Fred A. Hillery (August 25, 1854 – August 23, 1937) was an early leader in the American Holiness Movement; the founding president of the South Providence Holiness Association; the founding pastor of the People's Evangelical Church, the "mother church of the Church of the Nazarene in the East";Cunningham, 57. a co-founder of the Central Evangelical Holiness Association and also of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America; one of the founders of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (now Eastern Nazarene College); one of the founding fathers of the Church of the Nazarene; and the publisher of holiness periodicals and books.
Early years
Family background Frederick Alverdo Hillery was born on August 25, 1854, in Barre, Vermont, the son of Luther A. B. Hillery (born about 1823 in Vermont; died before 1870),Luther was the son of John B. Hillery (born about 1787 in Massachusetts; died after 1860) and Mehitable Vose (see Joseph B. Murdock, comp., Murdock Genealogy (Boston, MA: C.E. Goodspeed, 1925):198) (born 1898 in New Hampshire; died after 1860). See US 1860 Federal Census (Barre, Vermont). a farmer, and Lurana S. HoweHillary's mother's name appears variously in US Federal Census records: Lurana (1860) and Lurany (1880). Additionally, her name is spelled Laurania in Vital Records of Nantucket Massachusetts to the Year 1850 Vol. 1: Births (A-F) (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1925):115. (born about 1828 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts).Laurana was the daughter of Martin Howe of Wareham, Massachusetts. See Vital Records of Nantucket Massachusetts to the Year 1850. 4:39; 3:53. Hillary's parents were married on April 15, 1847, at Nantucket, Massachusetts.Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp., Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film # 0823704. and also had a daughter, Elma (born about 1861).Her name may have been Elmer or Esmer. The writing on the 1870 US Federal Census form is difficult to read. After the death of Luther Hillery, Lurana married Edward Boden (born in January 1818 in Massachusetts) of Nantucket, Massachusetts, a cooper and farmer and widower, who had been married to her sister Mary Jane Howe (born about 1821).Vital Records of Nantucket Massachusetts to the Year 1850 Vol. 1: Births (A-F) (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1925):115; US Federal Census 1850, Nantucket, MA.
Employment By 1870 Hillery had finished school and was employed primarily doing farm duties on his step father's farm in Nantucket.1870 US Federal Census. By 1873 Hillery had moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where he was employed as a machinist and boarded at 527 High Street.Providence City Directory (1873):152. By 1878 Hillery was employed as a streetcar conductor for the Union Railroad Company, and he and his wife lived at the U.R.R.-owned house at 862 Eddy Street in Providence.See Providence Directory (1878):171. While still employed as a conductor, by 1880 Hillery and his wife lived at another U.R.R. house at 11 Searle Street (at the corner with Sayles Street), Providence, Rhode Island.1880 US Federal Census, Providence > District 53 > Page 14. By 1882 Hillery was again employed as a machinist, and had relocated to a house on 99 Swan Street.Providence Directory (1882):203. By 1884 Hillery had been promoted to foreman of the U.R.R. at 588 Eddy Street.Providence Directory (1884):231. By 1889 Hillery had become a printer and was living at 167 Swan Street, Providence.Rhode Island Directory (1889):272.
Marriage and children In 1877 Hillery married Della (or Delia) H.There is considerable ambiguity about the correct spelling. Some sources have both spellings. e.g. Rhode Island Deaths. (born March 1858 in Massachusetts). Hillary and his wife had five children, with only three surviving infancy: Florence H. Hillery (born January 24, 1879; died February 14, 1880, in Rhode Island);Rhode Island Births, 1636-1930; Rhode Island Deaths, 1630-1930 Esther L. Hillery (born February 15, 1881; died May 3, 1882, in Rhode Island);Rhode Island Births, 1636-1930; Rhode Island Deaths, 1630-1930. Fred Alverdo Hillery Jr. (born March 9, 1883, in Rhode Island; died about 1939);Fred Jr. married Katherine F. Carter on February 9, 1915. See Rhode Island Marriages, 1636-1930. In 1917 he was working as a printer in his father's business. See World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 about Fred Alverdo Hillery Jr. Registration Location: Providence County, Rhode Island; Roll 1852406; Draft Board: 6. By 1920 Fred Jr. was still married to Catherine (note spelling) (born about 1895 in Massachusetts), was working as a printer, and was living iat 379 Sayles Street Providence, with Freda, age 47, his mother-in-law, and her son, Henry, age 15. See 1920 US Federal Census. By 1930 Fred Jr., is listed as being married to Celia F. Kelly (born Massachusetts about 1897; died after 1953), who had a daughter Harriett I. Kelly (born about 1918). Apparently Fred Jr. and Celia married about 1927. In 1930 Fred Jr. owned his own printing business, where Celia was employed as a printer. They were living in Douglas Village, Massachusetts at that time. See 1930 Us Federal Census, Douglas, MA. See Providence Directory (1931):831. Alice F. Hillary Steere (born September 1891 in Rhode Island);Alice Hillery married Charles F. Steere (born January 18, 1892, in North Kingston, Rhode Island), a chauffeur, on June 11, 1917 in Rhode Island, and had one son, Charles (born about July 1918 in Rhode Island). See World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 > Rhode Island > Woonsocket City > 0 > Draft Card S; Rhode Island Marriages. However, by 1930 Alice was divorced and was living with Charles Jr. with her parents. At that time Alice worked from home as a laundress. See 1930 US Federal Census, District 12, Lakewood, Warwick Township, Rhode Island, page 1. One source indicates Charles S. Steere may have died in 1927, and that his son may have died in 1935. and Ruth F. Hillary (born March 1895 in Rhode Island).By 1910 Ruth was employed as a compositor in her father's firm. See 1910 US Federal Census. By 1920 Ruth was a stenographer at the Employment Bureau at 86 Weybosset Street (see 1920 US Federal Census, and Providence Directory (1922):439), and was promoted to manager by 1924 (see Providence Directory (1924):457).
Ministry
St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church (1881-1887) By 1881 Hillery was a member and class leader of the St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church which was located at the corner of Potter's and Prairie Avenues in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence Directory (1889):725. and was elected Sunday School superintendent by the church board.Timothy L. Smith, Called Unto Holiness: The Story of the Nazarenes (Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1962; Holiness Data Ministry, August 14, 2006):44, http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/2501-2600/hdm2593.pdf From 1881 there was a revival of the Wesleyan doctrine of entire sanctification in the congregation due to the efforts of pastor T.J. Everett and various holiness evangelists, especially by Methodist Temperance crusader Miss Lizzie M. Boyd of Wheeling, West Virginia, who preached at the church in 1881 and again in 1883.Cunningham, 58; Jennie Smith, Valley of Baca: A Record of Suffering and Triumph (Hitchcock and Walden, 1877, 1880, 1883):256; From Baca to Beulah: Sequel to "Valley of Baca" (Garrigues Brothers, 1885):157; Adrienne M. Israel, Amanda Berry Smith: From Washerwoman to Evangelist (Issue 16 of Studies in Evangelicalism) (Scarecrow Press, 1998):112; George Hughes and Lidie H. Kenney, The Sweet Singer, Nettie Van Name: And Her Seven Years' Work for Jesus (National Holiness Publishing House):56,72; Woman and Temperance: Or, The Work and Workers of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (Park Publishing Co., 1888):129; The Heathen Woman's Friend 8-9 (Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1876):137; Report of the Crusade Anniversary Convention of the National Woman's Temperance Union (Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 1924):152. "Camp meeting-like scenes were repeated at the church, including persons lying prostrate under the power of the Holy Spirit."Cunningham, 58. Pastor Everett and his wife, and Hillery were among those who claimed this experience. A holiness testimony meeting according to the example of Phoebe Palmer was begun at the church each Tuesday.Cunningham, 58. However, the revivals were opposed by many members of the congregation. The next pastor, Rev. Charles Henry Ewer (born February 1846 in Massachusetts; died October 10, 1912, in Rhode Island),In 1880 Ewer was pastoring the ME Church in Niantic, Connecticut, married to Mary S. (born March 1843), married in 1868 and had two sons: Harold C. Ewer (born December 1873) and Bernon C. Ewer (born October 1877). See 1880 US Federal Census: New London > East Lyme > District 112 > Page 36; and Providence > Providence Ward 7 > District 59 > Page 33. See Rhode Island Deaths. canceled the holiness meeting,Cunningham, 58. and refused to allow Hillery to be installed as Sunday School superintendent in an effort to compel the holiness advocates to support his fund-raising methods.Smith.
By December 1884 Ewer had been transferred to the Methodist Church at Stoughton, Massachusetts,"LIVELY TIMES IN STOUGHTON.; MINISTERS TRYING TO PREVENT A LOTTERY AT A GRAND ARMY FAIR", The New York Times (December 28, 1884):1. and was succeeded by Rev. Edwin D. Hall,Methodist Episcopal Church, New England Southern Conference, Year-book of the Annual Conference (1888):82. who continued Ewer's policy and criticised the holiness advocates publicly.Smith, 44. As a consequence, on May 12, 1886, the South Providence Holiness Association (SPHA) was formed in the home of Methodist local preacher George E. Perry, and Hillery was elected the founding president.Timothy L. Smith, Called Unto Holiness: The Story of the Nazarenes (Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1962; Holiness Data Ministry, August 14, 2006):44, http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/2501-2600/hdm2593.pdf About sixty church members joined the SPHA, and a weekly meeting was held each Friday at a time not in competition to the activities of the St. Paul's church. Due to the increase in attendance at these meetings, a hall was rented, and special services were held with holiness evangelists. As Hall had warned Hillery and the other holiness advocates that their actions were against the Methodist Discipline, he responded by removing Hillery, Perry and G.H. Spear from their leadership of class meetings, disbanded their class meetings, and required the "dissenting' members to meet him on Friday evenings. 38 members refused to meet at that time but were willing to do so at any other time. After the St. Paul church was destroyed in a fire on December 5, 1886, Hall removed all Holiness Association members from teaching Sunday School in January 1887. After Hillery started Sunday School classes at the rented hall at the same time as those of the St. Paul church, Hillery was tried and expelled from the Methodist church on March 15, 1887.Cunningham, 58. After unsuccessful appeals to the quarterly and annual conferences that confirmed his excommunication, Hillery wrote A History of the Revival of Holiness in St. Paul's M. E. Church, Providence, R. I., 1880–1887; or A Statement of the Circumstances which led to the Formation of the South Providence Holiness Association and the People's Evangelical Church, an 87 page apologetic defending his actions and those of his supporters.
The People's Evangelical Church (1887-1904)