USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton > An historical address : delivered at Hampton, New-Hampshire, on the 25th of December, 1838, in commemoration of the settlement of that town : two hundred years having elasped since that event > Part 3
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The author of the " Magnalia," after relating several wonder- ful feats, said to have been performed by those who were reported to be witches, gravely adds : "Flashy people may burlesque ' these things, but when hundreds of people, in a country where ' they have as much mother wit certainly as the rest of mankind, ' know them to be true, nothing but the absurd and froward ' spirit of Sadducism can question them."
But this feeling has passed away, and few people now fear
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that they shall be called Sadducees, or infidels, for maintaining the opinion that witchcraft is all a delusion.
It would be interesting to go back to our earliest history, and trace the progress of education in the town ; to inquire what methods were adopted by our fathers, to instruct the young, and to notice the self-denials and the expenses to which the people subjected themselves, to afford the means of instruction to their children. A subject so important and so interesting, must, how- ever, be passed over with a very few remarks.
It is probable that the ministers of the gospel, who were, from the first settlement of the town, stationed here as religious teach- ers, improved the opportunities which were afforded them, to inform the minds of those to whom they ministered, particularly the minds of the young. To judge otherwise would be derog- atory to the good sense, the intelligence, and the discretion of the ministers themselves.
But straitened as were the circumstances of the people, they as a town were not unmindful of their duties to the young. Provision was early made for furnishing them with the means of acquiring knowledge. It is, indeed, uncertain at how early a period schools were established among them ; probably soon after the formation of the settlement.
There is on record an agreement of the selectmen with a school-master, made in 1649, employing him, for a stipulated sum, to instruct the children of the town daily, for a whole year, when the weather would permit them to come together .* It is hardly probable that a contract would have been made with an instructer for so long a term, unless schools, or a school, had been previously established. It is not unreasonable to suppose that the origin of schools here is nearly coeval with the settle- ment of the town. While the town was under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, the people were required by law to maintain a free school during a considerable portion of the time. Still, it is not certain that this law went into operation here till after the date of the agreement already mentioned. Since that time,
* See Appendix, F.
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there can be but little doubt that free schools have been main- tained during a part at least of every year, where opportunities have been furnished for acquiring the rudiments of an education.
The next thing I shall notice, is the Ecclesiastical History of the town.
The object of the first settlers near the Piscataqua, as already mentioned, was to prosecute the fishing business. That business has undoubtedly been carried on here from a very early period ; but this seems not to have been the prime object in forming the settlement. Our fathers came hither for the enjoyment of religious freedom. One of their first movements was to secure a minis- ter, who should be to them a spiritual guide. They came hither united in church covenant, and at the very commencement of the settlement they were supplied with a pastor. It has been handed down to us by tradition, that the church was formed, and a pastor procured, before the settlement of the town was actually commenced ; and the language of our early records seems to give countenance to this tradition. The records state that, "It was granted unto Mr. Stephen Bachelor and his com- ' pany, who were some of them united together by church gov- 'vernment, that they should have a plantation at Winnicumet, ' and accordingly they were shortly after to enter upon and begin ' the same." This purports to have been taken from the Massa- chusetts court records.
A fair inference from this language is that the formation of the plantation was subsequent to that of the church.
It has sometimes been said that this was the second church formed in New-Hampshire,-a church having been previously gathered at Exeter. Both churches were formed in the year 1638; but I have been unable satisfactorily to determine which may justly claim priority of date ; nor is it of much consequence. This church is acknowledged to be the oldest now existing in New-Hampshire, as the first church formed in Exeter became extinct a few years after its formation, when that town came under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. The pastor of the church was under sentence of banishment from that Province,
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and he retired to Wells, in the Province of Maine, whither he was followed by a considerable portion of his church. 1
In an old book, entitled " Wonder-Working Providence of Zion's Saviour," the church at Hampton is said to have been the seventeenth formed in the colony of Massachusetts.
The first pastor of the church was Rev. Stephen Bachelor. He was, at the time he came hither, advanced in life, being 77 years of age. He had been a minister in England for many years. In 1632, he removed to this country, and became the first pastor of the church at Lynn. In 1638 he came to Hamp- ton with the little band that settled here. He was pastor of this church about three years, and was removed in 1641, at the age of 80 .* He lived to a very advanced age, and is said to have died in England, in 1661, having completed a whole century.
Mr. Bachelor's descendants are very numerous in Hampton, and in several other towns in New-Hampshire.
When the settlement was in its infancy, a log-house afforded the people a temporary place of worship. That house was lo- cated nigh the spot where three of the subsequent meeting- houses stood ; very near the present site of the academy.
At the early period of which we are speaking, the people were called together for worship by the ringing of a bell, as ap- pears from a vote of the town, Nov. 22, 1639, when one of the inhabitants was appointed " to ring the bell before the meetings on the Lord's days and on other days," for which he was to have a specified sum. How interesting to the settlers must have been the sound of that bell, as its peals echoed through the forest and broke the stillness of the Sabbath morning, inviting them to assemble for the worship of Jehovah ; and how strange to the untutored sons of the forest, to see the settlers laying aside their implements of husbandry, and all the tools which they were accustomed to use, resting from their labors, and wending their way, along different paths, to the log-house whence the sound of the bell proceeded.
* The Massachusetts Colony Records say that he was removed from the pastoral office for " contempt of authority."
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In 1639, the year after the formation of the church, Rev. Timothy Dalton was associated with the former minister, in the pastoral office .* Mr. Bachelor was indeed generally designated as the Pastor, and his associate as the Teacher of the church.
Mr. Dalton came to Hampton very soon after the formation of the settlement, and it is said a considerable company of settlers came with him.
After the removal of Mr. Bachelor, in 1641, Mr. Dalton was sole pastor of the church about six years, when Rev. John Whelewright, who had previously been settled at Exeter, was associated with him. How long they were thus connected does not appear from any records which I have consulted. Mr. Whelewright was at length dismissed, when Mr. Dalton was again left sole pastor of the church. He continued in the ministry till his death.
Our records do not show what compensation was made to Mr. Bachelor, nor to Mr. Dalton, in the early part of his ministry. Large tracts of land were granted to them both. > At one town meeting in 1639, 300 acres were granted to each, Mr. Bachelor having a house lot before. Grants of land were also made to them, or to one of them, at other times. It is pretty evident that at first they received no stated salary. This appears from an agreement with Mr. Dalton, in 1651, when, on certain conditions, he released the town from all " debts and dues" to him, from his first coming until he had " a set pay" given him by the town. After he had been here several years, he seems to have had about ££40 per annum. Mr. Dalton is called by an old writer, " the rever- end, grave and gracious Mr. Dalton." He died on the 28th of December, 1661, at an advanced age, probably about 84 years, having been here 22 years in the ministry. Our records state that he was " a faithful and painful laborer in God's vine- yard."
Mr. Dalton, it is well known, was the minister who gave by deed to the church and town of Hampton the property from which the ministerial funds of this town, Hampton Falls, and North Hampton, have been derived.
* See Appendix, G.
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Soon after his ministry commenced, the town adopted meas- ures for building a new meeting-house, of framed work, to take the place of the log-house which had served temporarily as a place of worship. By vote of the town, the new house was to be forty feet in length, twenty-two in width, and thirteen in height, between joints, with a place for the bell, which was given by the pastor.
The agreement with the contractor for building this house was mutually subscribed by the parties on the 14th of Septem- ber, 1640. Soon afterwards it was determined to defray the expense by voluntary contribution. The house was not wholly finished for several years. In July, 1644, persons were appointed to ask and receive the sums which were to be given towards building it, and, in case any should refuse to pay voluntarily, this committee was required to use all lawful means to compel them. The committee was farther instructed to lay out upon the meeting-house, to the best advantage, the money they might raise. When this house was first occupied as a place of wor- ship, is not known.
In 1649, liberty was given to certain persons to build a gal- lery at the west end of the meeting-house, and these persons, on their part, agreed to build the gallery, provided that the " foremost seat " should be appropriated to them, for their own use, and as their own property.
The meeting-houses first built in this town were without pews. They were constructed simply with seats ; and for the purpose of preventing any disorder that might otherwise be occasioned, committees were from time to time appointed, to direct the peo- ple what seat each one might occupy.
Early in the year 1647, the church and town gave a call to Rev. John Whelewright to settle as colleague with Mr. Dalton. They stated that Mr. Dalton had labored faithfully among them in the ministry, "even beyond his ability and strength of nature."
Mr. Whelewright accepted the invitation extended to him. The agreement made with him is dated the 12th of the 2nd month, 1647. By this agreement, he was to have a house lot, and the farm which had once belonged to Mr. Bachelor, but
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which had been purchased by the town. This was to be given to him, his heirs and assigns, unless he should remove himself from them without liberty from the church. The church and town were also to pay some charges and give Mr. Whelewright as a salary £40 per annum. The farm was afterward conveyed to him by deed.
How long Mr. Whelewright retained his connection with this church, is uncertain. He was here in 1656, and probably left about the year 1658.
He was a person of considerable notoriety. Hutchinson, in his History of Massachusetts, calls him " a zealous minister, of character both for learning and piety." When residing in Mas- sachusetts, he was accused of Antinomianism, and one of his sermons was said to savor of heresy and sedition ; and refusing to make any acknowledgment, when called to an account, he was banished from the province. He then came into this vicin- ity, and laid the foundation of the town and church at Exeter. When Exeter came under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, as has already been stated, he retired into Maine and resided at Wells. He remained at that place till he received a call to come to Hampton, and settle as colleague with Mr. Dalton. This took place in the year 1647. Previous to this, his sentence of ban_ ishment seems to have been removed. After his dismission from this church, he went to England, where he was in favor with Cromwell, with whom he had in early life been associated at the University of Cambridge, in England. After Charles II. came to the throne, Mr. Whelewright returned to New-England, and took up his residence at Salisbury, Massachusetts, where he died November 15, 1679, aged, probably, about 85 years.
It is worthy of notice that the first three pastors of this church all lived to an advanced age-one of them dying at the age of 100, and each of the others at the age of 84 or 85 years, so that the average age of the three was not far from 90 years.
Soon after Mr. Whelewright was removed from the church, and before the death of Mr. Dalton, Rev. Seaborn Cotton was settled as colleague with the latter. His settlement took place in 1660, and Mr. Dalton died the year after.
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The father of Mr. Cotton was Rev. John Cotton, one of the most distinguished of the early New England divines. He was many years settled as pastor of a church at Boston, in England. Being driven thence by persecution, he sought an asylum in this country, and soon became pastor of a church at Boston, Massa- chusetts. Seaborn was his eldest son, and was born in 1633, during the passage of his parents across the Atlantic, from which circumstance he received his name.
He graduated at Harvard college, Aug. 12, 1651. Dr. Cot- ton Mather says of him, that he was "esteemed a thorough scholar and an able preacher."
Of Mr. Cotton's records, only a few fragments remain, so that we know but little of the state of the church while he was pastor of it. He continued in the ministry 16 years, and died April 19, 1686, at the age of 53 years.
During Mr. Cotton's ministry, a new meeting-house was erected, it being the third built in the town for the use of this church. It was built in the summer of 1675, and was placed near the old house then standing. By an order of the town, all the inhabitants of more than twenty years of age were required to attend and assist in the raising of this house, under a specified penalty for neglecting to do it. The house erected at that time was the one around which a fortification was made as a defence against the Indians. It is uncertain when the house was finished and began to be occupied. The old meeting- house was taken down in 1680, having stood about 40 years.
After the death of Mr. Cotton, the church was destitute of a pastor more than ten years ; a period far longer than all the other periods during which it has been without a settled minister. It must not, however, be inferred that the people had no preach- ing during this long destitution of a pastor. The fact proba- bly is that they were favored with preaching nearly every sabbath during that time, and, for a considerable portion of it, by the son of the deceased pastor, the gentleman who at length suc- ceeded his father in the pastoral office.
Nov. 28, 1687, a committee was chosen to treat with Mr. John Cotton, to ascertain whether he would be willing to be
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settled in the work of the ministry and to be ordained, agree- ably to the desire of the town.
Mr. Cotton probably complied with this request, so far as to preach, but not to be ordained as pastor of the church. During the ten years immediately succeeding the death of his father, he received several urgent requests from the town to be ordained. For some reason or other, he declined ordination, though he continued his preaching. For some months, however, in the years 1690 and 1691, Mr. Cotton was absent from Hampton, residing in the vicinity of Boston. He also preached three months at Portsmouth, where he was invited to settle. During a portion of the time that he was absent, Rev. John Pike, min- ister of Dover, supplied the pulpit here, and received an invita- tion to become pastor of the church. He gave some encour- agement that he would accept the invitation; but probably he was unable to procure a dismission from the church at Dover, as he retained his pastoral connection with that church till his death, which occurred in 1710.
The invitation to Mr. Cotton was renewed, and after much solicitation he consented to be ordained. His ordination took place Nov. 19, 1696. He continued in the ministry till his death, March 27, 1710. At the time of his decease he was fifty-two years of age. When he was ordained there were only ten male and fifteen female members, in full communion with the church. Mr. Cotton appears to have been a very worthy man, and an acceptable and a successful preacher. During the fourteen years of his ministry, two hundred and twenty persons were admitted into full communion with the church.
After his death, the people were not long destitute of a stated minister. Rev. Nathaniel Gookin was ordained pastor, on the 15th of November, in the same year.
About one year after his ordination, a new church was formed in the south part of the town, and forty-nine persons, nineteen males and thirty females, were dismissed from the first church for the purpose of being organized into the new one.
The vote, dismissing these members, passed Dec. 9, 1711, and the church was organized soon after, and Rev. Theophilus
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Cotton settled over it as pastor. Several years afterward, that part of the town was formed into a new town, and called Hamp- ton-Falls.
During Mr. Gookin's ministry, the last meeting-house was erected, which stood at the meeting-house green, near where the academy now stands. The house was sixty feet in length, forty in breadth, and twenty-eight in height, between joints. It was finished with two galleries, one above the other, as many now present will recollect ; for this was the same house that was taken down in 1808, having been built eighty-nine years. The frame was erected on the 13th and 14th of May, 1719, and the house was completed, so that it was occupied for the first time as a place of worship, sabbath day, October 18th, of the same year. This house at first was finished with only one pew, and that was for the use of the minister's family. Other pews were added at a subsequent period.
In 1725 nine persons were dismissed from this church, in order to be, probably with others, formed into a church at Kings- ton.
It may be proper to remark, in this connection, that the char- ter of Kingston was granted Aug. 16, 1694, to James Prescott, Ebenezer Webster, and several other persons, belonging to Hampton. The grant embraced not only the territory of Kings- ton, as it now is, but also that of East-Kingston, Sandown and Danville. The first settlers there had many difficulties to en- counter and hardships to endure, on account of Indian hostili- ties. No church was formed at Kingston till 1725.
The church at Hampton also furnished twenty of the original members of the church at Rye. They were dismissed from this church, July 10, 1726, and the church at Rye was formed ten days after. Most of these persons, however, resided within the limits of that town, which was made up of portions of Ports- mouth, New-Castle, Greenland and Hampton, and was incorpo- rated in 1719.
An event occurred during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Gookin, worthy to be noticed on this occasion, not only on its own account, but more particularly on account of circumstances con-
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nected with it. I refer to the great earthquake, October 29, 1727. This phenomenon is here associated with the name of Mr. Gookin, from his being led, in the providence of God, to preach to his people on the very day preceding the night on which the earthquake happened, a solemn discourse, from Eze- kiel vii: 7. "The day of trouble is near."
In the course of his sermon he remarked thus :- " I do not ' pretend to a gift of foretelling future things, but the impression 1 ' that these words have made upon my mind in the week past, ' so that I could not bend my thoughts to prepare a discourse on ' any other subject, saving that on which I discoursed in the 'forenoon, which was something of the same nature. I say, it ' being thus, I know not but there may be a particular warning ' designed by God of some day of trouble near, perhaps to me, ' perhaps to you, perhaps to all of us."
How forcibly must these solemn words have been impressed on the minds of those who heard them, when, after only a few hours had elapsed, and while the words still seemed ringing in their ears, a low, rumbling sound was heard, which soon in- creased to the loudness of thunder, while the houses shook from their very foundations, and the tops of some of the chimnies were broken off and fell to the ground, the sea in the mean time roaring in a very unusual manner.
Mr. Gookin labored to improve this event of Providence for the spiritual benefit of his people, and his labors were richly blessed. Within a few months after it occurred, large addi- tions were made to the church.
On the 19th of June, 1734, Rev. Ward Cotton was associated with Rev. Mr. Gookin, as a colleague in the pastoral office. Mr. Gookin was then in feeble health, and he lived only about two months afterwards. He died of a slow fever, August 25, 1734, aged 48 years, having been in the ministry here about twenty-four years. During this time three hundred and twenty persons were admitted to the full communion of the church.
Mr. Gookin was much esteemed by his people, who, after his death, often spoke in high terms of his worth. He was regarded as a man of good learning, great prudence, and ardent piety.
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He ranked high as a preacher, and his opinions in ecclesiastical affairs were very much respected by contemporary divines.
Here I shall do injustice to this people, if I neglect to men- tion their generous provision for the maintenance of Mr. Gook- in's widow. Soon after his death the town agreed to give her £80 a year; to furnish her with the keeping of three cows and a horse, summer and winter, and to give her fifteen cords of wood per annum. They also built, for her use, a house and a barn. All this they performed as a memento of their love to Mr. Gookin, and their high regard to the worth of his widow. Mrs, Gookin was a daughter of Rev. John Cotton, her hus- band's immediate predecessor in the pastoral office.
The notice I shall take of the succeeding pastors of the church will be extremely brief.
The ordination of Rev. Ward Cotton has been already allud- ed to. He was pastor of the church more than 31 years. He was dismissed November 12, 1765, in accordance with the ad- vice of a mutual council. He died at Plymouth, Mass., No- vember 27, 1768, aged 57 years.
Seven persons were dismissed from this church, September 25, 1737, in order to be formed into a church in the third parish, now the town of Kensington. The same number was dismiss- ed, one week afterwards, to be united with them. Among these was Mr. Jeremiah Fogg, who was ordained pastor of that church November 23d, of the same year.
The fourth society was formed soon after, in that part of the town then called North Hill, but which was incorporated as a town November 26, 1742, and received the name of North- Hampton. The first meeting-house was erected there in 1738, and about the same time those members of the church residing in that part of the town requested a dismission, for the purpose of being organized into a new church. Their request was not granted. The town also refused to liberate the people there from aiding in the support of Rev. Mr. Cotton. The reason is not known. It is, however, probable that the church and town considered the formation of a new church at that time unne- cessary. A council-was called, that, after due deliberation, pro-
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ceeded to organize the church, over which Rev. Nathaniel Gookin, son of the late pastor of the first church, was ordain- ed, October 31, 1739.
Rev. Ebenezer Thayer became pastor of the old church, September 17, 1766, and continued in that office till his death. He died November 6, 1792, aged 58 years.
A few months after Mr. Thayer's death, the church and town invited his son, Nathaniel, to become their minister. He did not accept the invitation. About a year afterwards they gave a call to Rev. Daniel Dana. He also declined.
After this a division arose in the town and church, which re- sulted in leading a majority of the town and a part of the church to declare themselves Presbyterians. They invited Rev. William Pidgin to become their pastor; and he, having accepted the in- vitation, was ordained January 27, 1796. Mr. Pidgin was pas- tor of that church a little more than eleven years. He was dis- missed in July, 1807.
A minority of the town formed themselves into a society, and united with the congregational church for the maintenance of public worship, and Rev. Jesse Appleton became their pastor, March 22, 1797. As the old meeting-house was occupied by the Presbyterians, the Congregationalists made arrangements for building a new house. Accordingly, the one where we are now assembled was erected, on the 24th of May, 1797, and ded- icated on the 14th of November following.
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