USA > New York > Chenango County > Norwich > History of the first one hundred years of the First Congregational Church, Norwich, New York, 1814-1914 > Part 6
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little about it. I have been much surprised to realize that Mr. Enos kept still and went right on doing his church work just the same as usual. This shows an- other and a very commendable side to his nature. I don't know that he ever read Hamlet, but he followed the counsel of Polonius, " Beware of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, bear it that the opposer may beware of thee." He even went as a delegate to several meetings of the Presbytery and carried the church reports and voted on questions of procedure and ful- filled his instruction and his mission; and there is no record that he made any protests nor any efforts to bring about any change in the policy of the church. He had " learned to labor and to wait." As before re- marked, he was an uncompromising Congregationalist, as were several others of more or less prominence in the church; while Abner W. Warner, Mrs. Levy Ray, Charles A. Thorpe, and others also prominent in the church, were as thoroughly Presbyterian. While the policy was " laissez faire," both sides seemed content to let it alone.
The entering wedge which was to start the split came October 12 in the person of Rev. John Sessions, and he came on a call from the whole church, " to be its pastor and teacher." He was as uncompromis ing a Presbyterian as Mr. Enos was a Congregation- alist; still, by consent of the church, he was installed by the Presbytery, which at the same meeting, Feb- ruary 18, 1835, constituted (wonder of wonders!) a Session (whether because that was the pastor's name, I am not informed; they did it just he same) and the church became fully Presbyterian.
Mr. Sessions had been acting pastor of the church since October 12, and undoubtedly his strong person- ality and easy address had had much to do with keep- ing those quiet who would naturally oppose such a change of polity.
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At this time we greatly miss the voluminous records by Mr. Sessions, which would no doubt, contain a full account of all the proceedings. He was in many respects a remarkable man and probably greatly excelled as a preacher all previous pastors of the church. (Ser. 1, p. 59.) He was a rigid disciplin- arian and very careful and painstaking as to the records of all transactions of the church.
David Buttolph, who was not a member of the church at the time, was elected clerk July 15, 1816, when the Society was incorporated. He procured a blank book and every year he recorded the election of two trustees until July 9, 1845. This last election record is in Mr. Buttolph's own hand, but he did not sign his name to it. It is his last entry. After this a new secretary was elected at nearly every annual meeting. John F. Dean was elected at the meeting which called Rev. Daniel Clark to be pastor December 8, 1847. Judge Lewis Kingsley was elected March 2, 1857, and held the office until June 4, 1869, but possibly some longer. His last entry is at that date.
Who was church clerk all the years since June 19, 1814, nobody knows; nor is it known whether there was any church clerk, as such, until Mr. Sessions came and took up the work himself. He was a beautiful penman and all his pen work was almost as easily read as print. He found a very few records on slips of paper-nothing more and the church was 20 years old. He very soon set about the task of making a continuous record from the organization of the church to his pastorate by asking questions of everyone who could remember any- thing about it. Several of the constituent members, including Mr. Enos, were then alive and had continued their membership; and many younger people who had come into the church; and many not members; he gave them all a chance to tell him what they knew about the the church, of all of which he made copious notes.
REV. JOHN SESSIONS. The Fifth Pastor of First Congregational Church, Nor- wich, N. Y., 1834-1842.
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Then he bought two blank books, one for a list of mem- berships and children baptized; the other for minutes of business transacted of whatever nature. This latter book will be mentioned later.
As time went on, Mr. Enos realized that he could not be in sympathy with the existent order of things in the church. What special occurence brought this about, I do not know, nor whether it was Mr. Enos or some- one else who " kicked;" but someone did, or something happened and the explosion came. Mr. Enos was the most pronounced opponent of the new order and there- fore of Mr. Sessions as the instigator of it all. Others were very much opposed to it, but they would possibly have gone on quietly rather than stir up a quarrel. Mr. Enos was very much aroused and like Banquo's Ghost, would not down. He opposed it with all the strength of his nature; he " cried aloud and spared not."
When the explosion came I cannot tell, but I suppose about 1837-9. I have no doubt that Mr. Enos, in a way, looked upon the church as his child. He had sacrificed for it in many ways. He had brought her up and now she had rebelled against him, and he could not have it so. He was very bitter, saying many hard and unchristian things about the pastor and those who upheld him in his course. Those were the days of church trials, but there will, probably, never be another, for this generation has found out that there is a better way. Denominationalism has ceased to be a " causus belli," and Christ's law of love has been found to be an infinitely better way to settle all disputes. Peter said: " Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?"-the Hebrew's perfect number. The answer came with startling distinctness: " I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven!"-carrying the thought to infinity -to the very " heart of the Eternal, which is wonder- fully kind." We are just beginning to see the dawning
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of the day, when the full meaning of this marvelous truth will dominate the minds and hearts of men. At the time of which we write they did not even know what it meant; so a church trial was the only recourse. The pastor was the moderator and judge. He made minute records of all the proceedings and transcribed them in the book in beautiful chirography, there to remain until some adventitious circumstance should erase them forever, which should have been done with them before they were ever " writ in the book." Mr. Enos was the defendant and of course he lost the case. He was made the " scapegoat" of the whole unfortunate action; but he did not retract one iota. It lasted, as I suppose, several weeks. Just what the verdict was I do not know; nor do I know what the specific charge was; but it was against Mr. Enos. He and his wife were given letters of dismissal, addressed to any Congregational Church, dated February 24, 1840. Mr. Sessions re- mained but two years longer and went away rather under a cloud. He had been pastor longer than any preceding one-nearly eight years, and the church had prospered greatly in spite of the feeling against him held by some of the members. The letters given Mr. and Mrs. Enos showed that the church did not question their Christian character; and it may be presumed that the pastor and his friends thought it the best way out of an embarrassing situation. Mr. and Mrs. Enos drove to Sherburne, presented their letters and were gladly received into The Congregational Church. Reg- ularly, Sunday mornings, it was said ,they drove to Sherburne, rain or shine, and worshipped; returning to their home in Norwich at the close of service.
JOHN HAMMOND (2d.)
He was born September 6, 1804, in Newport, R. I. His parents were Benjamin and Sarah Hammond. Benjamin was born in 1771-his wife in 1770. They
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came from Newport to Pharsalia, Chenango Co., N. Y., in September 1809, with five children. John (1st), brother of Benjamin, came at the same time with his wife, Frelove, and three children. The two brothers bought forty-seven acres of land; John owning thirteen acres and Benjamin thirty-four, for which they paid six dollars an acre. They could then have bought land on the flats, at Norwich, for two dollars and fifty cents per acre; but like many emigrants of that day, they were fearful of "fever 'n agur," so they went to higher and poorer locations. These acres lie about seven miles north of East Pharsalia (" Pharsalia Hook") and in 1880 were owned by John Brooks. They built a house which Benjamin and his wife carried on and John and his family lived with them. Not many people in our day would extract much comfort from those conditions with eight children to look after.
Benjamin remained in East Pharsalia until 1850, when he and his wife moved to Norwich and lived with his son, John (2d.) His wife, Sarah, died February 3, 1857, aged 84; and he, January 7, 1858, aged 87. They both brought letters from the Congregational Church at East Pharsalia, and joined this church in 1855. At that time John Hammond (2d) was the only one of their five children living.
John (1st) and family evidently had moved into the town of Lincklaen before 1827, for on February 7, that year, he with his wife, Frelove, and his daughter, Penelope Remington Hammond, were of the fourteen persons-eight males and six females, who were the constituent members of the First Congregational Church of Lincklaen. The tract on which this church stands was later set off to Pitcher, now known as North Pitcher. On February 24, 1854, the name of the church was changed to Congregational Church of North Pitcher.
September 23, 1839, these three persons joined the
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First Congregational Church of Norwich, probably from the Lincklaen Church. They were given letters February 11, 1842, addressed " to any sister church." Our record says that the father died in Livingston Co., N. Y., and the daughter in Norwich, giving no dates, and saying nothing of the mother.
John Hammond, son of Benjamin, and subject of this sketch, arrived in Pharsalia near his fifth birthday. His parents, like most New Englanders, were very anxious that their children should have all the educa- tion that their limited means afforded; therefore we are not surprised to read in a short sketch of his life, found among his papers: " I was kept in school until I was 14 years of age." Then came the choosing a vocation. Leather manufacture and manipulation was a work always in demand, and this seemed to promise the best results; and no doubt the boy had shown interest in it. Perhaps, also, it was the best trade he could learn and remain at home. He " was apprenticed to a tanner and currier and shoemaker. When my time was up, I worked as a journeyman for several years; first in Oxford; then in Rochester; but most of the time for 14 years for one man."
At the age of 27 he married Miss Elizabeth Owen, at Dryden, Tompkins Co., N. Y., June 12, 1931. From that time for 16 years " I worked at my trade in the winters and in the summers at farming."
Mr. Hammond and his wife soon united with the First Congregational Church of Pharsalia, which was organized October 25, 1814, with ten members-five males and five females. About this time that church began to dwindle away; and it was proposed to organize a church at East Phadsalia. Mr. Hammond was very active in this church. A meeting was called and twelve persons applied for membership-Mr. and Mrs. Ham- mond, Mr. and Mrs. Levi Carruth, who in 1834 united with the church at Norwich, were among the number.
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They organized as " The First Presbyterian Society of East Pharsalia," August 6, 1838. Rev. Hiram Dyer officiated at the organization. Mr. Dyer was the clergy- man who was engaged to conduct the services in the Academy, by the seceding members from the Norwich Church in 1859. Mr. Hammond took at once a prom- inent part in the new church. Levi Carruth, John Twitchel and John Hammond were appointed elders and were ordained by the laying on of hands.
It was soon decided to build a meeting house. Mr. Hammond was elected a trustee with Levi Carruth and Jonathan Allen, and now was placed on the building committee. He was a man of a good deal of force of character and quite naturally, though not offensively, took the lead in whatever was done. He not only gave his time but he gave contributions of money. He was like Mr. Enos in that he always made things go when- ever he started on any project. Therefore, without any unnecessary delay, the building was made ready for use. Mr. Hammond was superintendent of the Sunday school for a while and leader of the choir. He says he " never sought office, but was elected School In- spector, School Commissioner, and Assessor in the town in which he lived."
In October, 1847, he moved to Norwich and soon made an engagement with Henry W. Chamberlin as foreman in his leather and boot and shoe business, which he was carrying on in the old Stone Block, now 184 South Broad Street. March 13, 1849, Mr. and Mrs. Hammond united with the First Congregational Church by letters from East Pharsalia. Mr. Ham- mond's from the Congregational and Mrs. Hammond's from the Presbyterian church. Mr. Chamberlin died May 1, 1850, aged 31. Mr. Hammond was made executor and carried on the business for the estate, until that was settled; then, in 1851 he bought the stock and busi- ness and continued in the same store in his own name.
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Later he bought the store and remained in the business until about 1870, when he closed it out and did not engage further in any business.
Soon after he came to Norwich, he bought a few acres of land at the foot of the hill, on the north side of Pleasant Street and made his home there while he remained in Norwich. He had not been in the Norwich church long before his capabilities became evident. July 29, 1850, he was elected a trustee. Was re-elected in 1853, again in 1856, 1858, 1870, 1873, 1876-21 years. He was treasurer of the society for most of the time for 30 years, and was treasurer of the Benevolent Funds of the church for many years. He was treasurer, also, of Chenango Co. Bible Society fully 20 years -- until his death. His wife, Elizabeth (Owen) Ham- mond, died in the Norwich home, August 6, 1887, aged nearly 77 years In 1889 or 1890, being entirely alone -his only child, Mary Elizabeth, having died several years before-he decided to live with his niece in Greene. This he brought about and remained there until he died, August 15, 1895, aged nearly 91. He was buried in Mt. Hope.
There is no record of Mr. Hammond's election as clerk of the church, but it must have been not far from 1852. Who had been clerk following Mr. Sessions, no- body knows; nor whether it was one person or more than one, before it came to Mr. Hammond. When he was elected, the record books were turned over to him. These were the two books which had been prepared with so much care by Mr. Sessions,-the list of mem- bers and the book of records. Mr. Hammond was an ideal church clerk and he carried out Mr. Session's plans and ideas as nearly as his limited training would. allow. He wrote a very plain, even, perpendicular hand and was very methodical and careful in all his entries. He was somewhat redundant in style, but whatever he wrote was interesting and was usually
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just what ought to be said. While he was in the church he prepared many papers and reports, and these always stated clearly the object for which they were given; and when he read them he made them perfectly under- stood.
Somewhere about 1855, the book of valuable records, gathered and engrossed by Mr. Sessions, mentioned above, suddenly disappeared and to this time (1914) no definite information about it has come to light. In this book were the only records of all the past doings of the church, together with the detailed minutes of the trial of Mr. Enos. The latter were of no value whatever, except to some small-minded hunter for gossip, and the book was, and would be seen by only a very few, because it would be always in the custody of the church clerk. Mr. Hammond kept it in his desk at the store-one of the old style high desks with a cover on top which could be raised. Mr. Enos and Mr. Ham- mond became very friendly, and Mr. Enos was in the store very often. They had both been tanners and curriers and were undoubtedly well acquainted before Mr. Hammond came to Norwich. Mr. Enos, of course, knew that the book was kept in the desk. He had probably seen Mr. Hammond take it out and make entries in it many times. One day Mr. Hammond wanted to use the book, but it was not there, and it could not be found. It had disappeared as effectually as though sunk in the sea. Mr. Hammond thought it all over a great many times and came to the conclusion that Mr. Enos came in the store when no one was there and had quietly taken it and gone out. It is not at all improbable that he had been planning the capture for a long time and had been waiting patiently for the right moment to come. " All things come to him who waits " is an old truism. As he was in the store so often, he would not attract attention. Whether he took it or not, it was gone, and with it the priceless records
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of the church. Had he torn out the leaves on which his trial was recorded, it would have been no loss, for they were worthless to any one but him; but he knew that Mr. Sessions made the book, and that was enough for him. During the preparation of the former history, I had several talks with Mr. Hammond about it. His version was that Mr. Enos took the book and burned it. That was all I could get him to say. It may have been all he could say, I don't know. I have talked with a good many people and have read every book or other printed matter I could get in which was any scrap of history of the first 75 years of Norwich and of this church, trying to supply the place of that book, but that. is not the church record and it cannot be.
We must not blame too harshly the aged saint. Many who are now universally named Saint, were, by 20th Century standards, guilty of much grosser deeds than the stealing and burning of this book, however precious it may have been to this church and which they did not repent of; and which, in the age in which they lived, were not accounted as sins which needed to be repented of. Father Enos undoubtedly had not the slightest reverence for the book. He thought of it simply as a book, written by Mr. Sessions, a man whom he looked upon as a persecutor who had written a lot of stuff about him which was not christian, to say the least, in the book to injure him. If that was true, he thought if he could destroy it, it would rid the world of so much scandal, and himself of very much annoyance. It attacked him in his most cherished relations, those of the church which he so devotedly loved. These and kindred thoughts raised in him such a feeling of resent- ment that it overtopped every consideration of intrin- sic value in, or reverence for the book as a church record which could not be replaced; and though he was through and through a Christian, he did not know nor realize that it was a sin to thus put it out of existence.
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It was to him what the Christians were to the church of the dark ages-" He who killed them thought he was doing God service;" and from his point of view, I have no doubt, that he took as much satisfaction in seeing the flames devour this book as the Christians did the books of magic used by Simon Magus. So let us not too harshly censure the Grand Old Man and thank God that we are living in a more enlightened time and understand better the ethical value of our deeds.
Mr. Hammond was always faithful and loyal to his church. He was always at prayer meetings and always took some part in them. When any repairs were to be made or new buildings constructed, he was almost sure to be on the committee and he never failed to see that the work was done properly; and he rendered an account of every cent of cost.
Mr. Hammond was never a deacon in this church, although he was often spoken of as " Deacon Ham- mond." However, he was made a member of the Prudential Committee when the roll was revised in the latter part of Mr. Scoville's pastorate; and his good memory was of great service and his judgment was always sound. He was strongly in sympathy with the Congregational polity. He could plainly see that the majority of the church were of that belief and that it would be wrong not to return to that form. He was not so demonstrative as Mr. Enos, and he did not make much noise over the matter; but his records plainly show how elated he was over the change.
William T. Gregg was made a delegate to Presby- tery. He carried the record book to have it approved and signed by the Moderator, Rev. H. Callahan, which was done January 11, 1860, at Oxford. This was the last time that was done. For what reason does not appear, but Mr. Hammond's entries in the book end at this point. No further entries were made that year, except two by Dr. Daniel Bellows regarding benev-
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olencies, and the election of Charles P. Browning, dele- gate to Presbytery for 1861. June 29, Mr. Hammond resigned and B. Gage Berry was elected church clerk. The first entry by him was a set of resolutions, dated February 1, passed by the church, withdrawing from the Presbytery; but assuring that body of sentiments of kindly regard on the part of this church. At this meeting Judge Lewis Kingsley reported a growing sen- timent on the part of Congregational Churches in this vicinity, for the formation of an Association. A favor- able vote was taken and Judge Kingsley was made a committee to take means to aid the formation of such a body. This, later, brought about the formation of the O. C. D. Association. Mr. Berry's next entry was: " June 17-Work commenced this day on the new church." Beginning his entry of June 29, Mr. Berry writes: " This being the day for the regular church meeting," (whatever that may mean) " the church met at 1 o'clock P. M. Devotional exercises were con- ducted by Rev. Samuel Scoville, who now occupies the desk as pastor." Mr. Berry was a practicing lawyer, and himself and Judge Kingsley were editors and pro- prietors of the Chenango Telegraph. As stated, this was the last entry made by Mr. Berry. Some of the most important events in the history of the church occurred, but not a word of record of them-except his own election. James McCaw was elected Deacon July 13, in place of Deacon Samuel W. Williams, who was suspended, but Mr. Berry could not find time( or dis- position) to record the events. Neither the coming of Rev. Samuel Scoville and the opening of that remark- able pastorate; nor the building of the new church and its dedication; as well as many minor events relating to memberships and removals-every bit of records, which ought to have been written in the book, were no- where to be found. Mr. Berry was a fairly good editor, but he was a flat failure as a church clerk. He held the
C. R. JOHNSON.
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office for six years and a half when the church again elected Mr. Hammond church clerk and treasurer, and he at once began filling in the record. He found it a very difficult thing to do; he, however, filled several pages, but the events do not follow each other in order. Evidently he put them down as they happened to come to his mind. And yet he forgot about Mr. Scoville's coming and the building of the church, and its dedica- tion. He held the office until 1873, when he again re- signed. Why he resigned in 1861 is not told; and the same is true of this one. Deacon William D. Porter was elected in his stead; but there is no mention made of it in the records. Evidently he was not elected until near January 1, 1874. He then tried, as Mr. Hammond did, but with very little success, to fill in the omissions. He was a railroad man, and out of town a good deal, so he had to get his details from the pastor and others. As a result the records were incomplete and unsatis- factory, which was a great annoyance to Mr. Scoville, who finally resolved to make a change. He mentioned the matter to Mr. C. R. Johnson, desiring him to take the office. He was not willing to take it. The pastor became very urgent. Mr. Johnson had helped him on a new hymnal which was to take the place of Plymouth Collection. Mr. Scoville was to select the hymns and General Horatio C. King of Plymouth Church, was to edit the tunes and Mr. Beecher was to go over it and make such changes as he desired before publication. The Beecher trial came on, which put an end to the project; but Mr. Scoville thought he had, out of it, dis- covered a church clerk. Without further argument with Mr. Johnson, he decided on a veritable coup d'etat. Saturday afternoon, September 30, 1876, was held the regular preparatory lecture in the lecture room of the church. After the lecture, he said that he had an item of business to bring before the meeting. He then read the resignation of Deacon W. D. Porter as church clerk.
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