USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Greenfield > History of Greenfield : shire town of Franklin county, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 37
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As a preacher his manner was not attractive, yet his style was beautifully simple, pure, and lucid."
The following paper was found among the effects of the late Judge Fayette Smith, who was a son of the writer :
Reminiscence, written by Reverend Preserved Smith, of Greenfield, in 1877.
" The course recently taken by the Congregational Council at Chicopee Falls recalls to mind a similar case that occurred in this village in the autumn of 1813, sixty-four years ago, of which the writer was both an eye and ear witness. The Con- gregational Church and society in this town, as then there was only one, whose house of worship was near the residence of Mr. L. Long, invited Mr. G. S. Olds, recently a Tutor and Professor in Williams College, to become Colleague Pas- tor of the Reverend Dr. Newton. An ecclesiastical council of pastors and delegates of several of the neighboring towns,
30
466
REVEREND PRESERVED SMITH'S ACCOUNT
[1813-1816
without any reference to religious creed or sentiment convened on the evening preceding the day appointed for the ordina- tion at the hotel kept by Mr. Calvin Munn. The Council was organized by choosing the Rev. Dr. Parsons of Amherst as moderator, and the Rev. Mr. Wood of Halifax, Vt., as scribe. The first subject that occupied its attention was whether it would proceed to the duties assigned to it, while the Reverend Mr. Willard, of Deerfield, a member, continued to hold his seat.
"As several of the members had refused to have ministerial intercourse with Mr. Willard on account of his supposed erroneous views on certain points of Christian doctrine, they maintained that acting in ordaining Council with him was in fact an expression of ministerial fellowship with him as a min- ister of Christ, and therefore they could not consistently pro- ceed unless Mr. Willard would withdraw.
"This Mr. Willard refused to do on the ground that it was by the same authority that he was entitled to his membership of the Council that they were entitled to theirs, and that he could not surrender this right without violating an essential and vital principle of Congregationalism.
"Thus the subject matter was discussed during the evening and until afternoon the next day, and not always in the most amicable temper, when it became evident that neither the ma- jority of the Council nor Mr. Willard were disposed to yield the ground which each had taken, and there was no move- ment in direction of the discharge of the duties for which the Council was convened, though several of the delegates thought that the difficulty in the way might be overcome and were desirous of proceeding.
"The scribe, aided by the controlling spirit of the course taken, prepared a result which the Council adopted, though not unanimously, its object being to justify itself, endeavoring to make it appear that whatever blame there might be attached, it was to be laid at Mr. Willard's door for persist-
467
EPISCOPAL SOCIETY ORGANIZED
1812]
ing to maintain a right, which it did not feel bound to respect .*
"The Council, after partaking of the dinner which the parish had provided for the expected ordination, dissolved, sine die. A large collection of people from this and other towns had come to attend the ordination, as at that time such occasions were more rare and more thought of than now, and when the result of the Council became known, there was much disap- pointment, and when it became more fully ascertained on what ground the result was based, there was much dissatisfac- tion with not a few.
" As soon as time would admit another Council was con- vened that discharged its duties in agreeable harmony, of which also the writer was a spectator. The examination of the candidate appeared to be satisfactory, especially on the doctrine of the trinity, as he stated that he accepted it as " a gospel fact."
" Reverend Dr. Austin of Worcester preached the ser- mon and made the ordaining prayer. The venerable Dr. Newton, the senior pastor, gave the charge extemporane- ously, "leaning" like Jacob of old, "on the top of his staff ! "
" Thus the relation between the new pastor and people was happily consummated and he came to his work with the pleasing prospect of a useful and prosperous ministry."
DIVISION OF THE PARISH
Until 1812, the town and the parish were one and the same, the town in open meeting passing all votes in re- lation to the meetinghouse and the settlement and dis- missal of ministers, just as in all other public business mat- ters, and raised the necessary funds by assessment upon all the
* Mr. Smith, the writer, became a Unitarian minister.
468
CALL FOR A NEW MEETING HOUSE
[1815
property in the town. September 24, 1812, the St. James Episcopal Church was formed in Greenfield with five mem- bers. Before 1833, 142 persons had filed certificates with the town clerk that they were members of the Episcopal parish, thus relieving themselves from taxation for the support of any other religious society. In 1816 warrants began to be issued by the selectmen ordering the constables to warn members of the Congregational Society in Greenfield to meet for the trans- action of business. The old meetinghouse on Trap Plain, which had served its purpose for fifty years, had become sadly dilapidated, and in need of extensive repairs, or a new meeting- house must be built. The location was not satisfactory to the village people, who however were still in a minority. They were unwilling to vote any money for the repair of the old building, hoping that if a new house was built that it would be erected in a more convenient location for them. The matter came up under an article in a warrant calling the voters of the town to attend a meeting to be held at the court- house.
December 4, 1815. "To see if the Town will choose a Committee to select a place on which to Erect a Meeting House for the Congregational Society, or take any other measures preparatory to the erection of such House or the reparation of the present Meetinghouse and to act on the whole subject as they may think proper."
When the article in the warrant came up before the meeting, it was voted, " To choose a Committee to select a place on which to locate a meetinghouse for the Congregational Society in said Town, to report their opinion at a future meeting."
Voted "That said Committee be raised as follows, viz : six from the south school distict in sd Town, one from fall river district & three from each of the remaining districts in Town."
Consider Cushman, Captain Moses Arms, David Ripley, Benjamin Hastings and Captain Quintus Allen were chosen to
469
COMMITTEE TO FIX A LOCATION
1815]
nominate the committee last aforesaid, and reported the fol- lowing list of names, to wit :-
For Log Plain District : Consider Cushman, Captain Isaac Newton and Joseph Atherton.
For Fall River District : Joseph Bascom.
For Meetinghouse District : Samuel Pickett, Ahaz Thayer and Samuel Newton.
For Country Farm District : Uriah Martindale, Eli Graves, and Jonathan Smead.
For North Meadows District : Captain Quintus Allen, Captain Thomas Smead and Elihu Goodman. .
For South Meadows District : Captain Moses Arms, Lieu- tenant Hull Nims and Major Julia Smead.
For South District : Colonel Samuel Wells, Colonel Eliel Gilbert, Oliver Wilkinson, Elijah Alvord, Esquire, Major John Russell and David Ripley, which report being read was accepted by vote of the meeting.
The next warrant was issued by the selectmen, directing the constable to warn "the inhabitants belonging to the Congregational Society in said Town, who are qualified by law to vote in town meetings" to meet at the court- house on the 7th day of February, 1816, to act on articles.
"For repair of the old meeting house where it now stands.
" To hear the report of the committee :
" To see if the Congregational Society will agree upon a disinterested Committee from abroad to determine the place for the erection of a new meetinghouse.
" To hear any proposals in writing which may be made upon the subject.
" To see if the Congregational Society will take any pre- paratory measures towards erecting a new meetinghouse."
At the meeting Colonel Wells was chosen moderator.
The committee reported as follows :
470
COMMITTEE CANNOT AGREE
[1816
" The Committee of the Town of Greenfield to select a place on which to erect a new meeting-house ask leave to re- port that they have had three several meetings upon the sub- ject and have been unable to agree by a majority upon any place upon which to erect a new meeting-house. At the last meeting it was proposed that the Hill opposite to Mr. Wil- kinson's house (northeast corner of Federal and Leonard streets) be agreed upon, whereupon 7 members voted in the affirmative and 12 in the negative : It was then proposed the Committee agree upon the present place, whereupon 7 mem- bers voted in the affirmative and twelve in the negative: It was then proposed that the Committee agree upon the Hill opposite Thomas Gilbert's house (where J. P. Morgan now lives), whereupon 7 voted in the affirmative and 12 in the neg- ative. It was then proposed that this committee recommend to the Town to choose an impartial, disinterested and judicious Committee to view & locate the said Meeting house. Where- upon 8 members voted in the affirmative and eleven in the negative.
" ISAAC NEWTON, Chairman for the Committee."
" Moved that the town repair the Old meeting house where it now stands and carried in the negative, the house being equally divided."
" Moved that there be an impartial & disinterested Com- mittee chosen from without the County to agree upon a place on which to erect a new meeting house, and carried in the affirmative."
" Jonathan Leavitt, Jerom Ripley Esq. Capt. Isaac New- ton & Mr. John Newton were chosen a Committee to nomi- nate the aforesaid locating Committee."
" Who reported the Hon. Ezra Starkweather, Gen. Ebe- nezer Mattoon & Gen. Saml. Porter as such Committee, which report was accepted."
471
NON-RESIDENT COMMITTEE REPORT
1816]
The nominating committee were made a committee to 'no- tify the members of the locating committee and attend them in the performance of their duties.
The next meeting held June 12, 1816, was a meeting of the Congregational Society, at which George Grennell, Jr., was moderator, who read to the meeting the following report of the committee chosen from without the town, to fix the loca- tion of the meetinghouse :
"To the Congregational Society of the Town of Green- field ; Gentlemen : The Committee you have invited by your vote of the seventh of February, to select the most convenient place on which to erect a new Meetinghouse for the accom- modation of said Society-having at the request of your Com- mittee met at the Dwelling-house of Mr. Asa Goodenough (Mansion House), in said town on tuesday the Thirteenth day of April last; And proceeded with them and others, to view the said Town, as far as requested, and to our own satisfac- tion; And having attended to the several documents ex- hibited, calculations and statements made ; with reference to the travel of each and every member of sª Society ; and with a sincere desire to apportion the privileges & burdens which are incident to almost all cases of the kind; and which in the present form a striking contrast; and which the Committee conceive are in no instance surpassed ; And the Committee having further heard the parties interested upon all points in dispute; And compared the results of their several calcula- tions & statements with their own views of the same: And having carefully investigated and materially considered the whole subject in the various parts, relations, connections and probable future consequences as far as the Committee have been able to comprehend them-they are unanimously of opinion that under all the circumstances of the case, your new Meeting-house ought to be erected on some part of the con- tents of One Acre of Mr. Ezekiel Bascom's Land, west of the County Road, Opposite to Mr. Oliver Wilkinson's Dwelling
472
COMMITTEE REPORT CONTINUED
[1816
house. In forming the foregoing opinion the Committee flatter themselves, that they have not been unmindful of, or disregarded the important Rights of any individual Member of the Society ; and trust that they have duly appreciated the nature and magnitude of the concern submitted to them ; and the deep interest which the Town and Society have in the result; and its effects upon themselves and their posterity.
" While the committee are sensible that the Station pro- posed does not so equally apportion the travel, to all as would be desirable, and they very much regret that it does not ; they are persuaded that the sacrifice will be amply compensated, to those who make it, by a variety of accommodations and per- manent advantages, which are too obvious to be mistaken & which the Committee deem it unnecessary to mention. The committee would further observe that the important considera- tions and principles which have governed them in this busi- ness, have appeared so- forcibly clear and indisputable, as to overcome and remove all minor and unimportant considera- tions and circumstances, and they are satisfied that the peace, prosperity, and future happiness of the Town and Society will be more effectually promoted and permanently secured, by erecting the new Meeting-house on the Ground proposed, than on any other spot, which could be selected ; and they believe that the progressive increase of the population & in- terest of both, will more and more evince the fact, and expe- diency of the selection. The committee would further beg leave to remark, that harmony and unanimity in business, which probably centers both your worship and affection in the God of Peace, are of the utmost importance to your interests, as they stand related to the two worlds; and permit us to assure you that it will afford us sincere pleas- ure to learn that we have been honored as the instru- ments of promoting that harmony and unanimity among you.
€
473
MANY PROPOSITIONS : NO PROGRESS
1816]
" With much esteem & respect we are, Gentlemen, your well wishers Ob'dt Servts .*
" EZRA STARKWEATHER,
" Northampton, May 16, 1816. " EBEN" MATTON, " SAM1 PORTER."
A subscription from various individuals in said town amounting to $3,150 was read, whereby the subscribers thereto agreed that if the town will accept the aforesaid re- port, to pay the sum set to their names respectively for the support of the ministry in said town, as may be seen on file.
A motion was made to accept the aforesaid report, upon condition that the signers of the aforesaid subscription shall secure the payment of the aforesaid sum, to the satisfaction of
* Committee's bill for Locating the Meeting house in Greenfield, May 2d, 1816: Ezra Starkweather, 4 Days at 4 D, per Day $16. 0
his expenses on the road 1.50
Ebenr Mattoon, 3 Days 12. 0
expenses at Bridges
48
Sam1 Porter, 3 Days
12. 0
Tolls, &c.
32
$42.30
To making report in writing
2. 0
$44.30
Recd Payment,
Ezra Starkweather. Ebenr Mattoon. Sam. Porter.
To H. Leavitt, Treasr of the Town of Greenfield :
Pay the above bill out of Money in the Treasury belonging to The Congregational society of sd town.
May 1, 1816.
THOMAS SMEAD ) Selectmen SAMI WELLS S of Greenfield.
To Hooker Leavitt, Treasr of The Town of Greenfield :
Pay to Asa Goodenough The sum of Thirteen dollars & sixty-four cents out of any money in The Treasury belonging To The Congregational Society in sd Town, being in full of his bill for intertainment furnished The Committee for locating a new Meetinghouse, May 2, 1816.
THOMAS SMEAD ) Selectmen SAMI WELLS 3 of Greenfield.
474
PROPOSED LOCATIONS
[1816
a committee of said society, and negatived ; forty-one being in favor of the motion and eighty-two against it.
A motion was made that the Congregational Society of this town will build a new meetinghouse, and negatived.
On the 22d of October, 1816, the society was again called together by the selectmen, " to see if the Society will adopt any means to fix upon a place for a new meeting-house & pass such votes respecting the same as they think proper." George Grennell, Jr., was chosen moderator.
" Moved and seconded, That the proper place for erecting a new Meeting house in this Town is upon the hill near the house of Mr. Oliver Wilkinson, where the former Committee agreed was the most suitable place & declared by the Mod- erator to be no vote."
" Moved & seconded, that the proper place on which to erect a New Meetinghouse in this town is between the dwell- ing house of Mr. Samuel Newton and Mr. Robert Nash, and declared to be a vote." (The location chosen was the hill north of Silver street, near the north end of Chapman street.)
"Moved and seconded, that the two contending parties in this society on the subject of a location of a new meetinghouse mutually agree upon an impartial Committee from without this County, to come and view this Town & after hearing both parties by their Committees or otherwise, determine on the place on which to erect a New Meeting house, and that the decision of such impartial Committee be final in the prem- ises, And that each party proceed forthwith to elect a Committee of three persons to agree upon such impartial Commitee & report at this meeting-and carrd in the negative."
Voted, " that there be a Committee of three persons chosen to fix upon the place for building a New Meeting house within the limits before voted."
Captain Moses Arms, Mr. Samuel Pickett and Mr. Jona- than Bacon were chosen a Committee for that purpose.
475
REVEREND MR. OLDS RESIGNS
1816]
It will be noticed that all the members of this committee lived outside the village. Captain Arms lived in the Meadows, and Mr. Pickett at the Bullard place, and Mr. Bacon a half mile north of him.
In the midst of this division and turmoil, the Reverend Mr. Olds received a call to a professorship in Middlebury College in Vermont, and it is not to be wondered at that he asked for a council to aid in dissolving the pastoral rela- tion. Mr. Olds was dismissed October 31, 1816, and the Congregational church and society were practically without a pastor, as Mr. Newton was very feeble and died within two months.
A meeting of the town was immediately called, the second article in the warrant reading : " To see if they will vote their consent and approbation that the following Territory with the Inhabitants on the same, with an equal share of pub- lic property of the sd Town of Greenfield in proportion to their numbers and property be set off and incorporated into a Town by the name of Green Meadows, viz :- Beginning at the center of Green River on the dividing line of Deerfield and Greenfield, thence running up the middle of said river until it comes to lands owned by Quartus Nash (the county jail property), thence easterly on the dividing line between lands owned by the said Quartus Nash and Colonel Samuel Wells, to a County Road leading to Nash's Mills, thence north- erly on the western boundary of said rode until it comes parallel with the dividing line between lands owned by Eber Nash and Thomas Chatman (north line of old Maxwell farm) thence east- erly and northerly across sd rode and on the sª dividing line be- tween lands owned by the said Eber Nash and Thomas Chat- man until it comes to a Town rode leading to the Meeting house, thence easterly on the southern boundary of sd Road until it comes to land owned by Samuel Newton, thence east- erly on the dividing line between lands owned by the sd Sam11 Newton and Jonathan Severance until it comes to a county
476
THE TOWN OF GREEN MEADOWS
[1816
Rode leading to the Meetinghouse, thence easterly and south- erly across said Road and on the eastern Boundary of the same until it comes to lands owned by Colonel Eliel Gilbert, thence easterly on the dividing line between lands owned by sd Gilbert and Lemuel Hastings to the east County Road in Greenfield, thence easterly and northerly across sª rode and on the eastern Boundary of the same until it comes to the north line of Lands owned by Samuel Billings, thence di- rectly east to Connecticut river, thence northerly on the west bank of sd river until it comes to Fall river so called, thence northerly up the center of said River until it comes to the di- viding line between Bernardston and Greenfield, thence west- erly on the south line of Bernardston and the south line of Colrain, and the south line of Leyden until it comes to the east line of Shelburne, thence southerly on the east line of Shelburne until it comes to the north line of Deerfield to the place of beginning, and pass such votes respecting the same as they think proper."
The record of the meeting shows that "a petition to the General Court of this Commonwealth signed by Moses Arms and One hundred & fourteen others, to divide the Town was read by the Moderator."
Voted " That the Town give their consent that the Territory described in the second Article of the Warrant for this Meeting, together with the Inhabitants on the same, be set off & incorporated into a Town by the name of Green Meadows."
This was the year of the "cold summer," and it also proved to be a cold season for this Gerrymander which was so contrived that every person that lived in the village, and their estates, were cut out of the newly projected town of Green Meadows. The petition was rejected by the Legis- lature.
Further efforts to unite the people of the town upon a lo- cation for a new meetinghouse seem to have been abandoned,
477
REVEREND SYLVESTER WOODBRIDGE
1813-1823]
and the village people proceeded to organize a new society, and took steps to build a meetinghouse upon a location of their own selection.
Reverend Sylvester Woodbridge, born in Southampton, November 9, 1790, and graduated at Williams in 1813, was settled the fourth pastor of the church in this town, April 23, 1813. His brother, Reverend Dr. John Woodbridge of Hadley, preached the ordaining sermon. He had previously preached in Ashfield, where a council was called for his settle- ment, but want of unanimity among its members caused its dis- persion without having agreed to a settlement. Mr. Wood- bridge was dismissed from Greenfield at his own request, April 17, 1823. He was settled at Greenville, N. Y., after leaving Greenfield, and at his request certain injurious reports concerning his conduct while on a visit to the house of Rever- end Mr. Halping, in Greenfield, were investigated by an eccle- siastical council. After a hearing of the charge it was declared that " the Presbetery were unanimously of the opinion that the aforesaid charges against Mr. Woodbridge have not been sustained." Connected with this scandal was a good story. Wyram Hitchcock, who lived on the Meadow road, was a firm believer in the infallibility of the ministry, while a neigh- bor living on Silver street was a little sceptical in regard to the perfections of the human race, and believed that possibly even a minister might err. Living near Mr. Halping's he heard of this scandal early, and immediately mounted his horse, rolling the soft morsel under his tongue, as he wended his way to inform his friend, Uncle Wyram. Arriving at Mr. Hitchcock's he lost no time in reciting the particulars of this affair to his astonished friend, exclaiming at the end, " Now Uncle Wyram, what do you think of that !" The old gentle- man drew in a long breath, and said, " Wall ; I'm affeared that ministers is as liable to errow as the human species."
In 1831 the First society decided to abandon the old meet- inghouse which had for seventy years, in its severe and proper
478
THE NORTH CHURCH
[1831-1832
form, stood upon Trap Plain, but had now reached such a state of dilapidation, that it was not thought to be worth re- pairing. The ancient edifice and the long row of horsesheds reaching from Silver street to near the old schoolhouse were demolished, and a portion of the timber used in building the new church. It is asserted that the doors of the present build- ing with the lock thereon were taken from the old building.
Mr. Eber Nash gave the parish the present location, and the brick building was completed late in the season of 183I.
The following notice appeared in the Greenfield Gazette & Franklin Herald of January 24, 1832 :
" DEDICATION
" The House of Worship lately built by the First Congrega- tional Society of this town, was dedicated in the service of JE- HOVAH, FATHER, SON and HOLY GHOST, on the 18th inst. The first prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Clark of Bloody Brook ; the Scriptures were read by Rev. Mr. Packard, Jr., of Shelburne ; the sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Packard of Shelburne ; the Dedicatory Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Loomis of Colrain ; Several addresses were made and prayers offered in addition to the foregoing services, by the clergymen present."
In 1852, extensive repairs were made in the building by adding to its length, changing the pulpit to the south end of the church and reversing the seats. Also in 1867 the church building was renovated and the gallery changed.
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