Pastors of Peoples Edition 2

Pastors of Peoples: Edition 2
1851-1853/1868 Uriel Rideout: Mr. Rideout had been born on July 26, 1816 in Bowdoin,
Maine. He had actually been trained in industry, economics and self-reliance at an early age. He did however, receive a conversion at the age of 15. His background in business would help him help many of the parishes that he would serve in his relatively short lifetime. Pastor Rideout started his career in 1846 at Kittery. He served the churches in North Gorham and Scarborough before arriving at Cape Elizabeth Ferry in 1851. It was while he was at the Ferry Village church that the parishioners erected the church in the village for a sum of $2500. Money was raised by the sale of the meetinghouse at Point Village, the sale of land that had been donated on Dyer Street and the sale of pews in the new sanctuary. It was reported that Pastor Rideout was most active in raising the money and the timbers for the new church. Following his stay at Ferry Village Mr. Rideout served a number of other southern Maine churches before returning to Cape Elizabeth at Brown’s Hill during the early years of the Civil War, 1861 and 1862. He again returned to Ferry Village in 1868. His health had seriously declined and he was declared Supernumerary only to pass away on August 30 of that year at the age of 52. The records indicated that his departure was sudden and the desire often expressed by him was realized, " to cease at once to work and live." A wife and children were left to mourn the loss of a good husband and father.
At the time that Uriel Rideout was the pastor at the Cape Ferry, Reverend William Farrington served as the Presiding Elder in the Portland area. He had been born in Poland, Maine on September 7, 1800. Like others of his time he was converted at age 15, and from then on was devoted to entering the ministry. Since his father was ill and he was devoted to him he felt it necessary to support the family, thus not devoting as much time as he would have liked toward his religious studies. At a camp meeting in 1825 he was "wonderfully reclaimed" and soon after he was licensed to preach. On his first preaching assignment he became confused, left across the pasture to home in the town of Poland. Mortified by his confusion he soon was back in the pulpit and gained strength with the help of the Lord. Appointed to large country circuits for a number of years he eventually was appointed to larger city churches including Chestnut Street, Congress Street and Pine Street in Portland. It was while at Congress Street that he served the role of Presiding Elder which was a role that eventually in later years became the District Superintendent. In 1859 he was transferred to the Eastern Maine Conference in Bangor and then left to the Providence Conference in 1861. In the 1880’s he still was described as having a noble physique, tall and well proportioned, graceful and dignified. He had a wonderful voice and was asked to sing a solo at a conference in his later years. Apparently his voice was so well toned that people listened to him in awe. He was married three times, but it appears had several children by his first wife, but none thereafter.
1853-1855 Abner P. Hillman: Reverend Hillman came to the Cape Elizabeth Ferry in 1853 just after the completion of the new meetinghouse on the corner of High and School Streets was completed. He had previously been at Kennebunkport and when he left the Ferry would complete his career in Maine at Richmond. He had served in the Methodist ministry since 1830 and had been placed in 17 different parishes including Scarborough and Gorham. Pastor Hillman was listed as superannuated from from 1858-1880. He passed away in 1882

1855-1857 John Rice:
Mr. Rice was born in Gorham on July 1, 1810. Early in his childhood the family moved to Durham. At 18 he attended a high school and prepared himself for teaching. He was converted at Durham in 1829 and was received into the church. He began his preaching career two years and in 1834 was appointed to Gorham. With the exception of a five year period as supernumerary, Reverend Rice remained an active member of the Maine Conference until 1872. Mr. Rice was married to Mary T. Hunt of Gray, having together several children. Near the end of his career, Reverend Rice is quoted, " It is a comfort to me to know that the Lord blessed me in my work. I was never appointed to one charge, but souls were converted. Number of conversions amount to about 1000 and I baptized about 600." Mr. Rice served 22 parishes with two stints at Brown’s Hill and one at Scarborough included.

1857-1858 Asa Green: Reverend Asa Greene was born in Wilton, Maine in 1818. He like others was converted at age 15, and thence labored for many years under the Presiding Elder. In 1842 he was received on trial into the Maine Conference and appointed to Vinalhaven. He continued in itinerant work including a stint at Ferry Village. Mr. Greene’s following placement was in Cumberland where in 1860 he became quite failed in his health and ceased to preach. He joined the ranks of the superannuates. He found a home in South Livermore near the relatives of his wife, but his health continued to decline and he died December 4, 1860. He was only 58 years old. From 1837 Reverend Greene had served 13 parishes in south and central Maine.
1859-1860 Charles Andrews: Mr. Andrews was born in Berwick, Maine on October 23, 1811. He was brought up in a Christian home where his parents were practicing Congregationalists. As an 18-year-old he attended a camp meeting in Kittery in September of 1829. Along with 200 attendees he was converted. He attended Maine Wesleyan Seminary in 1832 and later was admitted to the Maine Conference with his first placement located in the town of Argyle in 1838. In 1839 he was moved to Houlton where he also met Miss Margaret Hitchins to whom he was wed. He became deacon then elder in due course and served for 40 years in the ministry. While ill frequently he was never laid up by illness. Even after becoming superannuated because of his health conditions in 1878 he continued to serve during the last two years of his life at the new church in Old Orchard. He passed away in 1884. During his ministry he served 27 different parishes. His time at Cape Elizabeth Ferry was during a precarious time in the life of the country, as it appeared that the road to division between the North and South was getting closer to the breaking point. Late in his career he did serve the Scarborough church.
1861 S. R. Bailey: S. R. Bailey began his ministry in Madison and Anson in the year 1855. Arriving at Cape Elizabeth Ferry in 1862, Mr. Bailey had come from the town of Hartford. These being the middle years of the Civil War the church experienced a number of changes due to men and young men going off to war with no knowledge as to how they might return and when. Reverend Bailey served the Chestnut Street Church in 1869. Since the "Great Fire of 1866" had recently taken place, the Chestnut Street Church was still serving as a refuge to many who had been made homeless during the fire. Reverend Bailey left the Maine Conference for Vermont sometime after 1870.
1862-1863 Benjamin Freeman: Sacarappa (Westbrook) is the town to which Benjamin Freeman was native. He was educated at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary (Kent’s Hill School). Forty-three years later in 1887, Reverend Freeman was still serving the conference. Durham was the first parish that Reverend Freeman presided over in 1844. Mr. Freeman came to Ferry Village from the Scarborough parish. While at Ferry Village on his first placement at this location, Reverend Freeman saw the congregation greatly increase in numbers. As a result of growth the first major expansion of the meetinghouse took place. Two thousand dollars was raised for that purpose. It was also during this period of time that the Steven Hubbard led Sunday school achieved figures in excess of 230 members, making it one of the largest Sunday School programs of any denomination in the state of Maine. Reverend Freeman would return to Ferry Village and serve from 1871-1874.
1864-1866 Ezekial Robinson: Ezekial was the son of Ezekial and Eunice Robinson
and was born in Norway, Maine on May 28, 1799. He was the third of twelve children who all survived to be heads of households and members of the Christian church. Most of the children were Baptists as were their parents. One of Ezekial’s brothers, Thomas, was a practicing Baptist preacher. The Robinson families in America were the off spring of John Robinson, a pastor of the Pilgrim church in Holland. Ezekial kept an active journal throughout his life and described his later teen years as lost and as an 18-year-old asked the Lord to forgive his sins. According to Allen’s History of Methodism in Maine, Ezekial struggled in darkness for about three weeks and while on his knees praying "his soul was set at liberty by the Holy Spirit." Beginning his pastoral career as a Baptist, Ezekial within five years discovered Methodism and was convinced of the truth in their doctrines. Mr. Robinson after some reluctance began his ministry under the presiding elder, Philip Munger and entered the Maine Conference with his first appointment at Georgetown in 1823. He continued his ministry until retirement in 1874. In his devotion to the Maine Conference he served as a Presiding Elder for over 15 years. He served as a trustee of the Maine Wesleyan Seminary for over 30 years. Mr. Robinson was married on May 21,1823 to Miss. Sarah McCausland. Two sons and four daughters lived to maturity, all of whom became members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Both sons became pastors, one of whom became a professor at Maine Wesleyan Seminary. One daughter married Reverend Dr. Torsey, who also was on staff at Maine Wesleyan, as was the daughter who served for several years as Preceptress. Two other Robinson daughters taught at that same institution. The first Mrs. Robinson died in 1849 and on April 22, 1854 Ezekial married his second wife, Miss Ellen Hall of Portland.
Mr. Robinson was a fearless advocate for temperance as well as other reforms. He also in opposition to the dictates of Methodist hierarchy had preached prior to the Civil War on an anti-slave platform. He was of noble physique, dignified in bearing, and quiet in disposition; difficult to understand if he was so vocal in the pulpit. In retirement he resided in a pleasant home in Kent’s Hill. He diligently read his Bible, in which shortly before his death he wrote an inscription," Finished reading the 166th time, August 18."
He was 79 when he walked into the other room after having read the paper and passed to his heavenly home.
Pastor Robinson came to Ferry Village after already being a Presiding Elder twice and having immediately preceded his presence here with a one year charge at Woodfords Corner later to be known as Clark Memorial. As can be read above a good deal of his preaching and ministering centered around the Readfield / Kent’s Hill area.
1866-1868 Uriel Rideout: See previous inclusion of material on Uriel Rideout.