USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 98
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Ilope Church was organized upon a broad evangelical basis, with a creed to which every Christian accepting the Bible can subscribe. Although Congregational in government, in faith, Hope Church is simply Christian, and therefore in the truest sense a union church.
At its organization the officers were Rev. Charles L. Morgan, Pastor ; Andrew J. Plummer, Horace E. Bugbee, Deacons ; A. H. Dodge, H. Dwight Bugbee, Committee; Jacob Easley, Clerk. In 1878 the officers were Rev. Charles L. Morgan, Pastor ; Andrew J. Plummer, Horace E. Bugbee, Deacons ; William E. Smith, John Henry Robbins, Committee; H. Dwight Bngbee, Clerk. Membership at organization, 81; membership in November, 1878, 126.
SANFORD STREET CHURCH
was founded in 1849 as a Methodist Church. Pastors, while it was connected with that denomination, were Revs. Leonard Collins, John N. Mars, George Spiwood, Daniel Vandever, John A. Williams, Samuel Grauf, Robert R. Morris, Wm. Butler, and James A. Jones. In 1864 the church was reor- ganized as Congregational, with the pastor Rev. W. W. Mal- lory. The Rev. Mr. Mallory was called to labor in the South shortly after the closc of the war. Since then the church has had no settled pastor, until June 21, 1877, when Rev. John H. Docher was installed as pastor. This church has about 80
854
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
members, with 3 deacons,-W. Francis, Eli S. Baptist, and George 11. Green. The Sunday-school numbers over 60 scholars and teachers.
THE MEMORIAL CHURCH .*
Steps were taken for organizing the Memorial Church, Oct. 15, 1865, in the upper rooms of the dwelling of the late lloratio Sargeant, on the corner of Main and Sargeant Streets, by persons whose names appear in the list hereafter given. Joseph D. Stratton, Melvin M. Tracy, and Horace Rude were chosen deacons; George M. Atwater, Horace J. Chapin, William Dearden were the standing committee of the church ; J. G. Holland, O. D. Adams, S. II. Mosely, A. F. Niles, and D. W. Crosby were the business committee. The parish committee were as follows: George M. Atwater, William Dearden, C. K. Wilkinson. The first minister was Rev. Mark Trafton.
The following is a list of members at the organization : G. M. Atwater, Mrs. H. R. Atwater, Solomon B. Davis, Mrs. S. B. Davis, Miss Susan Allen, Luther Clark, Horace Rude, Mrs. M. M. Rude, Horace J. Chapin, Mrs. Lydia S. Chapin, J. G. Holland, Mrs. E. Il. Holland, Mrs. Anna Holland, Mrs. Sarah J. Knight, Miss Frances Drummond, A. C. Hunt, Mrs. A. C. Hunt, William Dearden, W. H. Allis, Mrs. Mary H. Sheldon, Miss Hannah L. Clark, William Sidney Dearden, Mrs. Eliza Dearden, Horace Putnam, Mrs. Louise Putnam, Mrs. Mary E. Ross, Martin L. Childs, Mrs. Mary H. Childs, Augustus L. Childs, Miss Julia E. Childs, Tyler Childs, Mrs. Nancy Childs, Miss Carrie A. Brackett, Levi Graves, Charles H. Hill, Mrs. Jane Hill, Mrs. Angie Thomas, Mrs. II. S. [Lawrence, Levi B. Coe, Mrs. Mary L. Coe, A. D. Miller, Mrs. Martha Miller, Mrs. Electa M. Graves, Edwin W. Shattuck, Fred S. Hazen, Mrs. Mary A. Morton, Mrs. Levi Graves, Mrs. Mary S. Kemp, Dwight Clark, Mrs. Decia M. Clark, Elizabeth F. Needham, Mrs. Sarah L. Shattuck, Mrs. Sarah A. Cate, Mrs. Harriet Niles, Mrs. Jane Jones.
The first services were held in the upper chambers of the Sargeant Street house, afterward in the Auburn Street sehool- house and in the hall of the Hooker school-house. The cor- ner-stone of the church edifice was laid July 7, 1867, followed by consecration services, held in the city-hall, conducted by Rev. William T. Peet, D.D., Rev. William Adams, D.D., of New York, and representatives from the neighboring churches.
The building was completed in 1868, at a cost of about $80,000. It is in the Gothic style of architecture, cruciform plan, and built of unhewn granite. It has about 1000 sit- tings. Richard Upjohn was the architect.
The reasons for organizing the church are set forth in the records of Oct. 29, 1865, as follows :
" Believing that the interests of religion require the formation of a church in Ward One, we, a company of believers who profess faith in Christ and acknowl- edge him to be the Saviour of mankind, to effect this purpose in connection with the society which has been formed to build a house of worship in said ward, do hereby organize ourselves into a Church of Christ."
The characteristics of the church are clearly set forth in the following resolutions, as shown by the records, Oct. 29, 1866 :
"1. Resolved, That the Memorial Church of Springfield, having declared in its creed its belief in the Holy Catholic Church, welcomes to its membership and communion all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, and who agree with it concerning the essential doctrines of the Christian religion, by whatever name they may be called.
"2. That the success of the church upon this basis during the first year of its history-a success which has brought at least five denominations into a happy communion of personal feeling and action-is our sufficient justification for re- affirming this basis as a ground of Christian liberality, a guide to a wise and suund policy, and especially as the true basis for organized Christian effort in the ward in which our church is located."
By a unanimous vote of the church, and also of the con- gregation, a plate bearing the following inscription was de- posited in the corner-stone :
" Inscription : From leve to God and good-will to men a company of believers who profess faith in Christ, the Saviour of mankind, by the aid of the churches in Springfield and other friends of the enterprise, build this house of worship for the Memorial Church.
" This church, constituted by the fellowship of Christians of different denomi- nations, was organized Oct. 29, A.D. 1865, and named the Memorial Church, in memory of deceased ministers of Christ in New England.
"' Other foundation can ne man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' Ist Corinthians, 3d chap., 2d verse.
"' The Lord be with us as he was with our fathers : let him not leave us nor forsake us.' Ist Kings, 8th chap., 57th verse."
The present deacons of the church are Joshua Grant, J. D. Stratton, A. F. Niles, D. J. Bartlett, E. W. Shattuck, and E. Dewitt; Standing Committee, G. M. Atwater, J. H. Foulds, and Dwight Clark. The church has a membership of 350. The present pastor, Rev. Wm. T. Eustis, was settled in the year 1869.
CHURCH OF THE UNITY.
The Third Congregational Society, styled the Church of the Unity, had its origin in a disaffection of a part of the members of the First Congregational Church with the teach- ings of the Rev. Dr. Osgood. It was claimed by the seceders that the tenor of Dr. Osgood's teachings had changed since he preached as a candidate ; and, in the memorial presented to the Legislature by them, June 15, 1815, praying for the organiza- tion of a new church, they set forth that they were dissatisfied and could not profit by Dr. Osgood's ministry. This petition to the Legislature was signed by 54 members. A clause in this petition, which doubtless added fresh fuel to the ill feeling already engendered on the part of the First Church, prayed that a part of the funds of the first parish might be assigned them. The Legislature served an order on the first parish to show cause at the winter session why the order of the peti- tioners should not be granted. December 24th a meeting of the first parish was held to take the matter into consideration. The disaffected were willing to remain in the church provided the services of some other than Dr. Osgood were secured. It is said the meeting was a stormy and unpleasant one.
" Many grievous words and hard speeches were uttered, and a spirit of oppres- sion and hostility to the petitioners seemed to pervade the minds of the majority. They treated the aggrieved as a company of unprincipled men, who had no claim to the rights and privileges of brethren and Christians. Dr. Howard,t being very anxious to prevent a division of the parish, and being unable to speak in the meeting by reason of the weakness of his voice, presented to the moderator, in writing, a conciliatory address ; but one of the leaders of the majority objected to its being read, and they voted not to hear it."
It at once became evident to the petitioners that further con- sideration of the matter with the first parish was useless, and, within a week after this parish-meeting, Jonathan Dwight, Esq., who had been foremost among the petitioners, made them the following generous proposition : "That he would build a mecting-house of such dimensions and elegance as they should direet, wholly at his own expense, and present the same to them as a free gift, provided they would establish an ample fund for the permanent support of a minister." The proposition was at once accepted, and a fund of $16,000 was raised, and Rev. Bezaleel Iloward, Joshua Frost, and Robert Emery, Esqs., were appointed a committee to advise with Mr. Dwight respecting the building of the meeting-house.
The society was incorporated as the Second Congregational Church of Springfield, Feb. 15, 1819, and the following indi- viduals were named in the act of incorporation : Jonathan Dwight, Bezalee Howard, Samnel Orne, James S. Dwight, Jonathan Dwight, Jr., Joshua Frost, Daniel Lombard, Festus Stebbins, James Wells, Robert Emery, Benjamin Day, John Howard, Eldad Stebbins, Samuel Benton, Daniel M. Leonard, Ira Mede, Austin Peck, Harvey Benjamin, Joseph M. San- born, Samuel Kingsbury, Samuel Lyman, Charles Rice, Ju- dah Ely, Ezra Osborn, Jr., Simon Sanborn, Daniel Pease, John Rice, Jonathan Strickland, Solomon McQuivey, Seneca Cooley, John M. Hendrick, Elihu Collins, llenry Dwight,
+ Pastor of the First Church from 1785 to 1803.
* Prepared by G. M. Atwater.
855
IHISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.
Nathaniel S. Jenks, Daniel Farmer, Joel Fuller, Joel Davis, Daniel Swetland, Oran Eaton, Elam Sikes, Wells Lathrop, Charles Howard, William Rice, Walter Stebbins, Prentice Pond, Ariel Cooley, Edmund Allin, Lemuel Stebbins, Lem- uel Charter, Daniel Hartung, Jr., John Crooks, Joel Allin, Edward Parsons, Thomas Bates, Joseph Hopkins, John Steb- bins, Apollos Marsh, Silas W. Searl, Henry Sterns, Aaron J. Miller, John ITall, Israel Hosfield, Lemuel G. Robbins, David Barber, Zenas Hancock, Lyman Cutler, Wait Dart, Josiah Bliss, Joseph Bangs, Simeon Prior, Amos Riee, Elizabeth Sheldon, Asahel Goodrich, Hannah Dwight, Levi Pinney, Jacob Cooley, Elias Ensign, Ezekiel Keith, Julius Dart, Sol- omon Woodward, Harvey Bates, James Melvin, James Mel- vin, Jr., Daniel Ashley, George Cooley, Jr., David Newcomb, Joseph Stephenson, William Butler, Daniel Austin, Jr., Daniel Field, Samuel Dale, Eliakim Benton, Samuel Me- Gregory, Isaac White, Allen Bangs, Ruel Horton, Samuel M. Morgan, Daniel Chapin, Ira Daniels, Epaphras Buckland, Anson Snow, Jason Eddy, Paul G. Simons, Horaee King, Benjamin Jenks, Joseph Buckland, Zebulon W. Slafter, Noah Paulk, Amos Jenks, Asa Talcot, Charles Russell, Ephraim Corning, Washington Jenks, and Jonathan Benton.
The church building was dedicated Jan. 5, 1820, and on the 31st day of the same month the name of the society was changed to the Third Congregational Society, as it was found that the society in Chicopee, which at that time was a part of Springfield, had of right the designation "Second Congrega- tional Society." The church building was repaired in 1842, and again in 1852. In January, 1866, a movement was started for the erection of a new church, and on March 1, 1867, the corner-stone of the present edifice was laid, and the name "Church of the Unity" given to the building. This was just forty-eight years from the laying of the corner-stone of the old church. The church was dedicated Feb. 17, 1869, the dedi- catory address being delivered by Rev. Charles A. Humphreys. The building is of Gothic architecture, with solid walls and spire of Longmeadow sandstone, and in beauty of interior and exterior is perhaps unsurpassed by any religions edifice in this section.
The pastors of the church from its organization to the pres- ent time have been as follows, viz. : Rev. Wm. B. O. Pea- body,* D.D., 1820-47 ; Rev. Geo. F. Simmons, 1847-51 ; Rev. Francis Tiffany, 1852-63; Rev. Chas. A. Humphreys, 1865; Rev. A. D. Mayo, 1874, present pastor. The parish commit- tee for 1878 was as follows, viz. : J. R. Smith, Samuel Bigelow, James E. Russell, Chas. Hall, and Homer Foot, Jr .; Oscar B. Ireland, Clerk ; and John C. Griswold, Treasurer. Loca- tion, State Street above Maple.
CHRIST CHURCH (EPISCOPAL).
The first Episcopal service in this place was held as early as 1817, by Rev. Titus Strong, of Greenfield, Mass. A year or two previous to this, Col. Roswell Lee, an earnest and devoted churchman, who was at that time superintendent of the U. S. Armory, obtained permission of the government to fit up one of the upper rooms in the armory buildings for a chapel. This room was set apart for religious worship, with appropriate ser- viees, by the clergyman already named, about the time we have specified. Springfield was then comparatively a small village, and, with one exception, this was the only place of worship in the whole town.
From 1817 to 1821 services were held occasionally in the ehapel as clergymen could be procured. Among those who officiated at intervals during this time we find the names of the Rev. Mr. Doane, then professor in Washington College, which is now Trinity, who afterward hecame bishop of New Jersey ; the Rev. Mr. Chase, now bishop of New Hampshire, and the Rev. Messrs. Fuller, Marshall, and Pinney.
In February, 1821, Rev. Edward Rutledge entered upon his duties as minister of the parish. May 24th of the same year the church was organized, and in all probability Col. Roswell Lee and Dr. John Stone, or Diah Allin, were elected wardens. Mr. Rutledge resigned in January, 1822, and from that time until 1835 no regular services were held. In this latter year, Rev. Samuel MeBirney was sent here as a mis- sionary, and services were held in the old court-house one year. In 1838, two years after the resignation of Mr. MeBir- ney, Rev. Mr. Lee resumed the services, and November 28th, in the same year, the parish was reorganized under the name it now bears, with the following officers: Diah Allin and Samuel McNary, Wardens ; Erasmus D. Beach, Maj. Good- sell, Ezra Kimberly, Reuben T. Safford, and Marcus Tal- mage, Vestrymen ; William W. Lee, Clerk ; Lucius Allin, Treasurer.
A church edifiee was soon after erected, and was consecrated April 1, 1840. The following day Rev. Henry W. Lee was installed as rector of the parish, and remained as such until 1847. In 1854 he was conseerated bishop of the diocese of Towa. IIe was succeeded by Rev. Henry W. Adams, who re- mained until 1848. Rev. A. N. Littlejohnt became rector in January, 1850, and in the following year resigned. Sept. 29, 1851, Rev. William S. Child was chosen his successor, and re- mained until April, 1859. During the reetorship of Rev. Mr. Littlejohn the enlargement of the church edifice was com- meneed, and completed soon after Mr. Child became rector.
In September, 1859, Rev. Geo. II. MeKnight became rector of the parish, and remained until June 14, 1869, when he was succeeded by Rev. Alexander Burgess, who officiated in that capacity until May 15, 1878, when he was consecrated bishop of Quiney, Ill. The church is now (Nov. 16, 1878) without a settled rector. A new church edifice was completed in 1876, at a cost of about 875,000. It is mainly of the Norman style of architecture, built of Longmeadow stone, with a rich variety of eut-stone trimmings. It is one of the finest church edifices in New England. The present membership of the church is about 500. Location, Chestnut Street near State.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church was organized in 1819 with 19 persons. Meet- ings were held in churches and private houses until 1821, when a church edifice 26 by 30 feet was erected on Central Street, east of Pine. The ministers during this time were Elders Rand, IJubbard, Niles, Sawyer, and Atwell. In 1832 the society had increased to about 50 members, and Rev. Allen Hough was appointed regular pastor, and soon after a new church edifice was erected on the corner of Maple and Mul- berry Streets. In 1846 the present church building was built on the corner of Main Street and Harrison Avenue, and was dedicated in the following year.
The following have officiated as pastors from the organiza- tion to the present time, viz. : Allen Hough, Joseph Hough, Nicholas Braneh, Benj. Putnam, Dwight Ives, Hiram A. Graves, J. W. Eaton, Humphrey Richards, M. G. Clark, E. E. Cummings, George B. Ide, Geo. E. Merrill, and C. W. Anable, present pastor.
The church has a membership of over 500. The present deacons (1878) are as follows, viz. : Harvey Foster, John E. Taylor, Isaac E. Williams, and II. C. Martin.
THE STATE STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church was organized in 1864, and services were held in Union Hall until the chapel of the present elegant church edifice was dedicated, July 8, 1866. The first pastor of this church was Rev. A. K. Potter, installed in January, 1865, and is the present incumbent of the pastoral oflice. The present (1878) officers of the church are as follows, viz. : Nathan G. Corning, John II. Lawton, Alpheus Hawkes,
+ Now bishop of Long Island.
* Died May 28, 1847.
856
HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
.Jonas HI. Hastings, D. M. Chapin, and Andrew Titus, Dea- cons ; E. F. Foster, Clerk and Treasurer. Location, State Street, opposite Dwight Street.
THE PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church was organized in 1872. The old South Church building, on Bliss Street, is occupied as a house of worship. The pastors have been Revs. Spencer Harris and Peter Smith. The latter is the present incumbent, and was installed in 1874. The deacons are William Clark, James Branch, and Albert W. Parker; standing committee, J. B. Nellis, William Tut- ten, and M. Mathews.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH (UNIVERSALIST).
The Universalist Church in this eity dates its origin back to 1827, when services were held in the armory chapel, which at that time was occupied by the Episcopalians as a place of worship. The society afterward worshiped in Military Hall until 1844, when a new building was erected. The present church edifice was dedicated in 1869.
The first regular pastor was Rev. D. J. Mandell. The fol- lowing have served as pastors successively from that time to the present, viz., A. A. Folsom, R. P. Ambler, J. W. Ford, J. Twiss, J. Marvin, H. R. Nye, O. F. Safford, J. L. Seward (supply), A. H. Sweetser, Benton Smith, and George W. Perry, present pastor.
The deacons of the church (1878) are as follows : William S. Davis, George S. Lewis, Sr., W. II. Winans, J. M. Cur- rier, and W. B. Sibley. Henry V. Lewis, elerk.
The present officers of the society are as follows : Eliphalet Trask, President; Dr. W. W. Gardner, Vice-President; H. S. Hyde, George S. Lewis; J. H. Lewis, Clerk ; and II. F. Trask, Treasurer.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES .*
The Methodist denomination owes its origin to John and Charles Wesley, who, with their associates, began a religious movement in Oxford (Eng.) as early as 1729. The first Methodist sermon in the United States was preached in New York in 1766 by Philip Embury, an Irish emigrant. The first chapel was erceted in John Street, New York, and was dedi- eated in 1768. The first General Conference was held, and the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States was organ- ized, in 1784. The denomination then numbered 84 ministers and 15,000 members. The various Methodist bodies in the United States now number more than 18,000 ministers and 2,500,000 communicants.
The early history of Methodism in Springfield is somewhat obsenre. It is known that Bishop Asbury visited this town as early as 1791, and preached his first sermon here .Fuly 15th of that year. He makes this record of the service in his jour- nal : "The people were moved, and one individual was under deep conviction." Bishop Asbury was soon followed by other Methodist itinerants. The earliest of these whose names can now be gathered, who visited Springfield between the years 1791 and 1797, were A. Hunt, Joshua Hall, Thomas Cooper, Menzies Raynor, Joseph Lovel, II. Smith, George Pickering, N. Snethen, Hope HIull, and John Finnegan. It is probable also that Jesse Lee, the apostle of New England Methodism, visited Springfield during this period.
Preaching services were held in the houses of Mr. Sykes and Deacon John Ashley, and a class of about 15 members was organized.
In "Stevens' Memorial of Methodism," we are informed that in 1796 a daughter of this Deacon Ashley, who had inarried Mr. John Langdon and removed to Vermont, received a letter from her father stating that "a new sect of preachers had visited Springfield, called Methodists, and that they went out two and two like the apostles of old, traveled circuits, and
preached free salvation to all men." Langdon became so in- terested to know something of this new sect that he immedi- ately started for Springfield, and traveled over two hundred miles that he might hear the new preachers for himself. Through their preaching he was converted to the new faith, and became himself a Methodist minister.
A little later than this period we find the names of Rev. Messrs. George Roberts, Henry Eames, and Augustus .Joselyn among the ministers who visited Springfield. Owing to deaths and removals to the West the little society subsequently dwindled, and Springfield ceased to be visited by the circuit preachers. We find, however, that from 1801 to 1815 occa- sional services continued to be held by local preachers living in the neighboring towns.
In 1815 the society was reorganized by Rev. Wm. Marsh, and connected with the Tolland (Conn.) cireuit, to which the following ministers were appointed : in 1815, William Marsh and Orrin Roberts : in 1816, S. Winchester and Nathan Paine, and probably Timothy Merritt for a portion of the year; in 1817, Benjamin Sabin and S. Winchester; in 1818, Leonard Bennett and Hezekiah Davis.
Springfield became a separate station in 1819, and Rev. Daniel Dorchester, father of the present pastor of the State Street Methodist Church, was appointed preacher. The meet- ings were beld alternately at the " water-shops" and in the armory chapel on the "Ifill." At the "water-shops" the meetings were held in the old school-house, which stood near the corner of Hancock and Central Streets, until it was closed against them by vote of the district; then in private houses, sometimes in the barn of David Rice, and sometimes in a grove. In the winter of 1819, Mr. Dorchester, in addition to the duties of his pastorate, taught a school in the old block- house on the armory-grounds. In the spring of 1820, 77 members were reported to the Conference.
In the summer of 1820, Rev. Moses Fifield was appointed to this charge. He held services at the " water-shops," at the ar- mory chapel, and also at the old court-house. During this year a chapel was erected at the " water-shops," which was sub- sequently called Asbury Chapel. This chapel was 28 feet by 36, a plain structure, unpainted in the interior. The subscrip- tion for its erection was signed by 27 persons, and the amount subseribed was $300. The members in those days were few in numbers and feeble in their peenniary ability, as indeed at that time was the denomination they represented. In all Massachusetts, the year this chapel was erected, there were but 15 Methodist churches.
Mr. Fifield was reappointed in 1821, and was assisted by Rev. Thomas Asbury, a local preacher, who was employed by the presiding elder. During this year preaching services were held by them in the surrounding towns also, and a society was organized at Warehouse Point, in Connecticut, which became the next year a separate church. Mr. Fifield was followed in 1822 by Rev. Thomas C. Pierce, and in 1823 and 1824 by Rev. John W. Hardy.
In 1823, during the ministry of Mr. Hardy, a new church was erected on Union Street, and to this new house the old organization was transferred, although meetings were occa- sionally held at the " water-shops." In 1825, Rev. D. Dor- chester was once more stationed over this society, which tben numbered 131 members. He was followed in 1826 by Rev. Daniel Webb; in 1827 and 1828 by Rev. Timothy Merritt ; and in 1829 by Rev. Orange Seott. Under the labors of Mr. Scott a great revival occurred, and about 75 persons were added to the church. In 1830, Rev. Thomas C. Pierce was reappointed to this charge, and was continued in the pastorate in 1831. In 1832 and 1833, Rev. Hiram H. White was the pastor.
Preaching was resumed at Asbury Chapel, and Mr. White was assisted in 1832 by Rev. Sanford Benton, and in 1833 by Rev. M. Dwight. In 1834, Rev. Bartholomew Otheman was
* By Rev. William Rice, D.D.
857
HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.
the pastor, and Rev. George F. Poole was the assistant. During these years preaching was maintained in both houses, but there was only one church organization, and the ministers exchanged pulpits, preaching half of the day at each chapel. Another great revival occurred in 1834, and the membership was increased to 346. The following year the society was di- vided into two separate churches, and a pastor was appointed to each.
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