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Hollis Reed, Williams. 1826.
Admatha Grout, Dartmouth, 1845.
Henry M. Grout, Williams, 1854.
Henry K. Field, Amherst, 1869.
The following, though not natives, have received a collegiate education while residents of the town. Calvin Knowlton moved to Newfane with his father in 1772, fitted for college here, and graduated, at Dartmouth, in 1784 ; Edward J. and Samuel R. Warren, sons of Dr. John P. Warren, graduated, — Edward at Dartmouth in 1846, and Samuel at Yale in 1860.
William H. Hodges, graduated at Colby University, Waterville, Maine, in 1851.
Four young men from Newfane are now obtaining a collegiate education:
Webster Merrifield, at Yale, class of 1877
Aaron C. Dickinson, at Tufts, " " 1878
R. Morton Sherman, " " " 1880,
John N. Shipman. at Madison University, Hamilton, N. Y., class of 1880.
FORMERLY CALLED MARLBORO AND NEWFANE.
This church was organized October 29th, 1794, from members of the Dummerston Church, fifteen males and seven females. The council was composed as follows: Eld. Whitman Jacobs, Moderator, and Deas. Barney and Carpenter, of 2d Guilford Church ; Eld. Asa Hibbard, and Brn. Lewis Allen and Ebnr. Brown, of Putney Church ; Eld. Perky Hicks, Dea. Darius Bullock, and Brn. Jos. Carpenter and Benj. Ballou, Scribe, of 3d Guilford Church. There were added to these, Nehemiah Fisher, of 2d Guilford Church, and Eld. Freeman, Dea. French and Br. Wakefield. This council met at the house of Nehemiah Fisher, in Newfane.
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At the close of the council, the infant church met and elected John Phillips, Jr., as clerk, who served them in that capacity, with the interruption of only two or three years, till 1840, when the present incumbent, Joseph Morse, came into office. The above is all that can be gathered of the history of this church for the first six years, as its records were not preserved.
In 1802, Nehemiah Fisher is called deacon, and the membership doubled in two years.
In 1803, Eld. Benj. Cole is preacher, and is still with them in August of 1804, and, after an absence of one or more years, returns with a letter from the Halifax Church.
In November, 1804, Matthew Bennett is authorized to improve his gifts. A Deacon Thomas Baker is mentioned in 1805, who prepared the Circular Letter for the Association, was licensed to preach in July, 1806, called to the pastoral care of the church on trial, and declining to be ordained, was dismissed to the Windham Church.
In 1806, James Ball and Mansfield Bruce were chosen deacons, the latter of whom, with twenty others, were added to this little church during the last seven months of this year.
In March, 1807, the church "Voted, That it is the deacons' duty to call on brethren that do not go to meeting, to know the reason and invite them to their duty." In May of the same year, Br. Achalaus Dean was appointed leader of singing.
In July, 1809, Dea. N. Fisher was licensed to preach, and Brn. John Phillips and Stephen Otis chosen deacons. In September of the same year, Dea. M. Bruce was ordained and became the first settled and salaried pastor of the church, and remained such till the close of 1818. During the last years of his pastorate, he did not preach all the time to this people; the rest of the time was occupied by their licensed deacon, Nehemiah Fisher. Elder Bruce baptized into this church 85 converts. There were present at the ordination of Elder Bruce, Eld. J. Huntley, Moderator, and Brn. Saml. Guernsey and Jesse Manley, of Dummerston Church ; Eld. Lewis Allen, Dea. Jacob Stoddard and Br. Saml. Nichols, of the united Guilford Church; Eld. Benj. Buckland and Br. John Greene, of the 4th Guilford Church ; Eld. Thomas
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Baker, Dea. Aaron Knapp and Br. Wm. Holmes, of Windham Church, and Eld. Elijah Hall and Br. Jas. Tucker, of Halifax Church. To these were added Elds. John Rathburn, Asa Hibbard and Joseph Elliot ; and Brn. John Spalding and Jonathan Wilson. Elder Elliot preached the sermon, Elder Hibbard made the ordaining prayer, Elder J. Rathbun, gave the charge and Elder Allen gave the right hand of fellowship.
The following vote, passed September 5, 1810, shows the early practice of the church on the subject of the Lord's Supper:
"Whereas, The church has formerly given liberty to those members that were received into this church to commune with an unbaptized denomination, we now see our error ; and now, Voted, to unfellowship the practice."
October 7, 1811, Simeon Jones was chosen deacon, and served the church about two years. In 1816 the membership of the church was ninety-six.
In 1817 the church built their first meeting house within the limits of the town of Marlboro.
The church was supplied by Dea. N. Fisher during 1819 and a part of 1820, when Eld. Paul Hines became pastor and served as such for two years. The church was prospered during this pastorate, and forty-three were added by baptism. From the close of Eld. Hines' labors till the ordination of Phineas Howe, the church was supplied with preaching by Dea. N. Fisher, assisted, in 1823, by N. McCullock.
September 10, 1824, Ira Ingram was chosen deacon.
October 28, 1824, Phineas Howe was ordained pastor by a council, composed of Elds. M. Bruce, Wilmington, who preached the sermon ; Asahel Wood, Putney, moderator ; A. Lamb, Guilford (united), clerk ; Linus Austin, Whitingham, ordaining prayer ; and Eld. Goodenough, right hand of fellowship.
With the exception of three years, from 1832 to 1835, when D. H. Grant and other licentiates supplied the church, Eld. Howe was pastor till 1842. During this pastorate the church enjoyed, at least, four periods of revival, and nearly one hundred and seventy-five were added by baptism, and had
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numbered as many as one hundred and ninety-five in 1841. He afterwards returned to this people and spent his last days with them.
February 24, 1834, John Goodnow was elected deacon.
From January, 1838, till March, 1839, Rev. Calvin Keyes was a member of this church. He was dismissed to Conway, Mass.
In 1838 a man ninety-seven years of age was baptized, who had waited sixty-seven years to become fit for the ordinance.
In 1840 Joseph Morse was chosen clerk and deacon, and Luke Sherwin licensed to preach. About this time a new meeting house was built, and the location changed to Pondville. This change created a dissatisfaction in a part of the membership, who, for a time, held a separate meeting. This same meeting house has lately been extensively repaired, and rededicated May 30, 1872.
From the close of Eld. Howe's pastorate till the commencement of Foster Hartwell's, in October, 1844, the church was supplied one year by a licentiate named Caleb Smith. Eld. Hartwell closed his labors about September, 1848. They were destitute a short time, when Rev. C. L. Baker supplied them till the fall of 1849 ; and, sometime before September, 1850, Rev. A. H. Stearns became pastor, and was pastor three years. During this time he received into the church thirty-six by baptism and nine by letter.
In 1852 the church passed the following resolution:
"Resolved, That we disapprove of all secret societies, whether it be Odd Fellowship, Freemasonry, or called by any other name."
After a destitution of about one year, Rev. J. P. Huntington became pastor, and was pastor till about the last of 1856. In January, 1857, Bro. Baldwin labored as an Evangelist. In March following, I. C. Carpenter became pastor. Twenty-two baptisms were reported in the association letter as the result of this revival. Eld. Carpenter remained pastor till March, 1862, and was followed in the pastorate by C. D. Fuller in July next. The latter was pastor till March, 1864, when J. M. Willmarth succeeded him in this office till April, 1867.
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From the last date till December, 1868, the church was destitute of a pastor, but not destitute of revival interest, as several were converted and added to the church. At that time, S. S. White became pastor, closing in April, 1871. During the winter of 1870 and 1871 the church was refreshed, and nine were added by baptism. From April, 1871, to June, 1872, they were without a regular preacher, but were supplied at intervals. During this time they repaired their house of worship at an expense of about $1500. In June, 1872, John A. Rich became pastor and continued in that relation till September, 1873. He was succeeded in February, 1874, by A. J. Walker, who preached two years. During Mr. Walker's pastorate twenty-six were added to the church. The present pastor, Wm. Beavins, commenced his labors in April, 1876. Since 1802, there have been added to this church, by baptism, four hundred ; eight have been licensed to preach, the most of whom were subsequently ordained, and eight have been called to the deacon's office, two of whom still remain to serve the church, viz.: — John Goodnow and Joseph Morse. James Charter, formerly deacon in a Baptist church at Somerville, Mass., has acted in that capacity in this church since 1870.
FIRST UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY.
The present society was organized in 1825. That Universalism existed in town, in an organized form, at a much earlier period, however, is shown by the following extract from the first volume of town records:
"NEWFANE, AUGUST YE 14, 1787.
This may certify all persons whom it may concern that the following persons, whose names are herein inserted, are professors of the doctrine of Universal Salvation by