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 57
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 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
The first settlers early procured a minister, built a meeting- house, and performed every other act necessary for the immediate establishment of public worship among them. They erected the first meeting-house in 1637. The pitts (as the pews are called in the records) were 5 feet deep and 4} wide. The elders' seat and the deacons' seat were before the pulpit ; the communion-table stood before these seats, and was so placed that the people could approach it on three sides. This house was pulled down in 1672, and one much larger erected on the site of the old one. This house had 3 pair of stairs in 3 corners of the interior. Men were seated in the galleries on one side, and women on the other ; the boys in front. The duty of a tythingman in those days was arduous, and he received as much pay for his services, many years, as the deputy to the general court. He was obliged to go on errands for the elders, whip the dogs out of the meeting-house, and prevent disorder among the boys. The business of seating persons in these two houses came under the jurisdiction of the
* The first settlers brought with them a number of small hand-mills, with which to grind their grain ; the stones of which were about 2 feet in diameter. The stones of 2 of these hand-mills are stated to be yet remaining in the town. The first water-inill in Dedham was built in 1640. In 1664, a saw-mill was built on Neponset river, by Joshua Fisher. In 1681, a fulling-mill was built on Mother brook, by Draper and Fairbanks.
58
458
DEDHAM.
elders. The greatest tax-payer had the highest seat. This was a subject of some difficulty.
Rev. John Allin (so spelled by him) was the first settled pastor in Dedham. He came into the settlement in July, 1637, and immediately began to direct those pro- ceedings which laid the foundation of the church, which was gathered in the fall of 1638, and over which he was ordained in 1639. He came here, as his records express it, in expectation of employment in public work. He had received a liberal education in England, but had not been ordained. In forming the church, he required a strict scrutiny into the actions and religious affections of each candidate before admission, even in those cases where the candidate was a member of another church. This work he accomplished in a peaceful manner, and governed his church with increased repu- tation 32 years. Gov. Winthrop says in his Journal, that this church was gathered with good approbation. Mr. Allin was greatly esteemed by his church and the inhabit- ants, and his influence in the civil and religious affairs of that day was very exten- sive. Cotton Mather says that " he was a man of sweet temper, of a genteel spirit, a diligent student, of competent learning, a humble man, and sincere Christian. Mather proposes his epitaph,
Vir sincerus, amans pacis, patiensque laborum, Perspicuus, simplex, doctrinæ purus amator. -
Mr. Allin died in 1671, and was succeeded by Rev. William Adams, who was ordained in 1673. He ministered to the people till his death, in 1685. The next pastor was Rev. Joseph Belcher, ordained 1693, died 1723. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Dexter, who was ordained in 1724; he died in 1755. The next pastor of this church was Rev. Jason Haven, a native of Framingham, ordained in 1756. After an active and useful life, he died in 1803, and the same year Rev. Joshua Bates was ordained. In 1818, he was dismissed for the purpose of taking the presidency of Middlebury college, Vt. He was succeeded the same year by the Rev. Alvan Lam- son. During Mr. Allin's ministry of 32 years the records do not show any rate assessed for his support ; he depended on voluntary contributions and on the liberal grants of land from the proprietors. All the successors of Mr. Allin had salaries voted them by the town, although the salary was paid voluntarily by the people, with-
out a tax collector, many years. The following appears to have been the recorded rule of proceeding on this subject. In case any shall be at some time shortened in money, he shall put in for that time a paper, wherein his name, and his day's payment, as shall be due, is entered, which paper he shall once within one month take out of the deacon's hands, and pay the debt. And every man shall put his money in a paper each Lord's day, and his name written therein, and so deliver it into the box.
The second parish in Dedham was incorporated in Nov. 1730; including at that time the inhabitants in the west part of the town. The first minister of this society was the Rev. Thomas Balch, ordained in 1736. He died in 1774, and in 1776 was succeeded by Rev. Jabez Chickering, who continued with the people till his death, in 1812. Rev. Wm. Cogswell was ordained over this society in 1815 .- The third parish was formed from the second, being composed of the inhabitants of the west part of the town, who settled Rev. Josiah Dwight as their first pastor, in 1735. His pastoral relation proved unhappy, and he was dismissed in 1742, and was succeeded, the next year, by Rev. Andrew Tyler, who continued with the people till 1772, when he was dismissed. The next minister was Rev. Thomas Thatcher, ordained in 1780, died in 1812. The fourth pastor, Rev. John White, was ordained in 1814. A fourth Congre- gational society originated from the first society in 1818, which is known by the name of the New Meeting-House society, over whom Rev. Ebenezer Burgess was ordained pastor in 1821.
The Episcopal church in Dedham commenced in 1760. In the year 1768, it came under the direction of Rev. William Clark. A small church was then built by a few persons in Dedham and the neighboring towns. At the commencement of the Revo- lution, Mr. Clark was prosecuted, before the revolutionary tribunal at Boston, for directing two loyalists to a place of safety who were in danger from the populace. Failing to convict him of any crime, he was about to be acquitted, when he was re- quired to swear allegiance to the commonwealth. This he refused to do, and in con- sequence was condemned to be transported to foreign parts, and was immediately confined in a prison-ship in Boston harbor. Through the influence of Dr. Ames, a decided whig, he procured his liberty and a license to go out of the country. After he had obtained a small pension from the British government, he resided some time in New Brunswick ; but he afterwards came to Quincy, where he spent the remainder of
459
DEDHAM.
his days. From Mr. Clark's departure to 1791, there was occasional preaching in the society through the exertion of Bishop Parker. In 1791, the Rev. William Mon- tague came into this church, and became its rector, and continued in that office till 1818, when he was dismissed. In 1821, Rev. Isaac Boyle was instituted rector, at the unanimous request of the members.
In 1811, a Baptist society, partly in Dedham and partly in Medfield, was incorpo- rated, over which Rev. William Gamel was ordained pastor.
At the time of the first settlement of Dedham, the Indians were not as numerous there as in some other places, as those of that neighborhood had been, a year or two before, nearly all carried off by the small-pox, and most of those remaining alive had probably joined themselves to the tribes whose habitations were at some distance to the south or west. Numbers of them, it is supposed, united with the Naticks, a company of Indians placed on Charles river, about 10 miles west of the present village of Dedham, (and then within the limits of the town,) whom the Rev. John Eliot was endeavoring to civilize and convert to Christianity. The settlers of Dedham obtained a title to the soil by fair and honorable contract. Very soon after the arrival of Gov. Winthrop and his associates, the chieftain, Chickatabot, made a conveyance to the English of the country around Boston, including the territory now occupied by Dedham, (which was called Tist by the Indians.) After the death of Chickatabot, in 1633, a committee was appointed to find out such Indians as remembered the bargain. This committee obtained a quit claim from Wampatuck, grandson of Chickatabot, in which he states that forasmuch as he is informed by several ancient Indians, . ... that his grandfather did for a good and sufficient consideration convey to the English plant- ers the tract of land now called Dedham ; he, therefore, in consideration of that fact and of a reasonable sum of money, quit claims to, &c. This deed, which is long and particular, is dated 1685.
In Sept. 1673, the selectmen received orders from the general court to put the town in a posture for war. Upon this "the soldiers were frequently trained, the great gun mounted, a barrel of powder and other ammunition was procured, the people built a garrison, and set a watch." The fear excited was great, and many fled to Boston. Dedham, however, was well situated for defence. The town had been built in a compact manner, that it might be prepared for Indian hostilities. Little river and Charles river on the north would make the savages unwilling to approach in that direction. The plain all around Dedham was to a con- siderable extent cleared and level, and overlooked by a person in the belfry of the new meeting-house. To this circumstance it may be owing that none of the parties of Philip made an assault on the town. It was doubtless reconnoitred by his spies, and had it been unprepared, might have shared the fate of Medfield and other places.
That bloody contest, known as "King Philip's war," com- menced in 1675. The first actual outrage was committed in Dedham. A white man shot through the body was found in the woods. The circumstance agitated the whole colony. An Indian was arrested on suspicion, but whether or not he was executed is unknown. As it was the fortune of Dedham to be particu- larly connected with the events that immediately led to the break- ing out of the war, so it had the honor of an exploit which contributed more than any single occurrence, perhaps, next to the death of King Philip, to bring it to a close. Pomham, sachem of Shaomet, (now Warwick, R. I.,) was probably the only chieftain, except Philip, possessing sufficient energy and talent to have united the scattered tribe and infused into them his own spirit and
460
DEDHAM.
courage. He was a double traitor. He had quarrelled with Mi- antinimo, chief sachem of the Narragansetts, to whom he was tributary, and had placed himself under the colonial government for protection. When the war began, he joined Philip, and be- came, next to him, the most dreaded of the Indian warriors. He was slain by a party of Dedham and Medfield people, July 25, 1676. Fifty of his band were made prisoners, but he, refusing to be taken alive, was slain raging like a wild beast. The death of Philip, eighteen days after, soon brought this destructive war to a close.
The last of the aborigines in Dedham were Alexander Quabish and Sarah his wife. Sarah died in 1774, at the house of Mr. Joseph Wight. She was interred in the old Indian burial-place, about half a mile from Mr. Wight's house, at the foot of Wigwam hill-the last person there deposited. The funeral was attended by Rev. Mr. Haven. Alexander died at Natick, or Needham, in 1776.
Northern view of an ancient Oak, Dedham.
A large oak tree now stands in East street, in front of Mr. Avery's dwelling, which is 16 feet in circumference, near the bottom of the trunk, and is doubtless much older than the town. By it we are forcibly reminded how strong and stately stood his old companions of the forest. This tree is carefully and deservedly cherished by its owner. It is stated that $70 was offered for it for timber, to have been used in the construction of the United States ship Constitution ; but the proposals were rejected. It is of noble growth ; and long may it stand the monarch-tree of Dedham! The drawing for the above engraving was taken in the month of April, and of course was seen without its foliage.
The present village of Dedham is well built, and, including Connecticut Corner, contains upwards of 125 houses. Nearly all of them are two stories in height, and mostly painted white. Dedham is the shire town of Norfolk county. The court-house is situated on a beautiful green of more than two acres, and sur-
461
DEDHAM.
rounded with a railing. This edifice contains an area of 98 feet by 48, and has at each end a projection of 10 feet from the main body of the building, with a pediment resting on 4 doric pillars of granite, which are nearly 21 feet high, and 3 feet 10 inches in diameter at the base. The material of the building is hewn, white granite, from a quarry 8 miles west of it. This is probably the best imitation of the models of antiquity in the country ; in which strength, durability, and just proportions are happily uni- ted. The architect was Mr. Samuel Willard, of Boston. Near the court-house are two Congregational churches, (one of them Unitarian, ) and 4 near the south-west part of the town, (2 of which are Congregational, 1 Episcopal, and 1 Baptist.) The Dedham Bank has a capital of $150,000. Here are 12 stores, 2 hotels, a fire insurance company, and 3 newspaper presses. There are in this town 2 cotton factories, 3 paper-mills, a woollen mill, with 7 sets of machinery, which in 1837 manufactured 91,102 yards of cloth, valued at $204,000 ; males employed, 75; females, 75 ; and 1 establishment for making lead pipe and pumps. A num- ber of these are situated on " Mother's Brook," which is an arti- ficial canal, of 3} miles in length, which conducts about one third of the waters of Charles river into the Neponset river. This canal, as appears by the records of the town, was excavated in 1639, (only about four years from the commencement of the set- tlement,) for the purpose of forming good mill-sites. This is, undoubtedly, the first canal ever made in the country, and is no inconsiderable proof of the energy and wisdom of the early planters. In 1837, there were manufactured 7,175 pairs of boots, and 18,722 pairs of shoes, valued at $32,483; the value of chairs and cabinet ware manufactured, $21,250; the value of silk goods manufactured, $10,000; value of straw bonnets, $20,000; value of marble paper and cards, $18,000. Population, 3,532. Dis- tance, 26 miles from Taunton, 35 from Worcester, 35 from Ply- mouth, 30 from Providence, R. I., and 10 from Boston.
On the north-west corner of the court-house square, on the Boston road from Dedham, is a granite pillar, about five feet in height, which was once the pedestal to a column erected in honor of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, and surmounted with his bust. The column and bust are now gone, but on two sides of the pedestal is the following inscription :
ON THE NORTH SIDE.
The pillar of Liberty erected by the sons of Liberty in this vicinity.
Laus Deo. Regii et Immunitat m autoribusq. maxime Patronus Pitt qui Rempub. rursum evulsit faucibus Orci.
ON THE WEST SIDE.
The Pillar of LIBERTY to the honor of William Pitt, Esqr. and other patriots who saved AMERICA from impending slavery, and confirmed our most loyal affection to King George III. by procuring a repeal of the Stamp Act, 18th March, 1766.
Erected here July 22d, 1766, by Dr. Nathaniel Ames, 2d, Col. Ebenezer Battle, Major Abijah Draper, and other patriots friendly to the Rights of the Colonies at that day.
Replaced by the Citizens July 4, 182S.
462
DEDHAM.
In all the wars in which the country has been engaged, Dedham has furnished its full proportion of money and soldiers. In King Philip's war (as already mentioned) and the two French wars, the town lost a good number of men, who died of sickness in the camp or fell in battle. A number from the town engaged in the expedition against Havana, none of whom returned, and a con- siderable number served at the long and memorable siege of Louisburg, Cape Breton. At the commencement of the Revolu- tion the inhabitants were unanimously opposed to the oppressive measures of the British ministry. Town meetings were frequently held, and many patriotic resolutions are found on the records. In Jan. 1774, the town voted, " that they heard, with infinite pleasure the determination of other colonies to prevent tea from being used to enlarge the British revenue in the colonies ; and as so many political evils are brought about by the unreasonable liking to tea, and it is also so baneful to the human constitution, that if any shall continue to use it, while the act creating a duty thereon is in force, we shall consider it as a flagrant proof of their hostility to the liberties of the country and of their own stupidity." At the reception of the news of the Lexington massacre, all the militia of the town forthwith repaired to the scene of action. In the war which succeeded, the town furnished upwards of 100 men, who served either in the regular continental army, or who in the state service performed military duty in one or more distant campaigns.
Of the many eminent men who have lived in Dedham, are the following : Major Eleazer Lusher, came into the town with Mr. Allin, and maintained an eminent rank among the founders of the town, directing and taking the lead in all the most impor- tant affairs of the plantation. He was a representative to the general court, and a number of years, from 1662, an assistant. The following couplet was frequently. repeated by the generation which immediately succeeded him.
" When Lusher was in office, all things went well, But how they go since, it shames us to tell."
Capt. Daniel Fisher, one of the first settlers, was much employed in public business, in the several offices of deputy to the general court, speaker of that assembly, and assist- ant, in which office he died. He was a hater of tyranny, and was one of the four members of the general court against whom Randolph, the agent of James II. in the colony, exhibited articles of high misdemeanor to the lords in council. Capt. Daniel Fisher, 2d, inherited the spirit of his father, and was also much employed in the various affairs of the town. When Sir Edmund Andross was seized by the Bostonians on Fort Hill, he surrendered and went unarmed to Mr. Usher's house, where he re- mained under guard for some hours. When the news of this event reached Dedham, Capt. Fisher instantly set out for Boston, and came rushing in with the country people, who were in such a rage and heat as to make all tremble. Nothing would satisfy the country party but binding the governor with cords, and carrying him to a more safe place. Soon was Capt. Fisher seen among the crowd, leading the pale and trembling Sir Edmund by the collar of his coat back to Fort Hill. History has in- formed us of this incident in that revolution, but never told who took the lead of the country people, and who had the honor of leading the proud representative of a Stuart prince, the oppressor of the colony, through the angry crowd, and placing him in safe custody at the fort.
The Hon. Fisher Ames, LL. D., was a native of this town. This civilian, eminent for his talents and oratory, graduated at Harvard college, in 1774. He not long afterwards studied law in
1
0 T
S a a f
0
E
463
DORCHESTER.
Boston. The affairs of the Revolution drew his attention to poli- tics, and he became conspicuous by his speeches in the convention of his native state, on the adoption of the federal constitution. He was chosen a member of the first congress, after the organization of the general government in 1789, and for eight successive years was one of the most distinguished members of that body. He held the first rank among his countrymen and contemporaries, in strength and splendor of endowments, lofty eloquence, a profound acquaintance with the science of government, and an enlightened and ardent patriotism. His health then failed, and he withdrew from public life. The lustre of his character, however, continued undiminished. His retirement was adorned by uncommon amia- bility, modesty, and simplicity of manners, and the virtues of an enlightened and exemplary Christian. He died July 4th, 1808. His writings, prefaced by a memoir of his life, were published in one volume 8vo. 1809 .- Lord's Lempriere's Dict.
DORCHESTER.
THIS town was one of the oldest in the old Massachusetts colo- ny, it being settled and incorporated in 1630. Its original limits were very extensive, comprehending the present towns of Dorches- ter, Milton, Stoughton, Sharon, Canton and Foxborough. In the beginning of 1630, a Congregational church was gathered at Plymouth, England, of persons who intended to come to North America, in order to enjoy civil and religious privileges. After a day of fasting and prayer, they chose Rev. John Warham, a cele- brated preacher at Exeter, and Rev. John Maverick, to accompany them as their ministers. They set sail on March 20th, and arrived in the Mary and John at Nantasket on May 30th, where Captain Squeb, the master of the vessel, put them on shore, notwithstand- ing his engagement was to bring them up Charles river. Here they were "left in a forlorn wilderness, destitute of any habi- tation, and most other necessaries of life." Several of the com- pany having procured a boat, they proceeded to Charlestown, where they found several wigwams, a few English people, and one house with an old planter, who could speak the Indian lan- guagc. Ascending Charles river, until it became narrow and shallow, they landed their goods "at a well watered place," with much labor, " the bank being stecp." This place, according to tradition, was in Watertown, near where the U. S. Arsenal now stands. At night they had notice that 300 Indians were encamped near them; being alarmed, they sent their interpreter to inform the Indians of their pacific intentions, and to request that they would not molest them. 'The whole number of the English did not exceed ten. The next morning some of the natives appeared at a distance ; and one of them holding out a bass, a man was sent with a biscuit, which the Indian received in exchange for it. After
2
464
DORCHESTER.
this introduction, the natives were very friendly, and furnished the English with fish, giving a bass for a biscuit. The company that were left at Nantasket during the absence of those who went to Watertown, finding out a neck of land joining to a place called Mattapan by the Indians, that was a fit place to turn their cattle upon, with less danger of straying, sent for their friends to return. They all accordingly repaired to this place, and commenced a set- tlement about the first of June. They named the place Dorchester, " because several of the settlers came from a town of that name in England, and also in honor of Rev. Mr. White of Dorchester."
" The first inhabitants of Dorchester came chiefly from the counties of Devon, Dor- set, and Somersetshire. They were a very godly and religious people, and many of them persons of note and figure, being dignified with the title of Mr., which but few in those days were. Some of the principal men were Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Glover, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Smith, Mr. Gallope, Mr. Hull, Mr. Stoughton, Mr. Cogan, Mr. Hill, Capt. Southcote, Capt. Lovell, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Pinney, Mr. Richards, Mr. Wey, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Tilley. Among them came also Capt. Roger Clap, a very worthy, religious gentleman, then a young man. It seems that many of these people were trading men, and at first designed Dorchester for a place of commerce. Accordingly they built a fort upon Rock-hill, wherein were several pieces of ordon- nance, near the water side ; but the channel being poor, and the landing difficult, and Boston and Charlestown harbour being far more commodious, they desisted from that design, and many of them removed afterwards to Boston and other places ; so that many families about in the country had their first rise from Dorchester.
" These first settlers set down pretty thick together at the northerly end of the town, next the aforesaid neck of land, and on the easterly side near the sea.
" The two first years were spent in working themselves into settlements, and incor- porating into a body to carry on the affairs of the plantation; in granting parcels of land and meadows, some to each family ; their homesteads being their own option. The many great straits and difficulties with which they met, are thus pathetically described by Captain Clap : ' O the hunger that many suffered, and saw no hope in the eye of reason to be supplied, only by clams, and muscles, and fish. We did quickly build boats, and some went a fishing; but bread was with many a scarce thing, and flesh of all kind as scarce. And in those days, in our straits, though I cannot say God sent a raven to feed us as he did the prophet Elijah, yet this I can say to the praise of God's glory, that he sent not only poor ravenous Indians, which came with their baskets of corn on their backs to trade with us, which was a good supply unto many ; but also sent ships from Holland and from Ireland with provisions, and Indian corn from Virginia, to supply the wants of his dear servants in this wilderness, both for food and raiment. And, when people's wants were great, not only in one town, but divers towns, such was the godly wisdom, care and prudence (not selfishness, but self-denial) of our governour Winthrop and his assistants, that when a ship came laden with provisions, they did order that the whole cargo should be bought for a general stock ; and so accordingly it was, and distribution was made to every town and to every person in each town as every man had need. Thus God was pleased to care for his people in times of straits, and to fill his servants with food and gladness. Then did all the servants of God bless his holy name, and love one another with pure hearts fervently.'"
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.