USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Truro > Truro-Cape Cod; or, Land marks and sea marks > Part 20
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CHARLES TURNER.
Mr. Turner graduated at Harvard College in 1752. The next year he engaged as schoolmaster in Truro, his pay to be forty pounds and diet for three months. He soon commenced preaching in connection with his teaching, which led to his engagement as a successor to Mr. Avery, as already stated.
The following is Mr. Turner's receipt for dismission, or release of contract. I have not dared to follow the history of the man that could or would write such a document for such an occasion.
Know all men by these presents, that I, Charles Turner, of Truro, candidate for the ministry, for and in consideration of twelve pounds, sixteen shillings, law- ful money in hand paid to full satisfaction by the inhabitants of Truro aforesaid, have remissed, released and forever quit-claimed : and by these presents do for mne, my heirs, executors and administrators remise, release and forever quit-claim unto the inhabitants of said Truro, their executors, administrators and successors all and all manner of action and actions, writings, obligations, covenants, con- tracts, debts due or arrears of accounts, sum and sums of money, controversies damages and demands whatsoever both at law and equity which against them the said inhabitants, I ever had, now have, or which I, my heirs, executors and admin- istrators shall or may have claim, challenge or demand for or by reason or means of any act, matter, cause or thing, for or by reason of my being called to the work of a gospel minister among them, but more especially I do quit-claim, exonerate and discharge the said inhabitants of ye town of Truro all and all man- ner of dues and demands of my heirs, executors or administrators might have by reason of any contract said inhabitants made with me by ye committee bearing date ye twenty-third day of October, 1753, and so from the twenty-third day of October aforesaid to the present date.
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REV. CALEB UPHAM.
In witness whereof I have hcreunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of August, 1754.
In presence of us, BARNABAS PAINE, THOMAS LOMBARD, PAUL KNOWLES.
CHARLES TURNER.
Rev. Mr. Caleb Upham was very soon called to fill the place of Mr. Turner, as the first notice explains : -
December 15, 1754, the Church in Truro agreed and voted to meet together on Thursday next, the 19th of this instant, at one of the clock afternoon at the house of Deacon Moses Paine, to consider of giving Mr. Caleb Upham a call to the ministerial office in this Church, who had for some time been preaching in this town upon probation.
Attest. MOSES PAINE. Moderator.
At a meeting of the Church, January 9, 1755, it was voted to extend a call to Rev. Caleb Upham, and a salary of fifty-three pounds, six shillings, eight pence per annum was voted him, with a settlement of eighty pounds and use of the parsonage.
February roth, a meeting was called to hear and act on Mr. Upham's answer, when it was voted that inasmuch as many of the inhabitants are called away from the meeting by news of a whale in the Bay, this meeting be adjourned to February 11th, one day.
At the adjourned meeting, February 11th, an addition of six pounds, thirteen shillings, four pence was made to the salary before voted, making it sixty pounds lawful money. Mr. Upham requiring in addition twenty cords of wood per annum, to be cut and delivered at his door, this also was conceded.
February 17, 1755, Mr. Caleb Upham gave the Church and society an answer in the affirmative.
The model Christian answer of Mr. Caleb Upham to the Church and people of Truro : -
HON'D AND BELOVED : - It having pleased God in his providence some time ago, and after having had some acquaintance with me and my ministerial labors among you to incline your Church and society to give me a unanimous invitation to settle among you in the office of a gospel minister and for my engagement therein, the town having granted me a settlement and salary which I hope may be a comfortable sufficiency for my support, and finding so far as I can discern that the people have been ever since the invitation first given me and are still united in their affections towards me and desirous of my complying with their
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call. In all which I would humbly eye the hand of the great Disposer of all things, and at the same time signify to the people the grateful sense I have of the kindness and benevolence expressed, and having taken the important affair into serious consideration and I hope sincerely sought to God for His conduct herein that the path of duty might be made plain to me and that I might be inclined to act agreeable thereto, am now at length come to a conclusion to give my answer in the affirmative and to comply to settle with you in the work of the gospel min- istry and do accept the settlement and salary provided for me, reserving to myself liberty of taking a suitable space of time yearly to visit my parents and friends; and I ask your prayers that I may obtain mercy of the Lord to be faithful and successful in the work to which I am called, and wishing that every- thing which respects the settlement in the place be under the guidance and direc- tion of Infinite wisdom, which hath done all things well, and that Grace, Mercy, and Peace may be multiplied to you thro' our Lord Jesus Christ.
I subscribe yours in the fellowship of the Gospel,
CALEB UPHAM.
Truro, February 17, 1755.
At a meeting of the Church in Truro, March II, 1755. Voted by the Church, that Samuel Eldred, Moses Paine, Joseph Smalley, John Freeman and Richard Stevens, be a committee, in the name and behalf of the Church, to agree with Mr. Caleb Upham, about the time of his ordination, and what Churches, and how many to send to their assistance, and said committee to send letters to said Churches in the name and behalf of this Church.
Attest. MOSES PAINE. Moderator.
At a meeting of the Church in Truro, October 22, 1755, the Church by their vote thought best to repeal and make utterly void, a vote of this Church, Novem- ber 30, 1726, respecting their choosing Ruling Elders, according to the practice of the Church of Scotland.
Attest. MOSES PAINE. Moderator.
At a meeting of the Church in Truro, October 27, 1755, the Church by unani- mous vote made choice of Messrs. Benjamin Collins, Joshua Atkins, Barnabas Paine, Paul Knowles, John Rich and Ephraim Lombard to strengthen the com- mittee that the Church choose to send for the ministers and delegates to assist in the ordination of Mr. Caleb Upham ; and that they meet the persons sent for at the house of Mr. Joshua Atkins, on Wednesday the 29th, of this instant, at eight of the clock in the morning, in order to present Mr. Upham to the ordina- tion committee.
On Wednesday, October 29, 1755, Mr. Caleb Upham was ordained pastor of the Church of Christ in Truro. The charge was given him by Rev. Jona- than Russell. The right hand of fellowship by the Rev. Joseph Green, of Barn stable. The persons assisting them in laying on of hands were, the Revds. Messrs. Stephen Emery, Joseph Crocker, Edward Chever, Isaiah Lewis and Abraham Williams. Messengers were Colonel John Knowles, John Freeman Esq., Samuel Smith Esq. Deacons Crocker, Knowles, Davis, Chipman, Hig gins, Captain Jabez Snow, and several others.
Attest. MOSES PAINE. Moderator.
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REV. CALEB UPHAM.
We have not the early history of Mr. Upham. He was of the Massachusetts family of that name, a graduate of Harvard College, and seems to have entered earnestly and faithfully upon his pastoral work. The first entry found in his name is as follows :
November 19, 1756. At a meeting in Truro, voted that Deacon Moses Paine, Joseph Smalley, John Rich and Zacheus Rich, be a committee to enquire the reason of Lemuel Rich absenting himself from the Lord's table. At the same meeting, voted that Jonathan Collins, Deacon Joshua Freeman, and Nath'l Lewis, be a committee to enquire the reason of Ebenezer Dyer absenting himself from the Lord's table.
Attest. CALEB UPHAM. Pastor.
November 28, 1762, Communion Day. At the desire of John Brown, a mem- ber of the Baptist Church in Boston, under the pastoral care of Rev. Jeremy Candy. Voted that he may occasionally commune with this Church.
At the same meeting voted, that the Church and congregation should by their written votes determine whether to sing the New England version of the Psalms or the new version by Tate and Brady. Voted also that said affair should be determined on the approaching Thanksgiving, November 29th. November 29th, voted at the Church Meeting to sing the N. E. Psalms by a small majority only. Yeas, 59. Nays, 52.
Attest. CALEB UPHAM. Pastor.
How the melody of those Psalms floats down the years, and the bass and tenor of the deep-voiced sons of the ocean min- gle with the notes of -
The girl that sang alto -the girl that sang air.
How the fifty-nine exulted that they had saved the Church from modern corrupting innovations, by the impious hymn- singing of Tate and Brady, and how the outvoted, but not discouraged minority, determined to renew the fight.
To the land of the leal they have gone with their song, Where the choir and the chorus together belong. O be lifted ye gates ! let me hear them again, - Blessed song, blessed Sabbath, forever, Amen.
At the beginning of the last century, the Tate and Brady edition of the version of the Psalms succeeded to the old
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standard work of Sternhold and Hopkins, first paraphrased and published with the Book of Common Prayer in 1562.
Thomas Sternhold, Groom of the Robes to Henry VIII. and Edward VI., was a zealous reformer. Feeling moved with holy indignation at the low character of the songs at court, and hoping that a metrical version of the Psalms might drive the trashy ditties then so much in vogue, from court, Sternhold undertook the task of reform. He built his own imperishable monument when he wrote "The Majesty of God :"-
The Lord descended from above, And bowed the heavens most high, And underneath his feet he cast The darkness of the sky.
In 1643, the House of Commons recommended in its stead the version of Francis Rous, a native of Cornwall, to the assembly of divines at Westminster. The last edition of the Rous' version was generally accepted by the Scotch Kirk, and became the basis of the authorized version now in use : but the English clung to Sternhold and Hopkins till super- seded by Tate and Brady.
The present Marquis of Lorne has lately published para- phrases of the Psalins, intended as 'a substitute for the author- ized version of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, of which he is a member. Rous' version is the Psalms of David paraphrased, without which no minister of the Scotch Presbyterian Church will enter a pulpit at home or abroad.
Though sometimes rustic was the sound, I'm sure that God was praised, When David's words to David's tune five hundred voices raised.
The following is from the eighty-third Psalm - Barton.
Do to them Lord as in that day When Midian's host was strook : As Jabin fell at Sisera, O'er them at Kishon's brook While miserably perished At Endor.
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REV. CALEB UPHAM.
From the Bay Psalm Book, 51st Psalm : -
Purge me with hysop & I clean shall be : me wash and than the snow I shall be whiter - make me know
joy & gladness, the bones which so Thou broken hast joy cheerfully shall Hyde from my sins my face away blot thou iniquities out all which are upon me anyway.
From the 72nd Psalm - Bay Psalm Book.
Of corn an handful there shall be land the mountain tops upon. The fruit thereof shall morning shake like to the trees of Lebanon. And they that of the city be like grass on earth shall flourish all.
How an Englishman lampooned these solemn versifica- tions : -
Sternhold and Hopkins had great qualms When they translated David's Psalms, To make our souls full glad : But had it been poor David's fate To hear us sing, or they translate, By Jove 'twould 've made him mad.
May 9, 1766. - At a Church meeting, Mr. Anthony Snow was chosen by the written votes of the Church into the office of a Deacon.
August 24, 1766: - Violet, negro woman, a slave of Mr. Avery, made her peace with the Church by acknowledgment, and so was qualified to receive the ordination of baptism.
Attest. CALEB UPHAM. Paster.
The two following entries show the jealous oversight of the Church toward her membership, the painstaking to maintain a pure standard of morals, and consistent Church discipline.
At a Church Meeting, August 10, 1774, voted unanimously that Frances Smalley for unguarded speeches, and Elisha Dyer for unnecessarily withdraw- ing from the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, are suspended till they have given
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satisfaction to this Church. Also voted that Nathaniel Lewis, Ephraim Lom bard, and Jesse Newcomb, be a committee to inform Francis Smalley and Elisha Dyer of the forementioned vote of the Church.
Attest. CALEB UPHAM. Pastor.
August 14, 1774 .- Communion day Frances Smalley and Elisha Dyer made their peace with the Church by acknowledgment, and were restored to their former standing by a vote of the Church.
Attest. CALEB UPHAM. Pastor.
So, within four days, the committee had faithfully dis- charged their duty towards their erring brethren, they had confessed their faults according to the Spirit and teaching of Christ and the rules of the society, and were restored to the confidence and peace of the Church, to the comfort of their own hearts; and this record has come down for our edifica- tion.
November 23, 1775. - At a Church Meeting, Mr. Ephraim Harding was chosen by the written votes of the Church unto the office of a deacon. At the same meeting a committee was appointed to repair the burial place.
Attest. CALEB UPHAM. Pastor.
The above is the last record by Mr. Upham. The last baptism recorded by him was Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Wells, October 31, 1774, making 1344 baptisms by his hands. Mr. Upham died April 9, 1786. During the two years while Mr. Upham was unable to preach, and before the ordination of Mr. Damon, the baptisms were recorded by Revds. Levi Whitman of Wellfleet and Samuel Parker of Provincetown. July 17, 1785, there are several baptisms recorded in a bold off-hand, over the signature of Rev. William Hazlett, a Briton.
As this was soon after the war, the inference is that Rev. William Hazlett, was a chaplain of an English man-of-war, and occasionally preached and did pastoral duty for Mr. Upham.
Mr. Upham married Priscilla, daughter of Rev. Benjamin Allen, of Falmouth (Portland), who was born on the Vine- yard and settled at Cape Elizabeth. 1734. His ministry in
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REV. CALEB UPHAM.
Truro covered the entire period of the Revolutionary War, which tried the souls of the Cape people, perhaps, more than those of any other place in the county. Mr. Upham was a stanch and uncompromising patriot. He entered bravely upon the work of sustaining the Colonies, greatly encouraged his people in public and in private, sympathized with them in their great losses, sufferings, and struggles, and, as we have seen by the records, was associated with the citizens in the most important committees. In 1775, he generously relinquished fifty pounds of his salary for the poor. Dr. Freeman pays the following tribute to his memory :
Mr. Upham was a good scholar, an animated preacher, a warm friend to his country, and an honest man. He left behind him a poem in manuscript, the sub- ject of which was taken from the book of Job. He was ever attentive to the real good of his people, and exerted himself with zeal and fidelity in their service.
There were added to the Church during his ministry two hundred and eighty-six. I have no account of his family, except his son Benjamin Allen, born in 1756, at Truro. For many years he was a prominent citizen, selectman, etc. His name has been, and I trust will continue to be, borne by every generation in Truro. Captain Caleb Upham Grozier, a well- known, enterprising shipmaster of Provincetown, died in Calcutta, where a substantial monument commemorates his name. Caleb Upham Grozier, a retired master mariner, is now living in North Truro. There may be others bearing the name. From headstones, near those of Mr. Avery, we copy : -
Sacred to the memory of the REV'D CALEB UPHAM, of Truro, who expired April 9th, 1786, in the 63d year of his age, and 31st of his ministry, This stone is erected by vis mourning son. " I have been, and that is all."
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In memory of MRS. PRISCILLA UPHAM, the amiable and pious consort of the REV. CALEB UPHAM of Truro who expired in a fit of apoplexy suddenly Jan'y 6th, 1783, in the 58 year of her age. Be ye also ready. This stone is erected by her mourning husband.
Under the Gross family may be found the early history of Samuel Hincks, the Truro schoolmaster, who was born in Portsmouth 1718, graduated at Harvard College about 1740, married, in Truro, in 1754, Susannah Dyer, moved to Bucks- port, Me., 1795, where he died, in 1804. The records notice his engagement as schoolmaster in 1767, but as he was mar- ried in 1754, it is reasonable he succeeded Mr. Turner in about 1753, and that he taught occasionally thereafter, while a resident.
Through schoolmaster Hincks and Susannah Dyer came the respectable family in Provincetown and Maine, of which the gallant General E. W. Hincks is a lineal descendant. The name was also used considerably as a Christian name. The names of many of the early ministers and other promi- nent or popular men have been woven into the Cape families. This was a good old English custom of perpetuating names by adopting them. The quite popular name of "Osborn," which has done good service for many generations, came from the Rev. Samuel Osborn, born in Dublin and educated at the university of that city. He was settled in the minis- try in Eastham after the death of Mr. Treat. He was a man of practical understanding, who used his learning for the spiritual and temporal welfare of his people.
He first taught them the use and art of preparing peat for fuel, and many improvements in agriculture. He was a valu- able man in the community, but leaning Armenianward Tho- reau says, "Ten ministers with their churches sat on him and spoiled his usefulness." The doings of that council and
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REV. CALEB UPHAM.
the seven abstract doctrinal points are worth reading. They declared him heretical for his affirmation, substantially on the following points : First. Christ's sufferings doth nothing abate or diminish our obligations to obey the law of God, and that Christ's sufferings were for himself. Second. That there are no promises in the Bible but what are conditional. Third. That obedience is a considerable cause for a per- son's justification. Mr. Osborn was dismissed and moved to Boston, where he taught school with much success for many years, dying when nearly one hundred years of age. In 1757, Mr. Wormley was engaged as schoolmaster.
CHAPTER XIV.
1750-GENERAL OUTLINES-1800.
Fish Laws. The French War. Grammar School. Three R's. Cole's Rate. The Fishing and General Court. God's Providence vs. Man's Folly. Revenue. Free Seining restricted. First Free School. Cape Cod Fictions. New England and Vir- ginia. Town Meeting 1761. John Bacon's Will. First Protest against Slavery. Pomp's Lot. Capt. Matthias Rich. Forbidding the Banns. The dark Day. Light- houses. Sailing and Sailors. Forbisher's great Fleet. Northwest Passage. Death Rate. Training Field. Long Noonings. Old Hutta Dyer. Bassing. Yarns. Direct Tax of 1798. Rev. James Freeman, D. D. Description of Truro. Washing away. Mild Mythology. Margate and Ramsgate. Dr. Jason Ayers. Harbor at the Pond.
I T was voted in 1754 that, for the time to come, if any per- son shall take a boy under ten years old to drive black fish or porpoises, he or they shall have nothing allowed for the boy ; and that whenever black fish or porpoises shall be driven ashore and killed by any number of boats of the inhabitants of this town, if one man or more shall insist on having the fish divided to each boat, it shall be done.
" Mr. Jonathan Paine had leave to build a wharf below the bank at Indian Neck, somewhere against the land of Esq. Paine."
At an aniversary meeting of the inhabitants of Truro, March 12, 1759, Moses Paine was chosen Treasurer, and it was voted to give him 'one penny per pound for receiving and paying out the town's money; also voted to give the select- men twenty shillings each for their services the year past.
" The case of a poor widow being under 'melancholy cir- cumstances' was considered, and it was proposed that those who were able would keep her one week each."
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The demand in men and means to support the war was now very oppressive, and business depressed. Though the people were interested in the best welfare of the youth, it was difficult to supply the school with a suitable teacher. Such educated men as they desired were secured by those better able to pay them.
In 1760 it was thought expedient to petition the General Court " to be excused from providing a grammar school, and to be permitted to substitute a good English school for reading, writing, spelling and ciphering." This departure from the high standard established by the Fathers, though well intended, was a bad step. Having once opened the breach, Reading, 'Riting and' Rithmetic soon became the standard of education. As the fountain does not rise above its head, the schoolmaster did not always rise above the occasion. Having established the dangerous precedent of a school without a learned schoolmaster, further concessions could be made, leading to great wrong. No community can afford, however poor, to neglect the morals or education of youth. In a few years this error was corrected, and the town made choice of Barnabas Paine, John Rich and Richard Collins as committee to take special care in hiring a grammar school- master to settle in said town as soon as possible.
The same year, 1760, on account of the great losses sustained by the town in consequence of the blowing of the sand upon the cultivated lands and meadows the winter past, an abate- ment of the provincial tax of the town was asked. Messrs. Barnabas Paine, Joshua Atkins and Ebenezer Dyer were appointed agents to petition the Great and General Court ..
At a meeting of the town of Truro held June 21, 1762, John Rich, Moderator, Captain Joshua Atkins declared to the town that if the selectmen would not approbate Elisha Dyer to retail or sell strong drink, nor no other person in his neighborhood, that he would pay said Cole's rate himself.
Ye major part of ye Selectmen being present, they declared to the town that they had concluded to grant Captain Atkins' request respecting ye affair, when- ever Captain Atkins told Constable Rich that he would pay for said Cole's rate.
MOSES PAINE. Town Clerk.
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March 17, 1766. Gave leave to John Lombard Jr., to set up gates or bars across the way from the Wading Place leading towards John Rich Jr's.
At the same meeting, said proprietors made choice of Mr. Paul Knowles, Lieutenant Dyer and Barnabas Paine Esq., a committee to settle bounds between the owners of the lot of land round about the common land at the meeting-house and run the line between the common land there and the lots, and to set off a sufficient ground on the westerly part of said common land for a burying-place privilege for the meeting-house and training field.
Cape Cod, on account of its fine harbor and extraordinary fishing advantages, had from the first received liberal atten- tion. As early as 1671, Prince and Bosworth petitioned the " Right Honored Massachusetts and Deputies of the General Court of New Plymouth, now sitting," relating to the mack- erel fishery. In 1680 Cornet Robert Stetson, of Scituate, and Nathaniel Thomas of Marshfield, hired the Cape fishing for bass and mackerel. In 1684 the Cape Cod fishing was leased to Mr. William Clark, for seven years, at £30 per annum. In 1670 the General Court passed the following preamble : " Whereas the Providence of God hath made Cape Cod com- modious to us for fishing with seines, etc." Therefore a duty of twelve shillings per barrel was imposed upon mackerel and bass, to counteract the providence of God. This, though intended as wise legislation, was foolish and suicidal. A bounty to develop the feeble industry would have been far more consistent than a tax of two and a half dollars per barrel to throttle honest enterprise. Such a tax would ruin or so cir- cumscribe any fishery as to render it of little value. It was like the laws of Spain and Mexico that starve the people and impoverish the country. Home taxation, as a rule, is the old man upon the shoulders of Sinbad. It is the Hebrew proverb of a foolish but ambitious camel that in pursuit of horns lost his ears.
We have suffered, though perhaps less than other nations, much from ingenious modes of complicating and manipulating our natural resources.
In this country, tariff and free trade, those fertile sources of discussion, that no laws can ever fully cover, are being
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