USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of Chester, New Hampshire, including Auburn : a supplement to the History of old Chester, published in 1869 > Part 13
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Auburn > History of Chester, New Hampshire, including Auburn : a supplement to the History of old Chester, published in 1869 > Part 13
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List of members of the Presbyterian Church as corrected Oct. 28, 1834:
David Currier, B. Pike Chase, Samuel Dinsmore, Nathan Plum- mer, Jr., John Folsom, Benjamin Chase and Amos Chase, ruling elders. Molley Patten, Mary Currier,
Margaret Crombie, Sarah Clay,
Elisabeth Beba,
Caleb Hall, dec'd.
Thomas Anderson and wife.
Mary Patten, dec'd. Paul Adams and wife.
Widow Hall. Bettey Shirley, d. 1858.
Hannah Dinsmore, Widow Aikin, dec'd.
William Coult and wife.
Stark Ray.
Dolly Burnham, dismissed.
Sarah Porter.
Wife of Samuel Fyfield.
Ann McDuffee.
James Orr and wife.
Nancy Kelley.
Margaret Hall. Mary Aikin.
Dolly Folsom.
Nancy Underhill.
Josiah Hall.
Abigail Towle.
Isaac Hall and wife.
Susannah Norton.
Lucy Litch.
Louis Hall. Robert Perham, dismissed. Judith Scott.
Sarah Farnum.
Elizabeth Emerson.
Hannah Colby.
Martha McDuffee. Betsey Coffin.
Polley Bailey.
Sarah Plummer, dec'd.
James Emerson.
John W. Ray.
Zaccheus Colby.
Sophia Emerson. Stephen Lufkin.
James Dinsmore.
Stephen Emerson.
Stephen Chase.
Ann Anderson.
Mrs. Hall, dec'd.
Nathan Hall.
Eliza Emerson. Ezekiel Fox.
Grace Mckinley.
Hannah Ray.
Zilpha Dinsmore, dec'd. Ruth Chase.
Lucinda Patten, dismissed. Sarah S. Hall.
Emdine Weeks.
Jane Thayer, dismissed.
Mathew Dickey.
Richard Dearborn.
Lucy L. Sargent.
Prudence Hilil, widow.
Margaret Dickey, dec'd. Elizabeth Heath. Mary Chase.
Katherine Underhill. William Graham.
Mrs. Richardson.
Amelia Hoyt.
Esther Dickey.
Polly Coleman.
James Hoyt. Samuel Hoyt.
Sally Hall.
Ann Coult.
Mary Colby, widow, dec'd. Amherst Coult. Mary Colby.
Mehitable Orr.
Betsey Underhill.
100
HISTORY OF CHESTER
Clarisa Senter.
Sally P. Coleman.
Amos Lufkin.
Mary Gilbert.
Susannah K. Coleman, dismissed.
Melinda Spofford.
Polley Davis.
Mehitable Plummer.
Lucy Ray.
Elihu Thayer, dec'd.
Ann Archibald.
Benjamin Sargent, Jr., dec'd.
Sarah Fox.
Total 96.
The assessments of the Presbyterian Parish are preserved from 1804 to 1841 inclusive. They may be found in Presbyterian Church Records in possession of the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord. The assessment for the year 1822 was as follows :
Valuation
Tax
Samuel Aiken
$445
$3.56
Samuel Aiken, Jr.
29I
2.33
Samuel Aiken 3d.
130
1.04
William Aiken
130
1.04
Thomas Anderson
888
7.10
Samuel Anderson
I30
1.04
Samuel Anderson, Jr. .
250
6.11
Ephraim Brown .
63
.51
Miles Burnham
I30
1.04
Noah Burnham
255
3.00
Daniel Burnham .
130
1.04
William Colt
220
1.76
Wells Chase
360
2.88
B. Pike Chase
529
4.24
Benjamin Chase
I35
1.08
Amos Chase
243
1.95
Stephen Clay, Jr.,
565
4.52
John Coffin
666
5.33
Thomas Coffin
150
1.20
Eliphalet Coffin
130
1.04
Daniel Colbie
252
2.02
Hugh Crombie
325
2.60
John Crawford
935
7.48
Robert Crawford
200
1.60
David Currier
790
6.32
David Currier 3d.
130
1.04
Jacob Couch
I30
1.04
Zaccheus Colbie
373
2.99
Matthew Dickey .
218
2.74
John Davis
I60
1.28
Jonathan Davis
808
6.47
Robert Dinsmore
44I
3.53
Samuel Dinsmore
362
2.90
James Dinsmore .
238
1.90
James Donovan .
I30
1.04
Joseph Davis
180
1.64
Widow MacDuffee
I5
.12
James Emerson
528
4.24
Jonathan Emery, Jr., .
David Emerson
I30
1.04
Richard Emery
I30
1.04
Joseph Blanchard
763
Lydia Benson
IOI
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
John Folsom
1,710
13.68
Stephen Fowler
690
5.52
James Farnum
130
1.04
William Graham .
1,000
8.00
Isaac Hall
640
5.12
Moses Hall
655
5.24
Josiah Hall .
950
7.60
Nathan Hall
I30
1.04
Josiah Hall, Jr.
130
1.04
John Hall, Jr.
I30
1.04
Joseph Hills
185
1.48
Asa Hoit
50
.40
Davis place,
170
1.32
Ezekiel H. Kelley
725
6.00
Ephraim Kelley
755
6.04
William Linn
818
7.05
William Litch
313
2.51
Nehemiah Lufkin
700
5.60
Thomas McMaster
I30
1.04
George Corning .
I30
1.04
William Moor, Jr.
130
1.04
Joseph Mills
150
1.20
Robert Mills
150
1.20
Jesse J. Underhill
1,403
II.22
Ned R. Underhill
190
1.52
Robert Mckinley
I30
1.04
Archibald McDuffie, Jr.
598
4.80
Hazen McDuffee
I35
1.08
Estate of Stephen Merrill
235
1.88
Daniel McDuffee
I30
1.04
Richard Melvin
I30
1.04
Archibald McDuffee 3d.
288
2.31
David Patten
175
1.4I
Molly Patten
60
.48
David Porter
640
5.44
Nathan Plummer
48
.40
Nathan Plummer, Jr.
218
1.75
John H. Reed
713
5.65
Josiah Sanborn
I30
1.04
John Sanborn, Jr.
390
3.12
Abraham Towle .
970
7.76
Cary Towle
I30
1.04
Theodore Tarbox
130
1.04
John Underhill
.
403
3.22
Moses Underhill, Jr.
I30
1.04
David C. Underhill
I30
1.04
Samuel Underhill, Jr.
130
1.04
John Wason
210
1.64
John S. Wason .
5.36
4.29
James Wason
533
4.26
James Wason, Jr.
408
3.28
Samuel D. Wason
988
7.91
Isaac Morse
I30
I30
1.04
James Orr .
150
1.20
Nehemiah Porter
415
3.32
Robert Mckinley, Jr.
Worthen place (W. Linn)
63
102
HISTORY OF CHESTER
Samuel Wason
130
1.04
William White
428
2.44
Stephen Worthen
270
2.16
Stephen Worthen, Jr. .
130
1.04
Abra Wood
135
1.08
Merebee Wadwell
219
1.76
ยท
.
June 24, 1822-Joseph Blanchard
Robert Crawford
Wardens.
CHAPTER IV.
THE BAPTIST AND METHODIST CHURCHES.
In November, 1919, the First Baptist Church of Chester observed its one-hundredth anniversary. The grantees and early settlers of Chester were mostly of English descent and were Congregationalists ; but others that came earlier were of Scotch descent and Presbyterians. (Chase's History, page 316.)
In those early days every voter had to pay his assessed taxes to the church as well as to the town. The Presbyterians did this for a while, and then, when the Congregationalists had no preaching, petitioned for the right of paying their taxes to a church of their own choice. The selectmen tried to compel them to pay to the Congre- gational Church as well as to their own, whereupon the Governor granted their petition. Later in 1819 men of another sect, the Baptist, banded together to form a church according to their own religious convictions. One reason for this was the dissension which had arisen in the Congregational Church over Mr. Bradstreet, the minister ; which had reduced the church membership to eleven male members. The Baptists, too, like the Presbyterians, objected to paying a tax to a church to which they did not belong.
At first the new society held their meetings in the Wilcomb house, then in the Richardson Tavern; but in 1823 they began a church building on the Haverhill Road, opposite the Stevens house. It was thought by some that this meeting-house should never have been taken down, for it was a stately building, fifty-two by forty-two feet, a fine example of early architecture. There was such exquisite fluting and carving in many parts of the building that when it was torn down, people came from a distance to obtain small pieces to keep as souvenirs.
The inquiry may be raised as to why this meeting-house was taken down to be rebuilt into a new one. The first reason was that it was thought best for the church to be in the centre of the town. Secondly, the first church building 'had too elaborate a plan-$2,200 were spent in cash, besides the lumber given, and that was a good deal in those days, when the minister's salary had to be paid in salt pork, Indian meal, and potatoes. The building was made in the most excellent manner, so far as it was finished; but it had never been completed, and to have finished it in the same fashion would have been a great expense. Finally, in the years between 1820 and 1860 the population of this town had diminished one-half. All the older members of the church were dead, and the large families of children had grown up and scattered.
In the forenoon of January 13, 1846, the church dissolved, and in the afternoon reorganized under the new articles of faith then set
103
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
forth by the New Hampshire Baptist Convention. The loss in member- ship of the church by death and the scattering of the young people made it unnecessary to have so large a building; so with the material of the old building a new one was built on the site of the present one, but facing southward. In front of it with only a driveway between was a magnificent elm tree. The church was of a plain structure with a very attractive interior. All the pulpit furniture was given by Mr. George Stevens, the donor of Stevens Hall. When the building was destroyed by fire, the pulpit, made by Mr. Stevens's own hands, was saved, and is now in the present church. The bell was also saved from the ruins and is now in use. The weather-vane from the first meeting house is still veering to the different points of the compass on the barn of C. F. Marston. On the new church a cross was raised. This was a subject of much comment by the country folk, who are keen critics, as it was thought to savor of Roman Catholicism.
Great was the grief when on January 30, 1876, this church, hallowed by so many sacred associations, was destroyed by fire. The day following the fire a special meeting was held and it was voted to rebuild the church on the old site after the same model. It was also voted to hold services for a time in the vestry of the Congregational Church.
In August of the same year cash amounting to over $800 had been raised toward building a new church. In August, 1879, the church was dedicated. Following the dedication a meeting was held to state the financial conditions. The statement showed a debt of $300. It was voted to rent the pews for two, three, and four dollars a year. On May 16, 1879, a meeting was held and the committee reported that the remaining debt of $170 had been paid, and that there was about $70 in the treasury with which to help pay for the preaching. Much credit was due Rev. Joshua Clement, then pastor, for raising money in pay- ment of the debt. In 1886, through the efforts of the Ladies' Circle, a vestry was finished in the basement of the church. This is the building which stands today.
The Chester Baptist Church has stood strongly against intemper- ance; and while the Baptist denomination has been charged with intolerance and bigotry, it is to the honor of the old Baptist Church that the doors of its meeting house have always been open to reformers. At the time when President Lord of Dartmouth College was proving to his students from the Scriptures that "Slavery was a divine institution," churches everywhere were strongly pro-slavery and all doors were closed to abolitionists; and yet this church welcomed within its meeting-house John P. Hale and Amos Tuck to proclaim their anti-slavery doctrines. Senator Hale was the first man to intro- duce the subject of the abolition of slaves into the Senate at Washing- ton, and Amos Tuck the first to advocate it on the floor of the house of Representatives. Many came to speak of human freedom and religious liberty.
A roll call of families connected with the early church and society would be interesting. They came from Sandown, Auburn, and Candia. There were the Wilcombs, the Sanborns, the Towles, the Trues, the Richardsons, the Websters, the Underhills, the Greens, the Wilsons, the Bells, the Kents, the Millers, the Halls, the Morses, the Robies, the Tewksburys, the Cheneys, the Fitzes, the Curriers, the Kendalls, the Wests, the Stevenses, the Lanes, the Shaws, the Chases, the Dearborns, the Smiths, the Shirleys, the Joneses, the Hunts, the Dolbers, the Browns, and the Learnards. In that large company a few here might recognize the seven-year old Jamie Brown from Auburn, led to church
104
HISTORY OF CHESTER
every Sunday by his step-mother. Afterwards he was our town physician for many years.
The church has never had men of wealth to contribute out of their abundance; but out of their poverty the generosity with which the people have given through all these years is almost amazing. A hundred years and more have passed, since those men and women called Baptists began a work which is yet incomplete. The present member- ship numbers only about forty, including some non-resident members, yet a larger amount is raised and expended for the work than at any time during the church's history. All offices and committees are well filled; in fact the organization is as complete as many a city church. Services are held regularly Sunday mornings and evenings. The Sunday School has a large men's class, and the mid-week prayer meetings are well attended.
ORDINATIONS.
During her history the Chester Baptist Church has had the privilege of ordaining several to the Baptist Ministry. So far as known to the writer the names and dates are as follows :
George Kalloch, Sept. 10, 1829.
John Upton, Apr. 10, 1838.
George S. Chase, July 10, 1866.
Andrew Mitchell, Nov. 6, 1873.
Bernard Christopher,
Chester J. Wilcomb, - June 22, 1898.
J. Wallace Chesbro, May 2, 1901.
Thomas J. Cate, Oct. 15, 1913.
THE MINISTRY OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
When the incidents that a recorder sets down are fresh as they must be at the time he performs his task, it appears hardly necessary to make note of minute detail, so easy it seems to remember. But records stand when the writer has taken his leave and the generation that knew first hand the facts has given way to another. Thus we may be able to account for omissions that are vital to a full narration of certain happenings of the past.
Such records as were obtained in the search for facts for this article were inadequate. The writer asks the charity of those more familiar with the history of the Chester Baptist Church toward the mistakes or omissions which may be discovered. He would gladly have been saved the extra effort, confusion and worry, incident to the task of writing from insufficient data.
Various sources of information have been consulted, chief of which is Rev. William Hurlin's manuscript work on New Hampshire Baptist pastors.
ELDER TAYLOR, distinguished by no Christian name, but simply with the title "Elder," is the first that we find associated with the church, Apr. 21, 1819. He may have been Rev. William Taylor who served churches in New Hampshire and who at this date was located in Concord, 1818-1824. If the conjecture is true, he must have been merely a supply. Of "Elder" Taylor we learn that he was "a man of great spirituality."
ELDER GIBSON. At the sixteenth communion served on May 14,
Charles it Bell.
105
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
1825, the name of "Elder" Gibson appears. Probably he was supply only. This may have been Rev. John B. Gibson, settled in Goffstown, 1822-1829.
REV. DUNCAN DUNBAR, one of "the most noted of the long list of Baptist ministers," was born in Scotland in 1791. He was ordained in St. John, N. B., in 1818. He preached for some time in New Bruns- wick and Maine, and settled in Portsmouth, in 1826. He settled in Chester in 1827. It was not long before he removed to New York City and here he had a long and notable pastorate. He died in 1864 in his seventy-fourth year.
Mr. Dunbar returned on one occasion for a visit to Chester and occupied the pulpit for a Sunday. This was doubtless toward the close of his life. A member of that congregation is still living. So deep was the impression made upon her by the sermon that, though then a young girl, she has remembered the text all the years since. One well acquainted with Chester's history has declared him the greatest man intellectually that ever stood in a Chester pulpit.
REV. GEORGE KALLOCH was born in Warner on Jan. 1, 1799. He studied at Waterville (Colby) College and at Newton Theological Institution. He was ordained in Chester, Sept. 10, 1829, and served the church for a short time. Under the American Baptist Missionary Union he became a missionary to the Pottawatomie Indians in 1831. His death occurred in Charlestown, Mass., Nov. 16, 1831.
REV. WILLIAM M. SLASON was pastor in 1831.
REV. SIMON FLETCHER as the records of the church state on June 22, 1832, took the "pastoral care of this church." He was born in Alstead, ordained in Wilton in 1827, settled in Goffstown in 1829, and in Chester, probably in 1832, serving the church until 1834.
REV. CHARLES H. PEABODY was pastor in 1836.
REV. GIBBON WILLIAMS was born in Monmouthshire, South Wales, Mar. 13, 1799. He was ordained in Whiting, Vt., in 1825. He served churches in Cornish, Dover, Plainfield and Chester (1836) and Rockport, Mass. In 1846 he moved to the West. He died Nov. 16, I865.
REV. LEVI WALKER JR., was born in Stonington, Conn., Mar. 22, 18II. Converted in 1829, he was licensed by the church at North Stonington and was ordained pastor in Tolland, Conn. He was pastor in Chester in 1837. He probably served in Massachusetts also. He died in Griswold, Conn., Feb. 2, 1839.
REV. HENRY ARCHIBALD was pastor in 1838.
REV. JOHN UPTON was born in Lynnfield, Mass., in Dec. 1808. He came to the Baptists from the Congregational denomination. He studied at New Hampton, Middleboro, Mass., and at Madison Uni- versity, Hamilton, N. Y. He held pastorates in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. He was ordained in Chester and his pastorate here was probably in 1839.
"BROTHER" PILLSBURY officiated in 1840.
REV. HORACE EATON was born in Goffstown, Oct. 5, 1811. He received a district school education and studied for the ministry at New Hampton. After his ordination he held pastorates in Bedford, Chester (1846-1850), Wilton and Dunbarton, and was for a time State Missionary for New Hampshire, residing in New London. For a few months Mr. Eaton did pioneer mission work in Iowa, leaving his family in New Hampshire. He held a pastorate for a short time in North Reading, Mass., then retiring from regular pastoral work he
106
HISTORY OF CHESTER
continued to preach for longer or shorter periods as supply in Salem, Richmond and Chester, his last active ministerial work being in Chester in 1877. The present Baptist Church building was in process of construction when he died and he had taken much interest in its erection. His death occurred June 15, 1878, in Wakefield, Mass., where he had lived for about sixteen years.
Mr. Eaton married as his second wife Ann Elizabeth Wiley who was a sister of Mr. H. G. O. Hawkes and Mrs. Samuel A. Blackstone. A daughter by this second marriage, Miss Grace M. Eaton, is the only member of the family now living. She is engaged in home mission work for the colored people and is located at Nashville, Tenn.
REV. JEREMIAH M. MACE was born in Hampton, July 30, 1804. He completed a Theological course at Charleston and at Thomaston, Me., and was ordained pastor at Montville, Me., Sept. 8, 1840. His service in Chester was in 1850. Other pastorates of Mr. Mace were in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut. He taught for a year in Boston, served in the Christian Commission, and was a mission- ary of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society at Washington, D. C., and was Agent of the Freedman's Institution at Washington. He died Jan. 9, 1885, at Plymouth, Mass.
REV. JOHN H. THYNG served as pastor from May 1851 to May 1852. Mr. Thyng was born in Bridgewater, in Oct., 1819. He was licensed by the Brentwood Church, Dec. 16, 1844, and ordained at Gilmanton, Oct. 26, 1852, where he served from 1852 until 1855. He was pastor also in Wilton. In 1862 he entered the Congregational denomination and served as pastor at a number of places in New Hampshire and Vermont. He died in Brookfield, Vt., Aug. 15, 1888.
REV. BARTLETT PEASE came to the pastorate of the Baptist Church in December, 1858, and was known as "Old Father Pease." He was born in Edgartown, Mass., probably in 1790, and died Feb. 2, 1874. After a brief course of Theological study he was ordained in Dighton, Mass., in 1815. He served a large number of churches in Massachu- setts, New Hampshire and Maine. His ministry in Chester lasted until Apr., 1860.
M. L. STEVENS, (licentiate) and C. W. BURNHAM (student) served in 1860.
REV. JOSEPH STORER was born in Wells, Me., Feb. 29, 1816. He graduated from New Hampton Theological Institution in 1841 and was ordained pastor at Fitzwillian in 1842. He held pastorates in Maine and Massachusetts besides several in New Hampshire. He was in Chester from 1863 to 1866 and again for a few months, May to Dec., 1872. His death occurred in Wells, Me., May 4, 1887.
Mr. Storer held positions of responsibility in the affairs of the New Hampshire Baptist Convention. He was a Trustee 1850-1853 and 1865-1872, Corresponding Secretary 1856-1858, Vice-President 1859-1860, and President 1861-1862. He was in Chester during a part of the Civil War. One who knew him has written of him: "
a Godly man, true friend. In all those trying days of the Civil War it was Mr. Storer who haunted the post office for the mails and brought to the sorrowing, watching, wives and mothers all the tidings he could get of their dear ones. My mother was alone with the children, father and son both in war, and almost daily the good man came to pray with us and for us, and we were only one family out of scores. The memory of Mr. Storer is very dear."
REV. CALEB BROWN'S service was doubtless in the late summer of 1866, probably as supply. He was born Dec. 4, 1791, at Sudbury, Mass.
107
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
He studied at Hamilton, and was ordained at Wilton in 1829. He supplied several churches in New Hampshire and Vermont. For some time he served as Chaplain of the State Prison. He died in Concord, Aug. 30, 1874.
SAMUEL BELL (student) served in 1866.
REV. MOSES PROCTOR FAVOR was born in Hill, Aug. 8, 1836. He studied at New Hampton, taught for eight years, and studied law in Massachusetts and New York. Ordained to the Christian denomination at Webster, June 15, 1864, he afterwards became a Baptist and was pastor of the Baptist Church of Chester from Nov. 14, 1866, to Jan., 1868. He held other pastorates in New Hampshire also, and in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Delaware. During his ministry he served as pastor of a Congregational Church also. In 1905 he had retired to a small farm in Hill.
REV. HARTLEY W. DAY was born in Bangor, Me., in 1810. He studied at Waterville College and at Columbian College, from which he graduated in 1837. He received the degree A. M. from Waterville College in 1841. For twenty years he was engaged in publishing and teaching music and attained some note in Boston for his service along the line of religious music. His ordination occurred at the Second Baptist Church, Sanbornton, Sept. 23, 1858. His pastoral service was rendered at East Weare, Campton, Fitzwilliam and Chester (1868- 1871). He died in Sanbornton, Oct. 2, 1877.
REV. J. E. BROWN served in 1871.
REV. BENJAMIN KNIGHT supplied in 1873.
REV. ANDREW MITCHELL was born in Scotland about July 19, 1824. He studied at Andover Theological Seminary, Mass., was ordained to the Baptist ministry in Chester, Nov. 6, 1873, and served the church for about three years. He afterwards went to Redwood City, Cal., and was acting pastor for several months. Leaving the Baptist de- nomination he engaged in religious work without denominational affiliation. Writing Dec. 2, 1892, he says: "Since which time I have been more or less engaged in Gospel and Pastoral work in association with believing Brethren gathered simply and only to the Blessed and Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Mr. Mitchell was firm in his beliefs, serious in manner, strong in his stand against what he believed to be wrong, and an earnest and faithful minister of Christ.
REV. JOSHUA CLEMENT seems to have been a stated supply. He was born (there is a little uncertainty here) probably in New London in 1803. He studied for the ministry at New Hampton and was ordained at Dorchester in 1832. He served in Chester in 1878 and 1879, possibly as early as 1877. His pastoral ministry was apparently confined to New Hampshire and Vermont. For a portion of the period from 1873 to 1883 he did much mission work. He died in Chester, June 29, 1883.
REV. JOSEPH W. MERRILL was born in Sebec, Me., July 6, 1825. His ordination occurred in Boston, Sept. 7, 1874. His pastorate in Chester was from 1880 to 1882. He served other churches also in New Hampshire, and held pastorates in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. He retired to Maynard, Mass., and died there, Dec. 15, 1899.
REV. DAVID GAGE was born in Wilton, Dec. 21, 1809, and spent his whole life in New Hampshire. He studied at New Hampton. Ordained at East Washington in 1835, he remained there as pastor until 1846. From 1847 until 1854 he was at New Boston. He became Missionary of the New Hampshire Baptist Convention on Mar. 18,
108
HISTORY OF CHESTER
1855, and in this capacity he was pastor at Acworth and at Marlow, 1857 to 1861. In Apr. 1862, he became the Domestic Missionary and Financial Agent of the Convention and held the position until he resigned in Oct., 1878. After this he supplied vacant pulpits and sometimes served the same pulpit continuously for months. He served the Chester Church from Mar. 1882 to Sept. 1883. He was a Trustee of the Convention 1845, 1858-1861, and Vice-President 1846-1847. He was much liked by the people of Chester. His death occurred in Manchester, May II, 1887.
REV. GEORGE B. FITTZ was born in Middleboro, Mass., Mar. 2, 1834. He studied law and probably practiced for a time in Massachu- setts. The last words of his dying mother led him to religious decision and he was baptized in 1861. He was ordained to the pastorate of the Baptist Church in Savoy, Mass., Mar. 8, 1877, and served there until 1879. He was at Bolton 1880-1883 and at Chester 1884-1887. For a time he supplied churches, worked as an evangelist and engaged in other Christian service. He later served as pastor in Corinth, N. Y., and at East Westmoreland. He died at Middleboro, Mass., Oct. 15, 1898.
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