USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The history of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889 > Part 25
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Thus closed the century in which the town of Sudbury had its beginning. It was a diversified history, in which the
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light and shadow alternately played on the scene. But the power of a protecting Providence kept the people safe amid every trial and danger, and brought them forth with a pros- perity and strength which fitted them for the important events of the future. Probably but few, if any, who were of the original grantees in 1638, entered upon the scenes of the eighteenth century; but their children and children's chil- dren were to continue their work, and project their influence into far-off years; and as we continue the narrative, and consider the subsequent events in this history, we may see how the fathers lived in their sons.
CHAPTER XV.
1700-1725.
Educational Advantages; Why so small .- School Laws by the Province. - Town Action. - Grammar School; Location. - Mixed Schools. - Masters. - School-Houses. - Ecclesiastical Matters. - Dismission of Rev. Mr. Sherman. - Ordination of Rev. Israel Loring. - Division of the Town into Two Precincts; Petitions, Remonstrances, Decision of the Court, Subsequent Action of the Town. - Call of Mr. Loring by the People of the West Precinct; His Acceptance. - Renewal of the Church Covenant by the People of the West Side; Subscribers Thereto. - Settlement of Rev. Mr. Cook in the East Parish. - Build- ing of a Meeting-House on the West Side; Location. - Removal of the East Side Meeting-House; New Location.
The wealth of thought they knew, And with a toil-blest hand The path of learning, broad and free, Sped through our favored land. Miss SIMES.
A PROMINENT feature in Sudbury at the beginning of the eighteenth century was the attention given to schools. Hitherto comparatively little had been done in this matter. As has been stated, means were provided for moral instruc-
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tion, but the opportunities for acquiring more than the rudi- ments of secular knowledge were extremely meagre. The causes of this were various. It was not an educational age, there was but one college in the Massachusetts Bay Prov- ince ; teachers at that day were scarce, and without proper instruction there was but poor encouragement to establish public schools. Moreover, it was an age of economy. Care- ful expenditure was a necessity in that tax-burdened and im- poverished period. Society was bearing the burdens incident to the waste of successive wars. Specie was scarce and com- modities dear. To procure things needful for every-day life payment in country produce was often made. Sometimes town taxes were paid in wares. In 1687 the taxes of Hing- ham were paid in pails. In 1693 those of Woburn were paid in shoes. Various were the expedients that the towns em- ployed to meet necessary calls that were made upon them. No wonder that in such times schools were neglected. It would not be strange if men were unmindful of every demand but those of stern necessity.
But in 1692 a law was enacted, that every town in the province having fifty householders, or upwards, should be " constantly provided of a schoolmaster to teach children and youth to read and write; and where any town or towns have the number of one hundred families or householders, there shall also be a grammar school set up in every such town, and some discreet person of good conversation, well instructed in the tongues procured to keep such school." Any town neglecting this requirement one year was liable to be fined ten pounds. In 1701 the Provincial Court passed an additional school act, stating, concerning the former one, that it was "shamefully neglected by divers towns, and the penalty thereof not required tending greatly to the nourish- ment of ignorance and irreligion, whereof grevious complaint is made." For neglecting this second law the penalty was made twenty pounds. This also proved quite insufficient for its purpose, for it was stated "many towns . would incur the penalty and pay for the neglect of the law rather than maintain the school required." In 1718 the Court enacted that the fine should be thirty pounds in the case of towns
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that had one hundred and fifty families, forty pounds in the case of towns of two hundred inhabitants. There was certain provision made by the law of the province by which the schoolmaster was to be maintained. He was to have a convenient house and competent salary. It was also pro- vided that the instructor should be an actual schoolmaster ; the town minister was not to act as a substitute.
Such were some of the school laws at the beginning of the eighteenth century. That they affected town action is prob- able; and very likely they exerted a powerful influence in procuring better schools in Sudbury. The records inform us . that Jan. 1, 1702, the town voted that a rate should be made " to pay the 5 pounds the town was fined for want of a school master." This is the only time we hear of the town's receiv- ing the penalty. On the contrary, there is ample evidence of diligent endeavor to meet the law. Nov. 17, 1701, at a town-meeting, "it was voted to choose Mr. Joseph Noyes as a grammar school master for one year. . . . Also chose Mr Wm Brown and Mr. Thomas Plympton to present the said school master unto the Rev. ministers for their approbation of him, which are as followeth, Mr. James Sherman, Mr. Joseph Esterbrooks, Mr. Swift of Framingham." This Rev- erend Committee duly met, and examined the candidate, and reported as follows, Nov. 21, 1701: "We the subscribers being desired by the town of Sudbury to write what we could testify in concerning the justification of Mr. Joseph Noyes of Sudbury for a legall Grammar School master, hav- ing examined the said Mr. Joseph Noyes, we find that he hath been considerably versed in the Latin and Greek tongue, and do think that upon his dilligent revisal and recollection of what he hath formerly learned, he may be qualified to initiate and instruct the youth in the Latin tongue. JOSEPH ESTERBROOKS, JOHN SWIFT."
On the strength of this careful approval and guarded rec- ommendation, the successful candidate went forth to his work. He did not, however, long retain his position. For some cause not mentioned, the place soon became vacant ; and February of the same year Mr. Picher became Mr. Noyes's successor. The contract made with Mr. Picher was
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as follows : "It is agreed and concluded that the town will and doth grant to pay unto Mr. Nathaniel Picher six pounds in money in course hee doth accept of the Towne's choice as to be our Grammar scool master, also for one quarter of a yeare, and to begin ye third of March next ensuing, and to serve in the place the full quarter of a yeare, one half of the time on the east side of the River, and the other half of the time on the west side of the river. This Grammar scool master chosen if he accepts and doth enter upon the work it is expected by the above said Towne, that he should teach all children sent to him to learn English and the Latin tongue, also writing and the art of Arithmatic." In 1703 it was voted to pay Mr. Picher for service done that year twenty-eight pounds, "he deducting a months pay . . . for his being absent one month in summer time from keeping of scool, which amounth to twelfeth part of time;" "also voted and agreed as a free will, to give unto Mr. Picher two days in every quarter of his year to visit his friends, if he see cause to take up with it." In 1711, Lieut. Thomas Frink and Quartermaster Brintnall were " to agree with sum per- son who is well instructed in ye tongues to keep a scool." His pay was not to exceed thirty pounds.
These records show something of the expense of a gram- mar school in the olden times; they also give hints of the character, duty, and pay of the teachers ; and of the manner of selection and examination. We have no means of know- ing the proficiency attained by the pupils in those grammar schools ; but with so much careful painstaking, and so large an expenditure of money, we may presume that something more than the mere rudiments were obtained.
The place of the school was changed from time to time. In 1702 it was voted "that the scool master should keep ye scool on ye west side of ye river at ye house of Thomas Brint- nell, which is there parte of time belonging to ye west side of ye river." The custom of changing the place of the school was continued for many years ; for we find the following rec- ord as late as 1722: " Voted by the town that ye scool master shall keep scool one half of ye time on ye west side of ye river in Sudbury, voted by ye town, that ye scool master shall keep
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ye first quarter at ye scool house at ye gravel pitt, voted by ye town that ye second to bee keept on ye east side ye river as Near ye water as may be conveniant, voted by ye town that ye third quarter to be keept at ye house of Insign John Moore, voted by ye town that ye fourth quarter to be keept at ye house of Clark Gleason." In the year 1717, Samuel Paris was to keep school four months of the year at the school-house on the west side of the river, and at his own house the rest of the year. If he was away part of the time, he was to make it up the next year.
But in addition to these means for obtaining advanced instruction, there were schools of a simpler character. About the time that provision was made for a grammar school, we read of "masters who were to teach children to rede and wright and cast accounts." This was done in 1701, at which time the town " voted and chose John Long and John Bal- com " for the purpose just stated, and to pay them for one year thirty shillings apiece. From this time repeated refer- ence is made in the records to schools of a primary or mixed character.
Among the schoolmasters who served before 1750, are William Brintnal, Joseph Noyes, Nathaniel Picher, Jonathan Hoar, Samuel Paris, Nathaniel Trask, Jonathan Loring, John Long, John Balcom, John Mellen, Samuel Kendall, Ephraim Curtis, and Zachery Hicks. Some of these taught for a suc- cession of terms or years. William Brintnal taught a gram- mar school as late as 1733-4, and receipts are found of Samuel Kendall in 1725 and 1736.
Prior to 1700, school-house accommodations were scant. There was no school building whatever. In 1702 " the town agreed that the school should be kept at the meeting house half a quarter and the other half quarter at the house of Benjamin Morses." But it is a law of progress that improve- ment in one direction suggests improvement in another; so with better schools better accommodations were sought for. Jan. 1, 1702, the " town voted and paste into an act, to have a convenient scool hous ; " also voted "that the scool house that shall be built by the town shall be set and erected as near the centre of the town, as may be conveniantly set upon
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the town's land ; " also " that it be twenty feet in length, : : : eighteen feet in breadth, seven feet from the bottom of the cell to the top of the plate, a large chimney to be within the house, the house to be a log house, made of pine, only the cells to be of white oak bord and shingles to be covered with. Also the chimney to be of stone to the mortling and finished with brick. This was paste into an act and vote Jan. 15th 1701-2." At another meeting it was decided " that there should be two scool houses ;" that they should be of the same dimensions ; and "that the one on the east side should be set near to Enoch Cleavland's dwelling house." It was afterwards voted that "the scool houses should be builte by a general town acte and that the selectmen should make a rate of money of 20 pounds for their erection." One of the houses was to be placed " by Cleafflands and the other near unto Robert Mans." In 1711 the town voted to have but one school-house, and this school-house was to be built at " ye gravel pitt." "Ye scool house " here mentioned was "to be 20 foot long, 16 foot wide, six foot studd, nine foot and a half sparrl. Ye sills to be white oak ye outside, to be borded, and ye bords to be feather edge. Ye inside to be birch and borded with Ruff bords, lower and uper flower to be bord and a brick Chemne, and two glass windows 18 Enches square per window, and the Ruffe to be borded and shingled." It was to be ready for a school by the last of May, 1712. Joseph Parmenter was to make it, and have for pay fourteen pounds.
The evidence is that the desire for school privileges spread, and that the extremity of the town soon sought for increased advantages. April 17, 1719, the town was called upon " to see if it will grant the North west quarter of the towns peti- tion, they desiring the school master some part of the time with them."
The above records comprise the most important ones relat- ing to schools during this period. As we leave these educa- tional matters, some reflections arise concerning their relation to the town's future and far-reaching history. They were the beginnings of great and long-lasting influences. Those humble houses of the early New England schools were the
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town's nurseries of useful knowledge. In them minds were disciplined for that active period which, before the century closed, was to shape the country's career, and make of the colonies a great cluster of states. What a work was wrought within them! What responsibility was upon those who had charge of these far-back beginnings! We have found noth- ing on the records to indicate what methods were employed in governing or teaching; but there is abundant room for the supposition that those who founded and those who taught these schools feared God; and that they considered his Word a book suitable to be read and taught in all places of learning. No wonder, that, with such a beginning, our common schools have had such great success ; and that the influences that survived those times, manners, and men should have such large and lasting results.
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS.
As in educational matters, so in those pertaining to the church, we find the period prolific in change. Great and important events transpired relating to the meeting-house, the minister, and the people. The first change was the dismission of the pastor. On May 22, 1705, the pastoral relation between Rev. James Sherman and the people of Sudbury was dissolved. But not long was the church left pastorless. The same year of Mr. Sherman's removal a town-meeting was held, in which it was voted "yt ye town will chose a man to preach ye word of God unto us for a quarter of a year." The Rev. Israel Loring was chosen for the term mentioned. He began to preach in Sudbury, Sept. 16, 1705; and the result was he was ordained as pastor, Nov. 20, 1706.
After the settlement of Mr. Loring ecclesiastical matters were not long in a quiet state. A new subject soon engrossed public attention. There was an attempt made to divide the town into two parochial precincts. The west side people doubtless loved the little hillside meeting-house, about which were the graves of their friends, and whose history was asso- ciated with so much of their own. Their fondness for it had doubtless increased as the years passed by, and there clus-
-
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tered about it memories of things the sweetest and the sad- dest that had entered into their checkered experience. Here their children had been offered in baptism; here had been the bridal and the burial, the weekly greetings and partings, the exchange of intelligence of heart and home. It had been the place for prayer and the preached word; a place of watch and ward, and a place of resort in times of danger. But not- withstanding their fondness for the sacred spot, they were too practical a people to allow sentiment to interfere with their true progress, and what they believed to be their spirit- ual good. With their slow means of transit, and the rough roads of that period when at their best, it was a long and weary way they had to travel every Sabbath day; but when the roads became blocked with the drifting snow, or the river was swollen with floods, then it was sometimes 'a perilous undertaking to reach the east side meeting-house and return. In that primitive period the people of Sudbury did not desire even a good excuse to keep them from public worship; they were Puritanic in both precept and practice. They would allow no small obstacle to cheat their soul of its rights ; but if there were hinderances in the way to their spiritual helps, they required their immediate removal.
Hence, a movement was inaugurated to divide the town, and make of it two precincts, in each of which there should be a church. A primary act for the accomplishment of this purpose was to obtain the consent of the General Court. To do this a petition was presented, which, as it tells its own story, and sets forth the entire case, we will present : -
Petition of the West Side people of Sudbury to Governor Dudley and the General Assembly.
The petition of us who are the subscribers living on ye west side of Sudbury great River Humbly showeth that wereas ye All wise and over Ruling providence of ye great God, Lord of Heaven and Earth who is God blessed forever moore, hath cast our lott to fall on that side of the River by Reason of the flud of watare, which for a very great part of the yeare doth very much incomode us and often by extremity of water and terrible and violent winds, and a great part of the winter by ice, as it is at this present, so that wee are shut up and cannot come forth, and many times when wee doe atempt to git over our flud, we are forced for to seek our spiritual good with the peril of our Lives.
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Beside the extreme Travill that many of us are Exposed unto sum 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 miles much more than a Sabbath days Jurney, by Reason of these and many more objections, to many here to enumerate, whereby many of our children and little ones, ancient and weak persons, can very Rarly attend the public worship. The considered premises we truly pray your Excellency and ye Honorable Council and House of Repre- sentatives to consider and compassionate us in our Extreme suffering condition, and if we may obtain so much favor in your Eyes as to grant us [our presents ] as to appoint us a Commity to see and consider our circumstances and make report thereof to this honorable Court. And your pore petitioners shall ever pray.
Sudbury, January 15th 1709
John Goodnow.
John haynes. Jr.
John haines
Robert Man his mark
John Brigham
Benjamin wright.
William Walker.
David Haynes.
George Parmenter.
Prefer haines.
David how.
Thomas Brintnal.
George Parmenter, Jr.
Edward Goodnow his mark
Joseph Parmenter.
John Goodenow, jr
John brigham.
Ephraim Garfield, his mark.
Samuel willis.
Thomas Smith, Junior.
Joseph willis
Jonathan Rice.
Richard Sanger.
Tho: Smith
Joseph Hayes [Haynes]
timothy gibson, Jr
Joseph F. Jewel (his mark).
Isaac Mellen
Melo C. Taylor. (his mark). John Balcom. Joseph Balcom.
(State Archives, Vol. II., p. 221.)
It was ordered that the town of Sudbury be served with a copy of the petition, and notified to attend the next session of the Court, and present objections if they had any. At a town-meeting in Sudbury, Oct. 4, 1707, a committee was chosen to attend the General Court, and give answer to the above petition. The committee was composed as follows : " M" Joseph Noyes, Lieut. Hop" Brown, Ens. Sam" King, Mr. James Barnard, Mr. Noah Clapp, Mr. Thomas Plymp-
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ton." This committee duly appeared to present a protest to the west side petition. The following are their words of remonstrance : -
The committee chosen humbly showeth,
That whereas a petition hath been presented to this Hon. Court in their late session by a Small number of persons Dwelling on the west- erly side of the river in Sudbury, (though Privately carried on)
Praying that these may be a precinct by themselves &c. we do Hum- bly offer to your Judicious consideration
That the number thus Petitioning is but Small and that others Inhab- iting on the westerly side of said River a number near Equal to them, Do oppose the same Looking on such a motion by their neighbors att this Time Especially to be Unseasonable and unreasonable, considering 1.) the Great Expense that we have of Late been att: Occasioned by the deposition of our Late, and the Settling of our Present Minister. (2.) The vast Expenses attending the same, calls and may call for, Obliges us to Request that the Division Petitioned for, may be sus- pended, we deem ourselves incapable of affording,
1st Two Orthodox minister's Gospel maintainance, 2nd we are Ready to afford to our neighbors what help we can in making the Causway, (so much complained of) passible in ordinary floods, by allotting to every man his quota or proposition to raise, which would be much for the Ben- efit of Travellers, as well as ourselves.
Finally there are also some of those who now petition for division : that did complain, and declare that the Salary granted to our present minister was so Great that the town was not able to perform it, and if they Plead their remoteness from the public worship of God: we humbly offer that if the meeting house be placed in the Centre of the Inhabitants on the westerly side of the river (where we may expect it will be), many of their dwellings will be as Remote from the meeting house as they are now, We might bring many more objections which might be of weight, but shall add no more, but leave these to the Judicious consideration of this Honourable Courte, and follow these our Representatives with our petitions to the High Court of Heaven, that this Honouable Court may be so directed in this and in every affair before them, that Gods Glory and the Prosperity of Religion may be promoted, and we, your most humble and obedient servants, may have ever cause to pray &c.
Sudbury. October. 29th: 1707.
Joseph Noyes, Thomas Plympton, Samuel King.
James Barnard, ' Noah Clapp,
(State Archives, Vol. II., p. 227.)
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
The following names are signed to the original document :
WEST SIDE INHABITANTS.
EAST SIDE INHABITANTS.
Hop11 Browne
John Rice
Tho': Plymton
Joseph Gleason Ser
Sam11 Wright,
Mattw Stone
Joseph Goodenow
Sam" Graves
John Moore
Jo8 Chamberlim
Mattw Gibbs
Joº Moore Ser
Noah Clapp
Jos Moore
Joseph Stanhope
Jo8 Noyes
John Gibbs
Jon Long
William Arnold
Benj parmentor
Thos Read Jur
Isaac Stanhope
Josiah Hayden
John Allin
Go® Steenens
John Parmintor
Thos Cuttler
Edmund Rice
John Rice
Mattw Rice
widow Sarah Bowker (|) her mark
James Brewer
Benj Moore
Nat" Moore
Nath" Rice
Thos Brown
wid : Arabella Read
Ephaaim Rice
John Burk
Isaac Gleason
Ephranin Pratt
John Graues
Peter Plymton
John Grout
Tho® Read
James Ross
Joshua Hayns
Thos ffrinke
Geron Jennison
Eber Rice
Sam11 Allin
Jont Rice
Joseph Gleason Jr
John abbutt
John Adams
Sam11 King
Jont Griffin
Ephraim Curtiss
John Loker
Thos Moore
A True Coppy
After hearing both petition and remonstrance, the Court ordered that a committee should be sent, and report what the case required. This committee was made up of Capt. Samuel Checkley, [Capt.] Thomas Oliver, and Capt. Jonas Bond. These parties " were to join with such as the hon-
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
ourable board should nominate, and they were to go upon the parish and hear what was for or against, notifying the town at least a week beforehand." John Phillips and Joseph Lynde, Esq., were named a committee of the board for the office aforesaid, and the petitioners were to pay the charges of the committee. The report of these parties was rendered May 13, 1708. It was in substance, that they considered "the thing was necessary to be done, but their opinion is, that now by reason of the [grievous] times not so conven- iant."
But the petitioners were not to be baffled by an answer like this. Accordingly, again they presented their case by another petition, dated May 26, 1708-9. This second peti- tion sets forth the case thus : -
The Humble Petition of Several of the Inhabitants of the town of Sud- bury, on the west side of the River.
To Court session assembled May 26th 170g showeth that your Peti- tioners lately by their Petition to the Great and General Assembly, rep- resented the hardships & Difficulties they Labored when by reason of their distance from the meeting house and the difficulty of getting over the water and Some times Impossibility, there being three hundred and sixty five on that side and sometimes in the winter not one of them can possibly go to meeting, the East and West sides are Equal in their pay- ments to the minister and therefore praying they might be made a Pre- cinct and have a meeting house and minister of their side of the River, wherupon the petition was refered to a committee who upon Considera- tion of the premises (as your petitioners are Informed) have made a Report to this Great and General assembly that the thing was necessary to be done, but their opinion is that now by reason of Troublesome Times not so Conveniant.
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