USA > Vermont > Washington County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury, Vermont, 1763-1915 > Part 19
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
An Act to incorporate the Waterbury Cemetery Association. The following incorporators were named in the charter: Paul Dillingham, J. C. Batchelder, J. F. Henry, William W. Wells, C. N. Arms, George J. Colby and Luther Henry. Authorized "to take by purchase or gift and hold within the towns of Waterbury or Duxbury, real estate not exceeding forty acres of land, to be held and occupied for a cemetery for the burial of the dead, and for no other purpose," etc. (November 8, 1865.)
An Act to authorize the towns of Morristown, Stowe, and Waterbury to aid in the construction of a railroad. Under this Act each town named was authorized to raise by tax on
210
HISTORY OF WATERBURY, VERMONT
the grand list a sum not exceeding $50,000, etc., to be appro- priated to aid in building the Mount Mansfield railroad, either by subscription for stock or otherwise, etc. (November 24, 1888.)
An Act authorizing the Village of Waterbury to issue bonds. "The inhabitants of that part of the town of Waterbury em- braced within a survey made by H. F. Smith on the 22d of October, 1902, and found recorded in Volume 28, at pages 525 and 526 of the land records of the town of Waterbury are hereby incorporated and made a body politic and corporate by the name of the Village of Waterbury, etc., amending Section I, No. 205, of the Acts of 1882, Village Charter." (December 3, 1908.)
Naturally religious matters assumed the complexion of and were regulated largely by the customs and laws prevailing in the communities or states from which the early settlers in Vermont emigrated. As the dominant or ascendant persua- sion or sect in Massachusetts and Connecticut, communities from which the later Vermont communities took their origin, was Congregational, it was sought to engraft this denomina- tion upon the new Green Mountain settlements by compulsory support of the gospel ministry. Two laws were passed by the Vermont Legislature in 1787 and 1789, substantially the same in effect, binding the inhabitants of each town to be of and to support "the leading denomination," or to show that they were of different views and supported the gospel ministry elsewhere. The Baptists, as might be expected, resented and vigorously opposed this arbitrary policy. Followed then a controversy of two years in the Legislature, during which Elder Ezra Butler became an active member of the State Council and Aaron Leland, a Baptist clergyman, became speaker of the House. These influential men had much to do with the ultimate repeal of the obnoxious laws in 1807, and Waterbury, in common with other Vermont towns, was guaranteed her rightful measure of religious liberty thereby.
It must not be inferred, however, from this early local struggle for religious liberty that Waterbury was an exception
2II
PERIOD 1900-1915
to the rule that the church's beginning is far from being coin- cident with the town's inception. Contrary to the prevailing opinion, frontier settlements in the past were no more predom- inantly religious than those of the present. It is only in exceptional cases widely noted, and for that reason more or less misleading, that churches begin with the town. Exi- gencies of frontier life were not conducive to prolonged and sustained mental activity in the realms of theology and phil- osophy. The doctrinaire of the day was often interrupted in his dogmatic flights by the prosaic necessity of filling the larder from the hunt or fishing expedition.
Ezra Butler's narrative of his early religious experiences, as given by Reverend C. C. Parker, is a story of doubt, struggle and triumph. He, by his own confession, came to Waterbury a profane and irreligious boy, "not a little disposed to quarrel with certain great doctrines." A period of four years elapsed during which he was not only irreligious himself but did not know a religious man in the settlement. As for gospel preach- ing, there had not been a single sermon preached in the town. Mr. Butler's own account graphically sets forth the then con- ditions: "Being obliged to work hard during the week and there being no public worship in town which he could attend if he desired, he was in the habit of spending much of the Sabbath in sleep. On a certain Sabbath, awakening from his sleep, he found his wife reading a pamphlet, and proposed that she read it aloud for the benefit of both." Much to his per- plexity, the author was contending that we are justly con- demned for wrong dispositions as well as wrong actions. Mr. Butler was quite willing to admit the justice of God in punish- ing overt acts, but not wrong propensities, and was unable to see how a man could be held blameable for a disposition he did not create. To quote Mr. Parker: "After days of profoundest darkness and sharpest distress, bordering on despair, he was brought into the clear light and liberty of the Gospel. His feet having been set in the way of Life, he walked circumspectly in that way to the end." Mr. Butler's con- version was followed by his baptism and reception into the Baptist Church of Bolton.
212
HISTORY OF WATERBURY, VERMONT
A Reverend Mr. Call of Woodstock had, in the meantime, preached the first sermon in Waterbury. Soon after this, between 1800 and 1801, the Baptist Church was organized in Waterbury with Mr. Ezra Butler as first ordained pastor. Deacon Allen and David Austin brought with them, from Massachusetts and Connecticut, their love for the discipline in the straight ways of their home states and soon began to cast about for assistance of others similarly disposed in order to make some organized effort at maintaining regular meetings on the Sabbath. After Waterbury had emerged from her first revival season in 1800, under the labors of Reverend Jedi- diah Bushnell of Connecticut and later of Cornwall, Vermont, the Congregationalists, Baptists and Methodists established churches, the first named being organized by Mr. Bushnell in 1801. Mr. Bushnell, as yet unordained and a graduate of Williams College, came probably as an evangelist at the behest of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, founded two years previously. The Congregational Church numbered among its first members: Asaph Allen, David Austin, Hugh Blair, Ed- ward Bates, Moses Bates, David Towne, Amos Slate, Thomas Kennan, Zebulon Allen, Mary Austin, Jane Blair, Ruth Rich, Lydia Towne, Esther Slate and Bathsheba Slate.
We have already seen how Mr. Jonathan Hovey's unfor- tunate propensity for controversy handicapped his ministry. He was the first called to settle over the new Congregational Church as its minister, from which fact he was disposed to argue that he was the "first settled minister" within the meaning of the Wentworth Charter. His ordination, attended with certain difficulties raised by his opponents, occurred in 1803. He was dismissed for lack of support in 1807. Mr. Hovey came by his argumentative habits naturally enough, having been trained to the law which he practiced in Randolph before coming to Waterbury. He is described as possessing "a clear, strong mind-was more remarkable for sternness and rigor, than for benignity and affability, had more power to convince than to win, to gain respect than affection. His meetings were alternately in his own neighborhood (Knee- land district), in barns and private houses and in the school
213
PERIOD 1900-1915
house at the Street, or at 'the River' as the village was then called." It is not difficult to conjure up in the mind such a personality-impatient and intolerant of certain mannerisms easily affected to pass current for affability; rather too direct and sledge-hammer-like in argument for his politico-religious opponents but no match for them in diplomacy and finesse; finally, a sincere man who addressed himself to his calling according to his lights but ever and anon tripped by his un- fortunate temperament and uncompromising ways.
The period between the organization of the Congregational Church and the settlement of its next pastor after Mr. Hovey- eighteen years-was filled in by itinerant preachers and local deacons. Sabbath services were maintained under direction of Deacon Asaph Allen, with some layman to read a sermon, often L. B. Peck, Esq., a lawyer.
It has been already noted how the first meeting house was built forty years after the settlement of the town, by the Waterbury Meeting House Society. Reverend Daniel Warren came to the church the following year (December 7, 1825). He happened to be in Waterbury one Sabbath and resolved to hear Reverend Mr. Blodgett of Jericho preach. On Mr. Blodgett's non-arrival Mr. Warren was invited to preach and was afterwards asked to remain as pastor. He continued with the church for thirteen years, during which time there were two fruitful revivals in 1826-1827 and 1835-1836. The revival of 1835-1836 was inaugurated and conducted by Reverend Orris Pier, the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Waterbury Center, and was most remarkable in its character. Having its beginning among the Methodists it soon gained such power and strength that it embraced all classes throughout the town. The two revivals before men- tioned yielded to the Congregational Church one hundred and twenty-four new members. The Center churches by this time had permanent buildings and were given new life and energy through large accessions.
After Jonathan Hovey and Daniel C. Warren (1825-1838) the incumbent was Reverend John F. Stone, who was installed January 6, 1839, and was dismissed June 9, 1847. Following
214
HISTORY OF WATERBURY, VERMONT
him was Reverend A. G. Pease, who was born at Canaan, Connecticut, in February, 18II, son of Salmon and Matilda (Huntingdon) Pease, born at Norfolk, Connecticut, in 1783, and Ashford, Connecticut, in 1780, respectively. Reverend A. G. Pease was graduated from the University of Vermont in 1837 and Andover Theological Seminary in 1841. He was married to Miss Anne Page, daughter of Deacon William Page of Rutland, October 18, 1842. Mr. Pease was installed as pastor of the Congregational Church in Waterbury in 1849, after two years' residence. From Waterbury he went to Norwich in 1853. He came to Waterbury, after supplying the churches at Royalton and Poultney between the time of leaving Pittsford in 1845, the place of his first ordination, and the assumption of his labors here.
The longest pastorate of the Congregational Church was that of Reverend C. C. Parker, a sketch of whom has already been given and whose ministrations during the Civil War kept at white heat the spirit of patriotism locally. Mr. Parker also served Waterbury as superintendent of schools during a part of his incumbency as pastor.
Mr. Parker was succeeded at the Congregational Church by Reverend Jonathan Copeland, who came from the Presby- terian Church at Champlain, New York, to Waterbury in answer to a call in 1867. Mr. Copeland was a graduate of Union College and the Theological Seminary. He married Kezia Clark of Niskayuna, New York, and was the father of three sons, Clark, Edward and William and three daughters, Katharine, Alice and Minnie. Mr. Copeland found no difficulty in conforming to Congregational usages although he had been converted, educated, licensed, installed and a co-worker among Presbyterians. The church in Waterbury prospered healthfully during his incumbency, which endured from 1867 to 1875.
In order after Mr. Copeland's term of service, came the call to Reverend S. H. Wheeler, who was ordained and installed De- cember 16, 1875, and continued as pastor until 1886. During his pastorate there were one hundred additions to the church mem- bership and the church building was repaired to the extent of $2,000. Mr. Wheeler was followed by Reverend Charles M.
215
PERIOD 1900-1915
Sheldon, extracts from whose characteristic letter will be found elsewhere. Mr. Sheldon was ordained and installed in 1886 and remained until December, 1888, when he resigned to go to the Central Congregational Church at Topeka, Kan- sas. During 1889 Reverend S. H. Wheeler supplied until December 4, 1892. In 1889 and 1890 the church received a memorial communion service, stained glass windows, interior decorations and upholstery, and other needed improvements.
In 1892 the church extended a call to Reverend A. J. Covell of Flint, Michigan, who was installed pastor February 28, 1893. His ministry of three and one-half years was fruitful of many additions to the church. Reverend George Ladd suc- ceeded Mr. Covell, after an interval of seven months, and served from May 2, 1897, until June 10, 1901. Reverend F. B. Kellogg succeeded Mr. Ladd and served from July, 1901, until July, 1910. It is said that only three pastors in the one hundred and twelve years of the church's existence up to that time had rendered longer service continuously.
Reverend W. L. Boicourt began his pastorate November I, 1910. In January, 1912, forty-three persons were admitted to membership in the church, twenty-eight of these on con- fession of faith. Mr. Boicourt was born at Gaylord, Kansas, July 9, 1877 ; he was married to Sarah R. Huse, September 14, 1904. He received his early preliminary educational training at the common schools of Kansas. He was graduated from Baker University of Baldwin, Kansas, A. B. 1901, and from the Boston University School of Theology S. T. B. in 1904. Mr. Boicourt came to Waterbury from Cliftondale, Massa- chusetts. He was previously a member, for five years, of the Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, supplying pulpits in the vicinity of Cincinnati.
The famous revival of 1835-1836, inaugurated by the Methodists under the leadership of Reverend Orris Pier, resulted not only in large accessions to the Methodist Episcopal Church at Waterbury Center, but in establishing a large class in Waterbury Village and the organization of a church so- ciety at that place. In 1841 their first house of worship in Waterbury Village was erected. Next the Freewill Baptist Church was to follow five or six years later with a permanent
216
HISTORY OF WATERBURY, VERMONT
church building on the Waterbury River. There had been a Methodist organization as early as 1800, whose founder was Elder Stebbins. In the roster of members were Thomas Gup- til and wife, John Henderson and wife, Timothy Parcher and wife, John Jones, David Straw and wife, John Hudson and wife, Joseph Fiske and wife, Simeon Woolson and wife, George Scagel and wife, Lemuel Lyon and wife, Moses Nelson, Nathan Nelson, Samuel Bryant, Benjamin Fiske, Orrin Gregg, Araunah Lyon and Chester Lyon. These last three entered the Metho- dist ministry from the church. The new church of 1836 num- bered among its members John Lathrop, Paul Dillingham, C. C. Arms, William Carpenter, A. A. Atherton and A. S. Richardson.
It has been said that Methodism entered Vermont from the west side. Waterbury's Methodist genealogy is traced back to the Cambridge (New York) Circuit in which Ash Grove Society in Shaftsbury, Vermont, was situated. It is fairly well settled that Methodism had penetrated beyond the banks of Lake Champlain into the mountainous district of Water- bury by the year 1799. By this time the district north of the Onion River was set apart and called the Essex Circuit, to be changed to the Fletcher Circuit in 1801 and the St. Albans Circuit in 1813. After this, the south part of the circuit was called the Stowe Circuit, and Waterbury, as a part of the Stowe Circuit in 1818, continued to receive the circuit rider until the town of Waterbury became an appointment in 1853, and the "Street" finally became separated from the Center in 1856.
No history of Waterbury's Methodism would be complete without mention of Reverend Lorenzo Dow, the zealous young evangelist who fearlessly rode the circuits when they were practically trackless wildernesses. This young man is de- scribed as having been fired with something of the zeal of the flagellants; no physical hardship, no obstacle of floods, streams, mountains, storms, or darkness would he permit to stand in the way of his insistent mission. From his journal it seems that he preached in Waterbury in 1799 while yet a young man of twenty-one years. The entry reads: "From hence I came
217
PERIOD 1900-1915
to Waterbury on the Onion River where a reprobationist gave me the words to preach from: 'No man can come unto Me, except the Father draw him.' The Lord loosed my tongue and I think good was done." Lorenzo Dow was succeeded in the circuit by Reverend (afterwards Bishop) Elijah Hedding, who was then a mere youth of nineteen.
Methodist ministers stationed at Waterbury from 1836 to 1915 were:
B. M. Hall, 2 years.
P. P. Harrower, 2 years.
E. C. Bass, I year.
J. W. B. Wood, I year.
A. B. Truax, 2 years.
George Whitney, I year.
W. Underwood, I year.
Charles H. Leonard, I year.
H. A. Bushnell, I year.
John D. White, 2 years.
A. L. Cooper, 2 years.
W. M. Chipp, I year.
William I. Johnson, 4 years.
J. F. Craig, I year.
Hawley Ransom, 2 years.
D. E. Miller, I year. G. E. Smith, 2 years.
John Kiernan, I year.
W. R. Davenport, 4 years.
D. B. Hulbard, 2 years.
F. W. Hamblin, I year.
Albinus Johnson, I year.
W. M. Newton, 4 years.
William A. Miller, 2 years.
Thomas Dodgson, I year.
J. Phillips, I year.
W. S. Smithers (1904-1906).
W. C. Johnson (1907-1910).
E. F. Newell (1911).
W. E. Douglass (1912-1914-1915).
Verne L. Smith 1915 -.
Methodist ministers stationed at Waterbury Center for the period named, or those who have preached there, were:
Orris Pier, 2 years.
R. M. Little, I year.
H. Foster.
C. C. Bedell.
M. Townsend.
S. M. Merrill.
Daniel F. Page.
W. H. Tiffany.
Thomas Kirby.
A. L. Cooper.
Aaron Hall.
H. N. Munger.
Miles Fish.
A. Cox.
Samuel Hewes.
Reverend Robinson.
Alexander Campbell. John Haslam.
I. Luce. W. R. Puffer. George Whitney. J. M. Puffer.
J. S. Mott.
C. F. Ford. 15
L. K. Wilman, 3 years.
P. A. Smith (1903).
Israel Luce, 2 years.
Richard Morgan, I year.
B. Hawley, 2 years.
D. B. Mckenzie, 3 years.
H. W. Worthen (1867), 2 years.
R. McElroy. J. A. Canoll.
218
HISTORY OF WATERBURY, VERMONT
Reverend Verne L. Smith, the present pastor of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church in Waterbury Village, was born in Barrington, Nova Scotia, April 19, 1890; moved to Massa- chusetts when three months old. He married Miss Trena Brooks and has a family of two children, Marion E. and Harriet B., aged two and one-half years, and seven months, respectively. He was transferred to Waterbury from Hing- ham, Massachusetts, May 1, 1915, to take the place of Rev- erend W. E. Douglass. He was formerly a member of the New England Southern Conference, now of the Vermont Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Smith is a graduate of the public schools of Massachusetts and of Boston University School of Theology.
The present Methodist Episcopal Church, planned and erected so largely through the efforts of Senator W. P. Dilling- ham assisted by Justin W. Moody and Reverend W. R. Davenport, was completed and the first services were held there on the 25th day of December, 1892. The church was dedicated January 20, 1893.
The Baptist Church began its life in Waterbury in 1800. The first few members, of course, included Ezra Butler and Mrs. Tryphena Butler. There were also Mrs. Densmore, Mrs. Silas Loomis, Deacon David Atkins, Edmund Towne, Orrin Atkins, Mercy (Nelson) Green, Mrs. E. Towne, Mrs. At- kins, Deacon Paul Dillingham, the founder of the Waterbury family, Deacon Chester Whitney and Guild Newcombe. After reorganization in 1819, there were added Polly W. Whitney, Anna Peck, Isaac Stevens, Richard Kneeland, Robert Broderick, John Atkins, Temperance Atkins, Mary Hart, Hannah Dillingham, Sally Broderick, Betsy Parcher, Silena Brown. The following members were some of those admitted in 1820: Job Dillingham, Seth Towne, Isaac Marshall, Jr., Arad Worcester, C. C. P. Crosby, and William Smith. The first church edifice, built in 1832, was removed and another built in 1859-1860.
The church of the Free Baptists was erected on the bank of the Waterbury River, about two miles west of the Center. At the outset, in 1840, it numbered eighteen members with Ira
219
PERIOD 1900-1915
Gray as pastor. The church building was finished in 1845 and could comfortably seat two hundred and eighty persons. The present pastor is the subject of the following sketch :
Benjamin P. Parker was born in Kittery, Maine, May 16, 1835. When he was two years old, his parents moved to New- buryport, Massachusetts. He received his education principally in the public schools of that city. On March 3, 1858, he mar- ried Miss Katie McGinley, daughter of Reverend Edward McGinley, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman. On June 2, 1859, he was licensed by the Otisfield (Maine) Quarterly Meeting, and was ordained a Freewill Baptist minister at Greenwood, Maine, January 18, 1860. His first pastorate was at New Gloucester, Maine. He has had other pastorates in Maine, New Hampshire, Nova Scotia and Vermont.
Mr. Parker came to Waterbury Center, Vermont, in May, 1909, and is pastor of the Waterbury Center and Waterbury River Free Baptist churches.
The Freewill Baptist Church at the Center was organized in January, 1871, with Reverend D. H. Adams as first pastor .. Here, too, a new church edifice was erected at a cost of $3,000, with seats for three hundred persons. Before taking possession. of the church building, the worshipers used the seminary hall as an audience room. The pulpit was supplied at inter- vals by Reverend E. B. Fuller.
The Freewill Baptist Church had its local organization in: 1817-1818. The membership included Samuel Lord, Deacon Conant, S. Gaskell, Asa Towne, Mrs. Towne, Ira Towne, Mrs. Ira Towne, Deacon Abner Fuller, John Cotton, Mrs. John Cot- ton, Elisha Towne. Elder Bowles had charge of the service, but Elder Lord was shortly afterwards ordained pastor. Elder Lord was born in Barnstead, New Hampshire, in 1779. He began his preaching very early in life. He came to Water- bury from Walden, Vermont, in 1811 and lived the rest of his life in this village, dying at the age of seventy years.
The Advent Church in Waterbury came into being in 1858 as a crystallization of the hopes (and sometimes the fears) of those who had previously been influenced by the preaching of William Miller in 1839. Miller delivered a series of lec-
220
HISTORY OF WATERBURY, VERMONT
tures in Waterbury in which he set forth his theory of the Second Coming with startling and solemn emphasis. Not content with vague prophecies, he went so far as to fix the actual date of the end of the world (1843). His theories were buttressed by copious citations from the books of Daniel and Revelation, whose relevancy it was his task to explain. There is no denying, however, the weight given his preaching by men and women of mature years and understanding. In spite of the failure of the long heralded Event to occur, thousands still remained imbued with the idea that it had been but temporarily deferred. The movement spread throughout the middle west and is instructively described in Edward Eggleston's "The End of the World."
The Waterbury Advent Church was established in May, 1858, commencing with something less than fifty members. The services were conducted by Elder Joshua V. Himes who had previously conducted a series of meetings in Washington House hall. The meeting house proper, afterwards St. An- drew's Church, was dedicated in 1859.
There was a long period of inaction in the Advent Church of Waterbury. Two women evangelists came to Stowe South Hollow in November, 1892, and held protracted meetings. Encouraged by the results of these meetings certain of the reclaimed and new converts induced Elder H. D. Selby of Kingscraft, Canada, to reorganize the church. By his assist- ance, June 23, 1893, a new church was organized, called the Advent Christian Church of Stowe South Hollow. Tent meet- ings were held at Waterbury Center and regular meetings at the house of Mr. E. C. Gibbs. In August, 1894, tent meetings were held at Colbyville. A new church building at Colbyville was made possible by the donation of one-half acre of land by Mr. Francis Joslyn and various donations of lumber, money and labor. This church was built by the Advent Christian Society and was presented to the Advent Christian Church of Stowe South Hollow conditionally upon its changing its name to the Advent Christian Church of Colbyville. The church numbered thirty-six in membership, and Elder George W. Tabor was called as pastor. He began his pastorate in No-
22I
PERIOD 1900-1915
vember, 1894, and remained until November, 1897. The list of pastors since that time follows : Elders W. H. Blount, second pastor; Elder Smith, third pastor; J. T. McLucas, fourth pastor; W. G. Knowlton, fifth pastor; J. T. Mead, sixth pastor; W. H. Jackson, seventh pastor; A. D. Page, eighth pastor.
The present pastor, Elder A. D. Page, was born at New Milford, Connecticut, April 16, 1886. He is married and is the father of four children. He received his education in the grammar school there and a short course at the Centenary Collegiate Institute, Hackettstown, New Jersey. He came to Waterbury, November 1, 19II. He had previously held pastorates at Sharon, Connecticut, in 1909-1910, and at Bris- tol, Vermont, in 1910-19II. He speaks hopefully and en- couragingly of his work and pleasantly of his associations and surroundings.
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.