USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Rockford > Golden anniversary exercises, historical record and manual of the Second Congregational church, Rockford, Illinois. November 7, 1849. November 7, 1899 > Part 10
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In 1895 Mr. Porter decided to spend the remainder of his life in the South, and chose as his future home Chadbourne, North Carolina. He was permitted to enjoy his southern home but a few months when he passed away April, 1896. After her husband's death Mrs. Porter returned to the old home near Rockford, and after three years was called into rest Feb. 19., 1899. Both had lived earnest Christian lives honored and respected by neighbors and friends.
PORTER.
Mrs. Elizabeth Curtis Porter was the wife of the first pastor of the Second Congregational Church. She was born in Auburn, New York, June 29, 1822, and always lived there until her marriage with Mr. Porter in 1844. She came with him to Rockford, where he had already been in charge of the First Congregational Church for a year, and they remained here till 1846, when they returned to their old home in Auburn, coming back to the new Second Church for the period between 1849 and 1853. In 1862 Mrs. Porter was chosen a manager of "Cayuga Asylum for Desti- tute children" in New York, and was deeply interested in the welfare of that institution. In 1879 she was elected its first directress, a position she held until 1882, when she became a member of the executive board, filling that place until death. She is well remembered as a woman of rare gifts and graces, a devoted wife, a model mother, and a consecrated Chris- tian. She lived in the faith of the gospel and made her life the interpreter of her creed. Gentle, refined, charity-loving and patient, unselfish and devoted to the service of her Master, her life was one of ideal loveliness. She never lost her early love for her Rockford friends, to whom she was bound by tenderest ties to the day of her death.
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The last visit of Mr. and Mrs. Porter together in Rockford was in 1892 on the occasion of the dedication of our church, that was so soon burned. It was at the pressing invitation of our lamented Dr. Barrows that they traveled many miles from their southern winter home to participate in that service. Three years later, in Atlanta, the dear woman ended her long life of love and labor, one year after the celebration of their golden wedding.
Mr. and Mrs. Porter had four children. Their first was born in Rock- ford in the Dr. Alden Thomas cottage, on West State Street, and died in infancy. The second, Elizabeth A., was born in Chicago, just after they had given up the charge of the First Church. She married Rev. Henry N. Payne, now president of "The Mary Homes Seminary" at West Point, Mississippi. The third Porter child, Anna R., was born in the old home of W. A. Dickerman, soon after they came to Rockford for the second pas- torate. In due course of time she married Richard H. Bloom, a mer- chant in Auburn, New York. The fourth and last child, a son, Lansing Lee, was also born in Rockford in the home which they had recently built in South Rockford, corner of South Main and Kent Streets. This son mar- ried in 1882 and settled in Chicago, where he still lives.
ROSE.
Benjamin A. Rose was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1817. His early life was spent in Philadelphia and Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. His last home in the east was in Big Flats, near Elmira, New York. In March, 1844, he married Antoinette W. Parker, who was born in Washington, Connecticut, May 4, 1817. Immediately after their wedding Mr. and Mrs. Rose came to Illinois. As there were no railroads in the West at that time the trip was made by the lakes to Chicago, thence by wagon to Aurora, where they spent the first summer of their married life. In October they came to Rockford. During the first eleven years of their married life in Rockford Mr. Rose was in the stores of Mr. G. A. San- ford and of Mr. C. I. Horsman, and in the Winnebago National Bank, as one of the clerical force. Then his health rendering it necessary that he should be more in the open air, he bought the farm southwest of town on' which they made their home from 1855 until his death in 1883. In 1885 Mrs. Rose moved to town again, making her home on North Church Street most of the time until her death in 1896, which occurred at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. M. Waugh. Three of their children are liv- ing, one of them, H. N. Rose, and his family are still connected with this church.
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MRS. HARRIETTE PLATT COTTON, SURVIVING CHARTER MEMBER.
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Mr. and Mrs. Rose identifed themselves with the First Congregational Church immediately on their arrival in Rockford, and when the Second Church was formed joined in organizing that body.
Mr. Rose was a man of strong convictions, generous impulses and stern integrity. One who knew him from her early childhood until his death, writes : "It is impossible to conceive of his ever having been tempted for one moment to swerve from the straight course of absolute honor and truth." While conservative in his judgment, especially as re- garded politics and religion, he was broad minded and capable of seeing his opponent's point of view. He was interested in the progress of the world and in fullest sympathy with every movement for the betterment of man- kind. Mr. Rose had an unusual love for the beautiful, and a keen sense of humor. As a friend he was affectionate and sympathetic. His place can never be filled in the hearts of the many who had reason to remember him with gratitude and love.
Mrs. Rose was one of the sweet home keepers, gentle, quiet and affectio- nate, taking into her heart a few friends outside her home circle, but regard- ing the great world and its erring and sorrowing ones with charitable and sympathetic feeling. A gentle dignity always distinguished her manner and threw into relief her original expression of ideas, which were often touched by quaint humor. As her family cares grew fewer she found en- joyment in reading and keeping abreast of the times, and every good work found in her a sympathetic friend. Great sorrow came to her in her later years in the death of her oldest daughter and of her husband, but her faith held firm and no sound of bitterness or of complaint was ever uttered by her. Rather, as she tried to rise above her grief for the sake of the chil- dren who were left to her, she grew sweeter and gentler, and the removal of her loving spirit to the " land of peace " seemed but the natural transition of a well-rounded, noble life to the full fruition of eternity in the presence of Him whom she served.
RUSSELL.
Samuel J. Russell was born in Middletown, Conn., December 23rd, 1811. At the age of thirteen years he began clerking in the bank of his native town where he remained for six years. The tales of western life, together with the invitation from his father's friend, Gurdon S. Hubbard, President of the American Fur Company, induced him to come to Chica- go, and in 1830 he entered the office of the above named gentleman where Hist. Rec. 14.
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he remained until he enlisted in the Black Hawk war in 1832. After the close of the war he went to Danville, Illinois, where he kept a store, and where he met Lucy Pratt Gilbert, who was born in Rushville, New York, October 2nd, 1815, and who had come to Danville with her parents when about twelve years of age. These young people were married at Danville, February 13th, 1833.
In 1837 Mr. and Mrs. Russell moved to Bourbonnais Grove, Kanka- kee County, Illinois, onto a piece of land which Mr. Russell had selected while out with a scouting party during the Black Hawk war. Here he established a farm, a store, kept the stage station and was the postmaster.
In 1841 Mr. Russell moved his family to Rockford, and took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land at what is now the northeast corner of Rockton Avenue and Auburn Street. Mr. Russell built the house stand- ing on that corner in which his family lived for three years, when he re- turned to Bourbonnais for two years. The family again came to Rockford and made a home in the house at the northeast corner of Church and Mul- berry Streets. On March 5, 1843, Samuel J. and Lucy Russell united with the First Congregational Church of Rockford, and they were earnest, active workers in that church until they left to help found the Second church. In 1855 Mr. Russell moved his family to Postville, Iowa, where he opened a store, and was for years the postmaster.
In 1879 they passed through Rockford on their way home from Dan- ville, Illinois, where they had been to attend the Fiftieth Anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of that place, Mrs. Russell being the only one of the eight charter members present.
Through the efforts and prayers of Mr. and Mrs. Russell the Congre- gational Church at Postville, lowa, was organized in 1856 in their house, where for nearly two years all the church meetings were held. They were the leaders in this church for twenty-five years, and the site and the church buildings were secured through their untiring and generous labor. Pos- sessed of a pioneering spirit their influence was felt in many communities. Mr. Russell was of a bouyant and happy nature. He traveled extensively, was a keen observer, and took the world as he found it. His wide experi- ence with men furnished a rich fund of anecdote, which, with his social nature, made him a gifted entertainer. His piety was deep-seated, not of the stern and forbidding type, but like that of his Master. He was a model Christian gentleman, of pleasing appearance, and an ornament to his pro- fession.
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In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Russell moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where Mr. Russell died November 30th, 1886. Mrs. Russell aided in establishing at least three churches. Her labors of love were not confined to the church alone, but in all ways she was a bountiful and cheerful giver. Her whole life was that of a pioneer in new places, but always loyal and strong in the service of the Master, the welfare of her church and the uplifting of human- ity. She was conscientious, practical, loving and sweet spirited; she looked out upon the busy world to the very last with intelligent, sympathetic inter- est. In 1893 Mrs. Russell again visited her old home at Danville to be present at the dedication of a costly church building erected to take the place of the old house of worship of the church of her youthful days, just sixty-four years and seven months after the church was founded, and of which she was the last surviving charter member, as also she was of the Postville, lowa, church. The dedication of the church at Danville was the last church service Mrs. Russell was able to attend, for she died on Christ- mas day 1893 at Spirit Lake, Iowa. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Russell, one only, Charles G., of Brooklyn, Missouri, surviving.
SANFORD.
Connecticut gave many of her sons and daughters to Rockford in the early days, among whom perhaps no one had more to do with its up-build- ing than did Goodyear Asa Sanford, who was born in August, 1814, and came to Rockford in 1837.
He was one of those pioneers who had little capital but unlimited faith in the great possibilities of the future city, and that its future turned out so well is due to just such men as Mr. Sanford, who by their indomitable energy established broad and firm business foundations on the prairie soil.
Mr. Sanford started in a modest way with a small general store on the southeast corner of Main and West State streets, but by careful attention to business he built up a fortune which enabled him to aid in all good causes, giving largely, though unostentatiously. He always took an inter- est in politics that was too genuine to lead him into office seeking, but he served the county and city as deputy sheriff, sheriff and alderman, and in all these his record was that of a conscientious servant who recognized the demands of duty and faithfully fulfilled them.
Mr. Sanford was deeply interested in the educational interests of Rock- ford. July 6, 1864, he was elected a trustee of Rockford Seminary, now
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Rockford College, and served until the time of his death, and June 6, 1893, he was made vice president of the Board of Trustees.
He was the first delegate sent out by our church, and was placed on the first assessment committee and continued to serve on this committee until he was made a trustee of the church in 1857.
Mr. Sanford's name is the second one found on the subscription list for building the first stone church, and owing to the financial condition of the country at that time the necessary expenses of building and equipping the new church became so burdensome upon the subscribers and members of the society that Mr. Sanford mortgaged his home in order that the work might go forward. He was on the committee to choose a plan and select a site, and was also chairman of the committee to raise the necessary funds to meet all the expenses attending the erection and fitting of the new church home.
On his re-election as trustee January 7, 1878, the church record reads : " On declaration of the said ballot, the chairman addressed Mr. Sanford in a few appropriate, happy and feeling remarks, referring to the term of ser- vice for twenty-one years as trustee, and his extraordinary faithfulness in the performance of the duties thereof and his love and regard for the inter- est, well being and prosperity of the church and society ; and then presented to him a very elegant gold chain and tablet as an appreciation of said ser- vice." This gift Mr. Sanford wore until the time of his death.
January 3rd, 1887, after a service of thirty years as trustee, Mr. San- ford was again re-elected, but resigned. The following was spread on the records, at that time : " Resolved, That the society of the Second Congre- gational Church desires to recognize the faithful and efficent services of Trustee G. A. Sanford, who to-day completes thirty years of continuous service as a trustee of said society, and we wish to extend to our friend and brother this expression of our sincere thanks and high appreciation of his labors in its behalf, and that it be placed upon the records of the society,"
Mr. Sanford was always a regular attendant of the Sabbath and mid- week services of the church, allowing nothing to interfere with that which he considered both a privilege and duty ; he was present at prayer meeting and the Sunday service preceding his death. As a neighbor and friend he was loyal, frank, cordial and cheery. He died suddenly. of paralysis, on Friday, March 16th, 1894.
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SANFORD.
Elizabeth H. Bassett was born in the year 1813 in New York state. In 1838 she was married there to Mr. Goodyear A. Sanford, who had gone east for his bride, and they came to Rockford April 2nd, 1838. In 1844 - Mr. and Mrs. Sanford united with the First Church on profession.
Mrs. Sanford was one of the original members of the Woman's For- eign Missionary Society formed in the First Church in 1838. She was one of the forty-seven who formed the Second Church, and she sang in our choir for a number of years. She was a devoted Christian, and always active in church work. Of an independent, out-spoken disposition she was fearless in all her opinions, kind hearted, generous, true to her friends and much beloved by all who knew her. Becoming lame, through an accident, she was prevented from taking the exercise she needed, and being of an active temperament her health began to break under the confinement until consumption became firmly fastened upon her, and after a protracted illness she died in October, 1857.
SPURR.
Rebecca A. Rector was born July 16th, 1820, in Mount Morris, Gen- esee County, New York. She was united in marriage on June 10, 1834, to Rufus Spurr. They came west immediately after their marriage and settled in Canton, Ohio. After two years residence in Canton they came to Rockford, and later Mr. Spurr opened a jewelry store in West State Street.
Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Spurr. Mrs. Ave L. Lang- don of Chambersburg, Pa., Mrs. F. D. Spalding of Chicago, and Mrs. Allen N. Crandall, of Rockford, are still living. Mrs. Spurr died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Crandall, January 14, 1888.
TOWN.
Rial King Town was born in Granville, New York, June 3rd, 1802. When a young man he came west to Cleveland, Ohio, and there learned the cabinet maker's trade. He afterwards studied medicine under the tute- lage of his brother, Dr. Israel Town, at one time President of Western Re- serve College. Rial K. Town abandoned his profession and resumed work at his trade. He married Clarissa Thompson. March 7th, 1827. Miss Thompson was a native of Ohio, and was born in 1806.
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In 1833 Mr. and Mrs. Town located in Chicago for a short time, but returned to the east and settled in Northeast, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Town and family again came west in 1842 and took a claim near Rock- ford. Later they moved to Rockford where he became prominent as a contractor and builder, and afterwards engaged in the furniture business. In 1848 Mr. and Mrs. Town united with the First Congregational Church, and when the Second church was formed Mr. Town was elected as one of the first two deacons and held the office for twelve years; faithful to every trust and to every church duty.
Deacon and Mrs. Town had six children, and two of their sons, Orrin C. and Dennison K. served during the Civil War, the latter was at one time . private secretary to Gen. Grant, and both were held in high esteem by the General.
Deacon Town was very patriotic, and he organized a company of men for the Civil War when he was sixty years of age, drilled them each day and encamped on the Fair Grounds. His company was accepted by Gov- ernor Yates but was not called to the front. . After the battle of Shiloh Deacon -Town went to the battle field as a nurse, and was a messenger of comfort and peace to many a dying man, and to many who lived to bless him in after years.
In 1876 Deacon and Mrs. Town moved to Carroll, Iowa, where on August 10th, 1886, he died. " He fought a brave fight ; he finished his course ; he kept the faith."
Mrs. Town was a woman of bright mind and the most amiable quali- ties of heart, " a lovely Christian woman." After her husband's death she made her home with her daughter. Mrs. J. B. Coller, at Anamosa, Iowa, and although for a year before her death she was, because of an accident, a great invalid, she remained through all her great suffering the same brave, sweet, gentle Christian. Her whole life was made up of kind words and deeds. She died August 1st, 1891, at Anamosa, Iowa, aged 85 years.
WOODRUFF.
Anor Woodruff was born in Watertown, Conn., October 9, 1797, but his parents moved to New Marlborough, Mass., where he grew to manhood on his father's farm. On an adjoining farm December 6, 1796, was born Eliza Camfield. January 28, 1819, Anor Woodruff and Eliza Camfield were married in the home of her birth in Berkshire County, Mass.
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Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff came to Rockford in 1849, and here they spent the remainder of their lives. In 1852 Mr. Woodruff built the house on South Church Street, numbered 411, and here they at one time kept a large boarding house. Mr. Woodruff also made delicious molasses candy. His house was the Mecca to which young and old used to make frequent pilgrimages, and to all he gave scripture measure of candy and a cheery, pleasant word-" a more cheerful spirit never breathed."
By industry and economy Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff saved quite a little fortune, but later in life reverses came and left them with little of this world's goods, yet they remained brave, ambitious and cheerful and seemed always happy.
Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff brought letters from their home church and united with our church as constituent members. They were always faith- ful to every church duty and cheerfully did their part in the work of our church.
After a married life of sixty-nine years Mr. Woodruff died May 23, 1888, aged 91 years, Mrs. Woodruff survived her husband but little more than two years. She died January 12, 1890.
The foregoing brief sketches from pioneer life may have in them nothing more than a local fame, but do we always realize the actual value of character in the early settlement of western towns? From the early days Rockford has had the advantage of many neighboring towns in those conditions which promote pure morals and correct taste and sentiment. One cannot question the source and cause of this advantage. It lay in the sterling character and lofty aims of many persons and families, such as are herein sketched who laid the foundations of society in Rockford.
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
WRITTEN FOR THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BY DEACON ASA E. CUTLER.
W E meet to-day to celebrate the Fiftieth Anniversary of our Sun- day School. Our effort has been to gather as much infor- mation as possible in regard to the early and continuous history of our school, in order for its better preservation historically. But owing to the imperfection and absence of many of the records, we have found it difficult to make anything approximating a complete history.
It seems to have been the almost universal rule or custom in all new communities that the Sunday School precedes the church, being as it were a sort of John the Baptist, to prepare the way. and this was true of our own church. We find from old records and previous reports that there was a Sunday School organized on the 7th of May, 1848, in the old church build- ing formerly occupied by the First Congregational Church before their re- moval to the East side of the river. This building was located on the second block south of the present site of the old church now known as Central Hall.
The Second Congregational Sunday School was organized on the same date as the church, November 7, 1849, with the following officers : Thomas D. Robertson, superintendent ; W. A. Dickerman, assistant superintendent; Michael Burns, secretary and treasurer. The first teachers of the school were Deacon Alonzo Gorham, W. A. Dickerman, Moses G. Haskell, Mrs. Samuel I. Russell, Miss Eunice Brown, Miss Sarah D. Hyde, Miss Han- nah L. Gorham and Mrs. Harriett Robinson. We find no record of the number of pupils at the time the school was organized, but in July. 1850, the average attendance was 35. Teachers meetings were held in the church at nine o'clock each Sabbath morning. In October, 1850, a Mis- sionary Society was established in the school, which had the control of the Benevolent Offerings. The first annual report of this society, October,
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1851, chronicles contributions to the amount of $10.04, one-half of which was divided between the American Home Missionary Society and the American Board.
In 1852 James H. Rogers was elected superintendent, and continued until 1854, when he was succeeded in office by James G. Manlove. Octo- ber 1st, 1855, Dr. Dexter G. Clark was elected to the superintendency, occu- pying this position for six successive years, and only yielding it at the com- mand of the Master to come up higher. His death, occurring October 6, 1861, was esteemed a great loss to the school, and was feelingly alluded to in the Secretary's Annual Report, as follows :
" With his heart fully in the work of this school, he spared no pains to forward its interests and do good to the children ; and it was his frequent remark that the Sunday School hour was the happiest to him of all the week. It was often on his mind on his bed of sickness, and in his dying days. That his Sunday School labors were blessed to him while in the work we can all testify. And have not the six years of Dr. Clark's con- nection with the Sunday School proved indeed the Sabbath of his life ! May these his works follow him into that eternal Sabbath that remaineth for the people of God." The school adopted a series of resolutions com- ยท memorative of Dr. Clark's service and their sorrow at his death.
The first anniversary celebration of our school was held on the 30th of September, 1860. During the preceding year there were twenty-two teachers connected with the school, and an average attendance of 122 pupils.
Mr. Henry Plant occupied the superintendency from October, 1861, to May, 1862, when he was followed by H. W. Taylor, who served until No- vember, 1863. T. D. Robertson, the first superintendent, who had served the school three years in that capacity, was then re-elected, and continued to discharge the duties of the office during the next four years.
In the Superintendent's Report for 1864, the following members of the school are named as having joined the army either during that year or earlier in the war: Evans Blake, William Finn, A. W. Lansing, H. C. Rising, H. M. Thomas (then deceased), Edward P. Thomas, James G. Manlove, Jr., C. G. Manlove, Edward B. Spalding and Jesse Clark.
The records of the year 1865 and 1866 show marked progress, both in numbers and efficiency, during which time there were large additions from the school to the church.
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