USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Greenfield > Records of proceedings, etc., in the parish of St. James' Church, Greenfield, from the first formation of the society, September 24th, A. D. 1812 > Part 1
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974.402 G837KA
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MES
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St. James Marish
Greenfield
Massachusetts
1812-1912
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The seal of the parish, stamped on the out- side cover, was adopted at a parish meeting held on the 6th day of August, 1814.
"Voted unanimously that the annexed design, sent us by Shubael Bell, Esq., of Boston, be and it is hereby adopted as the common seal of the corporation of the parish of St. James' Church in the town of Greenfield, and that the clerk be di- rected to transmit an attested copy of this vote to S. Bell, Esq., and request him to procure a seal for us, agreeable to the above-mentioned design".
The seal is engraved upon the silver Paten in use at all Communion services at the present time, and presented to the parish by Mr. Bell in 1814.
THE REV. TITUS STRONG, D. D., FIRST RECTOR 1814-1855.
" The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, the Lord is our King ; He will save us" .- Isaiah 33 ch., 22 v.
" And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places."-Isaiah 32 ch., 17 and 18 vs.
RECORDS
OF PROCEEDINGS, ETC.
IN THE PARISH OF
ST. JAMES' CHURCH GREENFIELD
FROM THE FIRST FORMATION OF THE SOCIETY
SEPTEMBER 24th, A. D. 1812
THE REV. TITUS STRONG, D. D., FIRST RECTOR 1814-1855.
PRESS OF E. A. HALL & CO. GREENFIELD, MASS. 1912
PREFACE.
The title page of this little history is that of the first record book of the parish, but the pages that follow are "records and proceedings " only in greatly abridged and condensed form. A very large volume might be written from materials that are in hand, but nothing so pretentious could be attempted at this time. If the booklet, here- with sent out amongst those interested in the Episcopal Church in this town, helps to give reality to the history of a hundred years in the minds of those who read it, something will have been accomplished. And if in addition some can find between the lines and in the omitted pages a story of real hardships undergone, of real sacrifices made, of real difficulties surmounted by these our brethren-and all for this Church which we love-something more will have been done. And if some who read are made more eager and more earnest in their desire to take up the work in this parish, so well begun, and in the name of the Lord Jesus to carry it forward, that will be still better.
JOHN B. WHITEMAN.
Greenfield, Massachusetts.
St. James' Day, 1912.
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE PARISH.
Previous to the year 1812 the religious affairs of Greenfield were managed after a very simple and easy fashion. There was entire union for all practical pur- poses of church and town. In open town meeting votes were passed with relation to the meeting house and the settlement and dismissal of ministers. Ecclesiastical af- fairs were a regular matter of business, in which the town as a whole concerned itself. The funds necessary for the maintenance of the church were derived from direct taxation levied upon the property of the towns people.
But in the year above mentioned a new arrangement had to be made, at least so far as certain of the inhab itants were concerned. To some few people the Con- gregational order was not altogether pleasing nor at all in keeping with their bringing up and training. They were children of another household, whose discipline and worship they could not forget, whose manners and cus- toms they still loved. They had been taught to believe that the Church of England, and her successor in America, the Protestant Episcopal Church, represented all that was best in Christianity, and they only awaited a favorable time that they might plainly and boldly express their preference.
The thing had been simmering probably for a long while. The spirit of the faithful few is shown from the following record made in the family Bible of the late John J. Pierce, whose name appears frequently in con- nection with the development of the parish, and whose father, Samuel Pierce, was one of the early supporters of the Church :-
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"John Joyce Pierce was born in Greenfield, Massachu- setts, May 26, A. D., 1793. Said John Joyce Pierce was christened (private baptism) at my house in Middletown, Connecticut, when four months of age, by Rev. Mr. Abraham Jarvis, myself, his father and mother being his sureties. They, my son-in-law, Samuel Pierce, and his wife, my daughter Anna, brought this child, their first born, from Greenfield, Massachusetts to Middletown, Connecticut, to be christened. God Almighty bless, pre- serve and prosper them.
(Signed) John Joyce, his Grandfather. September 26, A. D. 1793."
In 1803 by particular request the Rev. Menzies Rayner of Hartford, Ct., came to Greenfield to baptize Charlotte, daughter of Thomas and Charlotte Chapman. And again in 1809 he made a second visit and baptized no less than seven persons whose names are all to be found on the Parish Register, together with their parents' and spon- sors'. So far as we know, these were the first Episcopal services ever held in the County of Franklin.
The feeling of conviction with regard to Church teaching and practice being so strong and firm, we can easily understand how the break with the established order was bound to come. Nothing could prevent it. In the early autumn of 1812 the time seemed ripe, and steps were taken looking toward the formation of a new par- ish of the old historic Church. Perhaps as this sketch proceeds we may be able to appreciate somewhat the significance of what came to pass. The point of view of those immediately concerned can be best expressed by quoting from the records which tell very graphically of what was in the minds of the people.
"On Thursday, the twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twelve, sundry persons of the town of Greenfield, be-
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ing sincerely attached to the established forms of wor- ship and to the government of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and moved, as they humbly trust, by the Divine Spirit-being encouraged thereto by the Rev. Philander Chase, Rector of Christ Church in Hartford, Connecticut- and placing their trust and confidence in Almighty God our Heavenly King and Father, and having determined to form themselves into a Parish or Society for the pur- pose of worshipping God agreeably to the dictates of their own consciences, after due consideration and reflection, drew up and signed the following agreements of associa- tion :-
Whereas it is the right as well as the duty of all men, publicly and at stated seasons, to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator and Preserver of the Universe,
And whereas it is provided by the laws of this Com- monwealth that every person may worship God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience,
Now therefore, in pursuance of the right guaranteed to us, and to our own sense of duty, we the subscribers, mutually agree with each other to associate ourselves to- gether, by the name and style of the Protestant Episcopal Parish in the town of Greenfield, in the County of Frank- lin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to become members of said Parish. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this twenty fourth day of Sep- tember in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and twelve."
This agreement was signed at first by only five per- sons : -
Thomas Chapman, Oliver Sage, John E. Hall, Alpheus F. Stone, William Grenell,
All of Greenfield.
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Within one year from the establishment of the So- ciety, the above named were joined by the following :- John Stone, Daniel Rowe, Greenfield. Montague
Daniel Rowe, Junior,
Chester Gunn,
Elijah Alvord,
Calvin Grenell,
Greenfield
Friend Smith,
Amherst
Quintus Gunn,
Montague
Daniel Clay, John Latham,
Greenfield
Samuel Pierce,
Greenfield
Moses Andrews,
Montague
Hezekiah Clark, Senior,
Elizus Chamberlain,
Asher Newton,
Bernardston Greenfield
The fact that only five persons could be found at first to sign the agreement shows that the movement was not by any means popular. It was a matter of grave moment, and no little courage was required to stand for so un- popular an institution as was the Episcopal Church in these parts at that particular time.
It is interesting to know with regard to the five men who were first founders of the Parish, that Mr. Chap- man was a native of Yorkshire in England and had been educated in the Church; that Messrs. Sage, Hall and Grenell were natives of Connecticut, and that Dr. Stone was from Rutland, Massachusetts, having become a Churchman in Connecticut.
The Record continues :-
"On the same day (24th Sept.) previous to the above- mentioned agreement, the Rev. Philander Chase per- formed Divine Service and delivered a lecture at the Congregational meeting house in this town, (then situ-
DR. ALPHEUS F. STONE. One of the five original founders.
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ated on Federal Street, at the Four Corners) and the holy ordinance of baptism was administered to twelve persons.
On the evening of the twenty fifth of September ser- vice was performed and a lecture delivered by Rev. Mr. Chase at the house of John E. Hall. (What is now known as the Hollister house on Court Square.)
From this time until the November following, we as- sembled regularly every Sunday at our respective houses and performed Divine Service and read sermons.
In the month of October, Thomas Chapman and Oliver Sage were appointed Wardens of the Parish to serve until the next Easter.
In November we began to meet in a chamber in John E. Hall's house which we had fitted up for the purpose with a temporary reading desk, pulpit and seats; which room we hired for one year.
On Friday, December the 25th, 1812, being the anniver- sary of our Blessed Saviour's Nativity, Divine Service was performed in the Church Room, by the Rev. Asa Cornwall of Connecticut, to whom we had previously applied to come up for that purpose.
On Sunday the 27th, Rev. Mr. Cornwall preached at the same place and administered the Holy Communion to the following persons :-
Thomas Chapman,
Oliver Sage,
Mrs. Elizabeth Hall,
Mrs. Anne Joice, Alpheus F. Stone and wife.
This was the first time that the Communion was ever administered by a Minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church either in this place or in any other within fifty miles around. In the afternoon the holy ordinance of Baptism was administered to four children."
These details so carefully preserved of what took place
One of the five original founders,
DR. ALPHEUS F. STONE.
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that first autumn will give a fair idea as to the care with which the Records were kept by Dr. Stone, the first clerk of the Parish and a devoted Churchman.
That the interest of these people in the new under- taking reached even down deep into their pockets is shown by the fact that somewhere in the archives is a subscription paper labeled as follows :-
"Subscription for finishing and furnishing a chamber in John E. Hall's house in November 1812 for the use of the Parish, and also for paying the expense of obtaining a priest from Connecticut to preach here on the 25th and 27th of December, 1812, and some other small expenses." Five men contributed a total of seventy four dollars and seventy one cents.
On the 13th day of January, 1813, at a meeting of a number of the members of the parish, it was voted "to petition the General Court of this Commonwealth, pray- ing for an act of incorporation." At this time also a committee was appointed to grant certificates to those in- clined to join the society, i. e., for the purpose of exempt- ing such from taxation for the support of the "Orthodox Parish."
Later in this same month Alpheus F. Stone at the re- quest of the society, "set out for the purpose of visiting and advising with our Diocesan Bishop, the Right Rev- erend Alexander Viets Griswold, residing at Bristol in the state of Rhode Island."
"The Bishop concurred in the opinion that it would be advisable, considering the small number of our society, to endeavor to obtain subscriptions from individuals of other societies to enable us to carry into effect the ob- ject we had in view; and in order to assist us in said undertaking, gave us the following letter of recommenda- tion: -
"To all Christian people, especially the friends of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the subscriber would com-
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mend the case of a small Episcopal Congregation in the town of Greenfield in Massachusetts. Being far distant from any place where the sacred ordinances of the Church are adminstered, and conscientiously attached to its primitive order, doctrines and worship, are making and are willing to make every possible exertion for the estab- lishment of a Church in that town. Their ardent zeal in this good work appears highly laudable and truly Christian, and some assistance from other churches which the Lord has blessed with greater privileges and more abundant means, added to the very liberal sacri- fices which they are ready themselves to make, would with the Divine blessing enable them to erect a con- venient house for worship, and provide for the mainten- ance of a minister in Holy Orders. But without such assistance they see no possibility of effecting their pious purpose.
This necessity together with the benevolence and utility of their object, constrains and emboldens them to this respectful appeal to the liberality and charitable as- sistance of the friends of the Church, and all who would promote the cause of the Redeemer's Kingdom, and pure and undefiled religion. Any churches or individuals who shall contribute something for their assistance and en- couragement, will very much engage their gratitude, and will probably be instrumental, under Divine Providence, of establishing a Church where one is much needed; of sending the holy ordinances of the Redeemer's Gospel to a people now destitute of such great benefits, and con- ferring a blessing on many future ages.
(Signed) Alexander V. Griswold
Bristol, R. I. February 5th, 1813."
From Bristol, Dr. Stone proceeded to Providence, R. I., and from thence to Boston. At these two places he ob-
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tained donations, real missionary offerings, for the Parish, to the amount of upwards of four hundred dollars. The success of this journey greatly encouraged the little so- ciety. Five days after the return of Dr. Stone, namely, on the 25th day of February 1813, a meeting was called at which it was :-
"Voted, unanimously, that we will, by the help of God, proceed immediately to make preparation for building a church in this village, to be called Saint James' Church."
John E. Hall was chosen Treasurer of the parish pro tem, and David Clay was made receiver and inspector of materials for building the church.
Three weeks later Mr. Thomas Chapman and Mrs. Elizabeth Hall started off for New York for the purpose of soliciting assistance for the parish. On their way down they stopped to see the Rev. Mr. Chase in Hartford, always a loyal friend. He with the wardens and vestry of the parish, generously gave them a letter of recom- mendation reading as follows and signed by all twelve members :-
"The subscribers, being the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of Christ Church in the city of Hartford and state of Connecticut, are (the greater part of them) personally acquainted with the bearers of this, Mrs. Elizabeth Hall and Thomas Chapman, Esq., of Greenfield, on Con- necticut River, in the state of Massachusetts.
They know that there exists the intention in a con- siderable number of the inhabitants of that town and vicinity, to erect and settle an Episcopal Church and Clergyman, in that place, in the course of the ensuing year; and with a favorable prospect of succeeding. They have reason to believe that the expenses of such an un- dertaking are considerably above the ordinary resources of a very great part of those who have engaged in it, and who in consequence are compelled to ask assistance from those of their bretheren in other places whom
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Providence has blessed with liberal hearts and affluent circumstances. For the purpose of asking this assis- tance, the above named Mrs. Hall and T. Chapman, Esq., have been commissioned by the newly organized parish in Greenfield.
As the subscribers are, many of them, personally known to the clergy and laiety in the city of New York, they therefore recommend this application to the pious and well disposed friends of the Protestant Episcopal Church in that city and elsewhere, being satisfied that any benefactions the benevolent may please to bestow will be laudably given and faithfully applied."
Hartford, Conn.
March 17, 1813.
After Mrs. Hall and Mr. Chapman arrived in New York they sought out Bishop Hobart who made the fol- lowing indorsement upon Bishop Griswold's letter :-
"I do most cordially unite with the Right Reverend Bishop Griswold in commending the case of the Episcopal congregation in the town of Greenfield to the benevolent consideration of the friends of the Protestant Episcopal Church."
(Signed), John Henry Hobart, Assistant Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
New York,
March 24th, 1813
The two missionaries before their return visited also New Haven and Middletown, and after a month's time returned home, having collected more than six hundred dollars for the new church. They also brought with them other gifts.
"Mrs. Margaret Clay of Middletown, Conn., presented two silver communion cups to the parish, which cost fifty dollars. The Rev. Dr. John Kuley of the City of New York presented a silver communion plate to this
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parish which cost twelve dollars. Mrs. Mary Beaury of Middletown, Conn., made us a present of a damask nap- kin." The silver is still the prized possession of the parish, and in use every Sunday.
The prospect now looked fair indeed to this little band of people. Immediate steps were taken looking toward the building of the church. In addition to Daniel Clay, Samuel Pierce and Thomas Chapman were put on a building committee, and they were authorized to make such contracts for lumber and workmen as they should see fit. The clerk was directed to write to Middletown for the purpose of ascertaining the size of the church building there, and its seating capacity. The reply to this communication stated that Christ Church in that town was "fifty feet in length, thirty seven feet in width, and twenty two feet high from the sill to the roof plate, and contained sixty-two pews (alias slips). The whole house will conveniently contain 500 persons."
A formal and more permanent stamp was now put upon the new organization, as the following record tes- tifies: -
"At a meeting of the members of the Protestant Epis- copal Parish in Greenfield, duly assembled at the house of John E. Hall, on Easter Monday, April 19th, A. D. 1813, Daniel Clay chosen moderator, the following per- sons were elected to fill the offices affixed to their respec- tive names for the year ensuing.
Alpheus F. Stone, Thomas Chapman,
Clerk of the Vestry.
Senior Warden and Treas. Junior Warden.
Oliver Sage, John Stone,
Committee of
John E. Hall,
Chester Gunn,
Society and Vestrymen.
Samuel Pierce,
Building Commitee
Daniel Clay,
and
Thomas Chapman,
Vestrymen.
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RESIDENCE OF JOHN E. HALL (HOLLISTER HOUSE) Where services were first held, 1812-13.
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Voted, that we will proceed to build a church this season.
Voted, that the size of the church shall be fifty feet in length by forty feet in width, and that it be built and finished agreeably to the plan sent us by Shubael Bell, Esq., of Boston, in every respect except the size.
Voted, that the building committee be, and they are hereby empowered to receive any kind of property which any person may feel disposed to make a present to the parish, and such as they think will not be useful to be kept by us they are hereby authorized to dispose of to the best advantage they can, and account to the parish for the proceeds of the sale of any such article.
Voted, that Alpheus F. Stone be a delegate from this parish to the State Convention.
Voted, to dissolve the meeting.
(Signed) A. F. Stone, Clerk."
So came to pass the first of our parish meetings, the forerunner and pattern of a hundred others that have been held since.
Early in May of this same year the Rev. Philander Chase again visited the parish "for the purpose of as- sisting and encouraging us." Mr. Chase was a very re- markable man. He was full of missionary enthusiasm himself, an untiring worker, a loyal Churchman, though reared a Puritan. Born in Vermont in poverty, he worked his way through Dartmouth College, became a school teacher, then a clergyman. He founded parishes in New York state, then was sent to New Orleans, and then to Hartford. He loved pioneer work, and this venture in Greenfield just appealed to him. He was the heart and soul of the whole undertaking. Five years later he was to be found out in Ohio, then the far West, and in 1819 he was consecrated Bishop of that hard and even dan- gerous neighborhood. He worked early and late, went
Where services were first held, 1812-13.
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to England and came back with twenty thousand dol- lars with which to found Kenyon College at Gambier. He resigned as Bishop of Ohio in 1831, and four years later was chosen first Bishop of Illinois. The last decade of his life he was Presiding Bishop of the American Church.
It was such a man as this who had again come up the river to strengthen and encourage the new parish. Under such leadership our people could not fail.
On the 6th of May Mr. Chase "performed Divine Ser- vice," and delivered a lecture in the Church Room. After the lecture a subscription was opened, and about seven hundred dollars were immediately subscribed by the par- ishioners for the purpose of building the church.
Two days later,-Saturday, May Sth, 1813,-a piece of land on Federal Street was purchased of Hart Leavitt, five rods deep and three rods in front, for which the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars was paid, with twenty five dollars more for the use of the adjoining land for a lumber yard, etc., while building.
The next day, being Sunday, Mr. Chase held service at the Church Room, and administered the Holy Sac- rament of the Lord's Supper to eight persons. "In the afternoon Divine Service was performed at Mr. C. Munn's hall on account of the number of people being so great that they could not all be accomodated in the Room at Mr. Hall's. The ordinance of baptism was administered to six persons."
"On Monday, the 10th day of May A. D. 1813, between the hours of 9 and 10 o'clock a. m., the corner stone of St. James' Church was laid in the northwest corner of the foundation for the church, by the Rev. Philander Chase, Rector of Christ Church, Hartford. A triangular plate of block tin, weighing about ten pounds, with the following inscription engraved upon the face of it, was procured and presented by Dr. Alpheus F. Stone, to be deposited in the corner stone :-
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"This corner stone of St. James' Church was laid by the Rev. Philander Chase of Hartford, Connecticut, by permission of the Bishop of the Eastern Diocese, May 10th, 1813.
Alexander Viets Griswold, Bishop.
Caleb Strong, Governor."
The day was very fine and the service was solemn and impressive. It is given in detail in the records of the parish. The description of the actual laying of the stone affords us a vivid picture of the whole proceeding. "(Here the First Warden of the church read the inscrip- tion upon the plate and then gave it to the Priest.) (The Priest then stepped down into the trench and de- posited the plate in a cavity cut out of the corner stone, placing the upper triangle toward the East, at the same time repeating the following sentence.) By the grace of God and the permission of the Right Reverend Alexander Viets Griswold, Bishop of the Eastern Diocese, with all humility and dependence on the Divine Blessing, I lay the corner stone of this house of God, by the name of St. James' Church, to be erected on this spot to the honor of the Holy, Holy, Holy and undivided Trinity; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."
In the following month the parish was incorporated. The act in full may well be given here, as it forms the charter under which were first obtained such powers and privileges as the State was able to give.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts In the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirteen.
An act to incorporate the Protestant Episcopal Parish of St. James' Church in Greenfield.
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Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same, that Thomas Chapman and Oliver Sage, Church Wardens, and John E. Hail, Alpheus F. Stone, Chester Gunn, Samuel Pierce and Daniel Clay, Vestry-men, together with such others as have or may hereafter join such parish or society, and their successors, together with their polls and estates, be, and they hereby are incorporated into a society or body politic, by the name of the Protestant Episcopal Parish of St. James' Church, in Greenfield,-and the said parish or society is hereby invested with full power and authority to assess and collect of the members belonging to said parish for the pur- pose of maintaining the public worship of God therein, and for maintaining their instructor of piety, religion and morality, and for erecting a house of public worship, and repairing the same from time to time such monies as are or may be necessary for those purposes; and they are hereby vested with such power, privelege and immunities as any other religious society does or may enjoy by the laws of this Commonwealth.
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