Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Methodism in Northfield
By Rev. A. C. Stevens
Northfield was first settled on East Hill in 1785, by Amos and Ezekiel Robinson and Stanton Richardson. One of these, at least, Stanton Richardson, belonged to the Methodist church. It was not however till some few years later that the first Methodist class was formed. The first class-leader was William Keyes. The names of those who were members of this class, as near as can now be ascertained, were, William Keyes, leader, Stanton Richardson, Elijah Smith, Joseph Nichols, and their wives.
The first Methodist preacher formally appointed to Vermont was Nicholas Snethen, in 1796, to what was then known as Vershire Circuit.
It was, however, not till about 1804 that regular Methodist preaching was sustained in Northfield, when the Barre circuit was formed, embracing some dozen towns, of which Northfield was one. The first regular Methodist preachers in the the town were Elijah Hedding and Dan Young; but little is recorded of the latter.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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