USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Acushnet > History of the Town of Acushnet, Bristol County, State of Massachusetts > Part 20
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Records have recently been examined by me which give facts relat . ing to the geography and divisions of this Precinct. The so-called Dart- mouth precinct had its origin with the incorporation of the old town. 1664. It included the town of Rochester. An act of the general court of 1747 divided the precinct. Rochester became the first and Acushnet the second precinct. In 1792 the Acushnet precinct was divided by es- tablishing a precinct comprising the present town of Fairhaven, to be known as the "Second precinct in New Bedford." By this act what was left of the old precinct became the "First." This was again divided by the legislature of 1807, when Bedford village and contiguous territory was set off and chartered as "The Bedford precinct." This was the final operation performed on the body of the ancient parish. Its vitality was exhausted. It never recovered and became extinct through natural causes.
Reference is made above to existing fragments of records of this society, a few of which are given below. They include a period of time only from 1730 to 1776, but contain the names of more than one thousand persons who were baptized, married, and admitted to membership in the church, including Indians and Negroes.
The first entry is a bond of Samuel Joy, the village blacksmith, dated Feb. 23, 1730, in which he binds himself to pay one pound towards the
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support of the ministry the ensuing year. Eliokim Willis, the village school master, was one of the witnesses to his signature.
The first person recorded as admitted to full communion was Esther Palmer, Jan. 24, 1730.
A report signed by Philip Cannon and James Cushman states that the Church of Christ in Dartmouth, June 12, 1730, chose Mr. Richard Pierce as their minister and on the 11th of the following September these two men applied to the selectmen praying that a town meeting should be called to act on this choice of minister.
Rev. Richard Pierce gives his reasons for inviting members of the church to his residence in the following note :
To the Church of Christ in Dartmouth.
Brethren :
The reason of my desiring your Company at my House today, was that I might have an opportunity to acquaint you that I am reduced to such Circumstances as will in a very short time Constrain me to leave the work of the ministry among you.
Richard Pierce,
Dartmouth, April 30, 1739.
In a communication to the church, dated Dec. 22, 1747, Richard Pierce writes as follows: "It is now upwards of a year and a half since I took Release from my Pastoral care of you, and thought it might recently been expected you would long before this have satisfied me for my services while with you; yet I find it far otherwise, nor can I understand that you are the Least concerned about it or take any care to do it; I am sorry to find such a careless disposition in you which may prove so prejudicial to us both. Brethren, I served you sixteen years and upwards, and my de- mand therefore is Sixteen Hundred Pounds Lawful money of New Eng- land. which is no more than in my answer to your call is suggested." Mr. Pierce threatened to bring the matter before the next June court, unless payment was made before that time.
1731, June 19, the church voted that the relation of experiences of persons who should join the church should be desired, but should be exacted on none only a creed of their faith.
1735, Nov. 7, Deacon James Cushman was chosen to be the ruling Elder.
1747, Oct. 26, the General Court granted a petition of the inhabitants of Acushnet Village that the precinct which included Rochester be di- vided and Rochester be the first precinct, and Acushnet be the second. The records after this date refer to the latter as the second precinct.
June 2, 1742, Job Jenney and Jireh Swift were chosen deacons by a large majority.
1750, April 2, Joseph Roberts in a letter to Elder Cushman declined to accept the call to Acushnet.
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1751, June 18, it was voted to call Rev. Israel Cheever at a salary of one hundred and six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence. The com- munication was signed by James Cushman, Jireh Swift and William Kempton.
At a council composed of delegates from Bridgewater and first and second churches of Rochester, held December 25, 1759, to consider charges against Rev. Israel Cheever, he was found guilty of an awful breach of the third commandment. He had been guilty of the practice of playing cards and we are obliged to bear testimony against the practice of that game as sinful in all professors of religion and attended with peculiar aggravation in a Minister of the Gospel. They found that he had re- proached Deacon Jireh Swift and his family and was rash in admonish- ing two of the brethren. They recommended the precinct give him a dismission, but he apologized and the recommendation was reconsidered.
The following is a copy of the record of the immeasurably important transactions of a meeting at this church at Parting Ways which marked the parting-of-the-ways in the life of young Samuel West, and in the history of this parish and contributed inestimably to the moral and social and civic welfare of a multitude of persons of that time and succeeding ages.
Proceedings of the Precinct Meeting :
In purfuance to a Warrant Ifsued, &c.
The Inhabitants of the Second Precinct of Dartmouth met together the 15 & 24 Day of September Inftant and confulted the following par- ticulars, Viz. :
1. To see if the Pricinct will Vote a concurrance with the Church in their Choice of Mr. Samuel West of Barnstable to be their Pastor and Teacher and call him to work.
Put to Vote.
Voted in the affirmative & concurr'd with, &c.
2. To Vote a settlement & Yearly Salary for his support during the time of Ministry among us.
Put to Vote and
Voted Sixty-Six Pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence Salary or Yearly Support to the above Mr. West provided he tarry with us.
3. To choofe a Committee to offer to sd Mr. sd call, Settlement and Salary that may be voted for his encouragement to tarry among us.
Confented to and Chofe
Sam11 Willis Efs Elisha Tobey Efs Mr Thos West Mr Nath11 Spooner Mr Philip Canon Deacn Jireh Swift
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A Committee for the performing the Service of the laft mentioned Article.
H. Cornish, Clerke.
Dartmh Sept 25th 1760.
To Mr Samuel West.
1773, Apr. 15, John Chaffee and Jireh Swift, Jr., chosen Deacons.
1779, June 15, chose Seth Cushman to "open and shut the meeting house, and to sweep the same four times a year." Chose Gamaliel Bryant to "repair the windows of the meeting house, and voted that four win- dows be taken from the loft and over the doors to repair the others."
1779, July 17, chose Wm Allen, Seth Jenne, Jacob Hathaway, Joseph Damon, Ebeneezer Willis, John Chaffee, and Gamaliel Bryant to "over- see the Youths on the Sabbath and to tarry at the meeting house in the intermission season in their turn."
1780, June 22, voted that "Mr. West have a salary of 66€, 13s, 4d, to be paid in proportion to Corn at 3s, 4d, per bushel, leather at 1s, & 4 pence per pound."
1785, Apr. 10, Venture, a negro man was baptised and admitted to full communion. This was the slave who purchased his freedom of Dea- con John Chaffee in 1770, mentioned on page 85.
1788, Sept. 9, Dr. West's personal account with the church shows the Precinct was indebted to him 769 pounds, almost $4,000, and he threatens to present the matter to the civil court if not paid soon.
1793, Nov. 7, Philip Crandon married to Esther Dillingham.
1805, Captain William Gordon was chosen clerk, pro. tem. It was voted to "raise 70 pounds to be placed in the hands of a committee for the purpose of procuring fire wood and corn for Mr. West."
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT ACUSHNET VILLAGE The oldest Methodist Episcopal society in Bristol County is the one at Acushnet Vil- lage. Methodist preachers were in this vicinity before the year 1800, preaching in barns, attics, and old kitchens. Among their places of meeting and preaching was the house of Ellis Mendall, located on the east side of Mendall road. Their earnest manner and spiritual zeal attracted the people, and after the decease of Dr. Samuel West, the pastor of the pre- cinct church near Parting Ways, there began a movement towards intro- ducing the Methodist sect into this place. This met with the sympathy of a number of the members of the precinct society and congregation. It was led by Captain John Hawes, a native of the place, an attendant at the old church, a prominent man in the community and in business circles. Captain Hawes was a shipmaster in the foreign merchant service. On one of his voyages to London he attended a meeting in a little chapel, where he listened to the renowned Whitfield. A resolution made
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at the time was the beginning of a wonderful career of religious zeal and usefulness. He returned to America with an ardent desire for the introduction of Methodism into the community where he resided and in whose spiritual welfare he was deeply interested. He was the means of bringing to Acushnet, in the year 1805, a young Methodist preacher by the name of Epaphras Kibby, who at once entered into the confidence and sympathy of the entire community. He and Captain Hawes later led the people to consent to the organization of a Methodist society here, and on the second day of August, 1807, "The Methodist Episcopal Church
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT ACUSHNET VILLAGE
BURNED IN 1904 LOOKING WEST
of Fairhaven" was organized in the second story of the building on the south side of Bridge street, east of the bridge and close to the river. The original members of the society were the following eight persons, who were a part of the original Class previously led by Captain Hawes :
John Hawes, Benjamin Dillingham, Freelove Nye, Daniel Summer- ton, Hannah Summerton, Jedidah Haskell, Merab Spooner and Nancy Danforth.
These eight persons, three men and five women, were baptized by Mr. Kibby on the day of the organization, and constituted the original
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membership of the society. Many of the early members were former attendants. members and officials of the Precinct church. Among them were Captain John Hawes, Deacon John Chaffee, Captain Benjamin Dil- lingham, Daniel Summerton, Captain Obed Nye, Zacheus Cushman, Cap- tain Jonathan Danforth, Brownell Armsby, John Perry, Joseph Stowell, John Wady. All of them of prominence in the place .*
Mr. Kibby remained here two years, and at the close of his labors the membership had increased to sixty-four persons. The Sunday services were held either at the schoolhouse which stood on the north side of Bridge street, at the head of Belleville avenue, or in the old church on Meeting House Green, near Parting Ways, until 1811, when the first meeting house of the society was erected on the spot where the present one stands.
Photo by A. H. McCreary, Phila.
INTERIOR OF METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BURNED IN 1904
Captain Hawes gave the lot of land, which was the southeast corner of his large estate.
This building was replaced by a new one, which was dedicated March 9, 1854, and was destroyed by fire December 11, 1904. The present building was at once constructed over the old foundation, and was dedi- cated December 1, 1905.
*For a more complete narrative of this society see Franklyn Howland's "Centennial History of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Acushnet, Mass." Bound in cloth; illustrated. Copies of which will be mailed to any address. For descriptive circular and price send to the author at Acushnet, Mass.
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The original parsonage of the society was bequeathed to it by Edward Dillingham, one of the early members. It was formerly his home. It was moved away, and the present attractive and convenient parsonage was erected very nearly on the spot where it stood, in 1897.
The Epworth League was organized November 3, 1890. The following are the officers of the association serving at the present time :
President, Arthur Schiller; First Vice President, Mrs. Arthur Schiller ; Second Vice President, Sara E. Hathaway; Third Vice President, Susie Crocker ; Fourth Vice President, Grace P. Dillingham; Secretary, F. Edna Davis ; Treasurer, Olive A. Washburn .**
PASTORS.
1806-08.
Epaphras Kibby.
1846.
Hebron Vincent.
1809. Nehemiah Coye.
1846.
Daniel Webb.
1810. Levi Walker. 1847.
Randall Mitchell.
1811-16. Nehemiah Coye.
1848-49.
George W. Wooding.
1817-18. Benjamin R. Hoyt.
1850.
James B. Weeks.
1818-20.
Shipley W. Wilson.
1851.
Nathan Paine.
1821-22. Solomon Sias.
1852-53.
Richard Donkersly.
(Founder of Zion's Herald.)
1854.
J. A. M. Chapman.
1825.
Leonard Bennett.
1857.
A. Latham.
1826.
La Roy Sunderland.
1858-59.
B. L. Sayer.
1827.
Leonard B. Griffin.
1860-61.
William T. Worth.
1828.
Robert Easterbrooks.
1862-63. Samuel Fox.
1829. Elias C. Scott.
1864.
Israel Washburn.
1830. James Porter.
1864.
Thomas Ely.
1832.
William Baxter.
1865-66. Edward H. Hatfield.
1833.
O. Sperry.
1867-68.
George W. Wooding.
1834-35.
Thomas Ely.
1869.
B. K. Bosworth.
1836.
D. K. Bannister.
1870-72.
Edward A. Lyon.
1837.
Franklin Fisk. .
1873-75.
Charles E. Walker.
1838.
Onesiphorus Robbins.
1876.
E. H. Hatfield.
1839-40.
Lemuel Harlow.
1877.
Joseph E. Sears.
1841. Otis Wilder.
1877-79.
Charles L. Goodell.
1842-43 Joseph Macreading.
1880-81.
George M. Hamlen.
1844. George Winchester.
1882.
N. W. Jordan.
1845. William Cone.
1883-85.
Edward Williams.
1823.
Edward T. Taylor.
1855.
E. Franklin Hinks.
1824.
Erastus Otis.
1856.
Philip Crandon.
(Died during year.)
1831. Samuel Drake.
** Several years ago there was considerable discussion in pulpit and press as to the ecclesiastical successor of the Precinct church near Parting Ways. Some claimed it was the Congregational church at Acushnet village, others that it was the Trinitarian church at New Bedford. This Methodist society, however, was the first religious organization founded by members of the old church and congregation. and this was the first religious society formed within the bounds of old New Bedford, after the beginning of the final decline of the old Precinct church. Is not this Methodist Episcopal society the original successor of the First Precinct church of Old Dartmouth?
الجـ
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1886-87.
Charles S. Davis.
1896-97. H. H. Critchlow.
1888. F. A. Crafts.
1898. F. J. Follansbee.
1888-89. R. M. Wilkins.
1899-1901.L. H. Massey.
1890-92. E. B. Gurney.
1902-03. J. Wesley Annas.
1893-94.
Rennetts C. Miller.
1904-05. R. S. Cushman.
1895. O. A. Farley.
1906-07. William C. Darby.
The officiary of the society at the time the church was burned was as follows : Trustees, Moses S. Douglass, Franklyn Howland, Henry T. Russell, William A. Gurney, John A. Russell, Emma H. (Mrs. Franklyn) Howland. Stewards: Pamelia C. (Mrs. James R.) Allen, . Lydia (Mrs.
PRESENT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT ACUSHNET VILLAGE
Weston) Jenney, Moses S. Douglass, Franklyn Howland, Jennie Gardner, John Woodland, Mary J. (Mrs. Edward A.) Lyon, Sara (Mrs. Charles F.) Trull, Mary (Mrs. H. T.) Sherman, William A. Gurney, Frank Knowles, Charles F. Trull, Maria (Mrs. John A.) Russell. Mrs. Sherman was the recording steward.
The following persons have been the officers of the Sunday School since 1893. Superintendents : Rev. E. B. Gurney, J. R. Thompson and William A. Gurney. The latter has held the office continually since 1899. Assistant superintendents : John R. Thompson, Rev. R. C. Miller, William A. Gurney, Arthur Schiller. Secretaries : Gilbert B. Borden, Jr., Thomas D. Hathaway, Leroy Howland, Josie Hathaway, Sarah Andrews, Sarah
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E. Hathaway, Alberta Dillingham. Librarians: James Thompson, Flor- ence Trull, Mary L. Hathaway, Henry Gonsalves, Grace Dillingham, Walter Rogers, Theodore Wilbur, Jennie Darling, Gertrude Dexter, Edna Davis. .
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT LONG PLAIN
According to the records it appears that during the season of 1822 "Philip Cran- don, Sr., conferred with some of his neighbors in Rochester, where he resided, respecting the importance of public religious instruction in the community," and "the more aged and thoughtful ones agreed to procure the preaching of the gospel." Some wanted one denomination, some another, when Mr. Crandon proposed that "he would obtain a supply for the pulpit half the time if his friends would supply the other half."
Mr. Crandon, being of Methodist persuasion, naturally preferred a preacher of that denomination, and the agreement gave him the privilege to provide such a one. He therefore conferred with Rev. Solomon Sias, who was then the preacher in charge of the Methodist church at Acushnet Village, who, at Mr. Crandon's request, presented the matter to the annual conference of 1823. This resulted in the appointment of Rev. Phineas Crandall to the charge, consisting of Rochester and Middle- borough. He was succeeded in 1825 by the appointment of Leonard B. Griffin to the circuit, and during his pastorate a church building was erected in 1828, called the "Sniptuit chapel," from its location, which was on Sniptuit Hill, at the west end of a pond of the same name. The trustees of that church where John Bennett, Jr., Philip Crapo, William Bryant, Billings F. Corey, Jonathan Vaughn, Lewis Shaw, Otis Sherman, Philip Crandon and William Spooner. The latter was an official in the Acushnet Village church. This organization was included in the Acushnet station and a quarterly conference was occasionally held there. At one of these, July 14, 1828, it was
"Voted to Petition to the Annual Conference to be held in Lynn July 23, 1828, to Station L. B. Griffing as a Preacher for the ensuing year for Rochester and Fairhaven. Leonard B. Griffing, Pres. pro. tem. Philip Crandon secretary, pro. tem."
Religious interest diminished there and increased at Long Plain so that in 1857 a Methodist society was organized at the latter place, including the members of the Sniptuit society. The above Philip Crandon had a son Philip who preached at Sniptuit in 1840, and was the first preacher in charge, it is said, of the Long Plain church. Philip Crandon, Jr., was in the Methodist ministry many years.
Samuel Wilde wrote that he, assisted by Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Williams Ashley, started the first Sunday school at Long Plain. This was in 1837.
Previous to 1862 this society worshipped in a small chapel built for
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the purpose. This building is now the parsonage house. The enterprise of building a new house of worship commenced and was completed that year. The location is on the west side of the main street in the village, perhaps five hundred feet north of Rochester road.
Under the pastorate of Rev. Jay Kirkendall, then a student at Boston University School of Theology, the membership was largely increased and the church refurnished and repaired.
Pastors. Philip Crandon; S. Y. Wallace; Henry H. Smith; Josiah C. Allen ; Moses Chace ; George H. Winchester ; Samuel J. Carroll; Samuel T. Patterson; Caleb S. Sanford; Francis A. Loomis; George H. Butler ; Erastus W. Goodier ; John Thompson; Roderick J. Mooney ; A. C. Jones ; John S. Bell; Solomon P. Snow; William D. Wilkinson; Charles K. Jenness; Asaph Wicks; Jay Kirkendall; J. L. Thomas; E. H. Roberts;
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND PARSONAGE AT LONG PLAIN
R. M. Fowles; T. D. Watson; G. L. Davis; L. L. Loofbourow; E. G. Babcock; A. M. Davidson; B. F. Crawford; W. Wersen.
The present officiary of the church is as follows :
Stewards. Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gammons; Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Borden; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Clark; Mrs. Charles Spooner ; Alice W. Haswell; Bertha Leonard. Sarah J. Braley, recording steward; Willard B. Peckham, district steward.
Trustees. Thomas L. Clark; Emerson Bennett; Frank Lawrence ; Charles F. Leonard; Charles Spooner ; James Gammons; Henry Jackson ; James Sherman.
Sunday School Officers. Alice Haswell, superintendent; Mrs. J. E. Borden, assistant superintendent ; Mrs. Obed Gifford, treasurer.
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FRIENDS' MEETING The second religious society to organize and AT PARTING WAYS build a meeting house on the Acushnet tract
was the Friends. As stated in the article on "Early Religious History," very many of the earliest residents of this town were of the Friends society. Here and in the Apponegansett neighborhood they colonized and organized into societies later. No doubt religious meetings were held in both these localities as soon as the families began to arrive here, soon after 1652, but there is no record of an organization of Friends in the town till the Dartmouth Monthly Meet- ing was authorized by the Rhode Island Meeting. The first records of their transactions are dated April 26, 1699. This people, however, had already decided on the 6th day of the previous November to build a
FORMER FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE AT PARTING WAYS
meeting house which was doubtless the first one of any denomination erected in Old Dartmouth. It was built in the Apponegansett section of the town and its successor stands on the same site.
This Acushnet territory was included in the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting. Friends were so numerous here and the distance to the Appone- gansett Meeting so great, a dozen miles or more, that an application was made in 1708 for permission to hold a meeting within present Acushnet, which was granted that year. For two decades thereafter the religious services of this sect were held in private dwelling houses.
A part of the history of this meeting for the next half a century is best given in the following extracts from Dartmouth Monthly Meeting records.
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1708-9, 12 mo. 21 .- And whereas it was Recommended to this meet- ing that some friends or friendly people at Acushnet desire that there may be a meeting of worship appointed amongst them once in a month, and, after some debate upon the matter, friends did unanimously agree that their Request might be Answered, thinking it might be for the honor of God and for the promotion of truth amongst them, and so recom- mends it to the Quarterly Meeting for their assistance therein.
1709, 2nd mo, 19 .- Also a meeting of worship is Established at Acushnet by the Quarterly Meeting as requested, and is to be kept the last first day of Every Month.
INTERIOR OF AN OLD TIME MEETING HOUSE
1712, 1st mo. 17 .- And this meeting doth according to the Request of Friends at Acushnet grant that they shall have another meeting of wor- ship there which is to be the second first day in every month, except it be when it falls out to be that first Day next before the monthly meeting of business.
1725, 3d mo. 17 .- It is agreed at this meeting that there should be added to Acushnet one meeting more in a month, and when it so happens that there are five first days in a month, then there are two to be added, and these that are added are to be kept at Joseph Taber's.
1725, 9th mo. 24 .- It being proposed that friends have an offer of some Land at Acushnet to build a meeting house upon, and Nicholas Davis and John Tucker are appointed to view and see whether it be a place
ser wer nec
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convenient, and know the terms that we may have it upon, and make return to ye next Monthly Meeting.
1727, 2d mo., 17 .- Nicholas Davis, Deliverance Smith, Henry Tucker and John Tucker are chosen to agree with Stephen West, Jr., for Land at Acushnet to set a Meeting House upon, and a burying place, and make return of their doings to ye next Monthly Meeting.
1727, 3d mo., 15 .- Those friends that were chosen at ye Last Monthly Meeting to agree with Stephen West, Jr., at Acushnet for Land to set a meeting house upon, and a burying place, make report to this meeting that they have agreed with him-and this meeting makes choice of Henry Tucker to get it Laid out, and get a Return of the same, and make return to ye next Monthly Meeting of his doings therein.
1727, 4th mo., 19 .- Henry Tucker hath got ye Land laid out to build a Meeting House upon, and a burying place, as appointed, and it is referred to ye next Monthly Meeting for further consideration.
1727, 5th mo., 17 .- This meeting makes choice of Nicholas Davis, Joseph Taber, Joseph Russell, Jr., Adam Mott and John Tucker, Jr., to have ye deed made to of ye Land at Acushnet, to build a Meeting House upon as above written, and to get a deed for the same.
1728, 10th mo., 16 .- This meeting agrees to build a Meeting House at Acushnet near the bigness of friends Meeting House at Pembroke. And Thomas Hathaway, Joseph Taber, Jacob Taber and Henry Tucker are appointed to see it done as soon as can be with conveniency.
1729, 6th mo., 18 .- There is a deed drawn up and signed according to appointment for the Meeting House Land at Acushnet.
1731, 7th mo., 20 .- And Friends of Acushnet proposed at this meet- ing that they have a mind to build a stable upon the meeting house land at Acushnet to put friends Horses in, which this meeting agrees to.
The above minutes all refer to the official establishment of the Friends' Meeting at Parting Ways; the location of the meeting house there and the purchase of the land it was built upon; the construction of a stable, which Friends always religiously provide, and a burying ground. All the Acushnet men on these committees were of the leading citizens of the town.
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