History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 102

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 102

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

January 4, 1724-25, only eleven days after the first meeting, a second meeting was held, at which it was resolved to erect a meeting-house thirty-two feet by forty fect, with twenty feet posts, and £100 old tenor (about $44.45) was assessed on the inhabitants towards defraying the cost, each man assessed being allowed the privilege of paying one-half of his rate in labor. It finally cost about .£100 more and was completed in 1728.

The situation of the meeting-house was a subjeet of considerable discussion. Colonel Samuel Brown, of Salem, a large proprietor, who owned the farm for- merly possessed by Lieutenant Ilenry Adams, of Med- field, promised them a site, to be selected from his land. They first thought of the spot which was fin- ally nsed. But as a large proportion of the inhabit- ants dwelt in the northern and eastern portions of the town, it was once decided, for their convenience, to build near the present nail-factory, on Jar Brook. But after future consideration they were convineed that this location would not eventually accommodate the majority of the people as their numbers increased, and, looking at further requirements, they decided "to set their meeting-house south of Jasper's Hill, on the West side of the road that goes over there, on the lion. Col. Brown's farm." A lot of three acres at that place was then given by Colonel Brown to be perpetually occupied as a site for a meeting-house and burying-ground. The wisdom of this last choice is now seen ; and this remained the only church edifice in the town for nearly a century. Early in the same year (1725) the town established public worship, services being held at the house of Mr. Timothy Leland, and continued there until the com- pletion of the meeting-house. For many years there were only temporary seats for the congregation, and

it was not until 1749 that members were allowed to build pews, and that a committee was chosen " to dignify the seats." Each man constructed his own pew in those days, and the mode of assigning the dif- ferent degrees of dignity to the different seats is some- thing astounding to the degenerate people of our times. To Captain John Goulding and " old Mr. Eben- ezer Leland," the father of Deacon Timothy Leland, were allotted two of the most honorable pews.

In the year 1772 this meeting-house was repaired and enlarged, and it then answered the purposes of the inhabitants until 1822, when a substantially new church building was erected. Of this edifice of 1822, Rev. Dr. Dowse,1 in his centennial address, remarks : " That meeting-house is supposed still to be here, but it has been so often enlarged and remodeled that it is very difficult to recognize anything that belonged to the original structure." It was again altered, raised and a vestry built below in 1859.

June 26, 1727, a meeting was held for the election and call of a minister. The result of the meeting was an invitation to the Rev. James Stone to undertake the work of the ministry. But as the meeting-house was not finished and the church was not then organ- ized, his ordination was deferred until November 20, 1728. A church of eight members, including the pastor-elect, was founded on the same day, according to Fitch and others ; but Dr. G. M. Adams says there was an interval of three weeks between the two cere- monies.

Mr. Stone was born in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1703, and was graduated at Harvard University in 1724. His great-grandfather, Simon Stone, was one of four brothers who came to this country from Eng- land in 1634, and settled at Watertown. One of his sermons, said to be the last he ever composed, was published after his deeease, with an introduction by Rev. Oliver Peabody, of Natick, and Rev. Samuel Porter, of Sherburne, who thus comment upon his character : " He was held in great esteem by his own people, as well as those in neighboring towns, for his great sweetness of temper, his good humor, his in- structive conversation, his exemplary piety, his great diligence and his faithfulness in the work of the min- istry."" His salary would now be considered en- tirely inadequate. It was fixed at £75, old tenor, equal to $33.33, to be raised to £80 when the town had received an increase of ten families, and to £85 when there should be an increase of ten more. He was to receive a settlement of £100, or about $44. llis salary was finally raised in 1742 to £150, or $67. But in addition to this he had his firewood and the use of a house and land. On application by the town,

1 Centennial Address delivered in Holliston July 4, 1876, by Rev. Ed- mund Dowse. Published by the Town. Printed at South Framingham, 1877.

" A Century Sermon delivered in Holliston, Mass., Dec. 4, 1826, by Rev. Charles Fitch, pastor of the Congregational Society. Printed at Dedbam, 1827.

435

HOLLISTON.

the Hon. Samuel Sewall and his children conveyed, May 9, 1728, to a committee of the town, Jona. Whit- ney and George Fairbank, in trust, eleven acres of land " for ye sole proper use, benefit and behoof of ye first Orthodox, Congregational or Presbyterian minis- ter of ye Gospel which shall be settled in ye said town of Holliston, and to his heirs and assigns for- ever." The committee conveyed it to Mr. Stone Jan- uary 2, 1730, and in the same year was probably built the ancient house long known as the Stone tavern. The Winthrop house afterwards stood upon a part of the same land. It was destroyed in the great fire of 1875; and the Hollis honse took its place, but was burned March 12, 1887. Mr. Stone died July 19, 1742, in the thirty-ninth year of his age and the fourteenth year of his ministry. The town voted £60 to defray the expense of his funeral.

The only candidate for the pastorate, after the de- cease of Mr. Stone, was the Rev. Joshua Prentiss, who was ordained and installed on the 18th day of May, 1743. He received £200, old tenor, at settle- ment, and £140 annually. After two years his sal- ary was gradually to be increased until it amounted to £200 per annum.

Mr. Prentiss (cr Prentice, as he wrote it himself, his descendants calling it Prentiss), was born at Cam- bridge, in 1718, and was graduated at Harvard Uni- versity in 1738. He had been trained from an early age with a view to this holy calling, and early devoted himself to the service of God. Rev. Charles Fitch says that " his preaching was plain, instructive and evangelical. For ahout five years before his death his health was so greatly impaired as to render him unable to preach, except occasionally. And, perhaps, it was owing wholly to this circumstance that the congregation was induced to procure, in 178-1, a dis- solution of the pastoral connection subsisting between him and them.

" But the fact which seems most unpleasant upon this subject is, that having fallen behind in the pay- ment of his salary, the people should refuse his pecu- niary claims, and compel him to the ungrateful task of a civil prosecution. The demand was, however, ultimately discharged without a legal process, greatly to the credit of the people and the satisfaction of the pastor. From the time of this settlement until his death, peace and good feeling prevailed, as is evident from the fact that after his dismission the town exempted his estate from taxation, and appropriated for the use of his family a seat in the meeting-house. Mr. Prentiss finished his earthly course April 24, 1788, having attained the age of man, his threescore years and ten, forty-two of which he employed in the ministry among this people." He was thrice mar- ried, and had nine children, the second of whom, Dr. Thomas Prentiss, was pastor of the church in Med- field from 1770 to the time of his death in 1814. The eighth child, Margaret, married in 1789, Rev. Timothy Dickenson, the successor of her father at Holliston.

" It was during the ministry of Mr. Prentiss, and in the year 1748 that a number of families living re- mote from the place of worship, and contiguous to Medway, were, for the sake of better accommodation, set off from the congregation of Holliston by an act of the General Court, and comprised as a component part of the West Parish, in Medway, at its original incorporation. The number of families belonging to the religious society of this town was at that time stated to he about ninety." 1

After the dismissal of Mr. Prentiss there was a long interval before the settlement of another pastor. Thirteen successive candidates were heard, and the people were without a minister for one hundred and five Sabbaths. But finally they decided, with " perfect unanimity," to call Rev. Timothy Dickenson. Mr. Dickenson accepted the invitation, and was ordained at Holliston, February 18, 1789. His salary was £200, old tenor, at settlement and £80 per annum. He was horn at Amherst, Mass., June 25, 1761. "The traits of character, which, more than any other, marked the opening period of his existence, were the mildness and amiableness of his natural disposition. He was also noted in early childhood for a great fondness for literary pursuits. So that, "although bis constitution was naturally slender, and his health feeble and in- terrupted," a very considerable portion of the hours which were not employed in manual labor were devoted to study. He lived with his parents, and labored on a farm until sixteen years of age, when beholding his country engaged in a common and dubious struggle for independence, the deep interest excited in his bosom for her welfare roused his youth- ful ardor and would not suffer him to be dissuaded from esponsing her cause and enlisting as a private soldier in the militia. In this capacity he continued to serve in the army ahout fifteen months.

" Upon leaving this post of suffering and danger, his health having been enfeebled by the exposures anel hardships to which he was unaccustomed, he com- menced fitting for college under the tuition of the Rev. Dr. Dwight, late president of Yale College, who was then engaged in the instruction of a private school at Northampton."2 He was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1785. " While at college Mr. Dickenson made a public profession of religion. He was diligent and persevering in the prosecution of his studies ; appeared to advantage at recitations and all the literary exhibitions of his class ; and acquired the reputation of a correct classical scholar."1 After graduation he served for one year as preceptor of Moore's Charity School, which was connected with the college, and afterwards officiated as minister in several different parishes in New Hampshire before he received the call to this society. In the Novem- ber following his ordination he was married to a daughter of Rev. Joshua Prentiss, with whom he lived

1 Fitch, before quoted, p. 18,

% Fitch, pp., 18, 19. 20.

436

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

until his death. They had seven children, two of whom were physicians.

Mr. Dickenson as a preacher was "plain, faithful and affectionate. Ite had a clear, strong and pleasant voice, which enabled him to speak with peculiar pro- priety and energy ; and as he aimed to draw the at- tention of his hearers to his subject rather than to himself, so he seldom failed of deeply impressing their hearts and consciences." It appears that he was sometimes too plain and searching in his dis- courses and that dissatisfaction arose in consequence among some of his people ; so that in June, 1804, the church called a council to consider the matter. The council, while advising moderation and forbearance, also advised a dissolution of the pastoral relation in the month of August following, unless an amicable adjustment of the difficulties should previously take place. Happily these disagreements were gradually reconciled, so that by the 25th of June the parish passed a resolution in favor of the continuance of the connection. And Mr. Dickenson remained in the office of pastor and peacefully exercised the duties thereof for about nine years afterward, during the re- mainder of his life. After a lingering and painful sickness, he calmly expired on the 6th day of July, 1513, having completed his fifty-second year and the twenty-fourth year of his ministry.

For seventeen months after the decease of Mr. Dickenson, the society was without a regular pastor, the pulpit being supplied by candidates. The fourth minister was the Rev. Josephus Wheaton, a man who had been recommended to this society as one adapted to their needs, and well fitted to smooth and quiet the disturbed relations of its members. He received a unanimous invitation to take the pastoral charge, which he accepted; and he was ordained and in- stalled December 6, 1815. ITis salary at settlement was $600, and his annual stipend also $600.

Mr. Wheaton was the son of Joseph Wheaton, Esq., and was born at Rehoboth, Mass., March 16, 1788. "ITis natural disposition," says Fitch, " was amiable ; his behavior penceable, condescending and kind." Ile early evinced a strong thirst for knowl- edge, and by his own energy and perseverance, ob- tained a thorough education. He graduated with distinguished honor in 1812 at Brown University, where he continued his residence, studied theology and at the same time was preceptor in an Academy in Providence and then tutor in the University, where he gratified his love for classical studies. While still a tutor, he was licensed to preach, and was invited to supply the sacred desk in this town. " llis concilia- ting deportment, amiable temper and dignified, yet unaffected manners, won the affection of those who were not always pleased with his theological senti- ments. He was completely successful in uniting and harmonizing this people at a time when they were found not a little discordant in opinion and feeling ; and enjoyed in an unusual degree, their respect, con-

fidence and affection from the commencement to the close of his ministerial life."

Mr. Wheaton was a student as well as pastor, and excelled in a knowledge of the classics. His literary character and his talents as an instructor made his house a favorite resort for young men fitting for col- lege or perfecting their education. He was an in- structive and brilliant preacher and had a very at- tractive style of delivery, although some times too ra- pid. His whole soul appeared to be in his work and he was sometimes eloquent in his discourse, aiming to dress his thoughts in choice language.

The good and the talented often die young, and it was so with Mr. Wheaton. After a gradual decline of three years, he finally left the scene of his earthly labors on the fourth day of February, 1825, at the age of nearly thirty-seven years. He left a widow and three children, two of whom adopted the profession of the law, to which Mr. Wheaton himself had a predi - lection before devoting his mind to the ministry.

Before his decease, Mr. Wheaton had the pleasure of witnessing the completion of the new meeting- house, in which he had been highly interested. It was dedicated on the third day of December, 1823, precisely one year less than a century after the incor- poration of the town. "Mr. Wheaton delivered the sermon on the interesting occasion, and it was pub- lished ; and it stands as a lasting monument of the man and the event, at the very close of his earthly labors." Several other sermons were published and also a work by him on school education.

The ministers up to this time all served during the remainder of their lives after installation, according to the olden custom. Those who follow remained only for shorter periods of time.

Rev. Charles Fitch, a native of Williamstown, Mass., was the successor of Mr. Wheatou, and was installed pastor of this church, January 4, 1826. He was a son of Ebenezer Fitch, D.D. the first presi- dlent of Williams College, and was born June 26, 1799. He entered Williams College at the age of fifteen, graduated in 1819, and entered the Theologi- cal Seminary at Princeton the same year, graduating therefrom in 1821. Among his ancestors were many professional men, and Mr. Fitch himself possessed literary attainments of a high order. After serving as pastor of a church in Cherry Valley, N. Y., for three years, he was invited to return to Massachu- setts in 1825, with the expectation of filling a vacan- cy in one of the larger towns. Finding the position had been filled before his arrival, he accepted, after a short time, the call to this church. The installa- tion sermon was given by Rev. Dr. Wisner, of Bos- ton. Ile labored here for six years, and his efforts were highly successful. Ilis fidelity was appreciated, his reputation in the town was high, and his memory is held in grateful remembrance. During his resi- dence here he delivered, December 4, 1826, a Century sermon which was printed and has become a valuable

HOLLISTON.

437

record of the early history of the church and town. To this sermon the present writer is indebted for many of the facts presented in this paper.

Mr. Fitch was dismissed May 1, 1832, principally on account of some differences of feeling among the parishioners, and many of those who had become interested in religion under his ministration united with the newly formed Methodist church at that time. After filling several other positions, he became pastor of the Presbyterian church at Mt. Vernon, Indiana, in 1851, and of the Presbyterian church at Frankville, Iowa, in 1856. He resigned that office to enter the army as chaplain, May 5, 1861, but lost his health in the service and died while at home on a leave of absence, May 3, 1863, at Evansville, In- diana.

The sixth pastor was Rev. Elijah Demond. He was born at Rutland, Mass., November 1, 1790, grad- uated at Dartmouth College, in 1816, and at Andover Seminary, in 1820. After serving at the churches at West Newbury and Lincoln, Mass., he was installed pastor of this church, October 31, 1832. Although remaining in Holliston but three and one-half years, Mr. Demond must have performed faithful work, as twenty-nine persons were added to the church during his pastorate. He was dismissed by council, April 11, 1836. He afterwards preached in several other towns in this State, and passed the last years of his life at Westborough, where he died July 20, 1877, in his eighty-seventh year.

During Mr. Demond's pastorate the subject of warming the meeting-house again came up for con- sideration. According to the ancient custom, the only source of external heat up to this time had been the foot-stoves which were brought from the homes and were replenished at noon at the houses near-by. "In 1829 the subject had been agitated and a commit- tee appointed to report upon the best method. But at the next meeting, the town first " voted to accept the report of the committee relative to the best method of warming the meeting-house," and then " voted not to warm the meeting-house at all." But in 1833 a vote was passed to warm the house, and a committee was " authorized to procure a stove or stoves and place them in the meeting-house at their discretion, and that the funnel of said stove be extended through the roof of the meeting-house." There was decided opposition to this innovation. On the first Sunday after the stove was put in, one of the leading opposers of the change came out of the meeting-house bitterly complaining of the headache which the heat of the stove had caused him. But the laugh was turned upon him when it appeared, that, as the day was mild, no fire had been lighted."

In 1835 occurred the decease of Miss Elizabeth Prentiss, a daughter of the second pastor of the church. She lived for the purpose of doing good and

was truly "an excellent woman ;" and among her benefactions was her methodical plan of assisting young men to prepare themselves for the ministry.

In the year 1836, the parochial business which had always been conducted in a town-meeting, was for- mally separated and a new organization was formed including only such as wished to join it.

Rev. John Storrs born in Mansfield, Conn., Sept. 6, 180I, was the next minister. He graduated at Middlebury College in 1824, afterwards studied the- ology and was ordained at Barre, Mass., in 1829. He afterwards settled at Norwich, Conn., before coming to Holliston, and was thirty-five years of age when installed here, December 20, 1836. The installation sermon was given by Rev. Joel Hawes (afterwards D. D.) of Hartford, a native of Medway, Mass., and one of the young men who had been encouraged and assisted by Miss Elizabeth Prentiss, before mentioned. This sermon was printed by a vote of the church.

Mr. Storrs labored diligently during the six years of his ministry and thirty-six new members were ad- ded to the church. He was dismissed November 8, 1842. Afterwards he filled some other stations and then settled in Winchendon, Mass., in 1849, as pastor and died there in May 1854. The interest felt in him by his former people in Holliston was eviuced by their request to print his funeral sermon at their own expense.

The eighth clergyman who had charge of the church was Rev. Timothy Dwight P. Stone, born at Cornwall, Connecticut, about 1811, the son of Rev. Timothy Stone, and adopted son of Rev. Ebenezer Porter, D.D., professor in the theological seminary at Andover. He graduated at Amherst College in 1834, and afterwards studied divinity at Andover. This was his first parish, and he was ordained here March 1, 1843, Rev. Dr. Leonard Woods, of Andover, preach- ing the sermon. Like his predecessor, Mr. Stone served six years and had the satisfaction of witnessing substantial additions to the church during his pastor- ate. Impaired health led him to seek a dismission in. 1849, and his ministry terminated on the second day of March. He then hecame chaplain of the State Re- form School at Westborough, was afterwards princi- pal of the State Normal School of Connecticut, and later a teacher at Albany, New York.

Rev. Joshua T. Tucker (afterwards D.D).) follows next in the line of ministers. He was the son of Joshua Tucker, of Milton, Massachusetts, where he was born September 20, 1812. He came from old Puritan stock, being a descendant of Robert Tucker, who lived in Weymouth in 1639. Ile fitted for college at Phillips' Academy, graduated at Yale in 1833, and pursued his professional studies at bane Seminary, Cincinnati. After ordination in the State of Illinois in 1837, he served as missionary and pastor in Illinois and Missouri until 1848, and also as an editor at St. Louis from 1846 to 1848. He was installed the ninth pastor of this church June 6, 1849, Rev. William M.

1 Historical Discourse at Celebration of One Hundred and Fiftieth An- niversary of the Formation of the Church, by George M. Adams, D.D.

438

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Rogers, of Boston, delivering the sermon, and the venerable Dr. Ide, of Medway, giving for the third time the charge to a Holliston pastor. "At the com- mencement of his ministry about 150 families," says Dr. Adams, " were connected with the congregation, and the church numbered 174." A period of great religions interest occurred during his pastorate, and at its close the church had increased to 409. Many young men have gone forth from this church during its history as missionaries and pastors; but during Dr. Tucker's years of service there was an unusually large number. Edward B. French, George F. Walker and the three brothers, Lyman, Elijah and Calvin Cutler (sons of Amos and Sarah Cutler) were all or- dained to the work of the ministry during his time.

Dr. Tucker visited Europe on account of his health in 1859, and during the five months of his absence the pulpit was supplied by Rev. William M. Thayer, of Franklin. It was at this time that the meet- ing-house was raised, rooms were arranged in the basement and an addition built at the west end for the accommodation of the organ and choir. Then the house was again dedicated, December 2, 1859, Rev. Dr. Andrew L. Stone, of Boston, preaching the sermon.

Dr. Tucker was a man of much ability, both as a preacher and a writer, and many of his sermons and other literary compositions have been published. While here, he was associate editor of the Boston Re- corder, a denominational paper well-known at that time and now merged in the Congregationalist.

Dr. Tucker was much interested in the history and antiquities of the town, and among his discoveries was one which he thus describes : "One day when I was in the village tin-shop, my eye was caught by an unusually shaped vessel lying in the corner, on a pile of old refuse, which I picked up and examined. It was a flagon of perhaps three pints' capacity, bearing this inscription : 'The gift of Mrs. Dorothy Ware, late of Sherborne, to the church in Holliston, 1745.' The workman stated that some one had brought it in and sold it and that he should melt it up for solder, as it was a much purer metal than could now be got for that purpose. I purchased it of him at his own price, and retained it as private property." This tankard is said to be now in the possession of the Worcester Society of Antiquity.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 102

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278