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2049 Meetinghouse Way, West Barnstable, MA 02668
The Woman who saved our meetinghouse 1874-1956
Not much has been said lately about the life of Elizabeth Jenkins and her work to save our meetinghouse and to breathe life into a dying congregation. In the tercentenary History of Barnstable, "Three Centuries of a Cape Cod Town". Published in 1939, Miss Jenkins wrote at the conclusion of her article on "The West Parish Church": "There is danger that the committee for the 400th celebration of Barnstable must include among its markers one to read, Here stood the 1717 Meetinghouse of the West Parish of Barnstable......"
Elizabeth Jenkins was born in West Barnstable on November 30, 1872. She was one of the first graduates of the new high school in Hyannis. She left Cape Cod to complete her education at Raddiff College, Oxford University and achieved her masters' degree from the University of Wisconsin. She taught English, History, and Home Economics in various New England cities and at the age of 47 returned to West Barnstable to become a noted historian, naturalist, civic leader, and benefactor.
When she retired from a productive career as a teacher and returned to her home in West Barnstable in the summer of 1921, she found our meeting house a wreck, the congregation was served by a shared pastor and only seven attended the Christmas service. In the decade from 1921 to May 25, 1929, after her return to West Barnstable, the congregation voted to restore the meetinghouse. Miss Jenkins assertively led the drive for the restoration by raising funds until about $500 was accumulated, enough to interest an architect to make a preliminary survey of the old building. Edwin Goodell was commissioned to make his appraisal of the building. He went into the loft above the ceiling and found the old post and beam frame as sound as it had been 200 years before. He was caught up in Miss Jenkins' enthusiasm for the restoration. He made preliminary sketches from which a small brochure was prepared and the fund drive began in earnest.
She continued her struggle to raise funds during the Great Depression and the years of World War 11. Often contributions were only a quarter, but any amount was gratefully received. On April 21, 1950, the Rev. Walter Goehring was called as Pastor Teacher and added his leadership and enthusiasm to Miss Jenkins' effort. A goal of $50,000 was set as a beginning sum to start building, but by the late spring of 1953, only $45,715 had been raised. They decided to take a leap in faith and the building began. By June 1954, the shell was restored and efforts to complete the interior began. A new brochure was prepared and now the accumulation of funds was easier, which brought about the completion of the restoration on August 24, 1958. Elizabeth Jenkins had died on March 24, 1956.
The trustees of the Foundation resolved that: "It has been given to us to work with one of God's rare spirits. It has been a joy to be counted among her fellow workers and her friends."
J. Harold Williams has skimmed these facts from a book, The Woman Who Saved A Meetinghouse. It is available from the bookrack in the narthex of the Meetinghouse for a small charge of $2.50. I urge you to buy this book and read the full story of the life of this wonderful woman.
Bob Russell (Fomer Foundation Historian)
PHOTO: At the time of this photograph, taken in 1922, Ms. Jenkins had just returned to West Barnstable to perhaps begin to focus interest and raise the necessary funds to restore the Meetinghouse.
The actual restoration did not get underway until the early 1950s. Ms. Jenkins was 48 years old when this photograph was taken.
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