The First Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, New York was the first organized religious body formed in what was then the western frontier of New York State. The church is part of the Presbytery of Western New York which is part of the Synod of the Northeast, a regional body of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The town of Buffalo was sparsely populated when the church was organized on February 2, 1812. However, having survived the War of 1812, the town of Buffalo was rebuilt and rapidly grew with the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. The first two buildings were located on the same downtown lot. However, the congregation relocated between 1889 and 1891 to its present location approximately one and-a-half miles to the north in a more residential area.
Early years (1812–1824) Organized February 2, 1812, by the traveling Missionary, Reverend Thaddeus Osgood during his fifth annual visit to the then village of Buffalo, "The First Presbyterian and Congregationalist Church of the town of Buffalo" as it was then known, was a small, but devoted group of pioneers, who could not afford a building of their own. Thus, services were held in either a schoolroom on Pearl St. near Swan, or at the home of Mrs. Esther Pratt, whose home was on the southwest corner of Main and Exchange Street (then called Crow Street). After the War of 1812, public worship was resumed as the work of reconstruction began. The faithful met in Landon's Tavern, or at the unfinished home of Deacon Amos Callender, located on the east side of Pearl Street (south of Swan Street), or at various locations around town such as the homes of other church members. Worship services were regularly held in the south room of the Old Court House building that was situated on Washington Street, (now the present site occupied by the Public Library) this arrangement was made until the first wooden building was constructed a few blocks to the south at "The Commons" which would later be renamed Shelton Square. On December 5, 1815, the church was formally incorporated as "The First Presbyterian Society of the Town of Buffalo" the trustees presented themselves on December 28, 1815, to Judge Charles Townsend, Judge of Niagara County, of which Erie County was then part, and the record of incorporation was duly recorded in the records on April 16, 1816.
The wooden church (1824–1827)
This first church building, really only a lecture hall was only forty by fifty feet in size, it was a wooden building constructed per a contract with Mr. John Stacy, a church member. Authorized on December 24, 1822; and built on land donated by Joseph Ellicott (November 1, 1760 – August 19, 1826) of the Holland Land Company on December 12, 1820; the total cost of construction was $874; Mr. Stacy, however, deducted the cost of a pew for his own use. Thus, money raised from pew sales totaled $100 in excess over the cost of construction. This humble edifice, located on the northwest parcel of land at Main, Church & Niagara Streets was completed in May 1824. The building was on the northeast corner of the plot of land at Pearl Street and Niagara Street with the front of the building facing east, it had two doors in the front with the pulpit standing between those doors. Inside, the pews were square and were lit by candles supplied by the worshipers in the evening, at the west end of the building was a platform for the singers.
With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, and the powerful sermons preached by Rev. Gilbert Crawford, the church and city experienced a rapid growth in population which was mirrored by attendance growth in worship. With membership increasing from pre-Canal numbers of 120 to 203 after its opening, the church quickly outgrew this building and plans were obtained for a larger building.
The wooden frame structure remained next to the new Brick Church until it was sold to the Methodists in 1828, which moved it from the corner of Pearl and Niagara Streets; they had been using an even smaller building. Later, this original First Church building was sold around 1835 to the St. Peter's society, a German Evangelical Church congregation, who in turn moved it to their lot on the corner of Genesee and Hickory Streets before it finally ended up being moved to Walnut Street around 1878. This little building saw successive service thereafter as a school-house, a tenement and as a cooper's shop, before it finally fell completely from grace to become an icehouse for a brewery. It was destroyed by fire in 1882; thus ended the nearly sixty-year history of the first church building; no photographs of this structure are known to exist.
The Brick Church, also known as "Old First" Church (1827–1890)
The Brick Church, dedicated in March 1827, with a seating of approximately 800, was at the time of its dedication, the largest church building west of the Genesee River. An imposing, square red structure, trimmed in immaculate white, with a balustrade around the roof and a clock and bell tower surmounted by a golden ball that blazed in the sunlight, it served as a landmark for mariners on Lake Erie. Following some formalities by the congregations second pastor, Rev. Gilbert Crawford. Foster Young broke ground for the building with an oxen drawn plow starting at Main Street and working his way towards Pearl Street. Theodore Coburn furnished the mason work began on June 23, 1826, and was completed by September 22, 1826, before the inclement weather set in, thus, work could continue undisturbed inside during the winter months. Henry Brayman provided the woodwork; the total price for the construction was $17,500.00. Early church members played their part in assisting in the construction, for example, Joseph Stocking took time around noon to help carry bricks for the mason, while other members wheeled sand or lime to the site for mortar. On the day of the buildings dedication, on Wednesday, March 28, 1827, started at eleven o’clock, with everyone, participants, clergy, choir members all packed into the little wooden frame church that still stood to the north of the plot, and in a solemn procession marched the few hundred steps over to the new building. The dedication day service was three hours in length, and was led by Rev. Gilbert Crawford, D.D., assisted by former pastor Rev. Miles P. Squire, D.D., who traveled from his home in Geneva, New York, to attend the event, both offered prayers. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. Ansel D. Eddy, the text from Luke 10:20. The choir, believed to have been led by William Ketchum, sang "I Was Glad" and "Lord, From Thine Inmost Glory, Send". During those early years, pews were "sold" to families or individuals subject to a pew tax of seven per cent, of the original valuation. The pew rental rate was increased several times during the years until it reached seventy-five per cent. Entrance to the church was through three large doors that opened into a high, spacious vestibule with circular stairways on the right and left that led to the upstairs gallery or balcony. Directly across from the center entrance was the middle door into the high, square, well-lit sanctuary that for many years was an unpainted white. The balcony that ran around three sides of the sanctuary was supported by wooden posts with the broad center isle leading to the front of the sanctuary where the old wooden pulpit was hung. The pulpit, supported by two Corinthian pillars of wood, was surmounted by a crimson cushion and was quite an imposing structure. A high crimson curtain hung behind the pulpit arranged in a row of straight folds or "flutes", like the pipes of a great organ topped with a straight lambrequin of the same material. The pulpit had doors on either side, similar to those in the pews below, from which the minister entered. Opposite the pulpit in the gallery was the choir loft, this opened from a large room that was directly over the vestibule where the choir practiced, and instruments were tuned.
The 50th anniversary of the church was a celebrated event where the longest-surviving church member, Dr. Bristol, (although not the oldest member of the church) addressed the congregation during the service; Dr. Bristol was also a member of session at that time. Prayers were led by Dr. Steilman of Dunkirk and Rev. Dr. Walter Clarke. Letters were read from former pastors Dr. Squier and Dr. Thompson, who were unable to attend in person. The choir sang "Every Star-Thirty-Four" with music by the organist, Mr. Degenhard.
The building exterior was in later years painted a warm grey, as shown in existing photographs. This was performed during an ambitious remodeling of the building between June and August 1870 where the original high pulpit was cut down and in its place, a platform was added three feet high, twenty feet wide and between eight and ten feet deep. This platform was again supported by two Corinthian columns. Matching curving banistered stairways were also added on each side at that time that led to the pulpit backed by a crimson curtain. All pews were lowered by three inches, black walnut railings added and the pew seats were upholstered in a crimson color. The ceiling was in a fresco painted by Sig. Garibolda. Anyone entering the church came through one of three great doors opening into the spacious vestibule, and visitors walked up the circular stairways at either end to the balcony around three sides of the high, square sanctuary. Such heat as there was came from wood stoves; the building was illuminated by oil lamps. Foot-warmers containing hot coals were indispensable for comfort during winter months. One such coal foot warmer that was used can be viewed in the Historical Hall located in the current building on Symphony Circle.
On each side of the pulpit that was on the west wall there were biblical passages that through close examination of existing interior photographs from 1877 and 1885, reproduced below were determined to be from the old King James Version. On the left side was a passage from Psalms 100 verses 2-5, and on the right side, Psalms 24: verses 2-5.
The church bell, known as the "town clock bell," weighed approximately 2500 pounds and had a clear, sonorous tone that could be heard great distances. The bell served not only the congregation, but the whole town as its fire alarm; it was while sounding an alarm of fire in 1833 while in this capacity that the bell cracked. However, it was soon recast and continued to serve in that capacity until 1891. Before the building was razed, the bell was presented to a church in Tonawanda, New York, and the front clock face was preserved before the property was sold to the Buffalo Savings Bank. The congregation experienced tremendous growth during these early years, especially during the leadership of its first five pastors; it was in 1852 during the pastorate of Dr. Matthew La Rue Perrine Thompson that congregation first considered moving to a new location. Funding was obtained through a subscription project and by January 1854 over $100,000.00 was raised, by April plans for a new building were selected and bids were advertised. However, no responsible architect or builder was found that would undertake the project, so the plan was abandoned and the funds were returned to the subscribers.