USA > Maine > Oxford County > Buckfield > A history of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, from the earliest explorations to the close of the year 1900 > Part 13
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Buckfield Village Baptist Church
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
desire to make a public profession of their faith and it was thought desirable to have an ordained minister. In accordance with this desire the Baptist church at Paris called a council which met at Buickfield, Oct. 19. 1853, at which Mr. Small was ordained an evangelist, Rev. L. B. Allen of Yarmouth, preaching the ordination sermon. The occasion was one of great public in- terest which attracted a crowded audience.
The first candidate for baptism was Ichabod Bonney to whom the ordinance was administered in December, 1853. when snow was on the ground and the river was frozen. The event is re- corded as an impressive one, and the first baptism in the village. On that day the few persons in Buckfield, desirous of church fel- lowship, accepted an invitation from the Paris brethren to become a branch of their church. Six were received that day and during the following year eight more were baptized and added to that church. Through mutual consent the meetings had been held in Union Chapel, but a revival of Universalist preaching required use of the house one-half of the time and it was made apparent to the Baptists that a regularly constituted church and a separate place of worship were essential to their future prosperity. Ac- cordingly on the 13th day of September, 1854, those who formed the branch of the Paris church were publicly recognized as the Buckfield Village Baptist Church with nineteen members as follows :
ALBION K. P. SMALL, Pastor, EPHRAIM RICKER, Deacon, DAVID SWETT, Deackn.
Ichabod Bonney,
William Pearson,
Margaret Ricker,
Almira Swett.
Sarah Prince.
Prudence S. Record,
Hepsibah C. Cole,
Maria Lowe,
Delphina Lowe,
Lucy Atwood,
Clarinda B. Spaulding,
Susan J. Record,
Eunice A. Atwood,
Nancy Drake,
Sylvia I. Warren
John G. Thayer.
During that year two more members were acquired, bat a great loss was sustained through the death of Deacon David W. Swett, who was a zealous worker and liberal supporter of the church.
The church organization greatly facilitated the building of a meeting-house, which had already been projected with consider-
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able progress made on its foundation. The society was weak and small in numbers, and the enterprise was entered upon with many misgivings ; but the influence of the pastor and zealous co- operation of his associates were rewarded with unexpected aid from various sources, that enabled them, during the season of 1855 to complete a neat and commodious church building which was dedicated Nov. 29. 1855. Subsequently. through the efforts of Zadoc Long, a bell was added to the tower which was the first church bell ever rung in Buckfield.
During Mr. Small's pastorate of about seven years the church passed through discouraging seasons and the vicissitudes usual with a small country parish ; but it grew steadily in strength and influence till it reached a good degree of prosperity. Forty-five members were added, by letter and baptism, to the original num- ber but several were lost by death and dismissal. Regular serv- ices with Sabbath schools and prayer meetings were sustained and many people outside of the parish contributed liberally to the support of the church and its eloquent young pastor. In the autumn of 1858, Mr. Small severed his pastoral connections with the church to accept a call to a broader field of usefulness in Ban- gor. The church was deeply depressed by its loss, but through his instrumentality it had acquired strength sufficient for self- reliance and permanency. After his departure the church was without a settled pastor until December 4, 1858, when Rev. Ed- ward W. Pray of Boston became its pastor, remaining until December, 1861. He was a scholarly man, of social disposition and highly esteemed in the community, but his pastoral usefulness was somewhat impaired by the frailty of his health.
The next preacher, with prospects of a settlement was Joseph F. Elder of Portland, a graduate of Waterville College, who was licensed as a preacher by the Free Street church, Portland, in 1861. He was a young man of marked ability and great promise, which has since been amply fulfilled. He remained in Buckfield only a few months but long enough to prominently identify his name with its church history. He was subsequently ordained to the ministry in Orange, N. J., preaching there three years. He has since held long pastorates in New York City and Albany and is now recognized as one of the strongest preachers in his denom- ination. For several months the church was again without a pastor, but in September, 1862, a call to Rev. John A. Baskwell
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was accepted. He remained only about a year and was subse- quently dismissed to the church in Amherst, N. H.
During the autumn of 1862 the church was called upon to part with five of its young members who volunteered as soldiers in the defence of their country. They were Capt. Charles H. Prince. Sylvester E. Murdock, Eliphas Ripley, Alpheus A. Ricker and Charles M. Beadle. Two of them, Eliphas Ripley and Charles M. Beadle were never to return. The former died of disease in the hospital at Washington and the latter died in Phil- adelphia of wounds received at Gettysburg.
The next pastor was Rev. C. H. Carlton, who began his labors here in February, 1864, which were acceptably continued nearly four years with harmonious relations and fair prosperity in the church. His wife was a fine singer and greatly aided the mu- sical interests of the village.
Rev. Alonzo F. Benson of Sumner succeeded Mr. Carlton, re- maining some over two years and then resigning to accept a call from Weston, Mass. He was an industrious, self-educated man, whose labors were successful. Nearly a year followed without a settled minister, when Harvey Linsley, a graduate of Crozier Theological Seminary was engaged, who was received into fellow- ship by letter from the church in Upland. Pa. He entered upon his pastoral duties Sept. 17. 1871 and was ordained in the follow- ing November, with a sermon by Rev. A. K. P. Small, the first pastor of the church. The following year a revision of the church rolls was made, which showed a membership of sixty-six. This pastorate covered an eventful period.
The 27th day of October, 1872, was made memorable in the annals of the church and village by a mysterious fire in the still hours of the night, which destroyed the Baptist church building and the brick schoolhouse near it with all their contents. At dawn, nothing but ashes and blackened ruins remained of the two most utilized public buildings of the village. The origin of the fire has never been learned but it was supposed to be of an in- cendiary nature. There was no insurance on the church and its loss was a severe blow which at first seemed almost overwhelm- ing ; but temporary arrangements were made for religious meet- ings in the hall of the hotel, where the affairs of the church were conducted until another house of worship was provided. The loss of the only building in which regular preaching was main-
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
tained, aroused the sympathies of the people. who energetically united with the members of the church in the work of raising funds for the erection of another house. A desirable lot of land was donated by Hon. Virgil D. Parris, plans for the edifice were prepared and the pastor spent most of the season in traveling, preaching and soliciting aid. He worked untiringly with great success, securing liberal pledges from individuals and church societies in various parts of the country. The largest society contributions were $300 from Free Street Baptist church, Port- land and $400 from Madison Avenue Baptist church, New York. Many others gave from twenty to one hundred dollars. The largest individual subscriptions were $300 from ex-Gov. Coburn and $100 each from Hon. William P. Frye of Lewiston and Dea. Cyrus Ricker of Hartford. Among other gifts were a chandelier from Charles E. Jose of Portland, a weather vane from Lorenzo Atwood of Buckfield and a pulpit Bible from Mrs. Persis Bartlett of Winchendon, Mass. The new house was built in 1873 and its vestry was occupied in November of that year. Its total cost was nearly $5000 and it was dedicated, free of debt. Jan. 13. 1874. Rev. Mr. Small preached the dedicatory sermon and the occasion was one of great interest to the people and thanksgiving in the church.
Pastor Linsley soon after resigned, preaching his farewell sermon in September, after about three years of arduous labor, marked with substantial growth of the church. He was suc- ceeded in the spring of 1875 by Rev. R. G. Farley in a pastorate of two years, followed by Leonard A. Freeman, a young graduate from Newton, who was ordained here Oct. 21, 1878. He preached about two years with credit to himself and profit to the church and moved to Brunswick. Rev. H. B. Marshall of Fox- croft succeeded him in a pastorate of less than a year, after which the church was destitute of a regular preacher about a year, but regular services were sustained by supplies till Rev. James M. Follett was engaged, who remained four years, winning the kind regards of all and enjoying pleasant church relations. He was somewhat advanced in years and resigned on account of failing health. He continued to supply the pulpit several months after his resignation, pending the settlement of another pastor. His successor was Rev. John H. Barrows of Warren, whose pastorate began Sept. 18, 1887 and continued about sixteen months. He
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
was a man of good ability and the society prospered under his pastoral care. Rev. S. D. Richardson of Hebron was engaged as a supply till another pastor could be settled. In 1890 a parish society, to be called the Buckfield Baptist Society, was organized for co-operation with the church.
Rev. Benjamin F. Lawrence of Jefferson became pastor May 4, 1890 and in the following June he baptized thirteen persons, who with two others, admitted by letters, became members of the church. In the fall of 1892 the old reed instrument in the choir was replaced by a good pipe organ, which was procured by funds raised through the instrumentality of Horace A. Irish, Oscar H. Hersey and Charles H. Prince.
This year marked the thirty-eighth anniversary of the church organization which was publicly observed Sept. 26th with a re- union and appropriate exercises, including addresses by Rev. C. A. Towne of Auburn, State Secretary Dr. Dunn, reminiscences by Dr. A. K. P. Small, church history by Dea. William II. At- wood and a roll call of the church which showed a present mem- bership of eighty-five, the oldest of whom was Dea. David Farrar, aged ninety years, who was present.
Against the request of his parishioners and the regrets of the villagers, Pastor Lawrence resigned his charge and preached his farewell sermon Oct. 25, 1896, closing a faithful and prosperous pastorate of nearly six and one-half years. the longest one in the history of the church excepting that of Mr. Small. He was a man of pleasant, social nature, a good pastor and preacher and universally esteemed in the community. Since the retirement of Mr. Lawrence, the pastors have been as follows :
Sumner Bangs of Norway, from Nov. 22, 1596 to June I. 1808. Ordained here in January, 1897.
John H. Whitson of Camden from Sept. 4, 1898 to April 15, 1000. Ordained here in June, 1899. He resigned to engage in literary pursuits, settling in Massachusetts and has since become prominent as an author.
Benjamin F. Turner of Norridgewock, from Nov. 4, 1900 to Nov. 1. 1903. He resigned and settled at Rumford Falls and is now preaching in Brunswick. During his pastorate a heavy loss was sustained in the death of Dea. William H. Atwood, who died Dec. 12, 1900. He had been a member of the church nearly forty- five years and one of its strong pillars of support.
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Rev. W. D. Athearn of Lisbon Falls began labors here Nov. 22, 1903 and is the present pastor of the church. Mr. Athearn has taken deep interest in the historic associations of the Baptists in Buckfield and has copied and compiled their complete record in an admirable manner.
On the 13th of September, 1904, the church observed its semi- centennial, with a historic sketch, roll-call and the presence of the venerable Dr. Small, who fifty years before had gathered the little flock into its first fold.
The clerks of the church have been Rev. A. K. P. Small, Laurin A. Bumpus, Sylvester E. Murdock, Whitney Cummings, E. B. Austin, Rev. L. A. Freeman, William H. Atwood and Mrs. Julia F. Packard.
The deacons have been Ephraim Ricker, David W. Swett, Laurin A. Bumpus, Rodney Hutchinson, Whitney Cummings, Sylvester E. Murdock, Henry Bangs, Alfred Shaw, William H. Atwood, Herman Morse, E. B. Austin, A. F. Warren and Daniel Murch, the last four now officiating.
This church is the direct descendant of the First and Second churches, and thus to a large degree it inherits the history and traditions of those old organizations, the smoldering embers of which were gathered and quickened into organic life through the instrumentality of Elder Small. It has had seasons of adversity, and has never been financially strong but through the devoted labors of small numbers it has regularly maintained public wor- ship from the date of its organization to the present time, cen- tralizing the religious interests of the community. It has always received assistance from the Maine Baptist Missionary Conven- tion and liberal support from citizens outside of the church. It has a good house of worship and a comfortable parsonage and by the will of the late Dea. William H. Atwood it received a bequest of one thousand dollars.
ALBION KEITH PARRIS SMALL, D.D.
The history of Maine has few nobler records of effective re- ligious labors than is found in the life-work of Albion K. P. Small, and the narrative of the church history of Buckfield would be materially incomplete without a special sketch of this honored clergyman of the Baptist faith.
Albion Keith Parris Small, D. D.
.
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HISTORY OF BUCKFIELD
He was born in the town of Limington, Me., Aug. 26, 1821. In his infancy, death deprived him of a father's care, and he passed the years of his youth in Cornish, Me., where he learned the trade of tanner. But his youthful ambitions were not content with the prospects of a trade or business, and, with aspirations for a liberal education, he took a preparatory course of study at Yarmouth Academy and entered Waterville College from which he graduated in the class of 1849. After his graduation he be- came principal of Hebron Academy two years and while there was married, June 26, 1851. to Thankful L. Woodbury, daughter of William Woodbury of Cornish.
While busily engaged with the duties of his school he was per- snaded, against his own judgment, by such honored churchmen as Dr. Adam Wilson of Hebron and Elder Davis of Paris Hill, to settle as a preacher in Buckfield, the former having become considerably interested in the place as a field for religious labor. Accordingly Mr. Small reluctantly resigned his position in the Academy, and with his wife took up his abode in Buckfield. Without a religious organization, or even a church member in the village, it was an unpromising field of labor for the young preacher. He commenced preaching in Union Chapel, where. through his zeal, ability and the enthusiasm of his personality a considerable religious interest was awakened. He was soon im- pressed with the desirability of a smaller ineeting-place for minor church gatherings, and with this thought in mind, but with slight anticipation of realizing his wishes, he one day, in company with Hon. Virgil D. Parris, an occasional attendant at his meetings. casually asked him the following question : "If the money could be raised for building a little chapel for prayer and social meet- ings, how would you feel about allowing it to be placed some- where on your land?" A few weeks later Mr. Parris replied : "If you will enlarge your plan and build a pretty meeting-house, that will be an ornament to the street, I will give you a lot and buy a pew." But without a church member in the village, and with no capitalists interested in such an enterprise the thought of building such a house seemed entirely utopian ; yet here was the beginning of the Baptist Church building. Stimulated with this thought, Mr. Small procured a working plan for a house, and through personal solicitations a frame for a building was obtained by gift from the farmers of Buckfield and adjoining towns, each
0
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bringing a load of timber, as specified on the plan, and by all sorts of similar efforts and untiring work by Mr. Small and the ad- vance sale of pews, the house was brought to completion.
At that time no minister's salary in Buckfield afforded family support, and as some of Mr. Small's former Hebron students desired to continue their studies under his instruction, a plan was formed for ekeing out a living by the aid of a family school, and somehow from almost nothing a family residence was built chiefly for that purpose. Mr. Small began living in his new home on Sat- urday, Aug. 23, 1856, having modest family apartments and one student's room finished. On the following Tuesday he closed the house, and with his wife went to an association at Yarmouth, and while there he received the distressing news that his house, on which he had built such bright hopes, with all his worldly posses- sions, was but a heap of ashes, its destruction having occurred Tuesday night. But through his wonderful energy and the generosity of the people another and more spacious house, now known as the Jason Damon house was soon erected.
During Elder Small's residence here he preached once a month for two years in Mechanic Falls, his labors resulting in the organization of the Baptist church in that village. He terminated his labors in Buckfield in the summer of 1858, leaving with great reluctance its people and associations. His resigna- tion was deeply regretted by the whole community, and his fare- well sermon was listened to by a large and sympathetic congre- gation of friends and parishioners. Of this occasion the church records say: "On the Sabbath of August 8, 1858, our pastor, Rev. A. K. P. Small, preached his farewell sermon, having re- ceived a call to a larger field of labor with the First Baptist Church at Bangor. The youthful church, having by the blessing of God been gathered through the instrumentality of his faithful and untiring labors, the separation was solemn and affecting. The Great Shepherd above can alone heal the bleeding wound and supply the wants of the little flock." Thus Mr. Small went from the scenes of his early labors to the fields of his great life work. Then followed the strong years of his manhood, with faithful, exalting pastorates in the First Church in Bangor, the Free Street Church in Portland, and the First Church in Fall River, Mass., then back to Portland with the First Church until his advancing years influenced his retirement from its great
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pastoral cares. Retaining membership in this church, he re- signed as its pastor, with the thought of never again resuming pastoral cares; but moving to Waterville, he occupied the pulpit in Fairfield two years, followed by the same length of time in Biddeford; and then, after fifty years of active, eventful pastoral work, he retired to reside with his son, who had become prom- inently connected with the University of Chicago.
Soon after his arrival in Chicago a sad family affliction came to him in the total blindness of his beloved wife, who, in all the associations of his life work had been his strong and constant helper.
During Dr. Small's pastorate in Bangor he was elected to membership on the Board of Trustees of Waterville College, which he continued to hold till he left the State, and from that university he received his degree of D.D.
Dr. Small was a man of strong and robust physique, a deep thinker, earnest, forceful, and an eloquent pulpit orator. His personality as a man and a preacher is enduringly fixed in the associations of Buckfield, and the present religious interests of the village are largely the fruits of his early labors.
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CHAPTER XIX.
UNION CHAPEL.
Union Chapel, the most spacious and prominent public build- ing ever erected in Buckfield is rich in the local historic associa- tions of the past seventy years. From its elevated site, over- looking all the surrounding country, it is a conspicuous landmark from all approaches. It is a typical New England meeting- house suggestive of the good old days of our fathers and mothers. It was a union house in the building of which nearly all the prominent citizens of the community of various religious denominations zealously participated. The building of this house was the outgrowth of public sentiment in favor of a more central and suitable place for public worship than the town house and the various small schoolhouses in which meetings were occa- sionally held. To carry the new enterprise into effect a society was formed as shown from the following copy of its records :
"To SAMUEL F. BROWN, one of the Justices of the Peace, in and for the County of Oxford and State of Maine :
The undersigned inhabitants of the towns of Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner, in said County, being desirous of incorporating ourselves into a society, with other associates, for the purpose of erecting a Meeting house in said Buckfield, hereby request that you will issue your warrant to one of us, directing him to notify us to meet at the Academy in said Buck- field Village on the third day of April at one o'clock in the afternoon for the purpose of forming said corporation.
Buckfield, March 25, 1830.
Aaron Parsons,
Benjamin Spaulding, Jonathan Buck,
William Cole,
James Jewett,
Daniel Chase,
Lucius Loring,
James Bonney, Jr.,
Nathan Atwood,
Larnard Swallow,
Levi Turner,
Nathaniel Shaw, Jr.,
Caleb Cushman,
Leonard Spaulding, Benj. Tucker,
Zadoc Long,
William Bard,
Noah Hall,
David Warren,
James Bowker,
George Bridgham, Samuel Buck,
Virgil D. Parris."
In response to this petition a warrant was issued to Nathan Atwood and at a meeting on the date named an organization,
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Union Chapel
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to be called "Union Chapel Society" was perfected. Aaron Par- sons was moderator of the meeting and Samuel F. Brown was chosen clerk. Several others were subsequently admitted to the society.
At an adjourned meeting, April 12, 1830, the following votes were passed :
"Voted that the house shall be for the use of the pew holders in pro- portion to the number of their pews, each pew having the right of two votes, and each denomination shall have the use of the house for such a proportion of the time as their number of votes bears to the whole num- ber, but no denomination shall deprive any other from use of the house when they shall not occupy it themselves, even during the time in which it belongs to them.
Voted that all timbers, shingles, etc., shall be delivered on the spot on the first day of April next, and the house be completed before December 1831.
Voted that the pews be put up at auction and bid off to the highest bidders, to be paid for as follows: In October, 1831, in neat stock, or if not so paid, then in January following in corn and grain, or if not so paid, then in March following in cash.
Voted that those who bid off materials and labor shall receive their pay in pews and the balance in neat stock, corn or grain according to above vote."
It was voted to adopt as a model for the plan and style of the house the Universalist church in Livermore with the exceptions of the belfry and gallery which were to conform to those in the Universalist church in Norway. Nathan Atwood, one of the most active promoters of the house was delegated to visit the church at Livermore and from his measurements, plans and speci- fications were made. To accommodate the many patrons of the house the supplies of building materials were divided into small lots which were awarded to more than fifty different bidders at prices per thousand averaging as follows: Hemlock boards and dimension lumber, $4.50 ; pine boards, $6.50 ; clear seasoned pine boards for pews and inside finish, $16; shingles, $2.25: clap- boards, $15.
A site for the church was first selected on land of Benjamin Spaulding near the Academy, but this was abandoned for the more conspicuous half-acre lot near the dwelling house of Don D. Daggett, which was offered by Rev. William Pidgin in ex- change for pew numbered forty-two, as shown on the plans for the proposed building. At a society meeting, June 15, 1830.
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fifty pews were sold at auction at an average price of thirty dol- lars and the sale was continued at subsequent meetings.
Union Chapel was erected in the season of 1831 and in the spring of that year active building operations. under supervision of various committees were begun. Daniel Chase, Nathan At- wood and Jonathan Buck were a committee on grading and foundation and Larnard Swallow, William Cole and Rodney Chaffin a committee to appraise neat stock, which was to be re- ceived in payment for pews and to be sold or turned over to the building contractor for his services. Aaron Parsons contracted to build the house at a price of one thousand dollars for the labor above the underpinning, he to receive in payment the un- sold pews and the balance in such property as might be received from pew-purchasers. The building carpenter was David Carey of Turner. The raising of the house was an event of great public interest which attracted a large gathering of people. The women and children were stationed in Mr. Spaulding's pasture across the street while the men reared the massive frame with shouts and cheers. The total cost of the structure, excluding gratuities in labor and materials was a little more than two thousand dollars. Its size was fifty-six by forty-one feet and the top of its spire was ninety-one feet above the ground. William Pidgin frequently gave the geometrical measurement of this spire as a problem for his academy students to solve. The house was not entirely com- pleted and accepted till February, 1832.
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