History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881, Part 8

Author: Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Boston : Rand, Avery, & co.
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881 > Part 8

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PETITION FOR A NEW PRECINCT.

maining to the old Town; which families, if added to your petitioners, will, as your petitioners hope, render their charge of maintaining the gospel possible.

Your petitioners are nevertheless humbly of opinion that it would be more conducive to the peace and welfare of the whole, that your petitioners and others within the Bounds aforesaid, with the addition of those few families, be created a precinct, rather than a separate Township, and that the Minis- try of both the Churches and Congregations in said Town may be supported by a Joint Stock, and every one attend the public ministry that is most con- venient and agreeable.

Your petitioners humbly pray your Excellency and the Honble. Court, that the Inhabitants of Mendon, dwelling on the Easterly side of Mill River and adjoining as aforesaid to Bellingham, Holliston and Hopkinton, with their lands in said Township, Together with other lands on the Westerly side of said River up to a Road called the Eight Rod Road, and including Nathan Tyler's house and lands up to Upton line, may be created a separate Town, or a separate precinct, or that the public Ministry of both the Churches and Congregations in the Town of Mendon be supported by a Tax or Assess- ment upon the whole Town, as your Excellency and Honors shall judge most meet and convenient. And your petitioners shall ever pray, i.e.

SAMUEL SCAMMELL.

JOHN JONES.

JOSEPH JONES.

WILLIAM CHENEY.

EPHRAIM DANIELS.

NATHANIEL JONES.

MOSES TENNEY.

JOHN BINNEY.

JOSHUA UNDERWOOD.

AMOS BINNEY.

HABIJAH FRENCH.

NATHANIEL NELSON.

JAMES GODMAN.

THOMAS CHADDOCK.

MOSES GAGE.

ABRAHAM JONES.

WILLIAM LEGG.

JOHN CHAPIN.

ICHABOD THAYER.

WILLIAM CHENEY, jun.

DEARING JONES.

NEHEMIAH NELSON.

JAMES SUMNER.

BENJAMIN HAYWARD, jun.

JOSIAH CHAPIN. SAMUEL HAYWARD.

ELIPHALET WOOD.

JOSEPH SUMNER.

BENJAMIN HAYWARD.

EBENEZER BOYNTON.

And we whose names are hereunder written (being the owners of the lands of the five families above named) humbly pray that we with our lands may be annexed to the new Town or precinct, unless the Ministry be jointly supported.

NATHAN TYLER. JOHN THWING. THOMAS WHITE.

Here was a knotty case for legislative wisdom to decide, and there was some delay in obtaining concurrent action. "House of Reps., Nov. 27, 1741. Petitioners allowed to bring in a Bill for a Township agreeable to Vote of the Town of Mendon, Sept. 22, 1741."

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

" In Council, Nov. 28, 1741. Concurred in with an Amendment." But the matter, after struggling through several votes of non-concur- rence, was finally settled in December, as will be seen in the Act copied below, incorporating a precinct - not a town.

Although the Town at their meeting, July 22, 1741, had raised a committee of three to conduct their remonstrance before the General Court, yet, on the 22d September following, a vote prevailed to set off the petitioners as a separate town. But the meeting was adjourned to Oct. 6, by which time the opposition stiffened so, that when a motion was made " to give Mill River a part of the Ministry Land, School Land, or money belonging to the Town on the same account," it was negatived. Dec. 14, 1741, the Town considered a summons from the House of Representatives to show cause why the prayer of the peti- tioners should not be granted. Whereupon they recalled their vote of consent, and chose a committee of five to oppose the separation to the best of their ability. This was their last struggle, and they had to yield. All they could do was, to prevent the incorporation of the desired new town. So finally a precinct was conceded and sanctioned by both Houses of the Legislature. An authenticated copy of their Incorporating Act will fitly open the second section of this chapter.

INCORPORATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRECINCT.

WEDNESDAY, Present in Council

Decem. 23, 1741. 5 His Excellency William Shirley, Esq. Govern".

William Pepperill,

Jacob Wendell, Sam1. Danforth,

Francis Foxcroft,

Antho. Stoddard, William Foye,

John Jeffries, Esqrs.

Jer. Moulton, Esqrs. John Read, Esqrs.

Josiah Willard,

John Cushing, John Greenleaf,

Richard Bill.

A Petition of John Jones and a considerable number of others, Inhabitants of the Town of Mendon ; Praying that the Petitioners, with their families and Estates, within the Bounds expressed in the Petition, be erected into a separate Town or Precinct.

In the House of Representatives; Read again, together with the answer of the Town of Mendon thereupon; and Voted the prayer of the Petition be so far granted, as that the Inhabitants of Mendon, with their Estates lying on the Easterly side of Mill River, and bounded by said River, Bellingham, Hopkinton, and Holliston, including the Families with the Estates on the West side of said River to the Eight Rod road, as expressed and described in the Petition, together with Nathan Tyler and his lands, Samuel Rawson, Daniel Lovel [Lovett], William Hayward, Thomas White, Daniel White, William Hovey, Josiah Adams, Benjamin Green, Samuel Green and Ebene- zer Albee, with their Estates, in the old or standing part of said Town, or so

NEW PRECINCT INCORPORATED.

many of them as shall join with the Petitioners in building a Meeting House and settling a Minister, be and hereby are erected into a distinct and sepa- rate Precinct; and that the Inhabitants thereof be invested with the same powers and Privileges as other Precincts do enjoy: Saving nevertheless, that Jonatban Hayward, John Green, Obadiah Wheelock, James Albee, Joseph Corbet, Thomas Beard, Benjamin Albee, James Albee, Jr., John Kilburn, John Green, Jr., Ebenezer Wheelock, William Sprague, Joseph Rockwood, Jonathan Haywood, John Haywood, William Sprague, Jr., and John White, living within the above mentioned Bounds, or so many of them as shall desire it, together with their Estates, may continue to the standing part of said Town, so long as they attend the public worship there, in a stated way, and no longer : Provided that the said Inhabitants, so set off, shall, within the space of two years from this time, erect a convenient Meeting House, and settle a learned orthodox Minister for the public Worship of God.

In Council Read and Concur'd.

Consented to.

W. SHIRLEY.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SECRETARY'S DEPARTMENT, BOSTON, Ang. 30, 1876.

A true copy of record: Witness the seal of the Commonwealth. HENRY B. PIERCE, Secretary of the Commonwealth. [L. s.]

This document bears, on its face the evidences of a severe struggle between the contending parties, and of a final compromise. The peti- tioners and their opponents were not divided by territorial lines. Some of the aggrieved resided in " the standing part of the Town," and some of the remonstrants dwelt on our territory. We notice that among the latter was Jonathan Hayward, whose name appears in the list of the new Church-members, as committed to the secession move- ment. He was either swerved backward into the opposite party, or was another man of the same name, probably the latter. There was a perpetual pulling and hauling between the parties, and he may have changed sides ; but there were several Jonathan Haywards hereabouts in those days, who may have belonged to the opposing parties. The Incorporating Act also exempts from the new precinct Jonathan and John Haywood. This is probably a mistake in somebody's spelling ; as I find no evidence that there were in those days families of Hay- woods in Mendon distinct from the Haywards, though, a little later, many of the latter changed their name to Howard.

Most of the petitioners undoubtedly wanted a new town, rather than a precinct, but accepted the latter as the most they could get. Subsequent events showed, as we shall see, that they nursed persist- ently their hope of a town, till they obtained it, nearly forty years

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

later. For the then present they had to be content with a restricted precinet, and even with this on the stringent condition of building a meeting-house and settling a minister within two years. They imme- diately set themselves about this task, and barely accomplished it in time to save their charter; for neither their numbers nor funds were very ample.

The incorporated precinct was promptly organized by legal process. A warrant was issued by Daniel Taft, Esq., Justice Peace, dated Dec. 31, 1741 (only eight days after the passage of the Act), requiring Ensign Nathan Tyler, " in his Majesty's name," to notify and warn all the qualified voters concerned to meet at the house of Nehemiah Nelson on Monday, the ensuing 18th of January, at ten o'clock A.M., then and there to organize the precinct in due form. The Act gave no designating title to the new body politie: so it was sometimes called " the Mill-River Precinct," sometimes "the new Precinct," sometimes " the second Precinct," and at length most generally " the Easterly Precinct of Mendon." The appointed first meeting was held at Nehemiah Nelson's, who then lived at the Sylvanus Adams place, previously Zuriel Howard's, Jan. 18, 1741-2. Daniel Taft, Esq., presided ; and the following officers were chosen : viz., " William Cheney, jun., Clerk ; Capt. Daniel Lovett, Ensign Nathan Tyler, Dea. Nathaniel Nelson, Jona. Hayward, jun., and John Jones, jun., Committee for calling meetings." This committee were a sort of precinct Seleetmen. I will, however, hereafter designate them as the Executive Committee. Thus the new precinct was inaugurated, henee- forth to hold its annual meetings in the month of March, as prescribed by law to precincts and towns generally.

The next things in order necessary to the establishment of the new precinct were the erection of a meeting-house and the settlement of a minister. These requisites must not be delayed. Accordingly, at a precinet meeting held at Nehemiah Nelson's, Jan. 26, 1741-42, assessors and a collector were chosen, and the following votes passed : 1. " To state a place for a Meeting-House for the public worship of God." 2. To decide on which of the two places nominated, the edi- fiee should stand. "One place was where the road that comes from Abijah French's and the road that comes from Benjamin Hayward's meet with Sherborn road ; viz., the north side of said Sherborn road." " The other place was where the road that comes from Isaac Park- hurst's meets with Sherborn road ; viz., near the north corner of Nathaniel Morse's wall." The first-named place must have been in the vicinity of the present Congregational Church, perhaps ten rods southerly towards Water Street. This location got thirty-two votes.

SITE AND ERECTION OF MEETING-HOUSE.

The other could not have been far from Mrs. Ziba Thayer's place. That received twenty-nine votes. 3. A committee of outsiders was chosen " to state " a site ; viz., " Dea. Ebenezer Read of Uxbridge, Dea. Thomas Marshall of Holliston, and Eld. Joseph Haven of Hop- kinton." 4. "To raise eighty pounds to defray the charges for preaching for the future." 5. "To hire preaching for two months next ensuing." 6. " That Dea. Nathl. Nelson, Ens. Nathan Tyler, and Thos. Wiswall, with the Elders of the Church, be a Committee to provide a minister." 7. "To provide for building a Meeting-House . . . to be 40 feet in length and 35 feet in width." 8. That Thos. Tenney, Wm. Cheney, jun., Ens. Nathan Tyler, John Jones, jun., and John Rockwood, be a Committee to provide materials, and have oversight of said work."

May 6, following, the Church, after " solemn prayer to the Great Head of the Church for his presence and direction," appointed " Wednesday, the 19th of May current, as a day of solemn fasting and prayer, to seek of God his direction and blessing in calling and settling a Pastor over us." They then voted to invite Revs. Loring of Sudbury, Messenger of Wrentham, Peabody of Natick, Hall of Sutton, and Prentice of Grafton, to meet with and assist them in their appointed fast services. Next, they voted to adjourn their business- meeting to the 20th May, or day after the fast. It is pleasant to find also that they relented towards their old pastor and brethren, and fur- ther voted to invite Mr. Dorr to their fast, "and that he (with so many of his brethren as shall please) be desired to attend said ad- journed meeting, to see if an agreement may by accomplished between the two Churches in Mendon." They had carried their point for a separation, and, as often happens in such cases, felt more amicable. The fast was duly observed, probably at Elder Jones's in the Dale ; and two acceptable sermons preached, one in the A.M. by Rev. Mr. Haven, and the other, P.M., by Rev. Mr. Loring. The adjourned meeting was held on the 20th May with good results, and further adjourned to the 24th. Then, after much prayer and consideration, the Church gave a unanimous call to Mr. John Bass, their then candi- date preacher, to settle with them as pastor. The precinct immedia- tely concurred, terms of settlement were stipulated, and negotiations formally opened. But Mr. Bass finally declined the call, and a new candidate had to be sought.

Meantime the precinct wheels were somewhat retarded by friction in relation to the meeting-house movement. An important meeting was called for the 10th February, 1741-42, to see what the precinet would do about certain points of difficulty. At that meeting, Jona-

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

than Hayward, jun., being moderator, the first question was, " whether the Precinct would abide or stand by the judgment of the committee chosen to state a place for a Meeting-House?" This passed in the affirmative. Next, when should that committee come to state the place? Voted they should come on the 17th of that same month. Next, a committee of six, representing the two parties, was chosen to attend on the referees, and present their respective reasons. The precinct then instructed their building-committee to proceed with their work " so far as to raise, cover, and enclose the House." It was also voted to raise two hundred pounds towards defraying the charge of building the house; to pay the committee expected to "state the place ; " and to " allow men six shillings per day for work about said House, they boarding themselves ; and the carpenters eight shillings per day, they finding their own board likewise; viz., till the first of May next."

For some unrecorded reason, the place-stating committee either did not adjudicate the matter at the time appointed, or failed to give satis- faction. The annual meeting took place March 18, ensuing ; and, after choice of officers, a motion was made and carried to add two gentlemen to the before-chosen committee, and abide the judgment of the majority. So John Jones, Esq., of Hopkinton, and Mr. Ebenezer Littlefield of Holliston, were added. The 12th of April was appoint- ed for the committee to meet at Mr. Ichabod Robinson's, and the proper preparations were made to wait on them. Their decision, omitting the preamble, stands recorded thus : -

We " are of opinion, That the Knowl, or Rising Ground at the Country Road leading from Holliston to Mendon, where the Cross Roads meet, [one of] which comes from Habijah French's, and on the Southwesterly corner of Joseph Sumner's Lot in said Mendon Easterly Precinct, is the best place for a Meeting-House to stand on, and will accommodate the Inhabitants of said Precinct, with the families in the standing part of Mendon; viz., Josiah Adams, Benjamin Green, and Samuel Rawson," &c.

JOHN JONES, EBENEZER READ, JOSEPH HAVEN, THOMAS MARSHAL, EBNR. LITTLEFIELD,

Committee.

MENDON, April ye 13, 1742.

The Joseph Sumner whose lot of land is above mentioned seems to have been the son of the first Joseph, the original settler who died in 1735. The place stated for the meeting-house being settled with

MEETING-HOUSE IN PROCESS.

slight chance of much variation, and funds voted for a fair beginning of the edifice, there appeared to be no reason for delay. But there were fresh hinderances. Several inhabitants of the precinct desired to be released from impending pecuniary responsibilities, by being allowed to go off to old Mendon and to Bellingham as parishioners. Some of these even petitioned the Gen. Court for such privileges. Of course the new precinct had no members to spare, and strenuously opposed all such attempts. Nor could they readily get their meeting-house site and common settled to their liking. The building-committee, too, were dilatory. Hence, at their meeting, July 26, 1742, we find them voting as follows : That the meeting-house " shall be built on a spot of ground northerly of Mr. Robinson's barn, where the Inhabit- ants this day set up a stake ; provided those that subscribed to build a Frame shall prepare and have it ready to be raised by the 26th day of November next ; and provided also, that Mr. Robinson will give the Precinct half an acre of land for that purpose." I sup- pose that this changed the spot slightly. The owner of the desired half-acre of land appears to have been Wm. Robinson, the father of Ichabod, into whose hands it soon fell. Whether William Robinson, a non-resident, would give or sell the land, remained a ques- tion. Time did not halt, and a precinct-meeting was called for Dec. 15, 1742, to see whether the building-committee intended to provide covering, etc., for the meeting-house, or whether a new committee must be chosen ; and, especially, whether the money needed must be raised by subscription or rate. For the main trouble with the build- ers was the lack of ready money. However, when the meeting con- vened, they remedied this evil ; and the work proceeded, though still tardily. At length, after various hinderances, the meeting-house, as to its externals, was nearly completed about the 20th September, 1743 ; but, internally, very little had been done except to lay a temporary floor, and improvise a few crude seats for precinct business- meetings. The first of these was held there by adjournment from Ichabod Robinson's, on the aforesaid 20th September, 1743. It is possible that some sabbath meetings for public worship were also held there before the cold season set in; but there is no record of it in either precinct or church chronicles. It would seem from the records extant that regular sabbath meetings were held at private dwellings, from the organization of the church, April 15, 1741, onward. At first, it is probable, they were held once a month, then once a fortnight perhaps, and throughout 1743 generally every week, or nearly so. After Mr. Bass deelined his call to the pastorate, supplies were ob- tained from neighboring ministers and available unsettled preachers,

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

until Mr. Amariah Frost became a candidate for settlement. During this period the precinct had its hands full of responsibilities. It was hard to get money into the treasury ; the disaffected resorted to Gene- ral Court for liberty to join other parishes, and must be resisted ; the territorial limits and corporate powers of the precinct were so inexact, that redress had to be sought of the Legislature ; preaching and pub- lic worship must be provided for ; the meeting-house must be finished, and a minister must be settled before the 24th of December, 1743. To discharge all these responsibilities, it often happened that funds raised by vote for one purpose had to be used temporarily for another ; and, when rates could not be collected, resort must be had to volnn- tary contributions, or to credits, - all which clogged the wheels of executive progress. But business and events went forward as best they could.

In ecclesiastical affairs the young church led off vigorously. They were bound to obtain a pastor in dne season. They were pleased with young Mr. Frost's ministrations. Again they held a solemn fast, and besought God in prayer to direct them in their pursuit. This was on the 29th September, 1743. At the meeting which appointed this day of fasting and prayer, they " Voted that John Jones, Josiah Adams, Capt. Tyler, Dea. Nelson, Jona. Whitney, John Binney, John Chapin, Abraham Jones and Joseph Jones be a Committee to attend on the Examination of Mr. Amariah Frost concerning his principles relating to the Doctrines of the Gospel, [which was to be made] by some of the Ministers," etc. The next day after the fast, viz., Sept. 30, 1743, a meeting was held, and " The Church then Voted, all as one, to have Mr. Amariah Frost for their Pastor." Meantime a complete recon- ciliation had been effected with Rev. Mr. Dorr and the mother church in Mendon, so that the First and Second Churches of Christ in Men- don were now in harmony. Pending that reconciliation, the daughter church passed the following very pacific and judicious vote : viz., "That after a Reconciliation is effected betwixt us and the First Church in Mendon, we will not countenance any person or persons keeping any private writing containing ill reflections upon the Rev. Mr. Dorr's moral character or doctrine, but will endeavor to quash every such writing which may be found." This vote was passed Dec. 8, 1742. A very wise resolve, and probably a very just one, as it is extremely doubtful whether there was any warrantable ground for such "ill reflections."

On the 31st October, 1743, " Mr. Amariah Frost gave in the An- swer of his acceptance of the Call of the Church in presence of the Church and other inhabitants of the Precinct." The Precinct forth-

MR. FROST'S ORDINATION.

with formally concurred in the call, and in making all necessary pre- liminary arrangements for his ordination. This was appointed to take place Dec. 21, 1743, just two days within the two years' time allowed in the Act of Incorporation. Letters missive were sent out to the following-named churches : Framingham, Hopkinton, First Mendon, Upton, two in Wrentham, Uxbridge, Holliston, and Med- field. The council were to meet at the house of Elder John Jones in the Dale. On the 14th of December, a few days preceding Mr. Frost's ordination, the church, with the assistance of the Second Church in Wrentham and the one in Uxbridge, solemnly ordained their two ruling elders elect; viz., Josiah Adams and John Jones. In those days ruling elders were officers of potent authority in most of the Congregational churches.

Early A.M. on the appointed 21st December, 1743, the ordaining council opened at the house of Eld. Jones. Present, by pastors and delegates, Medfield church, the two churches in Wrentham, Hopkin- ton church, Uxbridge, Holliston, Framingham, and First Mendon. Rev. Mr. Baxter was chosen moderator. When the Chh. covenant had been read and certain preliminaries considered, there arose a seri- ous division of views in the council in respect to the standing of the new chh. and the powers it claimed for its ruling elders. A minority of the council appear to have felt a decided aversion to the assumed power of ruling elders to veto and overrule the co-ordinate authority of the pastor and majority of the church-members. They therefore moved the council to send into the church several written questions, in order to ascertain what powers they invested their ruling elders with. 1. " Whether the act of the Brethren of the Church with the Ruling Elds. be a valid act without the consent of the Pastor?" 2. " Whether the Ruling Elds. and the minor part of the Brethren be capable of Negativing the Pastor and major part of the Chh?" 3. " Whether the vote of the major part of the Chh. with the Pastor be a valid act without the consent of the Ruling Elds. ? " The church returned answers which satisfied the majority, and also Mr. Frost ; but the minority of the council declined to go on with the ordination. This minority stood seven to fifteen, and included Rev. Mr. Baxter, the moderator. The majority then elected Rev. Mr. Messinger mode- rator, and proceeded with the ordination ceremonies. The minority disclaimed all desire to disfellowship the new church or its chosen pastor, and declared that from sense of duty only they made their protest against the assumptions of ruling eldership. Whether their protest had much influence, or was itself merely a weather-vane indi- cating the course of the wind, I do not know - probably the latter ;

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

for ruling eldership gradually died out of Congregational churches, and is now barely historical.

At what hours the ordaining council concluded their discussion, their ordination ceremonies, or festive entertainment, is not told in the records. Nor is it told where the services were solemnized ; but I think we may safely infer that there was considerable delay in the performances, and that they all took place in the commodious mansion of the Joneses, latterly known as the Old House in Hopedale. What the record does tell is, that Mr. Frost formally joined the church as a member ; that the church made choice of Rev. Mr. Haven to give the charge, and the council of Rev. Mr. Webb to give the right hand of fellowship; and that Rev. Messrs. Messinger, Webb, and Haven " assisted in and carried on the solemnities of the day." The account ends with the following words : "The Rev. Mr. Messinger preached an excellent sermon from 2 Tim. 2: 15: 'Study to show thyself approved unto God,' &c. Rev. Mr. Haven gave the Charge, and the Rev. Mr. Webb the Rt. Hand of Fellowship - all being carried on with great decency and solemnity." Doubtless the most ample and luscious refreshments of those times were furnished for the occasion, aud the multitude rejoiced together in the triumphant establishment of the Easterly Precinct and Second Church of Christ in Mendon.

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History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881, Part 8

Author: Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Boston : Rand, Avery, & co. Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Boston : Rand, Avery, & co.
Number of Pages: 1328