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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 06648 4806
GC 974.402 N774HI
history
OF
First Methodist Church
NORTH ANDOVER, MASS.
1845 : 1945
Allen County Public Libran?
History of First Methodist Church North Andover, Massachusetts
--------
1844 - 1945
REV. RALPH D. YORK
HISTORY OF THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
The history of Methodism in North Andover opens in 1845, when the town was only a small hamlet, and the adjoining City of Lawrence was hardly a prophecy of what it has since become. At that time there were no religious services being held in this section of Andover. The church was founded when Andover included Andover, and North Andover which was separated by act of the General Court in 1855.
The North Parish Church had been founded in 1645 and was ministering at the Center. The Congregational Church also established at the Center, in 1834, did not move from there to its present location until 1865. The Catholic Church came as a mission in 1868, and the Episcopal Church was formed still more recently in 1882.
The first service was conducted by Rev. Stephen G. Hiler, a local preacher, on the first Sunday in August, 1845 and was held in the school house, with 20 persons present. This school house stood on what is now a vacant lot, at the corner of Main and School Streets. The Rev. Hiler conducted services here until he was forced to leave because of ill health, at the end of the year 1846. From then until August 1847, there was no regular preacher. However, they were supplied a few Sundays during that time by Baptist and Methodist preach- ers.
In August, James Dean, a local preacher, was sent by the then District Superintendent, the Rev. P. Crandell, to supply for the remainder of the con- ference year. Being dissatisfied with the general condition of the society, he left in November of the same year. From then until conference time in April, William Pentecost, a local preacher from Boston, supplied every alternate Sunday. Con- sequently, the first pastor to be regularly appointed to this charge by the New England Methodist Episcopal Conference, was the Rev. William Pentecost in 1848.
The following paragraph is an article written by him sometime during his pastorate.
"At present there is evidently a growing interest in the village on the sub- ject of religious prejudices giving way. The school house is well filled. Many who were formerly hostile towards us, and attended no place of religious worship attend regularly here with deep attention, and are anxious that preaching should be continued, pledging themselves likewise to contribute towards its support. Our present number of regular church members is twenty-three, several others are concerned about their spiritual state, four of them have commenced meeting in class, who, we trust are bidding fair for the Kingdom."
. The first membership list includes the following:
David Moore Samuel Chase
William Adams
Sophia Moore
Harriet Chase Miriam Adams
Joseph Ladd
Dianattra Ladd Abbey Chase
Eliza Ladd
Charles Knight Lucy Moore
Rebecca Osgood
Abram Bamford Mary Bamford
Susan Russell Lucinda Sargent
Elsey Knight
Sarah McIlroy
Mary Pentecost Gorham Tandy
Susan Wallace
James Brierley
Jane Wagstaff
Mary Bamford
Ann Kershaw
John Wagstaff
Betsy Bamford Robert McIlroy
Mary Butterworth
Rebecca Bamford John Butterworth
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HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
On September 29, 1849, the first board of trustees was formed, taking the name, "Trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of North Andover." The articles of incorporation are as follows :
Pursuant to an application of three Trustees of the First Methodist Epis- copal Church in Merrimack District Andover, said Trustees being certified by the Preacher in charge of said church to have been appointed in accordance with the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a meeting of said Trustees for the purpose of organizing themselves a body corporate, agreeably to an act passed by the Legislature in 1847 and approved by the Governor April 26th, 1847, was called by Dan Weed, Esquire, a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Essex, and said Trustees having been duly notified, a meeting of said Trustees was held on Saturday evening, September 29th, 1849 at the house of Rev. William Pentecost, Preacher in charge of said church.
There were present at said meeting, James Brierley, Joseph Ladd, David Ambrose and David Moore, being four-fifths of the whole number of Trustees, and the meeting having been opened by Prayer, a Secretary and Clerk were elected by ballot. James Brierley having a majority of the votes was declared to be duly elected, and was thereupon sworn by said Justice to the faithful .dis- charge of the duties of his office as Secretary and Clerk. Joseph Ladd was then chosen Treasurer and Stephen G. Hiler, Chairman.
The meeting then adjourned sine diem.
In October, 1849 the society began the erection of the church building, on the lot now occupied, from which the present building, by successive evolutions has grown. Up to this time the society had held their meetings in the school house, but as the accommodations were somewhat crowded, it was decided to erect a meeting-house. The building was dedicated Wednesday, March 6, 1850, with a sermon by Rev. J. D. Bridge of Boston, and the dedicatory prayer by Rev. J. Shephard of East Cambridge. The following Saturday, the pews were sold for enough to cancel the debt, except for three hundred dollars.
At the Conference held in Boston in April, 1850, the Rev. William Pente- cost reported that there was a class of eighteen Methodists in the Town of Groveland of which he had charge.
The ladies organized the "Social Benevolent Society," on October 1, 1851. There are two outstanding things that this society did in those early years. During the Civil War the members of the society made and sent supplies amounting to over one hundred-sixty dollars, to the Union Army. In 1865, the society gave over five hundred dollars toward paying off the mortgage on the parsonage.
In May of 1851 under the leadership of Rev. Ichabod Marcy, the pastor at that time, the Sunday School was reorganized with a membership of one hun- dred-fifty. It was at this time that the Sunday School Library was founded. However, this was discarded in 1928, because of the lack of interest and its material being obsolete for present day use.
By 1853 the church membership had increased so much it was found neces- sary to enlarge the original building. This was done by cutting it in two, and inserting a section in the middle, thereby increasing its capacity by one-third. This new addition left the church with a debt of five hundred dollars.
It was while serving this charge in 1853, that the pastor, Rev. John Smith, buried his first wife. Four years later he married Miss Mary E. Ladd, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ladd, of North Andover, and early members of our church.
5
HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
In the year in which the Rev. Nathan F. Soule served as pastor, (1857-58), there occurred a "depression," which was due to the over-confidence in railroad building and extension of credit. The local factories were nearly all closed for the greater part of the year, thus affecting the church financially.
Sometime during the year 1858, two probationers withdrew their names to save expulsion, for having attended "balls."
In the spring of 1860, when the Rev. George Sutherland came to North Andover to remain for two years, there were sixty-seven regular members and five probationers. The ministerial salary was five hundred dollars a year. Part of this sum was raised by holding a fair, from which the sum of one hundred- seventeen dollars was realized.
On March 28, 1861 the "Pew Owners" voted that a stone bridge be built on the west side of the Meeting House, and a chain put across to stop the travel of teams across the yard. This chain preceded the white picket fence which has long since been replaced by the privet hedge.
In the latter part of 1862, a permanent parsonage was established in the north side of the duplex cottage on Main Street next to what is now the prop- erty of the Catholic Church. 'In 1864, one-half of this building was purchased for the sum of eleven hundred dollars.
The following is a paragraph written about 1862, in the old records by the pas- tor, Rev. William M. Hubbard, telling of the Civil War. "We are now in the midst of a fearful rebellion, the country is rocked to and fro with internal strife. Many of our young nien have gone into the field, and the liberality of the church is severely taxed, especially the Ladies' Benevolent Society who are doing all they can for the relief of our sick and wounded soldiers-still, as a church and Society, we are having prosperity, and are praying for grace, suited to the emergencies of the times."
In 1864, Rev. George Chapman was appointed to this parish. As he did not bring his family here at once, he lived at the home of Mr. James Standring, on Elm Street.
At the beginning of the year 1865, the Trustees were reorganized and in- corporated for the second time. The articles of incorporation are as follows: Pursuant to an application of three Trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in North Andover, said Trustees being certified by the preacher in charge of said Church to have been appointed in accordance with the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a meeting of said Trustees for the purpose of or- ganizing themselves a body Corporate, agreeably to an act passed by the Legis- lature in 1847, and approved by the Governor, April 26, 1847 was called by George H. Poor, Esq., a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Essex and said Trustees having been duly notified, a meeting of said Trustees was held on Tuesday evening, February 28th, 1865 at the Parsonage of said Society. There were present at said meeting, James Brierley, James Standring, John Butter- worth, William Moody, Albert Grover, and the meeting having been opened by prayer by Rev. G. E. Chapman, a Secretary and Treasurer was elected by ballot. James Brierley, having a majority of the votes was declared to be duly elected and was thereupon sworn by said Justice of the Peace to the faithful discharge of his duties of his office as Secretary and Treasurer.
The reason for the second incorporation of the Trustees seems to be on ac- count of the separation of the North and West Parishes of Andover into the towns of North Andover, and Andover on April 7, 1855.
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HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
The Rev. George E. Chapman wrote during the year 1865 that "The year will be memorable for the complete overthrow of the rebellion and the assassina- tion of President Lincoln."
During the summer of 1870 the church was repaired inside and out at the cost of one thousand, one hundred-thirty dollars. The remarkable thing about this was, that inside of a year it was all paid for.
In the fall of 1871, during the pastorate of Rev. Linus Fish, a vestry was built by the Ladies' Society for social meetings, at a cost of six hundred dollars. At a later date this, vestry was sold and moved to Davis Street, where it has been remodelled into a dwelling house.
During the pastorate of the Rev. Porter M. Vinton, the size of the building was found to be inadequate for the needs of the church. Therefore, it was com- pletely remodelled and renewed, inside and out. It was at this time that the building was raised and the Sunday School vestry placed beneath, as we see it today. There had been two doors in the front of the church, one on either side of the old balcony which the choir used at that time. With the raising of the, building and the installation of the stairways, a central doorway was made. During the time occupied in repairs the society was generously per- mitted to occupy the Congregational Church. The renewed building was rededi- cated, February 25, 1883, with a sermon preached by Rev. R. L. Thayer, D. D. The cost of repairs was five thousand dollars. The Church in its renewed con- dition and new furnishings, with commodious vestries seemed finally to be all that was desirable in the line of church property at the time.
The fortieth anniversary of the Society was held on August 2, 1885 with the Rev. William W. Baldwin, Pastor, in charge. A copy of the program used. on that anniversary Sunday, and a newspaper account of the celebration are pre- served. An historical sermon was given by the Pastor at 10:30 a. m. - A Re- Union Love Feast was held at 2.p. m., and the Anniversary Jubilee was ob- served at 6:30 p. m.
The two year term of Rev. Baldwin, who came to us from Fairhaven, Maine, seems to have been very successful, financially. The Parsonage was repaired at the cost of two hundred dollars, and seven hundred dollars was paid on the principle of the church debt, in addition to paying all current expenses. The church debt in April of 1887, was twenty-nine hundred dollars.
The Young Peoples Christian League was organized on Monday, May 6, 1889 during the five year term of the Rev. Elias Hodge. There were twenty active, and seven associate members. This society continued until Wednesday, October 8, 1890 when the name was changed to that of Epworth League. Mr. Frank W. Abbott was the secretary at the last meeting.
At Conference time in 1893, the Rev. Henry Matthews came to our parish. He was here just a little over a year when he died on July 13, 1894. At a meet- ing of the Official Board held Saturday, July 14, 1894 with James Standring as Chairman, it was voted to close the church on Sunday, the 15th, and the resolu- tions which were presented by the Clerk of the Board, Alba M. Markey, touch- ing the death of the Pastor, were adopted.
The Rev. Matthews was succeeded by Rev. Milton B. Pratt, who came here in September 1894. He was only a, young man just starting out on his minis- terial career when he served our church. When he retired about twelve years ago, he had served four large Ohio, and New York churches, and had been Dis-
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HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
trict Superintendent of the Buffalo, New York District. During his term as pas- tor, the fiftieth anniversary of the society was fittingly observed, in 1895.
It was during the pastorate of Rev. Pratt, that the pipe organ, which was not new when purchased, was installed. This organ was used continually, first being pumped by a "Blow Boy," later by a water pump, and still later becoming electrified, until it was taken out during the 1941 renovations.
The next important event in the life of the church was the building of the present parsonage at 40 Third Street, during the pastorate of the Rev. George Sanderson. The old parsonage which had been used for over forty years, was situated in the north side of a duplex-cottage, and was very cold and dreary.
At a meeting of the Trustees, held March 27, 1904, a committee, consisting of the Pastor, Rev. William M. Cassidy, and Brothers E. Edmunds and B. Hayes, was appointed to take under consideration the selling of the old Par- sonage, and buying of the Liggett house for a new one. This is the house across the street from the church, and which is now partly occupied by two of our church families. However, this committee was discharged at a Trustee meeting held on May 5, 1904, as the house had been sold.
At a Trustee meeting held July 2, 1904, a committee of three was appointed, consisting of the Pastor, Rev. George Sanderson, Jabez N. Wagner, and Samuel T. Wood, to see what they could sell the old parsonage for and buy land to build a new one on. This committee was known as the "Parsonage Committee" and at a later date became the "Building Committee."
The old Parsonage was sold for thirteen hundred dollars, and the lot of land on Third Street opposite Maple Avenue, on which the Parsonage stands was bought on September 30, 1904 for the sum of four hundred and sixty-three dollars. The lot on the corner of Third and Milton Streets was bought a few years later. The late Louis H. McAloon was the contractor, erecting the build- ing for twenty-five hundred dollars. The Trustees borrowed fifteen hundred dollars from the Essex Savings Bank to make a part payment on the Parsonage. This money was secured by giving a mortgage on the new building.
One of the many ways which was used to raise money to help to pay off this mortgage, was the selling of glass paper weights. These had the picture of the new Parsonage in the center, with the likeness of the Pastor and his wife on either side. These paper weights show a white picket fence on the Third Street side of the property. There are still many of these "weights" in exist- ence among the older families of the Parish.
On May 17, 1905, a house warming was held, and the new Parsonage was formally dedicated. The other three Protestant Churches in North Andover were represented on this occasion. The Episcopal Church by its Pastor, Rev. H. Usher Monroe; the Unitarian Church by its Pastor, the Rev. Samuel Beane, who was then serving the first of his two terms as Pastor of the old North Par- ish Church. The Congregational Church was represented by the Hon. Judge Newton P. Frye.
This is a fitting place to pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Judge Frye. He was always a good friend of "The little White Church at the fork of the roads," as he used to call it. It was his custom on being invited to at- tend the reception of each new minister, to present them with a bible. Both the bible and pastor's chair on the old pulpit, were gifts from him. At his death in 1925, he also remembered us by leaving in trust, the sum of three thousand dollars, the interest from such, to be used toward the ministerial support of the
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HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
church. At the death of Mrs. Frye in 1933, we received an additional one thousand dollars. This money was used to pay off a mortgage on the church which had been outstanding for ten years.
In June of 1910, it was voted by the Official Board to adopt the free seat sys- tem in the church, after having charged for the use of the pews for over fifty years.
Extensive alterations were made in the auditorium of the Church during the year 1917. A hardwood floor was layed and the choir loft enlarged. It was also at this time that the building was electrified and the rear stairway built.
On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on the Central Powers. Our church had a direct part in this conflict, as it did in the War of the Re- bellion. We had twenty of our young men go into the armed forces. They were:
James Bamford
Daniel Littlefield
Percy Chorlton
Charles Jackson
Austin Marshall
Gardner Davis George T. Jackson
William McMurray
Bertie Dill John Jorgensen
John Mc Williams
Eugene Gardiner Ernest Jones
Percy Naden
Fred Gile
Edward Keisling
Charles Sanborn
Fred Houghton William Keisling
The women in the church were very active in working at the Red Cross Rooms.
In July of 1922, the steeple was struck by lightning, causing considerable damage. The cost of repairing it and the damage done to the electric wiring system amounted to eight hundred dollars. We received enough from the in- surance company to pay this bill, and had a sufficient amount of money left over to pay for repainting the church.
The Parsonage was wired for electricity, and improvements made in the kitchen during the pastorate of Rev. L. William Adams (1920-23). This work was paid for by the Ladies' Aid Society. Mr. Hedley V. Curren doing the elec- trical work, and Mr. Jabez N. Wagner making the alterations in the kitchen.
In April of 1923, the organ was electrified .. The Davis & Furber Machine Company electricians doing the work. At this same time, the balcony, which was originally the choir loft, was taken down, and the space used for the Pri- mary Department, was a welcome addition to the Sunday School facilities.
During the summer of 1924, when our Pastor, Rev. Harold Lancaster, re- turned to his home in England, we were supplied during his absence by the Rev. E. R. Lewis, who was the grandson of a former pastor, the Rev. Joseph W. Lewis (1873-75).
During the early part of 1925, alterations were made in the Sunday School Room. The present stage was built, and the space taking in one-half of the kitchen and one of the class rooms, were partitioned off from the large vestry at this time. Also the door going onto the stage from the small vestry was cut through at this time. Mrs. Emma Stott, Henry Hayman, Samuel A. Jenkins, Richard Chorlton, and the pastor, Rev. Harold Lancaster, being the committee in charge of the work. This work was done by two of our own parishioners, Mr. Cecil Bates and Mr. Hudson.
In September of 1925, the Rev. Harold Lancaster left us and went to the West Medford Methodist Episcopal Church. He was succeeded on October 18th, by Rev. Douglas G. Guest of Beverly, and a native of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
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HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
Sometime during the latter part of the spring of 1926, the roof of the Par- sonage was damaged by fire amounting to five hundred dollars. The fire was caused by sparks from the chimney. With the money received from the insur- ance company, the roof was covered with fire-proof shingles, and the Parsonage painted.
During the summer of 1929, the church roof was reshingled with fire-proof shingles and the building repainted its usual white. Inside, the church was completely redecorated and new lights installed. New folding individual chairs replaced the old long settees in the church school room. The kitchen, enlarged and equipped with new sink, closets and heater, was furnished with a new set of silver, by the Ladies' Aid Society. The committee gave much thought to the auditorium, so that it might create an atmosphere of true worship. As a result, the walls were redecorated in an ivory oiltex, mottled and blended with rose pink and cobalt blue. A communion table and a silver cross were dedicated as memorial gifts. The communion table was the gift of the family of the late Richard Chorlton. The silver cross was the gift of the family of the late Miss Edith Bamford. Both being former active workers in our church.
The cost of this renovating amounted to three thousand dollars. It was all paid for, that is, with the exception of seven hundred dollars, for which the Bay State Merchants National Bank of Lawrence held a mortgage on the building until 1938.
Rev. Louis Whitchurch, who directed this remodelling, served our parish for four years. He was very much interested in music, being an accomplished soloist. He directed the choir along with his ministerial duties.
In 1935, during the pastorate of Rev. Duane B. Aldrich, the 90th anniver- sary of the founding of our society was fittingly observed with a banquet, at which the District Superintendent, Dr. J. Franklin Knotts, was the principal speaker. The other three Protestant churches were represented by their pastors. The North Parish Unitarian Church, by Rev. Samuel C. Beane who was serving his second pastorate in North Andover; the Trinitarian Congregational Church, by Rev. Clinton W. Carvell and the Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, by Rev. Raymond H. Kendrick. Two of our former pastors honored us by their pres- ence. Rev. Louis Whitchurch entertained with two solos, and the Rev. Ralph Norsworthy spoke concerning his pastorate here. The Town of North An- dover was represented by the Honorable Joseph A. Duncan, long time Town Clerk, and neighbor and friend of many of our ministers. This banquet was held on Friday, October 18. On the following Sunday, October 20, the late Bishop Charles Wesley Burns, preached the sermon at the morning service.
Soon after this anniversary was over our pastor became ill. Rev. Aldrich continued his pastoral work under great hardship up until Christmas time. Finally, soon after the first of January 1936, he had to stop his work altogether. From then until Conference time, we had no regular minister. Our two local preachers, Miss Hazel Waterhouse and Whitney Feltmate, conducted the Sun- day services. At Conference time, Rev. Aldrich retired, and was moved to his summer home in the western part of Massachusetts.
Our new minister in 1936, was the Rev. Robert Taylor, who was just recover- ing from a very serious illness. He stayed with us for only one year. During Rev. Taylor's stay in North Andover, he built a trailer, which was the object of a lot of attention in the neighborhood of the Parsonage.
In 1937, Rev. Taylor left us, being transferred to Weston, Mass. He was followed by the Rev. Ray S. True.
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HISTORY OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
Much is to be said about the "Trues". Their stay in North Andover was only for one short year, but during that space of time they endeared themselves to the people of the parish. While here they adopted a baby boy, which they named David Ray. During Rev. True's pastorate in North Andover, he rep- resented our Parish at the house warming of the new Parsonage of the North Parish Unitarian Church.
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