USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Windham > Windham in the past > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
54. Humphrey Devorux.
55. Nathl Evans.
58. William Goodwin.
59. Samuel Turner.
62. William Knights.
63. Timothy Pike."
"PETITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF NEW MARBLEHEAD
"Province of the Massachusetts Bay.
"To his Excellency Thomas Pownall Esqr., Capt. General-in chief in and over the said Province, the Honble his Majesty's Couneil & house of Representatives in Genl Court assembled, Dec. 28, 1758.
"The Petition of the Inhabitants of a place called New Marblehead in the County of York.
"Humbly Sheweth, That they labor under great Difficulties for want of having the Gospel preached amongst them having never had a proper Meeting-House at all nor a Minister these many years, for what the Proprietors formerly in part built and called a Meeting-house was nothing more than the name of one never answered the Purpose and is long sinee gone to Ruin; Neither have said Inhabitants had any Minister with them for these five years past, excepting one winter they themselves hired a gentleman to preach which they were poorly able to do, being but twenty-eight in number and in low circumstances. Their distressed condition they have often presented to the Proprietors and begged their assistance, but they altho' sixty in number are all non-Residents excepting four; and having given a small part of a right to some or other of the Inhabitants for settling, own more than three-quarters of the Township yet, and not-
104
WINDHAM IN THE PAST
withstanding their unimproved lands are daily advanced in value by the Improvements made by the Inhabitants, yet they are deaf to all their Cries and refuse to be at any Expense that they may have a settled Ministry amongst them, by means thereof they have been obliged to live like Heathen, To remedy which, your Petitioners about two years ago applied to the Honble the Genl Court, for Relief, and the matter was then in part enquired into, but for what Reasons your Petitioners can- not tell never came to an issue, so that they have remained in the same bad situation ever since. Your Petitioners are not only sufferers in the above particulars, but their children are also bred up in ignorance for want of a School, having never had one in the place since the first settlement thereof, altho' near or quite twenty years since. For not having incourage- ment of the Proprietor's the numbers of the Inhabitants have increased but slowly and not one-half requisite by law to trans- act Town affairs. Wherefore, it was not possible for them to legally raise money among themselves for the support of a school or any other Use that might be for the good of the whole. These difficulties your Petitioners have long suffered and must yet longer unless relieved by this Honble Court. Wherefore, they humbly your Excellencies and Honours, that a tax may be laid on the Non-Resident Proprietor's Lands, in said Town- ship, in Order to raise a fund for building a Meeting-House and supporting a Minister amongst them and that said Inhabit- ants may have power to Raise & collect money amongst them- selves for the support of a School in said Township, or any other use that may be judged by the major part of said Inhabitants for the benefit of the whole; or that they may otherwise have Redress, as to your Excellency and Honours known wisdom and Goodness shall seem meet, and your Petitioners in duty bound will ever pray.
"Abraham Anderson, John Manchester, Caleb Graffam, William Elder, Zerubebel Hunnawel, John Stevens, Junr., Samuel Webb,
John Farrow, Hugh Crague, Robert Mugford, Eli Webb.
Thomas Mayberry,
Samuel Mathes, Curtis Chute,
105
ECCLESIASTICAL
Ephraim Winship, Joseph Starling,
William Mayberry,
John Bodge, Thos Chute, Richard Mayberry.
"In the House of Representatives, Jan'y 12, 1759. Read- and ORDERED that the Petitioners notify the Non-Resident Proprs of the Township of New Marblehead of this Petition, by insert- ing the Substance thereof in one or more of the Public Prints for three weeks successively; That they show cause (if any they have), on the second Wednesday of the next sitting of this Court, why the prayer thereof should not be granted.
"Sent up for Concurrence.
T. HUBBARD, Spkr
"In Council, Jan'y 15. Read and Concurred.
A. OLIVER, Sec'y.
"In Council, June 13, 1759. Read again, together with the answer of the Non-Resident Proprietors, and ORDERED that Samuel Watts and Benja Lincoln Esqrs, with such as the Honble House shall appoint, be a Committee to take this Petition and Answer under Consideration, and Report what they judge proper to be done thereon.
"Sent down for Concurrence.
THOS CLARKE, Depty. Sec'y.
"In the House of Representatives, June 13, 1759. Read and Concurred, and Mr. Bradbury. Colo Lawrence and Capt. Morey are Joyned in the Affair. S. White, Spkr."
"Falmouth, May 28, 1759.
"We the subscribers being well acquainted with the House the Proprietors of New Marblehead built there designed for a Meeting-House, at ye Request of Mr. Abraham Anderson, one of the Inhabitants of sd New Marblehead, do Declare that the said House was never finished, nor was ye work done in a work- manlike manner, so far as was done; no floor was ever laid, nor windows to said House, neither was ye House ever underpinned, nor fit for ye people to meet in.
NATHAN WINSLOW, ISAAC ILSLEY, THOMAS HASKELL, CALEB GRAFFAM."
106
WINDHAM IN THE PAST
Massachusetts Archives. Vol. 117. pp. 416-420.
To the foregoing statements of the Inhabitants of New Mar- blehead. the Proprietors returned the following answer :
"Province of Massachusetts Bay.
"To his Excellency Thomas Pownall, Esqr., Commander-in- chief, and to the Honorable, His Majesty's Council and House of Representatives, of said Province, in General Court Assem- bled, the sixth day of June A.D. 1759.
"The Subscribers, a Committee of the Proprietors of the common and undivided lands in a Place called New Marble- head, in the County of York. Humbly Sheweth in their Behalf, That in Obedience to the Order of this Honorable Court of the 12th & 13th of January A.D. 1758, the said Proprietors, at a meeting for that purpose. appointed a Committee with orders to repair to the said Place and take an exaet account of condi- tion of the settlement in order to its being laid before this Honorable Court, which Committee, not attending to that service the said Proprietors at their meeting in March last, appointed Messrs. John Wight and Samuel Turner to do it. who have accordingly been on the spot ; whose report, together with a true copy of the Original Grant of the sd Township, with a list of the Original Grantees, we now beg leave to lay before you. And in Answer to the Petitioners of the Inhabitants of that place, now depending before your Excelleney and this Honble Court, we beg leave to say, That A.D. 1737, the Grantees of said Town- ship, at their own expense erected a Meeting-House there. 38 feet long, 28 feet wide and 14 feet stud. That A. D., 1743, they settled the Rev. John Wight, in the work of the Ministry there, who was ordained and continued there during his life. viz., till 1752, during which time he was supported wholly by the Grantees, to which the settlers as such contributed nothing. That Mr. Wight made use of said Meeting-House and preached in it till the year 1746, when the Inhabitants pulled it down and afterwards met in the Fort or Block-House built there by the Government. That upon the Death of Mr. Wight, the Grantees apprehended that it was high time that the Settlement of sixty families enjoined by the Grant, should be compleated and that then it would be most fit that the Inhabitants should by them- selves choose and contraet with a Minister and the Grantees
107
ECCLESIASTICAL
as such should assist them in his support. This the Proprietors have been already to do, and had the settlement been com- pleted according to the Term of the Grant, or in many years after, the Inconvenience now complained of would not have happened; As to a Meeting-House the Block-House which they have used for that purpose ever since the Meeting-House was pulled down, will, we hope, be sufficient to accommodate the Families there till the number of the Settlers shall be compleated and the Inhabitants incorporated; which we hope by the Order of your Excellency and the Honorable Court will soon be effeet- ed, and in the meantime, the Proprietors have at their last March meeting Ordered the payment of 60 dollars out of their Treasury to assist the Inhabitants in proeuring preaching there ; And there is no reason to doubt but the said Proprietors will from Time to Time, as there may be occasion, make further grants for that purpose, which we apprehend will be the most Salutary Method of Supporting the Preaching the Gospel, there until the said Settlement be compleated and the Inhabitants be incorporated as aforesaid and then the Proprietors will readily contribute to assist the Inhabitants in the Rebuilding · a Meeting-House and settling a Minister there; and if they fail may be compelled. And as a number of Defective Grantees are in arrears of the several Taxes that have been laid on them and duly notified for bringing the Settlement and the conditions of the said Township by that means, remaining unpaid, we pray that the present assessors, Vizt Nathan Bowen, John Wight & Samuel Turner, or a Quorum of them may be authorized to sell and Legally convey as much of the Delinquent Rights through the Township as will pay said Arrears. And as the Boundary Lines betwixt the Township and the Towns of Falmouth and North Yarmouth have not yet been settled, the ascertaining of which is of great importance to this Township, we pray that your Excellency & Honrs to order some proper methods for affecting the same. All which is submitted by your Exeelleney & Honrs Most Obt Servants.
"NATHAN BOWEN, WILLM GOODWIN, JOHN WIGHT, SAMUEL TURNER."
108
WINDHAM IN THE PAST
Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 117, pp. 421-423.
From the Proprietors' records we learn that, on May 14, 1760, they voted to appropriate one hundred and twenty pounds to assist the inhabitants in settling and sustaining another minister for two years. They voted also to petition the Court to incorporate the inhabitants into a Town or District, and to settle the boundary between Falmouth and North Yar- mouth and New Marblehead.
The following letter shows that a compromise between the Proprietors and the inhabitants took place during the winter of 1759-60. The letter is from Nathan Bowen, for the Pro- prietors, to Jacob Fowle, Esqr., who was in the House of Rep- resentatives, and is dated at Marblehead, June 6, 1760.
"We hereby Certifie that the Proprietors of New Marble- head at their meeting yesterday Granted £20 to be paid out of the Proprietors Treasury and applied to the assisting the Inhabitants of the Township to settle a Minister there and toward his support for one year to Commenee and Accounted from the Ordination of such Minister; and Sixty pounds per year more for the two years next coming after that time toward the support of sd Minister; Provided the Greate & General Court do not lay any Tax's on sd Proprietors or order any tax's to be laid on them during that time; Which Grant is to the Mutual satisfaction of the Proprietors & Inhabitants, who have agreed that the Petition of the Inhabitants now depending before the Greate & General Court do ccase & be no further prosecuted. Marblehead. June 6, 1760. Nathan Bowen, in behalf of the Proprietors. Abraham Anderson for and in behalf of the Inhabitants."
Rejoiced that the troublesome affair was at length satis- factorily adjusted, and encouraged by the liberality of the Pro- prietors, the people of New Marblehead began preparations to settle their second minister. To that end, a church meeting assembled on April 19, 1762, when it voted unanimously that
"Mr. Peter Thacher Smith should be our Minister to dispense the Word of God to us and the inhabitants of this place."
A few weeks later, on May 5, 1762, the church members and other inhabitants met at the Province Fort and
109
ECCLESIASTICAL
"Voted, by the former and unanimous vote of the Church, together with the unanimous vote of the majority of the In- habitants," that Mr. Peter Thaeher Smith should be their min- ister or pastor to dispense the word of God to them. They also voted that Mr. Abraham Anderson, Mr. Thomas Mayberry and Capt. Thomas Chute be a committee to acquaint Mr. Smith of their choice, and report to the inhabitants in seven days.
The chosen committee immediately gave Mr. Smith a most urgent eall to become their pastor, saying among other things, "We hope you will not be discouraged from coming where you preached your first sermon to us, who always admired your person and your preaching to that degree, that we resolve to make trial of no other man for our ministry till you absolutely refuse to accept our call."
Mr. Smith promptly accepted the eall, so that the committee were enabled to report the fact to the inhabitants, on May 12, 1762. A committee was then ehosen consisting of Dea. Thomas Chute, Abraham Anderson, Caleb Graffam, and Thomas May- berry to confer with Mr. Smith in regard to his ordination ; also a committee from both the Proprietors and the inhabitants to settle the conditions of the salary and other matters relating to his settlement as pastor.
The following is the agreement between the inhabitants and Proprietors and Mr. Smith, as it appears on the records :
"This Indenture Tripartite, made the twenty first day of September Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty two, and in the second year of his Majestie's reign King George the third, betwixt Peter Thacher Smith of Windham in the County of Cumberland, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, Gentleman, of the first part, of the In- habitants of the said Town of Windham by Abraham Anderson, Caleb Graffam, William Elder, John Farrow, John Bodge, Thomas Mayberry and Ephraim Winship, Agents for the said Township fully authorized in this behalf, of the second part, and the proprietors of the common lands of said Town, by Nathan Bowen, Jeremiah Lee and John Wight, their Agents in this Behalf, on the third part. Witnesseth, That the said Peter on his Part for the Consideration hereafter mentioned doth Covenant, Grant and Agree to and with the said Inhabit-
110
WINDHAM IN THE PAST
ants and with the Proprietors severally in manner following, Vizt That he shall and will from the day of the date hereafter Enter upon, and Engage in the Office of Minister to Dispense the Word of God to the said Inhabitants; receive Ordination and Continue in that service there, and faithfully and to the best of his skill and power discharge the Several Duties of that Office, to the Church and Inhabitants of that Town, for not less than Twenty Years next Coming, his life and Health being so long continued; and the said Peter doth Hereby Acknowlege that he hath received this day Eighty three pounds Lawfull money of said Province, Vizt of said Proprietors such sum together with ninety six Aeres of the one hundred Aere Lott Numbered Forty four hereafter Mentioned, in full Satisfaction for the Settlement of the sd Peter in the work of the Ministry there; and the said Peter doth hereby further Acknowledge that the annual payment of Eighty pounds hereinafter seeured to be paid him yearly, is to his satisfaction for his Annual Sallary and Support. And the said Inhabitants by their Agents aforesaid, for the consideration aforesaid, do Covenant, Grant and Agree to and with the said Peter, to pay him Eighty pounds Lawfull Money of said province pr Annum yearly and every year, to be given and to be accounted from the day of the date hereof, and to be continued so long as he shall Continue in the Ministry at said Windham, as his yearly Salere for his support and maintainanee. And the said Proprietors by their Agents aforesaid assisting and better enabling the said Inhabit- ants to Defray the Charge of Settling and Supporting the said Minister; do on their Part grant to the said Inhabitants the said sum of Eighty three pounds, which they, the said Propri- etors have paid to the said Peter for his Settlement, the pay- ment whereof is hereby acknowledged by them; And the said Proprietors hereby Covenant, Grant and Agree to and with the said Inhabitants that they will by the order of said Inhabitants, also advanee and pay to him the said Peter, as part of said Eighty pound Salary in manner following, Vizt, for the year 1762, ensuing, the Twenty first day of September next, fifty three pounds six shillings and eight penee; in the year 1763, fifty three pounds 6s. 8d .; in the year 1764, twenty five pounds 6s. 8d .; in the year 1765, twenty five pounds, which several pay- ments together with the Land hereinafter granted, they appre-
111
ECCLESIASTICAL
hend will be a proper Encouragement and Assistance of the said Inhabitance in settling and Supporting the said Minister, And agreeable to the votes of the said Proprietors Relative thereto ; and the said Proprietors by their Agents as aforesaid for the Consideration aforesaid, Grant, Confirm and Convey to him the said Peter Thacher Smith, and his heirs and Assigns forever all the fore mentioned Hundred Acre Lott, Numbered forty four (44). in said Windham, formerly drawn for the School, and by order of the Great and General Court, to be applied to the Minister saving what is required thereout for public Town use, to be laid out in the Most Convenient and Suitable Manner to answer the use proposed, to Have and to Hold the same (reserv- ing as aforesaid), to him the said Peter Thacher Smith, and to his heirs and Assigns as an Estate of Inheritance forever. In Witness whereof the parties have hereunto Interehangably sett their hands and seals the day first above written.
"Signed, sealed and "PETER THACHER SMITH [SEAL] delivered in the presence ABRAHAM ANDERSON [SEAL ] of us. CALEB GRAFFAM [SEAL]
HUGH CRAGUE,
TIMOTHY CLOUTMAN.
JOHN FARROW [SEAL ]
THOMAS MEAYBERRY [SEAL]
NATHAN BOWEN [SEAL ]
JEREMIAH LEE [SEAL ]
JOHN WIGHT." [SEAL ]
The preliminaries of his settlement having been adjusted, a council of the neighboring churches was called, which assem- bled at the old Province Fort in Windham, on September 22, 1762, and Mr. Smith was ordained pastor of the church.
The following ministers were present with delegates from the several churches: Rev. Moses Morrill of Biddeford, who made the first prayer; the Rev. Dr. Samuel Langdon of Portsmouth, who preached; Rev. Thomas Smith of Falmouth, who gave the charge; Rev. Nicholas Loring of North Yarmouth. who gave the right hand of fellowship; and Rev. Richard Elvins of Scarboro, who made the last prayer. Other ministers present were Rev. Samuel Haven of Portsmouth and Rev. Joseph Jack- son of Brookline.
The Rev. Peter Thacher Smith, the newly ordained pastor, was the son of Rev. Thomas and Sarah (Tyng) Smith. and was
112
WINDHAM IN THE PAST
born in Falmouth, now Portland, June 14, 1731. He graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1753, at the age of 22 years. After leaving college he taught school a number of years, at the same time studying his profession,-part of the time in his native town and a considerable portion at Weymouth, Mass., at which place he was invited to settle in the ministry. He declined, and, as we have seen, selected Windham as his future field of labor.
His ordination as pastor of the church here was a source of great gratification to his father, who thus expresses his pleasure on the occasion :
"Ordination at Windham, a prodigious concourse of people, a great and admired solemnity. It was thought by all to be the mnost finished solemnity of the kind ever known."
Now as there were but thirty-nine families in the township at that time, we cannot help wondering where this "prodigious concourse" came from, but we suppose some allowance must be made for the happiness of a fond parent.
On the church records we find the following entry, evidently placed there by Mr. Smith :
"The number of Church members living when I was Or- dained, Thomas Chute, Thomas Bolton, Abraham Anderson, Micah Walker, Curtis Chute. John Farrow. Thomas Haskell lived in Falmouth, Seth Webb lived in Gorham, both of whom concurred in my ordination. Females, Lois, the wife of Caleb Graffam, Bethiah, the wife of Thomas Meayberry, Rachel, the wife of William Bolton, Ann, the wife of Abraham Anderson, Mary, the wife of Thomas Bolton."
"Families in the Town when I was ordained : Caleb Graffam, Zerubbabel Hunnewell, John Mayberry, Isaac Elder, Eleizer Chase, Abraham Anderson, Nathl Evins, Hate Evil Hall, Robert Mugford, Stephen Manchester, Thomas Bolton, John Farrow, William Bolton, William Mayberry, Hugh Crague, Richard Mayberry, John Stevens, Stephen Lowell, William Elder. Simon Noyes, Samuel Webb, Thomas Mayberry, Thomas Trott, Thomas Chute, Curtis Chute, William Campbell, Micah Walker, John Bodge, Joseph Starling, Ephraim Winship, James Bayley, William Maxfield, Gershom Winship, Eli Webb, Robert Miller,
113
ECCLESIASTICAAL
John Manchester, William Knight, William Knight, Jun., William Stinehfield."
For several years, Mr. Smith was very popular with his parish, and his ministrations were eminently successful; the church grew in numbers, and we find that his salary was promptly voted each year and as promptly paid. At length, however, with the inerease of the population came certain dis- satisfied ones, chiefly several families of Friends, who settled here during Mr. Smith's pastorate. These, according to their peculiar tenets, refused to pay the ministerial tax, and being joined by others not of the orthodox denomination. they rendered the last years of his pastorate almost useless.
During this interval, several attempts were made to dismiss him, but all were unsuccessful. However, the feeling ran so high that. as early as July, 1776, it was voted not to pay the Rev. Mr. Peter T. Smith's salary that year; and, in 1778, the town
"Voted, not to allow Mr. Peter T. Smith any money for the Depreciation of the Currency."
However, at a town meeting held May 25, 1781, it was
"Voted 80 pounds silver money, to pay the Rev. Mr. Smith's salary for the ensuing year."
On March 22, 1784, the town voted 80 pounds for the Rev. Mr. Smith's salary; but, on March 22, 1785, they voted not to allow him any salary. The next year, however, they voted to allow him 80 pounds.
Also, at a meeting held Nov. 11, 1786, it was
"Voted, to raise one hundred and sixty pounds towards pay- ing the Rev. Mr. Peter T. Smith's baek arrearages."
At the same meeting they voted that Capt. David Barker and Mr. Paul Little be a committee to consult with Mr. Smith concerning his salary for the future and make a report to the town at the next meeting.
If this committee attended to their duty. they probably ob- tained no satisfaction, as we find that at a town meeting held Nov. 11, 1789, it was
"Voted, to raise four hundred and thirty pounds to pay off
114
WINDHAM IN THE PAST
the Rev. Peter T. Smith's arrears, for his preaching in This Town, and other charges attending the same.
"Voted, to Dismiss the Rev. Mr. Peter T. Smith from his Pastoral office in this Town."
This summary action must have been a source of amusement to Mr. Smith, for none knew better than he that the town had no authority to dismiss him unless he requested it, and then it would be necessary to call a council of the churches.
Finding that they had proceeded illegally in the matter, the town, at a meeting on July 26, 1790,
"Voted, to call a council to settle the affair between Mr. Peter T. Smith and the town.
"Voted, Ezra Brown, Paul Little and David Barker be a committee to eall a council, and also to eall on Rev. Mr. Smith to request him to join the council between himself and the parish."
The above committee at onee approached Mr. Smith in a gentlemanly manner and readily obtained his consent to the above votes.
Accordingly an ecclesiastical eouneil consisting of the pas- tors and delegates of the following churches, the church in Biddeford, the church at Pepperelborough, the first church in Portland, the first church in Falmouth, and the church in North Yarmouth, met at the old Province Fort in Windham, on October 8, 1790, organized with Rev. Tristram Gilman as Moderator and Rev. Samuel Deane as Seribe.
"When after solemn address to the throne of grace for direction and assistance and after serious inquiry and consulta- tion, we have agreed upon the followin result, That considering the state of affairs in this Town, the Rev. Mr. Smith be advised to ask a dismission from his pastoral office and give up his con- tract, excepting that he and his Estate be exempted from taxes for the term of seventeen years, in the same manner as they would have been by law, if he had continued in office; and that he have the use of the parsonage lot of one hundred aeres, on the main road until another Congregational Minister be settled in this Town, provided he make no unnecessary waste thereon.
115
ECCLESIASTICAL
On the whole we declare that we have found no fault with the moral or ministerial conduct or character of the pastor, and that we can and do cheerfully recomend him to any place where he shall be providentially called. Finally we earnestly recomend to the Rev. Mr. Smith and the people, that they devoutly lay to heart the dealing of divine providence toward them, and that they strictly examine themselves to find wherein
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.