USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Orleans > History of Eastham, Wellfleet and Orleans, Barnstable Co., Mass from 1644-1844 > Part 11
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Eastham > History of Eastham, Wellfleet and Orleans, Barnstable Co., Mass from 1644-1844 > Part 11
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Wellfleet > History of Eastham, Wellfleet and Orleans, Barnstable Co., Mass from 1644-1844 > Part 11
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Chose a committee to join with Rev. Mr. Lewis to sell the parsonage lands in Chequesset neck, and to hire out the purchase money, the interest of which was to be paid annual- ly to the settled minister of the district.
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In 1768, the district voted to give Mr. John Greenough his whole tax, to keep a grammar school one year, to be at- tended only by such as learn the Latin and Greek languages; and that the school for teaching reading, writing and cypher- ing, be divided in proper divisions, and that each draw their money out of the treasury in proportion to the number of families.
A committee was chosen to regulate and locate the schools in the different parts of the district. There were forty-eight families in the south division, forty-eight in the middle, the same number on Cole's neck and the back side of the town, and forty-nine on Holbrook's neck, the islands and Pamet point, making a total of one hundred and ninety-three fami- lies.
The district received a request from the selectmen of the town of Boston, to send a committee of one man, to join the committees from the other towns in this province, and to meet at Boston, on the twenty-second of September, 1768, the business then to be made known .*
'Voted, that this district will comply with this request.' Elisha Doane, Esq., was appointed as their delegate.
In 1769, the grammar school was continued by Mr. Greenough, and the common schools, on the same condi- tions as before.
A petition was sent to the General Court, in conjunction
*This Convention was held at Faneuil Hall. Governor Bernard, in June, 1768, had prorogued and then dissolved the General Court, because they refused i to rescind, as they were required to do, the resolution which gave birth to the circular letter from the House of Representatives to the legislative assemblies of the other colonies. Application was made to the governor to convene them again, but he declined doing it without the express order of the king. A large body of . troops had been ordered to Boston, to enforce the various acts of trade, at the point of the bayonet. In this very critical state of affairs, at the instance of the town of Boston, delegates from ninety-six towns and eight districts, met at Faneuil Hall. Being a voluntary assembly and of course without power, all they could do was to state their grievances 'felt and feared.' Beside addressing the ipeople, they sent an able letter to Mr. Debert, agent of the province in England, and a pe- tition to the king, which they desired the agent to deliver with his own hand. The convention sat about a week. The day after their adjournment, two British regiments arrived in Boston, and before the end of the year, the town was garri- soned by about four thousand regular troops. - Hobart's History of Abington.
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with Mr. Lewis, to confirm the doings of the district in re- gard to the sale of the parsonage lands, &c., that the same become valid and lawful.
The range or line between the district and Truro was perambulated.
Oysters were found in great abundance on the flats, at the first settlement, but at this time the inhabitants had so in- creased, and such quantities were taken for consumption and for Boston market, that it became necessary, to prevent their entire destruction, for the district to take measures to preserve and propagate them.
In 1770, Mr. Greenough's Latin and Greek school was continued, and £53, 6s. 8d. was appropriated to support the common schools, and agents were appointed to employ school-masters and mistresses, and have supervision.
A petition was sent to the governor, praying bim to ap- point a justice of the peace in the district.
Agents were appointed to take care of the Indians' land.
Measures were taken to lessen the number of rum-sellers.
In 1771, £40 was raised, to be appropriated for teaching reading, writing and cyphering in the district.
1772. An act had been passed by the General Court, regulating the taking of oysters in Billingsgate bay. It was now voted by the district, to ask the Court to repeal the act, so far, that in the three summer months they should not be taken for Boston market, nor in July and August for the use of the inhabitants.
In 1773, £53, 6s. Sd. was raised for the district schools and for Mr. Greenough's Latin grammar school, as before.
Fish were allowed to be taken in the Herring brook, only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, except for codfish bait.
'The oyster fishery, at this time, appeared to engage the general attention of the inhabitants. A vote was passed to the effect that, whereas the oyster fishery in this district was the principal support of many of the inhabitants, and of great advantage to the province in general, and whereas, also, it had been greatly hurt and damaged by persons taking the
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young oysters, and, notwithstanding the law of the province, would be ruined, if not timely prevented, it was therefore a- greed to make and adopt by-laws to preserve them. A com- mittee was chosen to enforce the penalty against all persons who should violate the regulations; also, John Greenough, Esq., was appointed to inform the Court of Sessions of the proceedings of the people of the district in this matter, and to solicit their approbation and allowance. They were approv- ed and confirmed by said Court, and signed by the clerk, J. Bassett.
In 1774, letters were received from the committee of correspondence at Boston, with the votes and proceedings of that town and of a convention assembled there. The district meeting, before which these documents were laid, voted, that a committee of seven persons be chosen to take the subject into their consideration, and report their judg- ment upon them to the meeting. Mr. Winslow Lewis, Hezekiah Doane, Esq., Capt. Elisha Cobb, Joseph Higgins, Naaman Holbrook, Samuel Smith and Ezekiel Holbrook were appointed.
At an adjourned meeting the committee made their report, which being read, was accepted, ordered to be recorded, and a copy thereof sent to the clerk of the committee of cor- respondence at Boston. The most patriotic resolves were passed by the meeting, similar to those which were adopted at this time by the town of Eastham, in which they pledged their lives and property to defend their rights and privileges against the unlawful and cruel enactments and requirements of the parliament of Great Britain, and that they would not buy, sell or consume any of those articles on which the gov- ernment had imposed unconstitutional and unlawful duties. Also, that they cordially approved of what the inhabitants of Boston and other towns had done in the affair, and returned to them their sincere thanks.
Mr. John Greenough having sold a part of a chest of tea, contrary to their resolves, made a confession of his error, and asked to be forgiven and restored to their confidence, which, after some time, was granted.
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The school was continued, and the sum of £53, 6s. 8d. appropriated for its support, and the district was divided into eight parts or school districts, and one agent for each was chosen. It was also voted that the selectmen should pro- vide a grammar school-master. This was the first English grammar school.
New measures were taken, in conjunction with Eastham, for the regulation and preservation of the oysters, and the by-laws adopted for these purposes were approved and con- firmed by the Court of Sessions.
A county congress was held at Barnstable, November 16th of this year, composed of delegates from the several towns, to consider the condition of the county and the country. Messrs. Winslow Lewis, Zoheth Smith, Samuel Smith, Major Hezekiah Doane and Capt. Elisha Cobb were chosen to represent the district at this congress. On their return, the proceedings of this body, with the resolves and recom- mendations of the continental congress, were read several times, when the meeting voted their approbation and hearty concurrence with said resolves and recommendations, agree- able to the tenth resolve of the county congress.
A committee was then chosen to see that these resolves were carried into execution in this district, and the following persons were chosen: Mr. James Brown, Ephraim Covel, Timothy Nye, Doct. Samuel Nutting, Jobn Greenough, Esq., John Sweat, Samuel Waterman and Jonathan Higgins.
The district, judging it to be improper for the officers of the military company to hold commissions under the govern- ment of the king of England, required them to resign, which they did, and choice was made of Elisha Cobb as captain, Zoheth Smith as first, and William Chipman as second lieu- tenant. The district raised a sum of money by subscription for the suffering poor in the town of Boston, which port had been shut up by the British parliament.
The districts were now permitted to assume all the rights and privileges of other towns, and elected their own repre- sentatives.
1774. Naaman Holbrook and Col. Elisha Cobb were
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chosen as delegates to the first provincial congress, at Sa- lem, October 5th.
1775. Col. Elisha Cobb was chosen as a delegate to the provincial congress, at Cambridge the first day of Febru- ary, and at Watertown the thirty-first of July.
It was voted to appropriate £400 old tenor for the sup- port of the schools.
The town voted to have a grammar school, and the com- mittee employed Doct. Samuel Nutting to keep it for one year.
A committee was chosen to draft orders to enforce obedi- ence to the military officers of the companies in the town. 'These rules required such men as refused to attend on train- ing days to pay a fine,of five shillings. They further pro- vided that any persons who refused to pay the fine should be deemed inimical to the country, and that no one ought. to have any society or dealings with such persons.
A committee was sent to Mr. Lewis, to see if he would abate any part of his salary, in consequence of the scarcity of money and the difficuly of the times.
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In 1776, the town sent a petition to the General Court, praying to have their province tax abated, owing to the scarcity of money, and the interruption of their usual busi- ness in consequence of the war. They stated in their me- morial that they were situated on the most barren soil of any part of the province; that all the land capable of being tilled would not yield corn for more than one quarter of the inhab- itants; that the harbor, which was convenient for small ves- sels, was the only advantage they had for carrying on the whale fishery; that this pursuit, in which they had employed about two hundred tons of shipping, and by which nine-tenths of the inhabitants obtained their living, had been cut off by the British men-of-war which were anchored in Cape Cod harbor; that most of their vessels were hauled up and perish- ing, while those which had attempted to go out had been taken; that they were almost without bread and other neces- saries of life: and therefore prayed that they might be releas- ed from paying the tax.
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WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN, AND THE PART THIS TOWN TOOK IN IT.
Agreeable to a resolve of the General Court, (that every town, at a full meeting called for the purpose, should obtain the minds of the inhabitants, whether they desired to be in- dependent of Great Britain,) it was voted by the town of Wellfleet, that, 'if the honorable continental congress should think proper, for the safety of the good people of the united colonies, to declare said colonies independent of Great Brit- ain, we, the inhabitants of the town of Wellfleet, will sup- port them with our lives and fortunes.'
Col. Elisha Cobb and Mr. Naaman Holbrook were chos- en representatives, and instructed to use their influence for this purpose.
In 1777, the General Court made a requisition upon the ' town for ten men to serve in the continental army. The town voted to hire money to pay those men, who would vol- untarily enlist in the service, £4 lawful money per month.
Agreeable to an order passed by the Court, to prevent monopoly and oppression, directed to the selectmen, the town appointed a committee to fix and regulate the prices of the different articles of subsistence and all kinds of labor; also to procure ammunition and small arms.
Articles of confederation and union between the United States of America were now being entered into and adopted by the continental congress. The town was requested to express their minds upon the subject; but submitted to the judgment and wisdom of their representatives.
In 1778, eighteen men were enlisted in the continental army.
At the same time a committee was chosen to draft and send to the General Court a petition setting forth the dis- tressed circumstances of the inhabitants of this place, and praying for relief. Mr. John Greenough was deputed to present it.
In 1779, a convention was held at Cambridge, to form a state constitution. The new constitution of government was
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read to the meeting at Wellfleet by the moderator, and the town unanimously voted their approval of it.
A subscription was made for Mr. Lewis, on account of the depreciation of the currency.
In 1779, the British ship-of-war Somerset was stranded . and cast away on the back side, near Truro. The crew were taken as prisoners, and marched through this town on their way to Boston. They were supplied with provisions, which were. paid for by the government.
The number of men required of the town for the conti- nental service was enlisted, and ten silver dollars paid to each of them, in addition to the government wages.
The town voted to choose three delegates to represent them in the county convention to be holden in the town of Barnstable; and John Greenough, Hezekiah Doane and Elisha Cobb, Esq., were chosen.
The Rev. Isaiah Lewis having now become old and fee- ble, and being unable to perform all the labors of the minis- try, it was voted that he should be dismissed; but, after a consultation with him, it was agreed that he should relinquish his claim upon the town for his salary, and continue his pas- toral connection. £20 was voted for his maintenance.
A large committee was appointed to procure a minister.
A number of persons belonging to this town were lost in the ship America; one of them was William Doane.
In 1783, a treaty was concluded between this country and Great Britain, by which the difficulties were adjusted, and the independence of the United States acknowledged. Great had been the sufferings and poverty which the war oc- casioned, but far out balancing these and all other evils, were the blessings obtained.
Wellfleet endured her full share of the evils of war, and partook as largely as any other town of the benefits of inde- pendence and peace. The inhabitants were truly patriotic. They never for a moment relinquished their hopes of success. They did not sink into despondency under their privations and sufferings. They furnished, according to their ability, their full proportion both for the land and the sea service.
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Having a poor soil, and their fisheries and commerce be- ing cut off, they were reduced to such poverty as to be poorly able to pay their portion of the public taxes, with the ministerial, school and other charges, during the war and for some time afterwards. Soon, however, under the fostering protection of our free government, they again engaged in the fisheries; by a vigorous prosecution of this branch of indus- try on the wide ocean, and developing the riches hid in the sands on their shores, they recovered from their poverty and became prosperous and wealthy.
1784. The committee who were chosen to procure a minister, employed Mr. Asa Packard to preach as a candi- date for settlement. After hearing him a number of Sab- baths, the church and society unanimously voted to give him a call, with a salary of £100 per annum, and £200 settle- ment. Mr. Packard, after a consideration of the subject, gave his answer in the negative. He graduated at Harvard, 1783; and afterwards settled in Wiseasset, Maino.
In 1785, Mr. Levi Whitman, having preached to them a number of Sabbaths, received a call to settle with them as a colleague with Mr. Lewis, with the same salary as was of- fered to Mr. Packard. . Mr. Whitman desired the church and society to join with him and invite the neighboring min- isters to 'come and keep a day of fasting and prayer with them, and give their advice in this important matter. Mr. Whitman subsequently gave bis answer in the affirmative.
' Dearly Beloved in our Lord Jesus Christ:
"The great and glorious God, whose providence superintends all events, having directed and sent me to this place to preach the gospel of His Son, and the church and people having given me a call to set- tle with them in the work of the gospel ministry,-taking the matter into my most serious consideration, seeking direction from the Father of lights, and the advice of the neighboring ministers, and all other circumstances,-I feel it to be my indispensable duty to give myself to the work of the gospel ministry among you, praying that grace, mercy and peace may be multiplied to you through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen!"
'LEVI WHITMAN.'
' WELLFLEET, February 23d, 1785.'
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Mr, Whitman was ordained the thirteenth day of April, 1785. The following churches were sent for to assist in this solemnity: the west church in Boston, the churches in Han- over, Kingston and Pembroke, the third church in Bridge- water, and all the churches in the county of Barnstable. Dea. Gross and Capt. Hamlin were a committee to agree with some person to make provision for the council.
Petitions were preferred to the General Court for various objects; among others, to prevent the people belonging to other towns from taking oysters and other shell-fish in our bay. Rev. Mr. Whitman and Mr. Samuel Waterman were a committee to draw up said petition.
In 1786, Capt. Winslow Lewis was allowed £5, 13s. 8d., the balance due to him for the use of his house and the at- tendance of his family at Mr. Whitman's ordination; and Dea. Gross was paid for five days work performed on the same occasion.
Rev. Isaiah Lewis died this year, aged eighty-three years. He was a native of Hlingham. He continued in the minis- try here fifty-five years, during which time he solemnized two hundred and thirty-three marriages, and two hundred and nineteen members were added to the church. He pos- sessed a strong mind, and a heart devoted to the work of the gospel, in which he labored diligently and with success. It does not appear how large the church was at his death.
The line was run between this town and Truro, and new bounds were erected.
A committee was chosen to take care of and regulate the Herring brook.
In 1787, the Rev. Levi Whitman was chosen a represen- tative to the convention to revise the constitution of the state.
The town agreed with Capt. Hamlin to take the steeple off of the meeting-house and stop it from leaking, for five dollars. He was to forfeit ten dollars if the work was not completed by the last day of July.
The town was divided into eight districts for the better regulation of the schools, and two men were chosen in each district as a committee.
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The districts were located as follows: 1. The two lands, with the families of Joseph Hatch, Thomas Hig and Paine Higgins. 2. All the families from the first trict westward of the county road and northward of Jos Parcie's. 3. All'eastward of the county road and no ward of Rebecca Thomas'. 4. Included Moses Le Samuel Waterman, and all westward of the road from Si on Atwood's to Barnabas Young's. 5. From the last lin to Seth 'Hopkins'. 6. Included David Holbrook, San Baker, Elisha Bigford, and all to the southward as far Simeon Newcomb, Jr's. 7. Joseph Smith, and southw to take in James Brown and Samuel Watts. 8. All the mainder to Blackfish creek.
The schools were continued through the war, and more or less sums were appropriated for their support, according as the means could be obtained. A greater interest was now felt in the education of the youth, and more money was devoted for this purpose. The town was rapidly recovering from the effects of the war; new vessels had been obtained and were employed in the whale and other fisheries; and im- provements were effected in the public and private concerns of the inhabitants.
In 1792 it was agreed to repair and paint the meeting- house, to erect a porch in front large enough to admit two flights of steps, and pews in front of the galleries. The common business of the inhabitants was conducted with zeal and success. Samuel Waterman, Esq., and Capt. Lewis were employed to take a plan of the town, agreeable to the requirement of the General Court. The votes of the town were given in favor of the revision of the constitution.
The town voted to give the Rev. Mr. Whitman a horse, not to exceed in value sixty dollars. On account of the de- preciation of money at different times, the town granted him an allowance.
New roads were laid out, and suitable provision was made for the poor of the town, as before.
In 1793 the town voted not to assess any tax, but to pay the state tax and town expenses by the sale of the town lands and meadow.
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In 1802 the number of vessels owned in Wellfleet was twenty-five. Five were engaged in the whale fishery at the straits of Belleisle and Newfoundland. They carried their salt, and if they could not load up with whale oil they made up the voyage with codfish. One of these vessels was one hundred tons, three of them seventy-five, and one fifty-seven. There were, also, four vessels of about forty tons each, en- gaged chiefly in the cod and mackerel fishery. Four more, of about thirty tons each, were employed in carrying oysters to Boston, Salem, Newburyport and Portland. There were twelve other small vessels, of from sixteen to twenty-five tons, engaged in the mackerel and cod and other fisheries a- round the Cape.
1806. The town agreed to enlarge and repair the meet- ing-house, and a committee was chosen to superintend the work, viz: Capt. Lewis Hamlin, William Cole, Jr., Thomas Higgins, 3d, Capt. Lemuel Newcomb and Josiah Whitman. The new pews were sold at vendue for $2,520 61 more than the expenses. The town voted to give Mr. Whitman a new and complete suit of clothes.
1807. The town was divided into five school districts, containing one hundred and ninety-eight families.
EPISCOPAL METHODIST SOCIETY.
This town was first visited by the Rev. Robert Yallaley, in 1797, who was then appointed to labor in Provincetown and the vicinity. He preached several times in this place.
He was followed by the Rev. Messrs. Rickhow, Weeks, Broadhead, Snelling, Willard, and others.
In 1807 Wellfleet was made a part of Harwich circuit. The Rev. Joel Steele was the first who travelled the circuit. He was followed by Rev. E. Otis, who was succeeded by Mr. Joseph A. Merrill, during 1809 and '10. In 1811 Wellfleet was made a circuit in connection with Truro, which continued until 1827, when it was made a station by itself. The church was organized in 1802, and contained. three persons, but the number soon increased to ten.
Mr. Ephraim Higgins was the first class-leader. They
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continued to meet together for mutual edification and to hear the word preached, and their number gradually increased:
Exhorting one another daily, they were comforted and strengthened. In 1804 they were blessed with a revival, and a number were added to the church. This gave a new impulse to their faith and zeal to labor for the salvation of sinners, for whom Christ died. In 1806 they were again visited with a revival of religion, and a gradual increase of religious influence followed, when in 1810 many were con- verted to God and added to the church.
'They now found that it was necessary to procure a suita- ble place of worship, (having up to this time met in private dwellings,) and having obtained a site, in 1817, they suc- ceeded in erecting a house of worship on the hill north of the village, forty feet by thirty-eight. This was the first meeting-house erected by the Methodist Episcopal church in Wellfleet.
It was dedicated to the worship of God in November, by the Rev. George Pickering. At this time, including the branch in Truro, there were one hundred and sixty-four members in the church. This house was soon filled with willing bearers, and the society were blessed with a pious, devoted and laborious ministry.
From 1817 to 1821, great prosperity attended this church and society; the good seed was sown in many hearts, many of whom now live to witness that God hath power on earth to forgive sin. This was a time in the history of this church which never will be erased from the memory of those who witnessed it. From this time the church enjoyed seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power, and such numbers were added, that the house was found insufficient to hold those who desired to worship in it. It was enlarged in 1829, so as to make it sixty feet by thirty-eight, containing seventy pews on the floor, with galleries on both sides and for the singers. It was dedicated to the worship of God in December, by. Rev. F. Lombard, then preacher in charge. The number in the church at this time was one hundred and thirty-five. They were now
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