Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-21
A CALIFORNIA LETTER
Writer Was Preacher in Lancas-
ter, SO Years Ago.
Rev. Egbert B. Hatch Preached His
First Sermon Here-Some Inter
esting "reminiscences.

G8tfnR "Reminiscences.
The Herald is permitted to print
the following letter, written by Rev.
Egbert B. Hatch. now a resident of
Gonzales, Calf, to Rev. Paul
Brown, pastor of the Lancaster
Baptist church. It will be found to
contain many points of interest.
especially to the older residents of
the city:
GONZALES, Calf, Dec. 18th, 1907.
DEAR BROTHER
located as pastor of the Baptist
church in your city, just so years
ago this month-December 1857.
It was my first pastorate and l
moved there from Weston. vt.
There was a very severe financial
crash throughout the country at
that time, and, the church being
quite weak, was not able to get a
support, 60 remained only eleven
months. November. 1858, / &C
cepted a call to the Baptist church
IN Clinton, Rock County, Wis,
where l remained nearly seven
wears. I came to California in
October, 1870, and have been con-
tinuously in the pastorate on this
coast since that time l have often
felt that would like TO visit Lam
caster once more, but have never
found it convenient to do so. My
acquaintance with the people there,
both in and out of the church, was
very pleasant. Among the mem
bers l remember Deacon W. N.
Reed, Deacon Goldsmith, Matthew
Lewis, Harlow Hyde, a brother
COmings and son, Mrs. Woolly, who
was the mother of the young Mr..
COming's wife. 1.-The Grant Coun-
ty Herald" was published by Cover
and Goldsmith. Mrs. Cover was a
member of the church, also Mr..
Goldsmith and wife. The church
had a very good house of worship,
made of brick. THE same building
IS occupied today-ED. HERALD
Ia the spring CT 1858 I attended th4
annual meeting Of the Lafayette
Baptist Association, at TaftOn.
Among the ministers present re-
member Revs. N. e. Chaplin, g. Il.
Patton, John Ciack, A. and l..
Milton Whitman, (brothers) David
MatlOck, nj. Lewis, (who about that
time went over to the Presbyter-
ians,) and Uncle Billy Wallace
Among the public men of Lancas-
ter, l remember J. Allen Barbour,
DR.. Hyde and two attorneys by the
name of Mills and Lowry. I used
to preach occasionally at place
called 1.-THE Hurricane, " about seven
miles out from Lancaster. Also at
Mt. Ida frequently, and well re-
member Brother Samuel Borah
there. / am now pastor of small
Baptist church here IN Gonzales.
Cal, and shall enter upon my 9Th
year the LIST of next month. If
live to see the Sth of next February,
I shall be n years of age. am in
the best of health and never enjoyed
my work better than now. I preach
twice every Sunday. This will
probably be my last passionate, but
one of my deacons told me a few
days since that I would be good
until I was So. / have never heard
directly from the Lancaster church
since I left there. 1t is doubtful if
you have now one member that
FecOllects me. l shall be glad to
receive response from this letter.
Would like to know the growth of
the town and the present condition
Of my old church there. Please let
me hear from you. Should be glad
to receive a copy of The Grant
County Herald. and also a copy of
the minutes OF your Baptist As
ISOLATION. Trusting l shall hear
from you in the near future.
/ am fraternally yours,
EGRERT R HATCH