USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735, Millbury until 1813 and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
Feb. 3. "Rev. Mr. Edwards of North Hampton at my house this week. I thought I had not seen in any man for some years so much of the grace of God causing ye face to shine ; Might I have a house full of gold or such enlarge- ments of grace as I think shines in him, Oh I would dispise all for such enlarged measures of grace." t
Feb. 26. " A blazing star or Comet appeared last week. It arises about midnight in ye north-east. What changes it portends who can tell ; perhaps some great Devastation of the British nation : ye lord preserve us." #
March 15. " It was put to voate viz. all that are of the mind to build a new meeting house and to set it upon the
- Town Records.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Dr. Hall's Diary.
61
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Common Land hear near this present meeting house to mani- fest it by holding up the hand,- and the vote past in the affirmitive.
" Voted that Capt. Joseph Sibley, Capt. John Stockwell, Elisha Putnam, mr Richard waters, mr Solomon Holman mr Benjamin Woodbery, and mr obadiah Walker be a Committy to take Care about Building the said new meeting house.
"Voted that the above said Commity proceed to take Care and Build the said meeting-house as soon as they Can Conveniently."
. Voted that mr obadiah Walker, mr Johnathan Marsh, mr Ebenezer Parse be a Committy to treat with the Rev'nt mr Hall Relating to his salleary." *
1742.
May 25. "Voted to give the Rev. mr Hall the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, Bills of Credit acording to the old tenner Bills - for his salery this present year."
" Voted that Elisha Putnam, Capt. Sibley, Mr Isaac Bar- nard, mr Obadiah Walker, mr Henry King be a Committy to Consider of the petitions of sum of our northesterly and northerly Inhabitance Conserning their being set of from us, and that said Committy make Return to the Town at the next Town meeting."
June 9th. A petition of, certain persons living in the north-west part of the town, asking permission to unite with others in adjoining towns for the purpose of forming a new town was presented and denied.
The committee appointed to consider the petition of the northerly inhabitants desirous of forming a new precinct, reported, and probably adversely to the prayer of the peti- tioners, for the town voted not to allow them to be set off.
Aug. 23. "It was put to vote to see if the town would give the Committy that ware Chosen by the Town to take Care about Building a new meeting-house - Instructions how Big they should Build it .- and the vote Past in the affirmitive."
* Town Records.
62
ANNALS OF THE
" Voted that the said Comity should Build the said meet- ing-house -55 foots long - and 45 foots wide and the height be left to the Judgement of the said Committy."
Sept. 27th. " Voted that Capt. John Stockwell, Lieut. Goddard, Deacon Hall, Mr. Benjamin Woodbery, Capt. Carter, Cornelius Putnam, Mr. Solomon Holman be a com- mittee to go and measure three miles and one-half from the north line of the Town, south, and make return to the Town."
Oct. 18. "At an adjourned meeting held this date the above committee report as follows :
.. We the subscribers being chosen by a vote of the Town to measure from our north line, three miles and one-half, a Cording to the petition of our Northerly Inhabitance, and to make Return of our Doings In that affair. First of all, we measured of three miles and half from our Northerly line. acording to our order, which we found would take off Robart Fits, junr., Daniel Dike, John Stockwell and Both the Severies and Joseph Safford, Thomas Lovell, and Daniel Chase, junr., to the north part, which Extended so far south that we were well satisfied that the Town would not set off so far; then we went back to our three miles mark and' ran another line from oxford to Grafton, paralel to our northerly line, which takes off Francis Kidder, Josiah Allen, Richard Singletary, Isaac Barnard, Garsham Waite, Samuel Goodel, and Amos Goodell to the north of said line, and leaves Daniel Chase, junr., Thomas Lovel, Joseph Singletary, Theophilus Kinney and Israel Easty, a little to the south.
TIMOTHY CARTER, JOHN STOCKWELL. SOLOMON HOLMAN, CORNELIUS PUTNAM, BENJAMIN WOODBURY.
Committee.
Then the following petition was read, viz. ;
Sutton, Sept. the 8th, 1742. -
" The petition of sundry of the northerly Inhabitance of s'd Town, humbly sheweth that, whereas we, your petitioners, living, sum and the most of us, very Remote from ye place
63
TOWN OF SUTTON.
of worship and having, sundry times, petitioned said Town for Releef, and hether to all our petitions have been abortive and unsuccessfull yet, not withstanding our Difficulties being so grate, we cant content our selves to give over seeking, hopeing we shall succeed at ye last - and, having thought upon a new skeem - which we think will pritty well accom- midate us all, we pray that you would not Deny us this Request. (viz. ) To set us of three miles and an half wide by a parellel line with the northerly line of said Town. Begin- ing at oxford and Runing to grafton In order to make a pre- einet, that so we may have the worship of God set up amongst us, which we think Cant but be a Reasonable Re- quest and what we hope you will not Deny unto us, which as in Duty Bound we hartily pray for.
" Timothy Carter, Isaac Manning, Thomas Whittemore. Josiah Bond, Daniell Greenwood, Joseph Sparrowhack, Isaac Gale, Nathan Hiscock, Jabesh Pratt, John Allen, Samuel Buek, Junr., Jabesh Pratt, Junr., Jeremiah Bukman, John- athan Dwinell, Amos Singletary, Ebenezar Peirce, Thomas Hall. Ebenezar Sibly. Garsham Bigelow, Samuel Boutell. John Allen, Junr., Johnathan Park. Robert Goddard, Fran- cis Kidder, Edmond Barten, Abel Chase, Richard Singletary. William Fiske, Elisha Goddard, Garsham Waite, George March, Johnathan Fuller, Johnathan Waters, Theophilous Kinne, Daniel Buckman, Samuel Buck, Thomas Gould. Edward Lyon, Elisha Barton, Thomas Holman, Jeremiah Buckman, Junr., Solomon Holman, Robert Jeneson."
" Then it was put to vote, to see wheather the Town would set of three miles from the north line of the Town to make a presenk - In answer to the said petitioners- Instead of three miles and a half-which was petitioned for - and the vote Past in the negitive."
Failing to secure from the town favorable action, the petitioners now applied to the General Court, setting forth their desire and grievances, and praying that by special en- actment they might be set off as a Precinct.
In view of this action on their part, at a special meeting of the town held Dec. 8th, " It was put to vote, to see wheather the Town would Chuse a Committy to shew to ye grate and
64
ANNALS OF THE
General Court, the Resons why the prayers of Solomon Holman and Jeremiah Buckman and others, set forth in their petitions to said Court should not be granted and ve vote past in ye affirmitive."
" Voted that Elisha Putnam, Benjamin Woodbery and Samuel Chase be a Committy for the above said service to shew to the grate and General Court."
In answer to the petition above referred to, a committee was appointed by the General Court to visit the town and examine into the circumstances of the parties at variance, and report conclusions,
Jan. 31st, 1742-3.
" Voted, to Chuse a Committy to wait on the Committy that the great and generell Court appointed to vewe our Town, to see if it be expediant to sett of a precenct.
.. Voted that Capt. John Stockwell, mr. Samuel Chase, mr. Charles Ritchison, mr. Benjamin Woodbury, & Elisha Putnam be a Committy to wait on ye said Courts Committy. as above said.
.. Voted, that the select men should take Care for the En- tertainment of the said Courts Committy while they are here."*
Dr. Hall was evidently opposed to the formation of a new Parish, as, about this time, we find the following entry in his diary :
" Some Town affairs respecting setting off a precinct have, of late, been much on my mind and a hindrance, as I imagine. to the inward communion of my soul with God." t
He also expresses the fear " lest some zealous laymen amongst us will finally hurt the cause of our Lord Jesus pre- suming to exhort, as they call it, and to do it in an unwar- rantable manner ; who moreover seem to lay to mnuch stress upon man's crying out under conviction and falling down or falling into raptures after they attained comfort. I pray God deliver us from dangerous errors." ±
* Town Records.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Dr. Hall's Diary.
TOWN OF SUTTON. 65
Feb. 7th. " A Courts Committee being here present for some days upon the projection of our north Inhabitants, I find by times concern arising, and want more resignation to God * * * If ye Town be divided into two precincts yet God is not divided ; Christ is not divided. I have a whole Christ still, why should I not be at rest."*
March 14. At a Town meeting held this date it was "put to vote, to see if the Town would Erect a meeting house where it would most acommidate the whole Town, haveing sum Regard to the nonresidant as well as the Inhab- itance - and the vote past in the negitive."
" Voted to set off upon the northerly side of our Town two miles of land in weedth, with the Inhabitance there-on- paralel with the North line of our Town from Oxford to Grafton, In order to Joyn with the Inhabitance living on the Country goare, and part of the Inhabitance of Worces- ter to make a precinct -and that the said Inhabitance, within the two miles above mentioned, shall be aquitted and freed from Doing aney thing to wards Building a meeting house whear the Town have alredy agreed to build one." t
March 16. Dr. Hall writes, "Many that oppose ye cause and Kingdom of Jesus are in a storm at me, ye Lord God give me Wisdom and Patience. Some of my Family's friends are against me, the Town about to rend asunder, if God prevent it not. The Lord turn the Councils of all these Ahithophels into foolishness." #
1743.
May 19th. "Voted to give the Rev. mr Hall two hun- dred and fifty pounds (according to the old tenner Bills) this present year."
Aug. 29th. "Put to vote to see if the Town would Chuse a Committy to go to the great and Generall Court to make Replie against the petition of Daniel Boyden put into the great and generall Court the last may sessions to see if
Dr. Hall's Diary.
+ Town Records.
# Dr. Hall's Diary.
9
66
ANNALS OF THE
the said Court would set off the north-west part of Sutton, and the south west part of Worcester, and the south-east part of Lester, and the north east part of Oxford and to make a Distinct precinct and the vote past in the nega- tive." *
In the autumn of this year, notwithstanding the remon- strance of the town through its committees, the General Court responded favorably to the petition of the northerly inhabitants, and set them and their estates off as a separate and distinct precinct.
The proceedings in the matter were as follows; com- mencing with the report of the committee appointed to visit the town :
" The Committee appointed by this Court to repair to ye Town of Sutton, on ye Petition of Solomon Holman and Jeremiah Buckman, did attend said service in Febuary 1742, having first given seasonable notice to said Town and having viewed ye several parts thereof and heard the Par- ties, and Considered their Circumstances, are of oppinion that ye Petition be granted, and that a Line be drawn from ye Westerly Bounds of Grafton Parallell with ye North line of ye Town of Sutton and three miles South from it till it meet with ye easterly Bounds of ye Town of Oxford, and ye Inhabitants of Sutton living to ye northward of said line with their families and estates be set off a separate and Distinet Precint with ye same powers and Privileges as other Parishes and Precincts within this Province by Law hold and Injoy which is Humbly submitted.
By order of the Committee Jos. WILDER."
"In ye House of Representatives Oct. ye 28, 1743 : Read again and ordered that ye Inhabitants and their Estates within ye Limits mentioned in ye foregoing Report (excepting only such qualified Voters with their estates as shall, within one year from this time, signifie to this Court, their Desire to continue to ye first Parish in
* Town Records.
67
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Sutton) be set off a separate and Distinct Precinct, and that they Injoy ye Powers and Privileges which Precincts ought, by Law, to Injoy,
Sent up for Concurrence T. CUSHING, Speaker.
In Council, Oct. 28, 1743. Read & Concurred, J. WILLARD, Secry Consented to W. SHIRLEY "
" In ye House of Representatives, Nov. 11th, 1743. Whereas the Northerly part of Sutton was erected into a separate and distinct Precinct by a vote of this Court on the 28 day of Oet. anno Domini 1743 and there being no provision therein obliging ye Inhabitants of said Precinct to pay all past Ministerial Charges and assessments that have arisen in ye Town of Sutton, Therefore ordered that ye Inhabitants of said New Precinct be, and hereby are obliged, to pay their Proportionable parts and Dues to all past ministerial Charges and assessments in ye Town of Sutton, as also their Proportionable of the sum that ye Inhabitants of said Town of Sutton have agreed to raise for ye paying of their Ministers Salary this present year ending in March next, any thing in ye Vote constituting them a Precinct to ye Contrary notwith standing.
Sent up for Coneurrence, T. CUSHING, Speaker.
In Council Nov. 11, 1743. Read and Concurred J. WILLARD, Secr'y. Consented to W. SHIRLEY."
Worcester, ss.
To Richard Moore Esq. one of his Maj's Justices &e. We the Subscribers, Inhabitants of ye Second Precinct in Sut- ton in said County hereby signify to you our Desire that a warrant may issue agreeable to Law for calling a Meeting in said Precinct as soon as may be &c. (which was to choose Parish officers.)
Jeremiah Buckman Ebenezer Pierce
Daniel Buckman
Thomas Gould
Soloman Holman Francis Kidder
Abel Chase.
1
68
ANNALS OF THE
The warrant appointed the first meeting to be held at the house of Richard Singletary on ye 26 of Dec. 1743 - and the warrant which was directed to Jeremiah Buckman, has this return npon it.
" Sutton, Decem'r 26, 1743.
" By vertue of this Warrant, to me Directed, I have noti- fied ye Freeholders and other Inhabitants of this ye same at Mr. John Singletary's Mill Doore."
" By Mr. Jeremiah Buckman one of the Petitioners of S'd Warrant."
Jan. 23, 1743-4. " A blazing star or comet in the West has appeared for near two months; at first small, but now of great length beyond what I ever saw. This is the third that has of late years appeared. I would not be dismayed at ye signe of Heaven, but O ye sinners fear who live in ye neglect of God and O y't I might so far regard it as to trim my lamp and get ready."
Feb. 16th. A more particular description is given of this comet.
" The blazing star from the south-west has appeared near three months. It was small -it passed by north of the sun ; when it first appeared its Tail was about a yard long to appearances, was bent towards the Equator. When it came down about north of the sun its Tail was pointed towards the North Pole-Its Tail appeared about 12 Degrees in Length at a farther distance from the sun. Its Body or Nucleous appeared about 3 Inches in Diameter to the naked eye. Feb. 4th. It appeared half an hour after sunset about half an hour high and about an hour and a half to the North of the sun, it being so near in the sun gloss its Tail did not appear above two yards long - next morning it rose before the sun and appeared much in the same shape. Its tail must be several millions of miles long. The Lord sanctify so awful a token of an approaching God, who thus hangs out his ensign in ye skies y't ye nations may tremble before Him." t
* Dr. Hall's Diary.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
69
TOWN OF SUTTON.
March 5. "Voted to Chuse two of the Selectmen In Each parish and one In the Baptis Sosiaty - also to chuse one of the Assessers In Each parish and one In the Baptis.
March 12th. "Voted to allow the Baptis sosiaty to Draw out of the Town Tresuary the sum of seven pounds four- teen shillings and one penney a Cording to the old tenner Bills.
" Voted that Capt Robart Goddard, Capt. John Stock- well, Deacon Benj. Woodbery be a Committee to a Jest a Counts with the Rev. mr Hall, In order to geet a Discharge In full for his salery for the time." *
1744.
June 2d. War was . proclaimed at Boston (by England against France) .
June 3d. "There was a considerable shock of an Earth- quake just as we were going to the House of God." t
March 4th, 1744-5. "Voted that the school be kept In Each parrish a Cording to the proportion of the Town Rate that Each parish payes and that Each parish have free liberty to send their Children in to the other parish to school and that Each parish have liberty to settle the school as they think proper within their parish." }
March 29th. The Parish Records of this date contain the following agreement :
"I, Philip Chase Do Ingage to the Committee To sweep the meeting-House and to take care of all ye Dores and Windows to open and shut the same when there is need, this present year For three Pounds old Tenour as witness my Hand."
1745.
April 4th. "This day is a Fast day to implore of God his merey and smiles on our expedition to Cape Breton." §
* Town Records.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Town Records.
§ Dr. Hall's Diary.
70
ANNALS OF THE
May 31st. Action was taken at a Parish meeting, held this date, with reference to seating again the meeting-house and it was . Voted that mr Jonathan Bacon Dea. Benj. Woodbery, mr Samuel Barton, mr Francis Dudly Lieut. Obadiah Walker, Be a Committee to seat ye meeting House - Degnifieing ye seats, 2nd Seat Below and ye fore seat in ve front (gallery) Equel, ye third seat Below and the fore seat in ye side (gallery) Equel, Having Respect to age and Real and personal Estate." *
July 5th. "I have lately heard comfortable tidings of ye taking of Cape Breton by our English forces for which mercy, all praise to Jehovah."
"Dear Mr. Whitfield has been at my house two nights and preached two sermons and is to preach this morning."
July 18th. " I have heard Mr. Whitfield preach six ser- mons this week."
" To day, have attended a public Thanksgiving on occa- sion of ye taking of Cape Breton." t
Nov. 5th. Dr. Hall writes "I have thought of proposing a day of solemn humiliation on account of ye sickness, to be observed through-out the Town. Nov. 18th he adds, "I have lately had Mr. Parkman and Mr. Prentice here on a public Fast."
Nov. 18th. A committee, consisting of Mr. Benjamin Woodbury, Capt. Carter, Benj. Marsh, were authorized by the town to make sale of the school lands, and it was "Voted that ye Town doe keep the prinsaple sum good and that said com'tt state the same by Silver and take good Security with Sufficient Sureties for ye Sanie ; and that ye Interest be yearly Improved for the use or support of ye school and that s'd com'tt be accountable to ye Town for their proceedings and that ye surety be taken in ye name of ye com'tt and thair successors In trust in behalf and for ye use of ye Town " Also " Voted that mr Charles Richardson, mr Daniel Greenwood and Deacon Benj. Woodbury be a Committee to prefer a petition to ye grate and generall
* First Parish Records.
Dr. Hall's Diary.
71
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Court praying Liberty to make Sale of School Lands in Manner and form as is before voted."
Dec. 6th. " I have a strange account of some appearances of witchcraft in Woodstock and some other places. I pray God rebuke ye symptoms and suffer not ye Devil to appear in this audacious fashion. Lord Jesus. when thou didst send forth thy ministers thou gavest them power over unclean spirits to cast them out. O Lord suffer not these things in this age of light and knowledge to appear but give the ministers the same power to cast them out." *
1746.
May 10th. Under this date we find the following entry : " These may Certifie Whome it may Concern yt mr John Gibbs has Declared to me yt he believes ye Baptis Religion to be ye Rightest and he useally attends our meetings on ye first Day of ye week for ye Worship of God.
BENJ. MARSH Elder.
A true copy. Attest BENJ. MORSE Town Clerk." t
It is evident from the above certificate, that the town at this early date in its history was disposed to accord the largest liberty of conscience in religious matters, and to ex- empt from the ministerial tax those who entered their dissent from the Congregational polity, and actually worshiped with another denomination.
Sept. 24th. " On Monday night we had an alarm of the French invading Boston. My thoughts were that I would freely have gone with those that went down. I thought I should not be daunted by the most dangerous attendants of a Campaign : went ye next day four miles with them." }
March 2, 1746-7. "Voted that ye Com'tt viz. Capt. Carter, Dea. Benj. Woodbury, and Benj. Marsh chosen to make sale of ye school Lands in said Town, do Immediately proceed and make sale of ye same according to a vote passed in ye Town at a publick meeting held the 18th of Nov. 1745.
* Dr. Hall's Diary.
t Town Records.
# Dr. Hall's Diary.
72
ANNALS OF THE
Aug. 18th. The first mention made of a pauper in town is upon this date. Mendon secures an order for the transfer of Hannah Bumpee, daughter of Abigail Hayward, to Sutton, the place of her birth.
1747.
D'n Benj. Woodbury, Isaac Putnam, Edward Putnam, Sam. Chace, Joseph Woodbury, and Daniel Dike were given " Leive to Build Stables some whare on ye common near ye meeting-house but not on ye Road."
1748.
The line between Sutton and Douglass had been for several years in dispute. Definite action was now taken for its set- tlement by both the town and the proprietors.
" Capt. John Hazeltine was chosen by a vote of the pro- priety to prefer a petition to the Great and General Court with Reference to some Controverted Lands adjoyning to New Sherborn or Douglass District and Manchogue Pond in order to Render the s'd Land uncontroverted for the future." *
May 19th. "Voted that Capt. Robert Goddard serve as connitt man for ve Town to Joyn with Such Committ men or man as ye propriety of ve Town of Sutton have or shall chuse to prefer a petition to ye Grate and General Court in order to get ye Line of ye westerly part of s'd. Town near to or adjoyning to ye Town of Douglass settled which is now in Controversy." t
Jan. 6th. 1748-9. Upon this date Dr. Hall refers to the meeting of a council called to advise upon difficulties that had arisen between the church and certain of its members called " Separating Brethren," and to a " day of solemn Fasting and Prayer" in connection with the meeting of the council.
Jan. 24th. " A vote was passed in Parish meeting to-day to suffer a new meeting-house to be built.
' " The Lord over-rule it for good." #
* Proprietors' Records.
t Town Records.
# Dr. Hall's Library.
73
TOWN OF SUTTON.
The vote to which Dr. Hall refers was upon the following article in the warrant for the meeting :
" To see if the Parish will give liberty to have a meeting- house Built by subscription and set as near the old one as the Parish shall think best. S'd House to be Fifty-five Feet in length and forty-five feet wide, and as hie as the parrish shall think proper and when Fineshed to be as intirely the Parrishes as if built by a Rate or assesment."
Upon this article the Parish . Voted to give liberty to have a meeting-house to be built by Subscription and set as near as can conveniently to the old meeting-House."* .
March 13th. The Parish " Voted that the meeting-house, to be built by subscription, be fifty feet in length, Forty feet wide, Twenty-two feet high between gints."t
Until the division of the town into two parishes, which occurred in the autumn of 1743, the Town had been the Parish, and voted the salary of the minister, and appointed the committees to confer with him respecting the deprecia- tion in the currency. The last appropriation made by the town for the salary of the minister was at the May meeting, 1743. From that date the parish take the matter in hand, - vote the salary of the minister, appoint the committees to confer with him upon the valuation of the currency, and the assessors to make out the tax levy for salary and current expenses. The tax rate is upon the polls and property, made out in the same way as the rate for town expenses.
.
1749.
Oct. 8th. Framingham sues the town for the support of Mary Edmunds, and the town sends Dea. Benj. Woodbury, Isaac Barnard, Esq., and Mr. John Hicks as a committee to defend the case in Court.
* First Parish Records.
+ Parish Records.
10
74
ANNALS OF THE
1750.
June 24th. Dr. Hall writes : " I have been at Northamp- ton ye last week as a member of an Ecclesiastical Council and (grievous to be seen), have found ye Chh. in general set to remove Mr. Edwards, ye Reverend and Worthy pastor, from his relation to them. (which also a Majority of ye Council advised to) and for no other reason than his insisting that Persons admitted to the Communion of Saints should profess sanctity, or sanctifying Grace, or the great things of Religion pertaining to Godliness. . *
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.