USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > History of the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, comprising also a history of Lunenburg, from its first settlement to the year 1764 (1836) > Part 11
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He continued to reside here without any alleviation of his unfortunate infirmity, till May, 1804, when, being on a visit at the house of his brother in-law in Leominster, he put a period to his existence by first taking poison, and cutting his throat immediately after. In a lucid interval before his death
*'The bill for the entertainment of this council at the inn of Widow Hannah Cowdin is a curiosity in its way, and is as fol- lows-
"Fitchburg Nov. 11th, 1794.
"The Venerable Council's Bill.
2S meals of victuals at Is. Cd. $7,00
17 suppers " 15. - 2.83
17 breakfasts " ]s. - 2,83
34 dinners 6 1s. 6d. 8,50
9 suppers = 1s.
1,50
2 breakfasts 1s.
,33
10 lodgings Ad.
,54
Horse keeping
10,00
Liquor
7,50
$1,03.
"Rec'd. Pay't. Hannah Cowdin."
104
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
he expressed the most poignant grief for the act which he had had committed .* He died in the 59th year of hisage, and in the 36th of his ministry.
For about one year after this period Rev. John Kimball was employed to preach, and was invited to become the minister of the place, but the invitation was declined.
In Dec. 1795, an invitation given to Rev. John Miles to 'settle' was declined by him. In April, 1797, the church pro- posed to give Rev. Mr. Noyes a 'call,' but the town declined, and immediately proposed, by a vote of 43 to 21, Rev. Samu- el Worcester. The church concurred, and Mr. Worcester was ordained in Sept. 1797. He received a 'settlement' of $333, 33 the first year, and the same amount the second. His sala- ry was $333,33 per annum, with the improvement of the town's land. When either party wished to give up the contract, it was stipulated that it might be done by a mutual council. A majority of the people became dissatisfied with him in 1801, and the town was divided into three societies. The time which each should occupy the meeting house was determined by the proportion of taxes which they paid. By this rule the society
* The following is the inscription upon his tomb-stone, in the old grave yard of this town.
" SUB HOC TUMULO RELIQUIE REV. JOHANNIS PAYSON A. M. JACENT; OLIM ECCLESIA FITCHBURGENSIS PASTOR. QUI DIE MAJI XVIII ANNO DOMINI M. DCCCIV MORTUUS EST, ANNO ETATIS LIX ANNOQUE SUI SACERDOTII XXXVI. PRÆSTANTISSIMO VIR INGENIO BENEVOLENTISSIMOQUE ANIMO SCIENTIA PRÆDITOS, MANDATOQUE DIVINO FIDELIS, STUDIO EXERCITASIOQUE THEOLOGIE AMICO MONITU FAC BEQUE CHARITALIS DUCTUS POTIUSQUAM CONTENTIONI INANI PERSECUTIONIBU: QUE AVARITHE SORDIDIS.
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A SON ERECTS THIS MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF AN AF- TECTIONATE AND BELOVED FATHER."
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105
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
in the east part of the town occupied it 24 sabbaths, Mr. Wor- cester's society, 17 sabbaths, the society in the west, 8 sab- baths, and the Methodists & Baptists 3 sabbaths. In May, 1801, Mr. Worcester expressed a desire to be dismissed ; but he and the church claimed the sole right of appointing the council-which claim the town considered to be a violation of the contract of settlement. Accordingly, in August the town voted that they considered Mr. Worcester to be dismissed, and the contract null and void. By their order the doors of the meeting house were closed, and could not be opened except by order of the select men. In June, 1S02, Mr. Worcester was dismissed by the sanction of a regularly convened council, and his pastoral relations ceased in the following September.
At this time the two parties, into which the town was divi- ded, were much imbittered against each other, and the par- ochial powers of the town were soon dissolved. In the Spring of 1801, Rev. Titus Theodore Barton was installed as pastor over the one society, and shortly after, Rev. William Bascom became the pastor of the other.
Mr. Barton's church and society became discontented with him in 1812, in consequence of some indiscretions on his part, mingled with political feelings, and he was dismissed in Feb. 1813. Mr. Bascom's society then made overtures for a re-un- ion of the societies, which was effected near the close of the same year-Mr. Bascom himself, at the same time, requesting to be dismissed. The request was granted, and in 1815 he went to Leominster.
In June, 1814, the church invited Rev. Winthrop Bailey to become their pastor, but he declined in consequence of the op- position made to his settlement by a portion of the society.
Rev. William Eaton began to peach in Feb. 1815, and ' be- came the settled minister of the place in August of the same year. He was dismissed June 30th, 1823, at his own request -a considerable portion of his society not agreeing with him in religions sentiments. In October, 1823, the two societies separated from each other. Rev. Calvin Lincoln Jr. the pres- ent minister of the first society was ordained June 30th, 1821.
Rev. Rufus A. Putnamn was ordained over the "Calvinistic, Congregational Church" and Society in February, 1824, and was dismissed, at his own request, in March, 1831. Rev. John A. Albro was installed pastor of the same society in May, 1832, and was dismissed, at his own request, in December, 1834. Rev. Joshua Emery Jr. the present pastor, was or- dained in May, 1835.
The meeting house belonging to this society was built dur-
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13
106
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
ing the ministry of Rev. Mr. Barton, and was enlarged to its present size in 1828.
The Village Baptist society was formed in March, 1831, and incorporated in February, 1931. The meeting house was built in the Autumn of 1833. Rev. Appleton Morse was hired to preach in the Spring of 1831, and continued till Feb. 1834,- Rev. John W. McDonald was hired to preach from Dec. 1S34, to Nov. 1935. Rev. O. L. Lovell, the present preacher, com- menced in Jan. 1836.
The Methodist Society was formed in March, 1834. The first preacher was Rev. Joel Knight, who commenced .his la- bors in this place in June, 1834, and left in the autumn of 1835.
"The first Baptist Society of Fitchburg and Ashby"-which society has a meeting house* in the northern part of this town -was incorporated in June, 1810. Rev. Benjamin Tolman, a regularly ordained minister, has been the pastor of this soci- cty for a long period. This society belongs to the denomina- tion of those usually styled "Free-will Baptists," and has no connexion with the Baptist society, which formerly existed in the westerly part of the town. These latter were more proper- ly "Calvinistic Baptists." So early as 1757, "seventeen pro- fest Baptists" were exempted from paying any tax towards the support of Rev. Mr. Payson, as they had preaching among themselves. They continued to have preaching at intervals, till the strife respecting the location of the town meetinghouse had subsided. After that period, both the Methodists and Baptists in the west, gradually dwindled away, or united them- selves with societies in other towns.
It has not been thought necessary to descend into the partic- ulars of the unhappy difficulties, which this town has experi- enced, in its ecclesiastical affairs. The recital of them, at the present time, would prove to be rather painful than interesting, and perhaps an impartial account would give satisfaction to neither party. When it is recollected that these divisions commenced in the year 1800, during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Worcester, and continued, with more or less excitement till the ordinations of Rev. Messrs. Putnam and Lincoln, in 1824- during which period difficulty after difficulty arose, and coun-
"This meeting house is not far from the limits of Ashby, on the road leading to that town. It is small in size, and not very elegant in its appearance. The traveler, not informed of the purpose for which it was crected, would probably mistake it for a barn.
107
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
cil after council was called ; when more than one separation and union of the societies were effected, and when the church and parish frequently came into collision-it will be seen that a strictly impartial account of them would be a task of no small difficulty, and would extend the limits of this work much too far. It will be enough to state generally that angry feelings were frequently indulged to an inexcusable extent. Neighbor was divided against neighbor, family against famity, and some- times husband against wife. On one occasion, during the ministry of Mr. Worcester, a council was in session nearly a fortnight, and on another, two councils were convened at the same time.
If this excited state of feeling has now passed away, the writer would not incur the hazard of disturbing the calm by galling a tender wound.
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APPENDIX.
REPRESENCACITES.
I have thought that a complete list of the Representatives of this town, since the adoption of the Constitution, might pos- sess some interest. Previous to that period Fitchburg and Lunenburg formed one Representative district. During the period of the Revoluion, the Delegates from this town to the most important Conventions are mentioned in the body of this work.
1780, Thomas Cowdin.
1781, None chosen. 1782, 'Voted not to send .'
1783, Thomas Cowdin.
1784, Thomas Cowdin.
85, Voted not to send.
86, Voted not to send.
87, Daniel Putnam.
88, Daniel Putnam.
89, Daniel Putnam.
90, Daniel Putnam.
91, Daniel Putnam.
92, Daniel Putnam.
93, Daniel Putnam.
94, Voted not to send.
95, William Brown.
96, Voted not to send.
97, Voted not to send.
109
APPENDIX.
1798, Joseph Fox. 99, William Brown.
1800, Voted not to send.
01, Joseph Fox.
02, Voted not to send.
03, Joseph Eox.
04, Joseph Fox.
05, Samuel Gibson.
06, Samuel Gibson.
07, Samuel Gibson.
08, Voted not to send.
09, Voted not to send.
10, Abraham Willard, Paul Wetherbee.
11, Paul Wetherbee, Abraham Willard.
12, Paul Wetherbee,
Samuel Gibson.
13, ["No one appeared to have more votes than all the rest."]
14, Voted not to send.
15, Voted not to send.
16 Voted not to send.
17, Voted not to send.
18, Voted not to send.
19, Voted not to send.
20, Voted not to send.
21, Voted not to send.
22, Voted not to send .*
23, Joseph Downe Jr.
24, Calvin Willard.
25, John Shepley. He afterwards resigned, and Joseph Downe Jr. was chosen.
26, Francis Perkins.
27, Francis Perkins, Joseph Simonds.
28, Francis Perkins,
Isaiah Putnam.
29, Isaiah Putnam,
Oliver Fox.
30, Isaiah Putnam, Payson Williams.
"The town was fined this year for not sending.
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0081 10
SIl'TS
110
APPENDIX.
1831,
Zachariah Sheldon, Isaiah Putnam. Zachariah Sheldon, Ebenezer Torrey,
Chosen in Nov.
VOTES FOR GOVERNOR,
Given in Fitchburg, since the adoption of the Constitution. 'Scattering' votes are omitted.
1780, John Hancock 63
81, John Hancock 35
82, John Hancock 16
83, John Hancock 37
84, § Rev. Zbd'l Adams 21
n Samel Holton 17
85,
Samuel Holton 16
86, Samuel Holton 12
87
John Hancock 56
James Bowdoin 5
88, John Hancock 39
Elbridge Gerry
12
89, John Hancock 59
90, John Hancock 48
91, John Hancock 39
Francis Dana
1
Azor Orne
4
93, John Hancock 39
94, Samuel Adams 60
Elbridge Gerry
2
95, Samuel Adams 52
96, Samuel Adams 67
97, James Sullivan 27
98,
James Sullivan 43
James Bowdoin 1
James Bowdoin 3
James Bowdoin
1
John Hancock 2
John Adams
1
Thomas Cushing 6
Thomas Cushing 4
92, John Hancock 50
Moses Gill
9
Increase Sumner 4
32, David Boutelle Abiel J. Towne, Levi Farwell.
33, David Boutelle, Francis Perkins, Isaiah Putnam.
34, Isaiah Putnam, Levi Farwell, Enoch Caldwell.
35, Isaiah Putnam, Alvah Crocker, Enoch Caldwell.
2
011
1
APPENDIX.
111
1799,
William Heath 57
Increase Sumner 16
1S00,
Elbridge Gerry 64
Caleb Strong 12
01, Elbridge Gerry 60 Caleb Strong 37
02, Elbridge Gerry 72 Caleb Strong 70
03, Elbridge Gerry 63 Caleb Strong 63
04, James Sullivan 74
Caleb Strong 59
05 James Sullivan 87
Caleb Strong
82
06, James Sullivan 112
Caleb Strong
76
07.
James Sullivan 113
Caleb Strong 95
08, James Sullivan 105
Christopher Gore
94
09, Levi Lincoln 132
Christopher Gore 113
10, Elbridge Gerry 130
Christopher Gore. 103
11
Elbridge Gerry 129
Christopher Gore 90
Caleb Strong 120
Caleb Strong
136
14,
Samuel Dexter 149
Caleb Strong 145
15, Caleb Strong 142
Samuel Dexter 136
17,
Henry Dearborn 124
John Brooks
123
18, John Brooks 116
B. W. Crowninshield 97
111
20, John Brooks 107
Win. Eustis
103
21, William Eustis 99
John Brooks
97
22,
William Eustis 106
John Brooks
97
23,
William Eustis 111
Harrison G. Otis 107
24, William Eustis 142
Samuel Lathrop 123
25, Levi Lincoln 111
26, Levi Lincoln 64
Samuel Hubbard 58
Marcus Morton 15
Marcus Morton 3
Levi Lincoln 40
2
30, Levi Lincoln 97
Marcus Morton
72
31, Levi Lincoln 64
Marcus Morton 64
Samuel Lathrop 75
Samuel Lathrop 49
Marcus Morton 27
John Davis
127
33, Marcus Morton 133
John Q. Adams
37
34 John Davis 195
Marcus Morton 82
35 Edward Everett 151
Marcus Morton
85
12
Elbridge Gerry 141
13, Jos. B. Varnum 141
16, Samuel Dexter 148
John Brooks 134
19, John Brooks 122
B. W. Crowninshield
27, Levi Lincoln' 118
29, Levi Lincoln 73
29, Marcus Morton 59
31, (Nov.) L. Lincoln 93
32, Levi Lincoln 124
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