Church History

It appears from tradition, that a Congregational church of seven members, was organized in this town during the early part of the present century (perhaps as early as 1802 or 1803) by some missionaries who came "into this region". Among these was a Mr. Fish from Conn, who, it is supposed, assisted in this organization. The membership of this church was never large, and by deaths, removals and apostasies it appears to have become extinct before the organization of the present church. When only one male and two or three female members remained. The present Congregational Church was organized at a meeting held in the "New School House at the centre of the town" Nov. 21st, 1818. Nathaniel Rawson minister of the Gospel at Waterbury presided at this meeting. On this occasion the following persons assented to the Articles of Faith and the Covenant viz: - Daniel B. Dutton, Joseph Savage, Abner Fuller, Rachel Dutton, Lorania Dutton and Esther Savage. The only record preserved, of a church meeting for eight years, is one dated March 13th, 1819. At this meeting D. B. Dutton, was chosen Deacon, Joseph Savage, Clerk and Rev. Chester Wright, of Montpelier, "Standing Moderator of the Church". On the 26 of July 1823, a Society was formed under the name of The First Congregational Society, in the town of Stowe, for the purpose of supporting a minister of the Gospel. Measures were taken to secure Rev. Daniel Rockwell to preach the "coming year". There is no record of the action of the church in this matter, though it appears from tradition that Mr. Rockwell did, for a time minister to this church, and as he resided in Morristown he is supposed to have preached at both places. For some reasons, not now apparent, the Society was re-organized June 21st 1826. The next day the society voted to give Mr. Ralden A. Watkins a call to settle in the Ministry for the term of three years. The call having been extended, and accepted, Mr. Watkins came to Stowe and sometime during the year was ordained and settled as Pastor of this church. By his settlement as pastor, Mr. Watkins came into possession of the lands granted by the Charter of the town to its first settled Minister. Finding however that this arrangement had given rise to a feeling of dissatisfaction among the other religious organizations of Stowe, Mr. Watkins, though entitled to hold this property and appropriate it for his own private benefit, magnanimously waived this right, and transferred the lands to the Select men of the town, to be by them held in trust and rented. It was furthermore stipulated in the deed, that the annual rental thence derived should be divided among the several denominations of Christians in town, and used, in accordance with certain regulations specified, for the support of the Gospel Ministry.

At the present time (1876) the annual rental amounts to $59.50. The amount received by this church has varied being from seven to over twenty dollars a year. Under the ministry of Mr. Watkins, in 1827, the first Sunday School in town was organized. The pastorate of Mr. Watkins closed June 15, 1830. The next year Guy C. Sampson was acting Pastor for a number of months. During the years 1834 and 1835 B. B. Cutler, an Evangelist, was employed about twelve months. At about this time the church adopted the articles of Faith and the Covenant and Rules of the Congregational Church in Montpelier. Hiram Carleton was called to the pastorate of the Church in 1837, and in the following year, Jan 4, 1838, was ordained and installed. In August, of the same year, the Church applied for aid to the Home Missionary Society, and received $300 per annum from this source. The church pledged herself to raise $200 a year for the support of preaching, but so difficult was it to raise even this sum, that in 1841 there was a deficiency of one hundred and eleven dollars. By dint of extraordinary effort on the part of the people, and a generous consideration on the part of the pastor, the debt was at length cancelled. Hitherto the church owned no house or Worship. There was in the village one Union Meeting House which the Congregational Church was entitled to occupy a share of the time. But as this arrangement was attended with some inconvenience, the church had been accustomed to hold its meetings in the village school house. The need of a House of Worship had long been felt, and soon after the settlement of Mr. Carleton the church took hold of the matter in such good earnest, that in the following year a site was secured and a Church Edifice erected upon it. A part of the necessary funds was realized by the sale of the pews. The debt remaining was assumed by five of the brethren, who cheerfully carried this heavy burden, much to the relief and advantage of the church. In the year 1846 Mr. Carleton asked the church to unite with him in calling a Council to advise in regard to the dissolution of the pastoral relation. The Council convened but advised no change. In the Spring of 1852, owing to illness, Mr. Carleton requested to be released from the oversight of the Church. In the hope that a rest and change might effect a restoration of health, the brethren granted their pastor a leave of absence for one year. But the beneficial results for which they hoped were not realized, and at the request of Mr. Carleton a Mutual Council was called Aug 5, 1853, to again advise upon the expediency of dissolving the pastoral relationship. As a result of this Council the resignation of Mr. Carleton was accepted, and his pastorate closed.

During the absence of Mr. Carleton in 1852 and 1853, the church employed Rev. Mr. Riggs for about six moths. From Nov 1, 1853 to Sept. 24, 1854, J. A. Bent was its Acting Pastor. In consequence of the death of Dea. Delano and the removal from the town of Dea. Fuller, this office was for a while vacant. It was filled in 1854 by the election of Randolph Washburn and R. A. Savage as Deacons. Mr. Bent was succeeded by Charles C. Torrey, who was acting pastor for a few months. In 1855, Edwin Wheelock and Rev. Daniel Warren were employed as acting pastors. In Oct. 1856 Jas. T. Ford, became its minister, and Sept 19, 1857, received a call to become its pastor. The call was accepted and a Council convened Nov. 24, 1857. The next day Mr. Ford, was ordained and installed pastor of the church with a salary of $500., per annum. The house of worship was enlarged and very much improved in 1864. An extension of twenty feet was made to its rear, the building was raised, a vestry finished in the basement, the gallery was lowered and the audience room newly plastered and carpeted. Its re-dedication took place Dec. 4, 1864, the pastor preaching a most appropriate sermon from Haggai II; 9. Not long afterward measures were undertaken by the church and society which in 1866 resulted in securing a parsonage. For this purpose twenty-nine individuals contributed the sum of $1410.00 while J. G. Stimpson, of Waterbury donated $50.00 more. In Oct. of this year the Church voted to ask no more aid of the V. D. M. Soc. Through its pastor the Church conveyed to the Society an expression of its gratitude for the aid hitherto furnished. The total amount received from this source since 1827 - according to the exhibit of the Secretary, Rev. C. S. Smith, appears to have been $4,547.00. In 1867 the pastor's salary was increased, one hundred dollars. Mr. Ford, tendered his resignation as pastor July 18, 1869, and on the 17th of Aug., a dissolution of the pastoral relation was advised by a mutual Council. The Church accepted the advice of the Council and on the 5th of Sept. Mr. Ford closed his long and useful pastorate with this Church. In March 1870, Rev. B. F. Perkins, became the Acting Pastor, with a salary of $800.00 and use of Parsonage. Subsequently the Church extended a call to Mr. Perkins, to become its pastor, but after due consideration the invitation was declined. Mr. Perkins resigned his position as acting pastor Dec. 1873, and closed his labors here not many weeks after. In the spring of 1874, D. W. Hardy, was engaged to supply the pulpit one year, at a salary of $800.00 and use of parsonage. In Sept. he accepted an invitation to become pastor of the Church, and Oct. 20, was ordained and installed to that office.