USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > The history of Wilbraham, Massachusetts; > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
"YOU will not be content, that the stated ministry of the word should be long discontinued. You will take measures for the resettlement of it, as soon as prudence shall direct. In the meantime, you will endeavour to enjoy the preaching of the gospel, and will be diligent in your attendance upon it. . . ..
"YOU will treat with candour and tenderness those of your brethren, who have lately withdrawn from you. They took a hasty step in an hour of temptation. On calm reflection, it is hoped, they will feel their obligation to return, and walk hand in hand with you. Let your behaviour toward them be kind and friendly, and your language soft and winning. Walk in wisdom and meekness, considering yourselves, lest ye also be tempted.
"ON this head I cannot more pertinently address you, than in the words of the Rev. JOHN WESLEY whose name, I suppose, you have often heard mentioned of late. 'Beware of schisms-of making a rent in the church of Christ. Inward disunion is the root of all contention, and every outward separation. Beware of everything tending thereto. Beware of a dividing spirit-shun whatever has the least aspect that way. Say not, "This is my preacher-the best preacher." This tends to foment division. Suffer not one thought of separating from your brethren. Beware of tempting others to separate from you.'
"IT is now with you a critical time. The shepherd is leaving you. If after his departure grievous wolves should enter in among you, not sparing the flock; yet of your ownselves let none arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them; but watch in all things; and remember, that you have been this day warned. Imitate the commendable example of the church of Ephesus, to whom Christ says, 'I know thy
1 Rev. Noah Merrick-who was born August, 1711, ordained June, 1741,-died De- cember 22, 1776, being in the 66th year of his age, and 36th of his ministry.
157
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
works and thy labour and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them who are evil, and hast tried them who say, they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.' Beware that ye fall not under Christ's censure on the church in Thya- tira, that she suffered some who falsely called themselves prophets, to teach, and to seduce his servants. If you ask, how shall we prevent such from teaching and seducing? I answer in the words of the Apostle, AVOID THEM. ... Never lay great weight upon small things, nor contend about trifles. Be united in pursuing the great things of religion; and then, in circumstantial matters, you will be disposed to please, each one his neighbour to edification. And I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus' sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together in your prayers for the furtherance of the gospel among yourselves, in the churches around you, and, through the world. And may the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, make you perfect, strengthen, stablish, and settle you. To him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever AMEN.
On April 19th, 1796, the parish "voted to lease the pews in the Meeting House for the term of one year and the money appropriated for the support of the Gospel."
This is the first record that I have found of any attempt to raise money by a system which has been followed most of the time since. April 16, 1798, Jason Chapin, Capt. James Shaw and Doctor Samuel F. Merrick were chosen "a committee to purchase a Bell," and $200.00 was appropriated for that pur- pose. But the bell was not purchased at that time, for there is an article in the warrant for the meeting held April 14th, 1800, "to grant money for the use of purchasing a church Bell." But in 1802, a church bell was purchased and hung, and then, the first Sabbath bell of the mountains sounded its welcome call to the willing worshipers, as they wended their way from the banks of the Chicopee on the north and the southerly bounds of the parish on the south, from far "Burch Run" and chilling Rattlesnake Peak on the east, and the wonderful wilds of "World's End Meadow" on the west. All heard the call to come up and worship at the house of the Lord on every Sabbath day, and we may feel sure that their steps were lighter
158
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
and their hearts felt brighter as they heard and heeded the call.
And the very next year they voted and granted $3.00 "to purchase a Bass Viol." And a few years later, they voted "$45.00 to hire a teacher of Psalmody among us."
In 1807, they "Granted to Dan1 Ladd, Jr. for playing the violin one year, $5.00," and in 1809 they "Voted to raise $5.00 for to support the bass Viol."
In 1805, a committee was chosen by the parish "to fence the burying ground near the Street," and at the same meeting, "Duty Partridge, Ebenezer Cadwell and Frederick Stebbins were chosen a committee to fence the burying ground over the Mountain," and $120.00 was appropriated for the work, and at the meeting held April 13, 1807, $25.00 was "Granted for painting Burying Yard fence."
It appears from the above votes, that the town had not assumed charge of the burying grounds at that time. In this connection it may be of interest to copy a vote passed Decem- ber 2, 1782. "Voted that Jonathan Mirick Solomon Warriner Noah Warriner be a Commitee to fence the burying yard with Stone & with as much land as they think proper then voted and Granted £15 : 0 : 0 to fence the burying yard. Voted this sum be assest on the poles and Estates of the Inhabitants of this parish .... and each person be allowed to work out his rate as they Do at highways."
About two weeks later, on December 17, 1782, they "Voted & reconsidered a vote past 2 December 1782 for fenceing the Burying yard with Stone & made the same nul and void."
The yard to which most of these votes refer, is the one now called The Deacon Adams Cemetery, and the amount of land which the committee thought "proper," can be very readily traced there today. The original lot was enlarged in 1876 by an addition on the east side, and again in 1896 by a much larger addition on the north.
A hearse house stood at the southeast corner of the original lot for many years, but was removed about 1871, and is now
159
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
used for the storage of lumber at the carriage shop near the north edge of our centre village.
There is one other matter relating to this cemetery which perhaps ought to be mentioned. About 1859, a large company of the men of the town gathered there one day, for the purpose of cutting the brush, improving the yard and making a general clean-up of the grounds. In carrying out that "improvement," some of the headstones, as well as the footstones, along the southerly side of the yard, were moved a few inches, or two or three feet, to the north or south, as might be necessary, in order to bring them into line with the others. I, a boy, was there at the time and assisted in some of the work. I do not think any of the stones were moved entirely off the grave to which they belonged, or that any of them were moved to the east or west, but some of them are now from a few inches to two or three feet, north or south of where they were originally placed.
There are many things of much interest in this ancient bury- ing ground:
The grave of Elizabeth Cockril, who died April 26th, 1741, and who was "ye first person yt was Bured in ye Mountains;"
The grave of Timothy Merrick who died from the bite of a rattlesnake August 7, 1761;
The table monument that marks the resting place of "The Revened and Worthy NOAH MERICK," who died "Dec. ye 22, A.D. 1776," and of " Abigail his wife, who died Sep. 12, 1807, in the 98th year of her age;"
Also another table monument "In Memory of Deacon Nathaniel Warriner, who died Jan'y 10: 1780 In his 77th year."
And the three stones which re-tell the tragedy of Nine Mile Pond, on April 29th, 1799. These, and many others there, impel us to regard with solemn reverence that consecrated "God's-Acre."
It may be of interest to copy some of the parish expenses about that time.
160
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
In 1803, $2.00 was granted to paint the hangings of the Bell. In 1804, "Granted Reuben Colton $3.50 for joiner work for the Bell."
In 1806, "Voted Gaius Brewer 66 cents for repairing the Bell." In 1813, "Paid Sally Bliss $3.00 for sweeping the Meeting House one year." In the same year, "Paid Edward Stebbins $1.50 for Ringing the Bell seven weeks."
In 1825, "Paid Edwin Crocker for ringing the bell and sweeping the Meeting House for one year $8.50. In 1815, they "Voted $20.00 for tythingmen."
The Stebbins history says: "In 1824, an attempt was made by the town to' obtain possession of the 'Minister Money,' especially that portion of it realized by the sale of the 'Ministry Lot.' It was unsuccessful, as it should have been, and the fund remains in the possession of the two parishes to this day." I find from the parish records that the first action seems to have been commenced by the parish. On April 13, 1818, a com- mittee was chosen by the parish "to request the Town to deliver up to the Parish their proportion of the land loan money belonging to sd parish."
April 12, 1819, "Com. chosen to confer with the other societies in this Parish respecting the loan Money & other grievances." On February 8, 1825, "Voted that Moses Burt be an agent to confer with an agent chosen by the South Parish of sd town to recover the bonds belonging to sd Parish out of the hands of the town, also to recover the interest due on sd bonds out of the hands of the com. chosen to receive the same." I have learned from the Records of the Supreme Court of Hampden County, that The North Parish brought a suit against the town of Wilbraham to recover $30.00 interest money, claimed to be due the parish, on the 4th Monday of November 1825, in the Court of Common Pleas. Judgment was given in favor of the town, apparently for the purpose of having the question go to the Supreme Court for a final decision. The total damage claimed at first was $160.00, which was probably for interest due. The case was appealed and came before the Supreme Court the second Tuesday in May, 1826. Both
161
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
parties agreed to the following statement of the case (which I have condensed) :
"A Committee was appointed by the town in 1772 to sell or lease the Ministry lands.
"The committee reported in 1773, that they had sold them, with a statement of the securities received, which report was accepted in town meeting. On June 24, 1782, the town was divided into two parishes, North & South. The Act of division provided that each parish should enjoy an equal part of all moneys for the use of the ministry .
"At the time of the division there was in the town treasury a sum equal to $833 and one third of a dollar .... In 1789, the town voted that the committee having charge of the securities should annually pay to the ministers of the parishes, each one half of the interest. That for twenty years previous to 1824, the interest, $25.00 each year was paid, except when there was no settled minister in the North Parish, then it was paid to the
Parish Treasurer. In 1824, the Town voted that the interest should be paid to the several religious societies, according to the proportion of the town tax which their members pay. There are other religious socities not members of either parish. In 1825, a committee of the parish demanded of the town their portion of the interest due, but it was not paid . ... It is there- fore Considered by the Court that the said Inhabitants of the North Parish in Wilbraham do recover against the said Inhabit- ants of Wilbraham the sum of Twenty six Dollars & seventy five cents Damages & Costs of suit taxed at fifty one Dollars & ninety five cents-Excu. Is (Execution Issued) Dec. 5th 1826."
About two weeks after this execution was issued, or on December 18, 1826, the parish chose "Wm Clark, Ebenezer R. Warner and Doct Luther Brewer a Com to receive the bonds and to receipt to the town for the same, also to receive the interest on said bonds on the 1st of Jan. next and pay it into the Parish treasury." On November 12, 1827, "Moses Burt, Wm Clark and Aaron Woodward were chosen a Com. to change the bonds of the Parish into the name of the Parish and to take due care of and collect the interest on the same."
In 1837, it was "Voted that the Bonds of the Parish be placed in the hands of the Treasurer of the Parish." It appears from this record of the Court, that the lawsuit was not an attempt
162
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
of the town to get the "Minister Money" away from the parishes, but an effort of the parishes to get the securities for the fund into their own possession, and also to settle the ques- tion as to whom the fund belonged. For we learn from the vote of the town in 1824, that the voters had determined that the interest of the fund should be divided among the several religious societies, then in the town, and only a decision of the Supreme Court could permanently settle the question. The fund remains in the possession of the two parishes to this day. The parish paid to different persons a total of $69.35 for the expenses of the lawsuit, in connection with the transfer of those bonds. In 1829, the parish treasurer charges himself, "By Interest on Parish Loan $45.00."
It is evident that the parish fund was loaned out to different persons for several years.
In the parish treasurer's record I find the following:
"Interest due from sundries, (sundry persons) on the Parish Loan for the year 1852.
Jan. 1st Samuel F. Merrick $18.78
Loren Phelps 13.87
" Benonia Atchinson 10.00
" Henry Burt 2.35
Edmund Jones 6.00"
In the same record for 1856 the amount loaned to different persons is stated as follows:
"Interest Account. S. F. Merrick note $312.94 interest 18.78
H. Clark
231.21
13.87
H. Burt
39.18
2.35
E. Jones
100.00
6.00
E. Jones
166.66
10.00
849.99
51.00"
About 1855 and 1865 there were two legacies given to the parish of fifty dollars each, so that the sum now is $950.82. In 1868, the parish purchased their present parsonage, and as
163
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
those notes were paid, the money was used towards paying for the same, and a note was given by the parish committee to the "Parish Loan Committee" for the total amount, and the interest is paid annually by the parish. The first entry that I have found from this investment is, "Mar. 11th, 1872, Recd interest on Parish Loan $38.05" which sum is increased in 1876 to $54.05 and remains the same at the present time.
At the annual meeting of the parish in 1890, it was voted, "that the Parsonage shall be named the Deacon Warriner Parsonage, in honor of the first donor of money to the Parish." And so, one hundred and ten years after his death the memory of the good Deacon's act is perpetuated by a suitable memorial.
The fund of the North (or first) Parish, now called "The Parish Loan," is as follows:
From sale of the Ministry Lots, about 1773, $417.49
Legacy from Deacon Nathaniel Warriner in 1780, 333.33
Legacy from Gilling Atchinson in 1850, 100.00
Legacy from Nathaniel Atchinson in 1855, 50.00
Legacy from Marania Atchinson in 1865, 50.00
$950.82
Probably the South Parish, (now the First Congregational Society of Hampden) received the first two sums, the same as the North Parish, and of the same amount.
I will copy a few items from the church records.
During the 35 years that the church record was kept by the first minister, Rev. Noah Merrick, about 60 persons are recorded as having made public confession of their sin in breaking a cer- tain commandment, and were accepted, and had their children baptized. Several persons made public confession of "ye sin of stealing, of intemperate drinking, of evil speaking, and of a breach of ye Sabbath, and all were accepted."
On "Oct. 15, 1775, Hannah, wife of Justin Stebbins, Brt Letter from ye Chh in Palmer and admitted into Ch." One week later appears this entry: "Oct 22, 1775. upon some witness discovered by several of ye Chh, with regard to ye above
164
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
vote, relative to ye Sd Hannah Stebbins, upon reconsideration it was unanimously Disanulled, it appearing yt she had a child born in 7 months & five days, after marriage."
On "April 26, 1785, At the house of Levi Bliss, the Rev. Mr. Baldwin Preached a sermon, at which time, Gaius, Gordon, Levi, Leonard, Patty, Catharine, Lucrecia and Asenath, chil- dren of the said Levi; each of them were baptized at the desire of the said Levi's wife." Eight children in all. Fourteen years and three days later, or on April 29, 1799, three of those children, Gordon, Leonard and Asenath, were among those
LEVI BLISS HOUSE. Probably erected about 1772.
drowned in Nine Mile Pond. The house where Levi Bliss lived is still standing on the west side of our Main Street, about half a mile south of the B. & A. R. R. Station, and is now owned by William V. Patch. I will now copy part of one of the trivial questions which came before the church for considera- tion.
"Sunday, March 15, 1778, afternoon-Dea. Nathaniel Warriner desired the church to make a short stop after the exercise was over; The church complyed therewith. At which
165
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
time Dean Warriner informed the church that a complaint by the Widw Mary Mirick against Doct Samuel Fisk Mirick (then standing propounded for church membership) was lodged in his hands, to be communicated to the church. The motion was made and the complaint was read, which is as followeth. Vis. "To the Church of Christ in Wilbraham. The subscriber who am a member of said church sendeth greeting. Beloved; Whereas Doct Sam1 F. Mirrick stands propounded in order to be admitted a member of said church. This is to inform that in my humble opinion, the said Doct Mirick, cannot be received into church fellowship, under his present circumstances, con- sistent with the honour of religion and the dignity of Christ's church. He having disqualified himself by his saying, on a certain day last summer, at my house; that a certain note that he had against me, was found at the bottom of the chest, and at another time, on the same day, said that the said note was found among loose papers; a few days after which, at the house then occupied by William King Junr .; he, the said Mir- rick, wholly denyed that he said so, but said, that if he said so, he told an absolute lie, and then added and said, that the said note was found on file and amongst his Father's other notes. All which appears to me to be so inconsistent with real truth that it amounts to a degree of falsehood and a censurable violation of the Ninth Commandment, and contrary to Zachariah 8th Chap. & 16th verse, and although endeavors have been used, in order to reclaim him and bring him to repentance, agreable to Matthew 18th Chap. 15th & 16th verses, he con- tinues obstinately to refuse to receive conviction, and be released from his fault. And now Beloved Bretheren I must intreat you to defer the receiving the said Mirick into our com- munion, 'till he is reclaimed from his sin and that you would proceed to such measures as the Gospel directs in order to effect the same.
MARY X MIRRICK
mark her
'Wilbraham, March 13th 1778.
'To the care of Dea. Nathaniel Warriner to be communicated to the church.'
"The question was put whether the church would act or do anything in consequence of the beforegoing complaint. It was voted in the affirmative. Then it was proposed that some future time and some weekday should be agreed upon for further prosecution. Accordingly it was unanimously agreed and voted that Thursday, the 26th day of this instant, March, at
166
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
one of the clock in the afternoon, should be the time for hearing party and party, and to agree and pass such other votes as the matter should then require. The church then dispersed."
The meeting was held, "the Complaint was red, and Doctor Mirick Denys his being guilty of the Charge-The witnesses were called & Sworn. Viz. Mr. Ezra Barker and Mr. Jonathan Mirick to Prove the charge, Mrs. Mirick, and Mr. Chiliab Mirick in opposition. The case being opened and Pleas made on either side, and the Chh Having Considered the matter Maturely, the question was Put, whether the aforesd Com- plaint, Exhibited against Doct Mirick, was supported, it passed in the Negative. the Chh meeting was Disolved.
'Test, Moses Stebbins Clerk
for sd meeting."
What silly proceedings, making a police court of the church. At the meeting held "Lord's Day, July 26, 1778, Doct Sam11 Fisk Mirick was Recd a member in full Communion with this Chh "
Dr. Merrick was quite a prominent man in those days. He was surgeon in Colonel Porter's regiment which marched in 1776, to reinforce the Northern Army. He made the address, in the meeting house, in 1831, at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the settlement of our town. In his later years he became hard of hearing, and I have been told, by those who knew him, that on Sundays he used to sit on the steps leading up into the pulpit, and if the preacher said anything with which he did not agree, he would say, "Don't believe it, don't believe it."
The society has had four different meeting houses. The first was used on Wigwam Hill for about 46 years, 1748, to 1794, when it was moved down to the site of the present church, where it continued to be used for about 64 years longer, or until the spring of 1857, when, after a service of 110 years, it was moved a little way to the northeast, to the ground where the livery stable now is, and was converted into a barn, and a new meeting house erected.
167
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
I attended services in the original one for a few years, and there are a few others here who attended there for a longer period. There was a gallery on three sides of the house. One of these, on the west end, was reserved for the singers and the players upon instruments. That on the north side was occupied by the boys, and I was seated with them. The other, on the south side, may have been used by the girls. I am not very clear in my recollection about that. The pulpit was at the east end of the building and there were two aisles between the pews. The outer tier of pews joined onto the sides of the house.
The seating of the meeting house was a heart-burning and almost a heart-breaking experience.
A committee was frequently chosen to assign a seat to each person, or family, and questions of precedence were most care- fully discussed by them. But their arrangement of the seatings was hardly ever satisfactory to everyone. On one occasion a woman, who had come to mature years and had never married, felt that she had not been assigned a seat in accordance with her importance, and she never occupied it, but carried a chair to the meeting house, on Sabbath days, and sat in the aisle near the pew where she felt she belonged. I have heard Dr. Kibbe and his wife tell that story, and laugh over it, more than once, but I do not remember her name.
The second meeting house was erected in 1857, and served its useful purpose for only 20 years. The basement was finished, and used for evening meetings and social gatherings. On the afternoon of Sunday, June 24th, 1877, the 136th anniversary of the founding of the church, a four or five-years old boy, rest- less and unwatched, wandered around the building, and finding a basement window open, crept in and looked around. In a stove he found a quantity of loose papers, and perhaps he added other material. Climbing up to the top of a cupboard, he found the tin pail in which the matches were carefully kept. He set the papers on fire. The stove had not been in use for some time and was not connected by a pipe with the chimney, and soon clouds of smoke were pouring out of the windows. The pastor, Rev.
168
THE HISTORY OF WILBRAHAM
M. S. Howard, from the parsonage window across the street, saw the smoke, and rushing over to the meeting house, rang with all his might the dreaded and dreadful fire alarm, con- tinuing at the task while the swift flame mounted up into the belfry and threatened to throw the steeple down upon him. So the "First Sabbath bell of the mountains," which had so often tolled the knell of others, passing on their way to the place appointed for all the living, as its last service, rang out the tidings of its own doom. When the evening shadows gathered, the meeting house, also the one which had been converted into a barn, and four dwelling houses, standing northerly of the meeting house, with their out-buildings, were smoking heaps of ruins. A barn on the lot where the soldiers' monument now is, was torn down to prevent the fire spreading further. A fire engine came from Springfield, but could do nothing. So, both of the buildings which had served as meeting houses for this society, perished on the same day. The first had weathered the winds of 130 winters, the second had stood but 20 years.
The third meeting house was commenced immediately, and the chapel part was ready for use late in the autumn, and the building was dedicated June 26, 1878, and, as an evidence of the zeal and enthusiasm of the members of the parish, I will mention that they made the steeple ten feet higher than it was on the old one. It was a beautiful and commodious building and all of the rooms were on the same floor, and it served its noble purpose for 34 years, until that dreadful 5th day of July, 1911, when, about the middle of the afternoon, in the midst of a most terrific wind and electric storm, the fire came down from the lightning-charged clouds, and seized first upon the topmost part of the slender spire, which had been for so many years an impressive land-mark from many miles around. And from that high point, the fire, working at first slowly but surely downward, soon enveloped the entire building and, before evening, only a few charred and blackened timbers and twisted iron rods remained of the meeting house which all of us had loved. The outlook for a new building, in view of the prevailing high prices, was not very favorable at first. But the members of the society
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.