NEKG ~ 1825-1925 Meeting House, Burke, Caledonia Co., Vermont

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The Burke Meeting-house Company met on 2 April 1825, with Daniel Wellman as moderator and Isaac Denison as clerk. A committee reported as to site. George W. Denison, Timothy Fisher, Isaac Denison and Roman Fyler were chosen to draw a plan and draft a constitution. The new meeting house was to be constructed on land owned by Roman Fyler. Four denominations gathered together to form this house of worship. Each denomination was to use the Meeting House every fourth Sunday. The contract for the work was given to Ira Armington of St. Johnsbury Center. He employed Seth Clark, Jr. of Burke, a master carpenter. Mr. Clark, his wife and daughter, Mahala, moved to the Hollow in 1825 and stayed there while Clark built the Meeting House. William Godding, then 10 years old, & Henry Darling were at the "raising," where Elder Palmer said a prayer. The mason work was done by Noah Allen & Mr. Armington made the inside woodwork & the finishings. Payment was made by Squire Coe of young cattle, driven to the Hollow by Almon Smith
DEDICATION
Elder Cheney of Derby	Baptist Preacher	Presided at Dedication
Squire Hall		Led Singing
Martin Doyle		Played Clarinet
Matthew Cushing		Played Double Bass
Electra, Eliza & David Hall		Singers
Seth, Mary, & Lorenzo Clark		Singers
Charles & Almon Smith		Singers
Marcus & Adeline Fyler		Singers
John, Philip, Nathaniel & Oren Kibby		Singers
Catherine, Emily and Fabian Blair		Singers
Sally Walter		Singer
Maria Jones		Singer
Chloe Newell		Singer
Fanny Bundy		Singer
Anson Eggelston		Singer
Erastus Humphrey		Singer
Flossy White		Singer
Henry Cushing		Singer

	OFFICERS CHOSEN
Fyler, Barton N.	Clerk
Denison, George W.	Chairman of Committee
Fisher, Timothy	for Congregationalists
Fyler, Roman	for Methodists
Hall, Sylvester	for Universalists
Denison, Isaac	for Baptists
Newell, Titus	Treasurer
Walter, Ira	Collector

LIST OF ORIGINAL PEW HOLDERS
SLIPS	SLIPS	SLIPS
1. Seth Clark, Jr.	21 Ira Humphrey	41. George Fyler
2. Roman Fyler	22. Isaac Martin, Jr.	42. Mason Esterbrooks
3. Erastus Humphrey	23. John Martin	43. Horace R. Fyler
4. Ozias Humphrey	24. Orrin Hubbard	44. Romanta Humphrey
5. Daniel Walter, Jr.	25. Abel Hale	45. Anson M. Eggleston
6. Isaac Denison	26. Phillip W. Kibby	46. Rufus Newell
7. Timothy Fisher, Jr.	27. Jonathan W. Parker	47. Reuben Wood
8. Ira Walter	28. Truman Newell	48. John Sleeper
9. Isaac Bundy	29. Elam White	49. Urial Humphrey
10. Rufus Godding	30. George W. Denison	50. Matthew Cushing
11. Benjamin F. Belden	31. Gideon J. Lamb	51. Abel R. Humphrey
12. Jedediah Coe	32. Titus Newell	52. Allen Coe
13. George W. Denison	33. Daniel Wellman	53. Asabel Burrington
14. Samuel Stanford	34. Joel Trull	54. Reuben Farmer
15. Ebenezer Darling	35. Martin Doyle	55. Ira Walter, Jr.
16. Barton N. Fyler	36. Sylvester Hall	56. Joel Trull
17. Roman Fyler and son	37. Orsamus R. Fyler	57. Osborn Davis
18. Barnabus Thurber, Jr.	38. Abner Coe	58. Uzziah Farmer
19. Daniel M. Gleason	39. Abel Bugbee	59. Public
20. Sheldon Coe	40. Lot P. Woodruff	60. Public
THE SINGER SEATS		Point of Interest:
Matthew Cushing	Chorister	While teaching singing school at St. Johnsbury East Village, Matthew Cushing came upon the song "Arnon". The next Sunday, Mr. Cushing let to Arnon". Electra Trull became so involved in the song, that she dropped her baby. The Smith girls giggled and Electra finished the song. Matthew won the day.
Martin Doyle	Violin or Clarinet
Daranzel Cushing	Double Bass
William Denison's daughters	Melodeon
13 Children of Squire Hall	Singers
William Godding	Bugler - Yodeler
Smiths: Sophie, Wealthy, Frinda, Almon, & Charles	Singers
Capt. Lem Hall	Singer
the Fylers	Singers
the Trulls	Singers
Electra Hall Trull	Singer
Lyman Heath	Singer
The Burke singers were well known and often requested for church dedications.
MINISTERS
PASTOR		DENOMINATION
Rev. Daniel Wellman He lived in Burke. He was originally Baptist. He was the first pastor, served five years & then moved West.		Universalist
Rev. John E. Palmer He was first minister ordained in Burke on 6 June 1810. He served for fifteen years after Rev. Wellman left. He was originally a Baptist.		Universalist
Rev. L. H. Tabor 1848-1854		Universalist
Rev. Palmer & Rev. Scott 1854-1871		Universalists
The Universalist Society moved to West Burke in 1871.
Rev. Healy 1871-1881		Universalist
Rev. L. H. Tabor 1881- ?		Universalist
The General Baptists were organized in 1830 with six members. In 1840, the Old Baptist Society, having been reduced to 8 members, joined the General Baptists. The Baptist Church soon became the most influential in Burke. In 1855, the Baptists moved to East Burke, where a new church was built. After the death of Rev. Godding, the Baptist Society sold the East Burke Church. Some years later, several members tried to re-establish themselves but to no avail. The Baptist Society disappeared from Burke.
Rev. Jonathan Woodman 1830-1834		Baptist
Rufus Godding was ordained in 1834 & became Pastor. Died 1865		Baptist
Rev. Nathan Denison was ordained & baptized into this Church		Baptist Preacher in Vt., NY. and IL.
FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE METHODIST CHURCH
Matthew Cushing	Augustus Walter	Romanta Humphrey
At first the Methodist Church was part of the Lyndon circuit, which was comprised of Lyndon, Sutton, Burke, and Newark. Later Sutton and Burke came under a different circuit. In 1843, the Methodists built a new church in East Burke, but, by 1858, the Methodists had withdrawn from Burke Hollow. They continued Sabbath services at Edom Meeting House. Services in Edom were held for 18 years. Then, in 1870, the Society divided, with residents of the Western part of the town building a new church in West Burke.
James Young	Methodist	He as early as 1804.
Sampson Hollis	Methodist	He as early as 1804.
Father Wheelock	Methodist
Father Scott	Methodist
John Lord	Methodist	Presiding Elder 1828
Rev. P. N. Granger	Methodist
Rev. David Packer	Methodist
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
This Church was organized in 1807 by members seceding from the Baptists. The Church was received into communion with other Congregational Churches by Rev. John Fitch, the pastor at Danville, 1 March 1807.
ORIGINAL MEMBERS
William Barbour	George Nichols	Orentus Brownson
Ruth Barbour	Betsey Nichols	Abia Brownson
Anna White	Mary Cooley	Kezia Severance
Mary Burrington	Elizabeth Palmer
PASTOR
Rev. Thomas Duncan	installed 1837	dismissed 1839 own request
Rev. S. M. Wheelock	1839	dismissed 1841
Rev. John Clark	1841	dismissed 1851
DEDICATION
Rev. Thomas Hall	Waterford
Jonah Carpenter	Waterford
Rev. Josiah Morse	St. Johnsbury
Charles Hosmer	St. Johnsbury	First Church ST. J
Rev. James Johnson	St. Johnsbury	Second Church St. J
Rev. William Scales	Lyndon
Deacon Charles Stone	Lyndon
Rev. David Jones	Danville
Simeon Griffith	Lunenburg
Rev. Solon Martin	Concord
Deacon John Frye	Concord
Services seemed to have been discontinued for a period of time after the Rev. Clark moved on. In 1856, the Church re-assembled under Rev. Wellington. The Missionary Society sent men to help after interest in the Church increased. They were as follows:
Rev. Richard Cordley	Thomas Kidder	F. D. Ayer
Henry Fairbanks	E. Mix	O. Pearson
Edwin P. Goodwin, a young divinity student from, NY, came and preached the summer of 1858 and returned the next year.	Ordained at East Burke 10 Nov 1859. Sermon by: Rev. H. N. Burton; ordaining prayer by: Rev. J. Eastman; the charge by Rev. J. Underwood; and right had of fellowship by Rev. W. W. Thayer.
Rev. Owen E. Hardy	1904	left 1909 for Massachusetts
Rev. Mr. Porteus	1909
Mr. Keeling	1909
Rev J. W. Norris of East Burke	held meetings in July August 1924
Meetings were held one-fourth time at East Burke and three-fourth time at Burke Hollow. In 1865, the new Baptist Church at East Burke was bought for the Society by Mr. Alfred B. Darling of NY., a member of the Church for years. In 1894, Miss Jennie Gale and Miss Martha Brokaw, Evangelists, came to Burke and visited door-to-door to drum up interest in the Church. The Church began to open every Sunday for services but was in need of repair. Mr. Darling again donated substantial monies for repair. The Church was rededicated 28 June 1895. In 1904, the Churches were again united with preaching every Sunday afternoon. A Second Congregational Church was organized in 1909. The Church was without meetings for six years.
RE-DEDICATION OF CHURCH
Rev. C. H. Merrill	St. Johnsbury	Benediction
Eugene Jenkins	East Burke	Music
Rev. J. C. Bodwell	East Burke Congregational Church	Invocation
Rev. Mr. M. Austin	East Burke M. E. Church	Reading
Rev. M. C. Henderson	St. Johnsbury	Dedication Sermon
Rev. Henry Fairbanks	Preached Burke 1857 and 1858	Dedicatory Prayer
Mr. Smith & Mr. Bugbee	Church Members

MISSIONARIES
Miss Martha Brokaw	Missionary 1894-1896
Miss Jennie Gale	Missionary 1894-1896
Mrs. Beeman	Missionary 1896
Mrs. Langdon	Missionary 1896

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