Correspondence and other records, 1831, 1836

Correspondence and other records, 1831, 1836

1831/1836

ChristChurch.CorporationCorrespondence_4-2-0-46

4.2.0.46; F534

Contains letters of condolence for the loss of Bishop White. Also includes correspondence regarding the condition and repair of church bells, a request from Richard Peters to record and potentially mark the tomb of his father (Reverend Richard Peters, D.D.), the election and support of Reverend John W. James, and issues regarding a delayed organ contract with Henry Erben.

Pennsylvania--Philadelphia

New York (State)--New York

Maryland--Baltimore

Connecticut--Hartford

Georgia--Savannah

Christ Church, Philadelphia, PA

22 documents

tiff

http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

eng

Text

The bulk of this collection consists of letters and resolutions of condolence on the death of Bishop William White (1748-1836), who died in July 1836 in the eighty-ninth year of his age and the forty-ninth of his episcopal consecration. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, Presiding Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, and Rector of the united churches of Christ Church, St. Peter's, and St. James's in Philadelphia. Bishop Benjamin T. Onderdonk of New York, on visitation at New Rochelle, convened assembled clergy who passed resolutions of condolence and directed the wearing of crape hat bands and scarfs for thirty days [p.5-8]. Similar resolutions came from the Bishop and clergy of Maryland assembled in Baltimore [p.9], the vestry of St. Paul's parish, Baltimore [p.10], St. Stephen's Church, Philadelphia [p.11-12], the General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union of New York—which noted that White had been President of the first Sunday School Society formed in the country in 1791 [p.13-14]—the Episcopal clergy of New York [p.17], the Bishop and clergy of Connecticut at Hartford [p.18], the vestry of St. Paul's Church, Ballina, transmitted by W. E. Wyatt of Baltimore [p.19], Christ Church, New York [p.20], the vestry of Christ Church, Savannah, Georgia [p.21], and the vestry of Epiphany Church [p.21v].

The collection also contains a memorial to the Senate and House of Representatives requesting a law permitting duty-free importation of two church bells; about eighty years earlier a harmonically tuned set of bells—the only chime in the city—had been placed in the steeple of Christ Church, and during the Revolutionary War citizens removed them inland to prevent their capture. The arm of the largest bell gave way in the severe cold of the last winter, cracking the bell, so it and the treble bell were sent to England to be recast [p.1r-1v].

A note from Richard Peters, executor of his father, addresses the covering over of the tombstone of the Reverend Richard Peters, D.D., in the middle aisle, requesting a memorial tablet and a record of grave locations in the church books [p.2r-2v, p.4]. John W. James, upon his 1831 election as Rector, inquired about provisions for his support [p.3], and a later note from him praises the church alterations [p.15]. William H. White (Thomas H. White) enclosed his resignation from the Vestry [p.16].

Several documents concern church organs: J. C. B. Stanbridge wrote regarding hiring a small organ of two stops from Mr. Hove for a modest sum [p.22]. Moses Kempton and Horace Binney wrote a strongly worded letter to organ builder Henry Erben of New York, complaining that he had failed to complete and erect the contracted large organ by the last day of August 1836, causing serious inconvenience and personal mortification since they had declined offers from local builders in his favor [p.23r-23v]. Thomas Hall of New York replied that the organ was progressing rapidly [p.24]. Finally, Bishop Benjamin T. Onderdonk of New York recommended the Reverend Isaac Peck, a Presbyter of his diocese for about five years, to the Wardens and Vestrymen of Christ Church [p.25].

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