An Excerpts on Lemuel Haynes from Early Families of Rutland, Vermont

Rev. Lemuel Haynes was born 18 July 1753 at West Hartford, Connecticut, son of a black father and an unwed white mother and died 28 September 1833 at Granville, New York. He married Elizabeth Babbitt 22 September 1783 at Hartland, Connecticut. She was born 28 February 1763 at Dighton, Massachusetts, and died 8 February 1836. Lemuel, who was forsaken by his mother and her family, was bound out as a servant at the age of five months (or five years) to Deacon David Rose of Granville, Massachusetts. He served in the Revolution and afterwards studied for the ministry.

In the summer of 1785, a few months previous to his ordination, he journeyed to Vermont where he preached in several locations, one of which was Rutland. After preaching at Granville for five years and Torrington, Connecticut, for two years he was called to the pulpit of the West Parish Church in Rutland where he served as pastor from March 1788 until his dismissal in April 1818. Since he afterwards said that it took the congregation thirty years to find out he was a nigger, he must have harbored some resentment over being forced from his position. His home in West Rutland was located on the west side of Pleasant Street north of the Meeting House. In 1823 he sold the property to Chauncey Thrall (1854 map -C. Thrall). From Rutland he went to Manchester, Vermont, where he served as pastor until 1822. At that time he accepted the pastorate in South Granville, New York, where he passed the remainder of his life.

Haynes was described as an energetic speaker, an ardent Federalist, a political orator and a caustic wit. The following anecdotes are illustrations of his sharp humor:

Haynes often asked his friend, Rev. Heman Ball of Rutland's East Parish, a confirmed bachelor, when he was going to find himself a wife. Ball suggested that maybe one of Haynes' daughters would make a suitable companion. However, Haynes replied that he had taken great pains to educate his daughters and to prepare for their usefulness and he was not about to throw them away.

Another time, Jonathan C. Thrall was praising the Episcopalian religion when Haynes went even farther, saying that the Episcopalians were the best Christians in the world. Thrall was not quite sure that was true but Haynes maintained it was the scarcity of an article that always made it the most valuable.

Once a group of young men greeted the parson with the news that the devil was dead. Haynes, in mock dismay, exclaimed, "Oh, what will become of you poor fatherless orphans!"

At one time Haynes bought some tinware from a Mr. Donihue of Castleton who offered to take a free funeral sermon as payment. Haynes accepted and when the time came he held up his end of the bargain, burying Donihue under his apple tree. Donihue had made the request so he could identify the boys who had been stealing his fruit.

Haynes lived out the remainder of his days at Granville and was well prepared for death when it came; a hymn that he had composed especially for the occasion was sung at his funeral. A few days prior to his death he had a glimpse of what was to come, crying to his daughter, "Oh, what views! Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! I have heard singing. I am well. Glory, ineffable! "

On 5 February 1857 the Rutland Herald published an article on Haynes by Edward C. Purdy in which he wrote:

Almost my earliest recollection of anything, is that of seeing Father Haynes in the pulpit of the old meeting house in West Rutland, dispensing the "bread of life," to an always attentive congregation; for, whatever may be said of Mr. H.'s theology, of his character as a man, or of his talents as a preacher, all who knew him will admit that he had a way of interesting which very few of the ministers of his day possessed.