LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - OCTOBER 27, 2019 by Lynne Belluscio This past weekend a me- morial service for Connie and Dick Scott was held at the Lath- rop Chapel in Machpelah Cem- etery. This non-denominational chapel is one of LeRoy’s hidden gems. Built in 1910-1911 of lo- cal limestone, it is an example of vernacular Gothic architec- ture with lancet windows and a stained glass rose window. It is included in the 2012 National Historic Landmark designation. Plans for a chapel in the cemetery were discussed in the 1800s, and a fund was created with a $800 donation by Sarah Mirl who died in 1885. The chapel fund grew to over $3000 and in the early 1900s, the Cem- etery Association hired Robert Fayfield, an architect from Buf- falo to design a small chapel and “receiving vault” where caskets could be stored during the winter, until burials could be made in the spring. Construc- tion of the chapel was under the direction of Cemetery trustee, P.J. Perry and the contract for construction was awarded to Ray Peck and Charles Sherman. It was estimated that the chapel would cost between $5000 and $6000. In the fall of 1910, the foundation was built and during that winter, the limestone blocks were cut at a local quar- ry. Construction was completed in 1911 and the chapel was built with a lowering device to move caskets into the basement. (This device was removed when there was no longer a need for a re- ceiving vault. The public vault that was used prior to the chap- el, can be seen in the hillside.) In 1950, Helen Woodward Rivas, youngest daughter of Jell-O owner Orator Woodward, donated funds for some renova- tions, and in 1953, major reno- vations were made with funds donated by Rev. Raymond Calkins, D.D. of Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose wife de- scended from the Lathrop fam- ily of LeRoy. (Joshua Lathrop was the first mayor of LeRoy, and succeeded Jacob LeRoy as land agent for the Triangle Tract.) Rev. Calkins hired local LeRoy architect, Ivan Crom- well to prepare plans for refur- bishments which included new seating and chancel furnishings, new lighting fixtures, a rubber tile floor and a stained glass rose window. It was discov- ered at that time that the chap- el had never been dedicated, so on June 5, 1953, the chapel was dedicated to the Lathrop fami- ly. Rev. Ernest Phillips, Rector of St. Marks Church and Rev. Herbert Cory of the Methodist Church, presided at the dedica- tion which also recognized the contribution of Helen Wood- ward Rivas. In 1959, six years after the dedication of the Lathrop Chap- el, Rev. Raymond Calkins had the original rose window re- placed. He was not pleased with the original design. The new window was designed and built by the Willet Stained Glass Stu- dios of Philadelphia. The chapel has been used for weddings, musical pro- grams as well as memorial ser- vices and this next year, several gravestone cleaning workshops and lectures are scheduled in the chapel. Next spring, the Histor- ical Society’s Tour of LeRoy will include a closer look at the chapel and the story of the beau- tiful stained glass rose window. This year, the Friends of Machpelah, a recently formed not-for-profit organization, re- ceived funds from the Blood Foundation, to restore the wooden door frame, which had deteriorated so badly that the doors could not be opened. Fortunately, that work was com- pleted in time for the Scott fam- ily memorial service. Gary Fin- ke, a local carpenter, completely removed the arched wooden frame and replaced it, as well as the window transom above the doors. The small roof above the entrance was replaced. Other repairs and restorations will be outlined in a structural survey by historic architect, Lindsey Yoder of Bero Associates from Rochester. To learn more about the chapel, or to join the Friends of Machpelah, mail a request to PO Box 33, LeRoy, NY 14482. A Church in the Vale