USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Gorham > History of Gorham, Me. > Part 17
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" Voted, that the proprietors of pews have six months longer to pay to committee.
" Voted, to have two pews more at the eastern end of the Women's seats, and two more at the western end of the men's seats below, and two pews above.
"Voted, Solomon Lombard, Esq., William Gorham, Esq. and James Gilkey have each of them one of the pews above-mentioned, and that Samuel Murch and Jonathan Sawyer have one between them, on the floor, and that Joseph Brown, Jr and Thomas Irish have each of them one of the pews to be built above stairs."
November 7 of the same year a town meeting was held for the purpose of drawing the pews. This house was occupied by the First Parish
I
173
MEETING HOUSES.
for about thirty years. It becoming rather small for the congregation, it was voted in 1792, to enlarge the house thirty feet to the south. Nothing appears to have been done under this vote. At a meeting held at the old meeting house, Dec. 5, 1795, it was " Voted, To build a new Meeting House," and "Voted, To build it of wood and to accept the proposition of Mr. Thomas Mclellan for a lot on the south westerly corner of his lot, running from the corner northerly on
12
FIRST PARISH MEETING HOUSE, 1798.
the Road, seven and one half rods, and easterly six and one half rods; Reserving a two rod road across the southerly side thereof" (running into what is now Church Street). For which said Mclellan received a part of the old Parish lot, from the southerly end thereof, being four rods on the road, and five rods back. (Now Simon E. Mclellan's lot.)
174
HISTORY OF GORHAM.
Operations were immediately commenced, under this vote, to build a new house, and the frame was raised in June, 1797. While raising the timbers for the belfry, some of the rigging gave way causing a most melancholy accident, whereby Dr. Nathaniel Bowman, a young and promising physician much respected in town, and James Tryon, a young man employed on the work, lost their lives. The building was completed in 1798. This house was finished with square pews, and falling seats, and had a gallery on three sides. The entrance was on the south side, directly from the Green, also on the east, and through the belfry on the west. The pulpit was on the north side, more than ten feet above the congregation, with a large old- fashioned sounding-board over the minister's head.
The first stoves were placed in the house in 1822, when the parish voted, on the 22d of April, to raise ten dollars to help pay for the stoves, and also five dollars to pay for fuel.
On April 8, 1823, the Society voted to choose six persons to keep the boys in order in the gallery.
An alteration was made in the house in 1828. The square pews and gallery were taken out; the lower floor was raised, and long pews built ; the pulpit lowered, and a porch built on the south side for an entrance and music-gallery. December 15, of this year, the Parish voted that they "do give their consent that the proprietors of the organ may place the same in the meeting house of said Parish," and " that the rent arising from the Parish land, after paying for the bell, and to the amount of not exceeding $100, be appropriated to the purchase of shares in the organ, providing every exertion is made to enlarge the present list of subscribers to said organ." This organ was made by Calvin Edwards, and was his first. In July, 1867, a new organ was purchased of E. & G. G. Hook of Boston, at a cost of $2,622.88.
In 1848 another alteration was made. The floor was lowered to its old place, the pulpit changed to the eastern end, the windows reduced in number and greatly enlarged ; new slips were put in, and afterwards, - about 1854-the present galleries were added. The spire was erected in 1848. The clock was added in 1868, the gift of Hon. Toppan Robie.
In 1885 the former pews were removed, and new ones of cherry substituted. The interior of the house was finished in cherry to match, and a new set of pulpit furniture was introduced. New win- dows of stained glass were also substituted for the plain ones, thus allowing of the removal of the blinds from the outside of the edifice.
VIEW FROM NORMAL SCHOOL BUILDING, SHOWING CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
175
MEETING HOUSES.
When the new meeting house was finished in 1798, the town voted to give the old meeting house to School District No. I, on condition that they would build a house sufficiently large (28 x 34 feet) to accommodate the town, in which to hold their town meetings, with the right of building said house on the south corner of their lot, there to remain so long as the one to be built, or one or more houses to be built, on the same spot, shall last : with the right of the town and parish to meet at said schoolhouse, and there to transact all the business of the town and parish, whenever they may think proper. This schoolhouse was built and occupied many years. Becoming too small for the town meetings, it was decided in 1815 to build a town house. After much opposition by many who thought the build- ing should be located more nearly in the centre of the town, it was finally voted to place the new town house on Fort Hill. The house was situated on the northeast corner of James Phinney's lot, No. 57 ; was fifty feet long by thirty-two wide and had ten foot posts. The first meeting held in it by the town was the regular March meeting for 1817. As is elsewhere related, the town, about 1850, exchanged this building with Capt. Robie for the old Free Meeting house at the village, which is still used by the town.
The old schoolhouse, after the building of the town house, was sold to Mr. George Hight, and by him used for a blacksmith's shop, and was finally taken down and built into a small shop, which now stands on State St., owned by Col. Robie, and until lately occupied by Cyrus Abbott as a storehouse.
Somewhere about the year 1819, on the dissolution of the Shaker Society in Gorham, Rev. Asa Rand, acting for the Congregational Soci- ety, and Capt. Robert Mclellan, purchased one of the Shaker buildings and hauled it to Gorham Village. Mr. Rand placed his half of this building on South St., just south of the burying ground, where the old brick schoolhouse lately stood, and converted it into a Conference House for the use of his church. In 1826 the brick vestry, situated east of the meeting house, was built, Dea. Thomas S. Robie giving five hundred dollars toward the building, and Thomas Mclellan presenting the stone basement and the land on which it is located. After the erection of this building, the old Conference House was moved on to the new road to Saccarappa, and altered into the dwell- ing house where George Jewett lately lived.
A new chapel and conference hall, which was erected at a cost of about thirteen thousand dollars, was built on the "Parish lot," on the opposite corner from the church, and dedicated on the nineteenth of January 1898.
176
HISTORY OF GORHAM.
It is probable that the settlers held some kind of religious services in the town before a minister was hired, as we know that Mr. Smith of Falmouth (Portland) preached here Aug. 31, 1742, and "had," as he says, "great assistance." This was about a year previous to the building of the meeting house. At any rate it was before Mr. Crocker came. Mr. Crocker preached in Portland before he came to Gorham. There were at this time about twenty families in town, and a consid- erable number of the heads of these families were members of churches in the towns from whence they came. As early as Nov. 26, 1741, the Proprietors voted that ten shillings on a right of each Proprietor be raised in order to help the inhabitants support a minister for the time voted, and that John Gorham be chosen Treasurer, and that Col. Gorham and William Cotton be chosen collectors for the sums voted by the Proprietors on each right.
As a meeting house was to be built, and the settlers were much in want of a minister to preach the gospel to them, the Proprietors held a meeting, and voted to hire a minister for six months, or at the rate of three pounds and ten shillings (old tenor) per sabbath, till the sum of sixty pounds was expended. A committee was chosen to procure a supply, and Mr. John Phinney was empowered to get the man ; when the following correspondence took place between the committee, and Rev. Benjamin Crocker : -
For the Revd Benj Crocker, att Ipsitch, per Capt. Phinney. Gorham Town, so called, February 16th 1742/3. Mr. Crocker, Sir,
We, the Subscribers, Being this Day att a proprietors' meeting Chosen to Gett a Minister to Preatch to the Inhabitants for five or six months to Come, and We are Informed by Mr. Jno Phin- ney that you signified to him you would come and preatch If we Desired It; And these are to desire you to come and preatch here the time above mentioned, or Less time, as may sute your conven- iency, and We shall Readily pay your Reasonable Demands, and must Refer you to Mr. John Phinney for particulars, By Whome this comes. With Expectation of your Complyance, We Remain your humble servants
Moses Pearson. William Pote. William Cotten. Benjamin Skillins. Jno Gorham.
In March, 1743, the Proprietors voted that Moses Pearson, William Pote, William Cotton, Benjamin Skillings and John Gorham should have full power given them to raise the money already voted for preaching, etc., by sueing, and selling the lands of the delinquent
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MINISTERS.
Proprietors. The same committee was also empowered to lay out two hundred acres of land, for the ministerial and minister's lots, wherever they might think most suitable.
In September of the same year, twenty shillings, (old tenor), on each right, was voted to be raised as soon as might be, to pay a minister for preaching for the following year. It was also voted to sell enough of the timber standing on the common and undivided lands of the town to pay Mr. Crocker for his preaching.
The following notice is certified to have been posted at several places ; and by John Gorham, to have been posted in Gorham town at "ye Mil Doar."
1743/4, February 3.
These are to notify the Proprietors of Gorham town, alias Narra- gansett township, No. 7, laying in ye County of York, that there is a tax of seven pounds, four shillings, old tenor, laid on each of their lots, at their legal meeting : For the building of a meeting-house, paying their minister and for bringing forward the settlement of said township. Five pounds, ten shillings of which tax hath heretofore been notified and published in ye Public Gazette, agreeable to the laws of this Province. These are to desire the delinquent Proprietors of ye above township to pay ye whole of ye above mentioned taxes, with- out further delay, unto John Gorham, Proprietors' Treasurer, or their rights must be exposed to sale agreeable to ye laws of this Province. Falmouth, February 3, 1743/4. William Pote,
Moses Pearson, Committee. John Gorham.
Mr. Crocker renders an account of those from whom he received money, and a receipt in full as follows :-
An account of what I received for preaching at Gorham Town.
48
sd
Of Mr. Cotten,
II-10-00
Of Mr. Pote,
2-00-00
Of Mr. Cobb, for Finey (Phinney),
I-00-00
Of Mr. Pearson,
5-00-00
Of Mr. Jno Eayer,
10-00
Of Mr. Benjn Skillins,
3-10-00
Of Mr. Benjn Stevens,
3-10-00
Of Mr. McAllin (Mclellan),
3-10-00
Of Mr. Jeremiah Hodgdon,
10-00
Of Cpt Gorham,
10-00
Of Mr. Pote, for boarding,
9-00-00
Of Mr. Cotten, 200S,
10-00-00
Of Mr. Cotten,
5-10-00
£56-00-00
Of Mr. Pearson,
4-00-00
£60-00-00
178
HISTORY OF GORHAM.
Falmouth, Sept. 12th 1743.
Rec'd of the Within Comt for Gorham town sixty pounds old tenor Which is in full for preatching at Gorhamtown I say Rec'd per Me Benjn. Crocker.
This closed Mr. Crocker's labors in Gorham. He was the son of Josiah Crocker of Barnstable and his wife Militiah, daughter of Gov. Thomas Hinckley. He was born Sept. 26, 1692, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1713. He taught the Ipswich Grammar School for many years, both before and after preaching in Gorham. In the years 1726, 1734 and 1736 he represented the town of Ipswich in the General Court. After the death of Edward Pell in 1752, he supplied the pulpit at Ipswich for about two years, and on the 25th of April, 1754, received a call to preach there. He was appointed a Feoffor in 1749, which office he held until his removal from Ipswich in 1764. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. William Williams of Weston, Mass. Mr. Crocker died in 1766, leaving two children, Mary Gunnison and John. His wife Elizabeth, who survived him, afterwards married a Cogswell.
After Mr. Crocker left it does not appear that they had any preach- ing at Gorhamtown for some time, but at a meeting of the Proprietors, held at the fort, Oct. 30, 1749, it was " Voted, that there Be assessed on Each Right within said township, ten shillings to be payd to some Gentleman that shall Be Imployed to preach to the people in sd town and that Cpt. Jedediah Preble, Cpt. Moses Pearson and Enoch Freeman, Esqt Be a comtee to agree with some suitable Gentleman, on the Best terms they can for sd money to preach as aforesd ".
About this time Mr. Solomon Lombard came to Gorham, and preached. He was born in Truro, Mass., and was graduated at Harvard College in 1723. Before coming to Gorham, he married, in Truro, Sarah Purrington. Previous to his ordination in Gorham he had preached about six months in this place.
At a meeting, held at the fort Sept. 26, 1750, it was " Voted to Give Mr. Solomon Lombard a call to settle here in this Town in the Work of the Gospel ministry ", and it was also voted to give him fifty three pounds, six shillings and eight pence, lawful money, annually, during his ministry in this place. Capt. John Phinney, Mr. Jacob Hamblen and Mr. Joseph Weston were chosen a committee to treat and agree with Mr. Lombard respecting his settling in Gorham ; and lot 57 - with the exception of an acre and a quarter, adjoining the fort -, with after divisions, was confirmed to the first Congregational
179
MINISTERS.
minister in the town, his heirs and assigns forever. This lot adjoins the lot upon which the fort was built. It drew in after divisions, the hundred acre lot 43 and the seventy acre lot 28.
This committee, after having performed the duties for which they were chosen, received the following reply from Mr. Lombard :
Whereas this Day Cpt John phiney Mr Joseph Weston and Mr Jacob Hamblin, a Comtee of the proprietors of the lands in Gorham- town, to treat With me the subscriber In Order to My settlement in sd town in the Gospel ministry and in Order thereto presented me the Votes of sd proprietors Both as to My salary viz : fifty three pound six and Eight pence Lawful money pr annum, During my Continuance in sd Town, in the ministry aforsd and the Improvement of the second Lott With the after Divisions During the term aforsd and for my settlement Do Give to me my Heirs and assigns forever the fifty seventh lott With the after Divisions On the Common or undivided Land thereto Belonging In answer I Beg leave to Return my harty thanks unto the Gentlemen the proprietors for that Great Regard they have herein expresed to me and Wish I may Ever merit there esteem. I Chearfully accept of their Call and offer I Beg their prayers to all mighty God for me that I may obtain Grace to Be faithfull and that While I preach ye Gospel to others I my self Be not cast away
Gorhamtown september 27th 1750
your humble servant Solomon Lombard
And on the same day that this reply is dated (Sept. 27, 1750) the Proprietors voted to accept the answer of Mr. Lombard; and "that the afore said committee wait on him and acquaint him that the Pro- prietors accept his answer and return him thanks therefor ".
Lot No. 2, excepting an acre and a quarter adjoining the fort, was set off, and confirmed, for an orthodox Congregational minister, together with its after divisions, of which the hundred acre lot was directed to be laid out, as soon as possible, by Capt. John Phinney, Mr. Jacob Hamblen and Mr. Daniel Mosher. This land, the parson- age, as it was called, Mr. Lombard was to have the use of during his ministry.
The following pastors, with their churches, were invited to the ordination of Mr. Lombard : - Mr. Smith, Mr. Allin, Mr. Loring, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Morril and Mr. Hovey.'
Capt. John Phinney, Mr. Jacob Hamblen, Capt. Joshua Freeman, Capt. Moses Pearson and Maj. Enoch Freeman were appointed a
' The Rev. Thos. Smith was of Falmouth; Rev. Benj. Allen, of Purpooduck ; Rev. Nicholas Loring, of No. Yarmouth ; Rev. Wm. Thompson, of Scarborough ; Rev. Moses Morrell, of Biddeford, and Rev. John Hovey, of Arundel.
180
HISTORY OF GORHAM.
committee to make provision for the ordination. This took place Dec. 26, 1750 ; Rev. Thomas Smith preaching the sermon. Forty five shillings, or one dollar, was assessed on each Proprietor's right, to defray the expenses of the occasion.
Following are copies of the bills for the ordination dinner, etc. :
1750
December The proprietors of Gorhamtown Dr
£ sd
to I Baril flower 14- 7-6
to 291b suger
8-14-0
to 4 Glasses, 40$ ; 3 Bushel aples, 48 ; .
to I tea pot, 30$ ; Bushel aples, 16-0d; 4- 8-0
2- 6-0
to 2 Barils Cyder £9 ; 4 Galonds rum, 1048
14- 4-0
to 2 Galonds Brande
5- 0-0
to 351b flower, 52-6ª; 2 Bushel cramberys
4-12-6
to a Botle vineger 5-0
to Expence at sackerapy 14-0
£54-II-0
Errors Excepted per Moses pearson
1750
December 18 : The proprietors of Gorhamtown Dr to Enoch Freeman
to 2 loves suger Wt 141b, at 20d I- 4-2
to Ilb tea, Ios; 2 Cheeses Wt 361b, at 6d I- 9-6
to Ilb Ginger, 2-6d; 2 pots Buter Wt 26341b, at 10d I- 4-3, 2
to 54721b pork at 7ª, 1-11-9d; 6 Galonds molases at 2-8d, 16-od 2- 7-9
to I fowl 8d; Beaf hide and tallo Wt 4131b at ood, is £4- 8-10d 4-12-6
to 61b Candles at IS 6-0
to I qt vinegar
8
to 3 Geese Wt 17121b at 31/2
5-2
to I pot Butter Wt 1712 at 10d
14-7
to 3 days Wm Mekculeason help provide for ordination 12-0
£12-16-8
Errors Excepted pr Enoch Freeman
alowed with the Deduction from Wm Meckcolison 15-od and 5$ for the fowel ; Examined and alowed with the above Deduction of 20 old tenner
the act of Charge for the ordination
2-0-0 Myself 8 days to Giting up ye stores IO- 0-0
to hors work 4 days 4- 0-0
-10-o to Hugh Mclallin 2 days 2-10-0
5-od to Jnº Irish I day Bringin the Cow I- 5-0
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MINISTERS.
Killing the Cow
10-0
to hors Keeping 19 days and nights at 10s ye night
9-10-0
to 7 horses the day time at 5$ to womans Cooking 10 days
I-15-0
5- 0-0
10-0 2 men I day tending ye ordination
2-10-0
the things that I provided X Errors
6-19-6
43-19-6
one ounce of nutmeg
12-0
to 4 ounces of peyper
6-0
44-17-6
to 8 fowls 36s ; 7 fowls 31s-6d; pound Chocklat 18-od
4- 5-6
to 12 Bushl onions 12-od; 10 qts milk 15-od
I- 7-0
salt 4-od; turnups 5-od
9-0
petators half Bushel
5-0
51- 4-0
Deduct 6-19-6 ; Entered in the acount twice
6-19-6
£44- 4-6
Deduct 6-16-6 as in the margen
6-16-6
£37- 8-0
Deduct fowls of tuttel Majr Freeman pd for
I-II-6
£35-16-6
this acount alowed with 3-5-o Deduction as in the margen as also for sundry stores in Hamblins hands - 3-11-6
the within acount aproved of with the above Deductions
The above bills, after being examined and approved by a commit- tee, were on the 13th of August, 1751, voted to be paid by the Proprietors.
For some time after the ordination of Mr. Lombard things seemed to go on well, but at length, in 1757, a schism arose. In this year he had difficulty with his church and people, on account of a sermon he preached which gave umbrage to a part of them, and in March 1757 twenty-one of the inhabitants addressed a letter to the Pro- prietors in opposition to Mr. Lombard. In this they say; "Our Rev. Pastor's conduct in the discipline of his Church hath had such an evil tendency, it hath weaned our affections from him, and in a great measure spoilt his usefulness towards us ; further, his common conduct seemeth to us to be very extraordinary in setting neighbors
37- 0-0
182
HISTORY OF GORHAM.
against neighbors, which keep us in a fire of contention. And like- wise he has taken upon him so much business which does not concern the ministry, which gives us grounds to think him more for the fleece than he is for the flock". In consequence of this letter an article was inserted in a warrant for a Proprietors' meeting, March, 1757, to " inquire into the differences betwixt the Rev. Solomon Lombard and the inhabitants of the town ", but no action was taken on it.
Dec. 14th of the same year a council was called at Gorham, and Parson Smith says, " Dec. 16. The Council finished and brought the aggrieved brethren to agree ". Jan. 19, 1758, another council was held, six churches being represented. On Jan. 25th, while the council was debating, "a motion came into the Council that the par- ties had agreed ". * * * "And so the matter was finished by nine o'clock this (Jan. 26) evening." 2
The disagreement was settled by the formation of a new Society, which should be exonerated from any obligation to contribute to the support of Mr. Lombard ; as may be seen by the following which is a copy of the proceedings of the council :
We, the pastors and messengers of five churches ; viz., the first in York, the first and third in Falmouth, the church in Biddeford, the second in Wells, and the messengers from the second church in Scarborough, convened in an ecclesiastical council at Gorhamtown, Jany 19th, 1758, by the desire of the Pastor and Church to give advice in the unhappy contention that has so long subsisted between them, -- after serious and humble prayer to God for direction, and after hearing and fully disputing all that was thought proper to be laid before us, The Rev. Mr. Lombard and the church voluntarily exhibited the conditions for a separation ; viz., That Mr. Lombard shall give up one half of all the parsonage upon the settlement of another minister, and that he will give security to all the disaffected brethren and disaffected inhabitants against ever paying any taxes for his support, and that the disaffected brethren shall be incorporated into a distinct church by this council by the name of The First Church. On the other hand the disaffected brethren do freely and fully consent that all the well affected brethren be by this council incorporated into a distinct church ; and they will secure them and the well affected inhabitants from ever paying any taxes to any other minister during Mr. Lombard's ministry, and that there shall be a distinct list of all the well affected and disaffected to ascertain what minister they support, and that all injuries, provocations, and offences be forgotten, forgiven, and forever at an end, and the peaceful spirit of the Gospel be promoted to our uttermost.
I Smith's Journal, page 173.
2 Idem, page 174.
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MINISTERS.
Put to vote, - whether this council approve of this agreement, passed unanimous ; -- to which the pastor and each party unanimously consented in the presence of this council. Now sincerely and ear- nestly wishing you all the blessings of peace, truth, and holiness, and exhorting you to use your endeavors to promote the peaceful kingdom of Christ among you, to whose guidance and blessing we commend you all.
Gorhamtown, Jany 25th, 1758. Thomas Smith, Moderator. Daniel Little, Scribe.
The well affected and disaffected brethren, as mentioned above, were incorporated into two churches by a committee of four ministers and four messengers of said council, and obligations by mutual bonds given to free each party from paying towards the support of any other minister in this town but the minister to whom they are well affected as expressed in the above agreement.
Certified per Daniel Little, Scribe.
Gorhamtown, Jany, 25, 1758.
In spite of the above certificate it seems rather doubtful if such action did take place, for we find that on the sixth of May 1760, the Proprietors voted to assess and raise, on each right in the township, twenty shillings in full, to pay the Rev. Solomon Lombard's salary to the above date; and reserving to themselves for the future, if they saw fit to take any advantage of it, the right to make use of the agreement, made at the council mentioned above, for a separation of the Church and people in Gorham town.
Capt. John Phinney and Capt. Bryant Morton appear to have been the head of the opposition to Mr. Lombard. It appears also that the dissatisfaction did not arise from difference in doctrine, but from the performance of his clerical duties, as they understood them. As has been said before, the council that sat on the case in January, 1758, of which the Rev. Mr. Smith of Falmouth was moderator, did not come to a conclusion, as the parties settled their differences among themselves, and the affairs of the church and society went on, not, however, very harmoniously, as we have reason to believe. Mr. Lombard had a family growing up; and felt desirous of making pro- vision for them in a worldly point of view. He became quite a land speculator, and from an examination of records and documents, he must have devoted much of his time to looking after corner-lots, timber lands, and mills. Phinney, Morton and others of his oppo- nents were large land owners, and did quite a business in lumbering and land trading. It is possible that there was often some interfering. They did not like to be obliged to pay a man for ministerial duties,
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