History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 58

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922

USA > New York > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 58
USA > New York > Franklin County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 58

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The Methodist and Baptist societies had each of them erected houses of worship two or three years before this.

Mr. Lyman died in 1871, in Northampton, Mass., aged seventy-one years.

But when the church edifice was completed only four of the original eleven were alive to enter it. The first deacon, and for a long time moderator and sermon-reader, Matthew Adgate, had gone to his rest in 1817, thirteen years before. Deacon Whitney remained and continued until 1839, when he was called to come up higher. And of all the large number who joined during the five years of Mr. Lyman's ministry only six are with us at this time.

The first church was erected under the superintendence of Martin Pope, John Brigham, Henry H. Mather, Joshua Aiken, and Joseph P. Reynolds. The pews were sold on the 9th of July, 1831.

The society had been organized under the laws of the State only two years. The record of organization men- tions Joshua Aiken, Joseph P. Reynolds, and William R. Peters as first elected trustees, and the first meeting of the society as being held " at Peru, village of Keeseville, this 12th day of October, 1829." Percival Morse was the first clerk of the society. Samuel W. Moore was collector, and John Brigham treasurer. The salary of the first pastor was fixed at $500.

Just after Mr. Lyman closed his labors at Keeseville, the Rev. A. D. Brinkerhoff was invited to supply the pulpit. He accepted the call, and continued in the pastorate until January, 1838. During his ministry there were large ad- ditions to the church, 70 having united with it in one year. After he left, the church was for a time supplied with preach- ing by different ministers, among them the Rev. H. D. Kit- chell, who afterwards became the president of Middlebury College.

In October of 1838, " it was voted unanimously to give the Rev. John Mattocks a call to become our pastor." At that time Justinian Holden was clerk both of the church and society, and Deacon J. P. Reynolds chairman of the meetings, by which a call was extended to him. Mr. Mat- tocks was then but twenty-four years of age. He was just through his studies and began his work here with all the ardor of a youthful heart, and with all the skill derived from a liberal education, and from natural powers of mind that fitted him at once to command the respect of those to whom he was thus called to minister. He was ordained on · the 15th of January, 1839, the sermon on the occasion being preached by his predecessor, the Rev. A. D. Brinker- hoff. He continued in the pastoral relation, with only a little intervening time caused by ill-health, till the fall of

1856, when he accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church of St. Paul, Minn. There he remained doing faithful, earnest work for Christ just as he did here, until God called him to come up higher.

During Mr. Mattocks' ministry the church edifice, having been found too small for the wants of the congregation, was taken down, and the present one built in its place. The building committee were J. N. Macomber, John Mattocks, Joseph Goulding, N. Kingsland, O. D. Peabody, Abram Kingsland, Charles Morris, W. W. Kingsland, and S. F. Spencer. The work was thoroughly and efficiently done under the superintendence of Nelson Kingsland, and the building was dedicated on the 19th of February, 1852.

After Mr. Mattocks left, until the next July, the church was supplied by different ministers. At that time the Rev. John R. Young began his labors here, and continued until the latter part of the next year. During his ministry a marked religious interest was awakened, and during the year 1858, 85 were added to the church.

He was followed in December, 1858, by the Rev. Selden Haynes, who was installed, and continued with the church until October, 1860. In December of that year the Rev. A. Hemenway began to supply the pulpit. He finished his work on the first of May, 1864. In July, 1864, the Rev. Henry E. Butler, who had just finished his theological studies at Princeton Seminary, began his ministry. On the 12th of January, 1865, he was ordained by Champlain Presbytery, the Rev. J. R. Herrick, of Malone, preaching the sermon. At the expiration of his first year he was given a formal call to become the pastor of the church. This he accepted, and was installed as such by the Presby- tery on the 20th' of September, 1865, the Rev. M. H. Buckham, of Burlington, preaching the sermon. In that work he still continues at this date.

In the fall of 1871 the vestry of the church edifice was thoroughly remodeled, under the direction of E. H. Gar- field, who was treasurer and one of the trustees of the so- ciety, at an expense of $700. In September of 1874 the church was closed for extensive repairs on the audience- room. This work was carefully done under the care of Mr. Nelson Kingsland, and it was reopened in its present condition on the 29th of the succeeding November,-$3500 being expended in the work. During this last pastorate the Spirit of the Lord has been poured out at times upon the congregation with special power. In the year 1867, 53 were joined to its membership; in 1872, 27 were added, and in all the years some have connected themselves with the visible church. In the year 1868 the congrega- tion were put to a severe test as to their affection for their pastor. He was taken suddenly ill in June of that year, and did not begin regular work again until the next May. During this time his salary was increased, he was given rest till the next May, and the services of the Sabbath faithfully continued by the reading of sermons.

In 1867 a parsonage-having been purchased the previ- ous year-was thoroughly refitted and occupied by the pastor. The church was organized as a Congregational Church, and was for many years connected with the Essex County Consociation. In 1845 it became connected with the Presbytery of Champlain, and has so remained.

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TOWN OF AUSABLE.

At the time of its formation, in 1806, Judge Matthew Adgate and Samuel Whitney were elected deaeons. They continued to serve until their death, the first in 1817, the seeond in 1839. Mareus Barnes was elected deaeon about 1814, and for sixty-two years has continued in office, though for the past few years the infirmities of age have prevented him from discharging its active duties. He is the oldest member of the church, and the date of his eonneetion takes us baek to not more than six years from its beginning. Meetings were frequently held in the house of Deaeon Barnes, and at one time the Rev. James Gilbert lived in his chambers. This aged pilgrim still lingers with us, wait- ing for the morning to dawn.

Joseph P. Reynolds was elected deacon in 1830, and served till 1858, when suddenly, as he was walking in his garden, " he was not, for God took him."

Curtiss Woodruff was elected in 1834, served until 1840, when he left the place. Myron Ticknor held the office from 1840 to 1854. Daniel Adgate was elected in 1842, Jonathan Davis in 1853, and Charles Morris, also, who died in 1875, lamented and mourned for his saintly quali- ties. Jonas Olmstead was elected in 1854, and was taken home in 1858. Cyrus Andrews was elected in 1864, and James H. Deeming in 1875.

The ehureh has maintained a Sabbath-sehool from a very early date. Its early records are, however, lost.

Though the Sabbath day was erowded fuller than it now is, the disciples of those days were able to endure somewhat more than a fashionable half-day of service. If the old- time zeal which prompted Deaeon Barnes to come five miles in the morning to the "Old Yellow Sehool-House," and listen to two sermons, with a Sabbath-sehool during the in- termission, and then get baek to his own distriet for another Sabbath-school, and then home as he says, "at early eandle- light," were to continue, we should hear no more talk of one service as being enough for strong Christians to endure.

A great company have sinec the ehureh began been eon- neeted with it. Almost a thousand names are recorded on the record books, which have been preserved to us, of those who have publiely eonneeted themselves with the ehureh. But of all this number how many have gone to their final reward! The names of 197 are recorded as being buried here. Of the original 11, one lingered until 1850, the others passed away long before. Of all who joined from 1806 to 1828, only 4 remain. Of 65 who joined in the next three years, only 2 remain. Of 186 who became members in the first twenty-five years, only 7 are now with us. They have gone, as Father Place with poetie imagery used to say, and their bodies "Lay by in the bosom of the earth, like a weary pilot in some well-sheltered ereek, till the storms of life are past over and gone." There is one man whose life spans the whole history of the church. When the church was organized by the two Hoveys, father and son, Norman Whitney, then a little child, was brought by his parents and presented for baptism. He was old enough to remember the large company which was gathered, the place where the service was held, and many circumstances eonneeted with it. Baptized at the birth of the church, afterwards connected with it by profession, he binds to-day with the 5th of November, 1806, as no other man living.

THE KEESEVILLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Cireumstanees prove beyond a doubt that in the adjoin- ing neighborhoods meetings were held long before Keese- ville beeame a station. Perhaps the earliest was the Maeom- ber neighborhood, about two and a half miles southeast of Keeseville. Some years previous to 1800, John Maeomber, father of J. N. Macomber, of Keeseville, and his two brothers, Jeremiah and Benjamin, settled there. Also, Elihu Briggs, father of Buel Briggs, of Keeseville, William Tripp, and others. Widow Tripp, a daughter-in-law of William Tripp, still resides in the neighborhood, eighty-three years of age, and probably the oldest member of the church living. The home of John Macomber was a sort of general resort for ministers, not only Methodists, but Baptists and Presbyte- rian. Father Comstoek, the Presbyterian evangelist, and Lebbeus Armstrong, the pioneer of temperanee in America, made Mr. Macomber's a resort. J. N. Macomber, of Keeseville, has vivid reeolleetions of those events, as it de- volved on him to aet as hostler, and being called out at all hours, night and day, often in the eold, rain, or snow, to groom the horses of evangelists and circuit-riders, in his estimation got to be an intolerable burden, and rather east a shadow over his boyhood reeolleetions.

Till about 1812 meetings were held in dwellings, when the school-house, now standing, and known as the Willis sehool-house, was built, where meetings were afterwards held.

The North sehool-house, located in what is now known as the Moore, Davis, or Irish neighborhood, about midway between Keeseville and Port Kent, was built the same time, and marked another religious eentre of old times. Tlie houses were built in the popular style of sehool-house architecture of that era, the roof terminating at a point in the eentre.

The valley of the Ausable, between Keeseville and the vicinity of what is now Clintonville, was known as the Fordway, as the river was fordable at many points. There were many early settlers in this vieinity. Elihu Hayes, father of Boliver Hayes, was one of the leading Methodists, and serviees were held at his house, and in the summer in a barn near the river. The Bigelows, Westons, and others worshiped here.

Old settlers are quite positive that Rev. Richard Jacobs, whose sad fate we record, visited this section ; but the first Methodist minister of whom we have any definite knowl- edge is Rev. Samuel Draper. He was a cousin of Elihu Briggs, of whom we have spoken, and resided near White- hall. The Conference records report him first upon his eireuit iu 1807. " Parks' Miscellany" says he entered the ministry in 1801, and it is believed that he visited and preached here about that time. He was very eecentric and humorous, and all of the old settlers have had some funny story handed down to them about "Sammy Dra- per." Parks, in his memoirs, remarks, " He was laborious and useful, though perhaps not always as grave and serious as beeomes the Christian minister." It is said that onee when about to baptize, by immersion, a lady near Keese- ville, whose dress was extremely dirty and greasy, he told her that he could not baptize her in that dress, as the water would slip right off, and she would backslide in less than a

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week. After marrying a couple near the Fordway, and being asked to take his pay in dried apples, he accepted them cheerfully, remarking that it would be a big job to carry those dried apples clear to Whitehall, but he would do the best he could.

In 1823 the Methodists joined in holding union services in a yellow school-house on Academy Hill, where the brick school-house now stands. They soon after crossed the river and met in a school-house on the brow of Catholic Hill, nearly on the opposite side of the road from the site of the Irish Catholic church. Keeseville, in those days, was known as Anderson's Falls.

The First Meeting- House .- About 1825 it was decided to build a meeting-house at Keeseville, but whether to lo- cate on a hill or not was a matter of almost unpleasant con- troversy. John Macomber opposed building on a hill, and warned them that in a few years they would change their minds,-a prediction which proved true. The society de- cided to build on a hill, and, being overruled, Mr. Macom- ber contributed the most liberally towards its construction, but told them they must not ask him to help tear it down.

It is a noticeable fact that each place of Protestant, wor- ship was first located on a hill,-perhaps that its light might better penetrate the surrounding darkness. Be that as it may, they now all " nestle in the valley."

This church, a frame, unpainted building, was located on the summit of Port Douglass Hill, fronting west, and over- looking the valley, while in the rear, on about the spot now occupied by Peter Lang, and extending back as far as the land owned by Ezra Bliss, was the burying-ground. The path running up the hill in the rear of the Mills place is still known as Church Alley.

Keeseville Station .- The fire that had been kindled on so many hearthstones had increased so rapidly that in 1827, Kecseville (or, as the Conference records have it, Keysville) became a station, with a settled pastor. The early records of the church, if any were kept, are lost, the first records being in 1828, when the following appear as the stewards: David S. Eggleston, Chauncey G. Moon, Samuel Southard, Reuben Wescott. Josiah Fisk, E. F. Barber, John Whit- comb, Elihu Hayes, Wesson Macomber, Heman Sprague, Rufus Hartwell, Jeremiah Hayes, Abel Chamberlain, and James Garrett are among the early members.

The Stone Church .- As predicted, the society soon be- came dissatisfied with their house upon the sand (hill), and in 1830 the corner-stone was laid for the stone church edifice on Front Street, still occupied, in good repair, and surrounded by stately elms. We are told that the elms were set out by Rev. Charles Clark. The church was built by Townsend & Chamberlin, architects and builders. It was dedicated in 1831, by Rev. Truman Seymour, assisted by other clergymen. Much credit was given Rev. Mr. Bates, the preacher in charge, for securing the erection of this new church.

A session of the Troy Conference was held here in 1838, and again in 1846. The church had then reached the large membership of 332. The following were the officers : Leaders, John Pierce, E. Barber, Trustum Searl, Joseph Beach, W. Macomber, C. Clark, Solomon Cleaves, Truman Tuttle, and Stephen Lake; Stewards, Elihu Hayes, J.

Whitcomb, H. Sprague, A. Macomber, D. Pitkin, P. B. Alcott ; Local Deacon and Exhorter, Elias Sheldon.

In 1844 the membership was 352, which is the largest membership of which there is any record, and probably included a large number of probationers, which are not counted in the estimate of 1875.

The Wesleyan Movement .-- During the height of the Anti-Slavery excitement, the Methodist Episcopal church of Keeseville suffered a great depletion from the withdrawal of members to join the society of Wesleyan Methodists, organized in 1843.

The following is a complete list of preachers located in Kecseville since it became a station : 1827-28, Elijah Crane; 1829-30, Parmelee Chamberlain; 1831, Merritt Bates ; 1832-33, Truman Seymour ; 1834-35, John Pegg ; 1836-37, Charles P. Clark ; 1838-39, Friend W. Smith ; 1840, Merritt Bates ; 1841-42, W. Chipp; 1843-44, H. Meeker; 1845-46, Z. Phillips; 1847-48, James Rawson ; 1849-50, W. P. Gray ; 1851-52, W. Griffin ; 1853-54, G. C. Wells; 1855-56, C. F. Burdick ; 1857-58, Samuel Meredith ; 1859, H. T. Johns; 1860-61, A. Canoll ; 1862-63, T. A. Griffin; 1864-65, S. McChesney ; 1866- 67, James M. Edgerton ; 1868-69, B. B. Loomis; 1870- 71, Robert Fox ; 1872, M. A. Wicker; 1873, W. P. Ru- lison ; 1874, M. A. Wicker ; 1875, W. H. Rawson; 1877, J. J. Noe, the present pastor.

The Preacher's Allowance .- Preachers' salaries were estimated somewhat differently from the present mode, superiority of intellect not being called into question, but the size of the family governing the amount. Himself and wife were allowed $80 apiece, children over sixteen years of age $24 apiece, under sixteen, $15, with additional traveling expenses. Table expenses were estimated by a committee appointed annually for that purpose. This, with the monthly collections from the classes, constituted the " preacher's salary."

Revivals .- Among the numerous revivals, perhaps the most extensive was during the second pastorate of Merritt Bates, in 1840.

Baptism by Immersion .- In early times many Metho- dists were quite as strenuous about being baptized by im- mersion as the Baptists are now. In the winter of 1836, six candidates for church membership at Keeseville desired this form of baptism. The river was covered with ice, and the minister in charge, being quite delicate in health, did not think it safe to undertake to immerse them. Rev. Abrahamı Haff, now the venerable Methodist of Peru, was sent for, a hole was cut through the ice, and Mr. Haff per- formed the ordinance, and, as he remarked, " suffered no discomfort, except the loss of the morning love-feast."

Ministerial Benefactor .- In 1852 and 1853, Rev. William Griffin was stationed at Keeseville, and immediately after was appointed presiding elder of this district. Though in energy, indomitable perseverance, and devotion to the mate- rial as well as the spiritual welfare of the district he could liardly excel the Elder T. A. Griffin, who now presides, he had the advantage of most ministers, as he was rich, or his wife was, which in this case amounted to about the same thing. They spent their money freely for the spread of the gospel, and for the support of the church. The

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church edifiees of the distriet underwent a general repair, largely through their munifieenee.

A Christmas Present .- In 1857, Mrs. Griffin loaned the Methodist Society of Keeseville $300 for the purpose of repairing their ehureh, for security of which the trustees gave a contraet for a deed to be exceuted on demand, eov- ering a portion of the parsonage lot. Neither principal nor interest has been paid, and the debt would now amount to about $700, on simple interest. One of the trustees who executed the contraet was Solomon Cleaves. Pasted in the record book, at the parsonage, we find the original document, on which is the following inscription : " This bond was given up by Dr. and Mrs. Griffin, and was sent to Brother Cleaves as a Christmas present, December, 1875."

The Sabbath-School .- The Sabbath-school has been a great sueeess from the first. It now numbers 150 seholars, with an average attendance of 93, and 20 officers and teachers. It has a library of 500 volumes, and it is elaimed that it has raised more missionary money than any other sehool in the two counties. We append a list of superin- tendents, as near as ascertained, and in about the order in which they have served : Josiah Fisk, Elijah F. Barber, Gilbert Thayer, Amasa Macomber, C. D. Beaumont, Samuel E. Keeler, Joseph Beach, Charles Cheeney, Rufus Prescott, Henry S. Fletcher, Hurlbut Keese, Wendell Lansing.

Judge Fisk was undoubtedly the first superintendent, and held the office a long time. Samuel Keeler was also in the office long terms of years.

The First Camp-Meeting .- The first camp-meeting held in the Plattsburgh Distriet was on the grounds of Amos Day, in the town of Peru, 1807, at which the eccentrie and world-known Lorenzo Dow preached.

The records show a present membership of 200. Though not numerically as strong as at some periods of its former history, the church is in a healthy condition. The roll contains only those in full membership. The church prop- erty is valued at $9000, and there are no debts, unless small ones during the current year. The attendance at the Sabbath services and evening meetings is large.

ROMAN CATHOLIC.

The first Catholie that settled in or near Keeseville was Michael Keenan, who lived on the farm now owned by Je- hial Fletcher. Rev. Father Barber came to the locality in 1822, and remained for two weeks, holding services in the Methodist church that stood where Ezra Bliss now lives, and at Keenan's house. The congregation did not number more than 20. The next elergyman that eame was Father MeGilligan, who was located at Plattsburgh. The first elergyman that was stationed at Keeseville was Rev. Father Rodgers. He was followed by Father Rooney, who was succeeded by Father MeDonald, who remained in charge until 1851. Next came Father Mclaughlin, in 1851, and remained one year, and was followed the same year by Rev. James Keveny, who continued in charge until 1861. That year Rev. Philip Keveny, a brother of the preceding pastor, assumed charge, and remained until 1863. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Wm. Carroll, on Aug. 16, 1863, who was joined, in 1864, by Rev. Father Driscoll as associate ; Fathers Carroll and Driscoll until 1866, when Rev. John

MeDonald took charge of the parish. In 1870 he was sueeeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Tobias Glenn.

The parish includes Peru, Clintonville (church given by Peru Iron and Steel Company to Catholics, 1868), and Essex (church built by Father Shields, in 1873). In Keeseville there are 160 families, 600 souls; at Patent, 25 families, 100 souls ; Clintonville, 40 families, 160 souls ; Essex, 50 families, 400 souls. Property at Clintonville, $3000, parsonage, $1000; Clintonville, $1500; Essex church, $2000; Peru church, $1000.

The cemetery was laid out early, and contains about three aeres.

ST. JEAN LE BAPTISTE, KEESEVILLE-FRENCH CATH- OLIC.

The Catholics at Keeseville worshiped together in the carly days of Catholicism in that seetion. The first re- eorded act of the French Catholics as a distinet body was on Oet. 23, 1853, when the bell of the church was formally blessed. The first priest was Father Neyron. The church building was purchased of the Baptists, but it has under- gone much modification, and is now a comely structure.

In 1856, Father F. M. Ruiz assumed charge of the parish. On Jan. 6, 1858, Father A. Lebaubanehon be- eame the regular pastor. He remained in that office until May, 1865, when he was succeeded, in March, 1866, by Father Legrand, who remained until January, 1869. Six months later the present pastor, Father Fabiere Barnabé, took charge of the parish. The latter comprises 300 fam- ilies, with an average of four to each family. The society owns a neat parsonage besides the church building. The cemetery connected with the church comprises some five or six aeres of land.

ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

was organized Jan. 31, 1853, with the following members : Andrew Thompson, Lucretia Thompson, Catharine Tall- madge, Cornelia Hasbrouck, Oliver Keese, Sr., Josiah Keese, L. Keese, Caleb D. Barton, Franeis Barton, Eliza- beth Q. Ames, Jane Granger, Mary Ellen Ames, Wil- liam Twilger, Caroline Twilger, Robert Shelden, Sophia Shelden, John G. S. Moore, Ellen Moore, Harvy Granger, Kate Rogers, Mary Rogers, Franeis Wills, Charles M. Watson, Elizabeth Watson, Caroline Forsyth, Mary Tabor, Julia O. Putnam, Susan Rogers.

The first officers were as follows: Oliver Kcese, Sr., Andrew Thompson, Wardens; Caleb D. Barton, James Rogers, Charles M. Watson, Joseph Parks, I. O. Has- bruek, Samuel Ames, Shakespeare Allen, Charles Allen, Vestrymen.

The first minister was Rev. F. C. Putnam. The present church building was eonscerated by William Croswell Doane, S.T.D., Bishop of Albany, July 28, 1874. The land upon which the church stands was donated by Oliver Keese, Sr., and A. Thompson.

The following reetors have officiated for this church : F. C. Putnam, R. C. Trivette, W. H. Cook, Charles A. Brag- don, William L. Bull, present rector.

The present offieers are as follows : Dr. A. P. Hammond, H. L. Coppin, Wardens ; Charles F. Tabor, Dr. H. O. Tall-

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History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 58

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 922

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922