Hon. W. B. C. Pearsons.
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the latter graduated from the academy built for him; Rev. Justin Perkins, D. D., long a missionary in Persia; Rev. Hazen Howard, missionary to the Burmese; Rev. Ashael Chapin, and Rev. Dwight Ives, pastor of a church in Suffield, Conn., more than thirty years. The First Baptist Society built upon their present site in 1826-7, and in 1849 granted the privilege of dismissal to the members of the Second Baptist church, then forming, to be located at the new city or Ireland Depot as the region of the new Connecticut River railroad station
was then called. This church worshiped in Chapin Hall until 1855, when the brick church on Main street was built, immediately in front of the present Boston & Maine railroad station.
Hon. Willian Whiting.
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This house was burned in 1863, and a new church was dedicated on the same site two years later. The church on the corner of Appleton and Walnut streets was built in 1885. Under the West Springfield regime, also, was organized in 1849 the Second Congregational church, which at first held services in a school-house, but in 1852 built the brick meeting-house where now stands the "marble block," at the corner of High and Dwight streets, and in 1883 the present edifice on Appleton, Maple and High streets.
Dr. George H. Smith
Present Mayor of Holyoke.
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But this sketch of the early churches hints at a growth of the community for which early agricultural conditions could not account. Evidently other forces have been active and population is being drawn to a centre by some power yet untold. The Connecticut had borne a considerable traffic between Hartford and the foot of South Hadley Falls at South Holyoke, but the towns above were compelled to transport their merchandise partly at least by land, until after February 23, 1792, when Hon. John Worthing-
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