USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Carver > History of the town of Carver, Massachusetts : historical review, 1637-1910 > Part 10
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Somewhere around the year 1760 a cloud no bigger than a man's hand appeared on the hori- zon of the orthodox world of the South Precinct of Plympton. Witness a vote of said body-politic in March, 1763 when without ceremony and not without apparent spite the freeholders voted not to abate the taxes of those calling themselves "Baptes" on the list of Collector Elkanah Lucas. Rowland Hammond was among the first to break with the established church, and assisted by a little band of agitators, he made life worth living among his neighbors before and after the Revolu- tion.
It would be a matter worthy of protracted com- ment if there were not a little mite of human na- ture in those days, so what of it if an occasional tight fisted tax payer did make a stone Easel of the new faith as a shield against the darts of the Pub- licans ? But there is not an apology for evidence to indicate that the devotees of the young sect were not as sincere a band of reformers as those heroic souls that came over in the Mayflower.
Gradually gaining in numbers and enthusiasm, by 1788 the rulers of the Precinct were compelled to notice them, and Thomas Savery, Capt. Wil- liam Atwood and Isaiah Tillson were sent out as pickets to investigate affairs around South
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HISTORY OF CARVER
Meadows and find out who really were, and who were not, Baptists. The Committee trudged down to the affected region and learned to their satis- faction that there were a few heretics in the woods, and upon the information thus obtained the Precinct Assessors were instructed to post notices to the effect that those who called them- selves Baptist must file certificates with said Board if they wished to be in line for abatements. Rowland Hammond and Frances Bent had been outspoken Baptists so long that they looked upon this move as a means of humiliation and they re- fused to register. And for their particular bene- fit the Precinct ordered that they must produce a certificate from a Baptist Elder if they would escape the wrath of the tax gatherer.
In April, 1789, William Shurtleff, Nathaniel Atwood, Noah Pratt, Billa Bryant, John Tripp and Mrs. Abigail Lucas met together to discuss the situation. After thoroughly considering their numerical strength (weakness), their financial straits and the rashness of withdrawing from the old church, they postponed temporarily the launching of the proposed society. But in June, 1791 the devotees of the new faith had reached a stage in which they felt justified in taking active steps towards the organization of their church. John Tripp was instructed to transcribe the Articles of Faith of the third Baptist church of Middleboro, and these with a few alterations be- came the Articles of Faith of the first Baptist church of Carver. After taking counsel of Elders Bachus of Middleboro, and Nelson of Taunton, the
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
little group adjourned to July when the following signed the covenant : William Shurtleff, Na- thaniel Atwood, Seth Barrows, Benjamin Ransom, Noah Pratt, Billa Bryant, Rowland Hammond, John Tripp, Levi Shurtleff, Ruth Faunce, Mercy Shurtleff and Priscilla Shurtleff.
The society set out in earnest to arrange for the ordination of a pastor and after a few har- monious meetings it was voted to ordain as the society's first preacher one of its charter mem- bers, John Tripp.
The Council which convened Sept. 27th, 1791 was composed of Elder Isaac Bachus and Dea. Alden from the first church of Middleboro; Elder George Robinson and delegates Lothrop and Howard from Bridgewater; Elder Ebenezer Nel- son and Stephen Nelson from Taunton; and Dea- cons James and George Shaw from the third church of Middleboro.
A contest for the position of deacon was settled by the decision of the society to elect two and both Rowland Hammond and Billa Bryant realized their highest aspirations. Elder Tripp was a faithful laborer who found a place for himself in the hearts of his co-workers, and he enjoyed the complete confidence of every member of the society. During this period the society had the use of the South Meeting house and many came into the church from the Fresh Meadow Village. The society flourished under the labors of its first minister and at the beginning connected itself with the Warren Association. Elder Tripp was released in November 1798 to be ordained over the
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HISTORY OF CARVER
.
Baptist church of Hebron in the district of Maine to which charge he carried a warm recommen- dation from his first church.
For seven years following this ministry the society was without an ordained leader. While too poor financially to support a minister it was too aggressive to compromise fully with the old society, and frequent church conferences were held while the whip was in constant use. Oc- casional public services were held in which Elders Samuel Abbott, Ebenezer Nelson and Ezra Ken- dall lent their assistance. In the year 1804, Elder Kendall appears to have been the pastor of the church. Federal village was a favored place of meeting where at the residence of Moses Wright baptisms were celebrated and the church received communionists which in after years became the staunch defenders of the faith.
In the summer of 1805 a new day dawned upon the society-a day marked by great enthusiasm- and which added materially to its numbers al- though its financial standing was little improved. In November of that year David Bursell having become a member of the society was called to its ministry. The sentiments breathed in the formal call, as also in Bursell's reply, did not seek to be- little the financial weakness, and it was under the most gloomy skies that the new minister began his labors. He was ordained in June 1806 by a Council composed of Elder Simeon Coombs, Peter Hoar, Barnabas Clark and Moses Perras of the second church of Middleboro; Elder Samuel Nel- son, Elisha Clark and Joseph Shaw of the third
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
church of Middleboro; and Elder Samuel Abbot, Abitha Briggs, Ebenezer Briggs and Deacon Briggs of the fourth church of Middleboro.
Under the ministry of Elder Bursell the society gained materially in membership but it was con- tinually submerged in matters of finance. The meetings and public services were held at various places, sometimes at the South Meeting house, sometimes at the Spruce church,* and often at private dwellings. The residence of Lieut. Caleb Atwood was a favorite place of meeting, being centrally located for South Meadows, South Mid- dleboro and Federal. At this period the society had an active membership over the Middleboro line and in 1812 it was voted to advise the Middle- boro branch to withdraw and organize a fifth Baptist church for that town.
The society was incorporated June 22, 1811 with the following charter members:
Benjamin Shurtleff
William Atwood
Flavel Shurtleff
Asaph Atwood
Lot Shurtleff
Jonathan Atwood
Ebenezer Shurtleff
Joseph Atwood
Gideon Shurtleff
Lazarus Atwood
Abial Shurtleff
Samuel Atwood
Gideon Shurtleff, Jr.
Samuel Atwood, Jr.
Frances Shurtleff
Stephen Atwood
Nathaniel Shurtleff
Levi Atwood
Nathaniel Shurtleff, 2nd.
Caleb Atwood
Peter Shurtleff
Abner Atwood
Thomas Shurtleff
John Atwood
*Now the South Middleboro M. E. church.
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HISTORY OF CARVER
John Atwood, Jr.
Eli Thomas
Joshua Atwood
Benjamin White
William Murdock
Nathaniel Atwood William Atwood, 2nd. Samuel Shaw
Ebenezer Dunham Jabez Maxim Jabez Maxim, Jr.
John Shaw
Silvanus Shaw
Thomas Maxim
Silvanus Shaw, Jr.
John Bumpus
Levi Shaw
Isaac Cushman
Abigail Shaw
Hosea Lucas
Benjamin Ward
Cornelius Dunham
Benjamin Ward, Jr.
Calvin Lucas
Samuel Lucas
John Appling
Carver Barrows
Lewis Pratt
Seth Barrows
Swanzea Hart
Ephraim Griffith
John Shaw of Middleboro
Huit McFarlin
Ephraim Ward of Middle- boro
David Vaughan
Gideon Perkins of Middle- boro
Joseph Ellis, Jr.
Ellis Shaw
Joseph Robbins
Nathaniel Shurtleff of Mid- dleboro
Bethnel Tillson
Elder Bursell was followed by Elder Cummings and these Elders left the Baptist church about the same time that Rev. John Shaw severed his connection with the old society, and at this point the rivalry between the two societies abated. Neither was in a position to ordain a minister, and while each should constantly repair its sectarian walls, they travelled together for nearly a half century. Then turning their backs upon the past, and unhampered by the necessity of modifying articles of faith, in a modern age each was free to carve out its own fortune.
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THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHAPEL South Carver Village
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
To add to the discouragements of this year 1815, both societies were without a meeting house. The temple of the mother society, after eighty-five years of wear and tear, had become too rickety for safety, and after fruitless efforts to repair the structure or build anew, the societies began to utilize the school houses. Religion had decayed with the meeting house to such an extent that the leaders became alarmed at "the state of religion in the town," and through their united efforts resulted the memorable revival of 1820-23. Mis- sionaries were sent into the south end of the town, and while the people of that section declined to connect themselves with either of the old societies, they were aroused to repair their old meeting house, which was started on its final career. Many converts were made during these revival years for both of the societies, and as a practical result the new church building at the Green was built in 1823 and the Central temple the year following. The fact that two edifices were erected indicates that in the minds of the leaders the line of cleavage between the societies was irreparable.
Up to the middle of the century the societies continued to travel together, and even for twenty- five years longer the Congregationalists held ser- vices in the Baptist temple by virtue of shares of ownership, when the church was not in use by the Baptists. During these years, however, each so- ciety held its own church conferences and also frequent public services under ministers of its own persuasion. In 1834 the Articles of Faith of the First Baptist church of Boston were adopted
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HISTORY OF CARVER
as the faith of the Carver society. The decade 1840 to 1850 was marked by still further divisions in the church. The most potent factors were the Advent movement at the North and Methodist and Universalist movements at the South.
This first half of the nineteenth century was a period marked by much activity in the sectarian world and all evidence points to the fact that the Baptist church of Carver played its part with vigor. The church was without a pastor the greater part of the time, but during this period the temple was erected and its membership largely increased.
Its field was a large one, covering the Southern half of Carver, South Middleboro and a section of Rochester. It received an influx of communicants from South Middleboro and for a year or more it was called the Baptist Church of Carver and Mid- dleboro. Its services, previously to the building of its meeting house, were held in the South Meet- ing house, the Spruce Meeting house, and at pri- vate residences at Federal, South Carver and Fresh Meadows.
Not only did the society work determinedly to make converts, but it watched carefully after the welfare of its devotees. A member failing to attend a regular meeting was visited by a commit- tee and required to show cause "why they had not been up to their duty in attending the church to which they belonged." While there were numer- ous counts of unscriptural conduct, not a few of the committee's duties consisted in enquiring after "the state of mind" of the suspect. In
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
those early days of the disintegration of the church the Baptist church of Carver made an heroic effort to hold its own. Second only to heresy as a disturbing factor was the alarming increase of intemperance that showed itself from 1825 to 1850, and this gave the church committees many subjects for investigation.
Ministers
John Tripp
1791-1798
Ezra Kendall
1804
David Bursell
1805-1810
Abraham Cummings
1811-1814
James Parsons.
1821
David Curtis
1832-1833
Samuel Glover
1838-1839
John B. Parris
1842
Caleb Benson
1850-1851
J. M. Mace
1852-1853
C. S. Thompson
1864-1865
William Leach
1865-1870
Henry C. Coombs
1872-1873
Noah Fullerton
1875-1879
Joshua F. Packard
1883-1887
Willard F. Packard
1887-1890
James J. Tobey
1890-1893
C. A. Parker
1894
Joseph Ellison
1895-1899
H. Y. Vinal
1900-1901
Albert Leach
1902-1903
A. Davis Graffam
1904
George H. Lockhart
1905-
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HISTORY OF CARVER
Temporary preachers not included in preced- ing list :
Elder T. Smith 1819
Rev. Asa Niles
1834
Rev. Perez L. Cushing 1858
Rev. Samuel Cheever
1871
Rev. Walter Chase
Rev. H. W. Buckles 1881
(Newton Theological School.)
Rev. Wellington Camp 1882
(Newton Theological School.)
Rev. E. Hatfield 1883
(Newton Theological School.)
Clerks
In the early days of the church the minister made the records on loose sheets of paper. Neither he nor the clerks that followed signed their records. In 1806 this church named a com- mittee to gather the loose records and copy the records in a book. John Drew, who served as clerk one year, was not a member of the society, but acted with it under a vote of the church. The following served as clerks of this church:
John Tripp
1789-1798
John Drew 1802
Jacob Shaw
1803-1805
Samuel Lucas 1806-1807
Ebenezer Shurtleff 1808-1850
Jacob Shaw (Middleboro branch) 1809
Horatio A. Lucas 1853-1887
James A. Vaughan 1888
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
173
Deacons
Rowland Hammond,
1791-1801
Billa Bryant,
1791-1808
Jacob Shaw,
1802-1818
Joseph Robbins,
1809-1833
Ebenezer Dunham,
1810-1820
Ebenezer Shurtleff,
1820-1850
Ebenezer Atwood,
1823-1851
Ephraim Dunham,
1851-1883
Horatio A. Lucas,
1854-1887
Samuel W. Gould,
1884-1892
James A. Vaughan,
1890-
E. Allan Lucas,
1893-
THE METHODIST CHURCH
Rev. Lorenzo D. Johnson conducted revival meetings in France* school house in the spring of 1831, during which many conversions were made for the Methodist faith. The larger part of these conversions were residents of the Fresh Meadow village, and on May 18th of the above mentioned year Charles Ryder, as leader, organized a class, with the following members: Anna Ryder, Sumner Atwood, Thomas Maxim, Mary Atwood, Ichabod Shurtleff, Patience Maxim, Susan A. Maxim, Sylvia Shurtleff, Thomas Maxim, Jr., Edward P. Bumpus, Alice Bumpus, and Sullivan Gammons. This class at once affiliated with the Reformed Methodist de- nomination and entered upon its designed work with enthusiasm, holding its public services in school houses and private dwellings under the leadership of Elders Pliny Brett and Nathan T. Clark.
In 1836 a second series of revival meetings were held, as a result of which the society ma- terially increased in membership and then decided to adopt the Methodist Protestant church disci- pline. For the succeeding thirty years it was known as the Methodist Protestant church of South Carver. In the words of Charles Ryder, its
*School house in South Middleboro, France St.
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HISTORY OF CARVER
promoter, it "protested against the M. E. church government but adhered to all its fundamental truths of Methodism as taught by Wesley its great founder."
With the spirit of a new society, the lack of material things did not hinder the growth of the church. During the following seven years public services were held part of the time, as before, in private residences, school houses, and in the South Meeting house. By 1843 the army had swelled to such proportions that the leaders felt justified in taking active steps toward the building of a meet- ing house, and in April of that year, under a war- rant issued by John Savery, Esq., Charles Ryder, Thomas Maxim, Jr., Thomas Maxim and Seth S. Maxim, as proprietors, voted to build a meeting house, and to insure its construction they signed for the necessary number of shares. The building was nominally erected under the pew-plan.
Charles Ryder, Thomas Maxim and Ichabod Shurtleff were chosen trustees and also building committee, and so strenuously did they carry on the work that the edifice was dedicated on October 20th of the same year. On that day, also, pews were struck off to the following, who became the first proprietors : Atwood Shaw, Aaron Nott, Charles Ryder, Thomas Maxim, Thomas Maxim, Jr., Seth S. Maxim, Ichabod Shurtleff, John Maxim, David Bates, John Thomas, Betsey Bum- pus, Sumner Atwood, Nathaniel Shurtleff, Nathan Avery, and Matthew Cushing.
The construction of the building was financed by the trustees, Charles Ryder being a continual
THE ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH
177
THE METHODIST CHURCH
creditor, and to his generosity and disinterested- ness the project owes much of its success.
From this point stretching through nearly two decades a remarkable unity marked the labors of the society. The first quarterly conference was held in the church July 17, 1847, with Rev. John Melish presiding. Charles Ryder was chosen secretary and Thomas Maxim, Ichabod Shurtleff and Seth S. Maxim standing committee. In February, 1850, Ichabod Shurtleff was chosen as the society's first delegate to an annual confer- ence.
Beginning in December, 1857, the most remark- able revival in the history of the society was ushered in. Services were conducted in the vestry for upwards of one hundred consecutive nights, and forty names were added to the church regis- ter.
In 1859 camp meetings were held in the grove belonging to Sumner Atwood, easterly from his residence; and in 1860 began the collections for the Home Missionary cause.
Following this for six years the society waned. Some of its stanch and active members had en- listed in the army, while the Union society was making inroads in its membership. In this weak- ened condition the church arranged for bi-weekly services in conjunction with the church at South Middleboro, Rev. E. W. Barrows supplying both societies. The following year this plan was dis- continued, and Rev. Mr. Barrows became the set- tled minister of the Carver church. But his min- istry was not destined to end without dissensions
1
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HISTORY OF CARVER
and in 1865 he became the first settled minister over the Union society, carrying with him some of the leaders in the Methodist society. The year following, discouraged by these dissensions, the church voted to ask for a supply from the M. E. conference, and under the ministry of Rev. T. Marsh the Methodist Protestant church became affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal govern- ment.
During his second ministry Rev. Mr. Hunt agi- tated the erection of a chapel in South Carver village with such success that the edifice was dedi- cated in December, 1896.
THE UNION CHURCH
THE METHODIST CHURCH
179
Ministers
Elders Pliny Brett, Nathan T. Clark
1831-1850
William Tozer
1851
T. M. Hall
1852
William Tozer
1853-1856
Pliny Brett
1857-1858
S. Y. Wallace
1859-1861
E. W. Barrows
1862-1864
C. Carter and R. M. Dorr
1867
Elisha M. Dunham
1868
Eben Tirrell
1870
R. M. Dorr
1871
Paul Tounsend
1872-1873
Edward Williams
1874-1876
A. B. Besse
1876-1877
William I. Ward
1878
H. W. Hamblin
1879
J. B. Hamblin
1880
Charles Smith
1881
E. A. Hunt
1882-1885
John S. Fish
1886-1889
J. E. Duxbury
1890
W. E. Manley
1891
T. P. Fisher
1892
E. A. Hunt
1892-1897
E. G. Babcock
1898-1902
- Charles G. Johnson
1903-1906
E. A. Hunt
1907-1911
Robert E. Bisbee
1912-
THE ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH
This society had its inception in the decade 1840-1850, when fourteen members of the orthodox church, converted to the doctrines of William Mil- ler, withdrew from the old church. These primi- tive members of the Advent church were Louisa L. P. Chase, Persis Lucas, Winslow Pratt, Benja- min Ransom, Levi Ransom, Lucy Ransom, Phebe Ransom, Rebecca Ransom, Joseph Robbins, Jr., Patience Robbins, Eunice Vaughan, Isaac Vaughan, Phebe Vaughan, Waitstill Vaughan.
The peculiar mark of this society in stationing ministers to work with them instead of over them has been attended by the natural consequence, and most of the pastors of the church have had other occupations than that of preaching. Isaac Vaughan was their first leader, deserving the title of Elder if it was never conferred. He furnished a room in his residence near the centre of the town which was used as the meeting house of the devotees until the breaking out of the Civil war. There the regular services of the sect were held, and there also revival meetings called together old and young from all sections of the town.
When advanced age compelled Mr. Vaughan to relinquish the leadership, Benjamin Ransom as- sumed the responsibility for the work, furnishing
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HISTORY OF CARVER
a room in his residence near the Wenham school house, which was the headquarters of the Advents until the chapel was built in 1870.
Up to this point the sect were held by no organi- zation, being a spontaneous coming together of those who subscribed to a common faith, but when the chapel was erected a formal church society was organized and the Advent church assumed the regular form, although it affiliated with no state organization until several years later.
Under the conditions above noted the devotees of this faith have held regular services since they came together in 1845, and since their chapel was erected, although there have been years when there was no pastor laboring with them, their meeting house has never been closed.
William E. Hathaway joined the sect in its early days and became a prominent worker, assuming the leadership with Benjamin Ransom when he was given the rank of Elder. Aside from his work as a preacher, he formed a wide acquaintance in the county as a peddler of dry goods. Elder I. I. Leslie was also a well known preacher of that period, serving the society a short time, and at intervals, after the chapel was built. Dr. J. R. Boynton was associated with Elder Leslie in the first year of the organized work of the society, and became its settled pastor late in the year 1870. Under the ministry of Elder Boynton, small pox appeared in Wenham, and it fell to him as a physi- cian to treat those afflicted with the malady.
For a few years the society worked in conjunc- tion with the Plymouth church, and between 1875
LEWIS PRATT, JR.
183
THE ADVENT CHURCH
and 1880 Reverends John M. Curry and Frank Shattuck served both societies.
Those who have been leaders of the faith since its establishment in Carver, either as elders or ministers, have been :
Elder Isaac Vaughan 1845-1860
Elder Benjamin Ransom
1860-1870
Elder William E. Hathaway
1860-1875
Elder I. I. Leslie
1870-1875
Elder J. R. Boynton
1870-1875
Rev. W. Smith
1876
Rev. John M. Curry 1876-1880
Rev. Frank Shattuck
Rev. Charles H. Sweet
1880-1883
Rev. Alfred R. Meade
1906-1910
Rev. Burt J. Glazier
1910-
The clerks since the organization of the society :
Rev. J. R. Boynton 1872-1875
Austin N. Vaughan
1876-1879
Daniel W. Nash 1880-1909
Julia F. Hammond
1910-1911
William E. W. Vaughan
1912-
Those who have been chosen deacons :
Levi Ransom 1870
James Breach
Dr. N. M. Ransom
1877
D. W. Nash 1897
William E. W. Vaughan 1904
THE UNION SOCIETY
There appears to have been no intent on the part of the builders of the South Meeting house to break away from the established church. Their purpose was to erect a temple and induce the regular minister to hold a part of the Sunday services there as a convenience to the residents at this end of the Precinct who were located a distance from the old meeting house. But spurned by the rulers of the church, and fought every inch of the way by the conservatives, the proprietors of the new temple were forced into a receptive mood, and when the old order began to crumble the here- tics who had stepped out of the ruts found a forum in the South Meeting house. The Baptists who were the first to make the break were without a meeting house, and they found a welcome in this building; later the Universalists utilized its ac- commodations, and in this way the short-sighted policy of the old church unconsciously paved the way for its dissolution.
Thus it came about that when the descendants of the proprietors faced the problem of replacing the decaying structure with a modern church building under the guidance of William Savery in 1853 sectarianism was omitted from the subscrip- tion paper. The subscribers met in November, organized as proprietors, and voted to build their
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HISTORY OF CARVER
new building on the pew plan. William Savery was clerk, and Nelson Barrows treasurer of the organization. The temple was completed and turned over to the proprietors in 1855. An organ and bell were presented by William Savery and Jesse Murdock, and July 28th of that year, with an elaborate program, the edifice was dedicated "to the public worship of God."
The society was non-sectarian, and the dedica- tory exercises were participated in by Baptists, Congregationalists, Universalists, Unitarians and Methodists, and following the custom the society has always given a hearing to various denomina- tions.
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