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 20
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 20
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1 From "Memorials of the Introduction of Methodism into the Eastern States: By Rev. A. Stevens, A.M.", Boston, 1848, and from "Memorials of the Early Progress of Methodism in the Eastern States: (Second Series.)", by the same author, Boston, 1852, the following facts have been obtained as to the Needham Circuit, which in 1809 included twenty towns. It derived its name in consequence of the early establishment of the Methodist Society in Needham. In the first of these volumes is the statement that Joseph Snelling dedicated the "old Methodist Chapel of Needham" in 1798, and, as he went to Martha's Vineyard that year as minister, the dedication in Needham probably took place early in the spring.
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location was on Blossom Street on a knoll close to the Weston line, and the builders were Lot Jennison and Lieut. Winsor Moulton. The late John Mansfield said that he saw this meeting-house raised, and that a black bottle was handed to the man who first walked the "ridge". Many years later the meeting-house was moved eastward, and has long been on the Parker place. In recent years the early characteris- tics of the building have disappeared, but there are photo- graphs of it taken prior to the more radical changes. Father Isaac Jennison, Joel Pierce and Tyler Harrington were leaders among the Methodists, and were known as "The Three Apostles". Mr. Harrington lived in the ancient house, still standing, on the west side of the road leading to Weston from Blossom Street. The Harrington homestead, which is in Weston, is typical of many that existed in Provincial times. It stands on a hill with great trees around it, and numerous old outbuildings. On the other side of the road from where the Methodist Meeting-house stood, but in Weston, in one of the oldest houses in this region, there dwelt the childless "Deacon" William Bogle and his wife Mary, most devoted Methodists. Each Sunday they not only entertained the minister, who was perhaps one of the founders of the faith in America, but brewed beer and pre- pared food each Saturday to refresh the brothers and sisters, some of whom came long distances to the services on the Sabbath.1
In this book it is not clear whether Jesse Lee preached in Needham in 1791 or 1792, but it distinctly says that his was the first Methodist sermon in Needham, and that it was preached on October 6, and that Mr. Lee left town the next day, although there were many hearers, and some besought him to tarry longer. He was in Needham later, but George Pickering was for several years the Presiding Elder of the Conference, and to him the people in the Needham Circuit looked for leadership more than to any of the other able and zealous founders of the Metho- dist faith in New England. The Rev. Jesse Lee in "A Short History of the Metho- dists in the United States of America", which was published in Baltimore in 1810, under date of September, 1791, informs us that "The Methodists preached" "in Natick on the 10th, and in Needham on the 13th of the same month. Before that time they had never had a Methodist preacher among them". The Rev. Mr. Lee does not tell us who preached.
1 This house is said to have been built by the Collers, and was their homestead until about 1721, when it passed into the possession of Nathaniel Dewing, and for
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Mrs. Bogle's epitaph, in the South graveyard of Weston, is most appropriate:
" A heart, the sufferer to relieve, A home for Pilgrims of the Lord; A long and pious life were hers, She rests, according to His word."
Epes Mansfield was another leader in the Needham Cir- cuit. As late as 1843 camp meetings were held near the Bogle house, and some now living have attended them, and have worshipped in the old Methodist Meeting-house. The original communion service of this Church was pre- sented in 1901 to the New England Methodist Historical Society.
The ministers assigned to the Needham Circuit by the annual Conferences, which were held in May, June or July, included men noted for ability, and almost without exception devoted and self-sacrificing servants of God, who were wor- thy of the esteem in which they were held by thousands of Christians. The famous Francis Asbury visited the Need- ham Circuit late in July, 1800, and doubtless at other times. The list of the early appointments to this Circuit, which it should be remembered was a large territory, is as follows:
1792 John Allen, 1793 John Hill, 1794 Amos G. Thomp- son (to change in three months),
1795 John Vanneman?, 1796 George Pickering and Joshua Hall, 1797 Daniel Ostrander and Elias Hill,
1798 Joseph Snelling, Epaphras Kibby and Daniel Brumley,
1799 Stephen Hull and Elijah R. Sabin, 1800 John Finne- gan and Nathan Emery, 1801 Joseph Snelling,
sixty years, or more, was his residence and that of his son, Nathaniel. When the town lines were perambulated in the eighteenth century by the selectmen of the towns concerned, this house was their rendezvous and headquarters. In early times this farm was known as "The Westown Farm," and was within "The Land of Contention". Mrs. Charles C. Greenwood has a drawing of the Bogle house, showing the gambrel roof and the huge chimney. When the latter was taken out in 1898 the bricks filled the yard. Within the memory of the writer a number of the oldest houses in this section have been spoiled as specimens of the early homes by pulling out the fine old chimneys.
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1802 Joshua Soule and Daniel Perry, 1803 Reuben Hub- bard and Thomas Ravlin, 1804 Nehemiah Coye and Joel Ricker,
1805 Clement Parker and Erastus Otis, 1806 John Gove and Thomas Asbury,
1807 Benjamin Hill and Isaac Scarrett, 1808 John Tink- ham and Isaac Locke,
1809 Benjamin R. Hoyt, Nathan Hill and Elijah Willard, the latter a local preacher,
1810 Isaac Bonney and Robert Arnold, 1811 Isaac Bonney and Elias Marble,
1812 Elisha Streeter and John Bivory, 1813 Orlando Hinds and V. R. Osborn,
1814 Orlando Hinds and Zenas Adams, 1815 V. R. Osborn and B. Otheman,
1816 Orlando Hinds, 1817 V. R. Osborn and B. Otheman,
1818 Isaac Bonney and John Lindsay (perhaps Mr. Lindsay had also served this Circuit a portion of 1814), 1819 David Kilburn and Isaac Stoddard,
1820 V. R. Osborn and Joel M'Kee, 1821 Benjamin Hazelton,
1822,'23 Erastus Otis and George Fairbank,
1824 Benjamin Hazelton, J. E. Risley and I. M. Bidwell, 1825 John Lindsay, Jared Perkins and H. S. Ramsdell, 1834 Charles Virgin.
From the record book, hereinafter referred to, it appears that from 1844 to 1848 Messrs. Tyler Harrington, Nathan Rice, Joseph E. Pond, James Porter and Calvin B. Blanchard preached to the Methodists in Needham, the Rev. Mr. Har- rington from time to time for many years, and apparently for more than one period of two years. A number of hours were expended in attempting to identify these early minis- ters, and to verify their names, but with imperfect success. The Rev. B. Otheman was probably identical with the Rev. Bartholomew Otheman, who attended the Methodist Con- vention in Boston, June, 1866, when Messrs. J. E. Risley
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and I. M. Bidwell were also present. In 1792 the number of Methodists in the Needham Circuit was reported as thirty-four, in 1793 as fifty, 1793,'94 as seventy-six. In 1802 there had been a slight increase from 1801.
In 1796 and 1797 the Boston and Needham Circuits were combined under the name of the Boston and Needham Circuit, but the next two years the Needham Circuit appears to have been separate, and unattached to any District. From 1800 to 1805, inclusive, the Needham Circuit was one of those in the Boston District, and in 1806 it was a part of the New London District.
In 1801 the Rev. Joseph Snelling, while of the Needham Circuit, preached in four different places alternately on the Sabbath, and had formed Methodist societies in Weston and in Harvard. On July 12, 1802, the Rev. George Pickering stopped in Needham to demand the return of the minister's rates, amounting to upward of $100, which had been col- lected by the local authorities from Methodists. On this occasion the Rev. Francis Asbury was with Mr. Pickering, and they were on their way to Milford. Of the ministers of the Needham Circuit it may be said that the Rev. Joshua Hall was a veteran apostle, the Rev. John Finnegan a quaint character, and that the Rev. Benjamin R. Hoyt was only twenty years old in 1809, when first appointed to the Need- ham Circuit, and that he was later again assigned to that Circuit. Thomas Orr states that Mrs. Susan Burrill said that Whitefield preached from a rock back of where the Burrill house now stands on Central Avenue, and that the slope was then wooded. The land then belonged to the First Parish.
For years after the meeting-house on Blossom Street was given up, the Greenwoods, Charles Hiram Dewing and others attended Church at Newton Upper Falls, but in April, 1867, the Methodist Episcopal Church at Highlandville was or- ganized, with the Rev. John W. Coolidge as pastor. Many residents of Highlandville were members of the Church at
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Newton Upper Falls, and thirty-four united with the new Church from the older one.
In a book seven and one half by five and five eighths inches are the records of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Society in Needham from June 28 to December, 1842. On June 28 the following were chosen a committee to manage the Church affairs :- Tyler Harrington, Ephraim Cutting, Joel Peirce, John Mansfield, Robert Mansfield, John Stevens and Charles Ayres. John Mansfield was chosen secretary. Mr. Batchelder had entertained the ministers during the last year without charge, and offered to continue to do so. William C. Clark was chosen "to write to Hadassah Stevens at the west to preserve the records of the Methodist Epis- copal Church and society in Needham if in her possession and send them back if she can with Safety". It does not appear what became of these earlier records. Various com- mittees were appointed, including three to visit "absent ones". Of the women then prominent in the Church were Elizabeth Mansfield, Eunice Stone, Prudence Mansfield, Sarah Peirce, Nancy Loker, Sarah Greenwood and Esther Hodges. On July 9 it was voted to have the Sacraments administered four times a year and to buy a trunk. Some cases of Church membership and discipline were also con- sidered at this meeting. On October 8, 1842, John Mans- field was chosen treasurer by the committee, whose meetings have been referred to. The treasurer's accounts for the years 1860-8 follow in the book, and from them it appears that the meeting-house was sold on March 9, 1860, to Michael Cavnaugh for $200, and that the money was loaned to the Methodist Church at Newton Upper Falls. The committee met at John Mansfield's on May 25, 1861, and chose "Br Marcy" chairman, and John Mansfield secretary and treas- urer. It was then voted to present Joel Peirce with twelve dollars. The trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Needham had met at Mr. Mansfield's on May 15, the Rev. Thomas Marcy "Stationed preacher at Natick presiding",
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and it had then been voted that as "Methodist preaching had been commenced at the Vilage near West Needham Depot" "J. Mansfield and his associates be Empowered to draw on our treasurer for Twenty Five Dollars to support the Expences of said place of worship during this present conference year". The next record is that of a meeting of the trustees at the house of Tyler Harrington in Weston on November 14, 1866. There were present L. R. Thayer, who was chairman, Broker Cromack, Noah Perrin, Aaron Fisk and John Mansfield. It was voted to increase the number of trustees to nine, and the following were chosen: - Noah Perrin, Charles H. Dewing, Charles H. Flagg, Mark Lee and Lewis N. Sumner. This meeting adjourned to January 2, 1867, when Mr. Perrin and Mr. Flagg were chosen a com- mittee to consider "having a meeting established at Need- ham Plains and report to the Presiding Elder." They voted $25 to the Rev. John M. Bailey of the Church at the Upper Falls, for expenses "at the Plain". On March 13, 1867, there was another adjourned meeting when Brothers Lee, Sumner, Charles H. Dewing and Flagg were appointed a committee to secure, with the help of the Rev. Mr. Bailey, services at Highlandville and at the Lower Falls. On March 20, 1868, the trustees chose Lewis N. Sumner secretary and treasurer in place of John Mansfield, who had resigned, and passed resolutions on the deaths of Father Joel Peirce and the Rev. Tyler Harrington. The Rev. J. W. Coolidge was pres- ent as their minister. On February 5, 1870, John A. Wing was chosen treasurer, and Mark Lee secretary, and the trustees "for the coming year", according to a record of March 18, were Noah Perrin, Charles H. Dewing, Charles H. Flagg, Mark Lee and John A. Wing. A small appro- priation had been made, in case it was needed, to pay the expense of services in Highland Hall. These meetings of the trustees were held at private houses, sometimes at Charles H. Flagg's on Brookside Road. The treasurer's account shows that the property of the older Church passed to the
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one established at Highlandville, and it is evident that the former continued, or was merged into the new one.
On June 18, 1874, the Rev. Gilbert R. Bent and William Carter were selected to raise by subscription $1000 in order to purchase a lot containing 20,000 square feet of land, which land had formerly belonged to Jonathan Avery. The price paid was $1000, and the deed from John Avery to Charles H. Dewing, Jonathan Avery, Charles H. Flagg, Mark Lee, William Carter and John A. Wing, trustees rep- resenting the Methodist Episcopal Church in Needham, is dated June 1, 1874. After the Church was incorporated in 1876 the surviving trustees and John Avery executed deeds to perfect the title in the Church. The first meeting of the corporation was on September 20, 1876, with Alexander Lynes as moderator. He was chosen president, Mark Lee secretary, and William Carter treasurer. The Church was built that year, and the building committee consisted of Alexander Lynes, William Carter, Mark Lee, Otis E. Bowen, Cyrus G. Upham, Andrew T. Bemis and John Lee. The land was paid for by January 4, 1876, and the cost of the Church with its furnishings was about $10,000. For nine years the Society had met in Highland Hall. From Sep- tember 10, 1877 to March 26, 1882, nothing was recorded in the book used by the Methodists who had the earlier meeting-house, but in 1882 the records were resumed in that same book, and continued in it to 1892. A book in- scribed on the front cover "Records of Quarterly and Board Meetings of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Needham and Newton Lower Falls" commences with the records of the Quarterly Conference on April 16, 1867, and concludes with that of June 27, 1880; thus two books were in use during the years 1867-77.
The Methodists at the Lower Falls met for eleven weeks in the hall at the hotel, and then in another place, presumably Boyden's Hall, where one or more conferences were held. In August, 1868, the Sunday School at the Lower Falls was
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reported as numbering thirty. The situation at this village appears to have been encouraging through the year 1868, and then the records are silent as to the Lower Falls; probably because nearly all of the active Methodists lived elsewhere.
In 1867 Mark Lee was superintendent of the Sunday School at Highlandville, and two years later the school had a membership of one hundred and forty-two, with an aver- age attendance of ninety, an increase of seventy-four in four years, as the school had been reported as numbering sixty-eight in 1865. In 1869 one hundred and twenty books were added to the school library, and many have since been acquired. There were forty Church members in 1869. There were seventy members of this Church in 1876, and it had a Sunday School of eighteen teachers and one hundred scholars. Mark Lee was the superintendent. He was also the clerk and treasurer of the Church. The increase in the Church membership was small for fifteen years, but the average attendance at the morning service during the third quarter of 1890 was one hundred and twenty-nine, the num- ber reaching one hundred and sixty-seven on one occasion. There were then about two hundred persons connected with the Sunday School, of whom fifty were under seven years of age. Early in 1900 the school attendance reached one hundred and sixty-two, and the Church began the new cen- tury with about one hundred members, which number has since doubled. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the incor- poration of this Church was observed on Sunday, October 6, 1901, and by a supper on the evening of the following Wednesday. In 1889 the anniversary of the dedication of the Church, which was in August, was selected as Chil- dren's Day. In 1896 a children's meeting was held every Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock. Of the later superin- tendents of the Sunday School were :- Joseph B. Thorpe from 1893 to 1898, Horace A. Carter 1898-1903, Thomas F. Pickett 1903-1908, Preston Mitchell 1908- .
During the pastorate of the Rev. John Peterson, who was
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also the minister at Newton Upper Falls, the services were held in the afternoon. In 1890 the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, which had been an important branch of the Church for some years, took charge of the Wednesday evening meetings, and as early as 1883 the Ladies' Circle was an important auxiliary. The latter is now known as the Ladies' Aid Society.
The Mudge Society of Christian Endeavor has at times numbered upward of seventy-five, including associates, and the Junior Society of Christian Endeavor, which was estab- lished December 22, 1901, has had more than fifty members. This Junior Society is for youths between the ages of seven and sixteen years, and has held its regular meetings on Sun- day at 4 P.M. The older Society assumed the expense of providing the Church with electric lights in 1900. Preston Mitchell, the efficient secretary of the Church, was presi- dent of this Society for some years in the later nineties. The cause of Temperance has always had earnest advocates in this Church, and in 1893 there were two juvenile battalions of the Loyal Temperance Legion.
In 1902 a gymnasium costing about $400 was completed, chiefly through the liberality of William Carter, William Gorse and Joseph B. Thorpe, and soon a Young People's League was formed in order to avail of its privileges under proper direction. In 1906 the Boys' Fraternity, consisting of boys and young men from twelve to nineteen years of age, was supervised by the County Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, the minister taking charge of the Bible instruction, and of the military drill. In 1906 a Men's Club or League was formed, which soon numbered seventy. This League entertained the Cricket Club of the Young Men's Christian Association at a supper in 1907.
MUSIC
The Churches of Needham have had good music for many years, and the Methodists have excelled in this respect.
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During the pastorate of Mr. Johnston his son Ernest ren- dered important service as chorister. In 1902 Horace A. Carter organized a Sunday School orchestra, which was under the successful management of Mr. Bullock. In 1906 a Men's Glee Club was formed with Albert L. Perkins as its president, and in 1907 the Church purchased a fine Estey organ costing about $2100, of which sum $750 was con- tributed by Andrew Carnegie and $500 by William Carter. There is a Men's Chorus connected with the Church, but it is not the regular choir. This Church spends (1909) about $200 per year for its music.
IMPROVEMENTS OF CHURCH AND BUILDING OF A PARSONAGE
In 1889 extensive repairs were made upon the Church, which was formally re-opened September I. In 1892 William Carter gave $200 toward improvements of the Church and its grounds, including concreting the walks and beautifying the lawn. The next year the question of owning a parsonage was considered, with the result that in 1898 Mr. and Mrs. William Carter gave a lot of land on the northeast side of Hunnewell Street, and a parsonage costing $3000 was built there. William Gorse was the chairman of the building committee, and J. H. Preston of Boston was the architect. The same year, or early in 1899, William Carter at his own expense repaired the auditorium of the Church, Franklin Low contributing carpenter work, and rendering other ser- vices. In 1896 Mr. Carter had enlarged the singers' gallery, and in 1901 and in 1904, when considerable sums were ex- pended on the Church edifice, he gave liberally. From Mr. Carter's election as steward on April 26, 1867, he has been a leader in this Church, serving as a trustee for forty years, often chairman of the board, and at one time superintendent of the Sunday School. When he bought the building now the Lower Mill of the William Carter Company, the old bell, once the property of George Ashwell, was still there, and this bell Mr. Carter gave to the Church. In 1897 the
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Church voted to permanently care for and decorate the graves of Joseph and Rachel Poyner, as the latter had be- queathed to the Church a portion of her small estate. In 1896 the Church received $600 from an unknown friend toward the extinguishment of the debt, which was paid in full soon after. In 1900 the Church received $500 under the will of Mrs. Dorcas R. Avery, who had long been a supporter of its worship. Mrs. Susan Burrill gave the first hundred dollars toward the cost of the Church building, and Mrs. Phebe Gorse, wife of William Gorse, raised the first shovel of earth when work was begun on the site. Mrs. Burrill was a benefactress of the Methodist denomination by her will.
MINISTERS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF HIGHLANDVILLE, NOW NEEDHAM HEIGHTS
Rev. J. W. Coolidge 1867, '68; Rev. Stephen Cushing 1869, '70, '78, '79; Rev. Samuel Henry Noon 1871-3, a member of the class of 1868 in Wesleyan University, but did not graduate, Boston University School of Theology 1869, S.T.B .; Rev. Gilbert R. Bent 1874-6, Boston University School of Theology 1854; Rev. William Silverthorn 1877, Boston University School of Theology 1859; Rev. R. W. Harlow 1880, '81; Rev. Zachariah Atwell Mudge 1882-5, of the class of 1839 at Wesleyan University, but did not graduate; honorary A.M. there in 1854, author of many publications; Rev. John Peterson 1886-90, Wesleyan Uni- versity 1857; Rev. William Wignall 1890-3; Rev. Benjamin J. Johnston 1893-7; Rev. Joseph Henry Thompson 1897- 1901, Wesleyan University 1878; Rev. Garrett Beekman 1901-6, Boston University School of Theology 1870; Rev. Norman Egbert Richardson 1906, '07, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1902, B.A., Boston University School of Theology, S.T.B., was one year in the Graduate School, and in 1907 was made a Fellow of Boston University. He studied philosophy and theology a year and a half in the
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Universities of Berlin and Marburg, Germany. He preached his farewell sermon in Needham August 31, 1907. Rev. Elam Edward Marsh 1907- , Williams College 1890, A.B., Boston University School of Theology 1893, S.T.B. He began his ministry in Needham the last Sunday in October, 1907.
Until 1871 the School of Theology was at Concord, N. H., and was called the Methodist General Biblical Institute. The Methodist ministers in Needham have officiated at a great number of baptisms, weddings and funerals. The Rev. Mr. Beekman reported more than fifty weddings.
The number of trustees is eight, and there are now thir- teen stewards. The number of the latter was five in 1867. In 1876 there were six trustees and eight stewards.
The Secretaries, or Recording Stewards, succeeding Mr. Sumner have been :-
Mark Lee in 1868, '69, '72-81, William Carter in 1869-72, Charles Evens , Joseph B. Thorpe in 1883-9, James Smith Beless 1889-93, Horace A. Carter in 1893-7, Thomas S. Walton in 1897, '98, Preston Mitchell in 1898- .
The Treasurers: Mr. Sumner apparently did not serve when chosen, as Mark Lee was the treasurer in 1867. It is possible that the former was treasurer of the trustees only. John A. Wing was treasurer in 1868, and was in office some years, Charles Thorpe in 1881-91, Charles W. Jones in 1891- . On June 15, 1892, the Church voted resolutions ap- preciative of Charles Thorpe, a highly respected citizen, who died May 2. He had served the Church not only as its treasurer, but as a trustee and as one of the stewards.
Of the men prominent in this Church, and some of them its officers for many years, are, or have been, Noah Perrin, Charles H. Flagg, Charles H. Dewing, Mark Lee, William Carter, William Gorse, Jonathan Avery, Charles and Joseph B. Thorpe, Charles Evens, John Thompson, Alexander Lynes,1 William Humberstone, George L. Kennedy, James
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