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 14
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CHURCHES AND MINISTERS
EPISCOPALIANS. Of this denomination, the following min- isters originated from Deerfield, viz., Rev. Rodolphus Dick- inson and Rev. John Williams, D. D.
METHODISTS. The Methodist church in Deerfield was or- ganized in South Deerfield, in the spring of 1843. The following ministers have supplied it with preaching, viz., Kevs. F. A. Griswold, W. A. Braman, L. B. Clark, R. P. Buffington, C. A. Perry, John Smith, W. F. Lacount, and W. M. Hubbard in 1853. One Methodist minister, Rev. Chester Field, Jr., originated from Deerfield.
UNITARIANS. The Unitarian church in Deerfield was orig- inally, and until the early part of the present century, an Orthodox Congregational church, and is supposed to have been formed not far from the time of the settlement of its first pastor, in 1686. The following Unitarian pastors have been settled over it, viz .: Rev. Samuel Willard, D. D., settled September, 1807, and dismissed Sept. 23, 1829 ; Rev. John Fessenden, settled May 19, 1830, and dismissed May 31, 1840; Rev. Daniel B. Parkhurst, settled July 21, 1841, and died Feb. 16, 1842; Rev. James Blodget, settled Jan. 17, 1844, and dismissed June 16, 1845 ; and Rev. John F. Moors, ordained Jan. 28, 1845, and is still the pastor.
SUMMARY of preachers who have originated from Deerfield. Orthodox Congregationalists, 15; Episcopalians, 2; Meth- odists, 1. Total, 18.
ERVING.
This place was an unincorporated tract of land and called Erving's Grant, until 1838. The place had not begun to be settled to any great extent till 1800 or 1801, when the turn- pike road was built through it. Col. Asaph White, from Heath, erected a log-house here in 1802, which was used as the public house till 1819. In 1820 a school-house was erected, which was the place for religious meetings, when- ever they were held, till 1842. It is not known that any
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religious organization existed in the place previous to 1832. Baptist preaching was supplied to some extent, from 1818 to 1830, by Elder David Goddard of Wendell, and Elder Shep- ardson of Warwick, and Elder Andrews of Hinsdale, N. H. In 1820 the Massachusetts Missionary Society began to furnish the people some aid ; and in 1830, under the direc- tion of the Society, Rev. Dr. Packard and Rev. T. Packard, Jr., of Shelburne, preached among them for a short time. The town was incorporated April 17, 1838. The popula- tion in 1850, was 449. One Congregational church, one Baptist church, and a Universalist society, have been formed in Erving.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
CHURCH. The Congregational church was organized Sept. 19, 1832, with fifteen members, by Revs. Bancroft Fowler of Northfield, Samuel Kingsbury of Warwick, and Job Cush- man. Their first and present Meeting-house was built in 1842. A series of religious meetings, during the week, was held in 1834, conducted chiefly by Rev. Bancroft Fowler, and Rev. Warren Allen then of Irvingsville; and in 1835 about thirty persons were added to the church.
This church, in connection with the one at Irvingsville, have received missionary aid, since 1820, to the amount of $2,032. The amount contributed to the cause of christian benevolence in 1844, was $12, which is the last contri- bution received from this people. The number in the Sab- bath School in 1852, was 30. The church, in 1853, num- bered 21. Previous to the settlement of a pastor over this church, it was supplied occasionally with preaching by the neighboring ministers; and the Rev. Dyer Ball supplied them a short time, a little before his embarkation as a mis- sionary to China. The church has had but one pastor. In the twenty-one years this church has existed, it has been destitute of a settled ministry about nineteen years.
PASTOR. REV. JOSIAH TUCKER was installed pastor of this
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church and of the Congregational church in Irvingsville, Nov. 16, 1842, and preached alternately in the two places. Rev. Dr. Joseph S. Clark of Boston preached the sermon on the occasion. Mr. Tucker was dismissed from both these churches, Aug. 7, 1844. He was born in Milton, June 4, 1792; pursued classical studies at Phillips Academy, but never graduated at any college; completed his course of the- ological study at Andover in 1825; was licensed by the Nor- folk Association in May, 1824; settled as a pastor in Madi- son, Me., May 10, 1825, and Rev. David Thurston of Winthrop, Me., preached the sermon on the occasion ; dis- missed from there, in 1836; installed as pastor in Bingham, Me., March 8, 1837, and Rev. Josiah Peet of Norridgewock, Me., preached the sermon; dismissed from there, in 1842; preached as stated supply three years in Mercer, Me. ; em- ployed as colporteur of the American Tract Society, two years in Somersett and Franklin Counties, Me., residing in Madison, Me., and two years in Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol Counties, Mass., residing in Milton ; for some time past, he has been a colporteur of the American and Foreign Christian Union among the Catholics, and resides in Taun- ton. His ministry in Erving and Irvingsville was not quite two years.
After Mr. Tucker's dismission, this church was supplied by Professor William Tyler of Amherst College in 1845 ; by Rev. Charles Chamberlain in 1846; by Rev. A. B. Foster in 1848 and 1849; by Rev. John H. Stratton in 1849 and 1850, who died in Erving, April 26, 1851, aged 37; by Rev. George Trask in 1851; by Rev. Ochus G. Hubbard in 1852. In 1853 the house was occupied by Rev. Mr. Hayward, a Methodist minister, employed by the Congregational people. In 1854 the house was sold at public auction, for $500, on account of the embarrassment of the proprietors.
OTHER DENOMINATIONS.
BAPTISTS. A branch of the South Orange Baptist Church
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was formed in Erving in 1835, and became extinct in 1839. Rev. Lysander Fay supplied this church for the most part, so far as they had preaching. Rev. Artemas Piper, a Baptist minister, originated from this place.
UNIVERSALISTS. A Universalist society was organized in this place in 1836, and became extinct in 1848.
A series of meetings was held by the Millerites, among the people in Erving, in 1843.
SUMMARY of ministers originating from Erving : Baptists, 1. Total, 1.
GILL.
This town was formerly a part of Deerfield. "It received its name in honor of Lieutenant Governor Moses Gill." It was incorporated Sept. 28, 1793. Its population in 1850, was 754. Two churches have been organized in Gill ; one Congregational and one Methodist.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
CHURCH. The early records of this church being lost, the date of its organization cannot be ascertained with precision or certainty. In Willard's History of Greenfield, a portion of Rev. Dr. Roger Newton's Diary is inserted, from which the following is an extract, viz. :- " May 22, 1796. Voted, members of this church residing in Gill, might with others form themselves into a church by themselves in that place." From this extract it would appear, that the church in Gill was not formed previous to May 22, 1796. But others, and especially the present pastors of the Gill church, reckon the date of its formation to be 1793. "The probable number of members organized is twenty-nine." Meeting-houses : For some years, religious meetings were held in private houses and in barns. The first house of worship in Gill began to be occupied in 1798, but was not finished till 1805, and was dedicated Nov. 20, 1805. The house was remod- eled and fitted up anew in 1848. Revivals were enjoyed
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in Gill in 1810, in 1816, by which forty were added to the church, and in 1832. This church began to receive charita- ble aid for the support of the gospel in 1826, and has re- ceived $500, but does not now receive aid. The amount given by this church and people to the cause of christian benevolence in 1853, was $35. The number in the Sab- bath School in 1852, was 45. The church in 1853 con- sisted of 46 members. Previous to the settlement of the first pastor, Rev. Zephaniah Swift preached among this people, and received an invitation to settle as their pastor, but de- clined the call. After him, Rev. Jesse Edson of Halifax, Vt., and Rev. Joel Baker of West Granville, preached for short periods to this people. In the sixty years since this church was probably organized, it has had settled pastors about 43 years, and has been destitute of the same about 17 years. This church has had six pastors.
PASTORS. 1 .* REV. JOHN JACKSON was ordained as the first pastor of this church, Jan. 10, 1798, and Rev. Joel Fos- ter of New Salem preached the sermon on the occasion, which was published ; and was dismissed from his pastoral charge in Gill, Oct. 10, 1801. Mr. Jackson was born in Peters- ham in 1771; graduated at Dartmouth in 1792; and stud- ied theology with Rev. Joel Foster of New Salem, and Rev. Judah Nash of Montague. Oral tradition says, that he was dismissed from Gill for immoralities, by a council that de- posed him from the ministry. He lived in Gill several years after his dismission, and eventually removed to Canada, and died in Brome, East Canada. The following account of him was recently furnished to the author, by Rev. David Connelly, pastor of the Congregational Church in that place, and who was well acquainted with Mr. Jackson, and attended his funeral. "His first settlement in Canada was in the township of Stukely, Canada East. His labors in this new field were strictly of a missionary character. The country was then (as it is even now) new and thinly settled. In the year 1815 he removed from Stukely to the township of
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Brome, about twenty miles from the former. Brome was then almost an entire wilderness, with a thinly scattered population. His labors in these circumstances were neces- sarily missionary. No church or meeting-house then existed in the place. Some humble dwelling, or small schoolhouse, was the best that could be obtained as a place of worship.
In these circumstances he continued in the ministry of the word, preaching, as opportunity presented, for the period of five years, when, owing to such unfavorable circumstances and feeble health, the necessities of a young and rising fam- ily led him to engage in agricultural pursuits, and to retire
from the office of the ministry. In his latter years, it was his chief desire to enjoy the ministry of the gospel for his own benefit, and the welfare of his family and neighbors ; and while friendly with ministers of different denominations, it was his highest gratification to meet with a minister of the
Congregational order. In the year 1842, I visited the town of Brome, as a Congregational minister, and found Esquire Jackson, as he was then called, (having held the office of magistrate for about twelve years, ) one of the most interested of a few christians to have a settled minister in the place. I was induced to settle in this destitute field, then without a church or minister of any denomination. About a year after my settlement, I had erected a comfortable meeting-house, and formed a church of fifteen members on Congregational
principles. Esquire Jackson, his wife, and one of his sons, (who is now one of the Deacons of the church,) with his wife and his wife's mother, were then received into the church, and united with a few others in christian fellowship. For a short period, I had much pleasure from the society and christian friendship of Mr. Jackson. He was a person of most pleasing and affable manners, and most sociably dis- posed. He had been permitted to see his prayers answered in an improved state of religious society ; but the Lord had designed that, this feeble cause once established, his work on earth should soon close. In the second week of March,
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1844, Mr. Jackson complained a little from the effects of a cold. He was confined a few days to his bed, without any severe pain or suffering. On the day previous to that of his death, I saw him, and he thought he was doing well, and would soon be better. But it was otherwise determined by Him, who cannot err. On the morning after I had seen him, one of the family came to inform me, that their father seemed much worse. I hastened to see him, and when I stood by his bedside, I found he was speechless. The tide of life seemed fast ebbing, and with the family I engaged in prayer, and just as we rose from commending his spirit to God, his spirit had departed, and all was silent in death. He departed this life on the 18th of March, 1844. On the 20th, the solemn occasion was improved at the Congregational chapel in Brome, by a sermon from the Rev. Dr. Wilkes, pastor of the First Congregational church at Montreal, from the words : ' It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment ;' after which the congregation followed the silent remains of Mr. Jackson from the chapel at Brome, to the adjoining burying-ground, where his mortal remains have found a final resting place-'a narrow house appointed for all living.' It so happened, that Dr. Wilkes was on a visit to me at that time, and I prevailed on him, as acquainted with Mr. Jackson, to improve the occasion. On the follow- ing Sabbath, I preached the funeral sermon to a large and at- tentive audience, from Proverbs iv. 18: 'The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' A neat white marble stone is erected in the graveyard adjoining the Congregational chapel, Brome, to mark the resting place of Mr. Jackson's mortal remains, with the following inscription :- ' John Jackson, Esq. De- parted this life at Brome, on the 18th March, 1844, aged 73 years.' "'
It has been reported that Mr. Jackson became an Episco- pal clergyman in Canada. The Rev. Mr. Connelly of Brome thus speaks of this point, and also respecting his family :
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" I know of no foundation for the idea of Mr. Jackson's ever having connected himself with Episcopalians. This he did not do. At one time, I fear, he had been troubled in his mind with the doctrine of Universalism. Before I settled, such preachers and doctrine were very prevalent in Brome. Mr. Jackson never affirmed such doctrine to me, but we, for a time, conversed much on the subject. Whatever may have been his thoughts or feelings previous to my settlement, I am sure that soon after I settled, his doctrinal views were as firm and established against Universalism as my own. With Episcopacy he never was in any way identified."
At his death he was in comfortable worldly circumstances, but had given up to his youngest son his possessions, on the understanding that himself and wife should be provided for during life. His aged widow still survives, very active for a person of her years, and is living with her son on the old homestead. The family he left at his death were his aged companion in life, four sons and one daughter. His daugh- ter has since followed him to the "narrow house appointed for all living." His son James has gone to California ; and his other three sons, John A., Horatio Nelson, and Addison, are settled with their families around the place of their fa- ther's late residence. Mr. Jackson's wife was Miss Rebecca Rogers of Petersham. Mr. Jackson's ministry in Gill lacked about three months of four years.
2 .* REV. JABEZ MUNSELL was settled as pastor of this church, May 26, 1802, and Rev. John Taylor of Deerfield preached the sermon ; and he was dismissed May 28, 1805. Mr. Munsell is supposed to have originated from Franklin, Ct., and to have been born about 1772; he graduated at Dartmouth in 1794; studied theology with Rev. Dr. Backus of Somers, Ct. ; after his dismission from Gill he engaged chiefly in teaching, but preached occasionally, and first re- sided in New London, Ct., then in Newburg and Kingston, N. Y., afterwards in Newbern, N. C., also in Richmond, Va., and his last place of residence was Norfolk, Va., where he
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died, Aug. 1, 1832. The following obituary notice of him appeared in the Norfold Herald, Aug. 3, 1832 : " Died, on Wednesday, of the prevailing cholera, after an illness of a few hours, the Rev. Jabez Munsell, of the Presbyterian church, aged 60 years. He had been residing among us for about two years, as the teacher of a female school, and in that capacity was eminently useful and highly respected. Though comparatively a stranger here, yet his conduct as a man and as a christian had secured the esteem of all his ac- quaintance, for he was an example of " whatsoever is excel- lent and of good report." With a sound understanding and a good education, he combined excellencies of heart and a scriptural piety, which rendered his conversation and ex- ample pleasant and instructive. His death has produced more than ordinary sensation, and is deeply lamented ; and most tenderly does the whole community sympathize with his lovely family in his very sudden and unexpected depar- ture, by which a wife has been deprived of a most excellent and affectionate husband, and his children of a most kind and useful father. He retained his reason to the last, and found his religious principles sufficient to sustain him in the last struggles. He submitted to the will of God with chris- tian patience and resignation, and yielded his wife and children to Him who has promised to be the God of the widow and the father of the fatherless ones." His ministry in Gill was about three years.
3. REV. JOSIAH W. CANNING was ordained as the third pastor of this church, June 11, 1806, and the sermon was by Rev. Dr. Packard of Shelburne, and was published. Mr. Canning was dismissed from Gill, June 11, 1827. He was born in New Braintree, Feb. 27, 1780 ; graduated at Williams in 1803; studied theology with Rev. Asahel Hooker of Goshen, Ct. ; was licensed, June 11, 1805, by the North Litchfield Association, Ct. ; in 1805, supplied in South Britain, Bridgewater, Ct., and in Rowe ; after his dismission from Gill, he taught the academy in Williamstown from
.
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OF GILL.
1827 to 1831; and taught in Canajoharie, N. Y., one year ; returned to Gill in 1832, and preached there as a stated sup- ply till Sept. 24, 1839, when he was settled the second time as pastor of the church, and the sermon was by Rev. John Mitchell, then of Northampton ; he performed the duties of a pastor till disabled by a shock of palsy, Sept. 6, 1846, and still retains the relation of pastor, and resides in Gill. Mr. Canning's surname was changed some years since by the Leg- islature from Cannon. Several of his sermons have been pub- lished at different times. Both periods of his ministry in Gill amount to about thirty-five years.
During Mr. Canning's absence from Gill, Rev. Francis L. Whiting and Rev. James Sandford supplied preaching a part of the time ; and after he relinquished preaching, in 1846, Rev. J. H. M. Leland supplied for a considerable time.
4. REV. JAMES SANDFORD was installed as pastor of the church, Dec. 25, 1829, and the sermon was by Rev. Dr. Packard of Shelburne ; and he was dismissed from Gill, April 21, 1831. Mr. Sandford was born in Berkley, May 7, 1786 ; graduated at Brown University in 1812; studied theology with Rev. Jonathan Burr of Sandwich ; settled as pastor in Fabius, N. Y., in 1815, and Rev. Jabez Chadwick preached on the occasion ; was dismissed from there in 1820; installed as pastor in Oxbow, Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1820, and Rev. Mr. Snowden preached the sermon ; was dismissed from there about 1829. After leaving Gill, he: supplied, from 1831 to 1847, in Holland ; preached as a stateď. supply, from 1847 to 1851, in Oxbow, N. Y. ; and since: then has been engaged in agriculture, and is still living in: Oxbow, N. Y. Mr. Sandford has several brothers, who are: ministers in Massachusetts. His ministry in Gill was a little- more than one year.
5. REV. WILLIAM MILLER was settled as pastor of this: church, Feb. 21, 1849, and Rev. Samuel Harris, then of Conway, preached the sermon ; and he was dismissed from
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Gill, June 4, 1850. Mr. Miller was born in New Braintree, Aug. 8, 1817 ; graduated at Amherst in 1842 ; studied the- ology at Andover ; was licensed by the Andover Association, April 8, 1845 ; ordained as pastor in Halifax, Vt., Oct. 1, 1845, and Rev. Dr. Chandler of Greenfield preached the sermon ; was dismissed from Halifax, Vt., July 14, 1847 ; after his dismission from Gill engaged in teaching, and preached occasionally ; resided in Dennysville, Me., in 1851 and 1852, and is now teaching in North Brookfield. He preached in Gill a considerable time previous to his set- tlement there. His pastorate there was a little more than one year.
6. REV. EDWARD F. BROOKS was installed as pastor of this church, June 25, 1851, and the sermon was by Rev. A. H. Clapp of Brattleboro', Vt. Mr. Brooks was born in Halifax, Vt., in 1812 ; graduated at Washington College, Pennsylva- nia, in 1839 ; finished his theological studies at Princeton, N. J., in 1842 ; was ordained as an Evangelist at Elizabeth- town, N. J., in October, 1842, by the Raritan Presbytery, and the sermon was by Rev. Dr. Studdiford of Lambertville, N. J. ; labored as a missionary one year, from May, 1843, under the General Assembly's Board, at French Creek, Lewis County, Va., among a population, many of whom had re- moved from Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont and Heath, Mass. ; during the year a revival was experienced, and thirty-three were added to the church ; afterwards supplied a year at Riverhead, on Long Island, N. Y., and four years at West Woodstock, Ct., and one year at Manchester, N. J. Mr. Brooks had one brother who was a minister, Rev. Asa Brooks, who died at Clarksburg, Va., Dec. 23, 1834. Mr. Brooks is still a pastor at Gill, in the third year of his pasto- rate there.
Of the six pastors of this church, five were dismissed ; one was re-settled ; four are now living ; and the average length of their pastorates in Gill was about eight years.
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CONGREGATIONAL MINISTERS WHO ORIGINATED FROM GILL.
1. Rev. William M. Richards was born in Hartford, Ct., but, at about four years of age, removed to Gill, where he lived about twelve years, and, having been a pastor in South Deerfield, a further notice of him may be found in the ac- count of the South Deerfield pastors.
2. Rev. Samuel H. Riddel was born in Bristol, Mc., Jan. 2, 1800, and is the son of Rev. William Riddel, who is noticed in the account of the Coleraine ministers. In early life, having resided but a short time in any one place, and having lived in Gill from 1810 to 1815, Mr. Riddel is here reckoned in the list of Gill ministers. In Bernardston and in Hadley he spent a portion of his early years. Mr. Riddel graduated at Yale in 1823 ; finished the theological course at Andover in 1826 ; ordained as pastor in Glastenbury, Ct., June 27, 1827, and Rev. Samuel Greene, then of Boston, preached on the occasion ; dismissed from there in about ten years ; officiated as Secretary of the Connecticut Branch of the American Education Society two years ; was editor of the Congregationalist, in Hartford, Ct., two years ; was Sec- retary of the American Education Society from 1841 to 1850 ; assisted for several months in the office of the American Home Missionary Society, in New York, and is now an associate editor of the Puritan Recorder, Boston.
3. Rev. Jubilee Wellman was born in Gill, Feb. 20, 1793, (the town at that time not being incorporated it was in- cluded in Greenfield,) and removed in early life and resided in Charlestown and Acworth, N. H. ; never graduated at any college ; finished the theological course at Bangor in 1823 ; preached in Winthrop and Frankfort, Me. ; ordained as pastor in Frankfort, Me., Sept. 17, 1824, and Professor Bancroft Fowler, then of the Bangor Seminary, preached the sermon ; dismissed from there, Jan. 3, 1826 ; installed as pastor at Warner, N. H., Sept. 26, 1827, and Rev. Dr. Wood of Boscawen, N. H., preached on the occasion ; dis-
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missed from there, Feb. 14, 1837 ; afterwards preached at Bristol, Hookset, and Meredith Bridge, N. H. ; installed as pastor in Westminster West, Vt., March 7, 1838, and Rev. Dr. Barstow of Keene, N. H., preached on the occasion ; dismissed from there, Jan. 5, 1842 ; supplied two years in Cavendish and Plymouth, Vt. ; from 1844 to 1849 preached in Cavendish, Vt. ; installed pastor in Lowell, Vt., Oct. 17, 1849, and Rev. Joseph Underwood of Hardwick, Vt., preached the sermon. Under his labors in Warner, N. H., there were seventy-five cases of hopeful conversion in 1828-9; one hundred in 1831; and, in 1832, fifty ; like- wise under his labors in Westminster West, Vt., in 1840, fifty were added to the church. Mr. Wellman is still pastor in Lowell, Vt.
Of the three Congregational ministers here reckoned as originating from Gill, one was a native of the place ; two were graduates ; all have been pastors; and all are now living.
OTHER DENOMINATIONS.
METHODISTS. The Methodist church in Gill was organ- ized in 1803. The following preachers have supplied the church, viz., Revs. John Nixon, Alexander Hulin, Elisha Andrews, John B. Husted, Frederic W. Sizer, James C. Bonticou, William Todd, Oliver E. Bosworth, Windsor Ward, Horace Moulton, Elias P. Stevens, Daniel Bannister, William Kimball, Charles Hayward, William Wilcutt, Lyman Wing, Asa Niles, Mr. Culver, Samuel Heath, Alanson Latham, Philo Hawks, John Tate, William Gordon, David Todd, Ichabod Marcy, H. Clarke, John Ricketts, William A. Clapp, Charles Barnes, Moses Stoddard, Leonard Frost, D. L. Winslow, Homan Church, Jarvis Wilson, J. W. P. Jordan, and Solo- mon Cushman who died in Gill, Oct. 8, 1853, aged 46, and since then Horace Smith. Revs. Elijah Field and James O. Dean, Methodist ministers, originated from Gill.
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