USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Historical sketch of the town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622-1884 > Part 14
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His preaching was conversational, he never thundered; short, terse sentences full of thought, epigrammatic ; such as lodged everything securely in memory, and so direct as to reach every man's conscience; earnest, as of one who believed all he said and with a life behind it so consistent that men willingly listened and yielded cheer- fully to its influence. As a disputant he never hurried or interrupted his opponent; was always serene and self-poised, waiting patiently until the other had ceased speaking, and ever ready to state his opponent's case for him even stronger than he could do it himself. His simple tastes made him prefer a settlement in the country, where he could come into closer communion and have a nearer and more direct influence on his hearers. He liked plain people and the manners of common life; always wishing to get close to his audi- ence or companion. But such was his native dignity that neither playful wit nor familiar manners ever emboldened one to take any liberty with him. He was singularly free from ambition; anxious to be, careless what he seemed, and little heeding men's judgments. Intellectually fearless and independent; thoroughly convinced that truth could always defend itself without artificial aid, and hence uniformly tolerant and liberal; willing to waive dogmas if a man's purpose was right and his face Zionward.
At a time when some abolitionists were accustomed to interrupt Sunday services, he saw Stephen S. Foster seated before him in the pews. Mentioning the fact to his people, he invited Mr. Foster to come to the pulpit and give his testimony. The fearless and eloquent agi- tator rose to say, "When I am invited to a pulpit, it is evidence that I have no occasion to go there.'
Mr. Phillips occasionally asked clergymen of other denominations to preach for him, saying, 'If I cannot hold my people with a hundred sermons a year against a
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few from men of other views, they cannot be worth hold- ing.' His prayers revealed the depth and sincerity of his nature. There are very few lips that God touches with fitness to utter for us our prayers. Only a life of peculiar simplicity and seriousness can give this grace. Those who knelt with him at the altar cannot fail to remember the simplicity and tenderness, the deep feel- ing and trembling pathos of his prayers, which seemed to lift us into the very presence of God; and one was sure that he who offered them must stand with familiar love at the very feet of the Father.
' Thrice blest whose lives are faithful prayers, Whose lives in higher love endure ; What souls possess themselves so pure, Or is their blessedness like theirs ?'"
REV. JOSHUA EMERY, JR., the successor of Rev. John C. Phillips in the pulpit of the First Church of Weymouth, was the son of Joshua and Elizabeth ( Welch- Emery, born in Newburyport, Mass., Aug. 5, 1807; was fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Andover; graduated at Amherst College in 1831, and pursued his theological studies at Andover Seminary, from which he graduated in 1834. He was ordained as pastor over the Orthodox Church at Fitchburg, Mass., May 13, 1835, where he remained but a short time, when he was called to the First Church at Weymouth, over which he was installed Jan. 25, 1838, and relieved from active ser- vice at his own request, Oct. 22, 1873, feeling the burden of years and the duties of his office to be too great for his strength. The remainder of his life was spent in quiet retirement. He died April 24, 1882, in his seventy-sixth year, at the residence of his son Charles F., in Kansas City, Mo., and his remains have since been removed for burial to Boxford, Mass.
" In his home life he was the kindest of fathers, and
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his spiritual life was such as to exert an influence for good, not easily forgotten, on all with whom he asso- ciated. Before his death and for the greater part of his retired life he was with his children, and he died knowing that all of his children were church members. I shall never forget the Sabbath previous to his death. I was with him, and the day was spent mostly in prayer and singing, in which, though very weak, he joined, and expressed himself as being so happy, as he should 'soon see Jesus.'" In person he was above the medium height, slenderly built, but of very erect car- riage and brisk movement, thin of feature, with an aquiline nose, somewhat prominent, and of a pleasing countenance. He was highly valued as an associate and friend by his neighbors in the ministry. To strangers he had sometimes the appearance of reserve and aus- terity, but upon acquaintance he was found to be very genial and agreeable. He was forward in all the benevolent enterprises of the day, and diligently labored to promote their interests. He married, May 19, 1835, Harriet, daughter of Jacob and Lucy (Man- ning-Peabody, by whom he had the following chil- dren: -
I. HARRIET PEABODY, born in Fitchburg, July 23, 1836.
II. JOSHUA, born in North Weymouth, June 1, 1840 ; a boot and shoe merchant, residing in Chicago.
III. CHARLES FRANCIS, born in North Weymouth, March 10, 1849 ; a boot and shoe merchant residing in Kansas City, Mo.
IV. MARGARET, born in North Weymouth, Sept. 2, 1850, and died there, Sept. 1, 1852.
Harriet P. is married and yet living.
REV. FRANKLIN PERRY CHAPIN, the present pastor of the First Church in Weymouth, and the sixteenth since its organization, son of Ebenezer and Sarah (Rob- inson-Chapin, was born in Gill, Franklin Co., Mass., Aug. 14, 1827; pursued his preparatory studies at
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Shelburne Falls Academy, and graduated at Amherst College in 1852. He studied theology at the Bangor Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1857. His first settlement as a minister of the gospel was over the Congregational Church in Camden, Me., where he was ordained Nov. 11, 1857, and where he remained for about ten years, being dismissed Sept. 3, 1867. Soon after this he received a call from the Second Church, East Street, Amherst, Mass., which he accepted, and was installed as its pastor, Jan. 21, 1868. He remained in this position for a little more than three years, when ill health compelled him to relinquish it, and he was dismissed March 27, 1871. During the two succeeding years he served as superintendent of schools of that town, at the end of which time he received a call from the First Church and Parish of Weymouth, Mass., which he accepted, and was installed as pastor, Oct. 22, 1873, which position he still retains. He married, first, Dec. 2, 1857, Sarah Sumner, daughter of Addi and Margaret (Sumner-Wallace, born in Hadley, Mass., Sept. 2, 1830, and died in Amherst, Mass., Jan. 22, 1868.
Children: -
I. FRANK SUMNER, born in Camden, Me., July 7, 1860.
II. CHARLES EMMONS, born in Camden, Me., March 3, 1862.
III. SARAH LOUISA, born in Camden, Me., Nov. 21, 1863.
IV. EDWIN ROBINSON, born in Camden, Me., Aug. 29, 1865.
He married, second, Jan. 11, 1871, Margaret, daugh- ter of Robert and Elizabeth S. (Pendleton-McFarlane, born in Camden, Me., March 23, 1842, a missionary among the Esquimaux in Labrador, who died in Wey- mouth, Mass., Oct. 25, 1882. Child: -
V. ROBERT MCFARLANE, born in Weymouth, Oct. 5, 1877.
REV. JAMES BAYLEY, the first pastor of the Second Church in Weymouth, was born in Roxbury, Mass., in
12
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1698. He graduated at Harvard College in 1719, and was ordained at South Weymouth, Sept. 26, 1723. After his graduation, he appears to have lived in Ando- ver for a time, where he taught school, and probably pursued at the same time his theological studies. The following entry is found upon the records of the First Church, Andover, Mass. (now North Andover), under date of Feb. 26, 1721-2: "Mr. James Bailey, school- master, and Sarah Bayley, wife of Mr. J. Bailey, removed to Weymouth." He died Aug. 22, 1766, and was buried in the old graveyard on Pleasant Street. His gravestone bears the following inscription: -
"SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI."
" Here lies interred ye remains of ye Rev. James Bailey, born at Roxbury, took his 1st degree at Harvard College 1719, ordained 1et Pastor of ye 2ª church of Christ in Weymouth Sept. 26, 1723. After a lingering indisposition, departed this life Aug. 22ª, 1766, in ye 69th year of his age in ye firm, supporting belief of those doctrines of grace which he had for ye space of 43 years preached publickly and from house to house.
The sweet remembrance of ye just, Shall flourish when they sleep in dust."
The following is from the Weymouth town records. Children of Rev. James and Sarah Bayley : -
I. JAMES, born probably in Andover, Jan. 15, 1722.
II. SARAH, born in Weymouth, April 27, 1724.
III. ELIZABETH,
IV. MARY, born in Weymouth, July 22, 1725.
V. JOSHUA, born in Weymouth, Nov. 24, 1726.
VI. THOMAS, born in Weymouth, Oct. 10, 1728.
VII. SAMUEL, born in Weymouth, March 27, 1730.
VIII. Deacon NATHANIEL, born in Weymouth, Dec. 27, 1731.
IX. DANIEL, born in Weymouth, April 1, 1734.
x. SARAH, born in Weymouth, June 16, 1735.
XI. JOHN, born in Weymouth, Feb. 2, 1737.
XII. MARY, born in Weymouth, Oct. 17, 1742.
XIII. BENJAMIN, born in Weymouth, Dec. 1, 1745.
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REV. SIMEON WILLIAMS, the second pastor of the Second Church in Weymouth, Mass., was born in Easton, Mass., in 1743; graduated at New Jersey College in 1765, and was ordained at South Weymouth, Oct. 26, 1768, his first and only pastorate, where he died, May 31, 1819, and was buried in the cemetery on Main Street, with the following inscription upon his gravestone: -
" This Monument is erected in Memory of the Rev. Simeon Wil- liams, the 2ª Pastor of the South Church in Weymouth. He was born in Easton, was graduated at N. J. College in 1765, was ordained Oct. 26, 1768, & died May 31st, 1819, in the 76th year of his age and the 51st of his ministry.
Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust, The aged and the young ; The watchful eye in darkness closed, And mute the instructive tongue, The eternal Shepherd still survives, New comfort to impart ; His eyes still guide us, and his voice Still animates our heart."
His wife, who died Aug. 10, 1823, aged seventy-four years, lies buried by his side.
Rev. Simeon Williams was married (date of publish- ment Sept. 1, 1770) to Mrs. Anna Crocker, of East- ham, Mass., by whom he had the following children: -
I. ANNA, born in Weymouth, Aug. 31, 1771.
II. SOPHIA, born in Weymouth, Dec. 29, 1772.
III. SOPHIA, born in Weymouth, Oct. 7, 1776.
IV. SIMEON, born in Weymouth, April 5, 1778.
V. BETSEY, born in Weymouth, July 16, 1780.
VI. JOSEPH CROCKER, born in Weymouth, Oct. 26, 1783.
VII. THOMAS, born in Weymouth, March 11, 1787.
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CHAPTER XI.
THE PHYSICIANS OF WEYMOUTH.1
Early Medical History- Salisbury - Nicholas Byram- Thomas Thacher - Nathaniel White - James Hayward - Benjamin Richards - Daniel French - Lazarus Andrews Beale - Cotton Tufts - James Torrey - Thomas Vinson - James Lovell - Noah Fifield - Apple- ton Howe - Jacob Richards - David Torrey - Timothy Gordon - Joseph Dorr- Ebenezer Turell Learned - Hervey Eliphaz Weston - George Fordyce Fifield - Charles Coffran - Daniel Lewis Gibbens - Josiah Ball - Ira H. Perry - Ephraim Lewis Warren - John Henry Gilbert -George Wyman Fay - William Cranch Bond Fifield - Lemuel Fuller - Charles Carroll Tower -Joseph Corlieu - Francis Flint Forsaith - Oliver Perry Piper- Moses Reuben Greely - Granville Wilson Tinkham - Roscoe Ellsworth Brown - John Chisholm Fraser - William Abram Drake - Joseph Porter Hodg- don - Norton Quincy Tirrell - William Fales Hathaway - Judson L. Beck - Mrs. Dr. Tuck - Mrs. Dr. Tirzah E. Goodwin.
THE old settlement of Wessagusset claims priority, as far as I can ascertain, as to the presence of a physi- cian, over any place in New England except Plymouth. Certain difficulties are encountered in obtaining the early medical history of any community, especially if that history dates back near the first settlement of the country. One of these is the fact that, at that early date, the practice of medicine was not on so recognized a basis as at the present time. There were no medical schools or associations in the country, and each doctor
' This chapter, covering an outline of the medical profession of the town with brief biographical sketches of its various members, who have, as far as has been ascertained, lived here, has been prepared with great care and much labor by Francis Flint Forsaith, M. D., a physician of more than twenty years' standing in the town, and is a valuable addition to the sketch.
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was isolated and independent. There was no author- ized power for conferring degrees, and any one, however incompetent, might assume the title Dr., with no author- ity but his own, and be recognized as such to a certain extent.
A third reason is because at that early date the cler- ical and medical professions were occasionally united in the same individual, and this person would usually be recognized as a minister rather than a doctor, so that his name would not appear in the annals as a physi- cian.
Cotton Mather (Mag., I., p. 428, 2d ed. Lond., 1702) says: "It is well known that until two hundred years ago, physic in England was no profession distinct from divinity." He also says: "Ever since the days of Luke, the evangelist, skill in physic has been frequently professed and practised by persons whose most declared business was the study of divinity. But I suppose the greatest frequency of this angelical conjunction has been seen in those parts of America where they are mostly the poor to whom the gospel is preached by pastors whose compassion to them in their poverty invites them to supply the want of abler physicians."
These things and the general indefiniteness incident to a new settlement render the early history of the med- ical, as of every other profession, somewhat unsatis- factory.
Thomas Weston's company of "merchant adven- turers " set sail from Old England, April, A. D. 1622, under charge of Weston's brother-in-law, Richard Green. Among them was a surgeon, a Mr. Salisbury, This Salisbury was the first representative of the medi- cal profession in Weymouth, and possibly the first in New England, although mention is made in the " An- nals " of Dr. Samuel Fuller of Plymouth, who wrote to Governor Bradford, June 28, 1630, that at the request
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of Mr. Warham, he " had been to Mattapan and let some twenty of these people blood." Concerning the character of this man and his success in his pro- fession, history gives us no information, as far as I am aware, nor whether, when the settlement was tempo- rarily broken up, he followed Sanders to Maine or Standish to Plymouth. Neither does it inform us whether, during the times of Blackstone, Morrell, Hull, Jenner, Lenthal and Newman, up to the date when Byram came, there was any physician in the colony. It is highly probable, however, that there was, or else that the office of physician was assumed by some of the reverend gentlemen above mentioned.
NICHOLAS BYRAM, a physician, came to Weymouth in 1638. He remained here twenty-four years, and in 1662 removed, with his family, to Bridgewater, being one of the first settlers of that town, and with his wife among the first members of the church there formed.
Dr. Byram, according to family tradition, was the son of an English gentleman of the county of Kent, who removed to Ireland about the time Nicholas was born. His father sent him, at the age of sixteen, to visit his friends in England, in charge of a supposed friend who betrayed his trust, robbed him of his money, and sent him to the West Indies, where he was sold to service to pay for his passage. After his term of service had expired he made his way to New England and set- tled in Weymouth, finally removing, as aforesaid, to Bridgewater.
He married Susannah, daughter of Abraham Shaw, of Dedham, and was the father of eight children, at least six of whom were born in Weymouth, viz .: -
I. NICHOLAS.
II. ABIGAIL, who married Thomas Whitman.
III. DELIVERANCE, who married John Porter.
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IV. EXPERIENCE, who married John Willis.
V. SUSANNAH, who married Samuel Edson.
VI. MARY, who married Samuel Leach.
He died in 1727.
REV. THOMAS THACHER. - Contemporary with Dr. Byram for seventeen years was the Rev. Thomas Thacher. This man was the son of Rev. Peter Thacher, rector of St. Edmunds, Salisbury, in County Wilts, Eng- land. He was born May 1, 1620, and came over with his uncle Anthony, in the "James," from Southampton, arriving in Boston, June 4, 1635. He then went to Ips- wich with his uncle and other friends, and, in order to avoid the peril of a return to England in August of the same year, - on which voyage all but Anthony and his wife were lost, - he was put under the direction of the Rev. Charles Chauncy, of Scituate, who prepared him for his profession "with great diligence," as it is said.
This Rev. Charles Chauncy, was equally celebrated as a divine and a physician, and Mr. Thacher received instruction in both these professions. His good sense, united with a general acquaintance with the science of the day, acquired for him a great reputation as a physi- cian, and, to complete his honors, Mather asserts that he " composed a Hebrew Lexicon, so compressed that within one sheet of paper he had given every consider- able word in the language."
He married, May 11, 1613, Elizabeth, youngest daughter of Rev. Ralph Partridge, of Duxbury, and was settled over the church at Weymouth, as successor to Rev. Samuel Newman, Jan. 2, 1615. He spent about twenty years in Weymouth, and then removed to Bos- ton and joined the First Church there, Aug. 4, 1667.
Mr. Thacher was installed as pastor over what is now the Old South Church, Feb. 16, 1670, and is said to have been the first minister ordained in America. He is said
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also to have been the author of the first medical work ever published in this country, - a tract entitled "A Brief Guide to the Common People, in the Small-Pox and Measles," first published in Boston in 1677, and a second edition in 1702.
Cotton Mather informs us that having prcached for his father, he visited a sick person after going out of the assembly, whereby he got some harm, which turned into a fever of which he died Oct. 15, 1678, aged fifty-eight years.
DR. NATHANIEL WHITE was born in 1690,1 accord- ing to Alden's Early History of the Medical Pro- fession, in the county of Norfolk, Mass., and to the inscription on his tombstone, or in 1701, as stated by Vinton, in his "White Genealogy." He graduated from Harvard College in 1725, and was a man of much talent and eminent in his profession, although a very eccentric person. It is asserted that when he was summoned to a patient in stormy weather, he fre- quently would refuse to go, saying, "the weather was not fit for any one to go out"; but the messenger on his return usually found him, with his saddle-bags, at the bedside of his patient. He resided on the corner of Main and Pond Streets, the site of the house formerly occu- pied by Dr. Greeley, dentist. He married his first wife, Sarah Lovell, April 27, 1726, who died March 15, 1733;
1 Dr. Nathaniel White, the son of Deacon Thomas and Mary (White- White, was born in Weymouth, Sept. 4, 1701. His mother was the daughter of James and Sarah (Baker-White, of Dorchester, and grand- daughter of Edward White, the first of the name who settled in that town.
As Deacon Thomas and Mary White were not married until 1700 and he then only twenty-seven years old, Nathaniel could not have been born earlier than the above date, and the date upon the gravestone is evidently an error. His age upon the town records is put down as fifty-eight. These facts agree with the record of Col. Asa White, one of the family born in 1736. - Weymouth Historical Society Papers.
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his second, Ruth Holbrook, April 15, 1742, who died May, 1752, aged thirty-seven; his third wife, Widow Abigail Keith, of Bridgewater, July 1, 1755. He was the son of Deacon Thomas White, grandson of Ebenezer White, great-grandson of Thomas White, who was admitted a freeman of Massachusetts colony, March 3, 1635-6, "being then and previously an inhabitant of Weymouth and a member of the church."
In the old town records may be seen the following: " March 13, 1727, Voted, at the aforesaid meeting whether the Town will give to Doctor White five acres of land below - hill, that was formerly granted to John Vinson, provided the said Doctor White continues in the town of Weymouth and in the practice of physic, and in case he shall remove out of town, said White to purchase said land, or to return it to the Town again." It passed in the affirmative.
Where the first and third wives of Dr. White lie buried I do not know, but in the Highland Cemetery, South Weymouth, on a quaint, old moss-covered, double slate headstone, the following inscription is still to be made out, although some of the words are imperfect: -
" Here lies interª ye Body of Doct" Nathaniel White who de- parted this life Nov. 23ª 1758, in ye 68th year of his age.
Here lies Buried ye Body of Mrs. Ruth White, wife to Doc. Nathaniel White, wlio died 1752, in ye 37th Year of Her Age.
Thousands of journeys Night & Day I've travelled weary on Je way to heal the Sick but now I've gone A journey never to return."
On a headstone adjoining is the inscription: -
" Here Lies Buried ye Body of Asa, son of Dr. Nathaniel White & Ruth his wife who Died 1747, Aged 8 months 4 days."
Children of Dr. Nathaniel and Sarah: -
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I. ABNER, born in Weymouth, Jan. 9, 1727 ; died 1741.
II. ALETHEA, born in Weymouth, June 2, 1728.
III. AsA, born in Weymouth, Dec. 22, 1729 ; died 1730.
IV. TAMAR, born in Weymouth, Jan. 19, 1731.
Children of Dr. Nathaniel and Ruth: -
V. ABNER, born in Weymouth, Dec. 24, 1742.
VI. ASA, born in Weymouth ; died 1747, aged 8 months.
VII. THOMAS, born in Weymouth ; died March 18, 1766, aged 14 years.
And perhaps others.
DR. JAMES HAYWARD. - For most of the information I have in regard to this physician, I acknowledge my indebtedness to the secretary of the Weymouth Histori- cal Society, who has kindly furnished me with many facts taken in part from the Suffolk probate records and in part from the Weymouth town records. Still the knowledge in regard to him is exceedingly meagre, not even comprising the date of his birth or his death.
From the Suffolk record, book 34, page 282, we are informed that Nehemiah Hayward, of Hingham, tailor, was appointed to administer upon the estate of his brother James Hayward, physician, of Weymouth, March 27, 1739. From page 536, same book, it appears that the estate of Dr. James Hayward, of Weymouth, was valued at £241 11s. 4d., January, 1739; Jeremiah Beal, Samuel French, Thomas Waterman, appraisers. In book 35, page 125, the account of Nehemiah Hayward in the settlement of his brother's estate is given as fol- lows: Inventory amount £253 16s. 4d .; bills paid and allowed £32 5s. 8d., Sept. 3, 1740. By the samc record it appears, book 37, page 487, that James Hay- ward, minor, agcd about eighteen years, son of James Hayward, physician, of Weymouth, chooses Benjamin Wesson, of Stoneham, Middlesex County, Massachu- setts, housewright, for his guardian over property left
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him by his father, April 22, 1745; George Craddock, John Payne, witnesses.
We are informed by the Weymouth records that Dr. James Hayward was published Aug. 3, 1738, to Sarah Green; also, that Lydia, daugliter of James and Elizabeth Hayward, was born Feb. 24, 1736. These facts seem to be established by the records, that Dr. Hayward was a citizen of Weymouth, in comfortable circumstances, that he married two wives, that he had two children, a boy and a girl, and that he died previous to 1739.
DR. BENJAMIN RICHARDS, the same person who is spoken of in the genealogy of the Richards family as Ephraim Richards, was the son of Benjamin and Joanna (Hunt-Richards, born in Weymouth, Aug. 12, 1714. He settled in practice in North Weymouth. He married Abigail, daughter of Ephraim and Sarah (Bass-Thayer, Braintree, Nov. 21, 1734. They had ten children, as follows: -
I. BENJAMIN, born Nov. 29, 1735 ; died the same day.
II. BENJAMIN, born Feb. 21, 1737 ; died the same day.
III. BENJAMIN, born Dec. 24, 1739 ; died in the army, 1757.
IV. EPHRAIM, born Oct. 25, 1740.
v. ABIGAIL, born Nov. 17, 1742.
VI. SARAH, born Oct. 13, 1744.
VII. JOANNA, born Sept. 26, 1746.
VIII. PETER HUNT, born Jan. 13, 1749 ; was killed on board a priva- teer, 1778.
IX. RUTH, born Aug. 20, 1750 ; died Sept. 26, 1833.
X. MARY, born April 9, 1753.
Dr. Richards is said to have been an eminent prac- titioner in his day, especially in the throat distemper, which, with the bloody flux, were the fatal epidemics, and prevailed with uncommon mortality in the years 1746, 1747, 1748, 1749. One of his daughters married
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