The Church of

St. John The Evangelist

(Episcopal)

Stockport,

Columbia County,

New York

Capt. Franklin Ellis³⁹⁹

1878   

     The church of St. John the Evangelist in the town of Stockport was organized with twenty members, by the Rev. Henry Townsend, and on the 20th of September, 1845, was fully incorporated with Wardens, Joseph Marshall and Jonathan Stott; Vestrymen, Thomas Marshall, John Stewart, Wm. Kelly, George Chittenden, William Pilkington, Lewis Whitlock, Covington Guion, and William Wright.

     In 1847 a very fine church edifice was erected, at a cost of $12,000, in a beautiful grove in the village of Stockport, and was dedicated July 3, by Bishop Heathcote De Lancey.  A rectory was purchased in 1847, costing $2000, which has been enlarged, and is now a convenient and comfortable home.  St. Barnabas' chapel, at Stottsville, a very neat little edifice, erected in 1865, at a cost of $7000, is also the property of the parish.  At the rectory is maintained a library of valuable theological books, funded by the present rector, Rev. George Fisher, in 1871.  A parish school is also conducted there, having fifteen pupils, and employing two teachers.

     The communicants of the parish at present number one hundred and seventy-nine; an increase of one hundred and one since 1871 and the work of the church is in a flourishing condition.

     The rectors of the parish and their terms of service have been as follows:  Rev. Henry Townsend, elected September, 1845, resigned June, 1848; Rev. George L. Neide, elected August, 1848, resigned March, 1851; Rev. William O. Lamson, elected May, 1851, resigned April, 1852; Rev. Samuel Hollingsworth, elected May, 1852, resigned December, 1859; Rev. James R. Coe, elected January 1860, resigned April, 1865; Rev. William O. Jarvis, elected April, 1865, resigned January, 1871; Rev. George Fisher, elected March, 1871.  All of these are yet living except Rev. Jame R. Coe.

     Two Sunday-schools are conducted by the rector in the church, and the chapel at Stottsville, having an aggregate membership of three hundred scholars.

     At Chittenden's Falls is a Universalist meeting-house, which was formerly used by members of that faith and others, but which has not been used for religious meetings for the past few years, and is now devoted to other uses.

Burials at the St. John's Evangelist Episcopal Church Cemetery can be found at Find-A-Grave  Click Here

Also on site. Click Here.