USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampstead > A memorial history of Hampstead, New Hampshire, Congregational Church 1752-1902, Volume II > Part 2
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Upon his stone the following epitaph is inscribed, "A good man, betimes, and full of the Holy Ghost and faith, of an excellent temper, of good integrity, having faithfully per- formed his talents, fell asleep in Jesus, and went triumphant- ly to receive his Reward in Heaven."
At his death the town voted " to pay the funeral expenses, amounting to thirty pounds and nine shillings and six pence. William White made a journey to Boston to get supplies for the funeral, and among the items of expense was " one Bbl. of Cyder."
After Mr. Gardner's death the church was supplied for four years by Mr. Jonathan Cushing, Robert Stanton, Rev. Joseph Parsons, and Mr. Samuel Chickley, all declining pro- posals to settle with them, until Mr. John Brown of Little Cambridge (now Brighton) was ordained as their minister, May 13, 1719, and served them until his death, of consump- tion, after twenty years of ill health, Dec. 2, 1742.
Rev. Edward Barnard, a graduate of Harvard College in 1736, son of Rev. John Barnard of Andover, Mass., and grandson of Rev. Thomas Barnard of Andover, all of whom were graduates of Harvard College, was ordained pastor April 17, 1743, having assisted Mr. Brown during his long
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
illness. He served them successfully thirty-one years, dur- ing which time he baptized 908 persons, married 211 couples, 94 persons were admitted to church membership, 96 " owned the Covenant." He died in Haverhill January 26, 1774, aged 54 years.
Rev. Mr. Barnard has been spoken of as a man "of dis- tinction and real worth, his sermons correct and finished, his compositions instructive, plain and practical, and as a watch- ful. affectionate, and unwearied pastor."
From the cessation of the Indian troubles, in 1709, settle- ments of land to the east. west or northward were rapidly taken, and in 1712 we find a vote on record, "to abate one- half of the ministry rates of several persons on account of the great distance they lived from the town."
The town of Methuen was set off from the First Parish in 1725, and fifty acres of land given to their first settled minister, Rev. Christopher Sargent, and Oct. 24, 1732, twen- ty-nine members were given permission to embody themselves into a church body in Salem, N. H., with Rev. Abner Bailey as pastor.
In 1734 the inhabitants of the East or " shad " parish petitioned for a new parish, with Rev. Benjamin Parker as pastor, and in the autumn of that same year Rev. Samuel Bachellor was given forty acres of land, and the West Par- ish given a parsonage of forty acres more, and seventy-seven members were dismissed to form the West Parish Congrega- tional Church.
The northerly part of Haverhill was erected into a parish originally styled "Church of the North Precinct of Haver- hill " in 1728, and a meeting house erected on the spot now occupied by the " North Parish and Plaistow Congregational Church."
The church was organized November 4, 1730, with Rev. James Cushing, a graduate of Harvard College in 1725, son of Rev. Caleb Cushing of Salisbury, Mass., as pastor, with
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HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
fifty-nine members, and ten others soon after, from the First Parish church.
The church was granted on condition "that they should determine within one month where their meeting house should be erected, and settle an Orthodox minister as soon as possible." Many of the members favored the location near where the "Church of the Holy Angels " at West- ville, N. H., now stands, as this parish was in the " Haver- hill District " of New Hampshire in 1741, and included Plaistow, Atkinson, and Hampstead, and, when organized. two-thirds of the members resided north of the meeting house. Rev. Mr. Cushing was granted twenty-nine acres of land and rent from the parsonage farm, which was the farm now owned by Mr. James C. Merrill.
The meeting house in the North Parish was built in 1728 to 1730, and has been described "as built of very heavy timbers ; one of the cross-beams was sufficiently large to be sawn into quarters to make the upright standards of the present steeple."
The house was not plastered for years, nor had it a stee- ple. " The bats and swallows mistook it for a barn," and, it was said that when Rev. Giles Merrill, successor to Rev. James Cushing, preached, his children saw the swallows build their nests on the rafters, and not improbable somewhat changed the 84th Psalm to suit the occasion, " Yea, the swallow hath built a nest for herself where she may lay her young, even thy rafters, () Lord of Hosts."
Rev. Mr. Cushing was ordained on " a day of fasting and prayer, especially appointed." His ministry continued thirty- three years, without disturbance to the harmony of the church, during which time one hundred and sixty-four per- sons were united with the church, two hundred "owned the covenant," and twelve hundred and seventy-five infants were baptized. He married two hundred and twenty-four couples.
Hle died May 13, 1764, aged fifty-nine years. " He was a
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
solid and fervent preacher, prudent, steady, patient, conde- scending and candid, and preserved for thirty-four years the most unruffled tranquility, peace and harmony in the society."
HOUSES FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP, 1733-1902.
In the winter of 1733 a petition was sent to the church at the North Precinct, from twenty-five families who had moved to Timberlane, now Hampstead, " that by reason of the great distance of their dwellings from the meeting house they undergo many and great difficulties in attending the public worship of Almighty God," and asked permission to hold meetings by themselves in the winter season, in a log honse probably patterned after the meeting houses of the early Puritans, with its thatched roof of hay or straw, and rough hewn logs for pulpit and seats.
It was built where Daniel Emerson's house now stands They probably hired some neighboring minister to assist them in the service, or carried it on among themselves, until after 1746, when it seems that they laid plans for a more commo- dions meeting house, which was raised and covered before 1748.
Immediately after the incorporation of the town, in 1749, the building was made more comfortable, " the floors finished, the windows glazed, ends and back of the house clapboarded, the doors made and hung."
Votes as recorded on the town records concerning the finishing of the house, not given on pages 22, 23 and 24 in the Memorial History of Hampstead, Vol. 1, are as follows :-
Feb. 22, 1753, " To see if ye town will consent to paint ye pulpit and front of ye galleries in ye meeting house."
(Deed of the land on which the meeting house stands, see p. 25, Me- morial Ilistory, Vol. 1.)
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HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
.
April 21, 1761, " to see if ye town will vote to plaister ye meeting house this year." It was voted "to plaister the meeting house over head and under the galleries and on the sides, & that John Muzzey, Dea. Benj. Kimball, John Webster, Wm. Marshall, and Col. Jacob Bailey be a Committee to plaister it. " But in March. 1765. it was again voted "to see if ye town will allow the same com. to plaister it, or by a new Comittee."
Again. January. 1768, "it was voted to plaister the meeting house this year." and voted to " call five feet from the side of the pews for- ward. when the hind seats are now on the men's and women's sides of the Body of the house and to let the highest bidder be the purchaser, and to take such materials of the men that purchase pews as is neces- sary for plaistering of said house. and that Esq. Webster, Nathan Good- win, Benj. Little were chosen to be a Com. for the same."
Sales of pews were made as follows :
March, 1767. "to see if the town will purchase of the proprietors or owners of the pews. and the privilege for a pew in the front gallery, in order to make a number of square pews."
" Know all men by these presents that I JJesse Johnson of Hampstead, in the province of New Hampshire, Gentleman, Do give up to the town of Hampstead all my right interest or property that I have for a privi- lege for a pue in the meeting house on the men's stairs that was bid of by me sometime past, and that the s'd town may have full power to Dispose of the same as they please as though I had not purchased the same " this 5th day of Dec. 1768."
Apr., 1761, Voted to sell ye pews over the two pairs of stairs."
The following pews were sold by auction March, 1794 :-
" The pews below where the men's seats stand & woman's side."
" The pew at the right hand next to the broad alley before Col Emer- son's & Dudley Kimball's to Dudley Kimball."
" Roberts Emerson's pew to John True."
" The pew at the right hand before Abner Rogers pew, to Thomas Hoit."
" The pew at the left hand before Dr. John Bonds pew to Moses At- wood."
Apr. 30, 1788, John Calfe, John Harriman & David Moulton, Select- men, were authorized to " see if they will agree to purchase the privi- lege of a long pew in the gallery at the east end of the meeting house, of the present owners, and give up the hindermost seat in addition thereto for room to build square pews at said east end, also to see if they will agree to shorten the long seats so mueh as to make square pews at the end thereof next to the back side of the meeting house
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
down to the front of the gallery, and if so agreed, to choose a committee to make the sale thereof."
Copy of Deed of Pew No. 3: " Know all men by these presents that I Jabez IIoit of Hampstead, in the County of Rockingham and State of New Ilampshire-Yeoman-for and in consideration of the sum of Five dollars paid me by Thomas Reed of said Hampstead, Gentleman, do hereby grant bargain and sell, unto him the said Thomas Reed, his heirs and executors, the privilege of a square pew in the east gallery in Hampstead meeting house No. 3, which was bid off by me at a vendue held in said Hampstead for the purpose of selling a number of pews in said meeting honse. To have and to hold said granted privilege with all privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging to me."
In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 3d day of May, 1797.
JABEZ Horr [Seal].
In presence of Micajah Little, Joseph Merriek.
Mr. Tristram Little and Mr. Job Tabor made a measure- ment of the timbers of the Town House (old meeting house) August 18, 1901, and found the building to be 50 feet long and 40 feet wide. The outside sills are of white oak and eight inches square. The posts are about ten inches square, of white oak : the braces are 7 feet long and 11 inches thick. The beams are of pine and 8 by 12 inches, and 9 1-2 feet in the lower story: the inner posts are twenty-eight feet high by twenty inches square.
About 1792 the meeting house, which " had become de- ctyed and in a wasting condition, and almost without a covering, was repaired partly by subscription, but the arrears were in later years added to the minister's tax by the select- men.
The porch and steeple were built by Abner Rogers and Col. Thomas Reed in 1793. It is eleven feet square, with posts eighteen inches. The distance from the ground to the bell is forty-eight feet, and from there to the top of the spire is fifty feet. The wooden weather vane which surmounted the top of the spire from 1793 to 1882 was made by Stephen Colby of Haverhill, Mass., under the direction of Daniel Niekols, Sen., and in 1882 was replaced by the present vane.
17
HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Moses Little, father of Mr. Tristram Little, went up a rod in 1793, drew up a ladder, confined it, and painted the weather vane after it was placed in position. The chimney was built about 1824.
-
f
1745 MEETING HOUSE IS37.
The inside of the house had originally, or in the early years, until 1856, a high pulpit on the north side of the room. a broad aisle leading from the front door directly to it. It was eleven feet from the floor, with winding stairs on the west side of it, and a broad step to the minister's seat. A
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
sounding board eight feet in diameter, of octagon shape. overhanging the pulpit and about six feet above it.
The deacon's seat was underneath the pulpit and facing the people. A half round board hung from the deacons' seat on hinges to form a table, to be used at sacramental seasons and town meeting days.
There were three galleries, one in front, one on either end, with long rows of plank seats about fifteen or twenty feet in length, the seats in front lower than those near the sides of the room. In the east and west corners of the room was a winding stairway leading to the galleries. In the main floor were several long seats and others box shaped, six or eight
19
HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
feet square and " three feet stud," with a door fastened with a wooden hasp : some of the square pews had a plank seat on the sides of the pew, also, and would accommodate sev- eral persons in a seat.
The pews and galleries had a railing of turned work, about seven inches high, and set about four inches apart, and a narrow rail at the top of the little posts. The pews were deep, and the plank seats in them turned up against the back of the pews, while the people were standing in prayer time, and when " Amen " was said, and as the people were seating themselves again, "click, click, click," was heard for several seconds from all parts of the room until all of the seats fell in place for the worshippers.
There were six pillars, or columns, about twelve feet posts, two under each gallery. They were painted to imitate mar- ble, as was also the front of the pulpit and galleries.
The doors were made of plank and double, with ten panels in each door. Hand-wrought rails were used in the building of both the inside and outside. There was an oval-shaped window at the top, behind the minister's seat, and the other windows were glassed with seven by nine inch glass, sixteen panes in the upper part and twelve in the lower part of the sash. The building was painted for the first time in 1793. The present windows were put in place in 1856.
Stoves were first known about 1790, but did not come into general use for several years. Box stoves for heating churches and school houses were first introduced in 1820. Before that time meeting houses were not heated at all, except such heat as the women carried in their foot stoves.
The following is a copy of the original subseription paper for the purchase of a stove in 1821. It was loaned the writer by the Foote Brothers, formerly of Salisbury, N. H., into whose possession the paper was received several years ago, and will henceforth be deposited in Hampstead Public Library :-
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
We, the subscribers, believing that a stove for the Meeting-House in this place would conduce to health, as well as the comfort of the com- munity.
Therefore we severally promise to pay the sums afixed to our names for the above object.
N. B .- Should a sufficient sum be subscribed a meeting will be called to which a general invitation will be given to all who subscribe. by a notification at the meeting house and Mr. Isaac Smiths to determine how large a Stove will be necessary and apoint a Committee to purchase the same.
HAMPSTEAD. Dec'r 11, 1821.
Ilazen Hoit.
$1.50
Ralph Brickett, .50
Joseph Calef.
1.50
Isaac Spofford, .50
Jonathan Collins.
.50
Ruth Emerson,
-0.00 "
Caleb Emerson,
1.00
Dudley George,
1.00
John Ordway, Jr ..
1.00
Ilenry George. .
1.00
John Ordway,
1.00
Samuel Smith, . 1.00
Moses Heath.
.75
William Tenney. .50
Jonathan C. Little.
.50
Joseph Chase, . .50
Joseph Chase, .
1.00
Ephraim Tewksbury,
.50
Isaac Tewksbury,
2.00
Joseph Welch, . 2.00
Jonathan Page,
.50
John F. Peabody.
.50
David Little,
.50
Justus Jones, .
.50
Thorndike Putnam,
.50
James Knight,
1.00
Amassa Eastman,
1.00
James Brown, .
1.00
Benj. B. Garland,
1.00
Enos Brown,
.50
Isaac Smith,
1.00
Daniel Brown,
.50
John True,
5.00
Job Kent,
.50
Jesse Davis.
1.00
Jonathan Kent,
1.00
Joshna Eastman,
1.25
Henry Welch,
1.00
James Kimball,
2.50
James Brickett,
1.00
Jesse lleath,
1.00
Jabez Hoit,
.50
Nathaniel Little.
1.00
John Smith,
.50
John Emerson.
1.00
Received from J. Eastman's subscribers of last year:
John Kelly,
1,50
James Smith, .25
Osgood Taylor. .25
Stephen Osgood.
.50
Osgood Taylor's sons, .12
John Little, 1.00
Call on Thorndike Putnam for 1.00
Isaac Heath,
.50
Jonathan Page. .50
Jesse Gordon.
3.00
Joseph Chandler. .25
Hezekiah Ayer.
2.00
Lorenzo Batchelder. .50
Osgood Taylor.
1.00
James Calef,
2.00
Total sum. . 859.37
Eliphalet Knight.
1.00
Daniel Little,
1.00
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HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
It would seem from the above paper that some of the peo- ple of Hampstead made an effort to procure a stove for their meeting house in 1820, but secured pledges of ouly two dollars and eighty-seven cents toward one. A stove was obtained early in 1822. Mr. Tristram Little and Joshua F. Noyes well remember the first stove as it stood in their childhood days, as they sat in the old box pews and tried to listen to Father Kelly in the high up pulpit. They inform the writer that the stove stood in front of the pulpit and of the deacons' seat. It was a rough, clumsy box stove, large enough to hold a good sized log. There was then no chim- ney, and the funnel passed up to the second story and branched in either direction and out of the east and west windows.
In the early days it was customary to place a pan of water holding about six quarts upon the stove. Presumably it was thought necessary to have it there to purify the air from the close heat, but the boys said " some were afraid the infernal thing would blow up."
For an account of the Paul Revere bell which to-day rings from the tower of the town hall, placed in position in 1809, see pages 34 and 162 of Mem. Hist., Vol. 1.
As other denominations claimed the use of the meeting house a part of the time, by right given them by the New Hampshire Legislature, the Congregational Church and Society began controlling their affairs aside from the town March 5, 1832, and soon after set about building their own house for publie worship which they occupied for the first time October 15, 1837. The new church stood on the spot where the present church now stands. It was built by Capt. James Gibson at a cost of $3000. It was surmounted by a sort of square tower, instead of a tall steeple. It was built by shares, one hundred of them. It was the opinion of the majority of the shareholders to have the church located where Mr. Andrew M. Moulton's house now is, or on the
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
opposite corner, where No. 2 school house stands, but as one of the shareholders now relates, " by a selfish purpose of one of the committee, the wishes of the majority was overruled, and it was located on the present stand," as the record says, " opposite Major Smith's store."
March 7, 1848, voted, "to secure subscriptions and re- ceive donations to repair the new meeting house, and that Jo- seph Chase, R. K. Brickett aud Benj. Sawyer be a Committee for that purpose."
Feb. 20, 1853, it was voted by the Society to "repair the meeting house in a manner that will be safe for public wor- ship."
March 6, 1860, voted, "to ascertain the feelings of the people in regard to the erection of a new meeting house."
At an adjourned meeting, March 17th, voted, " to have a plank fastened to the beams of the meeting house so they will be passable from one end of the church to the other over the plaistering," and that " notice be given to all pew- holders in the house to meet April 21, 1860, to see on what terms they will relinquish their rights for the purpose of rebuilding or repairing the same."
April 1, 1861, about two weeks before the civil war was declared, " On motion of Benj. B. Garland it was voted that the Society consent to have their meeting house taken down or disposed of on consideration that a new and more sub- stantial house be erected on the same site," and that " Joseph Chase, Jonathan Kent, William Sanborn, Nelson Ordway, and Hamilton C. Eastman be a committee to look after the interests of the Society in taking down or disposing of the building."
Dea. William Sanborn and Frederick A. Pike were the committee to move the building back of the present location, which was done while the new church was in progress of building, but later it was taken down and moved to Merri- maekport, Mass., where it now is rebuilt in as a part of
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HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
-
CHURCH 1861- 1901.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
True's mill and factory. The same committee to build the new church, in 1861, by carpenters Richard K. Brickett, foreman, and William B. Yeaton of Haverhill, and other young assistants.
June 22, 1886, Albert H. Little, Charles W. Pressey, and William A. Emerson were chosen a committee, on motion of Dea. Wm. H. Davis, "to proceed to build a vestry according to the plans by the architect."
The chapel, or vestry, was built in 1886, at an expense of
VESTRY.
about $2000, and was dedicated. free from debt, Jan. 27, 1887, at 2 o'clock P. M., " in the presence of a large number of persons, filling the vestry to its utmost capacity." The exercises consisted of a report and address by the pastor, dedicatory prayer by Rev. Charles Tenney of Chester, N. H .. and an address by Rev. Nehemiah Boynton of Haverhill, Mass. The exercises were interspersed throughout with music.
" Two interesting episodes of the occasion was the unveil-
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HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ing of a picture of our pastor, Rev. Albert Watson, the gift of Mrs. Mary A. Eastman and her daughter, Mrs. L. Ada Libbey of Exeter, N. H., and the presentation of a beautiful Bible from the North Church in Haverhill. Mass., for use in the vestry. A bountiful supper was provided and a pleasant time enjoyed by all." (Church records.)
PEACE BE
HEAR MY
PRAYER
WITHIN THY WALLS.
BORD.
INTERIOR 1894.
Jan. 4, 1887, " Voted, that the one hundred dollars from the estate of the late Dr. Isaac Tewksbury be used towards the expenses of the New Vestry." Voted, that " fifty dol- lars from the communion collections be used to furnish the New Vestry, and that Dea. Pressey proceed to furnish it at once." (Church records. )
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
The vestry has a neatly furnished audience room, with pulpit and organ, chandeliers, ete. ; its walls handsomely frescoed and graced with pictures of several of the pastors ; a pastor's study, ladies' parlor, dining room, kitchen, and cupboard well filled with dishes, and other conveniences, making the addition to the church appreciative to all.
The church was struck by lightning in the summer of 1894, and considerable damage done to the steeple and inte-
*
*
1
PULPIT-MEMORIAL DAY, 1901.
rior, which necessitated repairs, and at that time the ceiling and walls were frescoed and painted, etc., taking away the panels at the sides of the pulpit as seen in the cut, etc.
The work done to the interior was not satisfactory to the church and society, and it was resolved to make more im- provements, and to do so in connection with the organ com- mittee, who asked and were granted leave Feb. 15, 1901, "to make changes in the interior of the church property as
27
HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
will be necessary to place the new organ back of the pulpit, without expense to the Society."
The work was to begin early in July, 1901. We find re- corded on the church records :-
" During a heavy thunder shower on the night of Saturday, June 22. 1901, about one thirty o'clock, the church steeple was struck by light- ning, which tore away a portion of the steeple, demolished the south corner of the church, tearing out two or three windows, passing through the entire length of the church into the vestry, and doing considerable damage there.
1
--
DAMAGED CHURCH.
The next day we held our services in the town hall. During the fol- lowing week the Supervisors of the Society were able to adjust the damage with the insurance company. They granted $1600 insurance on the building and $100 on furnishings. The church was then cleared of debris, and work begun on the repairs and changes to the interior."
A steel ceiling and newly frescoed walls by the Ladies' Social Circle, and new shades by the C. E. Society, at a cost of 8130. The partitions were removed from between the pews so as to pass from one side of the church to the other without going round ; repairs and improvements costing about $3500.
The steeple of the church was prepared for a bell, and
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HISTORY.
during the last week of August, 1901, a very musical bell was placed in the steeple of the church and presented to the Congregational Church and Society in "the name of Mrs. Rufus P. Gardner." The gift is much appreciated by church and town people.
The rededication of the church occurred Sunday, Sept. 1, 1901, at 10.45 o'clock A. M.
The following order of exercises were rendered :-
1-Organ Voluntary. Mrs. Frank W. Emerson, organist.
2-Doxology.
3-Invocation, Lord's Prayer.
4-Anthem, "Break forth into joy."
5-Responsive reading.
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