Chapter 5 - The First Church

A twenty one year old Harvard graduate was the subject of the Town's first affection.
 

January 1, 1723 -- "At Said meeting voated that Mr Thomas Smith Shall be the minister for this Town of Bellingham in Case That he take up & Except of the Towns offers: at Sd meeting voated that the Town give Mr Thomas Smith Sixty Pounds per anum for his yearly sallery so long as he shall carry on the work of the ministry among us. At Sd meeting voated that the Town Give Mr Thomas Smith Eighty pounds for Incouragement in order to his settlement among us. At Sd Meeting voated that Capt John Darling and Lieut John Tompson & Mr Pelatiah Smith Still be a Comittee to treat with Mr Thomas Smith."
 

Smith (1702-1795), was "born in Boston, graduated at Harvard at eighteen years of age, and was licensed to preach at twenty. His diary has been printed and it says: "1723 Jan 6 I preached at Bellingham. Jan 7 The committee of Bellingham was with me to acquaint me of their call. Mar 21 I gave Bellingham an answer." He declined the invitation on account of his youth and inexperience, but continued to preach in different places toll he found a chance to start a new church in Portland, Maine, where he was ordained after four years' preaching in 1727. He was the pastor there for sixty years, taking his turn in preaching with an assistant during the last twenty of them, and his church grew into three or four others."
 

The Town was desperate in treating with Smith. On March 6 they upped their offer to 10 or more pounds when 15 more families settled and 10 more for the next 15. In addition every man was committed to "a Dayes work each man in Geting his fire wood annually on every year."
 

Another meeting on March 18 voted to send Peletiah Smith and Capt. John Darling to Boston to "treat" with Rev. Smith.
 

The Town survived his rejection. The General Court did not enforce their three year requirement of incorporation either by design or neglect. In order to obtain their minister, it became obvious the Town would have to sweeten the pot. On October 29, 1723, "Att Said Meeting voated that fifty acres of Land be given to the first Minister that settles in Bellingham and shall be accordingly laid out by the Commitee near the meeting house for that end."
 

The Proprietors did not lay out the ministerial lot until 1725 when it was noted:
 

"May ye 22, 1725 Laid out in Bellingham near the meeting house fifty acres of Land for the first minister that shall be setled in the Town of Bellingham. Bounded east part on Jonathan Tompsons Land part on Common 79 rod, The norwest corner being an heap of stones near the road that leads from Oliver Haywards to the meeting house then by said road 32 rod to the Training field then on sd Land 58 rod to Nathaniel Weatherlyes Land then on Sd Land 52 rod to an heap of stones being a southwest corner bound, then running east 15 dgrs north 32 rod to an heap of stones being a corner, thence runing north 29 Dgrs east 100 rod to the first. The whole containing fifty four acres, four acres alowed for Wayes crossing said land."
 

Laid out by Thomas White Surveyor