History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 122

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 122

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James Kay, 10th Battery ; killed at Ream'e Station August 24, 1864.

Eleven of these were killed, ten died of wounds, ten of disease, one was drowned and two died in Anderson- ville prison,-thirty-four lives for the country's life. Fifty-six were dismissed for disability. The first meet- ing to consider matters relating to the war was held May 8, 1862, at which it was voted to appropriate "such five sums of money as may be required, not exceeding five thousand dollars, to aid in uniforming, and to ob- tain such articles as may be needful for the comfort of such residents of the town as shall have enrolled themselves into a company of volunteer militia to be formed in this town and vicinity, and also to aid the families of such volunteers while in actual service; also to pay each volunteer one dollar a day, not ex- ceeding thirty days, for time spent in drilling."

July 26, 1862, the selectmen were authorized to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer for three years' service, who shall enlist and be credited to the quota of the town.

Voted, that an additional sum of fifty dollars be paid to volunteers, who shall enlist in regiments now in the field, on or before the 15th of August. A committee of one from each school-district was appointed "to solicit the enlistment of volunteers."

August 27th, "voted to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer enlisting for nine months; the bounty to be paid when the man was mustered in and credited to the town."

October 11th, the bounty to nine months' men was increased fifty dollars, and the bounty for three years' volunteers was raised to two hundred dollars.

November 3, 1863, voted "that the families of conscripts, disabled soldiers, and those who have died in the service of the United States, be placed on the same footing as regards State aid as the families of volunteers."

April 9, 1864, " voted to pay a bounty of one hun- dred and twenty-five dollars to each volunteer enlist- ing to fill the quota of the town for three years' service, under the recent call of the President."

August 5, 1865, " Voted to refund the money to all individuals who have paid money to aid in recruiting." These votes show the readiness of the town to do her full part in the defense of the conatry.

There was also much done by individuals to help enlistments. More than twenty-six thousand dollars was contributed for this purpose, beyond what was refunded by the State. More than eight thousand

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dollars was contributed for the comfort of soldiers in the field and hospitals, especially through the Sanitary and Christian Commissions.

Careful estimates of what the town paid for the cost of the war in taxes growing out of it, and in contributions, make the sum $710,773.63, while the valuation was but $945,374 in 1860 and $898,385 in 1865. Her part was well done and willingly.

In the beginning the town-meetings were held in private houses. But as soon as the "Town's Meet- ing-House" was so far completed as to warrant oc- cupancy, it was used for town (then "District ") purposes. It was, as long as owned by the town, the town's house. The first town (or district) meet- ing held in it was February 24, 1775, and here for nearly sixty years they held their meetings and acted on all the secular interests of the community. They often adjourned to a private house, especially in cold weather, as we understand, because they had no means of warming the meeting-house. About 1830 a desire for another place of meeting appeared. In the warrant for the March meeting of 1832 there had been an article "to see if the Town will build a house to transact their business in." But it was passed over. In 1833 the town-meeting was warned to meet at Jacob Kinneston's Hall, in the public- house at Holbrook's Upper Village (now Rockdale). March, 1834, it was voted " to build a Town-House for the transaction of Town business." But at the same meeting a committee made a report, which was accepted, "that it is not proper to remove town- meetings from the Meeting-House until a more con- venient place is procured." Notwithstanding this vote, they often voted to meet elsewhere, as at Rock- dale, and frequently in the chapel of Whitinsville. The desire for a more convenient place belonging to the town continued, and in 1871 a committee was appointed "to consider what Building or Buildings are required for a Town-Hall, High School and other town purposes, to report at a future meeting." In the March meeting of 1872 the report was made. Before any action was taken upon it, Mr. John C. Whitin made an offer in behalf of himself and his brothers to provide suitable rooms for town-meet- ings and town business in a building to be erected by them. This offer was accepted, and they erected Memorial Hall, in Whitinsville, on the site of the homestead of their parents, a handsome building of brick, with granite trimmings, one hundred and ten by sixty feet. In the basement is a hall for town- meetings. On the first floor are a small hall for meetings, two rooms for town purposes, with a fire- proof vault for town books, a reading room and rooms for the Social Library. In the second story is a large hall for public meetings.

The first town-meeting in the new building was held in the Lower Hall, November 7, 1876, and since that time all the town-meetings have been held here.

CHAPTER LXV. NORTHBRIDGE-(Continued.)

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .- As we have seen in the beginning, the town as such provided for Gospel ordinances, and for a place of public worship, employing the preacher and building the meeting- house. For these purposes of religion, all the citizens were taxed, save those who belonged to other de- nominations than the standing order, which was Con- gregationalist. These by law were exempt from this taxation if they confessedly belonged to some other religious body and made their contributions to its support. In this town were Quakers, Baptists and a few Universalists to be thus relieved. The town em- ployed Rev. Aaron Bliss for some two years before the church was formed. Rev. Mr. Crane gathered the church which was organized June 6, 1782. There were now two bodies having to do with religious matters,-the town and the church. The church took the initiative as to the calling and settling a pastor. The town was asked to concur, and it was responsible for his support. Soon a third body ap- pears, "The Congregational Society," which is first mentioned in 1784. Yet it is so far identified with the town that in the warrant for town-meeting in 1784 the fifth article is "To see if the Congregational Society will choose a committee to settle with John Adams and Major Batcheller for Boarding Mr. Crane and the Council, when Mr. Crane was ordained," and in 1787, " To see if the Town will choose a collector to collect ministerial money, and also a Treasurer to receive the same, and for said Treasurer to be ac- countable to the Congregationat Society as the Town Treasurers are or may be to the town, and the town chose such a collector."

The town slowly finished the meeting-house, selling "pew spots," or rights to build pews, first on the sides and then in the centre of the house, building a gal- lery, and some years after finishing the stairs to the same. In 1801 $60 were voted for last bills for finish- ing the inside of the house, which had just been ac- complished. The repair of the house still came upon the town. But in their last action in reference to it, in 1808, the warrant for town-meeting has an article to see if the town will vote "to shingle the meeting- house for what they have used it to do town business in."

From this it is manifest that the town does not now feel it is sole owner of the house, but is under obligation to another body for its use, and the same is shown by the vote on this article, which is "to shingle the meet- ing-house by the society," and yet at the next meeting they appoint Paul Whitin, Marvil Taft and Thos. Goldthwait a committee to inspect the work. This is the last mention of the town's doing anything to re- pair or control the meeting-house.

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NORTHBRIDGE.

For more than thirty years the town had had the care and control of the meeting-honse. During these years it is called in the warrant for town-meetings : "The Town Meeting-House," or "The Meeting-House in Northbridge." But in 1819 the language is changed to "The Congregational Meeting Honse." Four years before this it had ceased to be town property. In March, 1814, " John Crane and others " pray the town to be incorporated as a religious society. Their pe- tition was "passed over." In the next meeting it was not noticed. Now John Crane and thirty-one others petitioned the General Court to be incorporated as a religious society in Northbridge. Their request was granted. They are spoken of as "members of the Congregational Society in Northbridge." But now they are incorporated as such, August 27, 1814, and they became liable to pay all taxes voted by the so- ciety and responsible for the support of the minister, and the members can be released from the obligation only as they furnish a certificate that they have joined some other religious society. Still must all belong to some religions society and help in its support. This continued until the amendment of the Constitution, in 1833, when the towns were relieved from all re- sponsibility for the support of ministers, and citizens from the liability to be taxed for religious purposes, and all connection between church and state at last ceased.

The Congregational Society was invested by the act of incorporation with the meeting-house property, and was authorized to hold other property. We find no action of the town acknowledging this incorpora- tion or the transfer of the property, but the town takes no action after March, 1814, as to ministerial support or of control of the meeting house. It con- siders itself a tenant of the society, and obtains per- mission from the society to put up a hearse-house in the " burying-ground." Soon after the incorporation of the society an effort was made to raise a fund for the support of the minister, as was said in the pre- amble of the subscription : " To abolish forever min- isterial taxes in this town, and to establish a fund for the support of a learned Congregational, Calvinistic Ministry in Northbridge, the subscribers promise to pay ; " $2475 was subscribed, in sums from $20 to $500, but in 1816 it was voted to return the sums already paid io, and a committee was appointed to devise some other way of raising the fund. This was never done, and most withdrew their contributions. But Mr. Paul Whitin, Sr., left his in the hands of the society, and this, increased by interest, enabled the society, in 1867, to purchase the parsonage now owned and used by it. The society at once assumed all ministerial charges, and taxed the property of the members. But this did not satisfy all, and for several years the pews were taxed to raise part of the funds needed. From 1838 to 1846 the salary was raised by subscription ; from 1846 to 1850 property was taxed ; then there was a return to subscription ; and now, as

in all societies, the voluntary system of support is used.

Early in 1835 the society, having determined to have a new meeting-house, and having purchased the land for it, voted to move and repair the old meeting- house, if it was deemed worth moving. But not being deemed worth removal, it was soon taken down. The first Sabbath of May, in the same year, Dr. Crane preached his last sermon in the old house. The records of the parish show no vote to build the new meeting-house, but February 5, 1836, they voted to convey the land and the new house to the deacons of the church, and they direct their committee to convey their thanks to Mr. Orra Taft for the bell he had given them. Now the old New England custom of ringing the bell for Sabbath services, for tolling the years of the dead, and for marking the hours of noon is begun. It was also voted to have the foot- stoves filled at the stoves in the meeting-house.

The parish was as reluctant as the church to allow any of its members to leave for the formation of a new parish in Whitinsville, in every instance where a petition for this was presented, either passing it or voting not to grant it. But when the separation took place they did not lose heart. They went on in their work of maintaining the ordinances of religion at the Centre. In 1832, soon after the resignation of Dr. Crane, Rev. Samnel H. Fletcher was called and installed, March 14th. He was dismissed in March, 1834. Rev. Charles Forbush was installed June 4, 1834. He continued pastor until his death, June 9, 1838. Rev. Lewis Pennell was installed April 3, 1839, and dismissed April 11, 1842. Rev. William Bates was ordained and installed November 5, 1845, and dis- missed November 23, 1857. Mr. Bates was the last installed pastor. The church has since been supplied hy Revs. Messrs. George B. Safford, Hiram Day, Syl- vester Hine, Calvin Terry, D. W. Richardson, W. H. Haslewood, Thomas L. Norton, James Wells, J. T. Crumrine, R. M. Burr and J. H. Childs. Rev. Mr. Childs is the present acting pastor, who also has the charge of the Rockdale Church. In 1877 this parish united with the parish in Rockdale in the support of the minister, who has since had the care of both parishes, residing at the Centre.

The church gathered by Rev. Mr. Crane, in 1782, of eight members (five from the church in Uxbridge, three from the church in Upton), received five on confession the same day, thus beginning their separate life. As was customary, there were no " Articles of faith," it being understood that all accepted the "Catechism of the Westminster Assembly " as the standard of belief. They entered into covenant with God and each other. In this covenant there is a consecration of themselves to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and a giving of themselves to each other to walk together as a rightly-ordered Congrega- tional Church, to maintain all Gospel ordinances and watch over each other,-a consecration to work

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against all ungodliness in the world, to maintain secret and family worship, to train their households in a Christian manner ; especially catechising them in the family, instructing, exhorting and commanding them to attend the more public catechising and instruction of those meetings which may be appointed for that end. The articles of faith were adopted probably April 1, 1814, but were not recorded. There is evidence that church discipline was not a mere name, as we have record of discipline for watering cider, for deceiving in trading for a horse; and the church recognized its own duty to repair a wrong done a member, in making confession to one whom it felt it had misjudged. For the first few years, like all the churches of the period, it received but few additions-only eighteen for twenty-six years. But it has known its times of enlargement, as in 1808, 1820 and especially in 1831, when fifty-four additions were made ; and the removal of so many, to form the vil- lage church did not take as many members as had been added in this year. It had, January 1, 1888, one hundred and six members.

THE VILLAGE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN WHITINSVILLE .- During the latter part of Dr. Crane's ministry it had been common to hold meetings in the school-house in this neighborhood Sabbath evenings, at which he and other ministers occasionally preached. The feeling that more was needed led to the forma- tion of a Sabbath-school in 1833, having two sessions each Sabbath.

The conviction that a church should be formed, and regular Sabbath services maintained, becoming fixed, several members of the first church sought dis- mission from it for this purpose. This being denied, five gentlemen, not members of this church, were re- quested to call a council " to advise on the question whether it is expedient to establish a church and so- ciety in said village of South Northbridge." The council met April 17, 1834, and advised that it was expedient that a church should be formed and Gospel ordinances established. In 1833 "The Chapel " had been built and had been dedicated to religious uses early in 1834. Regular preaching was now provided from Rev. Caleb B. Elliot, of Millbury, and after- wards from Rev. William Whittlesey, of New Britain, Conn. The society was formed June 20, 1834. The members of the first church desiring to form the new church, still failing to obtain letters of dismission, called by their committee a council to be held July 31st, " to carry out, if it should be thought best, the recommendation of the previous council." By this council the church was constituted, consisting of thirty-three members. Seven more were received by letter from the first church August 26th, and became identified with the church in its beginning. Rev. Michael Burdett was soon called, and was in- stalled April 15, 1835. He was dismissed April 29, 1841, after a pastorate of six years. Rev. Louis F. Clark was ordained and installed pastor June 1,

1842, and continued his labors here as pastor until his death, October 3, 1870,-a man greatly beloved and greatly useful. Rev. John R. Thurston was installed April 20, 1871, and continues pastor.

The church has been prospered, having received in all 710, and it numbered January 1, 1888, 231.

The present house of worship was built in 1846 and was dedicated November 12th of that year. It has since been enlarged.

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ROCKDALE .- There were no regular public religious services in this village until after P. Whitin & Sons purchased the property in 1856. They finished a hall over the store and dedicated it to religious worship. In the fall of 1861 Rev. E. F. Williams, of Uxbridge, was employed, and labored there somewhat more than a year. His work was blessed by a revival, and there was some thought of forming a church. When Mr. Williams left, Rev. Mr. Harding, of Boston, was engaged to sup- ply, and he preached there for some years, though not residing there for pastoral service. From November 1, 1871, to December 1, 1872, Rev. J. C. Halliday preached and resided there. For some time after this there was not regular preaching, but the Sabbath- school was maintained, and the pastor at Whitinsville preached there occasionally. In 1877 the people united with the parish at Northbridge Centre in the support of a pastor and since that time regular Sab- bath services have been maintained. It had long been felt that a church organization was needed for the best religious result and plans had several times heen made for forming one, but they had not been carried out. December 30, 1879, a council was called and a church of fifteen members was formed, which has since grown to thirty-nine, January 1, 1888. This church, with the church on the Hill, has Rev. James H. Childs as pastor.

THE QUAKERS .- We have seen 1 that early in the last century a few families of Quakers moved up the Blackstone Valley in what is now Northbridge, and they experienced difficulty from their unwillingness to serve in the French and Indian War. They had the same difficulty after the town was incorporated during the Revolutionary struggle. By colonial statute, passed in May, 1776, among those exempted from the necessity of military service are "those per- sons who had, before the nineteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, been by law deemed to be of the denomination of Christ- jans called Quakers." It appears from the State archives that one Thomas Eddy, who had become a Quaker in 1777, was allowed exemption on petition of the town, by the Colonial Council, July 27, 1778. Said Eddy had been sent to the garrison at Rutland, but had refused to do duty on the ground that he was a Quaker. January, 1779, the selectmen of the town, having doubts whether the town had a right to assess

1 Page 426.

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the Quakers for their part of the tax of two hundred pounds laid upon the town " to pay men who had been, or had hired men, to go into the army," send a petition to the "Honorable Council and house of Representatives " that they would solve their doubt " and make it certain whether we have a Right to tax said Quakers." Thus scrupulously were their rights regarded. We have no record of what answer was given to this petition, but as later we find frequent mention of a "Quaker Tax," we learn that it was felt that they must in some way contribute to the de- fence of the country.

After the Revolutionary War we find no evidence of any difficulty with the town from their peace principles.

Before the town was incorporated the first meeting- house was built by the Quakers. On petition of Samuel Aldrich, for the building of a meeting-house, a committee was appointed at the Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends, November 28, 1765, "to judge whether there was need of one." This committee re- porting favorably, a committee, consisting of Samuel Aldrich, Moses Aldrich and Moses Farnam, Jr., " was appointed to oversee the building of said house."

"Twelfth Month, 1776, the Building Committee ex- hibited an account of the Cost of Building the Ux- bridge (now Northbridge) Meeting-house, amounting to £70 16s. 1d. lawful money, which is accepted." Forty pounds of this money was contributed for this purpose by Rachel Thayer, of Mendon. We see it is ten years after the committee is appointed to oversee the building of the house before the final account of cost is rendered, and we do not know when it was first occupied, but probably before the "Town's Meeting- house." The first mention of this meeting-house is in the town-meeting of March, 1778, when it was "voted to warn town-meetings by notifications to Be posted at Capt. Baldwin's Mill, Ye Quaker meeting- house, and ye Town meeting-house in Northbridge." This became the custom ever after. This meeting- house stood about one-fourth of a mile south of the present house, on the east side of the road. Respect- ing the present meeting-house the following items are furnished : "At an Uxbridge Monthly Meeting in 1804, Nathaniel Aldrich, Richard Mowry, Elisha Ar- nold and others were appointed to exchange lots and contract for building the present meeting-house in Northbridge. They reported in the Third Month, same year, that they had done so. The new house to be built for $650 and the old house. The new one was built that year." Saml. Aldrich was one of the contrac- tors for buildingit. In this house the Friends have wor- shipped God for more than four-score years. They have met each week, and the spirit has moved to words of exhortation, as to the faith and the life. In recent years their numbers have diminished, but their meet- ings are maintained with the instruction of the young in the Sabbath-school. In May of each year Quar- terly Meeting is held here. There has been special in- terest in temperance the past few years.

The meeting in Northbridge was a part of the Smithfield Monthly Meeting till Seventh Month, 1783, when the several meetings held in Uxbridge, North- bridge, Richmond, N. H., and Leicester were set off and formed a separate Monthly Meeting under the name of the Uxbridge Monthly, which continues un- til the present time. We have no record of the resi- dence in the town of a minister approved by the meet- ing, and the ministry has been by those belonging to the meeting but residing usually in Uxbridge. Mrs. Salome C. Wheeler, who is an approved minister, re- siding in Uxbridge, usually ministers at the North- bridge Meeting-house.

BAPTISTS IN NORTHBRIDGE .- From the following certificates it is manifest that there was early in the history of Northbridge an acknowledged body of Bap- tists, having a "society," if not a church organization :

We, the Subscribers, being chosen a comatittee by the Society of Peo- ple called Anti-pedo Baptist, we (who?) met together for religious wor- ship on the Lord's day, in Northbridge, to exhibit a list of the names of such persons as belong to said society or congregation : Do certify that Timothy Winter, Nathaniel Cooper, Jun., John Cooper, David Duon, Jonathan Bassett, Barnabas Aldrich, William Rawson, Joseph Hill, Nathaniel Cooper, do belong to the said congregation, and that they do frequently, and usually, when able, attend with us in our meetinge for Religious Worship, on the Lord's Day, and we do thereby believe are, with respect to the Ordinance of Baptism, of the same religions sen- timents with us.

Dated Grafton, Aug. 15, 1774.

Recorded by the clerk Aug. 29, 1774.

JOSEPH RICE, EBENEZER WHEELER, Committee of the Baptist

JAMES LELAND, Society in Grafton.

Samnel Powers and John Rooks, of Northbridge, were included in another certificate of the same date.

From this we infer that thus early in the history of the town these men, wishing to be relieved from paying the town tax for the support of the Congregational minister, and building the meeting-house, obtained this relief by these certificates.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 122

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576