Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1921-01-14
SENIOR MEMBER OF
FOUR GENERATIONS
Former Abingdon Adventist
Preacher Blind But In
Good Health
Elder Aha n. Bellows HsA HID Az
Ewensful Life

The longest location Of Elder Alba
n. Bellows. q retired Adventist minis
ter, row living in Providence, was at
Abingdon. this state, and many resi-
tents Of windhau county remember
him as preacher.
Infsntrynsn In the Civil war, che Of
The few who can now recall having a
glimpse Of President Lincoln. sharp
.hoo.er" of wild cattle in the west.
early advocate Of prohibition, and pic
turesque evangeiistic preacher. are
but few Of the phrases descriptive of
an active life.
Mr.. Bellows is now senior member
Of family of four generations, three
4 them la the male line bearing the
fayorite family given name of Alba.
The last to bear this name Is a little
sen-months-old great-grandson Of Hr.
/ Bellows. The Elder is in excellent
physical health. and, with the excep-
ton of being blind. is in practically
full possession of his faculties
He was born in Blackstone, Mass,
and removed to Gloeester. r. /. After
attending the public schools he at
tended Wilbraham Academy. He ac-
quired pronounced appetite for read
ing and became public speaker and
Iebater
During the Civil war Mr.. Bellows
vas a three-months man, going with
the earliest recruits TO the defense of
the National capital. Although his
war record was brief and he saw no
actual fighting. his experiences were
interesting, and well remembered. He
says he recalled the visits ma lie to the
army camps by Preside Lincoln, as
well as the appearance of the war
President, and the fact that he was
accustomed 10 speak TO the men as
they assembled in camp. On one par
.ieular occasion he was strongly i'm
pressed with the parting words Of the
President, as he said, Great good luck
% you" wish that was returned by
the soldier boys and received with
loud acclamations.
At the conclusion Of the term for
which he entered the service Mr. Be-
lows returned home. He went west
soon afterward. settling in Iowa
where he was employed by a cattle
raising concern. His duty was pecu-
liar one, that of "sharpshooter" en-
ployed to bring down the wild steers
for batchering, since they could not
be captured in any other way. In this
duty his army experience proved use
fal.
Returning to the east he again
made his home at Blackstone. and in
nearby villages. He became strong
adherent Of the Adventist faith, and
soon was a preacher of its doctrines
After the passage of reasonable
length of time he became a candidate
for ordination to Its ministry. The
ceremony was carried out with i'm
pressive rites at the Greene camp
meeting grounds at one Of the earliest
Of the summer gatherings held at that
place.
Even during the early years Of his
ministry he was strong advocate Of
prohibition. holding forth upon that
subject and expounding its virtues
and possibilities generation ahead
Of the time when the combination of
vents and circumstances brough
about the country-wide triumph Of the
doctrine.
He never accepted formal pastor
ate, believing that he could accomp-
fish more tangible results for his de-
nomination by going from place to
place His longest location in tina
way was at Abingdon, Conn, where
he remained for some years and until
he church decided there should be
'eyularly settled pastor. Mr.. Bellows
declined to accept the position or
.hese terms. and another was chosen.
While he resumed his position as an
! tinerant
His travels carried him to hundreds
If New England towns as an evaage-
list, and even as far away as Flori Ia
At one time while in the south he and
4 brother minister. V. P. Simmons
| ramped for hundreds Of mi
through Georgia and Florida, stopping
occasionally for evange istic work
/ and having in mind the possibility Of
'ettling down there for residence
n the tours three New England Mr.
Bellows was accustomed TO take long
ramps. and while the railway trains
Nere used for ordinary means of con-
seyanee, he never let tramp Of 10 O.
dozen miles stand in the way Of
keening an appointment to conduct a
service.
About 20 years ago Mr. Bellows be
came blind. from an afiliction that
came upon him gradually. II is be-
ieved il may have been in part the re-
suit of too great use of his eyes il
reading, After his blindness he was
unable to continue preaching regular
ly, but he and his wife lived upon
their farm in Blackstone. market gar
dening having always been one Of the
occupations Of Mr.. Bellows Even af-
ter he was unable TO see al al. he WAS
able 20 do much Of the farm work. in
GLIDING milking the cows and care of
horses. Members Of the family saw il