USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holland > History of the town of Holland, Massachusetts > Part 3
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 | Part 48 | Part 49
King George III was especially narrow-minded and jealous of the royal prerogative. He was deeply interested in stop- ping the growth of the representative element in the colonial legislatures and especially so in Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was at his behest that this right was taken away. New com- munities could be incorporated into a district, but that carried with it no right to an independent representative in the Colonial Legislature. A district could be yoked with a town in this right. In all other respects it had the same privileges
38
THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
and obligations as the mother town. Thus we find that Mon- son was incorporated into a distriet in 1760, notwithstanding the earnest protests of Joseph Blodgett, the representative for Brimfield that year, and instrueted to present Brimfield's ob- jeetions to a division of her territory and population. In like manner South Brimfield, what is now Wales and Holland, was set off from Brimfield in 1762 as a district. The real motive for incorporation was to have church privileges nearer to their homes, proof of this is in their petition to be incorporated. We give a copy of the petition of the inhabitants of the south- east part of Brimfield to be incorporated into a district. What is now Wales was also included, but, being provided with church privileges they were not so desirous of it as the southeast part, as is proved by the signatures, all of whom, or nearly all are residents of that seetion. The settlers in what is now Wales were mostly Baptists. Only a few people of the "standing order" had settled there. The Baptists had already built a church by private enterprise (in 1736) nearly thirty years before. Residents of the southeast part of Brim- field had a long distance to go to get to church. November 16, 1761, Brimfield voted to give the southeast part of the town three pounds, 10 shillings to hire preaching, which proves the growing dissatisfaction. It was inevitable that they should seek relief. If a death occurred a minister must be brought from Brimfield four miles away to speak the usual words of comfort and hope to mourning friends and relatives, and in addition, if interment took place in a publie burying ground at Brimfield, it necessitated a long drive, which in winter or times of muddy traveling was an especial hardship. For that reason many families buried their dead in some spot on the homestead, and in view of the long sad journey to Brimfield and baek is it eause for wonder? This was the reason why in 1763, soon after South Brimfield was incorporated, an aere of ground in the east parish was set apart for a burying ground,
39
GENERAL FORMATIVE HISTORY.
as to some families it was distasteful to bury their dead near their homes. We can easily understand the feelings of the early settlers in their desire for a separate corporate existence, as expressed in the following petition :
PETITION TO BE INCORPORATED A DISTRICT.
To his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq., Capt. General and Commander-in-chief of His Majesty's Province of Massa- chusetts Bay. To the Honorable His Majesty's Council and Honorable House of Representatives. The petition of the in- habitants of the Southeast part of Brimfield in the County of Hampshire humbly sheweth :
That your petitioners for a long time have labored under un- known difficulties in attending public worship, from time to time have made incessant, unwearied application to the said town and have been so favored as to obtain your Honor's in- spection of a petition, that we might be made a district, or that we might have the meeting house centered, which would entirely commode us, or that we might have our ministerial tax toward the charge of hiring a minister amongst us. In all which we have been unsuccessful and still remain in the same melancholy circumstances ; being obliged either to be without the adminis- tration of God's Word; the distance of the way is so great, or pay two ministers, which we are utterly unable and unwilling to do. We, your most humble petitioners, most humbly implore that your Excellency and Honor would take into consideration our distressing circumstances and grant this as your great wis- dom directs, that we might have a committee of your Excel- lencies and Honors' appointment to look into our situation and circumstances, in the most critical manner; Then if your Excel- lency and Honors will, that we must not be a district, nor have a centre of the meeting house, nor the benefit of our ministerial money to hire a minister in the winter, then we shall add to our subscription, by being all obedience to your Excellency's and Honors' determination. But our prayer is, that your Ex- cellency and Honors would afford us the great favor of such committee, and as bound in duty shall ever pray.
Brimfield June 2, 1762.
40
THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
John Webber
Daniel Thomson
David Wallis
Simeon Burk James Frizell, Jr.
Joseph Belknap
Jonathan Burk Jr.
James Frizell
Benjamin Webber
James Marcy
Ethelbert Child Lyon
Edward Webber
Samuel Webber
Nehemiah May
Trenance Webber
John Rosebrook
Israel Janes
Jolın Danielson, Jr.
Isaac Foster
Jonathan Janes
Silas Smith
Robert Jennings Robert Dunklee
Benjamin Perrin
John Nelson
John Anderson Elijah Janes
William Janes
William Belknap
Jolın Bishop
John Bishop Jr.
Humphrey Cram
Henry Webber
In the House of Representatives, June 11, 1762.
Read and ordered that the petitioners serve the clerk of the town of Brimfield with a copy of this petition, that so they shew cause, if any they have, on the second Thursday of the next sitting of this Court, why the prayer thereof should not be granted. Sent up for concurrence.
Timothy Ruggles, Speaker.
In council June 11, 1762. Read and concurred.
Jno. Cotton, Dep. Secretary.
Mass. Archives, Vol. 14, page 326.
We give now the act incorporating the district of South Brimfield.
Mass. Archives, Province Laws 1762, Chapter 15, page 601. ACT OF INCORPORATION.
Whereas the inhabitants of the south part of Brimfield in the county of Hampshire, have represented to this court the great difficulties and inconveniences they labor under in their present situation, and have earnestly prayed that they may be incor- porated into a district,-
Jonathan Burk
41
GENERAL FORMATIVE HISTORY.
Be it therefor enacted by the governor, Council and House of Representatives :-
(Sect. 1) That the said south part of Brimfield, bounded as follows, viz., beginning with the first bounds in the colony line at the southwest corner of Sturbridge, being the southeast corner of Brimfield; from thence, to run first, north in the line be- tween said Brimfield and Sturbridge to the north line of the farm called Winthrop's farm, being four miles; thence, to run west about eight degrees north, in the north line of said farm, to the northwest corner thereof and so to extend, the same course or a parallel line with the colony line, to the east line of Monson district, being about six miles and an half; then to turn and run south, in the line between said Brimfield and Monson, to the colony line, being four miles; and from thence, in said colony line, to the first mentioned boundary,-be and is hereby incorporated into a distinct and separate district by the name of South Brimfield; and that the said district be and hereby is invested with all the privileges, powers and immunities, that towns in this province do, and by law may enjoy, that of sending a representative to the general assembly only excepted; and that the inhabitants of said district shall have full power and right, from time to time to join with the town of Brimfield in the choice of a representative or representatives ; in which choice they shall enjoy all the privileges which the inhabitants of the several towns within this province are entitled to; and that the seleetmen of the town of Brimfield, as often as they shall call a meeting for the choice of a representative, shall give season- able notice to the clerk of said district, for the time being, of the time and place of said meeting, to the end that the said district may join them therein; and the clerk of said district shall set up, in some public place in said district, a notification thereof accordingly: which representatives may be chosen in- differently from said town or district; the pay and allowance to be borne by said town and district, and the district of Monson in proportion as they shall, from time to time, pay to the prov- ince the tax.
And be it further enacted :-
(Sect. 2) That the said district shall pay their proportion of all town, county and province taxes, already set on, or
42
THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
granted to be raised by said town of Brimfield as if this act had not been made.
And be it further enacted :-
(Sect. 3) That Josiah Dwight, Esq., be and hereby is em- powered to issue his warrant, directed to some principal inhab- itant in said district, requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants of said district, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to meet at such time and place as shall be therein set forth, to choose all such officers as shall be necessary to manage the affairs of said district.
Passed and published Sept. 18, 1762.
The first town meeting of South Brimfield was held Oct. 5, 1762. Humphrey Cram was elected moderator, and the dis- trict clerk was Joseph Blodgett, who had been town clerk of Brimfield several terms. The first board of selectmen for the new district was as follows:
Humphrey Needham Humphrey Cram Anthony Needham, Jr. Nehemiah May John Moulton
Less than three weeks have elapsed since the district was incorporated when it has its quota of officers and starts off as a distinct municipality.
South Brimfield is, by act of General Court, incorporated into a district now. About one month elapses and from the records of South Brimfield is the following entry .* Oct. 19, 1762. Voted to hire preaching." This was by vote of men of the standing order. It was further voted that "preaching be kept at the house of Issac Foster (the Part- ridge place) in the east part and at the house of Dr. James Lawrence in the west part." It was voted to choose a com- mittee to agree with Mr. Benjamin Conchelin to preach with us. Mr. Conchelin therefore has a double parish practically to begin with. To fuse the two into one church was difficult.
*Morse's "Annals of Brimfield Church. "
43
GENERAL FORMATIVE HISTORY.
A controversy arises where to put the church. March 14, 1763, we find the entry "Voted that preaching be kept at Capt. Joseph Blodgett's house." Also April 19, 1763, Voted William Ayres, Edward Davis and Jacob Dresser, Esqrs., be a com- mittee to fix upon a place to set the meeting house. The site chosen by them is not known, but Rev. Jason Morse thinks it was near Dr. Dean's where it was afterward built. As he had access to historical records not available to us we concur. June 10, 1763 it was voted not to build upon the place fixed by the church committee. This overruled the labor of Messrs. Ayres, Davis and Dresser. Oct 17, 1763, we find leave was desired to build on Moses Lyon's plain, which is the plain where the town common now is, and where the church was placed later. This was defeated. Feb. 16, 1764, it was voted to build in the center of the district, and, as we learn, the two factions had agreed to the selections of a disinterested commit- tee to say where the centre is. This committee was composed of John Morse of Sturbridge, Joseph Colton and Joseph Crafts of Monson.
The following men were chosen a committee to see the house built: Jonathan Burk, Joseph Blodgett and Robert Brown. The committee of disinterested men chose a site about eighty rods from the site selected before by Messrs. Ayres, Davis and Dresser. Just where the site chosen was, is not ascertainable, but if the first committee selected the site above Dr. Dean's house, this one could not have been on South Meadow road. Each faction declared that it would not accept the proceedings of the other. We submit here the petition of the east side faction asking the General Court to use its authority in their behalf.
Mass. Archives, Vol. 14, page 326.
To his Excellency Francis Bernard, Commander-in-chief, in and over his Majesty's province of Massachusetts Bay, and to the Honorable Court and House of Representatives,-Gentle-
44
THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
men-We, the subscribers, inhabitants of South Brimfield hum- bly beg leave to inform your Honors of our great difficulty which we labor under relating to the settling of the Gospel among us. Some time since your Honors saw fit in your wis- dom to set us off a separate district from Brimfield Town, with a society of Anabaptists, which have all gospel privileges by themselves and are eleared by law from paying anything toward setting up or maintaining the gospel any other way and are debarred from voting in any such affair. They live in the west part of the district and are well accommodated with meetings of their own, and the chief part of the other people live in the east part of the district.
But we labor under a great difficulty by reason of a few families that have settled themselves among the Baptists and a few families that live nearest the centre of the whole district which plead for the interest of the west part in which they plead their own interest. We have been trying to come to an agree- ment many ways; we have chosen several places for a meeting house and reconsidered them again to try to satisfy them, but all in vain. At last they made an offer to choose a committee of indifferent disinterested men to come and settle a place for a meeting house, that if the east part would agree to that, that they might have justice done, then they would be easy and con- tented and bound themselves by proving that they would never make any more trouble. Then for peace's sake the east part agreed to choose a committee, and then the committee came and viewed all our situation and circumstances and affixed a place about eighty rods from the place we generally agreed for and have now built upon (notice this) and when the committee was heard of in town meeting they were more uneasy than before and said that they had rather it had been in any other place than there and cast reflections on the committee and said that they were biased and did not act their own judgment and said they would not abide by it. Then we proceeded by a major vote of the district and chose a place and raised money to build a meeting house and have got it done so far as to meet in.
But there are some persons that are well accommodated with it, that have set up so much will, that they will not come to hear preaching in it, but are still striving to make contention
. 45
GENERAL FORMATIVE HISTORY.
amongst us. The Anabaptists, for the sake of their own private interests joining with them get a major part of the selectmen and the assessors of the Baptists and they have the rule of the town meeting and will call no town meeting but what they will put in some article that they can aet in and so have a right to choose a moderator and will always choose one that will be on their side; and the aggrieved part have been to the Baptist selectmen unbeknown to the other selectmen and got a warrant for a town meeting to go to the General Court for a committee to come and settle the contention and controversy amongst us, and have got a vote by the help of a number of men that had not estate of their own to make them voters, but there being several men that live in Brimfield, old town, that their farms lay partly in this district, they gave leases to them to make them voters for that day and they brought their leases to the moderator and he counted them voters which we think was not lawful, and disputed the votes and the house was divided and we disputed its being a vote then. But the moderator declared it a vote without giving satisfaction to any man. The clerk asked whether he counted the polls, and the moderator told him, "It was none of his business" but declared it a vote; and so have chosen a man to go to court (April 23, 1764, Capt. Trust- rum Davis was chosen) for a committee as aforesaid, which we think needless charges for a committee to come.
Therefore we humbly pray your Honors to determine that in the negative. We have built our meeting house in the most convenient place to accommodate the whole congregation ex- cepting four families in the northwest corner of the district which live remote from the centre and are convenient to Brim- field, and one family in the southwest corner whose farm lies partly in Monson and expects no privileges with us. We would inform your Honors that the centre of the district is so broken and mountainous that we cannot build a meeting house there, neither can we settle but very few inhabitants near it and there is but few Congregationalists west of it, but our greatest con- tention and controversy is with a few men, that live in the east part of the district and nearest to the centre which plead for the meeting house to be as near to the centre as the mountains will admit of. Which will no ways convenience them fairly
46
THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
in the west part but will lay them under a great burden of setting the gospel where they can have no benefit of it and leave no room for a remedy for them.
We are willing that so many of them as can be best con- vened to any other place should do their duty where they may receive benefit and be freed from the charge of building with us. We would inform your Honors that another difficulty is with the Baptists, that many of them strive to bring our meeting house as near to them as they can under the pretence of favor to the Presbytery amongst them. But we can see nothing but their own private interest in it. Although they have no right to vote in ministerial affairs, yet they will manage things' so as to make a great deal of trouble, when we have voted to raise money to build a meeting house, we cannot get it assessed on the town for our assessors are chiefly Baptists.
We would pray your Honors not to send a committee ac- cording to their request now brought to your Honors, but if your Honors should think best to send a committee, pray give them orders to divide us, or set off some families, or make alterations as they shall think best to be done for the health of the district. So we desire to commit our case to your wisdom, praying for your favor and subscribe ourselves your humble petitioners.
Dated June 5, 1764.
NAMES OF PETITIONERS.
David Wallis
Jacob Webber
Robert Dunkley
John Belknap Jr.
John Webber
Joseph Belknap
Trenance Webber
John Bishop Jr.
Henry Webber
Edward Webber
William Belknap
Joseph Bacon
William Wallis
John Rosbrook
Gershom Rosbrook
John Belknap
Robert Jennings
James Frizell Jr. Samuel Frizell
Silas Smith
Benjamin Webber
Daniel Thompson
Daniel Belknap
Benjamin Perrin
Samuel Webber
Isaac Foster Jr.
Humphrey Cram
Isaac Foster
47
GENERAL FORMATIVE HISTORY.
James Frizell
James Marcy
Jonathan Wallis
James Rosbrook
Nehemiah May
Nathaniel Bradley
Andrew Webber
Ethelbert Child Lyon
The petition to the General Court of the east faction, calls for a committee to center the district, South Brimfield. A problem develops by study. We think that if the petitioners had studied the problem more, before drafting their petition, it would have taken a slightly different form. They would have asked for a committee to select for them a church site most convenient for those who would attend it. Selfish in- terest may enter in to influence choice because real estate especially in rural communities, is enhanced in value, by prox- imity to a church. The legislative committee naturally would act in accord with the petition and select a spot at or near the centre of figure and it is manifest that that would be west of the mountains. But, as far the greater part of those who would attend it, resided east of said mountains, to place it as petioned for would work hardships, would not accommodate either side, in fact the more remote families would be about as inconvenient to church as they had been before South Brim- field was set off. The west faction had obtained a vote for com- mittee from the General Court. The rebutting petition of the west faction is here given.
Mass. Archives, Vol. 14, pages 379-392.
To his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq. Governor and Commander-in-chief in and over his Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay, to the Honorable his Majesty's Council and Honorable House of Representatives now sitting.
The petition of Joseph Blodgett, Jonathan Burk and Trustrum Davis and sundry others, inhabitants of the district of South Brimfield in the County of Hampshire humbly shew- eth :- Whereas there has been for a long time a controversy in our district with respect to a place to erect a meeting house upon, which controversy continued until at length a party in
48
THE HISTORY OF HOLLAND, MASS.
the east part proceeded without any legal vote of the distriet and set up a frame of a meeting house and set it within about one mile and a half of the east end of the distriet, or thereabouts, and have part covered said frame, whereupon the major part of said district being much dissatisfied at their proceedings called a town meeting and obtained a vote to send to this Hon- orable Court for a committee as aforesaid and prayed that the committee's determination might be decisive, and in answer to our petition this Honorable Court was pleased to grant us our request and sent* the Honorable Timothy Paine Esq., John Murray Esq., and Moses Marcy Esq., as a committee to view our circumstances and affix a place for to build a meeting house and to make report of their doings.
And now our humble petition and prayer to this Honorable Court is, that the place prefixed by said committee might be established and confirmed, that so there might be a final settle- ment and end put to our controversy in that respect. We would inform this Honorable Court that that party which have set up a meeting house in the east part of said district although the committee declared to them that they had no regard to that house and it should not, in their opinion be a house for the district, yet notwithstanding they using means can hold their house in that place, and to make the whole district pay for the building of it, and to accomplish their scheme having the assessors and many of the Baptists on their side, three of said assessors being Baptists and said assessors being the selectmen. When we applied ourselves to them for a town meeting in order to get a vote for to build a meeting house (which was in the month of July last) they put us off from time to time knowing that we had the majority of voters upon the last years valua- tion (as the gentlemen of the committee are able to inform this Honorable Court) for when they were with us they took an account of the estates upon the valuation and they told us that there was between one and two hundred pounds lawful money more upon the estates against that house than there was for it and the estates and polls stand even as they were then excepting one turned from that side to our side, and one family came into our side and it appeared evident to us in case we could have a town meeting then we should get a vote to build a meeting house on the spot the committee prefixed. But being put off
49
GENERAL FORMATIVE HISTORY.
till the first of August, then the assessors went about and took a new list, even before the tax act came and made a new valua- tion and set up voters on their side, some that never were known to have but little or no estates before, and one that was not twenty-one years of age. And our side put down or disallowed of some that put their lists and estates enough to make them voters, and by so doing they made a majority of voters on their side, then they called a town meeting, put in the articles we before requested and at said meeting negatived our voting to build a meeting house as aforesaid.
After this we consulted amongst ourselves what method to take, supposing if we lay still and did nothing towards building until the General Court should sit, might be, it would be near or quite winter and by that means it would be another year before we should get a house built for public worship, and having no convenient house to worship in, besides then having a minister in our view for settling who urged us to get a house built fit to preach in before winter if possible, telling us if he did settle with us he would have it done before winter; and upon all these considerations supposing withal that the spot which the committee had prefixed for us to build upon was so just that the Honorable Court would establish and confirm the same, it being exactly upon the line which all parties who heretofore have insisted upon a division always concluded to divide by. And upon all these considerations, together upon a consideration of what the ill consequence of delaying might accrue in the present state we were in.
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.