and 
 Jacob Ryerson and others; from Cripplebush - Folkert Raplye, 
 Francis Skillman, Michael Vandervoort and others; from Gowanus 
 — John C. Freeke, Nehemiah Denton, Thomas Tiebout, Theodorous 
 Polhemus, Adolphus Brower, Adrian and Jacques Cortleyou, Cornelius 
 Van Brunt, Peter Wyckoff, Walter Berry, Michael, Peter, Simon and 
 Garret Bergen, the Bennets, Van Pelts and others : from Red Hook — 
 Rynier Suydam, Jacob Bergen, the Van Dykes and others; from 
 Brooklyn — Teunis Joralemon, Samuel Smith, Adrian Hegeman, John 
 Moon, Abraham Vanderveer and others. 
 
 To accommodate the inhabitants of the village, a chapel was put up 
 on Middagh street in which the evening services were held, a notice 
 of which was published in the Long Island Star, November 13, 181 1, 
 which said : " An elegant but small new house for the congregation of 
 the Reformed Dutch Church of Brooklyn was opened Sabbath even- 
 ing last by the Rev. S. S. Woodhull, who preached from the text, Mat- 
 thew, chap. 23, verse 20." This building was sold some years after, 
 and was occupied by Public School No. 6. During the pastorate of 
 
12 
 
 Rev. S. S. Woodhull lots were bought on the [corner of Nassau and 
 Washington streets, and a parsonage built, which was occupied by him 
 until his removal to New Brunswick, N. J. 
 
 In the minutes of Consistory, June 3, 1833, it was: Resolved, That 
 a Committee be appointed to take into consideration the present situa- 
 tion of our Church and congregation, and advise with the people who 
 belong to us and who desire to be connected with us, and that the Com- 
 mittee report what measures ought to be taken to provide accommoda- 
 tions for all persons and families, who desire to be connected with us. 
 
 The Committee recommended that a subscription list be circulated 
 for the erection of a new Church. A Committee circulated subscrip- 
 tions, and enough was subscribed to warrant the commencement of 
 building the fourth Church. A Building Committee was then appointed, 
 and the corner stone was laid on the 22d of May, 1834. It was laid by 
 Abraham A. Remsen, the Senior Elder, and addresses were made by 
 the Rev. Maurice W. Dwight, the pastor, and by the Rev. Thomas De- 
 Witt, D.D., of the Collegiate Church of New York. John Skillman, 
 Adrian Hegeman, Cornelius Van Cleef and Peter Wyckoff were Elders ; 
 Teunis Johnson, Adriance A^an Brunt, Abraham Suydam and Henry 
 Reed were Deacons. The Building Committee were Jeremiah Johnson, 
 Leffert Lefferts, Samuel Smith, John S. Bergen, John Skillman, Garret 
 Bergen, Theodorus Polhemus and John Schenck. Lefever & Gal- 
 lager, architects ; Tompkins & McFarlan, masons ; Young, Reeve 
 & Dimon, carpenters. 
 
 The papers and books placed in the corner stone were : 
 
 A History of the Church from its formation, prepared by Jeremiah Johnson, Clerk 
 
 of the Consistory and Chairman of the Building Committee. 
 The Minutes of the last General and Particular Synods of the Reformed Dutch 
 
 Church. 
 The last Annual Report of the Sunday-schools of Kings County. 
 A Temperance Almanac. 
 A copy of the " Reformed Dutch Church Magazine." 
 Two Sermons preached in Kentucky. 
 The present Constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church. 
 A Tract. 
 Woods' History of Long Island. 
 Furman's Notes of Brooklyn. 
 Copy of a Lecture delivered at the Lyceum. 
 
13 
 
 The Charter of the City of, Brooklyn, with the reports and petitions against the 
 
 same. 
 
 A copy of the "Long Island Star" and " Brooklyn Advocate," and of the 
 
 " Christian Intelligencer.' 
 
 A Pardon by Gen. Howe in 1777 to an American Officer. 
 
 A Magdalen Report. 
 
 (Signed) Jeremiah Johnson, 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 The Churcii was so far finished, that it was dedicated on the 7th of 
 May, 1835, the members of the Classis of Long Island all being pre- 
 sent. In 1853 General Johnson, who had been the Clerk of the Con- 
 sistory for fifty years, tendered his resignation. 
 
 The first Sabbath-schools in Brooklyn were established about 1815. 
 A public meeting was called for March 27, 18 16, to be held in Mr. 
 Evan Eeynon's school room, at " which Christians of every denomina- 
 tion in Brooklyn, all who are advocates for decency and order, and all 
 who are friends to the promulgation of the fundamental truths of our 
 common religion," are invited to attend. The "Brooklyn Sunday- 
 school Union Society " was organized on the 8th of April, and Abraham 
 Remsen of this Church was appointed one of the vice-presidents, and 
 David Anderson, also of this Church, one of the managers. Abraham 
 Vanderveer was one of the first teachers in this Union school. 
 
 In 1819, Nehemiah Denton, Esq., established a Sunday-school for col- 
 ored people in the kitchen of his dwelling, which continued for several 
 years, but was afterward removed to a small school room, which stood on 
 the corner of Gowanus lane and the Post road. Soon after, schools were 
 started in the school house at lower Gowanus, at Bedford, and at the 
 Wallabout. In June, 1828, a meeting was called to take into considera- 
 tion the establishing of a Sunday-school in the lecture room, which was 
 then building on the northwest corner of the church lot, to which meet- 
 ing John C. Freeke, Esq., was called to the chair, and Abraham J. Beek- 
 man was made Secretary. It was then resolved that it was expedient 
 to organize a Sunday-school, as soon as possible and an adjourned 
 meeting was held soon after, at which Adrian Hegeman was elected 
 Superintendent; Samuel Smith and Martinus Schoonmaker, Assistants, 
 and Mrs. Mary Van Brunt and Miss Harriet Silliman, Female Super- 
 intendents; Thomas Hegeman, Secretary; the Misses Olcott, the 
 
14 
 
 Misses Moon, the Misses Silliman, and others, female teachers ; John 
 D. and Archibald T. Lawrence, James Duffield, A. J. Beekman, John 
 D. Prince, and others, male teachers. Adrian Hegeman remained 
 Superintendent until 1839, when he left to unite with the Second or 
 Central Reformed Dutch Church. The Consistory selected A. J. 
 Beekman to succeed him, and the Superintendents have since been 
 John L. Vandewater, Samuel Sloan, James McMillan, S. G. Wheeler, 
 Robert Thome, H. D. Van Orden, Merwin Rushmore, W. H. Dike, 
 Frederick B. Schenck and others. The school was continued in this 
 lecture room until it was taken down, when it was removed to the new 
 lecture room on the east side of the Church, and has been continued 
 in these rooms and in the Polytecnic Institute until the present. 
 
 A mission school was founded on Atlantic street in 1848, and also in 
 Smith, corner Butler street, and in 1869 in Jones' building, opposite the 
 Court House, with George G. Brinkerhoff as Superintendent, Adam 
 R. Gray, Rob Yellowlee, and others, assisting him. In 187 1 the Cen- 
 tennial Chapel on Wyckofif street, near Third avenue, was built, to 
 which the school was removed, where preaching services were also held 
 Sabbath evenings by the Rev. J. G. Bass, the City Missionary, after- 
 ward by Rev. A. N. Wyckoff, Rev. J. H. Callen, D.D., and where 
 there is now a large and flourishing Sabbath-school conducted by Mr. 
 Shelley, Superintendent, and a large number of teachers. 
 
 The Church has now in use two silver cups, which was given by 
 Maria Baddiaon the 3d of October, 1684, which has engraved on them : 
 
 Anno 1684, den 3 October 
 heeft Maria Baddia aen de Kerke 
 Van Bruekelen Lervert een 
 Zilvert beecker om het 
 Aboutinael mjt Te Delen. 
 
 This Maria Baddia, sometimes called Mary Thomas, was married 
 first to Jacob Vanden or Verden ; second to William Adrianse Bennett, 
 and third to Paulus Vanderbeck. She was admitted as a member of 
 this Church September 27, 1662, as Marritie Baddia, nee Bennett, nee 
 Thomas, wife of Paulus Vanderbeck. 
 
15 
 
 HISTORY OF THE PASTORS. 
 
 We have given in the former part of this history the account of Rev. 
 Johannes Theodoras Polhemus and of the Rev. Henry Selyns, who 
 were pastors from 1654 to 1676. 
 
 In 1676, Rev. William Nieawenhuysen was invited to supply this 
 pulpit, which he did for one year. 
 
 In 1677, the Collegiate Church of Kings County extended a call to the 
 Rev. Casparus Van Zuren, from Holland, and who was installed on the 
 6th of September, at Flatbush, and supplied them until 1685, when he 
 returned to Holland. 
 
 Rev. Randolphus Van Varick was the next pastor, from 1685 to 
 1694. During the Licslerian troubles in 1689, Mr. Varick, with other 
 ministers, stood out against the authority of Licsler, and were treated 
 with much harshness, being dragged from their homes, cast into jail, 
 deposed from the ministry and fined heavily. These severities un- 
 doubtedly hastened his death. He was succeeded by Rev, William 
 Lupardus, whose ministry v/as terminated by death in 1701 or 2. 
 
 Rev. Vincentius Antonides was installed in the Church at Flatbush 
 January i, 1705. 
 
 Rev. Bernardus Freeman, of Schenectady, was also called in 1705, 
 and installed in the Church at New Utrecht. 
 
 Mr. Freeman died in 1741, and Mr. Antonides died in 1744. Mr. 
 Freeman's successor in 1742 was Rev. Johannes Arondeusfrom Rotter- 
 dam, who seemed to have possessed a contumacious spirit and to have 
 led an irregular life. He quarreled with his colleague, Mr. Van Sin- 
 deren, very soon after his arrival, and in May, 1747, went off secretly, 
 and was deposed from the ministry in 1752. 
 
 In 1746, Rev. Ulpiames Van Sinderan, a native of Holland, was call- 
 ed. He, by request of his Consistory, resigned in 1784, and died in 
 1796, receiving his salary from the several churches until his death in 
 1796. 
 
 Rev. Antoneus Curtenius was called as colleague to Mr. Van Sin- 
 deren May 2, 1755, and died October, 1756. 
 
i6 
 
 In 1757, Rev. Johannes Casparus Rubell, of Hesse Castell in Ger- 
 many, was called over the churches of Kings County. He was a de- 
 cided Loyalist, while Mr. Van Sinderen was a Whig, so that the two 
 pastors were in decided opposition to each other. He was deposed 
 from the ministry in 1784. 
 
 Rev, Martinus Schoonmaker was licensed to preach in 1763, and was 
 called to the churches of Harlaem and Gravesend. In 1781 he accepted 
 a call to the churches of Gravesend, Success and VVolver Hollow. Dur- 
 ing the war he preached for the Collegiate Churches of Kings County 
 part of the time, but becoming suspected as a spy by it being known 
 that he was carrying letters from Harlem where he lived, and where the 
 American army were encamped, over to Long Island to their families. 
 They resolved to surround the house where he was staying, but the 
 Consistory also found it out, and held a meeting after the service, and 
 warned him in time, so that lie escaped by way of the Narrows to reach 
 his own home at Harlem. After the British took Harlem, his house 
 and all his effects were destroyed by them ; he escaped to Ulster Coun- 
 ty- 
 After the closing of the war, in 1 784 he was called to the six churches 
 of Kings County, where he continued until his death, which occurred 
 on the 20th of May, 1824, aged 87 years, having been in the ministry 
 61 years. His successor says of him : " His labors were arduous, yet he 
 was never known to faint in the Master's cause, and few men have gone 
 to the grave with a character more unblemished." 
 
 Rev. Peter Lowe was called as colleague to Mr. Schoonmaker, Octo- 
 ber 28, 1787, to preach in the English language, in which he continued 
 for twenty-one years, until the collegiate connection was dissolved, 
 when he accepted the call from the churches of Flatbush and Flat- 
 lands, where he continued until his death, which occurred on June, 
 1818. 
 
 On the 24th October, 1802, the Rev. John B. Johnson, of Albany, 
 was installed as pastor of the Church in Brooklyn. While in Albany 
 he was invited by both houses of the Legislature to preach the funeral 
 sermon on the death of Gen. Washington, which he did on the 2 2d of 
 February, 1800. His health, somewhat impaired before he left Albany, 
 
17 
 
 began to fail rapidly, and the loss of his wife in March, 1803, undoubt- 
 edly hastened his own death, which occurred in August, 1803. 
 
 He was succeeded in 1806 by the Rev. Selah Strong VVoodhull, 
 born in New York August 4, 1786, graduated at Yale College in 1802, 
 was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick in 1805, 
 was settled first at Bound Brook, N. J., and was called to this Church 
 in 1806. During his pastorate here this Church secured its incorpora- 
 tion on the i8th of December, 1814 ; during this year he held the 
 appointment of Chaplain in the army of the United States, in connec- 
 tion with the war with Great Britain. In 1820, he was appointed Sec- 
 retary of the American Bible Society, when he became widely known, 
 and held the office until he gave up his pastoral charge. In Septem- 
 ber, 1825, he was chosen by the General Synod to the Professorship of 
 Ecclesiastical History and Pastoral Theology of the Theological Semi- 
 nary at New Brunswick, and at the same time was appointed by the 
 Trustees of Rutgers College to a Professorship of Metaphysics and 
 the Philosophy of the Human Mind. He was an indefatigable stu- 
 dent, and at his death he had fifty-two sermons written that he had 
 never preached. After great suffering he died P'ebruary 27, 1826, in 
 the fiftieth year of his age. 
 
 Rev. Ebenezer Mason, son of the Rev. John M. Mason, of New 
 York, was called to succeed Dr. Woodhull, and was installed in June, 
 1826. In consequence of some disagreement with his Consistory in 
 regard to baptism he resigned his charge in April, 1828. 
 
 Rev. Peter P. Rouse succeeded Mr. Mason. He was born in Cats- 
 kill, N. Y., 29th March, 1799 ; studied at Union College where he 
 graduated in 1818, and from the Theological Seminary at New Bruns- 
 wick in 182 1. He was first settled at Florida, Montgomery County, 
 N. Y., where he remained until the Fall of 1828, when he was called to 
 this Church and was installed October 13 of that year. His religious 
 character was of a high order, which made him very successful in the 
 ministry, and he had large accessions to his Church. 
 
 He was an excellent pastor ; he would, when sick, leave his bed, if 
 able, to go and minister to any one who he heard was sick. In 1834, 
 while praying at the bedside of a sick parishioner, he was seized with 
 a copious hemorrhage of the lungs, and died in June of that year, at 
 
i8 
 
 New Brunswick, N. J. His remains were brought to Brooklyn. The 
 General Synod were in session in New York City at that time. They 
 appointed a committee to attend his funeral. 
 
 He was succeeded by the Rev. Maurice W. Dwight, grandson of 
 President Edwards, of Northampton, Mass. ; born May 4, 1796 ; 
 graduated at Columbia College in 1816, and studied theology at the 
 New Brunswick Seminary, and was licensed to preach in 182 1 ; settled 
 first at Waterford, N. Y., afterward at New Hackensack, Dutchess 
 County, and was called and installed as pastor of this Church May 26, 
 1833. He was a thorough student, and never entered the pulpit with- 
 out a sermon complete in every respect. He continued here a long 
 time, but resigned May i, 1855, and continued to reside in the congre- 
 gation, and supplied the pulpit when necessary until his death, which 
 occurred in 1859. 
 
 Rev. Acman P. Van Giesen was called and installed November i, 
 1855. His health was not good, and he was permitted to make a trip 
 to the South, and resigned in November, 1859. 
 
 Rev. Alphonso A. Willets succeeded Mr. Van Giesen, and was in- 
 stalled June, i860. He was a successful preacher, and drew large au- 
 diences, and resigned June i, 1865. 
 
 Rev. Joseph Kimball followed Mr. Willets and was installed Novem- 
 ber 21, 1865. He was called from the Reformed Dutch Church of 
 Fishkill Landing, on the Hudson. His characteristics as a preacher 
 were earnestness and simplicity, with the good old methods of expound- 
 ing the Gospel. In May, 1874, while preaching the fortieth anniver- 
 sary of the laying of corner stone of this church, he was stricken in the pul- 
 pit with vertigo, and had to be taken to the parsonage. He was afterwards 
 removed to Newburgh, his native place, where he died December 6, 
 1874. Rev. Henry R. Dickson was called from the Church of York, 
 South Carolina, and installed October 28, 1875, and died March 8, 1877. 
 
 The present pastor, Rev. David N. Vanderveer, D. D., was installed 
 September 15, 1878. 
 
19 
 
 CHURCHES FORMED FROM THE FIRST REFORMED 
 DUTCH CHURCH. 
 
 In 1827 the Second, or Central Reformed Dutch Church (now the 
 Church on the Heights) was formed. A large portion of the families 
 came from this Church at its organization. 
 
 In 1838 the South Dutch Church was organized, taken entirely from 
 this Church ; at least thirty or forty families, substantial farmers, who 
 came in their large wagons (always full), left to form that Church. 
 Dr. Dwight said he felt as if his right arm had been taken off. 
 
 In 1842, when the South Church bought the Fourth Presbyterian, 
 then a large number of families left to connect with is now the Twelfth 
 Street Church. 
 
 In 1840 the Fourth Church was organized, which was afterward dis- 
 solved, but was bought by the Presbyterians, and is now the Franklin 
 Avenue Presbyterian Church ; quite a number of families from this 
 Church united in its organization. 
 
 In 1846 the Middle Reformed Church, now Harrison Street, was 
 organized, mostly from this Church. 
 
 In 1847 the Missionary Board appointed the Rev. Mr. Thompson 
 to labor as Missionary in the vicinity of Clinton and Washington ave- 
 nues. A division soon took place, when those who favored the Dutch 
 Church commenced in a small building on Washington avenue, from 
 which came the organization of the North Reformed Dutch Church, 
 which was afterward the Church of which the Rev. A. Elmendorf was 
 pastor. A large number of families left the First Church to form the 
 new organization. 
 
 In 1853 the East Reformed Dutch Church was organized, which is 
 now the Bedford Church ; a number of families being those from Bedford 
 was connected with it. 
 
20 
 
 In 1853 the Lee Avenue Church. The corner-stone was laid by 
 Hon. B. D. Silliman, and which was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Bethune ; 
 its first members came from this Church. 
 
 In 1856 the Church at East Williamsburgh was formed ; a portion of 
 its members came from this the first Church. 
 
 At least nine or ten churches have been taken from this Church, so 
 that it can be truly said this (First Reformed Dutch Church) has been 
 the Mother of Churches. 
 
fM 
 
 
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