My Genealogy Hound

EDWARD P. BLODGETT, the subject of the following sketch, was born in East Windsor, Conn., August 23, 1815. When he had reached the early age of nine months, his parents, Cephas and Huldah (Gaylord) Blodgett, removed to Amherst, Mass. His father was a well-to-do farmer, and purchased and was in unencumbered possession of the farm in Mill Valley, now and for many years known as the Gaylord estate. By an unfortunate combination of circumstances he became involved in business complications by which he lost his beautiful farm, and became hence onward a poor man, dependent on his daily toil in the service of others for the support of his family. At what age our subject was at the time of this great misfortune he has no recollection, or what took place during those early years of boyhood he has no power to recall; but all the advantages which the district school of seventy years ago afforded were his. Amherst Academy, which in due time became Amherst College, opened its doors to him, as well. At the age of eleven years he was called to the trial of leaving home and going away to work on a farm at the rate of four dollars per month for six months of the year. This continued for six years successively, between the ages of eleven and seventeen. And it may fittingly be said that those six years were no unimportant factor in laying the foundation of that physical development and health which to a remarkable degree have been his inheritance through a long life.

At the age of seventeen the farm was abandoned with the purpose of entering upon a course of study in preparation for the Christian ministry. After reading the biographies of such men as David Brainard and Henry Martyn, it was impressed upon him that his life work must be to preach the gospel — a missionary, if the way should be opened; if not, an humble messenger of the truth in the home land. But how should those years of study and toil and discipline, so needful for a fitness for the work, be passed through? He was poor, scarcely a dollar with which to launch upon the untried ocean. But the attempt was made, with the hope and in the faith that the desired haven would be reached. His parents, though poor and unable to render financial aid, did all that kindness and sympathy could do, cheerfully relinquishing all claim to his services until of age. He entered upon the classical course in Amherst Academy in the autumn of 1832, boarding at home in Mill Valley, where his parents still resided, and a part of the time at another home under the very shadow of the college, in the family of Lucius Boltwood, Esq., whom he will ever have occasion to remember with gratitude. He entered Amherst College in the autumn of 1834, when that institution was only thirteen years old, and in 1838 graduated from it. During those years of college life his experience was a marvel of personal history, as it pertains to the opening of God’s providence in the removal of obstacles in the way of the accomplishment of his purpose. During the first year after leaving college Edward Blodgett was engaged in teaching, greatly to his advantage. The Mount Holyoke Seminary at South Hadley had just opened its doors, with that marvellous woman, Mary Lyon, at its head. It was Mr. Blodgett’s privilege to be in charge of a school from which young women entered that institution; and he was thereby brought into touch with that seminary, now college, which for the past nearly sixty years has had such a power in human welfare.

In the autumn of 1839 Mr. Blodgett was led to leave the home of his childhood and go to Andover; and the journey thither, instead of being made in a few hours in a luxurious car, occasioned many a wearisome hour in riding in a lumbering stage-coach, which left at early dawn Elijah Boltwood’s tavern in Amherst for Worcester. But Andover was reached — a stranger in a strange land, Professor Park being the only man there he had ever seen. He received him into his home as kindly as if he had been a son. Those were the days of Moses Stuart and Bela B. Edwards, names that have been a tower of strength in the history of that seminary. A room was soon assigned him in Phillips Hall, which afterward became so sacred in the study of the Hebrew Bible. And after fifty-six years it was his privilege in June last to go back and re-enter that room and those halls, and for forty and eight hours live over the experiences of the three years spent in preparation for the ministry. The second year of his course he was invited by the principal of the Abbott Female Seminary to teach classes in Butler’s Analogy and moral science, so connected with the very best preparation for his work. Not licensed until the Senior year, his first sermon was preached in the seminary chapel in the order of his turn. During the spring vacation of five weeks he was invited to Cornwall, Conn., to supply its pulpit. This invitation was accepted. After returning to graduate, he continued to supply the pulpit there during the autumn. From Cornwall he went to Amherst, spending the winter of 1842 and 1843, preaching as opportunity opened.

The first Sabbath in March following, Mr. Blodgett preached his first sermon in Greenwich, Mass., where he was ordained and installed July 5, 1843, and where he preached his farewell sermon July 29, 1894, after a ministry of fifty-one years. Here has been his life work. The materials of this half century of service have accumulated so amply that much could readily be added, but the published anniversary sermons contain the substantial facts touching this history. On the 12th of July following his ordination he was married to his wife, Mary Sutton Webb, who for thirty-one years was a faithful and efficient helper in the work, sharing its joys and its sorrows, its defeats and its victories, until called higher. And, if in any way he has been successful in toil for Christ and the saving of men, he owes more to her wise counsels, her gentle and winning words, and her life unselfishly devoted to the good of others than tongue can utter. This long ministry has been an exceedingly happy one. The bond of union through all the years was strong, and nothing occurred during the half-century to mar the fellowship. They dwelt together in unity with a mutual confidence that has been a source of perpetual joy. During this period there have been preached four thousand sermons, many of which were repeated in other churches with which the minister had close and tender relations. Mr. Blodgett has lived to see the pastors of these churches removed by death or otherwise, and the men now occupying these pulpits either unborn or in their early boyhood at the time of his entering the ministry.

His relations to the town also were pleasant. He was called to bury its dead and to superintend the education of its children in its public schools. Some estimate of the changes that have taken place may be gathered from the fact that there have been followed through the gateway to the cemetery more dead than those living in the town to-day by a hundred people. During this period, while the town has decreased in population two hundred and fifty, the church has held its own numerically, notwithstanding the fact that within a small fraction it has sent away by letter two members where it has received one from others. With the exception of two or three individuals the entire present membership have come into the church during this ministry. Such, in brief, are a few facts connected with the life and labors of Mr. Blodgett to the present time. “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day. I cannot be too grateful to God that he has permitted me to preach the gospel of his Son so many years; and, while looking back upon the long record, I feel humiliated under the consciousness of weakness and failure. I hope to find acceptance with him through his forgiving love and abounding grace. And, while I have retired from the cares and responsibilities of the pastoral office at the age of fourscore years, I desire not to be an idler in the great vineyard; but with what strength still remains it is my desire and purpose in some humble way to be true to the trust committed to me.”