USA > Maine > Franklin County > Farmington > The history of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine, 1776-1885 > Part 11
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The lot reserved for the first settled minister, was not disposed of until 1824, when the legislature passed an act constituting the board of town officers into a body corporate for the purpose of selling this land. The act further de- clared that the proceeds from the sale should be kept at interest, and the interest added to the principal annually, and the whole reserved for the original purpose. The lot was sold May 15, 1824. The proceeds, amounting to $1,368.08, were, according to the provisions of the legislative act, kept at interest until 1832. The different religious societies, being each desirous to secure its share of this fund, the leg- islature was petitioned to allow the town to distribute it. An act was accordingly passed by the legislature, authorizing the inhabitants of the town to distribute the funds arising from the sale of the ministerial lands among the six different religious organizations. Some doubts being expressed as to the validity of this act, it was deemed wise for the town to assemble in its capacity as a parish, and settle a minister. The meeting was called for Sept. 10, 1832, when it was voted to settle Elder Timothy Johnson, an esteemed local Free-Will Baptist preacher, as minister, upon his relinquishing his right in the ministerial funds and consenting to their distribution. Fifty dollars were reserved for Mr. Johnson, and upon his agreement to the terms, the parish passed a vote confirming the sale of the land, and the money was paid over to the authorized agents of the different denominations. Hiram Belcher received the money for the Congregationalists ; Mr. Benjamin Brainerd, for the Calvinist Baptist ; John Corbett, for the Free-Will Baptist ; William Cothren, for the Methodist, (Jeremiah Butler refusing to act); John Russ, for the Universalist, and Nathan Cutler, Esq., for the Unitarians. The share of each society amounted to $636.17, which was substantially disposed of as follows: The Congregationalists invested their portion in the building of a parsonage, which they still retain for the use of the minister. The Calvinist
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
Baptist put their portion into their present house of worship. The Free-Will Baptist purchased the parsonage which was burned in 1883, but from which they received $ 1000, in insur- ance. The Methodists lost a part of their fund, but their parsonage represents the greater share of it. The Univer- salists have their portion as a fund. The Unitarians put the larger part of the money which came to them into a library, which was burned in the fire of Sept. 23, 1875.
The religious history of the town, apart from the history of the public funds devoted to religious uses, is only the his- tory of the different denominations. They will therefore be treated of separately, and in the order of their establishment.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist Church in Farmington, was planted by the founder of Methodism in New England, that remarkable man, Jesse Lee. Mr. Lee was born of an aristocratic Virginia family, March 12, 1758, and preached his first ser- mon in 1779. He was commissioned by the New York Conference in 1790, to travel in New England, and in June of that year preached his first sermon in Boston, under the branches of the historic elm. His zeal and his fervor, as well as the peculiarities of his preaching, attracted multi- tudes, and no less than five thousand gathered to listen to his subsequent sermons. The conference held in Lynn in 1793, appointed him to visit the District of Maine, and Sept. Io, of that year he preached his first sermon in Saco. October 15th, he preached in Farmington at the house of Moses Starling, on the west side of the river, and nearly opposite the village. His preaching excited deep and wide- spread interest, and some of the most prominent families in the Sandy River valley, became interested in religion under his ministrations. From Farmington, Mr. Lee visited nearly all the towns then settled, between the Androscoggin and the Penobscot, penetrating as far east as Castine, much of the way being guided only by a spotted line. He established a circuit extending from Hallowell and Monmouth to Sandy River, and on his return to the conference in 1794, Philip
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METHODIST CHURCH.
Wager and Thomas Coop were appointed to take charge of it. The first class in Maine, was formed at Monmouth, the second at Readfield, and the third in Farmington, all in November, 1794. The class in Farmington was located in the Gay neighborhood, and consisted of Jotham Smith, who was appointed leader, Micah Weathern, and John Austin, and their wives, with William Gay and some others. William Gay succeeded Mr. Smith as leader soon after, and held the office for nearly fifty years. Immediately after, a class was formed on the east side, in the neighborhood of Elvaton Parker, who, with his wife and most of his children, became members, together with Mary and Polly Brown, Eleazer Pratt of New Vineyard, and Jacob Chandler, Nabby Pease, Zilpha Green, Sally Gay, Patience. Butler and some others. At Strong a class was organized which included some of the most prominent citizens, among whom were William Reed, Esq., Eliab Eaton, Richard Clark, Edward Flint, with their wives, and several more. A class was also formed in Avon, among whose members were Moses Dudley, Ebenezer Thompson, and Joshua Soule, Jr., afterward a bishop in the Methodist Church. At this time Soule was a young man, having been born in Bristol, August 1, 1781. So marked were his abilities that he received a license to preach when but seventeen years old, was ordained in 1802, and became presiding elder of the Maine District in 1804. From this his rise was rapid. In 1824 he was elected bishop. Bishop Soule adhered to the southern Methodist Church in its divi- sion, and threw in his lot with the southern cause. He died in Nashville, Tenn., March 6, 1867.
The societies at Strong and Avon were included in the circuit, and at the conference at Lynn in 1795 Enoch Mudge and Elias Hull were appointed to this charge. The most of the country was at this time an unbroken wilderness, and these preachers experienced all the hardships and privations incident to their life, with that same heroism for which the early ministers in the Methodist Church are famed. The first quarterly meeting in Maine, was held on this circuit, at Monmouth, June 23, 1795, with Jesse Lee as presiding elder.
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
Mr. Lee visited Maine twice, subsequently, once in 1800, and the last time in 1808. His death took place in Baltimore in 1816. Joshua Taylor was placed in charge of the Monmouth and Sandy River circuit in 1797, and the following year formed a class at the Falls, consisting of Nathaniel Whittier and Jonathan Knowlton, with their wives, and John and Sarah Gower, Desire Stinchfield, Ruth Whittier, Jesse Ing- ham, Phæbe Oaks, and Hannah Titcomb, afterward wife of William Allen and mother of Stephen and Charles F. Allen of the Maine Methodist Conference. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Titcomb joined the class soon after, and continued efficient members until their death. It was largely through the efforts of the members of this society, particularly those of Jonathan Knowlton and Stephen Titcomb, that the first meeting-house in the town was erected at the Falls, in 1799. The first Methodist meeting-house in Maine, was built at Readfield, in 1795.
In 1820, Daniel Wentworth, then preacher in charge of the circuit, formed a class on Porter's Hill, consisting of Osgood Eaton, Job Brooks, William Russell, with their wives, some others joining soon after. Osgood Eaton was leader of this class until he died, in 1837, when he was suc- ceeded by Job Brooks, who held the office for ten years, or until his death. Eliab Eaton, a worthy son of Osgood Eaton, was the next leader, and he continued to hold the position until he also passed away. By death and removal, this class has become extinct.
The Brick meeting-house which stands on the west side of the river near Fairbanks bridge, was built in 1831, almost entirely through the liberality of members of the Methodist communion in that part of the town. The expense of the house was about $1400, which was defrayed by the sale of pews. This edifice was used as a house of worship quite constantly until the erection of the church at the Center Village, in 1849, and services have since been held with more or less regularity until the last ten years. It is now seldom used, and is rapidly going to decay.
No Methodist society existed in the village until 1831.
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METHODIST CHURCH.
In that year a small class was formed, and John Jewett ap- pointed leader. The ground was well occupied by other denominations, and the Methodists found little encourage- ment until the meeting-house was built, in 1849, largely through the efforts of Mr. Jewett the class leader. At that time Farmington was made a station, and Rev. Stephen Allen appointed pastor. Previously Farmington with Vienna formed a circuit, and preaching was given once in two weeks at the Brick meeting-house on the west side of the river, once in four weeks at Farmington Falls, and once in four weeks at Vienna. Mr. Allen remained with the church three years, and was very successful in building it up. Many were converted and added to its membership, while several sub- stantial families moved into the village, who added much to the strength of the society. Conspicuous among these was Dr. John L. Blake, the "good physician," who still lives at the advanced age of ninety-two; Col. Joseph Dyar, and Geo. W. Whitney. So rapid was the increase in the size of this church during the next twenty-five years, that it out-grew the limits of its first edifice, and in 1877 a new and com- modious church was erected upon the old site, at a cost, including furniture, of $12,000. This church was dedicated Oct. 31, 1877, free from debt, and is considered one of the best houses of worship in this part of the State. The society had previously purchased a parsonage, in 1858, for $1,300, which is still occupied by the preacher in charge. The membership of this church is now 209. Its pastors have been :
Rev. Stephen Allen, appointed 1849;
Rev. William Foster, appointed 1851;
Rev. J. McMillan, appointed 1852;
Rev. A. Moore, appointed 1854;
Rev. Charles Munger, appointed 1855;
Rev. Charles F. Allen, appointed 1857; Rev. Charles Fuller, appointed 1860; Rev. A. Sanderson, appointed 1862;
Rev. Parker Jacques, appointed 1864;
Rev. Geo. Wingate, appointed 1866;
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Rev. A. R. Sylvester, appointed 1868;
Rev. Stephen Allen, appointed 1870;
Rev. W. W. Baldwin, appointed 1873; Rev. E. T. Adams, appointed 1874 ; Rev. Charles Munger, appointed 1876;
Rev. Roscoe Sanderson, appointed 1878;
Rev. Charles F. Allen, appointed 1881;
Rev. Cyrus Stone, appointed 1882.
Other classes besides those already mentioned have been formed at different times in various parts of the town. For a time one was in existence in the Mosher neighborhood, one at Backus Corner, and one in the Holley neighborhood. Several preachers have gone out from these societies. Benj. F. Sprague, Jabez T. Gay, and John Allen, became mem- bers of the Maine Conference, and John Gower, Joseph Russell, Jeremiah Butler, John Norton, Moses Brown, and Peter E. Norton, have been acceptable local preachers. Among the ministers of the Methodist connection who labored in Farmington in the early days of the church, be- sides those already mentioned, were Cyrus Stebbins, John Brodhead, Epaphras Kibbey, Asa Heath, Oliver Beale, Nathan Emery, Joseph Snelling, Elisha Streeter, Joseph Baker, Joshua Randall, Benjamin Burnham, Caleb Fogg, and Philip Munger.
Two secessions from the Methodist Episcopal Church were organized in 1843. The Protestant Methodists gained a large following, and were for a time a sect of some impor- tance. The society was first formed in the northern part of the town, by Benjamin Dodge, a native of Strong, who had been a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, but ·who had joined the Protestant movement in Massachusetts. The society as formed, Jan. 17, 1843, was composed of Benjamin Dodge, Richard H. Dorr, Nathan S. Davis, Moses Brown, and Stephen Williams. Jabez T. Gay and Marchant Holley, united immediately afterwards, and all of these first members became preachers or exhorters in the church. A remarkable religious revival soon after commenced, and meetings were held throughout the spring of that year. The
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FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
local preachers were assisted by the Rev. John McLeish and Rev. John Norris. Some seventy members were admitted to fellowship, and the organization was kept up for several years ; but its members were gradually absorbed into the parent church.
The Wesleyan Methodists formed a society upon the west side of the river, in March, 1843, consisting of Moses Lufkin of Strong, Joseph Russell, Peter R. Tufts and Mrs. Tufts, Ira Sprague and Mrs. Sprague, Matthias S. Norcross and Mrs. Norcross, Andrew Tuck, and Daniel York. Peter R. Tufts was appointed leader, and, at the ensuing confer- ence, Benjamin Bullock was stationed with this society half of the time, preaching at the Brick meeting-house alternately with the Methodist Episcopal preachers. Some few addi- tions were made to this society during the next years, but as the Methodist Episcopal Church soon took pronounced ground against slavery, the need of such an organization ceased, and most of its members went back into the elder church.
THE FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
In the summer of 1792, Rev. Edward Lock, a minister of the Free-Will Baptist Church, removed from New Hampshire, where he had been pastor of a church in London and Canter- bury, to Chesterville. Soon after his arrival he made appointments for preaching at the house of Moses Starling on the west side of the river, and at a barn owned by Joseph Norton on the east side. No particular interest was mani- fested at these meetings until near the close of the year, when a revival began which increased in interest during the winter. Mr. Lock baptized a number of persons, and March 29, 1793, these individuals, together with Mr. Lock, united in church fellowship. These first members were Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Everett, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Turner, Mr. and Mrs. John F. Woods, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sylvester, Francis Tufts, Joseph Holland, Abigail Bradford, and probably some others. Francis Tufts and John F. Woods were appointed ruling elders; Joseph Sylvester, deacon; Joseph Holland,
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
clerk; and to Mr. Lock, the ·pastoral charge of the infant church was given. In the September following, Benjamin Randall, the founder of the order of Free-Will Baptists, while traveling in Maine with a committee from the yearly confer- ence, visited the newly-formed society at Farmington ; and, after a proper examination, proceeded to extend the right- hand of fellowship to the Church, and welcomed it as a sister church in the Free-Will Baptist denomination, Sept. 23, 1793. This was the first church formed in the State east of Gor- ham or north of Woolwich and Edgecomb, and was first recog- nized in the conference which met in Gorham in October of the same year. Mr. Randall, in company with Rev. John Buzzel, visited the valley of the river a second time, in Sep- tember, 1794, when he organized a church at Upper Town, now Phillips, and on his return preached on the Sabbath at Deacon Francis Tufts', at the same time administering the Lord's Supper, the first time, it is supposed, the ordinance was observed in the history of the town. At the yearly meeting held at Edgecomb, Sept. 6, 1794, the Edgecomb and Farmington quarterly meetings were established, and their bounds so defined that the Farmington district embraced all the churches of the order north of Edgecomb and east of Androscoggin river save Lewiston; and the Edgecomb district comprised Lewiston and all the sea-coast east of Brunswick.
The revival continued in progress during the succeeding years and extended into all parts of the town. Additions were constantly made to the church, which, by 1796, num- bered some forty persons. Besides those already named were Joseph, Elisha, Moses, Sarah, Huldah and Polly Brad- ford, Mr. and Mrs. David Wentworth, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Powers, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Riant, Mrs. Dorothy Craig, Elisha Gay, John Tufts, and Prudence Parker, as well as Isaac, Ebenezer and Eliphalet Brown, and Job and Eliphalet Hardy of Wilton. The church took the New Testament as its only rule of faith and practice, and the members were well agreed among themselves in its applications. They early took means to raise money, which was devoted not only
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FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
to the maintenance of preaching, but to the relief of any of the church who were found to be in destitute circumstances.
By 1798, the church covered so large a territory that it became necessary to establish three Sabbath appointments and church conferences, which were held alternately, at Isaac Brown's in Wilton, and at John F. Woods' and David Went- worth's at Farmington, and were generally well attended by the members in those sections. At that time the inhabitants were obliged to go from place to place over imperfect roads, and even short journeys were attended with difficulties. The church suffered severely at this time of its greatest prosperty, by the defection of its founder and pastor, Mr. Lock. Concerning this unfortunate passage in the history of the church, Judge Parker says :
"Although possessed of more than ordinary mind and talent, and apparently zealous in the cause of truth, Mr. Lock never perhaps possessed that disinterested devotedness to the cause of the Redeemer necessary in a minister of the gospel to be truly useful in building up the church of God; for he soon attempted to create a schism in the churches by introducing a plan for forming a community of Christians who were to have all things in common, their property to be thrown into one common stock, with himself to control, if not to possess, the whole. He partially succeeded in draw- ing up a platform, and in drawing off a few, but when his plan was more fully understood, it resulted in an entire failure, and he soon lost the confidence of the Christian public by a course of life which not only lessened his influ- ence as a preacher of the gospel, but ended in the prostration of his moral character. His connection with the church was dissolved about 1800, and was never after renewed. He died in Embden in 1824, aged eighty-two."
In spite of this serious blow, most of the members of the church remained steadfast in their profession, and meetings were regularly sustained. Ebenezer Brown, who was a man of deep piety as well as gifted as a speaker, rendered essen- tial service in sustaining public worship, and various ministers from other parts of the State occasionally supplied preach-
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
ing. Mr. Brown was ordained in 1804, and Ebenezer Scales, also a member of the church, received ordination at the same time, The preaching of that period was more of an itinerant character than is customary at the present time, and gave great scope for the public exercise of individual gifts. In 1807 the church at Wilton was separated from the Farmington church, and separate Sabbath appointments made. Benaiah Pratt was ordained Oct. 17, 1807, and Tim- othy Johnson about the same time, both members of the church, and they took particular charge of the church, Mr. Johnson having special oversight until about 1842. The years 1808, 1809, and 1821, were seasons of special religious interest, when the membership of the church was somewhat increased. From 1821 until 1834, the church was supplied by occasional preaching by Elias and Samuel Hutchins, Hubbard Chandler, S. Curtis, and S. Hathern, as well as others, Mr. Johnson in the meantime having the supervision of the church.
In 1804, a union protracted meeting was held which resulted in an extensive revival, and considerable additions were made to this church as well as to other churches in town. Sept. 22d an invitation was extended to Rev. John Cheny to preach one-half the time and take the oversight of the church, an understanding being made with Mr. Johnson. The invitation was accepted, and large accessions were made to the church during his pastorate. Up to this time the society had no house of worship, although they owned a small share in the meeting-house at Fairbanks bridge, and services had been held in school-houses in various parts of the town, for the most part in the brick school-house on Anson St. in the Village. In 1835 the brick meeting-house still occupied by this denomination was erected at the Center Village, at a cost of $1250 including its fine site. After the completion of this house of worship, Mr. Cheny confined his labors wholly to this church, remaining with it until 1840, when he was dismissed at his own request. He was succeeded by Rev. Dexter Waterman, who divided his time with the church in Phillips until 1843. Mr. George W.
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FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
Bean was ordained pastor to succeed Mr. Waterman, June 14, 1843, and continued as pastor, devoting his entire time to the church until 1845. In common with the other churches of the town, this church received considerable additions as the result of the religious interest of 1843, and at this time probably saw its period of greatest prosperity. Rev. Isaac Libby followed Mr. Bean as pastor in May, 1846, remaining one year with the society. After an interregnum of a year, Rev. Samuel P. Morrill began the supply of the church in the spring of 1848, and acted as pastor for five years. During the year 1855, Rev. M. C. Stanley acted as pastor, and in 1857 Rev. J. M. Bedell was settled as pastor and held the office until August, 1859, when Rev. Charles E. Blake assumed the pastorate. Mr. Blake was a man highly esteemed by the church and won the interest of the community by his patriotic attitude during the war. He enlisted as a soldier in the fall of 1861, in the 13th Regiment of Maine Volunteers, and was afterwards appointed chaplain of the same regiment. Having been honorably discharged, in August, 1863, Mr. Blake resumed his relation to the church, and continued to act as pastor until 1866. Since Mr. Blake's departure, the pastorates of the church have been of short duration. Rev. A. Deering acted as pastor in 1870; Rev. F. Reed, in 1872; and Rev. O. Roys, in 1873 and 1874. During the pastorate of Mr. Roys, about fifteen members were received into the church. Rev. W. C. Hulse labored with this people during 1875, and J. Herbert Yeo- man, a portion of the year 1877. In 1879, Rev. J. Burnham Davis was called to the pastoral charge. The church had become enfeebled through the lack of oversight, but Mr. Davis proved a faithful and efficient pastor, and was success- ful in gathering the scattered membership and strengthening them in the spiritual life. Some new members were also received to fellowship. Mr. Davis resigned the pastorate in the spring of 1882, and removed to Meredith Village, N. H. In January, 1884, Rev. E. N. Berry of Livermore, accepted a call to supply the pulpit, and still remains in charge.
The total membership of the Free-Will Baptist Church
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HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
since its organization, has been not far from 300, and its present membership is 80, of whom 25 are absentees. The deacons have been, Elisha Gay, Isaac Perkins, John Corbett, Benjamin Adams, Asa Butterfield, and Bainbridge Wade.
Two other Free-Will Baptist churches have existed in town at different times. A small church was gathered in the southwest part of the town, about 1813, known as the Scc- ond Free-Will Baptist Church. It continued but a few years, however, and was then disbanded, some of its mem- bers uniting with the Christian Church in that vicinity, and others joining such Free-Will Baptist churches as gave them accommodation.
Another church was also established at Farmington Falls, which in time became extinct. The present church of that order at the Falls village, is for the most part made up of residents of Chesterville. It is a feeble organization, sustain- ing no regular public services.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
The first minister of the Baptist denomination known to have visited the Sandy River valley, was Rev. Eliphalet Smith, from Massachusetts, an itinerant preacher and an eminent divine.
His first visit was in 1792, when he attended some ap- pointments in dwelling-houses, mostly, however, at the dwelling-house of Moses Starling. He was very active and thorough in his work, and visited the homes of the early set- tlers, laboring to impress upon all with whom he came in contact, the truths of the gospel. Mr. Smith was subse- quently settled as the pastor of a Baptist church in Starling, now Fayette.
From 1792 to 1797, the place was visited from time to time by elders, Smith, Case, Billings, and others, and in the latter year a Baptist church was organized. Prominent among the members of this church were, Church Brainerd, Abigail Brainerd, Eliphalet Bailey, Joseph Fairbanks, and Abel Sweet, of Farmington, and William Bradbury of Ches- terville. Church Brainerd was chosen deacon. The church
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