USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Historical manual of the West Church and Parish in Andover, Massachusetts, with the complete roll of the members of the church, 1826-1926 > Part 3
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The Ladies' Seamen's Friend Society. For eighty-nine and one-half years this Society has had a continuous existence. For fifty-one years it was the only organ- ization of women connected with the church. It has had a record of large useful- ness without as well as within the Parish.
A sewing circle existed among the women of the Parish at an early date, known as The Ladies' Benevolent Sewing Circle. Just when it originated is not known. Just what work it undertook we cannot say. If there were any records, they have not been handed down. For reasons she did not think it necessary to mention, Mrs. Jackson said "this society had ceased to call out the interest and efforts of the ladies among us." Accordingly, at a meeting on May 2, 1837, called for the purpose of con- sidering the expediency of reorganizing the Sewing Circle, "it was decided that the seamen's cause was more likely than any other to enlist the sympathy of this people." A constitution was adopted at a later meeting, on June I, and twenty-two women gave in their names as members. The name chosen for the new organization was The Ladies' Seamen's Friend Society. It was to meet on the first Tuesday of each month at two o'clock in the afternoon in some home in the Parish. A membership due of thirty-five cents was to be assessed. The proceeds were to be sent to the treasurer of The American Seamen's Friend Society, to be used for the work of that Society. For officers there were to be two directresses, the first of whom was to pre- side at the meetings and to act as secretary. (In 1851 the office of secretary was separated from that of the first directress.) There were also to be three managers.
Unfortunately, the book containing the records for the first eight years has not been handed down, though fortunately we learn from the secretary's report for 1849 the sums of money raised during those years. For the first year the sum was fourteen dollars and fifty-two cents; for the second and third years, twenty dollars each; for the fourth and fifth, thirty-five dollars each; for the sixth and seventh, forty dollars each; and for the eighth, sixty dollars.
In the latter part of 1845, the men were invited to unite in the good work and to join the Society by paying an annual due of fifty cents. In January, 1846, an article of the constitution was amended to make this possible. This arrangement has continued during the subsequent history of the Society, though the women have aways outnumbered the men. By June of that year, thirty-one men had joined. The attendance of women during the preceding year averaged fifty-one and two- thirds. The largest attendance for the same year was eighty-five women and twenty men.
From its organization until she removed from the Parish, Mrs. Jackson was its First Directress and Secretary. In October, 1851, more than a year after her removal, the Society presented to her a silver pitcher, costing fifty dollars, and also some money, for her "long-continued and unceasing efforts.'
The work of this Society has been varied and extensive, all of it imbued with the religious motive and spirit. First of all, there has been the purely missionary work for great human interests outside the Parish. During its entire history it has contributed money year by year, except in a very few years, to the work for seamen. This money was raised not merely by the annual membership dues, but by a small tax at themonthly meetings. By 1876, fifty years ago, this was estimated to be about two thousand dollars. The records are incomplete, so that no estimate of the total
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amount can be given. By 1890, more than fifty-three life memberships in the Ameri- can Seamen's Friend Society at twenty dollars each had been paid for. Besides money contributed, there was a large amount of sewing done, much of the time at the afternoon meetings being given to sewing. Small libraries were also sent for the seamen and money for such libraries. In time the interest of the Society and the scope of its work were enlarged. Many barrels of clothing, for which much sewing had been done, were sent to home missionaries and other Christian workers. Sub- stantial gifts of money accompanied these barrels. In this connecton mention should be made of the benevolent and patriotic work of the Society during the Civil War in sewing for the soldiers. Many extra sewing meetings were held and a large amount of work of this nature accomplished.
The social influence of this Society upon the life of the Parish has been of high value. Of this Mr. Shattuck in 1876 said: "Its monthly meetings for ladies in the Summer and for both sexes in the other parts of the year have been of eminent service, not only in the way of securing funds for the seamen's cause, but also in the way of maintaining a religious and friendly acquaintance and interest among the people. But for these meetings, I am persuaded that the West Parish, with its scattered population drawn from every side to other congregations, would not have held together, at least with its present measure of strength and general prosperity. To maintain this Society, and to provide for the entertainment of those who at- tended, it has cost the ladies a great amount of labor and no little expense. But the benefits resulting to this people and the cause of Christ have more than justified this labor and expense."
In addition to all this, the work of this Society in raising money to help the Parish in caring for and improving its property ought not to be overlooked. On every occasion when need has arisen, the Society has come to the help of the Parish. Its service has been indispensable. In 1855 it saw the need of a vestry and cooper- ated in the effort to secure one. It added its funds to those of the Vestry Association. For this object its members held a successful festival in the parsonage, just then without an occupant, and published the Vestry Advocate, which greatly helped to secure the needed money. Without their aid and enthusiasm the vestry could not have been built. It was they who took the first steps toward what resulted in the extensive improvements made on the meeting-house in 1863. It was this Society that provided the funds for the enlargement of the vestry in 1875. It contributed largely and generously toward the improvements made on the interior of the church building in 1910. It is this Society that has kept the kitchen of the vestry supplied with stoves and dishes and has otherwise contributed to the furnishing of the vestry.
In 1900 the constitution of the Society was revised, enlarging the scope of its missionary work. During the years since then, the Society has suffered from the changes that have been going on in the Parish. For several years past, its missionary work has been almost wholly confined to the seamen. Right up to the present time, however, it has been filling an important place in the church and Parish. It has a record in which any organization may well take pride.
The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. This Society has existed for forty years. It was organized in November, 1886, by Mr. Greene. Its object was "to promote an earnest Christian life among its members; to increase their mutual
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acquaintance and to make them more useful in the service of God." During the first five years it experienced a steady growth, nearly all of the young people of the vicinity becoming either active or associate members. Many of the older people, also, joined, helping it much because of their wider experience.
The Society began at once to make itself useful in the life of the church. During its first year, it furnished a program of entertainment at the socials of the Seamen's Friend Society, the first entertainments to be provided at these socials. It helped, off and on, in this way during several years following. Some time prior to 1889, at the suggestion of Mr. Greene, the Society started to raise a fund for the purchase of a piano for the vestry. Before the full amount was raised, Miss Susanna Smith offered to give a piano if the money already raised be used in refurnishing the vestry, and this was done. Later on, money was raised for a scholarship of one hundred dollars in the American International College in Springfield, the vestibule of the church was carpeted, and the Society helped in raising money for the refurnishing of the church.
In 1896, branch societies were formed in the Osgood and the Abbott districts, which did good work for a couple of years and then owing to difficulties were given up. That in the Osgood District was later reorganized, and continued for a time, when it was finally given up. In January, 1909, the reorganization of the Society at the Centre in favor of a younger membership was completed. Though small in number, the Society is making its influence felt in the lives of the young people of the Parish.
The Ladies' Aid Society. This is one of the newer organizations of the church. During the pastorate of Mr. Park, the women proposed that all the auxiliary organ- izations unite in the raising of a fund for the refurnishing of the church building. The interest in this work was so great that in 1911 it was proposed to form a ladies' society, the purpose of which should be "to raise money for the rebuilding or re- furnishing of the church property."
The repairs on the church building having been completed, the Society voted in 1915 that "the money now in the bank, and such other sums as should be added to it from time to time should constitute a Vestry Fund either to remodel or re- build." Through the unremitting efforts of the Society the Fund has now reached the sum of $7046.
During the World War the Society devoted all of its efforts to Red Cross work, doing a large amount of sewing and making a contribution of money at each meeting.
Outside of the raising of money the Society has been beneficial in a social way as is shown in the attendance at the meetings, and in the opportunity it has given the women in the widely separated portions of the Parish to work for a common cause. It has also given opportunity for the newcomers in the Parish to interest themselves at once in church work, even if not members of the church.
PARISH AFFAIRS
Division of Income from Ministerial and Poor Funds. An important settlement, effected directly after the setting off of this Parish, was the division of the income from this old Fund, derived from the sale of the lands which according to the custom of the early times had been given by act of the General Court to the South Parish
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at its beginning in 1710. In anticipation of the division of its territory, the South Parish had voted on February 12, 1827, that the West Society, after its incorpora- tion and the settling of a minister, should have its proportion of the income of the Fund. On March 8, within a week after the division of the South Parish, it was agreed with unanimity that the West Parish should receive as its proportion three- eighths of the appropriable income of the Fund. In case there should be no settled minister, its share during the vacancy was to be added to the principal. All through the century, the income from this old Fund has greatly helped the Parish in the sup- port of a minister within its bounds. At the present time this amounts to $360 annually.
Besides this Ministerial Fund, and divided to the Parishes, so that the West Parish was to receive one-third, was a fund for the poor, arising from the legacy of the Reverend Samuel Phillips, of £100, and from the gift, March 18, 1812, by Samuel Abbott, Esq., of $500. Until recent years, the Parish has received its share of the income from this fund.
Salary of the Minister. As an interesting sidelight on the rising cost of living during the century, mention is made of the salary of the minister. From 1827 to 1847 it was $600; 1848 and 1849 it was $700; from 1850 to 1866 it was $800; in 1866 it was $1000; from 1867 to 1879 it was $1200; from 1880 to 1915 it was $1000; since 1915 it has been increased at different times until it is now $1800. The income from the Ministerial Fund is included in these sums.
Method of Raising Funds. From 1827 to 1875, the funds of the Parish were raised by special taxation. After the enactment of the "Bill of Rights," in 1833, it became, strictly speaking, optional with the tax-payers whether they paid this tax or not. For more than forty years the people paid this tax of their own volition. In 1875 the Parish voted to raise all moneys thereafter by voluntary subcription. For many years the collections received at the church were largely devoted to missionary and benevolent purposes. Then, a fifth or more was retained for home purposes. Finally, the offerings of six or more Sundays were used for benevolences and the remaining part for the Parish. Since March, 1905, the envelope system has been used for the weekly contributions, twelve special monthly envelopes being at the present time used for benevolences.
The Vestry. For thirty years, until the Vestry was built, the schoolhouse was used for the Sunday and Wednesday evening meetings of the Church, for the re- hearsals of the Singing Society and other similar meetings. Obviously the school- house was ill-adapted for such uses.
In 1848, the Centre School District proposed to build a new schoolhouse. An influential committee was chosen by the Parish to confer with the School District Committee with regard to building a vestry. Apparently the purpose was to see whether any arrangement could be effected for the accommodation of both school and church. Nothing came of it. The new schoolhouse was built that year. Deacon Peter Smith gave one hundred dollars to the School District with the understanding that the Church might have the use of it for some of its meetings as heretofore in the old building. The gift was accepted. Objection arose, however, to the continued
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use of the building by the Church. For three or four years the building of a vestry was under discussion. In October, 1855, the Ladies' Seamen's Friend Society began to raise money for this purpose. During the summer of 1856, the Parish took active steps to secure the building. Several committees were chosen. The Parish decided to build, provided it could be done without any expense to itself. Subscriptions were pledged by the people generally. Four special meetings were held, at the last of which, on August 18, plans were accepted and the building committee was instructed to build, forthwith. The building was completed and dedicated in December, 1856, at a cost of about $1600. Messrs. Chandler of Boston gave the last hundred dollars to liquidate the debt.
In 1876, through the efforts of the Seamen's Friend Society, the Vestry was enlarged and repaired at a cost of five hundred and forty-one dollars. The Parish contributed fifty dollars of this. Early in 1877 the debt was cancelled. Mrs. S. G. Allen gave an organ and Miss Susanna Smith a carpet for the parlor.
In 1889, as already mentioned, the Vestry was refurnished by the Endeavor Society and supplied with a piano by Miss Smith. (See sketch of Endeavor Society.)
In 1908, the Vestry was moved from its former to its present site.
The Parsonage. The parsonage was built by Dr. Jackson in 1832 or 1833. It was owned by him until the close of his pastorate and then sold to his successor, Mr. Pierce. At the close of Mr. Pierce's pastorate, in 1855, a board of trustees, in the interest of the Parish, assumed the responsibility of buying it. The purchase price was twenty-three hundred dollars. Of this amount, fifteen hundred dollars was raised by subscription, Deacon Peter Smith offering to give five hundred dollars on condition that a thousand dollars be given by other members of the Parish. The balance of eight hundred dollars was advanced by Miss Lydia Faulkner, the trustees giving a note for the same. In February, 1859, this balance was paid, Deacon Smith again giving one-third on condition that the other two-thirds be raised by sub- scription. At the annual meeting in March, the Parish directed the trustees to convey the property to the Parish. This was done.
The parsonage was of the colonial style of architecture. From time to time additions and improvements were made upon it, the most notable being in 1885, when the present ell was added containing a commodious kitchen, a bathroom and sleeping rooms. At the same time the dining room was enlarged, a heater put in and other improvements made. The expense of this was borne entirely by Deacon Peter D. Smith and Miss Susanna Smith, children of Deacon Peter Smith.
On account of its large size and the consequent heavy expense of maintaining tion the part of both the Parish and the minister, there has been for a number of years much discussion about disposing of it. Such a proposition in 1899 was in- definitely postponed. In 1924, however, the Parish voted, not without opposition, to sell, if a purchaser could be secured. None was secured until July of the present year, and the sale, notwithstanding continued opposition, was accomplished. At the same time a smaller house on Lowell Street, more convenient for the minister's family and less expensive for the Parish to maintain, was purchased.
Improvements on the Meeting-House. The meeting-house has not always been the beautiful building without and within that it is to-day. It was the very ex- tensive changes made in 1863 that made it the beautiful edifice we are familiar with
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now. In that year the building was entirely remodelled. The whole interior and in fact the whole building was renewed, except the walls, and these were "so improved by the mason's art as scarcely to be recognized as the same walls." The original tower, surmounting the building, that made both it and the building ill-proportioned, was displaced by the present shapely spire, which is seen from many points in the surrounding country. The two smaller doors in front were removed as were also the windows on the sides of the pulpit. The side galleries were taken down. The straight-backed box pews were replaced by the present ones. Three aisles were made instead of two. The two cast-iron stoves in the rear, with pipes running over the aisles nearly the length of the room about the height of the galleries and the tin receptacles attached to the pipes for catching the creosote from them, and then ascending up through the ceiling, were taken down and a new heating plant installed. The pulpit platform was lowered and the present mahogany desk replaced the earlier one of pine. New seats were provided both for the pulpit and for the plat- form below. A new communion table was supplied. The singers' gallery was remodelled. The daughters of Deacon Peter Smith gave a new organ. Hiram French gave a new bell. The floor was carpeted. The work was in progress during six months.
The cost of these improvements, reckoning in the refurnishing and the organ, was about nine thousand dollars, being about three thousand five hundred dollars more than the original cost of the building. Of this amount, one thousand dollars was given by sons and old inhabitants of the Parish, while nearly three thousand dollars was contributed by persons in the Parish itself and the rest was assessed on the pews. It was the Ladies' Seamen's Friend Society that took the first step toward these improvements, and then Deacon Smith's initial offer of one thousand dollars heartened the people for the big undertaking. It was a notable achievement for the whole Parish and its friends. Nearly all the choicest pews were sold, the sales amounting to within a few dollars of the whole expense incurred. The sale was fully attended and the bidding very animated.
Impressive rededicatory services were held on Thursday afternoon, January 21, 1864, with the sermon by Mr. Merrill, several other ministers taking part (See Andover Advertiser, for January 23 and 30, 1864).
In more recent years further improvements have been made. In 1900 Boston ivy was planted around the building. In November, 1906, all the organizations connected with the church met and voted to work for the refurnishing of the building, the floor and the pulpit furniture being especially in need of attention. They voted to hold a fair in November of 1907. All the Districts helped in this undertaking, with the result that four hundred and eighty-four dollars was raised that year. In 1908 it was increased to eight hundred and twenty-four dollars and in 1909 to one thousand one hundred and two dollars. At this time Mr. William M. Wood offered to put a new tile roof on the building, a new roof being necessary before any work on the interior could be done. The new roof having been put on early in 1910, the work on the interior was begun in July. On Sunday, November 6, 1910, the renovated building was again open for worship. It had been newly painted, both woodwork and walls, and a cork covering laid on the floor. Later on, in 1912, the cushions and pulpit furniture were re-covered, the Ladies' Aid Society furnishing the funds.
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Apart from the roof, the cost of these improvements was sixteen hundred dollars. In 1914, electric lighting was provided, the cost of this being defrayed by the Parish.
The Horse Sheds. The horse sheds were built originally by individuals on land allotted for the purpose and were owned by the builders. There was no uniformity about them. At best, they did not present a sightly appearance. In course of time, when they became weather-beaten and dilapidated, they were even more unsightly and out of keeping with the property belonging to the Parish. In 1878, a committee was chosen to wait upon the owners of the sheds and find out how many of them were willing to relinquish their claim upon individual sheds for the purpose of uni- form repairs. It was difficult to get concerted action. Unpleasant feeling arose. In 1880, the Parish found it advisable to have recourse to the General Court. Money was appropriated to secure the sheds. By September 15, 1881, the Parish voted to build twenty-five sheds, hiring one thousand dollars for the purpose. These were built on a new site across the road near the Vestry, on a piece of land given in exchange for the piece on which the old sheds stood. In the following years other money was appropriated and more sheds were built, the rental being used for their maintenance. Thus after delay and difficulty was the problem solved. In 1908, the sheds were moved to their present site, which is near the site of the original sheds.
Acquiring Title to the Pews. By 1895, more than thirty years after the sale of the new pews that were put in, in 1863, in connection with the extensive improve- ments made on the meeting-house, it seemed desirable for the Parish to own the pews. In that year, it voted to get individual owners to quitclaim them to the Parish. It did not prove to be an easy matter. The effort continued for ten years. By 1899, out of sixty pews thirty-nine were deeded or were owned by the Parish. By 1901, only nine pews had not yet been deeded to the Parish. A few pews are still privately owned.
Funds. See beginning of this section for the Ministerial Fund and the Fund for the Poor.
The Faulkner Fund was received in 1874 and amounts to one hundred dollars. The income is available for Sunday School purposes.
The Peter Smith Fund was received in 1880 and amounts to one thousand dollars. One half of the income is for the poor and the other half for the use of the Sunday School Library.
The West Church Educational Fund was built up by the church out of its Sunday collections and amounts to more than three hundred dollars. The church voted this fund available to any church member desiring a college education, the recipient to be named by the Church Committee. The recipient gives a note without interest and promises to repay when able.
The Euphemia Millar Fund was received in 1900 and amounts to two hundred dollars. The income is for the purchase of books for the Sunday School Library.
The Esther H. Byers Fund was received in 1904 and amounts to five thousand dollars. The income is to keep buildings of the Parish in repair.
The Harriet P. Gilman Fund was received in 1905 and amounts to three thou- sand dollars. The income is available for the support of the ministry in the Parish.
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The Joseph and Hannah Bailey Shattuck Fund. The first gift was made in 1907 and amounted to five thousand dollars, which was not to become available until it amounted to six thousand dollars. The second gift by bequest of Mr. Joseph Shattuck was received in 1914 and amounted to five thousand dollars, which was not to become available until it amounted to six thousand dollars. The income is available for general parish purposes.
The Rebecca B. Mills Fund was received in 1910 and amounts to one thousand dollars. The income is for general parish purposes.
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