USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Middlefield > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Huntington > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Chester > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Montgomery > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 7
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
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
After the town of Murrayfield had elected to call Mr. Bascom according to the agreement drawn by Mr. Ballentine, then came the question of organizing the church. The Scotch element in town was quite large, and they probably preferred the Presbyterian form of church government; but the English element most likely preferred the Congregational form. At any rate it is certain that there was disagreement in the town npon this subject, which was compromised
70
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
by an agreement entered into on the 14th of November, 1769, as follows:
"Articles of agreement made and concluded by the inhabitants of Murrayfield.
Whereas there is a difference of opinion among the inhabitants of Murrayfield with respect to the mode of church discipline, which differ- enee seems to be an impediment to our settling a minister among us and enjoying the ordinances of the Gospel: we, the subscribers, under a solemn sense of the importance of peace and union among churches, and with an earnest desire to remove every obstruction in the way of our enjoying gospel ordinances, do agree and consent to the following articles, viz .:
1. That there shall be a church incorporated in this place according to the usual method in the neighboring churches, that is to say, by a church eove- nant & a confession of faith, which confession shall be agreeable to the West- minster confession, so-called.
2. That all persons who shall desire to join themselves to this church after its incorporation shall be examined by its pastor & elders chosen to assist the pastor (as hereinafter mentioned) & shall be propounded to the church that any one may have opportunity to offer his objections against him if any there be, & shall be admitted by the recommendation of the pastor & elders & the vote of the brethren, & members of other churches who shall desire stated communion with this church shall bring letters of recommendation from the churches to which they stand related.
3. That there shall be a number of elders not exceeding seven chosen by the brethren of the church to join with & assist the pastor in ruling & govern- ing the church according to the word of God, & particularly in such matters as are hereinafter mentioned, & that any two of the elders with the pastor, in case more shall see fit not to attend, shall be a session.
4. In all cases of offence where such private dealing as the gospel pre- scribes fails of bringing the matter to a peaceable issue the person or persons dissatisfied shall lodge with the pastor a written complaint, clearly & explicitly setting forth the matter of the offence & naming the witnesses who are to be cited in support of said complaint.
5. When any complaint as aforesaid is lodged with the pastor he shall notify the party accused thereof & give him, if required, a copy of said complaint & a list of the witnesses' names fourteen days before he is required to make his defence, & in case the complainant shall, after he has exhibited his complaint, with a list of his witnesses to the pastor, give notice of other witnesses to be cited, the party accused shall be allowed further time to prepare for his defence if he shall desire it.
6. That the pastor with the ruling elders have full power to hear such complaint & judge & pass sentence thereupon.
7. That if either party shall think himself aggrieved with the judgment of
71
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
the session, he shall have liberty of an appeal to the church who shall have power to revise or confirm the judgment of the session as to them shall seem right, & that the concurrence of the pastor with a major part of the brethren present (they having been duly notified to attend) shall in all cases be deemed a valid aet of the church.
8. In case either party shall be aggrieved with the judgment of the church there shall be liberty of an appeal to an evangelical council.
9. That whenever there shall be occasion for an evangelical couneil, it shall be called by letters missive from the pastor in the name & by the vote of the church; & said council shall if the church or any party concerned so request, consist of an equal number of Congregational & Presbyterian churches; provided, nevertheless, that in case any of the churches shall fail of attend- ing, so that there shall not be an equality of Presbyterian & Congregational churches actually present, "such inequality shall be no bar to said conr.cil's proceeding & judging in the case to be referred, whose judgment shall be final & decisive.
10. That in case any special difficulty shall arise between the pastor & the church or any particular members of the church or other fixed inhabitants of the town attending his ministry, which shall require the presence of a council, in such case a council shall be called in manner & form as above mentioned, to hear & judge the same, & their judgment shall be decisive.
11. That in case the pastor shall refuse to join the church in calling a coun- cil in any case in which he is especially concerned, then the ruling elders or a majority of them, if they see fit, shall desire two or more neighboring churches to come & look into the matter; & if these churches find occasion for a council, they shall advise the pastor to join with the church in calling one-but in case he still obstinately refuses, then these churches so present shall have power to call an ecclesiastical council of such churches as they judge proper, after consulting the pastor & brethren thereupon; which council so called shall have full power to act to all intents & purposes as if it had been called by the pastor & brethren.
12. And when the council is to be called the parties concerned shall have liberty to nominate the churches which are to form the council, & may pro- ceed in the nomination till they name such as shall be agreeable to the church.
13. That such persons as the pastor & elders shall approve, upon their con- senting to the confession of faith adopted by the church & to a covenant drawn up for them, shall, according to the Presbyterian method, have right to offer their children to baptism, though they do not see fit. to join in full communion; & that all such persons as well as those in full communion, they being under no scandal, shall be allowed at all times to bring their chil- dren to baptism.
14. That previous to the communion of the Lord's table the pastor shall set apart a suitable portion of time to prepare for that ordinance & that during the administration thereof he shall discourse upon the nature of the ordinance, & shall give suitable exhortation to the communicants as is practiced in Presby- terian churches.
72
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
15. That it will be agreeable to our minds that the pastor should visit his flock & caution the members thereof as often as he judges convenient & the duties of his office & other circumstances will allow."
Signed by " Aaron Bascom, David Palmer, Abner Smith, Stephen Lyman, Timothy Smith, Samuel Pomeroy, John Kirtland, Samuel Matthews, Jonathan Hart Webber, Gideon Matthews, Timothy Lyman, William Miller, James Ham- bleton, Samuel Elder, Malcom Henry, William Moore, Jesse Johnson, Daniel Williams, Alexander Gordon, Ebenezer Webber, Jonathan Wait, James Clark."
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH.
The confession of faith was as follows:
"We believe that there is one & but one only living & true God who is infi- nite in his being & perfection, power, wisdom, justice, holiness, goodness & truth, who is the creator, governor & disposer of all things, & we believe in the unity of the godhead there are three persons of one substance, power & eternity-Father, Son, & Holy Ghost, & we believed that God created man male & female after his own image in knowledge, righteousness & true holi- ness & entered into a covenant of life with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good & evil upon the pain of death, & that our first parents being left to themselves sinned by eating the forbidden fruit & thereby brought themselves & their ordinary posterity into a state of sin & misery; & that God might have justly left them in that state; but in His infinite wisdom & goodness sent his son to take upon him the human nature, who suffered & died & arose again the third day & appeared & sinteth at the right hand of the father, continually making inter- cession for us, & will come to judge the world in righteousness at the last day, & by his perfect obedience & sacrifice of himself hath fully satisfied divine justice & the law that whomsoever believeth in him shall have everlasting life; & we believe that God has elected a certain number to everlasting life, whom he will effectually call, justify & sanctify in time & will secure against apostasy; which is accomplished by the special influence of the blessed spirit, & that not the works of men but the righteousness of Christ imputed to be- lievers is the sole ground of their justification before God, & that holiness of heart & life flow from that faith that unites the soul to Christ, and we believe that the scriptures of the Od & New Testament are the word of God, & are a perfect rule of faith & practice. We believe in the great doctrines of the resurrection of the dead & future judgment & the eternal happiness of those that believe & obey the gospel, & the eternal misery of the unbelievers & diso- bedient."
The names signed, as subscribing to this confession of faith, as they appear upon the church record such as was kept at different times, are as follows:
73
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
Aaron Bascom & wife, Stephen Lyman, Timothy Lyman, John Laccore & wife, Timothy Smith & wife, Samuel Pomeroy & wife, Samuel Matthews & wife, Jesse Johnson & wife, Jonathan Wait & wife, Gideon Matthews & wife, David Palmer & wife, John Kirtland & wife, Abner Smith & wife, Wm. Mil- ler & wife, James Hamilton & wife, Edward Wright & wife, James Clark & wife, Reuben Woolworth & wife, Widow Webber, Samnel Wright & wife, Gershom Rust & wife, Samuel Elder & wife.
The church was duly organized on the 20th of December, 1769. Only three elders were chosen at that time, to wit: Samuel Matthews, John Kirtland, William Miller.
ORDINATION OF MR. BASCOM.
On the same day the ordination of Mr. Bascom took place. This was a great event for Murrayfield, and grea, preparations were made for the entertainment of the ministers and delegates from other churches whose presence was required for the occasion. The com- mittee appointed by the town to take charge of the arrangements were, Jesse Johnson, James Hamilton, John Kirtland, David Palmer, and Samuel Matthews. Some of the items of expense look queer to us, but they were in keeping with the views of people at that time, and are a part of the history of the town. Some of the items, which came before the town at the town meeting next following and were voted to be paid, are as follows: Three pounds and two pence half penny to Stephen Lyman for keeping the council and their horses and for going after rum and wine. Eleven shillings and three pence to Isaac Mixer for keeping the council. Five shillings and nine pence to Caleb Fobes for keeping ministers, to wit: Mr. Judd, Mr. Lathrop, and Mr. Ballentine. Eight shillings to James Hamilton for going to Brookfield and to Weston after ministers. Six shillings and five pence to Malcom Henry for keeping the Rev. Mr. Judd and Rev. Mr. Baldwin. One of the articles, inserted in the warrant for the March meeting, 1770, was, "To see if the town will give Stephen Lyman three shillings and two pence more for that wine that he borrowed for the ordination." The town voted to give it.
FIREWOOD FOR MR. BASCOM.
At the December town meetings the town always took action about procuring Mr. Bascom's annual supply of firewood. The following vote was passed at the December meeting, 1920: "Voted to give Mr.
+4
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
John McIntire two pounds and two shillings for to get the Rev. Mr. Bascom's firewood for the year to come, that is to say, a year from this date, and the wood to be cut eight feet long and piled up hand- somely at his door."
CHURCH DISCIPLINE.
There were frequent cases of church discipline, as appears by the church record. A few specimens may not be uninteresting. June 21st, 17:1, a meeting of pastor and elders was held to hear a complaint made by Jonathan Wait, who was the miller, at what was afterwards known as Littleville, against Reuben Woolworth and his wife. The nature of the complaint does not appear by the record, which simply shows that a hearing was had and resulted in a dismissal of the com- plaint with a statement that Woolworth was guilty of only a human infirmity. But the Waits were not to be silenced in this way; and Mr. Wait and his wife jointly preferred another complaint against Mr. Woolworth and his wife which was heard July 17th, 1771, and it appears to have been concerning a scandalous report that both Wait and his wife had taken undue toll at their gristmill. It was ordered that Mr. Woolworth make a private confession to Mrs. Wait and ask her forgiveness. But Woolworth afterwards complained that Mrs. Wait would not forgive him, and brought it again before the pastor and elders ; and upon a hearing Mrs. Wait was adjudged innocent. which appears to have set the matter at rest so far as the church was con- cerned. In December, 1772, Abraham Flemming was summoned before the pastor and elders on a complaint made against him for fighting. He was found guilty; but he refused to admit his fault. Subsequently the matter was taken up again and he confessed ; whereupon he was restored to good and regular standing. January 26th, 1773, Abner Smith preferred a complaint against his brother, Timothy Smith, for profane swearing. Timothy was found guilty but refused to acknowl- edge his fault; and continuing obstinate and incorrigible he was excom- municated with solemn formality and declared to be as one of the heathen. At some time in 1774, however. Timothy, finding the odium of excommunication too much to bear, repented of his obstinacy and confessed his fault ; whereupon he was taken back into good and reg- ular standing in the church. The records show that Abraham Flemming was also dealt with for profane swearing ; as was also Mr. Crawford and Caleb Bascom. Caleb was also dealt with for the exces- sive use of intoxicating liquors.
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
ACTION OF THE TOWN AS TO WHERE PREACHING SHALL BE DONE.
In July, 1722, the agreement fixed by the arbitration to have preaching part of the time for three years from July, 1769, at Isaae Mixer's Inn, had expired. The town then passed the following vote : " That Mr. Bascom shall not preach any more at the River on the Sabbath." Right here began a difficulty which resulted in a division of the town. On the same day a protest was presented, which was entered upon the records of the town of Murrayfield, as follows :
" Murrayfield, July 24th, 1772. A protest of a number of the inhabitants of said town against a vote passed at a meeting of said town wherein it voted that no part of the preaching be at the River the present year. We, the sub- scribers, look upon it that we are unjustly injured by said vote, & shall declare against paying any part of the salary to the minister the ensuing year. Ebe- nezer Geer, John Kirtland, David Scott, Miles Washburn, Peter Williams, Elijah Geer, Isaac Mixer, Jr., Isaac Mixer, Caleb Fobes, Thomas Crow, David Palmer."
JOHN KIRTLAND.
On the part of the people in the east end of the town, John Kirt- land-or more properly Kirkland-was the leading man. He came from Norwich, Conn., and purchased a tract of land in the southwest corner of the Williams grant. He took up his residence in Murray- field sometime between September, 1769, and September, 1770. The record shows that he conveyed about 50 acres of his land to James Clark, June 20, 1768. This was not the James Clark who was among the first settlers of the town, but was James Clark of Norwich, Conn., who came to reside in town at a date later than his purchase of Kirt- land. At a town meeting held December 14th, 1722, in view of the fact that the people in the east part of the town felt aggrieved by the action which had been taken touching the question of holding religions meeting with preaching at the River, the town voted to "consent and agree that, Col. John Murray, Col John Chandler, Timothy Paine, Esq., and Col. Abijah Willard shall be a committee to view and examine into the circumstances and situation of the town of Murrayfield respecting the town's being divided, and if they judge it best for the town to be divided, the town agrees to their fixing a line and establishing it for the division line, the east end of the town pay- ing the cost of the committee."
.
76
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
THE QUESTION OF DIVIDING THE TOWN REFERRED TO THE ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS.
The proprietors took the subject into consideration and sent to the town the following response:
"January 6th, 1773. To the inhabitants of Murrayfield, in the County of Hampshire, whereas the said town at a meeting held on the 14th day of December, 1772, among other things consented & agreed that we, the sub- scribers, be a committee to view and examine into the circumstances & situa- tion of said town respecting said town's being divided, & to agree, in case we think best to have a division, to fix the limit of division. We this day met upon the affair, & heard Deacon John Kirtland & Mr. Timothy Smith, a Com- mittee chosen by said town, & having maturely considered of the affair of dividing said town and the circumstances of the Eastern and Western parts of said town, are very sensible that the situation of the town is such that a division in some future time will be necessary; but as the town is now in its in- fancy & many of the inhabitants under low circumstances, not able at present to support the changes & build up another parish, therefore advise that the town continue together for the present, & look upon it reasonable that preaching be divided as has been usual between the East & West parts of the town. But in case a division is insisted upon by the inhabitants & peace cannot continue in the town without, we advise to the following division line, viz : Beginning at the southwest corner of the Ingersol grant & from thence extending on the west line of said grant till it comes to the second division lot No. 1. owned by John Chandler, Esq., & from thence a straight line to the southeast corner of lot No. 16 ; & from thence running on the east lines of lots Nos. 15, 28, & 29 to Chesterfield southwest corner. And as the proprietors have been to great expense in settling said town, in case of division, the east part of said town must not expect any assistance from the proprietors, as we look upon it that a division at present will not serve the interest of said proprietors. Wishing you prosperity in all your affairs we subscribe your humble servants.
JOHN CHANDLER. TIMO. PAINE. ABIJAH WILLARD. JOHN MURRAY."
MEMORIAL TO THE GENERAL COURT.
At a town meeting held January 13th, 1773. it was voted that the town be divided upon the line recommended by the proprietors.
The next measure taken in this business was the following memorial to the General Court :
27
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
" Province of Massachusetts Bay.
To his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., Captain General & Governor in Chief of the province aforesaid. The Honorable his Majesty's Council & Hon. House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston, June, 1773.
The memorial of John Kirtland of Murrayfield, in the county of Hampshire, as agent for & in behalf of such of the inhabitants of said Murray field as live in the easterly part thereof, humbly shows : That in the year 1762 this Great & General Court sold at public vendue to the Hon. John Chandler, Esq., & others all the lands of said Murrayfield (excepting what was before granted out to particular persons) for a certain price & on certain conditions of settle- ment as by the records of this Honorable Court appears; that there was theu about 7500 acres, part of said town granted out to particular persons, all lying eastward of a mountain, called Moose Hill, that runs north & south through said township. That said Col. Chandler & others, the purchasers of the unappropriated lands there, had on their said lands (under contract of performing settlement duties) about forty persons, all of which excepting one were west of the line that said purchasers made the divisional line of said town. That in the year 1765, on the application of said purchasers of said unappropriated lands to this Honorable Court, & not by the inhabitants or any of them, the said lands including said grants & the inhabitants thereon were incorporated & erected into a town with the power and immunities of other towns in the province. That in the year 1767 a house of public worship was set up by said purchasers in said town on the west side of said Moose Mountain merely to accommodate their settlers, the inhabitants of that part of the town & where all the settlers under said purchasers, excepting one, then dwelt.
That in the year 1765 eight or nine families were settled on the grants aforesaid, & the number of them now settled on said grants is increased to thirty-five.
That since the year 1767, the said town has laid out considerable monies toward furnishing the meeting house set up as aforesaid; that in 1770 the said town settled a minister & gave him seventy-five pounds for a settlement & en- gaged to give him sixty pounds per annum salary. That there are to this day but six families in said town settled east of said divisional line, under the said purchasers; all the rest being on the old grants aforesaid. That the building of said meeting house & settling said minister answer for said purchasers toward a fulfilment in part of the conditions of their grant from the province, & to the settlers under them it answers for a performance in part of their settling contract with said original proprietors, but answers no purpose of advantage whatever to any of the people settled on the east side of said moun- tain, as they cannot without insupportable expense & labor attend public worship among them, they all of them living from five to eight miles distant from said place of public worship beyond said mountain. That by the kind application of the original purchasers (in favor of their tenants or under pur- chasers) to this Honorable Court & procuring the incorporation aforesaid they
78
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
have brought the settlers on the grants aforesaid (as they are the minor part of said town) subject to a proportion of the expense of fulfilling their duty in part to the province in regard to their lands in which these settlers have no interest & with whom most of them never consented to be any way concerned, & in the year 1768 when the first tax of eighty pounds was made for town charges, many of the settlers under the purchasers being turned off their lands, two-fifths of the burden of said tax actually fell upon the settlers on the grants.
That these memorialists under the circumstances soliciting the town that as they paid their proportion of these expenses of settling a minister, & pay their proportion of his yearly salary, that they might have a proportionable part of the preaching on their side of the mountain where they could enjoy it, which the town granted them for the space of three years; but since July last have wholly denied to do for the future. Your memorialists beg leave to observe to your Excellency & Honors that as the tract of land sold to these gentlemen was very large, much more than an ordinary township, they have been at a loss for the reason that induced your Excellency & Honors to make those grants (without the knowledge and consent of the proprietors and settlers) part of the same town with the Western part of said purchase, though they were never at a loss for the reason that induces said purchasers to apply for it.
That this act of incorporation so extended has not only thus unequally burdened the present settlers of said grants in the respect before mentioned, but also in this respect : that it is a great discouragement to the further sale or settlement of such of said lands as yet remain unsold.
The said memorialists, the inhabitants on the east side of said mountain, in said Murrayfield, under these difficulties are constrained humbly to implore your Excellency & Honors that there may be a division of the said town of Murrayfield by the following line, viz : Beginning at the southwest corner of Ingersole grant, so called, thence extending on the west line of said grant till it comes to the second division lot No. 1, owned by John Chandler, Esq. ; from thence a straight line to the southeast corner of lot No. 16 ; and from thence running on the east line of lots Nos. 15, 28, & 29 to Chesterfield south- west corner, & that the inhabitants & lands in said township east of said line may be erected into a separate town or district with the powers & privi- leges that other towns in this province enjoy.
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.