USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Bernardston > History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts, 1736-1900, with genealogies > Part 10
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EMETERY
R.R.Park
.
E.HI Tottingham
F.Kimplin
CHAPTER VI.
DISTRICT OF LEYDEN-FALL TOWN GORE.
Up to the year 1784, the history of Bernardston is the history of Leyden. From that time on, it is as the record of mother and daughter, each depending upon, and assisting the other, in certain directions. And not alone in municipal, religious and educational matters, but by the strong and near ties of kinship existing between the inhabitants, are the relations more closely cemented, as a thoughtful perusal of the records will show.
In the earlier days of the parent town, the settlers, branching out from the north part, seemed to follow the water courses, and going in a westerly direction, we soon find, up the Newcomb brook, the homes of the Connable, Newcomb, Willis, Shattuck, Foster, Bagg and Frizzell families. The causes leading up to the separa- tion were, as in the case of the "Gore," natural ones. . Up to the Revolutionary period it is supposed, and everything substantiates the supposition, that, dividing the town into equal quarters by run- ning lines north and south, and east and west, at right angles, by far the greatest number of families would have been found in the north-east quarter, and here also was located the only public build- ing, the meeting house, likewise the only place that we definitely know to have served the purpose of an inn. Hence when settle- ments began to be made in the west part of the town about the year 1770, the people were obliged to travel, probably, two-thirds of the breadth of the township to attend divine service. This one thing must have been a powerful factor for division, for in those days, if one was absent from church, the question put was not where is he, but how is he, for it was a generally accepted fact that illness alone would cause such absence. The natural features of the coun- try presented many difficulties to be overcome in the making of good roads at a time when the men not in the service of their coun- try, had their time fully occupied in clearing the land and erecting the customary log-house. So these early roadways, many of them,
96
EARLY LEYDEN SETTLERS.
we may safely conjecture, were little more than bridle paths through the densely wooded country, and full of unseen dangers to the un- wary traveller. Imagining ourselves in their conditions, can we wonder at their thoughts turning toward a nearer township, a nearer civil and religious home ? The first settlement was made in the east part of Leyden on what is now called Frizzle Hill, by a Mrs. Frizzle, and the next, at about the same time, a little distance north, on Beaver meadow. These portions of the town were com- paratively thinly settled for a number of years, and at the time of its division by the Legislature in 1784, it had not enough inhabi- tants to constitute a town, hence was called the district of Leyden.
At a town meeting held in 1779, it was voted that the land lying east of Green River be divided by a line running due north and south into two towns or districts, and the final division in 1784 was the result. After this they united with Bernardston in choosing a representative to the General Court, but chose their own town officers. Some of those residing in Leyden prior to this time were John Connable and his sons, who came in 1772, Oliver Babcock, David Page in 1779, Ezra Shattuck in 1780, Capt. Jonathan Bud- dington in about 1783, Caleb and John Adams, Andrew Henry, Lieut. Reuben Shattuck, Charles Packer, Ezekiel Foster, Spicer, Capt. Agrippa Wells, Lieut. Daniel Newcomb, Samuel Guild, Alpheus Barstow, Selah Chapin, Lieut. Joseph Eason, Nathaniel Eason. Uriah Wilbur came from Rhode Island about 1780. In 1784 the following persons are supposed to have come to town: John B. Demontal and family from Shelburne, John Moore and family, Mary Moore and family from Palmer, Sylvester Crandell and fam- ily from Guilford, Vt., John Wells and family from Springfield, Vt., Jehial and Polly Niles from Connecticut, Oliver Noyes and fam- ily from Guilford, Vt., Daniel Edwards and family from Coventry, Ct., Solomon Dimmock, Bedgood Bulfish and wife, Ellen and Sarah Cole, all from Enfield, Ct., Levi Brooks and family, Thomas Brooks and wife from Guilford, Vt., Benjamin Grinnell and wife from Rhode Island, James Phillips and wife from Springfield, Mass. In 1785 there came from Guilford, Vt., Joshua Noyes and family, David Dennison and family, John Burrows and family. In 1787 John Saunders and family from Rhode Island, Peter Brown and
97
LEYDEN AFFAIRS.
family from Montague, Jabez Knapp and family, Enoch Childs and family, and Joseph Engley from Taunton, Benjamin Carleton from Warwick.
This settlement was named Leyden after the town of Leyden, Holland, and the residence of the Puritans for a time prior to their emigration. It is claimed that one Coolidge, probably David, came from Rhode Island and established himself on a farm, the first inhabitant. If so, he must have been here as early as 1770.
The act of division was passed March 12, 1784, Tristam Dotham being speaker of the House, Samuel Adams, president of the Sen- ate, John Hancock, Governor, and John Avery, Secretary of the Commonwealth. The first meeting was called by a warrant issued by David Smead, Justice of the Peace, dated Greenfield, April 22, 1784, and directed to Caleb Adams, the meeting to be called at the dwelling house of Lieut. Joseph Eason on the 26th. The meeting was holden accordingly, and David Severance, Esq., presided as moderator, Alpheus Barstow was chosen town clerk, Samuel Guild, treasurer, Capt. Agrippa Wells, Charles Packer and Lieut. Reuben Shattuck, selectmen and assessors, and Capt. John Adams, consta- ble and collector, for which he was to receive 36 Is.
At the time of Captain Buddington's settlement in town the place is thus graphically described:
"But few people lived in this hilly wilderness. Here and there the smoke of the log cabin struggles through the thick woods of oak, maple, beach and chestnut. The Indian still lingered, though his dependence on the whites had made him friendly. The deer was plenty in the woods and sometimes the childlike wail of the panther would startle the mother from sleep." The log school- house soon appeared. One of the oldest inhabitants used often to relate her experiences in teaching in those early times. · To her, it seemed wonderful how the children came out of the woods to school and how they would return to the woods, and she be left alone.
In 1789 it was voted to form the district into four school districts, and in 1791 to raise 60€ for the purpose of supporting schools the ensuing year. The school committee made their first appearance in the year 1803, the first one chosen being Samuel Connable, John Hunt, Isaac Bullock, Paul Babcock, Benjamin Baker, Joseph Bab-
-
98
FALL TOWN GORE.
cock and Nathan Hastings. A committee has been annually chosen since, with one exception. In 1805 it was voted " not to Raise a School Committee." Comparatively little is found con- cerning the earlier schools, and the cause is traceable to the divi- sion of the district into the four school districts so soon after the incorporation of Leyden, and each district was charged with the care and expense of its educational interests.
In its religious history the place is at marked variance with most places, in that the first church organization effected was not of the standing order, or Congregational denomination, and to the pres- ent time no society or church of that faith has been found within its bounds. In July, 1780, nine years before the appearance of the Baptist society in Bernardston, a Baptist church was organized in Leyden. The members worshipped presumably in private houses or in Colrain until 1797, when there was erected by several persons in company, called the " Meeting house proprietors," a place of worship.
The Methodists early formed a class here, and in 1810 a church organization was effected. In 1841 a church was built, and for the first time the Methodists found for themselves a permanent home.
In 1830 a Universalist society was organized, but had an exist- ence of only three years. In 1867 the society and church was re- organized with 24 members, and with their Methodist brethren united in holding services in the one church at Leyden Centre.
Fall Town Gore .- As has been stated in a preceding part of this work, this "Gore " of land-so called -- was early applied for, and granted to the proprietors upon their representations that, numer- ically, theirs exceeded the usual number of grantees proportion- ately to the size of the township granted. Feeling strongly the reasonableness and justice of their claims, the proprietors, in 1736-7, began the agitation of a petition to the General Court, inviting Thomas Wells to prefer the same on their behalf. Probably no further definite action was then taken, if so, no trace of it is to be found in the records of the proprietors.
On Monday, October 19, 1740, a vote was passed that a man be sent with a petition to the General Court for the gore of land lying between the township and Boston township No. 2 above Deerfield,
,
99
PROPOSED TOWN DIVISION.
thus showing that although immediate action had been suspended, the project had not been given over. The same Thomas Wells was asked to represent them at Boston, he to receive for his ser- vices, if successful, 150 acres of land anywhere within the Gore. His mission was attended with favorable results, and at a later date, the town for some unknown reason having rescinded their vote con- cerning his payment, tendered him the sum of 50f. Just the rea- son for the inhabitants desiring this particular gore, it would seem hard to determine, separated as it was from the town by natural boundaries. The only theory we can advance is, that it adjoined their possessions and promised to become marketable property. It seems to have been a bone of contention, so to speak, a greater part of the time until its final annexation to Colrain in 1779. As a part of the parent town the inhabitants had no interests in common with her citizens. The latter were, as we have seen, located principally 11pon Huckle Hill, Bald Mountain and North Bernardston sections. The church where the residents of the Gore were expected to re- pair on the Sabbath and to take part in the town gatherings, was on the highest point of Huckle Hill, and the distance, some four- teen miles as the road was then laid out, and it was to this fact that some of the agitation concerning "moving the meeting house" may be traced.
At one time an attempt was made to divide the town into two districts in order to facilitate the transaction of town affairs, the part situated within the Gore to belong to the south-west district, but without success. A revival of this project resulted in the sep- aration of the district of Leyden. This state of affairs existed un- til 1771, and we may presume that the feeling was intensified when the inhabitants of the Gore preferred a petition to Governor Hutch- inson setting forth their grievances as follows: "For years past and now labor under very difficult circumstances, by reason of being such a distance from the meeting house of Bernardston aforesaid, which is not less than fourteen miles from the nearest of us, and then we are obliged to go through a part of Shelburne, and part of Greenfield which is the way the road now is, and the only way that it ever can go as your petitioners would further inform your Hon- ours that it is impossible to git a road any other way by reason on
100
GORE ANNEXED TO COLRAIN.
a large River with very high Banks on both sides and the water many times in the year is so high that there is no possibility in getting across and when over the river the mountains are so high & Rocky that it is impossible to get a road over them; and whereas your Petitioners are obliged to bear their proportionate part of the burdens of the Town when they receive no benefit therefrom they therefore petition for annexation to Colrain," which town was but two and one-half miles distant. The petition was signed by John Workman, George Clark, Andrew Henry, David Morris, Andrew Luck, Robert Riddle, Abraham Peck, William Stewart.
The defense prepared October 2, 1771, set forth "that four of the petitioners do not belong to Bernardston, they live in Colrain and probably will never live upon their lands in Bernardston, some of them. That the petitioners have not represented the River and Hills in a true light ; The River is not so large but that a tree will reach across and a bridge may easily be made to stand on said river and the Banks and hills are passable in some places. That it will very much hurt, if not spoil another parish in the west part of the town finally."
As to the faithfulness of the representations of the defense the existing highways and bridges to-day bear witness. Colrain citi- zens themselves, although carrying the vote favoring annexation, did so in the face of strong opposition from those resident in the west portion of the town. The parent town carried on the opposi- tion to the movement until 1779, when it was finally voted that that portion of the town lying west of Green River be annexed to Col- rain, thus surrendering 2576 acres of land. At this date it is sup- posed that there were 16 families settled within the limits of the Gore. The names of thirteen of them were as follows, and doubt- less others were some of those signing the petition of 1771:
Jolını Newell. Oliver Newell. Old Romus (colored). Benjamin Carleton. John Bolton. Thomas Shearer. Moses Ranger.
William Nelson. John Coffran.
John Matthews.
John Hurlbert.
John Workman.
Abraham Peck.
CHAPTER VII.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY - FIRST PARISH - ORGANIZATION-EARLY * HISTORY-EARLY MINISTERS-ORDINATION SERMON-REV. JOHN NORTON-REV. JOB WRIGHT-REV. AMASA COOK-REV. TIMOTHY ROGERS-SOCIETY BECOMES UNITARIAN-UNITARIAN PASTORS.
Another branch of our history now confronts us in the record of our churches and their important work. The church and school characterize a town as well as a nation, each exerting in a similar manner their civilizing and elevating influence.
" Above the forest's glowing shade The Altar and the School appeared; On that the gifts of faith were laid, On this their precious hopes were reared."
The importance attached to the early establishment of a place of worship is shown by the conditions of the grant, one of which was that a meeting house should be built within four years. At a meet- ing held in Deerfield, in June, 1739, the proprietors voted to build a meeting house which should be 50 feet long, 40 feet wide and 23 feet between joists, and in the summer of 1739, two years after the arrival of the first settlers, it was built. Although the place chosen was bleak and uninviting, the meeting house was located on the south part of Huckle Hill just south of the farm of John B. Field, upon the highest point of land and a few rods west of the present road, probably near the centre of population at that time. The building was but partially finished inside, and no money ex- pended in what would now be considered the most necessary ad- juncts. The original location is thus described: The building was to "Set in or near the Road between the 26th. and the 6th. houfe lotts Somewhere Between the South Line of the 6th lott and the North line of the 5th and that the committee that shall be Chofe to build the meeting houfe Determine as to the Perticular Place whare it shall Stand." A later vote authorized the committee already chosen to prepare the material "to Gitt the sd houfe framed and Raifed and Covered." After beginning work the lot selected
IO2
REV. JOHN NORTON CALLED.
was found to be very inconveniently located, therefore it was voted that three acres from lot No. 3 be utilized as being nearer where the lumber was framed. A committee was chosen to partially fin- ish the building, "to Lay the Lower Floor, Build a Pulpit and make the Body Seats."
In October, 1740, it was voted that "there be 20£ paid out of the Proprietor's treasury for the support of preaching the Gospel in Fall Town the ensuing winter," and at an adjourned meeting that "A committee be chosen to cut the brush and burn them, ten rods round the meeting house." At the first proprietors' meeting held in Fall Town (at the house of Lieut. Ebenezer Sheldon) Septem- ber 23, 1741, it was voted by a majority of 47 out of 48, that Rev. John Norton be invited to settle in the ministry. His answer to the call appears on the early record books as follows:
" To the Proprietors of fall town adjoyning to Deerfield-Gentlemen- you made your application to me by your comtee Laft winter to Preach the Gospel with you and in the Spring I recd a Second application from another comtee to continue with you for some time and alfo have by a comtee chofen by you on the 23d day of September Laft Recd your Invi- tation to settle in the ministry among you and the offers you made me. I thereupon made it my care to address the throne of Grace for direction in this affair which is of so Great Importance. I must confess my unwor- thiness and Inefficiency for so Important a Work and it is with Trembling I have Entertained thought of it but when I consider how Desirable it is to serve the Enterest of Christ and of Souls and of being Instrumental in the hands of God to Lead Souls to Christ and the all efficiency of Christ to make the weakest means Powerful to thet End I think I can Say I De- siree in the fear of God and with a humble Dependence on him for assist- ance to Enter upon that work where and when God shall Call me to it and understanding their is a General Desire among you that I should take upon me the Work of the Gospel ministry among you which I must Needs Say Inclines my hart to you and Gives me a Greater Desire of Settling with you than with any other people.
As to the offers you have made me I don't know but they are sufficient to support me if they are not I conclude it is your intention to Doo more for me, if I preach the Gospel I look upon it Reasonable I should live of the Gospel I purpose no other Livelyhood but that, and then I should be unfaithfull to you should I leave the ministry to seek a Livelyhood any
.
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REV. JOHN NORTON'S SETTLEMENT.
other way. I hope I shall not expect Great things and I hope you will not suffer me to want if you are able to do for me. as to the seventieth part of the Six miles Square or an Equal part of the whole Township with Each Proprietor the first is the most but yet I think it will be the least trouble to you if I should accept of the last. I therefore do it yet I hope you will consider it and Grant me a wood lot Near to that you offer me. As to the Settlement I to Live with it and be Content to suffer with you in the day of your Small things and truft you will Not Suffer me to want, when you Can Relieve me. If my Necessities Should Call for more. I desire your Prayers that if God should bring me into the ministry among you I may come to you in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ and So I Remain yours to Serve
Deerfield, Oct. 13th. day A Domini 1741.
JOHN NORTON.
Mr. Norton was accordingly settled with a salary of 130£ for the first five years and afterwards to increase 56 annually till the sum should be 170% ($566.66) annually, and his firewood brought to his door. He was to have 200£ settlement money, one-half in money, and one-half in labor or materials for building.
His ordination sermon was preached by Jonathan Ashley, A. M. It was published and the only known copy is to be found in the rooms of the P. V. M. Association at Deerfield, and through the courtesy of Hon. George Sheldon the following copy has been ob- tained. It has been said that a copy was also in the possession of Worcester Antiquarian Society, but Lieut. Governor Cushman's research proved the impression to be erroneous:
AN ORDINATION SERMON. Romans XV. 30.
Now I befeech you, Brethren, for the Lord Jefus Chrift Sake, and for the Love of the Spirit, that ye ftrive together with me, in your Prayers to God for me.
That fame Spirit of Pride and Malice, which the Pharifees manifefted towards our bleffed Lord himfelf, whilft fulfilling his Miniftry in the Flefh, prevailed very much againft his Church after his Death, and Afcenfion into Heaven; wherefore the Church of Chrift at Jerufalem was greatly oppreffed, and many were afraid to unite themfelves to it, for fear they fhould fall under the Displeafure of the Rulers; and efpecially were the Rich and Great unwilling to hazard their All for the Sake of Religion, fo that the
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ORDINATION SERMON.
Number of Believers confifted chiefly of the poorer Sort, who were not well able to fupport the Gofpel. St. Paul therefore the Apoftlet the Gentiles, endeavors to ftir up a Spirit of Charity amongft them; and tells them, they were Debtors to the Jews, and ought to give them of their carnal Things, fince they had fo largely received of their fpiritual Things, ver. 27. (Such was the Temper and fuch the primitive Spirit in the days of the Apoftles; and would to God there was more of it handed down to us in thefe remote Ages.) And when the Apoftle had obtained a Collection among the Gentiles, and was going up to Jerufalem to deliver the fame to the Saints, he writes this Epiftle from Corinth to Rome; wherein he informs the Chriftians there, that whem he fhould Journey into Spain, he purpofed to come to them, and af- fures them he fhould come to them in the Fulnefs of the Bleffings of the Gofpel of Chrift ver, 29. And therefore he befeeches them to ftrive in Prayer for him to God. In the Words we may obferve,
I. The Duty recommended, and this is ftriving. And he lets them know he was engaged in it himfelf. Strive together with me He does indeed tell us, 2 Tim. 2. 24. That it is not lawful for a Sefvant of the Lord to ftrive. But there he ufes a different Word (Macheftbai) which fignifies to contend in Anger and with Weapons: But the Word here rendered ftrive, is Agoni- shai to be in an Agony, or to agonize; and the fame Word is ufed, Luk. 13. 24.
2. The Manner of ftriving; and that is, in Prayer; in which we are to be in an Agony. Thus Jacob wreftled in Prayer, Gen. 32. 24. So Chrift him- felf was in an Agony of Prayer, Luke 22. 44. And Epaphras laboured fer- vently in Prayer, Col. 4. 12. Our Prayers fhould all be fervent and in- wrought Prayers.
3. What it is the Apoftle urged them thus earneftly to ftrive for in Prayer; and it was that he might come unto them in the Fulnef of the Bleffings of the Gofpel of Chrift; that he might come to them with Joy by the Will of God, and be refrefhed with them, verfef 29 & 32.
4. The Motives to this Duty of earneft Prayer for him. And they are the Lord Jefus Chrift's fake and the Love of the Spirit. As if the Apoftle had faid; be it fo you have no Love for me, yet if you have any Defire to advance the Kingdom of your Lord; and have any Defire to feel the bleffed Influence of the Spirit upon your own Hearts, and fee the Operations thereof upon others, then pray for me, that my Miniftry may be profpered.
Hence the
DO CT. That it greatly concerns both Minifters, and People to unite
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ORDINATION SERMON.
their earneft Endeavors, and moft fervent Prayers to God, that the Great Ends and Purpofes of the Miniftry may be anfwered.
When our Lord had purchafed a Church here with his own Blood, and was about to defcend up on high; he did not leave it comfortlefs; but fent down his Holy Spirit, which wonderfully filled the Hearts of his People: nor did he leave his Church without Means and Helps for its Growth and Increafe; but gave Gifts to Men, Eph. 4. 8. He was pleafed to conftitute an Order of Men to teach and build Men up in the Faith, and gracioufly has promifed them his Prefence to the End of the World.
Now, do we confider what their Bufinefs is, who it is that fends them forth to it, and how they muft, e're it be long, render an Account to him: how does it concern them in an efpecial Manner to be fervent in Spirit . fervein the Lord? Mankind are ready to think the Work of the Miniftry is an eafy Employment, very much freed from all Difficulties; and many have envied them their Eafe; yea it is to be feared fome have left their fecular Employments, and turned into the Miniftry, that they might indulge greater Sloth and Idlenefs: But fuch Men are grofly ignorant of the fharp Conflicts & fevere Agonies which attend a faithful Difcharge of the Minif- try .. Oftentimes Earth and Hell unite againft them.
Wherefore a People are not to look upon themfelves altogether uncon- cerned about the Miniftry; whether it be fucceeded or not; but muft do all in their Power to promote the great Defigns of it; they muft do nothing to oppofe, and hinder it themfelves; and when they fee it laboring under Difficulties, and Oppofitions, they may not fit ftill, and leave Minifters to grapple with them; but muft appear for their Help, and fay to them as the People once did, to Ezra, Chap. 10. 4. Arife, for this Matter belongeth unto thee: we alfo will be with thee, be of good Courage and do it. It is of great Concern, that a People as well as Minifters do what they can to forward the Miniftry.
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