History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 77

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 77

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At a meeting holden November 10, 1735, it was pro- pounded whether the town would not reconsider their vote to have the meeting-house in the centre, and " agree to set it at some place near the center for con- venience." It was voted not to reconsider. It was also voted not to do anything towards building the meeting-house the ensuing year.

At a meeting on the first Monday in December the same year it was again proposed to the town to re- consider the previous action, with reference to the lo- cation. The article was dismissed. But the minority had another meeting warned for December 29th, " To see if the Town will reconsider thar vote that they will set thare meeting-house in the Center, and agree to set it on a knowl with a grate many Pines on it, Laying South Easterly about twenty or thirty Rods of a black oak tree, whare the fire was made the last meeting, or to se if the Town will agree to set thare meeting-house on a knowl the North of an oak tree whare they last met, or to see if the Town will chuse two or three men to say which of the places is most convenient, or to se if the Commity think that knowl whereon stands a dead pine between the two afore- said knowls, or to say which of the three places is most convenient."

At this meeting the location was changed to the

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

first " knowl" mentioned in the warrant. The site of the first meeting-house (a little to the south of where the Centre School-house now stands, near the two elms) was twenty or thirty rods southeast of the geo- graphical centre of the town, as it was before the in- corporation of Carlisle.

At the meeting which finally decided the location of the house, it was voted to begin that year and the dimensions were fixed upon.

The house was to be forty-six by thirty-eight feet in length and width and twenty feet in height.

At the next meeting (January 2, 1736) the former vote was reconsidered, and the vote was to have the house forty-six by thirty-six and "21 feet between joynts."

Voted, " That all the inhabitants of the town should have the offer to work at giting the timber for the house by the Commity."

Voted, " That Samuel Wheeler, Jonathan Parlin, Simon Hunt, John Shepherd and Daniel Shepherd be a Commity to manage ye affair of giting the tim- ber for ye meeting-house."

Voted, " That the Commity should have six shil- lings per day for thar work, and the other Laborers five shillings per day."

Voted, "That there should be a Rate of seventy pounds made and assessed on the inhabitants of the town of Acton towards setting up the frame of the house."

May 10, 1736, it was voted "That the Selectmen should agree with Madam Cuming for ye land for ye meeting-house to stand on."

The deed of the land of the first meeting-house in Acton was dated January 25, 1737, signed by “Anne Cummings, wife of Mr. Alexander Cummings, Sur- geon, now abroad, and attorney of said Alexander Cummings, being empowered and anthorized by him.17

This deed is written in a bold, large-lettered style, and is very plain to read-as but few specimens of penmanship seen in ancient or modern times.

It is in a fine state of preservation in the keeping of the town clerk.

The style of it reminds one of John Hancock's signature to the Declaration of Independence.

September 15, 1736, the town voted "To frame and Raise thar meeting-honse before winter, and John Heald, Thomas Wheeler and Simon Hunt were chosen a Commity impowered to Regulate and Inspect and order ye framing and Raising ye meeting- house in Acton and like wise to agree with Carpeu- ter or carpenters to frame ye house."

At the same meeting it was decided to do nothing abont preaching for the ensuing winter.

November 1, 1736, Voted, " That they would board and shingle ye roofs and board and clap-board ye sides and ends, make window frames and casements and make ye door and crown of doors and windows. put troughs round, build ye pulpit and lay ye lower

floor, ye work to be done by ye first of November next."

May 30, 1737, Voted, " To underpin the meeting- house by working each man a day."

Those who were delinquent were required to work a day " at high ways, by order of ye surveyor, more than thare equal part other ways wood have been."

"The work of pinting the underpining was let out to ,Jonathan Billings for 2€ 10s., which work he engaged to do spedily and Do it Wel."

Public worship was first held in the meeting-house in January, 1738.

At the time of Mr. Swift's ordination, November, 1738, it was far from being finished.

May 15, 1745, Voted, " To raise twenty pounds, old tenor, for finishing the meeting house that year."

Not till two years after this was the house com- pleted. One should read the several dates in order to get a full impression of the slowness and difficulty of building a meeting-house in those colonial times.

There is a tradition that Lord Acton, of England, for whom the town may possibly have been named, offered a bell for the house of worship, but, having no tower, and the people feeling too poor to erect one, the present was declined.

When the house was finished (so-called), in 1747, there were no pews, except on the lower floor adjoin- ing the walls of the house, and these were hut sixteen in number. The four pews which were under and over each of the gallery stairs were built at intervals some years after. Several of the pew-holders from time to time obtained leave of the town to make a new window for their own accommodation and at their own expense. Each seems to have consulted his own fancy, both as to size and location. Little windows, in this way, of different sizes and shapes, came to be placed near the corners of the building.

In the body of the house, on each side the broad aisle, were constructed what were then called the body seats, and these together with the gallery were occu- pied by all who, through poverty or otherwise, were not proprietors of a pew.

Both in the body seats and in the gallery the men were arranged on the right of the pulpit and the women on the left, so that while the pew-holder could sit with his wife at church, all others were obliged to keep at a respectful distance.

The custom of "seating the meeting-house," as it was called, was found necessary, and was well calcu- lated to prevent confusion and to insure particularly to the aged a certain and comfortable seat.

To give the better satisfaction the committee were usually instructed to be governed by age and the amount of taxes paid for the three preceding years. In the year 1757 they were also instructed to be gov- erned by " other circumstances," at their discretion.

The report of that committee was not accepted and a new committee was chosen with the usual instrnc- tions. What the " other circumstances" were does

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not appear. But it should have been known that any circumstances which depended on the estimation and discretion of a committee would fail to give satisfac- tion in a matter of such peculiar delicacy.

The new committee, however, seem to have restored harmony, and the same practice was continned during the existence of the old meeting-house.

Special instructions were given in favor of negroes, who were to have the exclusive occupation of the " hind seat " in the gallery.

How the youthful eyes lingered on the heels of Quartus Hosmer as they disappeared in his passage up the gallery-stairs, and how eagerly they watched the re-appearance in the gallery of his snow-white eyes, made more conspicuous by the eel-skin ribbon which gathered into & queue his graceful curls!

He lived at the house then occupied by Mr. Hosmer, near the turnpike corner on the way from the Centre to the South, midway between the two villages.

In 1769 " the hind parts" of the body seats were removed and four new pews were erected in their place. They were occupied by Thomas Noyes, Daniel Brooks, Joseph Robbins and Jonathan Hosmer. In the same year the house was new covered and glazed. In 1783 four other other pews were built and another portion of the body seats was removed. Three of these were sold and the fourth was "assigned for the use of the clergyman. It was through the banis- ters of this pew "old Mother Robbins," who sat in the body seats, used to furnish the centennial orator, Josiah Adams, Esq., the son of the pastor, those marigolds, peonies, and pink roses, decorated and perfumed with pennyroyal, southernwood, and tansy. She was indeed a most interesting old lady. No other public building has existed in the town so long as this stood. It was the house in which the first minister, Mr. Swift, preached during the whole of his long ser- vice of thirty-seven years, and in which Mr. Moses Adams, the second minister, officiated during the period of thirty years.

It was used not simply for religious worship, but for town-meetings. Here the money was voted for the first public schools, here the roads were laid out, here the poor were provided for, here Acton took its munic- ipal action preliminary to the Revolutionary War, and here the first vote was passed recommending the Con- tinental Congress to put forth the Declaration of Inde- pendence. The house stood and was used for these public purposes until 1808, when it was forsaken and after a few years torn down.

It would be a novel and impressive service could the persons of the present generation be transferred just for one day and witness the scene in that old meeting-house on the " knowl." We would like to catch just one look at that venerable row of the deacons' seat. We would like to see them there, each in his turn reading the psalm, a line at a time, and tossing it up for the use of the singers in the front gallery. We would like to hear the peculiar voices of James Bil-

lings and Samuel Parlin coming back as an echo. This practice of reading a line at a time, which, doubtless, had its origin in a want of psalm-books, be- came so hallowed in the minds of many that us dis- continuance was a work of some difficulty.

In 1790 the church voted that it should be dis- pensed with in the afternoon, and three years after- wards they voted to abandon the practice.

On the Sabbath previous to the dedication of their second meeting-house, the people of Acton came from all directions, a whole family on a horse, toward the old meeting-house, to bid farewell to the place where their fathers had worshiped. After the whole town had come, entered the church, taken their seats in the old-fashioned square pews, sung some of Watts' hymns, and listened to a long and fervent prayer, their beloved minister, the Rev. Moses Adams, eloquently discoursed from the following text (Micah 2: 10) : " Arise and let us depart, for this is not our rest." "Let us sing in his praise," the minister said. All the psalm-books at once fluttered open at " York."

A sprig of green caraway carries me there to the old village church and the old village choir.

"To the land of the leal they have gone with their song, Where the choir and the chorus together helong, Oh ! be lifted ye gates ! let me hear them again, Blessed song : blessed Sabbath. Forever. Amen."

REV. JOHN SWIFT, THE FIRST PASTOR .- We come to the fine mansion now owned and occupied by Dea- con William W. Davis. Since its recent improvements it has become an important addition to the structural adornment of the Centre. It is near enough to the main avenue of the village to be easily seen, and, with its elevated front and majestic elm towering above the whole, it makes a fine perspective view on approach- ing the town from either road.

Mr. Eliab Grimes, who formerly occupied the place, was a successful farmer who tilled the land in the warm months of the year, and taught the schools in the winter, and had important trusts of service from the town as selectman and representative. Joash Keyes, David Barnard, Esq., in 1800; Deacon Josiah Noyes, in 1780; and Rev. John Swift, in 1740. One dwelling-house on this site was burned. Here is where Mr. Swift, the first pastor of Acton, for so long a period lived. Here we must pause long enough to get affiliated to the historical atmosphere, which seems to pervade the whole region around.

At a meeting of the town October 4, 1737, while the first meeting-house was being built, a committee was selected to supply the pulpit. The meetings were to begin the first Sunday in January. At a meeting on January 25, 1738, it was voted "to raise thirty pounds to glaze ye meeting-house, to raise fifty pounds to support preaching, and Joseph Fletcher should be paid for a cushing for ye pulpit out of the tax money." In the warrant for a meeting holden on March 28th was this article : "To se if ye town will appint a day for fasting and prayer to God, with

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the advice and assistance of sum of ye Neighboring Ministers for further directions, for the establishing ye gospel among them, as, allso, who and how many thay will advise with, as, allso, to chose a commett to mannig ye affare and provide for ye Pulpit for ye time to come."

Voted "to appint ye last Thursday of March for fasting and prayer."

Voted " that thay will call in five of ye Neighboring Ministers for advice in calling a Minister, viz .: Mr. Lorin, of Sudbury; Mr. Cook, East Sudbury ; Mr. Gardner, of Stow; Mr. Peabody, of Natick ; and Mr. Rogers, of Littleton. Also, voted ye Selectmen be a Committ to Mannig ye affare, and provide for ye pulpit for ye futur." At this meeting John Cragiu was appointed to take care of the meeting-house, and thus he became Acton's first sexton.

May 9, 1738, the town invited Mr. John Swift, of Framingham, to settle with them as minister. It was voted to give him £250 as a settlement, and an annual salary of £150, to be paid in semi-annual iu- stalments in Massachusetts bills, which at the time was equivalent to about £117 settlement, and £70 salary. The contracting committee were John Heald, Samuel Wheeler, John Brooks, Ammiruham- mah Faulkner, Simon Hunt and Joseph Fletcher. The salary offered was to rise or fall with the price of the principal necessaries of life. In the year 1754, the following list of articles considered as principally necessary for consumption in a minister's family were reported by a town's committee, with the cur- rent prices in 1735 annexed, and were adopted as a basis for regulating the amount of Mr. Swiit's salary.

The signatures of the parties on the record show their entire satisfaction.

"30 b. Corn, at 6s .; 20 b. Rye, at 10s .; 500 lb. Pork, at 8d .; 300 1b. Beef, at 5d .; 25 lb. wool, at 38. 6d .; 151b. Cotton, at 48. 6d. ; 50 lb. Flax, at 18. 3d. ; 56 1b. sugar, at 18. 4d. ; 20 gals. Rum, at 8s .; 80 1b. Butter, at 1s. 4d .; 2 Hats, at £3; 10 pr. shoes, at 15s."

The contract and agreement between Rev. John Swift and the town of Acton is here copied as an in- structive chapter on the times :

" Whare-as the Towo of Actoo at a Town Meeting Duly warned May 19th, 1738, did invite ye Rev. John Swift into ye work of ye ministry among them, aod did all so pass a vote to give him two hundred and fifty Pounds towards a settlement, and a hundred and fifty Pounds Sal- lary yearly and since, at a town meeting October ye 10th, 1738, did vote that said Sallary should be kept up to ye value of it and paid in every half years End yearly, and did also chuse Joho Heald, Joseph Fletcher, John Brooks, Sammel Wheeler and Simon Hunt as a Com- mitt to contract with the Said Mr. Swift about ye said Sallary, the contract and agreement between said Mr. Swift and said Committ is as follows :

" ]st. That said sallary shall be paid According to ye ould tenure of the Massachusetts Bills or in an equivalency of such bills of pr. cent or lawful currency as shall pass from tune to time.

" 2d. That the value of said sallary be kept up from time to time nc. cording as when it was voted on May afore according to ye prise of the necessary provisions of life.

"3d. That the payment of said sullary continue so long as said Mr. Swift shall continuo in ye work of ye ministry in said Actoo and in witness her of said Mr. Swift and said Committe have here.

unto set their hands this 30th day of October A. D., 1738. John Swift, Jobn Heald, Joseph Fletcher, Amme Faulkner, Simoo Hunt, Jobo Brooks.

"Ordered on this book of Records,

"Attest SIMON ILUNT, Town Clerk."

The contract was faithfully kept by the people of Acton, and the pastorate of Mr. Swift continued till his death, November 7, 1775, thirty-seven years lack- ing one day, at the age of sixty- two years.

The small-pox prevailed as an epidemic in Acton that year. Mr. Swift took the disease and never afterwards was able to preach.

Mr. Swift was ordained on the 8th day of Novem- ber, 1738. No particulars of the ordination can be gathered eitlier from the town or church records, ex- cept that "the Council had entertainment at the house of Mr. Joseph Fletcher."

Mr. Swift was the only son of the Rev. John Swift, of Framingham. He was born in Framingham, in 1713 ; graduated at Cambridge in 1733, and at the time of his ordination was twenty-five years of age. He was little above the common height, rather slender, his manners and address agreeable and pleasant. He was somewhat economical in the man- agement of his affairs, but kind to the poor and a good neighbor. He was opposed to excess and ex- travagance of every kind and to promote peace and good feeling was his constant care. He had some singularities of character, but led an exemplary life, and retained the affections and respect of his people through a ministry of thirty-seven years. His preach- ing was practical, plain and serious, though it is said he had occasionally some unusual expressions in the pulpit which were rather amusing.

As was the custom of many clergymen of his day, he used to receive lads into his family for instruction in the studies preparatory to college. In one year five young men were presented by him at Cambridge, and all passed the examination and were admitted. There are a few scraps in his handwriting which ap- pear to discover considerable ease in the use of the Latin language, and in his church records there are many similar instauces, but they are so attended with abbreviations and characters that it is not always easy to discover their import. Some extracts from his church records are given. The volume is a very small one. It begins without caption or heading, and there is nothing to indicate what the contents are to be.

The first entry is in the following words: "Nov. 8, 1738. I was ordained pastor of the church in Acton." He speaks of himself in the same manner in all parts of the record.

Under date of June 14, 1739, is the following record, "It being lecture day, after the blessing was pronounced I desired the church to tarry, and asked their minds concerning the remainder of the elements after communion and they voted ' I should have 'em.' "

"Sept. 11, 1744. I made a speech to the church thus : 'Brethren, I doubt not but you have taken

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notice of the long absence of brother Mark White, Jr., from the ordinances of God in this place. If you request it of him to give us the reasons of his absence some time hence, I desire you would manifest it by an uplifted hand. Whereupon there was an affirma- tive vote.' June 7, 1749 notations of sacraments ceased here, because I recorded them in my almanac interlineary."

The book is a curious intermixture of Latin and English accounts of admissions to the church, bap- tisms, administrations of the Supper and dealings with delinquents, and it is evident that Mr. Swift had little more in view than brief memoranda for his own use. He writes : "I regret that I did not at the be- ginning of my ministry procure a larger hook, and keep a more particular and extensive record. I hope my successor will profit by this hint." Rev. Mr. Swift lived to see the opening of the Revolutionary War. His preaching, prayers and influence at the time doubtless helped in the preliminaries of that eventful struggle.

Thomas Thorp, in his deposition given in 1835 to the selectmen and committee of the towo, says : "On the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, I had notice that the regulars were coming to Concord. I took my equipments and proceeded to Capt. Davis's house. I passed the house of Rev. Mr. Swift. His son, Doc- tor John Swift, made me a present of a cartridge box, as he saw I had none. I well remember there was on the outside a piece of red cloth in the shape of a heart."

On that memorable morning Capt. Davis marched his company by Mr. Swift's house to the music of fife and drum. The blood in the pastor's veins quick- ened at the sight and sound, and he waved his ben- edictions over the heroic company as they passed on to the scene of action. He helped to sustain the widow in her first shock as Davis came lifeless to a home he had left but a few hours before, strong and vigorous. Mr. Swift did not see the end, only the be- ginning of the struggle.

In November of the same year a funeral cortege was seen wending its way to the old cemetery in Acton. They were following the remains of their first pastor. A mound and a simple marble slab mark his grave. Four pine trees of stately growth sing their requiem over his precious dust as the years come and go. All honor to the dear memory of him who laid the foundation stones of this goodly church of Acton, and did so much to form the peaceful, frugal character of its inhabitants.

" Honor and blessings on his head While living-good report when dead.'

We do not easily part from a spot so suggestive of the stirring events, parochial, ministerial, civil and military, which centralized in the early days of Acton, on these very acres. We will leave the home- stead in the care of Deacon Davis, who has spent the

best energies of his life in improving and adorning the premises, and whose sympatbies are in full accord with all the memories of the past and with all the prospects of the future.

MUSIC IN THE FIRST CHURCH .- In 1785 the singers were directed, for the first time to sit together in the gallery.

In 1793 the practice of performing sacred music by reading the line of the hymn as sung was discon- tinned. A church Bible was presented in 1806 by Deacon John White, of Concord.

In the church records, as far back as March 23, 1797, is found the following vote : 1st. " It is the desire of the church that singing should be performed as a part of public worship in the church and congre- gation.

"2d. It is the desire of the church that the select- men insert an article in the warrant for the next May meeting to see if the town will raise a sum of money to support a singing-school in the town and that the pastor apply to the selectmen in the name of the church for that purpose.

"3d. Voted to choose five persons to lead the sing- ing in the future.

"4th. Voted to choose a committee of three to nom- inate five persons for singers."

Deacon Joseph Brabrook, Deacon Simon Hunt and Thomas Noyes were chosen this committee. They nominated Winthrop Faulkner, Nathaniel Edwards, Jr., Simon Hosmer, Josiah Noyes and Pan! Brooks, and these persons were chosen, by vote, to lead the singing in the future.

Voted, "It is the desire of the church that the singers use a Bass Viol in the public worship, if it be agree- able to them.

Voted, " It is the desire of the church that all per- sons who are qualified would assist the singing in the public worship."

Deacon Simon Hosmer played for thirty years.

DEACONS IN THE FIRST CHURCH .- Joseph Fletch- er, chosen December 15, 1738, died September 11, 1746, aged 61; John Heald, chosen December 15, 1738, died May 16, 1775, aged 82; Jonathan Hosmer, died 1775, aged 64; John Brooks, died March 6, 1777, aged 76; Samuel Hayward, chosen September 29, 1775, died March 6, 1795, aged 78; Francis Faulkner, chosen September 29, 1775, died August 5, 1805, aged 78; Joseph Brabrook, chosen Septem- ber 29, 1775, died April 28, 1812, aged 73; Simon Hunt, chosen April 19, 1792, died April 27, 1820, aged 86; Josiah Noyes, chosen March 27, 1806, dismissed and removed to Westmoreland, N. H., October 16, 1808; Benjamin Hayward, chosen March 27, 1806, excused June 15, 1821 ; John Wheeler, chosen April 18, 1811, died December 17, 1824, aged 64; John White, chosen April 18, 1811, died April 3, 1824, aged 54; Phineas Wheeler, chosen June 15, 1821, died in 1838, aged 65; Daniel F. Barker, chosen June 15, 1821, died in 1840 ; Silas Hosmer, chosen June 15, 1821.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

WOODLAWN CEMETERY .- This is now a very old and extensive burying-ground, pleasantly located, with a slight natural grade descending from the north to the south-the new portion towards East Acton being level and of light, dry soil adapted to burying purposes. It has two pumps, a hearse-house and re- ceiving-tomb, and a beautiful pine grove shielding from the summer's sun where public services can be held. Many ornamental monuments and slabs have been erected in later years.

The original deed to the town for the opening of Woodlawn Cemetery was given by Nathan Robbins January 16, 1737, and contained one-half an acre. The second deed was given by Joseph Robbins De- cember 11, 1769, a small tract adjoining southeast corner. The third deed was dated November 2, 1812; the fourth deed was dated January 1, 1844; the fifth deed was dated August 22, 1862. The present area (1890) is between eleven and twelve acres. The old- est date noticed upon any of the slabs is 1743.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 77

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