Queechy Church Burial Ground

Queechy Church Burial Ground. . , 1828 -1963 Queechy Methodist Church , 1829 Building erected. , 1929 September 21-22 One Hundredth Anniversary, Rev. D.A.Cataldo, Pastor. The following is copied from the booklet published for the celebration. , 1964 N.Y. Conf. Minutes, p.118 and 176. Discontinued. part of East Chatham Circuit. Funds to maintain historic cemetery- funds had to go to church extension. , History of the Church , Methodist preaching had been established for some time in the south part of town, but it was not until 1804 that Methodism was introduced in the north part of town. In that year, Truman Norton and wife, Joseph Norton, Pavinclia Norton and Betsy Norton moved into the place and first erected the standard of Methodism by commencing a prayer meeting at which a number were awakened, among whom was Lewis Pease, then a young man and afterwards for many years a popular and successful member of the New York Annual Conference. , In 1806 this place was taken into the Pittsfield circuit and regular preaching was held once every two weeks in Wednesday afternoon. In 1807 Jeremiah Norton and family moved into the place and for several years their house was the only one opened for preaching. In 1812 a revival commenced northeast of the pond (Whiting's Pond, Queechy Lake); many were converted and ten persons joined the society. In 1820 there was a very extensive and general revival. In 1828 the male members of the Methodist Episcopal Society met for the purpose of erecting a house of worship. Timothy Buel was chosen chairman and Rev. Lewis Pease, secretary. A committee of seven was chosen to examine the different sites and report at the next meeting. At the next meeting the committee reported on the southeast corner of R.I. Munson's lot for the site to erect the house of worship., The building committee were Jeremiah Norton, William Spires, Azariah Vinegar, Timothy Buel and Truman Norton. Five trustees were elected: Timothy Buel, Truman Norton, Jeremiah Norton, Azariah Vinegar and Henry Sparks. In 1829 the church was accomplished after much exertion and expense of $1,500. In 1847 the building committee bought a parsonage and barn from John A. Hatch for $475. In 1859 the parsonage was sold for $600. In 1871 a committee was appointed for a burial ground and to solicit subscriptions for building a fence around the same., The burial ground was in use from 1812 to 1911. Two hundred and five persons are buried here. The church was formally discontinued in 1964- The building was demolished in 1965. The Town of Canaan, to which the State of New York had deeded the property, undertook to clear and maintain the old burying ground., Some of the pastors , Lewis Pease, Thomas Mason, Billy Hibbard, Asa Bushnell, Jr., Goodrich Horton, Levi Warmer, Stephen J. Stebbins, Nathaniel Mead, Lewis McKenzie Pease, Wesley Hibbard, George C. Bancroft, Wesley Hibbard, George Kerr, George Daniel, Oscar Havilantd, Benjamin Wilson, George B. Clark, J.H. Phillips, Charles Sager, S.D. Galloway, J. Ogden Kern, W. A. Dalton, H. W, Byrnes, J. W. Smith, Gustav Laass, C.S. Vail, W.F. Campbell, J.H. Lane, A.B. Woolsey, F. W. Rowe, William L. Dubois, Samuel Ardon, M.H. Sharples, C.G. Gorse, A. G. Skidmore, L. Terwilliger, Dominic Cataldo, F.G. Sheeley 1931-1943, O.A. Arnold 1947-1963. , names of the interred were not transcribed