Person:James Keith (1)

"Rev. James Keith was born in 1644, educated at Aberdeen, Scotland (as tradition says at the expense of a maiden aunt). At the age of 18 he emigrated to this country. Arriving in Boston, in 1662, he was introduced to the church in Bridgewater by Dr. Increase Mather. He is referred to in the records of the church 'as a student of divinity, having some competent time improved his gifts amongst them, in the work of the ministry, and having also due approbation, by the testimony of the Reverend Elders of other churches of Christ, to whom he was known.' His settlement took place February 18, 1664, upon the following terms: 'A double house lot of twelve (12) acres, with a house built thereon; a purchase right, so-called, being a fifty-sixth part of the original grant; and 40 pounds annual salary, 20 pounds in Boston money and the other half at home.' Many and persistent efforts have been made to trace the direct ancestry of the Rev. James Keith, but thus far without avail. As has been observed in the foregoing sketch, George, the fifth earl, was the founder of Marischal College, Aberdeen, in 1596, and it would not seem improbable that the Rev. James Keith obtained his education at this college, endowed by a kinsman; certain it is that he received his education at Aberdeen. Following up the suggestion that the records of the college might furnish the desired information, the writer, through a friend, caused investigation to be made. No records, however, could be found, and it seems probable that his parentage will forever remain in obscurity. He married Susanna, daughter of Deacon Samuel Edson, May 3, 1668, and had —

James, December 5, 1669 ;
Joseph, February 14, 1675;
Samuel, 1677;
Timothy, 1686;
John, 1688;
Josiah, Margaret, Mary and Susanna.

The wife died October 16, 1705, aged 65 years. He then married Mary, widow of Thomas Williams, of Taunton, 1707, who died July 23, 1719, aged 76 years. He died July 23, 1719."

"Keith, James, first min. of Bridgewater, bred at one of the coll. in Aberdeen, came a. 1662, was ord. early in 1664, when he was under 21 yrs. d. 23 July 1719, in 76th yr. In the solemn induct. a part was born by Rev. Increase Mather, perhaps the youngest min. in the assemb.; yet in the Magn. III. 4, with heedlessness, strange even in Cotton Mather, his third classis, 'of such MIN. as came over to N. E. after the reestabl. of the Episc. ch. gov.' in Eng. among all the veterans is crowd. in our Keith; wh. might be less, could not be more than 18 yrs. Ever honor. should be his name for oppos. to the design of putting to d. the child of king Philip. His first w. was Susanna, prob. d. of deac. Samuel Edson, and his sec. 1707, was Mary Williams of Taunton, wid. of Thomas; and all his ch. were by the first. Of one d. as I presume, the m. is found at Taunton in the rec. of Jonathan Howard and Susanna K. 8 Jan. 1689. Progeny of his s. James, Joseph, Samuel, Timothy, John, and Josiah, is scatt. thro. most of the U. S. At Bridgewater alone in 1810, this name count. 200. Of his ds. Margaret m. a Hunt; and Mary m. Ephraim Howard."

"James Keith, A.B., b. Scotland, 1643; educated at Aberdeen, Scotland; came to Boston, 1662; Ord. West Bridgewater, Feb. 18, 1663/4, as the first minister; sett. Bridgewater, 1663-1719; d. Bridgewater, July 23, 1719, a. 76."

"James Keith was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1643. He attended the class of 1657 at Marischal College, founded by the Earl Marischal George Keith. He left Scotland and came to America in 1662 settling in the colony of Massachusetts. He was ordained in 1664 and became the first Minister of Bridgewater, MA where he was granted a parsonage of 20 acres. He married Susanna, daughter of Samuel Edson who came from Salem, MA to build and operate the first mill. They had nine children, descendants of whom are all prominent in the Old Bridgewater area as well as throughout the nation. Reverand James Keith died on July 23, 1719."

"Feb. 18, 1664, the settlement of the Rev. James Keith, their first ordained minister, is recorded, and the terms of it particularly expressed. He is there called 'a student in divinity, having some competent time improved his gifts amongst them in the work of the ministry, and having also due approbation by the testimony of the Rev. Elders of other churches of Christ, to whom he was known.' He was a Scotchman, educated at Aberdeen, and probably came to Boston about the year 1662, and was introduced to the church at Bridgewater, by Dr. Increase Mather, whom he always esteemed as his patron and best friend. In the second preface to the 'Bridgewater's Monitor,' the first having been written by Increase and Cotton Mather, it is said Bridgewater had not an ordained minister till 1663. This had reference to the old style, probably, when the year commenced on the 25th of March. The terms of his settlement were liberal; a double house lot of twelve acres with a house built thereon, and a purchase right, so called, being a fifty-sixth part of the original grant; £40 annual salary, £20 to be paid at Boston in money, and the other half at home. In 1667 they gave him an additional grant of thirty cords of wood annually, 'the cutters of the wood to have five groats, and the drawers seven groats a cord.' In 1681 they raised it from £40 to £50, £20 to be paid at Boston in money, and £30 at home in corn and provisions. In 1689 they agreed to allow him £10 in corn in lieu of his thirty cords of wood. He died July 23, 1719, æ. 76, of course was about 21 when he was ordained.

Mather, in the Magnalia, places him in the third class, 'who were all such ministers as came over after the re-establishment of the Episcopal church government in England, and the consequent persecution of the non-conformists.' This must have been a mistake, as Mr. Keith was from Scotland, and besides could not have been a minister before he came over, being very young and but a student when he arrived. The text he selected for his first sermon was from Jeremiah I. 6, 'Behold I cannot speak; for I am a child.' The Lord however indeed encouraged him, 'and put his words into his mouth,' and he proved a worthy man and a faithful shepherd over his infant and feeble flock. His advice and influence with the civil authorities of the colony were also considerable. In the case of the capture of Philip's wife and son, when the question as to what should be done with the son was in agitation, and the opinion of grave divines desired, Mr. Keith's opinion, stated in a letter to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, in favor of mercy, and differing from most others, had great weight, if indeed it was not decisive on the occasion. The boy's life was spared, and with his mother he was sent out of the country, and probably to the Bermudas. The letter follows, and is well worthy of a place here.

'October 30, 1676. I long to hear what becomes of Philip's wife and his son. I know there is some difficulty in that Psalm 137, 8, 9. though I think it may be considered, whether there be not some speciality and somewhat extraordinary in it. That law, Deut. 24, 16. compared with the commended example of Amazias. 2d Chron., 25, 4, doth sway much with me in the case under consideration. I hope God will direct those whom it doth concern to a good issue. Let us join our prayers at the throne of grace with all our might, that the Lord would so dispose of all public motions and affairs, that his Jerusalem in this wilderness may be the habitation of justice, and the mountain of holiness, that so it may be also a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down.'

He preached the sermon at the dedication of the new meeting house in South Bridgewater in 1717, two years only before his death, which was printed in the 'Bridgewater's Monitor,' and which contains some pertinent and impressive remarks on the subject of intemperance even at that early period. 'Besides other evils,' said he, 'which might be mentioned, I would refer particularly to that of intemperance, the excessive and prodigious expense upon strong drink, above al l, that of rum; I say, the scandalous and horrible abuse of rum, which threatens ruin unto this land and to this place; a ruin to all our dearest interests, both civil and religious. If there be any such houses among you, as I fear there are, that vend that strong drink contrary to the law of God and the wholesome law of this province, let such of you as are vested with civil power and stand obliged unto the oath of God, see that such grievous profanation be suppressed, lest that iniquity, the abuse of rum, be our ruin.'"

"Rev. James Keith was born in 1644, and was educated at Aberdeen, Scotland, where he was graduated, likely, from Marischal College, his name appearing upon the roll of that college in 1657, said college having been founded by George, the fifth Earl of Keith Marischal, in 1593. Rev. James Keith, as tradition says, was educated at the expense of a maiden aunt. At the age of eighteen years he emigrated to this country, arriving in Boston in 1663. He was introduced to the church at Bridgewater by Dr. Increase Mather, whom he always esteemed as his patron and best friend. …"

"… and on the Day when they First Met in their New Edifice, he preached unto them, that Savoury Sermon, which was afterwards Published under the Title of, A Case of Prayer, handled on a Day of Prayer. A Sermon worthy to be their Perpetual Monitor. And, which Two Years before his Death, he Concludes with minding them, This Exhortation is given you by your Aged Pastor, who hath served you in the Gospel now full Fifty-Four years, and I hope, by the Grace of GOD in some measure of Sincerity, tho' attended with much Weakness, great Infirmities, and manifold Temptations."

"Keith, … James, Rev., 'came to America 1662,' [died] July 23, 1719, (gravestone record, Scotland Graveyard)"