USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from 1632 to 1864: with a notice of previous settlements, colonial grants, and changes of government in Maine > Part 57
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
1 The corner-stone was laid by the venerable Samuel Freeman in the pre- sence of a very large assembly, May 9th, 1825 ; on the south-east corner under the stone, a silver plate was laid with this inscription. "This C. Stone of ye Ch. of ye 1st Par. in Port'd, was laid by the Hon. S. Freeman, May 9, 1825, on the site of the former Ch. erected in 1740, enlarged in 1759, and removed in 1825. Build. Com'e, A. Newhall, J. Richardson, and J. Mussey, Esqrs. 1st Pas. Rev. T. Smith, ord'd in 1727, and Sen. Coll. from 1764 to his death, in 1795 with the Rev. Dr. Deane, who died in 1814, and with whom the 3rd and present Pas. the Rev. Dr. Nichols was associated in 1809. Deacons, Hon. S. Freeman and W. Storer. Par. Com. Hon. B. Potter, C. B. Brooks, Esq., and J. Harrod. Treas. and Clerk, C. S. Davies, Esq. (On the other side.) Builders: Henry Dyer, Mason ; Nathan How, Carpenter; Stephen Morrell, Stone Cutter."
2 The whole expense of the church, including the fences and laying out the grounds around, was about twenty-three thousand dollars. To meet this ex- penditure there was apportioned upon the pews sixteen thousand five hundred dollars, and five thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine dollars were raised by selling the right of choice in the pews ; the highest sum paid for a choice was ninety dollars; the pews were distributed by auction January, 1826.
kill his ass. The gentleman replied that Balaam had no sword, but only wished for one ; true said Mr. Deane, but that is the one he wished for.
He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and re- ceived a doctorate in divinity from Brown University. He married Eunice, daughter of Moses Pearson, in 1766, but left no issue; his wife died October 14, 1812, aged eighty-seven.
657
FIRST PARISH-DR. NICHOLS.
dedicated February 8, 1826.2 Dr. Nichols preached on the occasion, Dr. Parker of Portsmouth read the scriptures and made the prayer. The discourse, with a memoir of the parish, and a beautiful hymn written for the occasion by Dr. Nichols, was published soon after in pamphlet form.
Dr. Nichols continued the sole pastor until January 31, 1855, when the Rev. Horatio Stebbins, who had been previously set- tled in Fitchburg, Mass., was associated with him.1 Mr. Nichols who had now officiated alone over forty years with fidelity, re- markable ability, and devotion to duty, sought entire repose from pastoral care by retirement to the academic shades of Cambridge, where in the society of learned men, and with the facilities of well-furnished libraries, he pursued and finished the profound work which had been for many years the serious meditation of his leisure hours, and the deep study of his ma- ture mind. The early pages of his manuscript were put to press in 1858, and as its last words were recorded, the pen was taken from his hands by the angel of death, and on the second day of January, 1859, before the first volume came from the press, he was removed to the world of spirits in the full pos-
1 The Rev. George E. Ellis, of Charlestown, preached the sermon, Rev. Dr. Peabody, then of Portsmouth, afterward of Cambridge, pronounced the charge, Rev. Joseph H. Allen, then of Bangor, extended the hand of fellowship, Rev. Dr. Bartol, of Boston, addressed the society, and the Rev. Dr. Nichols offered the prayer of installation. Mr. Stebbins was born in Wilbraham, Mass., August 8, 1822, graduated at Harvard College, 1848, and at Harvard Divinity School in 1851. In April, 1864, he resigned the pastoral office on an invitation to take the place made vacant by the death of the Rev. Thomas Starr King, in the Unitarian church of San Francisco.
Up to that date, a period of one hundred and thirty-seven years, there had been no vacancy in the pastoral office of the First Parish; it had had but four ministers, each one of whom had been aided by a colleague. Dr. Deane was thirty-one years associated with Mr Smith. Dr. Nichols over five years with Dr. Deane, and Mr. Stebbins nearly four years with Dr. Nichols. The society is now, for the first time since the organization of the church, in March, 1727, without a pastor.
In 1852 the church was thoroughly repaired, the galleries lowered, and the walls handsomely stuccoed by a German artist.
658
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
session of a clear and profound intellect, and with the calm serenity which an undoubted faith, and a well spent life could not fail to give. Dr. Nichols was born in Portsmouth, N. H., July 5, 1784. He was the fourth son of Capt. Ichiabod Nichols and Lydia (Ropes) Nichols ; he moved with his parents to Salem when he was five or six years old, was fitted for college at the Salem High School, and graduated at Harvard in 1802, with the highest honors of a class remarkable for its brilliant and able scholars. In 1805, while pursuing his theological studies with the Rev. Dr. Barnard at Salem, he was appointed tutor in mathematics at Cambridge, and continued in the place until his acceptance of the pastoral office in this town. . While ex- ercising the routine duties of a pastor, he did not neglect the profoundest studies of science and theology. He was a well instructed German scholar, and kept pace with the progress of scientific discovery ; he was familiar with the most abstruse problems of La Place, Cuvier, Bowditch, and Pierce; and in his latter days he took equal delight in discussing with Agassiz the wonderful developments which recent investigations have produced in Natural History. Nor was he neglectful of the humbler duties of his profession. He was deeply interested in the temperance cause for which he early and earnestly lectured and preached, in the bible cause, the Sunday-school, for which he prepared a treatise on Natural Theology, and which has also found a place in theological schools. He was a ripe scholar, and a sincerely spiritual man, and he permitted no rust to accumulate upon the bright armor of his intellectual or moral powers to his latest breath.
In 1810 he married Dorothea T., a daughter of Gov. Gilman, of Exeter, by whom he had four children, all sons, two of whom died young, and two survive, doing good service in their chosen professions. George Henry, a skillful physician in Boston, and the Rev. John T. G., for more than twenty years a faithful pastor of the Unitarian church in Saco. This most admirable woman died in April, 1831; and in May, 1832, he
FIRST PARISH-DR. NICHOLS. 659
formed a second matrimonial connection with Martha Salisbury Higginson, daughter of the late Stephen Higginson, who sur- vives him.
Dr. Nichols received in 1831, the degree of D. D. from Harvard, and from Bowdoin in 1821; he was forty-two years one of the Board of Trustees of Bowdoin, and Vice-President of the Board ; he was also, as was his predecessor, Dr. Deane, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was several years President of the Maine Historical Society.
The Parish on receiving the tidings of Dr. Nichols's death, held a meeting at which resolutions appropriate to the occasion were adopted, and a request made to the family to permit the interment to take place in Portland. This request was granted, the body was conveyed to Portland, and public religious ser- vices were held in the First Parish Meeting-house, which was suitably draped for the purpose, on the 7th of January. The Rev. Dr. Peabody, of Cambridge, preached a most appropriate discourse from the text, "Our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death." This, with other services and a memoir of Dr. Nichols, was published in a pamphlet.
The second parish continued to flourish under the sole charge of Mr. Kellogg for nineteen years ; during the early part of this period, the spirit which produced the separation from the old parish kept up a feeling of rivalry and opposition, until both parishes had overcome the embarrassment of their affairs. When experience proved that both could be well sustained, all jealousy subsided, and the ministers interchanged labors in a spirit of harmony very acceptable to their people. In 1807 Mr. Kellogg having a desire to extend his society and to estab- lish a branch of it at the western end of the town, which was then rapidly increasing, procured the assistance of Mr. Edward Payson, with a view, if his services were satisfactory to the parish, to have him united with himself as colleague pas- tor. The high expectations of Mr. Kellogg in relation to Mr. Payson were more than realized ; he entered on the duties of
1.
660
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
his profession with all the ardor of devoted feeling, and threw the whole power of his enthusiastic character into the offices of his ministry. Such ardor and enthusiasm, accompanied by genius, could not but win the hearts of his hearers, and there was no hesitation on their part in giving him a call to settle over them. He accepted the invitation and was ordained as the colleague of Mr. Kellogg, December 16, 1807.1
Under this accession of ministerial power, the society in- creased very rapidly, and Mr. Payson showed that he possessed the elements of a powerful and persuasive minister; his society and church became by far the largest in the State, and himself the most popular preacher of his day .? The meeting-house was enlarged in 1807, to accommodate the increased members of the society ; it was divided at the first bay before the pulpit, and thirty-two new pews on the ground floor were added and sold for the benefit of the parish. The house has within a few years undergone an entire change in its interior arrangement. Amidst the great success produced by the zeal and ardor of Mr. Payson, and while an apparent harmony existed in the society, symptoms of disunion suddenly appeared, the cause of which is not fully developed, and Mr. Kellogg's connection with the church and society was dissolved in December, 1811. An ecclesiastical council was held on this subject December 4, 1811, in which the churches of Scarborough, Falmouth, North Yarmouth, Gorham, and Gray, were represented by their pas- tors and delegates. Two questions were presented to the
1 Mr. Payson's father preached an interesting 'sermon on this occasion. Mr. Kellogg offered the consecrating prayer, and Dr. Buckminster of Portsmouth, delivered the charge. Mr. Payson's salary was one thousand dollars; Mr. Kellogg having relinquished four hundred dollars of his, reserving but three hundred for himself.
2 By an arrangement between themselves, the senior pastor officiated in the morning and the junior in the afternoon, that there might be no uncertainty when the latter was to preach. One of the converts, a man of some distinction observed, " Mr. Kellogg gets the sinner down in the morning, and in the after- noon Mr. Payson comes and jumps on him."
661
SECOND PARISH .- MR. KELLOGG, DR. PAYSON
council, first, as to the dissolution of the pastoral relation, sec- ond, on the propriety of recommending Mr. Kellogg for the ministry. It having appeared that one of the terms of Mr. Kellogg's settlement was that the contract should cease when- ever two-thirds of the church and congregation should be dissatisfied with him, and those bodies having voted their dis- satisfaction, the council pronounced a dissolution expedient. On the second question, after proof and debate, the council recommend for the ministry, and say " they cordially sympa- thize with Mr. Kellogg in his late and present afflictions." The plan which had been fondly cherished by the senior pastor of extending the society and forming a branch in the western part of the town, was abandoned. The whole of the laborious duty now devolved upon Mr. Payson, which he continued to discharge with renewed assiduity and zeal until he wore him- self out in the service, and died October 22, 1827.1
1 Mr. Payson was born in Ringe, N. H., July 25, 1783, graduated at Harvard College in 1803, and was engaged by Mr. Kellogg to come directly to Portland and take charge of the Academy, in which he continued three years. About the commencement of his third year, his views of religion were established, and he made open profession of his faith. From this period he employed his leisure time until his engagement at the Academy ceased, in the study of theol- ogy, which he completed with his father, in Ringe, New Hampshire.
Several of Mr. Payson's discourses were published during his life-time, and had an extensive circulation, particularly one before the Bible Society, and another to seamen. After his death two volumes of his sermons and a memoir of his life were published under the direction and for the benefit of his widow. Mr. Payson married May 8, 1811, Ann L. Shipman of New Haven, Connecticut, by whom he had six children, four sons and two daughters, viz : Louisa S., married to Prof. Hopkins of Williams' College, Edward, Elizabeth, married to Rev. George L. Prentiss, Henry M., George, and Charles. The mother died in 1848. The children all survive except Louisa. Edward and George graduated at Bowdoin College in 1832 and 1843. In addition to his arduous regular min- istrations, he was frequently called upon for addresses on special occasions both in this town and other places. I recollect the satisfaction which his Fourth of July oration in 1806, gave to his appreciating audience. An ardent federalist, it was full of enthusiasm and warmth. I also listened with great pleasure to his discourses to seamen, before the Bible Society, and the Portland Benevolent Society, all which produced a marked effect. He was fervent, able, eloquent.
652
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
It was in the early part of Mr. Payson's ministry that the line of distinction on religious sentiments became decisively marked between the first and second parishes. This was par- ticularly exhibited at the council which met for the ordination of Mr. Nichols. Mr. Payson believed it to be his duty to with- hold his assent to the ordination of that gentleman, on the ground that he was propagating an error; in fact that he was not a christian minister. Previous to that time there had been an interchange of services between the ministers of the two societies, and although it was understood that Dr. Deane en- tertained views more favorable to the liberal scheme of chris- tianity than Mr. Kellogg or Mr. Payson, it did not interrupt christian fellowship between them. After that time the nar- row breach widened to a gulf, and in one parish what was moderate Calvinism became decidedly Unitarianism, and in the other the same moderate Calvinism had risen into the firm or- thodox scheme, which has excluded from its communion and its pulpits the professors of the other sect.1 In building up this system, Mr. Payson bore no inconsiderable share and to which his enthusiasm gave energy and an informing spirit.
The Rev. Bennett Tyler, president of Dartmouth College, succeeded Mr. Payson in the pastoral charge of the second parish ; he was invited in May, 1828, and was installed in Sep- tember of that year. The Rev. Dr. Beecher of Boston preached the sermon.
Dr. Tyler resigned his pastoral connection with this society April 22, 1834, for the purpose of taking charge as principal of the Theological Seminary at East Windsor, Connecticut. He continued its presiding officer until July, 1857, and died May . 14, 1858, aged seventy-five. He was succeeded in the second parish, by Rev. Joseph Vail of Brimfield, Massachusetts, who was installed October 13, 1834. He was dismissed at his own
1 In 1811 at a meeting of the association of ministers in this county, Mr. Kel- logg and Mr. Payson negatived the appointment of Mr. Nichols to preach in their pulpit.
663
SECOND PARISH-DR. CARRUTHERS.
request in October, 1837, and returned to his former parish in Brimfield, and his place was supplied in May, 1838, by the Rev. Jonathan B. Condit, of New Jersey. Mr. Condit's health failing, he made a voyage to Europe in 1843, to recruit his strength, his parish continuing his salary during his absence and supplying the pulpit. On his return feeling that the cli- mate of Portland, as he supposed, not agreeing with the health of his family, he asked a dismission in 1845, which was reluc- tantly granted, as the society was remarkably united in him. He was a popular and effective preacher. He returned to New- ark, New Jersey, and is now settled in Auburn, New York. The Rev. John J. Carruthers, the successor of Mr. Condit, was installed August 19, 1846, and is the present pastor. The late Dr. Codman of Dorchester preached the installation sermon, and Dr. Dwight gave the charge. Dr. Carruthers was born in Dumfreeshire, Scotland, in 1800, and was educated at the uni- versity of Edinburg. At the age of nineteen he was sent by the Scottish Missionary Society, a missionary to Russian Tartary, where he zealously labored for five or six years, until compelled in 1825, by the intolerance of the government, to abandon the field. On his return to England, he was settled first at Gos- port and then at Liverpool for fifteen years. In 1841 he went to Montreal and took charge of a "Theological Institute," and reared an infant church, remaining there until he was invited to the charge of the second parish in 1846. He is a fervent, able, earnest, and eloquent preacher. The members of his church have increased to three hundred and seventy-one. The original number on the organization of the church in 1788, was eleven, whole number admitted since is one thousand five hund- red and ninety-four.
Of the six pastors who have presided in this church, three are now living, Messrs. Vail, Condit, and the present incum- bent. The meeting-house erected in 1788, has been once enlarged in Dr. Payson's ministry, and several times renewed and improved, the last change was early in Dr. Carruthers
664
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
ministry, when the pews, aisles, pulpit, and galleries were thor- oughly altered and marble tablets commemorative of its pastors, placed on its walls. This church has sent forth its colonies to plant the Third, High Street, State Street, the Union, St. Law- rence Street, and Abyssinian Churches, and still lives and has a healthy growth.
In 1807 a new congregational society was organized, the meetings of which were held at first in a hall; their first preacher was Rev. Jotham Sewall. The meeting-house in Congress street, now belonging to the third parish, was com- menced the same year, and the next spring they were incor- porated as the "Third Congregational Society in Portland." They had no regular minister until 1810, when the Rev. Na- than S. S. Beeman was ordained as their pastor. But next year his health being much impaired he took a journey south, and finding it so much benefited by a change of climate, that he requested and received a dismissal in 1812.1 After this unfortunate event, the members of the society were scattered among other parishes ; the church consisting of twenty-five or thirty members, by advice of council, communed with the second parish, and eventually amalgamated with them; in 1814 the society terminated in corporate existence by a disso- lution of its charter.
The Chapel Congregational Society was formed on the 18th of March, 1812, by the secession of Deacon James Jewett and thirty-one others from the second church, who formed them- selves into a distinct society under the above name. The dismission of these persons was procured by the aid of an eccle- siastical council, which proceeded at the same time to install Mr. Kellogg as the pastor of this society, he having received and accepted their unanimous call .? This small body was
1 Mr. Beeman afterward settled in Troy, N. Y.
3 There was for some time a reluctance shown to dismiss the members of the second church who had applied repeatedly to have it done ; at length a council was called by the dissatisfied members, consisting of pastors and delegates from
665
CHAPEL SOCIETY.
joined by some members from the second and third parishes, and their meetings were held in the house of the third society; the same year an act of incorporation was obtained. It was the design of this society to build a house in the south-westerly part of the town as had been contemplated by Mr. Kellogg, when the connection was formed between him and Mr. Payson. But the war and commercial embarrassments taking place, blasted at once all the hopes of giving strength to their society by the erection of a house of worship in a part of the town where one was much needed, and they reluctantly accepted the offer of the third society to take the conveyance of their house encum- bered though it was with a heavy debt. After about six years, the fortunes of the society still continuing unfavorable, Mr. Kel- logg proposed to relinquish the whole of his salary on two conditions ; one was that the creditors who had claims upon the meeting-house and were principally proprietors, should accept a composition of fifty per cent. of the sums due them : the other was that they should settle a colleague with him to enable him to engage part of the time in the missionary ser- vice. The propositions were accepted ; the Rev. Thomas S. Murdock was invited to become colleague with the Rev. Mr. Kellogg, and the pews were sold on the expectation of his or- dination for a sufficient sum to redeem the liabilities of the parish at fifty per cent. But the ordination of Mr. Murdock having been delayed by sickness in his family, the purchasers of pews declined paying for them, and the compromise was not carried into effect, so that the burden continued upon the par-
the first and second churches in Falmouth, the first and second churches in Scarborough, the churches in Buxton, Standish, Limerick, Biddeford, and Cape Elizabeth, by which their object was accomplished. At the installation, which took place on the 18th of March, Mr. Miltimore of Falmouth preached the ser- mon, Mr. Lancaster of Scarborough delivered the charge, Mr. Marrett of Stand- ish the fellowship of the churches, and prayers were offered by Messrs. Bradley of Falmouth, Coffin of Buxton, and Tilton of Scarborough.
43
666
HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
ish. Mr. Murdock however was ordained in September, 1819,1 and continued to discharge the duties of the pastoral office un- til March, 1821, when it was dissolved by mutual consent. Mr. Murdock was afterward settled at Canterbury, Connecti- cut, where he died December 25, 1826. Mr. Kellogg again became sole pastor; he soon procured the assistance of Mr. Whipple, a popular preacher, to whom an unanimous invita- tion was given, but declined. Mr. Nason supplied the pulpit a short time in 1821, during an absence of Mr. Kellogg on a mission, and on the return of the latter in December of that year the pastoral relation at his request was dissolved.2 In the spring of 1822, the Rev. Thomas M. Smith came to preach to the society, and his services were so acceptable that he received a united call and was ordained July 30 of that year.3 Some additions were made to the congregation, and several mem- bers were received into the church ; he continued his services until 1824, when the society not being able to give him a suf- ficient support, the connection was dissolved by mutual consent. This was their last regular minister ; the society and church
1 The Rev. Dr. Porter of Andover preached the sermon, Mr. Lancaster of Scarborough made the consecrating prayer, Mr. Kellogg the charge, Mr. Milti- more of Falmouth gave the fellowship of the churches, and Mr. Cogswell of Saco made the concluding prayer.
2 The parish committee addressed a letter to Mr. Kellogg, in which they ex- pressed the regret of the society in parting with him, and tendering him its thanks for his faithful services; they say, "this request, the society granted you with many painful feelings and not without honorable testimonies of your merits and services."
3 Mr. Cogswell of Saco offered the first prayer, Dr. Woods of Andover preached the sermon, Dr. Payson made the consecrating prayer, Mr. Walker of Danvers gave the charge, Mr. Cummings the right hand of fellowship, and Dr. Nichols addressed the church and people.
Mr. Smith married a daughter of Dr. Woods, by whom he had several chil -. dren, one of whom, Mrs. N. P. Richardson, resides in Portland. After leaving the society he became an Episcopalian, and a Professor in the Theological Sem- inary of the Diocese of Ohio, at Gambier in that State. He died in Portland September 6, 1864, aged sixty-seven.
.
667
THIRD CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
joined other parishes in town, about thirty-five of them becom- ing united to the second church from which twelve years before they had derived their separate existence. The church has never formally been dissolved, many of the members with the spirit of the ancient people looked forward to a brighter day when they should be reunited and again enjoy their ordinances under their own vine.1 In 1825 they sold their meeting-house with its heavy encumbrance to a new society just then formed.
The Third Congregational Society, the former by that name having been dissolved, was established in 1825. The church consisting of twenty males and fifteen females was set off from the second church and formed on the 9th of September of that year. The same year they purchased the meeting-house of the chapel society, and settled the Rev. Charles Jenkins as their pastor in November, 1825.2 The society increased rapidly un- der the pastoral care of Mr. Jenkins until December 29, 1831, when they were unexpectedly deprived of his very acceptable and useful services, by his sudden death.3 Mr. Jenkins was succeeded by the Rev. William T. Dwight, who was ordained June 6, 1832.4
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.