USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > The history of Holden, Massachusetts, 1667-1841 > Part 3
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The elevated character and beneficent exertions of the gentleman in honor of whom this town received its name. marit, on the present occasion, a respectful and grateful notice.
"The Hon. Samuel Holden was a merchant of London. By his talents, integrity, and great capacity in mercan- Ce affairs, he raised himself to a seat in Parliament, and became a leading Director of the Bank of England. At the time of his death, June 13, 1740, his estate was valued at £80,000 sterling. Unfeigned piety and abound- ing charities added lustre and power to the other excel- Dencies of his character. He was aekowledged to be at the beal of the Dissenters in Great Britain, which cir- c'instance, probably induced him to direct his benevo- i uit efforts to the colonies of New England. For more than forty years he was a correspondent of Dr. Benjamin Coleman of Boston, who preached a sermon on the oc- cision of his death being announced in this country. 'Miis sermon having been preached before the General Court of the Colony, an Order was passed, containing these words : " be a committee to return the thanks of this Court to the Rev. Dr. Coleman, for his sermon preached this day, (September 4th, 1740,) before the Court, on the occasion of the death of the Hon. Sam- uel Holden, an eminent friend and benefactor of the Province." Mr. Holden furnished abundant proof of
* Act of Incorporation. See Note B.
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his desire to promote the cause of evangelical piety in this country. Dr. Coleman received from him 39 sets of Baxter's practical works, in 4 massive folios, to be dis- tributed among the churches of New England. The sum of his charities, at different times, amounted to £1,847. After his death, his widow and daughters em- ulated his noble example in the cause of benevolence. HOLDEN CHAPEL, at Cambridge, was built by their gener- ous donations. Numerous theological works were pre- sented by them to the first Pastor of the church in Hol- den, and to his successors. I would conclude this no- tice of Mr. Holden, by two short extracts from his letters. Alluding in one to the death of his only son, he remarks, -" I have had one son, and it pleased God early to take him from me; my comfort in the loss of hun and my dear mother, was, that I had in cach, one attachment less to earth -- one argument more for heaven." On another occasion he writes, -" I hope my treasure is in heaven, and would to God my heart were more there. Abstract from God and futurity, I would not accept of an eternity here in any other circumstances whatever."*
By an order of the General Court, issued March 26, 1711, John Bigelow, a principal inhabitant of Holden. was authorized to assemble the legal voters, at some con- venient place, for the choice of town officers. The citi- zens assembled in obedience to that order on the 4th of May. The records of that meeting have already been rehearsed. Another meeting was legally called, after the expiration of two weeks, for the transaction of town affairs. Six votes are recorded upon the town books as having been passed on that occasion. To the honor of the citizens of Holden legally assembled in that meeting,
* Dr. Coleman's Sermon. President Quincy's History of Harvard Uni- versity. The Gentleman's Magazino. Allen's Biographical Dictionary .
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the vote which was first passed deserves to be written in letters of gold : "VOTED TO HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED IN TOWN." The following two relate to the same subject. 'The fourth vote deserves to be recorded in characters of nearly equal brilliancy with the first : "VOTED TO HAVE A WRITING AND READING SCHOOL." A public pound was the object of the fifth som. Then followed the last vote passed upon the occa- sion, winch related to a tax of 250 to be raised, "to dit - tray the charge of preaching and schooling." **
One hundred years have passed, and, to the honor of our ancestors and their children, let the fact be published to the world, that the spirit which animated the citizens of Holden on that day still burns in the bosoms of their descendants. Good schools and good preaching have always received a liberal support from the inhabitants of this town.
During the year 17 41, a school of 3 months was mam- tamed. commencing the Ist of September. No church, as yet. had been organized. or pastor settled. The town, by an unanimous vote, July 19, 1742, invited the Rev. Joseph Davis to enter upon the work of the gospel min- istry mtown. A salary of .2180 (old tenor, $154 33) was voted to be annually paid to him, and the sum of £100 (0. 'T. 83 13) as a settlement donation. From the reply of Mr. Davis, we learn the manner in which the settlement money was to be paid. After expressing his acceptance of the salary proposed, he proceeds to say -... As to the settle- ment. I accept the same as follows: I take the lands in the said Holden, given to the first settled minister, $ Viz. one hundred acres of upland in two pieces, each con- taining 50 acres, and 4 acres of meadow, (so called, ) at the sum of £215, (old tenor, ) as apprized by order of the
" Town Records, Vol. 1 : p. 3. t Proprietors' Books, Vol. 1 : p. 15.
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town, with the proprietors' concurrence, in part for my settlement money. 2. I depend on receiving from the town or propriety the remaining sum of £185 (O. T.) as soon as it can be collected." **
'T'he interesting exercises of Mr. Davis' ordination were performed December 22, 1742. Four of the neigh- boring churches were represented by their Pastors and Delegates, viz, Lancaster, Worcester, Shrewsbury, and Rutland. A church was regularly organized the same day, consisting of fourteen members. All were males. Nine were admitted by letters from other churches, and five upon profession.t
'The leading aims of the first settlers of Holden were now accomplished. They desired, for years,: "to be set off a distinct and separate town ;" that desire was now fully gratified. To have the gospel ministry established in their midst, was the object of their most strenuous riforts and ardent prayers. Those efforts were now crowned with success, and those prayers literally answer- el. The records which have been preserved of that period most clearly indicate great harmony and peace among the citizens of Holden.
We must now begin to trace the influence of commo- tions and wars in the Old World, in their effects upon the Colonies of the New, if a correct picture be exhibit- ed of the most retired settlement in the wilderness.
In 1744 England declared war against France. 'The colonists warmly espoused the cause of their father-land. For a period of more than 25 years, previous to this date, the French had been actively employed in rendering more secure their possessions in North America. To protect their navigation and fisheries, they had built the town of Louisbourg, on the island of Cape Briton in Nova Sco-
* Town Rec., Vol. 1 : p. 9. t Church Rec., Vol. 1 : p. 27. See Note C.
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Vast sums of money had there been expended. Forts had been erected and batteries planted. " This place was deemed so strong and impregnable as to be called the Dunkirk of America." Gov. Shirley of Mas- sachusetts projected a plan for the reduction of this strong hold. The province of Massachusetts was called upon to furnish more than 3,000 men for this enterprise. Every town responded to the summous. We have the strongest circumstantial evidence that Holden furnished its quota of soldiers. Many of the muster rolls of the forees then raised having been destroyed, I am unable to rehearse the names of soldiers drafted from Holden. The enterprize was most successfully executed. The labors and dangers encountered by the colonists of Now England, are well-nigh incredible. When the news of this event reached Europe, " the enterprise, patriotism, and firmness of the colonists were justly extolled.">
In tracing the history of Holden, we are approaching the close of that generation, who may be called-
The FIRST SETTLERS OF HOLDEN.
With the most intense interest must our minds linger around this period of our history. The men of that day had difficulties and trials to overcome such as mect the first settlers in every new country. To clear the forests, ercet houses, make roads, build bridges, main- tain schools, and support the gospel ministry, were of- jects most cheerfully performed by our worthy ancestors. Barely to live was not the whole of life with them ; it was their determination to live as honest men, good neighbors, honorable citizens, and accountable to Cod. From no source of information have ! gathered facts which would lead to the conclusion, that the first settlers of Holden were inferior to that generation of men whose
* Holmes' Annale, HI. , p. 20, 28.
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settlement in New England forms so important an cpoch in history, and whose fame knows no other hmits than the whole civilized world. It is not until 1753 that I discover any public misdemeanor to have been commit- ted by a citizen of Holden,-when two boys were fined £1, 7sh., for breaking glass in the meeting house .*
A large proportion of the families first settling in Hol- den, could trace their ancestry back to the carlier settlers of New England. Many came from Concord, some from Lexington, and others from Watertown, Medfield, and other towns in the eastern part of the Province. Through one of these families, His Excellency, the present Gov- ernor of Massachusetts, traces the line of his ancestors. I refer to the family of Mr. Simon Davis, moderator of the first town meeting. He was also chosen, at the same meeting, chairman of the board of Selectmen, and Grand- juryman. During his life he sustained the most impor- tant offices in the power of his fellow townsmen to be- stow, and died, Feb. 16, 1763, at the advanced age of eighty years.t
"The charge of excessive vanity has, again and again, been cast upon the people of New England, for speaking in terms which betray warm admiration for the charac- ter of their ancestors. Those who would reproach us being the judges, there is acknowledged truth in a quaintly expressed sentiment of an old writer: "The Lord sifted the kingdoms of Europe to obtain good seed wherewith to plant the sterile fields of New Eng- land." (I quote from memory.)
Allusion has already been made to the fact that wars
* Town Records, Vol. 1 : p. 64. "Voted, £1-7s. now in the Treasu- rer's hands, that he received from Isaac Lealand and Joseph Bush for their shooting at the meeting house, be for mending the glass and other breaches in said meeting house ?"
t Town Records and Grave-stone.
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among the nations of Europe affected the welfare of the American Colonies. The war known in history by the name of " French and Indian War," furnishes melan- choly evidence for the truth of this statement. "The military records of those wars," writes Governor Everett, "as far as the province of Massachusetts is concerned are still in existence. The original muster rolls are preserved in the State House at Boston. They prove that the people of Massachusetts, between the years 1755 and 1763 performed an amount of military service, probably never exacted of any other people, liv- ing under a government professing to be free. Not a village in Massachusetts, but sent its sons to lay their bones in the West Indies, in Nova Scotia, and the Cana- dian wilderness. Judge Minot states, that in the year 1757, one third part of the effective men of Massachu- setts were, in some way or other, in the field, and that the taxes imposed on real property in Boston, amounted to two thirds of the income."*
I have examined many of the old muster rolls and other records relating to this war, now safely deposited in our State archives. From those papers I have copied the names of such persons as engaged in the French and Indian war who were drafted from Holden :-- Wil- liam Fisher, Richard Flagg, Samuel Boyd, and Peter Nutten, enlisted into the company of Capt. Benj. Flagg of Worcester, to strengthen the forces stationed at Lake George. Henry Rice, Job Harris, Samuel Estabrook, John Murphey, Jedediah Estabrook, (son of Samuel Es- tabrook,) Samuel Hubbard, jr., Samuel Bigelow, John Woodward, Samuel Thompson, and Ebenezer Fletcher, enlisted into the company of Capt. John Chandler, for the invasion of Canada. In an expedition to Crown Pt.,
* Everett's Orations, p. 500.
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the following persons served under Capt. Fletcher of Rutland, viz., Ebenezer Fletcher, Ist Lieut., Ebenezer Fletcher, jr., 2d Lieut., Sammel Estabrook and son, Job Harris, Samuel Hubbard, and John Murphy, Privates. There can be no doubt, that many other soldiers from Holden engaged in this war, whose names cannot now be given, because until within a few years, no pains were taken to preserve the muster rolls of those early wars.
Our fathers were willing to expose their lives and ex- pend their fortunes for the welfare of the mother coun- try. The American Colonists were as loyal subjects of the Crown of England, as those personally serving in the palace of King George III. The French and Indian war, from this circumstance, has not inappropriately been styled " the school of the Revolution." Washington distinguished himself as a brave commander in this war, and from the English learned the science of mili- tary tactics. During that war, many of his officers and private soldiers became intimately acquainted with the practical duties of the camp and field. From the point of observation which we occupy, it most readily appears how important was that service to prepare those inen for the stations of trust and responsibility, which they were called to occupy at a subsequent period of their lives.
Before proceeding to speak of events in the revolu- tionary war as they affected the progress of affairs in Holden, I shall notice some records preserved among our church and town papers. In 1759, Daniel Henchman, Esq., of Boston, gave to the town, the spot of land oc- cupied for the first burying ground, measuring 12 rods long, and 10 rods broad .* Additions have since been
* The Deed.
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made increasing the area to its present dimensions. The 20th of August, 1761, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer by reason of a severe drought .* During the early history of the town frequent mention is made that public schools were kept at houses of private persons. In 1752, a school was kept 3 months at Mr. Joseph Hub- bard's house : another school, the same year, at Lieut. Cyprian Stevens' house. During the following year, schools were kept in other parts of the town,-3 months at the centre ; 3 months at Jonathan Lovell's house; and 3 months at Lieut. Richard Flagg's house. In 1754, it was voted, in town meeting, that £13-6s .- 8d., be appro- priated for the erection of a school house at the centre of the town. I have not been able to learn that this vote was carried into execution. Tradition reports that the first school house was erected in the east part of the town, in the neighborhood of the Bullard place. The suun annually appropriated for schools gradually in- ercased from year to year. In 1752, the sum of £11-12s. was raised for 6 months schooling ; and in 1762 the sum had increased to 230, including the interest upon the lime lot.t
'The connection of the Rev. Mr. Davis, as pastor of the church in Holden, continued until January, 1773; when he was dismissed at his own request. From a printed sermon of Mr. Davis, I have gathered some sta- tistics relating to the history of this town, worthy of preservation, as they were collected by one so intimately acquainted with the first settlers of Holden. I would remark that Mr. Davis preached this sermon January 2, 1793, fifty years having passed since his introduction to the work of the gospel ministry. " At first," writes Mr. Davis, " your increase was slow ; little alteration for the
Church Records. t Town Records.
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term of five years; but, afterwards, the increase was more ; for, at the end of ten years, your number of fami- lies was fifty-five. For the second ten years, the in- crease in families was small, only ten. The last ten years of my ministry, the increase was fifty one. The whole number at my dismission, about one hundred and six families. There had been 642 births ; about 330 were males, and about 310 were females. There have died 214 persons ; about 80 under the age of two years : and more than half under the age of five. The number baptized by me about 520. At the end of twenty years the church consisted of about 75 members, and when I was dismissed of 86 ; 38 males, 48 females. There was a remarkable sickness about seven years after my settle- ment ; 22 persons died. And about 6 years after, the year after the great Earthquake, a raging distemper car- ried off' about 45 persons in a short time, mostly younger persons and children."*
The great carthquake, to which allusion is made in the above extract, occurred November 15, 1755. The shock was felt in various parts of North America. In Boston, " 100 chimnies were in a manner levelled with the roof of the houses. Many clocks were stopped." In New Haven, Ct., " the ground in many places secmed to rise like waves of the sea. The motion of the earth was undulatory. Its extent was from Chesapeak Bay, southwest, to Halifax, northeast, about 800 miles."+ The effects of this earthquake were most visibly appar- ent in that part of Holden, subsequently set off to form the town of West Boylston. The Rev. John Mellen, at that period pastor of the second church of Lancaster, (now Sterling, ) has given a minute description of the place, as it then appeared. Several acres of land were
* Rev. Mr. Davis's Sermon, p. 20, 21. t Holmes' Annals, II., p. 67.
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sunk, in some places " more than the height of a man." "Trees on each side of the breach were thrown in various directions, " and some sometimes crossing each other over head, at right angles, sometimes thrown up by the roots." The old channel being blocked up, the water flows in an entirely new direction. The stump of a tree that happened to stand directly over the chasm, on the east, is divided into equal parts, one standing on the out- side of the chasm; the other on the inside, but not op- posite to each other. The half within the chasm being carried five feet forward towards the river .* It is a re- markable fact that this earthquake occurred the some month and year with that terrible convulsion of the earth, which sunk a portion of Lisbon, the chief city of Portugal, containing a population of 150,000; one fifth part of whom suddenly perished. Every church and convent fell. Fires broke out, two hours after the shock .. which continued to rage for three days, so that the city was completely desolated.t
The church in Holden remained without a pastor nearly two years after the dismission of the Rev. Mr Davis. December 21st, 1774, Mr. Joseph Avery, having received a call from the church and town, was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry.# His annual salary was established, £66-13s .- 4d., lawful money, ($222 22) ; and the sum of £133-6s .- Sd., L. M., ($441 44) was vo- ted as a settlement donation.
Some prominent events of the Revolutionary war now claim our attention, if we would carefully trace the his- tory of this town, during that most eventful period in our country's history. The first allusion to events which led to that war I find upon the records of the church in
" Massachusetts Historical Collections, Vol. 4, 1st Series, p 231. 1 En- cyclopedia Americana, VIII., p. 10. # See Note D).
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the hand-writing of the pastor. "October 12, 176S, ob- served as a day of fasting and prayer on account of the aspects of Divine Providence in our public affairs."* By consulting Provincial history, the cause is readily appar- ent why a day of fasting and prayer was observed. Oc- tober Ist, numerous companies of British soldiers had been stationed in the city of Boston. "The colonists felt disgusted and injured, but not overawed, by the presence of obtruded soldiery."+ How truly character- istic of the genuine sons of the Puritans, was the con- duct of the good people of this town, on the present oc- casion. "The aspects of Divine Providence" in " pub- lic affairs" betokening civil commotions, our fathers were ready to humble themselves before God. War inight come. How accordant with the dictates of reason and the soundest principles of religion, to look for guid- ance and direction to a wise and benevolent God !
A town meeting of the citizens of Boston was held
* Church Records, Vol. 1 : p. 42.
t " On the day after the arrival, the fleet [ the man-of- war and transports from Halifax] came to anchor near Castlo William. Having taken a station which commanded the town, the troops, ander cover of the cannon of the ships, landed without molestation, and, to the number of 700 men, marel :- ed, with muskets charged, bayonets fixed, martial music, and the usual mil- stary parade, into the common. In the evening, the selectmen of Boston were required to quarter the two regiments in the town ; but they absolute- ly refused. A temporary shelter, however, in Fanueil Hall, was permitted to one regiment, that was withont its camp equipage. * * The lower Aoor of the State House, which had been used by gentlemen and merchants as an exchange, the Representatives' chamber, the Court House, Fanueil Hall-places with which were intimately associated ideas of justice and free- Join, as well as of convenience and utility-were now filled with regular soldiers. * * The common was covered with tenta. Sentinels challeng- ed the inhabitants as they passed. The Lord's day was profaned, and the devotions of the Sanctuary disturbed, by the sound of drums and other mil- itary music."-Holmes' Anna!s, II., p. 153, 9.
HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
November 2, 1772. A large committee-James Otis, chairman-was appointed on the motion of Samuel Ad- ams. This committee was instructed to state the rights of the colonists, and of this Province in particular, as men, as Christians, and as subjects; to communicate and publish the same to the several towns in this Pro- vince and to the World, as the sense of this town, with the infringements and violations thereof that have been. or from time to time may be made; also requesting of rich town a free communication of their sentiments on the subject. "The letter of correspondence to the several towns, closes with these words : " Let us consider, brethren, we are struggling for our best birth rights and inheritance, which being infringed renders all our bless- ings precarious in their enjoyment, and consequently trifling in their value. Let us disappoint the men, who are raising themselves on the ruin of this country. Let i.s convince every invader of our freedom, that we will be as free, as the Constitution our fathers recognized. will justify."* A pamphlet, containing the resolutions of this meeting and the appeal of the committee was printed and extensively circulated through the colonies, but particularly in the towns of the province of Massa- chusetts Bay. The public mind was aroused. The re- solves of the Boston patriots were cordially responded to from the most retired villages in the Province. The eviens of Holden passed fourteen resolutions, making known in the most unequivocal language, their senti- ments. The length of this document, alone, prevents mo from copying it entire, to be read on the present oc- casion. Listen to the Ist, 4th, 9th, and 13th resolutions, as exhibiting the spirit which animated the bosoms of our fathers, in those days which "tried men's souls."
៛ Holmes' Annals, II., p. 178.
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1. " Resolved, That Liberty, both Religious and civil, is a most precious and inestimable gift of the great and glorious Creator of all things, granted to all rational creatures ; neither can any person or persons innocently give or sell it away from himself any more than he can take it from another .*
2. " If any have been so unhappy as to surrender their Liberty, such act of theirs cannot induce any moral obligation of servitude on them personally ; especially if they were enslaved by irresistible power ; surely then it cannot reasonably bind their successors in every fu- ture generation.
3. "That it is to us equally manifest that no one nation. State, or political society, has any right to rule or command another, especially without the consent of the latter.
4. " The people of New England have never given the people of Britain any right of jurisdiction over us, consequently we deem it to be the most unwarrantable usurpation, and view it as an insufferable insult in the British Parliament that they assume a LEGISLATIVE AU- THORITY over the American colonies.
5. " We cheerfully profess the most perfect LOYALTY to the King, as having an essential voice in our charter government.
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