History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 41

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 41

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another time he started for church on horseback, supposing his wife on a pillion, the way of riding in those days, and did not learn to the contrary until he was questioned about Mrs. West by one of the good deacons. One day, while talking with a man in front of his house without his hat, the individual started, and the doctor accompanied him, still absorbed in conversation. Before he came to himself he had walked four miles.

His remains lie in the old cemetery. On the sar- cophagus that marks his grave is the following :

" Samnel West, D.D., &c., the son of Dr. Shackfield West, by his wife, Rnth Jenkins, was born at Yarmouth, C. C., March 3, 1729-30, O. S., ordained in this place June 3, 1761. Relinquished his pastoral charge June, 1803. Died at Tiverton, R. I., Sept. 24, 1807."

From 1803 to 1829 the society seems to have fallen into decay, and had become reduced by death and re- moval to only three members,-Jonathan Swift, Mary Worth, and Susannah Pope. Up to 1811 the Metho- dists, which had an organized society in the neigh- borhood, occupied the old meeting-house. At this time the Congregational people made an effort to re- vive the old church, and undertook to supply the pul- pit with a minister of their own denomination. They did not succeed, however, and the church was closed until 1828. About this time a successful endeavor was made to resuscitate it, members were added and services regularly held.

Rev. Sylvester Holmes officiated as a supernumerary pastor, and at this time probably the church changed from a Presbyterian to a Congregational system of government. Joel Packard, Mary Russel, and Rufus Holmes were the first who were admitted to member- ship in the church, and were received by letter. The first received on a profession of faith were Mrs. T. Mayhew, Mrs. James Taber, Mrs. David Perry, Mrs. Freeman Taber, Branch Harlow, Caroline Augusta Waggoner, and Jabez Hathaway and wife. In 1830, Rev. Pardon T. Seabury was settled over the church, and that year the society built a house on the west side of the river. The old house was torn down in 1837

The next meeting-house built in Acushnet was that of the Friends, which stood where the present one does, just to the east of Parting Ways. The deed of the lot on which it stood conveyed the land from Stephen West, Jr., of Dartmouth, to Nicholas Davis, of Rochester, Joseph Russell, Abram Mott, and John Tasker, of Dartmouth, in trust for the Friends' So- ciety, and bears date 9th of 11th mo., 1727.

The original meeting-house was built in 1727, though meetings of the society had been held in the neighborhood for two years or more previous to this date. During the Revolutionary war an addition to the east side smaller in dimensions than the original was made, and between these were shutters for dividing the house. The old house being in poor condition, it was replaced by a new one. This is a commodious house, painted inside and out, with carpeted aisles and cush-

ioned seats. In an ante-room is hung a door of the old house, on which is the date of its erection, 1727. The building and repairs about the grounds have been in charge of Edward Dillingham, a minister of the society and a resident of Acushnet.

Christian Church, Long Plain .- The religious society that comes next in order of date is that of the Christian at Long Plain, a village at the north end of the town, so named from the extensive plateau on which it stands. Elder Daniel Hix, who was pas- tor of a flourishing church of this denomination at Hixville, in the northwest part of Dartmouth, was invited to hold meetings here. This resulted in a successful movement to build a church. The first meeting in relation to building was held Oct. 8, 1795, when Elder Hix and Silas Simmons were appointed a committee to select a lot of land and place a church thereon. This was very near the site of the present church. The first bill contracted on the church is dated July 30, 1796, and was for lumber and other materials to the amount of one hundred and twenty- eight dollars. Among the "other materials" was seren gallons of West India rum, an indispensable article in building a church in those primitive times. Another interesting reminiscence is that when the edifice was completed the congregation (such of them as had already purchased) were invited to build their pews on the spots owned by them. Aug. 29, 1805, Elder Hix accepted an invitation to preach two Sun- days a month. The distance from his residence was nine miles, and for the year's service he received fifty dollars. In 1804 his salary was increased to fifty-five dollars, and on this he continued with them several years. Subsequently Rev. John Leland preached in the old house. This is the man who in 1812 got up a mammoth cheese, weighing over a ton, which was pressed in a cider-mill, drawn to Washington by four horses, and presented to Presi- dent Madison.

The church did not prosper in a marked degree, and was much of the time without a settled pastor,- from 1825 to 1837. In April, 1837, Elder Samuel Wilde, who had resided elsewhere for a long time, returned and preached for them a year. There had been no Sunday-school since 1823, but Mr. Wilde, with the assistance of Miss Elizabeth Ashley, dauglı- ter of Capt. William Ashley, organized a school, and it was continued through the year. Mr. Wilde writes, " My salary this year was one load of good oak chips, presented by Thomas Davis." This church was finan- cially embarrassed, and was obliged to give up.

There were a number of persons of the Baptist denomination in the vicinity, and they concluded to organize a society, which they did in 1838.

On the 16th of October of that year a council, composed of representatives from New Bedford, Fall River, Middleborough, and Long Plain, met at the lat- ter place and ordained Ira Leland. The same day the following-named persons, in response to their re-

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

quest, were recognized a Baptist Society of the Taun- ton Association : Rev. Ira Leland, William Ashley, Delana Ashley, Abiel P. Robinson, Chloe Robinson, Love M. Sears, Freelove Hathaway, Silas F. Sears, Mary R. Davis, and Aun H. Davis.

Mr. Leland remained with the church about two years, when he went to the Second Baptist Church at Barnstable. He returned to the pastorate of this church, however, on the 1st of April, 1844, much to the pleasure of his former parishioners. Under his ministration the church continued to prosper, result- ing in the building of a new church, which was dedi- cated on the 28th of April, 1847, the society having occupied the old Christian Church.

A month after the dedication of the new church Mr. Leland accepted a call to Lexington, Mass., and the society was again without a pastor. No settled minister was with the church till 1848.

During this time the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Messrs. Ryder, Alden, Roberts, and J. S. Whitte- more.

In August, 1848, Mr. Whittemore was settled here, and remained till 1856. In 1851, Mrs. Ruth Davis united with the church by baptism, being then sixty years of age. At the present date she is living, at the age of ninety-two, her faculties wonderfully preserved. She is the oldest person in town. She, with her two sons, are active members of this church.

In 1856 considerable religious interest was mani- fested in the village, and many were converted. There were those who wanted a church house, but, not being in full sympathy with the Baptists nor Friends, the only denominations in the place, a "Union Society" was organized, which this church joined. This plan not proving successful, the Bap- tists called Rev. W. W. Meech, of Connecticut, to be their pastor.

In the spring of 1860, Mr. Meech closed his labors with the church, much to the regret of the people. Rev. Silas Hall, of Raynham, supplied for a few months, and others till 1864, when Rev. J. W. Horton became the settled pastor, and remained till 1868. The same year Rev. Mr. Holt, of Boston, became the minister, continuing till Feb. 26, 1871. He was succeeded by Rev. W. H. Learned, who filled the pastoral relation till his health compelled him to resign in 1872. Rev. S. P. Lewy served from 1872 to December, 1873. In November, 1874, a unanimous call was extended to Rev. E. M. Wilson, of Somerville, Mass., who accepted, and has continued an acceptable and highly-respected pastor, which relation he holds at the present time.

About eighty persons have been members of this church since its institution in 1838. The church has had but two clerks, Gen. Abiel P. Robinson serving till incapacitated by age in 1874 ; since then the office has been filled by Walter A. Davis.

The first Sunday-school at Long Plain was held in the summer of 1822. Susan, wife of Dr. Rounsevel Spooner, a member of the Unitarian Church, and Al- | fifty-nine members.

lathea, daughter of Nicholas Davis, a Friend, called the children together in a school-house which stood just at the back of the carriage-sheds in the Friends' yard, where they taught them the old Westminster Catechism and Scripture texts and furnished them with tracts. It was held again the following summer, but was not continued longer on account of the sneers of parents and their disrelish of the innovation.

The Friends' Society at Long Plain is the next in chronological order. The land on which the pres- ent house stands was deeded by Nathan Davis, of Dartmouth, to John and Nehemiah Sherman, Daniel Wing, Nicholas Davis, and Russell Brailey, of Roch- ester, in trust for the society, 10th 9 mo., 1759. The house was built about this time. In 1855 it was overhauled and thoroughly repaired. This meeting, together with the ones at Parting Ways, Fairhaven, and Mattapoisett, constitute the Long Plain Prepar- atory Meeting, to which Abner Pease, of Fairhaven, willed a large property.

The Methodist Church at Acushnet Village had its beginning in the early days of the present century. It was the original Methodist Society in old Dartmouth. The original members of the Elm Street Methodist Episcopal Society of New Bedford, the first in the city, were all members of this church.

The origin of this church may be aseribed to Capt. John Hawes, who was one of the earliest and most zealous Methodists in this section of the country. The first worship of this sect at the Head of the River is said to have been held at the house of Mr. Ellis Mendall, about two and a half miles east of the pres- ent church. Rev. Daniel Webb and others occasion- ally preached there. This was in 1800 or 1801. About the same time, or shortly after, Rev. Mr. Hall and other Methodist ministers held services in a school-house which stood a little east of the residence of Capt. Daniel B. Greene, later of Rudolphus Swift.

Their number continued to slowly increase, and in 1806 Conference appointed Rev. Epaphras Kibbe to take charge of them. In the course of the following year he succeeded in forming a class of eight persons, of which Capt. John Hawes was leader. At this time they were worshiping in the church of the Con- gregational Society, which was in a very prostrated condition, and since the retirement of Dr. West had been without a pastor. Aug. 2, 1807, Mr. Kibbe pro- posed that they should either unite with the Congre- gationalists or organize a separate society of their own. They chose the latter, and accordingly the new church was formed at the above date.

The original founders of the church as thus consti- tnted were eight in number,-John Hawes, Benjamin Dillingham, Freelove Nye, Daniel Summerton, Han- nah Summerton, Jedediah Haskell, Meriab Spooner, Nancy Danforth. The first stewards were Capt. John Hawes and Jonathan Danforth. Mr. Kibbe remained till 1809, and when he left the church numbered He was succeeded by Rev. Ne-

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hemialı Coye, who was followed by the Rev. Levi Walker, on the expiration of whose term Mr. Coye was again appointed. This was in 1811.

During all this time they had continued to worship in the Congregational Church. At this date, how- ever, the members of that society undertook to sup- ply the pulpit with a minister of their own denomi- nation. Accordingly, the Methodists vacated the building and took an upper room in an old house which is still standing,-the one nearest the bridge on the south side of the street. They soon collected the sum of five hundred dollars and built a house of wor- ship, although their funds were inadequate to pay for it and a considerable debt remained upon the church. It was dedicated in 1811, Rev. Nehemiah Coye preach- ing the sermon on the occasion. At the time of its dedication it was a rough structure, in quite an unfin- ished state, being neither painted nor plastered.

Mr. Coye located at Acushnet, and remained until 1817. He was followed by Rev. Benjamin R. Hoyt, who acted as schoolmaster also. Then came the fol- lowing clergy in the order named : Shipley W. Wil- son, Solomon Sius, Edward T. Taylor, afterwards of the Boston Seamen's Bethel, Erastus Otis, Leroy Sun- derland, Leonard B. Griffin, Robert Easterbrooks, Elias C. Scott, James Porter, Samuel Drake, William Baxter, O. Sperry, Thomas Ely, D. H. Banister, Franklin Fish, Onesiphorus Robbins, Lemuel Har- low, Otis Wilder, Joseph MeReading, George Win- chester, William Cone, Hebron Vincent, Daniel Webb, Randall Mitchell, George W. Wooding, James B. Weeks, Richard Donkersley. The present Metho- dist Episcopal Church was built on the site of the old one in 1853-54, the last year of Mr. Donkersley's pastorate, and was dedicated March 9, 1854. Mr. Donkersley was followed by Q. A. M. Chapman, E. Franklin Hinks, Philip Grandon, Elanson Latham, Benjamin L. Sayre, William T. Worth, Samuel Fox, Israel Washburn, Thomas Ely, Edward H. Hatfield, George W. Wooding, Benjamin H. Bosworth, Edward A. Lyon, Charles E. Walker, Edward H. Hatfield, Joseph E. Sears, Charles L. Goodell, George M. Hamlin, and N. Willis Jordan.

The original Methodist class in the city of New Bedford was organized in 1817. All its members, with one exception, were members of the Acushnet Church. This class was the origin of the Elm Street Methodist Episcopal Church, which was then a legit- imate offspring of the society at Acushnet. The other New Bedford Methodist Episcopal Churches are outgrowths of the Elm Street.

The next society organized was the Methodist at Long Plain. Its origin commenced in 1856 in the " Union Society," referred to in the sketch of the Baptist Society here. A young man of the Baptist denomination, Elanson Latham, preached for them with great acceptance, resulting in quite a revival. In the spring of 1857, Mr. Latham attended the Meth- odist Conference, and while there joined it. On his

return some of the recently converted ones desired a Methodist Society, which was organized, and the others joined the Baptist.

This band of Methodists were strengthened by the remnant of a Methodist Society at North Rochester which united with them in the new organization. The first pastor of the church was Rev. Philip Cran- don, who was born in the adjoining town of Roches- ter ; he remained two years, the limit at that time, and was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Allen, whose successor was Rev. Mr. Smith. Then came Rev. S. Y. Wallace, which brings the church down to 1862. Their meet- ing-house up to this date was a little chapel built for the purpose, and which is now the society's parsonage.

The people soon desired a larger and more attrac- tive place of worship, and in 1862 the enterprise of building a new house commenced, the members of the Christian denomination who were worshiping with them aiding in the work. The leading gentlemen in this enterprise of church building were Elder Samuel Wilde, whose children were members of the church, and Mr. David R. Pierce, a prominent Methodist and former resident of New Bedford. The edifice was erected during the year. The following paper, solicit- ing a building fund, was circulated :

"We, the subscribers, agree to pay the sum set against our names for the purpose of assisting the Methodist Church at Long Plain to build a house of worship and a parsonage, said house to be settled upon trustees appointed by the Methodist Episcopal Church in that place, with the understanding that the brethren of the Christian connection residing in the vicinity shall have equal privileges of seats, wor- ship, and ordinances with the Methodist brethren, and all peaceably disposed people are invited to come in and worship in the house, and the seats to be without charge or expense."

This paper bears date May, 1862, and Elder Wilde, who made great efforts in procuring subscriptions, gave the following list of collections : From Boston, $1067; Providence, $212; Taunton, $99; New Bed- ford, $275.67 ; Fall River, $66; Long Plain, $393.20 ; Pawtucket, $24.50,-making a total of $2137.37.

Mr. Wallace was followed by the following-named pastors : Moses Chase, George H. Winchester, Samuel J. Carroll, S. T. Patterson, C. S. Sanford, Francis A. Loomis, George H. Butler, E. W. Goodier, John Thomson, R. J. Mooney, and A. C. Jones, the present pastor.

There are two other public places of worship in town,-the church at Perry Hill and Whelden Chapel, in the neighborhood near where Capt. Joseph Whel- den's mill stood. The former was built in 1844 by representatives of the Christian denomination. It has not been a success. The latter was built in 1854 as a place of worship for members of the Second Advent denomination.

The town is well supplied with educational facili- ties. There are accommodations for seven schools.

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Since the division of Fairhaven the town has been redistricted, three fine school-honses have been built, and the balance of them repaired to be as good as new. There was formerly a private school at Long Plain, in the old Methodist chapel, the next house south being used as a boarding-house connected with it. Another similar enterprise was conducted for some time by Obediah Davis, of Acushnet, on the Fairhaven road, opposite the Laura Keene place, which at that time was the home of William Brad- ford, Bristol County's brilliant artist. This was a boarding-school for young ladies. The building was two stories, forty by sixty feet square. It did not prove a success. The place is now in the possession of and occupied by Capt. Franklyn Howland as a private residence.

The town-meetings of original New Bedford were held in Acushnet, the old town-house standing just east of Parting Ways, near the site of the present school-honse. The building was sold to private par- ties and moved to the city. After this they were held in the old Presbyterian meeting-house. Fair- haven also held its meeting there till it was torn down, when a house was built-the one on Fairhaven road-a couple of miles below. The old Bedford town-meeting days were gala occasions. They were general holidays, and everybody came. The pastimes outside the house were usually foot and bat ball, shooting matches, and with many a filling up with New England rum. Plenty of the latter could be easily obtained at the half-dozen places within a mile where it was sold. In those days of public travel by coaches the routes over which they traveled were lined with places of entertainment for man and beast,-the " tavern." The route from New Bedford to Boston passed through the village and up the Long Plain road. On this line, within the town of Acushnet, there were five taverns, and liquor sold at them all. Commencing at the bridge, in the village, the third house east, now owned by John R. Davis, was run by Capt. Seth Pope; the second, east of that, now owned by Cyrus E. Clark, postmaster, was kept by Worth Pope; two miles farther on, the same side of the road, the next house, north of the end of the Whites' Factory road, was one kept by Jabez Taber, now owned by Capt. Eldridge ; a mile above, on the west side of the road, at Mason Taber's corner, was Salisbury Blackmer's ; and a quarter of a mile be- yond, where Willis Brownell now lives, was Isaac Vincent's. Now it is not publicly known that any liquor is sold in the town. At the town-meeting of 1881 the vote on licensing the sale of liquors stood four " Yes" to fifty-four "No." In 1882 none " Yes" to seventy-seven " No."

The only post-office in town for many years was at Jabez Taber's tavern, his brother, Squire James, being the postmaster. In 1828 one was established at Long Plain, being kept in Thatcher's store, and afterwards in the store of Mr. Wilde, now occupied

by Richard Davis, who has been postmaster nearly thirty years, and is at the present time. Another office was provided for in Acushnet village, being kept in the first house, second building, ou the north side of the street west of the bridge. Gustavus Gil- bert, who was studying law with Judge Spooner, was the recognized postmaster for a couple of years, but the acting officer was Cyrus E. Clark, Esq., in whose store it was kept, and who in 1830 became post- master, and has occupied the position till the present time. In 1842 it was moved into the building which was the "Worth" tavern. This was subsequently burned, and Mr. Clark built on the same spot.

The village of Acushnet took the lead of Bedford village for many years. Ships were built on the west side of the river, and it was a stirring place. Here was the first, last, and only whipping-post in the old town. It stood on the west side of the river, just a few yards below the bridge, in a spot afterwards occu- pied by a blacksmith-shop, which was burned in 1882. The last act of official whipping was on the back of a notorious character named John Black, about 1780. In the village lived the first judge of the Police Court in New Bedford, Hon. Nathaniel Spooner, and Capt. John Hawes, who was collector of customs during many of the first years of the present century. Elsewhere in. the town were the homes of the original members of the families of Hathaway, Hawes, Jenny, Kempton, Nye, Pope, Taber, Tobey, Spooner, and Swift, many of whom were prominent in the early history of old Dart- mouth, and others have occupied positions of trust and responsibility at home and abroad.

For some time previous to 1875 the people resid- ing along the western border of the town felt that it would be more for their interest, especially in regard to schools, if a narrow portion of Acushnet along that boundary was annexed to New Bedford. Both towns agreeing in the matter there was passed by the General Court, April 9, 1875,-

" AN ACT to annex a part of the town of Acushnet to the city of New Bedford. "SEC. 1. All that part of the town of Acuslinet, with all the inhab- itants and estates therein, lying westerly of the following line, to wit: Beginning at the stone post numbered twenty-nine at Davis' Corner, so called; thence running north three degrees west to a stone post five rods easterly of the house of Benjamin Peckham, and from thence northerly in a straight line to the stone post that marks the boundary line be- tween New Bedford, Freetown, and Acushnet, is hereby set off from the town of Acushnet, and annexed to the city of New Bedford, and shall constitute a part of the First Ward of the city of New Bedford until a new division of wards is made in said city."

Sections 2, 3, and 4 refer to taxes, paupers, repre- sentatives, etc. This leaves the infant town as it is March 31, 1883.

Acushnet has a flourishing Union Sunday-school Association, organized in 1882. The officers are Franklyn Howland, president; Dennis Mason, sec- retary ; T. J. Robinson, treasurer.

Nutti P. Sooner

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ACUSHNET.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HON. NATHANIEL S. SPOONER.

The first American ancestor of the now somewhat numerous Spooner family was named William. Of the place of his nativity or the precise date of his birth nothing definite can be learned. The Spooner name in England is an ancient and honorable one, and it is highly probable that from this family was descended this William Spooner. The first that is positively known of him, however, is the assignment of articles (found in Plymouth Colony records) "in- denturing" him to one John Coombs. This bears date 1637, and from the tenor of the document it is to be inferred that he had then reached his majority. He married Elizabeth Partridge, who died April 28, 1648. He then married Hannah Pratt, March 18, 1652. About 1660 he moved to the new settlement at Acushnet, where the remainder of his life was spent. He died 1684. It appears he was a man of prominence in the new colony, and held office both there and in Plymouth when resident in the respec- tive towns. His son Samuel was born 1655, married Experience Wing, by whom he had eleven children. By occupation he was a weaver and agriculturist. He died 1739. His son Seth was born Jan. 31, 1695. He married, July 16, 1719, Rose Clark, of Sandwich, by whom he had three children,-Walter, Elizabeth, and Rebecca. His second wife was Abigail Hatha- way. He learned the weaver's trade, but was chiefly engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a very en- terprising man, and was frequently chosen to town offices. He died March 28, 1787. His son Walter was born in 1720. He was thrice married, first to Alathea Sprague. To this union there were six chil- dren. Second, to Mrs. Mary Peck (Hammond), no issue. Third, Mrs. Margaret Davis (Taber), no issue.

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 41

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1818

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818