History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 139

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 139

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The brethren of the recognized church replied and declined the proposal. This was on the 20th of Sep- tember. On the 2d of October Mr. Avery, on be- half of himself and his adherents, made a communi- cation, stating that they should make no further pro- posals at present.

In 1795, Deacons Man and Pond refusing to give any account of church property in their hands, and having attempted to seize the tankards and other vessels made use of at communion seasons, the church voted that unless they should appear at the next church meeting, and give the church satisfaction, they ought to be dismissed. John Hall, Philip Blake, and Amos Walton were chosen deacons, and in March Deacons Man and Pond were dismissed. The new officers were instructed to demand the church records of Mr. Avery, and a committee was chosen to confer with Mr. Avery's adherents, with a view to accom- plish a reconciliation.

On the 20th of October a council, held at Mr. Avery's house, resolved that reunion was very desir- able, and therefore advised Mr. Avery to ask a dis- mission, and the church (that portion of it which ad- hered to him) to grant it. This was accordingly done in presence of the council, and communicated to the brethren of the recognized church, who ac- knowledge the receipt, and state that they are heartily desirous of reunion as soon as a church meeting could be regularly appointed for that purpose; this was signed by eight members. The council being, as they say, discouraged by this reply, proceeded to the business before them. After deciding various ques- tions of church discipline, they recommended the adherents of Mr. Avery to serve the moderator of the recognized church with an attested copy of-the result of this council, and also to hold themselves, for four weeks afterwards, in readiness to reunite with them upon gospel principles, but if they should refuse a reunion, then it was the opinion of the council that the churches ought to allow them to be a church of Christ in regular standing, and that they, the coun- cil, would consider them a sister church, and treat them in all respects according to the rules of Chris- tian fellowship and holy order. Upon the 23d of November the recognized church informed those who lately adhered to Mr. Avery that they desired reunion, and waited to hear them speak their wishes on the

On the 30th day of July the Averians invited the brethren of the recognized church to join in request- ing Mr. Avery to join with the church in calling a mutual council to consider, first, how the parties should be reunited ; second, the dismission of the pastor in his especial relation to them, the Averians; and if this be deemed expedient that the council should pre- scribe the way in which his dismission ought to be effected. To this the recognized brethren on the 11th day of August reply, first, that the matters embraced in the communication are important, and that they wish to treat them with all respect which their unhappy situation. . . . requires ; that reunion with the Ave- rins is their earnest wish (excepting Mr. Avery him- self). . .. that they consider Mr. Avery legally dis- missed and therefore cannot comply with the second request of his adherents. This drew out an able re- joinder from the Averians, concluding with a proposal to join in requesting Mr. Avery to unite with the church in calling a mutual council to consider first i subject, and in December a conference was voted.

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The committee of conference met, Mr. Emmons being with them by request. The Averians presented two papers containing proposals. The first proposed that the recognition should be renounced and the votes dismissing the deacons canceled. This the recog- nized church agreed to, with the amendment that when they dismissed the deacons they thought it justifiable, and had seen no reason to alter their opin- ion, but for reasons mentioned would cheerfully re- scind that vote, and do hereby rescind it. This amendment was rejected by the Averians. The second paper contained a renunciation on the part of the Averians of superiority to the other brethren, and all pretensions to separation, although they had heretofore claimed to be the church of Christ in Wrentham. The third paper proposed amnesty and oblivion. The brethren of the recognized church responded to these proposals after some statements, first, that they would overlook error of judgment, and suppress unchristian and unfriendly reflections upon conduct ; secondly, would require the same of the Averians; thirdly, that members of each communion should be mutually admitted to the other ; fourthly, that this reciprocity should also be extended to the deacons of either body ; fifthly, and also to the church records of each party, that they may be ad- monished in time to come not to fall out by the way ; sixthly, each party shall consider these united factions as the same church as before the separation, mutually renouncing all claim to superiority ; seventhly, this reunion to be publicly ratified in church meeting on some future day mutually agreed upon as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, to seek the divine favor and direction in their choice and settlement of a gospel minister.

The brethren of the recognized church on the 9th day of December voted not to accept the proposals of the Averians without the amendments which they had appended, but if the Averians would not accept the amendments then they were requested to consider the proposals of the recognized brethren. On the same day the Averians proposed reunion on the ground of an abandonment of the recognition and a mutual re- scission of all votes passed since (excepting only that vote passed by the Averians themselves dismissing Mr. Avery), and retaining the covenant and the offi- cers of the church before the separation. To this the other party say " we have received a paper . . con- taining new proposals, to which we cannot .

ply until you have given a definitive answer to our last communication."

To this the Averians reply that they are ready to accept any amendments to their first proposition that

would be proper, but cannot accede to such as had been offered.

The other party replies that it cannot consent to this (i.e., to withdraw its amendments), and proposes a committee of conference. The last communication was as follows :

" To the brethren of the recognized church :

" We see no advantage arising from going over the ground again. We will wait thirty minutes longer to receive of you a definite answer to our last proposals. Your neglecting to com- ply with our request in the proposals for a definitive answer we shall consider as a rejection of said proposals.

"Dec. 9, 1795, 40 minutes after 5 in the evening."

After this the church meeting was dissolved. On the 14th of December Deacon Man was dismissed from his office as treasurer. Afterwards, in August, 1796, it was voted to hear and confer upon any pro- posals that one, any, or all of the church lately ad- hering to the Rev. David Avery have to make respect- ing a reunion with the church. June, 1797, the dea- cons were instructed to supply the pulpit if the town's committee do not, and a committee was chosen to help the deacons settle their accounts relative to lawsuits. It appears by an account of the deacons presented to the church in 1797 that a suit was commenced by Thomas Man against Aaron Hawes. It was tried in 1795. " The trial took up a great deal of time. Mr. Avery was the mover and prosecutor in the ac- tion which was brought to try the validity of the vote dismissing Deacon Man, as if that was valid the vote dissolving his pastoral relation was also valid, and the town having concurred his salary was gone from the time of the dismission. So that Mr. Avery was on trial. The judges were of opinion that Mr. Avery's principles of church government were arbitrary and erroneous ; that the vote for dissolving his pastoral relation was regular and valid ; that the vote of the church given by a majority dismissing the plaintiff from the office of deacon was regular and effectual, and that he could not maintain the action."

In July, 1798, the church (recognized) voted unanimously to desire the Rev. Elisha Fisk " to preach in this place longer that the time for which he is now engaged," and in November he received a call to settle in the ministry at Wrentham. This call was renewed on the 6th day of March, 1799, unanimously, and on the 25th day of April, 1799, he gave an affirm- ative answer, as follows :

" To the Original Congregational Church of Christ in Wren- tham :

" Having received from you brethren an invitation to take the pastoral care and charge of you as a church and to settle with you in the work of the gospel ministry, I do by this de- clare my acceptance of it.

" ELISHA FISK."

661

WRENTHAM.

The town had, in November of the year 1798, con- curred with the church in the settlement of Mr. Fisk, on condition that he be supported by the Congrega- tional society then projected. This society was in- corporated in February, 1799. A number of the in- habitants of Wrentham petitioned the General Court to incorporate them into a religious society by the name of the Congregational Society in Wrentham. They set forth that they have raised by subscription three thousand eight hundred and sixty dollars as a fund, the interest of which is to be appropriated to the support of a Congregational minister, and pray to be incorporated for the purpose of holding and man- aging said fund. The General Court passed an act in response to this petition, and made the society capable of receiving and holding grants or devises of lands or tenements, bequests, donations, etc. By this act of incorporation, and the proceedings of the society under its provisions in connection with the church, the re- lations between minister and town which had so long subsisted were terminated.

Mr. Fisk thus entered upon a pastorate which reached to more than fifty years. At the date of his ordination, June, 1799, the church is said to have been reduced to ten members. Such was the force and bitterness of the Averian controversy. In his semi-centennial discourse he says he was the forty- ninth candidate, only one other of the forty-nine having received a call. He has been thus described (it is said by Dr. R. S. Storrs) with reference to that period, " Of observing mind, careful and conciliating in his conversation and manners, interesting and pop- ular in his pulpit performance, he succeeded, as few other men would, in uniting and holding together very discordant materials, not only at the commence- ment of his ministry but through the vicissitudes of | more than fifty years. He gained and kept the envi- able reputation of ' peace-maker.' " 1

The foregoing account of the Averian controversy was taken by the writer, so far as the action of the church is concerned, from the church records more

than twenty years ago; and it has been repeated here at length, precisely as it was on the occasion for which it was originally prepared, because it prob- ably exists nowhere else but in the writer's posses- sion, the church records having since that time been lost. At the time referred to these records were in good condition, including even one small volume in the handwriting of Rev. Samuel Man.2

The Congregational Church in Foxborough, in Franklin (once West Wrentham), and in the north parish of Wrentham, now Norfolk, have been formed by those who were formerly members of the original church here organized in 1692. Since the incorpora- tion of the society for the support of the minister no tax has been assessed for that purpose. At the time of Mr. Fisk's settlement the house of worship had neither bell, clock, nor organ. A bell and clock, however, were added probably some time before 1806, as we find the parish assuming at that date the ex- pense of taking care of them. An organ was pur- chased by ladies of the town by the manufacture and sale of straw and chip bonnets. This instrument was formally dedicated, the Rev. Mr. Fisk preaching from the text, "Praise him with stringed instruments." In his sermon Mr. Fisk defended the use of musical instruments in public worship. That modest organ has been succeeded by others, until, by the munifi- cence, chiefly of one of our citizens, the fine and large one now used was placed in its present position.

After the final settlement of the religious and so- ciety disturbances, which were so happily extinguished in the fortunate choice of Mr. Fisk, the people here were peaceable and prosperous.

The population of the town was by the census of 1800 two thousand and sixty-one (2061), and was chiefly agricultural.

But in 1812 the General Court incorporated : Nathan Comstock and others by the name of " The Wrentham Manufacturing Company," for the pur- pose of manufacturing cotton and wool at Wrentham; | in the county of Norfolk. In 1813 the Franklin Manufacturing Company was incorporated for the purpose of manufacturing cotton and woolen cloth and yarn in the town of Franklin, upon the same stream; and in 1814 the Walomopogge Manufac- turing Company, " for the purpose of manufacturing cotton and woolen cloth and yarn in the town of Wrentham." The former company's mill was com- monly called the Bush Factory, the last named the

1 " Mr. Fisk was a descendant of William, brother of John Fisk, minister of Chelmsford, where he died Jan. 14, 1676. William arrived in 1687, admitted freeman in 1642, member of the church of Salem July 2, 1641, removed to Wenham, where he was town clerk, and representative from 1647 to 1650, and died in 1654. His widow married a Rix of Salem. His grandson, Daniel, removed from Wenham to Upton in 1748, and died about 1761. He had eight children,-Samuel, one of the sons, removed to Shelburne, and was ancestor of Rev. Pliny Fisk. Daniel, the oldest son, born about 1723, married Zelpah 1 Tyler, and had five children. Of them, Robert, born Feb. 24, 2 There is a tradition that Mr. Man's house was destroyed by 1746, married Mary Hall, and had four children. The oldest | fire in 1699, which may account for the absence of the earliest was Elisha Fisk."-Hist. Mendon Association. volume.

662

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Eagle Factory, while the lowest on the stream was called the City Mills. These mills were all erected upon Mill Brook, so called, the last named near the outlet of the Great Pond, where Crossman & Whiting had the first corn-mill, as related in earlier pages, and the second one on the site of Adams' corn-mill at Jack's pasture. This southwesterly branch of Charles River afforded nearly all the water- power within our present limits. After the introduc- tion of the power-loom in the manufacture of cotton and woolen fabrics, a rush seems to have been made into the business of manufacturing, and a very large number of companies were chartered in Massachusetts to carry on this special branch of industry. The Stony Brook Manufacturing Company was also in- corporated in 1814, and is to be added to the list of

our manufactories. The business which these com- . Betsey Baker, daughter of Joel Metcalf, then with panies were organized to carry on was conducted by various owners, agents, and lessees, and with various success. At first they were employed in the manu- facture of cloth, and the noise of the looms could be heard proclaiming the power of the stream if not the profit of the manufacturers.

Eli Richardson, Esq., Allen Tillinghast, Esq., and Maj. Thomas S. Mann are remembered as energetic and intelligent manufacturers, who for many years were engaged in business on this old Mill Brook. It is apprehended that none of the numerous mill-owners became wealthy in the prosecution of their calling.

The factory which was first built on or near the site of the present one in South Wrentham or Shep- ardville, so called, is supposed to have been the first mill in the vicinity in which water-power was applied to the spinning of cotton or wool. And by some this mill is supposed to have been one of the earliest in the country in which such application was made, it being said to have been the third. It seems that as early as 1795 Mrs. Susannah Shepard was manufac-| turing goods at that mill. In confirmation of this statement reference is made to an original agreement between herself and Stephen Olney, of Providence, R. I., dated Nov. 13, 1795, as follows, viz. :

" Agreed with Mrs. Susannah Shepard, of Wrentham to make her a chaise by the first of March next for £55 she finding the ! harness, the Wheels, Leather for top and Lining-remainder to be had in Goods at Wholesale cash price of her manufacture. " Signed Providence Nov. 13, 1795.

"STEPHEN OLNEY.

" Receyd of Mrs. Shepard on Account of a chaise 54 yds thick set, (@) 1 8 23 yds Satin bever 4/8 £1 48

1 yd and on Nail of Carpeting, @ 38 0 344

1Syd Carpeting 1 1>71

2 handkerchief's 0 70

£4 18 2"

Manufacture of Straw Goods .- Some years ago the late Judge Staples, of Rhode Island, read before the Rhode Island Historical Society, in Providence, a paper upon the rise and progress of the straw-braid business embracing many facts. He said the straw business began very early in Tuscany and in some of the States of Italy. Bonnets and hats of this mate- rial were imported ready-made into England. Sub- sequently they were made an article of export to the American colonies, and were kept for sale in Provi- dence. In the latter part of the last century Mrs. Naomi Whipple, wife of Col. John Whipple, who kept a store at the foot of Constitution Hill, North Main Street, was celebrated for the taste she displayed in trimming hats and bonnets. The braiding of straw in this country was begun in 1798 by Mrs. Mrs. Whipple (now, at the date of the paper, of Dedham, Mass.). From her several acquired a knowl- edge of the process of braiding. Another account informs us that Mrs. Whipple kept a small mil- linery shop in her husband's store, and that her bonnets came through New York from Europe. She and Hannah (probably Betsey) Metcalf unbraided a piece of the braid and thus learned how it was con- structed. Procuring some straw they successfully imitated the braid, and soon after made and sent a box of her own bonnets to her New York importer. In the summer of 1799 several Providence girls came to a boarding-school in Massachusetts wearing their home-made bonnets, which created no little excitement. One of these, Sally Richmond, came to Wrentham Academy (if this means Day's Academy it is a mis- take as to time, that institution not having been com- menced until some years afterwards; it may be that Mr. Williams' academy at West Wrentham was the one intended). She taught the ladies where she boarded. And in this way straw-braiding was introduced into this State through Wrentham. The first bonnets were made of oat straw flattened, and contained from sixteen to eighteen yards. So popular were these bonnets that no lady was thought to be in style without one, and the demand for them gave a vigorous impulse to the trade, and the sale extended throughout the country. This demand added much to the business of small trading stores by exchange of their goods for straw- braid. The braid thus collected was converted into bonnets, and this led to special manufactories of straw goods.

Messrs. Fisher, Day & Co. entered into this busi ness about the year 1804 and continued until 1816. In the neighboring town of Franklin the Messrs. Thayer carried on the business from about 1810 to

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WRENTHAM.

1816, and subsequently Maj. Davis Thayer con- tinued in the business many years, and it is still car- ried on in the factory of Davis Thayer, Jr., on or near the old site, with greatly enlarged facilities and success. This latter account of the rise and progress of the straw-braid industry may be found in substance in " Dr. Blake's History."

The principal manufacturer of straw-bonnets in Wrentham was Amariah Hall,1 familiarly known as " Bonnet Hall." He began business about 1802 at the house known as the White house, that being the name of its former occupant. This house stood on the site now occupied by our almshouse. One room in this house was appropriated to this purpose, so small was the business then. There were braiders in almost every family. Mr. Hall continued in the business for some years at this place. Afterwards, about 1812 or a little later, Mr. Hall built the house now owned by Daniel Brown and used as a boarding-house for the employes of Messrs. Brown & Cowell. This was built for a hotel by Mr. Hall and occupied by him as such. An addition to the main building was used by him for the manufacture of straw goods which he continued to carry on. A few years after this Mr. Hall failed in business and returned to Raynham, which was his native place. Mr. James Ware took this building and kept a store therein, dealing also in straw goods. He had also, in company with Asa Day,

1 The facts stated in this note are furnished by J. W. D. Hall, of Taunton, Mass. Amariah Hall was sixth in descent from George Hall, one of the first settlers in Taunton, Mass. He was born in Raynham, and after giving up business in Wren- tham returned thither. He was exceedingly fond of music, and composed several of the old tunes which are remembered and sung to this day. This was seventy or eighty years ago. They are named as follows : "Morning Glory," "Summer," "Ca- naan," "Falmouth," "Massachusetts," Raynham," " Restora- tion," " All Saints, New," "Crucifixion," "Solitude," "Con- templation," "China," "Civil Amusement," "Harmony," " Devotion," " Hosanna," " Zion," and others. When he vis- ited Raynham, during his residence at Wrentham, " the choir would get together and sing his tunes in honor of the composer, and old vocalists say that many of his old-fashioned tunes of real harmony were much appreciated."

dealt in straw goods at their store, afterwards known as the " Green Store," on the Norfolk and Bristol turnpike, in Wrentham. Others engaged at later dates in this business, notably Robert Blake, Esq., who acquired a handsome competency for those days and retired. He was one of the unfortunate passen- gers of the ill-fated steamer " Lexington," which was destroyed by fire on Long Island Sound in 1840, and was among the lost. Howard Mann, Esq., also made straw goods in Wrentham, occupying, after his business became large, the same buildings that Mr. Hall, his predecessor, had done. The business done by Mr. Mann and by the copartners, Mann, Swift & Co., was probably larger than had been done by any one indi- vidual or firm before in this place in the same line of business. It is not recollected that any of the manu- facturers of straw goods had previously organized fac- tories or shops with machinery used and shop-hands regularly employed. The old custom of trading straw- braid at the stores in exchange for goods was aban- doned. People who worked in it in a moderate way either sold their braid to the manufacturers or made it up into hats or bonnets and then sold them in their new shape. We have now no means of knowing the number or value of the goods made at the time when Fisher, Day & Co. and Amariah Hall were in the business. They probably made a few thousand hats and bonnets annually. After Mann, Swift & Co. left the business there was a manufactory of straw goods in the westerly part of the town, at Sheldonville, of which Alonzo Follett was the proprietor and manager. This was actively continued until the buildings were destroyed by fire. Mr. B. H. Guild, also, and F. N. Sheldon & Co. subsequently, at different times engaged in the manufacture of straw goods at Sheldonville. After a long interval the business was again revived in the central village by Messrs. John C. and Lyman A. George, and afterwards was carried on for some years by William E. George, under whose energetie administration, supplemented by the increased use of machinery and other facilities, a much greater amount was done than ever before. Mr. George was suc- ceeded by Messrs. Brown & Cowell, who began their work in the factory buildings which had been erected the buildings were destroyed by fire. Mr. Brown erected another building near the site of the former one a few years since, and by the introduction of the sew- ing-machine large quantities of goods are manufac- tured by this firm in the shop which, before its use in making this kind of goods, were made by people at their own firesides in this town and vicinity.

Another composer and teacher also lived in Wrentham, Sam- uel Billings. He resided in the house formerly occupied by Deacon Elijah, and Deacon Smith Pond, in Pondville, where, as my informant, Mrs. J. M. Pond (widow of Deacon Smith), | by Mr. George. They had hardly commenced when says " he wrote his beautiful music," he would compose a tune, perhaps an anthem, and perhaps finish it late at night and then awaken his wife, get her to dress at midnight and sing it over with him. He taught singing schools five evenings in a week for three months at a time. The late Gen. Preston Pond, a well- known teacher and singer, said he found no music so sweet as Billings'. His musical talents were highly appreciated, and for a long time he was a very popular teacher. Deacon Handel Pond, also a native of Wrentham, where he spent most of his years, was a noted teacher and composer. It should have been stated that the Messrs. Ide

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 139

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534