Concord, Middlesex co, MA History Chapter XX ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Farns10th@aol.com History of Concord, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, 1835 CHAPTER XX. HISTORY OF CARLISLE p.320 The internal party divisions in Concord, occasioned principally by the religious contro- versies from 1740 to 1750, originated several projects for separate societies and districts. From this cause Lincoln was incorporated; and an unsuccesful attempt was made by the inhabi- tants of the Nine Acre Corner to be set off. The northerly part of Concord also has several times petitioned the town for a separation; and though liberty was not granted, a petition was presented to the General Court and Carlisle was incorporated as a district of Concord, April 19, 1754. The ostensible reason for this petition was "being remote from the public worship of God." The bounds began at the mouth of Ralph's or Sawmill Brook, on Concord River, southeasterly of Capt. Jonathan Buttrick's house and run westerly over Gravel Hill,' by Daniel Cole's (now, 1835, Mr. Clark's) to the Acton line, including the Temple farm; from thence on, the old bounds of Concord, between Acton and Billerica, till it came to Concord River, including Blood's farms, and by the river to the place first mentioned. These bounds included about one quarter of the present limits of Concord. The first meeting was held at Joseph Adams's, May 3, 1754, when John Hartwell was chosen District Clerk, and he and Messrs.: Selectmen John Green Joseph Adams Jonathan Puffer William Fletcher Treasurer Deacon Ephraim Brown. The first object of the inhabitants was the selection of a site on which to erect a meeting- house. This was a peculiarly fruitful source of difficulty. The discordant materials, which could not agree while connected with the town of Concord, were found equally fond of disunion here. Their proceedings are, perhaps, more a subject of curiosity, than utility; yet, as they caused p.321 the dissolution of the district, and throw light on the history of those times, they are worthy of being transmitted and remembered. The selection of a site for the meeting-house was first brought the next meeting. July 17th it was agreed to select a convenient place on Lieut. Jonathan Buttrick's plain. Oct. 9th, a committee was chosen to take a plan of the district and find its centre. This survey was made by Capt. Stephen Hosmer. On the 13th of the same month, Messrs: John Varnum of Dracut Jonas Prescott of Westford Samuel Dakin of Sudbury were chosen a committee to view the district and select a place where to build a house. Five men in the east and five men in the west part were a committee to wait on these gentle- men. They reported January 1st, 1755; but not agreeable to the wishes of the district. Jan. 22d, voted to build on Capt. J. Buttrick's land. March 3d, Messrs: Jonathan Puffer Thomas Davis Samuel Heald were chosen a committee to petition the General Court for an increase of territory on the south line as far as Concord River. April 30th, voted to build on "Poplar Hill." June 3d four places proposed to the meeting were rejected. July 9th, a committee was chosen to petition the General Court for a committee to select a spot. January 27th, 1756, voted to build, but to refer the selection of a place to the next meeting. February 3d, voted to build on Capt. Buttrick's plain. March 1st, a committee was chosen to purchase two acres of Capt. Buttrick, and £50 was ordered to be raised towards the payment. April 6th, "chose Major John Jones, Esq. Col. William Lawrence, Esq., of Groton Major Ephraim Curtis, Esq., of Sudbury to view all the circumstances of the district and prefix a place." It was surveyed by Major Jones, and a new plan taken. The committee reported that the most convenient place "is south 41 degrees west, 26 poles from the centre of the angles," which is on Poplar Hill. This report was accepted June 16th and a committee chosen to purchase two acres of land there for the purposes contemplated. This however was not generally satisfactory, and another unsuccessful attempt was made to fix the spot on Deacon Brown's land. In consequence of these unharmonious proceedings, the following petition was presented to the Selectmen: p.322 "We, the subscribers, being sensible of the great difficulties we labor under, and the great hardships we are unavoidably exposed to, if we are obliged, under such circumstances, as we are in at present, to build a meeting-house and settle a minister, and pay for highways, that will be necessary to accommodate the inhabitants, if we proceed according to the design of being set off; the situation of the district being such that but a small part of the in- habitants can be much better accommodated with the public worship in any place that has been proposed, than they are in the town of Concord; - desire that you would call a meeting of the district, as soon as can or may be, to see if the district will not agree by their vote to petition the General Court that said district may be set back to the town of Concord, with all our former privileges; and choose a committee for that purpose. - Carlisle, June 24th, 1756. - Ephraim Stow Samuel Laughton Jonathan Puffer Samuel Buttrick, Jr. Ephraim Melvin David Whittaker Phineas Blood Abraham Temple Ephraim Whittaker Jonathan Harris John Laughton." A committee was chosen July 14, 1756 to petition the General Court agreeably to the views above expressed. The following persons, however, remonstrated against it:] Jonathan Blood David Blood Zaccheus Green Nathaniel Taylor Nathaniel Taylor, Jr. Joseph Taylor John Hartwell David Parlin Joseph Parlin James Russell Leonard Spaulding Timothy Wilkins John Green,Jr. James Russell, Jr. An act was passed, January 11, 1757, setting the district back to Concord, with all its former privileges. The necessary measures being taken for closing the concerns of the district, a vote was passed, "that none of the inhabitants be set off again into a separate town, district, or precinct, excepting such as shall hereafter sign a petition to the Gener- al Court to be set off." "OLD CARLISLE" During the existence of "Old Carlisle," as this incorporation is called, religious worship was generally maintained either at Deacon Brown's, Mr. Ephraim Smith's or elsewhere. Money was raised to pay the expenses for schools and other usual municipal purposes. After the occurrence of those unpleasant circumstances which led to the dissolution of Old Carlisle, no more definite attempts were made to obtain a separation till about fifteen years afterwards. p.323 During this time, however, the occasional preaching of the gospel had been supported, and a meeting-house was begun as early as 1760, though not completed before 1783. Several petitions were presented to the adjoining towns to obtain their consent, and on the the General Court by the inhabitants of Blood's farms and the extreme parts of Concord, Acton, Chelmsford and Billerica; and an act was passed April 28th, 1780, incorporating them as a district of Acton, by the name of Carlisle. This act provided that one sixth part of the expense of maintaining the north bridge of Concord, should be paid till another be built by themselves; and that all the poor within the district shoud be supported there. It also provided that the farms of: Thomas Brown Nathan Buttrick Oliver Barron Samuel Kibby John Blood Willard Blood of Concord living within the limits prescribed by the act, should be exempted and continue to belong to Concord, unless they should within one year "insert their names in the Secretary's office that they choose to belong to Carlisle." These families had not petitioned for the act; and, agreeably to the vote passed at the dissolution of Old Carlisle, they were exempted from its operation. They never left their names with the Secretary, and still belong to Concord. Hence arises that zigzag, crooked line, which runs round these farms, and now separates Concord from Carlisle. An act passed March 1, 1783 to annex David Parker to Chelmsford, and another September 12th 1780 to annex Josiah Blood to Concord. The first meeting took place May 8, 1780, when Phinehas Blood presided as moderator, and the customary officers were chosen. After the incorporation of the district, the inhabitants bore with cheerfulness their proportional part of the burdens of p.324 furnishing men, money and provisions to prosecute the Revolutionary War to its close. On the 30th of May, 1780, seven men were raised for the continental army and six more on the following February. When the subject was brought before the district, a committee was chosen to procure the men, and Capt. Samuel Heald embodied the men then present, to see if any would enlist, but none volunteered. The district was then divided into six classes to procure one in each class. One man was sent to Rhode Island in 1781, and three more to the Continental army. Committees of safety were regularly chosen. On the 6th of June, 1804, a district voted, that "it is expedient to be disconnected from the town of Action." Jonathan Heald, Esq., was chosen to present the subject to the General Court and an act was passed February 18, 1805, conferring on the district all the privileges of a town. Since this period the general history of the town is doubtless familiar to the inhabitants; and no event of importance has taken place to render it expedient to pursue it further. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth To be continued - Carlisle - Part 2 - p.324 p.324 CARLISLE - MISCELLANEOUS NOTES The surface of the town is generally uneven and rocky, though there are no considerable elevations; and the soil is unfavorable to agriculture. Concord River washes its eastern bounds; and a brook arising in Heat Pond in Chelmsford runs easterly through the north part, which affords sites for two or three small mills. The principal employment of the inhabitants is agriculture. There is one physician (ca 1835) one store, two taverns, and a few mechanic's shops to accommodate the immediate wants of the inhabitants. The population in 1800 was 634. In 1810, was 675; in 1820 was 681; in 1830 was 566. In 1820, 119 persons were engaged in agriculture; one in commerce and 34 in manufactures. The valuation in 1831 gives the following results: 138 rateable polls, 17 not rateable, 83 dwelling houses, 88 barns, 4 grist and saw mills; 314 acres of tillage land, 524 acres of upland mowing, 661 acres of meadow, 294 acres of pasturing, 882 acres of woodland, 3,607 acres unimproved, 884 unimprovable, 213 acres used for roads and 109 acres covered with water; p.325 46 horses, 200 oxen, 474 cows and steers; 3,668 bushels of corn, 541 bushels of rye, 490 of oats, 362 tons of English hay, and 468 tons of meadow hay. By comparing the valuations for several periods since the incorporation it will appear that the town has made little or no progress but in many things has retrograded. APPROPRIATIONS BY THE TOWN OF CARLISLE FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES Object 1785 1790 1795 1800 1805 1810 1815 1820 1825 1830 Minister £91 90 85 $285 290 280 320 275 320 500. Schools 36 30 60 360 300 360 360 450 360 360. Roads 60 45 60 300 480 350 400 400 350 400. Town Charges 74 60 50 300 500 550 550 700 600 600. County Tax 11-3/4 22 58 117 72 99 56 22. State Tax 484 48 64 227 210 130 180 65. SCHOOLS The town from its first incorporation has been divided into six school districts; and the money raised by the town has been divided equally among them. There is a school fund amounting to $500, given by Mr. Simon Blood, the annual interest of which is appropriated in the same manner as other moneys. The following individuals have been educated at college: Amos Spaulding, son of Zebulon Spaulding, graduated at Dartmouth College 1805, and settled as a lawyer in Andover. He has been member of the House of Representatives and the Senate several years. Joel Adams, son of Capt. Timothy Adams, graduated at Harvard College in 1805, admitted to the bar September, 1808, and settled as a lawyer in Chelmsford where he has since resided. Asa Green, son of Zaccheus Green, graduated at Williams College 1807, and is a lawyer and post-master at Brattleborough. Franklin Litchfield, son of the Rev. Paul Litchfield, was born August 18, 1790, and grad. Harvard College 1810. He went to Charleston, So. Carolina and studied physic under Dr. Ramsay, but left there in June, 1812, for Carthagena, So. America, where he resided til 1815, having, during this time, made a tour to the city Quibdo or Zetara by the river Atrato, near 500 miles from Carthagena. This tour has been mentioned by Baptiste Irvine. At the last mentioned date he emigrated with other distinguished citizens to the Island of Jamaica, where he remained till 1819, when he removed to St. Thomas and resided there til 1821. At this time the city of Caraccas was occupied by the Patriots under the command of the distinguished Bolivar; and he now proceeded to that city and remained there til 1824, when he removed to Puerto Cabello, having been appointed Consul of the United States for that city, by President Munroe in December, 1823. Here he has since resided, and been ex- tensively engaged as a commission merchant. From the time of his departure from Charleston, he devoted much time in giving statements of the progress of the war in South America, which eventuated in the final overthrow of the Spanish authority in that region and the acknowledgment of its independence. He married Garcia de Sena, a lady of the city of Caraccas at Jamaica in 1826. Her eldest brother, Ramon, was Secretary of War of the government under General Bolivar, and was killed at the battle of La Puerta, as Adjutant-General of the Army. Another brother, Manuel, was Secretary of War of the government of Carthagena. Mr. Litchfield's life has been most eventful. In the various revolutions he has witnessed, he has experienced in an eminent degree, the enjoyments and trials, resulting from the ups and downs of life, and the acquisition and loss of fortune. William L. Russell, son of James Russell, graduated at Harvard College 1826 and was a physician at Barre. Albert Nelson, son of Dr. John Nelson, born March 12, 1812, grad. at Harvard College 1832 and became a student at law at that institution. Frederick Parker, son of Major James Parker, graduated from college 1833. With the exception of the clergy, the physicians have been the only professional men. Thomas Jewett, now (1835) of Rindge, N.H., practised physic here several years. Dr. John Nelson, son of Josiah Nelson of Milford, was born Sept. 8, 1790. After being two years at Brown Univ., he left it and afterwards studied his profession with Dr. Thurber of Mendon. He came to Carlisle in 1816 and was a member of the Mass. Medical Society. p.327 TOWN CLERKS OF CARLISLE. Zebulon Spaulding 1780 - 1784 Asa Parlin 1785 - 1802; 1806 - 1808. John Jacobs - 1803, 1809 - 1812 & 1826. Jonathan Heald - 1804, 1805. Jonathan Heald, Jr. 1813, 1814, 1818 - 1820. John Heald 1815, 1817, 1821, 1825, 1827, 1829. Cyrus Heald - 1829 - TREASURERS OF CARLISLE. Samuel Heald 1780-1785. Simon Blood, Jr. 1786 - 1788. Samuel Green 1789 - 1803. Nathan Green 1804 - 1819. Nathan Green 1820 - 1828. John Nelson 1829 - SELECTMEN OF CARLISLE. The town clerk has always been the first selectman; and the board have acted as assessors and overseers of the poor. The following persons hae been Selectmen, arranged in order as they were first chosen: Zebulon Spaulding Phinehas Blood John Heald Samuel Green Issachar Andrews Asa Parlin Zaccheus Green Nathaniel Hutchinson Nathan Parlin Jonathan Heald Simon Blood, Jr. Ephraim Robbins Leonard Green John Jacobs Nathan Green, Jr. John Green Thomas Spaulding Frederick Blood Ezekiel Nichols Nehemiah Andrews Timothy Heald Thomas Heald Jonathan Heald, Jr. Benjamin Robbins Jonas Parker John Heald Eliakim Hutchins Aaron Robbins Aaron Fletcher Paul Furbush Isaiah Green Cyrus Heald James Green Cyrus Green Thomas Heald, Jr. REPRESENTATIVES OF CARLISLE. While Carlisle was a district of Acton, Deacon Ephraim Robbins in 1790 and Asa Parlin, Esq., in 1803 were chosen jointly by both places. Since the incorporation of Carlisle as a town, the following individuals have been its representatives. (except in the year specified, it was not represented). Deacon Ephraim Robbins 1807, 1808. Rev. Paul Litchfield 1808 - 1811. Capt. Timothy Heald 1812, 1813. Capt. Timothy Heald 1815. Jonathan Heald, Jr., Esq. 1816. John Heald, Esq. 1818, 1821 & 1823. Dr. John Nelson 1824. John Heald, Esq. 1826, 1827 & 1830. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE OF CARLISLE. Asa Parlin, died October 8, 1822 aged 68. Jonathan Heald, d. Dec. 28, 1816 aged 60. Jonathan Heald, Jr. Nathaniel Hutchinson, d. July 30, 1820 aged 34. John Heald. John Nelson. BILL OF MORTALITY - CARLISLE No records were kept by which to form a bill of mortality before 1800. From that date to 1826, the Rev. p.328 Mr. Litchfield regularly recorded the deaths as they took place. From these records the following facts are obtained. The total number of deaths in these 27 years is 334, about 13 or one in 50 of the inhabitants annually; the aggregate amount of ages is 11600. and the mean average 34-3/4 nearly. The least average age was 15 in 1808 and the greatest was 58 in 1826. Of these 334 deaths, 58 died under the age of one year, 44 between 1 and 5 yrs.; 17 between 5 and 10 yrs., 18 between 10 and 20; 29 between 20 and 30; 23 between 30 and 40, 20 between 40 and 50; 36 between 50 and 60; 20 between 60 and 70; 30 between 70 and 80; 26 between 80 and 90; and 13 between 90 and 100. The proportion of males to females who died from 90 and upwards was 6 to 7; and 80 to 90, as 11 to 15. By this is appears that 1 in 20 nearly arrive to the age of 90; 1 in 9 to 80; 1 in 5 to 70; 1 in 4 to 60; and 1 in 3 to 50. One fifth nearly, died under 1 year, and one third under 2 years. It appears from a careful examination of the records that the month in which the least number of deaths occurred was May and the greatest in October. 23 died in January, 23 in February, 22 in March, 37 in April, 19 in May, 22 in June, 22 in July, 32 in August 35 in September, 41 in October, 33 in November and 25 in December. In 1817, fourteen died of the disentry, 10 of whom were under 5 years. In 1819, of those under 1 year, 8 died. In 1821, the canker rash prevailed and was fatal to many. I subjoin a few remarkable instances of longevity which may interest some readers. LONGEVITY - CARLISLE Date Deceased Name Age April 19, 1800 Jon. Spaulding 95. June 28, 1803 Widow S. Fletcher 94. Sept. 11, 1807 Widow R. Heald 90. April 4, 1808 Widow E. Nichols 94. Feb. 5, 1810 Widow L. Spaulding 93. Dec. 22, 1812 Joseph Barrett 91. Nov. 30, 1816 John Waters 98. Apr. 28, 1817 Widow M. Parker 93. Sept. 23, 1819 Amos Kidder 90. Dec. 5, 1821 Widow R. Monroe 99. Jan. 21, 1815 William Wilson 94. Jan 10, 1826 Isaac Wilkins 92. Nov 17, 1826 Wid. L. Russell 95. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF CARLISLE. The first house for public religious worship was commenced about 1760 and completed in 1781 when 24 pews on the lower floor were sold for $950.50 p.329 and in 1793, nineteen pews in the gallery for £58. This house was struck by lightning in May, 1810 and entirely consumed. The present house was dedicated the second Sabbath in December, 1811, and contained 44 pews on the lower floor and 16 in the gallery which were sold for $2,746.50. The builders were Joseph Wyman and John Sawyer; and the whole expense of the house, including the preparation of the spot, was $4,866.81. A bell was procured in 1812 at an expense of $350. In consequence of the unfortunate loss of the old house the state tax for 1811 was remitted. The church was organized February 28, 1781 and then consisted of 10 male and 24 female members. Nathaniel Taylor John Green Phinehas Blood and their wives. Joseph Monroe Ebenezer Chase Agnes Foster Mercy Monroe Ruth Monroe Abigail Parlin Rebecca Heald had been members of the church of Concord. The other male members were: Joshua Monroe Jonathan Spaulding Thomas Spaulding Job Spaulding John Robbins David Dickinson. On the 17th of May, 1781, the church voted unanimously to invite Mr. Paul Litchfield to become their first pastor. In this vote the town concurred the 25th of the same month by a vote of 43 to 3. It was agreed to give him £150 as a settlement and £80 in silver money and 20 cords of wood annually, as a salary, so long as he should supply the pulpit. He was ordained November 7, 1781, on the same day as Mr. Stearns in Lincoln. The council on the occasion was composed of pastors and delegates from the churches in Billerica, Bedford, Concord, Acton, Westford, Ashby, Second Church of Scituate, Abington, Second Church in Medway, Franklin, North Church in Newburyport and Second Church in Salem; and were invited by: Jonathan Spaulding Thomas Spaulding John Green - a committee of the church. In the public religious exercises, the Rev. Samuel Spring of Newburyport made the intro- ductory prayer; the Rev. Samuel Niles of Abbington, preached the sermon from 1 Cor. iv. 2; the Rev. Nathaniel Emmons of Franklin made "the prayer during the imposition of hands"; the Rev. David Sanford of Medway, gave the charge, the Rev. Samuel Spring the right hand of fellowship and the Rev. Samuel Whitman of Ashby made the concluding prayer. p.330 The first communion was held December 31, 1781, when it was voted to require a written or verbal relation by candidates, before the church and congregation, of the religious ex- ercises of their minds before admission into the church. This embarrassing regulation was so modified two years afterwards, as to permit them to do it before a committee of the church. The doctrines contained in the confession of faith, and preached by Mr. Litchfield were strictly Calvinistic, coinciding in many points with that system of theology known by the name Hopkinsianism. No records are preserved to show the number of admissions into the church during Mr. Litchfield's long and peaceful ministry. In 1798, an interesting revival of religion pre- vailed, in which considerable additions were made to the church. The number of communicants in 1829 were 3 males and 24 females. DEACONS OF THE CHURCH Deacon John Robbins, chosen Nov. 29, 1781, excused from active duty on account of infirmities Oct. 5, 1815 and died Mar. 28, 1826 aged 82 years. Deacon Ephraim Robbins, brother of the preceding, admitted to the church May 9, 1784, chosen into office soon after and died July 29, 1820, aged 63. Deacon John Green, chosen October 5, 1815. Deacon John Jacobs, chosen in 1812, are at present (1835) in office, the former in the Rev. Mr. Hull's and the latter in the other church. The Rev. Paul Litchfield died November 7, 1827, in the 76th year of his age; and on the 46th anniversary of his ordination. He was the eldest of twelve children, and born of respectable parents in Scituate, March 12, 1752. His youth was marked for sober and exem- plary deportment, and for warm attachment to the friends of evangelical truth. With an intention to qualify himself for the gospel ministry, he entered Harvard Coll. and grad. in 1775. After he left college, he studied theology with the Rev. Dr. West of Stockbridge; and was subsequently employed at several places till his engagement in Carlisle. Here he performed the ministerial duties with general acceptance. His views of evangelical truth were formed in the school of Hopkins, Emmons and their associates; and were agreeable to the views of orthodoxy which were maintained by the rigid Calvinists at the time of his ordination. Of doctrinal theology, p.331 he was particularly fond, and was often accustomed to present its peculiar traits to his listeners. In his intercourse with his people he was kind, familiar, charitable and peace- ful. He rejoiced at the prosperity of the church, and aided by his personal services, and his wealth, aided many of the great religious charities of the age. To the Massachusetts Domestic Missionary Society he bequeathed at his death, a generous legacy. He died in the full belief of that Christian faith, which he had inculcated and of that hope which the Christian religion inspires.The funeral sermon preached at his interment by the Rev. John H. Church, D.D., was printed, to which the reader is referred for a more particular notice of his character. Mr. Litchfield married for his 1st wife, Miss Mary Bailey of Scituate, who died July 12, 1809 aged 59, by whom he had 6 children, - 5 sons, Paul, Roland, Philo, Benjamin and Franklin (who graduated at Harvard College), and a daughter who died in childhood. He m. (2) Mrs. Sarah Capen of Braintree, Oct. 12, 1811 who still survives (1835). The Rev. Stephen Hull, the successor of the Rev. Mr. Litchfield, was born in Stonington, Conn., Feb. 17, 1779, and installed at Carlisle, December 29, 1830, having previously been minister at Amesbury and Raynham, and dismissed at his own request. On this occasion, the Rev. Mr. Whitman made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Mr. Barry read selections from Scripture; the Rev. Peter Eaton, D.D., of Boxford, preached the sermon; the Rev. Dr. Ripley made the consecrating prayer; the Rev. Mr. Allen gave the charge; the Rev. Ephraim Randall gave the right hand of fellowship; the Rev Charles Briggs addressed the people; and the Rev. John Goldsberry of North Bridgewater, made the concluding prayer. These gentlemen and the Rev. Mr. White of Littleton and the Rev. Dr. Packard of Chelmsford with delegates from their respective churches composed the council. The Rev. Messrs. Samuel Stearns, Marshall Shed and William Lawrence were invited to the council but did not attend. Mr. Hull's church then consisted of one male and ten female members and worshipped in the meeting-house erected by the town. Three male and eight female members had before seceded and with several others not members, erected a separate house where they worshipped. End Chapter XX.