Elder Edward Pierson Brigham was born in Madison, New York, on August 11, 1828, a younger brother of George Howe Brigham. He began the "Scientific Course" in 1852 and graduated in 1855. In 1855 he also married Mary A. Hopkins of Lebanon, New York, and entered the Theological Seminary at Hamilton, New York, from which he graduated in 1857. He pastored Churches in Shusan (Washington County), Manlius, Camillus, Penn Yan, Wappinger Falls, and LeRoy. The seminary record reports that he "has baptized every year." His first wife died and he married Calista L Hayen while serving the PennYan Church.
There is little or no information in our Church record of Elder Edward Brigham's Pastorate in Manlius. The LeRoy Baptist Church and Society happened to have excellent records of his pastorate there and these records give an insight into his character and service later in his career. Elder Brigham came to the LeRoy Baptist Church from the Franklindale Baptist Church in Wappinger's Falls, New York. He was called to begin his pastorate in the Fall of 1870. (Salary of $1200.00 with a parsonage.) His letter of dismission from the Franklindale Church was voluntarily accompanied by a letter which read in part, "It affords us unspeakable pleasure to testify of our high appreciation of the labors of our pastor, in all his varied relations, and of our conviction that his ministry has been greatly blessed to the edification of the Church and congregation."
Elder Brigham's ministry in the LeRoy Baptist Church did not end on such a happy note. Although he was pastor at the time of the LeRoy Church's greatest membership to date (283 in 1871), he was dismissed (improperly) by the Elders and Deacons of the Church in 1876 for reasons not stated. He stayed in LeRoy for a time, where he made disparaging remarks about the newly installed Pastor, Elder Reed, which were at least partially true, but for which he later apologized. A Council was called to settle the issues. Elder D.D.Reed was also asked to resign as Pastor, and both Elder Reed and Elder Brigham were instructed to leave town as quickly as possible. (One of Elder Reed's sins was to have been baptized three times, which the Council termed "a moral delinquency meriting condemnation.") The congregation was reminded about the laws governing the removal of pastors, and was asked to avoid talking about the distressing circumstances and to work together harmoniously again. When Elder Edward Brigham left LeRoy he was 48 years old. Thus far no record of his later years of service have been found.
