Raynham Town (part 3 of 3)

The Baptists began to hold their meetings in the thirties at the home of Asa King, who throughout the initial years of that society was its benefactor and helper. He was grandfather of E. Judson King, for whom the

Judson district of Raynham was named. The church itself was organized in 1839, and a few years afterwards the building was erected, Rev. Ebenezer Briggs being the first pastor. Rev. Ephraim Ward of Middleboro succeeded Elder Briggs, and he was succeeded in 1846 by Rev. Silas Hall. For a number of years, the pulpit had transient supplies; but Rev. James Andem became the pastor in 1855, during which year the parsonage was built. Successively, the pastors thereafter were: Revs. William Reed, Thomas Atwood, John Blain, Lumin Kinney, Asa Bronson, Ambler Edson, Albert Colburn, J. W. Lathrop, Rev. T. C. Tingley. The pastor in 1923 was Rev. Jacob F. Speerli. In 1860 this church united with the Taunton Baptist Association.

A Unitarian society was formed in 1828, which was composed of twenty-five members of the older church, and others in the town; and this congregation designated itself the Second Congregational Society, it being composed of representatives of the prominent families here. Their meetingplace was in a hall that was owned by Captain Reuben Hall, but soon a church was built on land a little north of the first church that was presented them by Ellis Hall. Rev. Simeon Doggett was their minister for a number of years, though twelve years after having been established regular services were discontinued. For many years afterward, afternoon services were held that were in charge of the Unitarian ministers from Taunton; but these were discontinued in 1870, and the church was changed into a hall and made use of for entertainments.

Eleven years after the incorporation of the town, or in 1742, Schoolmaster Fisher was teaching the children reading, writing and arithmetic, and he was succeeded in 1744 by John Lea, who was employed to teach seven weeks and four days, for sixteen pounds and sixteen shillings. The schools at this time were removed from one section of the town to the other, for the convenience of the pupils. The Raynham schools in 1923 had a total membership of 360 in the following-named schoolhouses: Center schoolhouse, the first brick building in the town, erected in 1919; the North Primary, Gilmore Grammar, Prattville, South and Judson, with ten regular teachers. Forty-three pupils from here were attending Taunton High School. The cost of maintaining the schools here was then about $28,300, of which about $9,000 was paid by the State. Helen F. Robinson was chairman of the school committee, George A. Turner, secretary. The schools are directed under the union district with West Bridgewater, W. J. B. MacDougall, superintendent.

The Town in the Wars. - Early during the Revolution, the town voted to pay its share towards defraying the expenses of the Continental Congress; and in 1775 the local committee of safety consisted of Israel Washburn, Joshua Leonard, Benjamin King and Elijah Leonard. Among those who served in the Revolution from here were Seth Dean, Captain Abraham Hathaway, Elijah Gushee, Gaius King, Job Hall, Benjamin Cane, Joseph Shaw, Noah Hall, Samuel Hall. There were two companies of uniformed militia in the town in 1810 - the South company, commanded by Captain Barzillai King, and the North company by Captain Simeon Wilbur. Raynham sent her quota of thirty-nine men to the front in the Civil War, the members of Raynham's volunteers in Company K, Fourth Regi- ment, being Alex. R. Cain, Francis R. Hall, Alden Whitman, Sylvanus S. Whitman. A soldiers' monument erected on Raynham Green was the gift of the late Miss Amy Leonard and others.

During the World War, the activities of every individual in the town were commensurate with those of any other community, whether in the giving of money, making of materials, or providing men for various of the contingents in the service. George F. Rogers was the general chairman of the committees. There are fifty-eight names on the honor roll on Raynham Green. One of that number, Chester Danforth, never returned from his service abroad, and it is supposed that he was among the many who fell in battle in France, and of whom news could never be obtained.

Miscellaneous. - Iew small towns have so active a woman's club as that in Raynham, that has interested itself in all matters that pertain to the progress and welfare of this community. In 1905 the project was launched under the direction of Mrs. Mary Fletcher, when the organization was known as the Raynham Social Club, with both social and benevolent purpose in view, of which they have never lost sight. They adopted their present name when on June 12, 1906, they purchased and occupied Dean's Hall - the Unitarian meetinghouse built in 1828, and called it Weonit Hall. From the first, the club has proven its value to the community, sharing actively in all matters that have to do with the advancement of the village. During the World War they worked as hard as did any woman's club in the large cities, sharing with the various organizations in Taunton, such as the Red Cross chapter, every humanitarian and soldier welfare interest. The Honor Roll on the Green with its fifty-eight names is the gift of the club, it having been erected there in 1918. Weonit Hall has its own interesting story. After its discontinuance by the Unitarians, it was sold at public auction by Ellis B. Hall, a son of the donor, between the years 1880 and 1885, Lewis Rounds being the purchaser. He expended $400 on the building, and sold it to Warren S. Leach. After two years of ownership, Mr. Leach sold the building to the Woman's Club. The organization in 1923 had a membership of fifty-four, and its officers at that time were: President, Mrs. Isabel Hiltz; secretary, Mrs. George F. Rogers; treasurer, Mrs. Lizzie Thompson.

Raynham Center Grange was instituted in 1912, with a membership of sixty. Since that time it has been the gathering-place for counsel and direction for an increasing membership for the large farming community. Mrs. Burton T. Mowry was the grange master in 1923.

Besides the famed ironworks, other early industries that gave employ- | ment to the townspeople were: the saw-mill of Benjamin Shaw in 1700 on the Fowling Pond stream; James Presbro's grist-mill in 1770, at the head of Two Mile river; Zadoc Presbro and Captain Israel Washburn's furnace for the manufacture of hollow-ware, which business was continued in succession by Dr. Seth Washburn and Zadoc Presbro, Franklin Washburn, and George W. King.

by A. and A. B. Keith of Brockton, in the early fifties. Cassander Gilmore manufactured shoes, and he was succeeded by Zeno Kelly, Thomas Johnson and John Thompson. Other manufacturers were Charles Hewitt, Warren G. Leach and Albert Gushee. The former Charles B. Gardner tack factory was succeeded by the Diamond Tack and Nail Works. The Specialty Nail Company, with a capital of $10,000, employ one hundred hands in the manufacture of special wire nails. W. F. Baker is president; Herbert C. Deane, treasurer; and they with George B. Evans, are the directors. Edwin Williams and Charles Thompson manufacture boxes and shooks.

Descendants of Philip King are doubtless among the most numerous in this town, they having been prominent in all public interests for nearly two hundred and fifty years. The Halls, the Washburns, the Deans, Gilmores, Shaws, Gushees, Williamses, Hathaways, Whites, Tracys, Knapps, have all shared in the maintenance and progress of the town's affairs. Colonel Zephaniah Leonard was high sheriff of the county for about thirty years. His son, Horatio Leonard, was also high sheriff for thirty-five years. Pictures of these men, as well as of Rev. Enoch Sanford, are at Historical Hall, in Taunton. Among the physicians of other days were: Drs. Seth Washburn, Elisha Hayward, Gaius Dean. Jonathan Shaw and Captain Samuel Wilbur were justices.

In the north part of the town, also, lived the patriot Negro, Toby Gilmore, whose uniform and cannon are at Historical Hall. He was ancestor of a large family of intelligent and thrifty people. Toby was a servant of John Gilmore, and was also of the household of General Washington in the Revolutionary War, his care being that of the general's tents. He purchased land here with his bounty, and he was also presented with the cannon that bears his name, and that on former patriotic occasions was fired by him, adding its voice to the general celebration. Toby died April 19, 1812, and was buried at the North Cemetery.