History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 78

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168

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We come now to the ministry of Rev. Isaac Willey, who was installed November 23, 1837. He was the first pastor of this church who had ever had a previous settlement. He came here from Rochester, where he was ordained Jandary 18, 1826, and dismissed in 1834.

His pastorate here extended over nearly seventeen years, the longest term of any.

Just after Mr. Willey's settlement, as he was en- Princeton, 1823-24, and was professor of languages in gaged to preach all the time at the west village, the members of the church living at the Center and in the east part of the town, to the number of sixty-four, feeling that they were neglected by the removal of the meetings to the west village, sought letters of dismis- sion for the purpose of forming a church of their own at the Center. They applied to Mr. Wallace, before he was settled at Manchester, to preach for them. If we may judge from the votes passed at that time, this request was entertained in a Christian spirit, without any attempt to force them to remain. The result was their petitions were withdrawn, and an arrangement was made by which Mr. Willey was to preach one- third of the time at their new house.

During Mr. Willey's ministry, his house, situated where David Grant's now stands, was burned in the dead of night, with most of its contents, and he and his family, ten in number, were left without a shelter. In this fire many of the valuable papers and records He might continue to abide with them. These facts , of the church were destroyed. His pecuniary loss was largely made up to him through the liberality of friends in this and adjoining towns.

From the "History of the New Hampshire Churches" I make this extract : "In the beginning of 1841 a woman in the character of a preacher came to this town, and held meetings almost daily. Her hearers increased until the large church (the old church at the Center), holding nearly one thousand persons, was filled. She professed no connection with any existing church, and was sustained for a time by persons who had been expelled from the Congrega- tional and Baptist Churches. In the following spring, 1842, more than one-half the voters in town, and nearly all those who had never been willing to sup- port any other preacher, came to her support. A number of persons, who had made a profession of piety hastily, were drawn off from each of the churches. The excitement occasioned by her preaching after a few months declined."

This event seems to have caused great fear to the church. There was, however, hardly any occasion for it. Had the church let it entirely alone, doubtless the excitement would have passed away sooner than it did. It sometimes requires a highly sanctified human nature and common sense to let such things alone. The advice of Gamaliel to the people, after the excitement produced by Peter's preaching, is often worth following in these days,-" Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought : but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

Fifty-five were added to the church during Mr. Willey's ministry ; but his work is not to be measured alone by this standard. He closed his labors March 27, 1853, but was not formally dismissed till May 17, 1854.

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GOFFSTOWN.

He was born in Campton, September 8, 1793; was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1822, and studied theology at Andover with the class of 1825, and also with Rev. Bennet Tyler, D.D. After completing his labors here he was appointed agent of the American Bible Society for New Hampshire, retaining his home here until 1865, when he removed to Pembroke, where he now resides.

A call was extended by the church and society in 1854 to Mr. Franklin Tuxbury, but it was not accepted.

The next pastor was Rev. Elias H. Richardson. He was born in Lebanon, August 11, 1827; was gradu- ated at Dartmouth College in 1850; at Andover Theological Seminary in 1853. He was ordained pastor of this church May 18, 1854, and was dismissed October 30, 1856. Subsequently he was pastor at Dover seven years; at Providence, R. I., three years ; at Westfield, Mass., five years ; at Hartford, Conn., seven years, and was settled at New Britain, Conn., in 1878, where henow is. He received the degree of D.D. from his alma mater in 1876.

Rev. John W. Ray became acting pastor April 1, 1857. He was invited to settle, but declined. He elosed his labors May 1, 1867. He was born in Ches- ter, December 23, 1814; was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1843. Previous to his coming here he had been a teacher in AAtkinson's Academy ; Man- chester High School; at Eastport, Me ; at Merrimack Normal Institute; at Pinkerton Academy, Derry ; and also pastor at Rockville, Conn. Since leaving here he has been acting pastor at Hastings and Lake City, Minn., being now at the latter place.

Mr. Charles A. Towle was called to the pastorate in 1868, but declined.

The present pastor was born in New (now East) Alstead, July 11, 1834; was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1858; studied theology two years at Union Theological Seminary, New York City, in the class of 1861; was ordained pastor at Stoddard, October 2, 1861; and installed pastor of this church February 4, 1869, having commenced his labors two months previ- ously.

A roll of the church from the beginning had never been kept. Within a few years one has been made, as accurate as possible, and it now has upward of eight hundred names. Without a doubt, it should contain from twenty to fifty more, who were members from 1771 to 1781, but the records are lost. The eighteen names we have were found scattered through the subsequent records, where reference was made to them.

There have been seasons of revival and depression in the history of this church. Several important re- vivals has it enjoyed,-in 1802, under Mr. Morril; in 1819, under Mr. Manning; in 1826-28, under Mr. Wood; in 1831-32, under Messrs. Wood and Stowell ; in 1835, under Mr. Stowell; in 1864, under Mr. Ray ; and the one in 1875. Two-fifths of all the additions

to the church from the beginning have occurred in these years. Against these occasions of rejoicing we must place other seasons of depression and trial, when the hand of God has seemed to be against us because of our sins,-when there were dissensions within and trouble without, when the prevailing iniquity of the place seemed to render futile all efforts to bring about a better state of things, and when defection, intem- perance and worldliness scemed about to rend the church in pieces. God, having planted the vine, would not leave it to be destroyed. When its up- rootal seemed imminent, He watched it with tender- est eare ; when the soil about it had become dry and hard, He watered it with the Holy Spirit. It has been with it as with the church of God from the beginning ; there have been times when it seemed as though it would die, but it has never died,-it never can die so long as there remain in it those who are true to their Master and to each other. We still live because "hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

There has been progress. The advance may not have been seen from year to year, but we can see it now. Within the memory of those now living a member of this church sought a letter of dismission and recommendation to a Methodist Church, which was met by the appointment of a committee to disci- pline her. To-day we should all have said to a simi- lar request, "Go, and God be with you."

In early times the services of the sanctuary were very lengthy,-the two sermons were each about an hour long, as often running over this time as coming under. The prayers were very long,-the "long prayer," so called, not usually less than thirty min- utes. Between services the people went to the " noon- ing-house," where they warmed themselves at a huge fire of logs, and with flip and cider. Here also they ate their brown bread, or beans, or other refreshment they had brought with them. Here the women filled their dishes with coals for their foot-stoves. No other artificial heat was tolerated in the house of God for many years, and when at last stoves were introduced, there was, upon the part of the conservatives, a great outcry. They claimed they were uncomfortable be- eause they were comfortable, and they predicted the judgment of heaven because of the sacrilegious inno- vation. There were no prayer-meetings in those carly days, no Sabbath-schools, almost no books or news- papers. The Sabbath services furnished about all the mental food the people had, save what they received from the Bible.

The first notice we have of a prayer-meeting in this place was in 1826 (AAugust 16), when one was appointed by the church, and neighboring ministers were in- vited to attend and aid in carrying it on. April 5, 1838, a monthly prayer-meeting was established, and June 9, 1844, it was made a weekly meeting. It was evidently given up some time after, as a vote is re- corded, January 7, 1847, reviving it. Let it not be inferred there was no praying by God's people before

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

this, because there was not social prayer. Our fathers did not know its power and its blessedness. They acted according to the light they had. Surely there has been progress here.

The first notice of Sabbath-schools was in 1821, when several were appointed in the various school- houses of the town upon Sabbath afternoons. Of what the exercises consisted we have no account, but probably of little more than the memorizing the Bible and the Catechism. When the Sabbath-school was introduced as a part of the regular services of the sanctuary I am not informed.

It may surprise some of you to know that slavery ever existed in this place; but this must have been the case, as, September 1, 1785, "Catherine, a negro, formerly belonging to Esq. Blodgett, was baptized."

In looking at the way the Lord has led us, during the more than a century of our existence, we have abun- dant reason for taking courage and pressing forward. The timid seldom win a battle. God said to Joshua, "Be strong and go forward." If Joshua had been a timid man, and there had been no courageous one to take his place, the entrance to the promised land without doubt would never have been attained.

Baptist Church.1 -Previous to the year 1802 there had existed for several years in this town a branch of the Baptist Church at Hopkinton ; but in that year an independent church was formed, ineluding in its membership residents of Goffstown, Bow and Dun- barton. This organization was maintained until March 18, 1820, when it was dissolved, and upon the same day the present church was organized with a membership of thirty-four, including several persons who presented letters from the church in London- derry, in this State, and Haverhill and Gloucester, in Massachusetts

The first election of church officers took place April 29th, when Jonathan Rand and Moses Gould were chosen deacons and Moses Gould was chosen clerk, and on the following Sabbath the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was observed for the first time, and sixteen new members, who had been baptized by Elder John B. Gibson, of Weare, were given the hand of fellowship.

The church had no pastor until June 29, 1822, when a call was extended to Eller Gibson, who ac- cepted and immediately entered upon his duties.

The present house of worship was dedicated July 2, 1534, previous to which time the church had held it- meetings in private dwellings, in school-houses and occasionally in the old East meeting-house, when it was not occupied by the Congregationalists, by whom it was used a portion of the time. The church was admitted to the Salisbury Association in 1820, but withdrew in 1828, and was one of the churches that formed the Milford Association in that year.

The carly records not being complete, it is impossi-

ble to ascertain the exact number of baptisms, but some three hundred persons have been received upon profession of their faith since the present organiza- tion was effected. Several interesting revival seasons have been enjoyed, when large numbers were added to the church.

This church may be said to be the mother of several churches in this vicinity. November 27, 1828, thir- teen members were dismissed to form the church in Dunbarton ; May 28, 1829, nine members were dis- missed to form the church in Amherst; July 26, 1835, ten members were permitted to form a branch church at Amoskeag; and December 29, 1836, forty- four members were dismissed to form an independ- ent church at that place.

A glance at the present condition of the two churches in Manchester will reveal the growth to which this child has attained. Since its present or- ganization the following pastors have served the church :

Rev. John B. Gibson from June 29, 1822, to February 28, 1828 ; Rev. Simon Fletcher from June 25, 1829, to April 29, 1830 ; Rev. Ferdinand Ellis from September 29, 1831, to August 29, 1832; Rev. William N. Slason from July 2, 1834, to March 1, 1835 ; Rev. George Evans from April 28, 1836, to February 3, 1839 ; Rev. Abel Philbrood from July 1, 1×40, to December 30, 1841 ; Rev. Ephraim K. Bailey from March 6, 1842, to January 1, 1844 ; Rev. James W. Poland from March 5, 1844, to January 1, 1847; Rev. David P. French from February 28, 1847, to March 10, 1850 ; Rev. James W. Poland from March 28, 1850, to April 3, 1854 ; Rev. D. P. Deming from May 1, 1854, to April 1, 1858 ; Rev. Luther C. Stevens, November 7, 1858, to October 18, 1863; Rev. William H. Eaton from September 4, 1864, to July 1, 1868 ; Rev. John S. Hara- don from September 6, 1868, to October 2, 1870 ; Rev. James W. Poland from April 1, 1871, to January 1, 1875 : Rev. John H. Nichols from July 25, 1877, to April 29, 1883 ; Rev. Edward T. Lyford, the present pastor, since May 6, 1883.

The church has also enjoyed the services of other brethren, whose names do not appear among those of the regularly settled pastors, and of these the name of Rev. John Peacock deserves special mention, his faithful labors being so abundantly blessed of Heaven in the winning of precious souls.

The present officers are: Pastor, Rev. Edward T. Lyford; Clerk, Charles Hazen ; Treasurer, Joseph B. Gilmore; Deacons, Joseph B. Gilmore and Francis O. Colby.

St. Matthew's Church.2-An Episcopal Church was in existence in this town during the last century ; but the date of its organization is uuknown. It was al- ways small, and had become extinct before the organ- ization of the present parish, which was in 1866. Rev. S. Y. Compton was the first rector, services being held in a public hall.

The corner-stone of the present church edifice was laid in the spring of 1868 by the late Rev. James H. Eames, D.D., of Concord, at the request of Bishop Chase. During the same year regular services were discontinued. The church building was erected mainly through the liberality of friends in the diocese, and in Boston and New York.

1 By Charles Hazen.

2 By Rev. W. II. Cutler.

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GOFFSTOWN.

Services were first held in the new church in Jan- uary, 1870. In the year 1874 the parish became a mission in charge of the Rev. G. Brinley Morgan, from which time services have been held without in- terruption, under the snecessful ministrations of Rev. W. S. Whitcomb and Rev. H. A. Remick. The present ineumbent, Rev. W. H. Cutler, took charge in Sep- tember, 1883.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Goffstown Cen- tre.1-The first church edifice in Goffstown was built by the town, the work being commenced in 1768, but not completed for several years. It was at the "Cen- tre," on the north side of the road, a little west of where the school-house now stands. It was used as a house of worship by the Congregational Church and also as a town-house. In 1816 another house of wor- ship was completed at the West village, and there- after services were held at the Centre only one-third of the time. This, together with the fact that the old church was very much out of repair, led the mem- bers of the Congregational Church at the Centre, in 1838, to erect a new house of worship, with the view of having a parish of their own, with preaching every Sunday. This house stood where the Methodist Church now stands.

In 1841 a Miss Parker, who claimed to be independ- ent of all churches, but who had formerly been a Methodist, began to preach at the old church and also to hold meetings at school-houses in various parts of the town. Large crowds came to hear her ; several professed conversion. Meanwhile the Congregation- alists had not carried out their plan of having preach- ing every Sunday, and Rev. Isaac Willey, of the West village, preached in their new house one-third of the time. Some may have been dissatisfied with this arrangement. At any rate, some of the Congrega- tionalists at the Centre became supporters of Miss Parker, and a controversy arose as to their right to use the new house of worship, which was settled by selling the entire building to two individuals who favored Miss Parker's meetings. When the new converts and others asked Miss Parker what they should do, she advised them to form a Methodist Church. Mr. Harvey Stevens went to Manchester and consulted with Rev. Elihu Scott, pastor of the Methodist Epis- copal Church there, who, in turn, consulted with Rev. Schuyler Chamberlain, presiding elder of Concord Dis- trict. Arrangements for a Methodist meeting were made, which was held in the new church in the au- tumn of 1842. Schuyler Chamberlain, Elihu Scott and other preachers were present. The meeting con- tinued several days and a number of persons were baptized. A society was organized. The two men who owned the church edifice sold the pews to various individuals, and the services of Rev. Mr. Smart, a local preacher, living at Concord, were secured until the next session of the New Hampshire Conference,

which occurred June 21, 1843. Rev. Samuel S. Math- ews, a local preacher, was sent to Goffstown, and preached here one year. Mr. Mathews was twenty- seven years of age, having been born in London, N. H., January, 1816. He joined the New Hampshire Con- ference in 1844, and was stationed at Exeter. The next two years he was at East Salisbury, Mass. In 1847 he was stationed at Rochester, but in the au- tumn of that year he was cut down by a prevailing epidemic. He died September 6th. He was a man of great zeal and deep piety. His labors at Goffstown were attended with success. The new church pros- pered, and at the end of the year he reported sixty- five members.

In 1844, Warren F. Evans was sent to Goffstown, and at the end of the year he reported an increase of seventeen members. Mr. Evans was a good scholar and an original thinker. He held pronounced views upon the subject of holiness. After filling several appointments, some of them important ones, he with- drew from Conference, and after a few years went to the West. His subsequent history is not known to the writer of this article. He was followed at Goff's- town by Alexander H. Fullerton, who labored here two years, during which there was an increase of eleven members.

In 1848, Ezekiel Adams was stationed at Hooksett and Goffstown. He was assisted in his work by D. B. French, who seems to have preached at Goffstown rather more than Mr. Adams. John McLanghlin, who came next, although he had been a member of Conference for two years, was still pursuing bis studies at the Methodist Biblical Institute, which had recently been removed from Newbury, Vt., to Con- cord, N. H. His subsequent appointments were Nashna, Claremont, Lawrence, Mass., and Great Falls. He died December 20, 1857, aged thirty-four years. For the next nine years, 1850-58, Goffstown was supplied by students from the Biblical Institute, among whom were O. B. Pitcher, Rodney Gage, A. F. Herrick (now of the New England Conference), Edwin W. Parker (now a missionary in India) and Stephen L. Baldwin (whose name has since become prominent in the history of missions in China). These students were able to do little or no pastoral work, and often sent a fellow-student to supply the pulpit, so that some years there were as many as ten or twelve different preachers, and during a part of one winter there was no preaching. This was very disastrous to the interests of the church, and the minutes of 1856 report but twenty-five members.

In 1859 and 1860 there was no regular preaching. In 1861, through the efforts of Harvey Stevens, Thomas Sargent, Daniel G. Davis and others, the services of a student, named John G. Gooding, were secured for a part of the time. The place continued to be supplied by students until the Biblical Institute was removed to Boston, in 1867. The names of those who had charge of the station, and who preached,

1 By Rev. E. R. Perkins.

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

some of them, nearly every Sabbath, were as fol- lows :

1862, Henry W. Ackerly ; 1863, John HI. Hillman ; 1864, Thomas Chipperfield ; 1865-66, S. W. Ruland ; 1867, Egbert A. Braman.

Under the pastorate of J. H. Hillman the member- ship, as reported in the minutes, increased from twenty-six to forty-six. He is now a member of the New Hampshire Conference. The appointments since 1867 have been as follows :

1×6>, Warren B. Osgood ; 1869-70, Watson W. Smith; 1871, Eleazer Smith ; 1-72, William E. Bennett ; 1873-74, Elbridge Bradford : 1875, R. Dearborn : 1876-77, J. Mowiy Bean ; 1878-80, D. W. Downs ; 1881- 82, Irwl Taggart ; 1883, J. G. Harrison ; I>>1-85, Edward R. Perkins.

Warren B. Osgood was a student of the Theological School at Boston. He was from New York, and was connected with the New Hampshire Conference but one year. Watson W. Smith and J. L. Harrison have withdrawn from the Methodist Church on ac- count of change of views. Eleazer Smith died at Concord, N. H., in February, 1879, having been in the ministry fifty-one years. He was a good man, an earnest and faithful preacher. Among his appoint- ments were Montpelier, Vt., and Concord, N. H. He was twice chaplain of New Hampshire State Prison, in all fourteen years.

Elbridge Bradford was transferred in 1882 to the Northwest lowa Conference. Under his pastorate there was a good revival interest, and the church was greatly strengthened. R. Dearborn did not fill his appointment, and his place was supplied by N. P. Philbrook. All the other preachers in the above list are still members of the New Hampshire Confer- ence.

On the 18th of August, 1877, during the pastorate of J. Mowry Bean, the church was struck by light- ning and totally destroyed. Although there was no insurance, a new church was erected before the close of the year. The debt of two hundred dollars in- curred at the time has since been paid. In 1881, under the pastorate of Trad Taggart, a new parsonage was erected, at an expense of about fifteen hundred dollars. The society is free of debt, and has a fund of over sixteen hundred dollars, the legacy of the late Sally Harriman. The present membership is fifty- five. There is a good congregation and a prosperous Sunday-school.

CHAPTER V.

GOFFSTOWN-(Continued).

Incorporation of Town-Changes in Boundaries-List of Town Clerks- Representatives-Military Record, 1861-65-Names of Soldiers-Ma- somnie History-Bible Lodge, No. 27, F. and A. M .- Bible Lodge, No. "%, F. and & M -Webster Lodge, No. 21, I. O. O. F .- The Press-The Enterpra-The Herald-The I'nion-The Advertiser-Statistical.

Titis town was incorporated June 16, 1761, by the Governor and Council of New Hampshire, to continue a corporate body until March 25, 1763. April 5, 1763,

the incorporation was revived, to continue "until we shall please to approve or disallow the same."

July 2, 1822, a portion of the town was taken to form the town of Hooksett. June 20, 1825, some is- lands in the Merrimack River were annexed to the town, and June 18, 1836, the farm of Isaac Parker, in New Boston, was annexed. It retained this area until July 1, 1853, when a portion of the town was annexed to Manchester, it previously having extended to the Merrimack River.

Town Clerks .- The following is a list of town elerks from 1761 to 1886 :

Alexander Walker, from 1761 to 1787; William Page, from 1787 to 1793 ; Josiah Chandler, from 1793 to 1800; William Page, from 1800 to 1802 ; Joseph Craig, from 1802 to 1800; John Gilchrist, from 1809 to 1811; Ephraim Warren, from 1811 to 1830 ; Moses Poor, from 1830 to 1831; Robert Craig, from 1831 to 1835; Charles F. Gove, from 1835 to 1836; Moses Poor, from 1836 to October Is, 1841 ; Moses Roby, from October 15, 1841, to March, 1844 ; George Poor, from 1844 to 1845 ; Benja- min Stevens (second), from 1845 to 1846; Moses Robie, from 1846 to 1848; Franklin Poor, from 1848 to 1849 ; Alfred Poor, from 1849 to 1833 ; Ephraim B. Wells, from March, 1853, to December 21, 1853 ; David S. Carr, from December 21, 153, to March 14, 1>54; Alfred Poor, from 1854 to 1855; David Pattee, from 1855 to 1856 ; Charles George, from 1>56 to 1859 ; Oren Moor, from 1850 to 1862; George P. Henry, from 1862 to October 20, 1868; John Steel, from October 20, 1868, to March 9, 1869 ; Frank F. Flint, from 1869 to 1871 ; Frank B. Flanders, from 1>71 to 1×76; Franklin Hadley. from 1876 to 187 ; George L. Hooper, from 1879 to 1883 ; Ernest Johnson, from 1883 to the present time.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 78

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168