East Somerset County Register, 1911-1912 - Athens:  Church History
Compiled and Published by CHATTO & TURNER
Auburn, Maine
Clarence I. Chatto
Clair E. Turner
pages 30-32


METHODIST CHURCH.

Rev. N. R. Pearson, who is at present located at Pitts-
field, began the work here under the Methodist denomination
in 1888.  Mr. Pearson came to Athens from his pastorate in
Harmony at the request of a Young People's Society.  The 
church was officially organized in 1890 with five members;
Sarah Bailey, Eleanor H. Holman, Susan Knights, Sarah
Moody, Eliza Wade.  The first official pastor was N.G. Lyons,
who came the year of the organization of the church.  The 
church since its organization has had the following pastors:
Mr. Lyons, 1890-93; W. Lermond, 1893-97; M. S. Preble, 1897-
1900; J. E. Lombard, 1900-1904; L. G. March, 1904-1908; W. E.
Greene, 1908-1909; John Loudfoot, 1909-10; H. F. Milligan, 1910-
11.

The society at present has 61 members and has in connec-
tion with a M. E. Benevolent Society of 75 members, which
is a social organization to assist the benevolent work of the 
church.  The present pastor, Mr. Milligan, holds services at 
West Athens as well as Cornville and Brighton.  He came to 
Athens from Wiscasset and previous to coming to that town had 
been engaged in evangelistic work for five years.  He began the 
work in West Athens and that in Cornville and Brighton was un-
dertaken by Mr. March.


BAPTIST CHURCH

The Athens Baptist Church was organized March 22, 1867,
as a Free Will Baptist Church, and remained so till March
1909.  Rev. M. H. Tarbox and Rev. J. W. Carr organized the 
church, which consisted of 15 members.  Rev. J. W. Carr was 
chosen pastor.  Isreal Drew and Jonathan F. Morrill were 
chosen deacons.  J. W. Carr continued his pastorate till Dec.
1870, when Rev. Samuel McKeown succeeded him, and remained 
a year and a half.

Other pastors who followed were:  C. H. Davis, J. P. Nelson, 
C. S. Frost, 1876-1878; H. H. Acterian, '78 to '81; George N.
Howard, Apr. '82 to Apr. '83; Calvin L. Russell, Dec. '89 for 
about two years, till his death; C. L. Kirkland, Aug. '92 to 
Oct. '93; Virgil O. Sweetlan, Aug. '94 till his death Nov. '02;
J. W. Vaughn, May '03 to Apr. '05; B. H. Johnson, Apr. '05
to Apr. '09; Howard Mitchell, Apr. '09 to Apr. '10;  B. H. 
Johnson, Apr. '10 to present time, Aug 21, '11.

The present membership of the church is about thirty-three.

Athens Baptist Auxilliary was organized as a department
of the church in 1904 with 51 members, which is about its
present membership.  It was organized by Ella P. Ellingwood,
who was the first president.  Other presidents have been:
Mrs. B. H. Johnson, Mrs Winnefred Locke, Mrs. Blanch Chap-
man.  Mrs. Etta Cooley has been secretary for nearly all the 
history of the society.


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<http://www.rootsweb.com/~meandrhs>
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