USA > New Hampshire > The New Hampshire churches : comprising histories of the Congregational and Presbyterian churches in the state, with notices of other denominations: also containing many interesting incidents connected with the first settlement of towns > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61
536
GRAFTON COUNTY.
Moor's charity school. The Triennial Catalogue shows more than half the students in the college at that time as minis- ters of the gospel. A member of this church, now living, describes in glowing terms the surprising power of the work- arresting the attention and suspending the ordinary business of every person, in the contemplation of eternal things .- Week days were like the Sabbath, and audiences were sol- emn as the grave.
In 1788, under the ministry of Professor Smith a revival occurred of which few records exist, except that 14 were added to the church. In 1805, under the ministry of Prof. Shurtleff a work of more power was granted. Twenty stu- dents and as many citizens were the subjects of this work. But in 1815, was probably the most extensive and precious revival in the history of this church. The first indication was the serious resolution of Messrs. Temple and Goodale of missionary celebrity, together with some other pious stu- dents, that they would every day talk, each with some stu- dent or other person whom they judged unconverted, and urge them to Christ. This resolution was carried into effect and the fruits of it soon appeared in the universal religious interest which marked the revival of 1781-2. In one week more than forty expressed joyfully the Christian hope, and in four weeks 60 students and 60 citizens were supposed to be converted. The names of Temple and Goodale, for the part they took in this work, are precious in the memory of those who survive. In 1819, another revival was enjoyed, with 16 additions to the church-a part of them students.
In 1821 the Spirit of God again visited the church in a work of great power. It commenced in the spring vacation, and when the students returned they were surprised and awed, and constrained to give their undivided attention to divine things. At this season, twenty students and eighty citizens were thought to be subjects of converting grace. In 1826 there was another work in which forty persons joined this church, of whom thirteen were students ; and other students were converted who joined elsewhere. "In 1831," says the pastor at that time, "a protracted meeting was held. At the close a considerable number were seriously impressed. Prayer meetings were attended every morning through the summer, and inquiry meetings weekly. There was opposition, but many were inquiring what they must do to be saved. The death of one of the most pious students -able as he was to talk and give warning to sinners-helped on the work. Between thirty and forty became hopeful sub- jects of grace. A good proportion of these were members
-
-----
E
T
7
537
HANOVER.
of college." In 1834 there was a revival in which it was thought about a hundred persons were converted, of whom one fourth were students. In 1843 a revival occurred during the short winter term, when most of the students were absent. About fifty gave evidence of a change, of whom thirty joined this church. In this work, the Young Ladies' school kept by Mrs. Peabody largely shared. Since then the Lord has added yearly if not daily some, such as we trust will be saved.
Thus the Lord has smiled on the institution of Dartmouth college in giving oft repeated showers of grace ; and the small population of the village, ranging from five hundred to seven hundred and fifty, its present number, has shared in the blessing. Of the 2889 alumni of the college, one-third have either become ministers of the gospel or are preparing for the sacred ministry. The Triennial of Andover for 1854, exhibits 222 Dartmouth students instructed there, the largest number of any college, and the Annual for 1855 gives the names of 22 then in the Seminary. Other theological sem- inaries show others on their respective catalogues.
Dr. Wheelock fondly hoped to educate and convert many of the Indians. That hope for the most part proved abor- tive, but the Lord guided him to a nobler work in laying foun- dations for the fitting of so great a number of ministers, who should go everywhere preaching the gospel, and of so many who have become pillars and ornaments in the State. He was a man of large views, untiring perseverance, and much unction. The writer has before him a manuscript sermon of his, written on a surface not much larger than one page of letter paper, "On the divine annointing." It reflects much of his spirit. There are many names of those who sleep, connected with this church, of whom it would be a pleas- ure to speak did these limits permit. Jabez Kellogg (Deacon) was a godly man, earnest and assiduous in his Master's ser- vice ; Ebenezer Adams (Professor) was remarkable for his stable, consistent and enduring course, and for his unques- tionable love for Christ and his cause. Mrs. Susanna Smith, wife of Prof. John Smith, was a pattern of affectionate devotedness to the cause of Christ, which gathered daily strength to the end of her long life-Dec. 20, 1845. Mrs. Sarah Chamberlain, wife of Prof. Chamberlain, was distin- guished for her Christian intelligence, the warmth of her Christian affections, and her zeal in every Christian work .- Her premature death March 15, 1848, age 47, was a great loss. Jabez Warren who died April 7, 1854, was a pattern of Christian integrity, sustained in the most trying circum- stances-a man who swore to his own hurt and changed not.
35
538
GRAFTON COUNTY.
When Dr. Wheelock came from Congregational Connecti- cut, he found a strong tendency in this region to Presbyte- rian forms. Either at that time or soon after, the Grafton Presbytery was instituted, comprising a dozen or more churches in New Hampshire and Vermont. Dr. Wheelock and his church joined this Presbytery, which from 1800 waned and at length died-the churches one after another becoming Congregational. The records of that Presbytery are supposed to have been burnt in the fire which consumed the dwelling of Dr. Burroughs of Hanover Centre. Some- thing concerning it may be found in the controversial pam- phlets of 1815, viz. "Sketches of the History of Dartmouth College,"-"True and Concise Narrative of Church Difficul- ties in Hanover,"-" Vindication of the official conduct of the Trustees of Dartmouth College," and Freeman's " Refu- tation of Sundry Aspersions." One relic of that bitter con- troversy, in the nature of a monument, yet remains here in the person of Increase Kimball who, a member of the new church, but taking sides with the old, then let grow the beard which he still wears in testimony of the right. He is still a member in good standing of this church-his truly Christian spirit controlling in a wonderful degree the aberra- tions of his intellect, now of forty years standing. Let this testimony to his worth stand in these historical sketches.
The name of Eleazer Wheelock is indelibly stamped on Dartmouth College and the church at Dartmouth College. It is proper to close this sketch with the inscription which may yet be read on his broken monument in the Dartmouth cemetery.
1
Here rests the body of ELEAZER WHEELOCK, S. T. D. Founder and First President of Dartmouth College and Moor's Charity School. By the gospel, he subdued the ferocity of the savage, and to the civilized he opened new paths of science.
Traveller, Go, if you can, and deserve the sublime reward of such merit. He was born in the year 1710, and died in 1779.
.1
539
HANOVER.
HANOVER CENTRE.«
Rev. A. H. CUTTER.
The town is about six miles square, and by the census of 1850 contained a population of 2350, which is less by 300 than in 1830. Through the eastern part of the town runs Moose mountain, and four school districts on its eastern ac- clivity are chiefly cut off from connection with Hanover.
The early settlers of Hanover were from Windham coun- ty, Conn. Col. Edmund Freeman was the first. He came from Mansfield, Conn., in May, 1765. The settlers took early measures to secure the preaching of the gospel, and to establish it permanently. In 1766 they employed Rev. Knight Saxton, and the place of meeting was a log struc- ture on the Connecticut, five miles north of the college, adjacent to Bush's island, (so called from the owner-the grandfather of Prof. George Bush.) The pulpit in this structure was made of the segment of a large hollow bass wood tree. Mr. Saxton preached in the summers of 1766 and 1767. By 1772, the people, as a town, had built a Meeting-house at the Centre. It stood a little south of the parsonage occupied by their present minister. This year, 1772, Rev. Eden Burroughs received an invitation to settle, which he accepted, and was installed. By the charter of the town, he, as first settled minister, received a right of land, 350 acres. A salary was voted him, and he continued their minister till November, 1809, when he was dismissed. That all this was done town-wise is evident from the fact that, before his dismission, Dr. Burroughs brought a suit against the town for arrears of salary, and recovered. The Meeting- house remained till the year 1797, when it was burnt by an incendiary.
This church in the early part of Dr. Burrough's ministry was Presbyterian-when, precisely, that connection was form- ed, does not appear. But in March, 1784, Dr. Burroughs having become disaffected, renounced Presbytery. A schism was the consequence, and Dr. Burroughs, with a part of the church and people, seceded and built a Meeting-house on the north side of the common, where they worshiped. De- cember, 1786, Dr. Burroughs was formally excommunicated by the Grafton Presbytery, which censure however was re- moved in 1793. But having joined the Windsor (Congrega- tional) Association, and his church having become Congrega- tional, he refused to return.
* Sketch by Rev. John Richards, D.D.
540
GRAFTON COUNTY.
The other part of the church, adhering to Presbytery, in 1788 called Rev. Samuel Collins ; and in November of that year he was ordained, and remained in that relation till 1795, when he was dismissed. This church occupied the old Meeting-house, which was burnt. In 1796 a new Meeting- house was built a little north of the burying-yard. This new edifice was occupied by transient preachers till 1814, when Dr. Burroughs being removed and the schism being in a measure healed, the two parties were organized anew into a church, and the people united in the settlement and ordi- nation of Rev. Josiah Towne. The church was from that time fully Congregational, and worship was held thenceforth only in the house built in 1796.
Mr. Towne was settled by voluntary subscription, on a sal- ary of four hundred and fifty dollars. He was dismissed in 1833. Preceding Mr. Towne's settlement in 1811, Rev. Ben- jamin White of Thetford had preached temporarily with stir- ring effect. A revival was experienced, which prepared the way for the union, and in the early part of Mr. Towne's min- istry the house was filled with a large congregation. But in his later ministry there was a great falling off. June 22, 1836, Rev. John Birkby, an Englishman, was installed, and he was dismissed April 24, 1839.
In May, 1840, Rev. John M. Ellis was installed, and dis- missed October, 1842. The Meeting-house built in 1796 having become dilapidated, the society under the ministry of Mr. Ellis built another. This is the house now occupied, standing a few rods north of its predecessor. The other structures have all been demolished. Rev. David Kimball supplied them for about two years and a half, commencing in November, 1845.
In November, 1850, Rev. A. H. Cutter was installed and still remains the pastor. The society own a parsonage with an acre of land, which constitutes part of the salary. The church at Hanover Centre has had a checkered history, hav- ing experienced great reverses, and received many smiles of Divine Providence. The schism under Dr. Burroughs was unfortunate ; for in the decline of the Presbyterian part a door was opened for the introduction of various sectaries .- The Baptist church originated by occasion of this, and after- wards there were many secessions to other denominations. A constant emigration of late years has weakened the church, and still draws hard upon it. But the church has enjoyed seasons of refreshing, and many have been born there into the kingdom of heaven, and trained for a higher and a bet- ter state. A large number of professional men have origi-
541
HANOVER.
nated, or received their early training, within the limits of this church. A sermon preached at Hanover, Nov. 18, 1849, by Rev. Eden B. Foster, now of Lowell, Ms., grandson of Dr. Burroughs-occasioned by the death of Rev. R. N. Wright of Illinois, who was a native of Hanover-gives a catalogue of 78 such. Of these, 21 were ministers-a large share con- verts under the ministry of Mr. Towne-31 were physicians, and 15 of the legal profession ; and of the whole number 37 received a collegiate education.
Dr. Burroughs, with many eccentricities, was a man of strong mind, good sense, and a sound and zealous preacher -excelling in extemporaneous efforts. He gained and held the affections of his people in a remarkable degree. He was a native of Connecticut, a graduate of Yale college in 1757, and was first settled as a minister in Killingly of that State. After his dismission from Hanover he preached four years in Hartford, Vt., in the church known as the Dothan church, which had constituted a part of the Presbyterian church at Dartmouth college. Here he died, and was buried in the cemetery on the road between Norwich and White River village. On the stone which marks his grave the traveler may read the following inscription :
The body of REV. EDEN BURROUGHS, D.D. who died May 22, 1813, in his 76th year. His wife ABIGAIL died four days before him.
Mr. Collins was universally esteemed as a devoted and excellent Christian minister. But as the better part of the church and society followed Dr. Burroughs, his path was , through many trials, not the least of which was extreme poverty. After his dismission he was settled in Craftsbury, Vt., where he died. Mr. Towne was a native of Belcher- town, Ms., and was graduated at Middlebury college in 1812. His ministry, while eminently successful in the early part, -revivals occurring in 1815, 1821, and 1826,-is understood to have suffered in the later part by an unhappy method of opposing errorists in the pulpit. After his dismission he removed to Illinois, where he died in 1855. Mr. Birkby was a man of good abilities and attainments ; but being a for- eigner he failed to assimilate with the people, and his stay was short. Nothing unpleasant or particularly injurious to the church attended his dismission. Mr. Ellis, having en- joyed an interesting revival with his people, was disabled and dismissed from a severe bronchial affection. He recov-
.
542
GRAFTON COUNTY.
ered afterwards, and for twelve years led a very active life in the discharge of agencies for various benevolent societies .- He died at Nashua, Aug. 6, 1855, aged 62. Among the prominent members of the church at Hanover Centre, are the names of Freeman, Curtiss, Pinneo (Huguenot,) Foster, Wright, Smith, Kendrick.
The Baptist Meeting-house near Mill village was built in 1827. Its pastors have been Isaac Bridgman, Jesse Coburn, Joseph Sawyer, Mr. Strong, Jonathan Green, Daniel F. Rich- ardson, and Charles Newhall-the last two, graduates of Dartmouth college. In 1840 the Methodists built a house on Dartmouth Plain, and after occupying it ten years, sold the building to the Episcopalians, who now worship in it. At present, the Methodists have no visible organization in the town.
HAVERHILL.
Rev. EDWARD H. GREELEY.
The first Congregational church was organized Oct. 13, 1790, about thirty years subsequent to the first settlement of the town. There had not been, however, during this period, a total destitution of the preaching of the gospel .- It is recorded of the first settlers of the town, who were for the most part from Massachusetts, that they were strict in their religious principles, and all attended religious worship on the Sabbath. The infant settlement, confined mostly to the meadows along the banks of the Connecticut, was for some time so intimately connected with one made at the same time across the river in Newbury, Vt., as to constitute with it, in fact, but one settlement. Charters were obtain- ed by both towns the same year, 1763. A town meeting, the first under the charter, was holden at Newbury in the summer of that year, at which it was voted "to unite with Haverhill in paying a preacher for the term of two or three months, this fall or winter." This was only two years after the first dwelling had been erected in either town, and while the inhabitants, as yet very few, were struggling with the hardships and embarrassments of a new settlement. In the autumn of the succeeding year, a church was gathered and organized at Newbury through the instrumentality of the Rev. Peter Powers, "composed of members from both sides of the river." "The two settlements also united in forming an ecclesiastical society, which union continued nearly twenty
-----
543
HAVERHILL.
years." This was the first church organized in the valley of the Connecticut above Charlestown. Mr. Powers was installed as its pastor Feb. 27, 1765. The vote of the church and society, after specifying the time of the installa- tion, the ministers and churches which should constitute the council, and the delegate who should represent the town in it, directs that "the council shall meet for said install- ment down country where it is thought best." It was too much to ask of the council to come to them in the far off wilderness, so they went to the council. The place "down country" where it convened and performed the installation services, was Hollis, N. H., the pastor elect preaching his own installation sermon.
Mr. Powers appears to have been a very godly and faith- ful minister, and his ministrations to have been duly appre- ciated. In those days it was deemed "disreputable and sinful" to be absent from public worship on the Sabbath without a valid excuse. And it was no trifling hindrance which, in the primitive simplicity of those days, would con- stitute a valid excuse for absence. Families from the remote parts of Haverhill were regular attendants on the Sabbath service, who had six or eight miles to walk by a bridle path through the woods, the parents, in some cases, carrying each in their arms a child too young to bear the fatigue of the way. We can discern at this distance no traces of what would now be denominated a "revival" under his ministry, but there were considerable additions to the church from time to time. Troubles growing out of his preaching and efforts in behalf of the struggling colonies, during the war of the Revolution, resulted in his dismissal in 1782, and also in a virtual dissolution of the union between Newbury and Haverhill in ecclesiastical concerns. Mr. Powers continued to preach in Haverhill for a year or two subsequent to his dismissal, after which there appears to have been no stated preaching here till 1791. Efforts were made to induce the town to settle a minister, but a want of unanimity of feel- ing between different parts of the town made these efforts fruitless. An attempt to get the town divided, so that the south part might settle a minister, also failed. A period of great spiritual darkness and of abounding wickedness came on. An eye-witness reports, "there was no Sabbath, and there were but three men in all the region, who were pro- fessors of religion." There was then no minister in the vicinity. In these circumstances there occurred a very general and powerful revival of religion. Scarcely a house in the south part of the town was left unvisited by the awaken-
544
GRAFTON COUNTY.
ing and converting Spirit. It does not distinctly appear what means were blessed to this end. Perhaps the seed planted so long before by Mr. Powers was then springing up. One of the converts traced her first awakening to ter- ror, inspired by the thought that there were none here to pray for her.
-
In that revival the present church had its origin. It consisted, at its organization, of 23 members, all received on profession of their faith. Pretty large additions were soon made to this number, including a considerable accession from the adjacent town of Piermont. In 1792 Rev. Ethan Smith was ordained to the pastoral care of the church. An effort was made to induce the town to settle him, but it failed, and the church, together with a portion of the people, became responsible for his support. He remained its pastor till 1799. In the early part of his ministry the church grew and prospered. There arose a protracted controversy with the church at Newbury, and there were besides several unpleasant cases of discipline by which the cause of religion suffered, and for a long period very few were added to the church. It may be worthy of note as an indication of the spirit of the times, that five members were excommunicated for deserting the church and joining the Baptists. Want of adequate support is the cause alleged for the dismissal of Mr. Smith.
After an interval of two and a half years, Rev. John Smith became pastor of the church by ordination. He was settled by the town. He was dismissed and deposed from the ministry in 1807. The church was then destitute of a pastor eight years. It was a period of discouragement and gloom. The things that remained were ready to die. The members from Piermont, about thirty in number, were dis- missed to form a new church there. The usual causes were at work thinning the ranks of the church, and there were none to fill the place of the fallen. In 1814, out of 90 who up to that date had been connected with it, only 12 remain- ed. But in this its darkest hour, God again appeared for the church which owed its existence to so signal a display of his grace. In 1814 a revival commenced, as at the begin- ning, when there was no one here to preach the gospel. In the summer of that year, shortly after the seriousness com- menced, Rev. Grant Powers, then in feeble health,-so much so as to be actually on his way home, as he thought to die- spent a Sabbath here, became interested in the people and they in him, and remained to labor with them. The result was that he was ordained their pastor in January 1815, and
·
545
HAVERHILL.
continued his labors with them till 1829. Another revival occurred in 1823. During the ministry of Mr. Powers about one hundred were added to the church by profession. Some alienation of feeling arising out of a controversy with the Methodists and from other sources, to relieve his friends of a too heavy burden in providing for his pecuniary support, he asked and received a dismission. About the time of Mr. Powers' settlement the parish, which previously had embrac- ed the whole town, became contracted to its present very narrow limits. In the summer of 1831, before the vacancy occasioned by the removal of Mr. Powers was supplied, occurred a revival, perhaps the most powerful ever enjoyed by the church. As the fruits of it about sixty were added to the church. In December of that year, Rev. Henry Wood was installed its pastor. His ministry here continued till March 1835, when, at his request, he was dismissed to become pastor of the church at Dartmouth college. In June following his dismissal, Rev. Joseph Gibbs became pastor of the church by ordination. Almost immediately after his settlement his health failed. He lingered, laboring occasionally as he was able, till April 1837, when he died, greatly lamented. Twenty were added to the church under his ministry, though there was no general revival.
A little more than a year after his decease, in June 1838, Rev. Archibald Fleming was installed in the pastorate of the church. He was dismissed in 1841. Seventeen were added to the church by profession under his ministry. This was the period of the ultra-abolition excitement which swept over the churches of this region. Mr. Fleming carried the church safely through it, but not without awakening feelings which made his pecuniary support somewhat difficult, and he deemed it advisable to leave, much, however, against the wishes of a large part of his friends. In February following his dismissal, (1842,) Rev. Samuel Delano was installed over the church, and continued his pastoral labors with it till January 1847. At the commencement of his ministry there occurred a revival which brought about thirty five into the church. Forty one were added to it by profession dur- ing his ministry. After his dismissal the vacancy was sup- plied by Rev. Moses C. Searle for two years, during which period 13 made a public profession of their faith in Christ. The present pastor, Rev. E. H. Greeley was ordained in November 1849. Since that time 41 have been added to the church by profession.
This church has never had any permanent fund for the support of the gospel. The salary of its pastors is raised by
546
GRAFTON COUNTY.
a voluntary subscription. The amount received by some of its earlier pastors has not been ascertained. Mr. Wood was settled for five years on a salary of $500; Mr. Gibbs on the same conditions ; Mr. Fleming's salary was at first fixed at $ 500,-fifty dollars were afterwards added. Mr. Delano was to have what the parish was willing to subscribe, the subscription for the first year amounting to nearly $ 600 .- The present pastor has a salary of $600. A company of individuals in the church own a house which is intended for the pastor's use. Collections for benevolent objects are taken up at the close of each communion service. The whole amount raised last year for benevolent purposes was $467,12. In 1840 it was $196,19 ; in 1847, $285,26 ; and in 1852, $276,36. There have been no schisms or internal dissensions in this church of very observable extent or very marked, permanent influence. It is thought that the lapse of forty years has wrought no very manifest change in the general standard of piety in the church. It is believed, however, that there is less open wickedness in the communi- ty now than then. A thorough investigation was made two years since to ascertain the attendance upon public worship in the parish. It was found that out of 618 of suitable age to attend public worship, 199, or about 32 per cent., were regular attendants ; 157, or a little more than 25 per cent., were occasional attendants; and 262, or more than 42 per cent., non-attendants. The average attendance on the Sabbath, in pleasant weather, is about 220. The average attendance on public worship in the town is not certainly ascertained, but is believed to be not far from 400. An unusually large proportion of the members of this church have always been females. Of church members now resi- dent, 90 are females. Its pecuniary burdens therefore fall on comparatively few. It will be observed that it owes its existence and preservation to revivals, and it is a remark- able feature in these revivals that so many have occurred when it has been destitute of a pastor. It is a vine which has been planted and watered by the Great Shepherd. It is also worthy of note that about three-fourths of the acces- sions to its numbers for the last twenty five years, have come from the Sabbath School. The Sabbath School has here, in later years, been emphatically the nursery of the church.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.