History of
St. LukeÕs
of
Los Gatos
1882 – 1982
by Sara Powell
Millar
[Revised and updated by
Anne Louise Heigho, 2007]
[Updated by
Arthur Feather, 2017]
(c) Copyright 1982, 2017: St. Luke's
Episcopal Church, Los Gatos, CA
Contents: | |
St. Luke's History | |
Memorial Windows | |
Parish Organizations | |
Music at St. Luke's | |
Women's Guilds of St. Luke's Church | |
Vital Statistics | |
Addendum | |
St. Luke's Germantown, Pennsylvania | |
St. Luke's History
"The
Rev. R.M. Chapman, D.D. came to Los Gatos to reside in
May 1882. One of the first objects that engaged his attention was to seek out
the Episcopalians living in the town and vicinity and to set on foot, with
their assistance, regular religious services according to the forms of the
Protestant Episcopal Church. His efforts were rewarded with the finding of
about a dozen families (including Mr. and Mrs. F. H. McCullagh, Mrs. T.S.
Cleland and Mrs. Hoyt, later to be Mrs. E.C. Cole) who belonged to that Church
or desired to associate themselves with it.
The
first service was held in the Presbyterian's house of worship on the afternoon
of the Sunday after Ascension, May 21, 1882."
The
above is quoted from the opening pages of the official records of St. Luke's
Episcopal Church, Los Gatos. The records continue that shortly after the first
service, the use of Lyndon Hall was secured and weekly services were begun on
Whitsunday, May 28,1882. Dr. Chapman continued to hold services and Sunday
School throughout the summer of that year. In
September he suddenly became ill and was confined to his bed until December 3
when he held service and Holy Communion in his own home. Service was also held
on Christmas Day and at times during the winter. He had the project of building
a church in Los Gatos much at heart and in January 1883 an article
appeared in the Pacific Churchman, which said in part:
"The
important matter of a church building in Los Gatos is not without a likelihood
of being realized as a lady of the place offered to give a lot and another of
Philadelphia has obtained by subscription among her friends $500.00 toward the
cost of putting up a small church."
The
article continued that
"it is hoped that members of our communion in other parts of
the diocese will give their aid toward securing for the church a position in
the most important place between San Jose and Santa Cruz and which might be
made an important missionary center."
"The
lady of the place" who offered to give the lot was Mrs. J.W. Lyndon. The
other "of Philadelphia" was Mrs. Thomas Evans of Germantown,
Pennsylvania, who was in Los Gatos visiting her daughter, Mrs. F.H. McCullagh.
She was so "impressed by the unattractive surroundings" in which the
services were being held, that upon her return to her home parish, St. Luke's
in Germantown, she began to raise funds for the church. The people of St.
Luke's also sent a full communion service, chancel furniture, a Bible, Prayer
Book and Hymnal for the Chancel and Prayer Books and Hymnals for the pews. When
the church in Los Gatos was finally built, it was named St. Luke's in
appreciation for all that the Germantown group had contributed.
Dr.
Chapman was busy gathering his people and organizing a Sunday School. The first children included Jennie Call, Louis
Starr, Ora Lyndon and Albert, Kittie and Nellie Hoyt. The records also show
that three children who were visiting Mrs. Lewis Hebard of Alma were baptized.
These are the first recorded baptisms and took place in Lyndon Hall. The
children were cousins of Mrs. Hebard and their names were Samuel, Theodore and
Annie Walker.
Dr.
Chapman died on April 8, 1883 before his dream could be realized. He was 73 at
the time of his death. Following are excerpts from his death notice in the Louisville Courier Journal (Kentucky)
of April 25, 1883: "Dr. Chapman was born in Norfolk, Virginia; educated
for the ministry at the Theological Seminary in New York, and was ordained by
Bishop Griswold in Pittsfield, Mass."
This
clipping also states that at the time of his death he was living with his
daughter, Lucy, and her husband, B.D. Kennedy who had come with him originally
to Los Gatos. Dr. Chapman was buried from the M.E. Church in Los Gatos, the
officiating clergy being the Rev. George W. Forte, rector of Trinity, San Jose,
the Rev. Edward Pidsley, associate priest of Trinity and the Rev. Nealis of San
Francisco. Dr. Chapman's grave is located under the present (1901) church
building. He was first buried in the old cemetery, but when the original
church was finished his body was moved to the vault under it.
Following
Dr. Chapman's death, a meeting was held on April 30, 1883 at the Odd Fellows
Hall and a building committee was organized. Members included Mrs. B.D.
Kennedy, Mrs. F.H. McCullagh, J.W. Lyndon and F.H. McCullagh. On May 2, 1883
the committee signed a contract with B.A. Van Dalsen for the church building.
Work must have progressed very quickly because on August 26, 1883 a meeting of
the congregation was held in the new church, when the Mission was organized
under the name of St. Luke's Mission, Los Gatos, with F.H. McCullagh, Warden;
J.W. Lyndon, Treasurer; and J .M. Reynolds, Clerk. Fortunately for the
congregation at St. Luke's, the Rev. F.B.A. Lewis, M.D. had just arrived in San
Jose from Watertown, New York and was persuaded to come and hold services for
the new mission "for a few Sundays."
On
September 9,1883, the building was in readiness for the first church service to
be held with Dr. Lewis officiating. At this service, Mabel Irene Anthony, age
13, was baptized. The following Sunday, Roswell Ryland Hoyt, age 30, was
baptized. Then on September 23, 1883, according to the records,
"the edifice was duly consecrated to the worship of God. The
Rt. Rev. William Ingraham Kip, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of California acting
and being assisted by Dr. Lewis who read the sentence of consecration.
The Rev. Edward Pidsley of Trinity Church, San Jose, was also present and
took part in the service."
Dr. Lewis was appointed
"Missionary at Los Gatos and vicinity" by the Bishop and so continued
for more than three years coming from his home in "the Willows" near
San Jose for services and visitations.
The
following story was published in the local paper with a date line of September
15,1886:
"At
a legally called meeting of the congregation, it was unanimously decided that
the mission (of St. Luke's) should become a parish. The proper
"Declaration" was signed and forwarded to the Bishop for filing.
Messrs.
John W. Lyndon, James C. Moody, Will S. Mansell, Frank Hansen, H.F. Smith and
Dr. S. Grant Moore, were elected Vestrymen, Messrs. Eben C. Farley, Clerk and
RG. Allen, Treasurer. At a subsequent meeting of the Vestry, a call was
extended to the Rev. F.B.A. Lewis, M.D. to become the rector of the new
parish. Mr. John W. Lyndon was appointed Senior Warden and Mr. James C.
Moody elected Junior Warden.
There
are now in the parish 82 communicants, of whom 18 are males. The action of the
mission was entirely unanimous, and all appear ready to enter upon their
Christian work with renewed energy. Since the opening of the mission three
years ago, 32 persons have been baptized and 32 presented for
confirmation."
In
writing about the founding of St. Luke's Church, it soon becomes apparent that
the "founding fathers" of St. Luke's and the founders of the town of
Los Gatos are much the same. The names that are found among the petitioners for
incorporation of Los Gatos in 1887 are also to be found as communicants at St.
Luke's. Included are J .H. Pearce, E.E. Place, C.C. Suydam, Dr. R.P. Gober,
F.H. McCullagh and Dr. S. Grant Moore. Other names that are found in the
early history of both town and church are John Weldon Lyndon, John Cilker, A.E.
Wilder, N.E. Beckwith and John J. Stanfield.
This shows the exterior of the original St. Luke's
Church, which was built in 1883 on the same location where the present church
now stands. The notice board reads: "St. Luke's Episcopal Church, F.E.A.
Lewis, Rector. Sunday Service 11 A.M. Sunday School 10
A.M. Women's Guild Meeting, Thursdays 2 P.M."
In
the History of St. Luke's Church written by Mrs. E.C. Cole in 1890, she
has the following to say concerning the "work of the Women's Guild"
and what they have accomplished in the way of aiding the finances of the
Vestry. "They have furnished surplice and stole for use, bought land
valued at $258.00, painted the walls and tinted inside, furnished the seats,
fenced the lot, built sheds, paid taxes, insurance and janitor to this present
year of 1889."
In
December of 1889, a new Mason & Hamlin organ was placed in the church
building. One of the first organists was Miss Jessie M. Hall (later to be Mrs.
Eustace H. Blakey). Since the new organ needed to be pumped, Miss Hall
recruited her young brother, Arthur, to do the job for her, according to her
daughter, Miss Elizabeth Blakey.
An
item "considered worthy of record" was the visit to St. Luke's on
July 27,1890, of the Rt. Rev. William Ford Nichols, D.D., Bishop of California.
This was the first visit of the new Bishop in the Santa Clara Valley.
A group of
St. Luke's young ladies, perhaps a Sunday School
class. Picture was taken approximately 1890. They are left to right in back
row: Alva Christman, Edna Potter and Alice DeLong (in swing) and Miss Clara
Suydam. In the center, Matty Lemon. Front row: Nina
Robershotte (Mrs. Joseph Grimes) and Irma Lyndon (Mrs. James D. Farwell).
This shows the original 1883 church decorated for Easter Sunday, 1892.
On
March 1,1890, Dr. Lewis "placed his resignation in the hands of the
Vestry." Dr. Lewis felt that the time had come for the parish to have a
resident clergyman (he lived in San Jose). He assured the people that he would
"ever have the interest of the parish at heart."
The
Rev. H. H. Clapham (no relation to a later rector) of Bakersfield became rector
in May 1892, officiating for the first time on the First Sunday after Easter in
that year. He resigned his rectorate in May 1896 to accept charge of St. James'
Mission, San Francisco, holding his last service the First Sunday after
Trinity, June 7, 1896. "The record of the parish was uneventful during his
tenure of office."
While
St. Luke's Church was originally founded as a possible Òimportant missionary
center," so far as the records show, it has never founded any missions.
However, it has been very helpful to two that were founded by others. In
September of 1896, a group of Episcopalians in Saratoga held their first
service in a newly constructed church "on the corner of St. Charles and
Sixth streets, Saratoga." The church was named St. John's and continued as
a mission into the late 1930s. The Rev. John Collins and the Rev. David Todd
Gillmor of St. Luke's gave their services to St. John's. When St. John's was
closed and the property sold, "the faithful few took membership in St.
Luke's, Los Gatos." The money from the sale was placed in the Bishop's
fund and subsequently used when the present Episcopal Church of St. Andrew's in
Saratoga was established.
Around
this same period, a group of English people living in Patchen, a small
community in the Santa Cruz Mountains, also started a small Episcopal mission.
The clergy at St. LukeÕs helped them. According to Miss Elizabeth Blakey, the
Rev. J. Clarke Robbins used to make the trip up to the mission to hold
services, and every time he did, the poor man would get poison oak!
St. LukeÕs on Easter Sunday, 1898. Note the memorial plaque on the right, which was given in memory
of the Rev. Robert M. Chapman, first rector of the parish.
The
Rev. George N. Deyo succeeded Mr. Clapham as rector but he didn't stay long. On
September 21, 1898 he resigned to return to New York. The Rev. Albert Enor who
came from the Diocese of Oxford, England succeeded him. He too did not
stay long but resigned his rectorate on Easter Day, April 15, 1900. The
following May, the Vestry decided that the church should return to a mission
status for one year. As a result, Bishop Nichols appointed J. Clarke Robbins as
Lay Reader as of May 20, 1900. Mr. Robbins was ordained Deacon on October 7,
1900 and priest on July 25, 1901.
No
mention was made of where Mr. Robbins was ordained. If he was ordained at St.
Luke's Church, there is no record of it.
Then
life for St. Luke's Church and most of Los Gatos was changed very quickly when
fire broke out at half-past three o'clock on Sunday morning, October 13, 1901.
The church building was completely destroyed but, thanks to the efforts of Mr.
Robbins, the following items were saved from the church: the cherry wood font,
brass cross, lectern, Bible and the communion vessels. The monetary loss was
placed at $2,000.00, according to the local paper.
In
less than three months following the fire, the foundation was laid for the new
church (the present church) on December 16, 1901. The Rev. J. Clarke Robbins
and Mr. John W. Lyndon were appointed as the building committee by the Vestry.
W. Dolhim of San Francisco was the architect, Hy Hooper the building contractor
and the painting contractor was Jack Sullivan. The latter two were Los Gatos
businessmen.
With
the headline of "California's Youngest Playwright and his Singular
Production", the following story appeared in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
of Sunday, May 11, 1902:
"Prescott Cookingham is the name of a
bright-faced youngster who lives with his parents in Los Gatos, and has been
just an ordinary boy during all of his thirteen years. Last week he won local
fame by writing a play, stage-managing it, and securing a half dozen other
young folks to join him in producing it."
The
story goes on to say
"Young
Cookingham was inspired to do all these things by the necessity of putting
windows in the Episcopal Church of Los Gatos. The building burned down a few
months ago and new one was erected, but all the available money was used up
before the windows were put in. The Rev. Robbins, the pastor, suggested the
giving of a public entertainment",
and young
Prescott came to the front. He said if the Church would provide the costumes,
he would do the rest -- leading man, stage-manager and all.
Prescott
rounded up his playmates, they rehearsed in a barn and their big show, "Among
the Rockies," was off and running. According to the program, the cast
included, besides Prescott: Garton D. Keyston, Cecil Simon, Holt Cookingham,
Raymond Kearney, Harry B. Allen, George Place, Elton Hogg, Hazel Lyndon, and
Zephyr LeFevre. The show was a big hit and the CHRONICLE said that Òit may be
added as an interesting detail, the new church will get its windows."
When
the new church was completed, a set of gates, known as "the Gladys
Gates", were presented to St. Luke's by a Mrs. Sullivan in commemoration
of her adopted daughter. According to the story as told by George B. Place,
"Mrs.
Sullivan married a Mr. Sullivan who had been married before. He had a
granddaughter named Gladys Gable. After the marriage, she was adopted by Mr.
and Mrs. Sullivan and renamed Gladys Sullivan. Mrs. Sullivan was a very devout
Episcopalian and a member of St. Luke's but Mr. Sullivan was a Roman Catholic
and attended mass up at the Sacred Heart Novitiate."
This picture
shows the Gladys Gates, which were given to the parish by the Sullivans soon
after the 1901 church was built.
When
the gates were originally given, they were placed at the entrance to the
church. However, after the remodeling in 1971, they were moved to the entrance
to the Parish House courtyard. Later they were placed inside the church
in the narthex. They have since been removed and are in storage.
On
Ascension Day, May 23, 1903, the new St. Luke's was consecrated with the Rt.
Rev. William Ford Nichols, D.D., Bishop of California presiding.
Mr.
Robbins stayed at St. Luke's until 1907 when he had to resign because of ill
health. The Rev. Dan Lewis then became rector but he was quickly followed by
the Rev. Hugh A. Ramsay who came to St. Luke's on January 15, 1908 "at a
salary of $85.00 per month." The period from 1908 to 1918 is very sketchy,
with only names of rectors available. Their names and dates on which they came
and left are: G.A. Jamieson (1909-1911), R. Marshall Harrison, D.D.
(1911-1913), Flectcher Cook (1913-1915), Ralph Bray (1915-1916), and H.H.
Gillies (1916-1918). On October 15, 1918, the Rev. John A. Collins was
appointed as acting rector.
Mr.
Collins was called to be rector of the parish on September 1, 1920 and stayed
with St. Luke's until 1927 when he resigned to join the staff of Grace
Cathedral, San Francisco. The Rev. Leland H. Tracy, D.D. came to St. Luke's as
rector on May 5, 1927 and stayed until 1930.
During
Dr. Tracy's time at Los Gatos, a chapter of the Daughters of the King was
formed and named the "Hope" chapter. The duty of this group was the
care of the altar and the chapter stayed active until the 1940's when the Altar
Guild replaced them. In 1928, the following story appeared in the LOS GATOS
MAIL NEWS:
"Delegates
from all parts of the state will gather here Saturday at the spring assembly of
the Daughters of the King, of the Episcopal diocese of California, as the
guests of Hope chapter, the youngest unit in the state. This is the first time
the state meeting has been held in the Gem City. Twenty chapters throughout the
state will send delegates. The opening session will be convened at 11 o'clock
Saturday, in St. Luke's Church on University Avenue. The Rev. J .A.
Collins, of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, former rector of St. Luke's, will
make the address. The officers of the chapter include Mrs. Howard Tracy,
president; Mrs. Seymour Roberts, vice president; and Mrs. J. Alfred Powell,
secretary-treasurer.Ó
From
the very beginning of St. Luke's, the Women's Guild played a very prominent
role. For years, the women had worked hard and long to earn money for a
much-needed Parish House.
One
activity that does stand out during this period was a fund raising event that
was sponsored by this group. According to the souvenir program, this was ÒThe
Kirmess" and was held on December 15th and 16th, 1911, in Ford's Opera
House. The program explains the meaning of the Kirmess as follows:
"The
Kirmess has danced its unbroken way, like a rollicking child through history's
somber page, from so early a date as the fourth century down to tonight. It
was, however, born in great dignity, being originally Kirchmesse, which
referred to a religious act when a new church was consecrated. It dates back to
the consecration of the Jewish Temples. It was introduced into the Christian
Church at the time of Constantine the Great."
The
program goes on to say that it has now "developed into a festival of the
people, whose main purpose is amusement." The program was arranged by Miss
Dorothy Dickens and consisted of dances from various countries.
Reading
through the program, it would seem that not only every young person at St.
Luke's but also half the town of Los Gatos took part. Among the parish young
people are such familiar names as Sue Bell, Nancy Gober, Rita Pearce, Ruth Rigby,
Lynda Roberts, Louise Spreckels, George Place, Cecil Dickinson, Clinton Suydam,
Clyde Gertridge, Therese Beckwith, Alice Barnes, Roma Roberts, Dorothy Dixon,
Alice Moore, and Viola Powell.
The
notice at the end of the program states that Òthe ladies of St. Luke's Guild,
Los Gatos wish to thank all the merchants of Los Gatos, San Jose and San
Francisco who so kindly advertised in this program." Among the more
interesting advertisements were Bean Spray Pump Co. (forerunners of FMC),
Millinery by Mrs. A.G. Williams, Sherman Clay & Co., The Bank of Los Gatos,
Hunt Bros. Company, J .H. Pearce (fancy groceries), H.S. Beckwith, O'Brien's
Ice Cream, and Prussia's of San Jose.
Such
activities must have been very successful financially because in 1912, the Guild's
dreams were fulfilled when the new Parish House was dedicated.
The
following verses were written and read by Mrs. Eustace Blakey at the opening of
the new structure:
Our Guild, years ago, in lowly estate
Met under the church, fine aprons to
make.
Perhaps that sounds modest
But we were not at all,
As we aspired quite grandly to a fine,
large guild hall.
Our small bag of gold, we put in a bank
And the first thing we knew
We were left lean and lank,
However, in ÒUnionÓ is strength, we are
told,
And the stockholders paid up in a way
good to behold.
Each year brought new members
Who worked with a vim
And helped fill the coffers with
something called ÒtinÓ,
So that now the Guild welcomes guest,
Rector and spouse,
In a
comfortable, debt-free, and loved Parish House.
*The bank referred to was the Union Bank of San Jose,
which failed, but the stockholders paid up the debt. The "under the
Church" phrase refers to the original church which had a meeting room
there.
This
postcard shows the Parish House as it was built in 1912. The old oak
trees still stand in the parish garden.
This
Parish House still is in use today but has been enlarged and remodeled several
times. The original one, which was unchanged until the late 1930's, consisted
of a vestibule, one big room with a small stage at one end, a kitchen and a
very basic "rest room" (one toilet).
The
Rev. David Todd Gillmor became rector on February 16, 1930 and stayed with the
parish until he was recalled to active duty with the Army at the start of the
United States participation in World War II. His time at St. Luke's marked
several changes in parish life. It was, of course, the depths of the depression
and the parish was hard pressed for funds. However, since people could not do
other things because of "hard times", church activities became a more
important part of their lives. The Sunday School,
which had always existed at St. Luke's, greatly increased in size. The guilds
flourished (there were by then two guilds: St. Luke's and St. Margaret's), the
senior choir gained new members, a junior choir was formed and a Young Peoples
Fellowship (YPF) was organized.
Mr.
Gillmor was an enthusiastic man with a very outgoing wife and three lively
children, all of which breathed new life into the parish. In 1932, the
congregation celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of St. Luke's with
a gala party in the Parish House.
This is a
postcard of St. LukeÕs taken prior to any changes in the 1901 church.
Note the Parish House in the background on the left, the Town fire bell tower
in the background and the flagpole in the front lawn,
Armistice
Day became a big event in the parish after Mr. Gillmor arrived. As he was a
Captain in the 143rd field artillery, 40th division, the band from this group
would visit St. Luke's every year on Armistice Day to play at the
service. Before the service, the ladies of the WomenÕs Relief Corps
would hold a "flag furling" ceremony in front of the church while the
band played. Then the band would march inside where they played all the hymns
for the service. The reader should keep in mind that St. Luke's was even
smaller then than it is now; the effect of "Onward Christian
Soldiers" played inside the building is something one does not soon
forget!
Another
interesting visitor that came every summer to St. Luke's was the Rt. Rev.
Edward Lambe Parsons, Bishop of California. Bishop Parsons had a summer
home in Saratoga and had been visiting there every summer for many years. In
the days when St. John's was active, he would attend services there but after
its closure he always attended St. Luke's. He was very fond of the parish
and always said that they had the Òsingingest congregation in the
diocese". He was always a fascination to choir members because he
knew all the Psalms by heart and never opened a Prayer Book!
One
innovation that Mr. Gillmor introduced at St. Luke's was a midnight service on
Christmas Eve. This was to become an exciting event for the townspeople of Los
Gatos as well as the congregation at St. Luke's. There was no other midnight
service held at any town church except St. Mary's Roman Catholic. Mr. Gillmor
had a great sense of the dramatic and the Christmas Eve service was no
exception. At that time, the window of Christ blessing the children was over
the altar. For the midnight service, a spotlight was placed in the Parish House
so that it shone directly on the window, and since the rest of the church was
in darkness, the effect was impressive! Then just before the service began,
acolytes would start lighting candles throughout the church until it was
completely lighted with just candles and the light shining through the altar
window. The choir then processed with each member carrying a lighted candle.
While a modern day fire marshal would no doubt forbid all of this, the effect
was very beautiful.
In
the mid-1930's, a new couple came to St. Luke's from their home in New York and
added greatly to the "life and times" of the parish. They were Mr.
and Mrs. Fred M. Carter and throughout the rest of their lives they gave
generously of their time and wealth to St. Luke's. Their most lasting gift was
the Carter Memorial pipe organ, which was given in 1938. Some of its pipes were
incorporated into the Visscher organ when it was created in 1992.
Another
event that took place in 1938 was the death of Francis H. McCullagh, which
marked the end of an era for St. Luke's Church. Mr. McCullagh, who died on
August 3, 1938 at the age of 84 years, was one of the original founders of the
parish and, indeed, it was his wife's mother, Mrs. Thomas Evans, who helped
raise money to build the original church. Throughout his life he gave
generously to St. Luke's. He gave the original cherry wood font, which was
saved from the 1901 fire and then placed in the new church, in memory of his
mother. The plaque on the font, read "Mary Cauffman McCullagh August 15,
1819-November 16,1869." It was Mr. McCullagh's custom to lay a small
bouquet of flowers by the font on Sunday mornings.
Old
time parishioners remembered Mr. McCullagh fondly. He was very interested in
children and Miss Elizabeth Blakey remembered that he always made a fuss over
her and other parish children, and that he had a horse and buggy, which he
would tie in the churchyard. When he was older, he was best noted for his
ear trumpet! The poor man was very deaf and always carried his ear trumpet,
much to the fascination of the parish children.
This
photo was taken of the interior of the 1901 St. LukeÕs building prior to 1940
before any changes were made. This shows the reredos curtain, which was
changed for each season to match the other hangings. It also shows the
wrought iron chandeliers that were moved to the Parish Hall when the church was
remodeled extensively in 1971.
In
1941, the Rev. David Todd Gillmor was recalled to active duty as a chaplain in
the U.S. Army and took a leave of absence from the parish and the Rev. Stanley
Clapham was called to serve as a supply priest. When Mr. Gillmor decided to
remain in the Army and therefore to resign his rectorate, Father Clapham was
called as rector.
Bishop
Block (the Rt. Rev. Karl Morgan Block, Bishop of California) felt that someone
with independent means should be called to St. Luke's because of it's
continuing financial problems and Father Clapham accepted the call.
The Rev. Stanley Clapham
was born and educated in England. He was married and had a young son,
David. He seemed just right for the parish at that time, as there were a
great many English people in the congregation.
During the War years, there
was much activity at St. Luke's. Three services were held every Sunday, the
Sunday School greatly increased in size, Guilds flourished
and an Altar Guild was organized to take the place of the Daughters of the
King. The parish was beginning to need more room, and application was made to
the War Production board for authority to expand. This was denied because of
material scarcity. By 1952, expansion could wait no longer and took place on a
large scale. Two parish offices and five Sunday School
classrooms were built onto the rear of the church, with a covered walkway
connecting this addition to the parish house. The parish house too was
remodeled (some remodeling had been done in the 1930's). A narthex was built
and the sanctuary was enlarged.
The years between 1952 and
1956 were busy years at St. Luke's with the congregation steadily
increasing. But that soon changed with the organization of St. Edward's
Church in Cambrian
Park, and then in 1957 with
the organizing of St. Andrew's Church in Saratoga. Until the organization
of these two missions (now active parishes), St. Luke's, Los Gatos had been the
only Episcopal parish between Trinity, San Jose and Calvary, Santa Cruz.
Of great excitement to the
congregation during this period, was the first ordination to be held in the
present church building. The Rt. Rev. Karl Morgan Block, Bishop of California,
ordained David R. Forbes, son of Col. and Mrs. Francis H. Forbes of Los Gatos,
priest at St. LukeÕs Church on January 6, 1954. Others taking part in the
service were the rector, the Rev. Stanley Clapham and the Rev. Henry B. Thomas.
The senior choir, of which David had been a member, with Mrs. Viola M.
Gustafson as organist, provided the music. Soloist for the service was his
brother, John Forbes. Mr. Forbes was graduated from the Virginia Theological
Seminary and, after his ordination, joined the staff at Grace Cathedral, San
Francisco. Later he was to be named Canon Headmaster of the Cathedral
School and then became Headmaster of St. PaulÕs School in Oakland, California.
In 1958, a parish
newsletter was started and named Hear Ye.
This was a monthly publication and written in the form of a newspaper and
contained all kinds of parish news. It proved very popular with the
congregation and helped to further the Òfamily" feeling within the parish.
[A succeeding newsletter was published from the 1970s through the next decade
or more, when parish news began to be published regularly in the Sunday
bulletins.]
The congregation of St.
Luke's was saddened in 1959 by the death of Eleanor Clapham, the rector's wife.
In her memory, a mural of St. Luke and St. Mary and the faience work in the sanctuary
were dedicated. This was designed and executed by John Gill and given as a
token of love by the artist and other parishioners and friends. The murals and
other work had to be removed, however, when the church was remodeled in 1971.
This photo is of Christmas Eve 1960 showing the new
Clapham memorial, which included the murals of St. Luke and St. Mary and the
faience work in the sanctuary.
After 20 years of faithful
service to the congregation of St. Luke's, the Rev. Stanley Clapham announced
his intention to retire in 1961. He would remain until a new rector could be
called. After a lengthy search, the Rev. Thomas A. Bogard, of St. Stephen's
Gilroy was called to be rector.
Father Bogard introduced a
much more informal air to St. Luke's than had previously existed, although his
basic churchmanship was much the same as Father Clapham's. Until Father Clapham
became rector, St. Luke's had always been rather "low church," but he
introduced more ritual into the service and ultimately discontinued the use of
Morning Prayer, with the Eucharist being celebrated at both 8 and 11 o'clock
services. Father Bogard continued in this usage.
In 1962, with the help of
St. Margaret's Auxiliary members, the vestry and other volunteers, the parish
house and classrooms were refurbished. And the parish cat, "Gus,"
moved into the rector's office! Gus was also known to visit the sanctuary
during Sunday School services, much to the delight of
Junior Choir members.
It was during Father
Bogard's time at St. Luke's that St. Margaret's was disbanded as a separate
group and included with St. Luke's Women's Auxiliary. This greatly reduced the
membership as St. Margaret's had always met in the evening, which was best for
mothers of young children or working women, and St. Luke's held afternoon
meetings.
Father Bogard had a great
sense of humor and was very popular with the young people. Two boys that he had
trained as acolytes were later to become priests. Both young men were
"children of the parish" having been both baptized and confirmed at
St. Luke's. The first was Lee McInerney, son of Norma Jane (Elliott) and Joseph
McInerney. The other was Richard Black Leslie, III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard
B. Leslie, Jr.
Father Leslie served and
later retired as rector of St. James Church, Fremont, California, and served
churches in Carmel and elsewhere in retirement.
In the Spring
of 1964, Father Bogard became ill and resigned as rector. As the vestry felt
they wanted to take as much time as needed to find just the right man to
replace him there was an interim period of about six months when St. Luke's was
served by supply priests, chief among them the Rev. Clarence Lee.
Throughout its entire
history St. Luke's has been blessed with dedicated assistant priests, most of whom had been non-stipendiary priests. To name but a few,
there was the Rev. Fredrick W. Daglish, the Rt. Rev. Louis Childs Sanford
(Retired), the Rev. Jack D. Livingston, the Rev. Harry Walrath, the Rev. Robert
Moore, the Rev. Charles Bailey, the Rev. Douglas Williams, the Rev. Stuart
Schegel, Ph.D., who later became rector of St. LukeÕs in his own right. More
recent assistants are the Rev. R. Clark Emerson and the Rev. Nayan McNeill, a
parishioner since 1961.
The Rev. Edward M. Jacobs,
D.D., former Dean of All Saints' Cathedral, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was called to
St. Luke's Church as rector in September 1964. He was married and had 4
children, two girls and two boys. He was succeeded in 1985 by Fr. Schegel, and
after the interim rectorship of the Rev. Ruth Ellers,
the Rev. David Robison Breuer, was called in 1992. Rev. Breuer retired from St. Luke's in 2015. The Rev. Penelope Duckworth served as interim until August 2017,
when the present incumbent, the Rev. Ricardo Avila was called and joined
St. Luke's in October 2017.
The last decades at St.
Luke's Church have seen many changes both in the physical buildings and in the
makeup of the congregation. Because of the industrial development in the Santa
Clara Valley, there was much coming and going of parishioners as people were
transferred in and out by their companies. The church building was completely
remodeled in 1971-72. The side porch was incorporated into the nave to increase
seating and the sanctuary was made much larger. The choir stalls were removed
and the organ moved to the back of the church. Most of this construction was
made possible by a generous legacy received from the Blanche R. Barnes estate
in 1964.
Also
in 1972, a pre-school was organized with Mrs. C. Jean Pironi as directress and
this continued until 1976. The following year the family of Lois Virginia
Knowlson gave in memory of her new landscaping for the patio area of the church
garden. A plaque with the following inscription is mounted on the garden
wall: "Lois Virginia Knowlson 1899-1973."
Roy H. Beaton made possible
the St. Luke's Columbarium through a gift in memory of his wife, Margaret M.
Beaton (1914-1978). This is in the Church garden to the left of the building,
and was designed by architect and parishioner Donald Edson. Lois Hazzard gave
the large wooden cross in the back garden in 1980 in memory of her husband,
Spencer.
At the October 1978
Diocesan convention in San Francisco, the delegates voted overwhelmingly to
create two dioceses out of the 10-county Episcopal Diocese of California. The
new "south" diocese would incorporate most of Santa Clara, Santa
Cruz, San Benito, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties. The new diocese was
named EI Camino Real ("King's Highway") and the Rt. Rev. Charles
Shannon Mallory was elected Bishop. Bishop Mallory came to his post from Africa
where he had been Bishop of Botswana. St. Luke's, Los Gatos, is in Santa Clara
County and, therefore, became part of the new diocese.
The parish finished its
first century with the church still located in the heart of downtown Los Gatos
where it began. Because of St. Luke's convenient location, the Parish Hall
continues to be used by many outside organizations each week. This is an important
part of the parish's local outreach program. Also as part of this program, a
St. Luke's Shop was organized in 1980, the proceeds of which went completely to
the Navajos at St. Christopher's Mission in Bluff, Utah.
Important
recent additions to St. Luke's outreach in the community are the St. Luke's
Pantry for the Homeless, started in the mid 1980s and which now includes
participation from several congregations in the Los Gatos area, as well as
support from local service organizations (Rotary, Lions, Interfaith Alliance,
etc.). St. Luke's provides staunch support and administrative help for the
Santa Maria Urban Ministry in downtown San Jose.
Elected to serve the parish
for the centennial year of 1982 as wardens and vestry were: Eleanor Vora,
senior warden; Donald Edson, junior warden; Keith Fielder, clerk; John Unger,
treasurer. Other vestry members are William Buckmaster, Kevin Cole, Jack Eltzroth,
Edward Gurnett, Brooks Lupien, William Rikard, George Sutton and Roderick
Westmacott.
-- Sara Powell Millar,
1982. --
Memorial Windows
When the church was
remodeled in 1971-72, most of the windows from the 1901 church were saved and
incorporated into the present church.
Moving down the
"epistle" side starting at the east end of the nave, the first window
is of Christ taking leave of his Mother which was
given in memory of Theresa Lyndon. The next is the Dove descending in memory of Abraham Rose. The
last window on that side is the "Come Unto Me" window given in
memory of Alice S. Moore (mother of Dr. S. Grant Moore) and is dated September
28, 1900.
The beautiful west window
of Christ was given in memory of Eugene Parsons.
It is believed to be a Tiffany design. There is no record of just who he was
but Miss Elizabeth Blakey remembered him as a clergyman who came from England.
His name does not show as having been a rector of St. Luke's, but he was
perhaps a retired priest who was a member of the congregation.
The original windows on the
"gospel" side of the nave were all removed in 1971 but the first one
on the east end was saved and is now in the sacristy. This is of the head of Christ and was in memory of J. Clarke
Robbins, rector of the parish 1901-1907. The "Sunday School" window, which had
been over the altar, is now on this side. This may be one of the windows
purchased after the 1901 fire by proceeds from young Prescott Coolingham's
play, Among the Rockies.
Two windows were added in
the early 1950's and these are now on either side of the chancel. The one on
the right side is of St. Michael and was given in memory of Robert
Morgan Becker. The one on the left is of Archangel Gabriel. This one is in memory
of May C. W. Hostetter.
When
St. Luke's was remodeled in 1971, two new groups of windows were added on the
"gospel" side, created by the Holy City Glass Co. in appreciation for
the kindnesses of Fr. Jacobs. At the east end are three grouped together: St. John, the Virgin Mary and St. Luke.
The St. John window is in memory of Rob Reed Goree; the
Virgin Mary window was given by members of the parish; the St. Luke
window is in memory of George Thompson. At the far west end on the same side is
again a group of three. In the center is St. Andrew in
memory of Robert Andrew Dougan, and on either side are St. Cecilia and St.
Joseph given in memory of Gladys and Cecil Drage.
The
Holy City Glass Co. is also responsible for the recovery of the large granite
baptismal font now in use. During the process of installing the new windows it
was found in the dirt underneath the church building and raised by the workers.
Parish Organizations
Sunday School
St.
Luke's Sunday School was organized in 1882 as soon as
Dr. Chapman began holding services in Los Gatos. Throughout the history of the
church, there has always been an active group with the attendance rising and
falling with the number of children available in the congregation. The first
group consisted of about 8 children but at times through the years it has built
to over 150 youngsters. There are no records of very early superintendents but in
the late teens and early 1920s, Miss Lucy Moody took charge of the Sunday School during the time when Mr. Collins was rector.
Soon
after Mr. Gillmor arrived in 1930, the following story appeared in the local
newspaper:
"When
Mr. Gillmor came to Los Gatos, the Sunday School had
but a mere dozen students but now through his efforts, it may boast of sixty.
The officers and teachers are as follows: Mr. Gilbert Becker, superintendent;
Mr. Richard Leslie, secretary-treasurer; Mrs. Heretage S. Powell, Mrs. W. J. F.
Steele, Mr. David Gillmor, Miss Virginia Seely, and Miss Betty Bedford."
Mrs.
Horace G. (Beatrice) Jones became superintendent after Gilbert Becker and
served in that capacity until 1945. During this time, the Sunday School grew and added teachers so that all grades, from
nursery to high school, could have separate classes. Since the only available
space was the large room of the Parish House, moveable screens were used to
divide this area into separate ÒroomsÓ. Mrs. Jones was
followed as superintendent by Mrs. Hans (Sadie) Neilsen in September
1945. Mrs. Neilsen served until June 1951 when Miss Dorothy Williams assumed
this responsibility. When the new Seabury Series was introduced in the early
1950's, the method of electing a chairman each year from the Sunday School faculty was used rather than an appointed
superintendent.
In
1958, Gene Myrick, a seminarian of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific,
was called to direct the Sunday School and other youth
activities. In 1960, Dr. William B. West, a philosophy professor at San Jose
City College and a member of the parish, was appointed Sunday School director,
followed by Celia Lupien and many other dedicated parents and teachers.
Since
the end of 1981, there has been an active Sunday School
with an approximate average of thirty children enrolled. Over the years, they
have produced a Christmas Eve family service in the afternoon, with varying
special features ranging from a traditional Nativity pageant to inclusive,
spontaneous celebrations and masses.
Music at St. Luke's
Senior Choir
Almost from the beginning
of activities at St. Luke's, there has been a choir. Among the first organists
was Miss Jessie M. Hall, as mentioned earlier in this history. Also serving as
an early organist was Miss Lucy Moody, sister of James C. Moody, one of the
first vestrymen of the parish.
After the new church (the
present 1901 church) was built following the fire, various people served as
organist and choir director including Mrs. Elizabeth Funke and Mrs. Marguerita
Huff. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Johnson were appointed as choir director and
organist respectively in the late 1920's and served until 1932. Following them,
Mr. Carl Crichton became choir director and was succeeded by Mrs. McCloud. Mrs.
A. R. (Viola) Gustafson became organist in March of 1932. She was appointed
choir director the following year. She held both positions until her retirement
in 1969.
Viola Gustafson was a fine
musician with a great love of all kinds of music. She loved to sight read new
music even more than to play old favorites. When Fred and Mabel Carter gave the
Carter Memorial pipe organ to the parish in 1938, she studied for a time with
J. Sidney Lewis, organist at Grace Cathedral. Dr. Lewis played the inaugural
recital at St. Luke's when the organ was dedicated on January 16, 1939.
This picture of Mrs. A. R. (Viola M.)
Gustafson was taken just prior to her retirement in 1969. She served as
organist for St. LukeÕs Church for 35 years.
This is the Senior Choir in a photo taken in
1944.
The members are:
Back row: Robert Thomsen, Fred Berryman, Mrs.
Thomsen, Sara Powell, Mildred Linn and Jack Paison.
Front row: Charles Davies, Winifred Doolittle
Hancock, Viola Gustafson (organist), Florence Laurie, Father Stanley Clapham (Rector)
and Richard Jones.
Under Mrs. Gustafson's
direction, the senior choir grew in numbers and quality and quickly developed
an important place in the life of the parish and the beauty of the service.
Many of the members joined the choir in their early teens and continued with
the group until their own children also became members.
After Mrs. Gustafson's
retirement, Mrs. Joyce Cayard Baily became organist, and continued until 1983,
when Jack Spiker served for a decade. When the church was remodeled in 1971,
the choir stalls were eliminated and the choir disbanded. A group of men, known
as the Men's Schola, served as cantors for the 10 o'clock service, with R. Dale
Horton as its first leader, succeeded by Jack Spiker. A Festival Chorus,
directed by Ms. Baily, sang at holiday masses. The current mixed choir was
formed in the 1990s, under Mark Bruce and then Richard Coulter. Mr. Bruce later
returned to St. LukeÕs succeeding Mr. Coulter.
Junior Choir
When
Mrs. Gustafson came to St. Luke's as organist in 1932, there was no junior
choir for the Sunday School. But as the Sunday School grew under Mr. Gillmor's enthusiastic direction, a
junior choir was formed and Mrs. Gustafson directed it also. She continued to
direct the group until 1942 when Sara Powell (Mrs. Bryan Millar) took over as
director. At that time, a separate family service was held before the children
attended Sunday School classes and the junior choir
sang for this service.
The
choir increased in membership until at one time there were 30 members between
the ages of 8 and 12 years. A Christmas pageant had been a tradition for many
years at St. Luke's and that was continued. Another highlight of the year was
the annual trip to Grace Cathedral for the ingathering of the Mite Boxes after
Easter. Junior choirs from each parish in the diocese took part in the service.
For St. Luke's youngsters, this afternoon service was always preceded by a fun
trip to Golden Gate Park and a picnic lunch.
After 16 years as choir director, Mrs. Millar retired
in 1958 and Donald McHenry assumed this responsibility with Mrs. Gustafson
still serving as organist. The choir continued until the late 1960's when it
was discontinued.
The Church
Organ and Bell
William Visscher of Santa Cruz constructed in place
the tracker action Visscher organ, Opus V, in 1992, using some of the pipes
from the 1938 Austin organ. Its building was funded by contributions from the
parish.
The "Rejoice" bell, from the Verdin Bell Co.
in Ohio, was installed in 1996, also from parish contributions to the project.
It has honored choristers and servers in the liturgy of the parish since its
inception.
Music at St.
LukeÕs
Recent additions to the music program at St. Luke's
have attracted and involved the local community: the Sunset Series of chamber
concerts, Evensong and First Sunday concerts, and the Compline service held on
the second Sunday of every month.
Women's Guilds of St. Luke's Church
St. Luke's Guild
From
the very beginning of St. Luke's Church, the women of the congregation have
played a very important part. It was a lady (Mrs. Thomas Evans) who helped
raise the first funds for building and another (Mrs. J. W. Lyndon) who gave the
lot on which to build.
The
women's guild, named "St. Luke's", has been a sort of "power behind
the throne" for almost the entire 100-year history of the parish. It was
these dedicated women who raised the money to build the Parish House (the one
still in use today) and who, through many difficult times, used their several
talents to supplement the meager parish income. In fact, many times it
was the St. Luke's Guild "to the rescue" with a garden party, card
party or bazaar, that kept the doors open and the bills paid.
After
91 years of faithful service to the parish, St. Luke's Guild (which had become
the Episcopal Church Women) was disbanded as an organization.
St. Margaret's Guild
From
talking with "old timers", it seems that St. Margaret's was
originally organized as a young ladies group prior to 1920 but did not continue
as such. In the early 1930's, it was re-organized as an evening guild composed
for the most part of young working women who could not
attend a guild meeting during the afternoon. They were very active in fund
raising for the parish and often assisted and cooperated with the
"senior" guild in serving parish dinners and other functions.
In
the 1940s, they took on the role of service guild to the Sunday School and junior choir. Thanks to their hard work,
furniture and rooms were painted for the Sunday School
and vestments were made for the junior choir. Their
Drama Teas with readings by Claire Loftus, smorgasbord luncheons and fashion
shows were all well attended by townspeople as well as parish members.
In
about 1963, St. Margaret's was discontinued as a separate guild and was
combined with St. Luke's Auxiliary.
One
national Episcopal organization, started by women as a missionary fund, is the
United Thank Offering -- now an "equal opportunity" outreach arm of
the national church. Currently all women of St. Luke's are considered members
of the national Episcopal Church Women organization, which meets during the
diocesan UTO In-gatherings. ECW connects with the Church Periodical Club and
other relief or outreach projects that the diocese or national ECW mounts.
St.
Luke's has celebrated an annual Women's Tea in recent years, which honors the
service of dedicated parishioners. Informal groups include the Dollars and
Sense Investment Club.
Young People's Fellowship
Shortly
after the arrival of the Rev. David Todd Gillmor as rector of St. Luke's, a
Young People's Fellowship (YPF) was organized in the parish. The group met on
Sunday evenings for discussions and social activities. The YPF increased in
size steadily and contributed much to parish life. Most of the young people
either sang in the choir, were acolytes, or taught Sunday School.
"Kitchen crews" for parish functions were usually YPF members. Prior
to World War II, annual Diocesan Summer Conferences were held first at
Asilomar, then the Presbyterian Conference Grounds at Lake Tahoe and at San
Rafael Military Academy for both high school and college age young people. St.
Luke's always had several representatives in attendance.
The
YPF ebbed with the start of the War but came back in force again later. In
1958, with St. Margaret's paying the cost, a seminarian, Gene Myrick of CDSP,
was called to direct youth activities. That same year, St. Luke's Church was
honored by having one of it's own, Richard Lorraine, elected president of the
Diocesan YPF.
In
the early 1940s, the diocese purchased property at Healdsburg, which was known
as the ÒBishopÕs Ranch", and this was used for conferences. This property
is still in use today.
In
the '60s and '70s, parish youth activities, other than acolytes, became more or
less dormant. However, they started to pick up again in the 1980's with Eleanor
Vora as coordinator. When the Rev. Ruth Eller was pastoral associate and
interim rector, the SLY (St. Luke's Youth) group produced a medieval morality
play in the patio, which was much appreciated by the parish audience. Since
then the young people of St. Luke's are mainly incorporated in the general
liturgical and educational activities of the parish community, with occasional
participation in diocesan youth events.
Vital Statistics
From the Parish Register of
1882-1922
Baptisms
The
following names were selected as "highlights" from the Register
because of their historical connections with either the parish or the Town of
Los Gatos.
Name of Parents |
Children |
Year of Baptism |
John and Mary Jane Cilker |
Ann Jane |
1883 |
|
Archie Lipsett |
1886 |
|
Ada Catherine |
1886 |
|
John Marvin |
1886 |
|
Robert Abner |
1886 |
|
William Hamilton |
1886 |
|
Frank Edgar |
1886 |
|
Florence May |
1886 |
John Weldon and Theodora
Lyndon |
Ora Evert |
1884 |
|
Irma Lyle |
1884 |
Joseph and Matilda
Robertshotte |
Alfred William |
1884 |
Samuel and Elizabeth Lyndon |
John Weldon (age 50) |
1886 |
Fred and Phoebe Suydam |
Frederick |
1886 |
S. Grant and Nellie Moore |
Virginia |
1887 |
|
Alice |
1895 |
James and Henrietta Pearce |
James Henry |
1887 |
|
Rita Georgina |
1893 |
Harry Bose and Alice Annette
Edwards |
George |
1889 |
|
Raymond Arden |
1889 |
|
Estelle Grace |
1889 |
Abraham and Ann Rose |
Abraham (age 56) |
1891 |
Jasper B. and Mary Aikin
(Moody) Todd |
Mary Elinore |
1892 |
Baptisms, cont.
Name of Parents |
Children |
Year of Baptism |
Richard R. and Mary E. Bell |
Alicia Bertha |
1894 |
|
Francis Arthur |
1894 |
|
Susie Rundell |
1894 |
|
Archibald Holmes |
1894 |
|
Elizabeth Emma |
1897 |
|
Richard Rundell |
1897 |
|
Evangeline Janette |
1899 |
Eustace H. and Jessie M.
Blakey |
Elizabeth
Hall |
1895 |
Hugh R. and Rose Rebecca
Roberts |
Roma
Louise |
1897 |
|
Sabra
Lynda |
1899 |
|
Seymour
Jackson |
1919 |
Elert Ernest and Erma
Beardslee Place |
George
Beardslee |
1902 |
Fred and Calista M. Berryman |
Alice |
1904 |
|
Fredrick
William |
1904 |
|
Charles
Alfred |
1907 |
|
Arthur
Shea |
1912 |
Charles and Amy Berryman |
Myra
Robins |
1904 |
|
Lorena
Rodgers |
1904 |
|
Emelyn
Vernet |
1904 |
George M. and Elizabeth
Hubbell |
John
Robert |
1905 |
Richard and Anna S.
Spreckels |
Thelma
Eleanor |
1907 |
|
Richardine
Lola |
1908 |
Stevens Delos and Lucy May
Balch |
Mary
Frances |
1909 |
|
William
Cosgrave |
1912 |
Ralph Vince and Emma Stolte
Garrod |
Vince
Stolte |
1919 |
(original
entry in St. John's, Saratoga) |
Richard
Ralph |
1920 |
Dexter and Olive Shaw
Farwell |
Levi
Asa Farwell (age 66) |
1920 |
Early Confirmations
As
would be expected, most of the children and adults listed as baptized were also
confirmed at the appropriate time. Therefore, this listing will mention just a
few that either pertains to parish activities or Los Gatos events.
James
Camp Moody, one of the first vestrymen, was confirmed in 1885 at the age of 34.
Of interest to history buffs, was the confirmation of Laurence Bulmore in 1906.
Laurence was the son of Robert R. Bulmore who was superintendent of the New
Almaden Quicksilver Mines. After his father's death in 1909, young Laurence and
his mother came to live at their ranch on the Los Gatos-Almaden Road where Miss
Elizabeth Blakely played with him when they were children.
The
confirmation class of 1907 included Dr. Robert P. Gober (age 48) who was a
family doctor to several generations of Los Gatans. The 1912 group had among
its members Ruth Beatrice Rigby, who taught at Los Gatos Grammer School for
many years and Sarah Esdale Theresa Shiels (Mrs. Harold J. Stanfield). Levi Asa
Farwell's name appears again for his confirmation in 1920.
Early
Marriages
As
with the confirmations, only marriages that pertain to parish or town history
will be listed.
The
first wedding held in St. Luke's Church was that of Emma L. Cushing and Louis
Judson Starr on November 6, 1884.
In
1889, Saidee Alice Hamilton and Charles Christian Suydam were united in
marriage.
Jessie
M. Hall and Eustace H. Blakey were wed on January 3, 1894.
Dr.
F. W. Knowles, an early Los Gatos physician, was one of the witnesses at the
wedding of Rose Rebecca Williams and Hugh Ross Roberts on January 2, 1895.
The
following marriages took place in the early 1900's: Apri1 30, 1902, Irma L.
Lyndon and James D. Farwell; December 30, 1915, Edith W. Flint and George B.
Place; Apri1 30, 1916, Emma Stolte and Ralph Vince Garrod; October 14, 1916,
Sue Rundle Bell and Sewall Solon Brown.
Burials
The
following burials are just a very few selected from the early registers that
reflect names that have appeared earlier as organizers of the parish.
Date
of Burial |
Name |
Age |
November
7, 1888 |
Theresa
Lyndon |
45 |
February
27, 1898 |
Abraham
Rose |
63 |
October
15, 1903 |
*Harry
B. Edwards |
44 |
July
15, 1909 |
Refugio
R. Bulmore |
46 |
May
14, 1921 |
Annette
Bean Gober |
53 |
December
11, 1921 |
James
Camp Moody |
71 |
*Mr. Edwards was the father
of Estelle Grace Edwards who was known to a generation of Los Gatos Grammer
School 6th graders as "Mrs. Teall".
Over the ensuing years the vital statistics have included a number of baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials that reflect the slow but steady growth of the congregation to the present level of about 190 "pledging units." Parishioners have also continued to be active in this and surrounding communities, and the parish rolls still contain readily recognizable local names.
Addendum
After
this book was originally printed, the following letter was found. It was
written by Francis H. McCullagh to The Rev. John Collins, rector of St. Luke's
at the time and is dated April 8, 1923. An excerpt from this letter follows:
"During
the autumn and winter Dr. Chapman was ill, so he held services in his house.
But he never wavered in his desire to see a church built.
Later
a meeting was held and a building committee appointed and at this meeting Mrs.
Robershotte placed a gold piece in my hand and that was the first actual
contribution here to St. Luke's. On April 7, 1883, at Dr. Chapman's request, I
went to inspect and take measurements of the church at Santa Clara. When I went
to report the next day, I found he had been stricken suddenly and he died that
afternoon, just forty years ago. His devoted daughter, Mrs. Kennedy, said that
almost his greatest desire was that if a church was built he should be laid to
rest in a vault under the chancel, where he had hoped to minister to his
people. He was buried in the old cemetery, but when the church was finished we
moved the body to the vault under it, as he had wished. The little church was
built that summer and was very attractive and we had beautiful memorial
furniture, which came from New York.
This
church with nearly all its contents was burned in the fire of 1901. When Bishop
Kip consecrated the church on September 23, 1883, everything was completely
paid for and I remember having a balance on hand of less than $1.00, which I
put in the first offertory taken. The Bishop remarked that it was the only
church in the Diocese that was entirely paid for and consecrated at the first
regular service.
Dr.
Chapman was one of the most attractive men I have ever known, with most lovable
manners. His late wife was a deaf mute and they had a school in Kentucky for
deaf and dumb girls.
He
was a cultured Christian gentleman of the old school and the inscription on his
tablet in the chancel is strikingly appropriate.
"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee
a crown of life."
Revised 1999
St. Luke's
Episcopal Church
Germantown, Pennsylvania
In preparing this history
of St, Luke's Church, Los Gatos, I wrote to the rector of St. Luke's,
Germantown to tell him and his congregation that their "namesake" was
about to celebrate it's 100th birthday.
The Rev. Robert W. Hill,
rector of the parish, responded with a kind note thanking me for the
information I had given him and, in turn, sending me a brochure from their
160th anniversary. From this, I learned that when the congregation gave so
generously to us in 1882, their parish was already 71 years old. To quote from
their brochure
"the missionary activity of the congregation stands in bold
relief".
It goes on to say that
throughout their history, they have established and supported five missions.
While St. Luke's, Los Gatos, is not one of them, we were the beneficiaries of
their very generous giving.
SPM
(c) Copyright 1982: St. Luke's
Episcopal Church, Los Gatos, CA
Revised
and updated April 2008 and October 2017