Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 50

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 50

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471

THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.

to No. 3 Main street. David Durfee succeeded Parker Borden as pres ident in 1838, and was followed by Nathaniel B. Borden1 in 1846. Jesse Eddy was made president in 1865, and was succeeded by Cook Borden in 1874. Daniel Chapin was made cashier, succeeding Mr. Coggeshall in 1860. Cook Borden was succeeded as president in 1880 by Daniel Wilbur, who was followed in 1896 by Thomas B. Covel. Daniel Chap- in resigned as cashier in September, 1888, and was succeeded by John T. Burrell, the present incumbent. The capital stock is now $200,000.

The loss of news- paper files in Fall River is s serious ob- stacle in obtaining details of the early history of the village. In this part of the present task nothing can supply the place of newspapers which can always be relied upon for a reasonably faithful description of the times in which NATHANIEL B. BORDEN. they were published. This chapter may be appropriately closed with such fragmentary notes as could be drawn from the early broken files of the Monitor, the first

1 Nathaniel Briggs Borden was a descendant in the seventh generation from Richard who came from England in 1635 and was born April 15, 1801, in what became Fall River. He was a son of Simeon Borden and Amey (Briggs) Borden After obtaining such education as he could before he arrived at sixteen years of age, he returned home to begin his busy life. When the Pocasset Manufacturing Company was organized in 1821, in which his father was interested, the young man was chosen clerk and treasurer and held the office until 1838, when he resigned to assume his duties in Congress. During the period of his clerkship with the Pocasset Company he was constantly connected with the extensive building and other operations of that corpora-

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

newspaper in the village, from which the reader will be aided in forming his mental picture of the place during the period under consideration. The Monitor was started in 1826, and from the issue of September 26 of that year we learn that a party from Providence visited Fall River a few days earlier, one of whom was a Providence editor, from whose publish- ed notes of the trip it is learned that the party " passed Slade's ferry, now accommodated with a fine horse-boat in operation. It is propelled by two horses, one on each wheel, on the treadmill principle." Con- tinuing, the editor wrote:

We landed on the long and spacious wharf which forms the landing place of the little manufacturing and commercial city of Fall River. .. Large lumber vessels were landing the materials for buildings erecting or about to be erected here. An improvement in the ascent leading from the landing is desirable. . . Some few years ago we remember passing frequently through this village, which then consisted of seven or eight houses, and saw, a grist mill and one woolen factory, built in 1813. There was one inn and we recollect the good landlady was much surprised that her guests complained of the eggs being hard, though she declared she had boiled them fifteen minutes. In about a quarter of a mile the little stream tributary to Taunton River falls 140 feet, and here is the secret of the wealth and enterprise of Fall River. Art and industry have usurped the plan of nature. The old saw mill is standing, and the yellow factory, but everything else is changed. Within the space of the descent to the river there now stand ten factories, . . one 200 and another 181

feet in length. . . There are six cotton mills in operation containing about 10,000 spindles, and three others just commencing operations on a very large scale. One extensive satinet factory which operates fifty looms-two calico printing establish- ments that turn out 200 pieces a day; three grist mills, two saw mills, five machine shops, six carding machines, and one shingle and lath mill. Just at the mouth of the stream . . are extensive iron works, viz .. one rolling and slitting mill, one nail factory, one blasting furnace and a forge.

The editor noticed many boarding-houses, four meeting-houses, thir- ty-six stores, a tavern " remarkable for its stone sign post 36 feet high,"

1 one printing-office, three physicians, three attorneys, one brick yard and one bank. He added :

tion, in all of which he demonstrated the possession of unusual executive and business ability. He served in many town offices and in 1831, 1834, 1851 and 1864 he was a member of the lower branch of the State Legislature and in 1845 and 1847 was in the Senate of the State. In 1834 he was elected to Congress on the Anti-Masonic and Jacksonian ticket and was re-elected in 1836 ; for this office he was defeated in 1838, but was again elected in 1840, and declined nomination for the next term. In 1847 he was chosen president of the Fall River Railroad Company, holding the position until 1854. In 1856 he was chosen mayor of Fall River, and during the trying " hard times " of 1856-7 was untiring in his efforts for amelioration of the distress of the community. He was in the Board of Aldermen from 1859 until his death in 1865, and was president of the Fall River Union Bank and the Fall River Savings Bank at the time of his death, which took place April 10, 1865.

473

THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.

The village contains 700 children under 16 years of age. Building here is a mere pastime. Twenty-five dwelling houses containing 75 families were erected in 1825, and thirty are built and building this year. The number of inhabitants is probably 2,000. Seven sloops belong to the village and are employed in transporting goods and materials.

The only fault the historian can find in this description of the Fall River of long ago is its brevity and lack of completeness; it comprises about all that remains of a descriptive char- acter relating to the early village that can be found in the frag- mentary newspaper files now in existence.

In one of the very early numbers of the Monitor, published in January, 1826, we find advertisements of a "Grand State Lot- tery," the business of which was transacted in John C. Borden's office; Bennett & Ja- cob (in Borden's new building) general store; James Ford, attorney ; John South- wick, general store, North Main street, opposite the post-of- fice; Reed & Godfrey, general store, nearly opposite the post-of- NATHAN DURFEE. fice; Nathan Hall, printer; Hiram Bliss, grocer ; Samuel S. Liscomb, cabi- net maker, opposite Borden's new building; Gardner Chace, tomb- stones; J. & D. Leonard, painting and glazing, opposite Col. Bradford Durfee's; John Southwick, boots and shoes; Robert Chappell, baker, South Main street, a few rods south of Fall River Bridge; D. & D. Buffinton, brushes, South Main street; Perry Davis, oyster house; John

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Stetson advertised a boy absconded; Cromwell Bliss, grocer under Blake's hotel; Otis Bliss, West India goods, 3 West Central street; Fall River Bank, M. C. Durfee, cashier; Benjamin Chace, granite stone; Nathan Durfee,' drugs, West Central street; Joseph Gooding, watches (at sign of the watch); Harvey Chace, clapboards; Jencks Norton, Philadelphia flour; Sarah M. Gellet, milliner, over Enoch French & Son's store; Reed & Godfrey, hats; Enoch French," lumber; M. Rey - nolds, milliner; Samuel Shove & Co., dry goods, next east of Bennett & Jacob; Blake & Nichols, dry goods, new store, moved into the Ben- nett & Jacob store; Susan Jennings, and Mrs. Hannah Allen, tailor- ing; John S. Cotton, dry goods, "at the old stand formerly occupied by the Fall River Manufacturing Company "; Enoch French & Sons, boots and shoes, nearly opposite Blake's hotel; Peleg H. Earl, mer- chant tailor, removed to new store north of Blake's hotel; William N. Spinney, boots and shoes.

The early numbers of the Monitor notice further a private school taught by James Ames, which was removed to the chamber of the school house of J. C. Borden. Tuition was from $1.50 to $3.50 per

1 Dr. Nathan Durfee was a son of Charles and grandson of Hon. Thomas Durfee, and was born June 8, 1799, and married Delane Borden, daughter of George and sister of Holder Borden. He graduated at Brown University in the class of 1824, studied medicine at Harvard, but his tastes led him away from his profession, which he practiced only a short time. He opened his drug store mentioned above in a brick building, the first structure of that material in the town- ship. Later he built his brick residence on the northeast corner of Bank and North Main streets, and kept his store in the first story. Early in the period of rapid growth in Fall River he became interested in various business projects; was a director in the Iron Works, the American Print Works, the old Fall River Railroad, and the Cape Cod Railroad, and was one of the proprietors of the Bay State Steamboat Line; he was also interested in several of the banks ; was principal owner of the Massasoit Steam Print Mills, which were burned in 1875. After the fire of 1843 he built the Mount Hope block for a hotel. Dr. Durfee held several municipal offices, was representative in the General Court several years, was a large land owner and deeply interested in agriculture, and in all respects honorably filled the measure of good citizenship. He died April 6, 1876.

2 The French families of Fall Fall River are descended from Ephraim French, who came from England about 1680 and settled in Raynham. Enoch French settled in Fall River and in 1799 mar- ried Sarah Read ; they had ten children. Enoch French was born in 1779. He learned the tan- ner's business in Read's tannery, which was situated at what is known as French's Hill. In 1820 he opened the first boot and shoe store in Fall River, on the corner of North Main and Central streets, and his sons, Asa, Stephen L. and Job B. served as clerks. In 1822 he moved a few doors west and in 1824 again returned to Main street. The three sons were subsequently associated with him in business, and in 1832 the firm dissolved, Asa taking the tannery, Stephen the shoe manufactory, and Job remaining in the store with his father. Enoch French was an influential and useful citizen ; he was selectman four years, and representative three years ; was one of the corporators of the Fall River Savings Bank, and a member and officer of the Baptist Church more than forty years. After his death his son, Job B., continued the business until January, 1864, when he admitted Edward A. French. Job B. French was a member of the Common Council several years, and representative in 1835 and 1841 ; he was president of the Fall River Savings Bank many years, a director in the Mechanics' Mills and president of the Weetamoe Mills. He died May 13, 1894.

475

THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.

quarter. The Argonaut is noticed as running to Providence, and in a certain week fifteen vessels of all kinds arrived and twelve cleared. A school house had recently been built, and a public meeting was called therein to consult upon additions to the fire apparatus. Six letters were advertised not called for in the post-office. David Seabury & Co. published notice of their partnership to deal in "American, English and West India goods in the store lately occupied by Reed & Godfrey." George Pepall was a fancy dyer, and William R. Pitman noticed his removal from Providence to deal in watches and jewelry. Thomas Dwight sold books. In December, 1826, the death of Elder Thomas Simmons, in Rehoboth, was noted, at the age of one hundred and four years and five months; he preached after he was ninety-nine years old. In the spring of 1827 the fact was chronicled that the steamer Marco Bozarris, a new boat, began running between Dighton and New York. Young newspaper men of the present day will be interested in learning that the first item of local news did not appear in the Monitor until it was more than a year old, when in March, 1827, the incoming of spring was announced. In March, 1827, a long notice appeared in the paper of an attempt to establish an infant school, to be opened "in the cham- ber next door to the post-office for the reception of scholars from 1 to 8 years of age." Tuition, $1.50 per quarter; "books, slates, fuel, etc., 50c." The notice is signed by Arnold Buffum. The Fall River and Providence " Accommodation Stage " was noticed as leaving Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; fare $1,00; D. Borden and A. D. Borden, proprietors. Oliver H. Bush had a brass foundry and copper manufac- tory a few rods south of the bridge.

It may safely be assumed that these brief notes of the business estab- lishments of the village include nearly all that were of any particular importance at that time; for the local paper was liberally supported and for that early date the merchants were generous advertisers. A writer in the press of 1826-7 who made a voyage up the river to Somer set, spoke of Fall River as " a city of the wilderness, rising in the midst of hills, trees, and water-falls and rural scenery." Again he wrote, " Industry is the presiding goddess of Fall River; an idle man could no more live there than a beetle in a bee-hive." No more suggestive remark could have been made regarding the character of the inhabitants of the little village.'

! The first number of the Fall River Monitor appeared on January 6, 1826, with Nathan Hall, proprietor ; the paper was only 19 by 21 inches in size, with four columns to the page. In his

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

Prior to 1830 there had been four church societies organized in Fall River. The first of these was the First Baptist, which was formed in 1781. There is a record in existence of which the following is a copy :

February the 15th day 1781.

then was established the 2nd baptis church of Christ in Freetown, In fellowship with Elder Thompson's and Elder Luises Churches.

The organization of this society probably took place in the house of Jonathan Brownell, which stood on what is now North Main street, east of the site of the Third Baptist church. At the time of organization there were thirty members, sixteen of whom were males. The first pastor was ordained on May 22, 1783; this was Elder Amos Burrows, the services being conducted in the house of Samuel Warren, by Elders Thompson of Swansea, Burrows of Tiverton, and Goff of Dighton. Elder Burrows remained only one year with the church, and five years later the church chose two of its young men "to improve their gifts in public and to attend meetings where they shall be requested." The services had thus far been much interrupted, and three years later arrangements were made to obtain more regular worship. On the third Tuesday of May, 1795, these two young men, James Boomer and Job Borden, were ordained, and during the same month Joseph Stillwell and Nathaniel Boomer were invited "to act as deacons until some should be chosen." In 1799 the church joined the Warren Association. For about eight years the two pastors faithfully served the church, when in 1804 Elder Boomer left and Elder Borden remained. On June 13, 1789, a committee meeting was held "concerning the meeting- house." That house at the Narrows was probably opened for worship about 1800, when the name of the church was changed from " The Church in Freetown, Dartmouth and Tiverton," to " The Second Bap-

opening editorial the writer expressed his confidence that his paper " will receive a liberal pat- ronage, provided it be conducted on fair principles and contain that variety of intelligence which subscribers have a right to demand." In the fall of 1826 Benjamin Earl began an apprenticeship in the Monitor office and after serving his three years and about six months more as a journey- man, he purchased the establishment, beginning his term as publisher on July 1, 1830 ; he con- tinued until 1838, when he sold out to Tripp & Pearce. During Mr. Earl's ownership of the busi- ness, J. S. Hammond was associated with him and James Ford (the attorney) acted as editor most of the period. During the well-remembered Anti-Masonic era the Monitor wisely took the pro- Masonry side. The firm of Tripp & Pearce (N. A. Tripp, Alfred Pearce) made their purchase of the Monitor in March, 1838, and three months later Henry Pratt assumed the interest of Mr. Pearce. The firm of Tripp & Pratt continued until 1850, when Mr. Tripp went out to start the Daily Star. In 1841 William S. Robertson entered the Monitor office as apprentice and continued in employ of Mr. Pratt until 1855, when he engaged in business. In December, 1868, he took up publication of the Monitor, which had then been suspended several months. On January 1, 1871, he enlarged the paper and continued it on prosperous lines. The Monitor closed its career in 1898.

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THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.

tist Church in Tiverton." On November 13, 1802, the records contain this allusion to the new meeting house: "Chose George Crocker to have the care of the meeting house." This leads to the conclusion that worship began there between 1799 and 1802. The records for the next twenty-five years are mere fragments. In 1827-29 a great revival took place in which more than ninety persons joined the church. At the same time the name was again changed to The First Baptist Church of Troy, and the second meeting-house was built. The new meeting- house referred to was the one on South Main street, which was subse- quently sold to the Episcopal society; it was dedicated July 30, 1828. For 1829 Elder Seth Ewer supplied the pulpit, and was succeeded by Rev. Bradley Miner. Rev. Asa Bronson became pastor April 4, 1833, and in the following year, in consonance with the change of the name of the town the church took its fourth title. In 1836 the church be- came one of the constituent members of the Taunton Baptist Associa- tion. The first meeting was held in the new house of worship called the Temple, July 1, 1840, and the house was dedicated September 16, of that year. During the pastorate of Mr. Bronson, continuing eleven years, there were remarkable revivals and 709 were added to the mem- bership. Rev. V. R. Hotchkiss was chosen pastor December 4, 1845. The Temple was conveyed to the Second Church in October, 1847, and the congregation worshiped in Union Hall until the first Sunday in 1850, when they occupied their new church edifice on North Main street. Rev. A. P. Mason succeeded Mr. Hotchkiss as pastor, and was followed for one year (1853) by Rev. Jacob R. Scott. Later pastors have been Revs. Jonathan Aldrich, one year; P. B. Haughwout, 1855 -- 70; Daniel C. Eddy, D.D., 1871-73; Albion K. P. Small, 1874-83; Rev. T. S. Barbour, 1883-96; Rev. F. H. Rowley, 1897.1

1 From the old Freetown records and other sources considerable knowledge is gained of re- ligious affairs in the territory which eventually became Fall River a century before that town was set off from Freetown In the very early years frequent presentments were made to the General Court by the grand jury for not being provided with a resident minister, according to law. These presentments were considered in town meetings and answering measures adopted. The predominant Quaker element in the town, that was individually and collectively opposed to the establishment and payment of settled ministers, made it extremely difficult to comply with the law in this respect. At a town meeting held in February, 1703, just a hundred years before Fall River was set off, Robert Durfee was chosen agent to endeavor " to bring in a man into town, to educate and instruct children in reading and writing, and dispensing the Gospel to the town's acceptance." This resulted in securing William Way, from Marshfield, whose services as teacher are described in a later chapter relating to schools. Whether he was installed, or how much he preached is not definitely known; at all events lic was not satisfactory and went away in 1707. In May, 1709, a petition was sent to the Court asking aid in settling a minister, and twenty pounds were granted under certain restrictions. In March, 1711, Rev. Samuel Danforth, of Taunton, pe-

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

The numerous Quakers in this vicinity held their meetings, without a doubt, from their earliest settlement. They cared little for public church buildings and were entirely content to gather in their own dwellings to worship in their own way. Of those meetings there is, of course, no existing record. It is known that some of their meetings were held in the Troy Mill dye house. When Eber Slade built a boat sufficient for the purpose it was customary for many of the Quakers to go on board at Durfee's wharf and go to Reed's Cove to the meetings in the old Somerset church. The first Friends' meeting-house in Fall River was built about the year 1821 on the site that has ever since been occupied for that purpose on North Main street. At that time it was thought the old building would suffice for the meetings for all time; but the rapid increase in the sect soon demanded larger accommoda- tions and measures were adopted to meet the necessity. The old build- ing was purchased by the town and removed to Rock street, where it was used for a school house. On the 12th day of September, 1836, the frame of the present building was raised and the structure was finished and opened on the 12th of December of the same year. Two meetings were held on that memorable day and large numbers listened to Lind- ley Murray Hoag, an eloquent minister of the denomination. The interest of the afternoon meeting was enhanced by the funeral services of John Buffinton, a well-known citizen and member of the society.

titioned the Court asking that Mr. Avery have compensation for preaching seven Sabbaths in Freetown, which was granted. Again in the same year a like sum was granted to pay Rev. Recompense Wadsworth for preaching; but objections were made by some to a minister having a salary and he was not called.

When, on February 2, 1710, the town voted to build a meeting-house 36 feet long, 26 wide, and 18 feet between joints, a committee, consisting of Samuel Danforth, John Sparhawk, of Bristol, and Richard Billings, of Little Compton, was chosen to designate the site for the house. The de- cision was that it should be built on land offered to the town by Samuel Lynde. This comprised two and one half acres on lot 14 of the Freeman's Purchase, in the north part of the present Fall River. Mr. Lynde gave the land to be used for "a meeting-house, burial ground and training field." There the old church was built and accepted by the town in 1714; it stood for about one hundred years but was not occupied by settled ministers probably more than a third of that time. In 1715 Rev. Thomas Creaghead began preaching and continued until 1721. During the succeeding twenty-five years there was no settled minister and repeated presentments were made to the Court. Finally, on September 30, 1747, sixty years after Freetown was organized the Congregational Church was formed and in December of that year Rev. Silas Brett was installed as the first regular pastor. In order to quiet the opposition of the many who were against pay- ing a salary to a minister, Mr. Brett made a written agreement that he would only look for sup- port to free- will offerings. He was given the use of a farm of fifty-three acres lying east of the road and in Fall River territory, where a parsonage was built; the farm was given by William Hall, John Turner, Ambrose Barnaby, and Samuel Read, in trust to the Congregational minis- ters of Dighton, Berkley and Plymouth for their use forever. Mr. Brett preached about thirty years and died at Easton, April 17, 1791. This farm is now part of the estate of the late Samuel Brown, formerly mayor of Fall River. The old church was demolished many years ago. The land is the property of the city, and its use as a burial ground is abandoned.

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THE CITY OF FALL RIVER.

Mr. Buffinton was father of Hon. James Buffinton, and Mrs. James D. Burt. There is no other Friends' meeting-house in Fall River.

The first Congregational Church was formed at the house of Deacon Richard Durfee, January 9, 1816, with the following list of mem- bers: Joseph Durfee and his wife Elizabeth; Richard Durfee, Ben- jamin Brayton, and Wealthy Durfee, wife of Charles Durfee. It was only a small beginning, but prolific in ultimate results. Benjamin Brayton died December 9, 1829, and leaving no children, he bequeathed the bulk of his property in trust to this young society, as a permanent fund for support of the ministry. About seven years elapsed after the organization before a house of worship was provided or a settled pastor. Regular meetings were held, however, and a part of this period mis- sionary supplies were at hand to preach. Among these were Revs. John Sanford, James Hubbard, Amasa Smith, Reuben Torrey, C. H. Nichols, Curtis Coe, Samuel W. Colburn, Moses Osborne, Isaac Jones, Seth Chapin, Silas Shove, Otis Lane and Loring D. Dewey. About thirty members were added to the society during the first three years after its organization, of whom only four were males. The first steps towards erecting a church were taken in 1819, and the edifice was built in 1821-22; it was dedicated in 1823, and was the second meeting house in Fall River, that of the Society of Friends being the first. An addi- tion was made to the building in 1827, and the interior was remodeled in 1856. Extensive improvements were made at later dates. Pastors of this church: Revs. Augustus B. Reed, July 2, 1823; Thomas M. Smith, November 1, 1826; Orin Fowler, A. M., May 22, 1831, to May, 1860. Mr. Fowler was born in Lebanon, Conn., July 29, 1791. Upon his settlement in Fall River he soon became prominent in all move- ments for the welfare of the community and for the advancement of the moral and educational institutions. He served as a member of the State Senate from his district, and before the expiration of his term was elected to the 31st Congress. He is affectionately remembered in Fall River and is entitled to gratitude for writing a short history of the place which has become of great value. Mr. Fowler died September 3, 1852, but had been dismissed from his pastorate in 1850, and was succeeded by Rev. Benjamin J. Relyea; other pastors-Revs. J. Lewis Diman, D. D., April, 1856; Solomon P. Fay, May, 1861; William W. Adams, November, 1863, acting pastor until September 14, 1864, when he was installed pastor, and is now in the thirty-fifth year of his pas- torate.

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Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 50

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1399

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399