USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > The first parish in Dover, New Hampshire : two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, October 28, 1883 > Part 8
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But the bell, years after, became cracked. Thereupon, 12 March 1822, " the town appointed a committee to repair the bell as they may think proper." The records do not tell of the fruitless endeavors of that committee to restore the bell to its proper tone, but tradition does. They cut out a piece of the bell where the crack existed, but the rem- edy was vain. The bell was sent to Boston, and, with some addition of metal, recast by the Revere Company, its weight being 1,084 pounds. It was raised into the belfry of the old church 22 April 1822, and it
6
70
THE FIRST PARISII IN DOVER.
was placed in the belfry of the present church in October 1829. It is this bell, no credit in weight or tone, which is still used.1
The appearance of that house is still in the memory of some of you, and from such of you and others now gone I have derived its description. It stood almost exactly on the site of the present house, but its length was at right angles to the present one. It was a building of two stories, having two tiers of windows, according to the old fashion. Its width was forty-seven feet, its length about seventy feet, its posts twenty-one feet. Its tower, running up into a belfry and spire, projected from the southwest end, and it contained an entrance into the house and stair- ways to the galleries. On the street side was a square projection, not reaching to the eaves of the building, but containing entrance to the floor and also stairways to the galleries. A door on the northeast end opened directly into the house. Bare braces supported the timbers of the ceiling.
Three sides contained very broad galleries. From the centre of the street-side gallery projected a large square singing-gallery, supported on posts and reaching into the centre of the house, but this was taken away a few years before the house was demolished, and the singers retired to the seats directly behind.
Opposite the singers' gallery, and holding the same position as the present one, was the pulpit. " It was high, and its front stood upon two pillars which were afterwards used for the same purpose in your present house. It was reached by a stairway on the southerly side. Over it was the ornamented sounding-board. Down against the front of the pulpit was the somewhat elevated deacons' pew, - a bench where the deacons sat with their backs to the pulpit, and fenced in.
The pews were square. A very broad aisle ran from the pulpit to the opposite door. Square pews were against the walls, and an aisle ran round between these and the centre blocks of pews. From the north and south doors short aisles ran to the centre pews. The seats, not all facing the minister, were hung upon hinges, which were raised while the people were standing in prayer, and were suffered to fall with a crash when prayer ended. One pew had the glory of a green cloth lining ; it was the Atkinson pew ; near the street door, and on the south side of the centre aisle.
There were no means of warming that house until at least after the year 1822. Women brought foot-stoves in cold weather, and some have told me that pieces of very thick oak plank, thoroughly heated before coming to the house, were an excellent substitute, and long retained their
1 Joseph Whitehouse, grandfather of Jesse (now living), saw the fourth house raised, and was sexton/ even into old age. He was succeeded by Plato Waldron, who continued until his death.
This Jesse White how dies about fany 1885. When found In bowen guused to imply him to Drive was around, He did 10 whats as 2comune of 883.
Vengo x quang The bell when I was a line.
boys need to visst grand father chinos logocell at your ..
71
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
warmth. Some time after the year 1822 a great stove was purchased by Jesse Varney, trader, for the parish. It stood in the broad aisle, and its smoke-pipe was carried out of the westerly window on the southern side, over the gallery pew of Amos White, which was the corner pew. A pane of glass was removed to allow the pipe to pass through the window.
There was considerable decoration. Such were the little balus- trades on the tops of the pews ; the carving of the sounding-board, and the ornamental finish of the pulpit.
The house, if ever painted outside, had become very dark in the early part of this century. One of the Prentiss family, son of Col. John Waldron's fourth wife, wrote a humorous poem, being the plea of the old house for a "new coat," published in a local paper. The plea resulted in a coat of paint, but the house had become dark again before it was abandoned.
On Sunday, 29 March 1829, was the last public worship held in the fourth house. The house had been sold for $175, and on Monday, 30 March, the steeple was taken down and the work of demolishing the house begun. The northern end, about one third, was moved by the purchaser, Samuel Woodman, to Court street, and, as I have already said, is still owned by his son, Theodore W. Woodman, of this parish.
Doubtless many saw with tender regret the removal of the old house. A few remembered the form and voice of the grave and godly Jonathan Cushing, even when he was preaching in the old Pine Hill house. More recalled the patriotic sermons which Jeremy Belknap preached from its pulpit in the days of the Revolution. There had preached Gray and Shearman. But there had ministered the devoted Clary, to whose faithful gospel many souls were owing debts of love ; and its last days had been suddenly illumined by the burning zeal of the fervid Winslow.
The fifth and present house. - The increased population and changing social condition following the occupation of the Cochecho by the great manufacturing interests demanded a new house of worship. The old was insufficient and distasteful. These circumstances led the parish to take the following action, 31 March 1824 : -
" Voted, That a Committee of the Parish be appointed to report some plan for the better accommodation of the Parish in a meeting house, either by an alteration in the present house or the erection of a new one, and the probable expense thereof ; also the probable number of families who would wish to be accommodated in said house beyond the present number, and what number of pews would be taken in such new house.
"Voted, Asa Freeman, Doct. John Wheeler, James Bartlett, John Williams, Andrew Peirce, Capt. Robert Rogers, John W. Hayes, be a committee for the above purpose
72
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
The parish voted, 30 March 1825, to request the clerk to get two hundred and fifty copies of the report of this committee printed.
The report was printed. It considers the need of more accommo- dation by reason of increasing population, the cost of enlargement or renovation, and makes suggestions as to plans for a new building.
No immediate action ensued ; but when the Unitarian secession had taken place, and had been followed, in 1828, by the erection of a house of worship of a style attractive and novel, action became neces- sary. The parish accordingly voted, 26 January 1829, to appoint a committee of fifteen persons
"to consult on the expediency of building a New Meeting House, & whether it shall be of brick or wood, & the probable expense, & how they shall dispose of the old Meeting House, & report at the next Meeting; and that J. Wheeler, Andrew Peirce, Z. Wyman, Francis Drew, George Pendexter, W. Palmer, Jona. Young, James Davis, Jacob Kittredge, John Riley, D. M. Christie, Samuel Watson, W. P. Drew, Asa Freeman, & Samuel Wyatt be a Committee for the foregoing purposes."
The committee reported, 16 February 1829, in favor of building a new house, "considering the decayed state of the old House "; to build of brick ; the old house to be sold. On the same day the parish decided to build : -
" Voted, That the parish will build a new Meeting House of brick on the lot now occupied by the old meeting house, to contain not less than one hundred and sixteen pews or slips on the floor.
" Voted, That the Wardens be authorized and directed to sell & cause to be re- moved the old meeting house as soon as the necessary preparations can be made for building the new house, and that they pay over to the owners of pews in said old House the net proceeds of said sale in proportion to the appraised value of their respective pews.
"Voted, That for the purpose of defraying the expense of building said Meeting Ilouse, the Wardens of the Parish be authorized to hire, on the credit of the Parish, a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars, in such sums & at such times as, they may think necessary for that object.
" Voted, That the Wardens for the time being, together with John Riley, Samuel Wyatt, & James Davis, be a Committee for the purpose of building said house, and that said Committee be & hereby are fully authorized to make all necessary con- tracts for building & completing said house, & to fix and determine on the plan & style of finishing the same."
The decision once made, the work proceeded with energy. The task of demolition began 30 March following. Meetings were henceforth held in the court-house. On the 30th of June, Mr. Asa A. Tufts wrote in his diary, "This day the walls are ready for the roof." " All the plastering in the meeting house," 3 November, "finished to-day." "The pews and all inside wood-work," 17 December, "will be done to-day." On Thursday, 31 December 1829, the new house, the one wherein we meet to-day, was dedicated to the worship of God.
73
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
The pastor, Hubbard Winslow, preached the sermon, from the text : " Holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, forever."
The organ was played by Mr. Bruce, of Boston. Twelve hundred persons filled the house.
The following is an exact copy of the programme : -
ORDER OF SERVICES
FOR THE
DEDICATION OF THE MEETING-HOUSE OF THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER, DEC. 31, 1829.
I. ANTHEM : O sing unto the Lord a new song : Let the congregation of the saints praise him.
2. INVOCATION.
3. READING OF THE SCRIPTURES.
4. ANTHEM :
PSALM 100. Before Jehovah's awful throne, etc.
5. PRAYER.
6. HYMN : 142d Select Hymn. . In sweet exalted strains, etc.
7. SERMON.
8. DEDICATORY ANTHEM :
And will the great eternal GOD On earth establish his abode ? And will he from his radiant throne Avow our temples as his own ?
These walls we to thy honor raise, Long may they echo to thy praise, And thou descending fill the place With choicest tokens of thy grace.
IIere let the great Redeemer reign, With all the glories of his train, Whilst power divine his word attends, To conquer foes and cheer his friends.
Great King of glory come ! And with thy favor crown This temple as thy dome, This people as thy own. AMEN.
9. DEDICATORY PRAYER.
IO. PSALM :
117th. From all that dwell below the skies, etc.
11. CONCLUDING PRAYER.
12. DOXOLOGY :
13. BENEDICTION. To GOD the Father, GOD the Son, etc.
74
THE FIRST PARISII IN DOVER.
The care of Mr. Asa A. Tufts, entered also in 1833 the following statistics, which I copy : -
" The length of the house to the projection in front is So feet.
The length of projection is Whole length of the house
6%
" Width of the house, 68 feet ; height of the walls above the underpinning, 3012 feel ; height of the steeple above the underpinning, 146 feet; height of the steeple above the sidewalk, 152 feet ; height of the stuccoed ceiling from the broad aisle, 3012 feet ; height of the same from the floor of the gallery, 19 feet.
" The number of pews below is I144; pews in the gallery, 30; in all, 144. 310,000 bricks were used in building the walls.
"The organ, which is also owned by the parish, was built by William M. Goodrich, of East Cambridge, Mass., in 1829, and was placed in the house just before its dedi- cation. Mr. Goodrich was the builder of the ime organ in St. Paul's church, in Bos- ton. The organ in Dover . . . . comprises a large choir organ and a swell organ, has two ranks of finger keys and one of pedal keys. It has 13 stops (one of which contains two ranks of pipes and another three ranks), and 28 wooden and 731 metal pipes, and has now [1833] cost $1,250." 1
James Davis, of this parish, was the architect and superintendent of construction. The foundation and walls were the work of William Palmer. The wood-work up to and including the floor and pews on the floor, was taken by George Pendexter. Samuel Drew took the wood-work from the floor upwards, including windows, doors, and steeple. Albert Pendexter and Joseph Babb built the pulpit, which was copied from one in New Haven, Conn., where Mr. Winslow was educated. The painting was probably done by Michael Whidden.
November 30, 1829, John Riley, Asa Freeman, James Davis, Samuel Wyatt, Jonathan Young, Samuel Watson, and the wardens, were made a committee to appraise the pews in the new house, first ascertaining the cost of the house, including the organ. Before making the ap- praisal the committee was to reserve one pew as a minister's pew, and four on the floor and four in the gallery "for the accommodation of strangers, and such other persons as may be unable to provide them- selves with seats." The same committee was also authorized to sell the pews at auction ; no pews to be sold at less than the appraised value.
" At a meeting in the Vestry of the new meeting house," - the first mentioned, 8 February 1830, - the committee to appraise and sell pews reported, and the report was accepted. The parish voted its thanks "to Moses Hodgdon, John W. Hayes, and William Woodman, the Wardens of the Parish, and John Riley, Samuel Wyatt, and James
1 The organ, it is hardly necessary to record, has been twice very materially enlarged.
1
75
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
Davis, associated with them as a committee for building the meeting house, for their gratuitous service and successful exertions in building and completing said house."
Well had these men deserved the thanks.
On the Ist day of May 1833, a committee reported the total cost of the meeting-house. It was $12,760.00 ; and an interest account on money borrowed during the progress of the work amounted further to $1,354.04. Total expense, $14, 114.04. To that date pews had been sold to the amount of $12, 145.62. Jacob M. Currier had paid $100 in an exchange of land, and D. & W. Osborne had paid $993.93 for the parsonage. These sums amounted to $13,239.55. The deficiency was more than made up by a further sale of pews (third sale), 28 Jan- uary 1836, $500.00; and (fourth sale), 1 January 1838, $552.00. The total amount realized by sales of pews was $13,197.62 ; the cost of the church (not including interest) was $12,760.00.
At the first sale of pews, 5 January 1830, seventy-nine pews on the floor and eight in the gallery were sold. At a second sale, 17 April 1832, twenty-three upon the floor and seven in the gallery were sold. A third sale, 28 January 1836, disposed of ten new pews in the organ gallery, with one more (No. 57) at private sale, 21 March 1836. A fourth sale, 1 January 1838, disposed of three pews upon the floor and seven in the gallery.
It is a matter of interest to many sons to see again the names of the men who built this house; not merely because they built it, but also because, in that time of division, the list tells who stood firm for the ancient faith.
The following list will give the names, the number' of the pew, the appraisal of the pew, and the amount of premium paid : -
Value. Premium.
Value. Premium.
1. John Wheeler and James Davis . . $So
9. James Richardson, 100
1.00
IO. John Wheeler . .
100
1.00
2. Charles Paul and Joseph Morrill . 100
$1.00
II. Jacob Kittredge . IIO
1.00
3. Asa A. Tufts
IIO
10.00
12. John Tapley 125
1.00
4. Edward Sise
IIO
17.00
13. Jabez Dow .
130
4.00
5. Robert Smith 110
11.00
14. John Williams .
130
1 5.00
6. John Riley .
115
1.00
15. Thos. E. Sawyer . 115
2.00
7. Wm. Woodman . 115
1.00
16. John Riley .
105
1.00
8. Andrew Peirce . $115
$1.00
1 The numbering of pews commenced at the minister's left hand as he faced the people, ran eight pews against the west end, then seventeen pews down the church against the northern wall, up the north aisle, down and up the centre aisle (" the broad aisle"), down and up the south aisle, and then took the eight pews on the minister's right hand. The elevated figure affixed to the number of any pew denotes the number of the specific sale. Those without an elevated figure were disposed of at the first sale.
76
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
Value. Premium
Value. Premium. $ .83
17. Stephen Evans . $100
$1.00
56.2 John Wheeler . . $65
18. Z. Wyman
100
1.00
57.3 Peter Cushing . . 55 less 1 3.00
19. Peter Cushing and John Tapley . . 100
58.2 John Riley and - James Davis 55
59.2 John Riley . 65
less .02
21.2 John Riley
90 less 4.76
61.2 John W. Hayes . 62.2 Peter Cushing . .
100
18.15
23.
60
63.2 Edmund J. Lane . 115
15.81
24.
50
64. Wm. Hodgdon 125
25. Reserved.
65. Joseph Hanson . 135
26. Reserved.
66. Stephen S. Stone, 140
67. William Plaisted Drew . .
140
22.00
28.2 John Riley .
65 less 3.39 So
69. Minister's Pew.
30.
90
70. Charles Greene 140
71. Wm. Woodman . 140
22.00
32. Asa Freeman and Asa A. Tufts . 100
1.00
73. Rebecca S. Foot- man IIO
74.
Michael W hidden, 100
13.00
36. Mrs. Nancy Per- kins . 115
12.00
37. Moses Paul .
115
14.00
38 .* Mary Reade
115
14.00
39. Oliver S. Horne
IIO
12.00
40.2 Daniel M. Christie, 105
26.66
41. Andrew Peirce and Moses Paul
100
2.00
42. John II. Wheeler .
110
12.00
43. Abner Caldwell .
1 30
20.00
84. John P. Sargent
100
1.00
44. John Wheeler . .
140
22.00
85.2 Jonathan Young . 90 less 2.23
80 less 5.73
46. Daniel M. Christie, 1.40
19.00
47. Asa Freeman
140
19.00
48. Daniel Libbey . .
140
23.00
49. Eli French . .
1.40
17.00
Wm. Woodman,
60 less 9.37
50. Hosea Sawyer . . 135
89.
50
51. Abel C. Smith
125
90. Reserved. 91.
50
Asa A. Tufts .
115
15.81
92.3 Nathan'l Ilam and
53.2 William Palmer .
100
14.78
Francis Cogswell,
60
54.2 John H. Wheeler,
S5
4.46
93.2 John and John Il. Wheeler
65 less 10.15
55.2 John Riley . .
75
less .73
78.
William Palmer . Philemon Chand-
115
17.00
79.
ler . 115
5.00
So. Abigail Wingate . 115
81. John B. Sargent . 105
82. Hannah Ham . . 83. Lydia Hayes . .
105
2.00
45. John Riley . 140
22.00
86.2 Wm. Woodman . 87.2 James Davis . . 88.2 John W. Hayes, Rufus Flagg, and
100
1.00
33. Andrew Steele. . 105
1.00
34. Samuel Wyatt. . 105
11.00
35. John H. White
11.00
105
1.4.00
75. John W. Hayes . 76. Peter Cushing, 2d,
110
1 3.00
77. John J. Ilodgdon, 115
1 5.00
27.2 Israel Estes " and others "
Go less 5.15
68. George Pendexter,
140
25.00
29.
22.00
31. Oliver S. Horne . 100
72. Andrew Peirce . 130
18.00
20. Joshua Ham
100
1.00
60.2 Rufus Flagg 75 .95
85
4.46
22.2 Israel Estes " and . others " 65 less 10.15
1.00
* A part of this pew was, from the beginning, occupied by George Quint until his death, and after- wards by his son. Miss Reade refused to sell, but promised Mr. Quint he should always rent a part of the pew; and her wish was obeyed by her heirs after her decease. Miss Reade was a highly respected school teacher. She died 24 January 1840.
12.00
Go less 5.15
52.2 Asa Freeman and
22.00
77
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
Value. Premium.
94.2 Oliver S. Horne and George Pen- dexter . . .
$90 less $5.61
106. Israel Estes . . 107. Andrew Peirce . 115
100
5.00
95. David Sargent and Jacob Clark . .
100
1.00
Ios. Joshua Banfield and
John Cook . . 115
1.00
97. Wm. Woodman . 98. George Pendexter and Wm. Palmer, 100
100
1.00
109. Moses llodgdon (sold to Charles Ham) . 115
IIO. Janie B. Varney . 115
18.00
99. Peter Cushing . . 105
1.00
III. Jonathan Young . 115
16.00
100. Samuel Watson
115
2.00
112. Jonathan Young . 115
16.00
101. Arthur L. Porter . 130
4.00
113. John Dame . . . 100
1.00
114. Reserved.
Pews * in the gallery :-
1. Reserved.
Value. Premium.
Value. Premium.
2. Reserved.
3-
4.
5.4 Moses Paul . . . $45
6.ª Daniel M. Christie, John II. Wheel- er, and William Woodman 45
22.2 Andrew Peirce . . 45 less $4.50
7.2 John II. White
45 less $6.18
45 less 4.49 23.2 Andrew Peirce . . 24. Andrew Peirce . . 45 1.00
25. Asa Freeman 45 3.00
26.2 John Riley . . 45 .27
27. Jonathan Young . 45
1.00
Io. Israel Estes .
45
1.00
11. William Palmer .
45
12. John W. Ilayes
45
13.2 Peter Cushing .
45 less 4.49
45 less 7.03
30.ª John J. Ilodgdon, Samuel Wyatt, and Peter Cush- ing . 45
In the organ gallery, made by taking in the room first used as vestry, and sold 28 January 1836, the third sale (no elevated figure need be given) : -
Value. Premium.
Value. Premium.
I. Robert H. Palmer, $50
2. William Melcher .
50
7. Joshua Banfield 50
3. Widow of Andrew Steele .
50
9. John II. Wheeler . 50
IO. Moses Paul . 50
4. James Duxbury 50 . 5. Win. H. Alden and Thos. G. Morse, 50
16. 17. IS. 19. 20.4 Lurandus Beach . $45 21.4 Michael Whidden and " Alden and Morse " 45
8.2 Daniel Hussey . 9. William Pickering Drew and Eben- ezer Meserve .
45 1.00
28. John Wheeler . 45
1.00
29.4 Edmund J. Lane, Asa A. Tufts, and John II. Wheeler, 45
14.2 James Davis . . 15.4 Moses l'aul, Wells
Waldron, and John Wheeler . 45
104. Wm. P. Wingate . $110
Value. Premium. $7.00
105. Rufus Flagg 100
5.00
96. John Riley and Israel Estes . 100
17.00
1.00
102, Nathaniel Ham . 130 2.00
103. James Davis . 125
1.00
45 less 5.34
6. Asa A. Tufts . . $50
8. John N. Watson . 50
* The numbering began at the northeast corner, and took that side of the church; then began with No. 16, at the southeast corner of the church, and ended at the southwest corner.
78
THE FIRST PARISH IN DOVER.
Changes have been made in this house, but the important ones are so recent that its early appearance is readily recalled.
The organ was at the eastern end of the house, and behind it, over the vestibule, was a " vestry," so called. The pulpit, a very handsome mahogany structure, was rather elevated, and its front was supported by the two pillars preserved from the old house. A flight of winding stairs ascended to the pulpit on either side, and doors shut the minister in. Under the pulpit (which projected from its base) was a room for the Sunday-school library and the contribution boxes, -and this dark room, into which the deacons and librarian used to disappear, was a myste- rious place to us when we were boys. Behind the pulpit was a heavily draped window, but the building of a barn by Jacob M. Currier very close to it forced its being bricked up.
The walls and ceiling were white, the ceiling being handsomely fin- ished in stucco work. The galleries, with front higher than now, and supported on pillars now removed, were, as now, but running to the rear end of the house. A central broad aisle ran the length of the church; and two side aisles ran next to wall pews. Six tiers of straight pews occupied the floor, and at the pulpit end, on either side, a cross section of pews faced the pulpit. The pews had mahogany rails, and the ends and doors were white, but at first the front and back of each pew was left unpainted. The pews were not arranged as now, on the arc of a circle, but straight across the house. The steeple was painted white.
The tower clock, the first in Dover, was set going i May 1835. It was constructed by Benjamin Morrill, of Boscawen, N. II., and cost, with dials and fixtures, about three hundred dollars. The money was raised by subscriptions obtained by Mrs. Samuel Wyatt, of the " New Hampshire House."
The changes since made have not altered the proportions or general architectural appearance. Comparatively simple in its outlines, it was and is a well-proportioned, handsome, and dignified house for the worship of God.
Some changes were made in the interior before the great change of 1878. On the 23d of December 1834 : -
" Voted, That the wardens be authorized and directed to remove the front gal- lery of the meeting-honse, and to prepare a singing gallery in the room now occu- pied as a vestry, provided the same shall be done without any expense to the parish.
" Voted, That Asa A. Tufts be a committee to be added to the wardens to assist them in carrying the above vote into effect."
The change thus made destroyed the partition of the vestry, carried the organ back very near the front wall of the church, and made a
79
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
number of new pews in the front gallery. Asa A. Tufts, lover of mu- sic, had charge of the moving of the organ.
In the warrant for the annual meeting of 9 March 1846, was an arti- cle "to see if the parish will vote to repair the meeting-house." At that meeting, Asa Freeman, Moses Paul, and William F. Estes were made committee to report what repairs were needed. At an adjourned meeting held on the 23d, it was voted to repair the roof, whiten the interior of the walls, and purchase lamps for the house.
On the 29th of March 1852, Moses Paul, John H. Wheeler, and Wells Waldron were made a committee to report what repairs were necessary. That committee reported 26 April, and the report was accepted and ordered to be printed. A tax of twelve hundred dollars was laid upon the pews 8 May (to which one hundred and fifty dollars were added 15 May) for the roof and exterior, and a tax of five hun- dred dollars for internal repairs. Only necessary repairs could be taxed to the pews ; new improvements must depend upon contributions. On the same 8th of May, the same committee was authorized to make the repairs. The people, during the progress of the work, worshipped in the Unitarian church or the town hall.
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