USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877 > Part 25
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No one of these was regularly settled as pastor of the church, and there was no church to be settled over while these pioneer preachers were laboring with our fathers. Under the rigid views then prevailing the privileges of church ordinances
narily supplicated, both publiq'ly, privately and secretly, divine guidance and conduct, and do therefore resolve and determine, (with submission to divine sovraignty and in entire dependence upon divine sufficiency for assistance and acceptance).
" Notwithstanding my deep unworthiness, of my great unfitness for, my too much back- wardness unto, and my great discouragements in the work of the ministry, not only in respect of ye great duty and difficulty of ye work in itself considered, but especially in y8 place in respect of those lamentable animosityes and divisions which have been in y& place, which both occasioned your unsettlement untill now wch ye Lord for his own name sake pardon, and prevent for ve future.
" I say notwithstanding ys, yet I resolve, and determine to give myself up to ys work in ye ministry among yourselves (believing God calls me thercunto) on ys Conditions - " I. So long you continue one amongst yourselves, and for me, all due means being used or tendred for hcaring in case of difference.
" 2. So long as I may enjoy ye liberty of my judgment, according to Scripture rules. " 3. So long as you shall subject yourselves and yours to ye Ordinances and officers of ye Chh. "4. So long as I may follow my studdys without distraction : and provide for myself and family according to ye rules of God's word, so long as you shall give me scripture encouragements, &c.
" I shall endeavor to give myself up unto ye work of ye Lord, unto which God and yourselves are calling me, begging your prayers for me that I may come unto you in ye fulness of ye blessings of ye Gospell of peace, and yt all yt ministeriall assisting grace may be from time to time granted to me, whereby I may be helped thro my whole minis- teriall work unto God's glory, to ye conversion, cdification and eternal salvation of your soules, and unto my own peace, comfort and tranquility, and ye best good of my family w ' the Lord grant for his own name's sake, supplying all our needs according to ye riches of his glory by Christ unto whome be honour and glory in ye Chh. forever more. Amen."
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were governed by the strictest rules, and our fathers and mothers must have enjoyed these privileges in connection with the church in Dorchester before the settlement of Mr. Thacher.
MR. THACHER'S FAMILY.
Nov. 21, 1677, Mr. Thacher married Theodora, daughter of Rev. John Oxenbridge; she died in Milton, Nov. 18, 1697, aged 38.
He married again, 1699, Susannah Bailey, widow of Rev. John Bailey, first church in Boston. She died in 1724, aged 59.
He married a third time, three months before his death, Elizabeth, widow of Joshua Gee, of Boston, a ship-builder; she was daughter of Judah Thacher, of Yarmouth, his second cousin.
He had the following children: Theodora ; Bathsheba, died in Barnstable; Oxenbridge, born May 17, 1681, died Oct. 29, 1772; Elizabeth, born March 6, 1683, died 1716; Mary, born March 15, 1685; Peter, born Oct. 1, 1688, died April 22, 1744; John; Thomas, born April 6, 1693, died Dec. 19, 1721; John second, son of Peter and Susannah, born March 23, 1701.
Theodora married Lieut. Jonathan Gulliver, of Milton. Eliza- beth married Rev. S. Niles, of Braintree. She was buried in Braintree, and her grave is marked by a headstone still legible. Oxenbridge graduated at Harvard College, 1698; for several years he was selectman of Boston and representative to the General Court. He studied for the ministry, and for a time preached to the Indians at Ponkapog, but finally relinquished that profession and engaged in trade at Boston, where he lived for twenty-five years. After his father's death he returned to Milton, took possession of the home of his childhood, on Thacher's Plain, and lived there for the remainder of his life, honored and respected by his fellow-citizens, passing to his rest, Oct. 29, 1772, at the advanced age of ninety-one years five months and twelve days.
Peter Thacher, Jr., graduated at Harvard College in 1706. He married Mary, daughter of Rev. Thomas Prince, of the Old South Church, Boston ; was ordained as pastor of the church in Middleborough, Nov. 2, 1709, and continued in that position for thirty-five years, until his death, April 22, 1744. A sketch of his life was published by Rev. Thomas Prince, his father-in- law.
Thomas was connected in business with his brother Oxen- bridge, in Boston, as brazier. In his will, proved Nov. 26, 1722, he says : -
My loving brother Oxenbridge and sister Gulliver I think. have a suffi- ciency to carry them through. I have spent my time and strength in my brother's service.
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MR. THACHER'S NUMEROUS DUTIES.
Rev. Peter Thacher, of Milton, was one of the leading divines of his time. He acquired a knowledge of the Indian language, and was appointed to preach to the Indians at Ponkapog once a month. At the same time, as the beloved physician, he at- tended them in sickness.
His advice was sought not only in matters pertaining to the churches of the colony, but also by the magistrates in the gen- eral affairs of the government. It will be seen from his journal that he was frequently summoned to Boston to advise with the clergymen and magistrates on questions of importance. Gradu- ating at Harvard, he became tutor there for a time, and also a fellow of the college.
Cotton Mather says, in that funeral sermon, of which the following is the wonderful title : -
The Comfortable Chambers open and visited upon the departure of that aged and faithful servant of God, Mr. Peter Thacher, the-never-to-be-for- gotten Pastor of Milton, who made his flight thither Dec. 17, 1727.
He was thought worthy to be a Fellow of Harvard College, and an owner of the learning wherein we were instructed there. But what I re- member with a most abiding impression is, that besides his methods to recommend unto his pupils that early piety, whereof he had been himself a notable pattern, we admired his prayers in the College-Hall for the fluent, copious, expressive beauties of them, and the heavenly entries we per- ceived in them.
His presence was in great demand in councils for ordina- tions by the churches, far and near.
A charge, in his own handwriting, lies before me ; it is of great length, and only a portion of it is here introduced, as showing the spirit and character of the man. It is copied from the origi- nal manuscript, which bears upon it endorsements, by his own hand, of having been delivered at ordinations and installations in twelve separate churches, as follows: -
The charge we I gave M' Nathaniel Pitcher, Sept. 14, 1707. M' Dan- forth preached and M' Morton gave ye right hand of fellowship. M' Pitcher was ordained Pastor of ye North Chh in Scituate.
M' Norton, M' Danforth, M' Little, M' Eels, and myself laid on hands. The charge wº I gave M' Peter Thacher, ordained at Waymouth, Nov. 26, 1707. M Whitman, M' Danforth, and I laid on hands. M' Hubart ordered ye votes. M' Fisk gave ye right hand of fellowship. [Son of Thomas, of Boston, and nephew of Peter, of Milton.]
Son, P. T., ordained at Middleburrough, Nov. 2, 1709. M' Keith, M' Thaeher, and myself laid on hands. I gave ye charge. M' Keith gave ye right hand of fellowship.
Son Niles, ordained at South Braintree, May 23, 1711. I gave him his
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charge. M' John Danforth, M' Joseph Belcher, M' Peter Thacher of Waymouth, and myself laid on hands. Ye Rev. Mr J. Danforth, gave ye right hand of fellowship.
Mr. Fisk ordained at Killingley, Oct. 1, 1715. I gave ye. charge.
The charge given to ye Rev. M' Nathaniel Clap at Newport on Rode- Island, and a Chh was gathered ye same time Nov. 3, 1720. M' Benjamin Wadsworth prayed, M' Clapp preached, Mr Samuel Danforth prayed after sermon, M' Belcher ordered ye votes. I gave ye charge. M' John Dan- forth gave ye right hand of fellowship, we all laid on hands.
Nov. 9, 1720. M' John Mackinzine was ordained at Sutton. I gave ye charge, M' Swift ordered ye votes. M' Baxter gave ye right of fellow- ship. M' Dwite, M' Baxter, M' Swift and I laid on hands.
For the settlement of M' Peter Thacher over ye new North Chh, Jan. 27, 1719, some made such a tumult that it could not be.
M' Thomas Paine ordained at Waymouth Augst 19, 1719. I gave ye charge. M' Whitman gave ye right hand of fellowship. M' Danforth ordered ye votes - we three laid on hands.
Feb. 22. 1726. M' Jonathan Mills was ordained at Bellingham. I gave ye charge, M' Swift gave ye right hand of fellowship.
Nov. 2, 1726. M' John Hancock was ordained at Braintree, North Pre- cinct, his father preached. I gave ye charge and ordered ye votes. Mr Danforth gave ye. right hand of fellowship.
Nov. 15, 1727. M' Samuel Dunbar was ordained at Stoughton. I gave ye charge, and Mr Gee gave ye right hand of fellowship. M Gee, M' Dexter and myself laid hands.
INSTALLATION OF REV. PETER THACHER, NEW NORTH CHURCH.
That portion of the charge for the installation of Peter Thacher, New North Church, Boston, is as follows : -
Whereas, you upon whome we now impose hands have been solemnly ordained a minister of ye gospel, and a pastor of a Chh from wº you have been dismissed, nemine contradicenti, and are called unto the office of a Pastor in this particular Chh and have accepted that call, we are not to re- ordaine you - yet to fix you in this Chh as a Pastor.
We do therefore, according to ve Institution of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his name, charge you before God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing, that you take the oversight of this flock committed to you by the Holy Ghost.
That you preach the word in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
That you administer the holy sacrament of the covenant of grace, baptism, and ye Lord's Supper to the proper subjects thereof. That you exercise holy discipline according to the Divine rulc.
In a word we awfully charge you to look well to yourself, and to ye whole flock, over which ye Holy Ghost hath made you an overseer, as one that must give account of all their souls unto the great Shepherd of the sheep, at ye day of his appearing.
This charge, and also a sermon for a Fast delivered in Milton, Feb. 20, 1706, are in the handwriting of Mr. Thacher. Text,
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Ps. 102: 16. The original manuscripts are at the Congrega- tional Library, Beacon street, Boston.
At the same library may be found a manuscript sermon, in the handwriting of Rev. Peter Thacher, of Middleboro', son of Peter, of Milton, preached at Public Fast, Middleboro', April 23, 1741. Text, Job 36 : 21. Also a sermon delivered in Roxbury, 1st Precinct, June 15, 1749, and North Church, Boston, July 2, 1749, which, with scarcely a doubt, is in the handwriting of Rev. Peter Thacher, son of Thomas, of Boston. Text, Lev. 26: 18-20.
CONVEYANCE OF LAND.
Soon after the ordination the town voted to convey to Mr. Thacher twenty acres of the ministerial land. This was laid out Nov. 4, 1681.
Nov. 4. Father Gulliver, Quartermaster Swift, Mr. Holman and I laid out my twenty acres of land : it runs up to the highway by Ezra Clapp's land, that side is forty rods wide, and three score rods on the other side, butted with the river on the one end and with the highway on the other end.
In the Records of the Town, page 77, it is thus described :
Lying next to the land of Ezra Clapp, being bounded on the north by the brook and so running on the east by the land of Ezra Clapp about 100 rods till it came to the highway leading to the town; the breadth of the land from the wall being about forty rods ; and onthe west side in length being seventy rods till it comes to the point to the highway.
In addition to this grant of the town, Mr. Thacher purchased of Sargeant Thomas Vose, Jan. 4, 1682, a tract of land, with a house and barn standing upon the same, containing twenty- three acres.
This was bounded southerly by the brook, and extended along Thacher street, towards Mattapan.
Jan. 4. 1682. Sargeant Vose came to see me, and we went to see his house and barn and land ; so we made a bargain ; he was to let me have 23 acres of land upon the brook, to the end of the little meadow, and so upon a square to Brother Ezra Clapp's land, and the house and barn, and to secure me a way to it, and I was to give him £100, in money, to be paid in three years time, pay 6 in the hundred till it is paid.
NEW HOUSE.
Notwithstanding the possession of this house, purchased of Sargeant Vose, Mr. Thacher continued to live in the ministerial house till he had built a new one for himself.
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July 11, 1684. There was a Church-meeting at my house ; I put them in mind of the promise to help me build, so they determined to speak with the Town about it.
Nov. 19. I went to Brush Hill, and Deacon Allen was there, with whom I discoursed about the dimensions of my house, and he gave me his advice.
Dec. 2, 1684. The Church met at my house about their promise to help me build, and after much discourse, they subscribed £6.5, in money, £4.15, country pay, and £5. in work.
The house bought of Sargeant Vose may have been old and not suitable for occupancy, or not adapted to the position and family of the noted pastor ; probably it was taken down, and the new house built on its site.
There is abundant evidence to make it sure that the new house stood on the land purchased of Thomas Vose.
REMOVAL TO HIS NEW HOUSE.
On the 11th of November, 1689, Mr. Thacher removed from the ministerial house, of which he took possession Sept. 11, 1680, into his own house, where he continued to reside during life.
Nov. 11, 1689. Myself, wife, children and family removed from Milton ministerial house to our own house, and God made me very earnest in prayer, that the guilt and filth of our old sins might not follow us to that new habitation, but that God would pardon what we had done amiss, and keep our house with us, and dwell in our habitation.
His family at this time consisted of his wife, Theodora; his children, Theodora, Oxenbridge, Elizabeth, and Peter (Bath- sheba died and was buried in Barnstable; Mary was still-born) ; also Lydia Chapin, a friend and helper, who long had been in the family, and three slaves, Ephraim, Obed, and Peg.
This house in which he passed thirty-eight years of his event- ful life was situated on the north-west side of Pine Tree Brook, but a few rods from the brook, and about twenty rods west of Thacher street.
THACHER'S DAY.
In the year 1806 the late Hon. James M. Robbins, of Milton, then a school-boy at Milton Academy, boarded at the house of Col. Elijah Vose, who lived on Gun Hill road, near the house of Mr. Nathan Crossman, Jr. ; in the same family Rev. Samuel Gile was entertained while preaching before his ordination.
Here Mr. Robbins heard old Mrs. Fowler relate to Mr. Gile the story of Parson Thacher's labors, which in after years he
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reproduced in that graphic and truthful bit of history known as " Thacher's Day." This was first printed in the " Colum- bian Magazine," many years ago. It has since appeared several times in local papers, with many alterations. As it shows the various duties expected and required of country clergymen at that early period, and to some extent in these times, and is the actual history of one day in the life of Milton's first pastor, it claims a place in this record; and we give it in the language of Mr. Robbins : -
TRIALS OF THE OLD-TIME COUNTRY PARSON.
No one person to-day assumes to possess such a variety of knowledge as did the clergyman of the olden time. He then claimed to be a judge, a lawyer, a teacher, physician and mechanic, all rolled into one. He not only claimed this omniscience but " he had his claim allowed." He was expected to settle all the difficulties of the parish, to cure the sick, to heal the wounded.
" His house was known to all the vagrant train, He chid their wanderings, but relieved their pain."
There can be no better example of this generously endowed being than Rev. Peter Thacher, the first minister ever settled in Milton, Mass. On the occasion of the settlement of Rev. Mr. Gile over the same parish, many years later, he was sitting in the kitchen of his country boarding- house, anticipating with despondent mood the weighty duties of his min- isterial life. Old Mrs. Fowler, the mother of the landlady, sat knitting in the rocking-chair beside the huge fireplace, and a little boy was strug- gling with the hard lessons of his Latin Grammar, as he sat on the old- fashioned settle. Presently the old lady stopped her busy hands, raised her eyes to the desponding young minister, Mr. Gile, and sought to en- courage him by the following story, showing the multifarious capacities of one individual. The little boy long ago threw his school books aside, and repeats Mrs. Fowler's story this : -
"Mr. Thacher was the first minister settled in Milton, Mass., in 1680. Like Goldsmith's parson, -
" A man he was to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year. Remote from town he ran his goodly race, Nor e'er had changed nor wished to change his place.'
" He was the son of Rev. Thomas Thacher, settled for many years over the Old South Church in Boston. Mr. Thacher was graduated at Harvard College, was classmate and chum of Judge Sewall, and his most intiniate friend through life. Immediately after his graduation he became tutor and then trustee of the college. After spending a year in Europe he entered upon his ministry at 29 years of age. He was at first a candidate for the pulpit at Barnstable, where he had many warm friends ; but, being strongly opposed by Gov. Hinckley, a very contentious individual, with whom it was impossible to be on peaceful terms, he accepted a call to the Milton pulpit. On the day of the departure of himself and family from Barn- stable, he was followed by a cavalcade of 57 horses as far as Sandwich. He remained in Milton all the rest of his life, dying after a pastorate of 46 years. He was in the habit of beginning the day by reading two or three
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chapters from the Greek Testament and attending to his horse and cow, - for he could hire no servant on his scanty salary of $350 a year, a third only of which was paid in money, the rest in labor and farm produce. In his diary are such entrics as follows: 'Joshua Tucker gave me one day's plowing ;' again, 'James Vose sent mne half a sheep.' 'Widow Willet gave me a peck of carrots, verily, the widow's mite.' On the Monday of which I speak, he entered his study after performing his various duties, charging Mrs. Thacher, as he left her, not to allow hini to be in- terrupted unless from the most urgent necessity. He was obliged to write an ordination sermon, to be delivered the next day at Danvers, and he had but scant time to complete it. Soon after his entrance into the study a woman visited the kitchen, where Mrs. Thacher was busy, and begged to see the minister. She was told that Mr. Thacher could not be seen ; he was writing. 'But,' said the woman, 'this is a very pressing case. I must tell him of the quarrel between Mr. Rawson and Mr. Trescott, and Mr. Rawson declares he will go to Boston to get a lawyer to settle it. The trouble is that Trescott's cows have broken into Rawson's field and trampled down his corn, and Trescott only laughs in his face, and tells him to help himself if he can, and, to irritate him still more, the sons of Trescott hoot after him in the road. Rawson says he will bear it no longer, but make Trescott pay for it.' Mrs. Thacher thought this so hard a case that she would take courage to open Mr. Thacher's study-door to tell him of the hostile attitude of his two neighbors toward each other. Mr.
Thacher looked up from his sermon, saying he had not time to attend to it then, but he was going to make a prayer at a house-raising in the after- noon, and he would call at Rawson's on his way. He resumed the thread of his discourse when left to himself, and was growing very vehement over the sins of the Jews, when a man entered the kitchen in great ex- citement, and demanding to see Mr. Thacher His wife protested against interrupting him. 'But,' said the man, 'this is a very serious case ; Lem Gulliver's cow is terrible sick. She is stretched on the ground and cannot be moved, and they are afraid she is dying. She is a good milker and a nice cow, and Mr. Thacher must go and cure her. The horse- doctor, Henshaw, is looking at her, but he cannot find out what the matter is.' Mrs. Thacher thought this too momentous a case to be neglected; so she again opened the study-door to get advice from her husband. Mr. Thacher promised to visit the cow on his way to the house-raising, and again composed himself to his work. But he was soon interrupted a. third time by his wife with a sad story of a man from Canton, who was hauling a load of potash kettles to Boston, and the heavy weight had broken his axle, and the poor fellow's cart was stuck fast in the mud. The parson said the man must put his own shoulder to the wheel before he could obtain aid from him. He sent the man word that he could find a box of tools in the barn, and behind the house there was a young hickory tree. He could take the rule and measure the stick for another axle, and by the time the axle was ready he would be on hand to help him put the wheel on to it. Then Mr. Thacher continued his sermon in blissful peace till 12 o'clock, when he was called to dinner, after which he set out for the house-raising. On his way he called at Rawson's, who showed him the hills of corn badly trampled down by Trescott's cows. The minister crossed the road to beg Mr. Trescott to come out and look at the damaged cornfield of his neighbor. The sight of Mr. Thacher's calm and kindly face softened the heart of Trescott, and he willingly went to look at the downtrodden corn. The parson asked Mr. Rawson what he would deen a fair compensation for the damage. After due deliberation it was decided that a pistareen-20 cents - would make good his loss. Mr. Trescott
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cheerfully returned to his house for his leather bag, and drawing forth the pistareen, - a good deal of money in those days, - gave it to Mr. Rawson. Then the dispntants shook hands and became friends.
" Mr. Thacher soon after reached the prostrate cow, where quite a crowd had assembled, but all were utterly powerless to help the poor creature. The crowd gave way for Mr. Thacher, who speedily saw that the cow might be fit for the beef-barrel, but would never walk again. He ordered a stout stick to be placed under the animal, to pry her up, and the fore leg of the cow was found to be broken. After ordering her to be killed, Mr. Thacher proceeded on his way to the house-raising. There he met a crowd in great consternation over the body of a man who had fallen from a cross-beam, and was lying insensible upon the ground. They feared the man was dead. Mr. Thacher took out his lancet and bled him, when he soon opened his eyes and gradually gained conscious- ness. When quiet was restored Mr. Thacher made a prayer, chatted and shook hands with the men, and mounted his horse to ride home. On his way back he saw Rawson waiting at his gate with a nice leg of bacon in his hand. He stopped the parson, and begged him to allow him to put the bacon in his saddle-bag in consideration of his kindness in settling his difficulty ; ' for,' said Rawson, 'it would be very foolish for me to pay a Boston lawyer to help me quarrel with my neighbor.' A few steps farther on he saw Trescott standing in the road. Said the parson to Trescott: 'I wish you would put a stone in my other saddle-bag to balance this leg of bacon.'-' Oh, no,' replied Trescott, 'I cannot put a stone into your bag when I have something much better to put there,' - whereupon he produced a large cheese, saying, 'Please take that for your kindness to me.' Thus Mr. Thacher proceeded home with both saddle-bags full. When he reached his house he met his wife a few steps from the door. She was in saddened spirits over the arrival of the min- isters from Stoughton and Randolph. She said there was nothing for supper, and she was in despair. Milk and eggs are all I have in the house,' she gloomily said. 'Oh, well,' replied Mr. Thacher, 'the eggs fried with this nice bacon will make an excellent supper - added to the milk and cheese.' Mrs. Thacher entered the house with a light heart, and, after a good supper, the parson closeted himself to complete his sermon, but just as he got to his ninthly, the man who had made the new axle impatiently rapped at his door, saying that he was waiting for Mr. Thacher to help him mend his cart. The minister acknowledged that the various duties had driven the unfortunate cartman out of his mind, hastened to his assistance, got the cart on to the wheels and cheered the man on his way to Boston with his load of kettles. Without further interruption the good man was enabled to proceed with his sermon up to its thirteenthly. The next day the three ministers cheerfully set out for Danvers, and the ordination sermon seemed all the rieher and more flowing for its many obstacles. The minister was indeed one who was -
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