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Go 974.402 So88m 1781166
M. L.
REYNO- JRICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01068 8403
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/southworthington00mood_0
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The South Worthington Parish
By REV. GEORGE REED MOODY Pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church
SOUTH WORTHINGTON : MASSACHUSETTS 1899-1905 Price Three Dollars
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Moody, George Rood, 1966-
.6 The South Worthington parish, by the Rev. George Read Moody, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church 1800-1905. South Worthington, Mass., 1905, 2 p. 1, 7-103 p. illus. (incl. ports.) i.v.
1. South Worthington. Mass. - Ilist. 2. South "Worthington, Mass. Methodist church. 3. South Worthington, Mass .- Geneal.
344551
26-393
Library of Congress
F74.S75SM17
12:
1781166
CONTE N T S
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1-History of Church
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CHAPTER 11 -Deeds 18
CHAPTER 1H1 -Members and Officers
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CHAPTER IN-Parsonage
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CHAPTER
V-R. H. Conwell. I.L.D).
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CHAPTER VI-W. H. Niles, S.B., Ph. D., A.M., 1.1 .. 1). 30
CHAPTER \'II -Some 1.ocal Genealogy 32
Geer, 93: Prentice. 70: Ormsby, 101. Thayer, 90: Parish, 94: Tanner, 64 : l'ease, 71; Williams, 73.
Adams, 33: Anable, 36: Angell, 42: Bartlett, 40; Brewster, 41: Brown, 41 : Buck, 33: Burton, Ana, 38: Burton, Barnard, 43: Cole, 34: Converse. 42; Converse, 37: Cowing. 35: Cottrell, 37: Drake. 35. Ellis, 33: Evert, 38; Gardner, 37: Granger, 32: Hancock. 43: Hathaway, 37; Higgins, 38; Kinnie. 38: Kinginan, 37: Leonard, 37; Merritt, 38. Metclef, 37: Miller, 36: Niles. 39: Parish. 40: Patch, 36; l'artridge. 37: l'omeroy, 40; Phinney, 36: Kandall, 37: King, 37: Robinson, 35: Kude, 13: Sanderson, 36: Smith, 40: Smith, Rufus, 37; Sylvester. 36; Tanner, 37: Taylor, 39): Thrasher. 38; Todd, 33. Tower, 39; Webber, 37: Webster, Oliver, 37: Weeks, 42: Willis, or Wyllys, 36: Witberell, 41.
CHAPTER VIII-Indian History; Towns Incorporated; Popu- lations 44
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CHAPTER IX-South Part of the Parish; Chesterfield. Ire- land Street ; Huntington ; Worthington; Commington ; Soldiers in Revolutionary War ; Residents of South Worthington in 1821
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CHAPTER X-Ireland Street 51
CHAPTER XI-Indian Hollow 55
CHAPTER XII-Goffe Hill Legend, South Worthington 59
CHAPTER X111-South Worthington 62
CHAPTER XIV-South Worthington, Ringville 66
CHAPTER XV-Ringville, James Pease District 69
CHAPTER XVI-R. Adams to George Granger Place 73
CHAPTER XVII-Worthington Center 76
CHAPTER XVIII-Odds and Ends 78
WEST WORTHINGTON
CHAPTER XIX-Church 82
CHAPTER XX-Cold Street, Cummington 86
CHAPTER XXI-West Worthington $9
CHAPTER XXH-Mr. Torrey to Dr. Hardy 93
CHAPTER XXIII -Plate XII 96
CHAPTER XXIV-People Over Seventy 98
CHAPTER XXV-Essays 102
INT RODU C TION
I N 1 899, having occasion to ask about the carly history of the parsonage, we were surprised to find that so little was really known. We began to seek for information about the church and the community, and expected to issue a small pamphlet about the same. The more we studied, the more interesting the place and work of the men who have lived here became. We now send forth this volume as a token of love for the people. Such a work can never pay for itself ; we shall be well paid if we get enough to pay for the printing. We have done the best we could to have it reliable, but while tombstones, family Bibles and town records fail to agree, we can always question the truth of dates. In some cases we may be a year cither behind or too early. We hope each family will be encouraged to gather data and history. We have been through about two hundred volumes of deeds, and are indehted to those in charge at Northampton and Springfield for the help they have given. Such works as the Hampshire County Gazetteer, History of Connecticut Valley. History of Murrayfiehl hy A. M. Copeland, and many others, should be in every home. For family history. Durrie's American .
l'exligree is a fine reference book. We believe a history of any town should give the record of those owning its soil, subduing the land, building its churches, schools, and bringing up the children. We give
date and names of lots and their owners when this section was first settled. With few exceptions we believe they built log houses, and gained a livelihood from field, forest and stream. Should the reader discover any errors in these pages we trust he will remember that our facts have been collected from many and varied sources. Consider- able time has elapsed since we undertook this interesting work, and many persons who have furnished valuable information have passed to their reward. We believe our State woukl do well to offer a prize of at least $100 to towns that will issue histories which meet the approval of a committee of five distinguished men. Of course this sum would not go far toward such work, but it would encourage lawyers, ministers, newspaper men and others to do something along this line. We send forth this volume to show what has been done by those who so nobly helped in building the parsonage, and also to encourage the people who now live here to take a larger interest in their church and to help create a larger public spirit.
Thanking all for their patronage, I remain
Your humble servant,
GEORGE R. Moony
South Worthington, Mass., Jan. 30, 1905.
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Chapter I. The Religious History of South Worthington before the organization of the Church-1762-1825
I T is impossible to give all the early facts. The real beginning dates back to when. our fathers came from over the waters, All the early settlers came to New England with the desire to know their Maker. Forty settlers came to Ireland street and along the valley in which we live in the space of two years. The conditions of the settle- ment required that they shouldl ( 1) build a house eighteen feet square, seven feet posted, within two years (2) Clear ten acres within four years. (3) Have preach- ing within five years and organize a church. In the early years they held their services in houses. The Baptist had meetings on Ireland street at Zebulon Robinson's, whose house stood near where Mrs. Hilbert now lives. These early settlers also went to Ashfield. By Chesterfield records dated July 27, Aug. ust 27, 1767, Rev. Ebenzer Smith certi- fies that Moses Bacon and William White are of the Baptist persuasion. We also have on record meetings held on Ireland street Sept. 29. 1789. Luke Bonney. Zebulon Robinson, Seth Taylor, chosen to get a teacher, they reported Jan. 26. = 1790. On June 15th Elder Vining was ordained, the sermon from I. Tim. 3: 15 being preached by Ekler l'eter Werden During the last years of his laher; the church was built at the end of Ireland street. not far from 1798. The records
say, "An accident at the raising. Charles Beswick, Jr., fell and was taken up as dead, but recovered." 1804: Noah Bissell, Dan Daniel, David Macomber. Zebulon Robinson, Abijah Whiting were a committee to finish the church. A plan of the gal- leries is now to be seen in the Church Record, date 1802-34. The people who attended the church came from Worth- ington, Huntington, Cummington and Chesterfield. Thus the fathers of those who now attend our church were among them with very few exceptions. We give on the following page the names of the forty-four members of the Society, but do not know the date of their joining. It
one time the membership of the church was over two hundred. These persons joined the Society and carried out the law. In t802. Deacon Samuel Kingman, William Keen and Dan Daniel were made a committee to get either Eller Todd. Whitman, or Keys, to preach the whole day. In October of the same year voted to get terms for which Elder Todd would come. Voted Berah Curtis, Dan Daniel. Theorun Turner, David Macumber, Seth Taylor, Samuel Davis, to get names of those who would help pay him. 1803 : Elder Todd began his labors, receiving one hundred and fifty dollars for the samc, and had the first Sunday of each month to go off. Noah Bissell, Samuel Kingman, Benj. Bonney, Zebulon Robin-
SOUTH WORTHINGTON METHODIST CHURCH Dedn ated May 18, thay
son, John Cowing, committee on church affairs, 1804: Solomon Liver. more, Sam. D.wis, Elijah Cole, committee. 1805: Abraham Joslyn, Samuel Kingman, Elijah Cole, to collect the money to pay Eller Todd. Samuel Bemis, Samuel Reed, Joseph Torry to look after work of Society. 1805: Voted to get deed of the land on which the church stood. 1806: James Pearles, Benjamin Niles, Braddock Searles, collectors. Abijah Whitting. Dan Daniel, Eli Metelet, to get land ot Noch Bis- sell and Thomas Buck to build horsesheds on. Voted Jaber Bartlett to attend to his business as Tuhenman. Voted Abner lower to keep silent on Sunday in the galleries. The land east side of the church belonged to Thomas Buck ; west side to Noah Bissell. 1807: Samuel Reed, Jabez Bartlet. Joseph Torry, Luther Wilder, Benjamin Niles, collectors. 1808: The meeting adjourned Irom time to time. 1809: A committee to settle with Eller Todd for the fourth and fifth years was Ahijah Whitting. Jessie Torry, Seth Bemington. 1810: Dan Daniel, William Keen, Luther Cudworth, Jr., Nathamel Bryant to look after the affairs of the church. 1811: Samuel Reed. Noah Bissell, Charles Cudworth, Luther C'udworth, Jr., Joseph Torrey. 1812: Noah Bissell, Eli Metelef, Timothy Austin to settle with Eller Tockl, and the money was raised hy free donations, "free " meaning here voluntary subscriptions. 1813: Dencon Macumber, Samuel Reed. Abner Tower, to look after church affairs. Elder Indd went to the cast side of the town one Sunday in each month. 1814: Noah Hayden, Dan Daniel, David Macumber, were the committee. 1815: Dan Daniel, Amaziah Cole, Capt. Joel Thayer, Joseph Torry. Isaac King, Bela Stetson the committee, and they paid Elder Todd one hundred dollars, and the public money from the town. 1816: Bela Stetson, Joshua Nickols, John Pratt, committee, one-half of the time at the east side, the other at the west side for preaching. 1817: Deacon Timothy Austin, Deacon Joh Cudworth, Noah Hayden to sign certificates for members. 1818: Bela Stetson, John Pratt. Joshua Nickols, committee. Ekler Webber and Keys were asked to preach, and Abner Tower, Elisha Witherell to collect money for the church. This year was full of trouble to get money and a preacher. 1819: They hekl their meetings at Zebulnn Robinson's house. Deacon Timothy Austin, committee to receive the money for preaching. Joshua Nickels clerk instead of Dan Daniel. 1820; Ahner Tower, Isaac King, Ahver King, Thomas Buck, Levi Stebbins, committee. A warrant was posted in October to see if they would have a teacher to instruct
them in the important theme of Religion for the ensuing year and how they would compensate him nr them for their Laborious Services. Following are the names of the members of the Society:
Timothy Austin Asa Robinson Eli Metclef Zebulon Robinson
Abner Tower Elijah Cole
Samuel Elder Gathelius Cowing
Matthew Burton David Todd Elijah Dodge
Charles Rohinson
Simcon Litchfield Alpha Thayer Ansel Thayer
Joseph Cole
Thomas Moore Calvin Cowing Mark Williams Smeon Drake
Chester Anable Moses Fisk Thompson Cowing Zara Rude
Roswell Buck Luther Snow
Methodia Drake Holland Moore
Charles Dewey Abner Kinnie Samuel Cole Silas Robinson
Ebenzer Cole John Kinnie Lyman Culver Barnard Burton
Solomon Burton Elijah Willis Alanson Leonard Suminer Leonard
Peter Niles William Higgins Noah Bissell
Stephen Thayer
On October 26th (1820) they had their meeting in the new church at West Chesterfield for the first time. John P'ratt, Abiather Vinton to umte with the Church Committee to procure preaching. Thus we see that they occupied the new meeting-house at the Gate in 1820, and it caused a dissatisfaction which left our part of the parish to build for themselves, and those who lived on the Goffe (Goss) 11:1 began to lose interest. 1821 : Ekler Jackson or Woodbridge to preach what they can. Eleazer King. Joshua Nickols, Jacob Shaw, committee in charge. 1822: They met May 3rd at the east side meeting.house. Elder Hines was hired. Joshua Nickols, Jacob Shaw, Eli Meteket, a committee to incorporate the Society. On November 11th had a meeting at the west side church. Voted Eli Jones. Joseph Torry. Cotton Vinton to get the men out and get the wood for Elder Imes. 1823: Elder Ilines preached for a hundred dollars. Elisha Withereil. Joshua Nickols, to look after the collecting. Elisha Bisbee, Eli Metclef treasurers for the two Societies. Gathelius Cowing looked after the names of those who lived in Norwich ( Huntington) who be- longed to the Society. Elijah Higgins, John Pratt, Luther Ihiggins. were chosen choristers in the Societies. Voted to hire Guicon Inmeroy's farm for Elder lines. 1824: Met at the school-house near Zebulon Robinson's. Chnsc Calvin Cowing, Timothy Austin. Asa Robinson, to revise the constitution so as to comply with the low. Elkanah Ring, Elijah Cole, committee in charge. In May, 1824. voted to hire Ekler Grant one-half of the time and Elder Abbott the other half for the ensuing six months and lay out ten dollars to repeur the church. 1825: Asa Robinson, collector. John Pratt, Gathelius
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Cowing, Dan Daniel, assessors. Voted to hire Elder Grant one-half of the time for the year and raised seventy-eight dollars for the same. 1826: Dan Daniel, Timothy Austin, Zebulon Robinson, Gathelius Cowing, John Pratt, Thompson Cowing, committee in charge; no preacher hired. 1827-28: Norecord of any meetings. 1829: Capt. Thompson Cowing, Asa Robinson, Ahner Kinnie, committee in charge. Voted to raise sixty dollars for a minister. Lewis Higgins, collector and treasurer ; John Kinne, clerk. t830: Met at Zebulon Robinson's, chose Timothy Austin, Asa Robinson, Eli Metclef, John Kinme, Lewis Higgins, committee in charge. Voted at a later meet- ing to recall their vote to move the meeting-house. Dan Damel, Noah Bissell, William Hartwell, committee to get the right of different persons interested in the church. 1831: Ast Robinson, Eli Metclef, Lewis Higgins, Abner Tower, committee in charge. 1832-33: No record. t$34: A umon of the Baptists of Chesterfield proposed: a few voted against it. In 1842 Ezekiel Tower, Silas Robinson, com- mittee in charge, voted to call a council to consider their troubles.
Chose Rev. E. Sweet, Rev A. B. Eglestone, Rev. I. M. Whipple and Rev. David Bullow, Dea. Joseph Stanton, Bros. Heman Eldridge and John Cady. These men made their report that no adjustment could be expected, and advised them to assume their former name. In 1824 the east side became a church. 1845: Rev. John Bicknell and William Tower, to look after the affairs of the church, and Elder Sweet to preach.
Such struggles live a great many years while the record ceases to speak of such, yet both claimed they were right and both thereby met death. The ministers who have served were as follows: Eller Vining, 1790-1802 ; Elder Todd, 1802-1820, but we think it was more likely 1817; two years meant ; Eller Hines. 1822-1824; Eller Grant, Woolbridge, Abbott, Sweet, were employed. Thus we sce the struggles of the Baptist people and their influence over our people from the early settlement of our parish. When the church was moved to Robinson Hollow (West Chesterfield) the people around here began to lose interest and the religious lite was at a low ebb.
ORGANIZATION 1821-'28
Man's extremity was God's opportunity. The local preachers began to visit this section. Many different preachers went from house to house, holding services in barns, groves, hay-lofts, school- houses, anywhere to preach, sing, or pray, that God's name might he glorified. It seemed as if the very rocks would speak to the lost world. Oh! that such a spirit might come down upon us today. Among the workers were Rev. Mr. Lucky, White, Hastings and Sibly The meetings were held under a maple tree standing behind the Academy barn. As the work prevailed they moved to a barn at the fork of the road near A. Witherell's place. As the cold weather came on in 1821 they moved into the Burton school-house near the barn. Both are now ( 1904) gone. A class was formed with Elijah Cole as class leader, and a society soon followed.
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Tradition says " That one beautiful sabbath llorace Cole and seven others joined the church," thereby they secured a man who had the mind and means to build a meeting-house. Horace Cole was born 1799, and died 1887. Among the men who put forth efforts to have religious services were William Sanderson who, in 1823, hired Mr.
Sibly to run the grist-mill and conduct meetings around in the homes of our section. Horace Cole hired Mr. Hastings, an exhortor of Blandford, and told him he would feed and clothe him it he would only hold meetings. Ile lived in the Castle place at that time. Mr. Hast- ings did much to get the young society started. lomce Cole sub- scribed one hundred dollars in money and land, while others made up the sum to two hundred dollars. After two or three years of hard work they succeeded in building what is now the upper story of the Academy. [See plate C. No. 3, page 26.] The lumber and labor were all contributed by the people, and the money used to buy windows and hardware and to plaster the church. Page to tells who lived here in 1821, so it can be seen who tabored for a church building. Each did what he could, and by push and energy they soon had a small yet neat church, which was completed and deeded to the Society Sept. 30, 1828. The preachers went on the circuit system. The church had a great hold on the people. The church at the Center was supported hy taxation until 1865. Some were excused under certain conditions, but the records fail to reveal who they were. The
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loyal manner in which they supported the church should put many of us to shame. On Sunday everyone went to church to hear the news and talk over the affairs of the community. In every generation the churches have had the few who obtain the real spiritual life which all should possess
Our fathers wrought well, but later we shall call attention to one change they made that seems to us a great mistake on their part. They made progress towards a higher moral life, which has gone on until we enjoy many more blessings than they did. The writer woukl here note that after a careful study of the individual life of our fathers he must admit that he does not agree with those who assert that the town of today is degenerate. We have every reason to expect our people to advance nothwithstanding the conditions of life are constantly changing During the early years of the church everyone attended church as a matter of business. Every man and every woman in the country was king or queen, independent of the other, and they went to church to keep in touch with one another. When the circuit system prevailed, the preachers came once or twice a month and thus brought the people in touch with different towns. But soon the church had a settled minister. In ISto our town had its largest population. The church has done a valuable work in sending many converts West who have spread the Gospel. Many are the conflicts over the questions of the day, and the church has had its share. Slavery was opposed by everyone about here, but the great Methodist church did not move fast enough in regard to this momentous question.
Our church grew slowly from a few in 1828 to a large country church in 1843. In this year they seceded from the Methodist denomination and formed the Wesleyan. Such was the hold Fre- siding Elder Orange Scott had on his people that they named their babies after him. A large number of the churches of this section were led astray. Many of them died, or after a few years were glad to come back to the mother church. During this period they secured their preachers the best they coukl.
Among the interesting stories which have come to us is the tol. lowing : "One sabbath the minister had preached that there is no judgment day, no punishment for the wicked, and atter a very elabo- rate discourse he was met at the door hy one of the roughest men of the community ; one who held the church from a business standpoint as a great blessing, yet had never sought the salvation of his soul. As
he met the preacher he exclaimed, "I am afraid you will find a hell both on earth and beyond if you don't stand by the word of God better " The people believed in the Bible, and the men of today were children then. During the years of separation, we hear of no seeking after God, but years of debate and strife. After a period of seventeen years they wanted a larger church, and for two years it was debated over and over again, and then they found they must repair or build new. They appointed a committee consisting of William Cole, John Cole, Consider Cole, Lewis Smith, Isaac Thrasher, Martin Conwell and Rev. Asa Niles. After a struggle of five years or more they succeeded in finishing the present church building. The trustees of the church in 1829 were Horace Cole, John Taylor, Ebenezer Cole. Elijah Cole and John Pratt. Thus we see the Coles were of greatest assistance to the community in buikling churches. On May 18, 1848. they dedicated the new church, which we are now using. The sermon was preached by Rev. Luther Lue of New York City, from H. Chronicles 6: 18. At the raising they roasted a whole calf and a sheep. the calf it is said filling Mrs. Niles' brick oven. They put on two bushels of potatoes to boil, but being unable to succeed in this, Mr. Niles and Martin Conwell built a fire out of doors and thus had them ready by dinner time. Men came from twenty miles around. The dinner alone, which was served in Mr. Niles' peach orchard, made it a notable day. Those people could appreciate a good dinner. The building at first was let out by contract, but the contractor failing. each one doubled his subscription and they finished the building, cost. ing about three thousand dollars, which has been a landmark ever since. It is a model church of its kind, its proportions are fine and everyone who sees it is attracted by its beauty The record of these transactions was kept by William Cole, but since the death of his wife we have been unable to find it. It was read over, two years before her death, by John Anable. Previous to the war this parish got alon_ for some time without preaching. During the seventeen years that they were in the Wesleyan denomination, they had for preachers William P. White and James Wright. The latter was the minister in 1847 and 1848 when the church was built, and was known as " Daddy Wright." He kept store in the Old Church, which he bought and repaired and made into a dwelling house and store. Later it was sold to Consuler Cole and then to Isaac Thrasher, whose heirs sold it to Doctor Conwell. Daniel Waite, who died in 1883. was followed by
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Edward Stockman, Moses Stoddard, Ephraim Scott and Mr. Flagg. Rev. Asa Niles frequently sapplied the pulpit, bat was never pastor. We have been unable to find the names of all the preachers of this period. D. N. Merritt and William Taylor often preached to the people. At the beginning of the war they became attached to Chester- field and were furnished preachers by the presiding ckler. One of these was Rev. Erasmus Morgan, who persuaded them to return to the fold, and from that time the record is anbroken.
The Sunday school was held the year around for the first time in 1868. The membership in 1869 was forty-ne, with eleven pro- bationers. The quarterly conference report contains this statement : " The people are willing and yet they appear to have acquired the habit of paying carefully as well as subscribing moderately." Ever since 1872 the church property has been cared for by trustees, elected by the quarterly conference ; before that time it was controlled by pew- holders, and the parsonage was controlled by stock-holders. The parsonage and church are now controlled by trustees elected according to the rules of the Methodist church. The church was once blessed with a Cole fund which netted the church thirty dollars a year. When J. W. Cole was pastor he married ten couples and the membership and probationers numbered one hundred and two. The religious ex- periences of the members have never been deep, as indicated by the fact that two copies of the church paper is the largest number that has ever been taken. In 1904 the pastor was the only one taking the church paper. The excuse always is, " We are too poor." Thus they starve the soul and fail of a full enjoyment of a spiritual life. The church has advanced the morality of the community, made life safe. kept many out of jail, and been a blessing which oftentimes the people fail to appreciate. A church well kept and conscientiously setting forth the principles for which it stands will bring at least fifty per cent. to the valuation of property, and we are not so sure but that if the community would do its daty many a retired man would seek his final home amidst its influence.
In April of 1876 Mother Carpenter died at the age of ninety years, having been for seventy-one years a member of the Methodist church.
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