Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- An Ancestor Who Experienced or Did Something Unique or Memorable

 Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision. 

1)   Choose an ancestor who experienced or did something unique or memorable (such as an event, family life, trip, etc.).  

2)  Share about your ancestor and his/her unique experience and how it may have affected their life in your own blog post or on your Facebook page.  Be sure to leave a link to your report in a comment on this post.

 [thank you to Linda Stufflebean for suggesting this topic!] 

Here's mine:

My third great-grandfather, Jonathan Oatley (1790-1872) was a Baptist pastor and preacher in Rhode Island and Connecticut in the first half of the 1800s.  Here is the information I have about his religious work:

Jonathan Oatley was baptized in the Baptist Church at Exeter, Rhode Island on 6 February 1813. Amy Champlin was baptized at the same church on 20 February 1813. They married in Exeter on 29 May 1813.  Apparently, he became the pastor of the Exeter church at some time.

The church records say that "Bro. Jonathan Oatley" was voted a letter of recommendation on 18 April 1829 by the Exeter church, and was a delegate to the Ecclesiastical Council on 2 July 1829.  On 16 October 1829, the congregation at Exeter voted to give Brother Jonathan Oatley a letter of recommendation and dismission.  He was ordained in about 1829 to become pastor of the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown, Rhode Island. His pastorate continued for about three years.

In 1834, Jonathan Oatley and Amy, accompanied by twelve children, left South Kingstown and came to East Killingly, Connecticut. They joined the Baptist Church and he began as pastor on about 1 May 1834, carrying a letter of recommendation from the South Kingstown church. There is no record of how long he served in that capacity.  Trouble arose in the congregation in 1847.  The church records say:

 "Whereas, elder Jonathan Oatley, and his wife Amy, Joseph Oatley, William Oatley, Amy Oatley White, were at different times during the year 1847 excluded from the fellowship, ordinances, and watch-care of this church."  

A later record for 5 February 1853 reads:

 "In accordance with the invitation given to the following persons, Jonathan Oatley, Amy his wife, Joseph Oatley, William Oatley and Amy Oatley White did accept of said invitation and were by a unanimous vote restored to the full fellowship of said Church at a covenant meeting held ... Killingly the 5th day of Feb. 1853.  R.B. Covill, Church Clerk."

The History of Chestnut Hill, Connecticut website has this information about the church:

"The ministers of this church have been as nearly as can be ascertained as follows: George Robinson, July, 1776, dismissed, 1785; Campbell, a short time; Elders Lamb and John Cooper, 1786 to 1796; Elder Peter Rogers, 1796 to 1803; Calvin Cooper, September, 1805, ordained October 14th, to about 1826, being the longest pastorate the church has ever had; Elder Appleton, between the years 1827 and 1530; Albert Cole, ordained December 1st, 1830, to about 1833; Reverend Jonathan Oatley, May, 1834, one year; Reverend Erastus Duty, 1836; N. Branch, 1835; James Smither, 1841 to 1842; Tubal Wakefield, 1842 to 1844; N. Branch, six months in 1844; Joseph Damon, 1845-46: L. W. Wheeler. 1847 to 1850; Henry Bromley, 1851, for six months: Ebenezer Loomis, 1854; N. Branch, supply, 1855 to April, 1856; Hurley Miner, 1857, about three years; J. Aldrich, 1860 to 1863, ordained January 19th, 1861; H. B. Slater, son of Deacon Silas Slater of this church, September, 1865, to February, 1866; Austin Robbins, April, 1866, to April, 1872; Curtis Kenny, 1874, four months; N. Mathewson, 1876; James Rhea, 1878, a short time; C. B. Rockwell, October, 1879, for one year; Charles Nichols, 1880, one year; William C. Walker, 1882, a few months; Robert H. Sherman, ordained February 14th, 1884, resigned July 5th, 1885. Since that date there has been no regular preaching in the church.

"The first house of worship was built at some time previous to 1790. A new meeting house was begun about 1802, and completed in the course of two or three years. The present house of worship was begun in 1834, and completed about 1836, the cost being $1,400. In 1843 twelve feet was added to its length, and a bell was purchased. In 1882 extensive repairs and improvements were made, including the addition of a baptistery, an expense of $800. The deacons have been Ephraim Fisk, Jonathan Harrington, Sampson Covil, Silas Slater, Bergen Slater, John A. Randall, Sampson B. Covil, John Murray, E. L. Barstow, Chauncey F. Barstow, Edward R. Oatley and Charles A. White. The church clerks have been N. Aldrich, P. Rowey, Samuel Bullock, N. A. Durfee, Benjamin Brown, Sampson B. Covil, George Pray and E. A. Hill."

It appears that Jonathan Oatley was not the pastor at the East Killingly Baptist Church after 1835,  The present church building was started in 1834 and finished in 1836 so Jonathan Oatley may have been instrumental in building it.

He seems to be a member in good standing after 1853 until his death in 1872.  

Jonathan and Amy (Champlin) Oatley were members of this church, as were my 2nd great-grandparents Henry and Amy (Oatley) White. 

I wonder what he thought about religion, what he preached about, and how big a church he had.  

Here is a screen capture from Google Street View of the Union Baptist Church in East Killingly, Rhode Island.  It is located on the Hartford Pike (highway 101) just west of Bailey Hill Road.

If I was younger and more mobile, I would want a road trip to visit this church and the surrounding area.  

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