USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hudson > History of Hudson, N.H., formerly a part of Dunstable, Mass., 1673-1733, Nottingham, Mass., 1733-1741, District of Nottingham, 1741-1746, Nottingham West, N.H., 1746-1830, Hudson, N.H., 1830-1912 > Part 33
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November 1, 1909, Rev. Walter R. Anderson, the present pastor, began his work with this church.
The number of church members September 1, 1911, was 119. The average attendance in the Sunday-school during the year 1911, was 57.
This church has an organ which has been pronounced by expert organists to be the best for its size to which they have ever listened. It was built by Woodbury and Harris of Boston expressly for Dr. David O. Smith, at a cost of two thousand dollars. Dr. Smith, an expert musician in almost all of its branches, personally planned the selection of the various stops. The instrument was installed in April, 1888, and was presented to the church and society by Dr. Smith.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND SOCIETY
Prior to 1830, a considerable number of substantial res- idents of this town had embraced the religious opinions of the Methodist denomination. The dismissal of Rev. Mr. Talbot by the Presbyterians in November, 1829, at his own request, together with the events which led up to it, left that society in a weak condition. Thus the members of that society, in the hope of improving their condition, en- tered into an agreement with the Methodists to hire the Rev. Samuel H. Tolman, a minister of the latter profes- sion, and that gentleman preached here during the year 1830 and probably a part of 1831, occupying the Presby- terian pulpit at the South meeting-house.
Mr. Tolman may have been instrumental in laying the foundation of the present Methodist Episcopal church in Hudson, which was organized in 1840. At any rate the converts to that form of belief seem to have increased from
DAVID ONSLOW SMITH, M. D.
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ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
that date, and in 1839, Rev. Jared Perkins, the Methodist minister in charge of the Nashua station, came to Hudson and lectured and exhorted in the old school house in Dis- trict Number Four, which stood a short distance north of the South meeting-house, and near the spot of the present gate of the Blodgett cemetery. Mr. Perkins also held meetings in other parts of the town, assisted by J. P. Chap- man of Nashua, E. A. Rice of Lowell, Rev. Sullivan Hol- man and others.
A number of persons manifested a desire that regular meetings be held, and a church be established among them. The annual conference appointed the Rev. Abraham Fol- som pastor in charge of this station.
Mr. Folsom was a man of energy and zeal, and his la- bors were crowned with abundant success in the organiza- tion of a church which has endured to the present time, and which has for all these many years been one of the indispensable religious organizations of Hudson. An ef- fort was made by him to raise funds for the building of a house of worship, and twelve hundred and fifty dollars were subscribed and collected for that purpose. A meeting was called, trustees appointed and a society legally constituted.
The first board of trustees consisted of Cyrus Warren, Nathaniel M. Morse, David Clement, Ethan Willoughby and John Gillis. The meetings for the first year, or until the house was completed, were held in the South meeting- house, when not occupied by the Presbyterians. When this meeting-house could not be obtained, meetings were held in school houses, private dwellings, and sometimes in groves.
At a meeting of the society, August 1, 1840, it was voted to build a meeting-house, to be fifty by forty feet in size. Land was given for the site by Mr. Abiather Winn. A plain, modest building was soon after erected, which was dedicated with appropriate services December 2, 1840.
The location of this house was about one-half mile east of Taylor's Falls bridge, on the south side of the highway
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
leading to Hudson Center. The site was a short distance in a westerly direction from Melendy's box shop of later years.
At a meeting December 10, a constitution was adopt- ed and signed by the following persons :
James Wilson,
David Clement,
Fred Peabody,
Nathaniel M. Morse,
James Ford,
Nathan Marshall,
John W. Underwood,
Zadoc Farmer,
Fitch P. Marsh,
Willard Spaulding,
Zaccheus Colburn,
Asa Merrill,
Cyrus Warren,
Albert Harris,
Aaron Frost,
George W. Kuhn,
James Wellman.
The meeting-house contained forty-four pews, which were sold at auction, from which sale a sum was realized sufficient to pay the cost of the building. The amount of the subscription raised the year before by Mr. Folsom was refunded to the subscribers.
Two or three years later a small parsonage was erect- ed at a cost of about four hundred dollars. This was lo- cated near the south-west corner of the meeting-house. But this location proved to be unpleasant and inconvenient. Accordingly a new parsonage lot was secured on the north side of the highway, adjoining on the east the Congrega- tionalist meeting-house lot. Since then this site has been occupied by the house of Miss Winn. The parsonage was removed to that location, and an ell and small stable added to the main building.
The exact date of this removal was not recorded, but it was not far from 1848. The interior of the church was extensively repaired and remodelled, in 1869, at an expense of about three hundred dollars. The pulpit was changed from the west to the east end of the auditorium, and seats for the singers were conveniently arranged in the rear of the pulpit. The pews were turned around and made to face the east instead of the west, as formerly, and numer- ous other needed improvements were made.
447
ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
The Nashua and Rochester railroad, now a part of the Boston and Maine system, which went into operation in the fall of 1874, was run between the meeting-house and the highway. The situation of the building was thus made not only inconvenient but somewhat dangerous. In this dilemma the trustees voted to remove the house to the north side of the highway, near to the parsonage and upon the same lot.
The meeting-house was soon after removed to the new location, and quite extensive changes made. The house was raised to a sufficient height to permit the construction of a commodious vestry in the lower story. An addition of twelve by twenty-four feet was made to the rear, or north end, furnaces were put in and other improvements made. The expense of these improvements, including the cost of removal, was about $1,500. The meeting house was rededicated January 24, 1878.
On Sunday, August 3, 1879, a little over one and one- half years after the dedication of the new church, immedi- ately after the close of services, the stable connected with the parsonage was set on fire from the flames of an oil stove, and that building, the parsonage and the meeting- house were all very soon reduced to ashes.
The buildings were insured for $1,500, less than one- half of their real cost and value. The loss was severely felt, and came near to being a fatal blow to the devoted church and society.
A small hall near the bridge, owned by Mr. James Carnes, was the most available place that could be obtained at that time to hold services, and meetings were held there until a new house could be erected. This hall was in the south part of the second story of the building since occu- pied by Baker Brothers as a store.
When the matter of a new house began to be earnestly discussed among the members of the society, quite a serious difference of opinion was found to exist in regard to the most suitable and satisfactory site for its location. While
448
HISTORY OF HUDSON
some were strongly in favor of rebuilding on the old loca- tion, many others were equally as firm in believing that a place nearer the Bridge would much better accommodate the members, especially those living in the east part of Nashua, which portion formed at that time a large propor- tion of the membership, while adding material strength and prosperity to the little church.
The matter was settled by the majority in the choice of the location where the brick church was soon after erected and has since stood. The land was purchased from James Carnes for five hundred dollars.
Citizens of the town and benevolent persons, some of whom were former residents gave their support by sub- scription, and in April, 1880, arrangements were per- fected for the building of a new meeting-house, 40 by 70 feet, of brick and wood, two stories high, with tower and spire at the north-east corner.
A building committee was appointed, consisting of Solomon A. Davis, Kimball Webster, Augustus F. Blodg- ett, John H. Baker and Abi A. Sanders. This committee caused the new church to be erected and finished according to the plans adopted, so that the second meeting-house of the First Methodist Episcopal church and society of Hud- son was dedicated December 7, 1880.
The basement or vestry was of brick, and the building above was of wood with a brick jacket. The church con- tains an audience room and vestry of ample size, and is re- puted to be one of the most convenient and pleasing country churches to be found in the state.
The church edifice, with the cost of the land, aside from a considerable amount of material and labor contrib- uted by members of the society, with others not belonging to the same, cost about $7,000. To meet this sum were the following resources :
Insurance on the buildings destroyed by fire . . $1,500.00 Old church lot sold . 225.00
Individual contributions 1,059.55
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ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
Pledged on evening of dedication $466.00
Donated soon after dedication 512.67
Received from miscellaneous sources 8.30
Amount of available funds . $3,771.52
To make up this deficiency the trustees voted to pro- cure a loan from the Church Extension Society of $2,500, and to obtain the balance through temporary loans.
The earnestness with which the church worked to re- move this indebtedness is shown by the fact that on Janu- ary 1, 1882, it had been reduced to $1,027.12. The last of the indebtedness in building and furnishing the church was paid May 4, 1887, when the society became entirely free from debt.
From the date of the destruction of the meeting-house and parsonage, August 3, 1879, to 1893, the society being destitute of a parsonage was obliged to obtain such accom- modations as were possible for the home of the pastor and his family. This was not always as convenient as could be wished. As early as 1888 a lot of land was procured by the trustees on Baker street.
At a meeting of the trustees August 26, 1893, it was voted that a building committee which had already been chosen by the Quarterly Conference, "be instructed that. after a sum of $2,200 shall be raised or pledged, including the funds of the society and Fletcher fund-to build a par- sonage and stable at a total expense not to exceed $2,500."
These instructions were executed by the committee during the autumn of that year. The building committee consisted of Rev. C. H. Farnsworth, James G. Walker, Augustus F. Blodgett and Kimball Webster.
How to obtain the amount of money desired-$2,500 -with which to build the parsonage was an unsolved prob- lem. The society had on deposit in the savings bank, the Fletcher fund, so-called, six hundred dollars. The fund named was a part of the amount bequeathed to the society by Mrs. Dorinda A. Fletcher under her last will, as follows :
450
HISTORY OF HUDSON
1st. I will and bequeath to the First Methodist Episcopal society of Hudson, to be held and applied by the trustees of said society or their successors, two hundred dollars ($200).
Second. The residue of my property, whether real estate, personal or mixed, to the First M. E. Society of Hudson, to be held and invested by them as a permanent fund, the interest thereof to be annually applied as follows :
One-fifth part to the Missionary society of said church, four-fifths to the support of Christ's cause, as the Official Board of said church shall direct.
The will was dated March 18, 1879. Mrs. Fletcher deceased about 1883. July 1, 1883, the treasurer of the trustees received from the estate of Mrs. Fletcher $799.28. The amount of $600 was deposited as a permanent fund, and the balance was paid to the Church Extension Society towards the liquidation of the church debt.
BEQUEST OF MRS. TINKER
April 20, 1885, Mrs. Rebekah (Hill) Tinker, long a res- ident of this town, died and the Methodist society became the residuary under her will. January 1, 1887, the treas- urer received from her estate the balance of $991.78. The greater part of this legacy was expended in the cancellation of the debt incurred in the building of the church in 1880, as the will placed no restriction upon it.
DONATION OF LUCINDA W. FLOYD
Mrs. Floyd was a widow, and a resident of the east part of Hudson. She owned an estate of less than $2,000 in value. She died April 4, 1888, aged 61 years.
Previous to her death she made a deposit in the New Hampshire Banking Company of Nashua, a savings bank, of three hundred dollars in the name of the Methodist so- ciety of Hudson.
451
ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
BEQUEST OF MRS. ELECTA ATWOOD
Mrs. Electa (Haywood) Atwood, widow of William Atwood, born in this town where she always lived, died January 27, 1887, aged 82 years and 7 months. She left a will by which she made the Methodist society of Hudson the residuary. Her estate in all amounted to a little more than $500. After another legacy of $200, together with funeral expenses, charges of settling the estate and other debts, a balance of $26.19 was paid to the treasurer of the society September 19, 1888. This was the poor widow's mite. She gave all she had.
A subscription was taken up by which there was real- ized towards building the parsonage the sum of $745.
Mr. Abram Woodbury, aside from contributing one hundred dollars towards the above amount, had previously deposited in the savings bank, in the name of the society the sum of five hundred dollars, to be used towards build- ing a parsonage. This, when drawn with the accumulated interest, amounted to $530.40.
In addition to this, two other deposits were drawn at at this time, amounting to $514.99. All of this gave an en- couraging start towards the new parsonage.
Accordingly, at a meeting of the trustees August 26, it was voted "That a parsonage shall be built in accordance with the foregoing vote, that the treasurer be instructed to draw the Fletcher fund from the Nashua Savings Bank and apply the same towards the expense of said parsonage and stable, with the understanding that said fund of $600 shall remain as a permanent fund according to the terms of the will of the late Dorinda A. Fletcher, and the income or interest thereof, of not less than four per cent per annum, be paid annually as provided for by said will."
In conformity with the foregoing vote, the Fletcher fund was drawn January 5, 1894, and expended by the com- mittee, with the other available funds, in building the par- sonage and stable. The Fletcher fund at that time amount-
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
ed to $624.24. The whole amount received by the building committee was $2,419.93.
A convenient and commodious parsonage, with a bath room and other modern improvements, was erected, with a stable attached, at a total cost of $2,497.96, land and insur- ance not included.
Mr. Abram Woodbury, a much-honored and very be- nevolent citizen of Hudson, made it possible at that time for the society to materialize this long discussed and much needed acquisition without the necessity of incurring any burdensome debt, by contributing more than six hundred dollars towards the expense.
Mr. Woodbury died January 30, 1894, aged 71 years and 6 months. He died intestate, but it became known after his decease that he had left a deposit in a Nashua savings bank in the name of the Methodist society of Hud- son for the amount of five hundred dollars. This deposit was without restrictions or conditions, but previous to his decease he had expressed to his wife a desire that it should remain for the present as a fund, and not to be expended in the building of the parsonage.
For several years after the Fletcher fund had been taken from the savings bank and expended towards paying for the building of the parsonage, a considerable feeling seemed to exist with many members of the church and so- ciety-a part of the trustees included-that the terms of the will of Mrs. Fletcher had not been strictly adhered to, and that the Fletcher fund, as it was then managed, ex- isted in little more than a name. The Woodbury fund had, in a way, taken its place. And now, ten years after the decease of Mr. Woodbury, the deposit left the society by him, with its accumulated interest making it about six hundred dollars, was still on deposit.
As this matter continued to be agitated, on March 27, 1904, at a meeting of the trustees, it was voted, after a careful consideration, that the treasurer draw the Wood- bury fund from the bank, and deposit six hundred dollars of it upon a new account as the Fletcher fund.
453
ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
In consideration of this change, and the fact that Mr. Woodbury had previously given more than six hundred dollars towards building the parsonage, it was voted that it should be known hereafter as the "Woodbury Parsonage."
Through a parsonage agent previously appointed by the Quarterly Conference this change was effected by the treasurer.
QUARTER CENTENNIAL
December 7, 1905, occurred the twenty-fifth anniver- sary of the dedication of the brick church, and appropriate and pleasing ceremonies were carried out in commemora- tion of the fact. A little more than two hundred dollars was collected by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Bragg, for the bene- fit of the church at this time.
January, 1906, the auditorium and vestry were fur- nished with electric lights.
In October, 1894, about 2,204 feet of land from the north-west corner of the church lot was sold to Cummings Brothers for one hundred dollars, by the Quarterly Confer- ence and trustees. December 21, 1908, the same party, for the sum of $285, bought from the westerly and north- erly parts of the church property 15,720 feet of land, leav- ing a remainder of 18,540 feet.
The church lot had been covered with a growth of oak trees, and the grove of these left to stand made a pleasant protection during the summer months. But these trees were becoming ancient, and beginning to show signs of decay. Many of them were white oaks, and seemed the especial attraction for brown tail moths. Accordingly, in November, 1908, the trustees voted to have these trees removed, which was done in the spring of 1909.
In April, of the same year, a steel ceiling was applied to the church auditorium at a cost, with the painting, of about $285.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
BEQUEST OF MR. TOLLES
Mr. Lucien M. Tolles, for many years a resident on the Derry road in this town, died January 15, 1911. Al- though a Baptist, Mr. Tolles had generously assisted the Methodist society at the time of building the brick church in 1880, and also at the time of building the parsonage. At his decease he remembered the Methodist society of Hudson by a bequest of one hundred dollars.
HONORED NAMES
The following list contains the names of a few of the many persons that were ever ready to give the church and society substantial aid and assistance; many of them in its early years, when it was greatly in need of encouragement and wise counsel, sustaining it when troubles were met and disasters sometimes threatened its very existence:
Nathaniel M. Morse, John W. Underwood, Zadoc Far- mer, Nathan Marshall, Franklin Wilson, Fitch P. Marsh, Cyrus Warren, John N. Marshall, Solomon Chase, Abijah Hill, Solomon A. Davis, Benjamin F. Buswell, Abram Woodbury, Mrs. Louisa J. Dudley, Mrs. John N. Marshall, Mrs. Mary Hills, Harriet P. Wason, Charlotte A. Wason, Mrs. Dorinda Fletcher, Mrs. Rebekah H. Hill, Mrs. Dan- iel Moore, Mrs. Miranda W. Chase, Mrs. John W. Under- wood, Mrs. Harriet S. Hill, Mrs. Clarissa Wilson, Mrs. Mary J. Woodbury, and many others equally as deserving names might be added to swell the honored list.
MEMORIAL WINDOWS
At the time of the building of the church in 1880, eight very handsome and appropriate memorial windows were put in by the friends of some of the persons who were formerly very active members of the society. These win- dows were inscribed with the following names:
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ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
JONATHAN C. DUDLEY, REBEKAH H. HILL, EBEN & MEHITABLE POLLARD, HARRIET P. WASON, CHARLES T. SPAULDING, J. GARDNER WINN, HARRIET S. HILL, NATHAN MARSHALL.
Jonathan C. Dudley resided near Taylor's Falls bridge in Hudson. He died March 29, 1865, aged 43 years.
Nathan Marshall was a native of this town, but died in Nashua, July 6, 1866, aged 44 years and 6 months.
Eben Pollard and Mehitable Pollard, his wife, were both life residents of Hudson. He died October 3, 1886, aged 66 years. Mrs. Pollard died September 9, 1891, aged 86 years and 11 months.
The four above mentioned were buried in the Sunny- side cemetery in this town.
Harriet S. Hill was the wife of Abijah Hill, and was a resident of Hills Row. She died August 7, 1873, aged 58 years, and was buried in the Hills Farms cemetery.
Harriet P. Wason was a native of this town, born April 24, 1825, and died April 19, 1859. She was buried in the Blodgett cemetery.
J. Gardner Winn, son of Joseph and Margaret (Burns) Winn, was born in Hudson, and died of wounds received in the army, September 18, 1862, aged 34 years.
Charles T. Spaulding died in Nashua while a young man, leaving a widow and one son.
PASTORS
During the seventy-three years of the existence of the church, 1839 to 1912, inclusive, thirty-five pastors have been stationed here by the conference. The names of these ministers, with the dates of their service here, are as follows:
1839. Abraham Folsom, who died in Hampton, N. H., March 31, 1872, aged 78 years.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
1840. Charles H. Chase, who died at Chicago, Ill., May 19, 1904, aged 86 years and 6 months. He was buried at Plymouth, N. H.
1841-2. Moses A. Howe.
1843. A. H. Worthing.
1844. Jacob Boyce.
1845-6. Matthew Newhall; died May 4, 1875, in Greenland, N. H., aged 75 years.
1847-8. Jonathan Hall.
1849-50. Isaac W. Huntley, who died at Manchester, N. H., November 6, 1852, aged 31 years.
1851. George F. Wells, who died April 8, 1883, in North Woodstock, N. H., at the age of 80 years.
1852. Rev. Mr. Cathers.
1853. Kimball Hadley.
1854-5-6. Supplied by students from the Biblical In- stitute, at Concord, N. H.
1857. R. Edmund Danforth; died at Keene, N. H., June 28, 1863, aged 29 years.
1858-9. John W. Johnson, who died at Sunapee, N. H., April 12, 1862, at the age of 51 years.
1860-1. Lucien W. Prescott.
1862-3. William Hewes, who died at Lawrence, Mass., December 17, 1890, aged 82 years.
1864-5. B. W. Chase. During his pastorate an ex- tensive revival took place, when over fifty people are said to have been received into the church.
1866-7. Samuel Beedle, who died at Hull, Mass., Jan- uary 8, 1891, aged 79 years.
1868-70. Otis Cole.
1871-3. Charles A. Cressey.
1874. W. W. Smith.
1875-6. John D. Folsom.
1877-9. Albert F. Baxter.
1880-2. Charles W. Taylor.
1883-4. William Woods.
1885. Frederick C. Pillsbury.
From Photo by C. E. PAINE
ALVIRNE MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 1909
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ADDITIONAL CHURCH HISTORY
1886. Frederick H. Corson.
1887. George A. Scott.
1888-91. Silas G. Kellogg, who died in Hudson, De-
cember 21, 1891, aged 68 years, 8 months and 27 days.
1892. Sullivan Holman, who died April 15, 1896, at the age of 76 years.
1893-4. Charles H. Farnsworth.
1895. E. O. Bullock.
1896-7. George W. Buzzell.
1898-9. John D. Folsom, a second term.
1900-2. William J. Atkinson.
1903-5. Lyman D. Bragg.
1906-12. Francis O. Tyler.
The number of communicants April 1, 1912, are . 53
Members of Sunday school . 112
Members Home Department 15
Members Cradle Class 18
Total membership of Sunday school 198
ALVIRNE MEMORIAL CHAPEL
The Alvirne Memorial Chapel is located on Derry road about two miles from Nashua, and takes its place naturally among the pine trees of the Hills Farms ceme- tery addition of about twenty acres, purchased by Dr. Al- fred K. Hills for this purpose. Commenced late in the year of 1908, it was consecrated on November 12, 1909, Rev. William Porter Niles of Nashua, and Rev. William M. Grosvenor or New York, officiating.
It was built by Dr. Alfred K. Hills in memory of his deceased wife, Ida Virginia Creutzborg. While primarily a Mausoleum, it also serves as a Mortuary Chapel, and is of a distinctive character not inconsistent with its monu- mental purpose. In accordance with the directions of the donor, it is so arranged that services may be held, from time to time, by various denominations. The furnishings include a small organ, which answers an excellent purpose.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
The building is sixty-four (64) feet long, and thirty-six (36) feet wide, built of weathered granite with cut granite trimmings. The roof is strongly constructed and covered with heavy graduated slate in various shades of green and purple; the cornices and trimmings of the roof are of heavy copper. The exterior walls are rapidly being covered by beautiful branch ivy.
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