Reading Town (part 1 of 2)

By Hiram Bakuus And Carroll D. Wright

HE town of Reading, which formerly included the present towns of Reading, Wakefield, and North Reading, was once the domain and hunting-ground of the Saugus tribe of Indians. They cultivated the lands bordering upon the Great Pond (now Lake Quaiiapowitt), and the proofs of their residence n ni the numerous implements of stone n the vicinity.^ The colonial records show that in September, 1639, the inhabitants of Lymi petitioned " for a place for an inland plantation at the head of their bounds." A tract of land four miles square was granted, with the condition " that the petitioners shall, within two years, make some good proceeding in planting, so as it may be a village fit to contain a convenient number of inhabitants, which may, in due time, have a cliurch there."

In 1640 the court ordered that "Lynn Village," the name first given to the new settlement, should be exempted from taxes " as soon as seven houses be built and seven families settled." The town was incorporated May 29, 1644', by the name of " Redding," in honor of Reading in England, whence, it is said, some of the first settlers of Lynn Village came. The four miles square included nearly the same territory now constituting Reading and Wakefield. The first settlements were made near the southern part of the Great Pond. The names of the earliest settlers are in doubt, the first records of Lynn and Reading being imperfect. It is believed that the following nanred persons, with their families, were residents about the time of incorporation : Nicholas Brown, Tiiomas Clark, Jolm Damon, William Cowdrey, George Davis, Robert and Samuel Dunton, Josiali Dustin, Jonas Eaton, William Eaton, Zachariah Fitch, Isaac

I Mr. James H. Carter of Wakefield has a very fine eoUectioii of arrow-heads, stone pestles, hatehct-hcads, and other Indian relies found hire.

Tliose who have had occasion to examine the early records of the town assume that portions have been lost, but they seem to forget that the boards of town officers, common enough at the present, did not for some years exist. The different officials were created from time to time as the exigencies of the situation seemed to require. No provision appears to have been made for some years for calling town-meetings, or for keeping records of their doings.2

The earliest entry in the records of this town is dated the 6tli of the eleventli month, 1644, when land was given John Poole. An agreement was made with him to build a water-mill for the use of the town. lie was to keep it in repair at his own expense, and attend to grinding corn two or three days of the week unless more days were required. The town gave him control of the river and such land as should be needful for tlie mill. It agreed neither to set up, nor to allow to be set up, any other mill within the bounds of Reading to hinder the custom of said mill, so long as said Poole, his heirs, etc., should well and sufficiently grind for the town's use. The mill was built near the present site of the Rattan Works in Wakefield.

The first chvjrch was organized in 1644 or 1645, being tiic twenty-fourth in the colony. A house of worship was probably built about the same time. The absence of records indicates that it was done

* Meapirc records seem to have been a cause of general complaint. In 1639 the court, referring to the imperfect records kept in civil suits, decree that fuller records be kept, as they might be of good use as precedent for posterity. The loss of early town records, so often lamented, may be largely dnc to the fact that by individual effort rather than at the charge of the town. The first pastor of the church was Kev. Henry Green; the first deacons were Zachariah Fitch, John Pearson, Thomas Kendall, Thomas Parker, and William Cowdrej.

A military organization was a necessity of the times, and " the Reading Infantry Company," with Richard Walker, a brave officer for its captain, was soon formed. The next recorded act of the town was in 1617, levying a tax on boards sold or carried out of town. In this year seven men, Robert Dunton, Francis Smith, William Cowdrey, Sergeant Marshall, Henry Felch, William Martin, and Richard Walker, were chosen "to order all the prudential affairs of the town except giving of land and timber." Similar boards continued to be chosen, and ten years later were called "selectmen." In 164!-! nppeared the first vote relative to th 11

Land was given Innothy Goojjci, which, il he did not come and budd house or fence upon, reverted to the town, and he was "to pay 50 shillings for disappointing them of an inhabitant." Though inhabitants seemed to be at a premium, yet due care was exercised in the distribution of land, and the town ordered "that no land should be given any man but what sliall be propounded orderly at townmeeting to be considered till next meeting, then to be given or not given ; that so nothing may be done hastily."

In May, 1648, Rev. Henry Green, first jjastor of the church, died. Rev. Samuel Haugh, of Boston, succeeded him, and began preaching here in November, but was not ordained till March, 1650. He was educated at Harvard College, but did not graduate. He died March 30, 1663, in Boston, at the house of his brother-in-law, Hezekiah Usher. He left a large estate, appraised at £1,83:J Is. 5il. The church, at his ordination, had ibrty members.^

In 1619 the town ordered that "there being manni sad acsidantes in the Contree by fire, to the great damning of many, by joining of barnes and haystackes to dwelling houses ; tharfor, no barne nor haystacke shall be sett \vithin six poUes of anni dwelling house opon panilte of tenne shillings." Also, ordered, "that every dwelling house shall have a sufficient lather [ladder] standing by the chimney for the preventing of the damage of fire, and this to be binding by the tenth day of April, 1650, opon the panilte of tenne shillings."

It is quite uncertain whether a town-clerk was chosen by the town for more than forty years. I he court in 1611 ordered that in every town there should be appointed a person to grant summonses, attachments, etc., who should be called "Clark of tlie Writtes," to be chosen for a year, and till others should be chosen in their room. The )urt made the appointment for the different towns then existing. The "clarks of writs" in 1642 «ere required to keep records of births, deaths, md marriages. William Cowdrey, in 1649, was chosen for this town.^ The town records as kept by him became more full from year to year, but no record of the choosing of a town-clerk by the people appears till the annual meeting in 1682, when the records say, "Goodman John Bachelder was chosen clerk for this day." This form is changed in 1687, when Deacon Nathaniel Cowdrey,

' Five alman.ics printed in Cambridge for the years 1646 to 1650, once belouging to Rev. Mr. Haugh, interleaved, and containing much valuable information written by him, were sold at auction (March, 1879) for 8283.50. They belonged to Mr. Brinley, of Hartford. The family of Judge Sewail, who was gnardian of Mr. Haugh's children, had possession of them for many years, and disposed of them to Mr. John K. Wiggin, of Boston.

2 William Cowdrey probably held tlie office of Clerk of Writs, till his death in 1687. "Clerk for this day," - a phrase for " clerk pro tern."

Surveyors of fences and higliways were first chosen in 1648, and a constable in 104'9. The town-meetings, as might be inferred from the manner of calling them, occurred at irregular periods till 1657, when it was ordered that there should be two amuial meetings, - one on the 1st or 2d of December, the other on the 1st or 2d of February. The selectmen were chosen in December and the minor officers in February. In 1674 the December meeting was discontinued.

In October, 16.51, the court granted to the inhabitants of Reading, in addition " to their former fower miles, .... about two miles content," the territory that is now North Reading.

A division of lots on Woburn line was made in 1652 among thirty-four male inhabitants whose names are given, and are supposed to be all the adult males belonging to the town.

It was ordered, in 165-'3, that "no man shall fall any Oak, Spruce, or Pine trees, fit for boards, within three miles of the meeting-house, except for his own use, under a penalty of five shillings for every tree." Measures were taken in the following year for preventing unnecessary waste of trees for fuel. Thomas Browne, the dish-turner, had liberty to fell ash and majjle trees on condition that he paid " scott and lotte^ to the town of Redding.'' Walter Fairfield had " free liberty " to fell trees for his trade on the same terms.

A county highway was laid out from Andover to " Reddinge," four rods wide " except through the common fields of Reddinge, and the renot to be less than two rods wide."

Henry Felch, " for departing the publiquc assembly when the ordinance of baptism was about to be administered, wa.s admonislicd by the Court of his sin, and was ordered to pay costs to Jonas Eaton, two shillings."'

William Cowdrey was empowered, in 1654, "to sell wine of any sort, and strong iiipiors to the Indians, as to his judgment shall seem most meet and necessary for their relief in just and urgent occasions, and not otherwise, provided he shall not sell or deliver more than one pint to any one Indian at any one time upon any pretence whatever." Ensign John Smith, having been licensed to keep an " ordinary," was fined two shillings for not having a sign.

The town received a complimentary notice at a very early date. Johnson's Wonder-Worlinff Providence, \>\M\?\\tA about 1654, says: "Reading is well watered and situate about a great pond, besides it hath two mills, the one a Saw-Mill, the other a C'orn-i\Iill, which stand on two several streams ; it hath not been so fruitful for children as her sister Woburn hath ; her habitation is fallen in the very center of the country ; they are well stocked with cattle for the number of people. They have gathered into a church, and ordained a pastor from among themselves at the same time ; a young man of good abilities to preach the word, and of very humble behavior, named Mr. Green, he having finished his course, departed this life not long after, whose labors are with the Lord. After him succeeded in the place one Mr. Hoph, a young man, one of the first fruits of New England, a man studious to promote the truths of Christ."

The town ^yas vigilant in regard to all that afi^ected the morals of the people, and in 1662 ordered that " no woman, maid, nor boy, nor gall shall sit in the south alley and east alley of the meeting-house, upon penalty of \%d. for every day comes to meeting either on the Lord's day or lecture day, except it be their dogs, that pay for a dog-whipper, the owner of these dogs shall pay sixpence for every time they come to meeting."

Rev. John Brock, third pastor of the First Church, was ordained November 13, and on the following day married the widow of his predecessor who (lied a few months before.

In 1667 it was agreed "that all the privileges of land, timber, and commons shall belong unto the present houses now erected, and to no other that shall be erected hereafter." There were at this time fifty-nine houses. The next year it was ordered " that no man after this date shall come into tlie town here to inhabit, without the consent of the town ; but he shall put in security, to secure the town of all charges that siiall come thereby."

That part of the town now called Reading was styled, in 167.S, "Wood End," probably witli reference to the large amount of wood growing there in comparison with that in the First Parish, where the lands had been cultivated by the Indians. Fre(|uent votes by the town indicate a scarcity of wood and timber, and stringent measures were a(loj)ted for their preservation.

Heading

King Philip's War began in 1675, and Reading was required to furnish its quota of troops. Among those known to have entered the service were Major Jeremiah Swayne, Captain Jonathan Poole, Thomas Bancroft, Samuel Lamson, David Bachelder, James Case, Samuel Damon, Gabriel Taylor, Thomas Nichols, William Roberts, Nicholas Luun, John Arnold, William Aruold, William Eobbins, Thomas Brown, Ebenezer Flint, Daniel Flint, Joseph Hartshorn, John Weston, and Richard Smith. A tax was assessed upon the towns in the colony amounting to £ 1,553 Qs. 4c/. Of this sum, Reading paid £16 9«. lid., twenty-eight towns paying more than this, and twenty paying less. A garrison-house was erected in wliat is now North Reading, in which the people could take refuge, and defend themselves against the Indians. Tiie marks of Indian bullets might long be seen upon the doors. Other houses were built with plank walls lined with bricks as a defence against the common foe.

The council issued orders to Captain Swayne, of Reading, as follows : " Captain Swaine, - The Council having taken into consideration the present state of matters as to the common enemy, do judge meet to order that forthwith upon receipt of tiiis, you garrison, and as soon as may be draw up the garrison soldiers under your command, of tlie towns of Hadley, Hatfield, Springfield, and Westfield, and with them to march to Deerfield, and the places thereabouts and then search for and destroy the common enemy."

There were two prominent military men in town at that time. Captain Jonathan Poole and Captain Jeremiah Swayne, between whom tliere seems to have been a strong feeling of rivalry. Both were efficient officers, and had done good service against the Indians. In October, 1675, Captain Poole was in Hatfield wlieu the garrison was attacked by about eight hundred Indians. Captain Poole, with his men, made a spirited defence at one point, while the veteran Moseley defended anotiier. The fight was desperate ; but the Indians proved no match for tlie English, by whom they were repulsed at every point. Captain Poole was quartermaster under Captain Hutchinson in 1671.

A petition was sent from the town to the General Court in 1677, from which it appears that an election of captain was pending, and the town was divided into two parties concerning the matter. The petitioners said : " It begins to have influence in Town matters, to strive to circumvent one another in our Actions which wee feare will have a bad consequence. Tiierefore, wee humbly intreate tiie Honored Court tiiat you would be pleased to issue tiie case for us, and settell some abell and meete person in the place of a Capten amongst us that our strife may be at an ende." The court cut the knot by appointing Swayne as major; and Poole became, or continued to be captain, but died the next year, greatly lamented. He was ancestor of Hon. Horace P. Wakefield, M.D., formerly of this town, recently superintendent of the State Almshouse at Monsou.

Captain Swayne M'as the younger, and perliaps the more ambitious man. He was employed on important expeditions, and has a good record in the history of those trying times. He was a lieutenant under Major Appleton in the Narragansett Fight, where he received a severe wound. David Bachelor, of Reading, was wounded at the same time.

In xVugust, 1688, Major Swayne was appointed by the court "as commander-in-chief of all the forces raised and detached out of the several regiments within the colony, against the Kennebec and Eastern Indians and their confederates, witli power to fight, take, kill, and destroy the said enemy by all the ways and means possible." He received ten pounds as an outfit for the expedition. He had his headquarters at Salmon Falls, in Berwick, Maine, and was engaged in several battles. Major Swayne was a physician, and held the offices, at various times, of justice of the peace, selectman, representative, and assistant. The court granted to liim and to Samuel Damon, Samuel Lamson, William Robbins, James Pike, Jr., and Samuel Nichols, of Reading, and others belonging in Lynn, Beverly, and Hingham, a tract of land in the " Nipmug Country,'" eight miles square, " for their services in the late Indian war." ]\Iajor Swayne died in 1710, aged sixty-seven.

An assessment of ten pounds was laid in 1686 upon the tax-payers of the town, numbering ninety-one persons, to raise money to pay the Indians for the territory of Reading purchased some years previously. The deed was not signed till 1687. The Indians who signed it claimed to be descendants and near relatives of Sagamore, " George-No- Nose," whom they affirm to have been tlie true owner of the land that the towns of Reading and Lynn stand upon. Four sign by their mark, and one only writes out his name in full, " James Quonopohit." His wife, Jlary, is also one of tiie signers. They are described as of Natick, and it is pleasant to know that tliis James Quonoiwhit, as the name was then spelled, was one of the Apostle Eliot's "praying Indians." He was often employed during King Philip's War in assisting our people and officers in tlieir expeditions against Philip. James and his brother Thomas, then about eighty-six years old, were at one time in active service with Captain Henchman as guides.

Lake Quanaponitt undoubtedly received its name in honor of James Quonopoliit, but we are not told when, or by whom, the " Great Pond " was christened with its present name.

Eev. John Brock, tliird pastor of the cliurch, died in 1688. He was born in England in 16;J0 ; graduated at Harvard College in 1646 ; preached in Rowley and at the Isles of Shoals; he was settled in Reading twenty-six years.

Cotton Mather, in his Mritjii(iH<i, gives some remarkable instances of answers to his prayers. It was said of him, " He lives as near heaven as any man on earth." His successor was Rev. Jonathan Pierpont (H. U. 1685), who was ordained June 26, 1689. He was pastor till his death, in 1709. He was held in much esteem. A contemporary said, " He was a man of great worth." Judge Sewall speaks of his death as " a very great .loss." Tiie second meeting-house was built about 1689. Subscriptions were received towards its building from seventy-two persons in Reading, twenty-six in Lynn End, now Lynufield, and nine in Cliarlestown End, now Stoneham.

A company of soldiers from Reading joined the Canada expedition in 1690. Ephniim Savage was captain. The witchcraft lunacy prevailed to some extent in this town in 1692. Lydia Dustin, Sarah Dustin, - probably daughters of Jusiah. and perliaps maiden ladies, - Mary Taylor, and Sarah, wife of Nicholas Rice, were arrested for w itclicraft, and imprisoned in Boston, but were finally acquitted. ]\Irs. Rice was kept in jail from June to October, wlien her husband petitioned the court for her release. He declared he " had lived witli her above twenty years, in all whicl\ time he had never reason to accuse her of impiety or witciicraft ; but tlie contrary, she lived with liini as a good, faitliful, dutiful wife, and always liad respect to the ordinances of God, .... and it is de|)liii;d)le thai, in old age, the poor, decrepid woman sluiuhl lye under confinement in a loathsome jail, wluii her circumstances rather require a nurse to adend her." She was soon after liberated.

For several years the town had been taxed toward the maintenance of the Mystic Bridge in Mcdford, which the people of Reading were obliged to pass over in going to Boston. In 1693 the town voted " tliat they will not be at any charge to repair Mystic bridge, unless compelled to it by law."

The town voted, 1694, "that there should be only one house of entertainment in town"; and also voted " that there shall be shade trees left upon the common " ; chose for first time a separate board of assessors, and paid for fitting up the house where Master Lines kept " scoole," - probably Nicholas Lynde. Joseph Upton was schoolmaster in 1694-95. The selectmen agreed Avith Jonathan Poole, in 1697, for keeping "a scolle to tech the young people to wriglit, to read, and to cast up accounts, soe far as said Poole could, and they cappable to larne in the time." In 1701 tlie selectmen agreed with John Herbert to teach the children in " reding, wrighting, and sifering," at a salary of £11 per year in money.

Stephen, son of Samuel Dix, was drowned in the Great Pond in 1705, at the age of thirteen years. Samuel was son of Ralph, who came to Reading from Ipswicli in 1662. The late General John A. Dix of New York has stated that " Anthony Dix, who came to Plymouth in the second vessel that reached there after the landing of the Pilgrims, Avas the common ancestor of Ralph Dix and myself."

In 1706 five of a party of Indians who had attacked Dunstable came to the dwelling of John Harnden, in the northwesterly part of Reading, now included in Wilmington. They entered the house at night, through the roof, in the absence of the father, and killed Mrs. Harnden and three of eight children, and carried the others away; but the captives were recovered.

The inhabitants on the north side of Ipswich River, now North Reading, in 1709 asked advice of the town " where to sett their meeting-house." The town voted that the school be kept in the Wood End one quarter of the time this year.

In the expeditions sent against the French and Indians hi Canada and Nova Srotia, in this and the following years, forty-six sohliers went from Heading.

Rev. Richard Hrown, graduate of Harvard College in 1697, was ordained pastor of the church in Reading in 1712, and, like his predeeossor, died after a pastorate of twenty years. The church, in January, 17^0-21, had a membership of two hundred and thirty-six- persons, belonging in the territory now embraced in the towns of Melrose, Stonehaui, Wilmington, North Heading, Lynnfield, Reading, and Wakefield. Three churches, Lynnfield, North Reading, and Stonehara, were formed during the pastorate of ^Ir. Brown, which reduced the number in his cliurch to one hundred and eighty-four. The North Precinct was set off as a distinct parish in 1713. Its iirst meeting was held November 27, Sergeant George Flint serving as moderator, and John Harnden as clerk. The town voted, in 1714, to give them £30; " one half when they finish their meeting-liouse, and the other half when they build a ministerial house." The town voted tiiis year " to procure a new Bell, not to cost over £50."

John Browne, captain, selectman, justice of the peace, and representative, " witty, yet wise, grave, good, among tiie best," as his tombstone says, died in 1717, aged eighty-three.

Rev. Daniel Putnam, from Danvers, a graduate of Harvard College in 1717, was ordained pastor of the second churcii in Reading (North Reading) in 1720, which then had thirty-nine members. Six families were here in 1680 ; eight other families in 1681; five more before 1687 ; eight more before 1690. There were fifty-three tax-payers in this precinct in 1720.

The church records in the North Precinct mention "a terrible earthquake October 29, 1727, whicii lasted at times three months." In 1728 tiie town voted to accept their jjrojjortion of the bills of credit issued by the General Court.

The town voted, in 1729, to try to get rid of mending Mystic Bridge in future. Tlie town met at Landlord Wesson's, to hear the Indian deed of the township read. The north part of Maiden, now Greenwood, of ten families, was annexed to Reading.

The meeting-house, in 1730, was "seated" by a committee under instruction that "real estate and age are the two first and chiefest rules to go by in seating the meeting-house."

The town refused, by a vote of fifty to forty-five to set off Wood End to be a parish by themselves, but allowed them £17 a year for support of preaching among tliemselves during the winter. The North

Precinct, desiring that a part of Reading, Lynn, and Andover be set off to tiiem to help support the gospel, a committee was chosen to go to the General Court to defend the parish from any " breaking in " from the North Precinct or elsewhere.

The expenses of the town for 1730 amounted to £77, of which £ 36 were paid for schooling. The receipts were £99, leaving to "ye town's credit" £22.

Rev. Richard Brown died in October, 1732. In the bill of funeral expenses Andrew Tyler, of Boston, is credited with six gold rings, £10 18«. Mrs. Martha Brown for wine furnished, £ 5 ; "Rhom" (Rum), 18*., etc. Rev. Mr. Hobby was ordained pastor of the First Church in 1733, with £200 as a settlement gift, an annual salary of £120, and thirty cords of wood, with the use of the parsonage. One item in the bill of expenses for the ordination is " 1 bbl. of wine," costing £13 8.$.

In 1736-37 the throat distemper was prevalent, and thirty children in tliis town died of it in the course of six mouths. John Swain lost his wife and six children by the disease in the course of two months.

In 1737 Ensign Nathaniel Parker died, and was the first person buried in the present cemetery in Reading. Important action was taken by tiie town in laying out highways, etc., throughout the town.

In 1741 Rev. George Whitetield preached on Reading, now Wakefield, Common. A vote describhig and defining common lands was passed, requiring them to remain unfenced. Action respecting the burying-grounds in Wood End and in tiie First Parish was also taken. The town furnished its quota of men for the expedition to Nova Scotia in 174.5, and for the war tliat was waged for several years after against the French and Indians. It appears that nearly two hundred men of tliis town were in service in those years.^

The French Neutrals, who were removed by order of government from Nova Scotia in 1755, were distributed among the American colonies. About two hundred fannlies were allotted to this state. One family, consisting of Battes Tibbedo (Baptiste Thibodeaux ?) , his wife, and eight children, was sent to Reading. The town provided for them and the colony paid their expenses. In

1760 John (Bajjtiste?) Tibbedo and I\Iargaret his wife, with six children, John, Moses, Joseph, Paul, Mary, and Elizabeth, and cue grandchild, were removed from town.

In the same year another French family, Francis Meers, or Mears, with his wife and nine children, were sent here from Boston, but soon after three of them were sent to Stoneham, one to Maiden ; the remainder, including the father, were left in Eeading. In 170;3 the town appropriated £2 to Francis Mears, " a Frenchman," provided he, with his family, move to Salem. He probably went away, but for ten years received assistance from Reading, mostly in wood, as appears from the records. There is no positive evidence of the fact, but it is suggested that the Mears families in this vicinity may be descendants of this Francis Meers.

Rev. Daniel Putnam, pastor of the Second Church (North Precinct), died in 1759, after a pastorate of about thirty-nine years. There were added to his church, during his ministry, one hundred and ninety-four persons; he baptized four hundred and ninety-one persons, and joined one hundred and eleven couples in marriage.

Rev. Eliab Stone, in 17C1, was ordained pastor as the successor of Mr. Putnam. This year, by payment of £ 11^, Reading was relieved of all further expense in " repairing and supporting the Mystic Bridge in Medford."

The first store in the present town, and perhaps in the three parishes, was probably opened by James Bancroft in 1761. He gave notice of having " sundry sorts of West India and other goods," whicli he proposed to sell " as reasonably as they are sold in Medford, Charlestown, and Boston." The people for many years did their principal trading in Salem. During the winter season they drew their produce on hand-sleds, going in parties to market, and bringing back sucli goods as they needed.

Rev. Mr. Hobby, pastor of the First Church, died in 1765, after a settlement of tiiirfy-two years. He was reputed a man of learning, piety, and ability as a speaker and writer. In 1750 and 1751 lie was called to sit in the councils in A^orthampton, at the request of Jonathan Edwards, who wished to have two ciiurches from abroad to counterbalance, in some measure, the prejudices of the churches invited in that vicinity. Deacon Samuel Bancroft - grandfather of tiie historian, Hon. George Bancroft - was one of the delegates.

constant and active interest in public affairs. A town-meeting, held October, 1765, instructed their representative in the General Court to join in every proper measure for a repeal of the Stamp Act, and " to oppose the execution of it, until the remonstrances, petitions, and cries of these distressed colonies shall reach the ears of our sovereign." While professing the greatest loyalty to the king, and to the parliament as the " the most respectable body of men on earth," they insist on maintaining " our rights as freeborn Englishmen."

The First Parish, in 1768, erected a new house of worship, near the old one. The residents of Wood End demurred, and made an effort for separation, which was not successful, although it was recommended by a committee of the General I Court. The eii'ort was renewed in the next year, and the Court ordered the division, and inoor- ; porated the Third Parish, it being substantially the same territory that is now included in the town of Reading. The new parish took many of the best men and families from the First Parish. The first meeting was held August 9, 1769. John Temple was moderator ; Samuel Bancroft, clerk ; John Temple, treasurer; John Temple, Samuel Bancroft, and Captain Nathan Parker, assessors. Money was raised for completing tlie meetinghouse, which stood on the south side of the Common. It was subsequently removed, and is now known as the Union Hall school-building.

Eighty-eight members of the First Church, in answer to their petition, were dismissed February 8, 1770, "in order to their being incorporated into a distinct church by themselves." This body established what is now known as the " Old South " Church in Reading.

Rev. Thomas Haven, the first minister, ordained November 7, 1770, was a graduate of Harvard College in 1765. He died May 7, 1782, aged thirty-eight years. He was the son of Rev. Elias Haven, of Franklin, Massachusetts.

The number of voters in the First Parish (Wakefield), in 1771, was eighty; in the Second Parish (Nortli Reading), sixty-six; in the Third (Reading), sixty-three. Ten persons were chosen " quiristers" in the First Parish, "to tune the Psalm."

public meeting held in response to a letter from the town of Boston, the town chose Benjamin Brown, Samuel Bancroft, Esq., Lieutenant John "Walton, Captain Thomas Flint, Deacon Amos Upton, Captain David Green, Mr. John Temple, Mr. William Sawyer, Mr. Andrew Beard, a committee to consider and report upon the public grievances recited in the letter. The report instructs Deacon Daniel Putman, the representative from Reading, " to exert himself " that the salaries of the judges be raised " adequate to their station and service," so as to render them "as independent on prince and people as possible." Other grievances " publicly known " are referred to, and the representative is instructed " to use his utmost endeavor in every constitutional way to procure a redress of our grievances, and a restoration of that happy harmony which lately subsisted between Great Britain and her colonies." They caution him against consenting " to measures which may in the least preclude us or our posterity from asserting our just rights as men and British subjects." In June, 1774', it was voted that we "maintain our Cliarter Riglits in every constitutional way." Also, a committee of nine was chosen to inquire into present exigencies, and report at a future meeting. The report is signed by Benjamin Brown, chairman. It refers to the unjust taxation, tiie unavailing remonstrances, the increasing distresses, the action previously taken to maintain their rights, the uncertainty that clouded the future, and to the fear of taking any action that might counteract measures that the proposed Congress of Commissioners from all the colonies might fix upon to relieve the present distress. The closing paragrapli is worthy of repetition : " We also think it the duty of every one to refrain from the luxuries and superfluities of life, and to the utmost of our power to encourage our own manufactures, humbling ourselves before Almighty God, and earnestly supplicating him for deliverance; for how much soever we judge these things tmrighteous, as coming from the hands of men, we must allow they are just, as sent from God." John Temple and Benjamhi Brown were sent as deputies to the Provincial Congress, and an appropriation was made for support of the commissioners. The town, subsequently to the action of the congress, voted to adopt tlie sentiments of the congress as their own, and strictly to adhere to them. A committee was chosen to carry tlieir vote into effect. Early in 1775 it was voted to pay minute-men for three hours' attendance on parade, twice a week, for three months. May 24, 1775, the town met in the West Parish meetinghouse (now Union Hall School-house), and voted to choose a committee of correspondence. Captain John Walton, Lieutenant Benjamin Flint, and Sergeant Jonas Parker, were chosen. It was voted in July following to add six more to the committee, and Benjamin Brown, Thomas Simonds, James Flint, Abraham Sheldon, Jacob Emerson, and John Emerson were chosen.

A company of volunteers was early formed here, which was drilled by Dr. John Brooks, who became its captain, and was afterwards major, general, and finally governor of the state. Before the commencement of hostilities he frequently visited Boston, and observed the manner in wiiich the British troops were drilled. He instructed his company of minute-men here in tlie lessons he thus learned, till tliey became proficient in military tactics.'^

On the IStli April, 1775, Captain Brooks was in Boston, and learned of the probable movements of the British. He returned to Reading, and while professedly visiting his patients, during the evening, in different parts of the town, summoned his men to be ready to march at once. Tliey gathered in tlie laHer 2^art of the night at Weston^s Corner, in Wood End, and under command of Lieutenant James Bancroft, marched via Bedford to Concord. Rev. Edmund Foster, then a young man, a private in the Reading company, in an account of tiiese events, wrote : " A little before we came to Merriam's Hill we discovered the enemy's flank guard of about eighty or one hundred men, who, on the retreat from Concord, kept the height of land, the main body being in the road. The British troops and the Americans at that time were equally distant from Merriam's Corner. About twenty rods short of that place the Americans made a halt. The British marched down the hill with very slow but steady step, without music, or a word being spoken that could be heard. Silence reigned on both sides. As soon as the British had gained the main road, and passed a small bridge near the

1 This company was drilled iu tie evening in the large kitchen of the parsonage, now the residence of Mr. George Gronard. It was said that the marks made by the gnus of the men in the ceiling were visible tiU recently covei-ed by repairs. When General Lafayette stopped on his way through this town iu 1825, and was waited upon by some of the citizens and old soldiers. Rev. Mr. Sanborn, in a brief speech, claimed that the first company ot minute-men formed in the colonies was this under the command of Dr. Brooks.

corner, they faced about suddenly and fired a volley of musketry upon us. They overshot, and no one to my knowledge was injured by the fire. Tlie fire was immediately returned by the Americans, and two British soldiers fell dead at a little distance from each other in the road near the brook. The battle now began, aud was carried on with little or no military discipline or order on the part of the Americans during the remainder of the day. Each sought his own place and opportunity to attack and annoy the enemy from behind trees, rocks, and fences, as seemed most convenient." Some of the citizens of Reading shouldered their arms, and went alone to the scene of action and did good service. The " trainband " of the First Parish were ordered by express to Lexington. The alarm-guns were fired at about eight o'clock in the morning, and brought the " alarm list " together. Rev. Mr. Prentiss shouldered his musket and marched with them, faithfully doing his duty in hastening the retreat of the British back to Boston.

Some if not all the company of minute-men were soon after stationed at Cambridge. On the day of the battle of Bunker Hill, it is said that they were on guard at headquarters. When General Washington took command under the shade of the Cambridge elm, July 3, the Reading men where there on duty.

There were received, April 26, probably from Salem, and deposited in Reading meeting-house and school-house, one hundred and fifty-one barrels of pork, sixty-three barrels of flour, six barrels of beef, and sixteen bushels of rye ; but it appears that these supplies were immediately removed to Watertown by order of the commissary general. June 17, the selectmen were ordered to send forthwitli all the powder in the town stock to Watertown, except one pound per man, and June 18, they were " desired to provide provision sufficient for the militia of your town, now at Cambridge, and send it forward- soon as may be."

The battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, compelled the flight of many persons to the neighboring towns. Numbers came to Reading and remained here. Mr. Dana Parker, of this trnvn, has an eightday clock, still keeping good lime, that was with other things thrown into a cart and brought from Charlestown on tliat memorable occasion.

In response to the Committee of Supplies at Watertown, Iknjamin Brown, chairman of the selectm(!n, and John Walton, chairman of the town comniiltiM' of correspondence, June 22, say: "We trust we are as ready to assist in defence of our country as any town in the province ; but the great flow of the inhabitants of Boston, Charlestown, Mcdford, Maiden, Salem, and Marblehead, daily flocking into this town, must, we think, be a sufficient excuse for not sending provisions. As for blankets, we have been obliged to find near a hundred for men enlisted out of this town, and they were collected from house to house, there not being new ones to be bought."

In November an urgent call was made on the town for wood for the soldiers. In reply, it was stated : " We have exerted our utmost that they may be supplied ; but there being about one hundred men from this town in the army, Te are under great difficulty for hewers of wood ; if you will send up the captain of the company from this town, with a party of men, to cut wood, we make no doubt our teams will be immediately employed, and continue until they carry a hundred cords or more." December 4-, it was voted that the First Parish carry fourteen cords of wood, the Second Parish twelve and a half cords, the Third Parish twelve cords, per week, to the army on AA'inter Hill. Subsequently the town is urged, by order of the General Court, in consequence " of the distress of the army for wood, to supply not only such quantity as has been set to them, but as much more as they possibly can."

Nine persons were chosen by the town to carry wood to the army. Hay was also sent, in answer to a requirement of the court. The quartermaster allowed Sl 5 per ton for it, and the town voted to pay what it cost more tlian that.

A census of the state taken in 1776 shows Reading to have been the second town in the county iu population. In May the town voted unanimously to adhere to the determination of Congress relative to independence, and stand by it to the last, with their lives and their fortunes.

Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell and seven other Highland officers were sent prisoners to the West Parish, with some women and children. They were quartered near the post-oflice in Reading (the present town), in the house formerly belonging to Colonel Natlian Parker, and more recently to Mr. James Davis. They occupied their time to such an extent in practice with musical instruments, as to be a source of much annoyance to the citizens. The British officers petitioned the council for sujjpoit for their servants, but it was not ijranted.

The selectmen petitioned the court for assistance in supporting about sixty needy persons from Boston and Charlestown, called "Donation People."

In August, 1777, the selectmen certify that the number of men borne on the training-band and alarm-list is three hundred and forty-eight, and they request of the honorable board of war the town's proportion of fire-arms, gnnlocks, lead, and flints. The to\^'n also votes £1-2 for purchase of lead and flints. Calls are made for men to be in readiness to march " without delay," and " on the shortest notice/' indicating the frequent emergencies of the times. The town further showed its loyalty to the patriot cause by voting that the town treasurer s'aould receive none but continental bills.

In town-meeting, September 22, 1777, Captain John Goodwin was added to the committee of correspondence, inspection, and safety ; and Mr. Jonathan Flint was cliosen " tory prosecutor."

Many of the Reading soldiers were in the battle of Saratoga, which resulted in the capture of Burgoyne and his army. Joshua Eaton was killed there October 7. Colonel Brooks saw him fall, and exclaimed to Captain James Bancroft, " Our brave Sergeant Eaton is gone." Eaton lived on the Ivory Murray farm, near the Esquire Prescott place in Reading.

The town voted in 1778 to raise £246 12*. to defray the expense of purchase and delivery of clothing at Concord, required for tlie army by the General Court.

Burgoyne's men were quartered in Cambridge and vicinity. Some of the Reading soldiers were in service during the winter of 1778, at Winter Hill, in charge of the prisoners. It is said tliat nearly fifty of the prisoners were quartered in Reading, in the house near the depot, formerly the residence of Esquire Sweetser. In repairing the house a few years since, a metallic spoon, of peculiar shape, was found, stamped with the British lion and other devices, indicating that it belonged to the British prisoners. It is said the prisoners, for their daily exercise, were 'required to march under guard around tiie Great Pond.

In 1779 pestilence was added to war, the smallpox prevailing so extensively that the town took measures to prevent its spreading. Inoculation was forbidden. The town chose a committee against monopoly, and another against forestalling. Active efforts were made to regulate prices, which were becoming exorbitant. The town voted to accept the measures recommended by a convention held at Concord, "for lowering the prices of the articles of life," and a committee was chosen for " regulating internal prices." It was voted, a few montlis later, to choose a committee to carry matters into speedy execution. The committee was also required to affix prices to those articles not regulated by the convention. The meeting was adjourned to a future day, when the committee reported. It appearing that people in general were breaking over the " regulating bill," it was thought proper not to appoint another meeting.

In the following year the town was required to furnish twenty-three militia soldiers for tliree months, twenty-three continental soldiers for six months, and twenty-three for three years, or during tiie war ; and it is recorded that the town always filled its quota. In October and December requisitions were made upon the town for 36,000 jjounds of beef for the army, and the town voted to raise £56,000, Old Tenor, for purchase thereof. In July following it was voted to raise £250 in silver to purchase 9,866 pounds of beef for the army ; and also voted that their treasurer receive £1 of new emission for £40 of old emission, or £1 in specie for £75 of old emission. In 1782 the town voted to empower the treasurer to sell new emission bills at the rate of three dollars for one in hard money. At a later date a committee was cliosen for taking up "inimical Fellows." No important votes pertaining to the war appear on record after this date.

On the 19th of May, 1780, occurred what is called the Dark Day. Captain Joseph Bancroft recorded : " On this day there was an uncommon darkness from 10 to 2 o'clock, and the evening after not to be forgot by me, I trust, while I live."

In 1782 occurred the death of Rev. Thomas Haven, first pastor of the church in the West Parish, in the twelfth year of his ministry; "a most sorrowful event to the people of his charge." Tiie parish bought back the parsonage estate they had sold to him. Troubles also culminated in the First Parish in an attempt to dismiss Rev. Mr. Prentiss. The chief objection against him was respecting his Arminian sentiments ; but the parish " voted to dismiss the whole," and the pastor remained.

The town had its " relic of barbarism," and it is said that ])revious to tlie Revolutionary War nearly every large landholder here had a slave. In 1723 Benjamin Pool advertises his negro man who had runaway. In 1753 Thomas Nichols sold a negro woman and boy to Phineas Sprague, of Maiden, for £33 6.?. 8(7. In 1754 Deacon Eaham Bancroft, in his will, ordered his negroes sold. At this time there were twenty colored persons here, and in 1765, thirty-four. Several gained their freedom by enlisting in the army. One of these, called " Sharper," and " Sharper Freeman," was brought from Africa, and was believed to be the son of a king. He lived till about ninety years old, and received a pension froni the government.

The Shays Rebellion, in 1786, necessitated the calling out of men to support the government, and a dozen or more went from the First Parish.

members did not harmonize, and it is said that more than thirty candidates were called before one was foimd to accept. Finally, Rev. Peter Sanborn, after considering the matter for nine months, accepted, and was ordained June 9, 1790. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1786. He was an impressive and earnest preacher, and there were several revivals during his pastorate. It is said that in the revival of 1810 there were but few houses in the parish that did not have family worship. He first married Miss Mary Stimpson, an adopted daughter of Daniel Chute, Esq., and for a second wife Miss Martha Wakefield. He had a family of fourteen children. He was dismissed June 7, 18^0; died August 8, 1857. He has two sous in the ministry now living. Rev. Pliny F. and Rev. George E. Sanborn.

The town appropriated for schools, in 1791, £80, and voted not to hire any " school-dames." But a dift'erent spirit prevailed in the following year ; the vote of 1791 was ignored, and female teachers were employed. The public health was duly cared for, and no person coming from a town infected with the small-pox was allowed to pass the smokehouse without being smoked ; none but the inhabitants were allowed to have the small-pox in town, and those wishing to have it (by inofidation) must go to a house provided for the purpose, and pay the expense thereof.

The first library in the West Parish (now Reading), was established in 1791, and was known as the Federal Library. Rev. Peter Sanborn Mas librarian till 1814. It had si.xty members, and existed about forty years.

Fires for warming the churches were for a long time not allowed, and the ladies carried foot-stoves for their comfort during the long services in the winter. In 1794 the West Parish voted that a stove might be put in their meeting-house, " if individuals will jjay the expense."

The Baptist Society in the First Parish was organized in 1797. Its first meeting-house was built in 1800. The society provided that the workmen erecting the frame should have good beef, well baked, potatoes, bread, cheese, cider, grog, and enough of each. Rev. Ebenezer Nelson began to preach here December, 1801, but was not installed till the organization of the church, January, 1804.

Rev. Caleb Prentiss, seventh pastor of the First Church, died February 7, 1803, aged fifty-seven, - " a good man and faithful minister of Christ."

A private school, or academy, as it w-as called, was opened here in 1808, by the Misses Eaton, and for several years was well patronized. It was succeeded in 1827 or 1828 by another academy, under the instruction of John Batchelder. Numbers of young men from this and the neighboring towns were here fitted for college. Mr. Batchelder gave up the school in 1843, and it was soon after discontinued.

A post-office was first opened in the present town of Reading in 1811. Colonel Nathan Parker^ was the first postmaster. He was succeeded in 1815 by John Weston, Esq., who held the office till his death in 1849. L. E. Gleason, the present iucumbent, is now in the eighteenth year of his service.

In jjolitical matters the three parishes of Reading did not harmonize. The South Parish was largely Democratic; the North and West Parishes were nearly a unit as Federalists. The South Parish was the largest of the three, but less than the two others. Party spirit ruled in town as well as in national affairs, and it came about that the leading men of the South Parish were altogether excluded from public office unless they were of the few that belonged to the dominant Federal party. For thirty-three years this condition of things continued, and naturally stirred up bad blood, and finally resulted in a movement on the part of the South Parish for incorporation as a separate town. Initial efl'orts in 1811 to this end were so far suc-

' Colonel Pnrkev was removed in consequence of having displeased tlie President by presiding at a meeting which passed icsolulious disapproving the direct fax. John Weston, Esq., Ills suiccssor. served the notice, saying, " It becomes my painful duty til iiiforai you, sir - " " No p;iiu to me, sir," interrupted tlic Culuial, " glad to get rid of it."

Reading

The declaration of war this year against Great Britain called the early attention of the town to national matters. A town-meeting was called, and the question, whether the town was in favor of the war, being put, the record with emphatic brevity says, " No man voted in favor of said war." But the town did not allow its political prejudices to overwhelm its jwtriotism, and it subsequently voted that the wages of such soldiers as were " detached" should be made up to §15 i)er month; and if the whole militia were called out their wages should be made the same. The selectmen were also directed to provide baggage-wagons to be in readiness when wanted for the soldiers.

The War of 1812 in a rather singular manner gave to the town its first fire-engine. The war being unpalatable to many of the citizens, to avoid service in the army a fire-company was formed and an engine bouglit ; thirty-five men to each engine being exempt by law from service as soldiers. The exempted positions were sometimes sold at exorbitant prices.

The fire department was created by an act of 1854, and B. M. Boyce served as chief engineer for seven years. The present chief is Charles H. Lang. The town owns four engines, and the annual expenses of tlie department are about 81,700.

The Reading Agricultural and Mechanical Banking Association was incorporated in 1831. Its officers were Edmund Parker, president; Warren Perkins, vice-president ; Jonathan Frost, secretary ; Cyrus Smith, treasurer ; Thomas Smith, Abiel Holden, Caleb Wakefield, and Eliab Parker, Jr., directors.

The bank did business in the way of discounts and deposits, and was very successful till the war of 1861 brought reverses to its customers, and compelled the closing up of its aifairs.

The Reading Savings-Bank was established in 1869. E. Hunt served as its first president; Tliomas Sweetser, vice-president ; N. P. Pratt, clerk and treasurer, with a board of thirteen directors. It was closed in March, 1879, when its affairs were put into the hands of receivers for final adjustment.

March 22, 1833, the ladies of this town formed the Reading Female Antislavery Society. Mrs. Sarah Reid was president, Mrs. Sarah Parker, vicepresident: The first vote of the society, after adopting its constitution, was for appropriating money to aid Hon. William Lloyd Garrison in his mission to Great Britain. Mr. Garrison says: " The historical honor belongs to Reading, of giving birtli to tlie first female antislavery society ever formed in this country. It continued for several years to be an efficient instrumentality, and lielped to give a strong impetus to the whole movej ment." To this town also belongs the lionor of having formed the first male society auxiliary to the New England Antislavery Society. Rev. I Jared Reid was president, Horace P. Wakefield ' secretary, Ambrose Kingman treasurer. "This I society was also active and efficient," says Mr. I Garrison, and " for some time Reading continued to be the banner town in the antislavery conflict."^ On the 29th of May, 1844, Reading and South Reading celebrated the bi-centennial anniversary of their incorporation. Deacon Caleb Wakefield was president of tlie day. Tlie address was delivered by Rev. James Flint, D. D., of Salem, a native of Reading. Hon. Lilley Eaton followed with a historical poem. Toasts and responses were given, interspersed with vocal and instrumental music. Four thousand people, at least, were in attendance, and nearly half the number partook of the collation. Tiie principal exercises were held near the spot where the Bethesda Clnirch now stands. It was then an open field owned by Rev. Peter Sanborn, who offered its use gratuitously, on condition they should put up the bars when the celebration was over.

In 1845 the Boston and Maine Railroad was opened througli this town. The first train passed over the road July 1. Mr. Calvin Temple was station agent twenty-one years. The railroad lias greatly changed the business character of the town and people. Quite a large portion of the active citizens reside here, but do business in the city.

The originator of the express business, William F. Harnden, was a native of this town, and learned the trade of cabinet-making with his cousin, Sylvester Harnden. He commenced carrying small packages of money and other valuables between Boston and New York in 1839. His brother, Adolphus H., while in his employ, perished in the steamer Lexington, burned on Long Island Sound, January 13, 1840.

1 The antislaveiy ladies of Enslaud sent an elegant china teaset by Mr. Gan-ison to the ladies' antislavery society of Reading, which is still preserved. Each piece hears a cut representing a kneeling slave, with manacled hands raised in the attitude of prayer.

An association of which Messrs. Stephen Foster and C. P. Judd were prominent members, in IS-io did a commendable work in setting out many of the shade-trees that now adoni the principal portion of the villagv. Xeail.v -'S::U() were raised by subscription for purchasing the trees, and the work of setting them out was voluntarily performed. The work of improvement went forward, and in the next year the Old South Parish purchased thirteen acres of land north of the old burying-ground, and laid it out in lots for cemetery use. Consecration services were held November 25, in the church, a severe storm preventing their observance on the grounds. In 1853 the cemetery was transferred to the town on payment of $2,5:17.41. Since 1870 the cemetery has been managed by a board of trustees, who have done much towards making it one of the most attractive rural cemeteries in the vicinity.

For several years efforts were made to establish a high school, but the North and South Parishes could not agree upon a location. The incorporation of North Reading as a town in 1853 removed this difficulty, and the high school in Reading was established in 1856. A course of study was prescribed, and its first class graduated in 1863. The standard has been repeatedly raised, and classes have graduated every year since. The whole number of graduates to the present time has been one hundred and ninety-one. The high-school house was built in 1867. The present efficient teacher, Cyrus A. Cole, has been in charge of the school for ten years.

The town furnished four hundred and eleven men for the Civil War, a surplus of thirty-four beyond its quota. Thirteen were commissioned officers. Under the first call of the President, April 15, 1861, twenty-one men enlisted, and on the 19th started for Washington, and were in the first Bull Itiiii battle, .lunc I, tlir town appropriated .^5,tM)() fur stair aid, and vi.tcd to pay each man who enlisted for the war §25 as an outfit. July 17, 1862, it voted a bounty of $100 to each volunteer who enlisted for three years, to the town's credit. August 26, was voted a bounty of $150 to each recruit for nin(> inonilis' service. The total expenditure by the town, on account of the war, excluding state aid, was §37,971.11. Total amount of state aid furnished by the town, $25,888.84. The ladies of Reading met two or three times a week during the war to prepare lint, bandages, and clothing for the soldiers ; but as they kept no record of the work they contributed, it cannot be given. One of their number. Miss Emily Ruggles, furnished a representative recruit for three years' service. In 1863 Abiel Holden, Esq., bequeathed $500 for the erection of a soldiers' monument, on condition that the town would furnish the same amount. The town, in March, 1865, added $1,000 to Mr. Holden's bequest, and a monument was dedicated, with appropriate ceremonies, October 5. Forty-six names of "the sons of Reading who died for their country" are inscribed upon it. The Reading Veteran Association have since erected headstones over the graves of those deceased soldiers who had none.

The Franklin Library was formed in 1842, and continued in operation till 1869, when it transferred its four hundred and sixty-two volumes to the Reading Public Library.

The Agricultural Library Association was organized in 1860, with N. P. Pratt, Esq., as president. After existing nine years, it placed its books in the care of the town library, for the public benefit.

The Reading Public Library was established in 1868. Dr. Horace P. Wakefield donated $500 towards it, and the town appropriated the same amount. E. Appleton was the first, and is the present president of the board of trustees. The library is well patronized, and contains, at present, four thousand one hundred and ten volumes.

The manufacture of slioes, which has been and still is one of the leading industries in that part of the town now known as Reading, was begun as early as 1758. The business steadily increased, and early in the present century the goods found their way to the Southern States and to the West Indies. The shoes to be sent to market were thrown into barrels, and packed as solidly as the weight of a boy could make them by "treading." The prices for making children's aiid misses' shoes in ISO L was from seventeen to twenty cents per pair, and twenty-five to twenty-nine cents for larger sizes. The value of boots and shoes made in 1837 was $lS|.,.jS3; in is 15, SI (it!, 734; in 1855, $191,5lll»; in 1S65, $2l7,(i.'J3; in 1875, $ 185,035. Hands employed in 1837, males 338, females 494; in 1845, males 358, females 385; in 1855, males 267, females 150 ; in 1865, males 244, females 121 ; in 1875, males 93, females 107.

The manufacture of cabinet furniture, beginning probably in 1810, by Ambrose Kingman, continued for many years to hold a prominent place. He sold out to his brother Henry, who greatly eu-

The high price of hats during the War of 1812 prompted Nathan Weston to commence their manufacture. He made a waterproof stove-pipe hat, covered with cotton plush ; but this soon fading, he began to use silk plush, and it is claimed that he thus became the inventor of the silk hat now in use. The business was removed in 1819 from Eeading to Charlestown.

The manufacture of clocks was commenced in this town in 1832, by Jonathan Frost and Daniel Pratt, Esq. The brass movements were introduced about 1835. The business was continued here till 1858 or 1859.

In 1857 Mr. Thomas Ajjpletou commenced the making of church organs, and continued the business here for seventeen years. He was the builder of thirty-five organs for Boston churches, and three times as many to be used in nearly every principal city in the Union. His instruments were noted for purity and sweetness of tone, and for their perfect construction. One was used in the Baldwin Place Church for thirty years without repairs.

The manufacture of neckties began here by Damon, Temple & Co. in 1866. The business rapidly increased, and in 1869 about one hundred and twenty-five hands were employed. The firm are still doing an extensive business.

The total value of the manufactures of the town, given in the census returns of 1875, was $602,613. The total value of agricultural products was $89,102.

The present town of Eeading is bounded north by North Reading, east by Lynnfield and Wakefield, south by Stoneham, west by Wobuni and Wilmington. It is located on the Boston and Maine Railroad, twelve miles north of Boston. It borders upon the Ipswich River, but has no important waters within its boundaries.

The town has a good record for the health and longevity of its inhabitants. On the first of January, 1858, there were living in the town ninety-five persons who were seventy years old and upwards. Six were above ninety, twenty-eight between eighty and ninety, sixty-one between seventy and eighty.

Rev. Samuel Baclieller, graduated at Harvard College in 1731, was settled as pastor in the West Parish, in Haverhill, in 1735. In 1769 and 1770 he was representative from that town. He died in March, 1796, in Royalston, Massachusetts. Chase, in the Uhliiry «/ ILn-i-rhill, calls him a man of superior talents and attainments.

Samuel S. Pool, graduated at Harvard College, class of 1770. He took sides with the tories in the War of the Revolution, and like many others of that class when tiiey " wanted more room," he removed to Nova Scotia, where he became a judge. He lived on the place formerly owned by Deacon Wakefield, in the easterly part of the town.

Rev. Jacob Burnap, D.D., son of Isaac, Harvard College, class of 1770, was ordained first pastor of the First Church in Merrimac, New Hampshire, October 14, 1772, " in which honorable position," says his historian, " he remained till his death, December 6, 1821, a ])eriod of more than forty-nine years."

Rev. Aaron Bancroft, D. D., son of Samuel, Esq., Harvard, class of 1778, settled in Worcester, in 1785, where he died in 1839, aged eighty-four. He was father of George Bancroft the historian, and published several works. He shouldered his musket as a volunteer at Lexington and Bunker Hill. The Bible was his standard. He was cheerful, active, and benevolent.

Rev. Edmund Foster, a graduate of Yale, 1778, was ordained third pastor of the churcli in Littleton in 1781. He died in 1826. Early in tlie War of the Revolution he was very active in the cause of the people, and was one of the minutemen that enlisted under the command of Dr. (afterwards Governor) John Brooks, who then resided here.

Thomas Pratt, son of Isaac, graduated at Dartmoutli in 1798. Sjjent some time as teacher, and finally became a merchant at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Rev. Nathan Parker, Harvard, 1803. Ecceived the degree of D. D., and settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he remained as pastor nearly thirty years. He is said to have been " successful almost without a parallel in the ministries of the growing denomination to which he belonged." Tiiose wiio remember him say he was a man of talent, genial, and very unassuming. He was born and lived where !Mr. James Davis uow resides, and was brother of Hon. Edmund Parker.

Jonathan D. Weston, son of Captain Jonathan, Harvard, 1802. Became a prominent lawyer, and removed to Eastport, Maine. Said to have been " one of the smartest men ever raised in Reading." He served also as collector of the port.

Daniel Temple, Dartmouth, class of 1817 ; Andover Theological Seminary in 1820; ordained in 1821; w^ent as a missionary to Malta in 1822; removed to Smyrna in 1833; returned to the United States in 1844; died August 9, 1851, at tlie house of his brother, Deacon M. M. Temple, at tile ago of sixty-one, and was buried in this town. His funeral sermon was preached by Eev. Mr. Goodell, the missionary witii w^liom he had long been associated, botli as a classmate and in missionary interests. Mr. Goodell said: " Among the various nations and tribes and sects of tiie East, his name is held in higli estimation He evidently endeavored to be as upriglit, sincere, cordial, gentle, kind, benevolent, economical, true, and good, as lie expected everybody would be in tiie milli'iiiiiiiin." His life and h'ttcrs, forming an intrrrsliiig Vdlunic of nearly live hundred pages, were published in 1855.

John Batchelder, Harvard, 1X23. lie taught school in Nantucket for some tinic, and in ls27 opened an academy iiere in a building erected for that purpose, and designed in ])art for a church by the I'liilariiui society that then existed in town.

The building stood on the present site of the residence of Dr. F. F. Brown. The school prospered for many years, and numbers of young men from this and tiie surrounding towns were fitted here for college. Mr. Batchelder was succeeded in 1843 by a Mr. AVait, who soon gave up the school here and opened one in Greenwood, where the inebriate asylum of Dr. Day was formerly established. The academy was converted into a dwelling-house, and is now the residence of H. G. Eichardson, Esq. Mr. Batchelder served the town for thirty years with distinguished ability as one of their school committee, commencing in 1828 and continuing nearly every year till 1862. He was also once chosen representative to the General Court, and served some years as selectman. He died in 1871, aged eighty.

Eev. Benjamin Wyman Parker, Amherst, 1829 ; Andover, 1832. AYent as a missionary to the Sandwich Islands the same year. He returned on a visit to his native town in 1876, after an absence of forty-four years. He died in Honolulu, March 23, 1877, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He had been for many years officially connected with the Theological Seminary at Honolulu, and Avas a faithful laborer in the mission-field.

Eev. George Nichols, son of James, graduated at Yale, and studied theology at New Haven, but never preached much. He was a successful teacher for a term of years at New Ha\en and Hadley, and for a long term at Springfield, Alassachusetts, where he died at the age of forty-six.

Eev. Cyrus Nichols, brother of Eev. George, graduated at Williams, and studied theology at Auburn. He has long been in the service of the Home Missionary Society, first in Missouri, now in Wisconsin.

Eev. AVarren Nichols, another brother, graduated at Williams and Andover, and labored also in Missouri for the Home .Mission till his death.

Adams Nichols, AI. D., practised at Eockport, Massachusetts, but removed to Quincy, Illinois, where he had an extensive field of labor, and was a popular physician. He was brother of the three last named. He died in 1S71.

Eev. Stillman Pratt, son of Benjamin, graduate of Amherst, 1831, studied theology, and graduated at Andover. First settled at Orleans, where lie remained four and a half years, and preached at Eastliam six months. He then removed to South Adams, Massaclmsetts, and after doing missionary work several years, succeeded in establishing a church of which he became pastor. After nine years of labor at Adams, he removed to Melrose, laboring among the people, holding meetings in the depot, and formed a church there over which he was settled about three years, and which, like that at Adams, still continues to flourisli. He removed to Carver, and was pastor there three years. He published T/ie Mot/ier's Assistmit two years, and T/ie Middleboroiir/h Gazette from that time to his death, September 1, 1863, at the age of fifty-three years. He was the author of four volumes published by the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, a life of General Fremont, two editions of Sabbat/i School Questions, and a biographical catalogue of the class of 1831, Amherst College, and a genealogy of the Pratt family. Under his ministrations seventy-one were added to the church in Orleans, fifty at South Adams, twentyfive at Melrose, fifteen at Carver. His son. Stillman B. Pratt, is the present editor and proprietor of The Bundolph Massachusetts Eerjister, and of The American IForkman, 37 Cornhill, Boston; and was the candidate of the Labor-Reform party for secretary of state in 1869. Another son, Eansom D., has been connected with the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics. A third son, Thomas S., was former editor of The Abinc/ton Standard.

William L. Peabody, son of Enoch, Dartmouth, 1856, studied law, practised for several years at Lynn, and is now established in his profession at Omaha, Nebraska, where he is also judge of probate.

Benjamin M. Hartsliorn, son of Benjamin, graduated at the Harvard Law School, and opened an office in this town. He was chosen for three years as one of the general school committee, and in 1867 was elected chairman of the board of selectmen. He died the same year, aged twenty-seven.

John M. Bancroft, son of Joseph, Dartmouth, class of 1859. Went west as civil engineer till the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted as a private in the second iMichigan infantry, was in sixteen battles, served three years, and attained the rank of captain. He was then offered the colonelcy of a regiment of cavalry, which he declined on account of health. He removed to Brooklyn, New York, and was engaged for a year or two in laying out the public park there. He is now employed by ten New York insurance companies as surveyor, which gives him employment in different parts of the country, with his principal office in New York.

Horace P. Wakefield, son of Deacon Caleb, Amherst, 1833, practising physician at Oakham, Massachusetts, for several years, where he held the office of selectman and town-clerk, and was twice elected as representative to the legislature. Eeturning to Reading, he was elected senator for tliis district in 1863, and served one year, and also as school committee and town-clerk for several years, and justice of the peace. He was then appointed as inspector of the almshouse at Tewskbury, and afterwards physician there. Subsequently he was transferred to the superintendency of the state almshouse at Monson, which he retained till 1877.

Rev. William Wakefield, son of William, graduated at Amherst, 1839, taught the South Reading Academy one year; Codman School, Dorchester, about two years; graduated at Andover, 1845; went as home missionary to McConnelsville, Ohio, remaining there six years ; preached at Jladison, Ohio, three years. In April, 1855, he removed to Harmar, a village of Marietta, where he was pastor for many years. He is now settled at La Harpe, Illinois.

Edward Hartshorn, M. D., formerly of this town, studied medicine, settled at Berlin, has an office in Boston, and is proprietor of the wellknown bitters, " Key to Health."

John Reid, son of Rev. Jared, formerly pastor of the Old South Church in this town, graduated at Yale, 1846, resides at Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where he is engaged in teaching.

Rev. Pliny P. Sanborn, son of Rev. Peter Sanborn, Amherst, class of 1840. Settled for some years at West Bloomfield, New York, afterwards at Springfield, same state.

Rev. George E. Sanborn, brother of Plhiy P., Amherst, 1843. Preached at Georgia, Vermont, Mt. Vernon, New Hampshire, Northborough, Massachusetts, and is now superintendent of the orphan aslyum at Hartford, Connecticut.

Daniel Temple, son of Charles, not a graduate, is a dentist. He has resided in tlie Southern States many years. He first went there as an agent for Dr. Morton, and engaged in introducing ether as an anaesthetic iu surgical operations.

Stillman E. Parker, Esq., entered Amherst College, 1841. After studying about two years he was obliged to leave on account of ill health. He is now engaged in the manufacture and sale of shoes. He has served on the school committee in this town longer, with one exception, than any other person. He was a member of the state legislature in 1859, and holds a commission as justice of the peace.

Alfred A. Prescott was a member of the class of 1843, Harvard College; began the practice of law in 1845 ; was Register of Probate about six years, - from 1852 to 1858. He now resides in California.

Eev. Thomas M. Symonds, son of Eben D., graduate of Waterville College, Maine, 1847, Newton Theological Seminary, 1850. Was never settled as a pastor. Labored under the direction of the Home Missionary Society, with a good degree of success, at Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he died July 5, 1852, at tiie age of thirty-one.

William Wallace Davis, nearly two years a student at Dartmouth, left the college and enlisted as a soldier in August, 1862. He received a bulletwound in his right wrist at the battle of Gettysburg, on account of which lie was discharged from the service. Enlisting again in December, 1863, in the 59th regiment, he was promoted to be first lieutenant the next year. He lost his left arm in the battle of Petersburg, July 30, 1864, and again received an honorable discliarge November 29, 1804.

Solon Bancroft, son of Emery, graduated at Dartmouth, 1864, studied law, and is now in jn-actice. Has an office liere and also in Boston. lie was for some time employed in tencln'ng in one of tlie city schools. He is Assistant Judge of Middlesex District Court.

The Third Church, formerly called the West Parish Church, and now the Old South Church of Reading, organized in 1770, has had, as pastors: Rev. Thomas Haven, ordained November 7, 1770, died May 7, 1782; Rev. Peter Sanborn, ordained June 9, i790, dismissed June 7, 1820; Rev. Samuel Green, ordained September 20, 1820, dismissed March 26, 1823; Rev. Jared Reid, ordained October 8, 1823, dismissed June 12, 1833; Rev. Aaron Pickett, installed September 25, 1833, dismissed April 3, 1850; Rev. Lyman Whiting, installed January 1, 1851, dismissed November 1, 1855; Rev. William Barrows, installed February 20, 1856, dismissed May 6, 1869; Rev. William A. Thompson, installed February 14, 1872, died September 17, 1875.

T/ii' Third Congregaiional Societi/ in Reading was formed April 2, 1827. It held its meetings in the upper portion of the building known as tlie Academy, erected in that year, while the lower floor was used as a school-room. Several preachers served for short terms, - Rev. Mr. ]?arbery fill his death in 1830, and Rev. ]\Ir. Damon from 1833 to 1835. In 1838 it was absorbed in the Second Universalist Society, whicli culminated, in 1856, in a new organization, with the name changed to First Universalist vSociety. Rev. N. R. Wright became pastor for two years, and was succeeded by - Rev. L. M. Burrington for two and a iialf years. Rev. E. A. Eaton oflieiatcd a portion of the time till 1865, and was followed by Rev. W. W. Hay- ward till 1867. Rev. E. B. Fairchikl, in 186S, commenced holding an afternoon service in Lyceum Hall. A house of worship was built in 1871, where the society has since continued to hold its meetings. In 1869 a new society was formed, under the name of The Christian Union. It adopted the following as its platform and creed : " A belief in the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Humanity, as taught by Jesus Christ, and acknowledging Him as Our Teacher and Guide."

The present pastor. Rev. C. "\V. Heizer, was settled in February, 1878. In June of the same year the society placed itself in fellowship with the Unitarian denomination.

Bethesda Church and Society. - The Bethesda Society was formed in 1849. The first meeting was called April 23. Captain Timothy Wakefield was moderator ; Oliver Peabody, clerk ; Timothy Wakefield, Aaron Parker, John H. Bancroft, assessors; Milo Parker, collector and treasurer. Stillman E. Parker was chosen clerk in 1855, and has held the office to the present time. The church edifice was dedicated January 1, 1850.

Rev. William H. Willcox, the third pastor, was installed July 3, 1857. His pastorate was of unusual length and prosperity. His resignation being accepted, the connection with the church and society was dissolved March 5, 1879. On the same day Rev. William B. Ely was installed as his successor.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized June 9, 1867, with nineteen members. The meeting-house was built in 1870. Rev. Stephen Gushing preached one year. Rev. H. D. Weston succeeded in 1869, and preached two years; Rev.

The First Presbi/ferian Church was organized February 27, 1873, with twenty members. Its house of worship was dedicated Februar}', 1874. Rev. A. S. Gardiner was installed as jmstor. May, 1873, and remained till September, 1875. Rev. P. M. Macdouald has since supplied the pulpit.

In 1871 J. Hilary Skinner, Esq., correspondent of the London Times, attended a political banquet in this town, of which he gave a pleasant description in his paper. A few extracts from his narration may properly be given in closing the historical sketch of the town.

" You must picture a brightly lighted hall, with a gallery at one end where a band of music and six rows of tables stretch down the centre. You must fill the hall with quiet, earnest-looking people of both sexes, and imagine the usual table at the top, furthest from the music, where sat the principal

" Yet stay a moment, I entreat, for this matter of pretty young waitresses aforesaid is worthy our attention. The well-behaved, neatly dressed girls who hand round the coffee and tea so demurely, and who are, in one sense, the chief ornament of the room, belong to the same class of society as those dull-eyed and weary British waiterdom, - vanish the nimble gargon and the obliging Icellner. AVe are waited on by nymphs who bring us the fragrant coffee or the sleep-killing tea, and my only trouble is about asking for more. Shall I venture to beckon to me that pretty creature who has just embraced the old dame on my right ? Shall I call out "Waiter! " in a firm undertone, and hold up my cup at this smiling young person whose httle head overflows with curls ? Tiie question is momentous to a timid Briton, but its answer is siml^le. Hold up the cup, ask for more, do anything that reason and friendship will permit, and tiie attendant nymjohs will be found as much alive to the work of the hour as their countrymen are apt to be alive to any work which they take in hand

I cannot attempt to tell all that was said, or to give the names of all who spoke, but such a slight sketch of the leading speeches as has gone before may serve to show you to what sort of discussion tlie company hstened. Here were men and women side by side, equally attentive to the recital of party hopes and fears, equally warming up - with only the mild stimulants before described - to laugh and to stamp on the floor at good party hits. It is but fair to say that tliey listened also with courteous attention to some remarks from an Englishman who was present, on matters further afield, and that an able criticism in the next speech on English prospects was very well received. The people had thoughts for much more than party politics, but it is as politicians that their gathering togctlier thus quietly, with wife and children, is tlie most remarkable. What can be a better sign for free institutions than the levelling upwards which brings laborers and mechanics, small traders and wealthy merchants, to the same assemblage of intelligent, self-respecting citizens? Whilst so much of the country is true and sound, there will be strength in the Americans to stifle Tammany and to regenerate a dozen Utahs.

Source changes here: from History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, by Drake, Samuel Adams, published 1880; 11,698 words in this source stream.

Reading Town

King Philip's War began in 1675^ and Beading was required to furnish its quota of troops. Among those known to liave entered the service were MaJQr Jeremiah Swayne^ Captain Jonathan Poole, Thomas Bancroft, Samuel Lamson, ]>ivid Bachelder, James Case, Samuel Damon, Gabriel Taylor, Thomas Nichols, William Boberts, Nicliolas Lunn, John Arnold, William Arnold, William Bobbins, Thopias Brown, Ebenezer Flint, Daniel Flint, Joseph Hartshorn, John Weston, and Bichard Smith. A tax was assessed upon the towns in the colony amounting to £ 1,553 6«. 4 J. ^ Of this sum. Beading paid £16 9^. llr/., twenty-eight towns paying more than this, and twenty paying less. A garrison-house was erected in what is now North Beadmg, in which the people could take refuge, and defend themselves against the Lidiaus. The marks of Indian bullets might long be seen upon the doors. Other houses were built with plank walls lined. with bricks as a defence against the common foe.

The council issued orders to Captain Swayne, of Reading, as follows: "Captain Swaine, - The Council having taken into consideration the present state of matters as to the common enemy, do judge meet to order that forthwith upon receipt of this, yon garrison, and as soon as may be draw up the gjarrison soldiers under your command, of the towns of Hadley, Hatfield, Springfield, and Westfield, and with Uiem to march to Deeriield, and the places thereabouts and then search for and destroy the common enemy.''

There were two prominent military men in town at that time. Captain Jonathan Poole and Captain Jeremiah Swayne, between whom there seems to have been a strong feeling of rivalry. Both were efficient officers, and had done good service against tiie Indians. lu October, 1675, Captain Poole was in Hatfield when the garrison was attacked by about eight hundred Indians. Captain Poole, \nth bis men, made a spirited defence at one point, while the veteran Xloseley defended another. The fight was des|)erate ^ but the Indians proved no match for the English, by whom they were repulsed at every point. Captain Poole was quartermaster under Captain Hutchinson in 1671.

A petition was sent from the town to the General Court in 1677, from which it appears that an election of captain was pending, and the town was divided into two parties concerning the matter. The petitioners said : " It begins to have influence in Town matters, to strive to circumvent one another in our Actions which wee feare will have a bad coiisequence. Therefore, wee humbly intreate the Honored Court that you would be pleased to issue the case for us, and settell some abell and meete person in the phice of a Capien amongst us tliat our strife may be at an ende.'^ The court cut the knot by appointing Swayne as major; and Poole became, or continueJ to be captain, but died the next year, greatly Limented. He was ancestor of Hon. Horace P. Wakefield, M.D., formerly of this town, recently superintendent of the State Almshouse at Monson.

Captain Swayne was' the younger, and perhaps tlie more ambitious man. He was employed on important expeditions, and has a good record in the history of those trying times. He was a lientenant under Major Appleton in the Narraganselt Fight, where he received a severe wound. David Bachelor, of Beading, was wounded at the same time.

In August, 1688, Major Swayne was appointed by the court ''as commander-in-chief of all the forces raised and detached out of the several regiments within the colony, against the Kennebec and Eastern Indians and their confederates, with power to fight, take, kill, and destroy the said enemy by all the ways and means possible.^ . He received ten pounds as an outfit for the expedition. He had his headquarters at Salmon IfaHs,, in Berwick, Maine, and was engaged in sevenl battles. Major Swayne was a physician, and iTdd the offices, at various times, of justice of the peace, selectman, representative, and assistant. The codrt granted to him and to Samuel Damon, Samuel Lamson, William Bobbins, James Pike, Jr., and Samuel Nichols, of Beading, and others belonging in Lynn, Beverly, and Hingham, a tract of land in the "Kipmug Country," eight miles square, "for their ser\'ices in the late Indian war." Major Swayne died in 1710, aged sixty-seven.

An assessment of ten pounds was laid in 1686 upon the tax-payers of the town, numbering ninety-one persons, to raise monejf to pay the Lidians for the territory of Beading purchased some years previously. The deed was not signed till 1687. The Indians who signed it claimed to be descendants and near relatives of Sagamore, " George-No- Nos?e," whom they afiirm to liave been the true owner of the land tliat the towns of Beading and Lynn stand upon. Four sign by their marie, and one only writes out his name in full, ** James Quonopohit.^ His wife, Mary, is also one of the signers. They are described as of Natick, and it is pleasant to know that this James Quono})ohit, as the name was then spelled^ was ot)e of the Aix>stle Eliot's "praying Indians/' He was often employed during King. Philip's War in assisting our people and oflicers in tlieir expeditions against Philip. James and his brother Thomas, then about eighty-six years old, were at one time in active service with Captain Henchman as guides.

Lake Quana[)owitt undoubtedly received its name in honor of James Quonopohit, but we are not told ;Rrhen, or by whom, the " Great Poud " was christened with its present name.

Bev. John Brock, third pastor of the church, died in 1688. He was born in Eugland in 1620 ; graduated at Harvard College in 1646; preached in Bowley and at the Isles of Shoals; he was settled in Beading twenty-six years.

Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, gives some remarkable instances of answers to his prayers.* It was said of him, ''He lives as near heaven as any man on earth." His successor was Be v. Jonathan Pierpont (H. U. 1683), who was ordained June 26, 1689. He was pastor till his death, in 1709. He was held in much esteem. A contemporary said, ''He was a man of great worth." Judge ScTi^U s^ieaks of his death as " a very great loss." The second meeting-house was built about 1689. Subscriptions were received towards its building from seventy-two persons in Beading, twenty-six in Lynn End, now Lynnfield, and nine in Charicstown End, now Stoneham.

A company of soldiers from Beading joined the Canada expedition in 1690. Ephraim Savage was captain. Tlie witchcmft lunacy prevailed to some extent in this town in 1692. Lydia Dustin, Sarah Dustin, - probably daughters of Josiah, and })erhaps maiden ladies, - Mary Taylor, and Sarah, wife of Nicholas Bice, were arrested for witchcraft, and imprisoned in Boston, but were finally acquitted. Mrs. Bice was kept in jail from June to October, when her husband petitioned the court for her release. He. declared he "had lived with her above twenty years, in all which time he had never reason to accuse her of impiety or witchcraft ; but tlie contrary, she lived with him as a good, faithful, dutiful wife, and always had respect to the ordinances of Qod, .... and it is deplorable tliat, in old age, the poor, decrepid woman sliould lye under confinement in a loathsome jail, when her circumstances rather require a nurse to attend her." She was soon after liberated.

For several years the town had been taxed toward the maintenance of the Mystic- Bridge in Medfonl, which the people of Beading were obliged to i)ass over in going to Boston, In 1693 the town voted ^' tliat tliey will not be at any charge to repair Mystic bridge, unless com[)eUed to it by law."

Tlie town voted, 1694, " that there should be only one house of entertainment in io^n " ; and also voted "tliat there slmll be sliade trees left upon the common " ; chose for first time a separate board of assessors, and })aid for fitting up the house where Master Lines kept " scoole," - probably Nicholas Lynde. Joseph Upton was schoolmaster in 1694-95. Tlie selectmen agreed with Jonathan Poole, in 1697, for keeping "a scoUe to tech the young people to wriglit, to rea^, and to cast up accounts, soe far as said Poole could^ and they cappable to lame in the time." In 1701 the selectmen agreed with John Herbert to teach the children in "reding, wrighting, and sifering," at a salary of £11 per year in money.

Stephen, son of Samuel Dix, was drowned in the Great Pond in 1705, at the age of thirteen years. Samuel was son of Balph, who came to Beading from Ipswich in 1662. The late General John A. Dix of New York lias stated that " Anthony Dix, who caihe to Plvmouth in the second \'essel that reached there after the landing of tlic.Pilgrims, was the common ancestor of Balph Dix and myself."

In 1706 five of a party of Indians who had attacked Dunstable came to the dwelling of John Hamdeu, in the northwesterly part of Beading, now included in Wilmington. They entered the house at night, through the roof, in the absence pf the father, and killed Mrs. Hamden and three of eight cliildren, and carried the others away; but the captives were recovered.

The inhabitants on the north side of Ipswich Biver, now North Beading, in 1709 asked advice of. the town " where to sett their meeting-house." Tlie town voted that the school be kept in the Wood End one quarter of the time this yea;c*

In the expeditions sent against the French and Indians in Canada Qnd Nova Scotia, in this and the following years, forty-si;c soldiers went from Beadinc:.

Bev. Bichard Brown, graduate of Harvard College in 1697, was ordained pastor of the church in Beading in 1712, and, Uke his predecessor, died ifter a pastorate of twenty yean. The churchy in Janoaiy, 1720-21^ had a membership of two hundred and thirty-six persons^ belonging in the teriitory now embraced in the towns of Melrose^ Stooebam, Wilmington, North Beading, Lynnfield^ Beading, and Wakefield. Hiree churches, Ljrnnfield, North Beading, and Stoneham, were formed during the pastorate of Mr. Brown, which reduced the number in his church to one hundred and eighty-four. The North Precinct was set off IS a distinct parish i^ 1713. Its first meeting was held November 27, Sergeant George Flint serving as moderator, and John Hamdeu as clerk. The town voted, in 1714, to give them £30; *'one half when they finish their meeting-liouse, and the other half when they build a ministerial house.'' The town voted this year " to procure a new Bell, not to cost over £50.'' - John Browne, captain, selectman, justice of the peace, and representative, " witty, yet wise, grave, good, among the best," as his tombstone says, died in 1717, aged eighty-three.

Bev. Daniel Putnam, from Danvers, a graduate of Harvard College in 1717, was ordained pastor of the second church in Beading (North Beading) in 1720, which then had thirty-nine members. Six families were here in 1680 ; eight other families in 1684; five more before 1687 ; eight more before 1690. There were fifty-three tax-payers in this precinct in 1720.

The church records in the North Precinct mention "a terrible earthquake October 29, 1727, which lasted at times three months." In' 1728 the town voted to accept their proportion of the bills of credit issued by the General Court.

The town voted, in 1729, to try to get rid of mending Mystic Bridge in future. Tlie town met at Landlord Wesson's, to hear the Indi;m deed of the township read. The north part of Maiden, no w^ Greenwood, of ten families, was annexed to Beading.

The meeting-house, in 1730, was " seated " by a committee under instruction that ''real estate and age are the two first and chiefest rules to go by in sfeatlng the meeting-house."

The town refused, by a vote of fifty to forty-five to set off Wood End to be a parish by themselves, but allowed them £17 a year for support of preaching among themselves during the ninter. The North

Precinct, desiring that a part of Beading, LyoDj and Andover be set off to them to help support the gospel, a committee was chosen to go to the Grcneral Court to defend the parish from an/ *^ breaking in " from the North Precinct or elsewhere.

The expenses of the town for 1730 amounted to £77, of which £ 36 were paid for schooling. The receipts were £99, leaving to "ye town's credit" £22. *

Bev. Bichard Brown died in October, 1732. In the bill of funeral expenses Andrew Tyler, of Boston, is credited with six gold ijuigs, £10 18«. Mrs. Martha Brown for wine furnished, £5; "Bhom" (Bum), 18*., etc. Bev. Mr. Hobby was ordained pastor of the First Church in 1733, with £200 as a settlement gift, an annual salary of £120, and tbirtv cords of wood, with the use of the parsonage. One item in the bill of expc^nses for the ordination is " 1 bbl. of wine," costing £13 8*. ,