A HISTORY OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF PALERMO ME. by Allen Goodwin Belfast, ME: The Age Publishing Co. 1896 Page 29-34 CHAPTER VI. THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. About 1779 brother Stephen Belden came to Great Pond Settlement, bringing his Bible under his arm. As the settlers increased in numbers and a Baptist Church being formed at Fairfax (now Albion) many of this vicinity united with that body. In 1804 a reformation swept this township. Those of our members withdrew from that Fairfax church and organized the First Baptist Church established 1804. Election of officers July 20th, 1805. Meetings were held at Josiah Perkin's house and John Marden's barn, on Marden Hill. Chose John Robinson of Freedom, first clerk; John Sinclare of Kuox, first deacon; Nathaniel Robinson, first pastor, ordained June 26. Members were received from Freedom, Montville and Knox. Thus it became necessary to build a meeting house and a plan for the structure was drawn by Daniel Sylvester, Senior, Showing the design and location of the pews. These pews were sold from the plan at value, which sold for 25 and 50 dollars each, according to choice. Thus about 1200 dollars was secured. 1826 the contract was made with Spencer Arnold to con- struct the building for 1100 dollars and completed in 1827 and dedicated on New Years day, 1828, which was thronged with people each Sabbath. A LIST OF MEMBERSHIP FROM 1804 TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1896. James Sinclair Joseph Gowen William White Benjamin Black 1st Nathaniel Robinson John Marden 1st Josiah Perkins Betsey Black lst John Robinson Abagail Worthing Mr. Whitten John Clay Stephen Marden 1st Ruth Rider A. Somes Henry Whittier Stephen Belden 1st John Johnson Abigail Belden Abagail Marden Aaron Belden Edmund Black 2nd Charity Belden Hannah Soule Eunice Marden John Sinclare Mrs. Whitehouse Thaddeus Bailey Jr. John Brown Betsey Somes Jacob Greeley lst Lydia Wiggin Hannah Greeley Benjamin Marden Joseph Arnold Abigail Perkins George Robinson Polly Bailey Mrs. George Robinson Joseph Robinson Simeon Magridge Betsey Arnold Mrs. Simeon Magridge Susanna Cunningham Mrs. Sanford Polly Davis Wiggins Perkins Ann Davis Mrs. Sylvester Betsey Davis Hannah Robinson William Davis Eunice Brown Levi Davis Polly Robinson Thomas Sinclare Hannah Sanders Nancy Davis Lucy Rider Samuel Henry Elizabeth Rider Mrs. Huntoon Asa Robinson Polly Black William M. Robinson Hannah Cunningham Gideon Robinson Betsey Weeks Smith Gilman John Brown Jonathan Clay Joseph Bowler John White Grace Cook George Smith John Erskine 1st Joseph Slyvester Mrs. Campbell Susanna Sylvester Molly Black Sally Sinclair Abigail Young Aaron Rollins Stephen Longfellow John Perkins 1st. Samuel Leadbetter Knowlton Bailey James Black Mrs. Williams Nathan Bachelder Lucy Soule Mrs. Nathan Bachelder Polly Spiller Hannah Nelson Spencer Arnold Sister Wood. Susanna Hill Betsey Arnold Sister Tuck S. Bailey Sally Tuck Lucretia White James Clark Ruth Cummings Charity Marden Sister Wilton Nancy Arnold Betsey Leadbetters Molly Somes Sister Ford Hannah Somes Nathan Bailey Jeremiah Tuck Nathaniel Stanley Elder Dexter Mrs. Nathaniel Stanley Brother Weymouth Amos Dennis Sister Weymouth Amasa Soule Betsey Strong Sister Martin John Rigby Asa Crowell Benjamin Marden 2d William Tucker Betsey Bryant Samuel C. Wight John Spiller Elder Jesse Martin Hannah Marden Abagail Pullen Eliza Sanders- Alley Marden James Sanders Eliza Marden 1st Elder William Bowler Miss Eastman Lydia Sanders.- Mrs. John Rigby Eliza Soule Hannah Cummings Gilbert Pullen Sally Frye Mrs. Gilbert Pullen Pamelia Arnold Anna Marden Maria Marden 1st Eliza Davis Patty Perkins Elmira Arnold Eliza Marden 2nd Mrs. Bowler Betsey Smith Mrs Davis Sally Black Lydia Rowe Reuben Whittier Nancy Pullen John Bailey 1st Mary Arnold Comfort Black William Waters Edmund Black 3d Rufus Rowe Senior. Rachel Cummings James Marden' Senior Patty Black David Spratt lst' Mary Andros Josiah Carr Thaddeous Bailey Mrs. James Marden Charity Barlow Eliza Bradstreet John Rollins Mary Spratt George Waters Sister Worthing Prissilla Robinson John W. Bailey James Sanders Jr. Nathaniel B. Robinson Mrs. James Sanders Rachel Arnold Franklin Foye Sally Balcom Samuel Waters Jonathan Sylvester Oren Nelson Louis Bryant Asa Cowen James Rowe James Sanders Senior Sarah Hamilton Charlotte Pullen Mr. Hathorn Hazen Nelson Mrs. Hathorn Mary Parkhurst Louis Davis S. L. Marden Elder E. H. Emery John A. Marden Jr. Benjamin Young Jr. Abagail Snell Elder Smith Sewall L. Black Jacob Sanders. Silas Tabor Mrs. Jacob Sanders Martha J. Hathorn Hiram T. Black Nancy Seavey Lovica Black Clifford Worthing Eliza Black Mrs. Clifford Worthing Marcus Ricker William Carr Merrill Black L. Sabin Mercy Spratt Sarah Marden Mary A. White Laban Spratt Elvira Mores Jane Wood Elislia Wood Nathan Wood Eliza Wood Adaline Marden Lydia Bailey Pamelia Wood Maliala Carr Melissa Soule Jonathan Ward Mary Thurston Polly Bailey Clarasa Black Miss Maria Perkins Mary F. Carr Prissilla Waters H. Sanford Nehemiah Bryant D. M. Black Eunice Dean Betsey Carr Caroline Drake Charles Carr Mary Black Mrs. S. Bailey Mrs. William Worthing Abagail Whittier Mrs. E. Parmeter Axa Noyes Mrs. S. Bailey Sumner Handy Mrs. M. Marden Joanna Handy Catherine Marden Wesley Bailey Mary Spiller Betsey Bailey Alice Soule Clarendon Black Olive Black Melvina Rowe Luke Jaquith Mrs. Luke Jaquith Josiah Hallowell Kesiah Hallowel George White Addle White Joseph Perkins Samuel B. Soule Mrs. Alexander Worth Alexander Worth Erastus Nelson Mary Jaquith Nellie Black William Balcorn Gustavus Burgis Henry More Alley Clifford Josiah Norton Hattie Norton Alley Curtis. Llewellyn Coffin. Martha Plummer. Elder S. 0. Whitten. Jesse M. Jaquith. PRESENT MEMBERSHIP. Eli Carr Eliza Nelson Winfield Jaquith. Nancy Black Ellen Rowe John S. A. Rowe Henry Carr Emma S. Carr D. A. Whittier Etta Soule Anna Drake Mary Wood Alice Spratt Allen Goodwin Cora A. Goodwin C. E. Carr Etta A. Carr George V. Black Hattie Chadwick George F. Rowe Earl Nelson On the first Wednesday of February, 1809, the 2nd Baptist Church, near Longfellow's Corner, was organized, having withdrawn from the 1st Baptist Church. In 1827 they took the plan of the first meeting- house and began the erection of the old church now removed. The 2nd Baptist Church records were destroyed by fire many years ago. The Methodist Church was organized in the year 1830. Camp-meet- ings were held in Dr. Eli Ayer's Grove for many years. The Meeting- house was built in 1861. (c) 1998 Courtesy of the Me GenWeb Kennebec County Site ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ************************************************* * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.