History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

Churches 123
mother, also of Elder Burnham going from his home seventythree
years ago to preach in the old school house, (then standing
by the road side a few hundred feet north of the present
Chapel grounds, and now standing on the place of Mr. Wilham
Reagan) where were wont to gather from time to time, the
people, to hold prayer and social meetings.
In the eighties, meetings were held in the east room of the
South Swansea railroad station. Outgrowing this room, they
were held in a building on the grounds of the late Edward M,
Thurston, who with Job Gardner, WiUiam H. Greene, Elihu
Andrews, William P. Shepard and many others, was very
active in the leadership of these meetings, which were still
later held in the new school house, standing at that time at
*' Greens Corner, " so-called, and later removed to its present
site.
More recently, cottage meetings have been held in several
different houses, Mr. Edward Doane's and Mr. Henry DeBlois'
being among this number. About six years ago a Sunday
School was started by Mr. Samuel E. Cole, and it was held for
some time at his home near Davis's Corner, afterward held in
a tent at Ocean Grove, and at the present time being successfully
conducted by the Superintendent, Mr. Everett Cornell,
at his home.
In October, 1914, with the increased population, there
were many small children, also children of a larger growth, who
were, from varied circumstances, unable to attend the Sunday
Schools of the town. A few loyal-hearted mothers, interested
in the welfare of the children, organized a Sunday School with
the following officers :—Mr. Abram L. Burdick, Superintendent
Mr. James Mercer, Assistant Superintendent; Mrs. Chester
R. Gardner, Secretary and Treasurer. They took the name
of The South Swansea Sunday School. The first year it was
held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chester R. Gardner. During
this time a society was formed called the South Swansea
Sunday School Corporation, its object being to buy land and
build thereon a Chapel. An executive committee of six was
chosen to solicit pledges of assistance. Mr. Abram L. Burdick,
President; Mr. A. Homer Skinner, Treasurer; Mr. Chester
R. Gardner, Secretary; Mr. James Mercer, Mr. Charles
Howell, and Mr. Frank J. Arnold constituted this committee.
On November 17, 1914, the ladies formed The Ladies Aid
Society with the following officers: Mrs. Abram L. Burdick,
President; Mrs. Chester R. Gardner, Vice President; Mrs.
Frank J. Arnold, Secretary and Treasurer. The gentlemen
joining as honorary members, helping the finances to a great
degree. The object was to assist the Sunday School.
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