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Gates Collection CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH DOVER, DE A HISTORY From the collection of Joseph Gates In 1703 wenty-two Kent County residents signed a petition asking the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, London (S.P.G.), for a religious leader. Rev. Thomas Crawford arrived in 1704. He was the first of nine leaders sent by the S.P.G. Col. Robert French of New Castle donated a glebe farm of over 100 acres on the St. Jones River southeast of Dover. Within 3 years a wooden church was built, and was used for about 25 years. It was know as the “Church of Dover Hundred”. In 1717 William Penn’s surveyors formally laid out the City of Dover, designating 2 religious squares: 1. Meeting House Square for the “Dissenters”(Presbyterians) Glebe farm rental 2. Church Square for the agreement from 1860 Church of England From the Delaware Archives Revolutionary times map Colonial map close-up. Notice that State St. was “King” St., Kerbin St. was “Church” St. Maps from the Delaware Archives colletcion A 1728 report to the S.P.G. described Dover as a city of 40 families. About 230 people, some former Quakers, had been baptized in Kent County. Rev. Thomas Crawford, our first minister, preached in Smyrna, Milford and Lewis Town as well as Dover. The people needed instruction in how to use the Book of Common Prayer. Children were offered summer catechism classes. Early letter requesting support Rev. George Frazier arrived in 1733 and reported that money was being collected for a new brick church. He stated that the old boarded house on the glebe farm was not fit to be repaired. Building was begun in 1734. The original building was a simple rectangular “meeting house” design. The first entrance was centered on the south side, opening under a long L-shaped gallery (balcony) which spanned the south and west walls. 1897 photo The aisles consisted of bricks laid into the soil; pews had flooring. The old fashioned family pews were square with high paneling and doors, and rent was charged. Photos are examples, not actual pews from Christ Church. The exterior was of “fine brickwork laid in Flemish-bond with black headers”.* The rounded hip on the older part of building, above, is echoed in the right-angle hip on chancel addition, left. Old postcard, undated Our current porch was added as a separate vestry room in the 1740’s. A fireplace was built in the NW corner, the only heat in the building at that time. There was a small door connecting this room with the nave of the church in the space that is now under the gallery stairwell. There was an outside entrance to the gallery steps at the NW corner of the vestry room. (In the postcard image above, that entrance is shown with a vestibule, added after 1860.) Diagrams of early church. Space on south wall where The exterior door and part of the original gallery was located. A vertical window with a shutter is visible in the photo above, left where the Saulsbury (Christ the King) window is now located. In 1744 in a deed to Rev. Arthur Usher the first reference was made naming “Christ Church” as such instead of “St. John’s Chapel”. In 1748 Captain Thomas Benson, of the ship ‘John and Bells” became ill and died in Dover in the home of George and Patience Wilson. He asked to be buried at the “Church of Dover”. ”I desire that good order may be kept and that no liquor whatsoever drunk nigh the Church and that things be ordered here with decency and nobody want…..I bequeath the parson a hattband and gloves , and a pair of gloves to the clerk.” Captain Benson’s marker is now embedded in an old cedar tree. It is the oldest marked grave in our cemetery. Rev. Charles Inglis was called in 1758. When he arrived he corrected building issues. The parish grew quickly during his stay of 6 years. He baptized many and practiced evangelical outreach to all parts of the community. Rev. Inglis married Mary Vining in 1764. After the death of Mary and their baby he moved to Trinity Parish in New York City, where his loyalist support was well known. Rev. Magaw was buried at St. Peter’s in Philadelphia The Rev. Samuel Magaw (1735-1812), a protégé of Rev. Inglis, took charge in 1764. He was a sympathizer to the revolutionary cause. In 1767 he moved to St. Peter’s in Philadelphia, where he served for 23 years. In October of 1775 he preached that “ the same pure flame which raises the soul of God “animated ”the real Patriot”. He was a contributor to the organization of the Protestant Episcopal Church after the Revolution. During his tenure at Christ Church several major gifts were presented. Nicholas Loockerman , John McDowell, Caesar Rodney and Nicholas Powell all left funds, most being designated for building improvements. In 1788 Elizabeth Pryor gave land for a Congregation of the Church of England. It apparently stayed in the possession of her son John Pryor. During Colonial times gifts were given to Christ Church, often designated in wills. This 1741 Bible was presented By Mrs. James F. Allee on April 19, 1889. Other gifts included the colonial silver chalice and paten given by Esther Wynkoop, and a lectern Bible given by her son Benjamin Wynkoop, of Philadelphia. Esther’s grave is in the older part of our . cemetery. The marker, now illegible, became Photo by Bob Bruce buried under several feet of soil. th These are still used on special occasions at Christ Church. It was recovered in the early 20 century. The 1701 Bible given to Benjamin Wynkoop, merchant and son oF Esther Wynkoop, Christ Church in 1767 lived in Philadelphia. He was an associate of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Wynkoop through membership in the Philadelphia Rumseian Society. is now preserved at the Delaware State Archives. Benjamin Wynkoop owned Absalom Jones, taking him From Sussex County DE to Philadelphia when Wynkoop moved there. Jones paid For his freedom in 1784. Services were intermittent before and during the Revolution, and the building has been described as full of moles, bats, wild boys and cattle. The Church of England was out of favor along with the King’s rule. Clergy were withdrawn. Without the support from England the new church was treated with hostility; attendance fell. There were many changes of rectors at Christ Church. Robert Piggott – 1830-1833 Thomas Crawford – 1704-1710 Daniel Higbee – 1833-1835 Jacob Henderson – 1710-1711 H. T. McCallum -1836 -1837 George Frazier – 1733-1735 S. T. Carpenter – 1850-1856 Arthur Usher – 1738-1745 Marshall B. Smith – 1859-1860 Theophilus Morris - 1745 John Crockar White – 1860-1863 Thomas Bluett – 1748-1749 T. Gardner Littell – 1865-1866 Hugh Neill – 1750-1756 Lucius Sweetland – 1867 Charles Inglis – 1759-1764 Edward H. True – 1868-1869 Samuel Magaw – 1764-1781 James W. Hoskins – 1870-1871 Samuel Roe – 1786-1791 Samuel McElwee – 1871-1873 George Dashiell – 1794 Lewis W. Gibson – 1873-1894 Walter C. Gardner – 1799 George M. Bond – 1895-1907 Henry Judah – 1818-1819 Henry Olmstead – 1907-1910 C.F. Cruse – 1824 Rev. James W. Hoskins 1870-1871 In 1783 the vestry of Christ Church and three other groups met to form an American Church. Rev. Samuel Roe (1786-1791) became the first rector at Christ Church under the newly organized Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Our church became incorporated on May 17, 1790 as “The Episcopal Congregation of Christ Church Dover” Elected as trustees, the signers included: James Sykes John Banning Nicholas Ridgely George Truit Joseph Taylor The first half of the 19th century was the most depressing period for Christ Church. There were no representatives to the Diocesan Conventions 1833 – 1859. The church and the yard were neglected. In the 1840s a fire in the vestry room destroyed valuable records and damaged the WynKoop silver. There is a story of the sexton rushing into the fire to save the silver. Mary Brereton Ridgely had the silver repaired Bishop Alfred Lee was consecrated in the fall of 1841 as the first Bishop of Delaware In the 1840s Bishop Lee did not want to preach in Christ Church Dover because he had heard it was in a “rueful Plight”, full of snakes and other vermin. Sept. 9, 1807 – April 12, 1887 Bishop Lee’s leadership helped restore the church’s position in Dover and in Delaware. On February 15, 1860 Christ Church was incorporated as ”The Episcopal Congregation oF Christ Church Dover” Rector Marshall B. Smith Wardens James F. Allee and Henry Ridgely Vestrymen: J. P. Comegys Edward Ridgely J. P. Wild John C. Pennewill John C. Craig R. C. Justis Rev. T. Gardner Littell Served at Christ Church 1865-1866 Letter of invitation to Rev. Littell. Note the blank space left for salary! Beginning in 1859 the interior of the church was repaired and extensively altered. The glebe was sold for $1800 (or $3000) and part of the price was used towards this work. This major renovation included architectural elements of the Oxford Movement (England), which revived interest in gothic design. Clear glass windows began to be replaced with stained glass. The high pulpit and the reader’s lectern were removed from the north wall and moved to the east side in front of the new chancel. The arched clear glass windows were replaced with squared off stained glass. Major support came from Mrs. Charles I. duPont (Ann Ridgely) and her daughter Mrs. Eugene duPont (Amelia Elizabeth).
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