History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 178

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 178

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John Witt Randall, son of Dr. John (Harvard Col- lege, 1802) and Elizabeth (Wells) Randall, grand- daughter of Samuel Adams, the great patriot of the Revolution, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, No- vember 6, 1813. He received his preparatory education at the Boston Latin School, in company with many who were afterwards his classmates in college, by whom his peculiar and marked originality of charac- ter is well remembered. Though among them, he was not wholly of them, but seemed to have thoughts, pursuits and aspirations to which they were strangers. This was also the case after he entered college, where his tastes developed in a scientific direction, ento- mology being the branch to which he especially de- voted himself, though heartify in sympathy with nature in her various aspects. The college did little

at that time to encourage or aid such pursuits; but Mr. Randall pursued the quiet tenor of his way till he had a very fine collection of insects and extensive and thorough knowledge on that and kindred sub- jects, while his taste for poetry and the belles-lettres was also highly cultivated. He studied medicine after graduation, but his acquisitions as a naturalist were so well known and recognized that he received the honorable appointment of Professor of Zoology in the department of invertebra animals in the South Sea Exploring Expedition (called Wilkes), which the United States were fitting out about this time.

In consequence of the wearisome delays and jeal- ousies which occurred before the sailing of the expe- dition, Mr. Randall was led to throw up his ap- pointment. Since that time he has led a quiet and retired life, devoting himself to his favorite pursuits, adding to these also the collection of engravings. His collection is one of the most rare and original in this country. He has also devoted much time to the cultivation and improvement of an ancestral country- seat at Stow, Massachusetts, for the ancient trees of which he has an almost individual friendship. An account of his life and experiences from Mr. Randall's own pen would have been very interesting as well as amusing and witty; for in these qualities he excels. In excusing himself from giving this he writes as fol- lows : " As for myself, my life, having been wholly private, presents little that I care to communicate to others or that others would care to know. I cannot even say for myself as much as was contained in Professor Teufelsdrock's epitaph on a famous hunts- man, viz., that in a long life he killed no less than ten thousand foxes. It might have been interesting in former days to have related adventures of my foot journeys as a naturalist amid scenes and objects then little known or wholly unknown, where the solitary backwoodsman and his family, sole occupants of a tract of boundless forests, were often so hospitable as to surrender their only bed to thestranger and huddle themselves together on the floor. But since Audubon published his travels, and railroads have penetrated everywhere, such accounts cease to beoriginal, and in- deed the people themselves have become almost every- where homogeneous. Itineraries fill all the magazines, and natural curiosities little known forty years ago have become long since familiar to the public. As for my present self, I will say no more than that for health's sake, to be much out of doors, I have been for a long time engaged in hydraulic planting, building and other improvements on my grounds, which create, it is true, pleasant occupation, but which, when com- pared with wild nature so varied about me, I am im- pressed with the conviction how inferior are our artificial pleasures to those simple enjoyments of wood, water, air and sunshine, which we uncon- sciously and inexpensively share with the innumera- ble creatures equally capable of enjoying them. As to my literary works,-if I except scientific papers on

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BURLINGTON.

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- subjects long ago abandoned, as one on 'Crustacea,' in the 'Transactions of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia;' two on 'Insects,' in the 'Transactions of the Boston Society of Natural His- tory ;' one manuscript volume on the 'Animals and Plants of Maine,' furnished to Dr. Charles T. Jack- son to accompany his geological survey of that State and lost by him ; 'Critical Notes on Etchers and En- gravers,' one volume; 'Classifications of Ditto,' one volume, both in manuscript, incomplete and not likely to be completed, together with essays and re- views in manuscript not likely to be published,-my doings reduce themselves to six volumes of poetic works, the first of which was issued in 1856 and re- viewed shortly after in the North American, while the others, nearly or partially completed at the out- break of the Civil War, still lie unfinished among the many wrecks of time painful to most of us to look back upon, or reflect themselves on a future whose skies are as yet obscure." Dr. Randall was never married and resides with his sister, Miss Belinda Lull Randall, in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

CHAPTER L.

BURLINGTON.

BY MRS. MARTHA E. (SEWALL) CURTIS, ASSISTED BY W. R. CUTTER.

INTRODUCTION.

BURLINGTON was originally a part of Woburn, and much of its history has been already included under the history of that town elsewhere. Previously to 1800 the section was an important portion of the oider town, when the older community was merely an agricultural one, and farms were the principal prop- erty of the inhabitants. From 1730 to 1799 the town of Woburn contained two parishes. The First, or Old Parish included the portion now covered by the present towns of Woburn and Winchester, in general terms; and the Second Parish-otherwise known at that day as the West Parish, or Woburn Precinct- comprised the part known as the present town of Bur- lington, and a small section of Burlington afterwards set off to Lexington. Burlington was incorporated as a separate town in 1799. The Second Parish or Precinct of Woburn was incorporated September 16, 1730, and the meeting-house, yet standing, though v nsiderably altered, was huilt in 1732. One of the most important events connected with the history of t! is house was the loss, in 1777, of near half of the ro. ! wy a hurricane. Cotemporary chroniclers state near half of the roof was taken off through near the sixthe, and the gable end of the west side was

taken off."1 Esquire Thompson, of the First Parish, states :

" Past the middle of August, 1777, a hurricane oc- curred that tore off about half the roof of the Second Parish meeting-house, and part of sundry other buildings were destroyed-Mr. Joshua Jones' barns and some others. The wind tore up a great many apple trees, and blew down and turned up by the roots many large and strong trees, blowing almost all the limbs off some ; their naked trunks still standing, five or seven, eight or ten feet high, more or less. The hurricane reached two or three miles in length, but not a quarter of that in width." 2

There is extant an old list containing the names of the preachers and texts in this parish meeting-house, from the day of the ordination of Rev. John Mar- rett as minister, December 21, 1774, to July 16, 1775, and with this list are preserved other papers of inter- est, from which it is learned that the people of the parish donated £2 11s. 2d. for the Revolutionary suf- ferers of South Carolina and Georgia, 1782, and the sum of £1 15s. 10d. to assist in rebuilding a meet- ing-house in Charlestown, in 1783-burned by the British, June 17, 1775.

Another interesting local occurrence was the dark day of 1780, the following description of which is taken from an interleaved almanac of 1780, kept by Rev. John Marrett, then minister of the parish:

" 1780, May 19. Mune [in the morning], thunder and rain, an uncommon Darkness from }2 10 clk. A. M. to 12 past 1 P. M., 80 Dark yt I could not see to read common priot at ye window, nor see ye hour of ye clock, unless close to it, & scarcely see to read a Bible of large priot ; abroad, ple. [people] left off work both in ye house and abroad ; ye fowis, some of ym [them] went to roost ; it was clondy, wd [wind] S. W. ; ye heavens looked yellowish and gloomy ; wht [what] ye occasion of it is, unknown ; ye moon fulled yesterday morn'g : many persone mncb terrified ; never known so dark a Day ; ple. lit up candles to sec to dine! May 20. Some cloudy and some fair, wd. W .; last night, extraordinary Dark, notwithstanding a moon ; it was cloudy, but no rain ! Could not see where ye windows of ye house were, not till ye moon was above an hour high ; nor see ye hand, tho' close to ye nose, any more yan [tban] if ye Eyes were Shut !"

The old parish burial-ground in Burlington is in- teresting for certain mouuments to be found there, such as the stones of the three ministers of the parish before 1800. Here is the memorial erected to the Rev. Supply Clap, 1747,-the first pastor of the "Second Church of Christ in Woburn," who died in the thirty- seventh year of his age, and the thirteenth of his ministry. Beside it is the stone-one of the most prominent in the yard-of the Rev. Thomas Jones, 1774, "late pastor of the Second Church of Christ in Woburn," who died suddenly in the fifty-second year . of his age and the twenty-third of his ministry. And here, too, is the stone of the Rev. John Marrett, the " third pastor of the Church of Christ in this place," who died in the year 1813, the last of the ministers of the former century. These three inscriptions on these memorials of the early ministers of Burlington Church

1 Marrett.

2 Diary (copied), p. 3.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

are lengthy and eulogistic specimens of mortuary liter- ature; yet, no doubt, they satisfied the wants aud feelings of the people of that generation, who desired thus to perpetuate the memory and good deeds of the worthy ministers who had spent their lives among them.

Beside the stone of the Rev. Supply Clap stands another to Mrs., otherwise Madam, Abigail Jones, who was, according to her epitaph, the "relict of Rev. Thomas Jones, formerly pastor of the church in this place, and daughter of John and Sarah Wiswall, of Dorchester." Her death occurred May 22, 1814, when she was aged ninety-two years. Beside her stone is a small gravestone of a child named Charles Pratt Marstou, the infant son of John Marston, Esq., and Mrs. Elizabeth Marston, of Boston,-probably con- nections of Mrs. Jones, they having sought refuge in the Burlington Precinct, while Boston was enduring a siege. The child died October 20, 1775, aged two months, " while British forces held his native town," says the epitaph.1

Near the western wall of this yard is a respectable slate stone, erected in memory of Cuff, "a faithful black domestic of Madam Abigail Jones," who died in April, 1813, aged about sixty-seven years. He was borne to his grave by the selectmen of the town, personally, as a mark of respect to him and the fami- lies he had served so long.

In this yard also is a stone erected in memory of Madam Hannah Peters, the relict of the "late Rev. Mr. Andrew Peters, late pastor of the church in Mid- dleton." Her death occurred, says the epitaph, "at Woburn, May XV, MDCCLXXXII, in the LXXVIII year of her age " [1782, in her seventy-eighth year]. The Rev. Andrew Peters was the first minister of the town of Middleton, ordained 1729. He was a gradu- ate of Harvard College, and originated in Andover. He remained in the ministry at Middleton twenty- seven years, and died there on October 6, 1756, aged fifty-five years. The historian of Middleton 2 says very little is recorded there of his wife Hannah ; "her name is not found on the church records." But she was buried in Woburn Second Precinct, as her grave- stone intimates, and had been a resident here.3

There is also in this yard a large marble stone to the memory of General John Walker, 1814, father of Rev. James Walker, D.D., a president of Harvard University. On this stone is a long and ably-written inscription.

It would be easy to allude to the stones of others less distinguished, but one inscription among the others should not be missed. It is as follows, and explains itself :

" Ruth Wilson, died Dec. 3, 1871, aged 89 years. This aged lady spent most of her long life in this, her native towo, respected and esteemed by her relatives and friends; and from the proceeds of money earned by her in youth, gave for the benefit of the church in this place, a fund of six thousand dollars, and to the town, six hundred dollars, to keep in repair this ancient burial-ground."

One hundred dollars for the improvement of the old cemetery was used immediately in erecting a new wall on the front side of the old burying-ground, and five hundred dollars was invested as a fund to keep the yard in repair.

Names of occupants or possessors of dwelling- houses above the value of one hundred dollars, in that part of the town of Woburn now known as the town of Burlington, owned, possessed or occupied on the 1st day of October, 1798.

[From an original document in the possession of the Woburn Public Library. ]

Giles Alexander, William Abbott, Isaac Baldwin, Thomas Wright, William Newell, John Radford, Josiah Blanchard, Nathan Harrington, Benjamin Blanchard, David Blanchard, James Barry, Ebenezer Cum- mings, David Cummings, Samuel Carter, John Caldwell, Samuel Cutler, Samuel Fowle, Nathaniel Cutler, Jr., Jonas Carter, Joshua Carter, Wil- liam Carter, James Carter, Joshua J. Caldwell, Wid. Sarah Caldwell, Jesse Dean, Samuel Dean, Kemer Blackman, Josiah Flagg, Aaron Jones, Robert Homer, Rebecca Johnson, Calvin Simonds, Renben John- son, William Johnson, Jotham Johnson, Wid. Abigail Jones, Josiah Johnson, David Johnson. Renhen Kimball, Philip Peters, Abiathar Jolinson, Josiah Locke, Thomas Locke, Ishmael Munroe, Isaac Marion, Joseph MeIntire, Rev. John Marrett, Samuel Nevers, Josiah Parker, Benjamin Parker, Jonathan Reed, Jacob Reed, Jacob Richardson, Pru- dence Reed, Jesse Russell, Jonas Reed, George Reed, James Reed, Sam- nel Reed, James Reed, Jr., Nathan Simoods, Thomas Skilton, Daze Skilton, Benjamin Smith, David Lovering, Caleb Simonds, Calvin Sim- onds, Samuel Shedd, Solomon Trull, John Wood, Abel Wyman, Ezra Wyman, Josiah Walker, Thomas Gleason, Joseph Winn, Jamies Walker, Samuel Walker, Benjamin Gleason, Philemon Wright, Edward Walker, Rebecca Wilsoo, Timothy Wilson, David Winn, Timothy Winn, John Bruce, Edward Brown, John Wood, Jr., John Walker, Josiah Walker's heirs, James Wright.

Among the owners whose houses were held by " oc- cupants " only were: Joseph Brown, James Bennett, Benjamin Blanchard, Thomas Bartlett, Jesse Blan- chard, the heirs of Micah Cutler, the heirs of Jonas Evans, Ebenezer Foster, the heirs of Joseph Johnson, Reuben Kimball, Clement Sharp, Josiah Walker, Sam- uel Walker, Timothy Winn and Catherine Wheeler. The situation of the houses in relation to the town, country or county roads is stated. Some are given as in the centre of the farms, and the words " public road " are ouce used. The area or square feet they cover, the number of stories high, the number of windows, square feet of glass, the materials of which built are stated. The materials, without exception, were. of wood. An exemption from taxation was claimed for

1 From entries recorded io Rev. Joho Marrett's diary, it would appear that Mr. Marston and wife and children moved front Boston to Burling- ton, or the Woburn Precinct, on Juce 10, 1775. Later, on Jnoe 16th, he is spoken of as arriving from Boston again, having escaped in a fishing-boat. On September 9, 1775, Mr. Marrett rode to Lexington with Captain Marston. On October 22, 1775 (Sunday), Mr. Marrett at- tended the funeral of Captain Marston's child-the one mentioned in the epitaph-and on Jan. 3, 1776, the minister visited, with Captain Mars- ton, at Deacon Reed's. Captain Marston is again referred to, under dute of March 8, 1776, as visiting the minister, in the evening. On April 26, 1776, Mrs Marston visited him.

" Lewis & Co.'s Hist. of Essex Co., vol. i. p. 934.

" A memorandum among the papers of Rev. Sammel Sewall says, that Nov. 12, 1781, Timothy Winn gave notice to the selectmen of Woburn that he had taken in Mrs. Ilannah Peters, from Middletown, aged 80 years. She was helpless, but he supposed had a sufficiency for her sup- port. lle offered to give bonds at the end of the year if required by the low11.

665

BURLINGTON.

one only, viz.,-the one occupied and improved by the settled minister, Rev. John Marrett. The valua- tion of each dwelling-house, with the lot and out- houses appurtenant thereto, is given in dollars and cents. The total number of houses, including the minister's, was eighty-three; valuation of the houses, out-houses, etc., by the assessors, $30,061.

Catalogue of papers in the Woburn Public Library relating to the separation of Burlington and Woburn. The dates covered by these papers are June 10, 1799, to March 1, 1801.

1. Agreement of the Committees of Woburn and Burlington.

2. Names of Paupers supported by Woburn and Burlington.

3. An account of the Town Stock, Weights, Measures, etc., between Woburn and Burlington.

4. An account of Articles sold at Vendue belonging to same.

5. Panpers supported by Woburn and Burlington Divided.

G. Agreement between Woburn and Burlington respecting Widow Wright.

7. Do. respecting the Pound.

S. List of l'aupers.

9. Cost of the School-houses in the town of Woburn.

10. List of Panpers and their ages.

11. Non-Residents in Woburn and Burlington and how they Stand in the Single Tax.

12. Accounts allowed by the Committee of Woburn and Burlington.

13. Meetings of the Committee to Settle with Burlington.

14. Division of the West Road in Burlington:

15. Agreement respecting School-Houses Divided.

16. Do. respecting James Thompson, Jr.

17. Meetings of the Committee on the West Road in B.

18. Settlement of accounts between the towns of Woburn and Bur- lington.

19. Agreement respecting old Orders and Notes.

20. Last division of the West Road.

21. Report of the Courmittee of Woburn and Burlington.

22. Outstanding orders against the town of Woburn.

NOTE .- The Woburn Public Library has also many other papers rs- lating to that section of Woburn afterwards set off as the town of Bur- lington, among them the alarm list of the military company there, 1776 ; returns of the training soldiers of that precinct, 1776, including those that were in the Continental service in the year 1775; a list of the draft of soldiers destined for Canada, etc., and the equipage of the alarm list of the same company. Also, there are similar rolls of the same com- pany for 1777, 1780, 1781 and 1782, and records of company meetings 1777-80.

POPULATION OF BURLINGTON IN 1800 .- From a copy of the census preserved in the Woburn Public Library, taken in that year. The original contains a list of the heads of families, and the statistics per- taining to each. A summary of these is the follow- ing :

Free white males, to 10, 63

to 16, 39

to 26, 48

to 45,

to 45, etc., 4.4

Males 241

Free white fenuiles, to 10, 71

to 16, 43

tD 26, 41

to 45, 55

to 45, etc., 59

Females . 269

Total Males and Females . 510

Negrucs . 2

Total in the town of Burlington 512

Adding Samuel Fowle's and Robert Mullet's families and Sarah Johnson, making . 13

Gave an additional total to Burlington of 525 inhabitants at the opening of the century.

The houses in Burlington, according to this enumeration, were 74. Of the negroes, one African, male, belonged to the family of Abigail Jones, and one African, female, to the family of James Reed.

CHAPTER LI.

BURLINGTON-(Continued).

CIVIL HISTORY.

IN the interleaved almanac or diary of Rev. John Marrett, for 1799, we find the following notes regard- ing the incorporation of Burlington :

"February 28, fair and moderate, Dini [Domi], this Day an act for corporating this Parish into a Township was completed by ye General Court.

" March 11, fair & cold. Dmi, p. m., attended first town-meet'g in Burlington to chuse town officers.

" March 18, very cold, w'd N. & Snowy, went to an Entertainment at Capt. Wood's, be'g a general meet'g of men & yir wives, & rejoicing on acc't of this Parish being Incorporated into a Town."

Among the papers left by Mr. Marrett, there is still in existence a yellow and time-worn but well preserved copy of the proceedings at this celebra- tion. It is interesting to compare it with accounts of similar occasions of to-day :-

"The Principle Inhabitants of the Town of Burlington had a general & Social Interview at Capt. John Wood, Jun's., Social Hall, and, after partaking of a Sumtuons Dinner, the following Toasts were given :

"1. The United States of America-may forrieng Infineuce and Do- mestic faction be discountenanced by every Citizen.

"2. The President of yo United States-may the wise, firm, pacific & energetic Measures which have marked his Administration insure to him the Love, Esteem, Confidence & Support of every American.

"3. George Washington, Lieut. Genl. of the Armies of the united States -- If that Illustrious Character shall again have occasion to draw his Sword in the defense of his injared and insalted Country, may it never be returned until Complete Satisfaction be made.

"4. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts-the first to assert its Rights ; the last to Surrender them.

" 5. Ilis Excellency, Increase Samner, our wortby and Meritorious Governor.

"6. The Legislature of Massachusetts -- the protection of the weak, the Relief of the oppressed, and the watchful Guardian of all our Rights.

"7. The Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of the Navy and of War -wise as a Serpent, harmless as n Dove, Swift as an Eagle, and terrible as an Army with Banners.

"8. Our Infant Navy-muy it increase in proportion as yo Exegencies of our Country & Commerce may require.

"9. The Army of yo United States-may it Combat with none but our Enemies, and then may it prove invincible.

" 10. Our Ambassadors to all foreign Courts-may they maintain yo Dignity of their Station & be faithful to our Country's cause.

"11. The town of Wbn. [Woburn]-Altho' a part has been taken off, yet may ye remainder increase in unmber, wealth & Beauty.

"12. The Inhabitants of Burlington-muy they quite like a Band of

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Brothers, & increase in wisdom, strength & virtue, and may no private animosity or local prejudice ever annoy their future prosperity.

"13. The American fair -- inay they be faithful and cover this good Land with their own Sons, and let the first Lesson which they teach them be love to God & their Country.

" 14 Agriculture & ye Mechanic Arts -- may we enjoy ye sweets of our own Labour, uninterrupted by forriengnere.

"15. Rational Liberty & happiness to ye whole family of Adam.

" 16. A speedy, honourable & perminent Peace to all yo Nations of the Earth.

" The company all rose & heartily joined hande."

The author of these sentiments is unknown, but it is safe to conclude that they were composed by Rev. John Marrett, since very few persons, in those days, except ministers or college graduates, held the pen of the ready writer. The patriotism shown in many of them was characteristic of the brave clergyman, whose name headed the " Alarm List " of Woburn Precinct in Revolutionary times.

The house in which the celebration was held is still standing in the centre of Burlington. It is now owned by the heirs of the late Charles Caldwell, and its original form is mainly preserved, although, in the change from a tavern to a dwelling-house, the " Social Hall " has been divided into chambers.

The first book of the records of the town is a well- preserved, leather-covered volume, inscribed on its title page, in a legible hand, "The Commencement of the Records of the Town of Burlington."

To this book we are indebted for many facts re- garding the early town history.

The first town-meeting was called by John Cald- well, one of the principal inhabitants of the town of Burlington, in obedience to a writ served by John Walker, justice of the peace. It was held March 11, 1799. The town officers chosen were a town clerk, five selectmen and overseers of the poor, three assessors, a town treasurer, a constable, three survey- ors of highways, two fence-viewers, two surveyors of lumber, a sealer of leather, two measurers of wood, a clerk of the market, a sealer of weights and measures, two "hog reefes" and three field-drivers. A motion to dissolve the meeting was then passed " in the af- firmity." 1

At the next meeting, held April 1, 1799, the vote for State officers was taken, and certain articles relat- ing to the appropriation of money and other town af- fairs were considered. True to the spirit of the fathers, the first vote of appropriation was " to raise two hundred fourty-eight dollars and ninety cents for the Rev'd John Marrett's sallery, ye present year." 2

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 178

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034