Hon. Samuel Williston
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Back when the first seminary building was erected, to be in line with that, and in 1865, to make room for another seminary building, it was moved to its present site.
This church served for the whole people until 1852, when larger accommodations being needed, the society was divided, and 100 members went out to form the Payson Church., which has been prosperous from the first, as has also been the remnant left behind; and both societies, under a succession of forceful pastorates, have held their own in aggressive Christian usefulness. In place of the one church, there are now six churches.
The Methodist Episcopal Church dates back from 1863, and the St. Philip's Episcopal Church from 1871, both of which have handsome church edifice of their own on Main Street, and next in order of building are the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, and the German Lutheran Church.
The choice of a pastor for the First Church after the division was a most fortunate one, a call being given to Rev. A. M. Colton, then of Amherst. He came and proved himself a man almost beyond hope or expectation fitted to tide over a period of depression and to bring to the people new hope and determination.
Mr. Colton was a man charged with a sprit of peach, a man of unusual keenness of discernment and judgment, of unbounded affection, of humor and pathos so blended as to make one composite whole. Those who had the privilege of his communion service have something to remember of sweetness and beauty and fervor, which they will never forget. His family, too, was a pattern to the parish, and members of it have since always and everywhere graced and adorned the places they have filled.
The first town hall was built on the present site of North Hall; later it was moved across the street to where the present Town Hall now stands, and later moved to Pleasant Street, where it has since served as a dwelling house.
Until well into the 40's there were few houses in the present center. One at the top of Mansion House Hill, afterward removed, still standing and used as the Seminary boarding house, was the home of Mrs. Hannum, built by the late Almon Chapman, — the first house in town painted white. Other houses were those occupied by Solomon Lyman, Jeremiah Lyman, Edward Clapp, Mr. Williston, Rev. William Bement, the much loved pastor who succeeded Mr. Williston, and Rev. Luther Wright.
There was a large gambrel-roofed house, which, while the first church
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