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From: Greg Henderson <>
Subject: St Matthew¹s church
Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 19:37:58 -0700


Hello,

Does anyone have any knowledge of the St Matthew¹s church on Willoughby Ave
in Brooklyn?
I do have the following information about the church ­ but looking for
current status and any stories people have:

The Free Church of St. Matthew's on Throop avenue, in the Ninth ward of
Brooklyn, was organized as a parish, May 25th, 1859, in a neighborhood where
the streets were not then graded, and cornfields were frequent, though
buildings were multiplying, and population fast increasing. Its first rector
was Rev. 1). V. M. Johnson. Wardens, J. M. Phelps, Thomas W. Groser;
Vestrymen, Jesse Carpenter, F. H. Chichester, B. J. Hathaway, Win. Phillips,
Geo. Hogg, J. Oliver, D. R. Hutchinson, and D. A. Nash. In June following
the parish received from Mr. Jeremiah J. Rapelje, a gift of four Iota of
ground, one hundred feet square, on the south-east corner of Throop avenue
and Pulaski street, on which to erect a church. On 12th of July, the vestry
invited Rev. Isaac Fullerton Cox, deacon, to become the assistant minister
in charge, with the rectorship in reversion, on his taking priest's orders;
and on the same day, a communication was received from the vestry of St.
Mary's Protestant Episcopal church, Brooklyn (from which St. Matthew's had
sprung), stating that the old St. Mary's church edifice, with its furniture,
pictures, and appurtenances (except communion vessels, books, font and
bell), had been conveyed to Messrs. Phelps, Carpenter & Chichester, in
trust, to be applied towards the building of St. Matthew's church. In
October, Meson. Phelps, Groser, & Carpenter were chosen a building
committee, and on the 27th of November, regular morning and evening services
were commenced, and a sabbath school organized under the charge of Rev.
James H. Smith, deacon. Early in December, some pecuniary aid was furnished
by the convocation for church extension in Kings county, and a plan for the
church edifice was prepared by Gamaliel King, architect, which (with some
modifications), was adopted. On the 15th of the month, therefore, ground was
broken for the new edifice, with appropriate services. April 15th, 1860, a
donation towards the building of the church was received from Mrs. Harriet
Rapelje and Miss Agnes Rapelje, consisting of two Iota of ground on Myrtle
avenue, valued at $1,500. On the 2d of July, 1860, the corner-stone of the
new edifice was laid by the rector and assistant minister, in presence of
the vestry and numerous friends; and, in February, 1861, the building was
first opened for divine worship, by the celebration of the Holy Communion,
the bishop and the other clergymen assisting.

Sincerely,


Greg Henderson



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