USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > The history of Wilbraham, Massachusetts; > Part 9
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other towns in Massachusetts with somewhat similar names, and I mentioned Williamstown and Williamsburg. "Yes sir," he said, "I think I have it right; Wil-bra-ham, not A-bra-ham." I told him that he had it right.
The territory of the precinct was enlarged, in the act of incorporation, by the addition of a strip of land on the west side, from the "inner commons," half a mile wide, extending from the Chicopee River to the Connecticut line. In 1780, when the line of Connecticut was accurately surveyed, there fell to our portion another strip of land, called the "Oblong" or "Wales," about a mile in width at one end, and three-quarters of a mile at the other, across the whole width of the town. And finally, to render any further allusion to the territory of the town unnecessary, I will add that, in 1799, thirty-six years after the town was incorporated, that portion of the first division of the "outward commons of Springfield," which lay on the east side of Chicopee River, now called the "Elbows," then "Kingsfield or Kingstown," on the north side of the Bay Road, was added to the town. By these additions, the town was made four and a half miles wide, as far north as its western line extended. Its length, on the west side, was eight miles and one hundred and fifty-two rods; and on its eastern side its length was ten miles and one hundred and thirty rods.
But some of the early settlers had gone, and enjoyed not the ripe clusters of their hopes and labors. A few had left the pre- cinct. Of the pioneers, David Merrick, Abel Bliss, Samuel Stebbins, and Paul Langdon, had died. There had been births to rejoice and deaths to grieve them during this period. Infancy and manhood went down to the grave, and the "grave-yard," which they had raised many pounds to keep "decent," was becoming the sacred treasury of many of their dear ones. There had been eighty-eight deaths since the settlement, three before the incorporation of the precinct. There had been also three hundred and twenty-five births, and if we include those born in the half-mile added from the "inner commons" and in the strip called Wales, annexed to the south end of the town, there had been three hundred and sixty-six births. The popu-
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lation of the town at the time of incorporation, June 15, 1763, could not have varied much from four hundred and fifty or five hundred persons.
The population of Wilbraham as given by the state census was as follows:
year, 1765- 491 66 1776-1057 66 1790-1555 66 1800-1743
The first warrant for a town meeting was issued by John Worthington, Esq., of Springfield, to Stephen Stebbins, of Wilbraham, Yeoman, bearing date August 8, 1763, requiring him "to warn the Inhabitants of Said Town of Wilbraham Quallifyed by law to vote in Town affairs that [they] meet and Assemble together at the Meeting House in Sd Wilbraham on Thursday the Twenty-first Day of Augt Currant At one of the Clock in the afternoon Then and there to Choose a Moderator to preside and Conduct the Said Meeting-and then to Choose all such Town Officers as may be Necessary to Manage the affairs of Said Town and Towns in this Province are by law Oblige to Choose." "Stephen Stebbins, Yeoman, failed not" to "warn" the people, nor were the people slow to hear and obey the warning. They "assembled and met together" as required, August 25, 1763, and it was "Voted that Lt Thoms Mirick Should be Moderator for Sd Meeting. Voted that Ezra Barker [he who was called Master Barker] Should be Clerk for Said Town." The meeting then adjourned to one o'clock the next day to give the "Clerk" opportunity to go to Springfield to be sworn, for there was no Justice of the Peace in Wilbraham in those days. "Josiah Dwight Just Peace" certifies that Ezra Barker "took the Oath Respecting the Bills of the other Government and the Same Time the Oath of Office as a Clerk for Said Town of Wilbraham." Barker hastens back to town meeting at one o'clock, when the rest of the town officers are duly chosen: "Selectmen, Treasurer, Constables, Assessors, Tithing Men, Surveyors of Highways, Fence Viewers, Dear Reavers, Sealers of Leather, Hogg Reaves, Wardens, Surveyor
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of Shingles, Claboards, &c., Surveyors of Wheat." There is no tradition that there had been any caucusing previously to the meeting, but there was some sly waggery among these grand- fathers of ours on town-meeting day. It is recorded by Ezra, the Clerk, that "Sergt Moses Burt & Wm Stacy Hogg Reaves (were) not Sworn at This Time being absent." Four days after, the honest clerk records that "Sergt Moses Burt and Wm Stacy Refusd taking their oath of Office, They being chosen Hogg Reaves!"
Three officers are named here whose duties ceased long since and of which the younger portion of this assembly require an explanation. The "Warden's" duty was to see that no tres- passes were made on the common lands, by destroying the timber, and carrying off valuable property for private uses con- trary to law. The "Dear Reaves" were to see that deer were not hunted and taken at unsuitable seasons of the year. The "Tithing Men" were to see that the Sunday laws were obeyed, and especially that frisky boys and girls in the galleries at the meeting house should restrain their playfulness and dumb telegraphing to each other while the sacred services continued. The latter was a task requiring ceaseless vigilance, and often was regarded as "labor spent for naught and in vain."
The town is now organized. Money must be raised and appropriated for highways, schools, the poor, and the ministry. We may well arrange our survey of this period under the three general heads of Municipal, Ecclesiastical, and Revolutionary History. At the second meeting, held December 1, 1763, the first money was raised and appropriated: for the "Support of Schooling," £ 15; for Mr. Merrick's salary, £ 51, 2 s .; for the support of the poor, £ 2, 5 s .; for fines, 15 s .; pound, £ 2; service of bulls, £ 3, 10 s .; contingent charges, £ 1; in all, £ 76,2 s. The first money appropriated, be it known, and let it be borne in everlasting remembrance, was for the "Support of Schooling," an indication not to be mistaken of the value set by our fathers upon education. The sum is small, it is true, but they were poor, their harvests were scanty, their families large, and they were still struggling for the common comforts of life.
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At the next meeting, January 3, 1764, a committee of five is chosen to divide the "Town into Districts for Schools;" and it is voted "that the said Committee Should Divide the Money Granted at this meeting for the use of Schooling in This Town and Proportion the same Equally to each District when Divided in method following, viz: one-half of said money to be Divided upon Poles and Estates and the other half to be Divided upon Children from 4 to 12 years of age." Though these districts were laid out in 1764 I find no record of their number or boundaries till 1775, when the old districts were remodelled and ten districts were formed, and the same year the town raised about one hundred and twenty-six dollars for schools, which would give to each district only the poor pittance of twelve dollars and sixty cents for the support of a school. The whole amount of money raised for schools to 1774, ten years from the incorporation of the town, was £ 217, an average of a little over £21 a year, or about $70. The two "School lots," which were assigned for the support of schools in the allotment of 1684, and also the share of Mr. Clark, who left the county and gave his land for the support of schools, were sold after very much difficulty and hesitation on the part of the town and of buyers. The income from this fund was added to the sum which the town raised. But one schoolhouse was built in town during this period. It was on the mountain, on the east side of the Ridge Road and north of the most northerly road that leads over to East Street; very near the site of the present schoolhouse in District No. 5, and was erected at the expense of that school district. There were then but two schoolhouses in the town, this and the one which stood, as early as 1754, nearly opposite the site of the present Congregational Church in the north parish. The schools were kept in the rooms of private houses, and not seldom were taught by the farmers who could read and write a little. There were three celebrated teachers, however,- Master Barker in the north part of the town, and Masters Moses and Enos Stebbins in the south part. The "lesser lights" of knowledge were few and dim. Dillworth's Spelling-Book and the Psalter, and later Webster's Spelling-Book and Third
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Part were the books used for reading and spelling; Hodder's and Root's Arithmetic for ciphering, when any scholar ventured upon that dark art. The master only had an arithmetic and the sums were given out to the scholar and written down; he "did" them at his leisure. No slates were used till after this period; ink and paper, coal and board, nail and birch-bark were the mathematical apparatus. The knowledge communi- cated was very meagre, children rarely attending school after twelve years of age, if the limit in the division of the school money enables us to determine.
The ecclesiastical affairs of the town went on by no means smoothly. The south part of the town was increasing rapidly in population, both by births and immigrations, and was not disposed to aid in repairing the meeting house, or building new pews in it; and not seldom the controversies were sharp and long on these topics. Once at least as a compromise, persons were permitted to build pews at their own cost.
The method of "seating" the meeting house was productive of more and more dissatisfaction, the doings of the "seating committee" being sometimes wholly rejected, and very often, almost always, amended.
"The proverbial difficulty of managing singing, and especially singers, was felt most keenly and treated most unwisely. It is evident that the 'rising generation,' our great-grandfathers, were weary of the 'leading' of good Deacon Warriner, who had now, from the 'deacon's seat' under the pulpit, raised the pitch, and literally led the singing for over twenty years. The people generally felt that there was fulfilled among them the prophecy of the Prophet Amos, 'The songs of the temple shall be turned into howlings.' Singing masters had made their way to the new town. New music came with them. The old tunes were laid aside. Strange feats of voice and limb were per- formed by mouth and arm when the new singers came into the seats in the gallery. The congregation could not sing. The poor deacon's voice was silent. Great were the 'searchings of heart' among the ancients. Most unfortunately of all, the town took the matter in hand.
"The wisdom of the fathers forsook them. The flames burned all the more fiercely for being fanned. The second article in
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the warrant for town-meeting, September 24, 1770, was 'To sce whether they will come into some method or agreement for more Regular Carrying on the Singing in the Public worship in this town than it is at the present time;' and the third, 'To see whether the Town will be willing to sing four Times in the Publick worship on the Sabbath for the future.' It is pretty evident that this movement originated with the new singers. They appear to be ambitious to excel in quantity as well as quality.
"There seems to have been no opposition worthy of record to choosing the committee asked for, and ten men were chosen 'to be a Com., to take into consideration the Broken state of this Town with regard to Singing in the Publick Assembly on Sabbath Days, and to consult together and agree upon some Plan or Method whereby to encourage & promote regular and Universal Singing in said assembly, & make report thereof to this or some future meeting.' On the 22d of October, at the adjourned meeting, the committee of ten, Nathaniel Warriner, John Bliss, Thomas Mirick, Moses Stebbins, William King, Ezra Barker, Daniel Cadwell, John Jones, Eliezer Smith and Phineas Newton, make an elaborate report covering two pages of the book of records in Master Barker's best handwriting, in which a list of twenty-three tunes,-'called Low Dutch, Windsor, Old 100d, New 100d, Stroudwater, Meer, Buckland, Broomsgrove, Bangor, St. Martin's, Warwick, St. Hellens, All- Saints, Little Marlborough, Cambridge, Portsmouth, South- well, Quercy, Worksop, Wantage, Standish, New York and 149 Psalm Tune,'-is given, which 'shall be made use of in the Publick worship of God in this town;' this 'List is to be trans- mitted to Mr. Morgan (now singing-master in this Town) in order that he may Teach or Instruct his schollars to Sing them according to Rule.' No other tunes are to be introduced with- out 'consent.' 'Dean Nath'l Warriner is to give the lead in singing on the forenoons on each Sabbath & one of the Young Men lately Instructed by Mr. Stickney (as they shall agree among themselves) give the lead in singing in the afternoon of each Sabbath for the space of three months from the Date hereof, excepting when Mr. Morgan is present, then it is ex- pected he will carry the singing.' They also report 'that all who Assist in Singing Shall be at their pleasure either to Stand or Sit when Singing without giving Offence to any; that the singers lately Instructed by Mr. Stickney who are seated in the Gallery of the Meeting House are at their Liberty to make a decent and orderly Exchange of Seats as They Shall agree
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among themselves and so to Set for the Space of Three Months from the Date hereof and no longer, or else to continue to Set as they were last Seated;' and '6 thly' and lastly, 'that whoever shall lead in the singing shall be at Liberty to Use the Motion of his hand while singing for the Space of Three Months from the Date hereof or a shorter Space as need shall require." Thus far 'the committee' 'propose to be tryed by vote.' The com- mittee then recommend, that 'as the Beating with the hand in the Congregation when singing is offensive to some it be laid aside as quick as may be and confine the same to the school only; that all in the Town whose voices will admit of it speedily use proper means to get themselves acquainted with the art of Sing- ing Ruleably & well,-in the mean time' they 'recommend to all both old and Young to Join in Singing in the Worshiping assembly and to sing as well as they can; and lastly,' say they, 'we cannot but recommend to ourselves & others to studdy the Things which make for peace, and the things where by we may Edify one another.'
"The town voted what the committee recommended. But it is evident that the flames were not to be quenched by any such appliances. 'Three months' grace and 'no longer' is given to 'Beating with the hand' and occupying 'exchanged seats' if they can agree to exchange which is very doubtful. The con- gregation are all to 'sing, as well as they can' it is true, but to 'Join in Singing' at any rate. The Stickneyites in the ‘Gal- lery' would hardly be satisfied. The compromise is like Nebuchadnezzar's image, gold in the head, but 'clay and iron' in the legs and feet. So it turns out, as the 'three months' are expiring, that an article is inserted in the warrant, January 7, 1771, 'to pass any votes in further addition' to those before passed 'as the Town Shall think proper by further lengthening the Time of the Present Mode of Singing.' This article came from the 'Gallery' party evidently. It is followed by another which came from the 'deacon's seat,' as evidently. Hear it: 'to make Inquiry into the conduct of those who call themselves the singers in this Town, and see wheather they have conducted or proceeded agreeable to the report of the Town's Comtee, and the Town's vote thereupon at our last meeting and pass such Vote or Votes as shall be thought Necessary in consequence thereof.' Greek has now met Greek. At the meeting it is voted, 'That Dean Nath1 Warriner Shall continue to set the Psalm as Usual During the Town's Pleasure; also that Moses Warriner and Jonathan Bliss do the same.' The 'young men' are voted down; the 'Galleries' are in a minority; so it would
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sccm. But there is abundant life in young blood, and rallying their strength, 'a motion was made whether the singing should be performed in the congregation according to the late mode by Bcating with the hand,' etc .; it being put, and the House being Divided it passed in the affirmative, 25 against about 19. The 'Deacon's Seat' now loses, but does not yield; for 'a motion was made' to Deside it by the Town List or by Lawful Voters, and after some debate it was thrown by and the following vote passed, namely, 'Voted that the Rev. Mr. Mirick be Desired to call a Society meeting in order to come into some method of Reconciliation with regard to Singing in the Publick worship.' They adjourn; and no more is recorded or known of the result. Poor Mr. Merrick had cares enough of another kind, as we shall soon see, without being dragged into this controversy about the singing. Thus ended the great struggle of the town respecting the method of 'Carrying on the Singing in the Public Worship of God.' I have dwelt upon it at greater length than the sub- ject itself deserved, because it is a good illustration of the attempts of our ancestors to regulate minute affairs by town action. Let us learn wisdom from their mistakes."
Another and much graver difficulty called for all the wisdom and patience of the town. The conditions of the "Worthy Mr. Mirick's" settlement were of such a kind as to render it more and more difficult to fulfill them. Every year a Committee con- ferred with him and agreed upon the price of commodities: and then there was the use of the "Ministry land " whose income he was to have, and whose leasing and renting and care were a great annoyance. More than all, I think Mr. Merrick was as good a farmer as preacher, and that his thrift on the "Overplus Land" given to him as a settlement, was not a small occasion of delay and dislike in paying his salary. A good farm is a dangerous thing for a minister to own among farmers. His thrift is all open to view and begets envy. Mr. Merrick had a family of promising boys now entering upon manhood, some already arrived at it, and two negroes to aid in the field and one in the house, giving him an appearance of abundance and increasing riches. The town were not disposed to aid any more than they could help in "multiplying his prosperity."
As early as January 7, 1771, a movement is made to give up
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the attempt to settle the salary on the prices of "Sundry Species of Commoditys," and the sum of "Fifty one Pounds Ten Shillings, lawful Money of this Province" is voted by the town and accepted by Mr. Merrick instead, and papers were ex- changed between the parties, January 6, 1772. It is also agreed that the "Ministry Land" shall be sold, on condition that £ 6 be added annually to Mr. Merrick's salary, and the sale is made and bonds are given amounting to £ 348, 13 s. 5 d. or $1162.20, the interest on which is to be paid annually for the support of preaching.
Mr. Merrick's health failed in 1772, and difficulties, in addi- tion to all the others, of a serious nature arose about supplying the pulpit and paying his salary while he was sick. Matters came to a crisis July 14, 1775, and the town not only refused to raise Mr. Merrick's salary, but, after hearing read a very frank statement made by him of his sickness and offering to relinquish five pounds out of his salary for the current year in case the town should "Employ Some Learned Licenced Preacher for three months next ensuing " and in the "same proportion" for "every three months thereafter in case" he "should not be able to supply the pulpit before the Expiration of Said Term," and provided also that he "should be paid the remaining part" of his "salary according to" their "agreement," yet after a "Long Debate a motion was made and Seconded to Dismiss Mr. Mirick;" then "voted to Dismiss Mr. Mirick from the Gospel Ministry upon his being willing;" then "voted to adjourn to the 4th day of September next." At that meeting "Mr. Mirick's answer was read" again "and not excepted by the town." The committee of conference is enlarged and are directed to "Wait on Mr. Mirick again and see if their Grievance could not be removed." They "weighted on Mr. Mirick with two votes passed" and received the following answer :-
"To the Inhabitants of Wilbraham in Town Meeting as- sembled, Friends and Neighbours: Considering my bodily Infirmity and Difficulty of Supplying the Pulpit Steadily for the present, I hereby engage (provided you accept of it) to
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relinquish out of my annual salary Eight Shillings per Day for as many Sabbaths as you shall be obliged to hier a preacher on account of my failing through inability. Sª Engagement to continue one year from date hereof & no longer-if my Life should be continued so Long.
Yours, N. Merrick
Wilbraham September 4, 1775."
This answer was read in "a very full Town meeting & not Excepted." They vote "to chuse another committee to draw up a List of Grievances and Lay them before Mr. Mirick & agree with him to Call in Sister Churches; then after a Long Debate," says the town clerk "there was no Committee chose." The old committee was directed "to wait on the Revd Mr. Mirick to Know if he will ask for and Receive an Honorable Dismission from the work of the Ministry in this town and unite with the town in Calling a Council for that purpose-further voted as the opinion of this town that a Minister has no Right to any Salery or maintenance as a Minister any Longer than he per- forms the work of a Minister." The clerk adds, "N. B. the above votes past by a very grate majority then the meeting disolved."
For the next two years the same subject came up at several town meetings, at one of which, March 28, 1776 "Voted and Dismist the Revd Mr. Mirick from the work of the Ministry in this town." At a meeting held about two months later, May 20, 1776, the vote to dismiss Mr. Merrick was Reconsidered made nul and void."
"There is yet hope of a safe and honorable deliverance. They wait therefore, with worthy solicitude, the action of the meet- ing, July 2ª. A new committee of five persons is chosen to "wait on the Revd Mr. Merrick and ask what his demands are on the town;' and it appears that his reply was, 'What the town owes me' for they put themselves right in the case by further voting all Mr. Merrick's 'Sallary to the 28 Day of Last June that has not been granted heretofore.'
"The wisdom of the fathers is returning. They choose a com- mittee to hire preaching, for Mr. Merrick is too infirm to per-
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form 'the work of the Ministry,' and another committee 'to wait on our Revd pasture to make a final settlement with him and report at this or some future meeting.' They adjourned to September 2d; met and adjourned to October, 'and but four persons met no meeting could be opened so the meeting Conci- quently Disolved of it self.' Mr. Merrick's health was still declining and a committee was chosen to supply the pulpit for six months, at a special meeting held in September. In Novem- ber there is an article in the warrant to see if the 'town will unite with the church and chuse a Council to dismis our Revd pasture agreeable to the Late result of the Revd Council & chuse a Comttee for that purpos.' The meeting met and adjourned to December 9, when no vote was passed respecting calling a council, but Capt. John Shaw, Mr. Moses Stebbins, & Lt Noah Stebbins were chosen a 'Comttee to wait on Mr. Mirick with a coppy of the Last Grant made him of his Sallary and see if he will accept and be content therewith and give a Discharge from any further Clame on the Town by way of Sallary and make a Reporte at some futer meeting.'
"This is the last recorded action in this protracted and painful transaction. The 'Worthy' Mr. Merrick was rapidly sinking to his grave; going to his reward. He died December 22, 1776, aged sixty-six years, after a ministry of thirty-five years and six months."
Mrs. Abigail Merrick, his wife, survived him thirty-one years, and died September 12, 1807, in the ninety-eighth year of her age. The final settlement with the heirs of Mr. Merrick was not made till 1784, eight years after his death. The town then "Granted to the heirs of the Revd Noah Mirick what was Due to him for his Salary & what was Due by the sale of the ministry land included the sum [of] £ 48, 15 s. 1 d. 2 f."
"He was born August 6, 1711, and graduated at Yale College in 1731, the son of James, who was the son of Thomas Merrick, who came from Wales and settled in Springfield 1636. He was a good scholar and preacher for his time, very methodical in his habits, exact in all his ways and punctual in the performance of every duty. Saturday was his preparation day for the solemn duties of the Sabbath. At an early hour he retired to his study, and no one was permitted to interrupt him. His meals were carried to his room, and he did not appear in his family till Sunday morning. He was an Arminian in his opinions, if
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