First Presbyterian Church plans anniversary celebration, honors its first pastor

CAZENOVIA — On Father’s Day, June 16, the First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia will hold a 225th anniversary celebration at 1 p.m. in the church sanctuary on Albany Street.

Director of Music Vincent Guarneiri will begin the celebration by playing a selection of 18th century pieces on the organ.

Rev. Anna Gheen will then deliver a brief biographical sketch of the church’s first pastor, Rev. Joshua Leonard (1768-1843).

“The celebration on Father’s Day will honor the first ‘father’ of the church,” said Sharye Skinner, a ruling elder at the church. “Leonard [is] quoted as saying the Caz Presbyterian was the westernmost Presbyterian church in the nation [at the time].”

Leonard was an early settler of Cazenovia and a veteran of the War of 1812.

He and his wife, Margaret Field Leonard, moved from Connecticut to Cazenovia in 1799. Among their possessions was a Chippendale cherry oxbow four-drawer chest.

A hand-written message affixed to the inside back of the top drawer reads:

“This bureau was taken in a wagon in April 1799 from Ellington, Conn. to Cazenovia, New York by Margaret Field Leonard (Mrs. Joshua Leonard) who was grand-daughter in the sixth generation of Reverend Henry Whitfield born in England in 1597 who came to this country in 1639 and founded the town of Guildford, Connecticut where his house now stands.”

The chest of drawers, which features ogee bracket feet and maple inlay, was built in New England around 1750-1780 and was given to the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation (CPF) in the 1970s along with other small furniture items, maps, and art.

After nearly a half-century in storage, it was auctioned off by CPF in 2023. The winning bidder acquired the piece with the intent of gifting it to the First Presbyterian Church.

According to Skinner, the chest of drawers will be delivered to the church on the Friday before Father’s Day. During the anniversary celebration, the piece will be placed under a portrait of Leonard in the church’s narthex, where it will remain permanently.

The event will also include a slideshow presentation titled “Cazenovia First Presbyterian Church: Looking into its Bones and Architectural Changes.”

The speaker, Ted Bartlett, is the senior associate and senior preservation planner for Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners in Syracuse. He is also a founding member of the non-profit organization Cazenovia Heritage and chairman of the Village of Cazenovia Historic Preservation/Architectural Review Committee.

According to Bartlett, the Cazenovia First Presbyterian Church meeting house was designed by prominent Albany architect Philip Hooker. It was built in 1806 at the head of Hurd Street, formerly Church Street, on the north side of the village green. In 1826, the building was relocated to its present location at 27 Albany St. on the public square.

“Its original federal design had a raised foundation, about eight feet,” said Bartlett. “On the interior was a horseshoe balcony and pulpit at the south, not north, end. In the 1860s, the meeting house was remodeled in the Italianate style; [the changes included] the long leaded glass windows, balcony removal, walnut pews, and dark exterior paint colors. It was in the 20th century that the colonial revival work on the pulpit was added. The building has a notable pedigree and retains its basic federal-style meeting house form with [its] original tall timber framed tower and spire roof. Hidden within the bones of the meeting house are a wealth of architectural artifacts showing its earliest designs and workmanship. The noted church has played an important visual role in its position on Cazenovia’s Public Square since 1826 and stands testament to its excellent original architectural design and subsequent high-style alterations.”

The 225th-anniversary celebration will conclude with a reception in the church meeting house.

All are welcome to attend. For more information, visit cazpres.org.