USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Longmeadow > Proceedings at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Longmeadow, October 17th, 1883 > Part 15
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This point seems to mark the awakening of the town to the danger from such leases, for we find no further votes of this nature after the following :
April 6, 1795. Voted that this meeting do reconfider the vote paffed Feby 17, 1795 granting liberty to Jabez Colton to build a fhop in the Street.
The necessity, however, which the people coming from the East Part for Sabbath service experienced for having suitable horse-sheds, caused the fol- lowing among other votes :
February 16, 1796. Voted. That this Town Confent that Sundary of the Inhabitants of the Eaft part of this Town have liberty to erect an Horfe Houfe in the Meeting Houfe Lane, and that Meffrs Ethan Ely, Hezekiah Hale, Elijah Burt, David Burt, and Sam1 Keep be a Comtee to view the Ground and report what place in Said Lane will be the moft Suitable for Said Horfe Houfe.
March 8, 1796. Voted that the People in the Eaft Part of this Town have liberty to erect an Horfe Houfe on the North fide of the Meeting Houfe lane fixty feet in length and Said Horfe Houfe to adjoin the fence of Mr. Sam1 Williams and to extend as far toward the Main Street or Country Road as to be parallel with the Eaft fide of Said Williams Up- right Houfe.
THE PRECINCT RIGHTS IN THE SPRINGFIELD MEETING AND SCHOOL HOUSES which they had abandoned in becoming a separate Precinct, are the subject of occasional solicitude :
January 23, 1718. Voated to Chufe Sum men to undertake in behalf of the precinct to Confult and inquire for advice and Councel as to the precinct's proceeding to petition the Town for Some alowance or Recompenfe for our Right in the Meeting hous and School hous.
February 10, 1719. Voated to chufe fum men to petition the Town in behalf of the precinct for fome allowance for our Right in the Meeting hous and School hous in the Town plot.
March 9, 1719. Voated to chufe sum men to petition the Town in behalf of the pre- cinct for fum alowence outt of the Town Treafuery towards building a fchool hous in Longmeadow and too to petition the Town platt together with Chickapuay and Skipmuck Deftinct from the other precincts for fum alowence for our Right in the Meetting hous in the Town platt aforefª; and thofe thatt ware chofen for that purpofe ware Ens" Sam! Keep Lefutt Joseph Cooley Leftt . Ephraim Colton.
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THE CALL AND MAINTENANCE OF DR. WILLIAMS,
-the first and only Precinct Pastor,-was the occasion of an interesting series of votes, evidencing no little caution on the part of both Pastor and Precinct:
September 30, 1714. Voted to call a Learned and Orthodox Minifter to Difpenfe the Word of God to us this Winter in Order to a Settlement among us. It was furder voted that the prefent Comtee fhould take care to provide a Learned and Orthodox Minifter for us as fpeedy as may be-and in the First place to Take Advife of the Elders in order to pro- cure one fuitable for us.
February 10, 1715. Furder Voated to have a meeting of the Inhabitants of the precinct on the firft Monday in March next infuing, at 11 o'clock in the morning at the Meeting- hous, to call the Revd Mr Stephen Williams in the Ministry among us.
March 7, 1715. Voited that the Revd. Mr Stephen Williams fhould be our Minifter to Difpenfe the ordinances of Chrift to us -- it was furder voated to Give the Revd Mr Wil- liams aforefd the fum of fifty five pounds for this prefent year ; and if God in his provi- dence Continue him in the Miniftry among us; to Add as we are able, and his fircum- ftances May Require. Furder voated that the one half of his Rate for the prefent year fhall be paid him in April next infuing, and the other half by November next infewing. Furder voated to fence and break up three or four acers of Land this Spring for an Orchard for Mr Williams aforefil, in the hom Lott that he fhall chufe.
May 4, 1715. Voated to give the Revd Mr Stephen Williams for his fettlement the fum of two hundred pounds befides His yearly Salary to be paid him in four years time from this prefent Date-viz : fifty pounds the year if God in His providence Settle him in the Miniftry among us. It was furder voated that the two hom Lots on the Hill-viz the Min- ifter and Miniftry fhall be fenced out backward from the ftreet forty Rods and Thomas Haile and Sam1 Colton were chofen to take Care to Overfee and Cary forward the work .
aforefd and to profecute the former voat made concerning the Land above mentioned.
January 17, 1716. Voated to give Mr. Williams the fum of fifty five pounds yeerly for the term of five years, and then to Add five pounds per yeer until we make it feventy pounds for his yeerly fallery-and furder voated for ten yeers If his Neceffity Calls for it and then to pay him half his Rate in Grain at Curent Mony price.
February 28, 1716. Voated that at the end of Eight years from May 4, 1715, then to add to Mr Williams Sallary (which will then be Seventy pounds) five pounds per annum- this prefent Voat not to invalidate the former Voat made Jan 17. 1716. It was Voated that the prefent Comtee for the precinct should go and treat with Mr. Williams Concern- ing his fettling heer in the Miniftry.
September 3, 1716. Voated that the Ordination of the Revd Mr Stephen Williams fhould be on October 17th next infuing. furder Voated to have a day of fafting and prayer on the fourth day of October next infuing. It was furder Voated to fend a Letter of Requeft to the Revd Mr Williams of Deerfield, to the Rev Mr Williams of Hatfield and to the Revd M' Howard M' Tailor M' Brewer and Mr Woodbridge to be afliftants at the Ordination. Furder Voated that Sam1 Keep fhould make fuitable provition for the entertainment of the Revd Elders and other gentlemen that may be here prefent-and is to have five pounds alowed him by the precinct herefor. Furder Voated to make apli- cation to the Quarter Seffions that Nath1 Blifs Jun' might have Liberty to make provifion for Entertaining of Strangers and others that may be prefent at the Ordination.
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The salary of Mr. Williams having thus been fixed at £55, one-half to be paid in April and half in November, with £200 of settlement money to be paid at the rate of £50 per annum for four successive years, the follow- ing extracts from the Committee Book will show the formal steps in carrying out the vote for the first year :
April 15, 1717. The Comtee of Longmeadow Precinct met viz Capt Thos Colton Nath1 Blifs Sent Ephraim Colton Jofeph Colton Sent. We gave order to the Affeffors to Raife a Rate of Eighty one pounds four fhillings and eight pence 81-04-08 Seventy feven pounds and ten fhillings for ye Revd Mr Stephen Williams and ye remainder of fil money to defray ye charge of our Meeting hous. December 17, 1717. Att a meeting of ye Comtee order was given by ye Comtee to ye Treasurer Mr Sam1 Colton to pay feventy feven pounds ten fhillings out of ye Treafury to ye reverend Mr Stephen Williams-fifty pounds of it for his fettlement and twenty feven pounds ten fhillings for half years salery.
Numerous votes are from time to time recorded of additional sums granted to Mr. Williams on account of sickness in his family, or of the high prices of provisions, showing no little liberality in the dealings of the Pre- cinct with their Pastor. And, on the other hand, the Committee Book con- tains many autograph signatures of the Pastor to such releases in full as the following :
" March the 19 1722 Att a meeting of the Comtee of Longmeadow Precinct, viz. Lieut Ephraim Colton Enfr Sam1 Keep, Sam1 Stebbins, Then Reckoned with ye Revd M' Stephen Williams from Nov. ye 26, 1721 and Due to ye Precinct from him four pounds. two fhillings and three pence. I acknowledge this reckoning- STEPHEN WILLIAMS."
" Whereas ye Inhabitants of Longmeadow Precinct made a vote March ye 7. 1720 to add to my Salery five pounds pr. year for ye Term of four years from this prefent Date in order to procure me fier Wood which Vote amounts to ye fum of Twenty pounds. in which ye Precinct overcharged themfelves five pounds I Doo therefore upon ye receipt of fifteen pounds of ye Wood money mentioned in ye vote acquitt and difcharge ye Precinct from any further payment Relating to that vote. STEPHEN WILLIAMS."
Nov. 8. 1723.
" Att a meating of the Comtee of the Precinctt April 20, 1725 The Revd Stephen Wil- liams gave the following difcharge to the Precinctt .- April 20, 1725 I acquitt and difcharge the precinctt of long-meadow of all that is my due from them to the fourth of May 1725 as witnefs my hand. STEPHEN WILLIAMS." All of which shows thrifty caretaking upon both sides.
From the Proprietors' Book of Records is also extracted the following entry of this date, well illustrating the same point :
April 29, 1718. Att a meeting of ye proprietors of ye Inward Commons affembled ac- cording to Law it is voted and granted to give to the Revd Mr Stephen Williams of the Precinctt of Longmeadow upon the condition that he quits and Relinquifhes all Right of Claim and Intereft and Improvement to any of ye Ministry Land in ye Township of Spring- field then he fhall have yo Improvement of the Town Land in Longmeadow fometimes called Longmeadow Commons as it is lying within the field fence tor the term of 10 years. he continuing and carrying on ye work of the Miniftry there in fª Longmeadow and If it
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prove to be of more value yearly than his fhare or proportion of ye Improvement of y Miniftry Land aforefd then to allow and pay fo much more as it is efteemed at to the fd Town of Springfield. (Attest) INCREASE SIKES proprietors Clerk.
Springfield ffeb 26th 17 28 at a meeting of the proprietors of the Inward Commons Affembled according to Law- The Revd M' Stephen Williams defired the pro- prietors to Refolve the matter how they did underftand their vote of Aprill 28 1718 Re- fpecting his Relinquifhing his Right to the Miniftry Land in the Townfhip of Springfield as fet forth therein. Voted. that we underftand Mr Williams Relinquifhed his Right to the Miniftry Land fo Long and no Longer than he improves the fd Land called the Com- mons in Longmeadow. (Atteft) INCREASE SIKES, proprietor's clerk.
Towards the close of the Precinct period, however, there are some salary appropriations which seem indicative of a liberality as astonishing as it was, to that date, unprecedented. The large salaries of some favored city clergy- men at the present day shrink into insignificance compared with the appro- priation of the Longmeadow Precinct, more than one hundred years ago, of four thousand five hundred pounds for a single year's salary of Dr. Williams :
Att a Parifh Meeting Legally affembled on the 8th of Dec' 1780 at the Brick School Houfe Majr Gideon Burt Chofen Moderator. Voted to Choofe a Comtee to Repoart How Dr Williams fhall be paid his Salary. Voted that Dea" Ely Majr Gideon Burt Jona Hale, Jona Hale Jun' be fd Comtee. Voted this meeting be adjourned half an hour then to meet at this Place. The Meeting Met according to Adjournment.
Granted to the Revd Dr Williams for his falary the Prefent year £4500-0-0 Old Continental Currency.
Granted to Mary Blifs to make good for her fweeping the Meeting Houfe two years ago the fum of Twenty Pounds-£20-0-0.
Voted to raife the fum of Five hundred Pounds for contingant charges out of which the fervices Done to the Meeting-Houfe as Ringing Bell fweeping and Tending Clock are to be paid-£ 500-0-0.
Voted that the fum of Five thoufand Ninety Nine Pounds Four fhillings be affefed on the Poles and Ratable Eftate of this Parifh and ordered into the Treafury by the Fourth Day of May next and that the fame be ordered out by the Parifh Comtee-£ 5099-0-0.
At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Parifh of Longmeadow Legally affembled at the Brick School Houfe 15th March 1781 Maj' Gideon Burt Moderator. Price of Grains for the payment of the Revd Dr Williams Salary the present year
Viz Indian corn @ 38 Dollars per bufhel. Rice @ 50 Dollars per bufhel.
Wheat @ 84 do. do. Barley @ 50 do. do.
Oats @ 24 do. do. Pease @ 84 do. do.
THE CALL OF PASTOR STORRS,
early in the town period, was preceded by the following series of votes, showing that the same habits of caution still governed the people as at the time of Dr. Williams' settlement :
At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Town Duly Qualified and Legally affembled at the Meeting Houfe Tuefday. the 19th day of July 1785. it was voted. that the Meeting are Defirous that M' Richard S. Storrs be defired to continue with us and to Settle with
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us in the Gofpel Miniftry-that the Meeting will proceed to Make Propofals of Settle- ment and Salary to the fa Mr Storrs-and to Choofe a Comtee to draw up Said propofals for the Meeting and that M' Jona Hale. Dean Nath1 Ely. Jona Burt Capt Gideon Burt, Capt Mofes Field Wn Colton, Capt Eben' Colton and Jona Hale Jun' be fª Comtee and make Repoart of their proceeding to this or fome future Meeting.
At an adjourned meeting. Aug 2. 1785 It was Voted. That the Incouragement Re- poarted by the above Commitee to be made to Revd M' Storrs in order to Incourage him to Settle with us be accepted and be the Incouragement to propofe to him.
Aug. 29, at a meeting ftill further adjourned it was voted that the former Comtee to wait on Mr Storrs be Defired again to wait on him and to Inform him that the Town Defire him to Return to us again as foon as May be.
The Repoart of the Comtee to Draw up propofals to Make to M' Storrs was that we will Grant him £200 Settlement and £90. Salary Yearly. one half to be paid in the fev- eral Species or kinds of Grain at the Current Mony Price to be Priced by the Town at a Meeting Called for that purpofe in the month of February. And further Voted to Give him all the ufe and Improvement of the Miniftry Land in the Town and alfo voted to Give him Twenty four cords of wood Yearly. Sixteen of it Oak. and Eight of it Pine- which Repoart was Read and Voted to be accepted.
The 21. day of Nov, 1785, at a meeting called to receive the Repoart of a Comitee to wait on M' Richard Storrs and Get his anfwer whether he is Determined to Settle with us in the Gofpel Miniftry Alfo to See if the Meeting will make any addition or alteration in the Terms before propofed to M' Storrs or Make any grant of a Sum or fums of Money for Settlement or Salary they shall think Proper. it was voted that at the Expiration of Five years from the Time of My Richard S. Storrs Ordination there be added to his Salary the Sum of Five Pounds. and at the End of five years more the fum of Five Pounds more. Making in the whole at the End of Ten years from the time of his Settlement Ten Pounds addition and Six cords of Wood more which after the Last Mentioned Time will be One Hundred Pounds and Thirty Cords of Wood. Voted that Wednesday the 7th day of December next be the Day for M' Storrs Ordination. Voted that a Comtee of Five be chofen to Make Provifion for the Ordination Council and that Lieut Nath1 Ely. Lieut Heze Hale M' Jofiah Cooley. Capt Mofes Field and Capt David Burt be Said Comtee and that all Needful Expenfes arifing on account of said Ordination be Defrayed at the Charge of the Town.
The actual settlement of the account for these needful expenses seems to have been somewhat delayed, for November 11, 1793, it was
Voted to grant to Dea" Nath1 Ely Eight Pounds five fhillings and fixpence for Entertain- ing and keeping the Ordaining Council of Revd M' Storrs. Voted alfo to grant him One Pound eight fhillings and ten pence half penny for intereft of the above fum feven years at 3 per cent.
PREACHING IN THE EAST PART
occasionally engages the attention of the Town, specimen votes of which are given :
April 2, 1804. Voted that this Town will procure Preaching for fix Sabbaths in the prefent year in the Eaft Part of the Town and that Elijah Burt. Capt Ethan Ely and Jabez
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Colton be a Comtee to procure a preacher for that purpofe-Either to fupply in the Meeting Houfe that Mr Storrs might go thither or to be employed in faid Eaft Part.
November 3, 1806. Voted to grant the fum of One hundred and Thirty pounds for payment of the Salary of Revd Richard S. Storrs the year Enfuing. In paffing this Vote the Moderator obferved that the Revd Mr Storrs was willing in confequence of the Addi- tional grant to preach Sundry Sabbaths in the Eaftern part of the town when his pulpit might be supplied by occafional Help.
THE BAPTIST ORGANIZATION
and its relation to the standing order was the occasion of some solicitude at various times, as witness such votes as the following :
May 2, 1808. At this meeting, the Petition of John Endicot and others being read citing this Town to make anfwer to faid petition if they fee caufe-which petition prays the General Court to incorporate the Petitioners into a Baptift fociety-Voted that Capt Ethan Ely, the Reprefentative of the Town to the General Court fhall on behalf of the Town make fuch anfwer to faid Petition in the General Court as he in his difcretion fhall think Proper. Voted, that the teacher of the Baptifts in the South Eaft part of this Town may receive of the Town Treafurer the Minifter's Taxes paid by thofe who attend their meetings the Tax granted laft November. Provided the felectmen fhall think it to be their duty according to the Laws of this Commonwealth to order the fame to be paid to him.
November 7, 1808. Voted that if any of the Denomination of Chriftians called Bap- tifts in this Town is defirous that the Money which they fhall pay to this Town for the Minifters Tax the enfuing year fhould be applied to the Teacher on whom they attend, and fhall certify fuch their defire to the Selectmen, and fhall produce to them a Certificate Signed by their Teacher and a Comtee of their Society, certifying that they feverally belong to their Said Society and frequently and ufually when able attend their faid meetings for religious worfhip, then the Selectmen fhall order to be paid out of the Town Treafury to their faid Teacher a Sum equal to their feveral minifters Taxes paid to this Town for the year enfuing.
The proposal to make various additions and repairs upon the Meeting- House of the Standing Order in 1810, and to provide for the expenses from sundry town funds formerly raised, but not expended, for building a Poor House, taken in connection with this jealousy between the Baptists and the Standing Order, gave rise to an amusing series of votes and counter-votes respecting
A CHURCH PORCH.
November 5, 1810. Voted that Col Gideon Burt Dean Walter White and Noah Bliss be a comtee to confider of the Bufinefs of Building a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meet- ing Houfe.
May 6, 1811. Voted that Capt Ethan Ely, Dean Walter White and Noah Blifs be a Comtee to build or contract for building a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe, and for painting or contracting for painting the faid Meeting Houfe as they fhall think beft, and that the expenfe of Building faid Porch and painting faid Houfe be paid out of the property in the Hands of the Treafurer called the Poor Houfe Fund.
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June 24, 1811. Voted to grant to the Baptift Society in this Town fome part of the property which has been appropriated to the purpofe of building a Poor Houfe in propor- tion to what the Town fhall expend in repairing the Meeting Houfe out of faid fund.
July 4, 1811. Voted to reconfider that part of a vote paffed by the Town May 6, 1811 fo far as it relates to building a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe, and apply- ing Money for that purpofe. Voted to reconfider a vote paffed June 24, 1811 granting to the Baptift Society in this Town fome part of the property which has been appropriated for building a Pour House.
July 26, 1811. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Longmeadow largely afsembled in the school houfe in the fouth eaft part of the Town Voted to build a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe in the Street [89 for. 83 against.]
The explanation of this peculiar place of meeting and of the entry of the number of votes lies in the fact that the " Street" people being a little dila- tory in their attendance, and the Baptists by previous concert unusually prompt, the latter adjourned the meeting to their own remote locality, hoping thereby to have a numerical majority in attendance and so carry their point. The " Streeters," however, getting wind of the plan, rallied in force and barely carried their own point ;- but using their hardly-won victory with fairness and moderation, as will be seen, the result was an equitable adjust- ment of the entire controversy :
Voted to appropriate money for that purpofe out of what has been heretorore appropriated for the purpofe of building a houfe for the Town's Poor -- but Voted to excufe the Baptifts and any others if fuch there be in the Town who do not belong to the Standing Order of Chriftians, from bearing any part of the expenfe which may accrue from painting and repairing faid Meeting houfe or building faid Porch. Alfo Voted that the Comtee hereto- fore chofen to build a Porch to the Meeting Houfe proceed in the bufinefs of their appoint- ment to build the fame.
May 3, 1813. Voted that the Treafurer be and hereby is directed to pay out of Monies or property in his hands belonging to the Town a fum fufficient to pay what may be defi- cient in the poor houfe fund to pay the Comtee bill for a Porch on the Eaft End of the Meeting Houfe and other work about faid houfe and alfo to pay a fum which was voted to be paid to the Baptift Society in proportion to the Money expended about faid Houfe.
" THE POOR-HOUSE FUND,"
referred to so frequently in the preceding series of votes, appears by other votes of previous years to have been not really a Meeting-House Fund, as these votes might seem to imply, but sundry
" Notes belonging to the Town in the hands of its Treafurer, and appropriated for the purpofe of building an Houfe for the maintenance and employment of the Poor -- viz one note for $233-34ets given by Wm Pynchon Esq"-one note for $100. given by the Uni- ted States-one note for $35-15ets given by the Commonwealth of Maffachufetts and one other note for $12-33ets given alfo by faid Commonwealth. together with the intereft which may be due on faid notes or Money which may be received for them."
The Poor-House seems never to have been built, however, and the funds
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to have remained in the Town Treasury under the above designation until expended upon the Meeting-House Porch, as before described.
The following is the vote preliminary to the organization of the Board of Trustees for
THE MINISTERIAL FUND,
derived from the sale of the old ministry lands.
Nov. 5, 1804. Voted that Jabez Colton, Aaron Crane, Capt. Gideon Burt, Capt. Ethan Ely, Capt. Calvin Burt, Major Alexander Field, and Lieutenant Hezekiah Hale be a Committee to look into the Propriety of having fome perfons incorporated for the purpofe of holding and managing a fund to be applied for the maintenance of a Minifter of the Gofpel in the firft Society in this Town; in a manner fimilar to many incorporations in Societies within this Commonwealth.
The wide range of discussion and action in a New England village Town Meeting is well illustrated in the following, among other votes in the national excitement which preceded and attended the war of 1812. The footprints of the State Capital seemed the natural standard by which to gauge the village step as, shoulder to shoulder, the two presented their united protest against
THE EMBARGO ACT.
August 29, 1808. Voted to fend a Petition to the Prefident of the United States for the removing the Embargo Law. Voted that this Petition be in form and words conform- able to a like Petition from the Town of Bofton inserting Longmeadow infted of Bofton, and cmitting the fecond fentence in the third Section of fd Petition. Voted that the Se- lectmen in behalf of this Town tranfmit this Petition to the Prefident of the United States.
It is a significant fact that the Embargo Act was promptly repealed by Congress the year following this vote of Longmeadow !
That this wholesale appropriation of the Boston Petition was not, however, due to any home incapacity, is demonstrated by the following series of original resolutions adopted a few years later upon the same general subject :
June 29, 1812. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Longmeadow legally affembled in faid town on Monday the twenty ninth day of June 1812 for purpofes ex- preffed in the warrant iffued for calling this meeting, which fee in the files. Capt Ethan Ely was chofen and prefided as moderator. The meeting being unufualiy full the follow- ing Refolves being prefented were read and unanimoufly voted firft by Paragraphs and then as a whole and voted alfo that the fame be entered on the Publick Records in the Town and that the Printer at Springfield be requested to publifh the fame in the Hampfhire Federalift.
Refolved that it is at all times the Right, and at times of imminent danger it is the duty of the people, peaceably to affemble to confult for the common good, and to address the Legiflature by remonftrance and petition for a redrefs of Grievances ; and that we confider all who attempt to infringe this right and the freedom of Speech, as enemies to the moit effential interefts of the People.
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