USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of Bridgewater, Massachusetts > Part 5
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HISTORY OF THE
the highway, going by John Washburn's house, being the easterly part of his field," and "that the old house remain where it was, for five years, and then be removed down to Isaac Johnson's field, where divers roads meet convenient for that purpose." The new meeting-house was dedicated June 14, 1717, and Mr. Keith delivered the sermon as has been already stated. Before the time arrived for removing the old house in the north, (now west), the east began to think of being incorporated into a parish, and therefore they assisted in repairing the old house where it stood, and were to have the money refunded to them when they came to buid their own, and so the house was never moved.
The Rev. Benjamin Allen, their first pastor, was a native of Tisbury, of Martha's Vineyard, graduated at Yale 1708, and ordained July 9, 1718. He continued with them about thirteen years, but being an unsucessful manager of his private secular concerns, he fell into debt, and his parish after often relieving him, became at last weary of it, and he was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council. He preached his first sermon in the meeting-house August 18, 1717, and his last October 11, 1730. He was soon afterwards installed at Cape Elizabeth, and was the first minister of that place, where he died May 6, 1764, æ. 65. A grand-daughter of his by the name of Jourdan, married the Rev. Enos Hitchcock, D. D., of Providence.
The Rev. John Shaw, his successor, was a native of the east parish of Bridgewater, and son of Joseph Shaw ; graduated at Harvard University 1729, and ordained November 17, 1731. He died April 29, 1791, æ. 82, and in the 60th year of his ministry, much beloved and respected by his people. He delivered the sermon at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Taft, of Randolph, which is in print.
His successor, the Rev. Zedekiah Sanger, S. T. D., was born at Sherburne, and graduated at Harvard University 1771 : was first settled at Duxbury, and afterwards installed as colleague with the Rev. Mr. Shaw, December 17, 1788. He died Novem- ber 17, 1820, æ. 73, after a life of usefulness and great activity. He was a scholar and a learned divine. His house was a semi- nary, in which he prepared yonng men for college, and instructed young students in divinity. Amidst his ministerial and pastoral
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
labors, he was also for several years preceptor of the academy in his neighborhood. He enjoyed in a high degree the affections and respect of his people .- His successor was Richard M. Hodges, from Salem ; graduated at Harvard University 1815, who after performing his pastoral duties there for many years, was peaceably dismissed at his own desire; and the present Rev. Theophilus P. Doggett, who graduated at Brown's Univer- sity 1819, was settled as his successor.
There is a small ministerial fund in this parish, the trustees of which were incorporated Feb. 7, 1803. It was then nearly one thousand dollars, and has been augmented since.
The south was settled very soon after the west parish. Among those who came in from other towns and resided there before and soon after 1700, were Samuel Kinsley, Thomas Mitchell, William Orcutt. William Hudson, Daniel Hudson, John Wash- burn, John Washburn, Jr., Richard Jennings, David Perkins, John Aldrich, Eleazar Carver, Nathaniel Conant, Richard Davenport and Joseph Pratt.
East Parish.
December 14, 1723, the east end of the north parish, then so called, ever since called the west parish, together with nine persons of the south parish, namely, Barnabas Seabury, Thomas Latham, Charles Latham, Nicholas Wade, Nathaniel Harden, Thomas Hooper, William Conant, Isaac Lazell, and Joseph Washburn, with their families and estates, were constituted a precinct, called the east parish. This was done also in pursu- ance of a viewing committee of court, consisting of Isaac Wins- low, Samuel Thaxter, Josiah Cotton, Isaac Little and John Quincy. The boundaries were on the west, a due north line from the south parish, through the centre tree: and on the south-easterly side of the Old Plymouth Road to Halifax. The first meeting house was raised March 14, 1720.
The Rev. John Angier, graduated at Harvard University 1720, was their first Minister, Ordained October 28, 1724. He was son of the Rev. Samuel Angier, of Rehoboth, and afterwards of Watertown. He died April 14, 1787, æ. 86th, and in the 63d of his ministry.
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HISTORY OF THE
His son, the Rev. Samuel Angier, graduated at Harvard Uni- versity 1763, was ordained colleague with him December 23, 1767, and died January 18, 1805, æ. 62d, and in the 38th of his ministry. The father, the Rev. John Angier, preached the ordination sermon, which appears bound with the last edition of the "Bridgewater's Monitor."
The successor of the Rev. Samuel Angier was the Rev. James Flint, D. D., a native of Reading, Mass., and graduated at Harvard University 1802, and ordained October 29, 1806; and after officiating among them in his pastoral office for twelve or fifteen years, he was dismissed at his own desire, and afterwards installed at Salem. The Rev. Benjamin Fessenden, from Sand- wich, who graduated at Harvard University 1817, was then settled as his successor; who was dismissed November 7, 1825, at his own request, and removed to Rhode Island. and has re- tired from the ministry ; and the Rev. John Adams Williams, of Roxbury, who graduated at Harvard University 1820, was set tled as his successor, October 18th, 1826; who remained in his office but a short time, having been dismissed at his own solici- tation, August 4, 1828 ; and was succeeded by the Rev. Eliphalet P. Crafts, who graduated at Brown University 1821, and or- dained November 19, 1828, and who after a few years asked a dismission, which was granted him, March 28, 1836, and he is now installed at Sandwich .- And the parish is now vacant.
The first settlers in the east parish before 1700, who came in from abroad, were Robert Latham, Nicholas Byram, Jonathan Hill, Edward Mitchell, Thomas Whitman, Samuel Allen, and Joseph Shaw. Some of these were there about 1666 .- Some of the sons of the first settlers in West Bridgewater were also among the early settlers in the East, as John Howard, Jr., William Brett, Jr., Elisha Hayward, Nathaniel Hayward, Jr., Isaac Alden, Francis Cary, Jonathan Cary, James Cary, Joseph Edson, Isaac Harris, and Samuel Harris.
North Parish.
January 3, 1738, the north part of the west parish and a small part of the north-west corner of the east parish were incorpo- rated into a precinct, and called the north parish. It was
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
bounded by a due east line from Easton, half a mile north of " the white oak tree at Jonathan Packard's corner " to the east parish line : and thence north-easterly to Beaver Brook, together with three families and their estates, on the east side of the river.
Their first pastor was the Rev. John Porter, a native of Abington, graduated at Harvard University 1736; ordained October 15, 1740; died March 12, 1802, æ. 87th, and in the 62d of his ministry.
His successor, the Rev. Asa Meach, was ordained October 15, 1800, and dismissed by a mutual council 1811, and after- wards installed at Canterbury, Connecticut. He was a native of that state.
His successor, the Rev. Daniel Huntington, a native of Nor- wich, Connecticut, graduated at Yale College 1816, was ordained October 28, 1812. He was brother of the late Rev. Mr. Huntington, of Boston, and son of General Jedediah Hunting- ton, of New London. His salary was $700, the highest then of any in the town .- He remained with his parish many years, but by his own solicitation was at length dismissed, and returned to Connecticut. The Rev. Mr. Thompson was his successor, who continued but a short time, and the Rev. Paul Couch is now their pastor.
The north was the last settled part of the town. There were no settlements north of the old powder house in West Bridge- water, till after 1700. Among the first settlers were Daniel and Robert Howard, David, Solomon, John, James, Zaccheus and Abiel Packard, Henry Kingman, and Timothy Keith : all of whom came from West Bridgewater.
. Titicut Parish.
February 4, 1743, the south-west part of the south parish, with a part of Middleborough, was incorporated into a precinct, called Titicut Parish. It lies south of the old four mile line, so called. The Rev. Solomon Reed before mentioned, a native of Abington, graduated at Harvard University 1739, was their first minister. The Rev. David Gurney, son of Perkins Gurney, of East Bridgewater, graduated at Harvard University 1785, was his successor. Their third minister is the present Rev. Philip
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HISTORY OF THE
Colby. The meeting-house is in Middleborough, and all their ministers have resided there, the largest part of the parish be- longing to that town.
Besides these territorial precincts there is an Episcopal church in the south parish, incorporated June 14. 1815, by the name of Trinity Church. It is of much longer standing, having origi- nated in a grant of about fourteen acres of land, made January 23, 1747, by Samuel Edson, of Bridgewater, to the society in England for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts, on condition that the income be applied to the support of public worship according to the usage of the Church of England. Their house was erected in 1648 by individual subscription. In April, 1812, they conveyed the glebe to the trustees of donations at Boston, and it is leased for nine hundred and ninety-nine years to John Edson, one of the members, for twenty-one dollars a year. June 12, 1816, having repaired their house and laid an assessment for the support of public worship, it was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Griswold, and the Rev. Messrs. Blake and Crocker. The Rev. Henry Blackaller is now their pastor.
There is also a Baptist meeting-house in the west part of the west parish. The society consists of members partly from Easton and partly from Bridgewater. It was formed about the time Dr. Reed was ordained, but not incorporated till March 9, 1804 .- Their ministers have been Mr. Robertson, Mr. Rathburn, Mr. Smith, Mr. Shurtliff, and the Rev. Bartlett Pease is now their pastor.
There is also a Congregational society in South Bridgewater, over which the Rev. Ebenezer Gay, who graduated at Harvard University 1814, is now settled, and another, over which the Rev. Mr. Raymond is pastor : and a Universalist society, in which the Rev. Lewis G. Brown sometimes officiates ; and a New Jerusalem church, over which the Rev. Samuel Worcester is pastor.
There is also in North Bridgewater another Congregational society, over which the Rev. John Goldsbury, who graduated at Brown University, 1820, was the pastor, but is now vacant ; and there is another, of which the Rev. John Dwight was pastor, but in which the Rev. Mr. Huntington above named is now preaching ; and a New Jerusalem church, over which the Rev.
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
Warren Goddard is settled; and a Methodist society, of which the Rev. Charles Hayward is pastor.
There is also a 2d Congregational society in East Bridge- water, over which the Rev. Baalis Sanford, who graduated at Brown University 1823, is pastor .- There are also some of the New Jerusalem church there, and also some Universalists, who have regular meetings but no settled ministers.
The general longevity of the early ministers of Bridgewater is worthy of notice. Four of them, namely, Mr. Perkins, Mr. J. Angier, Mr. Shaw, and Mr. Porter, who were cotemporaries, and pastors of the four principal parishes, lived to the great ages respectively of 86, 86, 83, and 87, and died in the 62d, 63d, 60th, and 62d year of their ministry, and all officiated occasion- ally, and some of them regularly, till their deaths .- Dr. Reed died also in his Soth year, and Dr. Sanger in his 74th These with Mr. Keith, who was 76, and Mr. Samuel Angier, who was 62, are the only ministers who ever died in the town.
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SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.
The town has been remarkable for its attention to education, both public and private. Mr. Keith and Elder Brett, in the very infancy of the settlement, procured a subscription of about £12 to be paid in Indian corn, for the use of the college at Cam- bridge. Assessments were also formerly made very liberally, both in the town and the parishes, for the maintenance of com- mon schools. The interest of learning has always been cherished here, and its importance duly appreciated.
There is in the south parish an academy, established, and the trustees of it incorporated, February 28, 1799. The half town- ship of land granted by the general court as an endowment, was sold for $5,000. The building was erected by individuals who subscribed $3,000 for that purpose. It has always had the reputation of a good seminary of instruction, and is still well patronized and in a flourishing condition. The Hon. John A. Shaw is the present preceptor.
The following are the names of those who have had colle- giate education, arranged under the parishes to which they
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HISTORY OF THE
respectively belonged, with the years and colleges annexed, in which they received their degrees :-
West Parish.
Abiel Howard,
1729
Bezer Snell, 1789
Ephraim Keith,
1729
Charles Angier, 1793
Joseph Snell,
1735
Francis Howard,
1797 B
Nathaniel Snell,
1740
George W. Perkins,
1801 B
Richard Perkins,
1748
John Reed,
1803 B
Elijah Packard,
1750
Daniel Johnson,
1806 B
Simeon Howard, S. T.D., 1758
Barzillai Hayward,
1807 B
Daniel Johnson,
1767
John Willis,
1807 B
Asa Dunbar,
1767
John E. Howard,
1815 B
Silvanus Ames,
1767
George Copeland,
1815 B
Simeon Dunbar,
1772
Caleb Reed,
1817
Bezaliel Howard, S. T.D., 1781
Sampson Reed,
1818
Jonathan Burr,
1784
Ellis Ames,
1830 B
Tonas Hartwell,
1787 D
South Parish.
Josiah Edson,
1730
Jonathan Leonard,
1786
Benjamin Willis,
1740
Benjamin Whitman,
1788 B
Silvanus Conant,
1740
Hezekiah Hooper, 1789
Oakes Shaw,
1758
David Leonard,
1792 B
Bezaliel Shaw,
1762
Zenas L. Leonard,
1794 B
William Shaw, S.T.D., 1762
Richard Sanger,
1800
Timothy Alden,
1762
Gaius Conant,
1800 B
Perez Fobes, 1 .. L. D.,
1762
Nathan Fobes.
1803 B
John Shaw,
1772
Seth Fobes,
1804 B
Beza Hayward,
1772
Noah Whitman,
1806 B
Jonas Whitman,
1772 Y Cyrus Alden,
1807 B
Martin Kinsley,
1778
Zedckiah Sanger,
1807
Zephaniah Willis,
1778
Ralph Sanger,
1808
Thomas Perkins,
1779
John A. Shaw, 1811
James Allen,
1785
Seth Alden,
1814 B
Seth Pratt,
1785
Levi W. Leonard,
1815
Nathan Hayward,
1785
Zebulon 1 .. Shaw,
1815
Kilborn Whitman,
1785
Theodore Edson,
1822
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
Zephaniah A. Bates,
1824 Lorenzo O. Lovell, 1833 B
Benjamin Willis, 1825 B David Perkins,
1834 B
Horatio Alger,
1825 Giles Leach,
· B
Daniel Leach,
1830 B Ephraim Fobes,
B
Nehemiah G. Lovell,
1833 B
East Parish.
John Shaw,
1729 Ezekiel Whitman, 1795 B
Eliab Byram,
1740
Asa Mitchell, 1802
Samuel Angier,
1763
Jacob Hill,
1807 B
Thomas Gannett,
1763 Eliab Whitman,
1807 B
Caleb Gannett,
1763
Nathaniel Whitman,
1809
Oakes Angier,
1764
Daniel Whitman,
1809 B
William Conant,
1770 Y Willard Phillips,
1810
James Thomas,
1778
Welcome Young,
1814 B
Levi Whitman,
1779
Silvanus L. Mitchell,
1817
Ebenezer Dawes,
1785
Lucius Alden,
1821 B
Barzillai Gannett,
1785
Bernard Whitman,
1823*
Allen Pratt,
1785
Jason Whitman,
1825
David Gurney,
1785
Joseph W. Cross,
1827
Ebenezer Lazell,
1788 B Williams Latham,
1828 B
Nahum Mitchell,
1789 William Allen,
1837
Hector Orr,
1792 Edmund B. Whitman,
1838
North Parish.
James Thompson,
1761 N Naphtali Shaw, 1790 D
John Porter,
1770 Y Daniel Howard, 1797
Huntington Porter,
1777
Issachar Snell, 1797
Jonathan Porter,
1777 Lucius Cary, 1798 B
Eliphalet Porter, S.T.D. 1777
Daniel Noyes,
1813 Y
Thomas Crafts, 1783
Jonas Perkins, 1813 B
Asa Packard, 1783
Jonathan P. Crafts, 1817 B
Zechariah Howard, 1784
Austin Packard, 1821 B
Hezekiah Packard, S. T.
Levi Packard,
1821
D.
1787
Lucius Kingman,
1830 B
Joshua Cushman, 1787
* He with many others in the class of this year, owing to a disturbance in college, failed to take his degree.
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HISTORY OF THE
Titicut.
Ephraim Keith, 1762 Oliver Hayward, 1804
Adam Edson, 1775 Y Jonathan Keith, 1805 B
Jael Edson, 1784 Y Calvin Pratt, - B
Daniel Crane, 1796 B
D affixed to the year, stands for Dartmouth College-B for Brown University-Y for Yale College-N for Nassau or New Jersey College. Where no letter is affixed, Cambridge or Har- vard University is to be understood. Those in italics are clergymen.
By comparing this list with the catalogue of Harvard, it ap- pears that one-quarter of the graduates in the class of 1785, were from Bridgewater.
PONDS AND RIVERS.
There are but two ponds of any considerable dimensions in the town. The largest lies on the south-west part of the town. adjoining Raynham, and was anciently called by the Indians Nuncketest or Neapnuncket, and afterwards and now called Nippenicket. The other lies in the easterly part of the town, adjoining Halifax, and was anciently called by the Indians Satucket; but afterwards and now called Robins' Pond, after an Indian family of that name, who came from Mattakeeset, now Pembroke, and lived on the margin of it. Several families of Indians formerly settled and owned land on the shores of this pond ; but are now nearly extinct. There is a river issuing from the pond first abovementioned, which anciently bore the same name, Nuncketest ; but after the erection of the first mill, was called Mill River, and for a long time. and perhaps ever since the incorporation of the town, has been called Town River. It first runs in a north-easterly course through the middle of the west parish, and then by a more south-easterly direction passes through the south parish. On this stream is the principal mill seat in the west, and two of the principal water privileges in the south parish. There are several tributary streams which augment this river in its course, as Cowesit and
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
West Meadow Brook in the west, and South Brook in the south parish, and other smaller streams.
There is another river, which rises in Stoughton, south of the Blue Hills, and passes through the north parish, and is there called Salisbury River, from the circumstance of its running on the easterly side of Salisbury Plain, so called, and thence con tinues its course into the east parish, where it unites with Beaver Brook, and is then called Matfield River, from an Indian of that name, who is said to have lived on the banks of it, and lower down it unites with Byram's Brook, anciently called Spring Brook, now called Forge Brook, and is then called John's River, from John Howard, an early settler near it, where Dea. Samuel Keen now lives. It soon unites with the Poor Meadow river, and thence passes into the south parish and there unites with the Town River. There are, in the north parish, five or six mill seats on this river and Beaver Brook, and seven in the east, including those on Beaver and Byram's Brook. This river passes the whole length of the town, and may well be called Middle River, as it is the middle one of the three princi- pal streams composing the Great River.
Poor Meadow River, above mentioned, passes through Abing- ton and the north-west corner of Hanson, entering the east parish on the easterly side; and, uniting with the river coming from Halifax, through Monponset Pond and Robin's Pond, is then called Satucket River, and after receiving a small increase from Black Brook unites with John's River, as before stated. Hobart's works in Abington, and Cushing's in Hanson, formerly called Moor's Forge, stand on the Poor Meadow stream ; and the extensive works at Halifax are on the other branch of the Satucket River. Whitman's Mills in the east, now called the East Bridgewater Manufacturing Establishment, are on this river ; and just below the confluence of these three rivers, in the south parish, stand the new mills, so called, and the paper mill, owned by Hooker and Warren. The Great River, after receiv- ing the waters of the Winnetuxet from Plympton, and of the Namasket from Middleborough, is commonly called Titicut River, but from Titicut to the sea is called Taunton Great River. There are several other small mill seats in various parts of the town, on the minor brooks and rivulets, which afford sufficient
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HISTORY OF THE
water for them in many instances during the winter and spring seasons.
Taunton River is called great only in comparison with its branches and tributaries, but is nevertheless large enough, even so high up as the south parish of Bridgewater, as to admit of ship building. Vessels of near one hundred and fifty tons were formerly built there, and carried down in time of freshets.
SOIL, AGRICULTURE, AND MANUFACTURES.
BRIDGEWATER is a very level township, having few or no great hills. The only one, which may be properly so called, is Sprague's Hill, anciently called the Great Hill, situated between the east and south parishes, and this is but small. The westerly part of the north parish, commonly called the " West Shares." is perhaps the highest land in the town.
The soil, as might well be supposed in so large an extent of territory, is various. In some parts, and particularly in those adjoining the rivers and brooks, it is a good quality and very productive. In other parts, as on the plains, it is suitable for tillage, being of a light mould, and produces good crops of grain with a moderate quantity of manure and little labor. Owing to the numerous water courses and large tracts of swampy grounds, the town, and particularly West Bridgewater, abounds with low meadow lands, producing a great supply of coarse hay, which formerly was held in great estimation, but since the great im- provements in agriculture, and increased attention to the culti- vation of English and other approved foreign grasses, it is considered of less value. These extensive meadows are still, however, of vast importance, and constitute one of its peculiar privileges as an agricultural town.
It has always had the reputation of a good farming town, and might therefore he supposed to be almost wholly engaged in husbandry, yet it abounds in mechanics and manufacturers. Iron manufactures of almost every description have always been largely carried on here. The making of small arms in New England, if not in the United States, commenced here. Many
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
stand of arms were made here before the Revolution. Cannon were here cast solid and bored, at the commencement of that war, the first, perhaps, that were manufactured in this manner in the country. There were more edged tools and wrought nails formerly made here than in any other town in the State. Bar iron, anchors, cotton gins, sugar mills, shovels, edged tools, hoops, nails, tacks, and castings of every description are still made here, and some of these branches are carried on very ex- tensively. There are here also a paper mill, cotton mills, and other manufacturing and mechanic establishments of various kinds. Chaise making has for many years been a considerable branch of business; but at present the shoe business exceeds all others; two thousand dollars a week being paid at one estab- lishment alone to the laborers for the making only of shoes.
The Hon. Hugh Orr, himself a Scotchman, who manufactured the small arms and cannon as above stated, invited Robert Barr and Alexander Barr, brothers, from Scotland, to construct carding, spinning, and roping machines at his works in East Bridgewater. And the General Court on the 16th of November, 1786, Mr. Orr himself then being one of the Senate, by a resolve of that date allowed them two hundred pounds for their ingenu- ity, and afterwards granted them a further compensation of six tickets in the land lottery of that period. These machines remained in the possession of Mr. Orr for the inspection of all disposed to see them, and he was requested by the General Court to exhibit the same and give all explanation and informa- tion in his power respecting them. These were the first machines of the kind ever made in the country. Mr. Slater, with the late Mr. Moses Brown, of Providence, came to examine them on Mr. Slater's first arrival in the country, and before he had com- menced any establishment of the kind. The circumstances of this visit were communicated to the writer by Mr. Brown himself, who at the same time added, that these were the first machines of the kind ever made in the United States. Thomas Somers, another Scotchman, under the direction of Mr. Orr, constructed other machines for carding, roping, and spinning cotton, and on the 8th of March, 1787, the General Court placed in Mr. Orr's hands twenty pounds to encourage the artist. Mr. Orr also about the same time employed another foreigner by the name of
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