Monadnock Moment No. 147

Era 4: Expansion and Reform - 1800 to 1860

Gad Newell of Nelson

Gad Newell was born in Connecticut in 1764. He trained for the ministry at Yale College and was ordained to preach in Nelson, New Hampshire in 1794 at the age of 30. He remained as the minister there for nearly 50 years.

Newell was well known in the region for his fire and brimstone sermons. After he retired in the 1840s he continued to sit in the pulpit and assist with the service each Sunday. His hearing began to deteriorate, however, and when the new pastor, the Reverend Daniel French, started his sermon Newell would stand up beside him. Furthermore, he held an ear trumpet in front of French's face to serve as a hearing aid to be sure he caught every word. This was quite unsettling to Rev. French, but he learned to accept the old ear trumpet.

Gad Newell's wife Sophia passed away in 1840. Several years later as he approached his ninth decade, Newell became engaged to a young girl from Keene. There was a good deal of gossip about the engagement and many people felt that the girl was after his money. She assured everyone that she loved God dearly. In any case the engagement was eventually called off and the marriage never occurred.

In 1841 a new church was built in Nelson and the old one removed. The old church site was later used as a cemetery. Newell himself passed away in 1859 at the age of 95 years. Shortly thereafter he and his wife were moved to the cemetery where the old church had been. The townspeople laid Gad Newell to rest on the very spot of the old pulpit from which he had preached for nearly 50 years.

Late 1800s picture of the new Nelson Church that was built in 1841 and remains standing today.