The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-20

History of Ascension II. l.. Church.
At the evening service of Ascension z. +.
/ Church, on Thursday, Ascension Day, which
was also the anniversary of the conservation
of the church, Rev. j. Stewart Smith, rector,
/ gave a brief history of the Church. He began
: by saying history was by no means easy to
write, especially when the records were either
wanting altogether or few and imperfect. In
/ Revolutionary times, or perhaps earlier, he
/ continued, there stood church by the old
( gate house on what is now Mr.. Joshua Steven
son farm, about half mile from this city,
on the Washington Road, the ruins of which
were still visible fifty or sixty years ago. BY
whom it was built, who ministered at its altar,
who knelt in prayer within its consecrated
walls, or how it passed away, no record has
been left us. 1t was there; it has gone.
From the time this Church passed away, until
the effort was conceived to build the Church
in which we are now assembled. no services
of the Church were held in what is now As
cension Parish 1t was in the year 1871 or
1912 that Miss Lucreta Van Bibber wrote to
Mrs. Catharine B. Shellman, asking if she
thought it would be possible to commence
having regular services of the Church in
Westminster Mrs Shellman wrote back i'm
mediately on the fiy-leaf of a convenient vol
ume-''Ithink we can. The Col. Mrs. Shell
man husband says he will do all he can to
help us. This brief correspondence ere
long resulted in the beauteous temple where
we are now gathered
The Rev Charles c. Austin, rector of st.
Thomas Parish, Baltimore county, came over
TO Westminster and held the first regular ser
vice in the Union Westinghouse, that stands
deserted in Westminster Cemetery, and for a
year or two services We're held at stated inter
walls, VIM P. Maulsby and Mrs. Shellman
leading the choir. and sometimes a lay reader
officiating.
The first baptism. which. however. is not
on the parish register. was that of son Of
Dr. David Maulsby. by Mr.. Austin, in the
parlor of the house now occupied by Mrs.
Roop on Main street, in 1872. The first re.
corded baptism on our book is that OF child
of Mrs. Shelman on October 10th, of the
same year. The Bishop. the 1t. Rev. W. r.
Nottingham, make his first visit 20 Wes;min-
Ster on the eleventh Sunday after Trinity.
August 9th, 1913, celebrating the Holy Eu-
charist and preaching three times in the Union
Westinghouse. On the day following he hap
tied VIM Pinkney Maulsby. jr.. AT the resi-
dencc uf The Misses Winchester, now the
home Of Col McKrlhp. At this time the
following were the recorded commuuicants-
Jacob and Mr. Margaret lands. Mrs. Caro-.
line Il. Raymond. Mrs. and Miss LucretIa
Van Bibber.
The first meeting TO consider the building
Of church was held 81 Mr.. Van Bibber's az
Ayondale, in the spring Of 1914. Atthis time
Rev David Hillhuuse was officiating. flye
names were proposed. and Ascension was
chosen. and at the convention of May, 1871,
Ascension Parish was formerly organized aHd
set apart, being n division ot old -. Thomas
Parish. in Baltimore comfy. aud All Saints
Parish. of Frederick county
The following we're the boundary lines
beginning al the y. +. corner of Carroll
county aud following the Pennsylvania state
line until II strikes the Mopucacy. thence
down that stream and following the dividing
line Of Frederick and Carroll counties Is ;he
old dividing line Of Frederick and Baltimore
counties: thence nurthwaui up said dividing
line 10 the Nicodemus road. running down
said road to the dividing iiRc Of Baltimore
and Carroll counties and thence mp said line
to the place Of beginning.
The location 81 the church vas %. next
question considered Mr.. Fitting. a Hebrew
banker Of Baltimore. offered a. a free gift that
lot ai ground where Mr. Croft RON hives ON
Green street. This was regarded IS NOS ne
eessible, and the lot where the I mon Nation.
al Bank stands was considered teo rocky. and
the prcsen, sight was selected. The vcstEy 10
this time, consisted Of Messrs- Vim. z. MaHis-
by. James NJ Shellynnn. Washington and
Isaac Van Bibbcr. DR.. Elisha y. PAYNE, pr.
Leander Goldsboruugh and Cl1iwoFthy Birai.,
j..
The building was designed hy L. Cary
Long. Of Baltimore, and pas rrEsulci by aIm
as one Of his master pieces. The corner
stone was laid by Bishop Nottingham An
gust -. iS44. afternoon and night sgryzcrs
being held nj the Mon Mectinzhaase. Az
the afternoon service Mrs. Emily {. I. Naai,-
hy and Miss Mamie Van Bihber Hcrc con
irmed, the ;wo being the first persons can
6rTned in the Parish.
The list Of male members 81 She couErc-
gaii0n Al the third episcopal visitation was
a. follovs-Jacob lands, Washington NaH
Bihbcr. George Jacobs, William r Maulshy,
Isaac Van Bibbar. Richard X. Booth Elisha
u. PAYNE. Thomas ;. Van RihhcV Washing
ton Chew Van Bihbcy, James Raymond, Jas.
NJ Shelluian. Jacob Shower. John f. Reese.
OF these only oae-Col. Maa.shy--ts living
At the third episcopal visitation Misses Eliza
beth and LYDIA Winchester wer~ confirmed.
then very aged people.
II was AZ the fourth yisltatiUa. ASCENSION
Day. NAY 2lsi, 1870, that the church Vas coH-
scented The Rev WA. lngraham ksp. 81
Albany. y Y. preached the sermon and the
Bishop confirmed the following persons
Washington Van Bihber Man hre'rT, Bells.
da Jacobs. Catharine j. Shellman, Mary f.
Raymond. Sarah Elizabeth OwiugS and Mary
Matilda Ouings. The other Clergy present on
the occasion we're Res. Theodore b. Lyman,
now Bishop Of North Carolina. Rrabcn Riley,
samuel Bael. Frank A. Baker, George g.
Stokes and Thos- Hall The r-etor then vas
Rev u. a. Buel, who resigned IN lsfs or
1873, and was succeeded by Rev Sanacl e..
Davis. he By Roy. Thomas J. WYATT, h. hy
Rev Oliver :. Prescott, ae hy Rev. Edward
II. G. Goodwin, he by Rev. james Crys'ai,
he by Rev. jas. w. Reese, deacon. be hy
Rev John H. CoRveTse, be by Rev. Jalian
lnglc. he by Rev. Isaac l. Nicholson. and be-
by Rev. j. Stewart Smith, the present rector.
During Mr.. Nicholson ministry the Chapel
was built and the Reciory begun. the latter
being finished about two wears aso.