Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-08-19

Barton, despairipg of seeing a church
again formed in Barton, united
with the church in Glover, viz:
Sarah Adams, Susannah Noyes and
Eunice Kimball. This revival in
Glover or the fact that these three
ladies we're obliged to go out of town
to join a church, or both, powerfully
affected the religious condition of
affairs in Barton. DIR. Robinson, re-
ferring to this in his address, says:
can extract from the notebook of
Rev. Samuel Goddard (Which had
been almost marvelously found among
old papers in a garrett by Rev. Pliny
White forcibly illustrates the fact"
Rev. Mr.. Goddard writes: "Mon-
day, July 81, 1917. Preached in
schoolhouse near Col. Cobb's. When
preached at this place last October,
there were less than a dozen persons
to hear, but now the house was
crowded and many about the doors
and windows, and many weeping"
He then spoke of the many who
anxiously sought opportunity for
personal conversation with him, till
want of strength compelled him to
leave them. Among others pro-
foundly impressed was Col. Ellis Cobb
himself, of whose remarkable con-
version the record is given.
DIR. Robinson then says: "The work
of Gods Spirit continued, and when
Mr.. Goddard returned in September
he found an enthusiastic and quite
general desire for the organic alton of
a church in Barton"
On Tuesday, Sept. %, 1917, num-
Der of persons met at the schoolhouse
in Barton village, which stood near
the site occupied in 1867 by the house
of John Woodman; Esq, and a con-
fession of faith and covenant was
read by Revs. Luther Leland and
Samuel Goddard, and approved by
those wishing to unite in church rela-
tions. In the evening Rev. Mr.. Wood
of Boscawen, N. H., preached at Esq.
Kimball's. The next day the people
met at the schoolhouse upon "Allen
hill' and IS persons entered into
covenant as a Congregational church.
"Allen hill," from the best informa-
ton l can obtain, was the now
wooded elevation on the right-hand
side Of the road leading by the Albert
Leland farm, where Benz. Piper now
lives, just east of the "Mansfield"
brook. The names of those making
up said church were as follows: Cyril
Sturtevant, Ellis Cobb, John Kimball,
Jarius Sturtevant, Cyrus Sturtevant,
Loring Frost, Sarah Adams, Fanny
Sergeant, Abigail Cobb, Eunice Kim
ball, Priscilla Sturtevant, Mercy
Parlin, Orinda Parlin, Rebecca Cham
berlin, Sileta Rawlins, Polly Blodgett,
Mary Kimball Pierson, Huldah Stur-
tevant.
October of the same year seven
others joined, viz: Stephen Dexter,
Remington Knapp, Ichabod Rawins,
Daniel B. Smith, Sally A. Dexter,
Susannah Noyes, and Thankful Smith
November 80 of the same year eight
others, Enoch Noyes, Ethan Blodgetf,
Lemuel Sturtsvant, George Leland,
Eliza Works, Rhoda Pillsbury, Luz
cinda Davis and Elizabeth Benton,
making at the close Of the year 1917
50 persons who had joined this
pioneer church; and this was the
beginning of the present CoIgrega
tional church in Barton village.
The first house of worship built in
the town Of Barton was erected in 1920
by Ellis Cobb, or if not wholly by him,
largely by his efforts and means. It
was located about one-half mile north
Of the present village of Barton, upon
what is now the plot of ground where
the road passing by the old north
cemetery intersects with the Hollow
road, this land being now owned and
a few rods north Of the farm buildings
OF Ethan S. Nelson. This first church
was about IS by 40 feet with common
pitch roof and stood end to the
road. Besides ths main building
! had joined to the center of the
end toward the road a vestibule about
Il by 10 feet. The outside door
opened into this vestiouIe and
another door opposite, or nearly SO,
opened into the audience room This
vesioule might be called two stories,
it having TWO rooms, one above
another. The lower one was used as
an entry or hall way, and the upper
one as an avenue to the choir gallery
and also a rom for Sunday school,
purposes. The upper room and the
choir gallery were both reached by g
Common stairway on the north side
Of the vesuDule. The choir gallery
/ i