USA > Maine > Hancock County > Blue Hill > Historical sketches of Bluehill, Maine > Part 13
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"Voted, That the Town Treasurer give to Mr. Daniel Spofford and receive from him Bonds conformable to the foregoing votes."
Blue Hill, April 4, 1796-At a meeting of the town held this day it was
"Voted, That Sixty-nine Dollars be granted for completing Mr. Jonathan Fisher's Settlement and Salary."
Blue Hill, Thursday, June 30, 1796-At a regular meeting of the town held this day it was
"Voted, That the Ordination be held in Mr. Daniel Osgood's field above the mill yard.
"Voted, That Mr. John Peters, Mr. Daniel Osgood, Mr. Robert Parker, Mr. Daniel Spofford and Phineas Osgood be a Committee to prepare for the Ordination in the Meeting house or open air as they shall think best.
"Voted, That Seventy Dollars be assessed upon the town for paying Mr. Jonathan Fisher's Services previous to his being ordained and other town uses."
Blue Hill, July 12th, 1796. "According to appointment convened this day at the house of Col. Parker, a Council for the ex- press purpose of ordaining Mr. Johnson Fisher to the pastoral care of this Church. The Council is composed of Pastors and Delegates from the following Churchs:
"The Church of Deer Isle, Rev. Peter Powers; Delegates, Thomas Stinson, Esq .; dea. Caleb Haskell.
"The Church at Sedgwick, Rev. Daniel Merrill; Delegates, Messrs. Ebenezer Eaton, Solomon Billings, Amazy Dodge.
"The Church at Penobscot, Rev. Jona. Powers; Delegates, Messrs. John and Thomas Wason."
The Council, when convened, voted:
"ist. That Rev. Peters Powers be Mod- erator of said Council.
"2d. That Rev. Daniel Merrill be Scribe to said Council.
"3d. After prayer being offered to Al- mighty God for his gracious presence, the Council proceeded to inquire into those matters which were necessary in order to a regular proceedure.
"4th. Necessary matters being duly considered, the Council, on the 13th of July, 1796, voted to proceed to ordain Mr. Jona Fisher to the pastoral care of the Church at Blue Hill. Not far from two on the clock P. M., Mr. Fisher was or- dained accordingly.
Attest :- DANIEL MERRILL,
Scribe to said Council. "True copy on file.
EBEN FLOYD, Town Clerk."
At a meeting of the town held Nov. 6, 1797, there was received from Rev. Jon- athan Fisher the following communica- tion :
"Oct. 3, 1797.
The subscriber makes the following pro- posals, viz,:
Ist. That instead of the five acres of land to be felled and cleared annually for seven succes- sive years, the Town raise and pay to the sub- scriber yearly before the 13th of July in each year the sum of Forty Dollars.
"2d, That within the term of the said seven years the Town construct and complete a bridge over the Fore Falls, so called, upon the general principles of the plan presented by the sub- scriber last spring.
These propor als being complied with on the part of the Town, the subscriber obligates him- self on his part, in addition to what he has al- ready offered, to pay annually to the Treasurer,
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during seven years, one-half of said sum of Forty Dollars, to be appropriated a part of the expense of said bridge.
That these proposals may be. agreeable to the Town is the desire of
Gentlemen, Your Sincere Friend,
JONATHAN FISHER."
In reply to the above proposals the town "Voted, That Mr. Fisher be allowed thirty-five Dollars in lieu of chopping and clearing the next five acres for him.
"Voted, That Mr. Ebenezer Floyd, John Peters and Capt. Joseph Wood, Jr., be a Committee to wait on Mr. Fisher with the above proposal.
"Voted, That the Selectmen notify the Building a Bridge over the Forefalls and desire persons to bring in before the next annual meeting what they will build said Bridge for upon Mr. Fisher's plan, and the plan which has been presented to the Town, or any particular part thereof, and lay the same before the Town at their next annual meeting for their further consider- ation.
"Voted, That the Committee appointed to wait upon Mr. Fisher present the thanks of the Town to him for his gener- ous offer towards building the Bridge over the Fore-Falls.
"Voted, That if Mr. Fisher accepts the thirty-five Dollars voted to allow him, the Selectmen are to direct the labour appro- priated for chopping for him, to chopping down on the School lot this fall."
At the annual meeting of the town held April 3, 1798, another proposal from Mr. Fisher was read, as follows:
March 19, 1798.
To the Inhabitants of Blue Hill:
The subscriber makes the following proposals, viz :
To accept of thirty Dollars to be paid annu- ally by the 13th of July for six years ensuing, after the present, in lieu of felling and clearing five acres of land annually on his lot, for that term of time.
By accepting this proposal, or those pre- viously made, the Town will oblige their Friend and Servant, JONATHAN FISHER.
After the reading of the communication, the town
"Voted to accept the above proposal."
At the annual meeting of the town held on April 1, 1799, it was
"Voted, That the Selectmen confer
with the Rev. Mr. Fisher respecting the hauling his wood and see if he is willing to accept a commutation in lieu thereof and report the same to the Town at their next meeting."
Mr. Fisher's reply to the Selectmen was in writing, read at the annual town meet- ing held April 9, 1800, as follows:
BLUE HILE, March 31st. 1800.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Blue Hill:
GENTLEMEN: Respecting the commutation proposed in lieu of cutting and hauling my wood, I would observe that for myself I am fully contented with the present mode of getting it; if there be a commutation to be permanent, I should not be willing to accept less than a Dollar for each cord to be hauled; if the Town prefer this, or setting it up at Vendue, to the present mode, I will not object to either.
Yours, etc., JONATHAN FISHER.
After listening to the reading of Mr. Fisher's commauication the town
"Voted, That the Rev. Jonathan Fisher be allowed one Dollar for each cord of wood which the town are obliged to cut and haul for him by agreement at his settlement.
"Voted, That fifteen Dollars be assessed upon the Town to pay the Rev. Jona. Fisher in lieu of cutting and ;hauling his wood."
From the town records it appears that all matters relating to Mr. Fisher's settle- ment were carefully considered, and changes made in the terms thereafter were made after both parties had gone over them and mutually agreed about them.
The records show that although Mr. Fisher was careful about his money matters, and he had need to be on the sums agreed upon, he was generous in his dealings with the town. His proposal in regard to a bridge across the Falls, shows that he was not only generous in his offer, but had the foresight to see that a bridge there was, and would be, a demand that some day would have to be heeded and met. He was a man interested in the progress and welfare of the town, in edu- cation, serving many years upon the school committee, and was more than any other person instrumental in founding the acad- emy of the town in 1803.
He was an industrious man, his house having been built from plans he drew, and much of the labor in its construction was
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performed by his hands. It was his cus- tom to visit once a year at least every fam- ily in town, and jot down all births, mar- riages and deaths in a record he kept from the time of his settlement to the end of his pastorate over the church. His visits and journeys about the town and vicinity were usually made on foot, and 'tis said that he never wore an overcoat or under flannels in the severest of winter weather. He was known to walk to and from Bangor, when he attended the meet- ings of the theological seminary. But it was as pastor of the church that he dis- played great energy, tact and perseverence, sometimes even under what would have been serious hindrances and discourage- ments to other men.
When he was ordained the church had twenty-three members, and steadily grew in influence for the next ten years until the number had reached nearly a hundred.
In the beginning of 1803, Mr. Fisher noted in his record "That much exertion was made by the itinerant Methodists to introduce their peculiar tenents, much re- embling those of the Ancient Pelagians. Numbers flocked after them. The pastor felt it to be his duty to attend their meet- ings and publicly state what he believed to be the truth in opposition to error dis- semminated. The result was favorable beyond expectation, and the current towards the Methodists subsided."
"After this, till near the close of 1804, the church was quiet except some trying cases of discipline, but in the close of this year it began to be manifest that the Rev. Mr. Merrill, of Sedgwick, was falling away to the Anti-Pedo Baptist senti- ments. This led the way to a divison of the church in Sedgwick and Blue Hill. Dec. 6th, 1804, one of the sisters of the church in Blue Hill requested a dismission from the church on account of being dis- satisfied with her baptism, which was the first instance of the kind that had occured in the place. It was agreed generally that dismission in such a case could not be granted.
"March 14th, 1805, a Brother and Sister offered reasons and withdrew from the com- munion of the church; their reasons were that they considered baptism to be the only door of admission to the church and that immersion after believing is essential to baptism. During this year other
Brothers and Sisters followed this ex- ample, until the number amounted to 21.
"Feb. 13, 1806, Seventeen of those who had thus withdrawn were formed into a Baptist church, and after this generally held meetings by themselves. April 1st, 1811, the whole number which had with- drawn themselves from the Pedo-Baptists and joined the Baptist church in Blue Hill previous to this date was forty-one; four of these after withdrawing returned."
This left a membership to Mr. Fisher's church of thirteen males and twenty- eight females; total forty-one.
"Several of those withdrawn to the Baptists have removed from the town, two of them have been ordained as Baptist ministers, men of good character but of small education."
At the close of the year 1820, the number of members in Mr. Fisher's church was eighty-eight; residing out of town thir- teen, leaving the resident members at seventy-five.
This was a trying time to Mr. Fisher, but notwithstanding what his thoughts might have been he never said an un- Chirstian word against those who went out from his communion to form the Baptist church of the town. On the con- trary, he has left on record his estimate of them as of being of good character.
Mr. Fisher was of unblemished Chris- tian character, and he tried to carry his own standard into the church of which he was the honored pastor for so many years. The records of the church were written out by him, beginning August 11, 1796, and ending August 29, 1837, in full, and show how carefully he attended to every detail, and how, with unflinching recti- tude, he sought to correct the errors of err- ing members. In some particulars the record is too minute, and might well have been abridged to the benefit of the church and its membership, but that was not his way of dealing with facts. His way was to record all that took place in the church meetings in the plainest language, where matters of discipline were being consid- ered, whatever readers in after time might think or infer therefrom.
He was just as particular to record any matter concerning himself or family that was called in question, as of matters per- taining to others. The writer, by way of
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illustration, quotes from the record as fol- lows:
"March 25, 1830. The Brethren of the church met at the Meeting house to make inquiry concerning an alleged contradic- tion between Mr. and Mrs. Fisher on the subject of some cherry rum thrown away between them. Mrs. Savage states that at the church fast, speaking about the diffi- culties in the church, she mentioned re- ports concerning cherry rum thrown away. Mrs. Fisher said we had a demijohn in the cellar. I brought it up and asked Mr. Fisher what I should do with it? He said, "what I was a mind to." I emptied it out. That she asked Mrs. Fisher if Mr. Fisher did not dig a hole and help her empty it. She said, "no, I emptied it myself. Mr. Fisher had no hand in it.' In this con- versation Mrs. F. said she had heard that she had been obliged to empty it.
"Mrs. Edith Hinckley stated the same in substance more briefly. Dea. Seth Hewins stated that Mrs. Fisher had said to him that there was a story in circula- tion that Mr. F. made her empty the cherry rum, but she said the empting of it was a voluntary thing, but does not re- member whether she said she emptied it or Mr. F.
"Mr. Israel Wood stated that in com- pany of Mrs. Fisher he began to speak about the rum that was turned out. That Mrs. Fisher took up the story and said he carried the rum out to the manure heap and dug a hole and buried it.
"Mr. Nehemiah Hinckley stated that he (Mr. F.) came into his house from Bucks- port, that he asked him about destroying the cherry rum; that Mr. F. gave a rela- tion of pickling the plums, buying the rum and putting it into the demijohn, and of the fashion then of occasionally treating those who called. That they wanted the demijohn; that he carried it out to a chip manure heap, emptied it out and buried it up. Mr. Hinckley replied that there was a report that Mrs. Fisher emptied it. Mr. F. said it was a mistake; he did it.
"Mrs. Fisher admits in substance the evidence respecting what she said; says she carried the demijohn out and began to empty it. That Mr. F. took it from her and carried it further. She says that in saying Mr. Fisher had no hand in it she meant he had no hand in forcing her to
empty it, having heard that there was a story going round that he compelled her."
"Mr. Fisher made a statement in sub- stance as follows: That the cherry rum was grown into disuse, that they wanted the demijohn and that the con tents might not be a temptation to any- one, mutually concluded to throw it away; that they were brought forward, that Mrs. Fisher, as he believes, carried the demi- john just out of the door and began to empty it, that he took it of her and car- ried it to a heap of chip manure, in the top of which he opened a hole, turned the contents of the vessel containing a quan- tity of choke cherries and perhaps two quarts of rum and water into the hole, and covered it up. That he carried the vessel out, meaning out from within doors, but recollected afterwards that he took it from near the door without.
"The Church voted that Mrs. Fisher offer in public the following acknowledge- ment:
"I, the subscriber, acknowledge that at a church fast a few months since, being questioned con- cerning the turning out of some cherry rum and intending to convey the idea that Mr. Fisher did not compel me to do it, unintentionally conveyed the idea that Mr. Fisher did not do it himself. I confess that I have reasons to regret that from this misunderstanding reports unfav- orable to the cause of religion have been put in circulation. I ask forgiveness of all whom I may have given occasion of offence, and pray that I may be more circumspect in the manner of speaking in time to come.
Attest :- JON. FISHER, Pastor.
Mr. Fisher was so careful that he and his wife should not only abstain from evil, but from any appearance of it, that this fine point in ethics was considered in all its bearings and put upon record, while a like occurrence of to-day would be treated as of no consequence and not worthy of record or of investigation.
No shepherd ever watched over his flock to see that they did not stray from the fold into forbidden pastures with greater care than did Rev. Jonathan Fisher watch over and care for the members of his church at Blue Hill during his long pas- toral care over that body of Christian believers.
How well the writer remembers him as pastor of the church, his seemingly aus- tere manner, his earnestness in his discourses, his prayer and the opening of
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his eyes during the long prayer, as the children thought, to see if they were. pay- ing attention and not taking an advantage of that period to shift about and indulge in play.
How well, too, he remembers his re- proof to boys in the gallery, who did not give their attention to the sermon, but whispered or in other ways did not pay due respect to the Lord's house upon the Lord's Day services. And how he and other boys of that day sat and wondered what would be the consequences if the cord suspending the sounding board over the pulpit desk should part and the huge board should descend with a crash upon Father Fisher's bald head.
Blue Hill owes a debt of gratitude to Rev. Jonathan Fisher for his pious ex- ample set before its people; for his un- flinching adherence to duty as a Christian minister, and the far-reaching and noble work he for forty-one years did in the service of the church, the town and for his Divine Master.
Age and infirmities crept upon him, and the time came in 1837 when he thought he should rest from his pastoral labors, and he sent in his letter asking to be dismissed. A council was called and held October 24, 1839, which dismissed Mr. Fisher, and he received the following certificate:
"This is to certify to whom it may concern that by an Ecclesiastical Council convened in this place to-day the Pastoral relatio is between the Rev. Jonathan Fisher and the C. ngresa- tional Church here to which he has lately min- Istered, has been regularly dissolved, and that the Council in their results, which is made out at length in connection with that which respects the ordination of his successor, have testified to the unblemished and ministerial character of Mr. Fisher and their high esteem and love for him as a tried and faithful Servant of the Lord.
"Wherever he may be called in the ordinance of God to travel or to labor in the ministry in preaching the Gospel or administering its or- dinances, may the churches receive him cord- jally. By order of the Council.
MIGHILL BLOOD, Moderator. B. B. BECKWITH, Scribe.
On the day and by the same council that dismissed Mr. Fisher, Rev. Albert Cole, was ordained over the church at Blue Hill as Rev. Jonathan Fisher's successor.
The council convened in the old meet- ing house, which was well filled with members of the church, delegates to the
council and town's people, among whom was the writer. It was the first ordina- tion he had attended, and ceremonies were new, solemn and impressive. Mr. Fisher was there, and kept, or rather en- tered, the action of the council in the church records, his last act in that con- nection.
The old meeting house was destroyed by fire the first Sunday in 1842 (January 2,) but no mention of that fact is found in the church records. The services of the church were thereafter held in the acad- emy building on Sundays, until the new church was built, finished and dedicated January 11, 1843.
Rev. Jonathan Fisher attended church regularly, when health and the weather permitted, sometimes preached, and attended funerals of the older members of the church.
On the Church records is the last entry concerning Rev. Jonathan Fisher as follows :-
"Sept. 22, 1847. Rev. Jonathan Fisher. Born in New Braintree, Mass. Oct. 7, 1768. Died in Blue Hill Sept. 22, 1847, aged 79 years wanting 15 days. In 1790 he made a public profession of religion and joined with the Church in Dedham, Mass. At a great sacrifice sought an education for the Gospel ministry. He was graduated at Harvard University July 18, 1792, here also, he persued his Theological Studies. He came to Blue Hill in 1794 and was ordained as the First Pastor of this church July 13, 1796. The church at that time consisted of 23 members, all of whom passed into Eternity previous to their Pastor.
"The last of them died a few weeks since at the age of 94 and Mr. Fisher officiated at his funeral. (Mr. Jedediah Holt). Mr. Fisher proved himself a self-denying, de- voted and highly useful minister of Christ; his doctrinal views were distinc- tively Calvanistic. The doctrines of the Bible were held by him with great tenacity, and defended with ability. He was fearless and unflinching in the avowal, exposition and enforcement of Eternal truths. It was enough for him to know that God had revealed it.
"Few men have ever given to the people of their charge so much instruction in the various truths and duties of religion as he. His mind was richly stored with ยท di-
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vine knowledge, nor did he fail to bring out of God's Word and out of the treas- ures of his learning, things new and old.
"He was dismissed from his pastoral charge on account of growing infirmities of age, Oct. 24, 1837, having been Pastor of his flock a little more than forty-one years. His last sickness was short, only about 24 hours, and although his sufferings were extremely great in that time, his mind was staid on God. He died as he had lived, a Christian.
"Rest, Holy Man of God."
His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Stephen Thurston, who had known and appreciated his worth and Christian character for many years.
At a church conference held Oct. 6, 1847, it was
"Voted, That Rev. Stephen Thurston be requested to furnish a copy of the sermon preached at the funeral of the Rev. Jona- than Fisher for publication.
"Voted, That the clerk make that re- quest in behalf of the church.
"Attest :- Jos. P THOMAS, Clerk."
At the one hundredth celebration of the gathering of the church at Blue Hill, Rev. Stephen Thurston gave the historical ad- dress.
"In the history of this church" said he on that occasion, "the first pastor, Rev. Jonathan Fisher, stands out in high relief, as the most distinguished and remarkable man ever connected with it, indeed as the most remarkable man in the town, and did more for its enlightenment and moral elevation than any other man. I should be surprised if there is an intelligent man in town who would dissent from this opinion; he was decidedly a man of mark.
"Few, I am confident, have ever in- structed a people so fully and on such a variety of subjects. He seemed to have more comprehensive views of the fullness and richness of the word of God -its
exhaustless treasures of wisdom and grace -than most ministers, and he was skillful in developing those treasures and thus enriching the minds of his hearers."
"For elevated moral principle and strict adherence to it in daily life, I know not the man, have never known him, who ex- celled the first pastor of this church. The love of right as he understood it was of supreme authority. He would no more intelligently and allowedly trample upon
it, than with a mill-stone about his neck he would cast himself into the sea. In- deed, I verily believe that he had the mar- tyr spirit and in other days would have gone to the stake for a principle.
"For the sick, the bereaved, the poor, the suffering of every kind, Mr. Fisher had a heart of sympathy and a hand for re- lief. He was liberal in his charities and a most unselfish man. While living on a salary of about three hundred dollars, I knew him to subscribe one hundred dol- lars for one charitable institution. A poor family lost their house by fire; he gave them several dollars in money. These were specimens which I happened to know about.
"When he was dismissed from his pas- toral care, this people were charged to deal kindly with him in his declining years, and when called to lay his lifeless remains in the grave, to erect over them a humble stone, to tell the passer-bs, here lies the man who, for more than forty years, preached the everlasting gospel to this people. I rejoice to know that this charge has been regarded and that they have raised a respectable monument over his grave. In doing this they have hon- ored themselves no less than their ven- erated friend."
Three and a half generations have passed away since Mr. Fisher was or- dained over the church at Blue Hill. He has rested in his grave in the town, with the graves of those near his to whom he ministered, for nearly sixty years, and few there be that remember him in life, and yet one would lack perception who does not discern that his example and influence are yet a force in the community where he labored and brought forth fruitful results.
The history of a town and of its people, should ever have interest for its citizens, and for all who are descended from those who shaped its course in education, re- ligion and in civic and social morality. Such history is a beacon light that points to wisdom's ways, and warns of dangers that may be encountered, while indicat- ing the way to avoid them.
The town of Blue Hill was particularly fortunate in the character of its first set- tlers, in their regard for the welfare of themselves and their children in matters pertaining to their educational, moral and
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religious training, and in the early estab- lishment of church and schools.
They were also particularly fortunate in their selection of one to be their first set- tled minister-Rev. Jonathan Fisher- whose example in honest moral worth and in Christian teaching were so helpful to the young community to which he was called.
Let their story be often told, and be kept in perpetual remembrance; let their sacrifices and self-denials be themes for conversation and be celebrated in song for the edification and instruction of the present and future generations, and let their names be emblazoned upon the local rolls of fame.
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ERRATA.
PAGE 15-Azor Candage family, reads: "6, Mary Isabella, born Nov. 18, 1831;" should be Nov. 18, 1830.
PAGE 53-Bushrod W. Hinckley family, reads: "Francis Bernhard, born Sept. 5, 1834;" should be Frances Barnard, born Sept. 5, 1834.
PAGE 54-Centennial Congregational church, reads: "a poem was read by Augustus Stevens, written by J. G. Harvey, of Portsmouth, N. H.," etc .; should be, a poem written and read by Augustus Stevens; lines were read, written by J. G. Harvey, of Portsmouth, N. H., etc.
PAGE 57-Jonah Holt place, reads: "Capt. Peters, a native of the town, and son of Lemuel E. D. Peters," should be son of Lemuel Peters.
PAGES 59 and 60-Jeremiah T. Holt house and place, reads: "was a tavern called "Travellers' Home;" should be "Mansion House".
NOTE-It is said that Jeremiah T. Holt did not keep the tavern, but it was kept after his death by his widow until she became an invalid. The house had ceased to be & tavern before 1851, when Thomas Jefferson Napoleon Holt brought his bride to it. Frederick A. Holt lived in the house after his marriage, and later it was rented to Mr. Ewer for some years, so that it ceased to be a tavern prior to 1851. Dr. Fulton boarded at the house with the Widow Holt when he first came to Bluehill, but 'tis said could not have brought his bride there in 1849, as it had then ceased to be a tavern. The land on which the house stands was purchased by J. T. Holt in 1816, and the house was erected about that time.
Julia Ann Holt died in 1858, not in 1853. Maud Mary Holt died Jan. 12, 1881. Thomas J. N. Holt died July 29, 1903. "Alice Annetta" Holt, should be "Alice Annette". Frederick Alexander Holt, born Feb. 1, 1820; died April 13, 1883.
The Brick Block, it is stated, was built by Jonah Holt about 1835. This, it is stated, is not quite true, as it is claimed to have been built by Jeremiah T. Holt, who died in 1832, owning the block except the store occupied by Jonah Holt. The letters "J. T. H." made of iron are still on the front of the block. Jeremiah T. Holt kept a store and the postoffice in the block. His commission as postmaster is still in the family.
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