USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Rehoboth > History of Rehoboth, Massachusetts; its history for 275 years, 1643-1918, in which is incorporated the vital parts of the original history of the town > Part 6
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7. A mourning for not finding the assurance of God's love, and the sense of his favour, in that comfortable manner, at one time as at another; and not being able to serve God as I should.
8. A willingness to give God the glory of any ability to do good.
9. A joy when I am in christian company, in Godly conference.
10. A grief, when I perceive it goes ill with christians, and the contrary.
11. A constant performance of secret duties, between God and my- self, morning and evening.
12. A bewailing of such sins, which none in the world can accuse me of.
13. A choosing of suffering to avoid sin."
Mr. Newman had three sons and one daughter (Hopestill). Samuel, Jr., the eldest son, lived and died at Rehoboth; Antipas was minister at Wenham, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Gov. Winthrop, and died October 15, 1672; Noah was his father's successor in the ministry at Rehoboth and died April 16, 1678; Hopestill, born at Weymouth, November 29, 1641, became the wife of Rev. George Shove, the third minister of Taunton, and died March 7, 1674. They had five children, three sons and two daughters.
Mr. Newman was interred in the old burying ground at Seekonk (now East Providence, R.I.). A fine monument stands there, inscribed with his name and that of his son Noah, and several of their successors.1
In September, 1663, "At a meeting of the church and town, it was concluded that Mr. Zachariah Symes should have forty pounds
1See S. C. Newman's "Rehoboth in the Past," which embraces all essential facts relating to his ancestors and has a full bibliography.
4
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HISTORY OF REHOBOTH
for this year, and his diet at Mrs. Newman's besides. At the same time Stephen Payne, senior, and Lieutenant Hunt were chosen to go down to his friends, to use means for the settling of him with us for this present year."
November 2, 1663. "At a town meeting lawfully warned, those men whose names are here following and appended, were chosen and empowered by the town, either to buy Joseph Peck's house and house-lot, and to set up an addition to it, to make it fit for the ministry, if they judge it convenient for such a use, or to build a new house upon the town's lands, whether they in their wisdom shall judge to be most convenient: Goodman Payne, John Allen, sen., Lieutenant Hunt, Mr. Browne, Anthony Perry, Goodman Walker, Thomas Cooper, jr., Henry Smith.
"At the same time it was voted, that a rate should be made to raise charges for to build a house for the ministry, when the townsmen shall call for it; and that the price of corn for the carry- ing on of the building of the public house shall be - Indian corn at 3s., rye at 4s., and wheat at 5s .; and what cattle are paid to- wards it is to be good at May-day next, or thereabouts, all horse kind and hogs being excepted against."
"Nov. 25, 1663. Voted, that Alexander, the Irishman, a brick- maker, should be freely approved among us, for to make brick, and that he should have free liberty to make use of the clay and wood on the commons for that purpose."
At the same time, "it was voted and agreed upon, that, whereas God by his providence hath lately taken away from us our dear teacher, yet out of his goodness and mercy hath brought amongst us Mr. Zachariah Symes, whom we honour and respect; yet with reference to the place we live in, we judge it expedient to look out for another godly, able minister to labour with him in the work of the ministry, and therefore do accept of Mr. Willet's proposition, as to embrace any opportunity that Providence shall guide him to for that end."
June 20, 1664. It was voted, "that the public house, intended for the ministry, shall be set on the west side of the run, in the mid- dle of the common, being the place appointed for a teacher's lot, being six acres."
December 20, 1664. Four pounds and seventeen shillings were voted, being the sum which Captain Willet agreed to give Philip for growing corn in the neck, and that Captain Willet should agree with Philip for the year ensuing.
"January 24, 1664 [1665.1] At a town meeting upon public notice given, it was agreed by vote, that the former power that was granted to Mr. Willet, for to procure an able minister to assist
1 New Style.
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Mr. Symes in the ministry, was further confirmed to him by the town."
May 22, 1665. "Sam, the Indian that keeps the cows, was admitted by the town as an inhabitant, to buy or hire house or lands if he can, in case the Court allow it."
"This," says Baylies, "is believed to have been the first and only instance of an Indian resident among the English, who was admitted to the rights of citizenship within this colony."
Whether or not this vote was "allowed by the Court" we are not informed.
May 22, 1665. "John Lowell was admitted by the town to buy or hire house or land if he can."
June 6, 1665. The town voted to pay the Governour their pro- portion of £50; also, that there be a standing council, three in number, with the Governour, and that this council be renewed yearly.
April 18, 1666. It was voted by the town, "that the late pur- chasers of land upon the north side of our town shall bear forty shillings in a rate of £5, and so proportionable in all other public charges.
"It was also voted that there shall be a three railed fence set up and maintained, between the late purchased land on the north side of the town, to be set up on all the end of the plain from Good- man Buckland's lands to the Mill river; and every man that is interested in said purchased lands to bear an equal proportion in the aforesaid fence according to their proportion of lands.
"Voted also to make choice of a committee for the settling and stating of the late purchased lands on the north side of our town, viz: whether such as at present seem questionable are true pro- prietors of the aforesaid lands: and the committee chosen were Capt. Willet, with the townsmen, and those that stand engaged for the payment of the aforesaid purchased lands."
This committee reported, April 23d.
It was also voted by the town, ""that Mr. Goodman Martin shall enjoy a spot of fresh meadow that lies on the north side of the town, lying at the end of the Great Plain, during his life and his wife's, and at their decease to return to the town.
"At the same time it was agreed between the town and Capt. Willett, that for the forty acres of meadow that he is to have to his farm, on the north side of the town, he is, by agreement made with the town, to have high Squisset and low Squisset; and the bounds of the said Squisset meadows to be according to the sight of the surveyors, the day that they laid out his farm, that is,
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HISTORY OF REHOBOTH
Henry Smith and William Carpenter; and he is also to have a piece of meadow at the Seven Mile river, near unto the going out at the highway, and six acres of meadow at the Ten Mile river, and what there wants of the six acres in quality is to be made up in quantity; the said six acres of meadow on the Ten Mile river lies by the old highway as we go into the bay."
"April 23, 1666. The committee that was chosen by the town, April 18th, 1666, at a town meeting, for the stating and settling of the late purchased lands, upon the north side of our town, the aforesaid committee being met together, this twenty-third of April, we see cause that there shall be seventy-six whole shares and equal purchasers in the aforesaid lands, and six persons that have half shares, which we see cause to add to the seventy-six whole shares, so that the whole number of shares amounts to seventy-nine shares."
May 15, 1666. In town meeting, "It was agreed by joint con- sent, that a third man alone for the work of the ministry should be forthwith looked for, and such a one as may preach to the sat- isfaction of the whole (if it be the will of God for the settling of peace amongst us, according to the former renewed counsel sent us from our honored Governor and Assistants)."
The meeting was adjourned to the 19th, to make choice of a committee to obtain a "third man alone for the work of the minis- try." "Richard Bullock declared his protest against this act, as judging it the sole work of the church."
May 19, 1666. "At a town meeting lawfully warned, the town concluded to have a meeting upon the last Tuesday in June, to consider of the meadows on the north side of the town, how they may be disposed of for this present year; it is therefore agreed by this town, that no man shall mow a load or part of a load of grass, before the town hath disposed of them, upon the penalty of twenty shillings the load or part of a load."
"May 23, 1666. Mr. Symes was admitted by the town as an inhabitant, to purchase or hire for his money.
"At the same time Mr. Myles was voted to be invited to preach, viz: once a fortnight on the week day, and once on the Sabbath day."
June 26, 1666. "Stephen Paine, senior, Mr. Browne, and Good- man Allen were chosen Selectmen to answer the Court order."
They were the first Selectmen chosen by the town. The Towns- men still continued to be chosen as usual.
"August the 13th, 1666. It was voted and agreed upon by the town that an able man for the work of the ministry shall, with all convenient speed, be looked for, as an officer for this church, and
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a minister for the town, such a one as may be satisfactory to the generality.
"At the same time it was also voted and agreed upon by the town, that Mr. Myles shall still continue to lecture on the week day, and further on the Sabbath, if he be thereunto legally called.
"At the same time, the town made choice of Deacon Cooper, Lieutenant Hunt, Nicholas Peck, and Ensign Smith, as messen- gers, to look out for an able man for the work of the ministry, according to the vote aforesaid, and they are to go in the first place to Mr. Esterbrook's."
October 16, 1666. "At a town meeting it was concluded, that the purchased lands on the north side of the town shall be divided between this and the first of May next ensuing.
It was also voted by the town, "that no person shall fall any trees upon the aforesaid lands on the north side of our town before the said lands be divided, upon the penalty of ten shillings for every tree so fallen."
The same day, "John Doggett, John Woodcock, and John Titus were chosen by the town to see what timber trees are fallen on the late purchased lands, on the north side of our town, and they shall have the forfeiture for their pains, and the trees to those that the land shall fall to."
December 10, 1666. "At a town meeting it was voted and agreed upon, that Mr. Burkley should continue still amongst us till the first of April next ensuing, upon further trial, in reference to the vote of August 13, -66, which is in order to the settlement in the ministry, if he be approved of."
The same day, Thomas Esterbrook was admitted as an inhab- itant.
"June 22, 1667. At a town-meeting it was voted by the town that the meadows lying on the north side of the town shall be for this present year as they were last year."
Since the disturbances caused in the church at Rehoboth, in 1649, by Obadiah Holmes and his adherents, the religious affairs of the town had been far from being in a quiet state; and the number of Baptists, so far from being lessened by persecution had been gradually increasing. In 1663 it was strengthened by the arrival of the Rev. John Myles, with a part of his church, from Swansea, in Wales (England), whence he had been ejected for non-conformity. This church he had founded at Swansea (Wales) in 1649. On their removal to this country, they brought with
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HISTORY OF REHOBOTH
them their records, which were in Welsh,1 large extracts from which, says Benedict, in his History of the Baptists, were made by Mr. Backus, and sent over to Mr. Thomas of Leominster, England, the historian of the Welsh Baptists. In 1663, Mr. Myles formed a Baptist church in Rehoboth, the fourth formed in America. It was organized in the house of John Butterworth, and commenced with seven members. Their names were, John Miles (or Myles, as more frequently spelled in the records), pastor, James Brown, Nicholas Tanner, Joseph Carpenter, John Butterworth, Eldad Kingsley, and Benjamin Alby. This measure was offensive to the Congregational church of the town, and to the other churches of the colony; and the interposition of the Court of Plymouth was soon called for to arrest the growing schism. Each member of this new church was fined £5, prohibited from worship for the space of one month; and they were advised to remove from Re- hoboth to some place where they might not prejudice any existing church. In pursuance with this advice, they removed to Wan- namoiset, and erected a house near Kelley's bridge, on a neck of land which is now in the town of Barrington. Afterwards they erected another house on the east side of Palmer's River, about half a mile from the bridge, which is still known by the name of "Myles's bridge." It stood a short distance from the spot where the present house of the same church now stands. In 1667, these Baptists were incorporated into a town by the name of Swansea." This town originally comprised within its limits the present town, together with Somerset, Mass., Barring- ton, and the greater part of Warren, R.I.
Mr. Miles continued the minister of Swansea till his death, which occurred February 3, 1683. His wife was Ann, the daughter of John Humphrey. (Baylies' Mem. of Plym. Col., ii, 213, 235-
1 Benedict states that these records, in Welsh, are still in the possession of this church. The only records which that church now possesses are in Eng- lish. These commence in 1649, at Swansea, Wales, and contain copies of letters addressed to the church by several Baptist churches of England and Ireland. I am inclined to think that the whole of the original Welsh records were sent to England by Mr. Backus, and there translated into English; and that a copy of the translation was returned to the Swansea church. They are in an excellent state of preservation and written in a hand altogether too modern for the date which they bear.
2 This name has been written in three different ways, viz .: Swansea, Swan- zey, and Swansey. The first is the way in which it is written in the earliest records, and is the orthography of the town in Wales from which this derived its name.
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250; Allen's Am. Biog. and Hist. Dic; Backus' and Benedict's Histories of the Baptists.)
On the 30th of March, 1668, Philip, who had succeeded his brother Alexander as sachem of the Wampanoags, or Pokano- kets, as they are sometimes called, confirmed to the town the purchase of the "eight miles square," made of Massassoit, or Osamequin, his father, in 1641, and relinquished all claim and title to the same by giving the town a quit-claim warranty deed. Of this deed the following is an exact copy; in transcribing it the original orthography has been preserved.
QUIT-CLAIM DEED OF KING PHILIP.
"Know all men by these presents that, whereas Osamequin, Sachem, deceased, did, for good and valluable considerations, in the year one thousand Six Hundred and forty and one, give, grant, convey, assure ence offe, and confirm unto Mr. John Brown, and Mr. Edward Winslow deceased, a tract of land of Eight miles square, scituate, lying and being both on the East and west sides of a river now called Palmer's river to the property and behoof of the townsmen of Seacunck, alias Rehoboth: I Phillip Sachem, eldest son, heir and successor to the said Osame- quin Sachem, do hereby for my self, mine heires, assigns and suc- cessors remise, release, and for ever quit all manner of right, title, claime or interest that I the said phillip Sachem have, or by any colour or pretence whatsoever might or ought to have to the said tract of lands Eight mile square, lying on the East and west sides of Palmer's river aforesaid, unto Mr. Stephen Paine the elder, Peter Hunt, John Allen, Henry Smith, and others, the select men of the town of Rehoboth; ffor and to the use of themselves and of all the other Townsmen of the said town, as they are respec- tively concerned and estated therine, and to the use of all and every of their heires and assigns for ever. And furthermore I the said Phillip sachem do hereby firmly bind my self, mine heires, assigns and successors to free and discharge, secure and save harmlesse the said Stephen Pain, Peter Hunt, John Allen, Henry Smith and the select men aforesaid, and all other the Inhabitants of Rehoboth, their heirs and assigns for ever from all former and other bargains, sales titles, and all other incumbrances whatso- ever had, made, done or suffered by me the said phillip sachem, or the said Osemequin my father deceased; or hereafter to be made, done, committed or suffered by me the said phillip sachem, mine heires, assigns or successors. In witnesse whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal, the thirtieth day of the ffirst Month, Called March, In the yeare of our lord one Thousand Six Hundred Sixty and Eight."
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"Signed, Sealed and delivered in the presence of the mark of Umptakisok T the mark of phillip Counsellor.
,Counsellor.
the mark of S Sunconewhew phillip's brother.
the mark of peebee T Counsellor.
"be it remembered that Philip aknowledged be- fore the ensealing and delivery hereof that os- emequin receaved full satisfaction of the said Mr. Brown and Mr. Winslow for the said Eight mile square, and ffor the hundred acres, lying on the south side of the bounds of Reho- both, now called by the name of the Hundred acres to the use of the said town.
The mark of phillip P sachem.
the mark of I Tom Interpreter.
John Myles Junio:
John ¡ Landon's mark.
the mark ^ of wm. Hammon. Joseph Sabin.
(seal.) Phillip the Sachem did acknowledge this deed, this first of June, 1668, Before Jos. Winslow, Assist."
April 10, 1668. At a town meeting "it was voted that, whereas the select townsmen did give Philip, Sachem a gratuity at the sealing of an evidence of our eight mile square, the sum of eight pounds twelve shillings; that the said select townsmen shall make a rate for the payment of it."
At the same meeting the town chose a committee, "to go and view the meadows that are in the North Purchase, and to acre them out, to divide them into three score and eighteen parts and a half, and to mark and bound out each part, and put in such swamps as in their prudence they think meet, to be laid out in the said division: provided they do it equally as they can. The said committe are Anthony Perry, Philip Walker, Thomas Wilmot, Nicholas Ide; to be paid by the whole company of purchasers."
May 13, 1668. "It was voted and agreed upon that the new book of records should be recorded at Plymouth, this next June Court.
"William Carpenter at the same time was chosen Town Clerk."
Voted, that the deed given by the Indians to the town "be de- livered to the committee of the town, that they may record it at the Court of New Plymouth, the next June Court."
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Voted, "that a committee shall be chosen to draw up a petition to send to the Court at Plymouth, the next General Court, that we might have some redress in respect of the difficulty of the trans- portation of our county rates. The committee chosen, were Mr. Stephen Payne, sen., Lieut. Hunt, and Ensign Smith, committee to sign this petition in the name of the town.'
It was also voted "that the rates upon the north side of the town be lowered, and part taken off; that is to say, whereas the lands upon the North Purchase paid forty shillings of 5 pounds in all rates, that now the said lands shall pay 20 shillings in 5 pounds, until the town see cause to alter it."
May 26, 1668. "It was voted and agreed upon for the en- couragement of a brickmaker, in the town, the town ordered that if any come, he shall have free liberty of wood and clay, at the half-mile swamp, to make what brick he will."
The same day lots were drawn for the meadow lands in the North Purchase by the following persons:
Obadiah Bowen,
James Gilson,
Samuel Luther,
Rice Leonard,
Stephen Paine, sen.
Samuel Newman,
John Savage,
John Doggett,
Goody Hide,
Anthony Perry,
Children's lands,
Thomas Cooper, jun.
Thomas Reade,
George Kendricke,
Preserved Abell,
John Butterworth,
William Carpenter,
Mr. Myles,
Gilbert Brooks,
Richard Bowen, jun.
Thomas & Jacob Ormsby,
Mr. Newman,
Robert Jones, John Reade, sen.
William Sabin,
Nathaniel Paine, sen.
Ichabod Miller, jun.
Robert Wheaton,
Mr. Daniel Smith,
Widow Carpenter,
Mr. Browne,
Benjamin Buckland,
Robert Miller,
Philip Walker, John Peren, sen.
John Titus,
John Ormsby,
George Robinson,
Jaret Ingraham,
Robert Fuller,
Nathaniel Paine, jun.
John Fitch,
Henry Smith, Nicholas Peck,
Thomas Willmot,
Jonathan Bosworth,
John Kinslye,
Samuel Carpenter,
Jonathan Fuller,
Richard Whitaker,
John Miller, sen.
Mr. Tanner,
Joseph Carpenter,
Samuel Peck,
Sampson Mason,
Stephen Paine, jun. Jonathan Palmer,
Willliam Buckland,
Joseph Peck,
Nathaniel Peck,
--
-
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HISTORY OF REHOBOTH
James Redeway,
John Allin, jun.
Nicholas Ide,
John Reade, jun.
Deacon Cooper,
John Lowell,
Joseph Buckland,
Francis Stephens,
Thomas Grant,
Edward Hall,
Israel Peck,
John Woodcock,
Captain Willet,
John Allin, sen.
Jonathan Bliss,
Abraham Martin,
Lieutenant Hunt,
Ovid Bullock.
Eldad Kinsly,
During this year the Rev. Noah Newman, son of the Rev. Samuel Newman, was settled by the church and town as their minister.
December 4, 1668, the following vote was passed by the town relative to his support:
"That Mr. Newman should have forty pounds a year and his wood provided, to begin last March, for his comfortable main- tenance, for the carrying in end the work of the ministry amongst us. Deacon Carpenter, Lieutenant Hunt, and Goodman Roades were chosen to see that the aforesaid order should be accomplished, and to speak to those that are defective in their not doing their duty."
From the above vote it appears that Mr. Newman commenced his ministry in Rehoboth, in March.
January 1, 1668-9.1 "It was voted that there should be some land broke and fenced about the minister's house, for the planting of an orchard, and other conveniences; and the townsmen were appointed to see the thing accomplished."
May 14, 1669. "It was voted and agreed upon, that the house which was built for the ministry Mr. Newman should enjoy as long as he continues in the work of the ministry amongst us.
"It was also at the same time voted, that Mr. Newman should also enjoy the lands, meadows, commons, &c. of the pastors and
1 Style is Old and New. In Old Style the year commenced on the 25th of March. The correction of the calendar by Pope Gregory, in 1582, was not adopted by the British Parliament till 1751, when it was ordered that eleven days should be struck out of September of 1752, and the third day of that month was reckoned the fourteenth. This latter mode of reckoning is called New Style, and the year commenced on the first of January. Before the year 1752, there was sometimes a confusion in dates, it being difficult to determine whether January, February, and a part of March closed the year or began another. Hence the mode of double dates, as "Jan. 1, 1668-9," which is 1669 New Style. And in order to find the day of the month in New Style, corre- sponding to a given day of any month in Old Style, we must consider the latter as eleven days in advance of the former, and add eleven days to the present date. For instance, the 24th of March, 1668, Old Style, corresponds to April 4th, 1669, New Style.
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teachers, as long as he continues in the work of the ministry amongst us: excepting there shall be another officer chosen and settled amongst us, and then Mr. Newman is to have one of the accommodations of pastors or teachers, and the other officer, if ever any be joined with him, is to have the other accommodations so long as they attend their work.
"At the same time it was voted, enacted, and agreed upon, that, seeing it is the intention of the town to preserve the house built for the ministry, and to keep it for that use; the town there- fore seeth cause to engage themselves, that, if it should please God, that by his providence he should remove Mr. Newman by death, while he continues in the ministerial work, and should leave a wife and family behind him; that his wife or family that he leaves behind him, shall have four-score pounds paid to her or them, at their leaving or removing out of the house, and the said four- score pounds to be raised by a rate of the inhabitants of the town, according to their several proportions. The former word family, to be interpreted Mr. Newman's children.
"At the same time it was also voted, that Mr. Newman should have three-score pounds a year paid him yearly, for his com- fortable subsistence in the work of the ministry. And Mr. Stephen Pain, senior, Deacon Cooper, and William Sabin, were chosen by the town, desiring them to take some pains to see how it might be raised: that if it might be, it might be raised freely; for every person whom it concerns to contribute towards it freely; and that thenceforward persons will take care that it might be effec- tually accomplished; and also, that the forty pounds a year which is past be inquired into, to see if it be accomplished; and if these persons do apprehend that the aforesaid way will not effect the thing, then the town are to seriously consider of some other way, that it may be effected for the comfortable carrying on of the worship and ordinances of God amongst us."
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