A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I, Part 41

Author: Seward, Josiah Lafayette, 1845-1917
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: [Keene, N.H., Sentinel printing Co.]
Number of Pages: 888

USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Sullivan > A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I > Part 41

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Resolved, that we hereby manifest our gratitude to the donor and request our clerk to transmit a copy to him and enter the same in the records of the society. Atwell C. Ellis, Clerk."

Mr. Osgood was one of the most successful' business men who has been a native of the town. He lived at Indianapolis, Ind. See the chapter on BIO- GRAPHICAL NOTICES, among the " Successful Business Men."

MINOR ORGANIZATIONS.

The ladies have long had a circle connected with the society which has done much good. For many years, they met, at stated times, at the houses of the dif- ferent ladies of the parish. They went early in the afternoon, sewed on garments for the poor, or for the use of the church, during the rest of the day, and took tea with the lady who was the hostess. Their great work during the Civil War will be noted elsewhere. See chapter on MILITARY HISTORY. It would be impossible here to name all the officers and members of this circle. The membership included practically all the women of the church, and nearly all of them served, at one or another time, in some official capacity.

The minor organizations for auxiliary church work will be noted in the section devoted to " Societies " in the chapter on INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY.

PARSONAGE AND WOOD-LOT.

The Sullivan minister enjoys the use of a good parsonage, beautiful for its situation, which commands a fine view of Monadnock and many hills and moun- tains to the south and south-east, with views of peaks in Massachusetts and Vermont. This parsonage was willed to the society by Asa Ellis, who died Feb. 14, 1874. It stands on the site of the old Muzzy house. The latter was a fine old 2-story mansion. It is a pity that it was not repaired and its old colonial finishings preserved. Instead of this, it was taken down and the present building placed upon the spot. This was done before the death of Mr. Ellis, although the ministers of the society have always lived upon this place. Asa Ellis and Selim Frost purchased it of the Muzzys, July 11, 1834. Mr. Ellis bought the share of Mr. Frost, May 7, 1859. These gentlemen granted its use to the ministers, a privilege made permanent by the will of Mr. Ellis.

Mr. Muzzy stipulated that 35 cords of wood should be annually drawn to his house by the parish. Similar arrangements were made with some of the

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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.

later ministers. The provision for the pastor's wood was finally made perma- nent by the will of James Comstock, who died, April 6, 1861, who willed to the society a valuable wood-lot, situated upon the western part of the old Comstock farm in District No. 3.

MEMORIAL TABLET.

On Aug. 24, 1905, Sullivan celebrated her first Home Day. On that occa- sion, several hundred persons assembled on the old common near the site of the old first meetinghouse on the hill, where a memorial tablet was unveiled, on the site of the old pulpit. The assembly was called to order by Mr. Minot Wesley Hubbard, and the exercises continued by the singing of a stanza of Old Hundred, " Praise God from whom all blessings flow." Rev. T. M. Patterson, the present pastor of the Sullivan churches, then read selections from the 89th Psalm, after which the audience sang the Italian Hymn. Prayer was then offered by Rev. Mr. Field of Gilsum. Mr. Patterson then delivered a brief address, closing with the dedication formula, as follows : "To the memory of the honored founders of this town, whose hands levelled the primeval forests and built the tirst temple of worship upon this mountain, that future generations may be mindful of their virtues and heroism, in the favoring presence of many of their lineal descendants and by the hands of two of them, we unveil and dedicate this suitably inscribed tablet, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." He then offered the prayer of consecration. As the words " by the hands of two of them " were spoken, the tablet was unveiled by Carleton Ermon Nims, son of Mason A. Nims, and a descendant of Dea. Zadok Nims, in the fifth generation, and Ruth Della Hubbard, a daughter of Minot Wesley Hubbard, and a descendant of Roswell Hubbard, Esq., in the fifth generation. The tablet bears the following inscription :

HERE WAS BUILT THE FIRST MEETINGHOUSE IN SULLIVAN COMPLETED, JULY 19, 1791 : LAST USED FOR WORSHIP CHRISTMAS, DEC. 25, 1808. HERE FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS "OUR FATHERS WORSHIPPED IN THIS MOUNTAIN."

The quotation is from John IV, 20. We retain the original preposition "in " instead of "on." The writer of this volume then delivered a brief historical address, and the exercises concluded with the doxology and a benediction by the pastor. Among the aged persons present were John Locke, Mrs. Lavina White, Charles Mason (in his 90th year), Mrs. Helen A. M. Ball, Perry E. Kemp, and the widow of the late C. Franklin Wilson, all of whom were residents or former residents of the town ; also Henry D. Taylor of Nelson, who married a Sullivan lady. The other exercises of the day belong to an account of the " Home Day Society," which will be found in the chapter on the INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY.

II. BAPTIST CHURCH.

A Baptist Church was organized in Sullivan, Jan. 14, 1808, by a council

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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

composed of Rev. Jeremiah Higbee of Alstead, accompanied by Moses Hale and Dr. Nathaniel Shepherd as delegates; Rev. Elijah Willard of Pottersville, accompanied by Dr. John Knowlton and Dea. Elias Hemenway (of Marlborough, now Roxbury) as delegates ; Charles (later Rev. Chas.) Cummings of Marl- borough ; Rev. Wm. McCuller of West Swanzey, with Arad Hall as delegate ; Rev. Nathaniel Bowles of Richmond ; and Daniel Cummings of Marlborough. The members of this church were the following :

The group contained in this paragraph were presumably covenant members, on Jan. 14, 1808, but it is possible that the list should contain a few names which appear in the following paragraph : Dalphon Gibbs and Mrs. Asenath, his wife; Daniel Converse of Gilsum; "Delilah " Converse (which may be an error for Ruth, wife of Daniel Converse of Gilsum, or more likely for Deliverance Converse, a daughter, who joined subsequently. Probably Ruth, wife of Daniel, was admitted with her husband) ; David Cummings and Mrs. Azubah, his wife, both dismissed later to Acworth ; Selden Borden of Gilsum; Bethiah, wife of David Emery Boynton ; Stephen Foster and Mrs. Lydia, his wife; Joseph Thompson of Gilsum, " seceded "; Antipas Maynard, dis. to Keene ; Elizabeth, wife of Antipas Maynard, dis. to Keene; Benjamin Eaton and Mrs. Elizabeth, his wife; Reuben Wright and Mrs. Olive, his wife, dis. to Washington, N. H .; Charles Cummings, afterwards first pastor, and Mrs. Mary (usually called Polly), his wife, the former dismissed, June, 1834, to Lyndeborough, and the latter, on May 18 (?), 1839, to West Swanzey ; Amasa Brown, dis., Apr. 28, 1841, to Keene; Polly (or " Molly " or Mary), wife of Amasa Brown. The preceding, 21 in all, were from Sullivan when not otherwise noted. Mr. and Mrs. Cummings signed in 1810.

The following group contains the list of the most of those admitted during the ministry of Rev. Charles Cummings, the dates of admission wanting. All persons in the subsequent roll of membership were of Sullivan when not other- wise noted. Dates of deaths of Sullivan members may be found in the geneal- ogies in this volume. Deaths of the out-of-town members are here given, if known.

James Daniels, residence unknown, probably Gilsum ; Henry Bragg, resi- dence unknown, probably Gilsum, dis. to some other church; Amasa Brown, Jr., dis. to Keene; Charles H. Cummings, dis. to another church ; Elvira Fay Gibbs, afterwards Mrs. Willard Dort, dis. to another church ; David Boynton ; Mrs. Lucretia, Ist wife of David Boynton ; Mary Boynton ; Betsey Boynton; Eliza Boynton, dis. to another church ; Bethiah M. Boynton, who married, Ist, Samuel Dakin, 2d, Dea. Jerry Felt, dis. to another church ; Stephen Foster, Jr., and Mrs. Nancy B., his wife ; Mrs. Betsey Kidder, 2d wife of Dea. Dalphon Gibbs ; Aaron B. Kidder of Roxbury, a relative of Mrs. Gibbs; Mrs. Lucena Gibbs, wife of Benjamin Thompson, Jr .; Asa Foster of Roxbury, brother of Ist Mrs. S. Win- chester ; Stephen Lord; Mrs. Mehetabel Watson, wife of Stillman Eaton ; Silas Morse and Mrs. Susannah, his wife; Eleazar Hathorn and Mrs. Betsey, his wife ; Silas Hathorn ; Mrs. Elizabeth, (often called Betsey), wife of Wm. Banks, Sr. ; Enoch Foster of Roxbury, brother of Mrs. Samuel Winchester, died at Somerset, Mich., Mar. 24, 1872 ; Mrs. Mary, wife of Cutler Knight, of Marlow; Pompey Woodward, a Negro, and Mrs. Mary, a Negress, his wife; Stillman Eaton ; Mehetabel Foster, later the wife of Rev. D. P. French, dis., Nov. 1840, to Marl-

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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.

borough ; Luther Hemenway and Mrs. Finis, his wife, both of whom " seceded "; Samuel Winchester and Mrs. Chloe F. (Boynton,) his 2d wife ; Luther Hemenway, Jr. ; Cynthia Hemenway, later Mrs. Jehiel Day ; Solon W. Eaton, dis., Sept. 30, 1842, to Grafton, Vt. ; Elizabeth Foster ; Athenodorus Guillow; Tirzah Boynton, later Mrs. Nahum Kingsbury ; Hosea Foster; Mrs. Eliza, wife of Chauncy W. Rawson ; Joseph Elliot Cummings and Mrs. Daphne Wright, his wife; Ira Ellis and Mrs. Mary B. (Proctor,) his wife, the latter becoming later a member of the Worthen St. Bap. Ch. of Lowell, Mass., from which she was received again into this church, Jan. 1843, on becoming the 2d wife of David Boynton ; Miriam Bolster; Eliza Eaton, later Mrs. Gilbert Jefts; Mary Gibbs, later the wife of Dr. Silas Barrett of Mason City, Iowa ; Lavina Fay, probably a relative of the Gibbses ; Nancy P. Parker of Roxbury, later Mrs. James Wakefield of that town, dis. to Dublin (now in Chesham), Aug. 14, 1834; Miss Betsey Morris, a sister of Mrs. D. E. Boynton ; Nancy, wife of Joseph Knight of Marlow, was received Nov. 3, 1839, from Cong. ch. of Stoddard, having been immersed.

The records allude to "sister Lydia Atwood." She was a sister of Mrs. Reuben Wright and of Mrs. Benjamin Eaton, and probably kept house for her nephew, Silas Atwood. Her name is not on the existing roll of membership. She may have belonged to some other Baptist church. The list of the deaths given in the Baptist church records contains that of Lyman Eaton, who was most likely a member. The same list has the death of Mrs. Anna Adams, 2d wife of Ephraim Adams of Stoddard, and widow of Rev. Isaac Kenney (often called Kinney), at one time a Baptist minister in Stoddard. She was probably a member of this church. Excepting these two, all other persons whose deaths are noted, are known to have been members of this church. We therefore conclude that these were. The roll appears to have been made up at a rather late date. Excepting this roll, there is no other record of the admissions during the ministry of Mr. Cummings, until very near the close of his pastorate. Hence the roll is likely to be deficient.

From 1832, the church records contain the admissions in their chronological order. The remaining names upon the roll will therefore be arranged under the respective years of their admission. If more than one person were received at any time, the month and day of the month hold good for all admissions until a new day is named :

1832. March, Eusebia, 3d wife of Samuel Winchester, from ch. in West Swanzey .- Sept. 9, Sarah, dau. of Amasa Brown, from ch. in New Ipswich, dis., Apr. 28, 1841, to Keene.

1 833. March, Mrs. Lydia H., wife of Charles H. Cummings, from ch. in Alstead.

1834. Jan. 12, Mary Comstock, later Mrs. Philander Staples (baptized Nov. 28, 1833), dis., Feb. 1858, to Westmoreland.

1835. Jan. II, Mrs. Nancy R., wife of Hosea Foster, from ch. in Society Land .- May 10, Harriet Eliza Winchester, later Mrs. Jacob Staples ; Roxana Leonard Gibbs, later Mrs. Elnathan Crowell of Clear Lake, Iowa ; Anna Gove Cummings, later Mrs. Elijah Boyden of Marlborough; the preceding three having all been baptized the same day by Rev. Jeremiah Higbee of Alstead.

1836. Mar. 6, Thankful Watson Gibbs, later Mrs. Lewis Asa Knight,

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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

having been baptized, Mar. 3, 1836, by Rev. Chas. Cummings, near Mr. Hemen- way's .- Oct., Julia H. Dort of Gilsum, from 2d ch. in Lowell .- Nov. 1, Arnold Kingsbury, from ch. in Monkton, Vt. He was ordained, next day, as pastor of the church.

1837. No admissions.

1838. June, William Brown and Mrs. Ann U. (Fiske), his wife, both by baptism ; both dis. to Keene, Apr. 28, 1841 ; Ephraim Foster, by bap .- July, Mrs. Sibyl (Mason), wife of Ephraim Foster, by bap .; Nancy J. Boynton, later Mrs. Albert Crosby, by bap .; dis., Jan. 1843, to Watertown, Mass .- Oct. 20, Martha Phelps of Marlow, later Mrs. Sumner Knight, from ch. in Hancock ; Prudence J. Phelps of Marlow, by bap. ; died, June 26, 1839.

1839. Feb. 20, Mrs. Sarah (Wilder), wife of Thos. T. Wetherbee, from ch. in Swanzey, d.opped from the roll for "heresy," March 18, 1846 .- Feb. 25, Willard Dort, by bap .; Mary M. Williams, residence unknown, by bap., dis., Feb. 22, 1843, to Baldwin Place ch., Boston, Mass .; Julia M. Brown, by bap. ; Mrs. Philadelphia (White), wife of Benjamin Corey of Gilsum, by bap., dropped from the roll at her request, Sept. 21, 1839; Nancy Mason, later Mrs. Albert Richardson, by bap., dis., Sept. 1844, to Tremont Temple ch., Boston, Mass .- Apr. 21, Geo. W. Richardson of Stoddard, by bap., died, Oct. 20, 1847 ; Susan Farrar, by bap., dis., Aug. 25, 1842, to Keene ; Nathaniel Mason, and Mrs. Sally, his wife, from the ch. in Pottersville .- Apr. 28, Sumner Knight, Chauncy W. Rawson, and Cutler Knight, all three by bap .- May 18, Lucena G. Williams, (res. unknown), by bap., died, Dec. 1842; Amos Heald, from ch. at Munsonville, died, Dec. 8, 1839; Adeline Mason, later Mrs. Amos Wardwell, from ch. in Peterborough ; Mary M. Winchester, later Mrs. Charles C. Comstock, from ch. in Peterborough, dis., Sept. 25, 1853, to Grand Rapids, Mich .- June 16, Eunice Brown, from ch. at E. Jaffrey .- July 14, Cynthia S. Towne of Marlow, by bap., died, Mar. 2, 1842 .- Aug. 1I, Amanda Kendall, (residence unknown), by bap .; Lydia S. Williams, (residence unknown), by bap., dis., Mar. 8, 1843, to Baldwin Place ch., Boston, Mass .- Aug. 25, Gilman Joslin of Stoddard, by bap., died at Keene, Nov. 17, 1867 ; Albert Joslin of Stoddard, by bap., drowned at Keene, July 13, 1850; Chestina Towne of Marlow, by bap., later wife of Gilman Jones, died at Marlow, Jan. 9, 1871 ; Mary Towne of Marlow, by bap., died, Apr. 7, 1897 .- Sept. I, D. P. French, from ch. in Lyndeborough, ordained three days later, Sept. 4, as pastor of the ch., dis., Nov. 1840, to Marlborough .- Sept. 5, Otis Ammidown, Jr., of Gilsum, from ch. in Southbridge, Mass. ; Francis Bolster ; Olive Bolster, later Mrs. Marcus R. Trussell, dis., Feb. 12, 1843, to Palmer, Mass .; Mary Ann Bolster, later Mrs. Calvin Smith; Hannah Kendall, (res. unknown) ; the last four by bap .- Sept. 15, Maria T. Foster, later Mrs. Jesse Dart, by bap .- Oct. 5, John Breed of Nelson, and Mrs. Sarah, his wife, from ch. in Nelson .- Nov. 3, Mrs. Susannah (Phelps), wife of John Farrar, by bap , dis., Aug. 29, 1841, to Keene; Mary A. Farrar, later Mrs. Robert P. Young, by bap., dis., Aug. 25, 1842, to Keene; Mary S. Isham of Gilsum, by bap., later Mrs. Kendall Nichols .- Dec. I, Elizabeth Mason, by bap., dau. of Nathaniel Mason, later the wife of Levi Mason of Boston, dis., 1840, to Baldwin Place ch., Boston, Mass. ; Mrs. Hephzibah C. (Mason), wife of Daniel Adams Nims, by bap.

1840. May 3, Joseph Foster and Mrs. Susan S., his wife, by bap .- June 17,

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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.

Rachel Holt, by bap., later Mrs. Ebenezer Tarbox, still later Mrs. Luther Rich- ardson. She was dropped for " heresy ", in 1844 .- Aug. I, Lucy H. Howe, by bap., later Mrs. James William Bates, still later Mrs. Samuel C. Hudson .- Aug. 23, Mrs. Rebecca (Gibbs) Parker, from ch. in Pottersville.

1841. Aug. 21, Rev. Sem Pierce and Mrs. Joanna B., his wife, both from ch. in Londonderry, Vt. She died Oct. 30, 1859. He was recommended, June 2, 1846, to Londonderry. Vt.

1842. No admissions.

1843. Jan., Mrs. Mary B. (Proctor), wife of David Boynton, who had been a former member of the church, was received back from the Worthen St. Bap. Ch. in Lowell .- Mar. 15, Ephraim Howe; Mrs. Charlotte (Pike), wife of Ephraim Howe ; Francis C. Howe ; Asbury P. Howe; Asa E. Howe ; and Joanna Pike, all six of Gilsum, all by bap., and all dis., July 25, 1844, to Acworth .- Mar. 15, John Q. A. Ware, by bap., dis. May, 1852, to Marlborough ; Jesse Dart, by bap. ; Geo. W. Foster, by bap. Messrs. Ware and Dart were of Gilsum.

About 1843 or 1844. Mrs. Dorothy (Joslin) (Hodgman), 3d wife of Dea. Dalphon Gibbs, and Miss Sarah Norcross Foster, both by bap.

1844. July 25, Rev. Tristram Aldrich and Mrs. Betsey, his wife, from the Bap. ch. in West Swanzey, to which they were both afterwards dis., date not given. -- Nov., Mrs. Luthera P. (Robinson), wife of David Randall of Gilsum, dis. Feb. . 25, 1854, to what place not stated.

1844 to 1847. No admissions.

About 1848. Hartley Thurston of Gilsum, and Mrs. Arminda (Robinson), his wife, both by bap., both dis., Apr. 6, 1854, to what place not stated.

1848. Aug. 27, Rev. Henry Archibald and Mrs. Rebecca, his wife, from ch. in Hancock, dis. to Pottersville, date not given ; Mrs. Esther Robinson, of Gil- sum, wife of Benjamin Robinson, dis. Feb 25, 1854, to what place not stated. She was from ch. in Alstead (then disbanded).

1849 to 1851. No admissions.

1852. Dec. 26, Asenath Rosella Dort, later Mrs. Thomas Ottobine Howard ; Elizabeth Boynton, later Mrs. Adelbert Mason Thompson ; Eliza Ann Rawson, later Mrs. Elliot Caleb Winchester; Charlotte Boynton, later Mrs. George Parker; Andrew Jackson Thurston of Gilsum, dis., May 21, 1854, to what place not stated, died in the army, at Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 10, 1864; Periander Parker ; and David Randall of Gilsum, dis., Feb. 25, 1854, to what place not stated ; all of the preceding seven by bap .; Timothy Dort of Gilsum, by " pro- fession and previous baptism," excluded, Mar. 1I, 1854.

1853. Jan. 23, Elisha M. Kempton, and Mrs. Harriet M., his wife, then or later of Acworth, dis., both of them, to Acworth, July 17, 1853; Lewis Asa Knight; Adeline Rosella Knight, dau. of the preceding; all the preceding four by bap .- Feb. 27, Henry Ellis, son of the late Ira Ellis, by bap .- July 31, Lydia Thompson, later Mrs. George W. Tubbs, still later, Mrs. Frank R. Boyce. The record of her baptism is in Aug. following .-- Oct. 9, Samuel Goodhue of Alstead, and Mrs. Hannah, his wife ; Fanny Banks Livermore of Gilsum, later Mrs. George White, still later, Mrs. Byron E. Daggett; Martha Ann Livermore of Gilsum, later Mrs. Geo. W. Emerson; all the preceding four by bap .; Martha W. Robinson of Gilsum, "by experience and former baptism."-November,

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 429

Adeliza Jones, by bap., later Mrs. Daniel R. Cole of Keene. It was also about 1853 that Nahum Kingsbury of Alstead and Mrs. Polly, his wife, were received. The exact date is not given on the records, nor whether by letter or baptism. Mrs. Kingsbury died at Alstead, Apr. 16, 1854.

1854. No admissions.

1855. Without further specific date. Windsor Gleason, Jr., and Mrs. Angelia (Powers), his wife; Melvina A. Symonds of Hancock, later Mrs. Ezra S. Tarbell of Stoddard, N. H., and Maynard, Mass. ; Sophronia Tandy (supposed to be a relative of Rev. Lorenzo Tandy) ; Jane Tandy (supposed to be Lucy Jane, the dau. of Rev. Lorenzo Tandy, who was preaching for a short time in churches in the vicinity ; all five probably by baptism, although names only appear upon the roll.

1856. June 14, Rev. William W. Lovejoy, and Mrs. Eliza J. (White), his wife. He came by letter and she " by religious experience " and baptism. At the same time, Ebenezer Pratt Knight, and Mrs. Emily Jane (Lovejoy), his wife, were received by letter. The preceding four were all dismissed to Pottersville, Apr. 16, 1859.

There are recorded 190 members upon the roll, 75 men, 115 women. Three others are mentioned in the records as members. Possibly others ought to be on the roll. There was no preaching after 1859. The last formal meeting of the church was for business, at the house of Samuel Goodhue, in Alstead, Aug. 15, 1861, when it was voted to disband the church, the clerk to give a letter of dismission to each member in good standing, to join some other church.

The meetings for worship were held at first in the North Part schoolhouse, although occasionally in the schoolhouse at the Four Corners, and sometimes in the meetinghouse, as then, the Baptists (after 1819) felt that they could claim the use of that building their proportionate part of the time, with respect to the amount of taxes raised to support the Gospel. Feb. 14, 1809, the society voted to hold meetings in the schoolhouse in District No. 5. Probably all of their meetings, thus far, had been held there except their business meetings, which were in private houses. Beginning with the year 1832, their religious meetings were held in a hall, known as Wardwell's Hall, which I. N. Wardwell erected on the spot numbered 233 on the map, which was afterwards moved to 231. Nov. 21, 1832, the society voted, " that Ira Ellis be our committee to settle with Mr. Wardwell for the past year, and that he engage the Hall for the next year, at 25 cents per Day, and the society find their own wood." During the last half of 1833, they held a portion of their meetings in the meetinghouse. March 17, 1834, it was voted to hold their services, that season, in the centre schoolhouse. On Sept. 12, 1834, it was voted to hold the meetings again in Wardwell's Hall, for which they paid four shillings per month. At the same meeting, it was voted " That, if William Brown of Sullivan will build a hall suitable to accomo- date the society, and will grant the society the use of the same for holding meetings on Sabbath days and on all other days the society may see fit to occupy it for religious meetings, provided they give seasonable notice of week- day meetings, to the owner, for the term of five years, and as many years there- after as the society shall see fit to occupy it, we will secure to him ten dollars a year, for five years, and, in that proportion, as long as we occupy said hall.

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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.

Voted that Hosea Foster be a committee to make out the writings to secure Mr. Brown." The society worshipped in Wardwell's Hall until this structure was completed.

On Feb. 27, 1836, the society "accepted " the edifice which Mr. Brown built for their use, on the conditions named. There was no formal dedication, and this vote of " acceptance " was the only official beginning of the use of it. This edifice, usually known as Baptist Hall, was a unique affair, so far as the writer knows. It stood at Sullivan Centre, at the place numbered 93 on the map. The western end of the building touched the south-eastern portion of the site of the house which F. B. Nims built. It was a queer affair, of two stories. With a more than Yankee-like economy, the lower story was used for the horse sheds and the upper floor for religious meetings. A stairway in the south-west corner led from the outer door to the floor above. The audience room was plainly finished, with a rude pulpit and seats. There was no musical instrument and no spire or church bell.

Through the years 1850 to and including 1853, a portion of the meetings were held here and a portion in the Methodist Church at Gilsum, now the Town Hall of that place. Dec. 16, 1853, the society, for the first time, is called the " Baptist Society of Sullivan and Gilsum."

On Jan. 2, 1854, a committee was appointed to arrange with the Methodists of Gilsum for the use of their church edifice, and from this time, the meetings were held in that church, at Gilsum. The old Baptist Hall had been used for 18 years by the society. During the latter part of the time, it was owned by Ephraim Foster.

Religious services were discontinued in 1859, as we have seen. In the days of this church, the discipline was very rigid, along the lines of strict Calvin- istic doctrines. The records are cumbered with accounts of the "labors " and "trials" with individual members on account of "heresy" or inattention to church duties. Most excellent persons were excluded for differing from the standard creeds about the fate of the wicked. One good woman was excluded for " not believing in the Devil." At present, much more latitude of opinion would be allowed.

BAPTISMS.

In the Baptist denomination, baptism is for adults only, and by immersion. As a rule, they were baptized at the time of admission. In the case of all the earlier members of the church, we know neither the place nor the time of either baptism or admission. The later members, the dates of whose admissions are known, were ordinarily baptized on the day of admission. The fact is not always stated upon the records. When it is so recorded, they are stated in the published roll (see before) to have been admitted by baptism. If the baptism were upon another date, that fact is also stated. There were several places of baptism. The Chapman Pond, the mill pond of Jacob Spaulding, the mill pond near Mr. Hemenway's (at 209 on map), also the pond near the later mill of Mr. Hemen way (at 217 on map), were all used for such a purpose, at different times. During the 18 years that the old Baptist Hall was used, use was made of a baptistry con- structed in the form of a large tank, in the brook near the north-east corner of the old graveyard (at 239 on map). This old baptistry is still there (1906), but is falling into decay. Later baptisms were in the mill ponds at Gilsum.

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A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I, Part 41

Author: Seward, Josiah Lafayette, 1845-1917 Publication date: 1921 Publisher: [Keene, N.H., Sentinel printing Co.] Number of Pages: 888

Author: Seward, Josiah Lafayette, 1845-1917
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: [Keene, N.H., Sentinel printing Co.]
Number of Pages: 888