USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Rutland > Centennial celebration of the settlement of Rutland, Vt., October 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th, 1870, including the addresses, historical papers, poems, responses at the dinner table, etc. > Part 4
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Soon after, in 1771, he was dismissed from the church in Sims- bury, and almost immediately came to Vermont. Quite a number of the earliest settlers of Rutland were from Simsbury, Conn., or from the neigboring towns, and it was undoubtedly for this reason that Mr. Roots came here. The church was organized as stated, and Mr. Roots was ordained here.
There were here at that time about thirty (30) families, and he was engaged here to preach for five (5) years. In consequence of his settlement he also received a right of land, which by the charter was reserved to the first settled minister. He remained as pastor of this church until his death, which occurred March 16th, 1787, in the 62d year of his age.
As first constituted, there were only thirteen (13) members, and there were six (6) additions to it down to 1784-5, when there was a powerful revival, which brought into the church forty-five (45) persons. We have not time now to speak of the result of his minis- trations, but must pass to his successor.
Rev. Lemuel Haynes, in his day and generation, was one of the most remarkable men in Vermont. Fifty years hence it may be, and probably will be, difficult to apprehend the difficult position in which not only he, but also the people of that parish were placed in employing such a clergyman to minister unto them. Mr. Haynes was a partially colored man, his father being of unmingled African
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extraction, and his mother a white woman of respectable parentage. His name was that neither of his father or mother, but (probably) that of the family under whose roof he received his birth. He was born at West Hartford, Conn., July 18, 1753. When he was five months old he was carried to Granville, Mass., and bound out as a servant until he was 21. During a revival he became a professor of religion, and being persuaded that it was his duty to become a preacher of the Gospel, he commenced the study of the ministry with Rev. Daniel Farrand of Canaan, Conn., and on the 29th of November, 1780, he was licensed to preach. On the 9th of Novem- ber, 1785, he was ordained to preach at Torrington, Conn., the Rev. Daniel Farrand preaching the sermon. After remaining in Torrington a short time he took a missionary tour through Ver- mont, at the request of the Connecticut Missionary Society. The result of this trip was that he was invited to settle in West Rut- land, where he remained till May, 1818, when he was dismissed From here Mr. Haynes went to Manchester, where he remained three years, and in February, 1822, removed to Granville, N. Y., where he passed the last eleven (11) years of his life, dying there on the 28th of September, 1833.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Amos Drury, who was born at Pittsford in 1792, and studied theology with Rev. Josiah Hopkins of New Haven, and also at the Auburn Theological Seminary. He was ordained at West Rutland June 3d, 1819, and dismissed in April, 1829. On the 6th of May following (1829) he was installed pastor of the Congregational church at Fairhaven, where he remained until the 26th of April, 1837, when he was dismissed, and June 29th, 1837, he was installed over the Congregational church at Westhampton, Mass.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Lucius Linsey Tilden, who was born in Cornwall in 1802, and graduated at Middlebury College in 1823, and after spending some time in teaching he commenced the study of theology at Andover Theological Seminary, where he graduated, and was settled over this church in March, 1830, and dismissed in March, 1839.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Aldace Walker, D. D., who was ordained and installed on the 30th of December, 1840, and was dismissed in 1862. IIe remains with us to the present day, minis-
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istering in Holy things to the people of our neighboring town of Wallingford, where he was settled or commenced to labor in 1862.
Next to Rev. Dr. Aldace Walker came the Rev. Henry M. Grout, a graduate of Williams College, in the class of 1854, who was ordained September 1st, 1858, and installed on the 26th of August, 1862. He removed to Massachusetts in 1867, and was fol- lowed by Rev. George L. Gleason, who was ordained February 1st, 1866, and installed at West Rutland October 17th, 1867, and dis- missed on the 22d of March, 1869. The present pastor of the church is the Rev. James R. Bourne; who was ordained in 1859, and ordained pastor of the church January 12th, 1870.
On the 22d of October, 1787, the town was divided into two parishes, by the following bounds or division line: "Beginning at the center of the north line of said town, thence parallel with the east and west lines of the town till it strikes the Otter Creek, thence up the Creek as the stream runs to the south line."
The church in the east parish was established October 5th, 1788, with 37 menibers.
Rev. Mr. Ball makes a minute, in what is now the first volume of their church records, that the only record found by him when he came here (in 1797) was a short note on the back of a confession of faith, signed by Augustine Hilbred, Moderator, giving an account of the establishing of the church, in which Pittsford, West Rutland and Poultney with their members assisted-and that the church was established "upon the plan of the Convention of the West District of Vermont, which was supposed to be agreeable to the Gospel." They did not, however, adopt all of the articles of said convention, but made one or two exceptions. During the preaching of Dr. Williams "the half way covenant," as it was called, was adopted, but was discontinued in 1797, as Dr. Ball says, because "it was supposed to be unwarrantable and defective."
The pulpit was supplied by different candidates till near the close of the year 1788, when Rev. Samuel Williams, LL. D., was employed. He continued to supply the pulpit until October, 1795, when he relinquished preaching, and was succeeded by Rev. Heman Ball, D. D. Since the death of Dr. Ball there have been five pastors- Rev. Charles Walker, Rev. William Mitchell, Rev. Silas Aiken, D. D., Rev. Norman Seaver, D. D., and Rev. James Gibson Johnson.
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Rev. Heman Ball, D. D., son of Charles Ball, was born in Springfield, Mass., July 5, 1764, and graduated at Dartmouth Col- lege in 1791. He studied theology with the Rev. Joseph Lathrop, D. D., of West Springfield, Mass., and was ordained pastor of the Congregational church here, February 1st, 1797, the sermon being preached by Rev. Dr. Lathrop, and remained pastor until his death.
In 1794, he received the honorary degree of A. M. from Yale - College, and that of D. D. from Union College in 1816, and was one of the Trustees of Middlebury College from its organization until his death.
Several of his sermons were published, among which was one on the death of Washington, and an Election Sermon in 1804.
Rev. Dr. Sprague says: "He was highly respected for his talents and virtues, and exerted an extensive influence in the church." He died here, December 17th, 1821, and was buried in the West street cemetery, and is the only clergyman who has died during his pas- torate of this church.
Rev. Charles Walker, D. D., was born in Woodstock, Con- necticut, in 1791. He studied theology at Andover (Mass.) Theo- logical Seminary, graduating in 1821. He was odrained pastor of the Congregational church here, January 1st, 1823, and was dis- missed March 14th, 1833. He was installed over the Congrega tional church in (the east village of) Brattleboro, January 1st, 1835, and was dismissed February 11th, 1846, and on the 27th of Decem- ber of the same year was installed over the Congregational church in Pittsford, and was dismisssed December 6th, 1864, since which time he has resided in Pittsford "without charge."
He received the honorarary degree of A. M. from the University of Vermont in 1823, and from Middlebury and Dartmouth Colleges in 1825, and that of D. D. from the University of Vermont in 1847, and has been a trustee of Middlebury College since 1837.
He delivered the annual Election Sermon before the Legislature of Vermont in 1829, which was published, as were also some of his occasional sermons.
Rev. William Mitchell, son of John and Abigail (Waterhouse) Mitchell, was born at Chester, Conn., December 19th, 1793, and graduated at Yale College in 1818. He studied at the Andover Thelogical Seminary, graduating there in 1821, in the same class
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with his immediate predecessor, Rev. Dr. Walker, and was licensed June 5th, of the same year, by the Middlesex (Conn.) Association, and engaged as a Home Missionary in Northwestern New York.
He was ordained October 20th, 1824, and was settled over the Congregational church in Newtown, Conn., from June, 1825, to May, 1831.
He was installed pastor of the Congregational church here, March 14, 1833, and was dismissed June 2d, 1846, He was acting pastor in Wallingford from August 8th, 1847, to March 28th, 1852. In the fall of 1852, he became agent of the Vermont Colonization Society, and served in that capacity three years; after this he served some two years as agent of the New York, and then of the New Jersey Colonization Society.
In 1858, he removed to the residence of his son, John B. Mitch- ell, at Corpus Christi, Texas. During his residence there he organ- ized a church at Casa Blanca, about forty miles from his residence, to whom he preached two Sundays monthly till the war scattered them. About a year before his death he organized a Presbyterian church at Corpus Christi, and by his own exertions secured the funds for a church building, which was partly erected at the time of his death. He died August 1st, 1867, of the yellow fever, which also carried off two others of his household.
On the 21st of April, 1847, Rev. Henry Hurlburt was unani- mously given a call to become pastor of the church. In pursuance of this call Mr. Hurlburt came to Rutland and preached some time, but on the second day of October, 1848, he informed them that owing to the condition of his health he must decline the call. He, however, remained here and occupied the pulpit some weeks longer.
Rev. 'Silas Aiken, D. D., son of Phineas and Elizabeth (Pat- terson) Aiken, was born at Bedford, N. H., May 14, 1799, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1825, with the highest honors of his class, being valedictorian. He studied theology with Rev. Bennett Tyler, D. D., and Prof. Howe, and was ordained pastor of the Congregational church in Amherst, N. H., March 4, 1829, and was dismissed March 5, 1837, having accepted a call to Park Street church, Boston. He was installed over that church March 22, 1837, and resigned his pastorate and was dismissed in July, 1848. March 28, 1849, he was installed over the Congregational church here, 3
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Rev. Benjamin Labaree, D. D., President of Middlebury College, preaching the sermon, and was dismissed, at his own request, July 1, 1863, from which time until his death he remained in Rutland , without a charge. He had been at different times Chaplain of the Massachusetts Senate, Trustee of Dartmouth College, Member of the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commission- ers for Foreign Missions, Director of the Prison Discipline Society, etc. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Vermont in 1852. He died here April 14, 1869.
Rev. Norman Seaver, D. D., son of Norman and Anna Maria (Bigelow) Seaver, was born in Boston, Mass., April 23d, 1834, and graduated at Williams College in 1854. He studied theology at the Andover Theological Seminary, graduating there in 1860. He was ordained here as colleague pastor with Rev. Dr. Aiken, August 29th, 1860. On the resignation of Dr. Aiken, July 1st, 1863, he became sole pastor, and was dismissed in September, 1868, at his own request. December 30th, 1868, he was installed pastor of the First Presbyterian church (Henry street), Brooklyn, N. Y., where he now is. He received the honorary degree of D. D. from Middlebury College in 1866.
Rev. James Gibson Johnson, the present and sixth pastor, is a native of Providence, Rhode Island. He prepared for college at Washington, D. C. (where his mother now resides), and entering Union College, at Schenectady, N. Y., graduated there in the class of 1863. He studied theology at the Princeton (New Jersey) Theological Seminary, and graduated in 1866.
He was ordained at Newburyport, Mass., December 27th, 1866, and was settled over the Second Presbyterian church in that city, where he remained until October 1st, 1868, when he resigned.
Immediately after his resignation he embarked on a tour through Europe and the East, and was absent about a year. Returning October 7th, 1869, he took up his residence in New York city, where he continued to reside until his acceptance of the call, April 1st, 1870, to the pastorate of the Congregational church here, and was installed April 21st.
In 1788 a petition was presented to the Legislature of Vermont from a part of the inhabitants of Rutland and Pittsford, being in what is known as " Whipple Hollow," asking for the establishing
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of a parish by the name of "Orange Parish." The petition was referred to a committee, and on their report the request was refused. They however organized themselves into a parish, built a meeting- house and employed the Rev. Abraham Carpenter as their pastor, who remained with them until his death. He was what was called "a strict Congregationalist," and in 1773 or 1774 was settled acord- ing to the rules of that denomination in Plainfield, N. H., without any action on the part of the town. In March, 1779, the town voted to accept him as the minister of the town, and by this action he received the right of land belonging to the first settled minister, consisting of three hundred and sixty acres, and worth probably about the same number of dollars. He continued to preach there eight or ten years longer, preaching in his own kitchen, in private houses or in the open air, until he was dismissed and came to this town. He remained connected with the "Orange Parish " until his death, which occurred in September, 1797.
The first notice that we have of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Rutland, is a notice that appeared in March, 1784, that Rev. Mr. Chittenden would deliver a sermon to the Episcopal society, in the State House, Rutland, and on the 30th of September of the same year it was announced that "A Protestant Episcopal Church is formed in Rutland and vicinity under the pastoral care of Mr. Ogden." No results appear to have followed from this organization, although the annual conventions of the Church were held in Rut- land, and the parish was represented by lay delegates in 1795, 1802 and 1807. In 1817 another attempt was made, and February 19th of that year "The Protestant Episcopal Society of Trinity Church, Rutland," was organized by the Rev. George T. Chapman, then of Greenfield. Mass. On the 13th of September, 1818, Bishop Gris- wold, of the Eastern Diocese, visited Rutland, and in his annual address says that this Church "have been very desirous to obtain the permanent services of a settled minister, and have manifested a very laudable liberality in offering to subscribe for his maintenance. They have been disappointed and disheartened."
In 1826, "St. John's Church, Centreville, Rutland," was received into connection with the Convention, and Rev. Louis McDonald, as Minister, in June, 1826, reports that "services have been kept up between this and the East Parish alternately since February last."
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In 1831, Rev. Moore Bingham officiated for some time, but for how long I have been unable to ascertain, as "Visiting Minister" of St. John's Church, and from this time that Church seems to have ceased to exist.
In January, 1832, Rev. John A. Hicks accepted the Rectorship of Trinity Church,-and from that time the real existence of the church may be dated,-a church building was soon erected, which was consecrated by Bishop Hopkins in May, 1833.
Rev. John Augustus Hicks, D. D., was born in New York city, February 21, 1800, and graduated at Columbia College in 1823, and at General Theological Seminary in 1826. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Onderdonk, in Grace Church, Jamaica, August 22, 1826, and ordained Priest by Bishop White, May 28, 1828, in Philadelphia. He was for a short time Assistant Minister to the Rev. Evan M. Johnson, in Jamaica and Brooklyn. He was Rector of Trinity Church, Easton, Penn., from April 1, 1827, to April, 1831, when he accepted a call to St. John's Church, Troy, N. Y., which he resigned in January, 1832, on being invited to the rector- ship of Trinity Church, Rutland. He remained in Rutland twenty- eight years, resigning July 7th, 1860, to accept the Willoughby Professorship in the Vermont Episcopal Institute, with the general charge of the Theological department, he having been a member of the Board of Trustees from its organization in 1856. In 1865 he resigned his trusteeship and professorship, and had since that time devoted himself to missionary work in Georgia, Milton and Fairfax. He had been a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese · for over twenty years; a member of the Board of Trustees of the General Theological Seminary; a member of the Board of Law Agents since 1847, and since 1857 Secretary and Treasurer of the Board. He represented the Diocese of Vermont in General (Tri- ennial) Conventions of the Church for the United States at ten dif- ferent times. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Vermont and from Trinity College. He died at Burlington, November 4th, 1869, at the age of 69 years.
On the resignation of Rev. Dr. Hicks, the Rt. Rev. John Henry Hopkins, D. D., LL.D., D. C. L., Oxon., officiated until the first of October, 1860, when he was elected and accepted the office of Rec tor for two years.
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Bishop Hopkins was born in Dublin, Ireland, January 30, 1792, and came to America with his parents in 1800, and was educated chiefly by his mother. He was originally a maker of iron, then studied law and was admitted to the bar and practiced his profession at Pittsburg, Pa., and was rapidly rising to eminence, when, in 1823, he left the bar for the ministry, and was ordained a Priest in May, 1824, and immediately became Rector of Trinity Church, Pittsburg. In 1831 he resigned, and became Assistant Minister of Trinity Church, Boston, where he remained until he was elected the first Bishop of the separate Diocese of Vermont, in May, 1832, and was consecrated in New York, October 31st of the same year, by Bishop White. He immediately came to Vermont, accepting, at the same time, the Rectorship of St. Paul's Church, Burlington. He resigned the Rectorship of that Church in 1856, in order that he might devote himself more unreservedly to Diocesan works and the build- ing up of the "Vermont Episcopal Institute." He died at Burling- ton, January 3d, 1868.
Rev. Roger S. Howard, D. D., succeeded Bishop Hopkins, and became Rector December 1st, 1861, and remained until June, 1867, when he resigned. Rev. Dr. Howard was a native of Vermont, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1829. He represented the town of Thetford in the Legislature of Vermont in 1849. He sub- sequently studied for the ministry, and, before coming to Rutland, was Rector of a Church in Greenfield, Mass., and subsequently in Portland, Maine. From here he went to Woodstock, and on the first Sunday of July, 1867, became Rector of St. James' Church. He remained here some over a year, and then resigned to accept the Presidency of Norwich University and the Rectorship of St. Mary's Church, Northfield, where he now remains. Rev. Dr. Howard, was succeeded by Rev. John Milton Peck, who assumed the Rectorship of the Church, August 1st, 1867, and remained here three years.
In 1859, an Episcopal Church and Society was organized at West Rutland, by the name of Grace Church, and was admitted into union with the Convention of the Diocese, June 6th, 1860. This church never had a resident Rector, but Rev. D. Willis of Gran- ville, N. Y., had pastoral charge during a portion of the years 1859 and 1860. After him, Rev. Albert II. Bailey took charge of the
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parish as its Rector, commencing June 17th, 1860, officiating one- half of the time. Since the close of his labors the parish has become practically extinct.
The Baptist church in Rutland was organized in 1823, and Rev. · Hadley Proctor was the first settled minister, commencing his labors in 1827, and remaining here seven years, until 1834.
He was born at Marblehead, Mass., in 1794, was converted when seventeen years of age, and became a member of the Baptist church at Newton, Mass. He was licensed by that church "almost imme- diately thereafter to preach." He commenced the study of theology with Rev. Dr. Chaplin and removed with him to Waterville, and graduated in 1823, in the second graduating class of that institution. From Waterville he went to China, Maine, and was ordained over the Baptist church in that place in 1823, and remained there until he came to Rutland. From here he went to Brandon, and was the preceptor of the Seminary until 1836, when he again became pastor of the church here. In 1837 he was again called to the Baptist church in China, and remained with that people until his death, April 12th, 1842.
In 1834 and 1835, Rev. Samuel Eastman was pastor of the church.
After the second removal of Mr. Proctor, Rev. Arus Haynes was called to succeed him, and was ordained pastor of the church in the fall of 1837, and dismissed in 1840.
He was born in Middletown, in this county, in August 1812, and graduated at Brown University in 1837. In 1842 he was settled over the Baptist church in Jersey City, N. J., and remained there until 1848, when he became pastor of the church in East Brook- lyn, N. Y. In 1851 he made a journey to Europe, in hopes of restoring his impaired health, but not succeeding, he returned to this country, and, in 1852, resigned his pastorate. In the winter of that year he went to Key West, Florida, and died March 31, 1853, while on his return home.
The next pastor was the Rev. Joseph M. Rockwood, who was ordained and settled February 9th, 1842, and dismissed in Septem- ber, 1849.
He was born at Bellingham, Mass., in 1818, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1837, studied theology at the Seminary in Waterville, Me., and at the Newton Theological Seminary.
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He was succeeded by Rev. Leland Howard, who was settled in 1852, and dissolved the pastoral relation in 1860.
He was born at Jamaica, Vt., October 13th, 1793, and was bap- tized in Shaftsbury by Rev. Isaiah Mattison, when about seventeen years of age, and from this time commenced to preach. In 1814 he commenced the study of theology with Rev. Joshua Bradley of Windsor, and closed his studies with Rev. James M. Winchell of Boston. He was ordained November 16, 1817, at Windsor, in this State, and settled as pastor of the Baptist church in that town, and remained until 1823, when he became pastor of the First Baptist church in Troy, N. Y. In 1828 he returned to Windsor and remained until 1833, when he was installed over the First Baptist church of Brooklyn; he left there in 1837, and preached a year in Meriden, Conn., and in 1839 was settled in Newport, R. I., and in 1840 at Norwich, N. Y. From 1843 to 1847 he was pastor of the Fifth Street Baptist church in Troy, and from there, in 1847, he went to Hartford, N. Y., where he remained until he came to Rut- land. In addition to his regular pastorate here, he, from time to time, supplied the pulpit in the absence of a regular pastor. He was Chaplain of the House of Representatives of Vermont in 1831, and of the Senate in 1861. He died May 5th, 1870.
The next pastor was the Rev. Francis Smith, who commenced his labors on the first Sunday of May, 1860, and preached his fare- well sermon July 27th, 1862.
He was born at South Reading, Mass., July 12th, 1812, and graduated at Brown University in 1837, and pursued his theological studies at Newton Theological Seminary, graduating there in 1840. He came to Rutland from Providence, R. I., and after closing his labors here returned to that place
Rev. Mr. Smith was succeeded by Rev. J. C. Fernald of Cam- bridge, Mass. He was ordained to the ministry here, March 23d, 1864, and became pastor of the church. He remained but a short time.
Rev. Orlando Cunningham supplied the pulpit from November, 1865, to August 5th, 1868.
He was born in Rockingham, Vt., January 31st, 1814, and after studying theology with different clergymen, was ordained at Prince- on, Mass., in November, 1841, and was settled over the Baptist
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church in that place, and remained there until 1843, when he went to Sterling, in the same State, and was pastor of the Baptist church until 1850. In 1850 he was settled at Middlefield, Mass., and remained until 1855, when he received and accepted a call to the 'Baptist church in Lebanon, Conn. In 1865, on account of a failure of his eyesight, he resigned his pastorate and came to Vermont to recuperate. During the summer and a portion of the fall of that year, and until he came to Rutland, he supplied the pulpit of the Baptist church in Bellows Falls. Since he closed his connection with the church in Rutland he has continued to reside here, but has preached, at times, to different vacant churches, and is now and since May 1st, 1870, has been preaching to the church in Westhaven.
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