History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II, Part 38

Author: Drake, Samuel Adams, 1833-1905
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat
Number of Pages: 650

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II > Part 38

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The worshippers in early times attended public worship conscientiously, or, under the pressure of public opinion, with great regularity, though some of them were obliged to travel considerable dis- tances from remote parts of the town. Never- theless, in winter the comfort of a stove in the meeting-house was a thing unknown. It was not till a hundred and thirty-two years after the forma- tion of the First Church that the parish voted " to have a stove to warm the meeting-house"; and when stoves were introduced, it was formally dis- cussed and voted in town-meeting where the stove should stand, and through what window the smoke- pipe should make its cgress; and in the contract with the sexton it was made a matter of express stipulation that he should take care of the meeting- house and the stove.

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In the deficiency of other means of warmth, two or three " noon-houses," so called, were erected near the meeting-house, where, seated around a blazing fire, the worshippers could warm their stif- fened limbs in the rest at noon between the ser- vices, and enjoy their homely lunch and a mng of eider ; for it is said that some of the farmers found pleasure in rolling a barrel of cider in the fall into the cellar, to add to the good cheer of the Lord's Day. Here, too, the people replenished their foot- stoves from the glowing coals on the hearth, to add to the comfort of the women and children

when they returned to the house of God. Two of these noon-houses stood on portions of the present meeting-house lot of the First Church at Newton Centre, one west of the meeting-house, and another near the junction of Lyman with Centre Street. The powder-house, which replaced this noon-house in the year 1799, was built for the convenience of the troopers on days of military parade on this ancient training-field, and was demolished not far from the year 1850.

Mr. Hobart died Angust 25, 1712, aged sixty- four years, after a service of thirty-eight years. His tombstone in the cemetery at Newton bears an honorable testimony in Latin to his character and worth. Deacon Edward Jackson in his will left thirty-one acres of woodland to the First Par- ish. This land was sold for $ 1,000 subsequently, for the benefit of the parish.

The third pastor of the First Church was John Cotton, great-grandson of the famous John Cotton of Boston, who had been pastor of Boston in Lin- colnshire in England, and in whose honor Boston in New England received its name. Young Mr. Cotton graduated at Harvard College in the year 1710, and was ordained in Newton November 3, 1714. He was a young man of such talent, piety, and promise that he won the respect and confi- dence of all; and when he came into the town to enter upon his work, so great was the reverence of the people for him, that, though he was but a youth of twenty, they turned ont in procession to welcome him and escort him to his home. He was a faithful, earnest, and energetic minister, and con- tinued in office till May 17, 1757, when he died, in the sixty-fourth year of his age and the forty- third of his ministry. His remains rest in the old burial-ground, and an honorable inscription in Latin marks his resting-place.

The fourth pastor of the church, and the last settled by the town, was Rev. Jonas Meriam, who was ordained May 22, 1758, and remained pastor twenty-two years and five months. He died of consumption, August 13, 1780, aged fifty years. He was twice married. His remains rest in Bos- ton with those of the family of his last wife. His character was mild and amiable, and he was re- puted to be a man of considerable learning.

In the early days of New England, a consider- able period often elapsed between the calling of a minister and the date of his ordination. Mr. Meriam was called to be pastor over the First Church in Newton December 9, 1757; he was

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ordained May 22, 1758, - after an interval of five months. His predecessor, John Cotton, was elected pastor March 22, 1713; but it was not till No- vember 3, 1714, more than a year and a half after- wards, that he received ordination. The average period of the ministry of the first four pastors was exactly twenty-seven years ; or, leaving out of the account Mr. Eliot, who died after only four years, the average service of the second, third, and fourth pastors was thirty-four years and two thirds.

The church controlled everything pertaining to the public worship. When the choir, ambitious of exhibiting their musical attainments, had learned a collection of new tunes, the church voted, No- vember 6, 1770, that "a due proportion only of the new tunes should be mingled with the old." It was voted in church- meeting, December 11, 1771, to introduce " Tate and Brady's version of the Psalms, with Hymns annexed." And, by a similar vote, November 7, 1790, this latter book of Psalmody was exchanged for the Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts.

While Mr. Meriam was pastor, there were signs foretokening the rupture of the union of church and state in New England. The independence of the people began to manifest itself in the tendency of some to leave the established worship, and found churches after their own convictions. This sep- aration was promoted as well as evinced by the organization of New Light churches here and there. One of these churches, formed in Newton, held its meetings at the house of Nathan Ward, who be- came their ordained leader and pastor. Another owed its existence to one Mr. Jonathan Hyde, who lived in the extreme southeastern part of Newton, nearly on the line of its division from Brookline. He was ordained pastor of this church January 17, 1750, and many from Newton attended his min- istry. The cellar hole of his house is still visible. The First Baptist Church, including in its number several of the members of these New Light organi- zations, reconstructed and purified, was formed about one month before the death of Mr. Meriam. An event very unfortunate for history took place during his ministry ; his house took fire on Sab- bath evening, March 5, 1770, while the family were at supper, and was wholly consumed, together with the records of the First Church. Through the memory of Mr. Meriam, the deacons and others, the names of the members, and of those who had been baptized in the several families connected with the church, were mainly restored, - a less

onerous task at that period than such a work would be at present. The table around which the family were seated was removed from the house just as it was, and is still preserved in the family of Mrs. Kenrick.

During the ministry of Mr. Meriam and pre- vious to the year 1764, the people in the west part of the town had occasional preaching in their own neighborhood, especially in the winter season. As the natural outcome of this arrangement, meetings for deliberation were held, and a building com- mittee chosen who were instructed to solicit sub- scriptions for the building of a meeting-house, and to commence the work as soon as there was suf- ficient encouragement. In July, 1764, Phineas Bond, innholder, conveyed to the building com- mittee, in consideration of £2 2 s. about eight rods of land on which to erect a meeting-house, the land bounding upon the county road, the land of Isaac Williams and other land of Phineas Bond. The work of building was commenced in 1764; but the society was not ripe for the settlement of a pastor till seventeen years later.

Three years after the commencement of the church edifice, Jonathan Williams and others, in- habitants of the west part of Newton, presented a petition to the town, requesting that a reasonable sum of money should be granted by the town to aid in supporting the preaching of the gospel in their new meeting-house ; this request was refused by the town. Persevering in spirit, they repeated their petition in the years 1770, 1772, 1773, and 1774. Finding their fellow-townsmen disinclined to grant them help, they in the mean time peti- tioned the General Court for a grant of money out of the town treasury, for four months' preaching. In 1778 they petitioned the General Court to be set off as a distinct parish. This request was granted, and the act of incorporation was passed in October, 1778, the dividing line being described in the act, and the inhabitants on either side of it being allowed to belong to either parish they might choose, provided they should make their election within six months after the passing of the act.

The society or parish was organized by the choice of officers in November, 1778, and the next year the proprietors of the meeting-house chose Alexan- der Shepard, Jr., Joseph Hyde, and Phineas Bond to give a title to the pews.

The church was organized October 21, 1781, being composed of twenty-six members, dismissed from the First Church, with the exception of one,

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Joseph Adams, Sr., who was dismissed from the | Drummond, who remained till November 12, 1857, church in Brookline. The members solemnly de- clared their assent to the leading doctrines of the General Assembly's Shorter Catechism, and passed the following vote : -

" Voted, in order to entitle any person to either of the ordinances of the Christian Scriptures, namely, baptism and the Lord's Supper, he shall make a public confession of religion, and dedication of himself to God; and that every person so doing shall be entitled to both ordinances, and may come to them without making any other profes- sion of his faith and belief."

Mr. William Greenough, valedictorian of his class at Yale College, was ordained pastor Novem- ber 8, 1781, having been elected by unanimous vote. Dr. John Lothrop, of the Second Church in Boston, preached the sermon ; Mr. Cushing, of Waltham, gave the charge; and Mr. Jackson, of Brookline, the right hand of fellowship. One who was present recorded the remark : " A small house and a handful of people." An early vote of the church was that a portion of the Scriptures should be read in public on each Lord's Day. The Second Church in Boston gave to the new body a pulpit Bible; Thomas Greenough of Boston, the father of the young pastor, a baptismal font, two flagons and two dishes for the communion service ; and the First Church added, in token of brotherly affection, four pewter tankards and one pewter dish. Joseph Ward and Joseph Jackson were elected the first deacons. The first meeting-house, commenced in June, 1764, was enlarged in 1812, altered and improved in 1831, and again in 1838. Worship was held in that edifice for the last time March 26, 1848. The present meeting-house was dedicated March 29, 1848, and the dedication sermon, preached by the pastor, Rev. Lyman Gilbert, from Acts xxviii. 22, was printed. The former house was removed a few feet westwardly, and became the Town House, in which at one period town meetings were held alternately with the meetings in the other town hall, erected at Newton Centre. The first pastor, Rev. William Greenough, remained pastor fifty years and two days, and died November 10, 1831, aged seventy-five, leaving his colleague, Rev. Lyman Gilbert, sole pastor. Mr. Gilbert served the church, in all, twenty-seven years, till 1855, when he resigned. He was a wise and faithful pastor, and widely known and highly esteemed. He was an active member of the school committee for twenty years.

and was followed immediately by Rev. George B. Little, formerly of Bangor, Maine. He became pastor in 1857, and died of consumption in Rox- bury, July 20, 1860, aged thirty-eight. The next pastor was Rev. Henry Johnson Patrick, formerly of Bedford, Massachusetts, where he was ordained November 16, 1854. He was installed here Sep- tember 26, 1860, and is still pastor.

IN THE REVOLUTION.

IT was while Mr. Meriam was pastor of the First Church that the country passed through the earlier scenes of the American Revolution. Newton was all alive to this great occasion. The records of the town show that the inhabitants were keenly sensitive in respect to the interests of the country, and that they were not the men to submit tamely to oppression. They entered with vigor and spirit into the war, and manifested an enlightened and unconquerable patriotism, in the vicissitudes which culminated in that great struggle. They judged rightly that the welfare of the country demanded that it should rely mainly upon its own resources, so that it might not suffer from embarrassments occasioned by foreign wars. Moreover, they deemed it wise not to aid the manufacturing interests of the mother country, which aimed only to oppress them, nor to promote its commercial prosperity by receiving goods imported in British vessels. Hence in 1765 they recorded their protest against the Stamp Act, and in 1767 they resolved in town- meeting not to use any gloves except of domestic manufacture, and to procure no new garments on funeral occasions, except those which were abso- lutely necessary. Among the articles included in their protest were also men's and women's hats and apparel, lace, diamonds, jewelry, snuff, broadcloth, costing more than ten shillings a yard, furs, milli- nery, stays, silk, cotton, velvet, lawn, and cambric. As the tempest of the Revolution thickened, the town also voted, " that we, each and every one of us, will not, directly or indirectly, by ourselves or any person under us, purchase or use or suffer to be used in our respective families any India tea, while such tea is subject to a duty payable upon its arrival in America." At the destruction of the three hundred and forty-two chests of tea from vessels in Boston Harbor, commonly called " the Boston tea-party," Newton had its representative

Dr. Gilbert was succeeded by Rev. Joseph P. [ in the person of Samuel Hammond, of the east part

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of the town. In January, 1772, the inhabitants, in town-meeting assembled, passed a resolve, declar- ing that " no good man can be silent and inactive in the cause of liberty at this alarming period," and also a resolve declaring that " all taxation im- posed on the colonists without their consent and without representation in Parliament, for the pur- pose of raising a revenue, is unconstitutional and oppressive."

As the times grew more threatening, the select- men were authorized to procure fire-arms for those who were too poor to furnish them. John Pigeon gave the town two field-pieces, which were accepted by the town with thanks, and a vote was passed, January 2, 1775, to raise a company of thirty-two minute-men, who were to meet half a day every week through the winter for drill, and every man was to be paid for his time the sum of eightpence, or, as afterwards stated, one shilling, and the eight officers eight shillings per day "over and above the shilling each."

At the opening of the war, April 19, 1775, Newton numbered three companies, the east and west companies and the minute-men, - a total of two hundred and eighteen men. Jeremialı Wiswall commanded the east company, Amariah Fuller the west, and Phineas Cook the minute-men. Besides these, many Newton men who had passed the age for military service, inspired by patriotism, were eager to renew their youth and participate in the excitement and the glory of the conflict. Noah Wiswall, a man seventy-six years of age, who, like his ancestors, occupied the house at the northeast- erly side of the pond at Newton Centre, now in possession of the heirs of Deacon Luther Paul, went to Lexington on the 19th of April, 1775, be- cause, as he said, " he wanted to see what the boys were doing." As he was pointing out to his com- panions three British soldiers on the field of strife, a ball whizzed through his hand, inflicting a pain- ful wound. Undaunted, he coolly took out his handkerchief and bound up the wounded member, and then picking up the musket of a fallen regular bore it home with him as a trophy.

When the War of Independence was actually commenced, Newton proved itself among the most patriotic towns in the commonwealth, and all the families of the town were largely represented in the armies and battles of the Revolution. Few records of military ardor exceed in interest the narrative of Captain Michael Jackson on the day of the battle of Lexington. Roused by the rumor

that hostilities had actually commenced, he rushed from his house in the gray of the morning, and the minute-men having gathered on the parade-ground, no commissioned officers being present, he was made captain by acclamation. Arrived at Water- town, he found the authorities assembled in con- clave, discussing the situation and deliberating on the course proper to be pursued. His fiery spirit could not brook delay ; and feeling that the time

William Hull.

for debate was past, and that this was the time for action, he stepped from the ranks to the head of the company, and issued the sharp and stirring military order, " Shoulder arms - platoons to the right, wheel - quick time - forward march ! " And in the excitement of the moment he was actu- ally on the way to the front with those who had the bravery to follow him. Of the rest, some lin- gered where they were, and some dispersed. Colo- nel Benjamin Hammond, the captain, followed after his company and joined them before they reached Concord.

Soon after the affairs of Concord and Lexington two companies were raised, both commanded by Newton captains, and embracing seventy-four New- ton men. They enlisted for cight months, and joined the army at Cambridge, March 4, 1776. The east and west companies, numbering one hun- dred and thirteen men, by request of General Washington marched to take possession of Dor- chester Heights.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

In the warrant for the town-meeting, June 17, 1776, was this important article : "That in case the honorable Continental Congress should, for the safety of the American colonies, declare them in- dependent of the kingdom of Great Britain, whether the inhabitants of this town will solemnly endeavor with their lives and fortunes to support them in this measure." After the debate the question was put, and the vote passed unanimously in the affirma-

Roger Sherman.

tive. John Woodward was moderator of this memorable meeting. A centennial celebration of the same was held June 17, 1876, at which a his- torical address was delivered by the Hon. James F. C. Hyde, and the proceedings and address were afterwards published in a volume worthy of the occasion by the city of Newton.

In August, 1777, a company of ninety-six men was raised by Captain Joseph Fuller, of whom thirty were Newton men. They marched to Skenes- borough, Bennington, and Lake George, to oppose the advance of General Burgoyne. In March, 1778, a company of sixty-eight men was raised by Captain Edward Fuller, of whom forty belonged to Newton. In January, 1777, sixty-four Newton men enlisted for three years, or the war. In 1780 fifty-four Newton men marched to reinforce the continental army. So sensitive were the people in their patriotism, and so averse to the toleration of tory principles, that a list was made out of per-

sons whose residence was deemed prejudicial to the public safety, and arrangements were made for their removal from the town.

About four hundred and thirty men from New- ton served in the continental army during the war of the Revolution. Among these were forty-four descendants of Edward Jackson, bearing the name of Jackson. There were twenty-two bearing the name of Fuller, sixteen the name of Parker, fifteen of Hyde, eleven of Stone, six of Seger, etc. Cap- tain Henry King, of Newton, was one of the guard at the execution of Major Andre.

The citizens freely voted their money as well as gave their services to their country during this great struggle. Many individuals loaned their property in generous sums. Besides this, in 1778 a tax of £3,000 was voted towards the expenses of the war, and the next year a similar sum for the purpose of raising men for the army and other ex- penses. In March, 1780, £30,000 were voted for a like purpose; in September, £40,000, and in December, £100,000. Paper money, it is true, had greatly depreciated in value. But this enor- mous depreciation, making many poor who had been rich, did not render these valiant patriots penurious. The entire population of the town in 1775 has been estimated at less than 1,400. If this be correct, about every third person in the entire population was more or less in the army, and all the families left by them at home must have shared painfully, though uncomplainingly, in the self- denials and hardships of the times. It is not un- worthy of notice that Roger Sherman, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a native of Newton, born near the Skinner Place, on Waverley Avenue.

SCHOOL HISTORY.

IT was many years before the education of the young in Newton took the rank, among the meas- ures adopted by the townsmen, which its im- portance claimed. The earliest settlers of the territory, originally embracing what was after- wards denominated Newtown, enjoyed the advan- tages of the " fair grammar school " at Cambridge, taught by Master Corlet. But only a few would be likely to travel such a distance from day to day, even if the instruction had been, as it probably was not, adapted to their wants. Doubtless, chil- dren were taught more or less at home in many families ; but in that forming period of society,

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and under the pressure of toil and poverty, it is not surprising that education was at the minimum. Mr. Jackson records that " there does not appear to have been any public or private school in the Village [Newton] for sixty years after its first set- tlement. The erection of a school-house was near half a century behind that of the meeting-house." In May, 1699, - forty-five years after the first movement for their separation from Cambridge, and twenty years after their petition to become an independent town had received the first favorable notice by the General Court, - the town voted to build a school-house, sixteen feet by fourteen, and Deacon John Staples, who occupied the estate now owned and occupied by W. C. Strong, Esq., was hired " to keep school " four days in the week, at a salary of two shillings per day. As early as 1642 the General Court passed an order requiring " the townsmen to see to the educating of their children," and also enjoining it upon every town having a hundred families to set up " a grammar school," which in those days meant a school of sufficiently advanced character to fit boys for ad- mission to college. If any of the children of Newton found their way to Master Corlet's school at Cambridge, for the support of which Newton was taxed until it became an independent town, they must have been few in number. They had a right to these high privileges; but elementary learning, reading, writing, and arithmetic, were more adapted to their wants. In 1701 the town voted to build two school-houses, one to be near the meeting-house and the other at Oak Hill, - " sixteen feet square besides chimney room." The town voted £25 towards the expense, and the rest was to be made up by private subscription. One master was to teach both schools, -the one near the meeting-house, two thirds of the time, and that near Oak Hill, one third. "Those that send chil- dren to school shall pay three pence per week for those that learn to read, and four pence for those that learn to read, write, and cypher ; and all may send to either school as they choose."

John Staples, the schoolmaster above referred to, and the first public schoolmaster in Newton, came to New Cambridge about 1688. He was for many years deacon of the church, and town-clerk - the third in that office-twenty-one years, from 1714 to 1734, and selectman eight years. His chirography in the town records is creditable to his attainments in that department; but his in- genuity in misspelling the most common words

implies that if he knew how to teach, he had also something to learn. He left in his will seventeen acres of woodland " for and towards the support of the ministerial fire from year to year annually." He died in 1740, aged eighty-two years. His wife was Mary Craft. They had no children.

The first school committee was elected in 1706. The members were Isaac Williams, Jolmn Mason, and Abraham Jackson. From this time onward a school committee was chosen annually. The school question seems to have given the people for a long time no little trouble, and was the subject of fre- quent discussion, planning, experimenting, and voting. This is evident from a mere glance at the entries in the town records. In 1718 the town voted £10 to the inhabitants in the northwest part of the town, to aid them in employing a school- master. In 1721 they voted not to have more than one school; but Samuel Miller, at the west part of the town, offered a room in his house for a school, and the town accepted it. In 1722 the vote of 1701 was reaffirmed, giving school privi- leges to the centre of the town two thirds of the time, and to the south part one third. In 1723 the inhabitants voted to have the school kept in three places, one " half the time at the west part, quarter at the north, and quarter at the south." At the same time the town was divided into three school districts. In 1751, and again in 1753, the inhabitants voted to have two more schoolmasters. In 1763 they voted to have four districts and four schools, and all to be provided with wood. The duration of these schools was determined as fol- lows : Centre, twenty weeks and two days; north- west, fourteen weeks and two days ; Oak Hill, ten weeks and six days; southwest, six weeks and five days. In 1776 there were five school districts, in 1791, six, and in 1808, seven. In 1766 the sum of £16 was appropriated to employ a school- mistress. This was the first " woman's school." In 1768 £50 were appropriated for men's, and £16 for women's schools.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II, Part 38

Author: Drake, Samuel Adams, 1833-1905 Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat Number of Pages: 650

Author: Drake, Samuel Adams, 1833-1905
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat
Number of Pages: 650