USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Historical sketch and matters appertaining to the King's Chapel Burying Ground > Part 2
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Boston, March 29th, 1748.
Gentle men
You may remember that at the General Town Meeting of the Inhabi- tants of Boston the third Tuesday of March instant, we preferr'd a Petition, praying for the Grant of a peice of Land belonging to the Town to the East-ward of Kings Chappel, in order to enlarge the same, and the Town so favourably received it as to appoint a Committee to View the premises & Report to the Town whether it would be best to grant the same, and they accordingly met, Viewed the Land petitioned for, and heard us upon our Petition, and in general apprehend it would be no prejudice to the Town to grant us what we desired, but judged we had not sufficiently Express'd in said Petition, and prefer another which by leave of the Town we accordingly did & have now another ready to present to the Town that fully Expresses the Contents of the Land we desire to have granted us. We would therefore pray you, Gentlemen will be pleased to call a Town Meeting as soon as conven- iently may be, in Order to Consider, of our Petition, and we are Sorry we should give the Town this Trouble of having a Meeting on Purpose for this affair but as there is an absolute Necessity for it, said Chappel being much gone to decay, & must be rebuilt or repaired this Summer and materials must soon be provided for it, & were we to tarry till May Meeting it would be too late, We there fore hope you'l grant the request of Gentn. your Humble Servants
SHRIMPTON HUTCHINSON,
WILLIAM HUTCHINSON, JOHN BOX,
JAMES GORDON,
CHARLES APTHORP, HENRY LLOYD,
GEORGE CRADOCK,
J. OVERING,
JAMES FORBES,
THOMAS HAWDING.
ROBT. AUCHMUTY, JOHN GIBBINS, SILV. GARDINER,
POWERS MARIOT, JOHN READ,
The Select men taking the same into Consideration and thereupon, Ordered, That the Town Clerk issue forth a Warrant directed to the Constables of Boston In His Majesty's Name requiring them forwith to Warn all the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of the said Town duly Qualified, rateable at Twenty Pounds Estate to a single Rate (beside the Poll) to Convene at Faneuil Hall on Monday the fourth day of April next at nine o'Clock in the forenoon, then & there to Consider if a Petition of the Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry of Kings Chappel for grant- ing them a peice of Land at the East end of said Chappel on part whereof the Latin School now stands, in order to enlarge the same, and also to Consider if the Proposals that may be made by the Petitioners for Purchasing a peice of Land, and Erecting a new School house at their Expense, in Consideration of said Grant.
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Monday the fourth day of April A D 1748
This Meeting being called to consider of the Petition of the Minister, Church wardens & Vestry of Kings Chappel for granting 'em a peice of Land at the East end of said Chappel on part whereof the Latin School now stands in order to Enlarge the same, and of the proposals of said Petrs. for Purchasing a peice of Land & Erecting a New School house at their Expence in consideration of said Grant: - The Gentm who Pe- titioned for this Meeting being present, desired the Town would not at this time proceed thereupon, but prayed they might have Liberty to withdraw their said Petition for the Grant of said Land &cÂȘ where upon. It was Voted, that the Petitioners have Liberty to withdraw their said Petition and they accordingly withdrew the same. -
April 6th 1748.
The Petition of the Honble Eliakim Hutchinson Esqr. and others a Number of the Congregation of Kings Chappel praying the Selectmen would call a Town Meeting as soon as conveniently may be for the Grant of a piece of Land at the East end of the said Chappel to Enlarge the same &c, as Enter'd the 31st of March last: - Read and the former Order for a Town Meeting be set aside.
Ordered. That the Town Clerk issue forth a Warrant directed to the Constables of Boston, In His Majestys Name requiring them forthwith to Warn all the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the said Town, duly Qualified rateable at Twenty Pounds Estate to a single Rate (beside the Poll) to Convene at Faneuil Hall on Monday the eleventh day of April instant, at nine o'Clock in the forenoon then and there to Consider what is necessary further to be done for the Regulation of Faneuil Hall Market. Also to consider the petition of the Minister, Church Wardens,, & Vestry of Kings Chappel, for granting 'em a piece of Land at the East end of said Chappel, in order to enlarge the same (the Latin School standing on part thereof) and of the Proposals that may be made by the Petitioners for Purchasing a peice of Land, and Erecting a New School house at their Expence, in Consideration of said Grant.
Monday the Eleventh day of April A. D. 1748.
The Petition of the Minister Wardens and Vestry of Kings Chapple in Boston in behalf of themselves and the Congregation that usually attend the Publick Worship of God there, setting Forth That said Chapel which has constantly been Improved for the Public Worship of God for about Sixty Years past is in many Parts of it Rotten & greatly decayed, & almost rendered uncapable for that Service any longer, and said con- gregation out of Regard to the Honour of God and for their Edification being very desirous that the Public worship of God should be still Supported and Carried on in said Place, have determined to Rebuild said Church and make it some what larger more Comodious and Regular than it now is but apprehend they shall be greatly Straitened for want of Ground at the East End of said Church to Effect the same - Your Petitioners therefore pray the Town would be pleased to Grant to said Church 34 foot Eastward for the Body of said chapel at 10 foot for a Chancel in order to enlarge the same into a Regular and Commodious Building and whereas the Town has a School house upon part of the Land which your Petrs Request, It is therefore humbly proposed in consideration of the Grant hereby Request, that the Petrs. do Pur- chase and make over to the Town a Peice of Ground at the upper End of the Lane or Passage fronting the present School house of like Dimen- sions with the present, the said Petitioners not to dig or open any Ground which the Additional Building shall cover, excepting to lay the Foundation, nor at any time to exclude those who have vaults or Tombs within the requested Limits to have free access to them - Your Petrs. apprehend that the said Grant will be no detriment to the Town as the present School house is much decayed in many parts defec-
PROBATE XX CORDS
MAJ. WILLIAM DAWES, JR. TOMB.
JOHN WINSLOW TOMB (Mary Chilton: )
COL. THOMAS DAWES TOMB.
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tive, and will in a Short Space of time require to be New Built, and as the place now proposed for the School neither has nor can possibly have any Contiguous Building being Eighty eight foot and Seventy seven foot wide, has a free Air a pleasant Assent & Capable of a Southerly Highway to it from Bromfields Lane which if it be thought necessary the Petitioners have a reasonable Prospect of Obtaining, is very near to School Street, and yet agreeably Retired. The Town will have a larger Peice of Ground to Accomodate the School, The Chapel aforesaid and other Neighbouring houses will be less in danger from Fire and such accidents The Town Receive a New Ornament in the Buildings pro- posed, and all to be effected at the charge of the Petitrs and other such well disposed persons as shall think proper to contribute to the same, for a clearer View of what your Pet's hereby Request we Refer to the Platts of the Ground and the Buildings annexed, Hoping the Town upon the considerations abovesaid will grant the said Petition - was Read, and after some Debate thereon -
It was Moved Seconded & Voted that
The Honble ANDREW OLIVER Esq JOHN STEEL Esqr THOMAS HANCOCK Esq MR JOHN TYNG MR EDWARD BROMFIELD JOHN FAYERWEATHER Esqr & MR HUGH VANS
be and they hereby are appointed a Committee to prepare the form of a Vote in answer to the said Petition with such Conditions and Reserva- tions annexed to it as said Committee shall think necessary and proper and they are desired to Report hereon at the intended Adjournment of this Meeting.
Voted that this meeting be adjourned to Monday the 18th Inst at nine o'Clock in the forenoon.
Meeting, 18th April 1748
The Town Mett according to their Adjournment
The Committee appointed the 11th instant to prepare the form of a Vote, in answer to the Petition of the Wardens & Vestry of King's Chapel, - praying for a peice of Ground in order to Enlarge the Church, Reported that they had Maturely considered the Affair and agreed to Offer the following Draft to the Town, Vizt.
That the Selectmen be Impowered to make a legal Conveyance in behalf of the Town to the Petitioners of the several Peices of Land and of the Priviledge, hereafter mentioned upon their first Complying with or Satisfying the Selectmen with Respect unto the Terms and Conditions herin Required of them Vizt. a Peice of Land Fronting on School Street extending Thirty feet on said Street from the East end of King's Chappel and includes the Passage way into the Burying Ground, and the westerly part of the School house and of the Yard thereto belonging measuring Thirty Seven feet back from the said Street together with the old School house and other Buildings belonging to it, being partly on the premisses and partly on the Towns Land Adjoyning to be Removed when the Town shall Require it at the Expence of the Petrs., Also a Strip of Land Thirty feet in Length and four feet wide. extending from the Northeast Cor- ner of the old Chappel upon a Line with the North Side of said Chappel in order to Erect thereon part of the Walls of the proposed New Church, also another Strip of Land of said Wedth Adjoyning to and turning upon a Right Angle with the former, thence running until it meets the larger Peice herein first proposed to be granted. saving a passage way of Six feet wide in the last mentioned Strip thro the Walls of the New Church in some convenient Place between the Northeast Corner and the Chancel herein after mentioned which Entrance shall be at least Six feet high leading into a Peice of Burying Ground belonging to the
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Town, which Peice measures twenty five feet North and South and twenty feet East & west, also another Peice of Land in form of half Oval Adjoyning Easterly upon the beforementioned proposed Grants and extending fifteen feet North, and as much South from the Middle of the Eastermost Line thereof, and to extend ten feet further East in its extreme distance from said Middle Point being for the proposed Chancel, provided there shall be Still left a Passage way of at least Eleven feet in the Narrowest part between said Chancel & Mr Cookes line into the Burying Ground; provided also that the Bodys of those who shall be known to lye in the said Strips of Land or within the said half oval Peice shall be decently taken up and buryed in some other part of the Burying Ground with the consent of their Friends, and in such manner as they with the Selectmen shall agree to and direct or where no Friends shall appear. they shall be Removed. as they shall be removed as the said selectmen shall direct at the charge of the Peti- tioners.
Also a priviledge to Extend their New Building over the aforesaid peice of Burying Ground lying to the Northward of the present School house and measuring 25 feet by 20 as before Expressed : provided they do not carry the floor of the Church or otherwise Incumber the same within eight feet of the Surface of the Earth as it now lyes, and that no Monuments or Grave Stones either within or without the Building be destroyed or if accidently broken in carrying on the work be repaired at the charge of the Petitioners : unless they shall agree with the Friends of those who may lye Buryed in said Peice of Ground, or where no Friends Appear with the Selectmen to Remove the Bodys in manner as is herein provided for the other Dead Body's before men- tioned then and in such case the Selectmen. be Impowered likewise to convey to the Petrs. said Peice of Burying Ground and the Entrance into it herein before Reserved.
That in consideration of the proposed Grants before mentioned the Petitioners shall procure and cause a legal Title to be made to the Town of a Certain Peice of Land over against the present Grammar School now in the Occupation of the Widow Green and others measuring 34} feet or thereabouts on School Street and running 97 feet back more or less, bounded on the West by Colo Wendells Land, and Easterly on a passage way leading to the house where Mr Guntor now dwells, together with the priviledge of said Passage way forever, saving to the Petitioners a Liberty of Removing if they see good the Buildings now upon said Land, when Required by the Selectmen - said Petitioners likewise to Erect upon said Land a New School house of like Dimen- sions and accomodations with the present and finish the same in like decent manner to the. Satisfaction of the Selectmen unless the Petre should propose a Sum of money to the Acceptance of the Town, instead of Erecting the said Building.
All of which is humbly Submitted in the Name and by order of the Committee.
Boston 18th April 1748
ANDR OLIVER.
Which Report being Read and a long Debate had thereon, It was Moved and Seconded that the following Question may be put vizt, whether the Town have Power in this Meeting to Appropriate or Dis- pose of the Land on which the South Latin School stands to any other nse than for a School, the Vote of the Town of the 14th 1 mo. 1655 as Entered in the Town Records notwithstanding, and the same being accordingly put, - It was Voted in the Affirmative -
And then on a Motion made and Seconded the following Question was put vizt. Whether the Town have power to Accept of the said Report of the Committee, the province Laws of the fourth William and Mary, Entitled an act for Regulating Townships, choice of Town officers and setting forth their Power the Twelfth of Queen Ann, Entitled an act directing how Meetings of proprietors of Lands lying in common may be called, which have been now Read notwithstanding, and it was
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Voted in the Affirmative. And then it was proposed & seconded, that the following Question may be put Vizt. Whether the said Draft of a Vote as prepared by the Committee be Accepted,
Whereupon, it was Moved, that the Vote of Acceptance of said Draft may be Determined by a written Vote and that those persons that are for Accepting said Draft & passing it as the Vote of the Town be directed to write Yea, and those that are not for it write Nay and the Question being put, Whether it should be thus determined by a written Vote, - It passed in the Affirmative - And thereupon the Inhabitants were directed to bring in their Votes in writing, and such of 'em as were for Accepting of Said Draft of a Vote as prepared by the com- mittee and passing the same as the Vote of the Town in Answer to said Petition were desired to write Yea, and such as were not for Accepting it to write Nay, And the Inhabitants proceeded to bring in their Votes, & when the Selectmen were Receiving 'em at the Door of the Hall they observed one of the Inhabitants Vizt. John Pigeon to put in about a dozen with the word Yea wrote on all of 'em and being charged with so doing he acknowledged it, & was thereupon ordered by the Mod- erator to pay a Fine of Five Pounds for putting in more than one Vote according to Law, and the Moderator thereupon Declared to the Inhab- itants that they must withdraw and bring in their Votes again in man- ner as before directed, and the Inhabitants accordingly withdrew and the Votes being brought in and Sorted it appeared that there was Four hundred and two Voters and that there was,
Two hundred and five Yeas & One hundred & Ninety-seven Nays Whereupon, it was declared by the Moderator, that the said Form of Vote was Accepted and Passed by the Town accordingly.
Then the Meeting was Dismissed.
April 22d. 1748.
This Day, Charles Apthorp Esq". Treasurer of Kings Chappel in Boston, George Cradock, Eliakim Hutchinson Esqr., Dr. John Gibbins, Dr. Silvester Gardiner and mr. Thomas Hawding a Committee of said Chappel attended the Select men and informed that they were ap- pointed a Committee by the Proprietors &c., of Kings Chappel to wait on the Select men in order to Comply with the Terms and Conditions of the Grant of a peice of Land on part whereof the Latin School now stands, made to the said Chappel by the Town at their Meeting the Eighteenth instant, for to Enlarge said Chappel, and presented the Select men with a Vote pass'd by said Proprietors relating to the same. which is as follows, Vizt.
At a Meeting of the Proprietors and Subscribers for rebuilding King's Chappel in Boston on 22d, April, 1748.
Voted Unaminously. That they Accept of the Towns Land Voted to them on Monday the Eighteenth instant, also Voted, That Charles Apthorp Esqr. Treasurer to the said Subscribers George Cradock, Esqr. Eliakim Hutchinson Esqr. Dr. John Gibbins, Dr. Silvester Gardiner and Mr. Thomas Hawding be a Committee and they are hereby impowered to do an Act everything necessary towards Compleating the Agreement between the Select men and the Petitioners of Kings Chappel, relating to said Chappel.
To the Select men of Boston now sitting at Faneuil Hall
Pursuant to the above Vote we the Subscribers do hereby Promise to Comply with, and Execute the Conditions contained in the Vote or Grant of the Town, at their meeting. held on the 18th day of this instant April in favour of the Petitioners.
Witnes our hands
April 22d 1748
CHA APTHORP, Treasurer G. CRADOCK, - Comtee.
E. HUTCHINSON J. GIBBINS S. GARDINER T. HAWDING 1
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And the Select men upon Considering of said Vote, Apprehended the said Proprietors of Kings Chappel and thereby Accepted said Grant from the Town and thereupon,
Voted, That the said Acceptance was fully satisfactory to the Select men, they performing the Conditions upon which said Grant was made, as are Expressed in said Town Vote.
May 10 1748
The Town entred upon the consideration of the Petition of several Freeholders that the Town would reconsider their Votes pass'd the 18th of April last; Relating to the Acceptance of the Report of a Committee then made for granting a Peice of Land to the Minister Church Wardens & Vestry of King's Chappel; and after a long Debate thereon the fol- lowing Question was put Vizt. Whether the Town will Sustain the said Petition, and it pass'd in the negative by a great majority.
March 10th 1748-9-
George Cradock, Charles Apthorp Esq. & Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, Three of the Committee of King's Chappel attended the Select men and informed them that they had prepared a Deed of the several Peices of Land, and Priviledge Granted to the said Chappel by the Town on the Eighteenth of April last, & desired the Select men to Execute the same, which Deed the Select men perused and Apprehend the same is drawn agreeable to the Vote of the Town. and all the Select men (except Mr. John Tyng, Signed Sealed and acknowledged said Deed & then Delivered it to said Committee.
Note, Mr. John Tyng not being present was sent for and informed. that the Select men desired he would come & Execute said Deed with them, but he answered mr. Savell that he was busy, that the Select men knew his mind about it, that he would not sign said Deed, till the Articles were Complied with.
Memo. The said Committee at signing said Deed, promised the Select men, that when they removed the Dead, they would send for the Select men, and not remove them but by their Directions tho' they have obtained Liberty from the Relatives of the Deceased to remove them, as appears by a Writing under such Relatives hands.
NOTE. - Suffolk Deeds-76, E. 82. Thomas Hancock and others to Henry Caner and others. This is a deed made by the selectmen of Boston to the Wardens and Vestry of King's Chapel in 1748 for land taken from the burying-ground to enlarge: the chapel.
May 3d 1749
Charles Athorp Esqr. appeared in behalf of the Committee of King's Chappel, and informed the Select men that every thing was Compleated at the new School house, by them Built for the use of the Town and therefore desired. that the Scholars may be removed out of the old School-house, into the New, that so the said Committee may go to Work in laying the Foundation of their Church.
July 19 1749
Charles Apthorp Esqr. one of the Committee of Kings Chappel appeared. and informed the Select men that they were now Digging of the Trenches for the Foundation of their Church, and desire that the Selectmen will see the remains. of several of the Dead Bodys removed.
Voted, That Mr. Williston be directed to Attend that Service & to acquaint the several Relations of the Deceased, as Occasion offers, and when no Relations are to be found to inform the Select-men of the same.
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Aug 10 1748
Whereas Messrs. Joshua Blanchard and William Fairfield have desired the Liberty to Build three new Tombs in the old Burying place next mr. Cook's Land, they having the Liberty of the Relations of those Buried where the said Tombs are to be built. Voted, that Liberty be accordingly granted them, they Building a Wall the breadth of said Tombs as usual and keep the same in repair forever.
Nov. 28 1748.
Whereas Liberty was granted to Messrs Joshua Blanchard & William Fairfield on the Tenth of August last. to Build Three Tombs in the Old Burying place, next to mr Cookes Land and mr Blanchard being since Dead. It is allowed. that Deacon Jacob Parker be joined with mr Fairfield in the room of said Blanchard to Build the said Tombs they conforming to the Rules and orders mentioned in the said Vote of the tenth of August last.
July 19 1749
Deacon Jacob. Parker and mr Fairfield appeared and desired Liberty to, Build a Line of Tombs in the old Burying place next to mr Cooke's Land on the same Terms that were granted for three new Tombs the 10th of August last.
Voted, That Liberty be granted them accordingly, on the same terms that the said three Tombs were allowed to be Built-
May 15 1753
The Petition of the Committee of Kings Chappel, praying that Liberty may be granted them to Erect three Pillars of Stone on the Towns Land at the Easterly End of said Chappel - was Read, and thereupon., It was Voted that Thomas Hubbard, Esqr. Henry Atkins Esqr, Mr James Pitts Mr Stephen Greenleaf and Mr Jacob Parker be a Committee to View the place where it is propos'd said Pillars shall be Erected, and whether said Pillars will incommode or Obstruct a convenient Entrance into any of the Tombs near there, and make Report at the Adjournment of this Meeting.
May 28 1753
The Committee appointed by the Town the 15th instant, on the Peti- tion of a Committee of Kings Chappel praying that Liberty may be granted them to Erect three Pillars of Stone on the Towns Land at the Easterly End of said Chappel now Reported that they had Attended that Service, and find that the three Pillars Petitioned for may be so placed as not to Incommode any Person, and that the Proprietors of the Tombs and Relatives of those buryed thereabouts are consenting to the same, also Report as their Opinion that the Prayer of said Petition be granted and that the Petitioners have Liberty to Erect said three Pillars. provided they set them in the places propos'd by the Committee, the Southermost of Which to be at least, Six feet from the first step leading down into Mr. Fairfield's Tomb, and the whole three not exceeding Ten feet. from the Body of the Church, and that when they proceed to build them, that they notify the Proprietors of the Tombs and the Persons who have their Relations buryed thereabouts to be present, which the Committee apprehend will be a proper Expedient to main- tain Peace and give Satisfaction, provided also that if in breaking up the Ground, they find the Bones of any Deceased Persons, they put them into a distinct Box and bury them in some other place, provided also that the Land included between the Church and the three proposed Pillars, shall not be Inclosed - which Report being Read, after some Debate thereon, Voted, That said Report be and hereby is Accepted, and that the Petitioners have Liberty to Erect said three Pillars, in the manner. and on such Terms as are mentioned in said Report.
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July 12 1758
Whereas the Gate of the Burying place by the King's Chappel is out of repair -- Voted that Mr Oliver & Mr Cushing be a Committee to get the Same repaird.
Ap. 6 1761
Voted that Mr Thomas Williston have liberty to dig Graves &c, with Bond - and Roulston in the Common and Church Burying Ground -
May 18 1763.
Mr John Mico Wendell attended, and desired leave of the Selectmen to turn his Cow into the Church Burying Ground.
Oct 6 1773
The Selectmen have appointed George Roulston a Grave Digger in the Chappel & Common Burying Grounds in the room of Mr Bond deceased -
Mar 10 1774
Messr. Austin & Pitts a Commee to see whether Major Dows may be accommodated with a peice of Ground in the Church Burying Ground in order to enlarge his Tomb.
May 4 1774
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