USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Norton > History of the town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859 > Part 10
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1 For more particulars of the Leonard family than are given here, see Genealogical Register, vol. v. p. 403 and onward.
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were interested in the iron-works, both in England and America ; and, as we have already stated, he acted as the agent of his father, and uncle James, in setting up, in 1695, the first bloomery, or iron-forge, within the limits of our town. The house (built before 1700) in which George Leonard lived is still standing, and is said to have been the first framed house erected in town. We here give a picture of it as it now (1858) appears.
TAYLOR"ADAN
Judge Leonard House, built before 1700.
The L, on the right, is the original structure. The main body of the house is supposed to have been built, after the death of the first George, by his son George. The house is now owned by William, Don F., Charles D., and Oliver H. Lane, and others. Many of the venerable trees, which have surrounded the house and adorned the grounds for ages, have recently been despoiled by the woodman's axe; and thus the place has been shorn of much of its ancient grandeur. In 1707, the subject of this notice bought his uncle James's half of the iron-works and land; and in 1713, on the death of his father, came into the possession of the other half. He was the leading
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man among the first settlers of Norton; one of the first board of selectmen; the first representative to the General Court; the first justice of the peace; and his name was first attached to the church-covenant. At the time of his death (Sept. 5, 1716), he held the office of major in the militia, and judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He married, 4th July, 1695, Anna Tisdale, daughter of John and Hannah (Rogers) Tisdale, of Taunton, and had eleven children, the last of whom was born after his death. His widow subsequently married Nathaniel Thomas, of Plymouth, and died September, 1733, aged sixty-one.
In a poem, published on the occasion of his death, he was styled " The prudent, pious, worthy, and wor- shipful Major George Leonard, Esquire."1 We here give his autograph, written in 1713.2
george Leonard
BENJAMIN NEWLAND, the son of Jeremiah and Kathe- rine Newland, of Taunton, was born about 1670 (?). He settled at the place now owned by Deacon A. D. Hunt. He married Sarah Leonard, July 23, 1702, and had two children. He married (second wife) Elizabeth Caswell, Nov. 29, 1716. He died in 1754. She died Nov. 4, 1739.
JOHN NEWLAND was a brother of Benjamin, and lived on the opposite side of the brook from where Thomas Copeland now lives. The leaf where a por- tion, at least, of his children's births were recorded, is lost. There were a John and Hannah Newland, who had five children, born between 1722 and 34. It is possible that he was the same individual ; and Hannah might have been his second wife.
1 See Judicial History of Massachusetts, by Hon. Emory Washburn, p. 368.
2 As he had a son and a grandson bearing the same name as himself, who were leading men in the town and state, the three have been distinguished respectively as "Major " George, " Colonel " George, and "Judge " George Leonard.
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JABEZ PRATT was, perhaps, the son of Jonathan, of Plymouth ; born Nov. 1, 1673. He owned land near where Deacon Jason F. Alden lives, and was here as early as 1695. He married Elizabeth Cobb, Feb. 23, 1697-8, and probably died, or removed from town, soon after its incorporation. We here insert his auto- graph, written in 1695.
Ja bez Pratt
WILLIAM PRATT has left few materials for a biogra- phy. The leaf where the births of his children were recorded is missing from the town-records. His wife Experience was admitted to Mr. Avery's church, Nov. 7, 1714 ; dismissed from the church at Weymouth.
EPHRAIM SHELDON settled in the westerly part of Mansfield. Of his pedigree we are ignorant. He had a wife, Jane -, married before 1709; and four or more children, a portion of whom were born in Nor-' ton. He early removed to Attleborough; and there we lose all traces of him.
ISAAC SHEPARD was the son of Thomas and Hannah (Ensign) Shepard, and was born at Charlestown in April or May, 1682. His father was first in Malden, then in Medford, Charlestown, and Brookline, and died at Milton. Isaac lived at the place now owned by Elkanah Wheeler, and came to Norton about 1707. He married Elizabeth Fuller, of Cambridge (?), Dec. 31, 1702; and had nine children. He died June 24, 1724 ; and from him, through his son Isaac, was de- scended the celebrated Miss Mary Lyon, the founder of the Mount-Holyoke Female Seminary at South Hadley.1
THOMAS SKINNER, the son of Thomas and Mary (?) Skinner, and grandson of Thomas, who came from
1 For this fact, and for most of the items relating to Isaac Shepard, I am indebted to Lucius M. Boltwood, Esq., of Amherst; who has a very com- plete history of the Norton branch of the Shepard family. He is the grand- son of Rev. Mase Shepard, of whom we shall speak in another place.
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Chichester, England, about 1650, and settled in Mal- den, was born November, 1668. He settled in the westerly part of the North Purchase, now Mansfield, as early as 1695 ; for his name appears as one of the proprietors of the North Purchase on a deed of land to Thomas and James Leonard, already mentioned. He is believed by some to have settled first in Wren- tham, because some of his children's births are re- corded there. He doubtless attended meeting at Wrentham, because it was much nearer than Taunton ; but I am confident that he did not reside there. He was one of the original members of our church, and the first schoolmaster of Norton. He married Hannah Carpenter (?) about 1694, and had eight children. His will was made June 9, 1757, in his eighty-ninth year ; and was probated May 19, 1750 : so that he was in the ninetieth year of his age when he died. We here give his autograph, written in 1722.
Thomas Skinner
JOHN SKINNER was a brother, or perhaps only half- brother, of Thomas: for Mary, the wife of Thomas Skinner, died at Malden, April 9, 1671 ; and John was born April, 1673. He settled in the west part of the North Purchase about the time Thomas did; was a proprietor, and his name is attached to the deed of the proprietors to the Leonards. He was a member of our church at its organization. His wife's name was Sarah -, married about 1696; and they had seven children. He was living in 1738; but when he died is uncertain. There was a John Skinner who died at Wrentham, April 8, 1754; and he might have been the man. His autograph was written in 1695.
John Hinner
NICHOLAS SMITH was the "step-child " of Farmer Smith, of Taunton, and was born 21st February, 1672. He is supposed to have lived near where
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Hathaway Leonard now lives. Before 1752, he moved to Taunton, and died there about the beginning of the year 1759. His first wife was Mercy Newland (?), married before 1713. She died Oct. 10, 1723. His second wife was Jerusha Leonard, married Jan. 21, 1724-5. By both wives, he had twelve children.
JOHN SMITH is supposed to have been the son of John and Jael (?) (Parker) Smith, of Taunton, and to have been born 6th December, 1680; but there is much doubt as to his paternity. There was a John Smith, jun., and Mary Briggs, of Norton, married Nov. 9, 1714.
THOMAS STEPHENS was the son of Richard Stephens, of Taunton, and was born 3d February, 1674. He is supposed to have lived near the centre of the town. In 1712, he had land laid out to him on Lockety Neck, near the junction of Rumford and Wading Rivers. He was one of the first board of selectmen. He married Mary Caswell, Sept. 28, 1699. I find no record of his children on the town-books ; but three are buried in the Centre Burying-ground. He is supposed to have died soon after 1752. His autograph was written in 1716.
Thomas Stop Pons
ROBERT TUCKER lived between Barrowsville and John Harvey's, and is believed to have been there as early as 1698. We have learned nothing of his an- cestry. His will was probated Feb. 16, 1724-5. His wife's name was Mehitable -, and they had six chil- dren.
WILLIAM WETHERELL was the son of the first settler of Norton, and was born about 1650 (?). He lived at the place where his father is supposed to have first " pitched " his habitation within the limits of Norton, near the outlet of Winneconnet Pond. From the first settler, through him, are descended the present Wil- liam Wetherell, and William Wetherell, jun. ; who are believed to be the seventh and eighth of this name in regular succession. He married, 1681, Elizabeth
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Newland; and had four, and probably more, children. He died about 1729. His autograph was written in 1724.
ossilliam spistherole
WILLIAM WETHERELL, Jun., was the son of William, last named, and grandson of the first settler. The date of birth is unknown. His wife Hannah, and child, late of Freetown, were warned out of Norton, July 20, 1729. He is believed to have had a son William and other children, probably by a wife previous to Han- nah ; but no records of his family can be found.
JEREMIAH WETHERELL was the son of William and Elizabeth (Newland) Wetherell; but when born is unknown. He lived at the east part of the town, and afterwards moved into Taunton. He married Rachel Basset, March 26, 1713. He subsequently had a wife Sarah. His will was probated July 7, 1752, and he names three children in it. We give his autograph, written in 1724.
Jonmich Wetherol
JOHN WETHERELL was the son of William, the first settler, and was born in 1664. He settled at the place now owned by Thomas Copeland ; and his house stood a few feet southerly, on the opposite side of the road from Mr. Copeland's house. He was an original member of the church, one of the first board of select- men, and one of the leading men in the town. His wife's name was Susannali Newland (?), married about 1687, and they had eight children. His autograph was written in 1747 ; and he is supposed to have died soon afterwards.
John Wetherel
JOHN WETHERELL, Jun., the son of John, already mentioned, was born Oct. 8, 1688, and is said to
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have been the first child born within the limits of Nor- ton. He lived at the east part of the town, upon the old homestead. He married Hannah Brintnell before 1715, and had five or more children.
Deacon NICHOLAS WHITE was the son of Nicholas and Ursilla (Macomber) White, of Taunton, and grandson of Nicholas, of Taunton,1 and was born Feb. 3, 1675. He settled within the limits of Mans- field, close to the line between the old town of Taunton and the North Purchase, at the place where Charles N. Hall now lives, and is supposed to have built the house now occupied by Mr. Hall. He was one of the most influential men in the town ; being the first town- treasurer ; for eleven years, one of the selectmen ; a rep- resentative to the General Court, and the first deacon of the church, &c. His wife was Experience King, married June 2, 1703 ; and they had nine (?) children. He died Sept. 2, 1743, and was buried on his own farm, a few feet northerly from the front-door of Nehe- miah Hall's house ; but no stone marks the spot, and the ploughshare has again and again disturbed the soil beneath which his body rests. Ought this to be so ? We give his autograph, written in 1727.
nicholas white
MATTHEW WHITE was a brother of Deacon Nicholas, and was born Oct. 25, 1676. He lived not far distant from his brother, in Mansfield. He married Susannah Hall, July 10, 1710. For second wife, he married Damaris Deane (about 1715), and had four children. The date of his death we have not found.
EDWARD WHITE lived at the east part of the town ; but we can learn nothing of him, except that he mar- ried Rebecca Wetherell, May 3, 1710.
Deacon BENJAMIN WILLIAMS was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, of Taunton, grandson of
1 He is supposed to have been the same person, made a freeman in 1642, who married Susannah, daughter of Jonas and Frances Humphrey, and was at Dorchester in 1652.
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Richard and Francis (Dighton) Williams, and was born 15th October, 1681. He settled, about the time of his marriage, at the northerly part of Mansfield, near where Benjamin Williams (his descendant) now lives, close by the Providence Railroad. He was much employed in town-affairs ; and, for some years, was deacon of the North-Precinct (Mansfield) church. He married Elizabeth Deane, Dec. 4, 1707, and they had nine children. He died Jan. 10, 1757. His wife died March 18, 1758. His autograph was written in 1723.
Ronjamin williams
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MINISTRY OF REV. JOSEPH AVERY.
" Alas! how light a cause may move Dissension between hearts that love! "
MOORE.
MR. AVERY's ministry was far from a peaceful one, as will be seen in the pages that follow. We give what facts we have been able to gather from a few scattered papers collected from various sources.
For about four years after his settlement, we hear of no schisms or difficulties in the church to create ill feelings among its members, or to impair the usefulness of the pastor. But the serpent was not idle : he was creeping stealthily around the fold; ready, upon a favorable moment, to spit forth his venom. The op- portunity soon came, - probably in the latter part of the year 1718. Some difficulty arose between Mrs. Anna Leonard (widow of the late Major George Leonard, deceased) and her son George on the one side, and the assessors of Norton on the other, about the rates.
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From the town-records, it appears that Mrs. Leonard and her son considered themselves overrated. They and the assessors could not agree about the matter. The difficulty was carried to court for adjustment. The court made an abatement of £7. 10s. 8d. of Mrs. Leonard's tax. The town refused to pay the assessors' charges for contesting the matter at the court, &c.1 .!
In all such difficulties, each party generally has its friends and adherents, who make common cause with them. Such was, no doubt, the fact in this instance. The contest seems to have waxed warm, and spread quite extensively. It soon found its way into the church. Accusations and insinuations, and many other unchristian imputations, were, no doubt, the
1 Since writing the above, I have found the decree of the Supreme Judi- cial Court relative to the matter, made at Boston, Sept. 12, 1721; and we lay it before the reader: -
" John Hodges, John Wetherell, and John Skinner, assessors of the town of Norton in the year 1719, appellants, vs. Anna Leonard, Samuel Brint- nell, and George Leonard, all of said Town, Appellees from the Order or sentance of a Court of General Sessions of the Peace, held at Bristol, for the County of Bristol, by adjournment, on the first wednesday of August, 1720. Whereas, at a Court of General Sessions of the Peace, held at Bristol on the second Tuesday of January last, the said Assessors of Norton were com- plained of by the now Appellees for not Easing them in their Rates, made for defraying the charges of the sd. Town in the year 1719, in which said rates was Included twenty Pounds for finishing the Minister's house, and also his salary; and, upon hearing the matter, the Court Ordered the aforesaid Rates to be set aside; and the said Assessors were ordered to new-make sd. Rates, and commit them to the constable, as by the copy of the Court's Order on file appears. and, complaint having been made to the sd. Court of Sessions that the order of Court hath not been complied with, sundry orders were issued out to cite the said Assessors to appear to answer for their non-compliance with the aforesaid order; and, they not being to be found, the said Court or- dered that the Clerk issue out a warrant to apprehend the said assessors, in order to their becoming bound by Recognizance to appear at the said ad- journment of Court, in August, 1720, to answer as well for their contempt as for not complying with the Court's order; when they appeared, and gave reason why they had not complyed therewith; viz .: Because they heard the Parties, that had Complained of said Rates, said they would com- plain again. But, for their offence, the Court then ordered them to pay a fine of forty shillings, and cost of Court; who then moved for an appeal from the said Court's order, but were denied. And the said appeal is now brought forward by order of the Great and General Court; and, after a full hearing of both parties, It is considered by the court, that the said Court's order, or Sentence, be, and hereby is, Reversed; and that the app'Its. go without day; and that all Bills of cost taxed against the town of Norton be, and hereby are, Declared void, and of no Effect." *
* Supreme-Court Records, from 1721-25, p. 19.
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cause of many lamentations on the part of those who wished to greet every one they met with the gospel salutations of "Peace be unto you;" "Let brotherly love continue." To use a common yet expressive phrase, the church was soon "up in arms," and had each other "by the ears."
It was, no doubt, the trouble growing out of this affair, that induced the church to pass the following vote : -
"July 27th, 1719. - At a Church-meeting, the church did then approve of the Platforme of Church Discipline; and did agree, by vote, to Practise according to the Rule of it."
John Skinner, one of the assessors making the rate objected to, seems to have been the "bellweather" of the opposition to Mrs. Leonard and son. He accused them of lying, and gave wings to other slanderous reports.
The church did not probably approve of the course he pursued. This inflicted a wound upon his pride, and he absented himself from the holy ordinances of Christianity ; or perhaps he did this because he could not in conscience commune with those he deemed guilty of falsehood and other unchristian practices. But, whatever might have been the cause of his non- attendance upon the ordinances, the church, in order to bring him to repentance, suspended him from their fellowship. But, as is generally the case, this suspen- sion did not send the arrow of sorrow and repentance to his heart. Instead of allaying, it rather increased, the flame.
The pastor at length became implicated in the crimi- nations. Something decisive must now be done, or the church will be broken up. The advice of a coun- cil of five churches is invoked ; and all parties agreed to abide by their decision. The churches, convened by their pastors and messengers, were Rev. Peter Thatcher's, of Middleborough, who was moderator of the council; Rev. John Danforth's, of Dorchester ; Rev. Joseph Baxter's, of Medfield ; Rev. John Swift's,
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of Framingham ; and Rev. Richard Billings's, of Little Compton, R.I.
The result or decision of the council, I have been fortunate enough to find. It is a long document ; but, as it throws more light upon the whole matter than can be obtained from any other source, we give it entire : -
" After solemn Invocation of the Divine name, &c., -
" A Publick hearing of all Parties, the Council of 5 Churches convened at Norton, novem. 13, 1722.
"I. That by the Letters, that required us to assemble in Council at Norton, we were notified that mr. John Skinner, a Brother in full Communion, had a Complaint to offer to Con- sideration, & that some questions might be proposed for Reso- lution, and all in the Chh. had agreed & resolved to be deter- mined by the Judgment & Advice yt should be offered them by the Council; and that we take notice with great Thankful- ness to God and our Lord Jesus Christ, & look upon it as a Token for good, and would hope yt ye Lord hath graciously began to prepare them for ye great blessings of Peace and union, which, we pray to God, may be restored unto them.
"II. That an occasion of the great altercations was an exception taken att some applycations made to the Court; and that, in one of ym, madm. Leonard and her son made an averment to the Court, In the Complaint of over-ratement, yt an abatement of the Rates had been refused by ye Assessors. now, wee find that the assessors did not refuse to make an abatement, if it could be demonstrated to them to be their duty to make it ; but, their delay of making it till the court came to sit being by Legal construction and denomination a refusal, they used it [as] the Legal term of Refusal in the said com- plaint to the court. now, brother Skinner, not So thurly con- sidering the Leagle Sence of the word Refusal, but under- standing it according to the acceptation and use of it in Com- mon talk, apprehended to import a scandlus falshod, Charging the Said mad. Leonard & her son with lying, & procuring some delays to the admission of young mr. L. to ye Lord's Table ; & on yt account absenting himself also, perhaps about 2 years, from ye L. T., because ye chh. did not see cause of chh. Dealing with md. L. & her Son for sd. apprehended lying. In all which we Judge our Br. Skinner to have been
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in the wrong, and ye chh. to have been in ye right ; nor can we find any weight at all in his pleas, either for forcing the matter into debate in ye chh., then ready for ye eruption of the flame of strife, or for ye extenuating of, much less for the absolving him from, ye Fault condemned by our Synod (Plat- form, Chap. 14, Sec. 9), of ye absenting himself from ye com- munion of ye chh. at the L. S.
" III. That; our B. Skinner having declared unto some his resolution not to return to the Communion untill the chh. would deal with madm. Leonard & her son for lying, wee find the Revd. Pastor proposed to the chh., whether the chh. should not bear testimony against his fault by suspending him from the Lord's Supper, in hopes, by divine blessing, to be a means to recover him to a better frame ; and the chh., all that were then present of the fraternity, excepting two persons, consented and agreed to the proposal, and that the suspension was pased in ye chh., not by lifting of the hands, but by a silential vote. The usual method amongst us hath been, that altho' offences have been open and long continued, & altho' it [is] known yt most of the chh. are greatly offended at the same, yet, before the suspension has been voted, the offender hath been cited to appear before ye chh. (the chh. being in peace) to show Cause & Reason (if any there be) why he should not have been suspended from ye Ld's. Supr. for his open fault, wherein he obstinately continued ; and we beleve yt our Practice therein is according to ye rule, and ye con- terary is Irregler. and we understand yt ye Reson why ye Like method was not taken with brother Skiner was, yt it was supposed by ye Reverend Pastor and some others, yt if ye sd. Brother Skiner had been Solemly Cited to appear before ye church, having strong adherants, it twould have Produced uncomfortable clamor, violent Eritations, Exacerba- tions, unworthy Reflections, and a terable increase of ye flames of Strife, to ye high disoner of God and mischef of soles, which ye Pastor was unwilling to open ye dore unto; and ye Rather Becase Grevios Reflections mad upon him, and at a Certain fast had asked ye sd. Brother Skiner ye Reson of his withdrawment, and sd. Brother Skiner Gave him two Resons : one of ym was ye Churche's, way of Baptising; and ye other was ye chh's. Refusing to deel with madam Leonard and her Sone for leying, in a petition to ye Court, before men- tioned. however, if such a case should hapen againe, so dain- geres to sett a church on fire, our advice would be yt ye chh.
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should not Proceed without ye Presance and advice of a council of chhs.
" However, we are of ye opinion yt ye chh. hath not dis- pencd no grater sencer to Brother Skiner than his falt deserved, if yt ye vote for it, tho' a silential vote, was a firm and Good vote; and we, in Some cases in our chhs., do make silenciall votes : and, in Sundry cases, we judge it to be ye best way of voting, conducing most to ye Glory of God, ye Peace and Good of ye chh.
" IV. As to ye Revd. Pastor, his redress to ye revd. & aged Pastor of taunton for advice, or at any time to ye revd. asso- ciation, wee juge that therein he acted prudently and accord- ing to the rules of the holy word of god, and agreeabl enough to our Platform of chh. desipline.
" V. It apears not to us yt ye revd. mr. Avery, the Pastor, hath been guilty of any Criminal partiality in his conduct in this affair, but he hath been unreasonably charged with it, & reproached for it, & unworthyly treated and put to greif on that account ; nor can we find any one of the sundry allega- tions, exhibited against him as criminal, sufficiently evi- denced; nor can wee judge him or believe him criminal therein.
" VI. It is our judgment, that baptizing according to the advice of ye synod that met at Boston anno Dom. 1662 is according to the word of God, & we believe is pleasing in his Sight, and yt Br. Thomas Skinner ought to attend ye rules in ye synod for the Baptism of his children.
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