USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > West Springfield > Historical discourse delivered at West Springfield : December 2, 1824, the day of the annual thanksgiving > Part 4
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G.
The following are the earliest settlers, whose names are to be found on record, who were ancestors of the inhabitants in West Springfield :- Thomas Horton, Thomas Merrick, John Leonard and Robert Ashley, first mentioned in January 1639. These all had allotments, originally, on the east side of the river. Rowland Stebbins, Thomas Stebbins and William Warriner, first mentioned in January 1641. Thomas Cooper removed to Springfield from Windsor in April 1641. Samuel Chapin first named in 1644. Miles Morgan and Francis Pepper, first named in 1645. Benjamin Cooley, Francis Ball, Nathaniel Bliss, Joseph Parsons, George Colton and Griffith Jones, first mentioned in 1646. In respect to most of them, I am not able to ascertain the precise time when they, or their descendants settled on this side of the river. Soon after 1660, there were persons settled here of the names of Riley, Foster, Jones, Petty, Scot, Barber, Rogers, Miller, Parsons, Morgan, Fowler, Leonard, Bedurtha, Ely, Bagg and Day. Several of these names are now extinct in this parish.
H.
The original contract between the parish and Mr. Woodbridge cannot be exactly ascertained, in consequence of a defect in the record. It appears, however, that there had been some difficulty, in respect to it, and that there was never a definite settlement, till 1704. According to the agreement, which was then committed to writing, Mr. Woodbridge was to receive annually for his salary
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80 pounds, to be paid in provisions at a certain rate ; also, as a gift from the parish, the house and home lot which lie occupied, being about three acres ; and in case he should be called away by the providence of God, he, or his heirs, should still hold the property : in case his removal should be judged, by indifferent persons, to be his own fault, he should relinquish his title to it ; but if it should be judged to be the fault of both himself and the parish, then the estate should be equally divided. Beside this, he was to have the benefit of all the land appropriated for the ministry, on this side of the river, and of sixty acres in addition, granted him by the parish. They were also to assist him in building a barn, whenever he should desire it.
In 1712, they voted him 85 pounds salary ; for the three suc- ceeding years, 90 pounds ; and for the two last years of his ministry 100 pounds. Probably, the additional sum was in consequence of the gradual depreciation of the currency.
The Reverend Mr. Woodbridge was the grandson of the Reverend John Woodbridge, who was born at Stanton in Wiltshire, England, in 1613. The ancestor came to this country in 1634, was married to a daughter of the Hon. Thomas Dudley, and was ordained at Andover, September 16, 1644. Upon the invitation of his friends in England, he returned to them in 1647 ; but being ejected by the Bartholomew act, he came again to America in 1663, and became an assistant to his uncle, the Reverend Mr. Parker of Newbury. Ile was afterwards dismissed on account of his views of church disci- pline, and became a magistrate in the colony. Ile died March 17, 1695, in the 82d year of his age,* leaving behind him three sons in the ministry, and four grandsons, who were preparing for it. ITis son John, the father of Mr. Woodbridge of this place, was graduated at Harvard College in 1664, and settled in the ministry at Killing- worth, Connecticut, in 1666. In 1679, he removed, as it is said, by the influence of his wife, to Wethersfield, where lie was installed, and continued till his death, in 1690. Ifis son, who settled in this place, was graduated at Harvard College in 1694; and it is said, that seven before him, of the name of John Woodbridge, had been in the ministry, through as many successive generations. He was
* For a more particular account of his life, see Mather's Magnalia, vol. 1, p. 542.
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married, November 14, 1699, to Miss Jemima Eliot, daughter of the Reverend Joseph Eliot of Guilford, and grand-daughter of the celebrated missionary, John Eliot, often styled the apostle to the Indians. They had eight children, six sons and two daughters. Two of the sons, John and Benjamin, were graduated at Yale College, and settled in the ministry. The former, the Reverend John Woodbridge, was first settled at Poquonoc,* Windsor ; but after a few years, was dismissed, and installed at South Hadley. His brother, the Reverend Benjamin Woodbridge, was the minister of Amity, (now Woodbridge, in remembrance of him) near New Ilaven. Two other of the sons were settled in Stockbridge, from whom the family of that name, now residing there, descended. His widow is said to have been left in indigent circumstances, and it was by the assistance of some of her friends, that she was enabled to educate two of her sons. Several of the last years of her life were spent at Stockbridge.
The house, in which Mr. Woodbridge lived, stood a few rods north of the spot, now occupied by the house of Mr. Aaron Day. There is a tradition, that there was a cavern connected, by a passage, with the cellar of the house, to which the women and children of the neighbourhood fled for protection, in case of alarm from the Indians. The present appearance of the ground is such, as to give a high degree of probability to the tradition.
I.
The dimensions of the old meeting house, as near as can be ascer- tained, were as follows :- 42 feet square on the ground, and 92 feet in height. There were three roofs. On the first, there was a steep hip-roof, on each side of the building, presenting to the view a gable end. The second story seems to have been without these projec- tions,t and the third similar to the first. Each succeeding story
* The church, of which he was pastor, has since become extinct.
+ There is not an exact agreement of opinion, in respect to this part of the construction of the building. Several of the elderly people in the parish are quite confident that the three roofs were alike. This difference of opinion will not appear strange, when it is recollected that nearly 40 years have elapsed, since all the hip-roofs were taken away.
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was smaller than the one, which preceded it ; and the highest came to a point, surmounted by an iron rod, which supported a huge vane, of sheet iron, on which were cut numerous devices and the date of the house. Above this was a weathercock. The windows were of diamond glass, set in lead. Of these there were four, on each side of the body of the house, and one in the front of each of the hip- roofs. The floor of the building was placed upon timbers at the bottom of the sills. On the wall, there were fifteen pews. The body was made into slips fronting the pulpit, with a partition running through the middle, and forming two equal divisions. One of these divisions was occupied by the men, the other, by the women. The aisle did not pass through the centre of the house, but surrounded the slips. The galleries were supported by pillars. There were four massive beams, which passed directly over the front of the galleries, resting at the ends on the plates, and supported in the centre, by four needle posts, which hung down below the beams, terminating in the shape of a heart. These posts were supported by large braces, running into the posts, in the sides of the building. The interior was all open to the bottom of the second story. The pews, pulpit and railing were of oak and yellow pine. It is said that the timber, of which the frame of the house was made, was cut near the spot where the house stood ; and that the number of inhabitants, at that time, was so small, that all the males could sit on the sills of the house, after it was erected. The building was unique in its whole construction. The architect was John Allys of Hatfield.
Until 1743, the people assembled for publick worship, at the beating of the drum. At that time, there was a bell procured, partly by subscription, and partly by tax. It was broken and recast in 1761, and at one or two subsequent periods. In 1802, it was transferred from the old to the new meeting house, where it still remains. In 1748, the meeting house was furnished with a clock, probably, by individuals of the parish, as it is not mentioned in the parish records. It was made by Obadiah Frary, of Northampton.
In March 1786, after many unsuccessful attempts to agree upon a spot for a new meeting house, the parish voted to give liberty to
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individuals to repair the old one .* This was accordingly done, in the course of that year. Some alterations had previously been made, at several different periods ; but at that time, the hip-roofs were all taken down, the floor was raised above the sills, and another floor placed at the top of the first story ; pews were substituted for slips, and crown glass, for diamond glass. The expence of repairs considerably exceeded 100 pounds. The clock had been taken away several years before.
The house continued to be occupied as a place of stated publick worship, till June 20th, 1802, when, the new one being completed, Doctor Lathrop preached a valedictory sermon, from Psalm xlviii. 9. It was afterwards published. The old house remained for the accon- modation of the people, on funeral and other occasions, till 1820, when, by a vote of the parisli, it was taken down. A large part of the timber was then quite sound, and some of it was used in building the present town house.
Until 1760, the New England version of the psalms had been, so far as is known, the.only one used here, in publick worship. At that time, there was an attempt made to introduce Watts' version, but after the trial of a few months, when the minds of the congre- gation were asked respecting it, it was disapproved by so many, that it was judged inexpedient to introduce it by vote. It was then proposed and voted, that " trial should be made of the old version, Watts', and Tate and Brady's versions, during the time of singing, three times a day, to be sung alternately." At a subsequent meeting of the congregation in 1761, it was voted " to sing Tate and Brady's version of the psalms, upon the stated worship of the sabbath, and Doctor Watts', at the sacrament and all times of occasional worship.". It was but a short time after this, before Doctor Watts' version took the precedence of both the others, and has ever since continued to be used in our publick religious service. The practice
* The old meeting house had, for some years, been hardly a decent, or even a comfortable place of worship. As early as 1773, the roof was so defective, that in a town meeting, which was held on a rainy day, it was humourously moved, that they should adjourn to meet under a large tree near the house, in order to protect them from the weather.
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of singing and reading line by line, after being the occasion of some controversy, was finally laid aside about the year 1781.
J.
The salary, which the parish originally voted to Mr. Hopkins, was 100 pounds per annum, to be paid in provisions, at the market price, or in money, at the liberty of the people. As the currency gradually depreciated, his salary varied, from time to time, till, in in 1748, the nominal sumn was 500 pounds. After his death, the parish, in consideration of the loss, which he had sustained from the depreciation of money, in the several yearly grants, which had been made to him, voted that his widow should have the improvement of the ministry land for one year.
The Reverend Samuel Hopkins was born at Waterbury, Connecticut, and was probably a connexion of Governor Ilopkins, who was among the early settlers of that colony. It appears from his diary, that his father, who was a man of exemplary piety, died at Waterbury, November 4, 1732. Reverend Samuel Hopkins was graduated at Yale College in 1718. He was married, June 28, 1727, to Miss Esther Edwards, daughter of the Reverend Timothy Edwards of East-Windsor, and sister of the Reverend Jonathan Edwards of Northampton, afterwards President of New Jersey College. They had four children ; one daughter, who was married to the Hon. John Worthington, and died November 25, 1766, aged 36 years ; and one son, who was graduated at Yale College, and settled in the ministry at Hadley. Mr. Hopkins, in the early part of his ministry, purchased the house, which was afterwards occupied by Doctor Lathrop, and remained there, till the close of his life. An appropriate discourse was delivered here, on the sabbath succeeding his death, by the Reverend Mr. Breck of Springfield ; and on a subse- quent occasion, was given to the publick .* Mr. Hopkins wrote, during his ministry, about 1500 sermons. His only publication, so far as I can learn, was his Historical memoirs, relating to the Housatunnuck Indians ; or an account of the methods used for the propagation of the gospel, among that heathenish tribe, under the ministry of the
* Funeral of the Rev. David Parsons of Amherst.
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Reverend John Sergeant, with the character of that worthy mission- ury, and an address to the people of this country, &c. 4to. 1753.
A monument was erected, by the parish, at his grave, bearing, the following inscription :--
" Here rests the body of the Reverend Mr. Samuel Hopkins, in whom a sound judgment, solid learning, candour, piety, sincerity, constancy and universal benevolence combined to form an excellent minister, a kind husband, parent and friend, who deceased, October the 6th, 1755, in the 62d year of his age, and 36th of his ministry."
Mrs. Hopkins died June 17, 1766, in the 72d year of her age. She was a lady of distinguished talents and attainments, and filled her station with uncommon usefulness and dignity.
K.
The parish voted to Mr. M'Kinstry 80 pounds settlement, and 49 pounds salary, for the first year ; but they were gradually to increase the sum for ten years, when it was to be fixed at 62 pounds 13 shillings and 4 pence. In addition to this, they were to furnish his wood.
The following clergymen constituted the council, by whom he was ordained :- Reverend Stephen Williams of Long Meadow, Reverend Samuel Hopkins of West Springfield, Reverend Peter Raynolds of Enfield, Reverend Robert Breck of Springfield, Reverend Noalı Merrick of Wilbraham, and Reverend John M'Kinstry of Ellington. The father of the candidate preached the ordination sermon.
Mr. M'Kinstry died November 9, 1813. The following sketchr of his life and character is taken from the manuscript sermon of Doctor Lathrop, preached at his funeral, from Job xlii. 17.
" The venerable person, whose remains lie before us, lived long in the natural, and we trust, in the moral sense of the phrase. Ile died, being old and full of years. Ile was born at Sutton, in this state, in December 1723. llis father was an European. His birth and education were in Scotland. He was, for several years, a minister of Ellington in Connecticut, and I have often heard him spoken of in terms of respect .*
* He was graduated at the University of Edinburgh in 1712. He married Miss \ Elizabeth Fairfield of Wenham. He was minister of Suttou about 8 years, previous to his settlement at Ellington.
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" This, his son was educated at Yale College, and was graduated in the year 1746. After spending a suitable time in preparatory studies, he was licensed to preach the gospel. Some of his earliest labours were in this place, and here he was settled in the ministry, with comfortable unanimity, in September 1752, being then in his 29th year. Ilere he laboured with constancy and diligence, and to the general acceptance of his people, till the year 1789, when the failure of his voice, which was naturally small and feeble, induced him, with the consent of his people, and the approbation of a mutual council, to resign his labours, and to retire to a private station. For a number of years past, he has suffered under great bodily infirmities, to which have been added other trying afflictions, incident to this state of mortality. On Tuesday last, he closed this mortal scene, having almost finished his 90th year.
" He was a man of good natural talents, a respectable scholar, and a sound divine. His preaching, though it suffered some disadvantage from the feebleness of his delivery, yet was edifying to his stated hearers.
" He was a man of exemplary piety, of a candid spirit, of a modest, humble disposition, of great resignation under trials, of steady, unwavering patience under long continued infirmities, and of christian fortitude and hope in the view of approaching dissolution.
'" He has left to mourn his death an aged consort, with whom he had lived almost 54 years. I think their connexion was formed in February 1760."
Mr. M'Kinstry married Miss Eunice Smith, daughter of Mr. David Smith of Suffield. They had eight children, six of whom survived their father. Mrs. M'Kinstry died, September 1820.
After Mr. M'Kinstry retired from his labours, the parisli hired preaching at intervals, but had never a stated pastor, until April 28, 1824, when the Reverend Alexander Phoenix* was constituted their pastor. The ordination sermon was preached by the Reverend John B. Romeyn D. D. of New-York, from 2 Timothy ii. 15.
* IIe was graduated at Columbia College in 1795,
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L.
The third parish in West Springfield, commonly called Ireland, was incorporated, July 7, 1786. It is said to have received the name of Ireland from the circumstance, that several Irish families were among the earliest settlers of that part of the town. The Baptists commenced building a meeting house in 1787, but there was but little done, beside setting up the frame and partly covering it, till 1796. Its site was, originally, about 100 rods south of the spot, which it now occupies ; but in 1796, it was removed to the place where it now stands, and was so far finished, as to render it a comfortable house of worship. At that time, it became the joint property of the Baptists and Congregationalists, and has ever since been held by individuals. In 1812, it was extensively repaired, and has since been occupied by the Congregationalists about 12 sabbaths in the year, and by the Baptists about 40.
The Congregational church in this parish, was formed December 4, 1799, and consisted, originally, of 9 male members. It consists, at present, of 43.
The Baptist church was formed October 5, 1803. A sermon was preached, on the occasion, by the Reverend Stephen Gano of Providence. On the day succeeding, the Reverend Thomas Rand* was constituted its pastor, The sermon, at his ordination, was preached by the Reverend Elisha Andrews of Templeton. The present number of communicants in this church is 144.
The average annual number of deaths, in this parish, for the last twelve years, is about 10.
M.
In the year 1727, there were five personst baptized, by immer- sion, in this town, by the Reverend Elisha Callender, pastor of the first Baptist Church in Boston. In 1740, they, with several others, who had joined them, were formed into a church, and the Reverend
* He was graduated at Brown University in 1803.
t Their names were John Leonard, Ebenezer Leonard, William Scott, Abel Leonard and Thomas Lamb.
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Edward Upham became their pastor. Though there were persons belonging to this church from different parts of the town, yet most of them were from that part, which was afterwards the second parish ; and that was the principal field of his ministerial labour. In 1748, he resigned liis charge, and removed to Newport, Rhode Island, where he succeeded the Reverend Jolin Callender, as pastor of the first Baptist church in that town.
Sometime after the departure of Mr. Upham, most of those, who had constituted the church, of which he had had the care, consented so far to wave their peculiar sentiments, as to join with a number of others, of a different denomination, to form the church of which the Reverend Mr. Griswold was afterwards pastor. It, originally, consisted of 9 male members. There was a mutual agreement, that while Mr. Griswold should, when desired, conform to the views of the Baptist brethren, in respect to the mode of baptism, they, on the other hand, should reciprocate his candour, by receiving from him the sacrament of the Lord's supper.
In 1761, a meeting house was built, near the center of the second parish. Mr. Griswold's salary was 75 pounds per annum, with his wood, and a settlement of 40 acres of land.
The several parts of the service, at the ordination of Mr. Griswold, were performed by the following clergymen.
Reverend Mr. Ballantine of Westfield, offered the introductory prayer ; Reverend Mr. Dorr of Hartford preached the sermon from Colossians iv. 3; Reverend Mr. Breck of Springfield offered the consecrating prayer ; Reverend Mr. Williams of Long Meadow gave the charge ; Reverend Mr. Lathrop of West Springfield gave the Right hand of fellowship ; and Reverend Mr. Merrick of Wilbraham offered the concluding prayer.
Mr. Griswold continued his stated labours here till 1781, when he relinquished all claims upon the parish for support, and they, upon him, for ministerial services. He continued, however, to be the pastor of the church, and occasionally supplied the pulpit, till a short time previous to his death. His last sermon was preached on the 15th of March 1818, from Ephesians ii. 13. He died December 4, 1819, in the 87th year of his age. His funeral serinon
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was preached by the Reverend Mr. Gay of Suffield, from Luke xxiii. 28. Mr. Griswold had himself selected the text, with parti- cular reference to the destitute condition of his parish.
Mr. Griswold was of a respectable family, and was a native of Lyme, Connecticut. He was the son of the Reverend George Griswold, who was graduated at Yale College in 1717, and was settled in the ministry in the east parish in Lyme ; and was the cousin of the first Governor Griswold. He was graduated at Yale College in 1757. Ile was married November 17, 1763, to Miss Elizabeth Marvin, of his native place. They had six children, four of whom survived him. Mrs. Griswold died in January 1797, aged 59 years. He was afterwards married to Mrs. Elizabeth Colton of Granby, Connecticut. She died November 1815.
In 1772, the Reverend Edward Upham having resigned his charge at Newport, returned to reside in the second parish in this town. Here, he resumed his publick labours, and again collected his former charge. As a considerable proportion of them had become members of Mr. Griswold's church, which, at best, was feeble in point of numbers, their secession was sensibly felt. Mr. Upham continued his labours among them, till he had passed his 80th year, from which time he gradually sunk under the infirmities of age. 'The church, of which he had been pastor, about that time, became extinct. Hle died at his residence in Feeding Hills, October 1797, aged 87 years. His funeral sermon was preached by Doctor Lathrop, from Job xlii. 17.
Mr. Upham was born at Malden in 1709, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1734. Ile probably received the benefit of Mr. Hollis' donation. He was an open communion Baptist, and had the reputation of being a sensible man, and a good scholar. He was one of the earliest and most zealous friends of Rhode Island College, of which he was an original trustee and fellow. He was married, in March 1740, to Miss Sarah Leonard, daughter of Doctor John Leonard, of Feeding Hills. They had six children, five of whom survived him. His oldest son was shot dead, by mistake, while engaged with a party, in hunting bears, in the night.
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In 1800, the second parish was divided, by an act of the legisla- ture, forming what are usually called the parishies of Agawam and Feeding Hills. The meeting house, which had been built by the second parish, was removed, in 1799, from its original site, to the place where it now stands in Feeding Hills. The interior of the building, had always remained incomplete, till the year 1821, when it was neatly finished. The meeting house in the parish of Agawam was erected in 1803, and was dedicated in June of the same year. A sermon was preached on the occasion, by the Reverend Doctor Lathrop, and was afterwards published. The meeting house is occupied by the Baptists and Congregationalists alternately. In 1819, as the congregational churchi originally formed in the second parish, then belonged chiefly to the parish of Feeding Hills, there was a separate church gathered in Agawam. The original church was at the same time re-organized, and both adopted the same confession of faith. Each of the two churches now consists of about 40 members.
In 1821, the two Congregational churches and societies of Agawam and Feeding Hills associated in giving an invitation to Mr. Reuben S. Hazen* to become their minister. Ile accepted the call, and was ordained on the 17th of October. The Reverend Mr. Osgood of Springfield preached on the occasion, from Psalm cxxxii. 13, 14, 15, 16.
About the time that the church under the care of Mr. Upham became extinct, another Baptist church was organized in Agawam, consisting, originally, of persons, who had been members of the Baptist church in Westfield. The date of its constitution is January 26, 1790. On the 20th of the succeeding September, the Reverend Jesse Wightman, of Groton, Connecticut, was constituted its pastor. The sermon at liis ordination was preached by the Reverend Ashbel Gillet of Wintonbury. Mr. Wightman was removed from his labours by death, September 20, 1817. In January 1823, he was succeeded by the Reverend Thomas Barrett, of Woodstock, Connecticut. The church, of which he is pastor, consists, at present, of about 90 members.
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