USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Deerfield > History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: the times when the people by whom it was settled, unsettled and resettled, vol 1 > Part 48
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12 Ebenezer Wells,
IO
Salah Barnard,
10 Asahel Wright, in Rye,
4
Thomas Dickinson,
2.1
Seth Catlin, in Wheat,
8
Zadock Hawks,
S Nathaniel Dickinson,
12
Eldad Bardwell,
4 Simeon Stebbins,
. 4
John Sheldon, 500 shingles,
John Amsden,
12
John Bardwell,
6 John Russell,
6
Jonathan Arms,
12
John Hensdel,
9
David Sexton,
IO
Joseph Stebbins,
2.4 Joseph Mitchel,
John Nims,
4 John Hawks,
477
PEWS BUILT IN THE GALLERY.
Timber for the shingles was given by E [lijah?] Arms; the cost of making and laying and other expense is found be- low :-
Joseph Wheeler, making 16 M. shingles at Ios Sd, €8 10 S Looking out and clearing road two days by David Hoyt and Joseph
Barnard, 6 0
Carting the shingles, five loads at 6s. I 10 0
Laying the shingles, twenty-eight days, 4 18 5
Board of workmen 16 days at 8d.
IO S
Joseph Barnard for 512 M. shingle nails at 4d, I 2 0
Saving old nails by Eb. Wells, Dea. Childs, Lieut. Field. Maj. Barnard, Maj. Williams, David Sexton and John Hinsdale, 12 S
Jona. Arms bill "for straiting shingle nails," 3 8
Sixteen thousand five hundred common shingles would not cover the old part of the roof, and those shaved out by Wheeler were probably "puncheons."
No changes appear to have been made in the interior of the house except to take down the stairs to the galleries, and fill the vacant spaces with pews above and below. The ar- rangement of seats or pews in the gallery at first does not appear; but as early as 1739, the "pue over the woman's stairs" is mentioned. In the warrant for the March meeting of 1789 was an article to see if the town would build any pews in the gallery, or allow others to do so; but there is no record of action on it. The warrant for the March meeting of 1793 contained the same article, and leave was granted for pews to be built under the direction of the selectmen, on condition that four pews shall be built in each gallery, and that the town may take them at any time on paying the cost. It does not appear whether this offer was accepted or not. In 1803 the selectmen were made a committee " to lease the back part of the north and south galleries for the purpose of erecting pews." This action was to allow the trustees of Deerfield Academy to " build pews for the accommodation of scholars." They built a long pew in the southwest corner for the girls, and one in the northwest for the boys. Other pews were oc- cupied by students at a later date.
In 1791, the selectmen were directed to procure shutters for the lower windows and the pulpit window, and £40 was raised to paint the house. It is remembered by the old folks as being yellow, when taken down in 1824.
At length it dawned upon the people that a milder temper- ature in winter would be conducive to both health and com-
·
Seating the Meeting House-Copy of Plan reported to the town about 1777-8.
Sam'l Field, Doe.[Eb.] Barnard Sam'l Barnard, John Williams.
Amasa Smith, Jona. Hoit, 2d, Obed Hawks.
Eber. Wells, Zadoek Hawks, Thomas Arms.
Sam'l Barnard, Maj. [S.] Barnard, Eldad Bardwell.
FRONT DOOR.
William Arms, Elijah Arms, Jona. Hoit.
Madam Ashley, Wido. Williams, Esq. [Jona. ] Ashley.
Doet. [Elihu] Ashley, Aaron Arms, Sam'l Childs, 2d.
Amzi Childs, John Sheldon, Jr .. Wido. [H.]Russell, John Clap, Eliakim Arms.
18
10
4
5
11
19
16
17
Clement Hoyt, Joseph Clesson, David Hoit, Jr.
24
John Kendell, Joseph Wise, Aaron Pratt. Solomon Newton, Simeon Burt, Edward Joiner.
Daniel Sexton. Mathew Clesson, Isaac Parker, Justin Hitchcock, Wido Herbert.
Elijah Smith, Moses Chandler, Thomas Wells, Augustus Wells, Wido, Munn, Lt. Taylor, Wido. [Lucy] Tyler.
Phineas Munn, Lt. [Elihu] McCall, William Felton, Ebenezer Burt, Francis Munn.
25
Nathan Robbins, Edward Joiner, Eber Allis, Seth Arms, Ariel Nims.
30
28
20
21
29
Waitstill Hawks, John Sexton, Zeb. Graves, Elisha Nims, Elias Stone.
Wm. Anderson, John Anderson, John Stebbins, Amos Alexander, Joseph Sweet.
31
North Door; through Steeple.
Benches.
Levi Newton, David Sexton, Lt. Seth Catlin, Jono. Arms.
8
26
Thos. Faxon, Jno. Bull, Justin Bull, John Hinsdale, Alpheus Newton.
14
2
Lt. John Bardwell, Moses Stebbins, Col. [Jos. ] Stebbins, Lt. Joseph Barnard, Wido. Smead.
Benches.
9
John Sheldon, Jeremiah Nims, David Hoit, Wido. [Abigail] Nims.
Caleb Allen, Paul Hawks, Eunice Allen, Sam'l Harding.
3
15
South Door; through Porch.
Phineas Arms, Eliphas Arms, Rem. Grandy, Thos. Mighills.
27
Lt.Thos. Bardwell. Lt. David Stebins, Sam'l Childs, 3d, Wido. R. Childs.
23
Maj.[David] Dickinson, Eliphalet Capt. [T.] W. 66 Oliver Field, Elihu
Col. [John] Hawks, Col. [David] Field, Ens. [Joseph] Barnard, Madam [Abigail] Silliman, Capt. Thomas Dickinson.
Deacon [Samuel] Childs, 66 [Asahel] Wright.
Mrs. Childs, Mrs. Wright, Dea. Noah Wright.
Jos. Mitchell, Jos. Smead, John Amsden, Moses Nims, Wido. Rhoda Childs, Sarah Shattuck.
Sam'l Dwelley, Simeon Harvey, Capt.[Abner]Mitchell, Gideon Dickinson, Capt. Jonas Locke, Sam'l Tennant.
PULPIT.
13
1
6
13
Cap. Ol'r Shattuck Elihu Murry, Ithamar Burt, Nath'l Frary, Jr.
Nathan Catlin, Seth Hawks, Asa Hawks.
Joseph Stebbins, Daniel Arms, Capt. [Nath.] Frary.
22
Charles Pierce Will'm Logan James Logan Reuben Field Asaph Allen Othniel Hannun Oliver Moreton Levi Luddin David Butler Benjamin Nash Elias Joyner Thos Childs Moses Newton Jonth Wright Waitstill HawksJr Israel Childs John Saxton Stephen Morton Elijah Dwolly R McKene Ebn'r Barnard 3d Elihu Barnard Clark John Leifolt seat- ed at the upper end of the fore seat in the upper tier
David Childs Quartos Hawks
Dan'll Arms Sam'll Childs 2d Henry Barnard
Denis Stebbins Thos Ashley Jonth Dickinson George Herbert James Nims Willies Parle Holt
Joseph Sanderson jr Reuben Sanderson Calvin Sexton Amzi Childs Jr Benj Walker
Seth Clapp Elijah Newton Luther Newton Eliel Allen Silas Hawks Levi Sanderson Graves
Solo Ashley Elijah Williams Elijah Rufsell Zenas Hawks Richard Catlin Lem'll Russell Will'm Sheldon David Wait Jonathan Cobb
Dorothy Catlin Fanny Granger Polly Arms Ester Childs
Betsie Amsden Hannah Barnard Eunice Barnard Lyddia Ames Submit Childs Jude Allen Sally Hawks
Patty Hitchcock
Fanny Cooley
Anny Joyner Eunice Childs Roxana Nims Abigail Nims Fanny Harvey Hannah Pain .
Smith Smith Clapp
Anny Luddin Lina Sanderson Lydia Eustes Kentfield Jewett Sally Locke Patience Denio Faithy Ball Hannah Ball
Nash Wright
Ground Plot of the Pews Above Stairs in the Meeting House. [Accepted by the town, Feb. 4th, 1796.]
THE FORE SEATS ARE LEFT FOR THE ACCOMODATION OF SINGERS IN THE GALLERY.
Spidde stebbins Susanah Arms Sophia Cooley Filana Cooley Patsy Hawks Orrey Harvey Thankful Hawks Nancy Catlin Lucy McCall Lonis Sanderson Experience Barnard
481
OLD ENGLAND STILL HOME.
fort, and Dec. 5th, 1808, measures were taken to have the meetinghouse warmed, and a large, square, box stove was pro- cured for that purpose. The worshipers may have been moved to this action by the appearance among them that sea- son of a delicate exotic, in the person of Mrs. Susan Barker Willard, the bride of the new minister. Or, possibly, the ton- ing down of the theological temperature, which occurred in the church about this time, may have made this innovation necessary. The stove was placed in front of the deacon's seat, the pipe ran thence north to the gallery, and followed that on the north, east and south sides of the house, and so out through a port-hole in one of the west windows; for there was no chimney.
As early as 1799, considerable repairs became necessary on the steeple, and after much money had been spent in trying year after year to make the house "something comfortable," on the 23d of February, 1823, the end came in a vote " Not to repair the old Meeting house," but to build a new one. In accordance with these votes the old house was demolished and the present brick house built in 1824.
The Meetinghouse bell. An account of the method taken to procure the first bell has been given. March 5th, 1733, the town voted that " the Bell be rung at nine of ye clock at night, night by night." This custom was kept up until about 1850. It was also rung at noon during the summer months. This bell responded to all calls upon it for more than fifty years, but at last it gave out. In 1773, a committee was chosen to write to Quartus Pomroy, the noted cow-bell maker of North- ampton, to take a view of it, "and if he can mend it, to agree with him to do it, and if he thinks it must be sent home to be new cast, or run, the sd committee are hereby empowered to send the same to England, or to get it run in this Country, if practicable, as soon as may be, and also to make such addi- tions of metal as shall make the new Bell Weigh Five Hun- dred Weight." After about forty years' service this bell was replaced by one to weigh eight hundred pounds.
The action for dignifying the seats and seating the wor- shipers in the third meetinghouse was given on page 205. When the fourth house was finished in 1730, seaters were chosen in town meeting, to dignify the seats and pews, and report a detailed scheme, to be acted upon at a subsequent
482
MR. WILLIAMS AND THE MEETINGHOUSE.
meeting. The proceedings of this committee did not give general satisfaction. There seems to have been two parties of nearly equal numbers, with different views in regard to the vexed question of dignifying the seats, and which di- verged more widely in establishing the relative social posi- tion of the occupants. Some radical plans were urged, but the conservative element finally prevailed.
At a town meeting Monday, Nov. 23, 1730:
Voted to seat men and their wives in ye pues.
Voted to leave it with ye seaters to dignifie the pews and seats.
Voted to seat without having regard to qualifications:
Voted to seat by ye rules of age & estate.
Voted that a pound Rateable estate as in ye list shall be accounpt- ed equal with a year's age
Voted to seat by the rules of age, estate & qualifications.
After all these contradictory votes, the people stopped to take breath and get a fresh start, and then :-
Voted that ye aboue written votes made on this adjournment shall be void & of non effect.
Voted to seat men and their wifes together in ye peues
Voted that ye Seaters which shall be Chose to Seat ye Meeting house shall be a Comtee to Dignifie ye Seats & peus & present their work to ye town, in a town Meeting to put a Santion before they be- gin to Seat.
Voted that sª seaters shall seat yº Meeting house by ye Rules of Age, Estate & quallifications.
The seaters chosen were Eleizer Hawks, Thomas French, Jr., Jonathan Hoyt, John Catlin, Jr., and William Arms, Jr. These young men appear to be of the party which attempted the rash innovations above noted, and were beaten. They refused the sop thus thrown them, and others were chosen November 27th, at an adjourned meeting. December 7th, "the town accepted of ye Dignifieing of ye peus & seats as then presented in a map." This map has not been found. So far as it appears the people remained quietly for a few years in the positions assigned them by this committee.
Dec. 20, 1737, voted that ye Seaters farther make some necessary alterations in Seating ye Meeting house as they Shall see meet Ac- cording to ye rules given them.
1738 Timothy Childs, Benjamin Munn, Thos. French, Samuel Childs and John Catlin 2d were chosen standing seaters.
January, 1739, efforts were made to have more pews built or the old ones altered ; but without success, and the seaters
483
CHURCH FORMED IN GREEN RIVER DISTRICT.
were instructed to "adhere to ye Instructions which have been already given." The opposition, however, gained one point.
Voted that Messrs Samuel Field John Catlin and Thomas Wells 2d shall be a Com'tee to Determine how many Persons their shall be Seeted in Each Pue & to make return thereof to ye Seaters.
With this double-barrelled authority quiet prevailed for two years ; but in May, 1741,-
Voted that there shall be some alteration in the seating of people in ye Meeting House & that ye womens pue in ye Galery shall be Seated with men.
It was in this pew, perhaps, certainly it was about this time, that Joseph Barnard sold to Samuel Barnard, Joseph Stebbins and Remembrance Sheldon each a "right in a pue over the woman's stairs." The price paid was seventeen, twenty and fifteen shillings respectively. There is found no precedent or subsequent action, showing, or hinting at ex- clusive private ownership in any pew or seat in this meeting- house, and this anomalous transaction stands wholly unex- plained. The erection of four new pews in 1748 disturbed the balance of ecclesiastical dignity among the worshipers, and the town made choice of a committee "to new dignify the Seats & Pues in the Meeting house, & to Seat persons ac- cordingly." A movement to sell the pews made at this time was not sustained. It does not appear how the galleries had been occupied previous to 1750. That year the seaters had "Liberty of appropriating ye whole of ye Front Gallery for ye use of Seating Men, in order for the better accommodation of Women below."
In 1753, the secession of quite a large part of the congrega- tion to the church just formed in the Greenfield District, left matters in a somewhat chaotic condition, and the pressure in all grades, except the highest, towards seats of higher dignity thus left vacant, made new legislation necessary. These seats could not be left unoccupied, and in a general forward movement to close up the ranks, people might be placed in seats of higher "dignity " than they were entitled to by their "qualifications." Would not this have a tendency to give these people an exaggerated idea of their importance? and might not their consequent assumption be troublesome to " their betters"?
484
MR. WILLIAMS AND THE MEETINGHOUSE.
Here was a dilemma truly. But, as in every great crisis in the affairs of men and nations, a genius equal to the occasion appeared upon the stage. In fitting season he easily procured a popular vote in town meeting, "that the Dignification of the Seats in the meeting house be Intirely set aside." This was an astonishing change indeed ! Hereafter democratic ideas and usages must prevail, and all be equal before the Lord in His holy service. Each worshiper could select his or her seat on entering, without let or hindrance from con- stable or tithingman. Not quite! Wait a little. The inspi- ration of our genius is not yet exhausted. The master-stroke took form in a vote,-
To new Regulate the Seting of the meeting house, having regard to the Age, Estate and other Qualifications of people in Determining who shall have the most Convenient seat, &c., and so on through the whole house. [A committee was chosen to carry out this vote ] according to the best of their judgment, that is, ye Best or Most Convenient Seat to ye first man; ye second to ye next, and to place as many in a pue as they may judge may conveniently sit in it & ye Ne- cessity of Seating may Require.
This arrangement furnished a sliding scale of dignity for the seats, to be settled by demand and supply, and self-ad- justing. The seats were to be dignified by the occupants, and not the people by the seats. The "upper crust " retained all it had before, and the dilemma had disappeared forever. The committee were directed to reserve seats for Col. Eben- ezer Hinsdale and Mrs. Abigail Wells, and this direction was repeated at other meetings.
Dec. 6th, 1762, a committee was chosen to new seat the meetinghouse, according to age, estate and qualifications. Nothing was said of Col. Hinsdale or Mrs. Wells. For some reason the seaters were dissatisfied, and a new town meeting was called for December 20th,-
To know whether the town will make any alteration in any of the seats of the meeting house agreeable to the representations of the Seaters; if not, the Seaters Desire a Dismission from that business, or otherwise give them some further directions; and in particular respecting allowing seats to non-residents.
Voted that Colº Ebenezer Hinsdale and Mrs. Abigail Wells be al- lowed Seats in the Meeting house.
Col. Hinsdale was brought up in Deerfield, and his wife was daughter of Rev. John Williams. He had a home lot,
485
SHALL NON-RESIDENTS BE SEATED ?
house and place of business here, and another at Hinsdale, N. H .- a town named for him-and where he usually resided. Mrs. Wells was wife of Jonathan Wells of Road Town; her mother was a Deerfield woman. The Colonel and Mrs. Wells were both members of the church here, and their family ties were mainly with Deerfield people. It is a curious condition of affairs, when all this agitation and this town meeting was on the question whether two seats of presumably high grade should be left in reserve for the occupancy of these two non- residents, when they attended meeting here only occasional- ly. The seaters carried their point at this meeting, but at the next meeting, March 7th, 1763, a new committee was chosen as "Standing Seaters, to seat the meeting house from time to time as they shall think needful. Nothing more is heard of seating non-residents. In the warrant for the De- cember meeting in 1769, was an article,-
To see if ye town will direct their committee for Seating the Meet- ing house not to seat ye fore seat in ye front gallery & ye fore seat in ye lower tier of ye womans side gallery, but leave ye same for singers.
There is no record of any action on this article, but the movers in the matter did not give it up. Dec. 3d, 1770, it was, --
Voted to leave and not Seat the two fore seats in ye front gallery & ye two fore seats in ye lower tier in ye womans gallery for ye use of singers.
[In 1785, the town was] desirous that persons should qualify them- selves in the best manner that may be for singing in the Meetings for public Worship, and that the choice of tunes on these occasions shall be left with those who shall conduct that part of the Public Worship.
April, 1787, the seaters were directed to build pews "where the short seats now are, in the Body of the Meeting House." These short seats were directly opposite the north and south entrances. They seem to have been in the least desirable localities and were the last places filled with pews. See an- nexed plan. The seaters did not attend to this direction, but at the meeting of December 3d, a new committee was chosen, who promptly put up the pews, and January 7th, 1788, they reported a plan of seating, which is still preserved, on which these pews appear completed, and furnished with occupants.
Unsuccessful movements had been made from time to
486
MR. WILLIAMS AND THE MEETINGHOUSE.
time to have the pews leased or sold. In May, 1791, the town " Voted to lease the pews in the Meeting House, and that the money arising therefrom be appropriated to pay the Minis- ter's tax. Voted that the term for which said pews be leased be ninety-nine years."
In March, 1800, another attempt was made to lease or sell the pews, but without success. The matter was followed up at a meeting in May, and a committee was chosen to prepare a plan for leasing or selling. In a report made March 11th, 1801, the committee recommend a lease of the pews on the lower floor to the highest bidder, for six years. But the op- position was now in the ascendency, and voted to reconsider the vote under which the committee was chosen, and to dis- charge the committee.
March, 1802, "Voted to Sell the Pews in the Meeting House." Eleven men had their protest against this action recorded. Then a vote passed "to sell for six years." In December the committee was directed " not to sell the pews."
In the gallery, before 1787, eight pews were built against the wall across the east side. The four southerly pews were seated with young women; those on the north side with young men. A high, close partition separated the sexes. About eight or ten were seated in each pew, except those in the corners, which were about twice as long east and west, and furnished corresponding accommodation. In 1803 the trustees of Deerfield Academy were allowed to build pews in the southwest and northwest corners for students; the girls sat on the south side and the boys on the north. The space between these and the pews on the east side was occu- pied by the miscellaneous crowd not entitled to the honor of being seated-boys and girls too old to sit in the pews with their parents, hired men and women, apprentices, &c. A special provision was doubtless made for negroes.
The pews in the meeting house were never leased or sold, and the system of seating, which is being considered-that last relic of aristocratic English inheritance-survived until it went down forever with the old meetinghouse in 1824.
The accompanying plan was reported about 1780. The numbers indicate the rank or dignity of the pew.
CHAPTER XV.
THE PROPRIETORS OF POCUMTUCK. AGRARIAN RULES. GRANT
OF 1712. TOWN LINES. CONWAY AND SHEL- BURNE LAID OUT.
The tenure on which the first settlers held their land has been already pointed out, and also the origin of the term cow-common ; but a brief review may be convenient. For the two thousand acres which Dedham gave up for the Indian settlement under Eliot, at Natick, the General Court, in 1663, gave Dedham eight thousand acres, to be located in the wil- derness. The right of the Colony to this wilderness will not be here discussed. After due explorations, the grant was laid out at Pocumtuck in 1665. Seven hundred and fifty acres were given the party which located and surveyed the land. The remainder was held in common by the land hold- ers of Dedham, but was divided (on paper) into five hundred and twenty-two shares called cow-commons. This was in ac- cordance with the rule still applying to all undivided terri- tory in Dedham. These shares changed hands in the market until, in 1670, they were all in the hands of thirty-one parties, organized under the title of "The Proprietors of the 8000 acres at Pocumtuck."
The actual settlers here became land owners by virtue of the purchase of shares, or else by grants of commonage made them as inducements to join the little colony. The number of cow-commons was in this way increased to five hundred and fifty-seven, but in 1673 a large proportion of them were still held by non-residents. But it was to the " Inhabitants of Pocumtuck," the actual settlers on the spot, that the General Court gave the "seven miles square" in 1673. This grant was "such an addition of land to ye eight thousand acres for- merly granted there to Dedham, as that ye whole be to ye contents of seven miles square." By some unknown process of mensuration our thrifty progenitors seem to have extended this " addition " so as to cover a territory lying along the Con-
488
PROPRIETORS OF POCUMTUCK. AGRARIAN RULES.
necticut from Whately to Northfield, of about seventy square miles, including the Dedham Grant. In 1674 the owners of the latter and the grantees of the former consolidated their respective interests in the whole tract, forming a new associ- ation entitled the "Proprietors of Pocumtuck." This body held in fee the whole seventy square miles, excepting the town plat, and the meadow land already set off to individuals, and to it was assigned the,-
"Additional Grant" of 1712. While the war was still raging, a movement was made to enlarge our territory. No action of the town is recorded. The petition of Mr. Williams is not found, and the following is the only account or history of the transaction discovered :-
May 28: 1712 In Council
Upon Reading a petition of Mr John Williams Minister of Deer- field in Behalf of the s' Town of Deerfield praying yt ye Bounds of ye sd Town may extend Westward from Connecticut River as North- ampton and Hatfield Doe viz nine miles from ye River into ye West- ern woods: Also that ye two Islands in ye River aforesd Right against ye Town plat may be granted to the Petitioner and his heirs forever (provided no former grant Intervene) Containing between thirty and forty acres in them both Ordered That ye prayer of ye said peti- tioner be Granted
Concurred by ye House of Representatives Consented to J. Dudley
The thrifty Agent, it will be seen, looked out for himself as well as for the town. The islands granted him, it has been generally supposed, lay above the mouth of the Pocumtuck river, where small islands still remain. But by the "Town Plat " is usually meant the "Old Street." No islands are found "right against" that. Mr. Williams sold one undivided half of his grant to John Sheldon. No transfer of this purchase, or anything relating to the other half, is found on record. It is probable that these islands were two of those named in the deed of Mashalisk to Pynchon in 1672, and that they have been swept away by the river.
Nov. 24th, 1715, the town chose Capt. Jona. Wells, Lieut. Samuel Barnard and John Arms a committee "to discourse and agree with Northfield Committee concerning the bounds between each of these towns," and were authorized "to Joyn with Northfield Committy to prefer a petition to the Generall Court in order to the confermation of w' these two Commities
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