USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 59
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The Universalist Society. As this society was the Parish, from 1828 to 1852, we have already given the most prominent points of its history down to the latter date, and find but little to add in this place.
Since the death of Rev. Mr. Nichols, in 1842, the society have had no settled minister, though they have had preaching the most of the time. The following named, in their regular order, have supplied the desk for one year or more, each, since the period referred to: - Rev.'s Josiah Gilman, Cyrus Bradley, W. W. Wilson, Willard Spaulding, James E. Pomfret, Lemuel Willis, Martin J. Steere. The Rev. Mr. Wilson con- tinued with the society about four years. Mr. Spaulding was their minister at the time the parish transfer was effected. Mr. Steere is their minister at the present time.
August 30, 1852, the society was re-organized, under the name of The First Universalist Society in the West Parish of Haverhill. This was rendered necessary by the transfer of the parish organization to the Con- gregational society, as already mentioned.
In 1857, a proposition was made to the society, by that portion of its members residing in " Ayer's Village," so called, to remove the meeting- house to that village, or to build a new one at that place. The pro- position was indefinitely postponed. Two years later, the proposition was again made, but, by the vigorous exertions of those opposed to the change, it was negatived by one majority. This was in April, 1859.
June 12th, of the same year, a meeting of the residents of the above named village was called, when it was unanimously voted to build a meet- ing-house at that place, and a committee was chosen to purchase a site for the proposed edificc.
July 4th, those interested in the movement organized themselves, under the general statute, into a corporate body, by the name of Ayer's Village Associates, for the purpose of holding and transferring property, and managing their affairs, in a legal manner. An eligible lot of land was purchased, situated a few rods cast of the four corners in the village, on the north side of the street, and a neat and convenient church was promptly erected, at an expense of about $5,000. It was dedicated April 25, 1860. As the members still hold their individual membership in the
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old society, they have not, as yet, perfected their organization as a reli- gious society. Since the church was dedicated, the desk has been regularly supplied. Rev. Mr. Damon, formerly of the Summer Street society, now preaches one-half of the time, and the remainder is filled by short engage- ments, as opportunity offers.
EAST PARISII.
We have already given" an account of the erection of the easterly part of the town into a separate Precinct, or Parish, in 1743, and need not repeat it in this place. In November, of the same year, the first parish meeting was held " at the house of Nathl Whittier, deceased." Robert Hastings was chosen clerk, and a committee was chosen to select a location for a meeting-house, who reported, at an adjourned mecting, a recom- mendation that it be erected " at the south side of Turkey Hill, near the south-east end of the Hill." The report was accepted, and measures were at once taken to have the meeting-house so far finished as to allow it to be used for meetings by the following September, - which was done. The house was not actually finished, until a few years before it was torn down, in 1838, - nearly a century after. The gallery floors were laid about 1752, " the windows on the back side of the pulpit" were cut out in 1753, at the request of the minister, Rev. Mr. Parker, " for his conveine- ancy of aier in the summer season; " the house was plastered in 1768; the pews were built at various times from 1744 to some time subsequent to 18161 ; the east end was clapboarded, and " the fore doors & window frames " painted in 1793. Until about 1816, the two sexes sat apart during service, (except those families who were so fortunate as to own pews) and the " women's seats " are mentioned even later than that date. The house was first artificially heated in 1829, when two " box " stoves were introduced. The writer well remembers their gigantic pro- portions, and long funnels. The latter, in the absence of a chimney, were thrust through the windows on the north and south sides of the house.
As soon as the house was ready for occupancy, the inhabitants of the parish invited the neighboring ministers to fast and pray with them, "for ye divine direction, in order to give a Person a call to settle among them in the work of the ministry." For that purpose, September 6th, 1744, was set apart. After the meeting was concluded in the afternoon, the
· See page 320.
1 Where John B. Nichols, Esq., now lives.
Į After the house was erected, sixteen privileges for building pews in it were sold at auction,
73
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
ministers recommended Mr. Benjamin Parker as a person well qualified for the place. Accordingly, October 4th, a call was extended to Mr. Par- ker to become their minister. The parish voted to give him the use of all the parsonage land ; build him a parsonage house and barn ; and pay him £100 Old Tenor, and £70 " provision pay," annually, for the first three years, and after that, the provision pay was to be increased to £100 per annum. The call was accepted, and Mr. Parker was ordained November 28, 1744, at which time the church was " gathered." The latter consisted of sixteen male members. At the first church meeting, January 31, 1745, Robert Hunkins and Peter Green were chosen deacons.“
Although the church was not gathered, and a pastor ordained, until this time, "the inhabitants of the precinct had constant preaching for some time previously."+
It was a part of the agreement with Mr. Parker, that a parsonage house and barn should be built for his accommodation, but for some reason, (probably on account of the large expense already incurred for the new meeting-house) the parish in the following March (1745) chose a commit- tee to request him to wait a time before obliging them to build the house. His answer was, " no, he would not,"-and the house was built and finished before the next October. The house is still standing, nearly opposite the meeting-house, and is occupied for the original purpose.
In 1748, the parish built a school-house, about six rods northerly of the meeting-house, and laid out two burying-grounds, the first " between Jon- athan Marsh's barn and Gravel shoot," the other " in the corner of Richard Colby's land nearest country bridge." Both of these places are still used for the purpose, and are the only ones ever laid out in the parish. A few years subsequently, the school money was divided into two parts, and one school was kept at Gideon George's, and another at Joseph Greele's. This plan continued in operation until the division of the town into smaller school districts finally took the matter entirely out of the hands of the parish.
In 1767, several persons " brought in their papers as Baptists," and re- quested to be exempted from parish rates, but were refused. In return, they refused to pay the rates, and after several efforts to collect them, the parish finally, in 1768, voted to free all " who were baptized before they were rated in 1766." The next year the privilege was modified so as to exempt only those who had been baptized " by Diping or plunging in the water."
° In 1757, Joseph Kelley was joined with them.
+ Rev. Mr. Parker's Church Records, 1744.
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The number of Baptists seems gradually to have increased, until a Bap- tist church was finally formed in the parish. Their influence may be judged by the fact that as early as 1780, Rev. Hezekiah Smith was, by a vote of the parish, invited to "preach or Lecture one Sabbath in the meeting house."
We have already mentioned one of the "peculiarities" of Rev. Mr. Parker, in his reply to the committee requesting further time to build his parsonage house. His determination, manifested thus early, to have the articles of agreement carried out to the letter, was subsequently, in part, at least, a cause of much trouble, It was a part of that agreement that he should be paid £100 annually, Old Tenor ; and when that cur- rency afterward depreciated largely in value, the parish were, perhaps, less inclined to make up the deficiency, than they would have been under other circumstances. The unpleasant state of feeling thus engendered, was afterward greatly increased by the course of Mr. Parker in withhold- ing his encouragment and sympathy from the patriots of the Revolution. He was believed to be a loyalist, or " tory," and when his parish, in 1775, requested him to abate somewhat of his salary, his answer was that he would not, but " would stand for the whole of it." Twice a committee was then chosen, and sent to "treat with him," in regard to annulling the con- traet. Then a committee was sent to gain his consent to a reference of the matter to " the neighboring ministers, or any other persons," but he not only refused, but desired " the parish would not trouble him with any committees hereafter, for he would not hear them." Upon this
" It was put to vote by the moderator to see if the Parish will have the Reverend Mr Parker to Preach to them any more for the futur or not, it passed in the afirmative - they would not have him."
" It was put to vote by the moderator to see if the Parish will Shut up the meeting house Dors and fasten them up for the time to come- it passed in the afirmative."
Captain Daniel Johnson, Anthony Chase, and Samuel Ayer, Jr., were then chosen " a committee to fasten up the meting house dors on Monday the 8th of January inst," - (1776).
Matters remained thus for twelve months, when the parish joined with Mr. Parker in calling the help of an ecclesiastical council to settle the difficulties. The council met at the house of Elias Johnson, and after two days' negotiation, the connection between Mr. Parker and his parish was dissolved.
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He soon after removed to his own farm, about a mile south of the meet- ing-house," where he continued to reside until his death, in 1789. He was interred in the burial-ground near the meeting-house.
Rev. Benjamin Parker was a son of Daniel, of Bradford, and a graduate of Harvard College in 1737. His first wife was Elizabeth Fletcher, of Dunstable; his second wife was Lucy Ruggles, of Billerica. By the first, he had six children ; and by the second, one.
During the ministry of Mr. Parker, seventy-seven persons owned the covenant, and three hundred and thirty-four (mostly children) were bap- tized. He married one hundred and thirty couples.
No services were held in the meeting-house from January, 1776, until the spring or summer of 1778, when the pulpit was again occupied, though irregularly. From November, 1777, to April, 1780, and from December, 1780, to December, 1791, there are no parish records, though it is certain that regular preaching was had at least a part of the time. Nehemiah Ordway (of Amesbury) supplied the pulpit regularly from 1788 to Nov- ember, 1793,; when Mr. Tappan, of Newbury, was engaged for a time. Mr. Tappan also kept the parish Grammar School. In the winter of 1794-5, there were no services in the meeting-house. The church finally became nearly extinct. Only one male member resided in the place; no church meeting was held for many years, and the church records could not be found.
These records were supposed to have been concealed or destroyed by Mr. Parker, previous to his death ; but a few years since, the original book of church records was conditionally returned to one of the deacons of the church by a daughter of Mr. Parker, and is now virtually in possession of the rightful owners.
In October, 1796, the parish invited Rev. Isaac Tompkins to settle among them, in which call the members of the church desired to join, but it was questioned whether there was then a regular church in the parish.
Under these circumstances, it was considered advisable to begin anew, and a council was called, January 11, 1797, for the purpose of forming a
" That now occupied by Henry Davis and next north of Joshua Lake. Mr. Parker purchased it of the heirs of Timothy Eaton.
t Rev. Nehemiah Ordway graduated at Harvard College in 1764, and was ordained in Middleton, Mass., in 1788. He afterward requested and obtained a dismissal, and came to Haverhill and preached in the East Parish seven years. Ile went from Haverhill to Raymond, N. II., and afterward removed to Pembroke, N. H., where he died in 1836, aged 98 years.
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new church. Twenty years had made great changes in the parish, as may be seen from the following extract from the minutes of the council.º
" They esteem it a departure from chh order to constitute those mem- bers of a new chh, who continue members of other chhs; because it will involve them in inconsistent obligations ; and therefore cannot embrace, in the number of candidates, those who are of that description. At the same time they esteem the number of four, tho' extremely small to form a chh, not contrary to gospel rule; because where two or three are met tegether in X's name, the Head of the chh has promised to be with them. The council also have in view the almost certain prospect of imme- diate additions by regular dismission & recommendation from other chhs & from this christian society. Therefore impressed with the solemnity of the transaction, and concieving ourselves duly authorized, we do constitute and declare Elias Johnson, Ephraim Elliot, Joseph Greely, & Samuel Woodbury a regular church of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The council do not mention the names of the women whom they admit- ted,¡ for the reason (as given by Rev. Mr. Abbot, scribe, in a note to the minutes) " that they tho't it sufficient to mention the names of the men, as the male members are considered as constituting the body qualified to transact business as a regular chh."
Immediately after their organization, the church extended a unanimous call to Mr. Tompkins to become their pastor, which was accepted, and he was ordained March 1st, 1797. His salary was $250 the first year, with the use of the parsonage buildings and lands, and wood for his fires. After that, he was to have such a salary as should be agreed upon. It is with pleasure we record the fact, that, from his settlement to his death, (in 1826) the connection of Mr. Tompkins with his church and parish was uniformly pleasant and satisfactory to all parties. After his death, the parish voted his widow the free use of the parsonage house and adjoin- ing land for one year.
Rev. Isaac Tompkins was a son of Christopher, of New Bedford, where he was born, April 16, 1761. He received his theological education under the direction, principally, of Rev. Samuel West, D.D., of the same place. He was a man of strong mental powers, well indoctrinated in theology, a decided Calvinist, an argumentative and faithful preacher, unexceptionable in moral and ministerial character, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. From respect to his talents and acquirements, Brown University
* The council met at the house of Elias Johnson.
+ Nine in number.
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conferred on him the honorary degree of Master of Arts, as early as 1795. Mr. Tompkins dicd November 21, 1826, aged 65 years.º
During Mr. Tompkins' ministry, thirty-one adults, and forty-nine chil- dren were baptized, and sixty-one persons were admitted into the church. Twenty-five of the latter were admitted at one time, - April 11, 1813, - and eight more May 23, of the same year.
Elias Johnson and Francis Swan were chosen deacons, on the day of the ordination of Mr. Tompkins. Thomas Johnson was chosen to the same office April 12, 1812.
After Mr. Tompkins decease, the society had no regular supply until 1828, when Rev. John H. Stevens, who had been the minister at Stoneham, Mass., received an invitation to settle, which was accepted, and he was installed in April of the same year. Mr. Stevens remained with the society until the spring of 1833, when his health declined, and he was dismissed at his own request .; During his ministry in the parish, he baptized nineteen persons, (nine of them adults) and nineteen were admit- ted into the church.
From the dismission of Mr. Stevens, until the early part of 1835, the society was again without a settled minister. In May, of the latter year, Rev. James Royal Cushing, (who had then supplied the pulpit for some time) was invited to become their pastor, and accepted. He was installed June 10, 1835.
The early labors of Mr. Cushing in the parish, were particularly suc- cessful. In November, 1835, twenty-two persons were admitted to the church by profession - twelve of whom were baptized.
In March, 1837, Tappan Chase and Nathan Johnson were chosen dea- cons, in place of deacons Foot and Johnson, resigned, " on account of age and infirmity." In 1839, Charles Coffin was chosen to the same office, in place of Tappan Chase, removed from the parish.
In 1838, the old meeting-house, that had withstood the elements for nearly a century, was taken down, and the present house crected, nearly on the same site. Many can remember the venerable, weather-beaten old
Mr. Tompkins married, January 29, 1797, Mary Alden, daughter of Captain John Alden, of Fair- haven, Mass., who was a lineal descendant of John Alden, the Pilgrim. They had seven children, Lois Alden, Sarah, Isaac, Christopher, Mary, Samnel Sprage, and Abigail Weld. Lois A, married Judge Spooner, of Fairhaven ; Isaae is a merchant of Chester, N. H .; Christopher married a daughter of Enoch Foot, Esq., of East Haverhill, and now resides in this town; Mary married Charles Chase, and Sarah married Anthony Chase, (brothers) of East Haverhill. Mrs. Tompkins was born February 16, 1767, and died August 30, 1846, aged 79 years.
Mr. Stevens returned to Stoneham, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred a few years since.
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church, with its large square pews, its capacious galleries, its lofty pulpit, and still loftier " sounding-board." We shall never forget our childish speculation as to the support of the latter, nor our great relief when, stand- ing on the back seat in the ancient gallery, we actually saw with our own eyes the heavy braces that kept it in place; and we are therefore prepared to sympathize with the worthy minister" whose first sermon under it was delivered in the constant fear of being crushed by its fall !
In April, 1844, the connection between Mr. Cushing and his charge was dissolved, the parish having voted "not to raise any money for the support of preaching the ensuing year."
Mr. Cushing is a native of Salisbury, N. H., where he was born No- vember 23, 1800. He is a great-grandson of Rev. James Cushing, the minister of the North Parish from 1730 to 1764. He received his theo- logical education at the Seminary in Bangor, Me., and was first settled in the ministry at Boxborough, Mass. Afterward, he was for a short time a city missionary, at Boston. From Haverhill, he went to Wells, Me., where he remained, settled in the ministry, for some ten years, when he removed to Taunton, Mass., where he is now pastor of a society.
During the ministry of Mr. Cushing in this parish, he baptized fifteen children, and twelve adults ; and twenty-eight persons were admitted to the church.
In November, 1848, the society extended a call to Rev. Wm. Cogswell, D.D., to become their pastor, but he declined. At the same time, Stephen S. Crosby was chosen deacon, in place of Nathan Johnson, removed from the parish.
In June, of the following year, Rev. Wales Lewis, of Kingston, Mass., received and accepted a call to settle in the parish. Mr. Lewis continued with his charge until the spring of 1857, when he was dismissed at his own request .; During his ministry, eight persons were admitted to the church by profession, - all of whom were baptized, - and two children were baptized.
In August, 1857, Rev. Abraham Burnham accepted an invitation to settle in the parish, and was ordained the following October. Mr. Burnham is still the pastor. Since his settlement over the society, there have been six admissions to the church by profession, and two by letter.
Mr. Burnham was born in Dunbarton, N. H., April 9, 1829 ; graduated at Dartmouth in 1852, and at Andover in 1857. He commenced his
· Rev. Mr. Tompkins.
1 Mr. Lewis is at present settled in Lyman, Maine.
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labors in the parish immediately after the dismission of Mr. Lewis, and received an invitation to settle as soon as he had completed his studies.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
The First Baptist Church and Society in this town, had its origin in a casual visit of the Rev. Hezekiah Smith to the town in the autumn of the year 1764. He was a young man, who had recently graduated from the college in Prineton, N. J., and been ordained to the christian ministry, and his preaching was attended with remarkable success. At first, he ministered in the pulpits of the " Standing Order," but when converts were multiplied, and there were indications that a church of "Separatists" under this " New Light " leader, would be organized, those pulpits were closed against him. There being at that time no recognized Baptist Church in the immediate vicinity, the brethren in Haverhill were obliged to proceed to their organization without council from abroad ; and, accord- ingly, on the 9th of May, 1765, seven brethren and sixteen sisters, in all twenty-three persons, "after solemn fasting and prayer, mutually agreed to walk in gospel order together, having been first baptized by immersion, but not joined to any church." With one exception, these persons had all been baptized by Mr. Smith.
On the 28th of June, 1765, the church gave Mr. Smith a call to become their pastor. This call does not appear to have been either accepted or declined until August 22d, 1766, when Mr. Smith was received to mem- bership, by letter from the Baptist Church in Charleston, S. C. The call was then renewed, and on the 12th of November, 1766, Mr. Smith became the pastor of the church, and continued in that office until his deeease. Though Mr. Smith did not formally become the pastor of the church until the latter part of 1766, he "advised and directed " in the formation of the church, and " constantly preached " from that time forward.
Immediately after the organization of the church, a large and commo- dious meeting-house was erected, and finished the same year. It stood near the present church, and was at first built without a steeple. The latter was added in 1799.
Previous to July 1, 1767, those admitted members of the church were all residents of this town. In February of that year, the church voted " that one or two members with the Pastor, be authorized to receive any person or persons into this church whom they shall esteem to be meet sub- jects, provided the person or persons live at such a distance that they cannot attend to be received into the church according to usual order." In pursuance of this vote, persons were baptized and received to member-
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ship in the church, whose residences were scattered over a wide extent of territory to the north and east of this town. The pastor, with one or two of the brethren, made missionary tours from time to time. Falmouth, (Portland) Gorham, Sanford, Narraganset, (Damariscotta) Berwick, Saco River, and other places in the State of Maine; Brentwood, Stratham, Exe- ter, Deerfield, Hopkinton, Dunbarton, Nottingham, and other settlements in New Hampshire ; and Methuen, Dracut, Chelmsford, Rowley, and other towns in Massachusetts, experienced the effects of these itinerating ser- vices. The records mention frequent calls from these, and other places, for the church to permit their pastor to come and baptize them and assist them in forming a church, &c. As early as July, 1768, it is recorded that the church " approve the doings of the Pastor and brethren in dismissing from Haverhill church the members residing at the eastward, and in con- stituting them into two Baptist churches, one in Gorham and the other in Berwick, Me." May 4, 1781, several persons in Rowley, who had been baptized, but had not joined any church, were organized as a branch of the Baptist Church in Haverhill. They chose Samuel Harriman elder, and continued as a branch of the Haverhill church, until 1785, when they were set off as a separate church, and eight more were dismissed from the mother church to join them. In the same year, eleven brethren in New- buryport requested the same privilege, which was granted. These scattered churches and members shared largely in the perplexities suffered by the "Separatists " of the times, and frequent appeals were made to the parent church in this town, for sympathy, counsel, and assistance, in behalf of those distant members.
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