USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holland > History of the town of Holland, Massachusetts > Part 15
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25.
32 Horace Wallis and L. MeFar- lin for 24.
34
Erastus Webber for 21.75
The total amount recorded as received $930.00
When a vote was taken to see if the society would build, it was voted to build a meeting house. A building committee was chosen consisting of Ezra Allen, Adolphus Webber and John Wallis. Then the meeting adjourned to Jan. 20. At this meeting Ezra Allen and Adolphus Webber were consti- tuted a special committee to confer with the builder to exam- ine the timber provided, and seleet such as was suitable. Isaac
48
33
Partridge
66 27 No. 23
29 31
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
Partridge and Grosvenor May were added to the building eom- mittee. At a meeting held Feb. 2, 1835, the building committee reported a contraet made with William Orcutt, the builder, for $1,325, and it was voted to ratify the contract. One-third of the money was to be paid from sale of slips when the frame was raised. John Wallis bid off the work for the under- pinning for $20, and was to be allowed the $20 on his aecount for slips, and Ezra Allen was chosen agent to give deeds for slips when paid for. By act of meeting held Oct. 12, 1835, it was voted "that deeds of slips in Orthodox Congregational Meeting house in Holland executed by Ezra Allen, appointed for that purpose, shall be a legal title by being recorded in the parish clerk's book." We find therefore recorded several deeds of which we give the following as a sample :-
"Know all men by these presents that we, the Orthodox Congregational Church and Society in Holland, County of Hampden and State of Massachusetts for and in consideration of Forty-two dollars paid us by Grosvenor May of Holland afore- said the receipt we do hereby aeknowledge, do give, grant, sell and convey unto the said Grosvenor May the slip No. 10, in the meeting house built by said church and Society in Holland the season past, to have and to hold the aforesaid granted slip to him the said May, his heirs, and assigns to his and their use for- ever.
In witness whereof we have by our agent hereunto set our hand and seal this 29 Oet. A. D. 1835.
EZRA ALLEN, Agent.
James Sandford 1 John Dixon S Witnesses.
Hampden S. S., Oet 29, 1835
Then the within named Ezra Allen appeared before me and acknowledged the within to be his free aet and deed before me. John Wallis, Justice of the peace.
Holland Apr. 19, 1841. Wmn. A. Webber, parish clerk.
In the early days, clocks were not a universal article of household furniture. Grandfather's clock did sometimes adorn
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
the front hall or the kitchen and kept the family posted as to the flight of time. But they were few in number, many having nothing with which to tell the time of day. Housewives grew expert in telling time of day by the position of the sun, but on cloudy days, hunger was their only eloek. When church bells came into common use, the people would vote or sub- seribe money and hire the sexton to ring the church bell at . noon and also the curfew bell at nine in the evening. Some towns, for moral reasons ring the curfew bell now to warn parents and children, that the latter must be off the streets unless with their parents.
But another use was made of the church bell besides that of calling together the worshippers sabbath morning and eve- ning, or at the noon hour and the curfew, the latter being an old English custom, beautifully alluded to in Gray's Elegy :-
"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day; The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea; The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me."
It was used to announce a death, the age being indicated by the number of strokes. This knell has brought sadness to many a home as the church bell announced the sad news, and the inhabitants counted the strokes as they pealed forth, bringing man's mortality home to his consciousness with a power far beyond that of any preacher.
The old church on the hill north of Bugbee tavern had no bell, nor was a bell added to it when it was moved on to the plain (1793). When the new church was built in 1835, or not long after, a bell was made a part of its equipment for we find a vote, Oct. 8, 1852, as follows :- "Voted to make an effort to increase the weight of the bell one hundred pounds." How was it done? The bell was exchanged for a heavier one. The new bell had been in place only a short time when the church was burned. The cause was supposed to be incendiary.
(14)
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
Various votes of the town with a small appropriation, show how much the inhabitants relied upon the church bell to mark the flight of time, and Holland soon adopted the cus- tom after it had a church bell. We wonder why it was that the town "voted, April, 1859, to sell the land west of the par- sonage at auction when the sun was one hour high." No record is found of the sale. Perhaps to raise money for the church which was burned April 3, 1858. The Baptists offer to sell their church property, which had now been out of use for ten years, for two hundred dollars. Notwithstanding, we find under date, April 10, 1858, they vote not to buy it.
At any rate it bespeaks the courage and hopefulness of the people. After a little time taken for deliberation, plan- ning and raising money they are ready to build another church. William Orcutt who built the preceding one is given the con- tract. Rev. Mr. Wood's work in behalf of the church must have been a power at this time. What, within reason, is be- yond the power of a people when united in faith and purpose ?
The following is a list of church members taken Feb. 3, 1842. It is interesting as showing the church membership of many, bearing the family name of many in the early history of the town and church :-
Males, 16
Ezra Allen
Erastus Webber
Moses Clark
Joseph T. Webber
Grosvenor May
John Wallis
Dea. David Wallis
Abijah Pierce
Dea. Horace Wallis
Marshall McFarland
Adolphus Webber
Abner Webber
Elcazer Webber
Lorin Park
Jonathan Webber
Wm. A. Webber
Females, 39
Lucena Allen Harriet Allen
Widow Keziah Webber
Miranda Blodgett
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
Mrs. Moses Clark
Beulah Pierce
Sally Clark
Martha Pierce
Persa Cutler
Elizabeth Pierce
Mary Howlett
Adelaide McFarland
Bethialı Moore
Persa Butterworth
Eurilla May
Widow Abigail Colburn
Lucena Rosebrooks
Lucy Webber
Eunice Rosebrooks
Lois Wallis
Sarah Sandford
Persa Wallis
Eleanor J. Sandford
Widow Pike
Alvira Wallis
Hannah Frizell
Widow Prudence Anderson
Esther Wallis
Calista Wallis
Susan Underwood
Nancy Webber
Deborah Pease
Sylvia Webber
Mrs. Isaac Partridge.
Polly Webber
Lucena Hobbs
Lucy Wallis
Hannah Park
Melinda Wallis
By means of a rude sketch which the parish clerk, H. A. McFarland, made at the sale of pews for the year 1860 we are able to give a diagram of the slips with their numbers and also with the names of those that bought, inserted in the num- ber which each bought. As the meeting was held Saturday, March 31st, the diagram represents the way they sat with their families if they were present Sunday morning, April 1st, 1864, for it is presumed the numbers had not been changed between 1860-64.
5 Wm. A. Webber 20 Albert Webber
7 Geo. L. Webber 39 Lurvey Clark
4 John Wallis 14 Wm. E. Cook
9 Elisha Kinney 3 Jas. A. Webber
27 Amos Munroe
23 Asaph Webber
38 Eleazer Moore
22 Wan. A. Lynn
19 Francis Wight
34 Nehemiah Underwood
36 Warren A. Wallis
6 S. J. Ballard
28 H. J. Switzer and Mrs. Blodgett
37 C. B. Drake
S Grosvenor May
.
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
35 Harrison Allen
1 Ezra Allen
11 Horace Wallis
21 Lucinda Wood
40 Louis C. Howlett
The following persons are named as supporters but no pew number is given :- U. P. Marcy, Eleazer Webber, Reuel A. Williams, Horace Wallis, Jr.
The church stands just west of the spot occupied by the other and some of the stones used in the foundation, were in the foundation of the one burned. The church is but little changed, the only change being the position of the choir loft, the pews in the northeast corner have been removed, and the choir loft established there, and the rear row of pews has also been removed. But the change has proved to be one of doubt- ful utility.
This church has been the centre of the town's moral, relig- ious and social life from 1765 to the present time. It has given spirit and purpose to its civic life. For what it has done and for what it is, it deserves the loyal support of all Holland people, especially as it is the only church now in the town. We give a list of the pastors the church has had from 1763- 1914.
Part II.
A LIST OF THE PASTORS OF HOLLAND CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH, together with a brief biography of each, so far as ob- tained, who were pastors one year or more.
1 Rev. Benjamin Conehelin 1762-1763
2 Rev. Ezra Reeve Sept. 13, 1765-1818
3 Rev. Enoch Burt Nov. 19, 1820-1823
4 Rev. James Sandford Feb. 20, 1832-1847
5 Rev. Benjamin Ober 1847-1851
6 Rev. Alvalı C. Page
Aug. 22, 1851-1854
7 Rev. Horace R. Grannis 1854-1856
8 Rev. Francis Wood
9 Rev. Ogden Hall
June 1, 1856-1862 1862-1864
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
10 Rev. Alden Southworth
1864-1868
11 Rev. Daniel J. Bliss
1868-1874
12 Rev. J. W. C. Pike 1874-1877
13 Rev. Solomon Bixby
1878-1890
14 Rev. F. F. Williams
1890-1891
15 Rev. Oscar Bissell
1892-1896
16 Rev. Josiah G. Willis
1896-1905
17 Rev. Samuel Eaton
1905-1906
18
Rev. John C. Hall
1906-1907
19 Rev. Francis S. Child
1907-1910
20 Rev. Martin Lovering 1911-1913
The following is a brief biographical sketch of each pas- tor so far as obtained.
1. REV. BENJAMIN CONCHELIN was the first man hired to preach to the people of the "standing order." He was hired according to vote of Oet. 19, 1762, when it was voted to hire preaching. At the same meeting it was voted to hold preaching in the house of James Lawrence in the west part, and in the house of Isaac Foster in the east part. It will be noticed that this vote is taken just one month from the date of the act of incorporating the new district. James Lawrence lived almost opposite the old Baptist church in Wales now used for a town hall. Isaac Foster lived on what later became known as the Partridge place. This place of worship was changed, by vote of March 14, 1763, to the house of Joseph Blodgett, later known as the Polley place. Mr. Conchelin had a double parish to begin with, and the two bodies of worship- pers proved to be an unruly span. Just how long he served them, we cannot tell. But we find a vote in February, 1763, wherein it was voted to invite Rev. Ezra Reeve to preach (probably) with a view to settlement. Mr. Conchelin was doubtless drawn into the question of site for a church and dis- pleased some. Just how his labor there ended is not known.
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
What his history was previous to this work, or following it, we have no means of knowing.
2. REV. EZRA REEVE. We give a few facts about the life of this worthy man and pastor obtained from "Yale Biographies and Annals, 1745-1763. Vol. II, By F. B. Dexter," through favor of the Alumni Registrar, Edwin Rogers Em- bree.
"Ezra Reeve, the eldest son of Abner Reeve (Yale College 1731) was born on Jan. 27, 1734, in Southold, Long Island, the native place of his father who was then studying for the minis- try there. When he was eight years old, his mother died, and a few years later his father's ministerial career was for a time in- terrupted by intemperate habits."
At the time of Ezra's graduation (Yale, 1757,) his father was settled over a Presbyterian church at Moriches, on the south side of Long Island, in the township of Brookhaven; and on Oct. 10, 1759, the son was ordained and installed by the Suffolk Presbytery, at "Old Man's Village," now known as Mount Sinai, in the same township on the north side of the island; at the installation it was found that the church had not been duly organized, and after delays interposed by the mother church in Setauket, this was accomplished on Sept. 3, 1760. Two years later he was censured by the Presbytery for having left his people without a regular dismission, which fol- lowed, however on Oct. 25, 1763; and in the following Febru- ary he was invited to preach in South Brimfield, Massachusetts, which had recently been set off from Brimfield; perhaps the invitation was due to acquaintance in College with Timothy Danielson, of Brimfield, of the class of 1756. After due pro- bation he received on May 2, 1765, a call to settle there on a yearly salary of sixty pounds. This eall he accepted, and he was installed on Sept. 13, 1765, a church being gathered the same day.
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
The parish was at first known as the east parish of South Brimfield, but was incorporated as a separate district called Holland, in 1783, and erected into a township by the same name in 1836. Under date of Dec. 21, 1818, we find the following resolution in the church records :- Resolved that a record of our late pastor and teacher, the Rev. Ezra Reeve be drafted and entered on the church records which shall be our appreciation of his life, character, and work. A committee of three was chosen to make the resolution effective and Deacon David Wallis, James Lynn and Freeland Wallis were chosen to draft it. The church met Jan. 4, 1819, and voted to accept the draft prepared by the committee and that Dea. David Wallis and James A. Lynn be a committee to in- sert the same in the church records. We give a copy of the draft.
MEMOIRS OF THE LATE REV. EZRA REEVE. The Memory of the Just is Blessed.
In condolence for the loss of our late venerable and worthy pastor Rev. Ezra Reeve, we, the church of Christ in Holland feel it a tribute of respect due from us, to have the death and character of so worthy a man and servant of Jesus Christ in- serted in the church records, for the purpose of perpetuating his memory to the church and our posterity in future generations.
Mr. Reeve was born on Long Island Jan. 27, 1734. He was graduated at Yale College, New Haven, entered into the marriage state on said Long Island, from whence he removed with his family to Holland, which was then connected with South Brim- field and was installed over the church and people of Holland Sept. 13, 1765. He died April 28, 1818, in the 85th year of his age and 53d year of his ministry over said people.
Rev. Ezra Reeve we believe, was a man of exemplary piety and who lived in the denial of worldly gratifications; who coveted not the wealth, the honors, or applause of the world, but appeared contented with the humble station in which Prov- idence had placed him. He appeartd to bear with Christian
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
fortitude and resignation all the evils of life, at the same time he possessed very tender and sympathetic feelings for his friends and fellow mortals both with respect to their temporal and spiritual distresses. Mr. Reeve, though a man of a dig- nified character, was not raised above any one in his deport- ment but was easy of access to communicate, of a very social disposition, sometimes facetious, yet never suffered himself to degrade his ministerial character or to bring a stain on the Christian profession.
He was a person very tender of the character of others, and very careful of making animadversions on persons or things. He possessed we believe, a great degree of christian charity which led him to hope all things and believe all things and was eminently a peacemaker. As a preacher he was ortho- dox in his composition and labored hard to impress the truths he delivered, on the minds of his hearers, and it was his fer- vent desire that his people might be found walking in the truth, order, and fellowship of the gospel united in the bonds of christian love and that they might have a gospel minister placed over them was a subject he much insisted upon, and endeavored to bring about in his life time, to supply his place.
Mr. Reeve retained his mental faculties surprisingly for a man in his advanced age, which he employed in eounselling and comforting his friends and people of his charge. To con- clude, he was a tender and affectionate parent, a true and faithful friend and a well-wisher to precious and immortal souls. He sustained, we believe, an unblemished character and kept himself so unspotted from the world that even his enemies were constrained to speak well of him, and to acknowledge he was a christian. Thus lived and died this worthy character we have attempted to deseribe. May we all endeavor to cher- ish his virtues and live the life of the righteous, that our last end be like his."
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
The following lines are very appropriate here :-
"I would express him simple, grave, sincere; In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain,
And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste, And natural in gesture; much impressed
himself, as conscious of his awful charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel it too; affectionate in look,
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men."
William Cowper.
The following is a copy of his will found in the records of the probate court at Springfield.
In the name of God amen.
I, Ezra Reeve, of Holland, County of Hampden, Common- wealth of Massachusetts, clerk, being of a weak and frail body, but by the blessing of God of a sound mind and memory, yet calling to mind my own mortality, I have thought it my duty to set my house in order and signify my will in regard of myself and children.
1. I commit my soul into the hands of God who gave it, and my body to the dust to be buried in a decent and plain manner. And touching such wordly estate as it hath pleased a holy God to bestow upon me, it is my will it should be disposed of in the following manner: Viz :-
2. It is my will that all my just debts should be justly and honestly paid ; it is my will that whatever is due me be collected ; and it is my will :
3. That all my lands west of the road or highway that goes by the house where I now live (except two pieces or parcels of land which may be hereafter mentioned) should be sold at the discretion of my executors hereafter named and whatever may remain after my debts are paid shall be equally divided "be- tween" (among) my children, Benjamin, Mehitable, and Joseph or their heirs.
4. My son Ezra, having been deranged in his mental powers, lived with me between two and three years: I asked
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
for no compensation for my trouble (except a bill should be brought against my estate). I therefore think he hath had his full proportion of my estate; however it is my will that his son have two dollars.
5. My daughter, Peggy, being deceased hath left no heirs of her own body to demand any right in the estate.
6. My daughter, Mary, hath lived with me from her in- faney and hath been my housekeeper more than thirty years, and as a compensation for her services, it is my will she should have all my land east of the road or highway which goes by my house, together with the buildings standing thereon, and all my property they contain, also all the farming utensils, also twenty aeres of land on the west side of the aforesaid highway, bounding together with the buildings standing thereon, and twenty acres of land on the west side of the aforesaid highway, bounding east on the said highway north and west on land belonging to the estate of the late Trenance Webber, and my own, to extend far enough to the south to take twenty acres; also six acres of wood land where she shall choose to have it set off to her, with the advise and consent of my executors hereafter named; also all the stoek of horse, kine, neat eattle, sheep and swine I may die possessed of, provided the land above mentioned should pay all the debts and expense of settling the estate.
Lastly, I do make, constitute and appoint William Walker Esq., of Ashford in the County of Windham, State of Conn., and Ezra Horton of Union in the County of Tolland, State of Conn., to be my sole executors, to this my last will and testament in wit- ness whereof, I the said Ezra Reeve, do hereunto set my hand and seal this fifth day of December 1817.
Signed, sealed proclaimed, and deelared by the said Ezra Reeve to be his last will and testament.
Ezra Reeve. (SEAL)
In presence of
Gershom Rosebrooks Hannah Frizell Witnesses,
Elizabeth Brown
The appraisers of the estate were: David Wallis, James A. Lynn and Ezra Webber. The appraisal is dated May 14,
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
1818. Estate was appraised at $2,238.33. John Hooker was Judge of Probate.
So unselfishly had this pastor toiled and lived, that when he died, his estate was encumbered, and Messrs. Walker and Horton called upon the town to meet certain bills, which the town, much to its credit, paid.
3. REV. ENOCH BURT was born at Long Meadow and graduated at Princeton College in class 1805. He was, for his day an ingenious machinist and worked for a time at that trade before he entered the ministry. His pastorate was from 1820-1823. He had a double pastorate being over a congrega- tion in South Brimfield also, taking the service on the sabbaths when the Congregationalists were entitled to the church by agreement with the Baptists in South Brimfield. He went from Holland to Manchester, Conn. We have tried to learn more of his history but have failed.
4. REV. JAMES SANFORD'S biography is given us by his granddaughter, Mary E. Sandford of Ware, Mass. She writes as follows:
"My grandfather, Rev. James Sandford, was born at Bush- hy, Mass., May 7th, 1786. He was the oldest of eight children, six of whom were sons and five of them entered the ministry. He was graduated from Brown University in 1812. August 22, 1817, he married Sarah Starkweather of Northhampton, and they had three children, the oldest son being my father, Addison Sandford, born at Antwerp, New York in 1821, where grand- father had a parish. I have the impression that his first parish was at a place called Fabius also in New York state. I know he lived in Holland when my father was a little boy, and think after he left there he preached in Gill, Mass., where he at one time had a parish also. I do not know how long any of the pastorates were, but my first memory of him was back again in New York in a place called Ox Bow, which may have been in the town of Antwerp though I do not positively know.
They came to Mass. to live in the early 60's and lived here until his death Aug. 22, 1865 at the age of seventy-nine.
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THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
We are glad of this brief sketch of a man who made a very successful pastor judging from the church records.
5. REV. BENJAMIN OBER was born at Beverly, Mass., Apr. 4, 1805. Prepared for college at Andover. He was in Amherst College, 1828-29. He studied at Andover Theological Seminary being ordained to the gospel ministry, Jan. 1, 1834. He was pastor of First Church, West Newbury, 1834-36; West Attleborough, 1836-38; West Woodstock, Conn., 1839-46; Hol- land, Mass., 1847-54; Alstead, N. H., 1854-57; Saxton's River, Vt., 1857-59; Wardsboro, 1859-62; Fayetteville, 1863-68; was called to East Long Meadow, Mass., but declined and was pas- tor, Windsor, 1868-70; Petersham, 1870-78; Brattleboro, Vt., from 1878; he died Sept. 7, 1888. (From the seminary records.)
Rev. Benjamin Ober is spoken of as a man of splendid gifts. He is spoken of as a man fond of fast horses. We have heard of the minister who, fond of a fast horse, was driving on the road when one day he fell in with one of his parish- ioners, perhaps deaeon, who owned a pretty speedy animal and was then out exercising the "critter." Going in the same direction they chatted along, but somehow the "critters" con- cluded 'twould be a good time to try each other's speed and wind. In a few minutes the parson's horse was giving the dea- con's "critter" the dust and the parson looking around, over- heard the deacon ejaculating that "he would never get to heaven on that paee." But he had to get a new pastorate ere long.
6. REV. ALVAH CUSHMAN PAGE, son to Phineas and Lynthe (Macomber) Page, was born in Hawley, Mass., Mareh 17, 1806; fitted for college at Sanderson Academy, Ashfield. Studied theology with Rev. F. Freeman of Plymouth, 29-31; ordained as an evangelist at Charlemont, Nov. 8, 1831; He served as supply at Montague, Rutland, Bethany and Pem- broke, N. Y. Pastor at Norwich (now Huntington) Tyring-
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THE CHURCHES OF HOLLAND
ham, East Elstead, N. H., Pelham, Holland 51-54. West Staf- ford, Conn. Supplied for a year at Udina, Ill., after which he became a farmer at Elgin, Ill., 59-77. He was thrown from his carriage and instantly killed at Elgin, Ill., Sept. 1, 1877. He was married (1) Jan. 8, 1833, to Mary Ann, daughter of Jonathan Blake, Jr., of Warwick, who died Nov. 20, 1833. (2), June 16, 1835, to Esther, daughter of Abraham Williams of Ashfield, who died Nov. 3, 1843. (3), Nov. 5, 1844, to Mary, daughter of Eleazer Everett of Francestown, N. H., who died Aug. 26, 1856. (4), Oct. 8, 1857, to Hannah Wade, daughter of Col. William Brown, of Lyons Farm, N. J. He had two children. (From records of Amherst College.)
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