On Thursday evening, September 25, 1879, a meeting was held at the Union Church to confer with a delegation from the Cherryfield Congregational Church regarding establishing a branch of that church in Steuben. It was decided to organize such a branch church on Sunday, October 5, 1879. Twenty members were present on that day. Rev. H. F. Harding preached from the text found in I Cor. 15: 5-8. Seven ladies were received into the church fellowship, and the branch church was organized.

On June 6, 1809, Rev. Mr. Harding preached and received two more ladies into membership. At that time, through Mr. Harding’s instrumentality, a communion service was presented to the church.

In October 1880, Rev. E. M. Cousins, pastor of the church, held a service and administered the Lord’s Supper. On August 24, 1881, Rev. Mr. Cousins received three members into the church. On January 8, 1883, two more members were received by the same Pastor. On June 10, 1883, Rev. Mr. Cousins closed a three-year pastorate with the church.

Rev. J. C. Aganier came on the same date to serve through the summer. During July and August 1886, State Missionary E. A. Harlow labored in town. Rev. C. F. B. Pease of Yale Seminary spent the summer of 1888 working with the church. Rev. W. Trow came from Yale in the summer of 1889. In 1890, Rev. A. Keene spent two months with the church. While there, he helped to organize a Christian Endeavor Society with nine active and one associate member. This society has been kept alive through these years by earnest, faithful workers—in times of adversity and times of prosperity—whether the church was with or without a pastor. In 1891-2, Mr. M. H. Willey, a lay preacher residing in town, supplied. In August 6, 1893, Rev. Mr. Owen of the Cherryfield church received three persons into the church and administered the Lord’s Supper. At this time, Rev. Mr. Lindsey, a Yale student, supplied for twenty weeks during the summer. August 5, 1894, Rev. Mr. Whittier assisted Rev. Mr. Owen at the service at which five persons were taken into the church. Rev. Mr. Kettle of Yale supplied that season, and for the first time, the church paid all its expenses and had a surplus in the treasury. Up to this time, the Maine State Missionary Society assisted us in paying the students who preached. After 1894, it received no assistance from the Missionary Society. Rev. W. C. Adams of Bangor supplied the pulpit during the season of 1896. Rev. Herbert Lombard of Cherryfield Church preached Sunday afternoons through the winter of 1896.

On June 13, 1897, Rev. Frank Lombard came for the summer. Both brothers worked very hard to organize this into an independent church and arrange for a pastor all year. Through Rev. H. Lombard’s efforts, Mr. J. G. Moore agreed to give $200 per year toward the Pastor’s salary. Rev. H. Lombard preached through the winter of 1897 when weather permitted. In February 1898, Rev. Mr. Cullens preached and accepted a call for one year from June 1. On June 9, 1898, an ecclesiastical council convened and accepted a call for one year from June 1. The request of this church ordained Mr. Cullens to the gospel ministry. In October 1898, the Washington County Conference of Congregational Churches voted to receive the Steuben Congregational Church as a member of said Conference. The church comprised members from the branch church, who were given letters from the Cherryfield Church. At the annual meeting in June 1899, the church was voted to accept the creed used by the mother church. Rev. Mr. Cullens resigned on June 1, 1901.

Mr. Lynn V. Farnsworth began work as pastor July 14, 1901, and was ordained Nov. 21, by an ecclesiastical council called for that purpose. He was the first installed pastor of the church. He resigned Dec. 1, 1904, and was duly dismissed by a council called for that purpose later. During the year ending June 1, 1905, we lost both of our faithful deacons, Deacon Forbes Baker and Deacon Harrison Elliott, by death. There were no services during the winter, but Mr. M. O. Baltzer came in June 1905 to assist through the summer. He worked until September 9, 1906. Capt. White and Rev. A. P. McDonald of the Coast Missionary Society spent the month of February 1907 in town doing good work for the church.

On April 14, 1907, Mr. A. H. Morris came from Bangor Theological Seminary as a candidate. He accepted a call for four months beginning June 9, 1907. At the expiration of this time, he was invited to supply until a permanent pastor could be secured. In October, Mr. H. D. Moore of Philadelphia offered to pay one-half the salary of an installed pastor, thus making it possible to hire a pastor for the whole year. After carefully searching for the man needed, the church called Rev. Louis Ellms, who had spent a week in town in March 1908. He began his work on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1908. At the 18th Annual Meeting of the Washington Conference of Congregational Churches held at the Union Church, he was installed pastor of Steuben Congregational Church.

Source: Dora McCort, Henry D. Moore Library, Steuben, Maine, edited for clarity