History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 94

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 94

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About 1740 Joshua Norwood bought of the Che- bacco fishermen their land at Straitsmouth and set- tled there with his son Joshua.

Several years elapsed before any new settlers were attracted to Sandy Bay. In 1704 Peter Emons was at or near the southern extremity, and within five or six years Peter Bennett was also at that locality. It seems that neither of them became permanent residents ; the old cellars that were visible a few years since show where their houses once stood.

In the year 1708 the Commoners laid out in about six acre lots all the land from Long Cove to Cape Hedge one hundred and twenty-two in all. Lot No. I was at Allen's Head, at Long Cove; No. 122 ex- tended to Cape Hedge. Bennett bought a number of these lots, and made his home here probably for the purpose of cutting and shipping his wood to market ; likely Emons was engaged in the same business. In 1715 John Davis and his wife came from Ipswich. In 1719 Jabez Baker and wife came from Beverly ; then came John Wonson ; he married a daughter of Richard Tarr in 1720. Next came Edmund Grover from Beverly, and settled near Loblolly Cove. Then Samuel Clark, who in 1726 had a grant of one-half acre of land ; then we hear of Joshua Kendall and Henry Witham and Thomas Draper, who married Sarah, daughter of Richard Tarr in January 6, 1733 ; next we hear of John Row, whose son and grandson were at the battle of Bunker Hill; Elias Cook, who came from Marblehead, and in 1734 had a grant of six- teen rods of land.

In 1738, in a petition of Jabez Baker, Benjamin Tarr, John Davis and others of the easterly part of the first parish of Gloucester ("Sandy Bay ") to the General Court, for an allowance out of the Parish

treasury to support a minister during the winter months. They say : " By reason of the great mortality, we have had thirty-one of our pleasant children taken from us by death. We have reason to bless God for sparing so many. There is still living one hundred and forty persons." Mention is made of twenty-seven families as being all the village ; two families, Caleb Pool and Jonathan, lost three children each ; the dis- ease was the malignant throat distemper; at this time it prevailed extensively in New England. Prob- ably there were but three or four families in Pigeon Cove at this time.

Thomas Goss came to Sandy Bay in 1751, and mar- ried Mary Tarr. This Goss had a wonderful dog in later years. Goss, with another man and his dog, in the year 1774, went out of Sandy Bay for a day's gun- ning and fishing ; a fresh breeze sprung up trom the northwest, the boat's sails were torn and she was otherwise disabled, and was being drifted at the mercy of the wind and sea. A vessel came to their rescue and took the two men and dog on board, and landed them at some port on the Chesapeake Bay. Soon after their arrival the dog was missing. The men took passage on a vessel for Boston, where in due time they arrived, and from thence walked home. The dog, emaciated and worn, arrived two days before.

Some time after this, Goss, with his dog, was out fishing ; while hauling a fish he broke off and came to the surface ; the dog jumped overboard to get the fish, a shark attacked the dog-this was the last of that faithful animal.

John Blatchford was born in the southern part of England about the year 1702. In 1716, when the river Thames was frozen over beeves were roasted and eaten upon the ice. He was present with hundreds of men and boys. "After the gentlemen had fin- ished their feast," as he himself used to say, "the boys were all bountifully supplied." At that time he was fourteen years old. Soon after this he came to Portsmouth. N. H., where he resided several years, and then went to Salem, Mass. He came to Sandy Bay about 1754. January 7, 1755, he mar- ried Rachel, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Clark. For many years preceding his death he was very infirm. They went to live with their daughter Rachel. Mrs. Blatchford died in 1800. Mr. Blatch - ford lived until 1809, when he died at the age of one hundred and seven years.

He had six sons and two daughters. Two sons died young. His eldest son, John, had a very hard experi- ence in battle and in prison-ships in the Revolutionary War. His youngest son, Henry, died in Rockport in 1853, aged eighty-four years. A grandson, William, served on board the United States frigate "Congress" when eleven years old, and received a land warrant for that service when he was past seventy. He died January 20, 1864, aged seventy-six years. Another grandson, John, was Representative to the General

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Court in 1834-35. There are quite a number of the descendants of the elder Blatchford still living here, among which is Eben, the leading apothecary for many years, and his son Eben, who succeeded him in the business.

Besides those already named as the first and among the first settlers of Sandy, there were others whose names are familiar at this day : James Parsons, 1744 ; Joseph Thurston, the first of the name in the village, resided several years at Pigeon Hill. His son Joseph settled here in 1754. Thomas Oakes was living here in 1748. The llarrises first located at Pigeon Hill previous to 1754.

£ 8. d.

" The province tax that year was. 14 2 = 847.09

Town tax 12 3 G = 40.58

Total tax.

$87.67 "

In the year 1754 the whole number of tax-payers in Sandy Bay was thirty-seven, of whom, probably, more than one-half obtained their living by fishing and the others by cultivating the soil. Their fishing- boats were of hut l'ew tons, as at this time there were but two of sufficient value to be taxed. The village of Sandy Bay contained about one twenty-fourth of the whole taxable valuation of the town. The distance of these people from the town-school have forced them to rely chiefly upon their own exertions for the education of their children, and their remoteness from the meeting-house deprived a large portion of them ot the advantage and enjoyment of public religious wor- ship. A school-house was erected by them soon after 1725, when the commissioners granted them one acre of land near the centre of the village, on which to erect a house " to keep a good school in for the godly instruction of children, and teaching of them to read and write good English."

They also had preaching sometimes in the winter, and in 1740 obtained from the First Parish remission of one-third of their parish rates, on condition of supporting religious worship in their own village four months of the year. The First Parish was obliged by an act of the General Court to do this. Rev. Moses Parsons was their minister one winter; the names of the other ministers are not known.

The act of incorporation of the Fifth Parish, "Sandy Bay," received the approval of the Governor January 1, 1754.

The westerly line of the new parish extended from Cape Hedge to the highway near Beaver Dam, and the ice in a northerly direction to the Squam Parish line.

The meeting-house was erected by the parish about the time of its incorporation. It stood near the head of Long Cove, and about forty feet in front of the | pre-ent Baptist Meeting-house. It was about thirty- six feet square, two stories high ; it had neither belfry nor steeple. On the south side was a porch, in which was the entrance to the audience-room, and a stair- way Rading to the gallery. The floor was furnished

with eighteen pews; each side the middle aisle, near the pulpit, were three long seats ; the other space was occupied with seats; there was a gallery upon three sides of the room. It was taken down in May, 1805, just before the decease of the venerable pastor, who had so many years officiated as the pastor of the church and people.

The new church was organized February 13, 1755. The ministers of the First, Third and Fourth Churches, with delegates, were present to assist in the organiza- tion of this sister church. The following are the names of the members who were dismissed from the First Church to form the new: Edmund Grover, Jabez Baker, Nehemiah Grover, Henry Witham, Jonathan Pool, Samuel Davis, John Row, James Parsons, Jr., Samuel Clark, Jr., and Eleazer Lurvey. They selected for their minister Rev. Ebenezer Cleave- land, who was ordained in December, 1755, with a salary of sixty pounds per annum. In January fol- lowing Edmund Grover and Jabez Baker were chosen ruling elders, and Henry Witham and Samuel Davis were chosen deacons. In forming themselves into a parish, the people of Sandy Bay assumed a pecuniary bnrthen of no small amount; and it is a fact in their history, which their descendants may remember with pleasure as an evidence of their religious character, that the salary paid their minister in 1755 was more than twice that of their town and province tax the year preceding. Mr. Cleaveland was a son of Josiah Cleaveland, of Canterbury, Conn., and was born in that town January 5, 1725.

About the year 1740 John Row, born in 1714, opened a tavern, and continued in that business quite a number of years; the tradition says held a commis- sion as lieutenant and served in the Canada War of 1757. Ile was patriotic, as were his sons. John, the eldest, born in 1737, was a captain at the battle of Bunker Hill; his son John was his clerk. Another son, William, was also in the battle. Eben, the third son of Lieutenant John Row, lost one hand on board the " Yankee Hero," while attempting to capture the English frigate "Milford." For this casualty he re- ceived a pension for life. He died in Georgetown, Me., aged ninety-four or ninety-five years. Isaac, born 1762, another son of Lieutenant John Row by his second wife, Abigail, received a half-pay pension for services rendered privateering during the latter part of the Revolutionary War. He died January 2, 1852, aged ninety years.

Ilis son Isaac engaged in privateering during the war of 1812-14. He died in Portland, Me., in 1857. Eben, another son of Lieutenant Row, served for a time in the Revolutionary War.

During the year 1754 the Widow Mary Gamage- born in Sandy Bay in 1717; her maiden-name was Norwood-returned from the State of Maine with her children, after an absence of several years. She en- gaged service as sexton of the church, and did ser- vice in the medical profession among her own sex

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ROCKPORT.

until 1797, when she removed to Bristol, Me, where she died in 1822, aged one hundred and five years. She was the widow of Nathaniel Gamage and the daughter of Joshua Norwood, born in 1783.

CHAPTER CXII.

ROCKPORT-(Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Rev. E. Cleareland-Rev. David Jewett-Rev. Wakefield Gale-Rev. I'm. H. Dunning-Rev. James W. Cooper -Rev. Charles C. Mclutyre- Rev. R. B. Howard-Rev. A. F. Norcross-Second Congregational Church -Pigeon Cove Chapel-Methodist Church-Universalist Church and Society-Second Universalist Society-Baptist Church and Society -Catholic Church-Protestant Episcopal Church.

IN the year 1753 the citizens of Sandy Bay com- meneed to build a meeting-house near where the Mount Pleasant House now stands. The timber was hauled to the spot and was framed and ready to raise when, on account of dissatisfaction on the part of a considerable number of persons, the frame was removed in the night time (tradition says by women) to the southern part of what is now Baptist Square, and there it was erected. It was thirty-six feet square, two stories high; it had no tower or belfry. It fronted the south; on the front was a porch, though which was the entrance to the audience room and the galleries, which were upon three sides; the front gallery was occupied by the singers. Over the pulpit was a sounding-board; the pulpit was also furnished with an hour glass, by which the minister timed the service. The lower floor was furnished with eighteen pews, and each side of the middle aisle were three long seats for the aged men and women ; there was a seat for the colored people (slaves), of whom there were several before the Revolutionary War; there was also a seat under or near the front of the pulpit for the deacons; here they deaconed off the hymn, one line at a time, for the singers. Cap- tain Young and Thomas Dresser led the singing; they had no music-book or tuning-fork; they were guided wholly by the ear. The horse block stood near the eastern corner of the meeting-house, by which they were accommodated in mounting their horses,-man and wife rode the same horse; there was, at that time, hardly a carriage in the village. Previous to the building of the meeting-house, in fact, until January, 1754, when Sandy Bay was incor- porated as the Fifth Parish of Gloucester, they were obliged to pay their tax to support preaching in the First Parish of Gloucester, of which it was a part ; but for several years previous to 1754 the First l'ar- ish relinquished one-third part of the yearly tax of Sandy Bay, on condition that they support preaching by themselves four months of each year, which, for

several years, they did. Rev. Moses Parsons offi- ciated one winter ; there is the name of no other cler- gyman hauded down except that Mr. Ebenezer Cleave- land came to Sandy Bay in 1752, and preached in the log school-house, which set in the yard front of the present Congregational meeting house, a part of the time.

EBENEZER CLEAVELAND was the first permanent minister; he was from Canterbury, Conn. (tradition says he preached a short time in Essex before he came here). A Congregationalist Church of ten members, dismissed from the First Church for this purpose, was organized February 13, 1755,-Edmund Grover, Ja- bez Baker, Nehemiah Grover, Henry Witham, Jona- than Pool, Samuel Davis, John Rowe, James Parsons, Jr., Samuel Clark, Jr., Eleazer Lurvey. Rev. Ebene- zer Cleaveland was ordained in December, 1755; his salary was sixty pounds per year, which was four times the amount of their town tax that year (exclusive of the frame for his dwelling-house). By vote of the parish the ministers that attend the ordination are to be entertained at the house of Samuel Davis; he to receive ten shillings (old tenor) for each man enter - tained ; and Mr. Francis Pool was to procure a cush - ion for the pulpit previous to the ordination. We are left almost exclusively to conjecture as to the ministers that officiated on this all-important occa- sion. It is more than probable that Rev. John White, of the First Parish (then about eighty years of age), Samuel Chandler (then about forty), John Rogers, of the old town (then Fourth Parish), and Rev. Ben- jamin Bradstreet, of the Third Parish, were present. The exercises undoubtedly were of a very interesting character, the influences of which have extended to the present generation, and we trust will continue unto all coming time.

It seems that Rev. Mr. Cleaveland was absent part of the years 1758, '59 and '60; this was the time of the French War, and he was, for a time, chaplain in the army, stationed near Lake Champlain.

And then, by consent of the church, he, in June, 1775, joined the Revolutionary army as chaplain, and the following winter was stationed at Dorchester lleights. He served also at Rhode Island and at other places.

On his return home he found his parish in a dis- tressed condition ; some had fallen in battle, others had died in prison-ships, many had perished at sea ; nearly all the able-bodied men were ab-ent in the army or on board of naval vessels or privateers. They were indebted to him for past labors, and the best they could do was to give him a salary of ninety quintals of bake-fish per annum.

Ile was therefore compelled to seek another field of labor, and accepted an offer to become superin- tendent of Dartmouth College lands at Llandoff, N. H .; also preaching in that and some of the neigh- boring towns until about 1785, when he returned to Sandy Bay, and preached to his former flock when

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

not otherwise engaged, for such contributions as they could raise for him.

After a few years he removed to Amesbury, Mass., and there preaebed until abont 1797, when he came back to his old home and finished his days in the house which he built early in his ministry. (Said house has had a third story and an L added and oth- er improvements. It is the Abbot House of to-day).

He preached at least once in the new meeting- house that was built in 1804 (and dedicated in October. Rev. Abiel Abbot preached the sermon), and baptized nineteen children. He died July 4, 1805, aged eighty years.

In all his private relations he was kind and lov- ing, and his publie duties were performed in such a manner as to give him the respect and affection of his people.

llis virtues were subjected to severe trials, but he came from the ordeal with increased brightness. Un- usual domestic troubles fell to his lot, but he kept his faith, and preserved a patient, serene and affectionate spirit to the end. lle died with Christian resigna- tion ; trusting as he said, "in the same God who had protected him when the bullets were flying about his head on the field of battle," and resting " on the doc- trines of free grace his hope of immortal glory."

Ile lies buried in the old Parish Burying-Ground; upon his grave-stone, besides the usual inscription are these lines,-

" Farewell, thon man of God ! We saw thy grief; Nor youth, uor hoary days produced relief : By painful crosses try'd, by sorrows prov'd, By good men honor'd, and by Jesus lov'd, Thy many years one hallow'd current ran ; A faithful pastor, and a godly man."

Mr. Cleaveland's wife was Abigail Stevens, of Can- terbury, Conn. She died December 25, 1804, aged seventy-seven years. When expiring, she repeated the following lines :

" Mercy, good Lord ! mercy I crave ; This is the total sum : For mercy, Lord is all my suit, Lord, let thy mercy come."

They had twelve children, only three of which died in Sandy Bay. One great-granddaughter is now liv- ing here, Mrs. Wingood.

REV. DAVID JEWETT. - After being without a stated pastor more than twenty years, Rev. David Jewett, a young man of thirty years old, and a grad- nate of Dartmouth College, was called to the pastor- ate, and was ordained on the 30th day of October, 1x05. At the time of his settlement the church had become almost extinet ; there were but two male and «leven female members; they were well-advanced in years. For more than twenty-three years they had not met around the ta le of the Lord. The salary of the mew monter was fixed at six hundred dollars each Year.

Tto sermon at the ordination was preached by

Rev. Samuel Worcester, of Salem, Mass. Text was Jeremiah, third chapter, fifteenth verse, "And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed yon with knowledge and understanding."

Notwithstanding the deeline of the church and the long vacant pastorate, the year previous to the or- dination of Mr. Jewett, there was built a large and commodious house of worship at a cost of nine thou- and dollars. And this when the whole population of Sandy Bay, probably, did not exceed one thousand, and the whole taxable property as appears by the assessors' books did not exceed one hundred thousand. Some seven years previous a school house was built by fifty-eight individuals at a cost of one thousand five hundred and sixty-six dollars; hence the name "proprietors' school-house;" therefore, notwithstand- ing the small number of church members and the low state of religion, consequent upon a so long vacant pastorate, there was within the people an inherent desire for the ministration of the word of God, and for the education of the children and youth.

Under the earnest and faithful labors of the new pastor the church soon regained its former position among the family of churches, and being blessed by revivals increased greatly in number and in spiritual strength. In the fall and winter of 1827 and '28 was the most powerful revival in the history of the church. One hundred and forty-one new members were the fruit of this one ingathering of souls. The whole num- ber of members admitted during his ministry was three hundred and five. He found a church of thir- teen members, and when he resigned, in 1836, he left one of two hundred and fifteen, strong and vigorous. From the earliest days of his settlement he adopted the custom of inviting the children to his house on Saturday afternoon for cateehetical instruction. There are some few now living (1887), that were partakers of that privilege. The Sabbath-school was organized May 23, 1818. Deacon Jabez R. Gott was chosen su- perintendent, and served in that capacity thirty-two years, though not continuously. The others that have occupied that position are Joseph Bartlett, Deacon Thomas Giles, Dr. Lemuel Gott, James Haskell, Deacon Newell Giles, Reuben Brooks, John W. Mar- shall and Deacon Andrew F. Clark, the present in- cumbent.

Mr. Jewett married Rebecca Reed, of Marblehead. Four children were born to them : William R., who became an earnest and faithful preacher of the gos- peł; D. Brainard, who was a successful Boston mer- chant ; Mary A., who married the Rev. Mr. Whitney, of Waltham; Elizabeth, now a resident of Boston.

His wife died at Waltham April 16, 1859, aged seventy-five.

Mr. Jewett, after leaving Rockport, made his home in Marblehead, and later at Waltham, preaching oc- casionally as opportunity offered. He died at Wal- tham, Mass, July 14, 1841, aged sixty-eight years. His remains now rest in the old Parish Burying-

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ROCKPORT.

Ground, in the town where his life-work was per- formed, and also those of his wife. The parish have erected a granite monument in token of their remen- brance of his devotion to the welfare of the people to whom he so long ministered.

The monument alluded to is an elegant specimen of Rockport granite, fifteen feet in height, and is a fine specimen of workmanship. On one side is the name " Rev. David Jewett " in raised granite letters ; on the other the following inscription inserted on a marble tablet :

" Born in Ilollis, N. H., July 16, 1773. Graduated at Dartmouth College, 1801. Ordained Pastor of the Cong. Church, Vetr. 30, 1805. Died at Waltham, July 14, 1841.

Distinguished for strict integrity, godly simplicity, unity of purpose, untiring energy and self-sacrifice, in his devotion to the Church of Christ.

Living he enjoyed the respect and confidence of his people ; dying, he left his memory embalmed in the warmest affection of their hearts.

This monument is gratefully erected hy the church and society of which he was pastor more than thirty years."

REV. WAKEFIELD GALE, a graduate of Dartmonth, succeeded Rev. Mr. Jewett, and was installed on the 4th day of May, 1836. He was born in Pembroke, N. H., and had been pastor of a church at Eastport, Maine, ten years previous to his pastorate here. The installation sermon was by Rev. William M. Rogers, of Boston ; his text, Mark 14th chap. 15th verse : "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The church was great- ly blessed under his earnest and faithful labors of twenty-seven years, and it enjoyed several very inter- esting revivals of religion. In the year 1839 fifty- eight new members were added to the church. The fruit of another revival, in 1843, was an addition to the church membership of eighty-two persons.

During his entire pastorate three hundred and fifty- two were added to the church, nearly all on profession of their faith.

Mr. Gale was dismissed by council on the 10th day of February, 1864, after a very successful pastorate.

In 1839 the church edifice was thoroughly repaired, and improved by a new pulpit and pews, new windows and steeple, etc., at a cost of eight thousand dollars. The text of the last sermon in the house before the repairs was John 14th chap. 31st verse : " Arise, let us go hence;" and at the re-dedication, after the work was completed, was from 116th Psalm, 7th verse : " Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee."

No accident had taken place during all the months occupied in repairs and improvements.

His wife, Mary Louisa, died in Rockport, April 12, ' H. Teel, of Lanesville.

1861, aged fifty-four years, an exemplary Christian and greatly beloved. Most of the time after he left town he made Easthampton, Mass., his home, and supplied the church at West Granville for a time. He was married twice after he left Rockport. IIe died at Easthampton, October 2, 1881, aged eighty-

five years, leaving a widow, two sons and one daugh- ter, children of his first wife.

ITimself, wife Mary Louisa, and five children are buried on his family lot in our Beech Grove Ceme- tery.

REV. WILLIAM H. DUNNING succeeded Rev. Mr. Gale, and was ordained on the 10th day of February, 1864. The sermon was preached by Rev. Nehemiah Adams, D.D., of Boston; the ordaining prayer by Rev. F. V. Tenney, of Manchester.

Mr. Dunning's pastorate was earnest and success- ful, though short and broken, on account of ill health. Its influence will be lasting.

After three years and a half, during which fifty new members were added to the church, he, on account of continued ill health, was compelled to resign his charge, and was dismissed by council on the 5th day of February, 1867.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 94

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672