History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 174

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 174

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STOW.

During the long ministry of Mr. Newell harmony and good will generally prevailed. On the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town he preached an occasional and interesting sermon, which was printed ; yet it does not contain so much historical matter as we of this day should have desired. Fifty years from the date of his settlement he preached a sermon commemorative of that event, which was also printed. During his ministry at one time the dogs became somewhat troublesome at church, and a com- mittee was chosen, April 4, 1796, to take care of the dogs that come to meeting on Sunday, and also to kill all " that come into the meeting-house on the Sab- hath Day, if they can't keep them off without."

As the infirmities of age grew on apace, Mr. New- ell, in June, 1828, proposed to relinquish one-half of his salary if the town would secure an assistant. This proposition was accepted on the Ist of September fol- lowing. But three months later Mr. Newell, "on ac- count of his declining health and increasing infirmi- ties," asked the town "to immediately provide a preacher, agreeing to relinquish all further support as a minister." On the 22d of December, 1828, the town acceded to his request, and "voted that the in- habitants of the town and parish will hold in lasting remembrance and veneration the Rev. Mr. Newell, their pastor, for the deep interest which, during his long ministry among them, he has ever manifested in their behalf, collectively and individually ; that in his late voluntary relinquishment of salary they recog- nize a fatherly and anxious concern that a colleague and successor may be selected and settled while he yet lives and can aid them by advice and example." A colleague was soon settled. After relinquishing the charge of the pulpit Mr. Newell lived nearly two years, dying on the morning of October 4, 1830, lack- ing but one week of fifty-six years from his ordina- tion, at the age of almost eighty-one years.

Rev. Jonathan Newell was born at Needham, De- cember 13, 1749, old style, or December 24th, new style. He fitted for college at Hatfield, and gradu- ated from Harvard College in 1770. He studied the- ology with his pastor, Dr. West, of Needham, and commenced preaching in the autumn of 1773. We are told that he " was a man of a strong mind, of sound judgment, exceedingly well acquainted with human nature, benevolent and generous to the poor, almost to profuseness. He had a great deal of shrewdness and of wit. . . His passions were naturally very strong, but he kept them under control. . . His whole ministry was marked with consummate prudence." "His con- duct was that of a gentleman to everybody. He was a very social companion and was universally beloved. He was remarkably fond of mechanical studies." He invented a machine for cutting nails, which proved a great success. "He was a large and well-propor- tioned man, and when fifty years old is said to have carried ninety-four bricks in a hod, at one time, to the top of his two-story house." At his request no

funeral sermon was preached, and none but the rela- tives followed the body to the grave. He married, November 24, 1774, Miss Sarah Fisk, of Watertown, and there was great rejoicing when he and his bride arrived in town; but in less than two years their joy was turned to mourning, for she " passed on " from earth September 14, 1776, aged abont twenty-five years. The town greatly sorrowed at her departure. " Her singular good temper and courteous conduct endeared her to all." Mr. Newell remained a wid- ower a little more than five years. Exactly seven years from the day of his ordination, or October 11, 1781, he married Miss Lucy Rogers, daughter of Rev. Daniel Rogers, of Littleton. She survived him more than fifteen years, and died May 26, 1846, aged ninety years. During Mr. Newell's ministry 140 persons were admitted to the church, about 1100 were bap- tized, and 337 couples were married by him.

Rev. John Langdon Sibley, having preached a few Sundays, was, on the 16th of February, 1829, invited to become the minister of the town. He was offered $500 as a settlement and a yearly salary of $600, with twelve cords of oak or walnut wood yearly. The call was accepted April I, 1829, and he was ordained on the 14th of May following. The introductory prayer and the reading of the Scriptures were by Rev. Mr. Robinson ; sermon, by Rev. Dr. Lowell, of Boston ; ordaining prayer, by Rev. Dr. Ripley ; charge, by Rev. Mr. Newell ; right hand, by Rev. Mr. Emerson ; address to society, by Rev. Dr. Harris; concluding prayer, by Rev. Mr. White. Dr. Lowell's sermon was printed. At the close of the services the council dined at the house of Francis Conant.

Mr. Sibley's ministry was of short duration. Soon after his ordination a Universalist Society was formed, and some persons holding Trinitarian views withdrew from his support. Religious convictions were form- ing anew. Seeing the drift of affairs, the pastor, on the 31st of March, 1831, sent in his resignation, but it was not accepted. The people still being divided in sentiment, he renewed his resignation in February, 1833, and it was accepted by the town March 18th, to take effect on the 1st of April. Rev. Mr. Sibley was born December 29, 1804, at Union, Me. He fitted for college at Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, N. H., and graduated from Harvard College in 1825. After leaving Stow he preached but little. He subse- quently became assistant librarian of Harvard Col- lege, and afterwards librarian. He was the editor of the Triennial Catalogue for several years, and pub- lished three volumes of biographical sketches of the early graduates of his alma mater, and was a large benefactor of Phillips Exeter Academy. He married, May 20, 1866, Charlotte Angusta Langdon Cook, and died at Cambridge December 9, 1885.

He was the last minister settled and supported by the town. In the latter part of the year the First Parish was organized, embracing all who had not withdrawn from the old church, who were known as

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Unitarians. But things were still in a somewhat un- settled condition, yet preaching was maintained for a considerable part of the time. Different ministers supplied the pulpit for some years, among whom was Rev. Seth Alden, Rev. Jonathan Farr, Rev. Matthew Harding, an Englishman, and probably some others whose names are unknown.

Rev. William Homans Kingsley was installed as pastor December 25, 1839. He continued in office until the last Sunday of March, 1846. He was born at East Bridgewater May 3, 1809. He had previously preached at Ipswich, Mass., and at Hubbardston. He subsequently preached at Mansfield and Mendon, and died at the latter place, September 7, 1851.

Rev. Reuben Bates (H. C., 1829) was installed June 18, 1846, and, on account of ill health, closed his ministry October 3, 1859. He was born at Con- cord March 28, 1809, and had previously been settled at Ipswich, N. H., and Ashby, Mass. He died De- cember 1, 1862. After his retirement various candi- dates supplied the pulpit until January 20, 1862, when Rev. George F. Clark was invited to become the pas- tor. The parochial year commenced March 1st. He was installed April 23d of that year, and closed his ministry on the 10th of March, 1867.

The subsequent pastors of the First Parish have been Revs. Frederick W. Webber, John F. Locke, Da- vid P. Muzzy, Thomas Weston and J. Sidney Moulton.

The first Sunday-school of the parish was organ- ized during Mr. Sibley's' ministry, June 6, 1830, and Jacob Caldwell, the preceptor of the academy, was chosen superintendent. About 125 children were connected with the school during the first year of its existence.

Universalists .- About 1830 a Universalist Society was formed and lived some twenty years, but never had a settled minister, and had preaching only a part of the time. They were granted the use of the meeting- house a portion of each year, according to the amount of money they paid.

Orthodox .- The Evangelical Church was organized May 11, 1839. It was composed of twenty-one mem- bers-six males and fifteen females. It was, indeed, an offshoot of the " Hillside Church," formed at Bol- ton in 1829. Rev. E. Porter Dyer was ordained pas- tor September 25, 1839. A chapel, for the use of the society, was built in 1840, and dedicated July 8th of that year. Rev. Mr. Dyer was dismissed January 29, 1846, and Rev. Theodore Cooke was ordained June 9, 1847. On the 1st of April, 1851, the place of worship was transferred from the centre of the towu to Union Hall, in Rock Bottom Village. Several prominent members, however, withdrew in 1852, to help form a church at Assabet Village (now Maynard). This and other causes so weakened the society that it ceased to exist in the course of a year or two. The pastoral relations of Rev. Mr. Cooke were dissolved May 2, 1853. The chapel was sold some fifteen years later and removed from town.

Methodists .- The Methodist Church of Rock Bot- tom is the legitimate successor of the old Methodist Church of that part of Marlborough now Hudson, which was constituted in 1808 by Rev. Benjamin R. Hoyt, at the house of Phineas Sawyer, the pioneer Methodist of that village. It was composed of mem- hers from several towns. They built a meeting-house in 1827, which was subsequently known as the "Old Brick Church," where they worshiped until Decem- ber 28, 1852, when the edifice was burned. A hall was then secured at Rock Bottom Village, where meetings were held. Thirteen of the Marlborough members soon after withdrew to form a new society. Those who remained decided to build a house of worship at Rock Bottom, and the corner-stone was laid July 4, 1853, and the house was dedicated No- vember 30th of the same year, Rev. L. D. Barrows preaching the sermon. Rev. T. B. Treadwell was the first preacher in charge of the society during 1853 and 1854, Rev. G. F. Pool in 1855, Rev. William Pentecost in 1856-57, Rev. W. I. Lacount in 1858, 1859-60, Rev. J. W. Lewis in 1861-62, Rev. Albert Gould in 1863-64, Rev. J. W. Hambleton in 1865, 1866 and 1867, Rev. Augustine Caldwell in 1868-69, Rev. Burtis Judd in 1870-71, Rev. N. A. Soule in 1872, Rev. J. L. Locke in 1873-74, Rev. N. Bemis in 1875-76, Rev. G. R. Bent in 1877-78, Rev. William Full in 1879-80, Rev. W. E. Dwight in 1881-82, Rev. G. E. Sanderson in 1883, 1884-85, Rev. S. L. Rodgers in 1886-87, Rev. J. A. Day in 1888-89. In 1855 a parsonage-house was bought for $600. In 1884 a new parsonage was built at a cost of about $2200.

MEETING-HOUSES-The first settlers were well aware of the importance of having a place of worship as an inducement for a minister to cast his lot among them. Hence they early took measures to erect a meeting-house where they and their children could regularly repair for public worship. Probably the first religious services were held in dwelling-houses, and, perhaps, in the summer season, in the open air, for " the groves were God's first temples." It is pretty evident, however, that the first meeting-house was built, though not finished, in 1685, two years after the incorporation of the town. It stood at the east end of the Common at the lower village. The following votes are the first records extant relative to the build- ing. It was voted March 1, 1685-86, "yt Thomas Ward shall bee freed from any farther Charges in ref- erence to ye finishing ye meeting-house erected in this town." A few days later, March 10th, it was voted "that ye selectmen doe, and are hereby impow- ered in ye behalfe of ye town, to agree & bargain with Samuel Hunt yt he finish ye meeting-house of this town to ye turning of ye key, or at least to agree with him to doe soe much of ye sd work yt may bee of present necessity." Here is the agreement in ref- erence to finishing the house, between the selectmen and Mr. Hunt, dated March 22, 1685-86; "Samuel Hunt is to lay ye floors double in ye meeting-house,

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make aud hang two double doors, four windows each with three lights framed two feete and half in length with hansom munions to be despatched forthwith sub- stantially and completely." He was to be paid for the work "ten bushels of Indian corne, good and merchantable, and to provide boards and nails." How "substantially and completely " the work was done we do not know, but evidently something more was needed. And as the following winter approached the people were reminded that the house was not suffi- ciently protected against the cold blasts of this rigorous climate. Therefore, "Att a meeting of ye inhabitants & Proprietors of this Town ye 5th of Octobr 1686, It was voted that ye publick meeting-house newly erected in this Towne shall bee forthwth filled betweene ye wall timbrs and studs from ye cills to ye Jowle peices with clay and wood and lathes, to hold the crosse peices, and to hold up ye clay & yt ye same be plastered even with the studs & yt ye whole house shall be well & sufficiently every way round about und pinned, and it is agreed wth Jno Butterick and Ephraim Heldreth yt they doe arrange all ye said work to be done effectually, they providing materi- alls." They were to receive three pounds, five shil- lings, or in corn "at common price as it commonly goes from man to man." "The house must have been of very rude construction and of small dimensions, having only " four windows each with three lights." But it was probably the best the inhabitants could do in their poverty, and they were content for the time being, at least. At any rate it served their purpose for a few years. But as the town grew in numbers and wealth, a larger and more comfortable place of worship was desired. Accordingly, on the 6th of March, 1709-10, the town met "to conclude some- thing about building a meeting-house," but there is no record of anything done. June 12, 1711, it was voted "that the meeting-house shall be built and set upon the little plaine on the norwest side of Strong Water Pond, on the right hand of the country road between Moses Whitney's and Capt. Stevens' house." This was where Mr. F. W. Warren's house now stands. There was, however, some dissatisfaction with the lo- cation, and March 29, 1712, Samuel Hall, Zebediah Wheeler, Deliverance Wheeler, John Wetherby and Thomas Brown were chosen a committee to decide upon some place to set the house. The house was to be " 38 foot in length and 32 foot broad." We find no further action until January 12, 1712-13, when it was voted " to set the meeting-house on the right hand of the country road on the little knowl between Capt. [Stevens'] barn and the dame at Strong Water Brook." This was about seventy-five rods easterly of the first location in 1711.

The house was to be "40 foot long, 32 wide and 20 foot between joynts." April 7, 1713, Joseph Daby, Thomas Whitney, Sr., and Thomas Brown were chosen a committee to let out the building of the house, and were fully empowered to decide how it

should be finished inside and out, how the seats, doors, windows and stairs should be made, and other things " to set out the beutey of the house." February 1, 1713-14, it was ordered that pews be built in the new house "all round the body if persons desire lib- erty." The house was probably accepted and occu- pied about the 1st of May, 1714. It probably had a gallery. The old meeting-house was sold before March, 1719, and the money was used to purchase a "burying cloth." The old Common at the lower vil- lage, whereon the first meeting-house stood, was sold in 1809 to Rufus Hosmer and Jacob Soper, for $100, on condition that it always remain a Common, never to be fenced or built upon. The new house cost about £250, besides some voluntary work upon it.

The second house, like the first, was not probably a very imposing edifice. Repairs were frequently made upon it; and in the course of years it was, by some, deemed unsuitable for religious purposes. Having been used about forty-six years, a movement was started for a new house, but nothing came of it. But April 6, 1752, it was voted "that the town will build a new meeting-house." A few weeks later it was voted "to sett the new meeting-house over the old celler-place near Strong Water Brook, called Capt. Stevens' old cellar- place." The house was to be fifty feet long, forty feet wide and twenty-three feet between joints. The location of the house was subsequently reconsidered once and again, and finally, February 12, 1753, it was voted " to set the house on the north side of the coun- ty road where Shabbukin Road leads into said road." This was where the brick school-house now stands. The house is supposed to have been raised on the 27th of August, 1753. As the house approached com- pletion the town decided, June 3, 1754, that "there shall be nineteen pews round the meeting-house, as they are in the old meeting-house, one of the nine- teen exempted for the minister's pew." On the same day Mr. Samuel Gates, Mr. Jeremiah Wood, Mr. John Marble, Junr., were empowered to sell the pew ground and give title to the same. The committee were to " dignifye " the pews and sell the highest pews to the highest payers ; but if the highest payer did not take the pew, then it was to be offered to the next highest payer, &c. If the pew ground was not sold by the 27th of the next January, the committee were direct- ed to build the pews at the town's expense. On Jan. 17, 1755, all former votes relative to selling the pew ground were reconsidered, and the pews were to be sold for £100, lawful money, and whoever bought should take the spot for his seat. January 27, 1755, the pew ground was sold to the following persons : .

East of Fore Door .- 1, Capt. Hezekiah Hapgood; 2, Lieut. Joseph Daby ; 3, Jeremiah Holmon. West of Fore Door .- 1, Daniel Hapgood; 2, Joshua Whitney ; 3, Samuel Gates. East of Pulpit .- I, Abraham Whitney ; 2, Amos Gutes; 3, John Marblo, Junr. West Door and Men's Stairs .- John Whitman, Esq. Eust Door and Women's Stairs .- ADios Brown. North of West Door .- 1, Capt. Phineas Gates ; 2, Elisha Gates. North of East Door .- Samuel Surgent ; 2, Widow Sarah Stevens. North- east Corner .- Capt. Timothy Gibson. Northwest Corner .- Jonathan Wood. Next to the Minister's Pew, West of the Pulpit .- Stephen Gibson.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The whole sold for £91 14s. 10d. These pews were around the house, next to the walls. The space within was at first occupied by long beuches, one side of the broad aisle being for the men, and the other for the women. Some of these benches were subsequently taken up, and pews built instead. The house had probably a double frout-door, and also a door at each end, with a gallery on three sides of the building. The cost of the edifice was about £266. The old house was sold for £122, and the proceeds were ap- propriated for the support of the poor. The house was first used for religious worship in February, 1755, and the first communiou service in it was on the 23d of March following.

In the course of a few years there appears to have been some irregularity in entering, or at least in leaving their seats after publick worship. Hence the town took the matter in hand, and March 4, 1771, they "recommended that the fore seats below move out first after publick service is over, and so successive- ly till they are empty. That the people in the gal- leries, in leaving their seats, the fore seats clear first, and so in succession till the galleries are empty." This probably led to an orderly aud decorous depart- ure from the precincts.

As time wears on, buildings once new wear out, no matter to how good uses they are devoted. So, in 1822, a movement was made for a fourth meeting-house, but failed. In 1824 a committee report against repairing the old house and recommend that a new house be placed a little west of the old one. Another com- mittee report in favor of a spot a little west of the Academy. This was not satisfactory to all, and, in January, 1825, the town voted to purchase land of Levi Warren, near Noah Gates' house. This vote was re-considered and another site was selected. In. the course of a few months various other votes rela- tive to the location, size and cost of the house were passed and re-considered. Finally the Gordian knot was cut December 9, 1826, by the town voting "to convey the old meeting-house and land connected, belonging to the town, to Moses Whitney, Esqr., and Augustus Tower, Esqr., and others, to their use, in consideration of their building a new house for pub- lic worship for the town, the surplus money arising from the sale of the pews to be paid into the town treasury." The house was to be completed withiu a year from the 1st day of January, 1827. The house was erected during the year 1827, on the site of the present meeting-house. It was dedicated on Monday, October 1, 1827. Rev. Dr. Thayer, of Lancaster, preached the sermon ; Rev. Dr. Ripley, of Concord, offered the dedicatory prayer; and Rev. Mr. Allen, of Bolton, closed with prayer. October 22d the select- men were authorized to employ some one to take charge of the meeting-house and to ring the bell on Sundays, at funerals, town-meetings, etc. The bell was presented to the town by Mrs. Abigail Eveleth, an aged lady, and it was tolled for the first time at

her funeral. This fourth house, built in 1827, was burned November 9, 1847. The books, clock, pulpit and communion service were saved. The First Par- ish erected the present house in 1848, on the site of the one burned, and it was dedicated August 30th of that year, Rev. Chandler Robbins, of Boston, preach- ing the sermon.

Parsonage .- On the 30th of Dec., 1870, Col. Elijah Hale purchased a house and two or three acres of laud, costing about $2000, and presented them to the First Parish, to be used as a parsonage.

Bell .- About the 1st of January, 1722, a small bell was presented to the town by a Mr. Jeskell, an Englishman, who resided at the lower village, and that year a turret was built to the meeting-house, to hang it in. No belfry or steeple was built on the house erected in 1754. The bell appears finally to have been sold in 1823.

EDUCATIONAL .- The first reference to schools, on the towu-books, was made December 13, 1714, when Thomas Brown was chosen schoolmaster. We think, however, there must have been schools of some char- acter at an earlier period than that, though perhaps not supported at public expense. Some of the set- tlers were probably men capable of giving instruction to the young and would doubtless do so gratuitously. It is not our province, however, to speculate upon this matter, but to record known facts. Thomas Brown probably taught one or two quarters. January 11, 1715-16, John Whitman was chosen schoolmaster for one quarter. The following May Thomas Brown was again chosen for six months, and in September of the same year Benjamin Drowet was chosen for one quarter, to teach youth to read and write, and he was to be paid five pounds, and to begin on the 29th of October. In May, 1717, John Gardner was paid £7 13s. 4d. for keeping school the previous winter. On January 17, 1718, Rev. John Eveleth was engaged to keep school for one quarter at £1 10s. per month. In March, 1720, Mr. Eveleth was paid £6 10s. for keeping school the previous year. October 24, 1721, it was voted that the school shall be kept "at ye Capts house " for the rest of the half-year. This was . probably Captain Stevens' house.

February 8, 1721-22, a rate of twenty pounds was inade to pay the schoolmaster. December 5, 1722, it was voted to keep a writing-school for three months, and that the school should be kept one month each at Amos Brown's, John Taylor's and Jacob Brown's. December 2, 1723, it was ordered that the school be kept one month each at John Taylor's, Daniel Gates' and Zebediah Wheeler's. The next year it was to be kept at Phineas Rice's, Daniel Gates' and John Tay- lor's. The first vote to build a school-house was in January, 1731-32, and the following year three school- houses were voted up. September 24, 1733, it was ordered that the town be divided into three school quarters, and three men in each quarter were chosen to locate the houses. It was subsequently decided

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that the houses should be twenty feet long, sixteen wide and seven feet from the top of sill to the top of the plate. A streak of poverty came over the town, so that on August 22, 1734, they petitioned the Gen- eral Court for a grant of land to support the schools. They seem to have been indicted for not having a school. December 18, 1734, voted to so far accept the school-house lately built nearest the meeting-house, as to order the school to be kept in it for four months. The following February voted that every part of the town should have their part of schooling according to their pay, and should choose their own schoolmaster ; that every school should be free, and that every quar- ter should build their own school-house by subscrip- tion, etc. October 9, 1749, a committee was chosen to answer for the town at the next Inferior Court. This had reference to a grammar-school, as one had not been kept according to law. A great innovation upon the established order of things occurred in March, 1750, when it was voted to provide a "School Dame," and that the school should be kept six months in the summer season, and forty pounds, old tenor, was granted for that purpose. In October of that year it was decided that the school should begin at "Shabican," and then at the east end, etc. It was, voted not to keep a grammar-school in 1752, and in 1758 the town was indicted for not having one. The same year it was voted to build a school-house at the meeting-house-all within two miles were to help build the house, all outside of two miles were to have as much schooling as they were taxed for. The house was not probably built, for in March, 1763, a similar vote was passed, the limit being a mile and a half. The house was to be eighteen feet square ex- clusive of the chimney-place, seven feet stud ; the in- side to be well ceiled, the chimney of brick, the house underpinned and well glazed. March 3, 1766, forty pounds, lawful money, were raised to build three school-houses in the out divisions of the town, but they were not speedily built In 1771 a committee was chosen to provide schools; this had previously been done, but sometimes the matter was intrusted to the selectmen. Six months of a man's and six months of a woman's school was provided for. April 19, 1779, a committee reported that the middle of the town should have twelve weeks and two days of schooling, east end thirteen weeks and one day, west end sixteen weeks, north end ten weeks and four days.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 174

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