USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sherborn > Historical sketches of the town of Sherborn : in Massachusetts > Part 2
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This second church was occupied as a Meeting House and a Town House for over one hundred years. As a bell was given to the church in 1794, a belfry was added in which to hang the bells. This was not the present bell, as a new one was cast in 1830 for the new church, and the old bell was used to furnish some of the metal. These bells were both cast in Medway by the Holbrooks. The first bell was cast by the first Holbrook who had learned his trade at Paul Revere's bell foundry in Canton, so in a way it was a Revere Bell. The bell was regarded as more or less a town bell, was rung every week day at noon, Fourth of July at sunrise and sunset, and served as a "Passing Bell" to toll out the passing of aged town folks. It was a stroke for every year of a person's age, after the pre- liminary strokes.
In 1770, the town voted to "culler or paint the clapboards of the Meeting House ... an ORING CULLER ... all to be done handsomely and fashionably and workmanlike".
We are wont to think of the early settlers as men and women who strode
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through life along the straight and narrow path; under the man's arm a Bible and over his shoulder a musket. Maybe it is just as well to have ideals as to one's forebears. .. BUT ... why in 1732 did the town "grant ten shillings to re- pair the old or build new stocks"? And if they had fallen into disrepair in 1732, they were probably set up along about 1685; that is, when the first church was erected. Were they ever used? If so, by whom? They were on the common not far from the Meeting House. Did they simply stand as a warning, perhaps? They were where all could see them, and everybody went to meetings or were fined.
In 1749, the ladies of the congregation, evidently provoked at being "pushed around" in the Meeting House, asked to be allowed to put their chairs in the "alleys". This request was promptly denied (it was a man's world then). But I notice that directly after this "the selectmen made alterations for the conven- ience of the women", and then, as now, the ladies won the point.
Much could be written about the second edifice, for it was here that the stirring meetings of the Revolutionary period were held and the patriotic votes passed.
The third building, now in use, was erected in 1830. This is the original site of the first Meeting House. So that it may not be forgotten, let us state here this fact: This church was an exact copy of the church in the Town of Sutton, which had been erected some years before, but since destroyed by fire.
Its pleasing simplicity, in the Greek style, which was coming into vogue about that time, was and is extremely good taste. It is the characteristic New England Meeting House on the hill. It faces west. Was the idea of a west front taken from the old English cathedrals and Norman churches in England ? This western frontage gave us the expression of "gone west" meaning death, because the deceased was borne from the church toward the west.
Also, may I mention that all the larger trees on the Common were set out, each by a young man of the Parish. There were many more than now. The stone steps at the northeast corner of the common were installed by Calvin P. Sanger as a short cut home for the organist of that time. She lived in a house across Main Street.
Up to 1854, church music was furnished by an orchestra (mostly strings), and the choir. The organ, built by the Holbrooks of Medway, was given by the ladies and by subscription in 1854. Some controversy about it. .. "new fangled" ! I believe the pulpit, which is original, was cut down and made lower. Anyway, this building was heated !
The town and church dissolved partnership as a joint concern in 1809. Aft- er that the business of each was conducted separately, although for several years after, both used the Meeting House for both worship and town meetings.
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THE STORY OF THE MINISTERS OF SHERBORN
They have just celebrated the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Roxbury Latin School - the oldest school which has been uninterruptedly carried on in the United States.
The founder was John Eliot. Later Eliot became known as the Apostle to the Indians, and set up a church and school at what is now South Natick. First, he gathered the Indians about him beneath a great oak tree, which survived un- til recently.
To Eliot, from time to time, came young men to help him in his work. A- mong them was one Daniel Gookin, who was born in 1650, and graduated from Harvard College in 1669. It will be of interest to mention some of the facts about the Gookin family. Daniel's family were nonconformists, and left England in the 16th century to take up residence in the north of Ireland. In the early part of the 17th century Daniel's branch left Ireland for America, but made the mis- take of going first to Virginia. Here they found the Established Church much stronger and more rigid than in Ireland, and so for conscience sake embarked for the Bay Colony and settled in Cambridge. Here Daniel, and also his father, became a Magistrate and a Major General, with much to do with Indian affairs.
The settlers at Sherborn, having completed their Meeting House and hav- ing built a neat little parsonage, were casting about for a spiritual leader. Many of the Sherborn congregation had attended the service at John Eliot's Indian Church at Natick, and had become attached to one of his young assistants, Daniel Gookin. It seems they were quite unanimous in this choice, and with the permission of the Magistrate and Clergy of that time, extended a hearty call to Gookin to be- come their minister.
This call was in 1681, but he was not ordained as Sherborn's first settled minister until March, 1685, although it is more than probable he came here be- fore his official ordination.
Judge Samuel Sewell has an entry in his famous diary about the ordination. There were eleven ministers present and the "Fellows of the College". Gookin had been made a Fellow in 1673. Sewell says, "but six brethren present and three by the name of Mors. Only Major General and self of the magistrates. So you see the six brethren were sandwiched in between the Clergy and the Magis- trates. " Why was Sewell so interested?
Well, Sewell's wife's mother had been Judith Quincy Hull, and the Rever- end Daniel married for his first wife Elizabeth Quincy. It is probable that the Quincy influence had much to do with Gookin's appointment. There will be fur- ther reference to the Quincy family. Of Mr. Gookin's seven children, the first four were children of Elizabeth Quincy. Mr. Gookin's second wife was Bethiah Collient. He served the Sherborn Church for 34 years, but during the last seven years he was indisposed in body and mind.
In 1710 because of this it was voted by Town and Church to have an assist- ant to the pastor. Daniel Baker was chosen. Shortly after, Mr. Gookin pass- ed away and Mr. Baker was made settled minister. Mr. Baker was born in Ded- ham, and was also a graduate of Harvard College. He married a Quincy. Mr.
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Baker served as Sherborn pastor from 1712 to 1731.
Land was purchased from James Coolidge. A house was erected for Mr. Baker opposite the Church and Common. Like Gookin, he married a second wife.
One thing seems evident about Mr. Baker; he enjoyed lecturing, expound- ing and preaching. Many of his sermons were published, and none were brief.
Mr. Baker was well off, aside from his salary, probably because of mon- ey inherited from his first wife. He was one of the three men in Colonial Sher- born known to keep slaves. Richard Sanger and Capt. Ware were the other two. Mr. Baker freed his slaves. There was some opposition in the town to Mr. Baker's freeing the slaves, as some members of his congregation were afraid they might become public charges.
The third settled minister was Rev. Samuel Porter. This family was originally of Winsor, Conn., and the emigrant was John, and fifth in descent from him, and the fourth bearing the name of Samuel was the Sherborn pastor. He was born in 1709, graduated from Harvard College in 1730, and was pastor in a church in Hadley, from whence he came to Sherborn to be the third pastor. His uncle Aaron was graduated from Harvard College in 1709 and married Su- sanna, daughter of Major Stephen Sewell of Salem, and brother of our Judge Sewell, who again records in his trusty diary that he went to this wedding and gave the bridegroom a book he had bought and read and that evidently appealed to him. I mention this to show the decided influence of the Quincy and Sewell families in the choice of all three of the earliest pastors of the town. Mr. Porter lived where Mr. Baker did.
Rev. Samuel Porter died in 1788, and the property was bought by the Sang- ers and the present house was built in 1819.
From what we have learned of Mr. Porter, he was highly respected by everyone, a kind friend, and a good neighbor. It was on this place the Porter apple was produced, not by Mr. Porter, but by Capt. Samuel Sanger, and named in honor of Mr. Porter.
October 11, 1759, Rev. Samuel Locke was chosen to succeed his father- in-law, Mr. Porter. This Mr. Locke was from Lancaster; was graduated from Harvard College in 1755; pastor at Sherborn from 1759-1770; inaugurated as President of Harvard, March 21, 1770; resigned as such in December, 1773 and died in 1778 at the age of 47. He had received the degree D. D. from Har- vard. Locke was probably the best educated minister of Colonial times. He had a brilliant mind, was chosen President of Harvard at 39, but unfortunately he was indiscreet and was forced to resign in 1773 to return to Sherborn. His resignation created a furor, and according to Rev. Edward E. Hale, brought forth the statement from the then President of Yale (Dwight or Styles), "Let Harvard have her battered and tarnished silver; Yale prefers honest pewter."
Locke returned to Sherborn and the Porter home owned by his wife. Here he set up a classical school that was famous. He was a patriot in the Revolu- tionary struggle and a member of the Town's Committee of Correspondence, serving with other prominent men - Capt. Richard Sanger, Joe Twitchell, Sam Bullard, Daniel Whitney, and Joe Phipps.
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By great good luck the mahogany Pembroke table used by Samuel Locke, and upon which he wrote the records of the committee, is preserved. It was pur- chased by James Bullard at an auction of Mrs. Locke's effects in 1788, and came down three generations in the Bullard family and is still owned in Sherborn. Dur- ing the First World War, records of the Committee of Correspondence were written on this same table.
With Porter and Locke ends the formative period of the Sherborn Church, a period of nearly 100 years. The town was fortunate in having such a group of scholarly leaders.
With the advent of Rev. Elijah Brown came a change. Brown was the min- ister of the Revolutionary period and was an individual of unquestioned patriot- ism. He owned and lived in the house now occupied by Mr. Jacob Flagg. He was pastor from 1770 to 1816. He, like Locke, conducted a classical school. He was popular - perhaps because his lectures in cold weather were from ten to fifteen minutes, no longer; quite a change from two hours.
Shearjashub Bourne Townsend was the next pastor. He was evidently de- scended from Shearjashub Bourne for whom the Town of Bourne is named. Wher- ever we find this biblical name, it is usually followed by "Bourne" as though that family had the sole right to it.
The last pastor of the Sherborn Church to be mentioned in this sketch is a Sherbonite of Sherborn ancestry. He graduated from Harvard in 18.04. Mr. Amos Clark was sonear our own time that the opinion of the townspeople of whom many remember him must be considered, and that opinion seems to be unaminous. He was an ideal shepherd of his flock, and a dear friend to all the people of the town, although he filled the pulpit during the most trying time in the church history. Of him, and his memory, it can be said in the words of Goldsmith, "You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips."
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H
One of the oldest houses in town, built possibly before 1700, at the foot of "Bull's Hill", now Washington Street.
SHERBORN HOUSES BUILT BEFORE 1720
The brief descriptions of the houses in this commentary embrace those dwellings built in the Pilgrim Century, from 1620 to 1720. Many of these homes were of the true Salt Box type, or the 1-2 houses, so called in the first nation census about 1790.
It is perhaps best to begin with the Farm and South portion of the town, where the first settlers erected their homes.
The present farm house on the Gelston King place, on the land east of Farm Pond :- Daniel Morse came about 1656 and erected his home, which was a gar- rison house, near the present Saltonstall place. This house is gone. He had nine children, and the Farm was broken up and divided among his children. (They were builders. ) His son Daniel, born 1640, married Elizabeth Barbour. He inherited the land east of Farm Pond. His first child, Elizabeth, was born in 1670. It seems probable that this Daniel Morse built the old house on the King place.
From here we go west, following Forest Street, and come to the old Hol- brook house on the right hand side of the road. This house was built by John Holbrook, son of Thomas - the first settler of that name in Sherborn. John, about 1694, married Silence Wood, the child born in the Bullard Fort during the Indian raid in February 1676, and it was on land she inherited from her fa- ther they built this house. As their first child John was born 1694-5, it is prob- able this house was built not later than that date. Since then, this house has al- ways been in the Holbrook family, and from it Jonathan went into the Revolution to be killed at the Battle of White Plains.
Continuing on Forest Street, crossing the railroad track, the first house on the left is known as the Joe Walter Barber place. Originally, this was a Morse Place. Captain Joseph Morse came from Medfield to Sherborn, and in 1671 married Mehitable Wood, daughter of Nicholas Wood. She was born July 22, 1655, the first white child born in Sherborn. She was aunt of Silence Wood Holbrook, and like John Holbrook's the house was built on Wood land. Is the house still standing, the original house? First, there is no evidence of an ear- lier house. Second, for an old house it is a large one, which goes to prove it is the original, because it was at Captain Morse's that divine service was held be- fore the first meeting house was erected. To hold the church goers, it must have been the largest house in Sherborn, as the population of the town in 1674 was slightly over 100. Doubtless, there have been many changes in the house since its erection. It now faces north, while almost all the first houses built faced south, but we do not know how it faced when built, nor where the road was then.
Captain Morse was a nephew of Col. Morse of Cromwell's army, and near relative of Daniel. There are evidently no other houses still standing in this part of Sherborn dating before 1720. The Joshua Leland house on Main Street, near where Bullard Street branches off, was built by Joshua Leland about 1733 and was the third Leland house in this vicinity; the first burned, the second was moved north and stood in the side yard of the Franklin King place, and later taken down. It was a small one-story affair, painted red, as I remember it.
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So we turn north down Main Street, pass several old houses, pass Sew- ell's Brook, and on the bank, facing south, is the Ware house, now Selfe's. It was a Salt Box, but has lost its long sloping roof. The exact date of this house is a matter of controversy. It stands on the west part of the Hull grants. It was deeded to Captain John Ware in 1734 by Judith Cooper, daughter of Judge Sewell and granddaughter of John Hull. As the deed is in existence (Judge Sew- ell witnessed the signatures), it showed the house and barn and about 200 acres of land. The price was 750 pounds, $3, 750. 00, a large sum of money for the times, and it would seem that the buildings must have been fairly imposing and the water rights of value. Morse states Ware built the house, but Morse some- times slips. The diaries of both Hull and Judge Sewell tell us they visited the tenant of this property, one Adams, and the Judge made long visits. Ware built a mill on the brook in 1710. He had married a daughter of Eleazer Wood, and when he first came to Sherborn lived in the big Wood house built in 1705, now gone.
There seems every evidence that the old house was built before 1734, and was probably the tenant house where Adams lived when visited by Hull and his son-in-law. The Judge wasn't the type to make long visits, unless he was com- fortable. Also, he brought Mrs. Sewell on at least one of these visits. Mrs. Forbes, of Worcester, an authority on old houses and mother of Esther Forbes (Paul Revere), told me she felt sure this house reached back to 1700 and pos - sibly earlier. In this house was born Rev. Henry Ware, D. D. , and Judge Asher, L. L. D., both instructors at Harvard College, and from it went Joseph to the Revolution. (He is said to have lost one arm by the same cannon ball that had killed John Holbrook at his side. )
The old red house on what was the James Leland place, then Cabot, was built by a Leland, and for the most part always housed Lelands for many genera- tions. As near as we can determine, it was probably built about 1717 by Dea- con William Leland on part of the large Leland land holdings. Deacon William was the fifth of the ten children of Deacon Hopestill Leland and his wife Abigail Hill. This Hopestill was the son of Henry, the original Leland settler, and grandson of Hopestill, who was born in England in 1580. Deacon Hopestill was born in Dorchester, then his father took up his permanent residence in Sher- born. The first house was burned, and the second house built about 1655. Dea - con William was born February 11, 1692. He married Mehitable Brick, and their first child was born December 1717, which places the date of the build- ing of this ancient dwelling. In those days, when a man married, he either had a house already, or set about building one, as there was a perpetual shortage in housing at that period.
Deacon William was a prominent man, served as Town Clerk for five years, and representative to the General Court in 1735. There were six chil - dren in the family. Simeon, born 1730, evidently inherited the farm. He had six children, also, and the oldest son Samuel, born 1752, inherited the farm, and his son James, born 1780, evidently inherited with his brother Samuel. About 1810 these two brothers built the large farm house on Mill Street, which recently burned. James had a son, James H., who was the father of James Freeman and grandfather of the last Leland owner of the Old Red House, James Freeman Leland, Jr.
After the brothers, James and Samuel, built the new house, the Old Red House had numerous tenants. Lemuel Leland for one, the shoemaker; and Moses
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Burlen, who had been in business in Medway and Boston, married China Ware of Sherborn, and they came back to Sherborn to end their days and be near their daughter Charlotte who married Baruck Leland and lived in the old Baruck Le- land place, afterwards Mr. Cabot's. The old tall clock which was given to the library by William H. Burlen belonged originally to Moses Burlen, and ticked away many hours in the Old Red House.
Perhaps it is just as well to note here the traditions as to "China" Ware, wife of Moses Burlen. She was born in Sherborn July 30, 1786, the daughter of Captain Benjamin Ware. About the same time a little girl was born to a fam- ily named Stone. This family probably lived on Pleasant Street in West Sher- born. At the same time there dwelt in Sherborn an ancient mariner, a retired seafaring man who begged to be allowed to give names to the two little girls. To the little Ware girl he gave the name "China", and to the little Stone girl he gave the name "Cherry".
What eventually became of Cherry Stone, I cannot say, but China Ware be- came Mrs. Moses Burlen, and the name China was later given to a Leland girl - of the same branch as Baruck, and, if my memory serves me right, China W. Leland also lived in the Old Red House.
The name "Old Red House" has stuck to this house for well over a cen- tury, and it is such an appropriate name, let us hope it may continue to be used.
On the Holliston Road (Washington Street), and at the foot of the hill (Bull's Hill), beyond Grout's and Tucey's, is the old Asa Sanger house, now owned by Mr. Reading, another Salt Box facing south toward the "Judge's Meadow". Morse says Asa Sanger built it in 1775, Bunker Hill Day, and that the men at work on the roof heard the guns of that battle. If so, the wind was northeast. I think the fact that it was singled on that day led Morse and others to say it was being built at that time. George Sanger, who was the great-grandson of Asa, said, "It was shingled on Bunker Hill Day, but, because the first shingles were over 75 years old, it was an old house then.' He went on to tell how the handmade shingles riven from cedar logs with a "frow" had been known to last over a hun- dred years. Asa Sanger owned it, with land inherited from Richard Sanger, 3rd, his father. Who built it? Before Asa owned it, it was a Phipps house, and be- fore Phipps owned it, it was a Bullen house. Deacon Samuel Bullen, incorpora- tor of Dedham, Medfield, and Sherborn, and who was born in England in 1591, had several sons, among whom were Ephraim and Elisha who settled in Sher- born. Ephraim built west of Brush Hill, and Elisha built this old house at the foot of Bull's Hill. This Elisha's first child was named for his father and was born in Sherborn in 1784. This seems to date the house.
It is an interesting house. The brick ovens are at the back of the fire- place, and not at the side, and an earlier type of construction. Morse says Hannah Bullen, daughter of Elisha, married John Phipps, Jr. from Wrentham. His father was nephew of Sir William Phipps, Colonial Governor, and the rich- est man in the colony (and thereby hangs a tale). Anyway, John and Hannah, were sober, industrious, God-fearing people, and lie buried in the Central Burying Ground. Back of this old house lies the "Goomer", a rough, rocky bit of woodland; and here, according to legend lie buried two saddle bags crammed with pirate gold, etc., buried in 1704 by one William Bull who was mate of Cap- tain Kidd and friend and boon companion of John Phipps, Sr., who sailed with his uncle William, when Sir William discovered the great treasure in the wicked
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Spanish galleon. But that's another story, which, perhaps, we'll find time for, after we are through with the old houses.
General Washington made his last visit to New England in 1789. As he turned about to journey back to Virginia he passed through Sherborn and stopped at the old Sanger Farm for rest and refreshment offered by Captain Samuel Sanger, host. This old tavern occupied the site of the present home of Miss Harriet Adams, and was built in 1729. Having been refreshed, the General proceeded on his way following what is now Washington Street; then, a portion of the Hartford Pike.
At the foot of the hill, then known as Bull's Hill, he halted, descended from his horse and advanced to meet Asa Sanger, younger brother of Captain Samuel Sanger and a veteran of the Revoltuion. Asa that morning was mending a wall. For a brief period they conversed, the soldier and the great general; then Asa walked with Washington, saw him safely in the waiting coach and shook his hand. Then the coach proceeded up Bull's Hill to Holliston on its way to Hartford and Virginia.
This meeting was family history in Asa's family, and his great grandson told it to me with evidences of pride.
Of the remaining old houses still standing in the town, let us first con- sider the Amos Clark house on Maple Street, now owned by Mrs. Phipps, whose husband, Dr. Phipps, was a lineal descendent of the Rev. Amos Clark. This house is a salt box and faces south. In many ways it resembles the old Asa Sanger house or the Bullen-Phipps house on Washington Street. These houses might have been the work of the same builder, but of the two, the Clark house is more recent.
Samuel Clark, born in 1756, and one of seven brothers who fought in the Revolution, purchased this house and farm from Whitney Hill. Here his son Amos, the minister, beloved of all Sherborn people, resided during his life- time, and here his twelve children were born. Whitney Hill was also a sol- dier of the Revolution and was a Holliston man. Before 1729 the land upon which this house sets was bought by Hill. He bought just the land. Then he sold in 1729 the land and buildings. This places the house as being erected about 1729.
It seems that about this time and later there was a little settlement of small farms back of the Clark place, to the north and west, embracing part of the "Old Field" and "Old Field Woods". All evidences of this settlement have disappeared. There was at that time a road on the west side of the Clark house and running north.
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