USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Carver > History of the town of Carver, Massachusetts : historical review, 1637-1910 > Part 8
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into the treasury by residents south of the river.
In 1788 preaching one-fourth of the time was granted the South, but the spirit of another age was spreading and liberal as these concessions may appear, the Precinct had to redeem its promise to protect its Collector and before the year ended, it was flatly voted to have no preach- ing outside of the regular meeting house.
The mutineers stood firm and in 1792 the rates against the following were abated: John Shaw, Bartlett Murdock, Simeon Holmes, Roland Ham- mond, Capt. Ward, Joseph Atwood, Bartlett Mur- dock, Jr., John Shaw, Jr., Ichabod Tillson, Carver Barrows, Benjamin White, Ebenezer Dunham, Crispus Shaw, Samuel Atwood, Gideon Perkins, John Atwood, Ephraim Griffith, Ephraim Griffith, Jr., George Hammond, Benjamin Tubbs, Frances Bent and Jonathan Shaw. This may be con- sidered the end of the serious attempt of the Precinct to tax the people south of the river. While the form continued nearly forty years, the assessments were optional with the tax-payer, the clause "provided it can be collected" was added to the assessments, while the amounts annually raised to replace the taxes that could not be col- lected, was an admission that the old regime had passed away. And before the dawn of the 19th century, the Precinct having given up the struggle, and the town voting a year later not to support the minister by a town tax, the Proprietors were left with a free hand. No theology appears to have disturbed their dreams, but their meeting house was there, and the congregation-let him
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preach who would. Thus the Baptists found a forum and still later when the church had been divided and sub-divided, bolder heretics found a hearing in this Temple. Aside from the problem of public services, the Proprietors passed through a stormy career-forever wrestling with the mat- ter of repairs. The first fifteen years saw the physical structure stand the test, while all efforts were centred in an attempt to consecrate the Temple to public worship, but as the builders passed and their work began to decay, the troubles
of the sons multiplied. As a matter of fact, the building was never finished according to original plans for while agents were periodically appointed to collect arrearages and sell pews for the pur- pose of raising funds with which to finish the meeting house, the ledger accounts bear witness to the obstacles that beset the workers. To accom- plish this end, merchandise of any description was acceptable and iron ware was gladly hailed as legal tender.
In 1792 a rally was made, which continued through two decades. An heroic effort was made to raise funds by placing new pews on the market, but there were already pews enough to meet the demand. Ichabod Benson and Nathaniel Atwood were persistent dunners, but they barely suc- ceeded in collecting enough from back assessments to make imperative repairs. Thus after a fruit- less effort to place their meeting house on a more satisfactory footing, the Proprietors lost heart and they were ready to listen to proposals that would have been spurned by their fathers.
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In the preceding forty years momentous changes had transpired, chief among them so far as this story is concerned the Colonies had de- veloped into a nation and the Precinct into a town. The area of the new town was dotted with settlements, the church was divided, thrifty fur- naces were in operation at Popes Point, Federal and Charlotte around which clustered happy villages, and the theory that there should be a more united work on the part of the young town than could be expected with so many struggling societies gained ground. In 1820 a meeting of the Proprietors was called on petition of Benjamin Ellis et. al., to see if said Proprietors would vote to tear down their meeting house and build one in the centre of the town. The meeting assembled, the question debated with that seriousness its im- portance deserved, when it was decided by a vote of 10 to 7 to surrender the Temple and rebuild near the Centre provided the North would do the same. This was a safe proposition for the seven remonstrants, for the North was strongly orthodox, the Centre Baptist with no taste for union meeting houses at that time, and so the dream of one church in town passed.
No alternative was left the Proprietors but to rally again. Ben Ellis, Jesse Murdock, Ira Mur- dock, John Savery, Nelson Barrows and Huit Mc- Farlin-men of nerve and muscle and finance- resided around the old meeting house and rather than see it go down in ruins, they would infuse new life into its creaking joints. A meeting was called, regular set of officers elected, assessment
THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
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voted, the Collector patted on the back, and Jesse Murdock, John Bent and Eli Atwood named as the committee to put the building in good repair. The result was a complete remodeling of the in- side, necessary repairs on the outside, paint, door- steps, window springs, and on a wave of enthu- siasm the old Temple started on its last career and its decline, so far as that generation was con- cerned.
Thus passed two more decades and the mortal drift had shifted to 1840. Most of the bodies of the old Proprietors had been carried into their meeting house and from there tenderly through the valley to the Western hill, while their descend- ants faced the old problem of repairs.
On petition to John Savery, Esq., a meeting of the Proprietors was called to assume the time worn burden. The meeting assembled, Joseph Bar- rows, clerk, John Bent, second, Treasurer, John Savery, Israel Thomas and Ben Ellis repair com- mittee, and for lack of material said repair com- mittee was clothed with the authority of As- sessors, and the meeting adjourned. After two more adjournments a quorum was mustered, an assessment made, the Treasurer instructed to proceed with his duty with all possible speed and the meeting adjourned without day. It was a race with death and the Proprietors lost. The assess- ment was not made, the Treasurer did not report for-had they not adjourned without day?
But there was yet a career of glory for the old meeting house. Conditions had changed, men had moved, ideals had grown, there were rugged heirs
0
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HISTORY OF CARVER
of the Patriarchs in the world and while night dropped its curtain on the old, the dawn of a new career broke upon the old Temple.
In 1854 a meeting was called and a committee composed of Benjamin F. Leonard, Salmon F. Jenkins, Rufus C. Freeman and John F. Shaw instructed to remodel the meeting house. No re- pairs this time, no setting of glass or patching of roof or building of "more seats under the woman's stairs," but a revolution. In place of the auditorium, a dance hall; in place of the pulpit, a Moderator's cage; in place of the forum of peace, a magazine of war. And so out of the centre of preachings and funerals grew the centre of mirth, of political gatherings and preparations for civil strife. Thus the meeting house of 1772 gave way to Bay State hall and town house of 1854.
While the outward form of the building was un- changed the inside was completely remodeled. The pulpit and gallery were removed and a second floor laid. On the upper floor a stairway, hallway and two spacious ante-rooms took up the north end, while a large hall occupied the remainder of the space. The large oak braces gave the room a lordly air, while the martial spirit was roused by a row of glittering muskets that stood in their racks across the south end of the hall.
About three-fourths of the lower floor on the south side was fitted as an auditorium for town and other public uses. On the east side a boarded enclosure about ten feet square, was set apart for the use of the Moderator and Town Clerk, with an
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aperture in front through which was protruded the ballot box. If the Moderator happened to be of short statute, his head could barely be seen above the board fence, while the "heeler" who lurked around to see whether the voter who ap- proached to deposit his ballot in the protruding box, voted the white or the buff ballot was amply protected by that same oxide red. In the north- west corner was enclosed the Selectmen's office with its long old table, its library of public docu- ments and its cabinet holding the standard of weights and measures. In the northeast corner was located the powder house-a room set apart for muskets, canteens, uniforms and general muni- tions of war.
These halls, both upper and lower, were the center of many stirring meetings. Not infre- quently one political party would be using one for a rally meeting at the same time the other hall was being occupied by the opposing party de- votees. During the days of Civil war, these halls were the centre of activity. Here meetings were held to stir the patriotism of the young; here through many a stormy meeting the town voters wrestled with the knotty problems of war. Here the optimist and pessimist, the thoughtless and the serious, met to don the straps and start for the front, and here was the last meeting place of many of the boys, who went away with visions of glory and returned only in the memories of the friends at home.
For twenty-five years following the close of the Civil war, this building continued in its career of
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HISTORY OF CARVER
mirth and glory. Town meetings, political meet- ings, dances, temperance societies and various public usages kept the old spirit alive.
Not alone the residents of Carver, but the young of surrounding towns availed themselves of its spacious rooms and far and near it came justly by the name of The Carver Light-House. And why not? For standing on the highest eminence between bay and bay the light streaming from its windows could be seen from every approach-and it stands too on the highest eminence between our fathers and us.
A meeting house built on the pew-holders plan, sooner or later drifts into the fog. While enthu- siasm lasts the owners are listed, but when en- thusiasm lags, proprietors die, and heirs lack in- terest to register their claims, and the responsi- bility of ownership falls into neglect.
This meeting house did not escape the common lot. For the first twenty years of its life, it was in appreciative hands, then came changes in ownership to be followed by a decade of uncer- tainty. Again in 1825 the legal heirs were hunted up and listed, but only for a brief reign, when they should again disintegrate to meet no more. A feeble attempt was made in 1840 to rouse the dying order, but only the final gasp, for rapidly after that effort the ownership and care drifted away together, leaving to unidentified descendants the reconstruction of the ancient edifice. Among the proprietors of the first forty years were many Baptists, who were prominently identified with the Carver society. Following is a list of the Pro-
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prietors, with the year in which they came into ownership :
Original: Peleg Barrows, John Muxom, Joseph Barrows, Joshua Benson, Jr., Frances Sturtevant, John Shaw, Bartlett Murdock, Ephraim and Ben- jamin Ward, William Morison, Salathiel Bumpus and William Washburn, Ephraim Griffith and Joseph Atwood, Seth Barrows, James Murdock, Elkanah Lucas, John Bridgham, Bartlett Mur- dock, Bartlett Murdock, Jr., Obadiah Lyon, Joshua Benson, John Atwood and Simmons Bar- rows, Samuel Lucas and Huit McFarlin, Nathaniel Atwood, Jr., and Lieut. Caleb Atwood. (Pew No. 7 does not appear to have been sold, and pews numbers 25 and 26 were not sold until 1792, and No. 27 in 1825). In 1782, Thomas Muxom. In 1792, Lieut. Ichabod Benson, Benjamin White and Capt. Elisha Murdock, Robert Shurtleff, Ephraim Griffith and Joseph Atwood, and Samuel Atwood. In 1794, Ebenezer Shurtleff. In 1805, Benjamin Ellis, Ensign Gideon Shurtleff, Ichabod Tillson, and Rowland Hammond. In 1816, Thomas Shurt- leff, Eli and Jonathan Atwood, George and Thomas Barrows and Benjamin Ellis. In 1825, John Bent, 2nd.
Proprietors through gallery pews built in 1792. Original : Rowland Leonard and Co., Elezur Lewis, Peleg Barrows, Jr., Ebenezer Dunham, Jr., Eli Atwood, Capt. Benjamin Ward, Carver Barrows, and John Shaw. In 1793, Peter Shurtleff. In 1794, Lieut. Ichabod Benson, (2 pews), Samuel Dunham, John Bumpus, Benjamin Wrightington
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HISTORY OF CARVER
and Elisha Murdock. In 1816, Zadock Wright and Elisha Murdock.
In 1825, Proprietors were listed as follows: John Bent, 2nd, Peleg Barrows, Peleg Savery, Thomas Shurtleff, John Muxom, Jonathan At- wood, Benjamin Ellis, Alvan Shaw, Thomas Till- son, Capt. Samuel Shaw, Asaph Atwood, Ira Mur- dock, James Ellis, James Shurtleff, Asaph Wash- burn, Obed Griffith, Wilson Griffith, Ellis Griffith, Silvanus Griffith, Stephen Tillson, John Tillson, Luther Tillson, Capt. Elisha Murdock, Elisha Murdock, Jr., Lydia Hall, Israel Thomas, Nelson Barrows, Joseph Barrows, Luther Atwood, Jesse Murdock, Silvanus Shaw, Perez Shaw, Silas Shaw, John Bent, Joseph King, Jonathan King, Huit McFarlin, Nathaniel Shurtleff, 2nd, John Savery, Stephen Griffith, Capt. Eli Atwood, Stephen Cush- man, Zoath Wright, James Wright, John Bumpus and Benjamin Wrightington.
Proprietors previous to 1825, whose ownership is of uncertain dates: Thomas Hammond, Ben- jamin Hammond, Lot Shurtleff, Nathaniel Stand- ish, Gen. Ephraim Ward, Col. Benjamin Ward, Joseph Ellis, Joshua Atwood, Perez Washburn, Luther Atwood, Crispus Shaw, Ichabod Dunham and Joseph Robbins. '
There is record of twenty-eight pews on the ground floor and twenty in the gallery. Those on the ground floor were numbered up to 26, numbers 27 and 28 being designated as "the seats where the east door entered" and built in 1825. Most of the gallery pews were built in 1792, although a few were added in later years.
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In 1841 a legal auction was held to sell pews for the purpose of raising funds for making repairs. At that time pews, or fractions of pews, were sold to the following: Jesse Murdock, Thomas South- worth, Mary Ellis, Hannah Ellis, Ellis Griffith, Hiram Tillson, Zenas Tillson, Aaron Nott and Stephen Cushman.
*
THE SECOND SEPARATION
The incorporation of the South Precinct was a compromise to save the division of the town which the radicals declined to accept. In November, 1733 and again in March, 1733-34, the town voted down a petition of the new town advocates, where- upon they filed their petition with the General Court. The old town sent Joseph Thomas and Samuel Bradford to oppose the movement and nothing came of it. The following year a com- mittee was named in town meeting to treat with the disaffected element, and the temper of the advocates of division may be seen in the committee report which said: "we cannot agree upon any- thing." In 1738 another petition was entered with the General Court, but the petitioners were given leave to withdraw and for a half century the question was hushed.
During this period the country was engaged with momentous issues, which held the old town together. It is evident that the advocates of division were residents of South Meadows, the Lakenham people standing with the opposition, and as the population to the South increased, the agitation increased in proportion. During the war days it was found advisable to compromise with the sentiment and one-third of the town meet- ings were held in "Mr. Howland's meeting house"
135
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THE SECOND SEPARATION
success this time, and when the question was put by the moderator on the day named above, the town of Carver* was ushered into existence by the vote of 97 to 76. Nothing remained but to secure the charter, settle the preliminaries, agree upon boundary lines, divide the poor, etc., and by June 10 their charter having passed its several stages, received the signature of Gov. John Hancock.
The first "legal meeting of the Inhabitants of the town of Carver" was held in "Mr. Howland's meeting house" July fifth following the granting of its charter in which business was transacted according to the following report :
1 "At a meeting of the inhabitence of the Town of Carver Regularly assembled agreeable to the foregoing act of the general cort and held at the North meeting house in Said town on mon- day July the 5th 1790 the meeting was opend with Prayer By the Rev. John Howland after which Franecis Shurtleff Esq was chosen moderator in Said meeting.
2
Made choice of Capt Nehemiah Cobb Town Clark for the year insueing he was acordingly Sworn by Franecis Shurtleff Esq.
3 mad choice of Dea Thomas Savery, Capt Wil- liam Atwood and Samuel Lucas jun Select men for the year insuing.
*The town received its name in honor of John Carver the first Governor of Plymouth who died childless.
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HISTORY OF CARVER
4
made choice of Benjamin White, Samuel Lucas Jun and Barnabus Cobb assessors for the year insuing they ware accordingly sworn.
5
made choice of Franecis Shurtleff Esq Treasurer for the year insuing he was accordingly sworn.
6
Voted to chuse two Collectors for the year insu- ing.
7
Voted to Devid the Town into two Destricks for Collections, to be Devided as it was Last year.
8
Made choice of Jonathan Tilson for the North Destrick agreed with for 8d on the Pound and was Sworn. 9
Made choice of Caleb Attwood for the South Destrick the year insuing agreed with for 8d on the Pound and was Sworn.
10
Made choice of Jonathan Tillson Constable for the North Destrick the year insuing.
11 Made choice of Caleb Attwood Constable for the South Destrick the year insuing.
12
Made choice of Nathaniel Atwood grand jury- man for the year insuing.
13
Made choice of Timothy Cobb Tithing man for the year insuing.
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THE SECOND SEPARATION
14
Made choice of Benjamin Cobb Sevear of high ways for the first Destrick for the year insuing, maid choice of Lieut Joseph Shaw for the sec- ond Destrick made choice of Capt. Benjamin ward for the third Destrick made choice of John Muxam for the forth Destrict.
the 4 above Survayors ware Sworn.
15
Made choice of James Vaughan and Lieut John Shaw fence Vuers for the year insuing.
16 Made choice of Carver Barrows and Isaac Cobb for Hogreves for the year insuing.
17
Voted that Mr. Issacher fuller keep Susannah Cole till fall meeting at the Rate She was bid of at the Last May neeting.
18
Voted that James Vaughan keep Patience Pratt till fall meeting for one shilling and fore pence per week. 19
Voted that the Select men agree with Joseph Robbins how he shall keep Elizabeth Boardmen and how much he shall give for the improvement of her Estate. 20
Voted that Franecis Shurtleff Esq and Capt Ne- hemiah Cobb be a Committy to join with the Selectmen as a Committy to Settle the Accomps with the town of Plymton.
21
Voted to agurn this meeting till the fall meet- ing."
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HISTORY OF CARVER
The final report of the committee appointed to settle with the town of Plympton was rendered in 1795 by which it appears that the new town was indebted to the old town to the amount of 18 pounds and 18 shillings. Against this amount there was a set off amounting to 6 pounds 3 shillings and 8 pence, being school allowance for Samuel Lucas for the years 1788 and 1789, which deducted made the net debt of the town of Carver to the mother town of 12 pounds 14 shillings and 4 pence. By way of assets that came to Carver as a dowry there were 2968 paper dollars in the treasury of Plympton, Carver's share of which was adjudged to be 1385 dollars. This sum was constituted of Revolutionary re- minders known as Continental money, apparently and absolutely worthless except as curios, and Nathan Cobb was constituted the agent of the town to dispose of these "dollars" as "best he could." There is no evidence to indicate that he found a market, for in the saying that has come down to us they "were not worth a con- tinental."
The first town meeting was held in the North Meeting house but the custom of calling a por- tion of these meetings in the South Meeting house was begun in 1792. The old building near Lakenham cemetery soon went to decay and all of the legal meetings were held in the South building for a few years or until the new build- ings at the Green and at the centre of the town were erected in 1824 when the custom of meet- ing at different sections was renewed. The ac-
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THE SECOND SEPARATION
commodations of these buildings proved unsatis- factory and all of the town meetings were held in the South Meeting house which came to be known as "the Town hall," being specially pre- pared for that purpose in 1854. This building was the sole town meeting place until 1881, when it began to divide the honors with King Philip's hall.
An agitation for a town hall sprang up in 1840, but the proposition was rejected by the voters; and again in 1850 and 1854. In 1880 the agita- tion was renewed, and in view of the degenerate condition of the old building the advocates of the new hall triumphed and the town hall since used was opened to the public in 1887.
Tythingmen were annually elected for upwards of fifty years but their election was little less than the following of a custom as the sentiment of the age was against the spirit that evolved such an officer. Never did one of these officers succeed himself, the last to be elected being James Savery, Eliab Ward and Ellis Griffith in 1847.
The town voters annually settled the question of whether hogs and cattle might be permitted to run at large. Hogs had to be "ringed and yoked according to law," but horses and cattle went unfettered. To regulate the custom hog- reaves and horsereves had to be chosen but their duties began to wane about 1825 when the town refused to give the practice the sanction of its approval and the duties of these officers soon fell to the modern field driver. Inspectors of nails were also chosen in the early record of the town.
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HISTORY OF CARVER
When domestic animals were permitted to run at large, a town pound was essential, and these have continued through the regime of the field- drivers, the later votes authorizing each field driver to make his own pound or use his own domains for that purpose. The Town Pound was located opposite and a little to the north of the Baptist church. It was seven rails high, three panes square, and furnished with a gate, lock and key. It was repaired for the last time in 1855.
In 1814 according to custom the town became the owner of a hearse and erected a hearse house near the town pound. The town also purchased a set of burial clothes which were used in com- mon. In 1826 sextons were elected by the town and their compensation fixed at one dollar per funeral. In 1841 a new hearse was provided and the house repaired. The building was repaired for the last time in 1855. Soon after this (1868) the custom of providing a public hearse was dis- continued at a lively town meeting in which the hearse was championed by George P. Bowers and opposed by William Savery.
After the prevailing custom of caring for the poor when the town was incorporated each in- dividual case was disposed of in open town meet- ing by setting the ward up at auction and strik- ing him or her off to the lowest bidder. In cases where the pauper was so undesirable that a satis- factory bid could not be obtained it was left in the hands of the Selectmen. In the process of evolution this system soon became unpopular. The poor were on the increase, bidders were
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THE SECOND SEPARATION
scarce, and the voters were driven to look for . another system.
To purchase the simplest article of wearing apparel called for a vote in town meeting. The matter would be discussed pro and con, rules of parliamentary procedure would be strictly ad- hered to, while the question before the house was whether Joseph Cobb should be given a contract to make a pair of shoes for Patience Pratt for six shillings. At the first town meeting of Car- ver it was voted that the poor be continued in the hands of those who bid them in at the last Plymp- ton town meeting. By the effect of this vote "Isaker Fuller was to keep the Cole woman until Fall at the rate she was bid off in May," "James Vaughan was to keep a woman named Robbins until Fall meeting for one shilling and four pence per week," while the Selectmen were authorized to agree upon terms for which Joseph Robbins should keep Elisabeth Boardman and how much he should give for the improvement of her es- tate. Among other Town ordinances illustrating this system of caring for the poor were these: The town would assist Amaziah King to build a chimney ; Thankful Bumpus' child was left in the hands of the Selectmen "to see that it was not abused;" Edward Stetson was authorized to keep Isaac King until he was twenty-one with "the Town's allowing him twenty dollars for his trouble;" a family was ordered to stay with "his wife's brother in Middleboro;" a ward was voted two dollars and a barrel of herrings to assist him in supporting his family; the Selectmen must see
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HISTORY OF CARVER
if they can get Cuffy Collins kept for what the Town receives from the State; Samuel Lucas could draw $3.92 for finding an indigent woman a pair of shoes, a gound, a petticoat and two shirts ; the Selectmen were authorized to bind out Lydia King until she was eighteen. Such were the troublesome questions that came before the town meetings of the early days.
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