Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-10-14
CHURCH DEDICATION.
Addresses by Hon. Warren c. Phil
brook and B. T. SOwle.
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.


That Methodism had hold ON the early
.,.,ars of Ellsworth, ID well authenticated
.aarlv as A. D. l7ss, Jesse Lee, Methodist
n..rser preacher, writes under date OF May
~ as follows: At Mr.. joys, On Union river,
atuis,I" The day was wet, but We had
nee11i u,aetinp In the afternoon my text was
Eo ss sris: land the King commanded, and
thsy brought Daniel and cast him INTO the
den OF lions.
Ne saws: .'rhe place seemed awful ON account
=, hs presence OF the Lord" BY research,
", satisfied the MIR. Joy referred to 1t that
a. IN. s,s A great grandfather Of our present
~ho,oorapher and Of the same name, and the
house spoken Of was situated on tine present
ate Of the Hancock house.
The next record Of preaching In what Is
INV Ellsworth that am able 70 hnd. was BY
Jo,hua soule, who was appointed TO . circuit
,ncludins Ellsworth, June 10, $500. He AFTER
ards was presiding elder, and later bishop,
,~h;rh latter office he held for forty years,
tr.xelling from Maine 70 Texas. In 1874, in
,hs division Of the conference, he attached
sim.sif to the party formed By the repre-
..r,.,iyes of the south, and Identified himself
,-,,h that section Of the denomination. This
"a, much regretted by his friends In the
north. He was born In Bristol, then . part
~ Hancock county, and - far - know the
op,y bishop born In Hancock county. The
name should not be confounded, with his
n.phey. Francis A. 6ouls, who was presiding
elder Of Bucksport district from 1855 70 1855
Az this town wss Incorporated Feb. 8. 1900,
Josbua soule was the 6fst regular Methodist
minister appointed 70 the town Of Ellsworth.
And, incidentally. we will say here. that -
Ellsworth became . city Feb. .. 10. Rev.
John A. Plumer, brother Of Chaplain Piumer,
Of Thomaston State prison, having been ap.
roin,ed to Ellsworth In the spring Of that
rear, was the nrst Methodist minister ap-
pointed to the city Of Ellsworth.
In 1901 Nathan Emery was appointed TO
Union river. He later became very prominent,
In 1904 and 1916 being member Of the general
present pastor. In isea, Alfred Metcalf and
william Goodhue we're appointed 70 Union
river In 1893, the New England conference
was held In Boston in June, and Asa PAttis
and Daniel Dudley were appoihtsd to came
charge; In 1904, Thomas Perry; In isoA Joseph
Baker; In 1903, Ebeneser Fairbanks; in 1907.
Daniel Kicker; in ises, David Kiiburu, and in
1902 Daniel Kicker was again appointed 70 the
same charge.
Francis b. Morgan. who was for twenty 1--we
years register Of deeds Of Hancock county,
was reputed 70 be the nrst class leader In
Ellsworth.
He organized the nrst class In lsll. and met
the same weekly in his own house (now the
Kent house. neGt the old Methodist church).
Some OF the drst members Of the class were
George w. Asddocks, Hermon Garland, Ann
Jeliison and Abby Cieighton. From 1900 to
iasa whstevsr Asthodist preaching Ellsworth
recsived was probably supplied from 6urry.
u 1t does not appear In the minutes during
that time.
In 1850. Joseph p. French was appointed to
Rlsworth. His wife was Lucretis Freeman,
Of Vermont, very highly spoken Of. and .
great help TO him In his work. Rev. Mr..
French did ine work In Ellsworth. Afterwards
entered the Wat Of the rebellion. was severely
wounded and sent home in transport, which
was run into and sunk on its homeward voyage,
and he was drowned. Mr.. French preached
in what was then known ~ Tisdale hall. This
hall was later occupied by the Lygopia
Masons, it having been purchased BY them for
ahome and 80 used until recently burned.
The first Methodist society to organize In
Ellsworth was ON July 2, 1883, on which occa-
sion Rev. W. H. Piiisbury, the presiding
elder of Bucksport district, was present and
held the first quarterly conference ever held
in Ellsworth. The following were the stew
ards elected at the first quarterly conference:
John V. Mexican. George w. Asddocks,
George W. Perkins. Richard Perkins, Rufus
Clement and william Marshall. This prob
ably accounts for Rev. Mr.. French being cred
tied as the nrst regular Methodist preacher
in Ellsworth.
In 1855, Ammi G. Prince was appointed to
Ellsworth, and II very favorably remembered
70 this day. He also used the Tisdale hall
Tor place Of Worship. He In turn was fol-
lowed, in 1857, by Cyrus NJ. Freeman.
In 1883, Barnett NJ. Mitchell was appointed
70 Ellsworth. He had great revival while
mere, and 1t was during this pastorate, which
continued three years, that the first Methodist
church was built in Ellsworth.
On January 20, 1850, the lot WAS purchased
'or 500. The trustees appearing on the deed
were George W. Perkins, Isaiah Blaisdell and
John W. Hill. Bro. Perkins and his esteemed
~he both remained faithful to the church
until they were called up higher few years
since. -
.ne church, to our knowledge, he was always
's friend and financial supporter. Mr.. Hill is
'Spoken Of as an honorable and upright man.
me- ieft Ellsworth for Ship Harbor, in the
.rovinces, in 1882, and eutered the lumber
business His wife and only daughter died
~nue there and were brought here for burial.
.'i' NIL married for his second wife Helen
usison' a sister Of Mrs. Alexander B. Black,