USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1868, with a genealogical register of Lexington families > Part 7
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
The records are full of this distinction of "North Side " and "South Side." A constable, for instance, was chosen one for the " North Side " and one for the " South Side." The Valuations and the Tax bills were made out for these sides respectively. All this would naturally tend to divide the people into geograph- ical parties. Add to this the rivalry between two leading and influential families, the one situated in one division of the town, and the other in the other, would of course increase this feeling.
Consequently we find the Bowmans and the Reeds pitted against each other in most of the important elections. And this division was so equal that one would prevail one year, and the other the next. Bowman and Reed, and Reed and Bowman, appear on the record almost in regular succession. This division between the different sections of the town - the Bowmans against the Reeds - the House of York against the House of Lancaster, would naturally lead to some management, if not between the rival candidates, at least between their friends. Third parties in such cases will occasionally step in, and take the prize from both the contending parties. Something of this kind, if I have not misapprehended the spirit of the record, occurred in some instances in the town of Lexington. The offices con- tested seem to have been those of Moderator, First Selectman, and Representative, especially the latter. Probably the contest for Representative gave rise to the following vote, passed at the May meeting, 1739.
" Voted, That ye person who shall be chosen to represent ye town at ye Great and General Court, shall immediately engage to serve ye town as Representative at ye above said Court, for six shillings a day ; which person then chosen, viz., Mr. Joseph Fassett, accepted ye choice upon ye above said vote."
This serving as a representative at a reduced price, appears to have given Mr. Fassett a peculiar popularity ; for the next year he was chosen moderator, first selectman and representative ; and thus, for a short period, he threw Joseph Bowman, Esq., and Captain William Reed, into the shade. But popularity founded on such a basis proved in this case, as it generally does, of short duration ; for after three years he was dropped, and
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then Captain Reed was elected several years in succession to represent the town.
A representative in those days must have been an officer of more dignity than at present, if we are to judge by the manner in which it was heralded forth by our fathers. The article in the warrant for 1739 for the choice of representative reads as follows : " To elect and deputise one or more persons to serve for and represent them at or in a great and general court or assembly, appointed to be convened and held and kept for his Magisty's service at the court house in Boston."
In 1740, the people of Lexington were called to mourn the loss of their junior pastor, when he had just completed the sixth year of his ministry. As there was a general feeling of satis- faction when he was called to share with his venerable father the labors of his profession and the affections of his people, so there was a unanimous feeling of regret that the father was so soon deprived of the aid and support of his affectionate son, and the parish of their devoted minister. Rev. Ebenezer Han- cock was highly respected and esteemed by the people, and his loss was severely felt.
In 1729, a small portion of the territory of Lexington had been set off to form the town of Bedford, and in 1744, sundry inhabitants of Concord, Weston and the westerly part of Lexington petitioned the General Court to be erected into a precinct ; but the town chose Joseph Bowman, Esq., Captain William Reed and Deacon John Stone to oppose the prayer of the petition, which they did effectually at that time.
On the 6th of December, 1752, the people of Lexington were deprived of their beloved and venerable pastor, Rev. John Hancock, who had with great ability and faithfulness ministered to them for more than fifty-three years. As we shall speak of the character of Rev. Mr. Hancock more particularly under the head of the ecclesiastical history of the town, we will simply say here that his services were justly appreciated by his people, who sincerely deplored his sudden death. They had long wit- nessed his growing infirmities, or perhaps more properly, his increasing years, and had taken the precaution for several years to choose a committee to supply the pulpit in case of the inability 10
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
of Mr. Hancock to discharge his wonted duties. But that committee had no occasion to look abroad for a supply ; for their venerated pastor was able to perform every duty of his sacred office to the very day of his death. The people had also mani- fested their attachment to him, and their regard for his welfare, by adding to his salary, from year to year, so at least as to make up for the depreciation of the currency ; and when he was called hence by a sudden dispensation of Providence, they manifested their respect for his memory and sympathy for his family, by convening the town and adopting the following votes : -
" At a meeting of the frecholders and other inhabitants, regularly assembled on December 7, 1752, -
" Then made choice of Deacon Brown, moderator.
" 1. Voted, Two Hundred Pounds old tenor for a decent burial of our Reverend and Beloved Pastor, Mr. John Hancock.
"2. Chose Mr. Daniel Tidd, Mr. Benjamin Smith, Lieutenant Ebenezer Fiske, a Committee to go down and provide things for said funeral.
"3. Voted, That said Committee should give Madam Hancock and her children the offer of the Town Grant for the funeral, if they see cause to take up with it, and they provide said funeral.
"4. Toted, To choose a Committee to provide at Madam Hancock's house, and assist there at the funeral, viz .: Mr. Joseph Bridge, Mr. Joseph Tidd, Mr. Thaddeus Bowman, Mr. John Hoar, and Mr. Joseph Loring.
" Voted, That Mr. Samuel Bridge should provide five hundred bricks, in order to brick said grave."
The Committee appointed to provide for the funeral of Mr. Hancock presented a bill to the town of £219, which was readily allowed. I will state one item of their bill, as it casts light upon the manners and customs of that period : "Granted an order to pay Mr. Jacob Hurd £4.01.01, it being in full for six rings for ye Bearers of our Reverend and Beloved Pastor, Mr. John Hancock."
After the death of Mr. Hancock, the town chose a committee, consisting of Deacon Joseph Brown, Deacon John Stone, William Reed, Esq., Captain Benjamin Reed and Mr. Isaac Bowman, to provide for the pulpit till others should be chosen ; and they instructed said committee "to make dilegente inquire after a gentleman suitable to settele."
After hearing Mr. Stearns, Mr. Barnes and Mr. Putnam a
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few Sabbaths each, the town voted, April 8, 1754, "to keep a day of fasting and prayer on the 25th of the above said April, in preparation for a choice."
The church and society, in June, 1754, invited Mr. Aaron Putnam, who, in consequence of the want of unanimity in the call, declined the invitation.
After receiving the negative answer from Mr. Putnam, Mr. Willard, Mr. Minot and Mr. Clarke were employed a few Sabbaths each ; when, on the 19th day of May, 1755, the inhabitants were called together to see if they would concur with the church in giving Mr. Jonas Clarke an invitation to become their minister. The result is thus stated in the record : -
"Ye Congregation eoneurred so far as they brought in 51 yeas ; but there were 16 nays.
"Then the Town voted, £133.06.8 settlement for Mr. Clarke in case he settled with us as our Pastor,-the one half of sd sum to be paid in six months after his ordination,-the other moiety, eighteen months after his ordination.
" Also voted eighty Pounds to be his yearly salary for to support him in ye work of ye ministry in this Town.
" Voted, That the said Mr. Clarke, in case he takes up, and is settled as our pastor, shall forever as such, quit all manner of elaim, title or interest in or unto any part of ye Ministerial land in this Town."
After some further negotiation in relation to granting him a number of cords of wood, in addition to the eighty pounds, offered as his annual salary, the church and congregation agreed to vote together on the question of giving him a call, and on counting the yeas and nays it was found that seventy had voted in the affirmative and only three in the negative. The town also voted to furnish Mr. Clarke twenty cords of wood annually, in addition to his salary.
The preliminaries being thus settled, the 5th of November, 1755, was agreed upon for the ordination, and the churches in Cambridge, Newton, Medford, Sherburn, Watertown, Lincoln, Weston, and Waltham, were invited to assist in the ordination. To use the language of Mr. Clarke himself, "The Elders and Messengers of most of said churches appearing in the morning, and having chosen the Rev. Mr. John Cotton, Moderator, they
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
proceeded, earnestly imploring the divine Blessing, unto Ordina- tion. The Rev. Mr. Lawrence beginning the solemnity with prayer ; the Rev. Mr. Appleton preached, the Rev. Mr. Cotton gave the Charge, and the Rev. Mr. Cook the Right Hand of Fellowship."
Thus was the town of Lexington, after being destitute of a settled minister nearly three years, blessed with a pastor, whose subsequent labors and character showed that he was a pastor indeed, guiding his people safely both in temporal and spiritual things, during his life, and leaving a name which will be fondly cherished by every patriot and every Christian. The name and services of Rev. Jonas Clarke are so interwoven with the history of Lexington, that we shall have occasion frequently to allude to him hereafter.
In 1734, John Flint and others residing in the southeasterly part of Concord, in the southwesterly part of Lexington, and in the part of Weston adjoining, petitioned the General Court to be set off from these towns respectively, and be incorporated as a town or precinct. This was successfully resisted at the time ; but the petition was renewed the following year. Lexington chose a committee consisting of Francis Bowman, John Mason, and Joseph Brown, to oppose the prayer of the petitioners. In their remonstrance, dated September 10, 1735, they allege that many within the territory were opposed to the petition, that some who had signed the petition were "very unqualified per- sons," that most of the petitioners from Lexington constantly attended church there, that they had voted to settle Rev. Eben- ezer Hancock, and ought to remain and help pay him, that the roads were being improved, and that they were well accommo- dated as they were. The remonstrants prevailed again, as they had the preceding year.
But in 1744, a similar petition found favor with the Court, and a precinct was created, granting, however, the privilege to several persons within the territory, to be exempt from its opera- tion, if they should so elect. In 1753, Chambers Russell, Esq., and others within the territory, were chosen a committee to petition the Legislature to be incorporated as a town. Capt. William Reed and Deacon Stone appeared for the town of Lex- ington to oppose the petition, but without success. On the 19th
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of April, 1754, the town was incorporated by the name of Lincoln. The name was given by Chambers Russell, Esq., after Lincolnshire, England, the residence of his ancestors.
The creation of this town reduced the territory and population of Lexington, and so impeded its growth. I find no accurate description of the line or the amount of territory taken from Lexington on the public records. But Josiah Parker, one of the assessors of Lexington for that year, and who from his long experience in that office, was well qualified to judge, and whose intimate acquaintance with the premises and the whole subject enabled him to know the facts, has left under his own hand the following important document in the archives of the State.
LEXINGTON, May 27, 1754.
The following is an account of that part of the town of Lexington, which has lately been taken from us, and now makes a part of a new township known by the name of Lincoln.
The whole number of acres in Lexington was, 11,000
Out of which is taken,
974
The number of polls was,
215
Out of which is taken,
14
The Valuation of said town was,
. £ 6,000
Out of which is taken,
£ 372 4s.
Lexington's Province tax in 1753 was,
£ 55 10s.
Of which those taken paid, .
£ 3 5s. 6d.
What is taken off of Lexington is computed to be about one-sixteenth part of said town ; as to the number of aeres it is about one-eleventh part.
JOSIAH PARKER, Assessor.
The line of Lexington formerly included the places where Mr. Gregory Stone, Mr. Leonard Hoar, Mr. Nelson, and several others of Lincoln now reside.
In 1756, there was a warm controversy relative to a choice of Representative. The selectmen were arraigned before the Gen- eral Court, charged with improper conduct in managing the town meeting. The selectmen vindicated their course, and the whole affair ended in calling another meeting, and electing a Represen- tative.
There are many little incidents occurring in a community, and many things which find their way upon public records of but
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
little moment in themselves, which nevertheless show the spirit of the times, the feelings of the people, and the motives by which individuals and bodies of men are actuated. Of this character are the following :
At a meeting of the frecholders, May 7, 1756,
" Benjamin Reed, Esq., paid to Mr. James Stone, Town Treasurer, ye sum of £5 4. 0. it being ye wages, he received for ye time he did not actually attend the General Court last year."
At a meeting of the selectmen, June 28, 1755,
" The Seleetmen appointed Mr. Cornelius Mead to see that brute crea- tures that dye of any distemper, be buried according to a law of the Province."
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Lexington, held March 7, 1757, the following note was handed to the Moderator.
" To the Inhabitants of the Town of Lexington,
" Gentlemen,-Ye Public expenses in general, and those of this Town in particular, being at present not small, if you will accept of the sum of six pounds, thirteen shillings and fourpence, of my salary for the present year, you will greatly oblige, Gentlemen, your sincere friend and hearty well- wisher,
" JONAS CLARKE."
At a town meeting held May 14, 1757,
. " Voted, That whoever shall be chosen to represent ye Town at ye Great and General Court this year, shall return into the Town Treasury, all ye money that shall be made up in ye General Court's list for the representa- tive, above three shillings a day for attending at ye Great and General Court ; and except ye person chosen doth promise to return said money as aforesaid, the Town to proceed to ye choice of another."
This vote was repeated several years in succession, and such was the patriotism of the age, that men enough were found willing to serve their country at that reduced rate.
About the time of the settlement of Mr. Clarke, the town appointed a committee to repair their meeting house ; and as one improvement naturally makes way for another, they were im- pressed with the idea that their bell was not sufficiently large to bring in a congregation, commensurate with the capacity of the
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house. This feeling prevailing, at a town meeting held June 15, 1761,
" Mr. Isaac Stone came into said Meeting and gave the Town a Bell to be for the Town's use forever - which Bell was there, and weighed Four Hun- dred and Sixty Three pounds - for which the Moderator in the name of the Town, returned him thanks."
" Then Voted, To hang ye Bell on ye top of ye Hill upon ye south side of Lieut. James Munroe's house. A Committee was chosen to ereet a convenient building on ye aforesaid Hill to hang ye Bell on.
" Voted, To take timber from the ministerial land for said building."
It appears that the town took a deep interest in this liberal gift of Mr. Stone, and resolved to use it in a manner calculated to fill the eye, and please the ear, as far as practicable ; for at an adjournment of the meeting two days after, they
" Voted, To case the Bell free with white pine boards.
" Voted, To cover ye roof with pitch pine and shingle it.
" Voted, To leave it to ye Committee, to let out ye Bell free by ye great, or by ye day as they think best."
The following year the committee rendered their account for building this " Bell free," which amounted to £ 21 12s. 10}d.
But the attention of the people to the new bell and the " Bell free," did not, it appears, render them unmindful of the meeting- house itself ; for at a town meeting held March 14, 1763, they voted "to couliour ye Meeting House att ye back of ye Pulpit the same couliour the Pulpit is coulioured."
In speaking of the pulpit and preacher, we should not forget the school house and the school master. They are kindred insti- tutions, and cannot safely be dissevered. Up to 1714 the schools were kept in private houses, but at that time a school house was erected in the centre of the town, and schools were established in the out-parts of the town, kept generally by females. As it is proposed to treat of the public schools of the town in a separate chapter, I will only say here, that our fathers, ever true to the great cause of education, have made suitable provision in all portions of their history to educate the rising generation. In this town from year to year, money has been appropriated to be expended under committees appointed for the purpose, so that the children and youth might be fitted for usefulness. In fact it
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
In 1748, there were three Lexington men in the service ; in 1754, four ; in 1755, there were twenty-three; in 1756, twenty- four; in 1757, thirty-three; in 1758, nine; in 1759, six ; in 1760, forty ; in 1761, five, and in 1762, twenty-eight. The rolls of the service are imperfect at best. Some of them are lost, and others are so dilapidated that many of the names are illegible. Besides, many of the rolls do not give the name of the town where the soldier resided. Under these circumstances it is impossible to give a full list of those who were in the service. The true number must have been greater than stated above. Enough however is known to justify the statement that Lexing- ton was not behind her sister towns in responding to the calls of the country. In fact few, if any towns, numbering only about six hundred inhabitants, and remote from the scene of danger, sent forth a larger number of men.
The effects of these exhausting wars must have been great upon every town in the Province. Nothing retards the growth of population like war. Of the soldiers called into service, those who fall in battle make but a small part of those lost to their respective towns. Many fall a prey to discase, and many more to the vices of the camp and the habits of roving and idle- ness, and so never return to their respective towns. Besides, the soldiers in the field generally belong to the producing class, so far as population is concerned. Many young men return com- paratively poor, and so are not in a condition to support a family ; consequently if they marry at all, marry late in life. I mention these things to account for the fact that the population of Lex- ington was nearly stationary, during the French and the Revolu- tionary wars.
There are many things in the manners and customs of those days which appear singular to us. The system of " Warning out of town," is among them. The General Court had author- ized towns to take this precaution, to prevent strangers from becoming a town charge as paupers. The practical working of this system was this : when any family or single person, even to a domestic in a family, came into town, the head of the family, or person owning the premises, was required to give notice to the selectmen of the names and numbers of the new comers, the place whence they came, the date of their coming into town, and
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their pecuniary condition. If the selectmen thought there was danger of their becoming a public charge, they caused them to be warned to leave the town, and to have a caution, as it was termed, entered with the Court of Sessions. This matter appears on our records as early as 1714, when " Capt. Joseph Estabrook was authorized to request the Honorable Court of Sessions in June next, to enter cautions against Daniel Cutting and wife, Sarah Cook, and Johanna Snow, that they might not be bur- thensome to Lexington." In 1722, Daniel Roff with his family were ordered to depart out of Lexington. We will add a few specimens of these notices.
" LEXINGTON, Jan. 6, 1761.
" To the Selectmen. Gentlemen : These are to inform you that on the 19th of December last past, I took widow Elizabeth Sampson, as a house- keeper, from Harvard, that being her last place of residence; she being under good circumstances.
" John Bridge."
" To the Selectmen of the Town of Lexington.
" Gent: . These are to inform you that I have received into my house to reside with me, Abigail Stone, on or about ye 12th of May. Her last place of residence, Woburn. Her circumstances I believe are low.
" James Robbins." " May 29, 1762."
" At December Court, 1760, Caution was entered against Edmand Dix, Hannah Stockbridge, Ann Hodge, and Hannah Ross, as the law directs."
"Widow Abigail Whittemore informs that on the 26th day of Decem- ber, 1755, she took into her house as inmates her son-in-law, Nathaniel Whittemore, with his wife and child, under poor circumstances. They came from Lincoln. She informed, Jan. 5, 1756."
" At a meeting of the Selectmen, Aug. 27, 1744, Allowed Constable Daniel Brown, 3 shillings for warning Richard Hutchinson out of town.
" Also ordered the Clerk to draw a warrant and give it to the Constable to warn Archabal Mackintosh and his family, forthwith to depart out of Lexington."
These examples, which are taken promiscuously from the records, show the manner in which business was done at that time, and the general supervision which the authorities took of public, or as some might say, private affairs. It seems by the
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
examples that a gentleman could not hire a man to live with him, or a girl to work in his family, or allow a tenant to occupy his house, or a house under his care, without giving notice thereof to the selectmen. And it is worthy of remark that these notices have been given of the incoming of certain individuals, who have afterwards become some of the most respectable and influ- ential men in the town. Some of the young women whose ingress into town was thus publicly heralded, won the hearts of some of the permanent residents, and became the mothers of some of Lexington's most honored citizens. And when the calls of our country required the services of her patriotic sons, several of the very men who had been " warned out of town," were among the first to obey the call. Whether these measures were wise or unwise, I will not attempt to decide; but will ven- ture the remark, that such regulations would not cheerfully be acquiesced in at the present day.
The ground on which this rigid policy was justified, was that the town might be apprised of immigration into the township, · so that they might warn them out, and thereby prevent their becoming a charge as paupers in case they should need assistance. This rule was so strictly adhered to, that persons having ser- vants come to live with them were compelled, either to send them out of town, or give bonds that they should never become a town charge. I will mention one case which may serve as a specimen : In 1769, William Reed had a negro servant named Pompey, and he gave a bond to the town in the sum of fifty pounds. Having the instrument before me, I will cite its terms : -
"The Condition of this obligation is such, that if the above Bounded William Reed, his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, shall from time to time, and at all times forever hereafter, saue ye town of Lexington harmless, from any charge arising for the support or maintenance of his negro man servant, named Pompi; then this obligation to be void and of none effect. But if otherwise, to stand and remain in full force and vertue.
"Signed, WM. REED." " In the Presence of " Benj. Brown.
" Thad. Brown."
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There is one important fact which should be stated in con- nection with this practice of giving notice of the arrival of strangers, and of warning them out of town through fear of their becoming a public charge : it was more benevolent and humane than a practice sometimes adopted after this regulation became obsolete. Many cases have, since that period, occurred where poor persons, coming into a town, have been fitted out with a small supply of food on condition that they should go on to another town ; and sometimes they have been taken, without any conditions or assent, and carried in the night time and set down within the limits of another town. Such practices savor of inhumanity, and show that our fathers had not, at that day, learned the true system of providing almshouses for the support and comfort of the poor and unfortunate.
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