Leading up to St. Paul’s 150th anniversary, let’s take a look at some of the former church members. Looking around the church, there are many plaques that name former members of the congregation memorialized by their gifts to the glory of God and in remembrance of loved ones.
A stained glass window donated in memory of Mary Emily Butterworth is located on the left side of the church near the front. The local newspaper, The Marin Journal, of Dec. 5, 1889 described the gift as follows:
“A new stained glass window was placed in position in St. Paul’s Church on Monday last week. The window is the gift of Mrs. Sidney W. Smith and is erected as a memorial to her mother, the late Mrs. Butterworth who is so affectionately remembered in San Rafael for her high social and Christian qualities of character and for her sympathy and charity to the poor.”
Mrs. Butterworth was born Mary Emily Amis in North Carolina in 1818. She married Samuel F. Butterworth in 1840 in Mississippi. Samuel became the manager of the New Almaden Mine near San Jose from 1864 to 1870.. When Samuel died, Mary Emily moved to San Rafael to be near her daughter, Corlee Smith. Mr. And Mrs Sidney V. Smith were two of the original members of St. Paul’s Church when it formed in 1868.
Mrs. Butterworth bought the Maillard mansion in San Rafael at the head of H. St.. After Mrs. Butterworth’s death the mansion was sold to A.W. Foster who named the estate “Fairhills”. The Fairhills neighborhood takes its name from this beautiful estate.
Mrs Butterworth was something of a local saint. One of her good works was to contribute $3000 to build St. Paul’s Guild Hall when the church was located on E St.
Mary Emily died in 1884 and her funeral was held at St. Paul’s.