HISTORY OF ST. JOHN’S METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN WATERTOWN 1836-1936 COMPILED BY ELINORE HUSE MII3DLETON Gtr\ %i ' i.olW*-/ A?/P i W Q 4- o n? THE MURRAY PRINTING COMPANY CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS FOREWORD It was nearly one hundred years ago that the Rev. Daniel Richards, an early pastor of the Watertown Methodist Episcopal Church, started a record book for his charges. His quaint and sincere chronicle, running back to October 4, 1836, began with a spirited appeal that we will pass on to all readers: NOTICE! To my honorable Successors: Reverend and Erudite Sirs: Please continue the history I have commenced of the Watertown Methodist Episcopal Church. Please keep the records with great care! Please excuse, dear Sirs, the Liberty I have taken to address you; and recording the hope that you may have great success in preaching the Gospel, I remain yours respectfully, D. Richards Mr. Richards’ successors kept the baptism and membership records well, but soon after his time it was the secretary of the Trustees, the secretary of the Official Board, and the compiler of voluminous Quarterly Conference reports, who took over the task of making church history. From hundreds of pages of closely written records, many of them on yellowed paper in faded ink, has been taken the informa­ tion now presented to a greater Methodist Episcopal Church in Watertown. Elinore Huse Middleton. TABLE OF CONTENTS Pastoral M e s s a g e ................................................................ 9 Chapter I. Early History, 1836-1847 .... 11 Chapter II. Background of the Early Church 14 Chapter III. Greater Responsibilities, 1847-1857 . 18 Chapter IV. The Civil War Period, 1857-1867 26 Chapter V. After the Civil War, 1867-1877 . 29 Chapter VI. Records from 1877 to 1887 .... 36 Chapter VII. The Decade 1887-1897 .... 44 Chapter VIII. The Decade 1897-1907 .... 56 Chapter IX. The Decade 1907-1917 .... 65 Chapter X. The Decade 1917-1927 .... 76 Chapter XI. The Decade 1927-1936 .... 95 Appendix The C h o i r ....................................................................................... 106 The O r g a n ....................................................................................... 108 St. John’s C h im e............................................................................... 109 Memorial Windows and T a b l e t s ............................................... n o St. John’s Men in the Service of Their Country, 1917-1918 and F o l l o w i n g ....................................................................... 112 The Ladies’ Aid S o cie ty ........................................................ 113 Woman’s Foreign Missionary S o c i e t y .........................................118 Woman’s Home Missionary S o c ie t y ....................................... 120 The Philathea C la s s ....................................................................... 124 Junior Philathea C l a s s ............................................................... 126 Membership L is t ............................................................................... 127 [5] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Methodist Episcopal Church on Main Street, 1847 . Title page Facing page Sylvester Priest and Leonard Whitney, Founders . 12 First Horse Car to Run Through Watertown Square, 1857 . 24 When Schooners Sailed the Charles, 1870 .... 24 Watertown Square, Looking West, Before i860 . 28 Water Tower on Whitney (Palfrey) Hill, 1884 . 32 Watertown Square, Looking East, i8 60 ......................................... 32 George E. Priest and Leonard Whitney, Jr., Early Trustees . 36 Interior of the Old Church on Main Street, 1885 . 40 L. Sidney Cleveland, Trustee, and Rev. William G. Richardson, Former P a s t o r .................................................44 The “ Old Parsonage” ................................................................. 52 New Methodist Episcopal Church, 1895......................................... 54 Frederick A. Whitney and Bartlett M. Shaw .... 78 St. John’s Church, Looking East, 1 9 3 6 ......................................... 86 St. John’s Church, Parish House and Parsonage, 1936 . 96 Interior of St. John’s Church, 19 3 6 ................................................. 90 Rev. Francis D. Taylor, D.D., and Mrs. Taylor . 102 Watertown Square, 1 9 3 6 ............................................................... 126 [7 ] PASTORAL MESSAGE “ Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” In that spirit we come to the hundredth anniversary of St. John’s. Looking at the beginning, we have only words of praise for the first members and friends of the Church. That little group richly deserve our appreciation. They were a “ peculiar people.” Having little, they possessed much. Without a church building they were a real fellowship. Having no minister they themselves were leaders. Before raising a budget they began a bold adventure. Having no organization or societies, they set out to do, under the banner of Methodism, what they thought ought to be done in the community of Watertown. They owned and accomplished every­ thing then that is now St. John’s. Without them we could not be what we are. “ They labored and we are entered into their labors.” Looking across the hundred years of our history we have only praise and appreciation for the heroic and faithful men and women who have made St. John’s a vital and constant force for righteous­ ness in the community. Their labors have been continuously fruit­ ful and abiding. Their records from year to year tell the story of steady and increasing growth. Throughout its entire history this Church has maintained the spirit of democracy, tolerance, cooper­ ation, and Christian devotion. Every interest of Methodism has been generously supported and aid has been given freely and eagerly to numerous enterprises outside our own denomination. We proudly observe our hundredth anniversary — resolved to match our courage and consecration with that of all those who have left us this goodly inheritance which we affectionately know as “ St. John’s in Watertown.” Francis D. T aylor. The Parsonage Watertown, Massachusetts [9] Chapter I EARLY HISTORY, 1836-1847 Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Whitney of Sudbury, Massachusetts, were the first to become interested in forming a Methodist Epis­ copal society in Watertown. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney moved to Watertown about 1830, and finding no Methodist group in the town, they started interesting their neighbors in one. Only four members made up the earliest class: Mr. and Mrs. Whitney, John Devoll, and Joshua Rhodes. After a few years they were materially helped by Rev. C. S. Macreading, pastor of the Newton Upper Falls Methodist Church. With his aid eight new members were added at the now famous “ Founders’ Meeting” of October 4, 1836, held at the home of Mr. Whitney, which stood opposite the present Baptist Church on Mt. Auburn Street. These new members were Sylvester and Cynthia Priest, George and Grace Bigelow, Thomas and Eden Campbell, Dorcas A. Sifford, and Eliza Whitaker. Simul­ taneously a Sabbath School was begun, George Bigelow, superin­ tendent. The new society needed outside help in order to grow, and thus, early the next year (1837), application wTas made for mission­ ary help from the New England Conference. Rev. George Picker­ ing was appointed to the mission, and the next year a Waltham society was also added to his charge. The Watertown meetings continued to be held every week at the Whitney home, but as the group increased, more and more the hope grew that a real place of worship could be afforded. For these first years the leading men were the Messrs. Leonard Whitney, George Bigelow, Joshua Rhodes, John Devoll, Sylvester Priest, and Rev. Pickering, and together these men now looked for a suitable meeting place. On the wooded hill beyond Watertown village on Main Street stood a little old one-storied academy building (opposite the present Grant School of Saltonstall Park). With some misgivings because of the large amount involved, these first Stewards purchased the f 1 1 ] academy property for four hundred dollars — a truly large sum for village folk in those days — and the building was dedicated in the early summer (1837). Trustees were immediately appointed to have the responsibility of the property, and of course the well- known names again appear: Sylvester Priest, Leonard Whitney, George Bigelow, John Devoll, and Daniel Pillsbury. All of these men sacrificed a great deal in trying to meet the church expenses, and it is said that John Devoll gave every cent he earned to the Church that first year. For ten years, 1837-47, Watertown and Waltham were united in this one missionary circuit, and heroic were the struggles of both villages to keep the church bills paid. In 1838 the budget had been $1,196.18, and total receipts only $733. The balance still due, $463.18, worried the Stewards a great deal, but the records never show how this debt was discharged, nor if the pastor’s salary ever was brought up to date. In February, 1839, Waltham mem­ bers brought to the Quarterly Conference the itemized list of what they contributed to the minister’s support. “ House rent: $75; Table expenses: $200; Fuel: $40; Traveling expenses: $25; Quarter­ age: $200.” The Watertown Estimating Committee followed with a smaller amount: “ Board: $156; Fuel: $20; Traveling expenses: $20; Quarterage: $100." Both reports were accepted, and these several amounts constituted the minister’s