USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 15
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 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
Their opposition was without avail. Sept. 13, 1781, the District voted to hire Mr. Parsons as a preacher for three months ; Jan. 7, 1782, it. voted to pay him $5 per Sabbath for 39 Sabbaths, and April S of the same year, to invite him to preach two months on probation, for settlement ..
IIO
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
June 17, the District voted to concur with the church in their invitation to Mr. Parsons to settle in the ministry, at the same time stating the sums they were prepared to offer for settlement and salary. At a meeting held Aug. 12, 1782, favorable response was received from Mr. Parsons; bearing in mind, doubtless, the recent experience of his father's executors in settling accounts with the District, and regarding as well the unstable condition of the country's finances, he wrote down in explicit terms his understanding of the District's offer, an act that must have endeared him to the methodi- cal minds and business-like instincts of his parishioners. The District endorsed this qualified acceptance, and appointed a committee to make the "usual and decent preparations " for his ordination.
The steps already taken by the church in regard to Mr. Parsons' call and settlement may be outlined as follows : June 18, 1781, it was voted " That as soon as convenient the church will be in a way for the resettle- ment of Gospel Ordinances among them," and a committee was appointed for the purpose of procuring a preacher to supply the pulpit. This com- mittee was instructed to confer with the District committee and to make .an effort for union and harmony in all measures that should relate to the resettlement of the gospel ordinances. At a meeting held June 10, 1782, the following votes were passed :
"To give Mr. David Parsons a call to settle with this church in the work of the Gospel Ministry.
That the Committee be directed to wait on Mr. Parsons with the foregoing vote.
That the committee be directed to lay the votes for calling Mr. Parsons to the Ministry before the town for concurrence as soon as may be."
Aug. 19, 1782, the church appointed a committee to confer with Mr. Parsons concerning his ordination, fixed as the date for that event the .second Wednesday in October, appointed the first Wednesday in October a day of fasting and prayer preparatory to the ordination, and directed the committee to invite the following churches and pastors to assist in the exercises :
First Church in Springfield. Rev. Robert Breck.
The Church in Sunderland, Rev. Joseph Ashley.
The Church in Hadley, Rev. Samuel Hopkins.
The Church in Northfield. Rev. John. Hubbard.
The Church in Greenfield, Rev. Roger Newton.
The Church in Barre, Rev. Josiah Dana.
The Church in Granby, Rev. Simon Backus.
At a meeting held Sept. 15, 1782, the church voted to change the day of ordination from the second to the first Wednesday in October (Oct. 2), and also appointed the day for fasting and prayer one week
III
ACTION TAKEN BY " THE AGGRIEVED."
earlier. Oct. 2, 1782, David Parsons was ordained and installed as pastor of the church in Amherst, the ordination sermon being preached by Rev. Robert Breck of Springfield. It was a solemn occasion, marking an era in ecclesiastical affairs in the District.
When the opponents of Mr. Parsons found themselves unable to pre- vent his settlement as pastor of the church, they withdrew from its com- munion and took measures for organizing a new parish. They sought and secured an advisory council in which were represented five churches located in towns on the west side of the 'Connecticut river, the delegates meeting in Amherst, Oct. 1, 2 and 3. Acting upon the advice of this council, twenty-two of the "aggrieved brethren, " as they termed themselves, agreed, Oct. 15, to organize a new church. A second council was sum- moned and met in Amherst, Oct. 28 and 29, at the house of Capt. Ebenezer Mattoon, from which fact it was afterwards generally known as " Capt. Mattoon's Council. " At this council, or immediately after its adjourn- ment. a paper was drawn up, signed and submitted to the church, concern- ing which the following reference is found in the First church records :
.
"They sent to the church a paper called the Testimony and Representation. signed by 21 members of ye church, purporting their dissatisfaction at the conduct of ye church and their determination to leave them, that they were so grieved at their conduct that they could not walk with them. These aggrieved as they style themselves presented the church with a report of an exparte council dated Oct. 28, 'S2 they had called for advice, which was read and the following votes passed.
At a meeting of the church on the roth day of Nov. immediately after divine service, the following votes were passed, viz.
Upon the question proposed whether this church will appear before an Eccle- siastical Council chosen by a number of the Brethren who style themselves the aggrieved at their adjournment, and endeavour to place wherein the aggrieved have given a representation of their wrongs and sufferings?
Voted in the negative.
Upon a second question whether this church will unite with the aggrieved Brethren in the choice of a mutual council, and submit to their decision the matter referred to in the Testimony and Representation ?
Voted in the affirmative."
A committee was appointed to await upon the council at their adjourn - ment, at the house of Capt. Mattoon, and to present them a copy of the church votes. It was voted to send the "aggrieved committee " a letter, offering to unite with them in the choice of a mutual council, and a con- mittee was appointed to treat with the aggrieved upon the question of sub- mitting all matter of grievance to such a council. "Capt. Mattoon's council " met on adjournment, Nov. 11 and 12, and, having considered the propositions submitted by the church and its pastor, decided that they were unequal and unjust. They advised the aggrieved that, unless the church would unite with them in calling a mutual council within four weeks,
-
4
£
II2
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
they should proceed to organize as a church and settle a minister. This advice was promptly accepted and acted upon, and on the 12th day of November, 1782, the Second church in Amherst was organized. Why the mutual council, for which both parties to the controversy expressed their desire, was not summoned, is not a matter of record.
The First church did not regard the organization of the Second church as regular, and for many years claimed the members of the latter as still belonging to the original organization. At a meeting of the First church held Dec. 3, 1782, it was voted to summon an ecclesiastical council, "to look into the affairs of the church and give their advice respecting the Brethren who style themselves the aggrieved." This council was sum- moned to meet Jan. 14, and invitations to send delegates were addressed to the churches in Northfield, Greenfield, Hadley, Granby, West Spring- field, Suffield, East Windsor, Hartford, Barre, Rutland, Spencer, Belcher- town, Brookfield, East Parish, West Windsor, North Parish, and the First church in Springfield. Of these, but seven churches were represented in the council, viz .: Northfield, Greenfield, Springfield, West, Windsor, Barre, Brookfield and Belchertown. Having considered the testimony presented before it, the council recommended the church " to exercise forbearance and condescension towards their Brethren who had unwarrantably with- drawn from their communion, and cordially to receive them upon their return, deeming their return a sufficient retraction of their errors."
In the Laws and Resolves of Massachusetts, under date of Feb. 13, 1783, the following is recorded :
" Resolve on the petition of a number of the inhabitants of the town of Amherst.
Resolved, that the petitioners notify the town of Amherst, by leaving with the town clerk of said town an attested copy of their petition, and this order thereon, to show cause, if any they have, on the second Wednesday of the next session of the General Court, why the prayer of the said petitioners should not be granted. and that the said town of Amherst be, and hereby are directed, not further to tax the said petitioners for the support of the Rev. David Parsons in the ministry in said town, or for defraying the charges which have arisen on account of his settle- ment in said town, till the fourth Wednesday of the next setting of the General Court. This notification is to be performed at least sixteen days before the second Wednesday of the next session of this court."
In May, 1783, the Second Parish was incorporated, the act passed by the General Court reading as follows :
" An Act for incorporating a Number of the Inhabitants of the Town of Amherst in the County of Hampshire, into a separate Parish, by the Name of the Second Parish in the Town of Amherst
Whereas a number of the inhabitants of the town of Amherst, in the said county, herein-after named, have petitioned this Court to be incorporated into a separate parish, for reasons set forth in the petition
-
113
INCORPORATORS OF THE SECOND PARISH.
Therefore be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Gen- eral Court assembled and by the authority of the same. That the said petitioners, namely,
Nathan Dickinson, Moses Dickinson,
John Billing,
John Dickinson,
Joseph Eastman,
Ebenezer Mattoon,
Timothy Green,
Peletiah Smith
Ebenezer Dickinson,
Noah Dickinson,
Hezekiah Belding,
Ebenezer Williams,
Henry Franklin, John Robins,
Jacob Warner,
Abijah Williams, Joseph Robins,
James Merrick, 2d,
Azariah Dickinson,
John Ingraham,
Andrew Kimbal,
Samuel Henry,
Nathan Perkins,
Noadiah Lewis,
Noah Hawley,
Ebenezer Dickinson, 3d,
Joseph Morton,
Oliver Clapp,
Lemuel Moody,
Giles Church,
Ebenezer Eastman,
Nathan Dickinson, Jr.,
Nathaniel Dickinson, 2d,
Gideon Moore,
Stephen Cole,
Waitstill Dickinson,
Thomas Marshall,
Amariah Dana,
John Eastman,
Joseph Dickinson,
David Cowls,
David Rich,
Simeon Cowls,
Benanuel Leach,
Elihu Dickinson,
Abner Adams,
Joseph Eastman, Jr.,.
Reuben Ingraham,
Samuel Ingraham,
Reuben Dickinson,
Clement Marshall,
Thomas Morton,
Reuben Dickinson, Jr.,
Ebenezer Dickinson, 2d,.
Ebenezer Mattoon, Jr.,
Amos Ayres,
Aaron Billing,
Justus Williams,
Adam Rice,
Gideon Lee,
Jacob Warner, Jr.,
Solomon Dickinson, Levi Dickinson,
Asa Dickinson,
Ebenezer Ingraham,
Nathan Perkins, Jr.,
Eli Putnam,
David Blodget, Jr.,
Zimri Dickinson, Phineas Allen,
Joseph Williams, Simeon Dickinson,
and Gad Dickinson together with their estates which they now have, or may here- after possess, in their own right, in the said town of Amherst, be, and hereby are incorporated into a separate parish by the name of the second parish in the town of Amherst."
Among the names here given in the act of incorporation are those of four men who were prominent in the Revolutionary war, Capt. Ebenezer Mattoon, Capt. Reuben Dickinson, Lieut. Noah Dickinson and Lieut. Joseph Dickinson. They were leading opponents of Dr. David Parsons, among the first to withdraw from church communion before his settlement, and active in bringing about the organization of the new parish. The early records of the Second church have been lost, and it is impossible to give with certainty the names of the 22 original members. When the first pastor was installed, in 1786, there were 57 members of the church, among them the following who were probably of the original number :
Noah Dickinson. Simeon Dickinson, Reuben Dickinson,
Hezekiah Belding, Abner Adams, `John Eastman, Ebenezer Dickinson, 2d. Amariah Dana, Timothy Green, 8
Joseph Eastman. Jr., David Cowles. John Dickinson.
Nathan Dickinson,
Samuel Henry,
Ebenezer Mattoon, Ebenezer Dickinson,
Joseph Eastman,
Joseph Dickinson,
Reuben Ingram,
John Billings,
£
114
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
Among the deacons who served the church in its earlier years were John Billings, Hezekiah Belding, Nathan Franklin, Elijah Eastman, Medad Dickinson, Zechariah Hawley and Eliab Thomas.
The first meeting of the Second parish after its incorporation was held June 24, 1783, at the house of John Billings, who was chosen moder- ator of the meeting. Ebenezer Mattoon, Jr. was chosen clerk and treas- urer for the year. Moses Dickinson, Noah Dickinson and Ebenezer East- man were elected "to perform the duty of selectmen with regard to the parish ;" Amariah Dana, John Billings and Moses Dickinson, assessors ; John Eastman and Thomas Marshall, collectors. July 7, 1783, the parish voted to raise £50 to provide preaching and to defray other necessary charges.
CHAPTER XVI.
SECOND PARISH MEETING HOUSE .- REV. ICHABOD DRAPER, THE FIRST PASTOR .- A LETTER OF DISCIPLINE .- DECREE BY THE GEN- ERAL COURT.
July 28, 1783, Oliver Clapp, Nathaniel Dickinson, 2d, and Giles Church were appointed " to measure the road to find the center of the parish, for the purpose of erecting a meeting-house in the centre, as should be thus formed." At. a meeting held a few days later, it was voted "to set the meeting-house in the nearest convenient place to the centre of the parish," and also " to measure from every man's door, to find the centre of travel." A committee of twelve was appointed to build the meeting-house. There was the usual difference of opinion as to where the building should stand. The members of the parish were unable to settle the question satisfactorily among themselves ; at a meeting held Nov. 12, 1783, Dea. Smith of Granby. Capt. Cooke of Sunderland and Mr. Weston of Belchertown were appointed a committee " to affix the place for erecting the meeting-house ", and Dea. Gray of Pelham was to serve as a substitute should any of the others fail to come. The committee selected a place near Lieut. Dickinson's house, about in the center of the common, southeast of where the present house of worship stands. The parish voted to accept the location, and also voted at the same meeting " to provide one barrel of rum and half a hundred of sugar, for raising said house " and " bread and cheese for the raisers at
1
115
REV. ICHABOD DRAPER.
noon, and a comfortable supper at night." The raising of the meeting- house was begun on the 19th and completed on the 21st of Nov., 1783, and the first religious service was held in it Feb. 15, 1784.
Early in 1784, the church and parish concurred in an invitation to Rev. Joseph Willard of Paxton to settle with them in the gospel ministry, but Mr. Willard declined. In September, 1785, a call was extended to Mr. Ichabod Draper to become the pastor of the church, and he accepted. The parish offered him {200 for his settlement, 560 for his salary the first year, 665 the second year, and 670 for the third year and each year thereafter. He was also to receive 30 cords of wood annually, " as soon as he wants it for his own firing."
Mr. Draper was a native of Dedham; he was graduated from Har- vard College and was about 31 years of age when, Jan. 25, 1786, he was installed as the first pastor of the Second Church in Amherst. He con- tinued in the duties of the pastorate until, on account of physical infirmi- ties, he was dismissed, Oct. 3, 1809. May 29, 1809, it was voted as the opinion of the parish that Rev. Mr. Draper's infimities were such as to render him in a great measure incapable of performing his ministerial duties. The parish offered to pay him his salary and wood as it became due until the end of the year, if he would take a dismission. At a meeting held June 12, 1809, Mr. Draper's reply to this proposition was considered and voted unsatisfactory. A motion was made to see if the parish would offer Mr. Draper any further pecuniary consideration to take a dismission, and was negatived by a unanimous vote. June 26, 1809, the parish voted to take such measures as seemed necessary to dissolve the pastoral relation between Mr. Draper and the parish. Sept. 13 of the same year, it voted to concur with the church in an offer to pay to Mr. Draper his salary and wood for that year, and $100 additional, if he would take a friendly dis- mission ; if he refused, to join with the church in calling a mutual ecclesi- astical council. Nov. 16, 1809, the parish committee were instructed to hire a candidate to supply the pulpit. Mr. Draper continued to reside in Am- herst until his death in 1827. The second pastor of the church was Nathan Perkins, Jr., a native of Hartford, Conn. and a graduate of Yale College in the class of 1795. The parish offered him $500 for his settlement and $400 for his annual salary, with 30 loads of wood additional. At a meet- ing held Aug. 28, 1810, the vote in regard to the sum to be paid for his settlement was rescinded and an annual salary of $500 was offered. He was installed, Oct. 10, 1810, and continued in the pastorate until his death in 1842.
It was natural that the members of the First church and parish should regard with jealous interest the proceedings of their seceding brethren. They undertook, on different occasions and in various ways, to discipline
116
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
the members of the Second church, whom they professed still to regard as members of their own body. As an example of the feeling that existed .among the members of the elder organization, it is interesting to note the contents of a letter which was adopted at a meeting of the First church, May 9, 1784, signed by the pastor and a copy sent to the "withdrawing brethren." It reads as follows :
" The Pastor and church of X in Amherst to ye Brethren who have withdrawn themselves from ye communion of the chh and who call themselves the 2ª Chh.
Beloved Brethren :
The sacred obligation incumbent on you and us, resulting from our profession of Xuty and from the solemn engagements which you and we expressly took upon ourselves when we entered into the communion of the chh. and covenanted with each other to walk in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, and to watch over one another for our mutual and spiritual good, require and con- strain us at the present time to make our solemn and serious address to you on the subject of your separation from our communion and the manner in which you effected it. We claim no right to exercise spiritual dominion over your faith or practice, but think it our duty as fellow Christians. as professed Disciples and Ser- vants of one common Lord, whose undoubted right and duty it is on proper occa- sions to exhort and admonish one another, to remind you of your duty, and of what we judge to be your error and offence. Permit us then with Christian freedom, in faithfulness to ourselves and to you, to lay before the several matters wherein you are, in our judgement, clearly blameable and irregular, wherein you have manifestly err'd from the path of duty, have not walked orderly according to the rules of our common profession, and thereby given just cause of offence to us and to the chh. of Christ.
In the first place you have withdrawn from our communion suddenly and pre- cipitately and erected a separate communion among yourselves, without even requesting our assent. or by giving in regular notice of your intended separation.
In the next place you separated from us, or from a church which had offended you, yet you never dealt with us or with Christian brethren touching matters of offence, never conformed your conduct to the plain precepts of the Gospel-you neither endeavored to heal the breach, nor made any attempt nor used any means, nor allowed any time for reconciliation. You took offence at our proceedings at the ordination of our Pastor, on the very next Lord's Day you withdrew from us and erected a separate worship. However just might have been your grounds for offence, you ought to have sought reconciliation in the use of those excellent means that are clearly prescribed by our Divine Lord. There was at least a possibility of gaining your offending Brethren.
Moreover you have repeatedly rejected our offers of treating the supposed offences in the ancient regular and Christian method of a Mutual Council of sister churches. If your conduct in this sudden separation was good and regular, why would you not come to the light that your deeds might be made manifest ?
Lastly, your separation was not only irregular as to the manner, but groundless in respect of the matter. We had given you no just ground of offense. and in our judgment you have made a Schism in the body of Christ directly contrary to the teaching of his Gospel.
Hear us then, Brethren, while we would in the spirit of love and meekness solemnly put you in mind to consider the sacred obligations you have taken upcu
1
c
II7
ACT PASSED BY THE GENERAL COURT.
yourselves, the Duties you owe to our common Lord, to the church of Christ in general and to this church in particular, to compare your conduct with those duties and obligations, to consider whether you are not in danger of falling within the unhappy description of those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and of incurring the condemnation of those that are contentious and obey not the truth.
Hear us brethren, whilst we earnestly beseech you to retract your error, to do honour to our Divine Lord and his Gospel, by doing all within your power towards a reparation of the injury you have done his cause. and by making such satisfaction to your offended brethren as the rules of Christianity, the precepts of the. Gospel, and the order of the church require."
To this communication the members of the Second church returned a prompt and spirited answer, defending their action and placing upon the First church the blame for the differences that existed. As may readily be imagined, correspondence of this character did little towards healing the breech between the churches and their members. The First church refused to recognize the younger organization in any way ; conferences were held and the advice of ministerial associations was sought from time to time by the one church or the other. In the year 1788, the General Court having been appealed to for aid, the following act was passed, under date of June 17 :
" An act in addition to the act passed in May, 1783.
Whereas further provision is necessary for the support of public worship, in the said town of Amherst, and to promote the peace and mutual good will of the inhabitants thereof.
Be it therefore Enacted by the Senate & House of Representatives in General Court assembled & by the authority of the same, that the inhabitants of the said town of Amherst, shall be taken and considered as belonging to that Parish, in the said town, where they have usually attended public worship for the term of one year, next before the passing of this Act, and that in future the inhabitants of the said .town, with their heirs and successors, shall have liberty to attend public worship at that Parish in the said town. which they shall prefer. and shall pay paro- chial taxes where they shall so attend, they producing to the respective Assessors, a Certificate from the minister of the Parish to which they shall remove, or from the Parish Clerk, in case there be no minister, that they have generally attended public worship there, for the space of one whole year together, next preceding the date of such certificate ; and previous to such removal, entering their names, express- ing their intention, with the Clerk of the Parish from which they shall remove.
And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all taxes or arrears of taxes, which have been assessed in consequence of and agreeably to the incor- poration Act of the said second Parish, shall be collected in the same manner, as if this Act had not been made : Provided that the sons of the inhabitants of the second Parish, that have been taxed by the first Parish, and those who have removed into the said town, and have attended worship at the second Parish, and have been taxed by the first Parish, shall not be held to pay such assessments.
And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid. that any person remov- ing into said town, may attend public worship, and pay parochial taxes at either Parish, he entering his name with the Clerk thereof, for that purpose.
118
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the real estate owned by non-resident proprietors, shall be taxed for the use of the parish where the occupier belongs, according to the regulations aforesaid: and if there be no occupier who is an inhabitant in said town, then the taxes of it shall be paid to the Parish, which such proprietor shall direct."
CHAPTER XVII.
HARD TIMES FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION .- CAUSES LEADING TO THE SHAYS REBELLION .- HEAVY TAXATION .- LEGAL TROUBLES .--- MOB LAW AT NORTHAMPTON .- NEIGHBORHOOD CONTENTIONS. -ARRAIGNMENT OF GOVERNMENT BY HATFIELD CONVENTION.
At the close of the war of the Revolution Massachusetts was practi- cally bankrupt ; the same was true of the towns in the state and of many of their inhabitants. The war had been fought and won on promises to pay, and now that the struggle was over and the time for redemption of these promises drew near, there was nothing in the public treasury and but little in private strong-boxes to satisfy the demands of creditors. The Conti- nental currency had depreciated until it was worth little more than the intrinsic value of the paper it was printed on. To redeem its promises to the national government the state must have money; whence could it be obtained ? Commerce was practically extinct; the fisheries, which had been a mine of wealth for many years, had been neglected ; the whale fishery, which at the beginning of the war had employed 150 vessels and yielded an annual revenue through the island of Nantucket alone of £167,000, at the close of the struggle employed but 19 vessels; manu- factures were as yet in their infancy ; agriculture, the leading pursuit of the people, had declined in proportion as larger numbers of able-bodied citizens were required for military service. The state must raise the money it needed by a tax upon the towns ; the latter were but ill prepared to stand a further drain on their scanty resources. When the inhabitants of Amherst engaged with their " lives and fortunes " to support the cause of independence of Great Britain, it may be doubted if they fully realized how heavy was the financial burden they were about to incur. They were poor at the beginning of the war ; they grew more impoverished each year that it continued, and when it ended there was little save the liberty for which they had fought and endured that they could call their own. The
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.