USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Whately > History of the town of Whately, Mass., including a narrative of leading events from the first planting of Hatfield, 1660-1871 : with family genealogies > Part 8
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Salmon White .
11
18
Ezra Turner
1
11
Perez Bardwell John Graves
30
Joseph Belding, Jr. .
10
10
David Scott, Jr. Nathan Graves
11
18
Thomas Sanderson
9
3
Wid. Lois Parker
6
3
Abel Parker
4
10
Joshua Beldin
10
30
3
1
1
Benjamin Smith
.
.
IIosea Curtis .
6
20 8
6
Nathaniel Sartle . 43
89
Non-residents.
Acres English
Acres Pasturage.
Acres English Mowing.
Acres Pasturage.
Elisha Allis
20 60
Eliakim Field .
14
Nathaniel Hawks .
4
Medad Field
10
Reuben Belding
S Samuel Church
8
Gideon Dickinson
35 Noah Nash .
30
Simeon Morton
12
Elijah Dickinson
16
Noah Coleman
30
Benj. Wait
8
Abner Dickinson .
16
Jonathan Morton .
11
Eleazer Frary
2
Moses Wait
4
Daniel Graves
11
Israel Williams, Esq .
30
Samuel Dickinson . 14
30
David Morton .
16
Remembrance Bardwell
30
Oba. Diekinson
20
Eleazer Allis
3
Mary Smith
20
Elijah Morton .
3
Joseph Smith
6
Joseph Billings
8
Elisha Wait
2
David Billings
8
Benj. Wait, Jr
9
Jonathan Allis
28
| Moses Frary,
6
Four residents were not taxed, viz : Rev. Rufus Wells, Joseph Sanderson, Sen., Joseph Belding, Sen., Richard Chaun- cey. Of the non-residents, Eleazer Frary had 6 acres of tillage land, and raised 48 bushels of grain ; Daniel Graves had 5} acres, and 38 bushels ; Obadiah Diekinson had 7 aeres, and 42 bushels ; Mary Smith had 10 acres, and 90 bushels ; Benjamin Wait, Jr., had 3 acres, and 21 bushels. Edward Brown had a saw mill ; Reuben Belding, a saw mill and a grist mill ; Paul Belding had a tan house.
SUMMARY.
Number of Polls, ratable
71
66
66 not ratable .
4
Dwelling houses .
40
" Tan House .
1
" Horses .
45
66
Cows .
99
" Oxen
64
" Sheep .
375
Swine-over three months old
56
" Bushels of grain raised
3495
" Barrels of cider made .
17
" Tons of English hay
1821
" Saw mills, 2; Grist mill, 1
3
" Non-resident land owners M
32
. .
Mowing.
90
Though a little out of their proper places, yet for the sake of ready comparison, the following Certificate, and Assessors' Return, are inserted here.
This may certify that the number of males from sixteen years old and upwards in the town of Whately, is one hundred and six (106) white persons, and two (2) negroes.
JOSEPH BELDING, Selectmen
JOHN SMITH, of
OLIVER GRAVES, Whately.
Whately, Jan. 20, 1777.
Valuation of Estates and Polls in Whately, as established by the General Court, 1786.
Number of Polls, ratable
135
66
" Dwelling houses .
68
66 Tan House .
1
66
" Grist Mill-Sam'] Belding
1
66
" Saw millls .
2}
" Barns
45
66
" Horses-3 years old and upwards
85
" Oxen,
88
" Cows-3 years old and upwards
171
" Sheep,
264
66 " Swine- over three months old
149
" Barrels of cider .
96
66
" Acres of tillage land
6192
" Acres of English mowing
220
" Acres of fresh meadow,
256
Acres of pasture land .
16082
66
" Acres of woodland
161
" Acres of unimproved land
5325
" Acres of unimprovable land
953
Stock in Trade
£ 57
not ratable .
6
" Young neat cattle, 177
The first meeting for the election of town officers was held at the house of Daniel Morton, innholder, May 6, 1771. The officers chosen were as follows :- Salmon White, Town Clerk, and Treasurer; Joseph Belding, Jun., and Henry Stiles, Con- stables ; John Wait, Simeon Wait, Edward Brown, Salmon
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White, and Philip Smith, Selectmen ; Edward Brown, Philip Smith, and Salmon White, Assessors; Thomas Crafts, Sealer of Weights and Measures; Thomas Sanderson, Sealer of Leather; Peter Train, Oliver Graves, and Benj. Smith, Sur- veyors of Highways ; Israel Graves, Noah Bardwell, and John Wait, Jun., Fence Viewers ; Benj. Scott, Jun., John Brown, and Joseph Crafts, Field Drivers; Elisha Belding and Noah Bardwell, Tything-men; Benj. Smith, Perez Bardwell, and Abraham Turner, Wardens ; John Crafts, Martin Graves, and Elisha Frary, Deer Reeves ; Thomas Crafts, Surveyor of Shingles ; Peter Train, Gad Smith, and Lemuel Wells, Hog · Reeves.
The leading interests of the town will be treated of in separate chapters ; but some votes, characteristic of the time, which were passed at the earlier meetings, are here copied :-
Voted, To build a pound forty feet square.
Voted, That the Selectmen provide a Law book and a Record book.
Voted, To provide a grave cloth for the use of the town.
Voted, That David Scott and Joseph Scott be a Committee to provide two biers for the use of the town.
Voted, That hogs may run at large from May 1, to October 15, being properly yoked and rung.
Voted, To let two milch cows to a family run on the Commons.
It will be seen that the last Section of the Act of Incorporation provides that the town shall have full power " to proceed with " persons " touching their removal." This provision shows the extreme care taken by our fathers to guard the rights and priv- ileges of citizenship. They wanted in every citizen, moral worth, and habits of industry and economy, and a purpose of permanent settlement. Hence the custom prevailed generally throughout the Province, of " warning out of town " all transient persons, and all who did not purchase real estate, and all strangers not vouched for by some inhabitant. And when a stranger came into town to reside, the person into whose family or tenement he came, was required to give notice to the Selectmen of the name of the person or persons, the place from which he came, his
92
pecuniary circumstances, and the date of his coming to town. The authorities would then, at their discretion, allow him to remain, or order him to be " warned and cautioned as the law directs." A person so warned was prevented from gaining a settlement, and the town escaped liability for his support. In several instances, this town availed itself of the right in question, as the following warrant will show :-
Hampshire, ss. To either of the constables of the town of Whately, in said county : Greeting :- In the name of the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts, you are directed to warn Samuel Brass and Sabra Andross, transient persons, lately come into this town for the purpose of abiding therein, not having the town's consent therefor, that they depart the limits thereof with their children and others under their care, within fifteen days, and make due return of your doings to the clerk of the town.
Signed by the Selectmen.
The names of others, "warned " at different times, are :- Robert Durfy, Jonathan Bacon, John Lamson, Benjamin Bacon, Jonathan Clark, Zebina Lyon, Enoch Bird, Noah Coleman, William Brown, William Brown, Jr., Elisha Frary, Jr., Josiah Brown, Nath'l Coleman, Isaac Frary, Thomas Castwell. Some of these became permanent residents, and were among our best citizens. Some of them were " Shays' men," and received the " warning" after the overthrow of that Rebellion, when they attempted to regain a settlement. In 1790, the town voted, " that all' persons that are found seized of the freehold estate of the clear annual income of £3, shall be entitled to habitance, to every intent and purpose."
CHAPTER VIII.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
IN anticipation of a town organization, steps had been taken to secure regular Sabbath ordinances. In the February preced- ing, Mr. David Scott, acting in behalf of the others, had engaged Mr. Rufus Wells, of Deerfield, to preach, and he had supplied them from March 6, to April 28. The first entry in Mr. Wells's account book, gives the full history of this preliminary transac- tion.
1771.
DAVID SCOTT DR.
Mar. 6, to Apr. 28. To preaching to the people in Whately eight Sabbaths, by your engagement, on whom my de- mand is, and not ye said people . .£800
1771.
CONTRA
CR.
.£060 May 15. 66 of Dan'l Morton
0 6 0
" 17. 66 16 of Elisha Frary
June 5.
yourself
2 5 0 July 9. Joseph Belding, Jr. 0 13 .. 0 Oct. 25.
Thomas Crafts
0
6 0
Dec. 23. 66 66 Peter Train
0 5 4
Jan. 22.
6 6 Benoni Crafts
0) 5 0 Apr. 7.
0 4 0
May and June. By yourself making plow, 6s. - Work hewing and framing my house to balance
. 2 18 8
£800
At a meeting held, probably by adjournment, May 9th, three days after the formal organization of the town, it was voted,
( 93 )
.
0 5 0
Salmon White
0 6 0 June 22. 66 Elisha Belding
April 29. By cash received of Mr. Brown
94
"To raise thirty pounds for preaching." June 4, 1771, the town voted, To hire Mr. Rufus Wells of Deerfield, to preach six weeks upon probation. Simcon Wait, John Wait, and Philip Smith were chosen a committee to engage Mr. Wells. The same committee were instructed to provide a place for Mr. Wells to board at ; who attended to the duty, and engaged board at Daniel Morton's. Mr. Wells continued to board here, and at Salmon White's, till his marriage in 1776 .*
At the expiration of the six weeks' probation, the town voted, To give Mr. Rufus Wells a call to settle in the Gospel ministry with us. The conditions offered were as follows : a " settle- ment," as it was termed, of one hundred and thirty-three pounds, six shillings, and eight pence ; a salary of fifty-five pounds for the first year ; and to rise forty shillings yearly till it amount to seventy-five pounds. It was also voted, That Mr. Wells be allowed six pounds yearly for wood, to take place at such time as he sets up housekeeping. The committee to make these pro- posals to Mr. Wells were Nathan Graves, Daniel Morton and Salmon White.
A pound as then reckoned, was equal to three dollars, thirty- three and a third cents. Hence the settlement would amount to 450 dollars ; and the full salary, including the allowance for wood, to 270 dollars per year. This sum sounds small, com- pared with ministers' salaries at the present day. But it is to be considered that money is valuable according as it procures the necessaries of life. Taking the price of wheat as a standard, 270 dollars then was equal to about 360 dollars now ; with the wages of labor for a standard, which is probably more just, the 270 dollars was equal to 550 dollars at the present time ; taking the price of land as the standard, 270 dollars then was equal to 2,000 dollars now.
The settlement was paid in land; the town making over to Mr. Wells the lot lying east of the old parsonage, extending from land of Calvin Wells on the north, to land of J. P. Dickin- son on the south, and containing near 60 acres.
After giving Mr. Wells a call, (as above,) the town, it appears, applied to some of the neighboring ministers for advice in the case, and received an answer as follows :
* The price paid for board was five shillings per week.
95
Whereas the inhabitants of Whately have applied to us for our advice respecting the settlement of Mr. Rufus Wells in the work of the ministry among them ; we hereby signify that we well approve of their choice of the said Mr. Rufus Wells, and do freely advise to his settlement in the ministry in said Whately ; provided no sufficient obstacle shall appear in the way of his settlement there.
JOSEPH ASHLEY. JONATHAN ASHLEY. JOHN EMERSON.
August ye 2d, 1771.
FORMATION OF A CHURCH .- As preliminary to the formation of the church, at a town meeting held August 13, 1771, it was voted, That Wednesday the 21st day of this August be kept as a day of Fasting and Prayer by ye inhabitants of ye town of Whately.
Toted, That Messrs. David Parsons of Amherst, Joseph Ashley of Sunderland, Jonathan Ashley of Deerfield, Samuel Hopkins of Hadley, and John Emerson of Conway, V. D. M., be the persons to perform the services of the day of Fasting.
August 21, 1771. On this day of Fasting and Prayer, (writes Mr. Wells in his Church Records, ) there being present on the occasion, Rev. Messrs Parsons, Jona. Ashley, Hopkins, and Emerson, after the public services of the day were finished, the members in full communion in Whately were embodied into a church, being recommended by the church of Christ in Hatfield, to which church by far the greatest part that were embodied did belong, and had communed there in all the ordinances of the Gospel.
The Certificate of recommendation, above alluded to, was in the following words :-
These may certify, that the within mentioned persons are members of the church of Christ in Hatfield, in regular standing ; and as such are recommended to be embodied in a church-state among themselves.
By vote of the Ch. OBA. DICKINSON.
Hatfield, August 19, 1771.
96
The members embodied had the following Confession of Faith, and Covenant, read to them, to which they consented, and which they subscribed.
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
We believe that God who is the Creator, Lord and Judge of the world, hath discovered his sovereignty over man, and showed his mercy and goodness to him, in the clear and full Revelation of his will in all things that concern man's duty to God, his neighbor, and himself, and the way of his salvation and happi- ness, in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament ; which we acknowledge and believe to be a perfect Rule of our faith and practice, and that no new or further Revelation is to be expected.
We believe concerning God, that he is the first, the greatest, and the best of Beings, in whom all perfection dwells, to whom nothing can be added, and from whom nothing can be diminished.
We believe that God is one, and that in the unity of the Godhead, there are that are called persons, three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; and that these three are one in essence, equal in power and glory.
We believe God to be the Creator, Governor, and Judge of angels and of men, that nothing escapes his knowledge, and that he rules in the kingdoms of Nature, Providence, and Grace ; and according to the counsel of his own will doth all his pleasure . in them.
We believe that God made man male and female, with rea- sonable and immortal souls, after his own image in moral recti- tude, capable of knowing, serving and enjoying him, and yet capable of falling ; that God made a Covenant with man,-on condition of perfect obedience he was to continue in the favor of God,-and on his failure or disobedience, annexed death, the just wages of sin, as a penalty ; that in this Covenant our first father stood and acted as the public head, representative of the whole human species ; that he broke covenant with God by eating the forbidden fruit ; that he and we by him came under the curse of God's righteous law, and forfeited the blessings of the first Covenant.
97
We believe that God the Father so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to be a Mediator between God and man in this his lapsed state ; to be born of a woman, made under the law, to redeem man and his posterity from the curse of the law, and to purchase eternal blessedness for them ; who as Me- diator sustains the office of Prophet, Priest, and King, and is made of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemp- tion to all that receive and believe in him as offered in the Gospel ; and that on such and only such he will confer everlasting life and happiness, whom alone he hath predestinated to eternal life and blessedness.
We believe the Immortality of the soul, and that there will be a Resurrection of the body from the dead, and an equal distribu- tion of rewards and punishments to every man according to his deeds done in the body, by God, who without respect of persons will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to his Gospel.
We believe that it is the duty of all men constantly to observe and faithfully to attend, secret, family and public worship, and particularly the Ministry of the word, Prayer and Sacraments of the New Testament, in and by which we believe that the Holy Spirit works upon the souls of men, and makes them effectual to their salvation, by the righteousness and complete obedience of him who is the great Head of the Church.
Lastly, we believe that it is our duty as a society of Christians, to join together as a Church of Christ, to set up, attend upon and support a faithful Ministry among us.
COVENANT.
We whose names are under written, being as we apprehend called of God to enter into the church-state of the Gospel, for the free and constant enjoyment of God's worship and ordinances, do in the first place acknowledge our unworthiness to be so highly favored of the Lord, and at the same time admiring and adoring the free grace of God which triumphs over so great unworthiness, with humble dependence on his grace, would now thankfully lay hold on his Covenant, and choose the things which please him.
We declare our serious and cordial belief of the Christian Religion as contained in the sacred scriptures, and as it is usually
N
98
embraced by the faithful in the churches of New England-which is summarily exhibited in our Confession of Faith, as to the substance of it; heartily resolving to conform ourselves to the rules of Christ's holy religion as long as we live in the world ; taking the Word of God for our only guide in all matters of religion ; professing repentance for all our sins and miscarriages, we desire,
2. To give up ourselves to the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and avouch him this day to be our God, our Saviour, and our Sanctifier, and receive him as our Portion forever.
3. We do in particular give up ourselves to the blessed Jesus, acknowledging his true Deity, and promise to adhere to him, as the Head of his people in the Covenant of grace, and rely upon him as our prophet, priest and king, to bring us to eternal blessedness.
4. We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensable obliga- tion to glorify God in all the duties of a sober, godly and reli- gious life,-and very particularly in the duties of church-state, and body of people associated, for an obedience to him in all the ordinances of his Gospel ; and in this way we depend upon his gracious assistance to enable us faithfully to discharge all duties thus incumbent on us.
5. We do likewise promise and engage, with divine help, to walk together as a Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the faith and order of the Gospel, so far as we do know or shall have the same made known to us ; and faithfully and constantly to attend the public worship of God, and the sacraments of the New Testament, and to keep family religion in our houses ; and that we will carefully adhere to the laws of Christ's kingdom, with regard to the Discipline of the Church, and obey him in the Lord whom God shall give to rule over us, and set to watch for our souls ; and to attend to all God's holy institutions in com- munion with one another, watching over one another for good, and that in the spirit of meekness, love and tenderness ; carefully avoiding all sinful stumbling blocks, strifes and contentions, and that we will endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Finally, we do also present our Offspring with ourselves unto
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the Lord, resolving with divine help and assistance to endeavor our part in the method of a good and religious education that they may be the Lord's ; that we will endeavor to give them seasonable and suitable instructions in the duties both of piety and charity, and enforce the same by our own good example, counsels, admonitions and suitable corrections ;- and all this we endeavor to do, flying to the Blood of the everlasting Covenant for the free pardon of all our sins, praying that the gracious Head of the Church, who is the great Shepherd of the sheep, would prepare us for, and strengthen us unto every good word and work, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, honor, and thanksgiv- ing forever and ever. Amen.
Salmon White, Simeon Wait, John Wait, Richard Chauncey, Nathan Graves, David Scott, Thomas Crafts, Daniel Morton, Israel Graves, Benjamin Smith, Philip Smith, Elisha Frary Joshua Beldin, John Wait, Jr., David Graves, Jr., Elisha Bel- ding, Oliver Graves.
Besides the above who subscribed to the Covenant, the fol- lowing persons consented to it at the same time, and were em- bodied into a church-state with those who subscribed : viz., Ebenezer Bardwell, Elizabeth Bardwell, Elizabeth Belding, Sub- mit Scott, Abigail Smith, Martha Wait, Eunice Graves, Mary White, Ruth Belding, Mary Wait, Abigail Crafts, Lydia Stiles, Ruth Stiles, George Prutt, Sarah Smith, Sarah Smith, Jun., Abigail Graves, Jemima Scott, Abigail Scott, Anna Belding, Margaret Belding, Sarah Wells, Eleanor Morton, Miriam Frary, Elizabeth Chauncey, Abigail Smith.
ORDINATION OF A PASTOR .- Mr. Wells having given an answer accepting the call to settle in the ministry, the town (no record is made of any church action in the case) proceeded to make the necessary preparation for his ordination. The churches invited to compose the Council, and assist in the ordination, were thirteen in number, as follows : - Hatfield, Northampton, Hadley, Amherst, Sunderland, Montague, North- field, Bernardston, Greenfield, Deerfield, Conway, Ashfield, and Charlemont.
100
Salmon White was agreed with, to provide for and entertain the Council.
The Council met, and Mr. Wells was " set apart to the work of the ministry, being made an overseer of the Church or Flock of Christ in Whately, by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery," Sept. 25, 1771. The services were held under the shade of two large oaks, standing on the west side of the highway, just south of the dwelling house of Dr. Myron Har- wood. A stage was built for the ministers, and the people were gathered in front on temporary seats. The exercises were per- formed by the following persons, in the following order :- Rev. Judah Nash, of Montague, made the first prayer ; Rev. Jona. Ashley, of Deerfield, preached the sermon from 1 Tim. iv. 6; Rev. Joseph Ashley, of Sunderland, made the ordaining prayer ; Rev. David Parsons, of Amherst, gave the charge ; Rev. Samuel Hopkins, of Hadley, gave the right hand of fellowship; and Rev. John Hubbard, of Northfield, made the concluding prayer.
Such minuteness of detail seems necessary, to furnish an intel- ligible and characteristic picture of those early times. These acts, and votes, and method of procedure, and style of expres- sion show us both the persons who acted, and their circum- stances ; and while they indicate the individual habits and tastes then common, of themselves they give a clear exposition of the opinions then prevalent on ecclesiastical matters, as well as the doctrinal belief of the church.
They show also the simplicity which characterized the organi- zation of a church in those days. No precept was needed to issue from any hierarch ; but the people assemble in their asso- ciate capacity, and with the counsel and assistance of neighboring churches and ministers make their penitent confessions, declare publicly their belief in the leading doctrines of the Gospel, and enter into covenant for mutual edification and discipline,-" for the free and constant enjoyment of God's worship and ordi- nances." Such was the Congregationalism of our fathers' time.
THE HALF-WAY COVENANT .- A custom prevailed for some years in this church, as in other Congregational churches of New England at that period, of receiving persons of good external
.
101
morality to "covenant privileges," as it was termed. Individ- uals of ordinary standing in society, who would acknowledge a belief in the doctrines of the Gospel as set forth in the Confes- sion of Faith, and would assent, in part, to the Covenant, were received by vote as members, in a limited sense, of the church. They were regarded as proper subjects of discipline, and might bring complaints against members in full communion ; they had the privilege of Baptism for themselves and families ; but were debarred from the communion of the Lord's Supper.
This was not in accordance with the original church platform of New England. The first Puritans were stern opposers of this practice as it had existed in the mother country. They believed, that when a man is " born again," a change is wrought in him, of which it is possible for him and others to find evidence. They held that the regenerate differ from the unregenerate by the pos- session of some substantial good qualities, which must show themselves in thought and action. With such views of Chris- tian character, and regarding as they did, the church as Christ's flock -" a peculiar people," - it was natural that they should admit none to their communion, except those who might, "in charitable discretion," be considered regenerate persons.
But in time laxer notions began to prevail. Partly from the practice of requiring church-membership as a qualification for civil office ; and partly through the influence of emigrants be- longing to the Established Church, the New England churches gradually receded from their original standard. The Synod of 1662 decided, that persons baptized in infancy, "understanding the doctrine of faith, and publicly professing their assent there- unto ; not scandalous in life, and solemnly owning the covenant before the church, wherein they give up themselves and their children to the Lord, and subject themselves to the government of Christ in the church - their children are to be baptized ; " though the parent thus owning the covenant was avowedly yet unregenerate, and as such was excluded from the Lord's Supper. Taking advantage of the sanction of this Synod, the practice was immediately adopted in many churches ; and after protracted and violent controversy, became general.
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