USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire,1735-1905 > Part 28
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 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86
Rev. Mr. Clark says of him: "The new minister was a man of ardent temperament and tender sensibilities, and soon won the affections of his people. Feeling the power of the Gospel himself he knew well how to reach the mind and heart, and his ministry was long and very successful. Though many years
292
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
have now elapsed he has not ceased to be lovingly remembered. He was a genuine son of consolation, and his ministerial brethren used to speak of him as the ' Beloved Merrill,' and he was often called by them to assist in revival work, for which he had peculiar qualifications."
During Mr. Merrill's pastorate a religious association was or- ganized, and twenty-four persons signed its constitution which is said to be almost identical with that of the present Christian Endeavor Society. This was in 1823. From the meetings of this association, together with the work of the pastor, came the greatest revival the church in Lyndeborough ever expe- rienced. One hundred and seven united with the church at this time. One hundred and ninety-seven united with the church during the first twelve years of his ministry, and one hundred and fourteen more before he dissolved his connection with the church in Lyndeborough, making four hundred and eighteen in all. As Rev. Mr. Clark says, " A grand record for pastor and people." Mr. Merrill lived where E. K. Warren now lives, this place having been given to the town for a parson- age by Benjamin Lynde, Jr. It is best known now as the Bixby place. The following is a list of the members of the church just previous to Mr. Merrill's pastorate (1807). It will be noticed that there are many widows of members in the first list, and that only a small proportion of the old members re- main. But as this list contains the names of many families now extinct in town, we thought best to insert it :
Rev. Sewall Goodridge and wife. Joel Manwell and wife.
Dea. Peter Clark and wife. Benjamin Jones and wife.
Dea. Samuel Houston and wife.
James Punchard.
Dea. Aaron Lewis and wife.
John Clark and wife.
Widow Carkin.
Uriah Cram and wife.
David Cram and wife.
Widow Eleanor Whittemore.
Widow John Stephenson.
Jotham Blanchard and wife.
Andrew Fuller and wife.
John Boffee and wife.
Jonas Kidder and wife.
Ephraim Kidder and wife.
Widow Barron.
Livy wife of Samuel Steward.
Widow Rachel Badger.
Widow Hartshorn.
Widow Hannah Badger.
Eleazer Woodward and wife.
Widow Mary Boutwell.
Jacob Wellman.
Widow Lucy Putnam.
Ephraim Putnam and wife.
Jonathan Chamberlain and wife.
Benjamin Cram, Jr. and wife.
Thomas Hutchinson and wife.
Huldah Cram wife of John Cram.
Oliver Whiting and wife.
William Clark and wife. Johnathan Putnam and wife.
John Woodward and wife.
Charles Whitmarsh and wife.
The wife of Edward Ballard.
293
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS
Ephraim Putnam, Jr. and wife. Prudence Carkin.
Wife of Andrew Smith. Aaron Carkin and wife.
Eleazer Woodward, Jr. and wife.
John Thompson and wife.
Benjamin Holt and wife.
The wife of David Putnam.
Aaron Putnam and wife.
Widow Sarah Gardner.
John Wellman. Jacob Dascomb and wife.
Widow Mary Batten. Widow Sarah Dutton.
Admitted between 1807 and 1814 inclusive :
John Clark 2d and wife.
Wife of Reuben Dutton.
William Clark, Jr. and wife.
Permelia Lewis.
Widow Nancy Elliott.
Phebe Hutchinson.
David Farrington and wife.
Hannah Hutchinson.
David Woodward and wife.
Polly Whitmarsh.
John Houston and wife.
Asa Manning and wife.
Wife of Osgood Hutchinson.
Widow Miriam Butterfield.
James Whittemore and wife.
Trephina Butler,
Israel H. Goodridge and wife.
Aaron Whittemore.
Dudley Carleton.
Jonathan Clark.
Anna Chamberlain.
Wife of Thomas Boardman.
Hannah Cram.
Jane Smith.
Aaron Woodward and wife. Sally Ordway.
Hannah Epes.
Wife of Daniel Putnam.
Daniel Epes.
Wife of David Woodbury.
Charles Whitmarsh.
Wife of Amaziah Blanchard.
William Hutchinson.
Eli Curtis and wife.
Jacob Manning.
Wife of Ephraim Kidder.
Fanny Ordway.
William Holley and wife. Jonathan Butler and wife.
Ruth Day.
Wife of Henry Cram.
Warren Damon.
Wife of Moses White.
Wife of John Sargent.
Wife of Joseph Epes.
Olive Chamberlain.
Widow Polly Allen.
Hannah Woodward.
Wife of John Proctor.
Hannah P. Woodward.
Wife of Daniel Woodward
Wife of Joseph Carter.
William Jones and wife.
Hannah Carleton.
Eben Hutchinson and wife.
Joshua Sargent.
Ephraim P. Russell.
Widow Susanna Dutton.
Wife of Jotham Hildreth.
Bathsheba Holt.
Israel Woodward and wife. Benjamin Goodridge and wife. Widow Sarah Ordway. John Haggett and wife. Nehemiah Boutwell and wife. Jacob Richardson and wife.
Ever since the town was organized the expense of building meeting-houses and supporting the minister had been a town charge. In an act passed in 1792 the legislature provided that " the inhabitants of each town in this state qualified to vote as aforesaid, at any meeting duly warned and holden in such town, may agreeably to the constitution grant and vote such sums of money as they shall judge nescessary for the settlement mainte-
294
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
nance and support of the ministry, schools, meeting-house schoolhouses, &c."
But this law seemed to some to be unjust, and an agitation was started by persons of differing religious beliefs or of no re- ligious belief, to have this rule modified. This agitation re- sulted, in 1819, in the passing of what was called the "Toler- ation Act " by the legislature, which greatly modified existing law. The last clause of this act was as follows: "Provided that no person shall be liable to taxation for the purpose of ful- filling any contract between any town and settled minister who shall prior to such assessment file with the clerk of the town where he may reside a certificate declaring that he is not of the religious persuasion or opinion of the minister settled in such town." This act "provided that each religious sect or denom- ination of Christians might form societies, and having done so, establish by laws, and have all the corporate powers which may be nescessary to raise and assess money by taxes upon the polls and ratable estates of its members."
Some of the townspeople began to chafe under the necessity of paying a tax for the support of something in which they took no interest or to which they were openly or covertly opposed, and notifications began to be sent to the town authorities. Some of them read as follows : -
" To the Selectmen of Lyndeborough. This may certify that I differ in religious opinion from Rev. Nathaniel Merrill and ob- ject to you or your successors in office hereafter taxing my poll or estate toward the support of preaching in this town."
"Sir : For particular reasons I wish not to be taxed to Mr. Merrill again until I think different."
"Gentlemen : This may certify that I differ from Rev. Nathaniel Merrill's religion and therefore refuse to pay him any minister tax and shall not."
Some time later church and state became separate institutions in Lyndeborough. On account of these changes in ministerial support Mr. Merrill resigned, and was dismissed July 28, 1835.
Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, son of Thomas and Sarah (Friend) Merrill was born in that part of Rowley now called Georgetown, Mass., Dec. 4, 1782. He married, Jan. 22, 1812, Betsey Carpenter, of Norwich, Vt. After leav- ing Lyndeborough he was settled in Wolcott, N. Y., in September, 1835. He died at Georgetown, Mass., July 4, 1839. He prepared for college at Dummer Academy, and was graduated from Dartmouth College in 1809. Several of his children were born in Lyndeborough, but we have no rec- ord of their births. The dates of their baptism are as follows: Almon
295
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS
Carpenter, baptised Jan. 3, 1813; James Hervey, baptised Nov. 27, 1814; Sarah, baptised May 27, 1819.
It was during Mr. Merrill's pastorate that the celebrated "scarecrow " case brought such trouble and discord into the church.
It would seem that Mr. Joseph Kidder, who lived where Dea. N. T. McIntire now lives, went after his cows one Sunday after- noon and saw the crows pulling his corn. He went over into his field and, cutting a stake, hung his coat upon it, as a makeshift until he could put up something more suitable. Old Grannie McMaster, who lived where Indiana Herrick now lives, saw him commit the crime and reported it to Mr. Eleazer Woodward. . Now it is whispered that Grannie McMaster herself was out after ovenwood, but this is merely tradition. Mr. Woodward felt called upon to bring the matter before the church and have Mr. Kidder disciplined. His charges were five in number. Charge No. 3 reads: " That he had as he thought trespassed upon the rest of the Lords day by setting up or erecting objects in his cornfield on that day to prevent ye crows from injuring it. Articles 4 and 5 were charges "that Mr. Kidder travelled much on the Lords day."
" That he set out on a journey to the northern part of the state on the Lords day."
Mr. Kidder promptly reported a countercharge that Mr. Woodward "disregarded the truth," and that he "put up some fence between his field and pasture on the Sabbath."
This quarrel led to much trouble for the church. Mr. Wood- ward confessed that he put up the fence and asked forgiveness, but would by no means own that "he had disregarded the truth." Mr. Kidder was contumacious, and many church meetings and finally a council of neighboring churches were needed to settle it. It may be said that many of the members of the church saw the folly of investigating and bringing before the church charges so trivial, and entered a protest against their consideration. This trouble also led to the appointing of a com- mittee - a sort of ecclesiastical grand jury - before which all complaints must be made, the committee to determine if they should be brought before the church.
It was while Mr. Merrill was pastor, also, that the question of warming the church was decided. All these previons years the people had worshipped in a church without any fire to temper the cold of winter. It is one of the most amazing facts in the
296
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
history of our forefathers. Any one who has lived through a New England winter must be impressed by the amount of grit or grace it took for the congregation to sit quietly, on a zero day, and listen to two long sermons, with the temperature of the room raised only by the heat of their own bodies. Some were tired of it, and asked permission to set up stoves. It may be said, however, that the women used to carry into church a tin foot stove filled with coals and these were refilled at some of the neighboring houses, to last through the afternoon service; but the men scorned such devices. Jan. 2, 1822, the town granted certain individuals the right to set up stoves in the meeting-house, and, .strange as it may seem, there was some opposition and consider- able excited discussion of the question. One old Revolutionary hero is reported as saying, "I have attended church these fifty years ; I have fought the British seven years; I have slept in a tent on the frozen ground with nothing but a blanket to cover me ; I have trod the snow path with bleeding feet nearly naked, and if Mr. Merrill wants a fire let him go to the place where they keep one all the year round."
It would seem from the records that for a few years the church depended upon voluntary subscriptions to support the ministry, but just what years is not clear. Nov. 1, 1839, this resolution was placed on record, " Resolved that this church feels and ever has felt the importance of supporting a preached Gospel in the centre of the town, that it is the duty of all its members to contribute for this object according to the ability which God has given them. Whereas the duty of raising funds devolves upon the Society with which the church is connected, and whereas all the members of the church are not members of the society, therefore it is expedient to use means to have all the members of this church who do or may reside in town bear an equal share of the expense. Voted that this church request the society to instruct the wardens of the same, that when a tax is laid upon the members of the society it be laid upon all the members of the church who may reside in town in equal pro- portion with those of the society." This shows that previously to that date, they were raising money by taxation. This method evidently proved very unsatisfactory. The records are full of complaints against those who for various reasons did not pay, and of the reasons they gave for not paying. The system was causing endless trouble and vexation, so that in 1846, March 3, they returned to the plan of voluntary subscriptions,
297
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS
and Daniel Woodward, Jr., and Sherebiah Manning were chosen a committee to go through the town and solicit funds. But this was not for a long time and seems to have proved a failure, for the next year, 1847, they again resorted to taxation of the church and society members, and this plan was con- tinued for some years. Some of the members were negligent about paying these taxes ; some on the plea of not receiving an income from the property taxed; some entered the plea of poverty and it finally became necessary to call a council to advise how these delinquents should be dealt with. In the case of one brother, they recommended "that he first pay all he thinks he ought and not be mean, and then reflect upon pay- ing the remainder."
During the autumn of 1835 the church was supplied by the Rev. Jacob White, and at a meeting of the church and society held Oct. 27, 1835, they extended to him a call to become their pastor.
He was to have five hundred dollars salary, and the society voted to furnish him with a suitable dwelling-house, (by his giving seasonable notice) for a reasonable rent. This last would seem to show that the old parsonage near where George E. Spalding lives, and which was presented by Benjamin Lynde, Esq., to the town, had been disposed of, or that when the church and town dissolved partnership the town kept the parsonage. We can find no record in regard to it, however. Mr. White's letter of acceptance is dated Dec. 12, 1835, and he was ordained Jan. 13, 1836.
The council was organized the preceding evening at the house of Royal B. Tupper, where Mr. White passed the exam- ination in the presence of most of the male members of the church and " a few females." The exercises the following day were at the meeting-house :
Invocation by Rev. Mr. Jones of Greenfield.
Sermon by Rev. Mr. Aiken of Amherst.
Ordaining prayer by Rev. Mr. Bradford of New Boston.
Charge by the Rev. Mr. Whiton of Antrim.
Right-hand of Fellowship by Rev. Mr. Richards of Francestown.
Address to the church, Rev. Humphrey Moore of Milford. Concluding prayer by Rev. Mr. Jewett of Temple.
Mr. White says, "that the day was pleasant and the house was so crowded that all could not get in, and that the exercises were solemn and interesting."
298
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
After the pastorate of the Rev. Sewall Goodridge, the pastor of the church seems to have been the church clerk as well, and this continued until the end of Mr. Claggett's ministry.
Rev. Frank G. Clark says of Mr. White, "He was a thor- oughly educated man, a sound theologian, a good writer, and an able and instructive minister of the Gospel."
Jacob White was born at East Bridgewater, Mass., Nov. 20, 1806, and died in Lyndeborough while on a visit, April 3, 1865. He was graduated from Brown University in 1832, and at Andover in 1835. His health was not good while in Lynde- borough, and did not improve for a time after he left the town. He supplied for nine months at Plymouth, Mass., and was pastor at Orleans, Mass., from 1841 to 1861. In 1865 he re- moved to Bridgewater, his early home. In a historical address delivered June, 1839, he says of the church in Lyndeborough, "In conclusion I would observe that from a careful examination of the records, there appear to have united with this church since its organization, 84 years ago, about 750 persons. In this statement no estimation is made of those who may have been added during the twenty-three years the history of which is entirely lost. Of this number eleven have sustained the office of Deacon, eight have been licenced to preach the Gospel and some others are in course of preparation for this glorious work. The present number on our catalogue is not far from 200."
This record appears under date of Nov. 26, 1837: "Today the Congregational church and society in this place worshipped for the last time, as we suppose, in the old meeting-house."
Mr. White preached on that day, a historical sermon from the text, Zech. 1: 5. " Your fathers, where are they ? and the prophets, do they live forever?" An original hymn was sung by the choir, written by Dr. Israel Herrick.
Nov. 29, 1837. "This day the new meeting-house belonging to this church and society was solemnly dedicated to Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The exercises were solemn and interest- ing. The assembly was large and attentive. The services commenced at eleven o'clock in the morning and were as follows :
Voluntary by the choir.
Invocation and reading of scriptures by Rev. Mr. Richardson. Anthem. "Our Lord is risen."
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Folsom.
299
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS
Psalm 122, Particular Meter.
Sermon and prayer by the pastor. Text, 122 psalm, I verse.
Anthem. "Assign to Jehovah."
Dedicatory prayer by Rev. Mr. Bradford.
Dedicatory hymn, composed by Dr. Israel Herrick and read by Benj. F. Clark.
Concluding prayer by Rev. Mr. Jennison.
Doxology sung by the whole congregation.
Benediction, after which the choir performed an anthem.
Jacob White, Pastor."
Those who remember this occasion say that the singing was particularly good, the choir being augmented for the event.
Mr. White was dismissed June 30, 1840, after four and a half years' of service.
The first record of a Congregational society is dated March 18, 1833. At a meeting held on that date the preliminary steps were taken to form a society to be known as the First Congregational Orthodox Society in Lyndeborough. Nehe- miah Boutwell was moderator, and Nathan Jones, clerk of this meeting. They chose Dudley Carleton, clerk, William Jones, treasurer and collector, and Israel H. Goodridge, Elias McIntire, and Nathan Jones, wardens. The following notice was published in the Farmers' Cabinet, March 25, 1833.
NOTICE
Is hereby given that Wm. Jones, Asa Manning, Elias Mc- Intire and Israel H. Goodridge, and their associates have formed themselves into a religious society by the name of the First Congregational Orthodox Society in Lyndeborough agree- ably to an act of the Legislature passed July 3, 1827.
Dudley Carleton, Clerk.
It would seem that the society had some controversy with the town in regard to a ministerial fund, for at a meeting of the society held Jan. 16, 1835, it was voted "That the Wardens of the Society take legal measures to retain the 'fund ' provided it should be necessary." The records do not fully show how the controversy was settled.
The first measures to build the present parsonage were taken Dec. 23, 1835, when at a meeting of the society it was "voted to chose a committee of five to ascertain the probable expense of building a parsonage and fix on a spot and report to this Society." This committee reported in favor of purchasing a spot of Joseph Jones, situated in the southeast corner of his field between Timothy Richardson's and Oliver Bixby's. But
300
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
the inevitable wrangle over locating such buildings occurred, and June 1, 1836, another committee was appointed, consisting of Dea. Benjamin Goodrich, Oliver Whiting, Oliver Perham, Jacob Butler, Elias McIntire, Jotham Hildreth, Benjamin Jones, Daniel Woodward and Capt. William Clark. Their de- cision was to be "final and conclusive " in regard to the pur- chase of land and the location of the spot on which to erect the building. No further record appears in regard to the matter of the location. The parsonage house was built by subscription and was finished and ready for occupancy in November, 1837. Josiah Wheeler did most of the carpenter work, and the plans were his, modified somewhat by the Rev. Mr. White. Its cost, including barn and well, was $1567.41.
At a meeting of the society held Jan. 16, 1837, the subject of building a new meeting-house was brought forward, and on Jan. 31, 1837, it was " voted to choose a committee to petition the Selectmen to insert an article in the warrant for the next annual Town Meeting requesting the town to sell the meeting house at public auction." This was the first step taken in the direction of building a new meeting-house. June 7, 1837, the society voted to build a new meeting-house. This house was to be built one hundred feet south of the parsonage house, leaving room for horse sheds &c., and the money to defray the expense was to be raised by shares of $25.00 each, taken by members of the society and others. The house was built and ready for use late in the fall of 1837 and has served the use of the church and society ever since. Its steeple has been struck by lighting one or more times and is now much lower than when first erected. It was dedicated Nov. 29, 1837, as has been before stated. The horse sheds were completed that year and in 1838.
After the dismissal of the Rev. Mr. White, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. William Richardson, formerly of Wilton, and there was some desire to have him settled, but the majority of the society were unfavorable. Nov. 15, 1842, the church extended a call to the Rev. Ivory Kimball to become their pastor, the society concurring. They first offered him as salary $360.00, but afterward raised it to $400.00. In his letter of acceptance he says, "I accept your call on the condition that you pay me punctually." He was installed Dec. 28, 1842. The sermon was preached by Rev. Wmn. T. Savage of Amherst ; installing prayer by Rev. E. P. Bradford of New Boston ; charge by Rev. John M. Whiton of Antrim; Right Hand of
yours fratemally q. B. Plugest
301
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS
Fellowship by Rev. William Richardson of Deering. Mr. Kim- ball preached in Lyndeborough a little more than three years and was dismissed, Feb. 24, 1846. He was born at Wells, Me., Sept. 21, 1805 ; studied theology at Bangor Seminary ; in 1834 was ordained at Lemington, Me., where he was pastor until 1841. He died July 24, 1853.
July 16, 1846, the church and society extended a call to Erastus B. Claggett to become their pastor. He accepted and was ordained Sept. 30, 1846. It would be hard to overstate the value of the services of Rev. Mr. Claggett to the church and to the town. He was not only the minister, he was the citizen, taking great interest in every material interest of the town. As the superintendent of schools he could call all the boys and girls in town, not only by their first but by their middle names, and he left an impress for good upon every youth with whom he came in contact. Of medium height, thin and spare, with keen but kindly black eyes, nose a little inclined to be hooked, ner- vous and spry, devoted to his calling, the valued friend and counsellor of all his people, he labored for twenty-five years in the church, and for the town of Lyndeborough. He was never a strong man, physically, but had an endurance which enabled him to bear the burden of life as a country minister. Rarely or never was he unable to perform his parish duties.
Rev. Mr. Clark says of him : "He was eminently qualified by. his literary attainments, his warm, sympathetic nature, and his entire consecration to do a noble work in his Master's service. He entered heartily into every interest of the town. He advocated and helped to sustain lyceums and public lectures for the bene- fit of the community and was a prime mover in the establishing of the Franklin Library Association. He served thirteen years as superintendent of schools, and was instrumental in greatly raising the standard of scholarship, and in securing new and im- proved schoolhouses. He encouraged the scholars to continue their studies beyond the common school, and gave his time cheerfully and without compensation in teaching them in prepa- ration for academy or college. He was a warm friend of the cause of temperance, and of the oppressed colored race, and by his words and efforts greatly stimulated those who went forth in defense of the Union. He was devoted to the spiritual interests of the whole town. If the people could not, or would not, come to the church, he was ready, with much bodily discomfort, to go to the out-districts and hold meetings. Ninety united with the
302
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
church during his pastorate, and many of the young people were trained in mind and heart for fields of usefulness in town and elsewhere."
In 1864 he served with the Christian Commission, helping the Union cause the best way he could.
At his ordination the sermon was preached by Rev. John Woods of Newport, and the Rev. Jonathan McGee of Frances- town, Rev. Bezaleel Smith of Mont Vernon, Rev. Leonard Ten- ney of Jaffrey and the Rev. Albert Manson of Bennington took part in the ceremony.
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.