Connections: William Sabin and Stephen Paine

The Curious Houghton College connection to the Stephen Paine and William Sabin Family of Rehoboth, MA circa 1643 (revision December 2007)

Article supplied to the Houghton Milieu, appears here in its unedited form.

The Colonialists, William Sabin and Stephen Paine

William Sabin and Stephen Paine were neighbors as well as participating founders of the village of Rehoboth, MA circa 1643. Over 300 years later, their descendants would together walk the halls of a small (1200 students) Wesleyan College located in the southwest corner of New York State.

The Genealogy of the William Sabin (DESWSRM) family opens with a synopsis about the founding father. “William Sabin, the miller of Rehoboth, MA, is the immigrant ancestor and progenitor of the Sabin family in America and Canada (presently with a database of over 35,000 names). He is often referred to as the patriarch of the family since he married twice and fathered twenty children.” We know that the family can be traced in the early 1600's to the County of Hampshire (Hants) England, at Titchfield and towns near thereto. They were Puritans and Nonconformists. “William Sabin arrived in America sometime before 1642, when he is first recorded in conjunction with the organization of Rehoboth, MA (today located in East Providence, RI, and Seekonk, MA).”

King Philips’s War was considered one of the bloodiest in the history of the USA. The spark that set the Indians of southeast Massachusetts to massacre the English at Swansea (next door to Rehoboth) was the hanging on 8 June 1675 of two Indians accused of murdering John Sassamon (Wampanoag Indian, Christian, studied at Harvard, a preacher to the Indians at Middleboro). The foreman of the jury that pronounced them guilty was William Sabin, who on 28 March 1676 had his mill burned, and his 29 yr old son, Nehemiah killed in June 1676.

William Sabin was buried in Rehoboth on 8 February 1686.

Stephen Paine was a neighbor of William Sabin, and his name is common among the records of Rehoboth and Swansea. According to the book, Our Heritage: A History of East Providence by Joseph Conforti, the first officials, elected in 1644 were: Alexander Winchester, RICHARD WRIGHT (father-in-law of William Sabin), Henry Smith, Edward Smith, Walter Palmer, William Smith, STEPHEN PAYNE, Richard Bowen and Robert Martin. Rehoboth (the Roomy Place), located near Swansea, MA, has the little known distinction of creating the first free public school system in America, in 1643. Not until four years after this enactment did the Massachusetts Colony enact a similar law.

To reinforce a little bit the place and activity of these men in Rehoboth, the pages of this Newsletter have published paragraphs that highlight their names, based on the documents of the town. (See Sabin/Sabine/Sabean Newsletter 1982-2000, ed Robert S Sabean)

In 1641, as the boundaries of Rehoboth are laid out, both Richard Wright and Stephen Paine are mentioned, and in 1643 the size of the estate of William Sabin and his place on the “Ring of Town”, are also indicated. In 1644, Sabin signed the Rehoboth Compact, and was appointed to collect taxes in 1645. On many occasions (1657, 1659, 1660, 1670, 1671) both William Sabin and Stephen Paine served together as deputies to the Plymouth Court, from Rehoboth. New deeds established in 1653 names both Sabin and Paine as representatives of the buyers in settling the grants. A reference in "REHOBOTH: Province of ye Massachusetts Bay 1692-1776" Vol III part 2 by John G Erhardt says that “...Hunt's Mills on the Ten Mile River, apparently built by the PAINES and the SABINS.”

When I attended Houghton College from 1954-1958, a Dr Stephen William Paine was the president. He had been president from the age of 29 and at the time was considered to be the youngest college president in the USA. He served the college throughout the middle of the 20th century (1937-1972) until his retirement. On p 140 of the book by Frieda Gillette & Katherine Lindley about this presidency, they say, “Essentially these were the years during which Houghton’s present educational reputation, physical plant; enrollment base and institutional personality were forged.”

Many years later we discovered our common ancestry and he wrote me that he had bought, in 1962, the four volume set of Early Rehoboth by Richard L Bowen. He said, “I have somewhere seen the statement that there were six men who were assigned the privilege of starting a town organization at Rehoboth, and the names on the list were those of Stephen Paine, Sr, and William Sabin.” So Dr Paine was well aware of this history. Did he also recognize that thirteen descendants of William Sabin would either teach or graduate from the school and that one would become president?

Robert S Sabean ‘58
David W Sabean ‘60
John W Sabean ‘61
Shirley A Mullen ‘76
Barbara L Mullen ’78 (Pointer)
Andrew D Mullen ‘82
James L Mullen ‘86
Kirk G Sabine ‘90
Linda J Mullen ’92 (Dingley)
Jeffrey L McMullen ‘98
Benjamin I Sabine ´02
Laurence K Mullen (professor 1966-1993; honorary doctorate ´95)
Jessica Mullen ‘08

The Religious Roots of William Sabin & Stephen Paine

William¹ Sabin was active in the Puritan Congregational Church pastored by the Rev Samuel Newman. What may be considered the first Baptist Church in America was established in this same jurisdiction, and Stephen Paine was very active in that “rival” church. From a January 1985 article in the NEHGR we read, “... John Myles arrived in Rehoboth Early in 1666, or perhaps late in 1665, with the expectation that he would be called to fill the pulpit vacated by Samuel Newman, the Rev Newman being the recently deceased pastor of the Rehoboth Congregational Church. He is in fact called on a trial basis, but after some months he is rejected by the church members in Rehoboth, a majority of whom must have retained their adherence to Congregational principles. Sometime after 13 August, Myles and those adhering to his Baptist ways took the bold step of setting up their own church, without the permission of town or colony. We would probably not be far wrong if we placed this event in September or October of 1666.”

Lists of members are included in the article, and not one Sabin was found among the Baptists, but the name of Stephen Paine, Sr. does appear. Rev Samuel Newman died 5 July, 1663, and apparently the Rehoboth Church, now was renamed the Newman Congregational Church. To this church, into the next century, are connected Samuel² (b circa 1640) and his son Israel³ (b 1673 Rehoboth, Bristol, MA), father of Jeremiah⁴ Sabin (b 1703 Rehoboth, Bristol, MA) who removed to Berwick, ME. Samuel² was to become the great grandfather of Jeremiah5 Sabin, the founder of the Sabean and Sabine families of Nova Scotia.

By 1760, before the War of Revolution, there does not appear to be any Sabins left in Rehoboth, MA, nor do they play any major part in town affairs after 1700. By this time, the Sabins had moved to Windsor and Pomfret, CT; to middle and western MA, soon to southern VT & eastern NY; to RI and even NH. What is of interest to our Houghton theme is that Jeremiah⁴ (Israel³, Samuel², William¹) had moved to Berwick, ME, and that his fisherman son, Jeremiah⁵ Sabin became one of the “Planters & Pioneers of Nova Scotia (1749-1775)”, moving to the Yarmouth area in 1762.

Jeremiah⁵ Sabin founder of the Nova Scotia Sabean/Sabine families

From Jeremiah⁵ (b circa 1732, Berwick, York, ME) Sabin are descended 12 future students, professors and a president of Houghton College. Jeremiah had 12 children, four sons, three of whom left large families. Jeremiah⁶ moved down the Fundy Bay coast to a place called Port Lorne, Annapolis, NS. But Willoughby⁶ and Benjamin6 stayed in the Weymouth, Digby, NS area and were instrumental in a religious revival, their following generations numbered with deacons, ministers and evangelical college professors.

The Maritime Provinces of Canada witnessed two major migrations from New England; the first in the 1760's, and the second in the 1780's when the Loyalists came. The first was concentrated in Nova Scotia, and the second in New Brunswick. These were New Englanders of Puritan stock. The sons of Jeremiah Sabin were to become some of the first Baptists in Nova Scotia and Canada.

Henry Alline, an evangelist whose career spanned the years 1776-1784 “sparked the greatest religious reformation any extensive part of Canada has ever seen”. In the words of this same historian, George Rawlyk, “Alline’s world, it should be stressed, was the Yankee heartland of Nova Scotia –the fishing and trading communities between Halifax and Yarmouth and the old fertile Acadian lands in the Annapolis Valley and the eastern extremity of the Bay of Fundy and along the St John River.”

The itinerant evangelist records in his diary a stopover in “Cisiboo” (Weymouth, NS). It is not difficult to conclude that his stopover made an impact on the household of Jeremiah⁵ Sabin and his sons Willoughby and Benjamin Sabean. When deacon Benjamin Sabean died at the age of 79, his obituary reads, “Brother Sabean was one of the first persons that professed experimental religion in the County of Digby ... The mind of Brother S was religiously impressed when only a boy, under the preaching of the late Rev Henry Alline ...”

In George Levy’s history of the Baptists in the Maritime Provinces, it is recorded that in 1799, “seven men from among the converts (of Henry Alline) scattered over a wide area of the country, proceeded to Lower Granville for the express purpose of being organized into a Baptist Church. The charter members of this first Baptist Church in Digby County were, John Roop of Digby, Benjamin6 Sabean, David Shook and Willoughby⁶ Sabean of Sissiboo, Peter Harris, Morris Peters and Martin Blackford of Digby Neck.

Benjamin Sabean

The descendants of Benjamin⁶ Sabean (b 1762 Yarmouth Co., NS), are Aaron⁷ (b 1804 Weymouth, Digby, NS), Stephen Prime⁸ (b 1840 Hassett, Digby, NS), and Elmer Clyde⁹ (b 1899 Hassett, Digby, NS) (all active in the New Tusket, Digby County, NS Baptist Church). Elmer Clyde Sabean emigrated from NS in 1925 to Waltham, Middlesex, MA where he was active in the Beth Eden Baptist Church. His three sons, Robert, David and John are all graduates of Houghton College.

By way of Aaron⁷, one can count on at least four pastors, the Rev Frank Willard⁹ Sabean (Simon Delong⁸ Sabean, Aaron⁷); the Rev Robert Stephen¹⁰ Sabean (Elmer⁹, Stephen⁸, Aaron⁷); the Rev Elizabeth Jenny (Mullen)¹¹ Legassie ( Edwin¹⁰ Mullen, Jenny Lind⁹ (Sabean) Mullen, Stephen Prime⁸ Sabean, Aaron⁷ Sabean). She graduated from Acadia Divinity School, and has spent some time in Africa as a missionary. Robert & Elizabeth are second cousins. And the Rev Kenneth¹¹ Gavel (Bessie¹⁰ (Sabean) Gavel, Augustine⁹ Sabean, George Henry⁸ Sabean, Aaron⁷ Sabean, Benjamin⁶ Sabean), son of Perley Gavel & Bessie Sabean, graduated from the Wesleyan School, Bethany College, Sussex, NB; then Asbury Theological Seminary with MDiv; MTh from Princeton Theological Seminary; and PhD from Univ of Edinburg, Scotland.

Houghton College graduates

ROBERT STEPHEN¹⁰ SABEAN MDiv, MSc (Rev)

Robert “Bob”, b 4 Oct 1936, Waltham, Middlesex, MA; m Nancy Joyce Westmoreland 13 June 1959. Bob graduated BA Houghton College, 1958; MDiv Gordon-Conwell Theological Sem, Wenham, MA, 1962; and MSc in Recreation from Springfield College, Springfield, MA 1974.

He pastored the Congregational Church in Limerick, ME 1962-1965; was ordained in 1964 by the Evangelical Free Church of America; and began a missionary career in Costa Rica in 1965 with the Latin America Mission (an interdenominational mission sending agency, Miami, FL). Still active in 2007.

Based on the experience of 15 summers in church camps and academic work in Recreation and Outdoor Education, Bob became the director of Camp Roblealto in Costa Rica from 1966-1981; and co-director of a national ministry to youth. He was professor of Recreation at the National University of Costa Rica from 1977 to 1986. Having co-founded, in 1970, the Association of Christian Camps in Latin America, he was invited to be the Executive Director in 1986, which position he will retire from in 2001. He has led seminars in church camping and youth recreation and ministry in 12 countries of Latin America, USA, Canada, Taiwan, S Africa, Australia, Philippines, Holland, Sweden and Spain. In 1990 he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of Houghton College.

Additionally, he has been a member of the pastoral team in the Arbol de Vida Christian Community in Costa Rica since 1996. As a hobby, Bob began in 1982 editing the Sabin/Sabine/Sabean Newsletter, and continued to do so for 18 years.

Bob & Nancy have four daughters: Scotlyn Ruth, b 3 Aug 1960 Boston, MA, is m to Francie Boyle and lives in Ireland; Shelly Lynn, b 27 March, 1962 Boston, MA, m Daniel Young, and serve as missionaries in Mexico; Shannon Joy b 7 January 1965 Portland, ME, m to Daniel Echeverria in Costa Rica; Kathleen Marie b 16 September 1969, San José, Costa Rica, m to Alvaro Vargas in Costa Rica.

DAVID WARREN¹⁰ SABEAN PhD

David was b 28 August 1939, Waltham, Middlesex, MA. He m Ruth Percy 11 Aug 1962. Ruth and David are graduates of Houghton College. David received his BA in History in 1960; MA in History at the Univ of WI; studies in the History of Ideas at Brandeis Univ, Waltham, MA; and a PhD in History at the Univ of WI. He was lecturer, Univ of East Anglia, Norwich, England 1966-1970; Professor, Univ of Pittsburgh, 1970-1976; and Research Associate, Max-Planck Institut fur Geschichte, Gottingen, Germany 1976-1983. He was professor at UCLA (Los Angeles, CA) from 1983-1988 and after a few years at Cornell University in Utica, NY, is there again as Henry J Bruman Professor of German History and Distinguished professor of European History. He has held a Guggenheim Fellowship.

David was the editor of the Peasant Studies Newsletter, published quarterly by the center for International Studies at the Univ of Pittsburgh. He and his wife live in Los Angeles, CA. Some of the things authored by David are:

Landbesitz und Gesellschaft am Vorabend des Bauernkriegs, Stuttgart, 1972
“Markets, Uprisings and Leadership in Peasant Societies: Western Europe 1381-1789", Peasant Studies Newsletter, Vol 11, N 3, July 1973, pp 17-19.
Power in the Blood: Popular culture & village discourse in early modern Germany, Cambridge Univ Press, 1984
with Hans Medick, eds Interest and Emotion: Essays on the Study of Family and Kinship, Cambridge Univ Press, 1984
Property, Production and Family in Neckarhausen 1700-1870.
Kinship in Neckarhausen 1700-1870
Kinship in Europe: Approaches to Long-Term Developments (1300-1900), ed David W Sabean et al

Their three children are: Mark Stephen Sabean, b 1966, Norwich, England, m to Stavroula Glezakos; Emma Katherine Sabean, b 1968, Drayton, Norfolk, England; and Lucas David Sabean, b 1972, Pittsburg, Allegheny, PA, m to Siska Brutsaert.

JOHN WILBER¹⁰ SABEAN PhD

John was b 28 Jul 1940 in Waltham, Middlesex, MA. Presently resides in Pickering, Ont, Canada where he is a freelance writer and editor. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Houghton College in 1961; followed by his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theol Sem in 1964. He added an MA from the Univ of Chicago, 1965 and a PhD in History from the University of Guelph, Ont., Canada in 1976. John taught at Barrington College, Barrington, RI in the late 60's; and has worked as a project editor for Harcourt, Brace, Jovanavich, educational publishers. He m (1) Barbara Beth Wheeler on 1 Aug 1964, she a graduate of Gordon College, Wenham, MA. They have two children: Stephen Wheeler Sabean, b 11 Sep 1966, Providence, RI, and m to Christine; and Jonathan Warren Sabean, b 21 Oct 1969, Guelph, Wellington, Ont., and m to Candis.

John m (2) Carol Anne Fox 26 May 1984 and to them was b Caitlin Sarah Marjorie Sabean 18 Aug 1989, Scarborough, Ont.

January 22, 2007

ONTARIO MEDAL FOR GOOD CITIZENSHIP RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED
13 Ontarians Honoured For Their Contributions To The Province

TORONTO – Thirteen Ontarians whose long-term efforts have made outstanding contributions to their communities were honoured with the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship at a Queen’s Park ceremony on January 25, 2007. The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is an official award of the Province and recognizes and encourages the virtues of good citizenship. Recipients must have made outstanding public contributions through exceptional long-term efforts.

The award reflects their acts of selflessness, generosity and kindness, and exceptional contributions to community life. The award consists of a silver medal emblazoned with the provincial coat of arms on one side and the trillium on the other.

2006 Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship Recipients: Ontarians being presented with the Medal for Good Citizenship this year are: John Sabean of Pickering has volunteered his time for more than 30 years to causes as diverse as refugees, peace and human rights, natural history, local history and the environment. He is the co-founder of the Pickering Township Historical Society and Durham West Arts Centre.

Willoughby Sabean

Now, let us look at the line from Willoughby⁶ Sabean, the brother who, with Benjamin, gave foundation to the Weymouth, Nova Scotia Baptist Church. Willoughby Sabean and his sons were Baptists, but his great grandson, John Henry⁹ Sabine (b 1853 Riverdale, Digby, NS), in the words of the Rev Kenneth Edward Sullivan, “sensing a need for a closer relationship with God and much holier way of life, he and others pulled away from the older churches, and founded what is known as Holiness groups. One such group became the Church of the Nazarene. Another such group became the Reformed Baptist Church, which established a church in Havelock, Digby, NS.” Apparently this change is sufficiently radical for the time and conditions of fairly small settlements, that he decided it was time for a name change as well, and that family now spells the name Sabine. Most of this family was connected to the Reformed Baptist Church Alliance of Canada which in time became the Wesleyan Church.

Among the children of John Henry Sabine is the Rev Leonard Tilley¹⁰ Sabine, b 1884. Two of Leonard’s three sons are the Rev Ralph¹¹ Sabine; and the Rev Ronald¹¹ Sabine.

Now here is where genealogy gets complicated and one needs to pay attention.

Ethel Ring¹⁰ Sabine, b 31 Dec 1894 is a daughter of John Henry⁹ Sabine. She married the Rev Handley Chipman⁹ Mullen, 30 July 1912 in Riverdale, Digby County, NS. The Rev Handley Chipman Mullen is not just a Mullen, but also very much a Sabean. Look first at his paternal lineage: (Hartshorn⁹ Mullen, Henrietta⁸ Sabean, Robert⁷, Benjamin⁶). Now look at his maternal lineage: (Mary Eliza⁸ Sabean, Simon Delong⁷ Sabean, Benjamin⁶). In case you missed it, the Rev Mullen has a Sabine¹⁰ for a wife, a Sabean⁸ for a mother, and a Sabean⁸ for a paternal grandmother.

Among the children of Handley and Ethel are Helen Roxana Mullen who m the Rev Kenneth Edward Sullivan; Wilbur Handley Mullen, PhD, who for 35 years was Prof of Philosophy & Religion at Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy, MA; Laurence Kendall Mullen, Prof of Philosophy at Houghton College, and parent of four Houghton graduates, including one who is the president of the college; and Bernard Arthur Mullen, father of a Houghton graduate.

More Houghton graduates ...

LAURENCE KENDALL¹¹ MULLEN BTh, MA

Laurence was b 17 April 1928. He m the 23 June 1951 Vesta Irene Dunlop (b 10 June 1928) at Yarmouth, Yarmouth, NS. He received his BA from Eastern Nazarene College in 1949, and his B.TH. in 1950; and a MA from Boston University in 1952. After teaching at Bethany Bible College from 1952-1957, he pastored the Wesleyan Church in Woodstock, NB from 1957 to 1966. He then served as a professor at Houghton College from 1966 to 1993. During those same years, he served 10 as pastor of the Curriers Congregational Church, five years as college chaplain, and five years as director of church relations. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Houghton in 1995.

Since official retirement from the college in 1993, they have given stints of missionary work in Russia from January to May, 1995; Nov 1995 to May 1996; and to the Czech Republic from January to March, 1998. Vesta has completed a collection of biographies of the ordained ministers of the Reformed Baptist Alliance.

At the time of his retirement, the Houghton Milieu, published the following words about Prof Larry Mullen.

"Freedom and Determinism in Jonathan Edwards was the topic of his master's thesis at Boston University. Asked — in that context — to explain his subsequent 27 year Houghton career, Laurence K Mullen ... elaborated: ‘Coming to Houghton was a difficult choice. For years I'd felt that if I was offered a chance to teach at a Christian college, I'd take it, but I never applied. Teaching here has brought opportunities I'd never otherwise have had, and I've never regretted the decision to come... We've had the best possible lives... This is now home.’

"Quite a statement from a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, who had deep roots in the Reformed Baptist Church there, had enjoyed success as pastor to the congregation of Bethany Bible College, taught on its faculty and been made yearbook dedicatee by the students.

"Perhaps ever since his first conversation with Dr Paine in the Maritimes, when — without looking up from the Greek papers he was grading — Dr Paine asked, ‘Did you ever teach?’, Houghton has been his destiny. However that may be, his service here has included Bible and philosophy teaching, chapel coordination and church relations. To succeed at each of these has required different blends of his varied gifts and skills. His obvious friendliness, enthusiastic advocacy, and willingness to push beyond stereotypes and his own comfort zones have built friends for the college on campus and beyond. Colleagues depend on him for candor and empathy. Pastors learned that he was interested in their opinions, would answer their questions and relay their concerns to campus. Since settling here Larry has substitute-pastored in some 65 area churches — from Presbyterians to independents.

"He and Vesta, a lifelong friend and the first girl he ever dated, have given the college four alumni — a valedictorian and a salutatorian among them.”

SHIRLEY ANNETTE¹² MULLEN PhD, President, Houghton College

Shirley was b 4 Nov 1954 in Yarmouth, NS. She has a BA from Houghton College, 1976; a MA from the University of Toronto, 1977; a PhD in 1985 from the University of Minnesota; and a second PhD from the University of Wales in 1999. Since 1984 she has taught at Westmont College (an evangelical school in CA) where she was professor of history and department chair. She recently delivered the Hayward Lectures at Acadia University, NS (founded by the Maritime Baptists). The lectures discussed “The Historian and Postmodernism”. Her specialty is modern intellectual history.

The Houghton Milieu (Summer 2006) … Mullen Named Houghton’s Fifth President “On May 19, the Houghton College board of trustees elected Shirley Mullen ’76 as the fifth president of Houghton College. Mullen is the first women president in the college’s history. Dr ´Mullen has exemplified the scholar-servant ideals of Houghton College throughout the world of academe’, said Board Chair Ian Lennox ’51. ‘We look forward to her leadership at Houghton College.’ Mullen, who took office on June 1, became only the sixth female president among the member schools of the Council for Christian College and Universities (CCCU). She succeeds Dr Daniel Chamberlain who retired, after 30-year tenure, in May 2006.

“’The depth of Dr Mullen’s experience at Westmont, her reputation as a scholar-administrator par excellence and the support we discovered talking with those who know her best convinced us that she is exceptionally qualified to serve as the next president of Houghton College’, said Karl Eastlack ’79, chair of the presidential search committee and vice chair of the college’s board.

“Mullen has spent the last five years as provost at Westmont College in California, where she began in 1984 as a history professor. During her tenure she also served as interim academic dean, vice-provost for curriculum and faculty development and department chair for history. After graduating from Houghton with a bachelor’s degree in history, Mullen completed a master’s in history from the University of Toronto, a doctorate in history from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Wales.

“At Westmont, Mullen was known for her commitment to excellence in teaching in the context of the liberal arts philosophy of education. She was three times honored with Westmont’s ‘Teacher of the Year Award’ and was involved in developing Westmont’s general education program and its Institute for the Liberal Arts.”

On October 5, 2007 Shirley was inaugurated as the fifth president of Houghton College.

BARBARA LOUISE¹² MULLEN Bsc, (R.N.)

Barbara was b the 7 of December 1956 in Yarmouth, NS, and m Richard Wayne Pointer (Houghton ‘77) on the 12 of Aug 1978. She is a nurse, having graduated in 1978 from Houghton College with a BA in biology, and from the University of Rochester, NY with a BSc. Her R.N. is from Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY. At present she is coordinator of off-campus programs at Westmont College, and has led Europe Semesters. They have three children: Katherine Rachel Pointer, b 1981 in Rochester, NY; Kristyn Ann Pointer, b in 1984 in Lake Forest, IL; and Julie Elizabeth Pointer b in 1985 in West Chester, PA.

ANDREW DEAN¹² MULLEN PhD

Andrew, b 19 Feb 1960 in Woodstock, NB, was m 15 Feb 1997 to Jana Mayfield. He received his BA from Houghton College in 1982, the MA from Colorado College, and his PhD in History, in 1996 from Columbia University. His work was done on the History of American Education. He was a teacher at Louisville Collegiate from 1987 to 1991; and from 1996 to 2001 was a professor at the University of Maine at Machias, at which time he joined the Westmont College faculty, where he is chair of the department of education. One daughter Phoebe Janelle was b the 12 of Nov, 1997 at Bangor, ME; and another daughter was born to this couple.

JAMES LAURENCE¹² MULLEN MA

James, b 4 Nov 1964 at Woodstock, NB; m 27 June 1987 to Darice Dawn Beardsley (Houghton College ‘86). He graduated with his BA from Houghton College in 1986, and the State University of New York at Geneseo in 1991 with a MA. He has been a teacher at the Fillmore Central School (NY) since 1987. Their children are: Jessica Rachel, b 1987, Olean, NY; Victoria Corinne, b 1992, Wellsville, NY; and Jordan John Handley, b 1996, Wellsville, NY.

JESSICA RACHEL¹³ MULLEN, b 1987, Olean, NY, is expected to graduate from Houghton College in 2008, majoring in English, education, and communications.

LINDA JOY¹² MULLEN MA

Another son of Ethel Ring Sabine and Handley Chipman Mullen is Bernard Arthur11 Mullen (b 1932, Havelock, Digby, NS), whose adopted daughter, LINDA JOY MULLEN graduated from Houghton College, 1993. She was b 27 April, 1970 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and received into the household of Bernard and Marjorie Ann (Previere) Mullen seven days later. After her BA from Houghton, she received a MA in special education at Point Loma Nazarene College in CA. She teaches at Chula Vista High School, Chula Vista, CA. She was m to the late Ted Dingley, with whom she has managed her own small architect’s firm in San Diego.

The family saga of John Henry⁹ Sabine ( Joseph H⁸ Sabean, David⁷ Sabean, Willoughby⁶ Sabean, Jeremiah⁵ Sabin) continues. Besides a son, the Rev Leonard Tilley¹⁰ Sabine, and daughter Ethel Ring (Sabine)¹⁰ Mullen, he had another son Joseph Willard¹⁰ Sabine who is the great grandfather of two Houghton graduates.

More Houghton graduates ...

KIRK GORDON¹³ SABINE BA (Gordon Edgar¹², Edgar Percival¹¹, Joseph Willard¹⁰, John Henry⁹ Sabine, Joseph H⁸ Sabean, David⁷ Sabean, Willoughby⁶ Sabean, Jeremiah⁵ Sabin, Jeremiah⁴, Israel³, Samuel², William¹ Sabin)

Kirk was b 24 December 1967, Halifax, Halifax, NS, and raised most of his years in Belmont, NS. He attended Houghton in the fall of 1986, and at the Volleyball court met Virnna May Vidaurri. Virnna graduated Houghton College in 1987, and Kirk in 1990. Kirk and Virnna m the 20 August 1988.

Kirk studied Computer Science in college, and after graduation worked for two years in the Wellsville, Allegany, NY Drug Prevention Agency. For seven years he was the Youth and Assistant Pastor at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Truro, NS. In August 1998 Bethany Bible College of Sussex, NB named him their dean of students. Their children are Miles Kirk Sabine, b 1991 in Olean, Cattaraugus, NY and Kendra Alexis Sabine, b 1992 in Halifax, Halifax, NS.

Virnna was b in Ancon, Canal Zone, Panamá in 1965. At the age of 12 she attended the Baptist Camp in Panama, called Cresta del Mar, which camp has received orientation and training visits from missionary Robert Stephen Sabean as of 1977 to the present time. In fact, the past director of Cresta del Mar, Panamanian Robert Bruneau replaced Sabean as the new Director of the Association of Christian Camps in Latin America in 2002. (Is this a small world, or not!?)

BENJAMIN IAN¹³ SABINE (Keith Allan¹², Joseph Earl¹¹, Joseph Willard¹⁰, John Henry⁹)

Benjamin Sabine began his studies at Houghton College in the fall of 1998. He was b 20 January 1980 in Riverdale, Digby, NS, the son of Keith Allan Sabine (b 1951) and Ina Gaylene Mullen (b 1955). The parents, Keith and Gaylene were m 6 Nov 1976.

This is where things get a little hairy again. So watch carefully. Ina Gaylene¹¹ Mullen is second cousin to Robert, David & John Sabean. Her father is Clyde Russell¹⁰ Mullen, whose mother is Ina Ereaut⁹ (Sabean) Mullen, sister of Elmer Clyde⁹ Sabean, father of the three Houghton graduates. So an alternate genealogy would go like this: Benjamin Ian¹² Sabine, Ina Gaylene¹¹ (Mullen) Sabine, Clyde¹⁰ Russell Mullen, Ina Ereaut⁹ (Sabean) Mullen, Stephen Prime⁸ Sabean, Aaron⁷ Sabean, Benjamin⁶ Sabean, Jeremiah⁵ Sabin.

Mention was made previously that John Henry⁹ Sabine was instrumental in founding the Wesleyan Church in Havelock, NS, and that his granddaughter, Helen Mullen, m the Rev Kenneth E Sullivan. Today that church is still being supported by more than 10 families descended from John Henry. As reported in the words of Ken Sullivan (brother), “On the evening of May 16, 1990, at the Wesleyan Church in Havelock, Rev Kenneth Sullivan launched his latest book, And I saw the Mountain. Nearly 100 people were present and a very impressive service was presented as Kenneth heaped praise on the little church on the hill that launched him on his career. ... As a culmination of the dedication service, Mr. & Mrs. Keith¹² Sabine, a great grandson of John Henry, were singled out as a symbol of the faith, compassion and leadership that the Sabine family and the church had provided throughout the years ... Keith and Gaylene¹¹ and their two boys Benjamin and Jeremiah joined Kenneth on stage and were presented with a plaque in commemoration of their contributions and leadership and advice in making And I saw the Mountain, a reality.”

ONE MORE GRADUATE TO FILL OUT THE LIST OF 13

Jeffrey L. McMullen is a 1998 graduate of Houghton, and a 13^th generation descendant of William¹ Sabin. The big difference is that the rest of the Houghton graduates descend through William’s son Samuel, while Jeffrey’s roots are with William’s son Benjamin2. His genealogy is packed with Biblical names, in order after Benjamin: Ebenezer, Joseph, Obadiah, Daniel, Stephen, and Moses. His wife, Jodie Stiansen is class of ‘99. Both are working with the Christian Embassy ministry in the New York City area under the umbrella of Campus Crusade for Christ and Embassy Ministries.