History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 47

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714

USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 47
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 47

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Rev. John W. F. Barner was born in Lowell, Mass., Aug. 28, 1831. He came to this town and became a Christian in 1841. He joined the Methodist Church, and commenced in 1852. After preaching in Methuen, Stoneham, and some other places, was colleague with Rev. E. T. Taylor five years at Seamen's Bethel, Bos- ton ; was ordained elder in 1863; received repeated appointments in Malden and Lynn, Mass., and Provi- dence, R. I. He is now (July, 1852) chaplain at the Massachusetts State prison.

Amos Batchelder, M.D., son of Amos M. and Sally (Stoker) Batchelder, was born May 27, 1811. Began the study of medicine in 1834 with Dr. Isaiah C. Straw, Methuen, Mass. Commenced the practice of medicine in Pelham, N. H., June 6, 1837 ; received his diploma at Dartmouth College, November, 1837. Mar- ried Rebecca H. Atwood, a native of Pelham, Nov. 23, 1837, and continues in practice there at this time.

Eminent Women .- Dorothy (Gookin) Coffin was born in Hampton, and lived with her husband at the parsonage in East Kingston. The slab at her grave bears this inscription :

" Here lies the body of Mrs. Dorothy Coffin, the virtuous consort of the Rev. Peter Coffin, Pastor of the church of Christ in this place, who deceased June 18, 1749, in the 28th year of her age."

Susanna (Batchelder) Webster, wife of Ebenezer Webster (2d), and daughter of Benjamin and Susanna (Page) Batchelder, and grandmother of Hon. Daniel Webster, was born in Hampton Falls. ... They were married July 20, 1738. Her father was the son of Nathaniel Batchelder, Sr., and resided on the farm now owned and occupied by Hon. Warren Brown. This Nathaniel, Sr., was a grandson of the notable Stephen Batchelder, who, with his associate, in 1638 settled Winnicunnett, afterwards called Hampton. She was dismissed from the church at Hampton Falls, and received into the church at East Kingston, Jan. 20, 1740.

Mrs. Abigail (Prescott) Rowell, daughter of Jere- miah Prescott, and mother of the late Philip Rowell, resided in the last house on the new Boston road, in the southwest part of the town. She died in 1840, aged one hundred years.

Judith (Brown) Webster. the mother of George B. Webster, was born in South Hampton, Aug. 29, 1775 ; married in 1803 John, grandson of Jeremy Webster. She was the youngest child of Elijah and Susanna Brown, of South Hampton, who enlisted in the Rev- olutionary army, and died in the service in the north- ern part of the State of New York, when Judith was hardly four years old. After seven years of age she relied on her own efforts for support. She possessed a vigorons constitution, survived her husband and three of her four sons, and died March 7, 1876, aged one hundred years and six months. She retained her faculties to the last, and was respected and beloved by all.

Mary (Thayer), wife of Joseph F. Rowe, and eldest daughter of Rev. Elihu Thayer, D.D., was born at the parsonage in Kingston, Feb. 24, 1782. Her father was one of the most noted divines of his day. Mrs. Rowe inherited the virtuous and amiable traits of her father, and retained till her death, April 14, 1859, her connection with the church over which he was pastor. She bore a large family, four of whom survive her ; one, Martha T., wife of George B. Webster, is a resi- dent in town.

Lois Sanborn (Stevens) Currier, daughter of Ben- jamin and Lois (Judkins) Stevens, and wife of Renben W. Currier, was born in Brentwood, Oct. 5, 1799. They were married Oct. 20, 1820, and have since lived in the house where they now reside. They have had ten children. Mrs. Currier is eighty-three years old, hale and hearty, does her own work, and is the oldest woman in town.

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EAST KINGSTON.

CHAPTER XXIX.

EAST KINGSTON .- ( Continued.)

Ecclesiastical History - Congregationalists - Methodists - Baptists - Adventists-Christians-Free-Will Baptists-Universalists-Catholics.

Congregationalists .- We learn from the first church book "That the General Court of .New Hampshire did, by their ACT of 17th November, 1738, erect a new parish in the easterly part of the town of Kingstown, by the name of the East Parish in Kingstown."

The inhabitants of said parish, after solemn seeking to God for direction, . . . having the pastors of the neighboring churches join with them, and preach . . . according to the direction of the province law in such cases, assembled on the 17th July, 1739, in a parish meeting legally warned, to make choice of some per- son to be set over them in the work of the ministry, and voting as usual in such cases, they did with the utmost unanimity make choice of and call Peter Coffin, A.M., of Exeter, unto said ministerial en- ployment among them, who after seasonable delibera- tion did, on the 31st of August following, return answer with acceptance of their call.

The communicants among them thereupon met together on the 22d of October, and appointed Wednes- day, November 14th, for the ordination of their pastor, sending ont their letters of invitation to eight of the neighboring churches, inviting " them by their elders and delegates to come and assist in the solemnity. The said 14th November all the churches sent to were represented, excepting the Second Church in Salisbury and the church in Kingston." The ordination then proceeded according to the custom of those times and the present time. " At the same time and before the conclusion of ordination services, the Rev. Mr. Marsh, of Amesbury, gave the covenant into and gathered the church, and Rev. Mr. Cushing, of Salisbury, gave the charge, and the Rev. Mr. Whipple, of Hampton Falls, gave the right hand of fellowship. The whole proceeded with a great deal of decency and good order, the 68th Psalm was sung, and the assembly was dis- missed." The covenant and creed that was proposed to the church, and by which they were gathered into a church state, being sent down by Rev. Mr. Secombe, pastor of the other church in Kingstown, then fol- lows. . .

The creed and covenant are long, and we will not insert even an abstract, as there is nothing unusual in them. Then follow the names of eighteen men, seventeen of whom were dismissed from Kingston and one from Salisbury churches. After all the above it is recorded, "they were thereupon gathered and incorporated into a church state."

On the following Lord's day, which was Nov. 18, 1739, there was admitted to the Second Church of Christ in Kingstown, upon a regnlar dismission from the churches to which they had belonged, three males

and twenty-three females, all of whose names are re- corded. Accessions from this time were frequently made. In three years, at the close of 1742, there had been added fifteen males, dismissed five males ; added thirty-one females and dismissed five. These num- bers show at the close of 1742 a net membership of eighty, thirty-one males and forty-nine females.

From that time to 1772, the close of Mr. Coffin's pastorate, there had been received twenty-four males and thirty-nine females over and above the deaths and dismissals, which are not given, making a net mem- bership of fifty-five males and eighty-eight females ; whole number, one hundred and forty-three.

Susanna Webster, wife of Ebenezer Webster (2), was received into this church by dismission from the church at Hampton Falls, Jan. 20, 1740; and her husband was received into the church on the 30th of November following. Elizabeth, second wife of the pastor, was received Sept. 2, 1759, previously a mem- ber of the Church of England. During the thirty- three years of Mr. Coffin's pastorate there were six hundred and ninety-one baptisms, or an annual aver- age of twenty-one. There was rarely over forty or less than four in any one year, generally somewhere midway between these extremes, decreasing in some measure towards the last of his pastorate. Most of these baptized persons were children; a few were adults.

In the same time there were one hundred and forty- four marriages solemnized, or a yearly average of more than four; rarely more than eight or less than two. During this period one hundred and five persons owned the covenant, or an annual average of less than four persons. In the selection of a pastor and arrange- ments for the sums to be paid him, and in his dismis- sal, the church and parish each had a voice and acted in concert. 1744, March 28th, it was voted, "That there shall be a Tankard full of wine, that shall be left, given to the pastor after every sacrament."

These tankards of wine yielded bitter fruit in the end. It stung " as an adder."

In 1745, Simon Noyes and Nathan Adams were suspended on the charge of breaking their church covenant by "absenting themselves from the stated meetings of the church and the sacrament."

In 1746, Ebenezer Sleeper and Obadiah Elkins and their wives were charged with absenting themselves from meetings and communions, and " going to Exe- ter and other places to Separate meetings," thus vio- lating their church covenant. Susannah Morrill, " Separatist," Sarah Sleeper, who found it more profit- able to attend Separate meetings, and others were charged, examined, and suspended, but all these were eventually restored, and dismissed to more congenial church relations.

Their defense was, in the language of Sleeper, " That the Preachers they heard preach at the Sepa- rate meetings at Exeter opened the Scriptures more to their understanding, and they profited more by

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

their preaching than they could by the preaching at home; that God had met and blessed them, and they were not sensible of having done wrong." This was the character of the defense of all.

It is a fair supposition that the preaching of White- field was the occasion of the Separate meetings in Exeter and other places. The doctrines of the " New Lights" were more satisfactory to spiritual minds than the meetings at home. But there does not ap- pear, what might have been supposed to exist, an un- kind spirit in either party.

1772. May 27th, a committee of six members, representing the church people and inhabitants of the East Parish of Kingston, met Mr. Coffin, at a place previously appointed, and arranged and settled their affairs, which were previously in dispute, agreed upon the terms of his dismissal and the payments and al- lowances that the town should make him ; agreed " that the church and people jointly should give him a letter of dismission and recommendation." His pas- torate closed March 1, 1772. The financial year was to end on the 15th of the following September, and the parsonage to be vacated November 10th.

June 16th, by request of Mr. Coffin and his wife, | separately, as has been done.

" They were by a united vote regularly dismissed from their special relation as members to this church, in order, as it was then proposed, to their joining the church in Exeter, of which the Rev. Mr. Odlin is pastor."

July 2d, a council of ministers and delegates from neighboring churches assembled, and after consulta- tion and "due deliberation" passed a resolve, which the church accepted, "That the Rev. Mr. Coffin ask a dismission from his pastoral relations, and that they recommend him." His dismission and recommenda- tion is recorded Aug. 3, 1772.

Unsuccessful efforts to settle another minister were theu made. In the course of a dozen of years they tried and called as many men, and none of them in- clined to settle.

In the eighteen years from August, 1772, to 1790, nine persons were dismissed to other churches, three were received by letter, and seven were received into full communion. Eleven owned the covenant for the baptism of their children, and sixty-two children were baptized.

" The failure to settle a minister after the dismission of Mr. Coffin in 1772 was not entirely due to the low state of religion in the place, but to the same causes which unsettled mauy ministers and which prevented many from settling. The agitation produced by the political state of the country at the commencement of the Revolutionary war called off the attention of men from the subject of religion to other duties, and the drafts of men and of money for the prosecution of the war left the people in many parishes unable to contribute for the support of public worship, so that many preachers, dependent on their salaries for support, were obliged for the time to engage in

other occupations. The students of divinity and students in college were called to engage in the ser- vice of their country in other ways, so that many years passed before their places could be fully sup- plied. In this state of destitution many laymen began to teach in the place of ordained ministers, and not a few of them became in the end useful ministers in different denominations."

The town and the church histories, during the first half-century, together with the Baptist and Methodist histories for the next quarter of a century, are so iu- tertwined it has been almost or quite impossible to present each properly without encroaching upon the other. The church books are the first source of in- formation of the church history, and the town books of the town history. We have omitted from the lat- ter what would have been only a repetition of the former ; when the reader finds a lack in one of these let him turn to the other, and he will probably find it supplied. Had there been no other church but the Congregationalist, it would have been better to com- bine the ecclesiastical and town histories, but as there are others it has been deemed best to present each

For the next quarter of a century exertions were made to support and sustain Congregationalist senti- ments, doctrines, and usages. The last of those who supplied the pulpit regularly was the Rev. Nathaniel Kennedy. He preached and resided in the town some time, we are unable to determine how long. He removed to Philadelphia in 1817, or not far from that time, and died there in 1843.

While Col. Philip Tilton's wife and daughter Mary, and Mary (Sanborn) Thayer and Joseph F. Rowe and wife, and Simon Magoun and family, and Deacon Robert Smith and Joseph Magoun, and Charles Tit- comb, with the Websters and Tiltons and others, lived there was au active, powerful, and healthy influence exerted; but they are all gone. There are now be- tween forty and fifty persons who, by birth, education, ' association, and sympathy, are Congregationalists. Of these a dozen are voters, fourteen are church-mem- bers, and four are over seventy years of age. They are very much scattered in the town, and cannot con- centrate their influence as otherwise they might. A part of these belong to the church in Kingston, and worship there on the Sabbath.

Methodists .- The first preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church in New England was Jesse Lee, a Virginian, who, in 1789, preached in the State of Con- necticut, in Lynn, Mass., and on Boston Common.

The first sermon by a Methodist in New Hampshire was preached by him in Portsmouth, July, 1791. The first society was organized at Chesterfield, in the southwest part of the State, in the latter part of 1795. It is not easy to ascertain when the first sermon was preached here or the first class was formed. We are inclined to the opinion that there was preaching earlier than 1799, but that no society was formed

193

EAST KINGSTON.

before 1802. Epaphras Kibhy, who was preaching at Sandwich, R. I., under the charge of his presiding elder, George Pickering, was transferred to East Kingston in 1799. At this time there were reported but one hundred and thirty-one Methodist members in the State. The following year there was a gain of forty members. Ile preached here and a portion of the time in Poplin. Another preacher, Daniel Webb, was sent by Presiding Elder Pickering to Ilawke. Soon after a class was formed at Hawke, another at Poplin, and at a later period in East Kingston.

We assume that the Methodists commenced here with the opening of the present century, when the membership in New Hampshire was less than two hundred, and these mostly in the southwest part of the State. The first General Conference held in New England was at Lynn, Mass., July 18, 1800, at which Epaphras Kibby was ordained and appointed to a cir- cuit in Maine. Rev. George Pickering continued pre- siding elder of this district. Among the preachers who traveled this way was Ralph Williston, who was stationed at Hawke in 1800. He was a favorite here, but some time afterward united with the Episcopal Church. Although no societies had been formed in this vicinity when Kibby came to East Kingston, 1 think the ground had been entered upon and partially broken up by Pickering, Nichols, and others.

In 1802, Thomas Rawlin and Orin Fairbanks were stationed in this town and Poplin. For some years from this date there were frequent additions.

(All to whom this * is prefixed were circuit preach- ers to classed towns, who preached here a part of the time and at some other place or places the remain- der.)

In 1803, Nehemiah Coye* was stationed here. 1804, Daniel Webb was sent to Salisbury and Kingston. We think he devoted a part of his time here; there is a tradition to that effect. He solemnized a mar- riage here March 26, 1805; was afterwards stationed at Salem, N. H., and in various places in Massachu- setts. "He lived to become the oldest effective Methodist preacher in the world."

In 1805, Alexander McLane* was stationed at Kingston and Salisbury, but preached here a part of the time. He baptized Reuben W. Currier. Proba- bly Capt. John Currier and his wife Phoebe, Elisha Swett and his wife, and Mrs. Cram had joined the society before this time.

In 1806, William Stevens was stationed here, but we do not think he preached much, if at all, as Mr. McLane was hired by the town. 1807, Mr. McLane was hired a part of the time. 1808, the town voted not to be taxed to support preaching, and that those who do not wish Mr. McLane to have their part of the parsonage money can have it expended as they please by notifying the selectmen ; also reconsider- ing former votes in favor of hiring Mr. McLane or appropriating to him the parsonage money. For the next ten years we have but a little Methodist history.

It will be borne in mind that the first Annual Con- ference in New England was held in 1800, that doors for labor at that time opened on every hand, and that ministers for the work were not plenty. We cannot find records that preachers were sent here by the Con- ference from 1809 to 1822, inclusive; still it seems to us there were. We have always considered these as the most vigorous, active, prosperous days of Methodism in the town. But of those who took an active part at the time none remain to tell us what transpired. We think now that there were some appointments from the Conference, and that Rev. Reuben Peaslee, of Plaistow, Abraham French, of Hawke, William French, of Sandown, Metcalf, of Greenland, who was much beloved, a licentiate by the name of Cowdrey, and others, including Rev. John Adams, of Newington, ministered here, render- ing it unnecessary for the Conference to furnish a constant supply. During this period there were added to the society Richard French and wife and daughter Nancy, who became Mrs. Nute, Enoch San- born and family, Moses Martin's wife, and Joseph Corliss and wife, on the main road, and some in other parts of the town.

In the year 1818 an effort was made to establish an academy. A rivalry at once sprung up with the people of Kingston, and the academy building in that town was erected in 1819. The effort embraced as its friends the people generally, except the "standing order." Abraham Brown, David M. Currier, and others trans- ferred their interests from this town to Kingston. Martin Ruter was the first " preceptor." The writer was one of his pupils. He remained here but a short time, being elected by the General Conference, sitting in Baltimore in 1820, agent of the book concern at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he continued eight years. Mr. Ruter was succeeded by an Irishman, whose name was Congdon. He was not very successful, and the school, as a Methodist institution, gradually ran down. It has been continued at intervals as an inde- pendent or Union School with indifferent success to the present time.

In 1823, Eleazer Steele was stationed here ; 1824, S. B. Haskell. Johnson, a local preacher of Concord, N. Il., who resided temporarily at Amesbury Mills, was hired a part of this year. 1826, Amos Binney was stationed here.

There were camp-meetings at Sandown in 1823, '24. and '25. At these meetings, and under the labors of the various preachers at these times, were converted and joined the class, and afterwards the church, John Sanborn and wife, and Eliza, Abigail, Hannah, Ste- vens, Jacob, and others of his family and other fami- lies,-John Currier and his wife, at the Falls; Mrs. Lois Currier, on the main road ; and George How and wife on the North road. In 1826, Mr. French, of San- down, volunteered his services without reward. He preached in the old meeting-house. Mr. French was a hard-laboring, Christian man, and a fair preacher.

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

In 1827, Charles G. Chase, with Rev. John Adams, was in " charge."

Mr. Chase was unmarried, and "boarded 'round" with the people. The allowance for his services or salary by the Conference was one hundred dollars, if he could get it. He was a fluent, ready, easy speaker, handsome in person, pleasant, companionable in his intercourse, and ardent in his affections. By the advice of his friends he sought affinity with other denomi- nations, got the friendship and attachment of the people, and was laborious and zealous in his work. A revival followed ; thirty persons made profession of religion ; two-thirds of them joined the Meth- odists. Of those who still live nearly all are in good standing in their several churches ; they are Ephraim Cartee and wife, then Rhoda Jane True, Mrs. Eaton, then Mary Ann Lawrence, Mrs. Rundlett, then Han- nah Bell Lawrence, Charles L. Rowell and wife, then Mary Ann Sanborn, Mrs. Blanchard, of Haverhill, then Sally Rowell, Reuben W. Currier, and Abraham R. Brown, and one or two others of whom we are not certain. Ten in all, one-third of the whole number, remain at the expiration of fifty-five years; others have fallen asleep joyfully, several within a few years. No revival here has so many substan- tial Christians now remaining, and no one has been productive of more good to the world by those who have already laid off their armor.

In 1834, E. H. Ladd and John McCain were sent to this circuit, and preached alternately. In some re- vival not far from this time, perhaps at a later date, in which not only the stationed preacher, but John Adams and some others were engaged, James M. San- born made a profession of religion. 1835, C. L. Mc- Curdy was in " charge." This year Caroline (Law- rence ). Rundlett was among the converts. At a later date her sister, Sarah Lawrence, united with the church, and after the death of Caroline became Mrs. Rundlett, and died less than six months afterwards. Both these sisters died triumphantly. Some time previous to this, we cannot give the year with cer- tainty, a " four days' meeting" was held, in which Dr. Jonathan Bailey, John Towle, and their wives were among the converts. They both lived and died well. Their wives have lately passed away. Rev. Silas Green, of Epping, and quite a number of other min- isters assisted in this series of meetings. 1836 and 1837, Warren Wilbur was in "charge;" 1838, N. llow- ard ; 1839, Warren Wilbur .* In 1840 this place was left without an appointment, and Presiding Elder John F. Adams placed J. M. Wiggin, a young preacher, here as a supply. In the winter following was a long-continued series of meetings. Ministers and people of various denominations were generally interested in it. A large number made a profession of religion and joined the several churches. Rev. W. H. Brewster, who was stationed at Haverhill, Mass., preached a number of very excellent gospel sermons. 1841, Abraham M. Osgood, stationed

preacher. The meeting-house was occupied by the several denominations, in proportion to their owner- ship of pews. The town occupied it for town pur- poses. The Methodists were entitled to it eighteen Sabbaths in the year, or about one-third part of the time. This not being so much as they wished, they erected for themselves a commodious house, which was completed and the pews sold May 21, 1842. This year (1842) James M. Young was stationed preacher. A revival took place, in which John W. F. Barnet, who became a preacher, Orin S. Currier, who became a merchant in Boston, Lyman Nichols, since de- ceased, and others made a public profession of re- ligion. 1843, James M. Young was continued in "charge ;" 1844, Calvin M. Dustin; 1845, Ezekiel Adams; 1846 and 1847, Charles C. Burr; 1848 and 1849, Ira A. Sweatland; 1850, 1Ienry Hill .* The next seven years the preachers stationed at Kingston and East Kingston were: 1851, Henry Nutter ; 1852, John Gould; 1853 and 1854, Ezekiel Adams; 1855, S. S. Cummings; 1856 and 1857, Lorenzo Draper. For the next seventeen years the Conference did not sta- tion preachers here, and the meeting-house was aban- doned, occupied by other denominations, or the pul- pit supplied temporarily by local or supernumerary preachers. Among these were Thurston, of Dover, and Dearborn, of Salem, who had been presiding elders on other districts. James M. Sanborn lived on the paternal estate, but gave his contributions and influence to Kingston. 1875 and 1876, James Carnet was sent here and to Kingston, but the last year lie devoted himself almost entirely to Kingston. 1877 and 1878, Charles H. Chase was sent to East Kings- ton and Kingston. He devoted his services to the latter place. Towards the close of 1878, Truman Car- ter was called by the people to fill out an unexpired term of Rev. James Graham, a Baptist minister. 1879, Truman Carter in "charge." An interest was awakened; several persons were hopefully converted and others reclaimed. Soon after a number of per- sons who had joined the society removed from the town.

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History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 47

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1714

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714