USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Durham > History of Durham, Maine, with genealogical notes > Part 5
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
March next. Stephen Hart, Benj. Vining and Charles Gerrish were a Committee to see that the land be cleared.
March 25, 1776, Voted one day's work on burying ground, O. Israel Bagley to have charge of the work.
July 30, 1776, Voted "to hire the Gospel Minister three months to preach the Gospel Amongst us." Major Charles Gerrish and Ebenezer Roberts were a Committee to hire a preacher. Voted that he preach at the house of Ellot Frost.
There is no further record pertaining to church matters during the next three years. Meanwhile the proprietors issued proposals for the erection of a house of worship.
"To the Gentlemen Selectmen of Royalsborough,
Proposals to build a Meeting House in Royalsborough Vizt. To be about the same Dimentions as Brunswick meeting house, to be glaized with sash Glass. The Inhabitants to find the Frame raise it and underpin it, also Boards Clapboards and Shingles Sufficient for that purpose. The workmanship Nails and Glass to be done at the Expense of the Proprietors out of the money ariseing by the sail of the setling Lotts. The Plastering the inside, the Pulpitt, Deacon Seat, minister's Pew and one for the Proprietors. The rest of the Pews and Seats at the Charge of the Inhabitants. The Galleries to be built at the Charge of the Proprietors except the seats. A Convenient Porch to be erected at the Front Door in which the Stairs into the Galleries are to be fixed. So Agreed to by the Committee of the Proprietors.
December, 1776.
Bagley and Noyes.
Recorded March ye 10th, 1791.
These proposals were not at once acted upon, probably because attention was diverted by the Revolutionary War and financial burdens were heavy. It was not till Nov. 8, 1779 that the Plantation voted "to get up a frame for the meeting house the same Bigness of Brunswick meeting house by the last of July next." Nothing seems to have been done. More than one third of the men capable of bearing arms were in the army. There is no record of any religious service for four years. June 22, 1780, O. Israel Bagley was chosen a committee to "hire a minister of the gospel to preach with this town six weeks." There is no record of the result. Sept. 12, 1780, the building of the meeting house was again agitated and it was voted to build it. O. Israel Bagley was chosen "overseer to See it built." Major Gerrish, Benjamin Vining and Hugh Getchell were a
45
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
committee to "see that the hous is Dun," and to sell or vendue thirty-five pews. These committees did not do as instructed. The proprietors thought to hasten both the building of the church and, what was still more desired by them, the incorpora- tion of the town, by sending, by the hand of their secretary, the following letter, which was of such historic value as to be spread upon the Town Records :
Boston, Sept. 29, 1781.
GENTLEMEN :
Coll. Little in his Journey to Royalsborough Carried down with him a rough Draught of a Petition for the Inhabitants by their Committee to be appointed for that purpose to present to the General Court that you may be incorporated into a Township that you may be vested with the powers and Privileges other towns enjoy. I hope you will approve the same or correct said Draught as you Judge proper. Till you are incorporated it will be in vain to attempt any thing as to building a meetinghouse and Setling a minister because what you may do to effect this cant be carried into Execution for want of power. I hope you are sensible of the grate advantage the Settlement of the Gospell among you will be to your own true Interest as to both worlds. If any sett of men settled among should be indifferent or averse to this they must be left to their own way, yet while they enjoy this liberty they ought not to deprive others of this Liberty they claim for themselves, this would be unreasonable on their part. I recommend to you mutual Love and Concord in trans- acting your affairs as it will tend to promote your own happiness. I have sent you the proposals on the part of the Proprietors what they are willing to do towards the Meeting-house and the settle- ment of a minister among you ; and what they expect from the Inhabitants, which hope will be Acceptable, it lies with you to forward your Incorporation by applying to the Court for that purpose ; if you will please send up this Petition to me I will take care to get it accomplished, I make no doubt it will be granted. I am Gentlemen
your Friend and Servant
Belcher Noyes.
This brought matters to a conclusion, and, early in 1782, between O. Israel Bagley, evidently acting as agent for the proprietors, and the committee chosen in 1780 a contract was made for the building of the old North Church. The bond has been preserved and is here reproduced verbatim :
"Know all men by these Presents, that we Charles Gerrish, Esq., Benjamin Vining, Yoman & Hugh Getchel Yoman All of
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
Royalsborough in the County of Cumberland and Common- welth of Massachusetts, am holden and Stand firmly bound to O. Israel Bagley of S'd Royalsborough in the County aforesaid gent'n in four Hundred Pound Lawfull money to Be Paid to the S'd O. Israel Bagley or his Certain Attorney, Executors Admin- istrator or Assigns. To the which Payment well and truly to be made we bind our Selves our heir Executors and Administrators Jointly and Severally firmly by these presents. Sealed with our Seals, Dated the twenty-first day of February, Annoque Domini, 1782.
The Condition of this Obligation is such that if the Above bounden Charles Garish Benjamin Vining & Hugh Getchel or ither of them their heirs Executors or Administrators Do provide and Git Timber for a meetinghouse for the Plantation Royals- borough aforesaid, of Fifty feet in Length and forty five ill breadth and higth in Proportion, and Fraim and Raise the Same upon the Land Purchased by the Inhabitants of the S'd Plantation for that use Also under Pin the house with Stone, Provide Boards Clap Bords And Shingles Sofitient to Cover tlie Same, which Articles are to be Good and fitting for the use aforeS'd, to be on the Spot whereS'd house is to be built. Also Execute a Good Warrattee Deed to Each Parson that has or may Purchase a spot for a Pew in S'd house At on or Before the Last Day of September Next Ensewing the Date hereof then this Obligation to be Void and of None Effect, or Else to Stand and remain full force and Virtue.
Signd, Sealed and Delivered, in Presents of E. Newell Nath. Garish
Charles Gerrish
Benja. Vining
hugh Gatchel
It is evident that the building of the meeting-house was begun in 1782. March 3, it was voted to hire a minister two months and to confirm the sale of the pews sold by the committee. Preaching for three months was voted in the years following except 1784 when the people decided " not to hire any preaching this year. " There are no records for 1787-8. In 1789 eighteen pounds were voted for the support of the Gospel, and Joshua Strout, Joseph Davis and Enoch Bagley were chosen a committee to see the niceting-house finished.
How much we would like to know who ministered to the spiritual needs of our forefathers during these early years. Probably they were the ministers of the neighboring towns of North Yarmouth, Brunswick, Portland, and New Gloucester, together with some itinerant evangelist. Bagley's Account
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
Book contains a memorandum that Mr. Prince came home with him one Sunday from "Herysicate" (Freeport) and preached at Bagley's house Feb. 23, 1774. This is the first recorded religious service in Royalsborough. The Rev. Tristram1 Gilman of Nortli Yarmouth Foreside preached in Royalsborough 6 Mch. 1777 and baptized “ Richard, son of Robinson Crockett ; Deborah, daugh- ter of Stephen Randall; all of Royalston, in cov't with ye ch. of Cape Elizabeth." He records in his church register that Sept. 4, 1785 he lectured "at a plaec called Royals-Town and baptized Deborah, dau. of John Parker; Dorothy, dau. of Capt. Joshua Strout of Cape Elizabeth ; Zebulon, son of Samuel York ; Samuel, son of Sarah, dau. of John Davis, Jr. of Brunswick church ; James, son of Capt. Nichols." These are the earliest recorded baptisms in Royalsborough. The service was, doubt- less, in the church which had recently been erected.
May 8, 1790 the town voted to employ the Rev. Abraham Cummings to "preach The Gospel to the amount of eighteen pounds this year." Rev. Abraham Cummings was born in Andover, Mass., in 1755. He graduated at Brown University in 1776, and became an open Communion Baptist minister. He was a man of great learning being proficient in seven languages. He was an itinerant missionary. In 1781 he married Phoebe Thayer of Old Braintree, Mass., whose mother was a grand- daughter of John Alden and Priscilla. They had two sons who left no issue and a daughter Phoebe who married Isaac H. Bailey. Mr. Cummings moved to Freeport about 1788. In a small sail- boat he made evangelistic excursions all along the coast from Passamaquoddy to Rhode Island. He had an extensive revival at Bath in 1793. He was an ardent student of philosophy and astronomy and often was lost in revery. He published several works, the most important being "Contemplations on the Cherubim," 1812. He was a social man and used to tell that down on Penobscot Bay the mosquitoes were so large that "a good many of them would weigh a pound" and "they would frequently get up on the trees and bark." He had no fixed salary but lived on the voluntary contributions of the people. He died at Phipsburg 31 Aug. 1827, aged 73 years. His tomb-
'The Rev. Tristram Gilman was pastor of the church at North Yar- mouth from Dec. 8, 1769 till his death April 1, 1809. Cf. Old Times in North Yarmouth, pp. 713, 857, 903.
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
stone, near Popham's Landing, has this epitaph, "A pious, Learned and Faithful minister of the Gospel." 1
The next year no money was raised for preaching. May 7, 1792 it was voted to "apply to Mr. Clark for a preacher the present year." This was probably the Rev. Ephraim Clark, minister at Cape Elizabeth, 1756-97, many of whose flock migrated about this time to Durham. Before Mr. Clark's services were needed the Rev. Eliphaz Chapman appeared in Durham. It is evident that he was known before July 26, 1792, for then the town voted to hire him as a preacher, and Nov. 9 confirmed the vote by engaging him for one year. He stayed two years, as the ten marriages performed by him show. The last was solemnized Nov. 20, 1794, and he signs himself " Eliphaz Chapman ordained Minister of the Gospel now Stationed at Durham." Fifty pounds were voted for his support, and June 9, 1794 thirty pounds were voted "to build the Pulpit."
Eliphaz Chapman was born in Newmarket, N. H., March 7, 1750. He preached at Madbury 1770-3 and afterward at Methuen, Mass. He settled on the north side of the Andro- scoggin river at Bethel, Maine. The farm still remains in the Chapman family. "He was a very useful man in the new town. He solemnized many of the early marriages, and judging from the number of children named after him he must have been very popular." He died Jan. 20, 1814. His wife Hannah (Jackman of Newbury) died Dec. 15, 1839, aged 92 years. His sister Mary married Col. James Rogers of Freeport, and this may account for his introduction to Durham. He was great grandfather to Prof. Henry Leland Chapman of Bowdoin College. At least three other descendants of his name have graduated at Bowdoin College.
It seems that the Rev. Jacob Herrick preached in Durham in the summer of 1795, for in September the town voted "to employ Kev. Mr. Herrick longer," and Nov. 7 of the same year it was decided to "settle Rev. Mr. Herrick" by a vote of thirty- seven to seven. Jan. 7, 1796 his salary was fixed at fifty pounds besides a hundred acres of land given by the proprietors. Ebenezer Roberts, Nathaniel Osgood, and William True were chosen a committee to send for the new minister. The time of
1See Old Times in North Yarmouth, pp. 1005-II.
REV. JACOB HERRICK.
From a Painting made when he was an Adjutant in the Revolutionary Army.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
ordination was fixed for March 9, 1796, and the following ministers were chosen by the town to participate in the services, "Revs. Eaton, Lancaster, Gilman, Johnson, Coffin and Keylock (Kellogg).1
There lies before me the account of the ordination, preserved in the handwriting of Rev. Samuel Eaton, Secretary of the Ecclesiastical Council. He says that they met at the house of Capt. O. Israel Bagley and chose the Rev. Dr. Samuel Deane of Portland moderator, who seems to have taken the place of Elijah Kellogg. After prayer by the Moderator "a competent number of male persons offered themselves to be embodied into a Chh. state, who having given themselves to God & to one another, & set their Names to a Gospel Covenant, were by a vote of the afores'd Council acknowledged to be a Sister Congregational Chh of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom we are in full Charity and Fellowship." At the ordination which immediately followed in the church, the Rev. Alfred Johnson made the introductory prayer ; the Rev. Ephriam Clark of Cape Elizabeth made the ordaining prayer; the Rev. Samuel Eaton gave the charge, and the Rev Ebenezer Coffin gave the right hand of fellowship and made the concluding prayer.
The address of the Rev. Mr. Coffin has been preserved among the papers of Parson Herrick. It was as follows :-
"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. In Immitation of the author of our Redemption, the Finishier of our Faith, the Foundation of our hope-it becomes all his Followers to cultivate a Spirit of Love and Friendship. To this end the first preachers of the Gospel pledged their Love, Friendship and kindness (to those who were called to the sacred work of the Gospel Ministry) by the significant sign of giving them the right [hand] Thus James
1Samuel Eaton was ordained at Harpswell Oct. 24, 1764 and died there Nov. 5, 1822, aged 85 years.
Thomas Lancaster was ordained at Scarborough Nov. 8, 1775 and died there Jan. 12, 1831, aged 87 years.
Tristram Gilman has been already mentioned.
Alfred Johnson was ordained at Freeport Dec. 29, 1789, and discharged Sept. 11, 1805. He afterward preached at Belfast and died there Jan. 12, 1837, aged 70 years.
Ebenezer Coffin was ordained at Brunswick June 23, 1794, and discharged in 1802.
Elijah Kellogg, Senr. was ordained at Portland Oct. 1, 1788 and discharged Dec. 11, 1811. He died at Portland, March 9, 1842, aged 82 years.
D
1
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
Cephas and John, when they perceived the Grace that was given unto Paul, gave unto him and Barnabas the Right hand of Fellowship. In conformity to their example and the direction of the venerable council here convened I present unto you, my Brother in the faith, this right hand-By which we manifest our esteem for your Character and the Office which you now sustain as an Ambassador of Jesus Christ. Hoping that you will prove yourself an Israelite indeed in whose spirit there is no guile. We hail you welcome to take part with us in the Ministry of reconciliation which we have received of the Lord. In this Manner we acknowledge you a Fellow laborer with us in the Vineyard of God. And so long as you shall maintain the dignity of your Office we promise to treat you as a Brother, to council exhort and reprove you as God shall Inable us and as we find it necessary, and we have a right to look for the same kind offices from you. We wish that your Ministry here may be long, happy and successful, that you may have the unspeakable satisfaction to see the work of the Lord prosper in your hands, that all contentions may cease, pure religion revive and flourish and that you may have many souls as seals of your Ministry and Crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord.
Brethren of this Church, behold the Man set over you in the Lord. By thus Imbracing and receiving whom we acknowledge you as fellow members with us of that Body of which Christ Jesus is the Head. As the Gospel is now resetled among you be exhorted to study those things which make for peace and mutual edification-walk worthy the vocation where- with ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in Love endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace. May both Pastor and People long rejoice together in this day's transaction, and when the connection now formed shall be desolved by death may you from the church Militant here below be transplanted into the Church triumphant in Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Capt. Bagley entertained the Council and brought in a bill of $35.00, which the town refused to pay. Only twelve pounds were allowed for settling expenses of ordination. The minister's salary was increased to eighty pounds, and the next year it was made $266.68. It remained at that figure for many years, but it is said that the salary was reduced in 1813 to $175.00 and in 1821 to $100.00.
Rev. Jacob Herrick was seventh child of Samuel and Eliza- beth (Jones) Herrick of Reading, Mass., born 12 June 1754. He was grandson of Martyn Herrick and Ruth Endicott who was
SARAH (WEBSTER) HERRICK.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
great granddaughter of Gov. John Endicott. He graduated at Harvard College in 1776 and received the degree of A. M. in 1778. He was in Capt. Bacheller's Co., Col. Bridge's Regt. 25 Sept. 1775 ; commissioned Adjutant to reinforce the Continental army 28 Oct. 1779, and served in Col. Jacob Gerrish's Essex and Suffolk County Regt. He was commis- sioned as adjutant of the Middlesex County Regt. 4 July 1780. It is also said that he was Lieut. of Marines on a vessel, was taken prisoner and carried to Halifax. When liberated he was brought home to Reading by one Capt. Nichols. Thus he had several years of military service in the Revolution. He married July 1780 Sarah Webster of Bradford, Mass. He came from Beverly, Mass., and settled in Durham in 1796, being the first ordained pastor of the Congregational church. He died there Dec. 18, 1832. His wife died Oct. 13, 1829, aged 76 years. Their tombstones may be seen in the old cemetery.
He is described as slow and somewhat tedious in his delivery but of good ability and a very excellent pastor. He was over six feet tall, and his face was perfectly smooth. The delivery of his sermons occupied an hour or more. He is said to have been ardently opposed to the election of "that infidel, Tom Jefferson," asserting that he would destroy both churches and school-houses. He was a good man and served the church well and also the town for many years as one of the school committee.
His wife was a woman of fine presence, a beauty in her youth, and gifted with rare intellectual powers. It was said of her that she could hold her own in conversation with any and all of the ministers she entertained. Of generous nature, she gave freely from her not too lavish store. Her younger son used to say that he had often seen his mother divide the dough she had just set to rise for bread, wrap one portion in, a towel, and give it to a needy parishioner, though the supply of flour at the parsonage was exhausted, a serious matter in those days when flour was not easily obtainable.
A word more about the church edifice. In 1804 the town voted to repair it at a cost of $1136. Thomas Chase and Aaron Osgood were chosen to superintend the work. At the same time Francis Harmon was allowed $174 for the building of a new Porch. It was never painted outside nor inside except the
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
high pulpit with its winding staircase. There was no way of warming it except with footstoves, which some carried with them to church. Between the two long sermons the worshipers often ran into the neighbors' houses to get warm. Mr. Herrick continued pastor till 1831 with the exception of the years 1827-29 when Rev. Bennett Roberts was stated Supply. There was no regular service after the death of Mr. Herrick, and in 1850 the building was sold, taken down and carried to Porter's Landing, Freeport, where it is said to be still in use as a ware- house. It ought to be moved back and made a Museum of Durham Antiquities.
In 1806 Mr. Rourk was paid $7.85 for his wife's cleaning the North Meeting house. In 1802 she was paid $6.00 for similar service and $2 for "washing and sanding the meeting house after two last town meetings." In 1808 Barnabas Strout was paid $1.50 for taking care of the meeting house the past year, and Elizabeth Rourk was paid $2 for locking and unlocking the meeting house, in 1808.
About 1845 a Congregational church was built on the cross road that leads by Henry Harrington's from the lower County Road. This in 1853, was moved to its present position near S. W. Bend. This church has been served by Rev. John Elliott Nov. 1845 to Nov. 1848; Jonas Fiske 20 May 1849 to 12 Sept. 1852; Wm. V. Jordan I Nov. 1854 to Nov. 1855; John S. C. Abbott 1856-1857; Henry S. Loring I Jan. 1857 to 1 Jan. 1859; Wm. H. Haskell 1862-1869; F. Shattuck 1870; Albert Bushnell 1871 ; Charles W. Hill 1872-3 ; Prof. Jotham Sewall 1874-5 ; Prof. Richard Stanley 1876-8; Richard Wickett 1879-85; George W. Gould 1885-7; R. L. Sheafe 1888; Prof. Thos. L. Angell 1889- 91; W. F. Stowe 1892; Prof. T. L. Angell 1893; I. S. Jones 1894-5; Supplies 1896; R. Wickett 1897; V. E. Bragdon Oct. 1897-8.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
PEW OWNERS OF.THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Previous to 1804.
O. Israel Bagley,
John McIntosh,
Jolın Blake,
William McGray,
Dr. John Converse,
Samuel Merrill,
(Bought of Enoch Bagley 1802)
Joseph Proctor,
Ebenezer Roberts,
John Cushing,
*John Dain,
Jacob Sawyer,
David Dyer,
*Joshua Snow,
Micah Dyer,
*John Stackpole Jr.,
Edward Fifield,
(Bought of Thomas Pearson)
Benjamin Gerrish,
Elisha Stetson,
Sarah Gerrish,
Barnabas Strout,
Jeremiah Gerrish,
Benjamin Vining,
William Gerrish,
Bela Vining,
George Gerrislı,
Ebenezer Warren,
John Hoyt,
Ebenezer Woodbury,
John Lincoln,
*Zebulon York.
All the above pew-owners surrendered their pews to the parish in 1804, and after extensive repairs were made the new pews were sold at auction to the following persons :
Dr. Symonds Baker,
William Newell,
Josiah Burnham,
Aaron Osgood,
Dr. John Converse,
Benjamin Osgood,
Gideon Curtis,
Joseph Osgood,
Matthew Duran,
Joseph Proctor,
Micah Dyer,
John Richards,
George Gerrish, Jr ..
Peter Sanborn,
Francis Harmon,
Jonathan Strout,
James Hibbard,
Barnabas Strout,
Rev. Jacob Herrick,
Charles Stetson,
Nehemiah Hooper,
John Sydleman,
Secomb Jordan,
Job Sylvester,
John Lincoln,
Ebenezer Warren,
Elijah Macomber,
Samuel Merrill,
Foster Waterman, Esq., George Williams.
There is no official list of Deacons, since the records were recently destroyed in the burning of a house. The following, however, are known to have served : Benjamin Vining, William
Those marked * are known to have joined the Methodists, with the families of several others.
Nathaniel Osgood,
Gideon Curtis,
Simeon Sanborn,
*Nathaniel Gerrish,
*Abel Stoddard,
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HISTORY OF DURHAM
True, Daniel Harmon, James Hibbard, John Sydleman, Senr., Osgood Strout, William B. Newell, Jonathan Carpenter, Ralph H. Hascall twenty-one years, and William P. Brown who was chosen in 1890 and is the only Deacon now serving. The church has now twelve members. The Sunday School numbers twenty-eight. There are fourteen in the Society of Christian Endeavor.
The Rev. Israel Newell left an endowment to this church, in lands and buildings valued at $2000. They were sold to Edward Newell on a mortgage payable in sixteen years at six per cent. The parish has a fund of about $400. It is assisted by the State Missionary Society, and with difficulty maintains religious services with some interruptions.
The writer has sometimes wished that all other denominations had staid out of town and left Durham to be cultivated by the Friends and the "Orthodox Church." This might have been done, if it had not been for unjust taxation to support the latter, for unprogressiveness in religious opinions, and for lack of intense spiritual life at critical times. Once, too, the population seemed to demand several churches. Now there is a loud providential call that all persons in the vicinity of S. W. Bend should lay aside individual preferences and unite heartily in maintaining one church, which in the nature of the case must and ought to be Congregational in polity. Such a movement has been more than once on the eve of consummation. May even the aged live long enough to see the realization of such a glorious hope. Let us strive for unity in the church militant as well as expect it in the church triumphant.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
It is quite certain that the Rev. Asa Heath first preached the gospel according to Methodism in Durham in 1802. He was then stationed on Falmouth Circuit and with James Lewis, a local preacher of Gorham, used to make preaching tours for many miles around. This Heath afterwards settled in Monmouth and is the ancestor of Hon. Herbert Heath of Augusta. In 1803 Bowdoinhanı Circuit was formed, which included Durham, and True Glidden was preacher in charge. He was a nephew of Deacon William True of Parson Herrick's church. By invitation he preached in True's kitchen, and a great
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