History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 63

Author: Rann, W. S. (William S.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1054


USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 63


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The First Church .- About the years 1795 and 1796 Rev. Chauncey Lee preached a considerable part of the time in Burlington, and Rev. Daniel C. Sanders a considerable part from 1798 to 1807. February 21, 1805, fourteen persons-Alexander Catlin, Abigail Catlin, Lucinda Catlin, Ozias Buell, Abi- gail Buell, Daniel .Coit, Amelia Tuttle, Daniel C. Sanders, Nancy Sanders, Eb- enezer Lyman, Anna Lyman, Clarissa Lyman, Sarah Atwater and Miriam Wetmore, all having been in other places members of churches, met at the house of Moses Catlin, esq., and adopted articles of faith and a covenant pre- pared by Rev. Daniel C. Sanders, president of the University of Vermont. Upon the following Sunday, February 23, 1805, the articles and covenant were read and assented to, when the associated members above mentioned were de- clared by President Sanders " to be a regular church of the Lord Jesus Christ, established in Burlington." June 15, 1805, the inhabitants of Burlington, in town meeting assembled, organized the first society for social and public worship, which society extended a call to preach to Rev. Sidney Willard, in . 1806, and to Rev. Willard Preston-afterwards president of the University of Vermont-in 1808 ; but both calls were declined.


About 1809 two parties appeared in the community, the liberal and the Calvinistic ; President Sanders favoring the former, and several of the constitu- ent members of the society, who came from Connecticut, favoring the latter. Each of these parties procured a candidate for the pastorate, and this led to the dissolution of the first society for social and public worship, and the formation of two new societies, the one first formed taking the name of the "First Con- gregational Society in Burlington," the other of the " First Calvanistic Congre- gational Society in Burlington."


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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.


April 10, 1810, Mr. Daniel Haskell was settled over the First Calvinistic Congregational Society, and April 19, 1810, Mr. Samuel Clark over the First Congregational Society. Rev. Mr. Haskell's congregation worshiped in the court-house and college chapel till December 12, 1812, at which time they dedicated the first church structure in town. This church was built of wood, located near the site of the present chapel, facing north, was large for its time, and stood for twenty-seven years. It was destroyed by an incendiary fire Sunday, June 23, 1839. The erection of a new church, the present one, was immediately begun, which was dedicated April 14, 1842 ; it is of brick, with an hexastyle Ionic portico in front ; the cupola is from the Choragic monument of Lysicrates. Its dimensions are 92 x 61 feet ; its seating capacity about 600 ; it was designed by Mr. Henry Searl, of Burlington, and cost $20,000. Since this the society has built upon its grounds a chapel or lecture-room containing also the church parlors, at a cost of $9,000, and a pleasant parsonage, at a cost of $5,200. Two colonies have gone out from the church. Twenty-three per- sons were dismissed in October, 1836, to organize the Congregational Church at Winooski, Vt., and forty-five persons were dismissed in November, 1864, and formed in the city the Third Congregational Church. The following is the list of pastors who have served the society : Rev. Daniel Haskell, ordained April 10, 1810, dismissed to be president of the university June 23, 1822 ; Rev. Willard Preston, D.D., installed August 23, 1822, dismissed to be presi- dent of the university July 9, 1825 ; Rev. Reuben Smith, installed May 4, 1826, dismissed May 5, 1831 ; Rev. John Kendrick Converse, ordained Aug- ust I, 1832, dismissed October 7, 1842 ; Rev. John Hopkins Worcester, D.D., installed March 10, 1847, dismissed January 7, 1855 ; Rev. C. Spencer Marsh, ordained November 6, 1856, dismissed February 8, 1860; Rev. Eldridge Mix, D.D., installed September 4, 1862, dismissed September 1, 1867 ; Rev. Edward H. Griffin, D.D., ordained February 6, 1868, dismissed August 12, 1872 ; Rev. Lewis O. Brastow, D.D., installed November 4, 1873 ; Rev. Edward Hawes, D.D., installed April 15, 1885. The membership of the church is 393. The membership of the Sabbath-school is 275. The following are the officers of the church : Rev. Edward Hawes, D.D., pastor ; Augustus Kimball, Burnham Seaver, Edwin L. Ripley, James Peck, deacons. The pastor and deacons, the superintendent of the Sabbath-school, Rev. Henry A. P. Torrey, and Micah N. Stone, standing committee. Micah N. Stone, clerk: Edwin L. Ripley, treasurer ; James Peck, auditor ; Edward P. Shaw, superintendent of the Sab- bath-school.


The First Methodist Episcopal Church .- In 1798 Joseph Mitchell and the well-known Lorenzo Dow traveled and preached in Western Vermont. In 1799 the Vergennes circuit was formed, embracing this whole district. In 1808 we find the circuits changing from time to time, that Burlington belonged to the Charlotte circuit. In 1815, about three miles east of the city, at the


520


HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.


house of Mr. Henry Noble, which was a preaching place for itinerants, a Meth- odist class was formed and Mr. Ebenezer Stewart appointed leader. The offi- ciating preacher upon this occasion was Rev. Nicholas White, who rode the Charlotte circuit.


It was probably in 1817 that the first Methodist class in the place was formed, consisting of nine members, with Abijah Warner, leader. Rev. J. Mc- Daniel, of the St. Albans circuit, presided at the formation of this society, Burlington at this time belonging to the St. Albans circuit. Rev. Noah Lev- ings, in after life connected with the American Bible Society, was appointed to Burlington in 1823. He was with the Burlington Methodists two years ; his successors to the present time are as follows: Robert Travis, 1825; Joshua Poor, 1826-7; V. Kempton and H. Chase, 1828 ; C. P. Clark, 1829-30; Eli- jah Crane, 1831 ; Elijah Crane and A. M. Osborn, 1832 ; M. Bates, 1833; James Caughey, 1834; R. M. Little, 1835-6; John Pegg, 1837; James Caughey, 1838 ; John Haslam, 1839; S. D. Brown, 1840-41 ; B. O. Meeker, 1842; T. W. Pearson, 1843-4; William Ford, 1845 ; H. G. Starks, 1846-7; E. B. Hub- bard, 1848 ; L. James, 1849-50; Thomas Dodgson, 1851-2; C. F. Burdick, 1853-4; B. O. Meeker, 1855-6 ; William A. Miller, 1857-8 ; L. D. Stebbins, 1859; A. Witherspoon, 1860-61 ; H. Warner, 1862-3 ; L. P. Walker, 1864; H. K. Cobb, 1865 ; Isaac McAnn, 1866-7; D. W. Dayton, 1868-9; D. W. Gates, 1870-71 ; Henry Graham, 1872-3 ; W. J. Heath, 1874-5-6; Thomas A. Griffins, 1877-8-9; Merritt Hulburd, 1880-1-2 ; M. D. Jump, 1883-4-5.


The first quarterly conference in Burlington was held September 20, 1823, Rev. Buel Gordan, presiding elder, Rev. Noah Levings, preacher in charge. At this time Dr. E. D. Harmon and J. W. Weaver were elected stewards. The report of the fourth quarterly conference for 1823 shows that the amount collected that year was $190.79, of which the presiding elder received $15.33. At the third quarterly conference for the year 1832-3, held in Burlington Feb- ruary 16, 1833, Rev. S. D. Ferguson, presiding elder, Rev. A. M. Osborn, preacher, V. P. Coon, Charles Haynes, A. Truman, Ambrose Atwater, and J. L. Forbes were elected stewards ; and at this date we may consider the Meth- odist Church of Burlington permanently organized.


During the year 1832 steps were taken to build a church, Mr. John W. Southmade loaning the society $400 with which to procure a site. Subscrip- tions were taken, and soon a contract was made for the erection of a church 60 x 40, bricked on the outside. The walls were put up and the structure roofed over in the summer of 1832. While the house was building in 1833 the society held services at the old red school-house on Maiden Lane, now North Union street. In 1834 rough seats were put into the rough building, the pas- tor, Rev. A. M. Osborn, constructing the desk himself. Before the year closed the pews were built and the church finished inside ; its seating capacity was 400. The building though practically completed, wanted "the glory of a spire."


521


TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.


Towards erecting one Rev. James Caughey, a local preacher and afterwards pastor, gave $400, and it was completed in 1836.


During the pastorate of Rev. C. F. Burdick a great revival occurred, and the church became of a sudden too small for the worshipers. In 1855 a col- ony of twenty-seven members and forty-nine probationers went out from the First to form the Second Methodist Church. July 2, 1855, the second church was organized as follows: Stewards, Amasa Drew, James Lewis, Samuel Hunting- ton, George T. Stowell, H. W. Smith, William Mead, H. Vickery, B. Seaver, W. C. Drew, S. Huntington, J. Edmunds. In nine months from its organization this body built a brick church on Pine street which it occupied thirteen years. The pastors who presided over the Pine Street Church were Revs. L. Marshall, William R. Brown, Daniel B. Mckenzie, Charles H. Richmond, V. M. Simonds, William R. Puffer, A. S. Cooper, McKendree Petty, and J. W. Edgerton. The conference of 1867 sent only one preacher to Burlington, Rev. Isaac McAnn ; under his labors the two Methodist Churches united and began the building of the present beautiful house of worship, in the Romanesque style on Winooski avenue, which was finished in 1869. Bishop Ames preached the dedicatory discourse April 19, 1870. The church cost over $57,000, and seats 700. The society has at present 496 members and property to the amount of more than $66,000. The Sabbath- school numbers 407. The present officers of the church are: Pastor, Rev. Homer Eaton, D.D. ; stewards, O. J. Walker, Ira Rus- sell, S. Beach, Byron S. Jones, Lester Brayton, I. A. Goodhue, L. M. Bingham, M. D., O. P. Ray, esq., G. W. Whitney, William Weaver, L. B. Lord, D. A. Brodie, H. A. Ray ; leaders are Samuel Huntington, A. H. Cobb, A. A. Drew, W. H. Lang, A. S. Wright, A. E. Jones, Charles W. Drew, and Henry Dean ; the Sunday-school superintendent is L. B. Lord; the collector, G. W. Whit- ney ; the treasurer is S. Beach ; the secretary, Lester Brayton.


The First Baptist Church .- The First Baptist Church in Vermont was or- ganized in Shaftsbury in 1768. The First Baptist Society in Burlington was formed January 5, 1830, when the Burlington branch of the Williston Baptist Church was organized with a membership of six - four women and two men. This society had no meeting-house and no minister, preaching only half of the time, and that half by a lay member of the church of Williston named Hill. For more than three years after Mr. Hill closed his labors the little flock was without a pastor. In January, 1834, they found a preacher in Rev. Mr. Norris. The society prospered so well under his charge the summer of that year that in the fall it was resolved to become independent of the mother church. A council convened for this purpose, and September 26, 1834, the First Baptist Church of Burlington was organized. The constituent members were as follows: Rev. Mr. Norris, pastor ; Mrs. Norris, Charles Benns, Isabella Benns, E. Bartlett, Benjamin D. Hinman, Abigail Hinman, George Wells, Lucy Wainwright and Silva Proctor. At the end of the year Rev. Mr. Norris closed his labors with the church.


522


HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY. -


During the year 1835 the desk was supplied by Rev. C. Ingraham and Rev. Mr. Bryant. In June, 1836, Rev. John H. Walden became pastor, only to resign in the following September. Not until June, 1839, did the church find another pastor, when Rev. Hiram D. Hodge came to preach. During a stay of only nine months he saw the church double her membership. Rev. Mr. Burbank finished the year.


In August, 1840, Rev. Hiram Stafford, of Keeseville, N. Y., was chosen pastor. Up to this time the church had worshiped on Colchester avenue in a chapel built by Mr. Charles Benns - one of the first members- and rented to the church at a nominal price. In 1842 a lot was purchased on the south- west corner of Church and Main streets, and a house of worship commenced. Before it was completed the people were bereft of their pastor, who died July 28, 1844. In January, 1845, Rev. H. I. Parker was called to the church. The church structure was speedily finished and dedicated April 3, 1845 ; at the dedication Rev. Mr. Parker was installed pastor. He remained with the church till November, 1852. In March, 1853, Rev. Leonard Tracy became pastor, but resigned, owing to continuous illness in his family, in February, 1855. He was succeeded by Rev. H. H. Burrington. Ill health compelled Rev. Mr. Burrington to resign after a stay of two years. In January, 1858, Rev. N. P. Foster, M. D., accepted the pastorate. During his first year great interest was manifested, thirty-five being baptized. He remained with the church eight years, during which time the present church edifice was erected on St. Paul street, at a cost of $32,550. The new church was dedicated December 15, 1864. In June, 1866, Mr. Foster resigned. From February, 1867, to August, 1881, Rev. Monson A. Wilcox was pastor. In 1868 the church dedicated a mission chapel on Water street. Previous to 1870 there were two separate organiza- tions : one the First Baptist Church, a religious body, the other the First Bap- tist Society, a secular body. July 28, 1870, articles of association were sub- scribed to in accordance with the general statutes by both bodies, and the church incorporated under the laws of Vermont. In the same year the church edifice was extended one-half of its dimensions, securing a seating capacity of 730 in the auditorium and 600 in the vestry, at a cost of $23,000. This ele- gant structure was re-dedicated January 1, 1871. In 1873 a chapel costing $6,400 was built by the church, at the northern extremity of Elmwood avenue.


Rev. F. J. Parry, the present pastor, was settled in January, 1882. During his pastorate the church has been remodeled at an expense of some $6,000, and a fine parsonage erected, costing between four and five thousand dollars. The officers of the church at present are as follows : Pastor, Rev. F. J. Parry ; deacons, E. A. Fuller, Lawrence Barnes, Samuel Bigwood and J. W. Johnson ; clerk, Arthur Crane ; finance committee, Willard Crane, George Wright, Dr. H. A. Crandall, George Davis and Lawrence Barnes ; treasurer, George C. Peterson ; Sunday-school superintendent, Samuel Bigwood. The membership of the church and Sunday-school are each over 400.


523


TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.


Protestant Episcopal Church .- Rev. Samuel Peters, LL. D., known com- monly as Bishop Peters, says that he was the first clergyman to visit " Verd Mont," as he calls it. It was in October, 1768, that the bishop traveled through the settlements, preaching where he could, and baptizing in eight weeks nearly 1,200 adults and children. In 1802 there were eighty or ninety communicants in the State. In 1811 the church entered upon a period of great prosperity. In 1826 a church paper was established at Middlebury. December 13, 1831, a Protestant Episcopal Church was organized at Burling- ton, by the name of St. Paul's Church. The corporators were Hon. Heman Allen, Timothy Follett, Andrew Thompson, Justus Burdick, Phineas Atwater, Luman Foote, Chauncey Goodrich, T. Hockley. Mr. Hockley was at this time elected treasurer and Mr. Atwater collector. Rev. George F. Chapman, D. D., was chosen rector of the parish May 1, 1831, and commenced his duties June 2, 1831. At this date the parish numbered twenty families and seven- teen communicants, but so rapid was its growth that May 22, 1832, at the an- nual convention in Middlebury the rector reported eighty families, eighty com- municants, forty-eight baptisms and fourteen confirmations. In the fall of 1831 the erection of a church was begun and pushed rapidly forward. In the fall of 1832 Dr. Chapman resigned the rectorship to make way for the Rt. Rev. John H. Hopkins, D. D., who had been elected bishop of the diocese, and was also to be rector of the parish. The bishop, upon his arriving in Burlington, consecrated the new church and confirmed nine persons, Novem- ber 25, 1832. The church, located on St. Paul street, is of blue limestone, in the Gothic style, 84 x 48 feet, with a tower seventy-five feet high, projecting in front. The cost of the structure and bell was $8,000. In 1857 it was repaired and enlarged by adding a recessed chancel, side galleries and stained glass windows, at an expense of $7,000, the bishop drawing and executing the plans. August 23, 1858, Rev. David Hillhouse Buel assumed the rectorship, the parish at that time containing over 100 families and nearly 200 communicants. Rev. Mr. Buel remained rector till 1866; Bishop Hopkins then acted in that capacity till 1868, when Rev. Edwin R. Atwill took the rectorship and was with the parish till 1882. From 1882 to 1885 Rev. William C. Dawson was rector. The present rector, Rev. J. Isham Bliss, D. D., began his duties at Easter, 1885. In 1867 the church structure was increased in size nearly one- half its dimensions, at an expense of about $20,000. It will now accommo- date eight hundred or nine hundred persons. St. Paul's parish has been royally favored in the munificence of one of her members, the late John P. Howard, who in 1881 erected and presented to the church a stone chapel costing $10,000, and in 1884 a beautiful rectory at an expense of $10,000 more. The church buildings and grounds at present are valued at about $85,000.


The officers of the church are as follows : Rev. J. Isham Bliss, D. D., rec-


5 24


HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.


tor ; Henry C. Hutchins, assistant minister ; vestrymen, Henry Wells, D. W. Robinson, L. G. B. Cannon, G. L. Linsley, H. H. Ross, W. H. Waters, W. S. Webb, Elias Lyman ; treasurer and collector, H. S. Ward ; secretary, Elias Lyman ; Sunday-school superintendent, the rector ; assistant Sunday-school superintendent, W. H. S. Whitcomb. The church numbers 225 families, 875 individuals and 430 communicants. The Sunday-school numbers 175.


The Third Congregational Church .- The Third Congregational Church of Burlington grew out of the conviction that all the necessities of congregation- alism in the city could not be met by a single church. At the house of Mrs. E. W. Buell, July 21, 1860, the Third Congregational Society was organized and public services commenced in the court-house, Rev. Joseph Torrey, D. D., of Burlington, presiding, assisted by Rev. Simeon Parmelee, D. D., of Under- hill, Vt. The original members of the church were fifty-two, forty-five of which were a colony from the First Church of Burlington. G. W. Benedict, H. P. Hickok and B. W. Smith were elected deacons of the new church. The first pastor, Rev. George B. Safford, was installed December 26, 1860, through a council of which Rev. G. W. Blogden, D. D., of Boston, was moderator, and Rev. G. E. Sanborn, of Georgia, Vt., scribe. The installation services were conducted in the First Church. Rev. Mr. Safford remained pastor over twen- ty-one years, being dismissed August 8, 1882. At the annual meeting of the Chittenden County Conference of Congregational Churches June 11, 1861, the church was admitted to membership. Preparations for building a house of worship began in the spring of 1863. The congregation continued to meet in the court-house till the basement of the new church was finished, where public services were first held January 15, 1865. On February 27, 1866, the struct- ure was dedicated, Rev. E. N. Kirk, D. D., of Boston, preaching the dedica- tory discourse. The church, located at the corner of Union and College streets, is an elegant edifice, in the collegiate Gothic style. It cost $50,000 and will seat 650 persons. In 1867 the society erected a convenient parson- age, valued at $7,000, on a lot given for that purpose by Mrs. Maria B. Hun- gerford. A bell and clock were placed in the church tower in 1878. En- deavoring to secure active operation from all its members, the church main- tains that women, as well as men, shall be deacons; and that the superintend- ent of the Sabbath-school shall be elected at the annual meeting of the church. The officers of the church at present are Rev. Charles F. Carter, pastor ; deacons, Henry P. Hickok, George H. Perkins, Mrs. Mary J. Perkins, Mrs. Evelina D. Benedict, Miss Helen C. Converse, Henry O. Wheeler ; clerk and treasurer, George Grenville Benedict; Sunday-school superintendent, George H. Perkins ; finance committee, Edward Lyman, Torrey E. Wales, E. B. Whiting. Rev. Charles F. Carter was installed February 9, 1886. From the dismissal of Dr. Safford to the installation of Rev. Mr. Carter the church was without a settled pastor. The membership of the church is 175 and of the Sabbath-school I 20.


525


TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.


The Berean Baptist Church. - The Berean Baptist Church was organized June 9, 1884. Its twenty-one constituent members were a colony from the First Baptist Church of Burlington. At first their meetings were held in private houses, but in June, 1884, having secured the services of Rev. E. P. Gould, of Newton, Mass., they began to hold public meetings in the Good Templars' Hall. Here they continued till March 29, 1885, when by invitation of the Third Congregational Church they began worshiping with them, Rev. Mr. Gould preaching to the united congregations. February 16, 1885, they purchased a lot of land on the corner of Pearl street and Winooski avenue, and April 13 they began the erection of a church. October 18, 1885, they met with the Third Congregational Church for the last time, and October 25 the church held its first services in the new building. It was dedicated November 20 following, Rev. C. B. Crane, D.D., of Concord, N. H., preaching the dedicatory sermon. The church was incorporated under the laws of Vermont December 29, 1884. The present number of members is thirty-eight. The officers of the church are Rev. E. P. Gould, pastor; deacons, Prof. V. G. Barbour, J. Matthews, George Towle ; clerk, Albert H. Rutter; Dr. S. D. Hodge, Sunday-school superintendent ; treasurer, George Towle. The first officers of the church were the same as the above, with the exception that Mr. W. L. Richardson was treasurer.


THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.I


The first organization of the Catholic Church of Burlington and of Chitten- den county took place in 1830, when Rev. Jeremiah O'Callaghan, a native of the county Cork, and a priest of the Diocese of Cloyne, Ireland, was sent by Bishop Fenwick, of Boston, to this place, Vermont at the time forming part of the Diocese of Boston. There were some French Canadian and Irish fam- ilies in Burlington and the surrounding villages of the county of Chittenden who were probably visited by priests from Canada and other places, but before 1830 they had no resident priest. The same year Colonel Hyde deeded to the Bishop of Boston the land which is now used as a cemetery, and which with other lands since purchased is known as Mt. St. Joseph's Cemetery. Rev. Mr. O'Callaghan commenced the erection of a church on this property in 1832, for which he collected money in other parts of the county and in Canada. The building stood a little northeast of the present gateway of the cemetery on Archibald street. This building was destroyed, by incendiaries it is believed, in 1838. It was attended by all the Catholics not only of Burlington, but of the surrounding country, both Irish and French Canadians, who formed the bulk of, if not the entire Catholic population. Rev. Father O'Callaghan was assisted at different times by the following clergymen: Rev. Messrs. Petithomme,


1 Prepared by the Rt. Rev. Louis De Goesbriand, bishop of the Diocese of Burlington, and very Rev. Thomas Lynch, V. G.


34


526


HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.


O'Byrne and Anse. After the burning of the church the Catholics assembled for divine services in the basement of the court-house. In 1841 Father O'Cal- laghan commenced another church, which was afterwards enlarged, and which, with some more additions, is now known as St. Mary's Hall. At this time the French Canadians under the direction of Father Ans built another church on the hill near the place where the first church stood, and the Catholics, French and Irish, had services at different times. In 1850 St. Joseph's Church was commenced, near the cemetery. It was intended to accommodate the French Canadians of Burlington and Winooski and of the surrounding country. This church is still used, though much too small for the congregation, and far from the body of the people who attend it. A large substantial stone building is at this time receiving the finishing touches of mechanics and artists, and will in a very short time be ready to accommodate the large number of worshipers who anxiously await its completion. This church is located on Allen street. The old St. Joseph's was commenced by Rev. Joseph Quevillon, who had the direction of the congregation until October 8, 1854. Since then the congre- gation has been under the care of the Oblate Fathers M. I., the Rt. Rev. Bishop who took charge of it for a short time, Rev. H. Cardinal and the present pastor, Rev. Jerome M. Cloarec, who is now assisted by Rev. Francis Yvenec. A new church was erected at Winooski Falls for the French Canadians, and now St. Joseph's Church was in the very edge, if we may so express it, of the people who attended it. Besides, the people began to increase in the city, so that the church was entirely unsuited for their accommodation. The present pastor purchased the lot on Allen street, and after commencing work had the corner- stone of the new St. Joseph's blessed and placed in position July 4, 1884. This is the church which in a very short time will be occupied by its people, and give that accommodation which is so much needed.




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