USA > New York > Chenango County > Norwich > History of the first one hundred years of the First Congregational Church, Norwich, New York, 1814-1914 > Part 13
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her work done to the last detail-eatables all promised, waiters engaged, reception committee and all the para- phernalia needed for the occasion. The social met as proposed. Every detail was provided for and the event was a very decided success. In nine months she had passed beyond earthly cares and efforts and found " the rest of the people of God." She had done what she could, during a life of nearly 60 years; loved by all the children-a more enduring monument than cenotaphes and world applause.
Another woman who is still with us, and has been identified with this church for more than half its his- tory,, and who has been a leader in one of the most important of its activities, deserves recognition in this history. I am not in sympathy with the "un- written law," that a person must be dead before a full expression of the appreciation of the church and the community can be made; so I am going to violate that law in two cases-not for fulsome praise, but because they are entitled to it, and I am very sure every one will concur with me.
Mrs. Nettie C. Mitchell is a name very well known in this church ever since Mr. Scoville, in 1865, joined her husband and herself in marriage. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John G. Pike, and was born in McGrawville where was her parents' home. Her father was a musician of considerable ability. He was a choir leader and an organist; and had studied music very thoroughly. He had a pipe organ in his home, which was somewhat larger than usual for a house organ. He and his wife were both players and singers and the father was an expert snare drum maker and player. In fact he was an all-around skillful mechanic. He had also been a merchant. He and his wife came to Norwich to a fair, or some doings of that nature, visiting DeCalvus Rogers, who also came from Mc- Grawville. They were so well pleased with Norwich
MRS. NETTIE C. MITCHELL.
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that they soon decided to move here. They bought the lot just east of the S. W. Berry residence in Mitchell street and built a house and moved into it October 6, 1856. Miss Nettie began practice on the organ as soon as she could sit on the organ stool. Her father and mother had very early discovered that she was inter- ested in music. Her father taught her the rudiments very thoroughly; such as time, reading, etc., so that when she began to play her progress was rapid. Her first piano teacher, after her father, was Miss Maranda McGraw of the well known McGraw family, from whom the village was named. The young lady soon out- distanced her teacher. Soon after the family came to Norwich she had Mrs. Abby M. (Harris) Hinsdale (daughter of Dr. Harvey Harris) of Norwich, as her teacher. Mrs. Hinsdale, a few years before, had also given lessons to Linn Babcock (later Dr. Linn Bab- cock.) Miss Nettie also took lessons of Miss Almira Thomas, who about this time married Dr. John Penti- cost, a dentist, in Norwich. Miss Nettie was then 13 years old. She also took lessons of Linn Babcock, who was then teaching in Hamilton. He drove to his father's home in South New Berlin every Saturday and would come around by the way of Norwich and give Miss Nettie a lesson.
Her father about this time was leader of the choir in this church and she began playing the organ. On the very Sunday in which the church burned, she was to have begun an engagement as its organist. She played while services were held in the Academy and in the Close building. This was in 1859. The next two years (1860-1) she spent in New York and was a pupil of S. B. Mills, who was then reputed to be the best pianist in America. She also, in 1875, studied in New York with William K. Bassford, the famous organ- ist of Madison Avenue Baptist Church. At the same time she took vocal lessons of Sig. Steffanoni. It was
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on one of her trips home during the lessons in 1861 that she was placed in the care of Mr. Scoville and with him had the memorable ride to Norwich. when he came to preach his first sermon.
When she returned from her musical studies she came into the choir of this church. J. H. Gould was then the organist. He remained but a short time and then went to Binghamton, when she was again engaged as organist and continued as such until 1903.
Not long before she was married she had several letters from S. B. Mills urging her to come to New York and take up the piano as a life work, assuring her that she would surely succeed; but she was soon to be married and she thought it would not be right to break the engagement. Who can say she did not do the proper thing !
She also developed a mezzo-soprano voice which she also cultivated as far as she could; and by the time she was 16, she was playing and singing in concerts, both in Norwich and several other towns in the vicinity.
When the new church was opened in June, 1862, the organ set up was not a large one; but it was much larger than she had had much experience with before, but she very soon mastered its excellencies and its defects and made it do royal service for at least fifteen years.
It was war time when the church was dedicated. Rev. Samuel Scoville was pastor. The organist, choir and pastor were for " The Union " first, last and always. Nobody supposed that " The Star Spangled Banner," " Yankee Doodle " and all the rest of the patriotic airs were " Sunday Tunes," but it was as- sumed that they were when the pastor read a telegram from the pulpit announcing a Union victory- taking of Richmond-and the organ roared them forth with every stop pulled out and the pedals " jinin' in " under the nimble feet of the player. She thoroughly
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understood harmony, and it was not long before the choir realized that she was improvising her volun- taries; and from that time to the time that she gave up the leadership of the music in the church, more than 30 years, it was a very rare circumstance that she brought any music for a voluntary; all were impro- visations. I should be very happy if I had them all now in print; but they are past recall now.
The enlargement of the church in 1874 and the forming of a new chorus choir by the chorister, are related in detail in the first history and need not be repeated. In 1874 the need of a piano for use in prayer meetings, Sunday school and in various other uses was seriously felt. An effort to buy one soon took form and it was decided to circulate a subscrip- tion. When there was some difficulty in getting some one or more to circulate it, Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Johnson promptly volunteered and they started at once. It is safe to affirm that no such strenuous com- mittee, nor such a strenuous campaign ever " went for " the Congregationalists. "Did they get it?" Of course they got it, and three months before the church was ready for it; and the same piano is still in use, but is very much worn and has survived its use- fulness for anything beside the most common use. This campaign reminds of the one by Enos and Fen- ton for the first church.
Mrs. Mitchell rounded out 28 years as organist and chorister, when sickness of herself and in her family compelled her to leave the work to others to carry on. She never refused to give her services for concerts, sociables, conventions and all sorts of enter- tainments for the benefit of the church; and for funerals she has many, many times taken the whole or parts of the choir and furnished the music. Several times she has been offered and urged to accept pay for this
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service, but she has always firmly declined the prof- fered remuneration.
It is a very remarkable coincidence that almost the exact counterpart of Mrs. Mitchell's service in the Congregational church, should also occur in the (now) First Baptist Church, just across the West Park. Al- mira H. Thomas, began practice on the piano as the scholar of my sister, Miss Mary John- son, not far from when the present Baptist Church was built. Miss Johnson was then about 15. My father led the choir and his daughter played the organ. She must have taken lessons of Miss Abby Harris, who, I am quite sure, was the first to give piano les- sons in the village. She was the oldest daughter of Dr. Harvey Harris, who lived in the present Harris homestead, North Broad street, corner Rexford. When young Miss Thomas had practiced enough so that she could read music, Miss Johnson taught her to play the organ, so that when she went away to Troy Semi- nary, Almira was left in charge of the organ. Albert C. Latham had come to be chorister in place of Ralph Johnson. My position remained the same-I blew the organ, at least for a while, until from one of Latham's winter singing schools I graduated into the choir.
In 1855, Miss Almira Thomas married Dr. John Penticost, a well known Norwich dentist; but she kept right on playing the organ. Not far from this time Mr. Latham went west and was gone some years, and Albert Cary took the leadership of the choir. In 1856, Mr. Latham returned and formed a partnership with Ralph Johnson, and very soon again became chorister in the Baptist choir. In the meantime Dr. Penticost had died; but Mrs. Penticost was still the organist. November 19, 1862, she married Mr. Latham. She played the organ first when she was 14, she therefore began a little before Mrs. Mitchell; but Mrs. Mitchell was the first to become chorister-the first to suggest
SENIOR CHOIR OF FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, NORWICH, N. Y., 1914.
(Left to right, back row.) C. B. Chapman, E. L. Nash, J. L. Millspaugh, L. H. Burnside, Dwight Gifford, L. M. Donaldson, C. R. Johnson. (Second row, from back.). Miss Edna Nash, Mrs. O. A. Thompson, Miss Marcia F. Stewart, Mrs. W. E. Eaton, Mrs. H. W. Millspaugh, Mrs. M. M. Blakeley. (Third row, from back.) Mrs. C. T. Willis, Miss Bessie Thompson, Mrs. J. H. Whitbeck, Miss Ruth Burnside, Mrs. W. J. McCaw, Mrs. Romer, Mrs. D. E. Johns, Mrs. L. H. Burnside, Mrs. E. L. Nash, T
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it was Mr. Scoville, in 1875. Mrs. Latham retired about a year ago; so she had remained in service about nine years longer than Mrs. Mitchell. During all this long time that Mrs. Latham and Mrs. Mitchell have worked and striven as it were, side by side, I have yet to hear of one thought, word or deed which has mar- red the life-long friendship. And this all in the face of the proverbial jealousy of choirs in general and singers in particular.
Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Johnson, with the pastor, Mr. Upton, were very largely instrumental in install- ing the fine organ which since 1884 has been a joy to all and of great assistance in the services. It is fully described on another page.
Mrs. Mitchell has been for quite a number of years a vice president and chairman in the New York State Music Teachers' Association.
Mrs. Charles B. Chapman took Mrs. Mitchell's place as organist and chorister temporarily, as it was supposed that Mrs. Mitchell would be able to take it up again after a while; but as time went on and it was realized that she would not be able to return, Mrs. Chapman was engaged permanently for the work. She retained the position until about May 1, 1904, when she also was compelled to give it up from illness. Mrs. J. L. Millspaugh was then engaged for the position. She retained it about a year and resigned. The trus- tees, after a good deal of thought and discussion, en- gaged Miss Mary Eugenia Lewis as organist and Mrs. Jessie Nash Stover as chorister and soprano soloist. Mrs. Stover remained two or three years, when she left Norwich permanently: and Miss Lewis assumed both positions, of organist and chorister and continued them until 1912. Mr. Frank P. Hartwell came from Sherburne and he and his wife united with the church. At once Mr. Hartwell became a member of the choir and very soon collected a choir from the boys and girls
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in the church and they sang at the services Sunday evenings; the former choir singing at the morning services. The names given them were the Senior choir and the Junior choir. Now the arrangement has become permanent. Soon after the Junior choir was formed the subject of gowns was broached, I think by the pastor. The idea seemed to appeal to Mr. R. D. Eaton, who volunteered to pay for them; so they were made for both choirs and pastor. They have since been regularly used at both services.
In 1911 Mr. H. W. Millspaugh, a conductor of music and a tenor soloist, from New York city, and his family, took up their residence in town. His brother, J. L. Millspaugh, and his family, had been residents of Norwich for several years and members of the church and of the choir, and Mrs. Millspaugh was, for about a year, organist and chorister, as stated. In the spring of 1913, Mr. H. W. Millspaugh was engaged as chorister. He at once invited into it several singers from the congregation and the processional and reces- sional were introduced and the ceremonial is used at both Sunday services.
THEODORE DE WITT MILLER AND WILLIAM PORTER CHAPMAN.
Theodore Miller came to Norwich in 1830-perhaps a little earlier. Where he came from does not seem to be known. June 18, he bought from Asa Pellett, Sr., the lot on East Main street just west from Mr. Pellett's own house. On this lot, in 1836-7, he built the sub- stantial house which is still standing, No. 123 on that street. In this house his only son, Theodore DeWitt Miller was born May 7, 1837. The family lived in this house until 1840 when Mr. Miller bought the property at Plasterville and moved there. I suppose he built the plaster mill but no one seems to know now. There
JUNIOR CHOIR OF FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, NORWICH, N. Y., 1914.
(Left to right, back row.) Wm. B. Wilbur, Leon Brown, R. Bishop, H. W. Millspaugh, Miss Mary E. Lewis, Geo. L. Graves, Harold Moore, Frank Skillman. (Middle row.) Mildred Gucker, Hidred Powell, Jessie Thayer, Reda Ingram, Martha Little, Marthena Brown, Elizabeth Graves, Bernice Fuller. (Front row.) Elsie Newton, Mildred Fryover, Merle Cheesbro, Bessie
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was also a saw mill and a grist mill; and later Mr. Mil- ler established a store which was quite successful. He brought limestone from Oriskany Falls by boats on the Chenango Canal and ground it into land plaster which he sold to the farmers by the ton. It was considered then to be almost a necessity for grass land, and Mr. Miller sold an enormous amount of it; farmers coming from a radius of fifty miles with teams for it. Mr. Miller was 46 when he began this business. It gave the name to the hamlet. It has since been known as Plas- terville, but there has been no plaster ground there for at least 40 years; but the saw mill and grist mill have been in use most of the time. In February, 1914, they took fire and were wholly burned. The property is owned by Nehemiah H. Brown, son of George Brown, the former owner.
Mr. Miller sold the whole property in 1848 to Hor- ace Hickok and moved back to Norwich, probably to the East Main street house. In 1850, he sold this house to Samuel H. Barnes, and February 4, 1851, he bought from Robert O. Reynolds (who bought it from James Birdsall) the house, now 3 East Park Place, which has since been the home of the family. Mr Miller was born April 30, 1794. He died July 31, 1860, aged 66 years. He was buried in Mt. Hope.
Mr. Theodore Miller attained a good deal of prom- inence in Norwich during the 12 years before his death. He was one of the thirty-nine original stockholders of The Bank of Norwich and one of its first board of directors. He was elected, with S. H. Barnes, a trus- tee of this church, but was never a member. His wife united with the church May 10, 1846. She died April 26, 1877, aged 76 years. She was born in 1801.
Theodore De Witt Miller was the only son of Theo- dore and Emma (Blair) Miller. He was born May 7, 1837. He helped his father in the mills and attended school at Norwich Academy. When The Bank of Nor-
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wich was started he was made teller and held the position for several years. About this time W. P Chapman came to Norwich as a clerk in the store of his cousin, W. H. Chapmaan, and soon " De and Porter " became very good friends. They both attended the Congregational Church, and were both clean young men and attentive to business. A revival came to the church in 1857, under the pastorate of Rev. Hiram Doane. Chapman was converted and joined the church, but Miller did not at that time. In 1860 his father died and " De " had the management of the estate, and from that time until his death he had something to do with the management of the bank. A director 40 years; vice-president, 1873, for ten years. From 1849, for eighteen years he was president-until his death. Somewhere near 1869, or 1870, he bought out the drug stock and business from Hill & Mitchell. The busi- ness was in the corner store at South Broad and East Main streets. Though he knew very little of the drug business, yet he made it a success and continued it until about ten years ago, when he sold it to two of his clerks and he retired from mercantile business.
Soon after the revival of 1857, Miller and Chap- man were elected ushers for the two aisles of the church-Miller for the east and Chapman for the west aisles. After the burning of the church they continued in the Academy, the Close building, " Concert Hall " and into the new Church in 1862. Miller was first elected trustee in 1867. Again in 1872, and every third year thereafter until his death-14 times, making 40 years; and a very large part of that time he was treas- urer of the church. Since the adoption of the envelopes, he had charge of their distribution. Sunday, Septem- ber 18, 1910, a Memorial service was held in the Con- gregational Church for Mr. Miller, at which an address was delivered by Hon. George A. Thomas, a part of which will be quoted here. He begins by relating the
THEODORE DEWITT MILLER.
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story of Curtius, the noble Roman citizen, who threw himself into the chasm to save Rome, drawing the les- son that good citizens are the most valuable product a nation can have; therefore he speaks of Mr. Miller as a citizen. (Mr. Thomas died about a year ago. His address will apply to himself as fully as to Mr. Miller; and to Mr. Chapman also.)
" We of this great nation are beginning to learn the same truth-that the one thing that counts above all others things in nation, in state, in community-and our most precious possessions, is a loyal patriotic, non-self-seeking, honest, citizen. I am to to speak of T. DeWitt .Miller in his relation to Norwich as a com- munity-in other words of T. De Witt Miller the citizen. As a citizen he was conservative, and yet progressive. He heartily entered into all the projects of our com- munity life Some of his work brought him financial gain. Other work brought him only the satisfaction of having done it. T. D. Miller showed himself a good citizen by his diligence, enterprise and stability in fostering and advancing legitimate business enter- prises.
"In early manhood he was elected teller of the lower bank-now the National Bank of Norwich. That was the beginning of his business career in our community. He was faithful to his every duty; and a half century later when he died, he had held for nearly a score of years the position of president of that same bank. Leav- ing the bank he engaged in the drug business. Here he came in contact with every class and condition of people. But he conducted that business in an upright, honest, sincere and helpful way. His influenece broad- ened. The man dominated the business. No one ever spoke of him as the druggist; but as Mr. Miller, the man. The occupation was forgotten in the man. He believed in his town and its future. When the project of supplying our village with wholesome water
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was agitated, he proved his faith by his acts. He put his money, his time and his energies into that quasi publie enterprise, The Norwich Water Work company. He lived to see it a great success and an immeasurable benefit to thousands. He was a trustee and secretary. In his later years the Norwich Pharmaceutical company was started. From the beginning it had a friend in Mr. Miller; and later, and up to the time of his death he was a valued and efficient director and manager of that great business enterprise.
"Had T. D. Miller spent his entire life and given his whole time to these business enterprises the consensus of opinion would have pronounced him a good citizen. But further he was a good citizen by the gratuitous work and time he freely gave to the purely benevolent and eleemosynary enterprises of our community. When the Chenango Valley Home was started the managers in charge called liberally on his time, his business skill and matured judgment. They never called in vain. This benevolence had no more enthusiastic advocate, no more willing worker; and he sealed his devotion with a handsome legacy.
" Another enterprise partly public and entirely be- nevolent so far as any world-gain could ensue, was the creation of the Norwich Cemetery Association. He was an officer from its inception and gave time, thought, and labor to its advancement. Today he sleeps within its confines; but Mt. Hope's added beauty is a fitting monument of the disinterestedness and public spirit of T. D. Miller, citizen.
" He was a good citizen by the attention he bestowed upon local, civic, political, church matters. He was also a good citizen by the many little, thoughtful cour- tesies and graceful kind acts he did for many persons. I haven't time to dwell, but you all know the aged and infirm, the orphan boy or girl, never appealed to him in vain. They love him today for what he did. I must
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speak of one thing though I trespass upon your time. Do you remember how busy his automobile was in 1909 The summer of a year ago? What was he doing ? Rid- ing for pleasure ?- in one sense-but let me tell you when he purchased that automobile he said to himself, " I will give every aged, infirm, shut-in person in Nor- wich, who never had a ride in an auto, and who prob- ably never will, at least one spin this summer, and he did it. Such a shut-in was a passenger in nearly every ride. Do you think they ever forgot it? Go and call upon them today and they will speak of T. D. Miller- not as the banker, the church trustee-the business man-No, but as the kind-hearted citizen who gave them a ride in his automobile; a recollection that will light all the remaining days of their lives and keep his memory more fragrant than daily fresh flowers on his lot in Mt. Hope.
" Just one more thought-T. D. Miller was a good citizen by the simple, matter of course way in which he did what he thought he ought to do. A friend of mine who used to live in Norwich (Albert C. Latham) and was a profoundly religious man and conscientiously observed every duty, once went on a fishing and hunt- ing excursion with T. D. Miller. Night came and they were about to retire at a farm house. The thought came to my friend-how about my evening devotions? Shall I omit them, or whisper them, or what had I better do? Then a slight noise attracted his attention; he turned and looked; on his knees by the side of his bed was T. D. Miller saying his prayers. Said my friend, ' I felt rebuked; but my regard for T. D. Miller went way above par.' I have reached my climax. I will close, leaving in your memory this good man, this citi- zen of Norwich on his knees, saying his prayer like a good, honest, conscientious, well-mothered boy. It is a citizen like that-a citizen like T. D. Miller-which is the most precious thing any community possesses.
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" Lord of himself-and having nothing, yet hath all" William Porter Chapman. We never know " whether shall prosper either this or that, or whether both shall be alike good." Many a man has made good out of very unlikely environment. This thought has been suggested by the lives of the two subjects of this monograph. In the latter part of the first half of the last century, in the little hamlet of North Walton, a son was born to Rev. Charles and Mrs. Elizabeth (Porter) Chapman. Norwich was not interested in the event, but it ought to have been, for that babe was des- tined to fill a very large place in the commercial, relig- ious and social life of that municipality. The boy was named William, from his grandfather, Porter, from his mother, and his third name told what his life work was to be. He was a nephew of Benjamin Chapman, who at that time had been for 25 years, a very well- known and respected merchant in Norwich. This boy was not born to wealth, as was the other boy just writ- ten about, but that did not put any handicap on him, as we shall see. He could not go abroad to get an educa- tion, so the want was in a measure supplied by the public school at home and by the faithful and earnest efforts of his parents who saw to it that his religious nature was fed as well as the mental. To this end they gave him good books to read, the chiefest of which was the Bible. In this way he acquired a good knowledge of his native tongue and a taste for good literature: and all the atmosphere of the home was surcharged with a reverence for and a devotion to what was lovely and of good report. Both of these boys had Christian mothers, but the father of the first was only nominally Christian, although he was a good citizen and stood for good things.
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