Pastors of Peoples Number 10
1999 Charlotte Nachbar With the departure of the Schusters our new appointment was the first female pastor in the history of Peoples, considering that Wanda Stahl had been serving in the role of Growth Coordinator prior to this. Charlotte came to us from Newport, Rhode Island. She and a sister and brother had been raised in Manchester, NH. She had been employed as a speech/language pathologist in Manchester. She had worked both for the school system and also worked privately. Charlotte had been brought up in the Jewish faith and while she had been converted to Christianity and entered ministry in the Methodist Church her husband, Bob, and their two daughters remained as strong members of the Jewish faith. Bob and Charlotte also were the proud grandparents of 3 boys and one girl. Charlotte brought a different perspective to our understanding especially, but not exclusively of the Old Testament. She had been trained in the Disciple program and began leading a second group since another had been previously established and led by Andrea Hodgkins Harvey and Diane Yoshua. Sadly Charlotte became very ill within a few months and would not be able to return to the pulpit. With her early departure the District Superintendent needed to assist the Staff Parish Committee in finding a suitable replacement.
Two interims would serve out the time until a permanent replacement might be made at the June New England Conference of 2000.
2000 Sherwood Treadwell Most of Reverend Treadwell’s ministerial career had been in the former New Hampshire Conference. The most recent appointment that he had served was actually at the Church on the Cape located in Cape Porpoise, Maine. In the short time that he was with us the congregation really gained a great deal of love for he and his wife Nancy. He was an outstanding preacher, easy to work with, and spiritually led. I know that all concerned would love to have had him stay at Peoples for a long time. Unfortunately Sherwood had serious back problems and had to resign due to his health.
2000 William Doughty Bill Doughty was also a retired pastor who had come to live in the Portland area with his wife Shirley after serving for many years in the Western Massachusetts/Northern Connecticut area. He would serve from April to June at Peoples. Even after his appointment to Peoples he and Shirley would often attend church. In more recent years they had been faithful in serving the Lord as members of Clark Memorial in Portland. One of their children, Bill Jr. was and educator and for some time served as one of the Assistant Superintendents of Schools in Portland. In more recent times Bill Jr. has been on the staff of the Education Department at UNE.
2000-2005 William Beedie The New England Conference in 2000 appointed Reverend Doctor William Beedie and his wife Cynthia to the parish at Peoples. What Peoples was looking for was a Pastor that would understand the"revolving door" feeling that members of Peoples had been experiencing for the past few years. Bill had lost his first wife to cancer. Cynthia had lost her first husband to the same disease about the same time. Bill and Cynthia had been married on June 17, 1989. He had had two children, Bill and Laura and Cynthia also had two children, Ginny and Ken. Between them they have 9 grandchildren. Beyond preaching one of the passions that the two shared was the game of golf. Together they also traveled extensively. In a newsletter article that Bill wrote for the church he introduced Cyn as having grown up in Malden, MA. She had been employed by Craig Supply as an Accounts Payable/Receivable Clerk for 24 years. Eventually she was named Systems Manager. Cyn is the possessor of many talents. She has done sewing and knitting and a lot of baking. Cyn’s quilts are prized possessions by members of the family and others. More information will follow in a printed edition of Roots of Peoples.
2005- Jamie and Gwyneth Arrison The appointment of a co-pastorship for Peoples was a first. Both are graduates of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Gwyneth graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Jamie in Electrical Engineering. They moved to the Camden area where they found employment. They also became active members of the John Street United Methodist Church. It was through their involvement there that they both were inspired to pursue the Christian ministry. Both sought and were accepted as theological students at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.
Completing their program of studies they returned to the New England Conference where they were appointed to serve at Peoples. They are among the very few pastors that were appointed to Peoples before ordination or having served other churches. Both have continued to meet requirements of full ordination with Gwyneth having achieved the status of Elder on June 20, 2009. The Arrisons are the parents of three young children, Faith, Dena and Alexandrew.

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.

Pastors at Peoples Number 4

Pastors at Peoples Number 4 1885-1893
1885-1888 True P. Adams: Pastor Adams began his pastoral journey in the village of Kendall’s Mills in 1869. He then served Wilton, Bowdoinham and Kennebunkport before coming to Cape Elizabeth for the first time with a placement at the Depot in 1877-1878. He then went to serve on Peaks Island then known as the Island Church before another two years was served at Kennebunk. As the Pastor at Ferry Village revival was abounding and the Sunday school was especially prosperous. Additions were made to the building and membership increased. In the year 1888 the Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church formally became known as Peoples Methodist Episcopal Church, an appropriate title given the growth that had taken place in membership.e then served Wilton and Bowdoinham

1888-1890 Leonard. H. Bean: Reverend Bean had been born at Pleasant Ridge, Maine on November 8, 1831. He had trained to be a boot and shoemaker. He was converted at Hallowell in 1857 and received his license to preach in the following year. He was admitted to the Eastern Maine Conference on trial in 1862 before transferring to the Maine Conference in 1875. The records report that he was very successful at church and parsonage building. He was married on October 27, 1851 to Miss. S. Frances Merrill. They had five children. Prior to coming to Ferry Village he had served in Bath, Saco, Skowhegan, Kent’s Hill and Farmington. Reverend Bean was back in Cape Elizabeth (until the 1895 petition for separation and Charter granting in 1898) at Elm Street Methodist Church as their third pastor where he served from 1892 through 1893.

1890-1893 Thomas Frederick Jones: Mr. Jones was educated at Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Bowdoin College. He was admitted to the Conference in 1881, the year he had graduated from Bowdoin College. In that same year he married Ida Estella Danforth of Cornish. Together they would have five children; William, Elizabeth (Robinson), Frederick, I. Meta (Harrington), and Grace. Prior to coming to Peoples he had served at Durham, Bowdoinham, Gorham, South Berwick and Winthrop. Later after serving Peoples he spent many years in central and eastern Maine. Reverend Cymbrid Hughes who wrote his obituary in the Methodist Pastoral Memoirs wrote descriptively of his birth: " Born in gallant little Wales, one of God’s choicest beauty spots, in a land where every mother’s most passionate wish is that her boy might be a poet, or bard, or preacher, it is no wonder that the prophetic fire was early kindled in his breast. For almost half a century he found his greatest joy in proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ." His father had been a Wesleyan Methodist Church preacher in Wales. He was born in Tredeger, Monmouthshire on January 23, 1854. Eight years later his father brought the family to Maine by following Providence. They arrived in America on the fourth sailing of the famous steamship, The Great Eastern. In time both his father William and himself after serving years in many pulpits would also serve as Superintendents within the Maine Conference. In later years his alma mater, Bowdoin College awarded him both a Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree and a Sacred Theology Degree (STD). While attending the Conference session in Gardiner in April 1930, Reverend Jones suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. He died days later in the home of his daughter, Elizabeth in Augusta.

Pastors of Peoples Edition 3

Pastors of Peoples 1868-1885
The death of Uriel Rideout called for an interim preacher to take the reigns of leadership for the remainder of his appointment.
1868 O. H. Stevens: It would appear that the sickness and eventual death of Uriel of the time Mr. Rideout would have served. According to Allen’s History of Methodism in Maine, Mr. Steven’s ministry did not actually begin until 1869 in Cumberland. It would appropriate to assume that Mr. Stevens was still a student, perhaps from the Maine Wesleyan Seminary who ‘filled in" until an appropriate replacement was found at the next conference. R. Stevens continued to serve the Maine Conference mostly in Southern Maine churches where he was still engaged in 1887 at Cape Porpoise.
1869 John Collins: Pastor Collins is noted in the records as having served Cape Elizabeth Ferry/Ferry Village on two occasions. He was born the son of Reverend John Collins, a Wesleyan local preacher. Born in Ireland on January 20, 1832, the family came to St. John, New Brunswick in 1843. John was converted while still in New Brunswick in June of 1849. In May of 1852, he came penniless to Kent’s Hill in pursuit of an education. Dr. Torsey, the principal of the school took him in and eventually he received his license to preach in 1856 and served under the Presiding Elder in the New Portland District and served the conference until 1886. His supernumerary status was taken that he might lecture on temperance in England while visiting with friends in that country. He was a rapid and animated speaker, a radical temperance advocate, an uncompromising enemy of rum and all ungodliness. He did not always follow the rules of proper oration in the pulpit. According to, History of Methodism in Maine, Pastor Collins sometimes found himself in trouble within a parish because of his severe assaults on the power of rum. He was, however, highly esteemed by his brethren in the ministry. You will find in this autobiographical section that Pastor Collins was returned to Ferry Village from 1883-1885. During a good portion of the history of the Ferry Village Church many parishioners were equally strong and vehement in their support of the Temperance Movement. Among the other parishes that Rev. Collins served were Brown’s Hill otherwise known as Cape Elizabeth Depot and Gorham. Rev. Collins served a total of 15 different parishes. Reverend Collins had been one of the first chaplains appointed to the Union Army during the first days of the Civil War.
1870 William. H. Foster: Reverend Foster was born in Leeds, Maine on March 20, 1812 and was converted in March of 1840 beginning his preaching in 1843. He was admitted to the Maine Conference in 1844 and was continuing to serve the conference when Allen wrote his, History of Methodism in Maine. He was married to Miss. Harriet L. Curtis with whom they had six children. Harriet died on March 1, 1882. On February 26, 1884, Reverend Foster was married for a second time to Mrs. Ann Basford. Reverend Foster served a short period of one year at Ferry Village. Mr. Foster had served 16 parishes in central Maine prior to coming to Ferry Village and once he departed continued to serve the conference through six more placements with the exception of Kennebunk back in central Maine.
1871-1874 Benjamin Freeman: Read narrative that was written with the description of his first placement at Cape Elizabeth Ferry. Reverend Freeman is one of three pastors that served the Village church twice during their ministerial careers. It was during this second appointment that the new parsonage/vestry were built and his was the first family to live there.
1874-1877 John. M. Woodbury: Reverend Woodbury began his career in Baldwin in 1853. Of the 18 other placements that he had in his career he served twice at Scarborough and Baldwin twice. While at Ferry Village he was the first to live in a church provided parsonage. It was during that period of time that the church for $1500 built behind the church a building that would have a two-fold purpose. The upper floor and some of the lower floor served as the first parsonage while the main rooms on the first floor served as the Vestry of the church. A number of social issues were still in the lime light of activity and Reverend Woodbury led the church to allow congregational singing and more community use of the vestry.
1877 George W. Barber: Pastor Barber began his ministerial career in Kennebunk in 1860. In the records there is an indication that he spent the war years in Scotland returning near the end of conflict to Cape Elizabeth Depot/Brown’s Hill/First Methodist. After several placements in western Maine, Reverend Barber did come to Ferry Village for only the year 1877. No indications as to why he was here for only one year have been found as yet. He did continue his ministry with continuing placements in western Maine and was still in ministry in 1886.
1878-1880 Seba F. Wetherbee: Reverend Wetherbee was born at Harvard, Massachusetts on January 23, 1815. He was converted at Dexter, Maine in December of 1838 and was received into the Methodist church at that time. His license to preach was granted in 1842 and in 1845 was admitted on trial to the Maine Conference. He continued to serve the conference through the 1880’s with only one year off during the Civil War when he served as an army chaplain with the Army of the Potomac. Reverend Wetherbee was well known and respected and served in many of the most significant churches in the Maine and Eastern Maine Conferences. He served as a delegate to the General Conference on two occasions. Pastor Wetherbee was married to Miss. Sophia Hook of Skowhegan. Together they had six children, but had sadly lost all but two of the children in childhood. Two sons were still living in 1887. During the years that Pastor Wetherbee was at Ferry Village there was extensive revival interest, and a large increase in the membership. Money was raised for repairs, and to pay off an accumulated indebtedness. An organ and a new carpet and stove were purchased for the church. Pastor Wetherbee had begun his career in the ministry first serving a number of churches in the Eastern Maine Conference beginning with Palmyra. In 1858-1859 he served the now defunct Pine Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Portland to which he returned from 1866-1868. After serving in Biddeford, Saco and Bangor he served at Ferry Village. Following his service in this community he went on to Kennebunk.
1881-1883 True Whittier: True had begun his career in Wilton in 1856. While serving one more parish in Sydney, Mr. Whittier left the state of Maine and spent the years 1864-1876 as a missionary in the South Carolina Conference. This would have been the period that was ending the Civil War, but before it was officially over and during the effective time frame of Reconstruction. We can only speculate about the turmoil that might have come between his political and religious convictions or at least between him and other folks that he would have had contact with. He did return North in 1877 and served at Mercer, Madison and Monmouth before arriving at Ferry Village. He completed his career on Chebeague following his stay in Cape Elizabeth.
1883-1885 John Collins: John Collins is the third pastor that served twice at Ferry Village. During his second stay, Mr. Collins led the way in raising funds for improvements on church property, and a fine-toned "centennial bell" of 1,021 weight was procured for the church tower. It would have been during this time that the steeple was raised to accommodate the bell.

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.

Pastors of Peoples First Edition

Pastors of Peoples United Methodist
Church; South Portland, Maine
1840 Jesse Stone: Pastor Stone was born in Plainfield, Vermont in the year 1802. He was one of the original members of the Maine Conference that was originally founded in 1825. In his early years of training and placement he was a member of the Baptist church. He joined the Methodist Church in Barre, Vermont in 1824. He became a local preacher in the same year, joined the New England Conference and was placed in the Hallowell Circuit, Maine. Brother Stone served for 45 years in the Conference being placed in churches from St. Croix in the North to South Berwick in the South. Compensated for his work at one time was as little as $50 a year and never averaging more than $75 in all of his years of pastoring. while serving a circuit of as many as 5 churches in the East Maine Conference. He often suffered housing that allowed him to peer at the stars through holes in the roof and sometimes waking to snow on the bedclothes. He was a modest and unassuming man and a faithful and serviceable preacher. Cape Elizabeth including both Brown’s Hill and Point Village were Pastor Stone’s 12th appointment. His final appointment in 1870 was in North Berwick.
1841-42 George D. Strout: Began his ministry with a placement in the town of Baldwin in the year 1830. He continued in ministry in the Maine Conference only until the year 1848 when he was transferred to the Eastern Maine Conference. He was appointed a three separate occasions to Baldwin and twice to Buxton. His ninth appointment in 1841- 42 was to Cape Elizabeth at that time considered Point Village. It was while he was here that the first official meetinghouse was begun at the Point. Prior to this time and while he was pastor parishioners most often met in homes and perhaps the Purpooduck Club most likely located on land near Fort Preble.
1843 J.L. Fraser: Mr. Fraser became the pastor of record at the Point in only his second appointment. Prior to the Point he served in Cornish. He left the Point and headed for the Scarborough Parish. It appears that his ministerial career was relatively short at least in the Maine conference as his record ends with the year 1850. It is possible that his relocation might even have been to California as it was the year that gold was discovered and hundreds of men headed for the West Coast.
1844-1846 Edmund. K. Colby: Pastor Colby had been born in Epping, New Hampshire on April 15, 1812. He was admitted to the Maine Conference on trial in 1844.ampshire Reverend Colby’s first charge was at Cape Elizabeth. It may have been that he was shared on a circuit with Brown’s Hill since no designation for either Brown’s Hill or Point Village is mentioned. e served in 14 other parishes He served in 14 other parishes in Southern Maine with the last being West Scarborough. From 1856-1862 he did move to the Providence Conference returning for the remainder of his life during the second year of the Civil War.ill or Point Village is mentioned.H In 1853 he was married to Georgie J. Saunders and together they had a son and a daughter. He was still living and serving the Maine Conference at the time of the publication of Allen’s History of Methodism in Maine in 1886.

1846 Christopher C. Covel: Pastor Covel was born in Woolwich, Maine on January 28, 1811. He was converted at age 20 and gave good evidence of Christian character thereafter. He was admitted to the Maine Conference on trial in 1842 and rendered effective service until 1855 when he was superannuated because of ill health. Pastor Covel served at Phippsburg, Biddeford, West Newfield and Porter before serving at Point Village. He did serve at Scarborough immediately following service at the Point. He provided his family with a home in North Pownel where he worked as a harness maker for 28 years. He rendered valuable services to the preacher in charge through counsel and co-operation. He died in the faith at the age of 72 on July 1, 1883.
Reverend Covel was intelligent, was pious and had an amiable disposition. In preaching he had been original in his methods of presenting the doctrines of the gospels. He was a worthy man of Christ.
1847 Elias F. Blake: Mr. Blake began preaching in 1843 in Durham. In 1846 after having served at Orrington and Houlton was placed at West Scarborough. The following year he was moved to Point Village at Cape Elizabeth. Over the next seven years he moved to South Biddeford, Hollis, and two locations in Kennebunk. It was while at Kennebunk Center that he passed away on October 6, 1854.
1848 S.S. Cummings: Pastor Cummings began his preaching career in 1840 in the town of Searsmount. After serving in 5 other parishes, he arrived at Point Village in 1848 after which he served in two other parishes before placement at Scarborough. In 1857 he moved to the New Hampshire Conference and then finished his career in the Providence Conference some time after 1858.
1849-1851 John. W. Atkins: John Atkins had begun preaching in 1828 at Eliot and served
in fourteen other parishes including Scarborough before he came to Point Village in 1848. It was while Pastor Atkins was at the Point that the idea of moving to Cape Elizabeth Ferry became a topic of conversation. The parish was probably divided on this notion and it may also have been that social issues such as slavery, women’s rights and especially temperance made things uncomfortable for the parish during this time. After serving at the Point, Pastor Atkins completed his pastoral services at Kennebunkport and died on May 27, 1858.