Creator/Author: 

Date: September 28,-30 1930 

Publisher: 

Citation:  Digital copy of material in the Vernon Historical Society archives.

Holding Institution/Physical Location:

Text: 

Page 1 of 3 in the scan
PROPERTY OF
PUBLIC LIBRARY
VERNON, N. Y.
[library stamp, upper right corner]

1805 – 1930
HISTORICAL
SKETCH
~ ❦ ~
Compiled on the occasion of the
One Hundred Twenty-fifth Anniversary
of the organization of
Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church
Vernon, N. Y.
~ ❦ ~
September 28, 29, 30, 1930
[Ornamental flourishes on the original are shown here as ~ ❦ ~.]

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22 HISTORICAL SKETCH
There have been in previous years, at two different periods, a Junior
Christian Endeavor Society. The suggestion was first considered in 1900,
but did not materialize until in 1915, when a society was formed, which
continued for nearly four years. It had a membership of twenty-four, boys
and girls. On the Sunday evening of January 7, 1916, a graduation service
was held by the society in the chapel, and diplomas were given to Marie
Wilson, Clara and Frances Ford to enter the Senior Society. Miss Mabel
L. Martin was superintendent and Miss Marguerite Ingersoll assistant.
Later in the twenties, Miss Ingersoll conducted a society for several years,
the membership including girls and boys of the Methodist and Baptist
churches.
In 1918 an adult class of twenty women in the Sunday School organized
the Evans Bible Class, taking the name of the teacher, Mrs. E. L. Evans.
This body, up to 1930, rendered a distinct service to the sick and shut-in
members of the congregation, although it ceased to function as a class
several years past.
The Brotherhood, also organized during the pastorate of Rev. E. L.
Evans, after a short existence, added its funds, June 1, 1923, to the church
treasury.
A missionary band of girls, known as the Busy Bees, were active sev-
eral years. Mrs. T. Clinton Brockway was one of its leaders. The 1898
report includes a box for Persia and $8.56 raised for missions. The mem-
bership list had names of Olive Hydon, Helen Judson, Marion Simmons,
Bessie Martin, Florence Buss, Elizabeth Kitson and Alice Moyer.
The Willing Workers, a Sunday School class of young ladies, taught
in the eighties by Mrs. Abbie Hibbard (now of San Jose, California) raised
money by making and selling ice cream every week to the public. Rev.
James E. Viele was pastor at the time.
A history of a church would not be complete without recognition of
the faithful stewards known as sextons. The list is too long to record only
one instance. At a meeting of the trustees, July 15, 1836, Doctor S. Carter
reported he had contracted Mrs. Stanard to sweep and dust the church
once a fortnight for six months, and once a month, for the remaining six
months, during one year, from July 4, for $5.00.
What place music occupied in the church in early days is not known.
The first recorded instance of an organ and organist is April 10, 1837,
when T. H. Levi was authorized to play the organ and teach singing the
coming year, and to raise a subscription for his services. Again on Sep-
tember 19, 1839, we note: “A committee was appointed to raise by sub-
scription money and employ a teacher to organize, superintend and man-
age a singing school in said society to instruct in sacred music.”
The pipe organ, which has been in use seventy-five years, is well pre-
served and still sends out its sweet tones. Just when and where this
instrument was purchased is not known. The minutes record resolutions
authorizing the purchase “of an organ suitable for the church” in 1849 and
1853, and it is thought to have been made about that period of time. It
was an impressive instrument for those days, with its four and one-half
octave manuel, one octave pedal and ten stops. When the church was
repaired in 1877 the organ was taken down and stored in Thomas Wil-
liams’ barn. When replaced, two more stops were added. Among the
players of this instrument, the first recalled by Vernonites is that of
Penny Cozzens, wife of the Rev. Samuel Cozzens, whom it is known played
some time during his pastorate, 1852-1859. Succeeding Penny Cozzens
were Jane Coyle, Alice Ethridge (who is now Mrs. Alice Phillips of
Rochester, and who was only fifteen years old when organist), Mrs. Wurtz,
wife of Rev. W. A. Wurtz, was one of four supplies to follow, then Lizzie
Blake and Mary Freeman. In 1877, in the rebuilt church, on the first Sun-
day in November, Lizzie A. Hills (now Mrs. W. H. Schall) began her term
as organist, and has continued all these years, yet filling the position very

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MT. VERNON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 23
efficiently. Mr. Schall, who began singing bass very early in the choir, of
which he is yet a member, has given a service of fifty-three years in this
capacity. At the close of the fiftieth year of their work in the choir, about
sixty members of the congregation went to the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Schall on the evening of September 28, 1927, pleasantly surprising them.

NORTH VIEW SHOWING CHOIR LOFT
by courtesy of H. G. Phister
The honored couple were presented fifty dollars in gold in recognition and
appreciation of a half century’s devotion to the church.
The list of singers in the choir all these years is too long to mention
all recalled. In the fifties the choir at one time was composed of Elvira
Kirtland, soprano; Mrs. William Wurtz, alto; Charles Cackett, tenor, and
Edward Williams, bass.
Should you open the pages of Emerson’s “The Voice of Worship” or
“The Diapason,” Johnson’s System, this citation might be seen: Present,
Sunday eve, 1878, ’89, also the names of J. Stone, G. Simmons, A Stone,
R. Kirtland, S. A. W. Williams, members of the choir at different times.
Going back to the church record of 1839, one reads: “Resolved, that
the thanks of this society are due and are hereby tendered to Mr. and Mrs.
Orlando C. Kirtland for their very valuable and efficient services in our
choir during the past year.” Again later in 1897: “The society and church
extend to the members of the church choir a vote of thanks for their faith-
fulness in attendance and interest in the music of the church, and that
especial mention be made in this resolution to the members who have
served so faithfully for many years, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Schall and Mrs.
Nellie C. Simmons.
The present choir members are: Mrs. Alta K. Butler, soprano; Mrs.
Mabel H. Richards, alto; G. Lynn Marriott, tenor, and Willard H. Schall,
bass.
The first mention of a session house occurs in the minutes of 1832, and
just where this was located seems not to be definitely known. Within the

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