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Biographical Information on Former Important Pastors of 1st
Presbyterian Church
Rev. Thaddeus
Osgood: (24 October 1775
– 19 January 1852) He was the youngest son of Josiah
Osgood and Sarah Stevens Osgood; he was born in Methuen,
MA and never married. His father, whom he was very close to died
when he was thirteen years old, at first he had decided to become a tanner however,
during the Evangelical movement that swept New England
during the turn-of-the-century he decided to devote his life to God. He
attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH from 1779 to 1803, studying under
Drs. Lathrop, Worcester, and Dwight, Congregational ministers, and received his
license to preach in 1804 and acted as a supply pastor to many poorer
congregations in Connecticut before setting out in October 1807 to spread the
gospel to the many Indian tribes and destitute settlements in New York and
Upper Canada. He was ordained by the Council of Congregational Ministers on June 15, 1808, in North Wilbraham,
MA. And was appointed a missionary by the Society for Propagating the Gospel
among Indians and others in North America, preaching in
settlements through which he passed. Initially,
he concentrated on the distribution of religious tracts, although his interest
turned increasingly towards the issues of illiteracy. His journeys, took him
through Vermont into "The Canadas",
crossing at Niagara before he came to Buffalo, after his visit to Buffalo, he went
on to Pennsylvania, returning by a more southern route to Hartford, CT. In the
course of his tours he held religious services in the settlements through
which he passed, organizing churches, wherever it was desirable to do so, and
rendering such service in distributing books, baptizing children, and in other
ways, as the circumstances demanded. It was during his fifth annual trip to
Buffalo that as a traveling missionary preacher that he founded and organized with
approximately ten members, the First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, NY in the
old Court House building.
Following his 1812 visit to Buffalo,
NY, he traveled to England
where he organized support for mission work; he was remarkably successful in
his efforts raising over $5000.00, returning to Quebec
City in 1814 where he established a school for
promoting the education of the poor in Canada.
Reverend Osgood, a tireless worker, traveled seven times overseas to England
and Scotland,
most notably in 1825/26, 1829, 1835 to raise funds for missionary work
throughout the areas that are now Ontario
and Quebec finally concentrating
his efforts in Montreal, which in
his later years, became the focus of his work.
Although a lifetime Congregationalist, he always stressed
non-denominational aspects of his work and was throughout his lifetime,
described as being a quiet, inoffensive man of earnest piety, always
self-denying about his accomplishments and very much devoted to the spiritual
welfare of the young. He died in Glasgow, Scotland
in January 19th, 1852[i],
near the start of his seventh overseas trip to secure funding for missionary
work.
1st
Pastor: Miles Powell Squier[ii]
(May 4th, 1792- June 22nd, 1866) Pastor of 1st
Presbyterian Church from (3 May, 1816-
1 January 1824). Born in Cornwall,
VT,[iii] the
second child of Wait Squier and Hannah Powell Squier, who were both of English
decent and natives of Berkshire County, MA,
they were married in 1790. He was one of three sons and three daughters who
survived into adulthood, the names of his siblings were Wait, Jr., Calvin,
Laura, Lorinda, Aurelia, and Huldana,
Laura and Lorinda. His parents, Wait Sr. and Hannah Powell Squier
moved to New Haven, CT
in 1794 where the elder Wait Squier took up farming.[iv] Miles P. Squier, who was in his youth, a
rather precocious lad, graduated from Middlebury
College in 1811. There is evidence that he attended under a
scholarship program for the poor.[v] Miles
Squier was especially interested and proficient in Greek literature. Following Middlebury, he then attended Andover
Theological Seminary, graduating in 1814.
Although he preached his first sermon to the parishioners of the First
Presbyterian Society as a licentiate pastor in the service of the Young
People’s Missionary Society in 1815, he so impressed the members that before he
left, he was given a letter of invitation to serve as pastor for the then
incredible salary of $1000 yearly. The then 24 year old pastor returned to Buffalo
in December 1815 however, his installation was not until May 3rd 1816. While living in Buffalo
on 22 February, 1820 he
married his wife, Catherine Seymour (8
October, 1792 – 7
December, 1873), then of Rome, NY
but who was born in Hartford, CT.[vi] Miles and Catherine had no children.
First Presbyterian Church would be his first and only time
that he accepted such a position as a “settled pastor”. During his pastorate the First Presbyterian Church
membership grew, adding 158 members during his over seven years here. The first
church building was constructed per a contract with Mr. John Stacy, a church
member. The construction of this wooden
building was authorized on Tuesday, December
24th, 1822; the total cost of construction being $874, John
Stacy however, deducted the cost of a pew for his own use. Money raised from pew sales totaled $100 in
excess over the cost of construction. The edifice was completed in May 1824. During
1823, the congregation had fallen in arrears with his salary, so the then 32
year old pastor made the difficult decision that it was time to dissolve his
relationship with the church, so on January
1st, 1824, Rev. Squier preached his last sermon as
pastor and moved on.
Following his ministry at First Church Rev. Squier left
Buffalo to do missionary work and education, he and his wife settled in Geneva,
NY where he established the Geneva Female Seminary and the Geneva Lyceum for
young men, especially for those preparing for education for the Christian
ministry thereafter;
later he served as financial agent of Auburn
Theological Seminary, where he served on the Board of Trustees from 1838 to
1845, and then, in 1849 he received and accepted the
professorship of philosophy at Beloit College in Beloit, WI. In 1850 he was elected to the chair of Mental
and Moral Philosophy following a $10,000 bequest to the college, this was a
post he held until his death where in the 1865 catalogue he received from Beloit
College, he is listed as “Professor
Emeritus”[vii].
He maintained close ties with First Church
through his long life and no doubt visited during his travels between Geneva,
NY and Beloit,
WI.
In Rev. Dr. Walter Clarke’s “The First Church of Buffalo[viii]”
(1862) he mentions his close friendship with Dr. Squier and his assistance in
providing information for that work. Miles P. Squier
died June 22, 1866, in his old home where he lived, at 5 Lyceum Place in Geneva, NY
located the heart of the Finger Lakes on the north end of Seneca Lake, at the
age of 77. His wife, Catherine Squier, died December 6, 1873 in Geneva,
NY at the age of eighty-two years[ix].
2nd
Pastor: Gilbert Crawford (May 1792 -
29 June 1848) Pastor from (May 1824- 16 September,1828) Born in Scotland and
educated in Edinburgh and was a student of theology at Princeton, he was in
fact, a genuine Scotsman, described as being impetuous, and at times impatient,
he was however a serious, powerful and exemplary man of God. He accepted the call at a wisely adjusted salary
of $600 yearly which was more in line with what the congregation could afford. It was during his ministry that 123 members
were added to the rolls of membership, and that the “Old First” Brick
Church edifice was built and
dedicated, on 28 March 1827. He was a person of extreme personal economy,
when he died; he left an estate valued at over $400,000.00, a considerable sum
in the mid 19th century. His earthly fortune was divided generously in
1851 according to his Last Will and Testament, the bulk of which went to many worthwhile
organizations.
3rd
Pastor: Sylvester Eaton: (12 August 1790- 14 May 1844) Pastor from (1829–1834) He was one
of seven children of Nicholas & Katherine Eaton. Educated at Williams
College and Princeton
Theological Seminary was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Albany in 1818.
He served as pastor at Congregational Church in Norwalk,
CT in 1820 until 1827, then at Albany,
NY, until Feb. 1829, before he was called
to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church, Buffalo,
NY. He was installed here on 9 April 1829, at a salary of $800 which was later increased to $1000. He served as
pastor until September 2nd,
1834, when he accepted a call to a church in Paterson,
N.J. He remained in Paterson
until 1837, and then served four years at a church in Poughkeepsie,
N.Y. He died in Troy,
NY May
14th, 1844 at the home of his brother. Under his active
leadership the Church continued to
grow rapidly, despite continuance of the stern
interpretation of membership requirements. He was universally loved and
remembered for his preaching style that was polished, instructive, always practical
and doctrinally sound sermons delivered with great earnestness and solemnity.
Mr. Eaton was a leader in
organizing the Buffalo Female Academy, now Buffalo Seminary then
located in Johnson Cottage near the corner of Delaware
Avenue and Johnson
Park. He also became concerned with the spiritual
needs of the sailors on the Great Lakes
and the Erie Canal. A Bethel Society was formed, and a chapel built, with a chaplain employed. During Mr.
Eaton's pastorate, First Church continued its policy of
encouraging the organization of new
churches. Rev. Eaton preached his final sermon at 1st Church on Sunday, September 14, 1834. Following his death ten years later, his wife
and daughter returned to live in Buffalo, NY. His older brother, Amos Eaton, was a noted
geologist and botanist, and was also the first president of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute.
4th
Pastor: Asa Theodore Hopkins, (25 July 1805- 27 November 1847) Pastor from (17 February 1836- November 1847) Dr. Hopkins, was the son of Dr. Asa
Hopkins and Abigail (Burnham) Hopkins[x], of
Wethersfield, CT, who were married October 16, 1793, he lived in Hartford, CT.
along with his two brothers Edward and Charles A. Hopkins[xi]. Dr. Asa T. Hopkins graduated from Yale College in 1826 and studied divinity in Ithaca,
NY under a Dr. Wisner whose niece he married in
1828. He preached and served churches in
Boston, Hartford,
twice in Pawtucket, MA and Utica,
NY and New York City. It was while
he was in NYC that he was called to his ministry here at 1st Presbyterian
Church. Dr. Hopkins impressed himself
deeply upon the community; he was considered genial, affectionate, and frank, a
true gentleman. His sermons are
remembered for their eloquence, aptness and sympathy by which he identified
with the people in the community. He was
a man of deep faith with a depth of vigor and love. During his tenure he became
involved in the formation of the Young Men’s Association in Buffalo. In September
1839, due to ill health he proposed to the congregation that he relinquish his
charge, instead by a motion of Hiram Pratt, he instead was granted a six
month’s leave of absence. In the spring
of 1846, he was again advised to go abroad, for his own health and the health
of his wife to which he agreed. During
this leave of absence he visited Europe, Scotland & England and attended the evangelical alliance in London. He returned
in November 1846 with the body of his wife who died during the return
voyage. Her funeral was held 27 November 1846. Bereaved, Dr.
Hopkins resumed his duties as pastor with great earnestness and fidelity until 7 November 1847 when he preached his last sermon. Dr. Asa Theodore Hopkins passed away three
weeks later on Saturday November 27th, 1847 at of age 43 years, one year to the day of his wife’s
burial. His mother, Abigail Hopkins died
in Buffalo, NY in 1857 at the age of ninety years old
5th Pastor: Matthew
La Rue Perrine Thompson, (1809 – 1887) Pastor
from (1 November 1848-1860) Dr. Thompson came to 1st Presbyterian Church from
the Arch Street Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, PA; before that he was
pastor of the First Congregational Church in Clifton Springs, NY from the
spring 1836 to May, 1844. He was best
remembered here as being a pastor of zeal, power, unflagging industry and
intense energy in his devotion to his work.
His directness, clearness of ideas and remarkable power of personal
attraction made him a much beloved pastor.
During his tenure, the church’s first organ was installed in 1860. This instrument, built by Garrett House of Buffalo, the same builder relocated it to St. Stephen's on Elk St. in 1891 where it is still in service. During Dr. Thompson’s pastorate, 384 members
were received into the fold of this church. Because of the rapid grown experienced by the
church, the subject of building a new church first was seriously considered in
1852. By January 1854 over $100,000.00
was subscribed for the project and by April a committee had completed the
preliminary work and plans were agreed upon and procured, however, when bids
were advertised, no responsible architect would undertake the project as set
forth in the plans accepted by the building committee. The subscriptions for the project were
returned and the matter set aside.
Because the circumstances of Mrs. Thompson’s health required a change in
residence, he was, with deepest regret, dismissed at his request in April 1860.
He later accepted the call to be pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, OH on June 1st, 1861.[xii]
6th
Pastor: Walter Clarke, (April 5, 1812-
May 22, 1871) Pastor from (4 April 1861-1871)
Dr. Clarke was the son of Warner B. and Abigail A. Clarke. He was born in Middletown,
CT and moved with his family to Farmingham, CT
in 1837. He went to school in Waterbury, CT,
and studied law in Mobile AL
before studying at Yale Divinity
School in 1840. He was called in April, 1845 to the Second
Church of Christ in Hartford, CT
to serve as pastor where he was installed 4 June at a salary of $1200
yearly. There he married his first wife,
Mary A. Clark, daughter of Cyrus Clark of Waterbury,
CT. however; she died in Hartford,
CT, 4
February, 1849. In 1850, he
remarried, this time to Elizabeth Terry, daughter of Deacon Seth Terry[xiii]. He had one daughter by adoption and one son,
Rev, Samuel Taylor Clarke. Following the
Second Church of Christ, Dr. Clarke was installed at the Merced
Street Church
in New York City having accepted
the call in February 1859 and stayed until he accepted the call to First
Presbyterian Church in February 1861[xiv].
While pastor here, he wrote the first comprehensive history
of 1st Presbyterian Church, published in 1862, it covers the first
fifty years of church history from which much of the biographical information
contained here on former pastors was obtained. This
history, while sometimes flawed, was written with
a delightful antiquarian flavor, and with the benefit of acquaintance with the
first pastor and many of the early members who assisted in providing
information based upon recollections and first-hand accounts. Dr. Clarke was a tall, dignified man,
greatly beloved by his congregation.
His untimely death at the
age of fifty-nine, on May 23, 1871, was mourned by all. His body was returned to Hartford, CT. where he was buried in the North Cemetery.
7th Pastor: David R. Frazer (1836 - 24 January 1915) Pastor from (1872-1880) Rev. David R. Frazer, D.D., was born in Baltimore,
MD, the son of William R. and Eliza T. Frazer, he was graduated from
Princeton University in 1861 and continued his education at Union Theological Seminary. He married the former Rose Thompson and had five children, Francis
MacDonald, born about 1867 in NY, Phoebe Elise, born around1876 in NY, Harvey
Thompson, born about 1878 in Buffalo, NY
Florence, born around 1879 in Buffalo,
NY, and Henry F. Spaulding Frazer. He accepted calls to churches on Staten Island and Brooklyn, NY before being called as seventh pastor
of the church in May 1872;
he served here for eight
and a half years, preaching his farewell sermon February 8,
1880. During
his pastorate there had
been some discussion of
rebuilding or removal of the church, but at that time the majority favored remaining at
Shelton-Square. After leaving our First Presbyterian Church, he was installed as pastor
of the First Presbyterian Church in Newark, NJ, being installed there on
February 21, 1883, where he preached until June 16, 1909 when upon retiring, he
was bestowed the title Pastor Emeritus.
He died of a heart attack, January 1915 while visiting at the home of
his son H.F. Spaulding Frazer, who was City Counsel for Newark,
NJ.[xv]
8th Pastor: Samuel S Mitchell (16 August 1839 – 7
January 1919) Pastor from (1880-1904) Dr. Mitchell was born in Clinton, NY, the
son of Armstrong and Jane (Mitchell) Mitchell where he was baptized by Reverend
Wayne Gridley in the Congregational Church there, 31 December 1839. On 7
April 1844 his parents were issued a letter of transfer to the
Congregational Church in Platteville, WI[xvi]
(then a territory). He was raised a Congregationalist and attended the Congregationalist
Church in Andover,
MA when, at eighteen he professed his faith. He attended Phillips
Andover Academy
in Andover, MA
then did his undergraduate work at Princeton
University, graduating in 1861. Then,
that fall he attended Princeton Theological Seminary, graduating in 1864. He
was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, 21 April 1863 and ordained by the Presbytery of
Carlisle at Harrisburg, PA
15 November 1863. He served first as pastor of the Pine Street
Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, PA
from 15 November 1864
through 23 February 1869, where he met Theresa E. Wierman, a
member of the Pine Street Presbyterian Church; they married on 25 June 1868. They had three sons and a daughter; James McC. Mitchell, Esq., Samuel Stuart Mitchell, George
Mitchell and Emilie Mitchell Gratwick, who donated a
baptismal font in her parents' memory to the Pine Street Presbyterian Church in
1926 as part of that churches renovation; that baptismal font is still in use
to this day at that church[xvii]. Following his tenure at the Pine Street
Presbyterian Church, he accepted a call to the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church in Washington D.C.
where he was unanimously called at a salary $5,000 yearly (plus manse) as
pastor on 26 January 1869. Dr. Mitchell preached his first sermon as
pastor there on 14 March and remained there as pastor until 1878, serving with
distinction. During this time he was
conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD), from Princeton
University in 1875. Dr
Mitchell was described in the History of The New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church[xviii]
as being “…a man who rather flung the old conventions to the winds…due to his
vigorous purpose towards life, seeing the point directly to be reached and
going straight forward to it, and not caring so much about the form of things
as getting them done… At one period Dr. Mitchell used to preach in a dress suit.[xix]” Undoubtedly, during this time at least, he was
a man who defied conventions and stood firmly on his principles. In 1878 he then accepted a call to the Dutch Reformed Church, in
Brooklyn Heights, NY where he was pastor
from 25 November 1878 until 19 October 1880
before coming to Buffalo, NY
as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in 1880[xx].
Dr. Mitchell was pastor
during our last period of discernment in 1882 regarding moving the church to a
new location. This discernment process, generated
quite a bit of opposition in the congregation, was well publicized in the press
and in fact went through to the supreme courts for deposition before a resolution
was settled. By this time many members had moved from the central part of the
city and had transferred their membership to other churches, leaving old First
without proper financial support. A proposal to sell the church building and to
unite with Calvary Church
on Delaware Avenue
opposite Tracy Street was
considered but rejected in 1879. The dispute was taken to Presbytery, which
then broke out in the newspaper; and eventually was taken to court. When the
dispute was finally resolved, in favor of removal, Mrs. Trueman G. Avery, a
member of the congregation, stepped forward and donated a site at the corner of
Wadsworth and Pennsylvania Streets,
in memory of her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen G. Austin. Dr Mitchell was pastor during the construction
and dedication of our present edifice, and for the founding of Welcome Hall
Settlement in 1894, a mission of our church located at 404
Seneca St. The Welcome Hall property site was
deeded to the church by Mr. John J. Albright, where the mission work continued at
Welcome Hall until the depression of the 1930's, when it was taken over by the
City. The architectural rendering of
Welcome Hall, designed by the renowned architectural firm of William Sydney
Wicks and Edward Broadhead Green hangs outside the pastor’s study.
Dr. Mitchell was the
second longest tenured pastor in our history; he served the church as senior
pastor for twenty-four years. He was by accounts, a pulpit orator of commanding
stature, gifted with deep spiritual power and poetic insight. During his pastorate in Buffalo
he published his only book, a volume of sermons in 1890 titled, “The True Man.” He was acquainted with Theodore Roosevelt,
possibly because of his time spent in Washington,
DC and spent time with him before and after
the assassination of McKinley. He
breakfasted with Theodore Roosevelt the next morning following his
inauguration. He then delivered a
stirring address the following week at church. Following his retirement due to
ill health in 1904 from First Presbyterian Church, he accepted a position at Princeton Theological
Seminary, his old Alma Mata, where he was a lecturer on the English Bible. He held
this position between 1904-1905, before finally retiring and
returning to Buffalo, NY
where he died 7 January 1919
of angina pectoris, also known as coronary heart disease. His wife, Theresa Wierman
Mitchell, died 21 April 1915. He is buried at Harrisburg,
PA.
His middle initial “S” denotes only as a letter, not a given middle name[xxi].
9th Pastor: Andrew
Van Vranken Raymond (8 August 1854- 18
April 1918) Pastor from (1907-1918) Dr. Raymond was a much beloved
pastor during his tenure at 1st church. Born in Visscher’s
Ferry, NY (near Schenectady, NY)
on 8 August 1854 he was the
son of Rev. Henry A. Raymond, a minister in the Dutch Reformed faith, and
Catherine Miller. Raymond[xxii],
he attended Troy High
School in Troy, NY
and entered Union College
in 1872 as a sophomore. He was an
earnest student and a talented athlete. He played baseball, edited the College
Spectator, joined the Union Navy (boating club) and was a member of the Alpha
Delta Phi fraternity, graduating in 1875, he then attended New
Brunswick theological seminary in 1878[xxiii].
That same year he married Margaret M. Thomas of Middleville,
NY, she died in 1907; they had two sons and
a daughter. He was pastor at the First Reformed church in Patterson,
NJ from 1878 to 1881 before accepting a
call that same year as pastor of Trinity Reformed Church in Plainfield,
NJ which he left in 1886. It was at this time he left the Dutch
reformed faith and became a Presbyterian minister; he accepted a call to the
Fourth Presbyterian church in Albany, NY. Now close to his old Alma Mata, Union
College, he became actively
involved with the College. He became president of the General Alumni
Association, a post that he maintained until he became president of the
College. Although Dr. Raymond felt ministry was his true calling, he struggled
with the decision for several weeks before he finally accepted an offer as
College President on May 5, 1894.
He remained as president of Union College
in Schenectady, NY
from 1894 – 1907. During his last year as president of Union
College, Dr. Raymond published his
only book, “Union University, its history, influence,
characteristics and equipment”.
Shortly after its release, Dr. Raymond’s wife passed away and he began yearning
to return to the ministry. He resigned from the presidency on July 18, 1907 and accepted a call to
First Presbyterian Church. Dr. Raymond
was installed
as senior pastor at 1st Presbyterian Church on December 6, 1907. With the outbreak of World War I and the United States entry into the
war in 1917, Dr. Raymond asked and received
leave of absence to preach at military camps, leaving Rev.
William M. Boocock, Associate Minister in charge. However, Dr. Raymond’s
health broke under the strain of these duties, and he died April 15, 1918. In January 1918 he
visited Clifton Springs to better his health and died of a heart-attack in Tyron,
SC, (near Spartanburg,
SC) while visiting his son.
Minister-in-Charge:
William M. Boocock
( - ) Pastor-in-charge from (1918-1921) Rev. William M. Boocock, who had
become director of religious education and Associate Pastor in 1909, was asked to assume the duties of minister-in-charge for an indeterminate
period during Dr. Raymond’s leave-of-absence from the church Following Dr. Raymond’s unexpected death he
continued to serve in that capacity for the next three years.
10th
Pastor George Arthur Buttrick, (March
23, 1892-1980), Pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church from (1922-1927) he was installed
February 27, 1922, when only twenty-nine years of age; [xxiv]Born in Seaham Harbor, Northumberland, England, he was the son of
Tom Buttrick, a “Primitive” itinerant Methodist clergyman, and the former Jessie
Lambert who was a shop clerk from Aberdeen, Scotland. She was a little woman
with wit and a splendid sense of humor. Rev. Buttrick wanted to be a minister
while still young; however, his father, an eloquent if somewhat stubborn man, hoped
his son would enter a prominent profession. His father forbade the choice and
George Buttrick left home over the issue, leaving Methodism behind at the same
time. Later, he and his father were reconciled. Dr. Buttrick was educated at Victoria
[theological] College at Victoria University,
in Manchester, England,
graduating in 1915 with honors in theology, while there he was influenced by the
brilliant Prof. Samuel Alexander (1859-1938). His education was interrupted
during World War I, and although he was a contentious objector, he ended up
serving with the front-line forces in the ambulance staff. Returning to England
due to illness, he met his future wife, Agnes Gardener[xxv]
and her father, a British congregational minister. Rev. Gardener, his future father-in-law, then
in Hull, England
was called to a church Chicago, IL.
George Buttrick came to visit and decided to stay. While in Chicago, he and Agnes were married
on June 27, 1916, soon he was called to a First Union Congregational Church in
Quincy, IL, where he served as pastor from 1915-1918, and then at the First Congregational
Church in Rutland, VT from 1918-1921 before accepting a call to the First
Presbyterian Church here in Buffalo, NY.
He and
his wife Agnes had three sons, John Arthur, born September 12, 1919 in Rutland,
VT, who died July 15, 2007 in Gabriola Island, B.C.,
Canada; George Robert, born in Buffalo, NY, who passed away on 22 September
2007 at the age of 87[1][xxvi]; and
David G.; born in New York City,
the same year Dr. Buttrick left Buffalo, NY.
While he was here
at First Presbyterian Church, he was soon recognized as being a pastor well
endowed with unusual gifts as a preacher. Although he did not to have the dramatic sort of voice that generated
pulpit electricity, in fact, he said of himself that he had an "odd sandy
voice, the voice of an old nurse"[xxvii] Yet he was
forceful in the pulpit; a master at sermon construction and orderly, powerful
discourse.[xxviii] Under his
ministry the congregation grew and the program of the church was enlarged. During his pastorate the sanctuary was
redecorated in 1924 under direction of Mr. William Carson Francis, a fourth-generation member of the congregation. Memorial
windows of exquisite design and
color were installed at that time. In 1925 the cornerstone for
the Parish House was laid, the new parish house was dedicated in February, 1926. Dr. Buttrick was a protestant
preacher-scholar known for his outspoken pacifism, liberal views and compelling
oratory.
Although,
he was pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, NY from (1921-1927) he
won notice in the United States as pastor of Manhattan's Madison Avenue
Presbyterian Church (1927-54). Dr.
Buttrick left Manhattan's Madison
Avenue Presbyterian Church to become the Minister to the Memorial Chapel and
the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard
University and as Preacher to the
University (1954-60). From these pulpits he shocked fundamentalists by
asserting that "literal infallibility of Scripture is a fortress
impossible to defend" and infuriated others by opposing the U.S.'s
entry into World War II and the subsequent arms race with Moscow,
"a lockstep toward incineration that we do not know how to stop.”. Afterwards, he taught homiletics at Garrett
Seminary, at Davidson College,
Vanderbilt and at the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville,
KY
Through
his mid-eighties, Dr. Buttrick, with the mind of a scholar, a pastor’s heart
and a preacher’s passion, was a vigorous and creative thinker, who almost until
the day he died could be found in his study, working on his next sermon and
reading the latest theological material. During his life, Dr. Buttrick
published twelve books, many of which are still in print.
In a recent survey Dr. Buttrick was named the
third most influential preacher in 20th century America,
after Billy Graham and Martin Luther King, Jr. A prolific writer, he also
enjoyed teaching courses at Union Theological Seminary in New
York. In 1947 he was named general editor of the
12-volume Interpreter's Bible and the 4-volume Interpreter's Dictionary of the
Bible, works that became definitive resources for a generation of Protestant
preachers and teachers. Dr. Buttrick preached his final sermon as pastor of First
Church on March 13, 1927, yet he returned to preach at
least once more at our 125th Anniversary in February 1937. He remained in
contact with our church through correspondence throughout his long life. He was
87 years old when he died in January 1980 in Louisville,
Kentucky[xxix].
Dr. Buttrick and his wife Agnes had three sons, the late John
Buttrick, was an emeritus professor who taught at Northwestern, the University
of Minnesota, and finally at York
University in Canada.
He was also a visiting professor all over the world. Rev. G. Robert Buttrick was a clergyman
serving in five different parishes, most recently in San Antonio and the
Reverend Dr. David G. Buttrick, born in 1927, David is currently
Drucilla Moore Buffington Professor of Homiletics and
Liturgics Emeritus at Vanderbilt University, and has served on the faculties
of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, St. Meinrad
School of Theology, the seminaries of St Francis and SS. Cyril & Methodius
in Pennsylvania,
Southern Baptist and Lexington Theological in Kentucky
and the Iliff School of Theology in Colorado. A very much-in-demand speaker, Rev. Buttrick
has published in numerous journals and magazines. He has written or edited some
14 books, including his landmark work, on Homiletic, in 1987, and was chief writer and editor
for the Presbyterians’ Worshipbook (1970) as well as a member of the Catholic
Bishops’ Committee on the Homily. He is married to Betty More (Allaben) Buttrick.
11th Pastor: Allan Knight Chalmers[xxx]
(1897-1972) Pastor from (1927-1930) he was installed October 27, 1927. Dr.
Chalmers was born in Cleveland, OH, he was a veteran of the
French Army, and he served with the Foyer de Soldat
and with the Motor Transportation Corps of the US Army with the American
Expeditionary Forces. For his services he was decorated with the Medaille de la Grande Guerre and the Verdun Medal. He
was an ardent pacifist. He received his
BA (1917) from Johns Hopkins University and after teaching for a year at Gilman School in Baltimore, MD, he went on to receive his Bachelor of Divinity in 1922
from Yale University and was ordained as a minister in the Congregational
Church. His
wife’s name was Frances.
He served in
churches in West Springfield, MA and New Haven, CT before accepting the call to First
Presbyterian Church here in Buffalo, NY. He at first refused the call to leave First Presbyterian
Church, but later reconsidered,[xxxi]
leaving in July 1930 to become pastor at the Broadway United Church of Christ
(then called the "Broadway Tabernacle" Church) in New York City on
October 1st, 1930, where he served for 17 years. While there, Dr.
Chalmers formed the New York Ministers’ Peace Group Meeting in Riverside Church
in 1935 and served at a trustee of Talladega (AL) University, Berea, (KY)
College and the Wiltwyck School of New York. He
resigned from the Broadway Congregational Tabernacle Church in 1947 to become
professor of preaching and applied Christianity at Boston University Divinity
School from 1948 until 1962. In 1963 he
was awarded the Alper Award of the American Civil
Liberties Union. Dr. Chalmers was a personal friend and mentor to Dr. Martin
Luther King and following Dr. King’s death in 1968, remained active in the
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and in other peace, religious, and
political groups until his death. He was a past president of the NAACP Legal
Defense and Education Fund and served as a director of the American Civil
Liberties union. Until 1970 Dr. Chalmers
taught part-time at St. Francis College in Biddeford, ME, and conducted seminars at the Graduate Theological
Union at Berkeley, CA, he received honorary degrees from Syracuse University, American International College and the University of Vermont. Following his retirement, he
lived in Kennebunkport, ME and died in Portland, ME at age 74 on January 23rd, 1972. His wife was the former Margaret Glenn Post.
12th
Pastor: Ralph Blake Hindman
(1883-1983) Pastor from (5 November 1931-1958)
the longest tenured pastor in our church’s history, Dr. Hindman was from Dansville, Illinois. He was installed November 5,
1931 and served as senior pastor of 1st Presbyterian
Church for 27 years; seven years longer then Dr. Mitchell. Dr. Hindman with his wife Helen, brought
great talent and wise leadership that was needed during the period of the Great
Depression. The difficulties resulting from frequent changes in the pastorate
were overcome, and the growth of the church was resumed. His preaching was rich
in spiritual and philosophical content, combining .intellectual and emotional
elements in rare balance, with overtones of good humor and a wide range of
literary and historical allusions and illustrations. Despite the cares of a
busy pastorate, Dr. Hindman
found time for effective service to the community and to the Presbyterian
Church-at-large. He served for a time on the city Board of Community Relations,
and as a director of the Urban League of Buffalo. Always deeply interested in the recruiting of capable
young men for the ministry, he became
chairman in 1943 of General Assembly's Committee on Theological
Education, and in 1957, chairman of the
Council on Theological Education.
During his pastorate, the chapel underwent a complete renovation in 1949, reversing the layout of the chapel,
enclosing the stairway to the balcony and installing new stained glass windows.
Then, in 1955 the sanctuary was redecorated, and the Sunday-school facilities
were enlarged, with a connecting
passage to the Historical Hall balcony added, this was accomplished by lowering
the ceiling outside the pastor’s study. In
1957 a new Schlicker organ was installed in the
chapel. Following Dr. Hindman’s death on August 7, 1983 a decision was made to
rededicate the Chapel in his honor and a service of rededication was held in
December 1983.
13th
Pastor: Theodore G. Lilly ( - ) Pastor from (1958-1960)
Dr. Lilly, D.D. hailed from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he was installed October
22, 1958. It was during his pastorate that, under his guidance a step of major importance was
taken on May 10th 1959, when First Presbyterian Church and the First
United Presbyterian Church, nearby on the
corner of Richmond Ave. and Summer St. were joined in an impressive Service of
Union. This action followed merger of the two denominations a year earlier at Pittsburgh; and in January, 1959, the local Presbyteries united at a historic meeting in
First Church. Soon however, Dr. Lilly found the burden of this large and widespread congregation too heavy
for his strength, and on medical advice he resigned in March 1960. He accepted
a call at Greenwood Community Church of Warwick, RI where he remained until
about 1970(?). Dr. Lilly is remembered as a man of great personal
friendliness and broad sympathy, who
quickly endeared himself to all who knew him.
14th
Pastor: Ralph T. Haas ( - ) Pastor from (1960-1962)
who for twelve years had served with distinction the Crescent
Avenue Presbyterian Church of Plainfield,
NJ. Dr. Haas was installed December 11, 1960. He resigned in
June, 1961 and accepted an
assignment in California.
15th
Pastor: Arthur W. Mielke
(1912 – 1978) Pastor from (1963-1978) a graduate of University
of Illinois and Yale
Divinity School,
Dr. Mielke came to First Presbyterian church from
Syracuse, NY. A gifted speaker and
published author who wrote several books, he was much loved by his
congregation. During his pastorate land was purchased adjacent to the church
for a parking lot and playground, along with the property on St. John’s Place
adjacent to the parish house & parking lot.
In 1968 the sanctuary chancel was remodeled, the Youth Center redesigned
which eliminated the third floor balcony and second floor stage in youth center. The redesign allowed for expanded classroom
space on the second floor, and incorporated a new Youth Choir Room by installing
a floor between the Sunday school rooms on the second floor, the new Youth
Center on the third floor. This new
Youth Center was a gift from the recently merged congregation of First United
Presbyterian Church. The redesigned chancel was dedicated May 26, 1968, and on March 2, 1969 the Youth Center was
dedicated. In 1969 the old church
organ was dismantled, and work began on the currently installed Noehren Organ. This
organ, with a greatly expanded and improved sound, was designed by renowned
organist and builder Robert Noehren (1910-2001), a
close friend of Squire Haskin, then organist and choirmaster. This new organ was dedicated on December 14th, 1969 although it was
not completed until January 1970. After
his wife Hazel Jackson Mielke’s sudden death from a
stroke April 1st 1973,
funds were raised in her memory through contributions for a new cross to be
hung in the sanctuary over the communion table.
The large Tiffany designed chandelier that hung over the communion table
since about 1897 was removed to hang in the Historical Hall until November 2006
when it was sold to a buyer in Texas. Because of recent health problems, Dr. Mielke decided to retire December 31st, 1977, preaching his farewell sermon January 1st, 1978. Following his retirement, Dr. Mielke was elevated the position of Pastor Emeritus, along
with Dr. Ralph B. Hindman until Dr. Mielke’s untimely death from cancer April 3rd, 1978 in New
Haven, CT.
16th
Pastor: Gilbert J. Horn (1941-1998) Pastor from (1978- 1 July 1986) Born in
Roanoke, VA was a graduate of Baltimore City High School and the College
of Wooster in Wooster, OH. He earned his
divinity degree at Princeton Theological
seminary, ordained in 1965; he served churches in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey before coming to Buffalo with his first wife, Gretchen, and their three
sons; John, Greg and Peter. He served as President of Lower West
Side Ecumenical Ministries, a member of the Inter-Racial Task Force, chairman
of the housing task force of Buffalo Area Metropolitan Ministries and was a
founder of that Group. He established
the Bread of Life food pantry, the Symphony Circle Child Care program and a
toy-lending library. He gave the Buffalo Area Metropolitan Ministries office
space at the church. A recognized prominent
social-activist and leader within the entire
community, he attracted many new younger members to the church, he possessed
strong qualities as an administrator, teacher and counselor. A tall, articulate pastor with a ready smile,
he resigned July 1st, 1986 to accept a position as head of Council of Churches
in Colorado. Later, in 1993, he also accepted the duo-role assignment
as co-pastor of Montview Boulevard
Presbyterian Church in Denver, CO. Rev. Gilbert Horn died Jan. 25, 1998 in his Denver
home after a battle with esophageal cancer. The day the Rev. Gilbert J.
Horn died; he had preached two sermons and taught a Sunday school class, he was
tireless to the end.[xxxii]
17th Pastor: John
B. Smiley (1928- ) Pastor from (1988-1993)
18th Pastor: Langdon
C. Hubbard (1956- ) Pastor from (1994-1996) A native of Washington,
D.C., Mr. Hubbard was ordained in 1980 in the United
Methodist Church.
He was interim pastor of a Presbyterian church in Chicago
before he accepted the call as senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo;
he is presently pastor at First Presbyterian Church in East
Aurora, NY
19th Pastor: Geri
Lyon (1951 - ) Pastor from (2000- present)
If I might, at this point quote
Dr. Walter Clarke, who in 1862 was at the same chronological age as I am at
this writing when he wrote the following in the “The First Church of Buffalo – A Half Century Discourse” these
words which were so eloquently phrased I think, still holds true today:
“…I have
not thought it necessary to exhume buried infirmities, or give a second life to
faults that have had their day already.
Let the pall of forgetfulness cover all the frailties which the past has
witnessed, and let us embalm only the virtues of the honored dead.”[xxxiii]
I believe I have tried to draw
attention to the virtues of these (undoubtedly) flawed human beings, without
trying to either draw attention to, or cover-up any of their figuratively
speaking, warts or blemishes of personality.
This history is written as much for future generations as it is for the
present reader in mind, in the hope that you will one day be inspired to embark
on that “adventure of the discovery of the past” that is the rock upon which
the present and future is built. - bam