History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 150

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 150

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544

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

having been not only subscribed, but actually raised for this purpose.

Rev. W. H. Watson served the church four and one-half years, Rev. A. S. Lyon was pastor four years, Rev. W. H. Walker about two years, Rev. G. M. P. King about nine months, Rev. Addison Parker about three years, Rev. A. E. Reynolds from 1869 to 1883 ; Rev. F. P. Southerland was pastor from 1884 to De- cember, 1886, and he was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. Jonathan Bastow.

Mr. Bastow was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, Eng., in 1835, and began life as a collier-boy. At the age of thirteen he learned to read in a Sabbath-school. His support having been secured by an acquaintance whom he met in England, he came to this country and fitted for college in the academy at Hamilton, New York. In 1861 he graduated from Madison University at Hamilton, studied theology one year, preached in England one year, and then entered the Theological Department of his alma mater, from which he graduated in 1864. Mr. Bastow was pastor or acting pastor at Brockville, Ont., Faribault, Minn., at Port Chester, N. Y., and Mansfield, Ohio. Then, for twelve years, he supplied, from three to nine months each, the Baptist Churches at Washington Avenue, (Brooklyn, N. Y.), Jamaica Plains, Arlington, Brookline, Warren Avenue, (Boston), Sixteenth St., (New York), Williamsburg, N. Y., Hamilton, N. Y., and Indianapolis, Ia., receiving many commendations and large compensation. Then, after being pastor three and one-half years at Ogdensburg, N. Y., he became pastor at Natick, January, 1887, where he has been very successful-church membership, 331. The Baptist Sabbath-school began in 1848 with 21 members. It numbers now 366. The largest num- ber ever present, June 30, 1889, was 348. Mr. James M. Forbush is superintendent ; Sumner P. Annis, assistant superintendent ; Mrs. F. C. Noyes, superin- tendent of primary department ; Mrs. E. B. Bastow, superintendent of Berean class; Mrs. A. E. DeWitt secretary and treasurer.

The deacons of this church have been John J. Perry and Isaac B. Clark, chosen in 1849; Jonathan Colburn and Elijah Edwards, chosen in 1863; Dex- ter B. Wingate and P. F. Woodbury, chosen in 1878. The clerks have been John J. Perry, Jewett T. Wood- bury, Pliny F. Woodbury and D. B. Wingate.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- The first church of this denomination in this region appears to have been organized in Needham, near the bounda- ries of Natick and Weston, in 1792, and there a small meeting-house was erected in 1799.

Some of the members of this church having re- moved to the central part of Natick, a meeting-house was erected here in 1834. It stood upon the ground now occupied by the brick engine-house, and was dedicated July 4, 1834. Iu 1868 the town purchased the building, and the Methodist Society worshiped in Winch's Hall for about six years, or until the great

fire in 1874. Meanwhile, their present church edifice had been so far completed that, in about six months after the fire, its vestries .could be used as a place of worship. The spacious audience-room remained un- finished for some years. The edifice was dedicated after a spirited and successful effort had been made to remove the entire amount of debt which the build- ing and furnishing of the same had created.

This church has been very fortunate in its minis- ters, especially during the last ten years. Drs. Dor- chester, Knowles and Gracey are all able men ; and so are Messrs. Davis and Toulmin. Dr. Gracey, the present pastor, was born in Philadelphia, 1835; Stud- ied theology in what is now Boston University ; went into the army as a private; was made chaplain, and served three years. An active Temperance Re- publican, he represented for two years the Four- teenth Essex District in the General Court, and served with distinction. The church and congrega- tion are increasing.

ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- The first reli- gious services in connection with the parish of this church were held in Centre Hall, Natick, July 16, 1871, and were conducted by Rev. J. B. Clarke, under the auspices of the Eastern District Missionary Asso- ciation. Fifteen persons were present. Later Messrs. A. T. Smith, George H. Gunning, George Williams, J. P. Dean and some others were particularly active in the movements which resulted in the organization of the church and society. In 1872-73 the house of worship was erected on Wilson Street, but services were not held in it till 1875, and it was not conse- crated till December 13, 1877. Rev. S. F. Fisher was the first rector, and he was succeeded in August, 1878, by Rev. B. R. Gifford, who remained till 1881. Mr. Bigelow then became rector, but his health failing he left after a few months' service. Rev. Frank S. Har- raden succeeded Mr. Bigelow, and his ministry con- tinued for the space of seven years and four months, when he removed to Hanover, Mass. During most or all of this period he had charge of the Episcopal Church in Framingham, and was very laborious in his service. Rev. Mr. Baily is now the Rector. The communicants number about eighty, the Sabbath- school seventy-five, while forty-five families are con- nected with the parish. Charles Q. Tirrell, Esq., is the superintendent of the Sabbath-school. The war- dens and vestrymen are Messrs. Frank E. Cummings, Charles Q. Tirrell, Dr. George J. Townsend, John M. Fiske, Walter E. Rawson, James H. Gilligan, Edward Williams and Edward S. Ramsdell.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES .- The house of worship which was sold by the Congregational Parish to the Universalist Society was, upon the disband- ment of the latter, in 1860, purchased by the Roman Catholic denomination, aud by them greatly enlarged and improved. Asit now is, the edifice has a very large seating capacity, but nonc too large for the numerous congregation with which it is very often crowded.

545

NATICK.

The history of this enterprise is here briefly given. The first services of which any definite date is pre- served were held in South Natick during the spring of 1844. These were conducted by the late lamented George Foxcroft Haskins, the founder of the Home of the "Angel Guardian," Vernon Street, Boston. He was a convert to Catholicity in 1843, and was, for many years, resident chaplain of the old House of Reformation in South Boston. In his ministrations to the few Catholics of Natick he was succeeded by the Reverend Frs. Fitton, of East Boston, Gibson, Riordan, Doherty, Hamilton and Walsh, of Saxon- ville, the latter of whom has just completed his thirty- fourth year of service as Catholic rector of Natick.

Father Walsh studied his classics as well as divin- ity in St. John's Seminary, Waterford, Ireland, but was ordained in Worcester, Mass., in 1853.

Thirty-four years ago he had as his missionary field, Marlborough, Hudson, Hopkinton, Ashland, Assabet, Framingham, Milford, Natick and South Natick. Upon this field in 1889 sixteen Catholic clergymen are employed.

In Natick Mr. Walsh is aided in his ministerial work by Revs. John Aloysius Donnelly and Patrick Bowen Murphy, both of whom are graduates of the University of Leval, Quebec. Fr. Donnelly was born in Hingham, and graduated from the grammar-school in that place before entering Leval. Fr. Murphy passed his childhood and youth in Boston, and grad- uated from the Lincoln School, South Boston, under Master Clarke, and from the old English High-School, Bedford Street, Boston, under the late lamented Master Cumston.

At South Natick a spacious Catholic church edifice has been recently erected, and the large congregation there, it is understood, is served by the ministerial brethren residing in the centre of the town.

THE UNITARIAN CHURCH, OR ELIOT CHURCH .- This church is in South Natick, and stands very nearly or exactly upon the spot where the first build- ing for school and religious purposes was erected by the Indians, under the superintendence of Rev. John Eliot, in 1651. The location is very pleasant, and this is undoubtedly the fifth meeting-house that has stood upon the same spot. The four of ancient date appear to have been erected severally in 1651, 1700, 1721 and 1749, but the last-mentioned was not finished till 1767, and was standing (but for a number of years unused) as late as 1812. The reason for the brief ex- istence of the second and third of these meeting- houses may be found in the cheap and poor manner of their construction.

The second house was built by John Coller, Jr., and as he agreed to take his pay in " a nook of land," which was not granted to him till 1702, he possibly could not have afforded to build a more durable house. The third house was built, or partially built, by one Jebis, who was styled "a regular cheat." " What Jebis promist to do in four months is not fin-

isht iu four years." "He has plac't it just as the ground was, instead of digging to the firme earth, as he ought to have done." So run the complaints and the peti- tions for help.

The South Congregational Parish (now the First Uni- tarian) of Natick was incorporated March 1, 1828, with thirty corporators, only one of whom-Lindall Perry -was known to have been living fifty years later. The house of worship was erected in 1828, and ded- icated November 20th of that year. Mr. James W. Thompson was ordained as pastor February 17, 1830, and March 11th of the same year a church was gathered. The Lord's Supper was first administered to twenty-two communicants March 28, 1830. Mr. Thompson was pastor for two years, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Edward Palmer, whose term of ser- vice was only ten months. February 25, 1835, Rev. Ira Henry Thomas Blanchard was installed pastor for the term of five years, at the close of which period his precarious health prevented his re-en- gagement, and he died April 9, 1845. Early in 1843 Rev. Thomas Brattle Gannett became pastor, and remained such till April 1, 1850. From 1850 to 1852 Rev. James Thurston was pastor. The ministry of Rev. N. O. Chaffee for one year and of Rev. Edward Stowe for two years followed, as did that of Rev. William G. Babcock for three years.

Rev. Horatio Alger commenced his long pastorate in May, 1860, and was pastor until April, 1874, a period of fourteen years. Mr. Alger was closely iden- tified with all the educational interests of Natick, faithfully serving the town as a member of the school committee and as one of the trustees of Morse Insti- tute for fifteen years. He was also the president of the Historical, Natural History and Library Society of South Natick from the time of its organization, in 1873, till his death, November 6, 1881. At the semi- centennial of the Unitarian Church of South Natick, November 20, 1878, Mr. Alger delivered one of the two leading addresses, which was full of historical information of great value.

Rev. Joseph P. Sheafe, Jr., was Mr. Alger's succes- sor in the ministry of this church, and was ordained September 30, 1874. Mr. Sheafe became the corre- sponding secretary of the Historical, Natural History and Library Society in 1877, and prepared important papers for the "Field Days" of that society in 1881- 83. Mr. Sheafe was dismissed Decemher, 1885, and was succeeded by Rev. George H. Badger, who was ordained December 22, 1886. Mr. Badger is a native of Charlestown, was born in 1859 ; a graduate of Wil- liams College, 1883, and studied theology in Andover and Cambridge. The church numbers about seventy ; the Sunday-school from seventy to one hundred, of which Mr. Eliot Perry is superintendent. The church edifice was renovated in 1887 and 1888.

JOHN ELIOT CHURCH, SOUTH NATICK .- This church was organized in 1859, and Rev. E. E. Strong was its first pastor. He remained pastor until 1865.

546

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Rev. George W. Sargent was installed pastor Sep- tember 27, 1865, and remained such for two years, when he removed to Racine, Wisconsin. Rev. B. F. Clarke now supplied for a few months, Rev. S. C. Strong for three years and Rev. Gorham D. Ab- bott for nine months. In 1873 Rev. Samuel D. Hos- mer became pastor and remained such for five years. Rev. Pearse Pinch succeeded, remaining three years. Rev. George Allchin, commissioned a missionary to Japan, then preached eight months. Rev. W. A. Lamb followed for two years. March, 1884, Rev. W. D. P. Bliss was ordained pastor, but was dismissed during the year following. Rev. John Colby, the present pastor, commenced his labors in December, 1885. Mr. Colby was born in York, Maine ; fitting for college in Gilmanton Academy, New Hampshire, he graduated at Dartmouth College in 1852, and from Andover Theological Seminary in 1855. Mr. Colby was pastor in Hampton, New Hampshire, at South- borough, Massachusetts, and for thirteen years at Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, before coming to South Natick. While pastor at Fitzwilliam he was elected a member of the New Hampshire Legislature and took a prominent part in its proceedings during its session in 1885. Mr. Colby has a wife and two daughters, viz. : Annie Lavinia, a graduate of Wellesley College in 1880, and Helen King. Deacon M. V. B. Bartlett is the superintendent of the Sabbath-school. This school numbers about one hundred.

THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH .- The First Univer- salist Parish of Natick was organized September 20, 1879. The pulpit was supplied by Rev. W. A. Start until March, 1880, when Rev. Albert Hammatt was settled, who continued as pastor till March, 1883, when Rev. W. N. Haywood was pastor for three years, or until April, 1886. Rev. Darius Cobb then supplied for a few months. Rev. W. H. Gould preached from November, 1887, until June, 1888, when he was settled as pastor aud is such at the pres- ent time.

The church was organized in 1882 with twenty- three members. The church edifice was erected in 1887 and first occupied December 18th of that year. The cost of the land and building was $8000.

CHAPTER XL.

NATICK-(Continued).

EDUCATIONAL.

Schools-Libraries -- Morse Institute-College and University Honors.

THE custom which prevailed in the settlement of most of the towns in New England of planting the school-house by the side of the meeting-house was not strictly adhered to in the case of Natick, for here

the first school-house was the first meeting-house. This building, as already noticed, was erected by the Indians of the Natick Plantation, under the general superintendence of their guide and religious teacher, Rev. John Eliot, in the year 1651, and stood nearly or exactly upon the spot where now stands the Uni- tarian Church edifice in South Natick. This school- house, which was used for religious gatherings as well, was roughly built, but of suitable size, and in it assembled the first school ever taught in Natick. The pupils were all Indians and by no means all children, for not a few adult Indians of both sexes were glad to enjoy the advantages it afforded. The teacher was a young Indian by the name of Mone- quasan, who had been for some years under the in- struction of Mr. Eliot and perhaps of some others, in anticipation of the work to which he was now called. He was a bright and intelligent young man, but after a comparatively short service sickened and died.

We have no positive information respecting the branches of study pursued in this Indian school, but only the rudiments of education were taught, as reading, spelling, writing, etc. It seems nearly cer- tain that the instruction given was largely in the In- dian language, for this was employed for many years in the religious services of the Sabbath and Mr. Eliot's translation of the Scriptures into it, at a later period, was for the common use of the Indians. Gradually, however, they acquired some knowledge of the English language and a few of them could write and compose in it, as well as, if not better than, the majority of the whites of their neighborhood. This school was suspended during King Philip's War for a considerable period, from 1675 onward; and the progress of the Indians in the matter of education greatly hindered, so much so that in 1698, while there were 110 adult Indians belonging to the Plantation and 70 children under sixteen years of age, no school- master was employed, and but one child was found that could read.

In 1679 the inhabitants of Sherborn exchanged with the Natick Indians four thousand acres of land, more or less, "giving 200 bushels of Indian graine to boot. There was also to be a lott of fifty acres sett out where the Commissioners of ye Colonies, Major Gookin and Mr. Eliot and Indian Rulers shall choose within that tract of land which Sherborn was to have of Natick, to be appropriated forever to the use of a . free school for teaching the English and Indian chil- dren the English language and other sciences." This agreement was signed by Daniel Gookin and six other white men, and by Waban and four other In- dians, the latter making their marks.1

No records have been found respecting the outcome of this arrangement, but, upon the face of it, it cer- taiuly has promising features.

1 Quoted by the Historian Biglow, and credited by him to the Sherborn Records.

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NATICK.

At what time this Indian school was discontinued it is impossible to ascertain,

In 1731-32 Ebenezer Felch was paid six pounds "for keeping school in Natick," and in 1733 "four pounds" for a similar service. Where this school was kept we know not. There is a tradition that Mr. Felch instructed Indian children, but it is more prob- able that his pupils were chiefly, if not wholly, from the white families that were now settling in the town. Ebenezer (or Eben) Felch was among the ablest men of the early settlers. He seems to have been a dea- con of the church, a selectman, a surveyor, and pro- prietors' clerk, as well as teacher, and lived, cer- tainly during the later years of his life, in the north part of the town, upon the spot where the dwelling of Mr. Oliver H. Felch now stands.

Oct. 1, 1746, the year after Natick "was erected into a Precinct or Parish," a vote was passed "not to have a school this year," but the next year the parish "Granted forty pounds, old tenor, to be laid out in a reading and writing school." In 1760, 1764 and 1767 the parish granted £13 6s. 8d. for the support of a school, but in 1762 refused to make a grant for this purpose, possibly because an earlier grant had not been expended. The grant in 1769 was "thirteen pounds lawful money"; in 1770, twenty pounds; in 1771 and 1773, ten pounds. In 1780 £500 were granted ; but this was when the currency had depre- ciated greatly, so that in some parts of New England ninety pounds of it were worth only one pound in silver. In 1793 fifty pounds were granted, and in 1799 $300. In 1798 the town chose " Eliakim Morrill, Capt. Abel Perry, Timothy Morse, Ethel Jennings and Moses Fisk School Committee, each to act in his own district." From 1800 to 1819 the yearly appro- priation was usually $600, but in 1846 it was raised to $900. In 1804, under the article "To see if the town will choose a Committee to examine their School- Masters and Mistresses," and inspect the schools, the town voted in the affirmative, and chose the select- men a committee to examine and inspect accordingly. In those days, as well as later, the selectmen were often called upon to do what no others were willing to undertake gratuitously. In 1804 the town refused to make an appropriation "to purchase a library," but granted $200 to build a school-house in the North District, fourteen by eighteen feet in size. It was also voted "to set up a Singing-School," and a com- mittec of three was chosen to decide "as to the place or places of the said singing-school."

In 1805 there appears to have been five "squar- dians," or school districts, laid out or suggested, viz., the South, the Centre, the West, the North and the North-Brick. This old name for school districts- squadrons, squardrions, squardeons or squarn-we frequently find in the ancient records of many of the towns of New England. It was varicusly spelled in the same town, and doubtless as variously pro- nounced.

March 16, 1807, the town "voted to choose a com- mittee to join with Mr. Sears (the minister) in exam- ining the School Masters and School Mistresses and inspecting the Schools." This committee consisted of Lieut. David Morse, Jonathan Bacon, Capt. David Bacon, Capt. William Stone and Ed. Hammon. This was the first instance of the town's recognizing its minister's duty to take the lead in superintending the schools. In 1812, there being no pastor of the church, the town chose for the School Committee Ezekiel Sawin for No. 1, William Perry, Jr., for No. 2, David Perry for No. 3, Abel Drury for No. 4 and Levi Felch for No. 5, and " John Bacon, Jr., John At- kins, Esq., and Thomas Sawin a committee to exam- ine the Schools and their Instructors."

In 1814 the town appointed a committee of three in each district to examine teachers and set up and visit their respective schools, and made Rev. Martin Moore chairman of each of the five committees.

For a number of years later one person in each district was chosen annually as School Committee, but his duties were not defined by the town. Doubt- less these persons gave to the schools nearly all the supervision they had, but in 1822, in addition to the choice of what was later called the Prudential Com- mittee for each district, the town chose Calvin Shep- herd, Calvin Leland, William Stone and John Bacon a committee "to visit schools," while in 1830 Rev. Martin Moore, Rev. James W. Thompson, John Travis, Deacon John Angier and Joel Pierce were appointed " to superintend schools."

In 1831 the town defined the duties of Prudential Committees thus : 1. To have their school-houses furnished with good locks and keys and to be care- fully closed during vacations. 2. To search out all authors of any damages to the school-houses and to report the same to the selectmen. And then the teachers were enjoined "carefully to note breaks, cuts, scratches or damages whatever," discover, if possible, the author or authors of the same and re- port to the Prudential Committees.

And the selectmen were authorized to offer a re- ward of fifty dollars for evidence to convict such cul- prits when brought to trial-moreover, the teachers were required to read these regulations at the com- mencement of their respective schools and on the first Monday of each month afterwards.

In 1832 the several school districts, five in number, were established " by bounds and monuments," the town having previously appraised the school-houses and voted to support the same. The Sixth District was established before 1838. At that date Rev. Erasmus D. Moore, Rev. J. H. S. Blanchard and Nathan Rice constituted the Superintending School Committee. April 1, 1839, the School Committee made a detailed report to the town, the first of the kind found upon the records, and in that year they were paid for their services $35.50. The appropriation for schools was, in 1846, increased to $900, and in 1849, to $1500. April

548

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

5, 1852, the committee made their report printed in pamphlet form, and the town authorized the commit- tee to establish a High School according to law, and appropriated $1000 for its support. This appears to have been opened without any considerable delay, under the charge of Abner Rice, A.M., the pupils having previously passed a satisfactory examination in reading, writing, spelling, geography, arithmetic through fractions, and in the elements of English grammar. Before this time High Schools had been maintained in town, on personal responsibility, by John Angier, Othniel Dinsmore, Charles Forbush, Daniel Wight, Samuel Damon, Charles Dickson and John W. Bacon. 1

The appropriations for schools increased so that in 1855 they amounted in all to $4000, and in 1857 to $4500, $1500 being for the High School.

In 1858 the town voted to divide the school money one-half by the number of the schools and the other half by the number of scholars. In 1859 one mem- ber of the School Committee was chosen for three years and one for one year. June 11, 1864, the town adopted stringent regulations regarding truant chil- dren and absentees from school, and the same were approved by the Supreme Court, at Cambridge, De- cember 12, 1865. Later school appropriations were as follows : In 1865, $1500 for High School, $4500 for district schools ; in 1868, $1600 for High School, $6000 for district schools; in 1870, $1900 for High School, $7000 for district schools; in 1872, $12,000 in all; in 1876, $14,000; in 1881, $17,000; in 1882, $20,000; in 1888, $25,000. In 1876 Mrs. Laura S. Fay was chosen as a member of the School Committee and Mrs. Mary C. Reynolds was chosen in 1881. In 1889 the school appropriations amounted to $26,000, and at the same time the committee was increased by the addition of three members, accord- ing to the decision of the town in 1888. Misses Mary A. Jennings and Isabel G. Weston were chosen for three years, Mrs. Martha M. Bigelow for two years and James McManus for one year, Messrs. G. D. Tower and H. C. Mulligan holding over. The com- mittee is therefore now composed of three lawyers, two of whom are gradnates of Harvard University ; Mrs. Bigelow, who has trained children in school and in her family ; Miss Weston who is a regularly edu- cated physician, and Miss Jennings, whose ability is well vouched for in this responsible position. Mr. Tower, a graduate of Union College and of Boston University Law School, has been for years chairman of the Superintending Committee.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 150

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034