Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-13
IN THE OLD REGISTER.
A Glance through the Records Of st.
Marks Parish.

Rev. George r. Degen, pastor of st.
Marks Episcopal church has been por-
ing over the pages of the parish regis
ter which runs back to the first days
of the church in this city. In the lat
est issue of the parish paper, the Bow
in the Clouds" he presents an inter-
esting article, giving the results of
these researches. In the old volume
enc finds many family names that have
been prominent in the history of the
city and the State, and, alas! names that
are dying out, or have already gone and
left no male representatives: such names
as. Lambard, Wyman. Church, Hedge.
Child, Williams, Pettengill, Bridge,
Weston, Robinson, Fuller
The earliest entry made in the regis
ter is that of the first confirmation,
which was administered by Bishop
Griswold, of the Eastern Diocese" In
the "Unitarian Meeting House," August
9. 1910. The Eastern Diocese, as it was
called, then included all of New Eng
land, except the state Of Connecticut,
rather large territory for one bishop
to look after. This first confirmation
class numbered nine persons, namely.
Nathan Weston (Chief Justice of
Maine), Paulina B. Weston (his wife).
(Mrs.) Catherine NJ. Fuller, (Mrs) Abby
G. Ingraham, Marcia P. c. Ingraham,
Mary Ladd, Sarah P6rc<IMrs. John
Pope, L. S. NJ, Hannah Bridge Will
liams (Mrs. DanieD, and (Mrs.) Eliza
Hartwell.
The next confirmation was held in the
Methodist Meeting House. by the
same Bishop, and the class numbered
So, among whom we find such we'll
known names as Daniel Williams,
James Bridge and wife, Daniel c.
Weston (afterward priest Of the
church,, DIR. and Mrs Cyrus Knapp.
John A. Pettingill (afterward Mayor
and wife, Mrs All Staples and Mary S.
Williams (now Mrs. Newton Edwards).
The first confirmation held in St.
Marks Church was on July 81, 1912.
There were 26 in the class, and the
first one confirmed was John Varney.
These were not actually the first con-
firmations in Augusta, but the first
after the organization of st. Marks
parish. The Rev. James C. Richmond
held occasional mission services here
some years before this. and on two oc-
casions presented persons for confirma-
ton. They were four in all, and their
names We're Susan 3. Owen. Eliza Lewis
Levitt, Sophy Howe, and Mary Myrick
Dole. He also baptised nine persons,
hut the names of only five of them are
recorded. The first baptism in the
parish was that of Susan Packard Pet
tingil, wife of Luther Pettingill, on
May O. 1S41. The first marriage was
that of (Mrs.) Eliza Jane Williams (nee
Perkins, to William Bridge. Dec. %,
1910. The first burial was that of John
Hovey Stafford, June 4, 1S41
Altogether, down to the beginning of
the present rectorship there have been
1898 persons baptised. SO2 confirmed,
TIC buried and ,251 couples married.
Rcv.sMr; Degen has found a study of
the n;Sines most interesting, and COM
rncnting on the matter he says:
Interest attaches to surnames from
historical associations. but the study
of personal names is also fascinating as
shaving how fashions change in such
matters from age tn sc In the earlier
pa:,.rs we find Christian names repeat
cd very frequently that gradually grow
iscarcer, and finally disappear alto
'Ect!rf. Names of distinguished peo-
pic are often given to babies whc- the
former are much in the public eye, and
the number of such names i'm COM
munity is a fair index of the POPULAR
ity of certain heroes in that place.
Thus the very large number of people
in Augusta who have borne the names
of John G. Fremont and Winfield Scott
gives AN intimation of the general
trend of political feeling in this city
for many years back.
N ht, Of nd
large preponderance Especially among
fcmalcsl of what we may call gift
book names. Here are some of those
occurring oftencst in the register i'm the
order of their popularity: Adeline,
Paulina, Malvina. Adelaide. Melissa,
Emmeline. GeorSianna. Lucinda. An
gclina, Sophronia, Amelia, Rosetta,
Arabella, Lavinia, Almira, Evelyn. FL
vira. Hortensc. Florentine, Laurctta
Medora, Melvira, Ardella. Florinda,
Clarissa, Ccmentina. Orinda, Phrosina,
Aurilla Alfarctta, Clarinda, Adelia
Leinira and Leora: and among the meE,
AlonZo AlphonsO and Philander.
classical names were also very
popular in early days. In the register
those that appear oftenest are, natur-
ally, Augustus and Augusta. Next to
tROSc come Juila. Lydia. MaTCEt, VII
ginia, Della, Cornelia. Lucretia, Octa-
Via. Cecilia. Theodosa, Nesta, Mar
celia and Euphemia of the females:
while among the other sex Alexander,
Julius Julian, Marcellus. Gustavus,
T.ucius. Horatio and Albertus are most
in favor.
"Of old-fashiOned names that some
how bear the stamp of character Ann
is found as times. Jane "a times and
frequent repetitions of Susan Caroline.
Eliza. Betsey, Nancy, Abigail and
Olive.
''Eibles names are well represented
by both sexes. Sarah occurs IS times,
Elizabeth 81. Martha 90, and Hannah
10. while Phoebe. Rebecca, Esther,
Rachel, Eunice. Lois, Judith. Bethaiah,
Ruth, Ada, Dorcas, Tryphena, Miriam,
Chloe, Mahala, Kezia Jerusha. and
Mchitable are not uncommon. and even
Delilah is found once. Among the men,
Joseph. Samuel. Benjamin, Daniel,
Hiram, Isaac, David Seth. Moses,
Jesse and Nathan are favorites in the