Latest revision as of 02:17, 4 January 2021

Howard Franklin Stultz, Sr., or "H.F." as more commonly known, was born April 20, 1880 in Waterside, Cumberland, New Brunswick to Alfred and Ann (Steeves) Stultz. He is credited as the founder of Bethany Gospel Hall, an open brethren assembly in the 1910's in Westbrook, Maine, which closed in 1983. However, a daughter assembly, started in 1958, known today as Spring Hill Gospel Hall continues to serve the area.

By 1900, Howard was living in Portland, Maine with his brother Harmon and his wife Annie (McCormack) Stultz. By Sept. 20, 1908 when his eldest son, Howard Jr. was born, the family was living in Westbrook, a suburb of Portland. Hugh Thorpe and John Dickson held tent meetings in Westbrook 1907-1908 which Howard attended, and this was his introduction to the assemblies. Subsequently, he was invited to visit Cliff Street Gospel Hall in Boston, as well as Byfield Gospel Hall, also in Massachusetts. In 1916, Howard founded Bethany Gospel Hall in Westbrook, which met until his death in 1982. Spring Hill Gospel Hall hived from Bethany in 1957, which meets today.

Family

Siblings

Howard had several siblings, including three sisters that died on Dec. 20, 1882 of diptheria:

• Abigail Stultz Hanson (b. 1858 N.B. - d. 1934 Portland, ME) m. Soren Hanson (b. 1848 Denmark - d. 1910 Portland, ME)
• Hannah Augusta Stultz Hoar (b. 1861 N.B. - Waterside, N.B.)
• Ida Jane Stultz O'Brien (b. 1863 N.B. - d. 1943 Portland, ME)
  • 1st husband: Curtis Kingsbury Strout (b. 1866 Raymond, Cumberland, ME - d. 1890 Turner, Androscoggin, ME)
  • 2nd husband: John H. O'Brien (b. 1842 N.B. - d. 1922 Bath, ME)
• Abraham L. Stultz (b. 1865 Waterside, N.B. - 1952 Portland, ME)
• Anna Lowell Stultz (b. 1869 N.B. - d. 1882), made a profession of faith in Christ, and baptized a month before she died.
• Martha E. Stultz (b. 1871 N.B. - d. 1882) made profession of faith shortly before death.
• Harmon Everett Stultz (b. 1873 N.B.) m. Annie McCormack (b. 1878 N.B.) raised their family in Portland, Maine, he was employed in 1910 as an electrician for the city of Portland.
• Maud E. Stultz (b. 1877 N.B. - d. 1882)
• Caroline Mary "Carrie" Stultz Farley (b. 1883 N.B. - d. 1971 Portland, ME) m. John T. Farley (b. 1870 Taunton, MA - d. 1942 Brooklyn, NY)

Father's ancestry

H.F.'s father, Alfred, was born about 1823 in N.B., and raised around Moncton, N.B. Alfred was a china merchant, and blind by an unknown age, and was led to Christ by Howard reading the newspaper to him, and running across a Gospel text therein, which is how Howard made a profession for Christ also.

Mother's ancestry

H.F.'s mother, better known as "Ann", was born in 1840 in N.B., to Hyram (b. 1815) and Hannah Steeves (b. 1817). In 1871, the family was registered "Baptist Closed Communion" and living in newly settled Hillsborough, Albert, N.B.

Marriage

In Portland, ME on Aug. 9, 1905, officiated by Fria Sommer, Howard married Mary Eujene MacCormack. Mary was born Feb. 26, 1883 in Blackland, Restigouche, New Brunswick.

Children

• Howard Franklin Stultz, Jr. (b. 1908 Westbrook, ME - d. 1982 Brunswick, Cumberland, ME) m. Effie Mabel Patt (b. 1909 Merrill, Aroostook, ME - d. 1992 Portland, Cumberland, ME). Effie was the daughter of Daniel Martin Patt (b. 1861 Pawtucket, R.I. - d. 1920 Brunswick, Cumberland, ME) and Lydia A. Kender Patt (b. 1856 N.J. - d. 1909 Providence, R.I.). After Howard's death, Effie remarried Raymond John Sleeper (b. 1915 Newbury, Orange, VT - d. 1979 Lincoln, Grafton, N.H.).
  • Priscilla Ann Stultz (b. 1933 Portland, ME) in 1951 m. Frank Peter Ford (b. 1929 - d. 1995 Richmond, VA)
  • Margaret A. Stultz Marzul-Vincent (b. 1933 Westbrook, ME - d. 2009 Waterville, ME) m. George R. Vincent in 1977.
  • Mary Jean Stultz Dion (b. 1933 Westbrook, ME - d. 2006 Lewiston, Androscoggin, ME) m. Michael Eugene Dion (b. 1931 - d. 2000)

• Charles Theodore Stultz (1911-1958 Portland, ME) m. Edith Marguerite Storer (b. 1911 Livermore Falls, Androscoggin, ME - d. 1991 Portland, ME). Edith was daughter of Elmer E. Storer (b. 1874 New Sharon, ME - d. 1955 Livermore Falls, ME) and Addie M. Ladd Storer (b. 1878 - d. 1903 New Sharon, ME).
  • Pauline Kathryn Stultz (b. 1934 - d. 2002 Casco, ME) in 1955 m. Daniel F. Chick, longtime correspondent at Spring Hill Gospel Hall, ME.
  • Philip C. Stultz (b. 1936 ME) in 1956 m. Verna M. Desjardins

• Philip Edward Stultz (b. 1913 - d. 1996 Westbrook, ME) m. Orra Elizabeth Moody (b. 1914 Portland, ME - d. 2002 Falmouth, ME). Orra was a daughter of Aquila Emery Moody (b. 1881 Pittsfield, ME - d. 1967 Portland, ME) and Lucinda Adeline Irish Moody (b. 1882 Buckfield, Oxford, ME - d. 1966 Portland, ME).

• Elizabeth Ann Stultz (b. 1914 - d. 2020 Westbrook, ME) 1932 in St. Johnsbury, Caledonia, VT m. Dallas Arlington Beal(b. 1911 Connellsville, Fayette, PA - d. 1992 Inverness, Citrus, FL) in a Congregational service. Dallas was a son of James Galin Beal (b. 1884 Meyersdale, PA - d. 1959 Connellsville, PA) and Lela Maude Palmer Beal. Elizabeth's 2nd husband was Thomas Henry Pride (1911-1999 Portland, ME), son of Frederick Robie Pride (b. 1881) and Estella May Campbell Pride (b. 1886).

• Harold Augustus Stultz, Sr. (1916-2000 Westbrook, ME) m. Pauline Rena Dickinson (b. 1919 Bath, ME - d. 1988 Westbrook, ME), daughter of Scott Willard Dickinson (b. 1897 Bath, ME - d. 1979 Houston, TX). Scott was a son of Isaac Willard Dickinson (b. 1866 Edgecomb, Lincoln, ME) and Alice M. Smith Dickinson (b. 1871).
  • Ronald V. Stultz (b. 1938) m. Brenda A. Green (b. Gorham, ME)

• Paul Lee Stultz, Sr. (b. 1917 Westbrook, ME - d. 2007 Portland, ME) m. Bertha D. Duchaine (b. 1920 Westbrook, ME - d. 2016 Scarborough, ME). Bertha was a daughter of Joseph Duchaine (1886-1962) & Diana M. Soucy Duchaine (1893-1937).

Death

His wife Mary died Aug. 15, 1967, and was buried in Westbrook. Howard died Dec. 28, 1982 in Westbrook, Maine.

Sources

• Ancestry.com