The Congregational Church

The following data is extracted from Chesterfield, Cheshire County, New Hampshire History.

The Congregational church of Chesterfield was organized in 1771, and the Rev. Abraham Wood, a graduate of Harvard, was ordained its first pastor for the following year. The ministry of Mr. Wood continued until his death in 1823. A few months previous to Mr. Wood's death, Rev. John Walker, a graduate of Dartmouth, was installed as colleague pastor. Mr. Walker remained six years, and was succeeded by Rev. Elisha Smith, who was also a graduate of Dartmouth, and who remained here four years, when he was succeded by Rev. Josiah Ballard, a graduate of Harvard, and who remained for a single year, to be succeeded by Rev. Hosea Beckley, a graduate of Dartmouth, and who preached here three years. Following Mr. Beckley came Rev. B. E. Hale, not a graduate, who continued in the ministry here six years, and then gave place to Revs. Patten, Marble and Newhall, each of whom were collegiates, and graduates of theological seminaries, and whose ministries here were each less than three years. Succeeding these came Rev. J. Hall, who was a graduate of Andover, and whose ministry here covered a period of eight years. Mr. Hall is still a resident of the town after Mr. Hall's retirement, the church was supplied two years by Mr. Thying, of Vermont, when succeeded a period of a dozen years in which there was no stated ministry, and next to no preaching. In the summer of 1882 an effort was made to revive the worship of the sanctuary in the old house, and Mr. .Shaw, a student at Andover, was employed for a short time, and, after an interval of a few months, was succeeded by Rev. A. E. Hall, who still remains. The original house of worship at the Center Village was burned by an incendiary many years ago. The present building was erected of wood in 1834, and will comfortably seat 250 persons. The present value of the church property is about $1,600, and the membership is twenty-six. Most of the ministers have been collegiates, and four were ordained by this church.

Source: Chesterfield, Cheshire County, New Hampshire History

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