The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-12-21
HISTORY OF UyrYERsALIsN
Continued from First Page)

munity. This was about the year
1923. when Rev. Sylyanus Cobb or
gained a small society in the town
thru the influence of Joseph Barrett,
father of Hon. Joseph Barrett and
grandfather of Timothy b. Barrett,
! ESQ, who removed to Canaan IN
1905. He was for a long time the
only believer in that doctrine in the
town. The history of Uniyersalism
in Skowhegan dates back to a period
long before the church building was
erected. Rev. John Wesley Han
son, in his early history of Somer-
set County states that society OF
those inclined 10 that faith was or
gained in 1896 but that no regular
minister was settled until 1872 This
reverend clergyman and historian
whose early stories Of the communl-
ty are so highly priced, later m n
istered to the Society. The earlier
pastors appear to have been Rev
Seth Stetson. Darius Forbes, Jacob
/ X. Fulmer and others, while the hrst
settled minister was Rev. John A.
/ Henry who reorganized the society
j in 1872 as heretofore mentioned and
became pastor of the church. He
built the house owned and occupied
by Dr.. l.. \. Dascombe. He remoy-
ed from here to Ludlow, Vt, with
the intention of returning to Show
hogan. but he died in about one year
after his removal. He would have
been 101 years old next November.
He was born in Bowdoinham.
The first records of the society
which have been found are in the
possession of Miss Clara B. Varney,
a deseendent of early Universalist
families and these date only from
February 20, 1914. 1t would seem
that for some reason the first or
ganized society had become some
what lax in its methods, for organi-
zation appears to have been in the
minds of the people according to the
rotations shown in the time-worn
book loaned by Miss Varney. The
first record reads as follows.
To Llewellyn Kidder, Justice of
Peace, within and for the County of
Somerset:
The subscribers being DESTROYS
of Incorporating themselves into
religious society request you to
issue a warrant to one of the APP
picants, directing him to notify
a meeting of the said applicants
for the following objects to wit:
For the purpose of forming
themselves into religious So
ciety.
S. Philbrick
c. Fletcher
Greenleaf l.. Hill
John Chase
William Weston
Samuel Fletcher
Horatio Dillingham;
Older residents will become aware
at glance from these that promi
nent men of the 40's were interested
in the society. S. Philbrick was
the grandfather of s. w and Fred r.
Pbilhrick of this town. The name
of Fletcher was well known in those
days. One of the families bearing
that name resided on Elm St on the
site of Congressman Gould's resi-
dence. The house has been moved
to Middle st. and is now a two tene-
ment house which is occupied by
Chas Matson and Mrs. Flora Nc
Pheters. Greenleaf l.. Hill was the
proprietor of a carding mill on the
Island at location where now Is es-
tablished the wood working plant of
father of Greenleaf Hill, who too has
for some years been deceased, but
was well known to many of the
towns present inhabitants. Percy
p. Hill of Northeast Harbor is the
grandson. John Chase lived in the
old days where DR.. Geo. A. Young
now resides, opposite the Municipal
Building, while Horatio Dillingham;
was farmer living on the road lead
ing from Malbon's Mills to Dudley
Corner. His son Henry Richardson, |
still lives in Skowhegan. The prom
inent pioneer name of Weston was
among the early adherents of Uni |
yersalism as the preceding warrant
indicates. William Weston was the
father of Alexander Weston, who in
turn was the father of Mrs. Hattie
Fogg, still living here.
The meeting of the applicants was
held March 2, 1914 in Washington
Hall (now tenement dwelling over
the Madison Avenue Marble Works.
and the organization was effected.
The president was Osgood Sawyer,
and his son Simeon M. Sawyer,
veteran of the Civil War, is still
among us. The clerk was c.
Fletcher.
From the record book there is
nothing to be CLEANED with regard to