History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 180

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 180

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He died, 1855, at eighty-five years of age and sixty-first of his ministry.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

May, 1853, a call was extended to Rev. James T. Hyde to become associate pastor with Dr. Fiske ; salary, eight hundred dollars. The call was unani- mous by the church and three to one in the society. The call was accepted, and Mr. Hyde ordained June 22d following. Mr. Hyde was a graduate of Yale College, ranking second in his class. He was a varied and accurate scholar, an able writer and preacher of refined tastes. His natural gifts were of a high order. Most of those opposed to calling Mr. Hyde were men of extremely liberal views-two. or three Unitarian, or with Unitarian views, prom- inent in society, to whom Mr. Hyde's strong orthodoxy and forcible expression of it were dis- tasteful. During the two years following his settlement twenty withdrew from the society, many of them large property-owners, part from dislike of Mr. Hyde, part on account of the greatly increased rate of taxation, and part through fear of a still higher rate. The breach widened. That spirit of bitterness which Dr. Fiske, in his com- munication to the society on the eve of settling a colleague, deprecated, had already sprung up. A few determined that Mr. Hyde must go and a few deter- mined that he should stay. Finally, the good sense of the majority triumphed. The votes on the two following resolutions, taken in June, 1855, indicate the true state of affairs. The first resolution was, " That we, personally, without reference to the feel- ings or acts of others, are satisfied with the ability and faithfulness of our Pastor." Yeas, 26; nays, 2; silent, 5. The 2d, " That it is expedient under exist- ing circumstances that the pastoral relation be dis- solved." Yeas, 19; Nays, 6.1 Angust 13th the disso- lution was effected. Notwithstanding his compara- tively unsuccessful pastorate, which he attributed in a measure to his own inexperience, he always retained a strong affection for his first parish, remarking to the writer that he would have been content to have lived and died among this people. He died while Profes- sor of Pastoral Theology in Chicago Seminary. It was said of him that "no man in all the West would be more missed. Another might fill his chair in the seminary, but no man in all the land could be found to touch the seminary at so many points or be so con- spicuously useful in all that concerns the welfare of the Churches." Rev. John H. Gurney received a unanimous call to succeed Mr. Hyde, and was in- stalled April 23, 1856 ; salary, nine hundred dollars. A resolution, "That the Church for a third service in the Sabbath be free to other denominations when un- occupied by the pastor," was lost by a majority of one. Mr. Gurney possessed, in addition to other ministerial qualifications, a strong mind, good common sense, a fondness for agriculture and the highest capacities of a citizen. His pastorate lasted thirteen years, during

1 Fourteen persons voting yea on first resolution also voted yea on second.

which there was one extensive revival. May 3, 1871, Rev. John Dodge was installed. His pastorate was terminated by his death, in June, 1872. He was much esteemed and beloved. He was succeeded by Rev. William B. Bond October 30th of same year, whose pastorate continued seven years. Of him it could be said, " he never preached a poor sermon." He was the last settled pastor. Since then the church has been supplied successively by Rev. William Barrows, D.D., Rev. T. A. Merrill and Rev. U. W. Small.

EDUCATION .- The support of schools has always been liberal and hearty, In 1796 Whitney writes: "The people in New Braintree are particularly atten- tive to the education of their children and youth. They have eight reputable school-houses, and in the winter season as many instructors ; two Latin grammar masters, and in the summer they have generally two or three masters and as many mistresses, and they expend more annually in supporting schools than in supporting their public teacher of picty, religion and morality, though he is honorably maintained." This interest was fostered and increased by Dr. Fiske, who for fifty-five years held the active superintend- ence of the schools, who exercised a sort of parental care over them, and whose constant aim was to raise the standard of qualifications among teachers. In 1845 and for several years previous, the amount raised per scholar exceeded that of any town or city in the State, excepting Boston and six adjoining towns. In the published address at the semi-centennial of the Brookfield Association, New Braintree is accredited with having furnished to that date eighteen ministers to the Congregational denomination,-two more than any other town in the association. There have been thirty-two liberally educated and professional men from this town, of which the following is a list:

Levi Washburn, graduated at Dartmouth; died 1776.

Jonathan Gould, graduated at Brown, 1786 ; died 1794 ; minister. James Tufts, graduated at Brown, 1789; minister. Joseph Delano, graduated at Brown, 1790.

Edwards Whipple, graduated at Williams, 180] ; minister.

Luther Wilson, gradnated at Williams, 1807 ; minister.

Thomas Pope, graduated at Harvard 1806 ; lawyer.

Frederic Matthews, gradnated at Harvard, 1816; lawyer. Luke B. Foster, graduated at Vermont University, 1811 ; minister. Henry H. Penniman, graduated at Harvard, 1822; teacher.

Charles Eames, graduated at Harvard, 1831 ; lawyer. Frederic C. Whipple, graduated at Union, 1837 ; lawyer.

Waldo F. Converse, graduated at Wesleyan University, 1839 ; lawyer and business.

Eli W. Harrington, graduated at Amherst, 1833 ; minister.

Charles D. Bowman, graduated at Harvard, 1838; lawyer. Wm. Penniman, graduated at Amherst.

Joseph Washburn, graduated at Yale, 1793 ; minister. James Woods, graduated at Columbia, 1832; minister.

Gustavus Davis, D.D., minister.

Jesse A. Penniman, graduated at Amberst, 1833-35; minister and physician.

Charles Delano, graduated at Amherst, 1840; lawyer. Wm. Barrows, D.D., graduated at Amherst, 1840; minister. Wm. Miller, gradnated at Amherst, 1842; minister. Simon Barrows, graduated at Dartmonth, 1842; minister.

Lewis Barrows, graduated at Waterville ; minister. David Burt, graduated at Oberlin, 1849 ; minister.

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NEW BRAINTREE.

George H. Gould, D.D., graduated at Amherst, 1850; minister. Henry M. Daniels, graduated at Chicago Theological Seminary, 1861 ; minister.

Nathan Thompson, graduated at Amherst, 1861 ; minister and teacher. Charles S. Brooks, graduated at Amherst, 1863; minister.

George K. Tufts, graduated at Yale, 1863 ; business.

Henry Penniman, graduated at Andover Theological Seminary, 1882; minister.

Emerson Warner, physician.

James Tufts, born 1764, completed his theological studies with Dr. Emmons, of Franklin, and ordained November 4, 1794, over the Congregational Church at Wardsboro', Vermont. His pastorate continued forty-seven years, until his death. He was a minister highly respected and venerated in the circles in which he moved.

Luke B. Foster, born 1789, son of Rev. Daniel Foster, second pastor of this church, had but one pastorate, at Rutland, commencing 1813, and con- tinuing four years till his death, 1817.

Edwards Whipple, born 1778, was one of the three most distinguished scholars in his class. He studied theology and was installed at Charlton, January 25, 1804; remained there seventeen years; dismissed March, 1821; was then installed colleague pastor at Shrewsbury, where he remained one year, until his death, September 17, 1822. He was an able and faithful pastor, a man of decided talents and undoubted piety.

Luther Wilson, born 1783, son of Joseph and Sarah Mathews Wilson, fitted for college at Leicester Academy, entered Yale 1804, and Williams 1805 ; became English preceptor at Leicester Academy 1806 ; received his degree 1807. Made principal of Leicester Academy a few years later, and filled that position three and one-half years ; studied theology with Rev. Zephaniah Swift Moore, D.D .; settled over First Congregational Church, Brooklyn, Connecticut, as colleague pastor with Rev. Josiah Whiting, D.D., June 9, 1813. During this ministry he changed his theological views and became Unitarian; resigned his charge September, 1817; installed pastor First Congregational Church, Petersham, June 23, 1819; resigned his pastorate October 18, 1834; died Novem- ber 20, 1864; married November, 30, 1806, Sally, daughter of Abijah Bigelow, of New Braintree.

Thomas Pope commenced practice of law in Dud- ley, where he married, raised a family, lived and died.

Frederic Matthews, son of Elisha Matthews, grad- uated at Harvard Law School ; commenced practice of his profession at Albany, N. Y. ; remained until his death, about 1820.

Gustavus F. Davis, born in 1797, in Boston. At three years of age his father died, and mother married Adin Ayres, who removed to New Braintree in 1812. Young Davis went to Worcester to learn a trade ; was converted, and became a Baptist, under the preaching of Elder William Bently ; began to preach at the age of seventeen in Hampton, Conn .; at nineteen was settled over the Baptist Church at Preston, Conn. ; at

twenty-one became pastor of the church at South Reading (now Wakefield), Mass .; removed to Hart- ford in 1829, as pastor of the church there; died in Boston, while on a visit there, September, 1836. He was never a graduate of any college or other institu- tion; a self-educated man, but largely interested in the cause of education ; a trustee of Trinity College, and of the Connecticut Literary Institution; received the degree of D.D. from Wesleyan University, 1835.

Henry N. Penniman was for many years principal of a boarding-school in New York, and afterwards in business.

Waldo F. Converse began study of law in 1840; commenced practice in Sandusky, Ohio, 1842; con- tinued in practice until 1859, afterwards engaged in business ; is now president of Sandusky Machine and Agricultural Works.

Simon Barrows, born 1811, studied theology at Union Seminary, N. Y., engaged in various ways in canse of education, then entered into the active and hard duties of home missionary life beyond the Mis- sissippi. Sometimes pastor of four churches, he has carried the New England church and school system into our border land.

Lewis Barrows, born 1813, has devoted his whole life to missionary work on the border.

William Barrows, born 1815, completed his theolog- ical studies at Union Seminary, N. Y., 1843, and since that has been variously in the Gospel ministry. There is space for a few quotations from a sketch of him in the "History of Reading," where he has resided since 1856: "Dr. Barrows comes of a type of family slowly disappearing from New England. His early home was a family of twelve; a farm of sixty acres and ob- stinate for boy's culture; parental common sense; a spindle; a loom; annual barrels of home beef and pork ; a few books well chosen; a district school well attended without regard to weather and the Sabbath uniformly divided between home and the Lord's house 3 miles away. The old-fashioned virtues, ideas and knowledge ruled the home more than a dinner, new jacket, or 2-story house. No winter snows were too lively or deep for the ox-sled and a load of neighbor- hood children on the way to school, where the fire- wood was 4 feet long and many of the boys 6. Nat- urally, from such a home the boys entered college, yet with pecuniary struggles. Garden roots were culti- vated by day and Greek roots by night by the young- est of the three in Phillips Academy. In the seminary private teaching by the hour, theological polemics in the seminary, classics in Brooklyn and five minute lunches in Fulton Ferry were sandwiched together. So every bill was paid and every borrowed dollar re- turned. Ill health has hardly cost him a day from the pulpit, perhaps because he has kindled so many vacation camp-fires all the way from New Brunswick to the head-waters of the Missouri and Columbia. Dr. Barrows has had three pastorates and was for some years secretary of the Congregational & Publishing

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Society and the Massachusetts Home Missionary So- ciety. He has taken deep interest in western civiliza- tion and Christianization, and with this in view has made eleven tours over the border and published 'The General, or Twelve Nights in the Hunter's Camp,' a true narrative of his brother William's life ; 'Oregon : The Struggle for Possession ;' 'The United States of Yesterday aud To-morrow ;' also 'The Church and Fler Children;' 'Purgatory, Doctrinally, Practi- cally and Historically Considered;' 'The Indian Side of the Indian Question.' "

William Miller graduated at Andover Theological Seminary, 1845, and settled at Halifax, Vt .; has been in ministry forty-two years.

David Burt, born 1822, graduated at Andover Theo- logical Seminary 1851 ; preached at Raymond, N. H., 1851-55, at Rutland 1856-58, and acting pastor at Winona, Minn., 1858-66; engaged in work of Freed- men's Bureau 1866-68; State Superintendent of Schools in Minnesota (1875) until his death, 1881.

Eli W. Harrington, born 1804, graduated at Ando- ver Theological Seminary 1836; pastor at Lunenburg 1836-47; Marion, N. H., 1848-50; Rochester, Mass., 1850-59; North Beverly 1860-67. Since that time impaired health has interfered with continuous pas- toral service.

Charles D. Bowman studied law at Harvard Law School and practiced in Oxford, where he died.

James Woods was for many years a minister in San Francisco and Sacramento, Cal., where he died.

Charles Delano, born 1820, called at his death, 1882, the most distinguished member of the Hampshire County bar. Member of Congress 1859-63, resident of Northampton, a close student, a man of broad culture, social, public-spirited, liberal, whose integrity and conscientiousness were never questioned.

George H. Gould, born 1827, graduated Union Seminary, 1853. For eleven years his impaired health seriously interfered with the continuity of his public ministry. Traveled in Europe four years with John B. Gough; 1862 and 1863 with Olivet Church, Springfield ; 1864-70 with Centre Church, Hartford, Conn. ; has since resided in Worcester and been acting-pastor of both Piedmont and Union Churches. What a few churches have lost by his inability for continued pastoral service, the general public has gained.

Henry M. Daniels, graduated Chicago Theological Seminary, 1861 ; pastor First Congregational Church, Winnebago, Ill., 1861-75 ; home missionary at Dallas, Texas, 1875-79; at Lebanon, Md., 1880-83 ; De Luz, Cal., 1883-88.

Nathan Thompson, born 1837, graduated Andover Theological Seminary, 1865 ; home missionary, at Boulder, Col., 1865-75; acting-pastor at Roxborough and South Acton, 1876-81 ; president of Board of Trustees of Colorado University ; principal Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass., 1881-86; principal Elgin

Academy, Elgin, Ill., 1886-88; author of two loca histories.

Chas. S. Brooks, born 1840, graduated Andover Theological Seminary, 1869; pastor Congregationa Church, Tyngsboro', 1869-72 ; church at South Deer field, 1873-77 ; Second Congregational Church, Put nam, Ct., 1877-87 ; installed pastor Rollstone Congre gational Church, Fitchburg, 1887.

Henry Penniman, graduated Andover Theo. logical Seminary, ordained over First Church, East Derry, N. H., 1884.

Willard Barrows, born in 1800, early in life left the East for the Mississippi Valley, and was for many years deputy-surveyor for Government of wild lands in Missouri, Arkansas, and the territory comprising the present States of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa The first map of the latter he published from his own field-notes, which, with his brief historical outline, was afterwards published by the State in 1845. Afterwards he wrote out the history of a part of Iowa, published in " Annals of Iowa." In 1850 be led a company of sixty men and one hundred aud twenty-five horses over the plains to California, in the wild rush for gold, when he gained the title of " General." In 1864, he made up a private party for adventure into Montana and Idaho, 1600 miles and 160 days; and another the next year to the same region, via the Missouri River, 3000 miles. Died 1868-ending the career of a stirring frontier man, honored, beloved and lamented.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD .- On the first Monday in June, 1773, in reply to a letter from "ye Inhabit- ants of ye Town of Boston," the town voted, "That the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of ye Town of Boston hereby receive the hearty thanks of this district for the vigilance, firmness and wisdom which they have discovered at all times in support of ye rights and liberties of the colony, and so heartily con- cur with them in all their constitutional determina- tions." March 7, 1774, a committee was chosen to draw up something in reply to "ye Inhabitants of ye Town of Boston " relative to the difficulties the Prov- ince labors under. April 4th the following resolves were reported, which being twice read and con- sidered, were passed unanimously :

Ist. That we will, in conjunction with our Brethren in America, Risk our Fortunes & even our Lives in defence of his Majesty King George the third, His Person, Crown and Digoity, and will also with ye same Resolution as his free-born subjects in this country, to the utmost of our Power And Ability, Defend our Charter Rights that they may transmitted Inviolate to the Latest Posterity.

2. Resolved that every British Subject in America has by our happy constitution as well as by Nature, the sole Right to dispose of his own Property either by himself or by his Representative.

3. Resolved that yo act of ye British Parliament Laying a Duty on Tea Landed in America payable bere is a Tax whereby the Property of Americans is taken from them without their consent.

Therefore Resolved, That we will not, either by ourselves or any for or under us, buy or sell or use any of ye East India Company Tea Imported from Great Brittain, or any other Tea with a Duty for raising a Revenue thereon in America, which is affixed by acts of Parliament on the salue. Neither will we suffer any such Tea to be made up in our Families.

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Resolved, that all such persons as shall purchase, sell or use such Tea hall be for the future deemed unfriendly & Enemies to the happy Con- titution of this Country.

At the same time-

Voted Ninety-one Pounds to provide a Town's Stock of Powder & Lead & Flints with.

August 25th Deacons James Woods and Samuel Ware were appointed a committee to meet like com- mittees from other towns in the county, "to consider what measures they ought to come into at this critical, difficult day," and a Committee of Correspondence was chosen. September 2d Deacon James Woods chosen a delegate to a Provincial Congress to be held in October; the town then chose officers for a standing militia. November 7th a committee of seven, chosen to inspect all tea-drinkers and post their names. January 9, 1775, the town accepted the proposal of the minute-men to serve without pay, on condition that the other members of the dis- rict provide themselves with arms and ammunition. Same date a committee chosen to receive and for- ward the donations to the poor of Boston, and a committee chosen to see that the Provincial and Continental resolves be strictly adhered to.

May 22, 1776, "the Question being put whether ye Town would willingly support ye General Congress if it shall declare Independence. Passed unani- mously in the affirmative."

February 17, 1777, Ephraim Woods chosen dele- gate to a County Congress, to obtain a more equal ind just representation in the General Court for smaller towns.

February 24th the Committee of Safety, to pre- vent monopoly and oppression, fixed a uniform price of all produce and merchandise and all kinds of labor. Following are a few of these prices :

" For men's labor in haying or reaping, 3 shillings per day, & the same for Carpenters; Blacksmiths for plain shoeing, all round, 4 shillings; with steel corkings, 5 shillings. To Cordwainers, for making good men or women's shoes Strong, 2 shillings 8 pence pr., exclusive of thread.

" Doctor's Fea for riding, 6 pence per mile & Busi- ness in proportion. Good wheat, 6 sh. per bu .; Rye, 4 sh. ; Ind. corn, 3 sh .; Oats, 1 sh. 8 Pence; Fresh Pork, 4 Pence lb .; Grass-fed Beef, 2} Pence; Stall- ed do. 3} pence; N. E. Rum, 5 sh. per gall .; Good W. I. Flip, 10 pence per mug; Horsekeeping at Farmers, 1 sh. pr. night by hay, & 6 Pence by grass. One meal of victuals of the best, ten pence, other victuals accordingly ; new-milk cheese, six pence per b .; firkin butter, 8 pence lb .; Beans, six shillings ou .; Potatoes, one shilling per bu. in fall, one & six pence in spring ; good yarn, men's stockings, 5 shill- ings 4 Pence pair; mutton, four peuce; veal, two pence per lb .; Home-made flour, twenty shillings per cwt. ; Eng. Hay, 2 shillings cwt. ; hire of a horse, 2 Pence pr. mile ; maid labor in spring, 3 shillings per week. Mch. 31 a bounty of 20 pounds was

offered soldiers who should enlist in the Continental Army for 3 years, & a com. chosen to collect evidence against all persons appearing enemical to this coun- try. June 5, 1778, Voted that the town has no ob- jection to articles of Confederation & perpetual Union between the United States of America. But the town refused, 54 to 4, May 19, & again May 31, 1780, to adopt the Constitution of the state of Mas- sachusetts Bay, except on certain conditions, one of which was a provision for a Judge of Probate & Register of Deeds in each town in the county."

The total cost to the town of the war is unknown, but the records from 1778 to '82 are replete with votes for filling quota of men and horses, paying bounties, monthly wages and furnishing clothing and provisions to soldiers and their families. A com- plete list of the members of the company of minute- men from New Braintree that marched to Boston April 19, 1775, may be found on the town records.

The town furnished sixty-seven men for three years, nineteen men for six months, seventeen men for nine months ; thirty-eight men for three months, and fifty men for a less period of service in the Revo- lutionary War.

May, 1786, the town gave instructions to its Repre- sentative to the General Court, Captain Artemas Howe, setting forth the great extortion and oppression practiced by the lawyers of the Commonwealth ; their growing importance as a class in numbers, wealth and grandeur, and the danger to civil liberty thereby ; the tardiness in obtaining justice in the courts and the high fees of certain court officers; that instead of the courts and juries being enlightened and assisted in searching after and doing justice in the cases that came before them by the gentlemen of the bar, they were left by them more perplexed and embarrassed ; and expressing the belief that our only hope of ex- istence as a nation rested in the frugality, economy and industry of the people.

SHAYS' REBELLION .- The views embodied in these resolutions seem to have been held by the large mass of the people of the State. Many were embittered by the feeling that adequate compensation had never been made the soldiers for their sacrifice in saving the country, nor the widows and orphans of those who were killed. That many in office who had re- mained at home had enriched themselves at the ex- pense of those who had gone to the war. The debtor class was large. The war had demoralized the people. The majority hoped for a remedy for many of the existing evils through the constituted authorities and the General Court, peacefully ; but a great many were in favor of resorting to force for a redress of their wrongs. Conventions were beld in several counties. September 25th a committee chosen by the town recommended that for the peace of the town no representative should be sent to the General Court that year. This was the act of the minority, who had no faith in legislation to attain their ends. At a

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subsequent meeting the conservatives rallied and voted to send its representative as usual and seek re- dress in a lawful way. The trouble culminated in what is known as "Shays' Rebellion." Twenty-three from New Braintree joined Captain Shays, some of them soldiers in the late war. A large body of in- surgents collected at New Braintree. Their chief acts were to obstruct the courts and prevent their assembling.

Jan. 30, 1787, the town characterized the proceed- ings of the " Regulators," as they termed themselves, as illegal and irregular, and chose Rev. David Foster, Benjamin Joslyn and Percival Hall, Esq., a commit- tee to confer with General Lincoln and officers, and Captain Shays and officers, for the purpose of effect- ing a reconciliation. February 3d, voted to petition the General Court for a general pardon of the insur- gents, provided they laid down their arms and re- turned to their allegiance, and issue circular letters to a number of towns in this and other counties to do the same. February 5th, met and heard the report of the conference with General Lincoln, including a letter to the town, in which he advised them " to call home, without delay, all the men then with Captain Shays belonging to the town, and not to afford any aid, support or comfort to any of ye insergents." When this letter was received, after being several times read and considered, such a disagreement appeared concerning the adoption of the course advised, that the meeting adjourned without action. Captain Ar- temas Howe was appointed major and commissioned as aid-de-camp of General Warner, August 28, 1886, in the campaign against the insurgents. The other men from New Braintree, who were in the service of the State and endured the sufferings and dangers of the night-march from Hadley to Petersham, which Minot styles "one of the most indefatigable marches ever performed in America," which resulted in the rout of the rebels, were: Sampson Whitherley, First Lieutenant ; Wyman Hoit, Second Lientenant : Elisha Mathews, Sergeant; John Doty, Corporal ; John Thompson, Corporal; James Woods, Corporal ; Elijah Barnes, Robert Voaks, William Tidd, Percival Hall, Isaac Denni, George Whetherell, James Wes- ton, Privates ; John Stevenson, Drummer; Samnel Shaw, Sergeant ; Lemuel Kennedy.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 180

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