USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 1622-1918, vol 1 > Part 51
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were formed in some of the villages of the town. They were owned by associa- tions and supported by a small annual fee paid by each member. Such an arrangement was not conducive to permanence or stability, and after a few years of varying success they gradually disappeared. One of these was organ- ized in South Weymouth on August 7, 1800. Seventy-one citizens were mem- bers, each paying an annual fee of fifty cents. The few books left of the collection belonging to this association were found in the attic of a house which stood where the Fogg Memorial Library is now located and were added to that library. The Mutual Library Association of South Weymouth was organized on November 13, 1863, with eighty members. It accumulated about fifteen hun- dred volumes, the greater portion of which were destroyed by fire.
The Tufts Library was founded in 1879, when Quincy Tufts and his sister, Susan Tufts, left a fund of some twenty thousand dollars to be applied by the town "to instructive lectures, the reading room and the general expenses of a free public library." Part of the gift consisted of two buildings on the corner of Washington and Commercial streets, the lower floor of one being fitted up for a library and reading room, which was opened to the public and used until October, 1892. Then a new building was erected upon the site. It is fifty by eighty feet, with two full stories and a large attic. The lower floor on the Com- mercial Street side was rented and the money received from rental applied to the support of the library. In 1916 this library reported 29.755 volumes. Its total income for that year was $5,197.71, about one half of which consisted of the town appropriation and dog tax and the remainder came from other sources.
In 1892 John S. Fogg, a wealthy shoe manufacturer, died and left $50,000 in the hands of trustees to establish a free public library that should bear his name, said library to be located in his native village of South Weymouth. In 1897 plans were accepted by the trustees for a two-story building with high base- ment, in the Italian Renaissance style of architecture, to be constructed of Wey- mouth granite, forty-six by seventy-six feet in dimensions. It was dedicated with appropriate exercises on September 14, 1898. The cost of the site was $6,000 and that of the building was $25,000. The balance of the Fogg Fund is invested for the benefit of the library. A memorial bronze tablet, suitably inscribed, occupies the place of honor over the fireplace in the reading room. A Children's Library Society, composed of little girls under ten years of age, meets once a week at this library. In 1916 the number of volumes reported by the Fogg Library was 7,411. Out of the total income of $1,628.36, the town appropriated $500.
WRENTHAM
Previous to 1891 the Town of Wrentham had three small libraries-the Wrentham Book Club, the Mite Society, and the Sheldonville Library Associa- tion. In 1891 the town meeting voted to accept the provisions of the library act of 1890 and the state gave the customary $100 worth of books toward the establishment of a free public library. The collections of the three above named libraries were then turned over to the town and became a part of the Wrentham Public Library, which was opened to the public on August 17, 1892.
George S. Fiske, Mrs. Esther Hammond, Misses Elizabeth and Charlotte
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Fiske, children and grandchildren of the late Josiah J. Fiske, erected a library building at a cost of about fifteen thousand dollars and presented it to the town, with a fund of $5,000, the income from which is to be used for the maintenance of the institution. They also gave $500 to be used for the purchase of books. In 1916 the library was recatalogued and reclassified under the direction of the Massachusetts Free Public Library Commission. It then contained 6,142 volumes and reported an income of $818.75, of which the town appropriated $550.
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES
In several of the towns historical societies have been organized, the object of which is to collect books, newspapers, records, old letters, pamphlets, relics, etc., as illustrate and perpetuate the history of New England, and particularly that of the town in which the society is located.
The oldest of these societies is the Dedham Historical Society, which was incorporated on April 23, 1862. In 1886 the society was authorized by a special act of the Legislature to erect a building, Miss Hannah Shuttleworth having bequeathed a lot at the junction of Church and High streets and a fund of $10,000 for that purpose. The building, which is a fireproof structure, was com- pleted in 1887. Here the society has a library of several thousand volumes and a collection of relics. Meetings are held monthly from October to May each year. The building is open to the public from two to five o'clock each afternoon except Sunday.
On May 29, 1893, the Canton Historical Society was incorporated, though it had been in existence since 1871. This society makes a specialty of biography and genealogy pertaining to the Town of Canton. A few years after it was incor- porated a substantial building was erected as a place to preserve the collections belonging to the society. This is one of the most active historical societies in the county.
The Weymouth Historical Society was organized in the spring of 1879, and was incorporated on July 19, 1886. Elias Richards was chosen president at the time the society was organized in 1879 and served in that office for several years. For some time the meetings were held in the Tufts Library, but are now held monthly in the Fogg Library at South Weymouth. The society has a fine collec- tion of historical matter and has published several volumes relating to the early history of the town, etc.
The Medfield Historical Society was incorporated on September 14, 1891. Its by-laws call for stated monthly meetings, which have been well attended from the beginning and a great deal of interest in local history has been awakened through the efforts of this organization.
Brookline organized a society in May, 1895. Each member pays $1.00 annually and is entitled to a copy of every publication issued by the society. Several donations of books, documents, curious relics and sums of money have been received by this society. It has published a work on "Brookline in the Revolution," and some other pamphlets relating to local church history, etc.
On September 29, 1897, the Holbrook Historical Society was incorporated. Its collections are preserved in the town hall. Among them are many interesting
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facts relating to the early history of the town and its inhabitants, with a number of old-time utensils, etc.
Two historical societies were incorporated in the year 1898-Foxboro on the last day of March, and Walpole on the 23d of May. The work of these two societies is along the same lines as that of the others in the county and regular meetings are held except during the hot weather of the summer season. There is also a historical society in Medway which owns its building and has a valuable collection of relics, documents, etc.
The Milton Historical Society is the outgrowth of the Historical Committee of the Milton Educational Society, which was founded on October 2, 1900. On February 7, 1905, the society was incorporated by Nathaniel T. Kidder and others, and the first annual meeting was held on June 6, 1905. The society then numbered 152 members. At that meeting the first paper was read before the society by Miss Mary P. Webster, the first president of the Milton Woman's Club. It was a sketch of Gov. Jonathan Belcher. In 1916 the society had upon its membership roll 306 names.
The Quincy Historical Society was incorporated on November 15, 1893. Its membership is composed of "men and women of Quincy and the villages included in the old Town of Braintree." It has collected a great deal of valuable informa- tion regarding the early families of the town.
CHAPTER XLVIII
CHURCH HISTORY
CHURCHES ORIGINALLY SUPPORTED BY TAXATION-CONSTITUTION OF 1820-DIFFI- CULTY OF WRITING CHURCH HISTORY-ARRANGEMENT BY DENOMINATIONS- THE BAPTISTS-THE CATHOLICS --- CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH-BRIEF SKETCHES OF THE VARIOUS SOCIETIES.
For many years after the first settlements were made in Massachusetts. meeting houses were built and public worship was maintained (except in rare cases) by taxes, or rates, levied upon the inhabitants. In the incorporation of new towns, one of the requirements was that the citizens of the proposed town erect a meeting house and "settle a learned, orthodox minister" within a given . time. Grants of land were sometimes made to the minister instead of levying rates for his support. Early town records are filled with references to such land grants, the building or repair of meeting houses, or the "ministers' rates." Con- troversies occasionally arose that led to the organization of new parishes, and ultimately to the incorporation of new towns. Instances of this kind are men- tioned in the chapters relating to the several towns of Norfolk County. Under the provisions of the revised constitution of Massachusetts, which went into effect in 1820, a complete separation of church and state took place. Since that time the religious societies have been maintained by voluntary contributions or bequests, no taxes for their support being countenanced by law.
To write an accurate and comprehensive history of the church organizations of any county in the United States-one that would prove satisfactory to all parties-is probably the hardest task that could be assigned to the historian. Volumes have been written upon the subject of church history in New England, covering a period of almost three centuries. It will therefore be readily under- stood that, in a county history such as this, the topic must be treated somewhat superficially. To undertake the examination of town records : an exhaustive account of the actions of the town meetings from time to time ; to give a detailed statement of each of the numerous controversies, or extended biographical men- tion of pastors is impracticable, hence in these chapters devoted to church history only an outline of church development has been attempted. Letters of inquiry sent to pastors and others in the beginning of the preparation of this history failed to bring replies in many instances, but from such sources as were avail- able the leading facts concerning the churches of the county have been collected. For the convenience of the reader, the denominations have been arranged in alphabetical order.
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THE BAPTISTS
The oldest Baptist Church in Norfolk County, of which any record can be found, was organized in Medfield in 1752. Some of the members of the regular parish church became dissatisfied with the settlement of Mr. Townsend as pastor and united with the Baptist Church in Boston. For several years after the organ- ization of the society in 1752, services were held in private dwellings. In 1771 a small house of worship was erected and Rev. Thomas Gair installed as pastor. In 1787 the church decided it was not able to support a pastor and Mr. Gair went to a church in Boston. In 1811 the society was reorganized and incor- porated, with Rev. William Gammell as pastor, and in 1823 the church building was enlarged and improved. It was thoroughly remodeled in 1874, at a cost of $12,500, one-half of which was given by George Cummings, one of the deacons. A new parsonage was built in 1879.
In 1761 a town meeting in Bellingham voted to build a Baptist Church "on the knoll in the crotch of the roads at the town centre." This is the second oldest church of this denomination in the county. The North Bellingham Baptist Church was established in 1847, and for many years the two Baptist churches were the only ones in the town.
On October 27, 1806, the first services conducted by a Baptist minister in Brookline were held at the house of Thomas Griggs. The preacher was Rev. Joseph Grafton, often called "Father Grafton." No church was organized until June, 1827, and the following years a chapel was erected at the corner of Washington and School streets. On March 25, 1830, Rev. Joseph M. Driver was ordained as pastor. A new church was soon afterward built and the old chapel converted into a parsonage. Such was the beginning of the "First Baptist Church of Brookline."
The Baptist Church of Canton was organized on April 27, 1812, by Elder Joel Briggs of Randolph, who preached the first Baptist sermon in the town earlier in the year, and on April 14th baptized four persons. Twenty-one mem- bers signed the membership roll, but on June 22, 1814, the church was reorganized with a membership of thirty-five. Rev. Henry Kendall was the first pastor of the church after the reorganization. The first church building was completed in 1820, and was dedicated on January 14, 1821. A new building was dedicated on June 13, 1837, and was completely remodeled in 1869. The pastor of this church in June, 1917, was Rev. N. B. Rogers.
In 1812 Rev. William Gammell, then pastor of the Medfield Baptist Church. visited the few Baptist families of Sharon and held services at the homes of Leavitt Hewins and Joshua Whittemore. A number of people attended these meetings and some of them united with the church. They were baptized in Billings' Pond and early in the year 1813 a Baptist Church was organized with twenty-six members. In August, 1831, Rev. Caleb Green was installed as pastor and two years later the first church edifice was completed. It was greatly enlarged in 1860.
A Baptist society was organized in Foxboro in the latter part of the year 1821. In March, 1822, Rev. Warren Bird was called to the pulpit as pastor and remained with the church for over six years. The first house of worship was built in 1822, at a cost of $1,200. In May, 1838, it was removed to the lot upon which the town house was afterward built. Virgil S. Pond purchased
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this building in 1850, when the new church was built on School street. It cost $4,200. Some years later it was remodeled almost to the extent of a new house and was dedicated a second time on January 22, 1879.
In 1808 a division occurred in the Third Parish of Dedham, growing out of the location of the new meeting house, and about sixty of the members with- drew and united with the Baptist Church of Medfield. It was due to this asso- ciation of strength that the Medfield Church was resuscitated and incorporated three years later. After the new meeting house in the Third Dedham Parish was finished, the old one was advertised to be sold at auction. It was purchased by Aaron Baker, who later sold it to the seceders and it was removed to its present location. Rev. William Gammell preached alternately there and at Med- field, and on November 1, 1824, the "First Baptist Church in Dedham" was organized with Rev. Samuel Adlam as pastor. It is now known as the West- wood Baptist Church.
On November 15, 1832, the First Baptist Church of Medway was organized in the West Parish, with Rev. William Bowen as pastor. It has never been a strong church, but maintains its organization and holds services in a house that was built about 1840.
In 1837 a number of Baptists living in Dover, Needham and Natick organized themselves into a society and the next year a chapel was built at Charles River Village. Twenty years later, other churches having been formed in Needham and Natick, it was decided to move the Dover Church to a new location, which was done. Services were continued for some years after the removal of the chapel, but the number of members kept decreasing and the society was finally disbanded.
About 1841 a Baptist evangelist, Rev. John Blain, visited Braintree and held meetings. Within a year a society was organized under the name of the "First Baptist Church of Braintree" and a house of worship was erected. This society had hardly been organized when some of the sect known as "Millerites" gained a foothold and began predicting the destruction of the earth in 1843. Their meetings were held frequently-sometimes every day for a week or more at a time-and quite a number of converts were made. The excitement over the prophecy of the Millerites weakened the Baptist Church, and after a few years the church building was sold to the Methodists, some of the members joining that society.
The Second Baptist Church, now the only one in the town, was organized about 1869 by persons who withdrew from the First Baptist Church. They bought the old school house on the corner of Washington and West streets and remodeled it for a house of worship. Subsequently the building was removed to Elm street. almost opposite the First Congregational Church. After seven or eight years the society failed for want of support and Braintree was without a Baptist Church for nearly ten years. The society was then reorganized and now holds regular services with Rev. P. L. Cosman as pastor.
On September 13, 1843, a Baptist society of twenty-one members organized in East Dedham, sixteen of them coming from the church in West Dedham. A small chapel was erected and in 1848 Rev. William C. Patterson became the first regular pastor. The congregation grew in numbers and a new church build- ing was erected on the corner of Myrtle and Milton streets. It was dedicated
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on November 18, 1852, and is still used by the society, though it has been recently repaired and remodeled.
The first Baptist Church in Wrentham was organized at Sheldonville about 1843 and a house of worship was erected. Later the site was acquired by the Universalists, who put up a new building. The Baptist society then removed to its present location on West street, almost opposite the end of Hancock street, where it now owns property valued at $3,200.
In 1851 a few Baptists living in the village of Weymouth Landing and the immediate vicinity began holding weekly prayer meetings and the women organ- ized a sewing circle. With the funds raised by the circle Union Hall was rented and services held there at such times as the Baptist ministers of the neighboring towns could attend. On March 13, 1852, a Sunday school was commenced. Preaching continued at intervals during the next two years, and on February 7, 1854, the first steps toward the organization of a church society were taken. The organization was completed on June 21, 1855, with Rev. Andrew Dunn as pastor. Mr. Dunn had commenced his ministerial labors in April and it was through his efforts that a small chapel was built on Washington street. It was dedicated on July 12, 1855, and served the congregation for about ten years. Then a larger house of worship was erected at the corner of Washington and Broad streets, nearly opposite the chapel.
The first regular service of the first Baptist Church of Needham was held on September 24, 1854, in the school house that then stood on the corner of Webster street and Great Plain avenue. A Sunday school was then organized, with George Howland as superintendent, and a number of people signified their willingness to assist in the organization of a Baptist Church. Subscriptions to a building fund were then solicited and in a short time nearly two thousand dollars had been pledged. The church was built on the corner of Highland and Great Plain avenues and was opened for worship in June, 1855, though the church was not formally organized until May 26, 1856. For about fifteen years the society had to struggle for existence, but in 1871 a number of new members came in, the church building was enlarged at a cost of $4,154 and was dedicated on June 5, 1872, free from debt.
Some of the members of the Baptist Church in West Dedham lived in South Dedham (now Norwood), and in the summer of 1858 they began to consider the question of organizing a new church. The first services were held in Union Hall on August 8, 1858, and were conducted by Rev. Joseph B. Breed of Woon- socket, Rhode Island. On November 3, 1858, the society was formed according to the usages of the Baptist Church and Mr. Breed was installed as pastor. He remained until the spring of 1860, when he was succeeded by Rev. C. Osborn. The church edifice was built under the pastorate of Mr. Breed and was dedicated on December 1, 1859.
Rev. J. W. Holman, who was also a physician, organized the Franklin Baptist Church in 1868, and was its first pastor. The society was disbanded in 1876. In September, 1881, Rev. A. W. Jefferson was sent to Franklin as a missionary and as a result of his work the church was reorganized in June, 1882, with a membership of thirty-five. Services were held for a time in the town hall. Then a neat little chapel was built on East street. In 1874 the society purchased the building that had been erected by the Universalists, removed it to School
ST. JOHN'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, QUINCY (From a negative made about 1897.)
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street and made some changes in it. This building is still used by the congre- gation.
The first Baptist Church of Wollaston was organized on August 13, 1871. A lot was soon afterward purchased and a neat house of worship was erected on the corner of Prospect and Warren streets. Rev. Joseph Walther was the pastor of this church at the beginning of 1917.
The Lower Mills Baptist Church in Milton is the outgrowth of a series of meetings held there for about two years by the "Lower Mills Baptist Mission." The church was regularly organized on October 13, 1882, with twenty-five mem- bers. Rev. Nathan Hunt was called to the pulpit as pastor and meetings were held in a hall for about three years, when a church building was erected.
THE CATHOLICS
Catholicism was introduced into Norfolk County on September 18, 1842, when St. Mary's Church of Quincy was organized. Previous to that time masses had been said by visiting priests for the benefit of the Catholics employed in the granite quarries and living in the town. The present church building, erected some years ago, is located on the corner of Cross and Crescent streets and the parish is under the charge of Rev. Thomas R. McCoy.
In 1846 visiting priests said the first masses in Dedham in private dwellings. Services were next held in the Temperance Hall (the old court-house) until 1857. when St. Mary's Church on Washington street, between Spruce and Marion, was dedicated. Rev. P. O'Beirne was the first resident priest. In 1878 a church called St. Raphael's was built in East Dedham, but a little later it was merged into St. Mary's. On October 17, 1880, the corner-stone of the present church was laid. It is a magnificent stone structure, 150 feet in length by 66 feet in width. The parish is now under the charge of Rev. John Fleming.
In 1851 Rev. M. X. Carroll obtained permission of the Franklin authorities to use the town hall for religious services according to the Catholic ritual. He was succeeded by Father McCabe, of Woonsocket, in 1862. Other priests offi- ciated from time to time until February, 1877, when Father Griffin was installed as the first resident priest. The old Congregational Church had been purchased in 1871, and after Father Griffin took charge a parsonage was erected.
St. Mary's Church of the Assumption in Brookline dates its beginning from July 30, 1852, when the first mass in the town was celebrated in Lyceum Hall. Two years later a church was erected at Andem Place and Rev. Michael O'Beirne was the first resident priest. In October, 1873, ground was purchased on Harvard street for a new church. The corner-stone was laid on October 1, 1882, and the building was completed about two years later. It cost about eighty thousand dollars.
In 1852, while Father O'Beirne was in charge of St. Mary's parish at Ded- ham, he visited the South Parish (now Norwood) and said masses at the homes of the Catholics living in that vicinity. A small number of families assembled and a mission was organized. Meetings were held in Union Hall and Village Hall until April 22, 1863, when the building erected by the Universalists some years before was purchased and the parish of St. Catherine was formally insti- tuted. The house was remodeled to conform to Catholic rites and was dedicated on August 3, 1863.
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In 1854 Father Strain, of Chelsea, and Rev. Terrence Fitzsimmons, of South Boston, visited Canton and conducted services in what was called the "Stone Factory Chapel." A few months later work was commenced on a Catholic Church a short distance north of the railroad station in South Canton. It was opened for regular services in the summer of 1855. Under different priests the parish prospered and in 1868 the present St. John's Church was dedicated. Its original cost was about sixteen thousand dollars, but considerably more than that sum has been expended in its improvement. The parish is now under the charge of Rev. John J. Farrell, with Rev. D. J. McGuire and Rev. E. T. McKenna as assistants.
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