Smith and Dove Flax Mills and Andover Church - Free Christian Church: Difference between pages

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John Smith was born in Brechin, Scotland in 1802. After the death of his father in 1810, John was unable to attend school regularly and began to work on farms and in flax mills to help his family survive.  
The Free Christian Church was founded on May 7, 1846, by ink factory owner William Donald. It was formed by Andover residents who did not feel members of other churches in Andover were making a strong stand against slavery. Free Christian obtained the Elm Street property in 1903.


Smith left Scotland and traveled to Boston via Halifax, Nova ScotiaHe arrived on December 15, 1816. He found work as a machinist in WatertownHe left to travel the country in August of 1819, arriving back in Medway, Massachusetts in 1820, where he worked as a machinist again.
Rev. Jack L. Daniel was pastor of the Free Christian Church for 35 years, from 1977 to June, 2012In 1977, the church had 75 membersIn 2012, the church had 1,200 members.


Smith founded a machine company in Plymouth known as John Smith & Co and asked his brother Peter to join him in America. Seeking the water power in Andover, John and his two business partners moved their company to an unoccupied mill in Frye Village in 1824; the business partners died in 1829.
[[Image:FreeChristianChurchphotofromColumbiaUniversity.jpg|thumb|...''Free Christian Church circa 1908 from Columbia University Archives ''.... click to enlarge|left]]


In 1833, Peter Smith and John Dove decided to form a company to spin flax and manufacture machinery needed for the process. They had originally met in Scotland where they worked for John Dove's father. John Smith went into business with them and eventually the company ceased making machinery. They bought water power and buildings from Abel and Pascal Abbot in Abbot Village in 1843. In 1864, John and Peter Smith and John Dove incorporated as the Smith & Dove Company. By 1896 they employed 300 people.
[[Image:FreeChruchfromGettyCollections.jpg|thumb|...''Free Christian Church circa 1908 from Columbia University Archives ''.... click to enlarge|left]]


John and Peter were philanthropists. John donated funds to Phillips Academy, Abbot Academy and $50,000 to establish Memorial Hall Library. John saw slaves being sold in South Carolina and became a staunch abolitionist.  He founded the Free Christian Church based on anti-slavery doctrine - something he became adamant about after seeing slaves being sold in his travels in the South. Peter was a supporter of the West Parish Church.


John's home on 349-351 North Main Street became the [http://www.mhl.org/historicpreservation/detail.htm?ID=546 Shawsheen Manor].
Both John and Peter are buried at the West Parish Garden Cemetery.


See
See
*"Andover Stories column: Smith & Dove: Turning Flax into Gold", ''Townsman'', March 31, 2011.
*Andover Historical Society Newsletter Articles:
**"First Flax Mill in America (Smith & Dove Mfg. Co.")by George Glennie - Vol. 03, No. 4
**"A Long Linen Thread: Smith & Dove in Andover" by Florence Feldman-Wood - Vol. 23, No. 4
*[http://www.andoverhistorical.org/manuscripts/manuscripts-mss420.htm Mary Byers Smith Papers (granddaughter of John Smith)] Andover Historical Society
*[http://andover.mvlc.org/eg/opac/record/103693?query=historical%20sketches%20andover%20bailey;qtype=keyword;locg=5  ''Historical Sketches of Andover, Massachusetts''.]    by Sarah Loring Bailey  (974.45 Bai)
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[[Image:hillsidehouse.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Hillside House]]
*"Andover church unveils addition," ''Eagle Tribune'', November 19, 2001, p. 1.
*"Dedicated to the Lord: New $1.7 million addition," ''Andover Townsman'', November 21, 2001, p. 10.
*"Underground" ''The Townsman'', July 17,02003, page 11.
*"Exodus, of sorts: Free Christian severs final UCC ties," ''Andover Townsman'', October 7, 2004, p. 1.
*"Pastor of Free Christian Church changing course," ''Andover Townsman'', April 19, 2012, p. 10.
*"Assistant pastor now heads Free Christian Church, Andover," ''Eagle Tribune'', August 4, 2012, p. 5.
*[https://archive.org/details/memorialbookleto00free/page/6/mode/2up Memorial Booklet of the Free Church Fire January27, 1941]






For a complete list of Andover Churches see [http://www.mhl.org/andover/churches.htm Houses of Worship in Andover]


''The Townsman'', November 19, 2015, page 11


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--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] 12:53, October 7, 2006 (EDT)<br>
--[[User:Kim|Kim]] 13:22, May 24, 2013 (EDT)<!-- insert signature here, if desired --><br>
--[[User:Leslie|Leslie]] 17:48, August 8, 2012 (EDT)<br>
--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] ([[User talk:Eleanor|talk]]) 13:52, 26 March 2015 (EDT)<br><br>
--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] 20:46, December 27, 2012 (EST)<br>
--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] ([[User talk:Eleanor|talk]]) 15:39, 18 December 2015 (EST)
--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] ([[User talk:Eleanor|talk]]) 14:58, 22 January 2016 (EST)
 
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Revision as of 12:50, 15 April 2021

The Free Christian Church was founded on May 7, 1846, by ink factory owner William Donald. It was formed by Andover residents who did not feel members of other churches in Andover were making a strong stand against slavery. Free Christian obtained the Elm Street property in 1903.

Rev. Jack L. Daniel was pastor of the Free Christian Church for 35 years, from 1977 to June, 2012. In 1977, the church had 75 members. In 2012, the church had 1,200 members.

...Free Christian Church circa 1908 from Columbia University Archives .... click to enlarge
...Free Christian Church circa 1908 from Columbia University Archives .... click to enlarge


See

  • "Andover church unveils addition," Eagle Tribune, November 19, 2001, p. 1.
  • "Dedicated to the Lord: New $1.7 million addition," Andover Townsman, November 21, 2001, p. 10.
  • "Underground" The Townsman, July 17,02003, page 11.
  • "Exodus, of sorts: Free Christian severs final UCC ties," Andover Townsman, October 7, 2004, p. 1.
  • "Pastor of Free Christian Church changing course," Andover Townsman, April 19, 2012, p. 10.
  • "Assistant pastor now heads Free Christian Church, Andover," Eagle Tribune, August 4, 2012, p. 5.
  • Memorial Booklet of the Free Church Fire January27, 1941


For a complete list of Andover Churches see Houses of Worship in Andover



--Kim 13:22, May 24, 2013 (EDT)
--Eleanor (talk) 13:52, 26 March 2015 (EDT)

--Eleanor (talk) 15:39, 18 December 2015 (EST)

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