History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 196

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 196

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

circumstance makes it always inconvenient & sometimes im- practicable for the Inhabitants of either of said Parishes to attend Town Meeting as they have been usually held for some years past, by reason of the great distance of way & sometimes impassable roads .-

"Therefore, your Petitioners humbly pray that the lands within the said first Parish & the Inhabitants thereof, (except those persons and their property that wish to remain with the Town of Stoughton,) may be incorporated into a Distinct and separate Town. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

"Stoughton, Apr1 17th, 1795.

Elijah Dunbar.

Rodolpis Kinsley.

Benj'n Gill.

Wm. Crane.

Nathan Crane.

James Reed.

Elijah Crane.

Lemuel Davenport.

Joseph Bemis. Sam'l Capen (2d).

Ebenezer Holmes.

William McKendry.

Edward Downs.

Ezekiel Fisher. Samuel Canterbury.

David Hartwell.

Thomas Allen.

Jno. Kenney, Jr.

Jarath'l Crane.

Charles Fenno.

Silas Crane.

Sam'l Wales.

Elijah Crane (2d).

Nath'l Hill.

James Endicott.

Moses Baker.

George Jordan.

Redmon Spurr.

Luther May.

Thomas French.

Henry Bailey.

Michael Shaller.

George Crossman.

Sam'l Strobridge.

Joseph Chandler.

Isaac Billing.

Richard Wild.

Seth Strobridge.

Benjamin Lyon.

Archibill McKendry.

Sam'l Morse.

Samuel Gooch.

John Capen (2d).

Lem. Tant.

Benj'n Wentworth.

John Wentworth.

Enoch Dickerman.

Ezekiel Johnson.

Oli'r Wentworth.

John Puffer.

Josiah Tilden.

Abel Puffer.

Nath'l Wentworth.

Ephraim Hunt.

Jonathan Farrington.

David Talbot.

John Billing.

Nathaniel Pitt.

Nath'l Whiting.

William Bent.

Daniel Tucker.

Nath'l Fisher.

Adam Blackman, Jr.

John Kenney.

Samuel Blackman.

James HI. Lewis.

Nathaniel Kenney.

Laban Lewis.

Jno. Blackman.

Benj'n Bussey.

Benj'n Lewis.

Elijah Puffer.

George Blackman.

Lem'l Whiting.

John Withington.

Sam'l Tucker.

Sam. Morse, Jun'r.

Simeon Tucker.

Henry Morse.

Samuel Tucker, Jr.

Elijah Gill.

Benjamin Tucker.

Lem'l Fisher.

Benjamin Sylvester.

Abel Wentworth.

John Madden.

Abel Fisher.

James Tucker.

Comfort Hoyton.

Elisha Haws.

Paul Wentworth.

Elijah Wentworth.

Elijah Fenno.

Joseph Henry.

Jacob Billings. Stephen Billings. Nath'l Billing.

James Smith.

John Morse.

Nathan Billing.

Ephraim Smith.

Peter Billing.

Amos Upham.

Judah Henry.

John Dunlop.

Oliver Shepard.

John Gill.

Israel Bailey.

Arunah Wentworth.

Jona. Billing.

Joses Hill.

Dudley Bailey.

Henry Crane.

George Stone.

Nath'l Shepard.

Daniel Billing.

Henry Morse, Jr.

Enoch Leonard.

John Tant.

Wm. Shepard. Elijah Endicott.

John Tant, Jr.

William Wheeler.

Lemuel Smith (2d).

Samuel Wheeler.

Joseph Stearns.

Sam'l Billing.

Thomas Shepard.

Joseph Billings.

Richard Gridley.

John Tucker.

Uriah Leonard.

Nath'I Tilden.

Calvin Crane.

Ephraim Jones. Peter Thayer, Jun.

Seth Wentworth.

Silas Kinsley.

Philip Whiting.

Oliver Downs."

At the date of this petition there were but one hundred and forty voters in the parish, so that there were on this paper three names in excess of the entire number of legal voters.

The petition was presented to the General Court June 11th, and an order of notice thereon issued, returnable at a later day. Stoughton, in the mean time, chose a committee, consisting of Samuel Talbot, Samuel Shepard, Joseph Richards, and James Pope, to oppose the petition.

Jan. 20, 1796, a remonstrance, signed by Lemuel Drake and one hundred and sixty-nine others, was presented in the House, being an excess of fifteen names over and above the whole number of legal voters in the Second Parish,-in fact, a few names from the First Parish were upon this remon- strance.

On June 10, 1776, the committees of the parish, and of the town, agreed that the matter should be referred to the Hon. Seth Bullard, of the Senate, and Judge Bullock, of Rehoboth, and Mr. Joseph Hewins, of Sharon, of the House. This committee was in- structed to visit the town, hear the parties, and report thereon. They spent four days in this service, and on Sept. 3, 1796, made their report in favor of an act of incorporation, and on the 23d of February, in the year 1797, the town of Canton was duly in- corporated.

On February 24th, Thomas Crane, Esq., issued his warrant to Laban Lewis, requiring him to warn the qualified voters to meet at the meeting-house in Can- ton on the 6th of March following, at one of the clock P.M., then and there to choose all such officers as towns are required by law to elect.

First Town Officers .- At a meeting held in pursuance of this warrant, Elijah Dunbar, Esq., was chosen moderator, and Elijah Crane, town clerk ; Elijah Crane, Deacon Benjamin Tucker, and Col.

Stephen Blake.

Fisher Kingsbury.

Adam Blackman.

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CANTON.

Nathan Crane, selectmen and assessors, and Joseph Bemis, town treasurer.

On April 3d the first meeting of the new town was held for the election of Governor, and Increase Sumner had thirty-nine votes, James Sullivan twenty, Edward H. Robbins ten, Moses Gill seven, and Wil- liam Heath one.

May 1st. Elijah Crane, the first representative, was elected by a unanimous vote.

On the same day there was voted,-

For highways. $983.17 For salary of Rev. Zachariah Howard, for 1797

300.00

And at an adjourned meeting,-

For town charges $800.00 500.00

For schooling

In 1798 the town voted for highways $1000, town charges $600, schooling $500, Mr. Howard's salary $300, and also voted to clapboard the back end of the meeting-house, and board and clapboard the back side of the belfry, also to paint the house.

These votes, and some that follow, will sound strangely to us at this day, when the town has noth- ing to do with the building or repair of meeting- houses or the support of the ministry, and every in- dividual selects for his favor and support such church as best suits him, and is under no obligation to sup- port any other. On the same page of the record above is a registry of a certificate of a committee of the denomination of Quakers, chosen at their monthly meeting, held at Lynn, "that Jonathan Leonard of Canton, doth belong to said Society." Such certifi- cates were then necessary in order to relieve the person from liability to taxation for parish purposes. Many present will remember Mr. Leonard, who was engaged with Adam Kinsley in the manufacture of iron and steel, and was usually called " Quaker Leon- ard." The house in which he lived now forms a part of the Massapoag House.

In 1799, at a meeting held in December, an ar- ticle was inserted in the warrant, " to see if the town will procure and set up a stove in the meeting house, for the convenience and comfort of those who attend Public Worship in the winter season," and the article was dismissed.

In 1800 we find the town instructing their repre- sentative to petition the General Court, and use his influence, to get the fine remitted that was imposed upon the town for not sending a representative to the General Court in 1799.

In 1802 this entry appears upon the records :

" Voted that the selectmen procure Lombard de Poplar trees at the expense of the town, and that they notify the inhabitants to assist in setting them out without expense to the town."

In this manner, doubtless, the poplar-trees, so common many years ago, were introduced.

1803. I select these passages : April 4th, " Voted that the selectmen post notification in the Belfry, calling on Youth and others not to make a tarry in Belfry after Public Worship is begun."

Again, May 2d, " Voted that Joseph Bemis, William Wheeler, Henry Bailey, Capt. Abner Crane, Benj. Lewis, and Adam Kinsley, be a committee to deliberate on the subject of En- larging the Singers' Pew, as also, the subject of singing in general, to the end that that part of publick worship may be performed with conveniency, decency and in good order."

In 1805, this vote, "That Henry Bailey, Joseph Bemis and Jona. Leonard, be a committee to hear the aggrieved parties as respects their time and expense in search for Jack Battus, (the murderer of the young girl Talbot,) and report at April meet- ing."

At April meeting sixteen persons were allowed, in all, $46.50 for this service.

March 7, 1808. " Voted to pay a bounty of one dollar per head or tail, for every Rattlesnake absolutely taken & killed within the town in the months of April, May & October the present year."

Practically this was very much like offering a bounty of two dollars for each snake killed, and very likely it was found to be so, for the next year the town voted the same sum for rattlesnakes' tails, and cautioned the treasurer " to guard against deception when he is applied to for such bounties."

May 2d. At the election for the choice of a repre- sentative, Mr. Bemis, who had been the representa- tive for eight successive years, and was a candidate for re-election, was also the town clerk. His record reads thus : "The votes being given in, sorted and counted, it appeared that Dea. Ben. Tucker had 32 votes, Joseph Bemis had 29 votes, and Andrew Capen 1 vote, and of course," says the record, " Dea. Benj. Tucker was elected."

War of 1812 .- The war of 1812 now begins to be recognized in the records of the town. May 4th, voted to make up the pay for persons volunteering to fill up the quota of one hundred thousand men to fourteen dollars per month, if they go into actual service.

August 15th. It was voted that such addition be made to the pay of those persons who were drafted from this town under the last requisition of the Presi- dent of the United States as shall make their monthly pay eighteen dollars.

September 12th. The town voted to furnish each non-commissioned officer and soldier with sixty rounds of ball-cartridges, and directed the selectmen imme- diately to purchase six hundred pounds of pork, two hundred pounds of beef, and eight hundred pounds of bread, for supplying the militia of the town, when I called to defend their country. And also to procure

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

covered baggage-wagons, to be in readiness to accom- pany the militia when called to the service of their country.

We have no means of giving a statement of the number of men furnished for the defense of the country in this war. The rolls are all in the custody of the United States, at Washington.

It is, however, apparent that the town was in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war, and could brook no opposition. It appears that in 1813 the Rev. Edward Richmond, of Stoughton, preached a sermon in Mr. Richey's (Ritchie's) pulpit, on fast-day, in which it is supposed he denounced the war. The town took the matter in hand. On the 5th of April a committee of fifteen made this report :

"Gentlemen of the town,-Your committee, appointed to take into consideration the subject of the Rev. Edward Rich- mond's fast day sermon have attended the duty assigned them, and do recommend that the town pass a vote expressive of their disapprobation that the Rev. Edward Richmond should here- after be introduced into the Desk of Canton Meeting House on Lord's Days, Fast Days, Thanksgiving Days, and Lecture Days, as a teacher of Religious Morality, &c., and that the Town Clerk be directed to serve the Rev. William Richey with a copy thereof without delay. ELIJAH DUNBAR, per order."

The clerk certifies that the above vote was taken by yeas and nays, and it passed in the affirmative.

April 1, 1816. A committee reported that they had purchased for the town Mr. Andrew Capen's farm for two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars. This is the present town farm, which was afterwards sold and again purchased of Mr. Elisha White, about the year 1837. Mr. Andrew Capen was the father of Nahum Capen, Esq., the able author of the " His- tory of Democracy," and formerly postmaster of Bos- ton.

May 6, Art. II., " To see if the town will give a bounty on crows' heads the present year."

Voted, on motion of Gen. Elijah Crane, "that every man kill his own crows."

Nov. 27, 1819. In the warrant for town-meeting this article was inserted on petition :

" To see if the town will express their opinion, as there are three Religious Societies within the town, whether they are willing to raise, in any case, any sum of money as a town, for ministerial purposes."

Dec. 6. On that article it was " Voted that the town of Can- ton do not raise any money in future, as a town, for ministerial purposes."

From the date of that vote we think the town had no further connection with parish affairs, thus antici- pating legislation fourteen years, for the statute dis- severing the parishes from the towns did not pass till April 1, 1834.

First School-house in Canton .- The first school-

house built in this town stood somewhere near the spot where the present school-house in District No. 1 now stands. We give below the only record we can find of its building, with one or two other incidental votes :

March 28, 1734. " It was put to vote whether ye town would build a School house and it past in ye affirmative, also voted to grant a tax of twenty Pounds to be laid out in building said house and that said School house should be set on ye Town's land near ye Meeting House."

May 20, 1734. "The same day it was put to vote whether the town would petition ye General Court that some of ye prov- ince Land might be granted to this town to enable it to sup- port and maintain ye School herein and it past in ye affirma- tive."

At the same meeting, William Royal, Esq., was chosen " to prefer the foregoing petition."

June 7, 1734. " Voted that there be a Com'tee chosen to build a School house in this town, and the Com'tee chosen were Ens'gn Charles Wentworth, Lev't William Billings and Mr. Preserved Lyon."

"The same day voted that there be four men appointed to take care of ye boys in our Meeting house in time of Publick Worship on Sabbath Days in order to restrain them from play and that they take care of them one quarter of year each and ye men appointed to s'd service are William Wheeler, Philip Liscom, Jun'r, Joseph Hewins, Jun'r, and Richard Hixson.

Sept. 22, 1735. " The same day an accompt of forty shillings was laid before ye Town by ye Com'tee Chosen to build ye School House and then put to vote whether ye town would allow said forty shillings and it past in ye affirmative."

Sept. 29, 1740. " Voted that Sixty Pounds be allowed out of the hundred Pounds granted for Town charges be improved for keeping of School in the several places where it hath been here- tofore kept, as also at a place in Town called York s'd Money to be drawn out of ye Treasury by the persons living in said places as the Select men shall order."

March 19, 1734-44. "Voted that the money that shall be appropriated for the use of ye School in this town ye ensuing year shall be received by each Precinct in such proportion as each precinct pay to ye Province Tax for s'd year."

May 21, 1744. " Voted that the sixth article in ye Warrant, relating to the Building Two School houses, viz. one in ye Sec- ond and one in the third Precinct in this town, in such places as each precinct shall appoint, be continued til the next Town Meeting."

Sept. 26, 1744. " To see if ye Town will pass a vote to build Two School Houses, one in ye second and one in ye third pre- cinct in this town (in such places as each precinct shall appoint) be continued til ye next town meeting."

The school money was divided as by the vote of March 19, 1743-44, for several years succeeding.

March 21, 1747-48. " It being put to vote whether the town would alow ye Second and third precinct in this town to draw out of ye Treasury each precinct's proportionable part of ye Fifty Pounds which was paid by ye Town in general for build- ing a School house in ye first Precinct and it passed in ye Neg- ative."

In the early days the inhabitants were, to a very great extent, located in the central and northerly parts of the town ; this continued even to a comparatively

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CANTON.

recent period. Here stood the old meeting-houses ; the post-office, the taverns, and the stores were here. A person of sixty or sixty-five years of age may well remember when there were but twenty dwellings, or thereabouts, on the old Taunton road, between the house of Mr. Samuel Downes and the Sharon line, and but half a dozen at the Stone-Factory Village. Now the southerly portion of the town contains, by far, the larger part of the population, four of the five churches, the banks, nearly all the stores, and most of the manufactories. In this town, as every- where else, the century now closed has witnessed the feeble commencement, as also the full development of our manufacturing industries. As already shown, it was the policy of Great Britain to discourage manu- factures in the colonies. Independence gave our people their opportunity, and well have they improved it. One hundred years ago this was, perforce, an agricultural town. Now the people are devoted to manufacturing pursuits.

CHAPTER LXXII.

CANTON-(Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

First Congregational Church-Organization-The Covenant of 1717-The First Pastor, Rev. Joseph Morse-Tne First Cele- bration of the Lord's Supper-The First Deacons-Extracts from the Early Records-List of those who joined the Church during Mr. Morse's Ministry-Death of Mr. Morse-Inven- tory of his Estate-Rev. Samuel Dunbar-Rev. Z. Howard -Rev. William Richey-Rev. Benjamin Huntoon-Succeed- ing Pastors-Church Buildings-Evangelical Congregational Church-Baptist Church-Universalist Church-Roman Ca- tholic Church.

First Congregational Church .- As the history of the First Congregational Church was for more than one hundred years practically the history of the town, it is here given in detail, the facts being taken from the official records.

This society was organized Oct. 13, 1717, and Rev. Joseph Morse was ordained pastor. At his or- dination five churches were represented, namely, Mil- ton, Dorchester, Dedham, and the two churches in Braintree. Rev. John Danforth, of Dorchester, preached the ordination sermon from Hebrews xiii. 17.

Twenty persons owned the covenant, ten of whom were members of neighboring churches.

The church covenant "that was agreed upon by the Revª Elders and Messengers with the Brethren that were to be in the foundation of said church"

was stated under eight heads, and was signed by Jo- seph Morse, Richard Smith, Peter Lyon, Samuel Andrews, Joseph Esti, Isaac Stearns, Benjamin Black- man, Joseph Hewins, George Talbot, John Withing- ton (who were members of neighboring churches be- fore the ordination), and Benjamin Esti, Thomas Spurr, Joseph Topliff, Robert Pelton, John Went- worth, David Stone, Benjamin Gill, William Wheeler, Edward Bailey, Samuel Hartwell (who were non- communicants, but yet examined and approbated by the reverend elders some time before the ordination, -viz., June 26th-27th,-for to be of the foundation of the church when gathercd). " Also, our aged Brother Samuel Pitcher of Milton Church was looked upon as one of the foundation of our church. But he was not able to be present at the Ordination and died about a Month after. Those Brethren that did belong to Milton Church before the ordination, namely, Sam1 Pitcher, Richard Smith, Peter Lyon and George Talbot not having obtained their dismis- sion from Milton Church before the Ordination were not actually and personally in signing the Covenant and in being of the foundation on that day, but sometime after, when they had obtained their dismis- sion they signed the Covenant and came up in full with the rest of their Brethren, all except Samuel Pitcher whom the Lord removed by Death Nov. 231, 1717, the next day after our first church meeting. Also, John Withington being ill at the ordination and not present that day signed the Covenant after- wards."

The following is an abbreviation of the church covenant agreed upon to be that form of covenant that those persons should engage in and lay hold of who are received into full communion in this church :

"YOU DO HERE, in the presence of Almighty God and his People solemnly take and chuse the Lord Jehovah to be your God, promising and covenanting with his help to fear him and cleave to him in love and to serve him in truth with all your heart giving up yourself and your seed after you in covenant with God and this Church to be the Lord's entirely and to be at his disposal and direction in all things, that you may have and hold communion with him and this church as a member of Christ's mystical body, according to his revealed will to your lives' end.

"You do also take the holy scriptures to be your rule of life to walk by wherein you may discern the mind of Christ, and endeavoring to live in the faithful improvement of all oppor- tunities to worship God, according to all his GOSPEL INSTITU- TIONS, taking the great Immanuel the Son of God to be your Savior and Redeemer in all his offices, promising to afford your attendance upon the public dispensation of God's Word, the Administration of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, especially that of the Lord's Supper, as God in his holy providence shall give you opportunity.

"You also engage, with the Lord's help by virtue of the death of Christ, to mortify all sin and disorderly or vile and

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

sinful affections and to abstain from all sin, especially from scandalous sins, as the Lord shall keep you, that you may not depart from the living God, and that you may live a life of holiness and obedience to the revealed will of God .- You promise you will peaceably submit yourself to the IIoly Disci- pline appointed by Jesus Christ in his Church and you do now offer yourself up to the Care, Government, and Watch of this church, obeying them that have the rule over you in the Lord. Of the integrity of your Heart herein you call God the searcher of all hearts to witness, beseeching him to enable you to keep this Covenant inviolably to God's glory and your own spiritual good and edification and where you shall fail in observing and keeping it you beg the Lord's forgiveness and pardon and heal- ing for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ."

How the salary of Rev. Mr. Morse was raised, and how much it was, will appear from the following vote, from the " Book of Records" :

" At a precinct meeting legally warned in Dorchester April the 20th 1716, Samuel Andrews Moderator-the same day it was voted that the Inhabitants of said precinct would give to Mr. Joseph Morse forty pounds annually so long as he shall uphold and perform the work of the ministry among them."

The same day it was voted that there should be fifteen pounds raised by rate upon the inhabitants and ratable estates within this precinct, and laid out upon the meeting-house as far as that would go towards the finishing of it.

Five pounds more rate were voted to defray the necessary charges of said precinct. A committee, consisting of John Fenno and Richard Hixson, were chosen to receive the money that was granted for the meeting-house and for other necessary charges arising within said precinct, and to hire workmen to doe the work about the meeting-house and to pay them for their work. At a precinct meeting legally warned, July 11, 1716, Joseph Hewins, moderator, it was voted that there should be four shillings levied upon the poll in the minister's rate this present year. The same day it was voted in the affirmative that the assessors receive and pay Mr. Morse his salerey, and that the constable should make up his accounts with him.

The constable's receipt was as follows :

ye 21 of : Then Constable Sam'll Bullard Broft a recept in March full from under ye hand of ye Reverend Mr. Morse

1712 unto ye assessor of this precinct of ye Ministerial 20 Rate comitted unto Sion Bullard to collect in ye yeare 1716

On Dec. 8, 1717, there was a contribution in the whole congregation for furnishing the Lord's table of £3 3s. 1d. The first celebration of the Lord's Supper was on Feb. 9, 1718. The first public baptism took place Oct. 20, 1713, four years before the church gathering, when ten children and one adult were bap- tized by Rev. Mr. Danforth. The town of Dorchester had granted thirty pounds towards building a meeting-

house, thirty feet square, which was finished in 1708, eight years after the birth of the first white person, Thankful Redman, who was born in a house which stood on the spot where the house of Hon. Henry L. Pierce now stands.

At the church meeting held May 15, 1718, " It was agreed upon to set apart a Day for fasting and prayer by the Church, and to hold it in the Meeting House, for to seek the Lord's favor and the smiles of His Countenance to rest on this Church and Congre- gation, and that Religion and Godliness might be advanced, and the peace and prosperity of both Church and Congregation might be continued and enlarged by God Almighty." Accordingly, the 4th day of June, 1718, was so kept.

Dec. 5, 1718. A church meeting after a great sickness, to spend some time in prayer, and to dis- course about things appertaining to the Church. " Note. In the month of September, 1718, was a great sickness in this place ; several died, the Min- . ister being near Death, but mercifully spared, being absent from the Lord's House 13 Sabbaths; 10 of them were supplied by Mr. Mekinstry :- the congre- gation being without preaching 3 Sabbaths."

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 196

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