USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Great Barrington > History of Great Barrington, (Berkshire County,) Massachusetts > Part 33
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William Phillips,
Who was a son of Samuel Phillips-an early inhab- itant of the Beartown District-became a lawyer and settled at Leavenworth, Kansas. When, at the elec- tion of the first Territorial Legislature-March 30th, 1855-Kansas was invaded by ruffians, and every elec- tion district, but one, carried by force in the interest of the Pro-slavery party, William Phillips saw fit to sign a protest against the frauds practiced. A few days after, he was seized by a mob, taken to Weston, Mis-
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WILLIAM PHILLIPS.
¿souri-eight miles distant-tarred and feathered, rid- den upon a rail, and sold at auction to a negro who was compelled to purchase him. Again, at the muni- cipal election-September 1st, 1856-Leavenworth was invaded by a large body of ruffians, who, under pre- tense of searching for arms, plundered the dwellings of the inhabitants. Mr. Phillips refused to submit to their search, and bravely defended his house against the assailants, killing two of them, but was himself shot down and killed, in his house, which was after- wards burned. His brother, Jared Phillips, who as- sisted in the defense, had his arm shattered by a bul- let, rendering amputation necessary. Jared Phillips „afterwards returned to this place, and a few years later, while accompanying a band of adventurers, overland, ¿ to California, is supposed to have been slain by Indians.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CHURCHES, RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS, AND CEMETERIES.
The Congregational Church.
In the pages devoted to Parish history we have, quite fully, presented the early history of the Congre- gational Church. This we now briefly recapitulate.
The parish-then the North Parish of Sheffield- was formed by legislative enactments of 1742 and 1743. The first meeting-house was erected in 1742; and the first minister known to have officiated here was the Rev. Thomas Strong-afterwards settled in New Marl- boro-who preached here for a time, probably as a. candidate, in 1742-3.
The parish committee, for providing preaching, secured the services of Rev .- afterwards Doctor- Samuel Hopkins, who came early in July, 1743. Mr. Hopkins, after preaching through the summer, to the acceptance of the people, was invited, by the unani- mous vote of the parish proprietors-September 9, 1743-to settle here in the work of the ministry, and was accordingly ordained December 28th of that year. On the same day with the ordination of Mr. Hopkins, the church was organized with five members besides its pastor. To these, twelve were added on the 5th of February following, and seven others during the year 1744.
Jonah Pixley was the first deacon of the church,. having been chosen, probably, at its formation ; he died August 18, 1759. Other deacons earlier than 1840, were :
Timothy Hopkins, chosen in 1753, died about 1773; Israel Root, chosen May 10, 1773, died October 7, 1809 ; Daniel Nash, chosen May 10, 1773, died May 6, 1794 ; Elijah Kingsley, chosen ..
385
REV. SAMUEL HOPKINS.
May 25, 1797,- Eleazer Barrett, chosen April 3, 1800, dis- missed 1816; William Remele, chosen May 6, 1808, died Octo- ber 17, 1832; George Beckwith, chosen October 11, 1811, died September 25, 1842 ; Elias Arnold, chosen January 12, 1827, resigned 1835; Gilbert Ford, chosen January 12, 1827, died December 25, 1840; Allen Henderson, chosen May 1, 1835, died January 15, 1856.
Mr. Hopkins continued in the pastoral office twen- ty-five years, and was dismissed January 19, 1769. During these years one hundred and sixteen persons. were received into the church ; forty five by letter and seventy-one by profession.
The Rev. Samuel Hopkins, D. D., was a native: of Waterbury, Conn., born September 17, 1721. He was fitted for college under the tuition of Rev. John Graham of Woodbury, Conn., and entered Yale Col- lege at the age of sixteen years, whence he graduated in 1741. He pursued his theological studies with the Rev. Jonathan Edwards of Northampton, and was licensed by a body of Connecticut ministers to preach, April 29, 1742. After preaching a few times at Water- bury he returned to Northampton for the purpose of continuing his studies with Mr. Edwards, where he remained during the summer of 1742, occasionally oc- cupying Mr. Edwards' pulpit, and sometimes preaching in adjacent towns. In the autumn of 1742, he sup- plied the pulpit of Rev. Doctor Bellamy for a time, at. Bethlehem, Conn., and afterwards ministered to the people of Simsbury, where he had a call to settle ; which he declined. In May, 1743, he returned to Northampton and resumed his studies, and from thence came, early in July, to this place, where he was or- dained December 28, 1743.
It was with many misgivings that Mr. Hopkins ac- cepted the call to settle here, for he had serious doubts as to his own fitness for the place, and a few months' acquaintance with his prospective parishioners had given him an unfavorable opinion of their general char- acteristics. In the main the connection of Mr. Hop- kins with the church, during the earlier years of his ministry was, apparently, a pleasant one, though he met with many difficulties and disappointments, and was less successful in the conversion of his hearers,
25
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
and in elevating the standard of the morals of his peo- ple than he desired. His preaching was doctrinal and argumentative, and his style of delivery unattractive. He was evidently deficient in elocution, and paid but little attention to it, nor did he make any attempts at oratorical display. But as a thinker, an investigator and writer, Mr. Hopkins excelled. His published works have given him a world-wide reputation. He was in many respects a remarkable man, and gifted with wonderful powers.
Mr. Hopkins was an industrious man, and labored hard for the welfare of his parishoners, exerting an in- fluence for good which extended far beyond his own church and people-an influence which was felt long after his removal from town. His church and people were strongly attached to him, and parted with him re- luctantly, for the simple reason that the town would not afford him support. After his dismission from this church Mr. Hopkins removed to Newport, Rhode Island, and was installed over the First Congregational Church of that place, April 11, 1770. With the ex- ception of a time during the Revolution in which the British occupied Newport, Mr. Hopkins remained in charge of that church to the time of his decease, De- cember 20, 1803. The Rev. Samuel Hopkins was twice married. His first wife was Joanna Ingersoll, daughter of Moses Ingersoll of this town, whom he married January 13, 1748; she died here August 31, 1793, in her sixty-eighth year. His second wife was Miss Elizabeth West of Newport, R. I., whom he mar- ried September 14, 1794, and who survived him. The children of Rev. Samuel Hopkins and Joanna Ingersoll were :
David, born December 2, 1748, resided in Maryland, and died there ;
Moses, born March 13, 1750-51, a prominent citizen of this town, died here March 9, 1838 ;
Levi, born March 31, 1753, died in Virginia ;
Elizabeth, born March 6, 1755, married Doctor John Sibley, died October 25, 1790;
Joanna, born May 9, 1757, married Mr. - Fisher, died June 15, 1786 ;
Samuel, born September 6, 1759, resided on the homestead, in this town, until 1806, or later ;
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REV. ISAAC FOSTER-REV. ELIJAH WHEELER.
Rhoda, - married Capt. John Anthony, died Septem- ber 22, 1792 ; Daniel, died in Maryland, February 26, 1788, aged twenty-four years.
From the dismissal of Mr. Hopkins to 1787, a pe- riod of eighteen years, this church was without a set- tled pastor, though several ministers were from time to time employed for short terms. Still, during much of that time the pulpit was not regularly supplied, and in this interval only twelve persons were added to the church.
The Rev. Isaac Foster, a native of Wallingford, Conn .- born April 21, 1755-and a graduate of Yale college in 1776, was settled over this church May 4, 1787. The ministry of Mr. Foster was, apparently, acceptable to his parishioners, but, as had been the case with Mr. Hopkins, the people were unwilling to afford him an adequate support. He was dismissed May 4, 1790, after a pastorate of exactly three years, in which five persons were admitted to the church. Mr. Foster was afterwards settled in the ministry at Pittsgrove, N. J., and died there June 2, 1794.
For sixteen years after the dismission of Mr. Fos- ter, the church had no settled pastor, and in that time preaching was intermittent and occasional, though when there was no preaching, religious meetings were held and sermons read on the Sabbath. In this period, though eleven persons were added to the church, the number of its members dwindled to twenty.
The third minister settled over this church was the Rev. Elijah Wheeler, who came here in the fall of 1805, and after having preached for a time, was employed, the next spring, for one year. He was so well pleas- ing to the people that he was soon after invited to set- tle here, and was accordingly ordained September 24, 1806. Mr. Wheeler was a native of Pomfret, Conn., born August 28, 1767. He was educated as a phy- sician, and practiced medicine in South Britain, Conn., but later studied theology and entered the ministry in 1804. The salary paid Mr. Wheeler-only $300 per year-was raised by an annual sale of pews in the old meeting-house and by tax upon the members of the so-
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
ciety. But it was found difficult to raise even this small sum, and the society was continually in arrears. The ministry of Mr. Wheeler, of more than sixteen years' duration, was highly useful and successful. In that time one hundred and fifty-two persons were re- ceived into the church-nineteen by letter, and one hundred and thirty-three by profession. Mr. Wheeler entered earnestly into all the little expedients adopted for promoting the welfare and elevating the character of the people, and endeared himself to them. He was dismissed on account of failing health, February 12, 1823, and died here March 20, 1827.
On the same day with the dismissal of Mr. Whee- ler, the Rev. Sylvester Burt was installed over this church. Mr. Burt, who had been previously settled in the ministry in Warren and in New Marlboro, was a native of Southampton-born September 30, 1780- and a graduate of Williams College in 1804. He con- tinued in the pastoral office here nearly thirteen years, and to the time of his decease, January 10, 1836. During his ministry one hundred and ninety-seven per- sons were admitted into the church-sixty-three by letter, and one hundred and thirty-four by profession. A council had been called to consider the proposed dismission of Mr. Burt, but his death intervened and his funeral was attended on the day appointed for the meeting of the council.
The Rev. Josiah W. Turner succeeded Mr. Burt, and was ordained and installed pastor of this church April 19, 1837. The ministry of Mr. Turner was a useful and pleasant one; he was much beloved, and a strong mutual attachment existed between him and his parishioners. Mr. Turner was dismissed, at his own request, September 30, 1850. During his ministry, the church, on the occasion of the Centennial anniver- sary of its organization, December 28, 1843, observed the day with appropriate services. At the close of the ceremonies, the Rev. J. W. Turner, after a few re- marks, presented the following motion, which was unanimously adopted : "Voted, that this meeting be adjourned to this place until the 28th of December, Nineteen Hundred and Forty-Three, at eleven o'clock
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MINISTERS.
in the forenoon, for the purpose of celebrating the second Centennial Anniversary of this Church." A sermon delivered by the Rev. John Todd of Pittsfield, on this occasion, was afterwards published, in connec- tion with a historical sketch of the church and the town by Mr. Turner.
The Rev. Stephen S. N. Greeley, the sixth pastor of this church, a native of Gilmanton, N. H., and a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1835, was installed February 4, 1852, and was dismissed, at his own re- quest, March 3, 1857.
The Rev. Horace Winslow succeeded Mr. Greeley, and was installed January 5, 1858. He was dis- missed March 19, 1862, in order that he might as- sume the duties of Chaplain in a Connecticut regiment, in the army. During the ministry of Mr. Winslow, the present house of worship was built; and its erec- tion is due largely to his energy and enterprise.
A vacancy of nearly two years in the parochial office followed the dismissal of Mr. Winslow. This was eventually filled by the Rev. Royal B. Stratton, who was installed March 1, 1864, and dismissed De- cember 14, 1866.
The present pastor, Rev. Evarts Scudder, was in- stalled over this church, June 12, 1867.
Until 1814, the Congregational society worshiped in the old meeting-house east of the bridge. In 1813, individuals connected with the society united in build- ing a new church in the central part of the village, which was completed in the latter part of that year. The building committee consisted of Deacon George Beckwith, Captain Jabez Turner, and Doctor David Leavenworth ; and Captain John Ford was the builder. The proprietors of the meeting-house, at a meeting held December 28, 1813, invited the society to occu- py it, and the invitation was accepted at a Society meeting held the same day. The house was accord- ingly dedicated December 30, 1813, and the society continued in occupancy until 1859, when the building was removed to Bridge street, where it still stands.
The present church, of blue lime stone, was erected by the society, upon the site of the second one, in 1859
390
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
at a cost-including bell and organ-of about $22,000; to this, a chapel was added in 1878, at an additional cost of $5,470.
The St. James Episcopal Church.
We have already detailed the early history of the Episcopal Church in Great Barrington, the circum- stances in which it had its origin, with some account of its founders and of its first permanent missionary and Rector. This church is reputed to have been "in- stituted about 1760 by the Rev. Solomon Palmer," but the certificate of the Rev. Thomas Davies, printed in a former chapter, indicates that he himself gathered this church, September 21, 1762.
In 1770, the Rev. Gideon Bostwick, on his return from England, whither he had been to receive Holy Orders, was settled over this church, at first as a mis- sionary, and later as pastor and rector. Mr. Bost- wick remained in charge of the church until his de- cease in 1793.
After the death of Mr. Bostwick, the pulpit was supplied for a time by Mr. David B. Lynson, and in 1795, by Mr. Caleb Child ; but the church was with- out a settled minister until about 1805-6, when the Rev. Samuel Griswold. from Simsbury, Conn., became its pastor and continued until 1820.
Mr. Griswold was succeeded in 1821, by the Rev. Solomon Blakesly-a native of North Haven, Conn., and a graduate of Yale College in 1785-who remained until May, 1827.
In September, 1828, the Rev. Sturges Gilbert, who had been previously settled in Woodbury, Conn., was placed over this church and continued in the pastoral office until the spring of 1839, when he removed to Hobart, N. Y.
The vacancy caused by the removal of Mr. Gilbert, was soon filled by the Rev. Samuel Hassard, whose pastorate was terminated by his death January 13, 1847.
Since that time the following clergymen have offi- ciated in this church, in the order in which they are named, though we have not the dates of settlement or terms of service : Rev. S. D. Dennison, 1848-9; Rev.
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CLERGYMEN.
Justin Field, 1850-1; Rev. John Woart, 1851-54; Rev. W. Wood Seymour, 1855; Rev. G. Lewis Platt, 1856-58 ; Rev. C. A. L. Richards, 1859-60; Rev. John T. Huntington, 1862 ; Rev. Robert Weeks, 1864; Rev. John H. Rogers, 1865; Rev. Dr. John C. Eccleston, 1866; Rev. Henry Olmstead, 1867-72; Rev. O. F. Starkey, 1873-75; Rev. Daniel G. Anderson, 1875, the present Rector. In addition to these the late Rev. Jesse A. Penniman has at times officiated in this Church.
The first church of the Episcopal Society, erected in 1764, continued in use until 1833, when it was taken down, and another, more centrally located, was built the same year. This building-of blue stone-divest- ed of its tower and pillars, and converted to busi- ness uses, still stands, at the corner of Main and Railroad streets.
The present church of this society-also of blue limestone-was erected in 1857, at a cost of $16,000.
Trinity Church-Van Deusenville.
During the ministry of the Rev. Sturges Gilbert- in 1829-for the purpose of accommodating those who dwelt in the north part of the town, the Episcopal So- ciety erected a chapel at Van Deusenville, and Mr. Gilbert, for several years, held services alternately in his own church and at that place.
In 1839, a separate church-the Trinity Church- was organized at Van Deusenville, of which the Rev. Lewis Green was-from 1849-for about twelve years, the Rector. The Rev. Jesse A. Penniman, Rev. F. A. Fiske, Rev. S. P. Parker, and others have since had the pastoral charge of this church. At the present time Rev. Daniel G. Anderson is the Rector of both the Trinity and St. James churches.
The Van Deusenville Society took down their chapel in 1866, and erected upon its site their present church edifice. The original chapel was of brick, and the ground on which it stood was the gift of Captain Isaac L. Van Deusen, who was also a liberal contribu- tor towards its erection. At the building of the chapel -1829-the corner stone was laid with Masonic cere- monies, and in a receptacle prepared for it, was placed
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HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
a box containing papers and other articles pertinent to the occasion, though of small pecuniary value ; but when, forty-one years afterwards, the building was taken down, neither the box or any relic of its con- tents could be found.
The Congregational Church at Housatonic.
At Housatonic a Congregational Church was organ- ized June 18, 1841, with eighteen members, to which forty-one were added two days after; and the mem- bership was increased to eighty-two before April of the next year. Mr., afterwards Rev., Charles B. Boynton, officiated as a supply to this church-holding meetings in the school-house-until October, 1842, when the meeting-house-just completed-was dedicated, and Mr. Boynton was installed as pastor. Mr. Boynton remained until April, 1845, when he was dismissed at his own request.
The Rev. Ebenezer B. Andrews was ordained and installed over this church April 29, 1846, and continued in the pastorate until April 4, 1849, when he too was dismissed at his own request, for the reason that the collapse of the manufacturing interests of the village rendered the society unable to sustain him.
Following the dismissal of Mr. Andrews, the church was without a settled minister for nineteen years ; though during that time its pulpit was quite regularly supplied. The Rev. D. N. Merritt officiated as a sup- ply from June, 1849, to November, 1851 ; the Rev. R. G. Humphrey for nearly a year from July, 1852; the Rev. Jacob G. Miller in 1853; the Rev. Edward J. Giddings from April, 1855, to November, 1857; the Rev. Josiah Brewer from 1857 to 1866, nearly nine years, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Amos G. Lawrence.
In 1869, June 2, the Rev. T. A. Hazen was in- stalled over this church, and continued to his dismissal July 31, 1871. The Rev. Archibald Burpee officiated in 1872, but was removed by death December 1, 1873. The present pastor, Rev. Charles W. Mallory, was or. dained and installed June 18, 1874.
The Methodist Churches.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Great Barring-
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METHODIST CHURCHES.
ton traces its origin to the efforts of a few individuals, first exerted in the spring of 1830, who, a few months later, were formed into a class, of only seven mem- bers, of which Comfort Roberts was the leader. John Harmon -- a prominent man among the early Metho- dists of the town-the next year became a class leader and an exhorter. This denomination in 1833, had in- creased to three classes. The meetings of the Metho- dists, at first assembled at private dwellings, were later held at the Water Street school-house, and were at- tended at stated intervals by preachers of the circuit to which this town belonged.
By 1841, the attendance at these meetings became numerous, and a little later, the school-house being too small to accommodate them, they were held at the town house. In the revival, of the winter of 1842-3, the Methodists received a considerable accession to their numbers. Meetings continued to be held at the town house until it was burned in November, 1844.
The Methodist Church was organized in 1842 ; and in 1845 the society erected the church in this village- since enlarged-in which it still worships. Until 1846 the pulpit was supplied by circuit preachers ; and since that time, resident ministers, under regular appoint- ments, have had charge of the church.
There is, also, at Housatonic, in the north part of the town, a Methodist Church and Society, organized a few years since, with a house of worship erected in 1871.
The Methodist Episcopal Zion Society (colored) has an organization, and is now maintaining regular preaching. This society has a site in the south part . of the village, and material gathered with which it purposes soon to erect a church edifice.
Other Denominations.
There are in the town two Churches of the Roman ^Catholic denomination, one in the village, the other at Housatonic. The church in the village has a large and regularly attending congregation. Its church edifice was erected in 1854, and that at Housatonic in 1877.
A Baptist Society was incorporated by the legisla- ture in 1802. This society was composed mostly of
394
HISTORY OF GREAT BARRINGTON.
inhabitants of Muddy Brook and the east part of the. town, and in 1808, numbered ninety members, over whom Elder John Nichols for several years presided. It has now long been extinct.
Cemeteries-The South Burial Ground.
The South Burial Ground, now called the Mahaiwe- Cemetery, is the first place of interment of the white inhabitants of the town. The early recorded history of this burial place is very brief. The Settling Com- mittee, in dividing the township, laid out to the right of Joshua Root a lot of ten acres, bounding east and north on the highway, with a frontage of twenty-eight rods on the east, and extending west so far as to con- tain the prescribed area, or about fifty-eight rods. The committee, in their record of this lot, made a reserva- tion for burial purposes, as follows : "It is determined there shall be a Burying Place att ye nor-east corner of ye last mentioned Lott, Six Rods north and south ten rods east and west." And this, for the space of one hundred and fourteen years from the time of its first occupancy, is all the written history we have of this cemetery.
As population and burials increased, a much larger area was occupied than had been reserved by the com- mittee, though no records of additions to the original plot are found, and it is to be presumed that it was enlarged by the consent of the owners of the ground,. at a time when the land was of much less intrinsic value than at the present day. In 1844-5 about one- and one-half acres were added to this burial ground by purchases made by the town and by individuals ; and a few years later a further addition was made to. the south side by other individuals.
The Mahaiwe Cemetery Association, a corporation! organized in 1873, in that year, added nearly nine acres; on the west side of the old burial ground. This addi- tion has, in part, been laid out and improved. The. whole cemetery now includes not only the original ten acre lot of Joshua Root, with its little burial plot of' six by ten rods, but much more.
Joshua Root, who died in 1730, was the first per-
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CEMETERIES.
son known to have been buried in the South Burial Ground. His burial place, marked by a rough block of limestone-as well as the graves of other members. of his family-is a short distance south of the plot re- served by the committee ; and other early interments- appear to have been made outside the limits of the plot.
With the exception of the Pixleys, Phelpses and". Van Deusens, it is probable that most who died in town previous to 1743, were buried in this cemetery,. though we find but one inscribed tomb-stone dating be- tween 1730 and 1749, and but few of an earlier date than. 1760. But the unmarked graves are very numerous.
Here rest the Ingersolls, Piers, Nobles, Youngloves,. Deweys, and many other pioneers of the settlement,, "the rude forefathers of the hamlet," with neither monuments to perpetuate their memories or epitaphs; to misrepresent their virtues.
The Upper Burial Ground.
The Upper Burial Ground east of the Great Bridge. came into use for interments soon after the erection of" the meeting-house, in 1742. This ground, at first a, small plot in rear of the meeting-house, was gradually extended eastward, but no records of additions made to it for the space of a hundred years are found. Tra- dition affirms that the land on which the meeting-house was built, with the common on the west and the burial. ground on the east of that building, was the gift of David Ingersoll to the parish. But, if we mistake not,. no recorded evidence exists that Mr. Ingersoll ever had a title to the land. Indeed a strict construction of the proprietor's records, indicates that Joseph No- ble acquired a title to the premises by a pitch made in 1743-after the meeting-house was built.
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