USA > Vermont > Orange County > Bradford > A history of Bradford, Vermont : containing some account of the place of its first settlement in 1765, and the principal improvements made, and events which have occurred down to 1874--a period of one hundred and nine years. With various genealogical records, and biographical sketches of families and individuals, some deceased, and others still living > Part 5
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THE PRESENT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
in Bradford was organized June 24, 1810, by the counsel and assistance of Rev. Stephen Fuller, pastor of the church in Vershire. The new church at first consisted of but seven members, two men and five women. For over five years they were without a regular pastor; though not without preaching, for much of that time. Rev. Silas Mc- Keen, their first pastor, commenced his ministry here Ju- ly 25, 1814, on the second Sabbath after having received license to preach; and October 28, 1815, received ordin-
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ation, and was duly constituted pastor. After the lapse of twelve years of various success and discouragement, for want of competent support, he asked for a release from his pastoral charge ; and by act of council, October 29, 1827, received a regular dismission. While preparing his farewell sermon he was unexpectedly invited to an- other field of ministerial labor. He had but fairly com- menced his ministerial work there before he received a pressing call from his Bradford people to return to them, as they had found themselves better able and more strong- ly united than they were previously aware of, and in the meantime had made what they hoped would be satisfac- tory arrangements in regard to his permanent support. To this truly warm-hearted invitation he gave a cordial reception, and January 17, 1828, was again regularly con- stituted their pastor, after an absence of a few weeks ; and a season of precious refreshing from the Divine Presence immediately ensued; and the church was most happily increased in numbers and strength.
In the Autumn of 1832 Mr. McKeen, without the least previous consultation or notice, having been called to the pastorate of the First Congregational church in Belfast, Maine, by consent of the church in Bradford the matter was referred to the consideration of an Ecclesiastical Council, who advised that he should accept the call, which having been once declined, had been urgently renewed; and accordingly he was again released from his pastoral charge, December 31, 1832.
Rev. George W. Campbell, subsequently pastor of the Congregational church in Newbury, then preached here as a stated supply, and was highly esteemed.
Rev. John Suddard was the next preacher. He was an Englishmen, had been a minister in the Episcopal church, though at this time a Congregationalist. After leaving here, it is understood he returned again to his first love.
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During the last year of Mr. Suddard's ministry here, in 1836, the first meeting-house of this society, which stood on the upper plain, near the Peters' place, and had been occupied for forty years, was taken down ; and the frame, new modeled, was used in building the present Congre- gational meeting-house, which stands in a very pleasant part of the village. This house was dedicated to the ser- vice of God in January, 1837. The sermon on the occa- sion was by Rev. Sherman Kellogg, an Evangelist, of Montpelier; who, in connection with that service, held a Protracted Meeting of some thirteen or fourteen days con- tinuance, which resulted in the addition to the church of about forty new members.
The next minister was the Rev. Cephas H. Kent, a . graduate of Middlebury College, who had received his theological education at Andover, and had for a time been pastor of the Congregational church in Freeport, Maine. He was installed December 27, 1837, and continued pas- tor till December 15, 1841 ; when, on account of some dif- ficulties which had arisen, he received, by his own re- quest, a regular dismission ; being recommended by the Council as an able and faithful minister of the Gospel. He has been for some twelve or thirteen years officiating as pastor in Ripton, Vt., where, at this writing, he still re- sides, enjoying the esteem of his people, and much blessed in his own pious wife and children.
The church and people at Bradford being thus left in a somewhat distracted and trying condition, with great unanimity extended to their first pastor a call to return to them again, which he accepted. He re-commenced his ministry here on the first Sabbath in March, 1842, and on the 25th of May following, was re-installed pastor ; sermon on the occasion by Rev. Dr. Lord, of Dartmouth College ; and in connection with a well united church and people, amid many evidences of the divine favor, so continued for a little over twenty-four years more ; when, having,
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from his own impression of expediency, asked for a final release from his pastoral labors, with the kindest feelings on both sides still existing, he preached his farewell ser- mon July 29, 1866 ; though his regular dismission, by act of Council, did not occur till the 21st day of November following. His whole period of active ministry here was forty-two years and about eight months, during which time three hundred and forty-two members were add- ed to the church, which consisted of eleven when it first came under his pastoral care.
After the close of Rev. Mr. McKeen's ministry in Brad- ford, several of his friends, in remembrance of the past, and still wishing him to reside among them, presented him and his wife with a life lease, free from rent, of a pleas- ant homestead, near the Congregational church, at an ex- pense of about $2,600. An example truly worthy of the imitation of other people, in like circumstances. This house, though newly worked over, both within and with- out, is the same which he first occupied in Bradford, and in which-all his children were born, and the wife of his youth died.
The next pastor of this church was Mr. John K. Wil- liams, then recently from the Theological Seminary at An- dover. In him, the first and only candidate in this in -. stance, the church and people were immediately united, and with the prospect of a comfortable support, and a fair field of usefulness, he was ordained to the pastoral service here, November 22, 1866.
Rev. Mr. Williams' salary was $1,000 a year, including the use of the parsonage, which was reckoned as paying $150 of that sum. The people, in addition to this, were very kind to him and his family. During the first year of his ministry an interesting revival of religion was enjoyed, and peace and ordinary prosperity continued up to the time of his resignation, after a ministry here of six years. He was regularly dismissed, by act of Council, with cor-
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dial recommendation, October 22, 1872, when he removed directly to West Rutland, Vt.
The whole number of members who have ever belonged to this church from its first organization, June 24, 1810, to July 6, 1874, has been five hundred and thirty, seven of whom the second time, to be deducted, leaving five hundred and twenty-three different members.
It may perhaps as well be mentioned here as elsewhere, that several valuable donations have from time been made to this church and society by friends resident in the place. Captain William Trotter presented the church with a Communion Service, the plates of Britannia, but the tank- ard and goblets of solid silver.
Mr. Timothy Aver bequeathed money sufficient to pur- chase a desirable parsonage, and a bell for the meeting- house.
Mr. Johnson A. Hardy gave a valuable church clock.
Mr. Nicholas W. Ayer bequeathed in his last will, one thousand dollars to the society ; the interest to be appro- priated to the support of preaching.
Mrs. Betsey S. Ayer, his widow, gave, in like manner to the church five hundred dollars, the interest to be ap- propriated in the same way.
The Rev. L. H. Elliot immediately succeeded Rev. Mr. Williams, and without installation, has continued, to the time of the present writing, to minister here to the gen- eral satisfaction of his people. For some further informa- tion concerning the two ministers last mentioned, see the appended biographical sketches of them and their families:
REV. JOHN K. WILLIAMS AND FAMILY.
Rev. J. K. Williams was a native of Charlotte, Vt., born February 2, 1835; a son of Mr. William R. and Mrs. Alice (Adams) Williams, worthy inhabitants of that place. , His minority was chiefly spent with his father, in agricul- tural occupations ; but having a strong desire to obtain a
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liberal education he so managed that he was enabled to enter college in the twenty-second year of his age. Af- ter graduation, he taught for one year in Castleton Sem- inary, and then complied with a request to engage as a tutor in Middlebury College, where he had graduated, and there officiated in that capacity for two years. He then, with strong desire to become prepared for the gospel ministry, entered the Theological Seminary at Auburn, N. Y., where he remained for one year, and then went in- to the like institution at Andover, Mass., where he finished his preparatory studies. On leaving that institution he preached for a few Sabbaths in Townshend, Mass., and re- ceived a call from the Congregational church and society there to become their pastor. While that was under con- sideration Mr. Williams, by request, visited Bradford, Vt., where he was very cordially received, and within a short time unanimously invited to the pastoral charge of the church and society ; then destitute by reason of the re- cent resignation of Rev. Dr. McKeen, their former pas- tor. This call Mr. Willians concluded to accept ; and the formal dismission of the retiring pastor and the ordination of his successor were performed by the same mutual Council, November 21 and 22, 1866. In this position Mr. Williams remained for six years, enjoying in a high de- gree the esteem and love of his people; during which time eighty-nine members were added to the church. Towards the close of that period, his health having in some measure failed, he requested a permanent release from his pastoral labors, to which his people reluctantly consented ; and by an Ecclesiastical Council, called for that purpose, he was, November -, 1872, regularly dis- missed, and highly recommended to the churches, and the public, as a minister who had been tried and found faith- ful. He directly received an invitation from the Congre- gational church in West Rutland, then destitute, to come to them and officiate in the ministry as he should be able
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where, with improving health, and much to the satisfac- tion of that people, he has been actively employed for now more than a year and a half since his commencement there.
Mrs. Williams, a very estimable Christian lady, was a na- tive of Castleton, Vt., born December 28, 1841 Her maiden name was Ann Eliza Denison, a daughter of Ed- ward H. and Sarah A. Denison, his wife, worthy citizens of that place. She received her education mainly at Cas- tleton Seminary ; taught in Middlebury Seminary for La- dies two years ; also on Long Island, and in Pennsylvania, for different periods ; and was married to Rev. J. K. Wil- - liams, September 25, 1866, a short time before his settle- ment in the parsonage at Bradford. They have been blessed with four bright and promising children ; the first three born at Bradford, and their youngest child at West Rutland, namely :
Charles Adams Williams was born - - May 28, 1867. Edward Denison Williams was born - Sept. 15, 1868. Alice Elizabeth Williams was born - - Dec. 27, 1870. Sarah McKeen Williams was born - - Nov. 25, 1873.
REV. L. H. ELLIOTT. 1
Lester Hall Elliott, son of Dea. Ezra and Eliza (Hall) Elliott, was born in Croyden, N. H., August 1, 1835. In the winter of 1840-41, his parents removed to Jericho, Vt., where he spent his youth upon the farm. Being anxious to obtain a good education, he fitted for college, in part, at Essex, under the tuition of the late Rev. A. T. Deming, and finished his preparation at Johnson, under Rev. M. T. Parmalee, subsequently a missionary in East- ern Turkey. In the summer of 1857, he entered the Uni- versity of Vermont, at Burlington, where he was graduat- ed in August, 1861. Having been led to consecrate him- self to the Redeemer's service, on leaving college he commenced his theological studies, within a few weeks,
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at the Union Seminary, New York City, where he com- pleted the regular course, in June, 1864. He had been licensed to preach, on the 6th of April, of the same year, by the Brooklyn Congregational Association. For one year from the following September, he officiated as acting pastor of the Congregational church at Colchester, Vt. In October, 1865, he commenced his ministerial work - at Winooski, where he was ordained, and installed pastor, May 2, 1866.
On the 2d of October, of the same year, he married Lois M. Tolman, of Greensboro, Vt., who died February 6, 1871. Worn out by anxious watchings, and weighed down by sorrow at the loss not only of his wife, but two children, his health had so failed that rest seemed abso- lutely demanded, and, at his request, he was by act of Council, with due recommendation, released from his pas- toral charge at Winooski, January 30, 1872. He spent the subsequent summer at his old home, and at the sea shore, in Massachusetts ; occasionally supplying destitute churches.
On the 15th day of December, 1872, Rev. Mr. Elliott, by invitation, preached for the first time in Bradford; the pulpit having been recently left vacant by the resig- nation, and regular dismissal, of the late beloved pastor, Rev. J. K. Williams, on account of a partial failure of his health. The Congregational church and society became directly so much interested in the services of Mr. Elliott, that he was engaged as acting pastor for one year from January 1, 1873 ; and, at the expiration of that period, the engagement was renewed for another year, now in progress.
With the beginning of this year, a series of Union Prayer Meetings, of the Congregational and Methodist ministers and people, was commenced and held with great interest, evening after evening, for some eight or ten weeks, and attended by manifest evidences of the gracious presence
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and special blessings of the prayer-hearing God. The churches have been refreshed, and numbers brought, through grace, to rejoice in the great salvation. During Rev. Mr. Elliott's ministry, from June 1, 1874, to July 6, 1874, six members have been added to the church by letter, and twenty by profession.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN BRAD- FORD.
For whatever information I may be able to give in re- gard to the early history of the Methodist church and its ministry here, I am chiefly indebted to communications, received several years ago, from Rev. N. W. Aspinwall, then stationed at Lyndon, and Rev. Laban Clark, at that time of Middletown, Conn., both Methodist ministers of distinction, both, also, long residents of Bradford, and well acquainted with the rise and early progress of their de- nomination here. These worthy men have both deceased within a few years past. Mr. Clark's letter was, I think, obtained by Mr. Aspinwall, expressly for my use, and by him forwarded to me. It was dated March 23, 1860.
Mr. Clark wrote : " I am not only the oldest living mem- ber of the first class formed in Bradford, but was intimate- ly associated with the introduction of Methodism in the Vermont and New Hampshire Conferences.
" Your first inquiry relates to the Peckett family. Mr. Giles Peckett and Bryant Kay, with their families, emi- grated from England, and landed at Portsmouth, N. H., about 1774, and settled at North Haverhill, N. H. From thence they removed to Bradford, Vt., then called More- town, in 1779 or 1780. Mr. Peckett had two children by a former wife, namely : James and Edward; and four by his last : John, Margaret, William A. and Ellen-all but Ellen born in England. Messrs. Peckett and Kay, and their wives, were members of à Methodist society in En- gland ; and Mrs. Peckett, before her marriage, was for
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three years Mr. Wesley's housekeeper, and band-mate with Mary Bosenquet. Her maiden name was Margaret Appleton." Mr. C. wrote Mary, but the Peckett de- scendants have it as above. "The country being new, Mr. Peckett opened his house for religious meetings of any Christians, ministers or people, that loved the Savior, regardless of their denomination. But he remained stead- fast in the doctrine as taught by Mr. Wesley, and died triumphantly in the faith, though he did not live to see a Methodist preacher in America. Mrs. Giles Peckett was a woman of superior talent, a well-informed, lively Chris- tian. I loved her from my boyhood. Their dwelling was on what has since been called the Lower Plain.
" In 1796, Nicholas Sneathen, at the solicitation of John Langdon, of Vershire, was appointed to form a Circuit in Vermont, and came to Bradford, in July, 1797, and preach- ed once, at Mrs. Peckett's, which was the first Methodist sermon ever preached in that town. Rev. Ralph Willis- ton was his successor on the Vershire circuit, and in the summer of 1798 preached once in Bradford. I was away from home, and, hearing of his appointment, started for home, with intention of hearing his sermon, which he closed just as I arrived at the place ! but I heard him sing a hymn, and pray, and my mind was favorably impressed.
I afterwards went to Vershire, fifteen miles, on a Sab- bath morning, to hear him; where I received my first deep conviction of sin, and resolved on seeking my soul's salvation. With an anxious, troubled heart, I tried to feel my way, amidst gross darkness, but could see no light. . The November following, Joseph Crawford came to Mrs. Peckett's, and preached, on 'Come, for all things are now ready ;' and while he showed that the provision of the gospel made for our salvation is full and free, and that we must come by faith, as helpless sinners, without waiting till we are any better, a flood of light broke in upon my darkness, and I then first saw how a sinner
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could be saved by grace. Brother Crawford continued his appointments, once in two weeks, through the winter, with success ; and formed the first class in Bradford, con- sisting of five members, namely : Margaret Peckett, Wm. A. Peckett, Laban Clark, Joseph Clark, and Elizabeth Warren. A few weeks later, Samuel Aspinwall, Mrs. Jo- seph Olmstead, and her two daughters, Sophia and Sarep- ta, joined the class ; also, Bryant Kay and wife, although living at the distance of twelve miles, had their names attached to our class.
" In 1779, Joseph Crawford was returned to our cir- cuit, with Elijah Chichester. Brother Crawford formed the first Methodist society in Bradford, which gradually increased, so that before he left, in 1800, we had about thirty members. All of Mother Peckett's children be- came members, and she lived to see them all rejoicing in a free salvation, and in the hope of eternal life. It may not be amiss to remark, here, that Bryant Kay's daughter married Stephen Morse, of North Haverhill, who was fa- ther of the late Bryant Morse, a Methodist minister ; and I think other members of his family became Methodists.
" Mrs. Margaret Appleton Peckett died in Bradford, in the spring of 1802, strong in faith, giving glory to God, and leaving our little society united in heart and mind, enjoying communion with God, and fellowship with each other." Thus pleasantly ends the narrative of Rev. La- ban Clark.
For some fifteen or twenty years longer, the public worship of this denomination was chiefly at the school house, near where the Pecketts had lived. In those days, probably, no other man did so much to promote the cause as Joseph Clark, a local preacher, of very limited educa- tion, but of an excellent spirit. His first wife, whose maiden name was Fanny Aspinwall, and his second, Su- san Bond, were both excellent Christian women, and heartily devoted to the Redeemer's service. The little
-
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church gradually increased in numbers and influence, un- til a plain, but comfortable, meeting house, in 1832, was built, in the same locality, but considerably nearer the village. This house was occupied for public worship for about sixteen or seventeen years, when, the society hav- ing considerably increased, objection was made, by not a few, to its location, and then it was owned in part by the Universalists, who had helped to build it, and had a stip- ulated right to occupy it with preaching of their own sort a certain portion of the time. After due consideration, it was determined to sell that house, by no means an old one, and to build a new and more commodious one in the village. The new house was built in the year 1849, in a desirable location, nearly opposite to the Congregational house, on the East side of Main street. Their first house of worship was sold, and, in the spring of 1851, taken down and rebuilt in the village, where it has since been occupied for mechanical purposes of different sorts. In the course of a few years, the new meeting house was proved to be too small; and in the autumn of 1849, while Rev. H. P. Cushing was pastor, it was sawn asunder, the section most remote from the street moved back several feet, and the vacancy filled by about twenty new slips ; since which it seems to have been sufficiently capacious. The next year the General Conference of Vermont was held in it.
The growth of this church, like that of the Congrega- tionalists, has been slow, but healthy. Both have been, the present year, 1874, blessed with a season of refresh- ing from the presence of the Lord, and increased by the addition of several new members. The continued and best efforts, and combined influence, of both these church- es are needed in this community. The present number of members in this church is understood to be about nine- ty, with a class of twenty-five awaiting admission.
According to Rev. N. W. Aspinwall's letter, above men-
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tioned, the preachers who supplied the society in Brad- ford until 1834 were appointed to what was called the Vershire or Newbury circuit, and no one confined his labors exclusively to this society ; though occasionally there was alternate preaching, by two of the itinerants,
the same year. B. R. Hoyt, in 1834, was the first, he says, who confined his Sabbath labors to Bradford. Rev. Mr. Aspinwall gives a list of the ministers who supplied this society, from its origin to the year 1839, which is as follows :
1796 Nicholas Sneathen, 1831
Wm. D. Cass, C. Cowen,
1797
Ralph Williston,
1832
1798 Joseph Crawford,
1833
R. Newell,
1799
J. Crawford and E.
1834 -- 1835, B. R. Hoyt,
1800
Timothy Dewey,
1838 -- 1839, E. Adams,
1801
Truman Bishop and
1840 E. B. Fletcher and
1802
Solomon Langdon and
1841
E. B. Fletcher and
1803
Samuel Draper and
1842
Wm. Mann,
Oliver Beal,
1843
E. Brown,
1804
John Roberts and Da-
1844 Haynes Johnson and
1805
Oliver Beal.
1845 -- 1846, Moses Spencer,
1806
Elijah Hedding,
1847 A. T. Bullard,
1807
Benjamin F. Lambert
1848-1849, P. Mason,
1808
Eleazer Wells,
1850 -- 1851, W. J. Kidder,
1809
Joseph Steele,
1852 -- 1853, C. R. Harding,
1810
N. W. Stearns,
1854 A. J. Copeland,
1811
Warren Bannister, Erastus Otis,
1856-1857, A. Hitchcock,
1813-1814, Benjamin R. Hoyt,
1858 Isaac McAnn,
1815
Amasa Taylor,
1859 -- 1860, H. P Cushing,
1816
Jonathan Worthen,
1861-1862, H K. Cobb,
1817
Lewis Bates,
1863 -- 1864, A L. Pratt,
1818 -- 1819, Salmon Winchester,
1865
J. Fassett,
1820
Eleazer Wells Wm. McCoy,
and
1866 I. Le Barron,
1821-1822, Joel Steele,
1823
J. W. McKee,
1870
C. Tabor,
1824
John Lord,
1
1871
H. T. Jones,
1825
Isaac Barker,
1872-1873, Supplied by Silas C.
1826
Paul Richmond,
1827-1828, A. H. Houghton,
1829
C. W. Levings, S. Chamberlain,
1874
J. M'C. Fulton.
1830
Chichester,
1836 -- 1837, R. Bedford,
Thomas Branch,
A. T. Gibson,
Paul Dustin,
Wm. Mann,
vid Goodspeed,
H. T. Jones,
1855
C. W. Kellogg,
1812
1867-1868, H. F. Forest.
1869
R. W. Harlow,
and J. M'Cully Ful. ton,
The two last named were brothers, and preachers of ability, from Nova Scotia. J. McC. Fulton, the elder
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brother, was a graduate of the Allison Wesleyan College there. He spent the first three years of his ministerial life in the Bermuda Islands ; the four next years in Nova Scotia : one year at Prince Edward Island, and from thence came to Bradford, to take the place of his brother, who was about removing to the State of Pennsylvania.
Thus we see that in the course of seventy-eight years from its commencement this church and society have been favored with the pastoral care and labors of sixty-eight different ministers of the Gospel.
The society, at this date have a pleasant parsonage, near their commodious meeting house, and are in a united and prosperous condition ; having lately shared with their sis- ter church, of the Congregational order, in a season of re- freshing from the presence of the Lord. .
For the list of members, from 1834 to 1874, I have been indebted to Mr. Asa Howard, of Bradford, and Rev. H. Eastman, of Jacksonville, Vt.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT WEST BRADFORD.
This second Methodist Church in Bradford have a meet- ing-house, and for many years have maintained regular worship in the Southwest part of the town. For the fol- lowing historical facts I have been indebted to Benjamin L. Worthley, an intelligent member of that church. He says, " The first class at this place was formed in connec- tion with the church at the village, in the year 1831 or 1832, by Rev. William D. Cass ; and remained connected with that church until, in 1841, set off by Conference in a separate charge, and Elliott B. Fletcher was appointed pastor. That year a small house of worship was built "- located on the South road, about four miles West from the village-" and a few years afterward a parsonage." The people in that quarter are so situated that the mainten- 6
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