Rector of Old St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Westchester, Westchester county, New York, and later the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Chappaqua, Westchester county, New York. Husband of Gabrielle Rosamond (Greeley) Clendenin. Son of George Clendenin and Charlotte (Humphreys) Clendenin.
"FUNERAL SERVICES FOR REV. CLENDENIN HELD THIS MORNING
Famed Resident Who Died Suddenly On Tuesday Morning Laid To Rest In Church Yard Of Church He Gave To Chappaqua As Hundreds Mourn His Passing-Community Stunned By His Death.
Suddenly but in peaceful sleep, Rev. F. M. Clendenin, one of Chappaqua's best known citizens passed away at his home, Rehoboth House, Chappaqua, on Tuesday morning. He had been dead for about three hours, when a doctor reached the bedside.
Dr. Clendenin retired the night before apparently in good health inspite of his years. He was 76. After suggesting a game of checkers to his wife Mrs. Gabrielle Greeley Clendenin, he decided to retire about ten o'clock. The household was not disturbed during the night and his death evidently came suddenly and quietly.
Funeral services were held at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the church which, he himself built and gave to the diocese, at half past ten o'clock this morning. Rev. E. P. Burrill officiated at the Requiem. Burial was in the churchyard back of the church in a spot which he himself had chosen, near the graves of his children.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Gabrielle Greeley Clendenin and one grandson, Frank C. G. Stahl of New York.
Blow To Community
Dr. Clendenin's death was a heavy blow to Chappaqua people. He had anticipated taking part in the 200th anniversary celebration, here on September 6th and was to have introduced the speakers. He had already gathered some notes about the distinguished men coming here to be able to fittingly introduce them. He has been a resident of this community for the past sixteen years since he retired from his charge at St. Peter's, Westchester, in the Bronx. He was at the time of his death Rector Emeritus of that church, and was a member of the New York Standing Committee.
He built and gave the Church of St. Mary the Virgin to this community and was ever proud of the fact its doors have never been closed and that a Sunday has never passed when there was not a service held there. The church has been mentioned from time to time in metropolitan newspapers.....(missing section)
Born In Washington, D. C.
Frank Montrose Clendenin was born in Washington, September 17, 1853, the son of George and Charlotte Humphreys Clendenin. He was educated in Princeton University where he was graduated in 1879 and at Nashotah, class of 1893.
In 1891 he married Gabrielle Greeley, daughter of the late Horace Greeley, newspaper editor and publisher.
Dr. Clendenin held pulpits in many places. He was a former Presbyterian minister and Episcopal deacon in 1880. He was rector of St. George's Church, Belleville, Ill., from 1880 to 1883, of Grace Church, Cleveland, O., from 1883 to 1887, and of St. Peter's Church, Westchester, from 1887 to 1917.
He was a leader in the municipal fights lasting five years in which portions of Westchester County along the southern boundary were annexed to New York City.
He was the author of several books on religion including "Idols by the Sea and Other Sermons," "The Name of the Church," "The Comfort of the Catholic Faith," and of many reviews and pamphlets.
His wife is the only surviving child of Horace Greeley.
The Funeral Service
Within the church of St. Mary the Virgin this morning, before an altar banked with beautiful flowers, Requiem was said for the builder of that church. People of Chappaqua and other communities crowded St. Mary's to pay homage to Father Clendenin. After the service, the body was borne by six pall bearers to the rear of the church where it was laid beside the graves of his four daughters (sic three, and one son) Gabrielle, Gabriel, Miriam and Mildred(?) in whose memory he gave the church. After the casket had been placed in the grave the people, his friends, lingered on the little hillside at the edge of Greeley's Woods as if reluctant to leave this beautiful spot chosen by him as his final resting place.
At the service prominent churchmen did him honor, Father E. P. Burrill officiated with Father Rich, rector of the Church of Corpus Christi, New York assisting. Father Frank Mikel, curate of St. Peter's, the church in Westchester where Father Clendenin had charge for many years read the epistle, Father George Richards, chaplain to the Bishop of the Cathedral read the gospel. The pallbearers were Harold LeBaron, William J. Creighton, L. B. Sturgis, Edward B. Sturgis, Gilbert Ferris and John Woodcock."
The New Castle Tribune. 21 August 1930