The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-10
OBITUARY..
Rev. William Fitz.

Rev. William Fitz, who died yesterday,
was born August 8, 1928, at Haverhill,
Mass, to jeremiah and Anna (Eaton)
Fitz. One brother, Hon. Eustace Z. Fitz
Of Boston, Mass, still survives him.
His early life was spent in and around
Boston. Beginning to earn his liv-
ing he saved enough TO educate
himself, paying his way through
school, Brown University and Newton
Theological Seminary. He took the first
OF series of prizes offered to the student
of Brown University, who should write
and deliver the best essay. He married
Ellen l.. Salisbury OF Burrillville, August
26, 1857, and accepted call to the First
Baptist Church at Westerly, X. l., the
same month. He was called from Westerly
where he had greatly endeared himself to
the people, to the Fourth Baptist Church
at Hartford, Conn.,, in 1859, preached at
the latter place until his health became
impaired in 1861, in the latter part OF
which year he was recalled to Westerly
and remarkable additions were made to
the church. He was active here in FORM
ing regiment with which he went to
the front during the latter part of the war
OF the rebellion. Sickness forced him to
resign his pastorate here and he moved TO
Waltham, Mass, where he resided some
months, until In 1868, when he was called
to the First Baptist Church at Haver-
hill, Mass, also TO North Berwick, Me-,
and Beloit, Wis. He accepted the pas
torate at Haverhill and continued to labor
there until 1859, when he moved to his
wife's home In Burrillville, X. l., and
remained there until the death of his
father, some months later. He received q
call to the First Baptist Church in Mont
pelier, VT, in 1870, also one to Marquette,
Mich, and to the Third Baptist Church in
New York City. Accepting the former, he
labored with the Montpelier church two
years, when he was called to North Attle-
boro, Mass, where he preached until
his old rheumatic troubles again
prostrated him and made his
resignation necessary. Upon his re-
covery Le came to Burrillville once
more. Here he supplied the Free Baptist
Church at Pascoag for nearly one and a
half years, after which lie organized the
Berean Baptist Church at Harrisville
and preached for them several years, most
of the time without pay. He secured the
nucleus OF a building fund and left the
church in the height of its prosperity,
uuu uCCcpteu u CHI W East IAoNioShSS, ~.
l., where he remained pastor of the Sec
ond Baptist Church for 8 years.
He was called to the First Baptist
Church in Romney, N. H., In 1887 and re-
NAMED there three years-until the grip
so impaired his health that he was
obliged to give up regular preaching. He
moved to Providence in 1891 and until
within the past year has supplied the
Fourth Baptist and other churches in that
vicinity as they had need and his health
allowed. In 1894 he moved to Burrillville
little north of the village OF Harrisville.
Here in patient suffering his last days
were spent and on the morning of Jan.
be quietly passed away.
Mr.. Fitz was o thorough student, a
gifted speaker, and the church over " Ii b
he had charge prospered and grew strong
under his skilful guidance. He contribu-
ted literally to the papers of his denomi-
nation, and in 1876 wrote a concise and
valuable history of the schools Of Burrill-
vile. In many of the localities where he
settled he was q member of the school
committee of the town or city, and was
sups rintendent of schools in two or more
instances. He was deeply interested in
educational work, and did much to raise
the standard of the schools he came ia
contact with.
Death resulted from urea and heart
failure. The burial will be from his late
residence at Harrisville, on Friday, Jan.
IL, at o'clock. He leaves wife and
six children.