Rev. Edward Dorr Griffin Prime

The second pastor [of the Scotchtown Presbyterian Church] received a call from the church Mar. 21st 1839, at first as co-pastor, with the Rev. Mr. Baldwin, and after his death he was the sole pastor. He was born at Cambridge, Washington Co., N. Y., November 2d, 1814, and he was the son of the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel S. Prime. He was graduated from Union College in 1832, taking the Latin oration, one of the honors of the institution. After teaching three years he entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton in 1835, and was graduated from it in 1838. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of North River, and a few months after began his labors here. His ordination as collegiate pastor took place July 12th, 1839, the sermon being preached by his father, Rev. Dr. N. S. Prime, from II Cor. 6:10. “As poor, yet making many rich.”

He married first Maria D. Wilson of Princeton, N. J. Some years after her death, and after leaving Scotchtown, he married Eliza Goodell, daughter of Rev. Dr. William Goodell, missionary in Turkey. In the fall of 1850 he went to New Orleans on account of the health of his wife, where he supplied one of the Presbyterian Churches of that city during the winter, and on his return in May, Mrs. Prime died while on the journey home.

In December 24th, 1851, he resigned his charge here on account of lung trouble and went to Augusta, Georgia. He then took charge of the Presbyterian Church in East 86th Street, New York City, for a year. After that he spent the year 1854-’55 in Rome, as chaplain of the Embassy, under the appointment of the American and Foreign Christian Union. In October, 1855, he returned to New York and became a regular editor of the New York Observer, which he had served for some months in 1853 while his brother, Samuel Irenaeus Prime, the regular editor, was in Europe. His death occurred the seventh of April, 1891.

The church was favored in procuring the services of Mr. Prime, afterwards known as Dr. Prime, as colleague for Mr. Baldwin, and subsequently their pastor for many years. His mild and amiable disposition, his uniform courtesy and agreeable manners, the attention shown by him to all classes alike and his faithfulness in the discharge of pastoral duty greatly endeared him to the people. Modest and unobtrusive he was yet firm and decided in his convictions and when the occasion called for it did not hesitate to express them. Possessing good natural abilities and his mind thoroughly trained, his sermons were prepared with care and were full of instruction and very profitable to his hearers. His ministry was full of blessing to the church and his departure matter of general regret among the people. In the summer of 1850 a large number (48) professed conversion and united with the church upon profession of their faith in Christ. During his pastorate here he wrote, at the suggestion of his brother Irenaeus, a series of letters for the New York Observer entitled “Letters from the Country,” signed Eusebius, describing some scenes in his pastoral experience. One or two of these we recall. One was, as we recall the caption “triumphs of grace or the two sisters,” showing how differently the spirit of God operated in the conversion of two sisters. The other was an account of a funeral upon the outskirts of his congregation to which the writer of this sketch accompanied him. The deceased was a poor man living remote from the highway and access to whose cabin was only reached by a narrow path over which no wagon could pass. After the services the coffin was suspended from a pole borne upon the shoulders of two men and thus carried to the highway and placed in a wagon to be taken to the place of interment. The preparation of this series of letters showed him to hold the hand of a ready writer and we have long suspected had something to do with his at length occupying the editorial chair.