USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Old-time Fairhaven; erstwhile Eastern New Bedford, Volume I > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30
Rev. Nathan Paine who was Preacher-in-Charge, 1832-1834, became Preacher at the Fairhaven Station for the second time, the first Board meeting being under the date of July 31, 1843. The meeting started off by "voting to adopt the. By Laws of 1834 for the government of our Board meetings." Only one other meeting was recorded, that under the date of August 28, 1843, the records then being lacking until June 1844.
Under the date of June 1844, we find the "Fairhaven Station" with John W. Case, Preacher-in-Charge. The only recorded meeting was dated October 28th. Several names were taken by request from the church book. These were known to us in later years and were esteemed individuals. One Brother stated that the members in the class in his neighborhood with the exception of two did not attend class. Mr. Case said he would visit them.
George W. Brewster became Preacher-in-Charge with the first recorded meeting (at Chapel), dated September 8, 1845. At this meeting John Alden was chosen Treasurer. It was voted to take up a collection in the congregation once a month. Records of subse-
123
MEETING HOUSES AND CHURCHES
quent dates follow. "Estimating committee report $400 required for the support of the Preacher and family for the year ensuing." "Vot- ed to discontinue the use of alcoholic wine at the Sacrament." "Vot- ed Br. Maxfield a committee to circulate a subscription paper to raise money to pay the violin player." "Voted H. H. Taber, William Waterson, J. Alden, S. Leavitt a committee to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of discharging the debts of the Meeting House."
The preceding Preacher-in-Charge evidently had not been paid in full so it was voted "that Br. Alden appropriate the communion money in his hands to meet the demands of Br. Case." Preacher Brewster reported that an Oxford lady was excusable for not attend- ing the, means of grace. ""Voted to appoint two brethren to provide seats for such strangers as shall attend our meetings, Br. Jonathan Gifford on the north side and Br. John Alden on the south." "April 20, 1846. Settled with George W. Brewster and took his receipt for $150.57."
Micah J. Talbot, Jr. became Preacher-in-Charge in 1846. On April 20th of that year, the records open, extending to March 1, 1847, when the last minutes of a meeting were recorded. During this time we find that a committee waited upon two gentlemen whom we knew in after years. They refused to endure the criticism, and both withdrew. They were always much respected citizens. The es- timating committee reported that $300 was required for the support of Preacher that year. Page after page was devoted to reports from the class leaders. The following is typical :- Mr. Leavitt reports 16 members in his class; average attendance, 4. Mr. Burns, 13 in class ; average attendance, 5. Mr. Maxfield, 17 in class ; average at- tendance, 4. Mr. Alden, 22 in class ; average attendance, 8. Mr. Maxfield's class was discontinued for a season. Inquiries and con- versations respecting delinquent members continued. Some with- drew. Treasurer reports $16 on hand for the preacher. It was sug- gested to make a vigorous effort to raise additional funds for the Preacher. It was voted that John Alden be a committee to lay the subject of the Preacher's support before the congregation. "The following receipt was given by M. J. Talbot-Received of John Al- den Two Hundred Dollars on account of the Methodist Episcopal church in Fairhaven, (Signed) M. J. Talbot, Jr. April 3, 1847."
The last vote, dated March 1, 1847, was, "Voted to choose a committee of four to ascertain what can be done for the Preacher next year. H. H. Taber, Stillman Leavitt, John Alden, Warren
124
OLD - TIME FAIRHAVEN
Maxfield were chosen to fill said committee." Henry H. Taber serv- ed as secretary of the Station during this period.
The above records refer to the meetings held in the building which afterwards became the Fairhaven high school. The Method- ists took possession of the edifice on the northeast corner of Center and Walnut streets in 1849. Between 1841 and that date the build- ing was occupied by the congregation of the Center Church (Con- gregational ). Before me is "List of the names of the persons con- nected with the Center Church Sabbath School-January 1846." The Superintendent of the Sabbath School was Joseph Simmons and his Assistant was Eben Akin, Jr. The Librarians were Obed F. Hitch and George Wing. In this Sabbath School, besides the Bible Class, with Joseph Simmons as teacher, there were thirteen classes with these respective teachers :- Class No. 1, Miss Mary A. Poor ; No. 2, Miss Harriet E. Fuller ; No. 3, Mrs. Abigail Damon ; No. 4, Miss Lydia Tripp; No. 5, Mrs. Lydia Cook; No. 6, Mrs. Mary Hammond ; No. 7, Mrs. Sarah D. Tobey ; No. 8, Miss Lurana Young; No. 9, Miss Mary Terry; No. 10, Charles Tobey; No. 11, Alexander Swift; No. 12, Josiah H. Jenney ; also James M. Kemp- ton; No. 13, Frederick Hitch ; also Ebenezer Akin, Jr. In brief, this little book contains the names of more than one hundred who attend- ed the Center Congregational Sabbath School before that structure was purchased by the Methodists who occupied it until destroyed by fire.
The Center Methodist Church. - The Methodists, meanwhile, had been holding their services in their chapel, erected in 1830, on a Main street lot just south of the present brick apartment house, near the Fairhaven entrance to the bridge. The gist of the records, during the 19 years at the chapel, appeared under "Old Fairhaven" in the Stars of January 8 and 15, 1942. During that time the chapel became acquainted with fourteen ministers.
Thus an opportunity presented itself to secure the vacated build- ing facing Center street. In April, 1849, the property was deeded by the Center Congregational Church to the Methodist trustees. Here the Center Methodist Episcopal Society worshipped for nearly a hundred years.
There was once a time when Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific time did not exist, but each locality went by the time peculiar to itself. However, 64 years ago, this standard time was put to the test, and it has become so familiar that it seems to have been used
125
MEETING HOUSES AND CHURCHES
since the creation. Well do we recall when the old town clock in the Methodist tower, like that deceptive Congressional timepiece at Washington, was turned backward, this time to the extent of 16 min- utes.
Upon the disbandment of the church at the northeast corner of Walnut and Center streets by the Center Congregational Society, in 1849, the church organ was transferred to the Washington street Unitarian edifice. When the Unitarians emigrated from their old church for their new Memorial church, the organ which had served them for half a century was given to the Methodists who had come into possession of the former Center church. This organ, we are told, after serving there for more than 40 years, was the very organ that perished in the fire of January 19th after a century of usefulness.
The Methodist church building had, on its Walnut and Center street boundary lines, stone posts connected by chains. These were removed in 1893 ; the curbing was moved back two or three feet and the lot was raised one foot. We find in The Star of September 23, 1893, the following : "The idea of purchasing a new organ for the M. E. Church has been abandoned for the present, and the fund of about $150.00 will be expended in removing the granite posts and chains around the church and making other improvements."
The Center Methodist Episcopal Church building was destroyed by fire in January, 1946.
Clergymen. - The names of the ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, including those who officiated at the Chapel which was formally opened in June 1830, are as follows :
William Livesey 1830-1831
Edward A. Lyon 1861-1863
Leonard Griffin
1831-1832
William Livesey 1863-1865
Nathan Paine 1832-1834 Henry H. Smith 1865-1868
Lewis Janson
1834-1835
Frederick Upham, D. D.
Daniel K. Banister 1835-1836
1868-1871
David Leslie 1836-1838
John Gray
1871-1873
Henry Mayo 1838-1839
Hopkins B. Cady 1873-1875
Apollos Hale 1839-1841
Geo. DeB. Stoddard 1875-1878
Daniel C. Stevenson 1878-1879
Nathan Paine 1843-1844
Francis D. Sargent
1879-1880
John W. Case 1844-1845
George E. Fuller 1880-1883
George W. Brewster 1845-1846
E. L. Hyde 1883-1884
Micah J. Talbot, Jr. 1846-1848
Henry J. Fox, D.D. 1884-1886
Isaac Stoddard 1841-1843
126
OLD - TIME FAIRHAVEN
Henry Baylies 1848-1849
William F. Davis 1886-1889
Samuel C. Brown 1849-1851
W. Lenoir Hood 1889-1891
Horatio W. Houghton 1851-1853
Nathan C. Alger
1891-1893
Richard Livesey 1853-1855
George A. Sisson
1893-1895
William H. Richards 1855-1857
William S. Fitch
1895-1896
Bartholomew Otheman 1857-1858
S. E. Ellis
1896-1902
James M. Worcester 1858-1859
M. B. Wilson
John B. Husted
1859-1861
A more detailed account of the Churches was published in "The Fairhaven Star" under "Old Fairhaven."
Harbinger of the Unitarian Church. - The Washington Street Christian Meeting House, so-called by Warren Delano, in an ad- vertisement "Pews at Auction," under the date of April 25, 1833, was dedicated in 1832. All was apparently serene until William Miller preached, every afternoon and evening for nearly a week, on his favorite subject - the end of the world - resulting in the with- drawal of 33, individuals from that parish.
The Washington Street Society, however, withstood the shock, and continued to worship there for nearly three fourths of a century, the ecclesiastical heirs finding themselves today in the Unitarian Memorial Church building of indescribable beauty. But just when did this first, band of enthusiastic Christians appear in our midst ?
Twenty-five years after the first meeting house in Fairhaven, was erected, we find Rev. Moses How, a genuine and sincere re- vivalist, pastor of the Middle Street Christian Church in New Bed- ford. A year later, the following was written by Mr. How, under the date of Thursday, November 30, 1820: "In the afternoon we had a meeting at the Academy, in Fairhaven, where a Christian Church was formed consisting of forty-five members who agreed to take the Bible as their only rule of faith and duty ; others will soon be added to make the number seventy-five at least; the day being un- pleasant prevented their being at the meeting. This is one of the best churches of its size I know of in our connection. They are most- ly old persons, and many of them well off in the world, and well able to support a meeting. I trust they will grow and flourish and bear fruit to the glory of God."
Thus, we see that Rev. Moses How was the leading spirit in forming a church group which was the harbinger of the Washington Street Christian Meeting House gathering, finally evolving into the present Unitarian Society of Fairhaven. We learn this from the
127
MEETING HOUSES AND CHURCHES
very words of Mr. How himself and in his own handwriting which is before us, written more than 125 years ago. He kept a record of his daily doings and the above is one of his entries.
The Old Unitarian Church. - We read that on January 11, 1832 there was a meeting of the subscribers to a fund for building a church, held at the residence of Capt. Warren Delano, resulting in the dedi- cation on December 16, 1832, of the meeting house on the northwest corner of Walnut and Washington streets.
Soon after the meeting of January 11th, the committee swung into action, for in the Mercury we find : "NEW CHURCH IN FAIR- HAVEN. The religious society of the Baptist denomination in Fair- haven have recently purchased a site for the erection of a convenient edifice for public worship. It is intended to have sixty pews on the ground floor, a gallery, and a vestry in the basement story. Tuesday, March 5, 1832."
With the site purchased and preliminary plans made, we find the committee ready for proposals as follows: "Proposals will be received by the subscribers until the 16th instant, to dig a cellar and stone it up 71/2 feet high ; frame of the building 44 x 60 feet. (Signed) Warren Delano, Joseph Bates, Jabez Delano, Jr., Building Com- mittee. Fairhaven, March 12, 1832."
With the cellar dug, the committee asked for proposals to con- struct the edifice as follows :- "Proposals will be received by the subscribers until the 6th of April next, to build a House of Religious Worship, 60 x 44. Particulars will be made known to applicants by Joseph Bates, W. Delano, J. Delano, Jr., Building Committee. Fairhaven, March 29, 1832."
With the site purchased, the cellar dug, the edifice constructed, the next step was to provide for the congregation, and we find : ."PEWS AT AUCTION. In Fairhaven. Will be offered at public auction, this evening, April 25, at 7 o'clock, at the Washington Street Christian Meeting House, in Fairhaven, all the unsold pews in said house. Those remaining unsold, if any, will be leased at auction for one year. Terms at sale. For the Trustees, (Signed) Warren Del- ano, April 25, 1833."
Then, within eight years, this notice was published: - "Mr. William Miller will deliver a course of fifteen lectures on the Second Coming of Christ, commencing this evening, (Monday, March 15, 1841) at the Christian Chapel, in Fairhaven, and continuing through
128
OLD - TIME FAIRHAVEN
the Sabbath and every afternoon and evening till Thursday evening, March 18th. The public are invited to attend."
As a result of this preaching, thirty-three persons withdrew from the Christian Baptist church, forming, with others, an additional religious sect, which afterwards, when Millerism was revived, styled themselves "The Adventists."
"Father" Miller's assertion was to the effect that the world would come to an end sometime between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. Of this he said that he was fully convinced.
This Society, known by various appellations, attended in turn 1. The Christian Church. 2. The Washington Street Christian Meeting house. 3. The Christian Baptist Church. 4. The Unitarian Church. 5. The Unitarian Memorial Church.
From the time of its organization to the time of William Miller, it was presided over by Elders, as follows: Charles Morgridge, Simon Clough, James Taylor, Frederick Plummer, George Kelton, and others until 1830 after which came the following Elders: William H. Taylor, first pastor of the Washington street building, John H. Currier, C. Bennett, Joseph H. Smith, David Millard, Charles Gal- ligher.
Beginning with 1841, two more Elders presided, namely Charles Morgridge and Stephen Fellows. Thereafter we find pastors especially fitted by education to carry on the work. They are listed as follows: Thomas Dawes, 1844-1853; Courtland Y. DeNor- mandie, 1856-1869; Ellery Channing Butler, 1869-1872; Alfred Manchester, 1872-1877 ; James M. Leighton, 1878-1891; Don C. Stevens, 1891-1893 ; H. L. Buzzell, 1893-1896; William Brunton, 1896-
The writer read on a tombstone at Kingston: "Courtland Yardley DeNormandie 1827-1910 37 years at Kingston."
From this point starts "Modern Fairhaven" placing the Memorial Church under that heading.
The Advent Church. - We have made mention, in preceding pages, of the formation of the Advent Society, due to the preaching of William Miller. This group purchased Sawin Hall which was dedicated on November 10, 1866, as a House of Worship. It was used for about seventy-five years when the structure was sold. The pulpit, with its Bible, remains in the position of former days. Two large memorial windows are in the western end of the building.
129
MEETING HOUSES AND CHURCHES
The Friends' Meeting House. - The Society of Friends, as they chose to be called, erected, on Bridge street, a House of Worship, in 1849. The attendance was small, and the Society not very flourish- ing. The structure is still standing having taken a quarter turn, and has been converted into a two-apartment dwelling house.
The Friends' meeting-house, although a bit askew, is shown in old photographs in its original position. Some may locate it by the following: - "Malcolm McLane has sold for $1,500 to David ? C. Wood, buildings and 38 rods land on Bridge street, Fairhaven, next east of the Friends' meeting-house. Monday, February 13, 1871."
The Roman Catholic Churches. - These, with their parochial schools, are flourishing institutions. Their history belongs to "Modern Fairhaven," a contemplated, companion book to "Old-Time Fair- haven." A brief outline, however, is as follows: The first Mass of the St. Joseph's Church was celebrated at Phoenix Hall on May 21, 1905. About three weeks later services were held at the Monastery. The cornerstone of the first St. Joseph's Church was laid on Sep- tember 24, 1905.
On September 8, 1908, the first Parochial School was opened in the rooms on the first floor of the Church building. Extra rooms were provided and additional property acquired to meet the growing needs of the Parish. Plans for a new Church building were made, and on September 14, 1924, the cornerstone was laid, and the Church, Gothic in design, was dedicated on May 3, 1925. This afforded the opportunity to remodel the first Church building and provide more suitable and enlarged quarters for the school.
In 1908, the Sacred Hearts Academy was founded on the prop- erty acquired from John H. and George G. Howland in 1907. More property was acquired, additions were made and playgrounds, with the latest form of equipment installed. The school is held in high esteem by educators in general.
The estate of George A. Briggs was sold to the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts in June 1920.
The Protestant Episcopal Church. - In 1905, the Church of the Good Shepherd had its beginning, in Fairhaven, in a mission of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, New Bedford, and a mission was opened on North street on December 17, 1905. A Church School was organized and a Ladies' Guild formed. On Easter Day, 1908,
130
OLD - TIME FAIRHAVEN
the first service was held in the old stone school house, erected in 1828.
The Mission, in 1918, after being under the sponsorship of the St. Andrew's Church since its inception, was placed under the care of Grace Church, New Bedford.
On Easter Day, April 16, 1922, the first services were held in the newly erected Church building. This Parish, also, belongs to "Modern Fairhaven."
!
CHAPTER X
Schools -- Public and Private
Old Schools and Old Schoolhouses. - In the early days of Massachusetts, there were no schoolhouses, the schools being general- ly held in dwelling-houses. There were reasons for the delay in erecting schoolhouses. The early settlers had much to do. Their first thought was to erect a home for the family; next was built the meeting house; then necessity caused them to erect a grist-mill ; next came the town pound, and finally the schoolhouse was built. When this project was discussed, they inspected their property and observed that the meeting-house needed repairs to such an extent that it was deemed wiser to demolish and rebuild. So, with the tim- bers and boards of the first meeting-house, they built the first school- house, sometimes a generation or two after the meeting-house. These schoolhouses, built of old timbers and boards, coupled with the fact that they were poorly constructed, lasted only fifteen or twenty years.
Schoolhouses, generally speaking, came into being in increasing numbers about 1700. A few were, however, built before that time. Some towns had no schoolhouse until after 1800. And what build- ings they were ! Let us visit one of these early educational structures which, by the way, was often located on the least valuable land in town. We walk and walk, but soon come within view of the "temple of learning." There are no houses in sight. The schoolhouse stands by itself, completely isolated. Many of the schoolhouses of the State, and too many in Fairhaven, had no outbuildings whatever. But let us step within. We knock, the school ma'am appears, and we are welcomed. The pupils are seated, their seats consisting of a long plank resting on blocks. The desks consist of long boards or counters supported on empty flour barrels. In some schools the seats are fastened to the three sides of the building forming a hollow square, with a stove in the center, but in the earliest days fire-places were the only means of furnishing heat. The pupils thus face the teacher. In other schools the desks were fastened to the three sides of the room, in which event the pupils are back to the teacher. We look about. There are no maps, no globes, no charts, not even blackboards. And there was no uniform system of textbooks. The pupils brought to school whatever books the parents procured, and the parents pur- chased whatever books the peddlers had on hand. Thus there were
132
OLD - TIME FAIRHAVEN
as many classes as kinds of books. This lack of uniformity was not wholly dispensed with until 1884 in which year a law was enacted requiring the cities and towns of Massachusetts to furnish to pupils of the public schools text books and school supplies.
The discipline in many schools was poor, some reports stating that the older pupils played cards during school time in defiance of the remonstrance of the teacher. When a teacher became unpopular, the boys saw to it that the chimney was stuffed, causing the smoke to belch forth into the room, driving the teacher and pupils into the open air.
The attendance was also decidedly poor, in some schools, less than 50 per cent of the pupils attending daily, due to the fact that there were ineffective school attendance laws or none at all. In Fairhaven, however, the school board made a regulation to the effect that any child who became absent three days without a good excuse such as sickness, could not return to school for the remainder of the term. The committee reported one hundred years ago, that their regulation was very effective and that far better attendance was the result. He who made that attendance regulation for this town was Jones Robinson, who lived in Acushnet village, a part of Fairhaven until 1860. Mr. Robinson was a teacher for 20 years, a school committeeman for 30 years, and a Justice of the Peace for 40 years. Another member was Frederick Jenney who was a Fairhaven com- mitteeman, and a teacher at $28 per month, having supervision of several schools. He attended Bartlett's Academy. We remember him well as he visited our school in later years. Mr. Jenney died in 1899, at the age of 83. The third member was Mr. Thomas Dawes, pastor of the Washington Street Unitarian church, and the fourth member was Rev. Daniel W. Poor, the second minister of the Center Congregational church, then holding services at the northeast corner of Walnut and Center streets.
Dame schools existed in nearly all the early settlements. The mother, fearful lest her children would grow up in ignorance, set apart a portion of the day for their instruction. The kitchen was the usual schoolroom, and she taught while sewing and cooking. A knock at the door heralded a morning caller who was delighted with the novel school, and straightway asked permission to have her child- ren attend. Other callers came who were in turn granted permission to send their children. The school became so beneficial to the com- munity, that it was subsidized. It became so essential that it was
133
SCHOOLS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
soon taken over by the community, the harbinger of the district school.
Fairhaven had many private schools a century and more ago. There was the New Bedford Academy, called the Fairhaven Academy after 1812, located originally on the west side of Main street, north of Bridge street. This school served the community for a third of a century.
There was Bartlett's Academy (1842). Mr. Bartlett was principal of the Main street Academy, afterwards opening his school in the double house on the north side of Spring street, fourth house east of Green street, built in 1835. Here John Mung, the Japanese, received a part of his education. Mr. Bartlett afterwards gave in- struction in Union Hall, south of the Union Hotel.
Rev. Mr. Gould conducted a private school for a quarter of a century, first in a dwelling house on the east side of Main street in the line of the railroad. When the railroad was established in 1854, the house was moved south of the railroad tracks to the west side of Main street. An ell of the house was moved to a lot at the foot of Walnut street, occupied as we remember by Joseph Morse and family. Afterwards, William Gould's school was removed to the Alden road, some distance north.
In 1839, there were private schools for the instruction of Music and Writing. In 1835, a Miss Blackler conducted a high school for girls. Then there was the noted school for little tots, said school be- ing located on the south side of Washington street, about half way between Main and William streets. In this small, two-story build- ing, belonging to the Stevens family, Miss Mary T. Stoddard taught for 20 years, from 1846 to 1866. Afterwards this school was taught by Nellie Buttrick, daughter of Jonathan T. Buttrick, the latter being our postmaster during the Civil war. Another school, advertising ·a century and a quarter ago, was the Fairhaven Vestry School, purporting to teach all Grammar school subjects and all high school subjects through navigation.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.