The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-06-27
EARLY MINISTERS
IN BRAT TLEBORO
|nL
First Religious : Services
Held by Denizens of
Fort Dummer9
MEETING HOUSE
BUILT BEFORE ITO
Was Located on Meeting House Hill,
Centerville = First Settled Pastor
Was Rev. Abner Reeve-Anecdotes
of Former Pastors.


The first religious service in Brattle-
boro of which there is any authentic
record was. held by the denizens of Fort
Drummer. Previous to 1870 a meeting
house was built on the hill in Center
vile, where Rev. Abner Reeve, a grad
uate of Yale, began his. pastorate. The
inhabitants of Guilford also built a
church and Mr.. Reeve preached there.
He died at the good old age of 90, four
years after he had retired from minis
terial work
The Centerville meeting house, situat-
ed on what is. known as Meeting house
hill, was the first church built in Brattls-
boro and it served its purpose for nearly
20 years, until, in order better to accom-
modate the increasing population at
West Brattleboro, new church was
built there, not far from the site of the
present church ediice Rev William
Wells followed Mr.. Reeve, though it is
known that Rev. Mr. Birge preached
there for some time.
Some very interesting and amusing
stories have been told of Mr.. Birge s
ministry. The old man prided himself
on being a strong logician, and it is
said that he deeply enjoyed picturing
the torments of the condemned. The
boys gave him the name ''Son of
thunder -
ReV. Mr.. Wells was a native of Eng
land. He preached in the church for
"A years until compelled by infrmities
OF age to retire. He also preached for
some time in the school house on what
is now the village common. At that
time this village had begun to grow and
the people from here who had before
attended the West Brattleboro church
suggested the building of church in
Brattleboro, where services should be
held, the West Brattleboro pastor
preaching on alternate Sundays This
scheme, however, did not meet with
favor, and finally the parishioners at
the East village decided to form new
society. A church site was secured on
the common from the estate of Grin
DIAL h. Ellis, and in December, 1914. the
new meeting house was completed.
though the new society, composed of IA
members, was not organized until July,
1916, when John Holbrook, father of ex.
Gov. Holbrook, was chosen its first dea-
con. The editice was dedicated about
Ia month later, Rev Samuel Willard of
Deer1eld preaching the first sermon.
Rev. Jonathan McGee, q graduate of
Williams, became pastor in 1918, and his
was the first ordination in Brattleboro
Many pastors and delegates from the
surrounding towns were present.
Mr.. MeGee continued to minister TO
a flock, composed as it was of men of
all creeds and beliefs, for Is years. and
was succeeded by Rev. Charles Walker
Of Rutland, father of Rev Walker of
Hartford, CT. January L, 1885. Seven
years later the church was taken down
and removed to its present site on Main
street where it was rededicated in Jan
uary, 1S43. Rev. Mr.. Walker was sue
ceeded in 1916 by Rev. A. Huntington
Clapp of Boston, a graduate of Yale.
VINO remained seven years, being sue
.ceeded by Rev. George p TYLER of Low
vile, n. Y, also graduate of Yale and
a son of the late Chief Justice Royall
Tyler. He in turn was succeeded bv
Rev. Nathaniel Mighill Then came
rev. Or. Walker as acting pastor till
the calling of Rev. G. E. Martin. who in
turn was succeeded by Rev S. H. Lee,
president of the French American col
lege in Springfield, Mass
Mr.. Lee was followed by Rev. G.. O.
Day, who was greatly beloved and who,
with the exception of Mr.. McGee, had
the longest passionate Of any man in the
history of the church. Rev Harry R.
Miles followed Mr.. Day and he in turn
was succeeded by Rev. Roy NJ. Hough-s
ton. After Mr.. Houghton's resignation
Rev Richard H, Clapp was called and,
following him, was the present pastor,
Rev. ii. T. Woodin, who has occupied
the pulpit less than year.
Rev. Mr.. Wells was a man of culture.