USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Jamestown > History of the First Baptist Church of Jamestown, New York : 1827-1915 : organized as a branch church December 25th 1827 : organized as an independent body May 24th, 1832 > Part 3
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ALFRED WELLS Seventh Pastor "A man with a vision '
ened and edified. He was a most gifted preacher, a man of unaffected modesty, genuine refinement and great spirituality. His reverence for the Cre- ator and all His works was most marked. He seemed almost like an inspired prophet as he por- trayed to his people the visions he saw of the Ce- lestial City. He was eccentric, but his was the ec- centricity of genius, and his life was a grand ex- emplification of the truth he taught. At the dedi- cation of Lake View Cemetery in October, 1859, the services were closed with his benediction, which is reproduced here as an illustration of his pro- phetic style.
"May the celestial light which falls around your path, gentle as the whispering leaves, the divine in- fluences which bend over you like the bow of prom- ise, the gospel words which have come to you from the lips of Jesus, burdened with tenderness, so purify your hearts that when this hallowed spot shall, like a fond mother, open its arms and fold you, one after another, back to its peaceful bosom, the Angel-har- vester may bear your sanctified spirit triumphantly home to glory, which may God grant, for Jesus' sake. Amen."
Rev. Alfred Wells was born at Brookfield, Mass., May 25, 1812, and was converted at Hamilton, N. Y., and baptized by Prof. Sears in 1831. He studied at Hamilton Seminary and was licensed by the church there September 1, 1844, and ordained at Milo, N. Y., September 2, 1847. He was pastor at Peach Orchard one year, at Milo three years, at Baldwinville one year, at Vernon six years, at At- tica three years, at Jamestown three years, at Busti three years, at Webster two years, at Busti again
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three years, when he was compelled to retire two years on account of ill health. His last pastorate was at Panama where he died of pneumonia after two weeks' illness, February 13, 1875. His last words were, "Father, may I come home." He was married to Phila Gurly, a most efficient helper, who survived him more than thirty years and died at the age of ninety, at the home of the daughter of their only son, at Coffeyville, Kansas.
Rev. Arnold Kingsbury was called from Adrian, Mich., to be the eighth pastor of the church, Octo- ber 5, 1862, and remained until January 1, 1864. His pastorate was during the most exciting period of the Civil War, when all men were inclined to ex- treme views, and the man who took middle ground was without friends or party. Though the church and congregation recognized in him an able and ef- ficient preacher, on account of the lack of harmony between them in their views, concerning the burn- ing questions of the day, the connection was dis- solved. As a good brother said years afterwards, "Elder Kingsbury was slow to respond to the in- tense feelings of the people." But for that great event in our history, he might have done excellent work as pastor of the church.
Arnold Kingsbury was born about 1813 and passed his youth under the shadow of the Green Mountains. There were thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters. Four of the sons became ministers and the fifth escaped only by becoming an excellent deacon. Arnold, converted at sixteen,
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ARNOLD KINGSBURY Eighth Pastor
early began to exhort and finally to preach. One May day, (in what year is not known) he was mar- ried to Cornelia M. Stone and the next day was or- dained a minister. His first pastorates were in New Hampshire and Vermont, then he was called to Windfield, N. Y., then to Pittsfield, Mass., Sara- toga Springs, N. Y., Albany and Fredonia, where he conducted the greatest revival in the history of the town, during the winter of 1851-2. After leav- ing Fredonia in 1855, he was pastor at Elbridge, N. Y., at Adrian, Mich., at Jamestown, Stockton, and Cassadaga, after which he retired and settled at Fredonia, where his daughter, Mrs. S. S. Crissey resided, and where he died June 8, 1893.
SLAVERY AND THE CIVIL WAR.
But few people who lived subsequent to the Civil War can realize or comprehend the intensity of the political excitement, or the hostility of personal feeling created by that contest, and in the discus- sion of the question of slavery which led up to it. The Jamestown Baptist church took an active part in both the discussion and the struggle. Soon af- ter the completion of the first church edifice-1833 or 1834-one Elder Blakesley, a young Baptist clergyman came to Jamestown in the interests of the anti-slavery movement. The apologists for slavery also appeared with a political orator and a joint debate was held in the old Congregational Church. The pro-slavery orator claimed the right to speak first, and by his blundering manner and misquotations of Scripture, made a poor showing.
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Mr. Blakesley replied, and fearlessly and skillfully met every pro-slavery argument. The interest and excitement engendered by Mr. Blakesley's lectures awakened a demand for a full and free discussion of the slavery question. When it was known that every other suitable place was closed to the con- tinuance of the discussion, the Baptists opened their church and bid Mr. Blakesley welcome. A number of lectures were given in the church, attended by large and over-flowing congregations. The excite- ment increased rapidly, and it was soon learned from his opponents that the life of the speaker was in danger. A young cabinet maker, Styles by name, however undertook to act as a body guard, and being an expert with the six shooter, and a giant in frame, the would-be assassins took notice and acted accordingly. A final mass meeting was appointed to be held at the church for the purpose of concentrating the strength of the movement. Early in the morning on the day of the meeting, a mob appeared on Brooklyn heights with a cannon and a captain from Mud Creek. They maintained a continuous fire until the hour of the meeting when they filed down the hill for the Baptist Church. On their arrival the citizens had filled the church and the front doors were barred. The mob filled the front yard and surrounded the house. Being un- able to enter the house they burst in the back win- dows of the church and as the speaker proceeded with his address, pelted him with stones, brickbats, jack-knives and other missiles. Many were stand-
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ing on the tops of the seats inside the house, while a prominent citizen of the town, a Justice of the Peace, was emptying asafœtida from his pockets on the hot stove that the fumes might compel the congregation to leave the church. The plan was frustrated, however, by one who stood near and brushed off the material.
For the protection of the speaker from the in- furiated mob, it was decided to open but one front door for exit. This was done, and as the people were filing out, the mob grappled with a man sup- posed to be Blakesley and threw him to the ground, but the man was soon discovered to be a prominent citizen of the town. While this exciting scene was in progress, centering upon itself all attention, the other door was opened and Mr. Blakesley quietly escaped safely to the home of B. F. Van Dusen, at the northwest corner of Prendergast Avenue and Fourth Street.
Reviewing past history at this distant day, the church may well congratulate itself that its mem- bers have contributed their full share in forming a public sentiment against slavery and thus prepar- ing the way for the acceptance of the memorable proclamation of the martyred Lincoln, when he gave freedom to all slaves in the United States, and ushered in for four millions of souls a jubilee of ju- bilees
From the time of the event just related during all the controversy over slavery, members of the church provided stations, and took an active part in
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the management of the "underground road" to Canada, run in the interests of fugitive slaves. Dea- con John C. Breed's pig pen was one of those sta- tions. And when the storm broke with all its fero- city, Baptists were not found wanting. They take pride in the fact that the Rev. J. Scofield, at one time the Baptist pastor at Sinclairville, provided the country with a distinguished Major General for that war, in the person of his son, John M. Scofield, who was born near Sinclairville aforesaid. And the pioneer Baptist of the county, was the grand sire of those four Cushing brothers, thunderbolts of war. The most conspicuous Baptist who repre- sented the county in the Civil War was Rev. J. C. Drake, pastor of the Westfield church, who re- signed at once on the breaking out of the war, raised a company of volunteers and became its cap- tain, and served with such energy and efficiency, that he was later chosen colonel of the 112th N. Y. Vol. Inf., the "Chautauqua regiment," and offered up a soldier's supreme sacrifice on his country's altar at the Battle of Cold Harbor.
In the minutes of the Harmony Baptist Associa- tion for 1865 are recorded the names of the follow- ing members of Baptist churches of the Association who gave up their lives in defense of their country:
John Peterson and Milton Lewis, Busti. Kingsley Faulkinson, Clymer. William Chamberlain, First Portland.
*Benjamin F. Hurlbut, North Harmony. Thomas Sparks and James Becker, Sherman. Rev. J. C. Drake and Bolivar Hurlbut, Westfield. William Osborn and D. H. Slade, Harbor Creek.
*Dimly, but very affectionately remembered by the author.
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LIEUT. O. A. ROSS
The Jamestown church lost none of her sons, though several served in the army. The most noted of whom was Orville A. Ross, son of Asa and Abigal Ross, and brother of Mrs. Heman Fox, Mrs. Hiram Washburn and Mrs. Henry Barrows, all members of the church.
He enlisted at eighteen years of age, first in Co. B, 72nd N. Y., and later in the 120th N. Y. Vol. He served through the war, was severely wounded in Virginia, and was commissioned a lieutenant for gallant and faithful service.
Andrew J. Bowen served as an officer in the 49th N. Y., and Heman Fox and Jerome Hibbard served in the 112th N. Y. Vol., the first named as an officer.
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CHAPTER IV.
Rev. E. Mills' Pastorate .- Rev. G. O. King's Pastorate .- The Second Parsonage .- Rev. P. B. Houghwout's Pastorate .- Prof. S. H. Albro .- Rev. G. A. Peltz's Pastorate .- Rev. L. B. Plummer's Pastorate (1864-1882).
S EEMINGLY providential was the coming of Rev. Emerson Mills as the ninth pastor, Oc- tober 1, 1864, at a time when men's souls were being tried as never before in our history, inside as well as outside the church. At the first church meeting he caused a resolution to be adopted that "No one would be permitted to refer in any of the church meetings, in a censorous, complaining, fault- finding spirit, to any of the difficulties that had oc- curred in the church during the preceding six years." He evidently considered all previous difficulties as "outlawed." He found a somewhat divided church, but by rare tact and skill, he soon brought about harmony. He had large executive ability and a re- markable faculty for developing the activities of the church. During his pastorate of exactly four years, ninety were baptized and many wanderers returned. A large number were converted and baptized at Levant, just below Falconer, and he wished to or- ganize a church there but was not supported in his efforts, and the opportunity passed not to return until forty years, when the Jamestown church aided in the organization of the Baptist church of Fal- coner in 1908. The church building was repaired and other improvements were made during his pastorate. The minutes show a greater amount
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EMERSON MILLS Ninth Pastor
2
contributed for benevolence than during any other like period in the history of the church.
Emerson Mills was born about 1833, and was or- dained at Frewsburg, N. Y., probably in 1854, when he was twenty-one years of age. He never had a college education, but prepared himself in every way possible for his profession. He served the Frewsburg church about two years and then went to Westfield, N. Y., where he served as pastor for another two years. His health then failed and he lived there in retirement a few years, after which he was pastor at Forestville, N. Y., at the begin- ning of 1861 and continued about two years. In 1863 he was pastor at Tiffin, Ohio, and from Oc- tober I, 1864 to 1868 was pastor at Jamestown. He then served some church in Monroe County, N. Y., for four years, and returned to Forestville again in 1872 for a four year's pastorate, after which he was pastor at Norwalk, Ohio, where he died about 1880. He was never in good health, yet he labored inces- santly, preaching the word for twenty-six years. He often used to say that if he had a hundred lives he would gladly devote them all to the preaching of the gospel. In one short year the Mills family, husband, wife and daughter Flora, passed away, dying of consumption. Where ever they lived the fragrance of their memory remained in the hearts of those who loved them, long after they had passed away.
The pastorate was vacant for eight months after Mr. Mills' resignation, during a portion of which
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time Prof. Frank S. Capen, principal of the High School, filled the pulpit very acceptably, adding the profession of preacher to that of teacher. Professor Capen's connection with the school lasted only two years, but during that time he was able to mater- ially aid the church along the lines of his chosen profession.
By invitation Rev. G. O. King, a graduate of the Rochester Theological Seminary, visited and preached to the church which culminated in a call to him to become the tenth pastor, and he com- menced his labors June 1, 1869. His ministry was satisfactory and his marked elements of power and adaptation for future usefulness induced the church to call a council for ordination, which convened August 17, 1869, and after due examination, solemn- ly set him apart to the work of the gospel ministry. The growing ability of the young pastor and his persuasive way of presenting the truth, awakened interest and attention, and produced a revival spirit in the church and congregation. Baptismal scenes often occurred under his ministry and considerable numbers were added to the church. The continued mental strain of preparing for his public ministra- tions resulted in a nervous prostration requiring rest for recuperation and improvement, and he re- signed May 17, 1872, having been pastor three years.
During Mr. King's pastorate, the old parsonage was removed and the present house erected, and Mr. King had the pleasure of bringing his bride into
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GEORGE O. KING Tenth Pastor "A king among men"
it as its first mistress. To improve the outlook of the parsonage the long row of unsightly horse sheds between the parsonage and church were re- moved to a lot adjoining on the west, purchased for that purpose, and which was disposed of in 1890.
Mr. King in early life resided in Connecticut and prepared for college at the Connecticut Literary Institution at Suffield, Conn. He graduated from Brown University and later from Rochester Theo- logical Seminary. His first pastorate was at James- town, after which he was at three different times, acting pastor of the Ninth Street Baptist Church of Cincinnati, and acting pastor also, for over two years, of the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio. He was pastor of the Willson Avenue church six years and of the Logan Avenue church seven years in that city, during which time he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Baptist Union, and of the Denison Uni- versity, and for three years president of the Ohio Baptist State Convention. He was chairman of building committee and superintendent of con- struction, for four houses of worship, and for a W. C. T. U. Friendly Inn. After leaving Cleveland, he was pastor of the First Baptist Church at Spring- field, Ohio, for one year, after which he has resided most of the time at Fredonia, N. Y., frequently sup- plying churches as occasion required. Mr. King is a genial man, brilliant in conversation and pos- sessed of a large fund of native wit.
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Mrs. King graduated from the Connecticut Lit- erary Institution at Suffield, and was for several years a teacher in Massachusetts. Since her mar- riage she has always been intimately associated with her husband in his work. For several years she was President of the Womans' Missionary So- ciety of the Cleveland Baptist Association, and one of the Trustees of the Woman's Baptist Missionary Society of Ohio, and always actively engaged in associational, local and State Sunday School, and Missionary enterprises.
Rev. P. B. Houghwout became the eleventh pas- tor of the church in February, 1873, and resigned in September, 1876. His ministry was fruitful in conversions and in the development and strength- ening of Christian character. During the three years of his labors in Jamestown, forty-four were baptized and large congregations were attendant upon public services. He was a man of superior natural endowments, broad and varied education, and a high degree of culture. He was an exact and diligent student, pushing his researches into the realm of natural science and literature as well as Scripture and theology. In the pulpit he was elo- quent, forcible, practical and thoughtful. In pri- vate life he was sympathetic and friendly. He was doubtless the most profound scholar of all the pas- tors. He was never vigorous physically, and in the spring of 1876 his health failing, he was granted a three months' vacation. At the close of that period he was still declared by his physician to be
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P. B. HOUGHWOUT Eleventh Pastor "My library shelves are the avenues of time"
unfit for pastoral duties and he resigned. Six months later, with health apparently restored, he visited Jamestown and preached for a single Sab- bath to his former people, a most able and instruc- tive sermon from the text, "As he thinketh in his heart so is he," Prov. 23-7. Speaking of himself in the sermon, he alluded to the ceremonies of an ancient secret order, in which the pass word for the members of the higher degree was given by plac- ing the hand upon the heart and pronouncing the word "Whole" and then passing it on the left side, while the members of the lower degree, placing the hand upon the right side, pronounced the word "Half," and passed in on the right side. "When I shall stand at the last day," said Mr. Houghwout, "in the presence of my Maker and Judge, although it may not be mine to say, "Whole," yet I pray that I may be able to say "Half," and trusting in the blood and mercy of Jesus Christ, pass in." He died suddenly the next Thursday, April 26, 1877, without a moment's warning at the home of Hon. Jerome Preston where he was stopping.
The covenant which had been in use for the pre- vious twenty-five years was discarded and Mr. Houghwout drew a substitute which is still in use. He also organized a society of the Young People of the church which he named the "Eumathetic So- ciety," the first of its kind so far as is known, in the history of the church.
Peter Britton Houghwout was born May 25, 1828, at Tompkinsville, Staten Island, N. Y. While
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a mere child his parents moved to Adrian, Mich., where he received a common school education until a severe injury confined him at home for a few years, which he devoted to the study of the classics with marvelous success, and at sixteen years of age he commenced teaching in the public schools of Michigan. Religiously he was reared and educated in the Dutch Reformed Church, but in early man- hood he became a staunch Baptist, though his de- nominationalism was never offensive to people of other faiths. He was licensed to preach by the Lenawee County Association during his minority and began to preach at Hudson with great success, and at twenty-one he was ordained. He preached for short periods to various churches in Michigan and Western New York until 1856 when he was called to the First Baptist Church of Fall River, Mass., where he labored fifteen years. His health then necessitated his resignation and in 1871 he came to Dunkirk, N. Y., and supplied that church one year when he was called to Jamestown, his last field of labor.
He was always a searcher after the hidden things of nature, and made frequent excursions into the fields and woods, where he became acquainted with every ledge and boulder, every tree, plant and shrub, and insect to be found in the neighborhood of his residence, all of which he examined with a critical eye and inquiring mind. When unable to get to the fields he confined himself to his study and so did but little pastoral work. In 1850, he mar-
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PROF. S. H. ALBRO
ried Mary L. Hotchkiss, sister of Dr. Hotchkiss of Buffalo, N. Y. Mrs. Houghwout was a very tal- ented woman, with literary tastes and charming personality, and was of great assistance to her hus- band in his work. After his death she edited a volume of Mr. Houghwout's sermons. She after- wards married Deacon D. C. Breed for her second husband, after whose death she lived with her son at Fall River, Mass., where she died in 1913, and where she and Mr. Houghwout are buried. .
During Mr. Houghwout's pastorate Prof. S. H. Albro was principal of the Jamestown High School. He was one of the ablest educators ever connected with the institution, a thorough student and a profound thinker. The pastor and he were con- genial spirits and often investigated the secrets of nature together in the rocks, plants and bugs found in the vicinity. The professor was a member of the church and a most constant and attentive list- ener to Mr. Houghwout's preaching, and rendered most effective service as the teacher of a class of young people in the Sunday School, over whom he exercised a great influence, both by reason of his position in the school and also by the power of his personality. He also served as a deacon for some time until in the summer of 1877 he severed his connection with the school and has resided in Fre- donia, N. Y., most of the time since, where he taught in the State Normal School. He has also taught in other places and has been employed fre-
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quently to hold teachers' institutes about the coun- try.
In the latter part of February, 1877, on a Sunday night, the Presbyterian Church burned and be- came a total loss. The Baptists at that time hav- ing a church edifice but no pastor, and the Presby- terians having a pastor but having been deprived of a house of worship, a combination was quickly made and from the early part of March until No- vember of that year, the two societies worshipped together in the Baptist house under Presbyterian preaching. A new pastor having been called by the Baptists, the very pleasant and agreeable rela- tion was then necessarily terminated.
The church found it difficult to select a successor to the talented Houghwout. Several able men were heard as candidates but were not called, and it be- came apparent that no ordinary man would be sat- isfactory. Correspondence was accordingly opened with George A. Peltz, D. D., of Philadelphia, Pa., with the result that his services were secured and he entered upon his pastorate November 12, 1877.
Dr. Peltz was a genial man, popular and efficient in every department of church work. He possessed great talent for organization and in all matters per- taining to the Sunday School he had already de- veloped special ability. The Sunday School had never before been so well conducted as under Dr. Peltz's pastorate and the supervision of Jerome Preston. Though he never taught a class while in Jamestown, he was always present and usually
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GEORGE A. PELTZ Twelfth Pastor "A man of whom nothing better can be said after death than before"
made the practical application of the lesson at the close of the school session. As a preacher he was scriptural, forcible and apt in illustration. Baptisms were numerous during his two and a half years of service, thirty-seven having been received the first year.
His pastorate was saddened by the death of his eldest daughter Jennie, a most lovable and accom- plished young woman just entering into useful, Christian womanhood.
Dr. Peltz closed his labors with the church in May 1880, and returned to Philadelphia, where he ultimately became the associate of Dr. Russell H. Conwell, who has paid the following tribute to his worth: "Wherever his apostolic face appeared, his friends recognized a second John the Baptist. For Dr. Peltz was glad to be a pioneer, and gladly acted out the declaration. 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' " Modest, sincere and active, his was a well invested life. The benediction of his com- panionship remains as a brooding spirit upon the lives of the multitudes who loved him. He was one of whom it is possible to say no better things after his departure than during his earthly life. Born in May, 1832, of Philadelphia parents, brought up in the oldest section of the city by a widowed mother, he was not distinguished by any special genius or action until his conversion in 1851. Like millions of other boys who crowd the city's thoroughfares, he was merely a somnambulist till Christ awoke him. But at his second birth there was a decided,
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