History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 64

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 64

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The old and new meeting-houses stood so near each other that the bell was moved from the old to the new steeple by means of a scaffold erected between them. This was the bell purchased in 1760. It was used till 1824, when it was acci- dentally fractured. A new bell was purchased in that year. It weighed 1500 pounds, and was first used Ang. 1, 1824. The old bell had been in use sixty-four years. It had summoned people to the house of God more than three thousand Sabbaths, and its solemn notes had been heard at the burial of sixteen hundred persons. The selectmen obtained the bell of Mr. Re- vere, of Boston, on trial, and the town voted not to accept it, but ordered another "of a tone resembling the old one as near as possible." In November the selectmen were instructed to return the new bell (now broken) to Mr. Revere and procure another. There is no record of the cost of this bell, except that in the estimate of expenses for 1825 appears an item of $200 for transportation and hanging the new bell. The parish, in 1826, at its first meeting after organization, to complete the payments for it, voted to raise $200.

In 1812 a new clock was purchased, the expense to be de- frayed by the sale of the old meeting-house, or of the five un- sold pews in the new one. For sixty years this clock did ex- cellent service. In 1872 a new one was purchased by the town and placed higher in the steeple, in order to show four

instead of three faces. To accomplish this the bell was carried higher up and the steeple strengthened. The cost of the new elock, including the expense of changes in the steeple, was $1200.

Our fathers were compelled to listen to their Sunday sermons in the cold. No heat was to be had in the meeting-house ex- cept what was afforded by small stoves, containing a handful of glowing eoals, used by the women for warming their feet. In 1820, John Tappan, Esq., of Boston, presented the inhabitants of the town with "two large and valuable church stoves."

Church music in early times was congregational. The singers were scattered throughout the congregation, the pitch was given by a chosen leader, and all joined in the singing. Choirs were afterward formed, the young of both sexes con- sidering it quite an honor to become members. In 1816 the selectmen recommended the formation of a musical society of not less than thirty singers of both sexes, to occupy the front seats in the meeting-house. Instrumental music followed the formation of choirs, the flute being the first instrument used. The first record of town action concerning a musical instru- ment was in 1810, when the selectmen were instructed to " purchase the Bass Viol now in use in public worship, pro- vided the expense do not exceed $15." In 1823 a committee were appointed to hire a bass viol. They reported that they could not hire the bass viol then in use, but that Mr. White would sell it to the town for $50, and the town voted to pur- chase it.

In 1825 a tax of $1500 was voted in town-meeting for the support of religious worship. This was the last tax laid by the town for that purpose. The next year the Unitarian so- ciety was formed, and the first parish established. The town of Northampton, from its first vote to raise money, or its equivalent, to pay Mr. Mather, to its last vote on that subject in 1825,-a period of one hundred and sixty-seven years, with exception of about twelve years, when two precincts existed, -raised yearly by taxation a sum sufficient to generously sus- tain the gospel ministry. During that time it built as a town four meeting-houses, the fourth, when erected, being the largest in this section of the State. At this time there was not in New England another congregation so numerous as that which usually assembled for public worship at the meet- ing-house in this town. The number frequently exceeded 1500, and seldom fell below 1200.

First Parish .- From 1753, when Southampton was incor- porated, the town and parish were identical. It became necessary, however, in 1826, soon after the formation of the Second Congregational Society, to organize a parish. The meeting for that purpose was called under the statute law of the State, and held at the town-hall, April 3, 1826. Twelve names were appended to the application to Levi Lyman, Esq., justice of the peace, to issue a warrant for the meeting. These signers were Benj. Tappan, Chas. Starkweather, Asahel Pomeroy, Timothy Jewett, Cecil Dwight, Nathan Storrs, S. Stoddard, Jr., Jonathan Strong, William Clark, Asahel Ly- man, Oliver Warner, and David Strong. The first warrant was issued to Cecil Dwight. Lewis Strong was chosen Mod- erator, D. S. Whitney, Clerk ; and from that time the First Parish of Northampton had a legal existence, and, of course, became owner of all the parochial and church property. At this first meeting a vote of thanks was given to Mr. John Tappan, of Boston, for a present of " 18 handsome lamps, to be placed and used in the meeting-house." These lamps were in use till gas was introduced, in 1857.

The subject of procuring a parsonage came up in 1829, but no action was taken till 1836, when the homestead on Bridge Street, since used for that purpose, was purchased for $2500. A new parsonage was erected in 1867. The old house was sold and removed to the corner of Bridge Street and Lincoh Avenue, and the new one built upon its site. The cost of the new building was $8300.

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

Parish-meetings were held in the town-hall and religious meetings in the church previous to 1842. In 1840 the parish voted to unite with the Centre School District in the erection of a building to be used jointly for schools and for parish pur- poses. The vestry was built in 1841, and first occupied for the annual meeting in 1842. The parish paid its proportion of the cost by the sale of pews in the church, the amount of such sales, in 1841, reaching $1450. This building is now occupied by the Gazette and Courier newspaper as a printing-office. During its joint ownership the parish occupied the basement and the schools were in the upper rooms. The arrangement was satisfactory to all parties till 1856, when the decision was reached to build a chapel. Efforts had been previously made by both owners to buy or sell, but without success. The parish sold its right in the building to Mr. J. P. Williston for $800, raised $1600 by taxation, and Mr. Williston contributed $2250 more, making the entire cost of the new chapel $4650. It was located in the rear of the meeting-house, with entrance tower at its east end. A narrow road, a continuation of Court Street, sep- arated it from the meeting-house. Mr. Williston subsequently purchased of the school district its part of the old building and sold it to the proprietors of the Gazette and Courier. After the destruction of the meeting-house it was found necessary to remove the chapel, and it was sold to Mr. Porter Under- wood, of Holyoke, for $405. He moved it to his lot adjoining the parish lands, eneased it with brick, and converted it into a public hall.

The subject of purchasing a church organ was first agitated in 1832. For fourteen years the matter was frequently before the parish, and various votes are on record concerning it. The final decision to purchase was not reached till 1856, when the sum of $3100 was appropriated for that object. A contraet was made with Mr. Johnson, of Westfield, and a very fine in- strument-at that time one of the very best in this part of the State-was put into the meeting-house.

The meeting-house remained without much alteration for thirty-six years. At a meeting held June 27, 1848, the parish voted to alter the pews and repaint the interior of the edifice. This house differed from its predecessors in the arrangement of the pews. The old square pew was discarded and the long and narrow slip substituted ; but the old-fashioned, upright back was retained. In carrying out this vote, the entire in- terior of the house was remodeled and the pews modernized. The expense of changing the pews was contributed by Mr. John Tappan, of Boston. In 1850, Mr. Eliphalet Williams presented to the parish an elegant chandelier. Seven years afterward gas was put into the meeting-house and the chan- delier refitted for its use. Stoves were used for heating the house till 1852, when two furnaces were purchased, Mr. Eliphalet Williams contributing $200 toward the expense. In 1860 extensive repairs were made. Slates were substituted for shingles upon the roof, the walls were frescoed, the interior repainted, and the pulpit lowered three feet. Originally the pulpit was quite high, approached by narrow, circular stairs from each side. The cost of these improvements was $2000. No change of importance was afterward made in the building. HIon. Eliphalet Williams, son of Rev. Solomon Williams, who died in 1874, bequeathed the sum of $5000 to the parish for the purpose of paying its debt. This debt had been incurred mainly for building the new parsonage,

The parish for many years followed in the accustomed way of taxing the members for its expenses. New societies were formed and its numbers reduced. At last this method of tax- ation became burdensome, and, as in all religious societies, the question of ways and means became more and more per- plexing. The pews in the meeting-house were mostly owned by individuals, some of them not members of the parish. From taxation of property to taxation of pews was but a step. Both were tried, and neither proved satisfactory. Then a sys- tem of voluntary assessments was adopted, in which each mem-

ber named the sum upon which he was willing to be taxed, based upon the pledge of a certain amount in the aggregate. This system worked well for a few years, but finally it was found difficult to obtain the requisite aggregate, and the taxa- tion of pews was again resorted to. Measures were in progress for the purchase of the pews by the parish for purposes of rental, when the fire occurred.

Destruction of the Fourth Meeting-House .- This meeting- house,-known as the " Old Church" far and near,-celebrated in all this region for its bold front and fine proportions, was 100 by 76 feet in dimensions. The steeple in the centre of the front was about 140 feet in height. After the repairs in 1848 it contained 147 pews on the lower floor capable of seating six persons each, and 38 in the gallery, giving it a seating capacity of about 1000. Ten pews were at different times removed to make room for stoves, furnaces, and the organ.

This building, after serving town and parish as a place of worship sixty-four years, was totally destroyed by fire on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 27, 1876. The fire originated near the gas-meter, and is attributed to the carelessness of work- men who had been making repairs upon it during the day. The flames spread with wonderful rapidity, soon enveloping the steeple. Many eyes watched their progress with painful interest. It was feared that the steeple would fall outward, in which event damage to some other building was sure to follow. Fortunately, however, the fire burned out the sup- ports, and the spire fell back upon the burning mass. The fire caught at half-past five, and the steeple fell at fifteen min- utes past six o'clock. The house was partially cleared of its movable contents. The pulpit furniture, nearly all the car- pets in the aisles, the Sunday-school library, the cabinet-organ, and about half the cushions were saved. During the confla- gration the wind suddenly changed, and to this fortunate cir- cumstance may be attributed the safety of the chapel and ad- joining property. The meeting-house and contents were insured for $27,500. The clock, owned by the town, was insured for $1000.

The Ministers .- Nine of the thirteen pastors who have been settled since the church was established preached in this meet- ing-house,-Solomon Williams, who was the pastor when it was built ; Mark Tucker, from 1824 to 1827; I. S. Spencer, from 1828 to 1832; Joseph Penny, from 1838 to 1835; Chas. Wiley, from 1837 to 1845; E. G. Swift, from 1845 to 1851; J. P. Cleaveland, from 1853 to 1855; Zachary Eddy, from 1858 to 1867; William S. Leavitt, from 1867 to the present time.

In 1828, when Mr. Tucker was dismissed, the parish ex- tended a call to Rev. John Wheeler, of Windsor, Conn., to become colleague with Mr. Williams, Mr. Wheeler declined, and Rev. I. S. Spencer was installed. After the retirement of Dr. Penny, in 1836, Rev. Mr. Condit and Rev. Mr. Childs, of Pittsford, Vt., were invited, but declined, and Rev. Chas. Wiley was settled. In 1845, after the dismissal of Mr. Wiley, the parish voted to invite Rev. Walter Clark, of Canterbury, Conn., to become its pastor. He declined, and Rev. E. G. Swift, of Chillicothe, O., was called. In 1852, after the re- moval of Mr. Swift, Rev. Dr. R. Cady, of Westborough, was invited to a settlement. He did not accept, and in 1853 Rev. Dr. Cleaveland, of Providence, R. I., was installed. Since 1845 the salary had been $1000; in 1853 it was raised to $1350. Dr. Cleaveland was dismissed in 1855, and in 1856 Rev. Oliver E. Daggett, of Canandaigua, N. Y., was invited to become the pastor, at a salary of $1500. Dr. Daggett declined, and an invitation was extended to Rev, E. B. Foster, of Lowell, and in 1857 to Rev. Win. S. Karr, of Brooklyn. Both de- clined, and in 1858 Rev. Zachary Eddy, of Birmingham, Conn., was installed. In 1860, $500 were added to the salary of the pastor, making it $2000. In 1867, Rev. William S. Leavitt, of Hudson, N. Y., was installed, and in 1868 the

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HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

salary was increased to $2500. In 1876, Mr. Leavitt volun- tarily relinquished $500 of his salary, and it has remained at $2000 to the present time. Annexed are sketches of the sev- eral pastors who have officiated since the ministry of Mr. Williams.

REV. MARK TUCKER, D.D., was born at Whitestown, N. Y., June 7, 1795. He graduated at Union College in 1814, studied theology under President Nott, and was ordained at Stillwater, N. Y., Oct. 8, 1817. As has already been narrated, Mr. Tucker was invited to become colleague pastor with Mr. Williams in 1824, and installed March 10th of that year. At the installation services Rev. Mr. IFale, of Westhampton, made the introductory prayer; Rev. Dr. Nott, president of Union College, preached the sermon from 2 Cor. v. 20; Rev. Dr. Lyman, of Hatfield, made the installing prayer; Rev. Mr. Williams, senior pastor, gave the charge; Rev. Mr. Wis- ner, of Boston, gave the right hand of fellowship; and Rev. M. Williston, of Easthampton, made the concluding prayer. The town voted $500 toward removing his family, and gave him a salary of $1000. The controversy which resulted in the establishment of the Unitarian Society commenced when Mr. Tucker was settled, and culminated soon after in the establishment of the new society. Mr. Tueker, it seems, gave offense in not inviting Rev. Mr. Peabody, of Springfield, to officiate after the latter had made proposals to him. Dr. Tucker was dismissed Aug. 16, 1827, after a ministry of three years. Oct. 31, 1827, he was installed as pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Troy, N. Y. His labors there were blessed by the conversion of hundreds. He remained at Troy till 1837, when, declining a call to the Park Street Church in Boston, he became colleague pastor with Rev. James Wilson over the Beneficent Church, Providence, R. 1., and was installed June 30th of that year. He was dismissed Sept. 24, 1845. During this time 237 were added to the church. He was installed at Weathersfield, Conn., Oct. 15, 1845; dismissed March 24, 1856. April 15, 1857, he was in- stalled over a church in Vernon, Conn., where he remained five years, being dismissed April 1, 1863. He lived at Elling- ton and Old Saybrook, Conn., without charge until 1865, when he returned to Weathersfield, where he resided until his death, which occurred March 19, 1875, at the age of eighty years. The degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by Wil- liams College in 1831.

REV. ICHABOD S. SPENCER, D.D., was born at Rupert, Vt., July 23, 1798, studied at Salem Academy, and graduated at Union College in 1822. While teaching school at Schenectady and Canandaigua, N. Y., he studied theology under the di- rection of Dr. Andrew Yates, of Union College. He was first settled in the ministry in this town as colleague with Mr. Williams, Sept. 11, 1828. Here he remained but three and one-half years, but his labors were abundantly rewarded, 200 persons having been added to the church during that time. In February, 1832, he asked a dismission, which was granted with reluctance by the church and society, and his connection with it was dissolved March 12, 1832. He accepted a call to the Second Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., during the same year, where he remained till his death, which oc- curred Nov. 23, 1854, at the age of fifty-seven. He published two volumes of pastoral sketches, which were quite popular. In 1855 appeared two volumes of his sermons, with portrait and sketch of his life, by Rev. J. M. Sherwood.

REV. JOSEPH PENNY, D.D., was born in Ireland, in 1790, educated in Dublin and Glasgow, and came to this country in 1819. lle resided a brief time at Jamaica, L. I., and was installed over the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, N. Y., April 3, 1822. After a pastorate of eleven years, he was dismissed April 16, 1833. He was installed here June 5, 1833, and dismissed Nov. 23, 1835. After leaving this town he became president of llamilton College, Clinton, N. Y., where he remained four years. Afterward, after temporarily

residing at Nyack, N. Y., and at Grand Rapids, Mich., he returned to Rochester, N. Y., where he died March 22, 1860, aged seventy. lle received the title of D.D. from Union College in 1831.

REV. CHAS. WILEY, D.D., was born in New York. HIe studied at Nassau Hall, from which institution he received his degree of D.D. in 1846; was settled in Northampton in 1837, where he remained till 1845. He was in charge of the Reformed Dutch Church of Utica, N. Y., from 1846 to 1850. Afterward he was employed as teacher in Milwaukee, in 1857; was at Birmingham, Conn., from 1858 to 1859 ; as stated sup- ply at Lafayette, Ind., in 1859; was installed pastor over the Reformed Church in Geneva, N. Y., in 1860, and remained there till 1865, since which time he has been engaged in teach- ing, mainly at Orange, N. Y., at which place he died in 1877.

REV. E. Y. SWIFT was born at Fairfax, Vt., Jan. 16, 1815, graduated at Middlebury College, Vt., in 1839, and at An- dover Theological Seminary in 1842. He was in the service of the American Tract Society about a year and a half, and preached for the Second Presbyterian Church in Chillicothe, Ohio, for about eighteen months. 1Ie was installed pastor over the First Church in this town Nov. 19, 1845, and dismissed Sept. 22, 1851. At the close of a pastorate of abont six years he removed in the fall of 1851 to South Hadley, Mass., where he officiated as pastor for a little more than six years. Thence he removed to Clinton, N. Y., where he preached about four and a half years, when he accepted a call to the Congregational Church in Williamsburg, Mass., where he remained about six years. Ile was afterward settled at Denmark, Iowa, where he still resides, having entered upon the tenth year of his ministry there.

REV. JOHN P. CLEAVELAND, D.D., was born at Byefield, Mass., July 19, 1799, graduated at Bowdoin College in 1821, and at Andover Theological Seminary, 1824. He was ordained pastor of the Tabernacle Church, Salein, Mass., Feb. 14, 1827, and dismissed April 1, 1834. He was pastor of the First Pres- byterian Church, Detroit, Mich., from June 15, 1835, to Nov. 1, 1838 ; president elect of Marshall College, Michigan, and partially acting pastor there, from Nov. 1, 1838, to Nov. 1, 1843. Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, from Jan. 10, 1844, to Jan. 20, 1846, and pastor of the Beneficent Church, Providence, R. I., from April 22, 1846, to March 30, 1853. He was installed pastor of the First Church in this town April 20, 1853, and dismissed July 11, 1855; pas- tor of Appleton Street Church, Lowell, Mass., from Oct. 2, 1855, to Jan. 15, 1862, and chaplain of the 30th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers from January to August, in 1862. He acted as stated supply at Park Street and Salem Street Churches, Boston, from Aug. 1, 1863, to July 1, 1864. After that he was at Mattapoisett, Mass., from Jan. 1, 1865, to June 7, 1867, and at Bellerica, Mass., from 1867 to 1869. He re- sided, without charge, first at Ipswich, and afterward at New- buryport, till his death at the latter place, March 7, 1878, aged seventy-three. Ile was a man of marked character and a strong advocate of temperance and anti-slavery. He gained many warm friends while a resident of this town.

REV. ZACHARY EDDY, D.D .- Dr. Eddy was born in Stock- bridge, Vt., Dec. 19, 1815. He was the son of Rev. Isaac Eddy, and the seventh in descent from Rev. William Eddy, vicar of Cranbrook, Kent, England, 1589-1616. From the age of two years he resided in Western New York. His education was private, irregular, defective. At the age of eighteen he was licensed to preach by the (Cumberland Pres- byterian) Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and ordained by that body in 1835. For several years he acted as home missionary in Western New York and Wisconsin. He was pastor of the Congregational Church at Warsaw, N. Y., from 1850 to 1855; of the Congregational Church at Birmingham from 1855 to 1857 ; of the First Congregational Church, Northamp- ton, from 1857 to 1867; of the Reformed " Church on the

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

Heights," Brooklyn, from 1867 to 1871; of the Central Church in Chelsea from 1871 to 1873; has been pastor sinee 1873 of the First Congregational Church, Detroit, Mich. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by Brown University, and that of D.D. by Williams College. Besides many occasional sermons and pamphlets, he pub- lished, in 1868, " Immanuel, or the Life of Jesus Christ." He was the principal compiler and editor of " Hymns of the Church" (Reformed), 1869, and was associated with Drs. Hitchcock and Sehaff in preparing "Hymns and Songs of Praise," 1873. In 1877 he was selected to preach the annual sermon of the American Home Missionary Society. The dis- course, " The Evangelization of our Country," was preached in the Broadway Tabernacle, May 6th, was afterward printed, and has had a very large circulation. The same year he preached the opening sermon of the National Triennial Coun- cil, which was ordered printed.

REV. WILLIAM S. LEAVITT .- Mr. Leavitt was born at Putney, Vt., in 1822. Graduated at Yale College in 1840. Studied law in New York one year. Afterward studied theology four years, mainly in Union Theological Seminary, New York City. Ordained and installed pastor of the Eliot Church, Newton, Mass., Dee. 2, 1845. In November, 1853, he was dismissed to accept a call from the First Presbyterian Church in Hudson, N. Y., and installed there the same month. He was dismissed in April, 1867, to accept the call of the First Parish and Church in Northampton, and was in- stalled here April 30th of that year. Mr. Leavitt is son of the late Dr. Joshua Leavitt, of New York, and a direct de- seendant of Rev. Solomon Williams, of Lebanon.

Fifth Meeting-House .- In July, 1876, as soon as practi- cable after the destruction of its meeting-house, the parish was called together, and voted unanimously to rebuild upon the old site, either of stone or briek, and at a cost not exceeding $50,000. A committee of fifteen was appointed to proeure plans. Proposals were invited from architeets, and on the 10th of August twenty-seven plans were presented. Four of these were recommended to the parish, but it was found that none of them could be built for the sum named, and a build- ing committee of five persons was chosen, with full power to act in the matter, being restricted only as to cost. A com- mittee to solicit subscriptions as well as a finance committee were appointed, and it was voted not to include bell, organ, furniture, heating apparatus, and architect's commission in the estimated eost of the building,-$50,000. In accordance with a petition authorized by the parish, the county commis- sioners discontinued the road between the old meeting-house and chapel. The latter was sold and moved away, as previ- ously stated. The building committee consisted of J. S. Lathrop, II. K. W. Dickinson, Webster Herrick, Rev. L. C. Seelye, and H. R. Hinckley.

This committee engaged Messrs. Peabody & Stearns, of Boston, to make the plans and supervise the erection of the building. The committee intimated to them what was wanted, and the architects elaborated the design and perfected the building that to-day adorns the village with its graceful pro- portions and elegant interior. In general style it is Gothic, the break in the roof and the dormer windows giving all the effect of the clerestory, and at a much less cost. The exterior of the building is constructed entirely of stone, with slate roof. The foundations are of granite, and above the water-table the walls are of Longmeadow brown stone, ashler work on hori- zontal beds. The tower and spire are built from foundation to apex entirely of stone. The walls are backed by eighteen inches of brick throughout, and the tower, in its lower story, has a backing of three feet of brick. The contract was awarded to Mr. P. B. Johnson, of Springfield, who com- meneed work on the 1st of May, 1877, and completed the house April 20, 1878. The building was located on the site of its predecessor, but ten feet farther back from the street.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 64

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700