USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1868, with a genealogical register of Lexington families > Part 33
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 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
In 1819, both church and society extended an invitation to Mr. Charles Briggs to become their pastor. The invitation being accepted, the 28th of April, 1819, was agreed upon as the time for the ordination. Rev. Dr. Richmond preached the sermon, and Rev. Dr. Kirkland made the consecrating prayer.
There was nothing of special moment which occurred during Mr. Briggs's ministry. The church records, kept by him, are not only meagre, but loose, and compare poorly with those of his predecessors. The records of his marriages, and of the deaths in the parish, are so imperfect as to be of but little value.
Mr. Briggs was graduated at Harvard in 1815, and his first and only settlement was at Lexington. His ministry extended over a period of more than sixteen years, and was on the whole a successful one, though his health was delicate, and at times he was scarcely able to attend to his ordinary duties. Nevertheless, he retained the affections of the people, who expressed their sym- pathy by several gratuities, in consequence of his sickness and feeble health. In 1827, the town voted him five hundred dollars, to be paid out of the Ministerial Fund ; and in 1835, they voted to give him two hundred dollars in addition to his salary. During this year, his health continuing feeble, Mr. Briggs requested that his connection with the parish be dissolved, which was granted. The feelings of the town towards him, on the sundering of their relations, were fully expressed in the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted : -
" Resolved, That the First Congregational Society, in Lexington, exceed- ingly regret that the health of the Reverend Charles Briggs is such as to render it imprudent for him, with a just regard to himself and family, to fulfill all the duties appertaining to his ministerial offiee; that his labors among them hitherto will long be remembered with gratitude and affection ; that his talents and ministerial character eminently entitle him to their highest respect ; that his discreet and conciliatory deportment has been a strong bond of union to this Society; and that they most deeply sympa- thize with him and his family in his present precarious state of health."
348
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
It is due to Mr. Briggs to say, that the last years of his min- istry in Lexington, were rendered embarrassing by the unprofit- able controversy growing out of the Ministerial Fund. Though he managed prudently, his labors must have been greatly neu- tralized by the unhappy state of feeling which pervaded the community. His neglect to give the information, though more than once requested, deprives us of the pleasure of giving a genealogy of his family.
After the termination of Mr. Briggs's ministry, the parish remained in an unsettled condition for a series of years. The unhappy contest for the possession of the Fund contributed greatly to this divided state of affairs.
About a year after Mr. Briggs left the society, Mr. William G. Swett was invited to become their pastor, with a salary of seven hundred dollars. He accepted the call, and was ordained July 13, 1836. He was son of Colonel Samuel Swett, and graduated at Harvard College, 1828. He was subsequently settled in Lynn. He married Charlotte B. Phinney, daughter of Elias Phinney, Esq., of Lexington. On January 15, 1839, his relations with the society were dissolved at his own request. During his ministry, the controversy relative to the Fund must have made his position unpleasant. His salary of seven hundred dollars being deemed insufficient, two hundred dollars was subse- quently added, showing a kind feeling towards him personally.
After Rev. Mr. Swett left the parish, they continued in a . broken state for some time. That disturbing element, the Fund, kept the town in commotion; and in this distracted state of affairs, it was difficult to find any man who would settle with them. The pulpit was supplied from time to time by such preachers as they could obtain. Rev. George M. Rice supplied for a period. Rev. Mr. Knapp, by temporary engagements, supplied the desk several months ; and after that, Rev. S. B. Cruft was employed a year or more.
After the close of Mr. Cruft's brief ministry, Rev. Samuel J. May supplied the desk about six months. He saw the distracted state of the town, and set himself at work to heal these disorders ; and it is due to him to say that, by his energetic labors, and conciliatory spirit, he did more towards bringing about an amicable
349
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.
adjustment of the bitter controversy about the Fund, than any other man ; for which he received the thanks of the town.
In 1845, after the Legislature had provided for the division of the Ministerial Fund between the different societies, the first parish, which, up to that period had transacted their business under a town warrant, organized as a parish, under a warrant issued by William Chandler, justice of the peace.
At a meeting, June 30, 1845, the parish voted unanimously to invite Rev. Jason Whitman to become their pastor, on a salary of nine hundred dollars. Mr. Whitman accepted the invitation, and July 30, 1845, was agreed upon for his installa- tion. Mr. Whitman had previously been settled at Saco, and at Portland, Maine.
Immediately after the settlement of Mr. Whitman, the society voted to reconstruct their meeting-house ; and at a meeting held February 9, 1846, William Chandler, Sullivan Burbank, J. Simonds Parker, William Locke, Isaac Parker, Isaac N. Damon, and Joseph Davis, were appointed a committee to carry that vote into effect. The committee contracted with Mr. S. B. Temple, to remodel the house ; and when it was substantially completed, viz. December 17, 1846, the house took fire and was entirely consumed. Being thus deprived of a place of worship, the Baptist society generously offered the use of their house every Sunday morning, till the first parish could provide some place for themselves ; which offer was thankfully accepted. The house not being insured, and the work on the old house being in the nature of repairs, the loss fell entirely upon the society.
Being thus deprived of a house of worship, the society, at a meeting held February 15, 1847, voted to erect a new meeting- house, at a cost not exceeding eight thousand dollars, and chose a committee to carry the vote into effect. The house was com- pleted, and dedicated, February 28, 1848. The pews were appraised and sold at public auction for a sum sufficient to pay for the house.
Though Mr. Whitman was settled over the society under very flattering circumstances, unforeseen causes disturbed the peace and prosperity of the parish. The loss of their old house by fire, interrupted in some degree his ministry, and the division of the people relative to the location of the new house, would natu-
350
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
rally impair the harmony of the society ; and though no objec- tion was raised against him, the success of his ministry must have been somewhat impeded by these untoward circumstances. Being in Maine, to attend the funeral of a brother-in-law, he was taken suddenly ill, and died a few weeks before the comple- tion of the new meeting-house.
The parish records contain the following brief notice of the event : "The Rev. Jason Whitman died, January 25th, 1848, at Portland, Maine. He was buried from the Baptist meeting- house, on Saturday the 28th."
Mr. Whitman was highly esteemed by his people ; and as a testimonial of their regard for him and his family, the parish, at their meeting, March 13, 1848, voted, " That the salary of our highly esteemed friend and minister, Rev. Jason Whitman, deceased, be continued up to the first day of May next, and be paid to Mrs. Whitman, widow of the deceased, as a token of the high esteem of the society for him and his family, and for his unceasing labors to promote the cause of religion, education, and every good work, while he was permitted to remain among the living."
Mr. Whitman was a man of feeble constitution, and yet he performed a vast amount of labor. He was born in Bridge- water, April 30, 1799,1 was graduated at Harvard University, 1825. He was settled over a small society in Saco, Maine, where he married, March, 1832, Mary Fairfield. The society in Saco being unable to give him a suitable support, he left, and took the general agency of the American Unitarian Association. A new Unitarian society being formed in Portland, Maine, Mr. Whitman was induced to take charge of it, where, by his almost incessant labor, his health gave way, and he was advised to seek a warmer clime. He went to Savannah, Georgia, where his health was soon so improved, that he entered upon his labors in that city and vicinity ; but seeing that the South was no place to preach with the freedom to which he was accustomed, or to edu- cate his children, he returned to Portland, in 1842, with invigo- rated health, where he remained till 1845, when he received a unanimous invitation to settle in Lexington. Accepting the call, he was installed, July 30, 1845.
" For a more perfect view of the family sce Genealogy.
351
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.
Mr. Whitman was ardently devoted to his profession, and the moral reforms of the day ; and never spared himself when there. was a field of labor before him. In addition to his weekly preparations for the pulpit, he wrote for the periodical and weekly press. He also published, An Address on Temperance ; A Ser- mon on the Two Natures of Christ ; A Sermon on Regeneration ; A Sermon on Missionary Efforts ; Home Preparation for School - delivered before the American Institute ; A Fourth of July Address ; A Memoir of Rev. Edward H. Edes, of Kennebunk ; A Memoir of his brother, Bernard Whitman, of Waltham; A Memoir of his father, Deacon John Whitman, of East Bridge- water ; Young Lady's Aid -a course of lectures before the young ladies of Portland ; Young Man's Assistant - a course of lectures to the young men of Portland ; A Volume of Sermons on the Lord's Prayer ; A Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. C. H. A. Dall ; and a number of religious tracts.
Mr. Whitman was a man of modest, unaffected piety, firm and decided in his religious opinions ; and yet far removed from a narrow sectarian spirit. By the simplicity of his manners, by his liberal and benevolent disposition and good sense, he always secured the respect and esteem of the community in which he lived. His writings are characterized by strength and directness, guided by practical wisdom, and expressed with great clearness. His preaching was earnest and direct, practical and persuasive, and rather conversational than declamatory in manner.
In his first discourse at Lexington, after his installation, he gave his new parish a statement of his views and principles - from which we cite the following : -
" People sometimes seem to feel, that, as the minister receives his sup- port from them, it is to them that he owes his first allegiance, and that his great object should be to satisfy them. Upon this point, my views are different. I feel that my first allegiance is due to God and to Christ; I believe that I am accountable to God for what I say ; I regard Jesus Christ as the sanctified and sent of the Father, and his instructions as authorized disclosures of God's will. He is my master in matters of religion ; to his authority I reverently bow. Whatever his instructions may require me to proclaim as God's truth, woe be to me if I refrain from preaching it, through fear of man. Thus far my allegiance to God and Christ extends. Beyond this I may and I ought to consult the wishes and feelings of the 45
352
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON. .
people with regard to the time and mode of presenting even Christian truths and sentiments."
Concerning the popular movements of the day, he said : -
" The spiritual prosperity and religious growth of a society, will be pro- moted by frequent social religious conference, and by a deep and active interest in missionary movements.
" On the subject of Temperance, I am, and for years have been, pledged to total abstinence from the use of all intoxicating drinks as a beverage. I have, in years past, taken an active part in efforts to remove the evils of intemperance from the community.
"Upon the subject of Slavery I would say, that, having spent several months at the South, I entertain a very deep abhorrence of the system, as based upon injustice and supported by wrong, and as fraught with evils of the most appalling character to the slave and to the master, and I know not but as much to the one as to the other."
The loss of their newly refitted meeting-house was a sore calamity to the parish ; and though they voted to borrow the money necessary to pay the contractor, by a delay, or neglect on the part of the Committee, who had obtained the money on their own notes, the matter was suffered to remain unsettled till a considerable portion of the claim against the parish became out- lawed, and the whole loss would have fallen upon the Committee, had not individuals contributed freely to relieve them of this onerous burden.
After the death of Mr. Whitman, the society heard several preachers, and on the 19th of March, 1849, gave Mr. Fiske Barrett,1 then in the Divinity School at Cambridge, a unanimous invitation to become their pastor. Mr. Barrett accepted the invitation, to take effect after the close of his theological course. He was ordained September 5, 1849. Mr. Barrett having ten- dered his resignation as pastor, the society, at a meeting held June 14, 1852, voted to accept it. His ministry was short and terminated by his own request.
After being destitute of a settled minister for two years, the society extended an invitation to Mr. Nahor A. Staples, a graduate from the Theological School at Meadville, Pennsylvania, to become their pastor, with a salary of one thousand two hun- dred dollars. Mr. Staples accepting the invitation, September 20, 1854, was fixed on for the ordination. After laboring with
] For view of the family see Genealogy.
353
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.
the parish about two years and two months, Mr. Staples requested to be dismissed, that he might take the pastoral charge of a new society being formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The society at a meeting held November 10, 1856,
" Voted, That we accept the communication of Rev. N. A. Staples, and accede to his wishes as therein expressed, and that his connection be dis- solved on the last Sabbath of this month.
" Voted, That the Parish Committee transmit to Rev. N. A. Staples a copy of the above vote, together with an expression of the regret of the Society at the separation, and their earnest prayers for his future prosperity and happiness."
During Mr. Staples's ministry the society was prosperous, and thirty members were added to the church. Mr. Staples was a young man of more than ordinary talents ; he was active and indefatigable in his labors, fervent in his eloquence, and had his life been spared, would have become one of the leading clergy- men of the denomination. He died February 5, 1864, in Brooklyn, New York, where he had been settled. 1
The society after the close of Mr. Staples's ministry was desti- tute of a settled minister about a year, when an invitation was given to Rev. Leonard J. Livermore to become their pastor. He accepted the invitation, and was installed, October 4, 1857. Mr. ยท Livermore remained with the society nine years, when he asked a dismission. At a meeting of the parish called for that pur- pose, September 3, 1866, they acceded to his request, expressing at the same time their sincere regret at the separation. They also, by a public vote, bore testimony to the value of his labors, " by which the church had been increased, and the society relieved of a heavy pecuniary burden," and expressed their high appreciation of his fidelity, self-sacrificing spirit, and purity of character.
At the last communion service, held on the first Sunday of November, 1866, the church expressed their regard for Rev. Mr. Livermore, and their regret at his departure, by adopting by a unanimous vote a testimonial, from which the following are extracts :
" We cannot consistently with our own feelings, or in justice to him, permit this opportunity to pass without some expression of our attachment
1 See Genealogy.
354
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
to him, our appreciation of his Christian character, and our regret at the separation. We therefore take pleasure in saying, as we can in truth and sincerity, that we highly appreciate the industry and fidelity, the zeal and disinterestedness, with which he has discharged all his duties as pastor of this church and society, during the nine years he has labored with us."
After enumerating the fundamental doctrines he had incul- cated, they add :
" And we rejoice to say that he has taught these doctrines, not only by precept, but by example, adding to the full force of his teaching a consis- tent Christian character ; that we have witnessed with high satisfaction, his benevolence and liberality, his kindness to the poor and unfortunate, his Christian sympathy for the sick and afflicted, his respect for the aged, his devotion to the rising generation, his faithful efforts, by word and deed, to promote the temporal and spiritual welfare of the church and society, and in general, his readiness to join in any good work to improve the condition and elevate the Christian character of the community."
As a farther testimonial of their attachment to him, and their regret at his leaving them, two hundred and twenty-nine of his late parishioners, male and female, presented him a briefly written expression of their personal regard and esteem under their own signatures respectively, accompanied by a service of silver plate, as a Christmas gift.
During Mr. Livermore's ministry fifty persons were admitted to the church, and a number of children were baptized. It is , v'e to him to say, that though his salary was insufficient to support his family, no member of the parish or town was more liberal or ready to contribute to every public object which presented itself. And among the subjects which engaged his attention, we cannot in justice omit to mention his successful effort to extinguish a heavy claim against the parish, arising from the loss by fire of their meeting-house in 1846.
Two distinct efforts had been made, and a considerable sum had been raised to relieve the committee, who, by the lapse of time, had lost their legal claim upon the parish ; and yet forty- five hundred dollars were unpaid. When all further efforts were relinquished, Mr. Livermore took the matter in hand, and by his own liberality and effort, succeeded in raising twenty-five hun- dred and forty-one dollars for the relief of the committee, who relinquished all further claim. It is due to fact to say, that of this sum, Mrs. Cary, widow of the late William Cary, of
355
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.
Brooklyn, New York, who has a summer residence in Lexing- ton, her native town, gave one thousand dollars.
During the rebellion, Mr. Livermore preached two sermons which were published at the request of his hearers - both of which were fraught with an enlightened and patriotic devotion to the cause of liberty and our free institutions. The first was de- livered August 6, 1863, on the National Thanksgiving, for the successes which had attended our arms. We can hardly find a paragraph which does not breathe an ardent devotion to country, and a firm belief that the Ruler of nations is carrying us forward to a higher and more glorious destiny. We will make one or two citations from the discourse.
" There has never been a time since the war began, so dark or disastrous as to justify despondency, or regret that the nation chose to fight rather than submit to falsehood and treachery ; but rather there has always been reason to feel that we were working out the will of God and our own redemption.
" God works through agents. He makes the heart of the nation throb with his own detestation of pride, perjury, robbery, cruelty, lust, anarchy and treason, the seven deadly sins of the enemies of our national life. He uses the strong right arm of the nation to smite the blows of his heavy retribution. He uses the folly of the foolish, and the passions of the vio- lent, like irritating medicines, to do good in a diseased body politic ; but it is a far grander and more obvious truth, that he uses the whole force of man's just and generous sentiments, of man's sincerity, self-sacrifice, patri- otism and courage, to build up the solid pillars and walls of his kingdom of right and mercy."
The other discourse of Mr. Livermore, delivered September 11, 1864, was entitled, " Perseverance in the War, the Inter- est and Duty of the Nation." The title of the discourse shows its design, and the following extracts will show its spirit.
" With those who cry out for peace, because they are at heart friends of the traitors, and who are ready to put arms into the hands of their parti- sans here to inaugurate civil war in the now peaceful North, I have no shadow of sympathy. A class more worthy of the detestation of all good people I do not know in the wide world. They are baser than the rebels themselves, as much as disguised and renegade traitors are worse than open foes. With those who are chiefly moved to their outcry for peace by the dread of pecuniary loss, I have not much sympathy. I never learned to admire Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; and there is certainly no more reason to admire those who would chaffer with malig- nant traitors in arms, and take the steps which go straight to the destruc-
356
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
tion of our glorious heritage, and the shameful extinction of our national unity, to save their dividends or escape their share of the cost of saving the nation. There can be nothing but eternal dishonor, and the just judg- ment of God, awaiting us, if the love of money or the fear of its loss con- trols our settlement of such questions as those involved in this war."
" Bad as the war is, a wretched, dishonorable peace would be worse. It would, I truly believe, be a sin against God, and a crime against man to hold any parley with these enemies of all that is good, except on the terms constantly held out to them, by our Government ; submission to the author- ity of the nation, and the reference of all disputed points to the proper legal tribunals, after peace is re-established."
Mr. Livermore came to Lexington from Clinton, where he had labored in the ministry six years- having previously been settled in East Boston, where he remained the same length of time. While in Lexington, he was on the school committee during the greater part of his ministry, and had the principal charge of the schools. He was a native of Milford, New Hampshire.1
Rev. Henry Westcott 2 succeeded Mr. Livermore as pastor of the society in Lexington, and was installed June 26, 1867. He had previously been settled in Barre, and had subsequently preached a year at West Dedham. He was a native of War- wick, Rhode Island.
THE SECOND CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. - The origin of this society being a little peculiar, it is not easy to say when it first had a real existence. It seems by its records that it was duly incorporated according to law, April 18, 1845 ; though it had an organization ten or twelve years before, and had sup- ported public worship for about ten years, a portion of the time, at least. They had also, under the designation of the Christian Association, erected a meeting-house, and disposed of their pews. And though they were probably a legal body before the action taken April 18, 1845, it was at that time that they organized as proprietors of the meeting-house, rather than as a poll parish. A considerable portion of the records of this society is com- prised in the details of the doings of the town, in relation to a division of the Ministerial Fund ; but as that matter has been treated of in another place, it need not be repeated here.
1 For an account of the family see Genealogy.
3 See Genealogy.
THE "FOLLEN CHURCH," AND RESIDENCE OF THE LATE DR. FOLLEN.
357
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.
As far as appears from the record, which is very meagre, Rev. Charles Follen was employed a portion, of the time from 1835 to 1840. In the meantime, Ralph W. Emerson, J. S. Dwight, and others, labored with the society temporarily.
In 1835, the subject of erecting a meeting-house began to be seriously agitated, and a subscription for that object was started. In 1839, the Association reengaged Dr. Follen for six months, and active measures were adopted to erect a meeting-house ; which being completed, the 15th of January, 1840, was ap- pointed for its dedication, and Dr. Follen, as a matter of course, was designated to preach the dedication sermon. In the lan- guage of the society record : -
"Dr. Follen was obliged to visit New York previous to the dedication, and made the necessary arrangements with his brethren in the ministry to assist him in the ceremonies. The Doctor, wife and child, with S. L. Lathrop and lady, who were to assist in the choir at the dedication, left for New York. Soon after their arrival Mrs. Follen was taken ill, and con- tinued so for weeks. On the 3d of January, he wrote to the committee, requesting that the dedication might be put off for one week, if it could be done without inconvenience to the society, but expressed his willingness, if the committee thought best, to come without his wife, and return again for her. The committee, on consultation, thought that as all the arrangements had been made and published, and the pews were advertised to be sold the same day, it would be detrimental to the Association to postpone the dedi- cation, and a letter to that effect was written to Dr. Follen. We expected Dr. Follen ; but the evening before the dedication, the committee met the clergy who had been invited, and it was agreed that Rev. Mr. Pierpont should preach, in case Dr. Follen did not arrive in season. The Doctor not arriving, Mr. Pierpont preached the sermon.
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.