USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > History of Scituate, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1831 > Part 5
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42
PARSONAGE.
Sylvester, who had hired the parsonage, and to put the building in good repair for the accommodation of Mr Eells," who was about to be settled. Lastly, in 1711 "The Town granted to the Society up River 20 acres on Cordwood hill, for the use of their parsonage."
From such sources originated the parish property.
January 6, 1737, "The Society voted to make sale of the parsonage house and land adjoining it, belonging to the Society, to the highest bidder." This was at the juncture when Mr Eells had furnished himself with a house, by purchase of Joseph Henchman. But the parsonage was not then sold. Dr. Barnes lived at the parsonage from 1754 to 1770, when he purchased a farm and built a house, and continued to improve and receive the rents until 1784. April 6, 1784, "the Society chose a committee to confer with Mr Barnes in relation to selling the parsonage house and lands, salt marsh, &c." At an adjourned meeting, on the 12th of the same month, "agents were appointed to sell the parsonage and lands;" and at an adjourned meeting on the 17th of the same month, "The agents reported that they had made sales as follows : the Home- stead to Israel Turner for 230£-the lands on Cordwood hill to George Torrey for 96£ 12s-a part of the salt marsh to Benjamin Delano for 49£ 8s-and the remainder of the marsh to Seth Ewell for 47£ 10s." Dr. Barnes at the same time was allowed £20 per annum in addition to his salary, instead of the use of a parsonage. The monies raised by these sales, were from time to time invested "in State securities, Continental notes, and final settlement certificates," as oppor- tunity presented, and in 1799, an act of incorporation was obtained-the first Trustees being Elijah Turner, Elisha James, Charles Turner, jr. Samuel Tolman, and Joshua Jacobs, having the power to fill vacancies, when the parish shall neglect to do it within three months. The amount of the fund in 1799, was $7347,33, which has since been increased to a small amount.
In 1727, a committee had been authorized to view the par- sonage house, and to report what repairs were necessary. That committee reported that the house was so defective "that it was not worth repairing." In June 1728, " a new parsonage house was ordered to be built, 40 feet in length, 17 feet in breadth, and 17 feet between joints, with an L on the back side 16 feet in length, 16 feet in breadth, and 17 feet between joints." This is the house bought by Israel Turner in 1784: it is now in the possession of his children, and is in good repair.
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ASSINIPPI.
An attempt was made as early as 1753, to procure a church bell for the second Society. "It was put to vote whether the precinct would be at the charge of ringing a bell, provided particular persons would be at the charge and trouble of pro- curing it, and passed in the affirmative." Again in 1764, "It was put to vote whether the precinct would raise money to purchase a suitable bell for the Meeting-house, and passed in the negative." The same was repeated in 1767.
March 25, 1771, "It was put to vote whether the precinct would accept of a bell, (as the gift of individuals), cast in this country, and passed in the affirmative." At the same meeting a committee was chosen (Elisha Jacob and others) to go to Abington and see a bell cast by Aaron Hobart, weighing 658 pounds, and report whether they think it will answer, provided it be purchased." There is no further record of the transac- tion; but we notice that at a meeting in October following, John Jordan was chosen to ring the bell. This bell was broken in 1810, and another purchased of Col. Revere at Boston, weighing 1018 pounds. This bell was transferred to the new Meeting-house in 1830.
By way of noting the progress of improvement, we will add that this Society by vote, introduced the singing of Tate and Brady's hymns in 1764. Belknap's was introduced without any formality, we believe, (as no record appears), in the year 1799. Greenwood's was adopted by parish vote, March 21, 1831.
In October 1830, a handsome church organ was received as a present from Mr Thomas Otis; an act of the greatest individ- ual munificence, since the days of Mr Hatherly.
A handsome clock was also placed in the front of the gallery, January 15, 1831, by the generosity of Hon. Cushing Otis. Church stoves were first used in December 1821, and procured by subscription. A hearse was' procured at the Society's expense in 1825.
ASSINIPPI .*
The people in the westerly section of the south parish began to be desirous of forming a Society within their own vicinity, as early as 1766; and in that year petitioned to the south parish to be set off by mutual consent.
* Assinippi was the Indian name for a branch of the third Herring brook, and means " rocky water :" this name in modern times, has been corrupted to Snappet.
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ASSINIPPI.
March 3, 1767, we find the following record in the south parish : "It was put to vote whether the precinct would grant the request of a number of inhabitants in the westerly part of sª precinct, in order for their being a precinct by themselves, viz. all the land to the westward of the following bounds, beginning at the brook by Margaret Prouty's, southward with the brook to Hanover line - northward with the brook to Joseph Benson's land -then north by west between Lazarus Bowker's and John Bowker's, to Taunton Dean brook or bridge, and so northward with sd brook to the patent line : and passed in the negative." The same was repeated in 1770, and negatived : at the same meeting "it was put to vote whether the Rev. Mr Barnes should preach in the Meeting-house near Joshua Jacob's, while our new house is building, and passed in the negative."
October 1771, Joshua Jacob and others petitioned to General Court that they might be set off by their act. The south pre- cinct appointed Nathaniel Clap, Esq. Nathan Cushing, Esq. and John Palmer, to meet the Court's committee on the prem- ises, and make a representation of the case. The committee reported against the separation.
March 1792, "The south precinct voted that Charles Tur- ner, jr., Esq. and Capt. Enoch Collamore be a committee to wait on the Rev. Mr Barnes, and enquire whether he is willing to preach in the west Meeting-house a part of the year." The committee reported that Mr Barnes replied, "he should wish to gratify the precinct." It was then voted "that he should preach in the west Meeting-house " the second Sabbath in each month, from the first of April to the first of December. The next year, 1793, the same question was taken in the precinct and passed in the negative. Some attempts, subsequently, were made to raise money to assist the people in the westerly section in defraying the expense of worship by themselves, but always negatived.
In 1797, David Jacob and others petitioned to the General Court to be set off as a separate Society, and to be allowed to receive their ratable proportion of the south parish funds. This was opposed successfully by the agents of the second or south parish, viz. Elijah Turner, and Charles Turner, jr. Esquires. The parish had given them instructions to urge several reasons, the most weighty of which seem to be the following, viz. "that the limits proposed for their new parish would include many families which desired still to belong to the south parish ; and as to the fund, it was given by the Town for the special purpose of supporting the ministry in the second
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ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH.
Congregational Society in Scituate ; and therefore no part of it could be legally alienated to a third Society."
In 1812, several inhabitants of the same district petitioned to the General Court for an Act of Incorporation as "a Uni- versalist Society." The south precinct voted not to oppose, and they were accordingly incorporated. The above records, we believe, as we have extracted, contain the essential parts of the history of this Society. We may add, that since their incorporation, they have uniformly procured the service of a minister, and hired him from year to year. The ministers who have officiated for the longest terms have been Rev. Joshua Flagg, Rev. Benjamin Whittemore, and Rev. Mr Kilham. Their Meeting-house that was erected in 1769, was repaired and plaistered in 1814.
ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH.
The earliest notice with which we have met, of Episcopalians in Scituate, bears the date of 1725, (see Nichols's recollections, or literary anecdotes). It is related in Nichols's collection of anecdotes, that the Rev. Dr. Timothy Cutler, of Christ Church in Boston, with several attendants, came to Scituate, during an absence of Rev. Mr Bourn, minister of the north parish, "by the invitation of Lieut. Daman (then at variance with Mr Bourn,) and another gentleman of large estate," and performed divine service in the Church form, in the north Meeting-house. After returning to Boston, Dr. Cutler or some one of his attendants published an account of their excursion in the Boston Gazette, setting forth the respectability of the gentlemen who had invited him, the numbers who attended the service, and the happy prospects of Episcopacy in Scituate. A counter statement of facts from a Scituate gentleman, soon after appeared in the Boston News Letter, contradicting in some measure, the state- ment of Dr. Cutler; denying that any principal inhabitants of the Town had invited the Doctor hither, and stating for a fact, "that only three men of Scituate, a number of disaffected men from neighbouring towns, and about forty school boys," were present at the services. This counter statement in the News Letter was thus endorsed : "By authority." Dr. Cutler com- plained to the Governor and Council, demanding justice and protection. The only notice, however, that was taken of the complaint, appears in the following order in Council.
"September 2, 1725, Whereas inconveniences have once
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ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH.
and again arisen to the Government, by several matters being printed in the news papers, and said to be published by author- ity, which have never been known to the Government, nor offered for their approbation, therefore advised-that the Lieutenant Governor give his orders to the several publishers of the several news papers, not to insert in their papers those words, 'by authority,' or words of the like import, for the future."
J. WILLARD, Secretary.
We have not had access to any records of the Church of St. Andrew's, and have not been able to learn that any regular records of its early annals have been preserved : we therefore can give but a very imperfect sketch of its history.
We observe in the records of the south parish, that the churchmen's rates began to be remitted under the item of "Contingent Charges," in 1741, and varying in amount from £5 to £15 per annum. In 1699, the Town had ordered a piece of land to be appropriated for a common, " surrounded with ways, &c." (see notes on commons). This was on the south side of the hill, where St. Andrew's church was first erected. In 1725, ten acres more were ordered to be laid out for a burying place and training field. This was an enlarge- ment of the same common. But in what year the church was erected, we are not able to state; probably 1730. It was enlarged 1753.
Their first clergyman who officiated for any time, was Mr Brockwell, born in England, and a graduate of Cambridge in England : but we are without dates with respect to the term of his services. Their second clergyman and the first official rector, was Rev. Addington Davenport, who graduated at Harvard University in 1719, and also received a degree at Oxford. We can only state that his ministry was of short continuance, and must have been between 1730 and 1740. He removed to Boston as early as 1740, where he became assistant at King's Chapel, and afterward rector of Trinity Church. In 1743, he gave his house and land in Scituate to the Society for prop- agating the gospel in foreign parts, in trust, toward the support of the ministers of St. Andrew's Church in Scituate, in perpe- tuity. In this conveyance he adverts to the fact of his having been their first rector, (Hist. Soc. pap. year 1816). The second rector was Rev. Ebenezer Thompson from Connecticut. He died November 28, 1775. His descendants are in Scituate and Providence. The third rector, Rev. William Willard Wheeler of Concord, officiated most of the time, from the
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
decease of Mr Thompson to 1810. He died January 14th the same year. He married the daughter of Mr Thompson, whom he succeeded in the rectorship. She died 1827.
The fourth rector, Joab Goldsmith Cooper, officiated from 1812 to 1816, when he retired. He was from Long Island.
The fifth rector, Rev. Calvin Woolcot of Gloucester, was instituted in 1818, and officiates in 1831.
St. Andrew's church was taken down in 1811, and a new one erected within the town of Hanover, and near the four corners.
Another small church in Marshfield, established as early as 1745, has always been connected with St. Andrew's, the rector officiating there one Sabbath in four. A new church edifice has been erected there in 1826, near "three Pine hill," and two miles to the northward of the former edifice.
Another Episcopal church situated in Taunton, was for many years connected with St. Andrew's, the rector officiating there one Sabbath in four. That church edifice was situated two miles from "the green," on the Providence road. It was taken down many years since, and it was not until 1828, that a neat little Gothic church was erected, a few rods south of "the green."
St. Andrew's church obtained an act of incorporation in 1797. The wardens then were Charles Bailey and Thomas Barstow, jr.
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
We begin by remarking, for the benefit of those readers who may not have at hand Gouth's or any other general history of this sect, that George Fox, one of its principal founders, began to preach in England in 1647. None of his followers found their way to this country until 1656, when Mary Fisher and Ann Austin arrived at Boston from Barbadoes. In 1657, eight more came to Boston through Rhode Island. They immedi- ately spread throughout Plymouth Colony. It is uncertain what notice would have been taken of them here; but this is certain, that the General Court of Massachusetts communicated to Plymouth Colony the first impulse of opposition to this sect. In 1656, the General Court of Massachusetts addressed a memorial to the Commissioners of the United Colonies, who met at Plymouth in September of that year : a brief extract from which will serve to show its spirit and its design, viz.
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
" Here hath arrived amongst us several persons professing themselves Quakers, fit instruments to propagate the kingdom of Sathan. For the securing of ourselves and our neighbours from such pests, we have imprisoned them, until they be des- patched away to the place from whence they came," &c. They then request that certain laws may be propounded by the Commissioners to the General Court of each of the United Colonies. In pursuance of this impulse, and "acknowledging the Godly care and zeal of the gentlemen of Massachusetts," the Commissioners at their meeting in Boston 1657, began with recommending to the Government of Rhode Island, " that means be taken to banish the Quakers, &c." Capt. James Cudworth of Scituate, one of the Commissioners, refused to subscribe to this instrument, and from this time suffered much persecution himself, (see life of Cudworth in Family Sketches). The reply of the Government of Rhode Island is to be admired for its moderation and discretion. We give a brief extract, viz.
"We have no law amongst us, whereby to punish any for only declaring their minds concerning the things and ways of God. We are informed that they begin to loathe this place, for that they are not opposed by the civil authority, but with all patience and meekness are suffered to say over their pretended revela- tions," &c. At their meeting in Boston 1658, the Commission- ers addressed a circular to the Government of all the United Colonies, propounding laws against the Quakers, &c. e. g. "that after due conviction that either he or she is of that cursed sect of hereticks, they be banished under pain of severe corporal punishment, and if they return again, then to be punished accordingly, and banished under pain of death : and if after- wards they shall yet presume to come again, then to be put to death as aforesaid, except they do then and there plainly and publickly renounce .their said cursed opinions and develish tenets." The General Court of Massachusetts followed out this recommendation to its greatest extent :* but Plymouth
* The preamble of the law of Massachusetts, in 1658, is as follows : " Whereas there is a pernicious sect commonly called Quakers lately risen, who by word and writing have published and maintained many dangerous and horrid tenets, and do take upon themselves to change and alter the received laudable customs of our Nation, in giving civil respect to equals or reverence to superiors, whose actions tend to undermine the authority of civil government, and also to destroy the order of the churches, by denying all established forms of worship, and by withdrawing from the orderly assemblies allowed and approved by all orthodox professors of the truth, &c. therefore ordered, that if any person or persons of the cursed sect of the Quakers shall be apprehended, &c. upon trial and conviction they shall be banished on pain of death."
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
Colony at first met with opposition within her own counsels. The venerable Timothy Hatherly of Scituate, one of the magis- trates, was firmly opposed to the cruelty of the laws propounded, and to their whole policy in such proceedings. It was nec- essary to get rid of such opposition, and accordingly in 1658 he was left out of the magistracy. Capt. Cudworth, who had been left out of the board of United Commissioners, was returned a deputy from Scituate in 1659, and set aside by the Court, (see Town proceedings).
Isaac Robinson, son of the venerable pastor of the Pilgrim Church at Leyden, and some others, were removed from their places in the government and disfranchised. It is probable that the influence of this highly respectable opposition was felt notwithstanding, and prevented the Colony from following the bloody steps of Massachusetts.
The Court of Plymouth Colony passed many laws of great severity : it may be enough to give brief extracts from the records, e. g. In 1657 a law was enacted providing the penalty of "whipping and 5£ fine for entertaining a Quakuer : also
In 1659, Samuel Shattuck, Lawrence Southwick and Cassandra his wife, Nicholas Phelps, Joshua Buffum and Josiah Southwick were banished. The same year was Edward Wharton sentenced to be whipped " for piloting the Quakers from place to place."
In 1659, " It is ordered that William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson and Mary Dyer, now in prison for their rebellion; sedition and presumptuous obtruding themselves upon us, notwithstanding their being sentenced to ban- ishment on pain of death, &c. shall be brought to tryall to-morrow morning. Next day the above sd were sent for, acknowledged themselves to be the persons so banislied, and were sentenced to be hanged." Edward Michaelson the marshall was to see them executed. James Oliver with one hundred soldiers to guard. Rev. Zechariah Symmes (of Charlestown), and Mr Norton (of Boston) " to make the prisoners sensible of their danger." Robinson and Stevenson were executed ; Mary Dyer, on the petition of her son William, was dismissed on condition that she depart the colony, but to be present and stand with a rope round her neck when the others should be executed. The next year she returned and offered herself to the government with the zeal of a martyr, and she was hanged June 1660. Her husband petitioned in vain for her life. We add on the authority of Dr. Snow's History of Boston, that William Leddra was also executed : but it escaped our notice in con- sulting the Colony Records. June 13, 1661, was appointed for the execution of Wenlock Christopherson : but we believe he was reprieved.
In 1661, John Brown and Peter Pierson " having been indicted for Quakers, and standing mute, were sentenced to be stripped from the girdle upwards, tied to a cart tail and whipped through the streets of Boston, Roxbury, Dedham, &c. out of the jurisdiction." At the close of this year the man- damus of the King put an end to these proceedings. We notice in the Plymouth Colony Records, that William Leddra was apprehended at Plym- outh in 1659, and imprisoned " as a foreign Quaker :" also that Mary Dyer having been conducted to Sandwich from Rhode Island by Thomas Green- field, they were both arrested, and Greenfield was adjudged by the Court " to pay 16s. to defray the expence of sending her back to Rhode Island."
7
,
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
40s fine for being at a Quaker meeting." In 1658, it was enacted "that no Quaker or ranter be allowed the freedom of the Colonie, or an oath in any case." In 1658, " Ordered that all Quakers shall depart the Jurisdiction on pain of 20s fine per week-their books to be seized : also 10£ fine for guiding a Quaker into the Colonie: Constant Southworth with the marshall to execute the above orders."
The general allegations against the Quakers may be found in the preambles of these laws, and in the communications of the board of Commissioners that recommended them. Such as that "they take upon them to be immediately sent of God and infallibly assisted -they speak and write blasphemous things ; despising government, reviling magistrates and minis- ters of the gospel-wander up and down and follow no lawful calling to earn their own bread, &c."
We select a few of those who suffered under these laws, as belonging to Scituate, (see Colony Records).
In 1660, Rhodolphus Ellmes of Scituate, was fined 10s for being at a Quaker meeting. Same year, William Parker was fined 40s for permitting a Quaker meeting in his house. Same year, Capt. Cudworth was tried before the Court for "a scan- dalous letter," sent to England. Major Josiah Winslow and Mr Thomas Southworth were appointed to implead him. John Browne testified "that he had heard a printed letter read, which was supposed to be sent to England from Capt. Cudworth," (see Cudworth). (Released for the present). At the next court, same year, "Capt. Cudworth being found a manifest opposer of the laws of this Government, as appears by sundry expressions in a letter to the Governor, is sentenced accordingly to be disfranchised of the freedom of this Commonwealth."
In 1660, "Robert Whetcombe and Mary Cudworth, for disorderly coming together without consent of parents and lawful marriage, were sentenced to pay 10£ fine, and be imprisoned during the pleasure of the Court: but being desi- rous to be orderly married, they were so, March 9, 1660." Henry Hobson of Rhode Island was summoned for solemni- zing the above marriage. That this was a Quaker marriage, we judge from the fact that the parties were Quakers.
In 1670, "William Randall, sen. John Palmer and Henry Ewell, refusing to pay the minister's tax, the Court ordered the constables to take their goods."
In 1675, Lieut. Robert Barker " broke away from the army, . when they were on their march, in a mutinous way, and by his example allured others to come away." Barker was deprived
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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
of his commission-he was of Duxbury. That this mutiny was the result of Quaker principles, we judge from the circum- stance, that of the fifteen others whom he allured away, five were Scituate men, and Quakers, viz. Zechariah Colman, Jo- seph Colman, Thomas Colman, John Rance, and John Northey : who were fined from 1£ to 8£, according to their respective offences,
In 1671, "Josiah Palmer (of Scituate) was fined 10s for saying that ' Mr Witherel's Church was a Church of the Devil.'" In 1677, " John Rance (of Scituate) for railing on Mr Baker, in saying he is a false prophet, and saying Major Cudworth is a false, hypocritical man, (note : Cudworth was now restored to a place in the government), and saying that Mr Baker had received stolen goods ; (note : alluding probably to taxes ex- acted from some of the Quakers); also for going up and down to entice young persons to come and hear their false teachers, was sentenced to be publickly whipped." (performed). In 1678, "Edward Wanton (of Scituate) for disorderly joining himself to his now wife in marriage, in a way contrary to the order of Government is fined 10€."
To illustrate the history of those times, we subjoin a notice of the proceedings of the Colony Government, against two or three others who were not of Scituate.
In 1663, "Robert Harper was sentenced to be publickly whipt for his intolerable insolent disturbance, both of the Con- gregation of Barnstable and Sandwich." Again the same sentence was passed upon Robert Harper in 1670, " for reviling Mr Walley," minister of Barnstable.
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