History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 33

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York : Blake
Number of Pages: 1292

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There are no means of ascertaining with certainty who were the treasurers of the town during the first fifty years after its settlement. It is not improbable that in most instances the clerks served in this capacity also. We give the names and order so far only as we can do it with accuracy: 1694, Samuel Prince; 1699, Thomas Smith; 1701, John Smith, jr .: 1719, Saml. Jennings; 1752, Solomon Foster; 1755, Silas Bourne; 1757, Jonathan Bassett; 1760, Thomas Bassett; 1761, Silas Tupper; 1777, Thomas Bassett; 1782, Benj. Fessenden; 1782, Lemuel Pope; 1783, Nathan Nye, jr .; 1787, Abraham Williams; 1795,

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

Melatiah Bourne; 1803, James Bourne, jr .; 1813, Heman Tobey; 1814, Nathan Nye, jr .; 1825, Ezra Tobey; 1838, William J. Freeman; 1840, David C. Freeman; 1864, David C. Percival; 1869, H. G. O. Ellis; 1887, Frank H. Burgess.

It is impossible to determine concerning several of the first town clerks, or the length of time they were in office: William Wecd and Thomas Tupper were in office before 1668. The next was in 1669, Stephen Wing; 1670, Edm. Freeman, jr .; 1675, Thomas Tupper, jr .; 1685, William Bassett; 1720, William Bassett, jr .: 1721, Nathaniel Bas- sett; 1721, Samuel Jennings; 1751, Solomon Foster; 1753, Thomas Smith; 1758, Benj. Fessenden; 1784, Melatiah Bourne, sr .; 1791, Abra- ham Williams; 1795, Melatiah Bourne; 1803, James Bourne, jr .; 1814, Nathan Nye, jr.

In 1814 Mr. Nye was elected to both the office of treasurer and clerk, and since that time the duties of both offices have been com- bined.

CHURCHES-In the days of the Puritan fathers the church was the government, and the formation of this important institution was con- temporaneous with the planting of a settlement. The erection of a meeting house for religious and public meetings was one of the first duties after the family had been sheltered. The records of the pro- prietors of Sandwich do not, as we can find, mention the erection of a building for religious meetings, nor is any reference made to one until 1644-six years after the plantation was settled-when at a meet- ing "it was deemed necessary to repair the old meeting house." It is more probable that the age of the building was not so much the cause of the need of repairs as its hasty construction.

When Mr. Leverich assumed the pastorate is not definitely known, but that he was connected with the Sandwich plantation in 1640 is shown by the colonial records in certain enquiries concerning the ter- ritory. As early as 1639 the church at Sandwich was presented "for receiving persons unfit for church society." This enactment fol- lowed: "The town is forbidden to dispose of any more land;" and Captain Standish and Mr. Prince were appointed to at once repair to Sandwich clothed with all power in the premises. The next record made is: "A town meeting, 6 mo. 7, 1644, warned by order of the selectmen to take course for repairing the meeting house, etc." Sev- eral persons engaged to pay Thomas Tupper in corn "for as many bolts as would shingle the old meeting-house."

In 1650, it was " agreed upon by the town that there should be a levie of £5 for Mr. Leverich to pay for removing and parting of his house with boards which was long since promised to be done for him by the town." This would indicate that a parsonage had been already erected and was occupied by a pastor; and no doubt this work so im-

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portant to his comfort was at once performed. for Robert Bodfish, Mr. Vincent, Thomas Tupper, and William Newland were empowered to do it. Mr. Leverich was here in 1653, for the records of the town give him permission "to pasture his horse on the town-neck." In 1654 he is mentioned among the purchasers and settlers who went from Sand- wich to Long Island.

A subscription for a new meeting house is found in the records for 1655. The sums vary, the highest being two pounds and the least one shilling. For three years subsequently the names of prominent free- men are entered as donors to the new meeting house. The comple- tion of the church was retarded by the diversity of opinion regarding religious duty, which greatly disturbed and disaffected the commu- nity. Peter Gaunt was presented in 1656 for not attending public worship, to which he answered that " he knew no public, visible wor- ship." Tradition says that Mr. Fessenden, who succeeded Mr. Leve- rich, said " a most unhappy dissension occurred in the church about the time Mr. Leverich left."

In 1657 an attempt was made to sustain the ordinances of religion by subscription, and these pledges for the support of a minister were small. Fourteen names appear on the record, in sums varying from two pounds to six shillings. No stated minister could be procured. This want of affinity in the town is traceable to the sympathy of a large portion of the people for the Quakers. The general court ap- pointed a special marshal, one George Barlow, for one year, to arrest persons teaching the principles of Quakerism. Two English Friends came here on the 20th of June, 1657, to hold meetings, and they were arrested as " extravagant persons and vagabonds." William Newland, in whose house the meetings were held, was fined for his intercessions in their behalf. In justice to Sandwich, be it understood that these proceedings were the action of the court at Plymouth, and Bowden says: "The selectmen of the town whose duty it was to see them whip- ped, entertained no desire to sanction measures so severe towards those who differed from them in religion, and declined to act in the case."

James Skiff, the deputy to general court in 1659, was rejected be- cause he was friendly to his neighbors holding other than orthodox ideas. Nehemiah Besse was fined by the court in 1663 " for drinking tobacco on the Lord's day." These seeming severities of the Plymouth court are mentioned for no other purpose than to show why the people of Sandwich were not a unit in supporting the established church. This religious intolerance was in a great degree checked by the inter- position of the royal commissioners sent by the queen in 1665.

In 1676 the name of John Smith was added to the list of freemen, and he commenced his pastorate with the people. The people had

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been supplied by Messrs. Bourne and Tupper. The affairs of the church assumed a better phase soon after the arrival of Mr. Smith, and in 1680 a rate of £50 was ordered for the support of the minister. The pastoral duties of Mr. Smith closed in 1688 at his own request. The active males were only five at this time. Mr. Pierpont of Rox- bury was invited to the pastorate, but before he was settled he ac- cepted a more satisfactory call. In 1690 lands were set apart for the support of the minister, and in 1691 Mr. Roland Cotton was invited to continue his labors, which had been temporary. He was ordained November 28, 1694. Lands had been voted to him "to be held by him, his heirs and assigns forever if he remain among us until God take him away by death or otherwise." If he went away by any other means then thèse lands reverted to the town.

Liberty of conscience was assured by the charter of 1692, and church membership was no longer deemed the only requisite for civil prefer- ment. Additions were made to the church, and its membership was increased to ten males and twelve females. The land given Mr. Cot- ton " to improve so long as he continues here in the ministry," was "the small neck lying between the two runs of water." The affairs of the church brightened under Mr. Cotton's pastorate, and in 1700 it was voted that " the selectmen see that the meeting house is ground- pinned and the windows mended." In 1702-3 appropriation was made for a new church, but in the discretion of the committee the old one was repaired; its window seats were raised, a tower was erected in which a bell was placed, and the town voted " that the person who takes care of the meeting house shall ring the bell."

The celebrated Roland Cotton was called to a higher sphere March 29, 1722, after a long pastorate. In response to the invitation by the committee, Mr. Benjamin Fessenden was ordained September 12, 1722, and the dwelling of Mrs. Cotton was purchased for his use.

In 1732 the people at Scusset (Sagamore) desired a separate organi- zation, and a society was organized after three years of controversy. Jireh Swift, Eliakim Tupper and others erected a meeting house, and Francis Wooster was installed as pastor and served several years. But these seceders at Scusset were compelled to pay a tax for the sup- port of the parent church at Sandwich village, and the petition of Moses Swift and thirty-three others in 1739, to be released from such taxation, was refused.

The death of Mr. Fessenden, August 7, 1746, left the church with- out a pastor for two years, during which period unavailing efforts were made to fill the vacancy. In 1748, by agreement, the names of five ministers were presented, from which the names of two were sub- mitted to the church to select from, and the choice fell upon Mr. Law- rence. But his anxiety was not equal to that of the church, and he

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declined the proffered honor. Mr. Turrell was then called, but de- clined. In 1749 Abraham Williams accepted the call and was installed June 14th. His pastorate restored harmony and twelve of the Scusset brethren returned to the parent church. The meeting house received its share of attention by being thoroughly repaired in 1755. The plan of the pews of this meeting house and the owners, with the price of each, were minutely recorded on the proprietor's records of the town -one page representing the first floor and another the gallery. In- deed it could be said that the aspirations of the church were much more heavenward, for a new and taller spire was raised in which a new bell was placed. This occurred in 1756, and soon after, the old bell which had been given by Mrs. Adolph, whose husband was ship- wrecked and given a burial here, was sold to the county to be placed in the court house at Barnstable.

Mr. Williams died August 8, 1784, and Rev. Jonathan Burr was in- stalled as pastor April 18, 1787. Mr. Williams had exerted a lasting influence for good, an evidence of which was seen in the gratitude of one of his slaves, who would not accept freedom while his master lived, and who at his own death bequeathed to the parish a fund from the interest of which a town clock was purchased. The society had become so cemented that in 1800, after the depreciation of the cur- rency by the war, the vote was " that Mr. Burr's salary be paid by the principal necessaries of life so as to make the compensation equal to what it was at the time of his ordination."

The years 1808-9 were a period of revival and interest ; 115 per- sons, mostly heads of families, were added to the church. But Mr. Burr, by a change of his views, greatly changed his parochial instruc- tions, which created a feeling of opposition. Mr. Clapp, the school- master, was the pastor occasionally, when Mr. Burr preached in the west part of the town, and he with others opposed Calvinism. The clouds of discontent and opposition thickened, resulting in a storm that dismissed Mr. Burr and scattered the church. Calvinism was the descending bolt that rent the society, Mr. Burr's adherents forming a Calvinistic congregational society with him as pastor. A severe con- test over the church funds and property followed, in which the coun- cil decided for the seceders, but the supreme court, on appeal, awarded the property to the original society, over which Ezra S. Goodwin had been settled. Mr. Burr ministered to the Calvinistic society from February 26, 1814, to 1817, when he was released by his own urgent request, and Rev. David L. Hunn was the minister until 1830; he was succeeded by Rev. Asahel Cobb, from March 31, 1831, to the latter part of 1842, after which Rev. Giles Pease officiated until 1846. Mr. Pease's adherents withdrew, and March 21, 1847, formed a society un- der the title of " The Puritan Church." The life of this society, being

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thirteen years, was so brief that of its influence and history little can be said. It is known, however, that a meeting house was provided for its use, which soon became a place of useful manufactures, and is now occupied by O. H. Howland as a hardware store.

In the old church-called First parish-Mr. Goodwin officiated un- til his death in February, 1833. His successor. Rev. John M. Merrick, became pastor May 11th of the same year, and continued till his retire- ment in 1839. Rev. Eliphalet P. Crafts was installed September, 1839. He was succeeded by J. G. Forman. in October, 1854; by John Orrell, in 1857; Albert B. Vorse, 1863; Thomas W. Brown, 1864; Samuel B. Flagg, 1869; James Mulligan, 1871; Charles T. Irish, 1876; M. C. Brown, 1877: and C. F. Bradley, in 1886, who officiated two years. The pul- pit was supplied by different ministers until the church in 1889 settled Nathan S. Hill. A new church edifice was erected in 1833 and is now the meeting house of the First parish generally known as the Unita- rian church. Charles E. Pope, the present sexton, has faithfully rung the bell and wound the clock for half a century.

The Calvanistic Congregationalists were not disorganized by the secession of a portion of the society in 1846. Rev. Elias Welles being ordained pastor July 28, 1847, which position he acceptably filled until his death in 1853. Rev. P. C. Headly was settled in April, 1854, for three years, and was succeeded by Rev. William Caruthers, June 16, 1858, who was dismissed December 4, 1860. Rev. Henry Kimball was ordained March 18, 1862, and was dismissed November 27, 1862. Rev. Luther H. Angier supplied the pulpit for one year from January 1, 1863, and Rev. John C. Paine was installed as pastor, June, 8, 1864; Wilbur Johnson, in 1867; Frederick Oxnard, 1871; Bernard Paine, 1880; James B. King. 1884; and William W. Woodwell in 1889. The present church edifice was erected in 1848 upon the site of the former one.

The Episcopal rites were observed here by those of the faith dur- ing the growth of the Freeman Institute, which perhaps was instru- mental in the introduction of this sect. Rev. W. W. Sever officiated a short time in 1854, under the direction of the diocesan board. For a few years past Mr. Bevington has preached to the society, occupying the hall of the old Universalist church on Jarvis street. The society is now supplied from Boston.

The Universalists organized a society in 1845, erecting a church edifice on the corner opposite the residence of Gustavus Howland. The life of the society was brief and no special history of it can be given. After the fire on Jarvis street, its edifice was removed by J. Q. Miller to that portion of the village to do service as a business place, the lower floor as stores and the other as a hall.

As early as 1796 Jesse Lee, a pioneer of the M. E. church, preached

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to the Methodists of Sandwich, it then being in the circuit with other towns. Joshua Hall and Joseph Snelling traveled the circuit in 1797, and Epaphras Kibby and Reuben Jones in 1798; Daniel Fiddley in 1800; Jashua Soule in 1801; the interval to 1805 was filled by Solomon Lang- don, Daniel Bacheler and Moses Currier; Erastus Otis and Nathan Ryder preached in 1806; Mr. Asbury, Nathan W. Stearns and Joseph A. Merrill in 1807-8; B. F. Lumbert, 1809; Stephen Bailey, 1810; Aaron Lummis, 1811-12. The society was incorporated during the circuit preaching of Rev. Mr. Lummis. Stephen Bailey preached in 1813; J. W. Hardy in 1815-16; Richard Emery, Benjamin Hoit and Moses Fifield, 1817; Rev. Mr. Hazelton, 1818-19; E. T. Taylor, F. Upham and Mr. Brown, 1820-22; A. D. Sargent and Jonathan Mayhew, 1823- 24: Erastus Otis, John Hutchinson and J. M. Maffit, 1825; F. Upham, 1826-27; Enoch Bradley and Nathan B. Spaulding, 1828; F. Upham and Lemuel Harlow, 1829; R. D. Esterbrook, 1830; Joel Steele, 1831; C. C. Noble and Joseph Marsh, 1832; J. J. Bliss, 1833; George Stone, 1834: Henry Mayo, 1835-36; Henry H. Smith, 1837; Samuel Phillips, 1838; Warren Emerson, 1839-40; Elisha Bradford, 1841-42, and again in 1852; George F. Pool in 1843; Frank Gavitt, 1844; Thomas Ely, 1845-46; Robert M. Hatfield, 1847-48; James D. Butler, 1849; Micah J. Talbot, 1851; Horatio W. Houghton, 1853-54; Bart. Otheman, 1855-56; C. H. Payne, 1857; N. P. Philbrook, 1858-59; Nathaniel Bemis, 1860- 61: W. V. Morrison, 1862-63; William T. North, 1864; William Star, 1867: Charles Young, 1868: A. J. Kenyon, 1869; A. W. Paige. 1870-71; John Livesey, 1872-74; Charles Nutter, 1875-76; Eben Tirrell, 1877- 78: E. Fletcher, 1879; Silas Sprouls, 1880-S1; J. Q. Adams, 1882-83; S. M. Beale, 1884-86; O. A. Farley, 1SS7-SS; Robert Clark, April 1, 1889.

The first church edifice was erected in 1829, and the present one in 1848.

In the south part of the town there are two places of worship more humble in appearance than those of the thickly settled north part, but supplying the wants of the respective communities. A small, plain church building at Forestdale, claimed to be Methodist, is used for occasional service by different denominations; and a school house has been purchased at South Sandwich for occasional service there.

The history of St. Peter's church extends back to the first quarter of the present century. The erection of the vast works of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company created a demand for workmen skilled in glass making, and from various localities large numbers, of whom many were Catholics, were drawn to Sandwich. That their number and character were of an elevated nature is evinced by the fact that they immediately made every possible effort to secure an opportunity to build a house where the doctrines of their church might be heard. Application was made to the Rt. Rev. B. J. Fenwick, then bishop of

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Boston, who favorably considered their wishes and sent a missionary to investigate their circumstances. At this time the number of the Catholic clergy in New England was extremely limited, and their labors were necessarily scattered over wide tracts of territory between Canada and New York. Such being the case it was impossible to have at that date a resident clergyman as they desired; but they were glad- dened by occasional visits from the missionaries. In 1829 a suitable frame building adapted to their necessities was erected, and on the 19th day of September, 1830, the church was dedicated. The follow- ing account of the service of dedication. taken from a Boston periodi- cal, is interesting at the present time. "On Sunday the 19th of Sep- tember, the imposing ceremony of dedicating a new church to Almighty God took place at Sandwich. An immense concourse of people of all denominations had assembled at 10 A.M. to witness the interesting ceremony. So great was the anxiety that many individu- als of other towns, especially Wareham. and no small number on foot came a distance of eighteen miles. The Rt. Rev. Bishop, with Rev.Virgil H. Barber and a number of the laity of Boston, including a select por- tion of the choir of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, embarked on the Saturday morning previous on the packet Henry Clay, in expectation of reaching Sandwich the same evening; but in consequence of con- trary winds they did not arrive in port until the next morning at 11.30, an hour later than the time announced for the divine service.

"The Rt. Rev. Wm. Tyler, who was afterwards the first Bishop of the Diocese of Providence, had gone by land a few days before in order to make the necessary arrangements and was about to begin the service of the day when the anxiety of all was relieved by the arrival of the Bishop and his party. The clergy and assistants repaired to the house of Mr. John Doyle, and at noon commenced a procession through the main street, followed by a long line of Catholics. The ceremony of dedication was performed in a very impressive manner, the clergy below and the choir above alternating the solemn tones of the Miserere. At 5 P.M. the church was again opened, large numbers being unable to gain admittance. The Bishop and Rev. Mr. Barber delivered discourses. The services continued to a late hour."

Great interest and religious enthusiasm was shown by the mem- bers and a deep religious spirit prevailed among them. Far away from the central points where their brethren dwelt, the difficulty of obtaining a priest-all seemed to increase in them the spirit of faith, and doubtless gave them a thorough appreciation of those blessings which are esteemed more highly only as they are with difficulty ob .. tained.

At stated intervals the church was visited by clergymen from Bos- ton, all of whom at the present day have rested from their labors after

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many trials and hardships, such we may say as were of old encoun- tered by the Apostle St. Paul. Among the old records may be found the names of Revs. P. Byrne, George Goodwin of Charlestown, Mass., John O. Beirne, J. J. Aylward, R. A. Wilson and John T. Roddan. A few of the earlier members are now left who recall the labors and self-sacrifices of these noble missionaries who gave their lives for the salvation of the scattered faithful of those days, and these names will ever be held by them in grateful memory and benediction.

In September, 1850, the first resident pastor, Rev. William Moran, was appointed to the charge of the church. At that time the mission embraced all of Barnstable county, with Plymouth, Wareham, and all the country between Middleboro and Provincetown. Rev. Mr. Moran remained in charge of this extensive district about fourteen years, when he removed to Ware, Mass., where he now resides at an advanced age. He was succeeded by Rev. Peter Bertoldi, a native of Italy, who labored with zeal and energy until the separation of southwestern Massachusetts from the Boston jurisdiction and its attachment to the diocese of Providence, which occurred in 1872, when he retired from the pastorate and returned to his native country.

His successor for a short period was Rev. H. F. Kinnerny. He was succeeded by the Rev. M. McCabe of Fall River, Mass., who remained about two years, when Rev. Andrew J. Brady assumed charge and labored earnestly for seven years, after which he withdrew from the parish and removed to Fall River, Mass., where he has since died.

The present pastor, Rev. T. F. Clinton, entered upon the pastorate in November, 1880. He is a native of Providence, R. I., and was edu- cated in the College of the Holy Cross at Worcester, Mass., from which he was graduated in 1870. He then entered the New York Provincial Theological Seminary at Troy, N. Y., and there completed the usual theological course of studies. His first appointment was to St. Mary's church, Newport, R. I., where he remained for a period of eight years until his appointment to the present position. In Sandwich, Rev. Father Clinton has made many important improvements in the church property-the church being almost rebuilt and the interior beautifully decorated. A new sanctuary was made, which is elegantly furnished, and the many needed improvements accomplished, place the edifice among the best churches in New England.

SCHOOLS .- These important assistants in the proper development of the body politic may have been supported by private means prior to 1680, or the action of the town relative to schools may yet be hid- den in the imperfections of the early records; for in the year men- tioned we find by the first entry that "at a town-meeting for the choice of military officers, it was agreed to allow £12 in pay as it ordinarily passes, to Mr. James Chadwick upon consideration that he keep a

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school in Sandwich one year." The school was continued from this date, and the schoolmaster's wages were gradually increased with his duties. The teacher of those days was assured of the gratification of at least one desire of his nature, for contracts were made "with diet." The term " boarding 'round" if used in a contract for teaching was only an earnest of a variety of toothsome corn cakes and bacon. The advance must have been rapid, for in 1699 the teacher, Mr. Battersby, was called "grammar-schoolmaster" with a salary of £10, "he to teach reading, writing and arithmetic." A still greater advance is noted in the records of 1707, in which year Sandwich voted "that Thomas Prince be hired to instruct the children in reading, writing, arithmetic and latin, and those who send shall pay £10 more."

This was addditional to the £10 and board, voted by the town; and whether it was rated among the Latin scholars only, or among the whole number does not appear. Samuel Jennings assumed the mastership of the school in 1710, and was succeeded in 1711 by Mr. James Dorr, who was allowed "£20 and diet." In 1713 Mr. Samuel Osborn was hired for £60 per year, and was to teach Latin and Greek with the English branches. Tuition was charged for pupils according to the studies pursued, and this important school was to be open to the young of the neighboring towns. A school house was built this year " on the common near the middle of the town."

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History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 33

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: New York : Blake Number of Pages: 1292

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York : Blake
Number of Pages: 1292