Who's Who at Meeting Room, Washington, D.C.

Meeting Room, Washington, D.C. (EB) +1878-1890; (TW-Lowe-eb) 1890-1909; (TW-eb) 1909-1992; (TW-N-eb) 1992-2016+

Early Correspondents

• P. Galligo @ 214 S.W. 7th St. +1878-1880+
• R.T.J. Falconer +1889+
• Frank H. Burdick +1887-1889+
• J.P. Nutting +1894-1908+
• Dr. Andrew G. Hamilton +1903-1917+
• Clarence T. Kingsbury, 2518 NW Wisconsin Ave. +1908-1927+
• Alex Gordon Hamilton +1923-1927+
• E.S. Delancy +1923-1933+
• Hector Gordon +1933+
• John T. Crozier +1944+
• J. Frank Jackson +1944-1985+
• T.H. Jackson +1951+
• Gerald Rathbone +1962+
• Philip O. Bell +1966-1973+
• Robert G. Lyle +1966-1985+
• Daniel Nelson +1985-2010+
• James W. Mashinter +1999-2005+

Notable Families

Bell family

• Philip O. Bell +1966-1973+

Burdick family

The Evening Star, D.C.: Monday, Feb. 14, 1887:

Mr. Burdick's New Pulpit: The Ex-Presbyterian Preacher Talks to the Plymouth Brethren

Rev. Dr. Thomas Spencer Childs (1825-1914) "yesterday preached at the Sixth Presbyterian church, in accordance with the instructions of the Washington city presbytery and formally declared the pulpit vacant. Rev. F.H. Burdick, the pastor having been dropped from the rolls of the presbytery, some thirty or forty people met in Endowment hall last evening for religious exercises and after the singing, Mr. Burdick read the seventeenth chapter of Acts, which gives an account of the Apostle Paul's visit to Thessalonica and the confusion and uproar which was created by those opposed to his teachings. They complained to the rulers of the city saying, 'these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.'

The narrative then speaks of the apostles visit to Berea when many of the people believed and 'searched the scriptures daily whether these things were so'. Mr. Burdick then commented upon the scripture and said that while there was no place of worship in the world, there were places for worship. He then referred to the sermons which he had preached on the two Sunday evenings previous. As will be remembered, Mr. Burdick left the Sixth Presbyterian church because he did not hold the same belief as to church organization. They regard Christ, as one of those present told a STAR reporter, as the church and believers belong to Him and are joined to Him.

In England, those adhering to this form of belief are called Plymouth Brethren. These doctrines have been preached in this city some four years, and the number of believers have increased from three and four persons to many more times that number. They are, however, still weak. On Sunday they hold two services. The one in the morning being a conference and prayer meeting together with 'the breaking of bread'. In the evening, Mr. Burdick delivers a discourse. On Wednesday evening, a meeting is held, when some brother delivers a discourse or a Bible reading is given. Mr. Burdick, last evening in continuing his discourse, spoke of conviction of sin, which, he says, is a personal acknowledgement that what God says about sin and sinners is true, and that we recognize ourselves in that category.

Then, as Mr. Pentecost says, the sinner takes sides with God against himself in condemning himself. Repentance, said the preacher, is included in the word 'believe'. When a man believes he has repented. Belief is mentioned a hundred times in the Bible, while the word 'repentance' is scarcely found. Christ is the substitute for the sinful nature of man and that was crucified on the cross. Christ is the only church and the only church membership. The preacher thought that the idea of Christ as a real living man ought to be impressed upon the mind. Too often he thought Christ was presented as a chilling dogma, an abstraction instead of a live, real personage. The reply to all anxious, inquiring souls is, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. What is needed is forgiveness of sin, which is belief in Christ.

After he finished speaking, Mr. Burdick offered a prayer, then a hymn was sung, and Mr. Burdick left the platform without pronouncing a benediction, and the meeting came to a close."

• Frank Henry Burdick +1887-1889+ (b. 1850 Granville, Washington, NY - d. 1928 Chonqing, China), son of Albert Skinner Burdick (b. 1820 Granville, NY - d. 1889 Saratoga Springs, NY) & Caroline Libby Burdick (b. 1821 Danby, Caledonia, VT - d. 1855 Granville, NY). 1874-1877 theology @ (Congregational) Beloit College, WI; 1880 @ Conneautville, Crawford, PA. 1890 @ 924 B St. SW, D.C. By 1900, he resided in Covert Twp., Seneca, NY, then at 3515 N. 17th, Philadelphia by 1908-1912, full-time as an evangelist.

Frank's father, Albert Burdick, was employed as an attorney in 1850. He was a paternal descendant of Robert Burdick (b. 1635 Plymouth, Devon, Eng. - d. 1707 Newport, R.I.), whose birthplace was the location (Plymouth) of one of the earliest Brethren assemblies, 200 years prior to its development. He emigrated to Newport in 1651.

Frank's mother, Caroline Burdick, was a descendant of Henry Wallbridge (b. 1666 Dorchester, Eng.; emig. 1685; d. 1729 Norwich, CT) & Anna Amos Wallbridge (b. 1666 Boston, MA; m. 1688 Preston, CT; d. 1751 Norwich, CT). Anna's grandfather was Cyrus Amos/Ames (b. 1600 Wigmore, Herefordshire, Eng. - d. 1631 Preston, New London, CT) & Anne Button Amos/Ames (b. 1597 Wivelsfield, Sussex, Eng.; m. 1620 Stonington, CT; d. 1631 Stonington, CT).

The latter Anne's uncle Sir Thomas Button was among the first recorded Europeans to explore Manitoba on an unsuccessful trek in 1612 to locate Henry Hudson who disappeared during an exploration of North America.

Crozier family

• John T. Crozier +1944+

Delancy family

• Edmund E. Seely Delancy +1923-1933+ (b. 1871 Yorkville or Na-Au-Say, Kendall Co., IL - d. 1939), son of William Henry Delancy (1841-1898) & Sarah F. Bowne Delancy 1845-1911). In 1900, Edmund resided in Milton, Dupage, IL and was employed as a printer.
• Ida May Kimball Delancy (b. 1871 IL; m. 1897 Dupage Co., IL; d. 1963 D.C.)
  • Eunice Delancy Gallagher (1904-1999). Husband: Earl Sheldon Gallagher (b. 1897 CT - d. 1960 Eastland, TX), son of Francis "Frank" R. Gallagher (b. 1867 Pleasantville, Westchester, NY - d. 1946 Bethel, Fairfield, CT) & Adelaide "Addie" Rightmyer Gallagher (b. 1874 Catskill, Greene, NY - d. 1967).

Falconer family

From 1870-1873+, Richard was employed in D.C. as a clerk for the Treasury Dept. in the office of the comptroller of the currency. In 1880-1900+, he was a telegraph operator.

• Richard T.J. Falconer +1889+ (b. 1846 Ellicotts Mills, Anne Arundel, MD - d. 1911 Wash., D.C.), son of Mahlon Falconer (b. 1805 MD - d. 1870) & Jane Dorson Brown Falconer (1815-1864). In 1862, Mahlon was a carpenter.
• Emma E. Flenner Falconer (b. 1846 Wash., D.C.; m. 1869 D.C.; d. 1921), daughter of William Cramer Flenner (b. 1809 Frederick Co., MD - d. 1872) & Olivia A. Wineberger Flenner (b. 1816 Georgetown, D.C. - d. 1903 D.C.).
  • William Alfred Falconer (b. 1873 D.C. - d. 1950). Wife (1916 @ D.C.): Winifred Mary Putland Falconer (b. 1876)

Gallego family

As per From Immigrant to Establishment and Wikipedia, Peter was the first Black student at Upper Canada College, enrolling in 1831, and later the University of Toronto, previously mentored by Bishop John Strachan (1778-1867), who was the first Anglican Bishop of Toronto.

As per The Black Abolitionist, by 1837, Gallego had become involved in local antislavery activities, and was a "prominent member of the Upper Canada Anti-Slavery Society." In 1839, he and his friend Edward L. de St. Remy planned the development of an abolitionist newspaper for the British-American Anti-Slavery Society known as the British American Journal of Liberty, as per John Lorinc's 2018 article "First Census.... It is unknown whether the paper was ever published.

The Underground Railroad: Next Stop, Toronto! (pp. 67-68) mentioned that Peter's next door neighbor in Toronto, was William Hickman, Sr., a barber who moved with his family in 1833 from Virginia, freed from slavery as he had fought in "both the American Revolution and the War of 1812". He moved there with his family because freed slaves were unable to live in Virginia at the time. In Toronto, he had a "practical approach to helping fugitive slaves; they built extra housing in the backyards of their downtown properties so that newcomers would have somewhere to live when they first came to Toronto."

From an excerpt from the front page of the 1841-4-8 issue of the first volume, published in New York, of the National Anti-Slavery Standard: "Dr. Thomas Rolph, in the course of his remarks at the World's Convention, when speaking of Peter, described him as "about being ordained a clergyman... a gentleman whose capacity, vast attainments, and singular modesty command the regard of all who know him." Here, in addition to the editor of the Standard, who describes him as appearing to be "a gentleman of observation and intelligence..." Also see a letter from Nov. 1st, 1841 between Gallego (then in Toronto) and Rolge published in The British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Reporter, entitled American Prejudice Against Colour In Canada.

In The Black Abolitionist Papers, a footnote on p. 87 indicates that Dr. Rolph, a prominent British physician, acted as an adviser to Gallego who, with two other Canadian blacks, "drafted a memorial to Queen Victoria seeking protection (particularly jury trials) for Canadian blacks charged with crimes committed while in American slavery. They presented the petition to the secretary of Lord Durham, the governor-general of the Canadas in 1838, but it was misplaced and never reached the Queen. In 1839 Rolph visited England and inquired about its fate. Despite persistent appeals to the Colonial Office, he received no satisfactory response, even though he brought the matter before the World's Anti-Slavery Convention in London during June 1840", as per pp. 38-39, 133-43 of Murray's "Canada and Anglo-American Anti-Slavery Movement".

In 1840, Bishop Strachan hired Peter to compile the first census of Toronto's Black population. In 1841, he took the first of several trips to Jamaica, sponsored by a black convention at Ancaster, Canada West, to "investigate and report on the advantages of emigration to the island". He went throughout Canada West holding meetings attempting to encourage black immigration. Charles B. Ray also sponsored him to speak at black anticolonization meetings in New York City, and elsewhere in the state. Returning to Canada in 1844, he published a promotional pamphlet which generated limited interest, but he remained a "strong supporter of Jamaican immigration as late as the mid-1850s". In 1856, he had moved away from this activism and settled in Chatham, Ontario. Perhaps this is where he was introduced to the PB.

From +1870-1881+, he was employed as a teacher. 1870 @ 1418 Poplar, Richmond, VA; 1874 @ 2015 NW 11th, D.C.; 1874-1881 @ D.C.

• Peter Gallego @ 214 S.W. 7th St. +1878-1880+ (b. 1814 Richmond, VA - d. 1883 Kingston, Jamaica). His father was a "successful York St. merchant" who founded the Gallego Flour Mills which exported product to South America, and was based in Richmond before emigrating to Canada.
• Mary Waddal Gallego (m. 1841 St. James Anglican, Toronto, ON). Wedding officiated by H.J. Grasett.
• Catherine Sharten Gallego (b. 1831 Ireland; m. 1869 Manhattan, NYC, NY)

Gordon family

• James Hector Gordon +1933+ (b. 1874 QC - d. 1941 Brentwood, MD)
• Christina Smith Mills Gordon (1877-1958)
  • Cecil Hector Gordon (b. 1907 QC - d. 1947 Brentwood, MD). Wife (1928 @ D.C.): Grace Josephine Seybolt Gordon-Huff (b. 1909 Lincoln, NE - d. 1997 Lancaster Co., PA).

Hamilton family

• Dr. Andrew G. Hamilton +1903-1917+
  • Alex Gordon Hamilton +1923-1927+

Jackson family

• J. Frank Jackson +1944-1985+
• T.H. Jackson +1951+

Kingsbury family

• Clarence T. Kingsbury, 2518 NW Wisconsin Ave. +1908-1927+

Lyle family

• Robert G. Lyle +1966-1985+

Nelson family

• Daniel Nelson +1985-2010+

Mashinter family

James W. and Edith resided in Niagara Falls, NY 1951-1971 until he was transferred by Fluor-Daniel Construction to Mechanicsville, Virginia where he served as a procurement manager who oversaw major construction internationally including the Richmond Federal Reserve. He retired in 1994, and remained in the Richmond area until 2006 when they moved to Dorothy to be nearer descendants.

His obit from the Press of Atlantic City was filled with tribute to the depth of his love for the Lord Jesus, such as this excerpt: "Papa was a cheer just to be around even in the last few years of his life as he struggled with his health. He lived to see others happy and wanted all who knew him to come to know his Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, as that was what made him the man that he was. He will be missed terribly by all who knew and loved him but what a comfort to know he is with his beloved Savior till we meet again." Memorial was at the Dorothy Meeting Room, NJ. Similar sentiments in the memorial for his wife of 60 years, Edith.

• James W. Mashinter +1984-2006 (b. 1929 Niagara Falls, ON - d. 2011 Dorothy, Atlantic, NJ), son of James Elmer Mashinter (b. 1903 Woodbridge, ON - d. 1982 Buffalo, NY). James' dad was a retired (1927-1967) chief paymaster in the accounting department for DuPont Co., and resided in Niagara Falls, NY more than 50 years, though his son was born on the Canadian side. He was UC in 1931, and later a longtime trustee at Niagara Community Church in Niagara Falls, NY.
• Edith "Eadie" Nowacki Mashinter +1984-2006 (b. 1929; m. 1951 Niagara Falls, NY; d. 2018 Dorothy, NJ), daughter of Edward "Pops Novak" Thomas Nowacki (b. 1905 Niagara Falls, NY - d. 2002 Lewiston, Niagara, NY) & Wanda Veronica Pieta Nowacki (b. 1909 Portugal - d. 2002 Lewiston, NY). In 1940, Edward was employed under H.P. Bailey with the International Paper Co. He was also a winner of Niagara Falls Billiard Championship in 1942, 1944 and 1967. Religion-wise, Pops was RC. He and Wanda were also married for 73 years.

Nutting family

• J.P. Nutting +1894-1908+

Rathbone family

• Gerald Rathbone +1962+

Sources

• LoG's
• Ancestry.com
• Newspapers.com