Newspaper clipping pasted onto inside cover of first Parish Register:

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

There was celebrated on Sunday last, (June 3, [1917], Trinity Sunday), the 60th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the present church and the 76th anniversary of the first Episcopal Church service in Natchitoches. There was a large congregation at the 11 o’clock service when a vested choir rendered the music, under the direction of Miss Myra Ake assisted by Mr. Aage Fredericks, who played the violin. The congregation was composed of many of the old members, as well as those of the younger generation and others of our town people interested in this old historic church. A large offering was given for the beautifying of the old church and the following historic sermon was preached by the present rector:

BRIEF HISTORY OF TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, NATCHITOCHES, LA.

There were found a few Protestants in Natchitoches in 1840 and these cheerfully co-operated in the attempt to establish an Episcopal church. By the direction of Bishop Polk, who came to the diocese of Louisiana in 1839, the Rev. Jno. Burke came to Natchitoches on May 17, 1841. This gentleman was by birth and education an Irish Roman Catholic and was formerly a priest in that church. On the Sunday after his arrival, divine service was held in the court house and immediately after those present proceeded at once to the organization of the church by the election of the following officers: S.M. Tibbitts and F. Williams, wardens; Wm. Hunter, Louis G. DeRussy, Jas. G. Campbell, Victor Sompayrac, Ambrose Sompayrac, Geo. W. Lewis, D. M. Heard, Alfred Bludworth, Daniel H. Vail, Martin Fearing, Adolph Sompayrac and Thos. H. Airy, vestrymen. Thos. P. Jones was elected parish clerk. Jas. Taylor and D.F. Roysden were also present and took an active interest in the meeting. On the following Sunday after service, May 29, 1841, the vestry met and the following changes occurred: E.O. Blanchard was elected warden in the place of F. Williams, who declined to serve; and E. Hollister was elected parish clerk or secretary in the place of Thos. P. Jones who declined; Thos. H. Airey was elected Treasurer and D.F. Taber was chosen sexton for one year.

Thus was established the fourth Episcopal Church in the diocese and was called Trinity Church. At this meeting the salary of the rector was fixed at $2000, but this was reduced shortly afterwards to $1400, $400 being received from the Board of Missions. An “Act of incorporation” by the state was granted March 22, 1843, Alexander Mouton being Governor of Louisiana. Divine services were continued at the Court House in St. Denis Street, but at much inconvenience, when on Aug. 10, 1843, the vestry represented by Jas. G. Campbell and E.O. Blanchard purchased from Ambrose Sompayrac, Senior, acting as the attorney in fact of Mrs. Widow Henriette E. Trimolet, widow Costansi of the city of New Orleans, for the sum of $1000, in cash, a house and lot at the S.W. corner of Front and Trudeaux streets. This house formerly used for a store, being 40 feet long and 30 feet wide was easily converted into a convenient place of worship. On April 28, 1844, it was set apart as a holy temple and consecrated to the service of Almighty God by the Rt. Rev. Leonidas Polk, D.D., Bishop of the diocese. Here the church continued to prosper under the fostering care of the Rev. Jno. Burke, until Oct., 1844, when this gentleman resigned, having been in charge three years and five months. He was succeeded by the Rev. Elijah Guion from the diocese of N.Y. He arrived in Natchitoches Dec 9, 1844 and held service the next Sunday. The following persons constituted the vestry at this time: Peabody A. Morse and Louis G. DeRussey, wardens; Ambrose Sompayrac, Senior, Jas. G. Campbell, Jas. Taylor, M. Tibbitts, Adolph Sompayrac, Aaron H. Pierson and Geo. S. Walmsley, vestrymen. A congregation being organized in the month of May at Alexandria, Mr. Guion promptly offered that church whatever assistance might be in his power. He also officiated occasionally at the U.S. Military encampment near Natchitoches. Mr. Guion resigned in May, 1848 and in his last report to the diocesan convention he says: “Our affairs continue unchanged in their spiritual features, and in the midst of many discouragements and trials, we have reason to be thankful for the comparatively good measure of success with which we have been blessed. The school at Natchitoches which has been conducted by the Rector’s wife, for more than three years is discontinued from the first instant, in consequence of the anticipated removal of the Rector’s family.” There were 84 communicants reported at this time in Trinity church. The church was without a rector until the arrival of the Rev. Thos. Scot Bacon, July 30, 1853. During the long interval, however, the congregation were not unmindful of their spiritual interest. Monthly services were held by the Rev. Mr. McCoy. The Sunday School also was regularly kept up by the women of the parish, among whom as the most prominent and energetic was the widow of Paul Victor Sompayrac, whose name must ever be gratefully associated with the first dawn of the Episcopal church in Natchitoches. A vestry was also elected every Easter Monday during the long interval. The arrival of the Rev. Mr. Bacon caused much happiness to the church, so long without a settled minister. Being a young man, social and energetic, Mr. Bacon very soon became favorably known to the community. It was not long before the church determined to improve the advantages which it then enjoyed, by the erection of a larger and more commodious place of worship. Having selected the lot of ground upon which the present church stands, at the corner of Second and Trudeaux Streets, a resolution was passed on May 1, 1855, authorizing the rector to make the purchase. And on the16th of May, said lot, being 232 feet in length by 65 feet wide was purchased for the sum of $1000, cash, from the widow, Rene Trudeaux of New Orleans. Plans for the new church were drawn by Frank Wills of N.Y. City and the present beautiful and commodious edifice was commenced in the autumn of 1857. In the spring of the next year on Ash Wednesday the congregation first assembled in their new church for divine service, but in an unfinished condition, there being nothing completed but the walls and roof. Soon afterwards an elegant and appropriate organ was purchased, and a splendid communion service and a large and deep-toned bell, one-third silver, were presented by a wealthy member of the Episcopal church, General J. Watts de Peyster of Tivoli, Dutchess County, N.Y., and who also gave some of the money for the erection of the church as a memorial to his little daughter, Marie L., who died at the age of five years. Various circumstances contrived to prevent the completion of the church previous to the commencement of the great Civil War and the termination of the war impoverished the congregation. Mr. Bacon resigned on April 12, 1861, having been rector for seven years and eight months. He was succeeded by the Rev. Wm. Binet, by birth and education an Englishman, who arrived from the diocese of Arkansas on July 1, 1861. It appears from a report made by Mr. Binet to his vestry on April 21, 1862, that the condition and prospects of the parish were very discouraging. He says: “Nine months ago when I first came among you, I found the church as it still continues, disorganized and in a state of apathy, the Temple desolate and forsaken.” The rector’s salary from July 1861 to July 1862 was to be reduced to $850, but only $735 had been subscribed and not one-half paid. Mr. Binet resigned in Nov. 1862. From this time the church was without a rector for two years and five months. Trinity church never having been consecrated on account of the unfinished condition, the Rev. Jno. Pipes of the Methodist Episcopal Church was invited to officiate. The services of this gentleman were very acceptable to the people, when an Episcopal clergyman unexpectedly arrived at Natchitoches on March 12, 1865. This was the Rev. David Kerr, who had during the year previous been preaching in the Baptist church and teaching a classical academy in Minden. On the day after officiating in Natchitoches was invited to remain and the sum of $300 presented as a compliment from Generals Buckner and Bagby of the Confederate army, commanding here, and their staff officers. The congregation having elected a vestry, a committee of three was appointed to invite Mr. Kerr to take charge of the church and this he did, receiving as salary whatever could be raised. He resigned Oct. 31, 1865. The next record in the parish register is a letter which tells its own story: “Natchitoches, May 7, 1871. At the early part of the month of Dec. 1870, I was sent by the Bishop of Louisiana to officiate at Trinity Church, Natchitoches, and resigned my charge in May 1871 on account of having received a call to a church in New Orleans and on account of my fruitless efforts to bring prosperity to a languishing parish in Natchitoches.” Signed by Chas. Ritter. The next and last record is as follows: “On Thursday morning at 11 o’clock, Trinity Church, Natchitoches, Louisiana was consecrated to the service of Almighty God, according to the rites, doctrines, and discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S. of North America, by the Rt. Rev. J.P.B. Wilmer, assisted by the Rev. A.J. Tardy of N.O., La. This occurred on the 7th day of November in the year of our Lord 1878.” The rite of Confirmation was also administered at this time 16 persons. The Rev. C.A. Cameron was rector, but was absent on duty at Mansfield. The Rev. J. Sandals was rector just before Mr. Cameron and in 1887 the Rev. W. Taylor Douglas became Rector. He was followed by the Rev. K. S. Guthrie in 1893 during whose rectorship the church building was ceiled and plastered. The Rev. A.R. Price followed in 1894, the Rev. J.W. Gresham in 1895, and the Rev. H.R. Carson in 1897. The Rev. Chas. Thorp took charge in 1898 and resigned Nov 2, 1906. He immediately opened up correspondence with Gen. De Peyster, the result of which was that the church was completed and remodeled at a cost of some $1500 and a special service held marking this event on Sunday, May 27, 1900. The very Rev. H.C. Duncan, S.T.D., archdeacon, officiated and the Rev. C.L. Wells, Ph.D. of Christ Church Cathedral, N.O. preached the sermon. The Rev. J.H. Spearing, rector of St. Mark’s, Shreveport, assisted in the service. Mr. Thorp was followed by the Rev. Jno. Gray in 1907 and he, resigning in 1910, was followed by the Rev. R.I. Raymond. During his time money was raised for the present commodious and very pretty rectory. He resigned in 1911, followed by the Rev. Sidney L. Vail, during whose time the rectory was completed.

Resigning in 1914, he was followed by the Rev. Sidney Dixon, who left in Sept. 1916, after doing much for the decoration of the church interior. Dec. 1, 1916, the present incumbent, Rev. J. Orson Miller was called by a newly elected vestry and took charge immediately.

J. Orson Miller