USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > History of Scituate, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1831 > Part 19
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An anecdote is handed down by tradition, which may serve to illustrate the manner of conducting his ministry, and in short the prevailing manner in those times. Mr Bryant entered the church after the services had commenced, and Mr Witherell at the close of his prayer, thus addressed him: "Neighbor Bryant, it is to your reproach that you have disturbed the worship by entering late, living as you do within a mile of this place, and especially so, since here is goody Barstow, who has milked seven cows, made a cheese, and walked five miles to the house of God in good season."
Mr Witherell had probably married before he left England. His sons were Samuel, John, Theophilus and Daniel: his daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah and Hannah, the two latter being all that were born in Scituate, vız. Sarah baptized in 1645, and Hannah 1646.
Most of these children, though some of them had deceased, are mentioned in his will in 1684, as may be seen in the fol- lowing abstract.
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"To Samuel Witherell, son of my oldest son Samuel, my house and orchard and ten acres of land, when he shall arrive at the age of twenty-one, he paying (a certain sum) to his brother Joshua : also to Joshua a lot of marsh next to Israel Hobart's : also to Hannah, daughter to my son Samuel, two COWS.
"To my two sons, John and Theophilus, my wearing appa- rel. As to Daniel and daughter Sarah Hobart, they have had their portions.
"To Isabel, the widow of my son Samuel, the improvement of the house and orchard until her son Samuel shall come of age."
The inventory of his estate amounted to £165, his books valued at thirteen shillings.
Samuel, the oldest son, deceased in 1683. His children were Samuel born 1678, Hannah 1680, Joshua 1683.
Isabel, his widow, married Josiah Torrey in 1684.
John, the second son of Mr Witherell, left a family, viz. John born 1675, William 1678, Thomas 1681, Joshua 1683.
Theophilus, the third son, married Mary Parker, the daughter of William Parker, in 1675 : their children, Mary born 1677, (died early), Elizabeth 1679, Mary 1681, Lydia 1683, (the wife of Edward Shove 1704), Ruth 1687, Judith 1689. His place of residence was on the west of Dead swamp, and he built the first house on the place, now owned by Mr Lot Litch- field. He was a serjeant in the "Narragansett fight," (see Chapter on Indian wars).
Daniel, the fourth son, was living in Scituate when his father deceased. He married earlier than his brothers; his daughter Hannah was baptized in 1660: no other children of his appear on record.
Mary, the daughter of Mr Witherell, married Thomas Old- ham of Scituate in 1656 : her descendants are in Pembroke.
Elizabeth, married John Bryant of Scituate 1657, and left posterity. (This was the gentleman whom Mr Witherell re- proved -he was Deacon in 1669).
Sarah married Israel Hobart in 1676, and left posterity.
Hannah probably died early.
We believe the posterity of the oldest son only of Mr With- erell have, preserved the name in this Town; and it is nearly extinct in that line. Samuel his son, named in the will of his grandfather, left ten children, born from 1699 to 1720, several of whom removed. - The late Theophilus and Anson now living, sons of Simeon of Hanover, we believe are his descend-
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ants. Hannah born 1720, married Nathaniel Robbins of Marsh- field. William, the son of John, also left a family. He had a son William born 1702, a daughter Sarah, who married Abner Dwelley 1721, and a daughter Hannah, who married Samuel Eells in 1729, the son of Rev. Nathaniel Eells.
The people of this name in this vicinity, are not all descend- ants of Rev. William Witherell. There was a John Witherell (probably a brother) in Cambridge in 1635, and afterward in Watertown. There was also a William Witherell in Taunton in 1645, or earlier, who left descendants. Judge Witherell of Detroit, Michigan, is said to be of his posterity.
MR THOMAS MIGHILL
was the son of Thomas Mighill of Rowley, one of the early settlers of that place, and who was their representative in 1648, in General Court. Thomas, the second son, was born Octo- ber 29, 1639, and received his degree at Harvard College 1663. He had been a preacher for some years before he came to Scituate. We observe in the records of the second Society the following entries.
"Sep. 7, 1680, Thomas King, sen., John Bryant, sen. and Charles Stockbridge were chosen a committee to procure a minister. Mr Mighill came to us Sept. 19, 1680.
" Voted to allow 60£ a year for a minister, and 10€ to our Pastor Mr Witherell.
"At a meeting of the Church Feb. 6, 1681, a committee was chosen to agree with Mr Mighill for his coming and for his transportation, and to get a house for him, so as we do not exceed 60£ and his firewood. July 3d, 1681, the Church did give the voate that they desired Mr Mighill, to give him a call."
Mr Mighill, however, declined receiving ordination at that time, but continued to assist Mr Witherell till his decease. He was ordained October 15, 1684.
The children born to him after his coming to Scituate, were Mary born 1683, Samuel 1685, Grace 1688 ..
His ministry was short, he having deceased August 26, 1689. There is no record of his death in Scituate, and no monument to mark his grave: we are indebted to Hobart's journal for the date of his decease.
Of his brief ministry few notices can be found, and no relick of his literary labours. His family probably returned to Mas- sachusetts; the name is extant in Essex county.
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In the inventory of his estate is named " a quarter of a sloop, valued at 15£ the quarter."
Abstract of his Will dated 1689.
" To my daughter Elizabeth 60£.
To my wife Bethia the remainder of my estate, to bring up the other three children, Samuel, Mary and Grace : and after my wife's decease to be divided to these three, Samuel having a double portion.
To Samuel my Library.
And I entreat the worshipful Mr Samuel Sewall and Mr Isaac Addington of Boston, and my loving cousin Mr John Wells of Roxbury, to take the oversight of this my will and assist my wife, &c."
There was a Mr Mighill who erected Iron works at "Drink- water," about 1710, and owned a considerable tract of land in that vicinity.
After the decease of Mr Mighill, Mr John Cotton (son of Mr Cotton of Plymouth) preached several months Anno 1690-1.
MR DEODATE LAWSON.
This gentleman may have been the son of Christopher Lawson, an early settler in Boston, though we do not find his name on record in that family. Thomas, the son of Christopher Lawson, was born in Boston in 1643, and Mary 1645. Deo- date may have been of the same family, and born in New Hampshire, as Mr Farmer informs us that Christopher Lawson was afterward in New Hampshire. Deodate not being found on the catalogue of Harvard College, however, leads us to suspect that he may have been born and educated in England. He was a preacher in Danvers in 1688, says Mr Farmer. We find he had lived in Boston with a family, previous to that date. In 1682, the birth of Deodate, the son of Deodate Lawson and Jane his wife, appears on the records of Boston : also his second marriage to Deborah Allen in 1692. A hiatus in our records prevents our giving the date of his ordination here, but it must have been in November of the year 1694.
His children born here were Deborah 1694, Richard 1696, (and we believe John), and Mordecai Hewitt 1700.
It is singular that we can find so few traces of his ministry, not even of the baptisms or marriages solemnized by him. It
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is probable that whatever records he kept, he carried away on his removal. Touching his removal, we find the following documents.
"September 26, 1698, the Church and Society up the N. River in Scituate, being met together, and considering theire unsettled state, by reason of the long absence of their Pastor, Mr Deodate Lawson, did make choice of Capt. Benjamin Stetson, and Dea. Thomas King, to go to the neighboring Elders, and acquaint them with their present state and condition, and entreat their advice what said Church and Society may and ought to doe, being under such circumstances as they at present are.
Per order JAMES TORREY, ELISHA TURNER."
" At a meeting in Weymouth September 28, 1698. The Church and Society of the N. River in Scituate according to their vote of the 26th, having sent messengers to advise with us the Elders of their neighboring Churches, concerning their present case and duty, considering their unsettled estate, by reason of the long and still continued absence of their Pastor : after solemn invocation of the name of God, and consultation about his mind and will, we do offer our opinion on their case as followeth, viz. that a Pastor, without express consent of his people, desisting of the duty of his charge and function, merely for secular advantages, and taking no heed to the ministry which he hath received of the Lord to fulfill it, nor to the flocke over which the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer, to feed the flock of God, &c. for two years together delaying his re- turn, notwithstanding many faire advantages offered him for the same, and signifying unto his people neither any justifiable rea- sons of his absence, nor any resolved intention of speedy return, is faulty before God : and his people are not to blame if they use all Evangelical endeavors to settle themselves with another Pastor, more spiritually and more fixedly disposed.
SAMUEL TORREY, (of Weymouth), MOSES FISK, (Braintree), NEHEMIAH HOBART, (Newton), ZECHARIAH WHITMAN, (Hull), PETER THATCHER, (Milton), JOHN DANFORTH, (Dorchester), JOSEPH BELCHER, (Dedham), JOSEPH BAXTER, (Medfield)."
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In November 1698, the Church and Society "voted to accept the advice of the Elders," also "chose Capt. Benjamin Stetson and Dea. Thomas King to procure a Minister in order to ordination and settlement."
We find no further traces of Mr Lawson or of his family, unless John Lawson was his son, who married Mary Leach in 1721, and whose son John was born in 1722, as appears by our records.
REV. NATHANIEL EELLS
was the son of Samuel Eells, Esq. of Hingham. His mother was Anna Lenthal, the daughter of the Rev. Robert Lenthal of Weymouth .* Capt. Eells, afterward Major Eells, commanded a garrison at Ponagansett (Dartmouth) in Philip's war, and we understand it to have been the same gentleman above named. He is found to have been a resident in Hingham soon after the close of that war. He there married a second wife, called Sarah North in Hobart's journal, and the widow Sarah Peck in the Clerk's records of that town. We reconcile these records by supposing that the lady had been Sarah North before her marriage to Mr Peck, and family tradition confirms this supposition. She was doubtless the widow of Mr Joseph Peck. We find no record of births of this family in Hingham, and where their children were born we have not discovered. Major Eells died in Hingham in 1709, and his widow died in Scituate in 1711. We have discovered that two of his daugh- ters married in Hingham, viz. Anna to Thomas Wilder in 1704, and Elizabeth to John Stowell in 1710.
Rev. Nathaniel of Scituate, was born 1678, and received his degree at Harvard College in 1699. The first notice of him in Scituate is January 12, 1702-3, when "the Church and Society chose a Committee to discourse with Mr Eells, concerning his settling with us in the work of the ministry." Again in July 1703, "The agents before chosen are directed to apply themselves to Mr Eells, at his return to Hingham, concerning his settlement in the work of the ministry." We conclude that in the interim between the above dates, he had preached in other places. August 18, 1703, "Voted to invite Mr Eells to settle, and to allow him for his maintenance 65£
* Rev. Robert Lenthal left Weymouth in 1640 : he was in Newport in 1641, where he was engaged in a controversy against Nicholas Easton, Coddington and Coggeshall, who had begun to hold forth the doctrine that God is the author of sin. (Winthrop II. 40).
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per annum, and the use of the Parsonage." He was ordained June 14, 1704. The marriage of Mr Eells is recorded in Hingham, viz. "Mr Nathaniel Eells of Scituate to Hannah North of Hingham, by Samuel Eells, Jus. P. Oct. 12, 1704." She was the relative of the wife of Samuel Eells, Esq. and both were descended of the noble family of that name in Eng- land. She was the aunt of Frederick Lord North, Prime minister of England during the American Revolution. Some of Mr Eells's descendants, viz. Nathaniel and Richard Williams of Taunton, his grandsons, visited England after the Revolu- tion, with the hope of obtaining some fraction of his lordship's estate, as he was childless, but we believe they did not meet with success.
Mr Eells resided in the parsonage-house at first, after his marriage. April 1704, "The Society voted to repair the parsonage-house, and make it tenantable and convenient for Mr Eells to dwell in." He had been a boarder in the family of the widow Lydia Barrell previous to his ordination. He resided at the parsonage until 1715, when he purchased a spacious house of Mr Joseph Henchman. It stood on the north side of the way, a few rods east of the parting of the two roads that lead from the south Meeting-house, the one to Boston, and the other to mount Blue, (see Henchman, Family Sketches). Here he resided until his decease, August 25, 1750, aged 72. There are a few aged people now living who remember him. They describe his person to have been of a stature rather above mediocrity, of broad chest and muscular proportions, remarkably erect, somewhat corpulent in his late years, of dark complexion, with large black eyes and brows, and of general manners rather dignified and commanding than sprightly and pleasing. He had an influence and authority amongst his people that none of his successors have exercised, and which may have been in some measure a peculiarity of earlier times than these. The controversy with which his predecessors had been agitated had ceased. The Quakers, by not being persecuted here, had become quiescent. Whitefield's New light, and his spirit of denunciation had been kept out of his society, by the deter- mined stand which he took against him; and the times were prosperous and happy .* His people were delighted to see him at their doors, as he rode up on horseback to inquire after their health, and' to hand his pipe to be lighted. We mean no satire by recording this trifle ; for he was a venerable man, and so
* See Appendix.
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beloved, that every parishioner 'would take pleasure in perform- ing such an office for him. He was also a leader amongst the neighboring clergy-well acquainted with the constitution and usages of the Churches, weighty in counsel, and often called to distant parts of the State, and to other States on Ecclesiastical Councils. As a preacher, there is reason to believe that he did not so much excel as in his dignity of character and sound- ness of understanding. We have seen a volume in manuscript of nearly an hundred sermons, which he used to carry with him when he travelled abroad. They embrace a considerable variety of subjects, and enabled him to preach at any time and on any occasion. They begin with his own ordination sermon, which he himself preached, according to ancient custom, and include the sermons which he composed during the few first years of his ministry. Were we to judge of his talents from these alone, we should not do him justice. There are a few discourses in print which are very respectable productions, and in particular those delivered at the ordinations of his two sons. He preached the Election sermon in 1743, (Deut. xxxii. 47.)
His sentiments were the moderate Calvinism of that day : we have seen one sermon on the doctrine of election, which had many explanations closely bordering on Arminianism. In the latter part of his life he continued to speak of Arminian free will as an error, but with no asperity. Mr Lemuel Bryant of Quincy, who had gone somewhat before the age in liberal speculations, preached for him on a certain day, and delivered a sermon which he afterwards printed, (on the text, " all our righteousnesses are filthy rags,") and explained the text in the manner which would now be generally acceptable, showing that the formalities of a corrupt generation of the Jews were therein described, and not the moral virtues of true worshippers, which led Mr Eells to say, " Alas ! Sir, you have undone to-day, all that I have been doing for forty years," and Bryant with his accustomed wit and courtesy replied, " Sir, you do me too much honor in saying, that I could undo in one sermon, the labours of your long and useful life." An aged and highly intelligent gentleman, who related this anecdote to us twenty years since, also remarked that Mr Eells preached a series of sermons afterward, with a view to correct Mr Bryant's errors, but it was not easy, remarked the same gentleman, to discern much differ- ence between his doctrine and that of Mr Bryant. On the whole, we believe there has rarely been known a ministry of forty-six years, which so many circumstances conspired to render successful and happy. There are a few now living that
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remember the solemn day of fasting and prayer, kept by his people, on account of his death.
Mr Eells prepared his own sons and several other young men for College, and also for the ministry : amongst whom we can name President Clap of Yale College, Rev. David Turner of Rehoboth, and Rev. Thomas Clap of Taunton, afterwards Judge Clap.
There is no man of eminence, but who suffers detraction for the very reason that he is eminent. Thus it has often been told as a satire upon Mr Eells, that in his simplicity, he one day directed his scholars to dig for a thunderbolt at the foot of a tree, where the lightning had made an excavation. We have no great confidence in the truth of the story : but if it were true, it was but a specimen of the general ignorance at that time, in a certain branch of philosophy, for it was before Franklin had made his discoveries in Electricity.
We have no doubt that Mr Eells had disciplined himself into an extraordinary self command. His less placid partner (whose name had been North) did not so well endure the disagreeable events of life, and when chafed with family vexations, she would say, "It is wonderful that so good a man as my husband should have such wayward children." He would pleasantly reply, "True, and you seem to be sensible that the mischief lies in the North side of the family."
His children were Sarah born 1705, and who married Ben- jamin Turner, (son of Thomas Turner of Hanover), 1726.
Samuel born 1706, who married Hannah Witherell (grand- daughter of Rev. William) in 1729, and settled in Scituate. From him have descended Robert Eells, Esq. and others of Hanover .*
John born 1709, who married Abiah Waterman 1730, and lived in a house fifty rods east of his father's. He had a son Waterman.
Nathaniel born 1710, received a degree at Harvard College 1 1728, and was ordained pastor of Stonington, Connecticut 1733. The same year he married Mercy, the daughter of Hon. John Cushing of Scituate.
Edward born 1712, received a degree at Harvard College 1733, and was ordained pastor in Middletown, Connecticut, 1737. Both Edward and Nathaniel, we believe, have posterity in Connecticut and New York.
* Robert, Esq., Joseph, Edward and Samuel are sons of Robert Lenthal Eells, and grandsons of Samuel. Their mother Ruth Copeland, (see Copeland).
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Hannah born 1714, married Anthony Eames of Marshfield, and has left posterity.
Mary born 1716, married Seth Williams of Taunton, 1738, and has left descendants.
North born 1718, married Ruth Tilden 1741, and has left descendants in Scituate. His grandson Nathaniel, son of Na- thaniel, deceased 1831.
Anna Lenthal born 1721, married Zechariah Daman 1748, and has left posterity in Scituate and Hanover: Edward Galen, &c.
The widow of Mr Eells survived him about four years, having deceased May 2, 1754.
The family of Eells came to New England early. There was a John Eells, freeman in Massachusetts, 1632, who may have been the grandfather of our minister. The Rev. Nathan- iel we know had a brother John, whose daughter Frances deceased at the house of her uncle in Scituate. She is called " the daughter of John Eells late of Milford." She died 1718.
There was a John Eells of Sandwich, whose sons Bennet and Mordecai were born 1648 and 1650; but whether the same who was freeman in Massachusetts in 1632, we have not ascertained. Parhaps his family have changed the name to Ellis. There was also a Roger Eells of Yarmouth, whose son John was born 1648.
REV. JONATHAN DORBY
was the son of Capt. Eleazer Dorby of Boston, and Mary his wife, who was the daughter of John Cushing, Esq. married in 1721. Capt. Dorby lived for a short time in Scituate, and Eleazer his first son was born here 1722. Jonathan was born in Boston in 1727, and received a degree at Harvard College 1747. He came to Scituate in the spring of 1751. In July following the Church and Society voted to invite him to settle, offering " for his maintenance 80£ lawful money and the use of the Parsonage :" and in September following "5£ in addition to what had been voted before."
He was ordained November 13, 1751. But his ministry and his life were very brief. He had gone to Hingham to exchange pulpit services with Mr Gay, and was there attacked with a fever at the house of Mr Lincoln, (father of General Benjamin Lincoln), which terminated his life after a sickness
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of five days. He died April 22, 1754, in the twenty-eighth year of his age and the third year of his ministry. He had been an inmate of the family of Judge John Cushing, his maternal uncle, and was about to be married to his daughter Mary, when his bright course was arrested .* His remains were placed in the family tomb of the Cushings.
Mr Dorby is described as of moderate stature, fair complex- ion, round features and blue eyes : in his manners graceful and winning : using much familiarity in his intercourse with his people, without disgusting, and entering their dwellings like a son or a brother. As a preacher, we have a sufficient testimony of his lively and interesting manner, in the memory of many who knew him: but of his talents as a writer we have less decisive proof. We have seen but one sermon (in manuscript) of his, and that was of course an early production. It however might be considered as a respectable performance.t
* Their bans were published April 13, 1754. She married Rev. Ebenezer Gay of Suffield, 1763. The first ancestor of Rev. Mr Dorby in this country, we believe, was Edward of Boston, whose children were Mary, Eleazer and others, born from 1660 forward. Eleazer was the father of Mary, born 1688, and of Capt. Eleazer, father of Rev. Jonathan. Capt. Eleazer was a mariner.
t Since writing the above, we have discovered that Dr. Gay of Hingham preached at the ordination of Mr Dorby, November 13, 1751, from Rev. i. 16. " And he had in his right hand seven stars." In his address to the people in that discourse, he thus alludes to the late pastor Mr Eells, and to the pastor elect :
""'One star differeth from another star in glory.' That, with the comfortable and enlivening rays of which ye were favored for the space of forty-six years, was of distinguished lustre : and its influences, how sweet and extensive ! The neighboring Churches, yea, the Land rejoiced with you in the light therof. There never was in this country, if in the Christian world, a minister so frequently sought to, as your late deceased Pastor, when the Churches wanted light and peace : and his coming to their help, in the way of Eccle- siastical counsel, wherin he, for the most part, moderated, might seem as the welcome approach of Mazaroth in his season, or the kindly aspect of a benevolent planet with his satellites. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably he behaved himself among you : as ye know how he exhorted, and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children. But alas ! that burning and shining light, little dimmed or diminished by age, was suddenly extinguished from your eyes.
"' But lo! he that is in the midst of the Churches, hath another star in his right hand, which he this day giveth you.'
" I can from intimate acquaintance, bear this young man witness, that he hath taken laudable pains to be thoroughly furnished unto the good, but arduous work he is designed for, and by the blessing of God on his prepara- tory studies, hath acquired those desirable qualifications, which have justly recommended him to your well advised choice. And I may, with little variation, say to you of him, as Paul did to the Philippians concerning his son Timothy : ' I know no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state.' " See that he be with you without fear, for he worketh the work of God.' Let not his light be obscured by poverty or reproach that he shall
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