USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Historical address, delivered at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Wilbraham, June 15, 1863 > Part 19
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There have been some enlistments in the late regiments " Heavy Artillery " and " Veteran Service," the number of which I cannot give, but probably from 12 to 15. The draft called ont fifty-six men.
Exempted
31
Paid Commutation
12
Gone to Service
2
Had enlisted previous to the Draft 2
The case of seven has not been reported in a way that I have been able to get the facts at present. No three months' men went that I am now aware of. Of the number of volunteers two were wounded; one died from the effects, and one recovered. Four have died of disease in the camps ; one, 2d Lieut. C. W. Good- ale, student of the academy, in the 27th Regiment. No casualties have happened to our men beyond what I have stated, that I know of. Some of the regiments have been in severe service. The 10th, for instance, at Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, etc. ; the 27th at Newbern and vicinity. But they seem to be strong men, mostly, and some of them are of the best class of soldiers.
Respectfully yours,
J. M. MERRICK.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI, NORTH WILBRAHAM, MASS.
BY REV. NATHANIEL FELLOWS.
The data for the carly history of the Methodist Episcopal Church of North Wilbraham are very meagre; and the statements given below may not in all respects be exactly accurate, as they have been necessarily drawn from tradition rather than documentary sources.
> In 1791, the Methodist preachers on Hartford circuit visited the South Parish once in two weeks and held meetings in the school-house. Sometime during this year, Charles Brewer heard one of them, Menzies Raynor, preach. He was deeply interested; and invited him to visit the North Parish and preach there. He con- sented to do so the next time he came round the circuit, on condition that Mr. Brewer and others would protect him and his colleague, Lemuel Smith, in case any violence should be offered them.
Two weeks later, Lemuel Smith preached the first Methodist sermon in the North Parish. The house of Charles Brewer became the home of the itinerant preach- ers, and the place of worship for the Methodists. For two years, there was preach- ing at his house once in two weeks.
Charles Brewer, Abel Bliss, Silas Bliss, and Mrs. Solomon Warriner were among those who first joined the Methodist class. Abel Bliss, Jr., joined soon, if not at first, and continued an active and influential member till his decease. In the year 1793, the first meeting-house was raised and covered, but not finished till many years afterwards. During these years, it was only furnished with rough slab seats.
In Bishop Asbury's Journal, under the date of Sunday, Aug. 17th, 1794, there is the following entry : " I came to the new chapel at Wilbraham, forty by thirty-
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four feet, neatly designed. I was unwell, and under heaviness of mind ; I preached to about four hundred people, who were very attentive, but appeared to be very little moved. The "standing order " have moved their house into the street not far from ours, and they think and say they can make the Methodist people pay them ; but I presume in this they are mistaken."
On the 4th of September, 1794, the New England Conference, consisting then of about a dozen members, convened in the new chapel. The conference, though small, had mighty men in its ranks. Jesse Lee, Geo. Roberts, Wilson Lee, Dan- iel Ostrander, Geo. Pickering, Enoch Mudge, Joshua Taylor, and Joshua Hall were there ; men whose influence on the churches of New England can never be effaced, and ought never to be forgotten. Francis Asbury presided. Saturday was the great day of the feast. The three principal men of the occasion, Asbury, Roberts, and Jesse Lee, preached with power to the multitude that thronged to hear them.
The New England Conference again held its session in this church, in the year 1797.
We can learn nothing farther of special interest in the history of this church till 1814, when a camp-meeting was held in this parish. The following year another was held. These meetings were a great blessing to the church. Its members were quiekened in spiritual life, a large accession made to its numbers, and the attention of the community aroused and called to the subject of religion. Inspirited by this influence, they immediately raised money enough, not only to finish the church in comfortable style, but had about three hundred dollars remain- ing in the treasury. At this time, a stove was procured for warming the house. This was a great innovation on the customs of the age ; and not till a number of years afterwards did any other church in town follow this example.
The first corporate meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Society was organized under a warrant issued by Wm. Knight, Esq., of Wilbraham, at the petition of Abraham Avery and ten others, and was held in the Methodist meeting-house, Aug. 29th, 1832. *
In September, 1833, A. Avery circulated a subseription paper among the mem- bers of the society, for the purpose of taking stock in shares of fifty dollars each, to build a new meeting-house. Thirty-three shares having been taken, it was agreed to proceed to build a house forty-two by sixty feet, with a tower. The society voted to purchase slips to the amount of its funds, some three hundred dollars. William Farnham was the builder, after a plan furnished by Rev. John Lindsey, of Boston. The cost of the house was limited to three thousand dollars, except for the steps, bell, and some outside expenses. And the house cost within the limit. It was, by the contraet, to have been finished by the 20th of October, 1834 ; but was not completed till May, of the following year. It was dedicated by the Rev. Dr. Fisk, about the 19th of May, 1835, and remains a comfortable place of worship to the present day. In May, 1850, an organ, costing four hundred dollars, was put into the church at the expense of three individuals.
This church has a membership, at the present time, of one hundred and fifty- seven, thirty-three of whom are students connected with the academy.
Till the year 1823 this church formed a part of the old Tolland Circuit; since that time it has usually been a station by itself. While it was a part of the circuit,
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or since it became a station, the following persons have been appointed to preach in its pulpit, and in the order and at the time given below : -
1791, Menzies Raynor; 1791 and 4, Lemuel Smith; 1792, Hope Hull, F. Aldridge; 1793 and 4, George Pickering; 1793, Joshua Hall; 1795, Nicholas Suethen, Christopher Spry , 1796, Even Rogers, Thomas Coope; 1797 and 8, Lawrence MeCombs; 1799, Daniel Ostran- der; 1800, Abner Wood; 1801, Henry Eames; 1801 and 3, Augustus Jocelyn; 1802 and 3, Elijah Batchelor; 1802, Alexander McLane; 1804, John Gove; 1805, Noble W. Thomas; 1800, Benjamin Ilill, John Tinkham, Theophilus Smith; 1807, Hollis Sampson, G. R. Norris ; 1808, B. F. Lombard; 1809, B. P. Hill, William Hinman; 1810, Joel Steel, Samuel Cutler . 1811, Philip Munger, Robert Arnold; 1812, Elias Marble, Thomas Tucker; 1813 and 31, Edward Hyde; 1813 and 17, Benjamin Sabin; 1814, Joel Winch, Job Pratt; 1815, William Marsh, Orin Roberts; 1816 and 17, Salmon Winchester, Nathan Paine; 1818 and 19, Leon ard Bennett; 1818, Hezekiah Davis; 1819, Francis Dane; 1820 and 21, Ebenezer Blake: 1821, Daniel Dorchester; 1822, Joel W. M'Kee, Allen Barnes; 1823, 4 and 8, Phineas Peck ; 1825 and 6, Isaac Jennison; 1827, Dr. Wilbur Fisk; 1828, J. Foster; 1829, A. Waitt; 1830, Samuel Davis; 1832, T. W. Tucker; 1833, N. B. Spaulding; 1834 and 5, Reuben Ransom ; 1836, James Porter; 1837, '38 and 9, William Givesey ; 1840, Shipley W. Wilson; 1841 and 2, Charles Adams; 1843 and 4, Nelson E. Cobleigh; 1845, F. Nutting; 1846 and 7, II. V. Degen; 1848, Charles Baker; 1849 and 50, Z. II. Mudge; 1851 and 2, Stephen Cushing ; 1853 and 4, Gilbert Haven; 1855 and 6, Chester Field; 1857, Il. P. Andrews; 1858 and 9, W. F. Warren; 1860, Lorenzo White; 1861, George Prentice; 1862 and 3, Nathaniel Fellows.
PETITION FOR METHODIST SOCIETY IN WILBRAHAM.
COMMONWEALTHI OF MASSACHUSETTS.
To the Honbl Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled in Boston, on the fourteenth Day of January, in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and ninety-five.
Humbly Show the inhabitants of the Town of Wilbraham, in the County of Hampshire, that, Your Petitioners are of the Denomination of Christians called Methodists, and are conscientiously of the persuasion ; and are of Sufficient num- ber and Ability to support a Teacher, and defray the Expenses of upholding pub- lic Worship among themselves ; they therefore pray that they may be admitted to the Rights and Benefits of the Constitution in this Respect ; that they, and such others as may hereafter join them, in such manner as shall be prescribed by Law, may be incorporated into a Parish, by the Name of the Methodist Parish in Wil- braham, and be invested with the Powers, Privileges, and Rights which by the Law and Constitution of this Commonwealth, Parishes ought to have and enjoy.
And as in Duty bound shall pray.
LEMUEL SMITHI, Elder in the Methodist Church.
ROBERT COFFIN.
JUSTICE STEBBINS.
ABEL BLISS.
ASA JONES.
CHARLES BREWER.
EZRA BARKER, JR.
SILAS BLISS.
MATTHEW GROVER.
EPHRAIM FULLER.
AARON FROST.
GAIUS BREWER.
FREDERICK STEBBINS.
JOHN RUSSELL.
ABNER S. BREWER
AUGUSTUS SISSON.
JOSEPHI ABBOT.
PHINEAS STEBBINS.
ANSON BREWER.
MOSES K. BARTLET.
CESAR TYLER.
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ETHAN WARRINER.
ABNER CHAPIN.
SOLOMON WARRINER, JR.
WILLIAM Sucetser ? BREWER.
ELIJAH STEBBINS.
ELISHIA WALDEN.
CYRUS STEBBINS.
WALTER STEBBINS.
THOMAS HOWARD.
JAMES HAMMOND.
ABEL BLISS, JR.
TIMOTHY STEBBINS,
This Petition was referred to the Committee on Parishes, which report- ed January 31, 1795, the usual order, notifying "the several parishes " in town, "that they appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of said Petition should not be granted," at the first session of the next General Court, to be holden in May and June following.
JOHN LOUD.
The South Parish made answer, June 12, 1795, by " John Bliss and Phinehas Stebbins, that the parish have made no objections against the prayer of the petition being granted."
The North Parish, by their Committee, James Shaw, Reuben Sikes, and Chileab B. Merrick, made an elaborate reply to the petition. They represent, that on the division of the town into two parishes, the meet- ing-house was one mile south of the centre of the parish, and that they could not persuade the owner to sell the central lot on which all were agreed ; that while they were waiting, the roof of the meeting-house be- came so leaky as to render its use and preservation impossible, and that they permitted it to be new shingled at expense of individuals; that this " exasperated the leading and principal part of your petitioners to a great degree ; they accordingly assembled and entered into a solemn written agreement to separate from the parish, be no longer connected with them, and formed themselves into a distinct society, as they termed it ; the next Sabbath they went in a body, headed by one of the principal Baptists in the parish, to the Baptist meeting; they fell off gradually, and at length all left that meeting; at this time not one of them had ever heard a Methodist preacher ; but the preachers' of that order, ever willing to fish in muddy water, came among them ; they swallowed the bait, and are now as they say conscientious Methodists ; " that soon after, a nun- ber of the principal inhabitants of said parish " met and invited the pe- titioners to attend and give their reasons for their conduct ; that they came and said, that if we would dismiss our Minister (who by this time they had taken a dislike to), and remove the Meeting-house they would give up all thoughts of a separation; but a contract had been made with the min- ister and could not be annulled without his consent ; yet they would re- move the meeting-house just as soon as possible, " using all exertion with- in the bounds of reason." More than a year ago the selected spot was
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obtained, a meeting-house has been built just where they wanted it, the minister has been dismissed at his request, mostly, as he said, on " ac- count of these people ; " "yet they are as far from being satisfied as ever." The respondents also say that more than six of the petitioners are minors ; Cesar, the negro, is a transient person, already out of the State ; Lemuel Smith, who in the petition styles himself their elder, is not here but once a month, nor that much of the time; and will not stay long probably ; Grover has left the State ; two others wish they had not signed the petition ; so that there are only twenty-five of any weight. Their ability may be known by the portion they pay of the town tax : that tax is £136 1s. 2d. ; they pay £14 4s. 5d." They forbear to draw any in- ferences and leave the whole subject to the General Court.
To this, the petitioners reply, June 6, 1795, by their Committee, Gaius Brewer, John Russel, and Ephraim Fuller, in substance as follows : "That shingling the meeting-house is but one cause ; they were forever opposed to the settlement of their minister, and threw in their objec- tions before his ordination, yet he was settled in spite of the remon- strance of twenty-seven persons; they never consented to return but utterly refused to do so on any condition ; Nor did their minister ask a dismission on our account, but because his health was so poor that he could not continue ; nor is Lemuel Smith absent from us as they say, -his family is here, and when he is removed another minister will come. There are but five minor petitioners, and they are 'capable of choosing and practising the truth.' No one wishes his name taken off. As nearly all of us are of the North Parish, it is not just to estimate our ability by the town tax ; the Parish tax for building the Meeting-House is £343, and we pay £90. We are not fickle, nor do our ministers " fish in muddy water."
The Parish voted, February 14, 1794, that all who belonged to the Methodists should be exempt from taxes, but afterwards changed, and rated the Methodists to build their meeting-house, when they had their own to build and a minister to support. They submit their case, -
" Not doubting but your Honors feel the spirit of republicanism, that liberty, civil and religious, might be established within the American shores."
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PETITION OF NOAH STEBBINS AND OTHERS FOR INCORPORATION "INTO A PARISH OR RELIGIOUS SOCIETY, BY THE NAME OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL PARISH, IN THE TOWNS OF WILBRAHAM, SPRINGFIELD, AND LUDLOW."
To the Honorable the Senate, & the Honorable the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in General Court assembled, in Boston, on the twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and five : -
The Petition of the subscribers most humbly exhibits that they are of a persua- sion and denomination of Christians commonly called Methodists, belonging to the towns of Wilbraham, Springfield, & Ludlow, in the County of Hampshire; and that they are of sufficient number & ability to support a teacher and defray the expenses of upholding publick worship among themselves.
They therefore pray that they may be admitted to the rights and benefits of the Constitution in this respect, that they, and such others as may hereafter join them in such manner as shall be prescribed by law, may be incorporated into a parish or religious society by the name of the Methodist Episcopal Parish or Religious Society in the towns of Wilbraham, Springfield, & Ludlow, and be invested with the powers, privileges, & rights, which by the law & Constitution of this Com- monwealth parishes ought to have and enjoy.
And as in duty shall pray
Newel Cone,
Ahimaaz Willey,
Matthew Cone,
Charles Converse, Moses B. Bartlet,
Ichabod Cone,
John Langdon,
Charles Johnson,
Calvin Stebbins, 2d,
Russel Parker,
Josiah Langdon,
Walter Langdon,
Noah Stebbins,
Eldad Stebbins,
Charles Brewer,
Christopher Langdon,
Abel Bliss, Jr.
Walter Stebbins,
Zadock Stebbins, William Brewer, Jr.,
Rowland Crocker,
Reuben Hendrick,
John Kneeland,
Abner Chapin,
James Calkins, David Cadwell,
Ezra Barker,
Benjamin Weaver,
Nathan Mack,
Samuel Brewer,
Scwall T. Mack,
Gains Brewer,
Elijah Jones,
Gordon Chapel,
David Calkins,
John Brewer,
Fred. Stebbins,
Nathan Alvard,
Peter Wallridge,
Noah Frost,
Steph. Cadwell, Jr.,
James Calkins, Jr., Eleazer Bishop,
Abel Bliss,
Benjamin Allen,
Charles Brewer, Jr.,
Jonas Keyes.
Joseph Bannister,
61.
Jona. Merrick, Jr., Zenas Parker,
Luther Stebbins, 2d, Noah Stebbins, Jr., Stephen Stebbins, Sylvanus Stebbins, Luther Stebbins, Eldad Stebbins, Jr.,
Leonard Frost,
Jonah Beebe,
Ezra Goss, Phineas Stebbins, Jr., Elisha Shepard,
Committed to the Standing Committee on Parishes, May 30, 1805, by the House of Representatives.
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In the same words another petition is presented at the same time, signed as follows : -
James Malvin, Samuel Harris,
Elias Frost,
Samuel Frost,
Ephraim Fuller, Jr.,
Elkanah Tenney,
Eliphalet Green,
Samuel Frost, Jr.,
Lemuel Parsons,
Jonathan Benton,
David Orcutt,
John Paulls, Jr.,
Stephen Pease,
Silas Holton,
John Charter,
Jedediah Sawyer,
Joseph Webster,
William Carlile,
Uriah Clough, John Clough,
David Slaster,
Elijah Thacher,
Anthony Slaster,
David Stebbins,
Uriah Clough,
Stephen Howard,
Gideon Hunn,
Daniel Swetland,
Ephraim Fuller,
Chester Wakefield,
William Butler,
Reuben Frost,
Anson Craw
John Russel,
24.
Wilbraham, 59; Springfield, 25 ; Ludlow, 8.
On the "Petition of Noah Stebbins and others and Stephen Howard and others, Inhabitants of Wilbraham, Springfield, and Ludlow, praying that they may be incorporated into a religious Society, by the name of the Methodist Episcopal Parish or Religious Society in the towns of Wilbra- ham, Springfield, and Ludlow," it is
Ordered, that the Petitioners cause attested copies of their Petitions, with this order thereon, to be served on the respective Town Clerks of the said towns of Wilbraham, Springfield, and Ludlow, and on the several Parish Clerks within the said towns, thirty days at least before the second Wednesday of the first session of the next General Court, that all concerned may then appear, and shew canse (if any they have) why the prayer of said Petitioners should not be granted.
In Senate, February 22, 1806.
Read and accepted.
Sent down for concurrence,
H. G. OTIS, President.
In the House of Representatives, February 24, 1806.
Read and concurred,
TIMOTHY BIGELOW, Speaker.
A previous petition of Noah Stebbins and others only is ordered and referred in the same way, June 11th, 1805 (except " third instead of second Wednesday," and " next session " instead of "first session of next," &c.)
The next autumn, forty-three of these petitioners renewed their petition, " notwithstanding there may be objections by Towns or Parishes."
The North and South Parishes answered the notification of the petition in nearly the same words, as follows (omitting the formal introdue- tion ) : -
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" The clerk of the town has favored us with a writing purporting to be an order of your Honors on the petition of Noah Stebbins and others, praying to be incorpo- rated into a religious society, also papers purporting to be Petitions of said Noah Steh- bins, Stephen Howard and others, but neither of said papers are attested by any person as coppies, so that we are wholly at a loss whether there be any such petitions pend- ing, and we know not the names of the petitioners except the two above mentioned. Indeed, the person who left the papers with the elerk said he would give the names of as many as he could remember, and gave about fifty. He soon after called and took said list away, so that we have not the names of the Petitioners but by the memory of the elerk, and his information was incomplet ; but a number have ap- peared and said that they signed said petition, but that they were deceived - that they had no idea of saying that they were Methodists, and wished to be incorporat_ ed, but that they were willing that others, to wit, Methodists, might be. Upon the whole, we think there has been great unfairness in obtaining said Petitions, and in giving notice. We therefore pray, if there is such a petition pending, your Honors would not grant the prayer thereof until we are regularly notified and have the names of the petitioners.
" As in duty bound shall we pray."
CHILEAB B. MERRICK,
Committee for SAMUEL F. MERRICK, North Parish.
PHILIP MORGAN, ROBERT SESSIONS, Committee for
1
STEWART BEEBE, South Parish
CALVIN STEBBINS, > of Wilbraham.
In 1819, forty-two inhabitants of Wilbraham, Palmer, and Monson, petitioned to be incorporated as " The Third Religious Society in the town of Wilbraham," alleging that they were situated about four miles from the nearest place of public worship, and that they had twenty years since formed themselves into a separate religious society, and erected a house of worship, and supported preaching almost constantly since that time ; but at length, finding it inconvenient to do so, in consequence of the want of an act of incorporation, granting to said society power to lay and collect a tax for that purpose.
The act of incorporation was not passed, and it is hardly necessary to copy the names of the petitioners. They were, I suppose, the supporters of the Baptist Society in the North Village.
Z. p. 142.
TIIE PRESBYTERIAN SADDLE.
The collectors found it very difficult at times to get the taxes of the heretics in town ; and no little cunning. as well as spunk, was sometimes
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displayed in escaping payment. Abraham Avery was a prominent man in the town, a tanner and saddle and harness-maker; a man of great en- ergy, indomitable persistency, pious and plucky to admiration ; from hair to heel a Methodist. He was cunning withal, and liked a practical joke, so be it was worthy of his religious profession. He owed a tax. He wouldn't pay it. The collector of the parish determined to have it. "Get it then," said Avery. Now Avery could make a good saddle, - one that the Queen's horse-guards would be proud of in finish, and whose strength would have carried any one of the six hundred through the immortal charge of Inkermann. So, in his meditations, Avery determined to make a sad- dle to pay his tax withal. He selected the pieces of leather which best pleased the eye, and fitted them together as he well knew how, being a skilful worker in leather, and mounted it with shining metal, so that it was very tempting to look upon, like the forbidden fruit of Eden. Avery knew that the strength was not equal to the beauty thereof; but as it was not for sound doctrine he made it, so he delighted in correspond- ency. The collector came ; the shop had been cleared of most of the finished work besides, and when he cast his eye upon the saddle, he did covet it much for his taxes, and was much delighted when Avery declined to pay them. "I must take this nice saddle, then," said the publican. " Take it then," quoth Avery, gruffly. It was taken. Avery's face was sparkling all over with delight as the constable put the prize in his wagon and drove off. It was sold at auction and brought a great price, far above the amount of the tax ; for it was known that Avery's saddles were of the best. The constable offered the excess of the sale over the tax to Avery, but he would not take it. The constable tendered to him the balance in gold ; Avery said he would have nothing to do with it. The saddle was purchased by a man from Belchertown. He was tempted
to try it early. It looked magnificently on his horse's back. He sprang upon it. Out came one stirrup ! down broke the seat ! ont came the bridge ! off dropped the sides ! and he spake words of Avery and the saddle which were not lawful to be spoken, and should not be written. He came to Avery in great wrath, and asked him if he did not warrant his saddles. " Certainly," said Avery. "Well, then," he replied, " look at this saddle." " Ah," said Avery, "that is the ' Presbyterian saddle,' I have nothing to do with that." And, with a relish of satisfac- tion, he again drew his strong waxed-end through the leather upon which he was at work, for he enjoyed hugely what had come to pass.
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A A. p. 149:
PREAMBLE TO THE VOTE INVITING MR. CALVIN COLTON, OF LONG- MEADOW, TO BECOME PASTOR. Page 142.
" Whereas the controversies between Arminians, Calvinists, Unitarians, and Trinitarians have been productive of great evil in the world, and unless speedily prevented, are like to produce the same with us, and we know of no so feasible method to prevent it as for our public teachers, when speaking upon the points which distinguish those sects, to confine themselves to the language of Inspiration or not to speak upon them at all; Whereas, Mr. Calvin Colton, of Longmeadow, whilst he has been with us, has in a good measure conformed himself to that rule, and hoping that he will increase more and more in that and all other divine graces which directly tend to the harmony of the church, and the prosperity of Zion, Voted," &c.
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