Atchison County Churches
"THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH, Trinity Church, Atchison, Kansas, 1857-1911"
by
Rev. Francis S. White
Page 1, 1857-1871
Lewis R. Staudenmayer was a priest of the church. He was a
German of middle life, florid, unmarried, who had come
to Atchison in the spring or summer of 1857,
through the influence of friends, and had persuaded
a few families to
associate themselves together for the purposes of
worship, as a Parish of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in America, under the name of Saint Mary
Magdalene's Church. During his ministry
St. Mary's parish acquired from Mr. Luther Challiss
the property owned by the parish for many years
on the northeast corner of Kansas Avenue and
Ninth street, and in 1859, on the north half of this
lot, a small rectory was built with money secured
by Mr. Staudenmayer from friends in the East and
South.
The first recorded minutes now extant were
of a parish meeting held in April, 1859, at which
the following vestry was elected : Richard C.
Mackall, A. Hanson Weightman, James L.
McCluer, Philip Link, John M. Maury, Joesph P. Carr.
In July, 1859, the Rector appointed Jos. P. Carr
and A. H. Weightman a committee to procure
estimates for building a church, and at a vestry
meeting held in October, 1859, Major Weightman made
a motion to build a church upon the church lots in
the Challiss addition, to cost $1,500.00 exclusive of
furnishings. The foundations of a chuch were laid
on this property and some money expended, but
the resignation of Mr. Staudenmayer in January
1860, and his removal from the city brought to a
standstill the construction of the edifice.
In the meantime, about February, 1859, a
portion of the little congregation had proposed to
form a new organization, and had gone so far as
to obtain from the Territorial Legislature, a
charter for a parish to be called Grace Church. Mr.
Staudenmayer's removal from the city, however,
seemed to bring all the people together again, and
in February, 1860, by the united action of the
congregation, a new charter was obtained, and the
parish was reorganized, and called Trinity Church.
During the summer of 1860 the Rev. C. W. Calloway
visited Atchison and presided at several meetings
of the vestry and was elected rector at a salary of
$400 payable quarterly for services to be held
alternate Sundays. Mr. Calloway declined the call
and in October, 1860,
THE REV. FABER BYLLSBY
was called on the same conditions, and accepted
the call. Mr. Byllsby came to Atchison in December
and continued his labors until March, 1863, when the Rev. Nr. Byllsby having
gone to some other field of labor, it was moved
that
THE REV. JOHN E. RYAN
was invited to accept the Rectorship
of Trinity Church. Mr. Ryan was a tall
thin, scholarly looking man who had charge of the
congregation at Troy, and divided his time between
that place and Atchison. The Vestry at
this time was composed of David Hunt, John
Dawson, A. G. Otis, A. H. Horton, John H. Bird, G. H.
FMrchild and A. S. Parker.
In the report made by the parish to the convention of 1865, the wardens, A. G. Otis and G. H.
Fairchild, reported twenty-six communicants, five
of whom were men over twenty-one. Bishop Vail gave as much attention to the
parish as the greater duties of his Episcopate
allowed. He occupied the rectory on North Ninth
street and held services here whenever he was in
the city. April 20, 1866, the Rev. John Bakewell, a
young unmarried priest, came to Atchison as the
Bishop's assistant, lived in the Bishop's house, and
assumed charge under the Bishop of all the parish
activities. Later on he was married to one of
Bishop Vail's daughters.
We have no parish records from September
1864 until the 5th of May, 1866. At that time a
Vestry meeting was held, the Rev. Mr. Bakewell
presiding, at which a discussion took place in
reference to a proposition to build a
stone church on the lots owned by the church in
South Atchison. Toward this project Mr. William
Osborn, father of Mrs. R. A. Park, offered a
subscription of $1000.00, followed by an offer from
Rev. Mr. Bakewell, of a like amount. Messrs. Otis
and Park agreed to subscribe $500.00 each, Mr. E.
S. Wills $100.00 and General Stringfellow proposed
to furnish the stone required. In passing, it is of
interest to note that Mr. J. A. Harouff of this city,
helped to quarry the stone for the foundation of
the church; which stone was taken from the west
turn of the road approaching the Barry brick yards
on the way to Mt. Vernon cemetery. The original
subscription lists for the building of the church are
not in existence, but we learn from the Vestry
Records that Mr. Wm. Dean, Col. Treat and the
Messrs. Graham each subscribed $100, so that by
May 30, 1866, the subscriptions reported by the
treasurer amounted to $4550.00.
In September, 1866, Bishop Vail resigned the
Rectorship, and the congregation unanimously
chose for his successor,
THE REV. JOHN BAKEWELL .
In accepting the Bishop's resignation the use
of the Rectory was granted him until the following
Easter, but the Bishop maintained his residence in
Atchison until October 1st, 1867.
Turning once again to the parish records we
note that "The church was formally opened for
worship on March 15th, 1868, but was not entirely
finished, and was very plainly furnished. The Bish-
op was present and altogether the occasion was a
happy one to those who had wrought and prayed
and waited so long." The finishing and furnishing
of the church took further time for nothing was
ever done until the money to pay for it was in sight.
The pews were ordered and paid for by the Ladies
Guild. They were made by Mr. John Dawson, some
time Junior warden of the parish, and father of
Mrs. Frank Shortt. The church was lighted by
lamps which the Ladies Guild kept filled and
cleaned. Wood was the fuel, and the windows were
made of a simple stained glass, of conventional
design, except the chancel window which was a gift
from the sister of Mr. Bakewell and at the time was
considered a very handsome window. In due time
the grounds were fenced in, and trees were planted
by Judge and Mrs. Otis.
May 12, 1869, the church was consecrated at the
opening service of the annual convention.
The chancel furniture was bought by the ladies.
The marble font, still in use, was a gift, through
Mr. Bakewell, from Mr. S. Lenox Treadwell, of
Southport, Connecticut, who through some
connection with the Central Branch railroad then being
put into operation, came into contact with our
church life and gave the Font in memory of his
wife. Harriet Crowell, now Mrs. F. M. Baker, was
the first child baptized in this Font and the late
William Otis was the first child baptized in the new
church. The first mention of ushers officially
appointed, occurs in 1871 when we find the Vestry
electing Mr. H. C. Bird, Mr. R. O. Cromwell and
Mr. Lewis to this office.
About 1871 Mr. and Mrs. D. P. Blish and Mr.
and Mrs. E. A. Mize came to Atchison and at once
became part and parcel of the parish life. Mr.
Blish was immediately elected to the Vestry, and
served on that body for more than thirty
consecutive years, most of that time as Senior Warden of
the parish. Mr. Mize entered the Vestry a little
later on, and was still later made treasurer of the
parish, a position he now occupies, as well as
holding the office of Senior Warden.
On July 3rd, 1871, Mr. Bakewell handed in his
resignation to take effect immediately, because of
what then seemed failing health. In accepting his
resignation, the Vestry concluded their recorded
appreciation of their Rector in these words: "While
this church shall endure, his memory will ever
remain in the hearts of our people associated with its
early history, and with the early struggles of the
Episcopal church in Atchison." It is pleasant to
know that in Southern California Mr. Bakewell
found that health which has enabled him to survive
the years.
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This website created Jan. 24, 2012 by Sheryl McClure.
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