USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 38
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These weekly entries are usually followed by some note of a death, "remarkable providence," birth, baptism, ad- mission to church membership, state of weather or such kindred items. The first few leaves of the book contain his family record, sons, daughters and grandchildren, with a list of marriages and deaths in the town of Chilmark during his residence. 1
Mrs. Katherine Homes survived her husband several years and died in 1754, aged 82 years. She is buried by his side.
MINISTRY OF ANDREW BOARDMAN.
During the last month of the incapacity of Mr. Homes his pulpit was occupied by temporary supplies, Bellamy Bosworth, Richard Pateshall and Andrew Boardman. The church and town extended a call to the last named to become their pastor, at a salary of £200 old tenor. He accepted in April, 1746, and was ordained in September following. Andrew Boardman was born in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 20, 1720-I, the son of Moses and Abigail (Hastings) Boardman of that town, and was graduated in the class of 1737 from Harvard College. He was unmarried when he came, but a year after he took to himself Catherine Allen (41) of Chilmark, to wife, and thus identified himself with the people among whom he ministered. His pastorate was uneventful as far as we can gather from the records of the town, although he suffered the usual difficulties of his colleagues at that period, from the fluctuations of value in the currencies of the Province, and a final settlement with his heirs was not effected till ten years after his death. He had served the town over thirty years when he was stricken with small pox and died there- from Nov. 19, 1776, in the 57th year of his age. He left a widow and nine children. She married a second husband, in 1780, Shubael Cottle (53), and died in 1802, aged 75 years.
1This diary became the inheritance of his daughter Hannah, who never married, and in her old age she went to live with Deacon James Allen, her nephew. She died in 1790, aged 94 years. Zebulon Allen, son of James, carried the diary to Maine in 1818 and dying in 1837, it was presented to the Historical Society by his heirs. It should be placed in some suitable depositary on the Vineyard, as it relates wholly to Island matters for a period exceeding half a century.
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Annals of Chilmark
MINISTRY OF TIMOTHY FULLER.
The successor to the deceased minister was not found for several years. Rev. Timothy Fuller began to preach in March, 1778, and under a temporary arrangement continued to fill the pulpit for over three years, but notwithstanding several committees were chosen to "treat" with him, nothing was accomplished. It was a time of unrest, socially and finan- cially, and doubtless the town was unable to meet his require- ments and settle the unpaid salary of their late minister.1 Timothy Fuller' was born May 30, 1739, the son of Jacob Fuller of Middleton, Mass., and was graduated in the class of 1760 from Harvard College. Before preaching here he was settled in Princeton, Mass., 1760-1776, and came here as a married man with a family. He left Chilmark about 1782 and finally settled in Merrimac, N. H., where he died in 1805, aged 69 years. After his departure the church and town extended a call, in 1783, to Rev. Asa Piper, but he did not accept.2
THIRD MEETING-HOUSE.
The meeting-house built in 1724 was now about sixty years old, undoubtedly out of repair, and owing to the growth of the town, somewhat inconveniently located. In April, 1782, it was voted to remove the old building to a place which would better accommodate the people, and a committee of nine were selected to accomplish this delicate task.3 It is evident that they failed, for in March, 1783, the town selected Stephen Luce and Ezra Athearn of Tisbury and Malatiah Davis of Edgartown "to view the town and Pick upon some convenient spot or place to set the meeting house upon."4 This com- mittee promptly reported a site, but when the town voted on the report. "it went in the negative."" For a year and a half the matter rested, until on Sept. 21, 1784, the town voted to move the meeting-house "to a knole in Prince Look's land," and appointed a committee to buy the necessary land.6 Again nothing was done for another year, when in November,
1In 1781 the town appointed a committee to "set Price on the Pork & Corn that was paid the Rev. Timothy Fuller Last year."
2Town Records, I, 199.
3Ibid., I, 188.
"Ibid., I, 192.
5Ibid., I, 192. "Ibid., I, 197.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
1785, the town voted to build a new meeting-house "on Abels hill near Abel Abels house where the commity here to fore Pointed out as the most convenient spot."1 The usual com- mittees were appointed to carry out this design, but in the next month another town meeting upset this arrangement and voted that "the meeting house be Repared as it now stands."2 This comedy of cross purposes, which had been enacted for nearly four years, was continued for a while longer. In January, 1786, a committee was chosen to find the center of the town, and they reported that it was "forty Rods east from a stile in William Stewarts fence in the division between his two east Plases and 20 Rods southly."3 The townsmen then
voted to "remove the old meeting house to the hill near Abels here to fore chosen and Rebuild the same;" to purchase "half one acre of land of William Stewart about twelve Rods North from the Gate near Abel Abels" and selected a committee "to Draw a Plan of the new meeting house and a Plan how to Proceed in building the same." The committee advised the expenditure of £300 in tearing down the old structure and utilizing the available material in rebuilding on the new site. This was the final settlement of the question of a site, which was on the cross road that leads from the old Warren Tilton house on the South road to the Middle road, on a hill near the latter highway. The work of construction was similarly juggled at various town meetings during the building operation, and it is impossible to tell anything positive about its dimensions or architecture. A traveler in 1807 says of it: "Chilmark meeting house is without spire and in all respects humble in exterior appearance."4 It had a porch entrance carrying stairs to the gallery, and interiorly the gallery extended on three sides. The congregation, in high back box pews, received the solemn warnings of the preachers perched in a lofty pulpit, surmounted by a great sounding board. It was austere in appearance both inside and outside.
MINISTRY OF JONATHAN SMITH.
During the four or five years of wrangling about rebuild- ing the meeting-house the town was without any regular ministrations. The old building was in a discreditable con-
'Town Records, I, 205.
2Ibid.
3Ibid., I, 206.
4Kendall, Travels, II, 184.
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Annals of Chilmark
dition. In 1785 the town voted "to Board up the windows .and other Parts of the House that is necessary," and we may conclude that the cause of religion was at low ebb. In 1787 the town finally secured a candidate for the vacant pulpit in the person of Jonathan Smith. He was a native of Hadley, Mass., born Jan. 28, 1748, and was graduated in the class of 1768 from Harvard College. It is presumed that he was a bachelor of about forty when he came here, as he married two years later, in 1789, Anna Williams of Sand- wich, Mass. In August, 1787, the church extended a call to him to become the pastor, and the town at once concurred, offering him frIo as an annual stipend. He accepted under date of Dec. Ist following, and the town voted at once "to support and strengthen the Gallerys for the ordination" and
to reserve the "two front gallerys and the womens four long Gallerys for the Singers" at the ordination services."1 Com- mittees were appointed to entertain "the councell" and the long religious drouth was to be broken in a series of ecclesi- astical festivities, with a new minister in a new meeting house.
Rev. Jonathan Smith was ordained to the pastoral care of the church of Christ in Chilmark, on the twenty-third day of January, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.
The following named persons belonged to the church at the time of the ordination : --- 2
Mr. Zachariah Mayhew & Elizabeth his wife Mercy, wife to Seth Mayhew Matthew Mayhew Esq. Hannah, wife to Elijah Smith Dea. James Allen & Martha his wife Mary, wife to John Allen, Esq. John Bassett & Jane his wife John Cottle & Zerviah his wife John Mayhew Zerviah, wife to Ezra Hilman Ruth, wife to Timothy Mayhew Elizabeth, wife to Josiah Tilton Widow Rebecca Norton
Jeremiah Mayhew & Fear his wife Robert Allen & Desire his wife
William Steward & Deborah his wife Nathan Mayhew & Abigail his wife Hannah Homes Widow Anna Allen
Widow Deborah Allen
Widow Remember Skiff Widow Mary Tilton
Widow Elizabeth Butler
Widow Peggy Mayhew Mehitable Mayhew Mary Hunt Margaret Allen
Hannah Wyer Catherine Boardman Eleanor Mayhew
1His acceptance is spread upon the town records (I, 218). In it he says: "As my Residence with you will separate me at a great Distance from many of my ac- quaintance you will cheerfully from time to time indulge sufficient opportunity to visit my friends & near connections."
2Chilmark Church Records. The entry above quoted begun the present oldest book of records of the Congregational church.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
Widow Mary Tilton Zilphah, wife to Joseph Tilton Beulah, wife to Samuel Tilton Abigail, wife to Reuben Tilton
Rebecca, wife to Stephen Tilton
Jerusha Mayhew Bethia Mayhew Ruhamah Tilton Widow Thankful Pitts
The pastorate begun so auspiciously, became the longest in the history of the church. He survived the widespread controversy over the ministerial taxes, which caused so much trouble in other towns,1 and passed safely through the early opposition of the newly imported religions, the Methodist and Baptist. For forty years he remained as the beloved pastor of this flock, until Sept. 4, 1827, when fourscore years of age, he "was dismissed by his desire on account of ill health." His wife had died in 1807, and lies buried in the old cemetery, and after his work was ended here, he returned to his native place in 1827 to spend the few declining days left to him. He died April 14, 1829, aged 81 years.
FOURTH MEETING-HOUSE.
With the advent of a new pastor in 1841 the usual zeal to build a new house of worship, or repair the old, overtook the members of this parish. The existing building was about fifty- four years old, had suffered much from disuse and lack of care, and it was considered wiser to erect a new meeting-house rather than patch the old timbers. Accordingly a new build- ing was erected about twenty rods to the southward of the old house, and was completed early in 1842 and dedicated Feb- ruary 2nd that year with appropriate ceremonies. The old structure was torn down, the lumber parcelled out in lots and sold at public auction. This was the last meeting-house erected by this denomination, and served the gradually de- creasing remnant of its former numerical strength until about 1875 when it was torn down, and the last relic of the historic church of Chilmark went down into oblivion.
SUCCESSION OF PASTORS.
The loss or destruction of the records of this church has rendered an accurate and complete account of it a matter of difficulty, and much that might be definitely stated can only
1In 1801 the town chose an agent to represent it at the Court of Sessions, "with regard to Benjamin Bassett Esquires Ministerial tax" (I, 256). In 1805 this tax for 1801 and 1802 was remitted to him (I, 308).
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Annals of Chilmark
be given approximately now.' The church organization was officially known as the Congregational Union Society and was in affiliation with that religious body which had a general or parent association in New England.2 This general association has no records of the Chilmark church in its published reports until 1837, when it is marked "Vacant." It may be fair to conclude that it had remained so since the death of Rev. Jonathan Smith. It was without a pastor until 1841, when Rev. Luke A. Spofford was employed as "stated supply." In the year following, on Feb. 2, 1842, he was regularly in- stalled as pastor. The installation sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Hooker of Falmouth; the charge was given by Rev. Ebenezer Chase of West Tisbury, and the right hand of fellow- ship by Rev. Allen Gannett of Edgartown.3 Mr. Spofford remained five years (1841-1845) and from his departure until 1850 the pulpit was vacant, except for temporary services held as clergymen could be obtained.4 Silas S. Hyde was "stated supply" in 1846, and in 1850-1 Elijah Demond held the same status. Nathaniel Cobb, an eccentric individual, preached here regularly in 1852 and 1853 and occasionally in the next year. Thomas W. Duncan followed as "stated supply" in 1856-9, and after his departure the pulpit was vacant for the next ten years (1860-9). Elijah Demond returned as acting pastor for two years following (1870-1) when it again became vacant. William H. Sturtevant was acting pastor 1875-6-7; the last of the clergymen who had official connection with this religious society.
The Congregational church died a natural death about this date - perhaps it was really defunct before the official records indicate. The old building was difficult of access and the younger element were attracted to the newer religious doctrines taught by the Methodists. In its latter days the attendance on the Sunday services was principally of the aged, and when they died there was none left to sustain a regular ministry.
1 The late William Norton of Menemsha was the last clerk and custodian of the Church records. After his death no further trace of the books can be found and from all circumstances it is believed they were destroyed.
2 Tisbury Town Records, 367-8, 373. A number of residents of Tisbury were members of this Society in 1815.
3 Autobiography of John Adams, 404.
4Rev. Richard Cecil Spofford, his son, died in this town May 25, 1843, of consumption and is buried at Abel's Hill. A daughter also died in the following July and these sad events doubtless caused his departure from the town.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION.
The act incorporating the First Baptist Society of Tis- bury in 1803 specifies a number of the incorporators as resi- dents of Chilmark, and it is possible to enumerate from the list those persons who belonged in this town. From it the following names are taken: Ezra Allen, Joseph Allen, Lot Cottle, Theophilus Mayhew, Jonathan Tilton. There may have been others who identified themselves with the Tisbury church in later years, but there are no records to throw light on the matter. It is not believed that any independent organ- ization was ever formed in this town.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
The first itinerant preacher of this sect to penetrate the Vineyard as far as Chilmark, was the Rev. Joshua Hall, in 1797-8, when he was stationed at Homes Hole, to which this town was connected under the existing system of supervision. He organized a small "class" at that time, but ten years later (1807) there were reported to be only four Methodists in the town.1 In 1810 the "class" was revived, being reinforced by Shadrach Robinson, who had removed hither from Naushon and whose house became a home for the preachers and a place for their meetings. Another of the early and prominent Methodists in this town was Captain Francis Tilton (296), and after his sudden death, following a return from a long voyage in 1828, his widow continued to receive in her house the faithful of this small flock for "class" and prayer meet- ings.2 In 1827 the old Methodist meeting-house in Edgar- town was purchased, moved up here in sections and recon- structed on a site on the Middle road, opposite to the present meeting-house. The growth of the congregation was now steady and increasing, until in 1833 it was separated from the parent organization at Homes Hole and set out upon an independent career. Philip Crandon was the first preacher assigned to the new station, and following him in order came James Bicknell, 1835; Elijah Willard, 1836; Joseph Brown, 1837; (none in 1838); Otis Wilder, 1839; Thomas D. Blake, I840; Charles D. Cushman, 1841; Ebenezer Ewins, 1842; and in 1843, William Nanscoin.
12 Mass. Hist. Coll., III, 63.
2During all these years the preachers of this sect on duty at Homes Hole or Edgar- town came regularly to Chilmark as a part of their missionary work.
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Annals of Chilmark
During the ministry of the last named a new house of worship was finished, the one in present use, and in January 1843 it was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. It cost about $2,000, and had a seating capacity for 300 persons. The succession of ministers since that time has been as follows: George W. Wooding, 1844; Nahum Taintor, 1845-6; O. P. Farrington, 1847; Henry Mayo, 1848; Lewis Bates, 1849;
שנות נת ופנטו ( מריטוטו חזור עם\חום-דונם רום) מחונן הוא יוסיף
2
Piston
CHILMARK METHODIST CHURCH.
Thomas Slater, 1850-1; Robert C. Gonegal, 1852-3; John Tasker, 1854-5; William Sheldon, 1856; John F. Fogg, 1857; Franklin Sears, 1858-9; James H. Cooley, 1860; George D. Boynton, 1861-2; Abel Alton, 1863-5; Josiah C. Allen, 1866-8; Seth B. Chase, 1869-70; D. J. Griffin, 1871-3; B. K. Bos- worth, 1874; E. S. Fletcher, 1875-7; H. S. Smith, 1878-80; Isaac C. Sherman, 1881-3; John N. Patterson, 1884-6; Win-
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History of Martha's Vineyard
field Hall, 1887-8; C. T. Hatch, 1889-91; C. S. Thurber, 1892-4; B. K. Bosworth, 1895; J. S. Bell, 1896-8; C. W. Ruoff, 1899-1901; B. F. Raynor, 1902-4, and A. Stanley Muirhead, 1905-7.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.
The earliest references in the records of the Vine- yard in connection with this section are to a "school house." The allusions to this "school house" are not yet clear, unless we assume a native mission school taught by one of the young sons of the deceased Thomas Mayhew, Junior, either Matthew or Thomas, or possibly John, for it will be remembered that Matthew was brought up to teach the Indians, and was given an education for that purpose. There was an Indian meeting "about eight miles off my house," wrote the Junior Mayhew in 1651, and this distance would bring us to the present village of West Tisbury, and the writer announced his intention of setting up a school for the natives during that winter. It is probable that such an one was established somewhere to the westward of the Tiasquan river on the South road, not far from the dividing line between the two towns, before he died, but whether it was in Tisbury or Chilmark is not understood from the scant description.
There are no references to a school in this town prior to 1729, at which time the town voted that sessions be held in the spring "att the place where it now is," and further provision was made for the several sections of the town as follows: -
July and August & September near Willm Hunts provided the people westward of the fulling mill River provide a Suitable house there for that purpose: and att Kephickon October and November (if) the people in that part of the town provide a house as aforesd.1
The sum of £50 was appropriated to carry into effect this vote of the town. The peculiar territorial situation of Chil- mark, with its scattered segments, Elizabeth Islands, Chick- emmoo and Nomans Land, rendered the administration of school affairs not only difficult, but expensive. The several sections demanded facilities equivalent to those arranged for the central settlement, and as a result there was constant
1Town Records, 48; Feb. 14, 1728-9.
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Annals of Chilmark
bickering in town meetings whether there should be a "fixed" or a "moving" school from year to year.1 In 1731 the towns- men could not settle this question among themselves and called in outside advisors. Samuel Cobb, Jabez Athearn and Abner West of Tisbury were requested to act as referees on this disputed problem. They rendered the following decision : -
We the Subscribers as a Comittee within Spesifyed being mett to- gather and haveing heard the Lauvall Information of the within mentioned agents as also Considered the particulars of the within note & upon the whole Determin that the within mentioned School be kept for the Space of ten months in Each of the two years at the foot of the bureing hill be- tween the bureing hill and the meeting house in Chilmark & the Space of two months (in) october and november at the house of David Butler at Cheekommo in sd Chilmark and that the Cost and Charge for School Rooms be Defrayed by the whole town.2
As a result of this report the town voted that Pain Mayhew Do procure a Suteable house for the use of sd town and att their Charge for the keeping the towns Scool in the Same to be twenty feet Long Sixteen wide and Six in the upright and to Chose the Same to be Sett att the place ordered by the Com'tee appointed for that end to sit near the meeting house in sd town and to be finished as the sd mayhew Shall think best and most Convenant for that use.3
The location of what is probably the first town school- house built for the purpose, is sufficiently clear to \ all residents and does not need further explanation. The sum of £50 was voted, later in the year, "to pay the present school master for his service," but it is not known who he was. It is probable that it was Francis Bryan, who occupied that position the two following years, and whose services were the cause of litigation. In 1732 Zephaniah Mayhew, one of the selectmen, entered complaint against Bryan before the court because he refused "to teach Sundry children belonging to sd Town & perticularly a ser- vant Girl of the Plaintiffs."4 The next year John Allen sued
1Recently a suit was tried involving this same trouble, a lack of school privileges at Nomans Land. A resident of that island sued to compel the town to provide school facilities at that place, and being defeated appealed to the Supreme Court. The final decision (1908) was against the contention of the plaintiff.
2Chilmark Records, May 18, 1731.
3Ibid., June 22, 1731. Mayhew was also ordered to make arrangements with David Butler for school rooms in the Chickemmoo district, "until the school house can be built."
"Athearn Mss., Congressional Library.
6r
History of Martha's Vineyard
Bryan for punishing his son, William Allen, "with a Large Cane or Walking Staff." The schoolmaster won the case, but the experiences were such that he decided to labor in other fields, and as a result the town was "presented" in Court. in 1737, by the Grand Jury for "not haveing a skole Master."1 Not only did it have no schoolmaster, but no school-house, for Pain Mayhew had evidently neglected to carry out the wishes of the town as above expressed, for in 1733 the follow- ing vote was passed :-
voted that there be a Small house bult att the Charg of & for the use of sd town to be Sett near the meeting house the sd house to be 17 feet Long 14 wide & Six in the upright to be Covered Either with Clabord or Shingles on the wall the wall to be plastered with Lime and the Chimney to be brick and that Willm and Josiah tilton be the towns agents to procure the Same to be Done as Soon as may be.2
In 1742 this diminutive building needed some repairs, but the motion to accomplish it "past in the negitive" at one meeting, and at an adjournment the following vote was recorded on the subject: -
voted that the voate past att a meeting in July Last respecting the School be reconsidered and after a considerable Silance it was proposed to re- consider the Last vote and voted accordingly and then that the vote past in July as above be reconsidered So far as the time remaned of the three years as Should be remaining after the time expired that the School master was hired for and then brake up the meeting.3 1
Spelling and confusion of expression like that might break up any meeting, and the reader is left to decide what the town really decided to do in the premises. In 1743 the town voted "the school house be removed and set near the tan fats by the house of Noah Abel,"‘ and in a burst of fortitude further decreed that it should be kept there "for the space of ten years next coming." Meanwhile the Chickemmoo
1Athearn Mss. The Grand Jury, in view of its own spelling, might have been indicted for the same offence.
2Town Records, Jan. 26, 1733. This reduced the dimensions by several feet each way, and "Six feet in the upright" indicates the need of a short teacher. It was finished in December following.
3Town Records, Nov. 1, 1742.
4Several references to this locality require that its exact situation be indicated. There is a place still known as the "Tan Yard," on the easterly side of the brook which flows across the Middle road, a little to the eastward of the house of the late Capt. Horatio W. Tilton, and thence down past the house formerly occupied by Beriah T. Hillman, Esq., finally discharging into the cove. This brook has its source in the "Peaked Hill Place" in swampy ground, and the "tan fats" or yard was near the source of this brook.
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