The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-09-09
CHURCH CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL
Congregational Church at West Fairle e
Center Observes Tooth Birthday.

The centennial celebration of the
founding of the Congregational church
in West Fairlee took place on the 18th
of August and brought together large
number of friends many of whom came
half way across the continent to visit the
scenes of their childhood. No one was
more joyfully received than Hon. Daniel
w. Mum, of Chicago. Old friends crowded
around him. exchanging "reminiscences
of past events, old stories were retold
and laughed over, and while listening to his
address on zone Hundred Years, tears
came often to the eye as he eloquently
spoke of those now gone but still dear
to the hearts of his listeners.
Among the early supporters OF the
church were many bearing names OF
men famous in history and lineal des-
pendants of those great families still sup
port the church as their fore fathers did
one hundred years ago. Good old Eng
lish names they were: Churchill, Wild,
Mum, Baldwin, Perry, Quimby, Bliss,
May, Holbrook, Child, Miller, Godfry,
Southworth, Thayer, Niles, Wise, Kim
ball, Crosby, Badger, Wilmington. 1t
readA like a page of current events IN
1776.
1t does not seem fitting to ignore
part of the service of the church which
has made this little neighborhood famous
and that is the choir Several families
of early settlers are still represented by
people are still living who remember COL
Elisha Mays powerful voice. 1t was
of such size and compass it is said that
when he was in Boston and wished to
notify his friends of his arrival he needed
only to go to Park Street church and
sing with the congregation and his
friends would promptly find him.
There were no organs for small churches
in those days and Mrs. Benz Niles well
remembers seeing the bass viol, played
by Jabez Lamphere when Calvin Morse
was choir master. Two members OF a
famous quartette which hourished for
more than thirty years are still living
Mrs. Joseph Tebbetts and her brother, ).
w. Num- A sister, Mrs. Frank Churchill,
died few years ago while Judge Tebbetts
only recently passed away.
This little neighborhood has sent
its quota of soldiers to the wars. Captain
Frank Churchill and Stephen May, the
first members of their families to settle
in town were soldiers of the Revolution
and are both buried here. Many enlisted
in the war of 1912, but owing to the lack
OF facilities for transportation all did
not arrive in time to see service. Jabez
Lanphere, however, served through the
war Rufus Whitney was drum major
in the Mexican war and sent three sons
to the Civil war, In 1861 more than II
young men from the few families attend
ing this church enlisted two from the
nily of Newsome Perry. Three sons
Clark w. Mum and Azariah Vile
we're commissioned officers. Gardiner
Southworth was the fifth Of the quintet
Pof officers from this place
~ may mention in closing that Ma
I'll Niles, the brilliant minister t
nee during the closing years OF thu
of Louis Philippe, was born her
received his early education in thi
ee
Ye Olde Folks Concert at earlie candl
citing" closing the Centennial fes
fivties, was a great success. The churc
was filed to over flowing and the inter
esting old costumes were surprising II
variety and picturesqueness. Great credit
is due aye Turnist" David Uriah Mors
for the excellent training which he CAV
Eye choir" enabling them to sing y
hymns of we olden time to the eviden
satisfaction of the audience.
Mrs. Hooker, Miss May and Mr.. Nun
gave several "Worldie Songs" "Motho
Tabitha Hooker" sang "Ahl Let M
DrtNA" by Taylor and "Madcap Ma