USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register > Part 21
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I 90
History of Framingham.
A petition was sent by the town to the General Court, and a com- mittee, of which Samuel Thaxter was chairman, was appointed and sent out to Framingham to decide upon the site of the meeting-house. This committee reported Dec. 29, 1725, that "the meeting-house proposed to be built shall be set on the southerly side of the path leading from the old meeting-house to Bare hill, and not more than ten rods from the path, and as near the said hill as the land appro- priated for that use will conveniently admit of ;" which report was accepted by both Houses of the Legislature. This report, as is seen, was a compromise offered to the north inhabitants ; and at the same time it recognized the right of the town to the " Meeting-house land."
Under this sanction, and in conformity to the order of the General Court, the committee of the town proceeded to mark out the spot ; and May 2, 1726, the town voted that the meeting-house be set on a certain piece of ground on the southerly side of the path which leads from the present meeting-house to Bare hill, nearly opposite to the place called the Square, where the committee have marked a pitch pine tree, being as near the hill as the land will allow, and not more than three or four rods southerly of said path. Col. Buckminster declared that the land was his, and expressed his resolution to obstruct the setting of a meeting-house there. And it was voted that a committee be chosen to vindicate and defend the title of the land in case any molestation were made or suit commenced. The said committee consisted of Nathaniel Eames, Peter Clayes and Joseph Haven. Voted, " that the underpinning of the meeting-house shall be a foot and a half high on the highest land, and so upon a level round the house in proportion. Voted, that if any persons will advance any money beforehand to carry on the building of the meeting-house, so as it may be covered and enclosed as soon as may be after it is raised, that the same shall be discounted in their future rates." The spot selected was a little north of where the old Games tavern (now George Graham's dwelling-house) stands. At an adjournment of said meeting, May 30, " it being urged by many of the inhabitants that the place marked out for a new meeting-house on the 2d instant, is too flat and moist, and also so near the hill that the shadow of the trees will darken the house at some times ; and that another place had been viewed by sundry persons who esteemed it more convenient, and also agreeable to the order of the Court, the meeting was adjourned for one quarter of an hour ; and being returned, the question was put whether the town were of opinion that the place viewed this day is inore convenient than the one formerly staked out? It passed in the affirmative by a great majority of votes. The committee before appointed, together with Sergeant Bridges and the Selectmen, proceeded to stake out the spot
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selected, seventy feet one way and sixty feet the other way, that so the committee for underpinning may take the advantage of the ground. Voted, that Samuel How Jr. Moses Haven 3d, Nathan Haven, David Bent and Ichabod Hemenway be a committee to provide such drink and provisions as may be thought necessary, to be brought to and be spent at the frame at the raising of the meeting-house." Col. Buck- minster objected to all these votes; and proposed, "that the new meeting-house should be erected on the easterly side of the river near to Joseph Stone's (the Abner Wheeler place). On taking a vote, the northern inhabitants generally voted in favor of the proposition ; yet they being by far the minor part, it passed in the negative." The town then voted, "to annul all former votes relating to a place for setting the new meeting-house ; and that said house be placed at the west end and as near the old meeting-house as it may conveniently be raised."
The warrant for a town-meeting to be held July 25, 1726, recites : " Whereas Col. Buckminster hath commenced an action of Trespass against Ephraim Bigelow, whom the Town's committee indented with to frame a new meeting-house on the lands reserved for the accom- modation of said house (and ministry), and hath at several times and in diverse manners, carried off from the lands aforesaid, several parts and parcels of the timber of the said frame, whereby the work hath been greatly hindered, etc." And at the meeting so warned, the town " voted, that Thomas Stone, Joseph Haven, and John Jones of Hopkinton be a committee to act in behalf of the town, at any court, before any magistrates, justices or judges, at all times : and in behalf of the town to sue and defend in any action, commenced or to be commenced concerning the Meeting-house lands; or any Trespass committed thereon by any person, in carrying away, defacing or spoil- ing any of the Town's timber, which has been supplied to Ephraim Bigelow to work into a frame for a meeting-house; and generally to act for the town's best advantage, according to their best discretion. Voted, that the money already expended on the town's behalf, in proving out the bounds of the Meeting-house land, and prosecuting those persons that carried away a part of the framed timber ; and also what money hath been expended in feeing lawyers in order to further prosecutions, be defrayed out of the £200 heretofore granted, and the remaining part of said £200 be put into the hands of the agents this day appointed."
Early in the fall (1726), Col. Buckminster and a part of the northern inhabitants sent a petition to the General Court, then in session, praying that a committee of the Court may be appointed, who shall view the premises and report; or else, failing in this, that the
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History of Framingham.
petitioners and such inhabitants dwelling near them may be set off as a separate precinct.
The town chose Peter Clayes and Nathaniel Eames as agents to answer the foregoing petition of the northern inhabitants.
In the meantime, on advice of the General Court, the following agreement was drawn up by Edward Goddard and Col. Buckminster, as representing the two parties, viz: "That the town be exactly measured, and the true centre thereof determined by a skillful surveyor and chainmen under oath, the chainmen to be from other towns ; and that a line be drawn from said centre towards the present meeting-house, and the new meeting-house be set up at the half-way centre ; and if it fall out that the land here be inconvenient for a meeting-house spot, that then it shall be set up at such place as shall be determined on by three indifferent men, one of whom shall be selected by each party, and the third by the mutual consent of ten men of each party- provided that said spot shall be within the circumference of thirty rods from the said middle spot; the whole charge to be borne by the town." This agreement was signed by eighty-eight of the leading citizens of the town, and embraced a considerable majority. Those living at the northwest part, who had petitioned for a new precinct, refused to sign.
The agreement, thus signed, was presented to the General Court, as the town's answer to the petition of the northern inhabitants; and Dec. 16, 1726, it was ordered and resolved that the aforesaid agree- ment be approved and confirmed to all intents and purposes.
At a town-meeting, Dec. 12, the town voted to pay Ephraim Bigelow £80 for the labor and expense upon the meeting-house frame. At a subsequent date, he was paid in full.
"Upon the 25th of January 1726-7, the inhabitants of both parties generally assembled, and by the very full consent of both parties made choice of Col. William Dudley for the surveyor, and James Brown and Deacon Fisk of Sudbury, and Lt. Samuel Brigham and Ens. Zorobabel Ager of Marlborough, for the chainmen, in measuring the town."
The minutes of this survey have not been found ; but in a subse- quent survey, made by Col. Ward, the exact centre of the town was stated to be a point near the present dwelling-house of Moses Ellis, which would carry what was known as the half-way centre, to near the present site of the Baptist meeting-house.
The effort to harmonize the conflicting interests appears to have been fruitless; for Oct. 13, the selectmen sent a petition to the General Court, in which they complain of divers unwarrantable actions and proceedings of Joseph Buckminster, Esq., relating to the placing
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of a meeting-house, and name especially a warrant issued by Francis Bowman, Esq., for a call of a town meeting, said warrant being clandestinely obtained, etc. The Court promptly ordered the said warrant, so issued, and the call under it, to be superseded.
" Nov. 17, 1727. The town voted, to proceed no further (under the present difficult circumstances) in their endeavours to erect or build a meeting-house in said town."
" Voted to raise £4, to be laid out in repairing the windows and amending or setting up some seats that are fallen down in the galleries of the meeting-house, and Lt. Gleason was appointed to lay out the money to the best advantage."
"May 19, 1729. Matthew Gibbs was desired to do what is needful to secure the galleries of the meeting-house, by raising them and fastening the pillars."
" At a town meeting Dec. 1, 1730, Col. Buckminster made the fol- lowing Proposals, viz. That the said Buckminster will make good all the timber that he has made use of either in his barn frame, or any other way to his own private use, that the town prepared for a meeting- house in Framingham, either in money as it shall be prized by men of judgment indifferently chosen, or in good timber to the same value, which the town shall think fit : Also that he the said Buckminster will deliver to the town all the remainder of the Town's timber prepared for a new meeting-house, now in his custody, or give free liberty for the town to take the same.
"Signed JOSEPH BUCKMINSTER."
"Upon debate had on the above proposals, It was voted, that the same be accepted, in case Lieut. Gleason and Ensign Pike do give good security to the Town's Agents forthwith to their acceptance, that the said proposals shall be fulfilled according to the true intent thereof, and not otherwise." The said bondsmen did not qualify.
At near the same time (December, 1730), the inhabitants living on the easterly and southerly sides of the river sent a petition to the General Court, representing, "That they are principally consisting of those Farmers taken from Sudbury and Sherborn, etc. Those of Sudbury Farmers, with others remote from meeting, before the Court had taken 'em off from Sudbury and annext them to Framingham, were designing to address the General Court to have been made a separate town ; but the Hon. Mr. Danforth making some motion to bring forward a settle- ment of a town off his Farms in Framingham, it put some stop to their proceeding. Those of Sherborn Farmers and others have secluded themselves from their rights in the Common and undivided Lands, for the sake of being nearer to the place of publick worship of God ; and
13
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History of Framingham.
also for about the spaces of 9 or 10 years were under a necessity to pay their proportion of the minister's rates to both Sherborn and Framingham, which has been a very great burden and damage to them. And since of late years (tho' once very peaceable) the town of Fram- ingham has been in great broils in several respects, and particularly in the concern about the public meeting-house, which is now shame- fully gone to decay : So that your petitioners have sundry of us several times addrest the selectmen of said town, and also in several town meetings earnestly prest that something might be done to the meeting- house as to repair or new building of it in the place where it now stands; but the town by reason of the fermentation they are in wholly declined to act anything, altho' much urged. And your petitioners for some years have laboured under these difficulties, besides a vast expense that we are exposed to to uphold and maintain the many litigious quarrels in said town, which have been very impovershing. . Now therefore we do most earnestly pray that the Great and Honourable Court would be pleased to Divide the town of Framing- ham, and set off all the inhabitants and families with their possessions, situate on the southern and eastern sides of the River, consisting of the number of 60 families or more, and erect the same into a separate town, etc. Which we humbly conceive will very much conduce to your petitioners peace, and not disoblige the other parts lying on the northerly and westerly sides of the River, which are far greater in number, and will be much to the glory of God. And your petitioners would intimate that we of Sudbury farmers and Sherborn farmers should never have yielded to be annext to Framingham, had we not expected the meeting-house place had been fixed in the place where it now is; but since Col. Buckminster by a course in law has recovered the land, the place for the accommodation of a meeting-house is very uncertain, and now we understand it's likely may be removed." Signed by David Stone, Thomas Pratt, John Gleason, Uriah Drury, John Adams, John Bent, Bezaleel Rice, Nathanael Eames, Jr., Richard Haven, and others, to the number of fifty-two tax-payers.
To checkmate this move, Col. Buckminster drew up a petition to the General Court, which was signed by eighty of the inhabitants living on the Danforth lands and at Stone's End, praying for a division of the town, "by a line near southeast and northwest, crossing the Centre and leaving the house of Ebenezer Stone (now Hollis Hastings') ten rods on the south side of said line."
June 7, 1731, Rev. Mr. Swift sent the following letter to the Hon. Josiah Willard, Esq., at Boston, for use before the General Court :
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Sir : I hear that the Hon. House of Representatives have granted a division of the town of Framingham (which upon 30 year's experience or more of the capacity of the said town) I fear will prove subversive to the best interests of the said town.
Such a division would be a great ease to me in my official performances, were the town capable of it: but by reason of the town's deficiency in the payment of my dues, and trouble they have given me about my settlement, I have been greatly impoverished, spent a considerable part of my paternal estate to support the ministry in Framingham, as I can easily make it appear.
Settling in the year 1700, before there was any paper money in the government (as I suppose), and having had but an inconsiderable allowance for the change of the species, I can't suppose my loss to be much short of £1000.
The deficiency of the arrears, since the town had a receipt from me, which I know ought to be made good, and am well informed are recoverable in the law, together with new charges which will accrue unavoidably, will be what one-half part of Framingham cannot accomplish without help, in my humble opinion. Verte Domine.
In the year 1729, the Hon. House of Representatives received it for good doctrine, I think, vizt. " that our Legislature have it in their power to make reasonable allowance for the discount upon the paper currency whereby minister's small annuities are much diminished :" and I depend (under God) upon the goodness and justice of your Hon. Board that nothing shall be done to my hurt.
Your obedient
and humble Servant
JOHN SWIFT.
The effort to procure a division of the town was unsuccessful.
A new move was now made, in another quarter. Despairing of peace at home, a considerable number of the leading families living on the Hemenway road, on Mellen's Neck, and at Salem End, determined to seek religious privileges in the neighboring town of Hopkinton. And in the fall of 1732, six of the male members of our church applied for admission to the church in that town, without presenting letters of dismission from the Framingham church. The facts in this case, famous in the annals of Congregationalism, are best told in the language of the Hopkinton church records : "Nov. 27, 1732. The church met to consider of the desires of Edward Goddard, Thomas Mellen, Benj. Whitney, Simon Mellen, Richard Haven and Simon Goddard, all belonging to the church of Christ in Framingham to be admitted into full communion with this church. Voted, to send to the church in Framingham to know what objections they had against our receiving them. Jan. 10, 1732-3, the church met, and voted to receive the above-named brethren, as members, in full communion
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History of Framingham.
with us, without a dismission from Framingham church (they being before in full communion with that church). The reasons inducing this church hereto were: I. Those brethren having used all possi- ble pains with the pastor to obtain a dismission from that church. 2. This church having sent a letter to the Framingham church, desir- ing their consent for our receiving the above-named members, or offer such objections to us as might justify our denial of their admission with us. 3. Upon the foregoing reasons, this church looked upon it as agreeable to the Platform of Church Discipline, Chap. 13, section 2."
A few years later, i. e., April 16, 1735, Deacon Joshua Hemenway, William Ballard, Elkanah Haven, Moses Haven, Jr., Joshua Hemen- way, Jr., members of the church, petitioned to be received to the church in Hopkinton. That church "voted, that the elders write to the church in Framingham, in the name of this church, to inform them of the above petition, and the grounds of the request, in order to gain their consent, or receive their objections. At a church meeting, May 12, was read the letter sent by the elders to the church in Framingham; also, the answer thereto by Rev. Mr. Swift, and the letters of Dea. Hemenway to the church, and Mr. Swift's answer to the same. After debate, the church voted to call in a convenient number of Congregational Churches to advise in the said affair." The ecclesiastical council met the third Wednesday in September. It comprised the churches under the pastoral care of Rev. Messrs. Cheever of Chelsea, Moody of York, Wise of Berwick, White of Gloucester, Loring of Sudbury, and Dr. Sewall, Thatcher, Webb, Prince, Gee, and Mather, of Boston. After hearing all parties in interest, the council gave its sanction to the doings of the Hopkinton church thus far, and advised that Deacon Hemenway and the others be received without letters of dismission from the Framingham church. Thereupon they, and their wives, and the wives of the six brethren previously admitted, were received to the fellowship of the Hopkinton church. About the same time, Nero, the slave of Rev. Mr. Swift, made application, and was received to the church in Hopkinton on the same terms as the others.
1733. A presentment was issued by the Superior Court against the town, for not having a decent meeting-house in said town ; and Ens. Micah Stone and Edw. Goddard were chosen agents to make answer to the said presentment.
In the spring of 1734, certain parties petitioned the selectmen for liberty to repair the old meeting-house as they shall think fit. Other propositions were made, which were severally included in the warrant for the March meeting. At the meeting, March 4, "the question was
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put, whether the town will raise a sum of money to build a new meeting-house on Benj. Treadway's land ; and it passed in the nega- tive." "Put to vote whether the town will repair the old meeting-house by re-setting the glass, and clapboarding the fore side of said house ; and it passed in the negative." "Put to vote whether the town will allow the Petitioners to repair the old meeting-house ; and it passed in the negative."
" At an adjournment Mar. 25, 1734, after some debate, the meeting took a recess for three quarters of an hour that the people might go and view several places then in nomination to build a new meeting house on ; and after the people returned, Put to vote whether the town will erect and build a new meeting house at an Oak tree marked, standing on William Pike's land, at the north end of Bare hill ; and it passed in the affirmative. "Voted, that the sum of £400 be assessed, to carry on the building of a new meeting house ; £200 whereof to be paid in in December next, and the other {200 in April next after."
Mr. William Pike sold the town four acres of land, for £14. [See ante p. 105.]
The new meeting-house was built the next year (1735). It stood at the northeasterly corner of the Centre common, nearly opposite the Otis Boynton dwelling-house, fronting south.
At a meeting May 19, 1735, Lt. Samuel Moore, Henry Eamms, Amos Gates, Ens. Joseph Stone, Michael Pike, Capt. Buckminster and Uriah Drury were chosen a committee to provide for the raising of the meeting house. " Voted, that they procure one barrel of Rum, three barrels of Cyder, six barrels of Beer, with suitable provision of Meat, bread, etc. for such and only such as labour in raising the meeting-house : That the said provisions be dressed at a private house or houses, and that the same (together with the drink) be so brought to the frame ; And if a sufficiency of victual be brought in by particular persons, then that the town in general be not charged for the same ; if otherwise, then the committee to procure and pay for the same.
Voted, that this committee procure a Gin and a man to manage it, by Tuesday come fortnight."
The cost of raising the meeting-house, as reported by this committee, was £68. 19s. And in addition, the town voted to allow them IOS. each for their services.
In size, this house was fifty-five by forty-two feet, and thirty feet between joints. It had three stories, with doors on the front side, and at the east and west ends. £150 more were granted to build the house, making £550 the cost of finishing the outside - though it was not painted till 1772. The sum of £350 was granted at different times for finishing the inside of the house. The pulpit was on the
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History of Framingham.
north side, and double galleries extended around the other three sides. The committee was instructed to build a pulpit, a body of long seats below, leaving an alley between the men's and women's seats, lay the floors, make seats in the lower gallery, and two pairs of stairs (men's and women's) to said gallery. The space next the walls under the galleries was reserved for pews. The ministerial pew was the first on the left hand side of the pulpit ; and, a pew in the northeast corner was reserved for the town's use.
" Voted, That the pew room on the lower floor be given to the highest payers; the several persons to enjoy their pews, provided they build the same, and finish the meeting-house against their several pews as high as the lower range of girths, within six months; the backside of the pews be ceiled by being double-boarded up to the lower part of the windows; and then up to the girths to be boarded, lathed and plastered, and white-washed; and at all times, keep the glass against the pews in good repair; and in case of neglect, to forfeit their pews to the town." A little later, liberty was given to such as desired it, "to make windows to their pews, under the inspec- tion of the committee; the owners of said pews to provide the glass."
A committee, viz., William Ballard, Richard Haven, Henry Eames, John White, and Joshua Hemenway, was appointed to find out by viewing and comparing the lists, who the highest payers are that were entitled to pews under the foregoing votes, and report to the town.
The lower front gallery was disposed of on the same principle as the ground floor - pews being allowed to be built next the walls, and long seats in front. The upper gallery was (when finished) fitted with long seats, which were free.
"March 10, 1737-8. Ens. Pike, Benj. Treadway, Abraham Rice, Wm. Ballard and Wm. Pike were appointed a committee to seat the meeting-house." The same method was adopted to " dignify" the seats, and to " seat the people," as in the first meeting-house ; only that "age " was more honored -- one penny being added to the assessed "rate " of persons between fifty and sixty, to raise their dignity ; five pence to persons between sixty and seventy ; while those over seventy were honored at the discretion of the committee. The rule, however, varied at each re-seating.
The last vote for reseating the people was passed in 1794. Some years before, the young men of the better class had established the practice of buying " a right " on the back seat of the lower gallery, which included the right to place a chair before them (for a wife when needed). The price of such a right was $3.50. Thus, without "a vote," the "right " of a new wife to sit with her husband, broke down the " bar " between the men's and women's seats, which had been up for near a century.
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In 1771, the town voted "to sell the ground of the two hind seats in the body of the meeting-house, to build six pews on, to raise money for repairing the said house." The committee sold the same for 681 pounds old tenor, equal to £90. 16. Lieut. Samuel Gleason, James Clayes, David Haven, Thomas Temple and Maj. John Farrar were appointed a committee to examine the meeting-house and report the proper repairs to be made, and the estimated cost of the same. And on their report, the town " voted, that the meeting-house be new shingled the backside, and new clapboarded all round, with new doors, and sash glass; also that the outside be well painted.' £80 was granted for said repairs.
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