USA > Maine > Franklin County > Industry > A history of the town of Industry, Franklin County, Maine > Part 13
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* It is related that on the way, being greatly fatigued he paused Io rest. . Almost disheartened by the difficulties of his journey, he kneeled on the snow and asked God to grant him the salvation of one soul as a reward for his labor. His prayer was heard and graciously answered; in after years a lady frequently declared that her conversion was due to his preaching on the occasion of this visit to Industry settle- ment.
+ This Samuel Sewall was the one afterwards ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational Church in Edgecomb, and not as Mr. Greenleaf, in his Ecclesias- tical Sketches (see p. 214), says, in Sumner. The two Samuels were cousins, but the one settled in Sumner was not licensed until some years after the organization of the church in Industry.
¿ This information, gleaned from Allen's History of Industry, must be erroneous, for according to the Christian Mirror Deacon Luce made a profession of religion in 1795, and was the first deacon of the Industry church. Therefore it would seem that he was one of its original members.
Although, in its early days, the church did not, as a body, advocate or practice infant baptism, Deacon Luce formed a worthy exception. Being a firm believer in the Abrahamic covenant, he gave up all his children in the ordinance of baptism. Later this custom was generally adopted by members of the Industry church.
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No records of the church can be found prior to the date of its re-organization, July 5, 1808, at which time Samuel Mason was elected clerk. As near as the writer can learn, there were some fifteen members at that time, including Thomas Johnson, Samuel Mason, and William Remick, together with their wives.
On the 10th of February, 1810, at a church conference held at his house in New Vineyard, Dr. Thomas Flint and wife related their christian experience and were received as members of the Industry church; also, about the same time, Sylvanus Allen, probably by letter from the Congregational Church at Chilmark, Mass.
Aside from the labors of the Sewalls, the first minister to preach in Industry was Rev. David P. Smith, sent here in 181.I by the Maine Missionary Society, one-third of the time for three months. After Rev. Mr. Smith closed his labors with the church, Rev. Jotham Sewall supplied them with preaching a portion of the time up to 1820. In 1819 he speaks of a special religious interest being manifested in town. During the follow- ing year (1820) Rev. Maurice Carey supplied the society with preaching. Rev. Fifield Holt was employed for a short time in 1821, and one-fourth of the time in 1825. In 1821 Rev. Jacob Ilardy also preached in Industry one-half of the time for six months, and occasionally for several years thereafter. Rev. Seneca White occupied the position of pastor for a few months in 1823. From 1827 to 1830 Rev. Joseph Underwood labored with the society one-half of the time. Soon after this, Rev. Josiah Tucker preached in town at irregular intervals for a short time.
On the 16th day of September, 1832, the society extended an invitation to Alden Boynton,* a licentiate of liberal education, to assume the pastoral care of their church. The invitation was accepted, and consequently, on the 17th of October, 1832, he was ordained pastor at the Centre Meeting-House. Among the ministers who were present on the occasion and partici- pated in the exercises, were Josiah Peet, Seneca White, Jotham
* Mr. Boynton was a graduate of Bowdoin College in the same class with the poet Longfellow and John S. C. Abbott.
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Sewall, Josiah Tucker, and Isaac Rogers. The ordination sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. White, and the address to the church was delivered by Rev. Isaac Rogers. After his ordination, Rev. Mr. Boynton, being a single man, boarded in the family of David Luce a large portion of the time during his stay in town.
Among other ministers who had occasionally preached in Industry up to this date were Rev. Josiah Peet,* of Norridge- wock, or "Parson Peet," as he was frequently called; also, Rev. Isaac Rogers, of Farmington. t
From the earliest preaching up to near the close of the year 1829, there were no conveniences for public worship, save at the school-houses or at the homes of the settlers. During this year, however, houses of worship were built at West's Mills and at the centre of the town, in which the members of this church owned an interest in common with other religious denominations of the town. The additional facilities which the crection of these houses afforded the society was a matter of
* Rev. Josiah Peet, who for a period of nearly forty years was pastor of the Congregational Church at Norridgewock, was a man of noble and commanding presence, tall, dignified and erect, with a countenance indicative of frankness and benevolence. He was held in high esteem by his parishioners, and though his countenance invariably wore a look of melancholy sadness, he could appreciate a good joke even at his own expense. A correspondent in the / ewiston Journal relates the following anecdote as illustrative of this characteristic: " We remember at the raising of a barn, Mr. Peet was present, and also a burly Scotchman named McDonald, but who was known in the vicinity as ' Never-flinch.' On meeting Mc- Donald, Mr. Peet pleasantly made the remark: 'I am told you never flinch.' 'No,' said Sandy, 'except when I hear you preach.' In the general laughter that followed, Mr. Peet contributed an audible smile. Mr. Peet was indeed a fine type of an old school Clergyman of the 'Standing Order.'"
t Rev. Isaac Rogers, son of William and Elizabeth (Lowe) Rogers, and grand- son of Rev. John Rogers of Gloucester, Essex Co., Mass., was born in that place July 13, 1795. Ile served an apprenticeship as a printer in Boston, and was em- ployed as a compositor in Newburyport; was a student at Phillips Academy, An- clover. He graduated from Dartmouth College, in 1822, and from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1825. March 9, 1826, he was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church at Farmington, Me., which position he filled for a period of thirty-two years. Ile married, July 7, 1826, Miss Eliza French, of Newburyport, Mass. He closed a well spent life at Farmington, Me., Feb. 15, 1872, having survived his wife nearly five years.
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considerable importance, and unquestionably added greatly to the general prosperity of the church.
The first statistical information which the writer has been able to obtain concerning the church was for the year 1833, at which time there were thirty-three members reported. They also had a Sunday-school in full operation, likewise a tract and foreign missionary society. Among the members received up to this time were Esq. Daniel Shaw and wife, by letter, from the Tamworth, N. H., church ; Esq. Cornelius Norton,* by let- ter, from the Congregational Church at Farmington; Supply B. Norton, Fisher Viles, Jacob Hayes, David M. Luce, Stephen H. Hayes, Pelatiah Shorey and wife, Asaph Boyden and others.
The church sustained a serious loss in 1833 by the with- drawal of William Remick and wife, in consequence of their removal from town. Both were highly esteemed members of the church and Mr. Remick had served as a clerk of the society for a number of years.
With very few exceptions, the early members of the Con- gregational church were people of the strictest integrity. This soon gained for the society a reputation for respectability which it has sednlously maintained down to the present time.
Rev. Mr. Boynton, was much liked, and remained with the society until Jan. 1, 1839, when he was dismissed at his own request, on account of poor health. He had not been able on this account to preach regularly for some time previous to his dismissal. He states that while here his labors were greatly encouraged by the deep interest manifested. He died at Wis- casset, Me., Dec. 25, 1858, aged fifty-three years. During the last years of Mr. Boynton's stay, Rev. Josiah Tucker, Jotham Sewall and others, kindly supplied his pulpit a portion of the time.
An invitation was extended in August, 1838, to John Per- ham to become the pastor of the church at Industry. The
* It was evidently this name which Dr. Stephen Allen confounds with that of Dea. Cornelius Norton (see foot note, p. 114). Esq. Cornelius Norton was the Deacon's son.
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" call" was accepted, and on the 2d of January, 1839, he was ordained at the Industry North Meeting-House, at West's Mills. Among the ministers present and assisting in the ordination were : Rev. Joseph Underwood, Daniel Sewall, Isaac Rogers, Samuel Talbot, Jotham Sewall,* Josiah Tucker, Parson Pect, etc. Elder Perham's labors proved very acceptable to the church and he was held in high esteem by all who knew him.
In consequence of the organization of Franklin County, in 1838, it became necessary to organize a new county conference. The meeting for this purpose was held at Strong, Jan. 14 and 15, 1839, and Rev. John Perham, Esq. Cornelius Norton, Levi Cutler and Newman T. Allen, were sent as delegates from the church at Industry.
Supply Belcher Norton was elected a deacon of the church March 23, 1839, and continued to serve in that capacity until he removed from town in the spring of 1844.
At a conference meeting held at the Centre Meeting-House in September, 1839, the society voted to hire Elder Perham two-thirds of the time for the ensuing year, and fixed his sal- ary at $233.33. While stationed here, he labored a portion of the time at Flagstaff, where he formed a branch society of the Industry church. An unusual religious interest was manifested in town in 1841, and between twenty and thirty conversions were reported. Elder Perham further states that "of the twenty-five members of the choir only one is without a hope in Christ."t
Another branch of the Industry church was formed at Lexington in May, 1842, with eleven members, to which five others were soon after added by letter. The branch church at Flagstaff also added largely to its membership during this year.
Probably the first county conference ever held in town as-
* On the evening before the ordination, a meeting was held in honor of Rev. Jotham Sewall, at which he was invited to preach, it being the 79th anniversary of his birth.
+ This was the choir at the Centre of the town, and the person referred to is said to have been Benjamin Allen ..
RELIGIOUS HISTORY. 149
sembled at the Industry North Meeting-House, at West's Mills, May 14 and 15, 1842. Jacob Hayes, Daniel Luce and Wil- liam H. Luce were elected delegates to this conference.
So rapidly did the church increase in numbers that in 1843 the membership was 143, more than four times as large as the membership of 1833. Among the members added during this decade were: William Henry Luce and wife, in 1838, and about the same time Esq. Peter West and wife, who had pre- viously left the Methodist Church. Hiram and Elijah Manter joined the church in 1840; also George W. and Luther Luce and Truman A. Merrill the following year.
Rev. John Perham closed his labors with the church as pastor on Sunday, Nov. 27, 1842,* though he was not officially dismissed until May 25, 1848. After leaving Industry he went to Madison, returning occasionally to this town to preach and baptize converts. He died in Beloit, Wisconsin, after a long and successful ministry, Dec. 4, 1874, aged 66 years.
Rev. Henry Smith succeeded John Perham as pastor of the church, preaching in Industry one-half of the time from the month of October, 1843, up to May, 1845.
The branch churches at Flagstaff and Lexington, having asked for a dismission, that they might unite and organize a separate church, accordingly on the 16th of September, 1843, the Industry church voted to grant their request. By this con- cession the church lost heavily from its total membership, as both branches were in a flourishing condition at the time of their separation.
Hiram Manter was unanimously elected deacon of the church in 1844, to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of Supply B. Norton from town.
From July, 1847, to July, 1848, Rev. Dana Cloyes was em- ployed as pastor. While stationed here this gentleman effected an important change in the social life of his parishioners, by introducing religious reading into their homes. The eagerness
* Prior to Elder Perham's leaving town, an effort was made to purchase a house for a parsonage. Although the church received what seemed to be a very advan- tageous offer, the trade was never consummated.
19
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with which this innovation was received is almost without precedent in the history of any church or town, and its good results can hardly be estimated.
Among the books, magazines and papers disposed of were : forty sets of the Christian's Library; eighty-two volumes of different Bible commentaries, chiefly Scott's; one hundred volumes of the Missionary Herald ; four hundred volumes were added to the Sunday-school library, making a grand total of 2382 volumes. In addition to these, seven subscribers to the Christian Mirror were also obtained.
Rev. Josiah Tucker supplied the church with preaching one- half of the time from October, 1849, to October, 1851, preach- ing alternately at West's Mills and the Centre Meeting-House. Elder Tucker possessed a mild disposition and a kind heart, and it is believed that his labors proved generally acceptable to the church.
There was a union protracted meeting in 1849, during which, thirty persons were converted.
By the withdrawal of the branch churches at Flagstaff and Lexington, to form a separate society, and by deaths and re- movals, the membership of the society became so much reduced that at the beginning of the year 1853 there were but seventy- one members, twenty of whom were non-resident.
John Dinsmore, a licentiate, supplied the pulpit for a few months in 1852, and R. H. Fuller, another licentiate, for a sea- son in 1853.
Rev. Eliphalet S. Hopkins was employed by the society one-half of the time in 1853.
In June, 1855, the county conference was again held at West's Mills, and George W. Luce, Hiram Manter, Fisher Viles and Charles Hayes were chosen as delegates.
Early in June, 1855, Rev. Jonas Burnham, principal of the Farmington Academy, received and accepted an invitation to act as pastor of the church, and supplied preaching in town once in four weeks, occasionally oftener, until 1863. As a result of his sojourn in town, Elder Burnham pays the follow- ing tribute to the people of Industry: "The people received
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me with great cordiality and the citizens of all denominations favored me with an attentive and interested audience. It gives me pleasure to recollect and name their generous hospitality. * While life lasts I shall cherish a grateful remem- brance of the many excellent families there. May rich bless- ings from above descend upon them." While acting as pastor at Industry he solemnized sixteen marriages and attended eighteen funcrals.
There were fifty-two members in 1863, of whom fifteen were non-resident. From 1855 to 1864 the church lost heavily by removals from town and the consequent dismissal of mem- bers to unite with churches in other localities. The quarterly conferences were held at infrequent and irregular intervals, and the records were indifferently kept, hence from about the last mentioned date (1864) down to the present time, the writer has been able to gain but very little definite knowledge in rela- tion to the church and its affairs. As supplementary to the labors of their pastor, Rev. John Furbush was employed one- fourth of the time in 1856-7 and 1859-60.
Rev. Alexander R. Plumer, a minister of wide and varied attainments, accepted an invitation to become pastor of the church in April, 1863, and preached here one-third of the time until 1869. He resided in town nearly the whole of this time, though much of his labor was in the neighboring towns. * Rev. John Lawrence, of Wilton, supplied the pulpit at West's Mills a part of the time in 1867-8.
Rev. Stephen Titcomb, of Farmington, a minister of liberal education, preached at the Centre Meeting-House once in four weeks during the years 1869-71. There were but forty members of the Congregational Church in 1873, fourteen of whom were non-resident. The resident members were now so scattered that it was hardly possible to maintain preaching with any degree of regularity.
* The last session of the county conference holden in Industry, convened at the " Industry North Meeting-IIouse " at West's Mills, in June, 1866, and continued for two days. Favorable weather brought out a full delegation, and the attendance of the laity was also large. The session was pronounced one of the most successful ever held in the county in many respects.
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Lauriston Reynolds, a licentiate from the Bangor Theologi- cal Seminary, subsequently pastor of Congregational Church at Auburn, Me., preached in town occasionally during the sum- mer of 1874 and 1875. Also Henry Jones, a licentiate from the same institution, for a short time in 1875 and 1876.
George W. Reynolds, another licentiate, was sent to Indus- try by the Maine Missionary Society one-half of the time for three months in the summer of 1878. The same society sent a young licentiate, Jabez Backus, to the church for a short time in 1879 and 1880. In 1880 T. A. Balcom, licentiate, was sent to the church one-half of the time for two months, and one-half of the time for three months in 1881. From that date until 1891 there was preaching only occasionally by pastors of this denomination from neighboring churches. There were thirty- two members in the church in 1883, ten of whom were non- resident. About the time Shorey Chapel was completed,* its builder, Mrs. Elizabeth Price, of Auburndale, Mass., engaged Rev. Truman A. Merrill as pastor. He came to Industry prior to the dedication of the chapel, and on its completion was duly installed as pastor, a position which he is still filling with a good degree of acceptance. The Industry Congregational Church has received pecuniary aid from the Maine Missionary Society for fifty different years since its organization, yet had it not been for the timely interposition of Mrs. Price, the society would probably have sank into a state of lethargy past re- suscitation.
The following worthy members have died since 1871, viz. : Daniel Luce, David Luce and wife, Fisher Viles and wife, Wil- liam Henry Luce and wife, George W. Luce and wife, Peter W. Butler, Pelatiah Shorey, Luther Luce, Hiram Manter, Asaph Boyden and wife, Eliza Hilton and others.
William M. Bryant is the present church clerk, and both he and his wife are among the oldest as well as the most highly esteemed members of the society in Industry.
* See Chapter XIX.
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PROTESTANT METHODISTS.
Early in the year 1843, Rev. John McLeish, an able and eloquent minister of this denomination, visited that part of Industry formerly known as the Gore. He held a series of meetings at the school-house near Capt. Clifford B. Norton's, and quite a number were converted. Among these were Joseph, Jr., Obed N. and Thomas C. Collins, who, with Barnabas A. Collins, William Cornforth, Daniel Collins, Jr., and a few con- verts from the adjoining towns of Farmington and New Vineyard, united themselves and formed a society. Soon after this their pastor left them and went to labor in other fields, and the organization became extinct, most of its members uniting with other denominations.
FREE WILL BAPTISTS.
Little if any missionary work was done in Industry by ministers of this order prior to 1830. About that time several families of this faith moved into town, and in the fall of 1831 a church was organized consisting of some eight or ten members .* This society was organized through the instrumentality of Rev. Stephen Williamson, of Stark, assisted by Rev. Timothy Johnson, of Farmington. The society consisted of Benjamin R. Rackliff and wife, Henry B. Rackliff} and wife, William Harvey and wife, and Nathaniel Ring. Capt. Ezekiel Hinkley and wife were probably among the original members of this church, although there is no evidence by which the fact can be established. Brice S. Edwards, who came to Industry about the time this society was organized, and who was its deacon during his residence in town, may also have been among the original members. The first year of this society's existence was a prosperous one, and at its close the membership had
* The writer regrets to say that a most careful inquiry, and even advertising, has failed to bring to light the early records of this church, hence the sketch of this society must necessarily be fragmentary and incomplete.
t Mr. Rackliff is also claimed to have been the first subscriber to The Morning Star from Industry. This paper was then, as it now is, the official organ of the F. W. B. denomination in New England.
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increased to twenty-six. Rev. John Lennon, son of James Lennon, of . Georgetown, Me., became the pastor of this society as early as 1832. He subsequently moved into town and settled on Bannock Hill, dividing his time between farming and his ministerial duties. He returned to Georgetown in 1840, where he continued to reside up to the time of his death. Rev. Stephen Williamson manifested much interest in the church and preached in town as opportunity offered for many years. Among others who labored with the society were Rev. and Mrs. Roger Ela, of New Sharon, for a period beginning soon after its organization down to the year 1861 or thereabout. Also Rev. Mark Merrill, Rev. Mr. Badger, and Rev. Samuel S. Painc. The labors of the latter, who preached in town in 1858, were blessed with a deep revival interest, and on one occasion five converts were baptized. Rev. Samuel Savage succeeded Elder Paine in 1859. His labors were likewise blessed with a revival interest.
Rev. John Spinney preached in town regularly for two years about 1854, and occasionally thereafter down to the present time. Other ministers have undoubtedly labored in town for a longer or shorter time, but there is no record of them. When the church was re-organized in 1867, there was but one resident male member of the original society living. The church was re-organized with twenty-eight members, Feb- ruary 18, 1867, and George Frank Woodcock elected deacon. The organization was effected by Rev. Ira Emery, Jr., assisted by Rev. John Spinney. The society now (1892) numbers eighteen members. Rev. Herbert Tilden, of Farmington, and others, have preached for the society. John W. Hatch, also of Farmington, has for some years manifested a deep interest in the church, and frequently preaches at Allen's Mills and in contiguous localities.
The Advents were never very numerous in town, but minis- ters of that denomination, such as I. C. Welcome, of Yarmouth, A. H. Walker, of Belgrade, and Daniel R. Hargraves, of New Sharon, have preached in town.
Om &. Ynerrill
Engraved by GEO. E. JOHNSON, Boston. From a photograph made in isst by F. Clarence Philpot, Springvale, Me.
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Industry has sent out a corps of ministers of which any town might justly be proud. The subjoined is a partial list of those who are either natives of the town or residents at the time of taking clerical orders :
Allen, Harrison, Congregational. Allen, John, Methodist. Allen, Stephen, Methodist. Ambrose, Samuel G., Methodist. Brown, Moses, Protestant Methodist.
Edwards, Brice M., Free Will Baptist. Emery, Ira, Jr., Baptist. Eveleth, Jared F., Baptist. Hayes, Stephen H., Congregational.
Howes, John M., Methodist.
Johnson, Ebenezer S., Free Will Baptist.
Johnson, Zebadiah, Free Will Baptist.
Luce, Charles, Methodist.
Luce, Christopher Sanborn, Baptist. Luce, Daniel, 3d, Free Will Baptist.
Luce, George Alphonso, Methodist. Manter, Zebulon, Jr., Methodist.
Merrill, Truman A., Congregational.
Merrill, William A., Congregational. Robbins, Elisha, Baptist. Shorey, Harrison A., Congregational.
Trask, Ebenezer G., Baptist. Woodcock, Charles E., Free Will Baptist. Young, Levi, Jr., Baptist.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MMILITIA AND 1812 W'AR.
Military Company Organized. - Election of Officers. - Equipments Required by Law. - First Training. - Muster at Farmington. - Money Raised to Buy Military Stores. - Muster Roll of Capt. Daniel Beede's Company. - Cavalry Company Organized. - Powder-House Built. - The Industry Rifle Grays.
AT the close of the year 1798 there were about forty fami- lies residing on a tract of territory, some twenty miles in length, now ( 1892) comprising a part of the town of Industry, the whole of Mercer, and a part of Smithfield. Ardent patriots in adjoining towns, and ambitious military officers anxious to extend their jurisdiction, represented to the proper authorities that there was a sufficient number of men on this territory to form a company of militia. Consequently, early in the winter of 1798-9 orders were issued to the inhabitants liable to do military duty to meet for the election of officers. At this meeting John Thompson was chosen captain ; Ambrose Arnold, lieutenant, and Jabez Norton, Jr., ensign. The formation of a military company required in most cases a pecuniary outlay for equipments very burdensome to those liable to military duty, even if they were able to purchase them at all. The equip- ments required by law were "a good musket or firelock. a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, and a knapsack, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than twenty cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball: or with a good rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch and powder-horn, twenty balls suited to the bore and a quarter of a pound of powder." The commissioned officers were required to be
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