Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-10-10

OF a large number OF llle SIdHtceo anu
some of our earliest settlers.
We find the county now somewhat
largely settled but what Of its religious
condition. Spiritual things had not
kept pace with material. la the seven
teen towns of the county as at present
bounded, we find but FIVE churches of
our order, and il is doubtful if any 9th
er denomination was yet organized in
the county, the Baptist movement, lat
er quite widespread, not having yet
taken form, and the first Methodist
sermon in the State not TO be preached
till seven years later, in the town OF
Yershire. Newbury. most thriving OF
the towns, had church almost contem-
porary in origin with the towns settle
ment in Thettord, weak and demor-
allied church was taking on new life
under the ministrations of its young
pastor, Asa Burton; Randolph had
had church for three years; Brook
field First had been two years in exist
ence, as had also the church in Ner-
shire.
That there were menand women among
the early settlers Of Chelsea of strong
principles and high ideals is evident
from the fact that the church organiza-
ton was but one year behind that of
the town. Our records teach us but
little of the things we should most like
to know OF the churchs earliest days.
We know this, that on the tenth of A.
pril, 1889, three pastors of our order
came here to organize church; Isaiah
Potter, who had been for nearly II
years the beloved pastor of flourish
ing church at Lebanon, n. H., and
who had sent out from his parish a lar
ger number Of our earliest settlers than
had come from any other place; Asa
Burton, afterwards known far and wide
for his school of the prophets at Thet-
ford, where he was now in the tenth
year of his pastorate and Stephen
Fuller of Vershire, who had just begun
his long ministry there, and was the
nearest clergyman.
Where was the meeting held at which
the church was born! Records are si-
lent, but there is no reason to doubt
the tradition which fixes the place as
the barn of Asa Bond, ON what is now
n. G. Moore's meadow, somewhat be-
low the present barns. There was as
yet no town house, probably no school
house or other public building.
Who were the original members! !
We ca mot supply the list in full, nor
do we know how many there were. We
can be absolutely certain of Asa Bond
and wife, IVORY Douglass, Samuel Lin
kon and Enos Smith and wife, making
six in all. We can be reasonably sure
of Jonathan Lane and wife, Polly.wife
ofSaml Huntington, and Sally { Moore),
wife of David Jewell. OF these, the
Smiths came by letter from Belcher-
town, Mass, Dea. Linkon from Wind
ham, Conn.,, the Lanes and Mrs. Hum
tington from Lebanon, n. H., the 9TH
ers probably on profession of faith
Still others there probably were. Ich-
abod Franklin had been for twenty
years member of the church in VIM
chester, y. H., and the wife of Benz.
I Wright was a member in Lebanon .and
there is therefore a strong likelihood
that they connected themselves with the
new organization, though their names
are not to be found on our records !;
Theophilus Huntington and wife were
members in Lebanon, but it is probable
that he dropped his church relations in
coming here, though his wife, who died
four years later, may have been of our
membership.
Some things deserve to be said in
particular of the founders of the church.
First among them in years, in expert
ence, and in influence seems to have
been Samuel Linkon. In the fall of
1888 he had made his purchase of land,
had come here, and put up his irstrude
building near the present residence of
II. 5. Fitz. Returning home to Wind
ham, Conn, he came back in the fol-
lowing February to Chelsea with his
family and goods. His granddaughter,
"Aunt Lavina," who died six years
ago in her hundredth year, well remem-
bered the slow journey on ox-sleds. He
was 65 years old, had been for thirteen
years a widower, ,and brought with him
large family of sons and daughters,
one son at least being married and hav-
ing family of his own. He had been
for 46 years a member OF the church in
Windham, and his ripe experience must
have proved of great value in shaping
the early religious life of the commune
ty. That he was highly esteemed in
civil matters also is shown by the fact
that at the annual town meeting, held
hardly a month after his arrival in
town, he was chosen moderator. There
is every reason to regard him as pre-
eminently the founder of the church,
and the most active and influential man