USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Peabody > History Of Peabody Massachusetts > Part 11
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The bell was originally hung in a "turret" or cupola, probably like that of the Village meeting-house, on the middle of the building. In 1763 some effort was made to have a steeple built; and in 1774 a steeple, or rather tower, was built on the western end of the house; it was a tall square tower with a belfry roof. The house as finally enlarged had three rows of windows; it was placed with the length running nearly east and west, on the ground in front of the present location of the South Church in Peabody ; there were two doors on the southern side, near together. The general arrangement of the interior
was preserved in a similar manner to that of the origi- nal house.
The parish was very zealous in sustaining the Revolutionary War, constantly furnishing men and money. In 1777 a bounty of £20 per man was paid to those serving in the quota of the parish, and £1200 was raised. In 1778 about £400 was raised, and in 1779 £8000. These last sums were probably in paper currency.
In 1780, a suit of clothes, consisting of "coat, jacket, breeches and hat" was given to Mr. Holt to make up the deficiency of his support.
In 1790 three pews were added to the house, and a part of the meeting-house land was let to the " Pro- prietors of the duck manufacture." The Artillery Company had leave in September, 1791, to erect a gun-house on land belonging to the parish.
Mr. Holt died August 2, 1792, and the parish voted to continue his salary to the end of the year for the benefit of his family, besides assuming the expenses of his sickness and funeral.
In March, 1793, the house was thoroughly repaired. September 28, 1793, the old parish was dissolved, and the society was incorporated by the Legislature as "The Proprietors of the South Meeting-House in Danvers."
Rev. Samuel Mead was settled as pastor October 31, 1794, and continued till 1803. In August, 1805, Rev. Samuel Walker was settled as minister. He labored in his pastorate for twenty-one years, and died July 7, 1826, after a painful illness of three months. He was interested in all the affairs of the town, and was prominent in temperance and other reforms. His public spirit and his eminent piety made him highly respected and beloved. His uncompromising adher- ence to the severe doctrines of the theological faith in which he had been educated made his preaching un- welcome to some, and it was during the last years of his pastorate that the movement to establish other re- ligious societies began.
In 1813 the society was much vexed by some per- son who "sacriligiously and repeatedly robbed this house of God of the tongue of its bell," and a reward of twenty dollars was offered for his apprehension. In 1814 a new bell was purchased and erected at an expense of six hundred and seventy-five dollars. In 1819 the land in the rear of the meeting-house was leased to the proprietors of a chapel, and certain per- sons were authorized to erect sheds around the house. The house was repaired in 1824, at an expense of four hundred dollars.
On September 12, 1827, Rev. George Cowles was settled as pastor. It was voted to exclude all wines and spirituous liquors from the councils andfordina- tion services. Mr. Cowles was dismissed in Septem- ber, 1836, at his own request, and travelling south in pursuit of health was lost in the wreck of the " Home."
It is recorded in a memorandum in the records of
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the society "that while ringing the Bell on the - of April, 1829, at noon, said Bell did crack, to that extent, as to destroy Its usual Pleasant and Har- monious sound, and was thereby rendered useless." It was soon afterward replaced.
In September, 1830, the school-house, No. 11, on the society's land just west of the meeting-house, was ordered to be removed, and after some contro- versy and the threat of legal proceedings the house was removed to a piece of land in another place offered by the society for a trifling consideration.
In 1835 it was voted to build a new church, and measures were taken to effect that object. The Uni- tarian Society offered the South Society the use of its house during the time it was without one, but the offer was not accepted, and services were carried on in a hall while the new house was in process of con- struction.
In 1836, the old edifice, the greater part of which had been standing one hundred and twenty-five years, was taken down. The last service held in the old meeting-house was very crowded; the galleries had been shored up, and during the services a thin piece of wood used as a wedge cracked with a loud noise. A panic at once followed, persons jumping from the windows, and some being injured in the con- fusion.
Rev. Harrison G. Park was invited in December, 1836, to succeed Mr. Cowles. The new church, which cost twelve thousand dollars, was dedicated February 1, 1837, and on that day Mr. Park was installed. In October, 1838, he resigned the pastorate.
In June, 1840, Rev. Thomas P. Field was unani- mously invited to take the pastoral charge, and he was ordained October 1, 1840. In 1843 the church was sold to the Methodist Society for two thousand five hundred dollars, and a new church was begun. It was only partly finished when it was consumed in the destructive fire of September 22, 1843. The loss was about seven thousand dollars, and there was an insurance of five thousand dollars, effected only the day before the fire. It was determined to go on at once with a new house, and the present edifice was finished and dedicated August 10, 1844, at a cost of one thousand three hundred dollars.
Mr. Field resigned his pastorate in September, 1850, and terminated his connection with the society November 1, 1850.
In 1850 Mary Osborn gave one hundred dollars to the ministers' fund.
In January, 1851, Rev. J. D. Butler was invited to become the pastor of the society, under a contract which permitted either party to terminate the con- nection on a prescribed notice. In April, 1852, the society gave notice to Mr. Butler that they wished to terminate the connection, which was accordingly done July 12, 1852.
In 1853 the society took into consideration the matter of the " minister's fund," arising from the sale
of parsonage lands, and it was decided that the fund, then amounting to $2200, should be kept separate. This was invested in a parsonage in 1869, which was sold in 1877, and the proceeds invested in securities. In November, 1887, Mrs. Florence (Peabody) Hol- man gave to the society a valuable lot of land on Chestnut Street, on which it is proposed to build a parsonage with the minister's fund.
In 1854 it was voted to buy a new bell, and a clock was given to the society by Francis Dane, Henry Poor and Elijah W. Upton, and placed upon the tower of the church.
In May, 1854, Rev. James O. Murray was called as pastor, and he was ordained October 26, 1854. He tendered his resignation in February, 1861, which was accepted, and he terminated his pastorate in March following.
In July, 1861, Rev. William M. Barbour was called to the pastorate, and he was ordained October 3, 1861. A new bell was bought in 1862, which is the one at present in use.
Mr. Barbour resigned his pastorate in September, 1868. In December, 1868, the Rev. George N. An- thony was invited to become pastor, and he accepted the following month. He was installed March 11, 1869.
He resigned his position in September, 1876. In the spring of 1877 the debt of the society, amounting to about $7000, was raised by voluntary contributions, and the society has ever since been free from debt.
In December, 1877, Rev. Willard G. Sperry was called to the pastorate. The call was accepted, but he was not ordained till July 2, 1878, beginning his labors in September following.
In 1880 extensive changes were made in the in- terior of the church. The organ was removed to a space added behind the preacher's desk; the white marble pulpit, which had been in the church since it was built, was removed, and a simple reading-desk, with a larger platform, took its place. On the floor below additional rooms were made for the conve- nience of the pastor and the Sunday-school library.
In 1885 Mr. Sperry received a call to Manchester, N. H., and although the church and society formally requested him to remain, he resigned in September.
In February, 1886, Rev. George A. Hall was called to the pastorate. He accepted, and was ordained April 13, 1886.
The society is vigorous and the congregation large ; and, after a century and three-fourths of existence, it still remains an important factor in the religious and social life of the community.
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH .- This church was organized January 1, 1825, " for the purpose of having a place in the South part of Danvers where an oppor- tunity could be had of hearing sentiments more lib- eral and congenial with the true spirit of Christianity than is now afforded." At the beginning it had thirty-three members. The first church edifice was
65
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
dedicated July 26, 1826. The dedicatory sermon was by Rev. Mr. Brazer, of Salem, from the text, " Finally, be ye all of one mind." Others who took part in the services were Rev. Mr. Upham and Rev. Mr. Colman, of Salem, Rev. Dr. Abbott, of Beverly, and Rev. Mr. Bartlett, of Marblehead.
The pulpit was supplied for some months by Mr. Alonzo Hill, after which Rev. Charles C. Sewall, of Dedham, was called to be pastor on a salary of seven hundred dollars a year, and a present on his settlement of two hundred dollars. In April, 1827, a church was formed of seventy-one members, and on April 11th Mr. Sewall was installed. The sermon was by Rev. Mr. Lamson, of Dedham, and a large party of delegates was present, including twenty-one clergy- men. Two original hymns were sung, one written by Dr. Andrew Nichols, a member of the society, and the other by Dr. John Pierpont, of Boston.
In 1829 a bell was placed on the church. In 1830 a movement toward obtaining a parsonage was be- gun. The first organ was a gift from Eben and Wil- liam Sutton.
In May, 1831, a singing-school was established for the benefit of the young people of the society, and an appropriation of sixty dollars was made therefor. During this year Mr. Sewall's salary was raised to one thousand dollars a year.
In 1836 the current expenses of the society were raised by voluntary contributions, but the next year the society returned to its former method of raising money by taxation of the pews.
Mr. Sewall resigned his pastorate in 1841, leaving July 11th. He was greatly beloved by his people, and at his departure he was presented with a testi- monial of five hundred dollars.
Rev. Andrew Bigelow was installed as pastor Feb- ruary 15, 1843. The sermon was by Rev. Dr. Lothrop, of Boston. His salary was to be one thousand dol- lars,-eight hundred from the treasury and two hun- dred from voluntary subscriptions. Mr. Bigelow, against the expressed regrets of his society, resigned his pastoral charge March 20, 1845.
Rev. Frank P. Appleton was installed as the next pastor January 14, 1846. The sermon was by Rev. Nathaniel Hall, Jr., and several other clergymen took part in the services ; but the installation was not indorsed at the time by the Ecclesiastical Council (of which the late Rev. Dr. Gannett, of Boston, was a prominent member), on account of certain informali- ties in the preliminary proceedings. Mr. Appleton's pastorate closed in 1853.
October 4, 1854, Mr. C. H. Wheeler was installed as pastor, Dr. Ephraim Peabody preaching the sermon. In June, 1862, Mr. Wheeler's pastorate expired, but he continued to supply the pulpit for a while after- ward.
Rev. David H. Montgomery was the next occupant of the pulpit, but he resigned on account of ill health April 20, 1867.
On May 13, 1868, Rev. E. I. Galvin became pastor of the church, the sermon of the occasion being preached by Rev. James Freeman Clarke, of Boston. Mr. Galvin tendered his resignation June 7, 1871, to take effect three months later.
In 1872 some twelve thousand dollars was expended on the church edifice, great improvements being made without and within. A new organ was also purchased and placed in the rear of the pulpit. At the reopening the sermon was delivered by Rev. E. E. Hale, of Boston.
The church was without a pastor until 1873, when Rev. John W. Hudson, the present pastor, was called September 26th. He was formally installed and be- gan the duties of his pastorate December 7th.
In January, 1886, the standing committee was authorized to procure a new organ. The organ was purchased at an expense of three thousand dollars, and dedicated in September, 1886.
In October, 1887, a new bell was procured and placed in the belfry of the church.
FIRST METHODIST SOCIETY. - In July, 1830, Amos Walton established a prayer-meeting and Sunday- school in Harmony Village (Rockville) in connection with the South Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Lynn.
In 1832 meetings were held in Sanger's Hall, sometimes known as Goodridge's Hall. Subsequently Armory Hall, which formerly stood on Holten Street, near Sewall Street, was rented for Methodist services. The leader in this movement was Mr. Alfred N. Chamberlain ; he undertook the responsibility of renting the hall and furnishing the preachers. During the first three years seventeen different preachers conducted the services, among whom were A. D. Merrill (Father Merrill), Joseph A. Merrill, Sanford Benton and John E. Risley. These were all conference preachers ; Mr. Risley had the honor of forming the first church society and baptizing the first converts. Among the local preachers were Jesse Filmore, Benjamin F. Newhall, of Saugus; Elijah Downing, of Lynn; Benjamin King, who preached the opening sermon in the hall; Shadrach Ramsdell and James Mudge.
A class was formed here, and after three years of service Mr. Chamberlain induced the Lynn Common Church to assume the responsibility of worship. Rev. Charles K. True, the preacher in charge, advertised in Zion's Herald for a young man to take charge of the services here, and, as a result, Rev. Mr. Arnold, of Rhode Island, was sent here by Mr. True, and was the first minister who attended services here and re-ided among the people.
Later on the responsibility of the charge of the services was transferred to the South Street M. E. Church in Lynn, who had conducted the meetings in Rockville.
In 1839 Amos Walton began preaching regularly for the society, and in July, 1840, he was appointed
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by the Conference sitting in Lowell as pastor. At this time the membership of the church was twenty- three. In 1840 the Sabbath school was organized.
While worshipping in Armory Hall, a building on Washington Street, above Oak Street, formerly used as a pottery, was bought and fitted up. The lumber and labor necessary were contributed by interested parties, and the new house of worship was dedicated, but soon proved too small. Plans were proposed for a new house, the lumber purchased and a part of it hauled to the ground, the site of the present church. This was in 1843, and at this time the South Society was about building a new house of worship. Their old house, which had been built in 1836, and was in excellent condition, was offered to the Methodist Society for twenty-five hundred dollars, and it was thought best to dispose of their lumber and accept the offer. The building was moved from the Square to its present location, near the corner of Washington and Sewall Streets; the Lexington Monument was set off to allow its passage, and afterward replaced. The following year vestries were built under the church, at an expense of seven hundred and fifty dollars.
The society at this time was under great financial embarrassment. The mortgage on the church, held by the South Society, was heavy, and at the annual meeting in 1848 it was voted to relinquish the prop- erty ; Timothy Walton took up the mortgages and the property passed into his hands. The society known as the Methodist Episcopal Chapel Society, which had held the property, became extinct.
The church was allowed by Mr. Walton, who was one of the leading brethren, to continue the use of the building at an annual rental. They had no Con- ference preacher that year; but a local preacher, Dr. Booth, supplied for them a portion of the time.
In 1853 during the pastorate of William Gordon, a board of trustees was appointed, and organized ac- cording to law, under the name of the "First M. E. Society of Danvers." At this time the society pur- chased the church property from Mr. Walton on lib- eral terms.
In 1859, during the pastorate of Rev. E. S. Best, the house was raised up and remodeled, at an expense of about six hundred dollars. Part of this expense was contributed by outside friends.
In 1862, when Rev. Mosely Dwight was sent by the Conference to this society, he found a debt of over four thousand dollars, and the society very much de- pressed. The Church Aid Society lent its assistance, and Mr. Dwight was allowed to collect all the contri- butions raised in the Boston district for church aid. Through his endeavors the debt on the church was re- duced to fifteen hundred dollars.
In 1867 Rev. J. O. Knowles was sent to the Society. He was very active in his efforts, and there was a large increase in the interest and the membership of the church during the two years of his pastorate.
The interior of the church was tinted and painted
at this time. Through the efforts of Mr. Knowles and others interested, a Stevens clock was placed in the tower of the church; and at this time, too, a bell was given to the Society by an anonymous friend, who was afterwards known to have been the late General William Sutton. In 1868 the parsonage on Sewall Street was purchased by the Society for two thousand dollars.
During the pastorate of Rev. G. Leonard, who suc- ceeded Mr. Knowles, a social and literary society, similar to the Oxford League, was started and greatly encouraged by the pastor. Mr. Leonard was especially interested in Sabbath-school work, and succeeded in making the school very successful and awakening much interest in its exercises.
During the pastorate of Rev. Albert Gould the debt of the Society was extinguished, and the Society en- joyed a time of prosperity. A deep religious interest was manifest in the town, and union services of the Congregational, Baptist and Methodist Churches were held. Mr. Gould was himself a good musician, and did much for the encouragement of music in the services of the church. A new reed-organ was pur- chased during his pastorate. Mr. Gould, with the aid of the brethren, started the church in Tapleyville. During his pastorate he published a paper called the Town of Peabody, a single issue, which contained much valuable historical information.
Rev. F. T. George was the pastor of the church in 1873-74, and Rev. Daniel Wait in 1875-76-77. Dur- ing the pastorate of Mr. Wait improvements were made in the furnishing of the vestry.
During the pastorate of the Rev. V. M. Simons, in 1878-79, a pipe-organ was placed in the front part of the church, behind the altar, and the choir seats were removed thither.
Rev. Dr. Steele was pastor of the church in 1880- 81-82, and during his pastorate the outside of the church edifice was painted, and the interior repaired and re-carpeted, at an expense of thirteen hundred dollars. At this time, also, the Stevens clock was re- moved and a Howard clock, the gift of the late Mrs. Lydia P. Proctor, substituted.
Rev. C. N. Smith was the pastor in 1883-84-85, and the time was one of great harmony and prosperity in the church.
The following is the list of preachers stationed by the Conference over the church from the beginning :
Amos Walton .1839-40
E. S. Best 1859-6
Daniel Webb.
1841
Franklin Furber 1861
H. G. Barras
1842
Mosely Dwight .1862-63
Amos Binney 1843
S. R. Sweetser 1864-65-66
Reuben Ransom 1844
J. O. Knowles. .1867-68
I. J. P. Collyer 1845-46
William G. Leonard 1869
Albert Gould 1870-71-72
Thomas Street
1848-49
F. T. George. 1873-74
O. S. Howe 1850
Daniel Wait. 1875-76-77
W. C. High 1851-52
V. M. Simons .1878-79
William Gordon. 1853-54
Daniel Steele 1880-81-82
Edward A. Manning 1855
C. N. Smith .1883 84-85
George Sutherland 1856-57
Geo. Alcott Phinney 1886
H. C. Dunham.
1858
Z. A. Mudge. 1847
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
In 1886 extensive repairs and improvements were undertaken; the vestries were painted and re- furnished; an addition was built on the back of the building, making room for the organ and giving additional space below. The choir seats were re- built and the preacher's platform refurnished. The pews and interior fittings were renovated, the walls and ceilings frescoed and various improvements and additions made to the conveniences of the house. A large number of memorial windows have been given in honor of deceased friends and relatives ; the Oxford League assumed the expense and man- agement of the improvement of the windows, and their efforts have been seconded by gifts of money from various individuals and societies. The entrance and approaches have been improved, and the house now is one of the most commodious in town. The ex- penditures for the recent improvements were about twenty-six hundred dollars. The society is large and flourishing, and active in Christian work and ser- vice.
SECOND UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY -The First Uni- versalist Parish of Peabody was organized on the 6th of April, 1832, under the title "The Second Univer- salist Society of Danvers." Universalist meetings had been held occasionally in private houses, some- times in a small hall in the building now occupied in part by the Peabody Press office, in the school-house then located near the Old South Church, and also in Joseph Shedd's Hall, a small hall in a building on Main Street, then occupied by Mr. Shedd as an apothecary shop. Previously to this organization some families had attended the Universalist meeting in Salem.
On January 31, 1832, a preamble and resolution were adopted and signed by forty-three persons, with reference to building a church and forming a Universalist Society. It was proposed to erect a meeting-house in the vicinity of the South Church, and a subscription was opened for shares of one hun- dred dollars. On March 26th, a meeting of sub- scribers was held, and a committee appointed to find a suitable site for a house. An agreement for organ- ization was drawn up and signed by forty-seven per- sons, pledging the united action of the signers for the formation and maintenance of a religious society under the name of the Second Universalist Society in Danvers. In accordance with a petition drawn up at this meeting a warrant was issued by John W. Proctor, Esq., for a meeting to be held in Shedd's Hall, April 6, 1832. On that day the members met and organized.
A church building was completed in January, 1833, and was dedicated January 10th. On January 21st, an invitation was given to Rev. John Moore to be- come pastor at a salary of six hundred and fifty dol- lars. It was accepted, and he was installed April 4, 1833. He resigned November 16, 1834, leaving at the end of the year. During his ministry a Sunday-
school was organized, beginning with about fifty members. A church was organized by Mr. Moore April 30, 1834, consisting of twenty-four members.
February 15, 1835, the Rev. John M. Austin was invited to become pastor. He was installed April 29th.
When the church building was completed the vestry was left unfinished. There was then no public hall in town large enough for town purposes. In 1836 the vestry was finished by an association called the Union Hall Association, partly in the interest of the church, and was used for public purposes. In Feb- ruary, 1843, the subject of enlarging the meeting- house by galleries was considered, which was done soon afterward.
Mr. Austin resigned his pastorate in September, 1843. The affairs of the society were in a highly pros- perous condition during his ministry, and particularly at its close. A religious revival affecting this with other societies prevailed during the latter part of his ministry.
On October 20, 1844, Rev. John Prince was in- vited to become pastor, and was installed January 15, 1845. Mr. Prince was very progressive in his ideas, and during his pastorate there was a division in the society, arising from differences in belief, which re- sulted in the withdrawal of Mr. Prince, in June, 1848, and the closing of the church as a house of public worship for several years.
In October, 1853, Rev. J. W. Talbot made a suc- cessful effort to revive the society, and worship was regularly begun October 30, 1853, and has ever since been maintained. Mr. Talbot resigned at the close of a year, having accomplished his object. During his stay the church building, including the vestry, was enlarged and improved, and an organ purchased.
In November, 1855, Rev. Orville Brayton began his pastorate ; he was installed February 6, 1856. He continued as pastor until September 1, 1859. Rev. C. C. Gordon was pastor of the society for a year, be- ginning November, 1859. He left the parish united and in good condition. In February, 1862, Rev. O. F. Safford was invited to become pastor, and he began his work in May. He was installed June 17, 1863. His pastorate closed May 1, 1865.
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