USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Lee > Lee : the centennial celebration and centennial history of the town of Lee, Mass. > Part 20
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The present number of communicants in the Church is 211.
The following is the list of the Official Board of the Church for the present Conference year (1877) :
Pastor .- Rev. A. Ostrander.
Stewards .- H. M. Bradley, A. C. Sparks, Daniel Pultz, H. Hard- ing, E. H. Saunders, Wm. H. Hill, Theo. D. Holmes, H. Couch, J. Campbell.
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
Leaders .- H. M. Bradley, W. H. Hill, Theo. D. Holmes, Mrs. O. E. Crowl.
District Steward .- A. C. Sparks.
Recording Steward .- E. H. Saunders.
The Officers of the Society are :
Trustees .- J. F. Benton, Daniel Pultz, E. L. Melius, Chas. A. Childs, L. F. Hurd.
Treasurer .- A. C. Sparks.
Collector .- Daniel Pultz.
The last named officer died on the 8th of August, 1877. His love for the Church and his untiring efforts for its welfare place him in the foremost rank of its friends and supporters.
We are indebted for most of the material of this sketch to E. H. Saunders, Esq., the present Clerk of the Society ; for thirty years a member, and nearly as long an officer of the Church. We close with his devout words :
"For what God hath prospered us, To Him shall be all the praise. Amen ! "
THE AFRICAN CHURCH.
In 1844 Albert Marie came into town and visited the colored people. He preached to them in school-houses and private dwellings and organized a church. Previous to this time the few colored people in the town had worshiped in the other churches and some of them were exemplary professors of religion. In 1852 a church edifice was erected by the colored people, aided by be- nevolent individuals in the other congregations. This organization is styled, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and has had many preachers and many exhorters but no records can be found of its early history. The present pastor, or rather preacher, is Rev. L. H. Cloyd, a faithful man, who is sustained in part by the Berkshire and Columbia Missionary Society. The whole number of colored persons in town is less than one hundred. The number of communicants with the African church is twenty-four.
CUTTING -PHOTO:
BICKNELL CO.SC.N.Y.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
245
THE HISTORY OF LEE.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN LEE.
BY REV. P. A. NORDELL.
As the population of the town of Lee increased, Baptist families moved in. Those living in the southern part of the town found church privileges in the Tyringham church or in the branch at South Lee. Those living in the central and northern parts of the town attended worship in the Congregational or Methodist churches.
In the Spring of 1850 the Rev. Amory Gale visited Lee for the purpose of ascertaining whether the number of Baptists in town was sufficiently great to warrant the organization of a church. The first meeting was held July 2, and it was resolved to establish Baptist preaching at once. Further action was delayed until a sufficient number had obtained letters of dismission from their respective churches. On the 14th of Sept. 1850 the church was organized with twenty constituent members, Articles of Faith were adopted, Mr. M. E. Culver chosen deacon, a prudential committee appointed, candidates for baptism received, and a unanimous call extended to Rev. A. Gale to become the pastor. A council summoned to recognize the new church met Oct. 8th. The sermon was preached by Rev. Bradley Miner of Pittsfield. The recognition service, through the courtesy of the Congregational brethren, was held in their church.
The following Summer a lot suitable for the erection of a house of worship was secured and building was begun. By the Fall of 1852 the work had progressed sufficiently to permit the dedication of the house. The basement remained unfinished for a considerable time.
Sometime after the organization of the church, Mr. Eli Taintor was elected to the office of deacon. July 29th. 1852 the number of dea- cons was increased to three by the election of Mr. Hosea Codding.
The first two years were marked by a rapid growth. A strict discipline, without which no church can prosper, was vigilantly main- tained. Notwithstanding losses by death and exclusion, the church reported a membership of 101 at the meeting of the Berkshire Bap- tist Association, Sept. 30th. 1852. During the next few years the growth though not so marked was encouraging.
The general prosperity of the town and its promise of rapid in- crease in population, tempted the young church to the building of a larger and more expensive house of worship than the needs of the congregation demanded either at that time, or subsequently. The im- mediate consequence was a large debt, which might soon have been ex- tinguished if the prosperous times had continued. Even during the few years of business activity which continued after the organization of
246
THE HISTORY OF LEE.
the church, much difficulty and discouragement were experienced from the floating character of the population out of which the church had been built up. This proved to be a serious obstacle in the way of re- moving the debt, which with unpaid interest amounted in Nov. 1855 to $4,528.38. In addition to this, there was an annual deficit of nearly three hundred dollars. A committee appointed by the associa- tion to examine the condition and prospects of the church, unanimously advised the other churches of the association to render aid, if possible, to the extent of $2,500, toward the extinguishment of this debt, provided the remainder be raised by the church. No further action seems to have been taken in the matter; the burden remained a source of anxiety, and a grave hinderance to the temporal and spiritual advancement of the church.
In the Summer of 1856, the newly organized Episcopal society secured the use of the house for divine service at such times as would not interfere with the worship of the Baptist congregation. This arrangement was continued a number of months.
The following January, a disastrous fire occurred in the village which consumed with other buildings the Congregational meeting- house. The use of the Baptist house was immediately tendered to the Congregational church, until such time as they might be able to erect another house. The offer was accepted and the two congrega- tions worshipped together till April 25th, 1859. As the only church- bell in town was destroyed at the burning of the Congregational church the want of one was felt immediately. A new bell weighing 1,329 lbs. on the key of F sharp, was therefore purchased by public subscription and placed in the steeple of the Baptist church, where it still remains.
Rev. Amory Gale who had been the beloved pastor of the church nearly seven years, being called to labor in the West with the pros- pect of greatly enlarged usefulness, resigned his charge of the church to take effect the first of June, 1857 .. By his Christian zeal and large- minded interest in whatever pertained to the welfare of the public he greatly endeared himself not only to the church for which he had la- bored, but to the community in which he had lived. After eighteen years of faithful labor in the West, he was obliged to give up active work through failing health. In quest of health he was induced to go abroad, but died in Syria in November 1874. There he will rest in soil made sacred by the tread of the Divine Master to whose service he so patiently and joyfully gave the strength of his life.
The Church was suffering at this time, not only from the burden of its distressing debt, but from the loss of many of its best members,
A ca 1 S t
the B P re
Con
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
compelled to remove from Lee by the utter prostration of business. Only 93 members were reported to the Association in 1857. Never- theless, it was deemed best to secure a pastor as soon as possible, and on the tenth of August, a unanimous call was given to Rev. Ralph H. Bowles of Brandford, Conn. Under his ministry the Church pros- pered greatly in respect to accessions to its membership, 130 being reported in 1859. But there was no relief from financial distress. After numerous ineffectual appeals to the Association for aid, it be- came apparent that the property must be surrendered to pay the debt. Mr. Bowles resigned his charge of the Church. August 18, 1861, and September 28th, the Church voted to assign its property to its credi- tors. They were not exacting, however, and, in hope that a way out of the difficulty might be devised, the sale was deferred about two years. In February, 1862, Rev. Charles W. Potter began preaching as a supply, but was engaged as pastor the following September. This engagement was brief, for he resigned June 5, 1863.
The 15th of May, 1863, was truly a dark day in the history of this struggling Church. The evils which had so long threatened, and which the Church had striven so persistently to ward off, culminated in the alienation of its property at public sale. It was apprised at $7,000.00, and sold to Mr. S. V. R. Daniels of Pittsfield, for $2,325.00. Unexpectedly the Lord opened a light in the darkness, for Mr. Dan- iels very generously offered to let the Church occupy the house so long as it might remain in his hands. In the course of a couple of weeks, measures were taken for re-opening the house. For a number of months, preaching was furnished by temporary supplies, but Octo- ber 4th, a very hearty invitation was extended to Rev. Asa Bronson of Fall River, to become its pastor, which call he accepted.
On the first of November, a meeting was held to consider the expe- diency of disbanding the church organization. The reasons given were, that the membership of the Church had become very much scattered, and the present residence of a large number of the members was unknown; and that the Church had heretofore labored under many embarrassments which had brought it into more or less disfavor, all of which rendered it desirable that the old organization should be disbanded. This was accordingly done, and letters of dismission were issued to all members in good standing.
At the same meeting, and by subsequent effort, thirty-four names were secured of those desiring to organize a new Baptist interest in Lee. This was done November 22d, 1863, and the new organization received the name of "The Bethel Baptist Church and Society in . Lee." From this, it appears that it was deemed expedient to combine
248
THE HISTORY OF LEE.
with the church organization proper, a society, a relic of the former unholy alliance between Church and State, from which nearly all Baptist Churches in the Commonwealth had disencumbered them- selves. Rev. Asa Bronson became its pastor, Brother J. A. Royce, clerk, and Brethren Hosea Codding and Wm. A. Brown, deacons. The growth was encouraging. Nevertheless, Mr. Bronson tendered his resignation September 4th, which was accepted, and Rev. H. A. Morgan of Becket, elected his successor. In 1865, the possession of the house was transferred from Brother S. V. R. Daniels to the Berkshire Baptist Association, and its use offered to the Church on very easy conditions. A number of needed repairs were made by the Church, and a new carpet purchased, involving an expense of $1,726. During the pastorate of Mr. Morgan, the Church enjoyed a steady, quiet growth, and many improvements were made. He offered his resignation and preached his farewell sermon, November 29, 1868.
During the next four months, preaching was maintained by irregu- lar supplies. A call was then extended to Rev. Ralph H. Bowles, their former pastor, and he began his labors April 4, 1869. This pas- torate was brief, Mr. Bowles resigning his charge of the Church, March 20, 1870.
Two months after this, Rev. Joseph H. Seaver of Salem, became pastor of the Church. He remained only a year, and was succeeded by Rev. Stephen Pillsbury of Newton, who entered upon his work June 1, 1871. The Church reported this year a membership of 68. His labors extended over a period of three years, and promoted the spiritual and temporal interests of the Church. Some old debts were paid, furnaces introduced, and other improvements made. During the Winter of 1873-4, a gracious revival was experienced, from which much fruit was reaped by the Church. He closed his labors in Lee March 29, 1874, and was followed, May 3d, by Rev. P. A. Nordell of Rochester, N. Y. During his pastorate, repairs and improvements were made on the house. A new and substantial carpet was pur- chased, a large chandelier and other lamps procured; the roof was reshingled, and the dingy appearance of the interior relieved by fresco- ing the ceiling and walls ; all the pulpit appointments were remodeled. Efforts were made to place the Church upon a firm financial basis, which would have been easily accomplished but for the protracted financial distress which followed the panic of 1874. A number were added by baptism and letter. The present membership is 112. It is to be hoped that this Church, which has so long and so patiently struggled against adversity and discouragement, will witness, at no
ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH. (EPISCOPAL.)
249
THE HISTORY OF LEE.
distant day, abundant temporal and spiritual prosperity. After a pastorate of nearly three years and a half, Mr. Nordell terminated his labors with the Church, September 1, 1877.
HISTORY OF ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, LEE, MASS. BY REV. W. R. HARRIS.
Occasional services of the Episcopal Church were held in Lee, by clergymen from Lenox and Stockbridge, previous to the year 1855. No attempt, however, was made to organize a parish until about that time. On the 17th of May, 1856, an application was made to the Hon. Lester Filley, Justice of the Peace, by several residents of the Town, requesting him to issue a warrant, calling a meeting of them- selves, with others, for the purpose of organizing a parish of the Prot- estant Episcopal Church, and to appoint a time and place of meeting.
The warrant was issued on May 27th, and 4 o'clock P. M. of the 4th day of June next ensuing was appointed as the time, and the Police Court Room the place for said meeting.
Pursuant to the above call, the friends of the movement assembled at the time and place appointed, when the Hon. Lester Filley was chosen chairman and Edward Foote clerk of the meeting.
The permanent officers elected were :
Wardens, Lester Filley and William T. Fish ; Vestrymen, James A. Weed, Amos Fish, John Evans, Benjamin F. Bosworth, and W. L. Davies.
Early in June of the same year, the Rev. George T. Chapman, D. D., an elderly but distinguished presbyter of the Church, assumed the charge of the Parish as its first Rector, a position in which he labored faithfully and successfully for three years. Immediate steps were taken toward the erection of a church edifice. In September, a lot of ground situated on Franklin street was purchased of Benjamin F. Dean for the sum of $625.00. Mr. Elizur Smith also conveyed to the Parish for " good will," a narrow strip adjoining the lot which was necessary to afford access to it. The work of building began in 1857, and a neat and churchly frame edifice was completed early in the following year at a cost of about $7,500.00. The first service was held in it on January 31, 1858, Dr. Chapman preaching an appropriate discourse.
At Easter, 1859, Dr. Chapman, owing to advanced age and in- creasing infirmities, resigned the charge of the Parish. He removed to Newburyport, where he resided, honored and esteemed by all who knew him, until his decease, which took place in 1872. He was
32
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
succeeded in the Rectorship by the Rev. Jolin F. Spaulding, now (1877) Bishop of Colorado. His pastorate, however, continued only for fifteen months. During this time the attendance on tlie services increased, and the Parish prospered. After Mr. Spaulding's resignation, which took effect October, 1860, there appear to have been several clergymen in charge of the Parish, in frequent succession, either as rectors or temporary supplies. On Christmas eve, 1861, the church with all it contained was destroyed by fire. This was a severe loss, as after all liabilities had been met there was but a small balance remaining to the Parish. For a time nothing was done toward rebuilding and no services were held. After some delay, however, it was decided to erect a new edifice, to be built of stone. Mr. Charles Heebner, the owner of the marble quarries, furnished the material and contributed largely toward the work. The progress of rebuilding was slow, the new church was not completed until April 1865, nor wholly furnished with bell, chairs, lamps, etc., until four or five years later. After all was done, considerable encumbrance remained upon the property, which was not entirely removed until 1873. In Lent of this year an effort was made which proved successful, to raise sufficient funds to liquidate the whole indebtedness of the Parish. The mortgage was canceled in September, and on the 7th of October the Rt. Rev. Ben- jamin F. Paddock, D. D., the Bishop of the Diocese, consecrated the church under the name and title of St. George's Church, to " the ser- vice of Almighty God, the Blessed and Undivided Trinity, according to the provisions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in its Ministry, Doctrine, Liturgy, Rites, and Usages."
In June, 1875, a very nice organ of eight stops was presented to the church by the Rev. William Gill, a former parishioner. The Rectors during this period were :
The Rev. Gustavus Murray, 1864 to 1866.
The Rev. E. R. Bishop, . 1866.
The Rev. W. C. Winslow, . 1867 to 1870.
The Rev. W. R. Harris, 1871 (present incumbent.)
This is the history of the outward and the visible. The history of the inward and the spiritual, which is the true history of a church, can not be written. The story of children new born to God, of godly lives begun, of faith increased, of souls strengthened and refreshed and purified by prayer, by sacraments, by the reading and preaching of God's Word -this, the most precious part of the church's life, running through a long period of years, the Last Day only can reveal.
4. BRADLEY-CO
ST. MARY'S CHURCH. (CATHOLIC.)
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
The statistics of the Parish, taken from the last annual report to the Convention, for the year 1876-77, are :
Baptisms,
3
Confirmed, .
5
Communicants,
56
Families,
S. S. Officers and Scholars, . . (about) 40 . 54.
HISTORY OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH (CATHOLIC).
The first settlements in Lee were made almost exclu- sively by Protestants, generally Congregationalists. Dur- ing the first half century after its incorporation, as we have seen, the history of the Congregational church was almost identical with the history of the town. At the time of Dr. Hyde's death (1833) the Congregational was the only church organization in the center of the town. There was scarcely a Catholic resident here, and the num- ber was small till the building of the Housatonic railroad in 1849. The construction of this road brought in large numbers of Irishmen, mostly Catholics, many of whom remained and sought occupation in the mills and on the farms. To minister to this population, Rev. P. Cuddihy came down from Pittsfield occasionally, and under his direction St. Mary's Church was built in 1856. Rev. Pe- ter Eagan was assigned to the pastorate of this church in October, 1857, and continued in charge till his death, which occurred in 1864. During his ministry, the Catho- lic population of the town increased rapidly, and the at- tendance at his church was larger than at any other, many coming from the neighboring towns.
Rev. George H. Brennan succeeded Mr. Eagan, and is the present pastor. Under his ministry the attendance at St. Mary's has steadily increased, except for a short period in 1869-70, when, owing to the stoppage of work in the quarries and some other changes in business, many Catholics left town. The present attendance is larger
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
than ever before, being about 2,000. The Sunday-school is also flourishing, numbering some 500 children. Mr. Brennan found the church deeply in debt, but during his pastorate this has been paid and mission churches have been established in Stockbridge and West Stockbridge.
It is noticeable that the number of marriages and bap- tisms in the congregation worshiping at St. Mary's is far greater than in any other, and probably larger than in all the others. This speaks well for the industry and purity of our Catholic population. The number of marriages sol- emnized at St. Mary's in the 20 years since it was opened for religious services, is 469, and the number of baptisms in the same time is 2,471.
St. Mary's is the largest church edifice in town, and the attendance there is probably larger than at all the other churches. The work of the pastor is so arduous that for some years he has had an assistant.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.
THE first public school was established in Lee, April, 1784. The town then voted "to raise £40 the present year to be laid out in schooling, and to choose a commit- tee to divide the town into districts for schooling." This committee consisted of Joshua Wells, Amos Mansfield, Deacon Jesse Bradley, Deacon Oliver West, Simon Call, Lemuel Crocker, Elisha Crocker. The rate was fixed at 38s. on the £100. "Voted to accept report of committee on school districts, and that every district draw money to pay for the schooling according to the ratable estates." It would seem that four districts were at first established, though the town chose five men as agents-Capt. Thomas Crocker, Capt. David Porter, Lieutenant Church, Esquire Jenkins and Ozias Strong. 1785, May 9, £40 raised, but the plan of dividing the town into districts with the money
I
t
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
divided also, was rejected. 1786, the town refused to raise any money for schools. 1791, £40 were to be dis- tributed according to number of children between 4 and 14 years of age. The Committee to take the number: 1792, £40 to be divided according to amount of taxes in each district. 1793, £20 additional. 1794, ££40 voted, to be divided according to the number of scholars. The agents this year were John Nye, north-east district; Aaron Benedict, south-east ; Captain Dillingham, Cen- ter; Captain Garfield, south-west; Captain Gale, north- west.
The town was at first (1785) divided into four districts. The first embraced all included south of the roads running from the Park to Stockbridge and Tyringham, taking in the families of James Gardner, Reuben Pixley, 'Squire Ingersoll, Jeremy Warner and others, but excluding Mr. Ebenezer Swift. The second embraced all that were left upon the west side of the river except Ashbel Lee and James Penoyer. The third included all east of the river not included in the first as far east as Freeman's and Stanley's, and so on to the northern line. The fourth included all that were left in the eastern part of the town. The four districts were sub-divided till there were twelve in all.
By the State law of 1789, June 25, no master or mis- tress was allowed to keep school without a certificate from the Selectmen or School Committee, and the minister, if any there be, of the town. Dr. Hyde used to examine the teachers, and for many years gave them all the in- struction they ever had in grammar. Not till 1814, March 7, do we find a committee appointed to inspect schools with Rev. Dr. Hyde. This first visiting committee consisted of Nathaniel Bassett, Dr. H. Bartlett, Hon. Jo- seph Whiton, Rollin C. Dewey, John Winegar. After this time such a committee was annually appointed.
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THE HISTORY OF LEE.
The money appropriated has varied from time to time, according to the wishes and circumstances of the com- munity. In 1795, £40 was the appropriation to be di- vided according to the valuation. This was exclusive of the Hopland district, which, in 1791, was incorporated so as to hold funds and manage schools in that section of the town separately : 1797, $150; 1799, $225; 1801, $150; 1804, $200; 1818, $300.
These figures indicate the irregular and yet progressive rate of expenditure for this most important object. The method of distribution has been as variable as the amount of expenditure. At first, the appropriation was allotted to each district according to its valuation list; and after- wards, partly by valuation, partly by the number of schol- ars; then each school had the same fixed sum, and the remainder was allotted according to the size of the school.
The number of the districts has varied as the popula- tion has increased or changed. In 1801, October 19, Cape street was set off as a district. In 1806, a commit- tee was appointed to divide the school district in the north part of the town.
The practical operation of this subdivision of the edu- cational interests of the town was found to be disastrous rather than beneficial. The Legislature of 1862 required each town to vote whether the system should be retained or not. 1869, March 24, the Legislature abolished the school districts. The building and care of the school- houses, and hiring of teachers, formerly at the expense and under the control of each district separately, are now entrusted to the charge of the general school committee of the town. The old records of the several school dis- tricts have been destroyed, or were so imperfectly kept that it is impossible now to tell when each school-house was built.
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