Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-02
TOOTH DATE
Continued from Page Ono,

4. Hamlin Of Lewiston.
| Dinner was served at noon IN N.
new vestry by a COMMITTEES Of men
| OF the church.
| The address Of the afternoon was
| given by Rev. Mr.. Wood of Augusta
| who spoke on THE Growth of the
| Church-lts Past Present and Fu-
lure. Greetings were extended by
Z. M. Lapham, former superintend-
, ent of the Sunday School; A. H. Cobb
Of the Baptist Church at North
Litchfield. and through letters from
Rev. c. l.. Cronkhite OF Mexico, Me-.
and Rev. c. L. Charge, former pas
tors of the church. A vocal solo by
David Bowie was greatly appreciat-
ed. The devotional service was con-
quoted by Rev. Mr.. Watkins. Church
i society representatives speaking in
cluded Mrs. e. P. Packard, and Miss
Edith Small Of the Christian Endea-
vor.
History Of Church
The history of the church was
traced in an interesting paper given
by Mrs. Angie Pierce, who pointed
out that the church was organized
Oct. II, 1926 by Rev. Josiah Farwell
and Samuel Hawthorne, a commit
!
terly meeting. The original men,
! bers numbered 10 and the first meet
ings were held in barns. The church
edifice was built in 1887. Services
have been held regularly for a CEN
! fury as Free Baptist denomination
until six years ago when the three
Ltchfield churches were federated
with Mr.. Watkins as pastor.
Officers of Church
Present officers Of the church are:
Deacon, E. P. Pacward; treasurer
and clerk, Mrs. Angie r. Pierce.
| Sunday school. superintendent,
Clara Bold; assistant superintendent.
Charles H. Harvey; secretary treas
urer, Evelyn Harvey.
Community Circle: president, Mary
P. Small; vice. president, Lillian
Weber; treasurer, Mary E. Chase;
secretary, Genie D. Small.
Federation committee, David
Bowie, Delmar r. Small, Charles H.
| Harvey.
Building committee, David Bowie.
Charles H. Harvey, Delmar r. Small.
C. P. Small.
Supper was served by the Com
munity Circle. At the evening ex-
ercises the history of the Community
Circle was outlined by Mrs. Mary
Chase. "reminiscences OF the Church
were related by Deacon e. P. Pack
ard. Mrs. Alice Maxwell Favored
with a reading.
Address by Mr.. Dunnack
Following the dedication OF the
new vestry, the address Of the eve
ming was given by State Librarian
Henry E. Dunnack, who spoke as
follows:
The territory of the present town
of L.itchfield was included in the or.
iginal grant by King James in 1915
to the company of North and Soutn
Virginia. This charter of the King
was renewed in 1920 and in 1879 q
strip of land thirty miles VIDE ana
extending from where the Coppos-
seecontee enters the kennepec at
Gardiner to the Ticonic Falls at VIM
slow, was granted to the Plymoutn
Company with the Kennebec river In
the center. BY subsequent additions
this tract embraced practically all OF
the territory from Merrymeeting Bay
to Norridgewock. Litchfield was
then included in the territory grant,
ed to William Bradford and his as
sociates. Subsequently the Ply
mouth Company sold this territory
and it became known as the kenne-
bee Purchase. Thus title to all lana
in Litchfield can be traced back TO
these early grants.
Tho First Settlers
The first, settlers came to Litcn-
field Corner and were Barnapas
Baker and his brothers ln-laW'
Thomas and Benjamin Smith who
went from Massachusetts to Nova
Scotia in 1854 and from there TO
Pownalborough, Maine in 1774 and to
Litchfield in 1873. From these carry
pioneers has sprung the vigorous me
of descendants who were 1nti!nateiy
associated and connected Win inc
first one hundred years of the towns
history.
Litchfield was first known as
Smithfield Plantation and was incor-
porated under it's present name In
1855. It was, of course. Tor many
years included within the limits OF
the county of Lincoln. Deacon Lebui-
on Douglas, who was for many years
Deacon of the Plains Free Baptlst
church often said that he had resld-
ed in two states. two 'counties'
plantation and a town and had al.
WAYS resided on the same farm and
in the same school district
The Founders of the Church
The early settlers at Litcnnelo
Corner were Congregationalists but
the first church organized was IN
North Litchfield and was made by
the Baptist denomination. free
Baptist preachers came to the town
at a very early date, probably about
1910. and organized the Litchfieid
Plains Free VIII Baptist church IN
1926 in the barn of Deacon Cornelius
Toothacher. The present church edl.
flee was built in 1887. Prominent
among the preachers of this church
have been Rev. Samuel Hathorne'
Hale Sweat. Nathaniel Purinton'
Robert Stinson, Constant Quinnan'
Mark Getchell. Stephen Purinton'
Nehemiah Preble, Ezekiel 6. Page
Edwin Manson, John F. Hartman;
and Isaac B. Noyes. One OF the moSS
prominent members of the Free WIN
Baptist church in this town was the
Rev. Alexander Hatch Morrill,. VINO
in 1867 went to the home mission
work in the valley of Virginia ana
was largely instrumental In the es-
Establishment of Storer College. IN
common with the other churches OF
the town. its members have neen
largely made up of hard worklnk
farmers in very moderate cfrcum-