USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > History of the early settlement of Newton, county of Middlesex, Massachusetts, from 1639-1800. With a genealogical register of its inhabitants, prior to 1800 > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
Brother Marshall S. Rice, Leader,
Mary Rice,
Mary Boynton,
Sarah Livermore,
Sarah Willis,
Eliza Eager,
Rebecca Garfield,
Dorcas Smith,
Jeremiah Trull,
Mary A. Morse,
Susan Taverner,
Mary Childs,
Sarah Brackett,
Ann Winslow,
Nathan Rice,
Mary Fogg,
Gardner Rice.
The Church was organized November 11, 1832, consist- ing of fifty-three members. The following Preachers have been stationed annually, according to that order.
Rev. Charles K. True, July, 1832,
66 John Parker,
Rev. Joseph Dennison, 66 Z. A. Mudge,
66 Nathan B. Spaulding,
Charles S. Macreading,
. Jacob Sanborn,
Edward Otheman,
M. P. Webster,
" Newell S. Spaulding,
Chester Field,
James Mudge,
66 - Putnam,
Joseph A. Merrill,
66 . D. K. Banister, (to April, 1854)." *
BAPTIST SOCIETY, UPPER FALLS.
In 1832, eleven persons, mostly from the first Baptist Church, associated together and built a Meeting-house. The property was divided into twenty shares. Jonathan
* M. S. Rice, Esq.
167
BAPTIST CHURCH, UPPER FALLS.
Bixby owned seven shares; Jesse Winslow, Isaac Keyes and John Nicholson, owned two shares each, and Lauren Kingsbury, Asa F. Smith, Ira M. Bullen, Samuel Scott, John Bullough, Jr., Marten P. Sturtevant and Thomas Nicholson, one each; and their Meeting-house was dedi- cated March 27, 1833.
The Church was organized February 8, 1835. The names of the original members were as follows, namely :
Jonathan Bixby,
Hannah Scott,
Isaac Keyes,
Rosanna Woodward,
Lauren Kingsbury,
Sally Nickerson,
Asa F. Smith,
Belinda Smith,
Sylvester Smith,
Susan Willis,
Lucius Smith,
Sylva Jones,
James Taylor, David Scott,
Levina R. Bullens,
Thomas W. Nicholson,
Mary S. Cheney,
Samuel Floyd,
Abigail Cheney,
Samuel Scott,
Nancy L. Gardner,
Charles Scott,
Ira M. Baptams,
Abijah Keyes, Chloe Ray, Angelina Bixby,
Amariah Bullens,
Francis T. Keyes,
Martha F. Newhall,
William Bullough,
Samuel Nicholson, Lydia Bixby, Eunice Bixby,
Eliza H. Bixby,
Sarah S. Kingsbury,
Catherine Hyde, Matilda Libby,
Betsy S. Smith,
Clarisa Smith,
Lucy Taylor,
Elizabeth E. Keyes, Louisa Peak, Sarah Richards, Abigail B. Clapp, Cleora F. Smith, Hannah Fisk, Olivia Fisk, Sally Kingsbury, Eliza Kingsbury, Hannah Bond,
168
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
Charlotte H. Smith, Sarah Priest, Martha H. Taylor,
Susanna Nickerson, Mary Ann Keyes.
Fifty-five in all, who went out from the first Baptist Church.
Isaac Keyes and Lauren Kingsbury were appointed Deacons.
August, 1839. The proprietors of the Meeting-house sold their interest therein, to the society, for three thousand six hundred dollars.
The society was supplied with preachers, from the New- ton Theological Seminary, until 1836, when Origin Crane was ordained its Pastor.
In the Summer of 1840, Mr. Crane resigned his pastoral care of the Church, and removed to Weston.
In March, 1842, Rev. Charles W. Dennison was installed. He remained with them about one year.
In February, 1846, Rev. Samuel S. Leighton settled with them, and remained until the Spring of 1847, when the Rev. Benjamin C. Grafton supplied the pulpit.
The Rev. Amos Webster commenced preaching there, in July, 1848, and in October following, became the Pastor, and was ordained November 5, 1848.
UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY, UPPER FALLS.
This Society was organized in September, 1841. Their Meeting-house was built and dedicated, in May, 1842, and cost about thirteen hundred dollars. The proprietors were as follows :
Pliny Bostes, Joshua Gardner,
William Cargell, George W. Keyes,
169
ELIOT CHURCH, NEWTON CORNER.
Samuel P. Skinner,
Thomas Nealey,
Henry Billings,
William Lyon,
Beriah Billings,
Ebenezer Kingsbury,
Stephen Putnam,
James Barney,
Richard Boynton,
Jason Brayman,
John Kingsbury,
William H. Nichols,
Marten Hunting,
William Fairfield,
Horace Whitney,
Lyndall Grover,
Lewis H. Patridge,
Harding Partridge.
The Rev. Samuel Skinner was settled as Pastor, after the house was dedicated, and preached until October, 1845, when he was succeeded by A. S. Dudley, who supplied the pulpit until July, 1847, when Dr. William F. Teulon began to preach. He was from the British dominions, and also practised medicine.
ELIOT CHURCH, NEWTON CORNER.
The corner stone of the Church edifice was laid on the 19th of March, 1845, with religious services, in which Rev. Mr. Adams, of Brighton, Whitney, of Waltham, Gilbert and Bushnell, of Newton, and Lovejoy, of Cambridgeport, took part.
The Church was organized by an Ecclesiastical Council, assembled for the purpose, July 1, 1845, and the Meeting- house was dedicated at the same time. Introductory Prayer and reading of the Scriptures, by Rev. D. M. Lord; read- ing of the Confession and Covenant, and constituting the Church, by the Moderator, Rev. J. R. Adams; Consecrating Prayer, by Rev. C. Marsh ; Fellowship of the Churches, by the Rev. Wm. Bushnell ; Dedication Sermon, by Rev. E.
15
170
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
N. Kirk; Dedicatory Prayer, by Rev. J. C. Lovejoy ; Ben- ediction, by Rev. L. Gilbert.
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH ADOPTED AT THE ORGANI- ZATION OF THE CHURCH.
"1. You believe there is one only living and true God ; self-existent, independent, infinite, eternal and unchange- able, in all his attributes and perfections ; the Creator and preserver of all things, and the sovereign and righteous disposer of all events.
"2. You believe that God has revealed himself in the Scriptures as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three are equal in all the divine attributes and perfections.
"3. You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, were given by inspiration of God, and the only sufficient and infallible rule of religious faith and practice.
"4. You believe that all mankind are by nature lost in sin; that they have the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, and that they cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven, until renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost; and that all who are thus converted and saved, must forever owe their salvation to the free, rich, and sovereign grace of God.
"5. You believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is very God, and very man; that He has, by sufferings and death, made a proper and adequate atonement for sin, and thus opened a way of life and salvation, for a sinful world. "6. You believe in the peculiar office of the Holy Spirit to convince of sin, to renew and sanctify the heart, and to bring mankind to comply with the terms of salva- tion.
"7. You believe that justification is an act of God's free
171
ELIOT CHURCH, NEWTON CORNER.
grace, wherein he pardons the penitent sinner, and receives him into divine favor, only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
"8. You believe that Christ has a visible Church in the world ; that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed in it; that it is the duty of christians to unite with the visible Church, to maintain and attend to its sacred ordinances ; and that believing parents should devote their households to God in baptism.
"9. You believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the general judgment, when the righteous shall enter into life eternal, and the wicked will go away into everlasting pun- ishment."
THE COVENANT.
" In the presence of Almighty God, and this assembly, you do now solemnly avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your God, the Lord Jesus Christ your Redeemer, and the Ifoly Spirit your sanctifier and comforter.
" You humbly and cheerfully consecrate yourself to His service in an everlasting covenant, and promise, through Divine assistance, to walk according to His commands.
" You acknowledge this to be a true Church of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and so long as you continue among us, you promise to walk in communion with it; you engage faith- fully to attend to all parts of instituted worship, with this Church ; carefully to avoid whatever may encourage error, and whatever may be contrary to our purity and peace- You also engage to watch over your brethren with christian fidelity, and to submit to the discipline which Christ has established in His Church. Do you thus covenant and promise ? "
[Baptism administered.]
172
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
"We, the members of this Church, do now receive you into the fellowship and communion. We engage to watch over you with christian affection and tenderness, and, through Divine aid, to perform all the duties toward you which the Gospel requires towards brethren in Christ."
NAMES OF MEMBERS WHO JOINED THE CHURCH AT ITS ORGANIZATION.
Joseph Bacon,
Caroline B. Jackson,
Beulah Bacon,
Mary B. Jackson,
Joseph N. Bacon,
Ellen D. Jackson,
Sarah A. W. Bacon,
Joshua Jennison,
James M. Bacon,
Charles Jewett,
Julia Bridges,
Lucy A. Jewett,
Andrew B. Cobb,
Beulah C. Pulsifer,
Lydia M. Cobb,
Mary B. Randall,
Esther Cook,
Sylvia A. Russell, Abigail Spear, Elisha C. Stevens,
Hannah W. Fuller,
Joseph W. Goddard,
Mary Goddard,
Anna Trowbridge,
Louisa J. Hall,
James N. Trowbridge,
Elizabeth Hodgden,
Harriet W. Trowbridge, Otis Trowbridge,
Europe Houghton,
Adeline Houghton,
William Jackson,
Mary Jackson,
Elizabeth F. Trowbridge, William W. Trowbridge, Mary Whitmore.
Lucretia Jackson,
On the 4th of November, 1845, the Church and Society united in extending an invitation to William S. Leavitt to become their Pastor; and he accepted the invitation, and
173
UNITARIAN SOCIETY, WEST NEWTON.
was ordained December 3, 1845, by a council convened for the purpose.
Invocation and reading the Scriptures, by Rev. E. N. Kirk ; prayer, by Rev. W. Bushnell; sermon, by Rev. Ed- ward Beecher, D. D .; ordaining prayer, by Rev. S. Aiken ; charge to the Pastor, by Rev. Jacob Ide, D. D .; right hand of fellowship, by Rev. Lyman Gilbert; address to the peo- ple, by Rev. G. W. Blagden ; concluding prayer, by Rev. Joshua Leavitt ; benediction, by the Pastor.
Mr. Leavitt's connection with the Church as Pastor, was dissolved in November, 1853.
UNITARIAN SOCIETY, WEST NEWTON.
October 10, 1848. A petition, signed by Wm. Parker, Horace Mann, Edward Page, Galen Meriam, John G. Jones, Henry Brigham, Henry H. Hobart, A. G. Morton, William S. Whitwell, and John Mead, was presented to Seth Davis, Esq., requesting him to issue his warrant to the legal voters, habitually worshipping in Village Hall, West Newton, to meet on or before the 17th instant, for the purpose of organizing themselves as a religious society, according to the twentieth chapter of the Revised Statutes.
Mr. Davis accordingly issued his warrant, calling a meet- ing of the legal voters aforesaid, on the 17th inst., in which the society was organized by the choice of William F. Ward, as Clerk, and adjourned to 31st instant, when the organization of the society was completed, by the choice of the necessary officers, and the adoption of a name, namely : " The First Unitarian Society in West Newton."
November 14, 1848. William O. White was ordained, and a code of By-Laws adopted.
15*
174
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
BY-LAWS.
" The Standing Committee shall hold their meetings by the call of the chairman thereof, or by adjournment from time to time, provided, that in the event of a call by the chairman, not less than one day's notice be served on each member, by the Clerk, to consult upon the affairs of the society, and to prepare business proper to be laid before it ; to examine all accounts against the society, and if correct, to direct the Treasurer to pay the same; to compute the expenses of the society, and the sums which it may be necessary to raise for defraying the same.
"The Treasurer shall also be Collector of the society. He shall keep an account of all the receipts and expendi- tures of the society, and of the debts and credits of every person connected therewith, and shall lay before the society or Standing Committee, when requested, and answer all drafts which may be made upon him by the Standing Com- mittee, provided he has money in his hands belonging to the society.
" When not a member of the Standing Committee, the Treasurer shall furnish the Clerk with a written copy of all business that he knows of, to be laid before the Stand- ing Committee, and a statement of the business he may have transacted for the society, previous to the meetings of the committee.
" The Clerk shall cause the meeting of the society to be warned, by requesting the Minister to notify the same, after Divine service. He shall also notify the committee of their meetings, by sending a written or printed billet to each, at least one day previous thereto; or by leaving said billet in their usual seats, at the place of worship, the Sunday pre- vious to said meeting. He shall also attend the meetings
175
UNITARIAN SOCIETY, NEWTON CORNER.
of the society, and of the committee, and keep a true record of the transactions of each, open to inspection at all times. He shall give notice to any person who may be chosen into office, or upon any committee or sub-committee, when such person shall have been absent at the time of the choice, and furnish the chairman of every committee or sub-com- mittee, with a written list of his associates, and a true copy which designates their duty.
" A vote was also passed, constituting membership, viz: That during the time that this society shall be depending upon voluntary subscription for its support, every person so subscribing, shall, during the time of their subscription, be considered a member thereof, and shall have a right to vote in any business that may come before them."
Edward Page, William Parker, Cyrus Pierce, George A. Curtis, Samuel B. Coes, Standing Committee.
John Mead, Treasurer.
William F. Ward, Clerk.
UNITARIAN SOCIETY, NEWTON CORNER.
Being the tenth religious society in Newton, was formed September, 1851. The following are the names of the first male members :
Calvin Bailey, George T. Lord, - Charles Hubbard, Andrew Cole, Henry Bigelow, Henry Claflin, Oliver N. Sherman, Hartley Lord,
Samuel G. Simpkins, Frederick W. Capen, Sewell Baker, William Thomas, George Clapp, Josiah Gilmore,
Charles Reed,
Abraham Hews, Jr.,
176
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
Darling E. Jewett, Gilman Brackett, Samuel S. Mower, Langdon Coffin,
William Phillips,
Michael Tombs,
Joseph N. Maynard,
William Whall.
This society, comprising about fifty families, worship at Union Hall, where a Church was organized.
In January, 1853, Joseph C. Smith, of Maine, was settled as their Pastor.
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
The inhabitants of this Town, almost to a man, made the most heroic and vigorous efforts, to sustain the common cause of the country, from the first hour to the last, through all the trying events which preceded and accompanied the war.
The first recorded action of the Town was on the 21st of October, 1765,* in the form of instructions to their Representative to the General Court, Captain Abraham Fuller, from which the following is extracted :
"The freeholders, and other inhabitants of Newton, legal- ly assembled, regard the Stamp Act as an unconstitutional tax, laid upon the Colonies, without their consent, in opposi- tion to a standing maxim of English liberty: 'no taxation without representation.'
" By the Royal Charter, granted to our ancestors, the power of making laws for our internal government, and of levying taxes, is vested in the General Assembly ; and by the same Charter, the inhabitants of this Province are entitled to all the rights and privileges of natural free born subjects of Great Britain : the most essential of which is the right to be represented in the same body which exer- cises the power of levying taxes upon them, and of having their property tried by Juries ; whereas this unconstitutional law admits of our properties being tried by Courts of
* Ten days before the Stamp Act was to go into operation.
178
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
Admiralty, without a Jury, thereby destroying the most valuable privileges of our Charter.
" We think it incumbent on you, by no means to join in any public measure countenancing and assisting in the exe- cution of this law, but to use your best endeavors in the General Assembly, to have the unalienable rights of the people of this Province asserted and vindicated and left on public record, that posterity may never have reason to charge those of the present times, with the guilt of tamely giving them away."
October 27, 1766. After the riots in Boston, consequent upon the passage of the Stamp Act, much property was destroyed, and Lieutenant Governor Hutchinson's house was sacked. The inhabitants of Newton, being assembled in Town meeting, expressed their abhorrence of all such acts of violence and outrage ; and instructed their Represen- tative to use his influence to have the losses made good to the sufferers, from the public treasury.
1767. " Voted, unanimously, strictly to adhere to the late regulation respecting funerals, and not use any gloves but what are manufactured here, nor procure any new gar- ments upon such occasions, but what shall be absolutely necessary."
" Voted, unanimously, that this Town will take all prudent and legal measures to encourage the produce and manu- factures of this Province, and to lessen the use of super- fluities, and particularly the following imported articles : - Loaf sugar, cordage, anchors, coaches, chaises and carriages of all sorts, house furniture, men and women's hats and apparel, gloves, shoes, sole leather, sheathing and dock nails, gold and silver buttons, thread lace, wrought plate, diamond stone, paste ware, snuff, mustards, clocks, watches, jewelry, broadcloths that cost above ten shillings per yard, muffs, furs and tippets, millinery ware, starch, stays, fire engines,
179
THE USE OF INDIA TEA DISCOURAGED.
china ware, silk, cotton, velvet, malt liquor, cheese, gauze, pewter, hollow ware, linseed oil, glue, lawns and cambric."
January 4, 1772. Town meeting. Chose Edw. Durant, Charles Pelham, Esq., Alexander Shepard, Wm. Phillips, and Noah Hyde, a committee to consider and report what it may be proper for the Town to do, relating to the present unhappy situation of the country. The committee reported the following Resolutions :
" Resolved, that no good man can be silent and inactive in the cause of liberty, at this alarming period, when such arbitrary measures are taken as tend to destroy that glori- ous Constitution, which has cost the labors of ages, and the blood of thousands, and that all who abet tyranny, merit the detestation of this people, and the contempt of man- kind.
" Resolved, that no civil officer, who is a servant of the people, can constitutionally or with safety to them, be depend- ent on the Crown for his support,- therefore, any grants made by the Crown to the Judges of our Superior Court, must naturally tend to destroy all confidence in those Judges, and change the courts of justice into engines of slavery.
" Resolved, that all taxation imposed on the inhabitants of the Colonies, without their consent or representation in Parliament, for the purpose of raising a revenue, is uncon- stitutional and oppressive," &c., &c.
January, 1773. Voted instructions to their Representa- tive, Abraham Fuller, viz: to use his influence against the salaries of the Judges being paid by the Crown, &c., a measure which tends to subvert public justice ; to use your influence to make suitable provision for the support of the Judges, adequate to their merits and station, &c.
A circular letter was received from the Selectmen of Boston, to which an answer was voted by the Town, viz :
180
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
"We acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th November last. We greatly applaud you, and think our- selves and the whole Province much obliged to you for your generous exertions, and the patriotic spirit for which you stand distinguished, &c. As far as in us lies, we would encourage your hearts to persevere in all legal, loyal, regu- lar and constitutional methods for the redress of the griev- ances we feel, and for preventing those we have reason to fear. We regret the odium cast on the respectable town of Boston, as being of a factious spirit, &c. It is not a fac- tious spirit, but the cool, dispassionate and just complaining of the generality of His Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, in this popular Province," &c.
March, 1773. Chose Charles Pelham, Esq., Edward Durant, Captain John Woodward, Joshua Hammond, and Dr. John King, a committee to draft such measures as they shall think best for the Town to adopt at this emergency.
Chose Thomas Miller, Captain Ephraim Jackson, Phineas Bond, Lieutenant Jeremiah Wiswall, John Palmer, James Grimes, Deacon David Stone, Deacon William Bolles, Captain Benjamin Hammond, Amariah Fuller, Phineas Cooke, Lieutenant Michael Jackson, Captain John Wood- ward, Joseph Cheney, and Ensign Samuel Craft, a commit- tee to confer with the inhabitants of the town, as to the expediency of leaving off buying, selling or using any India Tea.
January 6, 1774. "The freeholders and other inhabi- tants of the town, legally assembled, taking into considera- tion the present difficulty of our public affairs, are greatly alarmed at the reiterated attempts of the British Parlia- ment to undermine our happy Constitution, and deprive us of those rights and privileges which we justly claim as men, and as members of the British empire, and as chartered Colonists. And although we have, and still do bear true
181
OPPRESSIVE ACTS OF PARLIAMENT.
and sincere loyalty and affection to our most gracious Sovereign, yet we cannot but consider and regret the great and undue influence of his ministry, both in and out of Parliament, which (especially if corrupt and selfish men should be in place) we look upon as a sore scourge to the nation, and all its dependencies. We do, therefore, with firmness of mind, on mature deliberation, establish the following Resolves, namely :
1. "That an Act passed in the last session of Parlia- ment, empowering the Hon. East India Company to export tea to America, subject to a duty upon its arrival in America, is a fresh attack upon our rights, craftily planned by a few of our inveterate enemies in the ministry, in order to establish a tax on us, plainly contrary to the constitution of England itself, and glaringly repugnant to our Charter, which we deem a grievance, greatly aggravated by the cruel partiality therein shown, against millions of His Majesty's loyal and good subjects in America, in favor of a few, very few, opulent subjects in Britain. This we can not brook, and do, therefore solemnly bear our testimony against it.
2. "That, in justice to ourselves, our fellow colonists, and our posterity, we cannot, nor will not, voluntarily and tamely submit to this, or any tax laid on us, for the express purpose of raising a revenue, when imposed without our consent, given by ourselves or our representatives.
3. "That as part of the Colonies laboring under op- pression, we are determined to join the rest, in all and every lawful and just method of obtaining redress, or pre- venting the oppression, even to the risk of our lives and fortunes.
4. "That all and every person or persons, who have been, are, or shall be, advising or assisting in the aforesaid, or any such acts, or are active or aiding in the execution of 16
182
EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
them, are (so far, at least) inimical to this country, and thereby incur our just resentment ; in which light we shall view all merchants, traders and others, who shall henceforth - presume to import, or sell, any India tea, until the duty we so justly complain of, be taken off.
5. " That we, each and every one of us, will not, directly or indirectly, by ourselves or any for or under us, purchase or use, or suffer to be used, in our respective families, any India tea, while such tea is subject to a duty payable upon its arrival in America.
6. "That a committee of correspondence be appointed, to confer and correspond with the committees of any, or all our sister towns in the Province, as occasion may require."
" We, the subscribers, a committee appointed by the Town of Newton, to draft what might be proper for said Town to do, in the present exigency of our public affairs, do report the foregoing, for the consideration of the Town, and do further recommend, that a copy thereof be transmitted to the committee of correspondence in Boston."
CHARLES PELHAM, EDWARD DURANT, JOHN WOODWARD, JOSHUA HAMMOND, JOHN KING,
Committee.
-
Attested by the Town Clerk, ABRAHAM FULLER.
" Voted, to choose a committee of correspondence, and Edward Durant, William Clark, John Pigeon, Joshua Hammond, and Captain John Woodward were appointed."
" Voted, that the committee of fifteen persons lay before the inhabitants of this Town, papers, that each of the inhabitants may have an opportunity to signify it under their hands, that they will not buy, sell, nor use, any India
183
PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR.
tea, until the duties are taken off; and such as will not sign, to return their names to the Town, at the adjournment."
September, 1774. The report of the Congress for the County of Middlesex, that convened at Concord, on the 30th and 31st of August, was read and accepted.
John Pigeon, Captain Jonas Stone, Dr. John King, Alexander Shepard, and Captain Benjamin Hammond, were chosen to prepare instructions to our Representative to the General Court.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.