USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Pittsford > History of the town of Pittsford, Vt., with biographical sketches and family records > Part 50
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"Jannary 13th, Sabbath evening, a conference was opened near the meeting house. It was a solemn, impressive and interesting meeting. On Tuesday evening a lecture was preached at the Mills. There was a thronged assembly, as silent as death. From day to day, during this week, the youth were flocking to my house with the interesting inquiry, what they must do to be saved. At this time the Lord was perform-
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ing 'wonders of grace' in the school at Mill Village. This school consisted of more than a hundred scholars, many of whom were professors of religion, hopefully born into the king- dom in the times of the second and third refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Many of the non-professors were so deeply affected with a sense of their situation as transgressors, that for a number of days they were unable to study their lessons. This was the situation of more or less at a time for several weeks. There being but very few in the school who had not some serious impressions, it was often more like a solemn religious meeting than a nursery of human literature."
This revival continued several months, during which time a large number were permitted to rejoice in the confident hope of sins forgiven; and what is not a little remarkable, they were mostly children, or persons in early life, whose parents were members of the church. The writer whom we have quoted remarks that, " Much had been said in Pittsford both for and against the promise, as regarded its application to children in their covenant connection with their parents. Many believed in it without wrath or doubting; others discarded it, with no less confidence, as mere fable and superstition. That the dis- pute might be forever settled, God was pleased to 'pour out His Spirit' almost exclusively upon the seed of those who believed in this 'exceeding great and precious promise,' and ' His blessing upon their offspring.' Others, with the exception of none but those who associated with us at the time, were wholly exempted from a participation. It was a remarkable Providence, a surprising dispensation of grace, universally noticed and frequently mentioned both by the friends and enemies of the covenant." A large number were gathered into the churches, as fruits of this revival, but the records of the Congregational Church during this period are so imperfect, it is impossible to determine the exact number of its accessions.
A fifth revival of religion in this town commenced in the 43
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latter part of the year 1816. A revival had been in progress for some time in the town of Brandon, and nearly two hundred conversions were there reported. Late in November, Deacon Calvin Drury, and a few other members of the Pittsford church, attended several meetings in that town. Becoming very much interested in the religious work there, they came home and appointed a meeting to be held at the Mills school house.
The meeting was quite fully attended, and more than ordin ary solemnity pervaded the assembly. It was soon perceived that quite a number of young people were under serious con- viction, and anxiously inquiring what they must do to be saved. Deacon Drury, who appears to have taken the lead in this revival, invited all who wished to become Christians to meet him the next Saturday evening, at his house, for religious con- versation and prayer. Several attended, and the interest mani- fested was so encouraging that meetings were held at the same place several successive Saturday evenings.
As the interest increased, these meetings were more fully attended, and it became necessary to hold them in some larger room, and in a more central location. The upper story of the new factory was then unoccupied, and this was converted into a hall, and used for religious gatherings.
At this time the Congregational Church was destitute of a pastor, though they held meetings at the meeting house every Sabbath, and were supplied with preaching once in, two weeks by Rev. Lemuel Haynes, of Rutland. On alternate Sabbaths the meetings were conducted by the deacons, a sermon being usually read by Deacon Ithiel Barnes. Meetings were held several times during the week, either at Factory Hall, or at school houses in different parts of the town. The men most active in sustaining them were Deacons Drury and Barnes, Thomas Hammond, Samuel Fairfield, Amos Kellogg, Joshua Kingsley and Allen Penfield.
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The meetings increased in interest, and almost every week some hopeful conversions were reported. The revival extended into the north part of Chittenden, where about twenty became subjects of this work of grace. Within a period of eight months, seventy-one united with the Congregational Church, as the result of this revival.
The next considerable religious revival occurred in the year 1832, and during the pastorate of Rev. Willard Child, who writes of it as follows : "It was preceded by years of labor, by lectures and Bible class instructions, and pastoral visits in the different districts of the town, and by an organized system of tract distribution by the church. These efforts, in connec- tion with the ministrations of the Sabbath, had, so far as instru- mentalities are concerned, prepared the way for the season of special revival which followed. At that time 'four-days-meet- ings' were employed as means of promoting the salvation of men. They were not resorted to as means of getting up a revival. But when a revival interest in the church and in the community existed, the neighboring pastors and churches were invited to come and aid in the protracted religious revival, beginning usually on Tuesday A. M., and continuing usually until Friday evening. Such a meeting was thought advisable at that time in Pittsford, and with prayer and labor on the part of the church, was prepared for and appointed. And we were favored for four days with the sermons, exhortations and prayers of such men as Revs. Charles Walker, of Rutland ; Steel, of Castleton ; Drury, of West Rutland ; and Ingram, of Brandon, with some members from the different churches. Meetings were held in the church A. M. and P. M., and 1 evenings in the different districts of the town. The result was memorably happy. The saving power of the Divine Spirit was manifestly present in all the meetings, and multi- tudes turned to the Lord. Of the numbers I cannot now speak definitely, but I think that in Pittsford and Chittenden-for
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Chittenden then was associated with Pittsford-there could not have been less than two hundred who professed submission to Christ. But the work no more ended with the four-days-meet- ing than it began with it. Labors were continued, and con- versions took place for a considerable time afterwards, and a religious change, greater and more blessed than I had ever seen before, or have since witnessed, was seen in the church and in the community."
Revival interests, more or less marked, were enjoyed from time to time, resulting in some additions to the churches, and in an increased spirituality and Christian activity of their mem- . bers. But the latest revival, and the one which will long be remembered for its steady progress and happy results, began in 1866. It was preceded by no more than the ordinary means of grace, unless we take into consideration the efforts of a few young men who had been hopefully converted, and held weekly prayer meetings for the conversion of their comrades, and the general outpouring of God's Spirit and revival of His work. Conversions began to multiply, and it was soon found that an unusual seriousness pervaded the community. On the 1st of November, 1867, was formed the Christian Association, an organization composed of members of the three religious denominations, and designed, by co-operative, systematic effort, to advance the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. Meet- ings were usually held every Sabbath afternoon or evening in the different school districts of the town, conducted by members of the association, and a union meeting was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening. These meetings were quite well attended, and many who had not been accustomed to attend the sanctuary on the Lord's day, were soon brought within the reach of religious influence, and conversions were almost every week reported. As the fruits of this revival, more than one hundred have been gathered into the churches, and among these many active and influential Christians. The
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meetings of the Christian Association have, with little inter- ruption, been sustained to the present time, and the amount of good they have accomplished can hardly be estimated. The cordial support which the association has received from the three religious denominations of the town, is a demonstration of the genuineness of their Christian life, and their love for the salvation of men.
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CHAPTER XX.
MEETING HOUSES-BURYING GROUNDS. .
The Log Meeting House; House begun by Members of the Congregational Church; The Union, or White Meet- ing House; Orange Parish Meeting House; The Methodist Society build a House; Build a Second House; The Freewill Baptist Society build a Meeting House in Whipple Hollow; The Brick Meeting House, Repairs on it; Chu.ch Built by the Roman Catholics. -Burying Grounds : Baptist, or North Burying Ground; Burying Ground on West Side of the Creek; Congregational, or South Burying Ground; Cemetery Association, Act of Incorporation; Cemetery Laid Out ; Dedication; First Interment Therein; First Birth in the Town; First Death.
For more than a year after the two churches of this town were organized, their meetings were held in private houses or barns. The first meeting house in the town was built in 1786, by members of the Baptist Church, with the assistance of some non-professors, who were favorably inclined to that denomin- ation. This was a log house, and stood about where the Baptist meeting house now stands. It was used not only as a house of worship, but, for nearly ten years, it was the place where most of the public gatherings for secular purposes were held.
About the same time, members of the Congregational Church began the construction of a meeting house on land now owned by H. F. Lothrop. This was to be a frame house, and the frame was erected some eighty rods south of the present
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residence of Jeduthan Thomas. The road from Squire Drury's to the village-a section of the old military road-passed near the site selected for this house. But, after the frame was raised, the location of it was considered so unfavorable that it was never boarded, and no meetings were ever held in it. The frame was afterwards given by the proprictors to Rev. Mr. Harwood, who took it down, and, with the timber, built a wing to his house. The same building is now the wood-shed attached to the residence of Mr. Harwood's grandson, Hon. Samuel H. Kellogg.
The Congregational meetings continued to be held at pri- vate houses or school houses until 1795, when the White Meet- ing House, so called, was built. This was built by an associ- ation composed of men of all the religious denominations in the town. The association, whose members were entitled pro- prietors in the records, organized by choosing Benjamin Cooley, Moderator, and Caleb Hendee, Jr., Clerk. After adopting a plan for a meeting house, they chose a committee consisting of Benjamin Cooley, Samuel Copley, Caleb Cooley and Phineas Ripley, to put the building of the house under con- tract. This committee, after receiving proposals from a number of builders, accepted the proposal of Adget Lathrop, and with him they executed an agreement in writing for building the house.
The house was built by Mr. Lathrop, according to the con- dition of the contract, and finished in season to be dedicated in November, 1795. It stood several rods northwest of its present position, and was occupied by both the societies. Either Mr. Harwood conducted the service one part of the day, and Elder Rich the other, or each pastor conducted both the services on alternate Sabbaths.
Mr. Lathrop's contract did not include the painting of the house, and the proprietors, at a meeting, January 4, 1796,
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" voted to color the body of the meeting house white, the roof Spanish brown, and the inside Prussian blue."
At a meeting, December 8, 1797, the proprietors " voted that the auditors chosen heretofore, to wit, Amos Kellogg, Thomas Hammond and Capt. Ebenezer Hopkins, proceed to make a complete settlement with the building committee.
" Voted to have an addition of one to the auditors.
" Made choice of Andrew Leach for the additional auditor."
The auditors repaired to Mr. Markham's to settle with the committee for their services done in and about building the meeting house, and in about an hour they returned without agreeing on the sum to be paid for said services.
The proprietors "voted to allow the said committee, for their services done in and about the meeting house, the sum of fifty dollar . This was divided among them by the auditors in the following manner, to wit: To Samuel Copley, twenty dollars; to Phineas Ripley, fifteen dollars ; to Col. Benjamin Cooley and Capt. Caleb Cooley, fifteen dollars, to be equally divided between them. Whereupon the committee expressed themselves as fully satisfied ; and, furthermore, Phineas Ripley and Col. Cooley made a free donation of the sums that were voted them for their services, as above, to the proprietors of the house-Col. Cooley's quota being seven dollars and fifty cents."
In 1802, the Baptist society, for some reason, withdrew from the meeting house, and again held their meetings in pri- vate houses, until 1806, when they built their present place of worship. After the Baptists had left the Union Meeting House, the Congregational society purchased their interest in it, and the funds thus obtained were used by the Baptists in building their new house. Bildad Orcutt was the master mechanic in the construction of this house, and it was finished and ready for occupancy in October .* It was used as a house of worship till
* As soon as the frame was raised, a temporary floor was laid. Boards were then laid on blocks, and these served the purpose of a table. On this table was quickly placed a bountiful collation for the workmen-rum not omitted.
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the church disbanded, in 1824, when it was neglected, and fell into a dilapidated condition. But it was remodeled and thoroughly repaired about the time the church was reorganized, in 1841. It is now a neat and commodious house.
In 1788, a petition was presented to the General Assembly of Vermont, from a part of the inhabitants of Pittsford and Rutland, being in Whipple Hollow, asking for the establish- ment of a parish by the name of "Orange Parish." The petition was referred to a committee, who reported adversely. The petitioners, however, organized themselves into a parish, and built a meeting house, probably about the year 1790. This house stood just north of the south line of the town, and almost exactly where Joseph W. Mills' barn now stands. It was occupied as a place of worship some years, but about the year 1820, having fallen into considerable disrepair, it was removed, and converted into a dwelling house.
The Methodist society of this town built a meeting house in 1816, on land then owned by Chapman Hitchcock, one of the leading men of that denomination. The location was on the plot of ground some one hundred rods south of the present residence of Capt. Charles Hitchcock. This was a frame ยท house, boarded, but never fully finished, though it was occupied as a place of worship till their present chapel was built, in 1833. This latter building is a neat structure, with a conference room in the basement, and a fine-toned bell in the tower. The whole has been kept in good repair, and is creditable to the people who worship there.
A meeting house was built in Whipple Hollow, also, in 1833, by a Freewill Baptist Society, which had been organized there. This was a small house, and stood on land now owned by J. W. Mills, on the east side of the road, nearly opposite the site of the old meeting house, already mentioned. Meet- ings were held in it till the fall of 1848, when it was burnt. It needed extensive repairs, and the proprietors were divided
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in opinion, some wishing to repair the old house, and others preferring to build a new one in another place. The contro- versy became quite exciting, but a small majority were for repairing, and the contract was made for the work. But the night before the workmen were to commence the repairs, the house was laid in ashes. This was a great disappointment to some, and gave rise to some pretty sharp discussions ; and it is not strange that the party which came so near succeeding, should attribute the origin of the fire to some one in the interest of the opposing party.
The Congregational meeting house was built in 1835-6-7, by the Meeting House Society, which was organized in con- formity to the laws of the State.
The following is the constitution, with the names of the associated members of the society :
" We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the town of Pittsford, do voluntarily associate, and agree to form a society, by the name of the Pittsford Congregational Meeting House Society, in Pittsford, for the purpose of building, holding and keeping in repair a Congregational Meeting House in the village of Pittsford, aforesaid.
" Providing, always, that no tax assessed shall ever be levied on the slips or pews in said house when erected, or on the owner or owners of the same, as such, for any other pur- pose than for making necessary repairs from time to time on said house.
" Providing, also, that each slip or pew in said house, when erected, shall entitle the owner or owners thereof to two votes, and no more.
Provided, furthermore, that the occupation of the pulpit in said house shall be and remain under the control of a majority of the proprietors in said house, in concurrence with the Con- gregational Church worshipping therein. According to the first section of an act entitled 'an act for the support of the Gospel,' passed October 26, 1797, and an act in addition to 'an act for the support of the Gospel,' passed November 10, 1814.
"In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands severally.
" Dated at Pittsford this 25th day of August, A. D. 1834.
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Andrew Leach, G. Hammond, Calvin Drury, Tiffany,
A. G. Dana,
S. Penfield,
A. Hammond,
K. Winslow,
S. W. Boardman,
Elijah Brown, Jr.
John Rockwood,
S. W. Moulton, John Stevens,
Martin Leach,
Jason Harwood,
Warren Barnard,
Henry Simonds, Charles Sullings, .
Asa Nourse, Henry Messer,
Robert Loveland,
Lyman Rockwood,
Chas. T. Colburn,
T. F. Bogue,
William Mead,
Jacob Sheldon, Jr.,
Anthony Willis,
S. Gilbert, Jr.,
J. O. Parmelee, Asher Burditt,
Chas. G. Boardman,
Joseph Tottingham,
S. H. and A. C. Kellogg,
Daniel O. Mitchell,
I. C. Wheaton,
N. K. Andrews,
Jeffrey Barnes,
Isaac Owen,
E. H. Drury,
John Hitchcock,
Amos Hitchcock,
Addison Buck,
Rufus Frost,
George N. Eayres,
William S. Granger,
German F. Hendee,
L. F. Scofield,
S. B. Loveland,
J. M. Goodnough,
N. P. Hall,
C. M. Winslow,
Thomas D. Hall,
M. J. Wood,
Abel Penfield, T. H. Palmer, Timothy Lester,
Josiah Nourse,
Jona. Dike, Jr.
Simeon Parmelee,
Amos Crippen,
James Gorham,
Ithiel Barnes,
N. D. Clifford, Luke Osgood,
W. Humphrey, M. C. Bogue,
J. A. Penfield,
C. Granger, Orlin Smith,
Franklin Burditt,
Chas. L. Penfield, Fobes Manley."
This society held its first meeting in its corporate capacity on the 25th of August, 1834, and organized by choosing Thomas H. Palmer, Chairman, and A. G. Dana, Clerk. After transacting some preliminary business, it adjourned to the 28th instant, and at this adjourned meeting the society adopted a code of by-laws presented by A. G. Dana.
At an adjourned meeting, on the 4th of September, the
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committee which had been appointed to solicit subscriptions to the building fund, made a report, and the " society chose Andrew Leach, Josiah Nourse and John Rockwood a building committee.
" Voted, that Doct. Winslow be a committee to obtain further subscriptions.
" Chose Andrew Leach, Treasurer.
" Voted to appoint a committee to prepare and present a plan for the house at the next meeting.
"Chose A. G. Dana, Thomas H. Palmer, Abel Penfield, John Rockwood and T. F. Bogue for said Committee.
" To the end that our building committee may be indemni- fied for such expense as the building of the said house may exceed the subscriptions,
" Resolved, That when said house shall be finished, the slips shall be appraised by a disinterested committee, and be exposed for sale at auction, and sold to the highest bidder ; and also that after the sale of said slips, the debts of the corporation shall be paid out of the avails of said sales, and the remaining funds distributed among the subscribers to said house, in pro- portion to the amount of subscriptions paid by them.
" Which resolution was unanimously adopted."
At a meeting of the society on the 8th of October, the committee on the plan of the house made the following report:
" That said house be 75 feet in length by 55 feet in width, with a basement of stone and lime, the wall nine feet in height, and not less than two feet in thickness. That the walls be of brick, not less than sixteen inches in thickness, and 24 feet high above the stone work of the basement, with a tower and dome of a height and form adapted to the house. The pulpit to be situated between the two doors of the entrance, said doors to correspond with the two aisles passing through the length of the house. The gallery to be across the end of the house, opposite the pulpit, and to be of a circular form. That there be a lobby 14 feet wide (within the wall) across the end of the
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house, with two doors to enter the same. The house estimated to be sufficient to contain 80 slips. The windows to be of the Gothic style, with diamond lights. The painting and plaster- ing to be executed in a manner equal to that of the dwelling house of Mr. Thomas H. Palmer, of this town."
This report, after being so altered that the house should be 52 feet wide, instead of 55 feet, and contain side galleries, and three doors of entrance instead of two, was unanimously adopted.
A plan of the house was drawn according to the foregoing specifications by William Cain, an architect, of Rutland, with whom the building committee made a contract for building the house.
Work was commenced on the house early in the summer of 1835, and was continued, with occasional interruptions, till the early part of July, 1837, when it was finished. It was dedi- cated on the 18th of July, with appropriate services, as follows :
Invocation and reading of Scriptures, by Rev. Mr. Ingraham.
Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Curtis.
Sermon, by the Pastor, Rev. Mr. Childs.
Prayer of Dedication, by Rev. Mr. Mitchell.
Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Wood, of Dartmouth College.
The next day a large proportion of the pews were sold at auction, and from the sales the society realized, according to the treasurer's report, $7009 53.
The expense of building the house, according to the same report, was $5984 66 .*
This house was used for religious meetings till the summer of 1859, when extensive repairs became necessary. The founda- tion of the northwest corner had settled, and produced exten- sive fractures in the walls. The society ordered a thorough
* This does not include sums paid to officers and committees of the society for their services.
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examination of the house by competent men, who reported that it would be necessary to take down the walls of the north- west corner, and rebuild them from the foundation.
At a meeting on the 28th of July, the society chose Isaac C. Wheaton, Jeffrey A. Randall and Augustus Hammond a committee to repair the house, at an expense not exceeding three thousand dollars. Also the society
" Resolved, That in making such repairs, said committee are directed to change the location of the pulpit from the south end of the house to the north end, and also to arrange the slips or pews by having three aisles or passage-ways instead of two, as now arranged-that is, one on the east wall, one on the west, and one in the center; and that the walls of said house be made with a proper hard finish, and the top of the room frescoed ; the slips or pews to be fully trimmed and upholstered, and the whole to be done in a good and substantial manner, and according to the modern finish of houses of the descrip- tion of the house of said society."
The building committee awarded the contract for repairing the house to Peter Johnson, of Brandon, who obligated him- self to do the work in accordance with the foregoing specifica- tions. He was to receive for the service three thousand dollars.
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