USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Historical sketch of the old church, Quincy, Mass > Part 2
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No. 49. Owner, John Quincy Adams; deed signed as No. 1. John Spear oc- cupied.
No. 50. Owners, Samuel and Ebenezer Rawson, one-half each.
No. 51, Owner, Deacon Josiah Adams, occupied also by his son Josiah, jr. Dea- con Adams died April 24, 1:44, aged 80. He and his brothers of pews Nos. 67 and 77, were second cousins to President John Q. Adams. Deacon Adams' widow, Margaret died Feb. 3, 1849, wanting 9 days of 75 years.
No. 52. Owner, John Bass, kindly remembered by many ; living on Granite street to an advanced age, his sister Polly with him,-both unmarried. Occupied also by William Seaver, teacher. Dr. Woodward, Dart. Col. 1817, present senior physician of Quincy, when entering on his practise, forty years ago, sat here.
No. 53. Owner, Elisha T. Crane. Occupied also by Ebenezer Nightingale. This pew formerly belonged to Thompson Baxter, with whom Rev. Mr. Wibird lived. No. 54. Owner, Lemuel Brackett. Belonged, formerly, to his father James, who died August 16, 1825, in his 90th year, a constant attendant at church, and, in his latter years, sitting in the pulpit by reason of deafness. The present owner as constant an attendant at church and still in excellent health, in his 84th year, living (probably oldest man in town) at his house on Hancock street, which he built in 1826, when he left the very ancient house of his father. He is great-great-great grand son of the original ancestor, Capt. Richard Brackett, Deacon, Boston, 1632,-who, with wife Alice, joined Braintree, now Quincy, first church, -- town clerk, -third captain of the town, which office, by reason of infirmities, he begged to lay down in 1684, and the court appointed Edm. ·Quincy to succeed him. Richard gave a silver cup to the church which is inscribed with the initials of him and his wife, after the ancient custom, thus B R. & A. He died March 5, 1690, aged 50. See Savage; also Genealogical sketch of the Brackett family by the late Jeffrey Richardson, jr., grand son of Lemuel B., and member of N. E. Ilist. and Gen. Society.
No. 55. Owners, jointly, Capt. James Brackett, older brother of Lemuel, and Thomas Phipps as administrator. It was occupied also in latter years of the church by the families of William Whall and Charles Park. Capt. Brackett kept a store by his house, which was on the north east corner of Hancock and
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
Elm streets. The old town hay scales, unlike what we see now, stood in front of this store. This house was built in 1794-5, by James, father of Capt. James, and was on the site of the old well known Brackett tavern kept by James, grand father of Capt. James. Capt. James Brackett removed from Quincy in 1825, to Philadelphia : and, after residing some years at Greenport, L. I., died at Philadelphia, April 18, 1855, in his 86th year.
No. 56. Owner, Dr. Thomas Phipps, who succeeded his father, Dr. Thomas, of H. U., 1757, as physican in Quincy, and who fell dead, August 30, 1832, from ossification of heart, as he was leaving his house on School street, walking to the Town Hall, to meet the officers of the regiment and resign his commission as its surgeon. He was at Cambridge commencement, with his family, seeming never in better health, on the day before, when his son Harrison Gray Otis Phipps, afterwards minister at Cohasset, took part on graduating. The first owner of this pew was Capt. Joseph Neal Arnold who was named for old Deacon Neal. No. 57. Owner, Capt. James Brackett of No. 55. Lewis Baxter occupied it.
No. 58. Owner, Henry Hardwick, who lived at the foot of Pain's Hill.
No. 59. Owner, Peter Keating. His son-in-law Lemuel Baxter, and Thomas Nightingale also occupied it.
No. 60. Owner, Elijah Spear, of No. 15. Occupied by Moses Reed Marsh, and Edmund, brothers, who carried on a boot factory on Hancock street, opposite house of L. Brackett.
No. 61. Owner, Elisha Marsh, who died April 17, 1847, aged 65. His widow Lucy died Jan. 23, 1864, aged 81. Former owner, his father, Wilson Marsh, who died July 7, 1828, aged 78. Wilson was great-grand son of the original ancestor, Lieut. Alexander Marsh, Freeman, 1654, who married probably, Dec. 19, 1655, Mary, dau. of Gregory Belcher, and died March 7, 1698, aged about 70. Alexander's son John was father, probably, of John, of H. U., 1726. No. 62. Owner of one-half, Win. Newcomb. Occupied also by his sons.
No. 63. Owner, John Pray, who died at an advanced age ; father of Lewis G. Pray, long engaged in business in Boston, now residing at Roxbury.
No. 64. Owners, jointly, Joseph Field from the foot of Pain's Hill, and William Bax- ter, School street.
No. 65. Owners, jointly, Jedadiah and Peter Adams, brothers; from whose estate on Sea street, Rev. P. Whitney purchased land in 1801, on which to erect his house, and subsequently, in 1809.
No. 66. Owners, jointly, Win. Spear; and Daniel Hobart, Sexton for many years. No. 67. Owner, Ebenezer Adams. He died June 10, 1841, aged 79 years, 1 mo. His widow Elizabeth, died September 26, 1856, aged 81 years, 20 days. John Whitney merchant at Quincy Point, also occupied it, who died Jan. 2, 1850, in his 65th year. He was brother, and the wives of Ebenezer Adams, of Deacon Josiah Adams, and of Lemuel Brackett were sisters of Rev. Peter Whitney. Mr. Adams bought this pew of the estate of Gen. Palmer, who lived at Germantown.
No. 68. Owner, Lewis Bass, now living on Granite street. Parish treasurer, son of Deacon Jonathan Bass, former owner.
No. 69. Owner, Win. James, jr., Hannah Bent and mother, also occupied it.
No. 70. Owner, John Greenleaf, formerly judge Richard Cranch's pew, whose dau. Lucy he married April 4, 1795. His estate was the ancient Cranch estate on School street. He was son of sheriff Wm. Greenleaf of Boston. Rev. Dr. Lunt, in the appendix to his sermon after the death of Hon. Thomas Greenleaf, says, " there were two sheriffs of Suffolk at that time, and what is remarkable, they were brothers, one a Tory, Stephen Greenleaf, and the other, Win. Green- leaf, an ardent Whig." A sister of Mr. John Greenleaf, Nancy, married his wife's brother, judge Wm. Cranch of Washington. Mr. Greenleaf died March 29, 1848, aged 84 years 6 mo. His wife died previous, Feb. 18, 1846, aged 79 years. Her mother and President John Adams's wife were sisters,-the daugh- ters of Rev. Wm. Smith of Weymouth. Dr. Lunt concludes his excellent sermon on Mr. Thomas Greenleaf in these words. "And may it be our felicity, when our earthly work shall be ended, to leave behind us as un- tarnished a name, and as distinet, as unequivocal, and as reliable evidences of a useful and honorable life, as have been left behind him by the venerated friend, fellow-townsman, and fellow-worshipper upon whose grave I lay this humble tribute of affectionate respect." And of Mr. John Greenleaf Dr. Lunt writes, as above. " This venerable man had been blind from his youth ; but the care which his condition required was an office of love, and never a
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
burden through his uniform cheerfulness and Christian goodness. Mr. and Mrs. Greenleaf were among the excellent of the earth ; and the memory of their quiet worth is cherished in many hearts." Mr. G., we may add, though blind, was a constant attendant at church. He was likewise, proficient on the organ and other musical instruments.
No. 71. Owners, Peter Brackett, one-eighth ; Betsey Brackett, one-fourth and two- tenths ; Mary P. Adams, one-eighth ; Frances Spear, Mehitable and Sarah Nightingale, one-tenth, each,
No. 72. Owner, Daniel Spear. John Billings and Mrs. Faxon also occupied it.
No. 73. Owner, Wm. Wood, master builder of the new stone church. The family of Thomas Crane. also occupied it.
No. 74. Owner, Peter Bicknell from Germantown, south east part of Quincy.
No. 75. Owners, Horatio N. Glover, one half ; Nathaniel Glover and Thomas Adams, one-quarter, each,
No. 76. Owner Jonathan Marsh, son of Wilson of pew No. 61. He was much inter- ested in historical and genealogical research, and a subscriber to this Register. He endured a long and painful confinement in Christian patience and hope, and died, December 10, 1861, aged 74 years, 8 mos, 5 days. See a full notice in this Register, vol. 15, p. 179.
No. 77. Owner, Thomas Adams, whose estate was on Neponset Turnpike. He was brother of Deacon Josiah and Ebenezer.
No. 78. Owner, Solomon Nightingale. James Green also occupied it.
No. 79. Owner, Adam Hardwick.
No. 80. Owners, Jonathan Cook and Daniel Spear.
No. 81. Owner, William Wood.
Veasie, his father, formerly.
George Veasie occupied it. Deacon Elijah
No. 82. Owners, Oliver Billings, one-half ; George M. Gibbens, one-quarter ; Geo. B. Billings, one-quarter.
No. 83. Owner, John Dwelle from Pain's Hill. Henry, brother of Wm. Wood, also occupied it.
No. 84. Owners, Luther Spear, two-thirds ; Frances, widow of Seth Spear, one- third.
No. 85. Owner, George W. Beale. He fell dead in his yard, of disease of the heart, Nov. 19, 1851, aged 69. His father, Capt. Benjamin Beale, former owner, died in 1825, at a very advanced age. Their large and beautiful estate adjoined President Adams' on the west.
No. 86. Owner, Peter Boylston Adams, brother to President John Adams. He died at a very advanced age. The deed is signed by Peter Turner as Guardian of Peter Boylston Adams, for one-third; Mary Turner for one-third ; and Davis Boardman for one-third. Elisha Turner, also occupied it.
No. 87. Parish pew for town's poor.
The quit-claim deed relinquishing the pews, contains the signa- tures of the following persons who gave up pews in the galleries: Bryant Newcomb; Capt. Benjamin Page; Alpheus and Lemuel Spear, brothers, one; George Spear; Ebenezer Bent; Thomas Adams; Solomon and Josiah Nightingale, one; Ezra Glover; Daniel Spear. The first four pews were in the east end of the south gallery and were occupied by the owners. The others were on the back of the west gallery, most of the owners occupying their pews below.
The following vote relates to the pews in the south gallery, only. " Monday October 6, 1828. Voted that the persons owning pews in the gallery of the old meeting house may have the right of taking away the iron railings and curtains in front of their pews."
At the same meeting, -- " Voted to put a new dial and glass to the clock now belonging to the parish, and put the same upon the new meeting -house."
This clock is the one now on the west or singers' gallery of the new stone temple. It was a gift-as appears by the following vote from the town records, the old first parish then comprising the town,-
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
" Sept 30, 1799,-Voted that the thanks of the town be returned to President Adams and Mr. Moses Black for the present to the town of a clock in the meeting house."
We come now to the destruction of the old church, venerable, in wanting to its age bnt four years of a complete century. Owing to the increase of the inhabitants of the town and to the somewhat singular non-increase of religious societies, the edifice was found far too small for the accommodation of all who wished to worship in it. A new and larger one was contemplated. The bequests of President Adams, sen., of some granite quarries, made to the town in 1822, with the request that from them a temple should be erected by the first parish, were a further incitement to the work; and on the 6th of Nov., 1826, the report of a committee appointed on the 11th of April previous, recommending the erection of a stone church, was almost unanimously accepted by the parish. The cellar was commenced on the 9th of April, 1827, the corner stone was laid with appropriate re- ligious ceremonies on the 11th of June following, and the church was dedicated on Wednesday, November 12, 1828 .* The account of the exercises, together with the address delivered at the laying of the corner stone by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Whitney, while the old church was still standing, may be found in the appendix to the history of Quincy. The new edifice was located on the north west of the old, and immediately contiguous. The portico of the new stone church, if shown in this plate, would appear directly fronting the observer, on the left of the old tower. So close, indeed, were the corners of the two buildings, that in order to complete the right end of the stone portico, it was necessary to remove the tower of the old church. On the 28th March, 1828, the tower was accordingly sold at public auction. It was bid off, with its underpinning and the door steps belonging with it, to Mr. John Spear, for seventy dollars. The vane and ball on the cupola were bid off separately from the tower, to Mr. Henry Wood, for three dollars and twenty-five cents, and were placed on his barn near his house in Quincy, where they now remain. On the eighth of April following the bell was moved from the cupola to the north-west end of the roof; and on the fourteenth, in the presence of a large number of spectators, the cupola was thrown down to the ground with a loud crash, the pillars having been sawn off. The writer of this sketch was present, and recorded in a diary at the . time the incidents as here related. The cupola was found to be much decayed. The tower was wholly removed in a few days, being taken down in pieces.
Thus the old edifice stood towerless through the summer, while the new temple was progressing by its side. On the 3d of October, as the latter drew towards its completion, the bell was drawn up from its summer position on the old roof to the cupola of the new church, without at all coming to the ground, leaving the old house ready to be taken down. Here the society gathered for the last time, for re-
* Beneath this granite church, in a massive tomb, repose the remains of Presi- lent John Adams and wife, and President John Quincy Adams and wife. In the Interior of the church are mural monuments with appropriate inscriptions, -copies of hich may be found in the Register, vol. 1x. p. 155.
.
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
ligious worship, on Sunday, October twelfth. In the afternoon, the pastor, Rev. Mr. Whitney, delivered a farewell discourse, appropriate to the occasion, from the words of the Prophet Zechariah I, 5. "Your Fathers, where are they ? and the Prophets, do they live forever ?" The following beautiful hymn, originally written for a similar occasion, by Rev. Dr. Flint, of Salem, was printed, distributed in the pews, and sung at the close of the service :-
(1.) .
Here to the High and Holy One,
Our fathers early reared
A house of prayer, a lowly one,
Yet long to them endeared. By hours of sweet communion, Held with their covenant God, As oft, in sacred union, His hallowed courts they trod.
(2.)
(3.)
Gone are the pious multitudes
These time-worn walls, the resting place,
That here kept holy time,
So oft, from earthly cares,
In other courts assembled now,
To righteous souls now perfected,
For worship more sublime.
We leave with thanks and prayers ;
Their children we ar- waiting
With thanks for every blessing
In meekness, Lord, thy call ; Thy love still celebrating,
Vouchsafed through all the past,
With prayers, thy throne addressing,
Our hope, our trust, our all. For guidance to the last.
(4.)
Though from this house, so long beloved,
We part with sadness now ;
Yet here, we trust, with gladness, soon
In fairer courts to bow ; So when our souls, forsaking
These bodies fallen, and pale,
In brighter forms awaking,
With joy the change shall hail.
It was not without emotions of regret that for the last time the congregation " trod those hallowed courts" where, through childhood or manhood and age, they had gone to praise and pray. The associations of earlier times gathered in that hour and place; and many like " the priests, levites and chief of the fathers who were ancient men," of whom the prophet tells us, " remembering the former days, wept" that no more they should go up to "the for- mer house of the Lord."
In the afternoon of the next day the old church was sold at public auction by Deacon Daniel Spear; the tower, as we have seen, having been disposed of before. Its parts were separately sold and in the following order: The pulpit window, broad and handsome, with a semi-circular top, alone, had inside blinds, and these were first sold to Isaac Dodge for $3.00. The stove, standing on the north-west side, opposite the tower door, was sold, with its appurtenances, to David Riddle, Esq., for $42.50. The pulpit and pews below were also sold to him for $53.00. The residue of the building was sold to Ebenezer Adams; for $202. Stone underpinning and steps were sold to Cotton Pratt for $82.50. Total $383.00. Net proceeds of the old
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
church, including the former sale of tower, $456.25. In the course of ten days it was wholly taken down and the spot graded, there having been no cellar beneath the building ; and on the 12th of November following, as we have seen, the present stone church, erected at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars, from granite quar- ries bequeathed for the purpose, by President John Adams, was dedicated. The society worshipped in the Town Hall on three Sabbaths previous to the dedication, religious services being sus- pended on the first Sabbath after the destruction of the old church edifice.
The materials of the old edifice were, in the following spring, con- verted into four dwelling houses still standing on a street then first opened for the purpose, now called Cottage Avenue, running from Webb's bridge on Hancock street, to Sea street. The houses were erected by Mr. Adams, who, as has been seen, purchased the building and who, with Samuel Capen of Braintree, owned the land and opened the street. This land belonged, originally, to Rev. Mr. Tompson, first minister of the church, and was long known as " the Tompson lot." Near its northern boundary was the residence of Rer. Mr. Flint, the associate of Mr. Tompson, who owned the estate of Jedadiah Adams, then including the estate of the late minister, Rev. P. Whitney.
We append a complete list of the ministers who have been settled over this ancient religious society. The principal portion of Rev. Mr. Hancock's ministry, the ministries of Rev. Messrs. Briant and Wibird, and most of the ministry of Rev. Mr. Whitney, were in the church here commemorated. The latter portion of Rev. Mr. Whitney's ministry, the ministries of Rev. Messrs. Lunt and Wells were in the present stone church.
I. Rev William Tompson, born in Lancashire, England. 1598 ; educated at Oxford. The exact year of his arrival here is uncertain. Eminent for zeal and eloquence as a preacher in England. Or- dained here, November 19, 1639, (the church having been gathered Sept. 17, 1639), and died December 10, 1666, in the 69th year of his age. He ceased from his public labors as a preacher in 1659, by reason of ill-health.
II. Rev. Henry Flynt (associate), teacher, came to this country in 1635, probably from Matlock, Derbyshire, England ; ordained here, March 17, 1639-40, and died April 27, 1668, aged 61.
III. Rev. Moses Fiske, son of Rev. John Fiske, of Wenham, Mass., graduate H. U., 1662 -; ordained Sept. 11, 1672, and died August 10, 1708, in the 66th year of his age.
IV. Rev. Joseph Marsh, H. U. 1705, son of Daniel Marsh, of Had- ley ; admitted to Cambridge church, November 28, 1703, as " Joseph Marsh, student," was ordained May 18, 1709, and died March 8, 1725-6, in 41st year of his age.
V. Rev. John Hancock, H. U., 1719, son of Rev. John Hancock, of Lexington, II. U. 1689, was ordained, Nov. 2, 1726, and died, May 7, 1744, in 42d year of his age. His discourses in 1739, on the completion of the first century of the church, were published. He dedicated, as we have seen, the edifice here represented ; he died May 7, 1744, in the 42d year of his age. John Hancock, the patriot, President of the Continental Congress, was his son and second child.
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
VI. Rev. Lemuel Briant, H. U., 1739, son of Thomas Briant, of Scituate, Mass, was ordained December 4, 1745: dismissed at his re- quest on account of ill health, October 22, 1753, and died at Hingham, October 1, 1754, aged 32 years, and was interred at Scituate.
VII. Rev. Anthony Wibird, H. U., 1747, born at Portsmouth, N. H., was ordained February 5. 1755, and died unmarried, Wednesday, June 4, 1800, aged 72, and was interred on 7th. For a few of the latter years of his ministry he was unable, from bodily infirmities, to attend upon the duties of his office.
VIII. Rev. Peter Whitney, H. U., 1791, born at Northboro, January 19, 1770, son of Rev. Peter Whitney of Northboro, of H. U., 1762, and grandson of Rev. Aaron Whitney, of Peterham, of H. U., 1737, ordained February 5, 1800, and died suddenly, as his father died, March 3, 1843, in 74th year of his age and 44th of his ministry.
IX. Rev. William Parsons Lunt, D. D., H. U., 1823; was born in New- buryport, April 21, 1805; son of Henry Lunt; ordained over the 2d con- gregational ( Unitarian) church, New York city, June 19, 1828; left, November, 1833; installed associate pastor with Rev. Mr. Whitney, June 3, 1835. Surviving his aged colleague fourteen years he died at Ezion-Geber, on a fond tour to Jerusalem, March 21, 1857, in the 52nd year of his age and 22nd of his ministry at Quincy. His dis- courses in 1839, on the completion of the 2d century of the church, were published with valuable historical notes. "
X. Rev. Jolin Doane Wells, H. U., 1854, son of Rev. George Wads- worth Wells, H. U., 1823, was born at Kennebunk, Me., and was or- dained at Quincy, December 27, 1860 .- Present pastor.
The remains of all the deceased ministers, except Messrs. Briant and Lunt, repose in the ancient burial-ground, opposite the first church. See vol. ix, p. 151 of this Register. Two beautiful mural monuments in marble have been erected in this church, commemora- tive of the eighth and ninth ministers, Rev. Messrs. Whitney and Lunt, by their parishoners. They are placed opposite similar monu- ments commemorative of the two Presidents, alluded to in the article here presented, and bear appropriate inscriptions both from the pen of Rev. Nathaniel L. Frothingham, D. D., of First Church, Boston.
We have spoken minutely of this ancient edifice, remembering that facts and events which, because connected with our own time, we perhaps little regard, soon pass into history, and their record posterity thanks us for and prizes. We love to look on this old plate. It calls back memories and associations dear and hallowed. It tells of the wise and good who so long united in the services of the church; of the chiefs of the Nation, who, from the strife and turmoil of political life, and from the council chambers of state, came on the peaceful sabbath, to sit beneath its Sanctuary, and at its Communion Table to commemorate the Saviour, and at its Altar to pray, where in infancy they had been baptized. It speaks of a great company of the meek and pious; of beautiful children; of young men and maidens; of fathers and mothers, who with the early spring and the falling leaves of successive years, went out from its worship to lie down in the silent grave. It tells of many words of counsel, warning and reproof; of consolation, strength
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The Old Church, Quincy, Mass.
and hope, uttered sabbath after sabbath within its walls from re- vered lips long stilled. Its solemn voice, like the well-remembered echo of its uncarpeted aisles, yet speaks impressively of the change of all things earthly, and pleads with us for faithfulness to the Pre- sent from the hallowed Past.
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MAY 75
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA
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