Chapter 13 - Portsmouth (continued - Churches & Pastors) from History of Rockingham County, NH From: Susan Sauve - ssauve@ecenral.com Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 164 CHAPTER XIII PORTSMOUTH-(Continued) CHURCHES AND PASTORS Methodist Episcopal Church.--In the year 1790, Jesse Lee made his first appearance in Portsmouth as a Methodist preacher. From that time there was miscellaneous preaching until 1807. In the year 1807, Martin Ruter was appointed to Portsmouth and Nottingham. In the year 1808 the church was permanently organized; the first class was organized by George Pickering, in house No.12 Washington Street, then occupied by a Mr. Hutchins. Brothers Pickering, Metcalf, and Stevens preached in the town, interchanging their labors on the circuit system. This year they purchased a house previously occupied by the Universalists on Vaughan Street, afterwards known as the Cameneum. Rev. George Pick- ering was the active agent in securing the house of worship. The price paid was $2,000. In the same year (1808) an act of incorporation as the First Methodist Episcopal Church was obtained of the Legislature. In the year l809, Rev. John Brodhead and Alfred Metcalf chiefly sup- plied the desk here. In 1810, Rev. John Williamson and Asa Kent supplied the desk; the latter preached from December to June, and received as salary $89.29. In 1811, Revs. John Brodhead and John Lindsey were appointed to New Market, Durham, and Portsmouth, Deacon Lindsey preaching most of the time in Portsmouth. Every Sabbath a collection was taken, and the amount entered on the book of records. For lighting the house they used candles, and this item amounted to $14.56. In 1812 and 1813, Rev. John Rexford was pastor, and reported sixty members. In 1814 and 1815, Rev. Thomas W. Tucker was preacher, and received $129.22, including board. In 1816, Rev. Josiah Chamberlain was pastor, and reported seventy-one members. In 1817 and 1818, Rev. Daniel Filmore was preacher in charge, and had a universal reformation, and as the house became too small, permission was obtained to use Jefferson Hall for the prayer-meetings, which was crowded to its utmost capacity. This year (1818) the Sabbath-school was formed under his labors. Page 165 In July, 1820, Josiah Serritt was appointed to Portsmouth. In 1821 and 1822, Enoch Mudge; in 1823 and 1824, Ephraim Wiley; and in 1825, Jacob Sanborn were stationed here. In 1826 and 1827, Shipley W. Wilson was stationed here, and during his labors here the present house of worship (on State Street) was built, at a cost, including land, of about nine thousand dollars. The vestry was in the upper part of the house over the entry. The old house was disposed of in 1829. The first minister of the State Street church was Rev. John Newland Moffet, the noted revivalist stationed 1828-29, and who resided in the brick house on the southerly corner of Daniel and Chapel streets, still standing. His son, John Jr., was at that time about ten years old and in our Civil war became noted as the commander of the Southern privateer Florida. On June 10, 1829, the New England Conference met in Portsmouth, and the New Hampshire Conference was formed. In 1830, Stephen Lovell; 1831, George Storrs; 1832, Holmes Cushman; 1833, Reuben H. Deming; 1834, Eleazer Smith; 1835, Schuyler Chamber- lain; 1837, Jared Perkins; 1838, James G. Smith; 1839, Daniel T. Robin- son; 1841, Samuel Kelley; 1843, Jacob Stevens; 1844, Elisha Adams; 1846, Daniel M. Rogers; 1848, James Thurston; 1849, Samuel Kelley (again); 1851, Richard S. Rust; 1853, Justin Spaulding; 1855, Sullivan Holman; 1857, Jonathan Hall. In 1859 and 1860, Rev. D. P. Leavitt was stationed here. Under his labors a new vestry, costing about fifteen hundred dollars (exclusive of land), was built on Daniel Street. In 1859, D. P. Leavitt; 1861, Richard W. Humphries; 1863, Sullivan Holman (again); 1865, James Pike; 1867, Silas G. Kellog; 1868, H. L. Kelsey; 1870, C. M. Dinsmore; 1873, A. C. Hardy (afterwards became an Episcopalian); 1875, N. M. Bailey; 1876, James Noyes; 1878, C. P. Pit- blado; 1881, W. W. Smith. The following pastors succeeded Rev. Mr. Smith: In 1882-84, Joseph E. Robbins; 1885-86, 0. H. Jasper; 1887-90, Oliver S. Baketel; 1891-95, Otis S. Cole; 1896-99, William Warren; 1900-03, Thomas Whitesides; 1904-05, Joseph L. Felt; 1906-1O, George W. Farmer; 1910-14, Lyle L. Gaither. The State Street building was sold September I, 1912, to Jewish resi- dents and is now their Temple of Worship. The new stone church erected on Miller Avenue was begun July I, 1912; the cornerstone, which was the same used in the State Street Church in 1827, was laid by the ritual of the church September 8, 1912. The church building and lot cost $26,000 and when the dedication pledges are collected, the society will be free of debt. The New Hampshire Conference for the fifth time was held here April 1-7, 1914. The Universalist Parish.--In the year 1784 we have to note another of large importance and influence in the history of church matters in this town. In that year a house of worship was built in Vaughan Street, afterwards known as the Cameneum, where the stable now stands, and this should be, Page 166 in historical accuracy, regarded as the beginning of the sect here instead of the year 1773, from which date the centennial services were reckoned. It is true, Mr. Murray had preached the doctrines of Universalism in Ports- mouth as early as the commencement of the Revolutionary war, at the church building of the Sandermanians and of the Independent Congregational So- ciety, and meetings may have been held with some degree of regularity from the year 1782; but the historical beginnings of the parish should with greater correctness begin with the ministrations of Mr. Parker, a layman of their own number in 1784. Then for ten years the society had only occasional supplies until Rev. George Richards was invited to become the minister in August, 1783, and was ordained in July, 1799. From that time until 1807 the parish had a prosperous life, and in the following year the beautiful church edifice was dedicated. It was destroyed by fire in 1896 and the present brick church erected on the same site. The pastors from Rev. Mr. Richards have been: Hosea Ballou, S. Streeter, Edward Turner, Thomas Starr King, Moses Ballou, George W. Montgomery, Moses Ballou (second pastorate), S. S. Fletcher, W. A. P. Dillingham, Lemuel Willis, A. J. Patterson, Ambler, Bicknell, Van Clot, E. M. Grant, 1876; W. E. Gaskin, 1882; Lee H. Fisher, 1886; Henry R. Rose, 1891; Curtis H. Dickens, 1894; G. E. Laighton, 1899; C. H. Emmons, 1910; George C. Boorn, 1913. The Christian Church was organized January I, 1803, by Elder Elias Smith. How many united in the church organization the church record does not say, but evidently it was very small, for the record says, "That so great was the desire of Elder Smith to see such a church, that he thought a labor of twenty years would be a pleasure, if in the end he might see twenty united and walking according to the New Testament." This was seen very soon, "for in March they numbered twenty-two, and obtained leave to hold their meetings in the courthouse, and the first Sunday in April, 1803, they held their first communion. The interest continued and baptisms were frequent, not only on the Sabbath but on week-days, and in about one year the little company of twenty-two had increased to about one hundred and fifty. The membership of the church was not confined to Portsmouth, but members were received from Newington, Hampton, Hampton Falls in New Hampshire, Kittery in Maine, and as far as Haverhill and Bradford in Massachusetts. In 1807 and 1808 there was the greatest revival ever known in Ports- mouth, and large numbers were added to the church. On the Ist of Sep- tember, 1808, Elder Smith commenced the publication of The Herald of Gospel Liberty. This was the first religious newspaper ever published in this country if not in the world, and is still the organ of the Christian denom- ination, and is published at Dayton, Ohio. The records are rather imperfect up to 1826. In that year Elder Moses How took the pastorate of the church, their place of worship then being the old temple on Chestnut Street. During the summer of 1834 Elder How baptized sixty-nine persons. January, 1837, Elder Abner Jones took charge of the church as pastor. Elder Jones did not continue as pastor long, for in 1838 we find an account of baptism by Elder David Millard. Page 167 In 1839 the brick meeting-house on Pleasant Street was purchased, at which time a division took place and a second church organized. Elder Millard's ministry was successful, and many were added to the church. The record says nothing of his resignation, but November, 1840, it speaks of Rev. E. N. Harris as pastor. Two years after he resigned. Rev. George W. Kilton was his successor, who remained three years, and was followed by Rev. A. M. Averill, who preached his farewell sermon October 27, 1850. Rev. Thomas Holmes, D. D., was then called to the pas- torate, which position he held until October I, 1853, when he resigned to accept the professorship of the Greek language in Antioch College, at Yellow Spring, Ohio. The church then engaged the services of Rev. Charles Bryant for six months; the remainder of the year the pulpit was supplied by Revs. 0. P. Tuckerman and A. G. Comings. In 1855 Rev. B. S. Fanton settled as pastor of the church. The church and society vacated the Pleasant Street meeting-house October 26, 1826, and for a while held services in a chapel on Hanover Street. October 4, 1857, Rev. Thomas Holmes, D. D., was again called to the pastorate of the church. Previous to this time Elder Austin Damon, of New York, had supplied the pulpit. Brother Holmes resigned in 1860, and Elder Moses How was again invited to the pastorate. He remained about one year, when Rev. I. F. Waterhouse, of Providence, R. I., was called. Brother Waterhouse remained five years, during which time the present place of worship was purchased and occupied January 8, 1882. Rev. C. P. Smith was called to the pastorate early in 1868, which posi- tion he occupied until July, 1872. October I, 1872, Rev. John A. Goss, of Lynn, Mass., was called to the pastorate, and remained until 1885; he was followed by Rev. Charles D. Hainer, 1885-87; Rev. John A. Hainer, 1887-90; Rev. W. Rowland Spaid, 1890-9I; Rev. John A. Goss, 1891-92; Rev. J. P. Marvin, 1892-94; Rev. Myron Tyler, 1895-1900; Rev. Percy W. Caswell, 1913-14. The Free Baptist Church was organized in 1823 by Rev. David Marks, one of the leading men in the denomination in those days. Pastors, Revs. Ezekiel True, J. B. Davis, Isaac G. Davis, William P. Merrill, Arthur Cav- erns. In the year 1846 the church disbanded. The present church was organized February 17, 1851. Pastors, Revs. John Pinkham, 1851; A. R. Bradbury, 1851-53; the next two years the pulpit was supplied by Rev. S. P. Fernald; 1855-56, Rev. P. Chesley; 1856-57, Rev. Lowell Parker; 1858-59, Rev. Francis Reed; 1859-63, Rev. C. E. Haskell; 1863-66, Rev. L. L. Har- mon; 1866-77, Rev. E. Owen; 1878-79, Rev. J. Herbert Yeoman, June 20, 1880, to March, 1883; Rev. S. J. Gould, May, 1883, to September, 1883; Rev. John D. Waldron, April, 1884, to June, 1887; Rev. John S. Harring- ton, April, 1888, to April, 1892; Rev. A. G. Hill, May, 1892, to November, 1892; Rev. Burton Minard (stated supply), April, 1893, to March, 1894; Rev. L. E. Hall, April 15, 1894, to July 14, 1895; Rev. Robert L. Duston, November 17, 1895, to August 4, 1901; Rev. Charles H. Tucker, November 24, 1901, to May 31, 1904; Rev. V. E. Bragdon, December 24, 1905, to May 24, 1907; Rev. Edwin P. Moulton, September 5, 1909 to 1914. Page 168 The meeting-house was built on Pearl Street in 1858, and was thoroughly repaired during the pastorate of Mr. Harmon. The Middle Street Baptist Society was established in 1826, eight indi- viduals meeting in "the old Assembly House" on Vaughan Street and con- stituting themselves into a Calvin Baptist Church. The society afterwards worshiped in what is now the Unitarian chapel, on Court Street, and in 1828 built and occupied their present brick edifice, on the corner of Middle and State streets, when they assumed the above name. Rev. Duncan Dunbar, who was active in the formation of the church, supplied the pulpit for a while. The pastors have been as follows: 1827, Rev. Baron Stow; 1836, Rev. John G. Naylor; 1839, Rev. Freeman G. Brown; 1843, Rev. Silas Ilsley; 1848, Rev. William Lamson, D. D. ; 1860, Rev. Edwin B. Eddy; 1864, Rev. Henry F. Lane; 1868, Rev. William H. Alden, D. D.; 1889, Rev. Rush Rhees; 1893, Rev. W.E. Schliemann; 1894, Rev. M. V. McDuffie; 1898, Rev. George W. Gile; 1908, Rev. William E. Stanley, the present pastor. In 1898 the church was renovated and memorial windows and elec- tric lights were added. During Rev. Geo. W. Gile's administration, the new annex, and addi- tions to the chapel were made. In 1902 the parsonage on Middle Street was purchased. Christ Church (Episcopal) is situated on Madison Street, opposite the west end of Austin Street. The stone of which it was constructed was taken from Leach's or Murphy's Island in Little Harbor. By the will of George M. Marsh, who died November 19, 1878, there was left a bequest for the founding of this church. The cornerstone was laid on St. John's Day, 1880. The church was dedicated July 3, 1883. The seats, by will of the founder, are made free. The following rectors have served: Rev. Henry E. Hovey, 1883 to 1894; Rev. Charles A. Morrill, 1894 to 1896; Rev. Charles leV. Brine, 1896 to 1914. The Peace Thanksgiving Service held on September 5, 1905, was con- ducted by the rector of Christ Church and the Very Rev. A. A. Hotovitzky, dean of the Russian Cathedral of S. Nicholas, New York City. The serv- ice consisted of the Evensong of the Episcopal Church and the Russian Orthodox Te Deum. The music was rendered by the combined choirs of Christ Church and the Russian Cathedral, New York, and Russian and Angelican priests. A Peace Service similar to the original one is held each year on or about the date--September 5th. In the year 1907 a handsome tablet was placed upon the wall of the chancel commemorating the Peace Thanksgiving Service. The Advent Christian Church.--In 1840 William Miller of Low Hamp- ton, N. Y., came to Portsmouth to give his course of lectures on the Second Coming of Christ. He gave twenty-seven lectures in the brick church, cor- ner of Pleasant and Livermore streets. Crowds flocked to hear Mr. Miller. Before he concluded his lecture a large number came to the altar. From 60 to 80 would come forward for prayers on an evening. From 700 to 800 confessed faith in Christ. But a great change came over the religious people of Portsmouth after the time passed and Christ did not come. They Page 169 gave it up and went back to their churches, but a few received the New Light on the Prophetical part of the Bible and they could not give it up. Ten of this class were members of the Free Baptist Church of this city. They would keep on talking on the Prophecy in their social meetings. The church could not endure it any longer so called a special church meeting and notified those members to appear before the Church. The chairman of the meeting said "The Church charges you as false prophets. You said Christ was coming at a definite time. He did not come. But we would be pleased to have you remain with us if you will leave out the coming of Christ." The Church voted to drop their names from the Church and they came out and congregated together on the street. They met in a shop on Hanover Street. Elder Crowell, who heard Brother Miller's lectures, was greatly interested in them. The brethren invited him to preach in the shop. The first Sunday all the seats were taken and they saw they must have more room, so they rented a hall on the corner of State and Penhallow streets. There was a grocery store underneath. In those days they were called "Wet Groceries." The people moved to their hall and they had preachings every Sunday and two prayer meetings. Their "Amen's" and "Hallelujah's" were so loud they disturbed the neighbors and the wet goods man and in about two years they were warned out. Then they moved in a hall in the Academy. They stayed there two years and were again warned out on account of their loud "Amen's." They moved to Lord's Chapel on Hanover Street where they disturbed the Spiritualists who occupied a portion of the building, and were ordered out. Five brethren gave their joint note to a bank to raise money to build a church; Joseph H. Berry, Gilman Dearborn, Daniel P. Brown, William F. Currier and Robinson F. Berry. They formed themselves into a building committee and erected a small church on the lot where the present church stands. Their first pastor was Brother Walter Pratt, followed by Brother E. Owen and Brother William Israel. In 1883 Brother C. R. Crossett accepted a call to this church and he was followed by Brother Bryant McClellan, Brother W. H. Lannin, Brother A. E. Phelps and Brother C. M. Seaman. Under Mr. Seaman's pastorate a total sum of $4,400 was spent on remodeling the building. Brother C. H. Shurtleff was then pastor for two years and was followed by Brother C. 0. Farnham, Brother I. T. Barnes and Brother W. M. Adams. Brother J. T. Barnes returned to take up the work for the second time, on March 16, 1914. The Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic) Church.--The first serv- ices of the Roman Catholics were held in the Peduzzi Building, on the cor- ner of Congress and High streets. In 1852 a frame church was built on the corner of Summer and Chatham streets, over the ledge in the old circus field. This was during the pastorate of Rev. Charles McCallion, who was the first resident priest. At that time the congregation numbered about three hundred. The building was destroyed by fire in 1871. In 1873 the present brick church was built at a cost of $50,000. The beautiful memorial win- dows were the recent gift of Rev. Father E. M. O'Callaghan, P. R., a former pastor. The society numbers upwards of two thousand members, and is one of the wealthiest in the city, owning nearly the entire square bounded by Summer, Austin, Winter and Chatham streets. On the corner of Austin Page 170 and Winter streets is the large St. Patrick's Parochial School and on Austin Street the Sacred Heart Convent of Mercy, both built in 1887. The Parochial School was established in September, 1888. The building is up-to-date in every respect. The public school curriculum is followed in the different grades with special attention paid to instruction in Christian Doctrine. The average number of pupils throughout the year is 480. The following are the successors of Rev. Mr. McCallion: Rev. P. Canavan; Rev. William O'Donnell; Rev. D. W. Murphy; Rev. Thomas Canon Walsh; Rev. E. M. O'Callaghan and Rev. P. J. Finnegan. The present pastor, Rev. E. J. Walsh, began his work July 14, 1907. Rev. James E. White is his assistant. The Peoples Baptist Church was organized September 4, 1908, mainly through the efforts of Deacon James F. Slaughter, and their services are held in the building owned by the city on Meeting-house Hill. Their present pastor is Rev. John L. Davis. The clerk is William T. Pattillo. The Chapel of New Jerusalem on Little Harbor Road is open during the summer season with services by Arthur A. Carey (pastor). The Christian Science Society was organized in 1901. They hold their meetings and have a reading room at No. 2 Market Street. The Salvation Army have good rooms and a hall on State Street. ********************************************************************** * * * 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 PRIORto 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.