USA > Vermont > Orleans County > History of the Congregational churches in Orleans County, Vt., with biographical notices of the pastors and native ministers > Part 5
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In 1844 the church began to maintain preaching on alternate Sabbaths, and was supplied for a year, 1844-45, by the Rev. J. S. Clark, and for another year, 1845-46, by the Rev. Moses P. Clark. In 1846 a house of worship was built in com- pany with the Baptists, and the Rev. E. R. Kilby again became acting pastor, and continued to serve till his death in February, 1851. He was succeeded by the Rev. Moses Rob- inson, who supplied the pulpit for four years. In 1855, the Rev. Robert V. Hall became acting pastor, and continued until the last Sabbath in April, 1867, during which period the membership increased four-fold, and an unusual prosperity in all respects was enjoyed. The church shared in the general revival of 1858-59, and received an addition of twenty-four members.
The center of population and business in the town being changed by the rapid growth of the village in the east part, the union meet-
5
1
50
HISTORY OF ORLEANS COUNTY
ing-house was abandoned in 1860, the location of the church was changed to the village, and on the first Sabbath in October, 1860, the church began to enjoy the preaching of the gospel all the time. The next year a house of worship was built, which was dedicated 15th October, 1861. The Rev. Pliny H. White preached the sermon. For five months after the close of Mr. Hall's ministry, the pulpit was not regularly supplied. The first Sabbath in Octo- ber, 1867, the Rev. George II. Bailey, who had been called to the pastorate, began to preach, and in a few weeks he was ordained pastor. On the first Sabbath in January, 1868, the church was strengthened by the addition of nineteen persons, ten of whom united by profession.
PASTORS.
1. The Rev. REUBEN MASON. See Glover pastors, p. 33.
2. The Rev. GEORGE HAMILTON BAILEY, son of Jeremiah and Laura (Washburn) Bailey, was born in Canton, N. Y., 28th April, 1839. In 1860 he entered Middlebury College, but in his sophomore year left his studies, and enlisted in the army of the Union. He was a private in Co. B, 6th Reg., from 4th October, 1861, till 16th June, 1863, and was with his regiment in the bat- tles of Williamsburgh, Lee's Mills, Young's Mills, Yorktown, and many other engagements. His health failing, he was discharged from duty in the field, but was a clerk in the military service dur- ing the war, and about a year longer. Ile studied theology at Bangor Theological Seminary and was there graduated in 1867. HIe was licensed by the Windham (Vt. ) Association, at Peru, 18th August, 1866, and was ordained at Newport, with a salary of $800, 26th November, 1867. The Rev. John H. Woodward preached the sermon. In 1868 he received the honorary degree of A. M. from Middlebury College.
51
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
SALEM.
No church of any denomination has ever had an existence in Salem, nor has the stated preaching of the gospel ever been enjoyed, except for about four months during the winter of 1867-68, when the Rev. A. R. Gray preached on alternate Sabbaths. A part of the inhabitants attend public worship in Brownington, Charleston, or Derby, according as they live near one or the other of those towns. One Congregational minister was born in Salein.
NATIVE MINISTER.
The Rev. CHARLES FITCH MORSE, the only native of Salem gradu- ated at College, was a son of Joseph and Abigail (Thomas ) Morse, and was born 28th July, 1825. He fitted for College at Derby and St. Johnsbury Academies, was graduated at Amherst College in 1853, and at Andover Theological Seminary in 1856. Having decided to become a missionary, he was ordamed at Reading, Mass., 13th August, 1856. The Rev. E. A. Park, D. D., of . Andover, preached the sermon. He sailed for Constantinople, 5th January, 1857, and arrived there 5th March. His first designa- tion was to the Armenian mission, but in January, 1858, he was appointed to the Bulgarian mission, and was one of its original members. He arrived at Adrianople, 16th July, 1858, and there remained till September, 1862, when he removed to Sophia. In the summer of 1865, he revisited America, and in 1806 returned to his mission. He was the author of " The Pope and the Roman Catholic Church," a book of about eighty pages in Bulgarian. He translated into Bulgarian, the Tract Primer, Jones's Catechism, and an Epitome of the Gospels. Ile also prepared a Bulgarian and English Dictionary, in two parts, of about seven thousand five hundred words each.
He married, 10th August, 1856, Eliza D. Winter, of West Boylston, Mass., by whom he had Charles Herbert, born 28th January, 1859 ; Caroline Eliza, born 5th September, 1860 ; Joseph Fairbanks, born 11th August, 1862; Henry Eugene, born 17th August, 1864.
52
HISTORY OF ORLEANS COUNTY
' TROY.
The Congregational Church in Troy was the fruit of the labors of the Rev. Levi Parsons, afterwards missionary to Palestine. In the fall of 1817, John Chamberlin, who was then the only pro- fessor of religion in the town, attempted to maintain the institu- tions of the gospel by reading sermons on the Sabbath and by holding conference and prayer meetings at other times, by which means considerable interest was aroused. Soon afterwards a citizen on a journey found Mr. Parsons at Peacham, and invited him to go to Troy. He commenced preaching there about 1st January, 1818, and a general spirit of inquiry upon the subject of religion seems to have been the almost immediate result. In his own journal Mr. Parsons says : "At my first meeting I per- ceived an unusual interest. Every car was opened to receive instruction, and many expressed by their countenances and actions the keen distress of a wounded conscience. The ensuing week convictions and conversions were multiplied. At some of the religious conferences more than twenty requested the prayers of their christian friends." As the whole population of Troy at that time was included in thirty-five families, an extraordinary degree of interest must have prevailed, to justify such a statement as this.
On the 5th of February, 1818, Mr. Parsons and the Rev. Luther Leland of Derby, organized a church of six male and six female members. Three of them were baptized by immersion. Samuel Skinner was chosen deacon, and Samuel Chamberlin, clerk. On the 29th March, nineteen persons were added to the church, eight of whom were immersed ; and in April fourteen more were added. Thus a church of forty-five members was the fruit, in four months, of the preaching of a man of very moderate abilities, but who was moved by intense love to Christ and ardent devotion to the work of saving souls. Before the close of the year, twenty-one more additions took place, and a second deacon being found desirable, Samuel Hovey was chosen to that office. With the exception of
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53
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
a few weeks missionary service by the Rev. Joseph Labarce in 1818 and by the Rev. James Parker in 1821, the church was des- titute of preaching till 1823, when the Rev. James Parker became acting pastor and continued so till his death.
In the fall of 1828, the Rev. Benjamin Dolbear became acting pastor and continued for about two years. Some ministerial ser- vice was rendered by the Rev. Otis F. Curtis in 1830-31. In 1831 a revival was experienced. as the result of which twenty-six persons were added to the church, making the whole number at that time ninety-eight. The Rev. William E. Holmes became acting pastor, 12th February, 1832, and was formally ordained to the pastorate 27th June, 1832. Under his labors another revival followed, and further additions took place. In 1832 the subject of temperance attracted much attention from the church, and the following article was added to the covenant : "You engage to drink no ardent spirits, not to furnish it for others, and to use your influence against the use of it except as a medicine." Mr. Hohes was dismissed 26th March, 1836.
Early in 1840, the Rev. Geo. Stone commenced supplying the pulpit, and in February, 18-12, he was ordained pastor. Through his whole term of service, and in fact, before and long after that time, the efficiency of the church was much impaired by the lack of a house of worship and the consequent necessity of itinerating from place to place. Meetings were held at three places in rota- tion, and though they were ummerously attended, it was found impossible to build np a strong society, without a local center at which the good results of all Christian efforts should meet and be consolidated. The excitement connected with Millerism in 1844 and in 1845 had an injurious influence upon the church, and the removal of a part of the members in 1845 to form the church at South Troy had a discouraging effect and resulted in the dismissal of Mr. Stone near the close of the year. After about two years of destitution, the Rev. Caleb W. Piper became acting pastor and continued for six years. In December, 1854, the Rev. Nathan Ward became acting pastor. An unusual degree of reliogius inter- est existed in 1856, numerous conversions took place, and seven
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54
HISTORY OF ORLEANS COUNTY
persons united with the church. Mr. Ward's ministry to this church continued for five years. A period of destitution followed, which was relieved only by occasional and temporary supplies till 1st April, 1863, when the Rev. Charles Scott became acting pastor. His ministry was successful, and there were frequent additions to the church. For two years he preached only on alternate Sabbaths, as his predecessors for many years had done ; but on the first Sabbath in April, 1865, the church began to maintain public worship every sabbath, and has continued to do so. The same year a house of worship was finished and paid for. Mr. Scott's ministry continued two years and a half. Ile was succeeded on the second Sabbath in October, 1865, by Mr. Leon- ard W. Brigham, who supplied the pulpit for a year. The Rev. Daniel H. Babcock began to serve as acting pastor on the second Sabbath in January, 1868, and has continued to this time.
The second congregational church in Troy was organized at South Troy, 23d January, 1845, by a council of which the Rev. Ora Pearson was moderator. It consisted of four male and seven female members, of whom nine united by letters from the first church and two by profession. The constituting prayer was made by the Rev. Ora Pearson. In the spring of 1845, the Rev. C. W. Piper became acting pastor, and preached on alternate Sabbaths for nine years. The pulpit was then supplied only partially till about 1st January, 1860, when the Rev. James P. Lane became acting pastor and continued nine months. His successors were the Ree. George S. Biscoe, and the Rev. George A. Beckwith, each of whom continued less than a year. In April. 1862, the Rev. Charles Scott became acting pastor and continued three years. Until 1863 the church was dependent upon Christians of another denomination for a house of worship. In that year a plain but neat house was built, which was dedicated 29th December, 1863. The Rev. Pliny HI. White preached the sermon. In the summer of 1865 the Rev. R. S. Van Cleve supplied the pulpit a few months. In February, 1866, the Rev. John A. Farrar became acting pastor, and worship was maintained every Sabbath for a
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55
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
year. Mr. Farrar supplied the pulpit another year on alternate Sah- baths. The Rev. Daniel Goodhue began to supply the pulpit, 17 May 1868.
PASTORS.
1. Of the first pastor, the Rev. WILLIAM E. HOLMES, not much is known, and what is known does not awaken much desire to know more. He was a native of Newbury or of Guillhall, and a son of Asa and Joanna (Bicknell) Holmes. He studied theology with the Rev. Silas McKeen, D. D., of Bradford. His adminis- tration of family government was so severe as to be intol- erable not only to his family but to the public, and it was a serions obstacle to his ministerial usefulness. Hle removed from Troy to Guildhall, where he preached a year, 1836-37, and then removed to the State of New York.
2. The Rev. GEORGE STONE, son of Fortunatus and Sarah (Cutler) Stone, was born in Sudbury, Mass., 19th February, 1803. IIe was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1825, studied theology with the Rev. Silas MeKeen, D. D., of Bradford, and was licensed by the Orange Association at Lyme, N. 11., 4th May, 1830. He preached a year at Sandgate, Vt., and a few months at Middletown. In the fall of 1832 he removed to Frank- lin, and preached alternately at that place and Highgate till the summer of 1835, when his health was completely prostrated and he was compelled to discontinue preaching for several years. He was ordained at Troy, 16th February, 1842. The Rev. James Johnson, his step-father, preached the sermon. He was dismissed 24th September, 1845, and since that time has lived upon a farm in Troy. He married 10th July, 1831, Elewtheria F'. Lawton, of Hardwick, Mass., by whom he had one daughter, Laura Lawton, born 17th May, 1837.
WESTFIELD.
The Church in Westfield was organized 19th April, 1818, by the Rev. Levi Parsons, assisted by two laymen, Ephraim Skinner of Craftsbury, and Dea. Samuel Skinner of Troy. It consisted of
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56
HISTORY OF ORLEANS COUNTY
five male and five female members. Some missionary labor was bestowed upon the church in 1819 by the Rev. Joseph Labarce, who reported it as " in a happy and flourishing condition." In 1820, 1821 and 1822, a few weeks of service in each year were performed by the Rev. James Parker, who in 1823 began to sup- ply the pulpit with some regularity, and continued to do so for about two years. He was rigid and faithful in discipline, and the church was strengthened under his ministry.
In the summer of 1826, the Rev. Silas Lamb was settled as pastor, and continued in that relation a little more than three years. Until Mr. Lamb's settlement worship had been held, some- times in private houses, sometimes in school-houses, but during his ministry a house of worship was built, which was occupied for some years. In the latter part of his ministry there was a great religious declension, and for two or three years after his dismissal, little effort to sustain public worship was made. The Rev. William E. Holmes began to supply the pulpit on alternate Sabbaths, in February, 1832, and continued for a year, after which he preached once in three Sabbaths for another year. A revival was enjoyed and fourteen were added to the church. The Rev. Jonathan Sampson supplied the pulpit half the time for a year, beginning 1st March, 1834, and then all the time for another year.
In October, 1836, the Rev. Reuben Mason began to supply the pulpit three-fourths of the time, and in September of the following year he was installed pastor. Ilis ministry continued six years. He took very decided anti-slavery ground, which gave offence to many, and led to a good deal of discipline. For more than a year after his dismissal, there was a destitution of preaching. In June, 1843, the house of worship was abandoned, and all the meetings for some years thereafter were held in school houses. The Rev. James D. Hills was ordained pastor in March, 1844, at which time the church consisted of fifty-four members. His pastorate continued about seven years, during which period, six were added by profession and ten by letter, and several who had been either suspended or excommunicated were restored. Another house of worship was also built, and was dedicated 10th January, 1849.
57
CONGREGATIONAL CHRUCHES.
The Rev. Caleb W. Piper was acting pastor for about two years ending in June, 1854. He was succeeded, in the following December, by the Rev. Nathan Ward, who supplied the pulpit for five years. For nine inonthis, commencing 1st January, 1860, the Rev. James P. Lane was acting pastor. His ministry was very successful. The average attendance on public worship increased from about one hundred to nearly one hundred and sixty, more than usual religious interest prevailed, and nine per- sons were added to the church. The supply of the pulpit was maintained by the itinerant department of the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society till May, 1861, when the Rev. George A. Beckwith became acting pastor, and continued nearly a year. The Rev. Charles Scott supplied the pulpit about a year, 1862-63, and was succeeded by the Rev. Azro A. Smith, who was ordained pastor, 11th February, 1864. His ministry was much blessed to the strengthening of the church, and continued three years and more. The Rev. John A. Farrar supplied the pulpit a year, 1867-68. In the summer of 1868, the Rev. Daniel Goodhue became acting pastor. Since 1851, the church has maintained worship only on alternate Sabbaths.
.
PASTORS.
1. The Rev. SILAS LAMB, son of Charles and Rebecca Lamb, was born in Putney, 15th August, 1776, and when six years old was removed with his father's family to Hancock. He studied the- ology with the Rev. Phineas Bailey, and was ordained at West- field, 22d June, 1826. The Rev. P. Bailey preached the sermon. Ile was dismissed, 30th June, 1829, and was deposed from the ministry, 12th February, 1833. He was the representative of Westford in 1829, and soon after removed to Lowell, of which town he was the representative in 1833. Afterward he went to New York, entered the Methodist ministry and preached many years. He died at Batavia, N. Y., 3d March, 1850.
2. The Rev. REUBEN MASON. See Glover pastors, p. 33.
3. The Rev. JAMES DAVIDSON HILLS, was born in Windham, N. II., 23d April, 1809. llo fitted for college at Phillips
.
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58
HISTORY OF ORLEANS COUNTY
Academy, Andover, Mass., and entered Middlebury in 1835, but left at the end of his Junior year, and went to Gilmanton Theological Seminary, where he was graduated in 1841. His pastorate at Westfield includes the whole of his ministerial life. He was ordained 27th March, 1844, the Rev. Lyndon S. French of Coventry, preaching the sermon, and was dismissed 27th Decem- ber, 1850. Since that time he has lived on a farm in Ilollis, N. H.
4. The Rev. AZRO A. SMITH. See Lowell pastors, p. 46. NATIVE MINISTER.
The Rev. LUTHER ORVAL WINSLOW, son of Luther and Mary (Hitchcock ) Winslow, was born 30th April, 1817, and in youth was taken under the patronage of Jude Kimball of Lyndon. While engaged in teaching, he lost one of his eyes by an assault by one of his scholars. He fitted for college at Lyndon Academy, and was graduated at Dartmouth in 1848, after which he studied theology, and was ordained to the ministry. He was settled at Selma, Ala., and afterwards in Kentucky. He married, 9th December, 1848, R. M. Gill, of Marshall county, Minn.
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INDEX OF CHURCHES.
-
Albany,
3
Holland,
39
Barton,
-)
Trasburgh,
41
Brownington,
12
Lowell,
44
Charleston,
17
Morgan,
47
Coventry,
19
Newport,
Craftsbury,
1).)
Salem,
Derby,
27
Troy,
Glover,
31
Westfield,
5683 50 51
Greensboro,
3.4
INDEX OF MINISTERS' NAMES.
The names of ministers of whom biographies ure given are in the saine type as this sentence.
Adams, C. C. 40
Elliot, L. H. 38
Babcock, D. H.
54
Emerson, Noah, 7
Bailey, George II.
50
Eskridge, V. 11
Bailey, Kiab,
35, 37
Eustis, W. T.
Bailey, Phineas, 5, 17,57
Baker, John W. II.
38
Farrar, J. A. 54,57
Baldwin, T. 45
Perren, C. E. 8, 10,30
Barstow, Z. S.
40
Field, G. W.
Bartlett, Leacitt, 21
Fish, Jul, 30, 41, 42
Bartlett, Lyman, 11
Flagg, W. D. 8
Bayne, Thomas,
17, 39,41
Fitch, James, 26
Baxter, E. B. 12
Fowler, Bancroft, 45
Beckwith, G. A. 54, 57
Fraser, John, 28. 30
Beckwith, J. H. 8, 41
French, L. S. 19,55
Biscoe, G. S.
54
Frink, B. M.
Blanchard, Edmund II.
37
Goddard, Samuel, 7, 31, 33, 35
Boardman, E. J.
5, 6
Goodhue, Daniel, 55,57
Bodwell, Lewis,
4.4
Gray, A. R. .
5, 20, 21, 39, 45, 51
Bouton, Nath'l. 12
Griswold, J. B.
Bradford, E. P.
Grosvenor, D. ..
26
Bradford, James, Bradford, Moses,
29
Grover, N. W. 18
Hall, R. V. 17, 18, 49
Bradford, S. C.
27,29
Hall, S. R. 18, 15, 21, 23, 30
Brown, Bowman,
30
Hatch, E. W. 33
Burge, Caleb,
28
Hazen, II. A. 8
Burnap, B. N.
Burroughs, Eden, 2.4
Ilills, J. D. 56.57
Hoadly, I .. I.
Hobart, Jours, 3, 23 25, 41
Chandler, A.
Holmes, W. E. 63, 95, 50
Chapin, Walter,
Hopkins, J. 21, 29
Hovey, J. 12
Honcard, J. P. .
17, 39, 40
Clark, M. P. 4,49
Hubbard, A. O.
23 9
Clark, Samuel. 26
8
Jones, Henry,
37
Collins, Samuel, 23, 24, 34
Kellogg, S. H.
5,23
Cressey, Noah,
Kiloby, I. R .. .
4,5, 6, 25 49
Cutler, B. B.
King, Salmon
23, 35, 38
Delano, Samuel, 40
Labarco, J.
44, 53, 58
Dougherty, J.
6
Land, Silis
44, 56, 57
Duncan, T. W.
6 Lane, J. P. 54.57
Duren, Charles,
18,39
Lumphear, O. T. 10, 28, 29
10 Leland, Luther 7, 19, 27, 28, 31, 41, 02
Eaton, Win.
17, 28, 39
Chuk, J. S. 17, 47, 48, 49
Clark, N. G. 10,38
Johnson. J.
14, 15, 40, 41, 42, 55
Cleaveland, E. Cleaveland, J. P. 30
Kellogg. A. W.
3,5, 35, 41 li
Curtis, O. F. 44, 53
:7
. 11
Cutler, Ebenezer, 29
Knight, Richard 49
Dolbear, Benj. 53
Hand, R. C. 8
Budington, W. I.
Headley, P. C. 37
Hidden, E. N. 30
Burton, Asa, 13,28
Case, Lymutu, 4, 5, 19, 21, 27,35, 41, 47
Chapin, Wm A. 7, 17, 23, 24, 27, 35, 41.
Claggett, Win.
Ingraham, Ira,
Kidder, Thomas,
Fairbanks, D. 33
1
Loring, Levi 18, 39
Shurtled, D. 13, 16
Lyman, Elijah 7,27
Simpson, Thomas 7.9.48
Loomis, J. N. 9, 14, 35
Smith, A. A. 45, 40, 57
Marsh, Samuel 27 .
Smith, B. W. .
41
McFarland, Asa 14
Smith, Worthington, 41
McKeen, Silas 55 Stone, George 53
Mason, Reuben 31, 33, 45, 49, 56
Melville, Henry 27 Stone, L. H.
Mooar, Geo. 11
Strony, J. W.
16
Morse, Chas. F. 51
Nott, A. W.
13
Sutherland, D. 19 .
Noyes, D. P.
16
Tisdale, J.
Tobey, Alvan 12 .
Parks, E. A.
51
Todd, John
11
Parker, Clement
35 .
Tilman, George B.
35
Parker, James
3, 35, 41, 44, 53, 56
Twilight, A. L. 12, 13
Parsons, Levi
35, 52, 55
Underwood, Joseph .
Payson, Seth
19
Van Cleve, R. S. 54
Pearson, Ora
7, 8, 9, 32. 39, 54
Walker, Charles 43
Ward, Nathan 53, 57
Perkins, S. K. B.
32, 33
Ware, Henry
43
Perry, Baxter,
9
Warren, Daniel
45
Pettengill, Amos
42
Washburn, Azel .
.
11
Pond, B. W. 8,10
Watkins, Halden A.
19,49
Pond, Enoch
10,11
Ranney, T. E.
17, 39'
Wheeler, John 21, 37
Redington, J. H.
38
Robertson, James
9,28
Robinson, Moses
49
Robinson, S.
11,38
Robinson, W. A.
8, 11, 16
Rockwell, D.
Wild, Daniel 25, 36, 37
Rogers, John
28 8
Williston, D. H.
35, 41, 47
Royce, Andrew
35
Winston, I .. U.
Salter, C. C. 17
Wolcott, Vernon
13, 14
Sampson, J. 45, 56
Wood, Samuel,
Sargent, R. M.
11
Woodward, John II. 5, 42, 43, 50
Savage, W. T.
47
Woodward, James WI. 12, 13
Scales, Win.
13
Wooster, Benjamin
Worcester, Leonard 33, 34, 38
Scott, Charles
54, 57
Shedd, W. G. T.
20
Wright, Chester 23, 83
.
44
Wheelock, Eleazer 13
Wheelock, S. M.
White, Pliny H. . 18, 20, 34, 48, 44 47, 50, 51
White, Charles T.
Wild, Azel W. 15.96
Wild, Eduard P.
Root, David
Wellmann, Jubilee
Rawson, N.
..
--
-
Stone, J. P. 28. 35 .
Strong, N.
13
Page, Robert
.
35
Parker, Daniel 23
Tolman, Thomas
Perkins, Jonas 33
Piper, C. W. 53, 54, 57
Washburn, Joseph
.
1284364.6
DEC
74
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA
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