USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Mattapoisett > Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, Massachusetts : being a history of these towns and also in part of Marion and a portion of Wareham. > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Rochester > Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, Massachusetts : being a history of these towns and also in part of Marion and a portion of Wareham. > Part 13
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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
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Mattapoisett and Old Rochester
The precinct clerks have been: Benjamin Hammond, Jr., 1736; Gideon Southworth, 1737-49; John Hammond, 1749-56; Barzillai Hammond, 1756-57; John Hammond, 1758-71; Enoch Hammond, 1772-78; Benjamin Dexter, 1779-80; Enoch Hammond, 1781-91; Thomas Tobey, 1791-92; Aaron Norton, 1793-94, Thomas Tobey, 1795; Nathaniel Hammond, 1796-1802; Thomas Tobey, 1803- 16; Elijah Willis (pro tem), 1817; William LeBaron (pro tem), 1817; Benjamin Barstow, 3d, 1817; Wilber South- worth, 1818-20; Amittai B. Hammond, 1821-26; Wilson Barstow, 1827; Benjamin F. Pope, 1828; Wilson Barstow, 1829; Milton H. Leach, 1830; Allen Dexter, 1831-32; Leonard Hammond, 1833; Moores Rogers, 1834; Abner Harlow, 1835; Allen Dexter, 1836-38; Noah C. Sturtevant, 1839; Calvin C. Cannon, 1840; Leonard Hammond, 1841- 42; Noah C. Sturtevant, 1843-44; Allen Dexter, 1845-48; Samuel Sturtevant, Jr., 1849-54; Nathan H. Barstow, 1855-58; Caleb King (pro tem), 1856; Hallet M. Cannon, 1859-67; Solomon K. Eaton, 1868-72; Henry Taylor, 1873-79; Lemuel LeB. Holmes (pro tem), 1874; Weston Howland (pro tem), 1875; Noah Hammond, 1880-94; Lemuel LeB. Dexter, 1894 -.
In "The Chh's Book" prior to 1772, there are some lapses; but of the precinct, the record is continuous since Benjamin Hammond, Jr., the noted land surveyor of Bristol and Plymouth county towns, to begin his record as Precinct Clerk, copied in the Order of the General Court of June 9, 1736, whereby "Mr. Jabez Hammond one of the principal inhabitants of the new Precinct at Mattapoisett, in Rochester, was Impowered to assemble and Convene the freeholders and other inhabitants there Lawfully Qualified for Voting, to choose officers to stand
SECOND PRECINCT RELICS
" The Chh's Book," 1758, showing Rev. Mr. Hovey's letter of acceptance. The precinct records, 1736. Old latch and hinge and penny dated 1730, taken from Meeting House Hill and in the possession of Mrs. John Jenney. Pewter communion tankard, given to the Second Church in Rochester by Dr. Lazarus LeBaron, 1772, in the possession of Lemuel LeBaron Dexter.
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The Church in the Second Precinct
until their anniversary meeting in March." Since that entry of the act of incorporation, no year is without its record, and in two bulky volumes are thus set down in unbroken succession the business dealings of one of the few territorial parishes now existing as such within the Commonwealth.
In 1733 the people at Mattapoisett began to complain that they were "so remote from the Center as to make their Difficulty great in all publick Concerns," and they requested the formation of a separate parish. This was not arranged, however, until three years later, for the letter is dated Rochester, July 27, 1736, from "Timothy Ruggles, Paster in the name & with the Consent of the Brethren," which certifies "those our Brethren Moses Barlow, John Hammond, Thomas Dexter, Nathan Hammond, Thomas Clark, Jabez Hammond, Benjamin Hammond, Jun'r, Constant Dexter, & Samuel Dexter are while with us regular members in full communion, and are recommended as such, and it is hereby signified that those our Dear Brethren have our free consent that they form themselves into a Distinct. Church according to Gospel order and we commend them unto God & to the word of his Grace which is able to build them up and give them an inheritance among them that are Sanctified. Desiring their prayers for us, we remain their Brethren in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel.
" Also the Sisters are Dismissed in like manner, viz .: - Mary Hammond, Hannah Dexter, Mary Bools, Lydia Bools, Priscilla Hammond, Allis Clark, Thamsen Tarden."
On July 28 the nine men so dismissed subscribed to a covenant and thus instituted the "Distinct Church;" and having set their covenant down in full in "The Church's
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Book," none of them deemed it necessary to make further record, for the next four years, - or perhaps in the absence of a settled pastor it was no one's duty. They organized the precinct, however, in December, and on the last day of the year 1736, the "freeholders and other Inhabitants," some of them doubtless leaving home by sunrise, met, as the warrant said, "by eight a clock in the forenoon, at the house of Lieut. John Hammond," which house still stands by the Herring Weir, - "to Consider and Conclude upon some proper ways and methods in order to the finishing the meeting-house and to do some- thing Relating to the way that leads from sd Precinct to the Country Rhode." This last item was evidently a matter at law, for they voted "to George Danford £3, 7s. 6d. for his trouble in going Down to Plymouth Court about the way that leads from Parkers Harbour 1 into the Country Rhode near Mark Haskill's." For officers, they chose Jabez Dexter, moderator; Benj. Hammond, Jr., Clerk; and Josiah Dexter, Ebenezer Barlow, and Benj. Hammond, Jr., as Committee.
They had evidently made a good start on their meeting- house,2 before cold weather had come on, so that at this meeting they were only concerned with its finishing, and with approving bills already contracted, to meet which was voted "£7 to Capt. Hammond on an accompt paid in for framing," "Six Shillings to Jonathan Bools for Drawing Stones, Thomas Randol 50s. for his timber that
1 Was this Aucoot Cove ?
2"These buildings they called meeting-houses. That any of their posterity should be so regardless of confounding language as to call them churches is to be regretted." - THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. A View of the First Planters of New England (p. 261). Hartford, 1843.
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The Church in the Second Precinct
was used; also Mr. John Hammonds accompt of £2, 3s. for boarding the Carpenters while Framing, and £1, 16s. 2d. to Mr. Jabez Hammond for Rum and Sugar provided for Raising sd House." The precinct met again in June and approved bills, and on October 13, 1737, the structure was so far toward completion that they met at the meeting- house and voted "to build Eleven pews by the Cost and charge of those that purchase the spots," and making choice of Gideon Southworth "Vendue Master," they forthwith bid off said "spots."
This building stood at the fork of the roads, on the top of "Zion's Hill" as it was later called, which is now cut into by the town gravel pit, adjoining the present home- stead, of John Jenney. The house was, as near as can be estimated from the size of pews, and the facts shown in the records, approximately twenty-five feet square, with the "Great Door," of perhaps five feet width, in the middle at the south, and the pulpit opposite on the north side. There was another smaller door about one third of the way back on the east side. The center space on the floor was open for seating and was completely en- closed by pews, except where access to the doors or stairs was necessary, or where the pulpit stood. No pew varied much from being "Five foot square," and the "spot" just within the great door at the right was considered the choicest location, and was secured by Capt. Benj. Ham- mond for £8, 5s. Near the pulpit was less desired, and the pew at the west side of and adjoining the pulpit stairs went to Gideon Southworth: and Israel Hammond for ££3. Josiah Hammond took the northwest corner, and along the west wall were Joseph Barlow, Thomas Clark, Lieut. Jabez Hammond; while next, at the left of the south door,
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was the pew of Barzillai and Achelaus Hammond. Israel Hammond's was in the southwest corner next the east door, beyond which came Ebenezer Barlow, George Barlow, and then in the northeast corner Nathan Ham- mond. The gallery appears to have extended around three sides with "mens' stairs" and "womens' stairs," and was apparently open until, in 1744, it was voted "to pew all the front gallery provided they will fetch £30 old tenor, and to divide them into four pews," and other gallery pews were added later. Nathan Tupper, Antipas Ham- mond, John Hammond, Jr., Gideon Southworth, and Constant Dexter had gallery pews. Out of "money the first pews sold for," Mr. Ebenezer Barlow was instructed "to finish the meeting-house so far as to build a Pulpit and Body of Seats," which was accomplished at a cost of £27, 10s., and here for thirty-five years, on the Sabbath day, the inhabitants gathered for the only religious ser- vices in Mattapoisett precinct.
Lest it should pass from our knowledge what territory this precinct included, Enoch Hammond, the clerk of 1788, inscribed on the fly-leaf of the record book:
"The beginning of the bounds of Mattepoyset Precinct is the bridge of Cedar swamp brook, so called,1 thence west to Dart- mouth town line (now New Bedford). Then beginning at said Bridge and rainging East 200 rods; from thence such a straight line to the sea,2 as will strike that lot of land which Thomas Winslow's house now stands upon at the most northwesterly part thereof, and so down to the Sea."
The first shepherd of this somewhat scattered flock was Rev. Elisha Tupper, who, on December 31, 1736, ac-
1 Which flows under the Rochester road at the town line.
2 The present southwestcrly line of Marion is the same.
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The Church in the Second Precinct
knowledged the receipt "from Capt. Benjamin Ham- mond, agent, the sum of twenty-five Pounds money, it being for my labor with the people of Mattapoisett pre- cinct for half a year." Mr. Tupper never was settled over this parish, but the question as to whether or not he should be, provoked great feeling. In March, 1737, the precinct voted to pay him all that was due him, but that £70 be raised "to be paid out to the minister or ministers we shall Improve the Insuing year In proportion the sd. minister or ministers finding themselves provision, that the money be Drawed out of the treasury by the Commtt & be paid out to the minister or ministers that the sd precinct Shall Improve the time they are Improved," and that £150 be raised "for a settlement to the first minister that shall be legally & orderly ordained and settled." On May 1, 1738, a meeting was warned to act on a proposed settlement of Mr. Tupper, "but att sd meeting by Reason of some Disorders and Interruption before the Moderator was chosen " the precinct committee "adjourned the meeting forthwith to the dwelling house of Mr. John Hammonds," where the precinct, as the margin reads, "Negatived Tupper," and declined to join with the church in a call. In the church body, two fac- tions appeared each calling itself the "Second Church in Rochester," and both appealed to the First Church for advice, who, - after council held, - through Minister Ruggles, sustained the views of that faction which in- cluded most of the charter members and which was op- posed to a settlement of Mr. Tupper. This strengthened the position of the precinct, who in 1739 voted when Mr. Tupper "Exhibited an accompt footed £130, 19s. 5d. that the precinct have distinctly considered every article there-
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in and find upon the whole that there is but £1, 7s. 3d. due to Sd Mr. Tupper besides £30, 12s. 6d. already voted to him." They also voted to "Rev. Mr. Parker of Ply- mouth and Mr. Samuel Veazie of Duxborough forty shillings per day for their preaching here last year," for which service Mr. Veazie received £6. They also chose Ebenezer Barlow and Jonathan Boles "agents to agree with Mr. Jedediah Adams for half a year, with what time he hath been here, and allow him £50 for his services he finding himself Diet." All parties also subscribed to a covenant to "Desist all Differences and Indeavour to cease everything that may bring into Remembrance and augment the sd Differences but that it shall be buried in oblivion and all unite for the calling of an orderly Min- ister." They then voted Mr. Tupper a gift of £8, from money not required to pay Mr. Adams, and May 10, 1740, chose Mr. Israel Hammond "an agent to look out and agree with a minister to preach a quarter of a year after Mr. Adams's Second Quarter is out."
Israel Hammond "looked out" so successfully that three months later, August 11, 1740, the church desired the precinct's concurrence in a call to Mr. Ivory Hovey, "and upon a Deliberate consideration thereof" the vote was taken, the precinct joined in the call, and voted "to allow him £100 for his salary the first year, and after that to raise his salary yearly in proportion as the list and valuation is raised, which the precinct assessors take to make the precinct Rates by, until it comes to £150, and there to stand the money to be equal to bills on this prov- ince old tenor" with £200, additional for the settlement.
Mr. Hovey accepted this call with a fervent letter to the church and congregation, recommending "that every-
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thing that is amiss among you be reformed, the renewal of unhappy Contentions & Controversies be prevented and an humble, meek, peaceable and forgiving spirit be revived," and on his part it was by him agreed "to devote myself to the work of the Gospel Ministry in this place so long as life and Health shall be continued, a comfortable support offered and so long as there shall appear a pros- pect of my best Serving the Interest of Religion thereby."
Ivory Hovey, junior, was born in Topsfield, July 3, 1714. He joined the Topsfield church when fifteen years old, "his mind having been seriously aroused by a tre- mendous earthquake two years before." He entered Harvard in 1731, and although away nearly a full year from illness, he graduated in 1735, and received his mas- ter's degree in 1739. In 1737, while teaching in a private family in Biddeford, he met Olive-the daughter of Cap- tain Samuel Jordan, the well-known Indian Fighter; to whom he was married February 8, 1739. He had sup- plied churches at Tewksbury, Arundel, York, and Bidde- ford, and appeared at Mattapoisett as a young man of twenty-six, but recently married, of slight physique, and of studious and serious mind. He was ordained and installed as the first pastor of the Second Church in Rochester, October 29, 1740. Eighteen citizens prom- ised about £25 extra toward his settlement, and Jonathan Boles agreed to give him "2000 great shingles," while Samuel Look offered four gallons of rum, "if Mr. Hovey builds a house in said precinct, for raising."
Mr. Hovey started at once organizing his church and reviving its records. His first step was naturally to provide the usual church officers, so "Dec'r 4th 1740. At a chh meeting the vote was called whither this chh
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would chose their Deacons or Persons to stand in the Room of such & persons to set the Psalm by the major part of the present voters. Passed in ye affirmative. Accordingly Mr. George Barlow & Mr. Constant Dexter were chosen to set the Psalm & Mr. Joseph Barlow and Mr. Jabez Hammond chosen to stand in the place of Deacons & perform the work of such until there might be opportunity for the Chh to proceed into the full ob- servation of the Apostolical Direction - let the Deacons be first proved, then let them use the office of a Deacon being found blameless. Also voted at the sd meeting that the persons chosen to sustain the place of Deacons should read the Psalm."
These continued on trial until, in 1742, the church met and "concluded to bring in their Votes for four persons whom they looked upon best qualified to be invested with sd office & then refer it to a sacred Lott, which two of the four God hath chosen unto that office, which affair was proceeded in with Solemn Prayer unto him who knew the hearts of all that he would give perfect Lotts, and the Lotts fell upon Mr. Joseph Barlow and Mr. Nathan Tupper & they took their place." It was also voted that "Deacon Barlow should read the Psalm still, and Deacon Tupper should tune it to the Congregation." Brother Tupper tried it six weeks and made request to be relieved, and the "Chh made choice of Mr. George Barlow as Tuner."
That this church did not escape the controversy as to music which was general at that time is evidenced by the record: " April 16, 1744, the Chh met to see whither some- thing might be done to remove the great uneasiness that had arisen and had been long subsisting among us about
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the Rule of Singing in divine worship, or singing by Rule, and after a considerable debate concerning a Vote or Agreement or Covenant (as some called it) which was consented unto by a certain Number of Persons in this place before there was a church gathered here, viz., that the new way of Singing (for so they stiled regular sing- ing) should forever be kept out of ye Prect. hereupon the vote was called whether the Chh did look upon said act to be but a Vote. Voted in the affirmative; and hereupon the Vote was called whether this Chh do now Judge it most proper for ye future to sing by Rule in ye publick worship of God among us? Voted in ye affirmative." In 1751, they further "had discourse about bringing Dr. Wattses Version of the Psalms 1 into publick worship, but not very well agreeing in that the matter was waived for further consideration."
And so the matter rested until ten years later it was voted "To sing Dr. Watts' Version of the Psalms in Pub- lick " and chose Aaron Barlow "Quorister." Even after this, Dr. Watts' version was accepted with considerable re- luctance, for in 1762 one of the objects of a church council then called was "to attempt to pacify some of the people who were dissatisfied with their singing the new version."
Meanwhile, the church life had progressed as was usual to the times. Mr. Hovey regularly mounted his pulpit stairs, laid out his sermon (a few of which have been
1 "The version first used by N. E. churches was Ainsworth's after which they used one called the New England Psalm Book. It was common for ministers to expound a little on the psalms before singing. Some congregations sang the psalms in course. The practice of reading the line was not introduced until many years after the first settlement, - in Plymouth not until 1681." - THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. A View of the First Planters of New England. Hartford, 1843.
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preserved, written on twelve pages of paper, four inches wide and six inches long with fifty-three closely written and legible lines to the page) and preached to the occu- pants of the square pews, the gallery and the "body of seats." Nearly every month, true to Pedobaptist doctrine, some new infant was brought forward for baptism. On a rare occasion some brother arose in the open confes- sional and expressed sorrow for his indulgence in too much new rum, or some frailer sister "acknowledged her sin in Braking ye Seventh Commandment;" and made their peace with the church. Others needed dealings for absenting themselves from communion. All these mat- ters required the administration of the "needful discipline of the kingdom," and to better perform this branch of the work, the church in 1744, " Mett to Consult something about the Choice of Ruling Elder,1 distinct from the Teaching Eldr, and after Prayers to God for Direction and some Conference & Debate upon this affair, the Vote was called whither this Chh was Rype for proceeding in the Business; Voted in the affirmative." And after further prayer they put in their votes, and so chose Mr. George Barlow and Deacon Nathan Tupper and in- structed them to "look upon the Chh Platform to be a scheme for church Discipline, and to take the same for a rule in their office."
1 "A ruling elder was held by them to be a proper church officer who was to assist the minister or ministers in the duties of discipline and to take a lead in the church on various occasions which called for their particular deliberations, and in want of a minister to perform the duties of divine service. In some instances the ruling elder was a preacher. Such was Mr. Brewster, the venerable Elder of the church at Plymouth." - THOMAS ROBBINS, D.D. A View of the First Planters of New Eng- land, p. 252. Hartford, 1843.
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Sometimes it was a doctrinal doubt, rather than a moral lapse, which required attention, as that of "our Brother Benj. Hammond whom we had been frequently laboring with to convince of his erroneous principles," and with whom "publickly, the Chh had a conferance, and who freely signified that he had in some measure changed his former Sentiments about Original Sin & the Doctrine of the Divine Decrees, and spake very candidly upon the same to the satisfaction of those in the Chh who had been uneasy about ye matter."
Mr. Hovey especially applied his efforts to restoring the breach caused by the division over Mr. Tupper. Numerous church meetings discussed further means for a reconciliation and settlement of this "Old Diffurance" as they called it. By "mutual agreem'ts & Interchang- ible Acknowledgm'ts of their Faults," the aggrieved brethren were one by one received back; but some were not easily won over. It was five years after Mr. Hovey's settlement that Lieut. Antipas Hammond, "one of the brethren who for some time had been Dissatisfied with some things that have been laboring in the Chh relating to ye Old Differance now saw light to join with this Chh in full communion, and upon his manifestation of the same the Chh Voted to receive him." The minister who thus recorded this happy restoration little thought that a few years thereafter his precinct would forbid him to preach in their meeting-house, and that his attempts to perform the duties of his pastoral office would stir up more strenuous controversy than ever had arisen over the "Old Difference."
Encouraged perhaps by the offer of great shingles and rum, and expecting doubtless to spend his days with this
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parish, Mr. Hovey erected his house (which now, moved down to the village, stands on the shore near the foot of Mechanic Street) in the field lying south of the road, opposite the present dwelling of Nathan B. Denham, - within easy distance of the meeting-house. Here were born his six children. The precinct had made him a liberal settlement, and the people were so glad to have an "Orderly Paster" duly settled that for some years it was unnecessary to levy the lawful rates, and his salary was collected "by way of free Contribution." The minister, however, could not seem to keep out of debt. Two years after his arrival, he was granted "£30. old tenor for to pay his Debts and not as any part of his salary." Whether the watchful dames considered Mrs. Hovey to be "Spendfull," or little Dominicus to be too finely appareled, or too apt to wear his shoes on other days than Sundays, we know not. But we do know that it became increasingly difficult to collect the "Gospel Rates," and harder still for the minister to meet his obliga- tions. Some began to be dissatisfied with his preaching. Mr. Hovey quit making entries in the church's record book in 1751, and for the period on to 1772 we can only learn what occurred from the precinct records, and from facts set forth by Mr. LeBaron, who, upon taking over "the Chhs Book," in order as he said "to make the Con- tents answer in some Measure to ye Title, being Records of the Chh, etc.," collected from loose papers what he could find, and set it down in chronological order. As Mr. LeBaron was on the spot soon after, but was con- nected with none of the parties involved in Mr. Hovey's dismission, we cannot do better than to take his version of the affair.
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"June 25, 1765. Mr. Hovey complained to the church that his circumstances were very discouraging, 1,- His Sallary was very low which had occasioned his being involved in Debt; 2, There was growing alienation of the people's affections toward him; 3, His Ministry was attended with little or no success. The Chh. appeared desirous to redress his grievances as far as they were able. They desired a Society Meeting to see if the Society would joyn to redress, etc., which not being done at that meeting of the Society, the Chh. met again and chose a Committee to examine into Mr. Hovey's Circumstances to see what help would be sufficient. The Committee conferred with their Pastor, looked into his affairs and returned to the Chh with the following Report. That if Mr. Hovey could be immediately supplied with a Sum of Money to the Value of about £47 lawf'l Money and have his sallary increased to £60, with his fire wood annually, they and he thought that he would be enabled to discharge his Debts and live well: and Mr. Hovey offered that if they would buy his House and Lot for a Parsonage he would be satisfied with half the 47 Pound. - The society did not comply with the above report, and the Chh could not and so the matter rested. In 1767 the Chh seemed to be too much in Parties and there was a growing Disaffec- tion between the Pastor and several of the members. In 1760 a memorial was drawn up and sent into the Chh containing several things against their Pastor. A council was sent for to adjust matters, and what was their Result I know not, but by what follows it seems that they ad- vised a Dismission, for Mar. 5, 1768 the Revd. Mr. Hovey preached a farewell sermon and after sermon put it to Vote whether the Chh would in Pursuance of the Advice
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