USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Historical manual of the South church in Andover, Mass > Part 2
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The first meeting of the new precinet was warned by John Abbot, Joseph Ballard, George Abbot, Francis Dane, John
20
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Russ and William Lovejoy, and was held June 20, 1709. Henry Holt was its Moderator, and George Abbot was chosen the Clerk.
OFFICERS OF THE PARISH.
The following is a list of the successive Moderators of the Au- nual Meeting, Clerks, Treasurers, and Assessors, of the Parish, to the present date :
MODERATORS.
1709 Francis Dane. 1734 Dea. Nehemiah Abbot.
1710 Ens. William Lovejoy.
1735 Licut. William Lovejoy.
1711 Capt. Joseph Chandler.
1736 Stephen Osgood.
1713 Ens. Francis Dane. 1737 Capt. John Chandler.
1714 Lient. William Lovejoy.
1715 Dea. John Abbot.
1716 66
1717 Lieut. Francis Dane.
1718 Sergt. William Chandler.
1719 Dea. John Abbot.
1720 Lient. Francis Dane.
1744 Capt. Joseph Sibson.
1721 Dea. Nehemiah Abbot.
1745 Zebadiah Chandler.
1722 Stephen Osgood.
1746 Capt. George Abbot.
1723 Dea. Nehemiah Abbot.
1747 Ens. John Foster.
1724 יו .6
1748 1749 Ens. Ebenezer Abbot.
1725 Ens. John Chandler. 66 1750 Ens. John Foster.
1726
1727 Dea. Nehemiah Abbot.
1751 Mr. Isaac Abbot.
1728
1752 Ens. John Foster.
1729 Ens. John Chandler. 1730
1753 Mr. John Foster.
1754 Capt. George Ablot.
1731
1755 Timothy Ballard.
1732
1756 Capt. George Abbot.
1757 Dea. Isaac Abbot.
1733 Capt. John Chandler.
1738 ¥
1739 Dea. Nehemiah Abbot. 1749 Ens. George Abbot.
1741 Zebadiah Chandler.
1742 Lieut. George Abbot.
1743 Capt. William Lovejoy.
21
OFFICERS OF TIIE PARISH.
1758 Mr. William Chandler.
1759 Capt. John Foster.
1760 6. "
1804
1761
1805
1806 Dea. Daniel Poor.
1763 Capt. John Foster.
1807
1808 Col. David Wood.
1765 Capt. John Foster.
1809 Mr. Joseph Phelps.
1766 George Abbot, Esq.
1810 Mr. Amos Blanchard.
1767 66
1811 John Kneeland, Esq. 1812 Mr. Amos Blanchard.
1768
1769
1813 Capt. Solomon Ilolt.
1770 66
1814 Mr. Joseph Phelps.
1771 Mr. Joshua Holt. 1772 66
1816 Mark Newman, Esq.
1773 Col. George Abbot.
1817 Amos Blanchard, Esq.
1774 Mr. Joshua Holt.
1818 Dea. Mark Newman.
1776 Capt. Joshua Holt.
1820
1777 1778 66
1822
1779 Capt. IIenry Abbot.
1823 Maj. Nathaniel Poor.
1780 Capt. Joshına HIolt.
1824 Mr. Enoch Frye.
1781 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot.
1825 Mr. Amos Abbott.
1782 Mr. Philemon Chandler.
1826 Capt. Benjamin Jenkins.
1783 Capt. Henry Abbot.
1827 Capt. Timothy Flagg.
1784 Mr. Philemon Chandler.
1828
.6
1785 Joshua Holt, Esq.
1829
1786 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot.
1830
66
1787 Joshua Holt, Esq.
1831
66
1788
1832 Capt. Thomas C. Foster.
1789 Mr. Philemon Chandler.
1833 Dea. Mark Newman.
1790 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot.
1834 Dea. Paschal Abbot.
1791 Capt. Daniel Poor.
1835
1792 Mr. Philemon Chand'er.
1836 Joseph Rice.
1793 Capt. John L. Abbot.
1837 Capt. Thomas C. Foster.
1794 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot. 1838 Albert Abbott.
1795 Joshua Holt, Esq.
1839 Maj. Joseph Rire.
1796 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot.
1840 Capt. Thomas C. Foster.
1797 Lieut. Zebadiah Holt.
1841 Capt. Joshua Ballard.
1798 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot.
1842 Nathan W. Ilazen, Esq.
1843 Maj. Joseph Rice.
1844 N. W. Ilazen, Esq.
1801
1799 Joshua Holt, Esq.
1800 Capt. Zebadiah Ilolt.
1802 Mr. Nehemiah Abbot. 1803 Capt. Zebadiah Holt.
"
1762 Mr. Timothy Ballard.
1764 Capt. George Abbot.
1815 Mr. Amos Blanchard.
1775 Col. George Abbot.
1819 Mark Newman, Esq.
1821
1845 Thomas C. Foster.
22
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
1846 Asa A. Abbot.
1853 Joseph Rice.
1847 Capt. Thomas C. Foster.
1854 Albert Abbott.
1848
1855 C. G. McNeil.
1849 Dea. Joseph Cummings.
1856 John II. Manning.
1850 William Pierce.
1857 Hon. Amos Abbott.
1851 Hon. Amos Abbott.
1858 Capt. Thomas C. Foster.
1852
1859
CLERKS.
George Abbot,
1709-1726.
Ezra Abbot,
1803-1810.
John Abbot, 1727-1731.
Amos Abbott,
1811-1820.
Ebenezer Abbot,
1732-1741.
Abraham J. Gould,
1821-1827.
Thomas Abbot,
1742-1762.
John Flint,
1828-1831.
George Abbot,
1763-1765.
Mark H. Newman,
1832-1836.
Joshua Holt, 1766-1767.
Nathaniel Swift, Jr., 1837-1843.
Ilenry Abbot, Jr.,
1768-1777.
Henry W. Abbot, 1844-1845.
Isaac Abbot, Jr.,
1778-1793.
William Pierce, 1846-1848.
John L. Abbot,
1794-1802.
Edward Taylor,
1849-1859.
TREASURERS.
Nehemiah Abbot,
1710-1729.
Samuel Abbot,
1780-1788. George Abbot,
Josiah Chandler,
1736-1740.
Ephraim Abbot, 1791-1802.
George Abbot,
1741-1754.
Samuel A. Kneeland, 1803-1804.
Isaac Abbot, 1755.
William Foster, 1805-1810.
Henry Abbot,
1756-1757.
Barachias Abbot,
1758-1760.
Mark Newman, 1811-1827. Timothy Flagg, 1828-1832.
John Abbot,
1761-1764.
Joseph Richardson, 1833-1831.
Henry Abbot, Jr., Nehemiah Abbot,
1765-1769.
Aaron Green, 1835-1844.
John Abbot, 4th,
1770-1773. 1774-1779.
Joseph Rice,
1845-1859.
1730-1735.
Zebadiah Abbot, 1789-1790.
23
OFFICERS OF THIE PARISII.
ASSESSORS.
YRS.
1709
John Abbot, 1710,
2
1709 Henry Holt, 1710-15,
7
1709 George Abbot, 1710-26,
18
1709
Francis Dane, 1711, 16,
3
1709
William Foster, 1710, 11, 20,
4
1709
Nehemiah Abbot, 1710-13, 25, 26,
7
1709 John Chandler, 1710, 12, 17-23, 33, 35, 40,
13
1712 Jonathan Blanchard,
1
1713
William Chandler,
1
1713
John Johnson, 1723,
2
1714
Thomas Chandler, Sr., 1715, 16,
3
1714
Nathaniel Abbot, 1715, 16, 19,
4
1714
James Johnson, 1715, 18,
3
1716
John Abbot, Jr., 1717, 18, 21, 22. 28,
6
1717
Thomas Chandler, Jr., 1722, 24, 29,
4
1717
William Lovejoy, Jr., 1718, 26, 27, 34,
5
1719
Thomas Blanchard, 1720, 21, 25,
4
1719 Hezekiah Ballard, 1724, 30, 36, 37,
5
1722
George Holt, 1723-25, 4
5
1726
Ebenezer Abbot, 1727-30, 33, 40, 44, 45, 48, 51, 55, 12
9
1727
Abraham Foster,
1
1727
Samuel Blanchard,
1
1728
Stephen Abbot,
1
1728
Baraehias Farnum, 1734,
2
1729
Nicholas Holt,
1
1729
Sherebiah Ballard, 1731, 39, 43,
4
1730
Jonathan Abbot, 1734,
2
1730 Zebadiah Chandler, 1732,
2
1731 Timothy Holt,
1
1731
George Abbot, Jr., 1732, 33, 35, 39, 52.
6
1731
Samuel Phelps, Jr., 1737, 38, 3
1732
Timothy Mooar, 1
1733 Henry Lovejoy,
1
1734 Zebadiah Abbot, 1735-39, 41, 48, 50, 53, 54, 11
1735
Timothy Abbot, 1736-38, 41,
5
1735
John Foster, 1741-46, 51, 52,
9
1736
William Wardwell,
1
1737 Thomas Abbot, 1738-46, 50-54,
1738 John Lovejoy,
15
1723
Ephraim Abbot, 1724, 25, 32, 36,
1726
Josiah Chandler, 1727, 28, 30-34, 43,
24
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
1739 David Abbot,
1
1740 John Holt,
1
1740 David Blunt, 1744,
2
1741 Thomas Ilolt,
1
1742 Philemon Chandler,
1
1742 John Dane, 1744, 59, 64,
1742 Isaac Abbot,
1
1743 Timothy Ballard, 1748, 50, 57,
4
1745 Joseph Foster,
1
1745 Henry Phelps,
1
1746 John Russell,
1
1746 Samuel Abbot,
1
1746 Barachias Abbot, 1756, 58, 60-63,
1
1747 Timothy Chandler,
1
1747 James Russell,
-
1
1747 Henry Abbot, 1749, 56,
1748 Josiah Ballard,
1
1748 Nathan Chandler, 1750, 52.
3
1749 Samuel Lovejoy,
1
1749 Isaac Blunt, 1755, 59, 64,
4
1749 John Abbott, Jr.,
1
1749 Obadiah Johnson, 1751, 53. 55.
4
1750 Joseph Bigsby,
1
1751 Ebenezer Lovejoy. . Jr ..
1
1751 Joseph Russell,
1
1752 Daniel Mooar,
1
1753 John Abbot, 3d,
1
1 754 Thomas Phelps,
1
1754 Samuel Ames,
1
1754 Isaac Osgood, 1758,
N
1755 John Ilolt, Jr.,
1
1755 John Lovejoy,
1
1756 Stephen Blanchard,
1
175G George Abbot, Jr., 1757,
2
1756 Thomas Ilolt, Jr., 1758, 59,
3
1757 Joseph Blanehard,
1
1757 Asa Abbot, 1765, 67-71,
7
1757 Nathan Abbot,
1
1757 IIezekiah Stiles,
1
1758 Samuel Phelps, 1763, 61,
3
1758 Joshua Holt, Sr., 1759, 61, 74-76.
€
1759 Zebadiah Johnson,
1
1760 Benjamin Holt,
1
.
1747 Ilumphrey Ilolt,
-1
25
OFFICERS OF THE PARISII.
1760 Timothy Mooar, Jr.,
1760 Philemon Chandler, Jr., 62, 63,
1 .3
1761 Jonathan Holt,
1
1761 Thomas Abbot, Jr.,
1
1761
Hezekiah Ballard,
I
1762
Nehemiah Abbot, Jr., 1763, 64, 68-70, 75,
7
1762
Josiah Blanchard,
1
1762
Henry Abbot, Jr., 1763, 64, 66,
4
1765
Benjamin Ames, 1766, 67,
3
1767
John Abbot, 5th, 1766, 67,
3
1768 William Abbot, 1772-74, 77,
5
1769
Moses Abbot, 1770-74, 76-80,
11
1771
Zebadiah Abbot,
1
1773
William Foster, 1774, 75,
3
1776
Daniel Poor, 1777-79,
4
17:8
Ephraim Abbot, 1779, 80,
3
1780
Benjamin Mooar,
1
1781
Barachias Abbot, Jr., 1782-4,
4
1781
Isaac Abbot, Jr., 1782,
2
1781
Jonathan Abbot, 1783-4,
4
1783
Jacob Osgood, 1784,
2
1785
John L. Abbot, 1786-94, 96,
11
1785
Timothy Abbot, 1786-88,
4
1785
Zebadiah Holt, 1786-90, 96, 97,
8
1789
Nehemiah Abbot, Jr., 1790-94,
6
1791
Ezra Abbot, 1792, 94, 96-1802.
10
1793
Jonathan Cummings,
1
1795
Zebadiah Chandler,
1
1795
David Gray, 1798-1804,
8
1795
Moses Abbot, Jr.,
1
1797
Joshua Chandler, Jr.,
1
1798
Zebadiah Abbot, 1799-1802,
4
1803 David Abbot, 1804-6,
4
1803
Solomon Holt, 1804-7,
5
1805
Joseph Stevens,
1
1806
Joseph Phelps, 1807-9,
1
1807
Job Abbot, 1808-17, 29-32,
15
1808
IIermon Abbot, 1803-21,
11
1810
Enoch Frye,
1
1811
Stephen Abbot, 1812-22,
12
1818
Benjamin Jenkins, Jr., 1819-23,
G
1822
James Abbot, 1823-25,
4
1823 Amos Abbott, 1724, 25,
1824
Joshua Ballard, 1825-27, 49,
5
3
20
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
1826
John Flint, 1827-31,
6
1826 Elijah L. Herrick,
1
1827 Paschal Abbot, 1828,
2
1828 Abraham J. Gould, 1829, 30,
3
1831 Joseph Holt, Jr., 1832-34,
4
1832 Nathaniel Whittier, 1833, 34,
3
1833
Asa A. Abbot, 1834-36, 42-44, 50-59,
17
1836
Joseph Rice, 1837,
2
1836
Albert Abbott, 1837-41,
6
1837
Jonas IIolt, 1838-41,
5
1838
Abel Blanchard, 1839-41,
4
1842
Jacob Chickering, 1843,
2
1842
John Abbot, 1843, 44,
3
1844 Nathan B. Abbott, 1845,
?
1845 Eben P. Higgins, 1846-48,
4
1845 David Baker, 1846,
2
1846 Sylvester Abbot,
1
1847 Mencies C. Andrews,
1
1847 Hartwell B. Abbot, 1848,
2
1848 John II. Manning, 1849,
2
1849 Samuel Cogswell,
1
1850
David I. C. Hidden, 1851, 52,
3
1850 John L. Abbot, 1851, 52,
3
1853 Dean Holt,
1
1853 Nathan W. Hazen, 1854-56,
4
1854 William II. Foster, 1855-56,
3
1857 Jonathan Taylor,
1
1857 Timothy Abbot, 1858-59,
3
1858 William Abbot, 1859,
2
27
MEETING-HOUSES.
II. MEETING-HOUSES.
The first business of the precinct was " to see whether we can agree where to set our new Meeting-House." Some action had doubtless been taken concerning its erection previously to the incorporation of the Parish. It was accepted Oct. 18, 1709, "where it now is raised and stands, viz .: at ye Rock on the west side of Roger brook."1 £108 were levied to defray the charges of building. It was occupied for worship, January 1710. No account of its size and style is preserved. "Young men and maids had liberty to build seats round in the galleries on their own charge." In "seating the meeting-house" the committee appointed for the purpose were to act "according to their best and soundest judgment, having respect to money and age." May 12, 1734, was the last Sabbath of worship in the old house. Mr. Phillips preached from John 14 : 31 1. c. " Arise, let us go hence."
A vote was obtained in 1731, to "make an addition of room within the present meeting-house." April 1732, it was decided to make the addition on the outside of the house. This decision was reconsidered June 6, 1732, and it was "voted and passed, that the precinct will build a new meeting-house upon the school- house hill : known and commonly called Roger's hill."1 An attempt was made in March of the following year to set the
1 The rock here mentioned was near the site of the present Centre School House, and was removed in the year 1844.
It should seem that this brook took its name from an Indian, in whose favor, in the original grant of the town, the following reservation was made: "Pro- vided, that the Indian called ROGER, and his company, may have liberty to take alewives in Cochichewick River, for their own eating: but if they either spoil or steal any corn or other fruit, to any considerable value, of the inhabi- tants, the liberty of taking fish shall forever cease; and the said Roger is still toenjoy four acres of ground, where now he plants."- Col. Records.
-
28
HISTORICAL SKETCHIES.
house in the centre of the precinct, and the spot proposed was "the westerly end of Dea. Jno. Abbot's lot." Twenty-four votes were cast for this spot, and sixty-five against it. The committee for carrying on the work of this house were Barachias Farnum. Benjamin Abbot, Zebadiah Chandler, Timothy Holt, Henry Holt, Dea. John Abbot, Timothy Mooar, Dea. Nehemiah Abbot, and John Chandler. Five members of the committee were made a quorum .. They seem not to have troubled them- selves or the precinct with a comparison of many plans. It was simply determined to build the new house " after the same form and fashion " as the old. Its size was fixed by a second vote at " thirty feet between plate and sill, and forty-four feet wide, and fifty-six feet in length." Mr. Phillips preached the first sermon in it May 19, 1734, from 1 Chron. 29 : 13, 14. The delicate matter of " seating the meeting-house" was the occasion of several parish meetings during the whole year following. The proposition to sell pews was decisively dismissed. The lease of seats was once voted, but afterwards refused. It was proposed to seat "altogether by age," but it "passed on the negative." The privilege that the tax-payers should take their seats " according as the money was cast up by one head and rate of personal estate," was denied. Finally, the matter was ad- justed by appointing one committee " to dignify seats and pews." and another committee to seat them " by their judgment, having respect to money and age." The report of this committee was ac- cepted, with but eight dissentients. This mode was adopted sub- stantially till 1757. That year, permission was given to tax-ray- ers to choose their own pews, according to their rates, but this significant qualification was ordered : " to take off the money that is paid for negroes, and not allow their masters that money to seat upon." In 1761 several changes were made in the arrange- ment and number of pews. The next year pews were sold, and the highest tax-payers were given the choice ; thirty-three were sold, and the following persons were the purchasers, in the order of their assessments " in the last province rate :" John Foster.
29
MEETING-HOUSES.
Thomas Holt, George Abbot, Zeb. Abbot, Henry Abbot, Samuel Abbot, James Parker, Timothy Ballard, Timothy Chandler, John Abbot, Isaac Blunt, Timothy Holt, Nathan Chandler, Samuel Jenkins, Timothy Mooar, Samuel Osgood, Ebenezer Lovejoy, Jonathan Abbot, Jr., Zebadiah Chandler, Isaac Abbot, Jr., Isaac Lovejoy, John Holt, Jr., Joseph Russel, Samuel Blanchard, John Fisk, William Abbot, Jonathan Abbot, 3d, Joseph Sibson, Sam- uel Phelps, Isaac Osgood, Nehemiah Abbot, heirs of William Lovejoy, deceased, Joshua Holt, Jr. The other seats in the house continued to be chosen by the highest tax-payers as before. The scholars in Phillips Academy were allowed, in 1781, "the three back seats in the lower front gallery."
The following graphic description of this house, as it appeared to one of these scholars, is taken from a letter of Hon. Josiah Quincy to Mrs. H. B. Stowe :
" It was surrounded by horse-blocks innumerable, with a dis- proportionate number of sheds ; - for the pillion was the ladies' travelling delight, and alone or in pairs, with their husbands or fathers, they seldom failed to come trooping to their devotions. The church itself was a shingled mass, lofty, and, I should think, containing twice the area of its successor. This, however, may be the exaggeration of my boyish fancy, but it had three lofty stories, with three galleries in the interior, always densely filled with apparently pious zeal, and earnest listeners. In the left hand gallery sat the ladies, in the right the gentlemen, in the midst of whom and in front sat the tything man, with his white pole three or four cubits in length, the emblem of his dignity and power, and in his right hand a short hazel rod, which, ever and anon, in the midst of the sermon, to the awakening and alarm of the whole congregation, he would, with the whole force of his arm, bring down with a ringing slap on the front of the gallery, shaking it, at the same time, with a terrific menace, at two or three frightened urchins who were whispering or playing in a corner. In a square box in front of the pulpit sat the Deacons, one of whom had pen, ink and paper, and was carefully taking
3*
30
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
the heads of the preacher's discourse, preparing documentary evidence, either that the sermon was old, or its doctrines new, or consonant with the orthodox platform. In the front gallery sat Precenter Ames, or Eames, with a pitch-pipe, the token of his authority, with which, as soon as the first line of the Psalm was read, he gave the note to the choir of both sexes, - twenty or thirty of each, -following the Deacon, reading line by line in an ecstasy of harmony which none but the lovers of music realize :
" How pleased and blest was I To hear the people cry Come let us worship God to-day, - Yes, with a cheerful zeal We'll haste to Zion's hill, And there our vows and homage pay. Zion, thrice happy place, etc., etc.
And the mighty congregation seemed to realize their felicity, for they joined the choir with a will, realizing or exemplifying the happiness of which they sung. It is true, as Washington Irving relates, concerning a like assembly in an English country parish, sometimes when they began -
" Come, let us sing with one accord,"
it was a signal for parting company, and every one setting up for himself. Yet, upon the whole, it was an exciting scene, elevating and solemnizing the mind, by the multitude that took part in it.
" The windows of the vast building were of diamond-shaped glass panes, of rhomboid form, in length about three or four inches, in breadth perhaps two or three. Opening like doors outward, these windows were loose and shackling. In the win- ter, when the north wind shook the vast building with unmistak- able power, their rattling was often a match, and sometimes an overmatch, for the voice of the clergyman, while the pious fe- males in the pews, sitting, for the most part, on hard benches, with small muffs, and their feet only comforted with small stoves,
31
MEETING-HOUSES.
or stockings over shoes, or heated bricks, had much ado through their sufferings to keep their attention fixed, or the text in memory, and register the infinitesimal heads into which it was divided."
The last time of meeting in the second house was April 20, 1788. The last sermon was from Hag. 1:7, 8. For thirty- two Sabbaths afterwards the congregation worshipped at the hall of Phillips Academy.
As early as September 1771, the parish began to be agitated concerning a new meeting-house. A portion of the inhabitants were "burthened with length of travel to the public worship." Several proposals concerning the division of the parish on this account " were passed in the negative." April 14, 1772, "voted to build a new meeting-house sufficient to accommodate the whole parish, and to set it on the eastwardly side of Shawshin river, as near the bridge called Holt's bridge as a convenient place may be found, and to build said house in ten years from this time." The year before, it had been voted to set the house on the west- wardly side of the bridge, " northwest of Mr. Jas. Holt's house." After twelve years had passed, it was decided to build " within six or eight rods where the meeting-house now stands." At the same time, March 4, 1784, money was raised and a committee appointed to provide the materials. A. committee was chosen the next year to prepare a plan for the house. The meeting, however, which chose this committee, was adjourned from time to time for almost three years, and it was not till Dec. 1787 that the decisive votes were passed accepting the plan and the proposals made to the Parish for building the present meeting- house. The dimensions were to be seventy feet in length and fifty-four feet in width, "with a porch at each end and one in front of the house." The house was modelled after that in the North Parish. The plan was revised and completed by Hon. Samuel Phillips, Jr., Mr. Joshua Chandler, Mr. Nehemiah Ab- bot, Mr. Jonathan Cummings, Capt. Jonathan Abbot, Capt. Dan- iel Poor, Mr. Joseph Stevens, Jr., Mr. Joseph Holt, and Capt.
32
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Benjamin Ames. The proposals for building were made by the same persons, adding Mr. Isaac Abbot, and excepting Mr. Ste- vens and Capt. Ames, and were accepted as follows : "The abovesaid undertakers to build said- house shall have the old meeting-house, £100 in money, and the pews in the new meet- ing-house." They " agree that the work and stuff .... shall be good, nothing superfluous, but plain and neat, not have any medallions, dentals or carved work, but to have the window frames and sashes painted, and the ground pinning as good as that of the North Parish." The frame was raised May 26th and 27th, 1788. The congregation met in it for worship for the first time Dec. 7, 1788. The sermon was preached by Mr. French, from John 10 : 22, 23. It should seem that the steeple of the house was built by subscription. The Parish voted to allow this to be done. The cupola was built by tax, in the spring of 1792. June 11, 1792, Samuel Abbot, Esq., communi- cated the fact that from regard to this his native place, and out of respect to them, among whom he hoped, by leave of Provi- dence, to spend the remainder of his days, he had procured a bell of about 1100 pounds weight, and begged. their acceptance of the same. Samuel Phillips, Nehemiah Abbot and Joshua Holt were appointed to convey to him the thanks of the Parish. March 5, 1812, the same person presented and placed in the tower of the church a clock. In his letter he says, " May it prove a convenience to you and your children in the business of life, and a salutary monitor of a careful improvement of that time which is continually passing away, and can never be recalled." This bell cracked not long afterwards, and the present one was bought in the year 1813. A stove was procured for the first time in 1821. A building had been erected on the site of the present school-house several years before, in which the people were accustomed to warm themselves at noon before the open fire.
In the first arrangement of this house the pulpit was on the north side. Over it hung a plain sounding-board. The inscrip- tion, Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever Ps. xciii. 5,
MEETING-HOUSE ERECTED 1788.
33
MEETING-HOUSES.
was conspicuous above upon the wall, and the three letters, I. H. S., were written upon the pulpit below. At the base of the pulpit were the Deacons' seats, and near by were a few seats where the aged gathered near to the minister. The rest of the lower floor was covered by square pews. Of these there were in 1833 seventy-one. The gallery was on three sides, and a tier of square pews, twenty-six in number, extended its entire length. Ten of these, in the east and west galleries, were erected in place of long pews in 1823. The rest of the space in the gallery was occupied with the long pews, which were free. The square pews were owned as private property.
In the fall of 1832 the Parish appointed Thomas C. Foster, Abraham J. Gould, Job Abbot, Joseph Holt, Jr., and Nathaniel Whittier, to obtain a correct plan and estimate of the expense of altering the meeting-house. The plan which they presented was adopted, and in Sept. 1833 they reported the actual cost of the changes made as $2971.63. A committee consisting of William Blanchard, of Wilmington, Benjamin Osgood, of Methuen, and Jesse Kimball, of Bradford, appraised the ninety-seven old pews at $9956, and the 136 new pews, ninety below and forty-six above, at $12,978. Seats, besides these, were reserved for the singers. The organ now in use was purchased by the Parish in 1836. The clock within the house was presented in 1832 by Mrs. Mary Ballard. Various attempts have been made, from 1845 to the present time, to remove, reconstruct the old, as also to build a new church, but the old building still stands. The front porch was removed during the changes of 1833. The pulpit, also, was transferred to the west end, the galleries changed to correspond, and the square pews gave place to the modern ones.
The vestry was built by individuals, in 1815, at the sugges- tion of Rev. Mr. Edwards, and under the direction of the stand- ing committee of the Church. The Church appropriated towards finishing it $300. In 1855 it was relinquished by the Church to the Parish. During the autumn of that year it was repaired.
34
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
III.
THE PARSONAGE AND THE MINISTERIAL FUND.
The committee, appointed by the General Court for the pur- pose, laid out, May 24, 1710, fifty-four aeres of land for the use of the ministry : one piece of fourteen acres, for a homestead, whose west corner bound was a great rock, now forming part of the wall at the north corner of School and Central Streets - a parecel of eight acres, adjoining the south end of the first - a piece of swamp and upland, of twelve aeres, to make a meadow ground, about half a mile south-east of the second - a piece, one mile distant from the ministry house, of twenty aeres, "on a ris- ing ground where a smith's shop stood formerly." The ministry house had been raised already, and had been voted to be "forty- three feet long, twenty feet wide, and fourteen feet stud." Taxes were levied, from time to time, to clear the land and break it up, to plant an orchard, to dig the well and make the fences. Va- rious changes were made in the house and its outbuildings by the Parish. A committee was annually appointed to have the care of it, together with that of the other property. A stone chimney was built in it in 1754. The same year sash-glass took the place of the " diamond-glass, set in lead." It was first painted in 1757. Thorough repairs were made in 1773. As early as 1803 the Parish consulted with Mr. French to see if he ' was " willing that any part of the parsonage land should be sold for house-lots." That year it was twice voted not to sell, if Mr. French was willing. But Dee. 25, 1809, five months after his death, a committee was authorized to petition the Legislature for liberty to sell. Samuel Farrar, Esq., was the chairman of this committee, and was appointed to present the petition to the Leg- islature. That body passed, Feb. 16, 1810, the following aet, in the form drafted by the parish committee.
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