History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 18

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 18

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In 1882, Mr. Jonathan Mann, of Milton, presented the society with a fine bell weighing two thousand

one hundred and sixty pounds. In 1883, the pastor procured pledges for the sum of two thousand two hundred dollars for the erection of a parsonage, and Mr. Mann purchased and presented a lot of land for the purpose, and at the close of the year 1883 the parsonage was completed. The present number of church members is eighty, and the church and society are in a better condition than ever before.

On the 3d day of November, 1858, a Baptist so- ciety was formed at South Dedham by members of the First Baptist Church in West Dedham who lived in South Dedham. The house of worship was dedicated April 25, 1862. The first pastor was the Rev. Joseph B. Breed, and his successors were the Rev. J. J. Tucker, from Sept. 1, 1862, to his death, June 13, 1864; Rev. C. Osborn, from April 5, 1864, to Aug. 25, 1865 ; the Rev. George C. Fair- banks, from Sept. 6, 1866, to March 9, 1869; Rev. Edwin Bromley, from June 6, 1869, to April 6, 1876; Rev. J. H. Gilbert, from Aug. 3, 1876, to -; Rev. W. A. Worthington, from May 4, 1879, to Sept. 12, 1880, and soon after he was succeeded by the Rev. B. W. Barrows, the present pastor.

The church edifice of the Methodist Episcopal Church at East Dedham was dedicated Oct. 12, 1843. As early as 1817, the Rev. Enoch Mudge, with his colleague, Rev. Timothy Merritt, both Meth- odist preachers, had held meetings in Dedham. In 1825 a " class" was formed of twenty members and attached to the church in Dorchester. Methodist meetings from time to time afterwards were held in Dedham, Lower Plains, and Mill Village. In 1842, Mr. J. E. Pond, of Walpole, a local preacher, was engaged to supply every Sabbath, and this year the Rev. C. K. True baptized nine persons. Ser- vices were then held in Trescott's Hall. In 1858 the church edifice was enlarged, and again, during the pastorate of Rev. Z. A. Mudge, in 1880, it was moved, raised, and new vestries put in, and a thoroughly comfortable and commodious house was secured, at an expense of three thousand seven hundred

dollars. Reopening services were held in the church on the evening of Oct. 22, 1880.

The pastors of this church have been Rev. Henry P. Hall, 1844; Rev. J. L. Hanaford, 1845 ; Rev. William R Stone and Leonard P. Frost, 1846 ; Rev. Leonard P. Frost (supplied), 1847; Rev. Daniel Richards, 1848-49 ; Rev. John G. Cary, 1850 ; Rev. Kinsman Atkinson, 1851-52; Rev. Howard C. Durham, 1853-54; Rev. John M. Merrill, 1855- 56; Rev. Augustus Bailey, 1857; Rev. William Pentecost, 1858-59 ; Rev. Mosely Dwight, 1860-61 ; Rev. Ichabod Marcy, 1862-63; Rev. William P. Blackmar, 1864-66; Rev. J. W. P. Jordan, 1867 ; Rev. A. B. Smart (local preacher), 1868-69 ; Rev. F. T. George, 1870; Rev. James A. De Forest, 1871-72; Rev. Z. A. Mudge, 1873-75; Rev. Wil- liam Cottle (local preacher), 1876; Rev. Charles H. Vinton, 1877 ; Rev. John Thompson (local preacher), 1878; Rev. 'Z. A. Mudge, 1879-81; Rev. E. W. Virgin, 1882-84.

On the 29th of October, 1860, it being just forty- two years from the day of his ordination as pastor of the church of the First Parish, the Rev. Alvan Lamson, D.D., resigned his office. Two years pre- vious he had preached a sermon reviewing the forty years of his ministry, and which may be regarded as his farewell discourse. His text on that occasion was from Deut. viii. 4, " These forty years," and it is not often that a minister is permitted to take the retro- spect of so long a ministry himself. Dr. Lamsou's election and ordination as pastor was the occasion of a bitter and prolonged controversy, which resulted in a division of the church and parish, and a resort to litigation. But happily, after the strife which im- mediately followed his ordination had ended, the internal relations of his society became peaceful and harmonious, and so remained during the rest of the forty-two years ; and this was due in a great measure to the character and influence of Dr. Lamson. While from the beginning he was a Unitarian of the school of Channing, and his works and contributions to the reviews were mainly in exposition and support of Unitarian doctrines and some were published as denominational tracts, yet in his pulpit and in his intercourse with his people he avoided controversy upon doctrinal topics. He labored for peace, and he truly says, in his farewell discourse, " a polemic pulpit was always my aversion."1 Dr. Lamson, in his work entitled " The Church of the First Three Centuries,"

1 As an evidence of his desire to conciliate, in 1846 the Rev. Dr. Bates, his predecessor, and a Calvinist, preached in his pulpit by his invitation.

DEDHAM.

embodied his writings upon the views held upon the Trinity by early Christian writers. Besides, he preached many occasional sermons and wrote some tracts, all of which were published in pamphlet form. He was a scholar of extensive research, espe- cially in ecclesiastical history, and his writings are models of pure English, without affectation or redun- dancy. As a preacher, he was plain and straight- forward, and relied upon his theme to interest his hearers. As a man, he was retiring in his manners, but to those who enjoyed his acquaintance he was genial and cordial. In the community where he lived and labored he was known as an active and intelligent promoter of all its interests, and he exerted a strong influence in raising the condition of the public schools at a time when his efforts were needed. He was a careful and patient student of the local history of Dedham, espe- cially as connected with that of the Dedham Church. His sermons published in 1838 and in 1858 contain the results of much research, and form a complete and exhaustive history of the church and parish. He was the first president of the Dedham Historical Society, and attended its meetings so long as his health permitted. He died July 18, 1864, of paral- ysis, at the age of seventy-one years.

In 1861 the Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, D.D., retired from the active labors of his pastoral office, after a ministry of forty years. The fact that both Dr. Lamson and Dr. Burgess should remain as pastors during the same number of years, and for so long a period, is somewhat remarkable. Dr. Burgess was born in Wareham, April 1, 1790, and was graduated at Brown University in 1809. He was a tutor for a time in that college, and afterwards a professor in the University of Vermont. In 1817 he visited the Colony of Liberia under the auspices of the American Colonization Society. He pursued his theological studies at Andover and Princeton. He also studied with Dr. Griffin, at Newark, N. J., and with Dr. Emmons, at Franklin. He adhered to the ancient faith of the early churches of the colony, and the In the church connected with the First Parish, upon the resignation of the Rev. Dr. Lamson in 1860, after the lapse of a few months the Rev. Benjamin H. Bailey was ordained as pastor March 14, 1861, and he remained until Oct. 13, 1867, when he re- signed. He was succeeded by Rev. George M. Fol- som, installed March 31, 1869, and resigned July 1, 1875. The Rev. Seth Curtis Beach was installed as his successor Dec. 29, 1875, and is the present in- cumbent. In 1856 the parish erected a vestry, which was much enlarged and improved in 1879, at a cost of about three thousand three hundred dollars. modifications of creeds which occurred during his time, even in his own denomination, did not affect his own belief. He was a Puritan in doctrine and in practice. He viewed with distrust the innovations upon old customs and practices in religious worship, such as the introduction of the organ in sacred music. He was a minister of the old school, impos- ing in his presence and precise but courteous in his manners. He was inflexible in adhering to his con- victions of duty, and to the prerogatives of a pas- tor. He was faithful and devoted to his pastoral duties, and during all his 'ministry was liberal in his | The old meeting-house of 1763, which was remod-

charities, and gave largely from the ample means at his command, not only to his own church and society, but to Christian missions, in which he took a great interest. His sermons were concise in expression, and his manner as a preacher was dignified and im- pressive. Dr. Burgess wrote little for the press. In 1840, he edited a volume of sermons of the pastors of the First Church, entitled " Dedham Pulpit ;" he wrote for Sprague's " Annals" a "Reminiscence of Samuel J. Mills" in 1849, and the " Burgess Geneal- ogy," published in 1865. He died Dec. 5, 1870, at his estate, " Broad Oak," where he had built a man- sion many years before, and continued to reside after his withdrawal from the ministry, in 1861. He was the president of the Dedham Institution for Savings from the date of its organization until his death.

In the church and society of the Third Parish in West Dedham the Rev. Calvin S. Locke was ordained as the successor of the Rev. John White (who died Feb. 1, 1852), on the 6th day of December, 1854. Mr. Locke remained the pastor until June, 1864. After a vacancy of two years, the Rev. Henry Westcott was with the society one year, and Rev. Elisha Gifford received a call Aug. 12, 1867, and resigned March 11, 1872. The Rev. Edward Crowninshield began his ministry Jan. 1, 1873, and closed his pastoral connection May 31, 1879. The Rev. George W. Cooke has been the pastor since December, 1880. In the summer and autumn of 1855, repairs costing upwards of twelve hundred dollars were made in the church edifice. The floor was raised, a lower and more elegant pulpit was substituted for the old one, the walls and ceiling frescoed, and the pews exchanged for concentric seats. The Ladies' Benevolent Society carpeted, cushioned, and furnished the church. The new horse-sheds were built in 1869. The Rev. Mr. Locke, on the 7th of December, 1879, preached an occasional sermon, which was printed, and from which these facts are taken. The church was struck by lightning and seriously damaged in April, 1883.

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

eled and improved in 1819, was again remodeled in 1857 in the interior, by removing the pews and sub- stituting the concentric seats for the pews, and the erection of a new and lower pulpit, placed in a recess at one end of the church. At the same time a large and excellent organ was placed in the gallery, built by the Messrs. Hook.

The " New Meeting-House," as it was called in the act of incorporation, and which title was retained until 1864, was much improved and refitted with a pulpit of rosewood in 1846. In 1857 a large and superior- toned organ was placed in a recess behind the pulpit. In 1866, the whole interior was remodeled and made more convenient. In 1864, the society was reorgan- ized under the name of the " Allin Evangelical Soci- ety," and the church in 1876 adopted the name of the " First Congregational Church in Dedham."

The Rev. Jonathan Edwards was installed as pas- tor of the church Jan. 1, 1863. He was dismissed | at his own request, on account of continued ill health, April 13, 1874. The Rev. Charles M. Southgate was installed as his successor Dec. 16, 1875, and he still continues to be pastor of the church. The con-

The services of the Roman Catholic Church began about the year 1846, and were at first held in private houses. Afterwards services were held in Temperance Hall until 1857. St. Mary's Church, on Washington Street, was built and completed in 1857. The Rev. fession of faith now in use was adopted in March, | P. O'Beirne, of Roxbury, was the priest who had 1875. The membership of this church Jan. 1, 1884, was three hundred and eleven. In 1876 the chapel connected with the church edifice was much enlarged and improved, at a cost of four thousand five hundred dollars.

On the 7th day of December, 1856, St. Paul's (Episcopal) Church, erected in 1846, was wholly consumed by fire, with its organ and all its contents. The loss was a severe one to the parish, and to the village, since it was a tasteful and attractive church. Both the Unitarian and Orthodox Con- gregational Churches immediately tendered the use of their houses of worship to the parish of St. Paul's

stone, and of somewhat larger proportions. The wealthier parishioners made large subscriptions. The stone was given by the heirs of John Bullard, from their quarry about a mile and a half from the village. The architect was Arthur Gilman, of Boston, and I. & H. M. Harmon were the contractors. The church was finished and the tower carried up two stories. The organ was given by Mr. Joseph W. Clark, and the stained-glass windows, made by Doremus, of New York, were the gift of Mr. Ira Cleveland. The stone font was the gift of Mrs. E. F. Babcock, the wife of the rector. The cost of the church thus con-

structed was eighteen thousand three hundred and thirty-six dollars and fifty-one cents.

In 1859 the tower and spire were finished, at an additional cost of twelve thousand one hundred and forty-three dollars and eighty-one cents. In 1875 the brick chapel was erected, at a cost, including the furniture, of about seven thousand dollars, and paid for from a legacy given to the parish for the purpose by George E. Hatton, M.D., in his last will. The interior decorations, made by Mr. Arthur Noble in 1882 and 1883, were also given by Mr. Cleveland, at an expense of three thousand five hundred dollars. The organ was also remodeled and enlarged in 1882, at the expense of Mr. J. W. Clark, the original donor. In 1881, Mr. Cleveland placed the chime of ten bells in the tower of the church, made by Meneely & Co., of Troy, N. Y., and costing five thousand three hun- dred and forty dollars.

charge of the parish from 1846 to 1866. The old meeting-house of the Universalist Society in South Dedham was sold in April, 1863, to the Rev. P. O'Beirne. It has since been enlarged and improved, and is known as St. Catherine's Church. The Rev. J. P. Brennan had charge of the parish from 1866 to 1877. The Rev. J. D. Tierney was curate during a portion of this time, and the Rev. D. J. O'Donavan was curate during the remainder. The Rev. D. J. O'Donavan was the priest in charge from January, 1877, to August, 1878.

In June, 1866, Martin Bates, the owner of the hotel last known as the Norfolk House, and which Church, which offers were declined with thanks, and , had been kept as a hotel for many years, conveyed the use of the court-room in the court-house was ob- that estate to Ann Alexis Shorb and others, Sisters tained for the purpose of holding their services. Im- , of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in trust for mediate measures were taken to rebuild the church of the use of St. Mary's School and Asylum. The

Sisters of Charity had a school in this building from 1867 to 1879, since which time it has been sus- pended.

The land and house for parsonage, and the adjoin- ing land for a church site, were purchased by the Rev. J. P. Brennan in June, 1867. The Rev. Robert J. Johnson took charge of the parish in August, 1878, with the Rev. J. J. McNulty as curate. In 1878 a church was built at East Ded- ham, and is known as St. Raphael's Church. The Rev. Mr. Johnson now has charge over the two churches in Dedham and St. Catherine's, in Norwood.

DEDHAM.

The corner-stone of the new church now being erected on High Street was laid Oct. 17, 1880. It is one hundred and fifty feet in length, and sixty-six feet in width. It is being built of Dedham granite, and when completed will be the largest and most im- posing church of the town. It is estimated that the number of Roman Catholics in Dedham is about two thousand. The number of scholars in the Sunday- school of St. Mary's Church is about four hundred.

In 1852, a part of Dedham was set off to West Roxbury. Previous to this time the territory of Dedham had extended some distance north of Charles River, but by the legislative act of 1852 the centre of the channel of Charles River became the boundary- line between West Roxbury and Dedham, from Cow Island Pond to a point about one hundred and fifty rods easterly of Blue Rock Bridge. The same line is now the boundary-line between Dedham and Boston.

In the same year, a small portion of the territory of Dedham was annexed to Walpole. A considerable portion of the village of East Walpole stands upon the portion of Dedham then annexed to Walpole.

In 1853 the Dedham Gas-Light Company was in- corporated, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. This company has its works at East Dedham. In 1871 the name was changed to the Dedham and Hyde Park Gas Company, for the purpose of extend- ing its pipes to Hyde Park. This company continues to supply gas for lighting the streets and houses in Dedham village and East Dedham, and to some ex- tent in the neighboring town of Hyde Park.

In 1862 the Dedham Historical Society was in- corporated " for the purpose of collecting and pre- serving such books, newspapers, records, pamphlets, and traditions as may tend to illustrate and perpetuate the history of New England, and especially the his- tory of the town of Dedham." This society has a valuable collection, especially of books and pamphlets relating to the history of Dedham. It also has one of the hand corn-mills imported by Governor Win- throp, a sermon by the Rev. John Allin printed in 1672, together with many other objects of interest. The society has needed for many years a suitable room or building where its collection could be ar- ranged and made accessible. For a number of years it has been stored in a small room in the court-house, but this is quite insufficient for the purpose. With a suitable building, and a fund sufficient for the care and preservation of its collection, this society would be able to attract to itself and its purposes a much greater interest than it has succeeded in doing here- tofore.

The officers of the society for 1883-84 are Henry O. Hildreth, president; Alfred Heuries, vice-presi- dent ; Rev. Carlos Slafter, corresponding secretary ; Waldo Colburn, Erastus Worthington, Henry W. Richards, curators; A. Ward Lamson, George F. Fisher, auditors ; Don Gleason Hill, historiographer ; George F. Fisher, chronicler.

CHAPTER XI.

DEDHAM-(Continued).

The Civil War, 1861-65-Companies of Dedham Men-Their Services in the War-Commodore G. J. Van Brunt-Expenses of the War for Bounties and Aid to Soldiers' Families-Me- morial Hall-Names of those who Fell Inscribed on the Tablets.

AT the beginning of the civil war in 1861, there was no militia company in Dedham. None had ex- isted since 1842. There were a few men residing in Dedham who belonged to the regiments of volunteer militia, and they at once joined their companies and went to Washington for three months' service. But the inhabitants of Dedham, while they differed as to the political causes of the war, were united in their efforts to sustain the President in his call for seventy- five thousand volunteers. The young men immedi- ately took steps to form a company, in anticipation that their services would soon be required. The ladies with great promptness forwarded to the Gov- ernor, on the 23d of April, sixty flannel shirts for the soldiers about to depart. The town, at a meeting legally called on the 6th of May, by formal resolution I pledged itself " to stand by the volunteers and protect their families during the war," and appropriated ten thousand dollars for this general purpose. The first company was formed early in May, and while waiting to be assigned to some regiment the men employed themselves in perfecting their drill. The town sup- plied them with uniforms, and allowed them com- pensation during a certain period. In August, this company was mustered into the service of the United States as Company F, Eighteenth Regiment, Massa- chusetts Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was com- manded by Col. James Barnes, a graduate of West Point, an officer possessing high qualifications, as was subsequently proved. All the commissioned officers and fifty-six men of this company belonged in Dedham. Its officers were Henry Onion, captain, with Charles W. Carroll as first lieutenant, and Fisher A. Baker as second lieutenant, the two latter having recently graduated from Dartmouth College. Nine Dedham

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

men also enlisted in Company H of the same regi- ment. On the 26th of August, they left for the seat of war. They parted from their friends expecting a short campaign and a speedy return, so little was the | nature of the conflict understood at its beginning. The regiment was assigned to Martindale's brigade, and, after being engaged in drill and working on the fortifications of Washington, on the 26th of Septem- ber it took up its position at Hall's Hill, Va. Here the company spent the winter in camp. The ladies sent them a supply of garments, and the citizens generally sent them a feast for New-Year's day. Some of their | townsmen visited them in camp, and a few obtained furloughs to visit their homes. Three deaths oc- curred during the winter, Sergt. Damrell and privates Guild and Stevens, whose remains were brought home for burial.

Cox, Sumner A. Ellis, Patrick Mears, and Isaac N. Parker were wounded, and soon after discharged by reason of their wounds.

The first rumors of this disastrous battle reached Dedham on Sunday, Aug. 31, 1862. On the day previous, a telegraphic dispatch had been published that the enemy were retreating to the mountains. Special messengers had been sent to many of the towns near Boston, and the services in the churches of the village were interrupted with the announce- ment that a great battle had been fought, and a call made for lint, bandages, and stimulants. The re- ligious services were at once suspended, and men, women, and children went to work with a will. Six- teen large packages of necessary articles, including a large amount of clothing, bandages, lint, jellies, cor- dials, were sent on that Sunday afternoon, and more was afterwards dispatched.

On the 28th of October, 1861, Capt. Onion resigned his commission, and Lieut. Carroll was commissioned ! After the close of the Peninsular campaign the President had called for three hundred thousand men for three years, and the quota assigned to Massachu- setts was fifteen thousand. Of this number the quota of Dedham was sixty-nine. In the autumn and winter previous, a number of Dedham men had also enlisted in the Twentieth, Twenty-second, and Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry, and were then at the seat of war. The realities of war had been fully brought home to the people, and the quota of Dedham was to be raised in view of them. The recruiting was carried on under as captain, Second Lieut. Baker as first lieutenant, and Edward M. Onion as second lieutenant. The com- pany with its regiment served during the Peninsular campaign, but during all the battles before Richmond, the Eighteenth was detached from its brigade and did not participate in the engagements. Private Jordan, of Company H, who had left his company, was killed while in the ranks of the Ninth Regiment. In the battle at Gaines' Mills Adjt. Thomas Sherwin, of the Twenty-second Massachusetts Infantry, was wounded, and was promoted major for gallant conduct, his com- the direction of the selectmen thenceforward during mission dating June 28th, the day succeeding the battle.

the war. On the 21st of July the town voted to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer, with aid to families, and appropriated six thousand nine hundred dollars for the bounties. A large and impressive meeting was held July 10th, before the legal town-meeting. A roll was opened and a call pany, seven were either killed or died afterwards of , made for volunteers. The first man to sign the roll was the father of the boy who had been killed at been recently graduated at Harvard College, and was just beginning his professional studies. A third announced his purpose in earnest words, to which subsequently a severe wound received in battle, nearly a year's confinement in four rebel prisons, and ad- hering to his regiment to the last day of its service, bore ample testimony.

In the series of battles prior to the second battle of Bull Run, the Eighteenth bore a prominent part, being attached to Porter's corps. In the battle of Bull Run it suffered severely. Of the Dedham com- wounds then received, and five others were wounded more or less severely. Among them was Carroll, the | Gaines' Mills. Another was a young man who had brave young captain, who fell mortally wounded, and was left on the field within the enemy's lines, where he died three days after. He was decently buried on the field, but his'remains were subsequently brought home. Corp. Edward Holmes, privates Robert R. Covey, George O. Kingsbury, and Henry D. Smith were killed on the field. Privates Edmund L. Thomas and George N. Worthen lingered, mortally wounded, but a few days in the hospitals, and died soon after, the former near Washington and the latter at Philadelphia. It is stated that of forty men of the company who were engaged, fourteen only came out unharmed. Of Company F, Corp. William Simpson and privates Elias W. Adams, Edward G.

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 18

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