The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville Used the Pelhamville Train Station for Services in 1878

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The Union Sabbath-School Society was a predecessor organization to the Congregational Church of North Pelham.  The Congregational Church of North Pelham, organized in 1888, no longer exists.

Although the organization formally known as "Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville" was incorporated as a religious organization on July 20, 1878, its origins date back to 1876.  That year, a group of Pelhamville residents organized to provide "instruction in Christian education" to their children.  The group asked Eli Trott and Jared Macy of the Children's Aid Society in New York to help them organize "a Sunday school that would be Christian and at the same time non-sectarian."  The organization was formally incorporated with Eli Trott, Superintendent; S. B. Carlisle, Assistant Superintendent; Alex B. Macy, Secretary; and Jared Macy, Treasurer.  

I have written before about the history of the Union Sabbath School.  See: 

Fri., Apr. 18, 2014:  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville.  

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926. 

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville. 

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville.

The organization provided more broadly for the spiritual needs of Pelhamville residents than merely Sunday School for the youngsters.  It arranged for revolving appearances of local church ministers from Mount Vernon and Pelham Manor to deliver sermons to the congregation.  Early services and Sunday School gatherings were held in the parlor of the home of Mr. Richard Sherwood of Pelhamville.  

At first, there were "sixteen scholars and teachers" in the Sunday School.  Within about eighteen months, however, that number had grown to eighty and Mr. Sherwood's parlor could no longer accommodate the crowds.  On nice days, the congregation held Sunday school and church services "in the open fields."  By April, 1878, members of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville were engaged in extensive fundraising activities and were beseeching other local congregations to help them raise the funds necessary to build a small chapel.

At about this time, the organization was able to arrange the use of the Pelhamville Depot on the New Haven Line during the month of June for Sunday School in the afternoon and for Sunday services in the evening.  The organization placed advertisements in The Chronicle, a Mount Vernon newspaper, indicating that Sunday School would be held in the train station at 3:00 p.m. each Sunday in June and that various local ministers would preach sermons in the train station at 7:30 p.m. under the following schedule:

June 2:  Rev. Dr. Hiscox of Mount Vernon.
June 9:  Rev. Dr. Henry Randall Wait of Pelham Manor.
June 16:  Rev. A. C. Bowdish of Mount Vernon.
June 23:  Rev. M. H. Hutton of Mount Vernon.
June 30:  Sabbath School Concert.

This is another example of Pelham institutions supporting local citizens who sought to organize and grow local religious organizations.  Various such organizations used not only the Pelhamville Train Depot, but also local barns, and even the Pelham Picture House after that movie theater was built.  Though the Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville no longer exists, it remains an important part of the early history of the tiny community once known as Pelhamville.

One of the Only Known Depictions of the Tiny

Pelhamville Depot Where Members of The

Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville

Held Sunday School and Sabbath Services in

June, 1878.  Source:  January 16, 1886 Issue of

Scientific American, "A Remarkable Railroad Accident."

NOTE: Click on Images to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

NOTE:  Click on Image To Enlarge.  Text,

Citation and Link to Original Immediately Below.

"UNION GOSPEL SERVICES.
-----

THE UNION SABBATH-SCHOOL SOCIETY of Pelhamville, will hold SABBATH SERVICES, every Sabbath in June, at the Pelhamville Depot, at 7:30 o'clock, P.M.  Preaching services as follows:  June 2d, Rev. Dr. Hiscox, of Mount Vernon.  June 9th, Rev. Dr. Waite, of Pelham Manor.  June 16th, Rev. A. C. Bowdish, of Mount Vernon.  June 23d, Rev. M. H. Hutton, of Mount Vernon.  Services of Song the first half hour.  Singing from Moody and Sankey books.  Sabbath School Concert June 30.  Several Sabbath-school workers will be present and address the school.  The Sabbath-school connected with this Society will be held every Sabbath afternoon at 3 o'clock.  We give a cordial invitation to all to attend these free services."

Source:  UNION GOSPEL SERVICES [Advertisement], The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 21, 1878, Vol. IX, No. 457, p. 3, col. 1.  

Map of Pelhamville Published in 1868. Source:

Beers, F.W., Atlas of New York and Vicinity from

Actual Surveys By and Under the Direction of

F.W. Beers, Assisted By A.B. Prindle & Others, pg.

36 (NY, NY: Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1868) (Detail from

Page 36 Map Entitled "Town of New Rochelle,

Westchester Co., N.Y. (With) Pelhamville).

NOTE:  Click on Link to Enlarge.

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The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville

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Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

In 1888, the Congregational Church of North Pelham, a church that no longer exists in Pelham, was organized by a group known as the Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville (the church, formed with the assistance of representatives of the American Congregational Union, was known early in its history as the "Church of the Covenant").  The church was disbanded "after a short life."  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville, however, had a much longer history.  Today's Historic Pelham Blog posting transcribes two articles that she light on the early histories of the Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville and the Church of the Covenant.  The first is a brief article published in 1878 that detailed the first two years of the Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville.  The second is a brief article describing the establishment of the "Church of the Covenant," intended "to succeed the Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville."  

I have written about the Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville several times before.  See:  

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926.  

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville.

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville.  

Map of Pelhamville Published in 1868.

Source: Beers, F.W., Atlas of New York and Vicinity from

Actual Surveys By and Under the Direction of F.W.

Beers, Assisted By A.B. Prindle & Others, pg. 36 (NY, NY:

Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1868) (Detail from Page 36 Map

Entitled "Town of New Rochelle, Westchester Co., N.Y. (With) Pelhamville).

Since the records of the Congregational Church of North Pelham and the Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville have not been located and may no longer exist, an article published in the April 26, 1878 issue of The Chronicle published in Mount Vernon, New York sheds important light on the earliest years of the Union Sabbath School Society.  

Records in the Westchester County Archives make clear that, although the origins of the Society date back to 1876, the organization formally known as "Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville" was incorporated as a religious organization on July 20, 1878.  The incorporation records are available at the Westchester County Archives (Archive No. A-0086(2)S(CB3), Page 392).  It seems that the organization existed until at least 1895 when it conveyed property that it owned in Pelhamville to The Church of the Covenant.  See:  

"Westchester County Conveyances
-----
JULY 31 TO AUGUST 6 -- INCLUSIVE . . . 

PELHAM. . . . 

Union Sabbath School Soc. to The Church of the Covenant, lot 154 w s 2d av, Pelhamville.  1,000"

Source:  Real Estate Record and Builders Guide, Aug. 10, 1895, Vol. LVI, No. 1,430, p. 199, cols. 1-2.

Transcribed below is the brief article published in 1878 addressing the origins of what became the Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville, established by the Union Sabbath School Society.   

"LOCAL NEWS. . . . 

About two years ago the Christian people of Pelhamville, earnestly desiring that their children should receive instruction in Christian education, requested Messrs. Eli Trott and Jared Macy, both connected with the Children's Aid Society in New York, to organize a Sunday school that would be Christian and at the same time non-sectarian, so as to assimulate [sic] the various views of the people as near as possible.  After deep thought on the subject, the Union Sabbath School, of Pelhamville, was organized, with Mr. Eli Trott, Superintendent; Mr. S. B. Carlisle, Assistant Superintendent; Mr. Alex. B. Macy, Secretary; Mr. Jared Macy, Treasurer.

Their means being exceedingly limited, they were compelled to meet in the parlor of the house of Mr. Richard Sherwood.  The school consisted, at its commencement, of about sixteen scholars and teachers.  Under the blessing of Providence they now number eighty; and the room that was large enough at first is now altogether too small for their accommodation, and it is rendered absolutely necessary that they procure larger quarters.  In fact, during the past year they have been compelled to hold the session of the Sunday school in the open fields at frequent intervals.  In the event of sickness in Mr. Sherwood's family it would be necessary to hold their Sabbath exercises in the open air.  Feeling deeply that God has called them to a duty that must be performed, they have commenced to look around for assistance from the Christian community surrounding them, to aid them in procuring a larger place to meet in; and in thankfulness to their many friends who have assisted them, they are almost ready to build a chapel.  But more means are still necessary; and one of their friends in New York, the Rev. Albert C. Arnold, of the Church of the Disciples, has kindly volunteered to lecture for their benefit on 'Travel in Europe,' he having returned from an extended European tour.  The lecture will be illustrated by stereopticon views of prominent places visited by him.  The lecture will be delivered in the Chapel of the Reformed Church, Mount Vernon, on Tuesday evening, April 30, 1878.  This lecture has been delivered in the Church of the Disciples, New York, repeatedly, to large audiences.  Tickets may be procured at the following places:  Mrs. D. Ferguson's, Mr. John Berry's, Mr. King's book store, Dr. Gill's drug store, and at the door on the evening of the lecture.  If this effort meets with the success it deserves, the proceeds will materially aid the Union Sabbath School, of Pelhamville, in their endeavor to procure suitable quarters, that are absolutely necessary for their success in this duty that God has called them to perform."

Source:  LOCAL NEWS, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Apr. 26, 1878, Vol. IX, No. 449, p. 2, cols. 4-5.  

Immediately below is the text of the second article describing establishment of the Church of the Covenant.

"Pelhamville.

On Thursday of last week, our Pelhamville friends carried to a successful conclusion the organization of a new church society, to be known as the 'Church of the Covenant.'  

At the meeting for organization, Rev. L.H. Cobb, Secretary of American Congregational Union, was chosen Moderator, and Rev. D. Washington Choate, D. D., Second Congregational Church, Greenwich, Conn., Scribe.  The Right Hand of Fellowship was extended by Rev. Dr. J.M. Wheton, of Tremont.

The society numbers 22 members, 19 of whom were present on the above occasion.

This organization is intended to succeed the Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville.  The chosen officers are:  

Deacons - David Lyon, Thomas Scott

Trustees - Thos. Scott, W.S. Algie, Thos. Borthwick, E.A. Patterson, David Lyon.

Stated services will be held every Sunday at 3 p.m., and Sunday School at 4 o'clock p.m."

Source:  Pelhamville, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Nov. 27, 1888, Vol. XX, No. 1145, p. 3, col. 3.

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