USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hanover > Historical sketch of the town of Hanover, Mass., with family genealogies, 1853 > Part 7
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Rev. Ethan Smith, the 7th pastor, " was born in Belchertown, Mass., Dec. 16, 1762, and while young, was a soldier for one summer in the Revolutionary War, and was at West Point when the traitor Arnold sold that fortress to the British. Having attended to the preparatory studies, he entered Dartmouth Col- lege in 1785, and graduated in 1790. Soon after taking his degree, he was licensed to preach, and spent the first Sabbath of October, 1790, at Haverhill, N. H., where he was first settled in the ministry. In about a year from that time, he was married to Bathsheba Sandford, second daughter of Rev. David Sandford, of Medway, Mass. He remained at Haverhill nine years, and was then dismissed for want of support. He was installed in the
73
MR. SMITH'S WRITINGS.
ministry at Hopkinton, N. H., March 12, 1800, and continued there about eighteen years, during sixteen of which he was Secretary of the New Hampshire Missionary Society. He was afterwards settled at Hebron, N. Y., about four years; at Poultney, Ver- mont, about five years ; at Hanover, Mass., five years ; and then spent a season as a city missionary in Boston. His publications were, 1. A Dissertation on the Prophecies, two editions ; 2. A View of the Trinity, two editions ; 3. A View of the Hebrews, two editions ; 4. Lectures on the Subjects and Mode of Baptism, two editions ; 5. A Key to the figurative Language of the Bible; 6. Memoirs of Mrs. Abigail Bailey ; 7. A Key to the Revelation, 2 editions ; 8. Prophetic Catechism; 9. Two Sermons on Episcopacy ; 10. Farewell Sermon at Haverhill, N. H. ; 11. First Sermon after installation at Hopkinton ; 12. Two Sermons on the Vain Excuses of Sinners, preached at Washington, N. H .; 13. Ser- mon on the Moral Perfection of God, preached at Newburyport, Mass .; 14. Sermon on the daughters of Zion excelling, preached before a Female Cent Society ; 15. Sermon on the happy Transi- tion of Saints, preached at the funeral of Mrs. Jemima, con tuIo of Rev. Dr. Harris, of Dunbarton ; 16. Sermon at the ordination of Rev. Stephen Martindale, at Tinmouth, Vermont; anl 17. Ser- mon at the ordination of Rev. Harvey Smith, at Weybridge, Vermont. His children were Myron, born at Haverhill, N. H., 1794, and died 1818, aged 24; Lyndon Arnold, born at Haver- hill, 1795, graduated at Dartmouth Co"ege, married a daughter of Rev. Dr. Griffin, and settled as a physician, in Newark, N. J. ; Stephen Sanford, born at Haverhill, 1797, and settled as pastor of the Congregational Church, Westminster, Mass .; Laura, who died in infancy ; Carlos, born in Hopkinton, 1801, graduated at Union College, and settled as pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Massillon, Ohio ; Grace Fletcher, wife of Rev. Job H. Martin, died in Haverhill, Mass., 1840 ; Sarah Towne, second wife of Rev. J. H. Martin, of New York ; Harriet, wife of William H. Sanford, of Boylston, Mass. ; and Ellen, wife of C. B. Sedgwick, Esq., of Syracuse, died May 23, 1846, aged 33. The wife of Mr. Smith, died in Pompey, N. Y., April 5, 1835, aged 64. He was living, in 1847, in Boylston, Mass.," but has since deceased.1
1 See a communication in the N. E. Gen. Reg., for 1847, p. 182 et seq. 6
74
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
During the ministry of Mr. Smith, the second meeting-house was torn down, and the third, or present house erected ; which stands in the centre of the town, facing the East, and is a modest structure, surmounted by a steeple, and in the belfry hangs the old bell, given by Mr. Josselynn, in 1785, and re-cast in 1788.
Rev. Abel G. Duncan, the present pastor of the Society, grad- uated at the Bangor Theological Seminary, in 1828, was settled for four years at Jackson and Brooks, Maine, and was installed in Hanover, August 22, 1833. He has proved himself a faithful minister, and an excellent citizen ; having had the honor to Rep- resent the town, for six years, in the State Legislature, and having been, for many years, Chairman of the School Committee.
The Central Society, like all others that have been long estab- lished, has seen its days of prosperity, and its days of adversity. As the oldest society in the town, it has enjoyed great advantages, and has done much to maintain the ordinances of the gospel. We are happy to say that the annals of the Town are but little stained with the records of protracted controversies, and bitter animosities. A few such unpleasant memorials occur, but we have chosen to leave them unnoticed, rather than to make our pages the vehicle of perpetuating events of so little consequence in themselves, and so unprofitable to the present, or to future generations. The vir- tues of our fathers, should ever be remembered. And among these, by no means the least conspicuous, are their reverence for God, their zeal for his worship, and their devotion to the interests of learning and piety. May we, their children, endeavor to follow them in everything good, and may we transmit, to our children, blessings as great as have descended to us from them.
1
CHAPTER V.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY CONTINUED.
" In vestment white, the minister of God Opens the book, and reverentially The stated portion reads." GRAHAME.
" I cannot go, Where UNIVERSAL LOVE not smiles around." THOMSON.
" To his great baptism flocked, With awe the regions round." MILTON.
Establishment of St. Andrews Church in Scituate-First Meeting house-Mr. Davenport's ministry-Mr. Brockwell's-Mr. Thompson's-Sketch of his de- scendants-Mr. Wheeler's ministry - Removal of the Church to Hanover- Erection of a New Meeting House-Rectorship of Messrs Cooper, Wolcott, Ap- pleton, Greenleaf, and Cutler-Establishment of a Society in the Northerly part of Hanover, and Westerly part of Scituate-Incorporation as a Universalist Society-Sketch of its history-History of the Baptist Society.
ST. ANDREWS CHURCH.
About the year 1725, Episcopal service was first performed in the town of Scituate, by Rev. Timothy Cutler, D. D., Rector of Christ Church, in Boston. According to Deane, 1 the statement if made in Nichols's collection of anecdotes, that " Mr. Cutler, withs several attendants, came to Scituate, during the absence of Mr. Bourne, minister of the north parish, by the invitation of Lieut. Damon, ( then at variance with Mr. Bourne, ) and another gentle- man of large estate, and performed divine service in the Church form, in the north Meeting-house."
This statement, in its leading features, is copied by Mr. Cutler, into his " Sermon on the origin, progress, and present condition of St. Andrews Church, Hanover, Massachusetts," which was pub- lished in 1848 ; ? to which he adds, " Whether any minister of the Church of England had previously visited or resided as a mission- ary," in Scituate, " does not appear. The Society for Propa-
1 History of Scituate, p. 45.
2 Sermon, p. 4.
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HISTORY OF HANOVER.
gating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, which is connected with the Church of England, and to whose assistance this Church was sub- sequently indebted for aid, had missionaries located in New Eng- land, some years prior to this visit of Dr. Cutler, in 1725, and it is not impossible that their labors may have been held in this region."
In a communication, received from John Barstow, Esq., of Providence, R. I., he speaks of the Rev. Mr. Miller, of Braintree, Mass., as one of these Missionaries, and says, that, in his annual Report to the Society, in 1731, he observes that " he had preached from time to time to the people of the Church of England, in Scit- uate, and the neighboring towns, that the services were held in a private house, and that the auditory was so large that the house could not contain them."
The first meeting-house belonging to this Church, was erected in 1731, on the central part of Church hill, in Scituate, and en- larged in 1753; 1 and, though not entirely finished at the time, it " was opened for divine service, October 11, 1731, when Mr. Miller preached a sermon, and baptised eight children. More people were present than the church could contain. Mr. Miller preached again, on the last day of November, being St. Andrew's day, from which the Church takes its name. The members of the Church sent an earnest request, to the Society in England, to pro- vide them a missionary, and the Rev. Mr. Davenport was sent them, with an allowance, from the Society, of £60 per annum, and an allowance of Books, for Libraries, and devotional books, for distribution among the poorer members. Mr. Davenport continued their Rector, from 1733, to 1736, inclusive." 2
Deane states, that Mr. Davenport, who graduated at Harvard University, in 1719, and also received a degree at Oxford, Eng- land, gave, in 1743, " his house and land in Scituate, to the Society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts, in trust, towards the support of the ministers of St. Andrew's Church in Scituate, in perpetuity ; and in this conveyance, he adverts to the fact of his
1 It was struck by lightning many years ago, but experienced no material njury. It had a steeple, and bell.
2 Letter of John Barstow, Esq.
LIBRARY
OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
FUBIN
MURAL
PRESENT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
77
SETTLEMENT OF MR. THOMPSON.
having been their first rector." 1 We shall have occasion to refer to this gift hereafter.
Rev. Mr. Brockwell, the next Rector, had charge of the society "from 1737, to the early part of 1739. He then left Scituate, and accepted a call from a Church in Salem. While he preached at St. Andrews, he received £60 per annum, from the Society in England." 2
From the time Mr. Brockwell left Scituate, the church was des- titute of a regularly appointed minister, until 1743, when the mission was re-established, by the appointment of Rev. Ebenezer Thompson, of New Haven, as Rector, with a yearly allowance from the society, in England, of £40 per annum ; and he con- tinued in his office until his death, November 28, 1775, aged 64. 3 The request for this renewal of the mission, came not only from Scituate, but from citizens of Hanover, Pembroke, and Marsh- field.
During the settlement of Mr. Thompson, he resided, for about thirty years, on the glebe which had been given by Mr. Daven- port ; but for a year or two before his death, he purchased and occupied the house now owned and occupied by Mr. John Gardner, in Scituate, and there resided at the date of his decease. He is spoken of as a prudent, worthy minister, pleasing and interesting in his conversation and general deportment. He was buried in the burial-ground connected with the church, on the hill, in Scituate. His widow died, July 27, 1813, in the 99th year of her age,4 and her remains are deposited by his side.
According to Mr. Barstow, Mr. Thompson was the son of Eben- ezer Thompson, of New Haven, Connecticut, and was born in 1711, and married Esther Stephens, of New Haven. His children, born in New Haven, were Esther, who died young, and Ebenezer, born January 15, 1735. After his removal to Scituate, he had John, Amey, Anna, Lucy, Lois, Mary, and Jane. John, died in early life, at Bilboa, in Spain. Amey, married Benjamin Palmer, of Scituate, and died, May 16, 1813, aged 73. Her daughter
1 Hist. Scituate, p. 46.
2 Letter of John Barstow, Esq.
3 Letter of J. Barstow, and Mr. Cutler's Sermon, p. 7.
Mr. Cutler's Sermon, p. 8.
BRAD
78
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
married Dr. Freeman Foster, of Scituate. Anna, died May 2, 1816, aged 71. Lucy, died December 3, 1819, aged 72. Lois, died November 14, 1826, aged 76. Mary, married Lemuel Ran- som, and died July 9, 1833, aged 81. Jane, married Rev. Wil- liam W. Wheeler, and died July 30, 1821, aged 64. All the above lie in the burial ground on Church hill.
Ebenezer, the surviving son, settled in Providence, Rhode Is- land, in 1764, having previously married Lydia Kennicott, by whom he had Sarah, 1760 ; - Edward K., 1762 ; - and Mary, 1764. His wife, Lydia, died in 1770, and he married her sister Elizabeth, by whom he had five sons, and one daughter, viz : Ebenezer, John, Thomas, Joseph, Lydia, and Stephen.
Edward Kennicott, the son of Ebenezer and Lydia, went to Al- exandria, Virginia, to engage in commercial pursuits, and there married Sarah Kuhn Swoope, daughter of Col. Michael Swoope, and removed soon after to Providence, Rhode Island, where he had five children, Mary Ann, 1789 ; - Elizabeth K., 1791 ; - Sarah Swoope, March, 1794, married John Barstow, Esq., 1828, now of Providence ; - Edward K., 1797 ;- and Esther L., 1802.
After the death of Mr. Thompson, the services of the Church, in Scituate, were suspended for a season, during the War with Great Britain, popular sentiment in New England then setting very strongly against the form of worship prescribed. by the Church of England ; and, except the occasional services of Rev. Samuel Parker, from 1780, to 1782, the Church remained without a Rector, until the appointment of Rev. William W. Wheeler, May 15, 1783. During the time that Mr. Parker served the Church, Joseph Donnell, of Hanover, and Benjamin James, Jr., of Scituate, were Wardens, and Dr. Charles Stockbridge, and Benjamin Jacobs, of Scituate, and Elijah Curtis, Thomas Stock- bridge, Jr., Mordecai Ellis, Stephen Bailey, and Benjamin Mann, of Hanover, were vestrymen.
We should have remarked, that Job Otis, Thomas Bardin, Ja- cob Bailey, Joseph House, Isaac Buck, Isaac Hatch, Henry Mer- ritt, and John Lane, all of Hanover, are spoken of as " Church- men," on the town records, in 1736 ; so that citizens of Hanover have been connected with the Society, from about the date of its first formation.
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REMOVAL OF THE CHURCH TO HANOVER.
Mr. Wheeler officiated as Rector, in Hanover, and elsewhere a portion of the time, until his death, which took place, January 14, 1810, at the age of 75. It was during his Rectorship, in 1797, that the church was incorporated, Charles Bailey, and Thomas Barstow, Jr. being wardens.
About the year 1810, owing to difficulties in the First Parish in Hanover, some of the members left, and joined the Episcopal Church. 1 This led to the proposition, for the erection of a new Church, in a more favorable location ; and, at a meeting of the parish, held April 24, 1810, it was " Voted, that the Society are willing to attend public worship in Hanover, provided individuals will build a new Church in said Hanover. 2 This house was built in 1811, at an expense of $5,000, - the building committee consisting of Horatio Cushing, Esq., Reuben Curtis, and Edward Eells ; Capt. Albert Smith, and Melzar Curtis, Esq., being the con- tractors for its erection ; and it was consecrated to the worship of God, according to the usage of the Protestant Episcopal Church, June 13, 1811, by Bishop Griswold, being the first church in Massachusetts consecrated by him.
In the same year, 1811, a subscription for the endowment of a perpetual fund for the Church was made, amounting to $1236. 75, to which was afterwards added the sum of $188. 82, from the proceeds of the old church, and other items. 3 The Trustees of this fund were incorporated, in 1815, and in 1848, it consisted of 22 shares in the State Bank, Boston, valued at $1,320. This is now invested in the Parsonage, occupied by Mr. Cutler.
After the erection of the Church, in Hanover, which stands near the Four Corners, Rev. Joab G. Cooper, was elected Rector, and held that office until 1816, when he retired. According to Deane, he was from Long Island. 4 Rev. Calvin Wolcott, the next Rector, was chosen in 1818, and continued to serve until 1834, when he resigned. He is now settled as colleague, with the Rev. Dr. Tyng, in New York, and during his settlement in Hanover, the af- fairs of his Society were in a prosperous condition. An account of his family will be found in our Genealogical Sketches.
In 1835, Rev. Samuel G. Appleton, took charge of the parish ,
1 Cutler's Sermon, p. 14.
2 Ibid, p. 6.
8 Cutler's Sermon, p. 14.
4 Hist. Scituate, p. 47.
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HISTORY OF HANOVER.
and continued with it until November, 1838 ; and during his Rectorship, a new organ was purchased, at an expense of $450. Eleazer A. Greenleaf, the next Rector, took charge of the Parish in 1839, and remained until 1841, in which year the present Rector, Rev. Samuel Cutler, came to the place, and here he has since remained, now residing in the fine parsonage house, built for him in 1849, which stands on Washington street, near the Four Corners.
It is remarked, by Deane, that the Episcopal Church in Marsh- field, established as early as 1745, was for many years connected with St. Andrews, the rector of the latter officiating there one Sabbath in four ; - also the Church in Taunton, where the rector of St. Andrews likewise officiated one Sabbath in four. 1
For a fuller account of this Society than our limits permit us to give, we must refer our readers to the valuable discourse of Mr. Cutler, from which we have largely quoted, and to which we have been greatly indebted for many of the facts herewith presented.
We are happy to say, in concluding this sketch, that the Church at the Corners, is in a prosperous condition, under their present Rector, and as an indication of their outward progress, we may remark, that their temple has lately changed its appearance some- what, by the removal of the old steeple, and the erection of a new one ; and this Society, like that in the centre of the town, numbers among its members many of our most valuable and enterprising citizens.
UNIVERSALISTS.
There is no Universalist Society properly within the limits of Hanover, although one has existed, for many years, in the westerly part of Scitaate, whose house of Worship stands within less than three rods of the boundary line of Hanover.
This parish was commenced as early as 1766, and is referred to, not only on the records of Scituate, of that date, but also of Hanover ; and many items relating to its history, are found on the books of the latter town. Besides, as quite a number of our citizens are connected with the Universalist Society, and as three of its pastors have resided in Hanover,-two of the number being
1 History of Scituate, p. 47.
ON
PUBLIC
1
BRAR
=
OLD UNIVERSALIST MEETING HOUSE.
FUBLIC KARARI
PRESENT UNIVERSALIST MEETING HOUSE.
-
81
UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY.
still citizens of the town, of whom the Author is one, - he feels that if full sketches of the First Parish, and of St. Andrew's Church, have been given, a few words, with reference to the denomination with which he is personally connected, may be permitted him.
The petition of the inhabitants of the northerly part of Hanover, praying to be set off as a separate district, or parish, which was presented in 1766, did not ask that the new parish should be of a different faith from the old ; although, doubtless, there was not an entire sympathy between the views of the petitioners, and those of the rest of the inhabitants. The town, however, refused to grant the request. In 1767, the signers of the first petition, with others, from Hanover, and Scituate, petitioned the General Court to be set off as a Parish by themselves ; and the Town chose a Com- mittee to oppose them. In 1771, this petition to the General Court was renewed, but without success.
In 1792, the Town voted to permit Mr. Mellen to preach a few Sabbaths in the house which the petitioners had erected in Scituate, as early as the date of their first movement towards being set off.
December 12, 1796. A new petition was presented to the town " for a parish in the North part of Hanover," which was signed by David Jacobs, Elisha Barrell, Jesse Curtis, Nathaniel Jacobs, Eells Damon, Elisha Simmons, David Jacobs, Jr., Ezra Damon, Thomas Hatch, Curtis Brooks, Amos Curtis, Ezra Briggs, Jr., Benjamin Mann, Jr., Peres Jacobs, Joshua Simmons, and Ebenezer Curtis ; - but this petition met with the same fate as those which had preceded it, being rejected.
Finally, in 1812, petitioners, from Scituate, and Hanover, were incorporated as a " Universalist Society," and from that day to this, the Society has continued in existence, and is still in good standing with the denomination.
This Society was one of the first of the Universalist order, established in Plymouth County ; its members being residents of Scituate, Hanover, Abington, Halifax, Duxbury, and other towns ; and Rev. John Murray, an early apostle of Universalism, preached in the old meeting-house 60 years ago. The present neat and commodious edifice, was erected during the pastorship of Rev. Robert L. Killam, in 1832, and stands on a beautiful eminence,
82
HISTORY OF HANOVER.
near Barstow's hill, just on the line between South Scituate and Hanover, - the Church itself being in South Scituate.
The old meeting house, which stood on the same site as the present house, was two stories high; the roof pitching East and West ; with a porch on the East, extending from the ground to the eaves, having doors, in front, and on each side of the same, with stairways within, leading to the galleries. There were doors on the North and South ends of the house, about the centre of the same ; and two rows of windows, the lower row lighting the body of the house, and the upper the galleries. There were pews in th floor, but the galleries were furnished with long seats, or benches, es was the custom in those days. The house had neither steeple nor bell, was unplastered for a long time ; nor had it a chimney, until after the commencement of the present century. It was a venerable structure, and beneath its roof, the members of the So- ciety enjoyed, for many years, the ministrations of the gospel, ac- cording io their own views of its teachings, though at first the parish was in a measure an off-shoot from the older parishes, in Scituate and Hanover.
The names of those who have preached to the Society, from time to time, are, David Pickering; Samuel Baker; Elias Smith ; Joshua Flagg ; Benjamin Whittemore ; Robert L. Killam, from 1829 to 1838; H. W. Morse, 1838; John F. Dyer, 1839; J. E. Burnham, 1840; John S. Barry, 1841-1844 ; M. E. Hawes, 1844 & 5; Horace P. Stevens, 1846 & 7; and Robinson Breare, the present pastor, settled in 1849.
The names of the original members of the Society, appended to the Act of Incorporation, granted June 18, 1812, are, *Enoch Collamore, *Loring Jacobs, Ichabod R. Jacobs, John Jones, Jr., Calvin Wilder, *James H. Jacobs, *Charles Totman, Charles - Jones, ( in Illinois, ) *Isaac N. Damon, Joshua Bowker, *James Jacobs, Abel Silvester, *Charles Simmons, *William Hyland, *David Turner, *Samuel Randall, Jr., *Samuel Randall, *Joshua Damon, Ebenezer Totman, *Jonathan Turner, *Enoch 'Collamore, Jr., *Benjamin Bowker, John Gross, *Josiah Witherell, *Samuel Simmons, *John Jones, *Peleg Simmons, Jr., *Seth Stoddard, George Litchfield, *Elisha Gross, *Reuben Sutton, Theophilus Cortherell, Edward F. Jacobs, *Elisha Barrell, Elisha Barrell, Jr., Stephen Jacobs, and *Edward Curtis.
BOSTON FUBLI LIBRA
BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE,
83
BAPTIST SOCIETY.
Those to whose names an asterisk is prefixed, have since de- ceased ; some have removed ; and of the original number, but ten remain, all of whom still " hold fast to the profession of their faith without wavering."
This Society is in a prosperous condition, and free from debt ; and though many of its older members have deceased within a few years, whose familiar faces are seen no more, yet those who re- main can be relied upon, we think, for its future and permanent support.
BAPTIST SOCIETY.
ROSTO LIENKE
The First Baptist Church, in Hanover, was constituted Feb. 11, 1806, and was composed of members from the First Church, in Marshfield, residing in Hanover, and Scituate, favorable to the religious opinions held by that denomination. Rev. Barnabas Perkins, was the first pastor ; and from 1807, to 1809, William Curtis served the infant Society. In 1810, Rev. John Butler was settled, and ordained to the work of the Gospel Ministry, in December of the same year. Mr. Butler continued to labor with this Church about 14 years, serving them with much ability, and with good success. During his ministry, their house of worship was erected, in 1812, which stands on Main Street, and is a small, but neat edifice, in good repair, and of fair proportions. .
From 1824, to 1832, the Church passed through seasons of trial and discouragement, and did not enjoy, for much of the time, a stated ministry. Mr. Darius Dunbar, was ordained to the pastoral office, in 1833, remained about two years, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Robert B. Dickie, from Nova Scotia, who entered upon his duties, July 1, 1834, and remained until Sept. 3, 1836. Rev. Horace Seaver, of Maine, was the next pastor, preached about two years, and was followed by Rev. Nathan Stetson, whose name appears on the Minutes of 1839.
From 1840, to 1842, Rev. Thomas Conant, now of Scituate, served the Society ; and after his removal, for a period of between two and three years, the Society was destitute of a pastor. In 1845, Rev. Nathan Chapman entered upon its charge, but re- mained only one year, and was followed, in 1846-7, by Rev. B. N. Harris. In June, 1849, Rev. William N. Slason, the present
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