USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > History of Scituate, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1831 > Part 37
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1
401
APPENDIX.
II. See Page 128.
While our work was in the press, we were fortunate enough to recover the original return of the losses of Scituate, in the eventful year of 1676, made by a Committee of the Town to the Governor, and alluded to page 128. This was found amongst the Winslow Papers, and very obligingly furnished to us by the Hon. John Davis.
" To the Honered Governor Josiah Winslow, att his house in Marsh- field ; This deliver with speed.
HONERED SIR,
We whose names are hereunto subscribed, Received your order Bearing date the 16th of January 1676, wherein you design us to send you a list of the names of all such persons, Inhabitants or strangers, of what perswation soever, with what lossess they have sustained in their persons or estates, and are in distresse, which accordingly we have here done, according to our ability. ISAAC BUCK, sen.
Scituate the 26th. JEREMIAH HATCH, Selectmen. of January 1676. JOHN CUSHING, £
Joseph Sylvester - house and barn burnt, worth 100 00 00
Edward Wright -house and barn burnt, estimated 35 00 00
Nicholas Albeson - his house burnt 6 00 00
John Curtis, sen. - house and barn burnt 40 00 00
John Bompas - house and barn burnt
35 00 00
Serj. Abram Sutliffe - house and barn burnt
50 00 00
Widow Blackmore - house and barn burnt
40 00 00
John Buck - house and barn burnt 40 00 00
James Torrey - house and barn burnt
45 00 00
Widow Torrey - house and barn burnt 40 00 00
Henry Ewell - house and barn burnt 10 00 00
Thomas Woodworth - dwelling house burnt 40 00 00 William Wills -one ox, one horse, killed as they stud yoke 8 00 00
Job Randall, his arme broken with a shott, which disabled him from work for a time.
Joseph Thorne, shot through the arme, lame for a time.
Theophilus Witherly, wholly disabled, and so like to be.
William Perry, disabled by a wound diverse months.
John Barker, was disabled by a shott diverse months.
Jonathan Jackson, disabled by a shott some time.
Timothy White has received damage in his hed by a shott. These widows lost their husbands by the enemy. Widow Pierce.
Widow Russell.
Widow Savory.
Widow Willcome. (Not Whitcomb as in page 128.) Widow Pratt.
Widow Blackmore.
Anthony Dodson lost his son, who was under his government.
Richard Standlake's family suffers much by the loss of his sone Jere- miah Barstow .*
* He was then in captivity amongst the Indians.
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402
APPENDIX.
Jonathan Turner lost his 'prentice with Capt. Pierce.
Walter Briggs lost his Irishman at the swamp, which was his estate.
Strangers from Shipscot River.
Mr. Dyer left all behind him, who sowed 16 bushells of wheat, planted a bushell and a half of Indian Corne, sowed 9 bushells of peas, left 56 hed of cattell, 30 swine, and household goods, and tackling for plow and carte.
John White, and John Lee his son in law, sowed 10 bushells of wheat, planted 2 bushells of Indian corne, 5 bushells of peas, 17 hed of cattell, 16 swine, one horse.
Philip Randall sowed 9 bushells of peas, 5 or 6 of wheat, 16 hed of cattell, 6 swine.
Widow Cole, 2 oxen - cowes, 2 heifers, sowed 6 bushells of wheat, planted 3 bushells of Indian corne."
We have seen amongst the Winslow papers, in possession of Hon. John Davis, several curious documents relative to Serjeant Johnson's claims at Scituate (see page 297) and particularly a letter from Gov. Josiah Winslow, (dated March 14, 1673-4) addressed to Gen. Cudworth, which probably contributed much to the ending of the controversy.
III.
See Page 198.
REV. NATHANIEL EELLS.
In our notice of Mr. Eells, we remarked that he was a firm opposer of Mr. Whitefield. We now add, that he subscribed the Declaration in favour of the religious revivals of those times, presented to the public by an assembly of ministers, convened at Boston, July 7th. 1743 ; but we observe in that curious document, that Mr. Eells and several others made an exception, by testifying at the same time, against itinerating, and in- vading the parishes of regularly settled ministers.
See "Historical Collections relating to remarkable periods of the suc- cess of the gospel, &c. By John Gillies of Glasgow."
In 1745, Mr. Eells had witnessed so many and so wild disorders in the churches that he thought it his duty to lay his sentiments respecting them before the public. There is extant a printed letter, addressed to his church and society. It may be seen amongst the Tracts in the Bos- ton Atheneum. Vol. marked C. 4. 4.
It is ably written, and assigns reasons for not admitting Whitefield into his pulpit. Amongst his reasons are, that Mr. Whitefield had forfeited the Episcopal ordination which he had received, and was suspended from the ministry for his irregularity, and had received no other ordination. That his itinerancy tended to disorganization and confusion, inasmuch as he avoided such places as were destitute of teachers, and forced him- self into those places where there were able and faithful ministers ; that
403
APPENDIX.
he lavished abuses upon the ministers of the gospel, encouraged dis- orders and divisions, and availed himself of the assistance of disorgan- izers,-" commending Mr. Tenant's Nottingham Sermon, in which Mr. Tenant outstrippeth Rabshakeh, in raillery against the clergy of this generation."
Appended to the letter, is a review, by Mr. Eells, of " a pamphlet put out by a number of ministers met at Taunton, March 12th. 1744, wherein they have published three reasons for countenancing and encouraging Mr. Whitefield." Their reasons are First, "because the doctrines which he preaches are agreeable to the standard of truth." Secondly, " because of his remarkable success." Thirdly, "because of his exem- plary piety." To the first, Mr. Eells answers, by quoting some of Mr. Whitefield's doctrines, e. g. "that God loveth sinners as sinners, &c." and shrewdly questions whether they be agreeable to the standard of truth. To the second he replies in such language as the following, "It is to be observed with lamentation, that the success of his ministry (if it may be called success) hath been to raise in the minds of many a spirit of censoriousness and uncharitableness, of bitterness, anger, wrath, malice, envy, revenge, in many, as is evident to every observing eye, by the carriage of his admirers toward many of the brethren, with whom, before he came amongst us, they lived in peace and good agreement. Such success he hath had, to the grief of many godly persons." To the third reason he replies, "Is it exemplary piety for a man to break his ordination vows ? Is it exemplary piety for a man that had the pastoral care of any church, to turn a vagrant preacher, and ramble about the world ? Is it exemplary piety in him to disturb the peace of the churches of Christ in one place and another? Is it exemplary piety in him, to grieve the spirit of holy ministers and holy brethren, and provoke them to pray that God would rebuke him ?"
Those readers who are acquainted with the history of Mr. Whitefield, his success as a preacher, and the opposition that withstood him, need not be informed that Mr. Eells was amongst the moderate and cool oppo- sers of that singular man. It would be easy to quote pamphlets written in 1745, and a few years later, which expose great excesses and irregu- larities, not to say immoralities, in Whitefield and his satellites. But this was not our object in noticing the pamphlet of Mr. Eells, but rather to illustrate the character and sentiments of the writer. Whitefield was a man of extraordinary powers of elocution, he won the multitudes, and became intoxicated with success. But as to real learning and solid moral worth, he was immensely below the Barnards, Chauncey, Mayhew, Gay, Clap, and a host of others whom he dared to revile.
IV.
See Page 190.
REV. NEHEMIAH THOMAS.
While our work was in the press, we were called to lament the de- cease of this worthy man. He died August 10, 1831. He had proceeded to the sea beach, in a remarkably sultry afternoon, (in company with his
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APPENDIX.
sister in law, Miss Elizabeth Otis,) for the benefit of fresher air. He had, perhaps rather imprudently, thrown off his shoes and stockings, and waded in the cool sea water. On his returning to his chaise, at the east end of the 3d. Cliff, and attempting to ascend the step, he fell and in- stantaneously expired, of an apoplexy. He was born Feb. 3d, 1765. He was a descendant of Nathaniel Thomas, an early settler in Plymouth Colony. His father was Nathaniel Thomas, Esq. of Marshfield, a worthy gentleman, who gave to his son, the advantages of a religious education, and also the best means of a liberal education that the country could furnish. He received his first degree at Harvard College in 1789. His Theological studies were pursued under the direction of Rev. Dr. Shaw of Marshfield .* He entered on the ministry in 1792. He preached for a short term to the New South Congregational Church and Society in Boston, in the summer of 1792; and in the autumn of the same year, was ordained in the first Church and Society in Scituate.
As to the faithfulness and ability, with which he has served that peo- ple, there is an impartial witness in the facts, that he attached a numer- ous society to his personal friendship, and to his ministry for thirty-nine years. His ministry, though not remarkably long, was yet the longest that has been exercised in that Society.
Mr. Thomas was distinguished for an open-heartedness and a guileless simplicity : for much freedom in expressing his own sentiments, and yet without that bluntness of manner which gives offence, and for much can- dor in accepting the same freedom from others ; for readiness to give ad- vice or reproof, and for meekness in receiving it: for willingness to lead, or willingness to be led, if thereby the true path might be found. In faith and affection, in character and practice, he belonged to the class of liberal or Unitarian Christians. He was not given to controversy: he never aimed at the notoriety of attacking the faith of others, while he practised no arts to conceal his own. Desirous of keeping the even tenor of his own way, without molesting or being molested, he beautiful- ly exemplified those traits of courtesy and gentleness which adorn the Christian character, and that charity which is greater than knowledge, or zeal, or eloquence, or even miraculous faith.
With a constitution far from robust, he had been for years struggling against infirmities, and labouring on in his calling, often with despondent feelings, which nothing but a humble trust in Divine Providence could support. It is sixteen years, since the loss of a promising and beloved son, gave a sensible shock to his health. It is nearly four years, since a paralytic affection added an irrecoverable stroke, and though he had risen so far as to resume his labours, after a few months, yet from time to time, he had received strong intimations that the final attack of a mortal malady was threatening him. The loss of his admirable consort in March last, was another stroke which he was doomed to suffer, and there was still another, simultaneous, the hopeless bereavement of reason, of his daughter, Lucy Otis, at the time of her mother's decease. There was a train of calamities, thus following this worthy man, that has rarely been equalled. His burial was attended by a very numerous concourse, August 12th. A funeral procession accompanied his remains from his late mansion to the Meeting-house, where prayers were offered by Rev. Dr. Kendall of Plymouth, and a Sermon preached by the pastor of the 2d. Church, from Jeremiah xlv. 3, "The Lord had added grief to my sorrows." His remains were then deposited, for the present, in the tomb of the Stockbridge family.
* Not at the University, as remarked in page 190.
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405
APPENDIX.
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V.
In page 257, we remarked the unanimity with which the Senate con- firmed the nomination of Chief Justice Cushing. We here think proper to add, that nothing but a confidence in his ability, and in his unshaken integrity, could have united contending parties on that occasion. It was well known to which party of the day, Judge Cushing belonged. We have evidence enough, that his sentiments were never disguised. We have before us at this time, a Charge delivered by him to the " Grand Jury of the District of Virginia," Sept. 23d. 1798, in which he eloquently portrays the horrors of the French Revolution, and admonishes against being deceived by French wiles, and taken in the "plot against the rights of nations and of mankind, and against all religion and virtue, order and decency." In the same charge he ably defends the Sedition Law, on the ground of its being a melioration of the law of England, by " allowing the party accused, to prove the truth of his assertions." And in defence of the Alien Law he is equally bold and decisive. He had a felicity of manner, and an unblemished dignity of character, which ena- bled him to be open and decisive, without kindling the rage of oppo- sition.
See Page 359.
In our account of the family of Torrey, we mentioned a tradition that Josiah Torrey unfortunately lost his life by an explosion of gunpowder. We made this statement from tradition: but having discovered an im- portant error, we add the following extract from the Church Records of Roxbury. "July 5, 1665, there happened a very sad accident at Scituate. Lieut. Torrey, having received order from the Gov. of Plymouth (by rea- son of the king's letter, that informs us that the Hollanders are coming against us) to look to the powder and ammunition of the towne ; he went into the house of Goodman Ticknor, where the magazine of the town was, which was but two barrels of powder, and opened them : and while the said Lieut. was drying some of the powder abroad upon boards, by some accident, he knows not what, the powder was fired, both that in the house and that abroad, the house blown up and broken in pieces, and the woman of the house, Goodwife Ticknor, miserably burnt on her body (for it seems that she was at that instant, stepping up on the barrel that was in the house, to reach something) and a little child was sadly burnt, and buried in the rubbish and timber : but the woman and child lived several hours after, (about ten or eleven.) Also the Lieut. was sadly burnt in his breast, face, hands and armes, yet he lived till the next day, and then died."
The unfortunate gentleman was the father of Josiah, and Town Clerk at the time of his decease. The wife of Serjeant Ticknor, who perished by this accident, was Hannah, the daughter of Mr. John Stockbridge,
1
406
APPENDIX.
and the child was her eldest son John, then about six years of age. The decease of these three persons is entered on our records, viz. "Hannah, wife of William Ticknor, and John her son, July 5th, 1665, and Lieut. James Torrey, July 6th." but no account is given of the manner of their death.
We are indebted for the above extract from the Records of Roxbury, to Mr. Joshua Coffin.
We learn also, from the same persevering gentleman, that Mr. Will- iam Vassall (see page 366) is noticed in the Records of Roxbury, that Anna his wife was a member of the church there, and that his children, Judith, Frances, John, Margaret and Mary also appear on the records. We account for this very easily, by recollecting Mr. Vassall's controversy with Mr. Chauncy, the minister of Scituate. These children were doubt- less carried thither for baptism.
VI.
DOUBLE DATING. (Referred to in page 394.)
The first instance which we notice in our Records is that of the birth of "Joseph son of Henry Chittenden March 8, 1656-7. After the Calen- dar was corrected by Pope Gregory XIII. in 1582, though the correction was immediately adopted by all the Catholic countries, it was not adopt- ed by England until 1752. This was the New Style, and the year being made to commence on the 1st. of January, instead of the 25th. of March, gave occasion to the double dates, which were practised here and in Eng- land, for a century previous to 1752. Most of the Nations having adopted the New Style, it was thought proper, by the English, to pay some regard to it by double dating. It could be used only between January Ist. and March 25th. Thus, in the example above quoted, "March 8, 1656-7," it would be 56 in the Old Style, because the year according to that Style, would not close until March 25, but in the New Style, it would be 57, because according to that Style, the year had already commenced on the Ist. of January. The double dating ceased after 1752. The correc- tion of the Calendar however consisted in a more important alteration than that above named. It was found that the Julian year (adopted by Julius Cæsar) consisting of 365 days 6 hours, and every fourth year of 366 days, was a fraction too long, and carried the Spring months gradual- ly into the Summer : the error had already amounted to 11 days. In order therefore to bring the Vernal Equinox on the 21st. of March, the Pope ordered to strike out 11 days from Sept. 1582, calling the 3d day the 14th. And in order to provide that the Equinox should continue to fall on the 21st. of March, the year was made to consist of 365 days, with an intercalary day in February, every fourth or leap year, omitting this additional day 3 times in 400 years. It was omitted in 1800.
INDEX.
Aborigines
143
Counsellors
106
Agriculture
28
Churches reconciled 88
Alewive fishery
24
Colman's hills
8
Almshouse
113
Cushing, William, L. L. D. 256, 405
American war
133
Cudworth, Gen. James 245
St. Andrew's church 45
Deputies to Court
99
175
Animals
149
Allowed inhabitants
155
Ancient landmarks
158
Dorby, Rev. Jonathan Division of lands
10
Assistants, list of
98
Double dating 406
130
Baptist society 57
Earthquake
150
Baptism by immersion yielded 89, 173
Ecclesiastical history
59
Baptism of grandchildren
91
Education
92
Baker, Rev. Nicholas
181
Elders, Ruling
90
Barnes, Dr.
203
Elliot, letters to
76
Barstow, George
219
Electors, qualification of
106
Bells, church 33
Eells, Rev. Nathaniel
197, 402
Bird, Thomas, first settler
221
Ewell's house burnt
126, 401
Blinman, at Marshfield 81
Friends, Society of
47
Bourn, Rev. Shearjashub
186
Ferries
15
Boundaries
1
Fisheries
at Cape Cod
93
Brooks
21
French war 131
Briggs' harbour
23
Freemen, list of
153
Burying grounds 115
Family sketches 164
Canal proposed
23
Gillman, Edward
4
Canada Expedition 130
Graduates
96
Census
157
Charter of William and Mary Chauncey's letters
106
Government
104
Gay, Dr. (Note)
202
President
172
Green's harbour, channel 275
3 Hanover incorporated 2
4 Harbour 22
66 partners
6 Hatherly, Timothy 280
66 bounds
5
Haunted house
153
Clap, President
235
Cliffs
150
House lots, first
Hingham line
4
Committee of safety 137 Herring brooks 21
Commons
115
Hospital
112
Charities
112
Hinckley
284
Clerks, Town
112 Hoar, John
286
98
Deed of the church
Dunster, President
179
Dawes, Rev. Ebenezer
189
201
Assinippi
43
Eastern Expedition
Bees, first noticed 355
Elders, at Weymouth 196
23
Bridges and ferries
15
Garrisons
125
leaves Scituate
87
Colony line
Conihasset grantees
62
Grosvenor, Rev. E. 187
8
Andros, Sir Edmund
his orders and arrest 105
INDEX.
Indians
125 to 146
Pitcher, Rev. N.
184
Ingham's wife accused
152
His elegy
398
Judson, Rev. Mr.
57
Quakers, persecution of
48
Kent, men of
8
Roads laid out
12
Laws against Quakers
49
in Conihasset
14
against smoking tobacco 308
Lawyers, list of
97
Landings
Lawson, Rev. Deodate
195
Rehoboth battle
122
Lothrop, Rev. John 167
Losses of Scituate
128, 401
Light house
22
Saxton, Rev. G.
166
Little's bridge
16
Senators
106
Schools
94
Manufactures
.
29
Ship building
27
Meeting houses
32, 37, 41, 115
Share line
6
Settlement
7
12
2
Ministers of Hanover (Note)
Mills
16
Military affairs
117
Showamett sold
128
Mortality, bills of
117
Municipal laws
110
Ministers of Duxbury
400
Mighill, Rev. Thomas
194
Name (Note)
Navigation
27
New harbour
22
North River
19
Topography
146
Training fields .
115
Natural history
148
Trinitarian Society
58
New Style
406
Union of colonies
117
Officers of Revolutionary war
.
139
Vassall, William
10,366
goes to England
84,369
his religious opinions
89
141
Old Style
406
Oyster bank
24
Parishes
30
Parsonages.
42
War, Pequod
117
120
Phipps', Sir William, warrant
Physicians .
114
106
War, Narragansett
Philip's
128, 401
66
French
131
66
of Revolution
133
of 1812
141
Witchcraft
3, 151
Wampatuck's deed
144
Post offices, &c.
163
Whitefield
402
6
Temperate Society
113
Thacher, Rev. Thomas
176
Thomas, Rev. N.
190, 404
Torrey, James, death of
405
Narragansett war
120
Tories, suspected
137
Newman's letter to Cotton 122
Norton, Humphrey
51
Union bridge
16
Ordination, Congregational 90,178
Opinions in early times
91
Old Tenor
112
Vessels burnt, at harbour
Vaccination
113
Witherell's ordination
82
his life
190
his elegy
395
Pastor, distinct, from teacher
89
Publick grounds
115
Philip's war .
121
Pierce's defeat
122
Pequod war
117
Ponds
147
Records of churches
91
Rayner, Minister of Plymouth 78
Representatives
106
Revolutionary war
133
Rhode Island's campaign
136
Revolu. Soldiers and Pensioners 130
Swamps, division of Small pox 112
Soldiers, wounded
121
Manners, &c.
151
Mineralogy
149
Soldiers of French war 131
Stage roads and coaches
163
Surveys
147
Surface
147
The Two Miles
1
Methodist Society
58
Marshfield line
4
Mackerel fishery
24 to 26
115
Law for religious taxes
33
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