From “Trinity Parish Centennial 1861-1961”
The founding of Trinity Church came through the efforts of Episcopalians who had settled in what would become Santa Clara County beginning from the Mexican Era in the 1840s. Bishop Kip’s in 1854 gathered the little band of nine members continued keep alive the spark of their hope for a church of their own, meeting in their homes and sometimes in the little Presbyterian Church whose neighbor Trinity Church was eventually to be for many years.
Because of the remoteness of the West, the difficulty of transportation, the general unrest preceding the Civil War, and the shortage of clergy, it was difficult to find a leader for the loyal little flock. Late in 1860, however, the Rev. Sylvestrer S. Ethridge arrived from the East, to become rector and hold his first services during Advent (December 2, 1860). He was a young unmarried man, who came West seeking to improve his health, but one who gave energetic and devoted leadership at a time when it was most needed
Meeting around as they could, the membership grew larger; the resultant press for permanent quarter continued until early in February 1861, when arrangements were made “for a meeting of those citizens of the Protestant Episcopalian persuasion” to be held in the firehouse on North Market Street. (A portion of that building still stands.) Some were doubtful of the future prospects of the small group, but soon on the strength of its growth and offer was made to transfer the services to the second story of the build which was used as a courtroom.
Communion vessels, altar lines, service books, a melodeon, and other articles necessary for the dignified celebration of the Holy Communion were obtained. The young rector served as organist, chorister, and priest!
Trinity Parish was formally organized on Washington’s Birthday, February 22, 1861, as duly recorded in the venerable and carefully preserved leather minute book which is still a treasured possession of the Parish…
The small congregation thrived, eagerly formed a choir and a Sunday School, and planned for a church building. This was a period of rapid expansion in which is now known to us as the downtown area, and coupled with the completion for building lots was the legal insecurity of many property deeds. The vestry first purchased a lot at Fifth and San Antonio, making plans to have the church face on Washington Square, opposite the new Normal School (now California State University, San Jose). They were forced to give this up and return to its original intention of buying the property at Second and St. John, then a part of large holdings extending from the Vendome Hotel to Fourt Stree and belongin to Major Samuel Hensley. It was part of the corral, surrounded by ahigh board fence and covered with wild mustard which seems to have spread everywhere over the valley.
On this spot, facing St. John’s Street, with the altar opposite, was built the original Trinity Church out of native redwood. (Renovation disclosed most of this wood to be Douglas Fir.) Put together with the shipbuilder’s art, it ha given and swayed down through the years from the forces of storm and earthquake but with very minor damage. For some time the winds of this church were coved with cloth until the arrival of stained glass which had been ordered from Doremus of New York and sent around the Horn, the same windows through which the sunlight still glows in such soft rich tones of red and blue and green and gold to lighten and beautify Trinity Church today.
The first service in the new church was held on Advent Sunday, 1863, just three years after the Rev. Ethridge had call the first service in the Market Street firehouse. Unfortunately, the young rector was not able to preach the first sermon in the new church, and becoming weaker, we soon force to give up even the reading of the prayers. On February 18, 1864, the parish lost its devoted founder and rector. His body, as he had requested, was laid to rest under the chancel.
A list of the first communicates is as follows:
Registered by REV. SYLVESTER S. ETHERIDGE. 1861 - 1863 First Communicants and Baptisms Appleton, Joseph L. Appleton, Sarah Atchinson, L. M. (Mrs.) Bond, George W. Broodbent, (Miss) Broodbent, Mary A. Brown, O. C. (Mrs.) Calvert, Elizabeth Canon, A. J. Case, F. M. (Mrs.) Cassey, Peter Clarke, Francis B. Coleman, Caroline Comstock, Ellen D. Cory, (Mrs.) Creighton, Emily A. (Mrs.) Creighton, Frederick Daniels, William Davis, William R. Devine, Frances Fowler, William A. Hadley, Daniel Hammond, J. W. Hammond, R. C. Hamn, (Mrs.) Hanjary, Anna Hardy, Sarah J. Hart, Anna Hartman, B, Hartman, B. (Mrs.) Hartwell, Julia Hayes, N. (Mrs.) Healey, (Mrs.) Hester, Sallie Hewlings, Margaret Holabird, Sarah Jones, Mary (Mrs.) Kingsbury, B. B. Lendrum, Anne E. Lissak, H, (Mrs.) Lissak, H. Littlefield, Ellen (Mrs.) Littlefield, J. M. Lowe, James R. Lowe, Mary A. Mallory, C. B. (Mrs.) Marvin, Ellen C. Meadowcroft, (Mr.) Meadowcroft, (Mrs.) Meadowcroft, Mary J. Petrie, Mrs. Pomeroy, Everett Ray, Hepsibah Read (Miss) Reedway, (Mrs.) Rhodes, Carrie Schallenberger, Fannie M. (Mrs.) Scott, S. (Miss) Smith, H. E. (Mrs.) Snook, Robert (Mrs.)Spencer, Eleanor Thorn, Portia Warhurst, Ann B. Weatherhead, James White, Rebecca V. Yoell, Emily (Mrs.) Yoell, James Alexander Baptisms
1861 - 1864
Appleton, Joseph Smith
Barker, Robert L
Barker, Zilpah V
Baxter, George
Baxter, (Mrs.)
Byron, Fred
Canfield, William W
Cassey, Amy Henrietta
Creighton, Frederick John
Crowell, Mary
Dana, Laura Amelia
Djalina, Frank
Hardy, Mark Robson
Hardy, Franklin Graves
Hart, Mary
Hart, Anna
Hart, Henry
Hart, Toland
Hart, William
Hammond, Lutitia May
Hangary, Annie S
Hartwell, Julia A
Heath, John Alfred
Heath, Frederick William
Heath, Emma Jane
Hedge, William S
Hensley, Mary Helen
Holabird, John Thomas
Hough, Angelina Jane
Jacobs, Sara Frances
Jacobs, Robert
Klotz, Christina
Lendrum, Fliza
Lendrum, Andrew Reubin
Lendrum, Mary Jane
Lendrum, Maud Anna
Leroy, Marcul
Littlefield, John M
Littlefield, Edith Rebecca
Mayo, Gabrilla V
Mayo, Cordelia M
Marston, James Allen
Meadowcroft, Robert R
Meadowcroft, William Henry
Mellor, George Frederick
Miller, Horace Lee
Norris, Frank Brown
Olden, Catherine Wilkins
Pearl, James Hanks
Peacock, George Winfield
Peck, Emma
Peck, Francis
Peck, Lilly
Pope, Happy Albertina
Porter, Warren Reynold
Prescott, Emma Jane
Prescott, William Syms
Schallenberger, Margaret Everitt
Schallenberger, Lou Townsend
Schoenheight, George William
Searle, Catherine L
Searle, Sophia Caroline
Smith, Mary
Smith, Joseph
Smith, Willette
Stanfield, Tames
Stanfield, Phebe Jane
Thompson, Harry Scott
Toms, Joseph Henry
Warhurst, Ralph King
Warhurst, Thomas Kussuth
Warhurst, Lizzie Ann
Watkins, Edmond Cairns
Weed, Hampton
Wells, Harriet Mary
Wells, David Ashley
White, Rebecca Alexander
White, Charles Brooks
White, Elbert Lockwood
White, Anna Magdalen
White, Howard
Yoell, Alice Virginia
Yoell, James Alexander
Yoell, John Hampden
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