History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 70

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 70

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Eighty. one churches with church property in Mas- sachusetts, during this controversy, by a decision of the Courts, changed denominational ownership, and went to those calling themselves Unitarians, the esti- mated value of which was over $600,000. Among these churches was the Central Church, in Dracut. Some of the others were the Old Mayflower, at Plym- outh, and every Congregational Church in Boston, excepting the Old South.

The church organization in Dracut, however, inde- pendently of the parish or society, retained its records, and in 1834, withdrew to the hall of Ebenezer Han- chett, in the building now owned by Mr. J. L. Sar- gent. The controversy, however, had been going on for some time, beginning about 1830 or soon after. This church continued to worship at Hanchett Hall, as it was called, until the Hill-side meeting-house was built, which was dedicated February 25, 1835. This has been the church home since that time un- der the name of The Evangelieal Congregational Church of Dracut. It still claims to be the first church.

Since the organization of the first church estab- lished in Dracut, there have been seven settled pas- tors, whose names and the time of their service are as follows: Thomas Parker, settled in 1720-forty- four years; Nathan Davis, settled in 1765-fifteen years ; Solomon Aiken, settled in 1788-twenty-five years; William Gould, settled in 1815-two years ; Joseph Merrill, settled in 1820-thirteen years; Ephraim Goodman, settled in 1836-two years; George W. Adams, settled in 1844-two years.

This church is now under the pastoral care of Rev. Wm. W. Nason.

The victorious party, after having capturcd the Central meeting-house, did not long survive. The members became scattered, and the property was soon deserted. In 1847 a new Congregational Church was organized, called The Evangelical Church of Dracut. It took possession of the Old Central Meeting-house, and is now commonly called by the old name,-The Central Church. It has had but one settled pastor, Rev. George Pierce, installed October 14, 1863. This church is now also under the pastoral care of Rev. Wm. W. Nason.

First Purish Meeting of the Pawtucket Society .- The society being now legally and properly in existence,

it only remained to organize under their charter. The warrant was duly issued by Ebenezer Bridge, a justice of the peace, as directed in the act of incor- poration, and the first parish meeting was called and holden July 6, 1797, just two weeks after the act was approved by the Governor. At this meeting Colonel James Varnum was elected moderator, Peter Coburn, Jr., clerk, Parker Varnum, Solomon Osgood and Timothy Coburn, assessors, and Coloncl James Var- num, treasurer.

The following votes were then passed :

" Voted, To raise one hundred dollars for preaching.

"Voted, To let out the collection of the money to the lowest bidder.

" Voted, To accept David Blood as collector.

" Voted, That Bradley Varnum and Jonathan Varnum constitute a committee to furnish preaching.

"Made choico of Jeffrey Hartwell (a colored man) to sweep the meet- ing-house.""

We are unable to state, in the absence of any record upon the subject, whom the society first employed as a preacher ; the first reference to the subject was made by the treasurer, who says: "Paid Caleb Bradley seven dollars for preaching one sabbath," and it is supposed that he preached the first sermon in the new church.

In 1798 an order was drawn on the treasurer of the society for $14.92, in favor of Joseph Dane, in full, for boarding Mr. Williams, Mr. Weston and Mr. Fletcher, when preaching for the society. Also an order the same year to Freeman Parker for fifty-six dollars, for supplying the pulpit eight Sabbaths. In the year 1800 an order was drawn in favor of Jacob Coggin for ninety-four dollars for supplying seven- teen Sabbaths. Also, the same year the society paid Rev. Humphrey Moore forty-eight dollars for prcach- ing eight Sabbaths. In 1801 they paid him $44.50 for preaching eight Sabbaths, and in 1802 he was paid twenty-eight dollars for preaching services.

Andover Seminary .- The Theological Seminary at Andover was founded in 1807, and opened September 28, 1808, and after that time this pulpit was supplied considerably from that institution. The students came up on horse-baek and preached two sermons "for two dollars and found." We are informed that some of the most talented clergymen of later years had their first experience in preaching in this church.

Style of Architecture .- In carly times the style of church-building in New England was plain and less pretentious than now. The churches in all the pros- perous villages of New England looked about alike, and did not need to be labeled to indicate the purpose for which they were intended. This church was built and finished according to the style in those days. The pews were high and about six feet square, with seats around the sides, hung on wire hinges. There was a high pulpit on the north side, the ascent to which was by winding stairs. Iu front of the pulpit was an inclosure, handsomely constructed, called "the Deacons' Seat." It was occupied by the minis- ter and deacons on communion days and was fre-

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quently used by lecturers instead of the pulpit. On the other three sides of the house stood galleries. The "broad-aisle," so called, led from the front door (which opened where the vestry door does now, on the south side of the house) to the pulpit. There were also entrances on each end of the house.

Sounding-Board .- A century ago no first-class church was complete in its appointments without a "sounding-board," and this society was possessed of one which was handsomely constructed and decorated. It was suspended over the pulpit and remained there until about the year 1828, when it was removed, by the request of the pastor, Rev. Sylvester G. Pierce, by a committee without authority from the society. The affair caused no little disturbance in the minds of some of the members of the parish, and a parish meeting was called to consider the matter; but, after considerable discussion, it was thought best, on the whole, to let it remain in the loft of the horse-sheds, where it had been deposited.

On the next Sabbath one of the good brethren, upon entering the church and seeing that the temple had been stripped of this adornment, amazed at what he considered such vandalism, stopped short, and thus soliloquized: "They have taken away the Ark from the house of the Lord, and I will go, too." He then left the church and returued no more.

The old sounding-board was never restored. It re- mained in its resting-place until 1844, when the church was undergoing extensive changes and re- pairs ; it was then removed and sold with a lot of old lumber.

The Steeple and the Bell .-- The meeting-house, as originally constructed, had a "porch" on the east end; but in the spring of 1820 that was removed and the tower with steeple, as it now stands, was erected. Captain Nathan Hunting framed the addition, assisted by Benjamin Melvin.

Four sticks of timber, each forty-eight feet long, that would square about a foot, were required for cor- ner posts. Samuel Woods and Nathan Tyler, of Mid- dlesex Village, and Moses B. Coburn, of Dracut, each furnished one of these posts. Nearly all the people in the parish were there when the steeple was raised. Joseph Tyler superintended the raising. The first bell was purchased the same year (1820), and cost about $700.

It was also " voted to build pews on the lower floor, where the seats now stand." The work was accord- ingly done, and on July 7, 1820, Samuel F. Wood, Captain Coburn Blood and Lieutenant Joseph Var- num, the committee, were authorized to give deeds of the pews.

A New Store .- The first means ever used for warm- ing this church was by a large cast-iron box-stove, which stood upon high legs. It was purchased by in- dividuals for the society, we judge from the following vote passed December 12, 1820 : " Voted to give those person:, who have purchased a stove, liberty to set it

up in the meeting-house." We are told that our grandfathers and grandmothers wore, respectively, good homespun woolen breeches and gowns to mcet- ing on the Sabbath, which comfortable articles con- tributed wonderfully towards the support of their for- titude and endurance, while sitting all day in a cold house iu midwinter ; but still we do not much wonder that they sung :

" Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours !"

The following quaint description is not overdrawn :

" In the large square pew were seated around, The pious matron in her woolen gown ; The long-queued sire sat free from legend witches, In his buckled shocs and homespun breeches ; In pulpit high the aged parson stood, To pray, to plead, to counsel all for good ; The mighty sounding-board hung over all, In shapeless carving, fastened to th' wall."

It will be inferred that in "olden times" churches were not furnished with stoves or furnaces as they now are. An old gentleman, about eighty years of age, said to us : " I have always attended church here, and it was a good many years before we had any way of warming the house. I recollect very well the ex- ertions I was obliged to make when a boy to keep my feet from freezing in church."

The Foot-Stove .-- The first invention for personal comfort, by means of fire inside of churches, was a little tin foot-stove. It was about eight inches square very nicely fixed into a wooden framc, with handles on top to carry it by. The stove was perforated with holes like the old-fashioned tin lantern, to let the heat out from a little sheet- iron box, inside the stove, filled with good hard- wood coals. Every woman who was able to own one, was glad to carry it to mecting, and we very well remember when the mothers and grandmothers came gracefully up the broad aisle each with her foot-stove in one hand and Watts' hynin-book in the other, feeling, doubtless, that they were pretty well provided with the comforts, if not the luxuries, of this life.

Music .- The history of music as used in public worship in Dracut and iu most of the towns in New England may be briefly stated as follows :

"Two principal methods have prevailed, to a greater or less degree : that of the whole Congregation and that of a select Choir. The Congrega- tion was the primitive method, and the only one known in the early his- tory of the Church. The method of singing by a choir came into the Church at a later period, with wealth, power, and worldly greatness, and it has been her attendant rather in temporal prosperity than in poverty and adversity.

" At the time of the Reformation, Congregational Singing had become extinct, and the more artistic manner of choirs, consisting mostly of an inferior order of the clergy, singing in a language unknown to the peo- ple had taken its place. Luthier, Calvin, Knox, and others, took early measures to rescue the singing service in public worship from the hands of the clergy, and to reinstate it as an exercise for the people. It was no attempt on the part of the Reformners to introduce an artistic manner of song, but, on the contrary, a very plain one, a 'highway ' of Psalmody in which 'the wayfaring man, though a fool, should not err.'

"The Congregational method, thus restored to the churches, was brought to this country by the Protestant Fathers. It continued to be their only method for about a century and a half. It is not surprising that during

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this period, amidst the deprivations which the new settlements experi- enced, attention to song should have been neglected, nor that, neglected by generation after generation, the ability for it should have been well- uigh lost. In the early part of the last century the very low condition of the singing in public worship began to attract the attention of some of the friends of religion, and measures were taken by a few of the lead- ing clergymen and others for reform. Hitherto all the singing in the American churches had been unisonous, the melody only having been sung ; but in 1720 a book of tunes in three parts, 'Cantus,' 'Medins' and ' Basus,' was published by Rev. Thomas Walter. The harmonizing of the tunes in parts undoubtedly grew out of the fact that the more elaborate service of choirs had always taken that form both in the Lutli- eran and English church. In the Protestant churches of Europe, gen- erally, metrical Psalmody continues to this day to be sung, as it was originally, in unison, and it is at least doubtful whether parts in harmony for the choir and unison for the congregation would not still be the best arrangement for Church Song. This new arrangement of tunes in parts led to the formation of choirs. At first. they were introduced only as helps to Congregatsonal Singing, but this gradually yielded, as it had done before, and the new method advanced with sure and steady pro- gress, until toward the close of the last century it had become the al- most exclusive method of Church Song. And now, within fifteen or twenty years, Congregational Singing is again attracting attention, and many churches have adopted this method, some supported by a choir and some without."-Preface : New Subbath Hymn and Tune Book.

When the Puritans came to this country in 1620 they brought with them some neat little hymn-books called " Ainsworth's Version of the Psalms," pub- lished about the year 1618, by Rev. Henry Ains- worth, for some years a teacher of the church at Amsterdam, and it was their custom to sing from them in their public worship. These books were continued in use until the year 1640, when a hymn- book was arranged by the clergymen of the Colonies, called "The Bay Psalm Book."

This was the first hymn-book printed in the Colo- nies, but the expense was so much that only a com- paratively small number could be sold, and it was at this time that the practice of " lining out the hymn " began. When there were only a limited number of hymn-books, the minister would select a hymn, and read a line or two, and then the congregation would sing what had been read, and so on until as many verses had been sung as was desired. It took some forty years for the lining-out process to become uni- versal, but at last about every church in New Eng- land performed their singing in that way. The prac- tice continued for a hundred years or more and it cost a great effort to break it up, even after hymn-books became plenty, and it was a very serious subject of contention in many of the churches for several years.

The dates assigned to some of the tunes that we call old are as fellows : "Old Hundred " and " Mon- mouth " go back to the time of Luther and the Reformation, 1520 ; "Dundee," 1615 ; "St. Martyn's," 1735 ; "Darwell" and "Greenville," 1750; "The Italian Hymn," "Mear," and the "Portuguese Hymn," 1760; "Silver Street " and "St. Thomas," 1779; "Peterboro'," "Lenox " and " Amsterdam,', 1776; "Cambridge," 1790; "Dedham " and " China " about 1799.

The first hymn-books used herc were " Watts' Psalms and Hymns." They were originally pub- lished in separate volumes. Several copies may now

be found in families whose ancestors worshiped herc. They were first published in England in one volume, about the year 1718. Dr. Franklin also published an cdition in Philadelphia, in 1741. This book con- tinued for some years, but was succeeded by the "Watts and Select," edited by Samuel M. Worcester, and published in 1834.

Change to Presbyterianism .- In 1819 this church and society joined the Presbyterian order and re- maincd until 1837, when, as the record says, "They were permitted by the Presbytery at Newburyport to become Congregational."

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS FROM CHELMSFORD BY ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE. " Be it enacted, &c., as follows :

" That. Phineas Whiting, Nathaniel Wright, John Ford, Silas Hoar, Artemas Holden, James Bowers, Jonathan Bowers, Samnel F. Wood, Nathan Tyler, Josiah Fletcher, Joseph C. Hall, Otis Tyler, Nathan Tyler, Jr., Nathan Hunting, Natban P. Ames, Joseph Dane, Ephraim Osgood, Simeon Parker, Lewis Butterfield, Zebulon Parker, Jeduthan Parker, Osgood Worcester, Joel Dix, Varnum Spalding, Robert Spalding, Micajah Bowers, Bradley Varnum, Jolin Goulding, Samuel Hunt, Moses Chever, Jr., and Amos Proctor of Chelmsford. in the County of Middlesex, with their polls and estates be and they are hereby set off for parochial pur- poses only from said town of Chelmsford. and annexed to the West Con- gregational Society in Dracut in said County, there hereafter to enjoy all the parochial privileges of said society and to pay their proportion of all necessary charges that may arise therein for the purposes aforesaid. Provided nevertheless that the aforesaid persons shall he holden to pay their proportion of all parochial taxes now assessed or granted hy the said town of Chelmsford.

"Approved by the Governor Fehrnary 1, 1820.

"A. BRADFORD, Secretary of the Commonwealth."

Settled Pastors .- During the existence of the Paw- tucket Church there have been eight pastors settled over it, viz. :

Rev. Reuhen Sears, from January 31, 1821, to Angust 26, 1827. Rev. Sylvester G. Pierce, from April, 1829, to April 25, 1832. Rev. Tobias Pinkham, from May 18, 1836, to April 16, 1839. Rev. Joseph Merrill, from April 20, 1842, to April 19, 1848. Rev. Brown Emerson, from June 5, 1850, to May 9, 1854. Rev. Perrin B. Fiske, from October 1, 1863, to Novemher 7, 1865.

Rev. Joseplı Boardman, from September 1, 1870, to November 1, 1874. Rev. Charles H. Willcox (the present pastor), settled November 6, 1884.

A Sunday-school was organized in connection with the Pawtucket Church about 1828.

SCHOOLS .- The church and the school were prom- inent features in the early jurisprudence of Mass- achusetts. The religion of our forefathers was of that type which invited light and education, and their laws were directed to this end. . Common schools were established in all the towns, and appropriations were required and made for their support.

"A large portion of the clergy of New England," says Barry, "and some of the laity were men of liber- al education, and were graduates of the time-honored universities of England. The materials of greatness were already theirs ; for they brought with them to these shores, in addition to their libraries, minds rich- ly storcd with the treasures of learning. Hence, no sooner were churches erected than school-houses sprung up." Schools were, without doubt, early es- tablished in some form in Dracut; but as the records of the town, during a few of the first years of its ex-

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istence are not to be found, it is impossible to tell just how they begun. It is presumed, however, that such teachers as could be found, imparted such instruction as they could, in private dwellings that could best accommodate the pupils.

The first notice of a school in the town is recorded as follows :

" DRACUT, Oct. 1, 1736.

" We. the subscribers in the town above sd agree, with Mr. Phineas Stevens, of Andover, to keep a Reading and Wrightiug scool In Dracutt three months, Beginning on or about the 20th of this Instant October, for which he Is to Receive twelve Pounds In Bills of Creddit, as witness our bauds.

" PHINEAS STEVENS,

Selectmen

" EDWARD COLBURN,

" JOHN VARNUM, " JOHN BOWERS,

Dracutt."

"Oct. 31, 1794. At a general town meeting, voted to raise 11 pounds for the support of a town school this present year."

May 18, 1750, the town voted that the school should be kept at one place, and at the house of Eph- riam Hildreth. Previously it had undoubtedly been kept at houses of different individuals, wherever ac- commodations could be found.

In 1752 an article was inserted in the town warrant "To see if the town will vote to build a school-house or school-housen, and also to see if the town will state a place to set said school-house or school-housen." The town voted to build a school-house, and then, as there was a considerable difference of opinion as to location; etc., it was voted to reconsider the vote to build. The school appropriation this year was eight pounds.

In 1754 voted ten pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence for schools.

The First School-house .- In 1755 the town passed the following vote :

"That if the inhabitants of the southwest part of the town build a school-house on the land of Deacon Edward Coburn, on the north side of the road be- twixt Deacon Edward Coburn's his house and Samuel Coburn's house, that they shall have the school kept there according to their proportion of the taxes. And also if the inhabitants build a house about five rods from Stoney Gutter, so-called, they shall have the school there in proportion to their taxes." The house first mentioned appears to have been built; as we find that in 1756 the town " voted to accept the school-house where it now stands, near the house of Deacon Samuel Coburn." This is the first school-house built by the town of which we find any record.

School Committee .- The first-mentioned election of a School Committee by the town occurred in the year 1809. Lieut. Timothy Coburn, Josiah Blanchard, Isaac Coburn, Joel Fox, John Parker, Jonathan Par- ker, Major Daniel Varnum, Moses Bradley and Mi- cah Coburn were elected. It was also voted "To lay out the school money, two-thirds in school-masters and one-third in school-dames." So says the town clerk, whose early school advantages may have been unfavorable, or misimproved. We have reason to doubt that the vote was recorded just as it passed.

The first lady elected on the Board of Superintend- ing School Committee, by the town, was Mrs. A. C. Varnum, in 1874. Mrs. George A. H. Richardson was her lady successor. They had both previously been teachers in the town.

In 1873, being the year before a considerable por- tion of Dracut was annexed to Lowell (the annexa- tion act took effect Aug. 1, 1874) the school statistics of the town were as follows :

Number of persons between the ages of five and fifteen . . . 320

Number of different scholars attending school during the year. 510

Number of male teachers employed during the year . 5

Number of female teachers employed during the year 15

Amount received from State school fund . $190.72

Amount raised by the town for support of schools . $3,500.00

At that time the town was divided into eleven school districts, and the schools were under what was called the " District System,"-that is, each district elected a " Prudential Committeeman," who hired the teach- ers, took charge of the school-house, provided wood, etc.,-the duties of the town or Superintending Com- miittee being to examine the teachers as to their qual- ifications for the various schools, to take the general charge of the schools, during their terms of session, and make a report to the town as to their proficiency and standing.

John Ames, Edward A. Stevens and John J. Col- ton were the town Committee in 1873, and in their report recommended that the district system be abol- ished. They said " About four-fifths of all the towns in the State have abolished the school district system, and our schools will not be what they might, and ought to be, until the present system is abolished."

Soon after this the desired change was made, and the schools at the present time are under the entire supervision of a superintendent chosen for that pur- pose.

From the report of the School Committee for the school year 1888-89 (the report for 1889-90 not hav- ing yet been issued) is obtained the following :

Number of persons in town May 1, 1888, between five and fifteen years of age, 343. Number of per- sons in town between eight and fourteen years of age, 199. Number of different schools, 11. Average length of each school, seven months and eighteen days.

The School Committee are: A. T. Richardson, chairman ; Charles H. Stickney, secretary ; John W. Peabody, T. H. Connell, G. M. Hall, G. M. Clark, Levi Redden, Nat. W. Peabody, Bernice Parker, Ed- win J. Kennedy, Dr. O. A. Flint, was superintendent of schools.

The town appropriated for support of schools for 1889, $3200.

The following communication has been received from the superintendent of schools elected in March, 1890, which answers an inquiry as to their present condition and methods :

"The schools of Dracut are in a flourishing condition ; they are com- posed of descendants from many nationalities, and of not very reniote

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ancestors. While the schools of Dracut rank as country schools, their proximity to the city of Lowell canses them to use the best appliances of both city and country withont carrying either to excess. The tenchers are intelligent, painstaking and In love with their work. "GEO. W. BATCHELDER,

" Supt. of Schools for the town of Dracut. " June 2, 1890."

CHAPTER XXIV.

DRACUT-(Continued).

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

WHEN it became the settled conviction of the pa- triots of the Colony that a war with England was in- evitable, preparations began quietly to be made to meet the emergency. Great patience was exercised, and every precaution taken by the wise statesmen of the times, to prevent an appeal to arms, but the blind and intolerant course pursued by the King and Par- liament towards the Colonies was beyond the endur- ance of the most patient and conservative.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 70

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226