Pastors of Peoples Number 9

Pastors of Peoples Number 9

1964-1974 Louis Sylvester Staples Reverend Staples has served as a practicing pastor for longer than anyone else in the recorded history of the Maine Conference. By the time he came to serve at Peoples he had officially retired and settled for a nice cozy retirement in a bungalow near the top of Meetinghouse Hill on Margaret Street.. Once he retired, the Staff Parish Committee and Pastor Ellis asked if he and his wife Bernice might serve as visiting pastors for Peoples. All the years of experience that he had in Maine churches would bring expertise in one of his favorite means of serving to Peoples. Reverend Staples had been born in Boston, MA on October 14, 1889. He was the son of a Methodist minister, Reverend Alanson Staples. His father was also a medical doctor and had brought a unique position to the churches he had served. Louis Staples had graduated from Cony High School in Augusta and then graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA in 1912. He then matriculated in the Boston University School of Theology. In time one of his sons would also become a pastor in the Southern New England District and another son took after his grandfather and became a medical doctor. Among the churches that Reverend Staples served were South Berwick beginning in 1914 and then followed by Washington Avenue in Portland, Second Church in Kittery, Livermore Falls, South Paris, Bangor, Gardiner, and Clark Memorial in Portland. Following his appoint to Clark he served for the next 6 years as the District Superintendent of the Bangor District. Before retiring in 1962 he completed his longevity by serving at Elm Street in South Portland. He and Bernice had served long and lovingly in all of his appointments. It was our good fortune to experience his care and compassion in the last 10 years of his life. He died January 30, 1975. Also his wife, Bernice soon followed him on December 9, 1975, a loving partnership to the end of this life.
Perhaps one of the little known facts about Pastor Staples was that his name was put in nomination for Governor of Maine during the 1930’s on the Prohibition Ticket.

1971-1978 Irvin (Gene) Koelker: Reverend Koelker brought yet another change to the pulpit and operation of Peoples. With Betty, his wife, and Tom and Jane their youngest son and daughter, the Koelkers brought a new exuberance to the church’s leadership. Two older sons, John and Steve, were already on their own and at least at that time still felt ties to the previous community they had served, Berwick. Tom also felt ties to that area and while finishing high school at South Portland married his high school sweetheart and moved back to the area of Berwick. Steve in time came to find employment in the South Portland School System and to this date serves as one of the system gurus on technology. Jane, after graduation for South Portland, moved away and for some time lived in the Corinna area. The first appointment that Gene had served was in Corinna even before he had finished his formal theological education. The Koelkers really opened their parsonage home on Beverly Street and a number of church celebrations were held there at the time. Following his years at Peoples, Gene was moved to Clark Memorial in Portland where he faced a number of challenging financial issues left by a previous pastor. Serving for two years, Gene was called to serve as a chaplain at the City of Faith Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was there for two years and then returned to serve in the capacity of pastor in First United Methodist in Bangor beginning in 1985. At the end of a long stint there Gene and Betty returned to Southern Maine and served at the Methodist Church in Saco. It was while there that he led the parishioners in making a decision to close the doors of the downtown church and build a new church off Route 5 on the outskirts of town. This church has been named the Cornerstone United Methodist Church. Increased growth in the church population indicates that it was a right move for the congregation. Pastor Koelker retired again this year, 2003. While retiring "again" Gene was willing to accept an appointment on a part time basis at First Methodist in South Portland. He and Betty served there until this year, 2009 retiring officially at the New England Conference in June. Gene has published two books of readings. One is titled, "Maine Things" written in 1974 and" The Gray Bench Reflections on Aging" published in 2002. Both of these little paperback books hold inspiring messages reflecting on everyday events.

1979-1996 Linwood R. Arnold "Lin" as he was lovingly called was the son on a Methodist minister, Richard Arnold, who while Lin was in high school was appointed to Elm Street Methodist Church in South Portland. Lin attended and graduated from South Portland High School. He and several of his friends belonged to the Youth Group at Elm Street. He and others such as Mike Davis (who became Lin’s brother-in-law) John Folley (Our own Andy Folley’s dad) and Ron Messer entered theology school in the early 1970’s and in time became pastors of a variety of congregations. Judy Baker was also a member of the youth group that continued into their 20’s at Elm Street. Eventually Lin and Judy were married and are the proud parents of Matt, Tim, Pat, and David. Lin and Mike both shared in their first sermons that were given from the pulpit of Peoples. Before coming to Peoples by appointment, Lin served at Newport from 1972-75 and Eliot from 1976-1978.
The appointment to Peoples was momentous for Peoples, the Arnold family and the community. Lin’s appointment was the longest in the entire history of the church. Many people who became parishioners never knew any of the other pastors of the church by service only by the historical record. Activities such as a visit to the Holy Land, Heifer Projects, more work on Ellis Hall, a growing congregation and an increased number of musical activities were noteworthy during the tenure of the Arnolds. It was also the period when the church took a very significant role in resettling Cambodians who had been displaced in their own homeland. There was an ecumenical spirit about Peoples involvement since the presiding sponsor of refugee resettlement activities was the Catholic Diocese of Maine. It was difficult for Peoples as well as the Arnolds when the new bishop and cabinet of the New England Conference wanted Lin to bring his talents to another parish. The parish that was settled on was School Street in Gorham where as of this writing Lin is still serving. Friendships remain as the Arnolds bought a home across from the old parsonage on Beverly Street. All of the children have since graduated from South Portland and have started their own families. While Lin has served at Gorham a new church has been built on a beautiful plot of land outside of the confines of downtown Gorham. The congregation since the move has seen rapid growth and service in the area.

1996-1999 F. William Schuster Bill Schuster and his wife Janet came to us from having served as an interim pastor at Thornton Heights United Methodist Church. Prior to that appointment he had served the United Methodist Church for a number of years as a Chaplain at hospitals in New England including Hartford and Deaconess in Boston. He had interned in Chaplaincy in Cincinnati, Ohio. Before entering Chaplaincy, Bill originally with his wife Janet came from the Florida Conference in 1963 and was first appointed to serve a church in Machias and then Strong. While here we hosted the Bishop Susan Hassinger for a Cluster Meeting in November of 1996. Well attended, this meeting was the impetus for an initiative at Peoples that would lead to a Focus Team that was responsible for creating new Mission and Vision statements. The group creating these statements met for nearly two years and eventually came up with much more than statements only. Bill was assisted ably by the Growth Coordinator at the time, Reverend Wanda Stahl-Hodgkins and several parishioners. Wanda would eventually become one of the Resource people for the New England United Methodist Conference. Pastor Bill Schuster was legally blind and provided a different perspective on religious and societal matters. It was also during this time frame that the church celebrated the 50th anniversary of the church location on Broadway. A gala meal and celebration was held with several former pastors and parishioners returning and participating in the celebration. In 1999, Reverend Schuster was moved to a two-point charge in Southwestern New Hampshire that included the town of Keene and the small village of Marlow. Before officially retiring Bill continued to serve the Marlow church part time. Janet and Bill have two grown daughters, one of whom had a child in 2001. The other daughter, Elizabeth, had worked for a British company with offices in the World Trade Center but fortunately was on assignment away from the building on September 11, 2001.

Pastors of Peoples Number 8

Pastors of Peoples Number 8

1949-1953 Lawrence Porter Reverend Porter was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on August 27, 1893. He attended public schools in that community until he contracted typhoid fever at the age of 13. The epidemic seriously affected his father and took his sister. Upon his recovery it was deemed necessary that he go to work to support the family. At age 20 he was called to the Christian Ministry and enrolled at the academy that prepared students for Taylor University. He completed the work expected of 8th grade through high school in three years time. He met his wife to be, Geneva, while at Taylor. Upon her graduation for the University and his from the academy they were married. The two came to Maine and like so many others appear to have started his ministry at Columbia Falls located in the old Eastern Maine Conference. When transferred to Eddington he began his academic career at the University of Maine in Orono followed by completion of his theology degree at Bangor Theological Seminary. While serving as Pastor in several locations at one time or another Rev. Porter served three churches in South Portland; Elm Street then later Peoples from 1949-53 and Thornton Heights from 1959-63. In between the latter two South Portland placements he served as the District Superintendent for Southern Maine. Reverend Porter had a special place in his heart and ministry for the youth. While working on his own education at UMO he served as full time director of the Wesley Foundation on the campus and later he served as dean of youth institutes at Kent’s Hill and Bucksport. He continued his work with and inspiration to young people until and after his retirement in 1964. Even after retirement he continued to serve a tiny parish in Buxton until 1971. Mr. Porter was active in all of the communities that he served. In Boothbay, for example, he began a prayer society among the fishermen that eventually led to the formation of the Spruce Point Church. In South Portland he was a member of both the Kiwanis and Masons. For 17 years he served as the President of the Maine Bible Society and was a director of the Christian Civic League. He had a passion for the preservation and operation of small churches. In addition to Spruce Point, Reverend Porter was also responsible for reopening an abandoned Methodist Church in Whitefield as well as shepherding the Chicopee Church in Buxton after his retirement.
Reverend Porter and his wife Geneva had three children; Norman, Maurice and Glendon. All were grown by the time the Porters served Peoples. Norman followed his father into the ministry. In a eulogy given by Norman for his father upon his death in October of 1975 he quoted the following poem: " Servant of God, well done!, Thy glorious warfare is past; The battle fought, the race is won, And thou art crowned at last."
During the time that the Porters were at Peoples the church membership grew. The Sunday school was overflowing. Within a short time of his departure and while he was District Superintendent the mortgage on the church was burned indicating that the church was paid for in only 10 years! He served in the capacity of District Superintendent of the Portland District from 1953-1958.

1953-1957 Elbert Parkhurst Reverend Parkhurst came to us from the Troy, New York Conference. Earlier in his career he had served several parishes in Maine. He had actually entered ministry in 1930 as a probationer in 1930 serving the town of Eastport. Before leaving for the Troy Conference in New York he served in Patten, Eliot, Southport, Damariscotta and Long Island, all by the year 1938. He and his wife, Betty, two sons and a daughter were with us when the parsonage was next door to the church, where Ellis Hall now stands. That building in the early 1970’s was moved to 388 Broadway when construction was to get under way. He was very interested in music and formed a small orchestra of seven or eight members that held rehearsals in the Cass living room. They seldom performed, but had a lot of fun making music together. He was good at organizing events, and while here staged some of the most elaborate Christmas pageants ever. During their years with us he and his wife, Betty, celebrated their Silver Wedding Anniversary, and the churchwomen arranged a celebration in their honor. In 1957 he returned to the Troy Conference.e was good at organizing events and while here staged some of the best and most realistic Christmas pageants ever. e was very interested in music, and formed a small orchestra of seven or eight which held rehearsals in the Cass living room. They seldomedTe and his wife Betty

1957-1963 William Chamberlain Bill had to be the tallest of any minister to serve at Peoples. He stood six feet six inches in height and when preaching from the pulpit seemed to tower over all. Bill had first become a full member of the Maine Conference in 1953 and began his ministry in Eliot for 3 years (This appointment was served before he became an ordained elder.) followed by York for another 3 years. In 1957 he came to Peoples with his wife Marjorie better known as Midge. As tall as Bill was "Midge" seemed to be that short. They had three children the oldest of whom Gary, followed Bill into the ministry and who later became a Professor of Biblical Studies at Dubuque University in Iowa. Gary’s two siblings were John and Pam. Before Gary’s university experiences he served churches in Orr’s Island, Searsport, Cape Elizabeth and Rockland. It was interesting to read that Gary’s placement at Rockland in 1975 was only three years after his father had served the same parish. The youthfulness of Bill and Midge encouraged a great amount of family growth in the church and the number of youth in the congregation also increased. After the Chamberlains left Peoples he became the Secretary for the Interboard Council. In 1969 he took a leave for the conference then served as Chaplain and Assistant Superintendent of the Harwood School in 1970. In the 1970’s the Chamberlains served appointments at Rockland and Caribou. Reverend Chamberlain returned to the Southern District as superintendent and served from 1977-1979. Mr. Chamberlain was appointed to the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church where he served from 1980-1984. After a long and distinguished career Reverend Chamberlain retired in 1985. In 1997 when we were celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the present sanctuary, the Chamberlains returned from their retirement home in Arizona and participated in the celebration.

1963-1971 S. Blake Ellis Blake came to Peoples in 1963 after having served in South Eliot and Brunswick. Having come from a career in radio, Blake brought with him a wonderful singing and speaking voice. These were the years of the Viet Nam conflict and Blake and his family served his God in many ways of trying to bring about peaceful solutions to conflicts both in and without the church. Edna Mae, his wife, involved herself in nurses training and educational programs while they were here and two of their three children attended South Portland Schools. Nancy, Jean and Robert were the names of the children. It is for Blake that Ellis Hall, our all-purpose building, was named. That building was completed in 1972, by that time Blake had been called by the conference to serve as the Southern Maine District Superintendent. Following his six years in that role, Blake moved on to the Fairfield Church and then in semi-retirement helped develop a small congregation in Yarmouth followed by his retirement in 1983. The Ellises purchased a house on Upper Margaret Street that had formerly been owned by the Staples. Louis Staples had been a long time pastor in the Maine Conference who had completed his career in retirement as assistant pastor in visitation at Peoples. In retirement the Ellises have been active in community affairs as well as being among the founders of the Portland area Archangel (Russia) project. The Ellises made many trips to Archangel as well as helping to host people from Archangel on their visits here. For many years the couple could still be seen around town, usually walking, and at bean suppers here at Peoples. For many years after retirement Blake’s booming voice could be heard in the choir of the First Congregational Church. The Ellises in more recent times had lived in a condo in Brunswick. At this writing in 2009 Blake was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and attended to faithfully by Edna Mae.

Pastors of Peoples Number 7

Pastors of Peoples Number 7

1930-1938 Charles Oscar Perry Pastor Perry left a lasting impression on Peoples in that his daughter who married David Hoyt for most of their adult years remained members of Peoples, bringing up their three children; Charles, Jean and Laurel while here. At the time of his death in March 1964 Reverend Perry was the oldest member of the Maine Conference. He died while living with grandson Charles who was then serving a parish at Warehouse Point in Connecticut. Charles had begun his ministerial career serving churches in Vanceboro and Hampden in Maine. Mr. Perry had been born in Farmington on July 5, 1874 and grew up in Skowhegan eventually graduating from Kents Hill College (Served as a Methodist seminary at the time). Ironically, Mr. Perry worked in industry rising to foreman before the Lord called him to serve. The irony was that his first appointment was to the churches in Starks and the town of Industry. Reverend Perry married Laura Mae MacNeill after having met the lass from Prince Edward Island, Canada, at her brother’s home in Madison, Maine. They were married on June 28, 1828. Mr. Perry served a number of Western Maine parishes including East Livermore and Gorham, NH before arriving at Kennebunk then Peoples in South Portland. After serving at Peoples Reverend Perry completed his active ministerial career at Old Orchard then Saco. After retirement he supplied the Bridgeton church for another three years. Lawrence Porter who served Peoples in the early 1950’s described Reverend Perry as a" winner of souls and a faithful preacher". He identified himself with the evangelistic work of the Maine Conference and was the inspiration that led grandson Charles into the ministry. In time Mrs. Perry became the President of the state organization of the Ladies Aid Society. In later years this organization became known as the WSCS (Women’s Society of Christian Service) and then the United Methodist Women. The whole family, including the following generation, was very active in the temperance movement through the WCTU. Elsie and her husband Dave in their time at Peoples were active state wide in the same types of activities.

1938-1942 Walter H. Cass Reverend Cass followed C.O. Perry to the pulpit at Peoples Church. Certainly his appointment while relatively short because of his untimely death left a lasting impression on the life of Peoples. Married to E. Marion Cass, they had two children; Elaine who served as a nurse in Blue Hill and Dr. Malcolm who became a well-known local optometrist. Relative to the life of the church Malcolm and his wife Hildreth (Hillie) have been significant to the life of Peoples. Malcolm became the organist, playing first in 1938 and then after World War II serving as the only organist and choir director that most members of Peoples have known in well over the last half-century. Reverend Cass served as the leader of the flock in the last years prior to World War II and into the war years. The church struggled for parishioners in the time when the South Portland Shipyard was devastating housing by taking land that it needed in the eastern end of the city. Closing off Preble Street and moving or razing over 170 houses had a tremendous effect on the membership of Peoples. Reverend Cass was one of the last pastors to live at 94 Broadway. He died suddenly while on his way to a meeting of pastors at Clark Memorial on Pleasant Avenue in Portland. Rushed by police ambulance to Maine General he was pronounced dead upon arrival. His death was a tremendous shock to the parish. Reverend Cass had been born in England in 1886 and was educated there. He served as a licensed preacher of Methodist Church of England. He came to the United States and shortly after arrival was admitted to the former Eastern Maine Conference. Like many other pastors that would eventually serve Peoples he began his career at Columbia Falls and Indian River followed by Pembroke and First Church Calais. Reverend Cass then served in Bucksport and Orland, followed by Brownville Junction, Bar Harbor and Old Orchard Beach. It was only after that long series of appointments did the Casses come to Peoples. Reverend Cass served the Maine Conference on the board of ministerial training and was serving as the treasurer of the conference at the time of his death. In community affairs he joined the Masons while still in England and continued that affiliation until his death. He was the President of the Greater Portland Methodist Ministers at the time of his death.e al

1942 Charles H. Davis Pastor Davis served for a short time as an interim pastor. It was to Pastor Davis parish, Clark Memorial in Portland that Reverend Cass was going to a meeting when he passed away. Pastor Davis was asked by the Conference to serve both churches until a permanent pastor might be appointed to the pulpit full-time. He had entered the ministry in 1903, had spent more time in the New England Conference than in Maine. After serving in the Portland area he returned to the New England Conference.

1942-1945 Ray Stevenson: Ray Stevenson, having already retired, came to us from the California Conference. He was the second interim pastor after the passing of Reverend Walter Cass. While he was assigned to this church for a nearly three year period some say he was not happy and missed the warmth of the California sun. Even before Reverend Stevenson and his short-term predecessor took over, Ernest R. Robinson, the District Superintendent, supplied the church for a brief time. Mrs. Cass, the widow of Walter and the mother of Malcolm was permitted to continue living in the parsonage at 94 Broadway, therefore, additional accommodations had to be acquired for Reverend Stevenson. A home was rented on Pine Street near the Robinson homestead for this purpose. Mr. Stevenson had a unique method of performing baptisms, by using a rose, which he dipped, in the baptismal font and then using it to touch the one being baptized. Hillie Cass reported that Pastor Stevenson married she and Malcolm and that he ministered well while here yet happy to eventually return to the warmer climes of southern California. Originally Pastor Stevenson had entered ministry in 1910 in the Northwest Indiana Conference then to the New England Conference before coming to Maine where he only served for this stint at Peoples. His wife, Margaret Wood had come from Walpole, Massachusetts, where he spent some earlier time serving parishioners in that town. Margaret suffered from a debilitating illness that called for Pastor Stevenson to accept the status of supernumerary in order that he might attend to his wife’s needs. She passed away on January 10, 1952. Pastor Stevenson died on March 31, 1954.

1945-1948 H. Travers Smith Travers Smith began his ministerial career as an assistant pastor in the Orrington Circuit in 1937, followed by short placements in Mattawamkeag and Prospect Harbor before a three year stint at the Norway Methodist Church. It was during this time that Travers was still receiving his theological education at Boston University. He was received fully into the Maine Conference in 1944. Shortly thereafter Travis came to Peoples and served from 1945 to 1949. These were tumultuous years at Peoples. It was during this time that the old church in the village was found to be in such bad physical shape that a move to another location was in order. After looking at a number of sites the location at 310 Broadway was chosen for its proximity to the old church and yet in a location that was thought to be obvious. During the intervening years while the new church was built the congregation rented what was known as the Townshend Club until the new church was ready. It was during this time that Travers was the shepherd chosen by the Lord and the conference to lead the lambs of the parish. When the church was built and the parishioners had made their move it was time for the Conference to move a man that had become beloved by the parish. Travis was moved from Peoples to Clark Memorial in Portland for 7 years, to Presque Isle for one, Auburn for four and Orono for two. Reverend Smith was then returned to the Southern District where he became Superintendent of the District from 1965-71. From 1956-1964 he served as the secretary for events during the annual meeting of the Maine Conference. After serving in the capacity of District Superintendent, Travers was appointed to the Waterville United Methodist Church where he served until 1976. In the following year he took a sabbatical and then semi-retired to his home at Bell Hill near Norway, Maine. His last appointment was to serve the Waterford Church until his official retirement in 1981.
Travers wife, Kathryn, known lovingly as Kit was one of our special guests at the 50th anniversary celebration of the present sanctuary celebrated in 1998. The Smiths had one son, Edson. After living in Bell Hill for a number of years the Smiths moved to a condominium in North Hampton, N.H.
Travers passed away on February 2, 1994. He had been born on October 8, 1916. Kit was born on July 13,1920 and passed away in Durham, NH on January 27, 2002.

Pastors at Peoples Number 6

Pastors at Peoples Number 6

1912-1913 Charles A. Brooks: The first Reverend Brooks to serve Peoples had entered the ministry in the Maine Conference Class of 1892. It was after his wife, Eva, that the long-standing Brooks Bible Class was named as she would return to Peoples in the late 1920’s and live in the parsonage with their son, the Reverend Charles E. Brooks. He had served in at least two parishes prior to Peoples. He is listed as the pastor of record at Yarmouthville and Madison as well as Norway and Livermore. He was at Peoples for only one year. It was while at Peoples that Reverend Brooks became seriously ill and passed away. This was rather shocking since an event like this had not happened since Uriel Rideout had passed away in his second placement at Peoples.
In his younger years, Charles had married Eva Lucy Leech on January 26, 1878. Together they would have 6 children, 3 of whom died in childhood. and elsewhere she was often referred to as "Mother Brooks". This may have been added to her dossier during the time she returned and lived with her son and daughter in law in the Peoples Parsonage at 94 Broadway. She was also fond of the time that was spent at the East Poland Methodist campground. Later this location became known as Empire Grove and was the location of many summer revival programs. It is still a location where the camps are owned by former Methodist preachers and their families. Her funeral was held at Peoples on March 2, 1929. Burial was in Riverside Cemetery in Yarmouth alongside her beloved husband. All three of the surviving male children became pastors.

1913-1916 Felix Powell: Felix Powell was actually of Italian ancestry. According to an obituary he did not even know how to speak English when the family landed on the shores of America. He graduated from Kent’s Hill Seminary and then Drew University before entering the ministry. What is truly remarkable about Pastor Powell was how he eventually was an effective preacher and evangelist. Pastor Powell was a dynamic preacher who found the local church a growing establishment in his three years in the pulpit. During the time that he was at Peoples a new parsonage was purchased at 94 Broadway which was located near the corner with Preble Street. At that time Preble continued on a westerly route that would meet High Street in Ferry Village, a rather short distance from the new parsonage. Felix and his wife, Maryann had six children; Esther, Alger, Virginia, Ruth, Eva and Frances. Felix moved on to West Roxbury, Massachusetts following his appointment to Peoples. While in West Roxbury Pastor Powell became a full-time evangelist eventually developing his own entourage. Following his time in Massachusetts he and the family moved back to South Portland and lived on Summit Street as a base of operations. Family members including Alger remained active at Peoples long after their father served as Pastor. In the year in which Alfred Ives obituary was included in the Maine Conference Journal he was quoted as saying, " I began my life as a "child of God" in Danvers, Massachusetts inspired by the Pastor, Felix Powell, who challenged him to become a Christian." Alfred Ives served the Maine Conference for many years as a pastor and was the father of Christopher and Clifton Ives who followed in their Father’s footsteps in the ministry. Cliff Ives at this date in 2003 is serving as the United Methodist Bishop for West Virginia. In the years after his father departed from Peoples Alger eventually became the superintendent of the Sunday school among a number of other roles that he would play. In a relatively recent note, Alger, who lives in North Haven, Connecticut and is 98 years old recalled that when he was eight or nine years old the church pipe organ was operated by hand- pumped bellows. He was among the young men, including Philip Ayers who were responsible for maintaining the wind in the organ system during church services. It was not until the time of his father’s appointment that funds were raised to install an electric motor for the new organ. He also recalled that Dora Campbell Ayers and Evelyn York Tilton became two of the excellent organists that served Peoples in the years he recalls. Alger left South Portland in 1935, but periodically has returned for visits.

1916-1925 Albert Frederic Olsen: Pastor Frederic never used his first name. He was born in London, England on June 23, 1875. He was born to Hans and Eliza Cornish Olsen. In his adult years he first was introduced to his service to and for Christ as a Home Missionary lay preacher in and around London. He married his wife, Bertha, in the year 1906. He and his family came to the United States in 1915 and first served a parish at Sarkville in the Northern New York Conference. Frederic in the following year was appointed to Peoples where he was accepted on trial to the Maine Conference in 1917 with full membership in 1919. Pastor Frederic remained at Peoples until 1925, which was a period that saw both the church and the community, grow significantly. It was during this period that the ranks of the Sunday School in particular burst at the seams. Mr. Olsen’s English accent and his red hair allowed him to stand out in the community. Following his years at Peoples he served as assistant pastor at Morgan Memorial Methodist in Boston. He then served at Second Methodist in Kittery until a debilitating disease forced his retirement in 1943. He and his wife retired to a farm in North Kittery where in spite of difficulty walking he would visit shut-ins and tend to a garden. Frederic and Bertha had six children although two, twins, lived only a short time after birth. Mrs. Olsen passed away in September of 1958, Mr. Olsen joining her in March of 1963.
In Memoirs of the Maine Conference Pastor Olsen was described as follows:
"Warmly responsive to other people, Mr. Olsen was a good pastor. He had an eloquence and choice of language, which was unique. He could lift his hearer closer to heaven, or on occasion "cut him down". He had a study of phrenology as a hobby, and gave demonstrations of reading a person’s characteristics and aptitudes by the shape of his skull. He had a keen sense of humor.
In years of suffering he maintained a cheerful faith and a continued interest in others. In his own unique way he expressed God to those who knew him." Rev. Elwin L. Wilson
e then served at Second Methodist in Kittery until his retirement d

1926-1929 Charles E. Brooks Charles E. was one of the son’s of Eva Lucy and Charles A. Brooks who had served Peoples in 1912. Charles A. had died while in residence. He was also the brother of Paul Q. Brooks who saw many years of pastoring in the Southern New England Conference before finishing his pastoral career at Clark Memorial in Portland in 1962.. Charles E. was born on June 27, 1886. He graduated from Bates College at the age of 20. His first parish was in North Anson and Embden in the following year. Also in 1909 Charles E. married Alice Gammon who would serve faithfully with him into the late 1940’s. He then served in Mechanic Falls, Farmington, Saco and Wesley in Bath before arriving at Peoples. After his three year stay here he went to Rumford and Rockland by 1937. He returned to South Portland at First Church in 1938 and then finished his career at Old Orchard and Saco.

1929-1930 Leonard March When Reverend March arrived at Peoples he had already served in several other locations notably in central Maine. He was accepted into the ministry in 1895, the year after he married his wife, Ella on October 23, 1894. Ella as a young woman had been a faithful and active member of the Congress Street Methodist Episcopal which had been located next to the Observatory on Munjoy Hill in Portland. Together they would have three children. His first appointment was to the two point charge of Randolph and Chelsea, just across the Kennebec River from Gardiner. After a two year stay in that area, Reverend March was then appointed to serve the churches in Damariscotta and Damariscotta Mills. The young pastor took a year off in 1900 to increase his knowledge in the Wesleyan Seminary at Kent’s Hill. He then served the Woolwich church, followed by a 3 years in the Athens Circuit then at Hodgden and Linneus. This itinerant preacher then was sent to North and East Vassalboro. Easton, Old Town and Rockland before arriving at Peoples for the above dates. It was only a year after arriving at Peoples that Ella died of a massive heart attack. She had great strength and had been a true supporter of Pastor Leonard and excelled in supporting the arts within the church as well as an avocation of her own. She was an excellent painter and both she and the pastor were active participants in the musical programs of the church.
Ella’s loss must have had a major effect on Leonard. He had always been quite dependent on her and found himself at a real loss for companionship. There are some stories that have been circulated that when he left the conference the following year that he left with female companionship, someone who had been a member of Peoples. Whatever the case there is no further record on Pastor Leonard in the Conference or local files.

Pastors at Peoples Number 5

Pastors of Peoples Number 5
1893-1895 Ira G. Ross: Probably the most difficult pastor of the church to track down.. Even in the New England Archives at the Boston University School of Theology they list nothing more than what I have already stated. What we have found by Googling Ira G. Ross in a number of formats we have discovered a rather intriguing individual. The first thing that we discovered is that he entered the Ministry by gaining his Deacon’s Orders on April 9, 1878 in the New York Conference. He really desired to be a missionary and he and his wife by 1887 had moved to seek sponsorship from the New England Conference since apparently it wasn’t available in New York. The New England Conference that year met in Leominster, Massachusetts. The conference approved and Ira and his wife left to help run a school for girls in Concepcion, Chile. Within a matter of months the leadership of this mission school indicated that the financial problems that they were already experiencing would close the school within a short time without getting additional financial support. It was the task of Ira to return to the states and try to raise those funds. Apparently it was futile to seek funds of this nature in the midst of a financial panic that was then in progress in the United States. According to the record he did not return to Chile. Ira left the New England Conference and joined the Maine Conference and was then placed at Peoples. Much of the emphasis on programs during his time here was on supporting foreign missions. For whatever reason after 1895, Ira and his wife left the conference never to be heard from again in Maine. Another reference indicated that in leaving Maine, the Rosses then became active in the Philadelphia Conference where his wife at least was noted in the Women’s Missionary Friend, a publication of the Conference that both were still engaged in supporting missionary activities in May of 1903.is His

1895-1897 William Wood: Reverend Wood was born on October 14, 1863 in
Ashford, County Kent, England to John and Mary Wood. While still a child his family moved to Ontario in Canada. The frontier town that the family lived in offered little in the way of advanced education thus he came to the United States and enrolled at Kent’s Hill Seminary (Maine Wesleyan Seminary), graduating from that institution in 1891. In the following year he married Ms. Helena Stirling Snellgrove of St. Stephen’s, New Brunswick. They had one child, however, Paul as he was named, was called to his eternal rest while still a child. Helena became ill almost immediately and for the rest of her life was frail calling for William to spend many long hours and years in attendance to her needs. Her health worsened around 1928 and he then took the status of retirement with the intent of nursing his loving and devoted wife. Brother Wood before serving Peoples had already served churches in Vassalboro, East Readfield, Cornish, and Kittery. Reverend Woods served several other locations throughout Southern and Central Maine including Boothbay Harbor and Berlin, NH which was then in the Maine Conference. He also served in Bridgeton, Kennebunkport, Kents Hill and Madison. e also served in Bridgeton, Kennebunkp[
According to his biographer, Reverend Harley A. Shattuck, Reverend Wood and his wife moved to an immaculately kept cottage on the river in Bath. Not only was the cottage and grounds a thing of beauty, but beauty was present in the Lord within the cottage as well. Anyone who had the privilege of being there always came away feeling good having been in the presence of Reverend Wood. In later years Reverend Wood was often called as a supply pastor for not only Methodist churches, but other denominations as well. Known as the "Poet of the Maine Conference" many of his sermons were given in that form. He also served the conference as the publisher and editor of the Maine Conference Year Book for many years and served the conference as the Historical secretary as well.
Reverend Shattuck closed the memoir for Reverend Wood with one of the poems created by Reverend Wood.
"Whoever sees the signs of life
Must marvel at the mystic force.
What can it be? Faith calls it God.
Than whom there is no other source.
The lifeless body of our Lord
Seemed proof of fell destruction here;
Death plays restless conqueror now,
Benumbing human hearts with fear.
But patience, oh my troubled soul!
A short time hence this trembling heart
Will thrill with an exultant joy
To see stern death quake and depart!
O heart of mine, Life wins at last;
Divine its strength, it comes to stay,
Enlarging as the aeons roll,
Through him who conquers Death today!
What joys await beyond the veil,
What areas of service there;
Lord, fit us now for that blest home
Exceeding glories visioned here."
Reverend Wood died on June 23, 1937 and was buried in Berlin, New Hampshire beside his wife who had passed away on March 23, 1935, and their son, Paul who had died in childhood..
1897-1899 Wilbur Fisk Holmes Reverend Holmes was born in North Brookfield, Massachusetts in 1849. He was the son of Jerusha Woodward and Lorenza Holmes. He was noted as a pastor for his quiet, kindly, gracious living and his efficiency as a minister. He was an outstanding preacher and splendid pastor. As a member of the Maine Conference he served for many years on the Board of Examiners.. He was well loved by new pastors because of his gracious spirit. Reverend Holmes had been educated at Wilbraham Academy and Wesleyan University in Connecticut. In 1880 he married Mary Evelyn Howe of Worchester, Massachusetts. Before serving at Peoples, Reverend Holmes began his pastoral career at the West End ME church on Pine Street in Portland. Later he served parishes in Alfred, Hollowell, South Paris, Bath, Orono and Brunswick. Later he served churches at Kents Hill, Kennebunk, Farmington, Westbrook, Berwick and Mechanic Falls. Together Wilbur and his wife had three children; Samuel who became a professor in Connecticut, Henry who became a Doctor in New York City and a daughter, Mrs. Walton Bailey who settled with her husband in Mechanic Falls. Reverend Bailey was living with his daughter in Mechanic Falls at the time of his death on January 9, 1939.
1899-1903 Joseph Albert Corey: Reverend Corey had been born in Southbridge, Massachusetts. The memorial written to honor Pastor Corey in 1916 in the Maine Conference Annual Report was by W.F. Holmes who had preceded Reverend Corey as pastor at Peoples. In that memorial Pastor Holmes said of Pastor Corey, " he had at one time lost the glow of his first love for the Lord, but when it returned he had had a clear call to the ministry." Before entering the ministry he, like Reverend Holmes before him, graduated from Wilbraham Academy in Massachusetts and then spent a little over two years at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He left that institution for lack of funds and offered his services to the Maine Conference as a preacher. While still at the academy in Wilbraham, he had actually taught courses in Rhetoric and Theology to other students. Pastor Corey began his ministry with a two point charge in 1878 at Baldwin and Hiram. There was a church in both adjoining towns but even though distance was rather short by today’s standards the means of transportation indicated a great time gap in serving both towns on a Sunday. In the very next year Pastor Corey went to South Berwick and two years later he served Gorham for one year. In 1882 to 1884 he was assigned to Fairfield followed in 1885-1886 at York. It is obvious that Reverend Corey was the epitome of the itinerant preacher. In 1887-1888 he was off to Norway and in 1889-90 he made it to Portland where he served at Woodfords in East Deering. This was the name of what in time would be named Clark Memorial. Reverend Corey then served in Lewiston at the Hammond Street Church from 1891-1892. He became the Presiding Elder for the Lewiston District the following year and served in that capacity from 1893-1898. With his duties as Presiding Elder completed he was then assigned to Peoples in the newly renamed town of South Portland.
In 1876 he had married Carrie N. Howe of Preston, Connecticut. She died in 1910 in the parsonage at Searsport. Together Carrie and Joseph had 5 children. Two of the children died in childhood. Reverend Corey’s health deteriorated after the death of his wife, which was quickly followed, by the death of his eldest daughter. One of the surviving male children is listed as the Pastor of the Bath Methodist long time elementary teacher in the Woonsocket, Rhode Island School system. Reverend Joseph Corey married for a second time to Abby A. Chandler who had for many years taught at the high school in Dexter, Maine. They were not married for long before he passed away. His public funeral was held at Clark Memorial and he is buried in the family plot in Mt. Pleasant Cemetary in South Portland.
In the year 1901, Reverend Corey in addition to the charge at Peoples also served as the pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in Knightville.
1903-1909 Wilmont P. Lord: Pastor Lord entered the ministry serving the Maine Conference in the year 1892.The first parish he served was at York for one year. He was then placed at Kennebunk and on Saco Road from 1894-1898. For the following three years his charge was the church at Farmington. Pastor Lord then served Peoples for six years, a long placement in those days. In 1909 he left preaching and became the Field Secretary for the Christian Civic League of Maine, followed after one year by serving as Assistant Pastor at Chestnut Street in Portland. His next two placements were at Peaks Island followed by First Church in South Portland. Reverend Lord beginning in 1917 served as Protestant Chaplain to the hospitals in and around Portland While serving as Chaplain to area hospitals, Reverend Lord served for a few years as the Pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in Knightville. He was the second pastor who had served Peoples that also served Trinity at a point in their careers. Sometimes the supply for Trinity was with the Cape Elizabeth Methodist Episcopal Church or Elm Street. In one instance Louis S. Staples supplied Trinity while also serving as the Pastor of Washington Avenue, for a short time in the early 1920’s.
A pastor who served Trinity from 1909-1911 was named Alexander Hamilton and was said to be a descendent of the original politician and economist who was famous for his mortal dual with Aaron Burr.
1909-1912 Frank Hosea Hall: Reverend Hall was born in Athens, Maine in 1871. His early schooling took place in a "one room schoolhouse" in the town of Athens. Later while still attending school, Reverend Hall learned the shoe making trade in the mills of Skowhegan. His secondary education was spent first at Kents Hill (Maine Wesleyan Seminary) and later at Bucksport Seminary. He served churches at Leeds and Greene while he was a student at Cobb Divinity School. Eventually he completed his ministerial training at Boston University School of Theology. After his student years serving the above mentioned churches, Reverend Hall served at Livermore and Hartford, Strong and Freeman, Park Street in Lewiston before arriving at Peoples in 1909. After three plus years at Peoples he then would go on to serving at Livermore Falls, Clark Memorial, Bath, Brewer, Auburn, Farmington, Caribou, Milo and Winterport. At one time Reverend Hall served as the Financial Secretary of the Maine Conference. It was while serving at Winterport in poor health that Reverend Hall passed away. Reverend Hall had served parishes faithfully with two wives; Evelyn Kelley and later some years after Evelyn’s death with Edith Rankin. Five sons also survived him including Rev. Carl of the Maine Seacoast Missionary Society, Edmund who resided in South Portland, Clayton, Roland and Richard. The memoir used for this information indicated his death occurred in the Winterport parsonage on March 22, 1942 after 45 years of dedicated and consecrated service to the Lord. His body was interned in Brooklawn Cemetery in Portland.