USA > Maine > Hancock County > Blue Hill > Historical sketches of Bluehill, Maine > Part 8
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"HANCOCK, SS. January the first A. D., 1793. Then personally appeared the within named Joseph Wood, Nathan Parker, Israel Wood, Robert Parker, Obed John- son, Joseph Wood, jr., Robert Wood and acknowledged the within instrument of them subscribed to be their free act and deed. Before me,
NICHOLAS HOLT,
Justice of the Peace."
"Voted, That a committee of three be appointed to lay before the town a plan at the next annual meeting for finishing the meeting house. Col. Nathan Parker, Mr. Robert Parker and Mr. John Peters, said committee."
Blue Hill, September 9, 1793-At a meet- ing of the town held this day it was "Voted, That the selectmen should pro- cure six thousand feet of clear boards, four thousand feet of merchantable boards and a sufficient quantity of joist for the gallery floors of the meeting house, together with pople pillars for the support of the galleries.
"Voted, That the porch doors be crowned with pediments in manner with the front door."
October 20, 1794, the town "Voted, That the selectmen dispose of the tar, glass, putty, empty casks and boxes left at the finishing of the outside of the meeting house."
April 6, 1795, "Voted, That the select-
men cause the roof of the meeting house, which was damaged in a late storm, to be repaired, and cause the windows and doors of said house to be secured and the gal- lery floors joists to be let in for the purpose of piling the boards which have been pro- cured.
"Voted, That Mr. Edward Carleton be allowed three pence per light for 300 lights of sashes delivered for the meeting house."
Monday April 3, 1797, "Voted, That Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., Robert Parker, Phineas Osgood, Benjamin Friend and Ebenezer Floyd be a committee to lay be- fore the Town at their next meeting such plans for finishing the meeting house as shall occur to them and the consequences that may in their opinion result from either to the advantage or disadvantage of the Town and which will be the best method."
May 10, 1797, "Voted, That the Pews of the meeting house be sold at Public Vendue on the Second Monday of Sept- ember next in the following manner, viz: They shall be set up without regard to their numbers or situation and struck off to the highest bidder. One quarter part of what they sell for shall be paid down, another quarter part within three months after the work on the meeting house has begun and the remainder when the Pews are finished.
"Voted, That Ebenezer Floyd, Daniel Spofford, and Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., be a. committee to lay before the Town on the day of the appointed Vendue such differ- ent Plans of the pews of the meeting house as may occur to them.
"Voted, That the Selectmen give notice of the intended Vendue of the Pews.
"Voted, That the Selectmen provide a Person to do the duty of Sexton."
September 11, 1797, the town passed the following votes:
"That number five of the Plan of Pews presented by the committee appointed for that purpose be observed in finishing the floor of the meeting house. That the Pews be built without balustrades. That two pair of Stairs be built to ascend the Pulpit as represented in Plan No. 5.
"That ten per cent upon the price of the Pews be paid down, instead of the quarter part voted to be paid at the last meet- ing."
46
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
"That one-half the price of Pews shall be made up and paid in by the first Mon- day in April next and if not paid, in as a foresaid then the ten per cent advanced to be forfeited."
"That the Selectmen have power to bid off the Pews to be sold at Vendue this day for the benefit of the Town if it shall ap- pear to them that the said Pews are likely
mittee to dispose of the money arising the meeting house as they shall deem most beneficial to the Town.
"That, whereas this Town have been at considerable expense in building their meeting house conceive that they are en- titled to the exclusive privilege of bidding off their intended Pews and shall there- fore consider it as an infringement upon
20 James Candage
21 Obed Johnson
22 John Peters
Pulpit
Andrew Witham
2 John
3 Theodore Roundyer Stevens
19 Robert Wood
Samvel Brown
37 John Peters
38 Jedediah Holt
John & Reuben Dodge
Moj David Carlton
5
18 Amos Allen
Jonathan Darling
Door
34 Capt. Joseph Wood dr
35 Jonathan Ellis
36 Sabin Pond
23 Parsonage Pew
24 Samuel Stefson
25 Nehemiah Hinckley
Door
17 Isaac Osgood
Moses Carleton
Seat
Seat
John Candage
Peter Parker
10 Israel Wood
32 Jonathan Ellis
31 John Peters
30 Daniel Faulkner
29 Daniel Spafford
28 Cal. Nathan Parker
27 Jonathan Clay
7 Captckshud Horton
15 Elisha Dodge
14 Nicholas Holt Jr.
13, Enoch Briggs
12 Seth Kimball
// John Carter
10 Joseph Emmer fon
9 Phineas Osgood
Daniel Osgood
Door
Parch
Scale lin .= 10ft
GROUND-FLOOR PLAN OF OLD MEETINGHOUSE.
from the sale of Pews, towards finishing to be disposed of to the damage of said Town.
"That not less than one Dollar shall be considered a bid.
"That seven minutes only be allowed to bid upon a Pew, after the same shall have been set up for sale.
"That three minutes be allowed for bidders to make their choice.
"That there be a Parsonage Pew.
"That Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., Robert Parker and Ebenezer Floyd be a com-
their Rights for any Person to outbid them who have not contributed towards the building said meeting house without their united consent and permission.
"Voted, That Major David Carleton have the consent of this Town to bid upon the Pews as he pleases.
"Voted, That the money arising from the sale of Pews be deposited in the hands of Mr. Robert Parker.
"Voted, That Capt. Joseph Wood, jr., Daniel Spofford and Ebenezer Floyd be a committee to lay before the Town at the
4
39
40
Seat
Seat
20
8
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
next meeting a Plan for finishing the galleries of the meeting house.
"Copy of Plan No. 5 Voted to be ob- served in finishing the floor of the meet- ing house with the Number of Pews as sold at Vendue together with the persons' names to whom sold."
"Account of the sale of the pews to be built on the lower floor of the Blue Hill meeting house, Vendued by Mr. Israel Robinson, Auctioneer, 11th of September, 1797, in conformity to a vote of the Town this day and the 10th of May last; setting forth the number of the choice, to whom sold, number of the Pew, the price thereof and the sum advanced by each towards the payment of the same.
To whom sold.
No of pew.
Price of
each pew.
Sum advanced.
1st Parsonage pew chosen by
Rev Jonathan Fisher,
23
..
2d Sabin Pond,
36
56
5 60
3d Jedediah Holt,
38
56 6 00
4th Reuben & John Dodge, 39
57 20 00
5th Robert Wood,
19
58 5 80
6th Joseph Emmerton,
10
56 6 10
7th Enoch Briggs,
13
59 6 00
8th Maj. David Carleton,
56 5 80
9th Phineas Osgood,
57 5 50
10th Capt. Joseph Wood, Jr., 34
57 6 00
11th Nicholas Holt, Jr.,
14
57
7 30
12th Jonathan Ellis,
35
57
5 75
13th Samuel Stetson,
24
57 6 00
14th John Roundy, Jr.,
2
56 6 00
15th Israel Wood,
16
56
6 00
16th Obed Johnson,
21
54
5 50
17th Samuel Brown,
4
52
5 50
18th Daniel Spofford,
29
53
5 50
19th Capt. Joshua Horton,
7
52
5 50
20th John Peters,
37
52 5 20
21st Daniel Faulkner,
30
52 5 45
22d Col. Nathan Parker,
28
52 5 s5
23th John Peters,
31
52 5 50
24th Theodore Stevens,
3
52
10 00
25th Jonathan Ellis,
32
52 5 20
26th John Candage,
26
52
5 20
27th Nehemiah Hinckley,
25
52 5 20
28th Jonathan Clay,
27
52 5 30
29th Andrew Witham,
1
52 5 20
30th John Peters,
22
55
6 00
31st Moses Carleton,
33
50
5 00
32d Daniel Osgood,
8
51 5 50
33d Amos Allen,
18
51 5 10
34th Seth Kimball,
12
53 5 70
35th James Candage,
20
50
5 00
36th John Carter,
11
50
5 50
37th Peter Parker,
6
50 5 10
55
50
5 00
17
51 5 10
15
50
5 10
Total,
2,087 236 65
Note-The Congregational meeting house containing the pews above mentioned was burnt to the ground January 2, 1842. It took fire from the stove about 9 o'clock Sunday morning.
Blue Hill, April 2, 1798 .- The town voted "That a Porch be built in front of the meeting house and that the building the same be left with the meeting house com- mittee and Master workman."
"Voted, That Plan No. 1 of the Gal- leries and part of Plan No. 3 as repre- sented by said Plans be observed in fin- ishing the meeting house. Plan on file.
"Voted, That the Gallery Pews be sold after the meeting house is finished.
"Voted, That the Pew seats be hung (with hinges) at the Town's expense.
"Voted, That the Pulpit pillars, posts and front of the Gallery be painted.
"Voted, That the Pulpil and Deacon's seats be finished as the meeting house Committee and Master workman shall think best.
"Voted, That such parts of the meet- ing house be finished first as the Master workman and Committee shall agree.
"Voted, That the forfeited Pews, if any, shall be sold by the Committee for finishing the meeting house the second Tuesday in June next.
"Voted, That those Persons who do not make up and pay into the Town's Treas- urer half the price of the Pews this day, shall pay five Dollars down and make the said half at or before the 2d day of June next, or forfeit their Pew, the ten per cent. advanced at the time of the sale and the five Dollars paid this day."
At the adjournment of the above meet- ing held Tuesday, April 3, 1798, "Voted, That any Person who has bid off a Pew in Blue Hill meeting house and shall neglect to make up and pay in the sum which said Pew sold for when the said Pews are fin- ished shall forfeit said Pew and ten per cent. upon the value of same and the re- mainder of the sum which had been ad-
47
38th Jonathan Darling, Jr., 39th Isaac Osgood, 40th Elisha Dodge,
Choice.
40 9
48
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
vanced shall be returned within fourteen days after said forfeiture."
"Voted, That the meeting house Com- mittee advise with the Master workman on the meeting house respecting the build- ing a Bridge over the Fore Falls and re- port his opinion.
Blue Hill, September 3, 1789 .- At a reg- ularly called town meeting held this day it was "Voted, That a Type or Sounding board be made and hung over the Pulpit. "Voted, That the Porch be built with a compass roof.
"Voted, That there be three doors made to the Porch.
"Voted, That the altering of the Pul- pit window be at the Town's expense.
"Voted, That the Gallery Pews be sold the first Monday in October next, at one o'clock in the afternoon on the following conditions, viz: Five Dollars to be paid down for each Pew-Two-thirds of the price of each Pew to be made up and paid in within eight months after the day of sale, or the purchaser to forfeit his Pew and ten per cent. upon the value of the same and the remainder to be paid in within one year from the day of sale or the Pew to be forfeited and twelve per cent. upon the price thereof."
"Voted, That the meeting house Com- mittee advertise and sell the Gallery Pews on the above conditions.
"Voted, That the meeting house Com- mittee sell at public vendue the articles which may be left after finishing the meeting house.
"Voted, That the Steps into the meet- ing house be made of plank."
Blue Hill, November 5, 1798 .- At a town meeting held this day "Voted, That the vote passed the 3d of September respect- ing building the Porch in front of the meeting house with a compass roof be re- considered."
At the annual meeting of the town held April 1, 1799, "Voted, That the roof of the meeting house be laid over with a Composition of tar, charcoal, sand, etc., after the principal leaks have been criti- cally searched and stopped and the leaks on the sides and corners be prevented by new boards and painting as it may appear to require for the preservation of the House.
"Voted, That the ground round the meeting house be leveled and drained and
that the necessary labor therefor be appor- tioned to each Highway district.
Voted, That Reuben Dodge, Capt. Jo- seph Wood, Jr., and Ebenezer Floyd be a Committee to Superintend the work of the meeting house.
"Voted, That the above Committee Su- perintend the leveling and draining the grounds round the meeting house."
At an adjournment of the foregoing town meeting it was "Voted, That the Town Treasurer be and is hereby author- ized and directed to make out and legally execute a Deed by the First of June next to those Persons who have bought the lower floor for Pews of the Blue Hill meet- ing house, in due form of law, describing to each on one Deed, the number of his Pew with the price thereof and cause the same to be recorded in the county records. "Voted, That those Persons who shall not pay in the balances due from them for lower floor Pews, by the last of June next, shall be excluded by the Treasurer from said Deed together with the number and price thereof.
"Voted, That the thanks of this Town be given to the Rev. Jonathan Fisher for his generous Freewill offering to the House of the Lord."
What the "generous Freewill offering to the House of the Lord" consisted of, the record does not state.
Blue Hill, April 7, 1800 .- At the annual meeting of the town held on the above date, "Voted, That the Selectmen see that the roof of the meeting house be re- paired as voted.
"Voted, That fifty days' work be as- sessed upon the Town for the purpose of leveling and draining the ground round the meeting house and that it be appor- tioned and worked out [the same as was done the last year.
"Voted, That all chinks on the inside of the roof of the meeting house be pointed with lime mortar.
"Voted, That fifteen Dollars be assessed upon the Town for the purpose of paint- ing the roof of the meeting house."
"Voted, That the Sexton's office be set up to the lowest bidder. The following duties are expected of the Sexton. He is to open the doors of the meeting house on all public days of Worship and he is to secure the same immediately after ser- vices. He is to keep the doors clear of
49
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
snow on all public days of Worship. He is to clear the meeting house of all Stoves, after service on public days of Worship, and is to supply the Baptism bason with water when necessary. The Sexton's of- fice was struck off to Obed Johnson for six Dollars, to be paid him by the Town."
At a town meeting held May 1, 1800, it was "Voted, That the Gallery Pews which remain the Town's property be sold at Public Vendue at such time and place as the Selectmen shall notify the sale thereof, on the following conditions, viz .: ten per cent. upon the price of each Pew shall be paid down, two-thirds the price thereof shall be made up and paid in at or before the first day of January, 1801, or the same shall be forfeited and the Selectmen shall proceed to sell the same in such a manner as shall be most advantageous to the Town, and the remainder shall be made up and paid in at or before the first day of July, 1801, or forfeited and ten per cent. upon the value thereof, and the Selectmen shall proceed to sell the same as in case where the first payment shall not be paid in as aforesaid."
At a town meeting held the 13th of April, 1801, it was "Voted, That the care of the meeting house be struck off to the lowest bidder for the ensuing Season." .
The following duties are required of the person who shall take care of the meeting house.
"1st. He shall open the doors of the meeting house on all public days of Wor- ship and secure the same again imme- diately after service.
"2d. He shall keep the doors clear of snow on all days of public Worship.
"3d. He shall clear the meeting house of all stoves after service on public days of Worship and shall supply the Baptism bason with water when necessary.
"4th. He shall sweep the meeting house at least once in a month and in particular on the Saturday preceeding the adminis- tering the Sacrament.
"The duty was accepted by Nathan Par- ker, Jr., for which he is to receive six Dol- lars from the Town Treasurer.
EBENEZER FLOYD, Town Clerk."
The meeting house after due considera- tion by the town and the passage of a hundred votes and resolutions, was com- pleted, but was never formally dedicated, as ten years elapsed from the initiatory steps taken for its building to its comple- tion. Its internal arrangements were like those of the Old South church, of Boston, with square pews, galleries, high pulpit with steps leading up to it, and with sounding-board suspended above. In 1821, John Peters, esq., presented a bell, and a tower and steeple for it were added at the eastern end of the building for its install- ment. That had just been completed when the donor of the bell died and it tolled for the first ti.ne for his funeral.
Rev. Jonathan Fisher, the first settled pastor of the town preached in the meet- ing house from 1796 to 1837, when on ac- count of age resigned his pastorate. In it Rev. Albert Cole was ordained in 1837, who continued to preach therein until it was destroyed by fire Sunday, January 2, 1842. This ends the historical account of the meeting house, an account full and replete with interest to the few who are still liv- ing who attended service within its walls, and of instructive historical interest to every citizen of the town and vicinity.
The old meeting house had been built at great sacrifice by the people of the town, after prayerful and business con- sideration of unusual length, and by many votes of the town, and it seemed a blow of great severity to have it destroyed in that manner, with no insurance upon it to be collected in aid of another.
Miss Charlotte Augusta Parker Holt, daughter of Stephen and Edy (Parker) Holt, a native of the town, wrote some verses on the burning of the meeting house. [See note on page 50.] Others wrote appropriate articles upon its destruction, but the records of the church are silent regarding it.
Many memories crowd the writer's mind of the people who in it attended church and Sunday school, nearly all of whom have gone to their reward in another world, while he has been spared to write this account, and for other purposes, which the All-Wise One has ordered.
50
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
FROM THE SITE OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE TO THE MILL STREAM IN THE VILLAGE, VIA MAIN STREET.
The next house below the meeting house, according to the early recollections of the writer, was that in which lived Dea. James Savage and family. Dea. Savage came to the town to reside about 1800, before the meeeting house had been completed, as is probable, and married, March 7, 1811, Ruth, daughter of Israel Wood, son of Joseph Wood, the first of the settlers of the town.
She was born Nov. 15, 1779, and died Nov. 28, 1865, aged eighty-six years. Dea. James Savage was born June 29, 1781, and died June 3, 1847, aged sixty-six years. The entry in the records of the church re- lating to his death is as follows: "Dea. James Savage, who was a member of this church and an officer for many years, died June 3, 1847. Though of a modest and retiring temperament, he walked with the church a consistent and conscientious member, serving as deacon many years with fidelity. His end was peace."
In the writer's early days he remembers
Dea. Savage as the bell-ringer of the old church, whom the boys thought a won- derful man in his skill in balancing the bell upside down so truly during ringing for services. The writer, with other boys, sometimes climbed up the tower to the belfry deck while the bell was ringing, to try to discover the secret of how he bal- anced the wheel and bell so nicely. He remembers how the belfry shook as the bellwheel revolved, the deafening noise the bell gave out as its tongue clanged from side to side, and glad were they to clamber down again.
He also remembers the good deacon and family in their square pew on the east side near the door, one-half of which was shared with the family of the writer's father, and in which the writer sat with them, in the days of Father Fisher's min- istry and that of Rev. Albert Cole in that house.
The family of Deacon Savage, besides himself and wife, consisted of the follow- ing children :
1. William, born Nov. 25, 1813; died Nov. 27, 1813.
NOTE-A copy of the poem referred to as having been written by Miss Augusta Holt at the time the old meeting house was destroyed by fire, is in the possession of her cousin, Miss Emily Wood, of Bluehill, from which the follow- ing has been copied :
Yes, fallen is that sacred fane, And silence reigns around;
Thine altar now we seek in vain, 'Tis levelled with the ground; Thy saints, where oft thy face they sought, Shall seek thy face no more,
Or there at morn or evening hour May wait within thy door.
Full many an hour of deepest grief Within those walls were spent,
And there, full many a gleam of joy Thy word to us has lent. There we have shed the parting tear, Have breathed the parting sigh
O'er many a friend in life most dear, Though now entombed they lie.
Those walls have seen the sinners' tear In deep contrition flow,
While with sad hearts and many a fear They thought of endless woe.
Those walls have heard the ransomed sing, While joy filled heart and eye, Of Jesus' love, of sins forgiven, Of life and peace on high. Those walls have seen the gentle tear
Fall soft from pious eye Of many a sainted one that now Like them in dust does lie.
Around Thy board we oft have met, Blest Saviour in Thy name; And while we thought of all Thy love Our hearts have caught the flame;
But scenes like those shall ne'er again Within that temple be;
Those consecrated, sacred walls We ne'er again may see.
For while we gazed, mid smoke and flame, We saw that temple fall;
The temple reared, Lord, to Thy name, 'Tis fallen and perished all.
But not like that Thy temple shrine Shall perish, die and fade; Those truths eternal and divine Which our supports are made,
Those truths shall live though nature dies; Though earth itself shall burn,
Though eyery earthly temple here To dust again shall turn. Then we shall tread Thine upper courts With harps and crowns of light-
And our glad voices, in Thy praise, With joy shall all unite, Eternal, Thou Thyself art there In those bright courts above, We'll seek no more Thy face by prayer But see Thee, God of love.
51
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF BLUEHILL, MAINE.
2. Phebe Wood, born Sept. 6, 1815; mar- ried Frederick W. Darling.
3. Nathan Parker, born July 28, 1817; removed to Bangor.
4. Sally Ann, born Aug. 7, 1820; mar- ried Ichabod Grindle.
5. Rebecca Tenney, born July 27, 1822; married John Stillman Friend.
In the house with the Savage family lived Mrs. Lois Parker, the widow of Ezra Parker, and sister of Mrs. Savage.
Mrs. Parker (maiden name Lois Wood, daughter of Israel Wood) was born Feb. 6, 1775, married Ezra Parker, Dec. 27, 1791. She died Dec. 31, 1861, aged nearly eighty- seven years. Ezra Parker was born July 15, 1767, supposed at Andover, Mass., and died July 14, 1818, aged fifty-one years. They had one child, Kimball, born April 22, 1792; died Jan. 31, 1820.
.
After the death of Dea. Savage, F. A. Darling, who had married Phebe Wood Savage, daughter of the deacon, lived on the old place, took down or rebuilt the old house into two stories and occupied it until his death.
Mr. Darling was the son of Jedediah and Lydia (Stinson) Darling, born Oct. 1, 1815; married Phebe Wood Savage, Feb. 1, 1838, to whom were born the following chil- dren:
1. Augusta M. P., born June 7, 1839; died Jan. 27, 1888.
2. Ellen Ann, born Oct. 23, 1842.
3. George F., born June 2, 1845; died June 29, 1878.
4. Frank Kimball, born Jan. 28, 1854; died June 3, 1875.
Mr. Darling taught school in his young- er days, and the writer was one of his scholars; in after years he was a stone- cutter. He died a few years ago, but the house in which he lived still stands.
The opposite side of the road had no house upon it from the earliest recollec- tions of the writer until the Blue Hill inn was erected thereon, but according to the records it would appear that Joseph Wood and perhaps his sons were owners of a part of the land thereof.
Next to the house of Dea. Savage stood the story-and-a-half brick house, on the brow of the hill looking toward the vil- lage, belonging to Dr. Nathan Tenney and family in the writer's boyhood.
From the reading of the town records in
connection with action taken towards building the meeting house, one may in- fer that at that time Col. Nathan Parker owned the land hereabouts and lived in & house standing near the spot on which the Tenney house was erected in the early part of 1800; just what year is unknown to the writer. Col. Nathan Parker was from Andover, Mass., as will be remem- bered by those who have read the account of the settlement of the town near the Falls by the writer, and his marriage to Mary Wood, daughter of Joseph Wood, on Dec. 20, 1764, the first solemnized in the town. His family record has already been given.
Dr. Nathan Tenney was a native of Bradford, Mass., born May 23, 1769; came first to Sedgwick when a young man, then to Blue Hill about 1815. He married Mary, daughter of Major David Carleton, of Sedgwick, Aug. 21, 1796. She was born Oct. 23, 1777; died May 9, 1820. He died June 29, 1848, aged seventy-nine years. He practiced medicine; was considered skillful and for many years was the chief doctor in the town.
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