History of the Freewill Baptist Church of Vermont, Maine scanned from the pages of the Free Baptist Cyclopaedia by Rev G A Burgess & Rev J T Ward (1889) courtsey of New Engand Old Newpspaper Index Project of Maine David C. Young PO Box 152 Danville, Maine 04223 (c) 1998 by David Colby Young 664 VERMONT Vermont------------. When our first church in the state was organized in I793 Ver- mont had enjoyed her right of statehood but two years and her population was less than 90,000. For ten years previous, in the peace following the revolutionary strife, emigrants had been pouring in on the east and south into the great valleys on both sides of the Green Mountains, and were telling the lordly forests and founding homes, while some were push- ing across the arbitrary boundaries of Lower Canada and settling in the adja- cent province of Quebec. Before 1780 the Calvinistic Baptists had planted but two churches in the state, and these were in the extreme southwestern corner. Before 1790 they had founded thirty-two others and were exerting a wholesome influence in most of the southern counties. Many of the original settlers from Massachu- setts and Connecticut had brought in state Congregationalism. But not till 1797 was an act known to have passed the Legislature for the support of parish churches, and then the act ordered that each local church be " of such denomina- tion as a majority of such town or parish thought proper." When all state sup- port of churches was abolished Oct. 24, 1807, only about 100 Congregational clergymen were settled in the state. Our Y. M. in 1887 contained six Q. M's, with forty-nine churches and 2,716 communicants. For many years the lone church at Strafford and later the two Q. M's that were formed reported at the Y. M. in New Hampshire. Dele- gates to the Y. M. requested that one of the four sessions be held in Vermont ; after two or three postponements it was unanimously granted, and the first session in Vermont was held Feb. 6, 1808, at Bradford. ThesessioninFebruary, 1809, was held at Strafford. For several con- secutive years the place selected was Tunbridge, where the first General Con- ference was convened Oct. II, 1827. The three parent Q. M's came from three distinct beginnings. Each original body, with a new one gathered on its northern border, abides: The Strafford with the Corinth, the Wheelock with the Stanstead hold the eastern valley ; the Huntington with the Enosburgh oc- cupies the western slope; while at the end of each great valley on the north and on the south a Q. M. has become extinct- the Dover and the Rutland. on the south, and the St. Francis and the Brome on the north. An unauthorized Q. M., according to the polity of that day, was held Saturday, July 4, 18o1, at the house of Gideon Leavitt in Wheelock for conference. Representatives from the churches of Hardwick, Danville, Shef- field and Sutton chose Rev. Joseph Boody from Barrington, N. H., chair- man, and Rev. Joseph Boody, Jr., from Hardwick as clerk. The next day was a Sabbath of spiritual blessing. From these churches and from Strafford re- quests were presented in June, 18O2, to the New Hampshire Y. M., asking that Q. M's be established in each locality ; committees with discretionary power were appointed to visit each place ; ac- cordingly P. Tingley, John and Aaron Buzzell and the representatives from Strafford, Corinth, Tunbridge, Vershire, and probably Brookfield met at Vershire and organized the STRAFFORD Q. M June 16, 1802, designating it the " STRAF- FORD Association." The first church in Vermont was or- ganized in Strafford, by John Buzzell, with nine members early in I793. It was a scion from the New Durham church. Robert Dickey, one of Randall's mem- bers, working as a hired laborer with a relative, saw the wickedness and needs about him; while using his "excellent gift of exhortation," about thirty were hopefully converted. Hearing of the revival others came in, engendering doc- trinal controversy. The church wrote " to the Baptist church at New Durham, N. H.," as early as Sept. 10, 179I. After repeated visits the church was established. Rev. Nathaniel Brown was one of its original members. In 18o1 Aaron Buzzell began a thirty-seven years' pastorate with the church. In 1798 Jeremiah Ballard, of Unity, N. H., came up the Connecticut valley, and or- ganized a church of fifteen members at Corinth. From this second church in the state, whose light still glows in the Corinth Q. M., there have come six min- isters. The first was Daniel Batchelder, who, having passed a satisfactory exam- ination at the New Hampshire Y. M. in I799, was ordained by their appoint- ment at Corinth, October 4, the same year. This was our first ordination in the state, and the pastoral relation thus established continued twenty years. In 1800, the Tunbridge church was organ- ized by Rev. Daniel Batchelder, from converts gathered by him, with the aid of Nathaniel Brown. Among the con- verts was Nathaniel King. The same year the Vershire church was organized. Possibly the interest at Brookfield had already crystallized into a church. N. Brown was ordained the day following the organization of the Q. M. (June 27, 18O2), and N. King was ordained at Tunbridge four days later (July 1). Soon after, Eli Stedman was ordained, and the Q. M. had four ministers, five churches and 330 members, and was soon through Brown and Stedman sending forth its in- fluence into western New York and southern Ohio. Churches were organ- ized in Washington in I 802, in Bradford, the place of the first Y. M., before 1810, in East Randolph in 1810. In 1814 thirty-two united with the Tunbridge church. The Q. M. enjoyed great pros- perity in 1816, and the church at West Brookfield was organized. The Y. M's, usually held within the limits of this Q. M., were seasons of refreshing. In August, 1818, every church within the Strafford Q. M. reported a revival inter- est. In May, 182I, Ziba Woodworth, of Montpelier, journeyed twenty miles to the south, and in newly settled Rox- bury began an interest which resulted in the establishment of a church that year. At the Y. M. held at Strafford Oct. 6, VERMONT 665 VERMONT 182 I, in addition to reports from differ- ent parts of New England, interesting letters were read from New York, Penn- sylvania, and Ohio. Encouraging infor- mation was constantly laid at the doors of the Strafford Q. M. from the entire denomination. A church was organized in Groton in 1822. The same year Rev. Timothy Morse, of New Hampshire, began so rich an interest at Windsor that a church was gathered of about sixty members. The Y. M. at Tun- bridge in 1825 was one of unparalleled interest. James Sawyer, from Maine, and J. White, from Rhode Island, preached on the Sabbath, and T. Morse, from New Hampshire, says: " A more solemn day I have not witnessed for years. Monday morning we went to the meetinghouse at 9 o'clock, and there was no intermission till after sunset; during this time fourteen were hopefully converted. A meeting in the evening continued till 11 o'clock, and the refor- mation spread into Strafford and other towns till 1300 were converted. "Thus,in the midst of living fire was this grand old Q. M. forming, though the light that enables us step by step to witness the conflict is unfortunately wanting. When the battle-cloud lifts and we look down upon the position about 1830, we find that the ten veteran interests whose origin we have traced had gained another ten. In addition to Strafford organized I793, Corinth 1798, Tunbridge 1800, Vershire 1800, Washington 1802, Randolph 1810, West Brookfield 1816, East Roxbury 182i, Groton 1822, and the same year Windsor, we find in the field the Second Tunbridge, Northfield, Hartford, Orange, Hanover (N. H.), Plymouth, West Rox- bury, East Brookfield, Topsham, and Kingston. Aaron Buzzell was still at Strafford, Nathaniel King at Tunbridge, while Ziba Pope and Nathaniel Bowles, with twelve other ordained ministers's were serving the nineteen churches of the Q. M. In 1833 Berlin and Moretown Cavendish, Second Corinth, Mt. Holly, and West Windsor had been received, and the Q. M. had twerity-four churches, with a membership of I294--far the largest in the V. M., and the fifth Q. M. in size in the denomination, as it was the seventh in time of origin. The Strafford church now bad a membership of 164, the First Tunbridge of 186, the First Corinth of 155. In 1834 the Newbury church was received, and in 1835 the Granville and East Williamstown churches. In 1836 the Q. M. yielded its thirteen northern churches, with a membership of about 700, to form the CORINTH Q. M. Its eleven remaining churches, the Cavendish, Granville, Hartford, Hanover (N. H.), Mt. Holly, Plymouth, Randolph, Strafford, First Tunbridge, Second Tunbridge, and West Windsor, had a membership of 584. Three years later there were 729 ; in 1843, 7 3 1. During the next fifteen years it decreased to 302. In 1840 the Second Plymouth church was added. In 1842 the Plymouth and Ludlow church ap- peared. The next year the church at Bridgewater (Bridgewater and Plymouth) joined. In 1842 Centre Tunbridge ap- peared with fifty-seven members, and a year later a church of thirty members was organized in East Tunbridge. In 1845 the old Second Tunbridge church lost its visibility, and the next year the East Tunbridge church disappeared. The First Tunbridge (East Hill) church prosecuted its work till 1879. Centre Tunbridge (later North Tunbridge, Tun- bridge) exists in 1888, with seventy-five members. In 1846 a church with eighteen members appeared at Andover for a few years, in 1861 another with ten members at Hancock, and in 1878 a church at Plymouth with twenty-four members. The Q. M. has at present 288 members, with the three churches, Strafford (793), East Randolph (181o), and Tunbridge (1842). Tim DovER Q. M. (afterwards called the FRANKLIN Q. M.) was organized Dec. 6, 1828. Southeastern Vermont was early reached by the denomination. Ac- cessions were largely from Calvinistic bodies. Wm. S. Babcock, a student from Vale College, settled in Springfield, Windham County, and from studying the Bible for infidel objections, was con- verted in 1800, and at once began to preach. May 4, 1801, he wrote a letter to the New Hampshire Y. M. desiring that his church of twenty-five members be instructed and received into fellow- ship. A committee from the Unity VERMONT 666 VERMONT (N. H.) Q. M., with Randall as chair- man, went by appointment for the serv- ice. They also met Rev. Stephen Place, formerly of Rhode Island, at Weathers- field, where he had gathered a church of twenty-one members. To these two churches assembled, Randall " gave all account of the rise, progress, doctrine and discipline of the Freewill Baptists," to the entire satisfaction of both minis- ters and people. The union with the denomination was then consummated by giving the hand of fellowship. When John Colby, of Sutton, passed down the Connecticut river on his way to Ohio, he attended several meetings at Spring- field with Wm. S. Babcock and Nathaniel Marshall. Heeding their advice, he was ordained there Nov. 30, 1809. Clarissa H. Danforth, of Weathersfield, was converted during this visit of Colby. Before 181o a church was organized at Chester. In the spring of 182I Miss Danforth's labors in Weathersfield were blessed by the conversion of 1oo souls. The church organized by Rev. T. Morse at Windsor about 1822 was afterwards associated with the Strafford Q. M. A Calvinistic Baptist church in Dover, Windham County, with its pastor, James Mann, becoming dissatisfied with Cal- vinism and close communion, voted in May, 1821, that salvation was provided for all men, and the Lord's Supper was instituted for all Christians. A revival followed, and the same year a free church was organized in Dummerston. David Marks in 1822 found the church at Dummerston with eighty members. They called themselves Freewill Bap- tists, though they knew of no denomi- nation by that name. His statement of doctrine satisfied them. This same year, 1822, Rev. Isaac Wellman and a small church in Brookline renounced Calvinism, and small Free churches were organized in Hinsdale, Cheshire County, N. H., and in Massachusetts at Zoar, Franklin County, at Florida, Berkshire County, and at Chesterfield, Hampshire County. A correspondence was opened with the Weare Q. M. in New Hampshire. Rev. T. Morse vis- ited them in 1826, spending several weeks in Dover, where I30 were con- verted. These churches were this year received into the Weare Q. M., with six ministers and over two hundred mem- bers, but owing to the inconvenience of attending, they were dismissed two years later to form the Dover Q. M. In 183I the Q. M. reported Dover with eighty-five members, Dummerston forty- five, Chesterfield (Mass.) thirty-seven, Florida (Mass.) fifteen, Gilford twenty- three, Hinsdale (N. H.) fifty, Halifax nineteen, Whitingham forty-seven; in all 32I members. But being isolated the Q. M. never United with any Y. M. As early as 1836 there were added in northwestern Massachusetts the Pitts- field church, organized the year before, the Amherst and Leverett church, the North Leverett church, probably a remnant of the church organized there in 1828; - the Troy church, of southwestern New Hampshire, reported for one year. In 1840 the Dummerston disappeared, also the Amherst and Lev- erett church, but the Ashfield (Mass.) church was enrolled. In 1842 Gilford was lost, but the next year a church was added from Ware, Mass. In 1845 Chesterfield and Whitingham were lost, but a church was reported in Williams- town (Mass.), and one at Stephentown (N. Y.) from the Rensselaer Q. M. With the disappearance of the Dover church in 1845, the little Q. M., which for fifteen years had watered southeast- ern Vermont, now drifted wholly into Massachusetts, having its center over Franklin County. In 1849 no reports were rendered ; the next year it appeared with its three western churches -Pitts- field, Stephentown, and Williamstown- shorn away, but with the Ashfield, North Leverett, and Ware churches, and a total of fifty-two members. The name was FRANKLIN Q. M. After three annual reports the Q. M. disappeared. No man can tell its work; a passing cloud may leave great fertility. The CORINTH Q. M. was formed in 1836 by the Strafford Q. M.'s yielding its thirteen northern churches as follows : First Corinth (1798), Vershire (1800), Washington (1802), Northfield, First Orange (East Orange), West Roxbury, East Brookfield, West Brookfield (1816, 1836), Topsham, Berlin and Moretown (1833), Second Corinth (1833), Newbury VERMONT 667 VERMONT (1834) and East Williamstown (1835). In 1836 a Second West Brookfield church was organized with fifteen mem- bers. In 1837 West Fairlee, Middlesex, and Second Orange churches reported. In 1839 a church was added from East Roxbury and the number reached 798. By 1855 several of the smaller churches had disappeared and the Q. M. had but ten churches and 349 members, while , the Chelsea and Second Washington churches had come and -one. The Second Orange church, disappearing in 1853, reappeared in 1859 for a few years. The same year a church of nineteen members was organ- ized at Groton. In 1875 the Q. M. had 355 members, with six of its original churches: First Corinth or- ganized in 1798, Second Corinth 1833, East Orange (First Orange), West Topsham (Topsham), East Williams- town 1835, and Washington 1802. These all continue to the present. A small church at West Berlin, which dis- appeared about 1865, reappeared in 1882 and makes the seventh on the list. The Q. M. has 305 members. THe WHEEELOCK Q. M. was known as the HARDWICK Q. M. 1799 Joseph Boody, Jr., from New Dur- ham, after preaching at Tunbridge, pro- ceeded to Hardwick, where five member. of the Calvinistic Baptist church were soon after excluded for sympathizing with his free gospel. Rev. Joseph Quinby, from Sandwich, N. H., about this time preached free doctrines at Sut- ton, and witnessed a revival. Men were stirred, too, under his message at Lyndon and Wheelock. In 1800 Randall was in the state near Wolcott, and lost sinners were restored. Eighteen were baptized by Joseph Boody, Sr., at Sheffield, and on the same day a branch of fifty-six members was formed in connection with his own church at Barrington, N. H., more than a hundred miles distant, In 1800 churches were organized at Hard- wick, Sheffield, Cabot, Danville, Wal- den, and West Danville, in 1801 at Lyndon and at Sutton. July 4, 1801, a conference was held by brethren from the Hardwick, Sutton, Sheffield, and Danville churches at Gideon Leavitt's in Wheelock. Their petition to the New Hampshire Y. M. the next June, asking for the organization of a Q. M., was answered by a committee sent, con- sisting of Joseph Boody, Jr., and Aaron Buzzell, who Aug. 28, 1802, acknowl- edged them the Hardwick Q. M. The next day being Sunday, sermons were preached by Boody and Buzzell, and on Monday four deacons were ordained, with two ruling elders and two evan- gelists, Eliphalet Maxfield and Robin- son Smith. Peleg Hicks, formerly a Calvinistic Baptist minister, with his two churches, united with the Q. M. It now had four ministers, Boody, Maxfield, Smith and Hicks, 26o members, and eight churches: Hardwick, Sutton, Shef- field, Upper Danville, Lower Danville, Cabot, and the two from the Calvinistic Baptists, names unknown. " One rea- son," says Benedict, " why the Calvin- istic Baptists failed in this part of the state was the perpetual conflicts on the open communion question, arising from the prevalence of Freewill Baptists and the Christian Society." Achurch was organ- ized at Waterford this year. At the Jan- uary session of the Q. M. in 1805 Randall first was present and afterwards visited most In of the churches. Revivals were enjoyed at many places, especially at Sutton (Billymead), in which John Colby was converted, A church in Concord was organized in 1805, also one at Calais, Washington County. 1807 was a sea- son of dearth; the Lower Danville church assumed the name Christian. In 1808 an interest was organized at Peach- am, Caledonia County. Misunderstand- ings and lax government distressed the body. In May, 18o8, at their request a committee from the Y. M., consisting of Rev. A. Buzzell, S. Dana and James Spencer, visited them, and in 1809 some improvement followed. This year John Colby began his ministry for Christ. The last of 181o he spent in Sutton, Burke, Lyndon, and Wheelock, baptiz ing fifty-one. On the last Sabbath in June, 1812, he preached his first sermon in the new meeting-house, not yet fin- ished, at Sutton. A church at Montpe- lier was organized. In 1813 Colby la- bored in a revival at Wheelock, and baptized thirty. In 1816 Daniel Quimby settled at Lyndon, where he was a father VERMONT 668 VERMONT in Israel for over thirty years. Before the year closed, Sheffield, Lyndon, Dan- ville, Cabot, and Montpelier were greatly revived. Sabbath evening, June 8, 1817, Deacon Colby returned to his sick son from the Q. M. holden at Wheelock, a meeting of peculiar power. Joseph and Daniel Quimby, and Nathaniel and Charles Bowles soon after stood at the door. The earnest prayers of these good men were answered in John Colby's con- valescence, and soon he was attending meetings and baptizing the converts. The same month (June, 18l7, Clarissa H. Danforth began meetings at Danville, where the high sheriff was the first one converted. For several months she went from church to church in the Q. M., and large accessions were made. Early in 1818 Reuben Allen, from New Hampshire, commenced preaching at Wheelock and additions were made to the church almost every month during the year. Waterford was blessed. At St. Johnsbury a church was organized. The Y. M. at Sutton was one of great inter- est; the sermon by N. King was full of divine power. In 1819 Reuben Al- len preached alternately at Whee- lock and Cabot, baptized fifty, and or- ganized two churches. During ten years the Q. M., through the services of J. Colby, Miss Danforth, and R. Al- len, had been wonderfully edified and strengthened. In 1820, a church was organized at Woodbury. Miss Danforth preached till June, 1 8 2 1, to large congre- gations in most of the churches, The church at Concord was organized by Daniel Quimby in 1821. The old church founded in 18O5 soon waned. John Agertant, a licensed preacher from Ca- bot, had held meetings there as early as 18o8, and after him Benajah Maynard and Rufus Cheney. A Freewill Baptist in town sustained a prayer-meeting for several years; finally a substantial church grew out of the revival under Daniel Quimby. In June, 1823, a revival began in Lyndon under D. Quimby, and in August in Sutton under J. Woodman. It spread to Burke, Sheffield, and Whee- lock. Before February, 1824, not far from four hundred professed conversion. Quim- by baptized eighty, and Woodman nearly as many. Never before was the Whee- lock Q. M. so prospered. At the Janu- ary (1823) session Joshua Quinby, of New Hampshire, made an appeal for the interest at Indian Stream, Essex County. Volunteers accompanied him to this settlement. Revivals attended their efforts and churches were founded in Canaan the northeast town of the state, and across the river in Stewarts- town, the extreme northern settlement in New Hampshire. In 1826 T. Morse went to Montpelier; he found there the remnants of three churches and labored with the central one, and after two months left a church of thirty-five mem- bers. In 1827 a church was organized at Worcester, Washington County. In Canada the interest culminated in the organization of the northern churches of the Wheelock Q. M. into the Stanstead Q. M. As early as 1799 Joseph Boody, Jr., engaged in revival work in northern Vermont, and was the first to preach there a free gospel. He had organized several churches by 1800. During this year, at the first burial in the town of Hatley, P. Q., Christopher Flanders, a Freewill Baptist layman from Newbury, N. H., who had come into the town the day before, oil invitation conducted the funeral services. He settled in the town the next year and established a prayer- meeting. Some were converted, and in June, 18O2, Avery Moulton, from Stan- stead, with a Methodist minister, held there a few meetings. The people were interested and invited Joseph Boody and Robinson Smith to labor among them. Their labors in the fall led to the organ- ization of churches at Stanstead and Hatley. After a few years Smith set- tled at Hatley and the church enjoyed great prosperity. The first ordination in Canada was that of Avery Moulton, at Stanstead, in 1806. In 181o addi- tions were made to the churches, espe- cial1y to that in Hatley, and new inter- ests were established. The war of 1812 with England made trying times for these churches. In 1818 Willard Bart- lett moved to Melbourne ; a church was organized and he continued to labor there for nearly forty years. In 1819 a church was organized at Compton, in 182i at Durham. The Hatley church left the denomination at the V. M. at VERMONT 669 VERMONT VERMONT Corinth, Oct. 4, 1823, induced by "John Orcott, a preacher of the Christian Or- der," who came into town two years before and united with them. A small minority adhered to the faith of their fathers, led by Philip Flanders, son of the first Freewill Baptist in town, and were sustained by the Q. M. Feb. 2, 1828, the seven Cadian churches be- longing to this Q. M. were dismissed to form the STANSTEAD Q. M. During 1828 Martha N. Spaulding, of Rhode Island, as an evangelist, gathered many into the churches, and Jonathan Woodman, after his services closed in the fall as chap- lain of the Legislature, witnessed re- peated revivals in which 100 were added. The complete report of the Q. M. in 1832 shows 53I members, nine minis- ters, and fifteen churches: the Hardwick, Sheffield, Cabot, organized in 1800, the Sutton 18o1, the Waterford 1802, Con- cord 1805, 182I, Montpelier 1812, 1826, St. Johnsbury 1818, Indian Stream, Canaan, Stewartstown (N. H.) 1823, Worcester 1827, Random 1832, Whee- lock (South Wheelock after 1850) and Charleston (after 1870 East Charleston), time unknown. In 1834 Brighton ap- peared for a year with six members, and Lyndon, where an interest was planted in 1801, was reorganized with sixty members, while Woodbury or anized in 1820, appeared in the report. In 1837 Second Sutton and Second Sheffield in- terests appeared; in 1839 Glover, Sec- ond Wheelock (later Wheelock Hollow), and the next year Second Montpelier and Newark, where an original interest had been organized in 1815. At Wal- den (after 1862 Walden and Wheelock), where an original interest began in 1800, the church was organized about 1840 and retained its visibility for over forty years. About 1841 temporary interests appeared at Second Waterford, Second Danville (West Danville 1800), and Kirby, and a year or two later at Mon- roe, and at Orleans. The Coventry church, organized in 1841, was known as the Coventry and Brownington after 1860, and ten years later was reorgan- ized in 1870 as the Brownington church. By 1845 churches were added at Albany, Danville (after 1870 called North Dan- ville), Second Lyndon, Lyndon Centre 669 VERMONT (called Lyndon after the loss Of First Lyndon or Lyndon Hill in 1857), Goshen Gore (Goshen Gore and West Wheelock in 1865). In 1846 Wolcott (after 186o Wolcott and Hardwick) wag organized, and soon after Colebrook. By 1860 Irasburg, Newport (Newport Centre after 1870) and Westmore had appeared, and the Q. M. had nineteen churches, with over seven hundred mem- bers. In 1861 Craftsbury and South Barton (reorganized in 1887) were added, and West Charleston in 1864. By 1870 East Haven and Stannard (soon Stan- nard and West Wheelock) churches were reported. In 1887 the Q. M. had 1160 members, with eighteen ministers, and seventeen churches : the First Shef- field 1800, North Danville 1800, East Charleston early, South Wheelock early, St. Johnsbury 1818, Sutton 1817, Second Sheffield 1837, Wheelock Hol- low 1839, Albany 1843, Lyndon Centre 1843, Wolcott and Hardwick 1846, Newport Centre 1860, West Charleston 1864, East Haven 1870, West Derby 1870, Brownington 1870, and South Barton 1887. THE STANSTEAD Q. M. was Organ- ized Feb. 2, 1828, with the seven Cana- dian churches from the WheelockQ. M., as follows: First, Second (Creek church), and Third Stanstead, Barnstead, Comp- ton, Hatley, and Durham, having a membership of about two hundred and twenty-five, with Abiel Moulton, who died soon, after, and probably Willard Bartlett and Moses Norris as ministers. This year Martha N. Spaulding did good work within the limits of the Q. M. as ail evangelist. In 1829 the Westbury church was added. In 1832 the Fourth Stanstead and Fifth Stanstead, East Hatley (after 1853 Hatley) and New- port (organized in 1829) joined. The next year the Ascott, Bolton and the Eaton churches appeared. The Q. M. now had sixteen churches, with 469 members. In 1837 the Second Eaton church was added, and the next year the Coaticook and Newbury. Melbourne (organized 1818, later Melbourne and Branch) joined the Q. M. in 1840, and Massawippi Chester Hurd organized the Newport and Eaton interest. This year the Q. M. had eighteen churches, VERMONT 670 VERMONT nine ministers and 709 members. In 1841 South Barnstead, Dudswell, and the Berry churches were added, and the next year Second Coaticook. In 1843 Clifton appeared, also the Barnston and Bafford. The number of members now reached 946. In 1844 nine churches were dismissed to form the ST. FRANCIS Q. M., but in 1847 returned to their old relations. Barnston was organized in 1851. In 1855 five churches, with four ministers and I 76 members, were dismissed to form the HATLEY Q. M. In 1859 the West Stan- stead church was organized. THE UNION Q. M. (called STANSTEAD Q. M. after 1877) was formed by uniting the Stanstead and Hatley Q. M's in 1861. The Q. M. then had 5I9 members, eleven ministers, and eleven churches: at Stanstead (organized 18O2), Hatley (East Hatley 1832, called after 1870 First Hatley), Mel- bourne (1818), Compton (1819), Eaton and Newport (Newport 1829, First Eaton 1833, church mostly emigrated, interests united 1840'), Coaticook (1838), Massawippi (1840), West Clifton (1856, extinct in 1861),Shipton (1857),and West Stanstead 186o. In 1868 the Bulwer church was added with eleven members. For many years the Quarterly Meeting almost held its own. In 1879 ten churches were on the roll, with 368 members. But the number of ministers had decreased to five. In 1881 the four pastorless churches, having failed to re- port for years, were dropped. In 1887 the Quarterly Meeting had 264 members, four ministers, with five churches: Stan- stead (18O2), Compton (1819), Hatley (1832), Coaticook (1838) and Bulwer (1868). THE ST. FRANCIS Q. M. was formed in 1844 by the dismissal from the Stan- stead Q. M. of nine churches as follows: Ascott, Burnip, First Compton, Second Compton, Clifton, Dudswell, Eaton, Newport and Eaton, Melbourne, with nine ministers and 254 members. After three annual reports with a slight gain of members but with the loss of two or three ministers and churches, in 1847 this Quarterly Meeting returned to its original connection with the Stanstead Q. M. THE HATLEY Q. M. was formed in 1855 by the dismissal from the Stanstead Q. M. of five churches as follows: Barnston, Dudswell, Eaton, Hatley, (East Hatley), Melbourne, with four ministers and I76 members. The Q. M. was not connected with any Y. M. In 1856 West Clifton was added and a year later Shipton. In 1861 the churches at Hatley, Melbourne, Shipton, and West Clifton, having a total membership of 166 persons, united with the seven churches of the Stanstead Q. M. to form the UNION Q. M. of the Province of Quebec. THE HUNTINGTON Q. M. lies west of the Green Mountains. John Colby seems to have had Moses' privilege of looking over the land soon to be occu- pied by our Israel. In September, 1813, he went with his father, Deacon Thomas Colby, to Burlington, Vt., and preached to soldiers in camp and hospital stationed there in the conflict of 1812. But Charles Bowles was the Joshua of our interests between the lake and the moun- tains. He went piercing the snowy heights in March, 1817, and by June such had been the blessed increase that churches were organized at Duxbury, Hinesburgh, and at Shelburne, where the revival had begun. He first visited Huntington in July. God's grace was superior to the opposition encountered, and from 15o converts by August he or- ganized the Huntington church, with sixty-five or seventy members. Rev. S. Webster from the Christian Connection and Rev. B. Minard united. In Jannary, 1818, having enjoyed revivals in adjoin- ing towns, a 'temporary Q. M. was held at Huntington, and a second Q. M. was appointed at Huntington, Sept. 12, 1818, with the understanding that a committee from the Strafford Q. M. should be sought for permanent organization. Probably, the churches already constituted were now members of the Strafford Q. M., as the records state that a committee was to be sought " to set us off as a separate Q. M." So according to appointment, Rev's Nathaniel King, George Hackett, Ziba Woodworth, and others from the Strafford Q. M. crossed the mountains to Huntington, and Sept. 12, 1818, the permanent organization of the Q. M. was VERMONT 671 effected. In 1819 churches were organ- ized at Stow and at Waterbury, and great prosperity was enjoyed through the abundant labors of Bowles, especially in the valley of the Winooski river. In 1820 Middlesex was added, Starksbo- rough in 182i, and Richmond in 1822. In 1823 a letter was received by Rev. S. Robinson at Shelburne from Rev. J. S. Carter, of Benson, and a correspondence began which resulted in the reception from the Calvinistic Baptists of a church of sixty members in southwestern Ver- mont, and thus the interest was forming which culminated in the Rutland Q. M. While the Q. M. was making its south- ern outpost at Benson by the formal re- ception of this church in June, 1823, C. Bowles was pushing northward his well- directed labors, and the next month there was organized at Enosburgh a church of five members. Here at a session of the Huntington Q. M. in October he or- dained Perley Hall, a licensed preacher from the Methodists. Before the year closed he added one or two other churches, and the foundation of the Enosburgh Q. M. was laid. Here in 1824 his labors were blessed till 140 con- fessed the pardoning power of God in their salvation. Churches were also established at Farnham, Can., and at St. Albans. For the establishment of the brethren in this vicinity Charles Bowles was made the bearer of a circular letter addressed to these churches in 1827. He saw every church more or less revived. While the first General Con- ference was in session in central Ver- mont, Oct. 11, 1827, Rev's Perley Hall, Alanson Kilburn and Nathaniel Ewer, with other delegates, met at St. Armand, P. Q., and organized the ENOS- BURGH Q. M. After this organization in 1829 the Huntington Q. M. had fourteen churches as follows: Huntington, Dux- bury, Hinesburgh, and Shelburne, organ- ized in i 817, Stowe i 8 i 9, Waterbury and Stowe 1819, Middlesex 1820, Starksbo- rough 182i, Richmond 1822, Benson 1823, and Putnam, Bolton, Jericho, Sec- ond Huntington, time of organization unknown. In 1832 but eleven churches reported, though new interests had ap- peared, as Third Huntington, Underhill, Lincoln, Hinesburgh (organized 1832). VERMONT The membership in 1832 was 401. In the next two years it rose to 462, and the Dresden church reported. In 1835 four churches of this Q. M. united with three new churches to form the RUTLAND Q. M. In 1835 Bolton Reckerbill church appeared. In 1836 the Q. M. still had 394 members in eleven churches, includ- ing Waterbury (reorganized 1836, old organization 1819), with nine ministers. In 1837 Danbury and Second Starks- borough were added, in 1839 Second Underhill (Underhill Centre after 1853) Second Huntington and the Warren churches appeared in 1840, Waterbury Centre in 1841, Second Stowe 1843, and in 1844 the churches at West Craftsbury and at Morristown. In 1846 the Q. Ai. had seventeen churches, with as many ministers and 676 members. Temporary interests appeared at Elmore in 1843, Second Middlesex in 1850, and Crafts- bury in 1852. In 1856 Stowe, West Branch, was organized; in 1858, Wolcott, West Branch; in 1859, West Berlin, and in 186o Jonesville. In 186o the member- ship was 498, with twelve churches and as many ministers. In 1870 the Water- bury Centre church was divided to form the Waterbury Centre and Waterbury Riverchurches. The same year churches were organized at Cambridge and at Fayston, and four years later at Morris- town Corner, and at South Starksborough. The Q. M. now had sixteen churches, with 790 members. In 1887 the Q. M. has 634 members, with nine ministers, and twelve churches, as follows: Hunt- ington 1817, Waterbury Centre 1819, Starksborough 1821, Middlesex 1823, Lincoln 1832, Underhill Centre 1839, Warren 1839, Stowe (West Branch) 1856, Waterbury River 1870, Cambridge 1870, Fayston 187o, and Morristown 1874. THE RUTLAND Q. M. was organized in 1835 by the union of the four churches from the Huntington Q. M.: Benson or- ganized 1823, Putnam (N. Y.) 1829, Rutland 1833 (West Rutland after 1845) and Dresden (N. V.) 1834, with the churches in northeastern New York at Fort Ann, Warrensburg, and White Hall (all organized in 1835). The Q. M. had in its seven churches 215 members with two ministers. It was not then con- nected with the Y.M. In 1836 churches VERMONT 672 VERMONT were added at Caldwell and Danby with their pastors. From 1839 the Q. M. was reported tinder the Y. M. In 1839 Johnsburgh was added, in 1841 Minerva Branch, in 1842 Middletown and in 1843 Hadley. The Q. M. now had eleven churches, with seven minis- ters and 231 members. A church was organized at Day in 1848. In 1849 the Q. M. had 248 members with ten churches and nine ministers. The next year Bol- ton church appeared. Its four pastorless churches at Dresden, Fort Ann, Middle- town, and West Rutland had failed to report for several years. In 1855 its five churches at Caldwell, Hadley, Johns- burgh, Putnam, and Warrensburg with nine ministers became known as the LAKE GEORGE Q. M. and united with the Cen- tral New York Y. M. See New York. ENOSBURGH Q. M. began in the revival interest under Charles Bowles on the northern borders of the Huntington Q. M. At the same time a spark front New Dunham kindled at Farnham forty miles west of any Freewill Baptist church yet in Canada. A petition was sent to John Buzzell by several persons in Can- ada about 1825. The Parsonfield Q. M. sent Samuel Burbank and Benjamin S. Manson to their aid. After enduring hardships, toiling through snows for two weeks, they enjoyed a blessed interest. Manson returned in June, and went back to Maine in August to the Q. M. to se- cure ordination. John Stevens returned with him, and they organized in Septem- ber the Farnham church. Alanson Kil- burn, of Dunham, a Methodist local preacher, united with the church and was soon after ordained. The same year Rev. Nathaniel Ewer, from Vermont, moved into that part of the Province. In 1826 Samuel Hazelton, front New Hampshire, attended sixty meetings and organized a church at St. Albans, Vt. Charles Bowles brought a circular letter to those churches in 1827 and saw in every church a revival spirit. Oct. 11, 1827, Rev's Perley Hall, Alanson Kil- burn, Nathaniel Ewer and other dele- gates met at St. Armand, P. Q' , and organized the Enosburgh Q. M., with its nine churches: St. Armand, Brome, Farnham (1825) in Canada, and East Franklin, First or North Enosburgh (1828), Second or South Enosburgh (1827), Bakersfield (1826), Fairfield, and Cambridge churches in Vermont. Three others united within the next nine months, probably the East or First Farn- harn (1825), Dunham (1826), and Bolton (1828), or perhaps St. Albans (1826). In 1832 West or Second Farnham and West Franklin were organized and St. Armand was oil the roll. The Q. M. now had fourteen churches, with eight preachers and 235 members. During the next few years temporary inter- ests appeared at Hog Island, Alburgh, and St. Avanon. In 184I the Second Eliosburgh interest was organized with eight members. In 1842 the Brome, Bolton, and Farnham East churches were dismissed to form the BRomE Q. M. In 1845 an interest was organized at Berkshire with seven members, and an- other at East Farnham with tell mem- bers. The East Farnham, which joined the Brone Q. M., had disappeared. The Old East Farnham had been the First Farnham (organized in 1825). East Farnham (1845) was known as Second Farnham ; West Farnham (1832) became First Farnham. In 1846 a church was or- ganized with nine members at Lowell. The next year the Q. M. had 234 mem- bers against 235 in 1832. In 185o Rice Hill appeared on the roll with forty-three members. In 185i Bakersfield (old in- terest organized in 1826) was organized with fifteen members, and two years later Fletcher with twelve members. In 1858 the Q. M, had nine churches, four min- isters and 238 members. The next year Sheldon appeared. In 1861 Bolton again appeared and in 1873 Brome was added. The Q. M. had 112 members, three min- isters, and five churches: at Enosburgh (1823), Franklin, Farnham (East Farn- ham, 1825, 1845), Bolton (West Bolton 1828, 1861), and Brome (West Brome by 1842). The report in 1886 had these same five churches with five pastors and log members. BROME Q. M. was organized in 1842 by the union of the Brome church, Rev. Moses L. Dudley pastor, with the two churches at Bolton (organized 1828) and Farnham East (1825) of the Enosburgh Q. M. The Quarterly Meeting had but one ordained minister and one licensed VERMONT 673 preacher and a total membership of sixty-one. After two annual reports it disappeared, but reappeared in 1851 with seventy-three members. A church at Sutton was in the place of the Farnham East church. After 1852 it was reported not connected with any Y, M., and though then it had four ministers and eighty-three members, it gradually lost, till its last report in 1860 showed but three churches, with eighty members, and one minister, Rev. R. Austin. * * * * 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.