Bristol County MA Archives Biographies.....Brown, Amasa April 21, 1754 - January 24, 1830
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ma/mafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Alice Brosey http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003503 October 14, 2014, 10:51 am

Source: History of the Shaftsbury Baptist Association from 1781-1853. Published 1853, Troy, NY.
Author: Stephen Wright

III. ELDER AMASA BROWN, OF HARTFORD, N. Y.

Respecting this veteran captain in the host of our Israel, and for some 
thirteen years a member of the Shaftsbury Association, we are unable to 
furnish more than the following meagre sketch, drawn partly from the minutes 
of associations, and partly from the verbal accounts of those who knew him.

He came from Swansey, Massachusetts, into the region of his subsequent 
labors, soon after the revolutionary war, in which he did service — 
attaining, it is said, a commission in the army. At what time he enlisted 
under the banner of King Jesus, and when he was promoted in his service to 
the rank he so well honored, as a leader in Zion, we are uninformed. Most 
likely his preaching efforts commenced about the time of the constitution of 
the first Baptist church in Hartford, in 1788, when about 33 or 34 years of 
age.

His name occurs on the Shaftsbury minutes in 1793, for the first time, as 
pastor of the church, (then called 1st Westfield,) with 146 members, of whom 
27 had been added during the year previous. The next year he came up to the 
annual meeting at Pownal, Vt., with an addition of 50 more; and having 
dismissed 21, he reported a total still of 168. In 1795, although not 
present at Stillwater himself, his church reported an addition of 31, and a 
total of 196. In 1796, he reported 49 added, 30 dismissed, and 212 in all. 
In 1797, he was present at Bottskill to report the accession of 106 more, 
and a total of 303, after a powerful revival — which began from the death of 
a woman by lightning, to which solemn alarm, some 40 persons dated their 
first awakening. And thus for years did his church increase in number under 
his ministry, until in 1806, we see his name at the head of a company of 
435, with 16 new recruits under his guidance, in the Saratoga battalion of 
the army of Zion.

From 1793 to 1799, he must have enjoyed a continued revival — adding in 
these seven years, about 300 to his church. After a few years of declension 
he shared again in the Divine favor upon his labors, adding about 105 in the 
years 1813-14; and again in 1816-17, he baptised from 140 to 150, in two 
years. This was his last and greatest harvest, the fruits of which are yet 
seen in many churches, by the stability and consistent conduct of those 
converts; and blessing even the distant heathen, through the indefatigable 
labors of our beloved Wade, on the shores of Burmah. For among the number he 
baptised in 1816, (as we learn by one of them,) were three now living, and 
useful ministers of the gospel. One was our excellent foreign missionary, 
Jonathan Wade, D. D., in Burmah; another was Elder Barna Allen, now of 
Hubbardton, Vt, once for a year or two, the pastor of his mother church: 
while the third was Elder John H Barker, now for several years pastor of the 
Adamsville Baptist church — a colony from Hartford, as its foster mother.

Soon after this great harvest, Elder Brown's increasing age and infirmities, 
secured for him a release from the pastoral care of the church, although he 
continued till about the year 1821, a period of some 33 years in all. His 
labors were felt in adjacent towns; and during bis ministry, the church in 
Hebron, on the east, and that at Adamsville, on the southwest, were 
constituted, in considerable part from members of his church.
His successor was Elder George Witherell,in 1822; who continued for ten or 
twelve years in town. The Hartford church has had its peculiar trials and 
vicissitudes since the labors of Elder Brown closed, having been for a 
period divided into two bands by the Masonic question; but now, and for the 
last ten years, is united again; having enjoyed the labors of several 
pastors, some of whom have been favored with powerful revivals of religion, 
and large accessions to the church. It now embodies a membership of about 
430, under the pastoral eharge of Elder J. B. Drummond, who has baptised 
into their fellowship during the past two or three years, about 200 
converts. May their fruit be unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Elder Brown's church united with the Saratoga Associxtion, at its 
organization in 1808, and remained in that connection till 1827, when it 
united with other churches in the vicinity, in forming the Washington 
Association. His memory is cherished among the people of the town of 
Hartford and the regions about it, for the excellent traits of his character 
as a man — a christian — and a minister of Jesus Christ. If he was not the 
most talented of preachers, he was a very useful one. He must have baptised 
something like seven hundred into the fellowship of the Hartford church in 
the last thirty years of his ministry among them. For several years his 
brethren honored him in the association, by appointing him its Moderator.

Elder Brown was a patriot. For when his regiment was called out in 1814, to 
march to Plattsburgh, the order coming on the Sabbath — as chaplain he went 
into his desk in the morning with his epaulettes on, (as we are informed by 
an eye-witness then a boy,) and preached a very patriotic discourse to 
incite his neighbors and brethren to fidelity, who had been summoned to the 
defence of their country against the invading foe — and then at the close of 
the service marched on with his regiment in the afternoon, evincing that his 
lore of country was true-hearted.
He was an early advocate for the foreign mission, and other benevolent 
societies that arose about the same period, soon after the war. For his zeal 
and boldness in advocating these objects of benevolence, he met with 
opposition, and suffered in consequeuce, even from some of his own brethren. 
We have this incident from Col. Allen, of Fairhaven, Vt., (as well as the 
former one,) that he said.- "If a man would not allow his wife the means to 
give to such worthy objects, he thought she would be justifiable in getting 
into his purse and helping herself to funds." To some, this was outrageous 
counsel from a minister of the Gospel. But should a christian wife be 
hindered always from acting the reasonable promptings of her benevolent soul 
by such a husband? With such a pastor, who wonders that Jonathan Wade became 
a missionary of the cross?

Elder Brown died at last in a good old age, among his own people, where his 
sepulchre is seen to this day in the public burial ground, amidst his own 
family, several of whose remains lie around him. On his tombstone the passer 
by will read the following brief inscription :—
"Rev. Amasa Brown, Died January 24, 1830, in the 76th year of his age." And 
in the same yard, lie the mortal remains of two other ministers who have 
labored among this people; Rev. Jeremiah Everts who died among them, August 
24th, 1846, aged 38 years; and Rev. Henry F. Baldwin, (once of 1 
Bennington,) who died in Arcadia, New York, September 20th, 1846, aged 45 
years.

Additional Comments:


Amasa Brown is my 5th great grandfather. 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ma/bristol/bios/brown136gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mafiles/

File size: 7.6 Kb