USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Lakeville > History of the town of Lakeville, Massachusetts, 1852-1952; one hundredth anniversary of the town of Lakeville > Part 12
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This property has long been known for its tall pines; but the hurricane in 1944 levelled thirty-two of these stately trees, thereby destroying the growth of years in a single night.
THE JOSIAH DEMARANVILLE HOUSE
The Josiah DeMaranville House, said to have been built in the eighteenth century, is located on Lakeside Avenue. In the picture, the back of the house is shown, because it was the front when the house was built. The road left its present course about half a mile from the homestead and followed the swamp, going by the house, then crossing Tamett Brook, thence through the woods until it came to the Turnpike (now Bedford Street) about one hundred feet beyond Long Point Road.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE
Josiah DeMaranville House
The house is an original Cape Codder with the door in the center and the window lights above it. On either side of the front hall is a large room. In the rear is the kitchen with a small bedroom on each side and a pantry. There are four fireplaces, three downstairs and one on the second floor. A Dutch oven has been sealed up for many years. The present owner, Mrs. Claire Anderson, has found a hidden chamber, with the paper still on its walls.
This bit of Lakeville has changed hands many times during the past one hundred years. In a deed dated 1850, it was de- scribed as the homestead farm of the late Samuel Pickens and was sold by James Albro of Providence to Charity A. Sampson. Other owners have been Sylvanus W. Sampson, 1874 to 1883; Ezra W. Sampson, 1883 to March 1892 and December 1892, for two days; Herbert A. Nye, March 1892 to December 1892; Arthur A. Caswell, December 1892 to 1895; Josiah DeMaranville, 1895 to 1902 and William DeMaranville, 1902. Mrs. Anderson became the owner in 1948.
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CHAPTER X
LAKES AND RIVERS
AKEVILLE, as the name implies, is noted for its lakes, with all their scenic beauty. Assawompsett, Long Pond, Large and Small Pocksha and Big and Little Quittacus are the chain of lakes, which are spoken of as the most beautiful in southern New England.
Lakeville also has Elder's Pond, named for Elder John Mont- gomery, and considered very deep; Clear Pond, now a water supply for the State Sanatorium; Loon Pond, between Bedford and Precinct Streets, with the Boston Boy Scout Camp on the southern end and several cottages on the northern shore; Cran- berry Pond, one of the smaller lakes, located back of Indian Shore and very dangerous, because it has no bottom; Cedar Pond, at one time surrounded by trees, located at the left of Long Point Road, and Dunham's Pond, in the North Lakeville district, off Harrison Avenue.
LAKE ASSAWOMPSETT
Lake Assawompsett, which is the largest body of fresh water in the state and also one of the most beautiful in the county, covers 2,220 acres. It has been said by those who have traveled the country over, that they have seen none to excel it.
The meaning of that Indian name Assawompsett is "the place of the white stones". In early English records it was spelled in various ways: Assawomset, Assowomset, Assawompset and each spelling with the two t's. Assawompsett is the most common spelling.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE
The first settlers learned from the Indians that formerly there were two islands in the lake, one on the west side, about half-a- mile from Indian Shore, where there are now three large rocks; the other one on the opposite side of the pond. These islands were probably washed away by some severe storm. The sites are now considered dangerous because of the rocks and the shallow- ness of the water. The island in the eastern part of the lake was, traditionally, inhabited by a race of little people called "Puk- wudiees". They were smaller than the red men but were, like them, subject to the rule of Ke-che Mani-to, the Great Spirit. It was in the fall of 1949, when the ponds and lakes were so low, that the sites of these islands were visible.
In the summer of 1875 a group of Taunton boys camped for the first time on the south shore of Assawompsett Lake, near Sidney T. Nelson's grove. The following summer the boys moved their camp to John Hiram Nelson's Stony Point Grove, on the western shore of the lake. Then another camp was started at Miller Sampson's Green Point Grove, which was situated on the extreme northwestern shore. Joseph Dean of Taunton built the first cottage at Nelson's Grove in 1878. Since that time many summer cottages and permanent homes have been built along the shores of this beautiful lake.
Many times guests at Sampson's Tavern have fished on this pond. Others remember picnics on these historical shores.
Tragic stories can be told of this lake with all its beauty, the waters of Assawompsett having claimed many lives.
LONG POND
Long Pond was called Lake Apponequet by the Indians. The name itself, Long Pond, describes the length, said to be five miles long and containing 1,760 acres. Lake Apponequet has three islands, each with two or more names: the largest, Third, Alden's, Pine or Nelson's; the next in size, Second or Lewis, and the smallest, Goat or Whet Stone. Lewis Island was once owned by Lyman Howland and was referred to as Lyman's Island. Mr.
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Howland built a boat with hand-propelled wheels, and with this he was able to go to the island where he had a cranberry bog. He needed his horse for work on the bog, so he tied the animal to the stern of the boat, and together they reached the other side. Later he had a more modern boat for carrying cranberry pickers across. Now the island is dotted with many summer cottages.
It is said that the Indians put a curse on Long Pond and because of this someone is drowned in it every so often.
GREAT AND LITTLE QUITTACUS
The two ponds, Big and Little Quittacus, still retain the name of an Indian Chief. Like all Indian names there are sev- eral variations in the spelling.
Big Quittacus is sometimes called "Queen of Lakes," and has three rocky islands in its deep water. Reed's Island is in Roches- ter, but the other two, Great Island and Wyman's or Pismire Island, are in Lakeville. This pond covers 1,128 acres, part of it in Rochester. Little Quittacus is known as, "That Gem". Both of these ponds are used as a water supply for the City of New Bedford.
RIVERS AND BROOKS
The Nemasket River pursues its way from Lake Assawompsett through Lakeville and Middleboro and empties into the Taun- ton River. The word "Nemasket" is probably derived from two Indian words, "Nemah," meaning "a fish," and its terminal "et," meaning "the place of". This river has also been known as "Canal River" and the lowlands and swamps through which it passes, "Canal Swamp".
Long Pond River connects the two lakes, Apponequet and Assawompsett.
Tamett Brook starting at a spring on the author's old home- stead, crosses under Lakeside Avenue, then Bedford Street, runs through the old Tobey place and the Westgate farm, on into Assawompsett.
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Frank's or Rooty Brook crosses Main Street at the foot of the hill, just beyond the Assawompsett School.
Bates Brook starts near Loon Pond, crosses Bedford Street, runs through the Ward farm where it is joined by the Tan-Yard Brook, then crosses Main Street and empties into Assawompsett Lake.
Holloway Brook starts from a spring at the bottom of Tink- ham Hill, crosses Kingman Street, County Road and Peirce Avenue, and then joins Cedar Swamp River, which empties into the Assonet River.
Bell's Brook or Cry-Baby Brook starts in a swamp back of the Howland Brothers and crosses Freetown Street at the foot of Cinder Hill and then joins Cedar Swamp River. According to tradition, it received the name of Bell's Brook from a horse by the name of Bell, because it became stuck in the mud and drowned, and Cry-Baby Brook, because years ago a baby fell in and became wedged under the road and was drowned before anyone could get him out.
Barney's Brook starting on the Barney Farm crosses Bedford Street and runs through the Tack Factory Pond, crossing Taun- ton Road and then joining Poquoy Brook.
Poquoy Brook is also known as Pudding Brook. It is said that the Indians used the water from this brook for their Indian pudding. Poquoy Brook crosses Southworth Street, Taunton Road and Cross Street. It forms the boundry line of Lakeville and Middleboro for a short distance. On some maps it is called Trout Brook.
There are two brooks crossing Highland Road which join together and run into Long Pond. One is Hinds Mill Brook or Ashley's Brook and the other is Hathaway Brook.
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CHAPTER XI CHURCHES
CHARACTERISTICS OF OLD CHURCHES
N
EARLY all the old churches were small and painted BIBIE white with a steeple, a belfry and a bell. On the front of the church were usually two doors painted green, which opened into a narrow entry, where two doors opposite, led to a main room. A flight of stairs at each end of the entry ascended to a gallery or singers' seats, which faced the high mahogany pulpit, with its red velvet cushion on which rested the Bible and the red-covered book of hymns and psalms. At the back of the pulpit was a cane-seated chair, with chairs at each side. The people owned their pews and furnished their own cushions and carpets. Each pew had a door which, after the family had entered, was closed and fastened with a brass button.
In the winter a fire was built in a box stove, with long pipes which went down the length of the auditorium and into the chimney by the pulpit. Wood was burned in the stove, which often smoked. The pipes would fill up with soot and the damp- ness caused them to leak, sending a dark colored liquid down on the white walls and the painted pews. The stove and pipe were expected to warm the whole church, but some of the ladies would bring a foot-stove filled with hot coals, or perhaps a hot brick to put under their feet. The women seldom had occasion to unpin their shawls or to loosen their cloaks, and they usually kept their hands in their big muffs all through the service. Some of the elderly people with poor circulation would perhaps take a good dose of hot drops before starting for meeting.
In the summer, the church doors, windows and blinds were wide open, in order that the sunlight and air might have full play.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE
The quiet stillness of the hour was seldom disturbed by the rumbling of passing carriages but there was occasionally the stamping of uneasy horses in the adjacent sheds.
Every one went to meeting on Sunday, old men, old women, young men, maidens and little children. It was very tiresome for the little ones to sit through a long sermon. Sunday was a long tiresome day for the children, whose playthings were put away on Saturday night not to be taken out until Monday morn- ing. Even the accordion, the only musical instrument in many homes, was placed on the upper shelf for fear it might take up the familiar strains of "Yankee Doodle" on the Lord's Day, and they must remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
They went to church in the morning, Sunday School from twelve to one, and then stayed through the afternoon service. Later they would go home tired and hungry. After dinner they could study the next Sunday School lesson and read the old, old stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Daniel in the Lion's Den.
The meeting house bell was rung at nine o'clock on Sunday morning and those within hearing distance would set their clocks and watches and feel sure that they had the correct time. The bell was tolled for a death in the parish. When a person was very sick and not expected to live, people who were interested would listen at sunrise and sunset for the bell and they would slowly and solemnly count the strokes.
The hour at noon between the sermons was devoted to the Sunday School. As soon as the morning service was over, the children would hurry out of their seats for a little recreation before they were called back. Not many minutes would clapse however before the superintendent would go to the front of the pulpit and say, "Sabbath School Scholars will please take their places." It was very unusual to see a grown person reciting the Sunday School lesson. The older women would get together and talk over the news of the week. The men would assemble in the horse sheds and talk over their planting, haying or harvest-
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ing and the Sunday before the March Town Meeting politics would hold sway. When Sabbath School was over, the children would rush out for a few minutes to eat their light luncheon which would be a cracker or two carried in their pockets, or in little bags. Perhaps they would go to the parson's house for a refreshing drink of water from the northeast corner of the well. The little girls would often go back to the meeting with a few wild flowers, but they would soon tire of holding these in their hands and would throw them into the wooden box of sand or sawdust, which stood in the corner of the pew near the entrance.
There were no programs passed to the people as they entered the church, no army of young men passed plates or longhandled boxes for contributions every Sunday. Occasionally, a collection would be taken for some charity - if so, the minister would tell of the case or the object of the collection.
The first pews at each side of the pulpit were called free pews. They were seldom occupied since nearly all had their own seats.
THE INDIAN CHURCH
The Indian Church at Assawompsett Neck was one of three Indian churches. This church, which was organized at Assa- wompsett, was prosperous until the King Philip War. After the war, this Indian Church seems to have been disbanded and the members worshipped in the churches of the white settlers.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
In the "History of the Town of Middleboro," written by Thomas Weston, it is recorded that many, many years ago there was a small church of the Christian denomination in Middle- boro (that part which is now Lakeville), of which the Rev. Daniel Hicks was the first pastor and where afterwards the Rev. George Peirce preached for a time. Abiel Nelson was the deacon and clerk of this church. It has long since ceased to exist and no records of the church organization can be obtained.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE
THE PRECINCT CHURCH
In 1719, the residents of Turner Street and Rhode Island Road deemed it advisable to seek aid from the Great and General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay for the acquisition of church property. They were granted several acres; on June 17th the Middleboro and Taunton Precinct Church was incor- porated. During the next year the first meetinghouse was erected, a short distance eastward from the site of the present edifice. The members of the parish assisted in the construction of the church. It was voted that each man should work three days a week in completing the building. On October 6, 1725, a church was established, some of the members coming from the First Church in Middleboro.
Precinct Church
On November 17, 1725, the Rev. Benjamin Ruggles was ordained as the first pastor and continued to preach until Decem-
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ber, 1753, a period of twenty-eight years. For nearly eight years the pulpit was supplied by seven different pastors.
A second meetinghouse was built in 1759. On April 16, 1761, the Rev. Caleb Turner was ordained as the second minister and he served for forty years.
The maintenance of the parish has been assured for the past 125 years by a fund of $4,000 given by Nicholas Roche, a pa- rishioner who died in 1808. He was a peddler and amassed a considerable sum of money. The Roche fund has been increased $3,000 by Hugh Montgomery.
Other ministers and supply pastors follow:
1801 - 1819-Thomas Crafts (third) 1819 - 1834-John Shaw (fourth)
The church was without a pastor for two years; but mean- while a third church was erected, which was an improved house of worship.
1836 - 1842-Homer Barrows (fifth) 1842 - 1851-J. K. Bragg (sixth) 1851 - 1857-Calvin Chapman (seventh)
1858 - 1860-Augustine Root (eighth) May 1860 - May 1861-Different ministers officiated 1861 - 1863-George G. Perkins
1863 - 1868-James Ward December 1868 - October 1869-No regular supply 1869 - 1872-Homer Barrows
April 1872 - April 1873-Ward, Pratt, Drake, Barrows, Haley, Fales and Lord 1873 - 1877-Charles W. Wood
1877 - 1880-J. C. Thacher (ninth) 1880 - 1892-E. Dawes 1892 - 1894-John Graham 1895 - 1896-G. W. Ellison 1896 - 1897-H. E. Johnson 1897 - 1908-George H. Perry 1908 - 1910-Albert H. Plumb 1910 - 1916-Washington H. Forbes
1916 - 1917-Herbert L. Wilber 1917 - 1918-Floyd H. Weed 1918 - 1926-Lawrence F. McDonald
1926 - 1929-Lewis Perry
1930-Mr. McDonald preached until the church joined the Rochester - Lake- ville Larger Parish.
1930 - 1938-Everett T. Bemont, Harry L. Coole and A. Walter Solandt
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1938 - 1943-Herbert L. Wilber 1944 - 1946-Norman Brooks
1946 - 1948-Supply pastors 1948 - 1951-Norman Farnum
April 1951 - November 1951-Supply pastors
1951 to present time-T. Merton Rymph
In 1885 the chapel was built, adjoining the church. In recent years the Precinct Women's Society has been a very active organ- ization, holding entertainments, sales and suppers to raise funds to help serve the community. Easter programs have been arranged by the society and children entertained at Christmas parties.
It is often said and thought that this beautiful old church was built on the boundary line between two towns and two counties; that the line ran between the pulpit and the pews, so that the minister stood in Taunton in Bristol County and preached to a congregation in Lakeville in Plymouth County. But in look- ing over some blueprints of Rhode Island Road it would seem that only a corner of the old horse-shed is over the line into Taunton.
On Sunday, July 8, 1923, the congregation of this lovely old church observed the two hundredth anniversary of the first preaching in that section. The church, simple and dignified as churches were in the olden days, was fragrant with memories of the past as well as with the old-fashioned flowers, which had been gathered and arranged by a group of ladies, directed by Mrs. Edward Caswell. The church was filled to capacity for this service, both interesting and appropriate.
BAPTIST CHURCHES
The first members of the Second Baptist Church were probably among those who were dissatisfied with the teachings of the Con- gregational Church and owing to the great influence of the Rev. Whitefield's preaching became Separatists. This church was formed through the influence of Thomas Nelson, who had joined the Baptist Church at Swansea.
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In 1753, a Baptist Church was organized and meetings were held at the Nelson home at Assawompsett Neck. The services of the Rev. Ebenezer Hinds were secured to preach to the people at the Nelson home.
Two years before this, in 1751, a Separatist Church was formed in Beech Woods district. James Mead was ordained its pastor, October 3, 1751, and William Smith was deacon at that time. Rev. Mr. Mead died in 1756 and the members of his church became Baptists and with those who had worshipped in the house of Mr. Nelson united to form a church in the meeting house at Beech Woods. This occurred on November 16, 1757, with the Rev. Ebenezer Hinds as pastor and William Hoar as deacon. On May 19, 1798, the church was accidentally destroyed by fire. The parsonage was burned at the same time. A few years later, new buildings were erected near the site of the old ones. The meeting-house was used until about 1843. The parsonage was occupied for many years by Dennis Tinkham and was known as the Ministerial Farm. It is now the summer home of Mr. Tinkham's granddaughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Ma- comber and Mrs. Susie Johnson.
In 1841 the church was divided, a large part of the members following the pastor, Elder William Shurtleff, and organizing the "Christian" Church at Mullein Hill. Others formed a Free- Will Baptist Church, and the remainder of the people adhered to the Calvinistic faith of that denomination.
Following is a list of the members of the Free-Will Church: Stephen C. Ramsdell, widow of Elisdel W. Hoard, widow Anne Douglas, widow of Enos Parris, James Staples, James P. Peirce, J. W. Canedy, David Ashley, Ezra McCully, Mary B. Hart, Zebulon Shaw, Seth Keen, Simeon Baker, Charity L. Sears, Seth Howland, Betsy McCully, Jane Caswell, Lelander Terry and George S. Hoare.
THE OLD POND MEETING - HOUSE
The Pond Church, as it was commonly called, was the Fourth Baptist Church in Lakeville, which at that time was part of Mid-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE
dleboro. It is said that twenty-five members of the Second Baptist Church, probably desiring a nearer place to worship, met on the 30th of November, 1795, for the purpose of building a meeting- house.
Major Peter Hoar was chosen moderator, Dr. Thomas Nelson, clerk, and it was voted to build the meeting house. About twenty good names were taken of those who would assist. A committee was selected to find a location for the building. The committee included: Colonel John Nelson, Captain Job Peirce, Eben Briggs and John Perkins.
At first it was voted that the church should be built upon Shockley Hill, which was on Highland Road. The site was after- wards changed to the narrow strip of land between the Turn- pike and Assawompsett Pond, near what later became known as Sampson's Cove.
Thomas Nelson, 3rd, was the first Baptist in Lakeville, and, with his family, attended the Swansea Baptist Church which was twenty miles away. Consequently, Mr. Nelson was among the prominent members of the Pond Meeting - House.
Benjamin Peirce, who was always called Benjamin Chase, was a house carpenter and the master builder of the Pond Meeting- House, in 1796. It is said to have been a very fine structure and was occupied as a place of worship until about the year 1861.
Lottery tickets were sold to the members to raise funds for the support of the church. The tickets were countersigned by a church officer and the prizes were drawn off frequently.
The church was not formed until August 19, 1800, when the organization took the name of the United Brethren, worship- ping in the house which had been erected three years before. From the completion of the place of worship until the organiza- tion of the church, services were conducted by various clergy- men of the Baptist denomination. During the first seven years of its organization there were thirty-three communicants. In 1804 the church voted to change the name to the Fourth Baptist Church.
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The Rev. Samuel Abbott, the first preacher, remained over this church for only a short time. Afterwards, the pulpit was supplied by various clergymen, until about 1809 or 1810, when Elder Ebenezer Briggs was chosen pastor. He continued as the pastor of the church until 1846 and was widely-known in this and adjoining towns as an able minister, genial and thoroughly devoted to his work and having the confidence and love of all.
A fund was left to the deacons of this church under the wills of Asa King and Andrew Cole, which, upon the dissolution of the church and society, was transferred to the deacons of the Central Baptist Church of Middleboro and the Baptist Church of Raynham, to be held by them in trust to carry out the wishes of the donors.
On August 9, 1828, eight persons were received from the Pond Baptist Church into the Central Baptist Church at Middleboro Four Corners. They were Major Levi Peirce, Elisha Tucker, Molly Leonard, Prudence Holmes, Anna Hines, Sally Peirce. Sally B. Tucker and Thankful Miller.
When public worship was discontinued, in 1861, the church was sold by the proprietors. A portion of it was made into a public hall and was called Sassamon Hall. The late Miss Hannah K. Nelson told of attending a party at Sassamon Hall and it was there that she ate her first ice cream. Another portion of it was a grocery store and the back part used as a tenement. It was burned in the early part of 1870. It is said that two old ladies, living there at the time it was burned, fled in their nightgowns and bare feet to the Washburn House, which stood across from the Town House.
Nothing is left of the Old Pond Meeting - House but a stone- marker, put there some years ago by Matthew Cushing, Elisha Jenks and others. The marker reads: "Site of Baptist Church. erected 1796, burned 1870".
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THE MULLEIN HILL CHURCH
The Mullein Hill Church was organized February 19, 1842, by sixteen members of the Second Baptist Church, who seceded to form this organization under the leadership of Elder William Shurtleff. The tract of land where the church now stands was purchased from Samuel Robbins for $30. The Mullein Hill Church, which is located on Highland Road, was known as the Christian Baptist Church.
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$ EETH
Mullein Hill Church
Some of the early pastors were William M. Bryant, Bartlett Cushman, George Tyler, Elijah W. Barrows, Theophilus Brown, and M. S. Chadwick. Although the organizers have passed on, the people of the community and the descendants of former members, headed by Zebulon L. Canedy and Mrs. Arabella Ashley, have kept this ancient meeting house in good repair. The church is now partly supported from a fund left for the Baptist ministry in town. This church has also received a bequest of $1,000 from Lucy W. Canedy.
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