History of Fitchburg Part 47 Rufus Torrey 1st Printing 1836


At this time the two parties into which the town was
divided, were much imbittered against each other, and the
parochial powers of the town were soon dissolved.  In the
Spring of 1804, Rev. Titus Theodore Barton was installed as
pastor over the one society, and shortly after,
Rev. Wm. Bascom became the pastor of the other.

Mr. Barton's church and society became discontented with him
in 1812, in consequence of some indiscretions on his part
mingled with political feelings, and he was dismissed in
February, 1813.  Mr. Bascome's society then made overtures
for a re-union of the societies, which was effected near the
close of the same year -- Mr. Bascom himself, at the same
time, requesting to be dismissed.  The request was granted,
and in 1815 he went to Leominster.

In June, 1814, the church invited Rev. Winthrop Bailey to
become their pastor, but he declined in consequence of the
opposition made to his settlement by a portiion of the
society.

Rev. William Eaton began to preach in Frebruary, 1815, and
became the settled minster of the place in August of the
same year.  He was dismissed June 30th, 1823, at his own
request -- a considerable portion of his society not
agreeing with him in religious sentiments.  In October,
1823, the two societies separated from each other.
Rev. Calvin Lincoln, Jr., the present minister of the first
society was ordained June 30th, 1824.

Rev. Rufus A. Putnam was ordained over the "Calvinistic
Congregational Church" and Society in February, 1824, and
was dismissed, at his own request, in March, 1831.
Rev. John A. Albro was installed pastor of the same society
in May, 1832, and was dismissed at his own request, in
December, 1834.  Rev. Joshua Emery, Jr. the present pastor,
was ordianed in May, 1835.

The meeting-house belonging to this society was built during
the ministry of Rev. Mr. Baron, and was enlarged to its
present size in 1828.

The Village Baptist society was formed in March 1831, and
incorporated in February 1834.  The meeting-house was built
in the Autumn of 1833.  Rev. Appleton Morse was hired to
preach in the Spring of 1831, and continued till February
1834.  Rev. John W. McDonald was hired to preach from
December 1834 to November 1835.  Rev. O.L.Lovell, the
present preacher commenced in January 1836.

The Methodist Society was formed in March 1834.  The first
preacher was Rev Joel Knight, who commenced his labors in
this place in June 1834 and left in the Autumn of 1835.

"The first Baptist Society of Fitchburburg and Ashby", which
society has a meeting-house in the northern part of this
town, was incorporated in June,1810.  {This meeting-house is
not far from the limits of Ashby, on the road leading to
that town.  It is small in size, and not very elegant in its
appearance.  The traveler, not informed of the purpose for
which it was erected, would probably mistake it for a barn.}
Rev. Benjamin Tolman, a regularly ordained minister, has
been the pastor of this society for a long period.  This
Society belongs to the denomination of those usually styled
"Free-will Baptists," and has no connection with the Baptist
socety which formerly existed in the westerly part of the
town.  These latter were more properly "Calvinistic
Baptists".  So early as 1787 "seventeen professed Baptists"
were exempted from paying any tax toward the support of
Rev. Mr. Payson as they had preaching among themselves.
They continued to have preaching at intervals, till the
strife respecting the location of the meeting-house had
subsided.  After that period, both the Mehodists and
Baptists in the west gradually dwindled away or united
theselves with societies in other towns.

It has not been thought necessary to descend into the
particulars of the unhappy difficulties which this town has
experienced in its ecclesiastical affairs.  The recital of
them, at the present time, would prove to be rather more
painful than interesting, and perhaps an impartial account
would give satisfaction to neither party.  When it is
recollected that these divisions commenced in the year 1800,
during the ministry of Rev. Me Worcester, and continued with
more or less excitement, till the ordination of Rev Messrs
Putnam and Lincoln, in 1824 -- during which period
difficulty after difficulty arose, and council after council
was called; when more than one separation and union of the
societies were effected, and when the church and parish
frequently came into collision -- it will be seen that a
strictly impartial account of them would be a task of no
small difficulty, and would extend the limits of this work
much too far.

It will be enough to state generally that angry feelings
were frequently indulged to an inexcusable extent.  Neighbor
was divided against neighbor, family against family, and
sometimes husband against wife.  On one occasion, during the
ministry of Mr. Worcester, a council was in session nearly a
fortnight, and on another two councils ere convened at the
same time.  If this excited state of feeling has now passed
away, the writer would not incur the hazard of disturbing
the calm by galling a tender wound.

(This is the end of the transcription of History of
Fitchburg as it appeared in 47 segments during the Spring
and Summer of 1996 on the fitchburg-hometown mailing list.)


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