USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Shrewsbury > History of the town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1717 to 1829, with other matter relating thereto not before published, including an extensive family register > Part 15
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" At the age of thirty-three years.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
" They were then desired to bring in their votes for a pastor, when it appeared the Rev. Edwards Whipple was unanimously chosen colleague pastor of this church."
The parish concurred, and he was installed Sept. 20, 1821.
"The following churches were applied to, viz: the church in New Braintree, in North Brookfield, in the South Parish in Brookfield, in Leicester, first and second in Worcester, in Graf- ton, in Westboro', in Northboro', in Boylston and West Boyl- ston." The record gives no account of the performances.
"Sept. 17, 1822. This day, after a short sickness of seven days, of a putrid fever, the Rev. Edwards Whipple departed this life, much lamented," at the age of 44 years. The Rev. John Nelson, of Leicester, preached his funeral sermon. Text, John xiii. 7-" What 1 do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter."
In this sermon, which was printed by request, the talented preacher did justice to the memory of him who had long been his intimate friend and co-laborer in the vineyard of Christ.
" A church meeting being agreed upon the day preceding, they met on the 11th day of August, 1823-when, after looking to God for direction - first,
Voted, That they were ready to proceed to the choice of a colleague pastor.
2dly. Made choice of Mr. George Allen for their pastor." The parish having concurred, " the following churches were ap- plied to, viz : the church in Holden, in Leicester, in Rutland, the first and second in Worcester, in Grafton, in Westborough, in Northborough, in Boylston and in West Boylston." This is probably the last record made by Dr. Sumner. He died Dec. 9, 1824, in the 63d year of his ministry, and 85th of his age .*
Here ends the book from which all the preceding extracts re- lating to ecclesiastical affairs have been taken, and all of which,
* Mr. Ingersol preached but one Sabbath, and Mr. Whipple failed one of com- pleting a year. Thus, while the united labors of Dr. Sumner's two first colleagues completed just one year, his, with Mr. Cushing's, completed almost a century. Mr. Cushing's ministry, 36 years, 8 months, Dr. Sumner's, 62 years 52 months - 99 years, 1} months.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
with the exception of a few pages, in the interval between the decease of the Rev. Mr. Cushing and the ordination of Dr. Sumner, is in their hand writing.
Mr. Allen's ordination took place on the 19th November, 1823.
What further records have been kept has not come to my knowledge. And, as it is not safe to speak without book, nor always prudent, with it in hand, the ecclesiastical history of this parish is here brought to a close.
SUCCESSION OF DEACONS. When Chosen. Died.
Age.
John Keyes, Sen.
1723
Samuel Wheelock,
1723
1756
Isaac Stone,
1735
1776
79
(2)
Cyprian Keyes,
1735
1802
96
(3) Samuel Miles,
1743
(3) Ezekiel Knowlton,
1743
1774
67
(4) Jonas Stone,
1765
1809
84
(4) Benjamin Maynard, 1765 between 1781 and
1787 about 68
(5) William Knowlton,
1784
1820
79
(5) Benjamin Goddard,
1784
1834
93
(6) John Bragg,
1789
1819
74
(7) Gershom Wheelock,
1818
1841
80
(7)* Thomas Harlow,
1818
Jonas M. Miles, Since 1829, and are the present offici-
Samuel De Witt, S ating Deacons.
(1) In the room of Deacon Wheelock, " distracted."
(2) In the room of Isaac Stone, who declined serving.
(3) In the room of Deacons John and Cyprian Keyes, set off' with, and living in the North Parish.
(4) On account of the age and infirmities of their predecessors.
(5) In addition to those in office.
(6) His predecessors requested aid in their office.
(7) Their predecessors also requested aid.
* Living. All before him have gone to their long home. Having, in my history of the town, published in 1826, spoken of the deceased clergymen in terms of de- served commendation, it is unnecessary to repeat what is there said of them, and want of room compels me to omit additional notice of their merits in these pages. Although dead, they yet speak. They rest from their labors, but the fruits thereof remain, and entitle their memories to a long and respectful remembrance.
(1)
MISCELLANEOUS.
EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRE- SENTATIVES.
"Dec. 19, 1738. David Crosby, of Shrewsbury, says he had been sued, &c., by the Rev. Joseph Emerson, of Malden, for trespass, breaking into his close, house, &c., in Shrewsbury, and judgment rendered against him, prays for a new trial, that he may, as he can, show that it is not Emerson's land. Petition dismissed."
" 1740. June 12. John Keyes and sundry other inhabitants of Shrewsbury showing that the church of Malden hath laid claim to nine hundred acres of land in Shrewsbury, part of a farm granted to said church by the Great and General Court - the plan of which describes no monuments at the southeast and southwest corners thereof; only points of compass and number of rods, as by the records of this court may more fully appear ; that the said church refuse to settle the bounds with the proprie- tors, according to the plan ; praying this court would give speedy order that said bounds may be stated according to the said plan, and monuments set up at those corners where there are none. Read. Question -Shall the petition be sustained ? Passed in the negative. Ordered that the petition be dismissed."
" 1740. June 20. A petition of David Crosby in behalf of the town of Shrewsbury, praying a petition of several of the inhabitants of said Shrewsbury, concerning the monuments be- tween their lands and a farm belonging to the church of Malden may be revived - read and ordered that the petition be revived ; that the petitioners serve the adverse party, the Rev. Mr. Joseph Emerson, of Malden, with a copy of this petition ; that he show cause, if any he have, on Friday, the 27th inst., why the prayer should not be granted. Sent up for concurrence."
185
MISCELLANEOUS.
" June 27, 1740, concurred. Read again, together with Rev. Mr. Emerson's answer, and the matter being fully considered - Question, whether the petition be granted ? Passed in the neg- ative and the petition dismissed. Sent down for concurrence.
July 3, 1740. In the House, read, and the parties being in the House, were fully heard by counsel learned in the law, both for and against the prayer of the petition, when they withdrew.
The vote of council read again, and non-concurred. Ordered, That William Pynchon, Jr. and Ebenezer Pomroy, Esqrs., with such as may be joined by the Honorable Board, be a Committee to ascertain the southern bounds of said farm, agreeable to the plan thereof returned to the General Court, by Mr. Noyes, Sur- veyor, Anno 1665. Sent up for concurrence.
July 9, 1740. Came down, non-concurred. Ordered, That the petition and papers accompanying the same, be referred till the next sitting of this Court."
" 1740. Dec. 5. Daniel Howe and five others, of Shrews- bury, pray the Court to set a valuation on a tract of upland and meadow, in said township, and that they may be admitted to pur- chase the same.
Read in both branches, and ordered, that the petitioners serve the towns of Worcester and Malden with copies of this petition.
Jan. 5, 1741. The aforesaid petition, and Rev. Mr. Emer- son's answer, read and considered. Petition dismissed."
A portion of this farm was within the limits of the grant of the town of Worcester, in that part now Holden.
Indians. - They once resided among our fathers, and around them on all our then colony border.
The horrid barbarities they committed upon defenceless women and children, constitute a portion of the history of many towns in this Commonwealth. Treacherous by nature, implaca- ble in their resentments, they were cruel in their treatment of captive foes.
As new settlements sprung up, the older ones were less ex- posed to their incursions. But the former experienced in their turn the same unsparing ferocity. Prowling bands of savages were on their confines, and in their midnight assaults made the
24
186
MISCELLANEOUS.
hills and the valleys to echo with their terrific yells; and, un- heeding the cries of innocent, helpless children, and the shrieks of frantic mothers, wielded the tomahawk and scalping knife in the work of destruction, lighting up the heavens with the blaze of their dwellings, and that often in the severity of winter, and carrying into captivity such as their glutted vengeance had spared in the onset, for future suffering and torture.
It is natural that sympathy for them, once the lords of the land, should increase as the danger from their proximity to us decreases - but those who are in safety will remember there are those who are not ; and what may seem to them as harsh treat- ment towards the Indians, althoughi less so than they received from our fathers, has never been more so than self-preservation required.
The race, humbled to be sure, is now what it was at the be- ginning, so far as it regards their nature and disposition. Once an Indian always an Indian. He cannot be civilized. The at- tempt has been repeatedly made and as often failed. He is sure to die in the operation. The white man can (the cases are nu- merous where he has) become an Indian, not only in habit and conduct, but even in nature. On the other hand, civilization is death to the Indian. If he could be civilized, he would, when it were done, be an Indian no longer, and when he ceases to be an Indian, he ceases to live.
As late as June, 1755, the Legislature of Massachusetts " granted a bounty of three dollars to be given to each soldier that may enlist and find his own gun; and, that the following bounty, over and above the encouragement aforesaid, be allowed and paid out of the public treasury, for every male Indian scalp, above the age of twelve years, brought in as evidence of their being killed, forty pounds ; and for every male or female, under twelve years of age, brought in as evidence of their being killed, twenty pounds ! "
And in 1756, " Resolved, That there be allowed and paid out of the public treasury to any, who shall be disposed to go in quest of the Indian enemy, and not in the pay of the govern- ment, and before they go, signify their intentions in writing to the
187
MISCELLANEOUS.
chief military officers of that part of the province, with their names, the following, viz : for every Indian enemy they shall kill, and produce the scalp to the governor and council, in evidence, the sum of three hundred pounds ! "
In the earlier settlement of the country, an order was passed, forbidding any one to fire off a gun, unless it was at a wild beast or an Indian !
1756. " A petition of Nathan Howe, of Shrewsbury, Ensign, also of William Howe and Ephraim Smith, of said town, on ac- count of his son, Aaron, soldiers in the late Crown Point expe- dition, who returned from the army sick, praying an allowance of their accounts exhibited ; also Sarah Smith, Executrix of Joshua Smith, physician, who administered to sundry sick soldiers on their return home. Granted to Nathan Howe, £5, 16s. 92d .; William Howe, £6, Os. 6d .; Ephraim Smith, £3, 4s. 4d .; Sarah Smith, Executrix, £1, 14s. 8d."
Same year, " Zebediah Johnson, of Shrewsbury, represents, that he had a gun impressed for the use of a soldier, valued at 30 shillings, of which he had received two dollars; that the soldier had run away, and he was like to lose the balance, and prays relief. Granted to him twenty shillings, in full, for his gun."
1758. " Asa Hill, of Shrewsbury, represents, that some time ago he had the misfortune to lose his house and most of his fur- niture by fire, twice in the space of two years, thereby is reduced to great difficulties ; and the last year, being in the service at the westward, he had all his clothes stolen from him, except what he had on - so lost nearly all his substance, and has no way to maintain himself and large family ; therefore prays for a grant of some land in the Green Woods, so called." Neither his name nor any of his family, known to be such, appears on the town records.
1765. The House of Representatives " grant Watchuset Hill, in Princeton, to Robert Keyes and Eliphalet Howe, in equal halves, the easterly half to Keyes, and the westerly half to Howe, they to return a plan thereof to the Court, within one year, for acceptance, and to pay their respective proportions
188
MISCELLANEOUS.
of a tax of two pence per acre, for three years, laid by the Gen- eral Court in January, 1762, upon the unimproved lands in the District of Princeton. Sent up for concurrence."
" In Council, unanimously non-concurred."
A Resolve passed the House of Representatives, in 1762, stating that "there are sundry tracts of land belonging to the Province, lying in the County of Worcester, viz : about 1430 acres, lying partly in Princeton, commonly called the Potash Farm ; also about 500 acres, lying in Princeton, commonly called Great Watchuset Hill; also about 80 acres, lying west of said Potash Farm, - therefore, voted, that John Murray and Timothy Paine, Esquires, with such as the Honorable Board may join, be a Committee, in the name and behalf of this Pro- vince, to make sale of said lands, and execute a good deed or deeds thereof to such person or persons as shall give most for the same ; the sale to be in the town of Boston, at the next session of the General Court, after due publication made, by inserting the same in the Boston newspapers. The Potash Farm to be set up at £500, the purchaser to pay £10 earnest ; Watehuset at £50, the purchaser to pay £5 earnest ; the 80 acres at £10, the purchaser to pay £3 earnest. The purchaser of any of said lands shall have one year to pay the same into the treasury, upon good security, without interest."
We may suppose there was no sale of " Watchuset Hill," as contemplated, inasmuch as three years afterwards, the House, on their part, granted that lofty eminence to Robert Keyes and Eliphalet Howe, in equal halves, for a trifling consideration.
I have noticed this, because of the little value at which the " Hill " was estimated, and more especially because Robert Keyes, above named, with his wife, Martha Bouker, and a large family of children, removed from this town in 1751, and settled " at Watchuset, but not in any township." He resided on the east side of that hill, and was the first, or one of the first settlers in Princeton.
Soon after he settled there, a young daughter of his lost her way in the woods, and notwithstanding unwearied search was
189
MISCELLANEOUS.
made for several days and nights by a great number of persons from the surrounding towns, no trace of her could be found.
This affliction laid heavily upon the parents to the close of life. Years after this bereavement, and more than once, their aching hearts were nearly broken by rumors, probably unfound- ed, that their daughter had been seen in Canada with the Indians.
It was the practice in many towns, and in some to a recent period, " to seat the meeting house." This was usually done once a year by a Committee chosen for that purpose.
Individuals were not pew or seat owners ; the house belonged to the town ; the Committee adopted rules for their government, and in performance of their duty, directed in what seats or pews certain persons should sit when attending public worship, and, in some instances, affixed penalties if any sat in other seats than those allotted to them. It does not appear of record that that practice ever existed here. Children did not generally sit with their parents in church, but on low side seats in the isles as near them as convenience would admit.
Some staid and vigilant person was also chosen to have inspec- tion of the audience during the public exercises. His frequent rounds kept the little urchins in order ; the badge of his office was a pole with a knob on the one end, and a tuft of feathers at the other ; with the one he rapped the men's heads, and with the other he brushed the ladies' faces, when he caught them napping.
It is said an officer of this kind was once rebuked for rapping the head of a nodding man, whose face he did not see, under a belief, that he was drowsing, when, in fact, he was only nodding assent to the preacher's doctrine !
All towns were by law required to be provided with stocks and a whipping-post. These were so lately appendages of a meet- ing-house, as to be within the recollection of many now living.
The stocks were a wooden frame of small timber, that could be opened and shut, wherein persons, disorderly in Sabbath or town meetings, were wont to be confined during meeting, as a punishment for misbehavior.
Tradition says, the person who made the stocks for this town, was the first one required to occupy them, and received payment
190
MISCELLANEOUS.
for them in the remittance of a fine, that accrued to the town for his offence.
From the same source is the following : A person addicted to profane swearing, an offence more frequently followed by punish- ment formerly, than at the present day, was guilty of that offence in the presence of a magistrate, who caused the offender to be arrested and brought before him without delay, and sentenced him to pay a fine for that offence ; which he as promptly paid down ; at the same time asking the magistrate, " to whom is the fine to go? " The reply was " one-half to the complainant and the other half to the poor of the town ; " whereupon he ex- claimed, uttering another oath, " Then you will get the whole of it !" For this second offence, he was sentenced to pay another fine. Finding it a money loosing business, he paid it in silence, and departed, muttering, no doubt, inaudible oaths not cogniza- ble by civil authority.
By an ancient colonial law, a penalty of forty sliillings, at- tached to every town, by way of fine, that was two months at one time not provided with a drum. Drums were employed before bells came into use for the purpose of drumming people out to meeting on the Sabbath, no less than to alarm and rally them at all times on the appearance of the savage foe. Careful manage- ment on the part of him, who beat it, was necessary on the Sab- bath, that the people might not mistake the drum ecclesiastic for the drum military.
Tobacco was early cultivated by our ancestors, and considered by them essential to their health and comfort.
Many can yet remember, when every farmer had his tobacco yard, as well as his cornfield ; the former received quite as much of his attention as the latter. It was to him physic in sickness, and food and comfort at all times. Tobacco, no less than other, rations, were drawn by soldiers in the public service.
Nevertheless, it seems the use of it was early abused; for in 1640, it was enacted, " that if any persons take tobacco, whilst they are empannelled upon a jury, to forfeit five shillings for every default, except they have given their verdict, or are not to give it until the next day." And, in 1646, that, " whereas there is
191
MISCELLANEOUS.
great abuse in taking of tobacco, in very uncivil manner, in the streets, if any person or persons shall be found or seen hereafter taking tobacco publicly in the open streets of any town, unless it be soldiers in time of their training, every such person or per- sons so offending, shall forfeit and pay to the town's use, for the first default, twelve pence ; for the second, two shillings ; and for every such default afterwards, two shillings. And it shall be lawful for the constable of every township, without further warrant, upon sight or information thereof, to distrain his or their goods for it, as do refuse to pay it upon his demand."
This law, like all others of a sumptuary kind, it would seem, was but little regarded; for in 1669, it was " enacted by the Court, that any person or persons who shall be found smoking tobacco, on the Lord's day, going to or coming from the meet- ings, within two miles of the meeting-house, shall pay twelve pence for such default, to the colony's use." "Soldiers, while in arms, are dispensed with to smoke in the field."
That our forefathers were great chewers and smokers of to- bacco is beyond dispute. I do not find any act prohibiting smoking in meeting on the Sabbath. That they did smoke in time of meeting has been stated publicly in print. 'That the loud snapping of their tobacco boxes, after loading their pipes, and the clinking of the flint and steel was soon followed by curl- ing wreaths of the delicious comforter, which, rising from differ- ent quarters, soon pervaded the house. All enjoyed the per- fume, although all did not join in making it.
So far as regarded damage to the meeting-house, in case of fire, caused by smoking in it, the following enactment would reach them. The danger, however, was small, and the number of smokers large, the amount of damage in such a case would, therefore, be individually but a trifle. It is this -" If damage did accrue unto any by careless smoking of tobacco in places of danger, it should be repaired by him who was the occasion of it, or he shall be made to serve it out."
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MISCELLANEOUS.
INTOLERANCE.
Religious intolerance is said to have induced our ancestors to leave the old world for the new, that they might here worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.
That they were hard pressed and cruelly persecuted for opinion sake, and for boldly asserting the truth of their favorite doctrine, is matter of history. They were in a minority, and a small mi- nority too, when there ; on arriving here, the case was reversed ; they became the majority, in fact, no less than all in all, inasmuch as, for a time, there was no minority. When more emigrants arrived, a minority sprung up. It claimed the same privileges for itself, as the majority had contended for at home. The boon was denied, and as the now majority did then, so now the minority insisted upon having their rights. For this the majority perse- cuted them as they themselves had been persecuted for the like cause.
There they suffered death by fire and faggots ; here they in- flicted death by public executions on the gallows; banishing some, and imprisoning, whipping, and selling others out of the country.
It is worthy of note, that, before persecution and bloodshed here had extended far and wide, the persecutors were stopped in their career by a royal mandate from home, that merciless coun- try they had just left, because they suffered persecution there.
They had their virtues as well as their faults. They were men, and have left to posterity a striking illustration of what is in man; of his nature, and of his disposition to lord it over his fellow man, in matters purely spiritual and religious, to say nothing in regard to other things.
Hence large majorities of any one sect or denomination in re- ligion endanger the public peace. There is more danger when there is but one denomination, than when there are many, so long as each keeps within its own sphere and intermeddles not with others. Should any one of them depart from duty in this re- spect, and become restive and overbearing, the others will com- bine against it, and thus secure their own safety.
193
MISCELLANEOUS.
Our free schools and civil institutions are a sure guarantee for the preservation of that religious freedom we so highly value, and which no other nation enjoys.
Some extracts from the colony laws are here introduced, in confirmation of the truth of the foregoing remarks in relation to persecutions by our forefathers.
1657. "In reference to the coming or bringing into this ju- risdiction, any of that cursed sect of the Quakers, it is ordered, that whoever shall, from henceforth, bring or cause to be brought, directly or indirectly, any known Quaker or Quakers, or other blasphemous heretics into this jurisdiction, every such person shall forfeit one hundred pounds ; and he that shall entertain a Quaker, knowing him so to be, shall forfeit forty shillings for every hour's entertainment " !
And if any Quaker shall presume, after he has suffered what the law requireth, [whipping and banishment,] to come into this jurisdiction, every such male Quaker shall, for the first offence, have one of his ears cut off, and for the second, shall have the other ear cut off; and for every Quaker, he or she, [the females in the preceding cases saved their ears but were severely whipt,] that shall a third time herein offend, shall have their tongues bored through with a hot iron, and every Quaker arising from amongst ourselves, shall suffer the same punishment."
1658. " That Quakers and such accursed heretics may be dealt withall according to their deserts, and that their pestilent errors and practices may speedily be prevented, it is ordered, in addition to the former law against Quakers, every such person professing any of their pernicious ways, by speaking or writing, [perhaps thee and thou,] or by meeting on the Lord's days, or at any other time, to strengthen themselves or to seduce others to their diabolical doctrine, shall incur the penalty ensuing ; every person so meeting shall pay for every time, ten shillings, and every one speaking in such meeting shall pay five pounds apiece, and, if they had previously been scourged or whipt, to be kept at work in the house of correction," &c.
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