USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Brimfield > Annals of the Church in Brimfield by the Pastor of the Church (with map) - Springfield, Mass: Samuel Bowles and Company , Printers, 1856. > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Voted to get Mr. Noah Mirick to preach six weeks.
May 22, 1734. Voted to hire Mr. Mirick another six weeks.
July 5, 1734. Voted to send for Mr. Perley How to preach & if he cannot be obtained, to try Mr. Williams of Lebanon, & if he cannot be obtained, then to goe to Mr. Medcalf of said Lebanon.
Voted that Capt. John Sherman 1 be ye man to seek after ye afore- said ministers.
Voted that ye select men Provide a place for to keep a minister when he is procured.
We conclude that the search for a minister thus au- thorized was not successful ; since, the next town meet- ing gives us the following vote, equally characteristic of the times and the perseverance of the people in procuring a pastor.
Sept. 12, 1734. Voted to hire Mr. Daniel Bliss for to preach four months. .
Voted that Leonard Hoar 2 goe to Mr. Bliss, for to get him, & if Mr. Bliss failes, then to get Mr. Noah Mirick, & if Mr. Mirick failes, then to get Mr. Williams, & if Mr. Williams failes, then to get some other meet person, taking good advice.
We should hardly suppose it possible, for one with
1 Great Grandfather of Orson Sherman, and resided on the same place. He was the first clerk of the Proprietors, and held the office till 1766, when his son Bezaleel, was appointed in his stead.
2 Great Grandfather of Linus Homer, and lived where Timothy Bliss now lives.
16
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
such instructions to have " failed" of getting somebody. But the next vote shows that neither the ample pow- ers with which Mr Hoar was invested, nor any " good advice" which he may have taken, enabled him to se- cure a " meet person" for minister.
Oct. 7, 1734. Voted to get a minister that has not Preach'd here, for Six weeks or two Months, as he can Be agreed with.
Nov. 13, 1734. Voted to Raise £50 to carry an End preaching.
Voted to choose a Committee to supply ye Pulpit.
This delay in securing a pastor was not without its appropriate fruit. We now for the first time, discover a disposition on the part of some to withdraw from the support of the established ministry of the town. Some, perhaps most of those whose names follow, were con- scientiously Anabaptists. And probably some of these had but just become residents in the town. They form- ed a nucleus, around which gathered others, who, had be- come dissatisfied with the unsettled state of ministeri- al affairs. There were moreover, local reasons for the secession. The seceders resided in that part of the town subsequently called South Brimfield, and thus had a personal interest in the organization of a relig- ious enterprise there.
Nov. ye 22d, 1734. We whose names are Underwritten Do own & Acknowledge Our Selves to Be of that persuasion commonly Called anababtists.
1 Nath'l. Munger, Dorothy Munger,
3 Anthony Needham, Humphrey Needham,
Elnathun Munger,
4 John Bullen, John Bullen, Jr.,
2 Robert Moulton, Ebenezer Moulton, 5 Thomas Green,
Thomas Green, Jr.
Meanwhile, efforts to procure an acceptable minister were continued.
1 The original Munger place is east of South Meadow, Wales.
2 The Moultons lived on the road to Stafford, near the centre of Wales.
3 The Needhams lived south of the Moultons, on the way to Stafford.
4 John Bullen and son, lived on the way from South Pond to South Meadow.
6 The Green family lived south of the Needhams, on the way to Stafford.
17
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
Jan 13, 1735. Voted for one of ye ministers yt have Preached here.
Mr. Noah Mirick was chosen by a Majority of votes to settle in ye work of ye ministry.
Voted to give Mr. Mirick £300 settlement in Bills of credit. All soe,
Voted to give him £100 sallery during ye continuance of his min- istry.
April 24, 1735. Dea. John Stebbins was chosen to regulate ye meeting.
Mr. Noah Mirick Did not accept of ye proposals of ye town of Brimfield in order to settle there, but gave answer in ye Negative.
Sept. 18, 1735. 1 Voted to give Mr. Sampson Stoddard £300, in bills of credit for settlement, Provided he will settle in ye work of ye ministry in Brimfield. All soe,
Voted to give M. Stoddard £100 Sallery yearly, he accepting & settling in ye work of ye ministry in said town.
Sept. 30, 1735. Mr. John Russel, one of ye Committee appoint- ed to treat with Mr. Stoddard, returned answer yt he utterly Refused to accept ye offer.
Oct. 6, 1735. The Inhabitants being Mett by a majority of votes Did concur in ye church's voice of Mr. Caleb Rice.
The terms of settlement proposed to Mr. Rice, were the same as above.
Nov. 3, 1735. Received Mr. Caleb Rice's answer, wherein he gave ye town a Denial of settlement. 2
At length came the man appointed of God to be a faithful and successful pastor to the church, for a period of forty years.
Jan. 29, 1736. Voted to give Mr. James Bridgham a call to settle in ye work of ye ministry in ye town of Brimfield.
Voted to give Mr. Bridgham £300 settlement in bills of credit as now passes between man & man.
Voted to give Mr. Bridgham £120 yearly Sallery.
1 It is presumed that these votes of the town, were in concurrence with previ- ous votes of the church, but in the absence of church records this cannot be ver- ified.
2 Mr. Rice settled the next year in New Medfield, or Sturbridge, and continued pastor of that church until his death.
3
18
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
Joseph Blodgett, Benjamin Morgan1 & Ezra King 2 were chosen to Joyn with Dea. John Stebbins, Nath'l. Hitchcock 3 & Benjamin Cooley, 4 chosen of ye church, to treat with Mr Bridgham relating to his principles, and all soe, relating to ye proposals made by ye town in order to settlement & Sallery.
March 23, 1736. Voted to raise Mr. Bridgham's Sallery some- thing more.
The addition proposed, was £5 each year after the fourth from his ordination, until the sum should amount to £140 ; which was to be the permanent yearly sala- ry. It appears that two-thirds of this were to be paid in the products of the farms. Hence, the need of es- tablishing the prices of such products.
April 13, 1736. Viz : First, at ye time of Mr. Bridgham's call and soe then ye particulars following and as ye prices are stated. In- dian Corn, 5 s. per. bush. Wheat, 10 s. Rye, 7 s. 6 d. Peas. 8. s. Oats, 3. s. Mault, 6. s. Flax, 4. d. per. pound from ye swingle. Pork, 6. d. per. pound. Beef, 4 d. do Day's labor, one half the year, 3 s. & one half 5s. Accepted that ye above be ye market prices at Brimfield.
To these proposals Mr. Bridgham returned the fol- lowing answer, so brief, modest and trustful, that we at once begin to revere and love the man.
GENTLEMEN ;
It is with Satisfaction & Gratitude I have Received your call to be your pastor ; a Work which I acknowledge My Self to be em- ployed In. But depending upon ye Assistance of Christ, both to Qualifie me for it & to Enable me faithfully to Discharge it I Do with fear & trembling, accept your Call, Depending upon Christ to Enable me to be faithful in his service ; and all soe, desiring your prayers to God, that I may Come amongst you in ye fullness of ye Blessings of ye Gospel of Christ & yt we may be mutual Helps to one Another in ye way to ye Heavenly world. And Further, I do
1 Resided on the Treat place, where Calvin Ward now lives.
2 Resided first on Elbow Brook, (nigh to) where he had a saw mill; after- wards on King's Hill, in Monson.
3 Great grandfather of Jesse Hitchcock, and is said to have been the first man who came with a family to the town. His house, probably the first erected in town, stood on the west side of the way to Hubbard's Hill, just north of Braman Sib- ley's. The house uow occupied by H. F. Brown, and sometimes spoken of as Hitchcock's first dwelling, was built at a subsequent period, on a lot surveyed to said Hitchcock, in his son's right. See book of surveys pg. 12-13.
4 His house stood where B. Sibley's house now stands.
19
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
Depend that while I am among you, I may Be supported & Main- tained as a minister of ye Gospel of Christ ought to be, yt I may not be Discouraged or hindred in your service, but may wholly Give my Self up to ye Work whereunto I am Called. Soe Gentlemen, Com- mending you to ye grace of God I am yr humble serv't.
JAMES BRIDGHAM.
April 29, 1736. Voted to have ye ordination on ye ninth day of June next.
Voted to concur with ye church's choice of ministers to ordain Mr. Bridgham, to ye work of ye ministry (viz) Mr. Baxter of Med- field, Mr. Devotion of Suffield, Mr. Williams of Springfield, Mr. Cheeney of Brookfield, & Mr. Peabody of Natick, with their mes- sengers.
Voted to do something more to ye meeting house for Conveniency for setting ye People in ye Ordination.
Voted yt John Mighill, 1 William Warriner 2 & Benjamin Mor- gan, get ye gice & Boards for ye gallerrys, & put them Into their places.
While the town was thus liberal in providing for their new minister, individual members of the church made a still further effort in his behalf. The people of Brimfield have from the first, been noted for donations to their ministers. We doubt however, whether they have ever made one of more substantial nature than this to which we now refer.
April 20, 1736. To ye Proprietors Assembled, Humbley Sheweth.
That we ye subscribers, whose names are Underwritten, humbly pray, that, whereas we have subscribed to give Mr. James Bridgham the number of acres of Land Set against each particular man's name for ye Encouraging ye said Mr. Bridgham in settling in ye work of ye Ministry in said town, that ye Proprietors give a Liberty that ye number of Acres given as abovesaid, may Be laid out in one In- tire piece as may be convenient for ye use of said Mr. Bridgham, in any of ye common & undivided lands in said town, Provided we De- duct as many acres out of our Divisions.
1 Resided a little west of Harvey Russel's, at the turn of the road; his land joining that of Peter Haynes, who lived on the hill south-west.
2 Resided on the road leading north from the town street, near Benj. Sher man's ; his land joining that of Ebenezer Graves on the south.
20
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD
Ichabod Bliss, 1
5 acres.
John Stebbins,
10 acres.
John Russel, 6
John Stebbins, Jr.,6 10
Saml. Bliss, 2
7 Joseph Blodgett, 4
Nathl. Hitchcock, 10 66 Benj. Mun, 7 5 66
Henry Burt, 3 10
David Morgan,
10 66
Timothy Colton, 4
10
66 Daniel Burt, 8 10 66
Sam'l. Hubbard'5 5
66
Joseph Frost, 9 5
William Warriner, 5 acres.
Voted & allowed, &c.
These 105 acres were surveyed and laid out by Mr. Joseph Blodgett, and are described as follows :
" Said land lyeth Situate in ye Northerly part of ye town, Joyn- ing in part by Nath'l. Miller's 2d Division lot, & partly by Sam'l. Bliss's 1st Division lot, & partly by Leonard Hoar's land ; beginning at a white oak tree marked N. M., thence to a stake & stones, &c c."
At the same time, Samuel, 10 Seth, 11 David and Joshua Shaw, 12 Moses, Aaron, John and William Nil- son, 13 John Danielson, 14 Micah Townsley, 15 George Erwin and Frustrum Davis, 16 subscribed 47 1-2 acres of land, asking
" that it Be laid in one Intire piece, in order to a Settlement for ye first minister of their Persuasion & of their own choosing, yt. God in his good providence & In his own good time shall Settle among them in ye work of ye ministry for their Edification in re- ligion & true christian faith."
1 Lived about 50 rods west of Harvey Fenton's.
2 Lived where William Brown lives-sold to Mr. Bridgham, and removed to the north part of the town. .
3 Lived where John Wyles now lives.
4 House lot in the west part, not far from Chicuppee River.
5 Great grandfather of N. S. Hubbard, and resided on the same farm.
6 Lived with or near his father, north of Simeon Coy's.
7 Lived on King's (east) Hill, Monson District.
8 Grandfather of Julius Burt, and lived first where the Pastor now lives, but sold to John Post, Inn-holder, and removed to east part, Abm. Charles.
9 Lived uear the Elbow of Chicuppee River.
10 Lived " easterly of and joyning to Chicuppee River."
11 " Said Shaw's land lyes near to the meadow called Shaw's meadow."
12 Lived "betwixt the mountains, his land lying both sides of Elbo. Brook."
13 The Nilsons resided in the south part of the township, on the way to Staf- ford.
14 Danielson's house stood in the orchard, 30 or 40 rods north of Dea. Paige's.
15 Lived at the Elbo. of Chicuppee River.
16 Lived some distance south of Darius Shaw's.
21
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
The land thus given, and laid out in one piece, " lyeth on both sides of one of ye branches of Chicup- pee Brook,1 soe called, beginning at a stake, &c."
In 1784, a part of this same land was surveyed and laid out to Nicholas Groves, " the men called Church- men to whom it was originally surveyed having never fulfilled the conditions, and it now lying common." The "Persuasion" of these men is here indicated. They were not Puritans of the congregational order, but probably Scotch Presbyterians, in sympathy with, perhaps companions of, those who settled Palmer.2
The meeting house had now stood nearly sixteen years, but was unfinished.
May 23, 1738. Voted to finish ye Pews & make ye Staires up In- to ye Gallery & laye ye Gallery floors & finish ye Seates in ye Gal- lery.
While thus diligent, according to their ability in providing conveniences and comforts for themselves, the people were not less mindful of their beasts of burden. The example now quoted is worthy to be im- itated. Some one has called "horse sheds" an impor- tant means of grace. Certain it is that for the want of them, not a few among us, absent themselves from the public services of the Sabbath.
March 12, 1739. We ye subscribers humbly pray, that whereas we Live some Distance from meeting & are Obliged to have our horses Stand all ye Sabbath day at ye meeting house, let ye Weather Be never soe cold & stormy or whatsoever, Therefore we humbly request of ye town a Liberty to build and set a stable in some conve- nient place near ye meeting house to set our horses In, on ye Sabbath days, & if you please to grant our request you will oblige yr Humble Petitioners.
Sam'l. Bliss, Joseph Hoar, 3
Dan'l. Burt, Nicolas Groves, 4
Joseph Blodgett, James Thompson, 5 Leonard Hoar, Jr., 6
1 The Brook that runs through the centre of Monson.
2 The first settlers of Palmer were Scotch Presbyterians. See Cen. Dis- course by Thomas Wilson.
3 Lived where Solomon Homer now lives.
4 Lived on King's Hill, Monson.
5 Lived on Thompson Hill, i. e. Dea. Paige's Hill.
6 Lived where now lives Alured Homer.
22
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
The following denial of petition with the reasons as- signed, throws some light upon the ecclesiastical condi- tion and prospects of the town at that time.
Aug. 15, 1740. Sundry Inhabitants of ye Westerly part of Brookfield 1 some of Brimfield & Kingstown 2 Soe Called, having Petitioned to be set off as a Separate town.
Voted in ye Negative & all soe for reasons following, (viz :) the meeting house in Brimfield is set in ye Easterly part of said town & within a mile & half or two miles of Brookfield, sou-west corner 1 & ye Westerly part of our Town lyeth, yt is, ye Westerly inhabitants live Soe distant yt they when Able, will, of Necessity be sett off from us & in ye Southerly part of said town there is a number of Ana- baptists, that are freed in ye law from paying for ye support of ye ministry amongst us, Soe that if ye Northerly part of our town be taken off it will Disenable us to support ye ministry amongst us."
The meeting house having now been furnished with "Pews and Seates,"
March 16, 1746. Voted to choose nine persons to Seate ye meet- ing house and in Doing of it, to have Regard to age & estate.
Voted that Leonard Hoar, John Mighill & Joseph Blodgett, be a Committee to Dignifye ye Pews & Seates in ye meeting house.
The report of this committee assigned the following rank to the "Pews & Seates." 1. The pew next the pulpit.3 2. The pew near the fore door. 4 3. The fore seat and the N. E. corner pew equal.5 4. The pew next the corner pew. 5. The pew at right hand of east door : the second seat below and the fore seat in the gallery equal. 6. The pew at left hand of east door. 7. The pew under the stairs. 8. The third seat below. 9. The fourth seat below, and the fore seat in side
1 Brookfield then included the easterly part of Warren, south of the Chicup- pee River.
2 That part of Palmer joining Chicuppee River, and settled by the King family.
3 In this were seated John Sherman, Nathl. Hitchcock, David Hitchcock, Leonard Hoar, Benj. Cooley and Nathan Collins.
4 Joseph Haynes, Joseph Blodgett, James Mirick, Samuel Hubbard, Joshua Shaw, Thomas Stebbins, Benj. Morgan, James Thompson, John Keep and Daniel Graves.
5 George Erwin, Peter Haynes, Deliverance Brooks, Eben. Scott, John Nilson, William Nilson, John Stebbins, John Charles, John Webber, William Warri- ner, John Mighill, Joseph Davis, Daniel Burt, Nicholas Groves, Thomas Ellin- wood, Nathl. Clark, Benj. Mun and Saml. King.
23
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
gallery. 10. The fifth seat below. 11 The sixth seat below.
It appears that there were pews around the wall of the house, and "seates" in the centre. And while the men were assigned their places on the east section of the house, their wives occupied corresponding places on the other section ; in accordance with an early vote, " that ye women sit in the west end of ye house.
April 13, 1748. Voted to goe on further to finish ye meeting house.
Voted to Laith & plaster from ye Pews on ye side upwards and over Head on ye gice. Subsequently
Voted, to make two sash windows on ye Back side of ye pulpit, on each side of ye Post there.
The first entry on the church books under the hand of Mr. Bridgham, intimates the value of his early rec- ords, while it tells us of their destruction.
" N. B. All was lost at ye burning of my house in ye year 1748."
Mr. Bridgham wrote out anew the faith and covenant of the church, and probably gathered again most of the names of church members, though it is certain that some were forgotten. From this time his records are brief and not of great value.
Those persons, who in 1734 had declared themselves Anabaptists, now received large accessions, chiefly, if not wholly, of residents in the south part of the town. The declaration was in 1756, signed by about twenty others, many of whom had but recently settled in town. These, were, Eben'r. Healy, Israel Walker, Thomas Watson, Gideon Dimmuck, Nath'l. Cooley, Edward Cob, Jehiel Munger, Archibald Graham, Thos. Watson, Jr., Sam'l Allen, Benj. Perrin, Joel Rogers, John Park, Nathan Park, Sam'l. Moulton, Enoch Hides.
March 14, 1757. In answer to a petition of Anthony Needham, Enoch Hides & others, in ye south part of the town Baptists, praying a liberty to erect a meeting house in ye highway yt leadeth to Stafford, near ye dwelling house of Ebenezer Moulton. Granted by vote of ye town.
24
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
The house was erected previous to 1764 ; probably about 1760 or 1762, near where the present Baptist meeting house in Wales now stands. For further account of this church, see App. A.
The people of the town were surely though slowly," making progress. As one indication of this, we quote the following:
Sept. 12, 1757. Voted to seate ye meeting house again.
Voted to seate men and their wives in ye Pews together.
The following also illustrates the same remark, and further indicates that the zeal of the strong-minded women of that day, expended itself in an appropriate direction. We cannot say but that it also implies the popularity of the preacher .
BRIMFIELD, March 12, 1759.
We ye Petitioners, Do send greeting to ye Honorable town for several Reasons. We do humbly beg leave of your Honors that you would give us ye place over ye women's Staires to build a pew upon our own cost. One reason we give is that We are Soe crowded at Sundry times that we Cant hardly get a seate to set in, & ye other Reason is that Whereas there is a Pew on ye other side, we think reasonably that it will Beautifie ye house.
Ruth Russel, Margarett Bliss,
Rose Blashfield,
Easter Hoar, Sarah Mighill, Elizabeth Sherman.
Voted & allowed &c.
In 1761, a petition was presented from the inhabit- ants of the south-east part of the town, to be set off as a separate district. The west line of the district petitioned for, was the present town line of Holland. Its north line began at Joseph Davis',1 and ran east to the Quinabaug. The limits petitioned for, included the Janeses. 2 The reason assigned in the petition, was the inconvenience of attending meeting on Sab- bath.
1 The Joseph Browning place.
2 Elijah the father of Cyrus, and occupying the same place. William, living where Wm. J. Sherman now lives, and Jonathan residing on Parson Allen's place, all sons of William Janes, who came from Lebanon.
25
THE CHURCHI IN BRIMFIELD.
Though they failed in their petition, they began to hold meetings in that part of the district, and to procure preaching, they sought assistance from the town.
Nov. 16, 1761. Voted to give ye Sou-east part of ye town three pounds, ten shillings to he p them Hire preaching.
No further aid was sought or given in consequence of the erection of the whole of the south part of the town into a separate district, during the following year, 1762.
The inhabitants of the west part having been con- stituted a district (1760), and having erected a meeting house (1762), were now ready to have a church organ- ized among them.
1 June 20, 1762. Voted to dismiss Thomas Stebbins, Saml. King, Benj. Mun & Josiah Keep, & to recommend them to ye council to be convened att Monson, as proper persons to be Embodyed with oth- ers in ye formation of a new church.
1 Aug. 22, 1762. Dismissed ye Widow Hitchcock, ye Widow Keep & ye wives of Thomas Stebbins, Benj. Mun, Eben'r Merrick, Francis Sykes, Josiah Keep & Edmund Hoar, to ye church in Monson.
For further account of this church, see App. B
It is presumed that Mr. Bridgham had now become too much enfeebled for the full discharge of the duties of his place. In 1766, a council was called to adjust difficulties which had arisen probably from the unwill- ingness of the people to continue his salary, while he was unable to attend to his appropriate work. Of the doings of this council, no mention is made in the Church Records. The warrant for a town meeting, dated Feb. 20, 1766, had these articles.
To see if ye town are Satisfied with ye Result & advice of ye late council, in regard to Mr. Bridgham, & if not, then
To see if ye town will come into any Methods to remove ye pres- ent Dissatisfaction.
At the meeting thus warned, it was,
1 Church Records.
4
·
26
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
Voted that we are Satisfied with ye Result & advice, &c.
In Oct. and Dec. of this year, similar articles were acted upon with like result.
The occasional meetings in the south-east part of the town had now become regular, a church having been organized in 1765.
1 Jan. 19, 1776. Ye wives of Moses Lyon,2 Robert Dunklee. Isaac Foster, John Bishop, Trenance Webber, John Webber, Henry Webber & Ann Bishop, were dismist to ye church in South Brin- field. Also, Robert Dunklee, & Silas Smith & wife.
For further account of this enterprise, now the church in Holland, see App. C.
Meanwhile dissatisfaction with the ministrations of Mr. Bridgham increased.
Sept. 17, 1767. Voted to Desire Mr. Bridgham to lay down preaching in town, & that a copy of this vote be laid before him.
This vote, indicates we presume, not any diminution of respect and affection for Mr. Bridgham as a man, but rather a discontent with his diminished and enfee- bled labors. The people had become impatient for some arrangement by which their wants could be more fully met.
March 14, 1768. On motion of Nathan Hoar, & others praying that Mr. Worcester, now preaching at South Brimfield, be admitted into ye Pulpit to preach a lecture to ye people,
Voted that ye prayer be granted.
During the summer of 1768, another council was called.
Sept. 20, 1768. Voted that ye town are satisfied with what ye Late counsel did in respect to Mr. Bridgham.
Jan. 19, 1769. The question Being whether the town would hire another minister,
Voted not to Hire another.
1 Church Records.
2 Grandfather of Horatio Lyon, and lived on the Church place, so called.
27
THE CHURCH IN BRIMFIELD.
Voted not to allow the aggrieved part of ye town their proportion of ye ministerial tax.
Other attempts to secure a change of ministers proved unavailing, Mr. Bridgham performing his du- ties as well as his feeble health would allow, until the close of 1773.
Dec. 14, 1773. Voted to choose a committee to treat with Mr. Bridgham concerning hiring preaching this winter, while he continues in his present feeble state, (and inquire) whether he will Relinquish any part of his Sallery to hire preaching.
Dec. 21. The committee reported that Mr. Bridgham was willing the town should Hire preaching, but would not Relinquish any part of his Sallery for that purpose.
Voted not to hire preaching.
Voted not to continue Mr. Bridgham's sallery any longer at £85.
April 15, 1774. Another committee having been sent to discourse with Mr. Bridgham, he returned the following written answer :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.