The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-09-22
EAST CHESTERS OLD CHURCH.
MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR THREE
PRESIDENTS At ST. PAUES.

II Was Duait More Thar o Year Ago
the Present Esfface h second On
the sste- Tho Rev.. ". D. Cede,
ITS Rector for Ffty Years New.
In tho little historic village ~ East
Chester. surrounded by q churchyard OF
three and q half acres. stands the old church
Of ". Paul. whose bell has tollcd for the
memorial services 81 three Presidents
and has called tho members Of the parish
for devotions for more han two hundred
years. Il was In this old church that the
rector. the Rev. William 3. Coney, took
from Its resting place In the loft last week
the black lace which was used a. q decora-
ton at the memorial services Of Presidents
Lincoln and Garfield and with his own
hands drsped the interior Of the church
for the memorial service OF President
Mckinley.
~. Paul's Church at East Chester has an
Interesting history. Years ago In 1875
when Fast Chester was thu largest and most
important village Whereabouts. the first
church of 81. Paul was built. IL Wa a
little frame structure. but II stood Tor
nearly one hundred year, until the present
building was erected. and many important
political events we're connected With ~
IL VA there that the notice Of the most
important election of tbosc tim'~ wa
posted when In 1883 the entire community
rose to protest. 10y choosing Mr.. Morris
~ Councilman against the Overlooking
rule Of Gov. Crosby, q movement when
resulted In the birth Of the liberal party
few year, prior to i7e+ a moNemIeiss was
started To buiid a new church. To SUI
of 600 was raised and ia l76t, after three
years Of work. the present building WAS
enclosed but not finished because OF lack
Of funds. Work came to a ~utAndstill. ana
the old church continued In Use until tbs
War of the Revolution begsn.
The British overran the country u took
possession Of the new building for a hoe.
pital Fire wood Wa soArce, 10 the old
church was torn down and burned phecr
by piece 90 the ground inside the lev uild
ing which ss yet had ma floor OF cciiar'
After the war work was started again on
the structure A noor was built but the
ground inside the walls was never clesreh
and the ashes Of the old church. burned by
the British. remain under the flooring Of
81. Paul's to-day.
For four years after peace was declared
the present edifc~ was used for a court
house. as the court house at hite Plains
had been destroyed by fire. and II was IN THIS
building that a man accused Of horse steal
ing was Defends by Aaron Burr. hut Vas
found guilty and sentenced TO h. hanged.
Soon after this event he work OF com
plotting the building was resumed. a sub.
scription paper having been circulated
and a goodly amount ralsed Tor the pur-
Pose. Thu paper, framed. hangs to-day
In the ves,rY Of the church, a rnenser;o
Of it, youth.
A. the completion Of the building the
hell. which has bscn In U.s. 10 he present day
wac hung IL had rested previously
in the stsrple OF old 81. Paul's but, with
the Bible and the Prayer Book OF the old
church, wa buried AZ the approach OF The
British, and after tho war was Installed
with the books, In the new chuSrh. Ihere
all three have remained until the present
In the interior Of the building - a tablet
In memory Of the Rev. DIR. STANDARD who
was for n long time rector OF old ~ Pnuls.
His remains are buried beneath the chAnc@l
The present rector tells a story 81 how ~"
location 81 tho grave was loot Tor a long
time and found by accident.
DIR. standard was buried originally under
the chanod 81 ia. old church and when u
was destroyed by the British the grave Wa
lost sight Of. At the time when the Red
coats were using the new building ~ a
hospital the boys OF the neiFhborhooi
wen. accustomed to climb up the outside
Of the rough stone and tying buncfsf- OF
straw u the tails Of the wrrns nesting IN
the caves, TO at Are To them for the ANUS
mcnt OF the convalesccnt fngllshnien'
Among the boys Who Practiscd this trlcs
was one Innsf1bu EbWrl MT uA Itirea'S
an injured bird he ran over the ruins OF
the old church stumbled and fell over a
depression. which he recognized AZ the
grave Of DIR. Standard.
Year later. In ISIS. In church meeting II
was decided to remove DIR Standards re
mains n bury them d the chancel OF
the present church. No one knew the loca-
ton Of the grave until Philemon Fowler
remembered the fall Of his boyhood and hd
a party to tho spot.
The interior VI tine church h beautihed
by two stained glass windows. erected
n memorial 81 Philemon Pinckney and tins
Drake family. the earliest settlers OF East
Chester.
81. Paul's has held regular services since
1887 The present rector. the Rev. William
y Con.y. hns oficiated for fifty year. with
but a single interruption OF sunday ser
vices. That was CAUSED by a violent snow