USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Watertown > Historical sketches of Watertown, Massachusetts > Part 7
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During the pastorate of Mr. Loud, and at his sung- gestion, the members living at Newtonville, estab- lished preaching services in a hall there, and after- ward secured the construction of a church building. Their withdrawal to their new place of worship made a sensible impression upon the congregation in Watertown. During this pastorate also the interior of the church was handsomely refitted.
From 1858-60 Rev. George M. Steele was pastor. Ile was very popular, serving one year upon the town school committee. He is now Doetor of Divinity, and has for several years been Principal of Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass.
Rev. Henry E. Hempstead received appointment here in 1860. In the winter of 1861-62, his mind being greatly exercised over the civil war then pend- ing, he sought and obtained release from his engage- ment with the church, and was appointed chaplain of the 20th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers. His chaplaincy was distinguished for ability, useful- ness and success. He fell opposite Fredericksburg, Dec. 21, 1862. In the spring of 1862, by the appoint - ment of conference, Rev. (afterward Dr.) Bradford K. Peirce came to Watertown. His pastorate was characterized by all those fine qualities which made him so successful in the various important positions which he was afterward called to fill; for many
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
years he was Editor of Zion's Herald. Mr. Pierce remained one year, and was followed by Rev. J. L. Hanaford, who also remained one year.
In 1864 Rev. I. T. Townsend was sent to Water- town, and occupied the pulpit two years ; then declin- ing the charge of another society, he settled down in this place and has devoted himself to literature, teaching, occasional preaching and lecturing, ever since. He was chosen a member of the school com- mittee in 1864, and served until the spring of 1866. He was again chosen on the school committee in 1869, was made chairman of the board, and served with distinguished ability in this position, until he re- signed in 1872. His reports of 1870 and 1871, remarkable for anticipating the struggle for separate church-schools by the Roman Catholic church, aronsed much thought, considerable opposition in certain quarters, as being premature, and have only proved his interest and keen insight into the danger which threatened schools which he thought should be wholly national and broad enough to be unsectarian. He is now Doctor of Divinity, Professor in Boston University, and known and honored throughout Methodism. In 1864 a Methodist church was or- ganized in Newton ; this removed from Watertown at different times about twenty-five members.
From 1866-70 the church was served by Revs. L. D. Stebbins, J. M. Bailey and Daniel Richards, the first two remaining one year each, and the last two years, this being his second appointment here. Rev. N. Fellows, who faithfully watched over the interests of the church from 1870-73, was a member of the school-board while in town ; he was afterward Prin- cipal of Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Massachu- setts. Rev. F. G. Morris succeeded Mr. Fellows and remained three years. He represented the town one year in the State Legislature.
During the pastorate of Rev. T. W. Bishop (1876- 79) a fine new organ was placed in the church ; during the same time also an indebtedness of thirty-two years' standing was paid, leaving the church property unencumbered ; this happy result was secured large- ly through the liberality of Mr. Leonard Whitney, Jr:, son of one of the original members.
Since 1879 the church has been served by, the fol- lowing pastors : 1879-82, Rev. Henry Lummis, now Professor in Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis- consin ; 1882-85, Rev. T. B. Smith ; 1885-87, Rev. J. H. Twombly, D.D., afterward President of the University of Wisconsin and twice a delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; and in 1887-91, Rev. Wm. G. Richardson, who is the present pastor.
In the autumn of 1887, the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of Methodism in Watertown was celebrated.
The exercises hegan with a semi-centennial ban- quet in the Town Hall, Oct. 28, at which over three hundred and fifty persons were present. This was
followed by special services continuing about two weeks, during which there was preaching by some of the most distinguished clergymen of the denomi- nation.
The present Church membership is 195; the Sun- day-school numbers 230.
There are connected with the Church an Epworth League, Golden Rule Mission Band, "Kings' Own," Young Men's Assembly, Ladies' Aid Society and Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, all of which are in a flourishing condition. The Young Men's Assembly, organized during the present pastorate, originated the Young Men's Assembly of the Town, the most prosperous, progressive and influential or- ganization of Watertown.
The present officers of the Church are :-
Pastor. Rev. W. G. Richardson.
Trustees. George E. Priest, Edward F. Porter, William C. Howard, William H. Perkins, Wallace W. Savage, Oliver Shaw, L. Sidney Cleveland, Ches- ter Sprague, Richard H. Paine.
Stewards. George E. Priest, Henry Chase, Cyrus H. Campbell, George W. Foskett, Freeman W. Cobb, Nathan B. Hartford, Wilbur F. Learned, George E. Teele, Frank J. Holmes, George G. Edwards, Bart- lett M. Shaw, John Looker, Charles W. Leach ..
Sunday School Superintendent. Geo. E. Teele. Assistant Superintendents. Richard H. Paine, Bartlett M. Shaw.
A noteworthy feature of the present church edifice is a gilded rooster which surmounts the spire, and which is over a century old; it having at one time graced the spire of the old Parish Church, which stood in the present cemetery at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Common Sts. In this building were held the sessions of the Second Continental Congress while Boston was held by the British, during the Revolution. This old vane is supposed to be all that remains of the historic Church. The present church building is not adapted to the needs of the society, and a universal desire is felt for a larger and hetter place of worship.
Considerable money is already secured for the pur- pose, and it is hoped, that soon Methodism will be represented in Watertown, by an edifice commensu- rate with its needs, growth and means.
ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH.1-Before the year 1830 the few Catholics residing in Watertown and its vicinity were attended by the priests of Boston, whose missions extended from Massachusetts Bay to the Hudson River.
But long before that year occurred events of his- toric import which form an interesting background to the history of the Catholic Church in Watertown. In 1631, shortly after the town fathers had selected the pleasant "plough lands " on the River Charles as the site for their township, Richard Brown, a ruling
I By Rev. T. W. Coughlan.
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elder, maintained the opinion that " the churches of Rome were true churches," and in this opinion the Rev. Mr. Phillips, the pastor, seemed to have con- curred. In order to put an end to the controversy which such an avowal then caused, Governor Win throp, Deputy-Governor Dudley and Mr. Nowell, the elder of the Boston congregation, came to Watertown to confer with the Rev. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Brown. No satisfactory conclusion resulted from the con- ference. A day of humiliation and prayer was re- commended ; but the disturbance ended only when Mr. Brown ceased to be the ruling elder.
After the destruction of the Catholic settlements of Minas and Grand Pre, many of the unfortunate Acadians were scattered over these regions.
" Friendless, homeless, helpless, they wandered from city to city."
It is certain that some of these Acadians were among the first Catholics within the limits of Water- town. For two years one of their priests, Rev. Justinian Durant, resided in Boston.
In 1775 invitations were sent by Washington to the Catholic Indian tribes in Maine-the Penobscots, Passamaquoddies and St. John's-to join in the cause of freedom. Delegates from these tribes came to con- fer with the Massachusetts General Assembly, which received them at Watertown. Ambrose Var, the chief of the Indians of the St. John's tribe, was the spokes- man, and his salutation was " We are thankful to the Almighty to see the council." The Indians promised to esponse the cause of the patriots, and their only request was : " We want a black-gown or French priest." The General Court of Massachusetts ex- pressed its satisfaction at their respect for religion, and declared itself ready to procure a French priest ; but truly added that it did not know where to find one.
The Indians earnestly joined the American cause, and how useful their accession, under Orano, was to the cause of freedom we may judge from facts recorded in Williamson's " History of Maine."
So few were the Catholics in this section of Massa- chusetts one hundred years ago, that the Rev. John Thayer, the pastor of the Catholic Church in Boston, in 1790, declared that their number did not exceed 100 souls. In the early years of the present century multitudes of the oppressed people of Europe flocked to these shores to enjoy the peace and freedom prof- fered by the Constitution of the new Republic. By this infinx the number of Catholics was increased to such an extent that it became necessary to establish independent parishes in the district attended by the priests from Boston.
In the year 1830, Watertown', Waltham, the New- tons, Weston, Concord and other neighboring towns were formed into a distinct "mission," and a frame building, 50x35 feet, was erected on the land now known as the " Old Catholic Cemetery," in Waltham. The pastor of this new congregation continued to re- side in Boston until 1839, when the Rev. F. Fitzsim- mons took charge of the parish. At that time the
congregation numbered 300 members. The successors of the Rev. F. Fitzsimmons were: Revs. M. Lynch, Jas. Strain and P. Flood.
Shortly after Rev. P. Flood assumed the care of the parish the little church at Waltham was burned ; and as the majority of the worshippers were in Watertown, it was deemed expedient to erect a church in that town. In 1846 Fr. Flood endeavored to secure a temporary place for holding services, and, after many vain efforts, succeeded in obtaining the use of what was known as the "Whig Reading-room," located on Watertown Square. Here the little congregation con- tinued to assemble until it purchased the old Method- ist meeting-honse, which, being remodeled, was the first Catholic Church in Watertown. The rapid in- crease in membership soon made it necessary to se- cure better accommodations, and on the 27th of Sep- tember, 1847, Bishop Fitzpatrick, of Boston, assisted by Rev. Fr. Flood and Rev. P. O'Beirne, laid the corner-stone of the present St. Patrick's Church, which is a brick structure, having sittings for more than 800 people.
In 1851 Rev. Bernard Flood. a young priest from the Grand Seminary of Montreal, was sent to assist the Rev. Patrick Flood. During the years of their administration the parish increased rapidly. New churches were built at Waltham, West Newton and Concord. After the death of Rev. P. Flood, in 1863, the sole charge of the parish devolved upon Rev. Ber- nard Flood, who, in 1864, removed to Waltham and left the remaining portion of the Watertown parish to the care of Rev. John W. Mccarthy. This clergy- men resided in Watertown until september, 1871. He was assisted by Rev. Edward S. Galligan. During their administration Newton Upper Falls was sepa- rated from the parish and became a distinct congrega- tion. In September, 1871, Rev. M. M. Green was ap- pointed pastor, and in the tollowing June Rev. R. P. Stark was commissioned to assist him. Fr. Green's greatest work was the building of the large Catholic Church at Newtonville. After the completion of this church, in 1879, Newton became a separate parish, of which Rev. Fr. Green assumed the charge.
The present pastor, Rev. R. P. Stack, then began to direct the Watertown parish. Under his energetic administration, great improvements have been made. The church has been enlarged and decorated, the beautiful parochial residence ou Chestnut Street erected, a cemetery purchased, and an elegant brick school-house, costing about $35,000, built upon Church Hill. Fr. Stack has been assisted hy Rev. T. A. Metcalf, John Gibbons and T. W. Coughlan.
In the towns comprised within the limits of the orig- iginal St. Patrick's Parish of Watertown there are to- day abont 20,000 Catholics, possessing church prop- erty valued at half a million of dollars. The old church is fast becoming too small for the number of worshippers, and a splendid new edifice is among the probabilities of the near future.
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD .- In the sum- mer of 1883, Rev. Edward A. Rand, who had recently become a resident of Watertown, conducted services of the Episcopal Church at several private houses in the town. So much interest was developed that a committee, consisting of Messrs. Thomas G. Banks, George II. Gregg and William J. Bryant, was ap- pointed in the fall of 1883 to consider and report as to the advisability of holding services each Sunday. As the result of this committee's report, Grand Army Hall was secured and regular services were held in that hall from October 21, 1883, to Christmas, 1993.
With the hope that, in the course of a few years, funds could be obtained for building a church. a bond of a desirable lot of land on the corner of Mt. Auburn Street and Russell Avenue was secured in the spring of 1885. March 12, 1886, the Parish of the Church of the Good Shepherd was duly organized, and in May of that year purchase was completed of the lot of land previously bonded, containing 16,000 square feet. In 1887 vigorous measures were adopted to secure funds for building a church. The enterprise was cor- dially approved by Bishop Paddock. Residents of Watertown belonging to other religious denomina- tions, and friends living elsewhere, generously aided the parish ; and on Christmas Day, 1888. the first service of the Episcopal Church was held in the new structure. The building is an ornament to the town. It is a tasteful specimen of English rural church architecture. The walls are of field- stone, with brown-stone trimmings. The pews, roof and wood-finish are of cypress. The walls are plastered inside and are tinted a warm brown. The cost of the building was about $12,500. It will seat 232, exclusive of the Sunday-school room, which is separated from the church proper by sliding sashes, and can be utilized to seat 100 more persons. The structure is so planned that it can be enlarged, at mod- erate expense, to a seating capacity of over 500. The seats are free, the expense of maintaining public wor- ship being met by voluntary contributions. Women, as well as men, are eligible to membership in the parish, and about one-half of the members are ladies. The treasury of the parish has often been replenished by their earnest and judicious efforts.
The parish now owns over 30,000 feet of land. It is gradually gaining in numbers and in strength. From its first organization Mr. Thomas G. Banks has been the Parish Clerk, and Miss Ethel Cushing the organist. To them and to Mr. William J. Quincy, the treasurer, the parish is under much obligation. The rector is the Rev. E. A. Rand, to whose earnest labors the parish is chiefly indebted for its beautiful church. There are now (1890) upwards of seventy- five communicants. Among the donors to the build- ing fund was the Bishop of Montreal. The officers of the parish for 1890 are as follows :
Senior Warden, John E. Abbott ; Junior Warden, H. A. Scranton ; Parish Clerk, Thomas G. Banky;
Treasurer, William J. Quiney. Other Vestrymen- John Baker, J. A. French, George F. Robinson.
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CHAPTER XXX1.
WATERTOWN-(Continued).
Early People-Land Grants-The Proprietors' Book-Town Government -Schools -- The Weurs-The South Sule.
EARLY PEOPLE OF WATERTOWN .- The people who first settled the town of Watertown came in June, 1630, with Sir Richard Saltonstall and the Rev. George Phillips. The mere names of these hardy, hopeful adventurers form no unmeaning list. Most of them became proprietors of the soil. They came with this expectation. The names are found among the honored and active men of the present day in every part of the United States, and may be traced on every page of the nation's history. Not necessar- ily always famous for great deeds, for there are those who look back to Watertown for their lineage, who now people towns scattered through every State from Maine to Florida, and across the continent to the far-away shores of the Pacific. No book of gene- alogies is more studied than Dr. Bond's genealogies of the families of Watertown.
A martyred President found a progenitor in a Gar- field whose early home was in Watertown. The present head of our armies, likewise a celebrated Senator who engineered successfully the finances of the nation through a great crisis, find in a Sherman the first of their line in the list of our early settlers. The Lawrences had their first home on the banks of Fresh Pond, although they early pushed farther into the country, and found the beautiful slopes at Groton, in the valley of the Nashua. llere the Bigelows started. The cause of freedom could not have spared a Phillips; or the South, or the North, for that matter, in manufactures, the cotton gin of a Whitney. America's latest great attempt in philology and dictionaries is under the charge of a Whitney, as was the great geological survey of California under another. The race of Saltonstall is not extinct, nor is the high, noble and independent character of the great leader abated.
Upham and Warren and Stowe and Stearns and Coolidge and Mason and Hoar and Curtis are famil- iar names. But it is better to give the simple lists of names as they are found in the early records. There is no complete list of those who came the first year, in 1630, with Winthrop, or those who had arrived before 1636, although, as Bond says, " It is most prob- able that their number was greater than that of the settlers of any other town planted in 1630; and there is reason to suppose that, with the exception of Bos- ton, Watertown continued to be more populous than either of them for twenty years. The population
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WATERTOWN.
became so crowded, that the people began very early to disperse and form new plantations." We have shown why they felt crowded. This term is correct when we think of farms joining each other, and com- pare them with the boundless expanse of delightful country beyond. Some towns were settled from Water- town before the earliest list of proprietors was pre- pared, which is still preserved to us. Some of those who pushed on to found other towns still retained their ยท ownership of lands here ; the names of these are pre- served. Many left no trace behind them in the town's records. Some settled Wethersfield, Connecti- ent. Some settled Stamford, Milford and Branford. Dedham, of this State, was founded by Watertown people, as was Concord, and Sudbury, and Lancaster, and Groton largely, so Worcester, Framingham, Rutland and Spencer. largely Westminster on the slopes of Wachusett, Harvard, the most northeasterly town of Worcester County, and most of the towns of Middlesex County, contained among their settlers many from the old hive at Watertown.
In Dr. Bond may be found " an alphabetical list of persons known to have been proprietors or residents of Watertown prior to the end of the year 1643; compiled chiefly from the lists of grantees and pro- prietors, embracing also some names derived from wills, deeds, settlement of estates, and descriptions of possessions." This list occupies a dozen pages closely printed in fine type, and gives, with each name, some description, evidence of residence or change of resi- dence or other valuable notes.
This may be a good place to say that the New England Historie Genealogical Society received as a bequest the several hundred remaining copies of Bond's Genealogies and still holds them, most of which are in an imperfect condition. The whole number might be made perfect by reprinting twelve or sixteen signatures at an expense of from five hun- dred to a thousand dollars, which, in time, purchasers of the volumes would gladly repay to the society. If the society does not feel called to make this expendi- ture from funds already in its possession, it is to be hoped some one may be moved to make a gift to the society for this purpose, which in time should return to the society to assist it in doing other similar work.
A careful comparison of this work of Doctor Bond with the original authorities increases the wonder that one man could have collected such a vast amount of varied information so accurately as this has been done. I have found a few glaring mistakes, as the members of almost any family may have found in the minute arrangement of family names. Many of these could be corrected, after invited correspond- ence with the society, in an appendix. But let not a book dealer do the work for money ; let the society, or some society, finish the work in the interests of truth and history. The commercial valne even of a copy in a good condition is now nearly five times
the price at which it in former years was offered without purchasers.
A few names will be given for the benefit of the many who do not possess a copy of Bond.
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Daniel Abbott, applied to be admitted freeman in Oct., 1630, before New Town (Cambridge) was settled, and he was admitted the next May. In April, 1631, the Court ordered a military watch of four to be kept every night at Dorchester and Watertown. About five weeks afterwards, (May 18th), Daniel Abbott was " fined 5s. for refusing to watch, and for other ill behavior showed towards Captain Patrick." As Captain Patrick belonged to Watertown, and as no watch was ordered to be kept at New Town, there can be little doubt but that Daniel Abbott was one of the first settlers of Watertown. He may have settled within the limits afterwards assigned to New Town [see Lockwood, page 854]. His fine was re- mitted Sept. 8, 1638; and the Colonial Records (June 4, 1639) say, "Daniel Abbott is departed to New Providence."
Edmund Angier, a freeman 1640, proprietor of three acres, east of Mount Auburn, in 1644, but probably never a resident of Watertown.
Thomas Arnold, embarked from England in 1635 ; a freeman in 1640; grantee of eight lots and purchaser of one lot ; moved to Providence about 1665; two homestalls Orchard Street, near Lexington Street.
Johh Bachelor grantee of six lots, some, if not all, of which were purchased of Norcross. He probably moved to Dedham in 1637 ; a freeman in 1640.
John Bull (?) -On the list of Winthrop [ II page 340], supposed to be the names of those intending to come over in 1630, is the name of "Mr. Ball." If this was the John Ball, of Concord, he may have arrived before Concord was granted : settled first in Water- town, and moved to Concord, in 1635, prior to the date of the earliest list of proprietors of Watertown.
William Barsham, embarked from England, 1630; freeman, 1637 ; grantee of five lots, and purchaser of one lot; died 1684. His homestall was west of Mount Auburn, between Cambridge Road and Bank Lane.
Michael Bairstow, of Charlestown, 1635; a select- man ; probably moved to Watertown 1637 or 1638; freeman, 1636; not a grantee, but a proprietor of eight lots; died 1674. His homestall of fourteen acres, probably on the southwest corner of Belmont and School Streets.
Joseph Bemis, selectman of Watertown, 1640; died 1684; grantee of a farm and of a meadow at None- such ; purchaser of seven other lots. Ilis homestall of twelve acres, on the south side of Warren Street, was made up of two lots in the town plot, granted to Simon Stone and J. Firmin.
John Benjamin, embarked from England, 1632; a freeman, 1632 ; first of Cambridge, afterwards Water- town, where he died 1645. The circumstance that his name is not in any list of grantees renders it
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
probable that he did not move to Watertown before 1637 or 1638. His homestall of sixty acres was situated east of Dorchester Field, and bounded south by Charles River. He had three other large lots, grants to Robert Feake.
Robert Betts (" Best," " Beast "), a grantee in the Great Dividends and in the Beaver Brook plow- lands; an original grantee of Sudbury, where he died 1655, s. p., hequeathing his estate to his brother-in- law, William Hunt, and other relatives of this name.
John Biscoe, selectman ; freeman, 1650; died 1690 ; grantee of twenty-seven acres in lieu of township ; proprietor of at least fourteen other lots, amounting to 509 aeres. From the number and valne of his possessions, in 1642-44, he then being only twenty- one or twenty-two years of age, it seems probable that the lands were held in his name for his father, Nathaniel, the " rich tanner." His homestall was at the northwest corner of Belmont and Common Streets, bounded north by the homestall and meadow granted to John Lawrenee.
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