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 20
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6. REV. ALPHEUS GRAVES was settled as the sixth pastor, June 18, 1851, and the sermon was by Rev. T. Packard, Jr. Mr. Graves was born in Sunderland, March 15, 1815 ; studied at Union College, but did not graduate; finished his theological studies at East Windsor Hill in 1841; was licensed by Franklin Association, Aug. 12, 1840; was or- dained pastor in Halifax, Vt., Nov. 10, 1841 ; dismissed from there in April, 1851; and is now in the third year of his ministry at Heath.
Before the settlement of Mr. Strong, the first pastor of this church, the people in Heath were supplied a part of the time by Rev. Jonathan Leavitt, who was a pastor in Charle- mont when that town and Heath were one town and had but one church. This people were supplied with preaching previous to Mr. Miller's settlement for a few Sabbaths by Rev. Ebenezer Tucker, who became a Unitarian, and died in Heath, Jan. 14, 1848, aged 84. Between the pastorates of Mr. Fisher and Mr. Graves, Rev. A. A. Gaylord supplied a few Sabbaths, and Rev. Dana Goodsell a few months ; and Rev. Zolva Whitmore about two years and a half.
Of the six pastors of this church, four were dismissed ; four are living ; and the average length of their pastorates in Heath was about nine years and a half.
SECOND CHURCH. This second church was organized, Feb. 8, 1844. It consisted chiefly of members who with- drew from the first church on account of disaffection in re-
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lation to the settlement of Rev. Josiah Fisher as pastor. They were supplied during the short period of their con- tinuance as a separate church chiefly by Rev. Salmon Ben- nett. By the advice and agency of a board of referees mutually chosen by both the churches, this church was incorporated into the first church in 1846, and they have since then worshiped together. They never had a meeting- house nor a settled pastor.
CONGREGATIONAL MINISTERS ORIGINATING FROM HEATH.
1. R'ev. Stephen T. Allen was born in Heath in 1809, and having been a pastor in Charlemont, a further notice of him may be found in the account of the pastors in that townl.
2. Rev. Joshua Leavitt was born in Heath, Sept. 8, 1794, and is a grandson of Rev. Jonathan Leavitt formerly a pastor in Charlemont. Mr. Leavitt graduated at Yale in 1814 ; was admitted to the bar to practice as an attorney, in 1819, at Northampton, and practised at Putney, Vt., till 1823 ; studied theology at New Haven, and was licensed to preach in August, 1824; was ordained as a pastor at Strat- ford, Ct., Feb. 25, 1825; in 1828 became Secretary of the American Seamen's Friend Society in New York City; in 1831 became Editor of the New York Evangelist ; in 1837 became Editor of the Emancipator in New York, and in 1841 removed the Emancipator to Boston, and continued to edit it till 1847 ; and in 1848 became assistant editor of the "Independent " in New York, and is still connected with that paper, and lives in New York City. Mr. Leavitt has a son, Rev. William S. Leavitt, who is a Congregational min- ister in Hudson, N. Y.
3. Rev. Lowell Smith was born in Heath, Nov. 27, 1802; graduated at Williams in 1829; studied theology at Au- burn ; while in the Seminary at Auburn was a teacher and superintendent in the Auburn State's Prison Sabbath School, and in the African Sabbath School ; was married, Oct. 2,
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1832, to Miss Abba W. Tenney of Brandon, Vt .; was or- dained as an Evangelist and Missionary to the Sandwich Islands by the Franklin Association, at Heath, Sept. 26, 1832, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Ralph W. Gridley of Williamstown ; embarked as a missionary for the Sandwich Islands at New London, Ct., Nov. 23, 1832; arrived at Honolulu, May 1, 1833 ; was located one year at the island Molakai, and two years at Oahu, and since 1836 at Honolulu. The following extracts are from a letter of Mr. Smith to the author in 1852: "Our first great business was to acquire a knowledge of the native language; in this we were happily disappointed; being able to advance much more rapidly than we had anticipated. I wrote and deliver- ed my first native sermon within three months after our arrival on Molakai; and after a few weeks more had elapsed, I preached once every Sabbath, and in less than a year, I could pray and perform all the exercises of the Sabbath in the native language." "In the fall and winter of 1837 and '38, the great three years' revival of religion at these islands commenced, and the great mass of the people rushed to our meetings ; the way was too strait ; more people were out- side of the house of worship than inside. I then proposed to the multitude, that we build a large and commodious house of worship; to which they all cheerfully responded in the affirmative." "On the 29th of Aug. 1839, this house was solemnly dedicated to the service of the living God: But how shall I describe the many soul refreshing seasons, which we enjoyed in our school-house and temporary shed, during the eighteen months in which the Lord's house was in building ? Suffice it to say, the word preached was quick and powerful, sharp as a two-edged sword, penetrat- ing the hearts of sinners, and causing them to quail before the Lord in great numbers, and earnestly to inquire, What shall we do to be saved ?" The church to which Mr. Smith now ministers in Honolulu, was organized, April 1, 1838, and consists of about 1200 members, 800 of the church
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having died since its organization. During the year ending May, 1852, this church raised for the support of their pastor $417, and for benevolent objects about $300. Four approved members of this church joined the missionary band lately sent out by the American Board to the Maicro- nesian Islands. Mr. Smith has labored twenty-one years in the missionary field without returning to the United States. He has buried five children and has two living.
4. Rev. David H. Thayer was born in Heath, May 21, 1825 ; graduated at Union in 1849; studied theology at New Haven ; was settled as pastor in Hampden, Ct., Jan. 5, 1853, and the sermon was by Rev. Dr. Tryon Edwards of New London, Ct. Mr. Thayer removed from Heath to Nunda, N. Y., some time previous to his preparatory studies for the ministry.
5. Rev. John C. Thompson was born in Heath, Sept. 27, 1804; and having been settled as a pastor in Rowe, a more full notice of him may be found in the account of the pastors in that town.
Rev. William W. Howland, a missionary at Batticotta, in India, spent several years in Heath, and married Miss Susan Reed of that town ; and Rev. Lemuel Leonard spent a few years in Heath, and joined the church there, and married there.
Of the five ministers here reckoned as sons of Heath, all are natives of the town ; all are graduates ; all have been ordained ; one is a missionary to the heathen ; and all are living
OTHER DENOMINATIONS.
BAPTISTS. A Baptist church was organized in Heath, Sept. 9, 1801, and, in 1853, consisted of 38 members ; and it has been supplied by the following preachers, viz., Elders Bemus, Montague, Smith, Long, Carpenter, Hibbard, Stephen Barker, George Wetherill ordained Dec. 23, 1807 ; Mansfield Bruce, Davenport, Wilson, Arad Hall ordained May 30, 1820; Lamb, George Robinson, Linus Austin, Nelson, Branch, Mc-
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Culloch, Anthony Case ordained in 1831; Phineas Howe, Perrin B. Fisk, Samuel C. Chandler ordained in 1840; M. Frary, Remington, Anson Stearns ordained in 1848. They have had no stated preaching of late. One Baptist minister, Rev. George Benton, originated from Heath.
UNITARIANS. A Unitarian church was formed in this place in 1825, and has been supplied by Revs. Winthrop Bailey, Dan Huntington, Henry Colman, Joseph Field, and Dr. Samuel Willard. It never had a settled pastor, and has not had stated preaching for some time past.
UNIVERSALISTS. One Universalist preacher, Rev. Groves- nor Swan, originated from Heath.
The Methodists, a few years since, held meetings in Heath, and ministers of that order preached there, and some efforts were made for the formation of a church or class, but none was ever formed there.
SUMMARY of preachers originating from Heath : Congrega- tionalists, 5; Baptists, 1; Universalists, 1. Total, 7.
LEVERETT.
This town was incorporated March 5, 1774; and, in 1850, had 948 inhabitants. Three churches have been established in this town, viz., one Congregational, one Baptist and one Freewill Baptist, a Unitarian Society, and a Universalist Society.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
CHURCH. The Congregational church was organized in 1774. The first Meeting-house belonging to this people was built in 1775 ; and was rebuilt on the same spot in 1838, which is now used as their house of worship. Revivals have been enjoyed among this people as follows, viz., one in 1816, and 40 added to the church ; one in 1839, and 31 added ; one in 1850, and 26 added. This church began to receive missionary aid in 1828, and has received $675, but
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is not now assisted. A council for advice was called by this church, Jan. 26, 1820. " Rev. John Foster was the first minister who received a call to settle over the Congrega- tional Society in this place, and he accepted it. The council convened to ordain him, but on examination they found him heretical, and refused to ordain him." The amount contributed to benevolent objects by this people in 1853 was $90 59. The Sabbath School in 1852 numbered 100. The number in the church in 1853 was 100. During the seventy- nine years since the formation of this church, it has been supplied with pastors sixty-one years, and has been destitute of a settled ministry eighteen years. This church has had six pastors.
PASTORS. 1 .* REV. HENRY WILLIAMS was settled as the first pastor of this church, Nov. 10, 1784, and, after a minis- try of about twenty-seven years died, Nov. 27, 1811, aged 66. Mr. Williams was born in Stonington, Ct., in 1744; never graduated at any college, but received the honorary degree of A. M. at Dartmouth in 1782 ; was settled as pastor at Guilford, Vt., Oct. 28, 1778, and was dismissed from there in 1783. At Mr. Williams' settlement in Guilford, Vt., Rev. Bunker Gay of Hinsdale, N. H., preached the sermon ; and it being during the period of the depreciated continental cur- rency, he preached from 2 Kings iv. 40 : " O Son of man, there is death in the pot." The sentiment of his sermon was, To pay a minister's salary in the depreciated currency is death in the pot both to the minister and to the people. Mr. Williams' widow died in Leverett, Nov. 4, 1835, aged 79. He had a son, who was a Congregational minister and died in 1816, Rev. Avery Williams. The following epitaph is on the gravestone of Rev. Henry Williams : "He was an ardent preacher, eminent in prayer, a faithful minister of truly evangelical sentiments ; borne down with infirmity and pain, which he long endured with christian patience and submission, he expired suddenly in his chair without a moment's warning, Nov. 27, 1811, aged 66." Rev. Dr.
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Parsons of Amherst preached his funeral sermon. £ Rev. Gershom Lyman of Marlboro', Vt., preached his installation sermon at Leverett.
2. REV. JOEL WRIGHT was settled as the second pastor of this church, Dec. 9, 1812, and Rev. Dr. Seth Payson of Rindge, N. H., preached the sermon ; and after a ministry of about seven years was dismissed from here, Jan. 26, 1820. Mr. Wright was born in Milford, N. H., in 1784; graduated at Dartmouth in 1809 ; studied theology with Dr. Payson of Rindge, N. H .; was licensed in Massachusetts in 1811; settled at Goshen, Sept. 26, 1821, and Rev. James Taylor preached the sermon ; dismissed from Goshen, September, 1828 ; installed pastor at Wilmington, Vt., Oct. 28, 1829, and Rev. Jonathan McGee preached the sermon ; dismissed from there, Jan. 2, 1834; installed as pastor at Sullivan, N. H., May 22, 1834, and Rev. Dr. Barstow preached ; dis- missed from there in 1840. At different times Mr. Wright has supplied in Natick, Chester, Dana, within the bounds of the Onondaga Presbytery, N. Y., Bristol, N. H., and Surrey, N. H. During Mr. Wright's ministry at Leverett, 84 were added to the church, and 120 baptisms performed. Mr. Wright's farewell sermon, preached at Leverett, was published. Since his inability to preach for several years past, he has resided in Enfield and South Hadley Falls ; at the latter place he now lives, and for four or five years has been unable even to go to the house of worship. He has a son who is an Episcopal minister, and is Rector of a church in Prattsville, N. Y.
3 .* REV. JOSEPH SAWYER was settled as the third pastor of this church, Oct. 30, 1822, and Rev. Charles Jenkins preached the sermon ; and, after a ministry of forty-five days, died Dec. 14, 1822, aged 30. Mr. Sawyer was born in Wendell in 1792; graduated at Williams in 1813; and studied theology at Andover, completing the course there in 1819. His death was supposed to be occasioned by an injury which he received when a boy, the following account
31
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of which accident was published in the Greenfield Gazette, of Sept. 19, 1803 : "Joseph, son of Mr. Joseph Sawyer of Wendell, aged eleven years, was hooked by a heifer on the Sth inst., in such a manner that his bowels gushed out, which he carried in his hands forty rods and fell down. His mother met him in this situation ; his father and others soon came, and carried him to their house ; the physician was called, and he appears to be in a hopeful way of re- covery." A relative of Mr. Sawyer adds the following ex- planation : " His intestines were washed and replaced by the physician, and the wound sewed up on the outside ; but the stitches did not go deep enough to take the inner membrane, consequently, when the wound healed outwardly, the intes- tines also adhered and healed to the body inwardly. This frequently produced a stoppage ; and he ever afterwards suffered intensely very frequently ; and always, from the period of said event, was very careful of his diet. The aforesaid accident was undoubtedly the cause of his death." The following notice of Mr. Sawyer's death was published in the Greenfield Gazette, for December, 1822: " Died, in Leverett, Mass., on the 14th inst., Rev. Joseph Sawyer, A. M., Pastor of the Congregational Church and Society in that town, aged 30. Having united a people whose divisions for several years had almost deprived them of religious priv- ileges, he was ordained on the 30th of October, and, after the short service of six weeks, was called to receive his re- ward. A sermon was preached at his funeral by the Rev. Dr. Moore, President of Amherst College." The following epitaph is on his gravestone :-
" His teaching tongue and virtuous heart Have ceased to act ; they've done their part."
4. REV. JONAS COLBURN was settled as the fourth pastor, Jan. 21, 1824, and Rev. Nathan Perkins of Amherst preached the sermon ; and after a ministry of about eight years was dismissed, April 4, 1832. Mr. Colburn was born in Dracut,
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Oct. 25, 1789; graduated at Middlebury in 1817 ; studied theology at Andover; was licensed by the Presbytery of Londonderry, April 26, 1820 ; after leaving Leverett was in- stalled as pastor at Stoneham, Aug. 1, 1832, and the sermon was by Rev. Reuben Emerson of South Reading ; was dis- missed from Stoneham, March 27, 1837; was installed as pastor in Wells, Me., April 18, 1837, and the sermon was by Rev. Samuel Hopkins of Saco, Me .; was dismissed from there, Oct. 2, 1844; then resided for six years at Amherst, supplying more or less the churches at New Salem and North Becket and other places ; in 1851 removed to Saxonville, where he now resides and supplies neighboring churches occasionally. Previous to his first settlement, Mr. Colburn preached as a missionary in Northern and Western New York, and preached in Brattleboro', Vt., in Danville, Vt., and in East Stafford, Ct. During his residence in Amherst, he labored three months as an agent of the Bible Society in Franklin County. Several revivals were enjoyed under Mr. Colburn's ministrations in Leverett, and in Wells, Me.
5. REV. FREEGRACE REYNOLDS was installed as the fifth pastor of this church, Dec. 5, 1832, and the sermon was by Rev. Dr. Snell ; and after a ministry of about four years was dismissed, March 21, 1837. Mr. Reynolds was born in Somers, Ct., Jan. 26, 1767; graduated at Yale in 1787 ; studied divinity with Rev. Dr. Charles Backus ; was licensed June 1, 1790 ; preached in East Windsor, Ct., Guilford, Vt., Westminster, West Parish, Vt., Rochester, Fair Haven, Becket, Williston, Vt., Dorset, Vt., Vergennes, Vt., Malden, Newbury, New Rowley, being the sixtieth candidate in that place, and Pelham ; was ordained as pastor at Wilmington, Oct. 29, 1795, after receiving two calls and convening two councils ; was dismissed from Wilmington, Jan. 9, 1830 ; then supplied in Northfield, Vt., Montpelier, Vt., and Crafts- bury, Vt. After leaving Leverett returned to Wilmington, where he now lives. Having been severely injured by a fall in 1836, and his voice having partially failed, he has
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preached but little since that time. Mr. Reynolds has pub- lished several sermons.
6. REV. DAVID EASTMAN was settled as the sixth pastor, Feb. 12, 1840, and the sermon was by Rev. Mr. Condit, then of South Hadley. Mr. Eastman's ministry has con- tinued thirteen years, and he is still the pastor in Leverett. He was born in Amherst, June 16, 1806 ; graduated at Am- herst, in 1835 ; finished the theological course at Andover in 1838; and is brother of Rev. Ornan Eastman of New York, and of Rev. John Eastman of West Hawley.
The pulpit was supplied between the pastorates of Mr. Wright and Mr. Sawyer, by Rev. Dr. Parsons of Amherst ; and between the pastorates of Mr. Reynolds and Mr. East- man, by Rev. Gordon Dorrance, then residing in Sunder- land. The ordination of an Evangelist, Rev. Seth Burt of Longmeadow, took place in Leverett, Aug. 2, 1815, and Rev. Payson Williston preached the sermon. Of the six pastors of this church, three were dismissed ; four are living ; and the average length of their ministry in Leverett was about ten years.
CONGREGATIONAL MINISTERS ORIGINATING FROM LEVERETT.
1. Rev. Levi A. Field was born in Leverett, Sept. 17, 1821 ; graduated at Amherst in 1846; finished the theologi- cal course at Andover in 1849 ; was licensed by the Brook- field Association, April 18, 1849 ; preached in North Brook- field a short time ; then resided in Amherst and supplied in various places ; from 1850 to 1852 preached in a parish in West Springfield ; March 4, 1851, married to Miss Nancy M. Holmes of Monson ; and was ordained as pastor of the Union Congregational Church and Society in Marlboro', Aug. 31, 1853, and Professor Austin Phelps of Andover preached the sermon on the occasion.
2 .* Mr. Levi Field is supposed to have been born in Leverett about 1780; graduated at Williams in 1799; was licensed by the Hampshire Association, May 4, 1802; his
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OF LEVERETT.
license was revoked by the Association, Nov. 6, 1804; studied law, and practised as a lawyer in Wilmington, Vt., where he died, July 12, 1820, aged 40. The following epitaph is on his gravestone :-
" Farewell ; a sad, a long farewell To this frail clay, whose life has fled ; Resign it back to kindred dust, Till the last trump shall wake the dead."
He was never ordained. While in Wilmington, Vt., he was in the habit of reading sermons in the congregation where he attended meeting, when there was no preaching. He has one daughter living, the wife of Mr. Lovell Farr of Brattleboro', Vt.
3. Mr. William S. Smith was born in Leverett, July 10, 1821 ; lived during a part of his childhood and youth in New- port, N. H., and Amherst ; graduated at Amherst in 1848; studied theology at the Union Theological Seminary, New York; in 1853 resided at Andover, as a resident licentiate ; in the spring of 1854 he was invited to settle as pastor in the Union Congregational Church in Fourth street, New York City.
4 .* Rev. Avery Williams was the son of Rev. Henry Williams, and was born in Guilford, Vt., Jan. 9, 1782, and at about two years of age removed with his father to Lever- ett. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1804; studied theology at Princeton, N. J .; was licensed to preach in November, 1805 ; was ordained as a pastor at Lexington, Dec. 30, 1807; and died in Spartanburg, S. C., Feb. 4, 1816, aged 34. Previous to his entering upon the work of the christian ministry, Mr. Williams taught school for some length of time in Greenfield; and married a sister of Hon. George Grennell of that place, who still survives. Rev. Josiah W. Canning of Gill preached a sermon on the occasion of the death of Mr. Williams, at Gill, Aug. 11, 1816, which was
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published. From that sermon the following extract is taken :-
" His connection with this people (Lexington) has been marked with singular friendship and unanimity. Few clergymen, in these days of revolt and division, have, ap- parently, lived more in the affections of their people ; or shared in a greater degree of respect and kindness, than he.
" Pleased with his work, Mr. W. devoted himself wholly to it. His application to study and parochial labor was un- remitting ; and his consequent proficiency in professional at- tainments was noticeable by all who knew him. His health however, became impaired, by his close and assiduous at- tention to his official duties. Early in the summer of 1813 he bled repeatedly from the lungs. After spending more than a year in fruitless attention to his declining health, he sat out, with the advice of his friends, in September, 1814, on a tour to the Southern States. During this journey he experienced much hospitality and kind attention from sympathizing strangers. But during his absence God was pleased to visit his family with affliction, and remove one of his children by death. Intelligence of this he received with christian resignation.
" Having spent the winter principally in Charleston, S. C., and its vicinity, he so far amended, as to his health, that he returned in the spring following, hoping to be able to resume his labors among his people. But his flattering hopes in this respect were soon disappointed. On the fourth Sabbath only, after his return to his people, he experienced a renewed and grievous attack of his former complaints, which reduced him lower, as to health, than he had ever been. Amending a little towards the close of the summer, but taking no en- couragement of ever being able to resume his labors, he came to a mutual understanding with his people, (who had, hitherto, generously continued his support,) and the secular connection between them was dissolved on the 6th of Sep- tember, 1815. Leaving Lexington shortly after, he came
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OF LEVERETT.
with his family to his friends in Greenfield. Committing them to God, and lodging them with his father-in-law, he commenced his second tour to the southward on the 26th of October following. After travelling by short stages, and often lying by, in consequence of fatigue and bad weather, he arrived at Spartanburg, S. C., on the 20th of January, 1816. From this place he never removed. Prostrated by increasing infirmities, he languished till the morning of the 4th of February, when he calmly expired without a struggle or a groan.
" Mr. W. contemplated his dissolution with composure. In a letter which he wrote to Mrs. W. a few days before his death, he observes, 'It has become certain that this is the place where my body must moulder to my native dust, from whence my spirit must ascend to God who gave it.' In the same letter he alludes to the painful circumstance of being from his family and friends, in the following language of resignation. 'But it makes but little difference where we die, if we be prepared for the solemn event. My body may as well moulder to dust here, and my spirit may as well take its flight from earth to heaven from this place, as any other.'
" Mr. W. possessed a mild and affable disposition. As a friend he was cordial and sincere. As a companion, he was pleasant and engaging. As a husband and father, he was tender and affectionate. As a christian, he was meek and amiable. As a minister of Christ, he was laborious and faithful. He possessed a mind naturally clear and discriminating, which was highly improved by reading and reflection.
" Some of his occasional productions have appeared before the public, which bear honorable testimony both to his in- tellect and scholarship. Among these, as deserving of par- ticular notice, is a Century sermon delivered at Lexington, March 31, 1813."
Of the four ministers in the foregoing list reckoned as sons of Leverett, three were natives of the town ; all were gradu- ate ; two were ordained ; and two are living.
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OTHER DENOMINATIONS.
BAPTISTS. The first Baptist church, situated in the north part of Leverett, was organized in Montague, July 16, 1767. " As they increased, the centre was removed in this direc- tion (towards Leverett), and in 1791 the name was changed to the ' Baptist Church of Leverett.' The present appellation ('Baptist Church of Leverett and Montague') came after- wards into use by common consent." The number of mem- bors in 1851 was 174. The church has been supplied since 1791 by Elders Simson Combs, Elijah Montague, Elias McGregory, Aaron Burbank, N. B. Jones, B. F. Remington, Samuel Everett, and Baxter Newton, who is the present pastor of the church. Revs. Rufus Fitts, Elijah Montague, and Nathaniel Ripley, Baptist ministers, were from Leverett.
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