Milton The first meeting held by the Seventh Day Baptists was the first Sabbath succeeding the 4th of March, 1839, at the house of Joseph GOODRICH. But two families of this denomination were here - Henry B. CRANDALL's and Joseph GOODRICH's. They established regular weekly meetings, holding them alternately at the houses of GOODRICH and CRANDALL. In 1840, the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Milton was organized, with about forty members. Elder Stillman COON was their first Pastor, visiting them in the fall of 1840, and returning and settling among them about the 1st of July, 1841. Joseph GOODRICH proposed the purchase of forty acres of land, by the Church, for his first year's salary, with such donation so of provisions, etc., as they could make him. This was accepted, and the land made him a good home, subsequently becoming valuable, being located at Milton Junction, where Elder COON lived and died, a useful and universally respected man. [p. 519]   Old Milton Seventh-Day Baptists - This sect, which has now a large representation in the village of Milton, held their first meeting, for the purpose of organizing a society, at the house of Mr. Henry CRANDALL, on November, 6, 1840, and, on November 12, articles of faith and a constitution were adopted. There were then sixty members, who, for a long time, worshiped in the house of Mr. CRANDALL above mentioned. Subsequently, a change was made to the house of Mr. Joseph GOODRICH, and again to the old academy, where their form of religious worship was indulged in every Sabbath until 1852, when the present church was built, at a cost of $3,000, upon two lots donated by Mr. Joseph GOODRICH. The following is a list of the Pastors from 1841 to the present year: 1841-45 - Elder Stillman COON; 1846-47 - Elder Zuriel CAMPBELL; 1847-50 - Elder Varnum HULL; 1850-56 - Elder William C. WHITFORD; 1856-59 - Elder O. P. HULL; 1859-63 - Elder D. E. MAXON; 1871-74 - Elder L. C. ROGERS; 1876-79 - Elder Elston M. DUNN. The present number of communicants is 275, who, by their combined efforts, make up the $800 per annum at which the living is valued. In connection with the Church is a very good Sabbath school, ruled over at the present time by Mr. B. F. TEETSWORTH. [p. 687]   Milton Junction The Seventh-Day Baptist Church was organized on November 15, 1875, with about eighty members. In 1877, the society built their present church, at a cost, including land, of $4,000. It is of wood, 36 x 55 feet, and will seat about 400 persons. The present membership is 250, who make the living up to its worth of $600 per annum. The following is a list of the first Trustees, who were re-elected and are at present in office: Messrs. W. G. HAMILTON, S. G. BURDICK, C. S. VINCENT, G. S. LARKIN, James PIERCE and H. B. CRANDALL. The Pastor is the Rev. L. C. ROGERS. [p. 689]   [Source: The History of Rock County, Wisconsin by C. W. Butterfield, ©1879 Western Historical Co., Chicago, IL; pp. 519, 687 & 689]

Milton Township The Seventh Day Baptist Church of Milton was organized Nov. 12, 1840, by the adoption of articles of faith and a constitution, both of which were very simple in form, concise and comprehensive. Previous meetings had been held for the purpose of studying the Word of God, the first as early as March 9, 1839, in the house of Joseph GOODRICH, five days after the arrival of Mr. GOODRICH and his family in this coutny, which was the first white family that settled in Milton. The church was organized with sixty members, who for a long time worshipped in the house of Henry B. CRANDALL, who is still living at Edgerton, and is over ninety years of age. Subsequently the place of worship was changed to the house of Mr. GOODRICH, and afterwards to the old Academy. In 1852 a large and commodious church edifice was erected, which was twice afterwards enlarged, the original building and its additions costing $3,000. This building was erected upon two lots donated by Mr. Joseph GOODRICH. At a meeting of the church and society held Feb. 5, 1882, it was voted to erect a new house of worship on the site of the old one, which was done at a cost of nearly $7,000, and completed in March, 1883, and dedicated Oct. 15, 1883, when arrangements had been completed for liquidating all indebtedness incurred in its erection. It is a beautiful building, Gothic in its general design, the admiration of the beholder. Sabbath-school rooms and auditorium are all on the same floor. Additions have been made to the membership, sometimes at revival seasons, but more recently without what are termed "protracted meetings." 346 individuals having been baptized into its membersip from the beginning, seventy-nine under the labors of its present pastor; 423 have been dismissed by letter to form other churches or to unite with those already formed, about 100 of these united with the Seventh Day Baptist Church at Milton Junction at the time and since the latter's organization. The church has assisted in the establishment of eleven other churches in this State, Minnesota, Illinois and Dakota. This has been effected by the dismission of members for that purpose and by contributions of money to aid in organizing and building up these weaker societies. Thus it will be seen that the church has been a center from which has radiated other centers of Christian power and influence. It is largely through the influence of this church that no license has ever been granted in the town of Milton for the sale of intoxicants. The following is a list of the pastors from 1841 to the present year: 1841-45, Rev. Stillman COON; 1846-1850, Rev. Zuriel CAMPBELL; 1850-56, Rev. Varnum HULL; 1856-59, Rev. William C. WHITFORD, D.D.; 1859-64, Rev. O. P. HULL; 1864-71, Rev. D. E. MAXSON, D.D.; 1871-84, Rev. C. S. ROGERS; 1874-76, supplied by the Rev. J. C. ROGERS; 1876-89, Rev. Elston M. DUNN, present incumbent. The present membership is 213. It would be much larger numerically but for repeated successful efforts recently to erase the names of all whose whereabouts cannot be ascertained or who have abandoned their faith and practice. The church has always maintained a flourishing Sunday-school; its present superintendent is S. B. SAUNDERS, cashier of the bank. Mr. SAUNDERS is also conducting a mission work at Rock River, supplying them with preaching each Sabbath, enlisting young men who expect to enter the ministry in this work, and when they cannot be procured Mr. SAUNDERS talks to them himself, his congregations varying from twenty-five to sixty. This mission work is performed under the auspices of the Milton Church, which has a missionary committee of nine persons, elected by the church annually, whose duty it is to work in and outside of the society as opportunity may offer. This committee holds its meetings monthly. One of their number, a female member of the church, born on heathen soil, employs most of her time in this work, and is remunerated by the voluntary contributions of the church. The church is doing other missionary work on the first day of the week, organizing and conducting Sunday-schools and supplying destitute neighborhoods with preaching.   [Source: The Portrait & Biographical Album of Rock County, Wisconsin, ©1889 Acme, Chicago, IL; pp. 1018-1019]

From "Rock County, Wisconsin" ©1908   Seventh Day Baptists. This church, which has a large representation in Milton village and the town of Milton, held its first meeting for the purpose of organizing a society at the home of Joseph GOODRICH - in March, 1839. Articles of faith and a constitution were later adopted and the church was organized November, 12, 1840. There were then sixty members, who worshiped in the private houses of Joseph GOODRICH and Henry CRANDALL, and still later in the academy, until 1852, when a church was erected at a cost of $3,000 upon lots donated by Joseph GOODRICH. This has since been replaced by the large and beautiful modern structure which now adorns the public square. Rev. E. M. DUNN served this church twenty years, and Rev. L. A. PLATTS, D.D., began his honorable pastorage July 1, 1896. This society has made a wonderful growth since its first organization, and many bright and brainy men have presided over the congregation in the past seventy years. The church has been a liberal supporter of Milton College. [p. 675]   Milton Junction The Seventh Day Baptist Church was organized November 15, 1875, with about eighty members; in 1877, the society built a house of worship at a cost of $4,000 including the land. The building had a seating capacity of 400,and a membership of 250, which has gradually grown. W. G. HAMILTON, S. G. BURDICK, S. C. VINCENT, G. S. LARKIN, James PIERCE and H. B. CRANDALL were the first trustees. [p. 676]   [Source: Rock County, Wisconsin: A new history of it's cities, villages, etc., by William Fiske Brown (editor-in-chief); ©1908 C. F. Cooper, Chicago, IL; pp. 675 & 679]