Receipt for Subscription to Pay the Salary of Reverend Daniel N. Freeland, the Second Full-Time Pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church

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The brief and simple little document that is the subject of today's Historic Pelham article does not seem to tell much of a story.  Indeed, at first blush it might not seem particularly interesting, at least on its face.  Deeper inquiry, however, reveals that the document sheds fascinating light on the history of the little settlement of Pelham Manor before it became a village as well as that of the Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church that stood in the very heart of that settlement.

The document, images of which appear immediately below with a transcription to facilitate search, is a receipt reflecting payment of a subscription promised by a member of the congregation of the little wooden church to pay $25 toward the annual salary of the pastor of the church between October 15, 1883 and October 15, 1884, barely six years after the settlement and its little church were founded as part of the Pelham Manor & Huguenot Heights Association development.

Receipt Reflecting Payment of Subscription by C. R. Gillett to Provide $25 Toward the

Annual Salary of the Pastor of Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church

Between October 15, 1883 and October 15, 1884 (Obverse).  NOTE:

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Reverse of Same Receipt Reflecting Payment of Subscription.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Below is a transcription of the obverse and reverse of the receipt.  Text that is italicized in the transcription represents handwriting rather than printed matter that appears on the receipt.  

[Obverse]

"Huguenot Memorial Church

Pelham Manor, N. Y. Jany 15, 1884
Mr  C. R. Gillett

To Huguenot Memorial Church, Dr.

$ 25.00 being one year quarter Oct 15 / 83 to Oct 15 / 84 
of subscription of $ Twenty five Dollars toward
pastor's salary for the current year.

Received payment, 
John H. Johnson Treasurer."

[Reverse]

"P. M. Church
83."

The receipt affirms that in the early years of the church, which opened in July 1876, the pastor's salary was paid by raising funds through subscriptions promised by members of the congregation.  This particular receipt reflects a $25 subscription payment by C. R. Gillett.  

The receipt reflects a payment toward the annual salary of the pastor of the little church at the time:  Reverend Daniel N. Freeland.  Reverend Freeland was the second full-time pastor of the church and the third to serve the congregation since the founding of the little church.

Huguenot Memorial was founded as the nation's only "Centennial Church" and, thus, opened its doors for its first service on the Sunday after the nation celebrated its July 4, 1876 Centennial.  Reverend Charles Eliphalet Lord (who was instrumental in raising funds to help erect and open the church) served as an acting pastor from the time the church opened until the congregation arranged its first full-time pastor.  That pastor was Rev. Dr. Henry Randall Waite.  Reverend Waite began service as the pastor of the Church in 1877 and was formally installed in that post on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 4, 1877.  Rev. Waite served as pastor of the church for a little less than three years.  He resigned the pastorate in November, 1880.

Thereafter the congregation arranged Reverend Daniel N. Freeland as its second full-time pastor.  Reverend Freeland served in that role for eight years.  Thus, this receipt reflects a payment toward Reverend Freeland's annual salary between October 15, 1883 and October 15, 1884.  

Interestingly, the payment was made by C. R. Gillett.  This was Dr. Charles Ripley Gillett who, at the time, was a new resident of the settlement of Pelham Manor.  Gillett moved to Pelham Manor in 1883 and was an early member of the Pelham Manor Protective Club, a forerunner to the village government formed when the Village of Pelham Manor incorporated in 1891.  

Gillett published his "recollections" of Pelham Manor in 1883 and in its early years.  See Thu., Feb. 20, 2014:  Pelham Manor in 1883 and in its Early Years - Recollections of An Early Pelham Manor Resident.  He was born November 29, 1855 in New York City.  He died September 3, 1948 in Norfolk, Connecticut.  He was an important and active member of the Pelham Manor community for decades and played important roles in the Pelham Manor Protective Club, Huguenot Memorial Church, the Manor Club, the Village of Pelham Manor, and other Pelham institutions.  

Charles Ripley Gillett in About 1903.  Source:  Chamberlain, Joshua L.,

Universities and Their Sons -- New York University Its History, Influence,

Equipment and Characteristics with Biographical Sketches and Portraits

of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni, Vol. II, p. 155 (Boston,

MA:  R. Herndon Company, 1903).  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Gillett was an incredibly talented man.  At the age of fifteen he entered the College of Arts and Science of New York University.  He graduated in 1874 with a Bachelor of Arts but continued his education in the sciences and engineering.  In 1876 he received a Bachelor of Science, another degree in Civil Engineering, and a third degree of Master of Arts in cursu (following a specialized course of honors studies).  From New York University he entered the Union Theological Seminary.  He graduated at the top of his class in 1880 and, consequently, received a fellowship prize to study abroad for two years.  He studied in the theological and philosophical disciplines at the University of Berlin from 1881-83.  

Also in 1881, Gillett married Kate Van Kirk on April 26.  Upon completion of Gillett's studies at the University of Berlin, the couple returned to the United States and settled in the new community of Pelham Manor.  At about the same time Gillett began his lifelong professional association with the Union Theological Seminary when he was named to the position of Librarian.  During the remainder of Gillett's career he served in a host of positions including Dean of Students, Secretary of the Faculty, Instructor, and Librarian Emeritus at UTS between 1908 and 1948.  His papers are maintained in The Burke Library of the Union Theological Seminary, 3041 Broadway, New York, New York, 10027.  

The $25 dollars paid by Gillett to help fund Reverend Daniel N. Freeland's salary was certainly not insubstantial.  Indeed, in today's dollars it was the equivalent of about $858.

Reverend Daniel N. Freeland likewise was an impressive man.  Born in Philadelphia, Freeland graduated first from the University of Pennsylvania in 1844 and from Princeton Seminary in 1847.  He married Mary Burwell.  His first call to serve as pastor was from Monroe Church in Orange County, New York where he served for thirty-four years.  From there he was called to Huguenot Memorial Church where he served as pastor for eight years until he resigned from the position.  After resigning, he was commissioned by the Presbyterian Church to take charge of two small churches in Florida:  Hawthorne and Waldo.  He served as pastor of those churches for six years until he retired.  He died in July, 1913 at the age of 88.  

In short, the tiny little receipt depicted in the images above may not seem like much.  Yet, inquiry and investigation reveals that it is related to significant aspects of the histories of the little settlement of Pelham Manor and the Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church.

A Glass Lantern Slide Created by Pelham Town Historian

William Montgomery Between December 10, 1916 and June

10, 1917. It Depicts the "Little Red Church," the Predecessor

Building to Today's Huguenot Memorial Presbyterian Church

Sanctuary.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

"GILLETT, Charles Ripley, 1855 - 
Class of 1874 Arts, 1876 Sci.

Born in New York, 1855; graduated from New York University with A. B., 1874, B. S., 1876, C. E., 1876, and A. M., in cursu, 1876; graduated Union Theological Seminary, 1880; at University of Berlin, 1881-83; Librarian of Union Theological Seminary since 1883; also from 1893 to 1901 Instructor in Theological Propaedeutics, and since 1898 Secretary of Faculty; D. D., New York University, 1898; L. H. D., Beloit College, 1899.

CHARLES RIPLEY GILLETT, A. M., D. D., L. H. D., is a son of the eminent and honorable theologian, preacher and teacher, the Rev. Professor Ezra Hall Gillett, D. D., whose history is recounted elsewhere in the annals of New York University.  His mother's maiden name was Mary Jane Kendall.  On the paternal side the family is of Huguenot origin, and was transplanted to New York in 1631.  On the maternal side it is English and Welsh.  Dr. Gillett was born in New York City on November 29, 1855, and was privately educated by his father.  In his fifteenth year he entered the College of Arts and Science of New York University, and was graduated from the Arts or Classical Course in 1874 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.  In 1876 he was graduated from the Scientific and Engineering courses, with the degrees of Bachelor of Science and Civil Engineer, and also received the degree of Master of Arts in cursu.  From the University he went to Union Theological Seminary, with which he has since been conspicuously identified.  He pursued the regular course with exceptional success, and was graduated in 1880 with the first honors of his class, receiving the prize fellowship which entitled him to two years of study abroad.  He spent the years 1881-83 at the University of Berlin, in the Theological and Philosophical faculties.  Upon his return to New York in 1883 he was elected Librarian of Union Theological Seminary, as the successor of Henry B. Smith, Edward Robinson and Charles A. Briggs, and still holds the place.  From 1893 to 1901 he was Instructor in Theological Propaedeutics in the Seminary, serving as the successor of the late Dr. Philip Schaff, and since 1898 he has also been Secretary of the Faculty and Registrar.  In 1898 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from New York University, and in 1899 that of I. H. D. from Beloit College.  Since 1901 he has been engaged in special work for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, preparing, first, 'The Catalogue of Egyptian Antiquities,' a volume of one hundred and fifty pages, which is about to appear in its third edition; and second, the third volume of 'The Descriptive Atlas of the Cypriote Antiquities in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City,' generally known as 'The Cesnola Collection.'  The work covers descriptions of the objects in gold, silver, bronze, engraved gems and seals, rock crystal, glass, alabaster, basalt, Egyptian pottery, lead, ivory and the inscribed stones containing inscriptions in Phoenician, Cypriote and Greek.  During this time he has been rated as Temporary Curator in the Department of Sculpture.  Ever since his connection with the Library of Union Theological Seminary he has written at times in connection with the Critical and Literary departments of various periodicals.  From 1891 to 1897 he was Literary Editor of the 'Magazine of Christian Literatures.'  He has been a contributor to the columns of such papers as 'The Nation,' 'The New York Independent' and 'The New York Evangelist,' and to such reviews and magazines as 'The Presbyterian Review,' 'The New World,' 'The Andover Review,' 'The Presbyterian and Reformed Review,' 'The Biblical World' and 'The American Journal of Theology.'  He has published several books as a compiler and translator.  Among these are two editions of 'The General Catalogue of the Alumni of the Union Theological Seminary,' one in 1886 and the other 1898.  In 1895 he published a translation of Adolf Harnack's 'Monasticism, its Ideal and its History, and in 1897 he published a translation of Kruger's 'History of Early Christian Literature.'  Since the latter date his time has been mainly devoted to the duties of his librarianship, his secretaryship and to his extra work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  He was married on April 26, 1881, to Kate Van Kirk, who has borne him five children:  Carrie Richardson (deceased), Ezra Kendall, Mary Marshall, Robert and William Gillett.  His office is at No. 700 Park Avenue, New York, and his home at Pelham Manor, Westchester County, New York."

Source:  Chamberlain, Joshua L., Universities and Their Sons -- New York University Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics with Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni, Vol. II, pp. 155-56 (Boston, MA:  R. Herndon Company, 1903).

"Ministerial Obituary
Rev. Daniel N. Freeland

Daniel N. Freeland died last month at his home in Elizabeth, N. J., after a brief illness at the age of 88.  Mr. Freeland at the time of his death was believed to be the oldest living graduate of Princeton Seminary and the second oldest of the University of Pennsylvania.  He was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1844 and from Princeton three years later.  His first call was from Monroe church in Orange county, New York, a rich agricultural section, to which he gave thirty-four years of service.  From thence he was called to Huguenot Memorial church at Pelham Manor, N. Y., where he remained for eight years.  After resigning from this church he was commissioned by the Home Board to take charge of two small churches in Florida -- Hawthorne and Waldo -- where he spent six years.  His wife was Miss Mary Burwell."

Source:  "Ministerial Obituary Rev. Daniel N. Freeland" in The Continent, Vol. 44, No. 32, p. 1113, (NY, NY:  Aug. 7 ,1913).   

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