History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

280 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
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 en-
listing 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 Reading Social Library was formed in 1786,
and Hay Nichols was chosen librarian.
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.
The church in the West Parish, after the death
of Mr. Haven, found it a difficult matter to unite
upon a successor. The Calvinistic and Arminian
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, ac-
cepted, 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
house without being smoked ;
tants 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 Read-
ing), 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 in-
dividuals 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 suc-
ceeded 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 dis-
continued.
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 iucum-
bent, is now in the eighteenth year of his service.
In jjolitical matters the three parishes of Read-
ing did not harmonize. The South Parish was
largely Democratic; the North and West Par-
ishes 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
with the small-pox was allowed to pass the smoke- few that belonged to the dominant Federal party.
none but the inhabi- For thirty-three years this condition of things con-
tinued, 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 dis-
pleased 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."