Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-22
ST. JOHNS CHURCH.


HOW THE PRESIDENTIAL PEW WAS SELECTED
SOME FACTS FROM OLD RECORDs-THE OFF
CIAL HISTORY OF THE PARIsH-LEAvEs FROM
THE REGISTERS BOOK.
President Arthur, on Sunday last formally
took possession of the pew in st. Johns P. E. }
church, which was first occupied by President
Madison, and since that day has been occupied
by several generations of Presidents The COM
parative antiquity of st. Johns church. its
quaint, Old-fashiOned appearance, and its aristo-
cratic location and associations, lend an interest
to the old structure, with its pillared pOrtico
and succeed walls such as attaches to few
churches in the country. Even il no President
had ever been numbered among the Pensioners,
the history of st. Johns parish would be
peculiarly interesting for on its register are in
scribed the names of men who have been
mighty in arms or in council, and
families whose records are closely iden-
titled with the early events in the history of
Virginia and Maryland The minutes of the
vestry contain succinct official history Of the
church since the parish was founded in 1915. 1t
has been thought by many that st. Johns was
the Oldest church in the District but it is ante
dated some years by both Christ P. E. church,
Navy Yard, and Rock Creek church. Still, ST.
johns antiquity is great enough to give true
poetic Value TO the Ivy that creeps over its walls
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT
for the erection Of the church between Richard
Skinner, carpenter, and Thos G. Gilliss, on be-
half Of the church, was made September 4. 1915.
The old minutes of the parish vestry are now in
the possession of Mr.. Matthew Trimble the reg
lister of the church, and through his courtesy, a
STAR reporter was permitted to see them. The
first book is the only one of much interest, the
others being too modern in date. This book is
OF the size of an ordinary business ledger, and
contains the records of the meetings of the yes
try from 1915 to 1855. The leaves are now yell
low and time-stained.
THE FIRST vEsTRY
The first pages Of this old record say: cat a
meeting of the members of the Protestant Epis-
cOpal church, residing in the first and second
wards of the city of Washington, pursuant to
public notice by the board of trustees. the fol-
lowing gentlemen were duly elected vestrymen
OF st. Johns church. in said CITY, to serve until
Easter Monday in 1877, to wit: Thos A. Giliss,
John Tayloe, Peter Hagner, John Graham,
Roger c. Weightman. Jas. Thompson, John p
Van Ne IS, JAS A. Blake.
ST. JOHNS CHURCH, July IT, 1916
"AUGUsT 5. 1916.
"The vestry met; present. James A. Blake. Pc
ter Hagner, James Thompson, John Graham,
John P, Van Ness and Thomas A. Gilliss, when,
upon motion, they proceeded to the choice of
church wardens and register, and David Easton
and WIN. W. SeatOn were duly elected wardenS
and VIM. Parker register"
THE FIRST RECTOR.
On the 5th of November following Rev. VIM
d. Wilmer, Of Alexandria. was elected pastor,
and his letter accepting the rectOrship was placed
on record on the 3Oth of the same month. The
financial statements that appear in the book CO.
temporaneOusly with Mr.. Winners pastOrate
show that the rectOrs annual salary was 81 500,
a sum which was considered very handsome in
those days.
THE PRESIDENTS PEW.
An entry in the minutes, under date of De-
cember 2, 1916, says:
"The vestry met pursuant to adjournment,
present James A. Blake, John TaylOe, John p
Van Ness. Peter Hagner, Roger c. Weightman
and Thomas A. Gilliss. On motion, resolved
that Thomas A. Gilss and John P Van Ness be
q committee to wait on the President of the
United States and offer him the choice Of pew
in this church, without his being obliged to pur-
chase the same. Adjourned to meet again to-
morrow morning after divine service" At the
meeting OF the vestry on December 10Th,
MI. van Ness. from the committee appointed
to wait on the President of the United States
and request his selection OF a pew, reported that
they had performed that duty. and that the
Pres ident desired that the selection might be
made by the committee, whereupOn the COM
mittee selected pew No. %, LIST class" Thus
the presidential pew was selected and it's first
occupant was President Madison. 1t HAD line
VI picSiucutdl occupants, the community OF
which was not broken until President LincOln's
time. Although this pew, which is near the
center of the church, was set apart for the
Presidents use, free of charge, the treasurer's
books show that its occupants, without excep-
ton, insisted upon paying the annual rental.
THE ORIGINAL ORGANISE.
The church has in latter years been somewhat
famous for its fine choirs. The following quaint
entry, made by the register, November 80, 1916,
will be rather interesting to the musicians of the
present day: "Mr. Gilliss was instructed to re-
quest B. ID. Latrobe, ESQ.,, to Officiate as organ
lst, 80 long as it is consistent with his con-
science" As the contemporary financial records
make no mention of choir expenses, it is pre-
sumed that the implied possibility of Mr. La
trobes having qualm of conscience referred
to the fact that his service was given gratui-
tOusly. few months later an application was
received from gentleman, offering to lead the
choir for 500 per annum, and a reply was re-
turned rejecting the offer on the ground of the
embarrassed condition of the finances of
the church. That Mr.. Latrobe's services as
organist were appreciated is shown by the
action Of the vestry on December 16. 1916. when
It was voted to allow him to select pew for
himself and family, to hold, rent free, during his
residence in Washington. 1t was not only for
playing the organ that the struggling Young
parish was indebted to Mr.. IatrObe. Turning
over few of the musty leaves it will be found
that on the 9th of February, 1918. committee
was appointed to consider what Testimonial
should be presented to Mr.. Latrobe i'm recOpni-
ton OF his services in preparing a plan and
experimenting the erection of the church. Com
mittees in those times-supposed to be exem
piary in every respect-dO not appear to have
been any more expeditions than the Committees
OF the present day. 1t was more than
two months before this committee had
agreed upon a report. Then, on the 18th of
April. it recommended the presentation to Mr..
LatrObe of silver goblet, to be suitably in
scribed. and to cost not more than $50. AS the
report was adopted, it is presumed that in due
time, and with due ceremony, the goblet was
presented, and is now held as a valuable heir
loom in the Latrobe family. To return to the
first year Of the existence of the new parish
On December L., 1916, it was resolved by the
vestry shat the heads of the executive depart
ments and such foreign ambassadors as belong
to the P. e. church be informed that they may,
on the next day of sale, bid for choice, with the
option either to take the pew on purchase or to
rent" This gave no particular privilege to the
gentlemen to whom the resolution referred, but
was intended, evidently. as q special notice to
these officials temporarily residing in Washing
ton that pews could be obtained at st. Johns.
THE CONSIDERATION.
On the same day it was resolved to request
the Right Rev. James Kemp, bishop of Mary
land to consecrate the church. Under date of
N