USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Amherst > History of the town of Amherst, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire (first known as Narraganset township number three, and subsequently as Souhegan West) > Part 18
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4 December, 1771. Amherst was now the shire town of the county of Hillsborough, and accommodations were needed for the sessions of the courts. The town had already voted to build a new meeting-house, and at a meet- ing held this day they
"Voted to give, grant, and forever quitclaim, all our right, title, interest, claim, and property of, in, and unto, our old meeting-house, in said Amherst, to the justices of the Court of General Sessions of the 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, with- ont 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 4 October, 1770, the town voted to build a meeting-house for publie 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 the expense of building said house.
Robert Read, Samuel Mckean, Archelaus Towne, John Shepard, jr., and Moses Nichols, were appointed a commit- tee to superintend the work of building the house, and they
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were authorized to settle and fix upon the particular spot of ground in said field on which to erect it.
25 October, 1770, at a meeting held this day, the town voted to " eut the meeting-house short of what had pre- viously 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 recently annexed, were dissatisfied. They had lived in the old town twenty-four years with no public building but a pound, and to be called upon to assist in building a meeting-house was a new ex- perience. The settlers around Shepard's mills, in Amherst, disliked the plan. The people in the north-west part of the town objected to it, as it added half a mile to their journey to meeting, and it was objected to by Chestnut Hill folks on the same ground ; and a meeting was held 6 November, 1770, in the interest of the disaffected 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 public to meet in for some time yet to come," and, finally, " if they should be induced 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
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the negative," the meeting being qualified. They then voted " to ratify, establish, and confirm every vote hereto- fore passed relative to the new proposed meeting-house." They also voted to dismiss the consideration of the two next queries.
Another effort to change the location of the house was made at the annual town meeting, 11 March, 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 consideration of a far superior place, with respect to underpinning 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 26 August, 1771, the town voted that the building committee " provide drink for raising the meeting-house-that is, for the spectators, &c."
" Voted, 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 exceeding 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 laborer's should require. 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 victuals and drink provided for the occasion, the fathers
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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, afterward deacon of the church, was the chief champion. His greatest exploit on the occasion was that of running a short distance with the chairman of the building committee, who weighed about the sixth of a ton avoirdupois, upon his shoulders.
At a town-meeting held 4 December, 1771, it was voted to allow the accounts of the committee appointed to build the new meeting-house, and the accounts 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 com- mittee was authorized to complete the work above men- tioncd.
14 November, 1772. The town
" Voted to sell by auction the pew ground on the lower floor of the meeting-house to the highest bidder of the inhabitants of this town, the money arising from the sale to be applied to defray the expense of finishing the house."
Daniel Campbell, Joseph Gould, and Stephen Peabody, were appointed a committee to sell said pew ground ; Dan- iel Campbell refusing to serve on the committee, Ephraim Hildreth was appointed in his stead.
By a vote of the town passed at this meeting there were to be three tiers of pews on the south side, one tier on the north side, and two tiers each on the east and west ends. Alleys were to be left between the pews and seats, and
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between the pews. The size of the pew ground lots was left to the discretion of the committee. The sale of the pew ground was to be within one month from the time of this meeting, and the purchase money was to be paid into the meeting-honse treasury within three months from the time of the sale.
The pews were ordered to be built within twelve months from this date, and in a uniform manner. If they were not built within the time, and in the manner specified, the sale of the ground to the person or persons failing to com- ply with the conditions was to be void.
THE SECOND MEETING-HOUSE.
The house was so far completed that it was formally dedicated to the public worship of God on the 19th day of January, 1774, which date, curiously painted in gold, in old English letters, on a panel in front of the singers' gallery, directly opposite the pulpit, has been, in by-gone years, an
16
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enigma to more than one of the younger members of the congregation. Of the gathering on that occasion and the sermon preached by Mr. Wilkins, no written records remain. Tradition affirms that the discourse was to some extent an historical one, treating of matters connected with the settlement of the town and the formation of the church. If so, its loss is to be regreted.
After the public services at the meeting-house, it is said that the visiting clergymen were entertained at the house of Pastor Wilkins. While partaking of their dinner, of which hasty pudding and milk formed a part, the newly elected deacon, " Sam " Wilkins, told them a ludicrous story of his experience in catching a sheep, which pleased the reverend fathers, and " the pudding flew well."
14 March, 1774. A proposition to choose a committee to procure a good bell for the meeting-house was rejected by the town ; also, one to " allow the singers a seat in the new meeting-house that Psalmody may be carried on with greater regulation." Fifty pounds sterling money was voted to defray the new meeting-house charges, etc.
22 June, 1774, Daniel Campbell, Lieut. Kendrick, and Israel Towne, jr., were appointed a committee to examine the accounts of the meeting-house and pew committees.
9 March, 1778. The town voted that the seats in the front gallery, in the meeting-house, from the women's seats to the first pillar in the men's, be granted for the use of a number of persons skilled in singing, and Ephraim Barker, William Low, Amos Stickney, Abijah Wilkins, and John Kimball, were appointed a committee for seating said seats.
31 March, 1779. The town voted to accept the report of the committee appointed to adjust the accounts of the new meeting-house and pew committees.
30 October, 1815. A committee consisting of William Low, David Stewart, and Andrew Leavitt, having reported that the meeting-house needed some repairs, the town voted
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that said committee be authorized to make such repairs as were necessary.
March, 1818. The town refused to purchase stoves for the meeting-house.
For several years, efforts were made to induce the town to provide for warming the meeting-house during Sunday services ; but when the matter was brought up in town- meeting, a majority of the voters steadily refused to make an appropriation for the purpose. Perhaps they thought it well to have the temperature of their house of worship as unlike as possible to that of the reputed abode of lost spirits. Wood was cheap, and they could assemble at the taverns near by, where mine host always had good fires burning, around which they could gather, talk politics, discuss the forenoon's sermon,-the two being frequently identical,-drink flip,-or something stronger,-watch the boys, and get in good shape for the afternoon's campaign. The fairer half of creation took refuge in the neighboring houses, where they were welcomed to good fires and just as the bell rung, furnished with a plenty of live coals to fill the fire boxes in the little foot stoves they carried.
So, they worshiped. Some, however, were not satisfied, and occasionally used the columns of the Cabinet to give vent to their feelings. One of these who evidently had a realizing sense of what was before him and his fellow sufferers, thus wrote in the Cabinet of 26 December, 1818 :
" Even the Indians have STOVES in their meeting-house. Is it not astonishing that civilized and enlightened people have none; but that they nearly freeze themselves and children every Sabbath in the winter, when the trifling expense of one dollar each would make them comfortable ? A word to the frozen will, we hope, be sufficient to make them-weather wise."
The subject was again brought up at the next annual meeting, but the town refused to take any action upon the subject. Finally, in 1824, some stoves were procured by individual subscriptions and placed in the meeting-house.
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Still the house was a cold, uncomfortable place, until it was removed and remodeled in 1836. After that time foot stoves were dispensed with, and the few that now remain are shown as enrious relies of the past.
March, 1821. The town voted to shingle the meeting- house, and make such repairs of the clapboarding and doors of the same as were necessary ; also voted to paint the house, and William Fisk, William Low, and David McG. Means were appointed a committee to procure the work done. They were authorized to examine the steeple, and, if they thought proper, take it down and build a cupola in its place. The sum of $500 was placed at their disposal to lay out for the above, and for such other repairs as they might see fit to make upon the house.
In the winter of 1832 a movement was made for the sale of the house, the town reserving certain rights and privi- leges in the same. The matter was brought before the town at the March meeting in that year by appropriate articles in the warrant calling the meeting.
14 March, 1832. The town voted to sell the meeting- house at auction, with the following reservations :
1. The town reserved the right to use the house for all town meetings, for so long a time as they might wish to use it for that purpose.
2. The town reserved the bell, clocks, and belfry or tower, the purchaser to have the right to pass and repass through the west doors, as now used, also the right to ring the bell for funerals, public worship, and other public occasions, without expense to the town.
3. The rights of all owners of pews in the house were reserved to them, and the owners of the organ and stoves were to have the right to remove their property from the house.
4. Provided that the purchaser neglected to keep the house in repair, so that it should not be as comfortable for town meetings as it then was, he should forfeit all rights
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conveyed by the deed, and the house should revert to the town.
5. Previous to the sale of the house all the pews were to be appraised by a committee of impartial men not residing in town, and the purchaser, before receiving his deed, was to take and pay for all such pews as the owners might wish to sell, provided such owners, within ten days after the sale of the house, expressed their wish to sell, by a writing left with the town-clerk.
6. The purchaser was to receive a deed with the above reservations and conditions as soon as the pews were paid for, and receive possession at the time of receiving his deed.
7. In case the purchaser should not, within fifteen days, comply with the conditions and take his deed, a deed was to be given to the next lowest bidder, if he would take it at his bid, and if not, to the next lowest, if he would take it at his bid, and so on, if any will take it at his bid, provided the said right of the town shall not be sold for a less sum than one hundred dollars.
8. Edmund Parker, David Fisk, jr., John Mack, and Jacob Hildreth, were appointed a committee to carry the above vote into effect, and they, or a major part of them, were directed to cause the pews to be appraised as soon as might be, and give a deed of the house according to the above conditions.
The sale of the meeting-house was finally made by the town, with the foregoing reservations and restrictions, the First Congregational Church and Society in Amherst being the purchasers, and the property was transferred to them by the committee appointed for the purpose.
At a meeting of the First Congregational Church and Society held 4 January, 1836, a committee was chosen to ascertain the probable cost of altering and repairing the meeting-house.
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6 February, 1836. The committee exhibited a plan for an alteration of the house and an estimate of the expense of the same, and a committee was appointed to ascertain the views of the pew-holders on the subject.
At a meeting held 20 February, 1836, the subject of the proposed alterations and repairs was discussed by the pew- holders at some length, and it was finally decided to abandon the project, and unite in an effort to build a new house.
2 April, 1836, a committee was chosen to make inquiries and report at a future meeting what would be the probable cost of a new house sufficient to answer the purposes of the society as a house of public worship. Another committee was appointed to consult the pew-holders still further in regard to the proposed alterations of the old house, and they were directed to report the result of their inquiries at the next meeting.
23 April, 1836. The committee appointed to inquire concerning the cost of a new house reported that they had visited the house recently erected in Milford, and estimated that one similar to it, which would probably answer the purposes of the society, might be built for $5,000. The committee to consult the pew-holders reported that sixty- five dollars would probably be sufficient to buy all the pews that the owners were unwilling to sell at the appraisal.
After hearing the reports the society voted to reconsider the vote to build a new meeting-house, and voted to repair the old one.
Voted to remove the house to a piece of land owned by Jonathan Bennett, provided a sum of money could be raised by subscription sufficient to purchase the land and pay the expense of moving and underpinning the house.
Barnabas B. David, Daniel Hartshorn, Charles L. Stew- art, Jonathan Knight, and Luther Melendy, were appointed a committee to superintend the removal and repairs of the house.
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As the town still retained an interest in the house, reserved at the time of its sale, the selectmen, upon applica- tion of members of the society, called a town-meeting, which was held 21 May, 1836, at which the town gave the society leave to move the house as proposed. It was also voted to convey by deed to the First Congregational Church and Society in Amherst all the title the town had in the land on which the string of horse sheds, running north from the meeting-house, stood ; said land to be used by the society for the purpose of placing the meeting-house on the same, pro- vided the consent of the owners of the sheds be first obtained, the society furnishing a piece of land, and removing the sheds to it, free of expense to the town or the owners of the sheds, and the selectmen were authorized to make a conveyance, as aforesaid, in behalf of the town.
The town also consented that the society should make such alterations in the house, and about the west porch, bell deck, and steeple, as they wished, provided the house was left as convenient for town purposes as it then was.
Ezra Prescott, Ephraim Blanchard, and David Underhill, were appointed a committee on the part of the town to consult with a committee of the First Congregational Church and Society respecting the accommodation of the town in said house for town purposes.
At a meeting held 27 August, 1836, the town voted to repair the bell-deck and steeple, and that the selectmen be the committee to make such repairs as may seem to them necessary for the safety of the town property and the comfortable appearance of the steeple.
March, 1837. On motion of Hon. Charles H. Atherton, the town voted to accept the hall that had been fitted up in the meeting-house for a place in which to hold its meetings.
August, 1836. The meeting-house was removed from the spot " on the training-field " where the fathers placed it sixty-five years before, to the place it now occupies. Prior to its removal, the porch at the east end was taken off,
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after which the house was moved to the place prepared for its reception. The work of removal was under the direction of Capt. Nathan Call, of Concord, and was accom- plished with apparent ease. Mr. Boylston remarked in the Cabinet that "Capt. Call is as renowned for his removals as Gen. Jackson, and has Calls as frequently for his moving powers." The Captain might have responded that the editor was quite as much given to " cabinet making " as the President.
19 December, 1836. Hubbard Newton, Daniel Campbell, jr., and Andrew Wallace, were appointed a committee to appraise the pews in the new meeting-house. Mr. Wallace not wishing to serve, Deacon Abel Downe was appointed in his stead.
1 January, 1837. The repairs on the meeting-house being completed, it was again occupied by the society for Sunday services. The exercises on this occasion, under the direction of the pastor, Rev. Silas Aiken, were appropriate and of a very interesting character.
The centennial anniversary of the dedication of the second meeting-house was celebrated with appropriate services on Sunday, 18 January, 1874.
The house had lately been thoroughly repaired, and a new organ built by Geo. H. Ryder, of Boston, was used for the first time on the occasion.
Many citizens of Mont Vernon and Milford were present. In Mont Vernon the meeting-house was closed to enable the pastor and people to join their neighbors in the centen- nial exercises.
The forenoon was occupied by the delivery of a highly appropriate historical discourse by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Davis.
In the afternoon Rev. Mr. Ruland, of the Methodist church, gave a short address. Rev. Mr. Heald gave an historical sketch of the Baptist church, and Rev. Dr. Keeler, the acting pastor, gave an interesting historical sketch of
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the church in Mont Vernon, formerly the Second parish in Amherst.
On the afternoon of Monday, 19 January, a meeting was held at the town-hall at which Rev. Dr. Davis presided. A very interesting historical sketch of the church in Milford, formerly the Third parish in Amherst, was given by William B. Towne, Esq., of Milford, and reminiscences of many of the inhabitants of the town in former times were given by other speakers.
An organ concert at the church in the evening concluded the centennial services.
The house is now in good repair, and its massive timbers promise a continuance for centuries. Long may it be spared from the fire and tempest, a connecting link between present and by-gone generations.
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CHAPTER XII. THE TOWN MINISTRY. 1741-1835.
GRANTS FOR THE SUPPORT OF PREACHING .- SETTLEMENT OF MR. WILKINS .- GRANTS FOR HIS SUPPORT .- MR. WILKINS CHOSEN MINISTER BY THE TOWN .- VOTES IN RELATION TO HIS SALARY. -FAILURE OF HIS HEALTH .- ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR A SUPPLY OF THE PULPIT. - MR. BLYDENBURG INVITED TO SETTLE AS COLLEAGUE .- PROTEST AGAINST HIS SETTLEMENT. -MR. FOSTER INVITED, BUT DECLINES .- MR. BARNARD IN- VITED .- PROTEST AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE TOWN .- MR. BARNARD'S ANSWER .- MEETING OF THE ORDAINING COUNCIL. MR. LIVERMORE'S ACCOUNT OF ITS PROCEEDINGS .- PROTEST AGAINST MR. BARNARD'S SETTLEMENT .- PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOWN .- DEATH OF MR. WILKINS .- ANNUITY VOTED TO MRS. WIL- KINS .- ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST PARISH .- SETTLEMENT OF MR. BARNARD'S SALARY .- THE PARISH ORGANIZATION ABAN- DONED .- THE MUSSEY LAWSUIT .- SALE OF MINISTERIAL LAND AND DIVISION OF THE PROCEEDS .- MR. BARNARD CALLED TO ACCOUNT .- SETTLEMENT OF A COLLEAGUE PROPOSED .- MR. BARNARD'S LETTER .- SETTLEMENT OF MR. LORD .- THE UNITA- RIAN CONTROVERSY .- DEALINGS OF THE TOWN WITH UNITA- RIANS AND UNIVERSALISTS .- VOTES IN REGARD TO MR. BARN- ARD'S TAX .- MR. LORD RELINQUISHES A PART OF HIS SALARY. -NEGLECT OF THE TOWN TO PAY MR. BARNARD'S SALARY .- MR. LORD DISMISSED .- DEATH OF MR. BARNARD .- MONEY RE- CEIVED FROM THE SALE OF THE MINISTERIAL LAND DISPOSED OF .- THE TOWN MINISTERS.
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THE TOWN AND PARISH MINISTRY.
At a meeting held 27 December, 1738, the proprietors
" Voted, that the Inhabitants of Souhegan West, No. 3, shall Draw twenty pounds out of the Tressury towards there having the word of God Preached among them for the next six months."
17 July, 1739, they
" Voted, that the Inhabitants of Souhegan West, No. 3, shall have and Draw out of the Tressury the sum of Twenty pounds toward there haveing the Word of God Preched amonghts them till the last of March next, if they bring to the Tressurer the men's names that Preched ten days."
11 December, 1739,
" Voted, that there be an addition of fifty shillings per day for each Sabbath they shall have Preching amonghts them."
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