USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 16
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The complete story of the Union Congregational Church in Whittenton has been told in an historical paper that was written by Miss Emma A. Smith and read by her on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of that church, April 2, 1918, and from that paper the following ex- cerpts are taken for this article. First meetings were held in 1860 with different ministers in charge. In 1862 Rev. Andrew Bullock, a Baptist minister from Fall River, was engaged for one year, and then came Rev. James C. Boomer, also a Baptist, and from Fall River, who remained four years.
Rev. Isaac Dunham was engaged as minister in 1868, and under his direction a church was formed with 24 members, the event taking place April 2, that year. The church was called Union Congregational because of the fact that its membership consisted of a number who had formerly belonged to Methodist, Baptist and other churches, but who now lived far from their former places of worship. Rev. Mortimer Blake, pastor of the Winslow Congregational Church of Taunton, extended the hand of fellowship to the pastor and people of the new church.
The church building was erected in 1872, and services were first held there in August that year. Because of poor health, Rev. Mr. Dunham re- signed in 1873, and Rev. Henry M. Dexter, the second pastor, was both or- dained and installed April 3, that year. It was on that day that the church was dedicated. Rev. Mr. Dexter resigned his pastorate in 1878, in order to
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accept the assistant editorship of the "Congregationalist." He died August 31, 1910.
Rev. John W. Ballantine was the third minister of the Union Congre- gational Church, entering upon his pastorate there, March 18, 1879. He received 26 into the membership. He resigned as pastor in September, 1881, and Rev. Edward N. Pomeroy was installed in October, 1882. The Y. P. S. C. E. was formed in 1887. Rev. Mr. Pomeroy resigned in 1888, and Rev. Howard A. L. King succeeded him, remaining until October, 1891. Rev. Edward H. Chandler was both ordained and installed November 9, 1892, and resigned in 1897. While he was pastor, the parsonage on Rockland street was purchased, and the Curtis Club and the Boys' Brigade were formed. Rev. Frank L. Luce was the pastor from June, 1897, to June, 1902.
Rev. George H. Johnson preached his first sermon here as pastor, March 8, 1903, but he resigned in June, 1909, to become professor of Sacred His- tory at Western Reserve University. Rev. Frank L. Davis was the pastor from December 9, 1909, to September 15, 1913; and Rev. George A. Merrill, the present pastor, was called to the church January 11, 1914.
The deacons of the church have been : B. L. Burbank, William Holmes, Elijah Tolman, Joseph S. Tidd, Eli Smith, Frederick Richardson, Herbert S. Lane, John McKendrick, Nathaniel Cushman, Edward B. Powers, Joseph H. Tidd, Frank F. Knox, Arthur R. Knox, Samuel Gardner, William Paine. The Sunday school superintendents: Charles L. Lovering, Nathaniel Cush- man, William F. Rose, Arthur R. Knox, William Paine, Thomas Hughes, Jr., James Donaldson.
Episcopal Churches-"In grateful memory of the founders of St. Thomas parish, who built upon this site in the year 1740; erected by St. Thomas parish, A. D. 1916"-so reads the inscription upon the tablet upon the site of the church building that was demolished in a tornado in the year 1815, at Oakland, where in 1740 sixteen persons gathered to form the first Episcopal church within the borders of Taunton. Thus was realized the hope and confident expectations of Captain Thomas Coram, staunch Church of England man who conveyed fifty-nine acres of Berkley land to King's Chapel in Boston, in trust that, "if ever hereafter the inhabitants of the town of Taunton should be more civilized than they now are, and if they should incline to have a Church of England built amongst them, or in that town, then, upon the application of the inhabitants of said town, that is to say, forty rateable men of them, upon their application or petition to the said vestry, or their successors, for any suitable part of said land to build a Church of England, or a school house for the use and service of said church," the vestry were authorized to convey "the whole or a part, as they should see good, for their purpose."
Thus began a project that the Church of England in Taunton never lost sight of; and the St. Thomas Church of today preserves a quaint Book of Common Prayer donated by Captain Coram in 1742 "for the use of a church lately built at Taunton in New England." The church was on the "Glebe," about half-way between Tremont and Walker streets, a portion of which "Glebe" is now in the cemetery at Oakland. It contained about thirty-seven acres, all told, and was purchased principally by Thomas Cobb, one of the wardens of the new church, January 28, 1744, "in consideration of ye sum of 500 pounds in old tenor bills."
Bristol-8
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Thirty families here awaited the coming of a missionary as early as 1739, but the first notice of a preaching service is that of Rev. Ebenezer Miller, a missionary at Braintree, January 17, 1742, who "engaged to preach next Sunday" by request of "a committee from those of the Church of Eng- land in Taunton." But July 8, 1754, it was announced that Rev. John Graves, "Missionary to Providence, is to officiate in Taunton." But he was not to be a resident minister. It was in 1765, when the number of com- municants was thirty-two, that Rev. John Lyon came here to reside. He left here some time before the Revolutionary War, and he died in Virginia.
The record of the early days, as found in an historical discourse by Rev. Nathaniel T. Bent, is invaluable; and the later work of Charles E. Reed and Percy C. Lincoln have kept the successive chapters of the church's story intact.
Rev. John Lyon was rector from 1765 to 1770, and he was succeeded by Rev. W. W. Wheeler, 1786-1799. The Revolution brought disaster to the Episcopal church in this country, and it was not until 1820 that signs of life reappeared. Rev. John West came here in 1828 and remained until 1831. A graduate of Harvard in 1813, he entered upon his work here with enthusiasm, interesting himself in building a church, which was erected near the corner of Cohannet and High streets, at a cost of about $7,500. The church was consecrated by Bishop Griswold in June, 1829. Rev. Henry Blackaller succeeded Rev. Mr. West, remaining until 1835. Rev. Samuel Hassard, fifth resident rector and a graduate of Yale in 1826, came here in 1835, and remained until 1838; and he was succeeded by Rev. A. C. Patter- son, who remained one year, Rev. Edmund Neville succeeding him in 1839, and remaining until 1841.
Rev. Nathaniel T. Bent, graduate at Harvard in 1831, was chosen rector in 1842, and remained until 1846, and he was the means of extinguishing a heavy debt of the church. Rev. Theodore W. Snow, Harvard graduate in 1830, was rector from 1847 to 1855. A rectory was provided in this pastor- ate, and more than thirty thousand dollars was subscribed towards a new church building. Rev. Edward Anthron was rector one year, 1855-1856, and Rev. Edward Neville, a former rector, returned, 1856-1857.
Rev. Thomas H. Vail became the rector, remaining from 1858 to 1863. It was during the rectorship of Rev. Mr. Vail, afterwards Bishop of Kansas, that the present stone church building on High street was consecrated, March 3, 1859; the entire cost of the building was about $23,000. Rev. Robert C. Rogers was rector from 1863 to 1871. The chapel or parish house, costing $15,000, was dedicated on Christmas eve, 1871. It was burned in 1920, but soon restored. April 1, 1872, Rev. Charles H. Learoyd, graduate of Harvard in 1858, became rector, and he remained until 1895, a longer period than any other rector. During his pastorate nearly $12,000 were spent for repairs upon the church building.
Rev. Morton Stone was rector from 1896 to 1905; Rev. Malcolm Taylor from 1906 to 1921. The present rector is Rev. Henry Martyn Medary, who came here from Philadelphia, April 7, 1922. The William Mckinstry manse, one of the best preserved of the older houses in this city, and built in 1759, for more than eighty years in possession of the family of George Wheaton, is the rectory. This structure was completely restored in 1922. The list of prominent wardens and benefactors of the parish is long, and includes the
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THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES IN TAUNTON
names of Hon. Edmund H. Bennett, Taunton's first mayor; Mrs. N. E. Baylies, William H. Bent, William Mason, Willard Lovering, Edmund Bay- lies, Charles A. Reed, Henry M. Lovering, John E. Sanford, Samuel M. Tinkham. Walter J. Clemson, choirmaster and leader of the music of this church for many years past, has performed a work of inestimable value both for the church and the community.
St. John's Episcopal parish, second of the Episcopal communion in Taunton, was organized at Whittenton, December 1, 1866. The first meet- ing in that year was presided over by James R. Husband, Esq., and these officers elected: Clerk, John Radley; wardens, Henry A. Weeden, John Radley; vestrymen : John Holland, William Parkin, William H. Pleadweil; treasurer, John Holland; others present being Charles Albro, Christopher Coulter, J. H. Bradeen, J. B. Dennett, Laughlin Rankin, Moses Nelson. Three years previous to this meeting, however, or in Lent, of 1863, services had been held in Hopewell Hall by Rev. Thomas H. Vail, D. D., rector of St. Thomas Church; and in Advent of that year, Henry M. Lovering began a Sunday school in Hopewell Hall.
In January, 1867, Rev. George D. Miles was elected the first rector of the parish, and Hopewell Hall was fitted up for services. There was now a Sunday school with ninety pupils and thirteen teachers, and the following- named vestrymen were added : William Holmes, Peleg Francis, L. F. Pratt, William W. Swan. A lot of land was bought in June of that year for $1,200. April 26, 1868, Right, Rev. Manton Eastburn, D.D., bishop of the diocese, visited the parish for the first time, and confirmed eight persons. In 1869 the number of communicants was thirty-six, among the names being those of Hill, Coulter, Bradley, Hayward, Waitt, Swift, Boyd, Whitehead, Court, Sharples.
The cornerstone of the present church was laid November 9, 1868, by Right Rev. Thomas H. Vail, D.D., then Bishop of Kansas, the building com- mittee consisting of Henry A. Weeden, Henry Hill, William Parkin, John Holland, William Swan. The cost of the church was $17,000, and its seat- ing capacity was 400; and services were held there for the first time, De- cember 5, 1869, the chancel windows having been the gift of William C. Lovering, and the baptismal font the gift of the Sunday school. The build- ing was consecrated Thursday, June 9, 1873, by Right Rev. Thomas Clark, D.D., Bishop of Rhode Island.
Rev. George D. Miles preached his farewell sermon July 6, that year, and he was succeeded by Rev. Louis DeCormis, who resigned, May 3, 1885, to become rector of St. Stephen's Church in Lynn. His successor, Rev. Ed- ward H. True, was rector of the parish until February 19, 1877, when Rev. Samuel S. Spear of St. James Church, Amesbury, became rector, resigning in June, 1881, to become rector of St. John's Church, Fall River. Rev. Fran- cis Mansfield took charge here March 1, 1882. Hon. Samuel L. Crocker, who had given a bell to the church, bequeathed a legacy of $5,000 in 1883, for a rectory, which was completed in 1887. Rev. Mr. Mansfield was suc- ceeded, December, 1890, by Rev. Samuel B. Moore, of St. Paul's Church, Franklin, New York. The Girls' Friendly Society was started during his rectorship, with twelve associates and thirty-three active members.
Rev. Henry Phipps Ross took charge as rector, September 1, 1895, and on December 31, 1900, the parish was freed from debt. Rev. Charles A.
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Meader became rector June 14, 1903, and the parish house was completed in December, 1907, at a cost of $4,000. April 18, 1909, Rev. Daniel H. Verder was appointed rector of this parish, and while he was here the indebtedness on the parish house was paid and the rectory improved, Mrs. Virginia A. Kitabjian, of New York City, contributing $1,200 therefor; a branch of the Woman's Auxiliary was formed by her sister, Miss Blanche Veeder, and a memorial window was given by the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ives, in their memory. Rev. Charles R. Bailey came here as rector December 1, 1911, and he remained until June 1, 1913, when the present rector, Rev. Walter R. Tourtellot was appointed January 1, 1914.
Since that time, many signs of progress have been evident in the work of the parish. Wilbur T. Grant presented the church with a roll of honor on Armistice Sunday, containing the names of forty-one soldiers and sailors, members of the parish. Rev. William Smith, of Fall River, conducted a successful mission at the church in November, 1920, and in December of that year the bishop confirmed forty-one persons, the largest number in the history of the parish. That year, electric lights were installed in the church and rectory, and a processional cross was given the church by Miss M. Emma Burt, in memory of her mother. Improvements amounting to $2,000 were made in the church in 1921, and to the amount of $1,800 in 1922. At Easter, 1922, a reredos, the work of Mr. Gilson, was presented by the Altar Society, vases and alms basins were given by the family in memory of Joseph Roderick, and a silver intinction chalice and paten by members of the family, in memory of Mrs. Alice D. Walkden. The total receipts in 1922 were more than $5,000; expenditures were a little less than that amount.
The wardens longest in service: Henry Nicholds, William H. Plead- well, Charles J. Delamaine, James A. Cushman, Joseph Roderick, Walter Carter; Junior Wardens : Henry Hill, William Parkin, William Pizer, Jason H. Hayward (fifteen years, and forty years the superintendent of the Sun- day school) ; Charles H. Minchew, William Bell, George O. Hill, Stephen W. Pollard; treasurers : George E. Chambers, John M. Walkden, and Fred- erick E. Fiske, many years clerk. The parish has a flourishing Laurel Club and a Men's Club, and the Miles Castle, Knights of King Arthur.
Baptist Churches-The story of Baptist beginnings in Taunton was written by Ralph E. Barker and read at the 100th anniversary of the society in Taunton. Excerpts from the paper follow :
The earliest Baptists appeared here about 1747, and twenty years later a meeting-house was built for the Baptists of Norton and North Taunton, this being the beginning of the Free Will Baptist Church of North Taunton. For some time there was but one Baptist in Taunton, namely William Stall, then a second joined him, James Olney, and then others from North Taun- ton and Somerset. Soon meetings were held every Thursday evening at the house of Thomas C. Brown on Summer street, then at a schoolhouse on Cohannet street; afterwards Mason's Hall was leased. In 1819, the fol- lowing-named persons formed an ecclesiastical council, and June 16, that year, the Baptist church was established : William Stall, James Olney, Elias Perry, Thomas C. Brown, Abiathar Phillips, Abiathar Hall, Mary Johnson, Phebe Godfrey, Rhoda Godfrey, Nancy Stall, Mary Stall, Content Smith, Betsy Olney, Susan Leonard, Hannah Leonard, Margaret Leonard.
The church was then called the Second Baptist Church in Taunton, the
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first meeting-house being erected in 1824, and it still stands on its original site, 154 High street, a frame house costing $1,000, and measuring forty by thirty-two feet. The next year, Caleb Benson was engaged to supply the pulpit. The membership at this time was twenty-eight. In 1826, Elder Silas Hall was called to the pastorate, with a membership of more than fifty. Rev. Mr. Hall served over three years, and then the church was pastorless.
Rev. Benjamin C. Grafton, the second pastor, was called June 7, 1831, and served three years. A new church building was constructed on the site of the present church which was then Market street, instead of Winthrop. The third pastor was Rev. William G. Trask, who died at the end of two years. The Sabbath school was reorganized in 1835, and it had 140 pupils. Three persons from the society and three from the church invested $2,000 in a parsonage and held it for the church. Rev. Henry Clark of Seekonk was installed as pastor December 2, 1836, and a year and a half followed without a pastor. Rev. John F. Burbank became the fifth pastor, and was ordained here February, 1841; and at this time the church numbered 137. Rev. George J. Carleton then spent a year with the church.
Rev. James F. Wilcox became the pastor in November, 1842, and Anson J. Barker was elected clerk during this pastorate. In 1845, by act of incor- poration the name of the church was changed to "The Taunton Green Bap- tist Church." Rev. Andrew Pollard was the seventh pastor. He came from Hyannis in 1849, and his pastorate was the longest in the history of the church-twenty-two years.
The present church building was begun in the fall of 1862, and dedi- cated October 10, 1865, just thirty-three years after the dedication of the old house. The baptistry was first used September 2, 1866, when George E. Wilbur was baptized. Dr. Pollard's pastorate closed in 1871, and the church adopted the name Winthrop Street Baptist Church. Rev. S. F. Smith, author of "America", wrote the dedication hymn for the church building. Rev. Joseph Colver Wightman was the eighth pastor, and early in his ministry the parsonage was built. He was a linguist and could read six languages, as well as Latin. In June, 1882, he entered the service of the American and Foreign Bible Society. Rev. Joseph Kennard Wilson, afterwards editor of the "Watchman-Examiner," was the ninth pastor. When he came, December 1, 1882, the church had 315 members, and when he left there were over 500.
While Rev. Mr. Wilson was here, also, the debt of $8,500 upon the church was wiped out; and in 1889 the advisory board of the church was instituted. In April, 1892, the Baptist Young People's Union was adopted by this church. Rev. O. J. White came to the pastorate in 1894, and he re- mained fifteen years. The Whittenton Branch was started in 1895. Rev. Dr. White resigned January 15, 1910, and Rev. J. Vanor Garton became the eleventh pastor, May 12, 1910. He was succeeded, January 1, 1916, by Rev. Robert T. Craig. The present pastor, Rev. J. Earle Edwards, came here in November, 1922, and established a church office in the Wilbur build- ing on Main street, directing, also, the printing of "The Forerunner," a weekly publication of Winthrop Street Baptist Church news. During the year 1922, a large brick addition was built at the rear of the church, which provides ample accommodations for Sunday school classes, and many other social organizations of church and Sunday school. The church has twenty- one deacons and six clerks.
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Methodist Episcopal Churches-Methodist. Episcopal priorities in Taun- ton contain nothing of more interest to the people of that denomination than that of the presence and preaching here of George Whitfield, on at least one occasion of his seven visits to New England. It is stated that that minister of the Methodist doctrine at one time occupied the pulpit of Rev. Josiah Crocker, sixth of the Congregational ministers here, and that many were displeased that he was permitted so to do. Yet it is due to Congre- gationalism that Methodism was first preached here. It is also stated that Francis Asbury, later bishop, in the course of his peregrinations stopped at the house of Dyer Pratt, that once stood on the site of the John R. Williams house, at the extreme end of Weir Village.
Methodism was not popular in southeastern Massachusetts, and it was not until the year 1830 that the first public meeting of that denomina- tion was announced at the town house, at the time when the circuit preachers were Rev. Amos Binney and "Father" Dane; while others who preached hereabouts were David Culver, Warren Emerson, John D. Baldwin and C. D. Rogers. The first Methodist "love feast" was held in 1833, at the home of Solomon Woodward, on Union street; and Mr. Woodward, Edmund Anthony and John Haskell afterwards started meetings of the de- nomination at the home of a Mr. Mitchell, at Weir Village.
In 1834, seven years before the first session of the Providence District of the General Conference, Rev. Samuel Coggeshall was the settled pastor of the First M. E. Church, who became so successful in raising funds that the first edifice was begun that year, and finished in 1835, on land pur- chased of Seth Williams. Besides Mr. Haskell and Mr. Anthony, William Warren, William Read, Jr., and Abiathar White were among the early Methodists. Abiathar White was builder of the first church, and also of the M. E. Church at Dighton. The church building was enlarged in 1848, when it stood close to Weir street. But it was removed to its present location in 1869; and on June 10 it was rededicated, the sermon being preached by Rev. C. S. Hare, of Boston. The church building was valued at $20,000. In the year 1850, a parsonage was built on First street, but it was sold in 1884, when the house of James Paull, standing next to the church, was purchased. The latter was sold in 1898, and a parsonage hired on Somerset avenue. The present parsonage was purchased in 1921, while Rev. R. L. Roberts, Ph.D., was pastor. The late George W. Barrows was secretary of the board of trustees thirty-eight years.
The pastors of the First M. E. Church: 1834, S. W. Coggeshall, D.D .; 1835, Rufus Spalding; 1837, Daniel Fillmore and C. S. Macreading; 1838, Moseley Dwight and Rufus Spalding; 1839, E. B. Bradford; 1841, Lewis Bates; 1842, J. D. Butler; 1845, Daniel Webb and J. Parkinson; 1846, Wil- liam Livesey; 1847, J. M. Worcester; 1849, Paul Townsend; 1851, S. C. Brown; 1853, G. M. Carpenter; 1854, Sanford Benton; 1855, Henry Baylies; 1856, Charles Nason; 1859, S. W. Coggeshall, D. D .; 1860, J. P. Benton; 1862, N. P. Philbrook; 1864, J. D. King; 1867, Charles H. Titus; 1869, Lewis B. Bates; 1872, Charles Young; 1875, Angelo Canoll; 1877, Ensign McChesney; 1879, H. A. Cleveland; 1882, C. W. Gallagher; 1884, S. McBurney; 1887, H. B. Cady; 1889, E. C. Bass; 1892, G. W. King; 1897, W. A. Luce; 1900, J. Francis Cooper; 1902, Charles H. Smith; 1907, L. G. Horton, D.D .; 1910, J. Ralph Magee; 1914, Robert L. Roberts, Ph. D .; 1921, Oscar J. Aldrich.
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The daughter society of the First M. E. Church is the Central M. E. Church. First Church Methodism drew its adherents not only from Weir Village, but also from all other sections of the city for fully twenty years. Eventually, in 1852, twenty years after the founding of the denomination in this city, a small society was formed at Whittenton, and another group of Methodists from the central and western sections of the city withdrew, and, accompanied with the good-will of their Weir Village brethren, began to hold meetings at Bank Hall, at the corner of Cedar and Main streets. Wil- liam Hutchinson was one of the leaders of the new congregation; and after several business meetings at his shop, No. 6 Main street, a building com- mittee was appointed, with Mr. Hutchinson as chairman; and it was due mainly to his efforts that the lot on Cohannet street was purchased, and the church building erected there. The first pastor was Rev. W. H. Stetson, when the membership was but thirteen.
On a Sunday in the spring of 1853, Rev. Mr. Stetson organized a Sunday school with a membership of fifty, at Templars' Hall, and G. O. White was appointed the superintendent. That year, the Whittenton Society disbanded, and in the fall of 1853 the vestry of the church on Cohannet street was occupied, and the services largely attended. The church building was completed in May, 1854, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. J. T. Peck, D.D., afterwards bishop. In 1870, the church building was en- larged, and in 1884 a parsonage was built on Myrtle street, at a cost of $4,300; the year following, improvements made on the church building were completed at a cost of $4,400, all of which was provided by subscriptions. The opening sermon was preached by Bishop R. S. Foster. In 1904, the parsonage was sold, and afterwards a house was hired. In 1912, a large lot was purchased on Winthrop street, as a possible site for a new church building.
"During Mr. Flocken's pastorate, 1918-1921, no events of note occurred," writes Miss Una Dary, "but with the advent of our present pastor, Rev. John M. Wheeler, in April, 1921, the church stirred into new life. Mr. Wheeler came with the avowed intention of making Methodism a force in Taunton, and his plan was to combine the membership of the three churches into one body, strong in numbers and in spirit. For nearly a year all his efforts were directed to this end. Unfortunately opposition developed. A number of meetings were held in which the combined official boards of the three churches discussed the matter very thoroughly, but the spirit of co- operation was lacking and no agreement as to a union was made.
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