USA > Vermont > Windham County > West Brattleboro > God's delight in the gates of Zion : a second discourse on the early history of the Congregational Church and Society in West Brattleboro, Vt., coverint two pastorates--25 years, or from 1794-1819 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
John R. Blake, born in 1793, was distinguished for a widely extended mercantile experience, for his efforts to have Brattleboro connected by steam with Boston and the rest of the world, for banking interests and operations in Brattleboro and Boston, and for legislative enterprise and activity as a member of the Legisla- ture for several terms at Montpelier.
John S. Tyler, oldest son of Hon. Royall and Mary Tyler, was born in Guilford in 1796, but came in early childhood with his parents to live in Brattleboro. At the age of 14 he went to Boston and devoted his life in large measure to mercantile and marine affairs, became distinguished as a military general, held many civil offices of a high order, and was, for four years, a mem- ber of the Legislature of Massachusetts.
Josiah Goodhue, born in 1794, married Sarah Edwards in 1815, a descendant of Rev. Jonathan Edwards of Northampton, and made himself eminently useful in the service of the town. One of his daughters married W. P. Cune, at one time President of the Brattleboro Bank ; another married ex-Governor Holbrook ; another Dr. Hall of Northampton ; and another, first, A. H. Bull, Esq., and, for a second husband, Dr. Chapin, of Flatbush, N. Y.
Joseph Steen, Esq., born March 2, 1797, at first a house-builder with his father, then a printer with Holbrook & Fessenden, and then, from 1830 to the close of his life, a book-seller, was one of the strongest, most highly esteemed and useful of Christian men and citizens.
C. C. Frost, born in 1805, had only common school advantages in his youth, and made the shoemaker's trade his business for life ; and yet, with such diligence and success did he give him- self at intervals to the study of different languages and the natural sciences, especially Botany, that he became, eventually, a world-wide authority in some of these branches, and had various degrees of honor conferred upon him by American colleges and some of the learned societies of Europe.
Wm. F. Richardson, one of the eldest of a large family of interesting children, sons and daughters of Isaiah R., was born here, July 20, 1816 ; acquired his education in part at the "old Brick school house," now no more, and in part at the Brattleboro Academy ; after which he entered, in a quiet way, upon a useful, enterprising business career, in which he has been highly success-
20
ful, and yet found time to fill and honor several important public offices, as lister and selectman for the town, and still lives to enjoy the increasing esteem in which he has been held through all these years.
William S. Newton comes so virtually within the limits we are observing that we include his name with others. His maternal ancestors were distinguished among the early settlers of this now west parish ; his mother, Betsy Harris, was sister of the ever honored " Preceptor Harris " of Brattleboro Academy ; his wife was a native of this town : here at the Academy he was educated ; here in Brattleboro he began business as a grocer, and continued in this trade till his town business left no time for it. He was elected town clerk in 1863, justice of the peace in the same year, Trustee of U. S. Dep. Money in 1870, Trustee in the Vermont Savings Bank 1881, and Vice-President of the same in 1892 ; in all which important offices he still continues, faithful, efficient, useful as ever.
George Baty Blake was born in 1808, and, being left an orphan in early life, had his home, for a time, in Stephen Greenleaf's family in this village. He eventually became eminently noted for his commercial, religious, patriotic, and philanthropic ability and enterprise. He often visited Europe for the purchase of goods, and there made the acquaintance of such men as Peabody, Coldlen, and the Barings ; became partner in several commercial firms ; took a deep interest in the welfare of the Union during our late civil war, and ever had the highest regard for the vari- ous duties and interests of religion.
Royall Tyler, 2d, one of that large family of 12 children, among whom were Edward, Joseph, George, Thomas, and Miss Amelia, of whom I have spoken, was born April 19, 1812, grad- uated from Harvard 1834, admitted to the bar 1838, and made Judge of Probate in 1846. He is still with us (1894) highly esteemed, and doing good work as Judge in the Probate office.
Frederick Holbrook, the youngest of Dea. John Holbrook's children, of whom the Rev. John C., already named, was one, was born February 15, 1814. He has ever been interested in agricultural studies and pursuits, towards the advancement of which his travels in Europe, some years since, have been very helpful. As a legislator at Montpelier and a Governor of the state during our late civil war, he has done the town, the state and the nation most efficient, useful service. He is still with us, held in honor by all who know him, and by his happy influence, his council and cheer, prayers and sympathies, is still doing good work for the Master he serves.
Seth N. Herrick, whose honored ancestry here in West Brattle- boro dates back four generations, was born here September 20, 1819. His early training and experience as a farmer's boy, a school master, and a student at Brattleboro Academy were a helpful preparation for his soon having a military appoint- ment under Governor Slade ; for serving the town as first con-
21
stable and collector for fifteen years, as Deputy Sheriff for thirty years, as High Sheriff two years, town representative at Mont- pelier two years, as chairman of the Board of Selectmen twenty years ; for serving as a member of the corporating Board of the Brattleboro Savings Bank, and being its Treasurer for its first three years, and being still a member of its Board of Trustees, and for his being set in other offices of trust and honor ; all which are a pleasing proof of the hold which his faithful, active, useful life has had, and still has, upon the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens of all classes in this goodly town of his nativity.
In this list of now more than forty, I have named a few, only a few, of the able and successful men and women who had their stamp and start in life in the families of this church and society, chiefly during the twenty-five years now under review ; that is, some half a dozen of them under Pastor Reeve's ministrations, the rest of them virtually under Dr. Wells' pastorate of twenty years in this first church, and Mr. Burge's of five.
Surely, facts and thoughts, such as these, put emphasis and a happy comment upon the words of our fathers, when, in March, 1794, " being impressed," as they said, "with a sense that it is of the utmost importance to the welfare of ourselves and families, and highly essential to the peace and good order of the inhab- itants in general, that the precepts of Christianity and the rules of morality should be publickly and uniformly inculcated among us," they called a meeting of the inhabitants of the town to be held April 2, just 100 years ago, to see, among other things, " whether said inhabitants would agree to employ the Rev. Wil- liam Wells to preach with us."
I have now briefly sketched some of the more manifest toils and trials, struggles and triumphs of the fathers and mothers of this church and society in the generation that closed the last cen- tury and opened the present ; as, in a previous "Discourse," I briefly sketched some of these things in our ancestors of the pre- ceding generation. And yet, how little have I done, how little could I do, except to give the framework, an outline of their lives and labors, and note some of the more tangible results ! To sketch their every-day life, their fireside enjoyments, their social experiences, private enterprises, successes, and reverses, or to measure the power of the gospel in promoting order, industry, kindly feeling in their large and ever growing families, in pro- moting peace, security, prosperity in the community at large, and in fitting them to send out happy, saving influences that should not only come down to us of to-day, but go abroad into all the earth ; to sketch all this and the hard work they did in their long summer days, or the books they read, the visits they made, and the suppers they had, during their long winter evenings ; to speak of the studies pursued and the training given in the schools, to which they sent their many children, or of the annual thanks- givings that brought them together as families in mutual gladness,
.
22
and in praise to God for his goodness ; to describe the usefulness of their "Ladies' Benevolent Society," in going to which, "in the summer time, each one of them wore a green silk calash, covering a lace cap, white as the new fallen snow ;" or speak of their singing schools, or of their mid-week and other meetings for prayer and conference, and tell how much of precious help- fuhiess the presence, the preaching, the prayers, the counsel and the cheer of the pastor and his deacons, and of all who loved the Lord and the gates of Zion, brought to these institutions and enterprises, would take long and be hard, even if it were possible.
I have given you the names of the ministers, the deacons, and of some others, in those early days, but not their sermons and prayers, their exhortations and witnessings, when their souls, all astir with emotion, all aglow with the truth and Spirit of God, "flushed their cheeks and flashed from their eyes, when their burdened, loving hearts heaved with sighs and swum out in tears." The awakenings, conversions, reformations, wrought here in this way, in those olden times, by the Spirit of God through the earnest words and prayers of our fathers and mothers, were too spiritual, subjective, hidden, except as seen in their fruitage, their effects on life and character, for us to describe, till we ean tell " whence cometh and whither goeth " that wind, the sound of which we hear, and the purifying, animating effects of which we feel ; or till we can print or paint the sunbeams, which bring us the light and life, warmth and growth, sweetness and beauty, in which we rejoice. What the gospel of God our Saviour did, in its faithful ministration and spiritual working, year by year, during that fourth of a century, how it met the needs of many souls, held baek the young from the dangers to which youth and inexperience are exposed, and led them in the paths of righteous- ness ; how it girded parents and others in the maturity of their years for the burdens and cares of life, sustained the aged in the decline of their days ; how much it did to mold the minds of all, to inspire them with desires for a pure and noble life and bring them into communion with God, to comfort them in sorrow, cheer them in death, and prepare them for a blissful immortality, conld be more easily deseribed by the pen of the recording angel than by any human mind or hand.
But enough has been said to show how great is the debt of honor and thanks we, of to-day, owe our ancestors of a century agone, for the world-wide service they rendered the cause of truth and righteousness, education and enterprise, in those prim- itive, formative days of this parish, this town, this State ; also what canse we have for gratitude and praise to God for guiding and blessing those from whom we are descended, in their efforts to plant and perpetuate the institutions of religion, learning and humanity, for us and our children. Nor can we fail to see, with gratitude and gladness, in the subject before us, how great is the inspiring proof that God takes a special delight in the gates of Zion.
.
23
APPENDIX I.
When the Congregational Church in West Brattleboro was nearing what was believed or supposed to be its centennial, its pastor repeatedly asked and urged me to write its history. Knowing, as I did, that this would be no easy thing, I hesitated to undertake it, but finally consented and entered at once upon the work of gathering the needed material. Having gone care- fully through all the " Records" that could be found in Brattle- boro, whether of the town, the " Covenanters," the " Church" and "Society," or other organization, I borrowed "Records " froni some of the neighboring towns. I consulted the "Records" of the county "Consociation," and of the State "Convention." I went to Montpelier and took a look into the "Records " of of the State, and into some of the papers, pamphlets and books of the " Vt. Historical Society," ont of which I gathered helpful material. I found something in Burlington, and something in the New Hampshire State "Records," in Concord; something in · the writings and kind personal letters of the historians of the Vt. Churches, Messrs. White and Wild. I learned what I could from books, pamphlets, papers, manuscripts, local or otherwise, here in Brattleboro, and from correspondence with the kindred and friends of such pastors of the church as had ceased from their labors and gone to their reward ; also from "Diaries " of certain intelligent, observing church members, who had departed this life in years agone; and especially from some of the oldest inhabitants of the town, most of whom soon went to their rest.
From such of this material as had respect to the first quarter of a century of the church, or till the close of Pastor Reeve's labors in 1793, I prepared a " Discourse," which was delivered here, Dec. 31, 1876, and afterwards published in pamphlet form. This "Second Discourse" continues that "Early History " for another quarter of a century, beginning, where the former ended, with April, 1794, just 100 years ago. Of that former "Dis- course," of 1876, Rev. C. H. Merrill was kind enough to speak, in his "Historical Address" of 1886, (p. 6), and say : " It con- tains, in its extracts from the old records, nearly all that is ex- tant previous to the beginning of the century. The instances in which I have had occasion to supplement it, after a careful exam- ination of the originals, are few and unimportant." And yet I will here add a few notes.
In respect to the "glebe " and other lands that were included in grants of the Provincial or other Government for religions and educational purposes, spoken of in my first "Discourse," p. 19, and in other places, the following facts which I have from a learned friend, may help to a better understanding of the subject.
" The glebe became, by several laws of the State, the first of
24
which was passed in 1779, school lands; and neither the first settled minister, nor any religious society had anything to do with them.
The shares were of about 360 acres each, divided into two 100 acre lots and one about 160 acre lot. The first settled minister lived on one of the 100 aere lots, and probably sold the other two.
One of the 100 acre school lots, originally glebe lots, had its S. W. corner at the old graveyard back of Mrs. Bigelow's, and extended north 160 rods and east 100 rods.
The lots were not located together, but as they happened to be drawn, which was done soon after the charter was granted."
The "porch," of which I spoke in that first " Discourse," (p. 19), was not taken from the house on the " Hill," but from the first that was built here in the village, a little north of where the present house stands. The mistake eame from the understanding of some that the words, "old meeting house," "first meeting house," &c., referred to this, which was built in 1785, and not to the older house built in 1768.
As to the exaet site of that first meeting house on the " Hill," a mile and a half, or more, west of north from Centerville, recent researches seem to point to some other place than the "spot " named in my first " Discourse;" though one of the objections to that, as being, probably, "the place of a honse which had a eel- lar," is not conelusive. One of the oldest of my informants, who lived all his days near the cemetery, thought " the site was five or six rods westward from the present cemetery wall, and that the house, a gambrel-roofed building, was, at first, a dwelling house, and so had a eellar." Another, whose ancestors lived near the meeting house, and whose father used to point out the site to him, puts it mueh farther away, 40 or 50 rods to the westward, in what is now a pine grove, and says: " The place is still marked and known by the corner stones of the foundation still remaining where the building stood." But another of the old men, whom I knew in my younger days, once said he knew the exaet site because of the corner stones that still remained: but on going, many years ago, with a now elderly neighbor of mine, to show him the spot, failing to find the stones, said they must have been taken away and put into a wall that had been recently built not far away.
Another, who is distinguished for general accuracy, a keen historic taste, and for a careful examination of this point, having given much study to this and kindred questions in the early settlement of the town, and having, withal, the best available means for such study, as in early surveys, which give " the een- ter line" of the town, the site of the cemetery and common, and the laying out of roads in their relation to the center line, the cemetery, meeting house, and other points, in making publie some of the results of his studies, two or three years since, placed the site of the meeting house "in what is now the open field, south of the cemetery, and a little to the west of the southwest
·
.
25
corner of the cemetery;""1 "a little west of where the southwest corner of the cemetery now is;"" "in the open field southwest of the southwest corner of the cemetery."3 It will be noticed that these designations agree together, but they overlook the fact that the first limits of the cemetery were small as compared with the present; several additions having been made, in subsequent years, on the north and west sides of the original yard, which put the present western boundary of the cemetery farther west than it was at first. Making allowance for this, the above quoted writer now puts the site " as far east as the southwest corner of the present cemetery."" And, as the road went between the southern boundary of the cemetery and the meeting house, if we extend the present western boundary southward some four or five rods, and then turn some two or three rods to the east, it would seem that we should come to the exact site.
Some of the reasons for the conclusion to which the above writer comes, in respect to the place and time of building the first meeting house in Brattleboro, are given in the extract which I here make from his article in the " Phoenix " of January 26, as follows :-
" Where and when the first meeting-house in this town was built has been the subject of some debate, as shown by the letter of Rev. Mr. Grout. The town was surveyed and allotted under the New Hampshire charter. Five acres were reserved for a common and burying-ground on the top of meeting- house hill, south of the centre line, and marked on the plan. They included the south part of the cemetery now there, and extended over a part of the open field south. The place was probably selected by Col. Josiah Willard, a commander at Fort Dnmmer, who became largely interested in the town, and had the lot out of which it was reserved. The meeting-house would, of course, be built upon this common near the burying-ground, as was the ens- tom then. That it was so bnilt is clearly shown by the laying ont of a road from the meeting-house to Ebenezer Hawes's by Thomas Reeve and Noah Bennett, commissioners for laying out and regulating highways, June 23, 1774; ' Beginning at the burying yard in the centre line, from there running with the centre line on the south of said line the north side of the meeting- house to William Cune's land,' which was next west, etc. As the road was south of the centre line and north of the meeting-house, the latter must have been at least the width of the road south of the centre line, the place of which there is well known, and which would take it into the open field south of the cemetery. The burials of Elizabeth, a little daughter of Samuel Wells, in 1765, and Major John Arms in 1770, and other early burials, had been made further east, and the yard did not extend so far west as it does now, and going west from it north of the meeting-house might, and as the road ran from the meeting-house probably did, leave the meeting-house as far east as the southwest corner of the present cemetery.
After Judge Wells got a grant of the town from the province of New York he deeded the land to the trustees of the town for buildings for public wor- ship of Almighty God; for a burying place, the profits of the pasturage to be for the use of the minister ; and for training in the use of arms, or any other useful and entertaining exercise, and every other public use.
1 See " Vt. Phoenix," March 21, 1890.
? "Vt. Phoenix," May 13, 1892.
3 Vt. Phoenix, July 21, 1893.
4 Vt. Phoenix, January 26, 1894.
F
26
No road led to the meeting-house or to that place on the first Tuesday in March, 1768. All the roads near there were further north. On the first Tuesday in March, 1769, Israel Field was chosen 'surveyor and overseer of the highways to inspect and oversee that the road from Nathaniel Church's to the meeting-house' be kept in good order and repair. This shows that the meeting-house and a road to it had been then built, and as they would not be built in January or February they must have been built in the season before of 1768. This agrees with the records of the covenanters, who, as shown in Mr. Grout's very valuable sermon, were holding meetings in March, 1769, and who must have built the meeting-house, for the town then by law could not do it.
This first road to the meeting-house came np the hill from the north past where Mr. Doolittle now lives, and west of the burying-ground on to the common. Then a road was built from the east around up near where the road now goes part way up the hill, and then turned to the left on to the common. Then another was built from near where the first bridge is at West Brattleboro up to the west side of the common, and then turned to the right on to it. Then this road leading west, which went along the side hill to near Samuel Sargent's, crossing the brook there, was built."
The above road "from the east " was a branch from the road up the Connecticut, through what is now the east village, up Asylum street, past the Asylum, past the "Summer Retreat," then to the next " Retreat," then to Thurber's, the late S. G. Smith's, which is marked in the chart as Abner Scovel's ; thence, pre- vious to 1774, to " Meeting-house Hill," through the common ;* thence, eventually, north-west past McCune's, along the side hill on the north of the Reeve's, now Bolander's, to the brook near Samuel Sargent's. Then a road led down the hill from the meet- ing house to the Reeve's (Bolander's) place ; thence, eventually, to the Hayes' place, thence eastward to where the covererd bridge now is ; then further east to Lient. Root's, late Dea. Wilder's ; and here, turning to the left and going up the hill to the north, the road came to the common, meeting house and cemetery, via the road marked on the chart as the "Road to Whetstone Brook," which was made previous to 1774. Returning now to the " covered bridge " and going a little way east again, we wait till 1785 for a road to be opened eastward to the east village, the same year the meeting house was built in the west village.
When the above named little grave was made for Elizabeth Wells, 1765, probably the first in that region, it was in the lone woods, amid majestic trees, the entire hill being then covered with one dense, unbroken forest. From that grave westward there was now only a trail, a foot path, then a bridle path, then, in 1774, an open road full of stumps and stones, like all the new roads at that time, just passable for an ox cart or sled, the only kind of vehicle they had in those days.
And here it was, in those earliest days of the town, amid prim- eval forests, that our great fathers gave themselves, promptly, to
* The only road to the cemetery on the " Hill," at the present time, is that which goes from Scovel's (now Thurber's) along the eastern side of the cemetery, to 'Doolittle's" (once Field's), thence to Mac Veigh's (once Dr. Dickerman's, then Putnam's). The western boundary of the cemetery, at the present time, is a stone wall running north and south some two or three rods west of the " Reeve's grave" : and the southern boundary, a stone wall running east and west a little south of the "center line" and the little grave, as marked on the chart.
1
-
-
ROAD 1768.
David Church's.
McCune's.
5
4
100
2
Centre line of town.
Glebe lot.
Common.
Meeting House Hill, 1774.
1 Elizabeth Wells's grave, 1765.
2 Meeting House, 1768.
3 Maj. Arms's grave, 1770.
4 Abner Reeve's grave, 1798.
5 Old cellar place.
6 Old cellar place.
Abner Scovel's.
ROAD TO GREAT RIVER ROAD.
Abner Scovel'e.
Ebenezer Fisher's.
ROAD 1774.
6
Common.
Dr. Wells's.
ROAD TO WHETSTONE BROOK BY LIEUT. ROOT'S.
27
the best of things for church and State, by surveying the town, laying out roads, building a meeting house, and then covenanting together, as they did, Nov. 12, 1770, to establish and maintain the divinely ordered institutions and ministrations of the gospel.
The accompanying Topographical Chart of the interesting region of which we speak, showing a section of the center line of the town, a few of the earliest graves in the cemetery, one in 1765, another in 1770, the glebe, or land for school purposes, the common, the roads, lots, &c., on the " Hill," at the time of which we speak, was kindly made and furnished the writer by the reputed author of the very valuable historic articles from which we have quoted. The Chart is inserted here in the twofold hope that it may not only help to make our foregoing attempted pen sketch as to the site of the meeting house the more intelligible, but be also of pleasing interest and service to many in other respects. The chart being north and south on the page, right hand east, and left hand west, does not need any marking of the points of compass. The scale of distances on which it is con- structed is 15 rods to the inch.
C
.
-
:
28
APPENDIX IF.
Rev. William Wells began his labors as pastor of the first church in Brattleboro in March, 1794. After preaching here about 20 years, or till the first of April, 1814, he withdrew and entered upon a new enterprise in the east village, preaching in a school house, till a new meeting house was ready for him in 1816, when a new church was organized, July 15, 1816, being composed of 14 members, who withdrew from the parent church in West Brattleboro.
At the time of gathering much of the material for this and my former " Discourse," some 25 years ago, I found here a goodly number of intelligent, elderly men and women, who were well acquainted with Mr. Wells as a man and a minister, having been, as they were, regular attendants upon his ministrations for some years. In speaking of him, one says: "He was stout, thick-set, a pleasant, cultured Englishman; an easy, not energetic preacher; read his sermons, sometimes wrote shorthand; called himself 'a moderate Baxterian,' though I could never see where it came in. We young men used to go to his house for instruction when he lived where Col. Miles kept school," about a mile west of north from the Asylum, now " Retreat," a place now belonging to the Asylum, and made into "a Summer Retreat " for female inmates of that Institution. Another says: "He was a pleasant man, fleshy, not tall, used to wear a black velvet cap with a tastle that stood straight up on his head in the pulpit, and had a jointed pipe." Another: that, " He was an aristocrat, yet genial, social; used to call at my father's and always depended on having a pipe and a bowl of milk." Another : that, " He was a moderate preacher, social, fond of telling stories, a real Englishman."
Mr. Wells continued to serve the east village church till April, 1818, when he withdrew and went on a visit to England. Returning thence, he made his home with one of his daughters in Brattleboro till Dee., 1827, when he died at the age of 83 years.
The spirit and character of his teaching and labors have been well summed up by one who is now the ninth to succeed him in his second, or East Brattleboro parish, as in a late address of his, where he says of him: " His active history belongs chiefly to the formative times, when his earnest and charitable faith and genial piety were laying foundations in men's hearts and overcoming the rough and wild spirit that was, in early days, proverbially too much the character of this town. Personally and spiritually we see a kindly and noble figure in this large-hearted man. He was a man who would belong very sympathetically to the earnest school of men of to-day, who, mediators and broad churchmen in theology, touch very deeply the common heart of men, 'that
8
1
29
human heart by which we live '-men like Erskine, Maurice, Kingsley, Robertson. On that first communion Sunday he preached a sermon defining his position theologically. It was not a kindred task for him. More characteristic was his reply to one who asked him if there were Arians and Socinians in the region; that there were worse men than that-thieves, immoral men. With quiet humor he was wont to call himself a 'moder- ate Baxterian.' Still, the times, like our times, demanded clear and deep convictions, and into his views I will not go, except to refer to the beautiful covenant beginning thus: 'Admiring the infinite condescension and grace of God in opening a door of life and salvation to perishing sinners through the death and media- tion of Jesus Christ.' This was the covenant which he used and introduced into the new church; on which, in very simple, un- questioning trust in the atonement of Jesus Christ, he rested his personal hope."
L
C
1
30
APPENDIX III.
Caleb Burge was born in Tolland, Conn., May 26, 1782, and moved with his parents, Nathaniel and Lucretia S. Burgess, to Springfield, Vt., in 1783. Here the name "Burgess " was changed, for a time, to "Burge." Ile had a younger brother, Dyer, who, eventually, changed his name back to "Burgess," was ordained pastor in Colebrook, N. H., in 1810, went to Ohio in 1817, where he became a Presbyterian, and took an honored position in that church, being, withal, greatly beloved by all who knew him. Caleb graduated from Middlebury college in 1806, and was ordained first pastor of the church in Guildhall, Vt., in August, 1808, where he was greatly blessed in his labors; 74 being added to his church in 1810, of whom 41 were added at one time. But for want of adequate support, as alleged, he was dismissed, Feb. 16, 1814. In June, 1814, a very unanimous eall was extended to him by this church and society to settle here, which he accepted, and was, apparently, installed here early in the following August. Ilere he remained till 1819, five years. For his first wife he married Roxana Chapin, and for his second, Jerusha Hall, both of them natives of this county. Ilis labors here seem to have been greatly blessed, about 100 additions hay- ing been made to the church during his five years' ministrations. From this he was called to settle as a pastor of the 1st church in Glastonbury, Conn. Of those who attended his services and knew him well, the writer has been told by one, that "he was, in person, a large, stout man, 6 feet 4 inches in stature;" by another, indeed by many others, that "he was a powerful preacher." One says, "He was a perfect Boanerges in the pul- pit; some who have heard him will never forget it. But he was imperious. I have heard him say from the pulpit to the singers, " you, Mr. So-and-So, go and sit there, and you, Miss So-and-So, sit there." He would always have his own way." One of his parishioners, Mr. -- , is reported to have said to him, at one time, "Mr. Burge, when you are in the pulpit you ought never to come out, and when you are out never to go in." Another says, " Mr. Burge was a most discriminating preacher, and one of the most able advocates of the doctrines of the Bible in all this seetion of the country." He lived about two miles northwest of the village, on what was afterwards known as the "Harris place," now owned by Mr. Crosier. I had, for a time, before me, not long sinee, a copy of his very able and notable book-" An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of the Atonement; showing its Nature, its Necessity, and its Extent," &c., evidently written while he was here, and published in 1822 at Hartford, Conn., while he was pastor of the first church in Glastonbury- a book of about 300 pages, 12mo, and highly commended by such
! 1
31
theologians of that day as Drs. Emmons, Worcester, Spring, and Burton. He was honored with the degree of M.D. by Castleton Medical College in 1828.
The present pastor of the 1st church in Glastonbury, under date of Feb. 5, 1894, kindly replying to inquiries I made of him, says: "Rev. Caleb Burge was installed the 7th pastor of this church in August, 1821, and was dismissed Nov. 23, 1825. The only thing I can learn of his ministry is, that 36 were admitted to the church on confession, and that he was not generally liked. Some people objected to his combining in one the profession of medicine and that of a minister, though that was not necessarily a fault of his. He was generally regarded as an able preacher. In an anniversary sermon preached in 1876, Dr. Scudder, the pastor, says : 'After leaving Glastonbury, Mr. Burge moved westward and was preaching at Warsaw, N. Y. On attending a funeral, where he was to preach on the words : 'Be ye also ready,' descending a hill on the way, he was thrown from his vehicle and received a wound which resulted in his death in a few days. This occurred in the 56th year of his age." Dr. Chapin, in an exhaustive memorial address in 1853, says, that, 'for a few years preceding his death he gave up preaching and confined himself to the practice of medicine.'"
West Brattleboro, Vt., April 2, 1894.
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS 33950 JUN 18 1947
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.