USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sherborn > Sherborn past and present, 1674-1924 > Part 1
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FOR REFERENCE
Do Not Take From This Room
SHERBORN TOWN LIBRARY
Extracts from the Regulations
Art. VI-Every resident in Town over the age of fourteen years shall be entitled to all the privileges, benefits, and uses of the Library, and shall be allowed to take therefrom one book at a time; provided, that such person shall strictly comply with the Regulations.
Art. VII-If any book shall be lost or materially injured or withheld four weeks after notice from the Librarian to return the same, the person to whom it is charged shall either pay the appraised value thereof, or replace it by a new volume or set (if it belongs to a set) of the same or of a later edition, and of equal value, and shall also pay all fines and costs that may have accrued on said book.
The Library shall be open on Monday from 2:30 until 5 P .M. Wednesday from 2:30 until 9 P.M. Saturday from 3:00 until 9 P. M.
SHERBORN LIBRARY 3 8106 96068 429 9
3 3724-1
Office Square
10689
SHERBORN 1674 1924 PAST and PRESENT
IS
974,44
Sh Published by the SHERBORN HISTORICAL SOCIETY SHERBORN, MASSACHUSETTS 1 924
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
"THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN SHEARBORNE" THE FIRST PARISH-C. Lillis Whitney 5 THE PILGRIM CHURCH, Deborah P. D. Coolidge . 11
THE SCHOOLS OF SHERBORN, J. Francis Allison 13
SHERBORN SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION, Charles H. Dowse .
22
SHERBORN IN THE CIVIL WAR, Albert H. Blanchard 27
SHERBORN MEN IN THE WORLD WAR
30
THE TOWN LIBRARY, Francis Bardwell and Martha F. Collins
31
OLD HOUSES OF SHERBORN
35
THE EMIGRATION TO DUBLIN, Mabel S. Bardwell and J. Francis Allison . 42
SHERBORN IN THE FORTIES, Rowena D. Butler 45
SHERBORN MEMORIES, Joseph Dowse 53
THE COUNTRY CHOIR, Fred W. Cushing
57
SHERBORN BANDS, Martha D. Leland and Jonathan Eames
58
EARLY INDUSTRIES
SHOEMAKING, Sara L. Sparhawk 61
WILLOW INDUSTRY, Martha A. Whitney 62
BRAIDING WHIPS, Alice M. Dowse . 63
GUN-MAKING, Amy L. Fleming 64
CIDER-MAKING, C. Arthur Dowse .
65
EXTRACTS FROM TOWN AND COURT RECORDS 66
FOREWORD
The Sherborn Historical Society, deeming it to be fitting that on the occasion of the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town some effort be made to keep alive the memory of past events, at a special meeting of the society appointed a committee to prepare a historical booklet to be printed and made ready for distribution at the time of celebration of that anni- versary:
This committee consisted of Martha D. Leland, Cora E. Leland, Elizabeth D. Coolidge, Charles H. Dowse, Walter E. Blanchard and J. Francis Allison.
In the preparation of the booklet we have enlisted the aid of members and friends of the organization, and have made use to a considerable extent of papers prepared and read before the society, as well as of much new mate- rial. In submitting it to the public, we do so with the full realization that much of interest and even of importance must of necessity be omitted, but we cherish the hope that this little booklet may serve to awaken interest and pride in the doings of the past, and inspire those now living to work for the greater glory of the town in years to come.
2
UNITARIAN CHURCH
"THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN SHEARBORNE" THE FIRST PARISH
N the early New England settlements, the meeting-house was the center of the community life. The voters gathered there for town meeting as well as the congregation for worship. So in any review of the life of Sherborn, the history of its church naturally comes first.
The first settlers in Sherborn -- Wood, Pitcher, Holbrook, Layland, and others-attended church at the older settlement of Medfield; for twenty-five years Sherborn births and deaths were recorded in the Medfield records. I would like to tell you about these early settlers,-men of strong, determined characters, in the prime of life, who settled "in the wilderness beyond Mead- field." Samuel Smith said, "These early settlers laid the foundations of their homes in the fear of God, and reared the walls in terror of the Indians."
In 1662 Daniel Morse, Nicholas Wood, Henry Layland, Thomas Hol- brook, Benjamin Bullard, Thomas Bass, John Hill, William Briggs, George Fairbanks, Samuel Bass, Thomas Breck, George Speer, Robert Kendall and Benjamin Alley petitioned the General Court for "liberty to be a towne by ourselves." As they had with great difficulty attended upon "the means of grace at Meadfield" (first in respect to distance, secondly by reason of great danger in crossing the river) they thought it "more for the honor of God and
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the future good and benefit of ourselves and posterity, that we should endeavor the setting up of the worship and ordinances of God among ourselves." There were then twenty voters and a hundred inhabitants.
The General Court did not approve this petition. Another was sent in 1674, signed by several of the same petitioners or their sons: "as amongst other difficulties we have not found it our least to goe to meeting on the Lord's Day unto Meadfield." This petition was granted, but King Philip's War broke out shortly, and suspended all action relative to founding a town. Medfield was burned by the Indians, and some of its citizens killed.
On March 9, 1676, at a meeting of the inhabitants of Sherborn, it was voted to build a meeting-house on top of the hill twenty rods northeast of the new South burying-ground. Sherborn then included the present territory of Holliston, Ashland, parts of Mendon, Framingham, and Natick; and the people who lived in what is now Framingham objected to the choice of a location, preferring it on the hill near Edward's Plain. The General Court finally appointed three men to help them settle the question, and it was at last voted to build the church at the head of Edward's Plain, and set apart land, twenty rods square, for the church and common. Every citizen was taxed so much per poll. Up to this time services of public worship had been held at the home of Capt. Joseph Morse (where Mr. Joseph Walter Barber lived), he receiving remuneration from the town.
I do not find much about the building of this first meeting-house, except a bill for £50 for framing the meeting-house and providing doors, windows, etc., and one of £3 for boards and laying the floor. In 1705, thirty years later, £20 was granted "to repair this church and better furnish it." And in 1715 a petition was presented to the town, on the part of several men, "for the liberty to make at their own cost a decent and convenient seat for them and their wives, behind the women's seats in the body of the meeting-house, with liberty of a window and other conveniences proper for such a seat." Another similar petition asked for the right to build a seat "behind the men's seats."
Judge Sewall records in his diary, under date of March 26, 1685: "Went to the gathering of the Church in Sherborne, and ordaining of Mr. Daniel Gookin their Pastor. But six brethren, and three of the name of Mors." The minister was furnished with a home and a small piece of land; his salary was £40 a year, "one-half to be in country produce."
The earliest existing records of the church are in a small book kept by the deacons to set down money raised for charitable uses, and the expenses of the communion service. Thus Obadiah Morse, the first deacon, sets down in 1685 the shillings spent "to provide for the Lord's table for the first sacrament of the Lord's Supper in Shearborne"; and the money collected to buy "a flagon, two cupps, and a tablecloth," also "a bason for the water of baptism." Other pages show contributions "for the poor French then at Boston," and for
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the redeeming of captives from one and another town, who were held by the Indians.
Rev. Daniel Gookin continued to be the minister of Sherborn, preaching also to the Indians at Natick, until 1717. In 1707, May 29, it was voted that "each person in town, according to the polls he was rated for, should cut and carry to the house of Mr. Gookin one-half cord of wood." Failing to do this, he should pay a fine of two shillings per poll.
In 1711 an assistant, Rev. Daniel Baker, was called for Mr. Gookin, who resigned ten pounds of his country produce toward his pay, while the town paid £50. Every citizen was taxed by the assessors his proportionate part of the sum; failing to pay, he might be put in jail.
After the death of Mr. Gookin, Mr. Baker became pastor. He says, "I do signify to you my resolution to come and abide with you in Gospel Service, so long as you shall afford me Gospel encouragement." He must have been successful in receiving the encouragement he asked for, as the church voted in 1721 to build a larger meeting-house.
To accommodate the citizens of the west part of the town, it was proposed to "build it on a hill seventy or six score rods easterly from Dirty Meadow bridge." In 1723, March 6, "voted to build a church to accommodate the whole town on the spot described above and marked by a heap of stones." But in November of the same year the people concluded that the town was of such form that one meeting-house could not be built to accommodate all; and that portion west of Dopping Brook and Bogistow Brook was soon set apart, forming the town of Holliston.
It was then voted "to build a new church near the old building, to be forty feet long and thirty-two feet wide, and twenty feet post, £160 to be levied on poll tax payers." The people living in the west part of the town wanted their share of the £160 toward building their new church, and for the sake of future peace and good neighborhood it was granted them. Sept., 1725, £140 was granted "to finish the meeting-house." The space around the sides of the building was used for square pews, built at the expense of the owners.
Deacon Hopestill Leland, Deacon Benoni Learned, and William Green- wood were a committee "to seat the meeting-house,"-which was done accord- ing to the money paid by each citizen. There was no arrangement for heating this building; people carried their foot-stoves. Leave was now given for people "to build stables or noon-houses on the sides of the meeting-house common, for convenience on the Lord's Day."
The tything-man was quite an important officer in the early history of the church. He not only kept an oversight of the order in church, but I find there were two or three men appointed to look after the behavior of families in different sections of the town. One gentleman in town remembers that when a boy he was lifted by his collar and put out of the church for laughing in
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service time. Again we find one man disciplined for selling pork that was not up to standard.
Rev. Daniel Baker preached until 1731. The next minister was Rev. Samuel Porter, who held the position until 1758. His home (as also that of Mr. Baker and Mr. Locke) was the estate opposite the church; he is said to have originated the Porter apple on his farm.
These three "Sterling Ministers of the Town,"-Gookin, Baker, and Porter,-were all distinguished for their learning, their piety and good judg- ment. Their bodies were all buried in the Central Cemetery. In 1857 Mr. Calvin Sanger had their remains removed to Pine Hill Cemetery and erected a suitable monument to their memory.
Rev. Samuel Locke, who had married Mr. Porter's daughter, was the next minister, ordained in 1759. It is worth while to notice in passing the proce- dure in calling a minister in those days. The church members met first and decided whom they would invite to be their pastor; then they appointed a committee to report to the town, and the town fixed the salary. In 1770 Mr. Locke was elected president of Harvard College, and resigned his pastorate. He filled this high office but a few years, however, and, returning to Sherborn, lived on the place which his wife had inherited, and kept a fitting-school for boys. At his death, his body also was placed in the Central burying-ground, but was afterward removed to Pine Hill by the authorities of Harvard College, who placed a block of granite, appropriately inscribed, over his grave.
In 1769 the second meeting-house was cut in two and the west end moved forward, so that the length might be increased twenty feet. This church had a porch at each end and a gallery at one end. The sum of £100 was granted to make these changes.
Rev. Elijah Brown was the next minister, serving through the Revolution- ary period. His pastorate of fifty-four years is the longest in the history of this parish.
In 1793 a new bell was given by subscribers, with the proviso that it be "hung handsomely, and rung as usual in towns." Beside its use in calling to church, it was to be rung daily at noon; and when a death occurred in town the bell tolled the age of the person, either at sunset or sunrise. This bell weighed 683 pounds, and cost £92.
The support of a singing school was often the object of a parish appro- priation in earlier days; sometimes the phrase is "for the encouragement of sacred music." In the year 1826 $75 was appropriated for this purpose, although the whole budget for the year was but $650.
Shearjashub Bourne Townsend, a graduate of Brown University, was the next minister. He was ordained in 1816, but resigned in 1828, on account of ill health. Before this, when a minister was ordained he expected to hold the position for life, as all the former ministers had done except Mr. Locke; if a minister became too feeble to preach, an assistant had been hired. In
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resigning Mr. Townsend said, "The people will not be insensible that I voluntarily remit what, if I live, I might long and legally retain." He gave up the salary, but wished to retain the name of pastor. It was voted "that Rev. Mr. Townsend and a committee from the church hire an assistant." Mr. Townsend went to the South, hoping to regain his health, but died there in 1830; and Rev. Amos Clark, who had been serving as colleague, became the minister.
A word as to the church records. From the incorporation of the town in 1674 to 1798, the town and parish records were kept together. From 1798 to 1809 the town and parish records were separated, but kept in one book. From 1809 to 1830, the parish records were kept in a separate book. The custom of the town from 1798 to 1830 was to issue two warrants, one apper- taining to town affairs and one to parish affairs. The two warned the inhabit- ants to assemble at different hours on the same day. Since 1830 the two parishes have managed their own parochial affairs, having nothing to do with the town. The records kept by the ministers-of births, marriages, votes of the church, etc .- begin only with Rev. Samuel Porter's ministry in 1734, but continue from that to the present time.
The parish records of 1826 show the beginning of a movement for a new meeting-house, but it was not until 1830 that a decisive vote was secured, and $4,000 was appropriated for the purpose. Silas Stone, Alpheus Clark, Micah Leland, Joseph Sanger and Elisha Barber were made a building committee. Another committee was chosen "to locate the meeting-house, and clear the Common of encumbrances." One curious matter which this committee was directed to discuss with the Second Parish was "the division of the materials of the town Pound,"-which had apparently been on the Common.
Bills which have been preserved show prices which can hardly be believed today: Silas Stone charges the parish $6 for making three journeys to Boston; and "for my man and oxen, carting large stones," the charge is 91} cents per day for the man, and 75 cents for the oxen. Elisha Barber charges for "two days to Boston to examine meeting-houses, $2.00; horse to Boston, $1.00"; also "boarding mason four days, $1.00."
The contractor was Charles Farrar, as appears by his receipts for money paid him; but where his home was is not stated.
On August 18 and 19, 1830, the society "raised" the present meeting- house. People came from all the towns in the vicinity to the raising; it is said that booths were erected on the Common for the sale of food. The church was completed within the year, and dedicated December 29.
Meanwhile a petition had been signed by a large number of the church members, for the purpose of forming a second religious society in the town. The religious views of these persons did not coincide with those of Mr. Clark, and they considered it their duty to withdraw. In Nov., 1830, the church of the Second Parish was dedicated.
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Rev. Amos Clark preached only eleven years, his health not being equal to the work. He also fitted boys for college. Then came Rev. Richard C. Stone, who remained but six years. He was of a dictatorial habit, and his pastorate was stormy, filled with contentions which now we can hardly under- stand. When the parish asked for his resignation, he with his followers started another religious society, which built the "Chapel" at one side of the Common, near the Leland monument, and affiliated itself with the Methodist denomina- tion. Rev. John Fleming of Boston was his successor at the Chapel, then the two societies again united, and Mr. Fleming ministered to the reunited church from 1850 to 1853.
Rev. Theodore H. Dorr preached from 1854 to 1863, and as the Civil War came on he was actively interested in the work which the church did in furnishing garments, etc., for the Sanitary Commission,-the Red Cross of those days.
In February, 1854, the church organ was first used. This the ladies of the church helped to pay for. It was placed in the gallery, but in 1888 was moved to the floor. (The fine organ now in use was installed in 1921, many old friends of the church helping by liberal subscriptions).
The Sunday School Association was formed in Mr. Dorr's ministry, and a Sunday School library established. A small Parish Library had been gathered in Mr. Clark's day.
When Rev. William Brown came to the church in 1863, he arranged to write only one new sermon a week; thus began the plan of only one service on Sunday. He remained until 1872.
Our next minister was Rev. Eugene De Normandie. Mrs. De Normandie was an energetic church worker, and various societies of young people came into being.
In 1873 the Parish bought the building now called Unity Hall. It served as a parsonage in Mr. De Normandie's time, and was afterward remodeled for use as a parish house.
In 1893 the church joined with the church at South Natick in engaging Rev. Leverett R. Daniels, the Sherborn services being held in the afternoon. Though living in South Natick, Mr. Daniels took a great interest in the young people, and in all the activities of the church. He instituted vesper services, and grove services in the summer.
Our genial friend Rev. Isaac F. Porter came in 1903, making his home in town, and thus it was possible to have a morning service again. In many ways we felt his kindly influence, and he and his good wife and family have a firm place in our hearts. After ten years he ceased his active ministry, but remained pastor emeritus until his death in 1923.
Rev. Alfred E. Mullett, Rev. Mr. Lamb, and Rev. William I. Nichols should not be forgotten, though each had a short pastorate. At present the
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church is again affiliated with South Natick, with Rev. William D. Wilkie as minister.
The Ladies' Benevolent Society had an honorable record of many years of good works, before it changed its name and became the Sherborn Branch of the Alliance. In 1901 it held its fiftieth annual fair, and the series still con- tinues.
This church has always stood for the most liberal Christianity of its time.
Rilgrim Church
PILGRIM CHURCH
HE history of the church has been given from 1685 until 1830, when the majority of the church members separated from the parish. After the separation, the business and religious services of those who left were held in a hall owned by Joseph Sanger. At the time of the separation the Rev. Shearjashub Townsend was pastor of the church but absent on account of ill health. It is a singular fact that both the old parish and the new invited him to preach.
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A church building was erected and dedicated November 4, 1830; at the same time the Rev. Samuel Lee was selected. He remained until the church was established and then went to Ipswich, N. H.
Rev. Daniel Talcott Smith was the third pastor and he went from here to Bangor Theological Seminary.
Rev. Edmund Dowse was settled October 10, 1838, and remained for sixty-seven years. He was a native of Sherborn, known to all the people and continued to hold their love and respect during his whole pastorate. He was sixty-five years chairman of the School Committee; two years in the Massa- chusetts Senate and twenty-five years chaplain of the same Senate. The story of his life and that of the church is given in pamphlets issued at the time of the celebrations of the twenty-fifth, fortieth, fiftieth and sixtieth anniversaries of his settlement.
The clergymen succeeding Dr. Dowse are: Rev. C. D. Littlejohn, Rev. C. B. Blanchard, Rev. Amasa Fay, Rev. Henry Bray, Rev. C. Leonard Holton and at the present time Rev. Albert B. Reynolds.
The church building has just been renovated and painted and everything is in a prosperous condition.
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SCHOOLS
UNE 4, 1694-"Edward West chose scholmaster for Sherborne by the town."
Thus briefly is chronicled in the records of the town, twenty years after its incorporation, the beginning of its public school system.
Before this time the number of children of school age in town was undoubtedly small, and the settlers too busy clearing their land, building houses and barns, and struggling to secure enough food to keep soul and body together, to think very much about the education of their children. This was a matter which appears to have been left entirely to the parents. The cost of the schools at this time was not borne by the town, but those who sent their children to school paid the teacher themselves.
Yet it is evident that the early settlers were looking forward to the time when there should be a public school system, for on the 16th of April, 1679, four years after the incorporation of the town, Articles of Agreement were drawn up between Daniel Morse, Sr., Thomas Eames, Henry Lealand and Obediah Morse of Sherborn, and Waban, Pimbow, Thomas Tray, John Awonsamage, Sr., Peter Ephraim and Daniel Takawompait of Natick, by which an exchange of land was made, and among other items of compensation we find the following:
"Also we agree & consent that in the Lands we are to have of Natick there be a Lot of Fifty Acres sett out where the Commissioners of the Colonies, Major Gookin and Mr. Eliott, and the Indian Rulers shall choose within that Tract of Land, to be appropriated forever to the use of a free School for teach- ing the English and Indian Children there, the English Tongue & other Sciences."
This exchange of lands was duly ratified and allowed by the General Court.
In 1702 we find the following entry in the records: "William Rider, junr was chosen Schoolemaster for the year ensueing, and ym yt send their children to schoole to agree with him and pay him."
Up to the year 1709 the school had been kept but a short time each year, but in this year the town voted to have it kept for three months, and at three parts of the town, viz., The Plain, South End, and Dirty Meadow, probably one month in each place, and levied a tax of eight pounds to pay for main- taining it, and from this time on we find the town assuming the cost of the schools, though they were still kept at private houses.
The salary of the teacher would not seem large at the present time, for on January 14, 1711-12, we find the entry: "Voted yt ye sum of six pounds four shillings and six pence be speedily levied for the paying of the Schoolmaster, Mr. Abraham Cusan, Junr as ye Selectmen have agreed with Him, to wit, ye sum of five pounds Twelve shillings and Six pence for nine weeks service in
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keeping school this present year, as also 12 s. for providing firewood for the school."
Mr. Cuzzans taught the school for several years, and a receipt for salary was copied upon the records of the town.
"Received August the 18th 1712, of Deacon Learned, Treasurer of Sher- born, the full sum of five pounds Twelve Shillings and Sixpence for Schooling, which is in full of all accompts from the beginning of the world to this Day. I say Received by me. Abraham Cuzzanz."
On December 25, 1719, it was voted that school should be kept in five parts of the town, Chestnut Brook and Bald Hill being added to the list of places previously established.
The first public schoolhouse was voted by the town at a meeting held on December 29, 1727: "Then at said meting there was a vote passed to Build a Schoolhouse and to set it on the Meetinghouse common on the Southerly side of the Meetinghouse."
"Also there was voted that the Dementions of the Schoolhouse shall be 18 foot wide and 20 foot long."
On April 16, 1728, a committee was chosen to sell the school land toward defraying the cost of building and finishing the school house. The school land referred to was no doubt the fifty acres set aside for school pur- poses when the exchange of territory was made with Natick. A purchaser was found in Jonathan Russell, who agreed to pay for the land fifty-eight pounds in good bills of credit, but not being able to meet his obligation within the time allowed, he relinquished his claim, and Obadiah Morse took about thirty acres for forty pounds, and Benoni Learned the remainder for ten pounds. With the aid of this money the schoolhouse was completed, and continued in use until 1770, when it was sold with its contents to Captain Sanger for £5 15s.
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