Kent family

Evarts Bradford Kent was born in Benson, Vermont, on March 12, 1843, the son of Mary Abby Clark and Congregational minister Cephas Henry Kent. He had at least three siblings: Frances, William, and Abby. Kent attended the Castleton Seminary before entering Middlebury College in 1861. In 1864, he interrupted his collegiate studies to enlist with Company A of the 6th Vermont Infantry Regiment, with which he served until his discharge in February 1865. He then returned to Middlebury College, and graduated later that year.

After spending a year as a schoolteacher in Illinois, Kent studied divinity at the Auburn Theological Seminary (1866-1867) and Andover Theological Seminary (1867-1869). He received his divinity degree in 1869 and was ordained in 1871. Kent served as pastor for many Congregational churches throughout his career, which included positions in the following cities: Sterling, Massachusetts (1869-1870 and 1912-1915); Billerica, Massachusetts (1870-1871); Michigan City, Indiana (1871-1880); Chicago, Illinois (1880-1881); Atlanta, Georgia (1881-1889); Eldora, Iowa (1889-1898); Victor, Iowa (1898-1901); Dunlap, Iowa (1901-1905); Enosburg, Vermont (1905-1909); and Benson, Vermont (1909-1912). He married Helen M. Beckwith of Alstead, New Hampshire, on August 22, 1872, and they had four children: Ernest Beckwith, Grace Helen, Willys Peck, and Sterling Evarts. Ernest attended Iowa College (now Grinnell College) in Grinnell, Iowa, and Willys became a musician.

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