Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-02-11
HISTORY OF THE CONG. CHURCH AT
BARTON LANDING.

church at Barton Landing more clear 1t
seems necessary to refer briefly to the
mother church at Bloomington Center.
At the beginning of the century the terri
tory composing the town of Bloomington
was an unbroken forest, the first settlers
just commencing to locate. By 1909 the
population had increased sufficiently to
warrant the organization of a church and
March 4th of that year Rev. Jonathan
Hovey organized Cong1 church of ten
members. Public services were held in
the court house, town house, academy and
private dwellings till Dec. LIST, 1841, when
the present church building was dedicated.
The church shared in the general prosper
ity of the town, until the building of the
railroad through the valley of the Barton
river in the early sixties, drew away from
the town much of its former business and
many of it's prominent citizens, the church
suffering in common with the other inter-
ests of the town. So much had these
changes weakened the church financially
that during the early seventies it had been
unable to support pastor constantly, de-
pending for pre- ching during the summer
months upon seminary students, and for
the balance Of the year upon such transient
supplies as they could secure, and upon
sermons read by some member of the
| church. In the mean time the same inf1u
ences that had curtailed the resources and
prosperity of Bloomington had been build
ing up the neighboring village of Barton
Landing which had now become thriving
manufacturing village. Some twenty five
years before small M. e. church had been
built here which had from the growth of
the place become inadequate to the needs
of the village, and in the summer of 1874
the M. E. society had built much more
commodious church on a new site, heartily
encouraged and assisted by the Cong'I ell
ement in the place and vicinity. At the
same time it had become evident to the
Congregationalistsr resident here that the
growth of the village now warranted and
| to degree demanded the organization of
a church of their order here, without
crowding at all upon rights of the sister
| M. E. church. While this matter was be-
| ing discussed, overtures came from many
of the leading members of the Browning
ton church for a union with that church,
new church building to be erected here
and church services to be held in the fore
noon at one church and in the afternoon
at the other each Sabbath. This PROPOSE
ton being favOrably considered steps were
taken in the spring of 1874 to secure at least
temporary ministerial supply and on
May 18th Mr.. J. M. Dutton, a student in
Yale Divinity School began preaching at
Bloomington in the morning and by the
courtesy of the Nj. E. society in their church
here in the afternoon. Mr.. Dutton contin-
-,
ton. Mr.. Dutton died while pastor of the
Cong'l church at Newport in the summer
of 1900. Oct. A, 1874 he was succeeded by
Rev. VIM. P Alcott, the arrangements for
services remaining the same. At the an
nual church meeting held at Bloomington
in January 1874 the clerk reported the to-
tai membership of the church as 6S of
whom Is were nonresident. During the
year under the ministrations of Messrs.
Dutton and Alcott several additions to the
church were made there. In May 1875
council was called for the purpose of con-
irming and legally organizing the church
under the new arrangement, and by advice
Of council, the name of church adopted
was, 1.-THE Congregational Church of
Bloomington and Barton landing" The
M. E. society having during the season of
1874 completed their new church building,
sold the old building at auction the follow
ing winter to private parties, who after
wards offered it to the CongI society at a
slight advance above the price paid for it,
and it was finally decided to make the
purchase and proceed to repair and enlarge
the building which was done during the
summer of 1875 and on Jan. IA. 1876 it was
dedicated, Rev. Joseph Cook preaching the
dedication sermon before an audience of
about four hundred persons and the eve
ming following Mr.. Cook delivered fine
lecture in the church before large audi
ence.
Up to this time services had been held
in the afterno DON in the M. E. church ac-
cording to the original arrangement but it
was now deemed best to change the time
of holding the services to the morning at
Barton Landing and afternoon at Brown
ington. Accordingly the next Lords Day,
Jan. 18th, public worship was held in the
new house in the forenoon, after which a
Sabbath-school was organized, and the
new church was thus fully launched upon
its career. At the July communion previ-
Gus fifteen residents of Barton Landing had
Joined the church by letter, and six on
confession of faith. In November 1876,
Rev. VIM. P. Alcott having buried his wife
and one of his children, resigned his pas
torate much to the regret of the church
and community. The pastors who have
succeeded him are as follows: Jan. LIST 1877 |
e. P. Chittenden graduate of Yale Sem
mary commenced to preach and August |
Goth following was ordained by council. |
He continued with the church until July |
25, 1878 when he resigned to accept a pas
torate in the West. From January 1879 |
till the July following the church was |