The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-23
From the Troy Times.
our quaker Fathers.
THE FIRST QUAKER MEETING IN TRoY-IHE
OLD MEETING HorsE-PIoNEER FRIENDS.

OLD MEETING HUI Sf--flONEfE tkitNDNs
Among the many incidents connected
with the history of the village of Troy at
the beginning, none are more interesting |
than those which surrounded the first Ell |
forts made to establish societies for rclig- |
ions worship. and so closely interviewer |
with these undertakings were the lives OF
individuals that to give history OF the
one, involves of necessity sketch OF
the other Prominently identified win
the little hamlet upon the Hudson were q
few of the followers of George Fox, and
William Penn, and the first effort made
nv them to organise a society processing
ihat faith. deserves n prominent page Ill
in the history of the locality; for IL pe-
came and was for time large organiza-
lion and numbered among its adhcrcnts
many Of thc most useful and substantial
men of the place
TIE MERElr1s.
No men contributed more to add !" TIE
growing business of the young and ann
E;t;ous settlement than Daniel and Isaac
Wcrritt. and they were of this persuasion.
Tho settled in the village in the year l,g2.
coming from Duchess county. Daniel
had been taught the trade of millright
in his native village; and Isaac as son OF
vulcan had toicd at the forge, until he had
learned the use of the bellows. the plnccrs
and hammer AS blacksmith. They
opened a store in River street upon inc
hcnd rs II was called at that Time and
soon became engaged in general merchant
dsing. They also erected Il Touring mil
upon the Wvnantskil. near where it en-
tiers the Hudson a short distance cast
from the Bcssemer works. They had II
branch store at Easton. New York. and
one at White Creek.
OTHER PIONEERS.
JOSEPH, Brintnall so well known to our
people for three fourths of II century, found
his first employment in the village at their
store. and took the place of Jacob Merritt,
4 Younger brother. who removed to White
Creek to take charge of the branch store al
that place. Richard p. Hart was also en-
nloyed nv the firm in one of their branch
stores The latter never became men,
her of the society, although he always at
,en,lrd their meetings for religious wor-
ship.
samuel McConn. IL wagon maker by
trade. located ON the corner OF
second and State Streets. The
building he occupied in this capacity is
now standing on the west side of the street
ON the lot north of the corner and orpo-
site the new savings bank building. II
was moved from the corner lot to the one
above to make room for the brick building
which now stands there.
Zachariah Garnrych lived near the Will
age upon a road that led north from The
lloosick road. just east of and adjoining
the Lester farm. lie was one of the prin-
cipal men of the society, and was shin
ing light among its early and active pro
motors.
riE FIRST MEETING.
The first gathering of Friends for the
purpose of religious worship was made in
the fall of the year 1862 and this meeting
was appointed by individual notice, to be
held at the barn of Zachariah Garnryck.
description of this meeting and its SUR
roundngs was given to the writer some
years since by Joseph Brintnall, who was
present at the meeting, and the incidents
relating thereto were at the time written
down for preservation. The barn was a
large one. having high and doublc-p pitched
roof that extended three fourths the dis
lance downward from the ridgc-pole to
where it met at the upright sides. 1t faced
to the east, and through the middle of the
structure, Il little above the level of the
ground upon which it stood, the thrcshing
hoor extending from front to rear. This
had been swept with clearly care. and seats
H.tu Uceli uTTunRtu upDh ths ShutS VI tit
enclosure for the accommodation of tho
meeting. There we're present more per.
sons than could be provided with seats in
side, and such rs could not find accommo
daton upon the stills and sides of the from
platform, which led up on an incline from
the ground to meet the level of the floor
1t was upon this last-named part of tn,
building that the narrator, then youngstei
not out of his teens, found n seat. Tho
women occupied the north side of the room
thus arranged, and the men the south row
of seats. Among those remembered q,
present by the narrator were Daniel Mer
rift and wife, Jacob Merritt, Zacharial
Garnryck and family, John Clifford and hi
wife, Rhoda Clifford, Daniel Merritt, Zach
arah Garnryck and John Clifford sat at til,
head of the meeting. Being the first as
semblage of the kind held in the neighbor
hood, many were attracted thithcr ont o
curiosity and n desire to see how Il Friend
meeting would be conducted, and VIVA
would be said and done by the men VIII,
wore broad-brimmed hats on their head
and wooden buttons on their coats. JOIN
Clifford preached to the assembled Friends
and the meeting proved a source of grea
satisfaction TO those present at the time
This effort on the part of those professin;
this faith to meet together for worship wa
soon after followed by others, and the so
ciety met for several years thereafter, a
stated periods, in the pottery of Josial
Chapman on Ferry street. The buildin,
so used by them is still standing on tn
southwest corner of Ferry street and tn
alley between Fourth and Fifth streets
From Chapmans ownership it passe t.
that of Israel Seymour, by whose famil
it is still retained.
THE NEW MEETING HOUSE.
The society which thus had its bcginnin
grew rapidly, taking its increase from ne,
coming Friends, who became residents, an
from additions made to their numbers b
request of those who had become converte
to their ways and faith, and in the fall {
the year 1904 they occupied the buidin
that had been erected for their use upon tn
southwest corner of State and Fourt
streets. This structure was found none to
large for the religious meetings of the SO
clety. for their gatherings were attended b
many who, though liking their meetings, di
not wish to endure the rules of their dis
ciplinc. 1t was during the first and secon
decade of the present century that the SO
rety saw its best days. Among those VIII
were first known as prominently connectc
with its ministry we're John Clifford an
Hannah Purinton, the latter feeling it he
duty to preach at the age of eighteen
Those who remembered her, spoke elc
quenty of her discOurses. John Gifior
was man possessed Of more than an OF
binary natural ability, and he was niue
beloved by Friends. Living life that wa
pure and spotless, he could assume the nc
sition of teacher among his fellows, to
in pointing the road to others, he aske
them only to tread the path that he tro