Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 104

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America. > Part 104

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The east part of the town, originally a part of Topsfield, was set- tled by William Nichols, in 1652, and William Hobbs, in 1660, on the west side of Nichols's Brook. The claim on which these men settled was purchased of Mr. Bartholomew. These four families were the first English settlers of the present village of Middleton. Gould, Symonds, Peabody, Knight, Cave, and other families soon purchased land, and settled between Niehols's Brook and the river. The southern part of the town was a part of Salem, and included in that ancient distriet known as Salem Village. This was settled very early. The area, from the river to Dennison's grant, and from the Indian Bridge to the present Boxford bounds, was a part of Rowley, and later a part of Rowley Village (now Boxford), and early settled. The northern part of Middleton was a part of Andover, and settled by Stiles, Perkins, Peabody, and other families. Thus the town had been all taken up, and annexed to the towns of Andover, Boxford, Topsfield, and Salem, previously to 1700.

Middleton was originally ealled Will's Hill, after the hill of that name, and the inhabitants, " Will's Hill men." We speak, of course, of the time before the town had any legal existence.

The families in the vieinity of Will's Hill, having inereased in num- ber, in 1726 petitioned the several towns of which they were mem- bers to be separated in order to form themselves into a new and distinet town. This petition met with opposition at its first present- ment. At the annual meeting of the several towns in March, 1727, the petition was again presented, and again received the like recep- tion. The next year, also, with a similar result, with the exception of Boxford. Boxford agreed to their request. Topsfield "passed over " the article each year that the subject was brought before the town. However, a meeting-house had been begun in 1726, and the people were determined to be a town. After two years had elapsed in vainly endeavoring to persuade their respective towns to give them liberty to join together and form a lawful corporation, they laid their plans before the General Court, who listened to them much more readily than their own towns had. Their request was assented to June 20, 1728, on the conditions that they would support the ministry and a school. At the same time, in the House of Representatives, it was " ordered that m" Jonathan Fuller, a prinsapel Inhabitent of the Town of Middleton, be and hereby is fully empowered and directed to Asemble ye free holders and other Inhabitene of the said Town to Convene as sone as may be to Eleet and choose Town officers then to stand untel the annuail meting in March next." The Council con- curred with the House, at the same time. Mr. Fuller issued the necessary warrant, and the freeholders of the town, which, on account of its location probably, was called Middleton, met at the house of Dr. Daniel Felteh, on Tuesday, July 9, 1728, and held their first town-meeting. Lieut. Thomas Fuller was chosen moderator to govern the meeting. Edward Putnam was chosen town elerk ; Lieut. Thomas Fuller, Samnel Symonds, Thomas Robinson, Edward Putnam, and Benjamin Wilkins, seleetmen and assessors; Francis Peabody and Isaae Wilkins, constables ; Daniel Kenny, treasurer ; John Fuller, tithingman ; Joseph Fuller, Ebenezer Nichols, and Francis Elliot, Jr., surveyors of highways; Jonathan Fuller and John Howe, fence viewers ; Joseph Wilkins and Thomas Elliot, hog reeves ; Nathaniel Towne, school-master; and Nathaniel Carril, sealer of leather. It was also voted that the seleetmen should supply the pulpit with preaching. Ten days later, at another town-meeting, a committee was appointed to finish the meeting-house, and the seleetmen were ordered to lay out necessary roads, &e.

Mr. Putnam held the office of town elerk for four years. His suc- eessor, Francis Peabody, was chosen to the office in 1732. Peabody's

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successors in the office were : Daniel Wilkins, Jr., chosen 1736; Francis Peabody, re-chosen 1738; Edward Putnam, Jr., 1741; Francis Peabody, 1742. In later years, one person held the office for a longer period.

The town-meetings continued to be held at the house of Dr. Feltch during the year 1728 ; but, the meeting-house being completed, town- meetings were held in that during 1729 and the succeeding years, un- til the town-hall was completed in 1848. The site of this old resi- dence, thus rendered historically memorable, is plainly discernible at the present time, opposite the residence of Mr. Addison Tyler. It stood upon a slightly raised knoll, which was, nearly two centuries and a half ago, a bound between Salem and Rowley.

At the time of the incorporation of the town, there were one hun- dred and twenty-six voters, and a few over five hundred inhabitants. The north and east part of the town was then the most thickly settled ; now the centre. The families most numerous here at that time were the Wilkins, containing twenty-three voters ; the Putnam, twelve; and the Fuller, nine. The Burton, Hobbs, Robinson, Cave, Putnam, Carrol, Deal, Cheever, Lambert, Bayly, Buxton, Fry, Pope, Swin- erton, Prince, Gray. and Walcott families, living here at the time of the incorporation of the town, have become extinct or removed to other places.

Before Middleton came into existence as a town, roads had been laid out by the towns of Salem, Andover, Boxford, and Topsfield, of which towns Middleton formed a part. The first road was laid out about 1670. Middleton was the great thoroughfare, not ouly from Andover, but from New Hampshire and Vermont, and even Canada, to Salem market. The commercial business of Salem, in former days, was nearly equal to that of Boston, and drew her portion of the country trade. The first road that was laid out through the town came from Andover, near the Great Pond and Fish Brook, leading from the pond to the Merrimac River, where " Cochichowicke" (Andover) was first settled ; thence striking the north-east corner of Middleton, and passing through the woods to the " old Indian bridge " by the railroad crossing ; thence into Danvers, nearly as the road now is. But as settlements soon began further west, the North An- dover road was opened, running nearly parallel with the other, a mile or two further west, and uniting at the river; while, still later, another road came from South Andover, entering the west part of Middleton, and merging into the former about half a mile above Esty's Tavern, so called. The latter two roads were chiefly travelled, cx- cept in the very earliest settlement of the region. So great was the travel from the north to Salem that the Essex Turnpike was opened about the beginning of this century, extending nearly to Canada. This passed through Middleton, between the North and South Ando- ver roads, uniting with them just north of the present village. At the time of the opening of this turnpike, the commercial business of Salem was, probably, never more prosperous, and consequently brought an immense amount of travel through Middleton. And here many stopped at the large old tavern to recruit, after many days, travel, before entering the market. This tavern served the double purpose of a dram-shop for the townspeople, and a home for the weary traveller ; and hence the latter often had an opportunity to hear some of Middleton's most boisterous orators, and those of the same class from other towns near by, who loved large gatherings, and to pry into other people's business. This, no doubt, was done without ceremony. and carried on to the extent they had imbibed; and, as this state of things was not always relished by strangers, it caused them to stop either at Andover or Danvers.

Before the locating of the turnpike, most of the travel came down the north road which was a good road for those early days, with one exception. After arriving near the centre of the town, the road took a turn toward the south-west, continuing this course for about a mile, passing near the Great Pond. and passing over the river at the " Indian bridge." This crook in the highway was made to avoid a long causeway. This continued from the first laying out of the road, about the year 1670, till 1740, when the town applied to the county for aid to help them make this causeway passable. Failing in this, things remained as they were, to the great annoyance of the people of Andover, one of whom, Aaron Foster, offered, in town-meeting in Middleton, a proposition to keep the causeway in good repair for twenty years, for twenty pounds - date, 1794. A few years pre- vious to this time there were several gates and bars across this and other roads, passing from Andover through Middleton to Danvers and Salem.

Religious History .- At the time Middleton was incorporated those who were church members were connected with the three neighboring

churches of Boxford, Topsfield, and Salem Village. The Averills, the Nicholses, the Perkinses the Robinsons, the Curtises, who lived in the vicinity of Nichols's Brook, attended church at Topsfield. The Pea- bodys, the Stileses, the Elliotts, and the Symondses, who lived in the vicinity of the Boxford and Andover lines, attended meeting at Box- ford ; and the Putnams, Fullers, and Knights attended church at Salem Village. The Wilkinses, whom we have before mentioned as the most numerous, were about equally divided in attendance at Boxford and Salem Village.

A meeting-house had been begun, as we have before mentioned, in 1726. The ladies selected the site, so tradition says, which we are inclined to credit, as the selection (where the present church stands) was by far the most eligible of any in the vicinity. Notwithstanding, there were some discontented with the location, and, even after the frame was raised, a town-meeting was called to see whether it should not be removed. Very wisely, the town negatived the proposition.

The old meeting-house was framed of massive oak timber, about forty feet square, and two stories high. July 19, 1728, Lieut. Thomas Fuller, Jonathan Fuller, Benjamin Wilkins, John Burton, and Joseph Knight were chosen a committee to finish the mnecting-house, and also to receive subscriptions for defraying expenses of the same. After the ordination of Mr. Peters (their first minister), a committee, as was the custom, was chosen to seat the meeting-house. First, regard was to be had to old age ( ¿. e., above sixty years) ; and, second, to those who paid the highest rates. The first question was soon settled ; but the second was not so easily arranged, as the town valuation was not permanently fixed, and there was much doubt as to who were the wealthiest, and, consequently, who were in reality entitled to the highest seats ; hence a dispute arose which came near resulting in blows, which were stayed only with the view, probably, to settle the matter in some other way. Things remained comparatively quiet for a week or two, but one Sabbath morning an old lady wended her way very early to the new church, that she might be prepared in both body and mind for the worship of God ; but what was her consternation to see every seat demolished. In a mournful and despairing tone, she exclaimed : "If judgment must begin at the house of God, what will the end be?" &c. The town soon met and voted to rebuild them in a thorough manner, and if they were again torn down, each man should build up his own seat. This vote was effective ; no more trouble of this nature occurred. These seats were made of buttonwood plank, two and a half inches thick, for the ends, and three-by-four joist for the backs. There were wall pews, which were built with the house, and sold to individuals, in whose families they were retained till its destruc- tion, one hundred and twenty years afterward. This old house had many windows and doors. There was an east door, and a west door, both below and above, and a double front door, making five places of entrance. The windows numbered about thirty, which contained the small panes of the times. The clattering, after a few years, of the doors and windows in a windy day, nearly drowned the voice of the preacher.

The selectmen continued to hire ministers to preach to the people as they were ordered to do. Thursday, Feb. 13, 1729, was kept as a day of fasting and prayer, preparatory to calling a minister. On the 17th of the following month, the town having assembled for the first time at the meeting-house, it was voted to invite Mr. Andrew Peters, of Andover, to settle with them in the ministry ; - offering him, as his salary, £100, payable in Province bills, or " passable money," stipulating that his salary should rise or fall according to the value of money. They also voted him a " settlement" of £200. The " settlement " in those days was no small item ; and, as ministers re- mained for life, there was little of the shady side of pecuniary matters ; - on the contrary, they were usually able to bequeath some little property. On the 16th of September, the town again met and heard Mr. Peters's affirmative answer to their call. They then voted that his salary should be paid semi-annually ; they fixed as the time of the council, Nov. 26th ; - appointed Jonathan Fuller to entertain minis- ters, and Mr. Francis Elliot to entertain scholars (i. e., Cambridge students ). The 22d of October, the members of the different churches resident in Middleton met together and formed themselves into a distinct church ; drew up their covenant, and took as their "articles of faith," " the Confession of Faith owned and consented to by the Elders and Messengers of the churches assembled at Boston, May 12, 1680." The founders of the church numbered fifty-one - nineteen males and thirty-two females .- about half of whom were from the Salem Village church. About a month after the organization of the church, the day arrived for the ordination of Mr. Peters, and we may presume for the dedication of the new edifice. At the age of twenty-

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

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nine years, Mr. Peters was ordained to the gospel ministry in this place, Nov. 26, 1729.

John Berry and Samuel Symonds, the first two deacons, were chosen to that office at the founding of the church. Their successors in the office were : Edward Putnam, Jr., chosen, 1738; Samuel Nichols, 1749 ; Francis Peabody, Jr., 1756 ; John Flint, 1778 ; Samuel Symonds, 1780; Benjamin Peabody, 1794; John Nichols, 1794; Joseph Symonds, 1820; Joseph Peabody, 1821; David S. Wilkins, 1829; David Stiles, 1831; Allen Berry, 1840; William A. Phelps, 1857, James N. Merriam, 1868 ; and Edward W. Wilkins, 1874.

The Rev. Mr. Peters was a large, muscular man, of imposing ap- pearance. He lived in the rear of the old meeting-house, and the cellar of his house still remains. An ancedote, well authenticated, is related of him, which perhaps I ought not to omit. There was a man familiarly termed " Tim - " He was a rich man, and, cither on account of his riches or his natural disposition, was overbearing and insolent. I am inclined to think he might have become dissatis- fied with Mr. Peters ; perhaps, have lost confidence in him, as the modern phrase is, when one takes offence at his minister, and desires his dismission. Be this as it may, he was accustomed to interfere with Mr. Peters's negro-servant, as he drove his master's cows np the lane. The negro made complaints from time to time, and at length Mr. P. went to see his neighbor about it. After talking and using moral suasion to no purpose, and receiving only abuse, his indigna- tion was aroused. He accordingly took off his coat, laid it down upon a stump, and said, " Lie there, divinity, while I whip this rascal!" This species of argument was triumphant ; Mr. Peters's servant was never more molested. The stump which witnessed this whipping was near the house of Capt. Simon F. Esty, as stated by Deacon Symonds, who pointed it out within the remembrance of some now living.

After 1751, Mr. Peters occupied the pulpit only a part of the time. He grew more ill, but still preached as late as 1755; and died the following year, Oet. 6th, at the age of fifty-six years. Mr. Peters was son of Samuel Peters, of Andover, where he was born, 1700. He was a graduate of Harvard College. He was devoted to his call- ing, and the church evidently prospered under his ministry. The average number of admissions to the church, annually, during his pas- torate (beside its founders) was nine. During his entire ministry of twenty-seven years, 219 members were added to the church. His remains rest in Middleton.

Two years after Mr. Peters's death the Rev. Elias Smith, of Read- ing, then in his twenty-ninth ycar, was invited to succeed him as their pastor. The town voted him £160 for his settlement, and £73 6s. 8d. for his annual salary. His ordination occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1759, the sermon being preached by the Rev. Mr. Clark, of Dan- vers. After a successful ministry of about thirty-three years, this man of God left the temporal for the eternal world, Oct. 17, 1792, at the age of 61 years.

Mr. Smith was a faithful, devoted servant in his Master's service, and the church prospered under his care, 234 being added to it dur- ing his pastorate. He kept the church records very carefully, and it is affecting to traee, towards the close of his records, his tremulous pen.

Mr. Smith lived in what is now called the Kenny House. He was a native of Reading and a graduate of Harvard College. His re- mains lie in a tomb by his former dwelling. He once had an urgent call from a church in Marblehead, with a larger salary. His reply was that he " would not leave his little flock in Middleton for all Mar- blehead." Mr. Smith was chosen a trustee of Phillips Academy soon after his settlement, and so remained till his death. He was grandfather of George Pcabody and the late Col. Francis Peabody of Salem.

A few months after Mr. Smith's death a call was given to the Rev. Solomon Adams, of Acton, which was accepted. The town agreed to give him £200 settlement, and £90 salary. His ordination took place on Saturday, Oct. 23, 1793. At this time he was thirty-two years of age.

About 1810, Mr. Adams received a shock of palsy, causing his loss of health. He preached but little after he became feeble. Some- times one of the deacons would read a sermon, while Mr. Adams would perform the remainder of the service. He died Saturday, Sept. 4, 1813, at the age of 52 years. He and the Rev. Elias Smith sleep in the same tomb. Mr. Adams was born in Acton, March 18, 1762, and graduated at Harvard College, 1788.

The fourth minister was the Rev. Ebenezer Hubbard. Oct. 29, 1816, the town voted to give him $300 settlement and $500 salary.

He was installed over this church and society on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 1816, the installation sermon being preached by the Rev. Joseph McKean, LL. D., professor of Harvard University.

Mr. Hubbard was born in Marblehead, and graduated at Harvard College, 1805.

In 1831 a call was given to the Rev. Forrest Jefferds ; but the parish, desiring unevangelical preaching, refused to concur with the church. Accordingly, the church, who declined to further worship with the society, withdrew (with the loss of but a few members), leaving behind the meeting-house, communion furniture, fund, &c.

As soon as this separation took place, the dissenters, forty-eight in number, Dec. 16, 1831, requested Ezra Nichols, Esq., a justice of the peace, to warn such inhabitants as were competent and willing to form an " Evangelical Congregational Society," to meet at the house of Washington Berry, Dec. 22d, and there and then to organize said society, choose officers, &c. They met, organized the society, and chose the following officers ; viz., Joseph Peabody, 2d, moderator ; Ezra Nichols, clerk ; Andrew Merriam, David Stiles, and Allen Berry, prudential committee to hire preaching, &c.

Their meetings were first held in the " centre " school-house ; but this small edifice soon becoming inconvenient, because of its diminu- tive size, a meeting-house was erected, by the aid of the neighboring churches, at a cost of $2,185. The contractor was Jacob Dodge, of Wenham. The sum of $734.52 was raised by the society and $1,- 121.62 in the neighboring towns, to defray the expenses of building. The Home Missionary Society and the Essex South Conference con- tributed quite largely towards the support of preaching. Mr. Jef- ferds was settled over the new society, May 2, 1832, with a salary of $500. He continued in his pastoral duties here until April, 1844, when the society voted not to support him that year. The society was compelled to vote thus, being so poor that the money could not be raised for his support. Mr. Jefferds was born at Wells, Me., Aug. 4, 1794.

The sixth minister was the Rev. Richard Thurston Searle. He was ordained Thursday, May 8, 1845. His ministry was short; he asked for a dismission, which was granted Dec. 23, 1846.

The church was then without a pastor for four years, when the Rev. Jacob Augustine Hood was ordained, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 1850; sermon by the Rev. Dr. Brown Emerson, of Salem. Mr. Hood's salary was $550. He was well reecived, but his plainness of speech caused some to be dissatisfied. The contagion spread, and the result was his dismissal, May 17, 1854. He was faithful and much beloved. At his dismission, Mr. Hood made the society a present of $50. His farewell discourse, delivered June 25, 1854, was published in a pamphlet of twenty-one pages.

The eighth minister was the Rev. A. H. Johnson. He was ordained and settled over this society, Thursday, Jan. 1, 1857; sermon by Prof. Park, D. D. He resigned Oct. 5, 1861. The church would not agree to his resignation. He sent a second letter, dated Oct. 24. He was reluctantly dismissed Oct. 4, 1862.

The congregation having increased quite extensively, it was found necessary to enlarge their house of worship, and a part of the money was raised for that purpose, when the idea of a new house was con- ceived by a few, and a general helping hand was given to the enter- prise. The edifice was built in 1859, and dedicated, with sermon by the pastor, the Rev. Mr. Johnson, Nov. 30 of that year. The build- ing committee was F. P. Merriam, David Stiles, Jr., and William A. Phelps. Its cost, furniture included, $6,000.

The ninth pastor was the Rev. James M. Hubbard, of Norwich. He was installed April 5, 1865, and resigned Dec. 20, 1868.

The tenth minister was the Rev. Lucien H. Frary, of Andover. He was ordained Thursday, Oct. 7, 1869 ; sermon by the Rev. Prof. E. C. Smyth. He resigned Feb. 27, and was dismissed March 16, 1875. When Mr. Frary was settled, he moved into the new parson- age, which had been built at a cost of $3,300 : $1,400 had been raised by subscription ; $500 by a legacy of the late Miss Betscy Upton, who was for many years a member of this church, and the balance was hired.

After Mr. Frary's departure, a Mr. Norris, from the State of New York, preached here for a season, but declined settlement. The present pastor, the Rev. Amory II. Tyler, was installed Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1877, the sermon being preached by the Rev. Smith Baker, of Lowell. Mr. Tyler is from Monson, Me.

Military Matters. - After Middleton was incorporated, a company of militia was formed among themselves. Prior to this time, the inhabitants trained with the companies of the various towns of which they were a part. In 1734, a "town stock" of ammunition was voted

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to be kept in the meeting-house. Thirteen years after, a place was fitted up in the meeting-house for this purpose.

We find nothing on the records that points to any action being taken in regard to the French War, or the other Indian conflicts.

Middleton was so small a town, it is not to be supposed that she took any prominent part in the Revolutionary affairs. They non- conformed to the various oppressive acts of Parliament in common with the neighboring towns. Jan. 10, 1775, the town voted "to adopt the resolves of the Continental Congress and the Provincial Congress so far as they concern this town as a corporated body." They also vote to purchase half a barrel of powder and ball, and flints - a proper proportion of each. One hundred and two.of the Mid- dleton people subscribed £169 1s. to the inhabitants of Boston, who were suffering from the oppressive Port Bill.

Seventeen days previons to the adoption of the Declaration of Inde- pendence, the town "Voted unamsly that if the Connelty Congras declears independence up pon the kingdom of grat briten that we the inhabatance of middleton solomonly ingage with oner lives and fortens to sopert them in the mesuers so far as we are able."

A company of minute-men was formed here, which marched to Lexington, on the alarm of April 19, 1775, but arrived, however, too late to participate in the fight, either at Lexington or Concord. Many of the inhabitants entered the. service, and helped to achieve our national independence.

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Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 104

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett Number of Pages: 450

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450