USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Boxford > The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years > Part 26
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
# Born in Middleton, Feb. 27, 1826. Son of Berry and Betsey (Ray) Perkins. Was sick and unable to do military duty most of the time. Was employed as nurse in the hospital at Fortress Monroe, Va., and Newbern, N.C. Discharged by reason of physical disability, June 2, 1862.
§ Born in Boxford, June 8, 1845. Son of Albert and Hannah (Hayward) Perley. Went in Gen. Banks' division to New. Orleans ; from thence to Baton Rouge. Wounded in right arm in battle at Port Hudson, May 27, 1863. Arrived home Aug. 23, and mustered out of service Sept. 3, 1863. Re-enlisted in the Heavy Artillery, Aug. 26, 1864. Died in Danvers, April 21, 1877.
|| Born in Georgetown, Mass., April 4, 1837. Son of Elbridge and Sarah (Kimball) Perley. Service, same as S. H. Batchelder's. Died of fever, Aug. 16, 1863.
T Born in Boxford, Aug. 19, 1840. Brother to the above. Went in Gen. Banks' division to New Orleans ; was sick and unfit for duty ever after he left New York on his passage out. Died on the Mississippi River, on his way home, Aug. 3, 1863, near Helena, Ark., where he was buried.
58
F
Priv.
George W. Peabody,+
M. June 11, 1861.
M. Sept. 22, 1861.
M. Sept. 25, 1862.
M. Sept. 19, 1862.
323
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
NAMES.
ENLISTED AND MUSTERED INTO SERVICE.
PERIOD OF SERVICE.
REGIMENT.
COMPANY.
ENLISTED
POSITION.
William E. Perley,*
| E. Aug. 2, 1862.
1
3 yrs.
35 F |Priv.
Thomas A. Perley, t
\ E. Aug. 24, 1862.
9 mos. 50 A
Enoch K. Robinson,¿
, E. Aug. , 1862.
3 yrs.
35|F
/ M. Aug. , 1862. ( E.
1
12|«
66
Leonard C. Savage, ||
JE. Nov. 19, 1861.
1
30 C
66
John Sawyer, AT
? MI. July 28, 1862.
1
1
48| B
-
* Born in Boxford, Oct. 2, 1842. Brother to the preceding. Was in battle at South Mountain, Sept. 14, and Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862. Was at capture of Jackson, Miss., May 14, at surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, and in battle at Knoxville, Tenn., Dec., 1863.
t Born in New-York City, Sept. 15, 1845. Son of Augustus and Adeline Perley. Service, same as S. H. Batchelder's.
# Born in Boxford, Nov. 16, 1842. Son of Benjamin and Rebecca F. Rob- inson. Enlisted as one of the quota of Newburyport. Sick in the hospital most of the time. In June, 1863, was in Portsmouth Grove Hospital, R.I. Remained there until Dec. 31, 1863 ; was then removed to McDougal Hospi- tal, Fort Schuyler, N.Y. Had a pass of three days to come home, June 2, 1863, and another in October. Had a furlough of eight days to come home Nov. 25, 1863.
§ Born in Boxford, April 2, 1840. Son of William and Mary O. Rugg. from Lancaster, N.H. Had been engaged in ten battles up to June, 1863, Taken prisoner by the rebels at battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863; and imprisoned on Belle Island. Lives in California.
| Born in Boxford, April 27, 1839. Son of Johnson and Mary Savage. Went in Gen. Butler's division to New Orleans. Died at Salisbury, N.H., Dec. 30, 1864.
T Born in Boxford, June 5, 1843. Son of John and Elizabeth L. Sawyer. Was detailed as one of the Ambulance Corps, 1863. Taken prisoner, and died at Andersonville Prison, Aug. 7, 1864.
** Born in Boxford, July 2, 1846. Son of Calvin and Elizabeth (Pearce) Smith. Was sick and unable to leave Massachusetts with his regiment ; went soon after as far as Fortress Monroe, Va., but was unable to go farther ; went into the Hospital Chesapeake ; staid eleven weeks ; then sent home by the surgeon, June 8, 1863. Mustered out of service, Sept. 3, 1863. Re-enlisted in 2d Heavy Artillery, 12th Co., Nov. 16, 1863 (mustered ten days after), as a veteran volunteer ; and Jan. 1, 1864, was stationed at Fort Pickering, Salem, Mass.
1
1
33 F
Charles L. Smith, **
( E. Sept. 20, 1862. M. Sept. 24, 1862.
1
William H. Rugg,§
/ M. Aug. 2, 1St2.
( M. Sept. 15, 1862.
/ M. June 26, 1861.
I M. Nov. 19, IS6I. ( E. July 28, 1862.
324
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
NAMES.
ENLISTED AND MUSTERED INTO SERVICE.
PERIOD OF SERVICE.
REGIMENT.
COMPANY.
ENLISTED
POSITION.
George C. Smith,* Sylvester C. Smith, t Aaron Spofford,#
E. Sept. 23, 1861.
3 yrs.
23
G
Priv.
E. Nov. 19, 1861.
M. Nov. 19, 1861.
E. June 11, 1861.
I2 E
M. June 26, 1861.
E. Aug. 9, 1861.
1
19
A
6 E. July 17, 1863.
¡ M. Aug. , 1863.
( E. Aug. 2, 1862.
1
33
H
¿ M. Aug. 2, 1862.
* Born in Boxford, March 17, 1836. Brother to the preceding. Was in all the battles that the Twenty-third Regiment was in, up to May 1, 1863. Was at Newport News, Va., Dec. 31, 1863. Was in front of Petersburg from April 13 to Aug. 15, 1864 ; then went to Newbern. · Left for home, Sept. 27. Mustered out of service, Oct. 13, 1864.
t Born in Boxford, March 21, 1844. Son of Erastus and Judith A. Smith. Went in Gen. Butler's division to New Orleans, La. Was sick most of the time after he went out. Steward in United States Hospital, New Orleans, April, 1863.
# Born in Boxford, April 20, 1833. Son of Aaron and Betsey F. Spofford. Killed in last battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30, 1862.
§ Born in Boxford, Nov. 30, 1834. Brother to the above. Was in battle on the Peninsula; in the seven-days' battle before Richmond ; wounded in battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862; and entered the hospital, where he remained until Oct. 12, when he again joined his regiment. The following is an incident of the battle of Antietam : Phineas F. Spofford, an elder brother and a regimental officer in the Rebel army, acting colonel at the close of the war, was stationed in that portion of the Southern army that was in direct antagonism to the Nineteenth Massachusetts Regiment, in which his brother Daniel W. served. Learning the fact that his brother Daniel was one of his opponents, an interview was effected; and together they spent the night following the battle in a neighboring barn, reviewing the past and present situation, and recalling the memory of their brother who had previously fallen a victim to the fratricidal strife.
| Born in Boxford, April 9, 1843. Son of Charles A. and Sarah H. Spofford. He enlisted in the Second Heavy Artillery, 8th Co., July 17, 1863 ; July 15, he was drafted, but the news of the draft did not reach him until after he enlisted. Detailed to go to Alexandria as guard, September, 1863. Was stationed on Long Island, Boston Harbor, Mass., unfit for duty, Jan. I, 1864.
T Born in Fall River, Mass., April 15, 1846. Son of Daniel Sullivan. Died at Lookout Valley, Tenn., of chronic diarrhea, March 1, 1864.
C
66
Daniel W. Spofford,§
M. Aug. 11, 1861.
5
Hervey M. Spofford, | David M. Sullivan, AT
M. Sept. 23, 1861.
30
325
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
NAMES.
ENLISTED AND MUSTERED INTO SERVICE.
PERIOD OF SERVICE.
REGIMENT.
COMPANY.
ENLISTED
POSITION.
John N. Towne,*
E. July 21, 1861.
M.
1861.
3 yrs.
14
D
Priv.
Samuel E. Twisden,t
( E. Aug. 1, 1862. M.
IS62.
33
H
Philip A. Welch,¿
E. May , 1861.
I2 D
Henry Williams,§
E. April 22, 1861. M.
2| C |Cor.
Only five men, as far as we have ascertained, were in the navy from Boxford, whose names, services, &c., we give, viz. :-
I. John Canavan. Entered service, Aug. 9. 1864, on steamer Rhode-Island.
2. Michael Doyle. Born in Boston. Entered service, July 4, 1861. Enlisted on board the receiving-ship Ohio, then went on board the Pensacola, in which ship he served till he was discharged at the expiration of two years.
3. William Langdon. Entered service July 26, 1864, on the ship Ohio. Substitute for Mr. William P. Cleaveland. Discharged July 8, 1867.
4. Michael Ney. Entered service Sept. 15, 1864. Sub- stitute for Mr. Horace Berry. Discharged Aug. 15, 1868.
5. Benjamin Stone Twisden. Born in Lynn, March 5, 1838. Son of Samuel and Hannah Twisden. Entered service, 1861. First served on steamer Huron ; was trans-
* Born in Salem, Nov. 24, 1816. Son of Jacob and Hannah Towne. He was detailed from the regiment, July, 1863, as provost guard to take charge of the drafted men on Long Island, Boston Harbor, Mass. Lives in George- town.
t Born in Lynn, Dec. 1, 1844. Son of Samuel and Hannah Twisden. Went in Gen. Hooker's division in the Army of the Potomac.
# Born in South Berwick, Me., 1844.
§ Born in Pennsylvania. Was in Gen. Banks' retreat, 1862. Was in battle of Cedar Mountain ; and Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862. Sick from Dec., 1862, to March, 1863.
--
M. July , 1861.
326
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
ferred to steamer Connecticut, which plied between New York and New Orleans. Taken sick, and sent to the hos- pital at Brooklyn, N.Y., where he died of disease of the throat, Nov. 24, 1862.
The following men were drafted at Lawrence, July 15, 1863, but never entered actual service. They, or most of them, were stationed for about a month at the fort in Salem. The facts regarding their discharge, &c., will be found in the footnotes. Some of them were already in the service, one was dead, two were non-residents, and one was re- placed by a substitute.
Martin L. Ames,¿ Charles R. Anderson,* John G. Bailey, ; George E. Carleton,; Franklin E. Day,§§ Joshua G. Day,# Joseph K. Farley,; Charles O. Foster,; Roscoe W. Gage,; John Hale, jun.,}; John G. Harriman,} Alonzo J. Henly, |||| George P. Hobson, ** Daniel H. Keezer, || Henry J. Kimball,; Herbert C. C. Morse,¿ Samuel G. Morse,¿ Gilman P. Parker,¿ John V. Robinson,§ Enoch K. Robinson,¿ David M. Spofford,}; Thomas L. Spofford,} Albert W. Stevens, ++ William G. Todd,## Oliver B. Welch, AT and William H. Wood .;
The Rebellion is so recent, that the recital of the incidents connected with the various battles in which our volunteers took part is needless.
Adjutant-Gen. Schouler, in his History of Massachusetts
* Exempted by the Board of Enrolment, Aug. 19, 1863.
t Exempted Aug. 20.
¿ In service.
|| Exempted Aug. 3 ; non-resident.
§ Exempted Aug. 31.
T Exempted, Aug. 22.
Dead.
tt Exempted.
# Replaced by a substitute, Aug. 25.
Il || Commuted for Aug. 28.
§§ Exempted by the Board, Aug. 7 ; non-resident.
- Rebellion Record : Boxford.
.
IN FINDAY JF
WAR OF IBA
FACCETIO BY THE
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
327
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
in the Civil War, says: "There were no commissioned officers from Boxford. Ninety-two men were in the ser- vice, a surplus of five over all demands."
The whole amount of money appropriated and expended by the town on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was $10,756.35. State aid paid in 1861, $367.60 ; in 1862, $1,170; in 1863, $1,184; in 1864, $1,097.71 ; and in 1865, $1,150.
The ladies of Boxford were active all through the war, in adding to the comfort of the soldiers at the front, and forwarded through the Sanitary and Christian Commissions on several occasions underclothing, quilts, pillow-cases, dried apples, jellies, newspapers, and other comforts for the sick and wounded.
In 1874 Jonathan Tyler Barker, Esq., gave the West Parish $1,000 toward the erection of a soldiers' monument. Various persons in the town added the necessary amount of money, and a granite monument was erected in the spring of 1875. Its whole cost was $2,017.19. It was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 29, 1875, with appropriate cere- monies. The height of the monument is about twenty feet, and the base four and a half feet square.
The following is the inscription on the front face of the monument : -
IN MEMORY OF OUR PATRIOT SOLDIERS. WAR OF 1861. ERECTED BY THE MUNIFICENCE OF THE LATE
J. TYLER BARKER
OF NORTH ANDOVER. 1873.
328
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
The following inscription is on the right-hand side : -
WEST BOXFORD NAMES.
A. SPOFFORD JR DIED
AUG 30th 1862
S. H. BROWN DIED OCT 3d 1862
C. W. COLE DIED MARCH 3d 1863
T. P. PERLEY DIED AUG 4th 1863
C. L. FOSTER
8th 1863
A. K. PERLEY
66 16th 1863
J. R. CHADWICK SEPT 5th 1863
H. C. C. MORSE MAR 13th 1864
G. H. GAGE
MAY 10th
J. G. DAY
|JUNE 8th
J. F. COLE
13th
D. BUTLER
SEPT 13th
H. A. KILLAM
OCT 14th
D. M. ANDERSON " MARCH 8th 1869
The West-Parish names are continued on the back, as follows :
WEST BOXFORD NAMES.
GEO. E. CARLETON. DIED. JAN. 27th 1875.
The following is the inscription on the left-hand side, containing the names of the dead East-Parish soldiers : -
FIRST PARISH NAMES.
M. L. AMES DIED SEPT. 8, 1864
J. Q. BATCHELDER " OCT. 17, 1862
O. F. CURTIS " JUNE 8, 1864 A. A. FRYE " DEC. 27, 1861
W. A. GURLEY " MAY 22, 1863
M. HALE " AUG. 15,
H. HALE " FEB. 6,
T. A. MASURY
6, “
J. SAWYER JR " AUG. 7, 1864
L. C. SAVAGE " DEC. 30,
D. M. SULLIVAN " MARCH I, "
B. S. TWISDEN
" NOV. 24, 1862
329
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
It will be seen by these inscriptions that the names of the East-Boxford soldiers were also added.
At a parish-meeting held May 2, 1875, it was “ Resolved, that the members of this parish will ever cherish a grateful remembrance of the generosity of the late Mr. Barker in thus making provision for the erection of a monument . in memory of the soldiers, resident in this parish, who fell during the recent civil war. Their hope is, that the daily sight of this monument, while serving to keep alive a sentiment of gratitude for Mr. Barker, and for the soldiers whose patriotism and bravery it commemorates, will also quicken their love for the common country, and the dispo- sition to labor for its good." - Records of Second Parish.
During the beginning of the Rebellion a number of the regiments of the Massachusetts volunteers were ·quartered on the old training-ground near the past residence of Mr. Charles C. Stevens, their quarters being known as Camp Stanton. This fact has given Boxford more notoriety, perhaps, than any thing else of equal importance. The same ground has been used from time to time for more than a hundred years for the same purpose. In 1868, the annual muster was also held here; and, though the governor endeavored to obtain the use of the ground for the like purpose again, the town voted against it because of the soldiers' depredations upon their vegetable-gardens and hen-roosts.
William Dale, Surgeon-General of the State of Massa- chusetts, says, " Boxford is the most patriotic town in the Union, i.e., according to the number of inhabitants." By this reliable testimony, which is but another witness to the fact, it is proved that the law of hereditaments is true, and the feeling that put life into the acts of our patriot sires was prominent in their posterity to the third and fourth generation. Several of those who suffered and bled in the Rebellion are still with us; and that philanthropy
330
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
and love of country which guided them in that hour of danger should be reverenced and blessed by those for whom they fought. Loyal indeed were those hearts that first conceived the celebration of Decoration Day ; and noble will be those who will assist in the annual anniver- sary, as generation after generation passes along old Time's path.
CHAPTER XV.
1860-1879.
REV. MR. COGGIN'S PASTORATE. - HIS DISMISSION AND MINISTRY. -FIRST-CHURCH COVENANT. - REV. MR. GAMMELL SETTLED. - NEW EAST-PARISH PARSONAGE. - "MARY ANN PEABODY SUNDAY-SCHOOL LIBRARY." - REV. MR. PARK'S DISMISSION AND MINISTRY .- REV. CHARLES M. PEIRCE SETTLED. - HIS DISMISSION AND MINISTRY. - TYLER'S BEQUEST TO THE SECOND PARISH. - HIGH-SCHOOL BEQUEST. - UNITED-STATES CIRCUIT COURT JURYMEN. - KIMBALL AND SAWYER'S MILL. - WEST- PARISH PARSONAGE. - REV. JAMES MCLEAN SETTLED. - HIS DISMISSION. - REV. CHARLES L. HUBBARD SETTLED. - SECOND- CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL. - ORDINATION OF A DEAF-MUTE. - HARRIMAN'S HALL, STORE, AND POST-OFFICE. - PARKHURST'S STORE. - PUBLIC LIBRARY. - MUSICAL TALENT. - BOXFORD BRASS BAND. - NEW BUSINESS PLACES. - OCCUPATION OF THE INHABITANTS. - POLITICS. - POPULATION.
A S pastor of the First Church, Mr. Coggin saw its numbers and spirituality augmented. Retaining the love and confidence of his people, the twenty-fifth anniversary of his settlement was observed May 9, 1863, with appropriate exercises. The neighboring ministers, special friends of the pastor, and many others were present, and assisted in making it an interesting and happy day. The audience was large and appreciative. The memorial address delivered by the pastor upon that day was published, and forms the only published production of his pen that we have seen. After this time his health began to fail, and, when two or three
331
332
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
years more of service had passed, he felt that he must not be confined to the pulpit and the other duties incumbent upon a pastor's life. Therefore, Nov. 3, 1867, he sent in a formal letter expressing his desire to be dismissed from his position. Mr. Coggin was accordingly granted his dismission, which was to take effect on the 9th of the following May (1868). His farewell sermon was preached May 3, 1868. During his ministry of thirty years, one hundred and seventy-four persons united with the church.
Among the resolutions passed by the church on account of Mr. Coggin's leaving the ministry is the following :-
" Resolved, That in reviewing the thirty years' ministry, now nearly closed, we have abundant reason for gratitude to the great Head of the Church, for sending us one who has labored so earnestly and faithfully to promote the temporal and eternal good of this people, and for crowning his labors with so good a degree of success ; and, in the prospect of parting with our pastor, we pledge our best wishes and earnest prayers, that his health may be strengthened and con- firmed, so that he may yet for many years be useful in the Church and in the world ; that his last days may be his best days, and that he may finally be gathered with those who, having 'turned many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars forever.'"
The following are extracted from the resolutions passed by the parish to the same purport as the above :-
" Resolved, That we recognize in our beloved pastor, our spiritual guide and teacher, a man who has ever been faithful in his Master's service, not failing to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men hear or forbear. In his pastoral relations with this people we shall ever cherish the most grateful and pleasant recollections of him as a Christian gentleman. His ever-ready sympathy and his uniform urbanity is most aptly expressed by the poet, -
'In his duty prompt at every call, He watched and wept, he prayed and felt for all.'
" Resolved, That, while reviewing the pleasant relations between our pastor and his flock, we would especially recognize in his beloved partner one who, by her active co-operation with her husband, has been greatly instrumental in producing results so felicitous.
333
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
" Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Coggin and his excellent partner will ever retain a strong hold upon the love and respect of this peo- ple; and it is our earnest desire and prayer that life's evening with them both may be crowned with Heaven's richest blessings."
We would not add to the above resolutions. They con- tain a plain description of the character of Rev. Mr. Coggin as a minister and as a gentleman. Content to live with the people of his charge, he still remains among them, sometimes officiating in the pulpit, and pursuing his pas- toral visits, though under the name of friendly calls, the same as in the past.
Rev. William Symmes Coggin was son of Rev. Jacob Coggin of Tewksbury, where he was born, Nov. 27, 1812. His mother was Mary Symmes, a lineal descendant of the first minister (Rev. Thomas Symmes). He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1834, at the age of twenty-two years. He married Miss Mary Clark ; and, having no children of their own, they adopted their young nephew, Samuel Kidder Coggin (son of his brother David Coggin), who was drowned while skating, Dec. 16, 1857.
Feb. 19, 1868, the following confession of faith and covenant, which is yet in use, was adopted by the First Church :-
" CONFESSION OF FAITH.
" Recognizing the unity of the Church of Christ in all the world, and extending to all true believers the hand of Christian fellowship, we confess with them our faith in these great fundamental truths in which all Christians should agree.
" We accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God, composed by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
"We profess our faith in one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, - the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of all.
"We confess the common sinfulness and ruin of our race, and acknowledge that it is only through the life and expiatory death of Christ that any are justified before God, receive the remission of sins, and, through the presence and power of the Holy Comforter, are delivered from the power of sin, and perfected in holiness
334
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
"We believe in an organized and visible Church ; in the ministry of the Word; in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper ; in the resurrection of the dead ; and in a future judgment, the issues of which are eternal life and everlasting punishment.
" COVENANT.
" Accepting this faith, you do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, solemnly avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your God, the supreme object of your affections, and your portion forever ; you con- fess with sincere contrition your sins against his law and love; you trust alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, his only Son, for pardon and redemption ; and, relying upon the promised help of the Holy Spirit to keep you to the end, you consecrate yourselves unreservedly to a life of love to God and man."
Shortly after Mr. Coggin's resignation, the parish ex- tended an invitation to Rev. Sereno D. Gammell of Charlestown, which was accepted July 1, 1868.
Rev. Mr. Gammell was accordingly ordained over the society, Sept. 9, 1868. The following were the exercises of the ordination : Invocation, and reading of the Scrip- tures, by Rev. Anson McLoud, of Topsfield ; sermon, by Rev. J. E. Rankin of Charlestown ; ordaining prayer, by Rev. E. N. Kirk, D.D., of Boston ; charge to the pastor, by Rev. William S. Coggin ; right hand of fellowship, by Rev. B. F. Hamilton of North Andover ; address to the people, by Rev. C. B. Rice of Danvers; and concluding prayer, by Rev. David Bremner.
Rev. Sereno Dwight Gammell, born in Charlestown, Mass., March 2, 1842, was son of Rev. John and Susan W. (Mayhew) Gammell. His mother belonged to the family of that name whose missionary life on Martha's Vineyard is well known. Mr. Gammell entered Amherst College at the age of eighteen years, in 1860, and graduated in 1865; then entered the Theological Seminary at An- dover, and graduated in 1868. His collegiate course was somewhat broken by his service in the Rebellion. He
EAST-PARISH PARSONAGE.
335
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
at first enlisted as a sergeant in Company E, Forty-seventh Regiment, M.V., and was afterwards first lieutenant in Company F, Fourth Regiment, M.V., Heavy Artillery.
Rev. Mr. Gammell still occupies the pulpit, with the prospect of years' continuance in the future. During his ministry to Jan. 1, 1879, sixty-two persons have been admitted to the church, a large part of them by profession. May his ministry of the truth redound with glory to the Deity !
For the convenience and necessity of a parsonage, steps were taken in 1869 for procuring a fund with which to build one in the East Parish. The money was quickly subscribed, and a nice, commodious, and substantial dwell- ing, with other necessary buildings, were built the next year. The following is a copy of the subscription-list (many others, whose names are not included, lent their own manual labor and teams to the work) : -
Mrs. Sarah Sawyer . . $500 00 | Deacon John K. Cole . $75 00
William N. Cleaveland .
360 00
Samuel Andrews and sis-
Capt. Samuel Kimball . 350 00
ters
50 00
Solomon W. Howe 50 00
Edward Howe 50 00
Jacob P. Palmer
50 00
Charles Sawyer .
100 00
Samuel N. Ayers
50 00
Deacon Samuel Bixby
100 00
Major William Low
50 00
Daniel Andrews 100 00
William Sawyer
50 00
Benjamin S. Barnes
100 00
Isaac Hale
50 00
Jefferson Kimball .
100 00
Henry Newhall . 26 24
Augustus E. Batchelder . 100 00
Leverett S. Howe 25 00
Daniel Gould
100 00
Charles C. Stevens
25 00
Israel Herrick
100 00
William A. Howe
25 00
Messrs. Byam and Carl-
William E. Killam . 25 00
ton
100 00
Peter Strout .
12 50
Major Samuel Perley . 100 00
Total
$3,723 74
Moses Dorman and wife 300 00
Deacon Julius A. Palmer 300 00
John Sawyer . 300 00
The Sunday school connected with the First Church have a library of two hundred and fifty volumes. It was
336
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
the gift of Mary Ann Peabody, an earnest Christian worker, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Bradstreet) Pea- body, who died Jan. 22, 1865 ; and is known as the " Mary Ann Peabody Library."
April 9, 1859, Rev. Mr. Park resigned his charge over the Second Church and Society. A council was convened May 4, when, on account of the inability of the society to pay more than a mere nominal salary, his request was granted. He preached his farewell sermon on the first sabbath in June, 1859. Mr. Park's labors were judicious, faithful, and unremitting ; and under his hands the church had been materially enlarged and strengthened. The cir- cumstances under which he found it, on account of the age and infirmity of Dr. Eaton, were disadvantageous ; and, under the severe embarrassments with which his pastorate had been prosecuted, his measure of success is evidence of " rare devotion, zeal, and patience, as well as wisdom." * The people were reluctant to dissolve the connection be- tween them, but necessity compelled them to do so. He continued to occupy the pulpit some time after, and has ever since occasionally preached there. He still continues to reside near to the church, where he has a private school for young men, and is also engaged in literary labors.
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.