USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sturbridge > Historical sketch of Sturbridge, Mass., from its settlement to the present time > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
The result was according to their wishes. The new Constitution and form of government having been drawn up by a special conven- tion chosen for that purpose, came forth to the people for their sanc- tion. And as a further illustration of the independent spirit which then reigned in this town, and the deep, inquisitorial scrutiny which plain men bestowed on the great affairs of State, I beg leave to in- sert here an extract from the records of the town meeting in which the inhabitants of Sturbridge acted upon these important documents. " At a town meeting in Sturbridge, May Ist, 1780, legally assem- bled, the meeting being opened, Dea. Moses Weld was chosen Mode- rator. Then it was proposed and agreed, in acting upon the New Constitution and Form of Government, that the Bill of Rights be read first, and then the Form of Government, and last the address accompanying the same ; which was done accordingly. Then by a vote of the town the meeting was adjourned to Monday next week, at 12 of the clock on said day .- Then met according to adjournment. The question was put, whether the town approved of the two first articles in the Declaration of Rights. Passed in the affirmative to a man, 111 voted. After some debate on the 3d article, the question was put by yeas and nays ; 120 voted-yeas 73, nays 47. Then the question was put, whether the town approved of all the articles in the Bill of Rights excepting the 3d. Passed in the affirmative to a man ; 61 voted. Then by a vote of the town the meeting was adjourned to the 22d instant at 7 of the clock in the morning .- Then met accord- ing to adjournment. Then put to vote, whether it was the mind of the town to vote upon the Form of Government together [i. e. as a whole]. Passed in the negative. Then the question, whether it was the mind of the town to read one chapter or section at a time and then put it to vote whether the town approved of them, passed in the affirmative. Then the question was put whether the town approv- ed of the Ist section in the Form of Government. Yeas 50, Nays 8 ; 58 voted .- Section 2d. The question was put whether the town approved of that : 50 voted; all yeas .- Section 3d. Question put. Yeas 32, Nays 15 ; 47 voted. Chapter 2d, Section Ist. Ques- tion put by dividing the house, whether the town approve thereof. Yeas 14, Nays 34; 48 voted .- Section 2. Approved by all voting ; 59 .- Section 3d. Question put by dividing the house. Yeas 6, Nays
1
1
22
V
36; 42 voted .- Section 4th. Approved by all voting ; 43." And so on, through every chapter and section. At the close of this scru- tinizing process, Henry Fiske, Timothy Parker and Joshua Harding were appointed a committee to arrange and state the objections of the town to these articles, which passed in the negative. Of these objections it may in general be said, that they indicate a forecast, and a maturity of political wisdom to which our legislators have been gradually approximating ever since; for the most important changes which have subsequently been made in our Constitution and Bill of Rights have been in accordance with the views here expressed.
It could not have been expected that a people, so accustomed to think for themselves on whatever subject came before them, and to act according to their own individual judgment, would be entirely unanimous in their opinions touching those great changes in the go- vernment and laws which were then taking place. But it is a re- markable fact, that when the town had taken special pains to have the names of such persons laid before them as were suspected of being unfriendly to the Revolution, only three could be found !
On the whole I think it may safely be affirmed, that the town of Sturbridge was not at all behind the spirit of '76 when that eventful ycar arrived. Perhaps it may be said, that they were even in advance of it; for, if we enquire into the origin of that spirit, we shall find that it was just such action as theirs which gave it birth. They are usually small streams, starting out from here and there a mountain's side, and combining their separate waters in one channel, which make the broad and deep river, whose augmenting force at length spurns all resistance. Such, in fact, was the origin and progress of those mighty movements which resulted in American Independence, and to which this town contributed a rill of influence that we can trace up to a point of time more than ten years back of that result.
If, in sketching the history of Sturbridge through this illustrious period, I have said but little of other things than those which pertain to the Revolutionary struggle, my apology is, that the records of its civil affairs show that little else was done. Almost every other sub- ject seems to have been either laid aside entirely, or brought into such intimate alliance with this, as not to be capable of a separate notice. And for a long time after the war had terminated, and the current of public business had once more found its regular channel, there was a spirit pervading the municipal affairs of the town, that would convince even a stranger, that there must have been some
23
great and recent movement among the people in the military line. The citizens had the air of soldiers, and seemed to delight in trans- acting their civil affairs, as far as possible, in a soldier-like way. For example ; the subject of fencing the burying ground came into town meeting May 12, 1794, and a Committee was chosen to report in what manner it should be donc. Their report was as follows, viz. : " That it be done by a free donation ; that the commissioned officers of each company of militia in this town be a Committee to inspect and see to the work ; that they give notice to all persons within the limits of their respective companies to attend with teams and tools sufficient to wall said ground on the 16th, 17th and 18th days of June next. The town adopted this report unanimously, and then voted, " that Capt. Samuel Hooker come on with his company on Monday the 16th, Capt. Corey with his Company on Tuesday the 17th, and Capt. Marcy with his Company on Wednesday the 18th of June next."
The town of Sturbridge at this time contained a population of about 1800 souls, scattered over a surface of more than 56 square miles. By actual survey there were 28,929 acres of land within its limits ; and the people, being chiefly agriculturalists, had distributed themselves pretty evenly over the whole of this wide territory. What- ever spot, therefore, they might select as a common centre for pub- lic worship and town-meetings, it must, of necessity, be at an incon- venient distance from many of the inhabitants. This circumstance, as the population increased, would naturally suggest the idea of a division, especially if any fit occasion should offer. Accordingly in the year 1783, when a new Meetinghouse was being erected, an at- tempt was made by some who were not satisfied with its location, to divide the town into "three Districts, or Precincts ;" which, however, was voted down " by a great majority." The next year a petition signed by Dea. Moses Weld and others residing in the North Eastern part of the town, praying for leave to be set off from Sturbridge for the purpose of forming a new town with a part of Brookfield, Spen- cer and Charlton, was at first granted without much discussion, but was afterwards reconsidered and refused.
No farther attempt was made to divide the town, or in any way to disturb its original boundaries, till 1796, when Joshua Harding Jr. and others inhabiting the South Eastern section made request to be . erected into a separate town with a part of Charlton and Dudley. Their petition was referred to a special Committee, with the expecta-
1
24
tion that they would report at a subsequent meeting. But when the article in the warrant was read, " to see if the town will hear the Report of their Committec," &c. it was " voted that this article sub- side "; and it does not appear that it ever rose again. The feelings, however, of the petitioners could not be so easily put in a quiescent state. They entered immediately into arrangements for building a Meetinghouse in that part of the town, and petitioned the General Court that they might be incorporated as a Poll Parish ; which was granted in 1801. The number of the names enrolled in this Act was ninety. These ninety persons, together with their families and es- tates, though not separated from the surrounding world by any geo- graphical lines, nevertheless formed a distinct community, which was known for many years by the name of Honest-town .*
On the 25th of November, 1811, by request of several of their nuin- ber a special meeting was called by the parish assessors, " to see if the said parish will petition the next General Court to be set off from the several towns of which they are composed, to be a town by them- selves, by the name of -. " 'The proposal was approved by the parish, and a committee was chosen " to take charge of a petition to be sent to the General Court." That petition was destined to en- counter no small opposition from the several towns concerned, but especially from Sturbridge, to which by far the largest part of the petitioners belonged. 'The consequence was, a refusal of their prayer by the General Court. The attempt was renewed at the next ses- sion of the legislature, but with no better success. Not discouraged by repeated failures, though having just cause for impatience at the
* In a manuscript lecture delivered before the Southbridge Lyceum in 1836 by Moses Plimpton, Esq. of that town, and which has been kindly placed in my hands by its obliging author, to whom I am indebted for many important facts in this part of the sketch, I find the following pleasant remarks on the origin and application of this name .- " It may have been attached to us by some one in the older towns'from which we had separated, in a moment of resentment at our obstinacy in not being satisfied to go seven miles to meeting ; it may have come from some wag, or bar-room joker, over his mug of flip; or possibly from some one of our own really honest inhabitants, who firmly believed that there was more true, genuine ho- nesty here, than in any other place in this part of the country. Be all these things as they may, it is certain that this place, now Southbridge, for twenty years or more before we be- carne a town, was known, far and near, by the name of Honest-town; and whether the term was applied ironically, or in " sober earnest"; whether the character of our inhabitants for fair dealing between man and man rose above, or fell below the common standard, the truth would probably require us to admit, that, from "local situation"-to use the charitable expres- sion of the amiable author of the report to which I have alluded-or fromn some other cause, there was a general want of stability, a kind of freedom from wholesome restraint, which was by no means favorable to the cause of good morals, virtue and religion."
.
4-
1
25
many embarrassments that were thrown in their way, they drafted a new petition in 1814, and sent another agent with instructions "to act and transact any thing and every thing necessary and relative to- wards carrying into effect the prayer of said petition, in his power." But all was to no purpose; the prayer was still rejected. By conti- nued importunity, however, the legislature were, at length, induced to send out an Examining Committee, whose Report was decidedly favorable to the petitioners ; and on the 15th of ForMary 1816, there was passed " An Act to incorporate the town of Southbridge."
The whole number of ratable polls in Sturbridge, at the time of this separation, was 476, and the whole valuation of property $325,233; of which, 151 ratable polls, and $83,783 of its valuation, were set off to the new town ;- that is, a little less than one third of the polls, and a little more than one fourth of the property, fell within the limits of Southbridge.
Nothing has occurred in the secular affairs of the town, since that event, of sufficient importance to deserve a detailed account in this brief sketch. With a diminished territory it has steadily advanced in population and wealth, till it has risen to a rank considerably higher than it held before Southbridge was taken from it; while the increase of that town has been in a ratio, still greater, and promises at no distant day to surpass either of the towns from which it was taken. The population of Sturbridge, as given in the census of 1837, was 2004. Its valuation at the same time was $461,700. Its principal source of income has been its soil-that same rough and rocky soil, which the General Court, an hundred years ago, judged unworthy of sale and hardly fit to give away, as being " not capable of making a township!" The result has shown, that the first settlers of this town in placing their chief reliance on "the blessing of God, in concur- rence with diligence and industry," rested on a firm basis.
Next in importance to the agricultural interests of Sturbridge, are its manufactories. The Quinebaug river, which passes through the centre of the town, furnishes many excellent water privileges. Three of these are already occupied with Cotton Mills, which run about 10,960 spindles and 300 looms, consuming annually 315,416 pounds of Cotton, and manufacturing 1,882,500 yards of cloth, valued at $170,325. The number of persons employed in these three mills is 244. On the same river and its tributaries, there are also 3 Batting Mills, 1 Pistol Manufactory, 3 Grist-Mills, and 9 Saw-Mills. If we
4
1
26
follow this stream into Southbridge till we come to the original boun- dary of Sturbridge on the East, we shall find one large Woolen, and two Cotton Mills, besides several other smaller works, all propelled by the same waters. In the Woolen Mill alone, there are 10 sets of machinery, 300,000 pounds of wool consumed annually, and 125,000 yards of cloth manufactured, valued at $375,000, and about 250 persons employed.
The present number of public schools in Sturbridge is 13; and the last returns that were made to the legislature showed the whole number of scholars to be, 560 in the winter, and 429 in the summer. The same year $950 were raised by taxes for the support of these schools, to which were added $200 by voluntary contribution, and $90 to sustain a Select school of 30 scholars three months-amount- ing in all to $1200. Probably this sum is about the average of what is expended in the town from year to year for the instruction of the young.
1
1
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
IT will be recollected by those who have perused the foregoing sketch, that one of the conditions on which this tract of land was granted to its original proprietors was, that within seven years from the time of the grant, they should " settle an orthodox minister, and lay out to him an home lot, equal to the other home lots; which lot," it was also added, "shall draw the fiftieth part of the Province land now granted, and be accounted as one of the fifty that are to be set- tled."
None of the conditions which the General Court imposed were more cheerfully acceded to, or more promptly fulfilled. The compa- ny would have been far enough within the provisions of the Act to avoid the danger of any forfeiture, if they had saved themselves this expense till the last part of the seventh year. And in their circum- stances, if in any, there would have been some show of reason for adopting such a course. They were few in number, and feeble in means. Their present expenditures were large, while their income as yet consisted of little besides hope. But they seem to have been men who really believed that " godliness is profitable unto all things," even to the clearing of a forest, and the planting of a township ; for · at the proprietors' second meeting, which was less than a year from the date of, the grant, and which was called for the purpose of draw- ing their respective lots of land,-even before that important busi- ness was despatched, they discussed the question of building a Meet- inghouse, and agreed upon a spot for its location.
There was a tract of land within their limits, known by the name of " Gen. Saltenstall's Farm," though it appears to have been a forest, like the rest of the township, and was then in possession of heirs who lived at New-London, Ct. The spot which seemed to them most convenient for a Church was on this tract of land, "near the meeting of the roads, on the West Side of Sugar Brook ;" i. e. a few rods South of the present Congregational place of worship.
1
28
Measures were immediately taken to secure this spot, and a committee was appointed to open a negociation with the heirs of Gen. Saltenstall.
When it is considered, that this subject came before that meeting, and was thus disposed of while they had not yet drawn their home lots, and as the next business after they had voted to pay 24 a-piece to defray the expense of laying them out, it will certainly appear, that the fathers of this town still retained the genuine spirit of the Pil- grims.
1
Their negociation for a spot on which to place the house was soon brought to a successful termination, and arrangements for building were promptly commenced, as appears from the following votes, which were passed at the proprietors' third meeting, Nov. 30, 1731, viz.
" Voted, that Mr. Jonas Houghton shall have £8 14s. 2d. for his service in going to New-London and procuring a deed of the heirs of Gen. Saltenstall, and the charge of recording in the County Re- cords.
" Voted, that the proprietors will build a Meetinghouse as soon as conveniently they can.
" Voted, that the Meetinghouse shall be 50 feet in length, and 40 feet in width, and 22 feet between the sills and plates.
" Voted, to finish the said house according to the articles drawn to finish the Meetinghouse at Hassanamisco, (now Grafton.)
" Voted, to have the house built, covered, and enclosed in the space of one year from this time, and finished in the space of two years, according to the above said vote.
" Voted, to choose three men to be a Committee to manage the affair of building the said house ; and by vote, John Dwight, Jonas Houghton, and Joseph Plimpton were chosen to be a Committee for carrying on of the said work of building the Meetinghouse."
1
At the same meeting the proprictors made a grant of £525 towards the erection of the house, which was the total sum of their receipts hitherto for the sale of lands. They afterwards added ££20 " for the completing and finishing the Meetinghouse." It was dedicated to the worship of God on the 19th of Sept. 1773, more than four years before the town was incorporated. The Rev. Mr. Baxter of Medfield preached the dedicatory sermon from Is. 63 : 5, " I looked and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold : therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury it upheld me."
١
29
But let it not be inferred that there was no public worship here till after the Meetinghouse was opened. It is said that even during the first season, James Denison from the South Eastern section of the town, and Joseph Smith from the North Western, Henry and Daniel Fiske from Fiske Hill, together with several others who had commenc- ed " a clearing" in different parts of the township, as soon as they be- came acquainted with each other's place of residence, were accus- tomed to meet in the little cabin of one or the other, every Lord's Day, and spend their time in prayer and praise.
No sooner had the company finished their Sanctuary than they took measures to secure a suitable person to minister therein. There was an article in the warrant for a proprietors' meeting, June 24, 1734, touching this subject. In their action upon it they " voted, that there shall be 15 shillings levied, raised and collected upon each right of the proprietors, (the minister's right exempted) to promote preaching." The Rev. Mr. Cowell was employed as their first preach- er. At their meeting in November following, a tax of 40 shillings was levied " to promote preaching for the year ensuing ;" which, ac- cording to the Committee's report at the end of the year, amounted to £95 10s. The next year they expended £103 11s. 6d. for the same purpose.
The first Monday in March 1736 was, by vote of the proprietors, "set apart for prayer and fasting to seek direction for the making choice of a gospel minister to settle" among them. The pastors of four neighboring churches were invited to assist in the solemnities of that occasion. The result was a unanimous choice of the Rev. Caleb Rice to become their minister.
It must occur to every reflecting mind, that in respect to this subject, viz. the choice of a pastor, customs have greatly changed " since the fathers fell asleep ;"-and that too, not for the better, either to pastors or people, but decidedly for the worse, to both. What minister of Jesus Christ would not consider himself more strongly bound to live, and labor, and die, among a people who had thus deliberately and solemnly chosen him for that purpose ? And what people would not pause and ask counsel of God, before they broke asunder the bond which united them to a pastor whom they had thus piously sought of Him ?
Mr. Rice was ordained to the work of the ministry on Wednesday the 29th of Sept. 1736, at which time a Church was also organized, consisting of fourteen male members, viz.
30
Rev. Caleb Rice
George Watkins
Henry Fiske
Solomon Rood
Ezekiel Upham
Daniel Fiske
Joseph Baker Joseph Cheney
Jonathan Perry
Jonathan Fosket
Ebenezar Stearns
Moses Allen
Joseph Allen Daniel 'Thurston.
The office of Deacon was conferred on Daniel Fiske and Ebenczar Stearns ; and Moses Allen was appointed to " set the Psalm in the Congregation upon the Sabbath day."*
1
* There is reason to think that Church-Music was conducted by our fathers and mothers with more "spirit," and less " understanding," than it is by us. The chorister, who was al- ways appointed to that office by the suffrages of the Church, having " set the Psalm," any of the worshippers, whose natural gifts would enable them to do it, were accustomed to sing the praises of God-sitting or standing promiscuously about in the assembly. The singers in this town first came into the practice of sitting by themselves in 1768. A petition was brought into town meeting that year, signed by " sundry of the inhabitants, requesting that they may have the liberty of taking their seats in the Meetinghouse in the front gallery, or where- ever the town shall think proper, in order to carry on the duty of singing with more regularity, decency, and good order." The town gave them' leave to do so till the next May meeting, whieli was about two months distant ; and then voted that the same liberty " be continued to them during the town's pleasure." Soon after this they did still more for the encouragement of "regularity, deceney, and good order" in the performance of this "duty ;"-they voted the sum of " £3 Lawful Money for the purpose of keeping a singing school, to be under the dirce- tion of the Selectmen." The new method of singing by rule, however, and especially the new tunes which were introduced, created no small stir in the Congregation, and the Church appointed a Committee of three to investigate the unhappy differences between the singers and the people, and propose some method of accommodation. Their report, which was read from the desk on the Sabbath, is still preserved among the papers of the Church. It sets forth three grievances on the part of the singers, They complained, 1. That they were " not properly encouraged, so many being opposed to singing by rule, and some people leaving the Meetinghouse." 2. " Their persons and characters being injuriously treated." 3. " Their not having liberty to sing onee a-day without reading line by line." With a view to obviate these difficulties and restore peace between the singers and the Congregation, the Committee gave the following advice, viz .- In respect to the first complaint, they advised the disaffected among the people " to read the preface to Mr. Walter's Singing-Book," and consider " whether or no it is even possible that a Congregation should join together in singing, and carry it on in order, no one knowing any rirle, and so none observing any." Respecting the second, they re- commended "a solemn regard to that golden rule of doing to others as they would have others do to them." Touching the third complaint, after conceding to both parties " the right of private judgment," the Committee add, for the consolation of the singers, " nothing is more common than opposition and disconragement in a good work." The report concludes with some sensible remarks to the choir, a general exhortation " to seek after the things which make for peace, and whereby one may edify another," and a proposal "that Psalins be sung once on the Sabbath days at the coneluding of divine service, by reading one verse, or half stave at onee, for the space of four months next." The old way of conducting Church Music probably went out of use at the expiration of these four months. And the numerous votes to raise money for instruction in singing, which aro scattered along throughout the town re. cords from that time to this, furnish gratifying proof that this community have known how to appreciate so important a part of divine worship.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.