The Early History of St. Mark s Episcopal Church, Evanston in Relation to Local, World, and Church Events From Before 1864 to 1914 Presented January 12, 2014
Ridgeville Township, 1850 A largely uninhabited swampy area with Native American trails particularly along what is now Ridge Avenue and Chicago Avenue-Clark Street that were passable year-round A population of 441 in the 1850 Census A few log cabins along Ridge were used as taverns, a post office, and houses of worship, sometimes all three
Evanston and Lake View Townships, 1857 NU Today Evanston Township, 1857 Ridgeville split into Evanston and Lake View Townships at Devon Avenue Northwestern University chartered in 1851, and a community was laid out around it in 1853 called Evanston after John Evans, who purchased the land for Northwestern. Classes were first held in 1855. Evanston incorporated as a town in 1863
Evanston as Planned in 1854 NU Campus Future St. Mark s 1 Future St. Mark s 2
What was Happening in 1853 Crimean War Commodore Perry arrives in Japan Franklin Pierce inaugurated as 14 th president What was Happening in 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act opens new territories to slavery Abolition Movement strengthens Republican Party founded by anti-slavery activists
Churches in Evanston First Methodist 1856 Evanston Baptist 1858 (Now Lake Street Church) Evanston Incorporated as a town - 1863 St. Mark s Episcopal - 1864 First Presbyterian 1868 First Congregational - 1869
The Founding of St. Mark s - I In 1864 there were only three or four families who really belonged to the Episcopal Church There were several other leading citizens who loved the Prayer Book Other civic leaders wanted to see an Anglican church in Evanston The nearest Episcopal churches were Christ Church, Waukegan and St. James, Chicago
The Founding of St. Mark s - II Organizational meeting in the Chapel of Northwestern University on April 20, 1864 Organized as a Parish and not a Mission Debt free Rector and Vestry First services held on the third Sunday of May in 1864 at First Methodist and at the University Chapel thereafter A small wooden church was built on Davis Street at the west end of the present post office and consecrated by Bishop Whitehouse on September 15, 1865 The Bishop and delegates from the Diocesan Convention recessed and traveled by rail to attend
What was Happening in 1864 Ulysses S. Grant appointed commander of all Union forces Fall of Atlanta and Sherman s March to the Sea Abraham Lincoln re-elected president What was Happening in 1865 Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Abraham Lincoln assasinated Salvation Army founded
Early Years 1865 to 1871 First Rector (1865-1867): Rev. John W. Buckmaster 1865: End of Civil War; Death of Lincoln; Ratification of 13 th Amendment (abolition of slavery) 1866: Austro-Prussian War; First Transatlantic Cable 1867: Completion of Suez Canal; Joseph Lister publishes on antiseptic surgery Second Rector (1867-1869): Rev. Thomas Lisle 1867: Das Kapital published 1868: President Andrew Johnsoh impeached and acquitted; Ratification of 14 th Amendmenat (equal protection) Third Rector (1869-1870): Rev. A. J. Barrow 1869: Ulysses S. Grant becomes president; Completion of transcontinental railroad 1870: Ratification of 15 th Amendment (right to vote)
Early Years 1872 to 1888 Fourth Rector (1872-1875): Rev. C. S. Abbott 1872: Yellowstone National Park established; Railway air brake patented by George Westinghouse 1875: Archbishop John McCloskey of New York named first U. S. cardinal Fifth Rector (1876-1879): Rev. J. Stewart-Smith 1876: Battle of the Little Bighorn; Tom Sawyer published 1879: First female students admitted to Oxford University; Edison s first practical electric light Sixth Rector (1880-1885): Rev. Dr. Frederick S. Jewell 1880: First Boer War in South Africa; Republic of Transvaal established 1885: First successful appendectomy; Washington Monument Seventh Rector (1886-1888): Rev. Richard Hayward 1886: Statue of Liberty; Haymarket Riot; Geronimo surrenders 1888: National Geographic Society founded
Early Years 1872 to 1888 Fourth Rector (1872-1875): Rev. C. S. Abbott 1872: Yellowstone National Park established; Railway air brake patented by George Westinghouse 1875: Archbishop John McCloskey of New York named first U. S. cardinal Fifth Rector (1876-1879): Rev. J. Stewart-Smith 1876: Battle of the Little Bighorn 1879: First female students admitted to Oxford University; Edison s first practical electric light Sixth Rector (1880-1885): Rev. Dr. Frederick S. Jewell 1880: First Boer War in South Africa; Republic of Transvaal established 1885: First successful appendectomy; Washington Monument Seventh Rector (1886-1888): Rev. Richard Hayward 1886: Statue of Liberty; Haymarket Riot; Geronimo surrenders 1888: National Geographic Society founded
Parish Events Church lengthened in 1868 and bell tower added 1871 Great Chicago Fire Large influx of refugees into Evanston Church enlarged again around 1875 by addition of side aisles First pipe organ installed in 1884 St. Mark s Choristers established in 1887 Robert Holmes arrived as temporary choirmaster in 1888
Background Eighth Rector (1888-1910): Rev. Dr. Arthur W. Little Born in Brooklyn 1856; parents were from Maine Attended Knox College in Galesburg, IL Attended General Theological Seminary; ordained 1881 Served 7 years as Rector in Portland, ME A Learned Man Wrote several books A recognized authority on Episcopal Church matters Strongly Anglo-Catholic; Oxford Movement Suffered from ill health requiring several leaves of absence
Rev. Dr. Arthur W. Little Although plans for a new church had been discussed for several years, Dr. Little raised the funds and initiated construction in 1890 Church opened in 1891 Bells hung in tower in 1901 Parish House 1903 Comstock Memorial Altar 1904
What was Happening 1888-1910 1889: Coca-Cola Company incorporated; Eiffel Tower opens in Paris; birth of Adolf Hitler 1890: Wounded Knee Massacre 1891: First Sherlock Holmes story published 1892: Ellis Island opens to immigrants; Homestead strike; University of Chicago opens for classes 1893: World s Columbian Exposition opens in Chicago 1896: First X-ray photoraph; Plessy v. Ferguson; Alaska Gold Rush 1898: Spanish-American War 1901: Theodore Roosevelt inaugurated; Death of Queen Victoria 1903: Wright Brothers first flight 1904: Construction of Panama Canal begins 1906: San Francisco earthquake 1910: Halley s Comet appears; Death of Samuel Clemens
Early Years (1911-1914): Ninth Rector (1911-1912): Rev. Harry S. Longley Elected Bishop of Iowa; Consecrated at St. Mark s Tenth Rector (1913-1930): Rev. Arthur Rogers 50 th Anniversary in 1914 Acquisition of Cunningham House 1911: Mexican Revolution; Amundsen reaches South Pole 1912: Republic of China established; Sinking of RMS Titanic 1913: 16 th Amendment Ratified (Income Tax); Bloody Sunday in Ireland 1914: World War I begins