History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 112

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520

USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 112
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 112

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).

March 14, 1820, it was " Voted, that the town oc- eupy the meeting-house one-half the time on Sun- days, and the Congregational Society the other half, until some accommodation be made respecting the same, the Congregational Society to occupy the meeting-house the next Sabbath."

There seems to have arisen a difficulty between Rev. Mr. Tucke and his people, for in the records of a meeting held at the meeting-house on Monday, the 13th day of December, 1773, the following vote was. passed :

" Voted, that there should be a committee chosen to treat with Mr. Tucke, onr minister, respecting some of his proceedings.

451

EPSOM.

" Voted, Cupst. Andrew MeClary, Doch Obediah Williams and Jeremiah Prescott to be a committee for that purport."

At a meeting held January 3, 1774, it was

" Voted, that there should be a counsel called to Judge upon and set- tle the Difficulties Sulwisting between the Rev. John Tuck and the Inhabitants of the Town of Epsom.

" Foted, that thr Should be a committee Chosen to act and transut in Behalf of the Inhabitants of said town, Relating to the DitlienIties above menchoned, till there is a final Decision and Determination of the above controversies.

" Voted, Capt, Andrew MeClary, Dr. Obediah Williams and Amos Morrill should be committee for that purpose."

June 18, 1774, at a meeting called "to see if the Town when assembled will pass a vote to dismiss the Rev. Mr. Tucke from his Pastoral and Ministerial Relation to the Inhabitants of the Town of Epsom, agreeable to the Result of the Counsel Convened in said Epsom, March 15, 1774,, by the request of the pastor, church and people," it was

" Toted, the Rev. John Tucke a Dismission from his Pastoral and Ministerial Relation, agreeable to the foregoing Notification.

" Voted, that the Meeting-House shall be shut up till the town Sees Canse to open the Said House again."

July 25, 1774, at a meeting of the inhabitants and voters called for that purpose,-

" l'oted, there shall be Money raised for preaching.

" Voted, there shall be Six pounds, Lawful Money, raised for preach- ing.

" Voted, Lieutenant Ephraim Lock to provide a Minister for Said Town, so far ns Six pounds will go."

Rev. Benjamin Thurston preached in town about 1779.

On the 19th of July, 1779, the town voted to give him a call, and provided that his salary should be sixty pounds, lawful money, for the first year, sixty- five pounds for the second year, and seventy pounds for the third year, with the use of parsonage and the usual supply of wood, etc. But for some reason Mr. Thurston declined the call.

March 21, 1781, it was “ Voted to raise money enough to Hire eight days' preaching."

After the call had been given Mr. Thurston to settle in the town as their minister it was

" Voted that there be a Parsonage house and barn built upon the Par- souage lands, where it shall be thought most proper, of the following Di- mensions, vix. : the House to be 40 by 30 feet, and 2 story high ; the barn to be 35 by 20 feet, and our elected Pastor to be consulted as to the fiul- ishing the Parsonage Honse as to convenience.

" Voted that Mr. Thurston be allowed by the town the keeping of one horse, two cows and eight sheep, from the time of his settlement until the Parsonage land, wherever he shall live, will produce hay and grass sufficient for said stock at the expense of the town, allowing six and one- half tons of good English hay to winter the same.

" Voted that Mr. Thurston's salary (provided he accept the call) be sixty pounds, Lawful money, for the first year, sixty-five pounds for the second year and seventy pounds for the third year, and that to be his stated salary. Computing marchantable Indian corn, @ 3s. pr. Bushel ; Rye, (a 4s .; and wheat, @ 6s .; Grass-fed beef @ two pence per lb., and stall-fed beef at 3d. per Ib ; Pork weighing five, ten or twelve score, nt 4d. per lb. ; Ditto, from twelve seore and upward, 5d. per Ib.

" Veled that Mr. Thurston's salary he paid nunnally, after the follow- ing manner, viz. : the full one-half in corn, whent, Rye, beef and Pork, according to the foregoing stipulated prices; the other half to be paid in the Currency of the United States, which sum shall be computed and allowed annually, according to the prices of Provisions in Gen' in Epsom when said salary is to be paid in, which shall be by the twenty-fifth day

of December, annually, as long as he shall contine in the ministry in Ensom."

In 1784, Rev. Ebenezer Haseltine accepted a call of the church and town and was ordained.

Mr. Haseltine was a native of Methuen, Mass., a graduate of Dartmouth College, took license to preach from the Grafton Presbytery July 24, 1779. lle remained in town till his death, November 10, 1813.

Of him it is said : " He was a man of great mod- esty and diffidence, unassuming in his carriage among his own people and others; a man of strict integrity, and uprightness in all his dealings ; a man of a quiet spirit, a promoter of peace and love among all; a man of hospitality and charity so far as his ability permitted, kind and friendly to all mankind, and in consequence of his virtues was respected by all his acquaintances."

After his death the town " Voted to bear the funeral expense and also pay to his widow his salary for the remainder of the year, and the privileges of the par- sonage."

About a year after the death of Rev. Mr. Haseltine the church gave Rev. Jonathan Curtis a call to be- come its pastor, but the town refusing to unite, an organization was formed and chartered known as the "Congregational Religious Society of the Town of Epsom."

The following is a copy of the papers presented to the ordaining council, embracing the call of the church and congregation to Rev. Mr. Curtis, and his answer :

"At a meeting of the Congregational religions Society, in the Town of Epsom, daly holden agrecably to adjournment, on Saturday, the 1st day of October, Anno Domini 1814, the following votes were passed :

" Vuted, Josiah Sanborn, Moderator, Pro. Tem.

" Voted, Unanimously, to give Mr. Jonathan Curtis a Call to settle in said Society in the work of the Gospel Ministry.

" Voted, Thomas D. Merrill, Samt. Morrell, Moses Osgood, Joseph Lawrence and Josiah Sanborn a Committee to draught proposals for the temporal support of Mr. Jonathan Curtis, and present the same to the society for their acceptance.

"The Committee made a report, which was unanimously adopted.

"SAML. MORELL, Clerk.

" Epsom, Oct. 5th, 1814."

" To Mr. Jonathan Curtis :

" SIR,-The Church and Congregation in the Town of Epsom, em- braced by the congregational religions Society in said Town, being rar. nestly desirous to rø-settle the preached Gospel in said Town, and has - ing for some time had an opportunity of acquainting themselves (In some good measure) with your Ministerial and Christian qualifications, are well satisfied that you are possesand of those qualifications which are indispensably necessary in the important Work of the Gospel Minis- try. And after mature deliberation, and, as we trust, earnest supplicu- tions to Great Head of the Church for divine direction in such an im- portant and interesting transaction, have, without a dissenting voice, voted an Invitation to yon to settle with them in said Town as their Gun- pel Minister; and have also voted the Subscribers a Committee to present you a Call to that Snered Office, which we do by these presents, together with the annexed proposals for your temporal support should you accept this Call."

" At a Meeting of the Congregational religious Society, in the Town of Epsom, only hohlen agrecably to adjournment, on Saturday, the 1st day of October, Anno Domini 1814. the following votes were quani- mously passed :

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

"Ist. l'oted, That if Mr. Jonathan Curtis should accept a Call to settle in Epsom as the Gospel Minister of the Congregational religious Society in said Town, his stated salary shall be four hundred dollars, to be paid an- nually from the date of his acceptance of the Call.

" 21. l'oted, That the Parsonage Land and Buildings which were oc- cupied by the late Rev. Ebenezer Haseltine shall be occupied by Mr. Jonathan Curtis, should he settle in Epsom during his Ministry in ed Town.

"31. V'oted, That Parsonage Buildings be put and kept in decent ra- pair at the expense of the Society.

"4tb. Voted, That Mr. Jonathan Curtis be further allowed twenty cords of good hard fire Wood annually, to be delivered at his House some time io the Fall and Winter.

" Epsom, October 3d, 1814.

" SAME .. OSGOOD,

" LEVI BROWN,

" SAMI. MORRIL,

" BENI. MOODY,

" JOSIAH SANBORN,

" Tuos. D. MERRILL,

" DAVID LOCKE,

Committee iu behalf of the Ch. & Congregational religions Society in Epsom."

"EPSOM, JRny. 14th, 1815.

" To the Committee for the Congregational Religious Society in Epsom :

"GENTLEMEN, -A considerable time has elapsed since I had the boner to receive from you an invitation to settle in your Society in the work of the Gospel Ministry.

"The undertaking presents a situation the most arduous, responsible and important. lo this view of it, 1 hope I have not occupied an un- necessary length of time in consideration. Your proposals 1 linve enre- fully and seriously considered. The unanimity of your Society, and their arrangements for my support, present n prospect of usefulness which duty forbids me to disregard.

" I accept of your invitation to settle with you in the work of the Gospel Ministry. And if it shall be the appointment of Providence to establish me in that Sacred Profession, let our united prayers ascend to that God who is the great fountain of all wisdom and goodness, that Wie blessing may attend such a connection,

" With high consideration, I am, Gentlemen,

" Your obedient and humble servant,

" JONATHAN CURTIS

" Messrs :

"SAML., OSGOOD,

" SAMI. MORRIL,

" JOSIAH SANBORN,

" LEVI BROWN,

" BENJ. MOODY,

Com. in behalf of the Church & Cong. Religious Society in Epsom."

"THos. D. MERRILI,,

" DAVID LOCKE,

Until abont 1820 the Congregational Church and Society had the free and undisputed use of the meet- ing-house that was built by the town; but at this time other denominations had made their appearance in the town, and demanded and obtained the privilege of occupying the meeting-house a portion of the time, so that the Congregationalists were obliged to provide themselves with some other place for wor- ship.

Accordingly, a meeting of the society was called April 10, 1820, at the house of Simon A. Heath, when a committee, consisting of Ira Sanborn, Thomas D. Merrill and James Brown, were appointed " to provide a suitable place to assemble for public wor- ship the ensuing season."

At the annual meeting of the society, held May 1, 1820, the above committee reported "that Captain Heath's Hall is the most proper place for public worship for the present season."

At the same meeting it was also " Voted, that it is

expedient to erect a meeting-house in the town of Epsom for the Congregational Society."

At a meeting held the 7th day of May, 1821, the society chose Josiah Sanborn, Thomas D. Merrill and John Cate a committee to meet a committee ap- pointed by the town to effect a settlement of the existing difficulties between the Congregational Society and the town, which committee presented the following report at a meeting of the society held the 27th of April, 1822, which was accepted :

"We, the undersigned committee appointed by the Town of Epsom and the Congregational Society in said Epsom to settle all disputes he- tween said Town and Society respecting the appropriation of the interest arising from the sale of the parsonage in said Town, agree to report and do hereby report that from and after the expiration of six years from the sale of the parsonage aforesaid the said town of Epsom shall, at the expiration of each and every year from and after said time, pay to the wardens of the society aforesaid their just and equal proportion of the interest aforesaid, according to the inventories of the members thereof, and we do hereby further report that the manner of ascertain- ing those who for the purpose aforesaid shall be considered members of said society shall be forever after as follows, to wit : The Clerk of said Bo- ciety shall, on or before the first day of April, A. D. 1822, and each and every. succeeding year, furnish the selectmen of said Town a certificate under the signeture of each individual, who for that year wishes that his pro- portion of the interest aforesaid should be paid to the wardena of said society certifying that such is their wish, and all individuals so certify- ing being residente in said Town of Epsom and liable to be and are taxed in said Town, shall be considered members of said society for the purpose aforesaid, and it shall be the duty of the Selectman of said Town, ench and every year from and after the expiration of the term aforesaid, to innke an aggregate of the inventories of nh the persone so certifying ns aforesaid and make a dividend of the interest of the parsonage fund nforesaid in the proportion which the aggregate bears to the inventory of the whole Town, and at or before the expiration of each year pay the same to the wardens nforesaid and take their receipt for the same and the same shall be allowed them by the town. And the said Town of Epsom shall and does forever hereafter relinquish all claims upon the said society or the wardens thereof for any interest of said fund which they have heretofore received, and the said society sball and does forever lierenfter relinquish all claim upon said Town for any interest which said Town may have or shall have received prior to the expiration uf the six years aforesaid, and both of said parties shall forever hereafter be bound to divide said interest in the manner aforesaid, and said society shall not at any time hereefter claim or be entitled to receive any more than their proportion in the manner nforesaid, and this agreement, wben ratified by said Town of Epsom and said Society, shall then, and not till then, be binding on the parties aforesaid.

" Respectiog the difficulty between said Town and the said Society about the meeting-house in said Town, the committee have been unable to agree to any arrangement consistent with the rights of the several pew-owners in said meeting-honse ; we have therefore agreed to recom- mend to the pew-owners to meet and endeavor to make some compro- mise, if possible, among themselves and report to the town.

" JOSIAN SANBORN, 1 Committee

" JOHN CATE, " HANOVER DICKEY, " JONATHAN STEELE,

" THOMAA D. MERRILL, of Society. Com. of Town."

The Congregationalists continned to ocenpy the old meeting-house a portion of the time until 1845, when they built a church at what was known as Slab City, and the old meeting-house was sold and re- moved to Concord.

The Rev. Jonathan Curtis remained with the church until Jannary 1, 1825, when the Rev. A. D. Smith was employed as a stated supply for a year, respecting whose labors among them the society passed a vote of high commendation.

453

EPSOM.

The Rev. A. Burbank was here for a short time in 1827, but on the Ist day of November, 1829, Rev. John M. Putman was installed pastor of the church, and sustained that relation some two and a half years, when he was dismissed at his own request.

Following Mr. Putman, the Rev. Abel Manning was here some two years and the Rev. Francis R. Smith a little longer period, with occasional supplies by different ministers.

January 1, 1837, Rev. Winthrop Fifield commeneed preaching here, and so well was he liked by the church and people that a call was given him to settle with them, which he accepted and was ordained the 10th of May, 1837.

Mr. Fifield remained with the church nearly ten years, through the trying period of locating and building a new house of worship, but left very soon after the church was dedicated.

Rev. Rufus A. Putman, a native of Sutton, Mass., and a graduate of Harvard College, was the next minis- ter, being here from September, 1846, to May, 1852.

The following two years the church was occupied only a portion of the time, Revs. M. B. Angier and C. C. Durgin being the supplies.

R. A. Putman and E. H. Blanchard then supplied the pulpit for one year each.

February 22, 1856, a call was given the Rev. J. Ballard to settle with them, which he declined, and the Rev. Charles Willey was engaged as a stated supply. He remained about three years, and was succeeded by Rev. A. B. Petfers, who remained until 1866, and was followed by Rev. George Smith for three years,

Rev. Charles Peabody was the next preacher, and his stay was but three years.

During the following four years there was only occasional preaching, largely by students from the Theological Seminary.

December 1, 1876, Rev. E. C. Cogswell, of North- wood, commenced preaching here Sundays and con- tinued until June, 1881, since which time, with the exception of six months of the summer of 1882, when Rev. L. G. Chase supplied, the church has been with- out regular Sabbath services. The removals from town and by death have nearly depleted the church membership.

There is a fund of one thousand dollars given by the widow of the late Thomas D. Merrill, the interest of which is to be used for the support of Congrega- tional preaching in the town of Epsom.

The Free-Will Baptist Church of Epsom.1-This church was organized June, 1824, by Rev. E. Knowl- ton, of Pittsfield, and Rev. Arthur Coverno, of Straf- ford, consisting of eight persons, the same number that entered into the Ark of old, and these are their names,-Rev. Arthur Coverno, Nathan Bickford, Daniel Philbrick, Ephraim Locke, Lucretia Tarlton,

Mary Marden, Elizabeth Currier and Sally Osgood. Rev. Arthur Coverno, under God, was its founder and first pastor, and by his earnest and faithful labors this little band of disciples continued to grow, and its membership increased to fifty that season. It was like Joseph's fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall. Union has very generally pre- vailed, and the church has been ready to co-operate with the pastor in revival effort and benevolent work, and the Lord has often blessed his people with re- freshing showers of grace and precious accessions to her numbers. The church has been enterprising and energetic in her labors. She has built two houses of worship,-the first in 1833, the latter, larger and more commodious, in 1861. She has a nice country parsonage, with two acres of land, where the pastor finds a pleasant home. The church has taken high ground on the great moral questions of the age. The cause of missions, Sunday-schools, education, freedom, temperance and moral reform have received due at- tention and encouragement. Some " born in Zion " have been called to preach the everlasting gospel, -the Rev. Daniel P. Cilley, of Farmington, long a successful preacher and pastor, now venerable with years ; the Rev. James Mccutcheon, deceased, for six years pastor of the church ; the Rev. John Malvern, of Lynn, Mass., an able and successful minister of Christ; and the Rev. Augustus Towle, Congregation- alist, and now in the West, who has worthily magni- fied the office of the gospel ministry. The church has a fund of eight hundred dollars. Mrs. Mercy, widow of Deacon Thomas Bickford, gave four hun- dred dollars, and David Marden gave three hundred dollars, the annual interest of which is to be used in the support of preaching. The Rev. B. Van Dame, a former pastor of the church, gave one hundred dol- lars, the interest of which is to be used to purchase books for the Sunday-school, his name to be placed in the books.

The statistics of the church are as follows : Entire membership, 157 ; number in the Sunday-school, 125; number of volumes in the Sunday-school library, 200.

Since the organization fifteen brethren have been called to the pastorate of the church, and most of these were young men when they were settled over the church. Their names and order of service are as follows : Rev. Arthur Coverno, James MeCutcheon, B. Manson, B. Van Dame, G. P. Ramsey, K. R. Davis, Tobias Foss, M. A. Quimby, Horace Webber, E. Knowles, J. H. Brown, C. E. Haskell, Uriah Chase, Joel Baker and N. A. Avery. The average length of their pastorates has been three years and eight months, and only short intervals have occurred between the dismission and settlement of each pastor, and often one has immediately succeeded the other. The present pastor, Rev. M. A. Quimby, has been settled over the church, in all, nearly thirteen years, and the spring of 1885 is the fourth time that he has been called to the pastorate of the church.

1 Prepared by Rev. M. A. Quimby.

454

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The Christian Society .- Many of the inhabitants who lived in the southerly part of the town were in the habit of attending church at Allenstown, where there was a church of the Christian denomination.

About the year 1860, Edwin T. Philbrick, then living in that part of Epsom familiarly known as " New Rye," left his forge and auvil, reorganized the old church and was ordained its pastor in the month of August, 1859.

As the larger portion of the attendants at the Sab- bath services came from Epsom, and the conveni- ences at the old Allentown Church were very poor, it was decided to build a new church edifice, and the summer of 1861 witnessed the building of the Chris- tian meeting-house and the organization of "The First Christian Society of Epsom."

The church was dedicated September 8, 1861, the Rev. A. G. Comings, of Lee, N. H., preaching the dedicatory sermon.

From that time the Christian Church of Allens- town became the First Christian Church of. Epsom, with the Rev. E. T. Philbrick as its pastor, who con- tinned in that relation for several years, during which time many additions were made to the church and society. Following Mr. Philbrick, the Rev. J. P. Stinchfield, a Methodist minister, supplied the pulpit for one year, from April, 1869.

Rev. Benjamin Dickson, of Wolf borough was the next supply, preaching to them two or three years, and was followed by Rev. M. M. Cleverly, of Lynn, Mass., and he by Rev. George D. Garland, and after him, Rev. James Philipps.

Between the services of the above-named clergy- men the pulpit was frequently occupied by different persons for a few Sabbaths at a time.

Since 1881 there has been but little preaching in this church by ministers of the Christian denomina- tion, but the summers of 1881, 1883 and 1884, Rev. E. C. Cogswell, of Northwood, a Congregational minister, occupied the pulpit, and the services were attended by many who formerly attended the Congre- gational Church in the other part of the town.

Physicians .- Rev. Mr. Curtis mentions Stephen Swett and J. S. Osborn among the first doctors in town.

We find that Obadiah Williams, from this town, was a surgeon in the Revolutionary War, and the records of the town for 1773 show that Dr. Obadiah Williams, with others, was appointed a committee to treat with the Rev. Mr. Tucke.

Daniel Lawrence Morrill was in practice here in 1799 and 1800; went from here to Goffstown, and in 1825 was Governor of the state.

Samnel Morrill was the next doctor, coming here about 1800, and remaining twenty years, when he removed to Concord, N. HI. Dr. Morrill, as will be scen by the list of officers of the town, was prominent in the affairs of the town, having been its elerk nine- teen years in succession, and was also clerk of the Congregational Society nearly as long.

Dr. Josiah Crosby came into town upon the re- moval of Dr. Morrill, and remained here four or five years, and was afterwards in practice in Manchester, where he died a few years since.

He was succeeded by Dr. John Proctor, who was here until about 1840, when Dr. Hanover Dickey, Jr., a native of the town, entered into practice and con- tinued it until 1845, when he removed to Lowell, Mass.

Dr. Leonard W. Peabody succeeded Dr. Dickey, and remained here twenty-six years ; was town clerk one year, and postmaster ten years. He is now in practice in Henniker, and represents all that town in the Legislature of 1885.

Dr. Sullivan A. Taylor came into town in 1871, and remained here some five years and removed to Concord, but has since located at Gilmanton Iron- Works. Dr. Albon H. French took Dr. Taylor's practice and continued it until 1882, when he sold out to Dr. M. F. Smith, who still remains in town.

Schools .- At a meeting held at the house of Cap- tain Andrew McClary, inn-holder, on the 18th day of June, 1765, agreeably to a notification by the select- men, to consult about the building of a school-house, it was

"1. Voted, Johe Met'lary, Esq., Moderator.

"2. l'ofed that the bigness of st house, twenty-ono in Length & seven- teen io bredth."

The meeting then adjourned to the 25th of June inst., at the same place, at which time the following votes were passed :

"1. Voted that the school-house be built on the Lot comonly called the Scool Lut, whare the Select men think proper.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 112

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1520

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520