Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Freewill Baptist Church, Worchester, Vermont
A Freewill Baptist Church was organized June 15, 1826, by Elders Ziba Woodworth and Josiah Weatherly.
First Members
| Abigail Abbott Abraham Abbott Catharine Abbott Ephraim Abbott Jesse Abbott Nathan Abbott Sarah Abbott Susan Abbott Wm. Arbuckle Polly Arbuckle |
Lydia Bennett Wm. Bennett Abigail Bussell Edward Clough Jr. Lucy Clough Ruth Clough Ruth Clough 2nd Fanny Flint David Folsom Eliza Folsom |
Mehitable Folsom Matthias Folsom Jane Hunt Clarissa Peck Levi Pratt Rachel Pratt Barney Sanders Betsey Sanders Polly Smith |
Matthias Flint was deacon, and Wm. Bennett church clerk; and meetings were held in Jesse Flint's house and O. L. Smith's house, and also in the school-house in Dis. No. 4, which was then on the farm now owned by Horatio Templeton. Mr. Woodworth and a Mr. Chatterton from Middlesex, preached for them some, and May, 29, 1840, Elder Moses Folsom became their pastor, during which time grievous differences arose; the church preferred charges against their pastor, "for consenting to conversation upon subjects unprofitable" before a committee from the Congregational church. Elder Folsom was dismissed June 3, 1846. After him. Rev. Lucius F. Harris was pastor for 2 years, or until 1848. "Sister Ruth Clough" was the first person added to this church after its organization, July 9. Its whole number of members was 93.
It lost its organization soon after Elder Harris ended his ministrations; and but one now of its members is living in town, and who has not united with any other church, Mrs. Elizabeth Folsom, widow of Dea. Folsom, who lives with her son-in-law, Horatio Templeton, and is upwards of 80; and it cannot be now easily known, the records do not know, where the organization was. According to the recollections of some, it was in the old block school-house. Meetings were held there, also at the house of Oramel L. Smith, whose wife was one of its first members; also were held in the Templeton school-house, and at other private houses on Minister Brook
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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