USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 52
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" There are many Indians that live among those that have subjected themselves to the gospel, that are catechised ; who attend public worship, read the scriptures, pray in their families morning and evening, who have not yet attached themselves to the visible church. The manner practised by these Indians in the worship of God is thus. Upon the Lord's days, fast-days, and lecture-days, the people assemble together at the sound of a drum, (for bells they yet have not) twice a day, in the morning and after- noon, on the Lord's days, but only once upon lecture-days, when one of their teachers begins with a solemn and affectionate prayer. In these acts of worship, for I have often been present with them, they demean themselves visibly with reverence, atten- tion, modesty and solemnity ; the men-kind sitting by themselves, and the women-kind by themselves, according to their age, quality and degree, in comely manner. And for my own part, I have no doubt, but am fully satisfied, according to the judgment of charity, that divers of them do fear God and are true believers; but yet I will not deny but there may be some of them hypocrites, that profess religion, and yet are not sound-hearted. But things that are secret belong to God ; and things that are re- vealed, unto us and our children.
" Their teachers are generally chosen from among themselves, except some few English teachers of the most pious and able men among them. Mr. Eliot hath of late years fallen into a practice among the Indians, the better to prepare and furnish them with abilities to explicate and apply the scriptures, by setting up a lecture among them in logic and theology, once every fortnight all the summer, at Natick : whereat he is present and ready, and reads and explains to them the principles of those arts. And God hath been pleased graciously so to bless these means, that several of them, especially young men of acute parts, have gained much knowledge, and are able to speak methodically and profitably unto any plain text of scripture, yea, as well as you can imagine such little means of learning can advantage them unto. From
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this church and town of Natick hath issued forth, as from a seminary of virtue and piety, divers teachers that are employed in several new praying towns.
" In this town they have residing some of their principal rulers, the chief whereof is named Waban, who is now above seventy years of age. He is a person of great prudence and piety. I do not know any Indian that excels him. Other rulers there are living there, as Nattous and Piam, Boohan and others. These are good men and prudent, but inferior to the first. The teachers of this town are Anthony and John Speen, who are grave and pious men. They have two constables belonging to this place, chosen yearly; and there is a marshal-general belonging to all the praying Indian towns, called Captain Josiah, or Pennahanit. He doth attend the chief courts kept here, but he dwells at another place, Nashobah."
Mr. Eliot translated the whole Bible into the Natick (or Nip- muc) dialect. This Bible was printed at Cambridge, in 1663, and is the first Bible printed in America. A second edition was printed in 1685, in the correction of which Mr. Eliot received great assistance from Mr. John Cotton .* The following is the title-page : " Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe UP BIBLUM GOD, Naneeswe NUKKONE TESTAMENT Kah Wonk WUSKU TESTAMENT."
The following is the Lord's Prayer, in the Indian tongue, con- tained in the above work.
Our father heaven in hallowed thy name come thy kingdom
Nushun kesukqut ; Quttianatamunach ktonesuonk ; Peyaumuutch kukketassutamoonk; thy will done earth on as heaven in our food daily
Kuttenantamoonk nen
nach ohkeit neane kesukqut; Nummeetsuongash asekesukokish
give us this this day and forgive · us our sins as neane
asamaiinean yeuyeu kesukod ; Kah ahquontamaunnean nummatcheseongash
wicked-doers we. forgive them Also lead us not
matchenekuk quengig nutahquontamounnonog ;
Ahque sagkompagunaiinnean en
temptation in 0h deliver us evil from for thine
gutchhuaonganit; Wehe pohquohnussinnean wutch match itut ; Newutche kutahtaun
kingdom and power and glory forever Amen.
ketassutamoonk kah menuhkesuonk kah sohsumoonk micheme
Amen.
The following is copied from a monument in the grave-yard near the Unitarian church in South Natick.
Hic depositæ sunt reliquia domini reverendi OLIVERI PEABODY, viri, propter mentis facultates et Literaturam necessariam maxima veneratione digni. Speculationes the- ologicas optime delegit. In officio pastorali conspicue effulsit, per annos triginta, Populo apud Natick ministravit præcipue aboriginum eruditionis in religione Christi- ana causa. In vita sociali quoque fuit exemplar. Benevolentia integra et hospitali- tate catholica maxime antecessit. Retributionem futuram certissime expectans, ministerium reliquit, die Februarii 2do, A. D. 1752, ætatis 54.
[Here are deposited the remains of the reverend OLIVER PEABODY, a man venerable for the faculties of his mind and for all needful learning. He delighted much in theological investigations. He discharged the pastoral office with great renown for thirty years ; ministering to the people of Natick, especially to the aborigines, in the
* " It is related that while Mr. Eliot was engaged in translating the Bible into the Indian language, he came to the following passage in Judges v. 28 : 'The mother of Sisera looked out at the window, and cried through the lattice,' &c. Not knowing an Indian word to signify lattice, he applied to several of the natives, and endeavored to describe to them what a lattice resembled. He described it as frame-work, netting, wicker, or whatever occurred to him as illustrative ; when they gave him a long, bar- barous and unpronounceable word, as are most of the words in their language. Some years after, when he had learned their dialect more correctly, he is said to have laughed outright upon finding that the Indians had given him the true term for eelpot. 'The mother of Sisera looked out at the window, and cried through the eelpot.' "
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cause of sacred learning. He was a model in social life. In benevolence and uni- versal hospitality he was pre-eminent. In the firm expectation of a future retribution, he was called from his ministry on the 2d of February, A. D. 1752, aged 54 years.]
NEWTON.
THE exact period of the commencement of the settlement of Newton is unknown. It was originally a part of Cambridge, and was styled Cambridge Village, or New Cambridge. It was incor- porated in 1691. This is a beautiful agricultural and manufactur- ing town, the Nonantum of the Indians. It is 12 miles S. E. of Concord, 7 N. of Dedham, and 7 miles west from Boston. Popu- lation, 3,037. There are five churches, 2 Congregational, 2 Bap-
Theological Seminary at Newton ..
tist, and 1 Episcopal. The Newton Theological Seminary, under the patronage of the Baptist denomination, was founded in this place in 1825, and was incorporated by the legislature the next year. In 1828 a brick building, three stories in height, besides a basement story, 85 feet long and 49 wide, was erected, at an expense of about $10,000. Three convenient houses have been since erected for the professors. In the mansion-house are accommodations for the stew- ard's family, a dining hall, a chapel, and recitation rooms. The regular course of study occupies three years. There are two vaca- tions of six weeks each ; one from the last Wednesday but one in August, the other from the last Wednesday in March. The semi- nary is about seven miles from Boston, in a very healthy position, being beautifully situated on an elevated hill, which commands an extensive prospect of Boston, and of the rich country around. In the central part of the town there are many elegant country resi- dences.
Newton lies in a bend of Charles river, which forms its bound- ary on three sides, and, by two falls of considerable extent, affords
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an extensive water power. There are two manufacturing villages at these falls. The Upper Falls village is 9 miles from Boston and 7 from Dedham ; it consists of about 70 dwelling-houses, 2 churches, 1 Methodist and 1 Baptist, a nail factory, rolling mill, and a ma- chine shop, where 100 hands have been employed. At this place the water descends 35 feet in the distance of half a mile, and at one place pitches over a ledge of rocks 20 feet high. The village, which is well built, is irregularly situated on a rocky elevation which rises with some abruptness from the bed of the river. The Lower Falls village is 11 miles from Boston, and about 2 miles N. W. from the Upper Falls village. A part of this village is within the bounds of Needham; it consists of about 50 dwelling-houses, an Episco- pal church, and 10 paper-mills. The Boston and Worcester rail- road passes to the north of this village.
In 1837, there were 2 cotton mills, 5,710 spindles ; 962,300 yards of cotton goods were manufactured, valued at $134,722; males employed, 53; females, 240; one woollen mill, 5 sets of woollen machinery ; 100,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $100,000; five paper-mills; stock manufactured, 975 tons; value of paper manufactured, $197,000; males employed, 53; females, 30 ; one nail manufactory ; nails manufactured, 700 tons, valued at $84,700; hands employed, 20; capital invested, $40,000; one manufactory of chairs and cabinet ware; value of articles manu- factured, $54,000; sixty males and six females employed; one rolling mill; 950 tons of iron rolled, valued at $76,000. Value of soap and candles manufactured, $22,500; vitriol, 1,800,000 lbs., valued at $50,000; barilla, 130 tons, valued at $4,550; value of machinery manufactured, $70,000; cost of materials, $35,000; capital invested, $120,000.
Nonantum was "the first civilized and Christian settlement of Indians within the English colonies of North America." Mr. Goo- kin, who formerly accompanied Mr. Eliot in his journeys, says " the first place he began to preach at was Nonantum, near Water- town, upon the south side of Charles river, about four or five miles from his own house; where lived at that time Waban, one of their principal men, and some Indians with him." Mr. Eliot set out upon his mission in Oct., 1646, and sent forerunners to apprize the Indians of his intentions. Waban, a grave and wise man, of the same age of the missionary, forty-two, a person of influence, met him at a small distance from their settlement, and welcomed him to a large wigwam on the hill Nonantum. A considerable number of his countrymen assembled here from the neighborhood to hear the new doctrine.
" After a short prayer in English, Mr. Eliot delivered a sermon (the first probably ever preached in this part of the old town) from Ezek. chap. xxxvii. ver. 9, 10 : 'Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, (to which the Indian term Waban is said to answer) prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, (say to Waban,) Thus saith the LORD GOD, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.' This ser- mon employed an hour. The preacher began with the principles of natural religion . acknowledged by themselves, and then proceeded to the leading doctrines and precepts
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of Christianity. He repeated and explained the ten commandments. He informed them of the dreadful curse attending the violation of the divine law. He then spoke to them of the person of JESUS CHRIST, of the place of his present residence and exal- tation, and of his coming to judge the world in flaming fire. He taught them the blessed state of all those who know and savingly believe in CHRIST. He related the creation and fall of man; and spoke of the infinite greatness of GOD, of the joys of heaven, and the punishment of hell ; finally persuading them to repentance and a good life. Having closed his sermon, he was desirous of knowing whether he had conveyed his sentiments intelligibly, in a language so new to himself. He therefore inquired whether they comprehended his meaning ; to which their unanimous reply was, 'We understood all.' "Mr. Eliot and his friends then devoted about three hours to familiar and friendly conference with them, to hear and answer questions which naturally were suggested by the discourse. This first visit was received with cordial and general satisfaction. Many of his audience listened to the pathetic parts of the discourse with tears; Waban, particularly, received those happy impressions which abode by him through life, and qualified him zealously and successfully to aid the generous design of converting his countrymen.
" A still larger number attended the next visit of the apostolic Eliot to Nonantum, Nov. 11. He began first with the children, whom he taught these three questions, and their answers. Q. 1. Who made you and all the world ? A. GOD. Q. 2. Whom do you expect to save you' from sin and hell? A. JESUS CHRIST. Q. 3. How many commandments hath GoD given you to keep ? A. Ten. He then preached about an hour to the whole company concerning the nature of GOD, and the necessity of faith in JESUS CHRIST for procuring his favor. He informed them what JESUS CHRIST had done and suffered for the salvation of sinners, and the dreadful judgments attendant upon the rejection of him and his salvation. The whole company appeared very serious. Liberty being given to ask questions for further information, an aged man stood up, and with tears inquired whether it was not too late for such an old man as he, who was near death, to repent and seek after Gob. Another asked how the English came to differ so much from the Indians in their knowledge of GOD and JESUS CHRIST, since they had all at first but one father. Another inquired how it came to pass that sea- water was salt and river-water fresh. Another, that if the water was higher than the earth, (as he supposed,) how it comes to pass that it does not overflow all the earth. Mr. Eliot and his friends spent several hours in answering these and some other ques- tions. The Indians told them, upon their quitting them to return home in the evening, that ' they did much thank God for their coming; and for what they had heard, they were wonderful things.'
" At the third meeting, of Nov. 26, some of the Indians absented themselves through fear of their powaws or priests, who had threatened them with their secret power of inflicting the penalty of death upon those who should attend. One of these powaws was, however, immediately and solemnly addressed by the intrepid missionary, who silenced and convinced him.
"Two or three days after this meeting, at which the audience appeared very serious, Wampas, a sage Indian, with two of his companions, came to the English, and desired to be admitted into some of their families .. He brought his son and two or three other Indian children with him, begging that they might be educated in the christian faith. His request was granted."
A school was soon established among them, and the general court gave the neighboring Indians a tract of highland, called No- nantum, and furnished them with various implements of husbandry. The Indians many of them professed Christianity, and the whole in the vicinity became settled, and conducted their affairs with prudence and industry. They erected a house of worship for themselves; they adopted the customs of their English neighbors, made laws, and had magistrates of their own. The increase of the Indian converts was such, that they found the place too strait for them, and there was a removal of the tribe to Natick, about 10 miles S. W. of Nonantum.
The records of the first church in this town were destroyed in the conflagration of the Rev. Mr. Merriam's house, in 1770. From
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other sources it appears that the first regular church gathered here was on July 20, 1664, and the first minister was Rev. John Eliot, Jr., son of the apostolic missionary of that name. He died, exceed- ingly lamented, in 1668, in the 33d year of his age. Rev. Nehe- miah Hobart was ordained his successor, Dec. 23, 1674. His character it is said may be collected from the following inscription. placed on his tomb-stone :
Hoc tumulo deposita sunt reliquia reverendi et perdocti D. D. NEHEMIA HOBART, Collegii Harvardini socij lectissimi, ecclesia Neotoniensis per annos quadraginta pas- toris fidelissimi et vigilantissimi, singulari gravitate, humilitate æque ac pietate et doctrina-a doctis et pijs eximia veneratione et amore recolendi. Natus erat Nov. 21, 1648. Denatus Aug. 25, 1712, anno ætatis 64.
[In this tomb are deposited the remains of the reverend and very learned teacher of divinity, Nehemiah Hobart, an estimable fellow of Harvard College, a highly faithful and watchful pastor of the church of Newton for forty years. His singular gravity, humility, piety, and learning, rendered him the object of deep veneration and ardent esteem to men of science and religion. He was born Nov. 21, 1648, and died Aug. 25, 1712, in the 64th year of his age.]
Mr. Hobart was succeeded by Rev. John Cotton, who was or- dained in 1714, and died in 1757. The following is the inscription on his monument :
Hic depositum mori quod potuit reverendi vereque venerandi JOHANNIS COTTONI, ecclesia Newtoniensis fidelissimi, prudentissimi, doctissimique nuper pastoris, concio- nandi tam precandi facultate celeberrimi, pietate spectatissimi, moribus sanctissimis undequaque et suavissime ab omnibus bene meriti, deploratique auditoribus præcipue, quibus vel mortuus concionari non desinit. Fama longe lateque vocalius et diutius marmore duratissimo, nomen perdulce proclamabit. Morbo non senecta fractus, e vita decessit, Maii 17, A. D. 1757, ætatis suæ 64, officii ministralis 43.
[Here lies the mortal part of the Rev. and truly venerable JOHN COTTON, lately the very faithful, prudent and skilful pastor of the church of Newton. He was eminent for the faculty of praying and preaching, was respected for his piety; and held in high and universal esteem for his pure and attractive virtues. His loss is especially deplored by his flock, to whom even dead he ceases not to preach. Fame shall spread his en- dearing name more loudly, extensively, and permanently than the most durable mar- ble. Broken by disease, not by the infirmities of age, he departed this life May 17, A. D. 1757, in the 64th year of his age, and the 43d of his ministry.]
Rev. Jonas Merriam succeeded Mr. Cotton, in 1758; he died in 1780, and his remains were conveyed to a family tomb in Boston. In 1780, a Baptist church was gathered in Newton, and Rev. Caleb Blood was pastor seven years ; he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Grafton. Mr. Grafton died in December, 1836. Measures are taking to erect a monument to his memory.
Captain Thomas Prentice, the partizan commander of horse so distinguished in King Philip's war, was of this town; he died in 1709, at the age of 89, in consequence of a fall from his horse. The following lines on the foot-stone of his grave have been de- ciphered :
" He that's here interr'd needs no versifying, A virtuous life will keep the name from dying ; He'll live, though poets cease their scribbling rhym ), When that this stone shall moulder'd be by time."
Rev. John Elliot, A. M., son of the apostolic Elliot, assistant Indian missionary. First pastor of the First Church, ordained on the day of its gathering, July 20, (Aug. 1, N. S.) 1664, eight years after the forming of a Society distinct from Cambridge, died Oct. 11th, 1668, A. XXXIII. Learned, Pious and beloved by English and Indians,
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" My dying counsel is, secure an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, and this will carry you safely to the world's end." As a preacher, lively, accomplished, zealous, and Heaven received his ascending Spirit, "155 years since."-Erected by the town, 1823.
PEPPERELL.
THIS town was incorporated in 1753. This town, with several others in the vicinity, some in Massachusetts and some in New Hampshire, were once included within the ancient limits of the town of Dunstable. The river Nashua forms the eastern boundary of the town, dividing it from Groton and the present town of Dunstable. The land bordering on the river is level, and the soil is good; the land at a distance from the river is uneven. On Nisitissit river there are several mills for various purposes, and the Nashua itself has several falls in its course along the border of the town, affording many valuable water privileges.
In the central part of the town there is a village, containing two Congregational churches, one of which is Unitarian, and an Insane Asylum, by Dr. Cutter. Population, 1,586. Distance, 17 miles from Concord, and 33 from Boston. In 1837, there were manu- factured 100 pairs of boots and 30,000 pairs of shoes, valued at $25,000; males employed 30; females, 15. There were 3 paper-mills ; 550 tons of stock were manufactured ; value of paper, $50,000; fifty hands (20 males, 30 females) were employed ; 40,000 palm-leaf hats were manufactured, valued at $5,000. Maj. General Prescott, one of the commanders at the memorable battle of Bunker Hill, was a native of this town.
READING.
THE town of Reading was incorporated in 1644. It is believed that the name of this town ought to have been applied to the town of South Reading, as the first settlement of the ancient Reading appears to have been made within the present village of South Reading. This town was set off as a distinct precinct in 1769. There is much good land in this town, though some portions of it are uneven and hard of cultivation. The principal village in the town consists of about 30 dwelling-houses, handsomely built, and a number of stores, having a business-like appearance. There are two Congregational churches, one of which is Unitarian; in the northern part of the township there is another Congregational and a Baptist church. Population, 2,144. Distance, 17 miles from Concord, 10 west from Salem, and 13 from Boston. In 1837 there were manufactured in this town 707 pairs of boots and 290,511 pairs of shoes, valued at $184,583; there were employed in this business 338 males and 494 females. There were eight manufactories of chairs and cabinet ware; the value of chairs and
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cabinet ware manufactured was $91,360; one hundred hands were employed.
The following inscriptions are copied from monuments in the grave-yard of the principal village :
Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Thomas Haven, the first Pastor of the 3d church in Reading, who quitted this scene of mortality May 7th, 1782, in ye 39 year of his age, and 12th of his ministry. Stript of its earthly dress, a genius unfettered by bigotry, improved by study, sanctified by religion, ennobled by an evangelic temper, enlarged by the most diffusive benevolence, has taken its flight to its native country. Beloved and esteemed as a most worthy character, whose excellent and acquired abili- ties and eminent moral endowments afforded the most flattering hopes of great and growing usefulness, his exit at such an early period is sincerely lamented by all his acquaintance, and most especially a most sorrowful event to the people of his charge. According to common reckoning by days, months and years, his death was premature ; but computing human life by the advances made in knowledge, wisdom, piety and virtue, he lived to a good old age.
In affectionate remembrance of James Bancroft, Esq. Venerated and beloved while living, his memory is blessed. Guided by Christian principle, he was enabled, through a long and useful life, to perform its various duties with fidelity. A defender of his country in her struggle for independence, he was magnanimous and devoted in the discharge of numerous civil offices, disinterested and faithful; and a Deacon in the first church in the place during forty-six years, distinguished by integrity, consistency and independence. In private life he was endeared by mildness and benignity, and ever evinced obedience to the first command by an observance of the second "like unto it." He has gathered to his fathers, "as a shock of corn in its season," May 17, 1831; Æt. 92.
SHERBURNE.
THIS town was incorporated in 1674. It is separated from Dover and Medfield by Charles river. The township is on an elevated site, with a good soil. In the central part of the town there is a village, having two Congregational churches, one of which is Unitarian. Population, 1,037. Distance, 15 miles from Concord, 10 from Dedham, and 18 from Boston. In 1837, there were 40 pairs of boots and 48,000 pairs of shoes manufactured, valued at $40,000; sixty males and thirty females were employed ; 2,000 straw bonnets were manufactured, valued at $4,000. There was an axe, plough and fork manufactory. The value of whips manu- factured was $5,325 ; capital invested, $1,325 ; twenty-one hands were employed, seven of whom were females. Value of muskets manufactured, $1,600.
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