USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Watertown > Historical sketch of Watertown, in Massachusetts, from the first settlement of the town to the close of its second century > Part 8
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* We are however informed by Snow in his History of Boston, that " there had been considerable effort to have the first bridge carri- ed from. West Boston to Cambridge ; but the expediency of making the experiment across the narrower part of the river was so apparent, that the town of Boston had expressed an opinion almost unanimous (1238 to 2) in favor of it." p. 318.
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ince Records to find the grant of 1500 acres of mead- ow, and having thus proved their right to such a tract, to ask of the General Court an equivalent for it in some of the unappropriated lands belonging to the Province, which might be applied for the relief of " their great burden relating to said bridge, that they may be the better enabled to bear that burden, which the public in general enjoy and reap so great benefit and advantage by." It does not appear that the town ever obtained the 1500 acres of meadow, or the equiv- alent for which they petitioned; and probably, the expectation of help from the Provincial Government in maintaining the bridge was abandoned.
It was owing, I suppose, to the state of the curren- cy,* that in March, 1749, the town voted to defer the usual grant for the Rev. Mr. Storer's salary, and appointed a committee to inquire, meanwhile, " into the contract made with Mr. Storer at the time of his settlement, and to make diligent enquiry what silver was per ounce then, and what the necessaries of life then cost, and how things are at this present time." This committee reported at the next May meeting ; and sixty pounds were then granted by vote as Mr. Storer's salary for the year from the first of March, larger sums having been previously proposed, and rejected. This appropriation was deemed insufficient by a considerable part of the town ; and their opinion prevailed so far, that when the Selectmen soon after called another meeting on the subject, the salary was raised to what seems to have been its regular amount at that time, £66. 13s. 4d.
In 1753 the First Parish in Cambridge presented a petition to the General Court, "that some of the Easterly inhabitants of Watertown with their estates might be annexed to said parish." The people of Watertown appointed a committee to oppose this petition. It was nevertheless granted ; and the next
* See Hutchinson, Vol. II. p. 392, &c.
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year, the inhabitants of Watertown petitioned for a part of Cambridge and a part of Newton, as an equiv- alent for what had been taken from them to be annex- ed to Cambridge. No grant corresponding to this . petition appears to have been made. Watertown was thus finally reduced, from its originally large territory, to the small extent included within its present bounda- ries .* In 1754, it was proposed to make an exchange with Waltham in such a manner, that the inhabit- ants of some of the extreme parts of each town might be better accommodated in attending public worship ; but the proposal was rejected. A committee was chosen to petition "that a number of the inhabitants of Newton might be set off to Watertown." This petition probably related to what was called Angier's Corner, which still remains a part of Newton. f
At this period a warm and acrimonious dispute began in the town, and lasted for a considerable time. December 17th, 1753, a proposition was submitted to remove the meeting-house from the hill, on which it stood, to some other place not specified. At that time the proposition was rejected. But the rejection seems only to have given new excitement to the friends of the measure; for, on the 20th of the next February, a meeting was called, chiefly with refer- ence to this subject, and it was then voted that the meeting-house should be removed from School-house
* Watertown still owns a part of a wharf on Charles River in the western quarter of Cambridge.
. + It may be worth while to insert here the following curious record, as a specimen of the superintendence exercised by the Selectmen at that time with regard to schools : " At a meeting of the Selectmen at Mr. Jonathan Bemis's on the 4th of Dec. 1752, Mr. Sam'l Coolidge was present, and the Selectmen gave him a thorough talk relating to his past conduct, and what he might expect if he did not behave well in the school for the future : they declar'd unto him that they put him into the school again for tryal, and if he behaved well he should not be wrong'd, and that he was to begin the school the 11th day of this De- cember. Mr. Coolidge complained that he wanted a winter coat: de- sired Mr. Bemis to get him a bear-skin' coat, and get Mr. Meed to make it : and to give the Selectmen an account thereof."
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Hill " to the half acre of land lately given by Nath'l Harris Esq. to the town, and that the said house be erected there anew," &c. There was evidently a trial of strength on the question, and the vote passed only " by three . odds." The removal was agreed to, it seems, only on the condition, that the town, as such, should be at no expense about it. Accordingly seven men undertook it on their own responsibility, and gave a security that the town should be free from all charge. These men were appointed a committee to see the business executed, and were directed to pro- ceed as speedily as might be. The old house was accordingly taken down, and the materials transported to the destined spot, to be again set up ; but before the work could be completed, the building in its unfinished state was burnt to the ground. This took place in May, 1754. No doubt was entertained that the fire was the work of an incendiary : several persons were examined and brought to trial, but evidence could not be found sufficient to convict any one.
The people were thrown into a sort of consternation by this event. The religious services of the Sabbath were at first attended at the Rev. Mr. Storer's house; but another more convenient place was soon provided to answer the present purpose. They next proceeded, " under the present awful frown of Heaven " (as they called the sad effects of their own contention), to appoint a day of fasting and prayer, and to apply to Mr. Storer for advice and direction on the subject. The day was observed, and several of the neighbouring ministers were invited to attend and assist in the services.
A town meeting was held June 13th, 1754, at which it was determined by vote to build a new house for public worship, fifty-six feet long, and forty-two - feet wide, on the same place as before, viz., the half acre of land given by Nathaniel Harris, Esq. Six hun- dred pounds were at first appropriated for this object,
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and a building committee chosen, with directions to have the house finished as soon as possible. A protest against all these proceedings, by those who had from the outset been opposed to the removal of the meet- ing-house from the hill, was presented and placed on record. The asperity of the language used in this protest sufficiently indicates the irritated state of feel- ing between the two parties. They, who signed it, complained that their wishes had been slighted, and their rights violated, in the whole business ; a griev- ance, which they thought the more intolerable, as they claimed to be " the owners and possessors of much the greater part of the rateable estate in the town." They protested against paying any part of the cost of the new house, among other reasons, because they con- ceived that the persons, who had at first given a formal pledge to save the town from all expense on account of the removal and rebuilding of the meeting-house, were still bound by that engagement, since, when they took upon themselves that obligation, they vol- untarily incurred the risk of all accidents and hazards ; and consequently that the town ought not to be bur- dened with any charge whatever. Notwithstanding this argument, the town did not require the committee, formerly appointed, to fulfil their bond, probably because the fire, in which the meeting-house had been destroyed, was believed to have taken place under such circumstances, as would not allow it to be fairly considered as one of the hazards incurred by the engagement. The bond was soon after relinquished into the hands of the committee.
The building of the new meeting-house proceeded, without any regard to the protest. It appears to have been completed as early as February, 1755. Till very recently, it was the only one in the town, and with an addition hereafter to be mentioned, it is the place of worship still used by the Congregational Soci- ety. This house is consequently somewhat more than
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seventy-five years old .* It may easily be supposed, that the former situation of the meeting-house, on the summit of a high hill, must have been exceedingly inconvenient, especially in the winter ; nor can we wonder that a majority of the people were in favor of the removal. It is to be regretted, however, that this could not have been done in the spirit of peace and of mutual concession. The effects of the unhap- py dispute, in one form or another, are said to have lasted several years.
The meeting-house being finished, the pews were 'soon disposed of, being assigned, by the town, to in- dividuals, according to their proportion in the sched- ule of taxes. It was voted, that " they should be settled upon real and personal estate," the valuation , used for this purpose being the same by which the rate for building the house had been made. The object of this vote was, I suppose, to regulate the or- der of precedence in choice. When any one should wish to sell his pew, the town was to have the refu- sal of it; and when any person should remove from Watertown, his pew was to revert to the town, upon their reimbursing the money which he had paid for it. Other regulations concerning the mode of obtain- ing and transferring the pews were established, though evidently with much opposition.
Arrangements were made for selling " the minis- terial place,t exclusive of the marsh," if Mr. Storer's
* The account of cost of this meeting-house, as reported by the com- mittee, stands as follows :
To the contract with Messrs Pierpoint and Evans . £4840 Old Tenor. To services done by persons, and materials procured, 360 : 1 To allowance for finishing the meeting-house 51:0
Granted by the town . £4500 Old Tenor.
Materials of former house sold . 151 : 1 5251 : 1
4651 : 1
£4651:1
£600:0
The sum of six hundred pounds, old tenor, was raised on the pews to cancel the remainder due in the account.
t The parsonage here mentioned was, I am told, the place recently occupied by Mr. David Livermore, and now in the possession of his family.
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consent could be obtained. He consented, and the place was sold. The committee, to whom the busi- ness was entrusted, were instructed to offer Mr. Storer the interest of the money arising from the sale, or to procure another place, as he should choose. It seems he preferred the latter proposal ; and the town purchased the parsonage which was occupied by him and his successors .*
At this time, Watertown owned a share in a tract of land near Wachusett Hill, as we learn from a vote, passed May 12th, 1755, to sell " their right in the farm near Wachusett Hill." Mr. John Hunt, Lieuten- ant Daniel Whitney, and Ensign Jonathan Bemis were appointed a committee to effect the sale. It is not said in the records how the town came into possession of this land ; but it was doubtless their part of the 2000 acres before mentioned, which they had claimed and received in consequence of an old grant made by the General Court. Waltham and Weston had each a right in that grant, because it was made before they were incorporated ; and accordingly these towns are mentioned as having claims in the tract near Wachusett. When Watertown's part in this land was sold, the sum of £66. 13s. 4d., from the proceeds of the sale, was (by vote, October 6th, 1755,) appropriated towards the purchase of the new parson- age, although the committee, who were to buy that estate for the town, had been expressly instructed to give no more for it than would accrue from the sale of the old parsonage. It does not appear on record, nor have I been able to learn, what disposition was made of the rest of the money, for which Watertown's right in the land near Wachusett was sold.
Much dissatisfaction (on what ground, we are not
* The buildings, and a small part of the land, belonging to this min- isterial place, were sold in 1823. There is now ro parsonage in the town.
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informed) was expressed concerning the choice of a moderator at a town meeting on the 5th of March, 1759. In consequence of that uneasiness, and with the consent of all parties, application was made to the General Court, requesting them to set aside the pro- ceedings of that meeting, and to appoint a moderator to act for the town. The Court complied with the request, and appointed for moderator the Hon. Ben- jamin Lincoln, Esq., father of that distinguished officer and patriot, General Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln came to Watertown, and presided at the town meeting. Here is another curious instance of an appeal to the Provin- cial government on town matters. We do not learn what the difficulty was, which produced the necessity of resorting to this expedient. At the meeting of which Lincoln was moderator, nothing but the ordina- ry business of the town was transacted.
A notice occurs, March 15th, 1762, that the Sec- ond Precinct in Cambridge had petitioned to have a part of Watertown annexed to them. The people of Watertown opposed this petition ; and it appears to have been rejected.
In 1767 an application was made to the General Court " to have the fishery in Watertown put under some regulations, to prevent the many quarrels and disputes that arise thereby." Legislative enactments respecting this subject have been frequent in more recent times.
The dark and stormy period of the Revolution was now fast approaching. The excitement, by which it was preceded, doubtless reached every village in the land. The indignation called forth by the act imposing certain duties on tea, paper, glass, and other articles imported into the colonies, is famil- iarly known. When, towards the close of the year 1767, a meeting was held in Boston for the purpose of promoting the use of home manufactures, and pre- venting, as far as possible, the importation of Europe-
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an articles, sympathy and support in the measure were sought by an appeal to the other towns. At a public meeting in Watertown, January 11th, 1768, a letter was read to the inhabitants from the Select- men of Boston, inclosing a copy of the votes, which had been passed there in relation to the abovemen- tioned purpose. After some debate, the people of Watertown appointed a committee to report on the subject, and at an adjourned meeting on the 18th of January, they passed the following vote, the phraseol- ogy of which is somewhat amusing, as well as spirit- ed. "The town of Watertown, being alarmed at the late impositions on the colonies, and perceiving the streights and difficulties the people of this Province must be brought into by lessening the medium of trade, have considered with pleasure the attempts made for laying aside the use of foreign articles we may well do without, and the resolutions many towns have come into for the promotion of industry and the encouragement of their own manufactures ; we do al- so cheerfully and unanimously vote, that we are ready to join in any patriotick endeavours to lessen our im- portations, and thereby prevent our gold and silver from giving us the slip, that we consent to lay aside the use not only of the articles enumerated by the town of Boston in their resolves, but of all foreign teas as expensive and pernicious, as well as unnecessary, this continent abounding with many herbs of a more salubrious quality, which, if we were as much used to as the poisonous Bohea, would no doubt in time be as agreeable, perhaps much more so; and whilst by a manly influence we expect our women to make this sacrifice to the good of their country, we hereby de- clare we shall highly honour and esteem the encour- agers of our own manufactures and the general use of the productions of this continent; this being in our judgment at this time a necessary means, under God, of rendering us a happy and free people." It may
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excite a smile at the present day to observe the strong terms, in which our fathers thought it necessary, in their zeal for resisting what they considered aggres- sion, to denounce that refreshing beverage, the praises of which Dr. Johnson has celebrated by describing himself as one "who with tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the midnight, and with tea welcomes the morning." They seem to have been apprehen- sive that their measures of hostility against tea would be least likely to find a cordial acquiescence on the part of the ladies ; and if tradition do not misinform us on this point, their apprehensions were not with- out foundation. At the same meeting they gave in- structions to their representative, which, while they manifest a warm determination to resist encroach- ments on their rights, indicate, by the respectful men- tion made of the king and the mother country, how far they were at that time from any thought of re- nouncing their allegiance to Great Britain. After charging him to conduct himself agreeably to the di- rections given by the town of Boston, " who to their immortal honour took the lead," they proceed as fol- lows : " we' desire you would be upon your guard against any who, under false pretences of patriotick zeal to their country, may endeavour to draw you into any rash or disorderly measures, either disrespectful to the best of Sovereigns or undutiful to our Mother Coun- try ; but that you coolly and dispassionately join, and re- peatedly join if expedient, in all firm, vigorous, but most legal and peaceable measures in ascertaining our char- ter privileges, and for obtaining relief of those grievan- ces which otherwise threaten us with impending ruin."
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September 21st, 1768, Mr. John Remington was chosen by the town to attend the Convention, sum- moned at Boston to take into consideration the state of public affairs, when a military force from England was daily expected to be stationed in the metropolis .*
* See Gordon, History, &c. Vol. I. p. 164.
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Votes and resolves for the purpose of discouraging importations from England were again passed, March 8th, 1770, by Watertown, and a copy of them trans- mitted to " the committee of merchants in Boston."
In November, 1772, a committee of correspondence was appointed, at a town meeting in Boston,* to write circular letters to the several towns in the province, enumerating the wrongs and grievances inflicted by" the British Parliament, and calling upon the people to be active and watchful. The inhabitants of Water- town, like those of most other places in the colony, replied to this appeal in a tone of earnest and cordial sympathy. A committee was chosen, and on the 5th of February, 1773, an answer to the circular was reported, which was accepted, and put on record. This answer states, in very strong and solemn expres- sions, the conviction entertained of their dangers and duties at the momentous crisis ; but it contains nothing sufficiently peculiar to be extracted.
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The agitating excitement, which led to the destruc- tion of the tea in Boston harbour, was of course felt with peculiar intensity in the immediate neighbour- hood of the metropolis. The people of Watertown met, January 3d, 1774, and expressed their sentiments and purposes in relation to the whole subject, in the resolves common at that period, preceded by a spirited preamble. Adverting to the meeting which had been held in Boston,t they say, " We are fully of opinion the people had a right thus to meet and consult for their common safety. We read that the Jews in a state of captivity and slavery, under an arbitrary king, when a decree was gone forth to destroy them, had liberty to assemble together and defend themselves, and consult how to ward off the blow that was coming upon them, by preventing the wicked edict being car- ried into execution; under Providence they were
* Gordon, Vol. I. p. 208.
¡ Gordon, Vol. I. p. 223.
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wonderfully succeeded, having the kind influences of a good Mordecai in their favour, who, not accusing them of riot, sought their welfare, and was accepted of the multitude of his brethren. And we are also fully of opinion, that the people assembled at Boston on the 14th and 16th of December last had no design or desire, that the tea on board the vessels in the harbour should be destroyed, or any way damaged ; but on the contrary were very desirous, and used their utmost endeavours, that said tea might be safely returned to the owners thereof. But that the destruction of the tea was occasioned by the Custom House officer's and the Governor's refusing to grant a clearance and pass for the vessel, that was designed to carry said tea back to the owner from whence it came." The resolves following this preamble, proscribed, with all possible strength of expression, the use of tea in any mode or quantity.
August 22d, 1774, the Selectmen were requested by the town " to meet such persons as may appear at a proposed meeting, to be held at Concord on the 30th day of this present month, from the several towns in this county, to consult what may be proper to do in order to preserve the charter rights." In the next month of the same year, the town ordered that their militia should be exercised two hours every week, for the three autumn months, and that a view should be taken of the arms and ammunition in the town, to be reported at a subsequent meeting.
Inconformity with the resolutions and advice of the county of Suffolk,* the people of Watertown voted (October 3d, 1774,) that their collectors of taxes should pay no more money into the treasury of the Province till further orders, but that the money should all be paid into the town treasury. A pledge was given to the collectors, that they should be protected
* Gordon, Vol. I. p. 255.
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and supported in carrying this vote into execution. At the same meeting, their representative was directed to unite with the representatives of the sev- eral towns, in forming a Provincial Congress.
November 21st, 1774, a committee consisting o f nine persons was appointed to carry into effect the association and the resolutions entered into by the General Congress at Philadelphia in the preceding October, and likewise the resolutions of the Provin- cial Congress.
On the 27th of November, 1774, the Rev. Seth Storer died, in the 73d year of his age, and in the 51st year of his ministry. He was born at Saco, Maine, May 27th, 1702, and was graduated at Har- vard College in 1720, at the early age of eighteen. His father was Colonel Joseph Storer of Wells in Maine, who was much distinguished in the Indian wars at that time .* The ministry of Mr. Storer, was the longest, which occurs in the history of Watertown. I am not able, after a diligent inquiry, to record any particulars of his life or ministry. The general impression which I have received of his character, is
* He is mentioned by Belknap, who tells us (Hist. of N. H. Vol. I. p. 211), that on the 9th of June, 1691, the Indians " attacked Storer's gar- rison at Wells, but were bravely repulsed "; and by Mather, (Magnal. Book vii. Chap. 6th, Appendix,) who likewise speaks of " Storer's garri- son at Wells." His brother, Samuel Storer, was also distinguished for his bravery and good conduct in the same war. Their father was Wil- liam Storer, one of the earliest settlers on the Eastern shores. It is not clearly ascertained whether the family came from England or Scotland. The name is said to have been formerly written sometimes Storer and sometimes Story, even in the same instrument, when the same individ- ual was intended. An instance of this variety is found in the name of Augustine Story in the famous deed from four Sagamores to John Wheel- wright and others, which is given in the Appendix to Belknap's New Hampshire, Vol. I., and the authenticity of which has been so fully dis- cussed and denied by Mr. Savage in the Appendix to Winthrop, Vol. I. Benjamin Storer, who is said by Hubbard (p. 631) to have been killed by the Indians at Wells, in April, 1677, was doubtless one of this fami- ly. The Rev. Seth Storer had a sister named Mary, who was carried away by the Indians from Wells, or Saco, to Canada ; she was brought up near Montreal, was married to a Frenchman, Jean St. Germaine, and died August 25th, 1747. Ebenezer Storer, Esq., treasurer of Harvard College from 1777 to 1807, was a nephew of the clergyman.
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honorable to him as a man, and as a Christian. He discharged the duties of his office, for half a century, in a quiet, unobtrusive manner, but with scrupulous diligence and fidelity. Moderate in his wishes and fond of retirement, he never coveted applause or sought to attract notice. He found his happiness in the conscientious performance of his regular, tranquil duties ; and he seems to me to have possessed much of the spirit manifested by Hooker, when, with beautiful simplicity of expression, he solicited his Archbishop for " some quiet country parsonage, where," he said, " I may see God's blessings spring out of my mother earth, and eat my own bread in peace and privacy." The few, who remember Mr. Storer, testify that his people regarded him with affectionate respect; and they recollect that in his old age he was beloved by young people and by children, which is one of the best evidences, that could be had, of the goodness of his heart and the excellence of his character. His intellectual powers were respectable, and well employ- ed. As a theologian, he was candid and mild in his sentiments, and loved " the doctrine which is according to godliness," much better, than " questions and strifes of words." " As a preacher, he was judicious, practical, and edifying, his chief end being to produce that reli- gious improvement which is founded upon permanent principles. I do not find that he ever published even a single sermon, or any other production of his pen. In the warm controversy, which arose in the town concerning the removal of the meeting-house, during his ministry, an occasion of offence to one or the other of the parties was scarcely to be avoided ; and however prudently and firmly he may have conducted himself, he is said, for a time, to have fallen under the displeas- ure of a part of the town, in consequence of that transaction. It may easily be conceived, that this was owing rather to the spirit with which the dispute was carried on, than to any blameworthy feelings or
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