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Georgia Congregational Church Collection

 Collection
Identifier: mss-106

Scope and Content

The Georgia Vermont Congregational Church Papers, 1803-1940, contain correspondence, letters of admonition and excommunication, subscription and membership lists, minutes of meetings, deeds, and other documents relating to the church. There are also some Colton family papers and other papers relating to the town of Georgia. Notable correstpondents include: Ira Hinkley, Luther Blodgett, Walter Colton, Charles C. Torrey, Harvey Colton, Israel Joslin, Seymore Eggleston and Charles W. Clark. The papers have been arranged chronologically.

Dates

  • 1803-1940

Creator

Access:

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.

History

The Georgia Congregational Church was formed in 1793 by Rev. Smith, and seventeen persons became members. For the next ten years, there was a controversy over the appointment of a minister, so a number of ministers officiated on trial until 1803 when the Rev. Publius Booge of Winchester, Connecticut was settled over the church. Booge, a Yale College graduate, filled the pastorage until October 20, 1813. In 1815 the church and society extended an inivitation to Rev. Eben H. Dorman, a licentiate, to settle over them and the church in Fairfax. Dorman resigned from the Fairfax church in 1823, but continued to serve Georgia until 1824. Rev. Dana Lamb, a University of Vermont student and resident of the town, served as interim pastor until 1828 when Luther P. Blodgett was appointed. After Blodgett's dismissal in 1830, a contention arose among the members, and the church split into two factions. The conservatives organized a new church, erected a new house of worship, and appointed George Ranslow as minister in 1833. Nogotiations followed, and the factions were reunited in 1837. A considerable portion of the collection deals with this controversy and union. In 1919 the Congrational Church accepted an invitation from the Methodist Church to join the latter.

Extent

1.0 Linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Georgia Vermont Congregational Church Papers, 1803-1940, contain correspondence, letters of admonition and excommunication, subscription and membership lists, minutes of meetings, deeds, and other documents relating to the church.

Physical Location

Library Research Annex; contact uvmsc@uvm.edu for access.

Separated Material

  1. Colton, A.M., The Old Meeting House and Vacation Papers Humorous and Other collected for publication by G.Q. Colton (New York, 1890).
  2. Colton, G.Q., Boyhood Recollections: A Story With a Moral (New York, 1891).
  3. Anderson's Grammar School United States [ including a history of Vermont ], [ ca. 1880 ].
Title
Guide to the Georgia Congregational Church Collection, 1803-1940
Status
Completed
Date
1998
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)