November 28, 1830 Dutch Reformed Church of Farmerville

Minutes of the October 28, 1830 Consistory of the Reformed Dutch Church of Lodi, “In pursuance of a resolution…a meeting of the inhabitants of Farmerville was held…when the following persons were chosen for Consistory to be denominated the Consistory of the First Dutch Reformed Church of Farmerville.” [as quoted in A History of the Interlaken Reformed Church 1830-1980, page 9]

The above quote continues, “Peter Rappleye, John Kelly, Joseph W Smith, Jacob Voorhees, William Ditmars, and Peter Ditmars are members of the Reformed Dutch Church of Lodi…in good and regular standing…are hereby dismissed…to be organized into a consistory denominated, the Consistory of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Farmerville…Lodi Nov. 27^th, 1830.”

The next day, November 28, 1830, these men were installed in their offices by Rev. Asa Bennet and a new congregation was formally established.

The front cover of the Church history has a sketch of the church and the words, “Since 1830 – Alive and Growing.”

The tile created for the 150th Anniversary and used as the cover of the book.
Scan from the artifact in the Interlaken Historical Society Collection

The church has grown, and changed its name, several times since that first service.

November 28, 1830: First Reformed Dutch Church of Farmerville

December 26, 1856: The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Farmerville

April 15, 1867: The Reformed Dutch Church of Farmer

[An 1867 change in the ecclesiastical name, “Dutch” was dropped and “in America” was added…The Reformed Church in America]

April 5, 1868: The Reformed Church of Farmer Village

January 1, 1892: the Reformed Church of Farmer

April 2, 1907: Interlaken Reformed Church. [Church History page5-6].

The 1980 history of the church details the growth and changes over the years. The church building was first used in 1831 and remodeled and rededicated on September 6, 1857. Other remodeling projects followed, enlarging the building, changing the use of the non-sanctuary spaces, and allowing for the movement of all people desiring to be a part of the programs of the church.

1955 Anniversary Plate, from the Interlaken Historical Society Collections

Historical note on the back of the 1955 Anniversary plate.
From the Interlaken Historical Society Collections.

Many generations of families have been a part of the Interlaken Reformed Church. The History, and its addendum in 1996, lists the names of members, those baptized or married, which allows researchers access to trace their family through its records.

Dewitt’s Diary, Friday, November 28, 1930

Temperature 13 this morning.

George Townsend and I rode back to Buffalo with Francis today. Left at 5 and arrived in Kenmore at 8:05. 

George and I went up to Niagara Falls. The first time I had seen the falls. Went over to Canada. 

Back home tonight. 

July 4, 1876 Bell Ringing at Covert Baptist Church

July 4, 1876 was one hundred years after the signing the of Declaration of Independence. It was a day for celebrating that centennial anniversary, and what better way than to install and ring a church bell.

An August 23, 1975 Geneva Times article, discussing the overall history of the Covert Baptist Church notes, the “bell [was] bought in 1876 for $500.” These funds were “raised through a special collection drive. An 1876 ledger shows individual donations from parishioners, some as high as $25. A nearby school contributed as well, with the school marm donating 50 cents. The names of her students follow hers in the book and beside each name the amount they gave.”

The church history notes that the bell was raised into place and rung for the first time on that July 4^th afternoon with “an estimated crowd of 1,000 assembled to hear it.”

To reach the bell one must climb a ladder fashioned on the inside of the steeple. The rope needed to ring the bell is over 85 feet long, descending from the top of the steeple to a room near the front doors.

Dewitt’s Diary Saturday, July 4, 1959

Temperature 60 clear. Pete flew down from Lockport and landed out behind the barn. He took me to Harris Hill in Elmira to glider meet. We got back home at 1 o'clock. Saw some of the gliders takeoff.

A nice Fourth of July and the nice day to take a plane ride. Between here and Elmira it is very dry.

Dewitt’s Diary Thursday, July 4, 1963

Temperature 54, clear and west wind. A big change from the past ten days when it was in the 90s every day.

We unloaded two loads of bales.

I mowed down the last of the clover up by the woods this afternoon.

Went down to the lake at 6 o’clock this evening. Caught two trout, 3 ½ pounds and 5 ½ pounds.

Many red flares burning along the lake at dark.

Clear and 64 tonight.

February 16, 1803 Covert Baptist Church

When you look at the vast history of the Town of Covert since 1817, there are very few pieces that remain from before 1817. The people, our families, for those who have roots in this area, the land, the churches, and the cemeteries probably best sum up what was here before 1817.

One of those places is the Covert Baptist Church. Its building anchors the hamlet of Covert, just as the gospel preached for most of these 214 years has anchored so many people.

On February 16, 1803, the church was constituted and known as the Baptist Church of Ovid and Hector. At the time, it was located in the Town of Ovid and was only a few miles from the Town of Hector.

The first pastor was Minor Thomas, who many called a Pauline apostle, in that he earned most of his living from his farm. The first clerk was Thomas Campbell with Asaph King and Joseph Thomas the first deacons.

In 1805 the name was changed to the Second Baptist Church of Ovid. There is a quote often repeated about the early Covert church, “As Virginia is the mother of Presidents, Covert is the mother of Churches.” Many of the Baptist churches in this area, and as far away as Allegany county, NY, and Fayette county, Indiana, where Pastor Thomas had moved in 1818, are the result of members working to establish churches in the area. The Farmerville, or Interlaken Baptist Church, is one of its daughters. At least twelve churches have their roots from the Covert church.

In the beginning the congregation met in homes. During the 1820s, a building was constructed. One comment by Elder Thomas Sheardown in his autobiography notes, “It was a rare model of architecture for this time. The people went into the gallery from out of doors, going in at the gable end of the building.”

As for the current building, the main structure was built in the 1850s. Other than painting and a few minor changes, it remains as it was when built. Like many structures of that time period, the acoustics are quite remarkable, and a word whispered in the balcony might well be heard throughout the main room. Additions were made for a kitchen and rest rooms, and over the years the whole has been maintained by gifts from members and volunteer labor.

The Interlaken Historical Society’s website has a page which tells much of the story of the church and building. 

Dewitt’s Diary: Monday, February 16, 1953

Clear, Northwest wind. Clouding up and light snow this evening. Trying to finish up cabinets for base today.

[During the winter of 1953 Dewitt, Edna and Leland were remodeling the kitchen and Dewitt built all the cabinets for the new room. i.e. Monday February 11^th: Temperature 22, cloudy and still. Building a corner cabinet.]

February 10, 1850 The Universalist Church

Over the course of the year there will be Snippet items for most of the Covert churches. Today, we look at the Universalist Church which stood on Main Street, near the Reformed Church. Wayne Morrison in his volume Town of Covert, Seneca County, NY Early History & etc.. gives a very detailed history of the church, the building, and the eventual loss of the building by fire.

The First Universalist Church and Society of Farmer Village was formed on February 10, 1850, with forty-two members. It was the only society of this denomination to be organized in Seneca County.

Photo from Morrison’s volume, page 85

The first pastor was the Rev. Harvey Boughton, who preached the sermon of dedication in February, 1853, and remained with the society for eleven years. Mr. Morrison notes that after Rev. Boughton left in 1861, the church was supplied by Rev. Lydia Jenkins, Rev. P. H. Batterson, Rev. Dolphus Skinner and Rev. M Whitney until 1874. Rev. C. C. Richardson then occupied the pulpit for a year. Following Rev. Richardson, Rev. O. M. Hilton of Auburn’s Universalist Church lead services, and then it was in the care of the District Secretary of the New York Universalist Ministerial Convention. After which time services were discontinued.

The wooden church building was built in 1852 by Thomas G. Fritts and cost $2,500. On August 14, 1896, George C. Torbert purchased the building for $350. The Farmer Review, Saturday, July 24, 1897 commented on the building and its former lot, “…Torbert has moved it away and converted it into a bean elevator, and its site is occupied by the handsome house now [being] built for A. V. Minor.”

As part of the sale, the trustees reserved the right to remove the bell, pulpit, lamps and carpet. The Farmer Review, August 29, 1896 notes: “The trustees gave the old bell to the fire company and it will be put up at the engine house and used as a fire alarm. It is of cast steel and made in 1859. There are two cracks in it which give it a tone that is not likely to be mistaken for any other bell. There was considerable speculation as to its weight—all the way from 600 to a ton. The scales told the story at 1,540 pounds.”

1900 post card, Main Street Interlaken Historical Society photo #96

The Fire Bell is in front of the first fire house, now 8377 Main Street. The bell, which first called members to services and then rang for fire emergencies eventually went to one of the scrap drives during World War II.

Saturday evening, July 23, 1904, after being moved from its Main Street location, and given several improvements, the end came when the building burned, “reduced to a charred mass of ruins.” 

You are encouraged to read Mr. Morrison’s article in total, page 84 and 87. Many old family names are noted among the members and leaders within the church.

Dewitt’s Diary 1949, 1950

Thursday, February 10, 1949 Cloudy and temperature 20. Working in the woods. The sky looked like snow this afternoon. Went to town this afternoon and got some feed ground. Big circle around the moon tonight.

Friday, February 10, 1950 Mostly clear and temperature is 25. Working on chair. Drove down to the foot of the lake for a ride. It was a beautiful day. Temperature 40 most of the day and clear. There was a little ice on the foot of the lake but not thick enough for safety.

See Snippet January 13 for more on the fire house.

See Snippet January 29 for more on the Scrap Drives.