USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Antrim > History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its earliest settlement to June 27, 1877, with a brief genealogical record of all the Antrim families > Part 22
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March 12, 1782, the town " Voted that Wee have Ten Days' Preaching this year ; " and at an adjourned meeting, March 26, they " Voted Jams Dinsmore be a Committee man to Get preach- ing ; " also Alexander Jameson. At a second adjournment, they " Voted that Dan' Nichols Read the Pslam on Sabath Days and other Days When publick Service is attended for the Current year." This committee also hired Mr. Miltimore a few Sab- baths ; and it is inferred that on other Sabbaths the people carried on a meeting themselves, at which Daniel Nichols did " Read the Pslam."
March 11, 1783, " Voted Ten Days preaching this year." " Voted the SELECTMEN provide the preaching," and " Voted the Minister have four Dollars per Day."
March 9, 1784, " Voted Twelve Days Preaching for this Year." They also had an article in the warrant "To See What Steps the Town Will take in Consequence of the Late act of the Gen- eral Court for Raising a tax off the Lands in Sd Town for the
179
RAISING THE MEETING-HOUSE.
purpose of Building a Meeting House and Purchasing a Miniss- terial Lot." On the strength of this aid they determined to build. They decided to have the edifice forty by fifty feet, with a porch at either end, patterned after the old church in London- derry where they had attended in youth. A picture of the old church is preserved in this book. They chose Daniel Nichols, James Dinsmore, and Samuel Dinsmore, a " Committee to Esta- mate the timber."
At a meeting Sept. 2, 1784, the report of this committee was accepted. They voted to build " where the Centor is Now found ;" voted to sell the building " To the Loest Bidder,", and chose the same committee to make the contract. They also at a subse- quent meeting voted " five Gallons of Rum for the Vendue." Nov. 3, they " Voted to have Two Barrels of Rum for the Rais- ing," and " Voted Jams Hopkins Get the Rum."
In April, 1785, they voted, in addition to the rum, to " Provide Bread and Chease and Dry fish for Breakfast for the Raising at the Meeting house & Butter; " that " A meat Dinner be Provided for the Reasing ; " and also " Voted to Provide one Dozen of Wooden kans each to hold Three Quarts." June 8, 1785, Col. William Gregg of Londonderry, who was noted as commander of a division in the battle of Bennington, came here as master- workman. The people were all alive with enthusiasm. The tim- ber was standing when he came ; but the people went at it with such vigor that all was cut, hewed, and framed, in less than three weeks. They took the pine timber from the plain, about the Branch cemetery, but the hard wood was cut on the hill near by. The house was raised June 28; and a great day it was for Antrim. The people rejoiced that they had even the frame of a meeting-house. Hitherto they had worshiped chiefly in barns. "So pleased," says Dr. Whiton, " were the people with the idea of having a meeting-house, that, on the Sabbath next after the raising of the frame, they met in it for worship, having a Mr. Whipple for their preacher. Nothing had been done to the house but to lay down a little loose flooring, to place a few boards on blocks for seats, and a few on the beams as a screen from the sun. In time of service there arose a violent thunder-storm, and while the little congregation were fleeing for shelter the rain poured down copiously, wetting many to the skin." But this was not so hard as a similar case some years before in Hills- borough, - when Rev. Mr. Barnes got his boots full of water in a shower !
180
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
This old church was not completed till near the close of 1792, it taking nearly eight years to struggle through it. They did what they could each year, but they didn't have any debt or mortgage ! Blessed old building ! What lessons of persever- ance and self-denial it speaks ! What memories are sealed in its massive walls !
March 8, 1785, the town voted twelve days' preaching, and " Voted Publick Worship be at Daniel Miltimore's this year " (Whiteley place). It was here, this same Mr. Whipple preach- ing for them, that, the little dwelling being crowded full, the floor gave way, and dropped them all, minister, people, furniture, and Bible, into the cellar ! Strange to say, nobody was hurt ; and with a small fright and a few scratches and a short inter- ruption, the service went on !
In 1796 and the following years till 1800, the amount of money raised for preaching was from fifty to three hundred dol- lars, - slowly increasing from the first-named sum. These amounts seem small, but, under the circumstances of the people, were far in excess of what their descendants do.
For the most part, the preaching in 1786-87 was by Rev. Aaron Hutchinson, Sen., an eccentric, brilliant, good old man, of whom information is given in the genealogy.
March 13, 1787, the town " Voted Capt Nichols Colect the minisster tax for four Dollars,"- the first in town to have that honor.
March 11, 1788, the town chose Isaac Cochran to go to the presbytery and ask for the organization of a church in Antrim. Other records show that John Duncan was added to this com- mittee. All the action was taken by the town in legal meeting. The people were, without exception, in sympathy with the Pres- byterian system, and some of them were still members of Pres- byterian churches in the towns whence they came. On this petition the presbytery sent Rev. William Morrison, of London- derry, to this place to organize a church. He found things sat- isfactory, and proceeded to organize the present Center church, Aug. 2, 1788. James Aiken, Isaac Cochran, and Jonathan Nes- mith, by vote of the church and the congregation, were chosen elders ; and this session held its first meeting and transacted its first business on that day. On the following day, Aug. 3, Mr. Morrison preached ; and the church, which seems to have been organized out of those who had been members elsewhere,
181
COMMUNION SERVICES.
received quite a number by profession, - making seventy-two in all. The sacrament of the Lord's supper was first administered in Antrim Aug. 24, 1788. Subsequently it was administered but once a year ; and Mr. Morrison, who first officiated, contin- ued his annual visits for this purpose many years. He was an able and winsome man, and was greatly endeared to this people. He died March 9, 1818, after a pastorate of thirty-five years.
The annual sacramental seasons were times of great interest to the whole town. For many years the whole town kept the preceding Thursday and Friday with great strictness as fast days ; and Saturday afternoon, all day Sunday, and Monday forenoon were entirely given to public religious services. Abso- lutely all of the people attended. As these meetings were planned for, and anticipated long, and neighboring ministers were called in to help, the whole was very impressive, and often issued in revivals ; and the church, though without a pastor, constantly increased.
March 23, 1790, the town " Voted M' David Mcleary Provide table Linning twelve yds 7-8ths wide at the town's Coast," this being for the communion tables. Long tables were set in the aisles of the church and before the pulpit, at which all, if possi- ble, sat down together, the aged being seated first, and the ele- ments being passed from one to the other. Sometimes the tables had to be set several times. At the mother church in Londonderry, more than seven hundred have been known to be present at communion. Often persons came in from a distance, and were unknown to pastor and deacons. In such cases, to keep out unworthy persons. it was customary for each pastor to furnish his own flock with cheap, lead coins, marked with the letter A, entitling them to admission. With still greater reason, this practice had been in vogue beyond the water. It was a kind of certificate of church-membership. Long, however, after there was no need of it, these tokens were in use. The aged people remember when they were taken at the Lord's table, and some of them are kept till the present day. They ceased to be used in Antrim in 1824.
Subsequent to the organization of the church, preaching was maintained most of the time, except in the midst of winter, by various ministers. May 28, 1792, the town voted a call to Rev. Samuel Tomb, which he declined. At the March meeting in 1793, the town renewed the call, but in vain. The records for
182
MINISTERS HIRED BY THE TOWN.
1793-94-95 speak of " boarding the minister," but we know not who he was. A Mr. Duff was perhaps here a few Sabbathis, as the town record speaks of voting to send for him. Rev. David Goodall preached here in the summer of 1796, and a town meet- ing was called Dec. 10, 1796, " To know the minds of the town if they will employ Mr Goodall to Supply the Dessk in antrim any longer." Jan. 5, 1797, the town met "To see if the town will vote to present a call to the Rev. David Goodall proba- tioner ;" on which they " Voted not to give m" Goodall a call at present," and appointed a committee to " enquire into Mr. Good- all's moral character." For some reason he did not remain ; but he turned out to be a self-denying and useful man.
March 14, 1797, the town " Voted the agents inquire into the character of m" Cleveland, and apply to him to Supply the Dessk if they find it fair." He may have preached here in the sum- mer of 1797. In the spring of 1798 Mr. Joshua Howard came here to preach. June 18, a meeting was called to give him an invitation to settle as the town's minister. No record of this meeting appears, but it seems the call was voted, for, at a meet- ing Aug. 27 following, they speak of the " call voted last meet- ing." Mr. Howard went to Dunstable, Mass. Early in 1799, Mr. Walter Little, of Peterborough, came here to preach. June 3, 1799, an article was in the warrant to see whether they would ask " Mr. Little for further service." Aug. 29, following, they voted him a call. At a subsequent meeting they made the sal- ary three hundred and twenty dollars, and four Sabbaths' vaca- tion. He was ordained Sept. 3, 1800, and resigned Sept. 4, 1804. In 1802 he had his name changed to. Fullerton. The first opposition to paying the town's minister appears in the record of a town meeting, Feb. 8, 1803, to act on the petition of Zaccheus Fairbanks and others, to be " released from paying taxes to the Rev. Walter Fullerton," which petition was not granted. In the dismission of Mr. Fullerton, the entire action was taken by the town, there being no evidence of any action by the church. Several very sensible resolutions on the matter were passsed in legal meeting, and may be found in the Town Record, vol. 1, page 251.
May 1, 1805, the town voted a call to Thomas Cochran, of New Boston, he having preached here some months previous. This call was declined, but he seems to have remained their preacher for a time. Nov. 20, 1806, the town voted a call to Mr.
183
MR. WHITON SETTLED AS PASTOR.
William Ritchie, of Peterborough, which he declined. He went to Canton, Mass. The previous year the session adopted a cus- tom then somewhat prevalent, which Mr. Whiton describes as the admission of " persons of sober life and conversation, who had been themselves baptized, to the privilege of bringing their chil -. dren to baptism." This was called the " half-way practice," or "owning the covenant." This was making town and church still more as one. Many availed themselves of the privilege. It was a matter of great talk and argument, then, and long after ; but was practiced only five years.
Mr. John M. Whiton first preached here July 11, 1807. At a special town meeting, Sept. 21, 1807, they voted him a call. After a month or two Mr. Whiton declined the call and left town, - probably on account of some opposition to him. But, May 8, 1808, at a special meeting, the town renewed the call, offering a salary of four hundred and fifty dollars, - the same being counted large in those days. In addition, they voted five hundred dollars down, which they called a " settlement," from which twenty-five dollars a year was to be paid back for the time he was deficient, if he left within twenty years, except in case of sickness or death. With that five hundred dollars they wanted to help him start, and they wanted to hold him.
In consideration of these inducements, and of the earnest desire and great need of the people, Mr. Whiton accepted this second call, and was ordained Sept. 28, 1808. And notwith- standing thirteen men entered on the town record their protest against his settlement, - some of them very bitter, some on the ground that the salary was too much for the town to pay, though the population was greater than it is now, and no other church within its bounds ; some on the ground that money for preach- ing ought to be collected " only by subscription "; and some on the ground that Mr. Whiton " held the tenets of Hopkins," apparently a very thin excuse for those men to make, -notwith- standing all this, Mr. Whiton continued pastor long after every one of these opposers was dead and gone, reaching almost the longest pastorate in the history of the New Hampshire churches.
Mr. Whiton's letter of acceptance is a model in every respect, but too long for this place. An indication of his feeling, and a prophecy of his career, may be seen in the following sentence from it : " When I reflect on the various events that have, unex- pectedly to myself, led to my return to you, I cannot but think
184
NEW MEETING-HOUSE.
there has been a Providence superintending these events, and plainly marking out this place as the scene of my labors."
Some items concerning the ordination may be found in the narrative of the town for 1808. None of those who protested, from time to time, against paying for his support, were ever com- pelled to pay. Mr. Whiton, by his prudent and charitable course, soon gained the hearts of the community. Matters went on harmoniously and prosperously quite a number of years, until the excitement arose about building a new meeting-house. The town as such voted to build, but could not agree on a location. After two years of excited talk, the present locality being agree- able to a large majority, a voluntary society was formed to go ahead and build, as appears from the following, from the " Amherst Cabinet," Dec. 24, 1825 : -
Notice is hereby given that Jonathan Nesmith, James Cochran, James Boyd, Amos Parmenter, and Samuel Fletcher, and their associates, have this day formed and organized themselves into a society for the purpose of building a house for public worship, to be styled and known by the name of the Central Society in Antrim, etc.
ROBERT REID, Clerk.
Eighty-three men united to form this society. They chose John Worthley, Thomas McCoy, Samuel Cummings, James Wallace, Jr., and Isaac Baldwin, their building committee. They began the foundation in the fall of 1825, quite a large company assembling, and Mr. Whiton making an address, at the laying of the corner-stone. The house was erected in the sum- mer of 1826, at a cost of six thousand two hundred dollars. The bell, costing over four hundred dollars, was added by sub- cription, and was first used in tolling the death of Dr. Whiton's mother, Oct. 27, 1826. When they were ready to raise the steeple, the four long corner-timbers of it were first drawn up and laid on the beams. Then they drew up the two front tim- bers to a perpendicular position, and fastened them there by ropes. Then two young men, Ira Cochran and William S. Foster, one to each long timber, with a brace in one hand and holding on with the other, were swung up on the top ends of the timbers, met at the top, drew the four timbers into position, put in their braces, pinned them, and then slipped down the ropes outside to the ground ! It was a feat beheld with trembling by a great multitude !
-
The house was dedicated Nov. 15, 1826. Sermon by Dr.
CENTER CHURCH.
185
THE GREAT REVIVAL.
Whiton, Gen. xxviii. 17. The first Sabbath of the following December they met for the last service in the old house on the hill. It was cold and desolate, - nature's mournfulest hour, - but the company was large, and Mr. Whiton preached an able sermon (which ought to be preserved), from John iv. 20, " Our fathers worshiped in this mountain," closing with the words of Jesus at the supper : " Arise, let us go hence." Then they all marclied down the hill to this house, filling it full, and Mr. Whiton proceeded to preach again from Ps. cxxxii. 8, 9, " Arise, O Lord, into thy rest ; thou and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness ; and let thy saints shout for joy."
Yet with these sounds of gladness there were undertones of disquiet and opposition. Building the new house soured some, some wanted an excuse for not paying anything for religion, many felt heavily the cost of construction, - so that the next spring ninety-one citizens entered on the town record their pro- test against paying any tax for Mr. Whiton's support. This made about one-third of the paying men in town, and things looked dark and uncertain for the future. But at this critical juncture God came to his people's rescue. Hardly had the last protest, backed up by vigorous wrath, got into the record, when a revival began. It came entirely unexpected ; it broke out where it would never have been looked for ; softly as the warm breezes of spring it moved over the whole town, - it was the. most sweeping and wonderful revival Antrim ever saw ; nobody questioned that it was the work of God. It silenced opposition, it turned enemies into friends, it united Christians, it brought more than one hundred new members to this church, and its good results are visible now, after the lapse of nearly fifty years. This precious revival began in May and was at its height in hay- time ; yet, notwithstanding the time given to meetings, they got their hay all right, - and good and plenty besides.
Up to this time, the Presbyterian church had been so much a town church, its affairs being transacted in legal meeting and by public vote, that I have felt justified in this somewhat large nar- rative of it. But, subsequent to 1826, I will now make its history very brief. In 1831 there was another revival, and an addition of about forty to the church. For the next twenty years there were many additions from time to time, but heavy losses from death and emigration. And Mr. Whiton was feeling the burden
186
CLOSE OF MR. WHITON'S PASTORATE.
1
of age, and growing unusually anxious for the flock he must soon leave. Then came the revival of 1851, gladdening his old age. Nearly forty were added to the church ; it was greatly cheered and strengthened by those additions ; other denomina- tions in town were also blessed ; peace and love unusually pre- vailed ; and Mr. Whiton, with characteristic prudence, took this favored time to resign his pastorship, which was done in May, 1852. At the close of his service the church numbered one hundred and fifty-three. On the last Sabbath of December fol- lowing, he preached his farewell discourse. It closed a service of forty-five years. Many of the hearers of this last sermon were grandchildren of his original flock. A few aged ones present on that occasion remembered the ordination. He had been with them in all the afflictions they ever knew.
And when the committee of the church arose to address to him some parting words in reply, every one was overcome ; tears filled the reader's eyes (Dea. Robert Steel), and his voice was choked and broken. And even the saintly old pastor was cap- tured by his emotions. It was a parting of intense interest. and pain. There was something grand about it. Seldom in this world can such a scene be witnessed. On that day only five were living of the flock to which he came ; and on this day only thirty are with us of the great number which he welcomed to the church !
Mr. Whiton having given his resignation eight months in ad- vance of its taking effect, a successor was early in his place, Rev. John H. Bates being ordained March 16, 1853. He was a man of more than ordinary learning and power. Under him there was only one revival, that of 1864. He resigned July 1, 1866, and died May 10, 1870. By his effort the organ was obtained in 1864, it being presented by the following absent sons of An- trim : S. W. Flint, John G. Flint, I. P. Wallace, M. W. Stick- ney, Leander Stickney, A. C. Cochran, and W. W. Duncan. To Mr. Bates belongs also much credit in the success of remodeling the church in 1857.
The services of the present pastor began Jan. 1, 1868, though he was not ordained till March 18, 1869. The chapel, located a few steps east of the church, was built in 1875.
The people turned out and gave their service to prepare the foundation. The building was given to the church by the follow- ing persons : Hon. William B. Dinsmore, Hon. Daniel M. Chris-
187
SESSION OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
tie, Mary Clark, John G. Flint, Esq., M. W. Stickney, Esq., Leander Stickney, Esq., David M. Weston, Esq., Prof. James E. Vose, Gardiner Parmenter, Esq., Hon. George W. Nesmith, Hon. George W. Patterson, Hon. Charles Adams, Jr., W. W. Duncan, Esq., Edward Whiteley. Esq., Hon. G. W. Cochrane, John J. Whittemore, Esq., and Rev. W. R. Cochrane.
The membership of the old church, now (Jan. 1, 1880) in its ninety-second year, is two hundred and sixty-three.
It may please the curious to be reminded, that, in the early history of these old churches, persons were seated according to rank. In some of the older towns the duty devolved upon the selectmen, and it was customary to have set rules to follow. I have examined one set of rules, eight in number, two items of which I quote : "That every male be allowed one degree for every complete year of age he exceeds twenty-one " (not to be applied to unmarried women) ; and “ That some suitable abate- ment in degrees be made where it is well known that the person is greatly in debt." Who says there was no churchly pride in those days ?
The front seats were highest in rank. Women were seated separately from the men. Children were seated on the gallery stairs, or in a great box pew, with a tithing-man to keep them still. Persons of no special standing took the back seats. Strange to say, all this was more prevalent in Congregational churches than in Presbyterian. It did not prevail to any great extent in Antrim, except in the courtesy that was shown to age and piety, though traces were visible of its influence for many years.
It appears even now, in the pauper's pew, and in the custom of taking the best-dressed stranger to the front seat !
The session of the Presbyterian church is here added : -
No.
Name.
Year of Choice.
Year of Death.
1. James Aiken,
1788,
1817.
2. Isaac Cochran,
1788,
1825.
3. Jonathan Nesmith,
1788,
1845.
4. John Duncan,
1800,
1823.
5. John Alexander,
1800,
1812.
6. James Nesmith,
1800,
1845.
7. Arthur Nesmith,
1800,
1823.
8.
Sutheric Weston,
1800,
1831.
9.
Daniel Nichols,
1800,
1812.
10.
Barachias Holt,
1800,
1846.
11. Joseph Boyd,
1800,
1816.
12. James Carr,
1800,
1834.
188
EAST CHURCH.
13. Samuel Vose,
1816,
1830.
14. Tristram Sawyer, 1816,
1859.
15. Josiah Duncan, 1816,
1833.
16: John Taylor,
1816,
1837.
17. Epps Burnham,
1816,
1847.
18. John Bell,
1825,
1865.
19.
Amos Parmenter,
1825,
1865.
20.
Robert Steel,
1825,
1867.
21.
Robert Duncan,
1825,
1859.
22. William Little,
1831,
1869.
23. Joel Wilkins,
1831,
1865.
24.
Samuel Fletcher,
1835,
1845.
25. James Hopkins,
1835,
1838.
26. Samuel Wood,
1852,
1876.
27. Asa Bond,
1852,
1865.
28. Imla Wright,
1860.
29. James Boyd,
1860,
1880.
30.
Thomas Thompson,
1860.
31. Francis M. Shattuck,
1866,
1876.
32. Harris B. Newman,
1870,
1876.
33. John E. Hastings,
1870.
34.
Edward D. Putney,
1870.
35. Enoch C. Paige,
1876.
36. James W. Perkins,
1879.
THE EAST CHURCH.
The church in the east part of the town was erected also in 1826. It was forty-four by fifty-five feet, and cost four thousand five hundred dollars. Jacob Whittemore, Benjamin Bullard, Solomon Hopkins, Dimon Dodge, Benjamin Rollins, and others, being dis- satisfied with the erection of a house at the Center, called a meeting at John McCoy's (big brick house) late in the fall of 1825, soon after the foundation at the Center was laid; and there they formed themselves into a society which they called " The First United Presbyterian Congregational Baptist Society in Antrim." Certainly the name was long enough for conven- ience.
Having by committee fixed on a location, they gave John McCoy one hundred dollars for the acre of land, and chose Thomas K. Breed, Benjamin Bullard, and Elijah Gould, build- ing committee. A certain Capt. Kilburn built the house. It was dedicated Dec. 20, 1826, the sermon being by Rev. John Law- ton of Hillsborough. It was built by a' union of people in East Antrim, West Deering, and the north part of Bennington ; but there was no church organization. In the great revival of 1827,
189
-
BAPTIST CHURCH.
there were, however, several converts in that part of the town ; and from these a Congregational church of seventeen members was organized Oct. 25, 1827, the sermon being preached by Rev. Phinehas Cooke, of Acworth. Nearly as many united with the new church by letter, nine of them being from the Center church. The first minister in the new house was Rev. Roswell Harris, who was here through the revival and most of the time for three or four years succeeding, and left an excellent name. He was a Congregationalist. The next preacher was Rev. Joseph Davis, of the Baptist order, who remained about twenty years, though preaching part of the time in other places. Mr. Davis was honored by the town by appointment to the offices of town clerk, representative, and superintending school committee. Under his ministry a small Baptist church was formed, in the fall of 1831, it is believed. Benjamin Nichols was its deacon. It was dissolved about 1841, its members, few in number, uniting with the church in Bennington, now the Antrim Baptist church. After Mr. Davis there was occasional preaching in the East church till 1860, by Baptist and Methodist ministers. The Con- gregational church there, being reduced to a small number, dis- solved in 1843, most of its members uniting with the Presbyte- rian church, some of them being yet alive.
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