History of The Whiting Church
The Whiting Meeting House was originally built by the local people, who were of various Christian denominations. They joined together as Christians for religious meetings, and to share in the use and maintenance of the church building.
The Whiting Community Church is a nondenominational church today.
In 1788 the congregationalist declared themselves a church.
On February 13 1799 the church was formally organized under the leadership of Rev B Wooster of Cornwall, VT.
The first ten members were Rebecca Allen, Jervice Cornish, Jonathan Cornish, Experiance Hutchinson, Job Hutchinson, Ethen Kelsey, Sally Kelsey, Aron Mack, Hepzibah Munger, and Ebenezer Wheelock.
The Baptist Church was organized six days latter, and the two churches united in engaging the services of Rev David Rathbon, the first pastor, who was a Baptist. He served the churches for about four years.
He was followed by Rev John Ransom who preached two years.
Rev Justin Ransom was pastor in 1809.
In September of 1810 it was decided to build a Meeting House.
" Where as various denominations of Christian professors, now reside and are likely still to reside in the town of Whiting, County of Addison and State of Vermont
and where as there are others in habitants of said town who make no particular profession and some who _________ not to favor in opinion any particular denomination of Christian and more than other
and where as the inhabitants of said town not withstanding their diversity of sentiments are desirous of building a meeting house in the town for the accommodation of religious and town meetings for the inhabitants of said town upon the most liberal and accommodating plan."
Thirty subscribers contributed funds for the building of the church.
It was erected the next year in 1811.
In " January of 1832 a union meeting was held for the purpose of considering a plan and estimate the expense for repairing the Meeting House, building a steeple, procuring a bell and painting the house.
A committee was appointed to undertake a subscription paper"
" It appears from the records however, that there improvements were not wholly completed until 1845"; when they decided to pay for a bell by subscription.
" The subscribers numbered 38 and the whole amount subscribed was $208.00.
Joseph Simond was commissioned to purchase the bell as soon as navigation opened on the lake as it was to be transported to Watch Point in Shoreham.
The records shows a tabulated list of the proporiators of the church, composed of Baptist, Methodist, Universalist and Congregationalist
and our independent giving the amount of each proprietors stock in pews, staple, bell and repairs and upon this basis the time or member of Sundays per year as was apportioned among the different dominations.
A committee of four being chosen each year for that purpose.
In 1845 the apportionment was to the Baptist 22 days, Universalist 13 days, Methodist 12 days, Congregationalist 4 days, and to Levi Gibson one day."
In 1873 the upper floor was put in, giving the Church upper and lower rooms.
In 1876 F G Wright was authorized to purchase the pipe organ. The reed organ and $325 being exchanged.
In 1885 the Church was repaired and the singers gallery enlarged.
In 1886 the lower room was divided into a hall, dining room and kitchen.
In 1891 a furnace was placed in the lower hall for heating the building.
In 1892 repairs on the steeple were done. A new steel ceiling, wainscoting, papering and painting was done in the lower hall.
This early history of the Whiting Meeting House was taken from a transcription of the handwritten writings of Luther Allison Webster done in 1892.
And the quotes are from the transcription.
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