Christ Church Will Celebrate the 175th Anniversary of its September 15, 1843 Consecration This Sunday

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This Sunday, October 6, 2018, the Parishioners of The Parish of Christ The Redeemer will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the consecration of Christ Church on September 15, 1843.  The Town Board of the Town of Pelham, and many others, have extended to Christ Church and its Parishioners heartfelt congratulations and thanks for all the church, its clergy and staff, and its members have done for the benefit of the Town during the last 175 years.  The Town has issued a Proclamation (image and text below) designating Sunday as "Christ Church Day" and has forwarded a letter (text below) for inclusion in the program for the event.

Today's Historic Pelham article addresses the consecration of the Church on September 15, 1843 and documents the invitation issued by Christ Church to its celebration as well as the Town of Pelham's Proclamation and letter of congratulations directed to the Parishioners of The Parish of Christ The Redeemer.  

I have written extensively about the founding of Christ Church as well as its consecration on September 15, 1843.  See, e.g., Thu., Oct. 15, 2015:  The Creation of Christ Church and its Consecration on September 15, 1843.  See also Tue., Oct. 20, 2015:  Address Delivered by Reverend Robert Bolton on April 28, 1843 at the Laying of the Foundation Stone of Christ Church.  

The original sanctuary structure of Christ Church was built between April 28, 1843, when its cornerstone was laid, and September 15, 1843 when the completed church building was consecrated.  Immediately below is an image of the Church as it first appeared shortly after its construction.

Christ Church, Shortly After It Was Constructed, as Depicted

in the 1848 First Edition of Bolton's History of Westchester County,

Volume 1.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

On Friday, September 15, 1843, a divine service was held in the newly-completed Christ Church.  During that service, The Rev. Robert Bolton's "Instrument of Donation" donating the land on which the new church sat was read to those gathered to worship by order of Bishop Benjamin Tredwell Onderdonk.  The consecration of the new church followed immediately.  See:  Bolton, Jr., Robert, History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the County of Westchester, From Its Foundation, A.D. 1693, to A.D. 1853, pp. 695-696 (NY, NY: Stanford & Swords, 1855).

A brief account of the consecration of the new church that day appeared in the September 23, 1843 issue of The Churchman.  The account provides a fascinating glimpse of that day 175 years ago.  It stated:

"Episcopal Acts

Friday, Sept. 15, consecrated Christ Church, Pelham, an edifice erected on his own premises by the Rev. Robert Bolton, Rector of St. Paul's Church, East Chester.  The instrument of Donation and Request for Consecration by the Rev. Robert Bolton were presented by him to the Bishop, and read by the Rev. Thomas W. Colt D. D., Rector of Trinity Church, New Rochelle.

The sentence of consecration was read by the Rev. Thomas Harris; and the Morning Prayer by the Rev. James Milner, D. D., Rector of St. George's Church New York, assisted by the Rev. William Powell, Rector of St. Peter's Church, Westchester, who read the Lessons.

The sermon was preached by the Bishop who administered Holy Communion.  Eight of the Clergy were present."

Seventy-five years ago on October 31, 1843, Christ Church celebrated the centennial of this consecration.  An account of that centennial celebration appeared in the November 4, 1943 issue of The Pelham Sun and is quoted in its entirety at the close of this article (with a citation and link to its source).

"Christ Church" by William Rickarby Miller (1818-1893).

Watercolor on Paper, Ca. 1856.  Note the Addition of the

Covered Front Entrance.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

The Town Board of Pelham, on behalf of the citizens of the Town, has joined with many others to congratulate Christ Church on its 175th anniversary.  Town Supervisor Peter M. DiPaola, Jr. sent the following letter for inclusion in the program for the joyous event:

"September 26, 2018

The Parishioners of The Parish of Christ The Redeemer

Christ Church

1415 Pelhamdale Avenue

Pelham, New York 10803

   Re:       175^th Anniversary of the Consecration of Christ Church on September 15, 1843

On behalf of the Town Board and residents of the Town of Pelham, I wish to extend hearty and heart-felt congratulations to the parishioners of The Parish of Christ The Redeemer on the 175^th anniversary of the consecration of Christ Church on September 15, 1843.  All of Pelham has great pride in the central role Christ Church, its founders, and its parishioners have played in the success of the Town during the last 175 years.

Founder and first Rector of Christ Church, The Rev. Robert Bolton, and his family had a profoundly positive influence on our town.  That influence began even before the Boltons moved to Pelham in about 1837 to live in the home known as the “Rose Cottage” that still stands at 11 Priory Lane before before they built Bolton Priory (beginning the following year) and Christ Church (in 1843).  Indeed, in about 1836, when the Bolton Family lived on the Pond Field Farm in the settlement of East Chester, no church stood within Pelham’s borders.  Town residents flocked to The Rev. Robert Bolton when he served as Rector of St. Paul’s Church in East Chester before he and his family built Christ Church with their own hands, hewing local native stones, felling trees, carving furnishings and embellishments and, in the case of artisan brothers John Jay and William Bolton, hand-casting heavenly-glorious stained glass windows for the new Church. 

While at East Chester, Rev. Bolton learned how residents of the Town of Pelham hungered for a place of worship.  He and his family satiated that hunger with a glorious church that remains among the most beautiful in the nation and that quickly became part of the fabric of Pelham.

The Reverend Robert Bolton’s words spoken over the cornerstone of Christ Church as it was laid on April 28, 1843 have rung true for more than 175 years:

“we can earnestly implore & can fervently hope for the divine blessing on our undertaking & we can & do entreat your prayers for us that the word of the Lord may here have free course & be glorified & that so there may ever be 'glory to God in the highest, on earth peace & good will toward men.’”

May those words ring just as true, and continue to inspire pride such as that all of Pelham feels today for Christ Church and The Parish of Christ The Redeemer, 175 years from now on September 15, 2193 A.D.  Congratulations, with thanks for all the Church has done for Pelham.

Sincerely,

___________________

Peter D. DiPaola, Jr.

Town Supervisor, Pelham, New York"

Additionally, the Town Board of Pelham has issued a Proclamation designating Sunday, October 6, 2018 as "Christ Church Day."  An image of the Proclamation as well as a transcription of its text (to facilitate search) appear immediately below.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

"TOWN OF PELHAM, N. Y.

Proclamation

WHEREAS Founder and first Rector of Christ Church the Rev. Robert, and his family had a profoundly positive influence on our Town.  That influence began even before the Boltons moved to Pelham in about 1837 to live in the home known as 'Rose Cottage' that still stands at 11 Priory Lane before they built Bolton Priory; and

WHEREAS No church stood within the Pelham borders so Town residents flocked to the Rev. Robert Bolton when he served as Rector of St. Paul's Church in East Chester.  While there Rev. Bolton learned how residents of the Town of Pelham hungered for a place to worship so he and his family built the Christ Church with their own hands; and 

WHEREAS The Bolton Family built a glorious church that remains among the most beautiful in the nation and that quickly became part of the fabric of Pelham; and 

THEREFORE Town Supervisor Peter DiPaola; Deputy Town Supervisor Daniel McLaughlin, Councilwoman Rae Szymanski, Councilman Blake Bell and Councilman Timothy Case congratulate the parishioners of The Parish of Christ of Christ the Redeemer on the 175th anniversary of the consecration of Christ Church on September 15, 1843 and do hereby proclaim October 6, 2018

Christ Church Day

Given Under My Hand and Seal the Sixth Day of October 2018

Peter M. DiPaola, Jr."

Christ Church prepared a lovely invitation to its celebration for distribution to Parishioners and others.  The various pages of the invitation, the front and back of the RSVP card and the front of the RSVP envelope appear immediately below.  Following all the invitation images, a transcription of the text appears merely to facilitate search.

Invitation, Page 01.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Invitation, Page 02.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Invitation, Page 03.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Invitation, Page 04.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

RSVP Card, Obverse.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

RSVP Card, Reverse.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

RSVP Envelope, Obverse.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Invitation, Page 01:

[Image of Parish of Christ the Redeemer Banner]

"-----

PARISH OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER

PELHAM, NY

-----

175TH

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

-----"

Invitation, Page 02:

[Image of "Christ Church" Painting by William Rickarby Miller]

Built in 1843 of native granite, Christ Church was the culmination of the dedicated efforts of its first rector, The Rev. Robert Bolton.  Two of the Bolton sons, William and John, became the premier stained glass artisans of their time and created many of the stained glass windows in the church, including The Adoration of the Magi, which is the first figured stained glass window made in America.

Two of the Bolton daughters established missions that became Grace Church, City Island, and the Church of the Redeemer in North Pelham.  The Rev. Cornelius Bolton, fourth son of the Rev. Robert Bolton, served as the Rector of the Church of the Redeemer for twenty-five years, starting in 1881.  In 1972, after prayerful consideration by both congregations and both vestries, a decision was made to become the united Parish of Christ the Redeemer Christ Church was selected as the house of worship and the property of the Church of the Redeemer was turned over to the Town of Pelham to be used for a municipal hall, a center for senior citizens and a child care facility.

Banner Photo Credit:  Lily Moureaux Somssen" 

Invitation, Page 03:

"The Rector & Vestry of The Parish of Christ the Redeemer

Invite you to Celebrate 175 Years with Dinner & Dancing

Saturday, October 6, 2018 6:30 pm

New York Athletic Club

Travers Island

Pelham Manor, NY  10803

RSVP by September 28

Cocktail Attire"

Invitation, Page 04:

"175th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COMMITTEE

Claire Allen & Cherrie Greenhalgh

CO-CHAIRS

Jennifer Alleyne

Cathie Arquilla

Angela Barone

Kari Black

Allison Bodenmann

Jeff Bodenmann

Rosemarie Carver

Marie Dumas

Michael Fawcett

John Felicetti

Charlette Finch

Etta Cumbs

John Hastings

Margo Hastings

Jeffrey Hoffman

Carol Ipsen

Erik Ipsen

Missy Kisob

Courtney McGrory

Michael Moynihan

Sandra Rivera

Melissa Roddy

Janet Salvatore

Siggy Sessa

Lily Moureaux Somssen

Ann Sorice

Ann Swanson

Kristin Van Ogtrop

Margaret Young

Barbara Zambelli

THE PARISH OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER

The Rev. Matthew Hoxsie Mead

RECTOR

The Rev. Canon Susan Harriss

PRIEST ASSOCIATE

The Rev. Deacon Katie Lawrence

DEACON

Jeffrey Hoffman

ORGANIST & CHOIRMASTER

Marie Main

PARISH ADMINISTRATOR

Walter Roberts

VERGER & SEXTON

Ed Blue

SEXTON

VESTRY

Jeff Bodenmann SENIOR WARDEN

Carol Ispen [sic] JUNIOR WARDEN

Anne Calder TREASURER

Jackie Vigil CLERK

Angela Barone

Curtis Chase

Alice Dean

John Fox

Etta Cumbs

Amy Heese

Jack Kaufmann

Gavin Leckie

Colette Phipps

HOULIHAN LAWRENCE

ARTHUR L. SCINTA

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE INVITATION FOR THE EVENT"

RSVP CARD, Obverse.

"PARISH OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER

175th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

10.6.2018

TICKETS (Deadline for Journal listing is September 21)

Table for 10 $5000/Table (Journal Listing)

Bolton Benefactor $500/Ticket (Journal Listing)

Divine Duo $275 for Two Tickets

Stylish Single $150 for One Ticket

For more information, please call 914.738.5515 or email marie@christchurchpelham.org

JOURNAL OPPORTUNITIES (Closing date for Journal ads is September 21)

Full-page color Ad 6"w x 9"h $750

Full page B/W Ad 6"w x 9"h $500

Half-page B/W Ad 6"w x 4.5"h $250

Quarter Page B/W Ad (business card size) $100

For more information on the Journal, please e-mail Missy Kisob at kisob@msn.com

All net proceeds from the 175th Anniversary Celebration of the Parish of Christ the Redeemer will be directed to the 175th Anniversary Capital Campaign."

RSVP Card, Reverse.

"PARISH OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER

RSVP by September 28

175th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

10.6.2018

PLEASE COMPLETE ALL FIELDS

Name (as you would like it in all printed materials)

Company (optional)

Address

City/State/Zip

Phone

email

Donation - I / We cannot attend, but would like to donate $___

Enclosed is my check in the amount of $___ (payable to Christ Church)

Contributions & Journal ads are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

$125 per ticket and $1250 table is non-deductible."

RSVP Envelope, Obverse:

"CHRIST CHURCH

THE PARISH OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER

1415 Pelhamdale Avenue

Pelham, NY  10803"

*           *          *          *          *

"100th Anniversary Was Observed At Christ Church, Sunday, Oct. 31

-----

Rev. H. Bonnell Spencer O. H. C., Preached Sermon at Service Marking Centennial of Completion of Church and its Consecration in 1843.

-----

The 100th Anniversary of the completion of Christ Church Pelham Manor, and its formal consecration in 1843, was observed by the parish on the dedication festival of Christ, the King, Sunday, Oct. 31st.  Rev. Thomas Taggard and the Rev. Joseph Barnes Williams are the clergy of the church.

The choral celebration of the Holy Eucharist marked a solemn and joyful thanksgiving offered by the whole parish for the blessings of the century of its life just completed, and a humble re-dedication of effort to carry on the fine application of Christian ideals and life which were exemplified in the lives of the founder of the parish, the Rev. Robert Bolton and his family.

The anniversary sermon on this occasion was delivered by the Rev. H. Bonnell Spencer, Order of the Holy Cross.  Father Spencer is well known in Pelham because of the ten-day preaching mission which he conducted at Christ Church in December, 1940, in association with the Rev. Alan Whittemore, Superior of the Order of the Holy Cross.  

On Oct. 31st, there were the usual 8:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. celebrations of the Holy Eucharist, with parish breakfast and Church School.  At 11:15 a.m. the combined choirs led the procession.

A century-old account of the consecration of the church has been found in 'The Churchman' of Sept. 23, 1843 under the heading 'Episcopal Acts' as follows:

'Friday, Sept. 15, consecrated Christ Church, Pelham, an edifice erected on his own premises by the Rev. Robert Bolton, Rector of St. Paul's Church, East Chester.  The instrument of Donation and Request for Consecration by the Rev. Robert Bolton were presented by him to the Bishop, and read by the Rev. Thomas W. Colt D. D., Rector of Trinity Church, New Rochelle.

'The sentence of consecration was read by the Rev. Thomas Harris; and the Morning Prayer by the Rev. James Milner, D. D., Rector of St. George's Church New York, assisted by the Rev. William Powell, Rector of St. Peter's Church, Westchester, who read the Lessons.

'The sermon was preached by the Bishop who administered Holy Communion.  Eight of the Clergy were present.'

The bishop of the diocese at that time was the Right Reverend Treadwell Onderdonk.

In connection with the centennial celebration a Parish History has been compiled by a committee of laymen of the parish, under the leadership of Edward F. Hudson, James Edgar Morris and Edwin O. Perrin.  The book is profusely illustrated and is dedicated to Miss Arabella Jay Bolton who is now, and has been all her life, an active member of the parish.  Copies of the History may be secured from Mrs. William N. Hurlbut or at the church office.

Services this week have included a celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Monday Nov. 1 which was All Saints Day."

Source:  100th Anniversary Was Observed At Christ Church, Sunday, Oct. 31 -- Rev. H. Bonnell Spencer O. H. C., Preached Sermon at Service Marking Centennial of Completion of Church and its Consecration in 1843, The Pelham Sun, Nov. 4, 1943, Vol. 33, No. 31, p. 7, cols. 1-2.

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Commuting Between New York City and Pelham in 1843 Before the Railroad Was Extended to Pelham

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Pelham residents today think nothing of a quick jaunt into New York City.  The inexpensive commute on Metro North takes 29 minutes from Pelham Station to Grand Central Terminal on modern and comfortable electric trains that are heated during cold weather and air conditioned when hot.  Thus, it is hard to imagine a time in the earliest years of the railroad industry in the New York region when the line of the New York and Harlem Rail Road extended from City Hall through 27th Street, Harlem, Fordham, and terminated at Williams' Bridge using steam locomotives and passenger cars with virtually no modern conveniences.  

It is harder, still, to imagine wood or coal-fired steam engines with no enclosure for the single engineer / fireman who simply stood on an unenclosed platform shoving fuel into a rudimentary firebox to maintain the steam.  Such "trains" into and out of New York sometimes were principally freight trains with a single "second class" passenger car.  Other times they were principally passenger trains with two passenger cars and a freight / baggage car.  The image immediately below depicts such a steam locomotive. 

Depiction of 1842 William Norris Steam Engine Locomotive

Similar to Locomotives Used at the Time on the Line of the

New York and Harlem Rail Road.  Source:  McElroy's Philadelphia

Directory for 1842, Advertisement Pg. 22 (Following Directory Pg.

348) (Philadelphia, PA:  Orrin Rogers, 1842).  NOTE:  Click on

Image to Enlarge.

The New York and Harlem Railroad was incorporated on April 25, 1831.  The first section of the new railroad ran from Prince Street north to 14th Street on November 26, 1832.  Slowly, thereafter, the railroad opened additional sections until it first reached Williamsbridge on September 3, 1842.  

No railroad line reached the little Town of Pelham until the New York and New Haven Railroad opened through Pelham in late December, 1848.  See Thu., Sep. 11, 2014:  Cattle Were Frightened; Animals Careened Round the Fields - The First Run of the New Haven Line Through Pelham in 1848.  There was a time, then, during the 1840s, when Pelhamites were capable of "commuting" by train to and from New York City -- as long as they could get to and from Williams Bridge.  Today's Historic Pelham Blog article details precisely how it was possible for Pelham residents to commute to and from New York City using the New York and Harlem Railroad for a portion of the trip.

It is possible to understand much about what such a commute was like for Pelhamites in 1843, only months after the New York and Harlem Railroad line was extended to Williams Bridge, from a commuter fare and timetable advertisement that appeared countless times in The Evening Post of New York City that year.  Moreover, the advertisement purports to depict a period image of such a train that permits additional analysis.  The image of the train taken from the advertisement appears below, first, with discussion of what can be learned from the image.

Click on Image to Enlarge.

The tiny image of the advertisement (that appears in full below with a transcription, a citation and a link to its source) appears immediately above.  The steam engine locomotive can be seen in the lead with a single man standing at the crude firebox behind the smokestack (to keep the smoke from obscuring the operator's view).  There appear to be two passenger rail cars behind the locomotive with passengers visible through the windows.  In the rear is what appears to be a freight or baggage car that is loaded.  Although there is no evidence that this image depicts an actual New York and Harlem Railroad train in 1843, its inclusion in an schedule and fare advertisement placed by the railroad suggests that the depiction is not wildly inaccurate.

The advertisement makes clear that to commute on the railroad to lower Manhattan and back, Pelhamites could take a scheduled stage coach from Pelham Bridge to Williams Bridge and then a New York and Harlem Railroad train as far as the City Hall region of Manhattan and reverse the process for the return trip.

There is no indication in the advertisement regarding the stagecoach fare.  The fare between what then was the end of the line at Williams Bridge and City Hall in lower Manhattan was twenty-five cents (about $13.00 in today's dollars).  For regular commuters, certainly rare from Pelham in that day, there was a commutation pass available, although it was sold only as an annual pass.  It cost $50.00 (about $2,600.00 in today's dollars).   

Regular trains departed from City Hall in lower Manhattan for Williamsbridge daily at 6:00 a.m., 7:10 a.m., 8:10 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:10 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4:10 p.m., and 6:10 p.m. with each train returning from Williams Bridge with any passengers traveling to New York City.  Additionally, beginning May 10, 1843, the railroad began running what later became known as the "milk run" departing Williams Bridge for City Hall at 3:00 a.m. with a return trip to Williams Bridge leaving City Hall at 5:30 a.m.

Horse-drawn stagecoaches to carry passengers, freight, and baggage to Pelham Bridge did not meet every train's arrival at Williams Bridge.  Rather, such stagecoaches only met two trains a day:  those that departed from City Hall at 8:10 A.M. and at 4:10 P.M.  Both stagecoaches could carry passengers, freight, and baggage on their return trips from Pelham Bridge back to the end of the train line at Williams Bridge. 

Clearly regular travel between the little Town of Pelham and lower Manhattan was difficult and expensive in 1843.  Yet, one can perceive the origins of today's massive Metro North commuter railroad that now carries more than 84 million passengers a year along some of the same railroad track rights-of-way used by Pelhamites when traveling on the New York and Harlem railroad 175 years ago in 1843.

*          *          *          *         *

Fare and Schedule Advertisement for the New York and

Harlem Railroad Published in The Evening Post of New

York City Throughout 1843.  Source:  NEW YORK AND HARLEM

RAIL ROAD - ROAD COMPANY --SPRING ARRANGEMENT

[Advertisement], The Evening Post [NY, NY], May 8, 1843,

p. 1, col. 3 (NOTE:  Paid subscription required to access via

this link).  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

"NEW YORK AND HARLEM RAIL ROAD - ROAD COMPANY.
SPRING ARRANGEMENT.

GREAT REDUCTION OF FARE as follows, viz:

Between City Hall and Harlem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1/2 cents
From City Hall to Fordham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 cents
From City Hall to Williams' Bridge. . . . . . . . . . . . 25 cents

On and after Monday, 24th of April instant, the cars will run daily as follows, viz:

Leave City Hall for Williams' Bridge, at 6, 7:10, 8:10, 9:10, 11:30, 2:10, 3:15, 4:10, 6:10.

On and after Wednesday, the 10th of May next, an extra freight train, with second class cars attached, for the accommodation of passengers, will leave Williams' Bridge, at 3 o'clock in the morning, and returning, leave City Hall, at 5:30, and 27th street, at 6 A.M.

Fare in this Train, between 27th street, and Harlem, 6-1/4 cents; between 27th street and Williams' Bridge, 12-1/2 cents.

The City Hall and 27th street Line will run daily as follows:  from 7 A. M. every ten minutes throughout the day till 8 o'clock, P. M.  Fare 6-1/4 cents.

An extra night line will run from City Hall to 27th st., as follows:

Leave City Hall for 27th st.   |   Leave 27th st. for City Hall,
8:30 P.M.,                             |   8 P.M.
9:30   "                                  |   9   "
10:30 "                                  |   10 "
11:30 " will run to 42d st.      |   11 "

Stages for Westchester, Throgg's Neck and Pelham Bridge, will leave Williams' Bridge daily, on the arrival of the Trains, which leave City Hall at 8:10 A.M., and 4:10 P.M.

Stages for Eastchester, New Rochelle and Mamaroneck, will leave Williams' Bridge daily, on the arrival of the Trains which leaves [sic] City Hall at 7:10 A.M. and 3:15 P.M.

Stages for Rye and Portchester will leave Williams' Bridge daily, on the arrival of tthe Trains which leave City Hall 3:15 P.M.

Stages for Marble Hall and White Plains will leave Williams' Bridge daily, (Sundays excepted,) on the arrival of the Train which leaves City Hall at 3:15 P.M.; also, leave Williams' Bridge every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, on the arrival of the Train which leaves City hall at 8:10 A.M.

Stages for Robbins' Mills, Milesquare, NewCastle, North Castle and Bedford, will leave Williams' Bridge every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, on the arrival of the Train which leaves City hall at 8:10 A.M.

Stages for Mamaroneck, Portchester, Greenwich and Stamford, will leave Williams' Bridge daily, on the arrival of the Train which leaves City Hall at 2 o'clock, P. M.

The company are now ready to commute with persons residing on the line of their road by the year, as follows:  

Between City Hall and 27th street, in
     27th street line exclusively. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25
do          Yorkville, in trains     do     do . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
do          Harlem,                    do     do . . . . . . . . . . . . .   40
do          Fordham,                 do     do . . . . . . . . . . . . .   45
do          Williams' Bridge,      do     do . . . . . . . . . . . . .   50

For further particulars in relation to commuting, apply at the office of the Company at City Hall, corner of Bowery and Broome street, and at 27th street, and will be forwarded by the 11:30 A.M., and 4 o'clock P.M. trains from the City Hall.

-- Freight must be paid in advance at the office of the company at City Hall, before the same will be forwarded."

Source:  NEW YORK AND HARLEM RAIL ROAD - ROAD COMPANY --SPRING ARRANGEMENT [Advertisement], The Evening Post [NY, NY], May 8, 1843, p. 1, col. 3 (NOTE:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

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Rode a Horse to Death Getting to and From the Famous Yankee Sullivan Prize Fight in Pelham on August 29, 1842

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As one might expect given the 363-year recorded history of Pelham, there have been thousands of lawsuits between and among Pelhamites (or that involved Pelham in some fashion).  Records of such lawsuits are a rich source of information about the history of our town.  Then, there are some such lawsuits that are simply so unusual that they scream for attention.  The lawsuit that is the focus of today's Historic Pelham article is, well, both.  Indeed, considered through the lens of this particular lawsuit, the Town of Pelham can be said to have played a small role in the development of 19th century "horse law."

Monday, August 29, 1842 was a very hot day in Pelham.  Indeed, many accounts of the events of that day note how hot it was and how bright the summer sun seemed.  One account called it the "hottest day of the season."  The day also was a highly-anticipated and special day.  In the early afternoon, famed nineteenth century prize fighter Yankee Sullivan battled William "Billy" Bell in a brutal bare knuckle brawl that was fought on Hart Island.

The crowd that witnessed the fight was incredibly large.  In 1842, the Town of Pelham included today's Pelham Bay Park, Hart Island, City Island, and other nearby islands.  Despite its geographic size, the entire town had a population of only about 790 people.  On August 29, however, an estimated five to six THOUSAND people traveled to the little town of Pelham to watch the fight.  Many took special steamships from New York City to Hart Island.   Others walked, rode horseback, or drove carriages to Pelham Neck where small craft ferried them to Hart Island (for a fee, of course) to watch the most famous fighter in the country, Yankee Sullivan, fight Billy Bell for a $300 prize (about $14,000 in today's dollars).

I have written before about the Sullivan - Bell prize fight in Pelham on August 29, 1842.  See Wed., Nov. 04, 2015:  The Famous Nineteenth Century Prize Fighter Yankee Sullivan Fought in Pelham in 1842.  Yankee Sullivan won the brutal battle that day when Billy Bell was unable to stand up and resume the battle at the ringing of the bell to begin the twenty-fourth round.  The fight lasted about 38 minutes.

Pelham, of course, simply did not have the infrastructure to deal with a crowd of that size.  
That fact became an issue in a strange lawsuit that followed the prize fight and that is the subject of today's Historic Pelham article.  

By 11:30 a.m. that morning, nearly two-and-a-half hours before the Yankee Sullivan fight, all nearby stables and sheds were completely filled with the horses of spectators who came to watch the fight.  There was no available shelter on that hot day for horses that arrived any later.  This became an issue for Benjamin T. Waring and others of New York City who traveled to Pelham that day to watch the fight.

A little before 10:00 a.m., the Waring group hired "a fine and favorite gray mare from William T. Mackerel's livery stable on East Broadway in New York City.  At about 10:00 a.m., the group -- presumably in some form of carriage or conveyance pulled by the mare -- left the livery stable for Pelham Neck with plans to ferry to Hart Island and watch the fight.

It took them about two-and-a-half hours to travel the seventeen miles from the livery stable to Pelham Neck.  Arriving at about 12:30 p.m., the men discovered that there was no stable or shed available to shelter the mare they had hired.  Everything already was filled to capacity with spectators' horses.

The men secured the mare and crossed to Hart Island where they witnessed the famous prize fight.  It took them some time to get off the island and back to Pelham Neck, but by about 3:30 p.m. they were behind the mare and on their way back to New York City.  

Once again, it took them about two-and-a-half hours to make the seventeen-mile return trip to the livery stable.  When they arrived, however, the poor mare was "terribly distressed."  That night the mare was "taken sick."  The next day, the poor creature died.

The owners of the livery stable filed a lawsuit against the men who hired the mare.  The owners alleged that the horse had been driven at an "excessive rate" to and from Pelham and that the horse suffered from a "want of proper care."  The owners sought $150 in damages for the value of the horse.

A jury trial was conducted in The Court of Common Pleas for the City of New York (a court that was abolished in 1895).  Trial was held in January, 1843.  On January 25, 1843, the Morning Courier and New-York Enquirer reported on the proceedings.  

Counsel for the defendants denied that the horse had been driven at an "excessive rate" and offered evidence that "other horses had gone out the same distance within the same time or even less on that day" and "were seen driving at a very moderate pace."  No enlightening evidence was presented regarding how the horse was cared for while the men were watching the fight on Hart Island.  Indeed, according to one account "It did not appear that any care was taken of the horse while at Pelham's Point, nor did it appear that there was any lack of care."  

Judge Ingraham instructed the jury that "a person hiring a horse though not restricted to any particular rate of going, should exercise proper discretion and care, and that a rate of travelling which might be warranted at one time, would not be so at another."  The Judge also instructed that the jury would have to decide whether "the horse had died in consequence of injuries received at the hands of the defendants, by over-driving, or by a want of proper care."  The Judge further instructed the jury that if they found that the horse had died in consequence of injuries received at the hands of the defendants, then plaintiffs "were undoubtedly entitled to recover the full value of the horse."  

Following deliberations, the jury returned a verdict for plaintiffs and, presumably, an award of $150 (the damages sought for the death of the horse).  That day, it seems, Pelham played some small role in the evolution of the niche legal area of "horse law."

Title Page of Book About Yankee Sullivan

With An Image Believed to Depict Him.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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Below is the text of an account of the trial of William T. Mackerel, et al. v. Benjamin T. Waring, et al. in The Court of Common Pleas for the City of New York.  It is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"Reported for the Courier and Enquirer.
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.
Before Judge INGRAHAM.

William T. Mackerel et al vs. Benjamin T. Waring et al. -- This action is brought to recover the value of a horse, $150, which was killed as is alleged by the defendants, who overdrove the animal, and neglected to take proper care of it.  The defendants hired the animal in question, a fine and favorite gray mare, of the plaintiffs, who are livery stable keepers in East Broadway, on the 29th August last, to go to Pelham's Point in Westchester county, for the purpose of crossing over to Hart's Island to see the fight which was to come off that day between Sullivan and Bell, at that place.

They started from this city about ten o'clock in the morning, and reached Pelham's Point, a distance of 17 miles in two hours and a half, although the day was one of the hottest of the season.  It did not appear that any care was taken of the horse while at Pelham's Point, nor did it appear that there was any lack of care, the only evidence on this point, being derived from two witnesses, who testified that when they reached Pelham's Point at half past 11 in the morning, all the stables and sheds about were filled, and they had difficulty procuring shelter for their horse.

The defendants leaving the horse at Pelham's Point, crossed over to Hart's Island, and witnessed the fight, and started on their return to the city about half past three, arriving here at 6 P. M.  When the horse came in she was terribly distressed -- was taken sick during the night and died the next day, as is alleged, from the excessive rate at which she had been driven, and want of proper care.  On the part of the defence, evidence was offered showing that other horses had gone out the same distance within the same time or even less on that day, and it was proved that on their return they were seen driving at a very moderate pace.

Judge Ingraham charged that a person hiring a horse though not restricted to any particular rate of going, should exercise proper discretion and care, and that a rate of travelling which might be warranted at one time, would not be so at another.  It was for the jury to say if the horse had died in consequence of injuries received at the hands of the defendants, by over-driving, or by a want of proper care.  If so, the plaintiffs were undoubtedly entitled to recover the full value of the horse.  Verdict for plaintiffs.

For Plaintiffs, W. K. Thorne,
For Defendants, H. A. Fay."

Source:  Reported for the Courier and Enquirer -- COURT OF COMMON PLEAS -- Before Judge INGRAHAM, Morning Courier and New-York Enquirer, Jan. 25, 1843, Vol. XXVII, No. 4872, p. 2, col. 3.

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