Our History and Our Legacy
Colonel Edwin L. Drake, first warden and treasurer
St. James Memorial Episcopal Church was first opened for services on May 1, 1864; the first permanent structure of any kind and as such has become the oldest place of continuing worship in the city. Colonel Edwin L. Drake was the first warden and treasurer of the church and the names of the first governing bodies of the church read like a roster of prominent citizens of this community, indicating that the church had an integral part in the development of the city. To quote Dr. Purdon, the first rector, the building of St. James Church was, "a trial of faith in the midst of doubters." It was he who inspired faith in the future of Titusville in the hearts of so many of the leading citizens of that day. From the inspiration of this beginning, St. James Church has been a source of spiritual growth in good times and not so good times, from inception to present, expressing the love of God through word and deed.
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Rt. Rev. Samuel Bowman
The life of this Parish is intimately connected with the life and death of the Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Bowman, D. D. During the last. year of his long and active ministry an unusual interest attached itself to this portion of the Diocese by the discovery of Petroleum in commercial quantities by Colonel Edwin Drake, that doughty pioneer who was later to be the first Warden and Treasurer of this Church. The lucrative trade arising from the discovery of this new article of commerce naturally attracted a large population to this hitherto sparsely populated and sequestered region of Pennsylvania. And while the East and the West rapidly contributed men who were all eager in the pursuit of wealth, the heart of the kind and noble Bishop Bowman kindled with a longing desire to scatter amid the temporal bounties of an indulgent Providence the far richer blessings of his Grace. The good Bishop desired to preach the Gospel and establish the Church of Christ where as yet few attempts had been made to supply the spiritual wants of a rapidly increasing population.
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A Brief History of St. James
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The discovery of oil in Titusville in 1859 by Colonel Edwin L. Drake attracted considerable attention to this rather remote section of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. As a result, in 1861 Bishop Samuel Bowman, who dies enroute, and then one year later, The Reverend Henry Purdon, traveled to the “oil regions” to establish an Episcopal Church.
On June 8, 1862, the first Episcopal services were held in a public meeting hall and a Vestry was formed with Colonel Drake serving as the first warden and Treasurer. The church, under the spiritual leadership of Father Purdon, continued to grow and prosper, creating a pressing need for a permanent church building. A local subscription drive plus the proceeds from a recently established Bishop Bowman Memorial Fund provided sufficient funds to acquire the site and build the structure which today is St. James Memorial Episcopal Church. The name St. James was chosen since it was the name of the church in Lancaster where Bishop Bowman presided as Rector for many years. Construction of the new church began on August 26, 1863 and the cornerstone was laid on September 14. Encased in the stone are various church manuscripts, several denominations of US currency, local newspapers and a vial of oil from the Drake Well. The church, which was the first stone building in Titusville, was erected at the cost of approximately $11,000.00. It opened for services on May 1, 1864 and remains the oldest original place of worship in the City of Titusville. From these early beginnings, the church has had a long and distinguished history. Numerous alterations have been made and many beautiful memorial windows, including one signed by Tiffany which depicts the baptism of Jesus by John, have been added but the basic structure remains virtually the same as it was 154 years ago. In 1962, the interior of the church was redecorated with all new pews, choir stalls, carpeting and a new heating system. A new parish hall was constructed in 1972 that replaced the original built in 1864 and was dedicated on September 14th. In August of 1986, St. James began the most aggressive capital fund drive in its history. The goal was set at $300,000. The drive funded projects to repair the roof and foundation along with replacing sidewalks, adding a handicap entrance, remodeled restrooms in the parish house, organ repair and enclosed the walkway between the church and parish house. The drive also supported the replacement of the church heating system. In 1999, there was a fund drive that raised $95,000 to restore the 1909 Austin church organ. Several much needed repairs were made to the historic instrument. |