History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 44

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

USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890 > Part 44

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The Third Baptist church, Barnstable, is so called because its organization dated October 27, 1842, is subsequent in date to that of the Hyannis and Osterville societies. Its primitive members were: Dea. Samuel Childs, Mrs. Relief Chipman, Ann Allen, Lucy Childs, Lydia Jenkins and Misses Anna D. Allen and Mary A. Smith of the Hyannis church; Misses Jane and Abby Munroe and Mrs. Louisa Brown, of the New Bedford church; Mr. William Hinckley and Mrs. Rebecca Hinckley, of the Osterville church; also Mrs. Caroline J. Crocker, Rebecca Scudder and Mr. W. H. Brown.

The old court house was remodeled into a pleasant place of wor- ship, which is still occupied. The pastors and time of commence- ment have been: Richard M. Ely, in September, 1843; William H. Dalrymple, April, 1849; S. G. Sargent, November, 1850; William Reed, October, 1852; W. W. Ashley, January, 1858; T. C. Russell, July, 1858; A. F. Mason, January, 1860; A. L. Farr, November, 1861; J. H. Seaver, November, 1863; J. Bronson, December, 1866; Nathan Chapman, November, 1868; J. H. Tilton, and Miles N. Reed, De-

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cember, 1877; William S. Walker, June, 187S: Mr. Scott, July. 1884; Mr. Hurst for a short time: G. W. Burnham, October, 1887; and L. F. Shepardson for 1889. Dea. Samuel Chipman was deacon from its organization until his death in 1876. Daniel Davis is now the acting deacon, and Miss A. N. Hinckley is clerk.

The Methodists of Hyannis, prior to 1850, raised a fund to build a church for their worship, but were so divided in belief that the proj- ect was abandoned, and the two factions each erected one. The Prot- estant Methodists soon ceased public service, and the edifice became a hall -- now the dwelling of Nathaniel Sears, the conductor. The Episcopal Methodists also soon discontinued their society, and the church building was sold to the Congregational society, September 16, 1854. This society was organized January 3, 1854, comprising many former Methodists. After the purchase, the edifice was repaired and enlarged for this new society, which is prosperous. In 1865 a front was added, containing a steeple, in which was placed a bell, and in 1878 the chapel by the side of the church building was erected. The pastors have been: J. U. Parsons, the first, three years, succeeded by Charles Morgridge, in 1858; H. A. Lounsbury, in 1865; J. W. Strong, 1870; J. W. Turner, 1873; V. J Hartshorne, 1875; Stephen Smith, 1879; Rev. Mr. Angier, 1881; Charles E. Harwood, to December, 1882; R. J. Mooney, to 1884; J. K. Aldrich, January 1, 1885; Mr. Kavanaugh, 1887; and George W. Osgood, November 6, 1887.

The Catholic society of Hyannis was organized in 1850, and the most active in its organization and support was William Ormsby. In 1874 a church edifice was erected. Rev. Father William Moran, of Sandwich, was the first pastor, who was succeeded by other pastors from that church-Reverends Bertoldi, Kinnerny, McCabe, Brady and Clinton-once in each month. Father O'Connor, from Harwich, officiated in 1869, and Rev. C. McSweeney, of Woods Holl, is the present pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal society, Barnstable village, had a church edifice early in this century, which was moved to its present site less than sixty years ago. This building occupied a site to the west and south, and was repaired when removed. Its ministers have been: Ben- jamin Hazleton, in 1818; Isaac Jennison, in 1820; E. Taylor and Thomas Smith, in 1821; Lewis Bates, 1823; Bates and J. N. Maffett, 1824; Heze- kiah Thacher, 1825; Thacher and C. G. Chase, 1826; Enoch Bradley, 1827; Warren Wilbur, 1828; H. Bronson and S. Heath, 1829; Bronson and C. Noble, 1830; F. Upham and J. B. Brown, 1831; A. Holway, 1833; W. Ramsdell and B. M. Walker, 1834; J. Steel and L. R. Bannister, 1835; Steel and H. H. Smith, 1836; E. Otis, 1837; Josiah Litch, 1838; Henry H. Smith, 1839; E. Jackson, 1840; G. W. Stearns, 1842; Stearns and G. W. Winchester, 1843; D. Stebbins, 1844; Edward A. Lyons.

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

1845; William Richards, 1846; Henry Mayo, 1847; James M. Worcester, 1848; G. W. Stearns, 1849: Edward B. Hinckley, 1851; James B. Weeks, 1853; Joseph Marsh, 1855: Daniel Webb, 1856; Seth B. Chase, 1862; Caleb S. Sanford, 1867; S. Y. Wallace, 1868; S. W. Coggeshall and N. B. Fisk, 1869; V. W. Mattoon, 1871; Silas Sprowls, 1873; supplies, 1875 to 1879; Y. B. Gurney: 1879; C. F. Sharp, 1SS1; Philo Hawks, still a resident of the place, 1883; H. N. Donnell, 1886; supplies in 1887; E. F. Newell, 1888; and George Bernreuter, 1889.

Rev. William Black, the honored founder of Methodism in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland, preached the first Meth- odist sermon ever preached upon Cape Cod. He embarked for Boston from New York in a schooner, which put in at Hyannis, January 20, 1784, and being detained there, Mr. Black preached six sermons at Barnstable, where a deep religious interest was produced.

The services of the Protestant Episcopal church were held during the summer of 1889 in the village of Barnstable at stated periods. The society is largely composed of the visitors for the season. Rev. N. H. Chamberlain, of Bourne, officiated the past season.

The Catholic society held monthly services in Barnstable village during the summer of 1889, the few members being under the care of the Woods Holl priest.

The Methodist Episcopal Society, Osterville, dates its organization November 30,1847. For some time previous there had been meetings of the people as Methodists, at the hall, and soon after the organiza- tion of the society a church edifice was built. It was erected in 1848 and remodeled in 1861. The old members interested at the first were: Oliver Hinckley and wife, Mrs. John Cammett, Benjamin F. Crocker, John F. Blossom, Lot Phinney, Joshua Lumbert, Bartlett Holmes, Daniel Lovell and wife, Mrs. Timothy Parker, Josiah Scudder, Jacob Lovell and J. Lovell. The ministers were: A. M. Osgood and L. W. Barber in 1847; J. B. Hunt, 1848; Mr. Tainter, 1849; John Tasker, 1850; J. B. Washburn, 1851; B. K. Bosworth, 1852: J. C. Allen, 1853; J. Bur- leigh Hunt, 1854; J. N. Collier, 1856: J. W. Willett, 1857: E. K. Colby, 1859; H. D. Robinson, 1861; Edward Edson, 1863; E. B. Hinckley, 1865; Edward Anthony, 1866: C. N. Hinckley, 1867; Solomon P. Snow, 1870; Charles H. Ewer, 1872; Mr. Cottle, 1874; J. W. Fitch, 1875; George H. Butler, 1877: E. S. Fletcher, 1878; S. H. Day, 1879; George A. Grant, 1881; W. W. Hall, 1884; Lewis B. Codding, 1885; Mr. Dal- rymple came in 1887 and Mr. Newell finished the year; and next Rev. Edward Gurney came.

The Methodist Episcopal Society, Marston's Mills, was formed quite early and was supplied as one of a circuit. Its church building was first erected at Yarmouth Port early in the present century, and about 1830 was purchased and removed to Marston's Mills. It was repaired

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TOWN OF BARNSTABLE.

and remodeled in 1862. Several of the pioneer Methodist ministers preached here, but of them no definite data could be found prior to the coming of Rev. Joseph A. Hunt in 1854. In 1860 Benjamin Haines came; and in 1862 Thomas Pratt. Those who succeeded, and the year of their coming, are: John S. Fish, 1864; Charles O. Carter, 1866; Charles E. Walker, 1869; Rev. Mr. Daw, 1872; Mr. Townsend, 1873; Moses Dwight, 1875; John S. Fish a second time in 1877; Philo Hawks, 1880; James R. Cushing, 1882; Rev. A. H. Somes, 1884; and Rev. Ed- ward Gurney, April 1, 1888.

The Methodist Episcopal Society, Centreville, dates from 1877, its members previously uniting with that at Osterville. It is now a pros- perous young society, having had a chapel built for worship by Lucian K. Paine. This and the Barnstable Methodist Episcopal church were one charge in 1889. The ministers have been: George H. Butler, in 1877; Ephraim S. Fletcher, 1878; S. Hamilton Day, 1879; George A. Grant, 1881; W. W. Hall, 1884; Lewis B. Codding, 1885; C. H. Dal- rymple, 1887; Elmer F. Newell, 1SSS; and George Bernreuter, April, 1889.

Prior to 1846 the inhabitants of Cotuit and Cotnit Port agreed to erect a church in which both communities could assemble; but disa- greements arose and the agreement was dissolved. The Cotuit people at once moved in the matter to erect one for themselves, circulating a subscription early in 1846, by which twenty-two shares were disposed of, and upon which as a basis a church was erected. The shares taken did not cover the cost of the building, but the balance was solicited in various ways and places by Rev. Phineas Fish, who was the first pas- tor, preaching alternately here and at Herring Pond. He began preaching here in 1840. Rev. Mr. Cobb succeeded him, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Bacon, but no settled minister was em- ployed until 1883. The ground for the church was given for church purposes by Alvin Crocker, to whom it would revert if not used as such, and, in order to make the church free and continue its useful- ness, the building was sold upon the former stock February 10, 1882, and bid in by Charles L. Baxter for a large list of subscribers, embo- dying almost the entire community. At a meeting held March 11, · 1SS2, five trustees-John H. Reed, Thomas C. Harlow, Charles L. Bax- ter, Roland T. Harlow and Nathaniel Hinckley- were chosen to con- trol it. By-laws were adopted April 6, 1882, and it was called the First Church of Cotuit. The church is now free, is public property, and every one who pays one dollar has a vote in its management. There is no religious organization here, but preaching is supported by sub- scription. Since 1883 Charles E. Helliwell and A. H. Somes have occupied the desk a portion of the time till 1SSS, when the committee let the Methodist Episcopal Society of Cotuit Port use the church. In

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

April, 1889, Rev. Mr. Patterson was assigned to this church and at Cotuit Port, preaching here in the afternoon. In 1885 Mrs. Mary A. Gifford organized a Sabbath school here, which has been liberally supported in every way by the people of Cotuit and vicinity, retain- ing her as superintendent.

In 1846, after the northern section of Cotuit had concluded to erect a church edifice independent of the " Port," as they styled the village, the people of the lower village, which bears the name of Cotuit Port, erected the present substantial edifice, and dedicated it as the Union church. The professed Christians were Baptists, Methodists and Congregationalists, and no one of these societies then felt strong enough to build exclusive of the others. The building was to be oc- cupied by the three societies as equally as possible. The members of these three societies mnet January 22, 1872, and formed the Cotnit Port Union Religious Society, enlarging and repairing the church building. For a few years supplies filled the pulpit until Mr. Ray, a Congrega- tionalist, came, who pleased all, and was retained twelve years-to 1889. This society, for 1889, elected, as its managing committee, John C. Fish, Irving B. Phinney and Alonzo Phinney; as assessors, Hiram Crocker, Irving B. Phinney and B. W. Dottridge; and as clerk, John R. Sturges.

In 1879 many of the Union Society, considering it expedient to dissolve the old and organize a new religious society of broader views, adopted, September 26, 1879, the faith and rules of the Inde- pendent Christian Church. The annual meetings are held the second Wednesday in January each year, at which a clerk, treasurer and four pastor's associates-two males and two females-are elected. This is now the active Christian society of the community, but is not to affect the original Union Church organization, which is continued, and of which this is composed. The pastor's associates of the Inde- pendent Christian Church, elected January 9, 1889, are: John R. Sturges, Braddock Coleman, Mary Phinney and Edith R. Fisher. The late John M. Handy filled the office of clerk and treasurer from the first.

The Universalist Society of Hyannis was organized in 1828, by the concentrated means and energy of Samuel Pitcher, Zacheus Hamlin, Freeman Bearse, David Hinckley, William Phinney, of Centreville, and Alexander Baxter. A small church edifice was then erected, and years after a still better one, which was struck by lightning and con- sumed in 1872. In 1873 the society commenced the present fine edi- fice upon the same site, dedicating it June 30, 1874. The records of the society were lost in the fire, and prior to 1873 the exactness in names and dates of pastoral service must depend upon tradition. The first pastor was John M. Spear, who officiated for several years, and

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TOWN OF BARNSTABLE.

was succeeded by Mr. Bugbee, John Noyes and Rufus S. Pope, the latter officiating over thirty years in the old church and the new. The society was reorganized in 1875, and Moses H. Houghton became its pastor; he was succeeded in 1882 by O. L. Ashenfelter for three years, and the pulpit was supplied by various persons until October 1, 1888, when Frederick Hinckley was settled as pastor, and remained one year.

BURIAL PLACES .- In a town so old many cemeteries would be ex- pected. The first regular burying place mentioned in the records is that near the Methodist Episcopal church, which, with that at West Barnstable, is the oldest. In 1674 it was ordered "that Thos. Huck- ins lay down three acres of land at the meeting house for the town's use as a burying ground." This is also evidence that the first meet- ing house was near there. The old grounds of the town are consid- erably used at the present time, but the newer places of burial are preferred, especially by those who have no relatives in the old. The later ones are more particularly described in the villages where they have been instituted. The whole number of burial places are: Two at the Unitarian church, Barnstable village, and one at the Methodist Episcopal church; one at East Barnstable and one at West Barnstable; one at Marston's Mills; two at Cotuit; two at Osterville; three at Cen- treville; and four at Hyannis. There are two organized cemetery associations in the town, located in the villages of Centreville and Hyannis.

VIVE MEMOR LOETII

HERE

LYET

IERE LYETH BURIED Ý BODY OF DOROTHY

INERED & POD FOR MRS HOPE CHIFMAN Ý WIFE OF ELDER

DAUGHTERTO WILLIAM

JOHN CHIFMAN

& ANN RAWSON

AGED 54 YEARS

AGED 2 YEARS & + MONTIS DEC" DECEMBER

WHO CHANGED HIS LIFE FOR A BEER

1 683.

₹ 8 OF JANUARY

1683

The oldest inscriptions in the town are in the so-called Methodist cemetery at Barnstable. Seven of these antedate 1700. Here are the inscriptions on two of the older ones. The cuts are by Gustavus A. Hinckley, whose work as a literary man and antiquarian is noticed by Mr. Swift in chapter XIII.

This Mrs. Chipman was the daughter of John Howland, the last of the Mayflower Pilgrims.

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE .- Like some other villages of the county, the settlement of thisis contemporaneous with that of the town, the first settlement of the plantation being the nucleus of the present village. The names of the first pioneers have been given for the town, and we will now endeavor to place them in their first residences in the village. In 1640, when their first primitive dwellings had been erected. Rev. John Lothrop's was where the present hotel of Mr. Eldridge stands, nearly opposite the court house: Henry Rowley near Mr. Lothrop's; Isaac Wells near where the court house stands; George Lewis, sr., near the site of the Ainsworth house; Edward Fitzrandal on the corner by the Hyannis road; Henry Cobb near the present Unitarian church, and the hill was named Cobb's hill from this fact; Richard Foxwell near the present Agricultural Hall; Bernard Lumbert, further east, near the old mill; and Nathaniel Bacon, John Smith, Roger Goodspeed, Thomas Huckins, John Scudder, Samuel Mayo and Thomas Dimock were also in the eastern part of the present village, east of John Lo- throp's. Around Coggin's pond were settled Henry Bourne, Thomas · Hinckley, Henry Coggin, Laurence Litchfield, James Hamblin and William Tilley. Between Coggin's pond and the present court house were Isaac Robinson, James Cudworth, Samuel Jackson, Thomas Al- lyn, John Mayo, John Caseley, Robert Linnell, William Caseley, Thomas Lothrop and Thomas Lumbert. Several, including John Bursley, settled west of Coggin's pond, the settlement, like the present village, being scattered along for a space of three miles. The center of the village then was a little east of Coggin's pond.

Many of these first houses were made of timber and lumber brought from the saw mill at Scituate, the distance by water being short and transportation by boats easy. The house in which Governor Hinckley lived and died was just east of Marcus M. Nye's store, on .the north side of the county road, near the head of " Calf Pasture lane." The governor's former house was on the opposite side of the county road, and here, under a stone wall, is the well which he used. His dust rests under a suitable slab, inscribed with record of his vir- tues, in the Methodist burying ground east of where he lived. Stone houses were early built in the western part of the then village or com- munity, and houses with the first story of stone were very common.

The so-called Scudder lane of later years was "Calf Pasture lane " in the early days of the village, and led to common lands held at that time by the proprietors, and which are known to this day as the calf pasture lands. It is in tradition that the first comers to this town and village first settled at this pasture land, and the next year moved back from the water. The lane was opened prior to the laying out of the county road in 1686. Later it was the outlet to the harbor for fishing, and early in the present century Nelson and Daniel

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TOWN OF BARNSTABLE. 395

Scudder built a wharf on the harbor communicating with the lane. and from it several fishing vessels were sent out in connection with others of a fleet of forty that were made up from the rendezvous wharf and Cobb & Smith's wharf. For several years this fleet went and came regularly, and a lucrative business in mackerel fishing was car- ried on. Rendezvous lane is the street that runs northerly from the present Baptist church. The other wharves were located on the pres- ent " Poverty lane " that runs to the harbor from near Masonic Hall.

Among the early industries here was that of salt making. Nathan- iel Gorham boiled sea water and made salt, on Sandy neck, during the revolutionary war. Many of the present residents of Barnstable vil- lage remember when the "Common field " -- the marsh in the rear of the Unitarian church-was a field of salt works. Loring Crocker, grandfather of Alfred Crocker. was the pioneer in this industry on the common field. In 1804 he bought of Isaac Bacon several acres of land with the right to the salt water and the privilege of placing pumps. He afterward, in 1832, bonght sixteen hundred running feet of Sam- uel Whitman, who had succeeded Lothrop Tucker; then east of this he purchased in 1836, works of Mrs. Sturgis; and he bought Asa Young's works, so that when Loring Crocker died, in the fall of 1843, he was the owner of seventeen thousand running feet of vats, most of which were on the Common field. These vats were estimated to cost one dollar per running foot. Mr. Crocker obtained his lumber from Maine, and vats could be built cheaper then than now. It is said that six thousand bushels in a year was a good yield to Mr. Crocker. After his death his sons Nathan and Loring conducted the works up to 1856, when Loring, father of Alfred Crocker, purchased them and made the last salt in 1872. The old wind mill for salt grinding, now to be seen across the bridge, was erected by the Crockers. Glauber salts was one of the products until it became too cheap to be remunerative. This business, with that of Cobb & Smith at the wharf. made that part of the village at that time an important business center.

Leonard Hopkins in 1832 bonght some salt works here and in 1851 sold them to Alvan Howes, who was a successful manufacturer; in 1867 Truman D. Eldredge became the owner, discontinuing the works about 1870. Nathaniel Gorham, 2d, began salt making about 1812 by the old mill on the creek; later he removed the works to the shore north of the house in which his daughter, Mrs. Ann Fish, lives. Amos Otis was making salt in 1812 in the works north of William Dixon's, and in nearly every available spot around the harbor north of the vil- lage, salt works were erected, but were generally discontinued about the middle of the century.

Other industries commenced here early. As soon as the town was incorporated in 1639, the proprietors gave Thomas Lumbert permis-

--.

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

sion "to keep victualling, or an Ordinary for the entertainment of strangers." Of course "to draw wines" was the main business of the tavern in those days. He was located somewhere near the old bury- ing place; and Barnabas Lothrop had a similar permission for an ordinary in 1677, in the eastern part of the village. West of Coggin's pond John Crocker had a tavern prior to 1669. The old court house, standing where the Baptist church is, gave occasion for the erection of taverns near it. Prior to 1776 Cornelius Crocker, jr .. opened a tavern near that court house, and which his widow continued inany years. The ancient tavern building stood on the spot now owned by Admiral Radford. Opposite the same old court house, on the south side of Main street, in 1776. stood the tavern of Otis Loring. This was continued by Walter Chipman down to the recollection of the oldest living inhabitants, and has since been taken down. Just east of Loring's tavern, with a blacksmith's shop between, was also, in 1776, the "Aunt Lydia's tavern." Lydia, daughter of Cornelius Crocker, sr., married Captain Sturgis, whom she survived more than sixty-two years, continuing the tavern many years under that title. Her daugh- ter, Sally, married Daniel Crocker, who ran the tavern until his death in 1811, and it was continued by his widow as the "Sally Crocker tav- ern" until 1837. This building, opposite the Sturgis Library, is now the residence of Mrs. Lydia Scudder.

In 1794 Ezekiel Crocker married Temperance Phinney, and opened a tavern in the house where now stands the residence of Joseph M. Day. A tavern was also kept before those last mentioned, on the Bacon lot, between the Unitarian church and Agricultural Hall; it was kept by Nathaniel Bacon, 3d, prior to his death in 1738. Dea. Samuel Chipman, who lived on the corner of Main street and the Hy- annis road, kept a tavern prior to 1700. He was a deacon of the church and retailed spirituous liquors-a combination that seemed consistent in those days. His son Samuel, also a deacon, continued the famous "Chipman tavern " until about the middle of last century. While the present court house was being erected in 1827, Eben and Watterman Eldridge modeled their homestead into the Globe Hotel, and since then it has been kept as a public house.

As early as taverns and places "to draw wines" existed in this village, the primitive store, with its rum, molasses and other staples, was also a contingent necessity. The variety of goods increased with the desires and growth of the village and surrounding town. Sturgis Gorham, Esq., flourished as the merchant prince of the Cape between 1760 and 1790. He carried on an extensive coasting and West India trade. Peter Cotelle started a regular grocery store about 1700, just east of Coggin's pond. The residents, whose wants were few, manu- factured their own material for clothing in those days. Soon after

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TOWN OF BARNSTABLE.

1758 Mrs. Abigail Freeman, daughter of Thomas Davis, opened a gro- cery store in the house where stands the present residence of Joseph M. Day. In revolutionary days she had trouble, because she would not deliver up her stock of tea to the vigilance committee. A later store was kept on the corner of "Calf Pasture lane." Daniel Scud- der then lived there, and prior to the civil war the business was car- ried on by Nelson and Daniel, in connection with their fishery.

Another old business place is the Bacon corner. It was early oc- cupied by Eben Bacon, merchant, succeeded by a Mr. Davis, from Falmouth, Nye & Scudder, Samuel Nye, Hallet & Bursley, and Hal- let & Whelden, they being succeeded in 1873 by James Knowles & Co. In 1878, after the death of Mr. Knowles, the junior partner, E. S. Phinney, and A. F. Edson, as Phinney & Edson, took the business, carrying it on successfully for five years, when, February 1, 1883, David Davis and F. B. Easterbrook began as Davis & Easterbrook, and continued until 1889, when David Davis succeeded to the busi- ness. Phinney & Edson, in the winter of 1882-3, removed their gen- eral store to that formerly occupied by Conant & Edson, who had been in business for a few years; that firm had been succeeded by Mr. Conant, from whom the property went into the hands of the Barn- stable Savings Bank. In September, 1880, E. S. Phinney and Albert F. Edson purchased the property, which they now occupy in their gen- eral business.

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History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 44

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