USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lowell > History of Pawtucket Church and Society : with reminiscences of pastors and founders, sketches of Congregational churches in Lowell, and a brief outline of Congregationalism > Part 3
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2 I must object against the proposals, because there is no provision made for wood.
3 Because I view the settlement inadequate - it being too small to answer the evident design of a settlement or to answer the end for which I suppose the town intended it.
For these reasons I beg leave to give a negative answer to your pro- posals. Wishing therefore for an interest in your prayers that I may be directed and enabled to walk in the path of duty while I implore the best of Heaven's blessings upon you and pray that grace increase & peace may be abundantly multiplied among you through our Lord Jesus Christ. I subscribe myself your friend and by the bonds of Religion your brother.
TIMOTHY LANGDON.
Dracut March 19th 1785.
Some effort was made in behalf of Mr. Langdon upon the receipt of the above communication. A meeting of the town was called and it was voted that his salary be paid him " so long as his ministe- rial relations should continue with this people, there- by removing all uncertainty and all room for un- easiness." They refused, however, to supply him with wood, unless it be deducted from his salary, and
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no further appropriation was made for settlement. Doubtless it was exceedingly hard for so small a town to raise a salary sufficient to offer a minister very flattering iuducements. The country had been through a long and expensive war with England, in which this town was heartily and constantly en- gaged, contributing men and money without stint from the beginning.
We insert a few of the many votes of the town, in evidence of their patriotism and liberality in the cause of freedom, and to show the drain upon their means, which must have been almost exhausted.
BOSTON PORT BILL.
When the Port of Boston was closed, laborers were thrown out of employment, the poor lacked bread to eat, business was suspended, and a general gloom pervaded the streets. Sympathy, however, was everywhere felt and collections and contribu- tions were forwarded from all the towns around.
This receipt is found among the records of the town :
Charleston Feb. 15th 1775. Received from the town of Dracut by the hand of Parker Varnum 45ª bushels of rye and Indian meal, also 28 1bs. 18 shillings old tenor in cash for the relief of the poor sufferers by the cruel Boston Port Bill for which we shall account with the town of Boston.
ISAAC FOSTER, Ch. of Committee.
The town voted not to record the names of the donors in the town book.
Voted to send each man who inlisted in the service for 3 years or during the war, one pair of shoes, one pair of stockings, and two shirts. Voted to raise $600 to purchase them and transport them to said soldiers in the army.
Dracut, 177S.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
To the Treasurer : Pay to Jonathan Jones jr, 44 lbs. 16 Shillings, Sd for his going with a load of clothing to Valley Forge, and 7 lbs Ios for his taking a turn to Saretogue. Also Steven Wood 15 lbs. for his doing a turn to Rhode Island the summer past.
Dracut Feb. 10 1779.
Votes of the town are numerous during the revolutionary struggle, appropriating liberal sums of money for the encouragement of enlistments and for sustaining the cause of the patriots, who were struggling for independence.
ANOTHER CALL.
In 1787, on the 27th day of September, the church passed the following vote :
Voted to choose Mr. Solomon Aiken as a meet person to preach the Word of God and administer the ordinances of his House to us. And we are desirous that the town shall concur with the church in giving the said Mr. Solomon Aiken a call to settle in the Gospel ministry in said town.
On the same day the town passed a vote as follows :
Voted, to choose Mr. Solomon Aiken to be a pastor & teacher in the work of the Gospel ministry to preach the word of God and to administer the ordinances of the gospel to his church & congregation.
An appropriation of "one hundred and fifty pounds lawful money" was made for his settlement. His salary was to be ninety-four pounds in money and twenty cords of wood, " the wood to be cut and corded at his door in said town."
If Mr. Aiken sent any formal reply in writing to the church or town it was never put upon record,
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and we have no authority for stating what he said when he received the call to settle ; but as he did settle and remained for many years, we conclude that the proposition was satisfactory to him, and he must have made it known in some way.
Mr. Aiken remained over this church for twenty- five years, proving himself to be an efficient and faithful pastor.
1793 .- ANOTHER NEW CHURCH WANTED.
It was during Mr. Aiken's time that another epoch in the history of the church and the town occurred. It became necessary at this time to repair the old meeting-house, which had now stood more than forty years, or to build a new one; and The both projects had their earnest advocates. territorial formation of the town was exceedingly unfortunate for furnishing suitable accommodations to any great number of its inhabitants with church privileges. It was long and narrow, the land had all been taken up, and even were a church to be built in the centre there were but few people who lived there, and those at the extreme ends of the town had a long distance to travel. It was finally decided to build a new church, but where to locate it was again the great question.
PROPOSITION TO DIVIDE THE PARISH.
After a good many meetings the town finally voted to petition the Legislature for a division of
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the parish and chose Thomas Varnum, Parker Var- num and Daniel Varnum, a committee to prepare and present the petition.
The ministerial money and the church property was to be equally divided, the town to hold its meetings alternately in each parish, and the Rev. Solomon Aiken to preach for both societies. This plan, however, failed, much to the disappointment of its advocates. Subsequently an article was inserted in a warrant for a town meeting, as follows :
At the request of several inhabitants of the town to see if the town will pass a vote to discharge Lieut. Hildreth from any further service as Repre- sentative to the General Court the present year and petition the Honorable House of Representatives that his seat may be vacated, in consequence of his having flagrantly violated the positive instructions of the town relative to dividing the same into parishes.
The town voted " not to recall Lt. Hildreth from the General Court," although they recognized the fact that their church could not be convenient for all, no matter where it might be placed. A great many town meetings were called upon the subject of location, but there was never any unanimity of feeling. At last the town was surveyed, and the exact geographical centre obtained, as we have under- stood, but even that location was not satisfactory to all, as the lower part of the town was thinly settled. But the town at length voted to build the house on the " Central line," so called, and erected the frame and boarded it. About the same time some of the people bought a lot of land of Jonathan Taylor, about a mile westerly of the "Central line," and put up the frame of a meeting-house upon it and boarded it; and there being two parties about evenly
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divided, sometimes the town would vote to finish one house and sometimes the other, and of course very little progress was made.
In March, 1794, it was voted by the town to take down the old meeting-house, where the inhab- itants had formerly worshiped, and to use such parts of it as was thought best in building the new one and to sell the remainder; and it was determined to commence the work that month (March) and to build the house on the "Central line."
Some of the people thinking that the original plan of dividing the parish was after all the best and only one that could possibly accommodate the in- habitants of a town situated as they were, geograph- ically, withdrew from the contest, and the building committee appointed for the purpose proceeded according to instructions and completed the meet- ing-house ; and on the thirty-first day of December, 1794, submitted to the town their report. The town voted to accept it and also to raise eighty-five pounds four shillings and eight pence to reimburse the committee for money they had expended more than had been appropriated. In due time the pews were sold at "public vendue," the price ranging from six pounds nine shillings to seventeen pounds eight shillings. Capt. Daniel Varnum paid the latter price and took his choice. Fifty pews were sold on the lower floor and twenty-one in the gallery ; the proceeds amounted to six hundred and thirty- four pounds six shillings and six pence. This was the meeting-house now known as the Centre Church in Dracut.
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1241161
PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Those who had opposed building at this locality, upon the town assuming the work sent in their pro- test as follows :
PROTEST.
" To the Clerk of the town of Dracut. We the subscribers inhabitants of said town hereby enter our protest against the proceedings of said town in voting to build a meeting house on this 31st day of December 1793 near the house of Kendall Parker jr, as a centre of said town and in choosing a committee therefor & granting money fr building said house.
Ist Because we denie that being the proper centre of said town
2d Because the situation and the land is by no means suitable and does not accommodate the people so well as where the meeting-house now stands.
3d Because it is making a needless and unreasonable cost to the town, when the present house with but little expense might be made to accommo- date the people and save the widows and orphans from a burdensome tax when they cannot have a voice in the business. For these and many other reasons we solemly & firmly enter our protest against all the votes that any way relate towards the building a meeting house at the above described place, & hereby show that we do not consider ourselves held to pay any cost that may arise thereby.
LEWIS ANSART,
JACOB COBURN,
THOMAS VARNUM,
JONATHAN VARNUM,
NATHANIEL COBURN,
DANIEL BLOOD,
JOSEPH WEBSTER,
SAMUEL COBURN,
THADEUS COBURN,
PARKER VARNUM,
SAUL COBURN,
PETER COBURN JR,
JAMES VARNUM, EPHRAIM COBURN,
SAMUEL CUMMINGS,
JOSEPH DEAN,
PETER COBURN,
ABRAHAM BLOOD,
SIMEON WILLIAMS,
COBURN BLOOD, TIMOTHY COBURN,
SOLOMON ABBOTT JR, EZRA COBURN, JABESH COBURN,
WILLARD COBURN,
SOLM OSGOOD Jr,
WILLARD COBURN JR, MOSES CLEMENT,
JONATHAN VARNUM JR, JOHN HAMBLET, JEPTHA COBURN,
JONATHAN COBURN JR, HESEKIAH COBURN,
ZACHERAH GOODHUE,
JONAS VARNUM, LIFE WILSON, SOLOMON OSGOOD,
JONATHAN MORGAN,
AARON COBURN.
ISRAEL HILDRETH, JOSIAH FOX, MOSES B. COBURN,
A REVOLUTION.
PAWTUCKET CHURCH ERECTED AT PAWTUCKET FALLS.
The heroic example of other days is in great part the source of the courage of each generation ; and men walk up composedly to the most perilous enterprises beckoned onward by the shades of the braves that were .- Helps.
Courage, combined with energy and perseverance, will overcome difficulties appar ently insurmountable. It gives force and impulse to effort and does not permit it to retreat. Men often conquer difficulties because they feel that they can .- Smiles.
The die is cast. Cæsar has crossed the Rubicon. The parish is separated- a separation, it would seem, made inevitable by uncontrollable circum- stances. Who can say that it may not have been the beginning of a providential plan made impor- tant by unforeseen events ? There may be some truth in one of the wise sayings of Epictetus - " We do not choose our parts in life, and have noth- ing to do with those parts. Our simple duty is confined to playing them well." At all events, to separate seemed to be the only sensible thing to do in the interests of peace and good-fellowship, and there is no evidence that the better judgment of all parties did not approve the plan upon mature deliberation. New plans and new duties await the Revolutionists. The history of the church thus far may properly be said to belong as much to one side as the other, especially as the inhabitants of the town were about evenly divided by this
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division of the parish. If there is any difference it may be in favor of those who at this time proposed to act by themselves by the re-establishment of their religious privileges in the vicinity of their old church home- the original locality of 1715 - es- tablished by their ancestors.
As the land had been settled upon eastward from the original church and the home of the pastor, Rev. Thomas Parker, the original settlers had been out-numbered and drawn away by the new-comers when it became necessary to build a new house of worship ; but they surely are entitled to their proper share of the previous history of the church and town. After expressing their most unqualified dis- approval of the action taken by the town, by a protest in writing, the protestants and other inhab- itants that were discommoded took early and effec- tive measures for their better accommodation. But it was not until the 6th day of January, 1796, that Col. James Varnum, an ex-army officer and large land-owner, conveyed to a committee appointed for the purpose the tract of land upon which a church had been, or was soon after, built. The deed is here inserted for future reference.
DEED OF CONVEYANCE.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I, James Varnum, of Dracut, in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in consideration of Fifty cents paid by Parker Varnum Esquire Jonathan Varnum Yeoman and Peter Coburn jr Gentlemen all of Dracut aforesaid a committee appointed by the proprietors of the West Meetinghouse in said Dracut, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell, and convey unto the said Parker Jonathan and Peter their
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
associates and their heirs about half an acre of land in Dracut aforesaid, lying on the easterly side of the County road near Middlesex Merrimack River Bridge-bounded,-westerly on said road and northerly and easterly on my other land as the wall and fence now stands, and Southerly on the town road ; - for them the said committee and their associates to use for a meet- ing house place, and common around the same so long as they or their heirs shall continue a meeting house there. But they the said Committee nor any other persons under them is not to have liberty to place any building on said granted land, except horse sheeds, and them only on the back-side, and at the East-end of said meeting house, and them not to extend further south than the fore side of said meeting house nor to incumber the common around the same.
To have and to hold the granted premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging, to the said Parker Jonathan and Peter and others as aforesaid.
And I hereby covenant with the said Committee that I am lawfully seized in fee of the granted premises, that they are free from all incumbrances, that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Parker and others as aforesaid and that I will warrant and defend the same.
In witness whereof I the said James Varnum have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of January in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the
presence of
ANDREW WILLE JAMES VARNUM [Seal.]
ASA RICHARDSON
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, Ss., January 7th, 1796. Then personally appeared the above-named James Varnum and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed, before me -
LOAMMI BALDWIN, Justice of the Peace.
MIDDLESEX, SS., January 14th, 1834.
Received and entered with Middlesex (South) Deeds, libro 328, folio 435-
Attest. WILLIAM F. STONE, Register.
The building that had been erected (that is, framed and boarded) on the Jonathan Taylor lot by the parties opposed to the location on the Central line (and which was subsequently accepted by the town and again rejected) was taken down and erect-
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
ed at Pawtucket Falls, and it is the same now called the Pawtucket Church, in Lowell. It stands now exactly where it was placed at the time of its re- moval. Gen. William Hildreth afterwards built his house on the Taylor lot, as we are informed -a large square mansion, still standing, in excellent condition, and owned and occupied by our respected fellow-citizen Joseph L. Sargent, Esq.
The location of the new church at Pawtucket Falls was a wise and fortunate selection. The Mid- dlesex Merrimack River Bridge had been incorpo- rated, and was opened for travel on the 5th day of November, 1792 .* The great Mammoth Road sur- veyed from Boston to Concord, New Hampshire, which crossed Merrimack River at this point, was also laid out through Dracut in March, 1792, and the prospect was that this point for a church would be central and accessible. It was convenient for all the westerly portion of the town of Dracut and the easterly part of Chelmsford, where Lowell is now situated. Besides these practical and positive con- veniences, there might have been a bit of romance considered, for this was the " Ancient and Capitol Seat" of the Pawtucket tribe of Indians, and the spot where John Eliot first preached the gospel to them in 1647 and for many years afterwards, as they gathered to obtain their supply of fish at the falls.
All necessary preliminaries having been agreed upon and completed, a petition was presented to the Legislature for an act of incorporation, which was granted and reads as follows:
* The Essex Bridge at Newburyport was opened November 26, 1792.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
An act to incorporate certain Parsons by the Name of The West Congre- gational Society in Dracut.
Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same, That Parker Varnum John Varnunı Peter Coburn Jr. James Varnum, James Abbott, Coburn Blood, Moses Clement, Jabez Coburn, Jonathan Morgan, Hezekiah Coburn, Thomas Varnum, Joseph Dane, William Fife, Lemuel Coburn, Solomon Osgood jun. John Dutton, Aaron Coburn, Seth Dedson, Solomon Osgood, Samuel Coburn, Ephraim Coburn, Peletiah Coburn, Timothy Coburn, Lewis Ansart, Willard Coburn, Jesse Williams, Ezekiel Richard- son, Joseph Richardson, David Blood, Andrew Barker, Moses B. Coburn, Abraham Blood, Solomon Abbot jun. Peter Coburn, Josiah Fox, Samuel Cummings, Jonas Varnum, John Hamblet, Thadeus Hamblet, Jonathan Hamblet, Josiah W. Coburn, Ezra Coburn, Thadeus Wilson, Joshua Marshall, William Webster, Samuel Coburn, Bradley Varnum, John Taylor, Stephen Kemp, Isaac Taylor, Timothy Brown, Simeon Williams, Joshua Hunt, Joseph Wilson, Jonathan Coburn jun. James Ilaseltine and Leonard Thompson, with all those who shall join said society and become members thereof, and unite with them in the same place of worship within the said town of Dracut, with their several polls and estates, be, and they are hereby incorporated, by the name of The West Congregational Society in Dracut, with all the privileges, powers, and immunities which similar Societies are intitled to by the laws of this Commonwealth.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted That the said West Congregational Society, be, and they are hereby holden to pay into the Treasury of said town of Dracut, all taxes legally assessed upon the inhabitants thereof, before the fourth day of June, instant, for the support of the minister, and shall be intitled to receive their ratable proportion, according to their polls and estates, of all the monies due, and belonging to said town, or that may have been in the treasury thereof on the said fourth day of June, instant, which has heretofore been appropriated to the support of the minister ; 'and they shall specially appropriate their proportion of such money when received, to the support of a gospel minister within the said parish.
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the clerk of said society shall keep a fair record of the names of all persons who are members thereof, and when any member of said society shall request a dismission therefrom, and shall signify the same in writing to said Clerk, such Clerk shall make a record thereof, and such person shall thereupon be dismissed.accordingly, but shall be held to pay his proportion of such money as shall have been previously granted, by said Society, and shall be subject to taxation in the first parish or precinct in said town.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That all those who shall be hereafter desirous of becoming members of said Society being inhabitants of said town of Dracut and shall signify the same in writing to the clerk of the first parish or precinct in said town, thirty days at least previous to the annual
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
meeting of the inhabitants of said first parish or precinct in said town in the month of April, shall be considered in law as members of said Society ; And any person or persons who shall leave any other religious Society in said town of Dracut and join the Society incorporated by this act, shall be holden to pay his proportion of such money as shall have been previously granted by the Society which they shall leave as aforesaid.
Sect. 5. Be it further enacted, That Ebenezer Bridge, Esq be and he hereby is empowered and directed to issue his warrant to some principal member of said Society, requiring and empowering him to warn a meeting thereof at such time and place, as shall therein be set forth, for the choice of such officers as may be chosen by parishes in the month of March or April annually and for the transacting of such other business as may be legally transacted in such meetings.
This act passed June 22d, 1797.
Approved by the Governor.
INCREASE SUMNER.
FIRST PARISH MEETING,
The society being now legally and properly in existence, it only remained to organize under their charter. The warrant was duly issued by Ebenezer Bridge, a justice of the peace, as directed in the act of incorporation, and the first parish meeting was called and holden July 6, 1797-just two weeks after the act was approved by the Governor. At this meeting Col. James Varnum was elected mod- erator, Peter Coburn, Jr., clerk, Parker Varnum, Solomon Osgood and Timothy Coburn, assessors, and Col. James Varnum, treasurer.
The following votes were then passed :
Voted, To raise one hundred dollars for preaching.
Voted, To let out the collection of the money to the lowest bidder.
Voted, To accept David Blood as collector.
Voted, That Bradley Varnum and Jonathan Varnum constitute a com- mittee to furnish preaching.
Made choice of Jeffrey Hartwell (a colored man) to sweep the meeting- house.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
PREACHING SERVICES.
We are unable to state, in the absence of any record upon the subject, whom the society first em- ployed as a preacher. The first reference to the subject was made by the treasurer, who says : "Paid Caleb Bradley seven dollars for preaching one Sab- bath." Mr. Bradley was a brother of Mrs. Harriet Bancroft, who with her husband, Col. Jefferson Bancroft, and a son, Kirk H., and a daughter, Har- riet B., united with this church May 9, 1858. Mr. Bradley may have been the first minister who preached in the new church, but we have no posi- tive assurance of the fact.
In 1798 an order was drawn on the treasurer of the society for $14.92, in favor of Joseph Dane, in full, for boarding Mr. Williams, Mr. Weston and Mr. Fletcher, when preaching for the society. Also an order the same year to Freeman Parker for $56.00, for supplying the pulpit eight Sabbaths. In the year 1800 an order was drawn in favor of Jacob Coggin for $94.00 for supplying seventeen Sabbaths. Also, the same year the society paid Rev. Humphrey Moore $48.00 for preaching eight Sabbaths. In 1801 they paid him $44.50 for preaching eight Sab- baths, and in 1802, he was paid $28.00 for preaching services.
ANDOVER SEMINARY.
The Theological Seminary at Andover was founded in 1807, and opened September 28, 1808 (Mr. Bartlett having previously given $20,000, Moses
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Brown and John Norris each $10,000), and after that time this pulpit was supplied considerably from that institution. The students came up on horse- back and preached two sermons "for two dollars and found." We are informed that some of the most talented clergymen of later years had their first experience in preaching in this church. Among those mentioned are President Lord, late of Dart- mouth College ; Bishop Parker, of New York ; Rev. Humphrey Moore, who afterwards settled in Mil- ford, N. H., where he remained until his death. Theodore Edson, late of St. Anne's Church, Lowell, preached here on one occasion when a young man. Not long before his death, President Lord attended church here on a pleasant Sabbath in summer, to view once more the old church where some of his first pulpit efforts were made.
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