History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 38

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 38


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In February, 1879, Rev. A. C. Williams, from New Jersey, was called to the pastorate as successor to Mr. Hinckley. Mr. Williams resigned in May, 1882, and removed to Hinsdale, N. H., where he died suddenly July 12, 1883.


A call was extended, September 22, 1882, to Rev. E. K. Chandler (Madison University); former pas- torates: Rockford, 11l., Saco, Me. Mr. Chandler entered upon his duties as pastor November 1. After a successful pastorate of seven years, he resigned September 15, 1889, to accept a call from the church in Warren, R. I. He received the degree D.D. in 1884.


June 26, 1889, the church edifice was damaged by fire, which made it necessary to make quite exten- sive repairs. It was accordingly enlarged and re- modeled at an expense of about $17,000.


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January 17, 1890, Rev. Asa E. Reynolds (M. U.) former pastorates : Natick, Mass., Wallingford, Conn. -received the unanimous call to the church to be- come its pastor. He entered upon his work March 2d, and was publicly recognized March 20, 1890, when the church edifice was rededicated and opened for public services.


Charles River Baptist Church.1-The Charles River Baptist Church had its origin in a Sunday-school, which was begun by members of the First Baptist Church, 1870, in the upper rooms of a dwelling-house, No. S Magazine Court. The first session was held April 3d, with an attendance of twenty-four children. Meetings for prayer and teaching the children con- tinued to be held in this place until October 30, 1870, when a new chapel, which had been erected during the summer at an expense of about $8500, on the corner of Magazine Street and Putnam Avenue, was occupied. This was of wood, Gothic in style, seventy feet long and thirty-three feet wide, with an addition in the rear for the infant class of the Sunday-school capable of seating about seventy five persons. The main room had seats for about 300. This chapel was dedicated November 29, 1870.


The school at this time numbered 180 teachers and scholars. Regular preaching services were begun in July, 1874, and continued under the charge of Rev. J. P. Thoms, and subsequently Rev. G. T. Raymond, to the time of the formation of the church-1876. The congregation at this time averaged about 120 in attendance.


In June, 1873, an incorporated association had been formed, called the Charles River Baptist Chapel As- sociation, which held the property under a trust deed, meeting quarterly. This association, acting con- jointly with a committee chosen each year by the First Baptist Church, sustained and continued the re- ligious interest. April 10, 1876, a meeting was held to consider the matter of church organization. The outcome of this meeting and another held April 25th was the formation of the present church, adopting the old incorporated name, with the change of " chapel " to "church." Soon after the Articles of Faith, the covenant and constitution and by-laws were adopted and signed by forty persons, all presenting letters of dismission from some Baptist Church. The council, composed of delegates from neighboring Baptist Churches, convened June 8, 1876, and public recogni- tion services were held the same evening. Moder- ator, Rev. H. K. Pervear ; clerk, Rev. Henry Hinck- ley. Rev. D. C. Eddy, D.D., preached the sermon. The church was received into the Boston North Bap- tist Association in September, 1876.


October 5, 1876, a reorganization of the church was made for the purpose of forming the present corpora- tion, with some changes in the by-laws. The pur- pose of the corporation, as set forth, is "to maintain


the public worship of God, to support evangelical preaching, and to observe the ordinances appointed by Christ, according to the usuages of the Baptist denomination." In 1878 the church asked for and re- ceived a release of the trust-deed from the First Bap- tist Church to enable a title deed to be made for them. Thus the new church became the owners of the land, building and personal property at a nominal cost to them of $3000.


June 16, 1889, the corner stone of the present house of worship was laid, and during the summer and the early part of the following year the edifice was erected. The building is a handsome brick structure, with brown-stone trimmings, located on the original lot, the old chapel being removed to the rear for ves- try purposes. The style is Romanesque. The audi- torium contains a number of memorial windows ; seating capacity, about 550. The present membership of the church is 220.


The following have been the pastors of the church : Rev. F. B. Dickinson, from 1876 to 1878; Rev. C. H. Rowe, from 1878 to 1881; Rev. G. E. Horr, from 1882 to 1883; Rev. W. C. Richmond, the present pastor, settled 1884.


UNION BAPTIST CHURCHES .- The meeting-house of the Union Baptist Church, upon Main Street, was erected in 1882. The pastor of the church is Rev. Jesse Harrell. The society is flourishing under his charge.


UNIVERSALIST CHURCHES .- The First Universalist Society in Cambridge was incorporated February 9, 1822. For some years there had been occasional re- ligious services conducted by Rev. Hosea Ballou and others in a school-house on Franklin Street. The society erected a meeting-house at the junction of Main and Front Streets, and this was dedicated De- cember 18, 1822. A church was organized June 19, 1827. The first pastor was Rev. Thomas Whittemore, who was born in Boston January 1, 1800. He served the church from April, 1822, until May, 1831. He was prominent in his denomination and an active citizen after his retirement from the pastorate of this church. He died March 21, 1861. His successor was Rev. Samuel P. Skinner, who began to preach for the church in 1831. In 1832 he removed to Baltimore. He died in 1858. He was followed by Rev. Lucius R. Paige, who was born in Hardwick March 8, 1802. He began to preach in 1823, entered upon his minis- try here in 1832, was installed July 8, 1832, and re- signed July 1, 1839. He received the degree of A.M. from Harvard College in 1850, and of D.D. from Tufts College in 1861. He preached for nearly thirty years after his retirement from the pastorate. Dr. Paige has continued to reside in Cambridge, where he is held in the highest esteem. He has served as town clerk and city clerk, as treasurer of the Cam- bridgeport Savings Bank, and cashier and president of the Cambridge Bank. He has published various religious books, and also a history of his native town.


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He has also published a " History of Cambridge," which is invaluable to any who would know the long story of the origin aud growth of the town, and especially to any one who has occasion to write concerning it. Dr. Paige is an active and honored member of the Massa- chusetts Historical Society.


Rev. Lemuel Willis was the nex' minister, from 1842 to 1845. Rev. Luther J. Fletcher was installed iu 1846, and he resigned in 1848. Rev. Edwin A. Eaton was the minister from 1849-52. Rev. Charles A. Skinner was installed in 1853 and he resigned in 1867. Rev. Benjamin F. Bowles was installed in 1868, and resigned in 1873. Rev. Oscar F. Safford was installed in 1874, and he served until 1885. The present pastor is Rev. Alphonso E. White (Dartmouth College, 1865), who was installed October 13, 1886. In 1889 the meeting-house was moved from the con- spicuous place it had occupied-in order that Front Street might be widened to make a proper approach to the Harvard bridge-and was placed on Inman Street, where it has been greatly improved and fur- nishes a convenient and attractive place of worship.


The Second Universalist Society was incorporated February 11, 1823. For a time meetings were held in a school-house on Third Street, East Cambridge, and afterwards in the meeting-house of the Unitarian Society. In 1834 a hall was hired for the services, and in 1843 this was purchased and enlarged and con- verted into a meeting-house. In 1865 this was sold and a house was built on Otis Street. This was dedi- cated September 26, 1866. Rev. Henry Bacon was the first settled pastor; he began in 1834 and resigned in 1838. He was followed by Rev. Elbridge G. Brooks, 1838 to 1845; Rev. William R. G. Mellen, 1845 to 1848; Rev. Massena Goodrich, 1849 to 1852; Rev. Henry A. Eaton, 1855 to 1857; Rev. Henry W. Rugg, 1858 to 1861 ; Rev. S. L. Roripaugh, January, 1862, to the end of the year; Rev. James F. Powers, 1863 to 1866; Rev. Henry I. Cushman, 1867 to 1868; Rev. Frank Maguire, 1868 to 1871; Rev. Sumner Ellis, from 1872 to 1874. Rev. Henry I. Cushman was "stated supply" from November 11, 1874, and Rev. William A. Start from September 4, 1875. Rev. William F. Potter supplied the pulpit from 1879 to 1881. Rev. Clarence E. Rice was the pastor from 1883 to 1887. Rev. Isaac P. Coddington, a graduate of the Theological School in Canton, N. Y., became the pastor in 1889, and now fills that office with success.


The Third Universalist Society was the successor of the Allen Street Congregational Society (Unitarian), an account of which has been given in connection with the Unitarian churches. This society assumed its new name and new relations in 1874. The first minister of the new Universalist parish and church was Rev. James Thurston, who was installed in 1853 and resigned in 1854. Rev. Caleb D. Bradlee fol- lowed, 1854 to 1857. Rev. John M. Marston was in- stalled 1858, and resigned in 1862. Rev. Frederick W. Holland served for two years, when Mr. Marston


resumed the pastorate. He resigned in 1867. Mr. Charles E. Fay preached statedly for the church for about a year, when he was appointed a professor in Tufts College. Rev. William A. Start was installed April 10, 1870. Under his ministry the society in- creased and the church building was enlarged. He resigned in 1874. Rev. Isaac M. Atwood became the pastor in 1874, and remained until 1879. During his pastorate a new brick church was erected in a promi- nent place on North Avenue. Mr. Atwood was made the president of the Theological Department of the St. Lawrence University, Canton, N. Y. Rev. Charles W. Biddle, D.D., of Lynn, was called to the pastoral office, and entered upon his duties December 1, 1879. Under his care the society is enjoying an enlarged prosperity.


METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES .- The First Methodist Episcopal Society was formed in East Cam- bridge in 1813. Before that those who were connected with this denomination attended church in Boston or Charlestown. The first meetings were in private houses. The first "Class" was formed in 1818. The first Methodist sermon in Cambridge, it is believed, was preached in the house of William Granville, by Rev. Enoch Mudge. Worship was sustained for a time in a school-house. In 1823 a small chapel was built. The first stated preacher at Lechmere Point was Rev. Leonard Frost, in 1823. In 1825 a brick house of worship was dedicated, at the corner of Cambridge and Third Streets. After about forty-five years this house was demolished and a larger house was erected on the site. This was of brick, and was dedicated December 12, 1872. The church has had a very active and useful career. Its history has been written by the Rev. Albert Gould and was published in the Cambridge Daily, March 11, 1889.


The ministers since the close of Dr. Paige's list are as follows : Rev. George W. Mansfield, retired in 1878; Rev. George Whitaker, D.D., served 1879-81 ; Rev. John N. Short, 1882-84; Rev. Samuel L. Gracey, 1885-86; Rev. Albert Gould, 1886-89; Rev. S. E. Breen, 1889-90; Rev. C. H. Hannaford is now the minister in charge.


Harvard Street Church .- In 1831 a " Class" of six members was formed, according to the usage of the Methodist Church. At first it met in or near Har- vard Square, but was removed to Cambridgeport. From this " Class " has grown the Harvard Street Church. Meetings for public worship were held in " Fisk Block," on Main Street, and afterwards in the Town House. In 1842 a meeting-house was built on Harvard Street at a cost of about $6,000. This was en- larged in 1851, and burned in 1857. Another house was built on the same site, at an expense of $17,- 000, dedicated October 13, 1858, and burned March 15, 1861. The present brick meeting-house was ded- icated November 19, 1862. During Dr. Chadbourn's pastorate, 1882-84, the house was thoroughly reno- vated, and was enlarged by an addition on the west


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side for a ladies' parlor. In March, 1890. the mem- bership of the church was 375. The average attend- ance at the Sabbath-school was about 360. The Young People's Society numbered ninety. The con- gregations are large and the work of the church is pursued with efficiency and success. A lady is em- ployed as a parish mis-ionary and her work is of great value. All the affairs of the church are re- ported as in excellent condition.


The church appears in the minutes for the first time in 1841, when the first appointment was made. The ministers who have followed those given in Paige's History are as follows : Rev. W. E. Hunting- ton, 1877-79 ; Rev. Joseph Cummings, D.D. (W. U., 1840), 1880-81; Rev. G. S. Chadbourn, D.D. (W. U., 1858), 1882-84 ; Rev. W. H. Thomas, D.D., 1885-87 ; Rev. C. S. Rogers, D.D. (W. U., 1858), 1888.


The Methodist Episcopal Church in Old Cam- bridge was organized June 3, 1868. A chapel for- merly owned and used by the Holmes Congregational Society had been purchased and removed to a lot on North Avenue, opposite the Common. This was re- dedicated on the day the new society was formed. It has been used since that time by the Methodist Church.


The ministers of this church have been Rev. Abra- ham D. Merrill and Rev. James Mudge, 1868-69; Rev. Samuel Jackson, 1870-71; Rev. Pliny Wood, 1872; Rev. James Lansing, 1873; Rev. Mr. Beiler, 1873; Rev. David K. Merrill, 1874-75; Rev. Charles Young, 1876 to 1878 .; Rev. Alexander Dight, 1878 to 1881; Rev. Austin H. Herrick, 1881 to 1882 ; Rev. J. W. Barter, 1882 to 1885; Rev. W. H. Marble, 1885 to 1888. Rev. George H. Cheney assumed the charge of the church in 1888 and remains in the pastoral office.


Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. 1-This church originated in a Sunday-school which began its work in Williams Hall, April 17, 1870, in connection with the Cambridge Temperance Reform Association, the first officers being J. A. Smith, superintendent ; A. P. Rollins, assistant superintendent ; S. C. Knights, secretary; G. C. W. Fuller, treasurer, and D. B. Harvey, librarian.


Representatives of the Methodist, Baptist and Con- gregationalist Churches were associated in the work, which was so prosperous that within two months of its organization eighty-seven members, with an aver- age attendance of seventy-five, were reported.


The sessions were held in the morning till Octo- ber, when they were changed to the afternoon, upon which change nearly all who were in any way con- nected with the Baptist and Congregationalist, Churches-about two-thirds of the school-withdrew.


Notwithstanding this, the secretary reported a membership January 1, 1871, of ninety-three and a library of 275 volumes.


The feeling becoming very strong that there ought to be a church organized in connection with this school, and as preliminary to that, a lot of land on Cottage Street was secured for a chapel.


As nearly all the workers were now Methodists, it was decided at a meeting at the house of A. P. Rollins, in March, 1871, to organize a church to be known as the Cottage Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Cambridgeport. This was done at a meeting at the house of W. J. A. Sullivan, April 5, 1871, when seventeen persons, principally members of Harvard Street Methodist Episcopal Church were so organized by Rev. David Sherman, D.D., presiding elder.


The Sunday services were held in Williams' Hall till Oct. 15, 1871, when they were transferred to Odd Fellows' Hall, where they were continued till the chapel was dedicated in June 19, 1872, with a debt upon it of $4000. This soon became too small for the people.


In 1882 a church site on the corner of Magazine and Perry Streets was purchased for $5500, and on the 16th of November, 1886, the corner-stone of the church was laid, and on June 19, 1887, the week of dedicatory services began.


In August, 1872, the trustees organized under arti- cles of incorporation as the "Trustees of the Cottage Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Cambridge- port."


The pastors of this church have been chronologi- cally as follows :


Rev. David Patten, D.D., Rev. Luman Boyden, Rev. Isaac Row (afterwards missionary to India), Rev. W. L. Lockwood, Rev. Jarvis A. Ames, Rev. J. W. Barker, Rev. Duncan McGregor, Rev. Alfred Noon, Rev. J. W. Higgins, Rev. N. B. Fisk, Rev. Albert Gould, Rev. S. E. Breen, who is now the min- ister of the church.


St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church is at the corner of Portland and Hastings Streets. The organization of the church was made in 1873. It was reorganized in 1878.


The Rush African Methodist Episcopal Church for several years worshiped in a hall on Main Street. In 1888 a convenient house was erected on School Street. The present minister is Rev. G. L. Black- well.


Another Methodist society, in 1890, began services in a hall on lower Main Street, under the care of Rev. Mr. Brockett.


THE REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH, under the name of St. Luke's, was organized a few years since in Cambridgeport, and has since maintained religious services. It has no church building as yet, but is do- ing its work quietly and steadily for the public good. The present pastor is the Rev. C. H. Tucker.


ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES .- The Parish of St. Peter's Church was formed in January, 1849, by Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty. His pastorate was long aud


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fruitful, and he was highly esteemed within his par- ish and beyond its bounds. St. Peter's Church, on Concord Avenue, was consecrated in 1849. Rev. Mr. Dougherty died in July, 1877. He was succeeded by Rev. J. E. O'Brien, who died in July, 1888. He was fol- lowed by Rev. John Flatley, who is now in charge of the parish, assisted by Fathers Broderick and Doody.


St. Mary's Church.1-" The parish of St. Mary's Church was organized, in 1866, by Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty, who performed the duties of pastor in connection with his charge of St. Peter's Church until May, 1867, when he was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Scully, who had previously served" as chaplain of the Ninth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers. The spacious brick church of the parish is on Norfolk Street, at the corner of Harvard Street. The sketch which follows has been prepared for this work and begins with the erection of the church. ยท


The site was first occupied by the Cambridge Town Hall, which was destroyed by fire. It was purchased by Catholic citizens for the purpose of building a church. June 7, 1866, work was begun on the foundation, and on Sunday, July 15, 1866, the corner- stone was laid with impressive ceremonies of the Catholic ritual by Right Rev. John J. Williams, as-' sisted by Revs. M. P. Dougherty, J. Donahue, J. Scully and other priests. The sermon was preached by Father Hitzelberger, S. J., and there were present about 4000 people. In May, 1867, the Bishop of the Diocese appointed Rev. Thomas Scully to this new parish, formed from the East Cambridge and Cam- bridge Parishes, and commonly called Cambridgeport. The new church was unfinished and just roofed. Sunday, June 9, 1867, the pastor of this new mission took formal charge. On Sunday, March 8, 1868, the church was formally dedicated by Bishop Williams. The preacher was Rev. G. F. Haskins, of Boston. The architect was Mr. James Murphy, of Providence, R. J.


Two valuable estates adjoining the church, known as the Luke and Howe estates, were, within a short time, purchased by the parish. The Luke house be- came the pastoral residence and a convent school for girls was erected on the Howe estate, and given in charge to the sisters of the congregation of Notre Dame, whose Mother House is in Montreal, P. Q. In 1875 a building sixty-five feet square, three stories high, was erected on land close to the church, and in September, of same year, opened as a parochial school for boys. In 1876 the sisters of the congrega- tion were recalled to Montreal and the sisters of Notre Dame took charge of the girls' school with twelve classes. In the spring of 1876 the Dodge estate, on Essex Street, adjoining the church prop- erty, was purchased and became the residence of the sisters of Notre Dame.


In 1884 the Fiske estate, corner of Harvard and Norfolk Streets, was purchased by the parish, which erected on it Aquinas Hall, which is used for parish meetings, exhibitions, lectures, school, class exer- cises, etc. The Cheney land and building adjoining the convent school were purchased the same year. In 1886 Father Scully erected a large gymnasium on his own land, corner of Howard and Prospect Streets, and presented it to the parish. Dr. Sargent, profes- sor in charge of the Hemenway Gymnasium, pro- nounces it one of the very best equipped in the country. Besides evening classes for young men, there are regular forenoon and afternoon classes for the children of the parish schools, given by a compe- tent master. In 1889 Father Scully purchased about six acres of the Hovey estate on Cambridge Street, and presented the same to an association of Catholic young men, chartered by the State for the purposes of moral, intellectual aud physical improvement, and known as the Father Scully Gymnasium (Incorpor- ated).


St. Paul's Catholic Church,2 situated on the corner of Holyoke and Mt. Auburn Streets, was purchased from the Shepard Congregational Society by the Rev. M. P. Dougherty, then pastor of St. Peter's Church, in 1873, and opened by him for public wor- ship the same year. It was organized into a separate and distinct parish in 1875, with the Rev. William Orr, the present incumbent, its first resident pastor. It had, at the time of its organization, a membership -counting young and old-of about 2000 souls; now (1890) its members, at the same rate of computation, amount to about 3500.


Besides the church, the congregation possess a good pastoral residence, and in 1889 purchased the house and land known as the "Gordon Mckay estate," adjoining Mt. Auburn, De Wolfe and Arrow Streets, which is intended for a new church and school. The house on the estate has been already remodeled for a convent and temporary school for younger children only. Sisters of St. Joseph were installed therein, and the school opened in the begin- ning of September, 1889, with an average attendance of 200 children. A new school is now being erected on the lately purchased site, and it is proposed to build on the same premises, at no very distant day, a new church of ecclesiastical architecture and an ornament to Cambridge.


In 1877 the Archbishop appointed an assistant priest to this parish, and in 1889 a second assistant. The present assistants arc Rev. John J. Coan and Rev. John J. Ryan, both of whom received their preparatory education in Boston College, and their ecclesiastical education in St. John's Seminary, Brighton, Mass.


The pastor received his preparatory education in St. Charles' College, near Ellicott City, Md., and his


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theological education in the Seminary of St. Sulpice, Baltimore.


St. John's Parish1 (Church of the Sacred Heart) .- Until 1842 the Catholics of Lechmere Point were of the congregation worshiping in St. Mary's Church on Richmond Street, in Charlestown, but a Sunday- school for the children had been for some years held in the Academy building then at the northwest corner of Otis and Fourth Streets, with Daniel H. South- wick as its superintendent. The first meeting for the purpose of erecting a church was held January 17, 1842, at the Academy building and John W. Loring was the chairman, William Gleeson, secretary. D. W. Southwick, J. W. Loring and William Gleeson were made a committee to wait on the Bishop and ask that a priest be assigned to assist in the erection of a church. Thirty-six hundred dollars was subscribed and the meeting adjourned till January 30th, when it met at Master Rice's School on Third Street, and appointed a committee to purchase a site. On Feb- ruary 6th the committee reported selecting lot on Fourth Street, and on February 20th it was voted to call the building "Saint John's Church." On March 19th the deed of the land passed from Amos Birney to Bishop Fenwick, and on October 9th the building was advanced so far that services were held for the first time in the basement by Rev. John B. Fitz- patrick, afterwards Bishop of Boston, who was the first pastor and organizer of the parish. This church was dedicated September 3, 1843. The parish then comprised all of the towns of Cambridge and Somer- ville. March 24, 1844, Father Fitzpatrick was made coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese, and April 22d of the same year Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty took charge of the parish. In 1847 Woburn was added to the parish, and continued as a part until about 1858. In 1848 Old Cambridge was set off and Father Dougherty left and took charge of the new parish of Saint Peter. The Rev. George T. Riordan succeeded him in No- vember, 1848, and in December, 1851, he left for the West, when the parish was taken in charge by Rev. Lawrence Carroll, who died in office November 23 1858. During the illness which preceded Father Carroll's death, and until January 7, 1859, Rev. George F. Haskins was the temporary pastor. On the latter date Rev. Francis X. Branigan was permanently appointed, wbo resigned at the end of 1860, and died June 25, 1861. Until 1862 the church was in tempo- rary charge of Rev. Joseph Coyle and other priests of Boston. Rev. John W. Donahue was appointed in 1862 and died in charge March 5, 1873. Cambridge- port was set off and made a parish in 1866. In 1870 Somerville was also set off, which reduced the terri- torial limits to what they now substantially are, com- prising all of Ward 3, or East Cambridge, together with that portion of Cambridgeport which lies north of Plymouth Street, between the Boston and Albany




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