Early Religious Life in Smyrna, NY - Part 1

Early Religious life in My Home Town

Smyrna, Chenango Co., NY

Leland L. Ferris

Norwich Sun, January 12, 1934

Part 1

"Sixty-five years ago we lived on the Wilbur farm at Sherburne Four Corners and could hear, in the spring of the year, the church bells of Plymouth, Smyrna, and Sherburne, calling the country people to worship.  Hardly a house from Sherburne Four Corners to the county line at Earlville but was represented in some of the churches.  Generally speaking, the people south of Smyrna village were Methodists.  Cyrus B. Merrihew and Ansel Vaughan and families were Baptists, and there were also three or four families of Congregationalists. North of Smyrna village, from the corporation line to Earlville and to the Lebanon town line, every family excepting two were represented in the Congregational church. The Baptist church at this time was not very strong, being depleted by deaths and removals, no regular services being held.

"During the remodeling of the old Congregational church in 1868, the Baptist church was used for their services.  I well remember the old Baptist church gallery on three sides, supported by round pillars with iron brackets fastened to them to carry the longline of stove pipe from the big cast iron stoves at each corner in front.  This pipe went to the center of the rear of the room and up thru the ceiling into the chimney.  Under the upright pipe was a pan, fastened to catch the creosote, caused from burning green wood. Sitting on the front seat one might burn their face to a blister while there was frost on their back. The pulpit was between the front doors.  After the great revival, which was led by Rev. A.B. Earl in 1877, Rev. H.S. Jones became the regular pastor and preached 'Alpha and Omega' to them for many years. Sunday school was held at noon with preaching service at 1:30 p.m., services remaining as such until Rev. Frank Barrett became the pastor.  Since then the series have been sustained by a goodly number of faithful members.

"Who remembers Deacon John Knowles, Mortimer Gardner, Mr. Northup from Sherburne Hill, Smith Faulkner from the Ben Card district? These families were regular in their attendance, year in and year out.  Elisha Sprague, for some reason, was disappointed with this church and so walked from his home to the West Smyrna church each Sunday.  Occasionally the Merrihew family from Sherburne Four Corners attended church here.  These people, with their families, were deeply religious in their daily and church life.

"I cannot recall much of the early M.E. church, but can still see the long line of steps in front that went up to the church, and at the east and a door into the basement where Protection fire engine number one was kept.  The fire engine was a marvel to the younger generation, as it was occasionally taken out for practice in pumping water. George Hunt and Eri Stokes were the first foremen I can remember. After the M.E. church was rebuilt in 1870 or '71 I can remember the boys sliding down the circular handrail to the basement floor.  Who can remember such pillars of this church as Wilson Young, Alfred Eastman, Monroe Billings, Ariel Fowler, Soloman Brown, Alonzo Bennett, the Tobeys, Chapman, Simons.  It would be no trouble to name a long list of praying Methodists of those days, 50 or 60 years ago. The pleasant associations of later years with so many others will never be forgotten.

To be continued