USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
201
CHURCH HISTORY
removed, seats provided for the singers and the pulpit removed and placed near and in front of the singers' seats. The old pews were removed and new ones purchased and so located that they faced the west side instead of the south, as formerly. A new floor was laid and a steel ceiling replaced the old one which was of plaster and papered, the alterations were made at an expense of $2000.
On August 25, 1913, the First Church celebrated its 200th anniversary in a quiet manner. This was in place of the Sunday morning service and the historical address was delivered by Silas R. Coburn, who reviewed the history of the church from the time of its organization. Remarks by Rev. John Welch of Illi- nois, a former resident of the village, who was visiting in the vicinity, completed the exercises. In the absence of early records the exact date of organization could not be ascertained, but there was evidence that two centuries were completed since the church was formed. At the time of the building of the house at the Center, Rev. Solomon Aiken was pastor and his private church record is the earliest that we have, as earlier proceedings were entered briefly on the town books as regular business of the town. In the earlier years of the existence of the church the min- isters were installed or given a settlement, but in more recent years the sentiment has not been in favor of this arrangement, but preferred to engage them for a specified term. A list of settled pastors is given :
Thomas Parker
1720 to 1764
Nathan Davis
1765 to 1780
Solomon Aiken
1788 to 1813
William Gould
1815 to 1817
Joseph Merrill
1820 to 1833
Epaphras Goodman
1836 to 1838
George W. Adams
1844 to 1846
Lyman S. Watts
1866 to 1867
Ernest L. Baker
1894 to 1897
May 26, 1920, a neat bronze tablet, placed in the auditorium, was dedicated in honor of the twenty-two young men who served in the war of 1917-18. Their names are placed on the tablet.
202
HISTORY OF DRACUT
UNVEILING OF THE TABLET
When the call came for soldiers to serve in the late World War, the response from the Hillside Church was hearty. In honor of the twenty-two young men who enlisted, the church people purchased and unveiled a neat bronze tablet. It repre- sents, at the top, the emblems of our country, viz., the eagle and American flags. At the unveiling ceremonies the young men were present in uniform and the address was given by Hon. Arthur W. Colburn. George H. Stevens was chairman. Wil- liam Ryder, who had served as a soldier in the English army in India, at the proper moment unveiled the tablet.
The inscription is as follows :-
1917 HONOR ROLL 1919
First Congregational Church of Dracut
A tribute to our patriots who served in the World War.
Forest H. Calhoun
George Mozley
Arthur H. Cashin
Herbert O. Nichols
Harold A. Giffin
Albert L. Pelton
Ralph S. Giffin
Wilson H. Pollard
Arthur E. Gunther
Caleb F. Rogers
Edmund H. Gunther
George J. Sanborn
Herman L. Hodge
Benno W. Shafter
Thomas D. Kearns
Raymond R. Stevens
William J. Kearns
Franklin W. Thomas
Harvey F. Kierstead
Frank R. Walters
James A. Walton
Died in the sevice of our Country George Garner
"These gallant men of our armed forces have fought for the ideals which they know to be the ideals of their country." -Woodrow Wilson, 1918
203
CHURCH HISTORY
PAWTUCKET CHURCH
When the protest of the people of West Dracut was un- heeded, opposing the location of the new building at the center, the opponents of the arrangement withdrew and became, on June 27, 1797, a body which was incorporated under the name of The West Congregational Society in Dracut. On January 6th of the preceding year, James Varnum had given a deed of one half of an acre of land to Parker Varnum, Jonathan Varnum, and Peter Coburn, Jr., members of the committee appointed by the proprietors of the society above named, the price paid being the nominal sum of fifty cents. The new bridge had been built and the Mammoth road opened to travel which caused the locality to be well chosen, as there was a prospect of settlement by families at this place, while it was convenient for the people of East Chelmsford, now Lowell, to attend church. "Besides these prac- tical and positive conveniences, there might have been a bit of romance considered, for this was the 'Ancient and Capitol Seat of the Pawtucket tribe of Indians and the spot where John Eliot first preached the gospel to them in 1647 and for many years afterward, as they gathered to obtain their supply of fish at the falls.'" (Hist. Paw. Church.)
The majority of those who had signed the protest of 1793 against the location of the meeting house at the center, became members of the new church. The unfinished building on the Taylor lot at Hovey square was demolished and removed to fur- nish material for the new building. It was built in the old style, as all meeting houses in that time were similar in the mode of architecture, and in 1820 a belfry was added and a bell purchased. In 1859 this bell was removed and a larger one was installed in its place. Although the members of the Society were responsible for the payment of the bills they were not exempt from taxation as the expenses for the church were paid by the town in common with other bills. The extra burden was too heavy for the new Society, and, in 1819, it joined the Presbyterian order. By this change their numbers were increased by the attendance of sev- eral families who lived across the river in East Chelmsford and who assisted in the Church financially as well as making it a strong church spiritually. The doctrinal belief of the two sects
204
HISTORY OF DRACUT
is the same, but the difference consists in the government of the church, the Congregational being independent, while the Presbyterian is a member of a body called the Presbytery. In 1837 this church returned to the original form of belief which it has since retained.
When, in 1819, the church became a member of the Presby- terian body, the Legislature by an act passed February 1, 1820, granted permission to a number of families of East Chelmsford, now Lowell, to be connected, for parochial purposes only, with the Pawtucket Society. Thus the Society received an additional membership and their taxes for the support of the church would be collected for the benefit of this Society. The families who were thus permitted to join were:
Phineas Whiting
Ephraim Osgood
Nathaniel Wright
Simeon Parker
John Ford
Lewis Butterfield
Silas Hoar
Zebulun Parker
Artemas Holden
Jeduthan Parker
James Bowers
Osgood Worcester
Jonathan Bowers
Joel Dix Varnum Spalding
Samuel F. Wood
Nathan Tyler
Robert Spalding
Josiah Fletcher
Micajah Bowers
Joseph C. Hall Otis Tyler
John Goulding
Nathan Tyler Jr.
Samuel Hunt
Nathan Hunting
Moses Chever Jr.
Nathan P. Ames
Amos Proctor.
Joseph Dane
Bradley Varnum
Although the churches were under the control of the town, there seems to have been some of the citizens of the town who did not approve of the Presbyterian form of worship, and who were unwilling to be taxed to support a church not strictly hold- ing the Congregational belief. In support of this statement there is in existence a petition for exemption from taxation which is as follows :
"Major B. F. Varnum Sir There is as we think a petition presenting or presented to the General Court for Leave to tax
205
CHURCH HISTORY
the Pews in the Presbyterian Meeting House in Dracut we the undersigned wish you to attend and request an order of notice that we may be present and show cause why the prayers of the petitions may not be granted.
Dracutt May 28 1825
PHINEAS COBURN REUBEN COBURN
JOSHUA MARSHALL JOSIAH FOX JR.
WILLIAM WEBSTER SOLOMON OSGOOD
WM. F. OSGOOD"
There is no further record to show the result of the presen- tation of this petition.
In 1844 extensive alterations were made in the interior, the square box pews were removed and more modern ones replaced them. The small, old-fashioned windows were enlarged and the pulpit rebuilt. A new parsonage was built in 1867, and later, about 1888, the old building was taken down and a new one built at a cost of about $20,000. In 1874 when the City of Lowell annexed this part of Dracut, the church ceased to be a Dracut church and its later history belongs to Lowell.
THE CENTRE ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
After occupying the old church building at the Center for several years, the Unitarians withdrew and the building became vacant. The families in this neighborhood and those residing at East Dracut decided to establish a new church and society. To accomplish this, thirty-six members of the First Church with- drew and organized a church under the above name. A council was called and the date of the organization is July 14, 1847. The following names of those who withdrew are:
Dea. Joshua Colburn
Phineas Richardson Augustus Hovey
Dea. Dana Richardson
Joseph Hovey Sr.
Charles A. Thissell
Mrs. Lydia Varnum
Samuel G. Hallowell David Richardson Adna Colburn Joshua Colburn Jr.
" Lydia Hildreth
Fanny R. Fox
" Abigail Eastman
George Hovey
" Myra Stevens
Obadiah R. Varnum
Hannah I. Peabody
206
HISTORY OF DRACUT
Mrs. Elizabeth Cheever
Clarissa S. Hovey
Rebecca Hovey
Nancy W. Hovey
Prudence Richardson
Emily S. Richardson
66 Fanny V. Richardson
" Almira R. Coburn
Lydia Colburn
Mrs. Hannah Colburn
Sarah Parker
" Clarissa Colburn
" Mary Hovey
Elizabeth D. Wood
Miss Prudence V. Fox
Mary A. Fox
" Nancy Stevens
" Mary Fox
In the years which have elapsed since the organization of the new church there have been but three settled ministers. Their names are :
Rev. George W. Adams 1847-
George Pierce 1863-1867
F. J. Kelley 1898-1904
Soon after the organization extensive changes were made in the building. The outside enclosed stairways were removed, also the old pulpit which was replaced by a more modern one. The gallery seats were removed, but the floors were retained and with a new floor in the center a new audience room was pro- vided in the second story with the pulpit at the east end and raised seats for singers with new pipe organ at the west end. The whole of the basement was used as a vestry, having settees in the center with the old box pews against the walls which re- maiued until about 1860. The door at the west end was for the public entrance and two flights of stairs led up to the audience room, while the south door was used as a vestry door. Large, modern windows replaced the small, old ones. The outside of the building retained its bare, barnlike appearance and with its coat of yellow paint it was for many years a well-known land- mark and known as "The Old Yellow Meeting House," by which name it was known for many years even after being painted white.
In 1869, a cupola was placed on the building and in 1884 an eight hundred pound bell was purchased. In 1897 the build- ing was reconstructed and additions made to meet modern re- quirements, at a cost of about $15,000. Besides the audience
207
CHURCH HISTORY
room which is located in the old building, there were added a chapel, ladies' parlor, kitchen and dining room. New furnaces were purchased and gas and water introduced. The grounds were enclosed which before had been common. Through the liberality of one of the members of the church a large pipe organ was installed. The dedication of the new building was held on July 8, 1897. On this occasion a beautiful baptismal font of Italian marble was presented to the church by one of the citi- zens of Centralville. The parish, incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth, is called The First Parish in Dracut.
BAPTIST CHURCHES
In 1774 an act was passed by the General Court exempting Quakers and Baptists from taxation for the support of other denominations. They were simply required to file a certificate from the proper officers of their own denomination to the effect that they were members thereof and paid taxes accordingly. The town appears to have accepted this act in 1781. It was voted "to omit taxing to pay the ministers all who were assessed to Mr. Chapmans tax, and those proposed Baptists and all others who bring certificates from Rev. Mr. Chapman." March 7, 1785, the town voted to "excuse from ministers taxes all those persons who declare themselves Baptists." They had no house in which to worship and at a town meeting held April 7, 1817, requested permission to occupy the First Parish house a part of the time. For some reason not recorded the town refused per- mission. It is possible that they met in some private house or in some of the halls connected with the taverns as the Society was in existence a year later.
On May 17 of the next year, an article was inserted in the town warrant stating more definitely the time which they de- sired for occupancy. This was six Sabbaths from date to the first of the next March. This was also dismissed and no further applications were recorded.
Denominational lines were more strictly drawn than at present, which may account for the refusal of the request. There is reason to infer that they located at East Dracut and two halls at least were in existence in which they could meet. The
208
HISTORY OF DRACUT
two entries on the town books and a subscription paper which has been preserved furnish all the records of the three years or more of the Society's existence. This is the copy of the paper. "We, the members of the Baptist Society in Dracutt, severally agree to pay the sums set against our respective names for the support of the Gospel in the said Society for the year of our Lord 1820." The names of the subscribers are those of families residing in the east part of the town although a few men of means in other localities assisted them financially. As they had no source of income except voluntary offerings the existence of the Society was brief.
EAST DRACUT METHODIST CHURCH.
After an interval in which there were no services held at East Dracut, the increasing population demanded a house of worship. The management of the affairs of the Churches had passed from the control of the town, and incorporated societies having the control were now independent.
By a deed dated October 10, 1849, a parcel of land was purchased by The First Methodist Society of Dracut of Hepsibah, wife of Oliver Richardson, and her sisters, Hannah and Eliza- beth Bailey. The price paid was twenty-five dollars. The people were ready to assist in the establishing and maintaining church services, and funds were subscribed and labor given so that a neat building was erected and was opened for worship May 16, 1850. The first legal meeting was called by Colburn Blood in his capacity as Justice of the Peace and the first mem- bers enrolled in the Parish were:
Moses Bailey Perez Hill, elected clerk
Asahel Clough
John W. Flint
Uriel Warner
Russel Richardson
Thaddeus Richardson
Benjamin Stevens
Thomas Lewis
The members agreed to associate themselves together for the purpose of supporting and maintaining religious worship and to form themselves into a religious society to be called the
DEACON ASA CLEMENT
(See Page 379)
209
CHURCH HISTORY
First Methodist Society of Dracut. A constitution was adopted, giving the name and object of the Society in the first two articles. The designation of the officers, the time of meeting, the qualifi- cation of members, their rights and privileges, are all defined. For several years the church was well supported, but later those most interested in the work passed away, farms changed owners and families settled in the vicinity who had no interest in the church. Some families, realizing the need of religious instruction for their children, have organized and supported, for a time, a Sunday School and at different times church services have been held but, continuous services have been difficult to maintain.
THE COLLINSVILLE UNION MISSION.
This Mission was formed November 15, 1897, and was established for the benefit of the families of the village, which had increased in size and population by the extensive changes made by Mr. Michael Collins. Land was purchased and a neat building erected. During the first years it was under the super- vision of the Lowell churches and, while nominally Methodist, all sects are made welcome. There has been no resident pastor, but ministers from neighboring churches and Lowell have been interested to keep the pulpit supplied. It is now self-supporting and has no connection with other religious bodies. The prospects at the present time are favorable for the growth and extension of this church.
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The need of a Catholic church at Collinsville was also greatly felt by the members of those families who were believers in the Catholic faith. For the benefit of such who desired to worship in this manner a neat building was erected by Mr. Michael Collins at his own expense, which while small, was large enough to accommodate the worshippers. It was in charge, for a few years, of the church located on Sixth street in Lowell and priests from that church officiated at the services, but later the building was enlarged, a residence for the priest erected and a resident-pastor was installed.
CHAPTER XII MILLS AND INDUSTRIES
T HE early settlers of Dracut found an abundant water power in the Merrimack river and its tributary streams in the town. The first kind of a mill to be built would be a gristmill for converting their grain into meal, malt and flour. Later, as they found time and means to build better houses in place of the buildings constructed of logs, saw mills were required and sur- plus lumber not needed for their own use was rafted down the river and sold. The first gristmill in the new town was probably the one which was built by John Varnum at the foot of Paw- tucket falls near where the Textile school now stands. Here was an abundance of power and as a dam which would reach across the river would be expensive and unnecessary the water was conveyed to the wheel by the agency of a wing dam. This dam was built with the end extending a short distance into the river, and a few rods above the end which rested on the shore which formed a triangular space in which water enough would collect to furnish power to operate a saw or gristmill. This was built early in the time of the settlement of the town, as mention is made of a dam at this place in a record of the laying out of a road in 1710. A map of Dracut, dated 1791, locates a saw mill a short distance above Pawtucket bridge, but by whom owned or operated is unknown.
In 1822, Thomas Hurd, who owned a woolen mill on the Con- cord river purchased land of Parker and Jonas Varnum and Daniel Coburn extending from Pawtucket bridge to the foot of the falls with mill privileges. The deed conveys the "right to use so much of the water of the river at the mill site owned by me in common with the said Hurd as shall, with what the said Hurd now owns be sufficient at all seasons of the year to carry the wheels and machinery of a factory of the size and dimension of the brick factory on Concord river." Hurd erected a mill on his purchase about 1825, but soon afterward his mill on Concord river was burned and the mill at the foot of Pawtucket falls was removed and rebuilt on the site of the one which had been burned.
211
MILLS AND INDUSTRIES
A part of the mill foundations remain easterly of the Textile school and at low water a part of the sill of the gateway may be seen. The abundant water power at the Navy Yard village was early utilized, but at what date is unknown.
The land on the west side of Beaver brook was owned by the Varnums. On February 23, 1739, James Varnum sold to Ephraim Hildreth one half of the stream and westerly side of the brook at falls "by mill called Hildreth and Goodhues mill, and all privileges that were reserved by said Varnum for use, benefit, and privilege of mill." Ephraim Hildreth, as before stated, purchased 1,300 acres of land on the east side of the brook which included the land now occupied by the Navy Yard village. This was in 1709, and the next year he sold to Ebenezer Goodhue, 16 acres adjoining the brook and extending from the falls in the brook to Merrimack river. Sometime between date of Hildreth's purchase and 1739 it is evident, from the wording of the deed from Varnum to Hildreth, that Hildreth and Goodhue had built a mill on the east side of the brook. The falls at that time were sufficient to allow two dams to be in existence at the same time and the lower one a few rods below Pleasant street remained until recent years. The mill to which reference is made was the one below the present bridge according to a deed now on record. December 16, 1756, Ephraim, William and Elijah Hildreth sold to James Martin "1-6 of the west half of mill dam adjoining to corn and saw mills owned by E. Hildreth and Z. Goodhue and others, being the lowermost mill dam on said brook, 1-3 of the land on which the dam stands 1-6 of west half of stream, also flowage and liberty to cut a sluice way, also 1-3 of the water of westerly part of the stream." This would locate Martin's purchase at the foot of the sand hill on which afterward the carpet mill and other buildings stood, but which at date of writing have nearly disappeared.
Josiah Richardson became a part owner of the mill on the east side, as in 1759 Martin purchased of him one-eighth part of the mill on the east side of the brook, but in 1762 sold it to Ezekiel Hale of Newbury, but retained the west half until 1769, when he sold all his rights in the mill property on the brook, also a dwelling house and blacksmith shop, also "easterly half of stream opposite with 1-3 part of new saw mill lately built, 1-3
212
HISTORY OF DRACUT
of mill yard and 1-3 part of corn mill now standing on the east- erly side of said brook."
Hale had possession of this property about twenty years and established a mill for fulling and dressing cloth which was woven by the inhabitants of the town in their own homes. His house stood on the north side of Pleasant street and was re- moved to allow the electric road to be built. It is now a few rods north of its former location; it has a frontage on Lakeview avenue and is numbered 1092. He died August 28, 1789, and is buried in the Hildreth cemetery. Capt. Hale was prominent in the town and was a member, at the period of the Revolution, of the Committee of Correspondence and Safety. The mills and mill property to which reference will now be made is evidently the present location of the mills. Exact information is difficult to procure on account of absence of records, but the careful study of this transaction will show that so far the references relate to the lower dam, while the record of the mills will show the location of the Hale property near the present site of the mills. He sold his property to his son, Moses, a few months before his death. It consisted of "1/2 of the corn mill on the west side of the brook" with the proviso that when there was a scarcity of water the fulling mill should be in operation 24 hours in a week. Also his dwelling house and barn on the east side of the brook, and all his rights in "the old corn mill that I was in partnership with, with Zechariah Goodhue."
From this transfer it seems that there were two corn mills and we locate one at the old dam below the present bridge and one at the dam above the bridge. Moses sold the property to his brother, Ezekiel, Jr., who, in turn, sold it to Joshua Bradley, November 1, 1792. It included the corn mill and fulling mill on the west side of the brook, also the dwelling house on the east side, "with 11-24 of the saw mill near the dwelling house with privilege of setting up a corn mill on the east with one half of the irons etc belonging." As no mention is made in the deed of the old corn mill, it had evidently disappeared. The deed also conveyed 21 acres on the south side of Pleasant street reserving to the owners of a saw mill at the lower dam a right-of-way through the land. No record of the time of the building of the lower dam can be found, but it was in use fifty years after the
213
MILLS AND INDUSTRIES
transactions were recorded. It was located, as already stated, at the foot of the falls opposite the sand hill on which the collec- tion of buildings known as "New England" was situated. All traces of the dam are gone, but an old sluice way has remained on the west side which shows where it stood. It was removed to give an opportunity for the better escape of the water from the wheels of the present mill. The following year, Bradley purchased 21-48 of the upper saw mill of Zechariah Goodhue with land "where the grist mill stood lately owned by Capt. Hale, deceased, and myself." The mills became known as Brad- ley's mills. In 1799, Ezekiel Hale, Jr., sold his remaining rights in the property to Isaac Bradley including "the scythe mill, workshop and dam." This was evidently the lower dam. The property passed through several ownerships and in 1814 was purchased by Jabez, Woodward, Artemas and Sewall Stanley of Bristol. The last two named purchased the rights of the others and erected a mill building on the property. They commenced the manufacture of cotton goods, but soon changed the ma- chinery and later produced woolen goods.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.