The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1917-02-15

1854. The names of the members OF
the previous organization whether
dead or living were brought forward
and placed on the church roll. Among
those who are still with us We note
the names of Mrs. Caroline W. Estes
and Mrs. c. V. Richards. Mrs.
Estes is the widow of Col. W. K. G.
Estes, one of the influential men of
the parish who died in 1916.
At meeting of the Universalist
people May 2Sth, shortly after the
church had been organized, the
names of two ministerial candidates
were presented. Rev. w. W. Hooper
and Rev. Z. A. Hoyt of Boston. 1t
was decided to extend the call to the
latter He remained with .he church
until probably June !, 1886. He is
now preaching at bingham, Mass.
Mr. Hooper was state missionary in
Maine and held numerous charges in
the state. He died in Utica, n. Y,
April 16, 1905. The next minister
was Rev j. H. Little, now of Bethel,
Maine. He rendered his resignation
Sept. IA, 1887, the same TO take eff
feet in three months at the latest.
Rev. Miss Lorenza Haynes was his
successor. Easter Sunday, April l,
1888, was marked by the admission
of several members into the Church
and again in April 1889 goodly
number of candidates were voted into
church membership. These increases
in membership were during Miss
Haynes pastorate The death of this
estimable lady occurred in 1899.
She was a woman of much culture
and had been a former teacher. She
was nearly seventy years of age
when she assumed the pastorate of
the Skowhegan church.
The next pastor called to take up
the labors of the society was Rev.
Sanford F. Smith of Thompsonyille,
Conn The call was extended in
connection with the North Arson
church and each society was to pay
him $500. Skowhegan was his place
of residence and the SkoWhegan peo
pie agreed to furnish conveyance to
and from the up-river charge at least
quarters of the time. Under
date of December "a, 1889, Rev. Mr..
Smith wrote an acceptance TO the in
vitation and agreed to assume his
new duties the first day of March,
1890. In May a committee consist
ing of the new pastor, H. G. Ken
dali. Miss Kate Burrll, Miss Minnie
futile and Miss Clara B. Varney
were appointed to organize a Young
Peoples Society, which appears to
have been helpful organization. The
career of this beloved minister was
early cut short, for during his min
istry to the Universalists here, he
was stricken and died. AS it is now
recalled, he was taken sick on Sab
bath day between the services here
and at North Arson. This sad event
from which he did not recover oc-
CURED on about the first anniversary
of his arrival here. A widow and
two children survived him and they
removed to Massachusetts, The
next supply was Rev. F. NJ. Hough
ton, who stayed for three months
nd no ic lt,rip
Next came Rev. C. F.. McIntire who
probably remained until some time
in 1893. and then there was rest
in church activities. Mr.. McIntire
at last accounts was located in
Woodsville, N. H., where he had been |
established for some time.
Rev. George E. Leighton took up
the labors of ministering to the Uni !
versalist people on December |. 1895. |
During his stay there was substan-
tial increase in membership. An in
teresting incident Of Children's Day |
in 1896 was the christening of Donna |
Louise Tozier, Helen Merrill Tozier
and William Byron Simpson The
two ladies are now residents of Mas
sachusetts. while the latter holds a |
prominent position with the Ameri-
can Wooden Co. at their Oakland mill |
In 1897 the Universalist Church was
renovated. Mr. Leighton resigned |
in the spring of 1899, much to the re-
greet of his parishioners as his stay
had been characterized by much ma
terial betterment to the church and
parish. He left here for Ports |
mouth. N. H. and afterwards became
State Superintendent of New Hamp-
shire. He is now State Superintend- |
ent for Massachusetts and his pres !
ent headquarters are at the Univer-
salist Publishing House on Boylston
St. Boston.
During the year of Rev. Mr.. Leigh |
tons departure, Rev. H. A. Markley |
became the settled pastor of the So
ciety. These were hard times for
the little band of religionists and in
1900 1t became evident that expenses
must be curtailed. Rev. Mr.. Mark |
ley understanding the conditions gen.
orally. very generously offered to
ctav for tir,o for any omonuf tho