North Waterford, Maine: Congregational Church History

This first item was copied from Oxford County Advertiser, Friday, Feb. 3, 1911.

NORTH WATERFORD CHURCH HISTORICAL SKETCH
by Ellen Millett Davenport

I think it was before 1860 that the people in and about North Waterford began to think about building a church. For sometime meetings had been held in the old red school house and later in the new one built in 1858 and burned in 1900. In those days there was quite a population both of grown people and children and all seemed to be united and interested in having a church.

I think the people at the "Flat" did not like this idea very well and I suppose they had some good reasons for all who had teams used to go each Sunday, and I have heard Aunt Eliza Farmer tell the story that she had walked many times the four miles to church, going barefoot most of the way and carrying her shoes in her hand and with the girl who walked with her putting them on when near the "Flat".

When people first began to talk about a new church, Mr. William Greene offered to give the land which was situated over in a field behind his house which stood on the corner opposite my uncle John Rand's store. This house was painted red and the well, now on the common was in the kitchen. Mr. Greene was very kind, generous man, but a very strict one, and his observance of Sunday and the laws of justice and morality were never broken.

There was a great dispute about the site of the new church most people thinking it ought to face the road, but Mr. Greene insisted it should face the back of his buildings. He could forsee what others could not. They did not know of his plan to build a handsome new house opposite the church and move his old one, thus forming an open square, or of the new road to Lovell, which he worked so hard to gain. Both this road and his new house were built in 1862. I well remember the universal displeasure at the decided stand Mr. Greene took in the situation of the church, but he had given the land and his word could not be disputed.

July 4, 1860, the church was raised in the presence of several hundred people, as I remember. My mother who died July 15th that year walked across the floor to see the skeleton of the new building and she said she would not live to see it finished.

George Hobson took the contract, and everyone gave as they could afford of their time and money in the construction.

The steeple was built in the vestibule and raised by long ropes to its present position.

This occasion was in the fall, also viewed by a large crowd. There was a proud and happy community when at last all was completed, a beautiful red carpet laid in the aisles and each one who could afford it carpeted their own pew and nearly all were able to do this.

To my childish eyes there was never anything so large and gorgeous as that magnificent chandelier, with three lamps filled with kerosene, a new kind of oil which was almost as bright as daylight, and which was too expensive to burn every day in families.

When the pulpit was being built, I asked Mr. Granville Martin, who was one of the workmen what it was and he said it was a trap for naughty children who if they did not behave were snatched up by the minister who had a trap door under his foot to let them down where they must stay till meeting was done. For some years I believed that story and often hunted for a seam in the carpet which should indicate a trap door.

The church was dedicated Dec. 24, 1860, my seventh birthday, and I well remember taking my father's hand and walking over to the new church. He was the leader in the choir for some years and he told me if I did not sit still he should be in the gallery where he could see me, and as I had before known the power of his eagle eyes and with the memory of that awful trap door, I think I was a well behaved child.

The ministers whom I remember being present were Rev. Mr. Douglass, Rev. Mr. Warren, Rev. Mr. Gould of Albany and Rev. Mr. Wilcox, but I think there were several others. One hymn sung was "Blest be the tie that binds."

My uncle John Rand induced some one in Portland to give the Communion service, and Wm. Greene gave those wonderful lamps.

A melodeon was brought in from John Green's on every Sunday, and until her illness his daughter Selinda used to play on Sundays.

I remember that Farnham Jewett's daughter Lizzie used to play on occasions. Many Sundays there was choir singing without music and it was not until 1871 that an organ was bought.

My father made the blinds, receiving $70.00 for that work and on July 4, 1864, my sister and myself helped him hang them holding our fingers in the slats as he marked the places for the hinges.

Those were days when people loved to go to church and Sunday after Sunday, especially in summer, every pew was filled and for some years there were two services each Sunday with an hour for Sabbath school between. I remember Mr. and Mrs. Asa Hersey with little Frank between them and Ezra standing up behind or dangling his legs as the notion took him, coming five miles, and no storm was too severe to keep them at home.

In that broad aisle, so full of memories, sat Capt. Kilborn and his placid faced wife with Emma and Sarah. Mrs. William Greene and her family, for Mr. Greene died in 1863, Mrs. Thomas Greene and her family, John Greene's family, Stephen Horr's family, Peter Mosher and his wife, Isaac Horr's family, and who has forgotten aunt Ruth Flint, Henry Jewett and family, Deacon Watson and family, Isaac Beckler and family, Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Hodgdon and the Chaplain Sisters, Mr. and Mrs. John Rand, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whitney, Mr. and Mrs. John Rice, Mr. and Mrs. Farnham Jewett, and Mr. and Mrs. George Knight and family.

Does anyone remember aunt Susan Haskell, who had a chair back attached to her pew that she might lean her head? Mr. and Mrs. Josua Saunders with all those boys, who were so long the very backbone of the church. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rice and Mr. and Mrs. George Rice were never absent and their children rise to call them blessed. The Buswell family, who lived nearly twenty years in the village, were always present. The Sawin families and the Bisbeetown people, uncle Daniel Lebroke and Amos Sampson, John Proctor's family and John Horr, then a handsome young man, was about to be married. Uncle Thomas Bell, who was step-father to all those Starbird boys sat in front of my father's pew, and he used to put a handkerchief over his shining bald head to keep off the flies on summer days.

Has anyone forgotten the kindly faces of uncle Jacob Greene and his gentle wife? For many years he had the Bible class in the corner, the influence of which Rev. Frank Hersey (the same little Frank) spoke of in a sermon in later years.

In my own Sabbath school class taught many years by Mrs. John Greene, were Kate Hobson, Lizzie Hayes, Emma Edgerly, Lillie Buswell, Alfaretta Lebroke, Fidelia Watson, Lizzie Rice, Alice Greene, Ruth Greene, Maria Knight, my sister Celia and myself.

There was another class Mary Hobson, Lois Greene, Lizzie Knight, Eleanor Horr, Emma Kilbourne, Anna Greene and others.

And still another, Hattie Greene, Lucia Edgerly, Sadie Buswell and Nellie, Nettie Rand, Lillie Greene. Are these all forgotten?

It may be, but the influence of the promoters and founders of that church was far reaching and powerful.

If I have forgotten to mention some of the good ones who walked those aisles and sat in those pews, it is not intentional, and believe me, if thought is carried to endless distance, like a message on a Marconi instrument, then my thought goes afar to you today, bearing a message of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

And may the mantle of those good men and women, who though unseen still walk in spirit beside you, rest upon the faithful who remain to remember the days gone by.

Following is a draft (or copy) letter to the Congregational Church in Albany, Maine. Dated June 16, 1865, five years after the dedication of the North Waterford Church, I'm not sure what purpose it served or who authored it.