Medford City (part 14 of 14)

The depressed condition of Medford in the first half century of its existence is plainly enough shown by the small proportion of the tax imposed upon the town under the general levy. It should be remembered, however, that the grants of land, some of them lying in Medford, made by the Genera! Court to Rev. Mr. Wilson, Matthew Cradock, and Mr. J. Newell, were exempted from taxation. In the records of the General Court, April 4, 1641, we find the following curious piece of legislation : " It is ordered that all farms that are within the bounds of any town shall be of the town in which they lye, except Meadford." Of course the income of the town was reduced by the amount ot such exemption. In a general levy of £600, in 1634, Medford paid £26 ; Charlestown, ,£45. In 1635, Medford paid ,£10, and Charlestown, £16. Winthrop tells us :

" To show a town-tax at this period, and also the names most frequently occurring in the town's records, we here insert ' a rate made bj' the .selectmen. May 16, 1701, for defraying town-charges ; namely, for the deputy, and the laying-in of ammunition, and for fetching and carrying Mr. Woodbridge, and the entertaining of him.'

As we follow down these records of assessments, we find a gradual increase in the number of tax-payers. The tax-list, in 1730 - one hundred years after the town's settlement - includes 98 names ; and, in 1798, we learn that there were 146 " occupiers of houses " who were taxed for more than $100 of property. We have tolerably good proof that Medford had in 1754, its share of men of substance, and could in that respect compare not unfavorably with the neighboring towns. In that year the General Court laid a tax on coaches, chariots, chaises, calashes, and riding-chairs. Medford had i chariot, 7 chaises, and 31 chairs . Cambridge, at the same date, had 9 chaises and 36 chairs ; Woburn, 2 chaises and 9 chairs ; Maiden, 2 chaises and 20 chairs.

The Indians seem to have played an unimportant part in the early history of Medford. Nanepashemit, the sachem of the Pawtuckets, is said to have taken up his residence on the Mystic near the close of his life, and was killed and buried therein 1619. He left three sons, of whom Sagamore John was the chief of that portion of the tribe which resided on the Mystic. Governor Dudley, writing in 1631, says: "Upon the River Mystic is situated Sagamore John ; and upon the River Saugus, Sagamore James, his brother. Both these brothers command not above thirty or forty men, for aught I can learn." Rev. Francis Higginson, in 1629, says of the Sagamores: "Their subjects, above twelve years since, were swept away by a great and grievous plague that was amongst them, so that there are very few left to inhabit the country. . . . The greatest Sagamores about us cannot make above three hundred men, and other less Sagamores have not above fifteen subjects, and others near about ua but two." Governor Winthrop states that, in 1633, Sagamores John and James, and most of their people died of the small-pox. Sagamore John was extremely friendly to the whites, and is thus kindly noticed in " New England's First Fruits :"

"Sagamore John, Prince of Massaquesers, was from our very first landing more courteous, ingenuous, and, to the Euglish, more loving, than others of them. He desired to learn and speak our language, and loved to imitate us in our behavior and apparel, and began to hearken after our God and bis ways, and would much commend Englishmen aud their God, saying, ' Much good men, much good God ; ' and being convinced that our condition and ways were better far than theirs, did resolve and promise to leave the Indians, aud come live with us, but yet, kept down by the fears and scofl's of the ludiaus, had not power to make good his purpose ; yet went on, not without some trouble of mind and secret plucks of conscience, as the seijuel declares ; for, being struck with death, fearfully cried out of himself that be had not come to live with us to have known our God better. ' But now,' said be, ' I must die. The God of the English is much angry with me, and will destroy me. Ah ! 1 was afraid of the scoffs of the wicked Indians. Yet my child shall live with the English, and learn to know their Gud, when I am dead. I will give him to Mr. Wilson : he is much good mao, and nmch love rae.' So he sent for Mr. Wilson to come to bim, and committed his only child to his care, and so died.*'

After the death of Nanepashemit, his wife, or Squa- Sachem, as she was called, succeeded to his authority. She married Webcowit, the medicine-man of the tribe, and, in 1039, she deeded to Charlestown a tract of land bordering on Medford, in terms as follows :

" The 16th of the 2d mo., 1039 ; Wee, Web-Cowet, and Squa Sacliem do sell vinto the inhabitants of the towne of Charlestowne all the land within the lino granted them by the Court (excepting the farmes and the ground on the west of the two great ponds, called Mislicke P'^nds), from the south side of Mr. Nowell's lott, ueere the upper end of the poods, unto the little runnet that commeth from Capt. Cook's mills, which the Squa reserveth to their use for her life, for the Indians to plant and hunt upon ; and the weare above the ponds they also reserve for the Indiana to fish at whiles the Squa liveth : and, after the death of Squa Sachem, she doth leave all her lands, from Mr. Mayhue's bouse to neere Salem, to the present Governor, Mr. John Winthrop, sen., Mr. Increase Noweil, Mr. John VVillson, Mr. Edward Gibbons, to dispose of, and all Indians to depart. And, for satisfaction from Charlestowne, wee acknowledge to have received, in full sattisfaction, twenty and one coates, ninten fathom of wampora, and three bushels of corn. In witness whereof, wee have here unto sett o'r hands the day and year above named.

The last remnant of the tribe which once held the lands of the Mystic, is said by Brooks, to have taken up its residence in " Turkey Swamp," in the northern part of Medford. The skeletons of five Indians were exhumed, from the grounds of the late Edward Brooks in West Medford, in 18(32, and many evidences of their former occupancy of the locality have been found in tools and weapons of stone.

Medford had a very contracted territory up to the middle of the last century, and embraced only the grants made to Mr. Cradock, in 1634 and '35 ; the lands granted to Wilson and Newell, 400 acres in extent, intervened between the eastern boundary of the town and Maiden River. On the north, its line fallowed the range of hills then called the " Rocks," parallel to, and one mile from the river. The Mystic Ponds formed the western boundary, and on the south, the town rested on the Mystic. The area of the town was about 2000 acres. Until 1640, Medford was surrounded by Charlestown, which then embraced the present territory of Maiden, Stoneham, Woburn, Burlington, Somerville and a part of the three towns of Cambridge, Arlington and Medford.

"Mr. Tynge, Mr. Samuel Sheephard, and Goodman Edward Converse, are to set out the bounds between Charlestown and Mr. Cradock's farm on the north side of Mistick River."

In 1687, the town appointed three gentlemen, who, in conjunction with three appointed by Charlestown, were directed to fix the boundaries between the two towns. The committee reported as follows :

"We have settled and marked both stakes and lota as followetb : From the creek in the salt-marsh by a ditch below Wilson's farm and Medford farm to a stake and heap of stones out of the swamp, then turning to a savin-tree and to three stakes more to heaps of stones within George Blanchard's field with two stakes more and heaps of stones standing all on the upland, and so round from stake to stake as the swamp runneth, and then straight to astake on the south side of the house of Joseph Blanchard's half, turning then to another oak, an old marked tree, theuce to a maple-tree, old marks, thence unto two young maples, new marked, aud thence to three stakes to a creek-bead, tbence straight to the corner line on the south side of the country road leading to [Maiden]."

Chafing within their narrow limits, the inhabitants of Medford made repeated efforts for the extension of their boundaries. In 1714, a committee was chosen to petition Charlestown on the subject of annexing certain districts. The petitioners ask " for some part of Charlestown .adjoining to Medford, on the north side of Mystic River." The same year, haying received, as is supposed, an adverse reply to that petition, they chose another committee to examine the Province Record.s, and see if Medford has any right to land lying in Charlestown, and, if so, to prosecute the same at the town's expense.

Again, in 1726, the town presented a petition to the inhabitants of Charlestown, praying that the lands on the north side of the Mystic River might be set off to Medford. This request was emphatically refused ; and, in 1738, another petition of the same import met with a like fate.

In 1734, the town voted to " petition the Great and General Court for a tract of the unappropriated lands of this Province, to enable the said town of Medford the better to support the ministry and the schools in said town." The record of the action taken on this petition is as follows :

" At a Great and General Court or Assembly for his Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay, in New England, begun and held at Boston, upon Wednesday, the 28th of May, 1736, and continued by several adjournments to Wednesday, the 19th of November following, -

"20 May, 1735 : A petition of the inhabitants of the town of Medford, showing that the said town is of the smallest extent of any in the Province, aud yet their town-charges extremely high, so that the maintenance of ministry and school is very chargeable to them, and therefore praying for a grant of some of the waste lands of the Province to be appropriated for the support of the ministry and schoolmaster in said town.

" In the House of Representatives, read and ordered that the prayer lit the petition be so far granted as that the town of Medford is hereby allowed and empowered, by a surveyor and chairman on oath, to survey and lay out one tlioitsand acres of the unappropriated lands of the Province, and return a plat thereof to this Court, within twelve months, for confirmation for the uses within mentioned.

Under this grant the town selected 1000 acres of land on the Piscataqua River. The tract was called the " Town's Farm," and was sold after a few years' possession. It was of small value.

The long-felt desire of the people of Medford for an increase of territory was at length gratified. In 1753 they presented the following petition to the Provincial authorities : iTo /lis Excelleucy, William Shirley, £!sg.. Captain- General and Governorin-Chief in and over his Majesty^ e Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England, to tlie Honorable his Majesty^s Council, and to the Honorable H<nUie of Itepresentatives, " The petition of the inhabitants of the town of Medford, in the land lying on the southerly and northerly sides of said Medford, which are bounded as follows ; viz., the southerly tract, lying ia Charlestown, is bounded northerly with Mistic or Medford River, westerly with the westerly bounds of Mr. Smith's farm, southerly with the southerly bounds of Mr. Smith's, Mr. James Tufts's, and Mr. Jonathan Tufls's farms, and then running from the south-easterly corner of said Jonathan Tufts's farm eastward straight to the westerly side of Col. Royal's farm, again westerly with the westerly bounds of Col. Boyars farm, again southerly with its southerly bounds, and then running from the southeasterly corner thereof, eastward, straight to Medford River.

"The northerly tract, lying also iQ Chaiiestown, is hounded southerly with said Medford's northerly line and the southerly bounds of Mr. Symnies's farm, westerly with the line that divides Mr. -Symmes's from Mr. Gardner's farm, northerly with Woburn and Stoneham lines, easterly on Maiden line.

" Which landp, with their inhabitants, we pray may be added to the contracted limits of the said town of Medford, together with a proportionable part of the said town of Charlestowo's rights and privileges, according to the quantity and circumstances of said lands: at least, these pieces of land, and the privileges, which are within the lands hereby petitioned for.

" And inasmuch as the said town of Charlestown has conveyed the land called the gravel-pit, with the marsh adjoining, containing about half an acre, that tbey used for getting gravel, laying timber, etc., for the southerly half of the bridge commonly called Mistic Bridge, and the * Causey ' thereto adjoining, to Capt. Aaron Cleaveland and Mr. Samuel Kendal ; for which consideration they have covenanted and agreed with the said town of Charlestown to keep the half of the bridge and the * Causey * aforesaid in good condition forever :

*' We pray, that, in case the before-described lands are laid to said Medford, it may not be subjected to any cost or charges on account of the before-mentioned part of said bridge and the Causey adjoining.

*'i^"r«(, The contents of the said town of Medford are exceedingly small, amounting to but about two thousand acres, the inhabitants very few, and consequently its charges very great, compared with other towns. Besides, as to brick-making, upon which our trading and a great part of our other business depends, it very much fails.

** Secondly, The said town of Cbarlestown almost encompasses the town of Medford, and therefore (notwithstanding the great necessity) it cannot receive large addition from any other town.

"Thirdly, Those that now dwell on the said tracts of land, and those who heretofore dwelt on them, have from time to time enjoyed the libeity of attending the public worship in Medford without paying any thing to the taxes there. Neither is there any probability that any of the inhabitants of^id lauds, or any other persons that may settle on them, can, with aoy conveniwncy, attend the public worship in any other town. Moreover, the inhabitants of the said southerly tract are within about half a mile of said Sledford meeting house, - the greatest part of them, - and the rest within a mile.

*' And thp inhabitants of the northerly tract before-mentioned are, the farthest of them, but about two miles from said meeting house. And great part of the lands in both the said tracts are now owned and possessed by those who are with us in this petition, and some of the inhabitants of said Medford.

" Besides, we apprehend it to be a very great hardship for the inhabitants of said tracts of land to be obliged to go, almost all of them, more than four miles, and others more than seven miles, to town-meetings, trainings, etc. t

" Furthermore, we would humbly move that some of the honorable members of the General Assembly may be appointed to view the premises petitioned for, etc.

" In consideration of what is before-mentioned, and other moving arguments that might be used in this affair, we hope your Excellency and Honors, in your great wisdom and goodness, will grant our [letition. Although the inhabitjints of said Charlestown have not been pleased to be so free (when petitioned) as to let us know whether they would gratify us herein or not.

said lands, and having dwelling-houses thereon, do hereby signify that we heartily join with the inhabitants of Medford in the foregoing petition.

This petition was granted April 17, 1754, and from that date the town entered upon a new and more prosperous era of its history. Under the act the boundaries of the town at the north were considerably extended, and its accessions on the south included all of its present territory, which lies south of the river. The area of Medford was more than doubled, and now embraced nearly six thousand acres. Since that time it has lost portions of its territory, which have at different times been set off to neighboring towns - to some of them on their formation. The present area of the town is about five thousand acres, or nearly eight square miles.

The organization of the municipal government of the Colonial towns in the early times was of the simplest sort. The population was small, nothing like the present elaborate system of public service was known, and little was done at the public charge. Medford was very peculiarly situated. Mr. Davison, Governor C'raddock's agent, was vested with full authority to conduct the affairs of the plantation, and, owing to the loss of the earliest town records, we cannot tell how soon the people took the management of their concerns into their own hands. Probably it was not till after the death of Mr. Oradock, in 1644. Among the earliest existing records of the town is the following entry touching the proceedings of a townmeeting :

" The first Monday of February in the year of our Lord IGVT, Goudnian .lolin Hall was chosen constable by the inhabitants of Meadford for the year ensuing. Joseph Wade, John Hall and Stephen Willis were chosen selectnien for ordering of the affairs of the plantation for the year ensuing. John Whitmore, Daniel Woodward, Jacob Chamberlain, John Hall,jun., Edward Walker, Walter Cranston, Patrick Hay, Andrew Mitchell and Thomas Killebrown, jun., took the oath of fidelity.

"To Mr. Stephen Hall, juu.. Constable of Medford, Greeting: You are hereby required, in his Majesty's name, to warn the freeholders and other inhabitants of Medford to meet at their meeting-house, the fii-st Monday of March next ensuing the date hereof, by eight o'clock in the morning, then and there to choose a constable, selectmen, town-clerk and other town-olhcers, as the law directs. And all persons to whom the said town is indebted to bring in their accounts, and lay the same liefore the said town. And the town-treasurer for said Medford Is hereby required to give said town at said meeting a particular account of the disposing of the said town's money ; and whatsoever else may be needed, proper, and necessary to be discoursed on and determined of at said meeting. Ilei'eof you may not fail, as you will answer your default at the peril of the law.

-'March 5, 1694: Caleb Brooks was chosen constable for the year ensuing. Major Nathaniel Wade, Lieut. Peter Tufts and Stephen Willis were chosen eelectnien. John Bradshaw and John Hall, jun., were chosen surveyors of highways. Ensign Stephen Franris was chosen tything-man. John Hall, sen., and Lieut. Peter Tufts, were chosen Tiewers offences ; and Stephen Willie, town-clerk,"

" At a town-meeting, legally convened in Medford, March 6,1710, Lieut. Stephen Willis, chosen moderator ; Peter Seccomb, chosen con stable; Ebenezer Brooks, John Hall and Samuel Wade, selectmen; John Whitmore, jun., and Thomas Dill, surveyorfi of highways; Benjamin Pejrce and Isaac Farwell, viewers of fences ; Ichabod Peirce and John Albree, wood-corders ; Nath. Peirce, hog constable. At said meet ing, Lieut. Thomas Willis was chosen tything-man and sealer of weights and measures. At said meeting, the selectmen were chosen asseesors for this year."

Andrew Hall, Esq., Capt. Samuel Brooks, Lieut. Stephen flail, jun., Zechariah Poole, Ebene/.er Brooke, a committee to manage the affair of obtaining some part of the lands now belonging to Charlestown, with the inhabitants thereon.

Joseph Tufts, Lieut. Stephen Hall, jun., Thomas Brooks, a Committee to audit the Town-treasurer's accfuints for the year iwiat, 1747, and the town's account likewise.

The inhabitants of Medford took a deep interest in the rights secured by the charter. In 1782 the town voted that "it was their desire that their representative should act with the greatest caution, and stand for the defence of the privileges granted us by his Majesty in the royal Charter."

The town maintained a thoroughly patriotic attitude in the stirring events which immediately preceded the Revolution, and from time to time entered vigorous protest against the oppressive acts of the British Government. After the passage of the Stamp Act (Oct. 21, 1765), the inhabitants of Medford held a public meeting and gave open expression to their sense of its unconstitutionality and injustice. A remonstrance, addressed to their representative, was adopted, in which they denounce the Stamp Act as "this most grievous of all acts, wherein a complication of those burdens and restraints are unhappily imposed which will undeniably deprive us of those invaluable liberties and priviliges which we, as freeborn Britons, have hitherto enjoyed. . . . Therefore we seriously enjoin it upon you, as our representative, that you be no ways aiding and assisting in the execution of said act."

That the town was in full sympathy with the action of Boston in resisting the importation of taxed tea is proved by the following vote, passed December 31, 1772:

" Voted that the thanks of the town of Medford be given to the respectable inhabitants of the town of Boston for their patriotic care and vigilance (manifest on several occasions) in endeavoring to preserve our civil constitution from innovation, and to maintain the same inviolate. And wedo assure them that our assistance shall not be wanting in the use of all such lawful proper measures as shall be thought expedient to be adopted for the preservation of our liberties, civil and religious."

A little later they expressed their sentiments upon the same subject in a series of resolutions adopted in town-meeting. A single extract will show their spirit:

*' That we will exert ourselves, and join with our American brethren, in adopting and prosecuting all legal and proper measures to discourage and prevent the landing, storing and vending and using those teas among us ; and that whosoever shall aid or assist said India Company, their factors or servants, in either landing, storing or selling the same, does a manifest injury to his counlr.y, and deserves to be treated with severity and contempt.

" That we are ready at all times, in conjunction with our American brethren, as loyal subjects, to risk our lives and fortunes in the service and defense of His Majest.v's person, crown and dignity ; and also, as a free people, in asserting and maintaining inviolate our civil and religious rights and privileges against all opposerswhatever."

A company of Medford men, fifty-nine in number, under the command of Capt. Isaac Hall, took part in the engagements at Concord and Lexington, and one of them, William Polly, was killed. The records of the town show that throughout the Revolution, Medford stood ready to make all sacrifices to bring the war to a successful conclusion, and we find frequent entries touching special taxation to meet the expenses of the war, the raising of the town's quota of men, and care for the families of the absent soldiers.

Besides furnishing its full quota of men to the Continental Army, Medford contributed three oflicers who rendered distinguished service to the patriot cau.se. Col. .John Brooks (afterwards Governor of Massachusetts) was born in Medford, May, 1752, where he early engaged in the study of medicine under Dr. Simon Tufts, and on acquiring his profession, settled at Reading. He had a natural fondness for military exercises, and held the position of major in the Colonial militia. He commanded a company of minutemen on the llHh of April, and was active in his jiursuit of the British troops. He received the commission of major in the Continental Army, and assisted in fortifying the heights of Dorchester. He was promoted to the rank of Licutenant-Cjlonel of the Eighth Massachusetts Regiment, the practical command devolving upon him, owing to the sickness of the Colonel. He distinguished himself by covering the retreat of the army at White Plains, and the value of his service was acknowledged by Washington, whose esteem and confidence he held unto the end. He was a proficient in military tactics, to the study of which he bad closely applied himself, and the regiment he commanded was distinguished for the superiority of its discipline. When Baron Steuben was appointed inspector-general of the army, Colonel Brooks was, by the order of Gen. Washington, associated with him in the duty of introducing a uniform system of tactics into the army. His gallant conduct at Saratoga was especially marked. At the head of his regiment, he stormed the entrenchments on the right flank of the enemy, and maintained his position against all attempts to dislodge him. This action compelled Burgoyne to change his position, and contributed in no small degree to his final surrender. At the close of the war he settled in Medford, and once more engaged in the practice of his profession. He was elected Governor of the Commonwealth in 1816, and held the office for seven successive terms. The purity of his character, and the eminent service he had rendered his country and State, aa a soldier and civilian, gained for him universal esteem. He died in 1825.

Col. Ebenezer Francis, born in Medford, in 1743, raised and commanded the Eleventh Massachusetts Regiment. He fell mortally wounded while engaged in a skirmish with British troops, at Hubbardton, near Whitehall, N. Y. A contemporary record says of him : " No officer so distinguished for his military accomplishments and regular life as he. His conduct in the field is spoken of in the highest terms of applause.''

John Francis, a brother of Col. Ebenezer Francis, was adjutant in his brother's regiment, and distinguished himself by his bravery at Hubbardton. He was wounded at Saratoga, and acquitted himself with honor through his six years' term of service in the Revolutionary army.

Medford has remained true to the patriotic traditions of the Revolution throughout its later history. It furnished its full quota of soldiers to the national armies in the War of 1812. Lieut. John Brooks, a son of Governor Brooks, was killed in the battle on Lake Erie.

In the Civil War, the town of Medford came up to the full level of its duty. It furnished two full companies to the Union army. At the outbreak of the Rebellion the town made a quick response to the call for troops for the defence of the capital. The Lawrence Light Guard, Company E, Fifth Massachusetts Regiment, underthe command ofCapt. .TohnHutchins, rendered valuable service as three mouths' volunteers. In August, 18(52, the company enlisted for three years, and as CompanyC, Thirty-ninth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers shared the varied fortunes of the Army of the Potomac. The regiment served with great credit until the close of the war. In September, 1862, another town company, the Medford Light Infantry, Capt. Charles Currier, organized for that purpose, enlisted for nine months, and as Company F, Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, took honorable part with the regiment in the military operations in North Carolina.

During the war, Medford furnished a large number of men to other organizations. According to Mr. Usher, eleven calls for men were made upon the town, and the whole number brought by the town into the field was 769.

As with all the early New England settlements, the narratives of the ecclesiastical and the civil history of Medford are closely interwoven. For many years after its settlement, the town had, except for brief intervals, no settled ministry. Mr. James Noyes, a graduate of Oxford, came to Boston in 1634, and " was immediately called to preach at Mystic, which he did for nearly one year." After his departure, the town appears to have depended upon the occasional ministrations of the clergymen of the neighborhood, and, having contributed to the general fund raised for the purpose, doubtless enjoyed its share of the clerical service rendered to the infant settlements by Rev. George Phillips and Rev. John Wilson. In 1692, Mr. John Hancock, grandfather of the patriot, was engaged as a preacher, but he remained only a few months. It would appear from the town records that, in 1694, a subscription was raised for the siU)port of a minister. His board was fixed at five snTllings a week. In 1698, the town hired Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge, of Charlestown, to preach for six months, and the connection continued, in some sort, for a period of ten years. He seems never to have been regularly "settled" over ^ the parish, and the record of his ministry is one of constant bickering and disagreement between pastor and people. Their difterences were referred to eminent clergymen, and were brought before ecclesiastical councils, for arbitration and settlement ; but Mr. Woodbridge held a most tenacious grasp upon his position, and it was not till 1708 that the connection was dissolved. He died in Medford in 1710, and, despite the long-standing contention, it is pleasant to record that the town made liberal provision for his funeral, which was attended by the President of Harvard College and a good representation of the neighboring dignitaries.

In 1696, the town built its first meeting-house "on the land of Mr. Thomas Willis, near the gate by Marble Brook, on a rock on the north side of the Woburn road." It was a small and unpretending structure, "seven and twenty feet long, four and twenty feet wide, and fifteen feet between joints." A second church building was erected in 1727, near the site of the first, which had become too small for the population.

period of its church history. Rev. Aaron Porter, a graduate of Harvard College, was settled over the parish, aud he remained until his death in 1722. He married a niece of Chief Justice Sewall, and is honorably mentioned in his " Diary."

The successor of Mr. Porter was the Rev. Ebenezer Turell, whose ministry lasted from 1724 to 1778, a period of fifty-four years. Mr. Turell was a flue type of the old colonial clergyman, dignified, yet social and kindly. It is recorded to his credit that he preached a sermon in favor of inoculation, at a time (1730) when there was a strong popular prejudice against the new practice. By his will he freed his slave Worcester, and left fifty pounds for his maintenance, in case he should need it.

After the death of Mr. Turell, in 1778, Rev. David Osgood, who had, four years before, received settlement as his colleague, assumed the sole charge of the pastorship, which he held until his de?.th in 1822 - a ministry of forty-eight years. Dr. Osgood was a divine of considerable local celebrity, and was a man of strong character and convictions. He was an ardent Federalist, and did not hesitate to give free expression to his political opinions in the pulpit. Some of his utterances provoked sharp comment from the contemporary partisan press. With hi** pastorate, the history of the First Parish, as the only church in Medford, comes to a close. The religious fermentation which prevailed in the first quarter of the present century in the churches of New England, extended itself to Medford. After the installation of Rev. Andrew Bigelow, Mr. OsgoocTs successor, in 1823, a considerable number of the members of the church, holding the old theological views, seceded, and established the Second Congregational (Trinitarian) Church. The First Parish has maintained its connection with the Unitarian body ever since.

The Second Congregational Church, composed, as already mentioned, of those who withdrew from the First Parish, was established in 1824, and erected a church edifice on High Street near the Public Square. Rev. Aaron Warner was the first pastor. As an outgrowth from this society, the Third Congregational Church was formed in 1847, and built a house of worship on Salem Street. The new society took the name of the Mystic Church. lu 1874, the Second and Third Congregational Churches were consolidated, and the reunited bodies have continued to worship in the house on Salom Street.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Medford was incorporated in 1828, and built a chapel on Cross Street. Since then the society has built two churches on Salem Street, the second of which it now occupies.

The First Baptist Church was incorporated in 1842, under the pastorship of Rev. George W. Bosworth, and worshipped for thirty-one years in a chapel on

The Grace (Episcopal) Church was organized in 1848, under the rectorship of Rev. David Greene Haskins. Its elegant atone church on High Street, the gift of Mrs. Gorham Brooks, was erected in 1868.

The first Catholic Church edifice in Medford was built in 1885, on Salem Street, on laud which is now a part of Maiden, and was designed for the use of the Catholics of both towns. In 1876, the Catholics of Medford purchased the church building of the Second Congregational Society, on High Street, ' which is now the place of worship of a distinctively Medford parish.

True to the teachings of the New England fathers, Medford was from the first a liberal supporter of the cause of popular education. In the earliest record s of the town we find that a town-meeting was called, "to see if the town will have a school kept for three months." The question was decided affirmatively, and it was voted that " this school shall be free." In 1719, the town voted that the school continue during four months, and later, in 1720, it was voted to build a school- house ; up to that time it is probable that the schools were kept in private houses. The same year two schools were organized in the town. " Mr. Caleb Brooks was engaged to keep the West School for three months, at two pounds per month ; Mr. Henry Davison, the East, at the same price." In 1730, the town voted to build a new school-house, and to set up a reading and writing school for six months.

The following extracts from the town records, as given by Mr. Brooks, will best show the progressive measures adopted by the town for the advancement of education :

April fi, 1790 : A committee was chosen to inquire " if it be expedient for girls to attend the master's school." The committee wisely recommended the aflirmative ; whereupoi;, at the next town-nieeting, it was " voted that girls have liberty to attend the master-school during three summer months."

Juno 20, 1794: " Voted that females attend the master-school separately, from the 1st of May to the Ist of October, four houreeach day, and that the boys attend four hours each day, - TUui-sday and Saturday afternoons being vacations," Same date : "Voted, that no children, whether male or female, be admitted into the public school undei- the age of seven yeai-s, nor then unless they have been previously taught to read the English language by spelling the same ; andasthis regulation will probably exclude many who have heretofore attended, therefore it is

" Voted, that the selectmen are hereby empowered to pay school-niis. tresses for instructing those childien who arc excluded from the publictown-school, and whose parents are unable to pay such extra expenses.

".\ndafl the great end of the public school is to furnish the youl it with such a measure of knowledge that they may bo abje to read and write with propriety, and understand so much arithmetic as may fit them for the common transactions of life ; therefore. Voted, that the selectmen and school-committee be desired from time to time t« make such rcgulHtiouB in the school as may beet answer the above purposes."

With the advance of the present century, broader views began to prevail in Massachusetts as to the true scope of our system of popular education, and Medford took an honorable place in the general movement for improved methods in school management, and a more liberal expenditure of money in that behalf At a town-meeting held in 1835, a special committee was chosen " to inquire into the diBerent and best methods of conducting public-schools, and to report what improvements, what number and kind of schools are necessary in this town to qualify every scholar who desires an education, for the active duties of life.'' This committee made such recommendations as led to the immediate grading of the schools, and to the establishment of a high school. It is believed that this high school was " the second or third organized in the State for the free co-education of the sexes in the higher branches of learning." The equipment of the school in the early period of its existence, was on a humble scale, although classical study had from the first a recognized place in the curriculum. Since then, the standard of qualification for admission has been gradually raised, and every opportunity afforded to the youth of the town for thorough preparation for college and the technological schools.

It is to the credit of Medford that, for a long term of years, she has held a place in the van of the towns of the Commonwealth as far as regards her expenditure of money for the support of public schools.

During the early part of the present century, Medford was the seat of several private schools, two of which deserve especial notice. Dr. Luther Stearns (H. C. 1791), for many years conducted a classical boarding-school for boys and girls. His school was attended by children from the first families of New England, and enjoyed a deservedly high repute. Dr. Stearns was the father of George L. Stearns, the distinguished philanthropist. Mr. John Angier (H. C. 1821), opened a school of similar character in 1821, and conducted it with great success until 1841, when he retired. His school was frequented by pupils from every part of the country and from the West Indies, and many of them rose to distinction in after life.

In connection with her educational establishment, Medford may claim the honor of being one of the first towns in the State to maintain a free public library. As early as 1825, the " Medford Social Library " was founded by a society whose purpose was " to form a collection of books strictly useful, promotive of piety and good morals, and for the diffusion of valuable in- 52-iii formation." The library was maintained by annual assessments on its shareholders. In 1856, the trustees of the Social Library, in conformity with a vote of the stockholders, transferred the collection, numbering 1125 volumes, to the town "as the foundation of a permanent town library." Since that time the town has made liberal annual appropriations for the support and increase of the library, now known as the Medford Public Ijibrary. In 1875, Mr. Thatcher Magoun presented to the town for the use of the library the mansion house on High Street, formerly occupied by his father, with land adjoining. He also gave five thousand dollars for fitting and furnishing the building for its uses. The Magoun mansion occupies a beautiful and stately site, and is architecturally well suited to the purposes to which it is devoted. Here the town has found convenient accommodations for its growing collection of books. The reading-room is supplied with the best reviews and periodicals of the day, and contains a valuable reference library, which is always accessible to the public. The library now contains about 12,000 volumes, and the annual circulation of books is over 27,000.

Tufts College occupies a site just within the southern border of Medford, on a beautiful eminence, formerly called Walnut Hill, but now known as College Hill. The college grounds are a portion of a tract of laud one hundred acres in extent, the gift of Mr. Charles Tufts, of Somerville, for whom the college was named. The first foundation of Tufts College was the sum of $100,000, subscribed by Universalists in various, parts of the United States. Rev. Hosea Ballon {2d) was elected the first president of the college in 18G1, and rendered invaluable service to the infant institution until his death in 1861. During the official terra of his successor, Rev. Alonzo A. Miner, D.D., great additions were made to the funds of the college through gifts and endowments of friends. Sylvanus Packard gave generously to the institution in his lifetime, and bequeathed to it a sum amounting to about $300,000. Dr. William J. Walker was also a munificent benefactor, giving to it upwards of $200,000. Other liberal friends of the college were Dr. Oliver Dean, who contributed $90,- 000 to its funds, and Thomas A. Goddard, its first treasurer, who, in the infancy of the institution, when its income was small, met all deficiencies out of his own pocket.

The Divinity School of the college was established in 1869, and Rev. Thomas J. Sawyer, Packard Professor of Theology, was placed at its head. A large number of students have graduated from the school since its formation, and are occupying some of the most prominent and influential pulpits of their denomination in the United States.

Dr. Miner resigned the presidency of the college in 1875 and Rev. Elmer H. Chapin, a graduate of the college, was elected to fill the vacancy. Under his direc- tion the affairs of the institution have prospered, and its curriculum has beea greatly extended. Through the generosity of irlends of the college, several fine buildings have been erected for its use during the last few years. The Goddard Chapel, erected out of funds provided by Mrs. Mary A. Goddard, i.s a stone structure, and its graceful campanile is a pleasing feature in a distant view of the college buildings. The Barnum Museum of Natural History, founded by Mr. Phineas T. Barnum, occupies the fine building given by him to the college. Its large exhibition hall contains an excellent collection of mammals, birds, fishes and reptiles, the gift of the founder.

With its growing endowments and the reputation deservedly won for the institution by its able and earnest-minded corps of instructors. Tufts College has an assured field of usefulness open before it.

Previous to the present century, the occupations of the people of Medford were chiefly agricullural, and mechanical industries were confined to the supply of local needs. Even up to the present time Medford has been very little engaged in manufactures. A very large proportion of the population finds its occupation in Boston, and Medford is rather a place of residence than of trade.

Owing to the extensive deposits of cl.iy in the town, brick-making has been carried on from the time of its settlement, and the work done in the past has left permanent marks upon the fields in many parts of the town. The business is still prosecuted in South Medford.

A distillery was built in Medford as early as 1735_ and it was followed by the erection of others. From its superior quality, perhaps due to the water used in its manufacture, " Medford rum " has accjuired more than a local celebrity. The business is still successfully carried on, on the site of the old distillery.

During the first three-quarters of the present century, the great industry of Medford was ship-building, and Medford-built ships enjoyed a high reputation throughout the commercial world. The low banks of the Mystic afforded many favorable locations for ship-yards, and the ships once launched found an easy passage down the deep tide-waters of the river to the wharves of Boston, where they were rigged and fitted out. As early as 1631, Governor Winthrop built a vessel of thirty tons on the banks of the Mystic, and the little craft received the name of the " Blessino of the Bay." This was probably the first vessel built in New England, and perhaps, in the United States. In ]()32, Mr. Cradock built a ship of one hundred tons register, and, a year later, one of two hundred tons. Small vessels, of which we have no record, doubtless continued to be built on the Mystic, but it was not until the beginning of the present century that the business assumed considerable proportions.

established himself in a ship-yard on Riverside Avenue, a little below Park Street. He at once commenced the construction of ships, many of them of large register for those days, and soon gained a reputation for the excellence of his models and his skill as a shipwright. Others engaged in the business, among them Mr. Calvin Turner, " esteemed one of the most skilful draughtsmen, as well as one of the most faithful builders in New England. In the course of seventy years 567 vessels, averaging 4'JO Ions register, were built in Medford - an aggregate of 272,124 tons. Many of these ships were of a capacity of more than a thousand tons, and one measured two thousand tons. Some of the finest clippers that sailed the ocean were Medford-built ships.

After the opening of the Civil War the business of ship-building rapidly declined in Medford, as it did throughout the United States. The large share of the carrying trade of the world which this couutry had enjoyed passed into other hands, and iron had superseded wood in the construction of ships. The last ship built in Medford was launched from the ship-yard of Mr. Joshua T. Foster, and the pleasant sound of the shipwright's busy hammer is no longer heard on the Mystic. Tlie fine class of American mechanics, that once formed a substantial part of the population of Medford, has largely disappeared ; only a few representatives of the dead industry remain, and they have had to seek other employmentst for support. But the town still holds in grateful remembrance the names of Magoun, Turner, Sprague, James, Curtis, Fuller, Lapham, Foster, Stetson, Waterman, Ewell, Cudworth and Taylor, the old Medford masters in the noblest of all arts - the building of ships.

The population of Medford has not increased as fast as some of the suburban towns of Boston, but it has had, nevertheless, a steady and wholesome growth. The following table gives the population at successive periods : -

To the lover of antiquity and its associations, Medford presents peculiar attractions. Few towns in the United States have preserved so many features connected with the past, and it is a matter of I'egret that under the hands of what is styled " modern improvement," many of these are destined soon to pass away. The old High Street of the town, lined with ancient and substantial buildings, one of them dating back to 1689, is fragrant with the memory of the early time. The river upon which John Winthrop dweltr winds its way through the lovely valley, and, north and south, are the forest-crowned heights of the Jliddlesex Fells and the graceful slopes of Winter Hill.