The Official Story
Chapter 16

The Foster story in the official town history

The official town history written by Joseph North's grandson includes more than ten pages dealing with the story of Isaac Foster and his ill-fated time in Hallowell. You will see that James North describes the details of the wrangles between Foster and the town and the dismissal of the young minister. Then he concludes, "Thus ended the unfortunate connection of the first settled minister with the town."

But what about the rape case?

James North does not even mention Rebecca Foster and the charges she brought against Judge Joseph North.

What did Martha have to say about this?



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Table of Contents

The History of Augusta
North, James W.
1870
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Page 204


204 Accepts the Call.- Ordaining Council. 1786.
 

   A committee was appointed to inform Mr. Foster, who probably had returned to Hartford, of the result of the meeting. He arrived again at Hallowell July third, and on the fifth answered the committee by letter, in which he says "taking under consideration the union which at present subsists, with the generosity that appears among you, I accept the call."1  He preached in the meeting house Sunday the ninth of July, also the sixteenth and the twenty-third. At the last date Henry Sewall in recording the fact says he "preached poor doctrine." The next Sunday he exchanged with the Rev. Thomas Moor of Wiscasset. On the sixth of August he again preached, and as Sewall says, "Armenian doctrine." Two days after Sewall "had a conference with Mr. Foster," but "could not convince him of the impropriety of his doctrines." On the twelfth he again conversed with him "respecting experience," and on the next day, which was Sunday, he records in his diary that "Mr. Foster preached rank Armenianism."

   The following day, Monday the fourteenth of August, a town meeting assembled to fix the time and make provision for the ordination of Mr. Foster, at which Simon Dearborn, Joseph North and William Howard were appointed a committee to confer with him in relation to the time, which was finally fixed for the second Wednesday in October. It was then determined to send to seven churches to assist on the occasion, three of which were to be nominated by the town, two by the church, and two by Mr. Foster. The town selected the churches at Bristol, Bath and Harpswell; and the church, the churches of East Pownalborough and Falmouth second parish. The "letters missive" were drawn. and signed by Daniel Cony, Joseph North and Brown Emerson in behalf of the town, two blanks being left to be filled by Mr. Foster's nominations. A committee was appointed consisting of Joseph North, William Howard and Amos Pollard to provide for the entertainment of the council.2

   Capt. Sewall, who had opposed the appointment of a day for the ordination, on the day succeeding the meeting "had a close, plain, and solemn interview with Mr. Foster respecting his heretical doctrines." After this conference, and on the same day, Mr. Foster left for Connecticut, and returned October second with his family and his two brothers, John and Daniel, who were ministers and members by the candidate's nomination of the ordaining council.3

1Town Records.  2 Ib.  3 Sewall's Diary.