ev. James T. Ford was born in Abington, Plymouth county, Mass., September 13, 1827. After a preparatory course at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., he entered Williams College, and graduated in 1851. During his college course he "was born anew in Christ Jesus." Immediately after graduation he served tow years as instructor in an academy at that place - now Hartford Seminary - as a student for the ministry.

He completed his course of theological study at Andover, Mass., in 185; spent one year as county missionary in Lamoille county, Vermont; then accepted a call to the church at Stowe, in the same county, and was ordained its pastor November 25, 1857. Soon after, March 17, 1858, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Prichard Bancroft, of South Windsor, Conn. For twelve years he was pastor at Stowe. Accepting a commission from the American Missionary Association for service in Charleston, S.C., in 1869, he was pastor of Plymouth church there for six years, and was for the last two years of this time in charge also of Avery Normal Institute in that city.

Rev. Ford then came to San Bernardino, Cal., early in November, 1875. After eight years as pastor there, he was appointed in 1883 general missionary for Southern California, and later superintendent of Congregational home missions for the same district, in which service he still continues.

Among the members of his church at San Bernardino were several who lived in what is now Redlands and its vicinity. There were of the families of M. H. Crafts, Colonel Tolles, Truman Reeves and Mrs. Beattie. These agreed together with the pastor to sustain a midweek cottage meeting in that neighborhood. The first meeting was held in the house of Colonel Tolles in April, 1876. These meetings were continued weekly on Thursday evenings, led by Mr. Ford, until December, 1881 - about five and one-half years. The burden fell more heavily on his wife than on himself - for she waited in anxiety at home every Thursday evening for his late return across the then desolate plains. Whatever credit is due for self-sacrifice in this service, Mr. Ford declares, belongs to her alone.

The meetings were held at different houses, but most frequently at that of Colonel Tolles, as most central in its location. Most of the families in the neighborhood were accustomed to be represented at the meetings. When the first school house was built, in 1877, a Sunday school was opened in it, and Mr. Ford added to his midweek meeting a preaching service after the Sabbath school. Later a communion service was added at the usual intervals, and members were received to the church, in San Bernardino, at the school house as well as at their house of worship in town. April 18, 1880, a separate church organization was formed, beginning with nineteen members. It was called the Second Congregational Church of San Bernardino Valley, for the inhabitants of the place were not yet agreed upon a new name for the settlement. Mr. Ford ministered to this church as well as to the First church of San Bernardino until succeded by Rev. G. G. Hall in December, 1881.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, p. 31.)