USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > History of the town of Holden, Massachusetts, 1667-1941 > Part 3
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After serving as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Rome, New York, for five years he received appoint- ment in 1911 as Professor of Biblical Literature at Col- gate University where he remained for twenty-three years. During this time he took a very active part in the organizations connected with the school. He was
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also a member of the Religious Educational Society, the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, the Association of Biblical Teachers of America, secretary of the Religious Commission of the Baptist Conven- tion of the State of New York, and vice-president of the New York Baptist Young People's Society.
During the summer of 1917 he served as Religious Work Secretary at Camp McClellan, Alabama, and in 1918 at Camp Merritt, New Jersey. He was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Hamilton College in 1926 and was awarded a prize of $1,000 for unique work performed by him at Colgate University. On his retirement he was made Professor Emeritus of the University, and in 1936 he was made Pastor Em- eritus of the Holden Baptist Church. He died in Holden June 26, 1940.
In 1906 a pipe organ was given to the church in memory of Deacon William Howe by his daughters and their husbands.
Rev. Ralph E. Story served for one year and in 1908 Rev. Simeon Spidle was called for two years.
At that time the horse sheds were removed from Maple Street.
In 1911 Rev. Wesley DeJardins was called to be pastor and in December 1914, Rev. James Warren Leonard began his fruitful pastorate of eleven years, ending in December 1925. The following May Rev. Harold Heyward was called, and remained until 1929. In 1927 the church was incorporated and by-laws were adopted.
August 18, 1928, an electrical storm damaged the church steeple and destroyed the clock. In the fall the
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tower was rebuilt and Mrs. Dora Warren presented to the church a new clock.
January 8, 1930, Rev. Elmer C. Adams was called to become pastor.
Sunday, January 1, 1933, the 125th anniversary of the organization of the church was observed with a service largely attended by members and guests. Rev. Hugh Heath was the speaker.
In 1936, Mr. Waterman L. Williams retired as moderator after thirty years of service.
On September 21, 1938, the church, like many others in New England, lost its steeple during the hurricane which also did much other damage to the church and parsonage. The steeple was rebuilt in 1939.
In January, 1939, Mr. Bertram S. Newell retired as church clerk after serving consecutively for forty- two years.
October 27, 1940, the resignation of Mr. Adams was read and deepest regret was felt throughout the com- munity where he had labored so long and faithfully. Mr. Adams resigned to become field secretary of the Massachusetts Baptist Commission.
December 1, 1940, Rev. Newton E. Woodbury was called, and began his pastoral duties March 1, 1941.
UNIVERSALIST
Universalist sentiment gained a foothold here as early as 1838, when the Congregational Church took up labor with Joel Blake for holding such views. Pub- lic services were held in the Town Hall in 1843, 1846, 1851, and 1853. Among others, Rev. Hosea Ballou sometimes came here to speak. These were merely oc- casional services, as no formal organization was ever
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made, though such sentiments have continued to be held and professed by individuals. Among the promi- nent adherents to the Universalist views have been Asahel Clapp, Levi Smith, Jr., and Charles Turner.
Advent meetings were begun in about the year 1840, and were continued with more or less regularity for nearly ten years. After being suspended for a time, they were resumed about 1857, and continued nearly twenty years. Many different preachers spoke here from time to time. Rev. Ezra T. Crowell was the only minister of this denomination who ever resided in town. Among others, the ministrations of Rev. Messrs. Miles Grant, William N. Pile, Horace Hastings, and Thomas M. Preble are remembered.
There was no formal organization ; a Sunday School, however, was held whenever there was preaching. John Richardson, Nathan Howe, Moses Smith, Dana Newton, Timothy Parker, Henry Parker, and Howard Holden were among the leading men here of this de- nomination.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
Methodist Episcopal meetings were held in town for many years. In the Minutes of the Methodist Episco- pal Conferences, the name of Holden appears from 1841 to 1854. From 1841 to 1849, Holden was asso- ciated with Rutland. Rev. Messrs. Charles H. Ains- worth, 1841-3; John M. Merrill, 1843-5; N. M. Mer- rill, 1845-6; Horace Moulton, 1846-7; Simon Putnam, 1847-8; and W. F. Lecount, 1848-9, served upon this circuit. For the year 1849-50, it was arranged that Holden should be supplied separately, but the name of the supply is not given. In 1850-I it was again united
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with Rutland, and Rev. D. K. Merrill was appointed to the charge. In 1851-2, Holden was again separated from Rutland, and left as a mission "to be supplied." In 1852-3, Rev. Simon Putnam was appointed to "Princeton and Holden." In 1853-4, Holden was joined to Oakdale. In 1854 and thereafter, the charge is styled simply Oakdale. There have been Methodists in town ever since, but they have usually held member- ship in Oakdale. In addition to the names above men- tioned, Rev. Messrs. Bayliss, Cook, MacKay, Munger, and Shedd are remembered by individuals as having labored here.
Among the leading workers of the denomination in town were John and Simon Abbott, John Bacon, Pres- ton Bassett, Lemuel Fales, Simon Hubbard, and Aaron H. Rogers. No church edifice was ever erected or at- tempted. Meetings were held at the Town Hall, and in private houses at Quinapoxet, Unionville, and Jef- ferson. A Sunday School and weekly prayer meetings and class-meetings were sustained for many years.
September 29, 1901, Rev. Alonzo Sanderson secured the Union Chapel in Jefferson which had been closed for some years, and started a Methodist Mission there. Of his fifty-two years of ministry, thirty-five years were spent in organizing and building churches.
He was active in the organization of the Leicester Methodist Church, and Lake View and Park Avenue Churches in Worcester.
He preached at Jefferson Chapel for a time and then obtained the services of students from Boston Univer- sity, the first being Rev. Oakley E. Vanslyke. Next came Rev. John E. Charlton, who remained two years, and Rev. Albert A. Felch served one year. Rev. Ralph
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A. Ward came in the spring of 1905, remaining through 1906. A missionary for many years in China, Mr. Ward is now senior bishop of the Methodist Church in China.
SAINT MARY'S CHURCH
St. Mary's Parish-In the year 1850, Rev. Father Matthew W. Gibson, parish priest of St. John's Church, in Worcester, came, at the request of the few Roman Catholics settled in the town of Holden, and said the first mass in Michael McLaughlin's house. This house is on North Main Street, the third house to the west from the junction of Park Avenue, and is now owned by Harold B. Hunt. During the years follow- ing until 1868, wherever the faithful could be gathered together, whether in private houses, or in the hall at Eagleville, or in the hall at the center of the town, mass was said.
In 1867, Rev. Patrick T. O'Reilly, then pastor of St. John's in Worcester, since Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, confided to Rev. Thomas Griffin, his assistant, the care of the mission. In the same year, three acres of land, situated near the center of Holden, were purchased, and, on a portion of the land, the con- struction of a church was at once begun by Rev. Father Griffin. The size of the church was about sixty by thirty feet, and the cost $3,500. The dedication took place August 16th, 1868, Rev. Father O'Reilly offic- iating.
For three years this church was attended from St. John's in Worcester. In 1871, this mission of Holden was attached to West Boylston, where Rev. Anthony J. Derbuel was pastor. In 1874, when the parish of the
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Immaculate Conception was formed, Holden became a part of this parish, and for ten years was under the care of Rev. Robert Walsh. During the administra- tion of this priest the church was twice enlarged.
In 1884 the few Catholics of 1850 had become numerous enough to support a priest of their own, and accordingly Holden was made a parish, and given for its first Pastor, Rev. James F. McCloskey. During his stay of two years a parochial residence adjoining the church was purchased. The church itself was re- paired and frescoed.
Rev. Father McCloskey was succeeded by Rev. Thomas F. Joyce. While making preparations for still further improvements in the church property, he was taken suddenly ill, after a long, cold drive to attend a dying man, and died January Ist, 1888. He was buried in the central lot of the cemetery. It should be stated that he is the first clergyman in the history of the town who has died in active service.
In January, 1888, Rev. John D. McGann was ap- pointed to the care of the parish. Finding that the old church on account of its position did not accommodate the majority of the parishioners, a new site for a church, comprising some three acres of land, upon which was also a house well fitted for a parochial resi- dence, was purchased at Jefferson in the fall of 1889 at a cost of $5,000. Repairs were made and grading was done at a cost of about $2,000. On April 5th, 1890, the cellar of the new church was begun, and the edifice was completed in June, 1891.
The church when built had a seating capacity of about five hundred. It is pleasing in design, being in style an adaption of a Roman basilica. The architect
TROWEL CLUB
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was Mr. Stephen C. Earle of Worcester. Waldo E. Austin, of Holden, was the builder. Thomas Hennes- sey did the grading and the mason work.
The cost of the building, with all its furnishings, was $16,000. The large transept windows were the gifts of the men and women of the parish.
The consecration took place June 28th, 1891. Splen- did weather favored the ceremony, which was largely attended by many who were not members of the Church.
The services began at 10:30 o'clock with the usual solemn consecration dedicatory exercises, the bishop and assisting clergy marching in solemn procession around the exterior of the building, reciting prayers, and sprinkling holy water, followed by solemn high mass. This was sung by the following clergymen : Cele- brant, Rev. Michael A. O'Kane, S. J., President of Holy Cross College ; sub-deacon, Rev. Eugene F. Bros- nahan of St. Ann's; master of ceremonies, Rev. John Redican of Cordaville.
The music of the mass was especially fine, members of St. Ann's, St. Stephen's and Immaculate Concep- tion choirs assisting the local choir.
The sermon of the day was preached by Very Rev. John J. Power, D. D., V. G., of St. Paul's, Worcester. Father Power spoke in substance as follows:
"I congratulate you on this auspicious occasion which marks the success of your undertaking, the completion of your beautiful church. You have reason to be proud of such an edifice. Your pastor also, who has labored so diligently to bring this work to a successful issue, has reason to feel proud, and I congratulate him on what he has accomplished. But now that the worry,
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the labor, the sacrifice involved in the erection of this edifice are happily passed, the question properly arises, what is the motive that impelled you to undergo them? Why have you built this church? You will answer, to advance the glory of God, to erect a temple to the Most High, from which sacrifice, praise and prayer shall ascend as pleasing incense before His throne.
"But how do you know that your action is pleasing to God? How do you know that the faith which in- spires your action is divine? For, remember, it is not enough for us to know that as children of Catholic parents we were born into the Church. We must have reason for the faith that is in us. We must demonstrate our claim to the possession of God's revelation. God requires of us the homage of the mind and soul as well as of the heart. That our faith may be acceptable to Him it must be based upon our intelligent conception of its requirements. Without this intelligence the prac- tice of our religion would be merely routine.
"After all, then, it is not so much important that you build a church of stone or wood, ornamented with the work of a sculptor or the architect, as it is that you make yourselves the temples of the Holy Ghost, adorned with those virtues pleasing to the Almighty. You are the living material of God's Church. You are the Church of God.
"Be then, Catholics not in name merely, but in fact and deed. Be sincere, be honest, be consistent in the profession of your faith. Let not your lives bring scan- dal on your religion."
Father Power then urged the study and practice of true religion. He counselled all families to have in
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their homes the Catechism, the Bible, and the works of Thomas A. O'Kempis.
At the post communion, Rt. Rev. Bishop O'Reilly made a brief address of congratulation to the parish- ioners on the acquisition of their new and handsome church, contrasting the small beginnings, as he remem- bered them from his early visits, with what he saw then.
The church and parish were greatly prospered dur- ing the pastorate of Father McGann, who is now pastor of Saint Paul's Church in Worcester where he is loved and respected by all classes and religious denomina- tions.
The next pastor, Rev. John F. Lee, served actively in civic as well as ecclesiastical affairs until his death in March 1913.
Next came Rev. James M. Prendergast, who en- joyed the distinction of being pastor of the parish in which he was born, and under his leadership it reached its greatest development. He died April 1, 1927, and was succeeded by Rev. Thomas H. McNamara who was appointed pastor in August 1927.
A fact of great interest is the number of young men born in the parish who have been ordained to the priesthood and have gone out to serve various parishes. They are as follows :
Rev. M. Charles Carey.
Rev. Patrick M. Doyle. GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
Rev. Daniel Hennessey. OF LATTER DAY SAINTS
Rev. John Murphy.
Rev. Albert Rivers. FEB 2 6 1952 45049
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At present Saint Mary's Church serves the town of Holden, and mass is said in Princeton during the sum- mer months.
For a number of years the priests of Saint Mary's attended the church in Rutland, until three years ago it became a separate parish, Saint Patrick's, with a resident pastor.
JEFFERSON CHAPEL
A chapel was built at Jefferson in 1884, for the con- venience of those living in the vicinity, at a cost of not less than $1,200. It was dedicated January 5, 1885, Rev. George S. Dodge preaching on the occasion. It was controlled by a society organized under the name of "The Union Evangelical Society."
SWEDISH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
"The first record of church services held among the Swedish people of Chaffins dates back to 1887. Rev. Eric Ostergren, in the service of the Massachusetts Home Missionary Society, was instrumental in bring- ing preaching services to the people. The first service was held in the home of Mr. Jernberg in the neighbor- hood of the old Chaffins school house.
"In the same year Sunday School sessions were be- gun under the leadership of Alfred Bergman.
"The first organized church work began in 1892 with the formation of 'The Swedish Christian Workers As- sociation of Chaffins, Holden,' whose slogan was: 'To foster good-will and promote the cause of Christ in the community.'
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"The following people were on the committee: Otto Johnson, Carl Bengston, Lars Anderson, Andrew Ar- vidson, Charley Olof Olson, Frank Bergmark, Carl Nordling, Gustav Carlson, Otto F. Anderson and Lorentz Johnson.
"In 1894 plans were made for the building of a chapel. This was completed, and dedication services were held on the first Sunday in September, 1895, with preaching by visiting pastors."
This organization was dissolved in 1902, and the present Congregational Church was organized.
Rev. A. L. Anderson from Orange, Mass., assisted in drawing up by-laws and in other matters regarding its organization.
The first pastor, Mr. John G. Nelson, a student at the University of Chicago, served until 1907. During the summer months services were conducted by Rev. A. Hollis. During 1913 A. E. Andre, a home missionary, preached at the church. During the following years Rev. A. L. Anderson of Worcester frequently held services there on Sunday afternoons.
Rev. John Quist was pastor from 1918 to 1922. In 1923 Rev. O. G. Norseen was called and served the church until March 1932.
In the summer of 1932 Rev. David Carlson, a grad- uate of North Park College Seminary, Chicago, Illi- nois, took charge, serving at the same time as pastor of two Worcester churches. He remained until Decem- ber 1936. Rev. Joel Carlson served for a few months, until the present pastor, Rev. Hjalmer O. Peterson, took up the work in October 1937. Mr. Peterson was graduated from North Park College Seminary in
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1933, and served churches two years each in Michigan and Minnesota before coming to Holden.
The church membership now numbers 63 and 57 are enrolled in the Sunday School.
An active group of organizations assist in all phases of the church work, which has progressed favorably since its organization.
In May 1941 Rev. Mr. Peterson tendered his resig- nation, and Raymond Molander, of Rockford, Illinois, a student at North Park College Seminary in Chicago, was called to serve as pastor for one year.
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
This church on Shrewsbury Street, Chaffins, organ- ized August 29, 1928, is under the sponsorship of the Board of Home Missions of the Augustana Synod.
The first pastor, Rev. A. J. Lawson, served the parish for twelve years, his resignation becoming effective January 1, 1940. From that time Rev. Theodore Palmer, pastor of Greendale Lutheran Church, acted as Vice-Pastor until the church called to the pastorate Rev. Carl C. Bostrom, who began his duties July 13, 1941.
Rev. Mr. Bostrom was graduated from Upsala Col- lege, East Orange, New Jersey, and Augustana Theo- logical Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. He was or- dained June 9, 1918.
For the last ten years, Rev. Mr. Bostrom has served the Lutheran Church in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and previously held pastorates at Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN
MISSIONARIES
The following have gone out from Holden to serve in the mission fields :
Dea. Isaac Fisk went out in 1819 as a lay missionary among the Choctaw Indians. He is buried in Grove Cemetery.
Mrs. Isabella G. Davis Clarke labored at Philip- popolis, Turkey, from 1850 to 1870, then at Samokov, Bulgaria.
In 1838 Mrs. Myra Fairbanks Eells went to the Pa- cific Coast as a missionary among the Spokane Indians, where she remained for ten years. "It took nearly six months to make the trip, most of the time on horseback, -only two white women had made the journey."
Edward Bailey went in 1836 to serve as a teacher in the Sandwich Islands.
Samuel C. Damon, D. D., sailed March 10, 1842, from New York for Honolulu, where he spent his life as chaplain of the American Seaman's Friend Society.
Mrs. Eliza Ann Abbott Goddard reached Siam in 1840, and later was missionary in Ningpo, China.
Mrs. Abigail P. Davis Goodell, a granddaughter of the first pastor of the town, labored in Turkey until 1865, when failing health necessitated her return to her native land.
Mrs. Hannah Davis Grout was appointed to the Zulu mission in South Africa in 1834, but died before reaching her destination.
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Mrs. Charlotte Bailey Grout sailed for South Africa in 1840 and in 1870 returned to this country to make her home here.
Rev. Samuel W. Hamblen went as missionary to Japan in 1889.
Miss Martha Perry, daughter of Deacon Cyrus Perry, taught for a time in the South in one of the schools of the American Missionary Association.
From 1903-1906 Miss Emily Babb was engaged in social settlement work in Wailuku, Honolulu.
In 1923 Mrs. Laura Paine Bentley went to Montana with her husband, an appointed missionary at the Crow Indian Reservation, and their labors in that field have continued until the present time.
Mrs. Dorothy Miles Macleod went out to North China in 1929 with her husband, Rev. Dr. Alexander N. Macleod, appointed teacher in North China Theo- logical Seminary in Tenghsien, Shantung, China.
They have since returned for brief furloughs.
In 1938 Barbara Warren, a daughter of Holden, and her husband, Clarence F. McCall, Jr., began work in the home mission churches of Montana, where they continue to serve.
Rev. and Mrs. Gifford H. Towle were commissioned on October 8, 1939, in Southampton, Mass., to rural evangelistic work in India under the American Board. Mr. Towle's boyhood was passed in Holden.
Chapter IV
Schools
Since the earliest days of its history, Holden has been keenly interested in the progress and betterment of its school system.
At the first business meeting of the town, it was "voted to have a writing and reading school," and com- mencing on September 1, 1741, a school was main- tained for three months.
These schools were kept in private homes.
In 1752, a school was kept for three months at Mr. Joseph Hubbard's house, another the same year, at Lieut. Cyprian Steven's house.
During 1753 they were kept in other parts of the town-three months at the centre, three months at Jo- nathan Lovell's house and three months at Lieut. Rich- ard Flagg's house.
In 1753 the town appropriated twelve pounds for the schools, which was increased each year as the town grew.
In 1724, 1753 and 1769 the proprietorst laid out cer- tain tracts of land in town for school uses. Later as these were exchanged or sold, the proceeds amounted to $3,366.66.
The town voted to hold the same and apply the in- come for the use of town schools.
Hence-there is appropriated for schools at each annual Town Meeting the sum of $202.00 as "interest on the school fund."
In the first half century the district system was in- troduced though the Selectmen were authorized to en-
ยก Proprietors' Books, Vol. 1, Pages 3, 4.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN
gage school-masters, the town by vote May 22, 1772, having refused to "grant any of the School Money to a woman school."
The districts of those days bore the name of "squadrons."
In 1838 a special committee redivided the town into twelve districts, which continued until the system was abolished in 1869, by act of Legislature, but for a time the town continued to choose twelve men, one to repre- sent each of the old districts.
A "select or High School" was maintained for many years, the teacher usually receiving the tuition fees, and paying his own expenses. The number of pupils aver- aged from 30 to 50. These schools were kept each fall for a period of eleven or twelve weeks, beginning about the first week of September.
Dr. Damon lists the teachers as follows :
1828-Edward P. Humphrey. 1829-David Tappan Lane. 1830-Philander O. Powers. 1831-Aldin Grout.
1832-Philander O. Powers. 1833-William Howe.
1834-Merrill Richardson.
1835-Samuel C. Damon.
1836-Miss Martha Paine.
1837-Rufus Taylor.
1838-Rufus Taylor.
1839-Sabin Mckinney.
1840-George B. Rowell.
In 1868 Miss Nancy Perry taught the last term of the "select schools."
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN
The first committee to visit the schools was chosen at the annual town meeting in 1825. Thereafter it be- came a regular institution.
In 1841 $800 was appropriated for schools.
The first committee consisted of Rev. Horatio Bard- well, Rev. John Walker, Col. Samuel Damon, George Estabrook, M. D., and Dennis Davis, Esq. It was the usual custom to put the pastors of the church at the head of this committee and Dr. Paine served in this office for more than thirty years.
In 1869 the town purchased the school houses from the districts at their value as appraised by men out of town, the total cost to the town being $8,762.
In 1877 the school committee was reduced to three members.
In 1872, the town authorized the committee to elect a Superintendent of Schools, and William C. Metcalf was chosen and served that year.
The next year James T. Rood, M. D., filled the office, Clifford W. Stickney, M. D., was chosen in 1883, and served for three years.
In 1890, Holden united with Leicester to take ad- vantage of the new law of the state, and secured Charles E. Stevens to give his whole time to the schools of the two towns. He served until June, 1892.
Since that time the office has been held by the fol- lowing persons :
Benjamin F. Robinson, 1892-1893; Charles A. Mer- rill, 1893-1894; Etta L. Chapman, 1894-1899; Robert T. Keenan, 1899.
In July, 1900 the present school union of Holden, Oakham, Paxton, and Rutland was formed, and Her- bert J. Jones was chosen superintendent to serve the
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