HISTORY OF GRACE MEMORIAL CHURCH; The Hammond Vindicator,
Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, LA; Nov. 10, 1933; page 1
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Carol Nelson, June, 2000.

Source:  Film 395/Reel #4; 1 January 1933-28 December 1933  Hill
Memorial Library, L.S.U., Baton Rouge, LA

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                     History of Grace Memorial Church

  A most interesting history of Grace Memorial Church, which has
been stored away for a good many years in the Episcopal Rectory,
has been discovered recently by the Rev. Tate Young.  The history
was compiled by the Rev. Normand B. Harris while he was Rector of
Grace Memorial church, the oldest church in Hammond.  This
account was read to the congregation at the evening service
Easter Sunday April 15, 1900.  Besides the history, the book in
which it is written contains invaluable records of dates of
baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and death, of pioneer
settlers of Hammond, and younger members of the church.  This
book is a priceless treasure to Grace Memorial Church and a
valuable asset to the town of Hammond.  Many interesting facts in
the account here given have been contributed by Mrs. Lou Dameron,
Mrs. Kate Corbin, Mrs. Lucille McGee, Mrs. J. M. Fourmy and Mrs.
Horace Green.

   The first Sunday School in Hammond was organized in 1866 by
Mr. Melzar Waterman, of Boston, the grandfather of Mrs. Dameron.
He was the first superintendent, and continued in this position
until his death, when the work was taken up and carried on by Mr.
Pierce, a native of Virginia.  The Sunday School was first
conducted in the house on the south end of the second square on
South Oak Street.  Later it met over a store and warehouse east
of the railroad.  When this building burned the Sunday School
moved its quarters to the dining room of the boarding house
located where the Citizens Bank now stands.

   For church services the people of the town were dependent on
circuit riders of various denominations.  Services were held in
halls, business buildings and homes.  The first Protestant
Episcopal services were conducted by the Rev. Herman Duncan.  He
was sent out by the Diocese of Louisiana to preach among the
settlements along the Jackson Railroad, which is now the Illinois
Central.

   Through the efforts of Mr. Duncan a request was placed in a
New York church paper asking financial help for building a church
in Hammond, La.  A lady whose name was never known here
contributed an amount between $500 and $1000, with the proviso
that the church should be Protestant Episcopal in denomination.
This was very readily agreed to for the following reason:  In the
year succeeding the War Between the States Mr. C. E. Cate took
his wife and children to New England to visit his relatives.  In
almost every church which they attended the war was discussed,
but in the Episcopal Church no reference was ever made to the
subject. Mr. Cate and his wife having come south when very young
were southern sympathizers; and although he was a Baptist and she
was a Congregationalist, it was very agreeable to them to become
members of the Episcopal Church.  Others interested in the
project held the same point of view.

   The Hammond Mission Society was organized by the women for the
purpose of erecting and maintaining a church.  The officers were
Mrs. C. E. Cate, president; Mrs. H. M. Morrison, secretary; Mrs.
Nellie Wilcombe, treasurer; other directors and very active
members were Mrs. Hattie Mooney, and Miss Mary Cable, the sister
of George Cable, the author.  The first meeting of the Society
was held November 3, 1873.  A square of ground on which to build
the church was given by Mr. Cate.  The reason for the particular
location selected was its proximity to the railroad.  The church
members wanted the passengers on the trains to know that they
lived in a Christian and civilized community.  The Sunday School
children became interested in the building of the church.  Each
child and young person helped as well as their elders.  Girls
made quilts and old ladies made knitted articles, and the
proceeds of their sales were given to the church fund.  Men and
boys cleared the land and hauled bricks for the foundations of
the church.  The actual carpenter work was done mainly by Mr.
Harry Stewart, Mr. William Cassie, and a colored man named Israel
Carter, recently deceased.  The financial burden rested
principally on the Hammond Mission Society.  After the church had
been erected in 1875 a debt remained of about $1200.

   The church was called Grace Church or Grace Chapel.  The first
services in it were held on the second Sunday in Lent, March 12,
1876, by the Rt. Rev. Joseph Wilmer, Bishop of the Diocese of
Louisiana.  On this date Thomas Waterman Cate, Lou Cate, and Mary
Eudora Ott were confirmed, and Samuel Melzar Cate was baptized.
Mrs. Mercy Ann Cate, later called Mertie Ann Cate, had worked
untiringly and courageously for the erection and maintenance of
this church, and the welfare of the people in the community.
Just before her death, December 7, 1887, and at her request, the
debt of $850, owed to her husband, Mr. C. E. Cate, was cancelled
by him.  The church was consecrated to her memory as Grace
Memorial Church by the Rt. Rev. John Galleher, Bishop of
Louisiana, October 28, 1888.

   The furnishing of the church was a work of love and memory on
the part of many people.  The Chancel furniture, Chancel rail,
Bishop's chair, and reading desk were made by skillful men of
Hammond.  There was an organ which later was replaced by a pipe
organ given by Mr. C. E. Cate as a memorial to his son, Thos. W.
Cate.  The Chancel window was given by Trinity Church in New
Orleans and the window in the rear by Christ Church, New Orleans.
The Chancel window was broken by a hail storm and was replaced
by the congregation.  The communion service was given by Mrs.
Mercy Ann Cate and Mrs. F. G. Stewart; and the communion linen by
Mrs. H. C. Mooney and Mrs. J. A. Braselman.  Miss Addie Evans
gave the Baptismal Font in honor of Byrne Raoul.  The bell was a
gift by Mr. Henry Basford as a memorial to his son, J. W.
Basford.  The Bible was donated by the Rev. Robert Stuart when he
was minister here.  Mrs. J. B. Bailey gave the alms basin.  The
Altar vases were contributed by the Rev. H. R. Carson as a
memorial to his mother.  The Cross was given by the kinsmen of
Mrs. J. A. Braselman in her memory.   The Hymnal board was a gift
from Mertie Memorial Guild in memory of Miss Zella Close. The
painting on the west wall of the Chancel, "The Son of Man hath
not where to lay His head," was given by Mr. Gubernator as a
tribute to Mrs. Cate.  The Prayer book and Hymnal used in the
Chancel were Easter offerings form the Ladies' Aid, in 1899, as
was the Prayer desk from the Mertie Memorial Guild the same year.
Other Prayer books were secured by the Rev. Carson and Hymnals
were given by Mr. John E. Wilcombe in memory of his father.  The
church contains two beautiful memorial windows.  The one behind
the Altar is a memorial to Mrs. Mertie Ann Cate given by Mr. and
Mrs. E. P. Dameron, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Cate, and Mr. Sam
Cate.  The window on the west wall is a memorial to Mr. and Mrs.
Melzar Waterman and Mrs. Catherine Waterman Stewart.
  The Chapel was added to the church as a gift from Miss Agnes
Durkee in memory of her father, mother, and brother.  The Sunday
School room is a memorial to Miss Lucy Braselman.

   In July 1899 two lots of square No. 24 on North Oak street
were purchased through the efforts of the Mertie Memorial Guild
to use as Rectory property.  For a number of years Mr. Chase
Franklin of Boston had made Easter offerings to Grace Memorial
Church in memory of his mother, Mrs. Clora S. Franklin.  These
sums of money were applied to the rectory fund and formed the
nucleus from which the lots were purchased.

   Up to the time of the compiling of this data by the Rev.
Normand B. Harris, Louisiana had had four Bishops, Polk, Wilmer,
Galleher,and Sessums.  He says that the last three of these had
at times "graced the Chancel of this little church with their
Godly presence."  The clergymen who had "ministered at the Altar
of Grace Memorial Church and served the necessities of her
people" were the Reverends Herman Duncan, Robert Stuart, A. J.
Tardy, George Upton, A. S. Clark, Edward Fontaine, Samuel M.
Wiggins, John Gordon, W. C. Barnes, T. R. B. Trader, Henry Fitch,
Arthur Price, H. R. Carson, E. A. Neville, and Normand B. Harris.
Since the Rev. Harris' ministry those who have served Grace
Memorial Church have been the Reverends S. R. Duval, J. Donehue,
A. W. Skarden, John Gray, J. W. Bleker, Edward McCrady, George
Wharton, and Tate Young.

   The Rev. Harris concludes the history with these beautiful
words:  "There must be a power of spiritual consecration behind
every movement put forward by man to the glory of God before that
movement can obtain God's blessing.  That which is undertaken
through self-sacrifice and love He blesses.  The compiler of this
history believes that God's blessing has rested upon Grace
Memorial Church and its congregation and that it will continue
so to rest, and he foresees days of gladness and of strength and
of brightness which will but add lustre to the days that are
gone."

   The picture of the church taken long ago when there was a
fence around the property, belongs to Mrs. Kate Morrison Corbin
and was kindly loaned by her for reproduction with this article.
Among interesting relics connected with the church Mrs. Corbin
has a Bible picture that was presented to Mr. Benjamin Morrison
for regular attendance at Sunday School, and a book that was
presented to her, when both were small children.

   Grace Memorial Church since its erection in 1875 has
experienced changes in the size and personnel of its membership.
Many of the older members have died, some have moved away, and
new members have joined the church.  "But there are still some
few remaining who remind us of the past."  Many descendants of
the pioneer members now belong to the church and the good old
American names of Neelis, Cate, Wilcombe, Hill, Morrison,
Dameron, Spencer, and Corbin and others are still represented.
Through all the changes and developments the words of the Rev.
Harris in regard to the spiritual conditions of the church are
still applicable; and his prophecy has come to pass and days of
brightness, gladness and strength have "added lustre to the days
that are gone."