History of Newbury, Mass., 1635-1902, Part 25

Author: Currier, John J. (John James), 1834-1912. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Boston : Damrell & Upham
Number of Pages: 1518


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > History of Newbury, Mass., 1635-1902 > Part 25


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November 19, 1834, the town of Newbury was notified that Mr. Roger S. Howard and others had filed a petition praying that all persons residing within certain bounds and limits named in said petition might be set off and annexed to the town of Newburyport. A committee was appointed to confer with the petitioners and induce them, if possible, to make some concessions in regard to the proposed division of the town .*


This committee reported December 10, 1834, that the division lines asked for by the petitioners, though to some extent indefinite and uncertain, were substantially the same as those named in the petition of 1832. Instead of dividing the town, as requested, the committee recommended that Newbury and Newburyport should be again united ; and a committee, consisting of John Merrill, Moses Little, John Chickering, Jacob Gerrish, and Daniel Plumer, was appointed to confer with the town of Newburyport and endeavor to bring about the desired result .* The conference was held, but the plan of reunion was defeated after an animated dis- cussion by the legal voters of Newburyport.


* Town of Newbury Records.


306


HISTORY OF NEWBURY


A few years later another attempt was made by Ebenezer Wheelwright and others to induce the General Court to set off a portion of the town of Newbury to be annexed to the town of Newburyport. January 4, 1843, a committee was appointed to oppose the prayer of the petitioners .* After a prolonged hearing the subject was referred, February 28, 1843, to the next General Court.


February 13, 1846, the petition of John Porter and others to the General Court, asking that Newbury and Newburyport might be made one town, was under consideration ; and the town of Newbury voted, 191 to 134, not to favor the plan proposed by the petitioners .* But on the twenty-third day of February a committee, consisting of Micajah Lunt, Daniel Plumer, Josiah Little, Daniel Noyes, Enoch Hale, Stuart Chase, and John Currier, jr., was chosen "to consider the expediency of uniting the towns of Newbury and Newbury- port." This committee reported March 2, 1846, in favor of the measure; but the legal voters declined, by a vote of 176 to 235, to adopt the recommendation of the committee.


January 4, 1847, the town of Newbury voted to consent, upon such conditions as the General Court may impose, to the passage of an act providing that the territory and in- habitants within the following described lines may be set off and annexed to the town of Newburyport, namely : -


Beginning at the line of Newburyport on the South Westerly side of High street near the Newburyport Turnpike, thence Southeasterly by the Southerly side of High street to a point opposite the head of South street ; thence in a direct line to the most Southerly bend in the Plum Island Turnpike and parallel therewith to the ocean: thence by the ocean and Merrimack River to the line of Newburyport .*


Mr. Abner Keniston and others, having petitioned the General Court " to set off that part of the town called Belle- ville," the inhabitants of Newbury voted, February 8, 1850, not to oppose the petition .* The General Court, however, de- clined to grant the prayer of the petitioners; and the follow- ing year William Goodwin and others presented a similar request, and Moses Pettingell and others, in behalf of the in-


* Town of Newbury Records.


--


307


THE SETTLEMENT AT MERRIMACK RIVER


habitants residing between South (now Bromfield street) and Marlborough streets, asked to be annexed to Newburyport.


March 1I, 1851, the town agreed to favor the passage of an act by the General Court providing for the annexation of a portion of Newbury to Newburyport, and voted to appoint a committee to adjust the line of separation and make arrange- ments for an equitable division of the town property. The bounds and limits agreed upon included all the territory on the westerly side of Newburyport to the Artichoke river, and a large tract on the easterly side, extending to the light- keeper's house on Plum island. These bounds are given in detail in the first section of " An Act to Annex a Part of the Town of Newbury to the town of Newburyport," approved by his Excellency George S. Boutwell, governor of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, April 17, 1851 .*


Since that date there has been no change in the territorial bounds and limits of the town of Newbury. The northern boundary line runs from the point marked A, on the Map, on the next page, to B; thence to C, D, E, F, and G. The dividing line between Newbury and Georgetown runs from G to H, and the line between Newbury and Rowley from H to I, and thence to the point marked J on Plum island.


SILVER MINES.


In 1874, traces of silver ore were found in a few scattered .rocks lying on the surface of a pasture owned by Mr. Rich- ard Jaques, in the vicinity of the "Birchen meadow," not more than one hundred and fifty or two hundred rods in a southeasterly direction from the oak-tree now standing in the " Gerrish pasture," to which reference is made on page 1 30.


The mineral deposits of that neighborhood were carefully analyzed, and in 1875 "The Chipman Silver Mining Com- pany " was organized to make further explorations and devise ways and means for a thorough and systematic development of the property.t


* Acts and Resolves for 1851, chap. 54.


t Newburyport Herald, May 27, 1875.


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399


THE SETTLEMENT AT MERRIMACK RIVER


Workshops were erected, steam drills and pumping ma- chinery provided, and a shaft forty feet deep was sunk through solid rock, exposing, according to the report of experts, rich veins of lead and silver. Excavations in other parts of the town were made with gratifying results. Land that had been almost worthless was eagerly bought or bonded at fabulous prices. The excitement reached its height when the schooner " Nadab " was chartered to take a cargo of ore to New York to be smelted and assayed. June 2, 1875, the last few loads needed to make up the cargo, on the way from the mines, were met at the junction of Auburn and Pond streets in Newburyport, and escorted down State street to Commercial wharf by a procession of citizens carrying flags and banners, accompanied by a military band playing the popular airs of the day.


The reports received several months later from this cargo of ore were somewhat conflicting and discouraging ; but the directors of the mining company were hopeful, and continued operations with more or less activity during the following season. The business, however, was found to be unprofitable ; and work at the mines was temporarily suspended. At inter- vals during the next two or three years attempts were made by the introduction of new machinery to increase the produc- tion of crude ore, and reduce the cost of taking it from the mines ; but the results were not satisfactory. In 1880, the machinery was sold, and the attempt to establish silver mining in Newbury was abandoned.


ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS.


The first centennial anniversary of the settlement of New- bury was, according to tradition, "duly noticed in the front yard of Colonel Joseph Coffin's house," in 1735-


The second centennial was celebrated May 26, 1835. Public exercises were held in the meeting-house of the First Religious Society on Pleasant street, Newburyport ; and dinner was served in a temporary pavilion erected on land near the Newbury town-house, now included within the


310


HISTORY OF NEWBURY


1


limits of Oak Hill cemetery, Newburyport. Interesting and eloquent speeches, appropriate to the occasion, were made by Hon. Edward Everett, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Hon. Caleb Cushing, Hon. George Lunt, and other distinguished guests who were present.


On the tenth day of June, 1885, the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary was celebrated, under the direction of the Historical Society of "Ould Newbury," in city hall, New- buryport. A chorus of male and female voices, led by Mr. Norman McLeod, accompanied by an orchestra of skilled musicians, rendered several appropriate selections. An original ode by Mrs. Louisa P. Hopkins was read; and Rev. Samuel Colcord Bartlett, president of Dartmouth College, delivered an able historical address.


At the close of the exercises in the hall, dinner was pro- vided for over one thousand guests in a spacious tent erected on vacant land on High street, near the head of Bromfield street, Newburyport. Brief after-dinner speeches from men prominent in the social or political life of " Ould Newbury " occupied the time and attention of the assembled company until seven o'clock P.M.


In the evening a reception or levee was held at the city hall where many citizens from Newbury and the neighboring towns gathered to listen to the music of a small but well- trained orchestra, to greet old friends and acquaintances, and to examine the large and valuable collection of paintings loaned for that occasion and hung for that day and evening on the walls of the common council chamber. *


* Report of the Celebration of the Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the settlement of Newbury, published in 1885.


.


CHAPTER VI.


CHURCHES AND PASTORS.


TRADITION asserts that Rev. Thomas Parker preached his first sermon in Newbury under the branches of an oak- tree that stood on the north bank of the Quascacunquen (Parker) river ; that a covenant to walk together according to the precepts of the gospel, in brotherly love, was agreed upon at the close of the sermon ; that Rev. Mr. Parker was chosen pastor, and that other church officers were then elected, "ye members expressinge their voats therein by lifting up the hande." *


Thomas Parker was the only son of Rev. Robert Parker, an eminent clergyman of Wiltshire, England. He came to Boston in 1634, in the ship " Mary and John," with his cousins Nicholas Noyes and Rev. James Noyes .; During the follow- ing winter he was at Agawam, now Ipswich, Mass., and organ- ized a company there for the settlement of Newbury, on the Quascacunquen river, to which place he removed with a few personal friends and acquaintances in the spring of 1635.$


Rev. James Noyes, assistant pastor, or teacher, of the church, was the son of Rev. William Noyes, who married Anne, sister of Rev. Robert Parker.§ He came to America in 1634 with his wife, Sarah Brown, eldest daughter of Joseph Brown, of Southampton, in the same ship with his cousin Rev. Thomas Parker. He preached for a year at Watertown, and came to Newbury in 1635.


* Coffin's History of Newbury, p. 17.


t New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. ix., p. 267.


#" At this general court [May, 1635] some of the chief of Ipswich desired leave to remove to Quascacunquen to begin a town there, which was granted them, and it was named Newberry." (Winthrop's History of New England, edition 1853, vol. i., p. 191.)


§ Mather's " Magnalia," edition 1853, vol. i., p. 481.


The statement that Rev. William Noyes married Anne Stephens, daughter of Nicholas Stephens, printed on page 165, "Ould Newbury," is probably incorrect.


Nicholas Noyes, who came with his brother, Rev. James Noyes, to Boston in 1634, evidently returned to England in 1638, and came again to America the next year, bringing Anthony Som- erby with him (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. xxxii., p. 411) .


(311)


The Temple meafured: O R, A brief Survey of the Temple myftical, Which is the Inftitured CHURCH of CHRIST.


Wherein are folidly and modeftly difcuffed,


Moft of the material Queftions touching the Conftitution and Government of the Vifible Church Militant here on Earth.


Together with The folution of all forts of OBJECTION s which are ufually framed againft the Model and Platform of Ecclefi- aftical Polity, which is here afferted and maintained.


In particular here are debated, The points of fo much Controverfie, touching the Unity of the Church, The Members of the Church, The Form of the Church, and Church Covenant, The Power of the Church, The Officers of the Church, and their Power in Church- Government , The Power of Magiftrates about the Church, and fome Church A&s, as Admittion of Members, and other things fer down in the Table before the Book.


By JAMES NOYES Teacher of the Church at Newbery in New England.


LONDON:


Printed for EDMUND PAXTON, and are to be fold at his Shop in Pauls chain , over against the Castle Tavern neer to the Doctors Commons. : 641.


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CHURCHES AND PASTORS


He was a strong and vigorous supporter of ecclesiastical rights and privileges, and published "The Temple Meas- ured," a book devoted mainly to the discussion of questions relating to church government. From a copy of this book, now in the Boston Public Library, a photograph of the title- page is here reproduced. As a specimen of typographical art connected with the early history of Newbury, it cannot fail to interest the reader.


The first meeting-house in Newbury was probably erected on or near the three acres of land afterwards sold to John Emery, from which twenty rods were reserved "for a burying place as it is bounded with stakes with a way to it from the street." *


The church was composed of earnest and devout men and women, who were evidently more liberal in their views of church fellowship and discipline than the inhabitants of other towns in the colony of Massachusetts Bay. Thomas Lech- ford, "an attorney and solicitor of Clements Inne, in the county of Middlesex, England," after a residence of three or four years in Boston, Mass., wrote and published in London, in 1642, " Plain Dealing or Newes from New England," in which he says : "Of late some Churches are of opinion that any may be admitted to Church fellowship, that are not ex- tremely ignorant or scandalous : but this they are not very forward to practice except at Newberry."


In 1643, there was an assembly of all the churches of the colony at Cambridge. "The principal occasion was because some of the elders went about to set up some things ||accord- ing|| to the presbytery, as of Newbury, etc. The assembly concluded against some parts of the presbyterial way, and the Newbury ministers took time to consider the arguments, etc." t


In all essential particulars, however, the inhabitants of Newbury conformed to the order of public worship estab- lished at Boston and elsewhere, except that for many years they assembled at the beating of a drum or the raising of a flag instead of the "wringing of a bell."


*"Ould Newbury," pp. 16 and 24.


t Winthrop's History of New England, edition 1853, vol. ii., p. 165.


314


HISTORY OF NEWBURY


Every Sabbath or Lords day, they come together at Boston, by wringing of a bell, about nine of the clock or before. The Pastor begins with solemn prayer continuing about a quarter of an houre. The Teacher then readeth and expoundeth a Chapter : Then a Psalm is sung, which ever one of the ruling Elders dictates. After that the Pastor preacheth a Sermon, and sometimes ex tempore exhorts. Then the Teacher concludes with prayer, and a blessing.


Once a moneth is a Sacrament of the Lords Supper, whereof notice is given usually a fortnight before, and then all others departing save the Church, which is a great deale less in number than those that goe away, they receive the Sacrament, the Ministers and ruling Elders sitting at the Table, the rest in their seats, or upon forms: ... Then a Psalme is sung, and with a short blessing the congregation is dis- missed. ... About two in the afternoone, they repaire to the meeting- house againe : and then the Pastor begins, as before noone, and a Psalme being sung, the Teacher makes a Sermon. He was wont, when I came first, to reade and expound a Chapter also before his Sermon in the afternoon. After and before his Sermon, he prayeth .*


Then came the baptism of children and the gathering of money or goods for the maintenance of the minister or the support of the poor of the church, "one of the Deacons saying, Brethren of the congregation, now there is time for contribution, wherefore as God hath prospered you, so freely offer."


This done, then follows admission of members, or hearing matters of offence, or other things, sometimes till it be very late. If they have time, after this, is sung a Psalme, and then the Pastor concludeth with a Prayer and a blessing.t


The removal of the inhabitants of Newbury from Parker river to the "new town" on Merrimack river led to a pro- longed discussion in regard to the removal of the meeting- house. It was ordered to be taken down and a new one set up on or before the twentieth day of October, 1647, "in or upon a knowle of upland by Abraham Toppans barne." #


The land upon which this second house of worship stood now forms a part of the burying-ground near the "trayneing green " in the First parish of Newbury. There were no pews on the floor of the house or in the gallery, but seats or


* Lechford's " News from New England," pp. 16, 18. t Ibid., p. 19.


#"Ould Newbury," p. 93.


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CHURCHES AND PASTORS


benches were provided ; and January 24, 1651, the selectmen ordered " that every householder, both men and women, shall sit in those seats that are appointed for them during their lives."


September 21, 1654 it was ordered that the Townes men select shall forthwith Examine & require an account of the money or goods that hath bin gathered to purchas a bell in whose hands it is & to make report to the towne .*


May 14, 1658, a committee was appointed by the in- habitants of Newbury to lay out to Mr. Woodman ten or twelve acres of marsh near Plum island, Mr. Woodman having agreed to pay for the same in boards or nails for the meeting-house .*


A more commodious building, dedicated to the public wor- ship of God, was erected, early in the spring of 1661, on the southerly side of the old meeting-house, which was allowed to stand until the new one was completed. In June, seats were assigned to all the adult inhabitants of the town ac- cording to their social rank and condition. Into this new meeting-house Lydia (Perkins) Wardwell, wife of Eliakim Wardwell, of Hampton, N.H., came naked to answer those who accused her of teaching false doctrines and separating herself from the church. For this offence she was ordered to be severely whipped and pay the cost and fees of the court at Salem, May 5, 1663 .;


A bell, probably purchased with the money gathered in 1654, served to call the inhabitants together on Sundays and lecture days. Elizabeth Webster was sentenced, in 1663, "to stand at the meeting house dore at Newbury the next lecture day from the ringing of the first bell until the minister be ready to begin prayer with a paper on her head, written in capital letters : FOR TAKING A FALSE OATH IN COURT." }


December 25, 1665, Anthony Morse was employed to ring the bell and also "to see that the meeting house be cleane swept and the glasse of the windows be carefully lookt unto, if any should happen to be loosed with the wind, to be nailed


* Town of Newbury Records.


t See ante, chap. iii., p. 124.


316


HISTORY OF NEWBURY


close again. ... For this service he shall have £3, for every year." *


Rev. Thomas Parker officiated as pastor of the church, without an assistant or colleague, for six or seven years after the death of Rev. James Noyes in 1656.


Rev. John Woodbridge, who came to New England in the ship "Mary and John," with his uncle, Rev. Thomas Parker, was clerk of the town of Newbury from 1635 to 1638. In 1639, he married Mercy, daughter of Thomas Dudley, gover- nor of the colony of Massachusetts Bay. He studied for the ministry while a school-teacher in Boston and was ordained pastor of the church organized at Andover, October 24, 1645. He returned to England in 1647 with his wife and family, and remained there sixteen years .;


In 1663, he came again to New England, and was elected assistant pastor of the church at Newbury, with a salary of thirty pounds for the first half-year.


October 26, 1664, " the towne voted that Mr. Parker should have but sixty pounds per year." This sum, however, was increased to eighty pounds a year, June 3, 1665 ; and the . same day the annual salary of Rev. John Woodbridge was fixed at sixty pounds .*


At this time the inhabitants of Newbury were greatly dis- turbed by questions relating to the government of the church and to the exercise of ecclesiastical authority by Rev. Mr. Parker. They manifested in various ways their disapproba- tion of the doctrines taught by the pastor and his worthy col- league.


November 1, 1665 It was voted whether Mr. Woodbridge should be chosen by papers to preach to the towne for one year. There were four votes in the affirmative and thirty one blanks .*


At the same meeting it was voted: that Mr. Woodbridg should have the last spring Rate and that the Selectmen shall have power to make another Rate for this halfe yeare past of thirty pounds more .*


It was also ordered that Mr. Woodbridges Rates for the two years past shall be paid within two months after this day, and then the select-


Town of Newbury Records.


t His farm in Newbury was on the easterly side of "trayneing green." Capt. Benjamin Swett and his brother-in-law Nathaniel Weare had a lease of this farm for seven years, from 1655 to 1662. (See New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. vi., p. 50.)


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CHURCHES AND PASTORS


men shall go to Mr. Woodbridge and see who hath not paid, and such as are delinquent the select men shall have power to sumons them before the commissioners to recover it .*


During the long controversy that divided the church into two nearly equal parties the salary of Rev. Thomas Parker was regularly paid, but there was evidently a contest over the amount raised annually for the benefit of Rev. Mr. Woodbridge.


April 25, 1666 It was voted that Mr. Parkers four score pounds by the yeare should be continued to be paid to him yearely. And Mr Wood- bridge to have sixty pounds a yeare till the Towne take further order .*


March 4, 1666-7 voted that Mr Woodbridge should have three score pounds for the yeare as he had formerly .*


March 2, 1667-8 Mr Woodbridge was voted by counting man for man, called over, to have sixty pounds a yeare for his preaching .*


May 21, 1670 It was voted that the order in the Towne booke that gives Mr Woodbridge three score pound a yeare for his preaching is made voyd .*


At a meeting of the selectmen held February 4, 1667-8, the seats in the meeting-house were rearranged and assigned to the members of the church according to their social rank and condition.


Daniel Lunt proposed for a seat for severall women [his wife and her sister Smith & John Kent, Jun. his wife ... Peter Chenyes wife, John Lunts wife & John Poore, Jun. his wife] the Selectnien ordered that the 2 short seats neere [ ] should be for them to be made into one .*


Dec. 3, 1668 the selectmen granted Liberty to Nathaniel Clarke, Mr Edward Woodman, Benjamin Lowle, John Kelly & John Kent, Jun. to build a pew for their wives at their own charg: in the meeting house from the east end of the South gallery to the pulpit to be & remaine to them & their heirs forever .*


This pew was probably the. first one built in the meeting- house at Newbury, and ultimately led to the building of others under the supervision of the selectmen. Seats or benches, however, were in general use; and new ones were occasionally provided for the accommodation of the inhabi- tants of the town. February 25, 1668, Richard Dummer,


*Town of Newbury Records.


318


HISTORY OF NEWBURY


Jr., Thomas Woodbridge, and fifteen or eighteen other per- sons were authorized by the selectmen to occupy certain specified seats, " provided that they do pay their equal shares & proportions for the building of them." *


John Woolcott and Peter Toppan were presented to the court held at Ipswich, April 28, 1669, " for disorderly going and setting in a seat belonging to others" in the meeting- house. For this offence they were admonished, and ordered to pay the costs of court.t


February 21, 1669-70, the selectmen ordered "that a paire of staires be made in the porch to go up & downe into the gallery." *


May 21, 1670, the inhabitants of the town voted to pro- vide additional seats for the north and south galleries of the meeting-house ; and a committee was appointed to see that the work was promptly done.


Notwithstanding the ecclesiastical difficulties that divided the church at this time, the number of worshippers was con- stantly increasing.


September 19, 1670 it was voted that the selectmen should have liberty to place such as wanted seats in the meeting house & to procure a bason for the church & to order Thomas Turvill to his kinsmans, also to be helpful to the poor .*




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