USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > West Brookfield > Historical discourse delivered at West Brookfield, Mass., on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the First Church in Brookfield, October 16, 1867 > Part 4
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Deacon Othniel Gilbert became a member of this church September 7, 1766, and was chosen deacon October 14, 1767. In November 1788, " on account of Infirmity of Body," he re- tired from the office, having discharged its duties twenty-one years. He died February 6, 1795, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
Deacon Thomas Rich was received into this church by letter from New Braintree in 1759, and was made deacon October 14, 1767. Six or eight years later he removed to Western (Warren), where he died February 16. 1803, aged seventy-four.
Deacon Joseph Cutler was " descended from Sir Gervase Cutler, of Norfolkshire, England, three of whose sons. accord- ing to tradition, came over to this country previous to 1640." and was father of the late Hon. Pliny Cutler, who, for many years, was a successful merchant in Boston, and a deacon of
the Old South Church in that city, and who died in this town AAugust 14, of' the present year. He united with this church May 23, 1762. He was chosen deacon October 9, 1776, and " took yo matter under consideration." He signified his ac- ceptance of the office not till December 12, of the same year. on the resignation of Judge Foster. " Ilis views and habits were of the strict Puritan stamp. All work of man and beast upon his farm ceased on Saturday afternoon, an hour before sunset : the men shaved themselves and prepared for holy time before the sun went down : the work within doors was also completed, even to the preparing of the food for the following day: and from the going down of the sun on the eve of the Sabbath to the going down of the sun on the Sabbath day, no work, excepting that of absolute necessity and merey. not even the making of a bed not the sweeping of a room, was allowed. The whole time was devoted to rest, and to the solemn duties of religion. Although he lived three miles from the place of worship, yet he was ever promptly there, with all his family. morning and afternoon : neither heat, nor cold, nor storm, be- ing able to turn his steadfast steps from the sanctuary of God.". At his own request. " on account of age, and infirm- ity of body." he was released from the duties of his office , June 20, 1509, and died August 20, 1-25, aged eighty-six. Upon hi- tombstone we read :
In God's own arm he left the breath. Which God's own Spart asse, He was the mold trend to death. & Anthi the Bietet rule" Deacon Levi Gilbert united with this church May 24, 1775; was chosen deacon December 11, 1755; and died in office
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April 5, 1816, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. The slab that indicates the place of his burial tells us :-
" Humble and meek a lowly path he trod, And while he liv'd on earth, he walk'd with God; Good without show, obliging without art, His speech the faithful language of his heart ; His hope was grace, and his delight was prayer, His aim was Heaven ; O! may we enter there."
Deacon Samuel Barnes became a member of this church November 29, 1789, and was elected deacon June 20. 1509. He resigned the office " on account of age and infirmity," November 10, 1819, and died January 27, 1833, at the age of seventy-five.
Deacon John Ross united with this church July 16, 1780. He was elected to the office of deacon June 20, 1809, and re- linquished its duties November 27, 1828. He died October 16, 1846, aged eighty-seven.
Deacon Nathan Bucknam Ellis was a son of Asa Ellis, a deacon of the church in East Medway, and Margaret Buck- nam, a daughter of Rev. Nathan Bucknam, who was pastor of the church in East Medway for more than seventy years. He removed to this place from East Medway and joined this church November 4, 1792. He was chosen deacon July 3, 1816 ; and died September 6, 1819, in the fifty-sixth year of his age. It was he who, in conjunction with others in this parish, set up a fulling-mill, and carried on a somewhat ex- tensive business for those days, and especially excelled in the art of coloring cloth. Whitney # in his History, published in 1793, makes special mention of this Company. He says : " About five thousand yards of cloth are annually dressed at
* History of the County of Worcester, p. 79
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these works. These men have obtained the art of coloring scarlet, which competent judges pronounce equal to any which is imported : an art which few in this Commonwealth have attained unto."
Deacon John Wood united with this church December 7. 1-17, and was chosen deacon November 10, 1819. He re- signed the office March 14, 1832, and was dismissed April 7. 1833. and recommended to the First Presbyterian Church in Geneva, New York, at that time under the pastoral care of Rev. (now Dr. ) Eliakim Phelps. In the Fall of 1535 he re- moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and thence, in June, 1537. to Tosco, Livingston County, of the same state, where he was one of the first settlers, ( his son being the first) and the see- ond land owner in the town. The first religious meeting ever held in losco was held in his house. In the Spring of 1545. he removed to the town of Putnam in the same County, and. in September following, united with the church in Pinckney. of which he was chosen deaeon in August 1848, and continued in that office until a short time before his death. He died suddenly of heart disease March 23, 1564. His remains sleep by the side of those of his wife in Pinckney Church-yard.
Deacon Josiah Cary, son of Josiah and Mary ( Moulton) Cary, was received into this church August 8. 1-06, and was chosen to the office of deacon November 10, 1-19. He re- signed March 11. 1-32, and in 1535, March 1. his relation was transferred to the Presbyterian Church, Princeton, New Jersey. In 1835, be removed to New York City, and was a member of the family of his son. Rev. J. Addison Cary. until the death of the latter in 132, when he removed to Missouri, and lived with his daughter, wife of Res. . I. V. Schenck, until his death March >, 1501. He died at Saint
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Charles, Missouri, "in the full assurance of a blessed immor- tality," aged seventy-seven.
Deacon Alfred White, son of Asa and Anna White, and a lineal descendant in the fifth generation from Peregrine White. was born in this town July 25, 1785; united with this church May 23, 1813 ; and was chosen deacon November 10, 1-19. Although, for a number of years past, relieved from the active duties of the office, he still occasionally officiates at the Lord's table. He is one of the oldest surviving members of the church, as also among the oldest citizens of the town. But. notwithstanding his advanced age, he is an habitual attendant upon the public worship of God's house on the Sabbath, and is here with us to-day, not an unmoved spectator of these commemorative services. An occasion of solemn and tender interest, and of grateful recollections, on the 15th of Febru- ary last, was the celebration, in the vestry of this church, of the sixtieth anniversary of his marriage.
Deacon William Spooner was one of the fifty-one persons who united by profession with this church December 13. 151s. He was elected deacon November 27, 1828. He was dis- missed April 7, 1833, to the church in Oakham, whence he was received again July 30, 1837. In 1851 he removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he died February 13, 1565. in his sixty-eighth year. His remains were brought to this town, and deposited in the cemetery here, the funeral services being conducted in this church. At his grave we read the simple, fitting inscription, " There is sweet rest in Heaven."
Deacon Reuben Blair, Jr., was also among the fifty-one who. here in these aisles, united with the church on the same Sab- bath, December 13, 1818. He was chosen deacon January 27, 1833, and died August 2, 1859, aged seventy-four.
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Deacon Jairus Abbott, was received into this church from the church in Western ( Warren ), January 21, 1527, and was chosen deacon January 27. 1:33. In May 12, 1834, he was dismissed to the Evangelical Congregational Church in the South Parish ( now Brookfield), where he died March 15. 1550, at the age of threescore and ten years.
Deacon Josiah Henshaw, son of Josiah and Sarah ( Phipps ) Henshaw, united with this church September 29. 1516, and was elected to the office of deacon January 27, 1833. Of an ardent temperament, and of radical views and feelings. a warm friend of the enslaved negro, an earnest advocate of freedom, and impatient of delay, in the anti-slavery excitement of 1840 and onwards, he was easily led into some errors of opinion and indiscretions of conduct, which brought him into unhappy col- lision with the majority of the church, resulting, finally, in his excommunication, January 26. 1:43.
Deacon Baxter Ellis, son of Deacon Nathan B. and Thank- ful (Barritt ) Ellis, united with this church in August 1518. and was chosen deacon June 16. 1545. He retired from the active duties of the office JJune 5, 1851, and died October S. 1-66. in the seventy-fifth year of his age.
Deacon Jacob Dupee, son of Elias and Abigail Dupee, was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. November 11, 1500. He removed to this town in 1-27 ; was hopefully converted in the revival of 1535, and united with this church May 8, of the same year. He was chosen deacon June 16, 1:45, and is still discharging the duties of the office.
Beacon Liberty Sampson, son of Daniel and Achsah (Snow ) Sampson, united with this church by profession .Jan- mary 6, 1-39, and was elected to the office June 16. 1545. He died October 15. 155, aged thirty-eight.
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Deacon Solomon L. Barnes, son of Ezra and Lucy (Caruth ) Barnes, united with this church by letter from Ware ( West), May 7, 1837. In November 1854 he was chosen deacon, the duties of which office he is still performing.
Deacon Moses Hall, son of Moses and Elizabeth Hall, was born in Spencer, Massachusetts, November 4, 1516, and re- moved to this town in 1840. In July 1853, he united with this church, and was chosen deacon in November of the fol- lowing year. On removing from the place, he resigned the office, and his resignation was accepted April 9, 1863. He was recommended to the Congregational Church in Wethers- field, Connecticut, May 31, 1864, whence he was received again May 5, 1865 .*
Deacon Samuel Newell White, son of Deacon Alfred and Sarah (Gilbert) White, united with this church May 3, 1535. and was chosen deacon July 1, 1859. He resigned the office February 1, 1867.
Deacon Enos Gilbert son of Bethucl and Chloe (Hill ) Gil- bert, united with this church March 3, 1839, and was elected deacon April 21, 1865, the church, on the same day. having previously voted to limit the term of service to five years. t He still retains the office.
HOUSES OF WORSHIP.
The first meeting-house in Brookfield was situated on Foster's Hill, about half a mile south-cast of the house in which we are now assembled. It stood on the north side of the old road to Brookfield (South Parish), about equally distant from the house of the late Mr. Baxter Barnes, and the one now owned by Mr. D. H. Richardson.
* He was re-elected deacon November 1. 1567.
t This vote was rescinded November 1, 1567.
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What were the dimensions of that rude. primitive structure we have no means of determining. It must have been built very soon after the first settlement of the town : for it was as early as 1675, on that dread night of August 4th-only fifteen years after the original grant was obtained from the General Court,-that the meeting-house. sharing the common fate of the town, was laid in ashes by the Indians.
Forty years passed away before another house of worship was erected. The place in which the people met during the thirty years that elapsed after their return from dispersion by the savages, and before the building of the second meeting- house, cannot now be ascertained. From their constant ex- posure to the attack of Indians, it is conjectured that, accord- ing to the customs of isolated settlements at that time, they met in some fortified place. As Gilbert's Fort was in the centre of the settlement. it seems probable that. for many years, the inhabitants gathered there for public worship.
For a few years previous to the building of the second meeting-house, however, it is altogether likely that they met in a house which stood nearly opposite to the residence of the late Mr. Baxter Barnes on Foster's Hill. A building called the town-house stood in that place ; and, after the comple- tion of the second meeting-house, it was given to Rev. Mr. Cheney, on the condition that he would release the town from that part of their contract in which they had agreed to build him a house.
The see mil meeting-house stood on the same site as the first. On the 22 of November 1715. " The inhabitants of Brook- field agreed with the consent of yo Committee to build a meet- ing-house wherein to carry on yo worship of God ; in form and manner as followeth : siz. to foott in Length, and 85
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foott in wedht ; and to put in Galery pieces so y' they may build Galeries when they shall have ocation ; and to carry on the building of sd house as far as they can conveniently with y' Labour, and what shall be Required in money for ye carrying of sª work to be Raised by a Town Rate. and if any person or persons Refuse to Labour, Having suit- able warning by ye Committee Hereafter mentioned, shall pay their proportion in Money. The Inhabitants Likewise agree to gett ye Timber this Winter." At the same meet- ing the Committee reported that they "unanimously agree that the inhabitants build a meeting-house wherein to at- tend the worship of God, which shall be sett up and erected in said place where formerly the meeting-house was built, near old John Ayres' house-lott lying near about the centre of the town."
January 4, 1717, a tax of thirty pounds was voted for glass and nails for the meeting-house, and eight pounds for win- dow cases, and other public uses. Yet, four years later, the house seems not to have been quite completed, for under date April 18, 1721, we find the following unique vote, showing at least a rather doubtful solicitude for the physical comfort of the good deacons' wives of those days : " Granted a pue to be built on the left hand of the pulpit to be for the Deacons' wives, sd wives to set in the pue during their natral life."
Also, on December 14, of the same year.
" Voted, That the select men lay out the land about the meeting- house, as it is Granted upon Record.
" Voted, To build up the seats in the body of y" meeting-house with good strong plain seats.
" Voted, To build a ministry pue on yo Right hand of ye palpit. to the stairs of ye pulpit, to yo middle stud in ye window.
" Voted, That Henry Gilbert have a pue next to yo ministry pue.
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" Voted, That Deacon Joseph Jennings have a pue next to Deacon Henry Gilbert's.
" Luted. That he that hath a pue granted in the meeting-house do pay to the town Treasurer forty shillings for each pue by the first day of April next coming, or else to forfeit their pues; and the money so paid in to be laid out to finish the meeting-house."
A careful regard was had. in those times, for age, and social rank and worth, as is shown by the following action of the town dated January 13, 1727 :
" Fored, That the Committee y' shall be chosen to seat yo meeting- house shall have regard to age ( where it is honourable ), and to estate. taking y list y' Mr. Cheney's list Rito was made by for a rule, having also regard to men's serviceriddness in the town.
" Voted, That it shall be left to five men to seat the meeting-house.
" Foted, That Elisha Rice, Samuel Barnes, Joseph Brabrook, Thomas Gilbert and Samuel Wheeler be of s' Committee to seat to meeting- House.
" Voted, That the fore seat in y" front Gallery shall be equal with y" third seat in " Body, and y fore seat in y side Gallery shall be equal with ye fourth seat in ye Body of ye meeting-house."
Thus a man's wealth and standing in society were pretty accurately indicated by the relative position of the seat which he occupied in the house of God, where " the rich and poor mert together."
About forty years after the second meeting-house was built. it would appear to have suffered violence at the hands of some evil-minded and lawless men. For in a meeting of the town held September 80, 1754. " The question was asked by the moderator whether the town will effectually impour a com- mitter to proscento those persons who have demolished the meeting-house in the first parish, called the old meeting-house. in any Court, General or Executive, to final judgment and execution." or take any other measures for the settlement of the affair ; which received a negative vote.
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The third meeting-house was built in 1755, and stood near the spot where we are met to-day. January 22, 1755, the first Precint
Voted to " proceed to Build a meeting-house for Publick Worship at the turning of the County Rode near the north-east corner of a Plow-field belonging to John Barnes, being on the Plain in said first Precinct.
"Voted, That said meeting-house be built with timber and wood.
" Voted, That the meeting-house shall be forty-five feet in length, and thirty-five feet in width."
July 15, 1756,
" Voted, To sell the pew flour in the meeting-house to the Inbabi- tants of sd Precinct, preferenee to be made to those Persons who pay the largest tax, provided they will give as much as others.
" Voted, That seventeen Pews shall be made upon the flour of said meeting-house, and No More, adjoyning to the wall of said house.
" Voted, That Abner Gilbert be appointed to take Care of the Doors and Sweep the meeting-house, and if He except, he shall Sweep said house twelve times a year from this time, and oftener if need be, and that he shall receive as a reward twelve shilling at the end of the year."
This is the first intimation of the existence of a sexton. June 28, 1756-
" Voted, To build a Pulpit, Deaeon's seat, and Ministerial Pew ; also to build a body of seats having a Convenient Alley between them, and room on the baek Side for a tear of Pews between the body of seats and the Alley before the Pews in the frunt Part of the meeting-house."
In September 3, 1759, it was
" Voted, To sell the front Gallery in the meeting-house to make into Pews.
" Voted, To Build the Gallery stairs, Lay the Gallery floors, Build the Brestwork, and three seats in the front, and two seats in each of the Side Galereys."
March 24, 1770, Captain Thomas Gilbert was appointed to provide a "Cushing for the pulpit, such as he shall think
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proper, and Charge the Precinet therewith." The luxury of a cushion having been introduced into the pulpit. the next thing was to put upon the rough interior of their sanctuary a higher touch of art. It was voted. November 14. 1561, " That the meeting-house shall be Lathed, Plaistered and whitewashed at the charge of said Precinet next year." Forty pounds were ordered to be raised for that purpose. As yet no liquid chime of Sabbath bell had broken here the stillness of the day of holy rest. or ever spoken its winning " welcome to the house of prayer."
That sweet and soul-awakening sound was reserved for a later generation. In a warrant for a meeting, to be held No- vember 2. 1759. of "all the freeholders and other Inhabitants qualified by law to vote in Town meetings, living within the limits of the First Parish." there was an article .- " To see if the Parish will grant any money for the purpose of purchas- ing a Bell for the use of the Parish." But, at the meeting. the matter seems to have been passed over in silence : no action was taken upon it.
The next year ( November 1, 1790) the Parish voted to choose a committee of five men to draw a plan for enlarging the meeting-house. This committee subsequently reported " that eight feet be built at each end of the meeting-house. and built into pews. de:" but the report was negatived. The opinion, doubtless, prevailed that the better policy would be to build anew. For two years afterwards, it was decided to repair the old house by simply " patching the Ruf:" and at the same time ( October 29, 1799. they voted " to build a meeting-house for Publick worship on the land given to the first precinct in Brookfield by the late Lieutenant John Barnes for that purpose."
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On the 17th of December following, it was agreed " to ex- cept one of the Plans for a meeting-house presented by the committee chosen for that purpose," and-
" Voted, That the meeting-house be built by the sale of the pews, if the same shall be sufficient, if not, the remaining sum to be assessed on the Polls and Estates of the Precinct."
A committee of seven was chosen to superintend the sale of the pews, (as delineated in the plan adopted ) and the building of the house; which committee subsequently ( Jabu- ary 29, 1793) reported that they had sold the pews for eleven hundred and seven pounds. Arrangements were further made for procuring timber and other materials, and March 10. 1794, it was " voted to set the new meeting-house partly where the old one now stands."
Two months later the parish voted " that the new meeting- house stand on flat stones on the soil, as the ground is now staked out, and that the committee ask and provide for as many hands as shall be needed for raising the new meeting- house." Accordingly, the house in which we hold these serv- ices to-day soon began to rise ; was finished the following year, and dedicated November 10, 1795, the sermon on the occasion being preached by Rev. Enos Hitchcock, D. D. of Providence, Rhode Island. The original dimensions of the house, as would appear from the plan which it was voted to adopt, were, length sixty-three feet, breadth fifty feet.
The old meeting-house was removed, so as to give place to the new, to "the south corner of the lot of land formerly owned by Nathaniel Gilbert, late of Brookfield, deceased." and was devoted to town and parish uses. In 1509 it was sold at "publick vendue" for the sum of one hundred and eighty-six pounds.
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In the Spring of 1798 a second attempt was made to procure a bell, but, like the first, resulted in failure. But a better success was achieved the following year. when the parish raised the sum of four hundred dollars-half by sub- scription and half by tax-for the purchase of a Bell and an Eight Day Clock for the new meeting-house : the surplus money, should any remain, to be "appropriated to procure furniture for the Desk and Desk Window in said meeting- house." A bell of six hundred and seventy-one pounds weight was duly purchased of Mr. Paul Revere at Boston, and was "raised and hung," the whole at an expense of three hundred and forty-four dollars and fifty-six cents. For lack of funds the project of obtaining a clock was abandoned. (A clock, at that period, was an expensive piece of furni- ture.) It may be a matter of interest to know that the cost of transporting the bell from Boston to Brookfield, a dis- tance of seventy miles, in those days of slow locomotion, was four dollars and fifty cents - pretty lean wages, one would think in these times of inflated currency. as the work must have consumed at least two or three days of time for man and team. The present bell was purchased in 1855. The first introduction of stres here, as elsewhere, evidently did not meet with universal favor. The parish voted, De- cember 8, 1516. " to raise the sum of one hundred and fifty dolars for the purpose of erecting two stoves in the meeting- house." But they immediately reconsidered this action, and voted " that individuals belonging to the parish be permitted. if they choose to place a stove or stoves in the meeting- house." How soon thereafter this desideratum was obtained. does not appear.
In 120 measures were taken to procure an organ, which in
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due time, was accomplished. This instrument was replaced. in 1856, by a new and better one, which is still in use.
In 1838, forty-three years from the time of its erection, this house was thoroughly remodeled, at an outlay, apart from stoves, chandelier, and other ineidentals, of five thousand four hundred and sixty-one dollars and sixty-eight eents. It was turned around to a right angle with its former position, and moved baek about a rod in the rear of its original site. An addition was also built on each side of the old po.ch, the extent of the building, making the body of the house eighty feet in length, with a capacity, ineluding gallery, for eight hundred sittings. Instead of the former eupola, a steeple ninety-two feet in height was erected, bearing the same vane that crowned the old meeting-house. Besides, a projection of six feet, with four pillars, was added in front ; a new base- ment story was made, sixty-five by fifty-two feet, which. in 1840, was finished at a cost, inclusive of furniture for the vestry, of four hundred dollars, and divided into two apart- ments-one for a Vestry, and the other for a Town-house, which continued to be so used until our new and spacious Town Hall was completed in the spring of 1860. This house, as thus remodeled, was dedicated January 1, 1839. The introductory prayer on the oeeasion was offered by Rev. Mr. Smalley, of Worcester; reading of select portions of Seripture by Rev. Mieah Stone of South Brookfield : sermon by Rev. Hubbard Winslow of Boston ; prayer of dedication by Rev. John Fiske of New Braintree: concluding prayer by Rev. Dr. Snell of North Brookfield.
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