USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900 > Part 33
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324
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
seminary, graduating in 1888. In July of that year he came to Bedford and on October 18 was ordained here to the Congregational ministry, and he remained here as acting pastor until the close of August, 1892, when he had accepted a call to the pastorate of the Congregational church of East Longmeadow, Mass. He remained there four years, when he went to Northboro, Mass., where he was installed in September, 1896, and where he is still stationed.
November 15, 1888, he married Ellen S. Taylor of Granby, Mass., a graduate of Mt. Holyoke seminary. Their only child was born in Bedford, December 13, 1889, and bears the name of Howard Taylor Smith.
CHARLES H. FIELDS.
The Rev. Charles H. Fields was born in Enfield, Ill., June 4, 1859. He was educated in the public schools of the place, complet- ing his educational training at the Southern Illinois college. He became acting pastor of the Bedford Presbyterian church, October 15, 1893, and was given his, dismissal, March 15, 1896. He is now living at Enfield, Ill.
WILLIAM CALVIN LINDSAY.
The Rev. William C. Lindsay was born at Lincolnton, N. C., August 21, 1863. He was the son of Thomas W. and Martha C. (Adams) Lindsay. His father was a graduate of the Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia, and was captain of Co. K, 49th N. C. Confederate Army.
The subject of this sketch obtained his educational training at the Virginia Military institute and the Virginia Theological seminary. While residing in Bedford, he took a summer course in theology at Harvard, and received the honorary degree of D. D. from the University of North Carolina.
While a student at the Theological seminary, he served as stated supply of Trinity church at Manassas, Va., for two years. He was ordained by Greenbrier Presbytery, Hinton, W. Va., June 21, 1890. He served as pastor of the Holmes church at Bay View, Va., for four years, and the church at Bluefield, W. Va., for three years. From this charge he resigned to take missionary work under the Boston Presbytery, and after being stationed at Fall River for three months, came to Bedford, in November, 1897. He was installed as pastor here in May following by a commission of the Boston Pres-
325
MINISTRY.
bytery. While here. he served as president of the Manchester Ministerial association, of the Derry Presbyterian and Congrega- tional association, and of the Hillsborough County Sunday-school association.
He went to Starke, Fla., January 1, 1899, and served as mission- ary one year, when he responded to a pastoral call at Biloxi, Miss. In November, 1902, he accepted a call at Ocala, Fla.
He married Martha Beauregard McConihay of Winnifrede, W. Va., and they have four children, Earl, Lucile, Lois, and Julia Gordon, the last named born in Bedford.
He is a member of the Masonic orders and an Odd Fellow, also a Son of Confederate Veterans.
He served as a commissioner to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Churches in the United States at Jackson, Miss., in May, 1902, and was elected moderator of the Meridian (Miss.) Presbytery in 1902.
ALBERT P. WATSON.
The Rev. Albert P. Watson was born at Barrington, N. H., November 12, 1875, the son of the Rev. Albert Watson and Mary M. (Priestly) Watson. He was educated at the public schools of Hampstead, Kimball Union academy, and graduated from Dartmouth college in 1897. He then took a three years' course at Andover Theological seminary, and was licensed to preach by the Andover association in June, 1899. He came to Bedford in June, 1900, and was ordained September 25 following, President William J. Tucker of Dartmouth college preaching the ordination sermon. He is unmarried.
The following is the list of ministers who have served the society, and the length of their service :
INSTALLED. NAME. DISMISSED.
SERVED.
Sept. 28, 1757, Rev. John Houston,
Oct. 1, 1778.
21 years. 66
Sept. 5, 1804, Rev. David McGregore,
April 27, 1825. 21
July 5, 1826, Rev. Thomas Savage, Jan. 3, 1866. 40 66 Jan. 3, 1866, Rev. Arthur Little, D. D., Sept. 22, 1868. 2 66 May 6, 1869, Rev. Ira C. Tyson, D. D., Aug. 1, 1879. 10 66
Sept. 8, 1881, Rev. Daniel H. Colcord, April 13, 1887. 6 66
*July 22, 1888, Rev. Albert D. Smith,
Aug. 28, 1892. 4 66
Oct. 15, 1893, Rev. Charles H. Fields, Mar. 15, 1896. 3 Sept. 1900, Rev. Albert P. Watson.
*Nov. 29, 1896, Rev. W. C. Lindsay, Ph.D.,Dec. 30, 1899.
3 66
* Began labor.
----
The Meeting-House.
At the first settlement of the town, immediately after the old burying ground was located, a long time before any portion of the town had been taken off to enlarge the town of Merrimack, the inhabitants were anxious to have a meeting-house. The purpose of the meeting-house was not only to afford a place for the transaction of the political affairs of the settlement, but also to serve as a place of worship.
Without a suitable place of worship, the privileges of religion cannot well be enjoyed. This they early felt; it became a frequent subject of discussion ; and it was unanimously agreed to build the house on a rise of land north of the old graveyard, which took the name of Meeting-house hill, and is so called to this day. The town of Merrimack had been incorporated in 1745, and a large tract of land had been taken off, on the southern part of Bedford, to enlarge the town of Merrimack. On this account, the inhabitants of Narra- gansett No. 5, or Bedford, were under the necessity of changing their location for a place of worship to one more central.
At a meeting held at Matthew Patten's barn, January 24, 1750, it was,
Voted,-To build a meeting-house, either at the east or west side of the Bell hill, so called, on the 9th or 10th range, provided John Bell and John Mclaughlin would give 2 acres of land, accom- modated also with a road-land.
Mr. J. Bell, the father, it is said, lived on lot No. 9, at the west end, where the ruins of an old cellar are still (1850) seen. John Mclaughlin lived at the east end of said hill, on lot No. 10, and the old road lay near where the brick schoolhouse now stands, on lot No. 10, and ran up on the brow of the west end of the hill.
Not being able to agree on which of the two places the house should be built, at a town-meeting, called April 15th, 1752, " Voted,-That Capt. Andrew Todd, Capt. John Mitchell, and Lieut. Robert Cochran, all of Londonderry, be a committee to locate the spot, at the east or west end of Bell hill, on lot No. 9 or 10."
.
327
THE MEETING-HOUSE.
At an adjourned meeting, held Thursday, May 7, 1752, the above committee made their report, as follows :
To the Proprietors, freeholders, and inhabitants, of Bedford : Gentlemen,-That, whereas you were pleased to choose us, the Subscribers, a Committee to judge in regard of two places to set your meeting-house on, (viz) at the east or west end of Mr. Bell's hill; and our judgment is this, That we look upon the east end of said hill, at or near where the Stake stood, to be the most con- venient place ; and for this or these reasons,-Because it is a little more convenient for the present inhabitants, who have borne the burden and heat of the day ; and we look upon the west end of the hill to be but a piece of poor, dry, barren ground, and exceedingly much exposed to the west and north-west winds, very hard to be suffered here in this, our cold climate. And, gentlemen, this is our joint judgment in regard of these two places, and hope you will be as unanimous about the place, as we have been, which is from, Gentlemen, your hearty and sincere friends,
ANDREW TODD, JOHN MITCHELL, ROBERT COCHRAN.
(Directed) "To Mr. Samuel Patten, Moderator of a meeting to be holden the seventh day of May, next, by adjournment, at Bedford. To be communicated."
At this meeting, the old building committee was dismissed and a new one appointed, but nothing was accomplished till 1754, when this committee also was dismissed, and a new one appointed. At a meeting held at William Holmes' barn, on Monday, April 15, 1754, a new location was contemplated, on land of Noah Thayer. In the meantime the last committee had got a house-frame hewed and drawn to the west side of the Bell hill, near where Joseph Bell's cider mill used to stand, on lot No. 9. Here the frame lay until a meeting was called at John Bell's barn, September 22, 1755, when it was
Voted unanimously, That all votes and conclusions that have been voted and concluded, concerning fixing a place to build a meeting- house on in this town, be, and hereby are, null and void.
These particulars are given to show that the people encountered the usual difficulties in deciding on a building spot. They even put an article into the town warrant at the above meeting to refer the subject to a committee from the general court, but it was decided in the negative. At the above meeting,
Voted, unanimously, That the meeting-house be built on a piece of land which William Moor bought from Noah Thayer for the town
328
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
for that purpose, and being part of Nos. 13 and 14, in the 10th range, in said Bedford.
The following is a copy of the deed from Noah Thayer to William Moor :
Consideration of £ 1. 6s. Lawful money, in behalf of Bedford town. A certain piece of land in Bedford, containing 14 acres and sixteen rods, by measure, lying in the 13th and 14th lots, in 10th range, said piece of land being 13 rods in length, and 12 rods in breadth, each line being strait. Said piece being 9 rods on 13th lot, and 4 rods on 14th lot, which makes the length of said piece of land, including the highway, of 3 rods from the said lot to the 9th range, between said 13th and 14th lots ; said piece of land being intended for the use of the said town of Bedford, for a meeting house for the worship of God in that place, and other public use in said town, to be and be held.
Lib. 52, Fol. 348.
(Dated,) 13th September, 1755.
This effort was successful. The meeting-house was raised on the spot last designated, where it now stands (1850), on the 14th and 15th of October, 1755 .. A man by the name of Warren hewed the frame. The first day they raised the house up to the plates, and put on all the beams but two; the second day finished raising. It was 40 by 50 feet, and two stories high. The meeting-house was finished very gradually, as will appear by the following votes, which are given here, as matter of curiosity, and as furnishing a striking contrast with the modern railroad despatch in doing business :
March 13th, 1757. "Voted,-That Capt. Moses Barron, Robert Walker, and Samuel Patten, be a committee for boarding, and shingling the meeting-house." S. Patten declined, and William Moor was put in his place. John Bell, jr., and John Wallace, were a committee to provide glass and sashes; Hugh Riddle was em- ployed to underpin and do the stone-work.
June 6, 1760. "Voted,-Benjamin Smith, Gawn Riddle, and James Little, be a committee to seat the meeting-house with long seats "-males probably on one side of the house, and females on the other. "Seating the house," as the phrase was, was an annual cus- tom in some parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The members of the congregation were seated every year, according to age, rank or property. The chief seat was the first pew at the right hand, entering at the front door.
January 16, 1764. "Voted,-To build a pulpit, and that Mat- thew Patten, John Wallace, and John Bell, be a committee to build it." Thomas Warren made the pulpit in 1766.
March, 1767. "Voted,-That the same committee who built the pulpit, paint it, and paint it the same color the Rev. Mr. McGre- gore's is, in Londonderry."
1755-OLD MEETING-HOUSE; 1832-1876-OLD TOWN HOUSE.
329
THE MEETING-HOUSE.
It appears that glass and oil for the meeting-house had been ob- tained some time in 1766, but not wishing to use it then, it had been lent out to the various inhabitants of the town by Matthew Little. The following may seem too minute for insertion here, but as a transcript of the times and showing the estimation put upon glass in those times, when it was scarce and costly, it may not be without interest :
June, 1768. "The meeting-house glass lent out : Matthew Lit- tle's account of the same. David Moore had from Matthew Little, six squares of the meeting house glass ; Daniel Moor had 4 squares of the same, Dea. Gillmore had of the same, 24 squares. November 20, 1768, The Rev. Mr. John Houston, had 24 squares of the same ; Hugh Campbell had 12 squares of the same; Dea. Smith is to pay Whitfield Gillmore 6 squares of the same; James Wallace had 15 squares of the same; John Bell had 9 squares of the same; Joseph Scobey, one quart of oil.
" A true record :
Attest, WILLIAM WHITE, Town Clerk."
November 22, 1773, " Article 2; to see what method the town will take to rais money for to get and make pews or seats or part of both, in the meeting house, or choose any other method they shall think proper to repair seats in meeting house."
" Article three; to choose a committee to provide stuffs and to see the work completed if the repairing said meeting house is voted to be carried on."
It was voted in December of 1773, "To repair the meeting house, to make wall pews all round the meeting house and two pews on each side of the alley in the back of the" (Record illegible.)
" Voted; The pew ground to be laid out and numbred and to be sold at vendue to the highest bidder and the money thereof raised by the sale of said pews to be applied for the repairing of the meet- ing house."
In the warrant for the meeting of March 27, 1782, there was an article "To see if the town will vote that those persons that profess the Congregational preswasion may have the opertunity to dispose of their proportion of money as they see proper for to hire preach- ing the present year." But the article was "passed in the negative."
At the town meeting of October 31, 1782, it was voted "To re- ceive 38 old Continental dollars from John Bell which he received from Major John Goff in behalf of the town June 17, 1778, to pay Winthrop Wiggins for work done on the meeting house sd. Wig- gins having refused to receive sd. money."
April 14, 1784. "Voted that the wall pew ground in the meet- ing house be lotted out and sold." "Voted to sell the pew ground to the town inhabitants only." "Voted that the money raised by the sale be expended in finishing the meeting house and that if there
330
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
shall be more money than enough to finish the meeting house that the same be expended on supplying the pulpit." "Voted one con- dition of the sale be that the purchaser shall not be allowed to sell it to any person unless an inhabitant of Bedford." "Voted James. Wallace, Lieut. Sam Vose and Capt. John Dunlap be a committee to lay out into lots the pew ground and number the same and the pews already built." "Voted that the vendue for the above pur- pose be at the meeting house on the last Tuesday of May next at ten o'clock." "Voted Lieut. Sam Vose to be vendue master." " Voted that one fourth of the money any lot shall be sold for shall be paid down and a note received for three fourths on interest on demand."
May 25, 1784. " Voted that there be four more pews built in the body of the meeting house." " Voted to choose a committee to. finish the building of the meeting house, and that Lieut. Samuel Vose, Zechariah Chandler and Stephen Dole be the committee for that purpose."
August 27, 1784. "Voted to plaster the whole of the top & sides. of the meeting house & to have part of the garret fixed with joists and boards for the town store of arms and amunition." "Voted to re- pair and paint the outside of the house." "Voted that there be a partition with boards in the middle of the front gallery."
Articles of sale of Pews and Pew Ground in Bedford Meeting House Agreeable to the votes of Said Town Recorded in this (Town Records) Book page 293 & 294
Article 1st. The Inhabitants of Bedford only Shall have a right. to bid for Said Pews or Pew Ground.
2nd. The highest bidders of the Inhabitants of Bedford who shall fulfil These articles of Sale is to be esteemed the Purchaser.
3rd. The one fourth Part of the Price of any Pew or Pew Ground is to be Paid down in Money the other three fourths a Note upon Demand with Interest.
4th. The Said Pews are to be Built uniform by the Purchasers.
5th. All Future Sales of Said Pews or Pew Ground is hereby Confin'd to the Inhabitants of Bedford.
6th. if any Dispute Should arise respecting two bids upon any Pew or Pew Ground then the Same to be Set up again.
7th. if any Bidder Should Refuse or neglect to perform any of These Articles of Sale then the Same Pew to be set up again.
8th. the Vendue Master is to have an Equal Right of Bidding with other Inhabitants.
9th. all bids are to be understood in Lawful money and nothing Less than one Shilling to be Esteemed a bid.
10th. The First highest Bidder is to have his first Choice of Pews Excepting the Ministerial Pew, who shall Immediately make his. Choice and have his name wrote in the plan of his Pew, and the Second highest Bidder Shall have his Choice of the Pews not sold. and so on, in like manner until all are Sold.
331
THE MEETING-HOUSE.
11th. Josiah Gillis is appointed Clark for Said Vendue.
12th. Lieut. Samuel Vose is appointed Vendue-Master For Said Vendue.
13th. That the Pews be Built by the purchasers Within Six Months from the Sale
SAMUEL VOSE JAMES WALLACE Committee. JOHN DUNLAP
Bedford September 1785
A True Record Attest JOSIAH GILLIS Town Clerk.
The Sale of the Pews and Pew Ground in Bedford meeting House Sold at Vendue by the Committee Chosen by Sd. town for Said purpose.
Dollars
No. 1 was probably the minister's pew
No. 2 Struck off to Samuel Gerish at 34
No. 3 to Stephen Dole at 35
No. 4 To John Riddle at 36
No. 5 To James Moor at 32
No. 6 To Robert Houston at
28 1/2
No. 7 To William Moor Jun. at 23 1/2
No. 8 To John McKinney at 36
No. 9 To Robert Alexander at
35
No. 10 To Jno. Burns Jun. at 34
No. 11 To Wm. Burns at 34 .
No. 12 To Adam Dickey at 26
No. 13 To Patrick Flyng at
24 1/6
No. 14 To Jno. Wallace Esq. at 27 1/2
No. 15 To Dn. Matthew Miller at
35
No. 16 To James Smith at
35
No. 17 To John Aiken Sen. at
35
No. 18 To Samuel Patterson at
36
No. 19 To Capt. Jno. Dunlap at
27
No. 20 To Capt. James Aiken at
30
No. 21 To Isaac Riddle at
34
No. 22 To Zech. Chandler at 35
No. 23 To Jno. Aiken Jun. at 34
No. 24 To Jno. Orr at
34
No. 25 To Adam Smith
34
No. 26 To Samuel Vose at
33
No. 27 To Stephen Dole at
33
Sale of the Pew Ground on the Gallery.
No. 1 Struck off to Capt. James Aiken at 10 2/6
No. 2 To Ensign Chubbuck at 8 3/6
No. 3 To Lieut. Jno. Orr at 8 4/6
No. 4 To Adam Dickey at 10 4/6
332
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
No. 5 To James Underwood at 8 0/
No. 6 To James McLaughlin at 6
No. 7 To Joseph Patten at 13 1/6
No. 8 To Stephen Dole at 7 2/6
No. 9 To James Walker at
13
No. 10 To Josiah Gillis at
7 3/6
No. 11 To Joseph Houston at
91/6
No. 12 To James Wallace at
11 2/6
No. 13 To Joseph Mclaughlin at
9 4/6
No. 14 To Maj. Jno. Goffe at
10 2/6
No. 15 To John Bell at
5 2/6
No. 16 To Jno. Wallace Jun. at
8 1/6
Recorded Sept. 27th 1785
Pr. JOSIAH GILLIS Town Clerk.
A True Record Attest JOSIAH GILLIS Town Clerk.
In about twenty years from its beginning the house was com- pleted, and being finished according to vote, all the pews, except the minister's (and his name was put on that) were sold to the highest bidder. Major John Dunlap was the man who finished the pews. There were 27 sold on the ground floor; the highest selling at $36 and the lowest at $23.50. In the gallery, 16 pews were sold ; highest price, $13.16 2/3; lowest, $5.33 1/3.
April 16, 1789. "Voted to build 2 porches, one at the east and the other at the west end of the meeting house. Voted to underpin the meeting house with hewn stone from the north east or east end porch round the south side to the northwest corner or west end porch."
The town meeting of May 28, 1789 voted to postpone the finish- ing of the meeting house from this present year, and the committee secure said house from taking further damage at their discretion.
March 6, 1793. " Voted to remit Elisha Lincoln's tax in Josiah Gordon's list. And all taxes against said Elisha Lincoln made prior to this date, remaining unpaid we vote to be remitted on condition that he help Amos Gardner to sweep the meeting house."
January 5, 1792. Voted "To Buy green Velvet to Cover the Cushing Belonging To the Pulpit in bedford and likewise on the right and left of where the Minister Stands."
September 5, 1799. " Voted to buy a new moar cloth." 1
August 30, 1802. " Voted that the pews mentioned in the 6th article (the two corner pews on the front of the gallery) of the fore- going warrant be sold at auction to the highest bidder." " Voted that Phineas Aiken sell said pews at some future meeting and give
1 Mort-cloth, the pall carried at a funeral. Encyclopedic Dictionary. It was used for years to cover the coffin when placed upon the bier.
333
THE MEETING-HOUSE.
the purchaser or purchasers a quit claim deed in behalf of said town."
September 30, 1802. "pursuant to a vote of the town authoriz- ing the subscriber to sell the two corner pews on the front gallery in the meeting house in said town, I have on this 30th day of Septem- ber, 1802, proceeded and sold said pews at public auction to the highest bidder. The pew joining on the west end of the pew set aside to the singers was struck off to Jacob Sprake [sic ] Sprague, at thirty-three dollars, and the pew joining on the East end of said singers pew was struck off to Captain Thomas Chandler at $43, for which sum the said Sprake and Chandler have given their notes."
PHINEAS AIKEN.
March 3, 1802. "Voted to build a pew on the front gallery in the meeting house for the singers."
March 22, 1803. "The use of the ministerial pew in the meeting house in said town, being put to vendue to the highest bidder, was struck off to John C. White for $6.60 for one year from the second day of April next."
In the warrant for the meeting of May 24, 1803, there was an article "To see if the town will vote to move the meeting house now in the town of Bedford from where it stands and set it in the centre of said town, or cause a new meeting house to be set in the centre of the said town large enough to hold all the inhabitants of said town, and to see if the town will choose a Committee or Com- mittees to find the centre of said Bedford and to transact any busi- ness relative to moving the meeting house as the inhabitants of said town may see fit to direct, so that said business may be carried into effect." But it was " Voted neither to move the meeting house, nor build a new one, nor choose a Committee to find the centre of the town."
However, on August 31, 1803, it was " Voted to choose a com- mittee to find the centre of the town of Bedford, and that Mr. Mckinney, of Merrimack ; Greeley, Esq. of Hopkinton and Samuel Chase, Jr. of Litchfield be said committee to find the centre of the town of Bedford .. Also voted that Capt. George Shepard and David McQuesten, Esqrs., attend upon the said Committee when doing said business." However, in the meeting of September 26, 1803, these votes were all reconsidered.
March 9, 1813. "voted to sell the ground on the lower floor in the meeting house on which the two South body seats now stand on each side of the broad alley, for the purpose of building pews there- on, and that the third seat, counting from the South, be moved to the North three inches, in order to enlarge the pew ground."
" Voted that the selectmen sell the above pew ground at vendue to the highest bidder on one year's credit at good security. Part of this space was sold to James Darrah, Jr., for $42.75, and a part to Leonard C. French for $38.75, a part also to William Chandler for $42.75, and another part to Solomon Gage for $40.25."
334
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
In 1813 some of the long seats for the aged were made into body pews.
In 1838 the old meeting-house was remodeled, the lower part being appropriated for a town house, and the upper part for a school- room and selectmen's room. The estimated expense was $530.32. The house was turned round and moved back twenty-five or thirty feet. The whole work was not completed till August, 1839, when it was voted to let the lower part for public worship and the upper part for a school-room.
The old meeting-house, or, as it was called after the building of the Presbyterian church in 1832, the town house, continued in use as a town meeting-house until 1876, when it was removed and the present structure erected.
The interior arrangement of the old meeting-house, prior to the changes of 1838 was as follows: The building was of two stories. In the upper story was the gallery, which ran around three sides. The pulpit occupied the north side. This was a high structure with a sounding board and window back of it. It was entered by a wind- ing flight of stairs and was unpainted. Below the pulpit and in front of it, facing the congregation, were the deacons' seats. Between the deacons' seats and the pews was an open space in which the communion table was set. To it came the members who were enti- tled to seats there, upon presenting to the tything-men the "tokens," which were distributed at the preparatory lecture. Without the " token " no member of the church was admitted to communion. The "tokens " were small circular pieces of lead about three-fourths of an inch in diameter and an eighth of an inch thick. They were stamped with a letter B., for Bedford. The communion service was of pewter and is still preserved in town. The pews were square enclosures with seats on all sides save where the door entered. There was an open space or lattice work running around above the top of the pew back. From the top of this lattice to the floor was about four feet. The seats were loose boards which tipped up when the congregation rose to sing. When they sat down again the noise of the falling seats filled the house. The gallery was entered by flights of stairs at the southeast and southwest corners. The congregation entered by doors on the south, east, and west sides. From the south door a broad aisle led directly to the pulpit; the floor was level. On the east and west sides the door of entrance gave on an aisle which ran completely around the building in front of the wall pews, which
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