USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 48
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In those days there was no organ in the church, and a violin or base viol and tuning fork were the only musical instruments. The singers, in great numbers, sat in the gallery. The chorister "pitched the tune" and all "joined in" as best they could. It is said, however, that the singing in that church was very good and compared very favorably with that of other congregations. In the most ancient times, the hymns were "lined."
The second pastor was Rev. Josiah Peabody. He was the son of Moses and Hannah (Ward) Peabody, and was born in Henniker, August 12, 1798. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1825, and was ordained at Sullivan, November 5, 1828, and was dismissed, October 21, 1829. He had been less than a year in his charge. Mr. Peabody afterward supplied a pulpit in Wash- ington, Vt., in 1834, and afterwards, some other pulpits, and then retired to
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a farm in Sullivan, where he spent his days, and died, April 15, 1870. He served the town several terms in the legislature. He was a man of great in- telligence, and had a fund of wit, which he sometimes used rather fearlessly to satarize those who had violated their consciences in business transactions. He was something of a poet, and used his poetic genius very often for pur- poses of satire. He was a good scholar, but odd and eccentric in manner and habits. His last official act was to marry a very aged couple, whom he had known for many years, upon the summit of Mount Monadnock.
Mr. Peabody was the first pastor who was engaged after the town had abandoned that function. The First Congregational society was formed June 6, 1827, shortly after Mr. Muzzey's dismission, and fulfilled the duties which formerly devolved upon the town. For a long time, however, the society worshipped in the house which was built by the town. After the pastorate of Mr. Peabody, the society were some years in securing another pastor. In the meantime several persons supplied the pulpit. Rev. Job Cushman sup- plied for a time, from 1830 to 1832. He was born in Kingston, Mass., Jan- uary 17, 1797, was a graduate of Brown university in 1819, and studied theology with Rev. C. Park. There was quite a revival in the church in his day and much religious excitement. Mr. Cushman, however, was not a person who commanded universal respect. His integrity of character was not undoubted nor above suspicion.
The third pastor was Rev. Joel Wright. He was the son of Benjamin and Betsey (Adams) Wright, and was born in Milford, January 27, 1784. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1809, and taught at New Salem, Mass., from 1809 to 1812. He studied theology with Rev. Seth Payson, D. D., of Rindge, and was ordained at Leverett, Mass., December 9, 1812, and dis- missed January 26, 1820. He was then installed at Goshen, Mass., Septem- ber 26, 1821, and remained seven years. He was next installed at Wilming- ton, Vt., Octobor 28, 1829, and dismissed January 2, 1834. He was installed at Sullivan, May 22, 1834, and dismissed April 22, 1840. He was an excel- lent pastor and very greatly beloved by the congregation. In 1838, during his pastorate, there was a revival of religion in the town, and several were added to the church. After leaving Sullivan, Mr. Wright was a pastor at Bristol. He died at South Hadley, Mass., June 8, 1859. The fourth pastor was Rev. Alanson Alvord. He was born in Granby, Mass., June 29, 1803. He was ordained, November 19, 1834, and preached in various places, among others Westmoreland, and was installed at Sullivan, February 24, 1842, and dismissed May 18, 1844. After leaving Sullivan he resided in several places in Michigan and Ohio, and died December 2, 1862, probably at York, · Ohio, his last residence. The fifth pastor was Rev. Thomas Snell Norton, who was born in New Braintree, Mass., November 25, 1813, and graduated at Amherst college in 1840. He commenced to supply the Sullivan pulpit in September, 1844, and was ordained February 4, 1846. He was dismissed March 10, 1859. His pastorate was a long, happy and successful one. It
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was during his ministry that the third and present church edifice was built, which was dedicated December 7, 1848. No little trouble was caused about. the site for the new church. An arrangement was made with the town whereby the old meeting-house was released, which was afterward sold to Dauphin Spaulding, 2d, who built the town hall out of it and took the rest for a mill and dwelling house. The ornamental window which once was be -- hind the pulpit, may now be seen in its ruined condition in the gable of the mill of Harris & Hastings, built by Mr. Spaulding. A bell, the first church -. bell in town, was hung in the belfry of the new church in 1860. During Mr. Norton's ministry, two very successful revivals of religion occurred : in 1848. and 1853. There were large accessions to the church at both times. In a statement prepared by Mr. Norton, about 1855, for Lawrence's History of the Churches of New Hampshire, it appears that up to that time there had been, in all, about 275 members of the church, of whom 110 were still mem -- bers. There had been 440 baptisms, of which 406 were infant baptisms. Since that time between forty and fifty have united with the church, and there have been certainly that number of baptisms. The present resident membership is not far from forty. Mr. Norton removed from Sullivan to- Dover, Mass., and still resides in that state. Once again for a brief period we shall find him in the Sullivan pulpit. He was a well-informed and gentle- manly person, fond of children, and greatly devoted to the cause of temper- ance and anti-tobacco. He often visited the public schools, and was for many years the superintendent. He felt a deep interest in the intellectual and moral improvement of the young. He will always be held in grateful remembrance. Mr. Norton was the last settled pastor. The next minister was Rev. George Washington Stinson. He was born in Mount Vernon, April 3, 1823, and was ordained April 19, 1856. He graduated at the Oberlin Theological school in 1855. He came to Sullivan in the beginning of the. summer of 1859, and remained through the spring of 1861. He after- wards preached in Dalton, from July, 1861, to July, 1863. He afterwards went west and died at Maysville, Mo., December 17, 1865. He was a cor- dial, earnest man, and his ministry was successful.
The next minister was Rev. Nelson Barbour, who was born in Bridgport, Vt., October 5, 1805, graduated at Middlebury college, 1831, and at Andover Theological seminary, in 1834. He was ordained December 15, 1836. In New Hampshire he had preached at Langdon and Wolfborough before com- ing to Sullivan. He filled the pulpit in that town from the summer of 1861 to that of 1863. He afterwards moved to Vermont, and died at Georgia, in that state, July 31, 1867.
The next minister was Rev. John Murdock Stowe, who was born in Hub- bardston, Mass., September 7, 1824, and graduated at the Bangor Theolog- ical seminary in 1854. He was ordained at Walpole, January 31, 1855, and dismissed February 14, 1862. He supplied the Sullivan pulpit for seven years, 1863-'70. He then went to his native town of Hubbardston, to preach. His
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labors were suddenly and awfully terminated, May 9, 1877. On that day he was thrown from his carriage and fatally injured, dying the same day. He was an able and intelligent gentleman, and greatly respected wherever he preached. He exercised an excellent influence in Sullivan, where his memory will ever be cherished with love and affection. To Mr. Stowe succeeded Rev. Samuel Stillman Drake, who was born in Canton, Mass., July 21, 1804, and graduated at the Bangor Theological seminary, in 1834. He was ordained at Blanchard, Maine, October 15, 1834, and dismissed from there October 15, 1837. He then preached in various places in Maine, and became the acting pastor of the Sullivan church for five years, from the beginning of June, 1873, to the end of May, 1878. Between Mr. Stowe and Mr. Drake, a Methodist minister, Rev. Joseph Fawcett, had supplied the desk through one of their ecclesiastical years, from the spring of 1871 to the spring of 1872. After leaving Sullivan, Mr. Drake only preached a short time, and died at North Berwick, Me., November 12, 1883. He was a faithful, conscientious worker, and remained with the Sullivan people five years, which is rather longer than an acting pastor averages to remain in one place. Soon after Mr. Drake left, Rev. Henry Warren Lyman Thurston supplied the desk, and continued to do so until September 11, 1881. He was born in Hartford, Vt., Novem- ber 20, 1823, and was ordained August 20, 1875. He had no collegiate training. Before coming to Sullivan he supplied a pulpit in Goshen. He is now residing in Goshen, N. H. Rev. T. S. Norton preached for a short time for this society, from November 5, 1882, to April 1, 1883. This was his second term of service in Sullivan. It was brought to a close by the fatal illness of a son, who required his attentions. Rev. George Warren Rogers, of Gilsum, supplied the desk through the summer months of 1884, and is doing the same in 1885. He was born in Lynn, Mass., January 12, 1881. He was ordained April 8, 1850. He had preached five years in Salem, N. H., before going to Gilsum. This Sullivan society has had an honorable record. Of the twelve regular Congregational ministers who have been its pastors or supplied its pulpit, only two besides the present supply are now living. Five men from that church have entered the ministry, and another studied di- vinity.
A second Congregational society, known as the Union Ecclesiastical Congregational society, was formed at East Sullivan, November 8, 1875, together with a church of the same name. They have never had asettled pastor. Rev. Amos Holbrook was hired December 7, 1875, to preach a year, preach- ing also and residing in another town. January 29, 1877, Rev. T. Whitney Darling was engaged, who continued to supply for about two years in con- nection with another town. Rev. Edwin H. Stickney preached through the summer of 1880, and Rev. Sam. W. Delzell, in the following summer. Rev. T. S. Norton, during his last brief engagement, also supplied the desk at East Sullivan a half of the time. Since then they had no stated preaching until 1885. During the summer months of this year Rev. Mr. Chase, a Methodist, of Marlboro, is supplying.
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A Baptist church was organized in Sullivan, February 11, 1806. There had been previously occasional preaching in the north part of the town, prin- cipally by Elder Higbee, of Alstead. Their meetings were at first held either in private houses or the north school-house. Afterwards they obtained the use of a rude hall at Sullivan Center. A church was organized in connec- tion with this society, January 14, 1808. Rev. Charles Cummings, who had been for some time residing in the town, was ordained as the first pastor, October 24, 1810. He appears to have officiated until the ordination of his successor, November 2, 1836. Rev. Charles Cummings, a son of Rev. Joseph and Anne (Gove) Cummings, was born in Seabrook, N. H., Septem- ber 23, 1777. At the age of two years his parents removed to Marlboro, where his father was first pastor of the Congregational church, and where he spent his boyhood. He was married in 1798, and settled on a farm in the north part of Sullivan. He had an earnest desire to preach the gospel, and in 1805 was licensed by the Baptists to preach. His labors in Sullivan cover a period of more than a quarter of a century. In 1820 the Baptists put him at the head of the domestic missionary work, and he was instrumental in organ- izing churches in Keene, Swanzey, Marlboro, Peterboro, Hillsboro, Lyndboro and Antrim, and preached extensively in Cheshire, Hillsboro, Sullivan and Mer- rimack counties. In the new Baptist church in Keene, an inscription on a mural marble tablet informs one that this church was " a vine of his plant- ing." The tablet was erected by his worthy daughter, Mrs. Elijah Boyden, of Marlboro. He was an intelligent man, of remarkably good judgment, and charitable and liberal in his thoughts and feelings to any whose peculiar religious views were not in accord with his own. He devoted the last few years of his life to a revival of the Baptist work in Pottersville, and died at Roxbury, December 27, 1849. He was a hard working and conscientious man. He did not write his sermons, but, after selecting his text, would revolve the subject in his mind while his hands were holling the plough, and he was laboring industriously for his family. Rev. Arnold Kingsbury was ordained to succeed Mr. Cummings at Sullivan, November 2, 1836. He labored about three years, and was succeeded by Rev. D. P. French, who was ordained September 4, 1839. In 1841, Rev. Sem Pierce was engaged as a supply for two years. About 1848 the meetings were discontinued in Sullivan and held in the Methodist church at Gilsum. The society was always composed in large part of Gilsum persons. Rev. Henry Archibald about that time supplied the pulpit, and Rev. John Peacock preached through the winter of 1852-53. The last meeting of the society was held at the house of Jesse Dart, in Gilsum, January 3, 1859. The last meeting of the church was at the home of Mr. Goodhue, in Alstead, August 15, 1861. At this meeting it was voted to dissolve the church and authorize the clerk to grant letters to each member, recommending admission to other churches. About sixty persons united with this church, from first to last. In 1855, shortly before it was dissolved, the membership was fifty-four.
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There have never been many Methodists in town. Mr. James Comstock was the most prominent. In 1871-'72, the M. E. conference sent Rev. Joseph Fawcett, who preached in the First Congregational church for that period. There were some Unitarians and Universalists in the northeastern part of the town, and Universalist meetings were occasionally held in the school-house of that district. There were also a few spiritualists in that sec- tion, who also held a few meetings in the school-house, which were addressed by clairvoyant speakers. There was one family of Episcopalians in town, and the first Episcopal service, in form, according to the ritual, ever held in town, was at the funeral of Mrs. Levi Higbee, which was conducted by Rev. Mr. Renouf, of Keene. There have been two or three families of Roman Catholics in the town, but no public service was ever conducted under the auspices of that denomination.
The public schools in Sullivan have always been excellent. Great care has been used in the selection of teachers, and the large number of professional men and college graduates who have passed through these schools, in their youth, speaks well for the stimulous which they imparted to the minds of the young. There are five school districts in the town. Two of them have had but few pupils for many years, and, in all, the number of pupils is greatly di- minished in comparison with former years. There has never been a regular high school in the town, but, in several different years, there have been good select schools, at Sullivan Center, taught by different persons, which. in some measure, supplied the need of a high school ; but there has been nothing of the kind for several years.
There have been, at least, three physicians who have resided for greater or less lengths of time in town. Dr. Messer Cannon, who died, February 3, 1829, had practiced over thirty years in Sullivan, and was much respected. Dr. Timothy Livingston Lane, who graduated at the Dartmouth Medical school in 1824, settled in Sullivan in 1825, and remained until 1832. He then removed to Lunenburg, Vt., and remained two years, after which he practiced four years in Gilsum, three years in Daysville, Ill., and about eight years in Filmore, Ill., where he died, September 1, 1849. Dr. Edward Bar- ton, who recently died at South Orange, Mass., was in town for a short time, over fifty years ago. He was a fine physician, and had fine literary tastes. He was a man of much distinction in that part of Massachusetts, and wrote the history of Orange.
Sullivan is noted for the comparatively large number of college graduates and professional men who have gone fourth from the place, in proportion to the population, which never exceeded 600, and seldom attained to five hundred. We will mention in alphabetical order those whose names occur to us, and who, probably, compose the entire list. Marquis DeLafayette Collester, son of Thorley and Sarah M. (Nims) Collester, graduated at Middlebury college in 1865. He was born in Marlboro, January 26, 1839, but lived with his uncle, Dauphin W. Nims, in Sullivan, from his earliest childhood, and was like
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a son to them. After graduation, he taught for a time in Minnesota, at Fair- bault, and is now a very successful lawyer in that state.
Samuel Newell Fifield pursued a course of study at Norwich university in Vermont. He was born in Franklin, but his mother, the widow Judith Fifield, married Samuel Locke, Esq., of Sullivan, when her son was a young lad, and took him to that town to live. He was naturally one of the most brilliant young men who ever left Sullivan. He was a natural scholar, espec- ially fond of mathematics and military science. He went to Nebraska, while quite a young man, and was one of the first settlers of that state. His wife, Mrs. Celeste (Keith) Fifield, was the first white woman who crossed the Mis- souri with the intention of settlement. She was a romantic person, finely ed- ucated, and delighted in adventure. They had many adventures with the Indians, and some remarkable escapes from slaughter. Mr. Fifield died sev- eral years since and his widow now lives in Washington Territory.
Dr. Carlton Pennington Frost graduated at Dartmouth in 1852, and re- ceived his degree of M. D. at that institution in 1857. He is the son of Ben- jamin and Mary (Brant) Frost, and was born in Sullivan, May 29, 1830. He began his practice at St. Johnsbury, Vt. He has been, since 1871, the pro- fessor of the science and practice of medicine, in the Dartmouth Medical school.
Dr. Edwin Brant Frost was a brother of Prof. Frost. He was born in Sul- livan, December 30. 1832, and graduated at Dartmouth college in 1858, He taught for a time at Pittsfield, also at Royalston, Mass. He read law a few months, but finally read medicine with his brother, C. P. Frost, at St. Johns- bury. When the war broke out, his patriotism would not suffer him to re- main at home and he became a captain in the roth Regt., Vermont Vols. He was killed at the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., while gallantly fighting for his country, June, 3, 1864.
Rev. Henry Martyn Frost was a brother of the two preceding. He was born at Sullivan, May 26, 1835, and graduated at Dartmouth in 1857. He taught for a time at Thetford academy, in Vermont, also at Frankfort, Ky. He studied divinity and was ordained a deacon in the Protestant Episcopal church, in April, 1860. He afterwards became the rector of St. Stephen's church at Middlebury, Vt. He did not hold the position long before he was compelled to resign in consequence of ill health. He died at Thetford, Vt., · February 20, 1866.
George Wallace Keith, son of Bezaleel and Mary (Farwell) Keith, has been for many years a clairvoyant physician. He was born in Walden, Vt., July 1, 1835, but came to Sullivan as a mere child and lived there until he was twenty-five or thirty years of age. He is a man of large intellectual ca- pacity and has been very successful in his profession.
The four Kemp brothers, sons of Benjamin Kemp, who married a daugh- . ter of Enoch Woods, all chose to follow professional lives. Dr. Alba Enoch Kemp, who died at East Douglass, Mass., October 29, 1883, aged sixty-one
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years, was an able physician. Dr. Edwin Augustine Kemp has practiced medicine with great success at Enfield, Mass., and at Lonsdale, R. I., and is now at Danvers, Mass. Dr. Frank Kemp is an able dentist. Rev. George Solon Kemp graduated at the Bangor Theological seminary, in 1851. He was born in Sullivan, August 8, 1816. He has preached in Alstead, Dublin, and other places, and now resides in East Douglass, Mass.
Hon. David Haven Mason, son of John and Mary (Haven) Mason, was born at Sullivan, March 17, 1818. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1841, and afterwards read law at Lancaster and Boston, and at the Harvard Law school. He went into practice at Boston, and resided at Newton. He was the United States attorney for the district of Massachusetts. He was an able and successful lawyer. He died at Newton, Mass., May 20, 1873. Three ·of his sons graduated at Harvard university : Edward Haven in 1869, Harry White in 1878, and Frank Atlee in 1884.
James Bracket Mason, son of Captain John and Matilda (Wilson) Mason, was born in Lancaster, N. H., July 13, 1839. His parents were of Sullivan families, and returned to East Sullivan when James was a small boy. James served as a soldier in the war, and lost an arm by an accident. He gradu- ated at Dartmouth college in 1871, and now resides on a farm in Westmore- land. He was a nephew of Hon. D. H. Mason, of whom we have just "spoken.
Dr. Rufus Osgood Mason, son of Captain Rufus and Prudence (Woods) Mason, was born in Sullivan, January 22, 1830. His father was a cousin to the father of Hon. D. H. Mason, and the grandfather of James B. Mason. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1854. He, at first, thought of study- ing for the ministry, and studied divinity at the Union Theological Seminary, in New York, from September, 1854, to February, 1856. After this he taught a year at Cleveland, Ohio. He there read medicine with Dr. Williams. He afterwards studied with Dr. LaFayette Ranney, Dr. F. S. Edwards, and Prof. John C. Dalton, all of New York city, and received the degree of M. D. at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York, in 1859. He im- mediately began practice in New York, October 21, 1861, he was appointed an assistant surgeon in the United States navy, and served in that capacity through the war. He is now in practice in New York city. Charles Mason, a prosperous farmer, formerly of Sullivan, and now of Marlboro, also Or- ·lando Mason, a successful manufacturer and prominent citizen in Winchen- don, Mass., are his brothers. His father was a gentleman of the olden school, who had a high appreciation of education, and all of his four sons and two daughters, who lived to maturity, were well educated, and most of them were successful school teachers.
Dr. Edward Beecher Nims, son of Seth Nims, and a cousin on his mother's side, to the three Frosts whom we have mentioned, is a native of Sullivan. He was a studious youth, and graduated with credit at Williams college, in 1862. He received the degree of A. M. from the same institution, in 1882.
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He studied medicine in the medical department of the University of Vermont, and received his degree of M. D. there in 1864. He has been for many years one of the physicians at the hospital for the insane at Northampton, Mass., and is greatly honored and respected in his profession.
George Lyman Nims, son of Daniel Adams and Hepzibah (Mason) Nims,. was born in Sullivan, October 3, 1838. He is distantly related to Dr. E. B. Nims, just mentioned. Their grandfathers were cousins. George Lyman graduated at Middlebury college in 1865. He studied theology at Andover,. and graduated from that seminary in 1870. He preached in Roxbury, in 1872-'73, but was not ordained. His health has not been firm, and heis not at present in active business.
A son of Rev. T. S. Norton pursued a course of study at the Worcester Free Institute. He was a native of Sullivan. Rev. Zephaniah Osgood was one of the earliest men in town to enter the ministry. He lived in the west part of the town. He took orders in the Protestant Episcopal church.
Rev. Josiah Lafayette Seward, of Lowell, Mass., is a native of this town. The Sewards of Sullivan are descended from Thomas Seward and his wife, Hannah, who came to this country, from England, in the middle of the eight- eenth century, and settled in Pepperell, Mass. Thomas died at the early age of twenty-nine, leaving three young boys, Thomas, Josiah, and Samuel. The latter two were with Colonel Prescott at the battle of Bunker Hill, and served several years in the Revolution. They afterwards purchased land in Cheshire county in what was afterwards Sullivan, and became two of the incorporators of that town. Josiah was one of the first two deacons chosen for the First Congregational church. Samuel became a captain in the militia. Josiah married Sarah Osgood, of Billerica, a daughter of Joseph Osgood, a descend- ant of Nathaniel Danforth, the founder of Billerica, and of Christopher Os- good, who owned a mill where the Talbot mills now stand. In Hazen's His- tory of Billerica, she is reported to have married Joseph Warren, of Chelmsford, but this is wrong ; the lady whom Mr. Warren married was Sarah, widow of David Osgood. Deacon Seward had two sons and six daughters. One of the sons, Josiah, Jr., married Polly, daughter of Daniel and Abigail (Morse) Wil- son, of Sullivan. She was a lady of marked intellectual power and strong in- dividuality and possessed a fund of wit. She was own cousin of Hon. James Wilson, of Keene, father of the late Gen. James Wilson. She was also a lineal descendant of Samuel Morse, who came to this country in 1635 from England, and settled in Dedham and died at Medfield, Mass., from whom many eminent persons have descended, notably Hon. S. F. B. Morse, the acknowledged inventor of the electric telegraph. Josiah Seward, Jr., and Polly were the parents of three sons, Josiah, Daniel and David. Josiah, the third in line to take that name, was a studious youth and remarkably culti- vated for his time and opportunities. At the time of his early death, August 8, 1831, he was undoubtedly the best educated person in the town. He had not studied the languages much, but in the sciences was more than fitted for
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