Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-08-29
GLOVER CHURCH 100 YEARS OLD
CONTINUED from page one).

4
Glover, thence between Stone and
Daniels ponds, thence 70 point a few
rods east of Parker pond, thence to
Barton river at point where the up
per stone railroad bridge now stands.
In 1876, Gen. Barton, for whom the
town Of Barton was named, built q
sawmill near this point, which was
swept away in 1910, by the waters of
Runaway Pond" The settlement
James Vance on the Human road,
who made the first clearing IN town,
on lot No. lao, and erected the first
frame house, which Is still standing
on the road from West Glover to
Glover village.
The next clearing was made by
Ralph Parker, on the Human road
on lot No. 116 near the southerly end
of Parker pond (named after Mr..
Parker) and he there opened the first
tavern in Glover, and it was near his
house where the present Congrega-
tional church was first erected, and
the first burial ground established.
The first town meeting was held IN
1899. at the Parker tavern, and Ralph
Parker, James Vance, Andrew Moore,
John Conant, Asa Brown and Levi
Partridge were all who were present.
Ralph Parker was town clerk from
1902 to 1914 with the exception of
one year, 1912, when Charles Hardy
held the Office. The town clerks Of
fee during this time was In the
Parker tavern. Mr.. Parker was the
first town representative, elected IN
1902 and annually reelected until 1914,
when John Boardman of Boardman
Hollow, now West Glover, was elected
During these years Ralph Parker's
tavern was the center of the town Of
Glover, for public business. / am IN
formed the only store IN town was
located here, and Rev Reuben Mason,
the first settled minister, lived on the
farm nearest the cemetery, not far
from the Parker tavern.
Also in 1897, Samuel Cook COM
menced clearing and built house
on lot No. g, now owned by N. H.
Wilson. At about this time a road
was opened south of the Parker tav-
ern, over Hardy Hill" to Samuel
Cooks, crossing the river, on log
bridge, near the Aaron Wilson saw
mill, which was swept away In 1910
by the waters of Runaway pond.
Later a road was built on the west
side of Parker pond from where the
Hardy Hip road left the Human
road, thence to Boardman Hollow and
on to Irasburg.
During these first years road was
built starting a little east of the Viii
son mill, to 'EKeene's Corner" a little
settlement in the northeast part of
the town, and from there to the Duck
Pond road that was opened from Bar
ton TO Sheffield and thence continued
to Danville and SO on south to New
bury.
The first church formed in Glover
was the Congregational. In 1907,
Stephen Bliss, a man of decided and
earnest piety, moved to Glover from
Lebanon, n. H, and settled IN the
west part of the town, upon a lot of
land later owned by Gavin Anderson
He held meetings, visited the few
families in Glover and conversed with
them on the subject of religion.
On the third day of June, 1917, Mr..
Bliss went to Peacham and engaged
Rev. Samuel Goddard TO come and
preach a sermon or two. He held a
service on the tenth day of July, and
so much harmony was found, Il was
voted to organize a church, and on
the twelfth day of July 1917, at a
schooIhouse In the western part of
the town, Rev. Goddard, assisted by
Rev. Luther Leland of Derby, organ
lied this church with sixteen mem
bers as follows:
Stephen Bliss, Loring Frost, Els
worth Phelps, Samuel Cook, Sarah
Bliss, Elizabeth Beech, Alice Bing-
ham, Sarah Adams, Susanna Noyes,
Hannah Barton, Eunice Kimball, Abb
gail Boardman, Silence Woods, 1rena
Wright, Ruby Lyman and Sarah Bliss
I'd.
Of these persons, three were from
! Barton. Eunice Kimban was the
wife of John Kimball, who became
one of the leading men of Barton and
the county; Susanna Noyes, the wife
| of Enoch Moves of Barton, and Sarah
Adams, there being no church In
Barton, to encourage this pioneer
church, they joined it. The Congre-
gational church at Barton was or
| ganized in September of the same
year. They each took a letter and be-
came charter members of the Barton
church
Stephen Bliss was elected deacon,
and Loring Frost, clerk. From 1877
until 1926, the church had no settled
minister. but occasionally engaged a
pastor from neighboring towns, TO
come and hold services In some
schoolhouse, but religious services
were principally sustained by Deacon
Stephen Bliss.
During these nine years twenty
eight persons were received into this
church.
In 1926, Rev. Reuben Mason was
installed as pastor of this church and
his ministry continued ten years.
Rev. S. K B. Perkins, in his ser
mon preached at the semi-centennial
celebration, July II, 1867, said Of his
work, "His labors were blessed In the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit and in
consequence with q powerful revival,
forty-two persons were received into
the church during his pastorate."
Much of the early prosperity of
this church was due TO his earnest,
faithful labors. Since that time pas
/ tors have been as follows:
Noah Cressey 1888 to 1910
Ora Pearson 1910 1845
| Levi H. Stone 1916 1854