USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the churches and ministers, and of Franklin association, in Franklin County, Mass., and an appendix respecting the county > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
LIFRAI
KY OF PRI CL
M.J SR 1943 THEO OLOGICAL EM
Y
BX7146 . MAF8 P2
A
TI
FOLGEN
HISTORY
OF THE
CHURCHES AND MINISTERS,
AND OF
FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION,
IN
FRANKLIN COUNTY, MASS. AND
AN APPENDIX RESPECTING THE COUNTY.
BY REV. THEOPHILUS PACKARD, JR., Late Pastor of the Congregational Church in Shelburne, Mass.
BOSTON: S. K. WHIPPLE AND COMPANY, 100 WASHINGTON STREET. 1854.
Entered according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by THEOPHILUS PACKARD, JR., In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
DUTTON & WENTWORTH, PRINTERS, 37 Congress Street, Boston.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE AND EXPLANATION, - - page 1
7 FRANKLIN COUNTY Mass. -
ASHFIELD. Congregational Church. Pastors: Jacob Sherwin, Nehemiah Porter, Alvan Sanderson, Thomas Shepard, Mason Grovesnor, Burr Bald- win, Sereno D. Clark, and William H. Gilbert. Preachers who origi- nated from Ashfield: Rufus B. Bement, William Bement, John Cross, Anson Dyer, Alvah Lilley, Elijah Paine, John C. Paine, William P. Paine, Melzar Parker, Samuel Parker, Charles S. Porter, Freeman Sears, Oliver M. Sears, Preserved Smith, Preston Taylor, Morris E. White, and Francis Williams. Other Denominations : Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, Universalists, and Unitarians. Summary of all Preachers from Ashfield. - page 9
BERNARDSTON. Congregational Churches. Pastors: John Norton, Job Wright, Amasa Cook, Vinson Gould, Bancroft Fowler, Frederic Janes, and Charles Kendall. Preachers who originated from Bernardston : Samuel C. Allen and Elijah Wollage. Other Denominations : Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians, and Universalists. Summary of all Preachers from Bernardston. - page 32
BUCKLAND. Congregational Church. Pastors : Josiah Spaulding, Ben- jamin F. Clarke, Preston Cummings, and Asa B. Smith. Preachers who originated from Buckland: Jesse Edson, Washington A. Nichols, Leb- beus R. Phillips, David Rood, and Lathrop Taylor. Other Denomina- tions : Baptists, Episcopalians, and Methodists. Summary of all Preach- ers from Buckland. page 52
CHARLEMONT. Congregational Churches. Pastors : Jonathan Leavitt, Isaac Babbitt, Joseph Field, Wales Tileston, Stephen T. Allen, John D. Smith, Moses H. Wilder, and Aaron Foster. Preachers who originated from Charlemont : James Ballard, Roswell Hawks, Theron M. Hawks, Lemuel Leonard, and Daniel Rice. Other Denominations : Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians, and Universalists. Summary of all Preachers from Charlemont. - page 64
iv
CONTENTS.
COLERAINE. Congregational Church. Pastors : Alexander McDowell, Daniel McClellan, Samuel Taggart, Aretas Loomis, Horatio Flagg, and Cyrus W. Allen. Preachers who originated from Coleraine: Oren John- son, Aretas G. Loomis, Elihu Loomis, Lorenzo Lyons, Luke Lyons, Jon- athan McGee, William Riddel, and Hugh Wallace. Other Denomina- tions : Baptists, C-h-r-i-s-t-i-a-n-s, Methodists, Perfectionists, and Univer- salists. Summary of all Preachers from Coleraine. - - page 80 CONWAY. Congregational Church. Pastors : John Emerson, Edward Hitchcock, Daniel Crosby, Melancthon G. Wheeler, Samuel Harris, and George M. Adams. Preachers who originated from Conway: Joel Baker, Elisha Billings, Richard S. Billings, Abel B. Clary, Dexter Clary, Stalham Clary, David Dickinson, Harrison G. O. Dwight, Sam- uel M. Emerson, Samuel Fisher, William Fisher, John A. Nash, Edward W. Root, Joseph K. Ware, Samuel Ware, and William Ware. Other Denominations : Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, Unitarians, and Uni- versalists. Summary of all preachers from Conway. - page 99
DEERFIELD. Congregational Churches. Pastors : John Williams, Jon- athan Ashley, John Taylor, Henry Seymour, Alfred E. Ives, Benjamin Rice, Tertius S. Clarke, William M. Richards, Abraham Jackson, Moses K. Cross, and David A. Strong. Preachers who originated from Deer- field : Hiram P. Arms, Selah R. Arms, Joel Bordwell, Zenas Clapp, Orin Cooley, John Hawks, Jr., Ebenezer Hindsdale, Edward Hitchcock, Asa Johnson, Alonzo Sanderson, Rufus Wells, Eleazer Williams, Ste- phen Williams, Warham Williams, and Edward Wright. Other De- nominations : Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Unitarians. Sum- mary of all Preachers from Deerfield. page 123
ERVING. Congregational Church. Pastor: Josiah Tucker. Other De- nominations : Baptists, and Universalists. Summary-one preacher from Erving. page 160
GILL. Congregational Church. Pastors: John Jackson, Jabez Munsell, Josiah W. Canning, James Sandford, William Miller, and Edward F. Brooks. Preachers who originated from Gill: William M. Richards, Samuel H. Riddel, and Jubilee Wellman. Other Denominations: Meth- odists, and Unitarians. Summary of all Preachers from Gill. page 163
GREENFIELD. Congregational Churches. Pastors: Edward Billings, Roger Newton, Gamaliel S. Olds, Sylvester Woodbridge, Amariah Chandler, Charles Jenkins, William C. Fowler, Caleb S. Henry, Thomas Bellows, Samuel Washburn, Lorenzo L. Langstroth, and George C. Partridge. Preachers who originated from Greenfield : Edward Billings, Jr., Charles C. Corse, John F. Griswold, Charles P. Russell, and Samuel M. Wood- bridge. Other Denominations : Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Unitarians. Summary of all Preachers from Greenfield. page 173
V
CONTENTS.
HAWLEY. Congregational Churches. Pastors: Jonathan Grout, Tyler Thacher, Henry Seymour, Moses Miller, and John Eastman. Preachers who originated from Hawley : Orramel W. Cooley, Marshall L. Farns- worth, Pindar Field, Thomas A. Hall, Urbane Hitchcock, Jonas King, Foster Lilley, Jr., Alfred Longley, Moses M. Longley, Isaac Oakes, Al- vah C. Page, Jeremiah Taylor, Oliver A. Taylor, Rufus Taylor, Timothy A. Taylor, and Thomas H. Wood. Other Denominations : Methodists. Summary of all Preachers from Hawley, page 202
HEATH. Congregational Churches. Pastors : Joseph Strong, Moses Mil- ler, Calvin Butler, Samuel M. Emerson, Josiah Fisher, and Alpheus Graves. Preachers who originated from Heath: Stephen T. Allen, Joshua Leavitt, Lowell Smith, David H. Thayer, and John C. Thompson. Other Denominations : Baptists, Unitarians, and Universalists. Sum- mary of all preachers from Heath. - - page 225
LEVERETT. Congregational Church. Pastors: Henry Williams, Joel Wright, Joseph Sawyer, Jonas Colburn, Freegrace Reynolds, and David Eastman. Preachers who originated from Leverett: Levi A. Field, Levi Field, William S. Smith, and Avery Williams. Other Denominations: Baptists, Episcopalians, Unitarians, and Universalists. Summary of all Preachers from Leverett. page 239
LEYDEN. Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Universalists. Sum- mary of all preachers from Leyden. Dorrelites. - - page 249 MONROE. Universalists, and Unitarians. Summary of all Preachers from Monroe, page 260
MONTAGUE. Congregational Church. Pastors: Judah Nash, Aaron Gates, Moses B. Bradford, Benjamin Holmes, and James H. Merrill. Preachers who originated from Montague: Lucius R. Eastman, Walter Gunn, and Justin Marsh. Other Denominations : Baptists, Episcopalians, and Unitarians . Summary of all Preachers from Montague. page 261
NEW SALEM. Congregational Churches. Pastors : Samuel Kendall, Joel Foster, Levi French, Erastus Curtis, and William H. Hayward. Preach- ers who originated from New Salem: Josiah L. Armes, Caleb Clark, and John Taylor. Other Denominations: Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians, and Universalists. Summary of Preachers from New Salem. page 274
NORTHFIELD. Congregational Churches. Pastors: Benjamin Doolittle, John Hubbard, Samuel C. Allen, Eli Moody, Bancroft Fowler, Horatio J. Lombard, Nathaniel Richardson, and Luther Farnham. Preachers who originated from Northfield: Caleb Alexander, Joseph R. Field, Lucius Field, Thomas P. Field, and Frederic Janes. Other Denomina- tions : Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Unitarians. Summary of all Preachers from Northfield. page 282
vi
CONTENTS.
ORANGE. Congregational Churches. Pastors: Emerson Foster, Josiah Tucker, and David Peck. Other Denominations: Baptists, Metho- dists, Unitarians, and Universalists. Summary of all preachers from Orange. page 298
ROWE. Congregational Churches. Pastors: Preserved Smith, Jonathan Keith, John C. Thompson, Andrew Govan, and Benjamin F. Clarke. Preachers who originated from Rowe: Joseph W. Clary, Noah Cressey, Preserved Smith, Jr., and Sereno W. Streeter. Other Denominations : Baptists, Methodists, and Unitarians. Summary of all Preachers from Rowe. page 3C8
SHELBURNE. Congregational Churches. Pastors : Robert Hubbard, Jesse Townsend, Theophilus Packard, Theophilus Packard, Jr., and George F. Bronson. Preachers who originated from Shelburne : Amariah Chandler, Rufus Childs, Daniel T. Fisk, Ezra Fisk, Pliny Fisk, Samuel Fisk, Rob- ert Hubbard, Jr., Giles Lyman, Theophilus Packard, Jr., and Levi Pratt. Other Denominations : Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians, Universalists, Shaking Quakers, and Episcopalians. Summary of all Preachers from Shelburne. page 322
SHUTESBURY. Congregational Church. Pastors: Abraham Hill, John Taylor, and Ezra Newton. Preachers who originated from Shutesbury : Dyer Ball, Oliver Hill, and Samuel W. Leonard. Other Denominations : Baptists, Methodists, and Universalists. Summary of all Preachers from Shutesbury. - page 356
SUNDERLAND. Congregational Church. Pastors : Joseph Willard, William Rand, Joseph Ashley, Asa Lyon, David H. Williston, James Taylor, Henry B. Holmes, Solomon B. Ingram, Austin Cary, Henry B. Hosford, and Sereno D. Clark. Preachers who originated from Sunderland : Ed- ward Billings, Eli F. Cooley, Joseph Field, Alpheus Graves, Horatio N Graves, Austin O. Hubbard, Jonathan Hubbard, Ochus G. Hubbard, and Rodolphus B. Hubbard. Other Denominations: Baptists, and Unita- rians. Summary of all preachers from Sunderland. - page 365
WARWICK. Congregational Churches. Pastors : Lemuel Hedge, Samuel Reed, Samuel Kingsbury, and Roger C. Hatch. Preachers who origi- nated from Warwick : John Fiske, Moses Fiske, Nahum Gould, Junius L. Hatch, Francis Leonard, Swan L. Pomroy, and Levi Wheaton. Other Denominations : Baptists, Episcopalians, Unitarians and Universalists. Summary of all preachers from Warwick. page 397
WENDELL. Congregational Church. Pastors : Joseph Kilburn, Hervey Wilbur, John Duncklee, William Claggett, Salmon Bennett, and Noa- diah S. Dickinson. Preachers who originated from Wendell: Warren
vii
CONTENTS.
H. Beaman, and Joseph Sawyer. Other Denominations : Baptists. Sum- mary of all preachers from Wendell. page 408 WHATELY. Congregational Churches. Pastors : Rufus Wells, Lemuel P. Bates, John Ferguson, J. Howard Temple, Charles N. Seymour, and Jonathan S. Judd. Preachers who originated from Whately : Pomroy Belden, Perez Chapin, Lucius W. Chapman, Alvan Sanderson, and Rufus P. Wells. Other Denominations : Baptists and Methodists. Summary of all Preachers from Whately. page 413
GENERAL SUMMARY,
425
TABLE No. I, of all the existing Churches in the County, - - 426
TABLE No. II, of all the Preachers who originated from the
County,
-
-
-
426
TABLE No. IlI, of all the Orthodox Congregational Churches in the County, - - - 427
TABLE No. IV, of the Orthodox Congregational Pastors of the County, - - 429
TABLE No. V., of the Orthodox Congregational Preachers who originated from the County, - - - 433
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN ASSOCIATION; its Members and Licen- tiates, - -
438
APPENDIX, -
66 451
TABLE No. I, of the Incorporation and Valuation of the Towns, - 66 451 TABLE No. II, of the Population of the Towns from 1790, - - 452
TABLE No. III, of the Educational and other Statistics of the Towns, -
- 453
COURTS in the County,
-
453
COUNSELORS, -
66 454
PHYSICIANS, - -
66 454
BANKS, PAPERS, VARIOUS SOCIETIES, - 455
PRODUCTIONS, &c., -
66 455
BENEVOLENT CONTRIBUTIONS, -
-
455
PREFACE.
THE chief object of this work is, to present a brief view of the most important and interesting facts in the history of the Orthodox Congregational Churches and Ministers of Franklin County, Mass. In doing this, it has seemed suita- ble to take some notice of the other religious denominations in the county. To furnish a full and particular history of any religious denomination, is a work that belongs most ob- viously to a member of that denomination. Hence the brevity of the account given of those religious orders to which the author does not belong. So intimately connected has been the Franklin Association of Ministers with the Orthodox Congregational Churches and Ministers of the county, that a brief sketch of its history, and some notice of its members and its licentiates, seem necessary to the completeness of this work. The Appendix is designed to furnish a variety of information relative to the county, which is not collected in any single work, and to which reference can easily be made.
This work is intended to be a collection of facts. It has been the aim of the author to relate, upon satisfactory evi- dence, what has taken place in reference to the subjects here considered ; and not generally to offer his conjectures, or speculations, or inferences. No small amount of time and effort has been required to obtain full and reliable in- formation. To secure such information, probably about eight hundred letters have been written, and nearly as many received. All but eight of the living Orthodox Congrega-
1
2
PREFACE.
tional Ministers, who have been and now are pastors in the county, and who originated from it, have themselves kindly furnished the statistics in their history. This work was commenced seven years since, under the direction of Frank- lin Association ; but they subsequently committed it entirely to the hands of the author. He alone is responsible for the production.
It is believed, that no work, embracing just such a field as is here occupied, has yet appeared before the public. This is only an approximation to what should be done. Should this humble attempt exert any influence in leading to the preparation of full and detailed Ecclesiastical and Ministerial histories of the different sections of our country, or of New England, one valuable purpose will be answered. Such histories ought speedily to be written. Respect for our noble ancestors, justice to ourselves, benevolence to our posterity, and the interests of the Christian Religion, de- mand them.
In the accounts given of Ministers, the author has intended to give only the statistical facts in the history of the liv- ing, and generally to insert the biographical notices written by others, respecting the deceased. Such biographies occupy no small portion of the volume. As correct delinea- tions of Preachers of the Gospel, who either received more or less of their early training in this county, or who exer- cised the functions of the pastoral office in the churches of the county-being men of widely different endowments, habits, tastes and degrees of education-and many of them having been pioneers in the ministry in the newly settled towns of this region, and consequently subjected to peculiar hardships and privations-the biographies, it is hoped, may not be uninteresting to the religious and reflecting portion of the people in the county. In those unhappy cases, in which ministers have fallen into faults or immoralities, only a brief and general statement of the fact has been given; minute details have been omitted.
3
PREFACE.
In the limited account given of those denominations, with which the author is not connected, he has especially en- deavored to state facts with fairness and correctness. For his information he has been chiefly dependent on the kind- ness of ministers, officers, and members of churches, and others connected with those denominations. If mistakes have been made, they probably originated with those who furnished the accounts.
EXPLANATION .- A few explanatory words may render the plan, method, and statements of the following work more intelligible and easy of comprehension. A few facts of a general nature respecting the county and the several towns, are deemed a fit introduction to a particular account of the churches and ministers in the respective towns. A more full account of churches and ministers is given in some cases than in others. The reason for this, generally is, inability to procure the information lacking. In some cases, the early records of churches are not to be found. For this reason the enumeration of religious Revivals and Ecclesiastical Councils, and some other events noticed in the following pages, is not complete. Ministers from this county who be- came Presbyterian, are ranked in the Congregational order, and the distinction between these two orders is not generally observed in the account of ministers given in this work. Although a person has preached but a short time, and has then wholly left the ministry for some other employment- and although he has not been ordained-yet every such per- son who has originated from this county, has been reckoned in this work as a Preacher, so far as the knowledge of the author extends. If a preacher has not been ordained, he is not strictly a minister, but a licentiate ; and in this work the title of Mr., and not of Rev., is applied to him. When min- isters have left one denomination for another, they are no- ticed and reckoned in both the denominations. When it is said in the following pages, that a minister or preacher
4
PREFACE.
originated from a certain town, it is meant, either that he was born in the town, or lived in it in early life. In the account here given of the Methodists, the distinction be- tween the Episcopal and Wesleyan orders, and between a church and a class, is not probably always observed. As the Unitarian denomination was once reckoned as belonging to the Orthodox Congregational order, and the time of sepa- ration is not definitely fixed, it has been a difficult and deli- cate work to state when the seven Unitarian churches in the county that were originally Orthodox, changed their denom- ination ; and consequently the statements on this point have been somewhat general and indefinite. The pastors of these churches at the period when this change of denomination was in progress, have been classified as Orthodox or Unita- rian, according to the best information of the author. If he has erred in the classification, his error is unintentional. The religious organizations among the Universalists are not called churches but societies. In the arrangement of the towns, and of the different denominations, except the Ortho- dox Congregational order, and of the preachers who origin- ated from the county, the alphabetic order is generally ob- served. A star * prefixed to the name of a preacher signifies that he has deceased. The mark of interrogation annexed to figures indicates an uncertainty as to their correctness.
While mention is made of some of the persons, who have preached as supplies among the various churches, yet it is not pretended that the whole number have been noticed. It has been found impossible to learn the names of all who have supplied for brief periods-especially in the early his- tory of the churches. Probably the names of all the preach- ers in the other denominations beside the Orthodox Con- gregational, who have originated from the county, are not mentioned in this work. After taking great pains, the author has enumerated all of this class known to him.
In preparing such an amount of statistical matter as is found in this work, respecting which it is so easy to make
5
PREFACE.
mistakes and so difficult to be correct and accurate, the author dares not flatter himself, that the book is entirely free from errors in this respect. He has done all that seemed reasonable and practicable, to make it a reliable repository of facts respecting the Ecclesiastical and Ministerial History of the county. As such it is humbly commended to the candid attention of the people of the county, for whom principally it was prepared.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, MASS.
IN 1662, the territory of this county, then inhabited only by wild beasts and Indians, was incorporated as a part of Hampshire County. It was incorporated as Franklin Coun- ty, June 24, 1811. The following graphic description of it is given in Hayward's Gazetteer of Massachusetts, pub- lished in 1849 :-
" It is bounded on the north by Windham County, Ver- mont, and a part of Cheshire County, New Hampshire ; east by Worcester County ; south by Hampshire County ; and west by the County of Berkshire.
" The surface of Franklin County is elevated ; the Green mountain range extends from north to south, presenting some of the wildest and most picturesque scenery in the state. The soil of the county, however broken by hills of no common height, is exceedingly fertile ; its numerous ex- pansive valleys of rich alluvion produce the finest crops of all sorts of grains and grasses; while its mountain-sides afford rich pasturage for countless flocks and herds.
" Few sections of our country equal the county of Frank- lin in the extent and value of its hydraulic power. The noble Connecticut pierces its centre from north to south ; the romantic and powerful Deerfield pours its volume of water from the west, while Miller's river comes in from the east with its rapid current, joins the two former near the heart of the county, and passes to the ocean. These rivers, combined with their numerous tributaries, watering every section of the county, produce a water-power of great extent and usefulness.
8
CHURCHES AND MINISTERS
" Until within a few years the people of this county have confined themselves chiefly to the pursuits of agriculture ; and in that their soil and climate have favored them; but since it has been discovered that our workshops had better be located at home than abroad, they have commenced man- ufacturing most of those articles for which they had been dependent on others ; and it cannot be doubted that in a few years, with its gigantic water-power, aided by steam in its transportation, this hitherto secluded county will become an important district, both in its agricultural and manufacturing operations."
The territory of the county has been calculated to contain 723 square miles. It is divided into twenty-six incorporated towns; of which the following is an alphabetical list, viz. : Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Coleraine, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, Montague, New Salem, North- field, Orange, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell and Whately. The population of the county in 1790, was 21,743; in 1800, it was 26,300; in 1810, it was 27,421; in 1820, it was 29,418; in 1830, it was 29,630 ; in 1840, it was 28,812; and in 1850, it was 30,869. Excepting Dukes and Nantucket, it has the small- est population of any counties in the state.
The first settlement made in the county, the first church formed, and the first minister employed and settled, were in Deerfield. The early settlers of this town, Green- field, Bernardston, Northfield, and some other towns, passed through some terrible scenes of Indian warfare.
Religious controversy has not greatly prevailed in this county. About the middle of the last century, some discus- sion arose respecting the terms of admission to the church. In the early part of this century, the subject of christian fellow- ship between the Orthodox and Unitarians was agitated with some interest and zeal in the community. About a quarter of a century since, the respective religious systems of the
9
OF ASHFIELD.
Orthodox and Unitarians, were subjects of discussion to a considerable extent in the county. Between 1818 and 1834, five Unitarian churches or societies were formed in the county ; and six Orthodox churches were organized, which to some extent were secessions from Unitarian churches.
Many of the churches have enjoyed repeated seasons of religious revival. In 1831 and 1832, protracted meetings of several days were held in many of the religious societies in the county. During the year 1831, more than 550 were ad- mitted to less than twenty of the Orthodox Congregational churches.
There are now in the county eight incorporated Acade- mies ; about 8,000 children in attendance on the district schools ; about 50 practising physicians ; some 25 counsel- lors, and 160 justices of the peace ; and about 80 churches, 80 religious meetings on the Sabbath, and 80 preachers, of all denominations.
ASHFIELD.
The territory in this town was given to Capt. Ephraim Hunt of Weymouth, for his services in the Canada expedi- tion of 1690. It was actually conveyed to his heirs in 1736. In honor of Capt. Hunt it was called Huntstown till its in- corporation June 21, 1765. The town began to be settled about 1742. It had a small military garrison in 1750. On account of the French and Indian war the settlements were abandoned for a season in 1755. Its population in 1850 was 1394. Five churches have been organized in this town, viz., one Congregational, two Baptist, one Methodist, one Episcopal, and a Universalist society.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
CHURCH. The Congregational church was organized Feb. 22, 1763, with 15 members.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.