Rev. Elias Nason, the third pastor, was born in
Wrentham, Mass., April 21, 1811; graduated from Brown University in 1835; lectured in the
South upon Southern flora, 1836; published the ‘
Georgia Courier,’ 1837; taught an academy in
Waynesborough, Ga.; taught school in
Newburyport, Mass., 1840-49; was licensed to preach in 1849; was ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational Church in
Natick May 5, 1852, and from thence was called to
Medford and installed Nov. 10, 1858.
He published several biographies, and a gazetteer of
Massachusetts, and edited a hymn book which was used for several years in the
Mystic Church.
He was a member of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society and of several other learned bodies.
Having received a flattering call from a church in
Exeter, N. H., he resigned his office Oct. 17, 1860.
The church, being unwilling to part with him, declined to accept his resignation, but united with him in calling an advisory council.
That council decided that he ought to remain in
Medford.
He, in good faith, accepted the decree and began making plans for future work; but new overtures having been made by the
Exeter Church, he, in the hope that the health of an invalid son would be greatly improved in that locality, sent to the church a second letter of resignation November 6 of
[p. 60] the same year and was dismissed by a council November 19.
He preached in
Exeter four years, and afterwards in
Dracut and
Lowell, Mass., and
Danielsonville, Conn. He died in
Billerica, Mass., in 1887. Two sons, Charles P. H. and William W., are now prominent in the ministry.
‘
Mr. Nason was a man of marked personality, a linguist of great fluency, a botanist of keen penetration, a genealogist of some repute, a musician, and an orator of no mean standing.’
He was succeeded by
the Rev. E. P. Hooker.
