The Rev. Claude G. Beardslee was our 16th pastor.  He was graduated from Yale and from the Hartford Theological Seminary in 1914.

He accepted the call of our church in October of 1914 and served until he asked for a leave of abscence in 1918, and entered the Army as a chaplain, which office he held for the duaration of WWI.

During that time we were supplied by students, attended the Methodist in a body, and were fortunate to have as a supply, the Rev. Stanley Cummings, a native of our town and pastor of the Congregational Church at Bennington, Vermont.

When it came time for Mr. Beardslee to come home, the congregation began to ponder if there was something they might do for the church that might please him.  A member of the congregation ~ who had a faculty for making it a pleasure for people to work together to acheive a goal ~ said that he would give one half of the indebtedness of our church if the other members would raise the balance.

They accomplished this, and on the welcome home dinner to Mr. Beardslee ~ with great ceremony ~ the congregation presented him with the mortgage with the request that he burn it then and there.

Mr. Beardslee married the former Miss Pauline Johnson, whose death occurred while he was away at camp.  She left an infant daughter.  The sorrowing church people appointed Frank Hamlin Barnes as a delegate to represent them at her funeral.

Mr. Beardslee was very sincere, earnest, and devout in his preaching.  He was a deep thinker, and when he attacked a problem, he viewed it from all angles.  He was especially interested in the boys of our church.

Mr. Beardslee asked for his dismissal in 1920 and left to assume a teaching position.