History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911, Part 51

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 51

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It is very probable that Methodist services were held in town more or less after 1800, and that some sort of an organization that could be called a church existed as early as 1818.

In the first division of public money which is on record as coming from the rent of ministerial lands in 1820, the Methodist church got about one-fourth of the whole, and it is stated that it

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was for the past two years. Stephen Freeman received the money. In 1822 the money was paid to Peter Wheelock. In 1827 the Methodists received the largest sum of any church in town. In 1829, when the rents were divided according to the membership, it stood second in amount received. When one con- siders the slow growth of the Baptist church, and the by no means rapid growth of the Congregational church at a time when it was the only church in town, it seems reasonable to suppose that the Methodist church had been organized for several years previous to 1818.

That the right hand of fellowship was not extended to it by the Congregational people is pretty evident from the fact, that the Congregational church in 1834 adopted a particular form of dismission to the Methodist church. A member who desired to join the Methodists might be good enough for that particular church, but they must not open to him the doors of any strictly orthodox church.

In 1837 there seem to have been two divisions of Methodists, one on the south side of the river, for whom Stephen Freeman drew $3.75 of the ministerial money, and the other, location not stated, which drew $33. In 1839 the Congregational church voted to give Abner Kent a letter to the Methodist church on Broad Brook. There is an incidental reference to a camp meet- ing on Broad Brook before any authentic records of the church are found. Rev. Russell Spaulding was a Methodist minister, who married one of Nehemiah Leavitt's daughters, and it is said that meetings were held in the Leavitt house, later known as the Amasa Royce residence on Broad Brook.

The first authentic records of the church are found in the minutes of the Tunbridge Circuit. A quarterly conference was held in Royalton, Sep. 1st and 2nd, 1838. The presiding elder requested a report of the spiritual condition of the church, which was given as low, with two cases of seriousness. J. M. Culver was elected to attend the district stewards' meeting to be held at East Williamstown, Oct. 16. E. J. Scott was preacher of the circuit at this time.

A quarterly conference was held at Tunbridge on the 24th of the following November. It was voted that the stewards and class leaders should form themselves into a missionary society. J. H. Stevens, A. Button, and J. M. Culver drew up a constitu- tion for this society, and the following officers were elected : J. M. Culver, president; A. Button, vice-president; I. Riddall, T. W. Kelsey, Mr. Sawyer, and J. Adams, committee.

The time was now ripe for establishing a church with a house of worship in Royalton. Accordingly, those in sympathy with the movement gathered together on March 15, 1839, and adopted the following agreement:

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"We the inhabitants of Royalton and vicinity do hereby volun- tarily associate and form ourselves into a society to be called the Methodist Episcopal Society for the purpose of building a house for publick worship on or near the town common in Royalton village ac- cording to the first section of an act entitled an act for the support of the Gospel passed Oct. 26th 1797, and we hereby agree to be governed by the following constitution.

Art. 1st. To build a house on the plan of the Methodist house at East Barnard with the exception of a vestry in the Gallery and the desk & Steeple or spire which is to be similar to the Methodist house at Chelsea Green.

Art. 2. The house shall be owned according to the amount paid by each subscriber who wishes to receive his subscription in slips, and those who subscribe and do not wish to take slips will have their amount set off in free slips.

Art. 3. The whole expence of said house when finished to be esti- mated on the whole number of slips in said house by the appraisal of men appointed for that purpose by the subscribers, and each subscriber shall obtain his or her slip or slips by bidding for choice-the average price of the slips shall not exceed thirty dollars.

Art. 4th. Each subscriber shall pay to the Treasurer of the build- ing committee one third of the amount of his subscription by the first of June next, and the remainder in semiannual payments from that time.

Art. 5th. When eight hundred dollars are subscribed the subscrib- ers shall meet at some suitable place and appoint a building committee to superintend the building said house.

Art. 6th. When the house is finished there shall be a board of Trustees appointed by said society who shall be members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church to superintend and manage the affairs of said house.

Art. 7th. After the sale of the slips in said house each purchaser shall receive an executed Deed from the board of Trustees conveying to them the right and title of their slip or slips on the conditions herein mentioned."

The required amount in subscriptions seems to have been promptly secured. The subscribers met on the 24th of March and organized by choosing David Wheelock, moderator, and Ora- mel Sawyer, clerk. John Marshall, Oliver Curtis, and Oramel Sawyer were chosen a building committee, and J. M. Culver, David W. Wheelock, and Garner R. Lyman a committee to select and prepare the ground for the building.

The building committee called the society together January 14, 1840. Rev. Patterson and Lyman Wing were appointed appraisers, and Oramel Sawyer, Paul Mckenstry, J. M. Culver, Joel B. Fox, and Garner R. Lyman were appointed as trustees. According to their constitution this action was to be taken when the house should be finished, so the presumption is that it was now completed. The land on which the building was set was a part of the Jacob Smith estate, and the deed for that was given Jan. 24, 1840, to the trustees for eighty dollars.

They were ready now for bids for the choice of slips. A list of the subscribers, sums each gave, and the number of the slips that each secured are given :

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Oliver Curtis, $200; Oramel Sawyer, $150; James M. Culver, $50, Nos. 2, 17; James Williams, $25, No. 45; Joel B. Fox, $25, No. 15; George Lyman, $25, No. 14; Bela Hall, $25, No. 35; Paul McKenstry, $100, Nos. 3, 9; David Wheelock, $100; Polly Fay, $25, No. 47; Joseph P. Chamberlin, $25, No. 12; Samuel Osborn, $20, No. 43; Garner R. Lyman, $25, No. 8; Luther Howe, $10, No. 12; Samuel Blodgett, $25, No. 16; Joseph Johnson, $40, Nos. 28, 54; Elias Stevens, $25; Arunah Clark, $15, No. 52; Jacob Fox, $10; John Marshall, $25, No. 32; Jona- than Dyer, Jr., $25, No. 31; Joseph A. Denison, $10, No. 23; Salmon Joiner, $5; Charles Clapp, $25, No. 13; George Barnes, $25, No. 26; Marshall Rix, $5; Calvin Goff, $10, No. 55; Job Bennett, $15, No. 52; William Leonard, $25, No. 30; E. P. Nevens, $10, No. 25; T. H. Safford, $10, No. 24; Thomas S. Davis, $20, No. 18; Lyman Benson, $25, No. 53. James Denison bought No. 4 and John Francis No. 19.

Several of these were probably not members of the Meth- odist church, but subscribed and took slips to aid the society.

The amount bid for choice of slips varied all the way from two cents to $4.50. According to the records four never paid anything on their subscriptions and ten others did not pay in full. The entire cost of the new church was $1,744.17. The next year the society bought of the Congregational society a small strip of land adjoining their lot.

In 1841 the name of the circuit was changed from Tunbridge to Royalton, and included East Bethel and Tunbridge. The offi- cial members of the church in Royalton were J. H. Culver, re- cording steward and class leader; Lyman Benson, class leader, and Oscar Henry, Joshua Eaton, Alva Button, and Reuben Dodge, stewards. The local preacher was Thomas W. Kelsey. The membership was sixty-three.

At the quarterly conference held at Tunbridge, Dec. 7, 1844, the church expressed its views on the question of slavery by these resolutions :

"Resolved in view of the fearful encroachments that slavery is making in our land not only in the enslavement of our colored brethren but also the incarceration within prison walls of our free fellow citi- zens for no other crime than in aiding the enslaved from slavery to the liberty which the Declaration of our independence declares to be the birthright of all, that we are more than ever convinced of the great evil and sin of slavery and will not cease our efforts for its overthrow until we lose the name of freemen or see our nation free.

Resolved that the doctrine of Millerism is a dangerous error and ought not to be countenanced by us in any shape."

The church in Royalton village had an existence of only one decade, when steps were taken for its removal to the new vil- lage springing up in South Royalton. A subscription paper was drawn up May 6, 1850, for a Methodist meeting-house in South Royalton to be begun that season and finished as soon as prac- ticable. Each subscriber was entitled to draw back his money in pew property, and those who owned pews in the house belong- ing to other denominations were not to be prohibited from the use of the house on funeral occasions and on the Sabbath, when

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it was not regularly occupied by the Methodists. The subscrib- ers to this building were Lyman Benson and Oliver Curtis, each $150; P. Pierce, Cyrus Hartshorn and Daniel Tarbell, Jr., each $75; Elisha Flint, John Manchester, Amos Robinson, I. P. Mor- gan, and Manahan, McCain & Co., each $50; H. K. Blake, E. B. Stanley, Josiah Smith, Ezra Wills, William M. Dennett, and A. Button & Co., each $25; Tracy Morgan, $40; Jireh Tucker, $15; Lorenzo' Mosher and Thomas Burgess, each $10; William Hoyt, Nicholas Mosher, Azuba Hutchinson, and Benjamin H. Cushman, each $5.

The subscribers met on June 10 and elected Cyrus Harts- horn and Oliver Curtis a committee to investigate the means for, and facilities of, building a meeting-house. On June 22 Edwin Pierce and Forest Adams were chosen a committee to appraise the meeting-house at Royalton village in its relative value to move and put into another at South Royalton. Lyman Benson, Oliver Curtis, and Ezra Wills were chosen a building committee, and Mr. Benson was elected treasurer.

The building committee made a contract with Ezra Wills for erecting the new house, 40 by 52 feet on the ground, 19 feet between joists, four twelve-lighted windows in the front, 12 by 16 glass, three windows on each side of the house, 48-lighted, 9 by 11 glass. There were to be two front doors with window between, and three windows above for the vestry, provided with blinds. The front end was to be built with a belfry 11 feet square and of suitable height, with a dome well tinned. The inside was to have space way 11 feet wide, with two pair of stairs to go up to the vestry and singers' seats, with a door at the top to enter, and folding doors in the front of the singers' seats. One row of seats in front was for the singers, and the vestry on the floor with the gallery was to extend from one stair- way to the other, with stairs at one end leading to the belfry. Two entrances to the body of the house were provided for and two aisles, the wall slips were to face, and the slips were to be without doors. The wall slips were to be elevated, and two short aisles to be on each side. The altar was to be made in "modern Methodist style." The foundation was to be put in that fall and the whole done by June 1st of the next year. Mr. Wills was to receive $1,500. He was to bear equal burdens with the other committee, and if all the money was not collected when the job was done, each member of the committee was to bear equal proportions of the deficiency, with interest until all should be paid, and have a claim on the house for the deficiency. Daniel Tarbell, Jr., signed with the committee as surety.

There seems to have been a kind of tacit understanding from the first that the church was to be a union church so far as the

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building was concerned, and that the Universalists should have the use of it a part of the time. On Sep. 24, 1852, the sub- scribers and owners of pews or slips consented that one-half of the meeting-house should be sold by the building committee to pay for the deficiency or balance that was due to Daniel Tarbell, Jr., that he might improve one-half of the house with such preaching as he might choose, not to exceed one-half the time.

By this arrangement the Universalists and Methodists were to have the use of the building on alternate Sundays, the pastor for the Universalists coming from Rochester. This arrangement was carried out for some time, but it was scarcely to be expected that two denominations so variant as these two should agree to live together permanently, and one day when the Methodists found the Universalists in possession of the building, a day which they claimed as theirs, and they had to go to the schoolhouse for their services, a breach arose that resulted in the separation of the joint ownership.

March 12, 1851, Lyman Benson deeded to the M. E. Society 66 and one-half rods of land so long as wood grows and water runs, they paying one cent per year if demanded, provided the stewards and successors in office should keep in repairs one-half the building and support preaching one-half the time. He re- ceived $200 for the land.

When the quarterly conference met on May 3, 1851, the stewards were authorized to give a quitclaim deed of the Meth- odist chapel in Royalton village to Oliver Curtis, provided he should obtain deeds of the owners of property in said house, or give a writing in his own name to secure the society from loss in consequence of giving said deed. Mr. Curtis already held con- siderable interest in the pews of the old church. On the Janu- ary 7th previous to this meeting of the conference, Mr. Curtis had taken a deed from the trustees of the church and about twenty other owners of the property, by which he secured the lot and most, if not all, of the pews. The following December Mr. Curtis sold this property to William Skinner for $1,000.

On Nov. 15, 1852, Lyman Benson sold to Daniel Tarbell, Jr., sixty-six and one-half square rods, stating that it was the land on which the Methodist meeting-house stood. In the same deed the building committee say that they have been paid by Mr. Tarbell for one-half the meeting-house, the pew holders' rights to be respected. On Mar. 26, 1856, Mr. Tarbell deeded his half interest to the South Royalton Bank. October, 1867, the stewards of the church secured a quitclaim from several per- sons interested, and the following year they got a clear title to their real estate from Daniel Tarbell, Jr., George Tarbell, and

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Chester Downer, and for the first time held all the church prop- erty in their own right.

At the second quarterly conference in August, 1867, James M. Culver, Harvey Reynolds, and William Tarbell were ap- pointed a committee to superintend and raise funds for repairing the church. At a meeting of the association for purchasing, bolding, and keeping in repair the meeting-house, which was held in November, they voted to raise $900, and to assess each pew holder ten dollars. The extensive repairs meditated were not made, but the interior of the building was renovated, and new carpets were laid, and pews changed.

At the quarterly conference of Oct. 28, 1878, it was voted to build a parsonage, the cost not to exceed one thousand dollars. W. A. Bryant, J. H. Buck, and Constant Dodge constituted the building committee. Mrs. Harvey Reynolds, Mrs. J. H. Buck, Mrs. G. W. Waterman, and Mrs. J. M. Culver were a committee to solicit funds. Rev. W. A. Bryant was the treasurer. The parsonage was built with a small debt remaining. Rev. A. H. Webb was the first to occupy it.

Rev. W. R. Davenport called a special meeting for Mar. 9, 1888, to discuss the advisability of repairing the church or build- ing a new one. It was voted to build a new one, and a committee made up of the pastor, Mrs. A. C. Waterman, and W. H. Sar- gent was appointed to solicit funds. The quarterly conference applied to the Church Extension Society for $300. The dedica- tion of the church was held the second week in June, 1890, in connection with Preachers' Meeting. William Ingraham Haven, D. D., of Boston, son of Bishop Haven, preached the sermon. The church was dedicated free of debt and with free seats. The pastor said it might truly be called the "Friend of the Poor Man." The new church is valued at $5,500. The old debt had been hanging over the church until 1887, when the last note against it was burned with proper ceremony.

In accordance with the custom of the Methodists the pas- tors were not allowed to remain with any one church more than two years, and often were changed every year. In 1837 Rev. O. E. Hall was preaching for the Methodists, and the next year Rev. William H. Stoddard was pastor of the Methodist churches in Royalton and Tunbridge. In 1840 Rev. J. H. Patterson served these two churches a part of the time at least. Daniel Field seems to have been the first pastor sent by the Conference. He was born at Springfield, Oct. 13, 1805. He entered the itin- eracy in 1831. He was a man of many rare gifts. He died May 20, 1883. He was located in Royalton in 1840-41. Nathan- iel Aspinwall supplied the church a part of 1841. He was born at Bradford, Jan. 26, 1801, and died Nov. 17, 1873, at Chicago.

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Charles N. Smith, 1842-43, came to the greatest prominence of any of the Royalton Methodist ministers. After leaving the Vermont Conference he joined the New England Conference, and was at one time stationed at Bromfield Street Methodist church, Boston, Mass. Edmund Copeland, 1844-45, was born at Braintree, July 3, 1811. In 1852 he was chosen delegate to the General Conference. He filled with success some of the first ap- pointments in the state. He died April 6, 1881. Homer T. Jones, 1846, was born at Madison, Maine, Aug. 16, 1816. He was educated at Newbury Seminary. He died at Barton Land- ing, Feb. 3, 1886.

J. L. Slason, 1847-48, was transferred to the Troy Confer- ence. He was a great singer, and led the choir at Rutland at the age of sixteen. O. S. Morris, 1849, joined the Congrega- tional church, and was pastor of that church at Tunbridge. This closes the list of pastors before the church was removed to South Royalton.

Perez Mason, 1850-51, was transferred to the N. E. Confer- ence, and was a missionary in Boston. Pliny Nye Granger, 1852-53, was born July 17, 1807, at Brompton, Canada East. He prepared to enter college, but instead of pursuing a collegiate course, he turned his attention to the study of medicine. He labored in the ministry from 1837 to 1864. He died in 1868. Adna Newton was the pastor in 1858, and Ira LeBarron in 1859.

Daniel A. Mack, 1860-61, was born June 4, 1825, at Plain- field. He died at the N. H. Orphans' Home in Franklin, N. H., Dec. 1, 1883. He was left an orphan at an early age. He studied at Newbury Seminary, and fitted for the ministry at the General Biblical Institute, Concord, N. H. He was chaplain of the Third Regiment in the Civil War. He was prominently en- gaged in the founding of the Orphans' Home, where he died. His early history, ministerial career, army services, and efforts in behalf of orphans gave him prominence in society. He was grandson of Daniel Mack, captain in the Revolutionary War, and a participant in the battle of Bunker Hill.

Harvey Webster, 1862, was born in Weston, June 6, 1826. He was a graduate of Newbury Seminary and of Concord Bibli- cal Institute. He was a preacher for forty-four years. He died Jan. 6, 1899, at Swanton. Zadoc Haynes, 1863-64, was trans- ferred. Nelson M. Granger, 1865, was transferred to the N. H. Conference. Amasa G. Button, 1868-69, was born at Tunbridge, Oct. 19, 1814. In his ministry of forty effective years, he filled many of the most important charges. He died Jan. 23, 1884, at Evanston, Ill.

William H. Wight, 1870-71, was born in Brimfield, Mass., Feb. 10, 1834, and is now living in Springfield, Mass. He filled

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acceptably some of the largest appointments in the state. Thomas Trevillian, 1872-74, was born in England, Oct. 22, 1828. He died at Lebanon, N. H., Nov. 30, 1900. Before leaving England he was engaged in mercantile business, and was a local preacher. He came to the United States in 1867, and immediately entered upon the ministry. George H. Hastings, 1875, was transferred.

James E. Knapp, 1875-78, was born in Greenwich, Conn., Aug. 25, 1845, and died Dec. 15, 1905, in Irasburg. He served eleven charges in the Conference. Revivals were the legitimate result of his faithful preaching and earnest work everywhere he went. He always took especial interest in the children and young people, while his cheerful face, happy smile, and pleas- ant greeting won the hearts of young and old alike. For several years he had charge of children's meetings at the Claremont camp ground. He was methodical and punctual in his habits. As a preacher he was intensely earnest, often eloquent, always impressive. His hearers felt that he believed what he preached, and was shaping his own life accordingly. He was always in demand for evangelistic work. An appeal to his heart for sym- pathy, or to his pocket for money, always met the most generous response. As a pastor he gave himself to his people, and won their love and confidence.

W. A. Bryant, 1878-80, was born July 7, 1828, in Weston. His first appointment was in 1874. He died in 1899 at South Londonderry.

A. H. Webb, 1881-82, was born Oct. 16, 1846, at Biddeford, England. He is a preacher of a high order, and has served the largest appointments in the state, among them being Montpelier, Northfield, Woodstock, and Brattleboro. He was eight years at Bradford. O. W. Barrows, 1883, died in 1887.

John S. Little, 1884-85, was a very acceptable pastor. The largest revival in the history of the church was during his pas- torate in the fall of 1885. The evangelists were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ballou. The Sunday school was increased in numbers, and the class meetings were much better attended. A class was formed at Royalton village with Henry Adams as leader. This class had an attendance of thirty. The Congregational church was invited to unite in the revival meetings. At the quarterly meeting on Nov. 15th, thirty-three were baptized, and one hun- dred and eight received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Walter R. Davenport, 1886-87, was born April 10, 1855, at Williamstown. He has received the highest honors which the Conference can give. He was five years pastor of Hedding Methodist church of Barre, was presiding elder of the Mont- pelier District for three years, and for two years was principal

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of Montpelier Seminary. W. M. Gillis, 1888-90, was transferred to another Conference, and nothing more is known of him.

F. E. Whitham, 1891-92, served as pastor for one year and three months, when he left the charge on account of ill health. The year was most acceptably filled by Robert E. Bisbee and George H. Rogers. F. H. Roberts, 1893-94, was born Dec. 16, 1835, at Chelsea. He has had appointments in the Vermont Con- ference since 1862, except between 1895 and 1901, when he was a member of the North Minnesota Conference.

E. W. Sharp, 1895-98, was born Sep. 2, 1860, at Maccan, Nova Scotia. He began his membership in the Vermont Con- ference at South Royalton. He was stationed at Northfield eight years. He won a large place in the hearts of the people of the church and community, and was pastor for four years. It was during his pastorate that improvements were made in the church and parsonage. Water was brought to the parsonage, and the debt on the organ was paid.

J. D. Beeman, 1899-1901, was a man of established reputa- tion when assigned to Royalton. He had served as presiding elder before this time. His wife died before the first year of his pastorate closed. This was the only death in a pastor's family at this place. Before the third year closed he was married to Mrs. Bessie Bryant. He was born Nov. 26, 1835, in Fairfax. He was president of Montpelier Seminary, 1882-91. He was a graduate of Wesleyan University. He died in 1903.

W. H. White, 1902-03, was pastor one and three-fourths years. Fred A. Wells, a student from the Boston University School of Theology, filled out the year, and in 1908 was pastor at Randolph Center. Edward E. Wells, 1904-06, joined the Conference in 1903. He was stationed at Irasburg. He was a graduate of Montpelier Seminary. Although quite a young man, he made many friends, and his work was very acceptable. F. M. Baker, 1907-08, had recently buried his wife when he came to Royalton. He left in September to attend the Boston Univer- sity School of Theology, and was married September 14, 1908, to Miss Josephine L. Bright, daughter of J. W. Bright. He preached while attending lectures at the University, and now is located at Whiteville, N. Y. The year was filled out by Rev. H. M. Springer. Mr. Springer is now farming at North Hart- land.

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History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911, Part 51

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company
Number of Pages: 1280