Rev. Elkanah Franklyn Remington

Narrative:

     Rev. Elkanah Franklyn Remington was born on 17 Mar 1817 in Vermont.^5,6,7
     He was probably one of the two males under age 10 listed in the household of his father, Zadock Remington Jr., in the 1820 Federal Census of Castleton, Rutland Co., Vermont.¹⁵ He was probably one of the two males age 10 to 15 appearing on the 1830 Federal Census of Rutland Co., Vermont, in the household of Zadock Remington, his paternal grandfather. It appears his parents were also in that household.¹⁶
     His father died on 1 Aug 1830, when Elkanah was 13 years old.^17,18
     He was a sailor before attending college.¹⁹
     On 6 Apr 1836 Benjamin F. Langdon, guardian of Elkanah, his brother John, and their sister Mary, was authorized by the Probate Court to sell their interest in all the real estate they had inherited from their late father. On 7 Jun 1836 he sold 68 acres, what remained of their father's farm in Castleton after small portions had been sold by the administrators to Marcus G. Langdon for $1,600. It was sold subject to their mother's dower, a one-third life interest in the property. It was also encumbered by a mortgage their father had given his father in 1818 for a $2,000 loan that apparently had not been fully repaid.²⁰
     Elkanah attended Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, then sponsored by the Methodist Church, in 1838. University President Wilber Fisk described him as "a needy but worthy young man" in asking Henry B. Bascom, then a professor at Augusta College, to assist him in transferring there.²¹ He graduated from Augusta College, Augusta, Kentucky, another Methodist college, after transferring there.²¹

Becoming a Methodist Minister --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He was "admitted on trial" as a local minister by the Indiana Conference in Oct 1839. He was stationed in Rushville, Indiana, for the following year, but was not there the next year in Oct 1839.²² An Apr 1841 Indianapolis newspaper reported that when Rev. E. F. Remington had spoken the prior Sunday "a number of our citizens were most agreeably entertained by this extraordinary clergyman. He preached at the Christian Church...As a fluent speaker we have never heard his equal."²³
     He was "admitted on trial" by the Mississippi Conference in Nov 1842. He was stationed in Port Gibson, Mississippi, for the following year.²⁴ In Mar 1843 Elkanah opened "a Classical School for young lads and misses" in Port Gibson, Mississippi. The tuition was "very moderate, only three dollars per month for Latin and English branches, and four dollars for Greek and Mathematics." The announcement said he "finds himself under pecuniary obligations to kind friends for the few last years in his College course, which he wishes to liquidate."²⁵
     He was stationed with L. Pearee in Coles Creek, Mississippi, Charge for 1844.²⁶
     The Methodist Episcopal Church, South split off from the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1844. Elkanah was "admitted on trial" by the Troy, New York Conference in Apr 1845. He was stationed in Rutland and Clarendon Springs, Vermont, for the following year.²⁷ In Jul 1847 he was appointed to East Hebron, Vermont.²⁸
     Elkanah married Mary Elizabeth Hannibal on 25 Dec 1847 in Hebron, Washington Co., New York, with Rev. Meeker of Pawlet, Vermont, offciating.^8,9,10

Becoming an Episcopal Minister --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He became an Episcopal clergyman in the late 1840s. He served for a few months in the 1840s at St. Peters Church, an Episcopal church established in Bennington, Vermont, 21 Jul 1834.²⁹ He accepted the rectorship of Grace Church, Chicopee, Massachusetts, 23 Sep 1849. He served until 21 Apr 1851, when the church was closed, and he was transferred to the Diocese of New York.^30,31,32
     Elkanah and Mary appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Chicopee, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, enumerated 12 Sep 1850. Their daughter Grace was listed as living with them.¹
     Elkanah and Mary moved to Brooklyn, New York, about 1851.³³
     Elkanah was appointed Missionary at Large by the Protestant Episcopal Church Missionary Society for Seamen (now the Seamen's Church Institute) in 1852, serving until Jun 1858. He was stationed at Coenties Slip, a developing hub for shipping in lower Manhattan, now Pearl St. and Hanover Square. He held services for seamen and those living in the neighborhood or on docked boats, preaching on the pier or on the decks of barges, later under a donated tent. In his 1857 report he wrote:
     Elkanah and Mary appeared on the 1855 State Census of Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, enumerated 9 Jun 1855, reporting they were living in a brick house valued at $3,000. Their children Grace, Clara and Mary were listed as living with them.³⁷

Continuing After the Loss of His Wife --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     His wife died on 29 Apr 1859 in Brooklyn, New York.^38,39
     Elkanah appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, enumerated 18 Jun 1860, reporting no real or personal estate. His children Grace, Clara and Edward were listed as living with him, as were Sarah, age 19, apparently a relative, and Bridget Murphy, an Irish servant.⁴⁰
     The Church of the Atonement, on the corner of 17th St. and 5th Ave., Brooklyn, was incorporated 1 Feb 1864. Elkanah took charge when the second pastor, Rev. Lea Luquer, resigned in Apr 1866. But the situation was apparently not well received by all. Later that year Elkanah sued the vestrymen and wardens for damages on account of the non-reception of a call. Five vestrymen had voted for employing him and five against, so the presiding officer declared that no choice had been made. Elkanah went to court to enforce his claim, but Judge Gilbert delivered an adverse opinion, and the church remained without a rector.^41,42
     Elkanah appeared on the 1865 State Census of Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, enumerated 6 Jun 1865, living in a brick house valued at $3,000. His children Grace, Clara and Edward were listed as living with him.⁴³
     Elkanah appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, enumerated 3 Aug 1870. His children Grace, Clara and Edward were listed as living with him, as was Winnefred Zonnell, a 22-year-old domestic.²
     Elkanah appeared on the 1875 State Census of Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, at 235 Bergan St., enumerated 9 Jun 1875, reporting they lived in a brick house, valued at $8,000. His children Grace and Edward were listed as living with him, as was Katie Murphy, an Irish servant.⁴⁴
     Elkanah appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York, enumerated 15 Jun 1880, with Ellen Cummins, a 25-year-old servant also listed in the household.⁴⁵
     He continued as a street minister serving seamen in New York the rest of his life.^{46,47,48,49,50}
     He wrote at least two books. He published The City of Sin and its Capture by Immanuel's Army: An Allegory in 1857, and Our National House, Its Founders and Defenders in 1873.⁵¹

Dealing With an Errant Son --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     When he had Edward, his "vagabond son" as he called him, arrested for habitual drunkenness in May 1886, he told a reporter "My boy had the advantage of a good education, and had every prospect before him of becoming a good and useful man in the world, but the saloon keepers, who hate me more than I hate the devil, got him to drink." He continued "I have always decried tobacco and rum, I have made a host of enemies among the voraries of those vices. There is not a barkeeper in the City of Brooklyn who would not give my son all the liquor he wants, with the hope of hurting me through him." He had amassed quite a fortune, and told the reporter "I will have to leave that boy $25,000 or $30,000 when I die, and I don't know what in the world will become of him. The money will be wasted in no time."⁵²
     Elkanah left a will dated 12 Sep 1888 in Brooklyn, New York, in which he directed that his just debts be paid, then left all his estate, real and personal, to his daughter Grace. He also named her as executrix.^53,54
     Elkanah died on 10 Jul 1889 in West Orange, Essex Co., New Jersey, at age 72, at the home of his daughter Grace and her husband, Alfred Atkins.^11,12,13 He was buried on 15 Jul 1889 in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, in a family plot.¹⁴
     His will was probated on 23 Jul 1889 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.^55,53