Since its founding in 1816, St. James’ Episcopal Church in Skaneateles, New York, has been blessed by many gifts given in memory of its parishioners. But generations come and go, and it is easy to forget who these people were, their stories, their unique contributions. This place will provide a way to bring these people back to modern memory, and to appreciate their gifts anew. I am also gathering images of St. James’, information on the art and architecture of our 1873 building, and historical highlights that are relevant to our parish today.
The invaluable Charlie Crowther, a member of St. James’, is responsible for much of the photography that appears here and I am grateful to him. My thanks also go to Laurie Winship, Director of the Creamery, the museum of the Skaneateles Historical Society, and Pat Blackler, Village Historian. E.N. Leslie’s History of Skaneateles (1902) has been helpful, as have Google and Ancestry.com.
Writer and blogger Kihm Winship is a member of St. James’ Episcopal Church and a student of Skaneateles history. If you have or seek information about St. James’, you can e-mail Kihm at ggghostie@earthlink.net.
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April 27, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Alexander Scott
I have always wanted to know about General Wainright and his connection to Skaneateles. My mother also mentions General George Marshall who lived on Leitch Avenue across from academy Street. I have wondered about Wainright and a possible connection to the Bishop, “the Rt. Rev.” Jonathan M. Wainright, the Provisional Bishop of New York, 1852-1854 (note the title, not just “the Rev,” for priests and deacons only). Depending on your point of view he was or was not the bishop of New York. Benjamin T.Onderdonk was elected and consecrated the fourht bishop of New York in 1830 and served as such until he died in 1861 when he was suceeded by Horatio Potter. Following in the footsteps of the catholic third bishop of New York, John H. Hobart, he had none of the charisma that Hobart had. He ran afoul of the Evangelicals of the day who had it out for him. The accused him of impropriety and lack of temperance. They said he was an alcoloholic and he liked the women too much. What they said as two much intimacy was, in fact, an unfortunate habit of his to lean too close to the one with whom he was speaking and touching that person a little too immodestly upon the breast. That he meant anything more than conviction about the point he was making was a stretch. Or so his supporters argued. The Church took him to trial and found him guilty and he was “deposed.” The Diocese of New York refused to accept the verdict and supported Onderdonk to the end. It was an unfortunant situation all around. Onderdonk “retired” from active duty and lived a quiet life in the City attending the church of the Annunciation until he died in 1861. But as the diocese needed somone to run the diocese in his absence they selected the Rev. Mr. Wainright to be their “provisional bishop” until such time that Onderdonk could be reabilitated. No one really wanted the job but the people of the diocese knew they needed representation. Thus they coined the term “provisional bishop.” Upon Bp. Wainwright’s death in 1854 the diocese elected Horatio Potter as its provisonal bishop. In 1861 Potter became the the fifth bishop of New York and served until 1887. The national church would probably acknowledge Wainright as the fifth bishop of New York.