Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 18, 1883

Apponegansett Meeting - First Christian Church - Congregational Church - The South Dartmouth Baptist Church - The Second Christian Church - Methodist Episcopal Church - Smith Mills Christian Church - Christian Church in Bakerville.

Apponegansett Meeting. - There is reason to believe that among the first settlers of Dartmouth many were Friends, or made a profession of belief in their principles. The names of Slocum, Allen, Smith, Lapham, Howland, Russell, Tucker, Mott, and others, are found in the early records of the society, and we know from other sources that they were among the first settlers in the town. They came from Rhode Island and other places where meetings of the society had been established, and it would naturally be expected they would soon organize meetings for worship and discipline. The oldest record of a monthly meeting of Friends in this town bears date 26th of 4th month, 1699. Meetings for worship had no doubt been held some years previous to this date. The first meeting-house was built upon the lot where the present Apponegansett meeting-house stands. This lot was purchased of Peleg Slocum for the sum of one pound sixteen shillings, and the deed bears date of 6th month 2d day, 1706. Previous to 1699 meetings were held in dwellings. The following is a copy of a portion of the records of the monthly meeting, dated 6th day of 11th month, 169f: "At the house of John Lapham we, underwritten, Peleg Slocum, Jacob Mott, Abraham Tucker, and John Tucker, undertake to build a meeting-house for the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, thirty-five foot long, thirty foot wide, and fourteen foot studds, to worship and serve the true and Living God in, according as they are persuaded in conscience they ought to do, and for no other interest or purpose but as aforesaid, which said house shall be completely finished at or before the 10th day of the 8th month next, insuring the date hereof. And further, we, of the said society of people, towards the building of said house of our free will, contribute as followeth: John Tucker, £10; Peleg Slocum, £15; John Lapham, £-"»; Nathaniel Howland, £5; Abraham Tucker,

The Yearly Meeting was held in this house this year (1699). The journals of traveling Friends and others show that it became a large and influential society. At one meeting in 1766 it was supposed two thousand people were present.

Prior to 1788 this Monthly Meeting was a part of the Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting; since that date it has been connected with the Sandwich Quarterly Meeting. Other meeting-houses were built from time to time as the needs and convenience of members became apparent, - at Smith Mills, Smith's Neck, and Allen's Neck, - the last named before 1822, the others still earlier. These societies form one Monthly Meeting. In 1845 a separation took place in the meeting, 1 which resulted in two organizations, each claiming to be the original society. The smaller of these two bodies have but one meeting-house in the town, the larger have four, one of which is temporarily closed. The larger body (Gurneyite) numbers at this date one hundred and four, the smaller from forty to fifty. While these societies contain some of our most respectable citizens, there has been a decrease of membership within the last half-century.

First Christian Church. - The first Baptist Church in Dartmouth was organized May 21, 1780, as a branch of Elder Jacob Hix's Church, in Rehoboth, Mass., and was acknowledged by him and others as a sister church June 2, 1781, with a membership of sixtythree. Oct. 10, 1781, the installation of Elder Daniel Hix, brother of Jacob, took place, from which time the church increased rapidly in numbers and influence. In 1808 the report to Conference for the year (from June, 1807, to June, 1808) gave two hundred and sixty-two additions to the church ; whole number, six hundred and ninety-nine. This included the branch churches of New Bedford, Fairhaven, Rochester, Long Plain, Berkley, and Freetown. In June, 1807, the church voted to abandon all church creeds and take the Bible alone as their rule of faith and practice, which position it has since maintained, thus identifying it with the Christian denomination. Elder Daniel Hix remained pastor until ill health compelled his resignation in 1834, when the associate pastor, Elder Howard Tripp, assumed full pastoral charge. Elder Daniel Hix died March 22, 1838, aged eighty-two years, three months, and twenty-two days. In 1842 and 1843 the " Advent" excitement injured the church, from which it has never fully recovered, though it has been blessed with a number of revivals.

Elder Howard Tripp resigned in 1857, and was succeeded by Elder William Faunce. The pastors since 1864 have been F. P. Snow, G. W. Tripp, E. Hawes, W. S. Emery, E. Burroughs, and S. M. Andrews. Present clerk, Jonathan Peirce ; chairman of church committee, H. A. Shockley.

Congregational Church. - This church was formed in the spring of 1807, by the Rev. Curtis Coe, the Rev. Mace Sheperd, and the Rev. Isaiah Weston, with the following members : David Thatcher, Joel Parker, Laban Thatcher, Harmony Packard, Betsey Howes, Phebe Nickerson, and Mehitabel Kelley. Other members soon joined, and in October the Rev. Daniel Emerson was ordained the first pastor, which office he filled until his death, in about a year. From this time until 1816 the church was without a settled pastor, and the meetings were held in the school-house or dwellings. April 24, 1816, the Rev. Peter Crocker was settled as pastor, and dismissed July 23, 1821. During his pastorate there was a large accession to the membership and the present church edifice was built. The next pastor was the Rev. Jonathan Wing, who was ordained March 24, 1823, and remained several years, during which time the people were spiritually refreshed.

The following-named pastors have labored with this church : The Rev. Francis Horton was installed Dec. 2, 1829, and dismissed Oct. 31, 1831. Rev. Thomas J. Richmond was settled July 18, 1832, and continued until April 25, 1837. From May 20, 1838, to June, 1840, the Rev. Charles S. Adams supplied the pulpit. Rev. Andrew Bigelow was installed Aug. 25, 1841, and closed his useful ministry June 16, 1846. July 6, 1846, Rev. William Mandell began preaching, was installed in November, and dismissed Nov. 16, 1854. The Rev. Melancthon G. Wheeler was settled in November, 1855, and was dismissed May 19, 1859. The Rev. Martin Howard was the next pastor, from the last date to Nov. 25, 1864. Next year the Rev. John Lord supplied the pulpit, and he was succeeded by Rev. John G. Wilson, who closed his labors Jan. 11, 1863. The Rev. Edward Leonard was settled in July, 1859, and resigned in November, 1875. The Rev. Salter F. Calhoun acted as pastor from October, 1876, and closed his labors July 1, 1880.

The pulpit was supplied from May, 1881, to July, 1882, by the Rev. P. C. Headley and the Rev. F. V. D. Garretson. whose labors resulted in much good. In the summer of 1882, Rev. Ira P. Smith occupied the pulpit, was ordained Sept. 27, 1882, and has since labored with much zeal and success as pastor of the church. Deacons of the church : Sylvanus C. Tallman, Thomas Bailey ; Clerk, Edmund G. Eldridge.

G. Perry, Rev. William H. Taylor, Rev. Reuben Lentell (one year), Rev. G. F. Danforth, Rev. James Brown, Rev. J. J. Bronson. In January, 1861, Rev. S. J. Carr was settled as pastor, and remained five years, and was succeeded by the Rev. George Matthews, who supplied the pulpit for some years. The meeting-house is now closed.

organized Feb. 2, 1836. The original members were Marlborough Wood, Sambo Slocum, Oliver Reed, Abraham Butts, Oliver Reed (2d), Pardon Howland, Daniel Macomber, Joseph Howland, Cynthia Macomber, Hannah C. Slocum, Maria Macomber, Lydia Ricketson, and Sarah Reed. Other members soon joined, and for several years the church flourished. The pastors of this church have been Charles S. Manchester, John Phillips, Joshua Goodwin, Charles C. Smith, and N. S. Chad wick, besides a few others for short periods of time. Deacons have been elected at different times as follows: Daniel Macomber, Abraham Butts, Holder W. Brownell, and Willard W. Slocum. W. W. Slocum is also clerk. This church has suffered from internal dissensions, and but few members now remain.

The Methodist Episcopal Church at the head of Apponegansett River is now a class or branch of the Allen Street (New Bedford) Methodist Episcopal Church. A class was formed here Nov. 10, 1837, by the Rev. James D. Butler, now chaplain of the New Bedford Port Society. The church was organized July 5, 1838, and Rev. J. D. Butler was the first pastor. The society sustains preaching part of the time, though it has declined in membership from one hundred and twenty, in 1851, to a very few at the present time. Trustees, Elihu Sherman and John Sherman.

Smith Mills Christian Church. - This church was formed Dec. 22, 1838, of the following-named members : Asa Nichols, John Weaver, John Cummings, Jeremiah Jones, Seth Hathaway, Samuel Wilde, Abby Wilde, Hannah Weaver, Tabitha Crowell. The house was built before the church was organized. The pastors have been Samuel Wilde, E. E. Edmunds, John Peckham, David A. Russell, Cummings Bray, Gould Anthony, Benjamin F. Mosher, and S. M. Andrews, besides some others who have supplied the pulpit. Whole number of members, forty-seven. Holder W. Porter is deacon of the church, and Mrs. Abby A. Tucker, clerk.

The Christian Church in Bakerville, Dartmouth, was organized April 20, 1865. The members were Ephraim Ellis, Thomas K. Ellis, Alvin Sherman, Delia Ellis, Lovey G. Brownell, Sarah Johnson, Fidelia Wing, Jane C. Ellis, Mary C. Briggs, Bethia Sherman, Caroline Crapo, Emily J. Baker, Olive Beard, Sally Crapo, Phebe A. Crapo. The church edifice was erected the year before the church was formed. The pastors have been James L. Peirce, S. M. Andrews, M. M. Cleverly, E. E. Edmunds, and others who have supplied the pulpit for short periods. The present pastor is O. F. Waltze ; clerk of the church, Joseph Crapo; deacon, Ephraim Ellis.

Representatives from 1674 to 1883.' - The following is a list of the representatives chosen by the town of Dartmouth, taken from the town records and other sources. While under the Plymouth Colonial government they were called deputies, but after the union of the Boston and Plymouth governments they were called representatives. During the eighteenth century they appear to have been occasionally chosen, but it is not probable that existing town records show the names of all who served the town in that capacity.

Town Clerks from 1674 to 1883. x - The following is a list of town clerks of the town of Dartmouth, found recorded in the town records. The records of some of the earlier meetings appear to be lost, and no account of the choice of town clerks is found in some of the earlier records of meetings in which other town officers were chosen :

Others, Term of Enlistment m>t known, - Charles A. Nute, Thomas Telen, Robert H. Dunham, Charles Kreppel, James Sullivan, Charles E. Ryder, Jeremiah Moynehan.