USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > History of Princeton, Worcester County, Massachusetts, civil and ecclesiastical, from its first settlement in 1739, to april 1852 > Part 6
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* Rev. Samuel Clark, Unitarian in sentiment.
76
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.
should be sufficient to build " a handsome and suitable Hall, of one story high for the use of the inhabitants to transact the municipal concerns of the town in their cor- porate capacity, or for the accommodation of the Con- gregational Church, when the severity of the season may make it more convenient for them." By his last will he also left them at his death, $500, the interest of which, after a certain amount is accumulated, is to be applied to the support of Congregational preaching. Also $500 after a certain time, is to be applied to the support of poor widows and orphans. All of the above benefactions were accepted by the town .*
Ward Nicholas Boylston, Esq., was elected Oct. 6, 1820, Delegate to the Convention which was convened at Boston in November, of that year, for the amendment of the State Constitution. Of the articles adopted by this body, Nov. 15, and submitted to the people, nine were approved and adopted April 9, 1821. The inhabi- tants of Princeton concurred in the adoption of the Con- stitution as amended.
The Amendment numbered as the 10th in the Re- vised Statutes, changing the commencement of the po- litical year from the last Wednesday of May, to the first Wednesday of January, adopted by the Legislature of 1829-30 and 1830-31, was accepted by the people, May 11, 1831. The vote of Princeton stood 54 for, 23 against.
The Amendment numbered eleven in the volume re- ferred to, modifying and altering the third article of the Bill of Rights, having passed the Legislatures of 1832 and 1833, was accepted by the citizens Nov. 11, 1833 Eighty-five votes were given by the inhabitants of Prince- ton in the affirmative, only one in the negative.
* These benefactions are now supposed, however, to have been forfeited by the town.
77
ANNEXATION OF A PART OF NO TOWN.
Between Princeton, Westminster, the south west cor- ner of Leominster, and the northwest corner of Sterling, a tract of land intervened, called No Town, beyond the jurisdiction of either municipality. The owners and inhabitants of this territory, or a part of it, petitioned to be annexed to Princeton. The petitioners and their estates were united to this town in 1838, by the following Act of the General Court :-
"An act to annex a part of No Town to the town of Princeton.
" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives in General Court assembled, and by the au- thority of the same as follows :
" Sec. 1. All that part of the unincorporated lands of No Town, in the County of Worcester, which is inclu- ded within the following bounds, viz : beginning at a stake and stones, on the line between No Town and Leominster, it being the northeast corner of a lot of land in No Town, belonging to John Whitney, running on said line south thirty-three degrees west, two hundred and ninety-seven rods, to a stone monument, it being the southeast corner of No Town, the southwest corner of Leominster, the northwest corner of Sterling, and the northeast corner of Princeton ; thence north, fifty-two degrees and thirty minutes west, on the line between No Town and Princeton, eight hundred and thirty rods, to a stone monument in the line of the town of West- minster, it being the southwest corner of No Town, and the northwest corner of Princeton ; thence north, fifty- two degrees and thirty minutes east, on the line between No Town and Westminster, two hundred and twenty- four rods, to a large rock, in an angle in the last men-
78
NEW TOWN HOUSE.
tioned line ; thence south sixty-eight degrees and twelve minutes east forty-four rods, to a stake and stones, by land of Mr. Osgood ; thence north, fifty-four degrees and fifteen minutes east, on the line of said Osgoods' land, eighty-eight rods to a stake and stones, at the northwest corner of Mr. Hadley's land ; thence south, seventy de- grees and twenty-five minutes east, on the north line of said Hadley's land, one hundred and twenty-six rods, to a stake and stones on land of Charles Grout ; thence south seventeen degrees and twenty minutes east, on the line between said Hadley's and Grout's land, seventy rods and a half, to a stake and stones on an angle in said line ; thence south fifty degrees and thirty minutes east, through land of said Hadley and others five hundred rods, to the place of beginning,-is hereby annexed to and made a part of the town of Princeton, in said County.
" Sec. 2. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.
" Approved by the Governor, April 4, 1838."
The town voted at their annual meeting in March, 1842, to erect a new Town House during the en- suing summer and autumn ; and that the donation of of the late Ward Nicholas Boylston, Esq., be appropria- ted for the Building of said house ; and that it be one story high, 64 feet long, and 40 feet wide.
After the completion of said house it was unanimous- ly voted to call it Boylston Hall, to perpetuate the name and memory of the late Ward Nicholas Boylston, Esq., in consideration of the liberal donation he made to the town. A prayer was offered, and an appropriate address delivered at the dedication, Feb. 13, 1843, by Rev. Wil- lard M. Harding. The most ancient records of the
79
DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.
town were then exhibited by the Town Clerk, after which the inhabitants proceeded to the transaction of their mu- nicipal business.
At three several times since the incorporation of Princeton, the division of Worcester County has been submitted for the action of the towns proposed to be set off for a new County.
A memorial of the delegates of Templeton, Barre, Pe- tersham, Athol, Winchendon, Hubbardston, Adams, Gerry, Gardner, Royalston, and Warwick, at the Janu- ary session of the Legislature in 1798, prayed for the incorporation of those towns into a new county. The people in Princeton voted in February unanimously, that it was inexpedient to divide Worcester into two distinct counties.
At the annual meetings in April, 1828, the question was submitted, by the Legislature, to the people of Wor- cester and Middlesex, of a new County to be formed of the towns of Royalston, Winchendon, Athol, Temple- ton, Gardner, Westminster, Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunenburg, Princeton, Hubbardston, Phil- lipston, Lancaster, Bolton, and Harvard, from the Coun- ty of Worcester, and Groton, Shirley, Pepperell, Ashby, and Townsend, from the County of Middlesex, as prayed for in a Petition bearing the name of Ivers Jewett at the head. The decision in Princeton was in the negative by a great majority of the voters.
In 1851, a petition of Alva Crocker and others was presented to the General Court, praying for the erection of a new County. Templeton, Gardner, Phillipston, Athol, Petersham, Royalston, Hubbardston, Westmin- ster, Princeton, Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Sterling, Lunenburg, Bolton, Harvard, Lancaster, Win-
80
INCIDENTS IN LOCAL HISTORY.
chendon, were to be separated from the County of Worcester, and Ashby, Townsend, Pepperell, Groton, and Shirley, from Middlesex. Orders of notice were issued, but the proposition shared the fate of similar pro- jects to diminish the integrity of our territory. Sixty- nine votes were given by the inhabitants of Princeton in the negative , and eleven in the affirmative, when the question was submitted to the town.
The faithful review of the incidents of local history from the adoption of the Federal Constitution, embracing the struggles of the two great parties dividing the com- munity, executed without partiality and in the spirit of independence, would doubtless be both useful and inter- esting. But the period has not yet arrived when the de- tails of the contest, agitating every village, town and city of the country, and kindling strife, in the relations of social life, can be recorded with freedom and frank- ness. The embers of political controversy, long since covered over, have not been so extinguished, that the historian may tread with safety over the spot where they once glowed. The sons may not hope to render unbi- ased judgment of the measures of the fathers, in these scenes of intense excitement. When the present gene- ration shall have passed away, and the heated passions and irritation of the actors shall exist only in memory, the history may be narrated with fidelity, without fear that inherited partiality or prejudice may lend undue col- oring to the picture delineated.
Now the feuds and animosities of the past have sub- sided it excites surprise, that the surface which at the present is so tranquil, should have been agitated by commotions so angry as were those which once disturbed its tranquil repose,
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
CHAPTER VI.
Introductory Remarks-First Preaching in Town -- Attempts to erect a Meet- ing House-Committee to measure the District-Building of Meeting House -Assignment of Places in Church-Church Music-Church Covenant- Uusuccessful attempt to settle a Minister-Call to Mr Fuller-His Ordina- tion-Covenant of Admission-First Deacons and Present to the Church- Complaints against Mr. Fuller-His Reply-Ecclesiastical Council-Mr. Fuller's Dismission-Suit against Town-Biographical Notice of Mr. Fuller.
The Ecclesiastical History of Princeton is of peculiar interest, and remarkable for striking incidents. Could the existence of religious difficulties, which have occa- sioned fixed differences of sentiment, diversity of taste and discordant and conflicting opinions, interposing in- superable obstacles to union, be effaced from memory, it would be wanton outrage to recall from oblivion the tale of misfortune and dishonor. But those events can- not be forgotten ; they have floated down in tradition ; they are recounted by the domestic fireside ; they are inscribed on roll and record of the archives of the Church and Town. There is no discretion entrusted to the his- torian to select among the events of the past. It is his task to relate with fidelity the events of the times he re- views. By changing even slight features, the resem- blance of the picture would be destroyed. The annals would be worthless, which impaired confidence by the suppression of truth, even though unpleasant and un- svelcome. History, the mirror of the past, reflects with
8
82
FIRST PREACHING.
painful fidelity, the dark as well as the bright objects from departed years, and although we may wish to contem- plate only the glowing picture of prosperity, the gloomy image of ecclesiastical commotion is still full in our sight, shadowing the background with its solemn admo- nition.
No records of the Church in Princeton previous to 1761, some more than twenty years subsequent to the first settlement, have descended to our times. Subse- quent to that period, some information of the prominent events in Ecclesiastical History, may be collected from the votes of the inhabitants concurrent with the acts of the Church ; for it was the ancient usage of all our towns, before they had been divided into parishes, to manage their parochial concerns in the general meetings.
Meetings for worship were held at the dwelling houses most convenient in regard to central situation. " The first sermon ever preached in town was probably at the house of Abijah Moore, to an audience, which materi- ally increased at a later day, a small room and bed-room held quite comfortably. An old lady still living* at the age of eighty-four, recollects hearing a sermon at Mr. Moore's preached by the Rev. Mr. Harrington of Lan- caster, in October, 1759, on the occasion of the district's incorporation. ' There were then,' says the old lady, ' but a handful of us, who found our way to church by marked trees.'t At this date it was the custom of the inhabitants to have preaching usually eight Sabbaths in the year. A short time subsequent, they had preaching four or five months, in the pleasant seasons of each year.
The first expression of opinion on the records of the
* In 1838.
t Russell's History of Princeton, p. 52.
83
MEETING HOUSE ATTEMPTS.
town, in relation to ecclesiastical matters, dates the 9th of Feb. 1761, when the following article is found in the warrant for a District meeting :* " To see if the dis- trict will vote to build a meeting house for the public worship of God, and choose a committee for the same or act anything relative thereunto, as the district shall think proper."+ This article, as appears from the records, " was not voted," although it would seem from the war- rant for the district meeting in March of the same year that the question of erecting a house for public worship had not only been agitated, previous to this period, but that the place of its location had been determined. The following articles, somewhat peculiar in their orthogra- phy and phraseology, are found in said warrant.
" To see if the Destrict will vote to build the meeting- house, to wit the house for the publick worship of God in some other place than that which it is already Voted to be built on and vote aneything Relating thereunto that the Destrict shall think proper, or otherwise to vote were the said meeting house shall be built."-" To see if the Destrict will vote to build a meeting-house as soon as can be convenantly and choose a committee for the same and Report unto the Destrict upon what terms they can git it built and when, or act anything as the Destrict shall think proper."
It was voted to pass over the last article, and the follow- ing vote was passed relative to the first. " Voted, Col. John Whitcomb of Bolton, Dea. Samuel Pierce, of Hol-
* The town records for two years subsequent to the incorporation of the dis- trict in 1759, are lost.
t " In 1760, at the meeting in March, as I learn from other sources, than the records, it was voted to petition the General Court to grant a land tax, to ena- ble the district to build a house of worship, settle a minister, and lay out roads; and Dr. Ilarvey was chosen an agent to present this petition."-See Russell's History of Princeton, chap. 4.
84
COMMITTEE OF MEASUREMENT.
den, and Dea. Joseph Miller of Westminster, be a com- mittee to measure the said District of Princetown, and find the centre thereof, and afix or order the place for building the meeting-house on, to wit, the house for the public worship of God, and if the centre be not suitable ground to build the said house on, then on the nearest place to the centre that is suitable according to the best judgment of the Committee, and they are desired to make return thereof at the adjournment of this meeting, and it is also voted that Mr. Thos. Harmon of Rutland, and Dea. Jonathan Livermore of Westborough, be sur- veyors for the purpose above said and that all the said committee and surveyors be under oath for the trust committed to them as above said. Also voted that the vote for building the said meeting-house within two rods of the most southerly corner of Mr. Caleb Myrick's Land be and hereby is revoked and discontinued."
The above named committee attended to the " trust committed to them" with fidelity, and reported at the ad- journment of the meeting, June 29, but their report is not on record, A majority of the town being dissatis- fied therewith, it was voted, after paying them a consid- erable sum for services, " not to accept their report, and locate the house themselves." Consequently, at a meet- ing on the 22d of July, the following vote was passed : " Voted, that the meeting-house for the public worship of God be built on the highest part of the land given by Mr. John and Caleb Mirick, to the District for their public use, near three pine trees marked on the norther- ly side, being near a large flat rock." The site thus de- termined upon, and on which the house was ultimately erected, is some few rods northeast from the old town house.
85
FIRST MEETING HOUSE.
The question relative to the place of location, which had agitated the inhabitants several months, being thus finally settled, the first measures for the erection of the house were taken in October, when it was " Voted to build a meeting-house for the public worship of God, and that said house shall be fifty foots long and forty foots wide. And also voted that Capt. Eliphelet How, Robert Keyes, Caleb Mirick, James Thompson and Boaz Moore be a Committee to see on what terms they can get the timber for said meeting-house, and get said house framed." The committee were subsequently directed to purchase boards, clapboards, and shingles, to be de- livered at the site of said house. The frame of the house was set up on the 30th of June, 1762. The cost of the frame was £71, 13s, 4d, which was paid to Abijah Moore, who appears to have procured said frame; and in addi- tion to the above, £28 was also drawn from the treasu- ry, as the expense of raising *. The glass windows were not supplied until after a lapse of more than three years, when the glass was donated to the town by the Hon. Mo- ses Gill. When the first preaching was had in this church we have not been able to ascertain. It was not entirely completed until as late as the year 1770. For years the people met in the house for worship, without any floor, excepting some loose boards. Their seats were blocks, boards, and movable benches. June 4, 1767, it was voted " to lay the gallery floors and build a breast work and set up the pillars in their proper places and also build four seats round the galleries." It was also allowed individuals who felt disposed to occupy ei- ther side of the house with pews, if they would make
* Another draft also made on the treasury, by P. Goodnow, to the amount of £7, 23, 2d, was for rum purchased by him for workmen on said meeting-house. 8*
86
FIRST MEETING HOUSE.
them at their own expense. The manner of disposing of the pew ground, as it was called, was as follows: The individual who paid the highest land tax was to have the first choice, by paying a certain sum fixed by the district. Dr. Harvey obtained the first and Oliver Davis the second, the former paying &3, Is, 4d, the second &£3.
In March, 1770, it was voted " to paint the meeting- house, provided Mr. Moses Gill finds paint." Whether Mr. Gill's generosity again developed itself, so as to in- fluence him to comply with this vote of the town we are not able to say. In October of the same year another advance was made towards the completion of the house by voting to plaster the walls. In November succeed- ing it was also voted that " ye plaistering under ye Galle- ries be made crowning and ye plaistering whitewashed and ye Seats in ye side Galleries be finished." The en . tire cost of this house which was so long in the process of building we are not able to state.
The assignment of places in church was formerly a matter of grave importance, and not unfrequently claimed the attention of the town. In 1763, a committee of four was chosen and instructed to seat the meeting-house, taking as a general rule the invoice taken in the year 1766, saving liberty to have due regard to age as they shall see cause. For many years those who joined in singing the devotional poetry of religious exercises, were dispersed through the congregation, having no place as- signed them as a distinct body, and no privileges sepa- rate from other worshippers. After the clergyman had read the whole psalm, one of the deacons repeated the first line, which was sung by those who were able to aid in the pious melody, and thus the exercises of singing and reading went on alternately.
87
CHURCH COVENANT.
The people continued to employ preaching several months each year .* Still it appears that there was no organized church until the 12th of August, 1764, twen. ty-five years after the first settlement, when the following covenant was adopted and subscribed by eighteen male persons, who constituted the church at that time.
" A Covenant entered into Aug. 12th, 1764.
"We whose names are hereunto subscribed, apprehending ourselves called of God into a church state of the Gospel-Do first of all confess ourselves to be so highly favored of the Lord and admire his free and rich grace which calls us hereunto ; and then with humble reliance and dependence on the assis- tance of his grace and Holy Spirit therein promised for them, that in a sense of their own inability to do any good thing, do humbly wait upon him for all, we do thankfully lay hold on his covenant, and solemnly enter into covenant with God and with one another according to Godliness. We declare our serious belief of the Christian Religion as contained in the sacred Scriptures, acknowledging them to contain the whole revealed will of God concerning our faith and practice, heartily resolving . to conform our lives to the rules of that Religion so long as we live. We give up ourselves to the Lord Jehovah, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the only true and living God, and avouch him this day to be our God and portion forever. We give up ourselves to the blessed Jesus, who is the Lord Jehovah and ad- here to him as the head of his people in the covenant of Grace, and rely upon him as our Prophet, Priest and King, to bring us to eternal blessedness. We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensable obligation to glorify God in all the duties of a sober and goodly life, and particularly in the duties of a church state and a body of people associated for an obedience to him in all the ordinances of the Gospel, and whereupon depend upon his gracious assistance for our faithful discharge of the Duties thus incumbent upon us. We engage with dependence on his promised grace and spirit to walk together as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ in the faith and order of the gospel, so far as we shall have the same revealed unto us, conscientiously attend- ing the worship of God in his house in praying to him, singing to him, and giving reverend attention to his word, read and preached according to his institution, the sacraments of the New
* The preaching was paid out of the land tax.
88
CHURCH COVENANT.
Testament, the discipline of his kingdom, and all his holy insti- tutions in communion one with another and watchfully avoiding all sinful stumbling blocks and contentions, as become God's people in covenant with him. At the same time we do present our offspring with ourselves unto the Lord, purposing with his help to do and keep in the methods of a religious education that they may be the Lord's. All this we do fleeing to the blood of the everlasting covenant for the pardon of our many Errors, and praying that the glorious Lord Jesus who is the great Shepherd would prepare and strengthen us for every good work to do his will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight to whom be glory forever, Amen."*
Signed by the following persons .:-
Tilly Littlejohns,
James Norcross,
Elisha Wilder,
Timothy Moseman,
Ebenezer Jones,
Peter Goodnow,
Abel Pray,
James Gibbs,
Samuel Hastings,
Abijah Moore,
Samuel Bixby,
Caleb .Mirick,
Abner Howe, Timothy Keyes,
Samuel Moseman,
Noah Norcross,
James Haynes,
Stephen Brigham.t
From the date of this covenant, no record is preserved on the church book, of any transactions until May 17, 1767. We learn, however from the records of the town, that they continued to be favored with the preaching of the Gospel, at least a portion of each year. About this time, (1764,) Rev. William Crawford supplied the pul- pit. It was voted on the 4th of March, 1765, to have " six months preaching beginning in April."
The first movement of the inhabitants of Princeton to- wards the settlement of a minister was in 1765. In the warrant for a district meeting in December of that year, the following article was inserted :- " To see if the Dis- trict will vote how soon they will settle a minister, and
* This covenant was not entered on the church records until several years after its adoption,
Church records, vol. 1, p. 1.
89
FIRST CALL OF A MINISTER,
also whether they will hear any one or more of the can- didates for the ministry which they have already heard in order for settling, or any other or others which they have not heard, or act anything relating to that affair." On this article it was " voted to hear Mr. Baker, Mr. Fuller, and Mr. Moore, each of them six sabbaths on probation, in order for settling." Whether these Rev. gentlemen complied with the above vote of the district it does not appear. Neither of them, however, received a call to settle in the district, at that time. The first in- vitation extended to any individual to become their min- ister, was the call to the Rev. Sewall Goodrich, in 1766. On the 21st of August of this year, the district voted to concur with the church in their selection of Mr. Good- rich to settle with them in the Gospel ministry. At the same time there was also voted him as a settlement, £133, 6s, 8d, one half payable in eight months from the time of his ordination, and the remainder in one year from the time of the first-mentioned payment. As an annual sal- ary there was also voted him ££53, 6s, 8d. Mr. Goodrich declined the invitation ; and on the 5th of September it was voted to make an addition to the salary of £13, 6s, 8d, to be paid as follows : " One half at the expiration of five years from his ordination, thenceforth to be paid as part of his salary ; the remainder to be paid in ten years from his ordination as pastor with the like condition." Mr. Goodrich still declined the invitation to settle.
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