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 (1865) > Part 11
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In the year 1766, there was no preaching in the town. In 1767, application was made to Rev. Messrs. Whitney, Samuel . Angier and John Payson, to come and preach. Mr. Angier, ( Harvard University, 1763.) gave great satisfaction, and was invited to settle. The invitation was declined partly, if not wholly, on account of some difficulty between him and Dea. Amos Kimball.
In May, 1767. the town appointed "a day of fasting and prayer in order to ask Divine assistance in giving some gen- tleman a call to settle in the gospel ministry in this town."
121
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Rev. John Payson was preaching during the summer of this year, and in November he consented to become the settled minister of the place. His ordination took place January 27th, 1768. The Church was embodied on the 9th of the same month. Mr. Payson was a son of Rev. Phillips Payson, of Chelsea, and was graduated at Harvard University in 1764. He was a brother of Rev. Samuel Payson, the young and much lamented minister of Lunenburg, who died in 1763. Rev. Dr. Seth Payson, of Rindge, N. H., was his half-brother.
Mr. Payson appears to have been a man of respectable tal- ents, of a peaceful disposition, and of devoted piety. He was fortunate in having secured, for a long period, the love and respect of his people. Fond of the peaceful walks of his pro- fession, he knew but little of the affairs of the world, and was ill calculated to sustain its buffets. The latter years of his ministry were embittered by the inroads made among his people by the Methodists, Baptists and Universalists. These circum- stances, together with a constitutional infirmity of mind, caused a great depression of spirits, which finally settled in confirmed insanity. Lucid intervals occasionally intervened. Yet he con- tinucd to preach for several years. He would go through with the public services on the sabbath with perfect propriety, when frequently there did not occur another lucid interval during the week. He discontinued preaching for a period in the spring and summer of 1792, but resumed his pastoral duties in the autumn. His infirmity increasing upon him in the summer of 1793, both the church and town united in calling a council to take into consideration their ecclesiastical affairs .* This council
*The bill for the entertainment of this council at the inn of Widow Hannah Cowdin is a curi- osity in its way, and is as follows -
"Fitchburg. Nov. 11th, 1794.
" The Venerable Council's Bill.
28 meals of victuals at 1s. 6d.
2.+3
17 suppers יו 1s.
2.83
17 breakfasts 66 1s.
$ 50
34 dinners
1s. 6d.
1.50
9 suppers 1.s.
.03
2 breakfasts 66 1s.
10 lodgings 66 4d.
10.00
Ho se keeping
Liquor
" Rec'd Pay't,
HANNAR COWDIN."
£41.05
P
$7.00
122
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
was unable to effect a reconciliation-the town refusing to accede to Mr. Payson's propositions.
In April, 1794, all parties agreed to re-assemble the former council, and to abide by its decision. The council decided that the town should pay Mr. Payson the sum of $530, and that his pastoral relations should cease. This proposition was accepted by the town on the 2d day of May, 1794; and Mr. Payson's connections with the town were then dissolved.
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, he ex- pressed the most poignant grief for the act which he had committed .* He died in the 59th year of his age, 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 December, 1795, an invitation given to Rev. John Miles, to " settle," was declined by him. In April, 1797, the church
*The following is the inscription upon the tomb-stone, in the old grave yard in this town.
"SUB HOC TUMULO RELIQULE REV. JOHANNIS PAYSON A. M. JACENT: OLIM ECCLESLE FITCHBURGENSIS PASTOR QUI DIE MAIL XVIII ANNO DOMINI M. DOCCIV MORTUUS EST, ANNO ZETATIS LIX ANNOQUE SUI SACERDOTI XXXVI. PR.ESTANTISSIMO VIR INGENIO BENEVOLENTISSIMOQUE ANIMO SCIENTIA PREDITUS, MANDATOQUE DIVINO FIDELIS, STUDIO EXERCITATIOQUE THEOLOGLE
AMICO MONITU FACTISQUE CHARITATIS DUCTUS POTH'SQUAM CONTENTIONI INANI PERSECUTIONIBUSQUE AVARITLE SORDIDIS.
A SON ERECTS THIS MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF AN AFFEC- TIONATE AND BELOVED FATHER."
123
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
proposed to give Rev. Mr. Noyes a " call," but the town de- clined, and immediately proposed, by a vote of 43 to 24, Rev. Samuel Worcester. The church concurred, and Mr. Worcester was ordained in September, 1797. He received a " settlement" of $333.33 the first year, and the same amount the second. His salary 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 in the east part of the town occupied it 24 sabbaths, Mr. Worcester's society 17 sabbaths, the society in the west 8 sab- baths, and the Methodists and 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 coun- cil-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 meet- ing-house were closed, and could not be opened except by order of the selectmen. In June, 1802, 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 divided, were much imbittered against each other, and the parochial powers of the town were soon dissolved. In the Spring of 1804, Rev. Titus Theodore Barton was installed as pastor over the one society, and shortly after, Rev. Wm. 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 min- gled with political feelings, and he was dismissed in February, 1813. Mr. Bascom's society then made overtures for a re-union of the societies, which was effected near the close of the same year
124
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
-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 oppo- sition made to his settlement by a portion of the society.
Rev. William Eaton began to preach in February, 1815, and became 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 religious sentiments. In October, 1823, the two societies separated from each other. Rev. Calvin Lincoln, Jr., the present minister of the first society, was ordained June 30th, 1824.
. Rev. Rufus A. Putnam 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 ordained in May, 1835.
The meeting-house belonging to this society was built during 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, 1834. 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 February, 1834. Rev. John W. McDonald was hired to preach from December, 1834, to November, 1835. Rev. O. L. Lovell, the present preacher, com- menced in January, 1836.
The Methodist Society was formed in March, 1834. The first preacher was Rev. Joel Knight, who commenced his labors 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-
*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 erected, would probably mistake it for a bain.
12
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
was incorporated in June, 1810. Rev. Benjamin Tolman, a reg- ularly ordained minister, has been the pastor of this society for a long period. This Society belongs to the denomination of those usually styled "Free-will Baptists," and has no connection with the Baptist society which formerly existed in the westerly part of the town. These latter were more properly "Calvinistic Baptists." So early as 1787, " seventeen professed 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 meeting-house had subsided. After that period, both the Meth- odists and Baptists in the west, gradually dwindled away, ox united themselves with societies in other towns.
It has not been thought necessary to descend into the particu- lars of the unhappy difficulties which this town has experienced 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 council 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 inex- cusable extent. Neighbor was divided against neighbor, family against family, and sometimes 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 disturb- ing the calm by galling a tender wound.
APPENDIX.
-
REPRESENTATIVES.
I have thought that a complete list of the Representatives of this town, since the adoption of the Constitution, might possess some interest. Pre- vious to that period Fitchburg and Lunenburg formed one Representative district. During the period of the Revolution, the Delegates from this town to the most important Conventions are mentioned in the body of this work.
1780. Thomas Cowdin.
1781 None chosen.
1803 Joseph Fox.
1782
Voted not to send.
1804
Joseph Fox.
1783 .Thomas Cowdin.
1805
Samuel Gibson.
1784 Thomas Cowdin.
1806 Samuel Gibson.
1785 Voted not to send.
1807 Samuel Gibson.
1786.
Voted not to send.
1787
Daniel Putnam.
1788. Daniel Putnam.
1789 Daniel Putnam.
1790 Daniel Putnam.
1791 Daniel Putnam.
1792 Daniel Putnam.
1793 Daniel Putnam.
1794 Voted not to send.
1795 William Brown.
1796 Voted not to send.
1797 Voted not to send.
1798 Joseph Fox.
1799 William Brown.
1800 Voted not to send.
1801 Joseph Fox.
1808 Voted not to send.
1809 . Voted not to send.
1810. Abraham Willard,
Paul Wetherbee.
1811 Paul Wetherbee,
Abraham Willard.
1812
Paul Wetherbee,
Samuel Gibson.
1813*
1814 Voted not to send.
1815. Voted not to send.
1816.
Voted not to send.
1817 Voted not to send.
1818. Voted not to send.
1819.
Voted not to send.
1820
Voted not to send.
... No one appeared to have more votes than all the rest".
1802 Voted not to send.
127
APPENDIX.
1821 Voted not to send.
1822
Voted not to send .*
1823
Joseph Downe, Jr.
1824 Calvin Willard.
1825 John Shepley.
1826 Francis Perkins.
1827 Francis Perkins. Joseph Simonds.
1833 David Boutelle, t Francis Perkins, t
Isaiah Putnam.t
1829
Isaiah Putnam.
Oliver Fox.
1834
Isaiah Putnam, +
Levi Farwell.t
Enoch Caldwell. +
1835
Isaiah Putnam, t
Alvah Crocker, i
Enoch Caldwell. t
VOTES FOR GOVERNOR,
Given in Fitchburg, since the adoption of the Constitution. " Scat- tering" votes are omitted.
1780-John Hancock,
63
1781-John Hancock,
35
1782-John Hancock,
16
1783-John Hancock,
37
( Rev. Zabdiel Adams, 21
1784- Samuel Holton, 17 1785-Samuel Holton, 16
1786-Samuel Holton,
12
1787-John Hancock,
.56
1788-John Hancock,.
39
1789-John Hancock, 59
1790-John Hancock, 48
1791- John Hancock,
39
1792-John Hancock,.
50
1793-John Hancock, 39
1794-Samuel Adams, 60
1795-Samuel Adams,
52
1796-Samuel Adams,
.67
1797-James Sullivan,
.27
James Bowdoin, 1
James Bowdoin,
3
James Bowdoin, ..
1
John Hancock,
·)
John Adams,
1
Thomas Cushing,
6
Thomas Cushing,
1
James Bowdoin,.
Elbridge Gerry,
12
Francis Dana,
1
Azor Orne, ...
1
Elbridge Gerry,
......
......
Moses Gill,.
. . .
¡Chosen in November.
*The Town was fined this year for not sending.
Isaiah Putnam,
Zachariah Sheldon, t Ebenezer Torrey. i
1832 David Boutelle.+ Abiel J. Towne, t Levi Farwell.t
1828 Francis Perkins. Isaiah Putnam.
1830 Isaiah Putnam,
Payson Williams.
1831
Zachariah Sheldon,
128
APPENDIX.
1798-James Sullivan, 43
1799-William Heath, 57
1800-Elbridge Gerry, 64
1801-Elbridge Gerry, .60
18 J2-Elbridge Gerry,
.72
1803-Elbridge Gerry, 63
1804-James Sullivan, 74
1805-James Sullivan, 87
1806-James Sullivan, 112
1807-James Sullivan, 113
1808-James Sullivan, 105
1809-Levi Lincoln. 132
1810-Elbridge Gerry, 130
1811-Elbridge Gerry, 129
1812-Elbridge Gerry, 141
1813-Joseph B. Varnum, 141
1814-Samuel Dexter, 149
1815-Caleb Strong, 142
1816-Samuel Dexter,
148
1817-Henry Dearborn, 124
1818-John Brooks, 116
1819-John Brooks, 122
1820-John Brooks, 107
1821-William Eustis. .99
1822-William Eustis, 106
1823-William Eustis. 111
1224-Willian Eustis, 142
1825-Levi Lincoln,. 111
1826-Levi Lincoln, .64
1827-Levi Lincoln. 118
1828-Levi Lincoln,. 73
1829-Marcus Morton, 59
1830-Levi Lincol. 97
1831-Levi Lincoln .. .64
1831-( Nov.) L. Lincoln. 93
1832-Levi Lincoln,. 124
1833-Marcus Morion, 133
1834-John Davis, 195
1835-Edward Everett,
151
Increase Sumner,
1
Increase Sumner, 16
Caleb Strong.
12
Caleb Strong, 37
Caleb Strong 70
Caleb Strong. .63
Caleb Strong 59
Caleb Strong 82
Caleb Strong, 76
Caleb Strong, 95
Christopher Gore,
94
Christopher Gore. 113
Christopher Gore, 103
Christopher Gore
90
Caleb Strong 126
Caleb Strong, 136
Caleb Strong, 145
Samuel Dexter,
136
John Brooks,
134
John Brooks,
123
B. W. Crowninshield. 97
B. W. Crowninshield, 111
William Eustis,
103
John Brooks,
97
Jolin Brooks.
97
Harrison G. Otis, 107
Samuel Lathrop,
123
Samuel Hubbard. 58
Marcus Morton, 15
Marcus Morton, 3
Levi Lincoln,
40
Marcus Morton.
Marcus Morton.
64
Samuel Lathrop.
75
( Samuel Lathrop,
49
Marcus Morton.
27
4 John Davis. 127
7 John Quincy Adams,
37
Marcus Morton.
82
Marcus Morton,
85
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