USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, vol 2 > Part 30
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In 1852 the factory at the lower end of Shovel Shop pond proved too small to accommodate the increasing business, and a substantial two-story stone building was erected, 530 feet long. Several other shops were after- ivards erected near by, and there are others in different parts of the village where water power is available. Steam power, is, however, the main re- liance. Every description of shovel is made-long and short handled, square and round point spades, grain and coal scoops, post hole dig- gers and other varieties. These are sent not only throughout the United States.but to South America, to parts of Asia and Africa, and to Australia. Five hundred men are employed in this shovel business. They manufacture from 110,000 to 125,000 dozens of shovels per year. Taking the average of these figures, 117,500 dozens, we have the incredible number of 1,410,000 shovels per year, 4,519 per day, 451 per hour. From 1,200 to 1,800 tons of
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Swedish iron and from 1,200 to 1,400 tons of steel are annually used in this manufacture.
One of the largest business enterprises in town at the present time is the Simpson Spring Company, located at the famous Simpson Spring, near South Easton Green. The business was established in 1878 by Fred A. Howard. The first few years the water was sold locally to people who were acquainted with its purity and medicinal qualities. Three or four years later they began the manufacture of carbonated beverages. The industry has had a steady growth, the yearly sales for 1922 being about $700,000. The present organization is as follows: Fred Field, president ; Edwin H. White, vice-president; Fred L. Howard, treasurer and general manager. Besides a very large trade all over New England, their products are sent as far South as South Carolina, and as far west as Chicago. In addition to their beverages the company refine and pack lime juice, honey, maple syrup and other products. They have recently added a large area to their holdings in order to properly protect the water supply so that the spring now is within a protected area of fifty acres.
A few of the leading business men of the town organized a company and built a large shoe factory on Mechanic street. Various shoe firms have occupied the building since, and have for most of the time carried on the shoe business with success. Reynolds, Drake & Gabell, who formerly manufactured shoes at Marshall's Corner and whose factory was destroyed by fire, now own the building.
Churches .- From 1711 to 1725 the territory now embraced in the town of Easton was part of the town of Norton. In 1717 the inhabitants of this territory being in sufficient number, as they judged, to establish a religious society and to support a minister, petitioned the General Court to be set apart as a separate precinct, and on June 5, 1718, what is now the town of Easton was set apart as the East Precinct of the town of Norton. The meeting house was soon built and Rev. Matthew Short was called as the minister of the Church of Christ in the East Precinct. He was born at Newbury March 14, 1688, graduated from Harvard University in 1707, and in November, 1712, was ordained a minister at Attleboro and remained there three years. Subsequently he preached in Saco and Biddeford, Maine and was settled in the East Precinct of Norton about 1723. In December, 1725, this precinct was incorporated as a town with the name of Easton. Work on a new church was begun in 1728, and the structure was finally built near the site of the first church, which was on the east side of Church street, within the cemetery enclosure.
In 1728 a severe epidemic passed over this section. Mr. Short was brought near to death's door, and after his recovery he preached two ser- mons, which he called "A Thankful Memorial of God's Sparing Mercy". These were published, and a few copies are still in existence. Mr. Short died in Easton, April 16, 1731, in the forty-fourth year of his age. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Joseph Belcher, who was born in Braintree, August 19, 1704, and graduated from Harvard University in 1723. He was settled here Oc- tober 6, 1731. Not much is known of him or his life in this town.
The west part of the town had increased in the number of inhabitants, and when it was necessary to build a new place of worship they very
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naturally desired that it should be located nearer them. But disagreement was so strong that nothing was done about it until 1749. Meantime the church and parish gave a call to Rev. Solomon Prentice. Mr. Prentice was born at Cambridge, May 11, 1705, and graduated from Harvard College in 1725, in a class in which were Hutchinson and Trumbull, afterwards gov- ernors. He was settled in Grafton in 1731 and, on September 14th, he re- ceived a call to Easton, and was installed pastor November 18th. The party of the east part of the town, acting under the determined lead of Mr. Prentice, separated from the town parish and formed a new church after the model of Scotch Presbyterianism. They began to build a meeting house, raise the frame, cover it in, but never finished it. Mr. Prentice finally got into trouble with the Presbytery, and was deposed in 1754. His church gradually died out. Mr. Prentice left town in 1755. For several years before, this meeting house at the center had for much of the time been unoccupied. In 1754, while Mr. Prentice was preaching to the Presbyterians on pleasant days in the unfinished Presbyterian meeting house and on stormy days at private houses, George Farrar supplied the regular pulpit. He had been a schoolmaster at Dighton and was just beginning to preach. Mr. Farrar was born in Lincoln (then a part of Concord) Mass., November 23, 1730. He was ordained at Easton, March 26, 1755, though not without a vigorous protest on the part of the Presbyterians. He was a minister of the church for nearly two years, but died at Lincoln, September 17, 1756, at his father's home. A bitter contention went on. Town meetings were dis- orderly. At one of them the two factions organized, each claiming to be the regular meeting. By petition and counter petition the subject was referred to the General Court; a committee was appointed, and decision was rendered adverse to the party of the east part and favorably for the town party, who were fortunate in having Edward Hayward Esq. as a leader, a man who headed the opposition at all times against Mr. Prentice. Revs. Vesey and Vinal, who perached temporarily during the church diffi- culties, were without their pay for several years; the school master asked for his wages in vain, and the town meetings gave ample evidence that the town was badly demoralized, a state of things that lasted over thirteen years. In March, 1763, after a day spent in solemn fasting and prayer, a call was given to Rev. Archibald Campbell who was ordained August 17th. Mr. Prentice had carried away his church records (which were, however, recovered some years later), and a new book was begun. A new covenant was drawn up and signed, but it was signed only about one-half the number that had signed the covenant of sixteen years before. Mr. Campbell left Easton in December, 1782, and was called to the church in Charlton in January, 1783, where he remained about ten years, which was his last charge, but he preached temporarily in various places. He died in Stock- bridge, Vt., July 15, 1818.
The minister chosen for Mr. Campbell's successor was Rev. William Reed. He was born June 8, 1755. In 1776 he enlisted as a soldier in the Continental army. Two years afterwards he entered Harvard University and graduated in 1782. In August, 1783, he was invited to settle as minister in Easton, and was ordained there April 21, 1784. His ministry in Easton closed only at his death, which occurred November 6, 1809. His estimable wife lived to the age of eighty-three; her death occurred March 26, 1850. Mr.
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Reed's successor was Rev. Luther Sheldon. He was born in Rupert, Ver- mont, February 18, 1785, graduated from Middlebury College in 1808, and was ordained at Easton, October 24, 1810. In 1816 a new meeting house was built, a little way behind where the church stood that was erected in 1750. The old building was moved away and used for a town hall. At the time of Mr. Sheldon's settlement the movement was in progress, which some years later resulted in the division of the old churches of Massa- chusetts into two parties. In the neighboring town of Norton was a min- ister, Rev. Pitt Clark, who had been accustomed to exchange with Mr. Reed. He had espoused the so-called liberal ideas, and Mr. Sheldon was unwilling for this reason to exchange with him. This displeased a portion of the Easton congregation, who much admired Mr. Clark, and June 8, 1830, the following action was taken: "Voted, that it is the wish of the Parish that neighboring Congregational ministers in regular standing should minister with this society as was formerly the practice." As this vote had no effect, in November of 1831 the parish formally requested their minister "to exchange pulpit services with neighboring congregational ministers indiscriminately, agreeable to the practice that prevailed at the time of his settlement". A committee was appointed to wait upon Mr. Sheldon, and they reported that he refused to reply to them, and he did not make the exchange as requested. This was now April, 1832. This marked the begin- ning of dissension and rupture and on November 19, 1838, forty-one mem- bers of the parish formally withdrew all connection with it and organized themselves into the "Evangelical Congregational Society of Easton". The old parish became at last distinctly Unitarian. In 1839, Rev. William H. Taylor received and accepted a call, but did not remain long. In 1845 the church was remodeled and rededicated, Rev. Paul Dean having been settled the same year. He continued as pastor for five years, and was succeeded in 1851 by Rev. William Whitwell, who preached here for seven years. Rev. George G. Withington was settled in 1858, and remained pastor for twelve years, resigning in 1870. Mr. Withington was the son of George R. With- ington Esq., a lawyer in Bolton, and afterwards in Lancaster, Mass., and was born in Bolton, July 26, 1831. He graduated from the Meadville (Penn.) Theological School in 1854, and for the succeeding year was engaged in the West as a missionary. He was ordained at Hillsboro, Illinois, in 1855, remaining there two years, afterwards settling in Easton. Rev. William Withington was the last settled pastor of the First Parish of Easton. Serv- ices were occasionally held during the summer months, Rev. Edward C. Towne, who was living in North Easton, supplying for a while, and later Rev. William Beal of Brockton. On January 27, 1886, the meeting house of the old First Parish of Easton was destroyed by fire. The town subse- quently bought the parish lot and erected a town hall upon it. Services were occasionally held at G. A. R. Hall, Eastondale, and in 1904 a new church building was erected at Eastondale and dedicated December 8, 1904. The following ministers have supplied for them since: Manly B. Townsend, December, 1904-September, 1908; William J. Prescott, September, 1908- January, 1910; Dudley H. Ferrell, January, 1910-April, 1918; Herbert L. Buzzell, June, 1918-September, 1919; Rev. Fred L. Lewis, September, 1919, to date.
The nucleus of the Evangelical Society was the majority of the mem-
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bers of the original church. This society organized in 1839, but those com- posing it had been worshiping in the church built by them in 1833. In 1855 Mr. Sheldon relinquished his salary and his active duties, but remained senior pastor until his death, which occurred in 1866. His successor, Rev. Lyman White, was installed October 24, 1855, and dismissed February 19, 1862. Rev. Charles E. Lord was installed June 3, 1863, and resigned June 30, 1865. Rev. Charles L. Mills was acting pastor from December 8, 1865, to February 24, 1868. Rev. D. W. Richardson was acting pastor from October, 1869, to November, 1872, after which Rev. W. B. Augier supplied about five months. Rev. A. S. Hudson was acting pastor from September 1, 1873, to June 14, 1874. Rev. Luther Sheldon, son of the former pastor, acted as pastor from August, 1875, to October 1, 1878; Rev. J. D. Hosmer supplied from October, 1878, to July, 1879, and Rev. L. H. Augier supplied from July 1, 1880, to April 1, 1881. In June, 1881, the church and society gave Rev. W. H. Dowden a call, which he accepted, but was not installed; he supplied the pulpit until November 29, 1884. On the evening of September 6, 1882, the meeting house was destroyed by fire. The society at once com- menced rebuilding, but their present house was not completed until late in the fall of 1884. Rev. Franklin P. Chapin commenced his pastorate July 5, 1885, and resigned June, 1890. He was in October followed by Rev. Geo. O. Jenner, who resigned May 1, 1892. Rev. A. H. Fuller was called Decem- ber 13, 1892, and resigned in 1903. Rev. Philmer A. Sample accepted a call in December, 1903, and resigned 1904. Rev. Wm. Fryling, called February. 1905, resigned in 1911. Rev. T. H. Patterson was called February, 1912, and resigned 1915. Rev. Inor K. Partington was called August, 1915, and re- signed September, 1918. Rev. David C. Reid was called January, 1919, and resigned 1922. Rev. Chas. H. Baldwin began his pastorate in January, 1923. The Methodist movement began in town about 1790. The first society
was organized about 1796 in the northeast part of the town. Isaac Stokes, a nailer by trade and a local preacher, was one of its founders, and Jesse Lec and Lorenzo Dow occasionally preached here in those early days. The First Methodist Church was built on Washington street, near the corner of Elm street. In 1830 it was replaced by a new one. This society was first on the Warren circuit, but shortly after 1800 a new circuit was formed including Easton, Stoughton and four other towns. The first regular preacher sent here by the Conference is said to have been Nehemiah Coy. He was followed by Thomas Perry, and afterwards by Samuel Cutler, then in 1810 Rev. John Tinkham was minister; he died in 1824. There were various supplies until 1829, when Lewis Bates, familiarly known as "Father Bates", was appointed for this station. About this time Universalists were occasionally allowed to preach in the new building, which had been liberally subscribed to by several persons who sympathized with Universalist senti- ments. This led to serious trouble, and was finally prevented by having the church deeded to the Conference. The revival under Mr. Bates had been followed by a corresponding period of spiritual decline, and in 1840 and 1841 other revivals under Rev. Nathan Payne and Rev. Edward Lyons occurred. About 1843 a portion of the congregation, dissatisfied with the Episcopal form of government, withdrew and formed a Protestant Methodist church. For about ten years previous to 1856 the Washington Street Society had hardly any connection with the Conference, and the church records state
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that the church experienced rather turbulent times. During a part of 1855 and 1856 Rev. Luther Sheldon supplied the pulpit, and then the church was closed. In 1857 it was reopened with Rev. John B. Hunt pastor. In 1861, under Rev. L. B. Bates, a division of the society occurred, the minister leading or following those who preferred to have services held in the village. The village society built a church on Main street, and worshiped there until 1876, when they moved into the church formerly occupied by the North Easton Unitarian Society, which had been presented to the Methodists by Hon. Oliver Ames. The two Methodist societies supported separate min- isters for a few years, but finally united with one pastor. The Washington Street church was finally torn down and the lot upon which it stood sold, and all united in 1880 in the village church, which is now a strong and flourishing organization. The ministers of the society since Mr. Bates have been as follows, viz: Revs. William V. Momson, Charles Hammond, C. C. Adams, F. A. Loomis, each serving a year; Edward Edson, 1865-67; J. B. Husted, 1867-69; Geo. H. Bates, 1869-72, followed by J. H. Humphrey ; Charles W. Dreese, Joseph Hammond, John Faville, John Jones and W. J. Hodges, each serving a year ; J. S. Davis, from October, 1878, to April, 1879; S. E. Evans, 1879-80; William Kirkby, 1880-82; J. S. Thomas, 1882-84; Merrill Ransom, 1884-86; Lewis Bates Coddington, 1887-88; Frederick C. Baker, 1889-90; Chas. N. Hinkley, 1891-93; Robert S. Moore, 1894-96; Henry D. Robinson, 1897-1900; P. M. Vinton, 1900-06; W. Senior Hood, 1906-11; Herbert A. Cassidy, 1911-15; E. W. Goodier, 1915-22; E. H. Witman, 1922.
In 1850 the first Catholic chapel was built upon land presented to the church by Oliver Ames and Sons. This was located on the north side of Pond street, on the shore of Shovel Shop pond. It was completed in 1857 under the direction of Father Fitzsimmons, who remained as pastor for about five years. He was followed by Rev. A. F. Roach, and in 1856 by Rev. T. B. McNulty, who was in charge for fourteen years. They were years of rapid increase in the Roman Catholic population. In 1864 Father McNulty bought the lot on Main street and began the erection of the church, which was completed in 1865. In January, 1871, Rev. Francis A. Quinn came as the first parish priest of Easton. He was followed by Rev. Michael Fitzgerald 1873, Rev. Thomas F. Carroll, June, 1873 to 1882; Rev. William J. McComb, 1882. After the death of Father McComb, in North Easton, in December, 1895, Rev. Thomas L. Kelley assumed charge of the parish. After four years he was called to the Church of the Assump- tion in Providence, R. I. Rev. James H. Looby succeeded Father Kelley in January, 1899. It was due to Father Looby's zeal and untiring efforts that the present church was built. This church seats 700. Father Looby remained here thirteen years, and during his ministry the mortgage on the church was cancelled and the debt wiped out. Rev. Daniel E. Doran was made pastor in October, 1912, and a great many improvements have been made in the church property. The parochial residence has been remodelled, the interior of the church refrescoed, and a large marble altar installed. During the pastorate of Father McNulty the land was bought for the Roman Catholic cemetery, and in 1921 land for a new cemetery was purchased which will double the area of the old one.
The Swedish Evangelical Ebed Melech Church was thus established : The first Swede to settle in Easton was Andrew Erickson, who came here
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in 1865. In 1870 there were twelve in town, and in 1880 they numbered one hundred. December 29, 1883, a meeting was held for the organization of a church. The meetings were first held in the old postoffice. January 16, 1884, they bought the Main street meetinghouse once occupied by the Methodist Society, paying $1450 for it. The church called Rev. Axel Mel- lander as pastor, and he came here to reside September, 1884. He resigned in April, 1886, and was succeeded by Rev. Emil Hohnblad, who remained till 1888. In 1889 Rev. Andrew Johnson came as pastor, and in 1891 resigned and Rev. Emil Hohnblad came back again and remained till 1898. Rev. L. T. Lindholm came in 1898, and resigned in 1902. In May, 1903, Rev. E. G. Ander came as minister and resigned in 1907 and was succeeded by Rev. E. A. Swanson, who remained for about three years, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. William N. Johnson, who after a pastorate of three years, was succeeded by Rev. Emil Johnson, who remained for four years. He was succeeded by Rev. Paul J. F. Freedlind, who remained four years, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. J. M. Henrikson.
In 1843 the Protestant Methodist Society was organized, and in the year 1845 a church was built. Preaching was maintained for about five years, when the interest in this movement became small. An attempt was made for a while to sustain Episcopal Methodist services. About 1855 an interest was manifested in Unitarian preaching, and in 1857 the North Easton Uni- tarian Society was organized. After a long season of transient preaching, in 1860 Rev. C. C. Hussey became pastor and remained for six years. In the autumn of 1867 Rev. Wm. L. Chaffin received a call from this society and accepted and preached as its pastor on the first Sunday of 1868. In August, 1875, the society moved into the beautiful church built by the late Hon. Oliver Ames and presented by him to the society. At that time it reorganized and assumed the name of Unity Church. Mr. Chaffin was the son of William Farrell and Louisa (Shattuck) Chaffin, and was born at Ox- ford, Maine, August 16, 1837, but early removed to Concord, N. H. He graduated at the Meadville, Pennsylvania, Theological School in 1861. He married, August 12, 1862, Rebecca Huidekoper, daughter of Michael Hodge and Margaret (Hazlett) Bagley, of Meadville. He was pastor for about three and one-half years of a Unitarian society in Philadelphia, and came to North Easton on January 1, 1868, and continued as pastor and pastor emeritus until his death, January 7, 1923. He received his degree of D. D. from Meadville Theological School in 1915. Mr. Chaffin was greatly be- loved by all the people of the town. He was much interested in historical and genealogical matters, and his "History of Easton" is a monument to his thorough and painstaking work in this line. He also published a "His- tory of the Randall Family in America," and left in manuscript a large amount of genealogical and family history. He was greatly interested in the schools, and was a member of the school committee for twenty-eight years. In 1914 Rev. Fred R. Lewis received a call to Unity Church, and remains as the present pastor, preaching at Eastondale also.
The Baptist Church was organized February 13, 1891, and the church building was dedicated June 20, 1895. The first pastor was Rev. Frederick Thayer, of Avon: then followed Revs. William H. Stewart, O. E. Cox, Birney E. Hudson, Norman E. Bishop, John A. Harding, Fred W. Blakeslee, George S. Bennett, Frank W. Wheeler. A. Davis Graffam, L. B. Hatch,
Bristol-47
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Leroy F. Griffin, C. J. Armstrong, Lewis H. Stone, Samuel Knowles, O. D. Thomas, Edward C. Dunbar, E. W. Kingman, Vivian Broderick. The mort- gage on the church was paid in 1919, and the church is free from debt. There is also a Swedish Lutheran church in North Easton, the building located on Williams street, of which Rev. A. J. Hilmer is the pastor.
Military .- As the town of Easton was incorporated long after King Philip's War, there is nothing to record in regard to any warfare with the Indians. Easton, in common with other New England towns of the old colonial days, had its military company very early. Its captain was John Phillips, and its lieutenants were Edward Hayward and Elphalet Leonard. Edward Hayward served as captain in 1732 and was succeeded by Elphalet Leonard in 1744. Benjamin Williams was the next captain. Some time before the Revolution this company was divided into two companies of militia, one in the east and one in the west part of the town. We have little knowledge of the part taken by the citizens of Easton in the French and Indian war of 1754-63. The most prominent figure of that time is Captain Nathaniel Perry, who raised a company of men for the defense of the Eastern frontier. His commission as captain was dated June 6, 1754, and signed by Governor Shirley. He enlisted a company of 96 men, of whom only 16 were from Easton.
Easton was very active during the Revolutionary War, and sustained her part in that memorable struggle. It was voted, April 3, 1775, to raise fifty minute-men, twenty-five out of each military company in town. The battle of Lexington occurred April 19, 1775, and on this day these fifty minute men, under the command of Captain Macey Williams, started for the seat of war. Being enlisted merely as minute-mnen for what was called "the Lexington Alarm," they were out for only brief service, nine days.
In February, 1776, a committee of three was appointed to take care of such of the "poor of Boston" as were then in town. A committee of "cor- respondence and inspection" took general charge of war matters here, and committee was chosen "to incorage the manufacturin of Sault Peter in this town". On the first anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill, in a notable town meeting, the citizens voted that "if the Honerabel Continantal Con- gress for the safety of the United Colonies, Declare themselves independent of Great Breton, we ingage Even at the Resque of life and fotin to do What ever is in our Power to soport them in sd. measure". Soon followed the Declaration of Independence, and Rev. Archibald Campbell, the minister of Easton, read the heartstirring document to a large and eagerly-listening assembly on Sunday next after July 17, 1776. It was then handed to Matthew Hayward, who, like every other town clerk in Massachusetts, proudly recorded it in his town records. Among the military officers from Easton one of the most prominent was Col. Abial Mitchell. He was ap- pointed major, May 19, 1775, and received his commission as colonel, June 17, 1779. He was prominent in town affairs, and served as representative to the General Court for twenty-one years. He served in the army until the close of the Revolutionary War, and many interesting incidents are told of his courage and prowess. Another of Easton's heroes in the war was Cap- tain Elisha Harvey, in the artillery service. He was the hero of a brave action at the battle of Brooklyn Heights, where in face of the advancing
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