Church of the Ascension
Item
Description
In the early 1800's worshippers in the town of Esopus on the west bank of the river traveled by ferry to Hyde Park to attend services at St. James. After an unfortunate ferry accident on a cold January morning, in which one person drowned, the Rev. Dr. Sherwood of St. James worked actively to establish a church in Esopus. The parish was organized on April 4, 1842, and Dr. Sherwood laid the cornerstone for the church on July 19th. The east entrance of the church was designed to align exactly with the west-facing entrance of St. James.
Mrs. Anna Watts of the Stuyvesant-Rutherford family in New York City donated money for the construction, and her son-in-law, Archibald Russell, commissioned New York architect John Johnston to design the building. On November 12th the stone church, built in the Gothic style and overlooking the Hudson, was consecrated by the Bishop of New York. Mrs. Watts also reportedly named the church 'Ascension' because she also attended the well-known Church of the Ascension in New York City (Fifth Avenue at 10th Street), which had been completed in 1841.
Ascension Church viewed from west or Hudson River side. The front door faces directly opposite St. James Church in Hyde Park. During the first several years, services were held in the church only in the summer months because the majority of active members and supporters were summer residents from New York City and Brooklyn . In 1860, John Jacob Astor III donated money for the construction of the rectory when he occupied the southern section of the Payne property. Oliver Hazard Payne donated money for the sexton's house directly south of the church and also to electrify the church.
Soon after the Civil War, the family of General Daniel Butterfield joined the parish. The General donated items in the church in memory of his wife who died in 1877 and of their only child Edgar, who died at the age of three. Stain glass windows were installed in 1916 in memory of Sarah Brookman and Harriet Carlton Durkee -- related to the Durkees who owned part of the Payne property.
The sister church of Holy Trinity in Highland began regular services in 1870 in borrowed halls. The congregation began building a church in1872 and it opened for services June 1873. The architect was Richard Upjohn, from England, who with James Renwick were the two most famous church architects, both specializing in Gothic and English country architecture. Upjohn had been the architect for the New York City Church of the Ascension (1841) and Trinity Church (1946). He was one of the founders of the American Institute of Architects and served as its first President. Renwick's most famous work is St Patrick's Cathedral in New York City., but he also designed several buildings at Vassar College as well as the Smithsonian in Washington DC.
In the early 1930's the Church of the Ascension and Holy Trinity parish in Highland began sharing rectors, and they were legally united in 1963. The parishes are now served by one vestry and are under one financial system. The current pastor is The Rev. Jennifer Barrows, who began her service in June of 2001.
So the Russells, the Astors, the Durkees, and Payne were all associated with the Church of the Ascension. For further information see www.esopus.net/ascension.htm
Mrs. Anna Watts of the Stuyvesant-Rutherford family in New York City donated money for the construction, and her son-in-law, Archibald Russell, commissioned New York architect John Johnston to design the building. On November 12th the stone church, built in the Gothic style and overlooking the Hudson, was consecrated by the Bishop of New York. Mrs. Watts also reportedly named the church 'Ascension' because she also attended the well-known Church of the Ascension in New York City (Fifth Avenue at 10th Street), which had been completed in 1841.
Ascension Church viewed from west or Hudson River side. The front door faces directly opposite St. James Church in Hyde Park. During the first several years, services were held in the church only in the summer months because the majority of active members and supporters were summer residents from New York City and Brooklyn . In 1860, John Jacob Astor III donated money for the construction of the rectory when he occupied the southern section of the Payne property. Oliver Hazard Payne donated money for the sexton's house directly south of the church and also to electrify the church.
Soon after the Civil War, the family of General Daniel Butterfield joined the parish. The General donated items in the church in memory of his wife who died in 1877 and of their only child Edgar, who died at the age of three. Stain glass windows were installed in 1916 in memory of Sarah Brookman and Harriet Carlton Durkee -- related to the Durkees who owned part of the Payne property.
The sister church of Holy Trinity in Highland began regular services in 1870 in borrowed halls. The congregation began building a church in1872 and it opened for services June 1873. The architect was Richard Upjohn, from England, who with James Renwick were the two most famous church architects, both specializing in Gothic and English country architecture. Upjohn had been the architect for the New York City Church of the Ascension (1841) and Trinity Church (1946). He was one of the founders of the American Institute of Architects and served as its first President. Renwick's most famous work is St Patrick's Cathedral in New York City., but he also designed several buildings at Vassar College as well as the Smithsonian in Washington DC.
In the early 1930's the Church of the Ascension and Holy Trinity parish in Highland began sharing rectors, and they were legally united in 1963. The parishes are now served by one vestry and are under one financial system. The current pastor is The Rev. Jennifer Barrows, who began her service in June of 2001.
So the Russells, the Astors, the Durkees, and Payne were all associated with the Church of the Ascension. For further information see www.esopus.net/ascension.htm
