USA > Michigan > Branch County > History of Branch county, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 31
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The church has been favored with several extensive re- vivals of religion. One in 1839-40, under the labors of Rev. J. F. Davidson ; one in 1843-44, under the labors of Rev. John Ereonbeek and Benjamin Sabin ; one in 1854-55, under the labors of F. B. Bangs and J. Adams ; and one in 1876, under the labors of Rev. 1. Cogshall.
This church has always been growing and progressive in all departments of Christian effort. Its membership in 1878 was four hundred and thirty-six. It has a Sunday-school, including officers, teachers and scholars, of about three hundred members. As a most interest- ing fact, this church once had enrolled among its member- ship four of the persons who were members of the first society of Methodists ever organized in this State. They were Robert Abbott, Betsey Abbott, William McCarty, and Maria C. MeCarty, and their memorable dust now lies buried in our city cemetery.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
The history of the Baptist Church of Coldwater is like that of most other churches in the West. From a small and discouraging beginning, made by a " faithful few," dependent upon the Baptist Home Mission Society for support and aid, it has grown to be one of the strong churches of the denomination in the State, and has already returned to the Home Mission canse, many fold.
In July, 1833, Parley Stockwell, the first Baptist, took up his residence here. He was soon followed by Rice Ar- nold and Prudence, his wife,-parents of Win. P. Arnold, of Quiney,-Dr. Hiram Alden and family, and Chauncey and Nathan Strong and families. During the following year they were visited by several Baptist clergyman, one being the Rev. E. Loomis, agent of the Home Mission Society.
On the 31st of December, 1834, a meeting was held at
the residence of Dr. Alden, on Chicago Street, now owned and occupied by Deacon Matthias Van Every, to consider the propriety of forming a Baptist church. Nathan Strong was appointed moderator and Dr. Alden clerk. After prayer and mature deliberation, on motion of Chauncey Strong "the clerk was directed to draft an article to be circulated among the members of the Baptist denomination in this vicinity desiring to form a conference for the pur- pose of maintaining the regular worship of God, and for the edifieation and growth in grace of each other."
The following article, " We the undersigned, feeling de- sirous of maintaining the visible worship of God, agree to form ourselves into a conference for that purpose, promising to attend to all the regular appointments for that object when circumstances will permit," was signed by Chauncey Strong, Nathan Strong, Wm. D. Strong, Geo. W. Arnold, H. Alden, Parley Stockwell, Ann Logan, Melita Alden, Prudence Arnold, Euniee Strong, Sally Strong, Betsey Strong, Sarah Strong, Nathan H. Strong, Sarah Sheldon.
The conference met, Jan. 17, 1835, at the Red School- Ilouse, at the corner of' Hudson and Pearl Streets, and by the advice of Rev. E. Loomis, missionary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, agreed to invite the churches of Clinton, Swainsville, and Napoleon to hold a council in Coldwater, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1835, to take into consideration the propriety of constituting a church. Rev. E. Loomis was empowered to invite such other ministering " brethren as he might deem proper to take part."
At a meeting of the conference, Feb. 9, 1835, Brother Iliram Alden was appointed to represent the conference in said council, and the articles of faith and covenant of the Baptist Church of Malone, N. Y., were adopted as the articles of faith and covenant of this church.
" Feb. 11, 1835, in pursuance of letters missive from the Baptist conference in Coldwater, a council assembled at the house of' H. Alden to consider their members' standing, etc., and if thought proper to give them fellowship as a church. On examining credentials it was found that the following brethren were authorized to act in the council : Clinton Church, Rev. R. Powell, Deacon Reuben Downs; Rev. W. T. Hall, from the church in Greenfield, Indiana; and Rev. E. Loomis, agent of the American Baptist Homie Mission Society.
" Council organized by appointing Rev. W. T. Hall moderator and Rev. E. Loomis elerk. Prayer by Rev. R. Powell. Brother HL. Alden, of the conference and acting as their representative, presented to the council their pro- ceedings thus far and the letters of the members. On ex- amination it was found that the following brethren and sisters were prepared to enter into the church, viz. : Brethren Chauncey Strong, Nathan Strong, Wm. D. Strong, Geo. W. Arnold, Iliram Alden, Parley Stockwell, and Nathan II. Strong; Sisters Ruth Strong, Thankful Ferguson, Melita Alden, Prudence Arnold, Eunice Strong, Sally Strong, Betsey Strong, Sarah Strong, and Sarah Sheldon."
The council examined their proposed articles of faith and covenant, and, after some amendments, approved of them and " Resolved, That we recognize the above-named brethren and sisters as a regular Baptist church." Rev. R.
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Powell preached on the occasion, and Rev. W. T. Hall presented the hand of fellowship.
The church was without a settled pastor until October of the same year, being supplied part of the time by Rev. E. Loomis, of the Home Mission Society. June 8, 1835, the church voted to unite with the La Grange (Indiana) Bap- tist Association, requesting Rev. E. Loomis to represent them, and raising seventy-five cents for the minutes. During this time four members were received by letter. Oct. 3, 1835, Nathan Strong and Geo. W. Arnold were chosen deacons, and Hiram Alden clerk. Rev. Reuben Graham was admitted as a member, and officiated as pastor from that time until Sept. 12, 1837, preaching part of the time at Branch. Nine were received by letter and one by bap- tism. After closing his pastorate he lived on his farm near Branch, preaching in the neighborhood and at Ovid, and subsequently uniting with this church. He died a few years ago, and is buried with his wife on the Baptist church burial-lots in Oak Grove Cemetery, where the church and society erected a suitable tombstone in memory of their first pastor.
From September, 1837, to December, 1842, the records of the church show that Rev. Wm. B. Brown was called to be the pastor Dec. 18, 1838, and again in June, 1842. During this time, in March, 1840, Rev. John Southworth, of Tekonsha, father of W. S. Southworth, of this city, was pastor, preaching half of his time here and the other half at Bronson. About this time he held a revival-meeting at Ovid, in the Lock wood neighborhood. He afterwards settled at Colon, founding the Baptist church there, and assisting in building up the church at Burr Oak.
The records show that an " Elder Carter" was here, and we are informed that a minister by the name of Mallory officiated as pastor. While W. B. Brown was pastor, Rev. T. Z. R. Jones assisted in a revival-meeting in the " Red school-house."
In the fall of 1838, John T. Haynes and wife, Armilla (present wife of Emerson Marsh), united with the church by letter from the church at North Penfield, N. Y. He was a man of enterprise and untiring energy, devoted to the church of his choice. Liberal to a fault, no sacri- fice was too great for him to make, and when he built his large residence at the corner of Division and Washington Streets (now owned by Dr. Cutter), he made one large room of the first story to accommodate the social meetings of the church. His house was the home of the pastors and their families for months at a time.
Dec. 18, 1838, the Rev. William B. Brown was called as pastor, remaining until July, 1842, the church receiving twenty-one members by letter, ten by baptism, and one by experience.
During this time he was assisted in a revival-meeting by Rev. T. Z. R. Jones.
In December, 1842, the Rev. James Davis was settled as pastor. Ile was a man of pre-eminent piety and great moral worth. Ile married the widow of Rev. Eddy Mason, who gave to the ministry three sons who have a national reputation, and one daughter, Mrs. Haswell, to the Foreign Mission cause. One daughter was married to Hon. George A. Coe.
From here Rev. Mr. Davis removed to Bronson, pur- chasing a farm near the village. Ile preached there, and aided materially in building up the church at that place. During his pastorate, which closed in July, 1844, twenty were added to the church by letter, seven by experience, and fourteen by baptism. While he was pastor, the church united with the Presbyterians, under Rev. Mr. Mills, in a series of remarkable revival-meetings held in the second story of a frame building at the northeast corner of the public square and Chicago Street, known as the " Coon Pen," so called because the Whig party held its elub-meet- ings there. Up to this time the church had no permanent place of worship, meeting at private houses, in a school- house at the corner of Pearl and IFudson Streets that was rejected by the school district, and in the school-house on Clay, a few rods south of Chicago Street.
The Baptists and Presbyterians met together for a long time, the congregations joining when their respective pastors officiated. In June, 1843, the clerk reported fifty-three members. On the 12th of Angust, 1843, the church and society was organized under the statutes of Michigan, and on the 20th of December following voted to build a house of worship, and purchased the lot where Seely's Block now stands. John T. Haynes, Samuel Etheridge, and Henry Lockwood were appointed a committee to circulate a sub- scription to raise the necessary funds. The trustees, Elisha Jennings, Harvey Haynes, Samuel Etheridge, A. Van Blarcum, Calvin Pratt, A. Richards, and John T. Haynes were the building committee, and were authorized to " con- tract to build a meeting-house with the subscription and to use it at their discretion." A fine frame church was soon thereafter erected.
Nov. 10, 1844, the church settled Rev. J. A. Keyes as pastor. Ile remained until August, 1845. Twelve were received by letter, one by experience, and three by baptism during this time. A Sabbath-school was organized under his pastorate.
In October, 1845, Rev. Oliver C. Comstock was installed as pastor, and remained with the church until June, 1848. Thirty-five members were received by letter and three by baptism, under his ministrations. Ile was an able and powerful preacher, having been a physician in the State of New York, and was elected to three successive terms of Congress from that State; was ordained to the ministry in Washington City ; he returned home and declined a renon- ination, and was called to the pastorate of the First Baptist Church in Rochester. In 1834 he was chaplain in Con- gress, and after coming to this State was twice elected to the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and re- presented Branch County one term in the Legislature. From here he removed to Marshall, where he died in 1860 at the age of seventy-nine years.
In November, 1848, the church called the Rev. Anson P. Tucker, who was pastor until May, 1850. He was a man of superior talent, and an attractive preacher. He belonged to the noted Tucker family so well known in New York, there being five brothers, Baptist clergymen, and all of them men of large experience and reputation. During this time there were received twenty-two by letter, seven- teen by baptism, and seven by experience.
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Oct. 20, 1850, the church called F. O. Marsh to the pastorate, and he was ordained as a minister by a council held with the church, Dec. 19, 1850. He remained with the church until October, 1853, during which time eight were received by baptism, thirty-one by letter, and two by experience. In June, 1851, the church having been a member of the St. Joseph River Association, asked for and received a letter of dismission, to unite with the Hills- dale Association. In the winter of 1852-53 the church sold their lot on Chicago Street and bought the lot on the corner of Mouroe and Pearl Streets, removing their build- ing there. With the surplus money a parsonage was pur- chased, being the present residence of Dr. Marsh, on West Chicago Street.
From December, 1853, to June, 1856, Rev. E. J. Corey was pastor, and during this time thirty-five were received by baptism, fifty-four by letter, and two by experience.
In January, 1857, Rev. A. A. Ellis was called as pastor, and remained until April, 1858, the church receiving four members by baptism, ten by letter, and two by experience.
June 3, 1858, Rev. Edwin Eaton, of Monroeville, Ohio, was chosen pastor, continuing until April, 1866. He was an able and popular man, and greatly beloved by everybody. While he was pastor one hundred and forty-two were added to the church by baptism, seventy-seven by letter, and twenty- two by experience. From here he was called to the churchi at Muscatine, Iowa, and the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him. He died at La Grange, Mo.
During his ministry the present church edifice was erec- ted. In March, 1855, the question of building a larger church was discussed, and a committee appointed to con- sider and report thereon ; but not until Jan. 19, 1863, did the subject assume a tangible shape. At a meeting of the church and society, on motion of Rev. E. Eaton, it was " Resolved, that in the opinion of this meeting, it is both practicable and expedient for us to build a church edifice this present year."
B. Etheridge, E. HI. Dunks, A. S. Glessner, Ilarvey Haynes, and B. S. Webb were appointed a committee to select a site, and on motion of H. C. Lewis, it was resolved that a church be built, costing not less than ten thousand dollars.
At a subsequent meeting, Feb. 2, 1863, the present site, at the corner of Division and Pearl, was agreed upon, Mr. Lewis giving half the ground and one thousand dollars, and Mr. Allen the other half of the land and seven hundred dollars. A. Allen, A. S. Glessner, and E. II. Dunks were chosen building committee. Burt Eth- eridge, Harvey Haynes, T. C. Etheridge, and D. N. Green were afterwards added to the committee.
Under the management of the committee, the work of building progressed rapidly, so that on Sunday, Nov. 13, 1864, Rev. E. Eaton preached the first sermon in the lec- ture-room. In August, 1865, the audience-room was fin- ished and furnished, and the church dedicated, free from debt, Rev. E. Curtis preaching the dedicatory sermon. It was the first church edifice erected in Coldwater of any pretensions, costing, furnishing included, about twenty-five thousand dollars. Since that time a bell, weighing two thousand and fifty pounds, has been hung in the belfry, 16
and last year one of Johnson & Son's best pipe-organs was built in the church at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars.
After the close of the pastorate of Rev. E. Eaton, Rev. E. Curtis, who is well and prominently known in Michigan, supplied the church for a time, and was settled as pastor in September, 1866, continuing until September, 1868. Sixteen were received by baptism, thirty-one by letter, and one by experience during this time.
From Oct. 25, 1868, to December, 1870, Rev. N. Pierce was pastor. Forty-one were received by baptism, twenty- nine by letter, and four by experience during his ministry. From here he was called to the Baptist church at Spring- field, Ill., where he died a few years ago.
June 11, 1871, Rev. W. T. Lowry, of Minneapolis, the present pastor, commenced his labors. During his pastorate the church has been very prosperous, enjoying one of the greatest revivals in its history. Under his ministry there have been added to the church one hundred and twenty- six by baptism, forty-nine by letter, and nineteen by ex- perience.
From its first organization the church has numbered with its members some of our most prominent and useful citizens, beginning with Dr. Iliram Alden, who at the time of his death was one of the prominent men in the State ; Samuel Etheridge, father of Theo. C. Etheridge; William Winans, who was elected deacon Jan. 10, 1846, and filled the office until his death ; John T. Haynes, whose name appears more frequently on the records of deeds in this county than any other name, and whose benevolence was proverbial. Calvin Pratt was elected deacon April 7, 18-13, and Mathias Van Every Aug. 4, 1849, and they have faithfully filled their offices ever since.
The present officers of the church are William T. Lowry, Pastor ; D. B. Purinton, Clerk ; Henry T. Smith, Treasurer; Nathan Harlow, Sabbath-school Superintendent ; Calvin Pratt, Luther F. Hale, Mathias Van Every, J. II. D. Warren, Joel N. Brink, and R. M. Reed, Deacons; Geo. Starr, B. L. Webb, George W. Fisk, J. Clark Pierce, A. S. Glessner, and P. P. Nichols, Trustees.
TIIE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI.
The Sessional Records of the First Presbyterian Church of Coldwater contain the following entry :
"COLDWATER, Sept. 30, 1837. " Agreeable to public notice, a meeting was held on the above- named day in the school-house in the village of Coldwater, Branch County, State of Michigan, for the purpose of organizing a Presby- terian church, at which time the Rev. P. W. Warenor presided and preached a sermon, after which the following individuals presented letters of their regular standing in other Presbyterian churches, and were regularly organized into a church of Christ, viz. : Luther Stiles and Clarissa his wife, James Smith and Abigail his wife, Edmond Sloan and Catheron (ine ?) his wife, E. G. Fuller, Ambrose Grow and Eliza his wife, Mrs. Reynolds, wife of Alexander Reynolds, Mary Ann Reynolds, Sophronia Reynolds, Mrs. Amaty Cruson, Mary Smith, James Smith, Jr., Lydia Smith.
"The church then proceeded to the choice of Luther Stiles and James Smith as ruling chters, and Edmond Sloan was elected as a deacon. On motion [it was] resolved to have the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered to-morrow afternoon. Closed with prayer by the moderator.
" P. W. WARENOR, Moderator.
"LUTHER STILES, Clerk."
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
In a sermon by Rev. S. C. Ilickok, pastor of the church, 1844-47, it is stated that before the above organization " the Methodist and Baptist Churches were organized, and among the people were found some of our denomination." During the winter of 1837-38, the Presbyterian Church was blessed with a good number of additions, from among whom were several who afterwards became strong pillars in the church. Among this number were Silas A. Holbrook, William H. Cross, and Alexander Reynolds, who are recog- nized among the early pioneers of this county. Mr. War- enor, who organized the church, seems to have been a sort of itinerant, for by the record bearing date Jan. 8, 1838, we find that Charles W. Girney was moderator of a meeting of the session, and report says that he stopped here over Sunday, in October, 1837, while on his way to Sturgis, and quartering at the old Eagle House, he made inquiries if there was a Presbyterian Church in the place. Receiving an affirmative answer, he made arrangements to preach on the Sabbath. Word was sent out that preaching might be expected in the old red school-house, which was located on Iludson Street. The people were pleased with Mr. Girney, and an arrangement was perfected by which he was to preach a year, dividing his time between the infant church in Cold- water and the Congregational Church at Union City. For his services each church was to pay him one hundred and fifty dollars,-making a yearly salary of three hundred dollars. Mr. Girney was in early life a blacksmith in Steuben Co., N. Y. He was not an educated man, but was possessed of good natural abilities, and any amount of tact. He spoke extemporaneously, and was practical in his application of gospel truth to his hearers. He was also a man who seemed to feel, in an excessive degree, his own unworthi- ness. It is said of him that at one time shortly before his death he, in company with another (" Father" James Fisk, who told the writer the story), visited a woman who was just at the point of death. In an adjoining room her hus- band lay in a stupor, beastly drunk. They went in and tried to arouse him, telling him that his wife was dying. The poor man just barely raised himself, and could com- mand his senses only long enongh to say, " Yes, they tell me so," and then fell back again to his former druuken insensibility. Said Mr. Girney : " There is but little dif- ference between that man and me. Nothing but the grace of Christ has made me what I am." In 1838, Mr. Girney went away, and for two years the little church seems to have been without a stated preacher; and in the interim the names of Rev. J. P. Cleaveland, Rev. William Stephen, and Rev. William Littlefield are recorded in the sessional records as having acted as moderator, and it is reasonable to infer that they preached while in the village. In 1838, we find that Silas A. Holbrook was chosen a ruling elder, and William H. Cross a deacon, in the church. In 1841, a committee was sent to visit Rev. Charles W. Girney, and see if he could uot be induced to return as stated preacher. It is reported that he gave the church a sound scolding for placing so much confidence in him; and in July of that same year Mr. Girney died, and the church felt most deeply its sore bereavement. Rev. S. C. Hickok, in his semuon dedicating the first church, says of his loss to the church : " His prospects for usefulness were high ; the ex-
pectations of the church were high ; and at the moment. when they seemed in possession of a rich treasure,-a treasure they loved most ardently and sincerely,-God interposed and took him hence." His grave, marked by a plain marble slab, may be found in the old burying-ground on what is now known as Morse Street. In 1842, Rev. Lonis Mills, who had been associated with Mr. Girney, while in New York, in the blacksmith trade, and who came West with him to Oberlin (Ohio), where they both studied for the ministry, was called to act as stated preacher to suc- ceed Mr. Girney. Ile occupied the pulpit until some time in the summer of 1844.
During these early years, from 1837-44, the church held its meetings sometimes in the red school-house on Iludson Street, sometimes in the school-house on Clay Street back of the brick store, so generally known as the " Crippen store," and sometimes in the court-room, which was in the upper story of a wooden building on Chicago Street, which occupied the ground where the late Dr. J. II. Buch's residence now stands. This building was familiarly known as the "Coon Pen," which took this name from the fact that the first floor was occupied as a store, and a great many coon-skins were taken there in trade.
On Wednesday, Aug. 9, 1843, at five o'clock P.M., a meeting was held at the " regular place of meeting" (the old " Coon Pen"), to organize a church and society under the statute. Under the resolution the society was to be known as the " First Presbyterian Society of Coldwater," and, as the law required, six trustees were elected, and the period of their office fixed by lot, as follows : for one year, Milton Il. Fuller and Edson Bundiet ; for two years, Cor- nelius Van Aken and Orsamus B. Clark ; for three years, Henry C. Gilbert and Silas A. Holbrook.
During the same year the idea of building a church was conceived. It was a difheult task to undertake, and much more difficult to accomplish. But, somehow or other, the sturdy pioneer always looks difficulties in the face and goes forward. All of these early settlers had little property and a great deal less ready money. Produce and timber they had in abundance. The former was worth but little, and the latter was actually valueless ; but money-they hadn't any. They did have brave hearts and strong hands, and with these were themselves able to build a church. A subscription-paper was started, and produce and timber and labor were pledged, and as much money as each thought he might be able to raise. One man paid his subscription in hay, another promised to turn a certain amount of tailoring towards its erection, and others promised to do a certain amount of work upon the building. In this way the church was built,-a church that, in those days, would have been a credit to a much larger and older and richer community.
In the spring of 1844 some of the members of the church living in Kinderhook desired to organize a church of their own, which was done with the full consent of the church in Coldwater,-the pastor, Rev. Louis Mills, ordain- ing Moses J. Peck as ruling elder and Johu Waterhouse as deacon.
In the fall of 1844 Rev. Louis Mills had gone and Rev. S. C. Iliekok had been employed as stated minister. Ile was spoken of as " a very fine scholar." The church had
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ITISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
eighty-seven persons in its communion when he entered upon his work. At this time the new church-building was dedicated. It was not a pleasant day. It was muddy un- der foot and cloudy overhead. But, reader, could you and I have been in some out-of-the-way corner we might have seen the people coming in from every road, bringing their children with them, that they all might rejoice together in the work of their hands. We might have felt, too, the silence and solemnity of the whole congregation as the min- inister led his people to the throne of grace in thankfulness for all the mercies of the past, which had reached their culmination in the joy of their hearts that day. It was an occasion full of that eloquence which speaks in deeper tones than human utterance,-and when the minister came to these words, " And now, brethren, repenting of our sins, and humbly imploring pardon, that, with clean hands and pure hearts, we may enter into this house of God, and ren- dering thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God for his goodness, let us dedicate this house to Ilim ;" and when the congregation all arose, as they did arise when the min- ister pronounced these words, we can imagine that the pent- up forces of many hearts gave vent to tears of joy and thanksgiving, whose incense went up before God as a per- petual memorial.
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