USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Westerly > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 7
USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Charlestown > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 7
USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Hopkinton > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 7
USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Richmond > Westerly (Rhode Island) and its witnesses : for two hundred and fifty years, 1626-1876 : including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond until their separate organization, with the principal points of their subsequent history > Part 7
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REV. ABRAM COON.
As Rev. Abram Coon died Sept. 28, 1813, in his fiftieth year, he must, we infer, have been born in 1763. The family name, prior to about 1800, was spelled McCoon.
Abram Coon made a profession of his Christian faith in 1786; united with the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Hopkinton in 1791 ; was called to the office of an evangelist, Aug. 17, 1798; complied
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with the call on the 24th, and was ordained on the 26th of the same month.
He was brother to Rev. Asa Coon, and nephew, I think, to Rev. William Coon, both of whom were ordained in Hopkinton, and were settled over churches in Rensselaer County, N. Y.
Mr. Coon was tall and spare in person ; had blue eyes and brown hair ; always wore a low-crowned hat, and a coat with a straight collar. So venerable was he in appearance, that he was usually called " old Elder Coon." He is remembered as an eloquent speaker; a man of sound doctrinal views ; sober, vigilant, wise in council, kind and faithful in all the relations of life ; strong in "the faith once delivered to the saints," and skillful in winning souls to Christ. He died in Hopkinton village, in the house now owned and occupied by S. Champlin, Esq., where he had lived many years.
REV. MATTHEW STILLMAN.
Rev. Matthew Stillman, son of Dea. Elisha and Mary (Davis) Stillman, was born in Westerly, Dec. 11, 1770. When an infant, his parents removed to Hopkinton, on a small farm now owned by B. F. Kenyon, Esq., not many rods from the site of the old toll-gate, two and a half miles from Hopkinton village. Here he spent most of his days, and here he died. At an early age he united with the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Hopkinton ; was married to Eliza- beth, daughter of Dea. David Nichols, March 13, 1794 ; was ordained to the office of an elder June 3, 1804; died of apoplexy, while sit- ting at the table, March 9, 1838, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and the thirty-fourth of his ministry. He had preached a funeral sermon on the day previous to his death, and was expecting to preach another on the day following his death. In the services of the preceding Sabbath he read the hymn commencing thus :-
" And let this feeble body fail, And let it faint or die," etc.
Mr. Stillman was of medium height, rather thick frame, of dig- nified mien, social and cheerful in temperament, and courteous in manners. His pastoral visits, in which he was accompanied by his excellent wife, were seasons highly appreciated and richly enjoyed. His life beautifully enforced the precepts and spirit of the glorious Gospel he delighted to preach to others.
REV. DANIEL COON.
Rev. Daniel Coon, son of Rev. Abram and Prudence (Edwards) Coon, was born in Hopkinton, Jan. 9, 1792 ; united with the Seventh Day Baptist Church June 28, 1806; married Fannie, daughter of Peleg Babcock, Esq., Dec. 25, 1817 ; was licensed to preach March 22, 1818 ; was ordained April 4, 1819 ; and died May 21, 1858.
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He resided one year in Chester, Mass., prior to his ordination ; after which he became the pastor of the Third Seventh Day Baptist Church in Brookfield, N. Y., and was occasionally employed in mis- sionary labor, until his removal to Hopkinton in 1836. He had a strong, muscular frame, of medium height, florid complexion, blue eyes, light hair, and stentorian voice. He spoke with ease, fluency, and often with vehemence. In prayer he was fervent and impas- sioned. As a preacher, he was strong, argumentative, sanguine, and decided ; always stating his points in a positive form. Yet he had a rich imagination, and a happy faculty of illustrating his thoughts. In his addresses to the conscience, he was plain, thorough, and effec- tive. In the earlier part of his ministry, extensive and happy revivals attended his preaching. And always his genial and sympa- thetic nature rendered his ministrations to the afflicted widely sought and highly prized. He was in every respect one of the worthiest men of his denomination.
The successors of Mr. Coon, all living save Mr. Crandall, may well wait the pen of the coming annalist who will pay them their honor.
It will be noticed as something of a peculiarity in this old church, that not alone the regular pastors and their assistant elders, though there were often two or three of these assistants, but sometimes the deacons as well, administered baptism, the laying on of hands, and the Lord's Supper. Not unfrequently, the deacons also preached, at least occasionally, or, as it was expressed, “im- proved their gifts." Indeed, for a long time it was a habit of the church to call only such to the diaconate as gave promise of devel- oping ministerial powers. As all the members had liberty, and were expected to share in the devotional exercises of their common meet- ings, all promising gifts were made manifest.
From precedence of date as an organization, and from commend- able zeal and untiring efforts to propagate their peculiar tenets, the first Sabbatarian church in this town became a strong force in mold- ing the opinions and life of the people. In its palmy days, "it en- rolled nearly one thousand members." We are told that as late as the beginning of the present century, the adherents of this faith were " more numerous than all the other persuasions throughout the town put together."
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CHAPTER IX.
EARLY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
WE have previously seen that Massachusetts and Connecticut sen- timents gained a foothold in this vicinity soon after it was purchased by Rhode Islanders. This type of Puritanism long remained in the town. By a letter written in 1721 (old style), found in the Massa- chusetts Historical Society's Letters and Papers, it appears that the Rev. Nathan Prince at this time was a missionary to his Westerly brethren and their friends. Of the Sabbatarians he makes very honorable mention, being happily disappointed with the charitable and fraternal spirit in which they received him. His Puritan breth- ren were too few and widely scattered to be then organized into a church. They usually worshiped with the then so-called Presby- terians in Stonington, now called Congregationalists.
In May, 1733, under the direction of the New England Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, the Rev. Joseph Park, born March 12, 1705, and graduated at Cambridge College, Mass., was sent "as a missionary to the Indians and such English as would attend in Westerly." To use his own words, he was "a moral, religious person, but awfully in the dark as to the way of salvation." Church members and even ministers of a like character with Mr. Park were only too frequent in New England before the Great Awakening.
Of the origin of the meeting-house occupied by Mr. . Park, in Westerly, we can find no satisfactory history. Probably it was erected prior to his coming, and for the special benefit of the In- dians, to whom Mr. Park was sent as a missionary ; or it might have been erected after his coming in 1733. The house stood "on a lot of land given by George Ninigret, chief Sachem of the Indians." The original lot consisted of " twenty acres," laid out, at the special request of King Ninigret, by civil order in 1735, though it had pre- viously been donated, and the house had been built several years. The commissioners appointed to lay out the lot were Col. Joseph Stanton and Capt. Oliver Babcock. The meeting-house stood near the present post-road, in the eastern part of the present limits of the
الشهداء ١٠
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town, on what has been known as the James Ross estate ; the spot, in 1869, with only a cluster of graves to distinguish it, lying be- tween the estates of William S. Gavitt and Christopher Rathbun. The house remained till near the opening of the present century.
A number of Mr. Park's congregation came from Charlestown, and some from Narragansett. What is now embraced in the town- ships of Charlestown and Richmond was set off from Westerly in 1738, under the name of Charlestown, in honor of the English king. Richmond was set off from Charlestown in 1747. And we may here add that Hopkinton (so called in honor of Governor Hopkins) was set off from Westerly in 1757.
We now approach a remarkable historic event, - what has properly been denominated the Great Awakening. It was the era of spiritual and ecclesiastical emancipation in our country ; one of the great spring-tides of thought in the progress of human affairs. From causes found in human nature, not complimentary to its native tendencies, the progress of society has been incited by divine inter- positions, and even then has been more saltatory than gradual. While the advancement, upon the whole, has been as a rising tide, it has been marked by rising and falling waves.
The progress of Mr. Park's missionary enterprise was extremely slow till the coming of the Great Revival, which broke upon the land like a mighty wave in 1740, though the earnest of the Awaken- ing had appeared some years previously, under the preaching of Jonathan Edwards, in Northampton. The country generally was groaning and travailing for spiritual relief. True believers had been long wrestling in prayer. The hour of deliverance now came. George Whitefield landed at Newport Sept. 14, 1740, and preached there three days. Immediately his influence spread like a flame widely over the country.
The Great Awakening was strongly felt in this region. The Rev. Gilbert Tennent, on his way to and from Boston, visited Westerly and preached with signal effect. Afterwards the eccentric evangelist, Rev. James Davenport, while laboring in Stonington, where there was " shaking among many dry bones," and "the dread majesty of God seemed to fill heaven and earth," came and preached in the vicinity of Mr. Park's meeting, and the most powerful effect was realized, both among whites and Indians. A change passed in .Mr. Park's mind; he says he was "strengthened and lifted up "; his views and feelings became more evangelical. Of the change wrought in the town, he afterwards thus wrote : "Before this day of God's power, there was not, as far as ever I learned, one house of prayer in the place, in two large towns, containing some hundreds of families, nor any that professed the faith of God's own operation, or the doctrine of grace. Now, when the Lord set up his sanctuary in the midst of us, those heads of families, who had been the happy subjects of His
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grace, immediately set up the worship of God in their houses." It is difficult to reconcile this statement with the existence of the Sab- batarian church in the town, though the paper was indorsed by Stephen Babcock and other prominent townsmen.
From their own records, we learn that the Sabbatarians were opposed to the Great Awakening, or "New Light Stir," as it was generally termed by reproach. It created much and serious disturb- ance among their ranks. A few, however, received it with favor. Nathan Tanner, one of their prominent members, was called to account by them in 1748 for worshiping with the New Lights; others, for the same canse, were reproved in 1749. In 1754, Joseph Davis, another important member, and a number associated with him, having become dissatisfied with "the practice of admitting members by written confession of faith only," and holding that "the New Lights are a church of Christ," set up a separate meeting, for which they were dealt with by the Church; and as they kept Sab- bath on the first day of the week, they were finally excluded from the church, Nov. 7, 1754. These Separatists became a church, with Mr. Davis as their teacher, and flourished till near the close of the century, when Mr. Davis died, and many of the members emigrated to the West. After the example of Mr. Davis and his associates, near the same date (1754), a large number not following Mr. Davis, "formed themselves into an independent New Light society, still observing the Sabbath (seventh day)." Of the final history of this society we have obtained no satisfactory records; it seems that some returned to the old church, while others went over to the Davis church. This fact that the Sabbatarians deemed the New Lights " to be erroneous in principle and disorderly in prac- tice," may explain somewhat Mr. Park's statement.
Of the subjects of the Great Revival, Mr. Park adds : "They became earnestly engaged to come into covenant with the Lord and one another, in the fellowship of the gospel. Accordingly upon the 29th of April, 1742, a number of them set apart a day of fasting and prayer, to implore the direction and blessing of God in settling gos- pel worship and ordinances among them ; and upon the 5th of May they were formed into a church state by the assistance of a council of ministers and delegates from Stonington; and upon Aug. 13, 1742, through much opposition, became an organized body; when, by the Providence of God, I was ordained to the pastoral office over them." In the covenant of the church the body is denominated " the Presbyterian or rather Congregational Church of Christ in Westerly." It seems they were not counted a fully organized church till they had a regularly ordained pastor. The opposition spoken of arose from their independent proclivity. The ministers assisting in the ordination were Rev. Nathaniel Eells, of Stonington, and Rev. Joseph Fish, of North Stonington, who in a limited measure favored
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the revival, but were displeased with itinerant ministers, and partic- ularly with Mr. Davenport.
The constituent private members of the church were, "Justice Stephen Babcock, and his wife Anna Babcock; Joseph Pendleton ; William Pendleton, and his wife Lydia Pendleton ; Thomas Noyes ; Joshua Vose, and his wife Prudence Vose; Ezekiel Gavitt, Jun. ; Elias Thompson; Christopher Seegar, and his wife Ruth Seegar ; Anna Babcock; Stanton York, and wife Anna York." But others, both whites and Indians, were soon added. In less than two years, " more than sixty Indians " became members. In an old historical " Memorandum " we find the following entries : -
" In years 1740 & 1741, In ye time of the Power of Christian Religion in the Land, when the Great Doctrines of Truth & Grace were clearly and Powerfully Preached among us & among them (the English Society), by other Ministers as well as Mr. Park himself. The most of his Eng. Society were offended. But ye word had effect on some who were desirous to form themselves into a Chh. Estate, & by ye Counsel & Assistance of Neighbor- ing Churches they did in ye Summer of ye year 1742, etc. After the Settling a Chh. there, numbers were added to it both English & Indians: I think about four score persons, communicants. But after some time the Indians Separated themselves & followed one Sam. Niles, an Indian ex- horter, upon which the Commissioners at Boston took away the Salary they had allowed to Mr. Park as their Missionary to ye Indians, etc. . The Charges of ye Gospel grew heavy by that means. Some Persons disorderly walk calling for discipline, were dealt with as such. And in Particular, Stephen Babcock. a Deacon, & one of ye first members of ye Chh. when it was founded; who sometime after was Rebaptized & became a Head & Leader of a great Separation from this Chh. & some Chhis. in Stonington."
The records of the body to 1746 have perished; a few entries only are found between 1746 and 1751 ; a very fair record survives, reaching from 1751 to 1770, though the last leaves are torn and fragmentary. The first known clerk of the church was Chris- topher Seegar, who seems to have served through nearly its whole history. Occasional entries are made by Rev. Mr. Park, and by his sons Benjamin and John. The deacons appearing on the records were Ezekiel Gavitt and Col. William Pendleton.
The New Light views that broke out in the church, and the Indian element together, sorely jostled the Presbyterian platform. The disagreements became so great that separate meetings were started in private houses, and finally, in 1750, two new churches, the " Hill Church " and the Indian Church, were formed. So great was the convulsion in the parent body in 1745, that it passed through a process of reconstruction, new articles being drawn up and sub- scribed. But no compromises could suppress the New Light move- ment.
The parent body, after the formation of the " Hill Church," under the leadership of Justice Stephen Babcock, and the organization of
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الحال
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the Indian Church, was in an extremely weak condition. Rev. Mr. Park was so disheartened that he accepted, in 1751, an invitation from the people of Mattatuck, in Southold, Long Island, to become their minister. Thither he shortly removed, leaving his family for a time in Westerly, and labored with varying success till 1756. Before his departure, however, the decided Presbyterian members of the church asked to be discharged from the old organization, that they might begin to build anew. We infer that the majority of the body, even after the New Light or Separate churches had been formed, were of Separate proclivities, for the request mentioned above was granted, and the body remaining and worshiping in the meeting- house were styled, by the withdrawing company, "disorderly Sepa- rates," because they had departed from the Presbyterian usages. They, however, in a few years deserted the meeting-house and united with the Separate churches. The decided Presbyterians that asked for a dismission to organize anew, did so at the suggestion of Mr. Park, and were accustomed to meet at his house, with him while he remained, and with his family after his departure to Long Island. The persons who thus withdrew were " Dea. Ezekiel Gavitt, Stanton York, Christopher Seegar, Abigail Park (wife of Rev. Mr. Park), Amie Gavitt, Jemima York, Ruth Seegar, Lois Ross, Anna Yorke, Hopestill York, Hannah Stanton Yorke." The withdrawal dates " May ye 29th, 1751." The main part of the records of the body, up to this date, probably went with the Separates, and have been lost.
The meeting-house seems to have been held in part by the church, and in part by "the Honorable and Reverend Commissioners for the Indian Affairs, in Boston." . By the latter it seems to have been kept from falling into the hands of the Separatists, or New Lights; for the withdrawing Presbyterians, after their reorganization, again occupied it.
In their reorganization they became more Congregational than they hitherto had been. In vain they petitioned Mr. Park, Sept. 17, 1751, to resign his engagement on Long Island, and again become their settled minister. Yet they maintained regular worship, occa- sionally enjoying the services of Rev. N. Eells and Rev. J. Fish, of Stonington, and Rev. Ephraim Clark, of Boston. They made an effort to establish a fund for the maintenance of the ministry : Eze- kiel Gavitt subscribed £100; Stanton York, £50; Christopher See- gar, £50; but the endeavor failed. As often as Mr. Park visited the town, he preached to them and encouraged them. As giving some idea of the customs and experiences of the times, we copy a few entries from the old records. To this church belongs the honor of instituting the first Sabbath school in the town, and so far as we know, the first in this State. The record reads as follows : -
" Moy ye 10th, 1752. - This Society having for sometime practiced hear- ing our children read a portion of ye Holy Scriptures, and repeat ye Assem-
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blies Catechism publickly in our meeting on Lord's Day; Judging it to be a happy means of Edification, and likewise of collecting money for pious uses, and having chosen Deacon Ezekiel Gavitt to be our Treasurer, have this day passed a Vote to liave these things statedly practiced in this Society."
"Lord's Day, Desember ye 2th, 1753. - We Judge it worthy the Lord and becoming his People to place in our Publick Records ye Signal appearance in his Power and Grace in Answer to our Prayers, in Blessing a field of Corn of Deacon Ezekiel Gavit's, which was planted with a foreign sort of Corn not natural to our Soil, which beyond all expectation and Hope yielded a good Crop of Corn," etc.
"April ye 26th, 1754. - The Rev. Mr. Park's house evidently ketched fire about noon and was burned to ashes; but, by ye mercy of God, Joseph Wil- cocks Saw it and Ran and by his Exceeding hard Labouring Saved most of ye Stuff ; and now we are left destitute of a place to meet in to worship God in; as well as Mr. Park's sons are of a House to dwell in," etc .*
"Lord's Day, Feb'ry ye 9th, 1755. - Voted to meet once every month, beginning next Wednesday, at our Brother Stanton York's House at 12 of ye Clock."
We find regular records of Fast Days observed each spring, and Thanksgivings attended every autumn, whether they were able to have preaching or not.
" Wednesday, August ye 27th, 1755. - The Rev. Mr. Fish, according to appointment, came and preached a Lecture to us from Hebr's Ist, last verse ; he was wonderfully affected with the affairs of Warr, and prayed fervently for our armies, and showed how that ye angels are ministering spirits," etc.
" Lord's Day, October ye 12th, 1755. - Appointed two of our Brethren, Deacon Gavit and Christopher Seegar, a Committee to send to ye Rev'd Association who are to convene at the Rev. Mr. Joseph Fish's next Wednes- day, to Intreat their good offices in our behalf with the Honorable Com- missioners to consider us in our Destitute State. We also do sett apart Thursday ye 23d of this Instant as a day of Publick Thanksgiving to Al- mighty God, to Praise his Name for ye Glorious Victory lately gained over the French and Indians at Lake George, and we send by our Brethren ye Committee to lay it before ye Association, and pray some one of our Rev'd Fathers to come if they can conveniently by that Day and Preach to us."
" The Copy of part of a Letter from the Hon'ble Mr. Andrew Oliver to the Rev'd Mr. Joseph Park in answer to a petition from this Society to ye Hon'ble the Commissioners for their approbation to assemble for the Wor- ship of God in the Meeting House in Westerly:
"BOSTON December 2d 1755.
" Rev. Mr. Park : Some of your late hearers at Charlestown having desired leave of ye Commissioners to assemble in ye Meeting Ilouse for Publick Worship there, the Commissioners, so far as they are concerned, thought fit to allow ye Same until further Order.
" ANDREW OLIVER."
" March ye 7th, 1756. - The Rev. Mr. Park having obtained a Dismission from his Charge at Southold upon Long Island, moved over to his own place in Charlestown and Preached to us an Excellent Sermon."
* The dwelling-house built by Mr. Park in 1754, is now owned in part by Mr. Job Taylor, and last year (1866) was occupied by Julia A. Taylor.
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" April the 11th, 1756. - Apointed Wednesday ye 14th of this Instant as a day of Fasting and prayer, to Humble ourselves before God, to Implore his Gracious presence with, and blessing to, our young Brethren, Joseph Park, Jun., Leughtenant; Benjamin Park and Thomas Park, Sergeants; and William Gavit, Corporal; all who offered their Desires in writing to this Society (of whom they are all members); and we pray that God of his Infinite Mercy will hear and answer; as also that God would bless our army in general, who are going forth against our Enemies," etc.
The young men here mentioned were in the expedition that went forth for the reduction of Crown Point. It will be noticed that three of them were sons of Rev. Mr. Park, who was always a man of public spirit. It is told of him that in his removal to Long Island he refused to move into a dwelling-house that had previously been occupied by a certain clergyman of the Church of England, until it had been fumigated and washed. Whether his disgust sprung from his patriotism or his Presbyterianism, is not stated.
After his return to Westerly, the church endeavored to secure assistance through the co-operation of "the Eastern Association in New London County," Conn. They seem to have received, how- ever, only kind words and sympathies, with occasional services from the ministers of the Standing Churches, particularly Nathaniel Eells, Joseph Fish, and Jacob Jonson.
The members of this church, besides formally subscribing the church covenant, had a practice of drawing up and subscribing fam- ily covenants, copies of which are found on the church records. These family or household covenants were signed by the father, mother, children, and domestics of every rank. One of these, as I notice, has nine signatures.
Not being aware that this was a common practice in the country at that time, though there is a beauty and fitness in the usage, and knowing that it differs from present customs, I shall venture to give a sample of these household covenants. While no two of them are precisely alike in words and particulars, they nevertheless agree in substance.
"DECEMBER YE 6THI, 1750.
"We, whose names are under written, do this day covenant with God and one another, depending upon God alone to work it in us both to will and to do his own good pleasure, to put away all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God.
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