USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Essex > History of the town of Essex : from 1634 to 1868 > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
" 1. They alleged that those farmers towards Wenham, were they that were meant by the General Court that they should be accommodated with us : we replied, that could not be, because the return from the General Court was
.
76
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 1.
that we should be accommodated amongst ourselves in the matter petitioned for, which was a meeting-house amongst ourselves, and we did not care how many neighbors joined with us, provided that we might have the means of grace amongst ourselves.
" 2. They alleged that the war was not yet past, and God's judgments were yet hanging over us, and the town was at great charge ;- to which we replied, that when we sought to have the means amongst ourselves, we looked at it as our duty, and therefore, when the judgments of God were amongst us, that it was rather an argument to stir us up to our duty than to lie under the omission of it : neither would we put the town to charge, either to erect our meeting-house, or maintain our minister.
" 3. They alleged we belonged to the town, and, therefore, were obliged to help the town to bear the charges, and they could not spare our money ; to which we replied, that they alleged at the General Court, that we paid but 17 or 18 pounds to the ministers of Ipswich, and there were three ministers to whom the town paid 200 pounds per annum, and if the town would sup- ply us with one of them, we would pay one of them 50 pounds towards his maintenance yearly. Then they replied, that could not be, and that our want was only in the winter, and if we could get a minister to preach to us in the winter, they would free us from paying to the ministers in the town, in the winter season, and we should come to the public worship in the town in the summer, and pay there.
" This last proposition was the most rational and candid that we have yet ob- tained : which hath been a grand encouragement in calling a minister to ac- commodate us this last winter season ; though we are now considered heinous transgressors in so doing.
"4. They alleged, that the Rev. Mr. Hubbard, their teacher, was gone to England, and they desired us to wait till he came home again : we answered, the direction from the General Court came a considerable time before the Rev. Mr. Hubbard took his voyage to England ; yet if they would engage to supply us as soon as the Rev. Mr. Hubbard came from England, we were willing patiently to wait : which we have done; but as yet feel no relief. Thus having applied ourselves to the Honored General Court, who seriously recommended our case to the town of Ipswich, and they referring the agita- tion of our case to the Selectmen, and they making a proposition to us to pro- vide a minister for the winter, and the extremity of the winter season putting us upon great inconveniences, in regard of our attending public worship in the town, whereupon, we were put upon a kind of necessity to seek for re- lief, if possibly we could obtain the means amongst ourselves ; and, accord- ingly we applied ourselves to Mr. Shepard to help us in our present exigency, till the winter season was over, engaging to pay our wonted dues to the town as formerly, as also to recompense Mr. Shepard for his labors. We applied ourselves to him January 1, 1678. Mr. Shepard taking our motion into con-
77
1634-1700.]
VINDICATION OF PROCEEDINGS.
sideration, and after some space of time we desiring his answer, he told us he was willing to see his way clear, and therefore desired us to consult with those that were betrusted with the affairs of the town, that he might understand how they approved of our proceedings : whereupon, some of the principal of our inhabitants, who had the betrustment of this affair, obtained a meeting of the Selectmen, January 9, 1678 : they desired liberty to call a minister to preach with us at Chebacco, and having permission from the Seleetmen, none of them contradicting our motion, they again applied themselves to Mr. Shepard, importuning him to help us, according to our former request : we obtained his labors, and were willing to encourage ourselves that we should still enjoy him ; comforting ourselves in this, that we hoped we should obtain both the pity and favor of this Honored General Court, and accord- ingly we put ourselves in a posture for the entertaining the gospel, and were willing to lay aside our self-interests, that we might build a house for the worship of God. which we were the more vigorous in, by reason that we had experienced much, in a little time, of the sweetness and good of that privilege in enjoying the means amongst ourselves, whereby the generality of our inhabi- tants could comfortably attend the public worship of God; of which some hundreds do not, nor, with convenience, can attend the publie worship at town ; and of so considerable a number of the inhabitants as are amongst us, searce fifty persons the year throughout, do attend the publie worship of God on the Sabbath days. The house that we have been busied about, for the place of public worship, was ever intended for such an end, always with this provisal, that this Honored Court do authorize the same, or countenance our proceedings therein : if not, we shall ever own ourselves loyal subjects to au- thority ; and therefore the same is erected upon a propriety, that if this Ilon- ored Court see not meet to favor our proceedings, we may turn our labors to our best advantage. . This Honored Court may further be informed that after we had enjoyed the benefit of Mr. Shepard's labors for some considerable time, a man of principal worth in the town, sent a letter to him, which signified that offence was taken at our proceedings, which letter has date, February 19, 1678, which Mr. Shepard gave us information of, the Sabbath day following, and ever since hath desisted preaching amongst us,-and information was given thereof to our Reverend Elders at town ; yet, notwithstanding, a com- plaint was exhibited against us at the Honored Court of Assistants, March 4, 1678, which signified that Mr. Shepard still continued preaching, and we prosecuting our desires, resolving to enforce our demands : whereas Mr. Shepard had for a considerable time before desisted preaching, and we re- solving to quiet ourselves with the determination of this Honored Court in reference to our proceedings : and whereas we are complained of to the Hon- ored Court of Assistants, as persons of more unpeaceable spirits than those that reside in the other Hamlet, wherein, as is asserted, are persons of worth, &e., which yet are so ingenuous as to be quiet hitherto, and not to seek
78
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 1. .
a rending of themselves from the body :- to which we might reply, that the worthiness of our neighbors in the other hamlet, should not cause us to dero- gate from the worth of our poor souls, nor prevent us from laboring after the ordinary means of salvation : and whereas their ingenuousness is applauded for not seeking a rending of themselves from the body, we hope our ingen- uousness may merit a recommendation of the like nature, who do abhor a rending away either from the church or town of Ipswich, as the town will be sensible of by our rational and fair propositions : and whereas it is asserted in the complaint that we have acted contrary to our agreement with, and en- gagement to the town, April 11, 1678, we reply that we are utterly ignorant of any engagement, and therefore admire that our neighbors should render us so scandalous in the face of the country : but we hope we may with all good conscience plead our innocency in this and all other reflections that are cast upon us. These things we desire to leave with this Honored Court, as a dec- laration of our cause, and a vindication of our innocency, and are ready far- ther to inform this Honored Court in what they may please to demand, or in what may be alleged against our proceedings."
The Court, or rather the Council, notwithstanding this able and unanswerable vindication, decided that Chebacco should desist from all further proceedings in this matter, and sent to our fathers an order to this effect. But before they received this order, "The sills of the meeting-house were laid in Mr. William Cogswell's land, and the timber in place ready to raise."
RAISING THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSE.
" While we were in this great conflict, that all things seemed to act against us, some women, without the knowl- edge of their husbands, and with the advice of some men, went to other towns, and got help, and raised the house, that we intended for a meeting-house, if we could get liberty."* This was in the Spring of 1679.
This bold and decisive act of the good women, though without the knowledge of their husbands, we may be sure was not done without much previous whispering and pri- vacy among themselves. We may suppose they had a social visit at Mrs. Varney's, just opposite the corner,-the
* Records, p. 18.
79
RAISING THE MEETING-HOUSE.
1634-1700.]
site of the intended meeting-house,-on the afternoon of the day before the raising, to talk over matters, and see what they could do to help their husbands out of this trouble. It was only a neighborly visit, though some of them were from distant parts of the town.
If you had stood that afternoon at what is now the corner of Colonel J. P. Choate's lane, you would have seen them coming upon their saddles and blankets from over the river, across the horse bridge, and from the Falls, and from the North End, wrapped in their riding hoods, to protect them from the chilling blasts of Spring, and with countenances betokening important business in hand. As they reach the corner, they cast an inquisitive eye upon the timber, lying in exact order upon the ground in Mr. Cogswell's field, and seeming to invite some skillful, if not fair hands, to raise them up and give them union, beauty, and strength. They are soon dismounted at Mrs. Varney's door, and housed in her best room. It is an important meeting, and well attended, though got up without any public notice. Let not the men any longer say that women cannot keep a secret, for the whole is planned, and will be executed without the knowledge of their husbands. Let not the men any longer think that they can build a church, or fit it up, without the knowl- edge and concurrence of the women. As men are not invited to this social gathering, we cannot, of course, be present, and have no means of knowing what discussions were had, or what votes were passed. But we guess that all the various difficulties and objections in the way of their arduous enterprise, were freely talked over, and that, when one spoke of the danger of offending the Great and General Court, another bright mind and spark- ling eye, suggested that the Court had not said a word about the women, and only forbidden the men doing any thing further in this matter. Another eloquent tongue remarked, that the order sent by the Court, mentioned
80
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHIAP. 1.
only Chebacco men. They had good friends in Glouces- ter and Manchester, who could come and raise the house without any danger. We guess that Mrs. Martin, and Mrs. Goodhue, and Mrs. Varney, were appointed, or men- tioned, or volunteered, to be a board of managers to go,- one to Gloucester precinct, the other two to Manchester, to raise men, and bring them on to the ground the next day. For, early the next morning, Mrs. Varney, mounted on the old family horse, with Mrs. Goodhue behind, and their hired man Chub, on another horse, to protect them, and Abraham Martin and his wife on another, were seen riding together, over the horse bridge, and returning be- fore noon, with parties of men from Manchester, and the " precinct," and conducting them to the timber in the corner of Mr. Cogswell's field. Nothing is said by the Chebacco folks: but with great alacrity and cheer, their neighbors go to work, and join timber to timber, and fasten joint to joint, and soon a whole broadside is seen going up ; and by and by another; and no stop, no stay, till the ridge-pole is in its place, and then three hearty cheers indicate that the work is done. Many women upon horses had already arrived, with well filled sacks pending from their saddles, the contents of which they deposit at Mrs. Varney's. Their kind neighbors from abroad are invited to the supper, without any other en- trance fee than the good frame they have been in. The tables are spread with a suitable variety of edibles ; among which there is a plenty of good tongue. Chebacco men are scarce that day, so the good neighbors have to be thanked for their labor of love by the ladies alone.
On the next Tuesday, the constable came down from Ipswich, with the following warrant from "our Honored Major General :"
"To the Constable of Ipswich :- You are hereby required to attach the body of Abraham Martin, and John Chub, and bring them before me on Tuesday next, about one of the clock, to answer for their contempt of au-
·
81
ACTION OF THE COURT.
1634-1700.]
thority in helping to raise a meeting-house at Chebacco. You are also, at the same time to bring with you the wife of William Goodhue, the wife of Thomas Varney, and the wife of Abraham Martin, for procuring, or abetting and encouraging the raising the said house : and so make return hereof under your hand."
They were accordingly tried in Ipswich, and found guilty, and bound over to the next court in Salem.
ACTION OF THE GENERAL COURT AND ITS COMMITTEE.
But the General Court, having cognizance of the case, at their session, May 28, 1679, ordered that they appear at Salem Court, and make their acknowledgment in these words, viz :
" That they are convinced that they have ofended in soe doeing, for which they are sorry, and pray it may be forgiven them, and soe to be dismissed without any farther trouble, charge, or attendance, in that respect, or farther attendance on the councell for that theire offence. Attests, Edward Rawson, Secretary."
This Court also chose a committee, consisting of Joseph Dudley, Richard Waldron, Anthony Stoddard, William Jonson, and Henry Bartholomew, for the settlement of the business of Chebacco, touching the place of public worship amongst them, and the settlement of a minister. This committee sat here the 23d of July, 1679, and heard the statement of a delegation from Ipswich, that the town and the church were satisfied with the acknowledgment made by those active in raising the meeting-house, and heard also the reasons presented by them for removing Chebacco meeting-house nearer the centre of Ipswich, to accommodate the people at the farms. But the committee, in their decision, say, that "though a removal of the house farther toward Ipswich, might accommodate some more of the inhabitants, and farmers of said town, yet as the people here are competent to support a minister by them- selves, and the proposed removal of the house would greatly discommode those living at the head, and over the
11
82
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 1.
river of Chebacco; therefore, the place where the house now standeth, be, and is, hereby allowed by us; and they have liberty to proceed to the finishing of said meeting- house." The committee further say :
" Respecting the settlement of an able, pious, and orthodox minister among them, for the due management of the worship of God, we find, by a paper presented to us, that they greatly desire the settlement of Mr. Shepard, as their minister, but as he hath not professed his subjection to the order of the gospel amongst us, in joining to any particular Congregational Church, we see not reason at present to advise Mr. Shepard's preaching or settlement amongst them."
We see here a continuance of the same fear which manifested itself in the first settlement of the colony, that Episcopacy, or some other church power, should gain the ascendency, and triumph over civil freedom. As Congre- gationalism was purely democratic, it excited no fears, and was ardently cherished. The committee farther advised the people here, seriously to consider, with invocation of God's name, of some meet person, learned, able and pious, to manage the public worship of God amongst them, and to report to them between that and the day before the meeting of General Court, in October following. At that time, a delegation from this place, appeared before the committee, and stated, that for want of time, or some other considerations, Mr. Shepard had not complied with their advice ; but that their desires were. still towards him. Upon which, the committee appointed the 2d Tuesday in April, 1680, for a further hearing of this matter. . At that meeting, the delegation of this place presented to the above committee, Mr. John Wise, as one in whom they were unanimously agreed to be their pastor, and who was approved and accepted by the committee.
Mr. Shepard doubtless left Chebacco, July, 1679, ac- cording to the advice of the committee; otherwise the people here would have become offenders by employing him, and would have been summoned to Court as such. Mr. Shepard was the son of Rev. Thomas Shepard, of
-
83
FIRST MEETING-HOUSE.
1634-1700.]
Cambridge. He was graduated at Harvard College, 1669. After leaving this place, he was settled in Lynn, and con- tinued in the ministry there 41 years, being eminent in his profession.
SITE AND DESCRIPTION OF THE MEETING-HOUSE.
After leave obtained of the Court, our ancestors doubt- less proceeded to finish the meeting-house, in part, at least, that same Summer and Autumn. As the site of this first house of worship is a matter of doubt with some, we give the following facts, which show that it must have been the lot of land now covered by the house and barn of Cap- tain Joseph Choate.
The people here petitioned the town, February, 1679, for leave to set this house on the common land, by Thomas Varney's which was opposite to where Captain Choate's house now is. This being refused, " The sills were laid," says the record, " on said William Cogswell's land, and the timber in place ready to raise." *
At a parish meeting, August, 1693, it was voted that the two short seats in the meeting-house be given to Wil- liam Cogswell and his heirs, on condition that he, or they, give to the parish a legal assurance of land under said house and adjoining. Mr. Cogswell's land extended from the head of the lane, which is now Spring street, to the head of the lane leading by Colonel Choate's house, then the road to Gloucester.
The north-western corner of his field, (now Captain Joseph Choate's house-lot,) was near to that lot on the common, or parsonage, which our fathers selected, but which the town would not grant. It was the most cen- tral, as the corner where three roads met. The deed of Captain Choate's house lot, recognizes the fact of its hav- ing been owned by Adam Cogswell, a son of William, and gives the dimensions thirteen rods by three, which were suitable for a meeting-house lot.
* Records, p. 12.
84
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. ].
The record says that the site of that first meeting- house was four and a half miles from Ipswich meeting- house, which is precisely the distance of Captain Choate's house, to Ipswich north church.
When the author came here, forty years ago, there were several aged people living, whose fathers and mothers had worshiped in the first house, (as late as 1719,) and whose testimony was, that it stood on the site of Captain Choate's house, which in their younger days was called Meeting-House Hill.
. The second house, built in 1719, was fifty-two feet by forty-two. From which we may conclude, that the first house was somewhere about forty-two by thirty-six. It faced the west, as we learn from the record; had two doors in front, with wooden latches, and “ good and suffi- cient strings" for lifting the latches. There were gal- leries on three sides of the house : the pulpit stood on the eastern side, opposite to the doors, with a solid and ele- vated sounding-board, over the head of the preacher, and a handsome cushion for the Bible. Only two or three pews were built at first; the rest of the floor of the house was covered by long and short seats : the same in the gal- leries. A turret was built on the centre of the house, " after the fashion, and in the proportions of the turret in Andover." In this turret a bell was hung. The salary of the sexton, for ringing the bell, and sweeping the house, and setting the bason with water for baptizing, was 20s., and freedom from parish taxes.
SELECTMEN-MODE OF SEATING THE CONGREGATION.
The committee of the parish were styled, the .Select- men of Chebacco. Their stated business was to assess the tax for the support of the minister, and for defraying other parish expenses. Occasionally, they were instructed to see that the pulpit cushion was repaired, that the broken glass in the windows was mended, and the strings of the
85
MODE OF SEATING.
1634-1700.]
doors kept in order, that they might be easily shut and opened.
After the house was so far finished as to be convenient for public worship, a committee was chosen "to dignify the seats ;" with instructions to begin at the centre seats, as first in dignity, and account the others more or less honorable, as they approached to, or receded from, the centre. . Annually, a committee was chosen to seat the people in the more or less honorable seats, according to the amount of taxes which they paid, or the offices which they filled. If the reader is surprised at these aristocratic notions in our ancestors, they may find some apology for them in the fact that they came from a land of aristocracy ; or perhaps a better apology in the fact that something of the same custom prevails at this day ; with this difference only, that people now choose for themselves more or less costly seats, as best suits their own notions, and thus dig- nify their own seats. In our fathers' days, the assignment to a lower seat by the committee, because one did not pay so much as his neighbors, never gave satisfaction and there were not unfrequent rebellions against the lawful authori- ties on this account, though the practice continued for many years.
The parish vote that the Selectmen cause posts to be set round the house, that Mr. Cogswell's fence may not be damnified by the tying of horses. Several flat rocks with steps, were, according to the custom of the day, placed in convenient position for mounting the horses.
DEDICATION OF THE HOUSE. .
Everything in and about the house being thus arranged, and Mr. Wise, whom they had chosen to settle with then, having arrived, April, 1680, measures are taken for the dedication of the house to the service of God. It is on Wednesday, the day usually selected for ordinations and dedications. The occasion, as a matter of course, excites much interest among the people here, who begin early in
86
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHIAP. 1.
the day to prepare for attendance. Their neighbors in .Manchester and Gloucester West Parish, who raised the house, we may well suppose, were there, and many of their friends with them.
We will go to the North End, and attend the dedication. As you approach the house, you see many collected, and many others coming, some on foot, and some on horseback. The posts are all occupied with horses, and Mr. Cogswell is so exhilarated with the day, that he will not complain if his fence suffers a little by the many that are fastened thereto. Standing opposite to the house, you look up and see a plain two story building, with a double row of dia- mond glass windows, and a turret on the middle of the ridge-pole. The sharp sound of the bell tells you that the hour of service is near at hand; you walk up to one of the doors, and enter by pulling the string which hangs gracefully down. A side aisle is before you, and you are shown to the strangers' seats. Before the service begins, you notice the appearance of the inside of the church ; above, all is open to the roof; the beams and rafters are of solid white oak. The boarding of the roof is new, and not yet occupied with the spiders' webs and swallows' nests. The walls above the galleries are not yet plastered. You look for the singers' seats, but such a thing is not even imagined. All that can sing in the house, are "the singers." The pulpit is plain, but lofty, with a spacious window behind, and a massive sounding-board above, to prevent the voice of the speaker from ascending to the ridge-pole. In front of the pulpit is a high seat, or pew, for the deacons, and a pew by the side of the pulpit for the minister's family. The deacon's seat is empty, as the church is not yet organized. One suitable to fill the office of deacon, is chosen by the parish, to read the psalm or hymn, and pitch the tune. As you glance at the audience, you see the women by themselves on the short seats, on both sides of the house. They are covered with thin hoods and short cloaks. The gentlemen on the long seats in the
87
REV. MR. WISE.
1634-1700.]
middle of the house are clad in homespun coats and deer- skin small clothes, blue or gray stockings, with shoes and broad buckles. The whole presents to you a very ancient appearance, as yours will to posterity, two hundred years hence. But soon the minister enters and ascends the pul- pit. Mr. Wise is a tall, stout man, majestic in appearance, of great muscular strength ; his voice is deep and strong ; his sermon is adapted to the occasion ; and by appropriate, fervent prayer, he consecrates the house to God. The singing is apparently by the whole assembly, and though not of the most refined kind, it is hearty and strong. Books are scarce in that day, so the psalm is read for sing- ing, one line at a time. After the benediction the numer- ous audience, interested, and, perhaps, edified by the ser- vices, retire from the sanctuary ; when all the friends from abroad are cordially invited by the people here, to go with them to their homes to partake of the rich repast, which had been previously made ready.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.