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 26
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been probably indebted for the preservation of his life, deep- ly affected him. * * * Leaving the army when he was nineteen years of age, he bought his time, as it is called, of his father, and set out in the world for himself, with nothing to begin with save his hands and his health, and blessed with a constitution unusually firm and inured to hardship. He purchased a lot of land, and on this he commenced his labors for himself. With the proceeds of the first crop of grain he was enabled to pay for the purchase, then having an opportunity to sell it at a handsome advance, he was not long in deciding what to do. He immediately set about ful- filling the desire prompted several years before by the Latin grammar already alluded to. He commenced the study of the languages with reference to preparation for college under the instruction of Rev. Mr. Hubbard of Shelburne. His preparation was made partly with this gentleman, and partly under the instruction of Rev. Mr. Murdock of Paw- let, Vt."
He graduated at Brown in 1786; and studied theology under the instruction of Rev. John Emerson of Conway ; was licensed by the Hampshire Association in the spring of 1787. In January, 1788, he was married to Miss Eunice Wells, the youngest daughter of Col. David Wells of Shel- burne, by whom he had two children, Rev. Preserved Smith, Jr., and Mr. Royal Wells Smith, a graduate of Williams College in 1818, who died while preparing for the ministry, on a visit to Shelburne, Sept. 8, 1820, aged 21. Becoming a Unitarian, Mr. Smith withdrew from Franklin Association, Feb. 9, 1821. He was the first person from Ashfield who obtained a collegiate education. He published two Masonic: discourses, and the farewell sermon he preached at Rowe in 1804.
From the abridgment of the biographical sketch of Mr. Smith, contained in the History of Mendon Association, the. following is inserted : " He was a great student through life, .. and, in the last twenty years of his ministry, much devoted
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to the study of the scriptures, especially in the original, and various translations. His sermons were mostly extempora- neous, rarely writing them in full ; and they were replete with fresh thoughts from his richly stored mind. His theo- logical views for many years might be termed Trinitarian Arminian ; but, towards the close of his ministry, he dis- carded the Trinitarian dogma, yet he did not like to be called Unitarian. He thought that the name given to the disciples at Antioch is the true name by which the followers of Christ ought to be called. Mathematics and astronomy were his favorite studies for relaxation. For controversial theology he had no taste. His love of free inquiry led him to advocate freedom of action, and oppose combina- tions for their tendency to abuse of power. In manner, he was affectionate and sincere ; in conversation, affable, entertaining, and full of anecdote-and serene in his old age."
After his dismission from Rowe the second time, Mr. Smith lived with his son, who was then pastor of the Unitarian church in Warwick, and died at Warwick, Aug. 15, 1834, aged 75. The following scriptural epitaph is in- scribed on his gravestone in the burial ground in Warwick : " Remember them who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their con- versation. Heb. xiii. 7." His widow died July 13, 1847, aged 83. According to previous agreement and arrange- ment, Mr. Smith preached a sermon in Buckland, Sept. 4, 1815, on the subjects and mode of baptism, which was im- mediately followed by one from Rev. George Witherell, a Baptist minister of Coleraine, on the same subject. Mr. Witherell's sermon was published.
2. REV. JONATHAN KEITH Was settled as the second pastor of this church, during the interval between Mr. Smith's two pastorates in the town, Jan. 6, 1808, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. James Thompson of Barre ; and after a ministry of about four years was dismissed, Jan. 10, 1812.
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Mr. Keith was born in Bridgewater, (Titicut Parish) Jan. 16, 1782; graduated at Brown in 1805; studied theology with Rev. Dr. Perez Forbes of Raynham ; and after leaving Rowe, preached some at Dorchester, at Barrington, R. I .; and has lived at Newport, R. I., and Providence, R. I., fifteen years ; in 1847 removed to Raynham, where he now resides. Since leaving the ministry he has been a teacher and a horticulturist.
The two pastors of this church, who were settled while it was Orthodox, were dismissed ; one of them is living; one became a Unitarian ; and the average length of their minis- try in Rowe was about twenty years. For an account of the pastors settled over the first Congregational church in Rowe after it became Unitarian, see the account given of the Unitarian church and its pastors in Rowe.
SECOND CHURCH. The second Congregational church, and now the only Orthodox Congregational church in Rowe, was formed, April 10, 1833, with only three mem- bers. This small church and society worshiped for a time in a barn fitted up for the purpose, and the author once ad- ministered the communion to this church in that barn. Their first and present Meeting-house was built in 1834. The amount given by this people to benevolent objects in 1852 was $13 45. The number in the Sabbath school in 1852 was thirty-five. The church in 1853 numbered twenty-eight. In the twenty years and a half since this church was organized, it has been destitute of a settled min- istry about thirteen years and a half, and has had a settled pastor about seven years. This church has been supplied by the following ministers among others, viz. : Rev. Erastus Dickinson and Rev. Samuel Ware, previous to the settle- ment of a pastor ; and Rev. Noah Cressey, who supplied in 1851; and Rev. Jeremiah Pomroy, who has been their stated supply since 1851. This church and people began to receive missionary aid to support the gospel in 1833, and have received $2,550. They have suffered greatly by the
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removal to other places of many of their important and val- uable members. They have had three pastors settled.
PASTORS. 1. REV. JOHN C. THOMPSON was ordained as the first pastor of this church, Oct. 28, 1835, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Wales Tileston ; and after a ministry of nearly two years was dismissed, June 19, 1837. Mr. Thompson was born in Heath, Sept. 27, 1804; graduated at Amherst in 1829; studied theology in part at Andover ; was licensed by Franklin Association, Jan. 27, 1835 ; after leaving Rowe, was installed as pastor in Goshen, Oct. 4, 1837, and Rev. Horatio Bordwell of Oxford preached the sermon ; was dismissed from Goshen, Oct. 19, 1842 ; from a failure of health retired from preaching and occupied a farm in West Springfield for three years; in 1846 was an agent of the Franklin County Bible Society for six months ; then preached as a stated supply a year and a half in Halifax ; has preached more or less, since then, as health would allow ; now resides in Holyoke, and is supplying in Mont- gomery.
2. REV. ANDREW GOVAN was installed as the second pas- tor of this church, Sept. 5, 1838, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Chandler, and was published ; and after a ministry of about four years was dismissed, Aug. 29, 1842. Mr. Govan was born in Glasgow, Scotland, March 5, 1794; graduated at the University of Glasgow in 1817; finished his theological studies in the divinity department of the University in that city in IS23; was licensed by the Relief Presbytery of Glasgow in October, 1823; embarked for the United States in August, 1827; preached in Clin- tonville, N. Y., two years; settled as a pastor in Barnet, Vt., Oct. 22, 1829, and Rev. D. Sutherland preached the sermon ; and was dismissed from there, Sept. 5, 1832 ; installed as pastor at Lancaster, N. H., Oct. 24, 1832, and Rev. Silas McKeen preached the sermon ; and was dismissed from there in a few years, and settled in Rowe; after leav- ing Rowe went to Michigan, in 1842; has preached in
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Byron and many other places in that State ; during his resi- dence of eleven years in Michigan, under his labors two hundred have been received to the church, $1000 raised for benevolent purposes, four churches organized, and three houses of worship built. Under his ministry in Barnet, Vt., a revival was enjoyed, in which about fifty gave evidence of becoming christians. Mr. Govan buried his first wife in Barnet, Vt. He is now preaching in Fentonville, Genesee Co., Michigan.
3. REV. BENJAMIN F. CLARKE was installed as the third pastor of this church, June 7, 1849, and after a ministry of about a year and a third was dismissed, Oct. 23, 1850. Previous to his settlement as pastor of this church, Mr. Clarke had supplied them since 1842. For a further notice of him, see the account of the Congregational pastors in Buckland, where he was first settled as a pastor.
The three pastors of this church have all been dismissed ; all of them are living ; and the average length of their min- istry in Rowe has been about two years and a third.
CONGREGATIONAL PREACHERS ORIGINATING FROM ROWE.
1 .* Rev. Joseph W. Clary was born in Rowe, November, 1786 ; and was the son of Dr. Isaac Clary, the first physician of Rowe; in early life he, with his father's family, removed to Hartford, N. Y. ; graduated at Middlebury in 1808 ; fin- ished his theological studies at Andover in 1811; was or- dained as pastor at Dover, N. H., May 7, 1812, and was dismissed from there, Aug. 6, 1828; was installed at Cor- nish, N. H., in November, 1828, and was dismissed from there, Oct. 25, 1834; and died in Cornish, N. H., April 13, 1835, aged 48; and his remains were re-interred at Dover, N. H., Dec. 19, 1835. He expired suddenly without a struggle or a groan. On his death-bed he said : "What a sorry appear- ance should I make in heaven without the righteousness of Christ ?" When a brother in the ministry said to him : " You are willing that the glory of your salvation should
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rest on the merits of Christ," he replied, with peculiar em- phasis and emotion : "From beginning to end, Amen." He observed he had " had a great dread of death, but the thought had occurred to him lately, that he might find it very different from what he had anticipated. It might be noth- ing."
Dr. Tufts, the clerk of Dover church, makes the following record of him : " His sermons were ably written ; his piety elevated ; his doctrine sound ; his disposition kind and for- giving, and his mind remarkably pure. He sowed much good seed in this place, and his memory is cherished with great affection by many here. He rests in peace. The council that dismissed him from Dover made the following record, viz. : 'They do not find the separation to have been occasioned by a neglect of duty on his part, nor by want of affection or respect on the part of the people.'" The parish, at his dismission, voted to give him a thousand dollars, and paid it. Rev. David Root, a pastor of Dover church, in a bicentennial sermon preached there, Nov. 29, 1838, says of him : " Mr. Clary was a good and pious man, a serious and faithful pastor, and an excellent and able sermonizer." Rev. Mr. Sperry, his fellow student, says of him : " In his theological studies he took a great interest, and was un- wearied in his endeavors to become a scribe well instructed. He endeavored to be thorough in his acquisitions ; to dive deep and bring up precious pearls. It was his aim to become an accurate and safe guide, rather than an eloquent and pop- ular preacher." Says Rev. Jonathan French, then of North- ampton, N. H., in a sermon preached at the re-interment of Mr. Clary's remains at Dover, " The spiritual interests of this people, and the prosperity of the Redeemer's kingdom in this place, were very dear to him." On his gravestone at Dover, N. H., is the following inscription, viz. : " This stone is erected by the first church in Dover, in grateful remembrance of the exemplary piety and faithful ministerial labors of the Rev. Joseph W. Clary, who, for more than sixteen years, was
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their beloved pastor." A son of Mr. Clary, Rev. Timothy F. Clary, is a Congregational pastor in Thetford, Vt.
2. Rev. Noah Cressey was born in New Salem, N. H., April 9, 1777 ; in early life he removed with his father's family to Tolland, Ct. ; and, when eight or nine years old, he removed to Rowe, where he lived till he was about eighteen years of age, when he removed to Charlemont. Mr. Cressey graduated at Williams in 1805; studied theology with Rev. Dr. Packard of Shelburne ; and was licensed by Franklin Association, Aug. 13, 1806. He was ordained as pastor in Norway, Me., Sept. 20, 1809, and Rev. John Dutton of N. Yarmouth, Me., preached the sermon ; and he was dis- missed from there in 1819; was installed as pastor at North Yarmouth, Me., in 1820, and Rev. Jonathan Greenleaf of Wells, Me., and now of Brooklyn, N. Y., preached the ser- mon ; and was dismissed from there in eight years ; since which time he has not been settled in the ministry. He has labored as a Home Missionary in several States of the Union. He preached three years in the counties of Windsor, Caledo- nia, and Orleans, Vt. ; three years in Steuben County, N.Y., in 1839, 1840, and 1841; preached in 1843 and 1845 in Livingston and Clinton counties, Mich. ; in 1848 and 1849 preached in the counties of Dodge, Walworth, and Rock, Wis. ; in 1851 preached some in Rowe ; has made it his home for several years past in Portland, Me., where he now resides. He has published one sermon and several poems.
3. Rev. Preserved Smith, Jr., was a son of Rev. Preserved Smith, the first pastor in Rowe, and was born in that town in 1789; graduated at Brown in 1812; studied theology with his father, with Rev. Jonathan Grout of Hawley, and with Rev. Dr. Packard of Shelburne ; was licensed by Franklin Association, Sept. 16, 1813; was ordained as pastor of the Unitarian church in Warwick, Oct. 12, 1814, and closed his labors there, after a ministry of thirty years, Oct. 12, 1844; then preached for several years in Pembroke ;
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and then removed to Deerfield, where he now resides. Mr. Smith became a Unitarian minister after being licensed.
4. Rev. Sereno W. Streeter was born in Rowe, Dec. 10, 1810; studied at the Oneida Institute in Whitesborough, N. Y., from 1830 to 1832 ; studied a year and a half in the Literary Department of Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio ; studied theology one year in Lane Seminary, and two years at the Oberlin Institute in Ohio, and completed his theologi- cal studies in 1836 ; preached about three years in Madison, Lake County, Ohio ; was settled as pastor in Austinburgh, Ash- tabula County, Ohio, in February, 1841, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Reuben Tinker of Westfield, N. Y. ; and was dismissed from there in 1848 ; was settled in Henrietta, N.Y., in 1848, and still continues in that place. Mr. Streeter was married to his first wife, who was Miss Mary Williams of Ware, in 1838, and who deceased about ten years since ; and was married to his second wife, who was Miss Sarah J. Willard of Wilton, Me., in 1844. By his first wife he had a son and a daughter, and, by his second wife, three sons.
Rev. William S. Langdon, born in Bethany, Penn., in 1818, went to Rowe in 1833 and resided there about three years ; became a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and is now a physician, and an associate editor of "The Ladies' Pearl," in Nashville, Ten.
Of the four Congregational preachers reckoned as sons of Rowe, three were graduates ; three were born in Rowe ; one became a Unitarian ; and three are now living.
OTHER DENOMINATIONS.
BAPTISTS. The Baptist church in Rowe was organized, July 15, 1810, with twenty-seven members ; and, in 1853, the number of members was fifty-nine. The following pas- tors and preachers have supplied them, viz., Rev. Samuel Carpenter, Rev. Arad Hall, Rev. Edward Davenport, Rev. Nathaniel Ripley for five years, Rev. B. F. Remington,
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Rev. James Burke for three years, and Rev. George Carpen- ter since 1851.
METHODISTS. A Methodist class was formed in Rowe by preachers sent from the New York Conference in 1800, of 10 or 12 members ; and, by 1828, was increased to 60 ment- bers ; and a meeting-house was built by this denomination in 1828. The following preachers have supplied this people viz., Revs. Elijah Ward, Timothy Carpenter, Samuel Car- penter, Shadrach Bostwick, Peter Van Nest, Michael Coate, Joseph Mitchell, Joseph Crawford, Freeman Bishop, Elijah R. Sabin, Daniel Ostrander, Daniel Brumley, C. Hammond, J. W. Lewis, William Bordwell, Edward A. Manning, L. B. Clarke. They have no preaching at present. From Rowe have originated the two following Methodist preachers, viz., Rev. Laban C. Cheney and Rev. David Todd.
UNITARIANS. The Unitarian church in Rowe was orig- inally Orthodox ; and is supposed to have been organized about 1774, with nine members. It became Unitarian with- in a half century past ; and since then has had the following pastors settled over it : Rev. William L. Stearns was settled, Jan. 29, 1833, and was dismissed, Dec. 14, 1849 ; Rev. Stilman Barber was settled, June 12, 1850, and relinquished his pastoral charge in 1852 ; and Rev. Sumner Lincoln now supplies the church. Two Unitarian preachers originated from Rowe, viz., Rev. Festus Foster, who was a pastor in Petersham from Jan. 13, 1802, to Dec. 1, 1817, and who died in 1846, aged 69; and Rev. Preserved Smith, Jr., who was licensed as Orthodox, but became Unitarian, and preached in Warwick and Pembroke, and now resides in Deerfield.
SUMMARY of preachers originating from Rowe : Orthodox Congregationalists, 4; Methodists, 2; Unitarians, 2. To- tal, 8.
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SHELBURNE.
The territory comprised in this town was once included in the township of Deerfield. Previous to its settlement, it was familiarly called the " Deerfield Pasture," and it was then supposed that the place was so mountainous, and the land so rocky and poor, it would never be inhabited, but would only answer to furnish pasturage and fuel. After- wards, and until the time of its incorporation, it was more generally called "Deerfield North West." When it was incor- porated, June 21, 1768, it was named Shelburne, in honor of Lord Shelburne, of England, who, according to tradition, sent over a large and valuable bell as a present to the town for its tribute of respect to himself. The bell, as tradition says, was captured in Boston by the British in the revolu- tionary war, and never reached Shelburne. The first two settlements in the town probably were made near Shelburne Falls, a little previous to 1756. At an early stage of the French and Indian war these settlements were deserted, and were not re-occupied till 1760. The first permanent settle- ments in the place, it is supposed, were commenced in that year. The population of the town in 1850 was 1239. In this town have been organized six churches, viz., two Ortho- dox Congregational, two Baptist, one Methodist, and one Unitarian, and a Universalist society.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
FIRST CHURCH. The precise date of the organization of the first Orthodox Congregational church cannot be ascer- tained with certainty. There is some probability that it was formed about 1770, with twelve members. A few leaves of the earliest records of the church being lost, the circumstan- ces of its origin are not known. The existence of the church is recognized in the town records as early as July, 1772. The first religious meetings were held in the dwelling-house
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of Mr. Daniel Nims. The town voted, March 13, 1769, to build the first Meeting-house-a log house-which was located about half a mile north of the present Congregational house, and a few rods south of the location of the second Congregational house. Nov. 6, 1771, the town " voted to repair the log meeting-house, to plaster up the cracks with mortar, to make a door, to obtain three windows, and to make a pulpit." The second meeting-house was built in 1773, and was located about half a mile north of the present Congregational house, and was demolished in 1832. This house was not entirely finished, nor was the steeple built, nor was a bell provided till some years after the erection of the frame. The town voted, Feb. 2, 1786, to provide a " Conch shell," to notify people of the time of public wor- ship, and to hire a person to sound it. The third meeting- house was built in 1832, and was located where the present Congregational house stands, and was accidentally consumed by fire on the Sabbath, March 9, 1845, while the people were assembled for public worship. The fourth and present meeting-house was built in 1845. Revivals, more or less extensive, have been enjoyed by this people as follows, viz., one in 1786, and 16 were added to the church; one in 1801, and 41 were added ; one 1819, and 46 were added ; one in 1831, and 80 were added; one in 1840, and 21 were ad- ded ; and one in 1847, and 10 were added. Councils have been called by the church for the settlement of difficulties as follows, viz. : one, Oct. 10, 1780 ; one, Oct. 10, 1786 ; one, Jan. 27, 1796 ; one, Aug. 8, 1796 ; and one, Sept. 10, 1811. The amount contributed by this church and people for benevolent objects in 1853 was $335 24. The number in the Sabbath School in 1852 was 200. The church in 1853 numbered 125.
Among the ministers who supplied this church and people, when they had no settled pastor, were the following, viz. :- Rev. Robert Abercrombie of Pelham, in 1768; Rev. Mr. Wyeth in 1770; Rev. Mr. Marrett, about the same time;
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Rev. Jonathan Bird in 1771; Rev. Caleb Hotchkiss in 1772; all of whom preached before the settlement of the first pas- tor ; and between the pastorates of the first and second pas- tors, Rev. H. Dow in 1789; Rev. Sylvester Sage in 1790 ; and between the pastorates of the second and third pastors, Rev. Micah Stone and Rev. Abraham Barfield an English- man, in 1797. This church gave a call to Mr. Hendrick Dow, July 14, 1789, to settle as pastor, but he was not settled. On the 6th of May, 1790, the church met in refer- ence to inviting Mr. Sylvester Sage to settle as a pastor ; and 22 voted for him and 22 against him. The church met, April 2, 1798, to invite Rev. Abraham Barfield to settle as a pastor, but concluded to defer action till they should hear from the Association respecting his credentials. The report of the Association being adverse to Mr. Barfield, he was not invited to settle.
In the eighty-three years since this church was probably organized, it has been destitute of a settled ministry about eight years, and has had settled pastors about seventy-five years. This church has had four pastors.
PASTORS. 1 .* REV. ROBERT HUBBARD was settled as the first pastor of this church, Oct. 20, 1773, and Rev. Enoch Huntington of Middletown, Ct., preached the sermon, which was published and is extant ; and after a ministry of about fifteen years in Shelburne, died while pastor of the church, at Middletown, Ct., Nov. 2, 1788, aged 45. Mr. Hubbard was born in Middletown, Ct., Sept. 11, 1743; graduated at Yale in 1769; studied theology with Rev. Enoch Hunting- ton of Middletown, Ct., and was settled in no place except at Shelburne. "He was exemplary in his piety, and as strict in the observance of the Sabbath as the Puritans, who sailed in the Mayflower. He received a religious education from an excellent mother, who was distinguished for her benevo- lence and kindness to the poor." He died with pulmonary consumption. He was married to Miss Lucy Hubbard, Feb. 3, 1782, who was married after Mr. Hubbard's death to Mr.
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Theodore Barnard, and was deranged many years, and died Nov. 6, 1823, aged 68. Mr. Hubbard's oldest son, Robert, was a minister, and died in Canisteo, N. Y., May 24, 1840, aged 57 ; his second son, Elihu, died July 10, 1790, aged 5; and his daughter, Mary, died July 4, 1808, aged 22. On Mr. Hubbard's gravestone at Middletown, Ct., is the inscrip- tion, " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." On the monument erected to his memory in Shelburne, is the follow- ing inscription, viz .: "This monument is erected by the town of Shelburne in memory of Rev. Mr. Robert Hubbard, first pastor of the church of Christ in this place, who died at Middletown, Nov. 2, 1788, ætat. 45, much lamented by his surviving friends and the people of his charge, who enjoyed in him a pattern of family piety and order, an affable, cour- teous neighbor, and in human view a zealous, faithful min- ister, who was an example in faith, conversation, and doe- trine." "Go thou and do likewise."
2 .* REV. JESSE TOWNSEND Was settled as the second pastor of this church, March 21, 1792, and Rev. Mr. Seldon of Chatham, Ct., preached the sermon ; and after a ministry of about five years was dismissed, April 12, 1797. Mr. Town- send was born in Andover, Ct., in 1765 ; graduated at Yale in 1790; studied theology with Rev. Dr. Lockwood of his native place ; after leaving Shelburne, he preached in vari- ous places in New York, Illinois and Missouri, and died of an' affection of the heart, in Palmyra, N. Y., July 14, 1838, aged 72.
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