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An Ancient Parish
Gc 974.402 W31& 1926782
M. L.
450
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01068 8718
An Ancient parish
AN ANCIENT PARISH
An Historical Summary of the First Parish ยท Watertown . Mass tts
By HENRY DYER LOCKE
A Souvenir of the Three Hundredth
Anniversary Celebration
Published by THE TERCENTENARY COMMITTEE of the Parish 1930
EARLY MEMBERS of
First Parish in Watertown
Daniel Abbott
Samuel Hosier
William Barsham
Capt. William Jennison
Thomas Bartlett
Edward How
Nathaniel Bowman
Edmund Lockwood
Richard Browne John Masters
Abraham Browne
Thomas Mayhew
Charles Chadwick
John Oldham
Ephrahim Child Francis Onge
Lambert Chinery John Page
William Clarke
Capt. Daniel Patrick
John Coolidge
Brian Pendleton
John Doggett
Rev. George Phillips
John Eaton
Sir Richard Saltonstall
John Eddy
Richard Saltonstall, Jr.
John Ellett
Capt. Robert Seely
Robert Feake Francis Smith
Daniel Finch
Isaac Stearns
John Firmin
John Strickland
Samuel Freeman
Gregory Taylor
John Goffe
John Warren
Jonas Weede
.
The Covenant of Watertown Church
July 30, 1630
1926782
W E, whose names are hereto, subscribed, having, through God's mercy, escaped out of the pollutions of the world, and been taken into the society of his people, with all thankfulness do hereby, both with heart and hand, acknowledge that his gracious goodness and fa- therly care towards us; and, or further and more full declaration thereof to the present and future ages, have un- dertaken (for the promoting of his glory, and the church's good, and the honour of our blessed Jesus, in our more full and free subjecting of ourselves and ours under his gra- cious government, in the practice of and obedience unto all his holy ordinances and orders, which he hath pleased to prescribe and impose upon us) a long and hazardous voyage from east to west, from Old England in Europe, to New England in America; that we may walk before him, and serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives; and being safely arrived here, and thus far onwards peaceably pre- served by his special providence, that we may bring forth our intentions into action, and perfect our resolu-
tions in the beginnings of some just and meet executions, we have sepa- rated the day above written from all other services, and dedicated it whol- ly to the Lord in divine employments, for a day of afflicting our souls, and humbling ourselves before the Lord, to seek him, and at his hands a way to walk in, by fasting and prayer, that we might know what was good in his sight; and the Lord was en- treated of us. For in the end of that day, after the finishing of our publick duties, we do all, before we depart, solemnly, and with all our hearts, personally, man by man, for ourselves and ours, (charging them before Christ and his elect angels, even them that are not here with us this day, or are yet unborn, that they keep the promise unblamably and faithfully, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus), promise, and enter into a sure cove- nant with the Lord our God, and, before him, with one another, by oath and serious protestation made, to re- nounce all idolatry and superstition, will-worship, all humane traditions and inventions whatsoever in the worship of God; and forsaking all evil ways, do give ourselves wholly
unto the Lord Jesus, to do him faith- ful service, observing and keeping all his statutes, commands, and ordi- nances, in all matters concerning our reformation, his worship, administra- tions, ministry, and government, and in the carriage of ourselves among ourselves and one towards another, as he hath prescribed in his holy word. Further swearing to cleave unto that
alone, and the true sense and mean- ing thereof to the utmost of our pow- er, as unto the most clear light, and infallible rule, and all-sufficient can- on, in all things that concern us in this our way. In witness of all, we do exanimo and in the presence of God hereto set our names or marks, in the day and year above written."
The golden dreams we cherished Pacing the ancient town Have they but bloomed and perished, And flown like thistledown?
Nay, still the air is haunted With mystery as of old; Each blossom is enchanted And every leaflet's gold.
-E. R. Sill, 1856
First - Church in (later toum was Founded July 30 1630 It was the Second Church Organized on the soil of new England
It was the First Church in neur Onoland to assert and apply the principle of Congregational Independence
was (bc first to protest
against
proscription for religious belief
Its refusal in 1031 to pay taxes
represen (alon m it ocucral court led to
the founding of Representative
Government
and marked bramming
American Constitutional history
members of this church founded the first civil settlement Connecticut
Whomias Dayhow a member of this church
was the first protestant preacher and
founder of
a church among the Indians
of new England
Historical Tablet in Present Meeting House
I
AN ANCIENT PARISH
T HE long and cherished history of the First Church in Watertown has helped to make the parish what it is to-day. What Saltonstall, Phillips, Francis, and a host of other ministers and Parishioners contributed to the parish from their long experience and conscientious endeavor is a part of its inheritance. They have imparted to the church of to-day a lesson in the value of character and liberality. They have shown us the worth of unfaltering labor and sound spirituality.
The town is not only the home of the church, but was once politically united with it, and its rich and interest- ing history is a cherished asset of the church itself. The atmosphere and spirit of the church are to-day a blend- ing of the elements which shaped its destiny,-its noble past, its traditions, and the influence of the long line of splendid men and women who preached and worshipped in it. In addition there has always been a continued for- ward-looking progress which has made the church, though an ancient parish, always a modern parish carry- ing on under changing conditions with a present-day attitude.
The Town of Watertown was settled in 1630 by Sir Richard Saltonstall and a group of some forty men who set sail with Winthrop's fleet from Cowes, near the Isle of Wight. As a part of Massachusetts Bay Colony, Watertown was not founded until Plymouth was nearly a decade old. It owed its origin to the discord between the Puritan Party and the king. The House of Commons
1630
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AN ANCIENT PARISH
had tried to punish certain Anglican clergymen who leaned towards Catholicism. The king, forbidding these proceedings, dissolved Parliament and threatened to en- force conformity, while the disheartened Puritans turned their hopes towards New England as a land of promise. During the year 1630, seventeen vessels carrying some two thousand persons discharged their passengers on the shores of Massachusetts Bay.
Saltonstall and his party left Salem and migrated up the Charles in search of a suitable place for their planta- tion. Tradition has ascribed both the name of the town and the reason for the settlement to the fact that good springs and the river made the land well-watered and, hence, particularly desirable. A few months previous, Roger Clapp and his associates who had recently arrived from England on the "Mary and John" journeyed up the river accompanied by an old planter to the environs of Watertown. Presently Indians appeared in the dis- tance. One of them advanced and held out a bass. The English, understanding this as an invitation to better acquaintance, sent one of their number with a biscuit and thereafter perfect amity existed between them. This friendly intercourse between Indian and White is the pictorial subject of the Seal of Watertown. This group, however, remained but a few days when they moved on to Dorchester. Watertown has long been pointed out as the chief settlement of the Norsemen who colonized the shores of Greenland, five or six centuries before Colum- bus and who, according to many legends, reached the shores of North America. Within the borders of the town is said to be the spot where Leif Ericson, in the year 1000, founded the city of Norumbega.
On September Seventh, 1630, shortly after the first houses of the Saltonstall plantation had been erected in Watertown, the general legislative body of the colony,
3
Anniversary Celebration
then known as the Court of Assistants, sitting at Charles- town, ordered that "Trimountain be called Boston; Mattapan, Dorchester; and the town upon the Charles River, Watertown." This was virtually an act of incor- poration which gave Watertown its name and legal en- tity. On July Thirtieth, however, about five weeks before this took place, the settlers at Watertown came to- gether for "a day set apart for solemn fasting and pray- er." They assembled at the suggestion of Governor Winthrop for prayer and to take precautions against an epidemic of sickness which was then prevalent. At this meeting, which was presided over by Sir Richard Salton- stall, a covenant of great historic interest was drawn up. This covenant not only marked the formation of the First Church in Watertown, but also set down principles for a self-governing community having for its aim the practise of Christian behavior. Dating from its organ- ization, in this manner on the Thirtieth of July, 1630, the church has become the second oldest church still in existence to be established on the soil of New England. It is superseded only by the First Church at Salem.
The Reverend George Phillips was the first minister of the Watertown church and administered to the needs of the parish for fourteen years. His salary of thirty pounds a year was fixed by the Court of Assistants of the colony which met for the first time at Charlestown, on August 23, 1630. It consisted of Governor Winthrop, Deputy-Governor Dudley, Sir Richard Saltonstall, and other leaders of the community.
As we may easily imagine, the sufferings and priva- tions of these first residents of the town were very great because of their lack of adequate shelter and provisions which brought on a scourge of sickness. Perhaps, how- ever, one of the most serious blows to the community was the decision of its distinguished leader, Sir Richard
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AN ANCIENT PARISH
Saltonstall, to return to England. His services to the parish and to the entire colony were numerous and im- portant. He devoted himself zealously to the Puritan cause, with a liberal and tolerant spirit truly remarkable for the times.
1631
The people of the parish of Watertown early became identified with the cause for free thought and free gov- ernment. Free thought first became an issue earlyin 1631, when Mr. Richard Browne, the ruling-elder of the con- gregation, maintained that in his opinion "the churches of Rome were true churches." By this remark he meant that the Roman Catholic Church was capable of render- ing salvation to its members, but such a statement to the Puritanical Colony of those days constituted down- right heresy. A flame of wrath mounted against Water- town, fanned to even greater proportions when Mr. Phillips himself agreed to it. The Court of Assistants of the Colony took cognizance of the situation and wrote to the congregation advising it to take into consideration whether or not Mr. Browne was suitable to continue as an elder of the parish. The people of Watertown abruptly answered that they had no grievance against him and asked the Court to prove that any reasons existed for objecting to the man. The controversy raged on for over a year; finally, the Governor accompanied by the Dep- uty-Governor journeyed to Watertown to discuss the situation with the entire congregation. At length a recon- ciliation was reached, but neither elder Browne nor pastor Phillips receded from the stand they had taken; both held to their rights retaining the respect and con- fidence of the community.
1632
In February 1632, the Court determined to erect a fortification in what was then known as Newtown, now Cambridge. It was planned to make that place the capi- tal of the Colony and, in order to do this, it was planned
Old Parsonage once located at Mt. Auburn and Arlington Streets
Old Parsonage once located on Mt. Auburn St., about where Methodist Church now stands
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Anniversary Celebration
to levy sixty pounds from the several plantations, of which Watertown's share was eight pounds. When the warrant for the levy on Watertown was sent, Mr. Phil- lips and elder Browne "assembled the people, and de- livered their opinions that it was not safe to pay monies after that sort, for fear of bringing themselves and pos- terity into bondage." Being summoned before the Gov- ernor and Court of Assistants for this resistance, they defended their position on the ground that as English citizens the people of Watertown could not be lawfully taxed without their own consent. This protest led to a change in the constitution of the Colony and marked the beginnings of American Constitutional history. The men of Watertown were theoretically correct in their stand, for the charter of the Colony did not give the Governor or the Court of Assistants the power to raise money by arbitrary taxation. In this occurrence is found the earliest manifestation of that watchful jealousy of unauthorized taxation, which afterwards developed so strongly, and with such serious consequences in the dis- putes between the Colonies and the Mother Country.
Lacking good land and being somewhat dissatisfied in other ways, a group of Watertown residents, together with other groups from neighboring towns, under the leadership of Thomas Hooker, the pastor at Newtown, emigrated in 1635 to found the town of Wethersfield, the first civil settlement in Connecticut. Within a few years, after Windsor and Hartford had been settled, the people of Connecticut drew up a plan of government, known as "The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut." This plan, in part, later became incorporated into the Federal Constitution of the United States.
The decision and capacity for affairs shown in the earlier years of their community life by the parishioners of Watertown exemplified itself even more clearly in De-
1635
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AN ANCIENT PARISH
1639
cember 1639, when it was found necessary to obtain a colleague to assist Mr. Phillips, who was failing in health. They ordained the Reverend John Knowles as second pastor. This action, however, was strictly against every precedent, for it was customary, when two men were as- sociated in the ministry at the same place, to ordain one as minister and to appoint the other as teacher. It was also customary to notify the neighboring churches and the Governor and General Court when an ordination was to be made. Nevertheless, the people of the parish did not deem it necessary to do this. The method of pro- cedure employed in this case by the Town awoke no little comment, criticism, and censure. It proved to be the first definite assertion and application of the prin- ciples of congregational independence in New England. It was a declaration for the right of the free government of a church by its parishioners as the incident revolving about elder Browne's opinion of the truth of the Roman Catholic Church was a declaration for the right of free thought.
1642
In 1642, Thomas Mayhew, a member of the church and one of the first Selectmen in Watertown, founded the settlement at Martha's Vineyard. Here he carried on the first protestant missionary work among the Indians of this country and preached for many years in a church for them which he established on the Island. Mayhew is a name deservedly honored in the annals of New Eng- land history because Thomas Mayhew and his descend- ants were enlightened theologians and distinguished pa- triots prominent for many years in every great issue con- fronting the colonists.
The Reverend George Phillips, first pastor of the Watertown congregation, died on the First of July, 1644. This loss was heavily felt, not only by the people of the town, but by the Colony in general. Phillips was born in
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Anniversary Celebration
England and was a graduate of Cambridge University. Entering the divinity, he settled at Boxstead, but his non-conformist principles soon brought complaints from the congregation and he decided to join the Puritans who were about to depart for New England. As we have seen, he was one of the earliest settlers of the town arriv- ing with Saltonstall. During his pastorate, Watertown was the most populous town in the entire Colony and the parish was probably the most liberal and energetic. Phillips was a man of great independence, conscientious in forming and fearless in maintaining his opinions. De- scended from George Phillips were, Wendell Phillips, Phillips Brooks, and the founders of Phillips Exeter and Phillips Andover Academies.
John Knowles who had been ordained as associate pastor with Mr. Phillips, was also a man with very liberal views, when we consider the public opinion of the period in which he lived. With the exception of a short interval when he was occupied with a missionary journey to Virginia, he retained his connection with the parish until 1650, when he returned to England. About 1648, the Reverend John Sherman assumed the duties left by Mr. Phillips. He too was educated at Cambridge, coming to New England at the age of twenty-one and preaching for a time at New Haven, before he accepted the call to come to Watertown. He occupied the pulpit of the church for over thirty years, preaching sermons noted for their distinguished language and beauty of style. Sherman was a recognized authority on astron- omy to which he devoted much of his leisure. Each year he delivered a series of lectures on this subject which were largely attended by the students at Harvard who were forced to walk the entire distance from the Yard to the meeting-house and back in order to be afforded the privilege of hearing him. A few years after coming to Watertown, Mr. Sherman was elected a Fellow of the
1648
8
AN ANCIENT PARISH
1656
Corporation of the College in recognition of his scholas- tic attainments.
During the pastorate of John Sherman, in 1656, plans and arrangements were made for the erection of a new meeting-house, as the church building was then univer- sally known. This structure became the third meeting- house to be erected in Watertown. The first was built very shortly after the first settlement of the town, be- cause there were from the very beginning too many parishioners to attend services in any of the individual homesteads. It was probably located just East of Mt. Auburn, which at that time was the approximate center of population of the town. A new church building was erected in 1637, near the corner of Arlington and Mt. Auburn Streets. In connection with this building there was a site, known as the meeting-house lot, containing about forty acres bounded by what are now Belmont, School, Mt. Auburn, and Arlington Streets.
The location of the third meeting-house became the subject of much controversy, arising principally because the center of the town had gradually been moving west- ward. When we consider the locations of these buildings and the reasons for the choices which were made, we find that the boundaries of Watertown have undergone very considerable changes. The original boundary lines were not determined until 1639 when the line between Newtown (Cambridge) and Watertown was settled by vote of the General Court. This was roughly a straight line between Fresh Pond and the Charles River. By this time the towns of Dedham and Concord had been in- corporated and, in September 1639, with the incorpora- tion of Sudbury, Watertown became entirely circum- scribed. Since then, the Cambridge boundary has been changed several times always at the expense of ter- ritory for Watertown. Watertown originally included
-
The Church Silver
Mugs in the foreground were made by Johnathan Edwards.
The one on the right is the gift of Rev. Henry Gibbs, 1677
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Anniversary Celebration
the Town of Weston, which was incorporated in 1713; Waltham, incorporated in 1738; and Belmont, incorpor- ated in 1859. The boundary between Watertown and Newton has remained very much as it was originally settled by the General Court in 1705.
With a territory so extensive as Watertown in 1656, we cannot wonder at the difficulty confronting the towns- people in locating their new church building at a place convenient and accessible for all the inhabitants. So much dissension arose as various sites were presented for approval that it was finally decided to build the new meeting-house as near as was practical to where the old one had stood on Meeting-House Common. This build- ing continued to be the place of worship for the entire town, including Belmont, Weston, and Waltham, until 1692.
At this early period, the church building was filled with long undivided seats, the common property of the entire town, with places assigned to individuals and their families. It was provided in Town-Meeting that persons had to sit in whatever seats were appointed for them or be subject to punishment by the town. The penalties im- posed for the misdemeanor of occupying a seat not duly authorized during the church services were censure by the deacons for the first offence and a fine of two shillings for each subsequent offence. Minute and careful regu- lations to secure the quiet and order of the Sabbath were passed. One amusing instance of this was the appoint- ment of one of the citizens "to take care that no dogs come into the Meeting-House upon Sabbath days or other times of public worship."
The Reverend John Sherman died in 1685, after a long and distinguished service to the community. His suc- cessor, Mr. John Bailey, was a staunch liberal, who be- ing persecuted in England for his non-conformity, pre-
1685
IO
AN ANCIENT PARISH
1690
ferred to migrate to America than to remain subdued at home. Before leaving England, the hardships of long imprisonment had been inflicted upon him because of his beliefs. When he was released he had to give a pledge that he would either give up his liberal teaching or leave the country. He accordingly came to New England in 1684, settling first in Boston, until he received the call to come to Watertown. He preached in Watertown until 1692. Bailey was a man highly respected for his devo- tion to duty and his fidelity to the liberal cause. His service to the town was very great and well valued by the parishioners.
1695
When Mr. Bailey left the pastorate, which he was forced to do on account of failing health, it passed to Henry Gibbs, who had become the assistant to Mr. Bailey in the work of the parish in 1690. During the greater part of Mr. Gibb's service, the town was involved in a controversy attendant on the building and locating of a new Meeting-House. This controversy finally resulted in a division of the church in 1695 and the building of a new church, known as the West Precinct Meeting-House upon the Southeast corner of Lexington and Belmont Streets. Gibbs refused to transfer his service to the new church because of the great dissatisfaction of many of the parishioners with the new location. As a result, a Mr. Samuel Angier was settled at the new Meeting-House by the majority vote of town and church and Mr. Gibbs continued to carry on his work at the old location. This division of the church did not result in a legal separation until 1720. In the meantime, the inhabitants of Weston built another Meeting-House for themselves and, as we have seen, formerly incorporated in 1713, to form a dis- tinct town.
Local jealousies and controversies made the position of Mr. Gibbs very difficult. He was also confronted with
Anniversary Celebration
the Witchcraft problem which proved to be so serious around Boston during this period. Gibbs attended the trials at Salem and other towns in the vicinity but looked on the proceedings with a feeling of horror and did every- thing in his power to prevent the people of Watertown from adhering to such beliefs. As a result of his wisdom and diligence there are no Witchcraft prosecutions to blot the history of the town. After so many years of service, his death in 1723, came as a severe shock to the town. His grave can still be found in the old cemetery at Arlington Street and his bequest to the church contin- ues to be a part of the ministerial fund.
In 1720, the State legislature had made a division line between the East and West Precincts and ordered the West Precinct to locate their church building on the triangular plot of ground bounded by Lyman and Beav- er Streets in Waltham. Here the Reverend Wareham Williams was settled as pastor in 1723. The Eastern Precinct was ordered to locate their Meeting-House near the corner of Belmont and Common Streets. A new church building was erected here and the Reverend Seth Storer was ordained as pastor on July 22, 1724. Mr. Storer continued the work of Mr. Gibbs in administer- ing to the needs of the parish until his death in 1774. Storer's ministry of fifty years is the longest which oc- curs in the history of Watertown. He was a conscien- tious, diligent, and faithful worker, hoping to produce a religious improvement in the community by means of practical sermons embodying permanent principles. During his ministry there was a great deal of discussion concerning the location of the Meeting-House, the ma- jority of the parishioners disliking the site because it was at such a distance from their homes. At town-meeting it was voted to move the building to the corner of Com- mon and Mt. Auburn Streets. As a result the building was dismantled and transported to the new location.
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