Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Church History Roxbury, Vermont
Church History is very meager here. There have been no records
kept of the early churches. The Methodist and Calvinist Baptist
seem to have been first organized. The first minister publicly
ordained in town was
Ophir Shipman
The charter of the town allowed the first ordained minister a lot of land, and Rev. Lyman Culver was privately ordained, and claimed the lot, it is said, but there was great dissatisfaction. Mr. O. Richardson says they came to his uncle, Samuel Robertson, in the night to let him know it, and he went to Northfield after 12 o'clock at night, and the next day Rev. Ophir Shipman was ordained.
Baptists
Rev. Lyman Culver was one of the earliest Baptist preachers (probably the first), and resided in town several years. Friend Blood and Jehial Claflin preached considerably from 1835 to '45. A good old Baptist lady was " churched ''' for communing with the Methodists, and she with several others joined the Congregationalists about this time.
There was a Calvinistic Baptist church in town many years, but I find no record of it now. Mrs. Woodard is the only member of the Baptist church left in town. A great revival was brought about in that church in this manner. A little girl overheard her mother and a neighbor talking of the necessity for a Christian life, and the beauty and purity of a true Christian character, and was so deeply impressed that she went to praying earnestly in secret, and came out a shining light, leading others of her companions to do likewise, until it spread into the most extended revival ever in town.
Methodists in Roxbury
As early as 1813, how much earlier I am unable to say, the Methodists held their meetings at Eleazer Woodard's and David Young's. Benjamin F. Hoyt preached in 1813, Joel Winch from 1820 to '30, E. J, Scott in 1830, 33, John Smith, called Happy John, in 1834, and Hollis Kendall, a native of Roxbury, preached here several years. He moved to Maine, and died there a few years since. Ariel Fay and John Mason preached here at different times. None of these, with the exception of Hollis Kendall, lived in town. Those early Methodists are nearly all gone to their reward. Phineas Wiley, or "Father" Wiley, as he was called for years, died in 188 1. I think he was the last member of the first Methodist church formed in town. The first meeting house was built in 1837, a union church.
Congregationalists
Of the Congregationalist ministers who preached here in the early times were Rev. Mr. Hobart, of Berlin, Elijah Lyman, of Brookfield, Ammi Nichols, of Braintree, as early as 1814, and meetings were held at Samuel Robertson's and at the old school-house that stood north of where O. A. Staples now lives.
The Free Congregationalist Church
was organized about 1837, by Rev. Ammi Nichols, of Braintree, and what remained of the Methodists and most of the Baptist church joined with them, but they never had a settled minister until 1865, when Rev. A. Ladd was ordained and installed pastor, and remained here until the autumn of 1879. They built a pleasant and convenient house of worship in 1871. Samuel Edwards and W. I. Simonds are the only deacons ever chosen, both of whom now officiate.
Christian Church
A Christian Church was organized in the east part of the town in 1868. Rev. Henry Howard is present pastor (1882). Rev. Edward Brown, Universalist, lived in town several years, where John Baird now resides, and preached a part of the time.
The different religious organizations of this town have been: Congregationalist, Methodist, Episcopal, Free Will Baptist, Calvinist Baptist, Christian, Universalist and Spiritualist.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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