the Bowmans against the Reeds -the House of York against the House of Lancaster-would naturally lead to some management, if not between the rival candidates, at least between their friends. Third parties in such cases will occasionally step in, and take the prize from both the contending parties. Something of this kind, if I have not misapprehended the spirit of the records, occurred in some instances in the town of Lexington. The offices contested seem to have been those of Moderator, First Selectman, and Representative, especially the last. Probably the contest for Representative gave rise to the following vote, passed at the May meeting, 1739: "voted that ye person who shall be Chosen to Represent ye town at ye Great and Generall Court shall Imediately Ingage to serue ye town as a Representative at ye aboue said Court for Six Shillings a day which person then Chosen namly mr Joseph ffassit accepted ye Choice upon ye aboue sd vote." This serving as a Representative at a reduced price appears to have given Mr. Fassett a peculiar popularity; for the next year he was chosen Moderator, First Selectman, and Representative; and thus, for a short period, he threw Joseph Bowman, Esq., and Captain William Reed into the shade. But popularity founded on such a basis proved in this case, as it generally does, of short duration; for after three years he was dropped, and then Captain Reed was elected several years in succession to represent the town. A Representative in those days must have been an officer of more dignity than at present, if we are to judge by the manner in which it was heralded by our fathers. The article in the warrant for 1739 for the choice of Representative reads as follows: "To elect and depute one or more persons being freholders & Residents in sd town to serve for & Represent them at or in A great & Generall Court or Asembly Apointed to be Convened and held & kept for His Magisty's sarvice at ye Court House in Bostown." In 1740, the people of Lexington were called to mourn the loss of their junior pastor, when he had just completed the sixth year of his ministry. As there was a general feeling of satisfaction when he was called to share with his venerable father the labors of his profession and the affections of his people, so there was a unanimous feeling of regret that the father was so soon deprived of the aid and support of his affectionate son, and the parish of their devoted minister. In 1729, a small portion of the territory of Lexington had been set off to form the town of Bedford, and in 1744, sundry inhabitants of Concord, Weston, and the westerly part of Lexington petitioned the General Court to be erected into a precinct; but the town chose Joseph Bowman, Esq., Captain William Reed, and Deacon John Stone to oppose the prayer of the petition, which they did effectually at that time. On the 6th of December, 1752, the people of Lexington were deprived of their beloved and venerable pastor, Rev. John Hancock, who had with great ability and faithfulness ministered to them for more than fifty-three years. As we shall speak of the character of Rev. Mr. Hancock more particularly under the head of the ecclesiastical history of the town, we will simply say here that his services were justly appreciated by his people, who sincerely deplored his sudden death. They had long witnessed his growing infirmities, or perhaps, more properly, his increasing years, and had taken the precaution for several years to choose a committee to supply the pulpit in case of the inability of Mr. Hancock to discharge his wonted duties. But that committee had no occasion to look abroad for a supply; for their venerated pastor was able to perform every duty of his sacred office to the very day of his death. The people had also manifested their attachment to him, and their regard for his welfare, by adding to his salary, from year to year, at least sufficiently to make up for the depreciation of the currency; and when he was called hence by a sudden dispensation of Providence, they manifested their respect for his memory and sympathy for his family by convening the town and adopting the following votes: "at a meeting of the freeholders & other inhabitants regularly assembled on December 7: 1752: then maid Choyce of Deacon Brown modderator "1 Voted two hundred Pounds old Tenor for a Desent burial of our Revernd & Beloved Pastor mr John Hancock "2 Daniel Tidd mr Benjamin Smith Leut Ebenezer Fisk for a Committee to gow down to Provide things their for sd funarel: "3 Voted that sd Committee should give md hancock & her children the offer of ye Town Grant for ye funarel if they see Cause to Taking with it: & they Provide for sd funarel: "4 Voted to Choose a Committee to Provide at md hancocks house & assest there at ye funaral (Viz) mr Jos: Bridge: mr Jos Tidd: mr Thadd: Bowman mr John Hoar: mr Jos: Loring: also Voted that the abovesd Committee should Render an acount to ye Town how they have Layed out ye above sd Grant: also Voted that mr Samll Bridge should Provide 500 bricks in order to brick sd grave." The committee appointed to provide for the funeral of Mr. Hancock presented a bill to the town of £219, which was readily allowed. I will state one item of their bill, as it casts light upon the manners and customs of that period: "Granted an order to Pay mr. Jacob Hurd of Boston £4.01.01 it being in full for six Rings: for ye bearers of our Revnd & beloved Pastor mr. John Hancock." After the death of Mr. Hancock, the town chose a committee, consisting of Deacon Joseph Brown, Deacon John Stone, William Reed, Esq., Captain Benjamin Reed, and Mr. Isaac Bowman, to provide for the pulpit till others should be chosen; and they instructed said committee "to make dilegente Inquire after a Gentleman Suitable to Settell." After hearing Mr. Stearns, Mr. Barnes, and Mr. Putnam a few Sabbaths each, the town voted, April 8, 1754, "to keep a day of fasting and prayer on the 25th of the above said Aprill in Preparation for said Choice." The church and society, in June, 1754, invited Mr. Aaron Putnam, who, in consequence of the want of unanimity in the call, declined the invitation. After receiving the negative answer from Mr. Putnam, Mr. Willard, Mr. Minot, and Mr. Clarke were employed a few Sabbaths each; when, on the 19th day of May, 1755, the inhabitants were called together to see if they would concur with the church in giving Mr. Jonas Clarke an invitation to become their minister. The result is thus stated in the record: "ye Congregation concurd so far as thay brought in: 51: yeas but there was: 16: Nays: then ye Town voted 133..06..8: Settlement for Mr: Clerk in case he Settle with us as our Pastor: ye one half of sd Sum to be paid Six months after his Ordination: Likewise Voted: 80: pounds to be his yearly Sallery for to Sapport him in ye work of ye minestry in this town: also Voted ye sd. mr Clerk in Case he takes up & is Settled as our Pastor Shall forever as Such Quit all manner of Claim title or Interest in or unto aney part of ye Minesteral Land in this Town:" After some further negotiation in relation to granting him a number of cords of wood, in addition to the eighty pounds offered as his annual salary, the church and congregation agreed to vote together on the question of giving him a call, and on counting the yeas and nays it was found that seventy had voted in the affirmative and only three in the negative. The town also voted to furnish Mr. Clarke twenty cords of wood annually, in addition to his salary. The preliminaries being thus settled, the 5th of November, 1755, was agreed upon for the ordination, and the churches in Cambridge, Newton, Medford, Sherburn, Watertown, Lincoln, Weston, and Waltham were invited to assist in the ordination. To use the language of Mr. Clarke himself, "The Elders and Messengers of most of said churches appearing in the morning, and having chosen the Rev. Mr. John Cotton, Moderator, they proceeded, earnestly imploring the divine Blessing, unto Ordination. The Rev. Mr. Lawrence beginning the solemnity with prayer; the Rev. Mr. Appleton preached, the Rev. Mr. Cotton gave the Charge, and the Rev. Mr. Cook the Right Hand of Fellowship." Thus was the town of Lexington, after being destitute of a settled minister nearly three years, blessed with a pastor, whose subsequent labors and character showed that he was a pastor, indeed, guiding his people safely both in temporal and spiritual things, during his life, and leaving a name which will be fondly cherished by every patriot and every Christian. The name and services of Rev. Jonas Clarke are so interwoven with the history of Lexington that we shall have occasion frequently to allude to him hereafter. In 1734, John Flint and others residing in the southeasterly part of Concord, in the southwesterly part of Lexington, and in the part of Weston adjoining, petitioned the General Court to be set off from these towns respectively, and be incorporated as a town or precinct. This was successfully resisted at the time; but the petition was renewed the following year. Lexington chose a committee consisting of Mr. Justice Bowman, Captain Bowman, and John Mason, to oppose the prayer of the petitioners. In their remonstrance, dated September 10, 1735, they allege that many within the territory were opposed to the petition, that some who had signed the petition were "very unqualified persons," that most of the petitioners from Lexington constantly attended church there, that they had voted to settle Rev. Ebenezer Hancock, and ought to remain and help pay him, that the roads were being improved, and that they were well accommodated as they were. The remonstrants prevailed again, as they had the preceding year. But in 1744, a similar petition found favor with the Court, and a precinct was created, granting, however, the privilege to several persons within the territory to be exempt from its operation if they should so elect. In 1753, Chambers Russell, Esq., and others within the territory were chosen a committee to petition the Legislature to be incorporated as a town. Captain William Reed and Deacon Stone appeared for the town of Lexington to oppose the petition, but without success. On the 19th of April, 1754, the town was incorporated by the name of Lincoln.1 The name was given by Chambers Russell, Esq., after Lincolnshire, England, the residence of his ancestors. The creation of this town reduced the territory and population of Lexington, and so impeded its growth. I find on the public records no accurate description of the line or the amount of territory taken from Lexington. But Josiah Parker, one of the assessors of Lexington for that year, and who, from his long experience in that office, was well qualified to judge, and whose intimate acquaintance with the premises and the whole subject enabled him to know the facts, has left under his own hand the following important document in the archives of the State: LEXINGTON, May 27, 1754. The following is an account of that part of the town of Lexington, which has lately been taken from us, and now makes a part of a new township known by the name of Lincoln: The whole number of acres in Lexington was.. Out of which is taken....... The number of polls was.. Out of which is taken.... .... The valuation of said town was.. Out of which is taken...... Lexington's province tax in 1753 was.. Of which those taken paid.. 11,000 974 215 14 £6,000 £372 48. £55 10s. £3 58. 6d. What is taken off of Lexington is computed to be about one-six 1 See History of the Town of Lincoln. Ed. |
