Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Churches of Marshfield
Advent Church
Feb. 6, 1867, another church was organized here of 6 members,
believing in the advent of Christ near at hand, under the
pastoral care of Rev. J. A. Cleaveland.
Baptist Church
From the early settlement of the town there have been residents
here who have maintained the views of the Baptist church. More
than 30 years ago a church of this denomination was organized,
consisting of members in Barre, Plainfield and Marshfield. The
larger number resided in Barre and Plainfield, and this church
will probably be mentioned in the history of one of those towns.
[Barre has left it, we think, to Plainfield.-Ed.]
Universalist Society
Universalism was introduced into this town by Daniel Bemis, a
Revolutionary soldier, who moved here from Conn, in 1809. Soon
after Ebenezer Dodge, Jr., and Robert Spencer became associated
with Mr. B. in religious faith. The first preacher of this faith
here was Rev. Wm. Farewell, in 1818. From this time there was
occasional Universalist preaching here till 1854, by Revs. L. H.
Tabor, Benjamin Page, Lester Warren, and it may be some others.
In 1854, Daniel Bemis, Junior, Edwin Pitkin, Jonathan Goodwin, Abijah Hall and others united and secured the services of Rev. Wm. Sias for one-fourth of the Sabbaths for this and the next year. During 1855, the friends organized, under the name of "The Universalist Society of Liberal Christians in Marshfield." The
Connected with the society and congregation are some 40 families, beside many single individuals of other families. There is also a small Sabbath-school, for the use of which there is a reading library of 150 vols. The church property is worth from $3,000 to $3,500, ¾ of which is given to the occupancy of the society.
Methodist Church in Marshfield
In May, 1826, Stephen Pitkin, Jr., married the writer, a
daughter of Gen. Parley Davis, of Montpelier. A few months
before she had been baptized by Rev. Wilbur Fisk, and united
with the M. E. church on probation. Previous to their marriage
Mr. Pitkin had also experienced religion. In Jan. 1827, there
being no Methodists in Marshfield at that time, they both united
with the Methodist church in Cabot; he as a probationer, being
baptized by Rev. A. D. Sargeant, of the N. E. Conference, and
she, by letter, in full connection. In 1827, the union
meeting-house was built at Marshfield, and a committee appointed
to divide the time for occupying the house between the different
denominations owning it. A few Sabbaths were set to the
Methodists, though Mr. Pitkin was the only Methodist pew-holder.
The first preacher sent here by Conference was Rev. David Packer, who died a few years since in Chelsea, Mass. He resided on East Hill, in Calais.
In 1851, the Congregationalists and Methodists agreed to unite and support preaching. First for 2 years they would have Congregational preaching, and then Methodist for the next 2. Rev. Mr. Marsh, Congregational, was our first minister, and at the close of the two years Rev. Lewis P. Cushman was appointed by Conference, and spent 2 years with us. In those years a number were added to the church. Mr. Cushman is now a missionary in Texas; his little daughter, Clara, so well remembered by us, started last October as a missionary to China.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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