USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 2 > Part 5
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"The committee appointed on Mr. Rathbun's motion, respecting those people in town called and known by the name of Shakers, beg leave to report,-
" That they have attended to the object of their commission, so far as they imagined in duty and prudence they ought, and that they have reason to apprehend that those people called Shakers are, in many instances, irregular and disorderly in their conduct and conversation, if not guilty of some high crimes and misdemeanors. The committee therefore recommend it to the town to direct their selectmen to take such cognizance of all disorderly and idle persons in the town, and of their families, as in prudence and by law they may and ought; and, further, that the town give particular instructions to their respective grand jurors to be chosen for the next courts to inquire into all the conduct and practices of said people which are contrary to law, and make due presentment thereof, particularly all blasphemies, adulteries, fornications, breaches of sabbath, and all other breaches of law, which they may have been guilty of; and that all tithing-men and other persons use their best endeavors, according to law, to suppress all disorders and breaches of the price of every kind; and also that the town direct their town clerk to inform the commissioners, or other
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
proper authority in the county of Albany, that great and manifest inconveniences and dangers arise from the correspondence and intercourse subsisting between the people of Niskeuna (Watervliet) called Shakers, and some people of this town and county disposed to embrace their erroneous opinions, and that they be requested to cooper- ate with us in endeavoring to prevent such intercourse and correspondence by all possible ways and means.
" THOMAS ALLEN, "Per order of the Committee. " Pittsfield, April 2d, 1781.".
The Pittsfield Shakers formed the nucleus of a family which estab- lished itself near Mr. Rathbun's clothing works.
Methodism was introduced about 1788, by the preaching of two itin- erants, Revs. Lemuel Smith and Thomas Everett. The eccentric and elo- quent Lorenzo Dow was an early local preacher here.
Of the Episcopalians there were then six tax payers, of whom Henry Van Schaack became the leader of the dissenters in Pittsfield. These dissenters, when the first assessment for building a church was voted, in March, 1790, recorded the following protest :
" We, the underwritten persons, beg leave to state to the town that the Presbyter- ians, being the most numerous sect of Christians in the town of Pittsfield, have of late obtained several votes in town meetings for building a place of religious worship, and have, in some of those meetings, made various appropriations of town property for erecting the same. And as the subscribers to this paper are freeholders and in- habitants of the town aforesaid, differing in religious sentiments with those for whose use the said place of worship is building, they do in this public manner disclaim any right or pretension to the same, under the idea that it cannot, in any construction. be considered as a town building, but merely for accommodating a particular denomina- tion of Christians; and that as we, in our several stations, contribute a share of our property voluntarily to the support of the gospel, according to our religious profes- sions, we do claim it as our right to be exempted from any assessments, or other burthens, that have been or which may be, imposed by any town vote, or otherwise, for building the place of worship aforesaid, or any other in the same predicament.
"Furthermore we do, in justice to ourselves and the Christian denominations we belong to, protest against any town vote that now does, or which hereafter may. operate so as to assess or burthen one religious sect of Christians for building places of religious worship for another, or that any part of the town property shall be ap- plied for purposes but what are actually for town uses. Contrary doctrines, it is con- ceived by the undersigned, tend to subordinate one sect or denomination of Chris- tians to another, in direct violation of the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and contrary to the practice of Christians in general, in the United States of America.
" Dated and signed in Pittsfield, at a town meeting held the - of August, 1790.
" JOHN BRANCH, ANDREW LANGWORTHY, JOHN JEFFERDS, DYER FITCH. H. VAN SCHAACK,
VALENTINE RATHBUN, JOHN BAKER, ASA BRANCH, SAXION RATHBUN, STEPHEN JEWETT."
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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.
At first little notice was taken of this protest, and Mr. Van Schaack commenced legal proceedings against the assessors. At a town meeting in March, 1792, a committee, consisting of John C. Williams, Wood- bridge Little, Daniel Hubbard, Timothy Childs, Thomas Gold, and John Baker, was appointed to ascertain who had been dissenters on the 1st of November. 1789. They reported the following tax payers :
Episcopalians. Jonathan Hubby. James Heard, Henry Van Schanek. Esq .. Eleazer Russell. Titus Grant, Steven Jewett.
Shakers. John Deming, Ephraim Welch, Josiah Talcott, Rufus Coggswell, Dr. Shadrach Hulbert, Joshua Birch, Daniel Goodrich, Heze- kiah Osborn, Samuel Phelps.
Baptists. John Baker. Solomon Deming, Saxton Rathbun, Benja- min Rathbun, Noadiah Deming. Ezekiel Crandall, John Francis. Josiah Francis, James Rathbun, Charles Lamb, John Branch, Asa Branch, David Ashley, John Jefferds, Andrew Langworthy. Williard Langworthy, Moses Merwin, Hubbard Goodrich, Jonathan Chadfield, John Remington, John Bryant.
Others claimed that their dissent from Congregationalism had been unjustly disallowed, and the list was reopened at a subsequent meeting. The following is found among the town archives :
"Names of Persons who wish to be exempted from paying a Minister's Tax.
" Robert Francis,-pleads conveniency.
"John Francis, --
" Charles Lamb,-a Churchman.
"Dyer Fitch,-rather a Baptist in sentiment.
" Uriah Betts,-a Baptist in sentiment, but cin attend other meetings without injuring his conscience.
" Walter Welch, -a Baptist by education, &c.
"Augustus Crandall,-a Seventh-day Baptist, but now attends Mr. Rathbun's; never attended any other meeting.
" Moses Wood,- a Baptist by profession.
"Seth Janes,-a Baptist, as much as any thing, and now supports Mr. Rathbun on Sundays.
" John Weed,-a Baptist in sentiment; ditto.
" Daniel Rust,-profits most by hearing Mr. Rathbun; chooses to attend there from principle.
" Abijah Wright,-a constant attendant on Mr. Rathbun.
" Timothy Hutlbert,-an attendant on Mr. Rathbun.
" David Ashley,-thinks it not right to support Mr. Allen by tax.
"David Ashley, jun.,-an attendant on Mr. Rathbun's meeting from a child, and chooses to attend there still.
"John Phelps .- thinks the Baptist to be mos right.
"Abiather Millard,-brought ap a Baptist, and thinks it not right to support a minister by tax.
"Caleb Wadhams-cannot attend on Mr. Allen because he thinks it not right to support a minister by tax.
"Seth Dickinson,-can't pay his debts.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
" I do truly and absolutely believe in the Baptist persuasion. May this be re- corded .- Seth Janes.
" Nathan Davis,-a Baptist in principle.
" Israel Miner, -- never heard Mr. Allen, and can teach Mr. Allen, and thinks he ought not to pay his rates to him, and is a Shaker as much as anything."
Daniel Hubbard, Woodbridge Little. David Bush, and Timothy Childs had been appointed a committee to consider whether or not the taxes of dissenters should be abated. The result was the adoption of the plan of accepting from dissenters the certificates of their teachers, or pastors, that the amounts of their taxes for support of the church had been paid to them, in discharge of their taxes for religious purposes. This system continned till the enactment of the laws of 1799, which adopted, in effect, the same plan.
The action of Mr. Van Schaack was " laughed ont of court" in the Common Pleas, but he appealed the case to the Supreme Bench, and it was decided in his favor.
While the Congregational church and parish in Pittsfield were rent by political discussions, the Baptist and Methodist churches, com- posed mostly of well-to do farmers, but comparatively few in numbers and inferior in wealth, grew and flourished, obtaining a foothold in the town which they have never lost. Both were deeply inspired with the zeal peculiar to early religions reformers, each believing that its tenets were essential to the full faith of the gospel which had been lost sight of by the rest of the Christian world.
The First Baptist Church organized in Pittsfield, after an existence of twenty-six years, was by request of its pastor, Elder Valentine Rath- bun, and his sole remaining deacon, dropped from the roll of the Shafts- bury Association. and probably entirely dissolved in 1798.
On the 27th of October. 1800, fifteen persons entered into a covenant to form and maintain a Baptist church. Their names were : Josiah Fran- cis, John Francis, Josiah Francis, jr., Oliver Robbins, James Hammond, Daniel H. Francis, Mr. Beckwith, Backus Boardman (colored), Anna Francis (wife of John), Abigail Powers, Anna Chapman, Mahala Chap- man, Mrs. Beckwith, Ruth Marvin, and Polly Francis.
The meeting for organization was held in the house of John Francis, and on the 22d of March, 1801, an ecclesiastical council convened at the same place. and recognized the church.
During the first five years and four months of its existence the church met regularly for worship at the honses of its members, but it had no settled pastor. Worship was conducted by lay members, and by occa- sional visiting clergymen, among whom was Elder John Leland. In that time twenty-six were admitted by baptism, and three by letter, one was dismissed, and two died, leaving a membership of forty-two.
On the 26th of Inne, 1806. John Francis was ordained and became pastor of the church. He and his father were the only ones who had been members of the old church. He was born in Wethersfield, in 1759.
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and came to Pittsfield, probably in 1780. He remained pastor of the church till his death. September 28th, 1813. During his ministry twenty- , one members were added by baptism, and one by letter, three were ex- cluded, and one died, leaving a membership of sixty-nine. The old North Woods school house had, during this time, been the place of worship. but services were transferred to the school house on West street, beyond Lake Onota. During nine years after the death of Elder Francis the church was without a pastor. In this time, notwithstanding the back- sliding of some of its members, there was a steady growth. Services were generally conducted by the officers of the church, though at times Elder Leland and other neighboring clergymen officiated. The society was poor. Only nine members held real estate, the aggregate value of which was 822,100. In 1819 an effort was made to procure the services of Elder Otis once a month, but only a dollar a day was offered as compen- sation.
In March, 1822, Elder Augustus Beach was engaged to preach on alternate Sundays in Pittsfield and Lanesboro, the annual salary from the Pittsfield church being $100 and house rent. This salary was raised partly by assessment and partly by subscription.
Mr. Beach was educated at Williams College. He was a man of well marked individuality, well qualified for a leader in the church militant. He was strongly aggressive and his warfare against evil was unrelenting. He was an active advocate of temperance and a zealous opponent of slavery. He was an energetic revivalist and in many respects his charac- ter resembled that of Elder Rathbun. During the twelve years and four months of his ministry the church received 180 members by baptism. and forty-two by letter. Thirteen died, thirty-seven were dismissed, and thirteen excluded, leaving a net gain of 159. When he resigned its charge it numbered 240 members.
During his pastorate the first meeting house of the church was erected. In the spring of 1725 the town voted to grant a lot in the old burial ground for a site, and appointed as a committee to select the loca- tion John Churchill, Josiah Francis, jr, Joseph Merrick, Henry Hubbard, Oren Goodrich, Daniel HI. Francis, and Oliver P. Dickinson.
This committee selected a lot in the northwest corner of the burial ground, having a frontage on North street of forty-eight feet and a depth of fifty-six feet.
During the summer of 1825 subscriptions were solicited, and at a meeting in October Eldad Francis, Enther Washburn, Benjamin F. Hayes. Charles B. Francis, and Josiah Francis were appointed a building committee. Two of this committee, Benjamin F. Hayes and Charles B. Francis, were experienced builders, and under their superintendence a church edifice was erected. It was of brick, sixty feet in length by forty- five in width, with a well-proportioned tower and spire. It had 450 sit- tings. It was commenced in the spring of 1825 and was dedicated June 13th, 1827.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
After the resignation of Mr. Beach the pulpit was supplied during several years by different ministers, among whom were Elders John Le- land, S. Remington, and Orson Spencer. During this period the church was greatly depressed. Business was prostrate, and a tide of emigration to the west bore away many. In one year more than one hundred went out from the church.
Rev. Edwin Sandys became pastor in May, 1838. and resigned in De- cember, 1841. Through no fault of his the church sufferel a net loss of four during his pastorate. This was the termination of the darkest period in its history. During 1842 thirty members were received by baptism, and seventeen by letter, while only three were dismissel, a net gain of forty-four.
Since 1842, the story of the Baptist church has been one of almost uniform progress, with few incidents to be specially noted. Rev. George W. Harris was pastor from Jannary, 1843, to April, 1844 ; Rev. A. King's- bury, May, 1843, to December, 1845; Rev. Bradley Miner, April. 1846, to December, 1850. At the close of the year 1847, there were about 200 members of the church, with a proportional congregation : and the necessity of a larger house of worship began to be apparent.
Accordingly measures were instituted for the erection of a new church edifice, and in April. 1848, a building committee consisting of James Francis, George N. Briggs, O. W. Robbins, Oleott Osborne, Robert Francis, S. V. R. Daniels, Henry Stearns, and Henry Clark was appointed.
On the 12th of May the committee reported the plan of a house "sixty feet wide by eighty-three feet deep, containing six rows of slips : supplying, with the slips on each side of the pulpit, a hundred and twenty seats, or six hundred comfortable sitting> ; also, a singers' gal- lery, to seat one hundred persons." The committee also recommended that the basement of the house should be so constructed as to admit of two stores in front, eighteen feet wide by forty deep, and a vestry in the rear of about thirty-seven by fifty six feet.
The plan of the committee was amended so as to dispense with the stores, and construct a front with columns and a recess, and to have a properly graded yard in front. In Angust the committee presented a de- sign for a church which was estimated to cost $8.500 ; and, after some ef- forts to reduce the cost by adopting inferior plans, it was determined to build upon that estimate.
This building was of brick, 60 feet wide by 82 long, and had a steeple 166 feet high, surmounted, on the suggestion of Governor Briggs, by a large gilded cross. It was dedicated Jannary loth, 1850.
The church was incorporated on the 27th of December, 1849, retain- ing the name of the First Baptist Church of Pittsfield.
Rev. Lemuel Porter became pastor April Ist. 1851. During his pas- torate he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity. His pastorate was very successful, and during one year of the eleven that he was here he reported 102 baptisms.
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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.
Dr. Porter was dismissed August 1st, 1862. He was succeeded by Rev. Wayland Hoyt, August, 1863, to August, 1864; Rev. Prof. William C. Richards, January. 1865, to November. 1867 : Rev. D. S. Watson, November. 1867, to Jannary, 1871 ; Rev. C. H. Spaulding, August, 1871. to October, 1875.
In the years 1874-5 the church was very beautifully remodeled under the charge of a building committee consisting of Deacons James Francis, and Almiron D. Francis, and Mr. S. T. Whipple, assisted by Frederick S. Parker and D. C. Bedell. This remodeling included an entire change of the front and interior, making the external architecture of the church very unique and handsome, and the audience room remarkably attractive. A new organ placed in the rear of the pulpit, was built at a cost of $7, - 000. In connection with these changes a chapel. 50 by 60 feet in size, and two stories high, was added to the rear of the church, upon land bought of the town for $2,000. The seating capacity of the audience room is 600, and of the chapel 250. The entire cost of the remodeling, including that of the chapel and organ, was $39, 000. It was rededicated on the 6th of April, 1873.
The architect upon whose plans the church was remodeled was Charles T. Rathbun, a descendant of the first Baptist minister in Pittsfield.
After having supplied the pulpit for some time Rev. O. P. Gifford was ordained pastor June 13th. 1877. Mr. Gifford preached his farewell sermon February 23d. 1879. He was succeeded by Rev. George W. Gile, whose pastorate began July 6th, 1879, and closed January 31st. 1884. Rev. E. O. Holyoke, the present pastor, was ordained September 34, 1884. During the 21 months between the pastorates of Messrs. Spaulding and Gifford 101 persons were baptized into the church.
The deacons of the church have been : Samuel Root, elected 1804 : Luke Francis. 1821 : Daniel H. Francis, 1822: Charles B. Francis, 1827 ; James Francis, 1835 : Daniel Stearns, 1842: Almiron D. Francis, 1857 ; George N. Briggs, 1869 ; J. D. Francis, Charles W. Kellogg, and Charles C. Francis, 1883. The present deacons are James Francis, Daniel Stearns. Almiron D. Francis, J. Dwight Francis, and Charles W. Kellogg.
The first Methodist sermon preached in Pittsfield was by Rev. Lemuel Smith, probably in 1789, at the house of Zebulon Herrick, in the east part. The appointment was continued at that house till the fall of that year, when it was transferred to Nathan Webb's, about two miles dis- tant, in Dalton, where it was continued during several years, then changed to the school house near William Z. Herrick's, in Pittsfield, not far from the Dalton line. Soon after the first sermon a class was formed with the following members: Thomas Hubbard. Enoch Hubbard. Zadock Hub- bard. Joshua Luce, Ira Gaylord. Henry Durkee, Edward Roberts, sen., Oliver Allen. Nathan Webb, sen .. Nathaniel Kellogg, sen., Joshua Ar- nold, and Solomon Clark.
Soon after his first sermon here. Mr. Smith preached at the house of Colonel Oliver Root, and made some converts. The next winter, during
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
a storm that detained him at the house of Captain Joel Stevens, on West street, Rev. Robert Green preached and made some converts, and a class was organized with the following members: Josiah Wright, Mr. (prob- ably Joel Stevens, Joshua Whitney, John Francis, David Ashley, and Selah Andrews.
The meetings were held for a while at Captain Stevens' house, then at the school house, and finally at the meeting house, which was erected on West street about the year 1800, and continued to be the principal place of worship for the Methodist society until 1827.
In 1801 Pittsfield was made the head of a large circuit.
In the year 1804 the following persons, with such as might be associ- ated with them, were incorporated as the Methodist Religious Society of Pittsfield. Hancock, Dalton, and Washington:
Gideon Allen, Loyal W. Allen, David Ashley. Allen Barnes, Solomon Clark, John Clark, Seth Coe, John Dighton, Oliver Fuller, Ira Gaylord, Robert Green, Leonard Goff, Enoch Hubbard. Zadock Hubbard, Thomas Hubbard, Malcolm Hemy, Nathaniel Kellogg, jr .. Joshua Luce, Richard Osborn, William Pomeroy, William Roberts, jr., Aaron Roberts, Aaron Root, Amasa Smith. Samuel Stanton. Eliphalet Stevens, Jonathan Stowe, Lebbens Webb, Nathan Webb, jr., John Ward, Joshua Whitney, Joseph Ward, Josiah Wright.
Probably a majority of these corporators were residents of Pittsfield, but it is now difficult to designate them.
In 1807 an important addition to the act of incorporation was passed, providing that
"Any person belonging to either of the towns of Pittsfield, Dalton, Washington or Hancock, who may hereafter desire to join said Methodist society of Pittsfield, and shall declare such as his or her intention in writing and deliver the same to the clerk of the town, and a copy of the same to the minister of the parish in which he or she may reside, on or before the first day of March in the year when such appli- cation shall be made, and at the same time produce a certificate of their being united with, or having become a member of said society, signed by the minister or clerk, and two of the committee of the said Methodist society, such persons shall from and after the date of such declaration, with his or her polls and estate, be considered a member of said society. Provided, however, that such persons shall be holden to pay his or her proportion of all moneys (already) legally assessed in said parish to which such persons formerly belonged."
This placed the Methodists nearly on an equality with the estab- lished church, and gave them an advantage over the Baptists, who were not incorporated.
In 1806 an extensive revival took place under Methodist auspices.
In 1810 the annual New York Methodist Conference sat in Pittsfield.
In 1812 a schism occurred, which retarded the progress of the society for a time. About thirty of the members in the west part seceded and organized a society, terming themselves " Reformed Methodists." Wherein
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TOWN OF PITTSFIELD.
they differed from the unreformed does not appear. They have long since passed away.
Other little schismatic seets were formed, from time to time, but usually a portion of their members returned to the old communion, while the remainder usually gravitated to the Shakers.
In March, 1828, a petition was presented to the town for a grant of land to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, to aid in the erection of a church. The petition was referred to a committee consisting of S. M. MeKay, H. H. Childs, M. R. Lanekton, T. B. Strong. Enther Washburn, Henry Hubbard, Sylvester Rathbun, John Pomeroy, and Samuel Root. In their report this committee briefly explained the Methodist plan of establishing circuits and stations, stated that there were then 116 of their communicants resident in the town, made thorough mention of their character as Christians and citizens, and recommended the grant of a lot " of such dimensions, and upon such terms. as would secure the interest of the public, and at the same time meet liberally, in truth and spirit, the object of the donation." The town granted a lot from the burial ground, commencing thirty feet north of Allen's book store, and having a front of thirty feet on North street and a depth of forty feet. The conditions were that whenever a building should be erected upon the lot-which was not to be occupied by the church -- it should be an "elegant brick structure with marble trimmings, and at least two stories high ; and that the church should be built within three quarters of a mile of the Congregational meeting house, and should be equal in elegance and durability to the Baptist house." In the latter part of November, 1829. the selectmen reported that these conditions had been complied with so far as the erection of the church was concerned, and transferred the lot on North street to the trustees of the Methodist Society : James Foot, William Stevens, John Butler, Lyman Dewey, and Thomas A. Gaylord.
The church was commenced in the spring of 1829, and was dedicated November 11th of the same year. It was a plain brick structure with a spire, and its cost was about $3,000. In this humble sanctuary they wor- shipped till 1852, when a new church of wood was built on the corner of Fenn and First streets. The lot cost $1,500 ; and the church, a respect- able building, with an audience room capable of seating 600 persons, and with chapel and class rooms in the basement. cost $7.500. The building committee were Rev. Stephen Parks, Levi Childs. T. G. Atwood. J. M. Holland, and J. H. Butler. The house was dedicated in the fall of 1852.
In March, 1871. this house was partially burned, and the erection of a new one was determined on. A committee consisting of William Renne. Charles E. Parker, C. C. Childs, Oren Benedict, T. R. Glentz, Charles T. Rathbun, Flavins P. Noble. James H. Butler, Samnel E. Howe, and Henry Noble was appointed to select and purchase a site,and contract for and superintend the election of the building. A site on the corner of Fenn and Pearl streets was purchased at a cost of $21,500.
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