USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts : from its earliest settlement to 1832; and of the adjoining towns, Bedford, Acton, Lincoln, and Carlisle; containing various notices of county and state history not before published. > Part 30
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts : from its earliest settlement to 1832 : and of the adjoining towns, Bedford, Acton, Lincoln, and Carlisle > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
Chambers Russell
Chambers Russell
William Hayden
James Russell
Samuel Hoar
Charles Wheeler
Charles Russell
Eleazer Brooks, Jr.
Elijah Fiske
Eleazer Brooks
Joshua Brooks
Stephen Patch
Joseph Adams
Grosvener Tarbell
Joel Smith.
Clergymen and Physicians are the only professional men who have resided in town. The former have already been noticed in the Ecclesiastical History ; the physicians are the following :
Dr. Charles Russell, son of the Hon. James Russell, born in Charlestown, graduated at Harvard College, 1757, and inherited his uncle Chambers's estate in Lincoln, where he resided as a physician. He married Miss Elizabeth Vassall of Cambridge, and from his father-in-law he contracted opinions opposed to the measures of the people in the revolution, and left Lincoln on the 19th of April, 1775, and went to Martinique, in the West- Indies, where he died.
Dr. John Binney died August 14th, 1760, aged 55. His wid- ow married Capt. Daniel Adams.
Dr. Joseph Adams was also unfriendly to the revolution, and went to England, where he died.
Dr. Mann practised in Lincoln between 1780 and 1790. He afterwards removed to Castine, Maine, and married a daughter of Mr. John Adams.
Dr. Richard Russell was son of Mr. Richard, a brother of the Hon. Chambers Russell, born in Charlestown, settled in Lincoln in 1778, drowned in Beaver Pond August 12th, 1796, aged 46.
Dr. Grosvener Tarbell was from Sturbridge, settled in Lincoln in 1796, and died in 1822.
Dr. George Russell, son of Dr. Richard Russell, born Septem- ber 23d, 1795, graduated at the Medical Institution at Cambridge, in 1820, and has since practised in Lincoln.
40
314
HISTORY OF LINCOLN.
GRADUATES AT COLLEGE.
STEPHEN FARRAR, son of Dea. Samuel Farrar, was born September 8th, 1738, and graduated 1755. He studied divinity, and was ordained as the first minister of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, October 22d, 1760, and performed the duties of his office with distinguished ability till his death, June 23d, 1809.
TIMOTHY FARRAR, brother of the foregoing, was born June 28, 1747, and graduated 1767. He studied law and settled in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, under the temporary constitution of N. H. in January, 1776 ; was a Counsellor in the year 1780, 1782, and 1783 ; appointed Judge of the Superior Court in 1790; resigned that office 1803 ; appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1803 or 1804 ; and was afterwards Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas. Besides these offices, he was an elector of President and Vice-President of the United States in 1792, 1796, 1800, and 18081; and in 1804, and since, one of the trustees of Dartmouth College.
CHARLES RUS ELL of Lincoln. He received a Medical de- gree at Aberdeen, died at Antigua, May 27th, 1780, aged 42.
JOSEPH FARRAR, son of George Farrar, was born June 30th, 1744, and graduated 1767 ; was ordained at Dublin, New-Hamp- shire, June 10th, 1772, when the church was organized, dismiss- ed, January 7th, 1776 ; installed at Dummerston, Vermont, in 1779 ; dismissed 1784; and is probably the same who afterwards settled in Eden, Vermont. He died at Petersham.2
JONATHAN GOVE, son of Dea. John Gove, born August 22d, 1746, and graduated 1768. He studied medicine and lived many years in New Boston, New Hampshire ; was Representative at the General Court, a popular physician, and one of the oldest in practice, at the time of his death, in the county of Hillsborough. He was also a Justice of the Peace. One of his sons, Charles F. Gove, is an Attorney at Law in Goffstown.3
1 MS. Letter of John Farmer, Esq. 2 Ibid.
3 Farmer & Moore, Gazetteer of New-Hampshire, p. 143.
315
MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.
MOSES BROWN, graduated in 1768, and settled as a merchant at Beverly ; Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum ; died June 15th, 1820, aged 72.
JONAS HARTWELL, son of Ephraim Hartwell, was born June 26th, 1754, and graduated 1779. After he graduated he engaged in mercantile pursuits, went to Bilboa in Spain, and while inno- cently engaged in his vocation, was arrested and confined in the Inquisition, where he died, March 2d, 1784.
NATHANIEL PIERCE, was born September 27th, 1754, and graduated 1775. He was a merchant in Boston. Died in Water- town, December 3d, 1783, aged 30.
ABEL FLINT, son of Mr. Ephraim Flint, was born June 22d, 1758, and graduated 1780. He taught a school several years in Haverhill and elsewhere, and died in Lincoln of consumption January 25th, 1789, aged 32.
WILLIAM BROOKS, son of Dea. Joshua Brooks, was born March 13th, 1757, and graduated 1780. He settled as a mer- chant in Augusta, Maine, and has held several civil and military offices in that State.
DANIEL STONE, graduated 1791, and was ordained at Augusta, Maine, October 21st, 1795, and dismissed b .- mutual consent, May, 1809. He has since lived a respectable private citizen in that town.
DANIEL ADAMS, son of Joseph Adams, graduated at Dart- mouth College 1797, and received a medical degree at Harvard College ; settled in Keene, New Hampshire, and obtained an extensive professional business.
SAMUEL FARRAR, son of Dea. Samuel Farrar, born December 13th, 1773, graduated 1797, was tutor one year, studied law and settled in Andover, is the President of the Bank in that place, and Treasurer of the Theological Seminary.
SAMUEL HOAR, son of the Hon. Samuel Hoar, born May 18th, 1778, graduated 1802. He studied law and was admitted to the bar September, 1805, and immediately after settled in Concord. He was a member of the Convention for revising the Constitution of the State in 1821, and of the Senate in 1825 and 1832.
JOHN FARRAR, son of Dea. Samuel Farrar, born July 1st, 1779, graduated 1803, was tutor from 1805 to 1807; and ap-
316
HISTORY OF LINCOLN.
pointed that year Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Harvard University, and yet continues in that office.
NATHAN BROOKS, son of Joshua Brooks, Esq. born October 18th, 1785, graduated in 1809, established himself in the pro- fession of law in Concord, represented the town in 1823, 1824, and 1825, and was Counsellor in 1829, and Senator in 1831.
NATHANIEL PIERCE HOAR, son of the Hon. Samuel Hoar, born September 2d, 1784, and graduated 1810. He read law with his brother in Concord, and commenced practice in his profession at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1813, where he soon obtained an extensive business. Being attacked by a fatal disease, he removed to his native town, and died deeply lamented, May 24th, 1820, aged 35.
THOMAS FISKE, son of Elijah Fiske, Esq., graduated 1819, read law, and began his professional business in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1826.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE STEARNS, son of the Rev. Dr. Stearns, born October 13th, 1793, graduated in 1820, studied divinity and was ordained at Stoughton, November 21st, 1827.
DANIEL MANSFIELD STEARNS, a twin-brother of the preced- ing, graduated at Brown University, 1822, and was ordained minister at Dennis, May 21st, 1828.
JOSEPH GREEN COLE, son of Capt. Abraham Cole, graduated 1822, read law with Gov. Lincoln in Maine, and is now settled in his profession at Paris in that state.
GEORGE FISKE, son of Elijah Fiske, Esq., born August 22d, 1804, graduated at Brown University in 1825, and is now Epis- copal minister in New-York.
HUMPHREY FARRAR, son of Humphrey Farrar, was born Sep- tember, 15th, 1773, and graduated at Dartmouth College, 1794.
JOSEPH FARRAR, born February 14th, 1775, brother to the above, graduated as his classmate, and studied law.
GEORGE FARRAR, graduated at Dartmouth College, 1800, brother to the two abovementioned, and is an eminent physician in Derry, New Hampshire, and Fellow of the New Hampshire Medical Society.
WILLIAM FARRAR, another brother, born October 2d, 1780, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1801.
317
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
MR. JOSEPH BROOKS died September 17th, 1759, aged 78. He was son of Joshua, and grandson of Thomas Brooks, the first American ancestor of the Brooks family. He acquired a respectable estate, as a farmer, and while living was distin- guished for his liberality. From him the church in Lincoln received a part of its communion plate ; and the town, the meet- ing-house bell, and the school fund. These, and several other acts of liberality, render his name deserving of lasting remem- brance.
HON. CHAMBERS RUSSELL, was son of the Hon. Daniel Rus- sell, of Charlestown, who died December 6th, 1763, aged 78, a member of the Council, commissioner of imposts, and treasurer of the County of Middlesex upwards of fifty years. His grand- father was the Hon. James, and great-grandfather the Hon. Richard Russell, who, in 1640, at the age of 29, came from Herefordshire, England, and settled in Charlestown, was a most eminent merchant, a member of the Council, and otherwise dis- tinguished. His mother was daughter of the Hon. Charles Chambers. He graduated at Harvard College in 1731, and soon settled in that part of Concord which is now Lincoln, on tlie estate of his father-in-law, which has since been known as the Russell, Codman, and Percival estate. He represented the town of Concord several years in the General Court ; and was the chief instrument in obtaining the act of incorporation for the town of Lincoln. After this town was set off, he was eight times elected its representative. In 1759 he was chosen a Counsellor, just a century from the time when his great-grandfather was chosen to the same office. He was appointed, September, 1747, Judge of the Court of Admiralty, and at his death sustained that office, and also that of Judge of the Superior Court. He died without issue, according to the Lincoln records, at Guilford, in Surry, England, 24th of November, 1767. He married Mary Atkins, who died in Lincoln, 13th of August, 1762.
HON. JAMES RUSSELL, brother of the foregoing, was born in Charlestown, 5th of August, 1715, and succeeded to all the public honors of his respected ancestors, as a Representative,
318
HISTORY OF LINCOLN.
Counsellor, and Judge. He represented the town of Charles- town 13 years from 1746, was a Counsellor many years, and 16th of May, 1771, was appointed one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas. When Charlestown was invaded by the British in 1775, he removed to Dunstable ; and after his son · Charles, who inherited his brother Chambers's estate, left the country, he removed to Lincoln, where he lived fifteen or twenty years. This town is indebted to him for several valuable dona- tions. The expense of the poor-house, erected in 1786, was principally borne by him. He married Katharine, daughter of the Hon. Thomas Graves, a descendant, of the third generation, from the Hon. Thomas Graves, who arrived in Salem in 1629, and soon after settled in Charlestown. She died in Lincoln 17th of September, 1778, aged 61. He died in Charlestown. His children were Hon. Thomas, a most eminent and opulent mer- chant of Boston ; James, who went to England; Dr. Charles, Harvard College, 1757; Chambers, who died in S. Carolina ; Katharine, who married Mr. Henly of Charlestown ; Rebecca, who married, first, Judge Tyng, and secondly, Judge Sewall ; Margaret, who married John Codman ; and Sarah and Mary, who died single.
HON. ELEAZER BROOKS, was the son of Mr. Job Brooks, and a descendant of the fourth generation from Capt. Thomas Brooks, one of the first settlers of Concord, was born 10th of September, 1727, and died 19th of November, 1806, aged 79. His grandfather was Daniel, and great-grandfather Joshua Brooks. His father was a respectable farmer, and intended his son for the same employment. The circumstances of the times, when he lived, were such, that his education did not equal that of many of his contemporary young farmers, which at best was very ordinary. Considering that he was self-instructed, his future intel- lectual improvements were truly remarkable. He early discovered indications of talents ; and, before the great work of the Revolution commenced, he was called into office. He was appointed, by Governor Barnard, a Lieutenant of a foot company in Lincoln, 11th of May, 1768, and a Captain by Hutchinson, 13th of July, 1773; by the Council, a Colonel of the 3d regiment, 14th of February, 1776, and a Brigadier-General, 15th of October, 1778,
319
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
and to the same office under the new constitution, 22d of August, 1781. He commanded a regiment of the Middlesex militia at the battle of White Plains, in 1776, and at several other times appeared in the camp, where he distinguished himself for his cool and determined bravery. The laborious duties, which his mil- itary office imposed during the revolutionary war, were performed with great ability and decision. He was often chosen a member of the town's committee of safety, and the state's committee of secrecy, was a member of the Provincial Congress in 1774, and was afterwards annually a member of the General Court or executive Council till 1800. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1777 ; and on the 27th of March, 1786, a special Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He was delegate to the convention at Cambridge in July, 1779, to form the con- stitution, and at Boston, in 1788, to ratify the Constitution of the United States ; and in various other places, during his public life, his services were put in requisition. After being 27 years a public man, he declined, in 1800, being a candidate for the suffrages of his fellow-citizens, and retired to private life. As a military man, he was brave, patriotic, and considerate in designing, but expeditious in executing his plans. His habits of thought and action were systematic and correct ; his indus- try untiring. By a judicious improvement of his faculties, by reading, conversation, and reflection, he compensated for the neglect of his early education. Possessing the confidence of his associates in public life, he acquired great influence, and his opinions were much respected. But for nothing was he more respected than for his strict probity, real goodness of heart, and exemplary piety. He united with the church early in life, and was chosen one of its deacons in 1794. In all his important trusts he set a noble example of what may be accomplished by a judicious application of one's own powers of mind, and left a character worthy of remembrance and imitation.
CHAPTER XX. HISTORY OF CARLISLE.
General History. - Miscellaneous Notices. - Ecclesiastical History.
THE internal party divisions in Concord, occasioned principally by the religious controversies from 1740 to 1750, originated several projects for separate societies and districts. From this cause Lincoln was incorporated ; and an unsuccessful attempt was made by the inhabitants of the Nine Acre Corner to be set off. The northerly part of Concord also had several times petitioned the town for a separation ; and though liberty was not granted, a petition was presented to the General Court, and Carlisle was incorporated as a district of Concord, April 19th, 1754. The ostensible reason for this petition was " be- ing remote from the public worship of God." The bounds began at the mouth of Ralph's or Sawmill Brook, on Concord River, southeasterly of Capt. Jonathan Buttrick's house, and run westerly over Gravel Hill, by Daniel Cole's (now Mr. Clark's,) to Acton line, including the Temple farm; from thence on the . old bounds of Concord, between Acton and Billerica, till it came to Concord River, including Blood's farms, and by the river to the place first mentioned. These bounds included about one quarter of the present limits of Concord.
The first meeting was held at Joseph Adams's, May 3d, 1754, when John Hartwell was chosen District Clerk, and he and Messrs. John Green, Joseph Adams, Jonathan Puffer, and William Fletcher, Selectmen, and Dea. Ephraim Brown, Trea- surer.
The first object of the inhabitants was the selection of a site on which to erect a meeting-house. This was a peculiarly fruit- ful source of difficulty. The discordant materials, which could not agree while connected with the town of Concord, were found equally fond of disunion here. Their proceedings are, perhaps, more a subject of curiosity, than utility ; yet, as they caused
321
GENERAL HISTORY.
the dissolution of the district, and throw light on the history of those times, they are worthy of being transmitted and remembered.
The selection of a site for the meeting-house was first brought before the district 2d of May, 1754, considered, and referred to the next meeting. July 17th, it was agreed to select a conve- nient place on Lt. Jonathan Buttrick's plain. October 9th, a committee was chosen to take a plan of the district and find its centre. This survey was made by Capt. Stephen Hosmer. On the 13th of the same month, Messrs. John Varnum of Dracut, Jonas Prescott of Westford, and Samuel Dakin of Sudbury, were chosen a committee to view the district, and select a place where to build a house. Five men in the east and five in the west part were a committee to wait on those gentlemen. They reported January 1st, 1755 ; but not agreeably to the wishes of the district. January 22d, voted to build on Capt. J. But- trick's land. March 3d, Messrs. Jonathan Puffer, Thomas Davis, and Samuel Heald, were chosen a committee to petition the General Court for an increase of territory on the south line as far as Concord river. April 30th, voted to build on " Poplar Hill." June 3d, four places proposed to the meeting were re- jected. July 9th, a committee was chosen to petition the Gen- eral Court for a committee to select a spot. January 27th, 1756, voted to build, but to refer the selection of a place to the next meeting. February 3d, voted to build on Capt. Buttrick's plain. March 1st, a committee was chosen to pur- chase two acres of land of Capt. Buttrick, and £50 was ordered to be raised towards the payment. April 6th, " chose Maj. John Jones, Esq., Col. William Lawrence, Esq., of Groton, and Maj. Ephraim Curtis, Esq., of Sudbury, to view all the circumstances of the district and prefix a place." It was surveyed by Maj. Jones, and a new plan taken. The committee reported that the most convenient place " is south 41 degrees west, 26 poles from the centre of the angles," which is on Poplar Hill. This report was accepted June 16th, and a committee chosen to pur- chase two acres of land there for the purposes contemplated. This however was not generally satisfactory, and another unsuc- cessful attempt was made to fix the spot on Dea. Brown's land.
In consequence of these unharmonious proceedings, the follow- ing petition was presented to the selectmen : -
41
322
HISTORY OF CARLISLE.
" We, the subscribers, being sensible of the great difficulties we labor under, and the great hardships we are unavoidably exposed to, if we are obliged, under such circumstances, as we are in at present, to build a meeting-bouse and settle a minister, and pay for highways, that will be necessary to accommodate the inhabitants, if we proceed according to the design of being set off; the situation of the district being such that but a small part of the inhabitants can be much better accommodated with the public worship in any place that has been proposed, than they are in the town of Concord ; - desire that you would call a meeting of the district, as soon as can or may be, to see if the district will not agree by their vote to petition the General Court, that said district may be set back to the town of Concord, with all our former privileges ; and choose a committee for that pur- pose. - Carlisle, June 24th, 1756. - Ephraim Stow, Samuel Laughton, Jonathan Puffer, Samuel Buttrick, Jr., Ephraim Mel- vin, David Whittaker, Phineas Blood, Ahrahan Temple, Eph- raim Whittaker, Jonathan Harris, John Laughton."
A committee was chosen July 14, 1756, to petition the Gen- eral Court agreeably to the views above expressed. The fol- lowing persons, however, remonstrated against it. Jonathan Blood, David Blood, Zaccheus Green, Nathaniel Taylor, Nathan- iel Taylor, Jr., Joseph Taylor, John Hartwell, David Parlin, Joseph Parlin, Jaines Russell, Leonard Spaulding, Timothy Wil- kins, John Green, Jr., James Russell, Jr.
An act was passed, January 11th, 1757, setting the district back to Concord, with all its former privileges. The necessary measures being taken for closing the concerns of the district, a vote was passed, " that none of the inhabitants be set off again into a separate town, district, or precinct, excepting such as shall hereafter sign a petition to the General Court to be set off."
During the existence of "Old Carlisle," as this incorporation is called, religious worship was generally maintained either at Dea. Brown's, Mr. Ephraim Smith's, or elsewhere. Money was raised to pay the expenses for schools and other usual municipal purposes.
After the occurrence of those unpleasant circumstances which led to the dissolution of Old Carlisle, no more definite attempts were made to obtain a separation, till about fifteen years after-
323
GENERAL HISTORY.
wards. During this time, however, the occasional preaching of the gospel had been supported, and a meeting-house was begun as early as 1760, though not completed before 1733. Several petitions were presented to the adjoining towns to obtain their consent, and one to the General Court by the inhabitants of Blood's farms and the extreme parts of Concord, Acton, Chelms- ford, and Billerica ; and an act was passed April 23th, 1780, incorporating them as a district of Acton, by the name of Car- lisle.1 This act provided that one sixth part of the expense of maintaining the north bridge in Concord, should be paid till another be built by themselves ; and that all the poor within the district should be supported there. It also provided, that the farins of Thomas Brown, Nathan Buttrick, Oliver Barron, Samuel Kibby, John Blood, and Willard Blood, of Concord, living within the limits prescribed by the act, should be exempted, and con- tinue to belong to Concord, unless they should within one year " insert their names in the Secretary's office, that they choose to belong to Carlisle." These families had not petitioned for the act; and, agreeably to the vote passed at the dissolution of Old Carlisle, they were exempted from its operation. They never left their names with the Secretary, and still belong to Concord. Hence arises that zigzag, crooked line, which runs round these farms, and now separates Concord from Carlisle. An act passed March 1st, 1733, to annex David Parker to Chelmsford, and another September 12th, 1780, to annex Josiah Blood to Concord.
The first meeting took place May 8th, 1780, when Phinehas Blood presided as moderator, and the customary officers were chosen.
After the incorporation of the district, the inhabitants bore with cheerfulness their proportional part of the burdens of fur-
1 The line run, beginning on land belonging to Issachar Andrews on Concord River ; thence, north 60° west, 36 rods ; n 99 w., 62 rods ; n. 58º w., 40 rods ; n. 32º w., 245 rods ; n. 27° e., 150; n. 36° w., 115 rods ; n. 603 w., 90 rods : n. 52º w., 162 rods ; north 22° east, 18 ; n. 68° w 382 rods ; south 6.º west. 368 rods ; south 3º east, 235 rods ; south 75° west, 260 rods; s. 1º w., 172 rods ; south 7º east, 435 rods ; s. 58° e 107 rods ; s. 79º e., 515 rods ; s. 64° e., 600 rods, to Concord, and by the river to the bounds first mentioned.
324
HISTORY OF CARLISLE.
nishing men, money, and provisions to prosecute the revolutionary war to its close. On the 30th of May, 1730, seven men were raised for the continental army, and six more on the following February. When the subject was brought before the district, a committee was chosen to procure the men, and Capt. Samuel Heald embodied the men then present, to see if any would enlist, but none volunteered. The district was then divided into six classes to procure one in each class. One man was sent to Rhode Island in 1781, and three more to the Continental army. Committtees of safety were regularly chosen.
On the 6th of June, 1804, the district voted, that "it is ex- pedient to be disconnected from the town of Acton." Jonathan Heald, Esq. was chosen to present the subject to the General Court, and an act was passed, February 18th, 1805, conferring on the district all the privileges of a town.
Since this period the general history of the town, is doubtless familiar to the inhabitants ; and no event of importance has taken place to render it expedient to pursue it further.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. The surface of the town is gen- erally uneven and rocky, though there are no considerable eleva- tions ; and the soil is unfavorable to agriculture. Concord River washes its eastern bounds ; and a brook arising in Heat Pond in Chelmsford, runs easterly through the north part, which affords sites for two or three small mills. The principal employment of the inhabitants is agriculture. There is one physician, one store, two taverns, and a few mechanics' shops to accommodate the immediate wants of the inhabitants.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.