SYLVANUS MORTON - CHURCH BUILDER

 

            Here was a man held in awe as an early Entrepreneur, an imaginative pioneer in the lumbering industry, a large landowner, a merchant, a shipbuilder and shipping magnate, with ships at sea and doing international trade around the world. His enterprise was large, but his interest in providing a place of worship is well worth declaring.

            He was third generation, born in Milton, (Liverpool Township), NS. His grandparents had come from New England in 1760; they built their first home at “The Falls”. Grandfather was a carpenter and builder. S.M.’s father became a landowner and lumberman interested in sawmills and shipping lumber to foreign markets.

            The early people of this new colony were for many years without benefit of an organized church in which to worship. A church building, called “Old Zion” did eventually get built on King St. in Liverpool. Visiting preaching elders and missionaries sometimes held services there and in private homes. At times the history books report visits by Henry Alline from Cornwallis, Sutcliffe, and John Mann. There was no such thing as a paid minister, those visiting preachers were usually great orators and depended upon the good will of local people to support them.

            A very strong church group built up in the harbor area around a fine old preacher by the name of John Payzant. He was from Falmouth in NS and a brother in law to Henry Alline. He was able to build up a large following, and was often referred to as the originator of “New Lights”. This was like the Congregational Church so well known in New England.  People from “The Falls” were strong supporters of this man. Payzant was of the old school and provided for his own family by his industry. Several industries he helped develop were a local Tannery, and several mills on watercourses of the area.

            Most young persons contemplating marriage arranged that deed through him. It was so with Ezelia Ford and Sylvanus Morton, and they married in 1832. They had been young people under his guidance and were very distressed when Payzant died the next year. This left the community without a church.

            It was at this time that “The Falls” became known as Milton. This name change was slow to catch on, and many continued to use The Falls for 50 years or so. Children were beginning to appear in the Morton home in Milton.   Charles was born in 1833; Matilda, 1835; Lemuel, 1836; John G. 1838; Clara, 1844, and Annie, 1851.

            Milton was blessed at this time when William Washington Ashley, and his new bride Hannah moved to Milton.  Hannah, a Milton girl was daughter of Thomas Kempton.  WWA and Hannah had met in Brookfield, North Queens, where he had visited as a traveling preacher. The need was seen for a church in Milton, to be made available for religious services. A chapel was built high on a ledge rock over viewing the Mersey River. This could be seen from afar; from there one could look directly into Liverpool harbor on a clear day. Thomas Kempton had donated the land.

            The Mortons were early purchasers of a pew in this new “Mount Zion” chapel. The shareholders or overseers of this chapel were twenty-one local men; and SM was one of them. This church was very much the church where the Morton children received their religious background. The parents were very much involved and Sylvanus was always a leading elder in one of the several different groups using the facility.

            It resulted in the building being well used over the years. Liverpool, being an important port on the Atlantic Coast, travelers from southern ports would visit. This included a large number of clergy, because many new denominations were under organization in the USA. Our People were hospitable and welcomed most who came. Two groups of Christians seemed to develop under several leaders. John McDonald from Newport had considerable followers. Another visiting preacher was Alexander Greenlaw, and in 1856 the two groups united and formed a new group. This group became stronger, and a few years later took the plunge and decided to build a better house of worship. They associated with the Campbell movement.

            The location picked was excellent. Once a bridge had crossed the river at this point, and a dead end street to the riverbank existed because the bridge had been destroyed in a tidal wave in 1817. The land was acquired, one can see the expertise of SM here, and he was an old hand at acquiring unused land.

            It was in the early 1860’s that the reorganized, and strong church took the plunge and made the decision to build.  Milton’s many sawmills could easily supply any type of lumber required. George Boehner was a well-known local builder; he had just completed Liverpool’s new Court House. Mr. Hammond was employed by Boehner to prepare plans for approval. Some researchers believe that Hammond was influenced by an architectural publication in which the Boston North Street Church was detailed, and many similarities exist between the two structures.

            It should be remembered that Milton’s and the country’s prosperity was at an all time high. Business was booming, employment was high; everyone was very optimistic about the future. Our group was attempting to hire full time minister to lead this flock. They had strongly supported the new denomination of Alexander Campbell. Sylvanus Morton reported in one board meeting of the church that he would offer 1000 dollars in Greenbacks to any one who would come here to preach. (Money in use here had just changed from Pounds, Shillings and pence to the NEW dollar, thus the nickname Greenbacks).

            The Mortons had a lot of influence in how the new structure would appear, many wanted to avoid the expense of a steeple. Ezelia was very positive, she felt the church should have a steeple, and she and her husband agreed to buy the first bell to be hung there. (They did supply the first bell, cast in Philadelphia, and about 10 years later this developed a crack and lost its ring.) It was sent back to the foundry, and a new one replaced the first. That lasted until 1960 when it developed a crack again, this time to be removed and not replaced. This church and this steeple have been a landmark for 150 years, thank goodness for the obstinacy of Ezelia Morton. They also left another keepsake for this church, the Pulpit Bible autographed by this church family, exists in a prominent place in the church.

            It was about ten years later that this community and many nearby entered into a terrible depression. The Morton family was caught up in this; they had developed a large empire and were unable to survive the downturn of the economy. It was not the Mortons alone that suffered. The Banks foreclosed on many of our strongest church members and the church fell into bad repair. Many of the supporters of the church had made large commitments; these could no longer be met. The church board had many committers on the mat, demanding commitments be met, but most were bankrupt and in danger of losing even their homes. Amnesty was not granted, nor were the commitments fulfilled.

This hit the Mortons worse than most, and their home, “The Ashes” their fine 14 room house on Morton Street went up in flames.  Morton’s mills were lost to creditors, after Sylvanus himself had an unfortunate accident and badly cut one hand. He finally died a broken disillusioned man, much maligned by his peers.

            Things were very trying for this faithful Christian family. Their family of boys and girls were also made of sturdy materials, much of the family fortunes were recovered, the whole family took its place in the community.

            Most of the family lost their allegiance to the Milton Christian Church. Their odd times at attending a church were seldom, and often at the Anglican Church in Liverpool. One daughter married Mr. Collie, and he was a pillar in the Milton Congregational Church.

            An India Ink portrait of Alexander Campbell hung for many years at the home of Sylvanus’s son John Gorham Morton.  John G.’s grandson, Fred presented it to the church after attending a meeting of the reorganized Christian Men’s Fellowship about 1958. This hangs proudly in the Church’s library.

 

HHW