A brief history of the Deansboro Congregational United Church of ChristThis church is an outgrowth of the Marshall Society of Hanover. The first records of the church began in 1835, when Levi Buckingham, William Northrop, Zebulon Peck, Samuel Booth, A.B. Judd, F. F. Judd, S.M. Prentiss, John Wilmot, Chas. Mowry, Ephriam Wilcox, Thomas Dean, A.H. Barton, Isaac Miller Jr, G. W. Barker and Halsey Barnes met and drew up a constitution for the proposed church. The name chosen at first was THE SOCIETY OF DEANSVILLE. This was soon changed to the RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF DEANSVILLE. Ministers came from churches at Hanover, Augusta, Clinton and an occasional Indian preacher. Later the name was changed to the CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY OF DEANSVILLE. The name of Deansville was changed to Deansboro in December 1894 as mail was mixed up with Dansville. The name was changed to DEANSBORO CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST in 1961. For sixteen years, services were held in the Deansville School House and in the hall over Mr. Barker's store. Business meetings were held in private homes. In 1840 they voted to build a meeting house, but a lack of money prevented it's erection. In December 1851, meetings were held and it was decided to build a church, to be completed by October 1, 1852. A lot was purchased from Henry Harrington and the contractors of Coates and Hill from Waterville were hired. The church was not completed until March 1853. The church was remodeled in 1890. Our church bell was hung in 1928, money for which was given by Mr. Ralph Lumbard. In 1923, Rev Ruliffson was able to turn a dream into reality. The excavation of the church house began with his pick and shovel in hand. A new Wickes organ was purchased in 1935. The Rev Amos Tuttle was the first pastor. His wife was instrumental in obtaining a pipe organ and she became the first organist. The Rev. Chester Hawley was the minister in 1894. The Rev. Clarence Mason became minister in 1895 and later became a sky pilot ministering to lumberjacks in the Adirondacks. The Rev. Samuel Miller, a native son, was pastor for thirteen years.. Altogether we have had thirty five ministers. The present worship leader, the Rev. Thomas Lawton of Oxford, New York, has been at the pulpit since March, 2022. |