USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Charlestown > The history of the First church, Charlestown, in nine lectures, with notes > Part 18
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
190
with the godly party of the kingdom of England, and rather to study union than division ; viz., how near we might possibly, without sin, close with them, rather than in the least measure to affect division, or separate from them." 1
And accordingly, those Puritans, who in England would, for the sake of peace and unity, have supported a moderate Episcopacy and a reformed liturgy, when they had crossed the ocean and settled in a wilderness, to escape persecution and " to practice the positive part of church reformation," were prepared, with no surrender of principle, but rather from the same spirit of deference for the supreme authority of the Scriptures, and of regard for Christian union, to go hand in hand with their Plymouth brethren, in ordering their church estate by the light of God's word.
NOTE 17, page 33.
INCREASE NOWELL.
INCREASE NOWELL appears to have married Parnel, the daughter of Catharine Coytmore; for the latter in her will, dated 30. 2. 1658, gives to the five children of her son, Increase Nowell, and to the five children of her daughter, Catharine Greves, Thomas, Nathaniel, Joseph, Rebecca, Susanna, " the dwelling house lately inhabited by myself, now by Mr. Thomas Shepard, near the meeting-house, to be sold and divided equally among them." This house is referred to in the following interesting extract from Sewall's manuscript journal. " January 26, 1697. I lodged at Charlestown, at Mrs. Shepard's, who tells me Mr. Harvard built that house. I lay in the chamber next the street. As I lay awake past midnight, in my meditation, I was affected to consider how long ago God had made provision for my comfortable lodging that night-seeing that was Mr. Harvard's house-and that led me to think of heaven, the house not made with hands, which God for many thousands of years has been storing with the richest furniture, (saints that are from time to time placed there, ) and that I had some hopes of being entertained in this magnificent, convenient palace, every way fitted and furnished. These thoughts were very refreshing to me."
The children of Increase and Parnel Nowell, not including three who died in infancy, were
1. Samuel, born November 12, 1634. Graduated at Harvard Col- lege, 1653. He became a preacher of the gospel, but was never set- tled in the ministry. He preached frequently, however, and notes of many of his sermons have been preserved among the Mather manu- scripts in the Antiquarian library, at Worcester. One of his sermons was published. It is entitled, " Abraham in Arms; or, the first Religious General with his army engaging in a war for which he had
i Sce Chron. Pil. p. 398.
--
191
wisely prepared, and by which not only an eminent victory was ob- tained, but a blessing gained also. Delivered in an artillery election sermon, June 3, 1678." I am so well pleased with his preface, that I have transcribed it.
" To the Reader :
"Friendly reader, a desire to gratify my friends, hath made me, against my own judgment, to consent to the publication of these notes, taken by one of the auditors; to which I am not able to make that addition, by means of my inability to write, through infirmity in my right hand, which God hath been pleased to exercise me with, almost wholly taking away the use of my hand ; what is, therefore, made pub- lic, is not mine own notes, but agreeing in the substance with what was delivered. This argument also prevailed with me to let this come forth. I thought others more able, seeing this imperfect work to find acceptance with some, might thereby be provoked to preach and print something that might be more effectual to revive our military disci- pline, and the spirit of soldiery, which seems to be in its wane, in an age when never more need of it. The love I have for this country, where I drew my first breath, hath made me run the gauntlet by expos- ing this to the world, hoping that they that fault it, will endeavor to mend it by some mean or other, and to pray for the author, who is a friend to all of such a spirit,
SAMUEL NOWELL."
Mr. Nowell is mentioned by Mather, (vol. II. 492,) as chaplain in the army employed against the Narragansetts. Ile was also, for several years, treasurer of the college. Hle afterwards sustained important civil trusts, and was chosen, in 1680, an assistant of the colony, in which office he continued until 1686. The precise date of his death has not been preserved, but it was while Rev. Increase Mather was in London, for there is preserved among the Mather manuscripts belong- ing to the Old South church, a note of invitation for Mr. Mather to attend the funeral of Mr. Nowell.
Mary, the widow of Samuel Nowell, we learn from Sewall's manu- script journal, died in Charlestown, Monday, August 14, 1693. Fu- neral August 15. Bearers, Mr. Cook, Major IIutchinson, Sewall, Allen, Willard, Baily. She was laid in Mr. Usher's tomb.
2. Mehetable, born February 2, 1638. She was admitted to full communion with the church, February 24, 1666-7, under the name of Mehetable Hilton, having married Mr. William Hilton, who was ad- mitted to the church August 14, 1670, by letter of dismission from the church in Newbury. Thomas Shepard, second, calls William Hilton his cousin. The children of William and Mehetable Hilton were- Nowell, born May 4, 1663; Edward, born March 3, 1666; John, baptized May 24, 1668; Richard, born September 13, 1670; and Charles, born April 19, 1673. Mr. Hilton dying 7th 7 mo. 1675, she afterwards married Dea. John Cutler, and died September, 1711, aged seventy-three years eight months. Her grave-stone is still stand- ing in our burying-ground.
This William Ililton was a mariner, and I suppose him to be the author of a book I found in the extensive and highly valuable library
192
of Peter Force, Esq., of Washington city. It is entitled, " A Relation of a Discovery lately made on the coast of Florida, (from latitude 31 to 33 degrees, 45 minutes north latitude,) by William Hilton, com- mander and commissioner with Captain Anthony Long and Peter Fabian, in the ship Adventure, which set sail from Spikes Bay, August 10, 1663, and was set forth by several gentlemen and merchants of the Island of Barbadoes." It gives an interesting "account of the nature and temperature of the soil, the manners and disposition of the natives, and whatsoever else is remarkable therein." Printed in London, 1664.
3. Increase, baptized May 19, 1640. He appears to have followed the seas.
4. Mary, born May 26, 1643. She joined the church February 23, 1663, under the name of Mary Winslow, having married Isaac Wins- low, August 14, 1666. After his death she married Mr. John Long, September 10, 1674.
5. Besides these, there was Alexander, who graduated at Harvard College, 1664 ; was the author of several almanacs, and died 1672.
The substance of Mr. Increase Nowell's will is as follows :
" My will is, that my son Increase, his own inclination being to sea, be brought up a seaman. Next, my will is, that my son Alexander, if he incline to learning, be brought up a scholar, if the estate be able to bear it, and he prove towardly and capable; if not, in some other honest trade, and my executors and overseers think meet." He ordered his estate to be divided into six parts, of which Samuel was to have two, Increase, Alexander, Mehetable and Mary, one. IIe be- queathed £40 to his pastor, Zechariah Symmes, and the same to Mr. Wilson, and 20s. apiece to the Ruling Elder, John Greene, and the two Deacons, Ralph Mousall and Robert Hale. He appointed his wife and his son Samuel, his executors, and the two deacons his over- seers. 'The whole estate amounted to £592, besides 3,200 acres of land, granted by the General Court, in 1650, and situated near the Merrimack River, in New Hampshire, but not then laid out.
NOTE 18, page 33.
CAPT. RICHARD SPRAGUE.
THE original will of Capt. Sprague is preserved in the probate office, and an ancient copy of it is among the church papers. It bears date October 5, 1703.
" First and principally, I recommend my soul to Almighty God my Creator, hoping and believing to receive full pardon and free remission of all my sins, and to be saved by the precious death and merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Christ Jesus, and my body to the earth, from whence it was taken, to be therein buried in a decent and Chris- tian manner, according to the directions of my executors hereinafter named."
After providing for the payment of his debts, he bequeaths,
5
193
1. £100 to the church in money, part of it to be laid out and in- vested in four silver tankards for sacramental use, and the rest to be disposed of by the deacons and their successors, for the best advantage of the church.
2. £50 to Rev. Simon Bradstreet.
3. £20 to Rev. Mr. Michael Wigglesworth.
4. £500 to his sister, Mary Edmands, and her children.
5. To the five sons of his eldest brother, John Sprague, deceased, and to the two sons of his brother, Samuel Sprague, deceased, his farm-house, land, wood-lot, or tenement occupied by Charles Hun- newell, and £20 apiece.
6, 7, 8. Various sums to several relatives and friends whom he mentions.
9. To his sister, Mary Edmands, a silver tankard, and his dwelling house and land adjoining, to be disposed of after her death for the benefit of the poor in the town ; also, all his household stuff to be dis- posed of for the annual benefit of the poor.
10. Disposes of his wearing apparel.
11. " I do give and bequeath the house and land Mr. Simon Brad- street now possesseth, unto my sister, Mary Edinands, during her nat- ural life; and after that, to Mr. Bradstreet aforesaid, during his con- tinuance in the work of the ministry in the town of Charlestown, the town paying the sum of ££10, according to the town's vote, for the rent thereof; and after Mr. Simon Bradstreet's death, or discontinuance in the work of the ministry in this said town of Charlestown, I do give and bequeath unto the said town of Charlestown, the said house and land, to be and to remain for the use of the ministry in said town for- ever, and not to be alienated or disposed of for any other use or uses whatsoever."
13. " I do give and bequeath unto Harvard College, in Cambridge, the sum of £400 in money, to be disposed of according to the discre- tion and management of the now President, and the Hon. John Lev- eret, Mr. William Brattle, and Mr. Simon Bradstreet; and further, I do give unto the poor of the town of Charlestown, my fourth part of the sloop Friendship, the same to be put to interest for the use of the poor aforesaid, to be managed by the selectmen of the town."
The remaining parts of the will consist of additional legacies to his relatives and friends, excepting this.clause in a codicil : "I give and bequeath unto the free-school in Charlestown, £50 money, to be put to interest by the selectmen or treasurer, annually, for the use of said school ; the interest only to be spent yearly for the end aforesaid; the principal not to be used any other ways but by letting for lawful inter- est, and the interest to be annually improved as aforesaid."
The house bequeathed to the poor of the town, in the paragraph numbered 9, was sold, as we learn from the town records, to Samuel . Henley, May 13, 1732.
25
194
NOTE 19, page 34.
LIST OF DEACONS.
THE first three deacons of the church were Ralph Mousall, Robert Hale, and Thomas Lynde. Ralph Mousall and Robert Hale were among the original members of the church, and were probably ap- pointed when the church was organized ; the first died April 30, 1657, and the second July 16, 1659. Thomas Lynde was admitted to the church February 4, 1636; but of his appointment to the office of deacon, no record is left. He died December 30, 1671. William Stilson and Robert Cutler were ordained deacons October 16, 1659, the former of whom was admitted to the church March 22, 1633, and died April 11, 1691, aged ninety-one years; and the latter was admit- ted to the church at the same time with John Harvard and Anna his wife, November 6, 1637, and died March 7, 1665. John Cutler, the son of Deacon Robert, and Aaron Ludkin, were ordained deacons February 25, 1672, and both died the same year, 1694 ; the first, Sep- tember 18, and the second, March 26. " On the 28th April, 1695, three deacons (the church being then wholly destitute) having been formerly and regularly nominated, and declared in the whole congre- gation, namely, Mr. William Foster, Mr. John Call, and Mr. Joseph Kettle; Mr. Foster excused himself because of the infirmity of his age, and therefore the other two only were this day ordained."'
There is in the burying-ground, the grave-stone of Deacon Edward Wilson, who died December 31, 1706, aged seventy-three. Ile was admitted to the church July 29, 1660 ; but of his election or ordination to the office of deacon, no record remains.
In addition to those mentioned above, the following persons have successively filled the office of deacon :
Jonathan Cary, chosen Deacon May 3, 1710. Samuel Frothingham, " June 5, 1723. 66
Jonathan Kettel, 66
Michael Brigden, .
February 5, 1752. 66 66 Thomas Symmes, .
January 21, 1763. " John Frothingham, 66
David Cheever, . .
January 20, 1768.
Timothy Austin,
John Larkin, . . 66
Thomas Miller, .
James Frothingham, 66
January 21, 1793.
Amos Tufts, . ·
Matthew Skelton, "
July 5, 1804. 1818. January 10, 1833.
John Doane, Jr., ordained Deacon Enoch Hunt, chosen Deacon .
October 13, 1836.
~7 Ebenezer Ford, .
November 8, 1839.
Oliver Dickson,
February 3, 1842.
William Kettell, .
June 8, 1787. 66
1 Record by Mr. Morton.
1
195
NOTE 20, page 35.
MEETING-HOUSE AND SABBA'-DAY HOUSE.
THE town records say, under date of November 26, 1639, " Mr. William Rainsborough bought the old meeting-house and paid for it in full payment, to Mr. Nowell and Thomas Lind, one hundred pounds for the church's use, which monies went towards charge of building the new meeting-house."
And in the margin is the following : " Mr. William Rainsborough pays for the old meeting-house that stands between the town and the neck, £100 to Mr. Increase Nowell and Thomas Lind towards build- ing the new meeting-house, newly built in the town, on the south side of the Town Hill."
It would seem from this, that the Great House was either abandoned and another built farther up, or else was moved from the place where it was built. But this is the only notice I have found of any meeting- house " between the town and the neck."
In Winthrop's journal, under the date of June, 1636, is the follow- ing notice : " Mr. Winthrop, Jun., gave £5 towards the building of the meeting-house at Charlestown. I sent it by James Brown." 'This it would seem from the date, must have been given for the house " between the town and the neck."
In this connection it will be interesting to introduce an order from the town records, which exhibits the care of our ancestors to provide for the comfort of those who come fromn a distance to attend worship. Small houses were built, called Sabba'-day houses, for such to assem- ble in as lived too far to return home at noon. Under date of May 9, 1639, is the following record : " It was ordered that a watch-house should be built with a chimney in it of convenient largeness to give entertainment on the Lord's day to such as live remote from the meet- ing-house, and that there shall be a small room added or taken out of it for widow Morly to live in. The two constables and Robert IIale were appointed to order the building of the watch-house."
This proceeding may reveal, perhaps, the cause of the erection of a meeting-house towards the neck, and the condition upon which it was rebuilt in the square. But, however this may be, it is interesting, as exhibiting a usage of those early days.
It was customary in country towns, to erect several small houses for the purpose for which our watch-house was built. The following is an extract from the centennial address of the Rev. Grant Powers, of Goshen, Connecticut.
" These houses generally consisted of two rooms ten or twelve feet square, with a chimney in the centre between them, and a fire-place in each room. They were generally built at the united expense of two or more families. Dry fuel was kept in each house, ready for kindling a fire. On the morning of the Sabbath, the owner of each room deposited in his saddle-bags the necessary refreshment for him- self and family, and a bottle of beer and cider, and took an early start for the sanctuary. He first called at his Sabba'-day house, built him a fire, deposited his luncheon, warmed himself and family ; and at the
196
hour of worship, they were all ready to sally forth, and to shiver in the cold, during the morning services at the house of worship. At noon they returned to their Sabba'-day house, with some invited friends per- haps, where a warm room received them ; the fire having been in operation during the morning exercises. The saddle-bags were now brought forth, and their contents discharged upon a prophet's table, of which all partook a little, and each in turn drank at the bottle. This service being performed, and thanks returned, the patriarch of the family drew from his pocket the notes he had taken during the morn- ing service, and the sermon came under renewed and distinct consid- eration, all enjoying the utmost freedom in their remarks. Sometimes a well-chosen chapter or paragraph was read from an author, and the service was not unfrequently concluded by prayer ; then all returned to the sanctuary to seek a blessing there. If the cold was severe, the family might return to their house to warm them before they sought their habitation. The fire was then extinguished, the saddle-bags and the fragments were gathered up, the house locked, and all returned to their home."
NOTE 21, page 41. THOMAS JAMES.
MR. SAVAGE, the learned editor of Winthrop, thought it more probable that Mr. James did not return to England, but was the Thomas James who died in East Hampton, 1696. He is now, how- ever, satisfied that they were different persons. The testimony of Prince and Hubbard would seem decisive; and that he had a son who was studying for the ministry, we learn from Johnson. Prince says, p. 413, " When I lived at Comb's in Suffolk, from 1711 to 16, Mr. Thomas Denny, a pious and ancient gentleman there, informed me that he knew the Rev. Mr. Thomas James, minister of Needham, about four miles off, who he said came from New England." Hub- bard says, p. 191, that he continued in the work of the ministry till the year 1678, when he was about the eighty-sixth year of his age, and might be living at the time he wrote. Jolmson bestows the following lines upon him :
"Thy native soil, O James, did thee approve, God's people there in Lincolnshire commend ; Thy courteous speech, and work of Christian love, 'Till Christ through seas did thee on message send. With learned skill his mind for to unfold, His people in New England thou must feed; But one sad breach did cut that band should hold, Then part wilt thou lest farther jars should breed, Yet pari thou wilt not with Christ's truth, thy erown. But my muse wails that any soldier should In fighting slip; why, James, thou fallest not down ! Back thou retreat'st-then valiant fighting ; hold
Fast on thy Christ, who thine may raise with thee ; His bands increase when leaders he provides ; Thy son, young student, may such blessing be, "Thy loss repair, and Christ thee crown besides." 1
1 Wonder Working Providence ch. 26.
197
NOTE 22, page 46.
THOMAS ALLEN.
THE following facts have been gleaned by Mr. Savage, in his late visit to England, respecting Mr. Allen. He was the son of John Allen, a dyer, of Norwich, of a competent estate, born and baptized 1608. He was chosen minister of St. Edmund's a second time, and continued so till August 24, 1662, about eleven years. He took his first degree, 1627, and his second, 1631. Ilis first wife was Anne Sadler, of Patcham, in Sussex, by whom he had a son, Thomas. His second wife was the widow of Major Sedgwick, by whom he had no issue.
Our church records show the baptism of Mary, daughter of Thomas and Anne Allen, 15th 12mo., 1639. And from the Boston records we learn that Mary, the daughter of Thomas and Anne Allen, was born 31. 11. 1639. And Sarah, their daughter, was born 8. 6. 1641, and was buried 21. 2 1642. Elizabeth, their daughter, was born 17. 7., and died 29. 7. 1642. And Mercy, their daughter, was born 13. 6. 1646, and died 17. 6. 1646.
NOTE 23, page 47.
THE CAMBRIDGE PLATFORM.
AT the session of the General Court, in May, 1646, a bill was pre- sented by some of the elders for a synod to be held in the end of sum- mer. The magistrates passed it, but the deputies objected, because the churches were required by the bill to send messengers, and they were not satisfied that Christ had given the civil authority any such power over the churches, and also because the design of the synod was to establish one uniform practice for all the churches, which was to be approved by the General Court ; and this seemed to give power either to the synod or the court to compel the churches to practice what should so be established.
In answer to these objections, it was said and admitted by all, that the civil magistrate had power to require the churches to send messen- gers to advise in regard to those ecclesiastical matters, either of doc- trine or discipline, the purity and truth of which the magistrate was bound by God to maintain. And then it was held, the synod was to proceed not by way of power, but of counsel from the word of God; and the court was at liberty to disannul or establish the agreement of the synod as they saw fit, which put no more authority into their hands than they already had by the word of God, as well as by their own laws and liberties. It was voted, therefore, that the civil authority had power to call a synod when they saw fit; but from tender regard to the scruples of some, it was determined that the synod should be convened by way of motion only, and not of command to the churches.
198
As the time for the synod to meet, drew near, it was propounded to the churches, and the same or similar objections were raised as had been made by the deputies. Those who were principally concerned in raising these objections, were some persons in Boston who had recently come from England, where the largest liberty was claimed and allowed by the Independents, and the greater part of the House of Commons. Governor Winthrop has preserved a particular account of the debate held on this subject, in the Boston church. The question was agitated and no conclusion reached, two Lord's days ; and the elders sat down much grieved in spirit, but told the congregation they felt it their duty to attend the synod notwithstanding ; not as sent by the church, but as called by the court.
The assembly met at Cambridge, Ist September. The next day, being the Boston Lecture, Mr. Norton of Ipswich, preached a sermon to a vast auditory, on Moses and Aaron kissing each other in the mount, in which he laid down the nature and power of synods as only consultative, decisive, and declarative, not coactive; and spoke with so much effect upon this subject, and upon the duty of churches to yield obedience to the civil magistrate, and the great scandal of refusing to do so, that on the next Lord's day, a majority of the church voted to send three messengers with their elders to the assembly.
Owing to these circumstances, the synod, upon coming together, discussed the question as to the magistrates' power in matters of religion ; and after a session of fourteen days, delivered their judg- ment in the following proposition : " The civil magistrate, in matters of religion, or of the first table, hath power civilly to command or forbid things respecting the outward man, which are clearly com- manded or forbidden in the word, and to inflict suitable punishments, according to the nature of the same."
This proposition, with arguments and testimonies in confirmation of it, was printed at London, 1654, together with a discourse upon the doctrine, by Thomas Allen. It was bound up with a small treatise about the nature and power of synods.
It being near winter, and few of the elders from other colonies being present, the synod adjourned to June 8, 1647. At the second session, no business was accomplished in consequence of an epidemic disease, which prevailed through the colonies, among Indians and English, French and Dutch, of which died, the very day before the synod assembled, the Rev. Thomas Hooker, of Hartford, and just one week after, Margaret, the wife of Gov. Winthrop.
The synod met again by adjournment, August 15. Mr. Allen, of Dedham, preached from Acts xv., a chapter containing the history of the council of Jerusalem. The Platformn, framed by the synod at this time, was presented to the General Court, in the month of October, 1648, and by them accepted and approved.
From that time to this, the Platform, for substance, has been recog- nized as the standard of Congregational discipline. This Platform has been once solemnly re-affirmed. A synod convened by the General Court, at Boston, September 10, 1679, having read and considered it, unanimously approved of it, " for the substance of it," " desiring that the churches may continue steadfast in the order of the gospel, accord- ing to what is therein declared from the word of God."
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.