USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Surry > History of the town of Surry, Cheshire County, New Hampshire : from date of severance from Gilsum and Westmoreland, 1769-1922, with a genealogical register and map of the town > Part 18
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Mar. 22, 1785 voted "not to raise any money for preaching."
May 28, 1785 voted "to raise 10 pounds to be paid next fall to hire preaching this summer."
May 20, 1788 voted "to raise money to clapboard the meeting house (the work to be done in 18 months), put in doors and glass (one box) and lay the floor." This vote would indicate that the building was not clapboarded in 1771, and that it stood 17 years simply boarded.
Oct. 22, 1788 a committee of three were chosen and empowered to see what had become of the 30 pounds that was raised to be laid out on the meeting house in the year 1772, and to adjust and collect "all that may be found in the hands of the former committee or any other persons in either Notes, Nailes, Boards, Claboards, Glass, etc. found due to the town."
Dec. 22, 1788 voted "not to adhere to the vote last passed for repairing the meeting house."
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HISTORY OF SURRY
Mar. 1789 voted "to raise 10 pounds to hire preaching the present year; also to raise 60 pounds to repair the meeting house and a committee was chosen to 'see that the work was done.'"
Sept. 2 1789 voted "to sell the pew ground in lower and upper part of the house to help finish the house."
Oct. 22 1789 voted "that Lemuel Holmes be Vandew master to sell the pews on the lower floor beginning with No. 1 and so on, except Pew No. 10 on the left hand of the pulpit, which shall be for the minister."
Dec. 21, 1789 voted "to raise 3 pounds to defray the charges of a lawsuit between Joshua Cheever Fowler and the town of Surry as the town is sued by way of meeting house & minister taxes."
Oct. 24, 1791 voted "to accept the porches as they now stand at the meeting house; to finish the porches, and save the pews which are unsold for public pews."
Mar. 5, 1792 voted "to raise 20 pounds to have preaching the present year."
May 23, 1792 voted "to raise 18 pounds to finish the porches, and have the work finished by Nov. next."
Sept. 14, 1792 voted "to raise 13 pounds 6 shillings 8 pence to hire Mr. Solomon Adams on probation."
Oct. 26, 1792 voted "to give Mr. Solomon Adams a call to preach the gospel with us; to give him 100 pounds settlement and 70 pounds sal- ary." Changed the vote to read "to pay the settlement in produce and instead of 70 pounds salary 50 dollars in cash and 65 pounds in produce."
May 10, 1793 voted "to choose one man to take care of the meeting house and sweep the same the present year." Phinehas Allen was chosen, but no record shows that he received any pay. Voted "to give the pew south of Ichabod Smith's pew to Jonathan Robinson, said pew is the second from the east door on the south, and is given in lieu of a pew in the gallery which was spoiled by making the porch doors."
Apr. 5. 1794 voted "to accept the Communion Table."
Sept. 18, 1793 voted "to hire Mr. Phinehas Taft to preach with us for three months." He remained till 1795, and in that year Rev. Perley Howe was called and ordained.
THE MEETING HOUSE
Nov. 19, 1789 voted "to sell the finishing of the MEETING HOUSE to the lowest bidder." James McCurdy bid off the work for 165 pounds, and a committee of three were chosen to take bonds of Mr. McCurdy, also to instruct him how the house should be finished and inspect the work. The committee thru Lemuel Holmes gave these instructions;
"That the whole of Said House be finished in the same form and as Near Like Keen Meetinghouse as the Bigness of Said house will admit
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
of, Except the pulpit which is to be Close work in the Room of Ban- nisters, also that the outside of Said Meetinghouse is to be Glaised and painted like Keen meetinghouse also the pulpit Window and the Cannopy over the pulpit are to be finished Exactly like Keen, the inside of Said house to be plastered and whitewashed Like Keen meetinghouse, also the underpinning is to be well Repaired and pointed with Lime, also the pews in Said house are all to be painted and numbered like Keen meet- inghouse."
The Keene meetinghouse referred to was 76 ft. in length, 50 ft. in breadth with a belfry and steeple at the west end and a porch at the east end, each with entrance doors. The main entrance was at the middle of the south side, the "broad aisle" leading thence to the pulpit opposite.
* "The pulpit, built in the form of a huge wine glass, was accessible by circular stairs on either side. Over the pulpit was the large, dome shaped sounding board to aid the minister's voice. A broad gallery ex- tended across the south side and both ends, reached by stairs in the porch and belfry. On the floor of the house and around the galleries next to the walls were the pews, about seven ft. square, seating eight persons, the partitions topped with a spindle balustrade one foot high. It was the custom to stand during prayers, and the seats, placed along the sides of the pews and divided into short sections, were hung on hinges to turn up for that purpose; and at the close of the prayer, each worshipper would drop a seat with a clatter like a volley of musketry. Beneath the front of the pulpit were the 'deacons seats' and in front of these a hanging table for communion service, to be let down when not in use."
This description of Keene meetinghouse applies fairly well to the one built in this town; there were porches at both east and west end. In 1836 a belfry and steeple were built on the east end. There was a gallery on three sides; the singers sat in the front seats in the gallery. The pulpit on the north side was about 7 ft. above the floor and was entered on the west side by wind- ing stairs of 10 or 12 steps. The wood sounding board, bell shaped, was 4 or 5 ft. in diameter. The chandelier was of wood, cone shaped, 6 ft. in diameter and about the same in height with a series of steps on which were small wooden candle sticks to hold the candles; it was suspended by a rope, and was lowered to light and refill.
No provision was made for warming the house-such a thing was unheard of in those days.
*Keene History P. 279.
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HISTORY OF SURRY
LOWER FLOOR PLAN & PEW OWNERS
There were 36 box pews on the first floor, and the list of those who bought them on Sept. 2, 1789, is as follows :
PAID £ S.
PAID £ S.
1 Stephen Tyler 8-15 19
Peter Hayward
7
2 Nathaniel Darte
8
20
Nathan Hayward 3-15
3 David Darling 4-15
21 Jacob Smith
3
4 Ichabod Smith
8
22 Delevan Delance
4-15
5 Capt. Samuel Smith 7-15
23
Asa Wilcox
3-10
6 Eliphalet Dart
7
24
Levi Fuller
9
7 Moses D. Field
5-15
25 James McCurdy
4
8 Abner Skinner Jr.
8-05
26 Delevan Delance
10-10
9 John McCurdy
7-10
27 John McCurdy
5-05
10 Ministers Pew
28 Stephen Tyler
12
11 James McCurdy
13-15
29
Jonathan Smith
10
12 Moses D. Field
8
30
Nathan Hayward
5-15
13 Selva Hayward
3-10
31 Obadiah Wilcox
4-05
14 Eliphalet Dort
5-05
32 Samuel McCurdy Jr.
3-05
15 Nathaniel Dart
3-05
33 Caleb Washburn
3
16 Samuel McCurdy Jr.
4-05
34 Benj. Carpenter Jr.
3-05
17 Jonathan Smith
2-15
35
John Redding
4-05
18 Thomas Smith Jr. 6
Number 7 was later sold to Phinehas Allen; No. 17 sold to Simon Baxter; No. 18 one half to Stephen Smith, and Jacob Smith sold his half to Asa Holmes; No. 21 to Isaac Tyler; No. 23 in 1794 to Samuel Allen; No. 32 in
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
1793 to John Brockway; Caleb Washburn sold his half of Nos. 16-32-33 in lower floor and a half of No. 6 in the gallery to John Willey; Dec. 13, 1803, Nathaniel Dart conveyed to John Willey, a son-in-law, two pews on the lower floor, retaining the use as long as he lived. July 14, 1820 John Willey sold the two pews to Theodore Monroe and his wife; one pew was the 2nd on the right hand side of the front door. Aug. 31, 1818, James McCurdy sold pew No. 11, being in the wall pews, the first pew west of the pulpit, to Willard Smith for $15.00. In 1837 Ezra Carpenter sold 1/3 of pew No. 28 to his son William.
GALLERY PLAN & PEW OWNERS
There were 18 pews besides the singers' seats when the following list was made Sept. 2, 1789.
PAID £ S.
1 Lemuel Field
PAID £ S. 1-05
10
Obadiah Wilcox 4-10
2 Lemuel Holmes, Esq.
1-10
11 William Barron, Jr. 4
3 Abijah Benton 1-15
12 Peter Hayward, Jr. 3
4 Thomas Smith
2
13 Samuel Smith 2-15
5 Col. Jonathan Smith 1-05
14 Simon Baxter
3
6 Samuel McCurdy, Jr.
1-10
15 Jonathan Robinson 3-10
7 Calvin Hayward
2
16
Thomas Smith, Jr.
3-05
8 Eliphalet Dart
2
17 Levi Fuller
3
9 Thomas Smith
3
18
Nathan Hayward
2-15
No. 2 was sold by Lemuel Holmes in 1811 to Samuel Hills; No. 3 by Abijah Benton in 1795 to Samuel Allen; No. 11 by William Barron, Jr., to John Wil- ley. Mar. 13, 1811, Hercules Howard of Hinsdale sold "the first pew north of the east porch door in the gallery, No. 16, to Nathan Hayward.
Sept. 18, 1793 it was voted to allow Maj. S. Smith his account for painting the porches to the meetinghouse; in 1800 voted to reshingle and repair the building, and, in March 1808, to finish the west porch. In 1827 an effort was made to move the meetinghouse farther to the west, and again in 1835, "about the length thereof to the West and to the South not extending the width of the same." The building still stands where it was originally built, and, from
12
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HISTORY OF SURRY
measurements taken in 1919, the exterior dimensions of the main structure are fouund to be 47 ft. by 36 ft. 6 in. The old east and west porches were each 6 feet additional in length.
July 16, 1835 it was voted to build a belfry, and this was done the next summer, by extending the east porch a few feet above the ridge.
This was to accommodate a gift to the town of
THE CHURCH BELL
This bell is 22 inches high and 30 inches in diameter at the bottom, and bears this inscription :
"A natal gift to the town of Surry by John Thomson of Albany, N. Y., July 4, 1836." On the opposite side is the name of the maker, "L. Aspinwall, Al- bany. 1836."
The following letter from Mr. Thomson is of interest:
To Messrs :
Francis Holbrook, Benjamin Hills and Eliphaz Field, of Surry.
Albany, N. Y., Feb. 15, 1836.
Gentlemen :
Your favor of the 11th is before me and I have this day taken the preliminary steps to fulfil on my part the promise which I made to the much respected citizens of my native town (Surry).
I have called upon a Bell Founder and engaged that a Bell shall be cast and be at the command of the inhabitants of Surry by the 1st of June next. If it be the pleasure of you gentlemen of the committee, I should be pleased if you would send your means of conveyance and have the bell there and placed in the belfry and be ready for use on the day of our next national jubilee, the 4th. of July, 1836, for the first time.
It is doubtless unnecessary for me to say to you the belfry should be made strong and well braced as the bell will rack the frame, or at any rate will give it a thorough trial.
Please write me about two weeks before you send for the bell, in order that I may have everything ready.
The person whom you send should be a man of great care.
I remain, gentlemen, Very respectfully,
Yours, etc.
To Messrs: Francis Holbrook
John Thomson.
Benja. Hills &
Eliphaz Field
The "man of great care" is unknown, but it is said that the bell came into the village from the north, drawn by a gray horse. Possibly it was sent by boat up the Connecticut river to Walpole or Bellows Falls, and then drawn to this town. The belfry was not completed by July 4th, but this did not pre- vent the celebration of its arrival, which was thus chronicled in the Keene Sentinel of July 28, 1836.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
SURRY BELL DEDICATED
July 4th, 1836
The dawn of day was greeted with the ringing of a beautiful Bell, presented to the town-as a "Natal gift"- by Dr. John Thompson of Albany, N. Y. The tone of which is considered excellent, surpassing many of much larger size; its weight being 685 pounds.
Nothwithstanding the unfavorableness of the weather, a very large and respectable procession was formed at Capt. Samuel Robinson's (at the village hotel), and, escorted by a band of martial music, marched to the meeting- house. After some elegant performances by the choir, and a very appropri- ate prayer by Rev. Perley Howe, the Declaration of Independence wa., read by Capt. Francis Holbrook, and the audience listened with fixed attention and delight to an interesting and able oration by Jonathan Robinson Jr. Esq. After which the procession moved back to Capt. Samuel Robinson's hall, which was handsomely decorated with evergreen, where they partook of a variegated and sumptous collation, prepared wholly by the ladies of Surry. This is as it should be. Before leaving the table, a number of volunteer toasts were given. The following are a few of them:
By David Shaw, Esq .:- THE NATAL GIFT-May it ever chime three distinct sounds, viz .:- 1st. In commemoration of the day we cele- brate. 2nd. Expressive of our gratitude to its donor, Dr. John Thompson. 3rd. To proclaim his generosity and humanity in his lib- erality, with his own funds.
By Jonathan Robinson, Esq. (a Revolutionary soldier). May the spirit of generosity manifested by Dr. John Thompson of Albany pervade every heart, and stimulate each individual to like acts of philan- thropy.
By Eliphaz Field :- OUR NATAL FRIEND, DR. JOHN THOMPSON, May his gift of a Bell sound his praise for generations to come, as it does on this, our National festival, the 4th of July.
By Jonathan Robinson Jr. Esq .:- Dr. John Thomson, the giver of the Bell, and the inhabitants of Surry, the receivers ;- May the giver be as closely united in the affections of the receivers, as the Yoke is to the Bell.
By Ichabod Ballou :- Dr. John Thomson of Albany, N. Y., the giver of the Bell :- May honor and gratitude be to his name.
By Capt. Francis Holbrook :-
"The Orator of the day, And the giver of the bell; The people have met to celebrate, And I think they've done it well."
Extracts from the oration delivered by Jonathan Robinson, Junr. Esq. are as follows:
"The generation active in the first settlement, and intimately ac- quainted with the early history of this town, has passed away; and, as
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HISTORY OF SURRY
history has furnished nothing in relation to the early settlement of this town, which would be anyway interesting-no battles have been fought here-no one either killed or wounded- I, therefore, hasten from the early history of this town to its present happy situation.
"It is a fact-it is a pleasing fact-that the condition of this people is fast improving. In every part of the town we now hear the pleasant hum of industry, and it is true, that the people, generally, are more in- dustrious-tending more punctually to their own occupations, and med- dling less with the business of others. Our temperate habits are fast improving-and, finally, we are progressing in every way that is good ¿ and virtuous. These fellow-townsmen, are pleasing reflections, and let yır motto be "Onward!"
"My fellow citizens, I feel it an honor, I feel proud in declaring to you this day, that Surry is my native place; and from the sweet and melodious sounds of the bell that we have this day received from the generous Doctor John Thompson of Albany, we rejoice that he is not ashamed to own and declare to the world, by a voice that cannot be mistaken, that this is the town of his nativity! And we feel proud that this town has now the honor of sending out one son, who has been so prosperous in accumulating wealth, as to enable him to present us with this precious gift; and we do now, my fellow-citizens, with hearts filled with gratitude, present him our most cordial and unfeigned thanks for this most costly present. And may he ever be kept in grateful remem- berance by this people; and may the hills that surround the bell, echo and re-echo the beautiful sounds of it, until it reaches the ears of every inhabitant.
"May it tingle such sweet sounds in the ears, that they cannot resist, and may it draw them, like a still small voice, to attend public worship on each and every Sabbath. And may it be our living sentiment, In- dependence now and Independence forever."
Before the new year of 1837 the belfry was completed and the bell placed in position, and, at last, after all the years of building and repairing, addi- tions, etc., the meetinghouse was entirely finished, but discord had been seeth- ing among the worshippers for some years, and the church bell tolled out the old conditions to ring in the news! Only a few years after the gift of the bell, denominational disputes caused a second meetinghouse to be built, and in later years the old became the present town hall.
EARLY CHURCH RECORDS
The earliest manuscript record of the church in town has probably been destroyed, but a later record, much worn and torn in places, gives all the needed facts. It begins thus :
Surry, Dec. 18, 1793.
At a meeting of the Church in Surry the subscribers being appointed a committee by vote of the Church to make inquiry with regard to the time when the church was first incorporated in Surry, the persons who subscribed the covenant, and collect all other matters, as far as may be,
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
which ought to be matters of record, and make report to the church as soon as may be conveniently, do now report as follows, viz :- That it appears from an ancient manuscript supposed to be in the handwriting of Joshua Darte formerly of Surry; that there was a church first gath- ered in Surry on the 12th day of June Anno Domini 1769, and a cov- enant subscribed by the following persons, viz ;-
Males
Jonathan Smith Joshua Dart
Peter Hayward
Joseph Spencer
Anna Dart
Eliphalet Dart
Thomas Smith
Moses D. Field &
Lucy Spencer Deborah Dart 2nd. Lydia Smith
Samuel Hall
and the following persons have since been admitted as members of said church.
1771. Feb. 22, Thomas Dart & his wife, they being recommended from some other church.
1771. June 23, Ichabod Smith, Patience Field, Samuel White, Phebe Dart, (torn) Smith, Deborah Dart Jr., Elisheba Smith.
1771. July 25, William Barron & Tabitha, his wife.
1771. Sept. 21, Thomas Harvey.
1772. June 21, Nathaniel Dart.
1772. Aug. 20, Abner Skinner & his wife.
1776. Nov. 3, Rebekkah Benton.
1780. Sept. 3, William Russell and his wife.
From other papers it appears that the following persons have been admitted into this church, viz ;-
1781. Jan. 18, Mr. David Darling, by virtue of a dismission from the church in Wrentham; at the same time the solemn care of this church was solemnly committed to him. The following churches were present on the occasion, viz; Northfield, Walpole, Charlestown, Fitzwilliam, Swanzey and Royalston.
It furthermore appears that the following were admitted into this church, but there is no date by which the time of their admission can be obtained. Obadiah Wilcox William Hayward.
1781. Mar. 18, Nathan Hayward & his wife, Eunice Weare.
1781. Apr. 16, Thomas Dart Jr. & his wife, Sylvanus Hayward.
1781. June 17, Moses Weare.
1781. June 24, Roger Dart & his wife.
1781. July 8, Lemuel Holmes & his wife from the church in Walpole.
1781. Aug. 12, Rebekkah Ware.
1781. Aug. 26, Mrs. Esther Darling; wife of Rufus Smith.
1783. May 11, Wife of Samuel Packard.
1783. July 6, Wife of Edward Crandell.
Females Deborah Dart
Experience Smith Esther Hayward
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HISTORY OF SURRY
It furthermore appears from the above mentioned papers that there was a number of Church meetings held for the settlement of difficulties, both be- fore Mr. Darling's settlement, and during his administrations, and sundry votes passed, but nothing so material as to be worthy of being preserved on record for the instruction and edification of future generations, until the 30th day of December Anno Domini 1783, when the following churches con- vened in council and dissolved the relation between the Rev. David Darling and this church & people (viz ;- ) Walpole, Charlestown, Winchendon, Fitz- william, Swanzey and Keene, represented by their pastors and delegates, and the church in Alstead by their delegates; of which council the Rev. Mr. Ol- cott was moderator and the Rev. Mr. Fessenden was scribe. At which time the Rev. Edward Goddard was by vote of the church chosen their moderator.
From which era nothing very material appears to have been transacted (except that Mr. Darling upon making proper satisfaction was restored to the charity and communion of the church), until the 20th of January 1788, when the church covenant being mislaid and not to be found the church sol- emnly renewed and published the following covenant:
We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, having heretofore been incorporated in a church state according to the order of the Gospel, but having by some means lost the covenant by us sub- scribed; do now in a public and solemn manner renew and ratify the following Covenant with God and each other.
1. We publickly and solemnly declare our serious belief of the Chris- tian Religion, as contained in the sacred Scriptures; which scriptures we take to be our only rule of faith & practice & heartily resolve to con- form ourselves thereunto so long as we live in this world.
2. We give up ourselves to the LORD JEHOVAH, who is the Father . and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and avouch Him this day to be our God and Father, our Saviour and leader, and receive him as our por- tion forever.
3. We give up ourselves to the blessed Jesus who is the Lord Jehovah, adhere to him as the Head of his people in the covenant of Grace, and rely on Him as our Prophet, Priest and King, to bring us unto eternal blessedness.
4. We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensible obligations to glorify God in all the duties of a godly, sober and religious life.
We solemnly promise that we will particularly uphold the worship of God in public, and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some has been; that we will attend on the ordinances of Baptism, bring our children thereunto, waiting for Christ's blessing upon them, and will endeavor to bring them up in the nurture and ad- monition of the Lord.
We also engage to attend constantly on the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, eat and drink discerning the Lord's body.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
We likewise promise to attend carefully on public prayers, preaching of the Word and on every part of Divine service, and that we will per- severe therein.
We also engage to watch over one another as the Gospel directs, and in our places to assist in upholding that discipline which Christ has set us in His Church, and to submit ourselves thereunto together with our children.
We seriously promise religiously to observe the Lord's Day to keep it holy.
We, likewise, promise to maintain the worship of God in our families, to make our houses places of prayer, and we will endeavor to walk sob- erly, righteously and godly among ourselves, set good example before others, in a word, we will make it our care to live according to that Rule Christ has set us, to do to others as we would they should deal with us.
For the fulfillment of this covenant and the performances of the sol- emn engagements we humbly depend on the aid of that 'Grace which is held forth in the Gospel, and freely offered to all who cordially em- brace it by thankfully laying hold on God's covenant and choosing those things which please Him.
At the same time, engaging to hold Communion with all our regular sister churches, to ask for their help whenever we stand in need of it, and lend them ours when properly desired.
We also invite our christian neighbors and friends to join with us in this profession of faith, and these covenant engagements, that so this church may become beautiful, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and ter- rible as an army with banners.
We pray that grace, mercy and peace may be multiplied to all the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all the kingdoms of this earth may become His kingdom, and the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen.
Patience Field Abigail Holmes
Lydia Smith Sarah Bates Olive Hayward
Surry, Jan. 17, 1788.
The above covenant was sub- scribed and publicly consented to in presence of us, Edward Goddard Aaron Hall
Obadiah Willcox Lemuel Holmes William Barron Eliphalet Dart Ichabod Smith Moses D. Field
Samuel Smith Nathan Hayward Timothy Dart
Sylvanus Hayward Abner Skinner Nathaniel Dart Joseph Holmes.
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HISTORY OF SURRY
1792. Oct. 15, Church meeting held and a committee appointed to confer with Mr. Solomon Adams on the subject of his settlement with us.
1793. Dec. 18, William Barron requests dismission to church in Keene. Voted to refer the matter to the church in Keene. Committee appointed to make inquiry with regard to the time when the church was first incorporated, subscribers, etc. Committee appointed to treat with Bro. Thomas Harvey.
1794. Jan. 15, Committee report concerning Thomas Harvey. It was further more voted "that notwithstanding this church are well satisfied with the per- formances of Mr. Taft hitherto, yet that it is our desire to have further op- portunity for acquaintance with him and his abilities before we proceed to give him a call, and that to this end the town be decided to make further pro- vision for his continuing with us as a candidate on probation, beyond the term already agreed upon.
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