History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 107

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1200

USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 107
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 107

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).

Notwithstanding these persecutions, many of the most prominent inhabitants of Claremont sought the society and communion of the Episcopal Church. Amongst these were Benjamin Sumner, Daniel Dodge, John Marsh, John Marsh, Jr., John and Ichabod Hitchcock, James Steel, Bill Barnes, Joseph Norton, Abner Cole, Asa Jones, Timothy Grannis, William McCoy, Daniel Curtis, Abner Meiggs and Ambrose Cossit-sixteen fam- ilies.

In 1785 the Rev. Ranna Cossit left this church and was appointed missionary at Sidney, in the Island of Cape Breton, where he remained until his death, in 1815.

Union Church was erected in 1773, two years before the war.

" It was built according to a plan furnished by

Gov. John Wentworth. The Master Carpenter was Ichabod Hitchcock. The Governor promised to fur- nish the glass and nails when the work had reached a certain point. He also pledged them a good bell and organ. But the state of the country compelled him to flee before his promise was fulfilled. It also interrupted the work of building. Only the frame was erected and the roof and outer boarding put on, the floor laid and some temporary arrangements made for holding service in it in summer. And so it re- mained until August, 1789, when, according to a pre- vious vote, twenty-five pews were sold, in order to purchase the nails and glass wherewith to finish it. The frame of the church, constructed of the mighty forest trees then abundant, is exceedingly heavy and powerful, made of the strongest and best kinds of timber. It is said that on one occasion, in the early part of the present century, a tornado swept over the country while the people were assembled for divine worship. Among them was a Mr. Dodge, who had been employed as a carpenter when the frame was raised. He was a very large and strong man and had a seat near the door. When the trees began to fall about the building, many were greatly alarmed, and rushed for the door, where they found Mr. Dodge defending the passage, denying all egress, and with his brawny arm pushing back the crowd, saying : ' I know this frame. No wind can demolish it. Your only safety lies in keeping beneath its shelter.' I may as well mention here that the tower and belfry were added in the year 1800, and the whole church was re-covered, except the north side and part of the east end, and the entire exterior was painted. A bell weighing six hundred and eighty-two pounds was procured and hung in 1806, and an organ, whose whistling pipes were the wonder of our childhood, was subsequently placed in the gallery. In 1820 an addition of twenty feet was made at the east end of the church, to accommodate the increased congrega- tion. The original size of the church was fifty feet in length, and one hundred in width, with posts twenty feet high.

"After the departure of the Rev. Mr. Cossit the church continued vacant several years, but the ser- vices were kept up by lay reading. Mr. Ebenezer Rice was chosen to keep the records, and also to read prayers and sermons, with liberty to call in what as- sistance he should think proper.

" In 1784 the town voted to lay out four acres for

CLAREMONT.

the use and benefit of the Episcopal Church, com- monly called the Church of England, for a church- yard, including the ground on which the Church now stands. In 1785 a service for the Holy Communion was procured, of pewter, which continued to be used until another of more valuable material was pre- sented by Hon. S. Kingsbury and Mr. Dustin in 1822. In 1787 an agreement was made with Mr. Abraham Towmlinson, a clergyman as I suppose, to read prayers and preach for a term of seven months, from the 8th of September to the next Easter.

"July 14, 1785. It was voted to send letters to the clergy of Connecticut for better satisfaction about their connection with Bishop Seabury. October, 1785. Voted, to choose Mr. Bill Barnes to represent the Church of Claremont at the adjourned Conven- tion to be holden at Boston on the 26th of October inst. Voted to send our united thanks to the Conven- tion for taking pains to send us their doings. Voted a concurrence with their progress. April 28, 1791. Voted not to accede to the Constitution formed at Boston. Voted to adopt the doings or alterations of the Book of Common Prayer as proposed at Phila- delphia. In 1788 an arrangement was made with the Rev. Solomon Blakeslee to officiate as minister of the Church, on a salary of fifty-two pounds, with the use of the glebe, together with the rents then due thereon."

Mr. Blakeslee is represented as an eloquent preacher, of easy address and exemplary conduct, possessing an unusual faculty for attracting people to him and the church. Such was his influence that thirty families from the Congregational So- ciety conformed to the Episcopal Church in one day. Mr. Blakeslee, at his own request, obtained a dismission in 1791, and removed to East Had- dam, Conn.

In the town records of 1796 are certificates of the following gentlemen, most of whom professed to have united with the Episcopal Church, protest- ing against paying any more taxes for the support of the Rev. John Tappan, then minister of the Congregational Society, viz. :

Elisha Shelden, Francis Chase, John Cotton, Peter Russell, Benj. Swett, Walter Ainsworth, Matthias Stone, Jonathan Emerson, John Stone, Asa Duns- more, Samuel Atkins, Joseph Wilson, Abel Dustin,

Jonathan Shaw, Jr., Nicholas Carey, Christopher York, Josiah Rich, Stephen Barber, Roger Philips and Lemuel Dean.

In the year 1794 this church was incorporated by act of the New Hampshire Legislature, with the name of Union Church. The records show that a parish meeting was warned for May 13, 1794, "to take into consideration a proposition made to them by Congregational people to join with them in hiring Mr. Whiting to be the min- ister for both Congregationalists and Episcopa- lians." Mr. Whiting was a Congregational min- ister. At the meeting referred to it was voted that they " would join with the Congregational people, provided they could agree upon the terms." Then it was voted to choose seven men as a committee to meet the other committee. " Chose Messrs. Bill Barnes, Ebenezer Rice, Am- brose Cossit, David Dodge, Sanford Kingsbury, John W. Russell and Captain George Hubbard. . Voted, to authorize them to hire Mr. Whiting to officiate for such term as they should agree upon, as a candidate for settlement over the whole town, on the following conditions, viz. : ' 1st, That he re- ceive Episcopal ordination ' (as he had done Con- gregational), and ' 2d, That he officiate alternately at the church and at the meeting-house. That on these terms this society will agree that Mr. Whiting be settled over the whole town and that the town reap the benefit of the public lands be- longing to the church so long as he continues to be our minister." The meeting was adjourned to the 20th of May. It then met and heard the report of the committee, which was, in substance, that the Congregational Society would not comply with the terms.

The Rev. Daniel Barber became rector of this church in 1795, and continued here as such until 1818. He was a native of Symsbury, Conn., the birth-place of Bishop Griswold. Mr. Barber was born and educated a Congregationalist. He was ordained by Bishop Scabury at Middletown, Conn., October 29, 1786. He is reported to have been an eccentric character, doing and saying many queer things, and quite wanting in dignity. It is due to

HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

him to say, however, that he kept the church to- gether for many years, and that it increased very considerably under his ministry,

The rectorship of Mr. Barber ended disastrously to himself. In 1817 his son, Virgil Barber, who had been already ordained both deacon and priest, joined the Roman Catholic Church. Soon the father began to use what influence he had in favor of that church, and to try to unsettle the minds of the people. While Mr. Barber still remained rec- tor-but rumors having arisen respecting his de- fection, and not a little dissatisfaction existing in consequence-at a meeting called for this purpose expressly (September 29, 1818), it was " Voted that the Rev. James B. Howe be hired to preach among us for such time as he will agree to, not ex- ceeding one year." November 12, 1818, " Voted to dismiss the Rev. Daniel Barber from the rectorship " April 19, 1819, called the Rev. James B. Howe to the rectorship, on a salary of seven hundred dollars.

Mr. Barber remained here a few years and then went to Connecticut, and, finally, to Georgetown, D. C., where his daughter-in-law and two grand- daughters were in a convent.

"His son, Virgil, came here as a Romish priest, with the evident design to proselyte and build the chapel opposite this church, with a school-room above, where he officiated on Sundays and taught the sons of his father's former parishioners during the week, for a number of years, without fruits so far as . conversions to Romanism were concerned : the only family from this Church, I believe, that followed Mr. Barber in his apostacy was that of Mr. Noah Tyler, whose wife was a sister of Mr. Barber. The son of Mr. Tyler, William, became a Roman Catholic Bishop, and the daughter, Rosetta, the Lady Superior of a nunnery. Sanford Spaulding, also, who had married an Irishwoman, concluded to join his wife, and two ladies by the name of Alden went to the Roman Catholic Church.

"The Rev. James B. Howe, who succeeded Mr Barber, was born in Dorchester, Mass. He had been a successful classical teacher in Boston for some years previous to his ordination, which took place not long before his call to this parish. He was recom- mended by the Rev. Dr. Eaton, the venerable and

excellent Rector of Christ's Church, Boston. About the time he assumed the rectorship, a large, round brick building, crected by a sort of ecclesiastical union, in which I believe Universalism was the predominant element, standing on the present site of Trinity Church, Claremont village, was purchased as a chapel of Union Church, and therein, during the greater part of Mr. Howe's ministry, services were held alter- nately, one Sunday in this church, and the next in Trinity Chapel. Mr. Howe was a man of very differ- ent quality from his predecessor. He was truly a gentleman of the old school. Like Bishop Griswold, he continued to wear as long as he lived the long. stockings and short clothes of the olden time. He was open, frank, hearty, courteous, sincere, true to his convictions of duty, earnest in his religions feelings. In short, he was a man to win the confidence and affection of his people. Until the unfortunate strife arose as to the rights and interests between the two parts of the parish, in which, from his position and residence, he was necessarily involved, no parish was more united or more cordially attached to their Rec- tor. There may have been individual exceptions, but they were rare. I believe that those who in the heat of controversy were bitterly opposed to him, will now, when these feelings have subsided, be ready to acknowledge his good qualities, his high-minded and noble Christian character. Very soon after he com- menced his ministry a large number of persons, headed by Colonel Josiah Stevens, a deacon in the Congregational Society, joined this parish. I find the names of over forty men, mostly heads of families, re- siding in or near Claremont village, enrolled in 1819 among the voters in the parish meeting. The first confirmation during the rectorship, September 15, 1819, numbered forty-six. In 1824 this parish came into possession of a fund amounting to over five thou- sand five hundred dollars, devised by will of Major Oliver Ashley, one of the original proprietors of the town. The income of this fund was given for the support of a clergyman of this church. Thus this church, with the Ashley fund and the income of church lands, was provided with the means of abun- dant self-support, amounting to more than eight hundred dollars."

There were local and other causes which finally resulted in a division of the parish. Mr. Howe's connection with the controversy which preceded

CLAREMONT.

the division was such that the last years of his rec- torship was made very unpleasant for him and un- profitable for the church. He was dismissed peremptorily by the majority, who sympathized with the western portion of the parish, because they supposed him to sympathize wholly with the vil- lage portion, and, after a hearing before the stand- ing committee of the diocese, he was advised, on certain conditions, to resign. A new parish was formed in the village, and the Rev. H. S. Smith was called as assistant to the rector of Union Church Parish, and began his services there after Easter in 1838, officiating alternately there and in Trinity Church, Cornish, and so continued four years. After the resignation of Mr. Howe, Mr. Smith was elected rector of Union Church, which he held twenty-eight years, ending in 1871. He resigned on account of his age.

TRINITY CHURCH .- The subject of a division of Union Parish, and establishment of a church at the village having been agitated for some time, at a special meeting at Union Church, August 26, 1843, it was " Voted that the Wardens are hereby authorized and directed in the name of Union Church, to convey by assignment of lease or other- wise, all the right, title and interest of Union · Church, and all privileges and appurtenances thereof, to Trinity Church in Claremont, in pur- suance of an article in the warrant."

On September 20, 1843, the parish of Trinity Church, Claremont, was duly organized. Thirty- seven gentlemen, at that time, signed the Articles of Association ; others signed at later dates. Sep- tember 30th, of the same year, having adopted a code of by-laws, the parish proceeded to elect the following officers : James P. Brewer being clerk; Charles M. Bingham and Lewis Perry, wardens; Philander C. Freeman, James M. Gates, Josiah Richards, David W. Dexter and Charles Mitchell, vestrymen ; John W. Tappan, treasurer; Thomas Leland, delegate to the Special Convention of the Diocese, at Concord, October 4, 1843. It was then "Voted, That the Wardens of this Church procure if they think practicable, from Union Church, a conveyance of Trinity Chapel and the

land and all the appurtenances belonging to the same, to Trinity Church." April 8, 1844, P. C. Freeman was appointed by the parish meeting "an agent to attend to the transfer of Trinity Chapel, to the society of Trinity Church, from the mem- bers of Union Church, Claremont, N. H." The transfer was made prior to June 26, 1844.

According to the " History of the Eastern Dio- cese," Trinity Church was received into union with the Diocese of New Hampshire, at the Spe- cial Convention at Concord, October 4, 1843, and its delegate took part in the election of the Rev. Carlton Chase, D.D., Bishop.

The Rev. Eleazer A. Greenleaf officiated at Trinity Church from November, 1843, to Easter, 1844. On December 30, 1843, at a special meeting of the parish of Trinity Church, the fol- lowing resolution was offered by Thomas Leland, Esq , and was unanimously adopted :

" Resolved, As the sense of this Society, that the Wardens and Vestry of this parish be instructed to invite the Rev. Carlton Chase, D.D., to become Rec- tor of said parish, and to make such contract for his salary as they may think for the best interest of the Society. And, in case he accepts of such a call, to make all other arrangements proper for raising means for his salary, and for his institution as Rector."

Dr. Chase accepted the rectorship of Trinity Church, and entered on its duty at Easter, 1844, His salary from the parish was five hundred dollars, At the annual convention in June, 1844, he re- ported sixty families, three baptisms and eighty- four communicants.

The old Trinity Chapel, after having been used for the church service thirty-four years, was taken down in the early part of 1852. The corner-stone of the present edifice, on the same site, was laid on June 16, 1852, by Bishop Chase, assisted by the Rev. Henry S. Smith, rector of Union Church, Claremont, and the Rev. Marcellus A. Herrick, rector of St. James' Church, Woodstock, Vt, Under the corner-stone the following-named articles were deposited :

1. Printed copies of the journals of the Diocese of New Hampshire from 1843 to 1851, inclusive.

HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

2. A list of the communicants of Trinity Church from its organization in September, 1843, to June, 1852-the whole number being one hundred and seventy two.

3. One number each of three religious newspapers published severally on or near the 12th of June, 1852, to wit: The Churchman, The Christian Witness and Advocate and The Calendar.

4. One number each of the newspapers published in Claremont village-the National Eagle and the Northern Advocate.

5. A declaration, of which the following is a copy : "I, Carlton Chase, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire, in the fifty-ninth year of my age, and in the eighth year of my episcopate-Millard Fillmore being President of the United States, and Noah Martin being Governor of New Hampshire- this sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two,

LAY THIS CORNER-STONE OF TRINITY CHURCH,

and with my own hand make this deposite."

6. A schedule of donations from churches and in- dividuals abroad, to aid in the erection of Trinity Church.

7. An account of the organization of the parish, with a list of officers for the year 1852. Also, the names of the architects, Messrs. Wills & Dudley, of the city of New York; of the builders, Messrs. Washburn & Nichols, of Albany, N. Y .; of the Building Committee, Messrs. Charles M. Bingham, Lewis Perry, Charles F. Long and Alvah Stevens.

8. A paper containing the names of subscribers and donors to the Building Fund, and stating gener- ally the terms of the contract for erection.

The chancel window was the gift of All Saints' Church, New York. The cost of this church edi- fice was about seven thousand dollars. Additions and alterations since made have added consider- ably to that sum. It was duly consecrated by Bishop Chase, in the presence of the Convention of the Diocese, May 25, 1853.

Bishop Chase resigned the rectorship of this church June 1st, 1868, as follows:

" DIOCESE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

" To the Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church.

" Dear Brethren :- Proceedings in the late Conven-

tion, by which the Diocese assures my full support, and solicits for itself my undivided cares and labors, make it my duty to resign the Rectorship of your Church. This I beg leave now to do. And in doing it, I assure you, Brethren, that my connection of nineteen years with Trinity Church has afforded me innumerable occasions of happy and grateful remem- brance. As your Bishop I shall still be in your service, and shall be most happy at all times to do what I can for Trinity Church.

" With much affection and respect, " Yours in most holy bonds, " CARLTON CHASE."

At an adjourned meeting of the members of Trinity Church corporation, June 22, 1863, it was " Voted that the Wardens and Vestry be author- ized to tender the Rev. John M. Peck, of Warren, R. I., an invitation to officiate in this church as Pastor one year for the consideration of 800 Dol- lars as Salary." Mr. Peck accepted this invitation, and entered on his duties August 2, 1863. Subse- quently his salary was increased to one thousand dollars and the use of the rectory. He resigned in June, 1867. Mr. Peck reported to the con- vention in June, 1867, twelve baptisms, twenty confirmations and one hundred and sixty commu- nicants.

On the 1st of August, 1867, the Rev. I. G. Hubbard, D.D., took charge of Trinity Church. In 1871 the parish sold its rectory for three thou- sand dollars, and purchased the Dr. Robert Glea- son house and grounds adjoining the church lot for four thousand five hundred dollars. In 1884 the old buildings on this lot were sold for about one hundred and fifty dollars, to be removed, pre- paratory to building new. To the Convention of 1868, Dr. Hubbard reported ten baptisms, eleven confirmations, two hundred and one communi- cants and one hundred Sunday-school scholars.

In September, 1866, George G. and Lemuel N. Ide presented to Trinity Church a bell weighing one thousand and fifty-seven pounds, and costing, with mountings, etc., five hundred and thirty-one dollars and sixty-two cents, "for religious and church uses only."

The following explains itself :

CLAREMONT.

" CLAREMONT, N. H., Dec. 19, 1871.

" To the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church :

" Gentlemen :- I have had prepared a Memorial Tablet in memory of Rt. Rev. Carlton Chase,, D. D., our late worthy Bishop and Rector, which I herewith offer for your acceptance, to be placed in the Chancel of the Church.

" Very truly your associate in the Vestry, "GEO. L. BALCOM."

Dr. Hubbard, on account of ill health, was granted a vacation, his place being supplied by the society, and went to Europe, his expenses being paid by contributions of members of his parish and others.

By reason of continued ill health, Dr. Hubbard resigned his rectorship March 31, 1875, to take effect the 1st of the following May. The Rev. C. R. Batchelder, Rev. Mr. Pearson and others sup- plied until the Rev. Henry Ferguson was called and commenced his labors as rector the 3rd of March, 1878. On account of the poor health of Mrs. Ferguson, Mr. Ferguson resigned in Decem- ber, 1880. The Rev. Charles S. Hale w.is called, and commenced his rectorship at Easter, 1881. He resigned March 9, 1885, his resignation to take effect after Trinity Sunday, May 31, 1885.

In February, 1882, a new organ was placed in the church, at an expense of $3150. In 1884 a choir-room was added to the church, which, with furnishing, cost $1375. A chancel choir of men and boys was organized in February, 1882. In August, 1884, a legacy of $8000 was received from the estate of Mrs. Carrie Evans, of Boston, with which to build a rectory for Trinity Parish, and it will be erected, at no very distant period, on the site adjoining the church lot.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH .- In 1785 a Baptist society was formed in Claremont. There was no stated preaching, however, until the following year, when Rev. John Pickens was ordained. The formation of this new religious society in- creased the bitterness of feeling against the minis- terial tax system. The members of the new society refused to conform to the requisitions of

the law, pleading that they were of a different denomination.

The town records show that on September 6, 1785, "The Inhabitants of the Town of Clare- mont assembled at the dwelling-house of Mr. Ebenezer Rice in s'd Town," and " Voted on the fourth article in the warning that those people that call themselves Baptists pay no more rates to the Congregational order for the fewter."

This secured from taxation, by the terms of the law, such persons as were conscientiously of a dif- ferent persuasion, and attended constantly public religious worship on the Lord's day.

In July, 1776, a church of seventeen members was constituted and recognized. Mr. Pickens re- mained but a few months, under whose ministry the society flourished ; but after his removal, and for various reasons, it became extinct in a few years. In the fall of 1820, Rev. John Kimball labored three months as a missionary in Clare- mont. In January, 1821, the scattered members were brought together, and a church with seven- teen members was constituted. The names of these members were as follows: Joseph Cum- mings, Thomas Warner, Ezra Smith, Jesse Bun- nel, Mehitabel Dodge, Milly Bunnel, Eunice Smith, Prudence Sweet, Betsey Bunnel, Ruth Bond, Prudence Richards, Hannah Cummings, Betsey Patrick, Lydia Wilkins, Sally Draper, Mehitabel Bunnel, Charlotte Petty.

Under Mr. Kimball's labors the church mem- bership increased to fifty-four. The six following years the church was without a pastor and wor- shiped in a hall connected with Clark's tavern, on the north side of Sugar River. Notwithstanding the disadvantages endured in this time, there was an accession of several men of standing and wealth. In 1827 the First Baptist Society was formed, and a small chapel was built on the east side of High Street, which was occupied six years.

In January, 1829, the Rev. Leonard Tracy was settled as the first pastor of the church, and his connection with it continued eight years, during which the " Manual," published in 1884, from which much information is derived, says " the

HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

foundation of much of its future prosperity were laid." In 1833-34, encouraged by the growth of the church and society, a lot at the junction of Main and Central Streets, where their handsome house of worship now stands, was purchased, and the ercction of the building was commenced, which was completed and dedicated in November, 1834.

The Rev. Darwin H. Ranney succeeded Mr. Tracy, and began his labors in March, 1838, and continued them until September, 1839, after which the pastorate was vacant until September, 1840, when Rev. J. M. Graves became pastor. He held the office about three years, during which it is recorded that " the church gained in strength and efficiency, although it did not increase in members."

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.

History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 107

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1200

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1200