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[242] toward furnishing a new house of worship, built in 1805; he remitted annually, during his ministry, the parish taxes of many individuals who were either unable or unwilling to pay their annual assessments; he gave fifty dollars in aid and support of a singing school for the service of the house of worship, and ten dollars toward purchasing an octavoviol for the use of the singers; had a set of curtains put in the foreseat of the front gallery for the singers' convenience, and the pulpit painted, at his expense. He commenced, in 1806, the establishment of a social library, and took the entire care of it in his house, and delivered books to the proprietors for more than twenty years without compensation. This and much more he did; and hence, in a few years, ‘the appearance of the town, and the morals and habits of the people,’ were changed for the better, and ‘its favorable aspect induced many individuals and families of other towns to come and settle in the place, and aid and share in its growing prosperity.’ He received from his people at the same time ‘many tokens of their respect and benevolence,’ and enjoyed his full share of ‘their regards and affections.’ In 1788, the Rev. Mr. Fiske became a member of the Board of Overseers of Harvard University; in 1821 he was honored with the degree of Doctor in Divinity by Columbia College, New York. He voluntarily resigned his pastoral office and charge, 23 Apr. 1828. leaving a church of about one hundred members and a congregation of about five hundred souls for his successor. Such is the substance of the narrative of this aged minister, appended to the discourse delivered at the close of his ministry. The text of this farewell discourse was Acts XX. 18-21. Subject: The Life and Character of St. Paul a Model for Christian Ministers. During his ministry he baptized 749; number of funerals he attended, 666; admissions to the church, (including those owning their covenant), 288; joined in marriage, 386 couples. His ancestry are mentioned in the above published discourse, and in Bond's Hist. of Watertown; see also Paige's Hist. Cambridge, and Harvard Necrology, by Palmer. A marble monument marks the spot of his burial in Arlington old burying-ground, amid the members of his flock. Fletcher, William and w. Betsey, o. c. 26 Aug. 1810, was himself bap. 26 Aug. 1810,1 and had Eliza, aet. 6, Adrian (dau.), set. 4, Hannah Barnard, at. 2, Grace, aet. 1/2 all bap. 26 Aug. 1810; William Henry, bap. 10 May, 1812. 2. Walter, had Joseph Varnum, d. 30 Aug. 1837, a. 2 yrs., and George Walter, d. 14 Oct. 1837, a. 6 mos. 3. Jonathan V., of Medford, m. Mercy Ann Hill of W. Camb., 3 Nov. 1836. Ford, Stephen, of Charlestown, d. at Joseph Adams's, 23 Mar. 1756, a. 79. See Wyman, 352.
1 A gravestone in the new, or Mount Pleasant Cemetery, to William Fletcher, who d. Feb. 26, 1853, aged 83 years, states, ‘He was the first man that ever carried Ice into Boston Market for Merchandise.’
Boston: David Clapp and son. 564 Washington Street, 1880.
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