USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > History of the town of Douglas, (Massachusetts,) from the earliest period to the close of 1878 > Part 7
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The third article, which empowered the Legislature to require each town to maintain institutions of public worship, was accepted conditionally, with an amendment, and the wisdom of the people here manifested is apparent when we learn that such an amend- ment as was proposed was adopted subsequently by the concur- rence of the requisite number of voters throughout the State. The ninth article, providing for the free election of all officers, was rejected by thirteen majority. Previously a property qualification was necessary to enable a man to vote in public affairs, and the people preferred to adhere to this principle rather than venture any new experiment. In this their wisdom was not so apparent. The twenty-ninth article, providing for the appointment of judges to hold office's during good behavior, was rejected by an emphatic majority, twenty-six votes being cast in the negative.
The constitution was considered at a subsequent meeting, when all the voters were present, all of whom concurred in the four arti- cles relating to Legislative powers. The first, second, and fifth of the Senate articles were rejected, and all of them have been since amended. The third and fourth articles, relating to the House of Representatives, were also rejected. The first article, conferring Executive powers, which made a man ineligible to the office of Governor unless he should declare himself to be of the Christian religion, was adopted with a recommendation that the word " Prot- estant " be substituted for "Christian ;" and an amendment was also suggested to the tenth article conditionally upon its adoption. The remainder of the Constitution was accepted without opposi- tion, and Eliphas Stearns, a delegate to the convention, was au- thorized to use his judgment in expressing the will of the people as to when its provisions should go into effect.
CHAPTER IX.
TOWN ACTION ON EDUCATION.
N the subject of schools the earliest recorded action of the town occurs in 1748. Among the items of business transacted at this meeting is the following :
" Voted, That a choole be kept three months in ye summer season." This leaves it fairly to be in- ferred that previously the town had given this mat- ter a good share of public attention, though the record on that point has not been preserved. This becomes all the more probable from the fact that at least one school-house appears already to have been built, and which was used for almost all purposes of a public nature until the meeting- house was finished, which was at this date in process of comple- tion.
This pioneer school-building was located in what was subse- quently known as the Center Village, at that time a very sparsely- settled neighborhood, surrounded by a dense forest, marked only here and there by a house or cultivated field. And it should go upon this page of our town's history, as a wholesome fact for the attention of the scholars of our day, that to such a lonely spot as . this must necessarily have been did those brave and hardy boys and girls daily travel to and fro, making what would now be called impracticable journeys, so far as distance merely is concerned, and along the most difficult trails through the woods besides, - and all for the privilege of receiving instruction in " reading, writ- ing and reckoning " only !
The very next year shows the most commendable advance in this direction of full one hundred per cent., the inhabitants in town-meeting assembled voting that the school be kept during six
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HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
months of the year ; and a committee, consisting of Seth Marsh, Caleb Hill and Samuel Dudley, was chosen to carry out this vote.
In 1750 a vote is recorded " to sell ye school lot lying by ye meeting-house to ye hiest bider, at six pounds (old tenor) per- acre !" The only explanation of this singularly-worded vote must be that the auctioneer was enjoined from selling the property at anything less than the £6 per acre. But however the fact may have been, nothing whatever appears on the record indicative either of hostility or indifference to the educational plan so well initiated. So far from this, it was voted the next year after this. order of sale that " ye school money be invested."
In 1752 a vote is recorded as follows :
" Voted, To have a reading school kept six months in ye sev- eral parts of ye town ; " and £2 2s. 8d. were appropriated for the support of the same. The query presents itself, whether this style- of school was not on the principle of our modern spelling-schools, itinerating from one house to another, since there could not have been at this date the requisite number of school buildings "in ye several parts of ye town," in which to hold them. School-houses were erected, however, from time to time in different sections of the town, as the necessities of the people required, and the territory was subsequently divided into " squares," or " school districts," as they afterwards came to be designated. The town also voted this same year (1752) " not to sell a tract of land given by ye proprietors of Shearburn for ye benefit of a school." In 1753 this vote was countermanded, and propositions which were made, to see what the town would do about a school, were passed over.
In 1754 were granted £6, lawful money, for the support of a school, and the Selectmen were authorized to determine its loca- tion.
In 1757 there were £10 appropriated " for ye support of schools. to be set up in five parts of ye town."
On the 27th of October, 1760, at a town-meeting held in the meeting-house, Capt. Caleb Hill, Capt. David White, and Jede- diah Phipps were authorized to sign a warranty deed in behalf of the town, conveying to the purchasers the school land that had been sold by auction. At the same time Joseph Balcome made application for the purchase of a portion of the meeting-house lot lying on the south side of the county road. The terms of sale hav-
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TOWN ACTION ON EDUCATION.
ing been agreed upon, a committee was chosen to make the con- veyance.
A division of the town into five sections, or " squadrons," took place in March, 1764, for the double purpose of establishing per- manent schools and organizing the able-bodied males into military companies. In each of these sections the inhabitants were re- quired to build and keep in repair suitable school-houses, and com- missions were issued to suitable persons to enroll, equip and com- mand the militia.
In 1774 there were six squadrons, and the town voted the sum of £125 (old tenor) to build and repair the school-houses in the several squadrons. A committee was chosen to divide the money according to the valuation of each squadron, consisting of Caleb Whitney, Wm. Dudley, and Robert Humes for the 1st squadron ; John Emerson, Edward Aldrich, Joseph Thayer, Esq., 2d squad- ron ; Benj. Wallis, Ezra Whiting, Jedediah Bigelow, 3d squadron ; Caleb Hill, Isaac Martin, John Brown, 4th squadron ; Thomas Ful- ler, Jeremiah Whiting, James Hill, 5th squadron ; Joshua Fair- banks, Benj. Walker, Lovell Pulsifer, 6th squadron.
In the northeasterly squadron, now known as District No. 10, preparations were made to build a school-house, Dea. Jeremiah Whiting, Thomas Fuller and Jona. Stockwell being a committee to provide the necessary material. A new house was also built in the Center squadron (District No. 1), at an expense of £70 5s. 1d., a substantial brick building taking the place of the old one, which was sold by auction to Ezra Whitney, and an appropriation was made for building a house in Caleb Hill's squadron, now the East Village.
The cost of schooling in Douglas between the years 1747 and 1770 ranged from £2 to £20 annually, and on occasional years nothing whatever was appropriated for this purpose. The school lands given by the proprietors of Sherborn and Dr. Wm. Douglas were sold off as fast as purchasers applied for them, and the pro- ceeds of such sales were placed upon interest ; and in 1763 the in- terest accrued was sufficient, with the addition of only £3, to com- fortably support five schools in as many different parts of the town. Jedediah Phipps was one of those who located on the school land, and the tract purchased by him brought the sum of £3 16s., which went to swell the proportions of the school fund.
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HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
Nathaniel Fry Marsh was chosen Town Clerk in 1782, and held the office for a number of succeeding years. The Selectmen chosen at the same time were Eliphas Stearns, Caleb Whiting and Jona. Whipple. Population had gradually but slowly increased, and as families became more numerous more attention was given to school matters. Schools multiplied all over the town, and the money raised for their support reached as high as £60. Frequent changes were made in the boundaries of squadrons, to accommo- date this or that family, and new ones were established. In 1782 a new squadron was formed, which included Joseph Cummings, Samuel Lee, John Fuller, Comfort Martin, Jesse Briggs, Jonathan Stearns, Ephraim Lec, Jacob Southwick, David Hayward, Beza- Jeel Gould, Eleazer Gould, James Hayward, and Eleazer Gould, Jr. Richard Howell and Elijah Moore were annexed to the Center squadron, and a number of persons known as Friends, were set off as a squadron by themselves.
In olden times school districts were not known by numbers, as at present. We have given in a previous chapter information concerning all the districts, including the names by which they were commonly designated, but these names were modified in some cases by subsequent events. When the forge was established in East Douglas, District No. 3 was called the "Forge District," and at the same time No. 7 was called the " East Indies."
The amount appropriated for schooling in 1793 was £40, and in the following year £50. The amount of notes in the treasury, the interest of which was used for schooling, was £127 16s. 5d. Paul Dudley was set off to the Center district, and Eleazer Gould to the Walker district, in 1794.
The interest taken by the people of Douglas in educational affairs, between the years 1790 and 1800, and the measures adopted for the support of public schools, may be learned from the follow- ing summary from the records :
In November of the first-mentioned year three persons were chosen in each district to " set up and regulate schools," and no money was allowed to be paid out of the treasury for school pur- poses except upon their order. Previously the Selectmen had performed the duties of school committee, and as this was the first experiment of the town in appointing committees exclusively for this purpose, we give the names of the gentlemen chosen :
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TOWN ACTION ON EDUCATION.
Center District - Lieut. Elijah Moore, Capt. Caleb Whiting, Capt. Aaron Benson.
Squire Whitney District - Lieut. Benj. Wallis, Jr., Ensign Benj. Dudley, Ezra Whitney, Esq.
Dea. Whiting District - Aaron Marsh, David Chase, John Bal- come.
Southwest District -Joseph Parker, Abner Yates, Capt. Emerson.
Capt. Wallis District - Capt. David Wallis, Paul Dudley, Elijah Smith.
Moses Hill District - Lieut. Nathaniel Brown, Ezra French, Job Knapp.
Thayer District - Thad. Thayer, John Baker, Jonah Brown.
Friend District - Daniel Aldrich, David Mowry, Aaron Ald- rich.
New District - Comfort Lee, Abel Cummings, Eleazer Gould.
Benj. Walker District - Benjamin Walker, Lieut. John Thayer, Lieut. Samuel Amidon.
Various persons who had purchased pews in the meeting-house gave their notes to the town in payment therefor, and these notes were applied to the benefit of schools. Some difficulty in collect- ing the money led to numerous vexatious lawsuits, and in more than one instance the notes were surrendered, and the ownership of pew property restored to the town, thus reducing the amount from this source intended for the support of schools. This was by no means the only appropriation for this purpose, for the amount granted annually in addition by the town was not less than £40.
In March, 1791, the Whitney and Wallis districts were united, retaining the boundaries by which two years before they were known as the "South Squadron," and were divided by "Baiting Pond Brook." In the year 1799 a school-house was built at Wallum Pond Hill, by Emer Bowen, at an expense of $135, one in the Benj. Walker district, at an expense of $167, and another in the New District, at a cost of $137.
CHAPTER X.
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
N the 11th of November, 1747, Rev. Wm. Phipps (or Phips, as it was often written), the first minister in town, was ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational Church at Douglas, and at the same time a number of persons from Sutton and else- where united with the Church. The meeting-house had been commenced at this early day, and was then partially finished, but, if we may believe the records, it was not fully completed until 1789, though it was probably occupied in the year 1748, or possibly earlier than this. It is almost incredible that a period of forty-two years should elapse between the time of laying the foundation stones and the completion of the building. But we must not forget that in those days of log-houses the building of a framed meeting-house was an undertaking of no small magnitude. And it is an interesting note of the spirit of those times that in the warrant for a legal meeting in a neighboring town which contained nine articles, seven of them had reference to the meeting-house.
The salary allowed to the minister was of a very uncertain char- acter, judging from the following entry on the records : " Ye Des- trict allowed mr. Phipp's sallary at fourtin shillings per bushel for this present year." Money was a scarce article in those days, and in its stead some staple product of the town was used to repre- sent money, its value being always determined by a vote of the people. Probably the greed of gain was as strong then as now, but the straightened circumstances of the great body of the peo- ple rendered intolerable any such thing as " cornering the mar- ket." Corn was generally adopted as currency, and this was
Lowell Pulsiphen Daniel Jambon Belebttill I Benj Dudley Aaron Wallis Cullen. Whipple John Mayer James Forwell Job Kneep JeMoly Hilpar on Benjon Hace Sione David Hohmann Knar Math Carpenter B haagin_ Welcome Whipple
Aaron Marsh Samuel Balcone
ThethinSouth worth
Jaherm Legge~ Ere hned Preston
Mannen Hummer
Amon A. Wallis Elijah Biglow & Knowlton, e
6. Hutchins Summen Bolcom Nulchinos
Andrew Mitchell
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HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
probably paid to the minister, a bushel representing fourteen shil- lings (old tenor). It was also decided, at the same time of adopt- ing this standard of value, " to come into some methord of glazing ye meeting-house and laying ye flowers and dores," which shows. more clearly still the great scarcity of money which prevailed.
Work on the meeting-house had lagged during the harvesting season, but now it was decided to go on and complete the edifice, and considerable energy must have been thrown into the under- taking, for in 1771 - eleven years thereafter - the plastering was. done, and seats were put into the gallery. The work was performed mostly by Caleb Whitney, for which he received the sum of £12.
At the annual meeting, March 9, 1761, Capt. Caleb Hill, Ben- jamin Wallis, Edward Aldrich, Win. Dudley, and Ezra Whitney were chosen Selectmen, and Jedediah Phipps Town Clerk. Mr. Phipps' successor was William Dudley, who held the office seven- teen consecutive years.
Heretofore the minister had been engaged for a term of seven years at a time, but, owing to numerous misunderstandings in re- lation to the salary, the plan was adopted of hiring him by the year, and the price to be paid for preaching the gospel was deter- mined annually. An attempt was made to reduce the amount pre -- viously allowed Mr. Phipps, but he refused to submit to a reduc- tion, for the reason that he contemplated the offering of pecuniary assistance to his needy neighbors, and this he could not do if his. income was reduced. As this fact became more fully known it is quite to the credit of the citizens that the record goes on to state that the whole amount of his former salary (£53 6s. 9d.) was made up to him, and he renounced the intention of severing his connec- tion with the parish, which it seems he had cherished. A similar sum was granted for his support each year, until, in the spring of 1765, a reduction was again made. Mr. Phipps now renewed his previously expressed determination, and informed his parishioners. that, unless the vote to reduce his salary was reconsidered, he desired to terminate his engagement with the town. He also de- manded, if dismissed, that a sufficient sum should be granted to recompense him for the expense and trouble of moving from the place, and for the delay which would ensue in his procuring a new settlement. Accordingly, on the 17th of June, it was ordained that the relation between Mr. Phipps as pastor, and the district of
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CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
Douglas as a people, should be dissolved, and £60 were allowed to meet his demand for damages.
There were a number of persons in town who professed the faith of the Baptists, and who naturally objected to being taxed for the support of Congregational preaching. For several years they had submitted to the tax under protest, but by continually agitating their grievances in town-meeting they secured the desired exemption in 1770, and were permitted to contribute of their means for the support of such denominational religion as their consciences approved. Their final success encouraged a number of professed Quakers to make a like demand, and in 1771 the era of religious freedom began. The minister tax was not, however, abolished, but only levied upon those who acknowledged adherence to none other than Congregational doctrines.
The money raised from the sale of pews in the meeting-house had been placed in a bank, with the intention of using it to keep the building in repair, but when it was proposed to use a portion of it to pay the expense of new shingles and clapboards the town refused to consent, and appropriated the whole amount, something over £85, for the support of schools. It was decided, however, that money due from pew-holders might be used for repairing the house, and subsequently the town made a small additional grant.
Judging from the facts presented, entire harmony did not pre- vail in the parish at this time, and the people seem to have been about evenly divided between adherence and opposition to the Church. The trouble continued during and beyond the ministry of Mr. Phipps, who was succeeded by Rev. Isaac Stone, and one of the items first appearing during Mr. Stone's pastorate is this : " The friends of the pastor, Rev. Mr. Stone, succeeded in securing the passage of a vote increasing his salary to £90, but the oppo- nents rallied and reduced it to £60 at the first opportunity."
Owing to the difficulty experienced by Rev. Mr. Stone in col- lecting his salary, in March, 1789, he asked for a dismissal from the pastorate, which the town at that time did not see fit to grant. Notwithstanding the delinquency of the people in meeting their obligations, a strong bond of sympathy and affection existed be- tween many of them and their pastor. There were some, however, who did not attempt to conceal their hostility to him, and whether this dislike was based upon reasonable cause must be determined
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HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
by what followed. It was decided to choose a committee to wait upon Mr. Stone to hear his reasons for urging a dismissal. The amount due him on account of salary was £325, besides £1 5s. for boarding the schoolnaster ; and to recover this sum suits had been brought against the town. When the case came up for trial the town allowed a default, and consented to pay all costs, upon con- dition that no further action should be taken. Mr. Stone con- sented to this arrangement, with a stipulation that the money should be paid him by the 1st of September following.
Very naturally the minister was anxious that some means might be adopted that would prevent this quarreling about his salary, and at the same time secure to him reasonable compensation for his services. Consequently, when the committee chosen by the town called upon him he submitted to them the following proposition as to the manner in which his future salary might be provided for : To the good people of Douglas :
GENTLEMEN : I inform you by your committee that if you think proper to continue me here in the ministry for a while longer, and it should be agreeable to you to purchase the Mr. Whiting place adjoining to my land, south of the great road, and give me a good deed of the same, I am willing utterly to relinquish salary grants after coming into possession of said land and building thereon. In this proposal I expect my salary to continue until I come into possession of said land and building thereon, if I continue to serve as minister of the town ; and, upon coming into possession in full of said land and building, I will fully discharge the town of Douglas from making any more salary grants in consideration of future services as my support as the minister. If I should not continue in the ministry here ten years from the time of my coming into possession of said premises, I hereby bind myself to give back of the sum the land costs in proportion to the time lacking of ten years from the time I come into possession. Further, I shall con- sider myself under equal obligation to do all the duties of a minister until I am regularly dismissed, as if I had an annual salary, agreeable to the original contract. I shall not expect any timber or wood shall be cut, but the premises shall remain as they now are. This from your friend and humble servant,
ISAAC STONE.
N. B. - Considering all circumstances, I feel willing to be reg-
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CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
ularly dismissed if you think best. I do not mean to be strenu- ous to stay with you or go from you. Yours affectionately,
ISAAC STONE.
The terms of this proposition seemed to be in every way satis- factory, and, after the matter had been considered in town-meeting, steps were taken to secure the property mentioned by purchase. Three gentlemen, one each from Uxbridge, Sutton and Oxford, were chosen appraisers, and named a price which Mr. Whiting refused to accept. The sum asked was £132, but it was finally agreed to.
Mr. Stone took possession of this place on the 1st of April, 1792, and gave the use of it to his son Moses. After the title was properly transferred he executed a bond releasing the town from any future salary grants, notwithstanding which he was allowed £85 that very year, a larger sum than ever before, and we do not learn that his salary was wholly discontinued at any time during his ministry. The settlement effected was a signal for many of the inhabitants to petition for an abatement of their min- ister rates, which in most cases was granted. In 1805 Rev. Isaac Stone was involved in new difficulties. He again asked for a dis- missal, because people were dissatisfied with him, and, as he said, "On me at this time hangs the displeasure of many, and no pros- pect remains that I can ever be useful to the town." The final disposition of his case will appear in its proper order in the follow- ing concise history of the society, furnished us by Rev. Mr. Dow, the present pastor :
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
This church was formed Nov. 11, 1747, with twenty-three members. The first house of worship was erected in the middle of the town, very near where the present Church edifice stands, and was dedicated in 1748. Mr. William Phipps, a native of Sher- born and a graduate of Harvard University, was ordained the first pastor, Dec. 16, 1747, and continued in office until July 10, 1765. Those were times of controversy, resulting in divisions. During his pastorate new settlers came into the town, and forty- seven were added to the Church. There were 205 baptisms. Tra- dition represents him as a faithful minister, though ardent in the
7
David Holman,
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CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
controversial spirit of the times. He was of vigorous mind, and patriotic on the public questions which agitated the colonies.
After the dismission of Rev. Mr. Phipps the people were with- out a pastor for six years, having, however, invited four to their pastorate, who declined, evidently on account of existing dissen- sions, common at the time.
Mr. Isaac Stone was ordained the next pastor, Oct. 30, 1771. He was a native of Shrewsbury and a graduate of Harvard Uni- versity. These were indeed troublous times in Church and State - times that " tried men's souls." Dissensions and divisions be- came more bitter ; yet better days evidently came afterward in Rev. Mr. Stone's long pastorate of thirty-four years. During his ministry sixty were added to the Church, and there were 215 bap- tisms. He continued to reside in town several years after his dis- mission, and then removed to Oxford, where he died.
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