History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 222

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 222

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).

A partial compromise was finally made; Muddy Brook being made the easterly bounds of the proposed new town at one point and Rye Plain bridge, near Newbury line, as a prominent bound at another point. The west parish strove hard to include what is now known as Dodgeville in the new town, but failed, and Warren Street, with three-fourths of the Rowley part of Byfield parish, was allowed instead. (About thirty

years afterward Dodgeville petitioned the legislature to be annexed to Georgetown, but their request was not granted).

A remonstrance against the division was signed by about three hundred citizens, headed by Dr. David Mighill. It was only after considerable debate, that the decision was reached, to call the new town George- town. There were those who, for a long time, felt that the name had too pretentious a sound, and were shy about repeating it. There were several names proposed, as Howard, Littleton, Nelson, and Mrs. La- vinia Spofford Weston suggested Lagrange. In the heat of the controversy and perhaps the babel of voices, one facetious individual proposed the name of Babylon. There has always been a conflict of opinion as to the honorable citizen who first suggested the name finally decided upon. By some it has been said to have been Mrs. Judith Daniels, then Mrs. J. Rus- sell, and that it was named in honor of her brother, George Peabody. Others have claimed that they were the sponsors, and, doubtless, at this day it never will be definitely known, from what source, or why it was so called.

The erection of buildings was going on at a rapid rate. Two churches had been built in the village, the old parish meeting-house modernized in its interior, and the church in Byfield, which is within George- town limits, also built. In 1840 an outside observer, in a sketch of the town as it appeared at that date, stated that "Georgetown is a pleasant and very flour- ishing place. Its growth has heen more rapid than that of any village in the county. The greater part of it has been built since 1827. Real estate has more than doubled in value during the last twelve years. More than fifty buildings, including shops, were erected in 1839. The inhabitants are probably more extensively engaged in the manufacturing of boots and shoes than those of any place of the same popu- lation in the United States." At that date, Spencer, Mass., and Georgetown, with similar industries, were nearly alike in population, with Georgetown, however, slightly ahead in value of manufactured products, having twenty-seven manufactories of boots and shoes : product, $221,900; invested capital, $99,000. Nine tanneries: product about $60,000; invested capital, $10,300. Carriages : product, $2,500. The aggregate product of boots and shoes in 1880 was about one-half million dollars.

CHAPTER LVII.

GEORGETOWN-(Continued).

CONCLUSION OF PARISH AND RELIGIOUS HISTORY- UNION AND HARMONY CEMETERIES.

AFTER the re-opening of the Congregationalist meeting-house in 1832, the parish voted the following

836

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

April that the town-meeting should no longer be held there. With the rapidly increasing population, had the town not been divided as was done five years later, a commodious hall would at an early day have been necessary. Town-meetings began to be held in Savory's Hall. In 1836 a church vestry was sug- gested. The building which is now the dwelling- house of W. B. Hammond, was then owned by Benja- min Winter, the second floor of which had been used for vestry purposes and social meetings for some years. In August, 1840, under the influence of the exciting questions of the day, which were then in- tensely agitating this community, several members of the parish, with one exception now all deceased, peti- tioned for the use of the meeting-house for discussions and lectures upon the great moral questions of the day. This request was not granted at the time, the meeting adjourning without any action upon the call. A similar petition signed by twenty citizens asking for the use of the house for debates on slavery was approved at a meeting of the parish in February, 1841, and conditionally granted. At this meeting a colleague pastor was voted, and George Prime Smith, of Salem, Mass., who had assisted Mr. Braman, and with marked acceptance was invited, but declined the call. Mr. Smith, who died in early manhood, was of Rowley ancestry, and on the maternal side by the Primes, was a direct descendant of Solomon Nelson, who settled on Nelson Street, in 1729. In February, 1842, a vote was passed to leave it discretionary with Mr. Braman as to the speakers, who, on the slavery question, are to be admitted to the desk. December 8, 1842, Enoch Pond, Jr., was ordained as colleague, his father, Prof. Pond, of Bangor Seminary, deliver- ing the sermon. Rev. Mr. Pond was a young man of much promise, deeply beloved by the church and peo- ple and highly esteemed by the whole community. The zeal and energy he displayed, wasted a perhaps not naturally robust constitution. March 15, 1846, he preached his last sermon and returned to Maine, where at Bucksport he died December 17th, of that year, at the age of twenty-six years. One week later his remains were conveyed to this town and buried in Harmony cemetery. The church and parish erected a monument. During the ministry of Mr. Pond in the autumn of 1844, the meeting-house was widened eleven feet on each side by an extension the entire length of the audience-room, of one story in height. Furnaces were added, and in the early part of 1845 a new pulpit, with furnishings, the gift of George Peabody, and a clock, the gift of Mrs. Apphia S. Tenney. In the evening of February 3, 1847, John M. Prince, Jr., was ordained as colleague, the succes- sor of Rev. Mr. Pond; sermon by Rev. Uriah Balk- ham, of Wiscasset, Maine; Rev. Isaac Braman gave the charge to the candidate. The venerable pastor was nearing the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination, and on Monday, June 7th of that year, the jubilee was observed with a discourse by the aged man, then

almost an octogenarian. The services were held in the afternoon, with assistance from Rev. Messrs. Hartshorn, of the Georgetown Baptist Church, Milton P. Braman, of Danvers (son of the pastor), and Prince, the junior pastor, and original hymns by Mrs. L. S. Weston, of this town, and W. B. Tappan, of Newburyport. A procession was then formed with Dr. William Cogs- well as chief-marshal, which marched from the meet- ing-house to Tenney's Hall, where a collation was served.

There were present as guests,-Drs. Dana of New- buryport, Perry of Groveland, Pierce of Brookline, Cogswell of Boston, Rev. Messrs. Braman of Danvers, Phelps of Groton, Withington of Newbury, Judge Cummings of Boston and A. Huntington of Salem. C. S. Tenney presided.

Several hymns, written by the talented Mrs. Weston, were sung, and a song with music composed by D. B. Tenney, was sung by Messrs. Tenney, Palmer and Holmes, and gifts were presented at the house of the pastor, among them the easy chair from the young men of the parish, so familiar for many years after- wards. The need of a vestry had been felt for years, and during the pastorate of Mr. Pond, the ladies of the church and society were actively engaged in furtherance of the movement. This was especially the work of the "New Rowley Female Benevolent Society," an organization which was begun in No- vember, 1834, with Mrs. Hannah Braman and Miss Susan Nelson (now Mrs. G. J. Tenney), as the first president and secretary. In March, 1849, a commit- tee previously appointed to purchase or build a ves- try, reported favorably on the purchase of Adams Hall, now the residence of Jophanas Adams. This building, erected about 1835 by Josiah Adams, had originally a hall used for social purposes on the second floor, a store below, and was bought that year for eight hundred dollars, and used for a vestry until August 25, 1852, when it was sold, becoming the resi- dence of Rev. Mr. Prince, and later the home of Hon. Moses Tenney, the State Treasurer at the time. The chapel, now the Catholic Church, was built in the antumn of 1852, and on completion was at once occu- pied for vestry meetings. The society under whose auspices this property had been purchased, and held, accepted July 20, 1852, the act of the Legislature of April 23, 1852, incorporating it as the " Woman's Benevolent Society." Rev. Mr. Prince resigned Feb- ruary 8, 1857, and removed to Bridgewater in 1858, where he died the following year. He was born in Portland, June, 1820; graduate of Bowdoin, 1841; Bangor Seminary, 1845.

Rev. Charles Beecher was installed November 19, 1857, as the third colleague pastor with sermons by Professor Calvin Stowe. Other clergymen assisting were Doctors Withington, J. P. Cleveland and Pike, E. B. and Revs. D. W. Foster, McCollum and Willcox.

December 26, 1858, Rev. Isaac Braman died at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. Rev. D. T.

837

GEORGETOWN.

Kimball, of Ipswich, preached the funeral sermon. A suggestive memorial in Union Cemetery marks the grave of the venerated second pastor of this church. Rev. Mr. Beecher continued in active service as pas- tor until 1870, and nominally for some years after- wards. He is now pastor of a church in Pennsylvania. A daughter, the wife of Mr. G. W. Noyes, still resides in this town, whom he often visits. Mr. Beecher is much beloved by his former charge, and highly es- teemed by the community. His presence is ever a benisou of peace to many, and the gift of music which God has given him, had its birth in a nobler world than ours. January 30th, 1873, Thomas R. Beeber, now of Pennsylvania, was ordained with sermon by Rev. T. T. Munger, of Lawrence. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Dr. John L. Taylor, of Andover. Doctors Campbell and Fiske, of Newburyport, Rev. Messrs. Marsh, of Georgetown, Voorhees, of North Wey- mouth, Ecob, of Augusta, Me., and Coggin, of Box- ford, aided in the service.

The erection of a new house of worship soon be- gan to be contemplated, and May 16, 1873, the society voted to purchase and build on a lot, then owned by Messrs. Moulton, Chaplin and Noyes, at the left of a court then extending from Central to Middle Streets. Since the erection of the church building this court has been opened beyond to School Street, and to con- memorate the Daniel Clark house, which was ancient- ly near by, has been named Clark Street.

December 13, 1874, the final service was held in the old meeting-house, Rev. Mr. Beeber preaching an historical sermon. December 17, 1874, the new church was dedicated, with sermon by Rev. J. H. Ecob, of Maine. Prayer of dedication by Rev. Dr. Seelye. The old house was demolished the following year. August 30, 1876, Rev. Alfred F. Marsh was ip- stalled, with a sermon by Rev. Dr. Campbell, of New- buryport. Other parts of the service were by Rev. Messrs. Fulsom, Boyd, Kimball, Childs, Spaulding and Marsh.

The present pastor, Rev. Levi Rodgers, was in- stalled May 4, 1881. The sermon by Professor Smythe, of Andover. Other parts by Doctors Seelye and Spaulding, Rev. Messrs. Kingsbury, Hubbard, Marsh and Barnes. The Sunday-school of this church was begun about 1816. For many years before, exercises in the catechism were sustained on Saturday after- noons by the pastor. This parish have a ministerial fund of seven thousand dollars, a bequest from John Perley.

Should the society cease to have a settled minister, or be dissolved, then the income is to revert to the Perley Free School. This society has a flourishing mission circle. Miss Theodora Crosby, a member, is a missionary in the Pacific Islands.

In the settlement of Mr. Beecher as pastor of the Congregational Church, some positive opposition was manifested by a prominent minority of the parish. The objectious, openly expressed at the outset, gath-

ered force, and finally culminated in a public council of ministers and churches, on the ground that the doctrines advocated by Mr. Beecher were not in ac- cordance with the accepted theology of the Orthodox Congregational Church. The result of the council was eventually the withdrawal of those not in har- mony with Mr. Beecher, and the establishing by them of a separate religious service in the chapel, as a ma- jerity of the members of the society, controlling this chapel property, are said to have been among the la- dies who withdrew. They were organized into a dis- tinct church January 27, 1864, Dr. Pike, of Rowley, preaching the sermon on the occasion from Phil. I : 27. Rev. Mr. McCullom, of Bradford, gave the fel- lowship of the churches ; Rev. Mr. Thompson, of Amesbury, the consecrating prayer; Rev. Mr. Dog- get, of Groveland, read the Scripture lesson; and Rev. Mr. Edgell, of West Newbury, administered the sacrament. This church had the pulpit service of several clergymen, most of them young men, and some of rare gifts.

Rev. Eugene Titus, afterwards settled in Gorham, N. H., and Beverly, Mass., a son-in-law of Mr. George W. Chaplin, of this town, a longer period than any other. Mr. Titus, born November, 1834, died July 21, 1876, and is buried in Harmony Cemetery. During the visit of George Peabody, of London, to this country in 1866, he conferred with his sister, Mrs. Daniels, formerly the wife of Jeremiah Russell, Esq. (the first attorney to settle in this town), who was a member of this church, and the result was the erec- tion of the Memorial Church building, which was made a joint gift from the brother and sister, to this new religious organization. The corner-stone of this attractive brick edifice was laid by Dr. Jeremiah Spofford, of Groveland, in the afternoon of Septem- ber 9, 1866, the ceremonies preceding those at the Li- brary Building on the same day.

This building, the cost of which, including the grounds adjoining, was not less than one hundred thousand dollars, is a memorial to Judith Dodge Peabody, the daughter of Jeremiah Dodge, who re- moved with his family from his home on the Bailey Lane road, about 1793, to South Dauvers (now Pea- body), and who was the mother of George Peabody and Mrs. Daniels. The honse was dedicated January 8, 1868, M. P. Braman, D.D., of Danvers, delivering the sermon, and a dedication hymn by John G. Whit- tier, with an additional service in the evening, and sermon by Mr. Richardsou, of Newburyport. Two tablets in the rear of the desk are memorials, one of Mrs. Peabody, the mother of George Peabody, who while living in New Rowley, was a member of the Congregational Church, and the other of Rev. Isaac Braman.

Rev. David Dana Marsh, the first and present pas- tor, was ordained September 12, 1868; Rev. Mr. Bar- bour, of Peabody, delivering the sermon. Ordaining prayer was by Rev. Dr. Pike, of Rowley. Other exer-

838

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

cises were by Messrs. Tołman, of Wilmington, Kings- bnry, of Bradford, and McCullom, of Medford. The Sunday-school connected with this church was estab- lished where public services were begun, and has John F. Jackson as present superintendent, and Henry Hilliard as Librarian.

There is also a society of Christian Endeavor, or- ganized at an early period in the formation of these societies, and a flourishing branch of the "Woman's Missionary Society." The original benevolent socie- ty, dating back to 1834, of which this church is re- garded as the direct sequence still exists with regular meetings, and annual meeting in November. The fine house adjoining, formerly the home of Mrs. Daniels, and a place that in its quiet had more attrac- tions to Mr. Peabody, when in this country, than any other, is now the permanent residence of the pastor. This church is in no wise allied to a parochial, secu- lar body or society, but is incorporated, and controls all its property in its own name.

The Byfield parish were afflicted March 1, 1833, by the loss of the meeting-house by fire. Their third and present house was built the same year, and dedi- cated November 7th, with a sermon by Rev. Dr. J. P. Cleveland, then of Salem, Mass. Rev. Henry Durant, the fourth pastor, was ordained December 25, 1838. He continued in the pastorate until March 31, 1849. About two years previously, the Trustees of Dummer Academy had urged his accep- tance as principal of that institution, but his Byfield parish were decided in retaining him as pastor. Rev. Francis V. Tenney was installed March 1, 1850, and was the pastor until April 22, 1857.

June 16, 1858, Rev. Charles Brooks was settled. Other pastors who followed, are Rev. James H. Childs, who was ordained October 7, 1875, and dis- missed December 22, 1880. The present incumbent, Rev. Geo. L. Gleason, of Manchester, Mass., was in- stalled September 20, 1882. The cemeteries of this parish are near, and adjoining the church. The first interment, was that of Mrs. Mehetable Moody, a daughter of Henry Sewall, in 1702. The new ceme- tery was opened some years ago, and already many have been - buried there. All the surroundings of this church are peculiar and English-like, and the parish, in its entire history, is unique and attractive.

This history in Chapter LV. left the Baptists in possession of their new meeting-house. Rev. Ezra Wilmarth, after his dismission from the pastorate in 1834, remained in the town, as several of his daugh- ters were married here, residing here until his death, which occurred November 28, 1846. He was born January 19, 1772. He was buried in Harmony Cemetery. For eighteen months the church was without a pastor, and the pulpit supply for much of the time was Rev. Daniel F. Richardson, afterwards a tutor in Wake Forest College, N. C., and later, for many years, the postmaster of Hanover, N. H., where he died a few years ago.

February 4, 1836, John Burden, of Hampstead, N. H., was ordained the pastor, with sermon by Rev. John Holroyd, of Danvers; Dr. Jeremiah Chaplin, who had not long before resigned his position as president of the college at Waterville, Me., was then the pastor of the Baptist Church at Old Rowley, and counselled the young candidate of this church, into whose fellowship he had been baptized abont a half century before. Late in 1837, or early in 1838, the meeting-house was removed from its site near the mill, now the woolen-factory, to where it now is. This removal was in the face of much opposition, largely from the Thurlows, Pearsons and other meni- bers of the society, living in the vicinity of Byfield. The founding of the Methodist interest at Byfield Mills can largely be attributed to the removal. Rev. Mr. Burden continued as pastor until the autumn of 1840. He was a warm anti-slavery advocate, and during his ministry much of the moral atmosphere was seething hot with reform movement, and he was not backward about entering the lists. The Grimke sisters spoke from the Baptist pulpit, with Deacon Solomon Nelson, although a Henry Clay moderate, willing listener until Angeline denounced Washing- ton as a man-stealer, then he could listen no longer. The appeal had been made to the Congregational Parish for a recognition of the importance of this słavery question, but at first withont a hearing.

The community at large had already become one of the most active in the propagation of the new ideas. The Baptists did not wholly indorse the views of Garrison and his associates on the issue of southern slavery, woman's rights and kindred topics, but were ready to grant them a candid hearing. The Liberator was read approvingly by some of them, the abolition almanac was cherished as almost a sacred thing, as the writer well remembers he so regarded it in his boyhood, and many of the most active of the women, who met to pray for the emancipation of the slaves were of the Baptist people. The Liberator, that fire- brand, was excluded from the United States mails in the South, but the writer and his brother with boyish enthusiasm were agents in sending several copies to Charleston, S. C., in the packing of their father's shoes, for which they received a severe reprimand, when complaints came as they soon did from the Southern consignee. The Moral Reform Society, an organiza- tion of ladies, for the lifting up of their unfortunate sisters, was active from 1835 and onward, and was largely under Baptist auspices. For some years after the resignation of Mr. Burden, the Baptist church ex- cept for a brief period, when Rev. L. E. Caswell was pastor (afterwards for many years a popular city mis- sionary in Boston, was pastor, was without a settled minister. They had, however, the services of some men of fine talent, especially Rev. Mr. Moody, of Eng- land, who not long after he preached here returned home.

Others who supplied were Mr. Freeman, who went

.839

GEORGETOWN.

South; Horace Richardson, later noted as an educa- tor in California; Isaac Sawyer, of Deerfield; Stephen H. Mirick, George Keely and his son, Josiah B., of Haverhill. October 9, 1844, Joseph C. Hartshorn, of Chelsea, was ordained the pastor, with sermon by Dr. Barnas Sears, the successor of Horace Mann as Super- intendent of State Board Education. Rev. Mr. Harts- horn was scholarly, had a very successful pastorate, and much esteemed in the community. His resigna- tion occurred August 29, 1848. He soon after retired from the ministry, entered into business as a manu- facturer of gas-fixtures in Providence, R. I., and ac- quired an ample fortune. He is now a resident of Newton, Mass., retired, but perhaps retaining au in- terest in his former business.

The public gifts of Mr. Hartshorn, expressive of his peculiar character, are ten thousand dollars to Dr. Cullis's Consumptives' Home, for a ward which is known by his name, and a very large sum in 1884 to found and endow the Hartshorn Memorial College for females only at Richmond, Va., a gift in memory of his wife Rachel Thurber Hartshorn, who was a sister of one of the leading members of the Gorham Silver Ware Company in Providence, and who died very suddenly, a few years ago. In the summer of 1844, the meeting-house was lengthened, by the addition of about fifteen feet at the easterly end, the pulpit removed from the west, between the entrance doors, to the east end, and the slips reversed, to front the pulpit in its new position. A bell was also hung iu the belfry.

In December, 1848, Rev. Arlow M. Swain, of New Hampshire, became the tenth pastor. While he was with the church, a vestry for social meetings was fin- ished in the basement of the house. In July, 1850, Rev. Paul S. Adams, of Newburyport, became the eleventh settled pastor. The rightfulness of capital punishment, was under general dehate at the time. Mr. Adams taking the affirmative, had a sharp controversy with Rev. Mr. Baker, the Universalist minister. Mr. Adams was chaplain of a New Hampshire Regiment during the Rebellion, aud died not long since in Newport, N. H.

In September, 1850, the Salem Association met with this church. In November, 1851, Rev. Philemon R. Russell, ordained a minister of the Unitarians, and later a Universalist Restorationist, became the pastor, and continued until May, 1853. In the summer of that year he was residing in the Baptist parsonage, where his wife, one Sunday afternoon, just after re- turning from church, was seated with an infant in her arms, during a violent shower, and was instantly killed by lightning. The child escaped unharmed.

resigning in March, 1871. During his pastorate the meeting-house was modernized in the interior, with other improvements, at an expense of about one thousand dollars.

The parsonage property was, by permit of the leg- islature, sold, and valuable property opposite the church building, for some years the residence of Dr. H. N. Conch, bought for a parsonage with the pro- ceeds. Mr. Burtt removed to Buxton Center, Me. He was chaplain of the State Almshouse in Tewksbury for some years previously, was also founder and sole proprietor of the Christian Era, a Baptist weekly pa- per, now merged in the Watchman. Rev. R. G. Far- ley was installed in the evening of May 31, 1871, with sermon by Dr. Bosworth of Haverhill. Mr. Farley was superintendent of the public schools one year during his pastorate. He removed to Maine.

In May, 1874, Rev. E. T. Lyford, of Rowley, was settled and was pastor until May, 1878, when he re- moved to Billerica, Mass. Mr. Lyford was chaplain of the Eleventh Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teers (Colonel Harriman), during the Rebellion. In March, 1879, Rev. N. B. Wilson, a city missionary in East Boston, succeeded, but resigned, and in the fol- lowing January removed to Newton, N. H. He was much esteemed in town, and found a congenial field iu the active temperance work of the time.

In 1880, Rev. J. M. Burtt again assumed pastoral duties, remaining until the spring of 1881, when he returned to Buxton, Me. W. D. Athearn, a student of Newton Seminary, was pulpit supply until 1883, when he became the pastor of the Baptist Church in Spencer, Mass. Other students followed, among them Robert MacDonald of Boston, who on graduation ac- cepted the call of the church and was ordained pastor, early in Juue, 1885, Rev. Mr. Braislin, of Newton, Mass., preaching the sermon. Other parts by Rev. Messrs. Gardner, Stetson and Tilson. Extensive im- provements on the church building began November 9,1886.

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.

History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 222

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538