USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol I > Part 36
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THE DUDLEY COTTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, DUDLEY.
This company was incorporated, February 8, 1816. The following names were corporators, with such others as may associate with them : John Nichols, Theodore Dwight, Stephen Bracket, Nathaniel Crosby, William Kimball, and David Carroll, and made a corporation by the name of "The Dudley Cotton Manufacturing Company," to be governed by the act defining the powers and duties of manufacturing companies of 1809.
With the right to hold real estate $50,000, and personal estate $50,000, for manufacturing cotton in the town of Dud- ley.
Amasa Nichols, Esq., of Dudley became, one of the asso- ciates, when this cotton-mill soon became generally known as the " Nichols Cotton Factory."
It has since passed into the possession of parties in Provi- dence, of whom it is understood that Oscar F. Chase, Esq., is the principal. The business has been much enlarged by the erection of new buildings, and is now regarded as a prosperous and able establishment.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
CHAPTER II.
CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
THE precise date of the organization of this church is not known at this time ; the records during the ministry of the first pastor are believed not to be in existence.
It is presumed that it was formed in 1732, as the first set- tlers took immediate measures to procure a religious teacher, and maintain religious worship. By a vote of the town the following year, reference is made to an action of the church as then existing ; also, the preamble to the act of the General Court incorporating the town implies that the petition for the act, by these first settlers, was founded on a desire to enjoy the privileges of public worship, and maintain the preaching of the Gospel to themselves and their families.
The first person who received a call to settle in the minis- try, in the town, was Mr. Isaac Richardson. It appears that a council was called for the purpose ; but there are no records among the proceedings of the town to explain the reason for not performing the services of the ordination, which did not take place.
On the 30th of January, 1734, it was voted to erect a meeting house, as had been proposed, on Joshua Pegan's old field, provided the land could be procured for that purpose ; and, on the 27th of the following March, it was voted to accept four acres of this land for the location
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of the same and for other public purposes, which had been given by the Indian proprietors, on the top of Dudley Hill, and to perform the conditions by them required, viz., " to allow the Indians convenient seats in our meeting-house when it is up." The frame of this first meeting-house was raised, October 23, 1734, and located nearly on the site of the present meeting-house of this society.
To aid in this undertaking, they applied to Chief-Justice Paul Dudley and the Hon. William Dudley, and received a donation of £100 and 100 acres of land for a parsonage, or settlement, for their first minister. They also applied to the General Court, and obtained a beneficiary act, authorizing the taxing of non-resident lands for the support of public re- ligious worship.
The first settled minister, as pastor of this church, was the Rev. Perley Howe, who was ordained, June 12, 1735, and dismissed in 1743. He came from Killingly, Connecticut, and was a graduate of Harvard university, 1731.
Their second pastor, Rev. Charles Gleason, was ordained in October, 1744, and died here in May, 1790. He was from Brookline, Massachusetts. There were several candidates for the ministerial office at this time, a Mr. Esterbrooks, Mr. Winchester, Mr. Adams, Mr. Gleason, and a Mr. Burbean. A committee of four members was selected to make choice of the candidate ; these persons were, Ebenezer Edmonds, John Vinton, Benjamin Newell, and Joseph Edmonds ; they were also to agree upon a sum for a settlement, and for the salary.
These proceedings for settling the minister, being entirely connected with the business affairs of the town, are a part of its records ; thus some of the particulars will be found in the historical sketch of its political affairs.
It will be seen by the history of town affairs, that this com- mittee selected Mr. Gleason, and arranged for his settlement
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and salary. Rev. Mr. Gleason gave his acceptance on the 13th of September, 1744, and was ordained on the 31st day of October following :
The ministers present on this occasion were : Rev. Mr. Aldine, Brookline; Rev. Nathaniel Walter, Roxbury ; Rev. Abel Stiles, of Woodstock, Connecticut ; Rev. Caleb Rice, Sturbridge; Rev. James Brigham, Brimfield ; and Rev. John Campbell, of Oxford.
Rev. Joshua Johnson, the third pastor, was installed in December, 1790, and dismissed in May, 1796. He was from Woodstock, Connecticut, and a graduate of Yale college in 1775.
The fourth pastor, Rev. Abiel Williams, was ordained on June 12, 1799, and dismissed on March 16, 1831. He was from Raynham, Massachusetts, and was a graduate of Brown university, 1795.
His successor, Rev. James H. Francis, the fifth pastor, was ordained, August 24, 1831, and dismissed, June 26, 1837. He was from Weathersfield, Connecticut, and a graduate of Yale college in 1826.
Rev. Walter Follet, the sixth pastor, was installed, Novem- ber 2, 1837, and dismissed, September 28, 1841. He was from Williston, Vermont, and a graduate of Middlebury col- lege in 1825.
The seventh pastor, Rev. Joshua Bates, D. D., was in- stalled, March 22, 1843. He was a native of Cohasset, for- merly a part of Hingham ; born, March 20, 1776 ; admitted to to the sophomore class in Harvard college, 1797, aged twenty- one; graduated in the autumn of 1800, and became assistant teacher in Philips' academy, and commenced at same time his theological studies under Rev. Jonathan French, where he continued two years.
He was licensed to preach by the Andover association, in April, 1802. He was invited soon after to preach at Ded-
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ham, and was ordained there, March 16, 1803. Hon. Fisher Ames was a parishioner in his society. He resigned this charge in 1818, and in March, same year, became president of Middlebury college, Vermont, and the same year was honored with the degree of D. D. from Yale college. After twenty-two years at the head of this college, he resigned in 1840, aged sixty-four. Chaplain in Congress in 1841. Soon after he preached a few months at Portland, Maine, and for two years at Northborough, Massachusetts, and from thence came to Dudley.
In the summer of 1852 Dr. Bates suffered from an attack of paralysis, but soon after recovered, and continued his ser- vices actively most of the time, till December, 1853, when, being on a pastoral visit, he met with an accident to his car- riage, and by his exertions took a severe cold, which brought on the disease that terminated his life, January 14, 1854, in his seventy-eighth year. The sermon preached at the funeral of Dr. Bates was by Rev. William B. Sprague, D. D., of Albany, from the text Isaiah, LIII, 1st and 2d verses, which has since been published by the request of the church and congregation.
ACT OF INCORPORATION OF CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY, DUDLEY.
This society was incorporated, June 23, 1797, with the fol- lowing names as corporators : John Chamberlain, Thomas Learned, Esbon Carter, Aaron Tufts, Jonathan Bacon, Samuel Healy, Jonathan Day, Nathaniel Healy, Benjamin Lee, Timothy Foster, Mark Dodge, John Courtis, Junior, Joseph Keith, Nathaniel Healy, Junior, Abel Foster, Jonathan Bacon, 2d, Joseph Healy, William Fisher, Mark Elwell, Lemuel Healy, Eliphaz Perry, Josiah Hovey, William Healy, Heze- kiah Healy, John Vorce, Simeon Wood, John Healy, John Foster, Edward Davis, Jepthah Bacon, Josiah Barnes, John
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Bowers, Moses Healy, Samuel Davis, Joseph Jewell, John Lawton, Jonathan Conant, David Nichols, David Nichols, Junior, John Coda, Nathan Wood, Ephraim Upham, Joseph Bracket, Benjamin Mixer, Jabez Day, Benjamin Kidder, Aaron Davis, Joseph Davis, Benjamin Lee, Junior, John Eliot Eaton, M. D., Ebenezer Ammidown, Josiah Conant, Junior, Rufus Conant, Moses Jewell, Asa Courtis, Luther Chamberlain, Amasa Nichols, Stephen Healy, Joseph Allen, Eden Davis, Joseph Davis, Junior, Josiah Perry, Augustus Eddy, Isaac Lee, Paul Dodge, Eber Foster, Thomas Upham, Nathan Upham, and Benjamin Upham, together with all those inhabitants of Dudley who shall join said society, and become members thereof, with their polls and estates, be and they hereby are incorporated into a society, by the name of "The First Congregational Society in Dudley," and John Chamber- lain, Esq., was authorized to call the first meeting of the corporators. An addition to this act was passed by the Gen- eral Court, February 9, 1798, including all persons in the town who generally worship with this society, and who do not be- long to any other religious society.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH, DUDLEY.
The Baptist denomination formed an organization at an early period in the history of this town, but labored under many difficulties through the oppressive power granted to the standing order, or those of the Congregational faith, which by law had the right to subject all the polls and property of the town to contribute to its support.
In 1732, the following year after this town was granted by the General Court of the colony, the Congregational church was formed; and in 1744, twelve years later, the following certificate appears on the records of the town, showing that a Baptist church was then in existence, but there are no records to show the date when this Baptist church was first organized:
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" Certificate .- A true list of the names of the members of the Baptist church in Dudley : Joseph Wakefield, Benjamin Putney, Paul Robinson, Silas Robinson, Jonathan Putney, and the names of them that attend meeting with them, Francis Courtis, John Courtis, and William Wake- field. This is to certify to the town clerk of Dudley, and assessors of said town, that we have chosen Paul Robinson and Francis Courtis to see that the assessors give orders to the constable of Dudley not to take any taxes of the brethren, nor of any of the society of the Baptist church, to support your minister, or defray ministerial charges, or for erecting any place of worship for your society.
" May 21, 1744.
"JONATHAN MARSH, Clerk of Baptist Church. "JAMES COATS, Brother of the Church.
"Entered on the records of the town of Dudley, September 16, 1746."
This certificate was the result of an act of partial toleration of Dissenters, first enacted by the General Court of Massachu- setts, in 1727, which favored Episcopalians ; but another law followed, as a result of a petition from the Baptists, in 1728, which exempted Anabaptists and Quakers, "provided that they usually attended the meetings of their respective societies, and lived within five miles of the place of meeting ; otherwise they were bound to pay taxes to the standing order."
This law was to continue in force only till May, 1733. Their oppressors often found ways of evading this law; many Baptists, Quakers, and Episcopalians were imprisoned, and their property distrained and sacrificed in the name of re- ligious support, but of a faith repugnant to their belief.
On the expiration of this law the rigor of intolerance was exercised to its fullest extent. The next year, on the petition of the Dissenters, this exemption was continued to the year 1740, and, on further complaint, was extended seven years more. It was under this last extension that the above certifi- cate was furnished for their exemption.
The last exemption law extended to 1747, when the same law was extended ten years, to 1757. Then, in November of
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1757, an act, styled " An Act Further to Exempt Persons Commonly Called 'Quakers' and 'Anabaptists' from Paying Ministerial Taxes," was passed, of which the substance is as follows :
" That from and after the 1st day of February, 1758, none of the per- sons commonly called ' Quakers ' or ' Anabaptists,' who allege a scruple of conscience as the reason of their refusal to pay any part or proportion of such taxes as are from time to time assessed for the support of the min- ister or ministers of any church settled by the laws of this province, in the town, district, precinct, or parish where they dwell, shall have their poll or estate, real or personal, taxed towards the settlement or support of such minister or ministers, nor for building or repairing any meeting- house or place of public worship.
" And to the intent that it may be better known what persons are of the persuasion of the people called ' Quakers,' who are exempted by this act, to have his poll or polls, or any estate to him or her belonging, ex- empt from paying a proportional part of the ministerial taxes that shall be raised therein, none shall be esteemed or accounted to be Quakers but such whose names shall be contained in a list or lists to be taken and exhibited on or before the 1st day of February next, and afterwards during the continuance of this act, on or before the 20th day of July annually, to the assessors of the town, etc., etc., signed by three or more of the principal members of that meeting to which they belong, who shall therein certify, that they verily believe the persons whose names are inserted in said list or lists are really belonging thereto, and are conscientiously of their persuasion, and that they do frequently and usually attend their meetings for the worship of God on the Lord's day.
" And to the intent that the Anabaptists who are truly such, and are therefore exempted by this act, may be the better known and distin- guished from those who pretend to be, but really are not of that persua- sion, etc., etc., as to have his or her poll or polls, or any estate to him or her belonging, exempt as aforesaid, none shall be so esteemed to be Anabaptists but suchi whose names shall be contained in a list or lists to be taken and exhibited on or before the 1st day of February next, and afterwards, during the continuance of this act, on or before the 20th day of July, annually, to the assessors of such town, etc., etc., signed by three principal members of the Anabaptist church to which he or they belong, and the minister thereof, if any there be, who shall therein certify, that the persons whose names are inserted in said list are really belonging thereto, and that they verily believe them to be conscien- tiously of their persuasion, and frequently and usually attend public worship in such church on the Lord's day."
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The act of 1757, with some trifling amendments in 1770, continued in force until the declaration of rights and the constitution were framed and ratified in 1780.
The second and third articles of the bill of rights were intended to give equal protection to all religious denomina- tions.
A part of the first article declares that,
" No subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained in his person, lib- erty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience, or for his religious pro- fession or sentiments ; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship."
And in the third article it is provided that,
" The people of this commonwealth have a right to invest their Legis- lature with power to authorize and require the several towns, parishes, precincts, and other bodies politic, or religious societies, to make suit- able provision, at their own expense, for the institution of the public worship of God, and for the support and maintenance of public Protest- ant teachers of piety, religion, and morality, in all cases where such provision shall not be made voluntarily.
" And all moneys paid by the subject to the support of public worship, and of the public teachers aforesaid, shall, if he require it, be uniformly applied to the support of the public teachers of his own religious sect or denomination, provided there be any one whose instructions he attends ; otherwise it may be paid towards the support of the teacher of the parish in which the said moneys are raised."
This law, apparently fair and equal in its effect, was changed from its true intents by another law, declaring that the society to which any party belonged who desired to withdraw his or their tax paid as aforesaid to the town, must be an incorpo- rated body; and as the dissenting parties, Baptists, Quakers, or others, did not belong to any incorporated societies (as these denominations of religion seldom had their societies in- corporated), they lost the right of withdrawing such tax, and thus were indirectly, through the right of the majority (such majority being generally of the orthodox Congregationalists'
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denomination), compelled to pay for the support of a religious faith contrary to their belief.
These hardships and inconveniences continued in some degree (although becoming less' oppressive by the increasing tendency to a spirit of universal toleration), until the ratifica- tion of the eleventh amendment of the constitution took place by the people, November, 1833, which gave free toleration, without distinction or subordination of one sect to any other. This article is as follows:
" Article 11. Instead of the third article of the bill of rights, the fol- lowing modification and amendment thereof is substituted.
" As the public worship of God, and instructions in piety, religion, and morality, promote the happiness and prosperity of a people and the security of a republican government; therefore, the several religious societies of this commonwealth, whether corporate or incorporate, at any meeting legally warned and holden for that purpose, shall ever have the right to elect their pastors or religious teachers, to contract with them for their support, to raise money for erecting and repairing liouses for public worship, for the maintenance of religious instruction, and for the payment of necessary expenses. And all persons belonging to any religious society shall be taken and held to be members, until they shall file witlı the clerk of such society a written notice declaring the disso- lution of their membership, and thenceforth shall not be liable for any grant or contract which may be thereafter made or entered into by such society ; and all religious sects and denominations, demeaning themselves peaceably and as good citizens of the commonwealth, shall be equally under the law; and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law."
On returning to the Baptist church in Dudley, the town records show the following as before given :
Voted, May 25, 1772: "To excuse the persons that belong to the Bap- tist church, from bringing their certificates in to the assessors yearly, so long as the law in favor of the Baptists and Quakers exists."
This vote shows that there still existed a Baptist church in this town ; and it is much to be regretted that there are no records yet found to show their place of worship or the' per- sons who officiated as their ministers up to this period. The
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above vote refers to the law of 1757, which was renewed in 1770.
It appears that after the Revolutionary war, Rev. John Martin, of Thompson, Connecticut, occasionally supplied preaching here ; also, Rev. William Bachelder and Rev. Sam- nel Waters, both of Sutton.
In 1790 the east part of the town was the principal place for holding their religious meetings. In 1798 a reorganiza- tion of this church took place in this east part of Dudley, which subsequently became the town of Webster; and Solo- mon Wakefield was ordained as their minister.
Mr. Wakefield, although a resident of this part of Dudley, had been up to this time a member of the Baptist church in Thompson, Connecticut.
He differed in his religious faith from many of his brethren of the church, being strictly Calvinistic, while other members favored Armenianism. This difference proved unfavorable to its success, and, finally, for a time they had preaching, only oc- casionally, until it nearly ceased to exist ; but an interest in religion revived with them through the labors of Rev. Mr. Crosby, of Thompson, Connecticut, during the years 1810 to 1812, being aided in his efforts by Rev. James Grow, of Pomfret, Connecticut.
In the year 1813 a colored preacher, from Boston, visited the Baptist brethren in this part of Worcester county, and, for a time, supplied preaching for this denomination in this part of Dudley. During his labors, he added to the church several persons by baptism. In the latter part of this year, and in 1814, the interest in these religious services had greatly increased, and meetings now became frequent. These meet- ings were held in private houses-the school-house, and some- times in the upper lofts of a factory that had recently been erected in what is now the north village, called the " Braman and Benedict," or "Village Factory."
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This revival was noticed in the Baptist Missionary Magazine, of September, 1814. After referring to the revival in Thompson, it added as follows :
" The same good work made its appearance in the adjoining town of Dudley, in which the word of God had been preached by Elder Paul, a colored brother, accompanied with Divine power, and made effectual, as we have reason to hope, to many souls. The revival here was equally powerful as in Thompson ; and, although the weather for the most part was very disagreeable, the meetings, (which were held almost every day), were so uncommonly crowded, that many could not get within hearing of the speaker's voice."
Adding :
" On the 24th of March, 1814, Elder Dwinell baptized ten at Dudley. April 13, Rev. Mr. Gano, of Providence, baptized seven more, when he preached from Acts rv, 33; and on the 26th of June, Rev. James Grow, of Pomfret, Connecticut, preached here, and baptized three; thus add- ing, by baptism, to the number of the converted here during this re- vival, twenty-seven members."
About this time several factories were erected in this vi- cinity ; besides the Village factory by Braman and Benedict, there was the Merino, the Nichols factory, and one at the east village, by Mr. Samuel Slater.
This had the effect to increase largely the population here, and, with others, there were added several Baptist families.
These circumstances proved favorable to establishing a permanent organization, which resulted in the Baptist church now in Webster, organized, October 26, 1814 .*
UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY, DUDLEY.
From an early period in this town there have been persons of the Universalist faith in religion. After the organization of the Universalist society at Oxford, in the year 1785, several persons from Dudley joined in attending and supporting that organization for many years.
** See Historical Sketch of that church, a continuation of the Dudley church.
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Occasional services of this order were held in this town, up to about the year 1829, when, on the 9th of May of that year, a society was formed.
The preliminary steps were by a petition signed by Samuel C. Butler, Tyler Simpson, Rowland Perry, and thirty-seven others, dated, " April 29, 1829," directed to one of the justices of Dudley, who issued his warrant calling the meeting at the house of John Congdon, Junior, on Saturday, May 9, as above, when the petitioners were legally organized as the " First Universalist Society in Dudley."
For a period of about four years they held their meetings in the hall of the hotel, in the center of the town, or in Nichols' academy. In the year 1833 this society joined with the Methodists, and erected a meeting-house at the common ex- pense of the two religious parties. The condition for this union was that each party should occupy half of the time this house. This union continued about two years, not satisfactory to either party, when, in the year 1835, the Universalists bought the interest of the Methodist friends, except one pew.
The Methodists now retired, and held occasional meetings in school-houses and private houses, until they erected a house of worship for themselves in 1845, in which they now continue to hold regular meetings under a separate organization.
The former house in which these two religious denomina- tions held their worship, but which became by the sale here referred to the property of the Universalists, was dedicated April 30, 1834.
The ministers who have supplied the pulpit for the Univer- salists have been as follows :
Rev. Gilman Noyes, began in 1829. Time left not certain.
" John Boyden, Junior, began in 1835. Time left not certain.
Joshua Britton, 66 1840. 66 66 66 66
66 William H. Griswold, 66 1842. Died March 8, 1844.
66 Joseph O. Skinner, began March 30, 1844. Time left not certain.
66 Samuel Brimlecom, April 17, 1845. Time left not certain.
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Rev. Albert Tyler, supplied a few months in 1847.
66 Cyrus A. Bradley, began in 1847. Time left, uncertain.
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