History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers., Part 110

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 780

USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. > Part 110

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There has been a prosperous Sabbath-school connected with the church since 1820. Charles D. Gardiner is the superintendent. The membership was sixty-eight in March, 1800.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GREENFIELD.

This church is located at Greenfield Centre, and was formed in the year 1791, and recognized by its sister churches in the vicinity. The membership at first was small, but soon increased to a respectable number, and in 1800 amounted to ninety-two names. Among the first members were Samuel Bailey, Benjamin Close, Daniel W. Bailey, Mrs. Fanny Bailey, Daniel Wood, and Ezra Weld.

The first officers were Samuel Bailey, Daniel Wood, dea- cons ; Daniel W. Bailey, clerk. Rev. Joseph Craw was the first minister. For several years after the organization of this church no house of worship was built, and the meetings were held in houses, barns, and school-houses, as circumstances rendered necessary or convenient. The first church building was erected in 1816-17, and though several times repaired, is still standing on the original site. It is a commodious frame building, will comfortably seat about two hundred and fifty people, and is valued at $2500.

In 1792 the church joined the Shaftsbury Association, and remained connected with that body till 1805, when it was transferred to the Saratoga association, which relation it still continues to hold.

The several pastors of this church, in order, have been Revs. Joseph Craw, Israel Craw, Isaac Brewster, Elisha Blakeman, James N. Seaman, Benjamin St. John, Samuel M. Plumb, Timothy Day, Henry C. Skinner, H. II. Haff, T. T. St. John, O. H. Caprou, R. Hastings, G. Farr, Ed- win Wescott, William Bowen, J. 1 .. Barlow, C. C. Hart, F. S. Parke, Jacob Timberman, E. Jewett, C. F. Blake- man, Levi Wheelock, and Rodney D. Andrews, who now supplies the pulpit but resides at Jessup's Landing.

HON. HOWELL GARDINER.

Few men were better known or more highly esteemed in the town where he resided than the subject of this sketch. Ile was the youngest child and the only son of Jeremiah Gardiner, and was born at West Hampton, Long Island, January 6, 1776. At the age of sixteen he went to Amenia, Dutchess county, and there learned the trade of a cabinet- maker, removing with his employer, at the age of twenty, to Schagticoke, Rensselaer county, where he changed his occupation from cabinet-making proper to the manufacture of fanning-mills.

In 1798 he married Eleanor Groesbeck, of Schagtieuke, and in 1799 came to the town of Greenfield, Saratoga County, where, with the savings from his trade, he purchased a small place adjoining the present family home- stead. For many years he carried on the business of making fanning-mills, keeping a shop and employing sev- cral hauds,-the invention being then new, and the business profitable.

In 1866 he purchased the present homestead, consisting of 106 acres of land, where he resided until his death, adding to his trade, for many years, the occupation also of a farmer.

In carly youth Mr. Gardiner's education was quite limited, but he possessed a mind cager for knowledge, and gratified

his inclination by extensive reading. He became one of the best-informed men of his time, especially in politics, the principles of which he thoroughly studied, and, upon deliberate conviction, adopted those of Jefferson, or the Democratic school. His first vote was cast for Thomas Jefferson for president. He was first appointed a justice of the peace by the council of appointment, under the old constitution, and in that manner held the office for sixteen consecutive years. He afterwards held the same office for four years by election, and in the discharge of its duties was an efficient, courteous, and faithful magistrate. He was elected to fill nearly every office in his town, and repre- sented his district in the legislature in 1815, 1828, and 1831, in which public service he made an honorable record. His private life was equally honorable and above reproach. He closed his long and useful carcer at his residence in the town of Greenfield, on the 26th of February, 1866, aged ninety years and twenty days.

Mr. Gardiner left two sons and two daughters, who still survive him, viz. : Joel B. and ITenry L. Gardiner, farmers, occupying the homestead and the adjoining farm ; Juliet, his eldest daughter, who resides in the house which he built in 1815 ; and Sarah Ann, wife of B. N. Loomis, Esq., of Binghamton, N. Y.

Photo, by Baker & Record, Saratoga Springs.

SIMEON SCHOUTEN.

Simeon Schouten, the subject of this brief sketch, was born in the town of Clifton Park, Saratoga Co., N. Y., on the 3d of November, 1793. His father and mother were John and Charity Schouten, old settlers in the county, who had a family of six children. lle is the fourth son ; the youngest of the family, and the only daughter, Lena, now the widow of the late Stephen Lewis, resides in the town of Greenfield.

Mr. Schouten was not blessed in early life with much knowledge of books obtained at schools ; but he possessed a

sound mind, a vigorous constitution, and a strong determi- nation of will, which have carried him through the adversi- ties and struggles incident to his career, and given him comfort and competence in his old age. lle is now in his eighty-fifth year, and was married to Ann Parker in 1813. Has never had any children.

In 1848 he settled on the farm where he now resides, and where, by hard labor, economy, and perseverance, he has made him a desirable and pleasant home for the rest of his days.

443

HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The following persons have been deacons of the church, viz. : Samuel Bailey, Daniel Wood, Smith Sherwood, Daniel D. A. Green, Oscar Granger, Lyman Keith, Allen Parker, Stephen D. Williams, C. J. De Witt, and Charles E. Ambler. Charles E. Ambler and D. D. A. Green are the present deacons.

The board of trustees is composed of D. D. A. Green, George E. Shewmaker, C. E. Ambler, Nelson D. More- house, and A. C. Lawton. Charles E. Ambler is church clerk. The present number of members is eighty-six.

For a great many years a Sunday-school has been main- tained in connection with the church. It now numbers about one hundred and ten members, and has a library of upwards of two hundred volumes. William J. Le Grange is superintendent ; Hiram C. Hewitt, assistant superinten- dent ; Frances Morehouse, secretary ; Adelia Mosher, treas- urer ; Reuben D. Morehouse, librarian ; and Harry Pen- drick, assistant librarian.

THE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH OF GREENFIELD.

This church was more familiarly known to the inhabi- tants of the vicinity as the Daketown church, and was located about a mile and a half northwest of Middle Grove. It was constituted in 1794, and joined the Shaftsbury Association in 1795. It dissolved its connection with that body in 1808, and was finally broken up and disbanded in 1822, most of the members uniting with the other churches in the vicinity.

Charles Deake was a very prominent member, and held the office of deacon for many years. His son, Charles Deake, Jr., also was a deacon, and at the time of dissolution became a member of the church at Greenfield Centre.

Revs. Abel Brown, John Lewis, and Timothy Day served this church in the capacity of pastors.

THE THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH OF GREENFIELD.

This church was constituted in 1795, aud became a member of the Shaftsbury Association in 1796. It trans- ferred its relations to the Saratoga Association in 1805.

In 1800, Lemuel Taylor and Mr. Jeffords represented this church in the meeting of the association.

The records of this church cannot be found, and its history is necessarily a meagre one.

The ministers, in order from 1795, have been Mr. IIad- ley, Jonathan Nichols, Timothy Day, Jacob St. John, T. T. St. John, S. Carr, and Timothy Day.

The church assumed the title of the Second church upon the dissolution of that body in 1822, and gave up its dis- tinet organization and united with the Greenfield Centre church.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF JAMESVILLE.

This society was an outgrowth of the old stone church in Milton, and formed a separate organization April 4, 1846. At that time it started with about seventy-five members. It soon after united with the Saratoga Association, of which body it is still a member.

The first meeting was held in the church, which was built by the united society in 1839, and was presided over by Deacon George Benton. Alvah Dake acted as clerk.

The meeting was opened with prayer by Deacon John Wood. John Wood, George Benton, and Jarvis Emigh were elected as deacons, and Alvah Dake as church clerk.

The edifice for publie worship was built in 1839, by Elias Thorpe, and cost $3000. It is a frame building thirty-six by fifty feet, and has a seating capacity of two hundred and fifty. Soon after the church was finished a fine bell was hung in the tower, to call the people together for divine worship. The church has since been repaired at a moder- ate cost, and is in a good state of preservation and valued at $2500.

From the time the church was formed a considerable share of the time and attention of its members has been devoted to Sabbath-school labor, but no continuous school has been sustained till within about four years. For that length of time, under the care and attention of its superintendent, Moses D. Rowley, a flourishing school has been maintained. The average attendance is now about fifty, but has been as high as ninety. Mr. Thomas W. Brown acts in the triple capacity of secretary, treasurer, and librarian. The library contains about one hundred volumes.

John Wood, George Benton, Jarvis Emigh, Divine H. Young, Samuel Benton, Orin Benton, Orlando P. Mixter, and Moses D. Rowell have held the office of deacon. The two last named are the present incumbents.

The present membership of the church is forty-four, and the following are the present officers, viz. : Trustees, Charles Dake, Orlando P. Mixter, Manley James, Moses D. Rowell, Joseph Wheeler, Isaac Wager, S. H. Craig, J. M. Dake, Jacob Schermerhorn ; Church Clerk, S. H. Craig.

The several pastors since 1846, in the order of their ministration, are Revs. Samuel R. Shotwell, William Bogart, Nelson Combs, Timothy Day, A. S. Curtis, Lewis Selleck, F. N. Barlow, - Bordon, R. Collins, Arthur Day, William IJumpstone, and Leander Hall, the present pastor, who began his labors here April 18, 1875.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI OF GREENFIELD CENTRE.

Previous to the year 1800, the exact date being unknown to the writer, a traveling preacher of the Methodist Episco- pal denomination passed through this section of country, making future appointments to preach, and filling these ap- pointments on his return. IIe was named Babbitt, and was a " thundering preacher," i.e., a very loud-voiced one. So powerful was his voice that tradition says some of his hearers averred that they could feel his tones pass through their heads and hear them strike the trees behind them. As a result of his preaching a elass was formed at an early day. Among the first members were Nathaniel Daniels and his wife, The- ophilus Daniels, Mrs. Captain Hale, Betsey Bump, the first class-leader, Lorina Conklin, Polly, Katy, and Fanny Jones, and Clara Sherman, afterwards Mrs. Smiley.

Theophilus Danie's was at the time of his conversion conducting a number of dancing-schools in different places, and felt it necessary to give them up. As a result, he was pestered with a large number of petty lawsuits, brought by those of whom he had hired rooms in which to hold his schools, and in their complaints they sued for anticipated profits of table and bar. He afterwards became a local preacher of some celebrity.

444

HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The early services were irregularly held in such places as could be obtained, and for some years previous to the building of their church meetings were held in the Baptist church.

There was a powerful revival experienced in the winter of 1838-39, and the impetus thus given to the church en- abled them to take steps to build a house of worship. A meeting was held at the house of Asahel P. Cronkhite, on the 16th of October, 1839, which was attended by Adam Bockes, Benjamin Robinson, Dan Cronkhite, Nathan Daniels, Aaron Hale, Wm. Burnham, Norton Wood, Ira Schofield, Asahel P. Cronkite, and Jeptha Durham, and it was there resolved to build a church, not less than thirty- four by forty-two feet, on the hill east of Greenfield Centre. Rev. David Poor was chairman and Nathan Daniels seere- tary of the meeting. This action was followed by the elec- tion of the first board of trustees, on the 11th of Novem- ber following. Adam Bockes, Aarou Hale, Nathan Dauiels, Ira Schofield, and Asahel P. Cronkite were then eleeted.

The work of ereeting the church was begun early in the summer of 1840. Parker Mauning douated the site and Saumel J. Otis furnished the timber for the frame. It was built by Hiram Darrow, and cost $1600. The frame was raised July 11, 1840. and the building was finished in De- cember. The dedication took place on Dee. 22, 1840, and the discourse was preached by the presiding eller, Rev. Charles Sherman.

The oldest surviving members of the church are Miss Nancy Robinson, who joined in 1820 ; Mrs. Phoebe Banks, since 1822 ; and Misses Deborah and Lydia Lawrence, since about 1827-29.

The following persons have served as trustees, viz., Ben- jamin Robinson, Dan Cronkhite, Abial C. Allard, Seneca Weed, F. G. Chamberlain, W. A. Calkins, Clinton Wood, James Claydon, W. H. Waring, James V. Cronkhite, J. W. Mitchell; and the present board is composed of Jus- tus A. Cronkhite, Ziba Daniels, George Spaulding, William C. Weeden, and Arba S. Cronkhite.

The pastors since 1840 have been as follows, viz., Revs. David Poor, William Ford, Seymour Coleman, Abel Ford, Charles Pomeroy, William N. Frazer, William A. Miller, Jedediah D. Burnham, Alanson White, Clark Fuller, Miner Van Auken, Charles Pomeroy, Valentine Brown, Paul P. Atwell, A. H. Hlousinger, John Graves, Arunah Lyon, John Haslam, T. S. MeMaster, Amos Osborne, Jacob Leonard, Peter M. Hitchcock, John Thompson, Joseph Cope, John M. Webster, Sherman M. Williams, Edward N. Howe, F. K. Potter, and George S. Gold, the present pastor.

Siuee the church building was erected a Sunday-school has been kept up most of the time. Asahel P. Cronkhite was the first superintendent, and Benjamin S. Robinson has served in that position for several years, aud is now the superintendeut.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF SOUTH GREENFIELD.

About the year 1836 a class was formed iu the south part of the town of Greenfield, and in the year following a church was built nearly opposite the present site of the Con- gregational church. It was thirty feet wide by forty long,

and cost $600. It was dedicated in August, 1837. Rev. Noah Levings, of Schenectady, preached the discourse on that occasion. The first class consisted of about twenty members, and among them were Mr. and Mrs. John H. Youngs, Betsey Huling, Mrs. Loomis, Mrs. Miranda Hulett, Mrs. Goodspeed, Mrs. Talmadge, Mrs. Filkins, and Mrs. Israel Youngs.

The ministers in charge of the cireuit at that time were Revs. William II. Backus and Elisha Andrews. The first winter after the completion of the church these ministers held a protracted meeting, and with God's blessing their labors effected the conversion of about one hundred persons, and the church was much strengthened and refreshed. Later in the history of the church other protracted meet- ings were held by Revs. Seymour Coleman, Joshua Poor, David Poor, and William Ford, all of which were in some measure successful.

The church maintained its existence until 1847, when by deaths and removals their numbers became too much reduced to enable them to continue, and those members who were left united with other churches in the vicinity. In 1850 the church building was sold to a Unitarian society for the sum of $200, and was by them removed to the town of Milton, where it has since been used as a church by that denomination.

The pastors of this church during its existence were Revs. William 1I. Backus, Elisha Andrews, Charles Pom- eroy, Seymour Coleman, Paul P. Atwood, William A. Miller, Clark Fuller, J. D. Burnham, J. D. Poor, William Ford, and Abel Ford.

The Sunday-school connected with this church through- out its brief existence was under the superintendence of Seneca Weed the whole time.

THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF PORTER'S CORNERS.

The church building erected by this society was built in the year 1816. The pioneers of the denomination had, prior to this time, held meetings irregularly at the school- houses aud at private houses. The society was regularly organized and incorporated in 1819, at which time there were thirty members. The society was styled the First Universalist Church and Society of Greenfield.

The organization has been kept alive ever since, and two trustees are elected annually. The membership has fluctuated considerably, and is now about the same as at the first. The officers of the church were Frederick Park- man, Abner Medbury, and John W. Creal, who composed the first board of trustees. Mark A. Childs and John Harris presided at the first meeting. From 1840 to 1844 a flourishing Sunday-school and Bible-class, consisting of some sixty scholars, was held, but it died out about that time, and has never been resuscitated.

The first clergyman who ministered at this church was Rev. Ilosea Parsons, and after him came Revs. Dolphus Skinner, - Cook, - Aspinwall, - Hathaway, - Patterson, and others, whose names are not remem- bered. At present the church is without any pastor. The present offieers are John S. Peacock, clerk ; N. D. More- house, Luther Cady, Charles S. Latham, Nathan Medbury, John R. Harris, Levis S. Milis, trustees.

BENJAMIN W. DYER.

Benjamin Wilkins Dyer, whose name and labors were largely associated with reform movements in New England, previous to his settlement in Saratoga, was born at Brain- tree, Vermont, September 6, 1808. He was reared on a farm, and at an early age his mind became deeply imbued with the evils of intemperance and slavery. As these sub- jects began to be widely discussed, enlisting the interest of a class of earnest reformers, who, although always politically in the minority, believed nevertheless in the justice and humanity of their cause, and had the faith and patience to labor and wait for time to bring forth the fruition of their hopes, he joined his efforts with this class, and became affiliated with such men as William Lloyd Garrison, William Goodell, Wendell Phillips, Gerrit Smith, and others. He also associated with his other ideas of reform the abolition of war, and advocated the settlement of all national and international disputes by diplomacy or arbitration. In this respect he was an earnest advocate of the doctrines of Elihu Burritt ; at the same time he was an earnest and practical believer in the Christian religion, in the spirit and teachings of which he saw and recognized the highest sanction for these reforms, and was full of a broad sympathy for human- ity, which led him to labor for the welfare of all classes and conditions of men. Ile traveled and lectured extensively in New England, and at the same time followed the occupa- tion of a farmer. At Randolph, Vermont, whither he removed in 1847, he took an active interest in the subject of education.

Ile was married, January 5, 1836, to Miss Clarissa M. Spear, of Braintree, Vermont, a lady whose sympathies

were in harmony with his own, and whose qualities of mind and character eminently fitted her to be a helpmeet for him during his life, and to discharge the weighty responsi- bilities which have devolved upon her since his decease. This union was blessed with five children, all of whom sur- vive at this writing.

In 1865, Mr. Dyer removed to Saratoga County, settling in Greenfield, two miles west of Saratoga Springs. Besides his farm interest in this locality, whose improvements be- speak the attention of a diligent, laborious, and thrifty agriculturist, he made it an object to build at Saratoga Springs a neat and commodious boarding-house, where visit- ors could be accommodated with comfort and economy, which should be quiet and orderly, and free from all drink- ing and gaming, and where, rather, the order and exercises of a Christian home should prevail, and be governed by a simple and genial sociality.

With this object in view he began the erection of the " Vermont House" in 1868, and finished it in 1876. The experiment has exceeded his most sanguine expectations. The house has been well patronized during the visiting season, especially by those who desire the advantages of a quiet and home-like retreat. Mrs. Dyer has taken charge of this house, as also of the farm, since the decease of her husband.

At the time of their removal to Saratoga County he was in poor health, yet his energies were unabated and inees- sant. He was ever engaged reading, writing, or at work, till his last illness entirely disabled him. He died on the 25th of October, 1877, aged sixty-nine years.

445

HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The upper part of the church was finished off for a hall, and the Freemasons occupied it for many years before 1870, when they removed to Greenfield Centre. The hall is now occupied by Empire Lodge, No. 965, I. O. G. T.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF PORTER'S CORNERS.

This society was first formed about the year 1840, with twenty-nine members. Among them were Henry and Betsey Whipple, Esek and Arabella Angell, David and Serena Gibbs, William and Luanna Whipple, Alzina Wil- liams, John West, Jemima Mills, Nancy Ingham, Clark Hewitt, Hiram Williams, Elliot Lapham, Alanson Williams, John Mitchell, and Alonzo C. Williams.

The site for a church was donated by General Isaac I. Yates, and the church was built in 1845, by L. D. Row- land and David Gibbs, at a cost of $800. It is a tasty little building, with sittings for two hundred people. It was dedicated in 1845. The church has always been a member of the Greenfield cireuit, and served by the same ministers as the church at Greenfield Centre. Sunday- sebools are held during the summer and fall, but not through the winter, Esek Angell was the first superin- tendent, and Mr. Wait is the present one. The present membership of the church is twenty-two, and the present officers are Charles W. Spaulding, William Medbury, Ben- jamin H. Ingham, stewards ; Charles W. Spaulding, class- leader.

SOCIETY OF ORTHODOX FRIENDS.

At a very early period the Friends who settled in Green- field formed a sort of society and built a meeting-house a short distance north of Seott's Corners. Elihu Anthony was one of the most prominent members, and for many years the preacher. Benjamin Angell also preached some. There have been no regular meetings held since Mr. An- thony's death in 1863. A few years since the meeting- house was converted into a dwelling.

HICKSITE FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE.

In or about 1827 there was a division among the Quak- ers, and those who denominated themselves Ilicksites sepa- rated from the Orthodox society and built a meeting-house a little way east of Scott's Corners. No regular preacher was ever connected with the society, and a few years ago the meeting-house was transformed and is now used as a dwelling.

VIII .- BURIAL-PLACES.

Of C. E. Durkee, Saratoga Springs, we obtain the follow- ing memorandum with reference to the cemeteries of Green- field. Mr. Durkee and Mr. Edward Harris are in posses- sion of very valuable materials, which they have gathered at great labor from all the cemeteries of the connty. The list for Greenfield comprises the following : St. John's eem- etery, with 305 inseriptions ; Locust Grove, 19; Haggerty Hill (one of the oldest, many native stones without inserip- tions), 6; Early, 11; Scott, 122; Bailey, 43; Jamesville, 103; Comstock, 9; Wood, 7; Edwards, 15; Gifford, 10; Day, 4; District No. 5, 88; Allen, 8; Ingham, 44; Ilar- ris, 10; Mitchell, 59; Bowen, 68; Chatfield, 9; Lawrence, 15 ; Muller, 36; Quaker, 2; North Greenfield, 1; Mount

Pleasant, 2; Dake, 14; Crawford, 5; Lewis, 5; Grenell, 5 ; Cronkhite, 4; Lincoln, 3. Total, 1032.

IX .- SOCIETIES.

MASONIC.

St. John's Lodge, No. 22, F. and A. M .- This is the oldest lodge of the order in this county. The lodge at Ballston was the first one organized, but that died out and was after some years reorganized. This lodge was the second one instituted, and was chartered by the Grand Lodge of the State on the 20th of February, 1802.

The number of charter members is unknown, but as the population was small and widely scattered it was necessarily small. From that time to the present it has maintained an unbroken existence, held its meetings regularly, and fairly earned its title of the oldest lodge in the county. At the time of the excitement caused by the abduction of William Mor- gan, and the exciting events that followed his mysterious dis- appearance, the lodge suffered in common with the order throughout the State. At that time the lodges were re- numbered, and this lodge, which was chartered as No. 90, was rechartered as No. 22.

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History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers., Part 110

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894 Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Ensign Number of Pages: 780

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 780