USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. II > Part 36
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The present (1903) pastor of St. Rose is the Rev. Father James Henry Riley, who was born in Keene August 7, 1865; was edu- cated in the schools of that city, graduating from its high school, and pursued his classical, philosophical, and theological courses at the schools connected with Laval University, Quebec. He was ordained at Nashua in June, 1888, and was curate at the Church of the Immaculate Conception from his ordination to April, 1891, when he was appointed curate at St. Mary's, Dover, where he remained until February, 1892, when he was appointed pastor at Whitefield. He came to Littleton in 1899, which has since been his home and where his time has been filled to full measure with good deeds, - ministering to the spiritual necessities of the sick, consoling the afflicted, composing differences, and being in deed as
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well as name a father to his people. Nor has his kindly influence been confined to those who bow before his altar ; it is pervasive, and Christians of all denominations and pagans of none have felt its social and manly quality, and esteem it a privilege to count Father Riley as a friend.
The growth of Roman Catholicism in New England is well illustrated by the constantly diminishing jurisdiction of the origi- nal diocese and of the mission with which this town has been connected. The diocese over which Bishop Cheverus presided embraced all New England, and, had Bishop Carroll had his way, it would also have included New York, but the modest bishop of Boston demurred, and his wish prevailed. Within sixty years this diocese has gradually diminished territorially by the crea- tion of the new jurisdictions of Hartford, Providence, Burlington, Portland, Springfield, and Manchester.
The first mission with which Littleton may be said to have been connected was that of Burlington in 1830, then in charge of Father O'Callaghan, with whom were subsequently associated Fathers Daly, O'Reilley, and perhaps others. Then, in 1856, Father Noiseux, who resided at Lancaster, was appointed to the mission which embraced the New Hampshire side of the Connec- ticut River between Colebrook and Massachusetts. As the Roman Catholic population increased, the mission was again divided at Lebanon, which place came within Father Noiseux's jurisdiction. In 1876 this mission was divided, and Grafton County was placed in charge of Father Trudel, of Lebanon, and remained a mission of that parish under its successive pastors until January, 1882, when this town became an independent parish with missions which included the Ammonoosuc valley between Carroll and Haverhill.
From 1815 to 1840 there were no resident Roman Catholics in the town.1 It is probable that an occasional wanderer from Canada in search of work strayed hither, but he did not remain a sufficient length of time to have his name entered in the list of taxable polls. In the spring of 1840 there was one family of two persons and two or three single men of this faith living here, all of whom were employed in the woollen factory and had left before 1844. From 1846 the tide of Catholic emigration has constantly increased in volume. In 1850 there must have
1 The census of 1830 states that there were six foreign-born residents in this town. These were Robert Charlton, and the eldest five children of Nathaniel Rix, who were born while he was residing in Stanstead, Canada; none of these were Catholics.
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been nearly a hundred of the faith among our residents, and each passing year has served to swell the number until at the present time it reaches nearly twelve hundred souls. It should be added that in this number have been included some of the best and most influential citizens of the town, - men who have left the impress of their influence not only on the town, but on the State, and on the transactions and legislation of both. These people have been industrious, self-respecting, and respected in the years that have witnessed their growth from a condition of feebleness to one of power.
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XXXVII. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY (Continued).
THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY.
I' T is not known that the denominations included in the term " Liberal Christianity" had any representation in Littleton prior to 1823, when George Little became a citizen of the town. He was a Unitarian given to advocating his theological as well as his political views. His aggressive methods do not seem to have been very effectual in advancing the cause which he had at heart. Between 1825 and 1832 quite a number of people who were inter- ested in these denominations settled here ; of these Albert Little, Henry A. Bellows, George B. Redington, and Truman Stevens were Unitarians, and among the Universalists were Otis Bachelder, Enoch Hazeltine, E. S. Woolson, and Enoch Merrill Pingree, - the last mentioned a young man who in after years became a large figure in the Universalist denomination in this country. All these wished to have a minister of liberal faith settled in the town, and through the efforts of Henry A. Bellows and his uncle, an emi- nent merchant in Boston, the Rev. Cazneau Palfrey was sent here from Massachusetts.
The date of his coming is not known, but it was previous to the erection of the first village meeting-house. Henry A. Bellows, George Little, Albert Little, George B. Redington, and Truman Stevens gave one-fourth of the amount raised by subscription for building this first house of worship, and George Little, Henry A. Bellows, E. S. Woolson, and Truman Stevens became pew-holders when it was finished. The Rev. Mr. Palfrey preached in the pulpit of the new edifice for such time as his flock were entitled to its use because of their subscriptions to the fund for its erec- tion. His stay was brief, covering a period of not more than two years. He was a man of fine attainments and high character, and stimulated the minds as well as the hearts of his hearers. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1826, and from the Divinity School in 1829. After his service in Littleton he be- came pastor of a Unitarian society in Washington, D. C., and
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later of societies in Grafton and Barnstable, Mass., and finally was established in Belfast, Me., where he faithfully labored for the society there until his retirement after twenty-five years of service in that city. He lived in Cambridge after this until his death in 1888.
The successor of Mr. Palfrey was the Rev. William Pitkin Huntington, a graduate from Harvard College in 1824. He studied medicine, and received the degree of M. D. in 1835, after he had been ordained a minister of the Unitarian denomination. He came to Littleton about 1836, and occupied the pulpit, as did his predecessor, on certain Sundays as agreed upon.
We get a glimpse of his character as a preacher and of his the- ological views from the journal of Enoch Merrill Pingree, who refers to him more than once. Sunday evening, August 21, 1836, he makes this entry in his journal : " Attended Mr. Huntington's meeting to-day : was much pleased with the exercises, espe- cially with the afternoon sermon. Text 1 Cor. i. 13, ' Is Christ divided ?' The discourse was directed against division, conten- tion, and intolerance in the Christian Church. He handled the subject ably. It included the subject of forming churches sepa-
rate from societies, and excommunication for religious belief. He disproved all this." In regard to Mr. Huntington's religious views he writes under date of September 3: "Mr. Huntington has called at our house and remains over night. We have had a pleasant conversation on the subject of religion. He tends a little to the annihilation of the wicked after having been raised and punished some, for their sins. He believes in future retribu- tion, which will probably not be endless. On the whole his ideas seem to be rather vague as to man's future condition."
He was a man of ability, and his departure was much regretted. His after life was spent in missionary work and in teaching.
The Rev. William Dexter Wilson was secured to succeed the Rev. Mr. Huntington, and remained here during 1839 and 1840. He was a man of parts, and widely known as a scholar. While re- siding here, he delivered a lecture before the Anti-Slavery Society on Slavery which was printed in pamphlet form.1 This was his first and last pastorate as a minister of the Unitarian denomina- tion. Two years later, he took orders in the Episcopal Church, and subsequently became Professor of Philosophy in Hobart Col- lege, Geneva, N. Y., and afterward in Columbia College. Later he became a Professor in St. Andrews School of Divinity in Syra-
1 A copy of this pamphlet is in the public library.
UNITARIAN CHURCH.
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cuse, N. Y., where he still resides as professor emeritus, and is the author of many works on varied subjects.
The loss of Mr. Wilson and the removal from town of the Littles, if they did not lessen the zeal of the Liberal Christians, retarded their progress, for there is nothing to indicate that they held any service for many years, except when some eminent divine of their faith, a chance visitor in the mountains, was secured for a single service.
When Asa Weller and his son Franklin G., devoted Univer- salists, became residents, interest in that cause was awakened, and through their efforts Rev. Mr. Barron, of Concord, Vt., and Rev. B. F. Tillotson, of St. Johnsbury in the same State, both distinguished and eloquent Universalist ministers, held occasional services in Rounsevel Hall. The Universalist membership received still further accessions when H. H. Metcalf became a resident of Littleton and Luther D. Sanborn returned from Lancaster in 1872, and again an effort was made to establish regular services, and Rev. Mr. Tillotson officiated through the summer of 1873. A meeting was held in the office of Franklin G. Weller, and Mr. Weller, H. H. Metcalf, and Luther D. Sanborn were appointed a committee to engage a regular supply, and they secured the services of Rev. J. P. Atkinson, of Laconia, a Universalist clergy- man. He held services every other Sunday in Farr's Hall for nearly a year, at the end of which period this society, which took the name Liberal Christian, ceased to exist, probably from lack of funds.
Mr. Atkinson entered the ministry at a very early age, and held pastorates at Hingham, Marblehead, Stoneham, and Orange, Mass., in Westbrook, Me., and in Weare and Dover, N. H. He died December 27, 1888. Mr. Atkinson resided in Laconia and passed little of his time in Littleton. He was exceedingly amia- ble, with the manners of a gentleman of the old school, and won the confidence of his society and the respect of our people.
Another interim of five years without services followed, but in 1881 Rev. Joseplı H. Pardee, the Unitarian State missionary, came to Littleton and held services two successive Sundays. Rev. James B. Morrison took up the work, and every other Sunday, after he had preached in Lancaster, drove to Littleton and con- ducted a service here. His followers were few in number, but resolute in spirit, and in 1884 organized a religious society of which the leading members were Dr. Charles M. Tuttle, George T. Cruft, Porter B. Watson, and Joseph S. Frye. For two years the society met fortnightly, at first in Union Hall, and subse- .
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quently in Opera Hall, their numbers gradually increasing, and thus for seven years the Rev. J. B. Morrison ministered to them as well as to the church in Lancaster. He was a man of pleasing address and an untiring worker. An edifice for worship was erected with contributions secured by Mr. Morrison from organi- zations outside the State. Fifteen hundred dollars of the sum was given by the Second Church in Boston, Rev. Edward A. Horton pastor, and a large portion of the remainder by different branches of the Woman's Alliance throughout New England. The beautiful building was erected under the guiding spirit of Joseph S. Frye, who brought to the task all the vigor, enthusiasm, and practical knowledge of detail which were such marked features of all his undertakings. He was ably seconded by Dr. Charles M. Tuttle and George T. Cruft, who gave liberally of time and money. The building was dedicated August 3, 1887. Rev. Edward H. Horton, for whom the hall was named, preached the sermon. Rev. J. B. Morrison delivered the keys to George T. Cruft, and the audience, led by the Rev. Samuel C. Bean, recited the formal dedication. It was not, however, until the following June that the Rev. L. D. Cochrane became the first settled pastor.
The Rev. Lorenzo Darwin Cochrane was born in Saline, Mich., in 1854. Early in life he was thrust upon the world to earn his own living and that of a younger brother ; with great indus- try and perseverance he managed to educate himself and aid his brother to become a teacher. Mr. Cochrane says in his autobiography : -
" As Lorenzo was emerging into manhood, he had the rare good fortune to fall under the influence of Martin V. Rork, one of those rare instructors whose personality infuses into all receptive young minds within its sphere floods of intellectual and moral life.
"Under the inspiration of this man he went quickly through the high school, attended one year at Albion College, and was admitted . to the Michigan University in 1879, though he was obliged in order to pay his way in school to stop almost every year to teach a term of district school or give a large part of his time to teaching some division of graded schools. When Professor Rork opened the College of Practical Education, he secured the services of Mr. Cochrane as instructor in the physical sciences and of modern languages. During all the time of his teaching heretofore he had done much reading and studying outside the regular school work. Here in this new field, owing to his having only three to five classes a day, he found very much more time to read, and a good part of this time was occupied in a careful reading of Herbert Spencer's works, the writings of Huxley, Darwin, · Tyndall, and others of the new school of physical philosophers. He
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was gradually forced to the conclusion that Darwin was essentially righ't as to his position with reference to the evolution of the life of the earth. This fifteen years ago was a dangerous heresy for a teacher to hold in an institution that aspired to the name of college, especially if it ever crept into his teachings. In this case it came boldly out in all the classes dealing with the physical sciences. Evolution was the watchword of the young men and women in these classes. Another teacher in the school was also becoming an evolutionist. This would not do. The president began to seriously apprehend that he would be doing a wrong to longer keep two such teachers so dangerous to the higher life of the young men and women entering the school. Owing partly to this fact, and partly because the school seemed upon a rather poor financial basis, the two young men resigned their positions. It is only fair to Professor Rork, who was always a very good friend to both of the teachers, to say here that he came and offered most warmly the positions back to both the young men, and too without any conditions tending to hamper the freest exercise of their minds in their work.
" Mr. Cochrane had from the first of his going to school to Mr. Rork looked forward to the time when he could preach the gospel, and now to have the consciousness creep over him that possibly he was, by be- coming a believer in evolution, outside the realm of religion, as all the religious power about him felt, if they did not tell him so, was indeed disheartening. And he owes very much of his subsequent happiness and power of usefulness to his attending, when the darkest hour of this period had come, a Unitarian conference, and being told by one of the principal speakers how one could be an evolutionist and at the same time be a true minister of the Gospel ; moreover that the majority of the clergymen of that denomination had accepted the doctrine of evolution.
" About this period Mr. Cochrane married Cora Sexton, a young woman whose mental and religious development was so much like his that thereafter their inner lives flowed in one stream. They both went to Meadville Theological School, where they graduated the summer of 1888, and at once Mr. Cochrane became the pastor of the Unitarian Church of Littleton. And though their first child, Kingsley, was born that autumn, Mrs. Cochrane was, nearly the whole of the four and a half years of laboring in Littleton, president of the Ladies' Society of the church, taught Sunday-school class, preached frequently in the church, and for nearly three years of this time was the pastor of the Unitarian Church at Bath, and preached two summers at Swiftwater. Mr. and Mrs. Cochrane did the work in these three places so together that each of the three churches virtually had two pastors. A Methodist minister of Littleton of that time used to say, 'Those preachers can exchange without shooting at random.'
" They organized a class of young people into a literary club which did much good work. Though the first winter there was only one other
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person save themselves in the club, the last year of their stay in Littleton the seating capacity of their house was sometimes not a little strained to accommodate the members of the club, which studied the masters of English literature, ending with a hard study of Goethe's Faust. Mrs. Cochrane also had a class of girls who worked with her for the church in many ways and met with her to read winter evenings. Whether or not these study classes were of much benefit to the young people of the village, they were of great good in getting much work out of the preachers and giving their minds the right kind of intellectual stimulants.
"Mr. Cochrane was, from the beginning of his preaching in Littleton till his last sermon there, a bold preacher of what might be called the rational side of Christianity. Though he was always reverent and deeply religious, yet his very boldness made him appear to many relig- ious people a veritable destoyer of the best things in religion. To-day, only four years later,1 it is safe to say one-fourth of the city preachers in orthodox pulpits are Sunday after Sunday saying as radical things as Mr. Cochrane uttered in Littleton. The fact is, his preaching was truly conservative of the verities of religion.
"It was during his stay here that Mr. Cochrane wrote the essay called ' The Revelation of God in Nature,' which together with the other six essays written by other ministers of the Unitarian denomina- tion constituted the book ' In Spirit and in Truth.'
"Mr. and Mrs. Cochrane resigned their pastorates in Littleton and Bath in 1892, and began a larger work at Ellsworth, Me., and in the villages on Frenchman's Bay. Toward the close of the year 1895 they made their headquarters at Bar Harbor, Me., in order to bring their personal services more directly to bear upon The Liberal Christian Church of Bar Harbor, a vigorous young church which they planted while at Ellsworth in the year 1893."
Mr. Cochrane's successor was Rev. Ure Mitchell, who remained two years. He was the son of a Scottish preacher of Universal- ism, was born in Glasgow, and at fourteen years of age came to America to finish his education. He was graduated from St. Lawrence University, was ordained a Universalist preacher in 1880, and followed his chosen calling in Oxford, Fort Plain, and Cortland, N. Y. In 1890 he became interested in the Baptist denomination and preached for a short time to a society of that faith, but in 1892 came to Littleton as pastor of the Unitarians. He remained here two years and was well liked by most of his people, though considered a little eccentric. Then he went to a mission station at Gouverneur, N. Y., where in 1894 he abandoned Unitarianism, became a communicant of the Episcopal Church
1 Written in 1896.
REV. LORENZO D. COCHRANE.
REV. LEROY F. SNAPP. REV. CORA (SEXTON) COCHRANE. REV. WILLIAM C. LITCHFIELD.
REV. JOHN A. BELLOWS.
UNITARIAN MINISTERS
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and later entered its priesthood, in which he has since remained, having apparently gained a theological resting-place.
In Sadlersville, Md., in the year 1893, a young man whose father was a Methodist minister and whose mother was the daughter of a minister of the same denomination, was preach- ing to a Methodist congregation. But his heart was not at rest in preaching the doctrines advocated by this church, and he was drawn to the North and came directly to the Unitarian society at Littleton. This young man, the Rev. Leroy Fletcher Snapp, was popular with the people under his charge in Littleton. He was a typical Southern gentleman, courteous in bearing, but with the courage of his convictions. It was with regret that his parish received his resignation, and at a meeting called to consider it resolutions were adopted from which we quote the following : -
" He has served faithfully for more than two years, laboring with conscientious interest and zeal toward the work of the parish. We shall always gratefully remember his valued service and the cordial personal relations which existed between him and the different mem- bers of the parish. We extend to Mr. Snapp our sincere good wishes for his personal happiness and for success in his future ministry."
Mr. Snapp resigned in 1896, and it was not until November that Rev. W. C. Litchfield accepted a call to minister to the society in Littleton and faithfully labored for its interests until Decem- ber, 1898. He had been settled previously over societies in Hobart, Ind., Berlin, Gardner, Middleborough, and Athol, Mass., and Tiverton, R. I. In Berlin and Gardner houses of worship were erected during his ministrations. He has held several town offices and educational appointments in Massachusetts, and was a Representative in the Legislature of that State several times. He served in the War of the Rebellion, is a member of several secret societies, and was a major of the militia in Massachusetts. Mr. Litchfield was obliged to leave Littleton be- cause of the ill-health of a member of his family. His loss was much regretted, and when the pulpit was vacant at a later date, efforts were made to have him return, but they were fruitless.
In May, 1899, Rev. Charles Graves came to minister to the spiritual needs of these people. He was born in Earith, Hunt- ingdonshire, Eng. He came to this country and pursued a course of study at the Unitarian School at Meadville, Pa., and was in charge of several parishes in the West previous to his pastorate in Littleton. Mr. Graves was an aggressive speaker,
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and dealt his blows with vigor, sparing neither friend nor foe if he thought his cause was just. He resigned in 1901 and went to New York.
James Ellis Locke succeeded Mr. Graves. He was born on Prince Edward Island, was educated at Horton Academy and Acadia University, Wolfville, N. S., and ordained to the ministry at Monson, Me., in 1885. He was located at Monson and East Corinth in Maine, Vineyard Haven, Mass., and Brooklyn, Conn., before he was called thither. He was a scholarly man, and aided by his wife was a force in the moral and spiritual uplifting of his flock. He resigned in 1903, and Rev. Merritt S. Buckingham assumed the pastorate. Mr. Buckingham was born in Gilboa, N. Y., August 10, 1868, was educated in the public schools and under the tuition of Prof. John B. Smith. He began the study of theology in 1888 with the Rev. John L. Ketcham, and subsequently was for two years a special student at Meadville Theological School. He was ordained in 1892 and was pastor of several Methodist Episcopal churches of the New York and Wyoming conferences. In May, 1901, he became pastor of the First Congregational Church (Unitarian) in Westford, Mass., where he remained until he came to this town in 1903. He married, August 6, 1895, Bertha May Carr. They have one child, Mizpah Frances.
The Sunday-school has always been an important factor in the work of the society and has had faithful superintendents, and though small in numbers has been active in its work.
The society has been generously remembered with gifts. Rev. and Mrs. Samuel B. Cruft gave, on April 15, 1893, a pipe organ whose fine tones are a great source of pleasure to the audience assembled each Sunday. Mr. Cruft also bequeathed a legacy to the society with which they purchased the parsonage next the church on Union Street. Mrs. Cruft and her son Gen. George T. Cruft were the donors of a beautiful stained-glass window repre- senting the Sermon on the Mount, and they replaced the side win- dows with those of a design to harmonize with this. Mrs. Harriet O. Cruft, a sister of Rev. Samuel B. Cruft, gave a carpet for the auditorium. The Unitarian Society of Concord gave the pulpit in memory of Dr. Tuttle, and James W. Rowell presented the bell which hangs in the tower of the church and calls the people to worship.
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