USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > History of Scituate, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1831 > Part 4
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PARISHES.
brought an action of damages against the agents, and recovered £35, which the Society paid. There is no record of the dimensions of the house, nor of any alteration in its dimensions. We find that in 1737, so large a majority was obtained for removing it to " the gore of land" abovesaid, that it was har- moniously accomplished. In about thirty years, however, it became too small and was taken down.
March 13, 1769, "Voted to build a new meeting house, and chose a committee (of 24) to consult on a method, &c. and report to the next meeting." April 24 (same year) the com- mittee reported their plan, and the society voted "that the dimensions of their house should be 67 feet by 50," (afterwards altered by vote to 66 by 48). At the same meeting "Voted that the house should be set on the top of the hill in Mr Daniel Jenkins's pasture, if the land may be obtained." But now the old contest between the East and West-enders was revived. The subject was referred to a committee mutually agreed on, consisting of three gentlemen not of the Town, viz. Capt. Robert Bradford, of Kingston, Hon. James Humphries and Benjamin Lincoln, Esq. Their report was in favour of the spot selected by a majority of the parish, at their first meeting on the subject. The place was about forty rods farther west than the old house, and where it now stands. The contest delayed the building of the house for two years. It had been voted that the house "should be finished by the 1st of Nov. 1772," but it was not completed, so far as to be used for the purpose of worship, until November 1774. The undertakers were Capt. Joseph Tolman, Elisha Tolman, and Hawkes Cushing. It had a spire at the westerly and a portico at the easterly end. It is a building of just proportions and respectable appearance, and with proper attention to repairs, promises to last at least another half century, and exhibit its ancient model to posterity. In 1806, the spire had become so defective that it was thought proper to take it down ; which was done, and its place supplied with a cupola. This house was thoroughly repaired in 1825 ; the cupola was removed and a spire erected; a portico built in front: the house new covered and painted, &c. and this at the cost of $1712,61. This house may with propriety be considered the fifth house of worship, which the Society has built, the former house having been removed from the ancient "Meeting-house hill" and rebuilt.
This Meeting-house is the first house of this Society which has been furnished with a bell. In 1811, the Society purchased their first bell. It weighed 1300 pounds. It was unfortunately
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broken in 1813, and in 1814 a new bell was purchased, weigh- ing 1408 pounds. This also was broken in 1822, and a new one purchased of 972 pounds. It may be well to add, by way of noticing the progress of improvement, that Belknap's collec- tion of Hymns was introduced in 1820 : and stoves for warming the house in 1824. It is highly interesting to remark the com- modious and comfortable state of things in our parish Churches at the present time, compared with the days, when our ancestors worshipped under a roof thatched with straw, by light admitted at an open shutter-without stoves in winter - and sung Stern- hold and Hopkins, and the New England Psalms.
The law authorising the laying of taxes on the rateable in- habitants for the support of ministers, bears date 1677; previ- ously it had been the chief burden of the freemen.
In November 29, 1679, the boundaries of the two parishes were fixed by order of Court, and from that time, each parish levied its own tax for religious uses. The taxes had previously been levied by the Town, and divided, probably according to the number of freemen in each society, or on some other princi- ple agreed on. It does not appear that the money for religious uses, had been uniformly raised by taxing, until 1665 : at which date we find the following vote : "The Town voted to mayn- tayne Mr Baker and Mr Wetherell, by way of rating yearly." (Scit. Rec. Vol. 6). The Town raised £105 that year- £60 for Mr Baker, and £45 for Mr Wetherell.
The first parish had a parsonage, on which their ministers resided from 1654 to 1806. It originated as follows. Mr Chauncey having complained of poverty, and proposing to leave the country, Mr Hatherly endeavoured to retain him by making his circumstances easier. He offered to give him a house and farm "bounded E. to Samuel Jackson's-W. to the way-N. to the undivided land -S. to the way, with 20 acres of marsh near the mouth of Satuit brook ;" but Mr Chaun- cey not being willing to stay with them, the farm was given to the Church. The same year the Church entered into a negociation with Mr Chauncey, and as appears, had so much encouragement that they should prevail over his inclination to leave them, that a deed of the farm was made to Mr Chauncey, and put upon record. He however left them at the close of 1654. We have seen no writings on record, by which the farm was then relin- quished to the Church, and by the Church to the Society, but such relinquishments, we understand, were made. It appears, also, from the records of the Conihassett partners, that Mr Hatherly and the Conihassett partners had given Mr Chauncey
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a share in the undivided Conihassett lands : and that this share was relinquished to the Church and Society, (see Con. Rec.) These lands were, from time to time, sold in several lots; and in 1803, the Parish obtained an Act of Incorporation for their fund. The first trustees were Hayward Pierce, Esq. James Little, Augustus Clap, Calvin Pierce, and Seth Merritt, with the power of filling vacancies. In 1806, the parsonage was sold and the proceeds added to the fund. It now amounts to $5381,95.
The original parsonage house was built by Mr Hatherly as early as 1640. January 1694, " The Society voted to build a new house on the Parsonage," which was accomplished. Again in 1742, it appears by the record that "a new Parsonage house was built." This last was the house now standing, and which was sold to Cummings Jenkins in 1806. The parish property had originated from so many sources that it would be tedious to trace out the whole. The parsonage we have sufficiently noticed above. In 1661, Mr. Hatherly gave his house and land at Farm neck "for the use of the ministry." The Town made several small grants : and the Society became successor to President Chauncey by purchase of Israel Chaun- cey in 1700. Some part of this parish property was sold and otherwise appropriated, many years before the Society raised their fund. For example, in 1701 they sold all the lands which they owned as successor to Mr Chauncey, and built a barn on the parsonage with the proceeds. And in 1707, they sold ten acres " in the beaches" and gave the proceeds to Mr Pitcher for a settlement, (see Parish Rec.)
THE SOUTH OR SECOND PARISH,
May be considered as having originated in a difference of opinion respecting the mode of baptism. Mr Chauncey, who had been ordained in 1641, would baptize by immersion only. It was a point that was warmly discussed throughout the New England colonies about this time, and a difference of sentiment which occasioned divisions elsewhere, produced similar effects here. It appears that the minority in the Society and Church in Scituate, opposed to immersion, was relatively large and respectable, that they did not cordially receive Mr Chauncey as their pastor, and that Mr Chauncey had been so far disturbed by the opposition, that he had requested those Church members in the opposition, to refrain from appearing at the communion,
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(see Notes on Ecclesiastical affairs). By the advice of the Elders in the Colony, this minority proceeded to renew their covenant, and to organize a second Church. This ceremony took place February 2, 1642.
We find no record of the building of their first house of worship. It was doubtless erected near the time of the settle- ment of Mr Wetherell, in 1645. The house was small and covered with thatch. It stood on the south-east side of the road, on the top of an eminence, about fifty rods north-east of "Stoney cove brook." We have seen no record of the laying out of the Meeting-house lot; we believe it was not granted by the Town, because that land had been laid out to James Torrey and Thomas Robinson ; it was therefore either a gift of the pro- prietors or a purchase of the Society. And we have met with no record to show the extent of the lot, or to show that it has ever been alienated from the Society, though it has been fenced in and improved by several persons who possessed the lands adja- cent. This house lasted during the ministry of Mr Wetherell.
A. D. 1679, attempts were made to unite both Societies, and to erect one large and commodious house of worship. There was however an opposition, and application was made to the General Court for advice and direction. A committee was appointed on the subject, and from the report of that committee we make a brief extract : "That by reason of distance of place and other considerations, it (the union) would not have the effect proposed. It being resolved by the Court that there is an inevitable necessity of mayntayninge two places of publicke worship in the Town, we judge it necessary that all due meanes be used for mayntayning the ordinances of Christ in each place, and therefore your mutual and joint concurrence hearein is vearie desirable for the strengthening and encouraging the good worke of God amongst you."
Signed SAMUEL ARNOLD, JOSIAH WINSLOW, JOHN COTTON, THOMAS HINCKLEY, WILLIAM BRADFORD. (Col. Rec.)
Plymouth Nov. 29, 1670.
The question of uniting the two Societies had been agitated in Town meeting. October 24, 1679, the Town by a majority had voted "That if our neighbours up River, above William Parker's house, will unite to us, that we may be one Societie in peace and love, that then the place for our publicke worship shall be at Walter Woodworth's hill, or the center of the present
1122246
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PARISHES.
inhabitants of the Town." (Scit. Rec. Vol. 6). The hill mentioned was one quarter of a mile south of Stockbridge's mill. Again January 1, 1679-80, the Town (by a majority) voted "to unite and build a Meeting-house at the piece of land where Thomas Woodworth's shope stood." This place, we believe, was near the junction of the several roads a few rods south of Stockbridge's mill. The advice of the Court above quoted, strengthened the opposition, and the project failed.
There was also a dissension in the Town respecting the place most proper for the second Society's house of worship. In 1645, the first Society had complained that the second Society had placed their house too near to theirs, and now the subject was revived. An appeal to the Court was answered by the following advice, " That the new Meeting-house for the Society up River, be set betweene (or neare about) Timothy Foster's and John Turner, sen.'s lots, about half a mile higher than the old Meeting-house, and that payment thereof be made by all the inhabitants above the mill brooke, and up sd River called the N. River on both sides."
Signed as above.
This did not give universal satisfaction : certain persons both above and below the brook feeling themselves pledged to sup- port the respective Societies whose part they had maintained in the contest.
The next year, October 1680, the order of Court above was thus qualified : "That the sª Order shall be observed with this proviso, viz. that the particular persons here named that live above the mill brook, viz. Jeremiah Hatch, Thomas Hatch, Mr Thomas Palmer, and Samuel Clap, being of the lower Society, should be exempted out of sa rate, and that these per- sons who live below the mill brook, viz. Mrs Elizabeth Tilden, Richard Curtis, John Turner, jr. and Charles Stockbridge shall be put into sª rate."
Attest, Nathaniel Morton, Secretary.
The above order was published at the new Meeting-house, October 31, 1680, (Parish Records). The Town did not easily resign their proposed plan of uniting, and in May 1681, instructed their deputies in the Court, to move a receding from their former order : but they did not meet with success. We may therefore (in the absence of exact record) venture to assume the year 1680, as the date of the erection of the second house of worship in the second parish. It stood on a small
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PARISHES.
eminence on the easterly side of the road, about thirty rods north of the head of the road that leads to Union Bridge, and near the southerly line of Timothy Foster's lot, as the Court directed. An ancient burying ground marks the spot. We have met with no record of the purchase of this lot by the Soci- ety, nor of its alienation. It is now enclosed and improved by Timothy Foster, the great grandson of the Timothy Foster first named. This house stood only during the short ministries of Mr Mighill and Mr Lawson.
In 1706, it appears that the Society had become so numerous that a larger house was required. And henceforth we find fair records made and preserved, (commencing 1698).
" At a meeting of the Church and Society upon the North River, October 18, 1706. The sayd Church and Society agreed and provided to build a new Meeting-house, and set it upon the most convenient place of that parcell of land between the dwelling house belonging to Thomas Bryant and Joseph Bryant and the saw mill near the sª house, if land may be ob- tained there to set it upon : and also agreed that the dimensions of the sd house should be as followeth, viz. 46 feet in length and 44 feet in breadth, and 20 feet between joints, and a sloping roof with a turret upon it suitable to hang a bell on : and that it should be plaistered with white lime within side from top to bottom."
" Capt. Cushing, Dea. Thomas King, Job Randall and Ensign Stephen Clap were appointed to treat with the owners of sª land, and to put out the sª house to building at the charge of sª Society."
An alteration in the proportions and form of the house was voted on the 25th of November following, viz. "50 feet in length and forty feet in breadth, and 20 feet between joints, and a flat roof of about ten feet rise." The turret for the bell, of course, was omitted. At the same meeting, it also appearing that the land of Mr Bryant could not be obtained (note, the spot proposed was a few rods east of the mill) it was voted "to set the house upon John James's land near his gate, if it may be obtained." This place proposed was on the south side of the road, about thirty rods east of Bryant's Bridge at the second Herring brook. The land in this place not having been obtained, it appears from the Town Records Vol. 6. that the Society petitioned the Town for liberty to set it upon the common lands, and succeeded in their wishes; as appears by the following vote, May 28, 1707: " Voted liberty to the south Parish to set up their Meeting-house at or near the place where it is now framed, upon the Town Common, and to use of their common
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land, a conveniency for a burying place, and also for building a stable or stables." At the same meeting the Town ordered a highway to be laid out, for the accommodation of this Meeting- house, "from the way at Mr Job Randall's, (now David Tor- rey's), along over at the westward of Benjamin Sylvester's house, and the westward of the saw mill pond, untill it comes unto the way near to Bryant's house." The Meeting-house was accord- ingly raised in June 1707, on the small hill at the junction of the ways, about thirty rods West of the mill. This house stood during the ministry of Mr Eells, Mr Dorby, and a part of that of Dr. Barnes.
It may be a proper place here to insert a vote of the Town February 28, 1706: "Voted to sell 200 ten acre lots of their common land at 3£ per lot, and divide the money to the two Churches and Societies for the purpose of building a Meeting- house for each." This vote was carried into effect : and as the expense had not been defrayed by the Society, it explains the following vote of the South Parish, July 13, 1708 : "Chose Mr Eells, Dea. Thomas King, Dea. James Torrey, Capt. John Cushing, Lieut. Stephen Clap, and Job Randall to be a com- mittee of Seaters, to appoint persons in which seat he or they shall sit in at the sd Meeting-house; and the Church and Society agreed that their Meeting-house should be made up of wainscot work, as conveniently as the space of room will afford, at the discretion of the above sª seaters; and the above sd seaters are to admit of suitable persons that will be at the charge of building said pews upon the terms hereafter expressed, viz. the Church and Society reserving that privilege in and to sd pews, that no person shall have liberty to give or sell or dispose of their pew to any person, without the consent of the Society; and that the above sª seaters and their successors in sd office, shall have liberty to appoint suitable persons to sit with the owners of sd pews, in case they be not conveniently filled up from time to time, by the owners thereof." Such an office would be highly perilous at the present day.
At a meeting of the Society, October 1738, a committee was appointed to consider and report on the propriety of enlarging the Meeting-house or repairing it. Their report was in favour of repairing without enlarging it. But the Society being nearly equally divided in opinion on the question, the repairs were not effected. In November 1740, a vote was carried to enlarge it : but before any progress in the work had been made, another meeting was called and the vote reversed; but the repairs were not made. In 1743, October 10, the vote to enlarge prevailed
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again : but on the first of November following, it was again reversed. In April 1744 and 1745, the same alternation of votes took place : but in July 1745, a petition of John Cushing and fifteen others, for leave to add thirteen feet to the length of the house, and make the same into pews, and to take the hazard of profit and loss upon themselves prevailed, and the work, we believe, was accomplished. The Society moreover voted to lay aside the diamond windows, and procure "window sashes and square glass," and to build another seat "forward of the galleries." Again in March 1764, sundry persons petitioned for leave to add ten feet to the back side of the house, and were denied. The same was repeated in 1768, and granted : but on reflection it was judged "to be much better to build a new house."
We come now to the fourth house of worship erected by the second Society. At a meeting April 24, 1769, "Voted that Mr Joseph Tolman be desired to draw a plan of a new Meeting- house, to be laid before the precinct at their next meeting."
May 30, 1769, " Voted to build a new Meeting-house agree- able to sd plan, using what of the old house may be convenient, and that the old pews be set up in the new house, as near as may be where they are in the old house, and that each propri- etor enjoy his pew in the new house, saving those who have not agreed to give any thing to encourage sd work, or for taking down and setting up their pews. Their pews shall remain for further consideration by sd precinct. But it is to be understood that this vote is upon condition that sª house be built without any cost or charge to sª precinct as such. The Hon. John Cushing, Nathaniel Clap, Esq. Joseph Tolman, Galen Clap, and Nathaniel Turner were appointed agents to agree with some suitable person or persons to complete sª work as soon as may be, not to exceed the first of November 1770."
The undertakers were Joseph Tolman, Elisha Tolman, and Hawkes Cushing. The house was erected on the same scite where the former house had stood. It was seventy-two feet in length and forty-eight in breadth, with a portico at the east end, and a belfry and spire at the west end. It was decent in exter- nal appearance, though without pretensions to elegance of archi- tecture. But it was slightly built, and uncouth in the interior, as we might presume it would be, from reading the above vote. The undertakers took on themselves the hazard of profit or loss, and it is well known, were richly repaid. - This house stood without alterations, until March 9, 1830, when it was taken down. It was then apparent that the house had not been
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substantially built; and indeed, it was so considered at the time of its erection; for in looking into the precinct records, we find that the undertakers were allowed to use the materials of the old house at their own discretion. The object of obtaining a large house at small cost was gained : but it was bad economy, for in sixty years it became ruinous.
January 4, 1830, at a meeting called "to know if the parish would build a Meeting-house the ensuing year," a preliminary step was taken, by appointing a committee "to appraise the pews" in the old Meeting-house, viz. Melzar Curtis, Esq. Elisha Bass, and Horatio Cushing, all of Hanover. At an adjourned meeting, January 12, 1830, "it was voted to build a new Meeting-house," forty-seven affirmative, twenty-eight nega- tive. Also another committee was chosen "to appraise the interest of the pew holders in the old house, viz. Jotham Tilden, Charles Jones, and Daniel Philips." It was thought to be a more regular and legal proceeding, to appraise the old house, after the vote to build a new one. The committee appraised the interest of the pew holders separately, and reported a sum total of $806.
At an adjourned meeting, January 27, 1830, "Voted to choose a committee of twenty-one to have the management of the building of the new Meeting-house," viz. Hon. Cushing Otis and others. At the same meeting "Voted that the new house be placed on the scite of the old one, and fronting south."
At an annual meeting, March 10, 1830, "the vote of the last meeting in regard to the location of the new Meeting-house was reconsidered, and that it be placed near the wind mill, so that a part of it stand on the scite of the wind mill, provided land can be purchased of the heirs of Warren Sylvester at a reasonable price."
At a meeting, April 26, 1830, the above vote was reconsid- ered, "and it was voted that the new Meeting-house be placed on the common, about half way between the pound and the wind mill, that it front the east, and that the west end be placed in a line with the field of the heirs of Warren Sylvester deceased."
The building committee made a contract with Messrs. Whittemore Peterson, and Christopher Oakman, to supply the materials and do the work, excepting the painting, the window blinds, and the frame. This latter exception was, we believe, made chiefly with the expectation that the old frame would serve for the new house; but the expectation was disappointed, and a new frame procured by the committee. The dimensions of the house had been ordered by the com-
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mittee to be the same as the former house, (viz. 70 feet by 48), but afterward reduced to 69 by 48. The house was completed about the first of October, and on the thirteenth of the same month it was dedicated in presence of a very large assembly. On the following day, the pews were exposed to sale, and in less than three hours, they were all taken up, at an advance of $773, above the cost of the house. The whole cost of the house was $4,650. It is a beautiful and commodious house, adorned with a handsome spire, accommodated with a portico of nine feet depth, containing seventy large and convenient pews, and a circular gallery in front sufficiently deep to accom- modate one hundred persons, exclusive of the organ loft and seats for the choir. The model does honor to the gentleman who drafted it, Mr William Sparrell of Boston. It was raised May 10, 1830.
PARSONAGE.
The south or second Society had no parsonage during the ministry of Mr Witherell. In 1684, on the settlement of Mr Mighill, the Society voted at first £60 for his annual compen- sation ; which he declining, it was afterward voted to add " fire wood and house rent." The house was doubtless purchased or built at the Society's charge, for we find no grant of the Town to that effect. The house stood a few rods east of Bryant's bridge, on the north side of the way.
A tract of land had been appropriated for ministerial uses before the separation of the parishes, as follows: February 26, 1673, "It is agreed that the parcell of land aioining the second Herringe brooke and Edward Wanton's land, from the way down to the marish, is reserved for the use of the ministry as occation may requier, and a common privilege belonging to it." (Town Rec). That this land was assigned to the second Society on a division of parishes, appears from the Society's Records, Jan. 1702-3, "Voted to sell the land granted by the Town's committee, between the second Herring brook and Edward Wanton's land." In 1694, the Town made another grant as follows : "The Town ordered five acres of swamp to be laid out to the Tenement belonging to the upper Society on the North River." This was on the second Herring brook just above the parsonage house. Again in 1703, the Society chose a committee " to purchase some salt meadow for the use of the parsonage - also the same committee to settle with Israel
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