Bio: Rev. F. V. D. Garretson : Franconia, Grafton Co, New Hampshire

From Gazetteer of Grafton County, NH 1709-1886 -Franconia
Compiled & published by Hamilton Child 1886


Rev. F. V. D. Garretson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, December 10,
1839. At the age of ten he was clerk in the leading dry goods and grocery
store at Perth Amboy, N. J. Began teaching school when sixteen, at
Woodbridge, N. J., and taught the same school for three years and a half. At
the end of this period he was offered a most flasttering position as
principal with a large salary. This was declined, however, and in 1860 he
entered Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, N. H., and graduated after a three
years' course with the highest honor. Was graduated at Yale in 1866, and
Union Theological seminary in 1869, having completed a ten years' course of
study. While in New Haven he was extensively known in connection with
"Scatter Good" and Bethany mission Sunday-schools, acting as superintendent
of both at the same time. His services were in great demand at Sunday-school
concerts, conventions and other convocations of Sunday-school workers, and
several of his vacations were spent in such work in Maine, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, under the auspices of the American
Sunday-school Union. It was at this time that he compiled and edited the
"Carmina Yalensia," which had the largest immediate sale of any collection
of college songs ever published. As a member of the college choir and "Yale
Glee Club" he planned and successfully managed the famous yachting tour of
the club in 1866, when concerts were given in most of the principal cities
of New England, also in Steinway Hall, New York, and the Academy of Music,
Brooklyn. He took a prominent part in the college gymnasium, and shared the
honor with Prof. Wood in training the "Yale University" crew in one of her
successful contests with Harvard. His triumph in walking went the rounds of
the papers when he and the "university stroke" walked from New Haven to
Hartford (37 miles) in less than eight hours. Inthe society debates he took
the first prize and also was awarded the first honor in elocution. During
the War of the Rebellion he was a member of the executive committee of the
U. S. Christian Commission for Connecticut, and for a time its business
agent at City Point, Virginia.

Immediately after graduating he sailed with his wife for Europe, and spent
over a year in Great Britain and on the Continent. Bearing letters of
introduction from the prominent Sunday-school workers of America to those
of Europe, he was invited to preach in many of the important foreign pulpits
, and was soon commissioned for active service among the Sunday-schools and
Protestant churches of Switzerland and Italy. During this trip he founded a
Sunday-school paper which at this writing has the largest circulation of any
Protestant publication in Italy. At the same time he edited and published a
volume of hymns and tunes in Italian for children and youth.

On his return to America he organized the Foreign Sunday-School Association
, auxiliary to the American Sunday School Union, and was chosen its first
secretary. He acted in this capacity until called simultaneously to the
pastorate of the Harlem Presbyterian church and Grace chapel, New York. He
accepted the latter and was pastor in New York city until called to the
Congregational church, Ellsworth, Me., in 1873. Since 1876 his time has been
largely devoted to evangelistic work, preaching in the Eastern, Middle and
Western states and territories, making his home in Bangor, Me., and Penacook
, N. H., until in 1881, when he moved to Franconia. Since his residence in
this latter place the town has been materially, intellectually, morally and
spiritually revolutionized. Through his personal instrumentality the
Congregational church was built, and the marked and rapid improvements since
have largely devolved on him. Next to his church work in Franconia his name
will ever stand intimately connected with "Dow academy."

For the encouragement of young men without pecuniary advantages, desirous
of an education, it ought to be stated that the subject of this sketch began
his studies with less than $100.00, met all his bills, relying solely upon
his own resources and energies, with a surplus at graduation, enabling him
self and wife to spend over a year in foreign travel. His motto was and is,
"The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge," which may
be seen in an alliteration on the fly-leaf of his Bible as follows:--

"The Lord of Hosts is with us
By His Presence
       Promises
       Providence
       Power."


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Submitted by: Rick Giirtman rickman@worldpath.net
Date: October 26, 2000