USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Brockton > History of Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1656-1894 > Part 28
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
In the early part of 1886 Mr. Thomas started a mission in Campello, which resulted in establishing of what is now a prosperous church or- ganization, having a splendid church edifice erected, conducted by the Rev. George B. Lawton as pastor.
The present organization is as follows, viz., (1893): Rev. Justin K. Richardson, pastor ; Josiah R. Gurney, Harvey Merritt, Henry A. Willis, William E. Perry, deacons ; William E. Perry, W. D. Wilder, F. S. Thomas, finance committee; Eugene Remington, clerk; James W. Strachan, treasurer ; William E. Perry, superintendent of Sunday school ; E. H. Remington, librarian.
297
WARREN AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
WARREN AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH, (Campello.)-In the early part of the year 1886, Rev. O. D. Thomas, then pastor of the First Baptist Church in Brockton, established a Baptist mission in Campello. At first, services were held in " Huntington Hall," Keith's Block, con- ducted by Rev. M. C. Thwing, who was then pastor of the newly organ- ized church at the north part of the city in Montello. There being promise of rapid growth, the First Church and the Mission united in extending a call to Rev. Geo. B. Lawton, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Billerica, Mass., to organize a church and become its first pas- tor. Mr. Lawton's labors commenced March 1, 1887. At that time there were twenty persons ready to become members of the new church, which at the present date has nearly six times that number. Mr. Law- ton had previous to this time shown himself to be a strong leader, as well as an ably equipped preacher. He had previous to that time a somewhat extensive experience as an organizer of churches and build- ing. He had been in Campello only a short time before he was in search for an appropriate lot of land on which to erect a church build- ing, and the lot at the southwest corner of Warren avenue and Market street, owned by Henry K. Keith of Kingston, Mass., was selected, and the present structure was erected through the efforts, care and good judgment of the pastor, which is creditable alike to him as well as an addition to the growth and prosperity of that section of the city.
The church edifice stands on the corner of Warren avenue and Mar- ket street. The structure is one hundred and nineteen feet in length, and has but one floor. The auditorium, including the tower, is forty by sixty . one, the chapel thirty by fifty-two feet, and the ladies' parlor, including kitchen and pantry, is fifteen by forty feet. The tower is eighteen by eighteen on the ground, one hundred and nineteen feet in height, including the spire, and is joined to the northeast corner on an angle.
The auditorium is forty by fifty feet on the floor, and twenty- eight feet in the walls. Four ten inch trusses are exposed in the ceiling, and finished at the sides with brackets. The dado of the auditorium is four feet high, and of oak in beaded sheathing on a level with the top of the pews.
38
298
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
Arising from this to the window stools is plain paneling, finished in moulding. The recess of the pulpit is twenty feet high, and in fine ar- tistic frescoing are seen the dove descending and a motto,
"ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM."
The pulpit rests upon a slide, and through pulleys may be lowered be- neath the platform during the baptismal rites. The baptistery is be- neath the pulpit and platform.
The organ is elevated twenty inches above the floor of the room, and occupies a space of five by twelve feet on the floor, and is sixteen feet in height, the case of which, together with the paneling and fret- work, both in work and design, was by John A. Block. The choir gallery in front of the organ is calculated to seat a double quartette. Its railing, commencing at the pulpit platform, extends in a quarter circle to the entrance to the organ, where is a post of novel design. From this gallery a door leads to the pastor's room, the baptistery, and its waiting rooms, and also to the chapel. The organ was made by the " Estey Organ Co."
The windows of the auditorium are of cathedral glass from Redding, Beard & Co., of Boston. The frescoing is by Messrs. Fisher & Sons, of Canton, Mass., is tastefully done and harmonizes well with the archi- tecture of the room.
The pews are of circular form, and including the gallery will seat four hundred and fifty people, and were furnished by Carroll W. Clark, of Boston. The fifty-two burners of the chandeliers are lighted by gas, and ignited by electricity.
Upon the walls of the auditorium is a fresco inscription, as follows :
" THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURETH FOREVER,"
and also an open Bible, with a cross and a crown.
The gallery is above the auditorium at the east end of the building, and will seat fifty-seven persons. At the southeast corner is a recess, and at its northeast corner a finished room in the tower, which can be united with the gallery by opening a panel of three doors.
The whole building is ventilated by automatic arrangements. The entire structure within, as well as without, was designed and built by John A. Block, and standing as it now does, in its completion, one of
209
WARREN AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
the handsomest church edifices in the city, it does great credit to Mr. Block's mechanical abilities and to the liberality of the society. The building committee were Lucas W. Alden, George F. Green, Frederic W. Dyer, Charles E. Spinney and Oliver W. Fullerton.
The cost of the land on which this building stands was twenty-five hundred dollars, and the entire cost of the building and land was eight- een thousand dollars.
The house was dedicated on Wednesday evening, February 25, 1891, with appropriate and interesting exercises, beginning with a prelude by the organist, W. J. Kugler, of Boston, anthem by a quartette, followed by a hymn by Rev. John Oldham of the South Methodist Church of Cam- pello, Scripture reading and prayer by Rev. J. Brownville of Avon, and a solo, " Zion," by Mr. M. A. Marks, jr., of Boston ; sermon by Rev. J. F. Rapson, of Whitman, from the text, Acts ix. 31, "Then had the churches rest and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." Prayer of dedication was by the pastor, Rev. George B. Lawton. Addresses were made by Rev. J. K. Richardson of the First Baptist Church, and Rev. F. A. Warfield of the Porter Church, Brockton, then followed the dedicatory hymn, after which the pastor pronounced the benediction.
Rev. George B. Lawton, the son of Charles and Mary S. (Kelsey) Lawton, was born in New Bedford, Mass., March 17, 1845. Received his early education in the public schools of Providence, R. I., then took a course of theological study with Rev. James Upham, D.D., of Chelsea, Mass., and was settled in Quincy in 1878, where he remained five years. In 1883 he was settled in Billerica, from whence he came to Campello, where he has been for the past six and one-half years, which position he has recently resigned. During his pastorate at this latter place, Mr. Lawton has seen a healthy and prosperous church grow up under his care. A new and elegant church edifice stands a monument to his perseverance and good taste. Soon after receiving his call to settle in Campello, Mr. Lawton turned his attention to the church in Cochesett, which was established in 1785, and preached in "Grange Hall " in West Bridgewater village Sunday afternoons, and has brought the scat- tered Baptists together, and erected a church costing about eight thousand dollars. Thus doing other good work in his denomination.
300
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
FIRST SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH (Campello.)-This church was organized July 24, 1883, and consisted of eleven members. They held their meetings at first in what was known as the " old tavern " or " Drake's Hall." After one year they purchased a piece of land of Gardner J. Kingman at the corner of Grand and Main streets, for the sum of thirteen hundred dollars, which measured about sixty by one hundred and twenty feet, on which they erected a house of worship forty by sixty feet, which with the land cost seven thousand dollars. Of this amount the Massachusetts Baptist State Convention contributed the sum of one thousand dollars. The church was built by John A. Block in 1885, and dedicated Nov. II the same year. The building is an elongated, square roof, with two towers on the west end of the edifice fifty feet in height, with entrances at each of the sides at the back corners.
At the northwest corner, over the porch in the tower, one reads : "GOD IS LOVE," and "GUD ÄR KÄRLEKEN."
At the southwest corner in front is
"GUD ÄR TROFAST,"
translated is "God is Faithful." Upon entering the hall at the north- west or front door of the building we noticed a tablet made of Tennes- see marble, on which is the following : " FIRST SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH of Brockton. Dedicated November 1I, 1885. JOHN A. BLOCK, architect and builder."
The auditorium is about forty feet square, with seating capacity for four hundred and fifty persons. It is furnished with upholstered pews, in a circular form. The pulpit is of black walnut, as well as the uphol- stered chairs. In the rear of the pulpit and below is a baptistery, screened from the view by curtains. Over the pulpit platform on the wall is an elegant picture of John baptizing Christ. Music is furnished by a cabinet organ. At the front of the church are rooms for the Sun- day school, opening into the church by folding doors, and over these rooms is a singers' gallery. The interior furnishings are neat, the walls finely frescoed and finished into the roof. The windows are of stained glass. The building is heated by furnace and lighted by gas. It has also a kitchen in the basement. A nice Bible in Swedish language was presented to the church by Miss Klara Linde, who also furnished a wal- nut pulpit table. Four contribution boxes are the gift of Charles E. Johnson, who also gave a library of about two hundred volumes to the Sunday school.
301
NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH.
The first pastor of the church was Rev. A. G. Holin ; preached from November 1, 1884, to May 28, 1886. The second paster was Rev. J. M. Erikson, who preached a few Sabbaths. The third pastor was Rev. J. S. Cedarberg, from February 4, 1886, to April 30, 1887, when he removed to Nebraska. The fourth pastor, Rev. A. A. Rohnstrom, preached from August 27, 1887, to October 28, 1889 The fifth pas- tor was Rev. O. P. Peterson, preached from March 20, 1890, to August 30, 1890, when he removed to St. Paul, Minn. The sixth pastor and the present incumbent is Rev. Nils E. Nelson, settled October 2, 1890. Since the present pastor came to minister to this church the tenth an- niversary of the church was celebrated, July 24, 1893.
Several pastors of Swede churches from other places were present, among whom were Rev. J. W. Hgertstrom, of Worcester, Rev. P. A. England, of Quincy, and Rev. A. Tgirnlund, of Boston, all of whom delivered addresses appropriate to the occasion. The pastor delivered a short historical address to the people, giving an account of the progress of, and many statistics concerning the church from its beginning. It has been highly prospered, and has paid out from moneys received dur- ing ten years, the sum of $19, 137, and at the present is clear from debt, and has a membership of one hundred and ten persons. There has been in all since the beginning, including those who have died during this decade, two hundred and thirty-four members.
Connected with the church is the Sunday school, Young People's Society, Ladies' Sewing Circle, and Helping Hand, and the church is in a flourishing condition.
The officers of the church for 1893 are as follows : Rev. Nils E. Nel- son, pastor ; John Johnson, treasurer; Charles E. Johnson, clerk ; William Anderson, A. M. Sandell, August Swanson, Elof Moberg and Swan Swanson, deacons.
NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH (Montello) .- On the Ist day of January, 1886, Rev. M. C. Thwing was sent to the North End to establish a mission. June 3. 1886, this school was organized into a church under the name of the " North Baptist Church," with a membership of twenty- two persons, as follows: Original members-Ernest S. Mann, Emma F. Mann, Hattie A. Hunt, Isabel W. Hayward, Cordelia A. Wade, Belle G. Revere, Susie W. Revere, Paul Revere, Lucy T. Revere, Mrs.
302
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
J. A. Keith, Frank O. Keith. B. Edward Pratt, Abigail A. Pratt, Josiah W. Foye, Helen 11. Foye, Melvin Hollis, Elden S. Clapp, Emily T. Ackerman, Marrietta Rollerson, Clara A. Barker, Anna R. Brown, Jonas A. Brown. Officers for 1886: M. C. Thwing, pastor ; Josiah W. Foye, deacon ; Jonas A. Brown, clerk; B. Edward Pratt, treasurer ; Ernest S. Mann, superintendent of Sunday-school.
The first attempt made looking to the formation of a Baptist church in Montello was through the energetic efforts of Rev. Oscar D. Thomas, pastor of the First Baptist church in Brockton, when a few people met under the " Appletrees," known as " Snell's Grove," and organized a Sunday- school; afterwards met in John W. Slack's house, then met in Thomas W. Frost's store on Main street, and in the shoe factory of Bradford Snell.
A new chapel was erected, and previous to its completion this school met in the same for the first time January 25, 1885. Services were held by Rev. O. D. Thomas, students from Newton Theological Insti- tution, Rev. Charles D. Upton and others.
This church has had the following preachers, viz .: Rev. M. C. Thwing, Rev. Fred. Snow, who supplied the pulpit until a pastor was settled. In October, 1887, the church was recognized as a distinct church by the " Old Colony Association." Rev. Enoch H. Sweet began his services as pastor January 1, 1888, formally installed February 15, 1888. The sermon of recognition and installation was preached by Rev. C. L. Rhodes, of South Boston. Rev. Charles T. Douglas, the present pastor, came from Turner's Falls, Mass., June 15, 1891.
NORTH BAPTIST SOCIETY .- The church was incorporated June 4, 1888, under the name of the "North Baptist Society." Enoch H. Sweet, Josiah W. Foye, Ernest S. Mann, Paul Revere, Melvin Hollis were the corporate members, who petitioned Loyed E. Chamberlain, esq., a justice of the peace, to issue a warrant for a legal meeting for the purpose of forming a corporation by which the society could erect a building, and be allowed to hold property. The date of the application was May 16, 1888. The warrant was issued May 23, 1888, and on the 4th of June, 1888, a code of by-laws was adopted by the society.
The officers for 1892 are as follows : Rev. Charles T. Douglas, pas- tor ; Jonas A. Brown, clerk; Nehemiah H. Small, Louis E. Fernald,
303
FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
treasurers; Josiah W. Foye, Paul Revere, Melvin Hollis, trustees ; John Emery, collector ; William D. Wilder, chorister ; Ernest S. Mann, first superintendent of Sunday school ; Jonas A. Brown, present (1893) superintendent ; Josiah W. Foye, Melvin Ilollis, deacons.
BROCKTON FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH .- This church was or- ganized February 5, 1884, and numbered thirty nine communicants. Services were first held, Rev. James Boyd, of Maine, preacher, in " Joslyn's Hall," on Center street. The first pastor was Rev. Henry T. Barnard. He was the son of Tristram and Mahala F. (Russell) Barnard, born in Exeter, Me., April 1, 1841 ; graduated at the High School, Lowell, Mass., in 1859, and Bates Theological School, Lewis- ton, Me .; settled in Ossipee, N. H., 1878, and in Brockton 1884. Isaac N. Allen, Cyrus E. Lane, deacons; John Barbour, clerk and treasurer ; John Barbour, superintendent of the Sunday- school.
The first movement toward erecting a church was on land of Mr. Barzilla Cary, May 27, 1884, at the corner of South Main street and Somerset Place. The object of this building was two-fold : first was to build a memorial to the daughter of Mr. Cary, Mrs. Helen Augusta Cary Clark, who died July 30, 1884, and second to provide a place where worship could be held for the Free Will Baptist denomination, of which Mr. Cary and his family are members. The church is of Gothic architecture, the main audience room is 37 by 51, with 20 foot ceiling, and accommodates 310 sitters. At the rear is an addition 15 by 30, furnishing a ladies' parlor 15 by 17 and a kitchen 10 by 15, with other conveniences. It is heated by furnace ; has gas for lighting. It has a chandelier and side brackets, with plenty of light for the main audience room, also a platform at the east end, on which is a baptistery. The furnishings are in harmony with the building, rich- looking and comfortable, yet not expensive. A fine English tapestry covers the floor, and the pews are of oak with walnut trimmings ; the pulpit is of the same, as well as the chairs and the communion table. An Estey cabinet organ supplies the music. The audience room is neat and inviting in appearance, and is creditable alike to the owner, and the church.
The expense of the building is about thirty- five hundred dollars, ex- clusive of land. The builder was J. H. McAloney; Albert Blanchard
301
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
the mason. The painting was done by Daniels & Burgess. The car- pets were from H. W. Robinson & Co., and the furniture from Messrs. IToward, Clark & Co. Mr. Cary deserves the thanks of the people of Centerville for providing such a convenient and comfortable place of worship.
The house was dedicated Sunday, June 18, 1886, at 10 30 A. M. Rev. Henry T. Barnard, the pastor, preached a sermon. Among those invited was Rev. F. A. Warfield, of the Porter Congregational church. The platform was well covered with flowers. A voluntary on organ was by Miss Minnie Chamberlain, followed by singing. Scripture reading and prayer by. Rev. Mr. Warfield. Mrs. Barnard sang a contralto solo. The sittings of this church are free. Rev. Mr. Barnard preached three years, then Rev. Hibbard Lockhart.
Rev. Henry T. Barnard is the son of Tristram and Mahala F. (Rus- sell) Barnard, was born in Exeter, Me., April 1, 1841, graduated in the High School, Lowell, Mass., in 1859, and Bates' Theological School of Lewiston, Me., settled in Ossippee, N. H., 1878, and in Brockton 1884.
Isaac N. Allen, Cyrus E. Lane, deacons ; John Barbour, clerk and treasurer, and superintendent of the Sunday school.
OLIVET MEMORIAL CHURCH .- The church was closed for about one year, when Rev. George B. Peck, D.D., of Boston, organized an undenominational church, under the name of the " Olivet Memorial Church," July 9, 1893.
The following is a list of original members of the church : Rufus A. Littlefield, Mrs. R. S. Spaulding, James F. Spaulding, Fannie C. Haley, William L. Jennings, Bessie F. Haley, William Tucker, Nellie M. Haley, Barzilla Cary, Sarah Mckenzie, Abbie K. Littlefield, Carrie A. Web- ster, Agnes K. Littlefield, Louisa Frances Tilden.
Officers of the "Olivet Memorial Church "-Rufus A. Littlefield, deacon; James F. Spaulding, deacon; William Tucker, treasurer ; Mrs. Louisa Frances Tilden, clerk.
305
BETHESDA SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH.
CHAPTER XV.
Bethesda Swedish Lutheran Church (Campello), First Meeting House-First Clergy- man -- Madame Nilsson -- Officers of the Church -- Swedish Evangelical Congregational Church (Campello), First Meeting House -- Description of the Same -- Second Meeting House -- Officers for 1893-Officers of the Sunday School -- Ministers of the Church -- Unity Church -- Organization-Pastoral Organization -- First Meeting House -- Descrip- tion of the Same-Ministry of Rev. A. E. Goodnough -- Dedication -- Ministry of Rev. John Gornam Brooks -- Ministry of Arthur W. Littlefield-Officers for 1893 -- Present Pastor Rev. Pitt Dillingham- Brockton Tabernacle Free Church -- St. Paul's Episcopal Church -- Earliest Rectors-Ministry of Rev. Thomas G. Carver -- Resolutions -- First Meeting House -- Rev. Samuel Hodgkiss -- Pastorate of Rev. George Alexander Strong -- New Meeting House -- Laying of Corner Stone -- Order of Services -- Description of the New Church Building -- Officers for 1893.
B ETHESDA SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH (Campello) .- About the year 1854 there were a few Swedes who came to the town, find- ing employment in the various shoe manufactories. Since that time, and up to the present, they have increased in numbers, till at length it was deemed advisable among the newcomers to have religious services in their native language. After preaching in a hall for a time, a new house of worship was erected, on the east side of Main street, in Cam- pello, in 1867. The building is about thirty by sixty feet, with a steeple seventy-five feet high. The audience-room contains sittings for about three hundred persons. It has a neat pulpit, painted white, with gilt trimmings, with a railing around the same. The main building has stained glass windows, rendering the whole very pleasing. This church has been quite flourishing, and now numbers one hundred and fifty. Communicants, 150 members.
The pastors have been as follows :
Rev. Henry O. Lindeblad, July, 1869-72 ; Rev. John G. Princell, 1872-73 ; Rev. A. Hult, 1873-80; Rev. Michael U. Norberg, 1880 ; Rev. Charles A. Johnson, 1889; Rev. John A. Norling.
Madame Christine Nilsson, the famous songstress, when visiting this country, sang at a concert held in Universalist church, for the benefit 39
306
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
of this church, in November, 1870, the proceeds of which she kindly donated to this society, to free them from debt. The amount received as the benefit of that concert was about two thousand dollars. A street has since been named by the city in honor of her beneficent gift to this people.
Mdlle. Nilsson gave her " Swedish Melodies " charmingly. Her coun - trymen, a large number of whom were in the audience, seemed perfectly carried away by the familiar airs, and when in a second response she sang the " Old Folks at Home," and when her own emotion seemed to threaten a break-down, it is difficult to describe the feeling which seemed to have taken possession of the audience. She was recalled amid a storm of applause.
At the close of the concert, Mdlle. Nilsson was invited to the vestry of the church, where the Swedish congregation united in a song of praise in their native tongue, she joining with the rest with much feeling. It was a touching scene and many were affected to tears. When the singing was ended, the pastor of the congregation addressed her in the Swedish language, expressing the profound gratitude of his people for her kind and generous interest in their behalf, and the unbounded joy they had experienced in meeting her and in listening to her voice. After a brief but tender response, she withdrew, and with her troupe were soon on their return to Boston, a special train having been pro- vided for the trip. The whole affair was full of interest, and the gifted songstress has left among our people an impression which will be as lasting from the noble and generous feeling it expressed for her humble countrymen, as from the splendid tokens of genius which were so abun- dantly displayed.
To the gentlemen who assumed the labor and responsibility of man- aging the externals of the concert much praise is to be awarded, in taking into account the elements of its success.
The return trip of the Nilsson party to Boston was made in twenty- two minutes, including a stop at South Braintree-full a mile a minute -November 17, 1870.
This is said to have been the first Swedish Church built in New Eng- land, and is now fully established under the New York Conference of Swedish churches. The society have recently raised their church edi-
307
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
fice. and placed a brick basement, for religious meetings, under the same, thus furnishing them with a large vestry for evening services, Sabbath-schools, etc. The entire cost of the building is about ten thousand dollars.
List of officers in this church in 1893 are as follows :
Rev. John A. Norling pastor ; J. P. Nelson, clerk; John Staff, J. P. Nelson, P. N. Cook, Carl Nyberg, M. Moberg, deacons ; Gust Carlson, Emil Smith, Bernard Nilsson, A J. Johnson, Swan Ahlgreen, Charles Anderson, John A. Sundberg and Erick Anderson, trustees.
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (Campello) .- For a long time after a large accession had been made to the popula- tion of Swedes in Campello, the Lutheran church was the only one in which sermons in their native language were preached. It was during the year 1878, when the church was without a settled pastor, a Swedish operative named C. W. Holmes, employed in one of the many shoe manufactories, became prominent as a reader of religious literature, and began to exhort to his countrymen, and it was soon learned that the doctrines he set forth were somewhat at variance with those of the mother church, and were almost precisely like that of our Congrega- tionalist churches.
Mr. Holmes and a few followers afterward held their meetings in Drake's Hall, and was occasionally assisted by traveling clergymen, till the spring of 1880, when a call was extended to Rev. Anders Gustaf Nelson, a Swedish Evangelical minister, to become their pastor. Mr. Nelson accepted the call, and he labored with the new society for about two years, during which time the number had outgrown the hall ac- commodations, and measures were taken to erect a building of their own. The first step was the purchase of a lot of land at the corner of Nilsson and Laureston streets in Campello, but a short distance from the Swedish Lutheran Church. The land was purchased of Jonas R. Perkins, esq., in 1880, on which they erected a house of worship fifty by thirty feet, which was completed and dedicated on the day of the assassination of President Garfield. It was a neat plain building with- out any towers, and had a beautiful grass lawn about the same, neatly kept. The interior aspect was pleasing, and contained sittings for about two hundred persons. The seats were of ash, in keeping with the en-
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.