Rev. Samuel Osgood, DD

Rev. Samuel Osgood

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 116474147

Inscription:

PASTOR OF THE FIRST CHURCH IN SPRINGFIELD
BORN IN FRYEBURGH, MAINE

Ordained and Settled
Jan. 27, 1809

AGED 78 Trs. & 10 Mos.

Being the sixth Pastor of the Church
which relation he sustained for 5(?)

We have declared thy faithfulness worthy salvation. "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord."
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Rev. Samuel Osgood, DD

Samuel Osgood, educated at Dartmouth and Princeton Theological Seminary, came to Springfield in 1808 as the pastor of First Church. For the next half century Rev. Dr. Osgood had a profound effect upon the course of the oldest church in Springfield and the community in general. The present edifice of First Church was erected early in Osgood's pastorate (1818-1819). Osgood was also responsible for starting a Sunday school (1818), adding an organ (1849) and increasing the membership of the church by more than 1,000 people during the time of his service. Rev. Osgood held many positions of leadership during his time in Springfield, but it is his involvement with the underground railroad that concerns us here.

The Osgood family lived in several locations, two of which are known to have been sub-stations on the underground railroad: an earlier home on Main Street in the vicinity of the present-day Hampden Street and later their house on Main Street, in between Howard and Union Streets. The Osgood's daughter, Sarah Avery, recalled that more than fifty blacks stayed at the parsonage for one year alone. James Osgood, son of the minister, remembered seeing at least nine escaped slaves in their house on one night. The family renamed the reception room where many of the fugitives waited for further instructions on their journey, the "Prophet's Chamber." When the Osgood home could no longer contain all the fugitives, the overflow was sent to a neighboring house, owned by Dr. Henry R. Vaille journeyed to Hartford through a series of underground railway stations. Three dollars was raised for Smith's benefit at the home of a Mr. Foster in Hartford. "Foster gave it to me and then took me to the steamboat and started me for Springfield."' Mr. Foster also gave him the name of someone to contact in Springfield. Rev. Osgood. Osgood was "a true friend," in Smith’s words, helping to find him employment as a shoemaker and placing him in a school in Wilbraham. Eventually James Smith settled in Norwich, Connecticut as a shoemaker and pastor of a Methodist Church.

Another story, like Smith's is that related by William Green, in his autobiography published in Springfield in 1853. Like Smith. Green was also a slave in Maryland who decided to seek his freedom. After several harrowing episodes Green and a companion found their way to Hartford where, "we were forwarded on to Springfield by some more of the friends in that place, we were directed to Dr. Osgood, who appeared to be pleased to see us. We remained with him for a few days. when we got us a place and went to work. "

Green went on to become a respected member of the local community. He was a member oi Free Church, owned a barber shop at the corner of Hancock and Union Streets and in 1851, became a member of the League of Gileadites. Osgood's involvement in aiding escaped Sout11ern slaves made him react strongly to the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. Along with other prominent citizens, Osgood was a very vocal member oi the local anti-slavery society formed after the passage oi this federal law.

There were other ministers in Springfield who were opponents of slavery. Notable figures included the ministers of the Sanford Street Church, such as the Rev. Leonard Collins and J.N. Mars; and the ministers of the Pynchon Street Church that helped to found the Free and Sanford Street Churches, the Rev. Jonathan D. Bridge and Justin S. Barrows. Despite the activities of these men, there were few clergy who could challenge the involvement of Samuel Osgood in the anti-slavery cause.

Springfield's Black Community in 1850