USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westminster > History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115
Broad galleries ran across the ends and along the front of the building, ascent to which was gained by stairways from the porch on either hand. Skirting the walls of these galleries there were twenty-two pews, corresponding, for the most part, to those already described directly below. In front of and sep- arated from them by a continuous passage, was a series of three rows of seats of varying length-some of them very long-
277
INTERNAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE STRUCTURE.
extending around the open space in the center of the house. These seats at the right and left, when regarded from the pul- pit, were designed for, and occupied by, aged men and women, respectively, who had no pews of their own, while the front ones were, after a time, assigned to the use of the singers, of whom there was usually a goodly company.
The pews, as stated, were nearly square, box-like apartments, enclosed by paneled joinery, which was surmounted with a neat balustrade reaching above the heads of the congregation. They had seats upon three sides hung with hinges, so as to be raised and give more room when the people stood during the long prayer, as was the custom of the time. The lowering of the seats at the close of that part of the service produced a half- deafening rattle and clatter throughout the house, not infre- quently prolonged and emphasized by the carelessness of the adult worshiper, or the mischief-making propensity of the inadequately trained boy or girl of smaller or of larger growth.
There were on the lower floor at first forty-eight pews, and fifty-two at a later day ; in the gallery, to begin with, twenty-four, which were increased to twenty-nine, making, finally, eighty- one in all. It would seem that the original plan of the house provided for separate seats in the gallery for colored people, of whom there were a few in town, but this plan was changed and made more Christian before the structure was completed. This appears from the record of a meeting of the citizens held July 28, 1788, at which it was voted "to make the Seats Reserved for Negrows into pews, said pews to be sold at a Vandue."
The pews, aside from the one at the right of the pulpit, which was set apart for the use of the minister's family, seventy-one in number, were all disposed of either before or soon after the house was ready for occupancy. Nearly every family in town was supplied with one (a few having more than one); those who were not, finding accommodations in the seats designated for common use. The table which is hereto appended will show not only who the purchasers were, and (with the aid of the accompanying plan) where their pews were located, but also, for the most part, who were the residents in town at the date under notice. The prices of pews on the main floor ranged from $31 to $66; of those in the gallery, from $16 to $30.
ORIGINAL PEW-HOLDERS IN THE SECOND MEETINGHOUSE.
LOWER FLOOR - WALL PEWS.
No. Name.
No.
Name.
- Capt. Elisha Bigelow.
8 Thomas Rand.
2 Capt. Norman Seaver.
9 Reuben Sawin.
3 Edmund Barnard.
IO Edmund Barnard.
4 Lieut. John Hoar.
II Ahijah Wood.
5 Capt. Wm. Edgell.
12 Edward Jackson.
6 Thomas Knower.
I3 James Cowee.
7 Edmund Barnard.
14 Elijah Hager.
278
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
No. Name. No.
Name.
1 5 Edmund Barnard.
23
Samuel Hoar.
16 Lieut. Peletiah Everett.
2.4 Asa Farnsworth.
17 Ahijah Wood. 25 Sebez Jackson.
18 Stephen Hoar.
26 Thomas Merriam.
19 Capt. Wm. Mills.
27 Joshua Bigelow.
20 Thaddeus Bond.
28 Dea. Joseph Miller.
21 Capt. Wm. Edgell.
22 Nathan Miles.
29 Edmund Barnard.
LOWER FLOOR - CENTRAL SECTION.
No.
Name.
No.
Name.
I Capt Nathan Whitney.
10
Stephen Hoar.
2 Jonas Miles.
Lieut. Jabez Bigelow.
3 Caleb Parker.
12 Nathan Miles.
4 Capt. Elisha Bigelow.
13 Asa Taylor.
5 Capt. Wm. Edgell.
7 Seth Herrington.
6 Abner Whitney.
15 Abel Wood.
7 Capt. Wm. Edgell.
16 John Hoar.
8 Isaac Williams.
17 Thomas Merriam.
9 Joseph Holden.
18 Lieut. Jabez Bigelow.
GALLERY.
No.
Name.
No.
Name.
I Capt. Samuel Sawin.
13
Dr. Daniel Bartlett.
2 Silas Perry.
14
Jonas Miles.
3 Capt. Elisha Bigelow.
1 5 Abel Wood.
4 Nathan Cutting.
16 Capt. Wm. Mills.
5 Lieut. Samuel Gerrish.
17
Nathan Miles,
6 Reuben Blood.
18
Jonadab Baker.
7 Nathan Miles.
I9
Samuel Miller.
S Asa Farnsworth.
20
Nathan Miles.
9 Capt Wm. Mills.
21 Isaac Dupee.
IO Jonathan Minott.
22 Capt Elisha Bigelow.
Nathaniel Wheeler.
23 Stephen Hoar.
12 David Cohee.
2.4 Peter Graves.
It has been stated that the town at one time voted to have a belfry attached to the new meetinghouse, but that the idea was afterward abandoned -the structure being erected and finished without that characteristic feature. Nevertheless the people, or some of them at least, seem not to have been altogether satisfied with this decision, and, as a consequence, the project, nearly twenty years afterward, was again considered. In a war- rant calling a town meeting, Oct. 6, 1806, an article was in- serted
" To see if the Town will Build a Bellcony to the meeting-house and act anything thereon as they may Judge Best."
Upon this article it was
"Voted to Build a Bellcony, voted to Build said Bellcony at the west End of the meeting-house.
"Voted that the materials Be provided this winter and said Building be put up in the Spring as early as the season will allow."
279
BUILDING OF A BELFRY.
A committee consisting of Stephen Hoar, Jonas Miles, Abel Wood, Esq., Dr. Benjamin Marshall, and Jonathan Minott was chosen "to conduct said Building." "the form and fashion" of which was left with them. At a subsequent meeting held Nov. 3d, an attempt was made to annul this action but without avail, and the sum of $500 was appropriated to enable the committee to carry it into effect.
The belfry was put up as contemplated, giving to the struc- ture, as a whole, a much more imposing, as well as a more ecclesiastical, appearance externally, and making it comport more fully with the importance and dignity of the town at that period of its history. The work was contracted for by Mr. Isaac Williams, it is understood, who was assisted in its execu- tion by Capt. Wm. Edgell. Aside from other uses which this annex subserved, it furnished room for two additional pews in the rear of the west gallery, one of which was sold to Nathan Raymond, the other to Timothy Hoar. A bell, procured by private subscription, without doubt, as the town made no appro- priation for that object, was placed in it very soon after its con- pletion. From that time onward the care of the meetinghouse was supplemented by the ringing of the bell, both being pro- vided for at the annual town meeting, and thenceforth the people were summoned to the duties of the sanctuary by the chimes which went forth with each returning Sabbath from its high, commanding tower. At an early date the custom was estab- lished of having the bell rung at noon, and at 9 o'clock in the evening of each day in the week except Sunday, and also "tolled" whenever a death occurred in the place, the sex as well as the age of the deceased being indicated by well-known symbols. And this custom has been regarded in every feature of it until within a recent period, the 12 M. and 9 P. M. bells being given up at the time of the placing a clock upon the house of worship belonging to the Baptist Society. Two re- ligious bodies having had, for some years, a bell of their own, the needs of the public in that regard are adequately supplied.
Ministry of Rev. Asaph Rice-resumed. The peo- ple of the most northerly section of the town, by reason of their great distance from the meetinghouse and the badness of the roads leading thereto, were obliged to forego to a large extent the privileges of the public worship of God and the benefits of public religious instruction. That they should have felt the loss thereby sustained, the more devout and spiritually- minded of them very deeply, was most natural and reasonable as well. Very likely it was this feeling, in part at least, which actuated them in uniting with their neighbors of other towns close by in the movement for the formation of a new township, which involved the erection of a sanctuary in their very midst, the details of which are given elsewhere in this work. Indeed, this is made to appear very clearly in the petition for the incor-
280
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
poration of the said new township sent by them and their coadjutors to the General Court in February, 1791. In urging their claims to favorable consideration, they say that "in their unhappy Situation, their aged and infirm, their women and children and indeed all the inhabitants of the said tract for a considerable part of the Season are in a great measure Deprived of the previledge of public Worship, an institution [upon which] the Happiness of Society, Life, the interest of Civil govern- ment and the Blessings of Religious instruction and improve- ment so graitly Depends."
The citizens of Westminster at large were not unmindful of the privations of their fellow-townsfolk in this respect, nor indisposed to grant them some measure of relief. Sixteen years before this petition to the Legislature was drawn up, April 6, 1774, when there were scarcely more than a dozen families in all that section, upon an appeal based upon the exist- ing needs in this particular, the town voted "that the Rev. Mr. Rice preach four Sabbaths the year Insueing in the Northerly part of the Town and that Mr. Rice and the northerly people agree to the perticular Days on which they shall have preach- ing." It does not appear that this vote was ever carried into effect. In fact, the remonstrance to the petition for a new town states that it was not, by reason of the indifference or neglect of the northerly people themselves, and intimates that they were insincere in bringing forward their religious privations in support of their cause before the General Court, inasmuch as they did not at the time mentioned accept the offer of the town, but "let the aged, the women and children," in whose spiritual welfare for time and eternity they professed so much interest, "come of as they might."
Nevertheless, when these "northerly people," with the aid of their allies in Fitchburg, Ashburnham, and Ashby, had erected a house of worship, such as it was, at their own expense, and came before their fellow citizens with a formal request that "the Town will Excuse from ministerial Taxes, us, the Subscribers, our poles and Estates, in whole or in part, for a Limited or unlimited time, provided we Lay out the same to hire a Gospel Minister to preach in the House that we have arrected for the publick Worship," it was voted Oct. 18, 1792, "that the Rev. Mr. Rice preach in the northeasterly part of the town five Sab- baths the present year when it will best convean," that is, be most convenient for those concerned. This was the last action taken by the town, so far as can be learned, with regard to pro- viding the section of the town under notice with special minis- trations of the gospel as then understood. Occasional religious services were held in the building constructed for the purpose at Laws' corner, as elsewhere set forth, but the families gen- erally either retained their old ecclesiastical relations or formed new ones, the privileges and duties of which could be more
281
FIRST SIGNS OF THEOLOGICAL DISSENT.
conveniently and easily shared, or in which they found more congenial fellowship and a better opportunity of expressing and promoting their convictions of Christian truth and righteousness. Some there were, no doubt, as in other localities, who, as time went on and the legal obligations to support religious institu- tions fell into abeyance or were removed, severed their connec- tion with all ecclesiastical bodies, affiliating with none and owning allegiance to none of any kind or name whatsoever.
In this connection, it may be said that it was during the period of the town's history covered by the last few pages that signs began to appear of that religious disintegration which resulted many years after in the entire surrender of the control of ecclesiastical affairs by the town, as provided for by a change in the statutes of the Commonwealth; the disruption of the original church and society ; and the consequent formation of the several different denominational bodies which for more than half a century have had a place in the community. The first indications of this as yet mostly undreamed of revolution appear at the end of an old ministerial tax list for the year 1784, made out by Capt. Elisha Bigelow, Capt. William Edgell, and Abner Holden, assessors, in the following explanatory note : "Josiah Wheeler and John Martine and their Estates Exempted out of this Rate on ye Baptis principles agreeable to the Con- stitution." Subsequently thereto these men were not included in the list of ministerial tax-payers, the assessors probably act- ing year by year according to the dictates of their own judgment in the matter. At length, on the 19th of January, 1796, the ques- tion of such omission came before the town for the consideration and final action of its citizens. Whereupon it was voted "that Mr. Josiah Wheeler and Mr. Martyn Bring a Certificate from a regular Teacher certifying that they Belong to his Church and Do attend -in that case the assessors are hereby Directed to abate there minister Taxes." It is to be presumed that these persons acted in accordance with this vote, inasmuch as their names continued to be omitted from the ministerial rates. No other instances of a similar nature are recorded for about eighteen years, at the expiration of which time new ones appeared in greatly increased numbers, as will be more fully set forth hereafter.
No records have been found relating in any way to the matter of music as a part of the public religious service, for many years after the settlement of the town and the founding of the church. No doubt there was singing, or what went by the name, but of a crude, primitive character, both in form and quality. It probably was conducted after the fashion of the time, the minister announcing the psalm by its appropriate number, and one of the deacons reading it, one or two lines at a time, the congregation responding by chanting in a certain
282
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
way what had been read, as they remembered it,-the reading and chanting, or so-called singing, going on alternately to the end. No musical instruments were used, save, perhaps, a pitch- pipe, and no tune books or any printed or written forms of musical notation. It is easy to conceive that this part of the service lacked sometimes both sweetness and harmony, though it undoubtedly was heartily rendered and served well its pur- posed end. There are no means of determining what psalm- book was first used here in the service of the house of worship. Possibly it was Sternhold and Hopkins' version, issued in Eng- land about 1650, or more likely, perhaps, the New England version, published in 1640. Whichever it may have been, a change was made in 1773, when the town voted "to sing Tate and Brady's Salms and Dr. Wattses Himms in Publick or Social worship." And this collection probably continued in use until superseded by Doctor Watts' "Psalms of David," with supple- mentary hymns, a volume well remembered by the older inhabi- tants.
At what date a special class or choir of singers was formed to carry on this part of the service, it has been found impossi- ble to ascertain. The first action of the town upon the subject of sacred music was taken March 1, 1773, when it
"Voted and chose Thomas Brigden Esq. and messirs Lemuel Houghton, Stephen Holden, Abraham Stone, Moses Thirsten, John Hoar Joseph Holden, Jr. Reuben Miles, Nathaniel Brown Samuel Cooke Sebez Jackson as Modelators of the Tune on Lords Days in times of Divine Service."
The article in the warrant under which these men were appointed provided for the assignment of "a place for them to set in," and the selectmen were instructed "to make an altera- tion in the Front gallery on the wimmen's side," in order to meet the implied necessity.
Again, on the 2d of March, 1778, the town
"Voted that Thanks be Returned to Mr Houghton for his Service Tuning the psalm on Lords Days and Voted To Chuse a number of persons to Tune the psalm on Lords Days Then Voted and Chose messirs Sebez Jack- son, Lieut. John Hoar, Joseph Holden, John Fosket, David Nichols, Isaac Williams, Paul Walker, David Foster, Nathan Darby."
In the warrant for a town meeting, three weeks later, was an article
"To see whether they [the voters] will give the two hind Seats in the meetinghouse on the frunt side in the men's and wimen's side To accomidate the Singers."
Whereupon it was
"Voted to give the Seats mentioned in this article to accomidate the Singers and Voted to build them on the Town's Cost, and Voted to chuse three as a Committee to build said pews, and Voted that Said Commit- tee make an Equail Division in the Pews for men and wimen and that those who are already appointed Singers to take Said Seates when finished
283
MUSIC IN THE SANCTUARY.
and that they to Invite any into said Seates who are Singers till Said pews are filled and to continue their till the further order of the Town."
Some change in the location of the choir seems to have been desired the following year, 1779, since it was
"Noted that the Singers have the Benefitt of the four hind seats in the front Gallery on the Men's & Women's side instead of the Seats they now Sit in, etc."
At a later date, of which no record has been found, these servants of the sanctuary were given the occupancy of the front seats in the front gallery, opposite the pulpit, a position they retained while the house was used as a place of public worship.
In the interest of proper decorum in the house of God it was, May 26, 1780,
"Voted that those that sett in the Gallerys of the Meeting House on Lords days be Desired to move out in order & that those in the front seats move out first & those in the Other seats move out in Order Successively."
The introduction of a musical instrument as an aid to singing was a matter of serious concern, requiring the consideration and consent of the whole body of the people, and the question of such an introduction came before the town at a meeting held March 2, 1795. After due deliberation, it was "voted and admitted that a Bassvial be brought into the meeting-house on Sundays for the purpose of assisting in the music on Said Day till the adjournment of this meeting," that is, for one month, presumably to test the feeling of the community upon the matter. As no further action was taken for some years in regard to it, or until the town voted March 7, 1808, "to pur- chase a Bass Viol to be used in publick worship," it is to be assumed that the instrument found favor with the majority and was permitted to remain as a help to the musical exercises of the Sabbath. Tradition, however, reports that there was much opposition to the innovation in certain quarters, provoking some ill-feeling which fortunately was not of long continuance and was accompanied by no serious results. It is said, for in- stance, that two of the daughters of Mr. Nathan Darby, excellent singers and general favorites in town, were so shocked at what they deemed the profanation of the place by the presence of the innocent instrument, that for several Sundays they refused to go into the house until after the singing exercises preceding the sermon were over, and retired when the last hymn was announced, in order to manifest their proper disapproval of the innovation and to free themselves of all responsibility in regard to it. After a time, having satisfied their consciences in the matter, their prejudices gave way and their opposition also, and they yielded graciously to the inevitable, as did others sym-
284
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
pathizing with them, and all things went on quietly as before. The bass viol had come into the meetinghouse "to stay."
There are some things to be found in the town records which suggest the supposition that the health of Rev. Mr. Rice began to give way while yet not very far advanced in life. For this, or some other less probable reason, the town in 1796 instructed the selectmen "to engage Mr. Wyth to preach two Sabbaths," an occurrence not likely to take place in those days but for some special reason like that indicated. Mr. Rice was again relieved from the continuous discharge of the duties of his office in 1798, the town voting "to give Mr. Payson 10 Dollars for three days preaching" during that year. On the 4th of March, 1805, the minister was granted " Liberty to take three or four Sundays to himself this year if he pleases." This was before the time of ministerial vacations and must be accounted for on other grounds than those that might be assigned in modern days. Nov. 9, 1807, "voted to have but one exercise on the Sabbath from Dec. I, to March I, [said] exercise to begin at eleven O'Clock." A similar vote was passed three years later.
That Mr. Rice was breaking down and becoming too feeble to do his proper work through the year had become clearly ap- parent in 1811, in which year, Nov. 14th, the people were asked "to hire a Candidate to supply the pulpit a part of the time this winter if Mr. Rice should not be able," answering by formal vote in the affirmative, and granting $150 to defray the expenses thereof. Pursuant thereto, Mr. Isaac Jones was employed five Sabbaths, and other ministers, whose names are not at hand, for varying lengths of time. A year later Joseph Haven, Samuel Sewall, and Abraham Randall were paid for similar service.
Early in 1813 it became evident that the infirmities of Mr. Rice had so increased as to oblige him to give up preaching for the most part, and that it was necessary to obtain some one as permanent colleague with him in the ministerial office. Extra money was granted for the payment of candidates, and different persons serving in that capacity were heard. The Rev. Garrett G. Brown was received with favor, and the church gave him a call, which was concurred in by the town, at a meeting held Dec. 13th. The terms offered as salary were $400 per year during the lifetime of Mr. Rice, $500 thereafter, until the expiration of ten years from the date of his ordination, then $550 as long as he remained the settled minister of the town. Whenever two- thirds of the citizens should vote to dismiss him " the contract should be considered at an end." Mr. Brown seems not to have been satisfied with the pecuniary consideration named, but the town refused to increase it and he declined the invitation.
The following August, the town voted to concur with the church in a call to Rev. William Bascom to settle as colleague
285
DECEASE OF REV. ASAPH RICE.
with Rev. Mr. Rice, at a salary of $650 a year. This was also declined. But five months later, Jan: 9, 1815, a similar honor was extended to Mr. Cyrus Mann from Orford, N. H., who was just entering upon the work of the Christian ministry, with a stipulated salary of $600. The offer was accepted and Mr. Mann was ordained and duly installed as colleague minister of the town with Rev. Asaph Rice, according to the usages of the Congregationalist order, Feb. 22, 1815.
Mr. Rice, who had already become very infirm, so much so as to incapacitate him for further pulpit labors, gradually declined in health and strength throughout the year following the settle- ment of Mr. Mann, and until the 31st of March, 1816, when he quietly breathed his last in the eighty-third year of his age and the fifty-first of his ministry in Westminster. A sense of per- sonal and public bereavement and a feeling of mournful regret pervaded the entire community, every one seeming to realize that a good and useful citizen, as well as a devout and faithful minister of the Gospel, had passed away. His funeral was largely attended by the people of Westminster and adjacent towns, the sermon on the occasion being preached by his friend and neigh- bor of nearly half a century's standing, Rev. John Cushing of Ashburnham.
At the time of the death of Mr. Rice, the warrant for the regular April town meeting had been issued, in which was the customary article: "To grant the Rev. Asaph Rice's fifty- second years' Sallary, and let out his wood," etc. When this article was taken up in proper order for consideration it was dis- missed, the town evidently not feeling prepared to act upon the matter involved at so early a date. Subseqently, on the 13th of May, time for deliberation having transpired, it was
"Voted to pay the Estate of the Rev. Asaph Rice his Sallary to the 16th of April 1816.
"Voted that the Town relinquish all claims that they have against the Estate of Rev. Asaph Rice.
"Voted to pay the expense of the Interment of the Rev. Asaph Rice," amounting in the aggregate to $60.61.
Two years later, at a meeting held April 6, 1818, the town
"Voted to have the Selectmen provide and erect Grave-Stones at the grave of the late Asaph Rice deceased."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.