Historical Sketch, Settlement of New Berlin, Chenango Co., NY

Historical Sketch of the Settlement of the Town of New Berlin

By John Hyde 

New Berlin Gazette, New Berlin, NY, August 11, 1877

Divines, Doctors and Lawyers formed another class of immigrants in the early settlement of New Berlin, and in their several professional departments contributed to the general welfare.

The first church erected in New Berlin was a wooden building and was on the same site where now [in 1877] stands the stone Episcopal church in the village.  It was an old fashioned constructed building in the old fashioned style with high raised pulpit, old fashioned family seats or pews with doors to admit the ingress and egress of the family occupants and a singers gallery on each side and the end opposite the pulpit formed the inside arrangement of the old fashioned church for the accommodation of the church going inhabitants of the early days of New Berlin settlement and on the Sabbath day might be seen parents and children wending their way to this house of public worship clad in clean, old fashioned homespun and homemade garments, some afoot, others on horseback and now and then a family in an old lumber wagon.

On the 14th day of April 1814 Nathan Summers, Abel Adams, Stephen Skinner, Jabez Beardslee, Jonathan Hubby, Bildad Welch, Augustus O. Welch, Salman Mallet, Hyatt Banks, Darius Jaquese , Abel Adams Jr., Talmon Fairchild, Reuben Stocking and Uri Tuttle formed themselves into an Episcopal society by an agreement in writing, by name, style and title of "Saint Andrew's church in the town of New Berlin," and on the same day, a meeting of the same persons was held at the house of Asa Perry in New Berlin to form an Episcopal society and the Rev. Daniel Nash was called to the chair and Augustus O. Welch was chosen clerk, at which meeting Nathan Summers and Stephen Skinner were chosen Wardens and Jonathan Hubby, Reuben Stocking, Jabez Beardslee, Levi Blakeslee, Trustees; Jonathan Hubby, Uri Tuttle, Bildad Welch and Augustus O. Welch were chosen vestrymen.  By a resolution passed at that meeting the yearly meeting of the Society of St. Andrews Church, was fixed "to be held on Wednesday in Easter week, in each and every year thereafter."

The building having been erected, the next annual meeting was held in the church on Wednesday in Easter week, being the 29th day of March 1815, when besides wardens and vestrymen, two trustees, Jabez Beardslee and Augustus O. Welch were chosen and for choristers, Elijah Turner, Dyer Tracy, Asahel Edson and Lemuel Bennett were chosen.  On the 6th day of September 1816, John Henry Hobart, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the State of New York, consecrated the church by the name of St. Andrews Church.  It was a mild, pleasant autumnal day ad a great gathering of people to witness the ceremony occupied the building at an early hour, waiting.  At length the Bishop appeared in his sacerdotal robe of white surplice and as he crossed the threshold and proceeded with measured steps up the broad aisle in solemn cadence and a deep mellow toned voice he proclaimed "The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence,"  announced to the expectant gathering that the ceremony of dedications had commenced and from the beginning to the conclusion the vast concourse were held in silent wonderment.  The scene was solemn and impressive and a beautiful illustration of the Christian religion on the happiness of the human race.

The St. Andrew's Church of New Berlin was the first Episcopal church which had been dedicated west of the Unadilla River, and the event marveled a new era to the first settlers of New Berlin.

At a meeting of the vestry on the 14th of October 1816, a resolution was passed to sell the seats of St. Andrew's Church for one year's occupancy to raise money to hire a rector.  The sale for that purpose amounted to $343 or thereabouts.  On the 10th day of November 1816, the vestry adopted a resolution to employ Rev. William B. Lacy for the one-fourth part of the time of one year to commence on the first day of January then next ensuing for the sum of $175, and at the same meeting of the vestry, a resolution was passed to purchase a house lot in the village for the accommodation of clergymen and that Jabez Beardslee, Charles Knap and Levi Blakeslee be a committee to make the purchase.  The resolution was afterwards carried into effect and a lot purchased on the South Street opposite the church and a parsonage house built.

The Rev. William B. Lacy was the first Episcopalian rector who officiated in St. Andrew's Church after its consecration.  He officiated a part of the time in Oxford and the other portion of time in new Berlin.  In the prime of life, he was an energetic and active man in his clerical profession, possessing splendid oratorical powers, genial in disposition, liberal in sentiments and with a well cultivated intellect, he was peculiarly fitted to preside over the affairs of the infant church.  After Mr. Lacy left, the Rev. Daniel Nash was the next pastor and from that period up to the present time, there have been many in succession employed to perform ministerial duties in St. Andrew's Chruch, whose names are unnecessary to write.

The next church built in New Berlin village was the Presbyterian.  It was erected on a lot on North St. on the west side nearly opposite the old elm tree and afterwards moved down to a lot on the south side of the East Street, nearly opposite to the ancient gable roofed dwelling house mentioned in a former communication. There are a Methodist Church on the east side of South Street, near the common schoolhouse on that street and a Baptist church standing at the junction of the South Street and the road which passes over the Unadilla River into Otsego County.  There is also one church at Ambler Settlement, and another at South New Berlin all of which were erected in the early days of the settlement of the town and have been well supported by the people.  The tree which Paul planted, and Apollos watered has borne some fruit in the western wilderness of New Berlin's first settlement.