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M. L
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01100 9591
ITA
8
GROTON HISTORICAL SERIES.
A COLLECTION OF PAPERS
RELATING TO THE
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
BY
SAMUEL ABBOTT GREEN, M.D.
VOL. IV. V 4
And if any tax me for wasting paper with recording these small matters, such may consider that small things in the beginning of natural or politiek bodies are as remarkable as greater in bodies full grown.
THOMAS DUDLEY'S letter to the Countess of Lincoln, dlated at Boston, March 12, 1630-1.
GROTON: 1899.
1923312
WITH this volume the GROTON HISTORICAL SERIES comes to an end. It was begun fifteen years ago, with no intention on the part of the Editor to continue the num- bers for so long a period. While it has been a source of pleasure to him, he hopes that it may prove of service to persons of Groton ancestry who wish to trace their genea- logical descent, as well as of interest to others who desire to know something about the old town.
S. A. G.
JANUARY 2, 1899.
CONTENTS.
No. I.
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS IN GROTON, 1761-1830. CONTAINING A LIST OF ADMISSIONS TO THE CHURCH ; ALSO LISTS OF MARRIAGES, BAPTISMS, AND VARIOUS OTHER MEMORANDA ; WITH NOTES AND AN INTRODUCTION.
Pages 1-196
No. II.
CAPT. WILLIAM SCOTT. - THREE ARTESIAN WELLS. - MINERALS FOUND IN GROTON. - HON. JAMES SULLIVAN. - DR. OLIVER PRESCOTT. - WILLIAM O. PRESCOTT. - MOCKING-BIRDS FOUND IN GROTON. - SALMON IN THE NASHUA RIVER. - PORCUPINES. - A WILD DEER IN GROTON. - THE TOWN POUND. - Two EPITAPHS. - A SICKLY SEASON. - INSTANCES OF LONGEVITY. - VIEWS OF BUILDINGS ON PORCELAIN. - GROTON SHOPS. - TOWN CISTERNS. - GROTON DURING THE INDIAN WARS. - NEW ENG- LAND PRISONERS IN CANADA. - EDMUND LONGLEY. - AARON BROWN. - JACOB WOODS. - AN ABSENTEE. - CORNER STONE LAID. - A CHAPEL AT WEST GROTON. - AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE. - JONAS CUTLER'S REAL ESTATE. - JOSIAH SARTELL'S BEQUEST. - THE OLD STAGE-COACHES OF GROTON. - LEONARD W. CUSHI- ING .- GROTON POST OFFICE. - POST-RIDER THROUGH GROTON. - A SAD ACCIDENT. - EZEKIEL LEWIS. - A RUNAWAY SERVANT. - A LOTTERY IN 1781. - GROTON GORE AND THE LAND BANK. - GROTON GORE. - GIBBET HILL. - WILLIAM PARK. - REV. SILAS HAWLEY. - ELDER LUTHER BOUTELLE. - MILITARY WARRANT. - LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO IMPORTANT BOOKS, ETC. - SELLING ICE IN GROTON. - LIST OF MARRIAGES FROM THE CONCOPD PECOPD .. - NAMES FROM CHURCH MANUALS. - BIRTHS. - LIST OF DEATHS.
197-244
-
vi
CONTENTS.
No. III.
MAJOR SAMUEL LAWRENCE. - DR. NEHEMIAH ABBOT. - INSCRIBED POWDER-HORNS. - WORCESTER SOCIETY OF ANTIQUITY. -- TIIE OLD STAGE-COACHES OF GROTON. - MISS MARY S. BRAZER. - BENTLEY FAMILY. - BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. - CHICOPEE-ROW SCHOOL. - DISTRICT SCHOOL, NO. 5. - A LIST OF CIVIL OFFICERS. -DAVID PRESCOTT. - REV. JOHN BARNARD. - A CORRECTION. - HARD COAL. - GROTON NINETY YEARS AGO. -- TWO THOR- OUGHIFARES TO BOSTON. - HON. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL. - REV. CORTLAND U [W]. SHATTUCK. - MRS. BETSEY SPALTER. - THE WESTERN SOCIETY OF MIDDLESEX HUSBANDMEN. - JOHN M. L. BABCOCK. - THE SHAYS REBELLION. - JUDGE SEWALL'S DIARY. - SONS OF THE REVOLUTION. - MOSES HERRICK: - LIST OF SUB- SCRIBERS TO IMPORTANT BOOKS, ETC. - OBITUARY NOTICES. - LIST OF MARRIAGES. - BIRTH. - LIST OF DEATHS.
l'ages 245-296
No. IV.
SHADE AND ORNAMENTAL TREES IN THE VILLAGE OF GROTON. - JOSIAH SARTELL'S BEQUEST. - BIBLIOGRAPHIY OF GROTON. - REV. JOSEPHI THAXTER, OF EDGARTOWN. - GROTON SCHOOL. - CAPT. JOHN WILLIAMS. - LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM GROTON. - TWO TRUSTEES OF LAWRENCE ACADEMY. - LIST OF MARRIAGES, ETC., FROM THE LUNENBURG RECORDS. - THE OLD TAVERNS OF GROTON. - GROTON ACADEMY. - A SICKLY SEASON. - SAMUEL BROWN. - DR. WARREN'S VISIT TO GROTON. - THE SHAYS REBELLION. - LISTS OF MARRIAGES. - TOWN CLERKS OF GROTON. - PARKER FAMILY. - FIRST PARISH CHURCH. - THE OLD SIXTH MASSACHUSETTS. - CAPT. THOMAS LAWRENCE'S COM- PANY. - CAPT. JAMES PARKER, JR. - HENRY YEEND. - FIRST PARISH MEETING-HOUSE. - THE MORSE AND SHATTUCK FAMILIES. -- MISS EMILY SEAVER. - LIST OF MARRIAGES. - LIST OF DEATIIS.
297-348
No. V.
ROLL OF HONOR. - KING GEORGE'S WAR. - TWO MILITARY DIARIES. -- GROTON REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS LIVING IN MAINE. - THE GROWTH OF TREES. - MRS. ANNA P. DODGE. -- ABIJAH L. WRIGHT. - LEACH - TUBS. - TALLOW DIPS. - THE SHAYS REBEL --
vii
CONTENTS.
LION. - WILLIAM SWAN. - ANNAPOLIS COUNTY, NOVA SCOTIA. - DEANE WINTHROP. - A LOCAL SCANDAL. - AN OLD CLOCK. - A WILD DEER IN GROTON. - GROTON WATER COMPANY. - THREE SILVER MEDALS. - INSCRIBED POWDER-HORNS. - CULTIVATION OF HOPS. - VIEWS OF BUILDINGS ON PORCELAIN. - REMARKS ON NONACOICUS. - CAPT. FITCH'S NOTE-BOOK. - THE KEMP FAMILY. - MOUNTAINS SEEN FROM GIBBET HILL. - ITEMS FROM THE HAR- VARD RECORDS. - HENRY TRUE. - SAMUEL BLOOD. -- WIDOW MARY COCKLE. - LIST OF MARRIAGES. - LIST OF DEATHS.
Pages 349-396
No. VI.
THE LAWYERS OF GROTON. - THE PHYSICIANS OF GROTON. - DR. OLIVER PRESCOTT. - STATE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1853. - SIMON ROGERS AND ELIZABETH PARKER. - LIST OF MARRIAGES FROM THE CHELMSFORD RECORDS. --- LIST OF MAR- RIAGES, ETC., FROM THE TYNGSBORO RECORDS. - THE AGE OF APPLE-TREES. - PUBLIC CLOCK. - ABEL SPAULDING. - REV. CALEB TROWBRIDGE. -- RICHARD BRENTON. - GROTON WATER COMPANY. - GROTON IN FICTION. - GROTON PEACHES. - WILD DEER. - A CORRECTION. - JOHN KEMP AND SAMUEL STONE. - ANOTHER ARTESIAN WELL. - STEEL BRIDGE. - AN EPITAPH. - IION. JOSIAH G. ABBOTT. - ST. PAUL'S LODGE. - TWO GROTON SOLDIERS IN THE EXPEDITION AGAINST CARTHAGENA. - BURNT MEADOW. - THE SCHOONER "GROTON." - THE SURNAME "GRO- TON." - WIDOW PAGE. - CENTURY DICTIONARY. - BILLERICA BRIDGE. - STODDARD, N. II. - CAPT. HENRY FARWELL. - CAPT. FARWELL'S BULLET. - JOHN CHAMBERLAIN, THE INDIAN FIGHTER. - LEXINGTON CHURCH RECORDS. - BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GROTON. - TOWN SEAL. - JOSEPH DENNIE. - EXEMPTION FROM TRAINING. - WILLIAM L. GREEN. - PRONUNCIATION OF " GROTON." - A LIST OF CIVIL OFFICERS. - A GENEALOGICAL PUZZLE. - THE PHYSI- CIANS OF GROTON. - INSTANCES OF LARGE FAMILIES IN GROTON. - INSTANCES OF LONGEVITY IN GROTON. - FASHION IN GIVEN NAMES. - THE FITCH FAMILY. - A NAVAL HERO. - OBITUARY NOTICES.
397-458
INDEX
461-520
GROTON HISTORICAL SERIES ..
VOL. IV., No. I.
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS IN GROTON, 1761-1830. - CONTAINING A LIST OF ADMISSIONS TO THE CHURCH; ALSO LISTS OF MARRIAGES, BAPTISMS, AND VARIOUS OTHER MEMORANDA; WITH NOTES AND AN INTRODUCTION.
GROTON, MASS.
1896.
1
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1896.
HISTORICAL SERIES, VOL. IV., No. I.
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS IN GROTON.
CONTAINING ADMISSIONS TO THE CHURCH, ETC., MAR- RIAGES, BAPTISMS, AND VARIOUS OTHER MEMORANDA.
FEW persons of the present day fully appreciate the con- troversy which raged in the eastern part of Massachusetts seventy-five years ago, more or less, when so generally the Congregational churches were rent in twain on matters of religious belief. At that period, in many towns, the old order of things was supplanted by a new one, which marked the parting of the ways among church organizations that had before worked together in harmony and unity. To a large extent the practical result of this state of affairs was to establish in such towns two churches in place of a single church. The articles of faith held by one of these wings were based on a more liberal interpretation of the Scriptures than those held by the other. This liberal party is known to-day as the Unitarian denomination, while the other party is known as the Congregational. As a rule the Unitarians have kept possession of the original church-records, and are thus nominally the older body, but the Congregationalists far outnumber them in membership.
The two volumes, from which these records are copied, were missing from their proper places for nearly seventy years, and technically they have not as yet been returned, but will be now within a short time. They disappeared one
J
2
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS IN GROTON.
evening after a heated session of the parish in the vestry of the meeting-house, when the candles were blown out, and the members broke up in confusion. An unsuccessful search was begun at once for the books, but was gradually abandoned, and the loss soon forgotten in the main.
Another record-book, earlier than either of these volumes, disappeared at the same time, but that one was recovered by me many years ago, and has since been printed in this Historical Series, comprising Number X. of the first volume. It is now known that these three record-books were carried off from the meeting by an officer of the church, who con- cealed them at the time under his cloak. The act was done with the approval and connivance of those who sympathized with him in his ecclesiastical relations. This officer kept them in his possession as long as he lived, and after his death, which occurred nearly fifty years ago, they passed into the hands of other persons living in widely separated places, from whom I have since obtained them. The earlier volume was found in the possession of a family of Groton origin, then living in Plymouth County, and the two later volumes had passed beyond the limits of the Commonwealth. It may be proper to add that this church officer was a man of the strictest integrity in all respects, who undoubtedly thought that he was acting for the best under the exist- ing circumstances. So high was his reputation among the neighbors for honor and honesty, I am sure that he never questioned his own course in the matter. It is now supposed that these three volumes were the only books taken away when the parish meeting broke up. The earliest one, already mentioned as having been printed in the first volume of the Historical Series, begins with the pastorate of the Reverend Dudley Bradstreet, who was ordained on November 27, 1706, and ends with June 22, 1760, though the records are very incomplete during the last thirty years of this period.
The first of the two volumes, here printed, begins on June 1, 1761, - two days before the ordination of the Reverend Samuel Dana, -and ends in January, 1798; and the other begins on April 28, 1799, and ends on February 2, 1830,
3
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS IN GROTON.
though the entries during the latter part of this period are both scarce and scanty. It is supposed that some of the later ones were made while the book was in hiding. The various records under the several subjects are scattered about through the two books in many places, but in the printed copy all such entries are brought together under their proper headings. It has been thought best to arrange the subjects in the following order : -
Record of the Meetings, Admitted to the Church, Owned the Covenant, Dismissed to other Churches, Marriages, Baptisms, Various other Memoranda.
The first of these volumes is bound in vellum, and on the front cover are indistinct traces of the words " Church Book, Groton, 1761," written in three lines. Inside of the book the price is marked as two shillings and eight pence. " Pre- tium 2 8." The other volume is bound in sheepskin, and in the right upper corner of the front cover is the inscription " Groton, Jan. 1798 from 1797" in two lines, and near the middle of the cover " Church Book Vol. II.," also in two lines. Why this book should have been marked " Vol. II.," when there were two earlier volumes in existence, I am unable to say. Perhaps it was done through an oversight on the part of the minister who at that time acted as parish clerk, and kept the records. The earliest volume ( 1706-1760) may not have been counted as a part of the set, as it is so badly mutilated.
In early days it was the custom of the churches of Massa- chusetts to make a rigid examination of all candidates both for Admission to Membership and for Owning the Covenant ; and many questions then were asked, which at the present time would be deemed highly impertinent and obtrusive. Such questions related to the personal habits of the appli- cants, about which there was no evidence beyond their own
4
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS IN GROTON.
statement or confession. In these records there are many similar instances, which apparently excited no particular comment at the time. They are found by implication in the words "Confessed Fornication," - or their abbreviated form, "Con. For." or "C. F.,"-appended to the names of many persons who were duly enrolled as members. There are one hundred and fifty-four such instances, but in this printed copy these entries have been omitted, as they re- flect a custom which to-day would not be tolerated under any circumstances either in religious or secular circles. The last instance of a public confession is found in 1795; and a few years later, on January 7, 1803, by a vote of the church the practice was abolished.
For the convenience of persons who may wish to compare the printed copy with the original manuscript volumes, I have indicated by broad-faced figures within brackets - in all cases where the record is not continuous- the number of the volume, and the pages, on which the beginning of such extracts is found, as well as the end of the extracts.
EARLY CHURCHI RECORDS.
At a Church meeting in Groton June ist 1761
The following Covenant was laid before the Church : Consented to : and Voted to be recorded
Groton Chh Covenant
WE, who through the exceeding Riches of the Grace and Patience of God do yet Continue Members of this Church, being sensible of our great unworthiness to be owned as the Lords Covenant Peo- ple : also acknowledging our great Inabilities to keep Covenant with God, or to perform any spiritual Duties unless the Lord Jesus enable us thereunto by his Spirit dwelling in us ; and being awfully Sensible that it is a Dreadful thing for sinful dust and Ashes per- sonally and much more socially to transact with the Infinitely glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth ; DO in humble Confidence
5
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS.
of his Gracious Assistance and Acceptance thro' Christ, Each one of us for ourselves declare our belief of the sacred scripture as the word of God, and perfect Rule of faith and Obedience; resolving by his Grace to Conform to them.
WE adhere to the Faith and order of the Gospel as exhibited in these Churches in their Confession of Faith and Platform of Church Discipline ; for the substance of them.
WE give up ourselves in an everlasting Covenant to the Lord Jehovah, who is the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, as to our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, to love, Obey and serve him forever.
WE own and submit to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Head of his Body the Church recieving and relying upon him as the great high Priest Prophet and King of our Salvation.
WE give ourselves each to other by the Will of God : Engaging by his Help to Carry it towards one another as fellow members in Church society ; to watch over one another in Brotherly Love, and to walk together in a Due subjection to and attendance upon the Orders & Ordinances appointed by Christ and enjoined his Churches in the Gospel.
WE thankfully Acknowledge that our Posterity are included in the Gospel Covenant, and accordingly promise to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord, and to own them in their Covenant Relation according to the Rules of Gods word.
WE promise to preserve Communion with the Churches of Christ walking together in the Faith and order of the Gospel, by giving and Recieving mutual Counsel and Assistance in all Cases wherein it shall be needful.
And now we repair to the Blood of the great Sacrifice for the Pardon of all our sins. depending Entirely upon our Lord Jesus Christ for acceptance with God, and for his Good Spirit to Enable us to keep his holy Covenant, praying that we may adorn the Doc- trines of God our Saviour in all things and avoid even the very Appearance of Evil. Earnestly Praying that the Lord would take Delight to dwell among us, that Heavens Blessing may be upon us and that his glorious kingdom may be advanced by us.
Now to God the Father, Son & Holy Ghost be ascribed Endless Praises. Amen.
JAMES STONE Moderator
Consented to
D' SAM! DANA Pastor Elect
6
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS.
At the Meeting last mentioned The Church Voted also With Regard to admission of Members to full Commmion That the making a Relation (as it is commonly call'd) shall not be a Term of Communion but that any Person (if in a Judgment of Charity Qualifyd) shall be admitted to this Privilege upon his Assenting in Publick to some such Articles of faith as these following (still allowing Liberty to any who choose it to make a Relation.)
You Believe that there is one God in three Persons: Father Son and Iloly Ghost
You Believe y: the Sacred Scriptures are the word of God ; and a perfect Rule for our Faith and Practice
You Believe that Man is a fallen Creature and cannot be Justifyd by the Deeds of the Law.
You believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and Saviour of Men : and that he will bestow salvation on. those who repent of their sins believe in his Name and Live according to the Precepts of his Gospel
You believe the Resurrection of the Body ; a future Judgment and state of Rewards & Punishments
You Believe that Baptism is an Institution of Christ and that the Lords Supper is also a sacrament by which his Church in this World should Commemorate his Dying Love to which Church you believe it is your Duty to Join yourself
The Church then Voted with regard to Baptizing Children of Parents newly Married
That those Parents who have not a Child till seven Yearly months after Marriage are subjects of our Christian Charity, and (if in a Judgment of Charity otherways Qualifyd) shall have the Privilege of Baptism for their Infants, without being Questioned as to their Honesty The Church still reserving to themselves Liberty to admit Children that are born within Less time after Marriage, where they see Reason for it.
JAMES STONE Moderator Consented to P: SAMU. DANA Pastor Elect.
The Church then Passd the following Vote Viz
That a Church Meeting be Called at the request of ten of the Members of said Church
JAMES STONE Moderator
To which I then a Brother, and Pastor Elect, refused to Consent
SAMT DANN P. E.
7
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS.
June y'. 34 Being Ordination Day a Number of the Church then together Voted to reconsider the Vote last Mentioned with regard to calling Church Meetings
JAMES STONE Moderator
N B. The Moderator Declared to the Ordination Council that the Vote was reconsidered
SAMH DANA PE
The Votes before Mentioned are all that the Moderator desird to Record in this Book as having been passd by the Church in the time of their Vacancy
SAMU DANA Pastor 1761
Samuel Dana in Officium Pastorale apud Grotonenses inauguratus fuit Die Junii 3 1761
June 26. At a Church Meeting held at the Meeting House The Brethren & Sisters of the Church. Present, Consented to the Cov! in the beginning of this Book which they manifested, the Brethren by holding up their Hand, The sisters by standing up.
It was then Voted that the names of the Members of the Church should be Entred in this Book.
List of The Members of the Church of C: in Groton
Sam" Dana Pastor.
# Daniel Farnsworth
= Will" Green
Joseph Farwell Deac" !? # Josiah Sawtel
# James Stone
Daniel Shed
= Shebuel Hobart
# John Woods
= Samuel Barran
Amos Lawrence
# Ephraim Sawtel
Jonas Farnsworth
= Joseph Gillson
# Phinehas Wait
Daniel Nutting
= Elisha Rockwood
# Ebenezer Farnsworth
= Israel Ilobart
¿ John Stone
# Jeremiah Hobart
# Abraham Mores
Jonathan Pierce
Nehemiah Trowbridge
₹ Joseph Stone
= Sam" Tarbell
# Benj: Parker
# William Lawrence
# Auton Farnsworth
# Jason Williams
¿ Eben' Patch
# Nath" Parker
= Jonathan Farwell
8
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS.
# Simon Pierce
# James Fisk
# Benj: Bancroft
# Eben: Nutting
# Jonas Fletcher
# Convers Richardson
# Oliver Prescot
# Moses Kezar
# Samuel Hartwell Jon: Stone 42
[In a corner of the page] Bode Negro
# Deborah Longley
Abigail Farnsworth Mary Farwel Mary Stone Hannah Trowbridge
# Abigail Prescot Susannah Lawrence
# Elisabeth Farnsworth
# Hannah Sawtel
# Rosanna Con Abigail Page Miriam Lakin Mercy Richardson Anna Hobart Esther Lawrence Mary Shed
# Mary Parker
Elisath Farnsworth Mary Farnsworth Sarah Parker Betty Hazen
# Mary Wait
Thankful Farnsworth
Joanna Fletcher Ilannah Green Lydia Tarbell
Mary Parker
Hannah Hobart.
# Martha Stevens Emma Stone Abigail Lawrence
Deborah Bowers
Susannah Prescot
Sarah Kezar
Susannah Pierce Rachel Chase
Ilannah Lakin
Elisabeth Nutting
Sarah Hartwell.
Elisabeth Rockwood Esther Gould 49
Sarah Davis
Mary Gilson Mary Tarbell
Mary Stone
Sarah Patch
Anna Bancroft.
Abigail Bradstreet
Rachel Pierce
Before the names of many of the members there is a double cross, -represented in the printed list by a ±, - the meaning of which I cannot make out. These crosses are set against the names of all the men excepting the minister and one other, and against the names of a considerable number of
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS.
the women ; and they appear to have been made by the same person at two or three different times.
In a corner of the page, away from the others, is written the name of " Bode Negro" as one of the members. For a short account of this slave, see " The Boundary Lines of Old Groton " (page 37).
[35-57]
It having been Objected (by Caleb Trowbridge) to Sarah Nich- ols's having the privilege of Baptism for her Child That she would have laid it to another Person besides him she did lay it to, had she not been flatterd and Threatned from such purpose --- and that she Did not Zre in so soon as she ought to have Done according to the time mentiond in her oath for the begetting the Child.
Jan" 14. 1763. The Ch being together (of which the Objector had previous Notice) Desird them to prove his Allegations against the s! Sarah Nichols which he Attempted. The Ch then having Consider'd of the Evidence producd, concluded that nothing was provd against the said Sarah and Thereupon Voted that they were in Charity with her.
Nov: 25. 1764. Ebenezer Champney having some time Since cut himself of from the Enjoyment of Ch! Privileges by a breach of the Seventh Command. this Day made his Confession of the same and was restord
March 28. 1766. At a Chh Meeting at the Meeting house (noti- fyd for that Purpose the last Sabbath) Zechariah Longley was chosen to the Office of Deacon.
Nov. 11. 1768. A Legacy of Thirteen Pounds Six Shillings & Eight Pence having been bequeathed by Capt: Ephraim Sawtell to the Chh in Groton for a fund for the benefit of its Poor &c. The Chh (This Day assembled at The Meeting house) Made Choice of Deac" Farwell Stone & Longly and Their Successors in office as a Committee in behalf of the Church to recieve and Improve the same agreably to the Design of the Donor, They to be AAccount- able to The Church for the same with the Interest Thence Arising and to render up the same whenever calld thereunto they manifest- ing a willingness to accept of this Trust were Empowerd accord- ingly to recieve this Legacy as aforest and Discharge the Excentor of the same. The Application of the Proceeds of this Legacy was referid to Inture Consideration
IO
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS.
See the Appendix to this Number for an account of Captain Ephraim Sawtell's legacy.
April 16. 1769. Sarah Nichols now the Wife of Ebenezer Farns- worth Jun! Confess'd a Second time a breach of the Seventh Com- mand and was forgiven.
July 9. 1769. Lefe Holden confessd her Breach of the Seventh Command & was forgiven.
July 14. 1769. Prudence Parker wife of Peter a member of the Chh exhibited a Complaint against her brother John Cummings im- porting that He had in an Unchristian Manner - falsely Charged her with wronging him of a fifty Pound note of Hand and of Rye to the Value of Twenty Pound -- that He had calld her a Pirott & Robber and said she thirsted after his Estate as bad as Pirotts do after Blood -and said that he would have of Her or her Heirs the Sum she had wronged him of - with other unchristian like Speeches - The Complaint set forth that She had sought satis- faction in the private methods pointed out in the Gospel, but in Vain. She therefore Desird the Matter might be laid before the Church. In complyance with which Desire the Chh was stopt Sab- bath Even Aug" 6. and Notifyd to Meet at the Meeting House Thursday following to hear & Consider the same, and at the same time the parties notifyd to appear, the one to prosecute the other to Defend if they thought proper.
1769. Aug" 10. Church met agreable to appointment and after hearing the Parties and what proof they had to offer and Conferring together determind only as follows - That Each Party had (since the Controversy had Subsisted between them) been guilty of impru- dent, unguarded & unchristian treatment of Each other and they should Mutually Acknowledge the same to, & forgive one another - on pain of the Churches Displeasure, at the same time, as intimations were given on each side of an Intention to Carry the Controversy into the Civil Law, the Church resolved, that, if either Party should take this step, both should be Debari'd Communion, from the time of a Civil Action being commenced till it should be Issued when the Church would further consider the matter - These things being propos'd to the parties ME Cummings immediately Complyd to the Satisfaction of the Ch M" Parker desird time to Consider of the Matter and the Meeting was adjournd to the next Lecture.
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