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 6
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"Some of ye Council protested against the proceedings of the Church and majority of ye Council (with good reason I apprehend), and I was one of them."*
1751.
Aug. 28th. The town voted " that ye subscribers, that are Building a Meeting-house in ye first Parrish in Sutton, near ye old meeting-house shall have the old meeting-House to help finish ye new one with, excepting ye pews that were Built by perticular Men."
1752.+
March 2d. The town " Voted that Mr. John Hicks, Mr. Edward Putnam, Mr. Isaac Dodge be a Com'tt for to view ye Contry Road from Oxford line to Grafton line to see if there be any Infringing upon s'd Road, also ye training field and common land near ye meeting House. #
May 20th. A meeting of the Parish was called "To see if the Parish will take the meeting house as it now is and finish it, or give the Pew Roome to the subscribers to Dis- pose of to Inable them to finish s'd house," and the vote was
* Dr. Hall's Diary.
t The "new style" of dating between Jan. 1st and March 25th was adopted this year.
# Town Records.
75
TOWN OF SUTTON.
" To give all the Pew Room, to the subscribers, in the meet- ing-house on the wall on the Lore flower and in the Gallery, Excepting the Ministerall Pew, to Dispose of in order to " Inable the said subscribers to Finish the said meeting- house provided they Finish it in three years." *
This meeting-house was situated on the Common, opposite the brick block. It was a plain structure, having east, south and west porches. It had no steeple when first built. From the south door there was a broad aisle leading to the pulpit, which was upon the north side. The house remained un- painted until repaired.
From the residence of Dr. Hall to the south door of the church there was a continuous line of steps made of stones carefully prepared for the purpose. In front of the old place, now owned by the venerable E. J. Mills, Esq., a son of the successor of Dr. H., some of these stones still remain, just as they were laid more than one hundred years ago. And there they will remain until some modern vandal, who has no respect for the past, and no reverence for the monuments it has left of its taste in matters of convenience, as well as beauty, shall see in them only a fitness for cap-stones of a wall, or underpinning of a building, and thus put them to ignoble use. We will continue to step softly upon them, and cherish the memories of the noble men and women by whose tread they were worn " long, long ago."
In the record of a town meeting held May 20th, we find the first mention of the Baptist meeting-house. At this meeting it was " Voted that ye Contry Road from Hutchin- sons Farm, so-called, Down to ye Road that Comes out by ye Baptist Meeting-House be four Rods Wide."t
The road referred to is that intersecting the Oxford road, near the house of A. W. Putnam, Esq. The location of the First Baptist meeting-house then, was upon the corner be- tween these two roads.
* Parish Records.
t Town Records.
76
ANNALS OF THE
1753.
March 19th. The parish voted " not to grant a Request of a Number of the Separates (so called) which is to Sink their parish Rates."*
1754.
March 4th. The town appointed Dea. Benj. Woodbury, Elisha Rich and John Hicks a committee to " Let or Lease out ye Burying place to mr David Hall Jun. for a number of years." The " Burying place " referred to is described as that " near ve first parish Meeting-House, Containing by Istemation, Two acres, he ye Same more or less."
The lease, given by the above committee, provided that " if ye s'd David Hall, his Heires and Assigns, shall for and during ye space of seventeen years from ye date hereof freely and without any Molestation Injoye all ye priviledge of herb- ege and pasturidge of s'd Land not plowing any of It up, nor turning any Swine thare on, and alowing Liberty to all Per- sons to Bury thair Dead with in its Limets and that, In Considaration of ye afore s'd herbage and pasterage, ye s'd David Hall his heires and assignes doth oblige himself to Inclose ye s'd Land with a good Stone wall four foot high, well proportioned ; that is to say, to fence ye out-sides there-of bounding upon ye Training field or Road, with a good gate for passing and Repassing on funaral ocations. S'd gate to be Collered Read ; and that ye s'd David Hall make one half of ye fence adjoyning to other Lands in good stone wall four feet high."t
1755.
March 3d. The town " Voted to Chuse a Com'tt of five men, to Consider and Treate with ye Several Ministers in Sutton to see what they will take for thair parts in ye minis- terial Land yearly, and make Report to ye Town at May Meeting next or order to Sell or Lease s'd Land."
* Parish Records.
t Town Records.
·
77
TOWN OF SUTTON.
May 20th. " Voted upon Condition y't ye Several Min- isters in ye Town Consenting to Sell ye Ministeral Land in s'd Town ye Town having one half of ye use of ye money and ye Ministers ye other half - Voted y't ye Land be Sold."
1756.
May 18th. "The Town chose Robert Goddard, Esqr., John Hazeltine, Esqr., Capt. Henry King, Mr. Samuel Chase, Mr. John Hicks, a Comm'tt to make Sale of ye Min- isteral Land and to Treate or agree with ye Several Ministers Concerning ye Same."
June 20th. The above named Committee were instructed " to take Bonds for ye same (when sold) on Interest with good security, Either Land security or good Substantial Bondsmen ye Bonds to Run to A. B. & Co. trustees and their successors in s'd trust."
" Voted that the Interest or Income of ye Money collected by ye trustees be paid from time to time annually by the trustees to ye select men, or such as the Town shall Depute, to be Disposed according to the true Intent and Meaning of ye sale of ye Land, Reference being had to the Agreement betwixt ye Towns Com'tt and the Incumbent Ministers Bear- ing Date May 19th 1756 and accepted by ye Town."
The agreement is as follows :
" We, ye Subscribers, Consent y't ye ministry Land within ye Township of Sutton be converted into a money Fund for ye use of ye ministry in s'd Town for Ever, and where as now we have by way of Lease Ten pounds old Ten'r p'r year we being allowed Ten pounds old Ten'r we consent that ye Remainder of what ye Lawfull Intrest of ye money ye Land shall sell for-Shall amount to, be divided Between ye Town and ministers now Ineumbent s'd one half with ye Ten pounds as above To be divided between ye ministers Incombent judged to have Right there- to as Law or Equity or personal agreement according to ye Right they now have to ye use and Improvement of s'd Land shall determine ; ye other half to be ye Towns prop-
1
78
ANNALS OF THE
erty during our ministry provided we have annually paid us, out of ye Town Treasury, ye s'd one half and ye Ten pounds old Ten'r.
Sutton May 19th.
DAVID HALL pastor of ye 1st Church of Christ in Sutton. JAMES WELLMAN pastor of ye Second Chh. of Christ, Sutton.'
BENJA. MARSH, Elder of ye Baptist Chh. of Christ Sutton.
And at ye day of ye Date above we ye subscribers ye Towns Com'tt Express our acquiescence and consent to ye above.
JOHN HAZELTINE ROBERT GODDARD SAMUEL CHASE HENRY KING JOHN HICKS
Committee." *
The committee appointed to sell the ministerial land were instructed to give, in the name of the town, deeds to purchasers. The form in which the deed shall be given is recorded. The ministers unite in the conveyance, and sigu the deed.
During this year Mr. Hall makes frequent mention of the war (French and Indian) and in December gives the names of six soldiers who died in the war : "Issachar King, Sam'l Carriel, Nathan Kinney, Wm. Stockwell, John Stockwell, and Ebenezer Cutler." t
1757.
May 18th. The town "Voted to sink ye pole Rate of ye men that Came Home from Menuss in ye Sumer and fall of ye year 1756." #
* Town Records.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Town Records.
79
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Aug. 18th. Dr. Hall speaks of the fall of our strong- hold on the lake, and refers to the report that the siege might have been raised with 2000 men, and that Genls. Johnson and Lyman could have been spared from Fort Edward with 5000 men, and that they begged with tears to go, but Genl. Webb forbade, and that great dissatisfaction prevailed in the camp.
1758.
Constant difficulty is experienced in adjusting the salary of Rev. Mr. Hall, in accordance with the terms of his settle- ment, owing to the variation in the value of the currency.
March 27th. The parish "Voted to Leave the matter of Difficulty Relating to the Rev'd Mr. David Hall's sallary to the Judgment of Indiferant men, mutually to be Chosen, what the Rev. Mr. Hall hath a just Right to, by vertue of Contract first made with him, and what shall be made up of Arrearages and what for the future, in case the Rev. Mr. Hall and the Parish can agree upon the Chairman."
Mr. Hall and the Parish agree to submit the salary diffi- culty to a committee of "Indiferent men" of whom Mr. Ephraim Shearman of Grafton shall be chairman. The committee are Ephraim Shearman, Edward Davis, and John Brown, who report as follows :
We, the subscribers, being mutually Chosen and appointed by the Rev. Mr. David Hall and the first Parish In Sutton to Settle the matter of Deficulty Relating to the Rev. Mr. Hall's salery, having mett and hearing the parties upon the Premisses & Veiwing the Records of the first Contracts made att his settlement, and after a full hearing of Evi- dences, Papers and Records Relating thereto, have mutually agreed and Determined in the following manner (viz.), that the Contract, in our judgment, allowing for Mr. Hall's nesessities and the abilities of the Parrish, amount to Sixty Six Pounds Thirten Shillings & four pence Pr. year att Silver at Six & Eight pence per ounce, or Milld Dollers att six Shillings Each ; which Sum in our opinion ought to be the stated Salery for the future & that the two years past (viz) 1757 & 1758, for which there is no Receipts in the
80
ANNALS OF THE
Parrish Book, be made up Each year att the same sun, and also that in our opinion there is Due to Mr. Hall for arearages for several years Back (viz) In 1748, 1754, 1755 & 1756 In which the Receipts upon Book ware not In full, the Sum of Thirteen Pounds, Six Shillings & Eight pence .*
July 21st. Dr. Hall mentions the repulse of our forces at the lake, and of great loss in killed, wounded and miss- ing, and refers to the disaster as evidently the effect of treachery " which intimidates our soldiers and causeth the greatest disagreement."
Sept. 22nd, 1758. Refers to "comfortable tidings of Col. Bradstreet's success at Fort Frontenac and of the value of the capture."
Oct. 21st. "This day sen'it died Mr. Hall, of the camp disease, lately returned from the army - sundry more are sick in the Town. Our forces are coming from the lake without further attempt on Ticonderogue." t
1759.
May 22nd. The town " Voted to alter the method of warning the Town meetings." "Voted that the Town meet- ing be warned for the future by a copy of the warrant upon . Posts set up for that purpose." #
Oct. 15. In the warrant for a parish meeting to be held this day, the following article appears :
" To see if the Parish will except of the Meeting House under the present Sircumstances ; the subscribers to Deliver up all the money they have in there Treasurer to s'd Par- rish."
. And if the Parrish do Except of the Meeting House To see if they will Dispose of the Seats in s'd Meeting House as aboved Exprest." The seats referred to were "the two hind seats both the mens and womens seats in s'd meeting- house."
* Parish Records.
Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Town Records.
81
TOWN OF SUTTON.
The proposition was to have them removed and pews erected in their place.
The parish " Voted to Receive the Meeting House under the present Sircumstances the subscriber's Treasurer to Deliver up to the Parrish, all the money they have within the Treas- urer," and "to Dispose of the Two hind seats below, both the mens and womans seats in s'd meeting-House in order to Build Pews and that the money they are sold for, is to be Disposed towards finishing the meeting-house."
" Voted that Mr. Sam'l Chase, Tarrant Putnam and Dea. Benja. Woodbury be a Com'tt to make saile of s'd seats in s'd meeting-house " and also "that the s'd seats, if Built into Pews, to be Raised but half as high as the Pews against the walls, and that there be Publie notice given of the sail of s'd Pews and sold to the Highest Bidder." *
1760.
May. A time of sickness.
. Many taken with a fever; two died in one week. John Holton and Jona. Stockwell's wife. Many more sick. June 5th. Sickness still prevailing deaths multiplied." t
The parish appoint " Capt. John Fry, Mr. Jona. Dudley, Dea. Putnam, Dea. Woodbury & Mr. Jona. Hale to be a committee to seat the Meeting-House. S'd Committee. to have Regard, in the first place, to age and then, to their Real & personal Estate. The men in the Parish that have pews in the meeting-house are not to be seated by this present Com'tt." #
May 5. The committee appointed to make sale of the pew room in the meeting-house report as follows :
" Agreeable to a vote of the first Parish in Sutton for the Disposal of the two hind seats, both the mens and womans seats Below in the Meeting-House in s'd Parish, we, the subscribers being chosen a Com'tt to make sail of s'd seets, have accordingly Leted them out for four Pews, and have
* Parish Records.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Parish Records.
11
82
ANNALS OF THE
sold them to the highest Bider- (viz) The Pew next to the aile on the womans side was sold to Mr. Follinsbe Chase for £6 18s 0d.
" The Pew next to the aile on the mens Side was sold to Lieut. Jona. Lille for £6 6s 0d.
" The other Pew on the womans side, was sold to Mr. Nata. Sibley for £7 2s 0d.
" The other Pew, on the mens Side, was sold to Ins' Sam'l Chase for £9 0s 0d."
Aug. 11th. The Parish "Voted to abate Two Pounds, Thirteen Shillings, and four penee Lawfull money to Mr. Jona. Bacons Hairs, Late of Sutton, Deseast, of his sub- scription towards Building the Meeting-House." *
1761.
March 12th. "On this morning, about ten minutes past two o'clock, we were waked out of sleep with an Earthquake lasting nearly two minutes, a constant jarring and trembling, with a continual sound, from the deep places of the earth. which lasted much longer."
July 12th. " A very dry time."
Aug. 6th. "A parching drought prevails the like of which New England never heard."t
1762.
March 1st. " The Town chose Capt. Solomon Holman, Ens. Samuel Chase, Dea. Benj. Woodbury, Mr. Ebenezer Peirce, Lieut. Benj. Marsh a Committee to Treat with the Rev'd Mr. David Hall and see what is due to him from the Town, and make Report at next Town Meeting."#
Mr. Hall regarded the town as indebted to him for arrear- ages of salary that had not been made up when the town ceased to be the parish. He had proposed to leave the mat- ter of adjustment to a committee mutually chosen.
Sept 6th. "Voted for a Regester of Deeds." This is
* Parish Records.
t Dr. Hall's Diary.
# Town Records.
83
TOWN OF SUTTON.
the first vote of the town for such an officer that is mentioned. No name is given.
Aug. 8th. " The draught is heavy upon us and our pas- tures wither away."*
1763.
Jan. 25th. The town " Voted to leave it to three judi- cious men mutually chosen, to look into the Contract made between the Rev. Mr. David Hall and the Town and into the Discharges Mr. Hall has given the Town, and to say whether any thing is Mr. Hall's Due from the Town, and if any thing how much.
" Chose Josiah Brewer Esq. of Worcester Chairman Lieut. Benja. Daves of Oxford Rev. Mr. Thaddeus Maccarty of Worcester a Committee or Referees to Determine what is mentioned in the above vote."
A committee was also chosen by the town to represent its interests when the matter should be considered by the referees.
March 7th. The town "Voted that the Town Clerk . should Transcribe the Births and Deaths and marriages in a hound Book Provided for that purpose."
May 18th. The town " Voted to accept the award of the Arbetrators, which met at the house of Mr. Follansbee Chase in Sutton the 18th day of April, upon the affair Relating to the Rev. Mr. Hall's salary, which awarded him Fifteen pounds Lawfull money in full of all past arrearages from the Town.
" Voted to raise twenty pounds Lawful money for to pay the Rev. Mr. Hall the arrearages and the cost of the arbetra- tion."
" Voted to provide two Burying cloaths - one for each Parish."t
1764.
May 21st. " Voted to add fifteen pounds Lawfull money to what was voted before to the Rev. Mr. David Hall." #
* Dr. Hall's Diary.
t # Town Records.
84
ANNALS OF THE
1765.
March 4th. An article in the warrant for a town meeting this date is as follows :
" To see if the Town will Devide the money the minis- terial land was sold for, between the two Parishes, and also allow Elder Marsh society their Proportion according to the Province Tax this present year: if not to see if the Town will call in £150 or £200 of the money above mentioned and let it to the Rev. Mr. Hall He giving good security to the Town for the same."
Another article in the same warrant is " To hear the Peti- tion of Samuel Goldthwait and others Respecting setting them off to the Town of Uxbridge, or to Ease them in their Rates."
Upon the division of the ministerial land no action was taken.
Upon the petition it was " voted to abate the town rate exclusive of the highway rate to Samuel Goldthwait, Micah Thayer, Samuel Prentice, Stephen Goldthwait and William Bacon for this present year."
June 30th. The town voted for a County Register of Deeds. No name is mentioned.
1766.
Sept. 22d. A town meeting was called " To see whether the Town will give their Representatives any Instructions Concerning making Restitution to the late sufferers in the late Riots and Disturbances in the Town of Boston," and it was " voted to leave the affair of making up the Damages the Lieut. Governor and others has sustained in the Town of Boston to the mature Consideration of our Representative."
1767.
March 23d. In the warrant for a parish meeting this date the following articles are found :
" To see if the Parish will choose a Committee to seat the meeting-House " and " To see if the Parish Will vote thetwo hind seats in ye mens side to the singers of this parish."
85
TOWN OF SUTTON.
Upon the first article the vote was in the negative. No action was taken on the second.
May 18th. "Voted that fifteen pounds be taken out of the ninety pounds that was voted to Defray schooling and other Town Charges for this present year to pay school Dames for schooling in the Summer Season."
Dec. 28th. A town meeting was called for this date ; among other things " To see if the Town will come into some effectual measures to promote Industry, Oeconomy and Man- ufactories, there by to prevent the unnecessary Importation of European Commodoties."
And the town " Voted to come into the measures, that was come into, Respecting Oeconomy and manufactories by the Town of Boston as far as they consist with our present Circumstances."
" Voted to Choose a Committee of five persons to look into s'd affair."
Chose Dea. Daniel Greenwood, Capt. John Sibley, Capt. Henry King, Mr. Willis Hall and Mr. Ebenezer Pierce a Committee for the purpose afores'd and likewise voted that s'd Committee make Report to the Town at the next Town Meeting."
" Voted that the Select men provide a work House to put. Idle, Vagrant and Dissolute persons in."
1768.
March 7th. The committee appointed Dec. 28th, 1767, reported, whereupon it was " Voted that what the Town's Committee has Drawd up, Relating to Manufactures and Oeconomy, be accepted and go upon the Town Book."
The report is as follows :
" Whereas the Happiness and well being of Civil Commu- nities depend upon Industry, Oeconomy and Good Morals ; and this Town, taking into Serious Consideration the great Decay of the trade of the Province, the Scarcity of Money, the heavy Debts contracted in the late war, which still remains on the People, and the great Difficulties to which they are by these means reduced - Resolved that this Town will use
86
ANNALS OF THE
their utmost Endeavors and Enforce their Endeavours by Example in Suppressing Extravagance, Idleness and Vice, and promoting Industry, Oeconomy and good Morals in this Town. And in order to prevent the unnecessary Exporta- tion of money of which this Province has of late been so much drained, it is further -
" Resolved, that this Town will, by all prudent means, Endeavour to discontinue the use of Foreign Superfluities, and to Encourage the Manufactures of this Town."*
There was, at this time, throughout all the colonies, deter- mined opposition to the oppressive rule of the mother coun- try. . The restrictions which had been imposed upon commerce and manufactures, the means adopted for increasing the revenue of the crown, the claim of the right to frame laws for the government of a people who had no voice in their enactment, the deprivation of the right of trial by jury, and many measures for the obstruction of local laws, to which the royal assent had been given, were felt to be unjust and humiliating. Frequent remonstrance had been made, but only to render more arrogant the power claiming sovereignty. When the stamp act, which was to take effect in November, 1765, was passed by Parliament, the indignation of the people could no longer be repressed. In some places it broke through all restraints, and revealed itself in riotous demonstration ; and when the obnoxious act was repealed in March, 1766, the exhibitions of joy were great - scarcely less so than had been those of indignation. The people of this town were loyal to the cause of liberty, and in hearty sympathy with the meas- ures proposed for the redress of grievances.
But, being an agricultural people, scattered over a large territory, with few opportunities for a public discussion of the situation, the excitement did not rise as high as in the inore commercial towns. When, however, it became evident that further remonstrance was in vain, and that there remained only that last resort of an oppressed people, resistance by. force of arms, the inhabitants with a unanimity remarkable
* Town Records.
TOWN OF SUTTON. 87
even for that day, threw themselves into the conflict, sustain- ing the measures proposed by the Continental Congress, and furnishing men and money to the extent of their ability.
1769.
Aug. 7th. "The lightning struck Ebenezer Gould's house last Monday about 3 P. M. Struck down himself and wife and killed a dog in the other room corner."*
1770.
The town " voted to Build or Provide a Work House," and chose as a committee for that purpose, " Mr. Jonathan Waters, Capt. Moody Morse, Mr. Nathaniel Carriel, Dea. 'Ebenezer Pierce and Mr. Enoch Marble."
May 1st. .. It was put to vote to see if the Town would Hold any part of the Town Meetings for the future in the Second Parish in Sutton, and the vote passed in the nega- tive."
Dr. Hall commences a suit against the town with regard to his right to the use of the ministry money.
Aug. 20th. The town chose " Capt. Henry King, Dea. Ebenezer Pierce, Mr. Edward Putnam, Capt. Elisha Goddard and Mr. Nathan'll Carriel a committee to defend the suit."t
Sept. 3d. A special town meeting was called "To see if the Town will agree to leave the suit the Rev. Mr. Hall has commenced against the Town to arbitration, to be judged of according to Law and Equity and to make choice of the men for that purpose if the Town comes into that method."
The matter put to vote "passed in the negative."
Sept. 17th. At another meeting, held upon this date, called for the purpose of making " such explanations upon the above vote as shall be thought proper according to its true intent and meaning,"
" Voted it is the mind of the town, that the Committee Chosen at a Town meeting August 20th, to Defend the suit,
* Doctor Hall's Diary.
t Town Records.
.
1
88
ANNALS OF THE
that the Rev. Mr. David Hall has commenced against the Town, relating to the ministry money, were then understood to be Chosen to Defend the Town against s'd suit, in the Towns Behalf."*
1771.
May 20th. " Voted to Raise eighty Pounds to support the Poor of the Town this present year."
This is the first mention of an appropriation by the town, for the support of its poor.
Nov. 19th. The town "Voted to Raise Thirty Three pounds, Six Shillings and Eight pence to defray the Charge the Town's Committee have been at, in defending the Town, against the suit, the Rev. Mr. Hall has commenced against the Town." t
1772.
Several of the inhabitants of the north-west part of the town unite with others from Oxford and Leicester, in peti- tioning the General Court for a new township. Stephen Goldthwait and others in the south-east part of the town ask the town to set off a portion of territory about one mile wide to join with the north part of Uxbridge as a dis- trict.
May 18th. " Voted to choose an Agent or Agents to show cause to the General Court, why the petition for a township out of the four towns of Worcester, Oxford, Suttou and Leicester should not be granted." #
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