USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Springfield > History of the town of Springfield, Vermont : with a genealogical record > Part 8
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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
It is hoped that the benignant smile and genial, warm-hearted humanity of Father Smiley were like a soothing balm to the people and the church in their new meeting-house in the year 1801. But this did not relieve Lieut. Roger Bates, who felt so grieved that the meeting-house was not set on his pea ground, and handy to his tavern and store, that he sold out and moved to Canada, where he died.
FREEWILL BAPTIST, CHRISTIAN, SECOND ADVENT.
The first mention of a Baptist society is found in a warrant for a town meeting to be held March 13, 1788, in which the second article was, " To see what the town will do respecting the Baptist society." At an adjourned meeting, held one week later, it was voted to pass over the article, and at the same meeting it was voted that the Baptist Certificate and Covenant be recorded. These were as follows : -
" CERTIFICATE.
"These may certify unto all to whom these presents may come, and to the Selectmen of the town of Springfield, Co. of Windsor, and State of Vt. in par- ticular, that Wm. Lockwood, Thomas Cook, Timothy Williams, Jr., James Dumphrey, Nicholas Williams, Amos Randal, Joseph Covel, Jr., Joshua Lock- wood, Abraham Lockwood, 2d, Eber Blie, Abraham Olney, Abraham Lock- wood, Benoni Lockwood, William Olney, Joseph Lockwood, Benjamin Olney, Luther Field, Abraham Williams, Nicholas Bragg, Thomas Carlew, John Griswold, Daniel Field, Henry Lockwood, John Williams, Jacob Lockwood, 2d, Daniel Avery, William Lockwood, Jr., Jacob Lockwood, Darius Whitman, all inhabitants of the town of Springfield, are members of the Baptist Society of Springfield.
84
HISTORY OF THE TOWN
"Given under my hand at Springfield this 22d day of March, 1788. Signed by order and in behalf of the Society.
"THOMAS COOK, Moderator."
" THE BAPTIST COVENANT.
" SPRINGFIELD, Dec. 20, 1787. " We, the subscribers, do by these presents covenant and agree to form our- selves into a society to be known by the name of the Baptist Society, in order to carry on the public worship of God, and to support the same amongst our- selves, according to that which we possess, as witness our hands :
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD. BENJAMIN OLNEY.
THOMAS COOK.
LUTHER FIELD.
TIMOTHY WILLIAMS, JR.
ABRAHAM -WILLIAMS.
JAMES DUMPHREY.
NICHOLAS BRAGG.
NICHOLAS WILLIAMS.
THOMAS CARLEW.
AMOS RANDAL. JOHN GRISWOLD.
JOSEPH COVEL, JR.
DANIEL FIELD.
JOSHUA LOCKWOOD.
HENRY LOCKWOOD.
ABRAHAM LOCKWOOD, 2D.
JOHN WILLIAMS.
EBER BLIE.
JACOB LOCKWOOD, 2D.
ABRAHAM OLNEY.
DANIEL AVERY.
ABRAHAM LOCKWOOD.
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, JR.
BENONI LOCKWOOD.
JACOB LOCKWOOD.
WILLIAM OLNEY.
DARIUS WHITMAN."
JOSEPH LOCKWOOD.
This society was Freewill Baptist, and it seems probable that for several years there was an amicable arrangement with the Congregationalists, and that a part of the time the preaching in town was by Baptist ministers. The records show that during the time from 1790 to 1795 Elder J. Watkins was for two years the preacher for both denominations.
About 1795 Thomas Cook, who had come from Rhode Island, was made an elder, and in 1801 Elder Stephen Place was called to the pastorate of the Baptist Church from Cumberland, R. I. In 1804 Elder Place returned to Rhode Island, and for some years there seems to have been no regular minister. In 1831 Elder Daniel Hazen, a Christian Baptist, so called, began preaching and awakened much interest, the meetings being held at the North Village. Elder James Hudson was the minister in 1835 or 1836 Rev. Isaiah H. Shipman and Elder Seth Koss also preached for this society. At the time of the excitement caused by the preach-
Geo H. Walker & Ca Boston
METHODIST CHURCH
85
OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
ing of William Miller, regarding the second coming of Christ, there was a series of meetings held by this society at the North Village, but the interest died out, and the meetings of this church were discontinued soon after.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The history of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Springfield began very nearly with the present century. At a conference held in Lynn, Mass., beginning July 18, 1800, John Nichols, a native of Connecticut, was appointed to Weathersfield circuit, formed that year from the old Vershire circuit.
Some time during the year, Mr. Nichols extended his labors into Springfield, and in April, 1801, he organized the first Methodist class in town, consisting of Lewis and Dexter Bates, both young men, and Mrs. Gideon Walker, a widow with a family of several children.
Levi Bates, the father of Lewis and Dexter, came to Spring- field in March, 1794, when the town was mostly a wilderness, from Cohasset, Mass. The family and its effects were moved on an ox sled, and were three weeks on the way.
Lewis and Dexter were born in Cohasset, the former in 1780, the latter in 1778, and were the descendants, in the seventh gen- eration, from John Rogers the martyr. They were licensed to preach in June, 1801, and three years later joined the conference. Lewis joined the New England and Dexter the New York Con- ference, which at that time included Vermont in its territory.
Lewis Bates rose early to prominence as a preacher and revival- ist, and sustained an irreproachable Christian and ministerial character during his long ministry of sixty years.
From the "History of Sanbornton, N. H.," we learn that in 1804 he was appointed to the " Bridgewater circuit," and was the earliest clergyman of the Methodist denomination who ever preached in Northfield, his first sermon being from the text, "I was a stranger and ye took me in," delivered at the house of Dea. Jona. Clough, a Baptist on Bay Hill.
From 1813 to 1817 he sustained a local relation, and resided in Springfield, caring for his father's family. During these four
86
HISTORY OF THE TOWN
years he was scarcely less active in preaching on the Sabbath than when in the regular work. In 1817 he resumed connection with the conference, and prosecuted the work of the ministry with great energy and success, until compelled by his advanced years and ill health to retire. He preached in all the New England States and in several of the Middle States, and was instrumental in the conversion of large numbers to Christ, and in adding many hundreds to the church.
His retirement from the active work of the ministry occurred several years before his death, but his interest in the work never failed. He continued to preach as he had opportunity, until he passed in triumph to his heavenly home, at Taunton, Mass., March 25, 1855, at eighty-five years of age.
George W., a son of Lewis Bates, was born in Springfield in 1810, and lived in town from the age of ten to fifteen with his uncle Dexter. He joined the New England Conference in 1834, and after sixteen years of successful labor died at Eastham, Mass., while stationed at Waltham of the same State, in 1851. He left a son, George H., who joined the Providence (now New England Southern ) Conference, and is doing efficient work as a minister. Otis H., another son of Lewis Bates, is a useful local preacher, residing at Dighton, Mass.
Lewis B., the youngest son of Lewis, from whom the writer received the most of the facts concerning the Bates family, was born at Easton, Mass., in 1829. He was converted at seven years of age, was a licensed exhorter at seventeen, and entered the Providence Conference in 1850, at twenty-one years of age. Twenty years later he was transferred to the New England Conference, and since 1877 he has been stationed in Boston. He is now (1887) pastor of the Meridian Street Methodist Episcopal Church and chaplain of the Seamen's Bethel, and one of the leading men of the city and conference.
Dexter Bates, who joined the New York Conference in 1804, after being five years in the regular work, located and returned to Springfield. His appointments while connected with the conference were: 1804, Plattsburgh, N. Y .; 1805, Fletcher, Vt .; 1806, Grand Isle; 1807, Vergennes; 1808, Brandon. Though
87
OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
he never re-entered the travelling connection, he preached exten- sively in Springfield and vicinity to the close of his life. At different times he supplied the work at Springfield as pastor. He was greatly respected as a citizen, and as a minister was very acceptable and useful. He was much called for to attend funerals, and served in more instances on such occasions probably than any other man of his time. He died in 1845, at sixty-three years of age.
In December, 1816, Dexter Bates married Mrs. Mehitable Ladd Gale of Unity, N. H. They had four children : Hannah, who died April 22, 1814, aged fourteen years ; Levi L., who died in Boston, Mass., Oct. 7, 1864, aged forty-five years ; Drusilla, who died July 12, 1834, aged twelve years ; and Josiah, who died at Panama Cut, July 3, 1851, aged twenty-four years.
Besides the three persons named as forming the first class in town, Asahel Powers, Nicholas Bragg, Jr., Elias Damon, John Slack, and Nathaniel Burgess were among the early members of the new society.
Asahel Powers was a prominent citizen of Springfield, and for many years was very active in promoting the interests of the Methodist Society, both as a steward and class leader.
Elias and Abigail Damon were active and useful members of these early days, and their descendants are still represented in the Methodist Church in Springfield and elsewhere, to the second and third generations. Mr. Damon died in 1865 ; and Mrs. Damon in 1876, at nearly ninety years of age.
Nathaniel Burgess was a useful class leader for many years. He had good natural talents, and was an intelligent, devoted Christian.
John and Sally Slack were active members of the society, and are still represented by their descendants in the Methodist Church in Springfield.
The appointments to the Weathersfield circuit for the first decade were: 1800, John Nichols; 1801, John Nichols, Elijah Ward; 1802, Samuel Draper, Thomas Carpenter; 1803, Truman Bishop, Ebenezer Fairbanks; 1804, Luther Chamberlain ; 1805, John Gove, Paul Dustin ; 1806, Thomas Skeel; 1807, Clement
88
HISTORY OF THE TOWN
Parker, Joseph Fairbanks ; 1808, Dan Perry, Leonard Frost ; 1809, Samuel Thompson and Stephen Baily.
During this first decade the Methodist Society, small as it was, made an effort to build a house of worship.
The work was begun in 1806. Hitherto the meetings had been held in private houses or schoolhouses, when they could be se- cured, while the quarterly meetings were held in barns or groves when the season permitted. In this town, as in other places, efforts were made to secure the use of the meeting-house built by the town, for quarterly meetings.
At a town meeting held Nov. 22, 1803, Asahel Powers moved, and the town voted, " that special permission is hereby given that the Methodists hold their quarterly meeting at the meeting-house on the second Sunday in January next, the Rev. Mr. Smiley and the deacons consenting thereto." Whether the consent of the parties named was obtained, and the meeting held at the time and place mentioned, is not recorded. The following year the propo- sal to permit the Methodists, Baptists, and Congregationalists to use the meeting-house jointly, in proportion to the membership of each, was voted down, and no further effort was made in that direction, according to the records. This action secured the per- manent possession of the meeting-house to the Congregationalists, and left the other societies in town to provide for themselves else- where.
Two years later the Methodist Society began the work of build- ing a place of worship. Land for the purpose was bought of Elisha Brown, and deeded by him to Asahel Powers, Samuel Haskins, Nathaniel Burgess, Lemuel Maynard, and Jotham Brit- ton, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Springfield. The deed was given on the eighth day of May, 1806. The land purchased is situated on the corner of Chester and Prospect Streets, now known as the High School ground.
The work of building was probably begun at once, and so far advanced during the season as to be occupied in an unfinished condition during the autumn of 1806 or the spring of 1807, as it is understood that Thomas Skeel, who was stationed on the Weathersfield circuit in the summer of 1806, and remained but one year, was the first who preached in the new building.
89
OF- SPRINGFIELD, VT.
The trustees decided to build of brick, at an estimated cost of $2,500. Either before the building was begun or later, an effort was made to secure some assistance from the town; but as this failed, after spending what means they could command, they sus- pended work, leaving the building enclosed, but entirely un- finished inside. The main room and the gallery, which occupied three sides of the house, had only a rough board floor. Seats were made of unplaned plank, laid upon shingle blocks placed upon end. A carpenter's bench was placed at the north side of the room for a pulpit. Two round sticks were nailed to the work- bench upright of such length and at such distance apart as to pro- vide a suitable breastwork for the pulpit, supposed in those days to be necessary, while the platform of the pulpit was raised two steps above the bench. This extemporized arrangement for wor- ship, which was doubtless designed to be used only for a short time, remained unchanged for nearly twenty years, and some of the most eminent ministers of the Methodist Church in those days preached the word from this rustic pulpit in this unfinished house.
As there was no provision for warming the building, it was not generally used in winter. Incomplete and unfinished as it was, it furnished a home for the young society that was greatly appre- ciated. It is related that some time during the years that the house remained in an unfinished condition, the eccentric Lorenzo Dow made an appointment to preach in the place in the summer season. Arriving at the house in advance of the time, while waiting he refreshed himself by lying down under the pulpit platform on the bench. At the appointed time for the meeting he came out from his resting place, preached to a good congrega- tion, with his usual freedom, and went on his way.
. Mr. Skeel, who was sent to this work in 1806, entered the min- istry in 1802, and was stationed at Hanover, N. H., Barnard, Vt., and Landaff, N. H., one year each, and in 1805 at Barnard the second time. During his first year in Barnard, in 1803, 1804, he preached the first Methodist sermon in Rochester, Vt. He was ordained deacon in 1805, and elder in 1807. At the close of his year on the Weathersfield circuit he was appointed a missionary to Vermont and New Hampshire, and at the end of one year he
90
HISTORY OF THE TOWN
located, probably to make some better provision for his family than he was likely to do, in the regular work in those days.
As he resided in Springfield during his year on the circuit, and probably did not remove his family from town while doing mis- sionary work, on his retirement from the conference he became a permanent resident of Springfield. During his first year in town he occupied the house known as the " Quaker Field House " in the valley beyond Seminary Hill, on the road to the North Village, west of the river, a short distance from the Chester road. Later he lived in a house then standing near the John W. Bisbee place, on the hill about a mile south of the village, where he died of consumption, Aug. 20, 1816, at thirty-five years of age. Mrs. Skeel, though able to care for her husband while he lived, died eleven days later, and both were buried in the cemetery at Spring- field. They left two children who were cared for by relatives of Mrs. Skeel in Guilford, Vt., her former home.
The labors of Mr. Skeel were greatly appreciated by the people of the town, as well as by the society to which he ministered. He left an influence for good upon the community which still lives. It is an indication of the talent and the general popular influence of the man, that he was invited to preach the election sermon be- fore the Legislature of Vermont at its session in 1811, though at the time he was not in the ranks of the travelling ministry.
The stones which mark the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Skeel were placed there by the members and friends of the Methodist Church in Springfield in 1844 or 1845. The inscription on the headstone of Mr. Skeel's grave is very fitting in his case : " He, being dead, yet speaketh."
From 1810 to 1820 the following appointments were made to the Weathersfield work : 1810, Solomon Sias ; 1811, B. R. Hoyt ; and these were followed by D. Kilbourn and E. Otis, one year each ; Joseph Baker, two years ; Amasa Taylor, Caleb Dustin, Jacob Sanborn, and Elisha Streeter, one year each ; C. Walker, B. Bishop, J. Jewett, J. Walker, E. Phelps, J. Paine, M. Ladd, and M. Sanderson serving as assistant preachers.
The third decade began with E. Streeter for a second year, 1820 ; 1821, Joshua Randall ; 1822, J. A. Scarritt, Daniel L. Fletcher ;
91
OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
1823, Joel Steele, N. W. Aspenwall ; 1824, A. D. Merrill, R. Putnam ; 1825, C. D. Cahoon, George Putnam ; 1826, C. D. Ca- hoon, B. C. Eastman ; 1827, B. C. Eastman, Samuel Heath ; 1828, Jos. Allen, Wm. Reynolds ; 1829, R. L. Harvey, Zerah Colburn.
Nothing of special interest seems to have occurred in connection with the work in Springfield during the second decade, of which we have any record. The charge was served by some of the strongest men in the ministry of those days, and their labors must have contributed largely to the prosperity of the cause.
During the third decade two very important events occurred in the history of the society in Springfield. The first was a very in- teresting and extensive revival which took place in 1821 and 1822. The work begun and was largely carried forward through the instrumentality of Daniel L. Fletcher, a young man from Chester, who had previously taught school in Spencer Hollow, where the revival begun. Mr. Fletcher, having become a Chris- tian after leaving the neighborhood, and being much interested in religious work, he returned to the district where he had taught school, and sought to interest his former pupils in the subject of religion. His efforts proving successful, he began to hold meet- ings in the schoolhouse ; and as the work increased in interest and spread into other sections of the town, he held meetings for sev- eral weeks in the schoolhouses, as they were open to him. A large number were converted and added to the Methodist Church, and fifty to the Congregationalist Church, as a fruit of the revival.
At the session of the New England Conference held at Bath, . Me., in 1822, Mr. Fletcher was received on trial and appointed to the Weathersfield circuit as junior preacher, with J. A. Scarritt as senior. The labors of these men were greatly blessed on the entire field, and the revival in Springfield continued through the year.
From the Weathersfield circuit Mr. Fletcher went to New- market and Landaff, N. H., Mansfield and Tolland, Conn., and Canaan, N. H., and served at each place one year. In 1830 he retired from conference work.
Daniel L. Fletcher was the son of Daniel and Susannah Fletcher of Chester, Vt., and was born Aug. 20, 1800. After entering the
92
HISTORY OF THE TOWN
ministry he married Miss Mary Ann Carley of Springfield, an educated and accomplished teacher. After retiring from the conference, with the co-operation of his brother, Ira Fletcher, he established a young ladies' seminary in Chester, on the road from Springfield to that place, to be in charge of Mrs. Fletcher as preceptress and teacher. It was called Fletcher Seminary, and had a prosperous existence for a time as to patronage; but not proving a financial success, at the end of six years it was closed, and the building is now used as a farmhouse. After the school was closed Mr. Fletcher re-entered the conference and went to Connecticut to labor, and died at Tolland in that State in 1843. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Fletcher went West, and engaged in teaching until her advanced years forbade the con- tinuance of such labors. More than fourscore years of age, she still lives (1887) in full possession of her faculties, enjoying the fruit of a long and useful life.
One of the fruits of the revival, of which Mr. Fletcher was the honored instrument, was the conversion of Amasa H. Houghton. He joined the Methodist Church, and in 1824 entered the minis- try, and was sent to Barre circuit as assistant to David Kilburn. In 1825 he went to Unity, N. H .; 1826, to Derby, Vt .; 1827 and 1828, to Newbury; 1829, Craftsbury; 1830 and 1831, Tufton- borough, N. H .; 1832, Lunenburgh, Vt. In 1833 he located and entered upon the practice of medicine, for which he had prepared himself before entering the ministry. He spent several years in the South in the practice of this profession. Returning North, he entered the ministry of the Congregational Church, and was settled as pastor at Lansing, Iowa, twenty-two years. He died in 1885, respected by all, and greatly beloved by his church.
David Barker, another young man of Springfield, was converted during this revival, and joined the New England Conference in 1825, and was sent to Moretown, Vt .; 1826, Hardwick; 1827, Nantucket, Mass .; 1828, Kingston, N. H .; 1829, Newburyport and Newbury, Mass .; 1830, Marblehead ; 1831, Weymouth. In 1832 he located and went to the Protestant Episcopal Church, and has resided in Kalamazoo, Mich., for many years as rector of the Episcopal Church there.
93
OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
A second event of great importance to the church during this decade was the fitting up of the inside of its place of worship. The revival of 1821 and 1822 doubtless contributed largely to this result, but special credit for its successful accomplishment is due to Rev. Wilbur Fisk, presiding elder of the Vermont district from 1823 to 1826. Mr. Fisk was a native of Brattleboro, Vt., and was born Aug. 31, 1792. After taking a preparatory course of study, he entered the Vermont University at Burlington. The exercises of the University being suspended on account of the War of 1812 and 1814, he went to Brown University, Providence, R. I., where he graduated with honor in 1815. He was con- verted at twelve years of age, but during his college course he lost much of his interest in the subject of religion. On leaving college he began the study of law, with the design of entering this profession ; but having his religious experience restored to him, in connection with a severe illness, which occurred while pursuing his law studies, he became convinced that he was called to the ministry, and in harmony with this conviction he entered the New England Conference in 1818. In 1823 he was appointed presiding elder of the Vermont district, at thirty-one years of age. At the end of his third year on the district he was called to take charge of a conference school, then located at New- market, N. H. This school was afterwards removed to Wilbra- ham, Mass., where it still exists in a flourishing condition. When the project for a college at Middletown, Conn., became a fact, Mr. Fisk was called to the presidency of the institution, and occupied the position until his death, which occurred Dec. 31, 1838. A man "greatly beloved and deeply lamented."
It was while doing the work of presiding elder in Vermont that he became interested to have the church at Springfield, which had remained until that time in an unfinished condition, made more comfortable and attractive. In what year this occurred cannot now be determined, but it could not have been later than the autumn of 1825 or the spring of 1826, as Mr. Fisk left the district at the conference of the latter year. To accomplish the undertaking he personally solicited funds through the town, preaching in the schoolhouses of the several districts, and taking
94
HISTORY OF THE TOWN
a collection. In this way he secured the means to lay the floor of the audience-room and gallery, seat the house throughout in settee form, and build a pulpit. In its improved condition it was considered a very comfortable place of worship for the time, and answered the purpose of the society until the present stone structure was built, nearly twenty years later.
In 1829 the New England Conference was divided, and the work in New Hampshire and Eastern Vermont, including a small section of Northeastern Massachusetts, was organized as a new conference, called the New Hampshire and Vermont Conference, which included the Weathersfield charge. Four years later the name of the conference was changed to New Hampshire, without change of territory.
Early in the fourth decade, 1830-1840, the Weathersfield circuit was divided, and the southern part was called Springfield. The division was made at the conference held at Lyndon, Vt., Aug. 8, 1832. Previous to the division the work was served by C. W. Levings and William H. Stoddard in 1830 ; Geo. Putnam, A. T. Bullard, W. H. Stoddard, 1834.
The first appointments made to Springfield after the division were Richard Newell, Moses Sanderson, in 1832; Silas Quimby, H. S. Dane, 1833; S. Quimby, E. T. Manning, 1834; Moses Chase, 1835 and 1836, with A. H. Worthing and J. Baker, assist- ants, one year each; M. Newhall, 1837; R. H. Spaulding, 1838 ; A. K. Howard, 1839.
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.