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In 1835 when the settlement of Sycamore was just beginning, the first Episcopal Bishop of Illinois was elected. He was the Rt. Rev. Philander Chase who as a horseback circuit rider had established a church in Batavia. When a Mrs. Ketchum and her family arrived in Sycamore, she wanted her child baptized in the Episcopal Church. Therefore, the priest at Batavia, the Rev. Julius H. Waterbury, came to Sycamore in 1855 to hold services and to baptize Mrs. Ketchum’s son. St. Peter’s parish was founded in October of that year.
The present church building is constructed of Batavia limestone and was completed in the autumn of 1878, solely at the expense of one man, James S. Waterman. The church was consecrated on January 31, 1879. Apart from carpeting, painting and decorating, the furnishings are nearly all original and tell of Sycamore’s early history. The congregation has taken great care over the years to retain the building’s architectural integrity. The architect was George O. Garnsey of Chicago. The style of architecture is English Gothic. The church was designed to imitate the “private chapels of the English nobility.”
The box-shaped pews are made of black walnut and are original, having been constructed by Isaac W. Johnson, the first Senior Warden of the parish. Mr. Johnson owned and operated a cabinet factory in Sycamore.
The Stations of the Cross were a gift to the parish from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Sycamore. They are carved wood from northern Italy.
The pipe organ is relatively new in comparison to the age of the building; it was installed and consecrated in 1979. For the size of the community and the parish, it is an excellent instrument.
The painting of the Madonna and Child above the choir is thought to be Spanish of the school of Bartolome Esteban Murillo. It is believed that the painting dates from about the year 1800. It was brought to St. Peter’s when the McLaren Center was demolished in 1967.
The white marble altar is a memorial to Abbie L. Waterman. The symbols on the front are the Greek Alpha and Omega which symbolize the Beginning and the End. The center panel contains the letters IHS, which is a Greek monogram for the name of Jesus. On the left of the altar the Sacrament is reserved in a hanging Pyx-style tabernacle, one of the few such tabernacles in the United States. The altar cross dates from 1882.
The brass mural tablet above the organ console is a memorial to James Waterman. James S. (1820-1883) and Abbie L. (1829-1888) Waterman were the principal benefactors of St. Peter’s parish. Their portraits, which originally hung in their home, can now be found in Waterman Hall. James was one of the first merchants in Sycamore and the first banker in DeKalb County. Mrs. Waterman was a cultural and community leader for many years. The Watermans owned a large tract of land and from this property the church became a major beneficiary.
The pulpit is in memory of the Reverend Frank H. Weichlein (1875-1956) who served as Rector of St. Peter’s for a total of seventeen years (1922-24 and 1935-50). This has been the longest term of service in the parish’s history.
The brass mural tablet on the south wall is a memorial to Mary H.C. Paullin (1833-1882), the wife of Brigadier General Frederick W. Partridge. Mr. Partridge was a soldier, lawyer, and member of the diplomatic corps attached to the American legation to the Court of Siam in the 1860s.
The bell tower is placed diagonally at the southwest corner, a typical feature of Mr. Garnsey’s buildings. Doors open into the belfry from a Gothic archway above which are lancet windows. In the bell tower room stands the original baptismal font that was presented to the parish in 1857 by a Mr. Bowman of New York City. The bell, which was cast at Meneely & Kimberly Founders in Troy, New York, rings to announce Sunday services and is original. At the conclusion of a funeral the bell is tolled for the number of years the deceased lived. At a marriage ceremony the bell is pealed joyfully to share the happiness of the occasion.
The present church building is constructed of Batavia limestone and was completed in the autumn of 1878, solely at the expense of one man, James S. Waterman. The church was consecrated on January 31, 1879. Apart from carpeting, painting and decorating, the furnishings are nearly all original and tell of Sycamore’s early history. The congregation has taken great care over the years to retain the building’s architectural integrity. The architect was George O. Garnsey of Chicago. The style of architecture is English Gothic. The church was designed to imitate the “private chapels of the English nobility.”
The box-shaped pews are made of black walnut and are original, having been constructed by Isaac W. Johnson, the first Senior Warden of the parish. Mr. Johnson owned and operated a cabinet factory in Sycamore.
The Stations of the Cross were a gift to the parish from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Sycamore. They are carved wood from northern Italy.
The pipe organ is relatively new in comparison to the age of the building; it was installed and consecrated in 1979. For the size of the community and the parish, it is an excellent instrument.
The painting of the Madonna and Child above the choir is thought to be Spanish of the school of Bartolome Esteban Murillo. It is believed that the painting dates from about the year 1800. It was brought to St. Peter’s when the McLaren Center was demolished in 1967.
The white marble altar is a memorial to Abbie L. Waterman. The symbols on the front are the Greek Alpha and Omega which symbolize the Beginning and the End. The center panel contains the letters IHS, which is a Greek monogram for the name of Jesus. On the left of the altar the Sacrament is reserved in a hanging Pyx-style tabernacle, one of the few such tabernacles in the United States. The altar cross dates from 1882.
The brass mural tablet above the organ console is a memorial to James Waterman. James S. (1820-1883) and Abbie L. (1829-1888) Waterman were the principal benefactors of St. Peter’s parish. Their portraits, which originally hung in their home, can now be found in Waterman Hall. James was one of the first merchants in Sycamore and the first banker in DeKalb County. Mrs. Waterman was a cultural and community leader for many years. The Watermans owned a large tract of land and from this property the church became a major beneficiary.
The pulpit is in memory of the Reverend Frank H. Weichlein (1875-1956) who served as Rector of St. Peter’s for a total of seventeen years (1922-24 and 1935-50). This has been the longest term of service in the parish’s history.
The brass mural tablet on the south wall is a memorial to Mary H.C. Paullin (1833-1882), the wife of Brigadier General Frederick W. Partridge. Mr. Partridge was a soldier, lawyer, and member of the diplomatic corps attached to the American legation to the Court of Siam in the 1860s.
The bell tower is placed diagonally at the southwest corner, a typical feature of Mr. Garnsey’s buildings. Doors open into the belfry from a Gothic archway above which are lancet windows. In the bell tower room stands the original baptismal font that was presented to the parish in 1857 by a Mr. Bowman of New York City. The bell, which was cast at Meneely & Kimberly Founders in Troy, New York, rings to announce Sunday services and is original. At the conclusion of a funeral the bell is tolled for the number of years the deceased lived. At a marriage ceremony the bell is pealed joyfully to share the happiness of the occasion.
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The Stained Glass Windows As was common with late nineteenth century churches, St. Peter’s features many ornate stained-glass windows. These windows pay tribute to many prominent Sycamore families from the 1800s. They are in the usual arched form and are divided into two sections. It is believed that the windows were created in a local Sycamore factory, Schroeder and Company. The altar window was presented by the St. Agnes Society of the parish as a memorial to the Rt. Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, the second Episcopal bishop of Illinois. Bishop Whitehouse was consecrated in 1851 and died in 1874. The window is six feet wide and 14 feet high. It consists of three panels and three trefoils. In the center panel is a depiction of Christ ascending. Other symbols include a representation of the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove, a chalice, a bible, and a crozier, cross, and crown. At the apex in the trefoils are the Bishop’s seal of office with the words Fidei Scutum (Shield of Faith), a mitre, and the crossed Keys of the Kingdom, which is an emblem of St. Peter. The blue panels are not original; they were installed in the late 1960s. The window at the southeast end of the nave has a sheaf of wheat, a knight’s helmet, and the Keys of the Kingdom. The symbols are representative of Sts. Peter and Paul. The words “I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT” and “I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH” are a focus of the window. This was given in memory of Isaac W. Johnson (1824-1900). The next window contains personifications of “Faith” and “Hope.” It was given in memory of F.M. Ketchum, a local attorney, who was a charter member of the parish. The window in memory of Dr. Horatio F. Page (1812-1873) contains three familiar symbols – the lilies of the valley, the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) and the Sea of Life in which the church is the ship. The anchor is frequently used as a symbol of hope. In the bell tower room is found the most recent window given to the church which depicts the Nativity and is a memorial to Judge Cassius Poust (1893-1969). This window replaced the original window entitled “The Good Shepherd” which was a gift of Norman C. Warren (1835-1903), and dedicated to the memory of Tyler K. Waite (1829-1871). The window in the rear of the nave next to the bell tower room bears the simple inscription “In Gratia”. It was given by Ana Gage of Sycamore and Chicago. The rose window at the back of the nave contains the symbols of the Greek Alpha and Omega. These were an early monogram for Christ and represent the completeness of Christ’s rule. The window is not mentioned in the 1879 description of the new church, but it is original to the building. The window at the northwest corner of the church contains the words: “JESUS SAID SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”. This window was given in memory of Warren S. Knight by his parents, Charles and Fidelia (Stebbins) Knight. Warren died at the age of six years in 1877. The next window depicts the descending dove, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The window was given in memory of Warren H. Stebbins (d.1872) by his wife. The window dedicated to two children, Kittie and Abbie L. Young, was given by their parents, Ellzey and Alida (Ellwood) Young. The faces of two cherubs are seen. The words “I SHALL GO TO HIM BUT HE SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME” are a second focus of this window. Behind the area where the pipes of the organ are now encased, is also a memorial window. The window is in memory of Dickey Ellwood who had died as a child. It was given by his mother, Mrs. E. Ellwood. |
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Saint Peter's Episcopal Church | Established 1855 Red Doors Open for Growth and Transformation in the Name of Jesus Christ © 2024 Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, Sycamore, IL |