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THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BROWNVILLE
A Presbyterian church was organized March 18, 1818, consisting of eight members. Elam Clark and William Vandebogart were chosen elders. It was admitted to presbytery September 10, 1819, and Noah M. Wells was installed pastor September 14, 1820. He is now living at the age of ninety-three in Erie, Michigan.
The large stone edifice in the village of Brownville, now the property of the Episcopal society, was immediately built as a Union church, the Presbyterians owning a large interest in it, and occupying it for several years, but a majority of the stock was owned by Episcopalians, and a society of that order was legally formed October, 13, 1826, under the name of St. Paul’s church. To this society the Presbyterians sold their interest, and in 1832 built a church edifice of wood, on the site of the present church. This building was burned in 1842, and the present church edifice was built in 1844. In 1852, a building for Sunday-school purposes and lecture-room was put up on the same lot and adjoining.
The ministers have been,
1818-25 Noah M. Wells
1827-30 James R. Boyd
1834-39 E. H. Snowden
1839-42 Dexter Clary
1842-44 Calvin Yale
1844-48 O. P. Conklin
1848-51 S. M. Wood
1851-54 Sylvester Holmes
1854-55 John Campbell
1855-57 I. Burchard
1857-61 R. G. Keyes
1862-64 George D. Horton
1865-72 Enos Wood
1873-77 H. M. Dodd
The Presbyterian church of Brownville and Dexter have usually been supplied by the same pastor, preaching on Sabbath morning at Dexter, and afternoon at Brownville, since the organization of the Dexter church.
The present session consists of Rev. H. M. Dodd, moderator; Wm. P. Massey, George C. Plumb, Anson Potter, James H. Griswold, Ezra B. Pratt, Myron H. Peck, elders; George c. Plumb, W. P. Massey, James Parker, trustees. There are sixty-eight members.
BAPTIST CHURCH-PERCH RIVER
The first church organization in the town of Brownville, of which there is any record, is that of the Baptist church, Perch River, September 7, 1806. An ecclesiastical council was held at the house of John N. Collins, October 30, where this church was fellowshipped by delegates from Champion, Rutland, and Adams. It at first numbered ten members, viz.: Richardson Avery, Truman Kilborn, Arad Farr, Oliver Bartholomew, Persis Towns, Isaac Cornwall, Jr., David Little, Peter Towns, Joseph Rhodes, Rhoda Rhodes. The members who sat in the council from Champion church were elder Timothy Pool, Deacon Arnold Lewis, and David Pool; from the Rutland church, Benjamin Peck and Chandler Mattby; from the Adams church, timothy Heath and Matthew Wilkin.
The first minister presiding over the church was Elder Timothy Pool, in 1806. His successors were elders Wilkie, Joshua Morgan, Sardis Little, Ford, Guitpan, D. D. Reed, Sawyer, John L. Moore, Miller, Lorenz Ries, Abner Webb, De Golier, D. Peck, Ira Cooley, Sydney LeDyer, Calvin Filio. Held a protracted meeting in 1825-26, when between sixty and seventy wre added to the church.
A society was legally organized April 25, 1825, at which Melvin Moffatt, Walter Cole, George Brown, Nathaniel peck, and William Webb were chosen trustees. It was reorganized February 11, 1833. In 1827 they erected their present stone church, at a cost of $2800.
The record of the church is as follows: ordained, 1,--Sardis little, 1816. Sent by this church as missionaries, 3,--Abner Webb, to Burmah, India; John L. Moore, to Ohio; Sydney Dyer, to Mississippi. Died, 1,--Elder Ira A. Cooley.
BAPTIST CHURCH-PILLAR POINT
This church and society was formed September 22, 1838, with L. Howard, G C. Parsons, Hiram A. Reed, Solomon Ingalls, Elisha Harris, and Samuel R. Campbell, trustees. In 1839 they reported 30 members. No recent report.
ST. PAUL’S CHURCH (EPISCOPAL)
St. Pauls’ church (Episcopal), was formed legally October 13, 1826. Thomas Y. How and Thomas Loomis were chosen wardens, and Asa Whitney, Tracy S. Knap, Sylvester Reed, S. Brown, William S. Ely, Peleg Burchard, Edmund Kirby, and Hoel Lawrence, vestrymen. The first rector of he church was William Linn Keese. His successors have been:
February 13, 1831 Rev. Ezekiel G. Gear
August 1837 A. C. Treadway, Ferdinand Rogers
November 1846 William H. Hall
October 1851-55 Geo. B. Eastman
1855-58 Andrew Oliver
1858-64 Moses B. Willson
1864-65 J. Winslow
1865-67 Thos. P. Tyler
1867 R. H. Barnes
1868-70 J. Winslow
1870-72 Thomas G. Ockford
1872-74 Ellis Willes
1874-77 F. P. Winnie, present incumbent.
The wardens are A. Gibbs and William Lord Communicants, 31.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF DEXTER
The Presbyterian church of Dexter was organized July 2, 1839, by Reverends Marcus Smith, Isaac Brayton, and Dexter Clary, and received by presbytery. Eighteen original members.
The succession of ministers have been: Reverends Dexter Clary, O. P. Conklin, Sylvester Holmes,-------Whitney, John Campbell, George D. Horton, Enos wood, and Henry M. Dodd.
The Presbyterian churches of Dexter and Brownville have usually been supplied the same pastor preaching on Sabbath morning at Dexter and afternoon at Brownville.
Elders;
1839 Josiah Hinman, John Bell, Joseph D. Bealls, Ahira Murrill.
1841 Joshua Eaton.
1846 James A. Bell.
1852 Abner Wicher
1854 Anson Potter
1865 William Gibbs
1874 Myron H. Peck
1875 Melza E. Castler
Deacons:
1839 Joseph Huntginton, William A. Wood
1852 William Adams
1874 William Bell
A society was formed September 24, 1842, with Joshua Eaton, Joseph Huntington, David H. Freeman, Harvey Crocker, and Levi smith, trustees. A brick church was built in 1843-46. A parsonage was presented to the society by James A. Bell in 1877. Church membership, 77.
ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH-DEXTER
All Saint’s Episcopal church was organized July 14, 1839, with John Bradley and Gillman Wood as wardens; and Edmund Kirby, Jesse Babcock, Ora Haskell, Solon Stone, James A. Bell, Andrew wood, Israel J. griffin, and Robert Anderson, vestrymen.
They have a commodious church edifice, and are usually supplied by the same clergyman as the church of Brownville. The wardens are Samuel Francis and John Francis.
METHODIST CHURCH-BROWNVILLE
This society was formed august 3, 1820, with Joshua Heminway, Henry W. Chapman, Samuel Knap, Isaac Meecham, William Lord, and Daniel Case, trustees.
The following names appear as pastors:
1829-31 A. Ball
1831 Benjamin Phillips
1832 Elijah Smith
1833 E. B. Fuller
1834 L. K. Reddington
1835 B. Phillips
1836 H. Shepherd
1837 L. L. Hunt
1838 George c. Woodruff
1839 M. D. Gillet
1840 James Irvine
1843 Philo T. Bennet
1844 Reuben Reynolds
1845 Reuben Reynolds
1846 O. C. Lathrop
1847 T. F. Fenton
1848 G. W. Barney
1849 L.L. Adkins
1850 R Redhead
1851-52 L. B. Brown
1853 Wm. Tripp
1854 C. Phelps
1856-57 G. W. Elwood
1858 L. Clark
1859 G. M. Pearce
1860 L. B. Ford
1861-62 M. Lyon
1863-64 C. H. guile
1865 M. Lyon
1866-67 J. Turnee
1868-69-70 S. M. Warren
1871-72-73 M. M. Rice
1874-75 S. N. Danforth
1876-77 S. Dewey, the present incumbent
Present trustees: J. C. Knap, H. J. Harris, George Thompson, Ervin Walrath, H. Groat,
Stewards: J. C. Knap, H. Groat, A. G. Taylor, George Thompson, N. H. Potter.
Class-leaders: H. I. Harris, R. M. Spinney, A. G. Taylor, Membership: 131.
The society own a commodious house of worship valued at $3,000, and free of debt. They also have a parsonage, a two-story brick dwelling, valued at $1,000.
THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF DEXTER
The First Universalist Society of Dexter was formed September 5, 1841, with the following persons as trustees: Thos. Broadbent, John Maynard, David Baker, Elenzer Parker, Solon Stone, and F. W. Winn. Their church edifice was built in 1842, and dedicated in December of that year. Dedication sermon by Rev. Pitt Morse.
Their pastors have been H. L Haywood, Chas. A. Skinner, G. S. Abbott, Wm. McNeil, Lyman Perry, Asa Sax, J. H. Stewart, Harvey Hersey, and E. B. Cooper, who died after a residence of only nine days.
The church property is valued at $2500. Present trustees: Thomas Broadbent, Samuel Meyer, Joseph Perry, E. S. Clark, Geo. W. Wood, and Geo. Moyer. The original membership was 25, the present membership is 79 communicants
METHODIST CHURCH-DEXTER
The Methodist society at Dexter, in 1875, built a church edifice at a cost of $2500. This society has a separate church organization, but forms a part of the Brownville M. E. church, and is supplied by the same pastor.
The trustees are C. c. Emerson, A. T. Knox, A. H. Seeber, and Farlin Ball; Stewards, Paul Amon, Henry Denny, Chester Daniels, John Foster; class-leader, A. H. Seeber.
METHODIST CHURCH-PILLAR POINT
There is a Methodist church at Pillar Point with a membership of 181, a church property valued at $2000, and a parsonage valued at $1000. The present pastor is M. T. Hill. Trustees: Amos Otis, Henry McAfee, Chas. D. Emerson, Wheeler Lowe; Class-leaders; I. R. Adams, Ira Barber, John W. Akerman, Wm. W. Harris; Stewards: Wm. Clemant, William W. Ackerman, Amos Otis, Nelson Dingman, Cyrenus Woodworth, Wm. Fisk, henry Ackerman, Hubert Douglas.
UNION CHURCH-PERCH RIVER
In 1851 a Union church was built at Perch River, at a cost of $1500, with Silas F. Spicer, Archibald Sternberg, John Cole, Lewis M. Webb, and Charles B. Avery, as trustees.
This church is occupied principally by the Methodist and Evangelical Lutheran denominations, and is usually supplied by a non-resident minister having another charge or preaching station.
FIRST UNIVERSALIST-BROWNVILLE VILLAGE
This society was formed December 16, 1851. The church building was competed in 1854, and dedicated January 16, 1856, by rev. Luther Rice. It has been unoccupied the greater part of the time since its completion. Services have occasionally been held, and the following persons have officiated: Revs. Luther Rice, C. A. skinner, Asa Sage, A. A. Thayer, E. W. Reynolds, J. H. Stewart, and H. Hersey. The trustees are A. E. Lord, Alfred Kilborn, Horace Skinner, and Lewis Maynard.
Transcribed by Holice B. Young from Jefferson Co. History by L. H. Everts.
Copyright January 2000 by Sherrye Luther Woodworth