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HISTORY
RAYNHAM.L
.87
Hannah May Dian
Established 1889
Incorporated 1897
Accession No. 229
No.
Memorial Library
RAYNHAM
Presented Hannah May Dean
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RAYNHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 3573 00072 9068
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HISTORY
OF
RAYNHAM, MASS.,
FROM THE
FIRST SETTLEMENT
TO THE
PRESENT TIME.
BY
REV. ENOCH SANFORD, A. M., FOURTH PASTOR OF FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY, RAYNHAM.
PROVIDENCE : HAMMOND, ANGELL & CO., PRINTERS. 1870.
Nathaniel Dean
HISTORY
OF
RAYNHAM, MASS.,
FROM ITS
FIRST SETTLEMENT
TO THE
PRESENT TIME.
BY
REV. ENOCH SANFORD, A. M., MEMBER OF THE OLD COLONY HISTORICAL SOCIETY; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHI- CAL SOCIETY; AUTHOR OF "SKETCHES OF THE PIL- GRIMS," AND "GENEALOGY OF THE KING FAMILY."
PROVIDENCE : HAMMOND, ANGELL & CO., PRINTERS. 1870.
HISTORY.
TN July, 1621, Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins were sent, by the Governor of Plymouth Colony, to explore this section of the country, to visit Massasoit, the king of the Wam- pannoages, who lived where Bristol, R. I., now stands, to as- certain the number of the Indians and open trade with them. Having passed Middleboro' (then called Namasket), Winslow and Hopkins arrived at Titicut, where they exchanged hospita- ble offices with the natives, whom they found fishing. There they lodged one night, in the open fields on the banks of the stream, which were already cleared and adapted to cultivation. The embassadors then proceeded six miles down the river, on the south side, to a fording-place near King's bridge. When preparing to cross they were opposed by two aged Indians on the opposite side, who were the only individuals surviving the pes- tilence which, two years before, had nearly depopulated the re- gion. These two Indians, on being assured that Winslow, Hop- kins and their Indian guides were friendly, received the travel- lers without further objection. These were the first English- men who set foot in Raynham. Here they ascertained the ebb and flow of the tide. Their Indian friends showed them clear springs of water, carried them across the river on their backs and transported the luggage. In passing along the southern border of the town, they discovered many places which had been tilled by Indians. The ground near the river was a natural meadow, with soil adapted to the corn cultivated by the natives, but the country -was depopulated by the plague which had recently prevailed.
-
4
HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
Taunton, which at first included Raynham and five other towns, was settled, in 1638, by emigrants principally from Taunton, in England. The lands of Mrs. Elizabeth Pool, one of the chief proprietors, were specially laid out by order of the Colonial government at Plymouth, in May, 1669. These land's had been bought from the Indians; and, in 1675, the owners set forth a declaration of their rights, with the following pre- amble : - " Whereas, by the providence of God, in the year 1638, it pleased God to bring the most part of the first pur- chasers of Taunton over the great ocean into this wilderness, from our dear and native land, and after some small time here, we found this place, called by the natives of the land Cohan- net, in the Colony of New Plymouth, and of the Court of said Colony we obtained grants of tracts of land for a plantation or township, as by the record of said Court it may and doth ap- pear, and then we also made purchase and bought the tracts of land, for our money, of the right proprietors and owners, the Indian sachems or princes of this part of the country, as by deed under their hands it may appear ; and in honor and love to our dear native land, we called this place Taunton; and owning it a great mercy to God to bring us to this place, and setting us on lands of our own, bought with our own money, in peace in the midst of the heathen, for a possession for our- selves and for our posterity after us."
Settlements were made in Raynham, in 1652, by James Leon- ard, Henry Leonard and Ralph Russel, who came from Wales and first settled in Braintree. October 21st, 1652, the follow- ing entry appears in the records of Taunton :- " It was agreed and granted, by the town, to the said James and Henry Leon- ard and Ralph Russel, free consent to come hither and join with certain of our inhabitants to set up a bloomary work on the Two-mile River." Then no stranger could become an in- habitant without permission. " It was agreed and granted, by a free vote of the town, that such particular inhabitants as shall concur with said persons, in their design, shall have free liberty from the town to do so, to build and set up this work, and that they shall have the woods on the other side of the Two-mile
5
FIRST IRON WORKS IN AMERICA.
river, wheresoever it is common on that side of the river, to cut for their cord-wood to make coals ; and also to dig and take mine or ore at Two-mile meadows, or in any of the commons appertaining to the town where it is not proprietary."
In accordance with this vote and the permission granted, the above-mentioned individuals erected works for the extraction of iron from the native ore, being the first iron manufactory established on the continent. These works continued in the possession of the Leonards and their descendants a hundred years ; were enlarged by additional furnaces, and subsequently converted into an anchor forge.
The original projectors, Henry and James Leonard, attracted by more abundant ores in New Jersey, removed there and established the first foundry in that province.
During the Indian war of 1675, which desolated many of the towns of Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies, the inhabitants of Taunton were exempt from attack. Philip, the chief insti- gator of that war, had a summer hunting-seat near the Fowling pond. The Leonards had supplied him with beef, repaired his muskets and furnished him with such simple tools as the In- dians could use. These acts of friendship were remembered, and when other towns suffered from savage incursions, Rayn- ham and Taunton escaped. Philip's influence and friendship protected them. The people, however, were on their guard, and constructed fortified houses capable of resisting an Indian seige. A house belonging to Samuel Leonard, which stood a few rods east of the forge, was surrounded by palisades and provisioned. A fort, also, was built on the farm now owned by Samuel Hathaway, on Pleasant street. The towns of Barn- stable, Yarmouth and Eastham, on account of their position, were secure from Indian depredations. The inhabitants of these Cape towns invited the people of Taunton, Rehoboth, Raynham and Bridgewater to leave their settlements and live with them for greater safety. Taunton replied thus :- " We bless God that he hath given us much room in your hearts, that you so freely tender to us a part with you in your houses,
6
HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
fields and provisions, at such a time when the Lord is threaten- ing us with the bereavement of our own. It much comforteth us, in this day of darkness and distress. We shall want no succor you are able to afford us. We therefore return you all serious thanks for your sincere and abundant love, beseeching the Lord to continue and increase your ability, peace and promptness to relieve distress in this evil day. Nevertheless, upon our serious and mature deliberation upon, and considera- tion of your great offer, we cannot at present comply with a motion to remove and quit our places and leave our habitations to be a desolation, and that because we fear, in so doing, we should be wanting to the name of God and interests of Christ in this place, and betray much difficulty and cowardice, and give the adversary occasion to triumph over us to the reproach of that great and fearful name of God which is called upon us."
This conscientious, elevated reply was signed by Richard Williams, Walter Deane and others, and shows the spirit of the times. These records disclose the character of the men who established the early settlements. Their leading object was to maintain the truths and institutions of the Christian religion, and in pursuing this design they could bear danger and hard- ships with indomitable fortitude.
THE TOWNSHIP.
The act of the General Court, setting off Raynham into a distinct township, declared that it was "competently filled with inhabitants." It embraced thirty families. Abraham Jones was a principal agent in the separation, his name ap- pearing first on the petition. His house was near the forge, upon the farm now owned by Emory S. Wilbur. It does not appear that any party spirit or political difference produced the sepa- ration. It arose principally from the position of the people. At that time parish and town lines were usually the same, and as most of the inhabitants were too far from Taunton to attend public worship there conveniently, it was desirable to form a new town and parish. The General Court incorporated the
7
FIRST MINISTER.
new town of Raynham, with the provision, " that the inhabi- tants of said town do, within the space of three years from the publication of this act, procure and settle a learned and ortho- dox minister of good conversation, and make provision for his comfortable and honorable support, and likewise provide a schoolmaster to instruct their children to read and write." The act of incorporation was granted by the council and rep- resentatives, in General Court assembled, April 1st, 1731, and consented to by T. Belcher, the Provisional Governor, April 6th, 1731. The council ordered Ebenezer Robinson, one of the principal inhabitants, to warn a meeting of the citizens, in order to choose town officers. The warrant was issued under the authority, and in the fourth year of the reign of His Majesty George II.
At the first town meeting, Samuel Leonard, Jr., was chosen town clerk, and John Staples, Samuel Leonard and Ebenezer Robinson, selectmen.
In 1732, John White was chosen clerk of the market.
Elijah Dean and Thomas Baker were elected tithing-men, and sworn for the faithful discharge of their duty.
It was voted that sheep and hogs may go at large.
CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND PASTORS.
Anticipating the duty of supporting public worship, the people had erected and partially finished a meeting house two years before the town was incorporated. The first town meet- ing, for choice of officers, was held April 22d, 1731. On the 10th of May, following, the town voted to pay all the expenses which individuals had incurred in building the meeting house, and a tax was levied for that purpose. At the same meeting, Mr. John Wales, who had been preaching there one year and a half, was chosen minister.
His salary was fixed at £100 per annum in bills of credit, and £200, settlement. His income was subsequently increased to £400, equal to £53, 6s., 8d., lawful money, or about $266. It was also voted to finish the church by plastering it, con-
8
HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
structing pews and a gallery floor. These expenses would be considerable, at the present day, for so small a number of peo- ple. Then there was but little money in circulation, and land, cattle and products were exchanged principally by barter.
Mr. Wales, who graduated at Cambridge in 1728, accepted the unanimous call in the following words :-
" I rejoice to see you thus united for the support of the gos- pel, and can do no less than, with gratitude, acknowledge the respect that you have shown to me, in giving me the offer of settling with you ; but as the work of the gospel ministry is hard and difficult, so I dare not rush myself into that office with precipitation, but have, as I hope, sincerely laid the case before God by prayer, and earnestly sought direction from him ; further, I have taken the advice of sundry of my fathers in the ministry ; and, therefore, looking upon the call to come from heaven as well as from man, I dare not refuse it: but accept it, earnestly asking your prayers to God for me, that I may so faithfully acquit myself in the office of a gospel minis- ter as to save my own soul and those whom God shall commit to my watch and care." Mr. Wales's comprehensive letter of acceptance consists of one sentence only. Not improbably its form and structure throw light upon the writer's style of ser- mons.
HIS ORDINATION.
The records of the town show the following vote, September 20th, 1731 ;- “ Agreed to set apart the 20th of October next, for the ordination of Mr. John Wales, our present minister, as pastor and gospel minister of Christ, over a church of Christ in this town, the town having heretofore chosen and elected him thereto." Fifteen pounds were appropriated to pay Zephaniah Leonard for entertaining the council.
The church, which was organized the day before the ordi- nation, consisted of fourteen men and seventeen women, who were transferred from the first church in Taunton.
The following record from the Church Books of the First Congregational Church in Taunton, by Rev. Thomas Clapp,
9
A SUCCESSFUL PASTORATE.
pastor, shows the names of the persons constituting the new church :-
" At a church meeting, held at the publick Meeting house in Taunton, October 7, 1731 :-
"The request of Abraham Jones, John Staples, John Leonard, Samuel Hacket, Senior, Joseph Jones, Samuel Leonard, Seth Leonard, Samuel White, Ebenezer Campbell, John White, Gabriel Crossman, Jonathan Hall, Thomas Baker and Samuel Hacket, 2d; as also the request of Hannah White, Mary Hacket, Katherine Leonard, Hannah Campbell, Susannah White, Hannah Staples, Mehitable White, Ruth Crane, Elizabeth Shaw, Mary Jones, Joanna Leonard, Abigail Hall, Lydia Britton, Patience Hacket, Sarah Hall, Rebecca Leonard and Abigail Baker, all brethren and sisters in full communion with this church, living in the town of Raynham,- for a dismission, was read to the church, in order to their being incorporated into a church state by themselves, and have the ordinances of the gospel administered among them.
" The church taking the matter into consideration, and ap- proving their desires to be regular, voted that they be dis- missed accordingly, commending them to God and the word of his grace, which is able to build them up, and to give them an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
" At the same time the request of several persons who had only renewed their baptismal covenant for a dismission, was read, upon which the Church voted, That, if any of them did desire to embody in a church state with the aforesaid brothers and sisters, they might do it without any offence to this church."
Mr. Wales's ministry continued thirty-four years. He died February 23d, 1765, in his sixty-sixth year. He resided in his own house on a cross road, about three furlongs east of the forge, and is represented to have possessed social powers which rendered him acceptable everywhere. In public prayer his talents were eminent, and his preaching was a faithful ex- hibition of the doctrines of the gospel in a plain and effective manner. His labors were not in vain. Prosperity attended
2
10
HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
him not only in his public ministrations, but in the education and advancement of his children. His son, Samuel, baptized March 6th, 1747, graduated at Yale College, received the de- gree of D. D. and became Professor of Divinity in that insti- tution. His son, John, was a member of the United States Senate, from Delaware. Catherine, who was baptized Novem- ber 25th, 1750, married Samuel Montgomery, a graduate of Yale, a Surgeon in the Revolutionary army. Her daughter, Catherine, married Job Godfrey, Esq., of Taunton. Mr. Wales's daughter, Prudence, became the wife of Rev. Dr. Fobes, her father's successor.
During Mr. Wales's ministry, one hundred and twenty-six persons were received into the church, and three hundred and fifty infants and adults baptized. Eighty-three couples were married by him. During his ministry, the doctrines of the church were but little controverted. Differences of religious opinion which subsequently set temple against temple, and altar against altar, had not arisen. According to the teaching of their fathers, the people remembered the Sabbath day, and attended public worship with punctuality. A man who neg- lected this duty would have been looked upon as an unworthy citizen. Yet there was rising a disposition to make religion consist too much in formality and outward observance.
THE BAPTISMAL COVENANT.
Like many in New England, this church early adopted what was called the half-way covenant. In the course of twenty-two years, thirty-five persons were admitted to the church by acknowledging their belief in the doctrines of the gospel and receiving baptism, though they did not profess to have experienced regeneration, and were consequently ex- cused from the Lord's Supper, but were entitled to the privi- lege of having their children baptized. This practice was adopted and recommended by a council composed of delegates from Connecticut and Massachusetts, which met in Boston, in June, 1656, and more especially by another council, in 1662.
11
ORDINATION OF THE SECOND PASTOR.
It originated in the rule early adopted by our fathers, that all freemen shall be church members. The practice was estab- lished with difficulty, and with as much difficulty laid aside. It prevailed more or less for a hundred years, and, was aban- doned in this church, in 1760, and the scriptural rule of the Puritans restored.
This town was organized in the belief and practice of evan- gelical doctrines. The people were true sons of the Puritans, respecting whom, Hume, though not their friend, declared that they were the first people in England who possessed the true principles of liberty.
REV. PEREZ FOBES, LL. D.
July 29th, 1776, about two years after the death of Mr. Wales, Perez Fobes, of Bridgewater, was chosen pastor. The town concurred in the choice, and voted him a salary of £78 per annum, equal to about $390. Rev. Solomon Reed pre- sided at the church meeting. Twenty-one members present voted for Mr. Fobes,-nine declining to vote. October 13th, the church invited the following clergy to assist at the ordina- tion, which was appointed for the 19th of November :-
Rev. Mr. Perkins,
Rev. Mr. Shaw,
West Bridgewater. Bridgewater.
Rev. Mr. Conant,
Middleborough.
Rev. Mr. Tobey,
Berkley.
Rev. Mr. Reed, -
North Middleborough.
Rev. Mr. Turner, -
Middleborough.
Letters missive were sent by Deacon Hall, Israel Washburn and Joseph Shaw, and, on the day assigned, Mr. Fobes was duly ordained, and commenced his long and important pas- torate.
Mr. Fobes graduated at Cambridge, in 1762. Though feeble in health, he was a diligent scholar. He had an espe- cial taste for scientific studies, and greatly excelled in deduc-
12
HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
ing facts from the natural world illustrative of moral and religious truths, and in demonstrating that the God of nature is the God of revelation. He had a happy faculty in commu- nicating the fruits of his literary researches in a familiar man- ner, without parade of learning. During the Revolution, not- withstanding his frail health, he served as a chaplain in the army. In 1786, he acted as President of Brown University while President Manning was absent, and was subsequently chosen Professor of Experimental Philosophy in the college. In the deficiency of adequate illustrative apparatus, he con- structed an orrery (which the writer has seen) designed to ex- hibit the mechanism of the solar system ; and, by his energy and application, rendered important service upon the faculty of the institution. In 1787, he was chosen a Fellow of the college, and, in 1792, received the degree of Doctor of Laws.
The advancement of education occupied much of his time. It has been said "that the schools of Raynham, under his patronage and inspection, were for many years an example for the country, and bore an honorable testimony to the public, of the importance of a learned clergy to the country." But Dr. Fobes excelled as a preacher. By his own bearing he illustrated the assertion of Euripides, that the dignity of a speaker adds force to his words. He had a marked talent for extemporaneous speaking, and could thrill an audience with spontaneous eloquence. His biographer writes, " that founded on Christ and his apostles, so happily did he blend in his creed the excellencies of Calvin and Arminius, that he seemed a friend to both; though an acute metaphysician and theo- logian, yet knowing the gospel designed for all men, plain, practical discourses were his chief aim."
He once preached the Election sermon, before the Governor and legislature, at the Old South Church. In the course of his ministry he published several discourses. One was ad- dressed to young people on the importance of early piety, and another, on the Divine and Human agency in salvation.
He preached a sermon, which was published, at the execu- tion of John Dixon, at Taunton, the first white person who
13
DR. FOBES'S LABORS.
suffered the extreme penalty of the law in Bristol county. He also published the funeral sermon preached on the death of Dr. Manning, President of Brown University, and another sermon preached at Marshfield, at the ordination of his son-in- law, Rev. Elijah Leonard, in which he shows what are the principal doctrines a minister should teach. He enumerated the truths held by the New England divines, which were the themes of his own discourses.
Scholastic subtleties interested him but a little. Grace pre- venient and grace efficacious occupied him less than "the de. sign of Christianity to reduce men to the knowledge, love and reverence of God, to a just and loving conversation together, to the practice of sobriety, temperance, purity, meekness and the other virtues." These words of Dr. Barrow, the famous preacher of the seventeenth century, accurately describe the scope and spirit of Dr. Fobes's sermons.
He was also the author of a catechism after the manner of Dr. Watts, in which the answers were in the language of scrip- ture. Sabbath schools were not then instituted, but it was his practice to instruct the children from the Westminster Assem- bly's Catechism.
During Dr. Fobes's ministry of forty five years, 136 persons were admitted to the church ; 304 infants and adults baptized, and about 220 marriages solemnized. His house stood one- fourth of a mile east of the church, on the road to Tearall. His farm was of considerable extent, and was acquired through his wife, the daughter of Mr. Wales. The house was two stories in front and one in the rear, after the mode of that day. He ac- cumulated property and often lent money, to the convenience of the public, in the absence of banks. He never owned a riding carriage, but made all his journeys on horseback, in accordance with the custom of the times.
REV. STEPHEN HULL.
After the death of Dr. Fobes, the church was without a pas- tor seven months. Mr. Hull was installed September 2d, 1812. He had been previously settled in Amesbury, Mass. The
14
HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
council consisted of Rev. J. Mittimore, Newburg ; Rev. Elias Hull, Seabrook, N. Y. ; Rev. Joseph Barker, Middleboro'; Rev. Dr. Reed, Bridgewater ; Rev. Dr. Sanger, Bridgewater ; Rev. J. Pipon, Taunton, and Rev. Mr. Gushee, Dighton.
Mr. Hull was a fluent speaker and peculiarly attractive in conversation. As he was in the vigor of life, and succeeded an aged and feeble pastor, he awakened an unusual interest and sympathy among the people. A religious interest pre- vailed in 1820, in which forty young and middle-aged persons were received into the church, and thirty-five infants were baptized by him. In May, 1823, he was dismissed at his own request, and subsequently preached in Stockbridge and Car- lyle. He died at sixty, and was buried beside his first wife, in the Central Cemetery of this town.
MEETING HOUSES.
The first meeting house stood a fourth of a mile east of the forge, on the north side of the road leading to Squawbetty. It was a very plain structure, without blinds, steeple, bell or stoves. It cost $1,400, and was conveniently placed for the early inhabitants. Mr. Wales preached in it thirty-four years, and Dr. Fobes, eight years.
The second house was built in 1773, by Mr. Israel Wash- burn, by whom the pews were sold to purchasers. It stood at the center of the town, and, as originally constructed, had no steeple. The land upon which it was erected belonged to Mr. Amariah Hall, from whom it was purchased. It continues in the possession of the parish, and upon it the present church stands.
The pews were square and high; the railing around them of turned balusters. The galleries extended on three sides ; there were no blinds ; the pulpit with its sounding-board stood on the east side. The front door opened into the broad aisle, but there were end doors with entries. A steeple and bell were added to the house some years after its erection. It had no apparatus for warming until 1830, when Gen. Shepard Leach,
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