USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Needham > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 15
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Wellesley > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 15
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Ecclesiastical
THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSE
On December 18, 17II, the town chose Benjamin Mills, Richard Moore, Sergeant John Fisher, John Smith, Sr., Jeremiah Woodcock, Robert Cook, Ephraim Ware, Andrew Dewing and Timothy Kingsbery a committee to decide where to build a meeting-house. The sites proposed were a little plain upon the hill against Matthias Ockinton's field,1 and a similar elevation on the south end of North Hill. All but Moore and Dewing reported on Christmas day in favor of the location first mentioned, and the meeting was "lengthened" to consider the matter. It was voted to build, and £80 were appropriated, one half to be paid in work. Ensign John Spring of Newton was their choice for master workman, and Messrs. Mills, Fisher, Smith, Wood- cock, Cook and Ware, of the former committee, with Ser- geant Jonathan Gay, Thomas Fuller, John Smith, Jr., Joseph Mills, Eleazer Kingsbery and George Robinson, were chosen as a building committee. The town meeting on Christmas day illustrates the disregard which the Puritans had for that festival. The location was not then finally settled, and was referred to the General Court, whose com- mittee reported, June 18, 1712,2 in favor of the place where the frame already lay, and where the meeting-house was built. Thus was temporarily silenced a controversy that was to last for generations. On June 9 a committee of
1 This field is now a part of the writer's homestead, and is called "The Ock- inton Field."
2 There is no petition on file, asking for this committee, and the order of the General Court forms a part of that relating to the boundary.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
ten, including Lieut. John Fisher and Benjamin Mills, was chosen to solicit subscriptions for the "Honerabell Raisen" of the meeting-house, and August 26, £20 were voted for the building, and in 1713 this was increased by £50, making £150 to date.
On October 29, 1712, the town chose Lieut. John Fisher, John Smith, Sr., and Thomas Fuller a building com- mittee, perhaps superseding that named on Christmas day. William Clark sawed the lumber, and in June, 1713, £2 were due to Lieut. John Fisher for "Glafing of the meetting House". On September 15, 1713, the town selected Ensign Robert Cook, Jeremiah Woodcock and Josiah Kingsbery to look after Ensign Spring, "the Carpender", and to finish the meeting-house so that it could be used. On August 16, 1714, Spring receipted for £23 in full for services, but on June 21, 1715, the house was unfinished, although in use, and £50 were voted to be expended under the direction of Lieut. Cook, John Rice and Joseph Boyden, with Capt. Fisher, John Smith, Sr., Benjamin Mills, Sr., Ebenezer Ware, Jeremiah Woodcock and Thomas Metcalf to advise them. Many of the prominent inhabitants had worked on the meeting-house, but Jeremiah Woodcock finally completed it for £80 and prior to June 1, 1717, in accordance with his bond and with the vote of the town, August 31, 1716, when various propositions as to the number and location of pews were voted on separately.
There was presumably no dedication, and in the Century Sermon Mr. Palmer suggested that the house was probably used for worship soon after it was raised, and that perhaps the Rev. Mr. Deming was the first to preach in it. In 1724 forty shillings were added to the school rate to finish the meeting-house, and in 1731 the town voted to repair the outside. From 1720, when John Bradish set glass, "the breches in the Meeting house windows" required not infre- quent attention. Edward Child (Childs) was for many years "the Glafher", and from 1743 to 1751 Timothy Ellis also
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
did such work. In 1769 John Childs was paid £1, 14s., Id. "for his Glafing Two New windows at the Meeting houfe" in 1768, and replacing other glass. On March 14, 1736/7, the town voted a rate of £40 to repair the meeting-house, build pews, and prepare a place for the town's stock of ammunition. Under this vote about £io were paid to Eleazer Kingsbery, £8 to Samuel Parker and £56 to Capt. John Fisher. The previous year Jonathan Smith and Benoni Woodward had been chosen a committee to make repairs, but the means were not provided. A report of Messrs. Fisher, Kingsbery and Parker was rejected at a meeting on November 28, 1737, but £35 were finally voted to pay for necessary repairs not anticipated. In 1745 some repairs were made, and in 1748 the selectmen appointed Caleb Kingsbery "to Mend the feats in the Meeting houfe and put up and faften the Cafements that want and to alter the powder Cheft for the Town ftock ammunition to be put in and to find a lock and Key if need be &c". He was paid £3. In 1749 Aaron Smith strengthened the doors with irons, and on October 4, 1752, the "over plufh" of the representative's pay was devoted to repairs, and also a rate of £6, 13s., 4d. Deacon Fisher, James Smith and Jonathan Parker were the committee on repairs, which proved to be considerable. Three of the workmen boarded five days with Ensign Thomas Fuller at the Fuller-Mills house.
On June 5, 1760, the report of Samuel Mackintier, Tim- othy Newell and Amos Fuller, Jr., was accepted as to repairs of the east end and roof; they had been appointed May 24, 1759. On May 18, 1763, the town voted to repair the meet- ing-house, and chose Michael Metcalf, Ebenezer Fisher and Capt. Ephraim Jackson a committee for that purpose; about £8 were later granted to the members of this committee for the work. On January 31, 1769, £1, 12s., were granted to Lieut. Ebenezer Fisher for three window frames and sashes, and putting them up at the meeting-house.
Prior to 1769 there were small repairs from time to time.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
At four o'clock on the morning of October 18, 1773, the Rev. Mr. West, who lived where George K. Clarke resides, was awakened by a light shining on his eyes, and discovered nearly the whole roof of the meeting-house enveloped in flames. It was very dry, and only the hinges, some nails, and a piece of red plush or velvet from the pulpit are known to have been saved. The people gathered at the ruins, many of them in great distress, and bitter against the in- cendiary, whose identity is still "known only to God". The feeling in regard to a new meeting-house, and its loca- tion, had become intense, and had borne its fruit. At a town meeting on November 18, 1773, a reward of fio was offered to the person or persons "that Shall make Difcov- ery of what Perfon or Perfons that Set the Meeting houfe on Fire So that he or they May be brought to Conviction". The last sermon preached in the old meeting-house was on the day before it was burned, when Mr. West chose for his text "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord". Ps. IV. 5. The same day he baptized Jeremiah, son of Amos and Esther (Kingsbery) Fuller; Mrs. Fuller's aunt Ruth was the first child baptized in this meeting-house and her son Jeremiah was the last. On March 4, 1774, Nehemiah Mills, Jr., was granted six shil- lings "For Two Days and half Labour, In Taking Care of the Hinges, and Nails, and Bricks, of the Meeting Houfe after it was burnt". Mrs. Charles C. Greenwood has a piece of the cloth, rescued by Ebenezer Newell, who lived just beyond the burying-ground, where George H. Rollins dwells in 1911. The Honorable Enos H. Tucker had an ancient oak panel, 9% inches by 122 inches, which he stated came from the pulpit of this meeting-house, pre- sumably before the fire.
The following persons took care of the meeting-house, but as there was no artificial heat until 1799, the principal duty was "to Keep & Sweep ye meetin houfe", - John Gill in 1718, '19, '23, at twenty shillings per year for the first two
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
years, James Kingsbery in 1724-31, Jeremiah Woodcock, Jr., in 1731-3, '54, '55. John Pain agreed to take care of the meeting-house, if excused from serving as constable, from April, 1735 to April, 1736, but apparently did not. Ebenezer Lyon cared for it in 1734-6 at £2 per year, Hezekiah Kings- bery in 1736-45, Mrs. John Fuller in 1746-8, Nathaniel Ayers in 1748, '49, '55-8, Deacon Woodcock in 1749-51, and his widow, Hannah, in 1752. On June 5, 1754, the Rev. Mr. Townsend was granted £1, Is., 4d., for his servant's taking care of the meeting-house in 1753; this was probably the negro Homer, who died April 9, 1754. Amos Fuller, Jr., took care of the meeting-house June, 1758-66, Lieut. Samuel Town- send a part of 1752, John Kingsbery in 1766, '67, Ebenezer Newell in 1767-73. Mr. Newell was the first custodian of the new meeting-house, and was succeeded by Jube (colored) in 1785. Mr. Newell had charge in 1791-7.
SEATING THE MEETING-HOUSE
Seating the Meeting-house was a very serious matter in old times, and success was difficult, as social position, taxes paid, official station and age were all to be considered. On May 13, 1720, the town voted that the men should sit in the front gallery, the women in the pews under the stairs, and chose Capt. Cook, Lieut. Fisher, John Rice, "Sargeant" Daniell and Timothy Kingsbery to arrange the details. On November 29, 1725, Capt. Cook, Dea. Timothy Kings- bery and Ensign Thomas Fuller were instructed to "New plafe the Meetting Houfe", but not to place any boy under twenty, for they were to go in the "Weft Corner", or any girl under eighteen. On August 9, 1733, the same worthies, with Lieut. Metcalf instead of the Ensign, were to "dig- nifie" the seats, and on May 17, 1736, with the addition of James Kingsbery, they were again chosen to "place" the meeting-house.
In March, 1737, the town voted to build new seats, and
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
in June two pews in the northerly corner. On March 14, 1737/8, "the Two old pues under the ftairs and the two Corner pues at the front Door" were to be "Raifed in Digni- fication", but a committee that attempted to make changes in the "Dignification of fix of the pues" failed, and their report was rejected on the 28th. At the May meeting the "Dignification" was accepted, and Josiah Kingsbery, Na- thaniel Bullard, Josiah Newell, Jonathan Smith and Jere- miah Fisher were named as a committee to seat the people. The town allowed the women to occupy the right-hand part of the front gallery "Ecept the hind Peus"; although the next annual town meeting forbade them to have the front of the gallery. On June 19, 1738, the report of the committee chosen in May was accepted, but on January 7, 1739/40, the town reconsidered all that had been done as to "Digni- fying the Seats", and adjourned to "next monday Come fevennight".
At the meeting on May 19, 1740, Captain Cook, John Fisher, Esq., Ensign Robert Fuller and Jonathan Smith were chosen to place the people. The next day, by a close vote, "the Houfe being Devided by the Pould", the women were allowed part of the "Frunt Gallery". On the last day of June, however, the whole subject of seating the meeting-house was reconsidered. It was voted that the women were to have three seats at the right of the front gallery; that "the women Shall have the right hand in the Body of Seats Below & the Eaft Side Gallery & to Set in the Pews Below whare their Husbands Shall be Plac'd"; the pew "by Madam Townfends Pew fould be for women"; and that "out Town People that Congregate with us to Sett whare they Pleafe in any of the Common Seats". Dea. Timothy Kingsbery, Ensign Robert Fuller, Peter Edes, Josiah Newell and Jonathan Smith were to draft the "Dignifycation". On July 7 the report of the committee chosen in May was ac- cepted, and it was voted to "divide the Two Pews under the Stares & make four of them". The committee to draft the
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
"Dignifycation" was also to seat the people. Timothy Kingsbery, Jr., however, served in place of the Deacon, and Benoni Woodward was added. This committee was to divide two pews and "to mend up the Pew by the Eaft Door". Apparently in despair the whole matter was dropped until May 23, 1753, the articles in the warrants having been dis- missed, but in May the town chose a committee of fifteen with full power to seat the people for two years. The meet- ing was then adjourned to "ye Second Lecture Day", which was the 12th, on which day the report of the committee was accepted, and the town voted "that thofe young men that were One & Twenty Years old Should Set in Frunt Pue in the Galere and thofe that were Eighteen years old Should Set in the Side Pue in the Galire". In May, 1755, the town again voted to seat the people for two years, added five to the committee named in 1753, and directed them to report "the Second Lecttor Day". In 1762 and 1767 committees, each consisting of seven men, were chosen to place the people in the meeting-house, and on June 8, 1770, a committee of fifteen was "to Seat Perfons in the Seats and Pues in ye Meeting Houfe". On November 9 Josiah Newell, Esq., Dea. John Fisher and Josiah Ware were designated for the same duty, and there is no further reference in the town records to this matter, which had occasioned a number of town meetings, and caused much controversy.
DISCONTENT IN THE WEST
In May, 1733, the town, rejecting two petitions, refused to relieve the westerly inhabitants from their ministerial rates, but on March 14, 1736/7, exempted those living "beyound the Brook by Edward Wards Mill from baring aney Charge in Repairing of the Meeting Houfe", and the following June extended the exemption to the charges for repairing and building pews. At the May meeting in 1738, a request for relief from the minister's rate was refused.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
THE SECOND MEETING-HOUSE
On May 28, 1772, the town declined to build a meeting- house in Baker's Field, which a committee and Mr. Mason, the surveyor, had designated as the geographical centre of the town. This field, which was owned before 1711 by John Baker, adjoins the homestead of the late Curtis McIntosh on the west. The town voted to build "on the North Side of the Meeting houfe; As Near as it Could be Conveniently Built"; but neither appropriated money nor chose a com- mittee. Of the two principal votes, the first was on the loca- tion, the second as to building. On March 8, 1773, an article as to building was dismissed, but on November 4 the votes of the previous May were confirmed, against a strong oppo- sition, and on the 18th £200 were voted to be raised by a tax "this year" by the "Single Rate that is yet to be made; And by the Same Rules that the Other Town Taxes are Raifed by this year".
The town chose by ballot Michael Metcalf, Dea. John Fisher, Capt. Lemuel Pratt, Lieut. William Mackintafh and Amos Fuller a building committee, and instructed them to take a plan or plans "Of One or more of the meeting Houfen in the Neighboring Towns". On December 9 it was voted that the meeting-house should be sixty feet long and forty- three feet wide, and the committee were to consult "with Some Skilfull Carpenter or Carpenters what Bignefs the under frames Should be made", and to get timber "in the Beft manner they can". They were to take further advice and to procure "winder frames and Safhes made in the Beft and cheapeft Manner they Can", "Oake Bords to Shingle and Clabbord on", and "pitch pine Bords for the Flowers ".
On February 17, 1774, the committee was empowered to obtain a carpenter and 15,000 feet of "white pine Timber for the Beams of the Meeting Houfe", and in March the town voted to borrow £ioo, lawful money, to meet the
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
expense. There was one meeting in April and two in June at which votes were passed as to shingles, clapboards, "Stones to Under pin", nails and glass. On June 27 the committee was instructed to lay the foundation, raise the building, and have it "Inclofd after it is Raif'd in the Beft and Cheapeft Manner they Can". The meeting-house was raised on August 2d and 3d, 1774.1 The people of the East, after prayer, got to work at half past five in the morning, and the West Needham contingent, which had threatened to obstruct the raising, did not arrive till nine, and finding the work far advanced, peaceably but sullenly withdrew. In the autumn of 1880, on an occasion of almost equal im- portance, the tables were turned, and the affair of 1774 was referred to in triumph.
Adam Blackman of Stoughton was the principal builder of the Second Meeting-house, and was satisfactory. The materials for the construction of this meeting-house were purchased, as the numerous orders granted by the selectmen prove, in small quantities of many individuals, most of them Needham people. Of the larger items were the timber, joists and shingles bought of Dea. John Fisher, boards of Joseph Daniell, timber of Robert Fuller, and "Joice Laths Boards" of Josiah Newell, Esq. Sixty-one and one half pounds of "Iron Bolts" were bought for £1, 16s., 1od. of Aaron Richardson, seventy-eight pounds of "Stur up Iron" for £2, 6s., 9d., 2f. of Jonathan Bixby; two thousand shingles, seventy feet of "Cants for window Caps and window Stuff", and some "Claboards" were furnished by May & Williams. Samuel Wight supplied "Spikes, Hinges, and Door Latches", Josiah Newell, Jr., nails. Thomas Fuller, Oliver Mills, Samuel Bacon, Lemuel Mills, Samuel Alden, Ensign Eliakim Cook, Moses Bullard, Michael Metcalf and Eleazer Fuller carted material, chiefly boards, from Boston. Silas Alden
1 Mr. Palmer, in his "Century Sermon," stated that the Second Meeting-house was raised on August 3d and 4th, but Mr. West, if his autobiography is correctly quoted, gave the dates as 2d and 3d.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
and Eliakim Cook were each granted sixteen shillings for "Carting Two Hogfheads of Lime from Bolton", and Lemuel Pratt £2, Is., 3d. for going to Waltham and to Dedham, carting "Two pine Beams from Bofton", "Sawing Timber for window Caps", "Joice" etc. Ebenezer Fisher laid two thirds of the lower floor and Amos Fuller the rest of it, which took him twenty-two days; Mr. Fuller also "put up" carpenters. Ezekiel Richardson, Jr., sold the committee eight bushels of "hair to put in the Lime to Plafter".
The following persons were also employed on the meeting- house :- John Clark, Theophilus Richardson, Jr., Ebenezer Clark and sons, William Smith, Jonathan Day, Robert Smith, Elisha Mills, Lieut. Samuel Townsend, Ebenezer Fuller, Timothy Newell, Enoch Kingsbery, Simeon Fisher, John Tolman, Richard Richardson (he worked about eighty- three days at 2s., 8d. per day), Samuel Richardson and his boy. Aaron Richards worked thirty-eight days at 2s., 6d. per day.
Dea. John Fisher had much to do with building the meeting-house, and obtained clapboards and shingles of William Sanger of Watertown. Colonel Mackintash was also active, and among his claims were items "for Rum, and Other articles he found for the Raifing of the Meeting Houfe", some of which "articles" were bought of Moses Davis. Timothy Newell was granted 7s., 2 d. for a "Cheefe at the Raifing"; Ebenezer Newell had an order to pay him for "Boarding Carpinters", "and Keeping the Mafons Horfes when they Plaiftered"; Mr. Newell was also paid £7, 18s., 8d., 3f. for "Entertaining Pepple" when the meet- ing-house was raised.
The meeting-house was not finished for about four years, but service was held in it on Sunday, August 21, 1774, when Mr. West preached from Job XXII, 21-" Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee".
The meeting-house was painted in 1793 by John A. Haven for £36, and in 1812 the parish paid $97 for paint.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
THE FIRST CHURCH-BELL IN NEEDHAM
On June 3, 18II, it was voted at a Parish meeting "to build a Steeple to their Meeting house, of a decent form, and fit to support a bell of a size sufficient to accomodate the Parish", and that month, and the following March, $750 were voted for repairs and for the "Tower".
The names of the subscribers for the bell included those of women, and they are recorded in the Church books. The bell was made by Paul Revere & Son, and cost $407.61. On November 15, 1811, it was in place, and was rung. Mr. Palmer wrote in the Church records "the first Chh bell ever rung in this town". This bell is still (1911) in use. For the elaborate rules, prepared by Mr. Palmer, for ringing it on certain days and occasions see the Dedham Historical Register for January, 1893.
On April 1, 1812, Ralph Day was paid $1.17 "for fixing the Hammer to toll the Bell with".
THE THIRD MEETING-HOUSE
The last service in the Second Meeting-house was on Sunday, April 24, 1836, and two days later the interior of the building was stripped, and the windows removed, by a general turnout of the parishioners; Richard Boynton, Jr., took down the frame.
The old noon-house 1 was transported to "Peppermill Road" (Hunnewell Street), and became the house of Jon- athan Ware, who was known as "Old Peppermill"; in 1911 the Treaner family lived in it.
Although much of the material from the old house went into the present one, the porches were made into a dwelling
1 The noon-house was an ancient institution, and when the people remained to the afternoon service it was a headquarters for sociability and gossip. Many of our people went to the minister's during the noon intermission, often nominally to get water from the fine old well east of his house.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
on what is now Central Avenue, and some of the ancient doors were utilized there.1
The new house stood at right angles with the earlier one, and farther from the highway. It was formally dedicated July 26, 1837. Early in 1879 it was moved across a portion of the writer's homestead, where it remained for three weeks or more, and then to Great Plain Avenue whence it was taken to its present site, where after much renovation, which resulted in the disappearance of the old-fashioned pews, it was rededicated on January 15, 1880.
Several long-absent sons and daughters of Needham were interested in these changes of the Church, and one of them, Othman Wallburg, painted a beautiful open Bible on the ceiling above the pulpit. Mr. Wallburg was not born in Needham, but passed his youth here, and later became a talented artist.2
The horse sheds were rebuilt, or increased in number, in 1830, but deeds prior to 1800 refer to the "Noon House and Horse Stables".
A granite bank wall was built in 1858 along that portion of the land on the western extremity of which stands the oak, probably the oldest tree in Needham. The next year the substantial fence of granite posts, connected by chains, on which we used to swing in happier days, was placed around the "Church Lot", and the trees were set out.
Of the many gifts in 1879 to the Church and Parish some of the larger were: one thousand dollars from Mrs. Wyman of Baltimore toward the expense of moving and renovating the Church, and seven hundred dollars for the same object from Dr. Israel Whitney Lyon, a generous benefactor of this Church and Parish at other times.
1 In 1870 this house was the home of William Gilbert Jones, better known as William Jones, an old-school mason, road builder and town officer. The property was owned in 1911 by Rupert D. G. O'Leary.
2 This open Bible, on a large disk of different shades of blue and gold, was lost to posterity during a renewal of the tinting of the ceiling. It was covered up or destroyed, which was an act of vandalism, for it harmonized admirably with the new cream-tinted ceiling.
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THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Of the earlier gifts was the eight-day clock presented in 1837 by Ebenezer Fisher, Jr., of Dedham. In 1887 James Mackintosh raised a considerable sum of money and paid off the mortgage on the meeting-house and land. He con- tributed liberally himself, as is his custom, and devoted much time to interesting others. To complete the vestry, which was dedicated October 14, 1888, five hundred dollars were contributed through the Rev. Solon W. Bush. There seems to be no doubt that this money was the gift of either Mr. Bush or of his esteemed wife, although he did not admit it.
The furnishing of the vestry was by donations, as was the improvement of the interior of the meeting-house at other times. In 1893 the Parish received under the will of Mrs. Mary B. Emmons six acres of land, which in 1896 was sold for $1500. There was no attempt to heat the meeting-house until 1799, when a stove was set up; the first furnace was procured in the autumn of 1858. The meeting-house was equipped with electric lights in 1898, and the vestry, or chapel, in 1902.
Henry Michael McIntosh wrote the following in regard to the first meeting-house in the West Precinct: "My Father bought a meeting house located at West Needham, took it down and removed it to the land opposite of the now Rollins house, except three of the Porches, which were placed where the house now stands and made the body of the house. The sounding board was put over the front door. The meeting house contained much timber, oak joist, oak boards, oak clapboards, and thin oak boards split and spread open for lathing, blacksmith made wrought nails &c. The high pews were made of nice pine panel with turned rounds set in near top. The porch house was finished up as much as could be out of the building removed. The sounding board was nicely made, and after it had been a part of the Rollins house for years it was taken down, as I was informed, and removed to the parish vestry." Michael McIntosh
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