USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 3
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
19 /
THE MEETING HOUSE
was settled, with the parsonage and all other things being taken into consideration. After this a committee was chosen an- nually to adjust the minister's salary and there appears to have been no more trouble from this source. During the pas- torate of Mr. Whipple there was a great depreciation in the cur- rency. We have little idea how much was meant when old tenor is spoken of. The charges of the Lord's table were raised from one shilling six pence to seven shillings during Mr. Whipple's ministry. Probably no raise would have been made if lawful money had been the only currency used.
In 1732 an attempt was made to set off the west part of the town, and to form a new parish with the east part of Kingston. There was a strong opposition to this. At a meeting held August 25 a committee was appointed to carry up a petition of remon- strance to the General Court which proved unavailing and the new town of Kensington was the result.
On the 24th of March, 1735, it was moved to excuse those in the west part of the parish from their ministerial rates and to agree upon a division line. The record does not say what action was taken in this matter.
On October 4, 1737, fifty-seven persons, twenty-two males and thirty-five females, were dismissed from the Hampton Falls church to organize a new church at Kensington. During Mr. Whipple's ministry thirty-four others were dismissed to other churches, making a total of ninety-one who were dismissed.
In a notice dated July 25, 1735, it appeared that Mr. Whipple had been "under such bodily sickness, that has rendered him in- capable of carrying on the work of the ministry among us, and remains so sick and weak that it is doubtful if he will be able to preach for some time to come." A meeting was called in conse- quence of this and it was voted to pay Mr. Fogg thirty-five shil- lings a day for preaching three Sabbaths. A committee was chosen to secure Mr. Fogg if he should be wanted.
In 1745 it was voted to take down the old barn at the parson- age and build a new one, using such of the old stuff as may be fit.
On March 2, 1736, Joseph Worth was admitted into the church from Dr. Colman's church in Boston. He was later a deacon and a prominent man in town affairs.
In 1738 Josiah Batchelder and Jonathan Fifield were chosen deacons.
20
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
In 1733 six persons were chosen to take care of the boys on the Lord's day.
On May 10, 1747, at a church meeting it was propounded to the congregation whether Josiah Batchelder, Samuel Shaw and Caleb Sanborn be assistants in reading and turning the Psalms. Voted in the affirmative. This is the only mention of this prac- tice on the record, but it probably had been in use before and con- tinued some time after. This practice of deaconing the Psalms originated because there was a scarcity of Psalm books in the early times. The deacons read two lines which were then sung by the congregation who got the words in that manner. When one deacon read in a deep bass voice and the other in a sharp shrill voice, and the congregation each sung in a "go as you please" manner the singing must have lacked in harmony and rhythm. After the principles of music were better understood and choirs were organized, the practice gradually went out of use but the deacons in some instances did not yield without a struggle. In some cases a compromise was effected, the deacons reading in the forenoon and the choir singing in the afternoon. In other instances the choir did not cease singing until the Psalm was finished, thus drowning out the reading of the deacons. Doctor Watts, author of Watts' hymns, was much opposed to the prac- tice which went out of use about the close of the eighteenth cen- tury.
In 1747 Deacon Batchelder, Deacon Fifield and Meshech Weare attended the ordination of Samuel Langdon at Ports- mouth. Doctor Langdon was afterward pastor of the Hampton Falls church.
During Mr. Whipple's ministry quite a number of the members of his church had become Quakers, which was not pleasing to him and efforts were made at various times to compel them to return to their former church relations but without avail. There is not an instance recorded where any renounced the Quaker belief and returned to their former allegiance. They were early exempted from paying their ministerial rates. There is no record to show how or when this was done. In any old invoice book there are those where there are no figures carried out in the tax columns in the ministerial rate. These appear to have been Quakers. They were granted twelve acres of land for a parsonage at the same time the parsonage lands were granted the church. This land was
21
THE MEETING HOUSE
near Foggs Corner and is now owned by George A. Philbrick. Those who came to the quarterly meetings in summer turned their horses out to feed. In winter they were fed on the grass cut on the parsonage land. We do not know when they disposed of this land.
The Quakers became numerous in the south part of the town, now Seabrook, and built a meeting house as early as 1701. It may be of interest to know that that building is still standing and is the house owned by the late Oliver Eaton, now occupied by William Scooner, having been removed to its present location when the new Quaker meeting house was built at Seabrook. There was quite a large emigration from this town to Weare and an active Quaker society has existed there ever since. The trouble with the Quakers was the first of several which the town church had with other denominations, and for this reason some account of the Quakers might not be out of place here.
The Quakers originated in the north of England in 1664, George Fox being the founder. The doctrines proclaimed by him spread rapidly and he soon had many followers. They were bitterly opposed by Catholics, Protestants and Puritans, who saw nothing good in their teachings. They were from principle opposed to war, slavery, intemperance and profanity, going so far with the latter as to refuse to have administered judicial oaths, but they always gave solemn affirmation instead. They claimed to be guided in all things by the inner light of conscience, which, when heeded, would allow no one to do wrong. Their opposition to slavery had not a little to do with its abolition in this country. Their opponents charged that their doctrines of inner light would lead to licentiousness. They became very aggressive in propa- gating their principles and doctrines, even sending some of their number to Rome to try and convert the Pope. Others were sent to Constantinople to induce the Grand Turk to embrace their ideas. They were persecuted, imprisoned and put to death in England. Even this had no effect to deter them from trying to increase their numbers.
The reputation of the Quakers reached New England and caused consternation among the inhabitants, lest they come here and attempt to establish their religion. They came and their conduct fully justified the reports which had preceded them. The first installment was sent out of the country and forbidden
22
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
to return under penalty of having their ears cut off. They were disputatious, holding arguments with the clergy, and would dis- turb religious meetings with their ranting. Those who have seen the modest, soft-spoken, mild-mannered Quakers of today would be surprised at the conduct of the women of those days.
The wild freaks of these fanatics were no doubt in some measure provoked by their cruel persecution. If they attended meeting and dissented from what they heard, they were whipped. If they stayed away the same treatment was accorded them- whipping. The Puritans felt that they were called of God to found a Christian community and that they had a perfect right to exclude all who differed from them in opinion.
In 1662 the Quakers made their appearance in Dover, and soon after Mary Thompkins, Alice Ambrose and Anna Coleman were apprehended by virtue of the cart law and an order was made to whip and pass them along, as follows:
"To the Constables of Dover, Hampton, Salisbury, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Wenham, Lynn, Boston, Roxbury, Dedham and until these vagabond Quakers are out of this jurisdiction
"You and every one of you are required in the Kings Majestys name to take these vagabond Quakers Anna Coleman, Mary Thompkins, and Alice Ambrose, and make them fast to the carts tail and drawing the cart through the several towns to whip them on their naked backs not exceeding ten stripes apiece on each of them and to so convey them from Constable to Constable till they are out of the jurisdiction as you will answer at your part and this shall be your warrant. Per Me Richard Waldron "Dec. 22d 1662"
This order was issued by Richard Waldron, commonly known as Major Waldron, who was a prominent man in the early history of Dover and was afterward killed by the Indians with whom he had dealt treacherously.
It was a bitter cold day when this order was executed, and these poor women were tied to the cart and stripped from their waist upward and compelled to walk through dirt and snow, and were cruelly whipped in each town until they reached Salisbury, when Walter Barefoot, who was at that time acting governor, under the pretense of delivering them to the constable of Newbury, quietly conveyed them out of the province that they might escape further punishment. This is said to have been the only meritorious act recorded of Governor Barefoot. The cruel lash may have been
23
THE MEETING HOUSE
applied to these poor women within the limits of this town. In the extremity of their suffering on the journey they sang, much to the astonishment of their persecutors.
Notwithstanding this punishment these women soon again appeared in Dover, to be again persecuted. They were dragged through the snow, over stumps and uneven ground, face down- ward, for more than a mile and thrown into the river which was filled with floating ice. No amount of persecution daunted these disciples of the inner light. Show them a whipping post and they clung to it, a prison and they entered it, a halter and they put their necks into it. All these things had no effect. There is no record that any of these people ever renounced their religion, or yielded in the least in their principles.
One of the largest Quaker societies in the state was at one time in Seabrook. Some writer, in the history of the Congregational churches of New Hampshire, says that the influence of the Quak- ers had an injurious effect upon the cause of evangelical religion in the town of Seabrook.
On February 18, 1749, the parsonage house was burned, while occupied by Mr. Whipple, and was rebuilt the same year. In the meantime Mr. Whipple lived in a house recently vacated by Mr. Morton. This house was situated near the top of Morton Hill, on the east side of the road, and was owned by "Benj. Swett in- holder."
Mr. Whipple officiated at both marriages of Gov. Meshech Weare: July 3, 1738, when he married Elizabeth Shaw, and again December 11, 1746, when he married Mehitable Wainwright.
Mr. Whipple continued to keep the diary commenced by his predecessor, Mr. Cotton, which contains nearly all that is known of the church history previous to 1756. He wrote a fine hand which in some cases needed a reading glass to decipher.
On December 28, 1756, in consequence of the sickness of Mr. Whipple, the parish voted to hire some one to preach until the annual meeting.
During Mr. Whipple's ministry the church was invited to send delegates to sixteen councils, thirteen of which were for ordina- tion. The church was represented at nearly all of these occasions. The two deacons were usually the delegates, and later Meshech Weare accompanied them.
During Mr. Whipple's ministry he administered 1,136 bap-
24
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
tisms; 179 owned the covenant; 236 were admitted to full com- munion; 389 marriages were consummated; 91 were dismissed to other churches; deaths and burials from 1727 to 1755, all but the last two years of Mr. Whipple's ministry, 605. Mr. Whipple's ministry extended over nearly thirty-two years.
Mr. Whipple died on February 17, 1757. A parish meeting was called and held the next day, at which a committee was chosen to make arrangements for his funeral, and to defray the expense from the parish treasury provided it did not exceed four hundred pounds old tenor, which was, at that time, about forty pounds sterling.
Rev. John Lowell of Newbury came here and preached a funeral sermon on the Sabbath following Mr. Whipple's death, taking for his text: "I will not leave you comfortless but will come unto you." In about eight months Mr. Lowell came over and married Mrs. Whipple and took her away. The people were not pleased. They said that they did not desire any such miserable comfort as this-"You were preaching to the widow and not to us."
Mrs. Whipple was baptized April 14, 1728, and admitted to full communion the June following. Her name was Elizabeth but we do not know her maiden name. She was much beloved by the people with whom she had so long resided. She survived her second husband and died in Portsmouth at more than ninety years of age.
At the annual meeting, March, 1757, it was voted that Mrs. Whipple should have the use of half the house, half the garden, and a part of the parsonage lands for one year. The remainder of the parsonage lands and property was let for one hundred and eighty pounds.
Mr. Whipple was an active and efficient pastor. The record shows that there were frequent cases of discipline and suspension from the church for a time by those who had fallen into sin. By kindness and admonition they made confession and in almost every case were restored to church fellowship. Mr. Whipple ap- pears to have been an idea! pastor who showed a commendable attention to the purity and the highest welfare of his church and the community. Rev. Thomas Barnard of Salem, Mass., who preached the ordination sermon of Rev. Mr. Bayley, Mr. Wh p- ple's successor, thus speaks of him: "Your late most worthy pastor that friend of mankind who now we trust in full exercise of
25
THE MEETING HOUSE
that generous friendship and univeral love in the Providence of the Lord which he so cultivated and of which he was such a shin- ing example."
He was buried besides his predecessor, Mr. Cotton, in the old cemetery. His tombstone bears the following inscription: "Here lies the body of the Rev. Joseph Whipple, who having wisely and faithfully discharged the pastoral office in the Second Church of Hampton, deceased Feb. 17th, 1757, in the 56th year of his age and the thirty-second of his ministry highly esteemed and beloved in life and in death much lamented."
Mr. Whipple appears to have been the most valuable man to the community of any of the town pastors.
On May 3, 1757, a committee was chosen to present Mr. Josiah Bayley a unanimous call to settle there as a successor to Mr. Whipple. The call was made in the name of the parish. The terms offered were fifty pounds sterling and the use of a part of the parsonage lands. This offer was declined; then all the par- sonage lands were included. This Mr. Bayley accepted in the following letter which is the only written production from Mr. Bayley's pen known to be in existence at the present time:
"To the inhabitants of the Parish of Hampton Falls. Gentle- men I have carefully weighed and deliberated the last vote you passed for my encouragement to settle in the work of the gospel ministry over you in this place, and under a solemn sense of the great importance of the work and with humble dependence upon the grace and good providence of God-I hereby declare my ac- ceptance of your invitation and offer to settle in the work of the gospel ministry. Not doubting your readiness not only carefully and faithfully to make good your purpose for my outward com- fort, but on every occasion to testify the same good will for me as unforseen Providence may give occasion and above all a constant remembrance of me at the throne of grace that I may be faithful and successful in my office among you. Who am your affectionate friend and humble servant for Christ's sake.
"Josiah Bayley.
"Hampton Falls, June 30th, 1757."
This is the first place upon the records where Falls is spelled with a capital F.
On October 19, 1757, Josiah Bayley, M. A., was ordained to the pastoral care of the church in Hampton Falls. Rev. Peter Coffin of Kingston began with prayer; Rev. Thomas Barnard of Salem, Mass., with whom Mr. Bayley appears to have studied
26
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
theology, preached from Titus 2:11, 12, 13, 14 and 15; the Rev. John Lowell of Newbury gave the charge; Rev. Jeremiah Fogg of Kensington, the right hand of fellowship; Rev. Nathaniel Googin of Northhill concluded with prayer. Mr. Bayley was chosen pastor unanimously, every vote being cast for him.
Although the call to Mr. Bayley was unanimous and no objec -. tion made to the terms at the time of his settlement, some of the inhabitants were dissatisfied and called a parish meeting October 5, the same year, to fix Mr. Bayley's salary at forty-two pounds annually and the use of the parsonage. The following appears upon the record in relation to this vote: "Instead of £50 Sterling and the parsonage that was formerly voted, I have accepted £42 Sterling and the use of the parsonage. Signed by Josiah Bayley."
In the year 1762 Mr. Bayley was sick. At a parish meeting February 19, the parish voted to procure some person to supply the pulpit at their expense. They also gave Mr. Bayley one hundred pounds old tenor as a free gift. Subsequently, at Mr. Bayley's request, the parish took charge of the parsonage for his benefit, and it was let out for three hundred and sixty pounds old tenor.
Mr. Bayley died September 12, 1762. The parish voted to defray the expense of his funeral and raised three hundred and fifty pounds old tenor. The parish continued to care for the par- sonage. Mr. Bayley was buried in the town cemetery beside his predecessors, Rev. Messrs. Cotton and Whipple.
Mr. Bayley died of that much dreaded disease, consumption- which was much more prevalent then than at the present time- at the age of twenty-eight years, after a ministry of four years and ten months and twenty-four days. During his ministry one hundred and twenty-two persons were baptized; twenty-two persons owned or renewed the covenant. Mr. Bayley was thor- oughly evangelistic and devotedly pious. During his ministry interest in religious matters was greatly increased. During his short stay he endeared himself very much to his people and died, after an illness of seven or eight months, greatly lamented.
Rev. Josiah Bayley was a lineal descendant of John Bayley who died at Newbury, Mass., November 2, 1651. He was born January 20, 1734; graduated from Harvard College, 1753; or- dained at Hampton Falls, October 19, 1757. He never married.
His tombstone bears the following inscription: "Here are in-
27
THE MEETING HOUSE
terred the remains of Rev. Mr. Josiah Bayley, the third pastor of the Church in Hampton Falls, who after he had wisely and faith- fully discharged the duties of office for the space of five years, was received into the joy of his Lord, Sept. 12th 1762 aged 28 years."
Sometime in 1763 Dea. Edmund Bayley, father of Rev. Josiah Bayley, came here and demanded the rent of the parsonage and a balance of salary. A committee sent out to settle with him was empowered to offer him three hundred pounds old tenor, which offer he declined. By a receipt dated June 8, 1763, and recorded upon the town records, Mr. Bayley settled for three hundred and sixty pounds old tenor. This, it would seem, should have settled the matter, but at a meeting held November 23, 1767, Mr. Weare was chosen an agent to defend the parish in a suit which had been brought against them by Edmund Bayley. It was voted to pay the costs of maintaining the suit. There is no record of how this suit was settled. Before another minister was settled, a space of about two months, twenty-three persons were baptized.
Mr. Barnard, who preached Mr. Bayley's ordination sermon, used this language concerning him: "He has been pleased to ask one instruction in addition to those I had the pleasure of giving him in his early youth and of which he has made such a happy improvement." He gave him plain advice respecting his duty as a minister:
"You are not so much to inform others what Plato thought, or who Cato was. That were a needless labor. You are not called to range the schools to follow the ways of metaphysics. Too close application to this science first corrupted Christianity and has ever injured its interests. The plan of your work is complete in the sacred volume. Every principle of faith you are to teach, every rule of life, every argument and motive to enforce the Christian faith and practice, keep close thereunto and let every human composure have but a second place in your regard. Speak thou the truth as it is in Jesus. You will certainly lose minis- terial authority if you leave the doctrines which are according to godliness and dwell upon things which men have attached to the doctrines of inspiration. When once people think you would urge the invention of men upon them, for the word of God, their veneration for you will cease."
Nor was he less pointed in his advice to the church. Among other things he said:
"At some times and in some places it might be useful to show how people hurt their own souls and their best interests by ways
28
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
which naturally diminish their value for their minister, by an im- prudent fondness for strangers of uncertain character, by suffering them to fall into poverty, which is of itself apt to render men con- temptible with the unthinking, and necessarily takes ministers off from their application to study which is needful to give them a proper figure with the judicious, which naturally dispirits a man and forces him to an air of meanness below his rank and station."
Mr. Bayley did not continue the journal kept by his predeces- sors. If he kept any record it must have been upon the church records which were destroyed.
On November 22, 1762, it was voted to extend a call to Mr. Paine Wingate, Jr., to settle in the work of the ministry. They offered him fifty pounds sterling and the use of the parsonage. The fences were to be kept in repair by Mr. Wingate. He at first accepted on condition that they make some alteration in the terms. This being refused he sent them a negative answer. The parish hired preaching until the September following, Mr. Wingate preaching a part of the time. Mr. Tellis Merrill and Mr. Micah Lawrence also preached. A call was extended to Mr. Lawrence to settle upon the same terms offered Mr. Wingate. Mr. Lawrence gave a negative answer, although the parish further offered to keep the fences and buildings in repair. Mr. Lawrence was at that time preaching in Hawke (now Danville). Mr. Lawrence was ordained at Winchester, N. H., November 14, 1764, and continued there until February 19, 1771. The cause of his dismission was because he was unfriendly to his country during the Revolutionary War.
Capt. Jonathan Swett, Ebenezer Knowlton and Job Haskel dissented to the call of Mr. Lawrence. These men, with a num- ber of others, soon signed a petition for a Presbyterian Society. October 31, 1763, the call to Mr. Wingate was renewed. The terms of settlement were fifty pounds sterling and the use of the parsonage, the parish to keep the fences in repair. Mr. Wingate accepted the call in a long letter in which he expressed some views upon the situation. A few persons opposed the settlement of Mr. Wingate but their number was at that time small, but from some cause the dissatisfaction rapidly increased. In 1765 Henry Robie refused to pay his ministerial tax and a suit was commenced by the parish to recover it. Subsequently a number of suits were commenced for similar cause, and the troubles continued until a new parish was formed, which resulted in a new town.
29
THE MEETING HOUSE
Some time after the middle of the eighteenth century, the Pres- byterian church made a great effort to extend their jurisdiction into new territory. In Hampton they outvoted the Congre- gationalists and got possession of the meeting house, and the Con- gregational parties of the church were obliged to build a new meet- ing house which is the building now used for the town house. The Presbyterian society continued in Hampton until 1808 when the two societies united in the Congregational church. On trial the Presbyterian form of church government was not found as good for the country parishes as was that of the Congregational. From this cause, in many cases, the Presbyterian churches were short lived.
About 1760 there was a movement in the lower part of the parish to establish a Presbyterian parish. At the time of Mr. Wingate's settlement a few dissented to the vote authorizing the call. In a short time the number was much increased. The alleged cause for the movement was dissatisfaction with the doc- trine Mr. Wingate preached. But, from what we can learn, this was used as a pretext and excuse for their action. We are led to believe that this Presbyterian movement was well under way be- fore Mr. Wingate came there to preach, as some of the men's names, who dissented from Mr. Lawrence's call, are found upon the petition to the General Assembly, and some of the men whose names were upon that petition were dead some time before Mr. Wingate came. The movement in this town probably had its origin in the desire of the Presbyterians to extend their influence into new territory. Influences had probably been at work quietly for some time to bring this about in this town, and almost any pretext was good enough if it tended to bring the desired end. This was the second trouble which the town church had with other denominations.
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.