History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 196

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 196

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"Voted, To give each soldier that ehall eliet by the 15th instant, to serve in the militia and do dnty at Peekskill, to do a turn for him.elf, twenty pounds as a bounty, and four pounds per mouth wages, over and above what the Continent aud State give."

The meeting was then adjourned to the 15th instant, when it was found that the requisite number of men had not been obtained for the nine months' service ; whereupon it was

"Foted, To give to each of the above-named soldiers that shall enlist before next Monday, at five o'clock, P M., Que hundred and sixty pounds to do a turn for the town, or, if either of them choose to do a turn for them- selves, then the town shall give thero forty pounds as a bounty, and teo pounde per month wages, if they ehall enlist before five o'clock next Monday afternoon, to serve in the Continental army nine months.

"Voted, That the officers go to the Town Treasurer for the money to pay the soldiers for their honnty and hire, and that the Town Treasurer borrow the money upon the town'e credit."

"In order to understand the expression of 'doiug a turn for themselves,' or for the town, it is necessary to know that such was the difficulty in obtaining soldiers that they resorted to drafts, and in some towns a system of conscription was resorted to, as the only means of sustaining the army. The citizens were divided into classes, according to the valuation, and amount of taxes paid by the individuals. Each class was required to furuish a man, and provide for his wages and support. Each member contributed accord- ing to his property, and all delinquents were returned to the Assessors, and the sum due was included in his next tax. When an individual did a turn of duty for himself, he was excused from payment and exempt from draft till all others had been called out. In Marlborough, however, they had recourse only to drafts, where the same rotation existed." (Hudson.)

Numerous calls were made for troops, and it was found almost impossible to obtain them. Not, however, for the want of patriotism on the part of the men, so much as the want of ability in the Government to

1 Charles Hudson was killed by our own men. He was out in a econt- ing party near the enemy, when fears were entertained for their safety, and another party was sent ont for their protection. Night came on, and the last party, bearing the approach of troope, and supposing them to be the enemy, secreted themselves, and on their near approach fired upon them, killing Charles Hudson and another of the first named party, before they discovered their imistake.

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MARLBOROUGH.

subsist and pay them. The town made a great effort to obtain her quota of men, by offering bounties in addition to the goverment pay ; but the deprecia- tion of the currency rendered the large bounties of- fered of but small value. Consequently, it was found necessary to graduate the bounty upon something more stable than a constantly depreciating paper cur- rency. The following action of the town will show the expedients to which the public were driven. At a meeting held June 21, 1779, the record reads thus :

" Heard the Resolves of the Great and General Court of the 8th and 9th instant, for raising a reinforcement to the army.

"Voted, To give each man that shall enlist, or his legal representative, if he should die in the service, forty shillings per month, to be paid in produce of this country, in beef at twenty shillings per hundred, and Indian corn at three shillings per bushel, or as much money as shall purchase said produce, including their wages due from this Continent and State. The above to be paid at the expiration of their service -- they producing a certificate from the commanding officer that they have bsen regularly discharged. And if the men do not turn out for the above encouragement in two daya, then the officers draft according to the orders of the General Conrt ; and if any man is drafted and will go, be shall be entitled to the forty shillings per month, as set forth above. Each man engaged for the above encouragement is considered as doing his turn.

"Voted, That sixty pounds be advanced hy the Town Treasurer to each man, before he marches, who engages in the Continental service for nine months, which is to be deducted at the final settlement.

"Voted, That the Treasurer he empowered to horrow the money for thres months on the credit of the town."

"At a meeting held February 12, 1781, Voted, To give as a bounty to each man that shall engage in the Continental army, during the war, twenty steers, three years old, or, in lieu of each steer, fourteen hard dollars, and to be paid to the men that shall engage, one-third part at the time of their passing muster, and the other two-thirds, ous-half in one year from the time they shall eugage, aud the other half in two years from the time they shall so engage.

"Also Voted, To give as a bounty to each man that shall engage in the Continental army for three years, twenty steers three years old, and to be paid to each men as follows: Four steers at the time of his passing muster, and sixteen steers at the expiration of three years, unless sooner discharged ; and in that case to be paid io proportion. The above steers to be estimated at fifteen dollars each."

The people of Marlborough, with, perhaps, one ex- ception, were loyal to the colonial cause. Henry Barnes, however, was a royalist, and remained true to the King. He was a favorite of the Governor, who appointed him one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Middlesex in 1766. He is denominated an " importer " in the Marlborough Res- olutions. He kept a store in Marlborough and ap- pears to have been a man of wealth and enterprise.

In 1753 he preferred a petition to Governor Shirley, in which he sets forth, " That he has lately been at considerable expense and trouble in erecting in Marlborough a commodious house, works and uten- sils for the distilling and manufacturing of cider spirits, and the same has so far answered his expecta- tious, as that besides what has been consumed in the Province, he has distilled the same spirit and sent to Boston for exportation between two and three thou- sand gallons, and the same is esteemed by proper judges to be as good and wholesome as any spirit now used ; " and prays that he may be licensed to retail it in small quantities. Whereupon the Court of Ses-

sions aud the selectmen of the town were empowered to graut such liceuse.

Henry Barnes resided in the east village, aud was a mau of considerable property, and one of the largest tax-payers in the town. He was the owner of several slaves, one of whom, " Daphine," he left in Marlborough, and she was supported out of his estate. He left Marlborough early in 1775, and re- paired to Boston to take shelter under protection of the King's troops. An act was passed in 1778, in which Mr. Barnes was mentioned, forbidding all per- sons who had left the State and gone over to the enemy, returning to their former homes; and provid- ing, that in case of their return, they should be ar- rested and sent out of the dominion of the United States ; and in case they should, after such transpor- tation, return without the leave of the General Court, " they shall suffer the pains of death without benefit of clergy." His property was confiscated and he finally returned to London, where he died in 1808, aged 84.

CHAPTER LVIII.

MARLBOROUGH-(Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Union Congregational Church-The Second Parish, Unitarian-Methodist Episcopal-First Baptist-Church of the Holy Trinity -- Universalist -- Im- maculute Conception, Roman Catholic-St. Mary's, French Catholic- French Evangelical Church, Protestant Congregational.

UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 1 -The history of this church can be appropriately divided into the three following periods: First, the period during which the church was connected with Town Parish. Second, the period during which the church was connected with First Parish.

Third, the period during which the church has been connected with Union Society.

First Period, from 1666 to 1808 .- The gospel of Je- sus Christ was preached in Marlboro', about as soon as the first settlers began to cultivate the virgin soil.

As early as 1660 the voters took action for paying Rev. William Brimsmead, who was then their minis- ter. Rev. Richard Mather, of Dorchester, preached an ordination sermon in Marlboro', April 7, 1659, aud as Mr. Brimsmead was born in Dorchester, and was preaching in Marlboro', before 1660, we conclude that he was ordained in Marlboro', April 7, 1659. [See history of Dorchester.]

The evangelistic services of the young minister from Dorchester prepared the way for a church, which was organized October 6, 1666, when Rev. William Brims- mead was installed over the church, and as the min- ister of the town with a salary of about £40. In those days the church was composed of those who made a

1 By Rev. A. F. Newton.

826

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

public profession of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but the minister was an officer of the town in its parochial capacity.

The town-meetings were held in the meeting-house, and the minister's salary was annually provided for by vote in town-meeting.

The first meeting-house stood on what is now the High School Common ; the dead were buried near the meeting-house, according to the English custom. Mr. Stillman B. Pratt, of The American, says : "It is probable, however, that the earlier burials were all made in the older graveyards at Wayland, Watertown or Charlestown."

The oldest burial-stone in Marlboro' is that of Capt. Edward Hutchinson in Spring Hill Cemetery, bearing date August 12, 1675. Ile was killed by treacherous Indians in the King Philip War, and the meeting- house was burned by the Indians March 26, 1676.

Early the next year, another meeting house was built by the Town Parish. In 1688 a larger house took its place and this one stood for about 120 years.

After worshipping in meeting-houses on the Com- mon for 145 years, a new meeting-house was needed, and in 1805 the town voted in town-meeting-81 to 10 -to build their new meeting-house on Spring Hill, where Union Church now stands.

The land was purchased and prepared by private funds, and a meeting-house built under the supervi- sion of a committee chosen by the town for that pur- pose. The change of location created much opposition among the citizens of the west part of the town, and this resulted in the erection of a meeting-house on Pleasant Street, at the expense of private individuals. Both houses were opened for public services on April 27,1806.

Second period, from 1808 to 1835 .- At about this time occurs an important transition in the history of this church, which is inseparably connected with the history of the parish and town.

The church property, including land and meeting- houses, was held by the town parish. Arising out of the differences about the location of the new meet- ing-house, came a separation of Church and State in Marlborough, and thereby a division of the town property.

Foreseeing the separation of municipal and paro- chial interests of the towns of our Commonwealth, the General Court passed a law regulating parishes and precincts, and the officers thereof, June 28, 1786. [See the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts from November 28, 1708, to February 28, 1807, Vol. 1., p. 325.]

This law provided for the existence of more than one parish in a town, and also gave to the officers of the parish powers and privileges pertaining to the parish similar to the powers and privileges of select- men pertaining to the town. Under this law of 1786, the fathers of the church in Marlborough acted.

Marlborough (now known as the Unitarian Church), was passed by the General Court, February 23, 1808.

In the law of 1786, in section 5, occurs the follow- ing language:

" Section 5. And be it further enacted by the autho- rity aforesaid, that in all such towns or districts where one or more parishes or precincts shall be reg- nlarly set off from such towns or districts, the re- maining part of such town or district is hereby deemed, declared and constituted au entire, perfect and distinct parish or precinct, and shall be consid- ered as the principal or first parish or precinct."

After the Second Parish had become incorporated, February 23, 1808, the First Parish separate from the town called their first parish meeting March 10, 1808. Soon after this the church voted to be known as "The Church in the First Parish." With them remained the archives of the church from its earliest history.

This separation of Church and State occurred dur- ing the ministry of Rev. Asa Packard, whose resigna- tion was duly accepted by the church and town in 1806, after which the town no longer provided for the support of the ministry, or paid the expenses of the meeting-house. Mr. Packard during his pastorate of twenty-one years baptized 1003 persons. November 2, 1808, Rev. S. F. Bucklin was ordained pastor of the church in the First Parish, and the parochial ex- penses were provided by the First Parish and not by the town.

Rev. Asa Packard was installed over the Second Parish in 1808. The meeting-house and lands on Spring Hill were now owned by the First Parish.

The law determining this ownership is clearly sta- ted in the decision of the Supreme Court in the Octo- ber term of 1851. [8 Cushing, 168. First Parish in Sudbury vs. Samuel Jones and others.]

According to the general rule of this Common- wealth, meeting-houses and grounds went with the parish. The church continued to worship under the ministry of Rev. S. F. Bucklin until his dismission, June 20, 1832. In March, 1833, the First Evangelical Congregational Society was formed by persons who left the First Parish. A large number of the church members worshipped with the First Evangelical Congregational Society under the ministry of Rev. Charles Forbush, whose pastorate continued seven months.

Third Period, from 1835 to 1890 .- In 1835 arrange- ments were made for uniting the First Parish and the First Evangelical Congregational Society, and the church members worshipping with them. To secure this result a petition was sent to the General Court, asking that the First Parish and the first Evangelical Congregational Society be incorporated into one parish or society, by the name of Union Society, with all the property, rights and privileges belonging to said parish and society.

The Legislature granted the petition, and Union

The act of incorporation of the Second Parish in Society was incorporated March 6, 1835.

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MARLBOROUGH.

Soon after this act of incorporation, the church voted to he known as the " Union Congregational Church in Marlboro' " thereby agreeing in name with the society with which they worshipped.

In 1836, the house built in 1806 was taken down, and a smaller one built by Union Society.

This house was burned November 10, 1852.

In 1853, the house now occupied hy the church was built and dedicated, August 31, on which day Rev. Levi A. Field was ordained pastor.

This meeting-house was repaired in 1868, at an ex- pense of abont $12,000, again repaired in 1886, at an expense of about $3000.

In 1887, the question of ownership of the Common in front of Union Congregational meeting-house, was brought by an article in the warrant into town- meeting in March.

At that time, Theodore Temple, Deacon John E. Curtis and John Henry Maynard were chosen a committee to investigate the facts and report what claim if any the town had in the Common aforesaid. One hundred dollars were appropriated for this pur- pose.

In July following, at a special town-meeting, a majority report, signed by Messrs. Temple and May- nard, claiming that the town owned the Common, and a minority report signed by Deacon John E. Curtis, claiming that Union Society owned the Com- mon, were rendered. Neither report was adopted. On motion of Hon. S. N. Aldrich (moderator), a com- mittee was chosen to submit the facts to the Professors of Real Property in Ilarvard University, and in Bos- ton University, and obtain their opinion respecting the same.

The committee chosen were Theodore Temple, John Henry Maynard and John Chipman. Two hundred dollars were appropriated for this purpose. Messrs. Maynard and Chipman submitted the evidence to the gentlemen according to the instruc- tions of the town.

A special town-meeting was held October 4, 1887, at seven o'clock P.M., to hear the opinion of the professors, which was " that as between the town and the Union Society in Marlborough the title to the Common in front of the Union Church is now vested in said society, and not in the town." Signed Ed- mund H. Bennett, John C. Grey, Boston, September 21, 1887. At that town-meeting it was voted to in- definitely postpone the subject.

The following November, a special town-meeting was called at 5 P.M., and the ownership of the Com- mon aforesaid, considered.

John Reagan moved that the selectmen, together with Theodore Temple and John Henry Maynard, be a committee with full power to take possession of Union Common, employ counsel, etc., and that $1000 be appropriated from the liquor license money for the expenses incurred. The motion was carried.

A writ of entry was served upon the officers of the

Union Society, November 29, 1887, claiming the common in front of Union Church.

The town employed as counsel, James W. McDonnel, of Marlboro', and Frank Goulding, of Worcester.

Union Society employed as counsel, Judge E. F. Johnson, of Marlboro', and Judge J. G. Abbot, of Boston.

The lawyers for the town rendered a long opinion on the case, in which they said, " As there is no evi- dence that between 1805 and 1808, the town specially, by vote or significant act, dedicated and devoted any part of this lot to any other use, it would follow, upon the separation into town and parish, the title vested in the parish."

In the October term of the Superior Court, held in Cambridge, the case was non-suited and the judge decided the ease in favor of Union Society.

The " Brimsmead Covenant " was adopted October 15, 1679, and was used till 1837, when Rev. S. F. Bucklin prepared a revised church covenant and by- laws, and also submitted articles of faith, all of which were adopted.

The "Half-way Covenant " was in use from 1701 to 1836. By the conditions of the " Half-way Covenent," persons who were not church members could have their children baptized. In May 31, 1818, a Sabbath- school was established and continues to the present. As early as 1810 this church contributed to benevo- lent and missionary societies. Several missionaries have gone to foreign lands from this church. Lucy Goodale, wife of Rev. Asa. Thurston, went to the Sandwich Islands in 1820. Grace Howe, wife of Rev. James Roberts, went to Japan in 1878. Mr. Arthur Brigham went to Japan as professor of agri- culture, in the college at Saporo in 1888.

In May, 1818, the church voted to choose a com- mittee of three to examine candidates for admission to the church. This action led to greater care in the admission of church members.

In Jan., 1827, it was voted that those coming from other churches should appear hefore the church com- mittee. In 1883 deaconesses were elected and made members of the church committee. In 1884 a long standing debt of about $6,000 was paid. The present membershipof the church is about 380. There have been 32 deacons of this church. Below is a list of pastors from 1666 to the present time :

Rev. William Brimsmend, installed Oct. 3, 1666, dismissed 1 July 3, 1701 ; Rev. Robert Breck, installed Oct. 25, 1704, dismissed ' Jan, 6, 1731 ; Rev. Benj. Kent, installed Oct. 27, 1733, dismissed Feb. 4, 1735; Rev. Aaron Smith, installed June 11, 1710, dismissed April 29, 1778 ; Rev. Asa Packard, installed March 23, 1785, dismissed April 10, 1806 ; Rev. S. F. Bucklin, installed Nov. 2, 1808, dismissed June 20, 1×32 ; Rev. Chas. Forbush, installed Ang. 21, 1833, dismissed 2 Mar. 26, 1834 ; Rev. Jolın N. Goodhur, installed May 4, 1836, dismissed 1 Sept. 13, 1839 ; Rev. Geo. E. Day, installed Dec. 2, 1840, dismissed Dec. 23, 1817 ; Rev. David 1. Ogden, installed April 26, 1848, dismissed July 23, 1850 ; Rev. George Denham, supply, installed July, 1850, dismissed April 1, 1853 ; Rev. Levi A. Fichi, installed Ang. 31, 1853, dismissed 1 Oct. 22, 1859;

1 Died in offire.

2 l'astor of " First Evangelical Congregational Church and Society."

828

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Rev. Geo. N. Anthony, installed Nov. 8, 1860, dismissed Jan. 27, 1869 ; Rev. Charles R. Treat, installed Mar. 30, 1870, dismissed June 1, 1873 ; Rev. John Willard, installed Dec. 30, 1873, dismissed June 30, 1879 ; Rev. S. E. Eastman, aupply, installed Sept. I, 1880, dismissed Oct. 1, 1881 ; Rev. Albert F. Newton, installed Sept. 6, 1882.

THE SECOND PARISH 1 (UNITARIAN) .- On the 7th of June, 1804, according to the records of the Unita- rian Parish of Marlborough, " Sundry inhabitants of the westerly part of Marlborough met at the house of Capt. George Williams, and chose William Boyd, Moderator, and Benjamin Rice, Jr., Clerk." At this meeting, after "taking into consideration the difficul- ties which existed in the Town as to building a meet- ing-house," and for other reasons, which at this day are not fully known, they chose a committee of ten " to notify the Inhabitants of the West part of the Town, to attend at the adjournment of this meeting, that they might express their minds relative to the becoming a separate Society."

The adjourned meeting took place June II, 1804, and it was " Voted unanimously that they would en- deavor to be separated from the Easterly part of the Town of Marlborough, either as a poll parish, a pre- cinct, or a separate Town." A committee of eleven was chosen whose duty it was " to take all the matters of our meeting into consideration ; and also to select a spot or spots to build a Meeting-House on."

This committee met June 15, and voted to recom- mend "to the Inhabitants to build a Meeting-House on the land of Josiah Fay and Capt. William Gates, west of Wheeler's Lane, near what is now Broad Street."

On the 12th of July, they met again, and agreed to petition the Selectmen of the Town to insert an article in the next Town Warrant, "To see if the Town will give their consent that those Inhabitants residing in the Westerly part of Marlborough, may be incorpor- ated,-and a separate Town made of the Territory ; and to do and act in the premises as to them may seem proper."

At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town, July 16, it was voted not to grant the aforesaid petition.

Aug. 26, 1804, the Committee of Eleven met, and appointed three of their number, a sub-committee " to prepare a petition to the General Court, and such other papers as they may think necessary for the In- habitants of the West End of the Town of Marlbo- rough, who wish for a separation, to subscribe to at their next meeting."

The petition to the General Court was drawn up and signed by George Williams and seventy - five other citizens of the West part of the Town. Messrs. Silas Gates, Benjamin Rice, Jr., and Luke Drury, were chosen as "Three agents to present the petition to the General Court, and each was authorized to appear in the name of the whole."

The petitioners immediately procecded to organize themselves as a society, to be known as "The Peti-

tioners for a Division of the Town of Marlborough." Taking it as certain that their petition would be granted, they proceeded to choose officers, to raise money for various purposes, and to make preparations for building a meeting-house on land purchased for the purpose.

Before the meeting-house was erected, however, the committee of both branches of the General Court "heard the parties," and, after due consideration, January 23, 1805, reported that " the petitioners have leave to withdraw their petition." The General Court accepted the report, and the effort to make a new town was at an end.

The petitioners were, of course, much disappoint- ed, and after paying all expenses incurred, voted to distribute the remaining funds among the contribu- tors according to the amount each had paid, either by taxation or voluntary contribution.

Things now took a different turn. The "Petition- ers " met March 28, 1805, and decided to make an effort to secure land for a new road between the houses of Samuel Gibbon and Jonah Rice, and also for a " Meeting-House Spot." A committee was ap- pointed to carry out this project, and at an adjourned meeting, April 2, 1805, it was deemed advisable to go ahead and purchase all necessary land, and erect a meeting-house on the land of Benjamin Rice and Windsor Ward. A subscription paper was circulated at this meeting, and pledges amounting to five thou- sand two hundred and twenty-one dollars were se- cured.

At the next meeting, April 5, notice was given to the "Town's Building Committee and the selectmen of Marlborough that the inhabitants of the westerly part" of the town " have determined to build a meet- ing house on lands of Benjamin Rice and Windsor Ward," and that the said building committee had better " lessen the dimension of their house, or pro- ceed in any other way that they in their wisdom shall think fit and proper."

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 196

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