Upon the decease of John Wallace and Ebenezer Lobdell, first wardens of the parish, their successors, Benjamin Close and Gershoni Hanford,^ together widi the vestry, resolved on the erection of the present building. The corner stone was laid on the 30th of August, 1810, by the Rev. Nathan Felch, who delivered a well adapted discourse upon the occasion. The principal benefactors were Epenetus Wallace, M.D., and Joseph Purdy, Esq., with others. Trinity Church also liberally contributed the sum of $1000 in 1813.

St. James's Church was consecrated to the service of Almighty God in 1816, by the Right Rev. John H. Hobart.

a Reports of Propagation Society.

b Thompson's Long Island, vol. ii. 344.

c We regret to state that the chalice, connected with so many interesting associations, was subsequently sold, by order of the vestry, for the sum of ^100.

d This gentleman is the son of Gershom Hanford, great grandson of the Rev. Thos. Hanford, first Presbyterian minister of Norwalk, Conn., who died A. D. 1693.

YoL. I. 61

482 HISTORY OF THE

Mr. Stebbins Baxter, a resident of this town, who died on the 28th of February, 1S20, bequeathed his entire property to St. James's parish, amounting (according to an inventory of his estate) to 83000, which, after deducting general expenses, dec, left a balance of 82000. The church, however, owing to the failure of his executors, only obtained the sum of $1100. In 1837 the present vestry room was added to the church at a cost of $100. In 1842 the wardens and vestrymen erected the parsonage house and barn, &c., the expenses being defrayed by public subscription, amounting to $1100.^