USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 29
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
The beginnings of this church here were marked with much ill feeling, caused by the refusal of the adherents of the new sect to pay the legal tax for the support of the standing order. This in addition to the resentments caused by their withdrawal from the old church, engendered much bitterness. Early in 1800 John Davis, a leading man in the new sect, as well as a prominent citizen, was arrested for non-payment of the ministerial tax and being found guilty and refusing still to pay, was sent to jail. This act aroused great excitement in all circles and the Court, recognizing its tactical error, speedily released him. Not so the members of the old church. A parish meeting was called for May 13, 1800, to consider the action of the Court in discharging Davis from prison. Ezekiel Luce, Benjamin Allen and Cornelius Dunham were chosen a
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committee to inquire into the matter and they reported that Davis should not have been released until he had paid his tax, and the church voted to enter a protest against this action. This occurrence did more than anything else, in all probability, to promote the schism and enlist sympathy for the new de- nomination.1
The annals of this denomination are fragmentary and date from about 1805, when there were probably a dozen residents of this town, who had joined the society previously gathered at Homes Hole, and began holding meetings at the private houses of the members. Many proselytes from the ancient congregation worshipping in the old meeting-house were made, and such was the growth of the new society that in 1820 they arranged with the authorities for the use of that building on alternate Sundays; and the next year they were so flourishing and the old church so feeble and without a pastor, that it was practically given up to Baptist preachers most of the time. The earliest known members were John and Ben- jamin Davis, Hugh and Jonathan Cathcart, John Hancock, Prince Rogers, William Rotch and Belcher Athearn. The first "teacher" was the Rev. Abisha Sampson, who led the new flock for about four years. His success was marked and in that period, 1807-1812, the notices of withdrawal from the old church numbered nearly thirty adults. They included Russell Hancock, Patience Allen, Mary Allen, William Athearn, Solomon Athearn, Elijah Athearn, Matthew Manter, Jeremiah Manter, Samuel Crowell, Matthew Manter, Jr., Jeremiah Crowell, Nathan Clifford, Lot Rogers, Jacob Clifford, William Ferguson, Stephen Clifford, Ephraim Dunham, Jr., Robert Rogers, Henry Athearn, James Luce, Ephraim Harding, John Athearn, James Cleveland, Clifford Dunham, Abigail Dunham, George Manter, Athearn Manter, Melatiah Norton, Edmond Cottle, Shubael Merry and Warren Cleveland.2
FOUR CORNERS BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE.
The first house of worship built by this denomination was located on the road to Middletown near the Scotchman's Bridge road and was completed about 1820-1 for occupancy. It was a branch of the Homes Hole church and so remained
1October 7, 1801 the old church voted to release from further obligations, all Baptists whose ministerial taxes were unpaid, including that of John Davis for 1799 which caused his arrest.
"Tisbury Records, 344-392.
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until May 19, 1832, when by mutual agreement the West Tisbury congregation was recognized as an independent parish. Rev. Mr. Harris of Barnstable preached a dedicatory sermon June 4, 1832 in celebration of this event. The first minister was Jesse Pease (397) of Edgartown who remained until 1828, when he was succeeded by Seth Ewer, both of whom had had charge of the church at Homes Hole. He remained till 1835 when Jesse Pease returned and preached three years. Cyrus Miner followed, 1841-3; Charles C. Lewis, 1844; Cyrus Miner, 1845-7, whose pastorate was the last in this meeting house. It was sold and is now doing duty as a barn on the Whiting estate.
MIDDLETOWN BAPTIST MEETING-HOUSE.
The second house of worship for this sect was built in the village of Middletown in 1847, and has existed to the present time with a fairly complete record of regular services for over half a century. In 1852 the members in the village of West Tisbury seceded to form a new society. The suc- cession of clergymen who have ministered to this church is as follows: -
O. T. Walker, 1847; Bray, 1850; Bartlett Pease, 1851; Dennison, 1852; Stephen A. Thomas, 1853; C. R. Northrup, 1861; William Hurst, 1863; Thomas Atwood, 1865; John Sawyer, 1866; Blake, 1869; H. P. Watrous,
1871; C. R. Nichols, 1876; Goff, 1878; Terry, 1881; Maury, 1883; Willard Packard, 1885; Hat- field, 1889; Vinal, 1891-3.
Since that time services have been irregularly maintained, though temporary supplies have maintained the organization through these periods, notably by Mrs. George Hunt Luce of West Tisbury. Rev. O. W. Kimball is the present pastor.
WEST TISBURY BAPTIST MEETING-HOUSE.
As a result of a church feud the members of this denom- ination living in the old village of West Tisbury seceded from the Middletown society in 1852, and aided by popular sub- scription the meeting-house now standing on the Edgartown road was built. Rev. Jesse Pease was the leading spirit in the enterprise and was its first pastor, remaining five years. The next minister was Bartlett Mayhew and later William
·
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A. Cottle. This society never flourished after the death of Mr. Pease and its existence as a church organization has been a precarious one. The Middletown pastor in later years has supplied both churches at times, but the old church is now practically defunct and the building out of commission.
MILITIA.
The town records are singularly lacking in allusions to military affairs and references to such matters can only be found in scattering documents in other depositaries. It seems that this town combined with Chilmark in maintaining a "Foot Company," and the first reference to it occurs in 1692, when it was under command of Benjamin Skiffe as Captain, Isaac Chase as Lieutenant and John Manter as En- sign.1 Skiffe continued as Captain as late as 1709, and in that year Paine Mayhew of Chilmark was commissioned as Lieutenant of the combined company.2 In 1746 Sergeant Jacob Robinson and Ensign Gershom Cathcart are mentioned, showing continuous organization of the local company. In 1749 Cathcart is called Lieutenant.3 In 1757 the following officers were in command of the town militia, and by that time the military union with Chilmark had terminated : - Gershom Cathcart, Captain; Thomas Look, Joseph Merry, John Luce and Ransford Smith, Sergeants; Thomas Butler and Joseph Cathcart, Drummers. In 1761 there were two companies in the town, as a probable result of the French and Indian Wars of that period, of which the first was under command of Peter Norton as Captain, Benjamin Allen as Ist Lieutenant, Stephen Luce as 2nd Lieutenant, and Josiah Hancock as Ensign. The second company was under com- mand of Thomas Waldron as Lieutenant, and Noah Look as Ensign.4 There were in addition two Indian companies in the town, the first under command of Eliakim Norton as Captain, with Thomas Allen, Lieutenant, and Bernard Case,
1Mass. Arch., CXII, 424. Simon Athearn recommended that James Allen be commissioned as Captain in the place of Skiffe, and Peter Robinson as Lieutenant in the place of Chase, who was the Quaker and "will not take an oath."
2The original commission is in possession of Miss Eunice G. Mayhew of Edgar- town.
3Town Records, 126, 138.
4Mass. Arch., XCIX, 24. Captain Peter Norton was promoted to be Major of the County Regiment in the place of Benjamin Manter, who had been made a general officer in the regiment. Eliakim Norton succeeded Peter Norton in command of the first company.
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Ensign; and the second under command of David Butler as Captain, with Noah Look as Lieutenant and William Foster as Ensign. In 1765, the peace having been established, there was but one company thereafter in the town; and on that date it was commanded by James Athearn as Captain, Noah Look as Lieutenant, and Russell Hancock as Ensign.1 Particulars are wanting for details of military matters until the time of the Revolution, when such interests became merged in the general county organization. It is probable that Nathan Smith, who had seen active service in the previous wars, was a leading spirit in the foot company of Tisbury before the Revolution. The part played by this town in that great national struggle has been related. Since then the martial spirit has not been manifest in the organization of parading companies of citizen soldiery in times of peace. It is doubt- ful if any such existed; but if so, they were short lived and no records remain to tell the tale.
TAVERNS.
Contemporaneous with Isaac Chase at Homes Hole, Robert Cathcart became a taverner in the present village of West Tisbury. In 1701 he was licensed "to keep publike house of Entertainment," and for many years after, probably till his death about 1719, "Kithcarts," as it was called, was one of the well-known hostelries of that day. It was located on the west side of Old Mill river, not far from the store now occupied by S. M. Mayhew & Co. A diary of the visit of the famous Judge Samuel Sewall to the Vineyard in 1702, describes the local taverns he patronized on his journey. After embarking at Wood's Hole, he says: -
Have a good passage over in little more than hours time. Refresh at Chases; from thence rode to Tisbury. First man I speak with is Joseph Daggett: he tells me Kithcart keeps an Ordinary: we go thither, the day- light being almost spent. Mr. Robinson's son helps us and bears company awhile.
In 1722 Samuel Cobb and Samuel Athearn were licensed as inn-holders, the latter probably to fill the void left by the death of Cathcart. Cobb lived on the lot now occupied by the post office, his land extending to the brook. As he married Isaac Chase's daughter, the instinct for tavern keeping came to him by marriage, and it is probable that he continued the
1Mass. Arch., XCIX, 25.
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business through his long life. He died in 1786. Samuel Athearn married the widow of Cathcart and doubtless con- tinued the business at the old tavern made famous by his predecessor. He was called in 1722 a "shopkeeper," and it is probable that her house was a combination residence, inn and general "store."
On the opposite side of the road from the old Cathcart House stands the building known in 1850 as "the Travelers Home," then kept by William Athearn, and in later years called the Tyasquin House.
The situation of West Tisbury has been such that there has been no demand for taverns in its limits, as transient travelers were infrequent visitors to the centre of the island and such as came were guests of private individuals.
The following named persons were licensed Innholders in the town of West Tisbury by the County Court for the years specified : -
Robert Cathcart, 1701-1716; Samuel Cobb, 1722-1767; Samuel Athearn, 1722-1724; Gershom Cathcart, 1737-1772; Wilmot Wass, 1739-1752; Shubael Nickerson, 1749-1752; Shubael Cottle, 1759-1770; Ebenezer Rogers, 1776; James Manter, 1777-1780; Ezekiel Luce, 1780-1784; William Case, 1786-1787; James Cook, 1787; Jabez Luce, 1803.
INDUSTRIES.
The natural topography of the Vineyard does not favor the employment of water-power, because there are no large streams on the island, and the fall of water in the small brooks is not sufficient to develop considerable horse-power. The value of a mill privilege was recognized by every community in the settlement of New England, and Tisbury was the only town on the island able to profit by her natural advantages. Thomas Mayhew, Sr., in a letter to John Winthrop of Conn., Aug. 6, 1651, says, "we here have greate want of a mill and there is one with you that I here is a verry ingenuous man about such work now these are to intreate you if possible you can dispense a while with him that you would be pleased to doe it & wee shall rest much obleidged unto you for it." Whether anything came of this is not recorded, nor is it known what kind of a mill was contemplated, as there is no water-power in Edgartown. It is probable that it resulted in the erection of a mill on the large brook flowing
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OLD MILL ON THE TIASQUIN.
THE VIEW SHOWS THE ANCIENT TYPE OF UNDERSHOT WHEEL.
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through Takemmy, which continued in operation till the power on the Tiasquin was utilized about 1668 by a new and improved structure.
The mills of the early days on the island were all operated by the under-shot wheel, as there was not sufficient fall of water to use the other form. The under-shot wheel was set directly in the running stream or placed close to a sluice leading from the dam. The water was admitted by a gate at the bottom of the dam. The wheel, made of wood securely ironed, had stays projecting from its rim, upon which stout planks, called floats, and also palettes, extended along its length.
MILL INTERESTS - OLD MILL RIVER.
The mill privilege on Old Mill river, the larger and more valuable, seems to have been unused for nearly a century after the "first purchase," as we have no record of a mill on that stream until 1760, except that it was a site "where a mill anciently stood." It is probable that the first mill erected there before the white settlement was a crude affair, and that it had fallen into decay. The erection of a mill on the Tias- quin in 1668 or 1669 seems to warrant such an inference, as there could be no urgent business requiring the capacity of two mills so near together. We are reduced to such specu- lations for want of a definite allusion to the continued existence of a mill on this stream in any records of property transfers covering this ancient site. The location of the mill was on the Josiah Standish home lot, which after several transfers came into the possession, in 1688, of Edward Cottle, and by him was sold in 1700 to his son John. The early death of John in 1705, leaving a widow and three young children, prevented any development of the property and the estate was not divided till 1726, when Sylvanus, the oldest son, attained his majority.
At what time the mill was erected cannot be told, but Sylvanus in a deed dated August 11, 1760, sold to Samuel Cobb his dwelling house, barn "and my Mill with every utensil &c."1 A month later, Manter disposed of his half of this mill to Barnard Case, July 26, 1765,2 and on Sept. 11, 1769, Cobb sold his moiety to Rev. George Daman for £24, who
1Dukes Deeds, IX, 51.
2Deeds, IX, 457.
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thus combined the work of grinding out sermons and corn for the parishioners of his flock. But this association of ma- terial and spiritual garnering of wheat and separation of. the chaff, lasted only a brief time, for the parson sold his interest to Case on Jan. 10, 1770,1 and thereafter, till his death, Barnard Case operated the mill. By his will, he bequeathed it in 1792, to his sons William and James, to he held in equal shares,2 the latter of whom parted with his half Feb. 7, 1797, to Cor- nelius Dunham.3 This share passed from Dunham to Samuel Hancock, May 19, 1802,4 and seven years later, July 12, 1809, to David Look.5 Look had purchased, two years previously, William Case's share, March 18, 1807, and thus became the sole proprietor of the two grist mills on the Old and New Mill rivers.6 But he did not intend to enter into competition with himself as a grist miller by this purchase, for he utilized the power for carding wool by machinery, and further enlarged its usefulness by adding looms for weaving woolen cloth. For a quarter of a century under his ownership, the click of the shuttle and the noise of the treadles and looms responded to the swish of the water in the mill-race. After his death, in 1837, the property was managed by his widow for eight years, when she sold it for $1800 to Thomas Bradley, June 12, 1845, who continued the business of manufacturing woolen cloths.8 On May 27, 1859 Bradley sold this to Henry Cleveland for $3000,9 and on Nov. 3, 1874 it passed into the hands of the late Thomas G. Campbell for a consideration of $1700.10 It is now a part of the Campbell estate and its use as a woolen mill ceased in a few years.
Farther up Old Mill river, where Dr. Daniel Fisher built his grist mill, another power was available and was early ulitized. This property belonged to Simon Athearn originally and descended to sons and grandsons. When a mill was erected
1Dukes Deeds, X, 124.
2Dukes Probate, VIII, 244.
3Dukes Deeds, XIV, 276.
"Ibid., XIV, 350.
$Ibid., XVIII, 50.
1 6Ibid., XV, 265. 7Deeds, XXX, 525.
8Seven hands were employed and the annual production was 7000 yards of Satinet, 9000 yards of Kersey and 6000 pounds of rolls, of the total value of about $10,000 (Census, 1850).
9Deeds, XXXVIII, 558.
10Ibid., LVII, 320.
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there is not known, but the brook shows the remains of an old dam, and the grist mill of Ezra Athearn is mentioned in I792. It had doubtless been in operation many years before that.
TIASQUIN RIVER.
Benjamin Church of Duxbury built the first grist mill in this town about 1668, "which mill standeth uppon the westermost Brook of Takemmy," a speculative venture in common with that of his townsmen, Pabodie and Standish. He sold it Nov. 19, 1669 for £120 to Joseph Merry of Hamp- ton, together with one eighth part of the first "purchase." Merry operated this as a grist mill until March 5, 1675, when he disposed of it to Tristram Coffin, Sr., of Sherbourne, Nan- tucket,1 from whom it passed into the possession of Jethro Coffin of Mendon, his grandson. The last named sold the "corn or grist mill" July 5, 1715, to Thomas Look, who re- sided on the property and had been operating the mill in behalf of the owner.2 Thomas Look, who was then nearing three score and ten, held this mill but three years, when "for love and good will" he transferred it, Aug. 7, 1718, to his son Samuel.3 The son continued the business of grinding the grist that came to his doors for thirty years, when he in turn "for love and affection" sold it to his youngest sons, Noah and Job, Jan. 29. 1748.4 The two brothers followed in the footsteps of their forbears until Nov. 14, 1763, when Job disposed of his moiety to his older brother Elijah.5
The business was then carried on by the new proprietors until May 7, 1777, at which date Elijah purchased Noah's interest6 and thenceforth conducted the mill alone, until his death, Jan. 29, 1800, at which time it passed by inheritance to his sons, Robert and Elijah, Jr.7 On Sept. 4, 1804 Elijah, Jr. sold his interest to his cousin David (the son of Job), and on June 19, 1805 Robert sold his right and title to the same person.8 David Look kept the mill running for over thirty years until his death, April 28, 1837, when his widow
1Deeds, I, 337.
2Ibid., III, 199. 3Ibid., III, 338. "Ibid., VIII, 9.
$Ibid., IX, 477. 6Ibid., X, 444. 7Prob. Rec., IX, 55. 8Deeds, XV, 29, 276.
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succeeded to the business and kept it in operation during a long widowhood and until near the end of her life. She died Jan, 15, 1877, and David N. Look, a grandson of Robert, bought it of her executors. For two centuries its wheel had turned to the flow of the Tiasquin river.
Of this time it had been in the possession of the Look family for one hundred and fifty-six years, which is almost an unprecedented record of continuity of occupation in the succeeding generations of one family. The last proprietor closed its career as a mill soon after coming into possession, removed the building and converted it to other uses.
The second mill built on this water-course before 1850 was set further up the stream and was owned by Matthew Allen. It came into the possession of his son-in-law, Captain George Luce, who rebuilt the property about 1860 and operated it for twenty years or more as a grist mill.
EDUCATIONAL.
One of the first landmarks in the town was a building designated in 1669 as "the school house," situated on the path that now is known as the South road, near the Chilmark line. The time of its erection could not have been much earlier than that date, unless it was one of the places where the Indian youths were taught by the younger Mayhew as a part of the missionary work. No actual reference to a school in the town appears in the records until nearly seventy years after this date, and we are left in doubt as to the existence of a public school during this time. In 1675 Simon Athearn bewailed the lack of "a scool master to teach our children." There were, perhaps, at that date fifty children of school age in the town, and we cannot suppose that the absence of any records on the subject means that educational matters had no part in the life of the people. In 1724 James Smith "late of Tisbury, schoolmaster," is mentioned in the court records in a suit, and from this casual reference we may conclude that the teaching of the youth was then a private business arrangement among the parents whose children needed in- struction. The first action of record taken by the town was in 1737, when a committee was appointed "for Considering & Settling a schoole." This language indicates that no public school system was then in existence. The committee made the following recommendations: --
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"The aforsd schoole to be held & keept in Tisbury near the house of Whitten Manter seven months & a half in a year from the time of its Commencing.
2: To be kept & held att Checemmoo near the Common Road betwixt the Dweling houses of David Butler & John Cottle eleven weeks next Ensuing the aforsd Terme.
The Remaining part to Compleat a year, to be keept at some 3 Convenient place at Homeses hole:1
The town accepted the report and voted "that there should be a schoolehouse built forthwith as Conveniently may be & to stand at the Easterly corner of Whitten Manters field in sd Tisbury which is to be Twenty feet in length & Sixteen feet in breadth six foot & an half between joints which is to be built & finished suitable for such a use having a Chimney to itt."2 Fifty pounds were appropriated for this building and "a schoole master Provided for that End to Teach children & youth to Read & Write &c."
As far as our knowledge goes this was the beginning of the public school system in Tisbury. From this time forward the yearly disposition of the subject of schools became a matter of quite regular record, and this confirms the above conclusion. The large area of the town, sparsely settled, in three separated village districts, turned the question of teaching children into an inevitable annual quarrel about the time and places where the school sessions should be held. It began almost im- mediately after the above plan was inaugurated and the townsmen resorted to the usual committee of outsiders to settle the difficulty. Samuel Bassett, Ebenezer Smith and Tristram Coffin of Chilmark and Edgartown were asked to determine whether the school should be "fixed" or "moving" and to devise plans for either method.3 The latter alter- native was recommended and a moving school, to be held seven months in West Tisbury and five months each year at Lambert's Cove, was agreed upon by the town.4 At this time Samuel Draper, a native of Boston, was employed as school
'Tisbury Records, 101. The house of Whitten Manter was next north of the old cemetery. The school house at Chickemmoo was near the turn of the North Shore road at Lambert's cove.
2Ibid., 103. In 1739 "a house of 14 foot square Conveniently finished for that use," was built at Lambert's cove at a cost of £30, "together with (what) might be gathered by free Contribution."
'Ibid., 107.
"Ibid., 112. No arrangement seems to have been made for the convenience of Homes Hole at this time.
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master and continued in that service about forty years. His salary was 150 Spanish milled dollars at fifty shillings apiece, or in goods.
In 1748 a redistricting of the town was made for school purposes as follows: -
In the first place to be keept at homeses hole two months begining at the first begining of the school & then at the School hous at Chickemmo for three months, and then at the place Called Kiphigan that is all to the northward & North westward of the River or Runs of water from Chil- mark line to Wasksha so on Including Timothy Luces for two months & then at the School house in Tisbury near the meeting house for the space of five months.1
This plan lasted ten years. In 1758 the school-house near the cemetery was removed to the west side of the road "near about opposite to a pair of barrs of John Luces near the Dividing Line between sd John Luces Land & the Land of Mercy Luce or her family." This was on the road leading to Middletown, about half way between the two. villages. Another decade almost passed during which the old plan was followed, until 1765, when a revision of the "moving" school plan was determined upon. In that year the town left the question to "Squire Jeams Athern Mr Maletiah Davis (of Edgartown) and abijah Athern to Purfix a Place Wher It Should Be Cept," for seven months of each year. The spelling and writing in the records just quoted imply the need of considerable schooling, but we are to learn that in 1768 the town abandoned its work in this line and was indicted at the County Court for neglecting to provide school facilities.2 Abijah Coye was the next schoolmaster, following Samuel Draper. He came to Tisbury about 1762, married Judith Luce and was first employed in 1770 "to keep the Town Chool the yeare In Suing." In 1776 and 1777 the teaching was done by Henry Young3 and in 1778 by Ebenezer Skiffe (105), afterwards an attorney-at-law.4 Fifteen years later (1783) the town again fell under the indictment of the grand jury for
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