Sacramento County
Biographies
REV. JOHN F. VON HERRLICH
REV. JOHN F. VON HERRLICH, B. D., LL. B., the rector of St.
Paul’s Church, Sacramento, whether as a pulpit orator of power and acceptance,
an active and efficient head of his parish, or as a beloved and popular pastor,
has won a position of deserved prominence among the clergy of this coast since
his arrival here. Called from a similar position in one of the most
important cities of central New York to accept a post of labor and
responsibility in a church that had suffered almost from the first from a
series of the most untoward circumstances, that had militated seriously against
all its best interests, he has in the short space of one year made a compact
and enthusiastic body of his parishioners, has infused new life into both the
spiritual and temporal status of the church, and has now under way a series of
material improvements that will make St. Paul’s one of the most worthy and
beautiful “Houses of God” in California. Mr. Von Herrlich
was born in the State of Ohio, although this was by one
of those curious haps of fortune that seldom occur, as
his parents were residents of New York,
and there Mr. Von Herrlich spent his childhood and
youth. His father was Mr. Louis Von Herrlich,
of New York city,
in regard to whom we cannot do better that transcribe a portion of an article
published in the city papers at the time of his death, a short time
since. “Louis Von Herrlich was seventy-two
years of age, and up to a few months before his death was strong and
vigorous. He was highly educated at German universities, a thinker and
philosopher, one of a distinguished family that has given to the German Empire
some of its most-distinguished lawyers, doctors and statesmen, Ludwig von Herrlich, the uncle after whom the deceased was named,
having been at one time the friend and confidant of the German Emperor.
Louis von Herrlich, was one of three brother who came
to America
about 1844, the deceased being the last of his generation in the family.
He was identified, socially and politically, with a well-known coterie of New
York Germans,--the Gilseys, Gunthers,
Oulds, Ottendorfers and
others—now nearly all passed away, but for the past ten or twelve years having
retired from all active business life, he spent his time in quiet and travel,”
for which we may add, his ample means gave fullest opportunity. He left
two children, the one being the subject of this sketch, and the other, Frances
E., the wife of James C. Elliott of Cleveland, Ohio, nephew of Bishop Elliott,
of South Carolina, and cousin of Dr. John Elliott, rector of the Church of the
Ascension, Washington, D. C. Mr. Von Herrlich
is a university graduate, and an LL. B. of Columbia, as
also a graduate from the law college of Columbia,
in the class of 1878, and of the General Theological Seminary of New
York city. His first
Parish was the Irving Memorial
Church (St. Mark’s) at Tarrytown, on the Hudson.
In 1883 he accepted a call to Elmira, New
York, where he became rector of Grace Church and
Chapel. After a residence there of four years he removed to Sacramento,
and assumed the rectorship of St.
Paul’s Church, January 15, 1888. At the time of
his departure the following appreciative notice appeared in the New
York World: “Rev. John F. von Herrlich,
at one time rector of the Irving Memorial
Church at Tarrytown-on-Hudson, has for the past
four years been at the head of Grace Church, Elmira,
New York. He has just accepted a call
to St. Paul’s Church, Sacramento,
California. Mr. Von Herrlich has been one of the most successful clergymen of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in this country. He cleared off a debt of
$25,000 which hung over the Irving Memorial
Church, and his rectorship
at Elmira has been highly
acceptable.” Such, in barest outline, is a sketch of the life of Rev.
John F. von Herrlich. He is a young man of
learning, energy and power, such as is met with only occasionally among the
clergy. His discourses, especially upon the more abstruse and recondite
themes of Christianity, have aroused considerable attention, and both as a
writer and speaker his services are in demand. Sacramento
is to be congratulated in his coming to assume his present charge, as to do so
he declined most attractive calls to larger eastern cities. Since he has
been here he has thrown himself heart and soul into the work of building up St.
Paul’s, and in this has had signal success, his own
considerable personal means enabling him to accomplish things that other might
not have attempted. His popularity is very great, a circumstance not to
be wondered at by one who has met him; and he has proven himself a true pastor
of his people. In its proper place will be found a description of the
material improvements effected through his instrumentality upon St.
Paul’s Church. He is an unmarried man. We should
be neglecting a matter of interest and importance did we fail to state the fact
that as a writer and a poet Rev. Mr. von Herrlich has
taken a forward place among the molders of thought of this country. His
poems are beautiful in thought, strong in purpose, rhythmical in flow; his
prose teachings,--for all his writings are teachings,--are terse, pointed,
cogent and epigrammatic.
Transcribed by Karen Pratt.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County,
California. Page 545-547. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2006 Karen Pratt.
Sacramento
County Biographies