USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Genealogical history of the town of Reading, Mass., including the present towns of Wakefield, Reading, and North Reading, with chronological and historical sketches, from 1639 to 1874 > Part 18
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Dea. Brown Emerson, Capt. David Green, Capt. John Goodwin, and Benjamin Brown, Esq., were a Committee to make the sale.
As the numbers of these pews show the relative standing, as to prop- erty, of these old fathers, it may be gratifying to the curious to see some of them :-
No. I. Minister Pew.
No. 18. John Batchelder.
2. David Green.
19. Michael Sweetser.
66 3. Thomas Eaton.
20. Jonathan Evans.
4. John Smith. 21. John Walton and Oliver Swain.
5. John Goodwin.
22. Nathaniel Brown.
6. Ebenezer Nichols.
23. Thomas Green.
7. Ens. John Batchelder.
66
24. James Emerson.
8. Benjamin Smith.
66 25. Abraham Gould.
9. Mrs. Eliza'h Lambert.
66 26. Thomas Eaton.
" 10. Ebenezer Wiley.
27. Jonathan Brown.
II. Brown Emerson.
28. John Nichols.
13. Nathaniel Wiley.
30. John Walton.
14. Isaac Smith, Jr.
' 15. William Green.
32. Jeremiah Brown.
" 16. Jona. Eaton.
33. Tho. Emerson.
17. Joshua Eaton.
34. Samuel Poole.
12. John Pratt.
29. Tho. Damon and Jona. Hartshorn.
31. Susan Weston and Anna Emerson.
163
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
No. 35. Tho. Hay. No. 44. Benjamin Brown.
36. Nath'l and Jona. Cowdrey. 45. Joseph Emerson.
37. Noah and Lilley Eaton. 46. Joseph Brown.
66 38 and 39, Jacob Upham.
40. Joseph Gould.
41. James Smith.
42. Daniel Bryant.
43. Joseph Bryant.
47. Benjamin Hartshorn.
48. John Vinton.
49. Tho. Parker.
50. Daniel -, etc. etc.
In May, the inhabitants of the northwesterly part of the First Par- ish, not satisfied with the offers of the parish, Joseph Damon, Jeremiah Swain, and others of that said part of the parish, this year petitioned the General Court to interfere and set them off as a distinct parish.
Whereupon the First Parish chose Ebenezer Nichols, Esq., Dea. Brown Emerson, Capt. John Goodwin, Phineas Parker, Jona. Eaton, John Walton, and Andrew Beard a committee to oppose said petition.
A Legislative Committee, having heard the parties, advised the First Parish to agree to a line of division on the southerly side of Woodend. In reference to which advice, the parish voted " that to divide the par- ish would be ruinous to the whole, and that, therefore, they cannot agree to any line of division : 49 in favor of agreeing to 68 against.
At the same time, on a proposition to remove the location of the new meeting-house about half a mile to the westward, voted in the negative.
In June, the First Parish voted "to give to the inhabitants of Wood- end, so called, twenty-two and a half pounds yearly and every year, for ten years next to come, the money to be laid out in preaching or schooling, as they shall agree, provided said inhabitants do not proceed any farther for a separate parish, and relinquish what has already been voted them ; or, if they do not accept this, then those inhabitants of Woodend, so called, that live more than 3} miles from the meeting- house, shall have liberty to go to the North Parish, or Wilmington, as they shall choose."
1769. - February, the Woodend people still persisting in their efforts for a division of the First Parish, said parish again voted against a division.
Also voted in favor of setting off a part of the parish to North Pre- cinct,,so as to make two parishes in the town of equal territory, if the North Precinct consent.
Chose Ebenezer Nichols, Esq., Dea. Brown Emerson, Capt. John Goodwin, Lt. Jona. Eaton, and Benj. Brown, a committee to oppose the setting off of Woodend.
164
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
The General Court, however, notwithstanding all opposition, judged it best that the First Parish should be divided, and accordingly ordered that substantially the same territory (except certain Eaton farms) that now constitutes the town of Reading, be incorporated as a distinct parish, called the Third or West Parish.
The first meeting of the Third Parish aforesaid was held on August 9, 1769, by warrant from the Worshipful Josiah Johnson, Esq., of Wo- burn, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, who was present at the meeting.
Mr. John Temple was chosen Moderator.
Chose parish officers as follows : For Clerk, Samuel Bancroft, Esq. ; for Treasurer, Mr. John Temple ; for Assessors, Mr. John Temple, Dea. Samuel Bancroft, and Capt. Nathan Parker.
The Moderator took the money oath.
A committee was chosen and money raised, or ordered to be raised, to provide materials and workmen to complete the newly erected meet- ing-house ; by which it appears that their first meeting-house was in process of building. It was located a short distance southerly of where the Old South Meeting-house now stands, and is the same build- ing now occupied by the Centre schools, and which contains Union -
Hall.
The following is the Act of Incorporation of the Third Parish : -
" July 14, 1769. - General Court ordered that the South Precinct in Reading be and hereby is divided into two precincts in the following manner, that is to say : Be- ginning at Stoneham line, at a heap of stones at the South East corner of Jona. Wes- ton's homestead ; from thence to a white oak tree, at the Southerly corner of Isaac Burnap's and Jabez Damon's pasture, called Bare-hill pasture (recently called ‘ Fair- mount ') ; from thence Easterly as the fence now stands, on the Southerly side of said pasture, till it comes to the road near the Stone Bridge at Bare-hill Brook, so called ; rom thence Northwardly on the road till it comes to the North Eastwardly end of the Causeway at the ' Three Bridges,' so called ; from thence to the South Westerly corner of Lieut. Jona. Poole's farm ; from thence on the fence, on the Southerly side of said Poole's land, till it comes to the road leading from said Poole's to the M. house; from thence North Easterly till it comes to Lynn line; excepting Thomas Eaton, Thomas Eaton, 3d, Joshua Eaton, Jonathan Eaton and Edmund Eaton, with their lands, they are now respectively in possession of, and their other estates, who, although included in said bounds, shall remain in the South Precinct, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as fully as if they and their lands aforesaid lay South of said line.
" And whereas the said Precinct (South) have obtained a vote to build a Meeting- house, and have made two taxes, the one for raising four hundred pounds, lawful money, and the other for two hundred pounds of like money, which assessments have been committed and are now in the hands of the Constables to collect ; but the first tax for £400 only has been paid, and that but in part. It is therefore further ordered that
·
165
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
the north part of said precinct shall be and hereby is exempted from paying any other tax towards the Meeting-house in the South Precinct, save the first £400. It is fur- ther ordered that the cost arising by the Committee's going last year to view the South Precinct, amounting to £9 7s., be paid by the whole Parish."
By the said act of incorporation it will be seen that the Third Parish were relieved from a part of the assessments that had been laid upon them by the First Parish towards the new meeting-house of the First Parish, but there remained a claim upon the First Parish for what the Third Parish had already paid towards said new meeting-house. This claim was the occasion of some canvassing and controversy be- tween the parishes for several years, but was finally settled amicably. (See under 1773.)
This year Rev. Caleb Prentiss, from Cambridge, a graduate of Har. Coll. in 1765, was settled as pastor of the First Parish, with {200 set- tlement, {80 salary, and twenty cords of wood yearly, brought to his door, together with the use of the parsonage.
Mr. Prentiss was ordained October 25, 1769.
Services at the ordination : First prayer by Rev. Mr. Morrill, of Wil- mington ; Sermon (text I Thess. ii, 8) by Rev. Mr. Adams, of Roxbury ; Charge, by Rev. Mr. Appleton, of Cambridge ; Fellowship, by Rev. Mr. Storer, of Watertown ; Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Roby, of Lynn ; Psalm and blessing, by candidate.
List of inhabitants of the First Parish, at or near the time of its di- vision and the incorporation of the Third Parish ; said parish then included what is now Wakefield and Reading ; with a notice of all the houses then standing, with the distance of each house from the First Parish meeting-house, that stood near the site of the present Congrega- tional meeting-house in Wakefield.
These details regarding the locations of the inhabitants and their dwellings are gathered from an old map of said First Parish, drawn by Col. Nichols about the year 1765, and from a table of relative distances of the houses from the meeting-house, found among the papers of Dea. Temple, prepared, probably, to show the necessity of a new parish, which was incorporated in 1769 :-
Rev. Mr. Hobby, was the Prentiss house,
M. Qrs. Rods. 32
Samuel Poole, old tavern, now removed,
0 O 49
Samuel Nichols,
0
0 75
James Barrett, on the place of the late Dea. Aaron Bryant,
0 O 75
Col. Ebenezer Nichols, old Rayner House, now removed,
O
I 02
John Vinton, late Samuel Wiley place, and Dr. Richardson's,
0
I 14
Capt. Cornelius Wotton, site of Quannapowitt House, O
I 32
166
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
M. Qrs. Rods.
John Nichols, late Noah Smith house,
O
I 32
Samuel Felch, where Adam Hawkes now is,
O
2 30
Michael Sweetser, where Asa N. Sweetser now is,
o
2 56
Benjamin Smith, late Dr. Hart's old house, now removed,
O
3 14
Jonathan Evans, near R. R. bridge, in Greenwood, now removed, 'Daniel Gould, where E. Pitman now is,
I
I 72
Richard Upham, where P. H. Sweetser resided,
I
3
50
William Green, where Charles W. Green now is,
2
O
04
William Green, Jr., now owned by Wid. Waitt, Thomas Green, now owned by C. W. Green, Capt. David Green (old house), late Nathan Green place, house formerly Judge Nash's,
2
O 69
2
2 02
Lt. John Walton, late Benjamin Walton place,
I
2
63
James Smith, late Ezekiel Oliver place,
I
3
03
Ensign John Smith, Almshouse place,
I
2
62
Amos Boardman, late Lowell Emerson's,
I
3
22
Jonathan Poole, Jr., where Leonard Wiley resided,
O
I
75
Capt. Samuel Bancroft, Wakefield's Rattan Factory,
O
2
52
Thomas Wiley, late David Wiley place, Nathaniel Wiley, late Eli Wiley place,
I
2
75
" old house, near above, now removed,
I
3
33
Ephraim Weston, where Mrs. Dr. Spaulding now is,
O
O
58
Noah and Lilley Eaton, late Dea. Jacob Eaton's,
O
O 72
William Gould, late John Gould's, now removed,
O O
52
Dr. William Stimpson, where the late Lilley Eaton lived (father of Hon. Lilley), O
O
46
Thomas Burnap, where William Brown now is,
O
3
22
Thomas Emerson, the Dr. Cushman place,
O
3 68
Joseph Underwood, where Rev. Mr. Clayes now is,
I O 00
Dr. Oliver Swain, now David Batchelder's old house,
I
O
41
Thomas Parker, late owned by Suel Winn, Jr.,
I
I
03
Nathaniel Swain, near where East school-house is,
I
2
39
John Swain, Jr., near where Abraham Gould now is,
I
2
72
Capt. John Swain, near late Issachar Stowell's old house,
I
3
16
Jeremiah Brown, where E. A. Upton now is,
I
3 61
Nathaniel Brown, lately owned by Rev. Horace Eaton,
2
O 36
Josiah Walton, now the Austin place,
2
O
71
Jotham Walton, where Oliver Walton now is,
2
I 17
Jonathan Brown, now Daniel P. Emerson's,
2
I
43
Jonathan Cowdrey, now Mrs. Col. J. Hartshorn's,
C
O
76
James Emerson, now Mrs. James Emerson,
O
I 45
Ebenezer Gould, late Charles Gould place,
O
2
43
Capt. John Goodwin, now James Eustis,
O
I 60
Thomas Hay, now the heirs of late Benjamin Emerson, Dr. William Hay,
O
2
38
Thomas Damon, now Mrs. Varnum Holt,
O
2
52
Benjamin Hartshorn, now Joseph Hartshorn,
O 2
56
.
C 3 06 Isaac Smith, where Dr. Hart resided, now removed,
I
I 05
2
O 32
2
2 40
I
2
35
O
I 60
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
167
M. Qrs. Rods.
Ebenezer Damon, now Mrs. Lydia Winn,
O
2 63
Wid. Lambert, late Dea. David Smith place,
O
3
Jeremiah r yant, { these houses stood a short distance westerly of James Bryant, Joseph Hartshorn's, now gone,
O
3 48
Nathaniel Cowdrey, late Aaron Cowdrey place,
O
3 09
Capt. John Goodwin (upper place), since Matt. F. Leslie,
I o 26
Joseph Gould, where E. E. Emerson is, house removed,
O 0 76
Joseph Emerson, where Thomas Emerson lived,
0
I 15
Nutting or Bacheller house, heirs of late John White, Jr.,
O
I 47
Munroe, formerly Nichols, now Mrs. F. B. Eaton,
0
I 71
John Batcheller, Cordis House, now removed,
O
2 52
Capt. Benjamin Brown, now Lucius Beebe,
O
3 03
Joseph Brown, house near the above, now removed,
O
3
17
John Pratt, the late John White, Sen., place, now removed,
O
3 49
Dea. Brown Emerson, now Dr. F. P. Hurd,
I
O 05
James Woodward, the late Stimpson place,
I
I
OI
William Eaton, where Rev. Mr. Barry is,
I O
64
Ensign Hopkinson, where E. Sumner Hopkins is,
I
I 16
1770. - Town voted to build a powder-house of hard brick and lime, eight feet square.
It was located on the high ground, near and northerly of the present residence of the late Capt. George Batchelder. A committee recom- mended a wooden one, on account of the dampness of the brick house.
The Third Parish meeting-house was this year completed. Said parish voted " to petition the General Court for the money to be paid back to us, which we have paid towards the M. house in the First Parish."
Voted, also, to purchase, for a parsonage, the dwelling-house, barn, and out-houses of Mr. Phineas Parker, and twenty-five and .one half acres of land adjoining, for the sum of £2to.
This is the same house and land since owned by Rev. Peter San- born, and long known as the Sanborn Place.
Voted, also, "to invite Rev. Thomas Haven, a graduate of Har. Coll. in 1765, to become the minister of said parish, with an en- couragement or settlement of £160, and an annual salary of £73 6s. 8d."
Mr. Haven's answer to the invitation was as follows : -
" To the inhabitants of the Third Parish in Reading : -
" My Christian Brethren and Friends,
" As you have seen fit to give me an invitation to settle with you in the work of the Gospel ministry, I would thankfully acknowledge the honor done me hereby, not only by you, but also by the great head of the church ; as this is a matter of the greatest
.
O 3 06
I68
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
importance in respect of the greatness and difficulty of the work, I hope I have viewed it in this light, and considered thereof, as one in some measure sensible of the weight of the charge ; and asked counsel of those whom I thought able and willing to give that, which was good, and who, I trust, had the cause of Religion and the interest of the churches near their hearts ; and I hope I have not been unmindful of seeking direction from the Father of lights, from him who giveth wisdom to them who ask ; encouraged by the unanimity, with which you gave the call, and the peaceable temper with which you have conducted this affair, and which I trust is still with you ; hoping for the blessing of God and the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, I now signify to you my acceptance ; reserving to myself the liberty of being absent from you one or two Sabbaths in a year to visit my distant friends as occasion may require. I am sen- sible of my unworthiness and inability for the honorable, the great and arduous work, which I am about to engage in ; and I ask your prayers to God for me, that I may be directed, and obtain grace to be faithful ; and I persuade myself that you will endeavor to render the burthen as light as may be, as well as be ready to provide for my sup- port and comfort. That your church may be built up in faith and holiness, and have daily additions made unto it of such as shall be saved, and always be found walking in the order of the gospel ; that you as a people may bepros pered, and that God would rain down righteousness upon you, that you may be preserved in peace and quietness, and that we all, in matters before us, may be directed from Heaven, is the desire and prayer of your christian brother and friend,
THOMAS HAVEN."
Mr. Haven was the son of Rev. Elias Haven, the minister of Frank- lin, and a descendant of Richard Haven, who settled in Lynn in 1645. His mother was Mary (Messenger). He was born about 1743. He married Anna Bigelow, of Weston, a sister of the late Abraham Bige- low, Esq., of Cambridge.
This year the First Parish sold to the Rev. Caleb Prentiss, for £333 6s. 8d., the parsonage land and buildings ; said land consisting of three pieces, viz. That which the parsonage-house stood on, that behind the meeting-house, and that near Dr. Wm. Stimpson's.
NOTE. - Dr. Stimpson then lived at the corner of Main and Salem Streets, where the Eaton mansion now is.
1771. - The Third Parish voted to accept their land apportioned to them by the town as their share of the ministerial lands.
Voted, also, " to sell the ' Housen and land,' bought of Mr. Phineas Parker for a parsonage, to Rev. Thomas Haven for £201 12 shil."
The following is a List of Voters in Reading for 1771 :-
FIRST PARISH.
Capt. Samuel Bancroft. Benjamin Brown. Joseph Brown. James Bennet.
Mr. Ebenezer Hopkinson. Benjamin Hartshorn. Jonathan Hartshorn. Dr. William Hay.
169
James Barret. Nathaniel Brown. John Brown.
Thomas Hay.
Timothy Lewis.
David Mansfield.
Jonathan Brown.
Ebenezer Nichols, Esq.
Jeremiah Brown.
John Nichols.
John Batchelder.
Thomas Parker.
John Batchelder, Jr.
Samuel Poole.
Amos Boardman.
Jona. Poole, Jr.
Jonathan Cowdrey.
John Pratt.
Nathaniel Cowdrey.
Capt. John Swain.
James Cutler.
Dr. Oliver Swain.
Ebenezer Damon.
Dr. William Stimpson.
Ebenezer Damon, Jr.
Michael Sweetser.
Thomas Damon.
Paul Sweetser.
Brown Emerson.
Mr. Isaac Smith.
Peter Emerson.
Isaac Smith, Jr.
James Emerson.
Isaac Smith, 3d.
Joseph Emerson:
Benjamin Smith.
Thomas Emerson.
Ebenezer Smith.
Capt. Thos. Eaton.
John Smith.
James Smith.
Edmund Eaton.
James Smith, Jr.
Thomas Eaton, 3d.
Jacob Upham.
Joshua Eaton.
John Vinton.
Noah Eaton.
Thomas Wiley.
Lilley Eaton.
Ebenezer Wiley.
Jonathan Evans.
Nathaniel Wiley.
Samuel Goodwin.
James Woodward.
Capt. John Goodwin.
Capt. Wootton.
Lt. John Walton.
William Green, Jr.
Josiah Walton.
Capt. David Green.
Jotham Walton.
Thomas Green.
John Green.
William Gould.
John Nichols, 4th.
Joseph Gould.
Benjamin Hartshorn, Jr.
Daniel Gould.
Michael Sweetser, (Jr. ? ). - 80.
SECOND PARISH.
Joseph Burnap. Joseph Burnap, Jr. John Burnap. Jona. Batcheller. Steven Buxton.
Archelaus McIntire.
Joseph Phelps.
David Parker.
James Flint.
John McIntire.
Lt. David Damon.
Samuel Damon. Ebenezer Damon. Ezra Damon. John Dix. Samuel Evans. 22
Ephraim Pratt.
Dea. Daniel Putnam. Timothy Russell.
William Sawyer. William Sawyer, Jr. Nathaniel Sawyer.
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Mr. William Green.
Lt. Jona. Eaton.
170
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
Thomas Eaton.
Mr. Ebenezer Flint.
Capt. Thomas Flint. Nathan Flint. John Flint. Lt. Ben. Flint.
George Flint.
Lt. Eleazer Flint. Jonathan Flint. William Flint.
Ebenezer Flint, Jr.
James Foster.
Daniel Graves.
Capt. Ed. Hurcom.
Thomas Hart.
Amos Upton, 3d.
Benjamin Upton.
Nathaniel Upton.
Isaac Upton.
Joseph Upton.
Jacob Upton.
William Whitteridge.
Nathaniel Phelps. - 66.
THIRD PARISH.
Dea. Samuel Bancroft.
James Bancroft.
Joseph Bancroft.
Daniel Pratt.
John Boutwell.
Isaac Pratt.
Lt. Jona. Poole.
Mr. John Parker.
Jonathan Parker.
Nathaniel Batcheller.
Capt. Nathan Parker.
David Batcheller.
Nathan Parker, Jr.
Andrew Beard.
Caleb Parker.
Daniel Parker.
Jabez Damon.
Joseph Parker.
Samuel Damon.
Jona. Parker, (Jr. ? ).
Timothy Hartshorn.
Benjamin Parker.
Ebenezer Emerson.
William Parker.
Ebenezer Emerson, Jr.
Asa Parker.
John Emerson. Samuel Emerson.
Ephraim Parker. Amos Person.
John Hartshorn.
Edward Richardson.
Lt. Benjamin Foster. Abraham Foster.
Mr. Jona. Foster.
John Farmer.
John Goodwin.
John Goodwin, Jr.
Jacob Sawyer. Abraham Sheldon. Nathaniel Sheldon. . Samuel Sheldon. Thomas Taylor. Samuel Taylor.
Capt. Hezekiah Upton. Olympius Upton. Ebenezer Upton. Dea. Amos Upton.
Amos Upton, Jr. William Upton, Jr.
Jabez Upton. Francis Upton.
Josiah Hayward.
Robert Hayward.
Samuel Herrick.
Joseph Holt.
Joseph Holt, Jr.
Joseph Lewes.
David McIntire.
Timothy Pratt, Jr.
Samuel Pratt.
John Boutwell, Jr.
James Boutwell.
Isaac Burnap.
Mr. Joseph Damon.
Mr. Jeremiah Swain. Thomas Symonds. Thomas Symonds, Jr.
Dea. Jona. Temple. Lt. John Temple. John Temple, Jr.
I7I
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
Mr. Jona. Nichols.
William Temple.
John Nichols.
Jacob Townsend.
John Nichols, Jr.
Isaac Weston.
Richard Nichols,
Abijah Weston.
Richard Nichols, Jr.
John Weston, Jr.
Benjamin Nichols.
Jona. Weston. - 63.
Timothy Pratt.
This year the selectmen received a letter from Dr. Jabez Brown, then a young man, who had just commenced the practice of medicine in Wilmington, of which the following is a verbatim et literatim сору : -
" Wilmington, Augus the 31st, 1771.
" Gentlemen Selectmen of Readin,
"Worthy Sirs, I would adress myself with all meekness and loliness to your Honours, Earnestly beging that you would grant me some favor for what I have Dun for Daniel Rolf in the time of his Distres and Long Confinement. Sirs, I Did not aply myself to you or any other gentlemen, in the first place to know whether I should Git my pay or not ; and I should think it absurd to Let any one Lay in Distres til I am beter satisfyed about the Reward; I have been kept from such a practis, and pray that I Ever may. Sirs, I commit myself intirely to your Generosity to Do by me as you pleas ; and it seemeth hard that I must Do so much for the poor of other towns, when we have so many to Do for in our one ; besids my one family.
"I should think it eaezer for three parishes to pay the sum, than for one person to Loos it, who is but a yong beginer - the accompt for visets and medicine usd is £2 2s. 8d.
"the visits are 12 (in) no. 5 mile each. gentlemen, ples to think of me; for this I worked hard for, both Day and night, with the best of medicin, for such his case calld for, and I was oblige to pay cash out of my pocket for the same; and I troust your Honours will Grant me some favor ; if Not, should which (wish ?) myself abler to bear t, and a Heart to Loos twice so much for the Good of the poor, az knowing it to be my Duty to be kind to the poor.
" Your Humble Servant, " JABEZ BROWN."
This year, and again in 1786, the North Parish authorized a com- mittee to procure live alewives at a proper time, and put them into Martin's Pond.
Noah Eaton and nine others were chosen Quiristers, by First Parish, or persons to tune the psalm, and to sit, part of them in the Elders' seat, so called, and part of them in the short seats in the men's side gallery. The Third Parish sued Lt. Jona. Eaton for trespass, in cutting wood on ministerial lands for First Parish. First Parish chose a committee to defend him.
172
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
1772. - Rev. Jacob Burnap, son of Isaac Burnap, of Reading, a grad- uate of Har. Coll. in 1770, was this year ordained at Merrimac, N. H. He received the degree of D. D. in 1814, and died in 1821. Rev. Mr. Haven, of Reading, preached his ordination sermon.
This year Jabez Carter and Lydia his wife, with their children, Ben- jamin, Enoch, Lydia, Mary (who afterwards married Jeremiah Bryant), Martha, Amos, and Kezia, were warned out of town to Woburn.
1773. - The trouble that had existed between the First and Third Parishes in regard to certain claims made by the Third Parish, on ac- count of their having paid assessments towards the new meeting-house in the First Parish, was this year finally settled to the satisfaction of all parties, as is shown by the following "Report" :-
" We, the subscribers, being chosen Committees by the First Parish in Reading and the West Parish in Reading, to confer upon and endeavor to settle all matters of dispute between said Parishes, and lay the same before said Parishes for their accept- ance, have attended said service, and all of us being desirous that peace, love and harmony may subsist and long continue between said Parishes, as knowing that where there is contention, there is confusion and every evil work, have agreed upon the fol- lowing Report to be made by each Committee unto each of said Parishes : that the First Parish in said Reading shall renounce and relinquish all right or claim to all those lands the Town voted to the West or Third Parish in said Reading March 4, 1771, to be enjoyed by said Parish, in quiet, agreeably to the Town record.
" Also agreed that the one half of the Burying Cloth, and the one half of the money it hath been let for, with the interest, shall belong to the Third Parish ;
" Also agreed that the cause now depending in the Superior Court between said Parishes or between said West Parish and Mr. Jonathan Eaton, shall cease and be no further prosecuted ; each party to pay their own costs, according to the rules of law, and put an end to said suit. Also agreed, that said West or Third Parish shall renounce and relinquish all claim to the old meeting-house, and also to those lands the town voted to the First Parish March 4, 1771 ; also agreed that said West Parish shall make no further demands of the money which they paid toward the new meeting- house in the First Parish.
" These are the articles agreed upon by us ; and which we do heartily recommend to each Parish for their acceptance, hoping we may then reap the happy fruits of peace.
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