History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 145

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 145
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 145

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"3Ly Voted that the Second Division of Land heloo Suncook River in Sd Chichester with that Part of the third Division heloo Sd River and the Six Ranges in Said third Division above Said Suncook River with the privileges and Preportion of Publick Lands he- . longing to Said Divisiona may he incorporated into a Tewn or Parrish by themselves and invested with all town Priviliges as other towns in this State-

"4Ly Voted that their may be three months Liberty alowed for any Per- son or Persons to Pool themselves and their Estates Either side of the Dividing Line that way they shall see hest after the Cen- ters are Prefixed-

"5Ly Voted that John Cram Esqn' william Chase and Captn Jonathan Leavitt a Committee to Prefer a Petition to the General Court of Said State to confirm the above votes.

" A true Coppy from the minntes

"per Dyer Hook town Clerk." PETITION CONCERNING A DIVISION OF THE TOWN.

" To the Honble the Council and House of Representatives for the State of New Hampshire, in General Assembly convened at Exeter Jaun- ary A Dom. 1782-

"The Petition of the Inhabitants freeholders, residing in the first & fourth Divisions in the Township of Chichester Humbly Sheweth-That a meeting of the Inhabitants of Chichester was called hy the Select Men of said Town in consequence of a petition of the Inhabitants who reside in the Second and third Divisions in said Town for the purpose of sev- ering or dividing the said Town into two distinct Parishes-That at said Meeting a Major vote was obtained in favour of said Petition-That for the conveniency of the Town, your Petitioners humbly conceived and do conceive that an equal division of the Town into two Parishes would he necessary if the same could be properly effected-That those said Peti- tioners have obtained by the aforesaid vote more than an equal division without the voice of the Propriety of said Township who have never been consulted thereon, and have not as yet given up the reins of Government into the hands of said Town-

" That if a petition should be preferred to your Honours in order to confirm the aforesaid Vote, that your Honours would take this our Peti- tion under your wiee consideration and direct Such Measures as shall be most conducive to the interest and welfare of said Town-And your Pe- titioners as in duty hound will ever Pray &c.

"John Worth, Levi Stanyan, Jonathan Edmunds, Joseph morrill, Peter Hook, Panl morrill, Samnel Langmaid, Samuel James, Edmund Rand Leavitt, John Langmaid, Smith Morrill, william moses, Ezekiel morrill, Jonathan Leavitt, William Seavey, Edmund Rand, Nathan Mar- den, Simeon Loverio, Dyer Hook, Danill Sanborn, william Langmaid, James morrill, Samnel Daves.

PETITION CONCERNING DIVISION OF THE TOWN.

" To the Honble Council & House of Representativesof the State of New Hampshire in General Assembly Convened at Exeter JanTy 3d 1782.

" Humbly Sheweth John Cram Esq" William Chase and Jonathan Leavitt a Committy for and in behalf of the Freeholders and Inhabi- tants of the Town of Chichester in the Connty of Rockingham in Said State-

" That the Said Freeholders and Inhabitants of Chichester have at & Legal Town meeting Voted that the Second Division of Lands in Said

593

PITTSFIELD.

Township below Suncook river with That part of the third Division he- low Said river and the Six ranges in Said Third Division above Said Sun- cock river with the Priviledges & Proportion of Public Lands belonging to Said Divleions may be Incorporated into a town or Parish by them- Belves, and Invested with all Town Priviledges as other towns in this State, and that there may be allowed three months Liberty for any Per- sen or Persons to Poll themselves & their Estatee to Either Side of the Dividing Line that way they Shall Se best after the Centres of Each Town or Parish are Prefixed Wherefore Your Petitioners Humbly Pray your Henrs to Pass an Act to Incorporate the Said Lands and Inhabitants thereof into a Distinct Town or Parish by the Name of PITTSFIELD-and to Invest & Enfranchise them with all the Powers, Priviledges and In- munities that any other town or Parish in this State Have Hold and En- joy, with the Liberty of Polling as aforesaid ; and Your Petitioners as in Duty hound Shall Ever pray &c.

" JOHN CRAM "WILLIAM CHASE "JONATHAN LEAVITT JUNE

"State of New Hampr } In the House of Representatives March 22d: 1782-

" Upon hearing and considering the foregoing Petition

" Voted that the prayer thereof be granted with the following altera- tione and amendments (viz) instead of Six ranges in the third Divi- sion above Suncook River to allow only five ranges in said third Division and that no polling shall be allowed and that the Tract of Land which they Petitioned to have set off by the name of Pittsfield he sett off as a Separate Town and called by that name and to have all Town priviledges distinct from Chichester except in the Choice of Representatives, and that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a Bill accordingly.

"Sent up for Concurrence

"JOHN LANODON Speaker.

"In Council the same day read & concurred

"J PEARSON D Secy."

The result of the controversy was the setting off the northern part of the town, and incorporating the same into the town of Pittsfield, by an act passed March 27, 1782.

REQUEST TO BE CLASSED WITH PITTSFIELD FOR REPRESEN- TATIVE.

"State of New hampshire.

"Rockingham Ss-

"To the Honorable Counsel and general -Court of Sad State the Hom- ble Petition of ns the Subscribers Selectmen for Chichester and Pittsfield whereas according to the establishment of the new Constitution or Plan of Government it was agreed upon that the town that hath one hundred and fifty Leagal votters Should have the Liberty of Choosing and sending a member to the general Court and whar one town hant that number of Leagal voters it was agreed upon that two towns Shall be Cuppled together we your Humble Pettisonars Select men for the townes of Said Chiches- ter and Pittsfield humbley Desire according to the Desire of the inhabi- tance of Said towns that we may be Joyoed together and have the Lib- erty of Choosing and sending one member for both towns and yoor Petitioners as in Duty hoond Shall Ever Pray and So forth.

"Chichester, December the 30 Day, ye 1783.

" WILLIAM SEAVEY,

" DYER HOOK,

" JONATHAN PERKINS,

" JAMES DRAKE,

Select- men for Chichester and

Pittsfield.

" State of

In House of Representatives, Jan 2d, 1784. New Hampsre

" Upon Reading & Considering the foregoing petition,

" Voted, That the prayer thereof be granted, & that North wood pro- posed to be joined to Pittsfield be Classd to Epsom & Allenstown.

"Sent up for Concurrence.

"JOHN DUDLEY, Speaker.

" In Council the same day read & Concurred.

"E. THOMPSON, Secy."

CHAPTER V.

PITTSFIELD-(Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Congregational Church.1-On the 3d of June, 1782 (the same year in which the town of Pittsfield was inaugurated), the town voted to build a house of worship and locate the same where the present town hall now stands. At the next town-meeting, held January 6, 1783, it was voted that the meeting- house should be built "of the same bigness of Hamp- ton Falls meeting-house." The building was not completed before the spring of 1789, although the frame was raised in the summer of 1787.

Where was the customary place, or places, for re- ligious gatherings, previous to this, does not appear ; but, in the month of September, 1787, the Congre- gational Society met at the corn-barn of Colonel John Cram. Colonel Cram's house was the old Mc- Crillis tavern-stand, and his corn-barn stood op- posite, on land now belonging to the late S. Tenney's estate.

In 1788 the town voted to hire a Congregational minister for three months.

In November of the year following,-the year which witnessed the inauguration of Geo. Washing- ton as the first President of the United States,-this church was duly organized with ten members.

The council was convened November 17, 1789, at the house of Colonel John Cram, "in compliance," as the old record reads, " with the request of this peo- ple by letters-missive."

The following Congregational Churches were repre- sented by their pastors and delegates : Pastors,- Deerfield, Rev. Timothy Upham ; Loudou, Rev. Jede- diah Tucker ; Hopkinton, Rev. Jacob Cram ; Epsom, Rev. Ebenezer Hazeltine; Gilmanton, Rev. Isaac Smith ; Pembroke, Rev. Zaccheus Colby; Hardwick, Rev. Mr. Holt.

The council at the same time ordained Mr. Chris- topher Paige, a graduate of Dartmouth College, as pastor of the church, the society having given him a call, with a settlement of sixty pounds and a salary of sixty-six pounds, annually, one-third to be paid in cash, one-third in good corn at three shillings per bushel and good rye at four shillings per bushel, and the remaining third in good beef at twenty shillings the hundred-weight.

Originally the society received a tract of fifty acres of land, lying upon the south side of Catamount, not far from the old Major William Berry place. In 1779, at the suggestion of Colonel Cram, this land was exchanged for land belonging to him in the village near the old parsonage house.

Mr. Paige's ministry continued for a little over six years. Fourteen were received into the church, --

1 Compiled by Rev. George E. Hill.

594

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

making, with the ten original members, a membership; of twenty-four.

After Mr. Paige's dismission, in January, 1796, there appears to have been but little Congregational preach-, ing till the year 1800. In the fall of that year Rev. Benjamin Sargent, a Calvinistic Baptist, came to sup- ply the pulpit for some one else. His preaching was so acceptable that he was invited to come again, and in December following he received a call to supply the pulpit for a year. Mr. Sargent, it would seem, was considerably exercised in mind over this unusual call from a Congregational Church to one professing close- communion sentiments, and the result was a renun- ciation on his part of those peculiar views held by his denomination, and he became an open-communiouist.

---

Mr. Sargent commenced his labors as pastor in the beginning of the year 1801. In the spring of this year there was a revival of religion in town. This revival gave three additional members to the church. There were, however, twenty-one other converts. These were: baptized by immersion, and on the 29th of October were gathered into an open-communion Baptist Church. Six months after this new Baptist Church was organized, April 29, 1802, it met, with the Congregational Church, at the meeting-house. The old record reads as follows: "1802, April 29th. At a church-meeting at the meeting-house, the two churches in Pittsfield, the Congregational Church and Calvinistic Baptist Church, mutually agreed and passed a vote to commune together at the table of the Lord, and each church to discipline their own church. Attest, Jonathan Perkins, Moderator."

Mr. Sargent continued to supply the two churches during the remainder of his ministry, and for sixteen years the two churches regularly sat around the Lord's table, Deacon Perkins, of the one church, and Deacon James, of the other, officiating as deacons ; thus realizing " how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity !" Forty-four united with the churches during Mr. Sargent's min- istry,-sixteen with the Congregational Church and twenty-eight with the Baptist Church. On the after- noon of the Sabbath, March 15, 1818, he went into his pulpit, and while preaching was seized with a fit of palsy, which soon deprived him of speech and reason. He died the following Thursday.

On October 29, 1818, the Calvinistic Baptists with- drew from fellowship with this church and organized a close-communion church. There was at first no little trouble as to which society should occupy the meeting-house,-both churches at one time occupy- ing it alternately,-but this matter was afterwards adjusted, the Baptists yielding their claim.

In October, 1818, Mr. Abel Manning commenced his labors as stated supply, and continued for some time into the following year. During his ministry fourteen were admitted to the church.

Different persons supplied the pulpit after Mr. Manning, until the year 1827, during which time the

church became so weak financially that it received aid from the Home Missionary Society, and even then preaching could be secured for but a few months of each year.

In October, 1827, a call was extended to Mr. Ezra Scoville, who was ordained and installed November 21, 1827. His ministry, owing to a lack of pecuniary support, was short, but successful,-twenty-three unit- ing with the church under his pastorate. He was dismissed September 14, 1829. For two years and a half there is a break in the records. At the end of this period Mr. Preserved Smith was ordained to per- form the work of an evangelist with this church, June 12, 1832. He remained less than two. years, but his labors were greatly blessed, thirty-seven being received during his ministry, and all but four on profession.

In October, 1834, Rev. Jonathan Curtis, of Sharon, Mass., having accepted a call to the pastorate, was installed by council, Rev. Dr. Bouton, of Concord, preaching the installation sermon. Mr. Curtis' min- istry extended over a period of nearly eleven years. He was an able and devoted pastor. Under his ministrations one hundred and sixty-eight united with the church. There were several revivals of great power. The largest addition in one year was in 1838, when forty-four united,-all but one on con- fession of faith.

On the 18th of December, 1838, Edward Berry, Colonel Nathaniel Bachelder, Samuel White, Thomas Berry, William Berry, Jr., Enoch French, John L. Thorndike, John Berry, Isaiah Berry and John Pot- ter associated themselves together for the purpose of purchasing laud and erecting upon the same a new meeting-house. A contract was then made to build a house sixty feet long and forty-one feet wide for the sum of one thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars. The new building was completed in 1839. The old

meeting-house, where worship had been sustained for fifty years, was purchased by the town for a town- house. For about thirty-seven years the church con- tinued to worship in the new building, which received, in the mean time, enlargement and improvements.

Rev. Mr. Curtis was dismissed July 1, 1845, and on the 19th of November of the same year Mr. Moses H. Wells was ordained pastor. During his eight years of faithful service forty were added to the church,-fourteen by profession and twenty-six by letter. On account of feeble health Mr. Wells re- signed his charge in December, 1853.

December 12, 1854, Rev. J. A. Hood, of Salem, Mass., was installed pastor. His ministry extended over a period of seven and a half years, during which time seventy-seven were added to the church,-fifty- four on confession of faith. A revival in the latter part of 1856 brought thirty-five into the church at one time. To Mr. Hood we are indebted for the his- torical sketch in the "Church Manual " and other matters of historic interest which appear in the records kept by him.

595

PITTSFIELD.

In 1861, Thomas Berry presented the society with a tower clock and R. L. French with a bell.

Mr. Hood's labors terminated in July, 1862. On the 30th of November, 1865, Mr. L. Z. Ferris, who had previously supplied the pulpit, was ordained and installed pastor. His ministry covered a period of nearly five years, during which twenty-one united with the church. He was dismissed in February, 1870, and on the 21st of December of the same year Rev. H. A. Hazen was installed pastor. During this year the house of worship was repaired, and the next year the Ladies' Sewing Society took measures to build a vestry,-a praiseworthy undertaking, which drew about a thousand dollars from their treasury.

Mr. Hazen's pastorate of nearly two years termi- nated in November, 1872.

For more than a year following the church had no regular supply. In the middle of the year 1874, Rev. S. S. N. Greeley, of Gilmanton, supplied the pulpit a few Sabbaths, and his preaching gave such satis- faction that his services were continued for four and a half years. He neither assumed nor prosecuted the distinctive work of a pastor, residing as he did out of town and giving his efforts mainly to the special work of preaching. This work he enjoyed, not caring in his later years to take upon himself the responsi- bilities and burdens of a parish.

In the fall of the year 1875 the Young Men's Christian Association commenced a good work in the village, followed by Mr. Fowler, the evangelist. A powerful revival attended his labors and, as a result, forty-two were added to the church.

During Mr. Greeley's ministry forty-nine united with the church, all but seven by profession.

The church, so richly blessed spiritually, soon met with a heavy loss. A great fire broke out on the night of February 14, 1876, and on the morning of the next day the house wherein fathers and children for three generations had worshiped, and about which clustered so many precious memories, was destroyed.

There was deep sorrow over the loss, but there was also a resolute determination to make good the same; and with courage and faith the people at once ad- dressed themselves to the work of building a new house of worship. A warrant was posted on the 28th of February, out of the very ashes, as it were, calling the society together, March 13th, when it was promptly voted "to build on the old site," and a building committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. W. H. Berry, R. L. French, W. C. Adams, J. W. Johnston and John Waldo. Subsequently, May 4, 1876, this committee were instructed "to build a new church and vestry." At this very meeting it was voted to raise one thousand dollars for preaching the ensuing year. That was a time of pluck and of consecration.

Soon the débris of the ruius was cleared, the foundations were laid and the walls began to rise, the church in the mean time worshiping in the Grand

Army Hall, kindly tendered them by the W. K. Cobb Post 29. How well the committee executed their trust, let the building itself tell,-substantial and con- venient as it is in its arrangements, harmonious in its proportions, and with its commodious chapel and ladies' room, leaving scarcely anything to be desired, at a cost of a little over thirteen thousand dollars they erected one of the most comely church edifices in the State. The money was raised from the insurance on the old house, by the proceeds of the sale of pews and by generous subscriptions, two members of the church and society giving one thousand dollars each, namely, John L. Thorndike and John True. The beautiful and sweet-toned organ, as well as the car- pet and cushions, was procured through the efforts of the Ladies' Benevolent Society. The clock on the tower was the gift of John L. French, Esq., and the bell, recast from the metal of the old bell melted in the fire, was presented by the original donor, Hon. R. L. French.

On the 13th of February, 1878, just two days less than one year from the destruction of the old meet- ing-house, the new building was dedicated free from debt to the worship of the Triune God. The sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Greeley and the dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. S. L. Blake, of Con- cord.

On the 2d of May, 1879, Rev. John W. Colwell be- came acting pastor of the church, and continued till January 30, 1881, during which period the spiritual life of the church was steadily and healthfully devel- oped, twenty having been received into the church,- ten on confession of faith and ten by letter.

In the month of June, 1879, there was a great tem- perance awakening throughout the town, as a result of which nearly a thousand persons signed the pledge.

The ninetieth anniversary of the church, which took place November 16, 1879, was an enjoyable and memorable occasion. A discourse was preached in the morning by Rev. Mr. Colwell, followed by a union communion service in the afternoon and a union praise service in the evening. All of these meet- ings were largely attended. On the following Mon- day evening there was a social gathering of the church and congregation in the chapel, a bountiful enter- tainment being provided by the ladies. (To Mr. Colwell's excellent anniversary sermon on that occa- sion we are indebted for the greater part of the mater- ials for this sketch.)

On the 29th of June, 1881, Rev. Geo. E. Hill, the present pastor, was duly installed by council ; the sermon preached by Rev. W. V. W. Davis, of Man- chester ; installing prayer by Rev. Jeremiah Blake ; charge to the pastor by Rev. Lyman White ; right hand of fellowship by Rev. C. E. Harrington ; aud address to the people by Rev. S. S. N. Greeley.

During Mr. Hill's ministry, up to the present time of writing, twenty persons have united with the I church,-thirteen by profession and seven by letter.

596

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The total membership of the church from its or- ganization to this date, July 1, 1885, is five hundred and twenty. The present membership is one hun- dred and fifty-one,-males, forty-eight ; females, one hundred and three. One hundred and eighty-one children have received Christian baptism.

The names of the several deacons of the church are as follows : Jonathan Perkins, who was chosen in 1789 and served forty years; Edward Berry and Eb- enezer Prescott, chosen in 1828; Dr. Jonathan C. Prescott in 1839; John L. Thorndike in 1844; Reu- ben L. French in 1855; William C. Adams in 1856; Edward J. Aiken in 1877; John W. Johnston in 1881; Stephen R. Watson and M. Harvey Nutter in 1885. Deacon Adams, the present senior deacon, has served in this capacity nearly thirty years.

The Sabbath-school was organized about the year 1818. John L. Thorndike was its first superinten- dent and held the office for sixteen years. He was succeeded by Dr. Jeremiah Blake. Since then the successive superintendents have been as follows : Ne- hemiah Berry, Dr. Charles T. Berry, Rev. J. A. Hood, R. L. French, William P. Adams, J. W. Johnson, M. Harvey Nutter and John S. Rand.

The number of scholars and teachers registered during the present year is two hundred. The Sun- day-school has proved a powerful auxiliary to the church, and many from its ranks have entered the fold of the Good Shepherd.

The church has been liberal in its contributions to the support of home and foreign missions and the general Christian work at home and abroad. Dur- ing the ninety-six years of its history it has given over eighty thousand dollars for church-building pur- poses, for preaching and benevolent objects. The Ladies' Benevolent Society deserves honorable men- tion in this connection for its warm sympathy and self-sacrificing devotion to the church and for its ef- forts in helping the poor and needy.

This church has ever been Congregational in its spirit and practice, managing its own affairs without dictation from any extraneous human authority and governed by the will of the majority of its mem- bers, who look to Christ alone as their head.

Weekly devotional meetings have been sustained from the beginning almost without interruption, and though the spiritual life of the church has fluctuated at times, the fire on the altar has never been suffered to go out.

May its future be even more bright than the past ! " Peace be within her walls and prosperity within her palaces."

Free-Will Baptist Church.1-From the earliest records of this church now extant we learn that prior to February 3, 1791, "the people who called them- selves Free-Will Baptists formally covenanted with God and one another to accept Christ as their own

Lord and Law-giver, and they were worshiping in two places as two bodies; but on the above date repre- sentatives of the two bodies met in council and agreed to write a new church covenant or spiritual agree- ment, to which the following persons subscribed their names : Robert Dickey, Thomas Blake, Joseph Towle, David Knowlton, Joseph Mason, Mary Knowl- ton, Elizabeth Towle, and from this date and meet- ing the church dates its birth." Immediately preced- ing this date there was an extensive reformation in and around the town of Pittsfield, in which Benjamin Randall, Joseph Bovely, David Knowlton, Isaac Townsend and John Buzzell were the principal workers.

On October 15, 1791, at an adjourned monthly meeting, the church voted to donate to Benjamin Randall oue pound and four shillings in money or corn.

The first record of administering the Lord's Sup- per was on the Lord's Day following December 10, 1791, Daniel Philbrick officiating.

The first record of delegates to New Durham Quar- terly Meeting were David Knowlton, Daniel Phil- brick ; meeting held at Barnstead.

June 3, 1792, David Knowlton, Thomas Blake, Na- thauiel Chase and Perkins Philbrick were chosen to attend as delegates the New Hampshire Yearly Meet- ing at New Durham.

August 12, 1795, David Knowlton was ordained to preach the gospel by a council consisting of John Buzzell, Daniel Lord, Joseph Bovely and Benjamin Randall.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 145

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