USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hanover > The Church and Cemetery Records of Hanover, Mass. > Part 2
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ENLARGING THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSE.
his society, and left his people in a state of as great prosperity as was enjoyed in any of the adjoining towns. His habits were simple and his manner of living frugal and unostentatious; yet his was ever a hospitable board, to which his parishioners and friends were cordially welcomed. He took great interest in the children of his parish, and never passed a child in the road with- out noticing it. The children so loved him, that whenever they saw him approaching, they would arrange themselves in a row, and as he drew near, greet him with bows and courtesies, while smiles of joy illumined their faces. As an illustration of his facetiousness, it is related, that having received an invitation to settle at Eel River, Plymouth, and being asked if he should accept it, he replied: "No, Eel River may do for small fish, but it is not large enough for Bass."
After the death of the Rev. Mr. Bass, Ezekiel Turner, Esq., Joseph House, and Michael Sylvester were chosen a committee by the town June 14th, 1756, to join a committee chosen by the Church, to supply the pulpit with preaching, and Aug. 30th, the church having laid before the town their choice of MR. SAM- UEL BALDWIN for their pastor, the town concurred in the choice. It was voted, that he should receive as his salary £73- -
6s. 8d. per annum. (He was son of David Baldwin, of Sudbury, gr. son of Henry, and gt. gr. son of Henry, of Devonshire, Eng- land, who settled at Woburn in 1650. He graduated from Har- vard College 1752, and married Hannah, dau. of Judge John Cushing, Jan. 4, 1759, by whom he had nine children.) Mr. Baldwin declined to become pastor for this sum. Oct. 11th, it was voted
"to give him {80. and to build for him within 18 months a dwelling- house 40 ft. long, 30 ft. wide, and 17 ft. between joints, with two stacks of chimneys, a plain roof, with a suitable number of windows with crown glass, and to be painted inside and outside, such a color or colors as shall be agreeable to his mind, and to build and finish under the house a cellar 30 ft. long, and 14 ft. wide, pointed &c., and everything, both inside and outside, both wood work, iron work, and joiner's work, with two cupboards and as many closets in said house
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REV. SAMUEL BALDWIN.
as may be convenient, all to be done to the turning of a Key, and to be underpinned in a suitable manner, to the acceptance of Mr. Bald- win, and this to be a free gift as a settlement."
Mr. Baldwin accepted this proposal. Feb. 7th, the dimen- sions of the house were altered to 38 by 32 ft. It was voted to pay for the building in money, and to give Joseph Curtis £160 for building and completing it.
Mr. Baldwin acknowledged the receipt of the house March 5th, 1759, as his settlement gift.
Oct. 8th, 1756, it was voted that Mr. Baldwin be ordained Dec. Ist, if the Thanksgiving be not on that week, but if it is, the ordination to be on the second Wednesday of December. It was also voted to give Capt. Josselynn £16 to provide hand- some and suitable entertainment for the ordination, and he agreed to do it for that sum. The ordination took place Dec. Ist.
Under the ministration of Mr. Baldwin, the meeting-house was soon filled; and accordingly, June 25th, 1764, it was voted to open the same in two parts, and put in a new piece in the middle, 13 ft. or 14 ft. in length. This vote was re-considered Oct. 22nd, and it was voted to build a new house of the follow- ing dimensions-
"62 ft. in length, 43 in width, and 22 ft. between joints according to the plan in the office of the town clerk."
· At the same time it was voted that each person should enjoy their pews as heretofore, only giving way for the new additional pews to be built. The committee was empowered to dispose of the old meeting-house, and the new additional pew room to the undertaker or undertakers of the meeting-house aforesaid, or to any other person or persons in part pay for the work afore- said. Mr. Joseph Tolman was the contractor for the erection of the new house; and May 20th, 1765, it was voted to have a steeple to the meeting house, provided the money for the same can or shall be raised by subscription. This steeple was built,
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(THE HOUSE IS NOW OCCUPIED BY MR. SOPER.)
RESIDENCE OF REV. SAMUEL BALDWIN, 1756-1784.
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REV. SAMUEL BALDWIN.
and the new house was erected on the site of the old one. It stood facing the south. At the east end was the women's porch extending from the ground to the eaves, and projecting from the building a few feet. In the entry was the stairway leading to the gallery, and overhead was the powder-room, in which the town's stock of powder was kept during the Revolution. The men's porch was at the west end, also projecting from the build- ing and rising above the eaves, with a long tapering spire sur- mounted with a vane. This spire was removed about 1784, when a bell was presented to the Society by Mr. Josselynn, and a new steeple with a suitable belfry was erected. Within, the walls were plastered, the pews square, the galleries spacious, and the accommodations for the worshippers comfortable and decent.
While this house was building, meetings were held in a pine grove near by, and here Mr. Baldwin's daughter Hannah was baptized.
On Oct. 30th, 1768, Lord's Day, the Church was presented with four silver cups on the communion table, by orders, and at the expense of Deacon Stockbridge. The cost of each cup being £25, and each bearing this inscription: "The Gift of Deacon Joseph Stockbridge to the Church of Christ in Hanover, 1768."
The affairs of the Society, from this time until the War of the Revolution, continued in a state of great prosperity, and the salary of Mr. Baldwin was regularly paid and promptly; but the derangement of the finances of the country, on account of the war, led to difficulties in many religious societies, and finally to a dissolution of the connection, which had so long and so hap- pily subsisted between Mr. Baldwin and the Society in Hanover. Nov. 28th, 1779, Mr. Baldwin was led to preach a farewell ser- mon to the people of Hanover for the want of support, and on the 8th of March he asked a dismission, which was granted and confirmed by a vote of the town.
Mr. Baldwin remained with the Society 23 years, 3 months and 3 days. During this period, 107 persons united with the Church, and 632 were baptized. As a pastor, his services gave general satisfaction, and as a preacher, his talents were not only
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REV. JOSEPH LITCHFIELD.
highly respectable, but his manuscripts show that he was a ready and eloquent writer, and his discourses display good judgment, keen perceptions, and strong common sense.
Mr. Baldwin was led to espouse the cause of America in the struggle with Great Britain, and throughout the war took a deep interest in his country's success. He was a chaplain in the army, and gave eloquent exhortations to his own flock at home, and to the minute-men of the town. His mind became affected, and for a period of four years previous to his death he was partially deranged, but was faithfully cared for by his devoted wife. It is said that on one occasion during this time, one of his neighbors, a Miss Studley, called to converse with Mrs. Baldwin upon events of the war. Mr. Baldwin was lying on his bed, apparently un- mindful of what they were saying, in his usual state of apathy. Suddenly he arose and went to his study. He returned with the manuscript of a discourse which he had delivered to the minute- men. Standing in the doorway he read it from beginning to end. Mrs. Baldwin, thinking that his mind was restored, was led to rejoice; but when he had finished reading, he carried the manu- script back, and returning laid himself on the bed and became silent as before.
He died Dec. Ist, 1784, about one year after peace was declared. Grave-stones were erected to his memory and to that of his de- voted wife by vote of the town March 9th, 1796.
After the withdrawal of Mr. Baldwin, several candidates pre- sented themselves, and were heard by the Society. REV. JOSEPH LITCHFIELD received a call, with a salary of £90 per annum, in silver money, at 6s per dollar, or gold equivalent, or in paper bills at the rate or value the General Court or Assem- bly shall settle the same, and 12 cords of firewood at his door, within a mile from the meeting-house. Dec. 27th, 1780, was fixed upon as the day of his ordination. Captain Joseph Soper was to provide entertainment for the council. The council met, and were in session two or three days; but he was not ordained, many of the Society being opposed to his settlement. A second attempt was made, which resulted in his rejection and withdrawal.
Rev. Joseph Litchfield was born in Scituate, and graduated
REV. JOHN MELLEN.
from Brown University in 1773. He came to Hanover from York, Me. He descended from Lawrence Litchfield, who bore arms in Barnstable, Mass., in 1643. He died in Kittery, Me., Jan. 28th, 1828, aged 78 years.
After several other candidates were heard, to some of whom a call was extended, a more unanimous call was extended to REV. JOHN MELLEN, of Sterling. He was settled Feb. 11th, 1784. Capt. Joseph Soper making the entertainment for the council. Invitation was sent to six churches, but one of them, that of Cambridge, was not represented, owing to the death of the aged Rev. Dr. Appleton.
In 1785, a donation of $100 was given to the Society by Col. Joseph Josselynn, and it was agreed that a bell should be pur- chased with it, provided that enough could be raised by subscrip- tion to make up the difference between that and the cost of the bell. In Nov., 1785, a bell was purchased of Col. Aaron Hobart, of Abington, and a committee of twenty,
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"with all the rest of the town that see cause to assist,"
was chosen to hang it. Not long after, this bell was broken, owing to the want of skill on the part of the person appointed to ring it. It was re-cast, and when it was hung, Dec. 18th, 1788, // Dea. Bass and Dea. Robbins, with Benjamin Stetson were chosen to give the sexton directions in regard to ringing the bell.
In 1789, it was voted to paint the meeting-house. The walls were to be of a stone yellow, the roof of Spanish brown, and the corner-boards and window-frames and sashes were to be white. May 30th, 1791, it was voted to give Capt. Timothy Rose £3 to take care of, sweep and sand the meeting-house, and ring the bell for that year.
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A committee was chosen Oct. 14th, 1793, to get the meeting- house underpinned, and to procure a stock-lock for the door. June 9th, 1797, there was a committee chosen to seat the singers, and alterations were made in the house to provide for their ac- commodation. The same year, $300 was voted as the salary of
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REV. CALVIN CHADDOCK
Mr. Mellen, and from that time, his salary was paid in Federal currency. In 1802, the bell was again re-hung. The year fol- lowing Capt. Albert Smith presented to the town a number of Lombardy poplar trees, which were set out near the meeting- house. Not one of these is now standing. The last one was cut down by Mr. Samuel Stetson.
In 1805, owing to the infirmities of age, Rev. Mr. Mellen termi- nated his ministry, and moved to Reading, where he closed his long and useful life July 4th, 1807, at the age of 85.
His life was an eventful one. He was born in Hopkinton, March 14th, 1722, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1741, teaching school the same year for £85, in Sudbury. He was ordained the first pastor of the church in Sterling, Dec. 19th, 1744, where he continued probably at the head of the clergy of Worcester County until Nov. 14th, 1774
Barry says: "His connection with this society, which had con- tinued for thirty years, was dissolved in consequence of disputes, occasioned by his endeavors to maintain what he considered the true discipline of the churches, and by his adoption of doctrinal sentiments, not wholly in accordance with those generally pre- vailing at the time. 'He, with others, as tradition says, had sensibly departed from the standard of faith that had been gen- erally received in the New England Churches, and had extended his speculations in such a manner as to give great offence to some who had not pursued the same course of reasoning. In 1756, he delivered an eloquent series of discourses addressed to parents, children and youth, which contained sentiments highly obnoxious to many of his brethren in the ministry. These were published, and were extremely well received by his people. In the unguard- ed hours of social conversation, too, he, as was well understood, rejected many of the articles of the popular faith. Nor were his people dissatisfied with him on this account, but rather for pub- licly co-operating in the censure of those doctrines which it was supposed he embraced in the truth of the gospel. It was now understood, by some of the most intelligent of the parish, that their minister was verging towards doctrines that he had publicly disclaimed. In 1765, he published a volume of sermons on the
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REV. CALVIN CHADDOCK.
doctrines of Christianity. These contained a learned system of scholastic theology, maintaining a middle course between the two extremes of Calvinism and Arminianism. Upon some of the controverted points it is not easy to understand which side his speculations favor most. The volume is highly creditable to his memory as a scholar and a theologian, and when published was considered an acquisition to the literature of the country. When his people produced their allegations against him, in 1773, they urged but few instances of false doctrines, and of these he fully exculpated himself before a council. The principal charge of this character was, that he had said that God was the author of sin. The sermon was produced where it was said to be contained. He stated that he had never held this doctrine in its gross sense, but only that sin was by permission, &c. The council cleared him as his church had previously.' He is described, in the work from which we have just quoted, as a man 'liberally endowed by nature with a strong and energetic mind, which was highly im- proved by diligent and successful cultivation, and he obtained a high rank as a preacher and scholar.'
" Besides the volume of doctrinal sermons, to which we have referred, and his sermon to parents, &c., his other published works were a Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. J. Palmer, 1753; -a Discourse at a General Muster, 1756 ;- on the Mortal Sick- ness among his People, 1756 ;- on the Conquest of Canada, 1760; -on the Death of Sebastian Smith, 1763 ;- Religion productive of Music, at Marlboro', 1773 ;- a Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. Levi Whitman, 1785 ;- a Discourse before a Lodge of Free- masons, 1793 ;- and a Thanksgiving Sermon, 1796.
"A few of these, as will be seen by the dates, were delivered after his settlement in Hanover. He is spoken of here with much affection by his old parishioners; and was a man of socia- ble habits, lively in conversation, fond of a jest, and of ardent feelings. Many anecdotes are related of his ministry."
He died at Reading, Mass., July 4th, 1807, aged 85 years, leav- ing three sons, all of whom became prominent.
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REV. SETH CHAPIN.
July 23, 1806, REV. CALVIN CHADDOCK, of Rochester, was installed pastor of the society; the entertainment being pro- vided by Lemuel Dwelley, at an expense of $125. Seven churches were invited; but five only responded.
During the ministry of Mr. Chaddock the academy at the Cor- ners was built, and Mr. Chaddock had the charge of it until his removal from the place, in 1818, after a settlement of 12 years.
He was the son of Capt. Joseph Chaddock, who died in Han- over, in June, 1812, aged 88, and Barry says, "was, perhaps, a descendant of the Chaddocks of Watertown. He graduated from Dartmouth, in 1786, married Melatiah Nye, of Oakham, and settled first in Rochester. He was Representative from the town of Hanover in 1811. As the result of his marriage there were twelve children."
He is described as a ready preacher, a man of great natural eloquence, fluent in speech, and one whose discourses were gen- erally popular.
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One of his pupils at his school says of him, that "with a mind richly gifted by the Father of Spirits, he possessed a native, sim- ple, and truly genuine eloquence. His bosom, a fountain of the tenderest sympathies, spontaneously gushing forth, moved him often and copiously to weep with them that weep. To the afflict- ed, to the mourner in Zion, his words of consolation were the breathings of angelic sweetness, while the truth of God, heard from his lips, in tones of deepest solemnity, thrilled the hearts of assembled multitudes. Of like passions with others-by no means faultless-yea, even specially composed with infirmity- yet in conflict with his spiritual foes, he was more than con- queror."
It was voted June 4th, 1807, that any person might write out his experience upon being admitted to the church. It was also voted that the pastor notify Mr. Church of his appointment to the Deaconship.
An adjournment was then voted until Aug. Ist. At that time the church met and voted to excuse Mr. Church from serving as a deacon at his request. Then they voted to postpone the choice of a deacon until another year.
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RESIDENCE OF REV. JOHN MELLEN, 1784-1805; REV. CALVIN CHADDOCK, 1806-1818; REV. SETH CHAPIN, 1819-1824; REV. ETHAN SMITH, 1827-1832; REV. ABEL G. DUNCAN, 1833-18 -. (NOW THE RESIDENCE OF ANDREW T. DAMON.)
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REV. SETH CHAPIN.
During Rev. Calvin Chaddock's pastorate 19 were baptized, according to the record, and 26 were admitted to the church. The peaceful close of his useful life was passed on the sunny plains of western Virginia.
The Church met on Thursday, Feb. 4th, 1819, at the school- house near the meeting-house, and voted unanimously to invite REV. SETH CHAPIN to take pastoral charge of the church.
Rev. Mr. Chapin, having accepted the call, and having given his answer, the church met at the house of Deacon Benjamin Bass, on Monday, 22nd of March, and the pastor elect by partic- ular request acted as Moderator. Dea. Barstow and William Torrey were chosen a committee, with the pastor elect, to revise the old covenant, which was first formed at the gathering of the church in 1728, and lay it with amendments, and also some arti- cles of faith prefixed to it, before the church for their approba- tion. It was then voted, that in case Rev. Mr. Chapin was installed, he should be considered as belonging to the church in Hanover, ex officio, and that the ceremony of removing his rela- tion from the church in Barrington should be dispensed with. Letters missive for a council were sent to the following churches: 3rd Plymouth, Halifax; 2nd Abington; 2nd Medway; Ist Wren- tham, Rehoboth, and Barrington. The council met April 21, 1819, all the churches invited being represented.
"Rev. Seth Chapin was the son of Seth and Eunice Chapin, of Mendon, Mass .; and was born June 25, 1783. His father was an officer in the Revolutionary Army, and was stationed, a portion of the time, in Rhode Island, being engaged in Sulli- van's celebrated expedition. The son pursued his studies, pre- paratory for college, under the Rev. Dr. Crane, of Uxbridge, entered Brown University in 1804, graduated in 1808, studied theology at Andover, which place he left in 1811; and in Nov- ember of that year was installed as pastor of the church in Hills- boro', N. H. Here he remained until 1816; and the following three years were spent in Rowley, Mass., Mansfield, Conn., and elsewhere. In 1819, he was settled in Hanover, and remained until 1824, after which he preached in East Haddam, Conn., Hunter, N. Y., Attleboro', Mass., and Granville, Mass. In
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REV. SETH CHAPIN.
1845, he relinquished the duties of his profession, and engaged in agricultural pursuits, with such ardor and success, in the lan- guage of his son, as to 'have the pleasure of matching the won- derful Georgic transformation, and saw
"Ingens Exiit ad coelum ramis felicibus arbos Miraturque novas fondes et non sua poma."
"He married Mary Bicknell, second daughter of the Hon. Joshua Bicknell, of Barrington, May 28, 1810-her father having been 'for more than fifty years prominent in the councils of the State; and a man of such unflinching political integrity as to have received the title of 'old Aristides.' By this marriage he had two sons, the elder of whom, Henry, graduated at Brown University in 1835, received the degree of L. L. B., at Harvard · College, in 1838, and settled as a physician in Providence, R. L. The younger son read law with the Hon. A. C. Greene, of Rhode Island, and settled in Alabama, where he died Septem- ber 11, 1836, at the early age of 21. Mr. Chapin, the father, died in Providence, R. I., April 19, 1850, æ 67. His widow sur -. vived and resided with her son in Providence. As a preach- er, Mr. Chapin was earnest and faithful; his discourses being instructive and copiously illustrated. As a scholar, he was dili- gent and studious; and several of his occasional productions were published. He was successful in his calling; a man of use- fulness, and indomitable perseverance; and he left behind'him a good name as an inheritance for his surviving son."
At the beginning of Mr. Chapin's ministry the church num- bered 75 members, 20 of whom were males. After the prepar- atory lecture, June 4th, the church adopted the articles of faith which were presented by the committee chosen for this purpose, and the adoption of the covenant, presented by the same com- mittee was postponed until the next preparatory lecture. The next preparatory lecture was on Aug. 13th, at which the cov- enant was, after much deliberation, adopted almost unanimously. At that time the church voted to set apart a day of fasting and prayer, and for renewing the covenant. The day was to be
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REV. SETH CHAPIN.
designated by the pastor, and the parish were to be invited to unite with the church in observing the day. The church also passed four important resolutions, covering requirements of ad- missions.
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Oct. Ist was set apart as a day of fasting and prayer, and the church solemnly renewed their covenant vows and received two new members according to their rules. At a church meeting, held in the meeting-house April 19, 1820, the importance of attending to church discipline was considered, and a committee of three was chosen to converse with those members who had for a long time neglected the communion and public worship, or who had otherwise publicly offended. The same committee of examinations was continued for another year.
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Oct. 21st, Deacon Joseph Brooks was chosen a delegate, with the pastor, in compliance with a letter missive from the Pruden- tial Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, to attend an ecclesiastical council in North Bridgewater, the 31st of the same month, for the purpose of set- ting apart Mr. Daniel Temple and Mr. Isaac Bird as ministers of the Gospel and missionaries, and on the 2nd of January, 1822, the church was represented by the pastor and Dea. Bars- tow in an ecclesiastical council in Abington, for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Samuel Spring as pastor over the Congregational Church in that place.
About this time the church experienced a great loss in the death of Dea. Joseph Brooks, who had, for a great many years, served the church faithfully, and had been appointed on a great many committees, chosen at different times for different pur- poses. So we find, that after meeting on the Sabbath, Jan. 6th, 1822, the members voted that it was proper to
"hold a day of fasting and prayer on account of the many deaths in the church during the preceding year, and especially that of the la- mented Dea. Jos. Brooks; also to seek direction in the choice of a brother to fill his place, and to bumble themselves before God, on account of the low state of religion, and the unfavorable aspect of surrounding circumstances."
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REV. SETH CHAPIN.
Accordingly, the 15th day of Feb. was observed as a day of fasting and prayer, and religious services were held in the house of worship. Although the members made choice of a deacon, he absolutely declined to serve, so that they postponed any fur- ther action. In the following year, the church accepted an invi- tation to send the pastor and a delegate to attend an ecclesiasti- cal council in Barrington, R. I., Feb. 25th, for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Francis Wood as pastor of the church in that place.
In October, of the same year, a very singular meeting was held. A certain person had presented himself for admission into the church, by virtue of a letter of dismission and recom- mendation from a neighboring church, and had stood propounded longer than the usual time. No objections were made to him, and the pastor made some remarks, expressing his satisfaction with the views and religious experience of the person presented. When a vote was called there was entire silence, and accordingly the pastor, who was moderator, declared there was no vote, and the subject of receiving the member was postponed until the brethren should have an opportunity to converse with the person. At this meeting, the pastor voted a new measure, which was objected to on the part of the members of the church. He wished them to nominate a neighboring minister to preside as moderator at a future church meeting, before which he wished to present some business. Though he repeatedly urged the im- portance of making such a nomination, the members refused to do so, and the meeting was postponed until the members had time to consider and to inform themselves relative to the prac- tice of other churches in such cases.
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