Peter Whitney 
 
 AND HIS 
 
 History of Worcester County 
 
PETER WHITNEY, AND HIS HISTORY OF 
 WORCESTER COUNTY. 
 
^^ 
 
 i/At^r 
 
PETER WHITNEY, AND HIS HISTORY OF 
 WORCESTER COUNTY. 
 
 By JOHN C. CRANE. 
 
 WORCESTER, MASS. : 
 
 FRANKLIN P. RICE, Publisher. 
 
 MDCCCI-XXXIX. 
 

 [Reprinted from the Proceedings of The Worcester Society of Antiquity for 1888.] 
 
Born Sept. 6th, (o. s.) 1744; died Feb. 29th, 1816. 
 MINISTER OF NORTHBOROUGH 
 
 FORTY-NINE YEARS. 
 
Peter Whitney. 
 
PETER WHITNEY, AND HIS HISTORY OF 
 WORCESTER COUNTY. 
 
 Rev. Peter Whitney was born at Petersham, Massachusetts, 
 September 6 (o. s.), 1744. He was a son of the Rev. Aaron 
 Whitney, the first minister of the church in Petersham, and who 
 was ordained there in December, 1738, and continued preaching 
 in that place until his death. Of him the following account has 
 been handed down : 
 
 "■Against Rev. Mr. Whitney, who had continued, both in his 
 preaching and his praying, to inculcate submission to the sove- 
 reign, the tide of popular indignation rose at length to a high 
 pitch. The church was rent by dissensions, and public worship was 
 neglected, till at length, about the close of 1774, the town voted 
 that ' they will not bargain with, hire nor employ the Rev. Mr. 
 Whitney to preach for them any longer.' Mr. Whitney attempted 
 to open negotiations for a reconciliation with the people, but they 
 refused to compromise with him, discontinued his salary, and, 
 finding that that would not cause him to desist from preaching, 
 they chose a committee often on the 24th of the next May, 'to 
 see that the publick worship on Lord's day next, and all future 
 worship be not disturl^ed by any person or persons going into the 
 desk, but such as shall be put in by the towns committee.' In 
 
pursuance of this vote, an armed guard was stationed at the meet- 
 ing-house door on Sunday morning, who, when the minister 
 arrived, and would have entered as usual, refused to allow him to 
 pass. After this, Mr. Whitney preached regularly at his own 
 house on the Sabbath, the services being attended by those who 
 were politically in sympathy with him." 
 
 Peter Whitney, having prepared himself, entered Harvard 
 College in 1759, and was graduated from that institution in the 
 class of 1762, which numbered forty-seven. Among the class- 
 mates of Mr. Whitney who afterwards occupied high places in the 
 walks of life, and whose names history hands down to posterity, 
 were Francis Dana, who was a member of Congress in 1777-8, 
 and who was later sent to England on peace negotiations, Min- 
 ister to Russia 1 780, Judge of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, 
 1785, and Chief Justice from 1791 to 1806; Elbridge Gerry, 
 member of the first Continental Congress, one of the Signers of 
 the Declaration of Independence, Minister to France, 1797, 
 Governor of Massachusetts, 18 10- 12, Vice-President of the United 
 States, 1813-14; and many others, who in stations of less im- 
 portance, faithfully served their fellow-men in their day and gen- 
 eration. 
 
 Mr. Whitney's theological studies were also pursued at the 
 same institution. x\fter his graduation he for a time followed the 
 occupation of school-teacher in the historic town of Lexington. 
 At this place, January 2, 1763, he joined the Congregational 
 Church. Having felt himself called to preach the gospel, we find 
 that he was ordained to the ministry, and settled over the church 
 in Northborough, November 4th, 1767, succeeding Rev. John 
 Martyn, the first minister in that place. As in the case of many 
 an old-time clergyman, this was his only pastorate. With them 
 ofttimes a church settlement was a settlement for life. For half 
 a century lacking one year he acted the part of a country minister, 
 a faithful steward for his master. For this long period he went 
 in and out before the little flock gathered about him, participating 
 in their joys and sharing their sorrows. He was a man of method, 
 although a little eccentric in some ways. As related to me by 
 one of his grandsons, he was in the habit of walking to chun-h 
 
very sedately with his wife, ten of his children bringing up the 
 rear, beginning with the eldest, then on down to the youngest. 
 He was a man who took life easy, taking the hard knocks as they 
 came, borrowing as little trouble as he could. 
 
 Contemporary with him in the ministry of the Word were Rev. 
 Dr. Joseph Sumner, of Shrewsbury ; Rev. Archibald Campbell, of 
 Charlton ; Rev. Edmund Mills, of Sutton : Rev. Thaddeus Mac- 
 carty, of the Old South, and Rev. Dr. Aaron Bancroft (father of the 
 eminent historian, George Bancroft), of the Second Parish, Wor- 
 cester ; and Rev. Dr. John Crane, an ancestor of the writer, who 
 preached the first sermon at the organization of what is known as 
 the Worcester South Conference of Congregational Churches, 
 held at Millbury June 17, 1828. Space forbids the mention of 
 many other faithful servants engaged with Mr. Whithey during 
 his long ministry of the gospel. 
 
 He was a member of the Marlborough Association. In Sep- 
 tember, 1806, he was chosen a member of a committee to meet 
 delegates from that and other associations at Rutland soon after- 
 wards, when the outcome was "The Evangelical Missionary 
 Society," which was productive of much good. It was my fortune 
 several years ago to attend the funeral of Capt. John Glazier of 
 Worcester, but for many years a prominent business man of 
 Northborough. The funeral was held at the latter place, where 
 Mr. Whitney so long preached. After the funeral sermon, an 
 opportunity was given for those present to say a word in reference 
 to the deceased. Several did so, men whose locks were white 
 with the frost of age ; men who as boys sat under the preaching 
 of Peter Whitney, and who, judging from their general appear- 
 ance and the tone of their remarks, were greatly benefited thereby. 
 
 In the political business of his day he took a deep interest, more 
 perhaps than most men of his calling. Judging from what can 
 be gathered from all sources, I feel justified in saying, that in all 
 matters that benefitted the people, whether political, social or 
 religious, he was ever found an earnest advocate. 
 
 During his lifetime Mr. Whitney put forth several publications, 
 most of them being very brief. The largest work by him, and by 
 which he is best known to-day, is his History of Worcester 
 County. Following is a list of his published writings : 
 
Two Discourses on the occasion of a Publick Fast. 1774. 
 
 A Sermon on the Declaration of Independence.* 1776. 
 
 History of Worcester County. 1 793. 
 
 A Half-Century Discourse on praising the works of God to 
 succeeding generations. Delivered at Northborough June 14th, 
 1796. 
 
 An Ordination Charge at Boylston. 1797. 
 
 A Sermon at the ordination of his son. Quincy, 1800. 
 
 A Sermon on the death of Washington. 1800. 
 
 Address at the dedication of a church, Southborough. 1806. 
 
 A Funeral Sermon at Shrewsbury at the death of the wife of 
 Rev. Dr. Sumner. 18 10. 
 
 He was still with the church at Northborough when he pub- 
 lished his History of the County in 1793. Such a history was 
 greatly needed at the time, and Mr. Whitney was persuaded by 
 his friends to undertake the work. Having been born in the 
 county, he felt an interest in its history. The work having been 
 begun proved more formidable than he expected. In the preface 
 he says : " Had the writer of these sheets known before he began, 
 what a labor it would have been, he would not have attempted 
 it, but having begun he was unwilling to desist, and has been 
 urged on by the partiality of his friends." 
 
 Could he have foreseen the estimation in which his work would 
 be held a century later, the old parson would have been amply 
 repaid for all the labor spent upon it. No book of its kind 
 
 ♦Januarys, 1778, an advertisement appeared in 77/t' Massachusetts Spy, 
 of a sermon preached by Rev. Peter Whitney of Northborough, at a special 
 lecture appointed for publishing the Declaration of Independence, Sept. 12, 
 1776, entitled, "American Independence Vindicated." In the Spy of Jan. 
 15, 1778, we notice the following in relation to the above: "The copy [of 
 the sermon] was prepared for the press more than twelve months ago, and 
 a considerable part of the impression made, when, through the fraud of some 
 journeymen, the work was discontinued at Worcester, and sent to Boston, 
 where through the want of paper, and other unfortunate circumstances, it 
 now first makes its appearance. It is not doubted that this excellent sermon 
 will now be very acceptable to the publick. — Stearns & Bigklow." 
 
13 
 
 is more relied upon than his. The town histories pubHshed 
 in the County, and State gazetteers put forth since that day, teem 
 with quotations from it, thus showing the confidence placed in its 
 details. An elaborate map for that day preceded the title-page. 
 This map was prepared from surveys by Charles Baker and Capt. 
 John Pierce, both residents of the county. It was on a scale of 
 four miles to the inch, and bears the name of Seymour & Co. 
 The title-page reads as follows : "The History of the County of 
 Worcester, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a par- 
 ticular account of every Town, from its first settlement to the 
 present time, including its ecclesiastical state. Together with a 
 Geographical Description of the same. To which is prefixed a 
 Map of the County at large, from actual survey. By Peter Whit- 
 ney, A. M., Minister of the Gospel in Northborough, in said 
 Jounty. Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts, by Isaiah Thomas. 
 Sold by him in Worcester, by said Thomas and Andrews in Bos- 
 ton, and by said Thomas and Carlisle in Walpole, New Hamp- 
 shire. MDCCXCIII." 
 
 The History was dedicated in the following manner : "To John 
 Adams, LL. D., Vice-President of the United States, and Presi- 
 dent of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, etc., etc., 
 this history intended to promote the knowledge of a part of his 
 native Commonwealth, is inscribed, with all respect, by his most 
 obedient and humble servant, Peter Whitney. Northborough, 
 July, 1793." 
 
 May 2, 1793, the following advertisement appeared in The 
 Massachusetts Spy : 
 
 " Proposal for printing by subscription, A History of the County 
 of Worcester, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. By Peter 
 Whitney, A. M. 
 
 " Conditions : ist. — This work shall be printed in a handsome 
 8vo. volume, on good paper, and a fair type, and will contain 
 above 300 pages. 2d. — The price to subscribers in boards, shall 
 be 6 shillings for each book and 8 shillings bound and lettered. 
 3d. — No money to be paid until the books are ready for delivery, 
 when punctual payment will be expected. 4th. — The work shall 
 be put to press as soon as 400 copies are subscribed for. • Sub- 
 
14 
 
 scriptions received by Isaiah Thomas, the intended pubHsher in 
 Worcester; by said Thomas & Andrews in Boston, and by such 
 gentlemen as in whose hands subscription papers are lodged. 
 Those gentlemen who have in their hands subscription papers for 
 the work are requested to be so obliging as to return them as 
 speedy as possible to the author in Northborough, or to Isaiah 
 Thomas." 
 
 The next that we find in reference to the book we quote from 
 the Spy : " District of Massachusetts. On the 20th day of Jan- 
 uary in the i8th year of the Independence of the United States, 
 Isaiah Thomas deposited the title of a book, to wit, The History 
 of Worcester County, whereof he claims as proprietor. 
 
 "N. Goodale, Clerk of the District." 
 
 Although the History is dated 1 793, we find nothing more in 
 relation to the work until April 24, 1 794, when the Spy published 
 the following advertisement : " This day published, price 9 shill- 
 ings bound and lettered, Whitney's History of Worcester County. 
 Subscribers may now be supplied with books." This advertise- 
 ment was repeated several times. In the Spy of Feb. 6, 1805, an 
 advertisement of the History again appears after a long interval : 
 " History of the County of Worcester. In one volume, octavo, 
 with a large and accurate map. Price one dollar and fifty cents. 
 The above work certainly contains many useful and valuable doc- 
 uments respecting the settlement, rise and progress of the County 
 of Worcester, which are not to be found elsewhere, and which 
 must not only prove interesting and instructive to our youth, who 
 may wish to become acquainted with the history of their own 
 county. The map itself is certainly worth half the money." 
 
 Through the courtesy of the American Antiquarian Society, 
 I am permitted to give a copy of the original contract between 
 Peter Whitney and Isaiah Thomas, now in the possession of that 
 Society : 
 
 AGREEMENT. 
 
 " Memorandum of an agreement made this fifteenth day of 
 August, one Thousand Seven hundred and Ninety three, between 
 Peter Whitney of Northborough, in the County of Worcester and 
 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Clerk, on the one part, and 
 
15 
 
 Isaiah Thomas of Worcester in said county and commonwealth, 
 Printer, on the other part, Witnesseth, That the said Whitney 
 hereby sells and relinquishes to the said Thomas the copyright of 
 a Book whereof he is the Author entitled "A History of the County 
 of Worcester, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a par- 
 ticular account of every Town from its first settlement to the present 
 time etc — together with a map of the County at large, from actual 
 survey" — for the consideration that the Said Thomas give him the 
 Said Whitney Ninety four Copies of Said Book, when published, 
 bound and lettered. Six Copies bound lettered and gilt, and fifty 
 Copies in Sheets (Said Thomas to bind Said fifty Copies for Said 
 Whitney, he paying Said Thomas therefor the Sum of Two Shillings 
 for each Copy) ; and Further to give said Wliitney one hundred 
 Copies, bound and lettered, of all future Editions of Said Book 
 provided Said Whitney revise, correct, and add to the Same what- 
 ever may by Said Thomas be Deemed necessary ; and also by 
 said Whitney. 
 
 " In Testimony whereof the Parties have hereunto Set their 
 hands and Seals the Day and year before written. 
 
 " Peter Whitney [Seal.] 
 " In presence of Isaiah Thomas "[Seal.] 
 
 " Alex' Thomas Jun'. 
 
 "Elisha H. Waldo." 
 
 Previous to the death of Mr. Whitney he had revised and cor- 
 rected a copy of his History up to the year iSio. The copy so 
 corrected by his own hand is now in the possession of the Ameri- 
 can Antiquarian Society. It was evidently his intention to pub- 
 lish another edition, but his death soon after left his project 
 uncompleted. 
 
 Mr. Whitney possessed in a remarkable degree the qualifica- 
 tions that go to make a good historian. To be sure, the field 
 was his own, and unworked before ; but without judgment and 
 painstaking care no correct history can be written. The greed 
 for gain shown in the preparation of some modern histories, has 
 done much to mystify the student. The careless manner in which 
 much of the matter has been collected, is apparent from their 
 
i6 
 
 work when completed. No correct history can be given unless 
 those engaged in writing it are actuated by some other motive 
 than the accumulation of the Almighty Dollar. 
 
 It is evident from the History by Peter Whitney that he was 
 thoroughly interested in the work in which he was engaged. It 
 is laid down by a great writer that -'Truth is the most important 
 attribute of history." In the main, facts and dates must be gath- 
 ered from annals and acts publicly recorded by the persons 
 chosen for that purpose ; and this is of more importance when 
 the writer is not contemporary with the events noted. On this 
 point it will be found that Mr. Whitney took the utmost care. 
 The best sources of information were at once resorted to by him. 
 If unable to give the right name of anything, or the date of any 
 event, he called particular attention to that fact, not undertaking 
 to fill the deficiency by substituting those of his own. 
 
 It is said, "We ought to distrust a historian who is deficient in 
 critical discernment, who is fond of fables, or who scruples not, 
 in order to please and amuse his readers, to alter or disguise the 
 truth." The subject of this sketch is open to none of the charges 
 in the above statement. Mr. Whitney confined himself to giving 
 a plain, unvarnished presentation of facts. The history of each 
 town in the county was briefly told, from its incorporation to date 
 of publication. The geography of the towns, and their church 
 history came in for their full share in the work. A table was 
 given showing the dates of incorporation of the towns, the settle- 
 ment, death or dismissal of the several ministers, and the number 
 of inhabitants in each town up to 1791, which has been found to 
 be an invaluable aid in the preparation of later historical work. 
 Also will be found in his History a terse, but quite complete 
 article on the rivers of the county, their sources, and all the de- 
 tails necessary to give a thorough knowledge of their courses from 
 fountain head to delivery of their tribute. One other history of 
 the county has been, and others will be, written ; but the one by 
 Peter Whitney will endure while time shall last, as a solid foun- 
 dation of facts built by a master workman, whose clear brain 
 guided a willing pen as it wove a fabric of truth for generations 
 vet to come. 
 
17 
 
 The house where the old historian Hved so long at Northborough 
 is still occupied and well-preserved. Within this old mansion a 
 work was begun and finished, that has outlived him who wrought 
 three-fourths of a century ago. Here brain was busy with facts and 
 dates. Important though they were, the details were sometimes 
 tiresome. Nevertheless the work went steadily on to completion ; 
 and when finished, it was a work of which the generation of his 
 time were not ashamed, and which stands to-day an enduring 
 monument to Peter Whitney. 
 
 March ii, 1768, Mr. Whitney was married to Julia Lambert, 
 of Reading, Mass. They had eleven children, whose names and 
 dates of birth and death are as follows : 
 
 Thomas Lambert, born Dec. 10, 1768; died June, 1812. 
 
 Peter, born Jan. 19, 1770 ; died March 3, 1843. 
 
 Julia, died in infancy. 
 
 Julia, born Aug. 25, 1772 ; died Nov. 29, 1800. 
 
 Margaret, born Feb. 12, 1774 ; married Dea. Josiah Adams of 
 Quincy ; and died Feb. 3, 1849. 
 
 Elizabeth, born Sept. 6, 1775; married Ebenezer Adams of 
 Quincy, wdiose brother Josiah married her sister Margaret ; died 
 Sept. 26, 1856. 
 
 William Lincoln, who afterwards became a Colonel, born Dec. 
 14, 1776; died July 24, 1834. 
 
 Aaron, born Aug. 11, 1778 ; went West, where he died. 
 
 Sarah, born Nov. 3, 1781 ; lived until she reached the age of 
 84 in 1864. 
 
 Abel, born May 23, 1783.* He became deacon of a church 
 in Cambridge, Mass. ; and died in that city Feb. 22, 1853. One 
 of his sons became a practising lawyer in that city. 
 
 John, born Sept. 29, 1785. He became a teacher and business 
 man at Quincy. where he died Jan. 2, 1850. 
 
 *In Rev. Joseph Allen's History of the Worcester Association, published 
 in 1868, the birth of Abel Whitney is recorded as occurring Nov. 3, 1781, 
 which is incorrect. The date, corrected as above, J have from a grandson 
 of Peter Whitney : namely, Mr. Augustus A. Whitney, of North Cambridge, 
 Mass., to whom I am indebted for valuable information. 
 
In 1868, it was said that none of Mr. Whitney's descendants 
 were then living in Northborough, where he preached and resided 
 for so long a period. In the family of Mr. Whitney the ministry 
 seems to have been a chosen profession. His father, Aaron, as 
 before stated was minister at Petersham ; Peter at Northborough ; 
 Peter, Jr., at Quincy ; George, son of Peter, Jr., at West Rox- 
 bury and Jamaica Plain ; and Frederick Augustus, another son, 
 at Brighton. One son of Mr. Whitney, Peter, Jr., and three 
 grandsons were also graduates of Harvard College. 
 
 Mr. Whitney died suddenly Feb. 29, 181 6. He lies buried at 
 Northborough, near where he told the glad tidings of the gospel 
 for half a century. The grave is pleasantly located on high 
 ground, but the marks of time are all about it. Like many of 
 the oldest church-yards in New England, this one is but little 
 used. There within the sound of the old church bell lies the 
 first historian of the County. But its tones he heeds not ; 'midst 
 crumbling gravestones, and the bones of the early dead, he sleeps 
 well. Over his grave climbs the straggling briar ; the daisy and 
 the buttercup nod their heads as the wind sweeps by, but the 
 spirit of the good man is with God who gave it. 
 
 The following tribute appeared at the time of Mr. Whitney's 
 death in 1816 : 
 
 "Died in Northborough on the 29th of February, Rev. Peter 
 Whitney, in the ^26. year of his age, and the 49th of his ministry. 
 On the 5th instant (March) his remains were accompanied to the 
 house of worship, and from thence to the grave, by a numerous 
 procession of relations, friends and acquaintances, and with all 
 the solemnities by which a religious people could express their 
 affection and respect for his character. He has left a widow and 
 children to mourn his death. 
 
 Mr. Whitney was the son of the Rev. Aaron Whitney, many 
 years minister of Petersham. He graduated at Cambridge College 
 (Harvard) in 1762, and in November of 1767, was ordained as 
 the pastor of the church and people of Northborough. Few men 
 gave in life a fairer exemplification of the virtues and graces of a 
 Christian minister, as these are portrayed by the Apostle, than 
 
19 
 
 the subject of this sketch. His disposition was mild and benev- 
 olent. He possessed urbanity of manners and was "given to 
 hospitality." He was the friend of the poor and distressed, and 
 "ready to every good work." As a theologian he was catholic; 
 disapproving an exclusive spirit among the disciples of the same 
 master. In his ministerial and Christian intercourse, he readily 
 extended his charity to all who by their lives evidenced that they 
 loved the " Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth." His method 
 of preaching was evangelical, and his sermons partook of the 
 mild and charitable spirit of the gospel. He was attentive to the 
 various duties of his office, unwearied in their performance ; and 
 wherever his agency was directed, he manifested a disposition 
 to diffuse the kindly influences of our religion. Industrious in 
 his habits, Mr. Whitney found time to labor for the pubUc with- 
 out the strict line of his profession. Having previously printed a 
 number of occasional sermons, in 1793, he published a history of 
 the County of Worcester. Correct in its dates, and authentic in 
 its facts, its utility is acknowledged by all who become acquainted 
 with its merits. It is a book to which intercourse is frequently 
 had ; and it should be found in the library of every gentleman, 
 who desires to make himself acquainted with the first settlement 
 and subsequent growth of the county. 
 
 "This publication brought the author into the notice of our 
 literary institutions, and in consequence he was elected a member 
 of the Historical Society of Massachusetts. With much care Mr. 
 Whitney had collected materials to amend and enlarge his His- 
 tory, and had nearly put them into form for a second edition. 
 We hope that it may be presented to the public for the benefit 
 of his family. 
 
 " Mr. Whitney had the happiness to be connected with a people 
 truly Christian and generous, who ever manifested towards him 
 their sympathy and beneficence. In the former part of his min- 
 istry his dwelling, with his library and a great part of his manu- 
 scripts and household furniture, were consumed by fire. On this 
 occasion, they very generously administered to his relief, and at 
 no subsequent period did they cease from their friendly and 
 benevolent attention to him and his family. Mr. Whitney passed 
 
20 
 
 his long ministry in perfect peace and harmony both with the 
 Church and .Society. At his death, he left but one male who was 
 a member of the Church at his ordination, and but one couple 
 who at that time were married. Having filled up the measure of 
 his life, having been active and useful unto the end, encircled 
 with domestic endearments, possessed of the affection and esteem 
 of the people of his charge, and respected by numerous and val- 
 uable friends and acquaintances, Mr. Whitney, without suffering 
 the pain of disease or the decrepitude of age, was gathered unto 
 his fathers, and in spirit we trust, now realizes the worth of that 
 divine benediction, 'Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.' " 
 
 The following contribution is thought to be worthy of a place 
 in this paper : 
 
 " Northborough, Sept. 26, 1769. The good women of North- 
 borough, zealous of emulation — yea, ambitious of excelling their 
 sisters in other towns, agreed to spin what each should please, 
 and appointed a day on which to meet at the house of Rev. Mr. 
 Whitney, to present him and his consort with what each had spun 
 for that end ; — accordingly, on the day appointed, they assembled 
 at the house of their minister about 3 o'clock in the P. M., bring- 
 ing with them the Fruit of their Labours & Lidustry. Upon 
 computing, it was found that they had brought 70 fourteen 
 knotted skains of Linen, 94 seven-knotted skains of Tow, cS: 8^ 
 seven-knotted skains & 4 knots of Cotton : amounting to 2223 
 knots : also one woman brought a Linen Sheet ; two others brought 
 each of them a towel, another sent a pound of worsted : all of 
 which they generously gave to their Reverend pastor. The num- 
 ber of women was forty-four. It is presumed that this act of 
 generosity much exceeds what any other people have done for 
 their minister in this way, that we have heard of: especially will 
 it be thought so when the smallness of the place, the fewness of 
 its members, that this was spun at their 07vn liouses, and out of 
 their ozvn materials are considered." 
 
 "The above is copied from the 'Massachusetts Gazette,' Oct. 
 5, 1769, nearly six years before the commencement of the Revo- 
 
lution. It is interesting to notice the changes in, the employments 
 and habits of the mothers and daughters of our own little village 
 since the above date. Nearly all the families in the town, we 
 suppose, were represented by the forty-four women who brought 
 in or sent contributions to their pastor ; and all these women 
 were spinners, and all the material — the wool and the flax — were 
 grown on the farm ; only ' ^2, seven knotted skeins and 4 knots 
 of cotton,' being of foreign growth — imported, no doubt, from 
 the East Indies. Cotton cloth must then have been a great rarity ; 
 and a dress of calico must have been as fashionable and as much 
 sought after by the young women of that day as silks and velvets 
 are now. In those early times no one dreamed that in less than 
 a century, cotton would be king, a despot, that affected to rule 
 with absolute sway ; against whose usurpation and tyranny there 
 would be in- the coming ages a great uprising of twenty millions 
 of freemen, determined to free themselves from an ignominious 
 bondage. 
 
 "Rev. Mr. Whitney was at this time a young and popular min- 
 ister, having been settled as pastor of the Church in Northborough 
 scarcely two years. His wife, too. afterwards known and still 
 remembered by a few as Madame Whitney, was also a young and 
 blooming bride. She was a native of Reading in this State, and 
 on the occasion of her wedding was honored by a cavalcade of 
 young men from Northborough, who met the bridal party at 
 Marlborough and escorted them to their home, where they were 
 received by a large number of the inhabitants of the town, who 
 had taken possession of the parsonage and made ready a bounti- 
 ful repast. A delegation of two members of the Church, — as we 
 learned from the lips of one of the number, the late Thaddeus 
 Fay, who died in 1822 at the age of 95,— attended the wedding 
 ceremony, and accompanied the bridegroom and bride on horse- 
 back, the whole distance. 
 
 "Madame Whitney (formerly Julia Lambert) died while on a 
 visit to her son, the late Peter Whitney, of Quincy, Jan. 10, 1821, 
 about five years after the death of her husband." 
 
The following correspondence will be of interest here, and will 
 serve to show the oldtime ideas of ministerial courtesy and pro- 
 priety.* 
 
 [Rev. Peter Whitney to Rev. Reuben Puffer, of Berlin.] 
 
 Northborough, April 22*^, 1801. 
 
 Dea7- Sir: — Since I saw you last (Sabbath evening) at Mr. 
 Packard's, some things have taken place, which need, and must 
 have an explanation, before any ministerial intercourse is renewed 
 between us. 
 
 In the meantime, to prevent all future difficulty, I now tell you, 
 plainly & explicitly, that if you wish to preserve the harmony 
 which has, for so many years, happily subsisted between us ; & to 
 keep up that ministerial interchange of kind and brotherly offices 
 which has, heretofore, been so much for our mutual advantage, 
 you must not presume, in any case or instance whatsoever, to 
 come within the limits of Northborough to perform any minis- 
 terial act or service, when I am at home, & able to perform the 
 same. I am, your friend & brother, 
 
 PETER WHITNEY. 
 Rev. Mr. Puffer. 
 
 [Mr. Puffer to Mr. Whitney.] 
 
 Berlin, April 23d-, 1801. 
 
 Rev. &= Dear Sir: — The explanation you demand in your letter 
 of yesterday, it was my determination to have given unasked, the 
 first convenient opportunity. 
 
 Last Saturday, Deacon Davis came to me with a request from 
 Mrs. Ball to attend the funeral of her husband on the Monday 
 following. I observed to him, that, previous to my answer, I 
 
 * I am indebted to Rev. W. A. Houghton, of Berlin, for the privilege of 
 obtaining the copies of these letters. They are published with the approval 
 of representatives of Mr. Whitney's family. 
 
must first know your sentiments respecting such a step. He in- 
 formed me, that he had conversed with you on the subject, and 
 that, on his proposing to you this question, "Will Mr. Puffer's 
 attending Mr. Ball's funeral create any difficulty betwixt you & 
 him;" your answer was, after some hesitation, "No, not that I 
 know of." This by no means satisfied me ; and I told the Dea- 
 con, that I doubted the propriety of my going, and desired him 
 to return and urge Mrs. Ball, by every consideration, to send for 
 you. This he agreed to do, first requesting me to accompany 
 him. Flattered with the hope of being the happy instrument of 
 bringing to a conclusion a long subsisting difficulty, I consented ; 
 but went with the full determination of not attending on Monday, 
 in case my arguments failed of the desired effect. The conver- 
 sation that took place was too lengthy to be detailed. Suffice it 
 to say, that, after exhausting every topic of persuasion, to no pur- 
 pose, I conveyed to Mrs. Ball in an oblique manner, and in the 
 softest terms possible, a denial of her request. She fell into tears 
 — said she wished not to involve me in difficulty — and that, if it 
 must be so, she acquiesced in it as the will of Providence. In 
 that impressive moment, I felt my resolution give way. Turning 
 to Deacon Davis, I said to him, " Is it your opinion, sir, from all 
 the conversation you have had with Mr. Whitney, that my at- 
 tending this funeral will cause him to be off"ended with me?" He 
 directly answered, "No." I then consented to attend ; first de- 
 siring that Mrs. Ball would invite you to be present, still enter- 
 taining the secret hope, that a friendly interview, especially on so 
 solemn an occasion, might efface every unfavorable impression, 
 and revive ancient friendship. 
 
 From this statement you will perceive, that nothing was further 
 from my intentions than to grieve or offend you. Could I have 
 foreseen that you would have viewed my conduct in the offensive 
 light you do, no ordinary consideration should have prevailed 
 with me to have gone into Northborough on such an occasion. 
 Malignity towards you, I trust you will believe me when I say, I 
 certainly had none. And if you think it a weakness in me, to 
 suffer myself to be overcome by a sight unusually aff"ecting, I hope 
 vou will at least allow it to be a pardonable one. 
 
24 
 
 And thus, sir, I have rendered you the explanation you ask. 
 Whether satisfactory, or not, I must leave you to decide. 
 
 Respecting the latter part of your letter, I am unable to reply 
 to it so fully as I could wish, till I know how far you extend the 
 idea of "any ministerial act or service." A neighbor & parish- 
 ioner of mine moves within the limits of Northborough. Sick- 
 ness & death invade his family. I make him a visit on the occa- 
 sion. This is a lower act of ministerial service. I converse with 
 him, and offer him the consolations of the gospel. This is a fur- 
 ther act of it. He earnestly requests me, his former minister, to 
 pray with & for him in his affliction. This is a still higher act of 
 it. Be pleased to let me know which, or whether all of these, 
 fall within your meaning of "any ministerial act or service," which 
 you "plainly «& explicitly" tell me, I "must not presume, in a7iy 
 case or instance whatsoever, to come within the limits of North- 
 borough to perform." Or, I have a son in Northborough : must 
 I not "presume" to pray with him, in case of sickness, till your 
 permission is first obtained? Be assured, Sir, that no one will be 
 more careful than I, " to prevent all future difficulty ; " but if you 
 mean, by anything you have said, to place me in a singular & 
 disadvantageous situation, I better know what becomes me as a 
 man, and a Christian minister, than tamely to submit to it. In 
 the meantime I act on no principle which I will complain of in 
 another. And therefore, though I shall not probably again "come 
 within the limits of Northborough," on any occasion similar to 
 that which has given you so much offence ; yet I give you my 
 free consent to "come within the limits" of Berlin, for the pur- 
 pose of performing "any ministerial act or service," to which you 
 may be invited, whether " I am at home, and able to perform the 
 same " or not. 
 
 As you have thought fit to suspend our " ministerial intercourse," 
 till such time as a satisfactory "explanation" of my conduct shall 
 be given ; I have a right to expect that you will explicitly inform 
 me, whether you consider this communication in that light, or not ; 
 as in the latter case, I am determined to take measures to ascer- 
 tain, whether I had your consent to attend Mr. Ball's funeral, or 
 went without it. I am, Rev. & Dear Sir, respectfully yours. 
 Rev. Mr. Whitfiev. REUBEN PUFFER. 
 
25 
 
 [Mr. Whitney to Mr. Puffer.] 
 
 Northborough, April 27th, 1801. 
 
 Dear Sir : — Your letter of the 23d inst. I received next day, at 
 evening in the midst of company ; & have had company till this 
 morning, & then had sick to visit ; & this afternoon, though I now 
 have company, I think it expedient to make the following reply. 
 
 The explanation you have given is so far satisfactory as to 
 operate for the entire renewal of our ministerial intercourse in any 
 and every respect. 
 
 As a proof of this, I request you to attend my lecture on the 
 Thursday after next (the 7th of-May) & come in season to dine. 
 I know not whose turn it will be to preach, as I mean to send to 
 Mr. Sumner. 
 
 As to the latter part of my letter to you of the 2 2d inst., you 
 make some exceptions to my general, perhaps, universal proposi- 
 tion, to which I readily consent, as being not only, not improper, 
 but very reasonable. 
 
 Perhaps you may think of some others hereafter, which you 
 may suppose your duty as a man, & a Christian minister may lead 
 you to make, but I shall reserve to myself the liberty to consider 
 & receive any acts of yours in conformity to such exceptions, as 
 brotherly or otherwise, according to existing circumstances : 
 nothing doubting, however, from what you say, that your prudence 
 & caution will lead you to avoid everything which might grieve or 
 offend a weak brother. I am Sir, your friend & brother, 
 
 PETER WHITNEY. 
 Rev. Mr. Puffer. 
 
 Note. — "The sequel of thi.s affair was that Deacon Jonathan Livermore, 
 the centenarian, son-in-law of James Ball, senior, died within a few days. 
 The Balls would not have Mr. Whitney; Mr. Puffer this time respectfidly 
 declined, so the good old deacon was buried without obsequies." 
 
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