USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > History of Newbury, Mass., 1635-1902 > Part 30
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When the new meeting-house was completed, the pews were sold, and the money used to defray the cost of the building. In 1834, the pew-owners were incorporated by the General Court, and authorized to hold real estate and per- sonal property, for parochial purposes, under the name and title of " The Proprietors of the Byfield meeting house."
December 25, 1833, Rev. Henry Durant was ordained pastor of the church. He resigned September 15, 1847, to take charge of Dummer Academy; but his resignation was not accepted until March 31, 1849.
Rev. Francis V. Tenney, a native of Newburyport and a graduate of Amherst College, was installed pastor March 7, 1850. He resigned March 22, 1857 ; and on the twenty-sec- ond of April following he was dismissed by a vote of the coun- cil of churches called to consider and advise with him in regard to his proposed removal to another field of labor.
June 16, 1858, Rev. Charles Brooks, the seventh pastor of the church was settled. His resignation was accepted Novem- ber II, 1863.
For nearly twelve years after that date the church was without a settled pastor. In 1865, Rev. Moses E. Searle sup- plied the pulpit for about five months. He died, suddenly, January 6, 1866. He was succeeded by Rev. Joshua S. Gay, who conducted the services for several years. From 1870 to 1875, Rev. William S. Coggin of Boxford officiated on Sun- days, and the deacons of the church had charge of the meet- ings held on week-days.
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CHURCHES AND PASTORS
Rev. James H. Child was ordained pastor October 7, 1875. He resigned, on account of ill-health, December 22, 1880. Since that date the pastors of the church have been : Rev. George L. Gleason, installed September 20, 1882, resigned October 2, 1888 ; Rev. David C. Torrey, installed June 1, 1892 ; resigned April twentieth to take effect May 25, 1902 .*
QUEEN ANNE'S CHAPEL.
A few months after the meeting-house in the Second parish, near the burying-ground at Sawyer's hill, had been torn down by a disorderly company of men and boys from " the upper or west end of the parish," a strong and vigorous effort was made by a few individuals residing in the vicinity of Sawyer's hill to erect a new building on the Bradford road, near the dividing line between the First and Second parishes, and to employ, at their own charge and cost, a suit- able person to carry on the work of the ministry there. Lumber and other materials needed for the new house of worship were purchased ; and the frame was nearly completed and ready to be set up, when a committee from the church at Pipe Stave hill, under the pastoral care of Rev. Samuel Belcher, remonstrating against the exercise of unlawful au- thority, appealed to the General Court for advice and assist- ance.
July 19, 1711, "in answer to the petition from the inhabi- tants of the West Precinct in Newbury," the deputies and magistrates, with the approval of the governor, " Advised and Directed that the Persons named in the Petition & others concerned desist from their Proceedings to the Raising their intended Meeting House untill there be a Hearing of the Matter before this Court." +
This advice was evidently unheeded ; for, on the twenty- fourth day of August, Capt. Hugh March and others in a petition to the General Court state "that several Persons in
* See The History of the Byfield Congregational Church, by Joseph N. Dummer, pub- lished in 1888, for additional facts in relation to the organization and membership of this church.
+ Massachusetts Archives (Court Records), vol. ix., p. 133.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY
the West Precinct of Newbury have raised & in part covered a house intended for a meeting house, notwithstanding the advice and direction of this Court on the nineteenth of July last, to desist until there had been a hearing."
The Court ordered . that Samuel Bartlett, John Ordway, Deacon Joshua Brown, Joshua Bailey, Skipper Lunt, & Pennel Titcomb be now served by the sheriff with a Copy of the order of this Court of the 19th of July past, strictly forbiding them & their associates Proceeding in the Work of their intended Meeting House, untill there be a Hearing of that Affair as by the said order is directed, and that the said Persons be summonded by the Sheriff to attend this Court on the second Wednesday of their session in the Fall to answer for their contempt of the afore- said order .*
November 2, 1711, Upon hearing the case of Newbury referring to the house late pretended to be raised for the publick worship of God on or near deacon Joshua Browns land, contrary to the direction of ye court, of wch there is no present necessity. It is ordered that the building of the said house be not proceeded in upon any pretence whatsoever but that the division of the town into two precincts between the old meeting house & that upon Pipe staff Hill be the present division of the auditory, & is hereby confirmed & established, & all Persons concerned are to yield obedience accordingly; and that the Disorders that have been in the proceedings about the said House in Browns land be referred to the next sessions of ye peace in Essex.t
In this emergency Abraham Merrill, Joshua Brown, Samuel Bartlett, and a few others, anxious to finish the building on which work had been stopped by order of the General Court, applied to Mr. John Bridger for advice and assistance. He was a zealous churchman, living at that time in Portsmouth, N.H., having been appointed "Surveyor General of Woods in America " December 24, 1705, which position he held for ten or fifteen years, marking with the queen's broad arrow trees reserved for the use of her Majesty's navy, and instructing the inhabitants in the art of "making pitch and tar, curing hemp &c." # Through his influence a petition signed by John Bartlett, Joshua Brown, Joseph Annis, and Samuel Bartlett was presented to the bishop of London, humbly be- seeching him to send a minister to officiate in the church to
* Massachusetts Archives (Court Records), vol. ix., p. 142.
t Ibid., pp. 159, 160.
# Palfrey's History of New England, vol. iv., pp. 399, 401.
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be built, and called Queen Anne's chapel by the petitioners and other inhabitants of the town of Newbury.
The building was probably finished previous to August I, 1712 ; and it was evidently used for public worship, according to the rubrics and ritual of the established Church of England, by Rev. Henry Harris, one of the ministers of King's chapel, Boston, who came to Newbury on several occasions, remain- ing fourteen days at one time.
It was the second Episcopal church erected in Massachu- setts ; and the parish in which it was located - now including the towns of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury - is at the present time the oldest parish subject to the Episcopal form of church government and discipline in the diocese.
Rev. John Lambton had charge of the services at Queen Anne's chapel from November 14, 1713, until the following autumn, having been transferred from her Majesty's ship " Phenix" at the request and with the approval of Gen. Francis Nicholson, commander-in-chief of the expedition against Port Royal, and afterwards governor of Nova Scotia.
During his ministry the following petition was signed by the officers and communicants of the church, and sent to England : --
To the Hon'ble & Venerable the Society for the Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts :
We out of our ardent Love and Affection that we have for the Wor- ship of God now professed amongst us according to the Liturgy of the Church of England humbly lay before you the necessity we have of a long time had of a Minister duly qualified according to your instructions in that behalf directed to read and preach the Word of God unto us. We return you humble thanks for the Twenty pounds we have received from General Nicholson whose piety and unbounded Charity needs no encomium, whose arrival has cheered our drooping spirits and in some measure released us from the oppression of our adversaries, as likewise for the Ten pounds given to Mr John Lambton, Chaplain to her Majesty's Ship Phenix, which is appointed to attend this Government, who is willing to officiate here till further orders from the Hon'ble Society praying that he may have the Salary during the time he is as Mission- ,ary here. We are not so fixed as we desire as to our number, but . hope our increase will answer the ends expected. For the present we
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY
are only able to give Forty pounds per annum, the Minister but just come among us, but hope in a small time to advance that sum.
The Books and other things which are usually sent along with the missionary would be very useful for the continuance and establishing us in the true worship of God and Instrumental in bringing others over who are inclining that way that in all human appearance here will be a flourishing Church. We only beg your Gracious, speedy and satisfac- tory answer, Beseeching Almighty God to bless all your pious under- takings is the prayer of
TRISTRAM BROWN
JOHN LAMBTON, Minister
JOSHUA BROWN Church
ABRAHAM MERRILL Wardens
JOSIAH WEAVER NATHL BARTLETT RICHD WILLIAMS THOMAS BROWN THOMAS BARTLETT JOSEPH ANNIS SKIPPER LUNT JOHN EAYR ISAAC ROGERS . JOHN BARTLET
SAMUEL BARTLET,
ABIEL LONG,
JOHN BARTLETT 3RD RICHARD BARTLET
SAML SAWYER, JOSHUA BROWN, JUN JOHN BARTLET, JOSEPH BAYLY,
Vestrymen
DANL OSILAWAY
JOHN MERRILL WM HUSE ROBERT ROGERS.
NICHO DAVISON
BENJA SAWYER THOS FOLLANSBA *
In answer to this petition, "The Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts " appointed Rev. Henry Lucas minister of the church at Newbury. He arrived Sep- tember 17, 1715, and immediately entered upon the duties of his office. In spite of many discouragements and disappoint- ments, he remained in charge of the parish until his death, August 23, 1720. During his ministry Queen Anne's Chapel was presented with a bell by the bishop of London. In a letter to Mr. Humphreys, secretary of the above-named society, John Bridger (or Bridges, as his name is sometimes printed) wrote May 19, 1718 :-
* Historical Collections of the American Colonial Church, vol. iii., pp. 93, 94.
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I pray give my duty to my Lord of London and acknowledge his favor to the church of Newbury for the Bell he was pleased to give them .*
Rev. Matthias Plant, who succeeded Rev. Henry Lucas, sailed from London February 16, 1721-2, and preached his first sermon in Newbury April 29, 1722. He married, December 27, 1722, Lydia, daughter of Samuel Bartlett, Rev. David Mossom, of Marblehead, officiating at the cere- mony. Soon after his marriage he built a house on the road leading to Amesbury ferry, a short distance from its junction with the Bradford road and the country road, now High street, Newburyport, in which he lived until his death.
Under his care the church prospered, and the number of communicants steadily increased. He baptized many children and adults, and during the first ten years of his ministry a large proportion of the persons united by him in marriage were from Salisbury, Rowley, Salem, Marblehead, Bradford, Haverhill, and other towns in Essex county .;
At his suggestion, several alterations and additions were made to the church building.
October 20, 1725 att a meeting of the Parishioners voted that A Pew be erected at the east end of the Church for the use of Masters of vessels & strangers & the same to be built by Captn Atkins at his Dis- cretion for Conveniency & Decency at his own Charge and other Bene- factors.
MATT. PLANT, Minister.#
In May, 1726, the church was clapboarded, and during the same year "Joshua Browne and John Corney, Church
* Historical Collections of the Colonial Church, vol. iii., p. 131. When public worship was discontinued in Queen Anne's chapel, the communion service, Bible, and other movable prop- erty was disposed of by a few individuals acting upon their own responsibility : but the bell was allowed to remain undisturbed in the belfry. In 1770, the steeple of the deserted chapel was blown down during a violent storm. Mr. David Whitmore, an innholder living in the neighbor- hood, took possession of the bell, and refused to deliver it up unless ordered to do so by some person or persons entitled to it. Rev. Edward Bass, minister of St. Paul's church, Newbury- port, at that time, evidently intended to bring a suit in the Court of General Sessions to recover the property belonging to the chapel ; but the events immediately preceding and following the Revolutionary war undoubtedly rendered that course unadvisable.
Subsequent!, the bell was hung in the belfry of a school-house on Pillsbury lane, now Ash- Land street, Newburyport. On the night before Christmas, 1839, it mysteriously disappeared, and since that date has not been seen. For further details the reader is referred to Coffin's His- tory of Newbury, pp. 411-413, and Rev. D. D. Addison's " Life and Times of Edward Bass," p. 126.
t Rev. Matthias Plant's Note Book or Diary.
# Records of Queen Anne's Chapel.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY
Wardens in the Queen's Chappel in Newbury, builte within the South Doore Joyning to Thos. Bartlets pew, a pew given to the above saide church for a seate for the Church Wardens to sitt in for Ever."
November 10, 1726 voted that ye Gallerys be builte, forthwith, under the direction of the minister & church wardens .*
In 1738, Rev. Mr. Plant consented to the erection of a new church near the business centre of the town, and sub- scribed the sum of fifty pounds as his proportion of the cost of the same. A lot of land was purchased, and a building, " called St. Paul's Church," was erected thereon. Feb- ruary 3, 1742, Rev. Mr. Plant was chosen minister, and arrangements were made with him to preach in the church every other Sunday. Some differences of opinion in regard to the appointment of church wardens and the control of the pulpit led to a serious disagreement that was not settled for eight or nine years. During this interval Rev. Mr. Plant officiated occasionally in St. Paul's church, but devoted most of his time and attention to Queen Anne's Chapel. In a note-book in which he recorded some of the important events of that time he wrote,
June 3, 1743 returned from ye Convention which was held at Rhode Island and got home ye 9th of June.
July 21, 1745 then I began to preach in ye new church by ye water side by order of ye society.
During the remainder of that year and the year following Rev. Mr. Plant preached in the new church once a month ; but the number of hearers was small, often not more than six or eight men and about as many women.
Meanwhile the services in Queen Anne's chapel were held on Sundays and holy days, with but few interruptions ; and many worshippers assembled there to offer devout prayers, and join in the songs of praise. In 1750, the chapel was repaired at a cost exceeding one hundred pounds. Of this sum Rev. Mr. Plant contributed nearly one-half. Two years
. Records of Queen Anne's Chapel.
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later he was taken seriously ill, and never fully recovered. He died April 2, 1753. In his will on file in the Probate Court at Salem is the following item : ---
I give to the church (viz :) Queen Ann's Chaple in Newbury Ten Pounds Lawful money of this Province to Purchas a silver Coup for the Holy Communion which silver Coup my executorix shal Emedeatly Pur- chas, or shal pay the said sum to the Church Wardens of said Church in Being to purchas said Silver Coup, and forthwith Deliver it to ye sd Church to be entered in the Church Book and how many ounces of silver it contains.
After the death of Rev. Mr. Plant the parish of Newbury was placed in charge of Rev. Edward Bass, who had been appointed assistant minister, or curate, to Rev. Mr. Plant in 1752. He officiated at Queen Anne's chapel once a month until 1766, when, the building having become old and dilapi- dated, services were discontinued. A few persons who had been accustomed to attend public worship there organized, in 1762, the Fifth. Congregational church in Newbury ; but a large proportion of the communicants became earnest and devout members of St. Paul's church.
The chapel, neglected and deserted, soon began to show signs of decay. Weather-worn and weakened by wind and storm, the steeple fell in 1770, considerably damaging the main body of the building, which was then taken down, and some of the material used in the construction of pews and galleries for the Fifth Parish meeting-house.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.
The second Episcopal church in Newbury was built pre- vious to 1740 on the corner of Ordway's lane, now Market street, and the country road, now High street, Newburyport. Rev. Matthias Plant, who was then in charge of Queen Anne's Chapel, subscribed fifty pounds toward the cost of the new building. When it was completed and ready for use, he was chosen minister, and notified of his election by the war- dens and vestrymen of the church.
NEWBURY, Feb. 3. 1741-2.
We the subscribers, members of the New Church in Newbury, called by the name of St. Paul's Church, desiring the worship of God accord-
·
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY
ing to the Rubric of the Church of England, do desire and do make choice of the Rev. Matthias Plant as our Minister to officiate and carry on the said worship in said church of St. Paul's, in Newbury aforesaid, - in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this day and year above written.
Jos ATKINS ANTHO GWYNN
THOMAS SMITH WM ATKINS
MICHAEL DALTON
JOSEPH COTTLE THOS WOODBRIDG EDMUND COTTLE
WITTER CUMINGS BENJN HARRIS
Church Wardens .*
WM JENKINS AMBROSE DAVIS
Owing to some differences of opinion in regard to his rights and privileges as minister of the church, Rev. Mr. Plant was not inducted into office until several years later.
September 30, 1747, he notified the wardens and vestry- men of the church that he would gladly meet and confer with them in regard to his appointment "as chief minister of the whole parish," * and two or three weeks later received the following note in reply : -
We received your favor of ye toth Instant & many of ye Church people being absent prevented the answer until now; as your favor is directed to ye church wardens & Proprietors we have determined to have a meeting of ye Proprietors on friday next at ten of ye clock in ye forenoon at St Pauls Church & pray you'll favor us with your presence & we doubt not that matters can be accommodated in a friendly manner, as we have no views to answer but ye good of ye community & as speedily as possible have an agreeable gentleman seated in ye church which we shall endeavor shall be to your good liking & satisfaction as well as ourselves ; we are Reverend Sir,
To the Reverend
Mr. Matt Plant.
Your most Humble Servants THOS TANNETT ) Chh JNº CROCKER $ Wardens .*
The conference evidently did not result in an immediate settlement of the questions in dispute, as Rev. Mr. Plant was not inducted into office as rector of St. Paul's church until June 24, 1751.1 Meanwhile Mr. Edward Bass, who had been studying for the ministry, was selected to assist in the work of the parish. He was sent to England and admitted to holy orders by the bishop of London May 24, 1752.
* Rev. Matthias Plant's Note Book or Diary.
t "Ould Newbury," pp. 401, 402.
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After his return he entered upon his duties as an assistant to Rev. Mr. Plant, who was then in feeble health. He had charge of the whole parish, preaching one Sunday in the month at Queen Anne's chapel and the three following Sun- days in St. Paul's church, after the death of Rev. Mr. Plant, which occurred April 2, 1753.
Three years later, an organ, given to King's chapel in Boston by Thomas Brattle in 1713, was purchased for use in St. Paul's church at a cost of five hundred pounds. It was removed to Newbury during the summer of 1756, and was probably the first church organ set up within the limits of the town.
In 1764, a portion of the town of Newbury, including the land upon which St. Paul's church now stands, was set off and incorporated by the name of Newburyport. After that date Rev. Mr. Bass ceased to be an inhabitant of Newbury, and the church itself became a prominent place of worship in the newly incorporated town .*
THIRD PARISH CHURCH.
The bounds and limits of the Third parish were fixed by an order adopted by the General Court, December 18, 1725. Previous to that date, however, a meeting-house had been erected on land now known as Market square, Newburyport. It was dedicated June 25, 1725 ; and a church was organized and a church covenant was signed and approved on the twelfth day of January, 1725-6. One week later, Rev. John Lowell was ordained pastor of the church. He was an earnest and faithful preacher, with liberal theological views, and a personality that was attractive and sympathetic. The congregation to whom he ministered rapidly increased in numbers, and in 1736 the meeting-house was enlarged. It measured, with the addition made at that time, eighty feet in length and sixty feet in width, with a gallery opposite the pulpit, and probably one on each side In September, 1740,
* See " Ould Newbury," pp. 396-419; also, "The Life and Times of Edward Bass, First Bishop of Massachusetts," by Rev. Daniel D. Addison, published in 1897.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY
Rev. George Whitefield preached his first sermon in Newbury to an immense audience that occupied all the available space in this large and commodious edifice. ,
The enthusiasm aroused by this famous preacher led to the organization of a new religious society ; and in 1743 more than thirty members asked for letters of dismissal from the Third Parish church, in order that they might join the new organization. This request was refused ; and several similar requests made during the next two or three years shared the same fate. At length the "new lights," or " new schemers," as they were called, resolved to put an end to the controversy ; and, acting upon their own responsibility, they applied for admission to membership in the First Presbyterian church. After due deliberation their request was granted October 16, 1746.
February 9, 1754, the steeple of the meeting-house in Market square was struck by lightning, and considerable damage done to houses in that neighborhood. Benjamin Franklin, who visited Newbury in the month of November following, wrote an interesting account of the effect of the lightning upon the church steeple, and the protection furnished by a small wire that conducted the electricity in safety through the bell-tower, clock, and pendulum to the ground. This account was communicated by letter to a friend in Paris, and read before the Royal Society of London, December 18, 1755.
Rev. John Lowell died May 15, 1767 ; and his successor, Rev. Thomas Cary, of Charlestown, was ordained May II, 1768.
When Newburyport was incorporated in 1764, the name and title of the Third Parish church was changed to "The First Religious Society in Newburyport." From that date the history of this church or religious society belongs to the municipality of which it now forms a part .*
* For additional facts and incidents connected with the Third Parish church see "Ould Newbury," pp. 430-447.
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CHURCHES AND PASTORS
FOURTH PARISH CHURCH.
In 1729, the inhabitants of the westerly or upper part of the Second parish in Newbury agreed to build a meeting-house, "fifty feet by thirty-eight and twenty foot stud," on an ele- vated lot of land, afterwards called Meeting-house hill, near the burying-ground now known as " Walnut hill cemetery," West Newbury.
August 29, 1729, they applied to the General Court for a division of the parish ; and on the fifteenth day of September, John Brown, surveyor, submitted to the committee, to whom the petition was referred, a carefully drawn map, giving the location of every house in the parish, with the name of the owner or occupant .*
After a long delay and much deliberation a line of division was agreed upon by the inhabitants of the Second parish ; and March 29, 1731, they voted to petition the General Court to consent to and confirm the division. In answer to this peti- tion, the Fourth parish in Newbury was set off and incorpo- rated June 1, 1731.+
Rev. John Brown, of Haverhill, Rev. William Balch, of Bradford, and Rev. John Tufts, of Newbury, officiated at the gathering, or organization, of the church, September 1, 1731. Rev. William Johnson, born in Newbury May 31, 1706, was ordained pastor on the fifteenth day of September, 1731. He died February 22, 1772 and his successor, Rev. David Toppan, was ordained April 18, 1774. He resigned Septem- ber 6, 1792, to accept an appointment as Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard College. For six years after the resigna- tion of Rev. Mr. Toppan the church was without a settled pastor. Rev. Leonard Woods was ordained December 5, 1798, and served until September 28, 1808, when he was ap- pointed Professor of Theology at the Andover Theological Seminary. After an interval of nearly eight years, Rev. John Kirby was ordained pastor of the church June 12, 1816.
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