Oliver Holden Where it Originated and was First Heard PPOSITE the head of Salem Street, where now Ο stands the brick apartment-house built by Thomas Doane and known as "The Salem," was the former site of a wooden church which we have more than once referred to. It stood there for more than half a century. It was built for the Baptists on a lot of land given to them by Oliver Holden. It was dedicated in May, 1801, and the music for the anthem sung on the occasion was composed by Mr. Holden. The Baptists occupied this church for some years, until 1810, when they provided themselves with another place of worship in Austin Street. Lack of harmony in the society and some disagreement as to the ownership of the High Street church occasioned this change. The church was sold to James Harrison, and by him, in 1815, to the Unitarian Society, just then formed, and by that society, after the present Harvard Church was dedicated, February 10, 1819, to the Methodists. It was the place of worship of the last-named for more than a quarter of a century; then it was owned for a while by Josiah Brackett, a leading Methodist, and was used for occasional religious services. After a time the steeple was weakened by decay and taken down, and the church was changed into an armory for the Prescott Light Guard, a military organization that flourished in Charlestown for some years until the State fixed a limit to the dragoon service, which necessitated the disbandment of several companies, the Prescotts being among the number. After this the old building was used for several seasons as a hall for dancing-parties, the constantly deteriorating character of which induced Mr. Doane to purchase the property, raze the old church, and erect "The Salem." The fine old mansion standing above "The Salem," on Pearl Street, now the residence of Thomas Doane, was formerly the estate and home of Oliver Holden. The building has always been attractive in its exterior, while its interior is finely planned and arranged for comfort and convenience. The lot of land connected with it is still large, and in the garden can yet be found some of the shrubs, plants, and fruit-trees which helped to ornament and make it useful in Mr. Holden's day. The grounds were then extensive, at one time reaching nearly to Bunker Hill Street; and after much of the land on that side of the town had been laid out into lots and covered largely with buildings, Mr. Holden would often refer to his land, not quite ready for the market, as "the elegant reserve." Oliver Holden came to Charlestown in 1788. His ancestors had been residents here a century earlier, but had removed to Pepperell, where he was born September 18, 1765. He remained in Charlestown until his death, September 4, 1844, when he was a few days short of seventy-nine years old. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. He was very enterprising, and at once after his removal here commenced the purchase of lots of land and the erection of buildings. His first purchase was a lot on Bow Street, in 1787, on which he built a house which he sold to Samuel Payson, the schoolmaster, one of the early teachers in the Town Hill School. Payson was afterwards, for many years, cashier of the Massachusetts Bank, in Boston, but resided all the while in Charlestown. Mr. Holden was early interested in the schools and was one of the committee having in charge the enlargement and rebuilding of the Town Hill school-house in 1800. He represented the town in the State Legislature in 1818, '25, '26, '28, and '33. His operations in real-estate were extensive, and the number of recorded conveyances to and from him can hardly be equaled by those of any other citizen in the town. Mr. Holden was connected with the First Baptist Church in its early organization, but afterwards with another religious society, known for many years as the Puritan Church. He was the head of and the preacher for this company of Christian believers all through its existence. Their meetings were first held in a little wooden building still standing on School Street, just below High Street, and afterwards in a one-story wooden church erected by Mr. Holden on High Street, opposite the head of Wood Street, its front shaded by the widespreading elm-tree which, in spite of the remonstrance of a large number of the residents in its vicinity, was cut down by order of the City Council of Boston a few years ago. These remonstrants, it will be remembered, showed their regret and indignation by causing the church-bells to be tolled when the old tree, shorn of its branches and severed from its root, lay on the ground, a sad example of the lack of reverence and the ruthless spirit of the authorities of a great city in this age of the world. The services at this little church under the tree were interesting, and simple in form like the other Congregational churches, except that, for a while at least, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was observed every Sunday. The society was small, but composed of highly respected citizens. They believed in the Bible, worshiped it, perhaps, and, like the early Puritans, referred to it as the test of all that was proper or necessary in religious or civil government. No special effort was made by these religionists to disseminate their peculiar views. Visitors to the little church were received with kindness, but the main object of the associates seemed to be to worship in a quiet way and profit by a communion which they had established for this purpose. The writer in his boyhood many times witnessed and listened to the services in this church, and remembers the solemnity and earnestness of the regular attendants. He can call to mind, among them, David Fosdick, John Murray, Francis Hay, Captain Samuel G. Sargent, and his son-in-law, Jehiel Smith, Mrs. Jonathan Locke, and Joseph Carter. Mr. Holden's Bible is now in possession of Thomas Doane, or of some member of his family, to whom it was presented by the granddaughter of Mr. Holden. Its value is enhanced by notes of his reflections while perusing its pages, and by an affectionate tribute to his mother, from whom it was a precious gift,—all in his own handwriting. Mr. Holden was always greatly interested in music, and was widely known as a singer and composer in the latter part of the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth. His standing with musical people and the critics of that period is set forth fully in Moore's Encyclopædia of Music, published in 1854, from which we copy the following: In 1793 Oliver Holden, a resident of Charlestown, a carpenter and joiner by trade, published his first book of sacred music, arranged in three and four parts, the music being much of it original, entitled "The American Harmony." He commenced teaching music, and opened a store for the sale of music-books. Soon after, he published another book, in two volumes, called "Union Harmony; or, a Universal Collection of Sacred Music." In 1795 he associated himself with Hans Grau and Samuel Holyoke, and they published "The Massachusetts Compiler." In 1797 Mr. Holden published "The Worcester Collection of Sacred Harmony," which he altered, revised, and corrected, adding an appendix containing a number of psalm-tunes and some other pieces of music. This was the sixth edition of the work and consisted of one hundred and fifty-six pages. printed upon movable types by Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who in 1786 procured the type in Europe. Mr. Holden was a conscientiously religious and amiable man, as any one might judge from the style of his compositions. He was the author of many excellent tunes. His "Confidence," to the words, "How can my soul in God rejoice"; "Paradise," "Now to the shining realms above"; and his "Coronation," "All hail the power of Jesus' name," will live for generations yet to sing and admire. Holden was from his youth passionately fond of music, and though in the latter years of his life he ceased to instruct and compose, he retained his love for |