County and Hartwick in Otsego County. Six were clergymen: Roots, Bostwick, and Kingsley, in addition to Hascall, Kendrick and Clark; one was soon to enter that calling, Powell; three, Samuel Payne, Olmstead and Osgood, were farmers; Cox was a merchant and tailor; Hull was a physician; and Elisha Payne a farmer and inn-keeper. Most of them were leaders in their communities. Nine had been born in New England. Most were middle-aged, save Powell who was twenty-seven. Hascall and Roots were probably the only two Baptist preachers west of the Hudson in 1817 who had attended college. Roots, Class of 1789 at Dartmouth, was perhaps the most widely known because of his extensive missionary tours under the auspices of the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Society, many of which were fully reported in that organization’s magazine.
Robert Powell remembered the meeting as a solemn and impressive occasion. The brethren were seated mostly on the south side of the room, Hascall and Kendrick next to each other. Bostwick was made moderator and Hull, clerk. After the purpose of the meeting had been indicated, a period of profound silence followed which Kendrick broke by a prayer in which all joined. The committee appointed at the May meeting then submitted a Constitution for the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York, which they proposed to form, and also an Address to the Baptists of the state, explaining the reasons for
