History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 58

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168

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With the exception of carrying out the agreement entered into with Mr. Barnard in 1780, the agency of the town in the support of the ministry ceased with the resignation of Mr. Lord.

The town was fortunate in the selection of its religious teachers. Mr. Wilkins well deserves the title of father of the town. Among the first of the settlers, he identified himself thoroughly in all move- ments for their safety and well-being. He toiled with them in the forests and fields, shared their poverty, educated their children and in times of danger encouraged them by his advice and example. It is gratifying to know that in all their bitter dis- sensions no one thought of assailing him. The in- scription they caused to be engraved on the stone which marks his burial-place gives their estimate of his character.

Mr. Barnard was altogether unlike his predecessor. His lot was cast in stormy times, among a divided people, and he possessed a will and energy to breast the storm. Not always wise or prudent in his utter- ances, his people soon learned that in a contest with

him there were blows to take as well as give. He lived and prospered where a man of a more quiet and peaceable disposition would have been crushed be- tween the contending factions in the town. More tolerant of religious than political differences, he kept the people of his parish together, and when he retired they were ready to give a cordial welcome to his suc- cessor.

Mr. Lord came to his work while yet in the spring- time of life, a thoroughly educated gentleman, with decided convictions and an iron will. The civil dis- sensions in the town had been healed by the incor- poration of the different parishes into towns; but differences of opinion existed in his church which he was called upon to reconcile or combat. Into this contest he threw himself with his whole energy, managing his case with consummate skill. The failure of his voice compelled his resignation, but he had thoroughly prepared this place for the reception of his whole-souled, earnest successor, Silas Aiken.

A meeting of the citizens interested in the subject was held October 3, 1828, at which a society was formed under the name and title of the Congrega- tional Church and Society, in Amherst.

Edmund Parker was chosen clerk ; David McGregor Means, treasurer ; John Mack, James Bell and Rich- ard Boylston, standing committee; and John Se- combe, Robert Means and David Stewart, auditors.

Rev. Silas Aiken, the fourth minister of the church and the first of the Society, was ordained and installed March 4, 1829, and remained as pastor until February 28, 1837. He was succeeded by Rev. Frederick A. Adams, who was ordained November 14, 1837. He continued until September 24, 1840. Rev. William T. Savage was installed February 24, 1841, and remained until April 4, 1843. Rev. Josiah G. Davis was ordained May 22, 1844, and continued until January 22, 1880, when he was succeeded by Rev. Willis D. Leland, who was ordained January 22, 1880, and remained until 1881. Since that time the church has had no settled pastor, but has been sup- plied by various preachers, among whom were Revs. Palmer, Seabury, Batchelder and others.

The following is a list of deacons from the organiza- tion of the church to 1885:

Humphrey Hobbs, elected January 6, 1743; resigned 17-14 ; died 1756, aged 41.

Joseph Boutell, elected June 3, 1743 ; died May 19, 1795, aged 88.

James Cochran, elected 1714 ; died January 5, 1774.

Sammel Wilkins, elected January 10, 1774; resigned 1816; died De- cember 27, 1832, aged 90.

John Seaton, elected January 10, 1774; resigned 1787 ; died 1793. Nahum Baldwin, elected January 10, 1774; died May 7, 1788, aged 54. Ephraim Barker, elected June 18, 1788 ; died September 29, 1800, aged 68.

Joshua Lovejoy, elected June 18, 1788; resigned 1794 ; died January 28, 1832, aged 88.

Amos Elliott, elected September 3, 1795 ; died April 7, 1807, aged 52. John Seaton, Jr., elected September 3, 1795 ; died October 4, 1836, aged 80.

Jolin Hartshorn, elected September 1, 1808; died November 28, 1842, aged 83.

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AMHERST.

Matthias Spalding, elected May 29, 1817 ; died May 22, 1865, aged 95. David Holmes, elected May 29, 1817 ; resigned 1823; died November 1, 1867, aged 89.

Amos Elliott, Jr., elected November 1, 1823 ; died April 27, 1826, aged 44.

Edmund Parker, elected May 15, 1832; resigned 1836; died September 8, 1856, aged 73.

Abel Downe, elected January 21, 1836 ; died September 28, 1840, aged 52.

David Fisk (3d), elected November 18, 1836 ; resigned 1860 : died June 22, 1873, aged 80.

Cyrus Eastman, elected December 30, 1836 ; died December 17, 1862, aged 75.

Barnabas B. David, elected Jannary 2, 1845 ; died September 5, 1883, aged 81.

Edward D. Boylston, elected April 12, 1860 ; resigned 1878.

Aaron Lawrence, elected November 2, 1860 ; died September 1, 1867, aged 62.

Charles H. David, elected November 2, 1871 ; resigned 1874 ; died Oc- tober 17, 1880, aged 65.

Aaron S. Wilkins, elected April 9, 1874.

Zacchens G. Perry, elected April 9, 1874 ; resigned 1880. Daniel W. Sargent, elected April 8, 1880.

Joseph E. Fowle, elected April 8, 1880.

Henry Wheeler, elected 1884.

The Universalist Society .- September 9, 1819, public notice was given by Israel Fuller, clerk of the society, that Eber Lawrence, Isaac Chickering and others had formed themselves into a religious society to be known by the name and style of the Univer- salist Society in Amherst.

The Christian or Unitarian Society. - Public notice was given, March 27, 1824, by David Holmes, clerk of the society, that on the 24th day of that month Charles H. Atherton, David Holmes, Ephraim Blanchard, E. F. Wallace and others had associated and formed themselves into a religious society by the name and style of the Christian Society in Amherst.

Rev. Edmund Quincy Sewall was ordained and in- stalled pastor of the Christian Church and Society (Unitarian) January 26, 1825.

Mr. Sewall continued pastor of the society about one year. A church was organized and continued in existence for some time, but its records, like the early ones of the First Congregational Church, are lost. In 1834, Rev. Lyman Maynard was employed as pas- tor by a union of the Unitarian and Universalist societies in town, and continued here until 1838. During his pastorate the new meeting-house (now Baptist) was built by members of the two societies. After the removal of Mr. Maynard, Dr. Amory Gale and others conducted the Sunday services at the church for some time. Afterward the desk was occu- pied for a year or two by Rev. William Hooper, Universalist.

Finally, the house was sold to the Baptist society, and the Unitarians and Universalists in town have become connected with other societies.

The First Baptist Society .- An association for the support of preaching on Chestnut Hill was or- ganized October 6, 1828, under the name of the First Baptist Society in Amherst, N. H., by the following persons : Ralph Holbrook, Ebenezer Holbrook, Oliver Mears, Franklin Mears, Henry Tewksbury, Joseph 16

Harvill, John Rollins, James Prince, Robert Fletcher, Otis Fletcher, Benjamin Damon, John Washer, Benjamin F. Shepard and Joseph Harraden.

The church was organized July 2, 1829, ministers from the churches in Londonderry, Milford, New Boston and Goffstown being present at the council called for the purpose. Rev. Samuel Abbot, of Lon- donderry, was moderator, and Rev. Simon Fletcher, of Goffstown, clerk of the council.

The society held their meetings for Sunday services on Chestnut Hill until 1837, when they removed to the Plain, a large addition made to their number, the result of a protracted meeting held in February, 1835, making such a movement advisable.

Here for a time they had no sure abiding-place. Sometimes they worshiped in the old school-house north of the court-house, at the east end of the com- mon, sometimes in the court-house, and afterward in a small hall over the old Read store, which stood near where the soldiers' monument now stands. Novem- ber 19, 1841, arrangements were made with the pro- prietors of the Unitarian meeting-house for the use of their house a portion of the time.

Having become proprietors of two-thirds of the pews, the house was, agreeably to a condition in the subscription to the shares for building it, transferred to them by the Unitarian society by deed dated April 7, 1844. It was repaired in 1851 and in 1870. Since the purchase of the meeting-honse a parsonage has been built and fitted up.

A communion set has been presented to the church by Mrs. Mary Twiss and her children, and a legacy of two hundred and fifty dollars-now amounting to nearly four hundred dollars-was left by Miss S. Luc Lawrence to purchase a bell to be used on the church.

The desk was supplied by different persons, for a short time each, until 1841. Since that time the ministers have been,-

Rev. Mason Ball, 1841 to 1844 ; Rev. Aaron Hayes, 18-14 to 1845 ; Rev. Amasa Brown, 1845 to 1847 ; Rev. David Burroughs, 1849 10 1854; Rev. Samuel Jones, 1856 to 1857 ; Rev. John II. Thyng, 1857 to 1858; Rev. Samuel Cook, 1858 to 1859; Rev. Amos W. Boardinan, 1859 to 1861 ; Rev. J. Baskwell, 1863 to 1865 ; Rev. John Peacock, 1866, nearly two years ; Rev. Eli P. Noyes, 1868 to 1870 ; Rev. Albert Heald, 1870 to 1876; Rev. J. Il. Lerned, 1877 to 1879 ; Rev. Gorham W. Estabrook, 1879 to 1881 ; Rev. E. J. Colcord, 1881 ; Rev. T. A. Howard, 1885.

The Methodist Society .- Rev. Orlando Hinds, who commenced his labors here in 1829, is said to have been the first Methodist preacher in Amherst. His immediate successors were A. M. Howe and J. C. Cromack.

The first Methodist society was organized in 1839.

The first Quarterly Meeting of which any account has been preserved was held September 19, 1834, at which John Haseltine, Isaac Weston and William Brown, of Amherst, Freeman Nichols, of Merrimack, and William Coggin (2d), of Mont Vernon, attended with the presiding elder. At that time the societies in Amherst and Goffstown were united, and the Quar- terly Meetings were held alternately in both places.

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Rev. James Adams supplied the desk in 1837 and 1838, and Rev. Levi W. Davis in 1839 and 1840.

But little is found in the records from 1834 to 1840. In 1840 the record closed. After this, preach- ing was supplied occasionally by members of the Biblical Institute at Concord.

In the autumn of 1839 the erection of a chapel was commenced, which was finished in the course of the following winter, and dedicated to the worship of God April 22, 1840, on which occasion a sermon was preached by Rev. Jared Perkins,

In the afternoon of the same day a temperance lec- ture was given in the chapel by Rev. Mr. Jones. In 1845 and 1846 preaching was furnished by Rev. A. Il. Fullerton, and in 1847 by Rev. Caleb Dustin.

The record is resumed in 1850, when a Conference meeting was held. In 1852, Franklin Furber supplied the pulpit. After this the prospect was far from en- couraging for the society, as we read that

"There was no reason to think that the church was open much of the year, for the cobwebs gathered within it, the blinds were closed and darkness resled on the hearts of many."

In 1854 a social gathering or tea-party was held at the residence of Deacon B. B. David, to raise funds for renovating the chapel and supporting preaching. The effort was successful, and Rev. Charles Merrill was placed in charge as preacher, and, as a result of his ministry, quite a number of young men were added to the church. During his ministry the communion plate formerly used by the Unitarian church in this town was presented to the society by Mrs. Charles G. Atherton.

Mr. Merrill remained here two years, and after his departure preaching was supplied for some time by members of the Biblical Institute.

About 1857 a Mr. Seeley was sent here as a supply. He remained one year. In 1858 and 1859 the desk was supplied by Messrs. Tucker, Hammond, Clip- junger and others from the institute.

In 1860, Charles Pyke was sent here as a preacher. From 1861 to 1866 the chapel was closed. After this time it was again opened, and a member of the Boston Seminary supplied the desk a short time. He was followed by Levin P. Causey, who also remained but a short time, and services were again suspended.

In 1871, mainly through the efforts of Mrs. Mary W. Few, the chapel was painted and refitted, and an effort was made to sustain preaching.

Rev. B. W. Chase commenced his labors here in the fall of 1871, and his report at the close of the Year was a favorable one. He continued here two years, and his ministry was successful.

He was succeeded in 1872 by Rev. George W. Ru- land, who continued here until 1874. Since then the ministers have been, -

1971, Rev. J. Mowrey Bean, until 1876; 1576, Rev. J. R. Bartlett, wootil 1-77; 1877, Rev. W. R. Dille, until 1880 ; 1850, Rev. James Noyes, nulil 1881 ; INXI, Rev. I. Ainsworth.

Since Mr. Nin-worth the pulpit has been supplied

by various preachers, among whom may be mentioned Rev. George W. Ruland, Rev. Mr. Johnson and others.

Mr. Ainsworth relinquished his charge and left the denomination before the close of the year, and the church is now united with that in Milford.

The chapel was enlarged and remodeled in 1879 at an expense of little more than fourteen hundred dollars.

Meeting-Houses .- At a meeting held August 6, 1735, the proprietors voted to build a meeting-house on the plot of ground lately laid out for the purpose.

February 14, 1737-38, they voted to build a meet- ing-house, forty-five by twenty-two feet, the posts to be twenty-two feet in length, finish the outside, and build a pulpit by the last day of October, "come twelve months." Captain Joseph Parker, Ensign Thomas Tarbox and Lieutenant Cornelius Tarble were chosen a committee "to build it or lett it out."

July 11, 1738, Captain Ebenezer Raymond and Mr. John Wiles were added to the committee, and, as Captain Parker declined serving, Captain Joseph Richardson was chosen to serve in his stead. At this meeting an assessment of three pounds was made on each right, to defray the expense of building the house and laying out a second division of lots.

December 27, 1738. The 16th day of May follow- ing was selected as the day on which to raise the frame of the meeting-house, and Captain Ebenezer Rayment was desired to make provision for the same.

May 10, 1739. Twenty shillings for each right was ordered to be paid to the treasurer for defraying the meeting-house charges, etc.

May 20, 1741. A tax of one hundred and eighty pounds was levied on the rights for the purpose of finishing the meeting-house and defraying other charges.

December 14, 1742, John Shepard. Jonathan Tar- ble and Timothy Fuller were appointed a committee to agree for finishing the meeting-house, but, October 18, 1743, the proprietors

" Voted that a committee, consisting of Joseph Prince, Samuel Walton and John Shepard, must gitt the meeting-house boarded, the flower laid, the body seets made up, the pulpit made, and the Doors made and hung as soon as can be."

February 10, 1743-44, they

" Voted that they will doe something toward finishing the meeting- house : viz., Clapboard it, make the window-frames, crown and glaze them, point the ground pinting, and prime the flew boards, window- frames, sashes, and doors, and, in case there is not an Indian war, the next fall, laith and plaster the walls and ceiling, as the committee shall think fit."

Deacon Tarble, Captain John Shepard and Mr. Ebenezer Ellenwood were appointed a committee to see the above work done. It was also voted that the next meeting of the proprietors should be held in the meeting-house, where, pursuant to this vote, it was held, June 30, 1744-45.

It is to be hoped that the house was made comfort- able for their reception; certainly it was no small

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AMHERST.

undertaking to hold a meeting in such a place, with- out fires, in mid-winter.

Provision was made for finishing the meeting-house and for meeting other charges at a meeting held September 21, 1747.

At a meeting held May 23, 1750, they voted that they would do nothing more to the meeting-house that year.

June 26, 1751, they "voted to finish the meeting- house, or some part of it, this summer," and appointed Lieutenant Moses Barron, Andrew Bradford and Ebenezer Lyon a committee to get the work done; but, September 26, 1753, they refused "to appoint a committee to settle with the committee appointed to finish the meeting-house."

This is the last recorded act of the proprietors in regard to building and finishing the meeting-house, an undertaking which occupied about fourteen years. After the incorporation of the town it seems to have passed into the possession of the town, and its preser- vation became, for a time, a town charge.

As the population of the town increased, the house became too small to accommodate the people who resorted to it on the Sabbath. Hence, perhaps, the visitors from Monson, who had no meeting-house of their own, and paid nothing for the support of preaching, were unwelcome guests. Some traces of the feeling against them may be found in the recorded votes of the town at that time.

July 23, 1767, the town was asked to allow the men to occupy the whole of the front gallery of the meet- ing-house, and also "to appoint seats for the Quires- ters to set in, in order to improve Psalmody, or relig- ious singing;" but both applications were denied.

March 14, 1768, Daniel Campbell and Benjamin Taylor were appointed a committee "to make so much more room in the meeting-house as they shall think proper," and £13 88. 6d. was voted to defray current charges.

Joseph Steel and William Wallace protested against this grant of money, deelaring that they would not pay any part of it until it was decided whether the house belonged to the proprietors or the town.

December 4, 1771. Amherst was now the shire- town of the county of Hillsborough, and accommoda- tions were needed for the sessions of the courts. The town had already voted to build a new meeting- house, and at a meeting held this day they

" Voted to give, grant and forever quit-claim all our right, title, inter- est, claim and property of, in and unto our old meeting-house in said Amherst to the justices of the Court of General Sessions of Peace in and for this County for the use of the County, reserving to ourselves the right to congregate in said house from time to time, as we may see meet, for the space of two years from this time, without having the house made inconvenient for our meetings during that time, and reserving the right of removing the Pulpit from the house at any time during the two years aforesaid, Provided the Justices cause a new County jail to be erected within 160 rods of the meeting-house as it now stands ; otherwise, the above vote and every clause therein contained to be void."

The jail was "erected," the new meeting-house was built, and the old one passed into the possession

of the county, destined, ere long, to be removed to " the plain," and to be purified by fire.

The Second Meeting-House .- At a meeting held October 4, 1770, the town voted to build a meeting- house for public worship, and to set the same upon the most convenient place on the training-field, in said town, and make it seventy-five feet in length and forty-five feet in width. They also voted to raise one hundred and fifty pounds, lawful money, to defray the expense of building said house.

Robert Read, Samuel Mckean, Archelaus Towne, John Shepard, Jr., and Moses Nichols were appointed a committee to superintend the work of building the house, and they were authorized to settle and fix upon the particular spot of ground in said field on which to erect it.

October 25, 1770. At a meeting held this day the town voted to "cut the meeting-house short of what had previously been voted five feet, and the same in width, viz., five feet." They directed the building committee to add to the house " a steeple at one end and a porch at the other end thereof." The committee was also directed to cause the frame of the house to be raised, boarded and shingled within twelve months from that date. The height of the sills from the ground was left to their discretion, and when any particular job of work was needed toward the building of the house they were to notify the people and employ those who would do it on the most reasonable terms.

Armed with these directions, it would seem that the committee was prepared to go forward; but a storm was gathering. The people of Monson, so re- cently annexed, were dissatisfied. They had lived in the old town twenty-four years with no public build- ing but a pound, and to be called upon to assist in building a meeting-house was a new experience. The settlers around Shepard's mills, in Amherst, dis- liked the plan. The people in the northwest part of the town objected to it, as it added half a mile to their journey to meeting, and it was objected to by Chest- nut Hill folks on the same ground ; and a meeting was held November 6, 1770, in the interest of the disaf- fected ones, to see if the town would " vacate, annul, destroy and make void every act or vote of said town lately passed, relative to building a meeting-house on the training-field in said town," to see " if they will enlarge the present meeting-house so as to make it convenient for the people to meet in for some time to come," and, finally, "if they should be indneed to build the house expressed in their late vote, to see if they will vote to set it in the centre of the town."

The above queries were summarily disposed of at the meeting. On the article first named the town " voted in the negative," the meeting being qualified. They then "voted to ratify, establish and confirm every vote heretofore passed relative to the new proposed meeting-house." They also voted to dismiss the consideration of the next two queries.

238

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Another effort to change the location of the house was made at the ammal town-meeting. March 11, 1771, at which propositions were made "to reconsider the vote already passed for setting said house on the plain." "To see if the town, upon consider- ation of a far superior place, with respect to under- pinning said house, dry land and a location nearer the centre of the town, will vote to set said house on the west side of the road, near the shop of Mr. Cheever, so called," and, if voted in the negative, "to see if they will chuse a court's committee to establish a place for said house," all of which were rejected. Thomas Wakefield was chosen "new meeting-house treasurer," and the work of building went forward.

At a meeting held August 26, 1771, the town voted that the building committee " provide drink for rais- ing the meeting-house-that is, for the spectators,

"Toted, that said Committee procure New England rum for the raising the meeting-house frame in this town for such as shall do the labor of raising, and for all spectators, according to their discretion, not exceed- ing eight barrels." Voted, also, " that said Committee provide for the raising of said house one barrel of sugar (brown sugar) for the use of the laborers and spectators, to be distributed according to the discretion of said committee."

The committee was also authorized to procure a sufficiency of victuals and drink for such as should labor in raising said house, while laboring, viz., one, two or three meals a day, as the laborers should re- quire. They were also directed to hire the Gem, etc.

What the " Gem " was does not clearly appear ; but, with the ample preparations made by the town and the amount of vietuals and drink provided for the occasion, the fathers must have had a spirited raising. Doubtless they lifted with a will, and the massive timbers were slowly set in their places under the direction of the master-builder, Deacon Barker. During the intervals of relaxation from the solid work before them, running and wrestling-matches were in order, in most of which, if tradition is to be believed, "Sam" Wilkins, the minister's son, after- wards deacon of the church, was the chief champion. His greatest exploit on this occasion was that of run- ning a short distance with the chairman of the build- ing committee, who weighed about the sixth of a ton avoirdupois, upon his shoulders.

At a town-meeting held December 4, 1771, it was voted to allow the accounts of the committee ap- pointed to build the new meeting-house, and the ac- counts of the workmen employed by them.

The town also voted that they would finish the outside of the new meeting-house next summer, clapboard and glaze it, and finish the steeple every way complete, and lay the lower floor in said house. One hundred and sixty pounds, lawful money, was granted to defray the expense that has already arisen in building the house, and the building committee was authorized to complete the work above mentioned.

November 1, 1772, the town

'Toled to all by auction the pow-ground on the lower floor of the

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 58

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168