Alameda County, Oakland, California
St. John's (Episcopal) Church
St. John's (Episcopal) Church -- This church had an humble origin when Oakland numbered but a few houses, and not over one thousand inhabitants. During the summer of 1852 two families met and worshiped unitedly, until a member of one of the families fell seriously ill, when the services were discontinued. In August, 1853, Rev. Doctor Ver Mehr, Rector of Grace Church, San Francisco, visited Oakland, to aid in the establishment of a church, and with much difficulty a meeting of twelve persons was convened. For various reasons, however, the project was for the time abandoned. Toward the close of the same year, the. Rev. John Morgan appeared, and preached a sermon to a small but attentive audience beneath the branches of one of Oakland's, shady trees, and so favorable was the impression then made that it was determined that a covered church of some' kind should be procured by the following Sunday, if the reverend gentleman would repeat his visit. A large tent, twenty-five By seventy feet, was erected, with a cross upon the apex to designate the object of the structure, and a temporary pulpit fitted up. Mr. Morgan, however, was in some manner detained, but a Presbyterian, the Rev. Mr. Walworth, who had incidentally visited Oakland, being present in the congregation, was invited to officiate. The same week the tent and appurtenances were sold to the Presbyterians. In December, 1854, the Right Rev. Bishop Kip celebrated divine service in a room that had been prepared for the purpose. In January, 1855, the missionary, Rev. E. W. Syle, arrived, and became acting rector of the embryo parish. The first communion service was celebrated on Sunday, February 4th, when eleven communed with the rector. On March 5th of the same year, the parish was regularly incorporated and trustees elected, but it was not until the 8th of August following that a constitution and by-laws were finally adopted. During the same month a rented room was fitted up as a church, with benches, at a cost of one hundred and fifty dollars, current expenses being met by collections every Sunday. The Rev. Mr. Syle resigned January, 1856, and from that time lay services were regularly held, Bishop Kip officiating occasionally. In July, 1856, the Rev. James W. Caper became rector, and continued in charge until 1857, when he resigned, and the Rev. Benj. Akerly became rector, officially, March 1, 1858, although he had officiated regularly from December, 1857. A lot was purchased in 1860 for the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars, and a church edifice erected thereon, at a cost of two thousand six hundred dollars, which has since been enlarged twice. The church was consecrated to divine service March 1, 1860, while the number of communicants in June, 1872, was one hundred and fifty. The Rev. Benjamin Akerly, D. D., has been rector over twenty-five years.
The Sunday-school connected with the church was organized April, 1858, and has an attendance now of two hundred and fifty scholars, and a library containing five hundred volumes. The church officers are: R. W. Kirkham, Senior Warden; Chas. D. Haven, Junior Warden; Chauncey Taylor, James de Fremery, Van Leer Eastland, J. Harvey Fish, Pieter J. Van Loben Sels, and of the Sunday-school, the rector is Superintendent; Wm. M. Cubery, Assistant Superintendent, and twenty teachers. This church has also a chapel at Temescal, where services are held every Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, with Sunday-school of an average attendance of about seventy.
Alameda County, California,
Including Its
Geology, Topography, Soil and Productions
Oakland.: M.W. Wood Publisher, 1883
Transcribed by Julie Appletoft, November, 2007 Pages 724-725
Archive Church Records ~ Archive Index
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