USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Lancaster > History of Lancaster, New Hampshire > Part 48
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Now came the final separation; and this separation was the nat- ural culmination of divisive ideas and forces which had been operat- ing for half a century. From that time the two streams of tendency flowed on in separate channels. The Unitarians held their services in the court-house with Mr. Rice as preacher till they could build a church of their own.
A few of those who went off with Mr. Rice soon returned as they disliked his constant preaching on the subject of slavery. Still the
EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND RECTORY.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. Remodeled 1898.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 1841.
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THE CHURCHES.
church was crippled and its numbers small; it was obliged to call on the Home Missionary Society for aid. Mr. Weston's labors with the church closed September 24, 1854. During most of the following year, the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. E. B. Chamber- lain, who afterwards married Miss Mary Jane Moore of this town. Mr. Chamberlain introduced to the people the Rev. Prescott Fay, a young man from Andover seminary who was ordained and installed over the church in March, 1856. During this year several families came over from South Guildhall and greatly strengthened the church. Before Mr. Fay left, May 15, 1865, the people had become independent of Home Missionary aid, and gave gifts in return. Mr. Fay's nine years' pastorate covered the trying period of the Civil War. On the whole the church was prosperous and a good number of converts were received to membership. During the revival of 1848, no less than forty-nine members were added to the church, twenty-six of them at one time, Sunday, July 4th of that year.
Mr. Fay was born in Westboro, Mass., December 8, 1826. Since leaving Lancaster he has had several pastorates East and West and is now preaching at Quechee, Vt.
Upon the departure of Mr. Fay, the church immediately procured the services of the Rev. Henry V. Emmons, who was installed Sep- tember 27, 1865. Like his predecessor he came with his young bride, having married Annie, daughter of Prof. George Shepherd of Bangor, Me., September 6, 1865. Mr. Emmons won the love and confidence of the people in a high degree. Soon after he came the meeting-house was repaired and renovated at considerable expense.
The growth of the church during his pastorate was in character rather than in numbers, although some were added to its member- ship. During this time the Y. M. C. A. was organized in town and some of the members of this church became active workers therein; meetings were held all through the town at the various schoolhouses -as at Great Rock, Spaulding Neighorhood, South Lancaster, Brick Schoolhouse, and in the then vacant Baptist church.
Mr. Emmons was the son of the Hon. William Emmons of Frank- lin, Mass. He was born at Augusta, Me., November 3, 1832; was graduated at Amherst college in 1854, and Bangor Theological seminary in 1859. After an absence of nineteen years, he writes of his charge here :- " My nine years' stay (our stay) at Lancaster, was full of pleasant intercourse with a people to whom we were warmly attached and the memory of it is very dear. They-all of whom come before us at a moment's recollection-live yet in our hearts and make us a part of what we are. To me they were always generous, considerate, kindly, faithful, and my heart kindles with prayerful desires for their welfare."
There is one virtue which pertains to this church as commenda-
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
ble as it is rare, it has always avoided hearing a long list of candi- dates; Mr. Emmons succeeded Mr. Fay without a break, and so did Mr. Charles E. Harrington succeed Mr. Emmons, and so it has been to the present time; in each case the church selected its man, heard him preach and gave him a call. The Rev. Mr. Harrington was ordained and installed as pastor of this church October 27, 1874, and Mr. Emmons was dismissed by the same council. Mr. Emmons is now settled at Kittery Point, Maine.
Mr. Harrington remained with the church until Feb. 24, 1878, on which day he preached his farewell sermon to a crowded house. And on April 18, 1878, he was installed as pastor of the South Congregational church in Concord. The church never had a more popular pastor than Mr. Harrington. Strong, genial, and faithful to his charge, he easily won all hearts. The parsonage at No. 7 Summer street was erected for his occupancy in the summer of 1875, Seneca Congdon taking the contract for $2,600.
As Mr. Harrington was a power for righteousness here, so he has been elsewhere. He was born in Concord, Oct. 5, 1846, of sturdy Puritan stock. He received a thorough academic education, grad- uated at Bangor Theological seminary, and was chaplain in the New Hampshire legislature in 1881. From Concord he went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he was pastor of the First Congregational church for three years. From Dubuque he was called to the First church in Keene where he remained till the autumn of 1893, when ill health compelled his resignation. He is now traveling in Europe. He has preached and lectured in many places and on many themes, particularly temperance, of which he is a strong advocate. He re- ceived the degree of D. D. from Iowa college in 1889.
Mr. Harrington was succeeded by the Rev. Charles E. Sumner, who began his labors here May 1, 1878, and ministered to the peo- ple about three years, until March 3, 1881, when his health became impaired and he was unable to fulfil the duties of his office. He was a kind, good man, and a faithful pastor, and his affliction was a grief to many friends. He has recently supplied the pulpit of the Congregational church at Alton Bay, and at the present time is at Brooklyn, Conn.
The next pastor of the church was the Rev. Sydney A. Burnaby, a graduate from Bangor Theological seminary, who was ordained and installed here Sept. 21, 1881, Dr. S. C. Bartlett preaching the sermon. During Mr. Burnaby's pastorate of ten years, a debt was cleared from the parsonage, and about $1,400 raised in 1886-'87 for improvements on the meeting-house. He was active in organizing the local Y. P. S. C. E. and held preaching services on each alter- nate Sunday at the Grange. He was dismissed Sept. 29, 1891, and is now pastor of the church at Southbridge, Mass.
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THE CHURCHES.
The present pastor, Rev. Geo. H. Tilton, was installed over the church Dec. 8, 1891, and dismissed 1896.
DEACONS OF THE CHURCH.
Jonas Baker, chosen May 20, 1796. Resigned Nov. 1, 1820. Land surveyor.
Samuel Phelps, chosen May 20, 1796. Revolutionary pensioner. Resided in Guildhall, Vt.
Joseph Wilder, chosen May 4, 1800.
Elias Chapman, chosen Oct. 30, 1801. Died July 18, 1836.
Reuben W. Freeman, chosen June 4, 1813. Died June 27, 1866. Resided in Guildhall, Vt.
Porter G. Freeman, chosen Nov. 27, 1823. Died Aug. 18, 1866.
William Farrar, chosen Sept. 23, 1836. Lawyer. Leader of the choir.
Gilman Wilder, chosen May 3, 1844.
Seth Adams, chosen March 17, 1854. Died July, 1883.
Azro Burton, chosen Oct. 1, 1876. Resides in Guildhall, Vt.
William P. Freeman, chosen Oct 1, 1876.
N. H. Richardson, chosen assistant deacon Oct. 5, 1885.
July 17, 1894, the church celebrated its 100th anniversary in the same building in which it began its work, it being at this time the property of the Masonic fraternity, and used for business purposes, as a town hall, and for Masonic apartments. A large concourse of people were in attendance. There were present many of its former pastors and friends from other towns and states. The occasion was graced by the presence of His Excellency, Hon. John B. Smith, governor, who delivered a practical, scholarly address on the his- tory of Congregationalism. C. B. Jordan welcomed the people back to their old home. Rev. C. H. Tilton gave the substance of the foregoing history. Henry O. Kent, Deacon William P. Free- man, and others spoke in a reminiscent mood. Pastors of neighbor- ing churches, offshoots from this, brought good tidings and good cheer. A most sumptuous banquet had been provided by the ladies, and sweet singing from the sweetest of our singers inspired every heart. On the platform sat three men who had sat under the preaching of Parson Willard and of every preacher of the church since his time. The day was a most enjoyable one. In the even- ing the church was filled and the exercises there continued to be of interest. Deacon Dwight Carleton gave an excellent historical ad- dress ; ministers of the town's churches extended congratulations, the choir rendered some of the old-time hymns, and when at a late hour the services were closed, all felt that the Congregational church had not existed in vain, and that the toils of her people had not been altogether fruitless.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
BY REV. D. C. BABCOCK.
Conferences were first named in 1800, and presiding elders dis- tricts in 1801. The New England Conference was set off from the New York in 1799, and held its first session in Lynn, Mass., July 8, 1800. It included all of New England except that part of Connec- ticut west of the Connecticut river.
The Landaff circuit, which extended from Rumney to Upper Coös, on both sides of the White Hills, made its first appearance in the Minutes of 1801, and included Lancaster. It was then on the New London district, with John Broadhead, presiding elder, and Elijah R. Sabin, circuit preacher.
Laban Clark was born in Haverhill, N. H., in 1778, and moved to Vermont at an early age. He became a Methodist, and began to preach in 1799. He was associated with John Langdon, evidently an older man, and one of the founders of Methodism in Vermont. In the summer of 1800 those two men crossed the river from Lun- enburg and held a service, probably at the Emmons Stockwell place, west of the fair ground. Mr. Langdon preached and Clark exhorted. Mr. Clark says: "We were now able to form a class of from fifteen to twenty." We thus infer that there had been previous efforts to organize a society. Some days later, Langdon, Clark, and Rosebrook Crawford were assailed by a mob. "The rabble cowered before the courage of Langdon, who was a gigantic and . brave man, but carried off Rosebrook Crawford and ducked him in the river." He was warned not to hold any more meetings in Lancas- ter, but persisted in spite of repeated warnings and harsh treatment. His brother Joseph also preached in Lancaster. It was under one of his sermons that Mrs. Benjamin Bishop was awakened and con- verted. Her husband was then "an intemperate blacksmith." As we have noticed above, E. R. Sabin was in charge of Landaff cir- cuit in 1801. Under his preaching Benj. Bishop was converted. He became a preacher, and joined the New England Conference in 1804. His wife became widely known as " a powerful exhorter."
Opposition to Methodist preaching in Lancaster was no doubt largely due to the fact that " Parson Willard," of the town church, was supported by a tax, and other denominations were regarded as intruders on vested rights. It may also be noted that differences in doctrine then caused much bitterness, and that many of the Metho- dists were noisy and some of them ranters.
Benjamin Bishop was a brother of Mrs. Lieutenant Dennis Stan- ley, who then lived in what is now Captain Beattie's farmhouse. Lieutenant Stanley was grandfather of Judge James W. Weeks. Methodist meetings were held at Lieutenant Stanley's house, and
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that no doubt helped to give them standing. In this connection we notice that the journal of Jesse Lee says : " Saturday, Sept. 6, 1800, we set out early in the morning, and rode out to the Connecticut river, at the Northumberland meeting-house; there I left my com- panion and rode down the river through Lancaster and Dalton." That was Lee's last tour through New England. He had entered upon his work in New England eleven years before, and now left it with eighty preachers, fifty circuits, and ten thousand members. That was a good record for one decade of labor.
In 1802 Landaff circuit was on the Vershire, Vt., district, with John Broadhead presiding elder, and Phineas Peck and Martin Ruter, circuit preachers. In 1803 Landaff was on the Vermont district. Joseph Crawford was presiding elder, and T. Branch, P. Dustin, and S. Langdon, circuit preachers. In 1804-'05 Landaff was on the New Hampshire district, and John Broadhead was presiding elder. Thomas Skeel and William Stevens were the circuit preachers in 1804, and Joel Winch and Asa Kent in 1805. In 1806 Landaff was again on the Vermont district, with E. R. Sabin presiding elder, and Asa Kent and Isaac Pease circuit preachers. In 1807-'08 Lan- daff was again on the New Hampshire district, with Elijah Hedding (afterwards a bishop), presiding elder, and Dyer Burge and E. F. Newell, preachers in 1807, and Zacharia Gibson in 1808. Martin Ruter was presiding elder in 1809-'10, and Joseph Peck preacher. David Crowell was on the circuit with Mr. Peck in 1810. Solomon Sias was presiding elder in 1811-'14. John W. Hardy and Joseph Peck were the preachers in 1811; Robert Hayes and James Jaques in 1812; Jacob Sanborn and Benjamin Burnham in 1813; and J. Emerson, J. Payne, and D. Blanchard in 1814. From 1807 to 1814, Lunenburg was in the New Hampshire district. David Kilburn was presiding elder in 1815-'18. Jacob Sanborn and John Lord were on Landaff circuit in 1815; Walter Sleeper and Hezekiah Davis in 1816; Jacob Sanborn in 1817, and Lewis Bates and Samuel Norris in 1818. Jacob Sanborn was presiding elder in 1819-'22, and Lewis Bates and Richard Emerson were on Landaff circuit in 1819, the year before the Lancaster circuit was formed.
During the winter of 1816-'17, "Mother Hutchings" of White field, whose husband was employed at Lancaster, got the privilege of speaking in the town church, as Mr. Willard was away. Her address produced "a great sensation." The next day, during a call at the house of Daniel Perkins, who lived on the old road at the northwest base of Mount Prospect, Mrs. Perkins was so impressed that she " lost her strength," but was soon restored. A powerful revival followed these efforts. Among the converts was Miss Ada- line Perkins, who became the wife of Allen Smith. They were among the founders of the Lancaster Methodist Episcopal church.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
Mrs. Smith was born in 1800, and lived till the 13th of November, 1891. She had been a devoted Christian and earnest Methodist for seventy-four years, and was highly esteemed by all who knew her. She was buried from her late residence on Main street, on Sunday afternoon, November 15, by the writer of this sketch.
Lancaster circuit made its appearance in the Minutes of the New England Conference in 1820, with David Culver as preacher in charge that year. Local history records a " Quarterly Meeting" held in the town church in the winter of 1819-'20. Rev. Jacob Sanborn, the presiding elder, preached to a crowded house. Being detained by a heavy snowstorm, he held meetings during the week, which resulted in many conversions. Charles Baker was the preacher in 1821, and Charles Baker and James Norris in 1822. Benjamin R. Hoyt was presiding elder in 1823-'25. James B. H. Norris and N. S. Spaulding were the preachers in 1823; Benja- min Brown and Nathan .Howe in 1824, and Rowse B. Gardner in 1825.
The Danville, Vt., district was formed in 1826, and Lancaster placed on it. John Lord was presiding elder in 1826-'28, and E. Wells in 1829; Roswell Putnam and David Stickney were on Lan- caster circuit in 1826; Orange Scott and Joseph Baker in 1827; Orange Scott, Nathan W. Scott, and M. G. Cass in 1828, and Has- kell Wheelock and Holman Drew in 1829. Orange Scott spent all his time in Lancaster in 1828, and occupied the town church, as no successor to Mr. Willard, deceased, had then been selected. Mr. Scott was an able and effective preacher, and did much to advance the cause of God, and remove prejudice from Methodism.
The New Hampshire and Vermont Conference was set off from the New England in 1830, and Lancaster was placed on the Plymouth district. Lunenburg, Vt., was included in the Lan- caster circuit. John W. Hardy was presiding elder in 1830-'31. Haskell Wheelock and William McKoy were the preachers in 1830, and Caleb Lamb and Russell H. Spaulding in 1831.
The First Methodist Episcopal Society of Lancaster, N. H., was organized in July, 1831. The following names are attached to the constitution, in the record book, in the hand-writing of the sub- scribers :
Wm. W. Chapman, Harvey Adams, Abel Leavens, Jr., Joseph Howe, Allen Smith, John Aspenwall, David Stockwell, Samuel F. Spaulding, William Peck, Ezra Kenison, Samuel McIntire, S. P. Williams, G. C. Philbrook, Alvah Twombly, Isaac N. Cotton, Ben- jamin Adams, John Stockwell, James Mardin, John Smith, Benj. Wentworth, Benaiah Colby, Joseph Wentworth, Shackford Went- worth, Frederick Fisk, Daniel Field, George Howe, William Pear- son, Shepard Knights, John H. Meserve.
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THE CHURCHES.
During the fall and winter of that year, 1831, a parsonage was built on Middle street, on land donated by Harvey Adams. An exhorter, familiarly known as " Brother Dike," originated and car- ried on that enterprise. That house was used as a parsonage till 1870. It stands on the north side of the street, east of the M. C. R. R., two lots from Fletcher street as it now is.
In 1832 the name of the conference became "The New Hamp- shire Conference," but with no change of territory. The Vermont conference was set off from the New Hampshire in 1845. E. Wells was presiding elder of Plymouth district in 1832-'35. William Peck and E. T. Manning were on Lancaster circuit in 1832; William Peck, J. H. Stevens, and N. O. Way in 1833, and Sylvester P. Will- iams and Abel Heath in 1834-'35. Mr. Williams is remembered as "a strong man" by some of the aged people of Lancaster. The first Methodist Episcopal church edifice was erected during his pas- torate. His name and that of William Peck are in the list of sub- scribers to the constitution in 1831. The records of that time show that on the 4th of February, 1834, Harvey Adams, Joseph Howe, and Allen Smith were chosen a committee to " ascertain the practi- cability of building a Methodist chapel in this village." They were subsequently appointed a building committee. A draft was pre- pared by the preacher in charge, and a house built, the cost of which was probably somewhat above $1,000. The dimensions of the chapel were 40 x 60 feet, with 16-foot posts. We find no refer- ence in the records to the dedication of that house, which was on the site of the present church edifice.
B. R. Hoyt was again presiding elder in 1836-'39. D. Field and C. Olin were on Lancaster circuit in 1836; D. Field and Erastus Pettingill in 1837; L. Hill and J. A. Gibson in 1838; and Amos Kidder in 1839. In 1840 Charles D. Cahoon was presiding elder, and John Smith pastor at Lancaster.
The Haverhill district appears in 1841 with C. D. Cahoon presid- ing elder in 1841-'43. Erasmus B. Morgan was pastor at Lancaster in 1841,-'42, and James G. Smith in 1843. Justin Spaulding was presiding elder in 1844, and Russell H. Spaulding in 1845-'49. A. T. Bullard was pastor in 1845-'46; H. H. Hartwell in 1846-'47, and Henry Hill in 1848 and to the spring of 1850.
In 1849 the New Hampshire Conference met in Lancaster, Bishop L. L. Hamline presiding. On conference Sunday Bishop Hamline preached, standing in a window on the north side of the church. His text was " Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord." The house was filled with ladies, and a great throng stood and sat on the hillside of what is now known as " the old cemetery."
Reuben Dearborn was presiding elder in 1850-'53. J. W. Guern- sey was pastor in 1850-'51, and L. L. Eastman in 1852-'53. Wil-
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
liam D. Cass was presiding elder in 1854-'55, and Josiah Hooper, a transfer from Maine, was pastor those years.
Haverhill district disappeared in 1856, and Lancaster was placed on the Concord district, with Lewis Howard presiding elder in 1856-'59. James Adams was stationed at Lancaster in 1856, and Lewis P. Cushman in 1857-'58. His pastorate is notable because of a great revival which stirred the entire place. The pastors of the Congregational and Methodist churches worked together with excel- lent results. During the latter year the church building was remodeled. The floor was leveled, new pews were put in and the number increased, the gallery was removed, an orchestra built, and the walls papered. A tower with spire was erected, and a new entrance and vestibule constructed. The cost of the repairs and improvements was $1,500. The rededication occurred in Sep- tember, 1858, a sermon being preached on the occasion by Rev. J. H. Twombly, D. D., of Boston.
Elijah R. Wilkins was pastor in 1859-'60, and George N. Bryant fn 1861-'62. James Pike was presiding elder in 1861-'62. During 1862 he became colonel of the Sixteenth New Hampshire regi- ment, and William D. Cass filled out that year. Elisha Adams was presiding elder in 1863-'66, and L. D. Barrows in 1867-'68. Simeon P. Heath was stationed in Lancaster in 1863-'65 and D. J. Smith in 1866-'68.
The White Mountain district was formed in the spring of 1869, and continued till 1871, with D. J. Smith as presiding elder, when its territory was again merged in the Concord district. Charles H. Smith was pastor at Lancaster those years. In 1870 a new parson- age was erected on High street at a cost of about $4,000.
S. G. Kellogg was presiding elder in 1871-'73, and Otis Cole pastor. T. L. Flood was presiding elder in 1874; James Pike in 1875-'76; and J. W. Adams in 1877-'80. James Noyes was pastor in 1874-'75, and N. M. Bailey in 1876-'78. On the 9th of April, 1878, the New Hampshire Conference began its second session in Lancas- ter, Bishop S. M. Merrill, D. D., presiding. It was greeted with what is known as " the great fire," on the first day of the session, and the ministers rendered efficient service in staying its ravages. M. T. Cilley was presiding elder in 1881-'84; G. W. Norris in 1885-'89. S. C. Keeler, the present incumbent, began his term in April. 1890. D. J. Smith was pastor, for a second term, in 1879-'81. He was followed by W. E. Bennett in 1882-'83, and he by A. C. Coult in 1884-'86.
Rev. J. A. Bowler began his three years' pastorate in the old church in April, 1887, and in the spring of 1888 it was decided to build a new church on the site of the one which had done such good service for fifty-four years. Plans were drawn by George H. Guern-
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THE CHURCHES.
sey of Montpelier, Vt. A building committee, consisting of Rev. J. A. Bowler, Charles Smith, and M. E. Hartford, was chosen, and May 27, 1888, the last service was held in the old church. The pastor preached a farewell sermon from Haggai ii, 3 and 9. " Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory?" "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts." The old church was sold and removed in two parts, one of which is located on Bunker Hill avenue and the other on Cemetery street and both are finished into tenements.
The new church was dedicated on Wednesday, March 20, 1889. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Charles Parkhurst, D. D., editor of Zion's Herald, Boston, from Hebrews viii, 5. Addresses were made by Revs. Henry Hartwell and W. E. Bennett, former pastors, and congratulatory letters from several other former pastors were read. The building was presented by W. E. Bullard, chairman of the board of trustees, and dedicated by Rev. G. W. Norris, presiding elder of Concord district, assisted by Rev. J. E. Robins, presiding elder of Claremont district, and a number of ministers who were present. The pastor announced that the cost of the building, exclusive of a considerable amount of labor which had been given, was $7,800, and that $1,500 were necessary in addition to the sub- scriptions already made. This amount was subscribed during the afternoon and evening.
The extreme dimensions of the church are 79 and 55 feet. It is lighted by a Wheeler reflector having sixteen lamps. The glass of the rose windows is from the works of Redding, Baird & Co., of Boston; the children's window and the other windows of leaded work are from the works of Samuel West, Boston. The bell weighs 1,325 pounds and was cast by the Cincinnati Bell Foundry Co. The pews were manufactured by the Globe Furniture Co., North- ville, Mich. Contributions for memorial windows were made by William H. Clark for Allen Smith, Emmons Smith for Adaline Smith, George Lovejoy for his father, Daniel Green for his parents, S. H. LeGro for his parents, Mrs. A. C. Russell for her father, Jos- eph D. Howe and sister for their parents. Windows were also placed by the Webb and Bullard families and the children of the Sunday-school.
Mr. Bowler issued a neat pamphlet in 1889, entitled "Methodism in Lancaster," from which we have culled in preparing this sketch. It contains cuts of the old church as it was in 1858, after it was rebuilt, and of the present edifice.
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