Vermont AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

Universalist of Waitsfield, Vermont

This society was formed Dec. 30, 1830. Quite a number of the prominent men in town entertained this doctrinal belief, and soon after the dismissal of Rev. Mr. Chandler from the pastorate of the Congregational church, they organized by electing Roderick Richardson, moderator; Cyron Burdick, clerk; R. Richardson, Daniel Thayer and Matthias S. Jones, prudential committee.

Rev. Mr. Fuller was their first preacher, and his first services were held as early as 1826. They were held in school-houses, barns, or wherever it seemed best or was necessary to hold them. It was claimed once (though some of the leading Universalists did not countenance it), that they had a right to the use of the Congregational meeting-house at least one-fourth of the time. This caused considerable discussion and trouble, and at length brought about an arbitration, in which several distinguished lawyers were employed and several days consumed. Their decision was emphatically against the claim of the Universalists, who abided by it like men. Six years later, the society (in connection with the Baptists), erected the brick church in the village, a good substantial structure with about 250 sittings. Of this the society owned nearly three-fourths, but the agreement was that every man who owned a pew would occupy the house one Sabbath in the year for such religious worship as was agreeable to himself.

The names of the different preachers were as follows:

During the pastorate of Mr. Thornton, a Sunday school and Bible class was sustained, and the congregation was comparatively large.

Back

Waitsfield Vermont| AHGP

Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.

Please Come Back Again!