gton, 1843-45; Gaius M. Blodgett,
1845.--[Reorganization.] Eliphalet M. Spencer, 1849-52; Wm. B.
Christopher, 1852-54; Wm. Baldwin, 1854-62; Geo. O. Phelps, 1863-69;
H.H. Allen, 1869--.
The next church organization was by the Methodist Episcopals. The
first steps towards forming the society were taken by Nathan Bennett,
Silas Washburn, David T. Evans, David Fairchild, and David T. Clark.
This society had no house of worship for many years, and held their
meetings in the village school house. The first church edifice was
built in 1844. In 1868-69 a new and large meeting house was built and
finished at a cost of $12,000. Rev. George Elliott and Rev. Wm.
McDonald were the first preachers. Subsequent ministers have been:
Rev. C.G. Robinson, 1854-56; Rev. W.G. Queal, 1856-58; Rev. S.M.
Stone, 1858-59; Rev. D.L. Pendell, 1859-61; Rev. Geo. Parsons,
1861-63; Rev. P.Y. Hughston, 1863-65; Rev. H.N. Van Dusen, 1865-67;
Rev. R.W. Peebles, 1867-70; Rev. Austin Griffin, 1870-72; Rev. I.N.
Pardee, 1872-75; Rev. W.B. Westlake, 1875-78; Rev. Y.Z. Smith,
1878-79; Rev. A.B. Richardson, 1879-82; Rev. D.C. Olmstead, 1882--.
The First Baptist society was organized April 6, 1833. At a meeting
called for that purpose, David Yager was chosen moderator and James
Slade clerk. April 24, 1833, a council was held, of which Elder Alex.
Smith, of Franklin, was moderator, and Elder Kingsley, of Meredith,
clerk. The pastors have been Rev. D.B. Crane, 1833-35; Rev. John
Smith, 1836-48; Rev. H. Clark, 1848-49; Rev. A.B. Earle, 1849-53; Rev.
E. Westcott, 1854-57; Rev. John Smith, 1858-65; Rev. A. Reynolds,
1865-70; Rev. Geo. R. Burnside, 1871-74; Rev. H. Brotherton, 1874-80;
Rev. P.D. Root, 1880-82; Rev. E.D. Clough, 1883--.
The Free Baptist church society was formed at the Emmons school house
Feb. 25, 1856.[A] The council consisted of Rev. A. Wing, D. Green,
O.T. Moulton, and laymen Joseph Jenks and Harvey Mackey. The meeting
house was built in 1857. The pastors have been, Rev. O.T. Moulton,
1856-61; Rev. H. Strickland, 1862; Rev. E. Crowel, 1864-68; Rev. G.P.
Ramsey, 1868-72; Rev. O.T. Moulton, 1872-75; Rev. Peter Scramling,
1875; Rev. M.C. Brown, 1875-78; Rev. D.C. Wheeler, 1878; Rev. David
Boyd, 1880-83; Rev. C.A. Gleason, 1883--.
[Footnote A: A Free Baptist church had been built at the Plains many
years before.]
The first Episcopal services were held in 1839, by the Rev. Andrew
Hall, a missionary to Oneonta and Otego. At first the society
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