USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 8
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155
The treaty of peace with Great Britain hay- ing secured to the Tories the privilege of return- ing to this country to collect their debts and and settle their affairs, Elijah Williams, Esq., came to Keene for that purpose in the begin- ning of this year. His appearance here so ex- asperated the zealous Whigs that they seized him and carried him before Thomas Baker, Esq., a justice of the peace. What were the charges against him, or whether any charges were exhibited, has not been ascertained. The justice, perhaps with a view to protect him from outrage, ordered him to recognize for his appearance at the Court of Sessions, to be held at Charlestown, in April, and committed him to the custody of the sheriff. With this the pop- ulace were not satisfied, and they discovered an intention of assaulting and beating him; but he was surrounded and guarded to his lodgings by the old and the young men who happened to be present.
The animosity of the Whigs, aggravated probably by the arts of those who were in- debted to him, was, however, so great that they determined he should not thus escape their ven- geance. On the day before that appointed for the sitting of the court a party concealed them- selves in the pines near Fisher Brook, intend- ing, when he passed with the sheriff, to get him into their power. The sheriff passed without him, relying upon the promise he had made to appear at court the next day. This circum- stance excited their suspicions ; they came im- mediately into the street, seized Williams at his lodgings, and, placing him in the midst of
them, repaired to a tavern in Ash Swamp. When he arrived there two bundles of black- beech rods were produced, from which it ap- peared that a plan had been concerted to compel him to run the gauntlet, with the view, proba- bly, of inducing him, by such harsh treatment, again to leave the country. But by this time a large number of considerate citizens had as- sembled and arrived at the tavern. A proposi- tion was made that the whole subject should be referred to a committee. A committee was ap- pointed ; their report was too favorable to Wil - liams to suit the majority, and was rejected. Another committee was appointed, who reported that he should leave the town the next day and Icave the State the next week. This report was agreed to; but the minority, still dissatis- fied, privately sent out messengers, to collect more of their friends. This being communi- cated to those who were disposed to protect Williams, they advised him to retire imme- diately. An attempt was made to prevent him from mounting a horse, which had been offered him by a friend. A conflict ensued, in which the horse was overthrown, and several persons were knocked down with clubs. He at length, however, mounted, with the assistance of his friends, and rode through the crowd, which continued to oppose him.
The next day he repaired to Charlestown, and presented himself to the court, which thereupon passed the following order : "That Elijah Williams, Esq., now in the keeping of Isaac Griswold, by virtue of a mittimus from Thomas Baker, Esq., continue in the custody of the said Isaac until he shall have transacted the business upon which he came into this part of the country, and then be permitted to leave this State, upon his good behavior, without further molestation." After settling his affairs Williams repaired to Nova Scotia. Shortly after, in consequence of ill health, he returned to Deerfield, his native town, died, and was buried by the side of his ancestors.
The following is a list of the foot company in Keene in 1773:
" Lieut. Benjamin Hall. Joseph Gray. Ensign Michael Metcalf, Samuel Hall.
Clerk Simeon Clark. Jesse Hall.
42
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Serj. Elijah Blake.
Peter Hubbert.
Serj. Thomas Baker.
Seth Heaton, Jr.
John Griggs.
Luke Metcalf. Isaac Wyman, Jr.
"Errors excepted. " EPHRAIM DORMAN, C.
"To COL. JOSIAH WILLARD, Keene, August 7, 1773."
The following is the alarm-list belonging to Keene :
Ashael Blake.
Lieut. Seth Heaton.
Samuel Woods.
Dea. David Foster.
Samuel Daniels.
Elisha Briggs.
Daniel Lake.
John Day.
Jesse Clark.
John Balch.
Ezra Metcalf. Jonathan Metcalf.
Nathan Blake.
Robert Gillmore.
Luther Bragg.
Moses Marsh.
Joseph Ellis.
Obadiah Hamilton.
Samuel Bassett.
Eli Metcalf.
Uriah Wilson.
Peter Rice.
John Burt.
Daniel Metcalf.
Ebenezer Nims.
Elisha Ellis.
Nathan Blake, Jr.
William Nelson.
David Nims.
Isaac Billings.
Obadiah Blake, Jr.
David Nims, Jr.
Gideon Ellis.
Josiah Ellis.
Royal Blake.
Ebenezer Newton.
Lieut. Andrew Balch.
Timothy Ellis, Jr.
Naboth Bettison.
Asahel Nims.
Aaron Gray.
Ichabod Fisher.
Thomas Baker, Jr.
Eliakim Nims.
Ebenezer Day.
William Gray.
John Pray Blake.
Zadock Nims.
Eliphalet Briggs.
Benjamin Hall, Jr.
Cephas Clark.
Alpheus Nims.
Benjamin Archer.
Benjamin Osgood.
Seth Clark.
Joshua Osgood.
Capt. Isaac Wyman.
Eliphalet Carpenter.
Benjamin Osgood, Jr.
Doct. Obadiah Blake.
Ebenezer Carpenter.
Amos Partridge.
Jonathan Pond.
Samuel Chapman.
Abiathar Pond.
Doct. Josiah Pomeroy.
Ebenezer Cooke.
Isaac Clark.
Nathan Rugg.
Doct. Gideon Tiffany.
Daniel Snow.
Elijah Williams.
Israel Houghton.
CHAPTER IV.
KEENE-(Continued).
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Timothy Crossfield.
Joseph Willson. William Woods.
Joseph Ellis, Jr.
Gideon Ellis, Jr.
Simeon Ellis.
Timothy Ellis (3d).
Daniel Willson.
William Ellis. Caleb Ellis.
Thomas Wells.
Stephen Esty.
John White. James Wright.
James Eady.
Zadock Wheeler.
Benjamin Ellis.
Walter Wheeler.
Benjamin Ellis, Jr.
Samuel Wadsworth.
Joshua Ellis.
Abijah Wilder.
Jabez Fisher.
Jonathan Wheeler.
Silas French.
Thomas Wilder.
David Foster, Jr.
Thomas Morse.
Peter Fiskin.
Aaron Gray, Jr.
Joseph Hills, Davis Howlet.
Corp. Dan Guild.
Corp. Joseph Blake.
Corp. Abijah Metcalf.
Ziba Hall. Jonathan Heaton. Luther Heaton.
Benjamin Archer.
Nathaniel Kingsbury.
Jonathan Archer.
Daniel Kingsbury.
John Brown.
Stephen Larrabee.
Abraham Wheeler. Joseph Brown.
Benjamin Balch, Jr.
John Houghton.
Serj. Isaac Esty.
Serj. Jede. Carpenter.
William Goodenow.
Eliphalet Briggs, Jr.
Jonas Clark.
Eleazer Sanger.
John Day, Jr.
Abner Sanger.
John Daniels.
Robert Spencer.
Reuben Daniels.
Jeremiah Stiles.
John Dickson.
Richard Smith.
Addington Daniels.
John Swan. Jacob Town.
Ebenezer Day, Jr.
Jacob Day.
Joseph Thatcher.
Abraham Wheeler, Jr.,
James Dean.
Oliver Wright.
Jedediah Wellman.
David Willson.
First Congregational Church-Second Congregational Church-Unitarian Church-Baptist Church-St. James' Church-Methodist Church-Roman Catholic Church.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .- The first reference to the ecclesiastical history of the town found on the old proprietors' records is under date of September 30, 1736.
At a proprietors' meeting held at Keene, then known as the township of the Upper Ashuelot, September 30, 1736, it was voted " that they will build a Meeting-house at the upper township on the Ashuelot, so called, 40 feet long, 20 feet stud, and 30 and 5 feet wide, at the south end of the town street (to underpin, cover and
Ephraim Leonard. Peter Daniels.
Lieut. Timothy Ellis. Thomas Frink, Esq.
Silas Cook.
Josiah Richardson.
Simeon Clark, Jr.
Nathaniel Hall. Samuel Woods, Jr. John Connolly. Samuel Colhoun.
Henry Ellis.
43
KEENE.
inclose the same, and lay down boards for the lower floor), at the place appointed by the Gen- cral Court's committee ; and that Messrs. Jere- miah Hall, Samuel Daniels, Joseph Richardson, Stephen Blake and Josiah Fisher be a com- mittee to build or let the same ; and to see that said work be completely performed by the 26th day of June next."
The first pastor was the Rev. Jacob Bacon. He was called to settle as the minister of the new plantation May 5, 1738, and was ordained October 18th of the same year. The committee who presented the call consisted of Jeremiah Hall, David Foster, Isaac Clark, Josiah Fisher and Ebenezer Nims.
The church was organized October 18, 1737, and soon after David Foster and Josiah Fisher were appointed deacons. Rev. Mr. Bacon was dismissed in 1747.
The town was chartered in 1753, and at the first meeting held under the new charter it was voted to build a meeting-house of slabs for tem- porary use, and in the following December it was voted to build a meeting-house forty-five feet long and thirty-five feet wide. This house was erected on the common and used till the fall of 1786, when it was removed to the west side of the common and rebuilt as the court-house of Cheshire County.
The second house of worship was erected in 1786, and was an enterprise of no small magnitude for those early days. The pews were bought in anticipation of its being built and were generally paid for in cattle, which were sold at great discount. The following items are extracted from the records of the building committee :
" To a journey in February, 1787, to Sutton, Frank- lin and Boston, to purchase oil, glass and vane, £1 4s. 0d.
"To a journey down with 27 head of cattel to Wrentham, December, 1787; also, a journey to Provi- dence to buy the glass for the meeting-house ; and expense of keeping said cattel, £5 38. 10d.
" May, 1788 .- To a journey to Providence after the glass ; to carting glass from Providence to Wrentham ; also, a journey from Providence to Boston, 19s. 1d.
" Paid for cattel more than they sold for in cash, £16 18s. 5d.
" To cash to defray the expenses of Samuel Heaton
down to Wrentham after the glass for the meeting- house, wagon and two horses, £1 188. 4d.
" Paid Mr. John Ward & Co., Providence, for glass, £38 5s. 4d."
The pews sold for £941 5s. Raised by tax, four hundred pounds.
The building committee consisted of Lieu- tenant Benjamin Hall, Deacon Daniel Kings- bury, Major Davis Howlet, Mr. Benjamin Anher, Lieutenant Reuben Partridge, Mr. Abi- jah Wilder and Mr. Thomas Baker.
The pews were sold at auction, as follows :
PEWS ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE.
£
S.
Daniel Newcomb, Esq., No. 15 18 0
Abijah Wilder, No. 20 18 10
Daniel Newcomb, Esq., No. 17 18 0)
Benjamin Hall, No. 18. 18 10
James Wright, No. 62. 17
0
Thomas Baker, Jr., No. 19 16 10
Nathan Blake, Jr., No. 61. 16 10
Abel Blake, No. 57 15 10
Isaac Billings, No. 46. 15 10
Josiah Richardson, No. 34 16 0
Aaron Emes, No. 16. 15 0
Colonel Timothy Ellis, No. 63 15 10
Thomas Baker, Esq., No. 14. 15
0
Benjamin Hall, Esq., No. 47 14
0
Aaron Willson, No. 24. 14 0
Israel Houghton and ? No. 25 14
0
Elisha Briggs,
Alpheus Nims, No. 9 14 0
David Howlet, No. 21 14 0
Isaac Blake and Į No. 27 14 0
Joseph Blake,
Royal Blake, No. 60 14
0
Thomas Field, No. 26. 15 0
Asa Dunbar, Esq., No. 35. 14
0
Alexander Ralston, No. 33 14
0
John Swan, No. 59. 13 10
Luther Emes, No. 36 13 10
Jotham Metcalf, No. 28.
13 10
Daniel Kingsbury, No. 56. 13 10
Reuben Partridge, No. 31
12 10
John Houghton, No 30 .. 12
0
Cornelius Sturtevant, No. 45 12
0
Elijah Dunbar, No. 10 12 0
Abraham Wheeler, Jr., No. 3 11 10
Eliphalet Briggs, No. 48 11 0
John P. Blake and ( No. 29. 10 10
Andrew Slyfield,
David Nims, Jr., No. 8 10 10
William Woods, No. 11 11 10
Benjamin Archer, No. 51 10 0
Benjamin Hall, No. 49 10 0
Eli Metcalf, No. 12. 10 10
44
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
£ 8.
Benjamin Balch, No. 50 10 0
Isaac Griswold, No. 44.
10 0
Daniel Newcomb, Esq., No. 1 10 10
Ebenezer Day, No. 55.
10
Thaddeus Metcalf, No. 13. 10 0
Ephraim Wright, No. 42 10 10
David Wilson, No. 22. 10 10
Joshua Durant, No. 64 10
0
Eri Richardson, No. 23 10 0
John Dickson, No. 43. 10 0
Samuel Bassett, No. 7. 10
0
David Foster, No. 53
10 0
Asahel Blake, No. 32.
10 0
Jesse Clark, No. 52. 10 0
Hananiah Hall and ? No. 54 10
0
Samuel Osgood,
Josiah Willard, No. 6. 10
0
Josiah Willard, No. 41
10 0
John Stiles, No. 4
10 10
Joseph Brown, No. 39 10
Bartholomew Dwinell and ?
0
Daniel Wilson, No. 38. 10
0)
Dan Guild, No. 2.
10 0
Simeon Clark, No. 37. 12 10
Josiah Willard, No. 40. 10 0
PEWS IN THE GALLERY.
Thomas Baker, Jr., No. 13 9 10
Stephen Chase, No. 16. 8 10
Benjamin Kemp, No. 10 9 10
Timothy Balch and Į
Ebenezer Robbins, No. 17 7 10
Elisha Briggs, No. 15. 7 10
Eliakim Nims, No. 11
7 10
Daniel Newcomb, Esq., No. 8 7 0
Elisha Briggs, No. 12. 6 10
Benjamin Willis, Jr., No. 20.
6 15
Isaac Billings, No. 6 .. 6 15
Elisha Briggs, No. 14. 6 15
Asa Ware and ? No. 23 6 10
Jonas Osgood,
Daniel Kingsbury, No. 19. : 05
Eliphalet Briggs, No. 21 6 0
Elisha Briggs, No. 7. 5 10
Nathaniel French, No. 9 5 0
Millet Ellis, No. 22 4 10
Daniel Newcomb, Esq., No. 18 7 0
Elisha Briggs, No. 25. 4 05
Abijalı Wilder, No. 24. 9 0
Reuben Partridge, No. 5 4 05
Thomas Field, No. 4 ... 4 10
Alexander McDaniels, No. 2. 4 05
Eliphalet Briggs, No. 3. 4 05 Timothy Balch, No. 1 5 0
The pews on the floor (sixty-three) sold for
seven hundred and eighty-nine pounds ; those in the gallery (twenty-five) for sixty pounds ; the whole number for eight hundred and forty- nine pounds,-about three thousand dollars.
This church was remodeled in 1828 and sev- cral times since.
Mr. Bacon's successor as pastor was Rev. Ezra Carpenter, who was installed October 4, 1753, over the united church of Keene and Swanzey. He remained about seven years.
At the separation of Keene from Swanzey the Keene Church was organized with fourteen male members, and June 11, 1761, Rev. Clement Sumner was ordained as pastor. He officiated about eleven years, and was succeeded, in 1777, by Rev. Aaron Hall. He was ordained Feb- ruary 18, 1778, the church at this time consist- ing of seventy-seven members. Mr. Hall officiated as pastor thirty-seven years. He died August 12, 1814. During his ministry two hundred and eleven members were received into the church.
Rev. David Oliphant was the next pastor, installed May 24, 1815. IIe remained about three years and was succeeded by Rev. Z. S. Barstow, D.D., who was ordained July 1, 1818. Dr. Barstow's pastorate covered a period of fifty years. He resigned March 1, 1868. Rev. J. A. Hamilton was his helper from February 9, 1861, till August 10, 1865, and Rev. J. A. Leach from August 16, 1866, till September 21,1867.
Rev. William S. Karr, installed July 9, 1868, left January 1, 1873.
Rev. Cyrus Richardson, from July 10, 1873, till July 10, 1883.
The church at present (1885) has no settled pastor.
CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY 1 (UNITARIAN). -This society was organized March 18, 1824, by an association of sixty-nine men, under the statutes of the State of New Hampshire. It took the designation of " Keene Congregational Society." Mr. George Tilden is now, and has been for some years, the only survivor of that original membership. Among the original
! The items for this sketch were very kindly furnished by Rev. William Orne White.
John Stiles, No. 5 10
45
KEENE.
members were Samuel Dinsmoor and Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr. (each Governor of New Hamp- shire), Thomas M. Edwards (late a member of Congress), Salma Hale (member of Con- gress) Silas Perry (the Revolutionary soldier), John Elliot, Aaron Appleton, John Prentiss, Francis Faulkner, James Wilson, Jr., Willian Lamson, Sumner Wheeler and Benjamin F. Adams ; and Phineas Handerson, in 1836, and William L. Foster, in 1842, added their names. Levi Chamberlain was a punctual attendant, although his name is not on that early list.
The time-honored deacons, Samuel Wood, Jr., and Adolphus Wright, are there,-the one serv- ing upwards of twenty-nine and the other thirty- five years,-fitly succeeded in office by John Clark, who also served (until his death) nearly twenty-seven years.
Add to such names among the departed, as chronicled above, the sons of Francis Faulk- ner, who, in a business career or at the bar, achieved renown; or men like William P. Abbott, of Nashua, who, thirty years ago, joined the parish heart and hand ; and it be- comes evident that its influence has left its mark upon the community. And yet, without. the scores of earnest, faithful, industrious men with their households, who have adorned a more quiet career, the society could not have let its light shine as it has.
Rev. William Orne White says : "I deemed myself fortunate in succeeding, in 1851, such ministers as Thomas Russell Sullivan and Abiel Abbot Livermore, one of whom had given nine and a half and the other thirteen and a half years to the parish, and had left behind them the record of earnest work, and that 'good name' which ' is better than precious ointment.' "
The church edifice was enlarged by one-third its space and remodeled in 1867-68.
Early in 1869, through the gift of one thou- sand dollars by the late Charles Wilson, the germ of the Invalids' Home was planted, which by subsequent bequests of five thousand dollars and upwards from the late Mrs. Rebceca H. Cooke, and one thousand dollars from the late John J. Allen, as well as through numerous sub- scriptions and the co-operation of friends in
other parishes in Keene, has been enabled to reach its present state of efficiency.
Nearly five thousand dollars were paid to- wards the missionary efforts of the American Unitarian Association by members of the parish during the twenty-seven years of Mr. White's ministry, besides contributions to Freedmen's Schools, the New Hampshire Or- phans' Home and other charities. Mr. White's predecessor had been eminently faithful to this department of parish exertion.
Mr. White recorded two hundred and thirty- one baptisms, all but a very few being in Keene. In Keene or its vicinity he officiated, during his pastorate, at nearly five hundred burials.
It is proper to add that the Keene Athenaeum (precursor of the Keene Public Library) owed its origin largely to efforts of persons of our own parish. Yet, in saying this, the cor- dial co-operation-during the war and at other times-of generous-hearted souls in all the parishes, in the behalf of the soldiers, freed- men, etc., cannot be forgotten.
BAPTIST CHURCH.1-Baptists from Middle- borough, Mass., located in the east part of Westmoreland, where they constituted a church in 1771. This family spread into the west part of Keene. Here a church of the same faith was recognized by an ecclesiastical council on the 9th day of September, 1816, consisting of thirteen members. It was gathered under the ministry of Rev. Charles Cummings. The church was received into the Dublin Baptist Association in October of that year. A small meeting-house, with square pews and a gallery, was built that autumn. It was situated in that part of the town known as " Ash Swamp," and dedicated December 25, 1816.2 Worship was continued here, at irregular periods, under many discouragements, till 1838, when Baptist preach-
1 By Rev. William H. Eaton, D.D.
? This meeting-house was built mainly through the agency of David Carpenter, whose son, Caleb Carpenter, paid largely toward the removal of the debt on the new house on Court Street. The frame of the old house still exists, in part, in the dwelling-house on the corner of Middle and Summer Streets, now owned by Mr. James Donnelly. The bell is still preserved and is now used in the new church.
46
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ing was commenced in the village. The effort was so successful that a brick meeting-house, forty-five feet by sixty-eight and a half feet, on Winter Street,1 was dedicated September 17, 1839. The interest in the village was started and the house built under the efficient labors of Rev. John Peacock. He baptized forty-six during the year and a half of his ministry. Rev. Mark Carpenter, late of Mil- ford, was publicly recognized as pastor of the church on the 22d of April, 1840, and dis- missed on the 3d of October, 1844, having baptized sixty into the fellowship of the church. He was succeeded by Mr. Horace Richardson, of Cornish, a recent graduate of Newton Theo- logical Institution, who was ordained May 7, 1845. He was dismissed April 1, 1846. After him Rev. Gilbert Robbins, late of Rumney, took charge of the church, commencing his labors in August of that year. He remained here eleven years, tendering his resignation in June, 1857. It was a time of sowing and not of reaping, though he had the privilege in one associational year of baptizing twenty- two.
In 1853 a convenient two-story parsonage, with a small barn, was built on the west side of Court Street, about one-half mile from the meeting-house. The lot measured sixty-six feet front, with an average depth of about one hundred and fifty-five feet. The land and buildings cost sixteen hundred and fifty dollars.
In October of 1857, Rev. Leonard Tracy be- came the pastor, and in June of 1863 gave up his charge, respected and beloved by all. In the mean time he baptized twenty-six. In the autumn of 1863 the attention of the people was directed to Mr. William N. Clarke, of Caze- novia, N. Y., a recent graduate of Hamilton Theological Seminary, and he was ordained the pastor January 14, 1864. He remained here five years and a half, in which time he baptized twenty-two and gave a moral impulse to the church. While he was here a new organ was
purchased, costing twelve hundred and fifty dol- lars. He closed his labors here May 9, 1869.
He was succeeded by Mr. Austin V. Tilton, a graduate of Newton Theological Institution, and a son of Rev. J. D. Tilton, of Milford. He was ordained September 30, 1869, and con- tinued his labors here till May 5, 1872. He " labored for direct spiritual fruit," and had the satisfaction of adding to the church, by baptism, twenty-five in less than three years of his ministry.
On the 26th of May, 1872, Rev. William H. Eaton, D.D., late of Nashua, was invited to be- come pastor. After spending about two months with the people he accepted the call. He was in- stalled September 1st. The question of a new house of worship had been under discussion for some time. After the settlement of Dr. Eaton the question was soon revived. All felt that extensive repairs must be made on the old house, or a new house must be built. The lat- ter plan was finally agreed upon with great unanimity. A lot was purchased on the east side of Court Street, known as the Abijah Wil- der estate. It included a two-story dwelling- house on the corner of Court and Vernon Streets, which was set aside as a parsonage, while the other was sold for five thousand two hun- dred dollars. After disposing of some of the land on the east side of the Wilder lot, the re- mainder, with the dwelling-house, cost ten thousand five hundred dollars.
Ground was broken for the new church on the 3d day of June, 1873, with appropriate reli- gious services. The house was dedicated May 12, 1875. It is made of brick, and measures, in the main body, fifty-nine by one hundred and four feet. The recess is twenty-eight and a half by fourteen feet. The spire rises to the height of one hundred and sixty-seven feet from the ground, surmounted by a gilded weather-vane five feet high. The style of architecture is Romanesque. The auditorium is in the second story, and easily accommodates seven hundred and fifty people. It is finished in ash and black walnut. The orchestra is in the rear of the pulpit. There is a small gallery over the front vestibule ; there are six beautiful memorial win- dows, three on cach side. The acoustic proper-
1 The building committee for the house on Winter Street were Levi Willard, William Stowits and Amasa Brown. The house remains on its original location, though oc- enpied for seenlar purposes.
47
KEENE.
ties of the house are excellent. The rooms on the first floor consist of chapel, vestry, parlor, kitchen, pantry, toilet-room, etc. The whole house is well-proportioned, substantially built, conveniently arranged and tastefully decorated. It cost, with furniture, exclusive of the land, fifty-two thousand dollars.1 The building of this house of worship was followed by great financial depression in the community, which imposed a very heavy debt upon the church and society, which was borne with a commendable degree of patience and fortitude. They paid for all home expenses, on an average, about seven thousand dollars a year, for twelve years, and they now have the reward of having their valuable church property nearly free of debt. Since 1872 the numerical increase of the church has been small, yet fully equal to any other period of the same length, with one exception. During Mr. Eaton's ministry, thus far, fifty-one have been added by baptism and fifty-eight by letter. Still, the diminution by deaths and re- movals has been almost equal to the additions. However, the church, through its entire history, has gradually increased from the original thir- teen, in September, 1816, to one hundred and ninety-six, in March, 1885.
The Sabbath-school, comparatively, is large and promising, consisting of eighteen teachers, two hundred and eighty scholars, with an aver- age attendance of about one hundred and thirty- five. The library numbers eight hundred and fifty volumes ; A. G. Sprague, superintendent.
ST. JAMES' CHURCH.2-Strictly speaking, the history of St. James' Church, Keene, dates from the year 1858.
Previous to this time, however, services had been held from time to time, as opportunity offered, by various visiting clergymen.
For instance, the Rev. Mr. Leonard, rector of St. Paul's Church, Windsor, Vt., visited Keene, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Dunham and other parishioners, and held several services in the village some time in the year 1816.
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.