USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > The first parish in Dover, New Hampshire : two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, October 28, 1883 > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
The chapel was quickly erected. Everett Hall built the stone foun- dation, - James Whitehouse (now living) and John Drew assisting in the brick underpinning, which was done 7 May to 17 May. The wood- work was built by " Chesley Brothers " of Durham.
When the final report of cost was made, it appeared that the total amount was $4,323.06; of which sum the land cost $1,000.
90
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
The house was dedicated Sunday evening, 2 December 1860.1 A church record of that date says : -
"The new chapel recently erected by the First Parish in Dover for the use of the church, upon the lot of land formerly owned and occupied as a garden by Mr. Na- thaniel Young, on Central street, was dedicated with appropriate services. The Rev. Mr. Richardson being confined to his bed by a typhoid fever, the Rev. A. II. Quint took charge of the meeting. Deacon Andrew Peirce, Deacon Joshua Banfield, and Asa Freeman made remarks, and Rev. Mr. Quint addressed the people."
The following hymn, written for the occasion by Miss Charlotte M. Palmer, of this parish, was sung : -
With joy, in Thy blest name we come, O Lord, to dedicate to Thee This house, our spiritual home, Our social altar here to be.
Within these sacred walls do Thou Thy blessed influence make appear, Both when we at Thy footstool bow And when we sing Thy praises here.
Here may the sinner find the way That leads him to the Saviour's fold; And here may saints delight to stay To hear Thy love and mercy told.
From hence, O Lord, this sacred place Shall be a holy shrine to Thee ; Accept our vows ; bestow Thy grace ; Thine shall the praise and glory be.
It is in place here to record the date when the Sabbath school was commenced. I wish I could give its history, but not even a list of superintendents, I fear, is obtainable. But the date of its origin is safe. A notice of its intended opening was published, and is worth copying : -
"SABBATHI SCHOOL.
" Parents and guardians of children are respectfully informed that the school will commence at the Court House on Sabbath morning, Aug. 16, 1818, at 9 o'clock, at which time and place they are requested to send such of their children as are capa- ble of reading in a class. The books to be used will be the Bible or Testament, Psalms and Hymns, Catechism, etc.
[Signed by] Joseph W. Clary, John W. Hayes, Amos White, Andrew Peirce, William Woodman, Committee."
1 An excellent vote was passed by the parish, 4 April 1871 : -
" Voted, That the wardens be instructed not to allow the chapel to be used except for parish pur- poses."
91
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
The following notice was also published : -
" SABBATH SCHOOL.
" Those persons and guardians who are desirous that their children should attend the Sabbath school, and who are not able to furnish them with suitable clothing, are requested to send them to the chamber over Dr. Wheeler's store, on Thursday after- noon at 3 o'clock, dressed in the best clothes they may have, when they will be met by ladies connected with the school, who will take immediate measures to furnish them with what additional clothing may be found necessary.
" Any lady who may have any article that may be useful for clothing for these chil- dren will confer a favor by sending it to Dr. Wheeler's house by noon, Aug. 20, 1818."
The school commeneed at the date announced. Its last session for the year was on the first day of November. The "average no. of scholars" had been "about 110." The lessons had been in "the Scriptures, Hymns, and Watts' Catechism." Number of verses of Scripture committed to memory and recited, 9,934; of verses of hymns, 6,029 ; answers in the catechism, 5,366. In addition, "many of the scholars recited the whole of the Assembly's Catechism." The school had two sessions a day, opening at nine o'clock in the morning, and immediately after public worship in the afternoon. Such was the Sunday school in its beginning.
When it recommenced, on the first Sunday of May, 1819, it met in . " Rev. Mr. Clary's meeting-house."
IV. THE MINISTERS OF THE FIRST PARISH.
An exhaustive account of the ministers of this parish would include much history of the church which is not now pertinent; at least it would involve a mingled history of church and parish. The church's commemoration of its own two hundred and fiftieth anniversary five years hence will then furnish to some person the appropriate time and theme. But even now it is well to put upon this record the names and dates of service of the ministers. Some general facts may also be noticed.
One faet is, that this parish has always enjoyed settled pastorates, rather than the service of " acting pastors," or " stated supplies." In no instance has it departed from this congregational principle and method.
Another fact is, that the ministers of that parish have been, with but a single exception, men of liberal education, - " college bred " was the old term. You and your forefathers have alike desired for your pulpit men of learning; men trained in the culture of scholars ; men able to keep pace with the progress of thought, whether adopting or rejecting
92
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
new things. It is noticeable that the first six ministers here were grad- uates at the University of Cambridge, England, some of the six being from that nursery of the evangelical faith, Emmanuel College, which will celebrate its tercentenary next year ; and a minister of Oyster River was from Oxford. The second six ministers were all graduates of Harvard College, in the American Cambridge. It was not until the parish was more than two hundred years old that it called one pastor not a graduate of a college ; but that one had added to a classical training all the study and culture of a theological school of the highest rank.
Nor is it without interest that our first six ministers were each or- dained by some bishop of the Church of England, and had been in the service of the ministry in that church and that land.
One would love to dwell in thought upon the line of godly men ; from the saintly Leverich, who, with the culture of the university, united a zeal which led him to this then wilderness, and later to consecrate his gifts to missionary service among the Indians, - to the latest one, who has but just gone from your pulpit and your homes. But I cannot indulge such thoughts now. I will content myself with formal record.
WILLIAM LEVERICH,1 a native of England, graduated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, England, in 1625, A. M. 1629. He was ordained in England, but I have not yet found the date or place. "An able and worthy puritan minister," he came here in 1633, as already de- scribed. His support, tradition says, proved inadequate; and in 1635 he removed to Boston, where he was received member of the First Church, 9 May 1635. He was at Duxbury a short time, and then went to Sandwich, where he is shown to be in 1637 by a petition signed by him with others. At Sandwich he interested himself in work among the Indians, and learned their language. For some years he was employed to teach the Indians by the commissioners of the United Colonies. He was in Sandwich until 1652. In 1653 he was at Oyster Bay, Long Island, in the employ of a missionary society. In the year 1653, Assiapum, alias Moheness, conveyed to Peter Wright, Samuel Mayo, William Leverich, and others, a large tract of land at Oyster Bay for £4 sterling and various supplies. In 1654 he removed his goods by boat from Sandwich to Oyster Bay. In 1658 he settled in the near town of Huntington, but retained his interest in the Indians. There he remained until 1669 or 1670, when he removed to Newtown,
1 I spell his name as it was recorded on the books of Emmanuel College, and as given in the official records of Massachusells.
93
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
I. I., where died 19 June 1677. He left two sons ; Eleazer, who died without issue, and Caleb. Cornelius A. Leveridge, scientist and author, now living at Cranford, Union co., N. J., is a descendant.
GEORGE BURDETT, second minister, a native of England, graduated at Sidney-Sussex College, Cambridge, about 1620. "Being a priest in holy orders, he had, from 1626 to Feb. 1633-4, exercised preaching in Brightwell, Saffron-Walden [co. Essex], and Havering [co. Essex]." He became "lecturer " in the Established Church at Great Yarmouth, co. Norfolk, at a salary of froo per year, for perhaps two years. In 1634, Feb. 18, he was arraigned in the High Commission Court, upon charges of "schism, blasphemy, and raising new doctrines in his sermons as lecturer." The specifications imply some degree of puri- tanism. He was suspended, and on or about April 1635 he left Yar- mouth and came to America; was admitted member of the church in Salem, Mass., and preached for nearly two years, with great accept- ance. He was made freeman there 2 September 1635. He came to Dover, apparently in 1637, and became minister here. The same year, by vote of a " combination " for government, he was chosen governor. He was a man of attractive address and abilities, but, his correspond- ence with Archbishop Laud (beginning in 1635)1 and some grave misconduct, being discovered, he hastily removed to Agamenticus, where also he became governor. The coming of Thomas Gorges in 1640 removed him from power. In February 1641 he was at Pemaquid ; but in that spring he returned to England. He there joined the royalist forces in the civil war, was taken by the parlia- mentarians, and put in prison. This is the last known of him.
HANSERD KNOLLYS, third minister, was born in Cawkwell, Lincoln- shire, England, in 1598, and graduated at Emmanuel? College, Cam- bridge. He then was chosen master of the free school at Gainsbor- ough, Lincolnshire. IFe was ordained by the bishop of Peterborough as deacon 29 June 1629, and presbyter the day following. The bishop of Lincoln presented him with the vicarage of Humberstone, where he was unwearied in labors. He held the living "two or three years," when he resigned it because he had become scrupulous of "the lawfulness of using the surplice, the cross in baptism, and the admission of persons of profane character to the Lord's Supper." For two or three years longer he preached in various churches, by the bishop's good-nature. But about the year 1636 he openly espoused puritanism. He suffered
1 Two of his letters to Laud, dated respectively December 1635, and 29 November 1638, are pre- served in the Public Record Office in London, of which I have certified copies.
2 So say some authorities. But Mr. F. B. Dexter places him at Catherine Hall College, without graduation.
94
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
from imprisonment and other harassings, and in 1638 he left England, leaving Gravesend, with "six brass farthings," 26 April 1638, in Capt. Goodlad's ship, and arriving at Boston about the 20th of July. The Massachusetts ministers thought him affected with antinomianism. He worked " daily with my hoe " for several weeks. Then, two persons from this town happening to be in Boston, invited him to come hither. He came, but Burdett forbade him to preach. On that ruler's removal, he became pastor, and in December 1638 organized the FIRST CHURCH. He had some troubles with Massachusetts, but the two became recon- ciled. Thomas Larkham came here in 1640, and became an associate ; but differences between them resulted in Mr. Knollys's withdrawal in 1641. Rev. Hugh Peter, then visiting Dover, wrote by him to Governor Winthrop, recommending the bearer, and saying, "Hee may [be] useful without doubte, hee is well gifted, you may do well to heare him at Boston "; and advised that Mr. Knollys "and three or four more of his friends may haue the liberty of sitting downe in our Jurisdiction." This recommendation, from Governor Winthrop's own relative by mar- riage, answers all intimations that he left Dover suddenly and in dis- grace. At first he proposed to go, with others, to Long Island, but, on the solicitation of his aged father, returned to England, reaching Lon- don, 24 December 1641.
Mr. Knollys, in England, was known as a most godly man. He became a Baptist ; was stoned, fined, and imprisoned; was now a success- ful teacher, and then pastor of a congregation of a thousand persons ; was a chaplain in the army and a fugitive on the Continent; a great leader of his denomination, and hated by his adversaries. He died pastor of the church at Broken Wharf, Thames street, London. He had lost his wife and only son. He died "in a transport of joy," 19 September 1691, ninety-three years of age. The First Church here may well be proud of the memory of its earthly founder, whose body was laid in Bunhill Fields.
Mr. Knollys was a learned scholar, and published1 twelve works, one of which was a Latin, Greek, and Hebrew grammar ; but the chief to us is his autobiography. The Baptists in England in 1845 organ- ized a publication society known as the "Hanserd Knollys Society." Copies of his original portrait are in this city.
THOMAS LARKHAM, fourth minister, was born in Lyme, Dorsetshire, England, 4 May 1601; graduated B. A. and M. A. at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was settled first at Northam, near Barnstaple, Eng- land, but was so worried by vexations prosecutions that he came to America. "Not favoring the discipline " in Massachusetts, he came
1 See Brook's Puritans.
95
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
to Dover in 1640. Attractive as a preacher, he soon became colleague with Mr. Knollys ; but their differences in doctrine, worship, and disci- pline became troublesome. Mr. Larkham plainly favored some of the methods of the Church of England. Mr. Knolly's departing early in 1641, Mr. Larkham remained pastor until, at least, late in 1642.
He then returned to England, apparently in 1642, and was settled in the ministry at Tavistock, Devonshire. His biographer states that the Earl of Bedford, who had the right of presentation, offered to give it to such person as the people might select, and that Mr. Larkham was thus selected. Here he bore an excellent character. " A Man of great Piety and Sincerity," Calamy calls him. He was ejected under the Act of Conformity, 1662, and thenceforth suffered great trouble from persecutions. He died in 1669, at Tavistock, in the house of a son-in-law, where he was concealed through fear of arrest. His biographer says that the malice of his enemies would have prevented his burial in the parish church, but that the steward of the Earl of Bedford interfered and had him interred " in that part of the chancel belonging to that noble family." His son, Rev. George Larkham, who graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and who was also ejected in 1662, died at Cockermouth, 26 December 1700, aged seventy- one years, leaving a numerous family.
Mr. Larkham published three works : I. A Discourse1 of the Attri- butes of God, in sundry Sermons. 2. The Wedding Supper. 3. A Discourse of paying of Tythes.
DANIEL MAUD, fifth minister, born about 1585; was graduated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, England, in 1606. "A good Man," says Hubbard, "and of a serious spirit, and a quiet and peaceable dis- position "; had been a minister in England, arrived at Boston in 1635, was admitted freeman 25 May 1636, and officiated as schoolmaster of the Boston Latin School for some years. He came to Dover early in 16.43, being recommended by the ministers in answer to the request of the people of Dover. He died in 1655, his will being dated 17, 11 mo., 1654, - that is, 17 February 1655, - and proved 26 June 1655.
JOHN REYMER, sixth minister, born in Gildersome, parish of Batly, co. York, England, in 1600; was graduated at Magdalen College, Cam- bridge, in 1625, was ordained in England, came to America in or near 1635, settled in Plymouth, Mass., in 1636, left that place in November 1654, passed the winter in Boston, and settled in Dover in 1655. Fitch2
1 Of des work, a small quarto of five hundred and twenty pages, published in 1055, a learned work with a Latin preface, I have a copy.
2 Fitch's Manuscript. Rev. Jabez Fitch, of Portsmouth, N. H., prepared some historical notes on New Ilamp-hire, and the manuscript is in the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Mr. Fitch, H. C. 1694, was pastor at Portsmouth from 1725 until his death, 22 November 1746.
-
96
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
says : "He is said to have been a very worthy Divine, for learning and other ministerial accomplishments." The record of the First Church in Plymouth says: " He was a man of meek and humble spirit, sound in truth, and every way irreproachable in his Life and Conversation. He was richly accomplished with such Gifts and Graces as were befit- ting his place and calling, being wise, faithful, grave, sober, a Lover of good men, not greedy of the matters of the world, armed with much Faith, Prudence, and Meekness, mixed with much Courage in the Cause of God; was an able, faithful, and laborious Preacher of the Gospel, and a wise orderer of the affairs of the Church, and had an excellent Talent in training of Children in a catechetical way in the Grounds of the Christian Religion."
During the last few years of his life he was assisted by his son and successor, John Reyner, jr. He died 20 April 1669, aged sixty-nine. ITis will was dated 19 April and proved 30 June, his widow Frances being executrix. He owned and bequeathed an estate in his native parish of Batly, Yorkshire, England.
JOHN REYNER, JR., seventh minister, son of his predecessor, John Reyner, by wife Frances (Clarke), was born, probably in Plymouth, in 1643 ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1663, and became assist- ant to his father about 1667 .. Upon his father's death he was invited, 22 July 1669, to officiate for one year; he accepted, and evidently continued until his death; although not regularly settled until 12 July 1671. He died, apparently in Dover,1 21 December 1676, "of a cold and fever," says Hull's diary, "that he took in the field among the soldiers." "Among the soldiers " doubtless refers to his accom- panying the expedition eastward of Captains Syll and Hathorne, who reached Dover, with Massachusetts forces, 6 September 1676, and who participated in the momentous "sham fight" on the next day. The expedition then proceeded into Maine. Mr. Reyner's wife was Judith, daughter of Edward and Joanna Quincy, of Braintree, Mass., born 25 June 1655. The young wife soon followed him. She died aged twenty-five years only.
Fitch says of Mr. Reyner, "he possessed a double portion of his father's spirit."
1 Braintree has usually been said to be the place of his death. I do not know the authority ; but Ilull, in Boston, a connection by marriage, records, " We heard not that he was sick until Friday, about nine at night, and Sabbath morn comes William Furbur and brings news of death. After last exercise [public worship], father dispatches Tim to Braintry." Now (4) William Furbur, who brought the news, was a Dover man. (2) If sick at Braintree, they would have heard of his dangerous sickness earlier ; and of a death occurring Thursday, much earlier than Sunday. (3) Sending a messenger from Boston to Braintree implies notifying Mrs. Reyner's father, who came to Boston (says Hull) on Mon- day, but concluded, on account of his own condition, to send Furbur back with letters only. The impression is plain.
97
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
JOIN PIKE, eighth minister, son of Robert and Sarah (Sanders) Pike, was born in Salisbury, Mass., 13 May 1653 ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1675, came to Dover " for the work of the minis- try " 1 November 1678, and was settled 31 August 1681. He was absent some of the time during his settlement here on account of the Indian wars, and he was chaplain at Pemaquid Fort, October 1694 to July 1695; but he died here in the pastorate 10 March 1709-10. His wife, Sarah, daughter of Rev. Joshua Moodey, died 24 January 1702-3. His will was dated 6 March 1709-10.
Fitch says : " A person of good Learning, pleasant in Conversation, and much mortified to the World." Belknap1 says : " He was es- teemed as an extraordinary preacher, & a man of true godliness. He was a grave and venerable Person, & generally preached without notes. Those who were acquainted with him have given him the Character of a very considerable Divine, & some of his manuscript sermons are yet in being & much esteemed. Mr. Wise, of Berwick, used to say that Mr. Pike never preached a sermon but what was worthy of the press."
His very valuable journal, from 1678 to 1710, is extant, and has been printed, with full notes, by the Massachusetts Historical Society.
NICHOLAS SEVER, ninth minister, son of Caleb and Sarah (Inglesby) Sever, was born in Roxbury, Mass., 15 April 1680; graduated at Har- vard College in 1701, and was ordained at Dover, 11 April 1711. He resigned his charge in the spring of 1715, on account of an almost total loss of voice. From 1716 to 1728 he was tutor in Harvard College, and fellow 1725 to 1728. In 1728 he removed to Kingston, Mass., and in 1731 he was appointed judge C. C. P. in Plymouth co., Mass., a station for which he proved himself eminently qualified, and which he held until 1762. He died 7 April 1764. Mr. Sever owned a tract of land in Dover covering the spot where the building once the "Dover Hotel" now stands, and he probably lived there. Descendants of Mr. Sever are in Massachusetts.
JONATHAN CUSHING, tenth minister, son of Peter and Hannah (Hawke) Cushing, was born in Hingham, Mass., 20 December 1690; Harvard College, 1717; was ordained here 18 September 1717. He preached occasionally at the Neck: for a few years, but mainly at Cochecho, and, after 1720, altogether at the latter place ; lived on Pine Hill, where his well remains. He " sustained the character of a grave and sound preacher, a kind, peaceable, prudent, and judicious pastor, a wise and faithful friend," says his colleague and successor, Jeremy
1 Manuscript church records.
98
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
Belknap. In personal appearance, memory, in 1834, said he was “a large stout man," and of dignified presence.
Dr. Belknap's diary says : "March 24, 1769. Watched with Mr. Cushing. 25. Mr. Cushing died. 27. Met Selectmen at Mr. Cush- ing's about funeral. 30. Funeral. Dr. Langdon preached sermon, Heb. 7 : 23. April 2. Easter. Preached Mr. Cushing's funeral sermon." The sermon had no biographical allusions. Mr. Cushing's tomb is on Pine Hill. He left descendants. The late venerated Deacon Peter Cushing was one. So was Rev. Jonathan P. Cushing, president of Hampden Sidney College, Va .; and others are of this congregation.
JEREMY BELKNAP, D. D., eleventh minister, son of Joseph and Sarah (Byles) Belknap, was born in Boston, Mass., 4 June 1744 (O. S.) ; grad- uated at Harvard College in 1762 (Doctor of Divinity, H. C. 1792); was ordained here 18 February 1767, being colleague with Jonathan Cush- ing. Twenty churches were in the council of ordination, of which Mr. Cushing, then over seventy-six years of age, was moderator, and Dr. Samuel Langdon, of Portsmouth, was scribe. The services by which, says a report in a newspaper, he was "ordained to the work of the ministry in this place, and the office of a pastor of the church here," were as follows : Opening prayer, by Rev. Nathaniel Robbins, of Milton, Mass. ; sermon, by Rev. Samuel Haven, of Portsmouth, from 1 Timothy iv. 15; ordaining prayer, and charge to the pastor, by Rev. Mr. Cushing ; right hand of fellowship, by Rev. James Pike, of Somersworth; and closing prayer, by Rev. Samuel Langdon, of Portsmouth.
Mr. Belknap became the pastor on the death of Mr. Cushing, in 1769. He lived, as already stated, on Silver street. A church, a street, and a school-house and school here commemorate his name. His care in collecting scattering records of this church and parish has given us invaluable results. His service by speech and oratory in the war of the Revolution was of great value te the country. He wrote here his great work, the " History of New Hampshire," a classic in its line ; and he was author, then and later, of numerous other works.
His connection with this parish terminated 11 September 1786, and he was installed pastor of the Federal street Church (afterwards Dr. Channing's), Boston, 4 April 1787. He died, of paralysis, 20 June 1798. One of his great services in Boston was the founding of the Massachusetts Historical Society, whose library contains his manu- scripts, of the greatest historical value.1
1 Among them are diaries covering much of his Dover life ; to which, with his other papers, I have been given kind access by that society. I may recall with pleasure the fact that I was a resident mem- ber from 8 July 1858 until the membership legally ended by my removal from the State of Massa- chusetts.
99
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
As Dr. Belknap's biography has been published, it is needless to add particulars here.
ROBERT GRAY, twelfth minister, son of Robert Gray, was born in Andover, Mass., 9 October 1761 ; was a soldier of the Revolution ; grad- uated at Harvard College in 1786, and was ordained over this church 28 February 1787. He married, 27 March 1787, Lydia, daughter of Peter and Ann (Adams) Tufts, of Charlestown, Mass., who was born 10 June 1762 ; she was sister of Asa Tufts, father of Asa A. Tufts, now of this city. His connection as pastor ceased 20 May 1805. While pastor here, he also was some time teacher at Pine Hill school- house. He preached afterwards in the western part of Barrington, though he was never again settled, and died in Wolfeborough, N. H., 25 August 1822. He published a sermon at the ordination of Rev. Daniel Stone, at Hallowell, Me., 21 October 1795; a Thanksgiving sermon; and a N. H. Election sermon.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.