USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Mont Vernon > History of the town of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire > Part 9
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
continues (June, 1905.) Mr. Peck is a preacher of unusual ability, always discoursing without notes, and his sermons are plain, practical Christian utterances, illustrated by a fund of ready reference to cur- rent events and up-to-date thought.
For the last twenty-five years the strength of the church and so- ciety has waned, by the death, or departure from Mont Vernon, of a considerable number on which both relied for strength and support. A considerable summer clientage, however, helps to maintain public worship in the decidedly handsome and commodious little meeting- house, which is among the most attractive in the country.
CHAPTER VII.
THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE.
PEW-GROUNDS-PEW-SPOTS-ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS-TRANSFER OF PARISHI MATTERS TO TOWN-HORSE-SHEDS-BUILDINGS ON THE COMMON-CALL TO REV. STEPHEN CHAPIN-HIS DISMISSAL-THE MINISTERIAL FUND-EXTENSIVE REPAIRS-PARSONAGE-FIRE IN MEETING HOUSE-NEW MODELLING THE HOUSE-ITS REMOVAL ACROSS THE ROAD-HEARSE AND HEARSE HOUSE-LAST SERVICE IN OLD HOUSE-AS A TOWN HALL-TOWN AND SOCIETY QUIT- CLAIM TO EACH OTHER-CO-PARTNERSHIP ENDED-CERTAIN RIGHTS RESERVED-APPROPRIATION TO CHANGE MEETING-HOUSE TO TOWN HALL -THE CHANGES -OLD BAPTISMAL BOWL FOUND -TOWN HALL DEDICATED.
The story of the building of the first meeting-house in 1781, is given at some length in the first chapter of this history, as well as sundry notes relative to changes therein, and to the "burying. ground," which is about a quarter of a mile from the meeting-house, towards Francestown. The accounts of what has been done. from time to time, to the building are meagre.
1784, Dec. 29, the Parish voted a deed of "pew ground," No. 33, ' to the Widow Hannah Peabody, of Amherst, 6 ft. 1 in. long by 4 ft. 11 in. wide, according to a scheme of ground plot or plan of land now lodged with the public record of said Parish ;" which is of interest as fixing the size of the "pew-grounds."
When the new meeting- house was built in 1896, some of these "pew-ground" deeds, which had descended by inheritance or other- wise to persons then living, were offered in exchange for pews in the new edifice, but of course that could not be allowed, as the old pew- grounds were then valueless ; nor was such an exchange necessary,
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as no pews were sold, or even rented in the new meeting-house, sittings in which were made free to all.
1790, April 26, the Parish voted "to allow 4 pews more in front of those now built on the lower floor, in said house."
Also voted "6 'pew-spots' more in the gallery," and chose a committee to sell the "spots" to the highest bidder.
Voted "to impower the committee to pay up the arrearages and finish the meeting-house."
1791, July 9. Voted "to find stuff and to build the seats in said meeting-house, except the front of the brestworks in said seats."
1792, Oct. 25. Voted "not to have the Small Pox any longer in said Parish after the House now infected can be cleaned."
1804, March 13. The new Town of Mont Vernon had an article in the warrant "to see if they will acknowledge all former contracts of the Second Parish of Amherst not legally discharged, as their own, and order the selectmen for the time being to call for a transfer of all monies, grants and obligations in favor of said Parish." Under this article it was
Voted "to take a transfer of all parish matters to the Town of Mont Vernon, and acknowledge them as their own."
IIere ended the Parish, and the Town succeeded to its privileges and obligations.
1808, April 13. An article was put in the warrant "to see if the town will agree to I t old buildings that is halled on to the Common in said Town and left there by John Averill, jr., and Jesse Averill, still continue there : if not, to see if said Town will allow said build- ing to have a place anywhere on the common near said meeting-house."
"To see what method said Town will take in future in regard to the building of horse-sheds, and the methods the inhabitants shall take to obtain leave for that purpose."
At the meeting held May 16, 1808, Voted "there should not any buildings stand in front or in rear of said meeting-house."
Voted "that all the horse-sheds and other buildings should not stand where they now stand."
Voted "to choose a committee of seven persons to say where the said sheds should stand."
The committee was at once named, and reported to the meeting, and it was voted "that persons having buildings should be notified to move them within 30 days."
The agency of the Town as a successor of the Parish in manag-
THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. ( Erected in 1781. ) Before Remodelled as Town Hall.
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
ing the affairs of the church is shown in a vote, April 11, 1809, "to choose a committee to hire a candidate to supply the pulpit; also to raise $127 for hiring preaching, and to appropriate the school land money in place of the $127."
1809, Sept. 25. There was an article in the warrant "to see if the Town will concur with the Church in said town, in giving a call to the Rev. Stephen Chapin to settle with said church." The vote was in the affirmative, and a committee appointed to report "what encouragement ought to be given to said Chapin.' After a recess of three-quarters of an hour, the committee reported that he should be paid an annual salary of $100 "including the annual interest on the ministerial money." Later, a day was voted by the town for Mr. Chapin's installation, and a committee was appointed to manage it, so far as the town was concerned.
1813, March 9. Voted "to remove the seats (except the front ones) on the lower floor of the meeting-house, and sell the ground at vendue on the day appointed for selling the Town's poor."
1818, Nov. 9. In consequence of a petition signed by Asa Stevens and others, an article was put in the warrant "to see what measures the Town will take relative to the situation of the Rev. Stephen Chapin and the People of his charge concerning some scriptural points."
Voted "to choose a committee to wait on Mr. Chapin and re- quest him to come forward and make a publick statement, relative to his disposition."
Also voted "that Mr. Chapin be dismissed agreeable to his re- quest."
For many years the town voted to appropriate the income of what was commonly known as the "funded money" towards the "support of the Gospel." The term for the same money was. some- times, "ministerial fund." The Rev.C. C. Carpenter says :
"The 'ministerial fund' was created by the sale of the ‘minis- terial land,' an hundred acres or so, originally set aside in the settle- ment of a town, for the use of the minister as long as he remained such. In process of time, because they were remote from the center of the town, or for other reasons, this was sold - in whole or part - and the proceeds made a fund, the income of which was to be used for the support of preaching - not so much as an addition to his salary, as for helping the people to make up the amount they had pledged. Some times this fund, through mismanagement, was lost,
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and in other cases - perhaps the most - used in some emergency for paying debt to the pastor. In some other cases, when other denom- inations than the 'standing order' sprang up, they claimed a share of it, and it was turned over to them. The sum was not large in any case, as the lands did not usually bring much."
1821, in June, there was an article in the warrant "to see if the town will vote to repair the outside of the meeting-house, agreeably to an act of the Legislature passed in 1819, and raise money for that purpose."
On this it was voted (June 15, 1821) "to repair the outside of the meeting-house. To choose a committee to report the repairs necessary to be made, and the best manner of effecting them."
The committee were evidently prepared beforehand, for after a recess of half an hour, they reported : "To right the underpinning, and point it with lime, supply the water-tables and clapboards that are wanting, and secure all the clapboards by sufficient nailing, shingle the two porches, and the roof on the backside with good 15- inch shingles, laying 43 inches to the weather, supply glass and putty and mend the window sashes, make a new front door, and door-stools to all the doors ; and paint the house with two coats of good paint and oil, the trimmings with white lead, and the body of the house a bright yellow, composed of 2-5 of white and 3-5 a French yellow, the doors of a mogany [mahogany ] color."
The committee added that the repairs were recommended "to be let out to the lowest bidder in two separate jobs or lots, viz. : The painting, glass and pitty in one lot, and all the other repairs specified in another, reserving the privilege of letting the whole job together, if it can be done cheaper."
The Town voted to accept the report, an'I that the repairs must be done by the last day of September; and chose a committee of three to oversee and accept them. Mr. Porter Kimball offered to do the entire job for $239, and it was "struck off" to him, and the Treasurer was authorized to borrow the money and pay him.
About all that is in the Town records for several years after this relative to the church. is a vote each year that the income of the "funded money" be paid to the religions society for the support of the ministry ; but in 1825 there was an article in the warrant "to see if the Town would vote to purchase a parsonage" with the funded money, or a part of it. Instead of voting this, however, it was voted "that the interest be appropriated (as last year) to the support of
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the Gospel ; that the selectmen collect the funded money as soon as consistent, and loan it to the Rev. N. Kingsbury, by his giving good security -providing he may want it."
At the same meeting a committee was appointed to make ar- rangements for letting individuals "build horse-sheds on the com- mon." It does not appear that anything was done under this vote, as in 1831 it was voted "to grant individuals the privilege to erect horse-sheds near the meeting-house."
1832, March 13, it was again voted "to let Rev. N. Kingsbury have the use of the funded money, by his giving satisfactory security."
At the same meeting it was voted that "the Rev. N. Kingsbury's society keep the meeting-house in repair the present year."
It was also voted "that the selectmen see that the meeting-house is properly swept after this meeting has adjourned."
It seems that the meeting-house caught fire in the winter of 1833-34, for at an adjourned Town meeting held April 7, 1834, it was voted "to repair the meeeting-house"; and further it was voted "to pay those who watched the meeting-house on the night of the fire 5 shillings each "
1836, March 22, at an adjourned meeting, there being no article in the warrant on that subject, it was
Voted, "to take the money called the Ministerial Money to defray the expenses of the Town, to be paid into the town treasury "
1837, March 14 There was an article in the warrant "to see if the town will hear any proposition that may be made by the Congre- gational Society in this place for new-modelling the meeting-house "
On this it was voted to choose a committee to confer with a committee of the Congregational Society respecting this article, and Allen Goodridge, George Raymond, and Jonathan Herrick were appointed
This committee reported at an adjourned meeting and the report was accepted The following votes were then passed:
1. "That the Town unite with the Congregational Society in this place in new-modelling the meeting-house.
2. "That one-half the ground floor of said meeting-house be ap- propriated for a Town Hall.
3. "That the Town furnish the Town Hall appropriated for their use, and that they sustain the roof of said house, making all repairs which may be required from time to time.
4. "That the Congregational Society be at the expense of all alter-
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ations, excepting what pertains to the Town Hall, that they sustain the body of said house, making all repairs which may be required from time to time, and that the said Congregational Society have sole control of said house, excepting the Town Hall for the transaction of town bus- iness.
5. "That the town choose an agent to convey their right or interest in the Meeting-House to the Congregational Society, reserving the right to the Town, agreeably to the above votes."
Chose Jonathan Herrick to make the above conveyance.
This contract was scrupulously adhered to fifty-nine years, and the church and town occupied the edifice harmoniously, within clearly defined limits, until the building of the new church in 1896
Until this time (1837) the meeting-house had stood on the common, on the easterly side of the main road to Milford and Am- herst ; but when this new modelling took place, it was moved to its present site on the westerly side of the road. There seems to be no record of just what was done by the way of change in the building, but it was undoubtedly finished in two stories, and was furnished with a bell and an organ It is also probable that the "two porches" spoken of in earlier records were removed, and an addition was made of the present front, on which was erected the steeple and belfry Two front doors were put in, and a "vestry" was put in the lower story, while the rear half of the ground floor was finished as a town hall, and here the meetings of the Town were held until the entire building was taken for a Town Hall in 1897.
Rev. Mr. Jennison, who was pastor at the time, has said there was no formal dedication sermon at the occupation of the new mod- elled building.
1838, March 13 It was voted "to finish the Town Hall the present year :" also
"That the selectmen cause the Town Hall to be finished the present year, with as many new windows as they shall deem needful :" also
"That the town pay for ringing the bell for funerals, and on all occasions except for Society meetings, at $7.50 per year."
1840, March 10 Voted "that Nathaniel Bruce be a committee to ascertain if the town have a right to sell the land on the common east of the road passing by the Meeting-House."
1841, March 9 Voted "that the bell be rung at 12 of the clock, noon, and at nine of the cloek at night. and the town pay Mr. Shattuck a reasonable compensation."
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
1842, March 8. Voted "that the Town buy or procure a Hearse, Hearse-house and harness for the use of the town :
"That NN. Bruce be a committee to procure the same :
"That the selectmen cause the necessary repairs to be made on the outside of the Meeting-House as soon as practicable.
"That the Town pay for ringing the bell once in a day. That it be rung at noon
"That if the person who rings the bell fails to ring it at the true time, as a general thing, he shall have nothing for the same."
1843, March 14. Voted, "That the Town rebuild the wall in front of the burying-ground
"To buy a stove for the Town-house."
The last service in the o'd meeting-house occurred on Sunday, July 5, 1896, the sermon being preached by the Rev. C. F. P. Ban- croft. D D , Principal of Phillips Academy. Andover, Mass. The then Pastor, Rev. T. J. Lewis, conducted the devotional exercises. It was an occasion of surpassing interest. For something over 116 years the venerable building had been used as a place of worship on this hill-top. It had been hallowed by many prayers and sermons, christenings and baptisms, marriages and funerals. It was dear to all the people of the town, and however much more comely and com- fortable the new meeting- house might be, the old house of worship held a place in their hearts which no more modern structure could fill.
AS A TOWN HALL.
The frame of the old meeting-house was of the durable character of buildings constructed in those days. It is of hewn oak, and as the building has always stood upon the solid rock, which, in many points near the site crops out in a ledgy surface, it has mainly kept sound until this day
When the new meeting-house was completed, in 1896, a move- ment was started to dispose of the Congregational Society's right and interest in the old meeting-house. The first suggestion was that the town should buy out the society's interest in the land and building, and pay $1500 therefor. At the March meeting of 1895 such an article was put into the warrant, but it was voted "to pass by the article." Similar action was taken in 1896. In 1897 at the March meeting, it was voted "to appoint a committee of five to report a bill
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covering the whole matter." The committee consisted of Willard P. Woods, Daniel Richardson, Geo. W. Averill, Wm. G. Burnham, and Henry F. Dodge, and they reported the following resolution, which was adopted :
"Resolved, That the selectmen be instructed to quitclaim to the Mont Vernon Congregational church Society all right and title to iand and buildings on east side of road, known as the Woodbury land, upon condition that said Society quitclaim all right and title to land on west side of said road including buildings thereon."
The deed of conveyance was as follows :
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,
THAT the Town of Mont Vernon, County of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, for and in consideration of the sum of One Dollar and valuable considerations before the delivery hereof, well and truly paid by the First Congrega- tional Society of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire aforesaid, the receipt whereof it doth hereby acknowledge. have re- mised, released, and forever QUITCLAIMED, and do by these presents remise, release, and forever QUITCLAIM unto the said First Congregational Society of Mont Vernon and its assigns forever :
All that certain piece, tract or parcel of land situated, lying and being in said Mont Vernon in the County of Hills- borough and said State of New Hampshire, and described as follows : so much of the "Meeting House lot" so called. as is situated east of the main road leading from Mont Vernon village to Milford, and the buildings "New Church and Par- sonage" thereon.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the afore-described premises, with all the privileges and appartenances thereunto belonging to the said First Congregational Church and Society and assigns, to its and their use and beloof forever.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Town of Mont Vernon by its selectmen have hereunto set their hand and seals this eighth day of April, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety-seven.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of ns :
HARRY G. BLOOD, Selectmen W. L. ROBINSON, of
W. II. KENDALL, Mont Vernon.
It may be as well to give, here, the corresponding deed given by the Society to the Town, which was as follows :
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First Congregational Society of Mont Vernon to Town of Mont Vernon.
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS
THAT the First Congregational Society of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire . a corporation duly established under the laws of the State of New Hampshire, for and in considera- tion of the sum of One Dollar and other good and valuable considerations to it before the delivery hereof, well and truly paid by the Town of Mont Vernon, the receipt whereof it cloth hereby acknowledge, hath remised, released and forever QUITCLAIMED and by these presents doth remise, release and forever QUITCLAIM unto the said Town of Mont Vernon, and its assigns forever :
All that certain piece. tract or pareel of land situate. lying and being in said Mont Vernon, in the County of Hills- borough and said State of New Hampshire, and described as follows : So much of the "Meeting House lot" so called, as is situated west of the main road, including the premises acquired by said Society from Israel Burnham and from George W. Averill, excepting so much thereof as has been heretofore released to the said Averill, together with the Meeting House thereon, subject, however, to the following conditions : First, that this release shall not in any wise affect the rights and privileges of the owners of the horse- sheds on said premises. Second, that said Town shall maintain a bell on the building, on said premises, which bell said Society and the Church connected therewith shall have the right to ring for all meetings of said Church or Society.
Third, that said Church or Society shall have the right to use the hall in said building for business meetings or enter- tainments without charge, except for the cost of heating and lighting. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said granted premises with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging to the said Town of Mont Vernon and its assigns, to its and their own proper use and benefit forever.
In witness whereof the said First Congregational Society lias caused a seal to be hereto affixed and these presents to be signed, acknowledged and delivered in its name and behalf by Frances A. Holt as Treasurer, hereunto duly authorized this eighth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven. Signed, sealed and de- livered in presence of :
W. H. CONANT,
W. H. KENDALL,
First Congregational Society
Witnesses. of Mont Vernon. FRANCES A. HOLT, Treasurer.
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HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
At a special meeting of the First Congregational Society of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, duly called for the purpose and held in said Mont Vernon on the twenty-second day of March, A. D. 1897. and adjourned to the twenty-fourth day of March, the foregoing deed hav- ing been read and considered, the following vote was passed:
Voted. that Frances A. Holt, the Treasurer, is hereby authorized and instructed to execute, acknowledge and deliver in the name and behalf of the Society, the deed from said Society to the Town of Mont Vernon which has just been read.
A true copy : Attest, CLARK CAMPBELL, Clerk.
Here ended, finally, the co-partnership between the Town and the Church and Congregational Society. which formally began in 1837. but which was really initiated when the town was incorporated in 1803, and which grew out of that union of "church and state," which existed from the beginning of New England history. But even at this writing, as will be seen from the deeds which passed between the Town and the Society, there are still vestiges of the old partner- ship left, as in the provisions of the deed of the Society to the Town, the right was reserved to use the bell, which was allowed to remain in its old place in the belfry of the old meeting house, for summoning its worshipers to all meetings, and also the right to use the Town Hall for business meetings and entertainments, free of charge, except for the cost of heating and lighting. Furthermore the rights of the individual owners of the horse-sheds were reserved to them. under the transfer. It was said that the bell was allowed to remain in the old belfry to head off the mischievous youth of the town, who were ac- customed to break into the building on the night before the Fourth of July, and begin the celebration of Independence at midnight in the way which Daniel Webster said John Adams would have recom- mended. It might be considered an open question whether the Town needed specifically to convey the new meeting-house and parsonage, for if any buildings ever belonged to the Society, which built them, with no aid from the Town, these two did. However, it was only a swapping of any and all possible rights, giving the Town a clear and indisputable right to the property on the west side of the road, subj et only to the reservations named above, and the Society an equally clear title to the property on the east side of the road.
It is supposed, however, that another vestige of the Town and Society partnership remains, in a joint ownership of the building originally erected for an Academy, and a school room for the Centre di rict, long known as the Chapel, and used for many years as such
.
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by the church. It is believed, without any conclusive documentary evidence, that the upper part of this building was given to the Soci- ety by the proprietors, who built it by issuing shares at $5 each, as will be seen later in the chapter relating to schools. Since the new meeting-house was built, the church has had no use for it, and at this writing it is rented by the Grange, or "Patrons of Hus- bandry." It is understood that this piece of land was not a part of the "meeting-house lot" quitclaimed in above deed.
The tendency to such partnerships seems to have been strong in Mont Vernon, and about this time, the Congregational Society and the Trustees of McCollom Institute established a new and better line between their adjoining premises by a similar device of quitclaiming to each other.
The vote of the Town above recorded was supplemented by votes appropriating the sum of fifteen hundred dollars "to reconstruct the old church into a town hall ;" and Wm. G. Burnham, Geo. W. Averill, Clark Campbell, Wm. H. Kendall, and Joseph W. Averill were appointed a committee to carry out the vote.
At a special town meeting held Aug. 16, 1897, it was voted to appropriate not exceeding five hundred dollars "to complete the Town House ;" and also "to purchase the seats for the town hall."
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