History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 51

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 780

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189

CITY OF PORTLAND.

he took up the burden laid down by his predecessor, evine- ing a deep solicitude for the growth of religion.

In the summer of this year, ascertaining that a number of Irish Catholics had established themselves in and around the town of Yarmonth, and others of French descent hay- ing been attracted by the manufacturing interests at Sacca- rappa, they were provided with the ministrations of their religion and divine service at stated times, the visiting priests being furnished from Portland. The Catholics of these two missions were yet poor and too few to attempt the erec- tion of a church, so that divine service was held in a room at the house of one of the Catholic families in Yarmouth, and in a small hall at Saccarappa.

About this time the Catholics of Brunswick, looking for- ward to the day when their number must require better ac- commodation for the ceremonies of their religion, purchased the fine estate of Capt. McManus, with the view of build- ing a church thercon at no very distant day. The dwelling is now occupied as the parochial residence of the pastor, Rev. J. H. Noiseux.

In his zeal for the promotion of sanctity amongst the Catholics of Portland, in the winter the bishop introduced several priests of the missionary order known as the Re- demptorist Fathers, who instituted revivals at both churches, awakening new spiritual life in the congregations. These revivals continued for nearly four weeks without any appa- rent diminution in the attendance that filled the cathedral at the morning and evening service, especially the latter, at which the most important sermon was preached by one of the missionaries, which was listened to with an equal amount of devotion by Catholics and Protestants.

With the opening of the spring of 1876 operations on the construction of the " Kavanagh School" were resnmed, and the building was completed in February, 1877, at a cost of nearly $23,000, the funds being derived from a very generous donation of 825,000 from Miss Kavanagh, of Damariscotta. This is a very attractive structure, built of pressed bricks with light freestone trimmings, the founda- tion laid with granite blocks. It is a model school-house, and may be said to consist of the main building, over 100 feet long and not less than 50 feet wide, with lateral wings in which the broad staircases are carried to the upper floor. It is three stories high, with Mansard roof. The first and second floors are similarly arranged, cach containing 4 class-rooms, capable of accommodating 60 to 80 children in each one, and connecting with each class-room a capacious wardrobe-room for the use of the pupils. The basement is apportioned into a library- and society-rooms, and the third floor is converted into a hall, with a scating capacity for 1500 persons.

Under the new impetus given to religion and education by Bishop Healy, fresh vigor and increased interest was in- fused into the Catholic schools of Portland. The com- munity of Sisters of Mercy now numbered 25 choir and 8 lay sisters ; the former were charged with the ed- ucation of the free day-schools and the academy, and the latter were intrusted with the care and instruction of the orphan children. Applications for admission to the educa- tional institute of Free Street overtaxed the capacity of the academy, and in order to make more ample provision,

it was decided to remove most of the orphans, numbering about 60, to Whitefield, where this order had established another house. This project was accomplished and a de- cided improvement was manifested at the close of the year. The course of instruction at St. Elizabeth's Academy in- cludes all the higher branches of an English education, be- sides the special studies in French, music, painting, fancy needle-work, etc.

The Catholic population of Portland is now nearly 10,000, with a cathedral and two churches, an orphan asylum, two very handsome and substantial school buildings, and a female academy, besides the palatial residence of the bishop and the clergy of the cathedral, and the less imposing parochial residenee connected with Saint Dominic's Church. The average number of priests on duty ministering to the spirit- ual wants of their bearers is six. There are 33 " Sisters of Merey" employed in teaching the day-schools, the average attendance at both aggregating 1000, and the academy with 60 on its rolls, and in caring for the wants of 30 orphan children retained in the institution in Portland, the greater number having been provided for at Whitefickl.

To the foregoing figures may be added the congregation and church at each of Brunswick, Yarmouth, and Sacca- rappa, and many more Catholics known to be scattered through the other towns of the county, and a fair idea is obtained of the growth of the Catholic Church since fifty years ago, when not more than 75 Catholics worshiped in the city of Portland in an upper room, of which there is but one representative now living, the only connecting link in the chain, -Mrs. Richard Duddy, a very respectable old lady, yet hale and robust.

SECOND UNITARIAN SOCIETY.

This society was formed in 1835. In March of that year certain persons connected with the First Parish pur- chased the brick church on the corner of Park and Pleasant Streets, which had been erected by the Second Methodist Society in 1828, and became incorporated under the name of " The Second Unitarian Society of Portland." The same year Rev. Jason Whitman, who had been formerly settled at Saco, and was the general agent of the American Unitarian Association, was installed as pastor. He con- tinued ten years with the society, the specified time of his engagement, when the relation was dissolved. He died while on a visit to Portland, January 25, 1848. He was a graduate of Harvard in the class of 1825, and a talented and devoted minister. His successor was Rev. J. II. Love- ring, of Boston, who settled over the society in July, 1862, and was succeeded by Rev. James T. Hewes in 186.4.

FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCHI.

Before the founding of this society a few persons had preached the doctrines of Universalism in Portland. The first service of which there exists any authentic knowledge Was held in a cooper-shop owned by Mr. Mountfort, at the foot of Mountfort Street, probably by Rev. Thomas Barnes, who has been styled the " Father of Universalism in Maine." In 1799 this minister came from Connecticut to this State, and settled in Poland. Rev. Hosca Ballon preached here several times as he journeyed on his missionary tours from

190

HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.

Portsmouth, N. 11., between 1809 and 1814. On one or more of these occasions, the churches and school-houses being closed against him, he preached in the office of Ilon. Samuel Freeman, on Middle Street, which was generously tendered by the magnanimous proprietor for that purpose. After this, and prior to 1821, Rev. John Brooks visited the place and preached several times in an Episcopalian church on School Street, now Pearl, and in a school-house on Congress Street.

Ilere, early in 1821, Rev. Russell Streeter preached for the first time in this city. Soon after he began to preach here an effort was made to obtain possession of the Third Parish church; but though quite a number of pews were bought, the plan was frustrated by the interposition of some of the Second Parish, who did not desire a sister society to dispose of its property for such purpose. This defeat united the friends of Universalism in a determination to build a church of their own. Work began in earnest, a society was formed, and articles of faith drawn up, adopted, and signed Jan. 23, 1821. The compact is as follows :

" We, whose names are bercunto subscribed, professing a realizing sense of the unchangeable and universal love of God, exhibited in a Redeemer, and in bumble gratitude for a disposition of heart to unite in Christian love and fellowship for the promotion of the general in- terests of society, our own edification, and the religious instruction of our families, do form ourselves into a social and religious body, con- sisting of a number of believers, united together in the confession of the faith of the Gospel, which we believe, on serious and prayerful deliberation, to be clearly expressed in the following

" STATEMENT OF FAITH :

" I. We believe the Seriptures of the Old and New Testaments con- tain a revelation of the perfection and will of God, and the role of faith and practice.

" Il. We believe in one God, infinite in all his attributes, and that these are modifications of adorable, incomprehensible, and auchange- able love, manifested to mankind in Jesus Christ.

"III. We believe the spirit of God will, in due time, so effectually wach all muen that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, whom to know is life eternal, as the waters cover the sea; for it is written, 'They shall be taught of God.'

" IV. We believe in the obligation of the moral precepts of the Serip- tures as the rule of life, and that the love of God, manifested in a Redeemer, is the best meaus of producing a holy, active, and useful life.

"V. We furthermore profess, as Christians, to observe the first day of the week as a day of rest from sceular employments, to use all reasonable means for the instruction of our children in the Gospel of Christ, to endeavor as far as possible to promote peace and good-will among men, to diseonutenance profane swearing, falschood, intoxica- tion, and all ungodliness.

" Thus believing, we commend ourselves and all muen to the Great llead of the church, imploring that light and wisdom which shall en- able us to walk worthy of our Christian profession, to whom be praise forever .- AMEN."

This compact and statement of faith was signed by the following 19 names :

ItORATIO G. QUINCY,

HOSEA ItARFORD,

WILLIAM POLLEYS, NATHANIEL SHAW,

JOSHIVA PITMAN,

JOHN PRITCHARD, JAMES RACKLIFF, JONAS WINSIII, S. VANIR'SKINK,

WILLIAM S. QrISTY,

JOSEPH DELANO, FREEMAN SMITH,

CALER DYER, 1 .. DYER, JR.,

Jons RICHARDSON,

JOHN FICKETT,

DANIEL HIERRICK, CALVIN JORDAN,

EBENEZER DYER.

The next step taken was to secure a legal position among the religious societies of the place ; accordingly, the society was incorporated April 11, 1821. The same year they erected their first house of worship on the corner of Pearl and Congress Streets, which was finished with an elevated spire and provided with a bell weighing 1236 pounds. The cost of the building was $6000, and it was dedicated Aug. 16, 1821.

The first pastor was Rev. Russell Streeter, who took charge of the society in August, 1821, and continued till April 16, 1827, when he tendered his resignation. In July following he was succeeded by Rev. John Bisbe, who was a talented and popular minister, but who died in the midst of his usefulness, March 8, 1829.

Mr. Bisbe was born in Plympton, Mass., in 1793, grad- uated at Brown University, and commenced the study of law in the office of Judge Morton, of Massachusetts. Before completing his studies he was attracted to the study of divinity, which he pursued with great ardor, embracing the doctrines of the final restoration. In 1824 be was settled in Hartford, Conn., from which place he came here on the invitation of this society.

IIe accepted the invitation on condition that a church should be organized and a Sunday-school established, which was accordingly complied with some time during the year 1827. The records containing the signatures of the orig- inal members perished in the great fire of July 4, 1866, but the church and Sunday-school, organized in 1827, have continued with growing and enlarging influence to be the important factor in the spiritual welfare of the parish.

After the death of Mr. Bisbe, until the summer of 1831, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. William I. Reese, who was followed by Rev. Menzies Rayner, in September, 1831. Mr. Rayner's connection with the parish was dissolved in 1835, and Rev. D. D. Smith succeeded him in April, 1836. The next pastor was Rev. C. C. Burr, who continued until April, 1842, when Rev. L. L. Sadler became pastor, and remained till 1847. Rev. Russell Streeter was then ealled to the parish the second time, and continued in the pastoral relation till 1854, when he was succeeded by Rev. C. R. Moor, who served the church till 1860, and was followed by Rev. Edwin C. Bolles, in April, 1861. Mr. Bolles re- mained pastor of the church till he was called to Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1869, in October of which year the present pas- tor, Rev. W. E. Gibbs, was called and settled over the parish.

Under the ministry of Mr. Bolles, the present elegant and costly church edifice of the society was erected on Con- gress Square. The lot was purchased in 1864. The church was dedicated in 1865. The entire cost of the enterprise was over $80,000.

INDIA STREET UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY.

Immediately after the removal of the First Universalist Society to the new church in Congress Square, the old church was sold at anction, and purchased by parties who afterwards organized a parish, by the name of " The Pearl Street Universalist Society." This society was composed in part of some of the persons who had formerly belonged to a society which several years before had swarmed from

191

CITY OF PORTLAND.

the old one, and organized as the Second Universalist So- ciety in Portland, and in part of members of the old so- ciety, who, having their residence in the eastern part of the city, would be more convenient to the old church than to the new. The Rev. I. M. Atwood, of Watertown, N. Y., was called to the pastorate of the Pearl Street So- ciety, and under his able and faithful labors it increased in numbers and power, and was being consolidated into a strong parish, when its church was destroyed in the great conflagration of July 4, 1866. This loss, added to the losses suffered by individual members, was a heavy blow to the new and rising parish, and for a season it was compelled to suspend its work, and Mr. Atwood accepted a call to a parish in another State. But the fidelity and courage of not a few of its members were of the kind that does not easily yield to disappointment or apparent failure. They persevered in their purpose,-purchased a small church, re- cently vacated by the Congress Street Methodist Society, called to be their minister a most earnest worker and elo- quent and effective preacher, the Rev. Alexander Kent, of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Mr. Kent labored with zeal and success until ill health admonished him to seek a more genial elimate. Since the retirement of Mr. Kent, the society has had the services of Rev. James Marsden, of Massachusetts, Rev. George W. Bicknell, and the present pastor, Rev. C. H. Hayden.

In 1871 the society erected a large and handsome brick church, on the corner of Congress and India Streets,-a most eligible location,-and has, by authority of the Legis- lature, changed its name to that of " The India Street Universalist Society." It has a vigorous and promising Sunday-school of some 175 members.

SWEDENBORGIAN.

The doctrines of the New Church first gained advocacy in Portland about the year 1825, by Dr. Timothy Little, who having met with the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, and become profoundly convinced of their truth, invited others to their perusal, and soon held regular meetings on Sab- bath evenings. These meetings increased in number and interest until it was deemed advisable to hold publie services, which began in June, 1829. On Sunday, Aug. 21, 1830, twelve persons received baptism, and were formally con- stituted a society under the name of " New Jerusalem Church." Some of the original members,-Dr. Little, Sam- uel Colman, Oliver Gerrish, Dr. A. Rea, Ebenezer Mason, and William Hunnewell, Jr., Rev. Thomas Worcester,- and delegates from a society in Boston, assisted in the organ- ization.

The meetings of the society were first held in the vestry of the Methodist church on Cumberland Street. In 1837, Rev. Henry Worcester was settled as pastor of the church. Ile continued till his death, which occurred May 24, 1841, and was succeeded by Rev. James Scott, who remained about three years, after which the desk was supplied by Rev. Mr. Colburn and Rev. Thomas D. Sturdevant, till October, 1847, when Dr. Little again commenced conduct- ing the services, which he continued till the time of his death, Nov. 27, 1849. He was succeeded by the Rev. William B. Hayden, who was licensed to preach in 1850,

and ordained pastor of this church June 13, 1851. Ile re- mained in that relation, which he honored with his able services and excellent Christian character, for nearly a quarter of a century. The pulpit was then supplied from Sunday to Sunday by different ministers till Nov. 1, 1877, when Rev. Julian K. Smyth began to preach as a licentiate. Mr. Smyth was ordained pastor Jan. 5, 1879, and still offi- ciates in that eapacity.

FRIENDS' SOCIETY.

The following notice we take from Mr. Freeman's ex- tracts :

" The Society of Friends in Portland was organized in 1790, and their brick church commenced in 1795.

" It may not be amiss to observe, as to the society of this denomi- nation, that it originated in England .A.D. 1644, having for its head George Fox, born at Drayton in July, 1624.

"In about seven years the preachers of their principles inercaseil in number to such a degree that no less than sixty ministers were raised up in Great Britain, and before the close of that century were spread in most of the European kingdoms and in Amerien. Adherents to them first cause to New England in 1656. Here, as well as in Eng- land, they met with cruel perseentions, which it would be foreign to my design to set forth.

" Before the year 1696 they held meetings, as other Christians, for worship on the first day of the weck ; also at other times, as occasions required. At an annual meeting that year it was recommended to Friends living at a distance to hold meetings in their families; and for the regular administration of discipline and other helps they es- tablished in their society four other kinds of meetings, viz., prepara- tive, monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings. In these worship and business were connected.

"The authority of the first was only to judge of the propriety of carrying the matters before it to the higher meetings, at which depn- ties consisting of persons of both sexes are appointed to remove it to tbe next in order, and there join in the transaction of any other busi- ness that may regularly come before them. The first meeting in the State of Maine was held in the upper part of York, in December. 1662, by three women, who had been prosecuted and whipped at Dover, in New Hampshire, viz., Anna Coleman, Mary Tompkins, and Alice Ambrosc.

"Soon after another was held at Berwick, but no account of nny other meeting can be found for more than sixty years, when in Oc- tober, 1730, one was held by a few families found in Kittery.

" In 1743 a meeting for worship was set up in Falmouth, and in 1750 one was regularly established in Berwick.

"The next was established in Windham in 1779. After this meet- ings were multiplied in different parts of the State, when in 1790 the present society in Portland was established. It is unnecessary to enumerate the many meetings that have been established since. I will only add that the most general awakening, or, in the language of tbe society, ' the most general convincement that has ever taken place in Maine bappened during the Revolutionary war, principally through the instrumentality of David Sands, of Cornwall, in the State of New York, an eminent minister of this society.'"

BURIAL-PLACES. EASTERN CEMETERY.

The oldest burying-ground in Portland is the Eastern Cemetery on Munjoy Ilill. The date of its appropriation to the purposes of a common burial-place is not known, nor have we any record or tradition going to show where the first persons who died on the Neck, or those killed in the first Indian war, more than two hundred years ago, were buried. Probably this spot was selected on account of its elevation and suitableness in other respects, and was after- wards set apart as the public burying-ground of the settle- ment. If any monuments ever marked the resting-place of

192

HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE.

the first pioneers, they were probably of a very rude descrip- tion or perishable nature, and became obliterated before the first permanent settlement after the peace of 1713.

The oldest stone which has been noticed in the Eastern Cemetery is that of Mrs. Mary Green, who died May 23, 1717. In the corner which formed the earliest part of the burying ground are found the tombs of Rev. Thomas Smith and his wives and sons, restored by the First Parish Church in 1846, and the quaint old red sandstone monument of Sheriff Tyng, of the Revolutionary era.

On the opposite side of the yard, towards Mountfort Street, are the monuments crected to the memory of the naval heroes, William Burroughs, of the United States Brig " Enterprise," and Samuel Blythe, of His Majesty's Brig " Boxer," who fought and died together off this coast, Sept. 5, 1813, and were buried here with impressive and imu- posing ceremonies on the 8th of September. Beside them lies Lient. Kervin Waters, of the " Enterprise," mortally wounded in the same action, of which Longfellow sings :

" I remember the sea-fight far away, Ilow it thundere l v'er the tide ! And the dead captains, as they lay In their graves overlooking the tranquil bay, Where they in battle died."

The navy is well represented here. Commodore Preble had his white marble monument ; and here also is com- memorated the death of the gallant Lieut. Henry Wads- worth (unele of the poet Longfellow, and for whom he was named ), who fell before Tripoli, in 1804. The Rev. Edward Payson also was buried here; and an ornamental shaft of white marble marks the resting-place of Rev. Mr. Reese, of the Universalist Church. Most of the old monu- ments are box-like structures of brick and granite, or tables supported on pillars. The grass grows rankly over the crowded graves; the elms and poplars, which have sprung up at their own sweet will, east here and there a shade ; and year by year the grave-stones settle and grow more and more awry.

WESTERN CEMETERY.

The Western Cemetery was laid out as an additional burial place in 1829. The site' chosen on Bramball Hill was then far enough away from the centre of population, although it now adjoins the most substantial residence por- tion of the city, the population having extended westward to the extreme end of the peninsula. This cemetery comu- prises about twelve acres of grond, purchased of the heirs of Josiah Paine, Elias Merrill, and others. The first por- tion of it was purchased Dec. 8, 1829. It has long since been filled with graves, and necessity has been created for rural cemeteries, outside of the city limits, of which we shall speak presently. In this cemetery the most conspicuous monuments are those of Chief-,Justice Prentiss Mellen, erected in 1850, by the bar of the State, and a monument to Master Jackson, a time-honored teacher of the towu, erected by his pupils.

EVERGREEN CEMETERY

it is over a smooth and well-graded pike, and its entrance is also on the line of the horse-car railway from the city through the suburban villages to Morrell's Corner, by which it may be conveniently visited every half-hour during the day. In wandering through the winding paths of this beautiful retreat, noticing its thrifty shade-trees, beautiful flower-beds, and shining lakelets, and above all its elegant and costly monuments, which meet the view along the carriage-drives and retired walks, on every hand for miles in extent, one can hardly realize the fact that it is scarcely twenty-five years since the first grave was made and the first monument erected here.

This cemetery was projected in 1852, by the committee on common burial-grounds for that year, appointed by the City Council, consisting of Messrs. Jones, Beckett, Merrill, and Dearborn. Messrs. Jones and Beckett were delegated a sub-committee, to examine carefully the condition of burial-places and make suggestions of such improvements as they thought were needed. The labors of this committee were first directed to the Eastern Cemetery, which up to that time had been very much neglected. The rough board fence which inclosed it was falling into decay, the monu- ments had become defaced or broken by the thoughtless or vicious people who were allowed to make it a thoroughfare from Hancock to Congress Streets, while its southeastern boundary was made the receptacle, by those who dwelt on the other side of the fence, of all valueless or offensive re- fuse. This thoroughfare was at once debarred by the com- mittee, who placed a strong fence eight feet high on the side next to Hancock Street, graded convenient paths through the grounds, constructed a brick sidewalk with granite curbstones along the whole front on Congress Street, and erected the neat and substantial wooden fence which still incloses the cemetery. Thus was the good work of improvement inaugurated. The substantial stone wall which now prevents the bank on the southern side from caving down was erected subsequent to the great fire of 1866.

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History of Cumberland Co., Maine, Part 51

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 780

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 780