Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-04-07
RECORD BOOK RESCUED
Contains Signature Of Grandfather
Of President Hayes
West Brattleboro Church to Receive
Articles of Association at Time of
Reorganization in 1914.

Not long ago there came into tn,
hands of Hiram +. Weatherhead O
West Brattleboro q valuable record
book of the West Brattleboro Congre
gational church, a book which he res
cued from destruction and which h,
will turn over to the church clerk 70
preservation. 1t contains the articles
of association of the Brattlcborougl
Congregational or Presbyterian society
which are dated April IL, 1914. Mr.
Weatherhcad was engaged one day il
clearing away some rubbish at a houst
in West Brattlcboro, when he discov
cred an old paper-covered book about
nine inches wide by ii inches long il
pile of waste about to be shovelct
up. On the front page was inscribed
in fancy design i'll ink the words
Brattleborough Association, and tn,
book proved to be one of the early
records of the church in which he ha.
been an officer The leaves are of pale
blue tint, unruled, and are scwed il
what probably was the original hcmr
thread. The articles of association are
written in ink, in bold wcll-formeC
letters, and to them are attached the
signatures of about $50 subscriber,
and associates the first being that OF
Rutherford Hayes, grandfather of the
late President Rutherford b. Hayes
Bound i'll the book also are a list of
financial subscriptions for the support
Of the gospel in marlborough,
dated June ~, 1914, in which the sub
scribers agree to pay annually "such
sums of money as we have annexed to
our respective names, and to continue
esa.. Il L
ing this instrument and until the de.
mise or dismissal of the first settled
minister who shall be ordained by said
society, and no longer"
The first pastor in Brattleboro was
Rev. Abner Reeve, a Yale graduate
who began his ministerial labors in
1770 on Meeting House hill. In 1855 a
new church was built in West Brattle-
boro near the site of the present one,
for the accommodation of the whole
town. Rev. Mr.. Reeve preached until
1894. In March of that year Rev. Will
liam Wells, a native of England, who
had settled in town, became pastor of
the church and continued as such 20
years, giving up his charge in March,
1914, the care of the whole town be-
ing too much for his advanced years
and infirm health.
For some time before that the east
village had been growing rapidly and
Rev. Mr.. Wells had been holding ser
vices in a schoohouse on the common
two or three times a month. More
room was needed and it was suggested
that church be built in that village,
in which services should be held part
of the time without dividing the par
ish. This did not meet with general
favor, so it was decided to form new
society in this village, erect place of
worship and ask Rev. Mr.. Wells to be
the minister, which was done. This
was the beginning of the Centre Con-
.gregational church. Rev. Mr.. Wells be-
gan his new engagement the first Sun
day in April, 1914, and in the same
month the West Brattleboro church re-
organized under the name of "The
marlborough Congregational or Pres
bytcrian Society," and the articles of
association of this reorganization form
the record which Mr.. Weatherhead
rescued. Its first pastor thereafter was
Rev. Caleb Burge, who was installed in
August, 1914, remaining five years.