The religious history of the town of Clayton, owing to the loss or destruction of the early records of several of the societies, is difficult to procure. The subjoined historical sketches of the various churches, however, may be depended on as generally accurate, as much inquiry and diligent search among ancient authorizes have been instituted or those removed to some other locality, can be briefly mentioned here.

A Methodist society was organized in the south part of the town, December 20, 1833, with Silas F. Spicer, Amos Reynolds, William Howard, James H. Fuller, and Amos Sillett, trustees. A house of worship was erected, and after many years’ service as such was converted into a barn, now on the Seeber farm, and the society removed to Perch River.

In 1835 a congregational church was formed of members residing in this town and Orleans, by the Rev. Marcus Smith, of Watertown. This is no more, having long since disbanded.

In 1838 a Union church was built o stone at Depauville, and was owned conjointly by the Baptists, Universalists, and Congregationalists. It is now owned exclusively by the Free-Will Baptist Society.

The Free-Will Baptist Church of Depauville was formed March 20, 1820, by Elder Amasa Dodge, of Lowville, consisting at first of fourteen members. He was succeeded by elder Russel Way, Jacob Overocker, Welcome Pigley, S. B. Padding, Samuel hart, Ansel Griffith, N. H. Abbey, J. J. Allen, B. H. Damon, J. S. Staples, W. S. Fowler, W. Joy, J. B. Collins, and W. H. Merriman, the present pastor. A society was organized August 26, 1841, with Nahum D. Williams, Phineas A. Osborn, and Helon Norton, trustees; and in December, 1848, it was reorganized. In 1834 a Union church was built, of stone, at a cost of $2200, of which amount Mr. Depau donated $500. At present the Free-Will Baptist society have the use f the building one-half of the time, and Universalists one-quarter, and regular Baptist and Congregationalists the remainder; at least, such are the terms of the deed. The present deacons of the Free-Will Baptist church are P. A. Osborn and Isaac Norton; the trustees of the Union church, David Norton, F. V. Hall, P. A. Osborn, John O. Spencer, and L. E. Frame, M.D.

A Methodist class was organized at Depauville as early as 1821; and we find it mentioned as one of the twenty-three appointments in the old Back River district, and within Genesee Annual conference, in 1822. Meetings were at first held in private dwellings, and in the old frame school-house,, until before 1823, when a house of worship was built on the lot on the rear of the present stone school-house. The society was formed November 25, 1834, with Martin Spicer, Abel F. Lee, Caleb Closson, Wareham P. Case, and Timothy O’Connor, trustees. The present church edifice was erected in 1852, and dedicated by Rev. A. J. Phelps the same year. The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Gardner Baker, a pioneer in the Methodist ministry, who but recently passed away. It was an impressive petition for the divine blessing on the undertaking. The dedication of the church occurred near the close of the pastorate of Rev. Josiah Zimmerman. The structure is of wood, and will comfortably seat about 300 persons; it is valued at $5000. The society also has a parsonage.

The succession of pastors from 1848 to the present has been B. F. Brown, Josiah Zimmerman, Moses Lyon, D. W. Roney, H. O. Tilden, Royal Houghton, Chamberlain Phelps, A. f. Wheeler, Moses Lyon (second time), G. D. Greenleaf, W. B. Joise, D. Fulford, J. H. lamb, S. W. Worn, Anson Cheeseman, and S. F. Danforth, the present incumbent. The present trustees of the church are John Howell, John Halliday, Eli J. Seeber, Esq., Erastus Wright, and Amos Otis. The membership as reported in the "Minutes of Conference of 1877," is—probationers, 9; full members, 144; numbers of teachers in the Sunday-school, 25; scholars, 88.

A class was organized at Plessis, in the town of Alexandria, in 1840, and placed in the Depauville charge. The society was formed in 1860. The statistics of the society are included in the above.

Religious meetings according to the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal church wre held in private dwellings and the school-house in Clayton village as early as 1834; and the following year a small class was formed, of which Perry Caswell was appointed class-leader. It was not until 1840, however, that the society was regularly organized. Among the early members were Jane C. Merrick, J. N. Fowler and wife, Perry Caswell and wife, Fairfield Harford, Uri Raymond and wife, Susan Ingerson, Edward Kellogg, John Wilson, Anson Fowler and wife, and others. The first trustees were E. C. Merrick, John N. Fowler, Perry Caswell, John Wilson, Fairfield Harford, Woodbridge C. George, and Adotijah Brush.