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 69
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It is good for us often to visit our ancient cemeteries, and meditate upon life's evanescence among those mossy monuments, where,
" Beneath those rugged elms, that yew tree's shade, Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap, Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."
The settlement of this village was commenced in 1639, under a grant of land from the General Court to the town of Lynn of " four miles square," and was called "Lynn Village."
This grant included substantially the present towns of Wakefield and Reading.
In 1644, seven houses having been erected, and seven families set- tled, and a little church edifice built, the village was made a town cor- porate by the name of "Reading."
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This little meeting-house stood on the Common, near where is now our post-office, and in it the Rev. Messrs. Green, Haugh, and Brock, men eminent for their learning and piety, successively ministered up to the time of their respective deaths.
In 1651, twelve years after the first grant, a second grant of territory was made to the town of Reading of " two miles square."
This latter grant constituted substantially what is now "North Reading."
The early settlers of our township were rude, but heroic, industrious, and pious men,
" Witty and wise, grave, good, among the best Were they, - the mem'ry of the just is blest."
We desire to pay to their memory this day the tribute of our grati- tude for their wisdom and sagacity in selecting this spot so beautiful for situation, the constant joy of its successive inhabitants ; for their justice in purchasing it by peaceable negotiation of its former Indian posses- sors, as appears by a deed thereof, duly signed and executed by their chief men and women, which is still on record ; for their valor and labor and hardships in defending and subduing this then uncultivated wild, and changing it to smiling fields, and a safe and happy abode ; for their decided moral character, their stern integrity, their virtuous habits, and their early support of liberty, learning, and religion, the valuable influences of all which have been ever felt and enjoyed by their succes- sors down to the present day.
Our early fathers were valiant men as well as good and industrious ones. For although they themselves made peaceable purchase of their lands of the Indians, and were on friendly terms with their immediate Indian neighbors, yet there were many hostile tribes around them, who made frequent forays upon the English settlements ; and the settlers for many years were obliged to labor with the axe or spade in one hand and a musket in the other ; to maintain watch-houses and garri- sons for their protection ; and were often called upon to join in expedi- tions against the savage foe. They thus became a brave and martial people, and during the first century of our history were frequently engaged in wars with the Indians and French. The names of some of these early citizens became renowned as warriors and leaders.
Richard Walker, their first captain ; Jonathan Poole, their second captain ; Major Jeremiah Swain, who was commander-in-chief of all the Colonial troops ; Captain Thomas Bancroft, a noted officer in King
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Philip's Indian War, and others that might be named, shine out on the page of our early record, as eminent for their ability and bravery.
In 1688 the humble meeting-house, erected in 1644, having become too small for the convenience of the people (for all the people attended public worship in those days), was sold, and the sum which it brought may give some idea of its size and value : it was sold for twenty-five shillings and a " watch-house frame," and the money was appropriated for the school, showing that our ancestors thus early were mindful of the im- portance of schooling, - a mindfulness which their successors have ever manifested in a commendable degree, and never more so than at the present time.
Our fathers then proceeded to erect their second meeting-house. It was located a few rods northwesterly of the present Congregational meeting-house, in the easterly part of the present town burial-ground. It was a quaint, unique, and curiously-formed structure. Our accom- plished architect, John Stevens, Esq., who is projecting a plan thereof, finds it more difficult to sketch than he does the more spacious and splendid edifice whose lofty walls and tower, and elegant halls, are soon to add grace, convenience, and honor to our town. This old church was of moderate size, with a roof not exactly like a modern French one (but may have been the original idea of one), and was a sort of cross between a "regular pitch," a " hipped," and a " gambrel " or " surd," with dormers on at least three sides, and a turret in front, with a bell therein ; its windows contained glass of very small size, diamond- shaped, set in lead. Within was a gallery on one side ; and on the floor, in front of the pulpit, were long body seats, in which the adult male worshippers sat, who were seated by a committee, chosen annually for that purpose, - the oldest, richest, and most hoary in front, and so back in regular gradation, according to age and real estate. The adult females also occupied seats by themselves, on either side, as arranged by the committee, on the same principle. The boys and girls were on the back side of the room, the young men and the tything-men with the singers in the gallery, and the dog-whippers where most convenient to exercise their vocation. There were here and there in the house pews which, by special permission of the town, had been built by some of the more aristocratic and wealthy citizens, at their own expense. This house served the people eighty years, and in it preached the Rev. Messrs. Pierpont, Brown, and Hobby, all liberally educated and dis- tinguished men.
In 1706 the house of John Harnden, situated in the northwesterly part of the town, was attacked by a party of Indians. The family of
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Mr. Harnden consisted of himself, wife, and eight children. Mr. Harn- den was absent at the time. The Indians killed Mrs. Harnden and three children, burned the house, and carried the remaining children into captivity.
· In 1713 the inhabitants of that part of Reading lying north of Ipswich River and Bare Meadow, "having," to use the language of the record, "become of sufficient and competent numbers to call, settle, and maintain a godly, learned, orthodox minister," were set off and incorporated as a distinct parish by the name of the "North Precinct of Reading," being the same territory, mainly, that now constitutes the town of North Reading.
Until this date (1713), all parochial matters had been transacted by the town in its municipal capacity. After this, until 1770, the residue of the town, including what is now Wakefield and Reading (then termed respectively the "Old Parish" and "Woodend "), constituted one parish designated as the " First Parish of Reading." In 1768, exactly one hundred years ago, the third church edifice in this part of Reading was built, having the same frame as that which now upholds the main body of the present Congregational remodelled church. It stood on a site near its present location, and for the time in which it was erected was a large and handsome structure. In 1769 the Rev. Caleb Pren- tiss, of Cambridge, a graduate of Harvard College, became the pastor of the First Parish. He was a liberal divine, of respectable talents, mild and persuasive as a preacher, patriotic and upright as a citizen.
This same year, 1769, the northwesterly part of the First Parish, the part then termed "Woodend," after several years of earnest effort, and in spite of a most determined opposition from the First Parish, were incorporated as a separate parish, by the name of the "West Parish of Reading." I have given the dates of these parochial incorporations, because that although they created simply religious bodies corporate, yet these parishes were the nucleus or foundation of those associations and affiliations that subsequently resulted in the municipal corporations of Reading, South Reading, and North Reading. In 1775 commenced the War of the Revolution. Into the spirit of that war in defence of American liberty and rights against the obnoxious acts and growing encroachments of British tyranny, the people of Old Reading entered with great unanimity and with all their hearts ; to its support they not only pledged, but they freely paid their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
In 1776, July 4, was adopted that immortal document, that "Magna Charta " of our rights and glorious Declaration of American Inde
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pendence which has just been so impressively pronounced in our hear- ing, and the anniversary of the adoption of which, ninety-two years ago, we are now celebrating. In reference to that declaration, the town of Reading voted unanimously " to adhere to its sentiments and stand by it to the last, with their lives and their fortunes."
The town of Reading at this time occupied relatively among the towns of the State a position of much importance.
By a census of Massachusetts proper, taken in 1776, the town of Reading was the second town in population in the county of Middlesex, and the thirty-third in the State proper, and contained about 2,000 people. Boston at the same time contained only 2,700 inhabitants, and Charlestown only 360.
It is probable, however, that some 500 of the population of Reading at that time were refugees from Boston, Charlestown, and other places. The North and South Parishes then contained about 700 inhabitants each, and the West Parish about 600. The records of the town and of each parish, during the continuance of the war, breathe the most earn- est and devoted patriotism and the most determined resolution ; and are full of votes for raising and providing men, money, provisions, cloth- ing, and fuel, in cheerful response to all the calls of the Government. It appears that the town of Reading sent to the Continental army, for longer or shorter terms, more than four hundred men ; and that, with- out counting minute-men, or men drafted from time to time to guard prisoners, or privateersmen, of all which there were many, there were constantly in the field from Reading, on an average, one hundred men during the war.
Among these enlisted men were officers of talent and bravery ; of whom we will mention Colonel David Green, Colonel Benjamin Brown (afterwards General), Captain John Walton, Captain William Flint, Daniel (afterwards Colonel) Flint ; Captain James Bancroft, Surgeon John Hart, Captain John Brooks, afterwards Colonel in the army and Governor of the Commonwealth ; and there were many others. From the close of the War of the Revolution to 1810, the onward progress of the town was slow, pursuing the even tenor of its way, - witnessing few important or extraordinary changes in its condition, and gaining only about two hundred inhabitants over the census of 1776, but seven hundred over the census of 1765.
In 1812 two memorable events occurred to vary the monotony of its municipal life. In the first place, in February of that year, "The Old Parish," so called, exclusive of "Woodend," was set off from the town of Reading, and incorporated as a distinct town by the name of " South Reading."
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And in the second place, in the same year, war with England was declared by the United States.
The same general causes and considerations which resulted directly in the declaration of that war had indirectly led to the separation of the South Parish from her sister parishes.
The people of the South Parish, ever true to the government of the American Union, were Republicans, almost unanimously ; were sup- porters of the National Administration then in power, and were in favor of fighting Old England for her insults to our seamen and our flag : while the people of the other parishes, not less honest or patriotic, we would charitably believe, but with different views of political expedi- ency, were, with like unanimity, Federalists, unfavorable to the National Administration, and violently opposed to a war with England. Politi- cal feeling rose to a high pitch, and parties were very bitter towards each other. The Republicans of the South Parish were a minority in the town, and were excluded in a great measure from influence in mu- nicipal affairs or share in town offices. These considerations impelled to a separation.
The town of South Reading, at the time of its incorporation, con- tained a population of about eight hundred, and the valuation of all its real and personal estate, upon the assessors' books, was only $100,000.
This newly-made town, although small in territory, in numbers, and in resources, was very spirited and enthusiastic.
It contained among its citizens at this time an unusual proportion of able and gifted men, -men who loved liberty and independence, were qualified to speak for them and to act for them, and were ready, if need required, to fight for them ; who appreciated the value of sound learning, and were liberal in its support ; and who earnestly sustained religious institutions and religious freedom.
I well remember these men. Nearly all of them have gone to that land "from whose bourne no traveller returns."
I should be pleased to speak particularly of many of them, but time, at present, forbids. Suffice it to say here, that under their influence the town was earnest and efficient in sustaining the government in the war ; cheerfully responded to all the calls of the War Department ; sent numbers of its young men to the field and on the sea ; mourned sadly over the defeats of its armies and navy, and rejoiced jubilantly over their victories.
At the close of the war, the citizens had a grand celebration, in thankfulness for the triumph of the American Arms, and for the return of peace, with an oration, civic feast, and other demonstrations of joy.
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Some toasts given on the occasion, which were received with loud acclamation and swallowed with ardent satisfaction, will show somewhat the temper of the people at that time.
The first, by the orator of the day, Charles G. Haines, Esq., -
" The British Lion - We have hunted him, - we have hunted him to his den ! "
The second, by Benjamin Badger, Sen., a Revolutionary veteran, - " John Bull, the Pope, and the Devil, - May they never control this happy land !"
The progress of our town, from the time of its incorporation in 1812 to 1844, although not rapid, yet was more marked and considerable than in any previous period of like extent. Its population and valua- tion nearly doubled in the time. The increasing resources of its inhab- itants had enabled them to grant a more liberal support to its public institutions, to its schools, and to various public improvements. The present Town Hall, soon to be so totally eclipsed, was erected during this period, and was considered a handsome and spacious building in its early days.
The South Reading Academy, established in 1829, on this very spot,1 had flourished a while, gave an impetus to the pursuit of literature among us ; educated some of our sons, who have since become emi- nent in professional and industrial life, and induced, by its example, an improved condition of our common schools ; and as the common schools improved, the Academy declined, and was at length discontinued. Thus went on our town affairs until 1844, - the year bi-centennial.
In this year, as in 1812, two memorable events occurred, again to vary the monotony of our village life. One, instead of being a separa- tion, as before, of the various corporations of Old Reading, was a union of them, in a bi-centennial celebration of the old town's incorporation, and was a most agreeable and interesting reunion of the inhabitants of the old parishes, their descendants and friends.
The other event, instead of being, as before, a declaration and effort for the victories of war, was an effort for the victories of peace, in the chartering and construction of the "Boston and Maine Railroad," which was laid through our town in this year, and was to our village a most important event. It opened to the eye of the public these fertile lands, these pleasant plains and hillsides, and our unrivalled water scenery ; it superseded, in a great measure, those toll-bridges that sepa-
1 The Address was delivered in the High School yard.
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rated us from our metropolis, and were a hinderance to our increase ; it brought the merchants of distant cities, in search of goods, to the doors of our manufactories ; it has induced the traders and mechanics of Boston to seek homes for their families in this central and convenient location ; and it has thus brought among us enterprise, wealth, and liberality. Since its establishment, the town has rapidly improved in population and resources. And while there is not so much that is fair and high in its Wakefield station-house as some of us would desire, there certainly is enough of the fare and high in the privilege of riding in its cars ; but we would freely acknowledge its great importance to us, notwithstanding, and hope for greater kindness at less cost in the future.
Among the new-comers were men of wealth, talent, and activity, who, in conjunction with our native-born citizens of like gifts and character, have given new life to our business and to all our institutions.
In 1861, when the fearful War of the Rebellion burst upon us, it found us not only patriotic and true to the government and the Union, as always heretofore, but also able, from the multiplication of our num- bers and resources, to meet, and to exceed even, all the calls of the nation for men and means, and to raise, during the war, some $50,000, and to send some five hundred men to the army and navy, - men brave, patriotic, and devoted, "who helped open the Mississippi, who were present at Vicksburg, Port Hudson, New Orleans, and Mobile, who saw the starry flag as it ascended Missionary Ridge, and witnessed the flight of Bragg and his host; who marched from Atlanta to the sea, and who were among those who so long struggled between Washington and Richmond, and who at last saw the rebel flag go down upon the Appomattox."
Of these brave men, more than sixty, either in battle or hospital or prison pen, gave their lives for their country. High up in the temple of liberty and of their country's fame will be the niches that they wil occupy ; in bold relief, upon the tablets of our Memorial Hall, will their names be engraved, and sweet will their memory forever be in the hearts of freemen.
I have said that this increase of population and enterprise has given new life and impulse to the various institutions of our town. And here let me say, that we have been and still are singularly fortunate in having among us men of ample means and generous souls, who have taken pleasure in contributing, from time to time, to those particular moral, social, literary, and municipal enterprises among us which needed encouragement, and they have given liberally. Hence we find 93
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that very properly their names are stamped upon our Library books and school diplomas ; are sounded forth, sometimes in merry peals and sometimes in solemn tones, from our balconies ; that we are reminded of them every hour, by day and by night ; that they shine in golden letters from the frontal of the repository and head-quarters of our Fire Department ; are heard in the martial strains and measured tread, and are seen upon the armorial escutcheon of our Infantry ; and stand out in living characters upon our local record. There let them stand and shine, for they are worthy.
These various auspicious influences have caused our population to increase from eight hundred in 1812 to fifteen hundred in 1840, and to nearly four thousand in 1868 ; and our valuation to rise from $100,000 in 1812, to $280,000 in 1840, and to nearly $2,000,000 at the present time.
Since 1840 our meeting-houses have all been enlarged, remodelled, and improved ; the value of our school-houses has been enhanced from $2,000 to $30,000 ; our annual school appropriations have risen from $1,000 to more than $6,000 ; a Public Library of three thousand vol- umes has been established, and many other valuable improvements have been made ; our town is still prosperous and growing, -its star is still in the ascendant.
Under all these favorable circumstances of advancement and prog- ress, our people came to the conclusion that they were entitled to a distinctive, uncompounded, municipal name of their own ; not because they disliked the name of Reading ; for, on the contrary, they love and venerate it for its antiquity and as the name of their own and their fathers' home ; and if they could have had a clear and separate title to it, they would have been content. But we foresaw that our town was destined to occupy an important position upon the future page of his- tory, and we desired that whether that position was one of honor or dishonor, that this town alone should have the credit or discredit of it. We wished therefore that its name and its portrait should so correspond that it should not be liable to be mistaken for what it was not.
We remembered the honorable pride of him, who, hailing from the " Eternal City," when absent from his native land, could exclaim, "I am a Roman citizen," and have his character at once recognized and respected ; and we desired that our own townsmen, when absent in another State or nation, and being asked from whence they came, should be able to answer with equal pride and clearness, and command- ing equal recognition and respect, not only " that they are American citizens," but also " that they hail from a town or city whose name and
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identity are clear and manifest." While our people were revolving this matter in their minds, and looking about for a name on which all might unite, our respected fellow-citizen, Cyrus Wakefield, Esq., came forward, and voluntarily and unconditionally, out of the abundance of his heart and of his regard to the town of his adoption, and the dwelling-place of his ancestors, and from the overflowings of his liberality and his purse, proffered to the town the free gift of a lot of land, and of a building to be erected thereon, for a Town Hall, Soldiers' Memorial Hall, Library and Armory Rooms, Town Officers' Rooms, Withdrawing Rooms, and all other conveniences, of such ample and sufficient capa- city for all these purposes, and of such permanence and beauty of archi- tecture and finish, as should satisfy the utmost reasonable wishes of the inhabitants, regardless of cost. In accepting this magnificent gift, the town at once decided for a change of its name, and what that name should be ; and forthwith, with unprecedented unanimity, and by accla- mation, voted that its name should be changed to Wakefield.
And now, to-day, having obtained the requisite authority so to do, we lay aside the old corporate name of Reading, which we have worn, in whole or in part, for more than seven generations, and assume from this day forward the new name of Wakefield.
There is this very pleasing coincidence connected with this change of name.
The town of Reading was originally so named from the city of Reading, in England, for the reason, it is said, that John Poole, one of our earliest and wealthiest settlers, came from that city. This John Poole, in honor of whose birthplace the name of Reading was adopted, was the first settler upon that identical spot now owned by Cyrus Wake- field, Esq., his successor, in honor of whom we this day assume our new name, and is the place now occupied by the extensive " Rattan Factory." This John Poole was a glover and miller ; built the first grain and saw mills of the town, and, like his latest successor, was its richest citizen.
There is another coincidence, furnishing an additional appropriate- ness in our new name, viz. Hon. Horace Poole Wakefield, recently of Reading, is a lineal descendant of this same John Poole.
It is proper also to mention, in this connection, that our patron and namesake is of Reading and South Reading descent. It seems that an emigrant from France by the name of Wakefield was an early settler of Boston, -- a goldsmith by profession ; that he soon buried his young wife, who left an infant son, Thomas Wakefield by name; that said infant son was put to nurse with the Gould family, on the farm recently known as the "Jenkins Place," then situated partly in Stoneham and partly
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in Reading. The father soon returned to France, and the son Thomas was adopted by the Gould family. He subsequently became an appren- tice to Timothy Pratt, of Reading, to learn the trade of a carpenter. This Timothy Pratt, who was the ancestor of Nathan P. Pratt, Esq., the present Representative in the Legislature from Reading, lived on the easterly side of the " Great Pond," in the old Garrison house, that stood on land now owned by Lucius Beebe, Esq., and was the same house that has been recently purchased and removed by Mr. Zenas Perkins. This young Wakefield married, in 1750, Dorcas Pratt, the daughter of his master, and succeeded to the homestead ; and here, in that old Gar- rison house, was born Thomas Wakefield, Jr., the grandfather of our worthy namesake.
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