Yates County, New York

Churches for the Town of Torrey

From the History of Yates County, NY
published 1892, by L.C. Aldrich

pg 440 - 442

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Torrey Church History  

Religious service of various church societies have from time to time been conducted in the town of Torrey, but of the many denominations that have had a temporary existence in the town, but three have found here a permanent abiding place.  With the possible exception of the first Presbyterian church of Benton (from which town Torrey was in part formed), which had its organization during the early years of the century, the Methodists appear to have been the pioneers in making church.  But of course from this statement must also be excepted the Society of Friends, who built a log meeting house in 1791. 

In 1827 Dresden was made an appointment in the Crooked Lake Methodist Episcopal circuit, at which time Dennison SMITH and Jacob EARLY were circuit preachers, and conducted semi-monthly services in the schoolhouse.  In 1831 the first class was organized, Alfred LYMAN being its leader.  In 1829 Herman H. and Isaac BOGART built at their own expense a free church, in which all denominations were permitted to worship.  Services were held in this edifice on occasions by Methodists, Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, Baptists and Universalists, just as they came along and made appointments.  The Sunday-school of the Methodist Episcopal church was organized in May 1833. 

In 1839, March 21, the Methodist Episcopal society of Dresden was organized according to law.  The trustees then chosen were Daniel DEAN, Russell BROWN Sr., Smith BEERS, Lewis N. BEARD, John R. MC LEAN, and H. H. HAZEN.  The society made an effort to purchase from Aaron REMER the church built by the BOGARTS, which had passed to REMER by purchase, and for this purpose several hundred dollars were collected together; but Pastor BEERS absconded with the money.  Mr. REMER, however, gave permission to the society to use the church.  This society continued with varying success and strength until 1841, when it became practically extinguished.  

A Baptist society was organized in the town about 1845, with Josiah C. SWARTHOUT, Alpheus VEAZIE and Seymour TRACY as trustees.  They bought the old BOGART church from the REMER estate.  Rev. A. VALENTINE was the first pastor of the society.  But the Baptist Church of Dresden and Torrey, was also of short life. 

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Dresden was duly organized on the 21^st of March 1848, being in part a revival of the old West Dresden society above referred to.  The new trustees were Henry LARZELERE, Daniel CASTNER, Luther HARRIS, William E. BELLOWS, George W. GAVES, Caleb J. LEGG and A. H. CONDIT.  The society first leased and occupied the Presbyterian Church, but in 1849 the trustees purchased the Baptist Church property at a cost of about $450.  The next year the church building was completed at a further cost of $400.  In 1851 the edifice was dedicated.  In 1854 the parsonage was purchased.  In 1867 arrangements were made for repairing and reseating the church.  The building committee for this work comprised Daniel DEAN, W. LONGWELL, J. D. JACOBUS, L. B. DUNNING, and C. W. BROWN.  Funds to the extent of $1,500 were raised for the work.  All was accomplished and the church rededicated on May 20, 1868.  The cost of the recent work was $3,800. 

The Presbyterian Church of Dresden, or, as organized, the First Presbyterian Church of West Dresden, is the almost direct outgrowth of the mother church known as the First Presbyterian Church of Benton.  The latter was formed through the efforts of Stephen WHITAKER during the latter part of the year 1809, and numbered its membership many of the substantial residents of what is now Torrey.    In January 1823, the members voted for a division of the society, a part coming to the Penn Yann church, while about eight of its membership formed a Congregational society in Torrey in November 1830.  In 1834 the First Presbyterian Church of West Dresden supplanted and superseded the Congregational organization, and has since been one of the institutions of this town.  The first house of worship was erected in 1834 and dedicated on November 24 of that year.  In 1868 it was materially enlarged and improved, at an expense of about $3,000, and was rededicated December 24 of the same year.  The office of pastor has been filled by these incumbents: Linus W. BILLINGTON, George T. EVERT, J. PETRIE, Stephen PORTER, D. A. ABBY, Robert MC MATH, Calvin CHASE, C. H. CHESTER, Frederic GRAVES, Allen TRAVER, E. W. BROWN, David A. BLOSE, John CAIRNS, H. H. LIPES and Samuel C. GARLICK. 

St. John’s Church and parish were the outgrowth of the early mission services conducted first about 1860, by Rev. Timothy WARDWELL, during his rectorship of the church of Penn Yan.  The parish was organized and the church erected about 1869 or 1870.  It is of brick, and has a seating capacity for 180 persons.  In the parish are thirty-two families, while the church has about forty-one communicants.  A parish building was erected in 1889 costing about $600.  The rectors of St. John’s Church have been Rev. Timothy WARDWELL, Cameron MANN, William ATWELL, H. S. DENNIS, H. B. GARDNER, Jeremiah COOPER and William H. LORD.  Since 1885 the parish has been without a rector, services being held during the time from that until the present under the direction of the Convocation, either by a clergyman or lay reader.

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