1813
ZEDEKIAH SMITH BARSTOW, the youngest child of Deacon John
and Susannah (Smith) Barstow, was born in Canterbury, Conn.,
Oct. 4th, 1790.
Having previously prepared himself in the mathematics and the
higher English branches, while working on his father's farm, he
commenced the study of the classics at the age of 19, with Rev.
Erastus Learned, of Canterbury, and after 6 months of persevering
study, was admitted to college in 1811. After graduation he
pursued his theological studies under the direction of President
Dwight, and was licensed to preach in New Haven in 1814. For
two years he was tutor and college chaplain in Hamilton College,
where he received the degree of A.M. (ad eundem) in 1816, and
was invited to accept a professorship, but declined, preferring to
devote his life to pastoral work.
He was settled over the Congregational Church in Keene, N.
H , July 1st, 1818. July 1st, 1868, he resigned his charge, after
50 years of pastoral service, during which long period he had
failed to preach but 8 Sabbaths. After his resignation he still
continued to preach for destitute parishes in the vicinity until
within a year of his death, which occurred in Keene, March 1st,
1873, in the 83d year of his age.
Dr. Barstow's influence as a pastor, a scholar, and a public man,
will long be felt not only in the town where he lived, but throughout
the State. For 37 years he served as trustee of Dartmouth
College (never missing attendance on a single meeting of the
Board during his term of service); he was secretary for many
years of the Gen. Association of N. Hamp., a corporate member
of the A. B. C. F. M., trustee of Kimball Union Academy, trustee
and secretary of Keene Academy until his death, and prominent
in all the educational and religious mqvements of the day. He
was also member of the N. H. Legislature, and chaplain of that
body in 1868 and '69. He received the degree of Doctor in
Divinity from Dartmouth College in 1849.
Dr Barstow married, Aug., 1818, Elizabeth Fay Blake, eldest
daughter of Elihu Blake, of Westborough, Mass., who died Sept
15th, 1869. Two sons only of their five children survive them.
