The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 61

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press
Number of Pages: 1064

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The next night we put up at another inn, and as my uncle entered the house, he met an old acquaintance, a Deacon in a Congregational church there. The Dea- con was in the act of shaving. Seeing our party, he said-"Mr. Dow, do you ever shave?" Uncle L. said, " I shave a Con- gregational Deacon once in a while."

On the farm that Lorenzo owned in Montville, Ct., there was a dam at the out- let of a large pond. Below on the stream my uncle owned some mills, and below these was a large cotton factory, owned by one of his neighbors, employing a large number of operatives. In the night his neighbor would go and open the gate, and let the water out of the pond to run certain machinery. The next day there was not water enough to run his own mill. The result was L. D. went and had a gate made of boiler-iron, and spiked down so the man of the factory could not open it. He then raised his dam to the height of 25 feet, keeping back the water for months. His neighbor wanted water to run his fac- tory, while Dow closed his mills up for re- pairs. The result was his neighbor sued

him, and beat him. Dow carried up the case to the next court, and got beat there. He then carried the case to the court of last resort, and got beat again. Then Dow took his hired man, and opened the gate. The three months of water accumulated, the pressure upon the gate was immense ; the stream poured forth in a torrent. Says Dow to the man, "He wants water ; give him more. Hoist the gate higher," and, looking on the rushing stream, said, " my neighbor wants water, and water he shall have. Take the gate out." The impet- uous current did more damage to the cot- ton factory than three months' laying still for the want of water.

This was the basis of that work pub- lished by Dow, entitled "Fresh Water Law, or Twenty-nine Reasons why a man cannot control the water on his own land."

Lorenzo Dow was once preaching in the State of Ohio, and having unusual freedom of thought and delivery, the congregation was thrilled with admiration and delight. When the interest was at its height, he suddenly stepped down from the desk, and deliberately walked to another part of the room and pointing his long, sarcastic fin- ger at a person to whom he was a total stranger, and fixing on him his searching eyes, addressed him thus :- " I mean you ! Yes, You! who ran away from Connecticut between two days to avoid paying your honest debts ; and more than this, you per- secuted and abused your wife because she was endeavoring to seek religion! Aint you ashamed of yourself?" The poor fel- low looked as though annihilation would be the highest boon. Dow returned to the desk and resumed the thread of his dis- course, and by his wonderful tact and mag- netism raised the congregation to the same summit of interest as before. After the benediction was pronounced, the people, who knew nothing of the man's antece- dents, instituted searching inquiry into the man's history and found that Dow's charg- es were true to the very letter.

On another occasion while preaching in a grove, a young man commenced rattling some boards at no great distance from the preacher's stand. The speaker cautioned

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him very mildly at first, but every little while he would renew the mischief. At length Dow cast on him a serious look, remarking :- " Those boards will make your coffin." The young man died in a few weeks, and the carpenter not thinking of Dow's remark made use of the very identical boards. These are but specimens of what occurred along the history of his life.

He was once holding forth in a place in a very powerful manner, and all at once he paused in his discourse, and very deliber- ately made the remark : "There is a man present, who has been considered a very respectable person, but he is guilty of hug- ging and kissing another man's wife. Both parties are present. The man has a white feather on his head ; and the woman blushes deeply." In an instant a man reached his hand to his head, and Dow pointing to him said, "Thou art the man." And pointing to the woman, whose cheeks were scarlet, said, "Thou art the woman." Subsequent developments showed that Dow's arrows hit the mark.

At another time, while preaching in Mississippi, some rowdies were thrusting a knife into a beautiful beaver hat of his, at some distance from the stand. He turned to them and addressed them thus :- The laws of society condemn you ; the laws of your country condemn you ; moreover the laws of God condemn you. The word condemned means damned. Ist. You are villains. 2d. You are condemned villains, that is you are damned villains. 3d. God condemns you by His law ; that is He damns you. Hence, you are God damned villains!

THE VERMONT BIBLE SOCIETY

Had its organization at the capital. The first meeting was held at the hall of the Academy, Oct. 28, 1812. Hon. Wm. C. Harrington, mod., Jeduthan Loomis, clerk. Rev. Chester Wright preached the opening sermon, and before the meeting dissolved 88 persons had become members, and $323.75 raised. First officers : Charles Marsh, pres't, Gen. Abner Forbes, treas., Wm. Page, sec'y.

METHODISM IN MONTPELIER.

BY REV. J. R. BARTLETT.

The history of the Methodist Church in Montpelier extends to the earliest associa- tions of Methodism in Vermont.

Various accounts have been given of the introduction of Methodism into Vermont, some of which are only matters of tradi- tion and probably incorrect. It is now known that the first Methodist preacher sent to Vermont by the authorized voice of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and who accepted and worked under the ap- pointment, was Nicholas Snethen, who at the Conference held at Thompson, Conn., convened Sept. 20, 1796, was "read off" as the appointee to " Vershire circuit."

This was an entirely new field for Meth- odistic preaching, and Mr. Snethen prob- ably went to his appointment with no def- inite knowledge of the existence of any Methodist families in Vermont except one in Vershire, one in Bradford, and perhaps a few others in the extended territory . which comprised the " circuit."

" Vershire circuit reached," as the re- cords state, "from the towns near the Connecticut river to Montpelier." These boundaries are somewhat indefinite, but were as accurate, perhaps, as any in the early days of Methodism, when bounding the parish of a Methodist preacher.

Jesse Lee, the pioneer of Methodism in New England, was Presiding Elder, and in his journal makes reference to Vershire circuit in these words: "Many of the places where we preached in that circuit were quite new settlements; the houses were very small, and but scattered through the country. The preachers had to en- counter many difficulties and to endure many hardships. But one thing which made up for all the difficulties was this, the people were fond of attending meeting by day or by night, and were very kind to the preachers ; and best of all was, sin- ners were awakened, and in a little time some of them became the happy subjects of the favor of God, and were zealously en- gaged in trying to help forward the work of the Lord as far as they could. Since

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then we have prospered considerably in this new part of the country."

The fragmentary records which are the only means of information now extant, give conclusive evidence that Montpelier was thus visited by the early itinerant preach- ers, and that it immediately became an ap- pointment for stated and regular preach- ing. It is probable, however, that such preaching was only at intervals of consid- erable extent in point of time, and that the meetings were small as regards the num- ber in attendance, being held in dwellings, or possibly in school-houses where they existed and could be obtained for the pur- pose. Arminian theology was then re- garded as an interloper, and met with its opposing creeds of Calvinistic dogmas on the one hand and extreme Liberalism on the other, as its vital and untiring dispu- tants.

D. P. Thompson's History of Montpe- lier speaks of " A great public meeting for a doctrinal debate," held in Montpelier during the summer of 1799, in which a "Rev. Mr. Mitchell, of some other part of the State," appeared "on the part of the Methodists." Doubtless this was Joseph Mitchell, the preacher on the "Vergennes circuit" in that year. Mr. Mitchell was never an appointee on any circuit which included Montpelier, but was a man of untiring energy, great intel- lectual power and unceasing labors in his calling as a preacher, and it is recorded of him that he traveled at the rate of nearly 6,000 milesa year while on the Vergennes circuit. His appearance in Montpelier at this time would seem to indicate either that he was an occasional visitor and preacher here, although not on his stated circuit, or that he was brought forward to champion the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church by the friends of the same.

It is not improbable that Montpelier may have been occasionally visited by the preachers of Vergennes circuit, as well as by those of Vershire circuit, of which it was a part, for the early Methodist preacher had a habit of making himself heard, and of feeling very much at home wherever,

and under whatever circumstances he could find a congregation, and in view of the common sympathy and purpose among the early preachers, especially, it is pre- sumable that no exclusive right of territory was thought of by any circuit preacher.

Lorenzo Dow, famed for his eccentric- ities of life and speech, and an able though irregular worker in the early itinerancy, is also known to have been an occasional preacher at Montpelier, but was never an appointee on any circuit which included the town in its jurisdiction. So of others whose names are not in the list of Meth- odist preachers included in this sketch, but who may be remembered, or perhaps recorded, as having engaged in the work to a greater or less extent.

The preachers who succeeded Mr. Snethen upon Vershire circuit while Mont- pelier continued within its bounds, were, in 1797, Ralph Williston ; in 1798, Joseph Crawford ; in 1799, Mr. Crawford again, with Elijah Chichester as his colleague ; in 1800, Thomas Dewey ; in 1801, Truman Bishop and Thomas Branch; in 1802, Solomon Langdon and Paul Dustin ; in 1803, Samuel Draper and Oliver Beale. The dates above given indicate the "Con- ference year," commencing with the an- nual session in the summer of the year named, and continuing to the following session. In 1804, the circuit was divided, and Montpelier became a part of the new " Barre circuit," which included the fol- lowing within its jurisdiction : Barre, Plainfield, Middlesex, Montpelier, North- field, Williamstown, Washington, Berlin, and Orange. It is uncertain whether Moretown and Waitsfield were in the cir- cuit at this time, or were added subse- quently ; but eventually they were so in- cluded, as well as other towns.

There are 257 names upon the oldest list of members now to be found, and which seems to include the entire circuit as it existed in 1804.

Of this number it is difficult to decide how many were residents of Montpelier, as the Montpelier membership is not grouped as in some of the other towns, but it seems to be not more than six or eight.

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There was, however, a "class " organ- ization, and it was represented in the re- ported " collections" ate ach quarterly meeting of the circuit, the amounts vary- ing in these early reports from 35 cents to $8.54, the last named being the report on Apr. 19, 1806, at the last quarterly meet- ing in the Conference year.

July 23, 1808, collections from two classes in Montpelier were reported, indi- cating that another class was formed about this time, subsequent reports showing the continuation of this arrangement. The first receipt of "public money" reported from Montpelier was at a quarterly meet- ing held at Plainfield, October 16, 1807, the amount being $1.60. The name of the first class leader was Ansel Patterson, who afterwards removed to Barre, and was eventually expelled from membership.

The number in society as reported to the annual Conference of 1812 was 330 upon the circuit, and of this number 25 were in the two classes in Montpelier, David Harris and Elias Kingsley being the leaders, and having thirteen and twelve in their respective classes, and three "on trial" in the class of Mr. Kingsley. The records are very meagre during these in- tervening years, but there is evidence of a steady growth in numbers and increase of influence for the church in the community.

Aug. 5, 1820, the quarterly meeting was held in Montpelier, being the first on record as held in this town. It is not cer- tain, however, that quarterly meetings were now held here for the first time, as some of the records in former years are in- complete, and it is obvious that such meet- ings were held, of which no record is now extant, or at least known to exist. The record of this meeting is very meagre, being only a statement of the time and place and the amount of the collections and disbursements as follows :

Quarterly meetings held at Montpelier, for Barre circuit, August 5, 1820. Public collection, $8.62.

Paid Ella Dunam expense, 6.00

Squire B. Harskell do. 2.62

$8.62

This brief record is suggestive, however,

of a meeting which was probably one of impressive and solemn interest in the con- munity. A Methodist " quarterly meet- ing" in 1820 was likely to be an event of great local interest. Barre circuit com- prised at this time some twelve or more towns within its bounds, and, in accord- ance with the custom in these olden times, there would be likely to be in attendance at the quarterly meeting some from every preaching station on the circuit, and a general attendance of the members and friends of the Methodist Church in towns convenient of access to the place of meet- ing. It is, therefore, probable that this meeting was one of considerable local im- portance. Mr. Henry Nutt remembers the occasion, and that the meeting was held in the grove at the "Centre," and very largely attended by the people from all adjoining and some other towns.

Rev. Elihu Scott, who is now living in Hampton, N. H., writes :

In June, 1825, I received my first ap- pointment in the New England Confer- ence, on old Barre circuit, Vermont, one of the oldest and best at that time in the State. John Lord was preacher in charge, David Leslie second, E. Scott third ; and because we had not help enough, we took on Horace Spaulding for the fourth, (a school teacher and local preacher of good abilities.) The following is a list of the towns then embraced in the circuit-a name that meant something in those days -namely : Barre, Montpelier, Calais, Plainfield, Marshfield, Orange, Washing- ton, Williamstown, Brookfield, Randolph, Bethel, Roxbury, Northfield and Berlin. I think we had preaching every Sabbath only in Barre ; in a few other places once in two weeks, in others once in four weeks, and in others once in eight weeks. But with lectures, as we then called them- that is, preaching on week days, afternoon or evening, in all our outlying neighbor- hoods where we had classes, four or five times a week three weeks out of four, sum- mer and winter, in private houses or school-houses, and visiting all our mem- bers frequently, we found plenty of hard work to keep us out of idleness and mis- chief.

Previous to 1826, the Methodists had no church, but during this year one was built by them at the Centre of the town, in which meetings were then held alternately

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with services in the old State House in the village. At the first quarterly meet- ing held in the church, Wilbur Fisk preach- ed upon the theme of " endless misery "- a memorable sermon, which was much discussed in the community.

In 1828, Montpelier was made a station, and thenceforward lost its identity with Barre circuit, but gained one of its own. The appointments of preachers for Barre circuit from its formation to this time, (all of whom were of course regular visitors to Montpelier at stated appointments,) were as follows : In 1804, Oliver Beale ; 1805, Elijah Hedding and Daniel Young ; 1806, Philip Munger and Jonathan Chaney ; 1807, Sam'l Thompson and Eleazer Wells ; 1808. Solomon Sias; 1809, Warren Ban- ister and George Gary; 1810, Eliazer Wells and Squire Streeter ; 1811, Nathan- iel Sternes and John Jewett; 1812, Eb- enezer F. Newell and Joseph Dennett ; 1813 and '14, David Kilburn, Jason Walk- er being his colleague in '14 ; 1815 and '16, Joel Steele, Thomas C. Pierce being a colleague in '16; 1817 and '18, Leonard Frost; 1819, Thomas C. Pierce ; 1820, Squire B. Haskell and Ella Dunham ; 1821, John F. Adams and Abraham Holway; 1822, J. F. Adams, D. Leslie ; 1823, Sam- uel Norris and Haskell Wheelock ; 1824, D. Kilburn, H. Wheelock and A. H. Houghton ; 1825, John Lord, D. Leslie and Elihu Scott; 1826, A. D. Merrill and J. Templeton ; 1827, J. B. White, E. Jordan and R. L. Harvey.

There had also appeared among the Methodist preachers in the town the fol- lowing men who had occupied the office of presiding elder upon the district of which Barre circuit was a part: Jesse Lee, George Pickering, Shadrack Bostwick, John Brodhead, Joseph Crawford, Elijah Sabin, Thomas Branch, Eleazer Wells, Joseph A. Merrill, John Lindsley, John G. Dow, Wilbur Fisk.

Among these names that of Wilbur Fisk is not the least prominent, and to the present generation is a household name in memory of a man who made his impress in society as but few men are. able to do. The sermon of Mr. Fisk before the Ver-

mont Legislature of 1826 is now preserved, having been printed in pamphlet form. Mr. Fisk has been called the " founder of Methodism in Montpelier," but although his influence was of great value to Meth- odism in Montpelier, his work was inci- dental to its history rather than the found- ation of it. He was a strong man in the denomination, and doubtless exercised an influence which served in a great measure to dispel the opposition and the prejudices which had met the early efforts of Meth- odists to secure an acknowledged right to worship God according to the dictates of their consciences, and the preferences of their religious tastes. [For Presiding Elder Fisk, see Windham County vol., (follow- ing Washington County papers,) of which County he was a native-Ed.] It is also probable that this growing strength in the society gave encouragement to the local interests to such an extent as to bring about the independent existence of " Mont- pelier station," and thus secure a resident pastor who could give his entire attention to the interests of the church in Mont- pelier.

So it came about that at the annual con- ference, held at Lynn, Mass., (this terri- tory being then comprised in "the New England Conference,") and commencing July 23, 1828, Barre circuit was again di- vided, (having lost "Brookfield circuit" in 1826,) and "Montpelier station" be- came an appointment. John Lord was presiding elder of the district, and John G. Dow the stationed preacher.

The first quarterly meeting was held at the church (at the Center) Sept. 20 and 21, 1828. Regular meetings had been held up to this time, but the " quarterly meeting " now convened for the first time on the station, and as there was but one steward under the circuit arrangement, it became necessary to choose others; the completed board was as follows : Stephen Sanborn, Daniel Culver, Samuel Upham, Cyrenus G. Kelton, (Recording Steward,) and Henry Nutt. At a subsequent meet- ing the board of trustees was increased to five, and then comprised Salvenus Morse, John Stevens, James Arbuckle, Daniel

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Culver and Henry Nutt ; and the member- ship was comprised in seven classes, as follows : 1, Henry Nutt leader, 13 mem- bers ; 2, Elias Wakefield leader, 9 mem- bers and two on trial ; 3, Cyrenus G. Kel- ton leader, 16 members; 4, Goodyear Bassett local preacher and leader, 16 mem- bers and one on trial ; 5, James Arbuckle leader, 7 members and 5 on trial ; 6, Dan- iel W. Fox leader, 20 members ; 7, Nathan Howard leader, 13 members; total, 105 members and 8 on trial.

The financial exhibit for this first year is as follows: Collections for this year's avails of subscription papers, $204 ; private donations,$15 ; ministerial or public money, $62 ; quarterly collections, $49 ; total, $330. Disbursements, Paid Rev. J. G. Dow for traveling expenses, $10; for house rent, $70 ; fuel, $15 ; table expenses, $85 ; quar- terage, $140 ; paid Rev. John Lord, P. E., $10 ; total, $330.

An interesting relic of the time here written of is an original "class paper," now in a good state of preservation, al- though yellow with age, and carrying an inscription of faded writing, but still very legible, as follows :

Montpelier Class Paper .--- No. 1.

HENRY NUTT, Leader. JOHN G. Dow, S. P. Rev. JOHN LORD, P. E.

Remember and observe the Quarterly Fast. See Discipline.

Keep yourselves in the love of God. -Bible.

Made April 15th, 1829.

The original size of the above when folded is 52 × 24 inches, and when unfold- ed, it is twelve times as large, and con- tains the names of the members of the class indicated, with lines and spaces to record their state in life, (married, single or widowed,) their state in the church, (full membership or on trial,) and their attendance or non-attendance at class meetings. The church records, although merely incidental of the routine business during the next 6 years, indicate a general state of prosperity and a healthy growth

in the membership. John. G. Dow was again appointed preacher in charge in 1829, with Eleazer Wells presiding elder. James Templeton was the preacher in '30 and '31 ; Ezra Sprague, '32 ; John Currier in'33 ; (Josiah A. Scarrit, presiding elder,) and Elihu Scott the preacher in '34. At this time there was under agitation a pro- ject to build a Methodist church in the village, the meetings having been held in the old Court House up to this time.

The following record is still preserved, apparently upon the original paper where it was written :

MONTPELIER, Feb. 12, 1834.

According to previous notice given, a meeting was called for the purpose of tak- ing into consideration the expediency of building a Methodist meeting-house.

On motion, Hon. Cyrus Ware was called to the chair, and E. H. Washburn was appointed secretary.

On motion, a committee was appointed consisting of three, to be denominated a Methodist meeting-house committee. Lu- ther Cross, Samuel Upham, Jonathan M. Snow, comprise this committee, whose duty it shall be to find a site on which to build said house, and any other business belonging to the subject.

On motion, the meeting was adjourned to meet at the State House, on the 24th instant. at 6 o'clock P. M.

E. H. WASHBURN, Secretary.

Feb. 24, 1834.

Met pursuant to adjournment, Hon. C. Ware in the chair, and J. M. Snow, sec- retary pro tem.

On motion, the question was tried rel- ative to the site belonging to Mr. Jewett. On motion, Col. J. P. Miller was added to the committee above raised, and also Mr. James Arbuckle and Mr. Nahum.

On motion, the meeting was adjourned to the 10th of March.

E. H. WASHBURN, Secretary.

March 10th, 1834.

On motion of Hon. C. Ware, Smith Sherman was called to the chair.

On motion, said meeting agreed to build on the Keith site.

On motion, adjourned to meet on the 24th instant.

E. H. WASHBURN, Secretary.

MONTPELIER, March 24, 1834.

Met pursuant to adjournment after read- ing the notice published in the news- papers. Hon. C. Ware called to the chair. Trustees : Cyrenus Morse, Sam-

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uel Upham, Jr., Christopher C. Wing, A. D. H. Cadwell, James Arbuckle; Meth- odist meeting-house committee: C. C. Wing, J. M. Snow, Wm. B. Hubbard. 4th. To act on draft for a constitution for said society. Constitution adopted. Plan A, for a meeting-house adopted.

On motion, the meeting was adjourned four weeks. E. H. WASHBURN, Sec.

No further record of this movement is preserved, and the project seems to have waited development for the time being.

The earliest records of the Sunday-school are July, 1835; one superintendent, 5 teachers, 48 scholars ; 75 vols. in the li- brary. It seems probable that there was a Sunday-school organization some years earlier, and it is also probable that the or- ganization has been continued ever since.

Aug. 31, 1836, the New Hampshire and Vermont Conference commenced its sev- enth annual session in Montpelier, under the presidency of Bishop Elijah Hedding. It must have been with peculiar feelings of gratitude to God, that Bishop Hedding now looked upon the assembling of this conference. In 1805, he had been a preacher on Barre circuit, and had occa- sionally visited and preached in Mont- pelier.

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The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 61

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press Number of Pages: 1064

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press
Number of Pages: 1064