History of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Saint
Johnsbury
1861-1862 Rev. Tracy R. Spencer who was born in Lempster, NH
was the first to hold services in St. Johnsbury. He died in St. Johnsbury, Oct.
2, 1864. He had pastorates in New Hampshire from 1846 and St. Johnsbury and East
Montpelier (1850-1864).
Services were suspended during the Civil War. After the war, the first services
were held in the G. A. R Hall at which Rev. George Severance preached. Services
were held in the town hall by various supplies.
1868 Rev. F.E. Healey organized the Second Universalist Church,
St. Johnsbury, Vermont Jan. 23, 1868. (First Universalist Church was in what is
now St. Johnsbury Center) He lived in Vermont over 30 years yet little is known
about him. From 1864 to about 1890 he served churches in West Burke, Barnet,
Lyndon Center, West Burke, Derby Line and Morrisville. In 1898, he was dismissed
"for ministerial labors under other auspices."
The first officers were: moderator Barron Moulton; clerk Auinton Cook; Treasurer
E. F. Brown; and trustees E. A. Parks, Hiram Goss and John L. Couch. The annual
meetings of the church were held at the old Passumpsic Hotel managed by O.G.
Hale a staunch Universalist.
1870 The Ladies Circle was formed.
1871-1884 Rev. Benjamin Marshall Tillotson accepted a call to be the
minister of the St. Johnsbury Church in December of 1871. He was born in Orford,
NH, Mar. 22, 1819. He died in White River Junction, Jan. 17, 1890. He graduated
from Kimball Union Academy & Newton Seminary. He was ordained in Concord
in1843. His pastorates included Concord & St. Johnsbury Center 1842-43 while
teaching school; New Hampshire; Philadelphia; New Hampshire; St. Johnsbury
1871-1884; Woodstock 1884-1889, supplying also at Hartland; North Hartland;
South Woodstock; White River Junction; Pomfret; and Enfield 1890. He was widely
known in the denomination as a minister and a temperance worker. In 1873, having
been present at the deathbed of the venerable John E. Palmer, he gave the
Convention a touching account of that experience. He was convention
vice-president, then president from 1877 to 1879. He married in 1844 Corilla,
daughter of Abel Butler, and organizer of the St. Johnsbury Church. His brother
was Rev. O. H. Tillotson. Upon B. M. Tillotson's death, a special train was run
from White River Junction to accommodate the mourners who went to Orford for the
services.
The land was purchased in September 1871 for $3,000.
The corner stone was laid Aug. 10 1872. A box was inserted including the records of the church, proceedings of centenary meetings at Gloucester MA Sept. 1870, the Ladies Repository, The Winchester1803 Confession of Faith, Denominational papers: The Universalist, The Gospel Banner, The Christian Leader, The New Covenant, The Star in the West; and The Myrtle. Local papers: The Caledonian; the times; the Vermont Union; and the North Star. The Universalist Register, about 70 names of people who contributed one dollar for the cornerstone and the names of the workmen o the building.
The ladies gave an oyster supper Dec. 4th, 1872 to raise money for a carpet
for the new church.
The church was dedicated January 23, 1873. Lambert Packard was the architect and
John Stevens was the builder. The seating Capacity was 500 (75 pews). At this
service the opening prayer was offered by Rev. F.E. Healey, the dedicatory
address was given by Rev. Tillotson and the sermons was preached by Rev. Eli
Ballou, and the dedicatory prayer was by Rev. Edward Wright followed by a short
address by Rev. Healey.
The first Sabbath School concert was held in April 1873.
The St. Johnsbury Church participated in the "Great Awakening" of
1875. On March 28 the church was filled, "deep interest being
manifest".
1884-1885 Rev. George W. Jenkins - "A man of rare good nature
and of real ability as a scholar. He was a Christian gentleman, who filled a
particularly difficult and trying position with genuine grace and success."
(Caledonian Record 1/26/08)
A tree was planted at the church in spring 1885 on Vermont's first official
Arbor Day.
1886-1891 Rev. Ezra Almon Hoyt - "probably without question the
ablest preacher of all who have filled this pulpit as pastor. But for a serious
infirmity of deafness, he would, without doubt, have reached the highest place
in our church as pulpit orator." (Caledonian Record 1/26/08)
1892-1894 Rev. Costello Weston - "probably the finest literary
scholar and writer of all his associates in this pastorate." (Caledonian
Record 1/26/08)
1895- Nov. 1, 1898 Rev. Harvey Hastings Hoyt Came directly from
Tufts and after became state missionary for Maine. "Of a most amiable and
hopeful disposition, lovable and loving, he greatly endeared himself to the
parish and the whole community, and is held in pleasant remembrance by all who
knew him.
Nov. 1, 1898- Aug. 16, 1899 Harry Lawrence Veazey was born July
25, 1870 in Haverhill MA, He studied at Lawrence University. He was ordained
July 25, 1897.
The annual meeting book noted "August 16, 1899 Our pastor Harry Lawrence
Veazey and Miss Ellen Calhoun, his fiancée were drowned in Caspian Lake at
Greensboro VT and their remains have not been recovered."
1900 Rev. J.P. Quimby "combined much ready knowledge of a
general nature with eloquence and enthusiasm." Caledonian Record 1/26/08)
June 23, 1901-1908 Rev. A. F. Walch - In January 1908, the 40th
anniversary of the parish and 30th anniversary of the dedication of the church
building was celebrated. The 100th anniversary of the Northern Association of
Universalists was held in June.
Also in June extensive repairs were completed. The vestibule, auditorium, and
anterooms were frescoed. The chancel and altar were rearranged and a new choir
rail was built. The prevailing interior colors were various shades of olive.
1909-1913 Rev. Benjamin F. Butler - In April, the church decided to
accept the offer by Mr. and Mrs. B. I. Staples of a lot on Pearl Street for a
parsonage. The committee was F. B. Hooker, F. A. Scott, C. J. Gilfillan, Miss
Carrie Underwood and Miss Kate Wakefield. The 8-room cottage was finished that
fall.
1914- Apr. 24, 1918 Rev. C. L. Eaton - The 84th annual meeting of
the Vermont Quebec Convention met in St. Johnsbury Aug 28-31 1916. The Young
peoples' Union met the evening of August 28. A praise service was led by Weston
A. Cate (Later a minister here) who was at that time a student at St. Lawrence.
The welcome address was given by Milton Montgomery.
1918-1920 Rev. Harold Guy Don Scott was born in Newport, Nov. 13,
1892. He died in Kennebunk, Maine, 1965. His education included Tufts,
Vanderbilt, and the Univ. of Chicago Th.D 1938. He was ordained in Old Town
Maine in1917. His pastorates included Maine, St. Johnsbury, Ohio, Alabama,
Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Massachusetts, Utah, Massachusetts, and again
Maine. He preached also in St. Johnsbury Center while in Vermont. He married the
church organist before going to Ohio.
1920-1922 Rev. Weston Atwood Cate was born in Japan on Feb. 27,
1894. He died in Montpelier, Dec. 6, 1962. His education included Goddard &
St. Lawrence 1918; He received an honorary degree from St. Lawrence. He was
ordained June 14, 1918. His pastorates included East Montpelier as a student;
St. Johnsbury 1920-21; Woodstock, South Woodstock 1922-25; New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Maine, and New York. He did some summer work at Calais & E.
Calais, Felchville, and South Strafford. Dr. Cate served as a trustee of the
state YPCU, 1921-25. Mrs. Arlene Jeffords Cate once served as secretary of the
state Women's Association and was still living near Montpelier in 1976. The 1921
convention was treated to the news of the birth of Weston Atwood Cate Jr., who
became prominent in Vermont education work.
1922-1924 Rev. George Wilson Scudder was born in Poultney, May 3,
1876. He died at Brunswich Maine, May 8, 1956 and was buried at Auburn. He
graduated from St. Lawrence. He was ordained in1906. His pastorates included New
York; St. Johnsbury and St. Johnsbury Center 1922-24; Maine; and Massachusetts.
He retired in the 1930s and with his wife operated a gift shop.
Rev. George Ferdinand Fortier, convention superintendent, preached in St. Johnsbury on Oct. 19, 1924. He was born in Somerville, MA, May 19, 1874. He died in Morrisville, May 4, 1928. He graduated from Tufts and was ordained in1897. His pastorates included Massachusetts; Bethel 1903-5; Northfield 1905-10: Rutland 1910-22; St. Albans 1914-17; and Morrisville 1917-1922. He was convention secretary, then superintendent from 1910-1928. He served as president of the Board of Education in Morrisville and was instrumental in getting the law passed by which judges could no longer sentence dependent children to the Industrial school in Vergennes.
Nov. 2, 1924 One early reference of a woman in this pulpit was
Harriet Baker Robinson of Oldtown, Maine who preached here on Nov. 2, 1924.
George F. Fortier, the Convention superintendent, wrote: "She is better
than any $25 man you are likely to get."
Nov. 23, 1924-1930 Rev. Thomas W. Horsfield was born in Manchester
England in1889. He died in St., Johnsbury April 30 1965. He graduated from
Manchester University and the University of Chicago. He was ordained in
Pennsylvania, 1916. His pastorates included California: Massachusetts; St.
Johnsbury; Maine; and again St. Johnsbury 1935-63. He was very popular with his
congregation.
1930-about 1933 Rev. John Merrill Paige was born in Lincoln, Apr.
22, 1868. He died Feb. 14 1936. He was ordained a Baptist minister, 1893. He was
educated at Bates and Tufts 1903. His pastorates included Baptist, Universalist
& Unitarian churches in Maine, St. Johnsbury, & Concord. He served both
churches from 1930-34 & kept the Concord group until his death.
1934-1935 Rev. Howard Davis Spoerl Ph .D. was born in Brooklyn, New
York, Mar 19, 1903. He died at Springfield Mass., April 1957. His education
included Tufts, University of Maine, and a Harvard Ph.D. 1934. He was ordained
1927. His pastorates included North Montpelier (summer 1926); Maine;
Jeffersonville (Congregational) and St. Johnsbury 1934-5.
He left to teach psychology and philosophy at Northeastern University, then at
American International College. A prolific writer, he contributed poems to
Driftwind, the publication run by Rev. Walter Coates in North Montpelier.
Howard married Dorothy Tilden Spoerl Ph.D. Besides carrying on a long career in
the teaching of psychology and several pastorates; she was editor of the Beacon
series in Religious Education (1955-64). She served Woodstock-Hartland 1970-72.
Her father was Dr. Joseph Mayo Tilden, president of Lombard College 1916-28.
1935-1963 Rev. Thomas Horsfield again served St. Johnsbury from
1935 to his retirement in1963. (See above).
April 24, 1951 the slate covered church steeple was removed and replaced with a
slanting two-way roof. Board Chair John W. Simons said in the paper that
Woodbury Memorial Hall was being used for services and the church was being used
as a meeting place for the local unit of the U.S. Army Reserve and the Caledonia
Law Enforcement Association.
1963-1978 Rev. Warren Nye was ordained June 8, 1969, at St.
Johnsbury. Glennis, Warren's wife, lives in Monroe NH. In 1972 the original
church was torn down.
1979-1981 Forest Lasnier a lay preacher
1986-1987 Wendall Keithan a lay preacher
1990-1997 Stanley Slayton a Congregational lay preacher was born
in Hardwick Sept. 26, 1915. He graduated from Cornell. He also served the East
Barnet Congregational Church 17-18 years
1997-Present Rev. Brendan Douglas Hadash was born in Windsor, Ontario,
Canada, April 25, 1951. He graduated from the University of Windsor, and Starr
King Theological School M. Div. 1981. He was ordained in 1981 at Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada. His pastorates included North Hatley, Quebec; Derby Line, and
West Burke 1982-86. He was installed as minister of St. Johnsbury Sept. 14,
1997.