USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol I > Part 17
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This generous offer was not accepted ; no reasons are recorded. Mr. Mckinstry was afterwards settled as the first minister of Sutton. He was born in Scotland, and educated at the university of Edinburgh.
It is not improbable that he might have been an acquaint- ance, and, perhaps, a fellow-student of Mr. Campbell, who afterwards became the minister of Oxford.
In 1720 the selectmen of the town applied to the associa- tion of neighboring ministers for their advice respecting Mr. John Campbell, a candidate for the ministry, then in their employ as their minister.
The association replied as follows :
WOODSTOCK, September 7, 1720.
"We, the subscribers, having been acquainted with the Rev. Mr. Campbell, now of Oxford, do approve of him as a person endowed with ministerial accomplishments. We hope and believe that, by the bless- ing of Heaven, he will serve to the glory of God and the spiritual etlifi- cation of souls, in the place where Divine Providence shall fik him in the Gospel ministry.
" (Signed) Josiah Dwight, John Swift, John Prentice, " To the Selectmen of Oxford."
Joseph Baxter, Robert Buck, Joseph Dorr.
190
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
It appears, from the records of the town, that Mr. Camp- bell had been employed a few months previous to the date of the letter from the association, before referred to, and that the people had a great desire to settle him.
July 15, 1720, a committee of five, of which John Town was chairman, was chosen and instructed to make definite proposals to Mr. Campbell in reference to his settlement.
This committee presented the following report :
" In the name of the inhabitants of the town: 1st. We called the Rev. John Campbell to be our minister. 2d. We promised to the said Mr. Campbell $60 salary. 3d. That the said Mr. Campbell himself, his heirs, and assigns, have freely given them the lot already laid out for the first minister of Oxford, with the rights thereunto belonging, and one hundred acres joining the above, if it can be had; if not, where it can be conveniently had. 4th. That we will give the said Mr. Camp- bell one hundred pounds settlement, in work, as reasonably as others have work for the money in Oxford; twenty-five pounds of it to be paid quarterly, as shall be directed by Mr. Campbell, provided he shall be will- ing to live and die with us in the work of the ministry."
The following reply was made by Mr. Campbell to the committee who made the call :
" GENTLEMEN : I have your call and proposals before me, and, upon mature deliberation, I accept your call and proposals to me, and hereby promise to be willing to continue with you in the work of the ministry as the Lord shall enable me, provided you continue a ministerial people. " JOHN CAMPBELL."
Some three months before the ordination of Mr. Campbell a church was formed, by the aid of neighboring ministers, on . the basis of the following covenant :
" We do now, under a soul-humbling and abasing sense of our own utter unworthiness of so high a privilege as God is graciously putting into our hands, own and accept of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for our God, in covenant with us, and do accordingly give up ourselves and our seed, according to the terms of the everlasting covenant, to Him, to be His, under the most sacred and inviolable bonds ; promising, by the strength of His grace (without which we can do nothing), that we will
191
OXFORD.
walk as becomes saints, according to the rules of God's Holy Word, submitting ourselves and our seed to the government of the Lord Jesus Christ, as Head of the Church, and to the watch and discipline of this church; managing ourselves toward God and man, all in civil and sacred authority, as becometh those who are under the teachings of God's Holy Word and Spirit; also, declaring it to be our resolution, that, in all things wherein we may fall short of duty, we will wait upon God for His pardoning mercy and grace, in and through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever."
The following persons, who were members of other churches, mostly in Roxbury and its vicinity, signed this covenant :
NAMES.
John Town and wife, Benj. Chamberlain and wife, Isaac Learned and wife, John Cummings and wife, Abraham Skinner and wife, Ebenezer Learned and wife, Philip Ammidown and wife, Abiel Lamb and wife,
Israel Town and wife, Benoni Twitchel and wife, Joseph Willey and wife, Samuel Barton and wife, David Town and wife, Nathaniel Chamberlain and wife,
Thomas Gleason and wife, Collins Moore and wife.
The church being now formed, according to the Congrega- tional usage, they, in their ecclesiastical character, chose Mr. Campbell for their pastor, which they would have previously done, had the church been formed.
By vote of the church (with which the town concurred), the ordination was appointed for March 1, 1721. The ordination services were as follows, viz. :
" Introductory Prayer, by Rev. Joseph Dorr, of Mendon. Sermon, by Rev. John Prentice, Lancaster. Ephs. VI, 18-19. Prayer before the Charge, by Rev. Josiah Dwight, of Woodstock. Charge, by Rev. Joseph Baxter, of Medfield. Prayer after Charge, by Rev. Robert Buck, of Marlborough. Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. John Swift, of Framingham. Benediction, by Rev. John Campbell, the pastor."
THE SECOND MEETING-HOUSE.
As early as 1737-fifteen years after the erection of the first house for religious worship-the town began to agitate the
192
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
question of a new house. The population not only required more room than the old house afforded, but the northern part of the town, which extended into what is now Auburn, de- manded a more central location.
Many town meetings were held, and much discussion was had on the location of the house. It was finally determined that it should be set near the center of the original grant for Oxford village, about 11,250 acres. This center is near where the present Town Hall now stands. It was, however, several years before the new house was built.
In 1748, though the new meeting-house was but partially finished, the town voted that " the congregation shall meet in the new meeting-house on the fourth Sabbath in this July, instant, to carry on public worship."
The next year the old meeting-house was sold to Moses Gleason for £66. The new house, though occupied, was not finished till 1752, at which time the town voted to accept the report of the committee appointed to dignify and appraise the pews.
What was the precise duty of said committee, and the pro- cess by which they arrived at their result, is a matter of some curiosity, as well as obscurity .*
The cost of the new house, as appears by the receipt of David Baldwin, the builder, was £640 14s. 11d.
September, 1752, it was voted, in town meeting, that "the pew next to the pulpit, on the east side, shall be the minister's pew." Also voted, that " those who were highest in the rates of their real estate towards building our meeting-house in Oxford proceed to draw their pews."
* It is believed that the term " dignify," as here used, was to give the preference, in the selection of pews, to those heads of families most noted in public affairs, and for their liberality in providing the means for the erection of the new house, and the support of pub- lic worship. It also extended to those most eminent in the church. This distinction was common in that day, but far different from the democratic tendencies of the present time.
OXFORD.
"The names of pew proprietors, and the valuation of pews, stands as follows, to wit:
PEW NO.
£ s. d.
Col. Ebenezer Learned,
3
52 16 00
Dea. Samuel Davis,
18
44 00 00
Widow Elizabeth Mayo,
14
45 15 04
Captain Elijah Moore,
8
51 10 00
Rev. John Campbell,
13
46 12 11
Lt. Samuel Davis,
1
-
52 16 00
Jonas Pratt,
17
39 11 03
Edward Davis,
2
-
-
51 18 00
Josiah Kingsley,
6
41 16 06
Jonathan Pratt, Jr.,
19
28 03 03
Duncan Campbell,
5
48 08 01
William Davis,
22
22 17 02
Ebenezer Coburn, -
20
24 13 04
Ebenezer Humphrey,
-
9
48 08 01
Isaac Learned, Jr.,
10
22 17 02
Joseph Philips, -
11
39 11 03
Dea. Jonathan Town,
12
40 08 10
John Learned,
16
22 17 02
Lt. Thomas Gleason,
23
23 17 02
Thomas Davis,
24
- 23 17 02
-
" David Mackintire dissents against the proceedings, because, he says, that he has not his right in the distribution of the pews."
In a warrant for a town meeting, May 26, 1761, is an article, to see if the town will grant any sum of money to pay the cost and charge of the Rev. John Campbell's funeral that was ap- pointed to be on Wednesday, 17th.
Ten pounds were granted for said funeral expenses.
It is to be regretted that nothing is recorded either in the town or church records concerning the latter part of the ministry of Mr. Campbell.
It is believed, however, that this venerable man retained his bodily and mental powers so as to perform the functions of his office down to the close of his life.
Some further notice will be taken of Mr. Campbell here- after, in this work.
After the death of Mr. Campbell Rev. Ebenezer Grosvenor
194
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
supplied the pulpit, and received a call, both from the church and town, to settle here in the ministry; but, for reasons not mentioned, he declined the call.
The pulpit was supplied by various ministers, till Novem- ber, 1764, when the Rev. Joseph Bowman was installed. Sermon on the occasion by the Rev. Ebenezer Parkman, of Westborough.
Mr. Bowman continued in the ministry with the church and people here, until dismissed, at his own request, in August, 1782. He suffered much neglect in receiving pay- ment for his stipulated salary, which, during the struggle of the Revolutionary War, the people were unable to pay, and discharge their liabilities for town, state, and the general government expenses, at that time.
From the dismission of Mr. Bowman to November, 1790- a period of near eight years-no entry was made on the rec- ords of the church. Of course, the church was without a pas- tor, and must have been reduced to a very feeble state. From the records of the town, however, it appears that money was raised, from time to time, for preaching, and committees ap- pointed for occasional supplies for the pulpit.
In 1790 Mr. Elias Dudley was a candidate, and was or- dained and settled as pastor of the church, April 13, 1791. The sermon on the occasion was by the Rev. Dr. Emmons, of Franklin : 1st Timothy, Iv, 13. Mr. Dudley soon became infirm and depressed, and at his own request, repeatedly made, after a ministry of about eight years, was dismissed, by an ecclesiastical council, in 1799.
In September following Mr. James Davis preached for some months as a candidate.
After him, Mr. Samuel Brown was employed for near a year. In 1802 and 1803 Mr. Hubbel Loomis supplied the pulpit. Each of these gentlemen successively received an in- vitation to settle, but declined.
195
OXFORD.
In March, 1805, Mr. Josiah Moulton was ordained and set- tled as minister over the church and town. Sermon on this occasion was by Rev. Mr. Wood, of Upton. In March, 1813, the following communication was made to the town by Rev. Mr. Moulton :
"TO THE FREEHOLDERS OF THE TOWN OF OXFORD.
"Gentlemen :
" Whereas, the raising of my salary by taxation upon the whole town is attended with considerable inconvenience, and seems to have been the occasion of no small disturbance ; and whereas, I am not disposed to be the instrument of discord and contention in society, -it is therefore my desire and request that the contract formed between me and the town, in 1805, respecting said salary, be dissolved and close from and after the 27th of March instant.
"' JOSIAH MOULTON."
Mr. Moulton was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council in April, 1813, after a ministry of about eight years.
Here now commences an era in the history of the religious affairs of Oxford. Up to this date the Congregational minis- ter had been supported by the town ; his salary was raised by taxation, the same as all other town expenses, such as schools and repairs of highways, etc.
The fathers of New England were of one religion, and for many years no other religious faith was permitted to be estab- lished for public worship. It was deemed proper by them that all the population should, according to their ability, bear an equal proportion of the expense for supporting religion, as well as education, for both were deemed essential to the wel- fare of the community.
The laws of the commonwealth gave a preference to the Congregational denomination, then known as the standing order ; and, while it authorized the assessment and collection of taxes for the support of this sect, it denied it to all other religious sects. This law gave great dissatisfaction as other
196
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
denominations of religion became established, and, finally, the Legislature passed exemption laws, protecting other sects from taxation for the support of the ministers of the standing order, under stated conditions.
An exemption law was enacted in 1757, providing that all parties claiming themselves to be Quakers, or Anabaptists, who desired to have their polls and estates exempted from such tax, should file a list of their names before the 1st day of February then next ensuing, and afterwards, during the continuance of this act, before the 20th day of July, annually, to the assessors of such town, and signed by three or more of the principal members of the meeting or sect to which they belonged, who were to certify their belief that the persons named in such lists were persons who were conscientiously of the persuasion therein set forth, and did attend such meet- ings. In some towns the names of all who belonged to the Anabaptists, or Quakers, were publicly read in town meeting, and a vote passed exempting such from taxation, as afore- said, and releasing them from the obligation of filing a certi- ficate.
The laws had been very rigid against both the Anabaptists and Quakers, but more particularly against the latter. Qua- kers were not allowed to be assessors, where a majority of the board had been elected to that office.
In this town, after the year 1813, the tax for the support of the Congregational minister was assessed upon only those who actually belonged to that society, and attended upon its worship.
This terminates the connection of the religious affairs of Oxford with the ordinary political matters. Henceforth they will be treated in this work under the separate head of " Ecclesiastical Affairs."
197
OXFORD.
SCHOOLS.
It does not appear that there was any definite act of the town in reference to a public school till 1733, when it was voted that the selectmen should procure a school-master. In 1736 the town voted :
" To build a school-house, fourteen feet wide by twenty feet long, with a chimney at each end. To be located near the meeting-house."
This, it appears, was a central house. To accommodate the. remote parts of the village (the whole east side of the town being so called), several houses were erected, in which the school was alternately kept, by the direction of the selectmen.
In 1740 Richard Rogers was hired by the selectmen, on a salary of £60, for a year, to teach in such places as they shall direct. Four places are specified-two at the north, and two at the south ends of the town ; a quarter of a year in each place.
Mr. Rogers seems to have become a fixture in his profes- sion; his salary was voted regularly from year to year. In 1751 the town voted :
" To build a house for Mr. Rogers to live in, as long as he shall be our school-master; to be placed on the town's lands near the meeting-house ; to be sixteen feet wide and eighteen feet long."
In 1762 the town voted :
'· To sell the house which our late school-master lived in."
So that he must have kept school in town at least twenty- two years.
This long service is facetiously alluded to in one of his receipts, on file with the town papers :
" Oxford, May 8, 1747 .- Then reckoned with the selectmen, and received £60, in full, for keeping school in said Oxford, from the begin- ning of the world to this day. I say received by me,
"RICHARD ROGERS."
198
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOWN IN TIME OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Nothing of special interest appears on the records of the town till 1774, when great excitement pervaded the whole of the English colonies, springing from the oppression of the mother country, and violation of their chartered rights ; and in Massachusetts, more especially, from the hostile attitude of General Gage, at Boston.
The following was an article in the warrant for town meet- ing, May 17, 1774 :
Article 3d .- " To see if the town will give their representative any instruction concerning the making good the damage done in destroying the tea in the harbor of Boston some time since, and do and act thereon as the town shall think proper "
This article was dismissed, and not brought to a vote.
The following record will show the spirit of the people in reference to the existing difference between the mother country and the colonies. At a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Oxford, assembled on the 29th of September, 1774, voted :
" To choose Edward Davis, Esq., Moderator.
"1st. Resolved, That, as by the late acts of Parliament we are deprived of the constitutional laws of the government of Massachusetts Bay, we will endeavor to maintain and keep peace and good order in this town ; to support and uphold all civil officers in the execution of their offices, so far as they conform themselves to the charter rights of this government, and assist them duly to punish all offenders against the same laws; to bear testimony against all riots, as well as against any number of men collecting in bodies together to hurt the person or property of any one.
" 2. Resolved, That we ever have been, and will be, true and loyal subjects of our most gracious Sovereign, George III, King of Great Britain, so long as we are permitted the free execution of our charter rights.
"3d. Resolved, That, considering the present alarming and distressed circumstances of this province, it is highly necessary for the military
199
OXFORD.
officers of this town to resign their commissions, and, therefore, do advise the said officers to resign accordingly; and that the soldiery, as soon as may be, to elect the same officers to take the command of the different companies in this town, if they will accept, and the major part of the soldiery shall elect them; and if any refuse to serve, then to choose others, experienced in the arts of war, in their stead."
At the same meeting voted and chose :
" Dr. Alexander Campbell and Capt. Ebenezer Learned to attend the Provincial Congress, at Concord, on the second Tuesday of October next, or at any other town in the province that shall be agreed upon.
" The foregoing resolves are passed, with no other aim or view than to keep peace and order in this town, until we can hear of some meas- ures taken by the Continental Congress, now sitting at Philadelphia, to which we mean strictly to adhere."
The Continental Congress, which was then in session at Philadelphia, resulted in the publication of a "Bill of Rights," which was submitted to the people. One article of high practical importance was the "Non-Importation Compact." They agreed, and associated themselves and their constituents, under the sacred ties of virtue, honor, and the love of liberty, not to import or use any British goods after the 1st day of December, 1774, particularly the articles of tea and molasses.
Committees were to be appointed in every place to see that this agreement was observed, and those who violated it were to be denounced as enemies to the rights of their country.
Of the great men who composed this Congress, Lord Chatham remarked in the British Parliament as follows :
" That, though he had studied and admired the free states of antiq. uity-the master-spirits of the world-yet, for solidity of reasoning. force of sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion, no body of men could stand in preference to this Congress; in the presence of their own pecu- liar difficulties, did not forget the cause of suffering humanity, but made, with other resolutions, one by which they bound themselves not to be in any way concerned in the Slave Trade."
The recommendation and doings, both of the Continental Congress and the Provincial Congress at Concord, were read
200
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
in open town meeting in this town, and unanimously ap- proved; and at the same meeting a committee of inspection was appointed to see that these measures recommended be duly observed.
At the same meeting :
Voted : "That the province tax now in the Constable's hands be paid into the town treasury, and there remain till further orders; and if the Constable be put to any cost for withholding the money from the province treasury, the town will pay the cost."
By these votes, especially the last, the town had fully com- mitted itself to the cause of the Revolution.
It is worthy of note to observe the perfect uniformity of sentiment in the interior towns of Massachusetts. Each was a miniature representative of the cause and principles which then agitated the whole country.
At a town meeting, July 8, 1776, four days after the Dec- laration of Independence at Philadelphia, and before the in- telligence of that event was received, the following vote was passed :
Voted : "To advise our representative in the General Court, that if the honorable Congress should, for the safety of the colonies, declare them- selves independent of the kingdom of Great Britain, to concur there- with ; and the inhabitants of this town do solemnly engage, with their lives and fortunes, to sustain the measure."
It is interesting to notice the transition from allegiance to the King of Great Britain to the new government of the State, as it appears in the warrants for town meetings. The warrant for March meeting, in 1775, is in this form, viz. :
" The frecholders of this town are hereby required, in the name of his majesty, to meet," etc.
One month later the form of the warrant reads as follows : " The freeholders, etc., are requested and desired to meet," etc.
Then, on the 12th of October, 1776, the style of notice is changed to the following form :
201
OXFORD.
" The'freeholders, etc., are notified and warned, in the name of the Government of the people of this State, to meet," etc.
SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.
The number of names of volunteers and men drafted for the army from this town are not found upon its records. The list here given has been obtained from the recollection of aged persons, recently living, and from the office for the payment of pensions to Revolutionary soldiers. The number of Revo- lutionary soldiers, as ascertained, who served from this town, are as follows :
Gen. Ebenezer Learned,
Capt. William Moore,
Capt. John Nichols,
Lieut. Benjamin Vassall,
Sylvanus Learned,
Lieut. Ebenezer Humphrey,
Arthur Daggett,
Lieut. Jacob Town,
Elisha Ward,
Jason Collier,
David Stone, Ebenezer Robbins, Sewell,
Frost Rockwood,
Sylvester Town,
William Simpson,
Elijah Learned,
George Alverson,
Sylvanus Learned,
Caleb Barton,
Richard Coburn,
John Learned, David Town,
Jacob Learned, Silas Eddy,
Allen Hancock,
Peter Shumway,
Solomon Cook,
Abijah Kingsbury,
Elijah Kingsbury,
Joseph Hurd,
Ezekiel Collier.
James Meriam,
Elisha Blanden, Francis Blanden, Jonas Blanden,
David Lamb,
Ebenezer Pray,
Levi Davis,
In September, 1776, a meeting of the town was called, by the recommendation of the General Court :
" To consider and determine whether the House of Representatives, together with the Council, in equal voice, shall form.a system of govern- ment for the State for its future safety and happiness, and whether the same shall be made public for the inspection of the people before it be ratified by the Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay."
14
202
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT,
The town very wisely chose a committee to consider the subject, and report. This committee met, attended to that service, and made report as follows :
" First. It appears that if the present General Court is properly con- stituted to act on any matters since the Declaration of Independence, which is disputed, yet there is a very unequal representation of the sev- eral towns in the State at present, in that some towns are allowed to send a large number of members, barely in consideration of population, without regard to lands and real estate, which appears to be in conse- quence of an Act passed by a former General Court, when there was a very thin house ; and therefore the present General Court is not in a situation to act on matters of such importance as forming a constitution for after generations in the State.
" Whereas, Mature consideration and deliberation appears necessary to be used in a case of such importance, we apprehend it should not be proceeded upon unless there is a more equal representation, and taking some further time for consideration and information touching said mat- ter.
" OXFORD, September 7, 1776.
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