History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

47S HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY
In the War of the Rebellion tlie men of Westford
were prompt and determined in their efforts to re-
pel the enemies of tiie nation. The town sent one
liundred and thirty-five men to tiie batlle-field,
many of whom gave up their lives for their country.
In the town-iiall is a marble tablet, bearing the
names of thirty-two men who died on the field or
from wounds or disease contracted in tlie war. Many
members of Company F, Massachusetts Volunteer
Cavalry, belong here ; indeed, this company is in
part a Westford institution, and deserves notice as
a band of soldierly men to whom, when liberty is
imperilled, war is no pastime, but a stern duty.
In the management of its internal affairs the
town is generally harmonious. The debt, which is
only $£0,000, is funded at a low rate of interest,
with the privilege of paying $£,000 each year; at
this rate it will soon be extinguished.
The virtue and intelligence of the people, their
culture and social refinement, and their regard
for education and all humanizing influences, will
insure for them the praise of every honorable
mind and the esteem of the good. Rising every
year to a higher grade of morality and piety, they
will take the sure road to a genuine prosperity ; and,
milking the closing century a happy introduction
to Ihe arlni:vciiicnts of the next, they will gain for
theiiischrs the i^HMtiUule of the coming generations.
AVrA'.v;,/A7/Vv//.— The first church in Westford
was formed November 15, 17£7. It was then
called the Second Church in Chelmsford, being in
the West Precinct of that town. It was composed
of " members of several of the neighboring churches,
but chiefly of the First Church iti this place." The
covenant was signed by Willard Hall, John Comings,
William Fletcher, Joseph Underwoo,), Joshua
Flftcher, Jonas Preseott, Jonathan Ilildreth, An-
drew Spniildiiig, .laeob Wright, Samuel Cliamberlin,
Sairmrl I'lclchcr, Aaron Parker, John Proctor,
Jonas FIclcher, Nathaniel Boynton, Heiijamin Rob-
bins, and Josiah Whitney.
These seventeen are the names of men, and il
It may be lair to presunu^ that they were, however,
iricud)ers, although they did not sign the covenant.
The aewunit of the"orgaiii7.alion of Ihe ehnreh
is vri-v brier. It simplv reeiles, ihal " ;,s I he eus-
tiHll :s where;, liuinl.e,- ot pe,s„ns in tu II eninniun-
inn, ,1,-Mi-e, l'..r;il|(,w;,l,le re;, m, lis, lo sep:,r;,le (nnii
lll,,r ivsp-ctn,' eli,n-el„-s ;iii,l iHri.iu,. ;i ,liMii„'l
oruMiii/eil eliinrh l.v ih.iiiseK cs, lorllieiii expli.ilh
to enter into covenant with God and another; so
here, a covenant being drawn, they who had gotten
their dismissions from the churches they belonged
to, set their hands to it." " They, uniting together,
after the proper preliminaries to settling a gospel
minister, unaniniously called Rev. Willard Hall to
take the pastoral care of them ; and he accepting
the call was accordingly ordained their pastor and
teacher by the reverend elders following, namely:
Samson Stoddard, who preached and gave the
charge ; Benjamin Shattuck, who made the ordain-
ing prayer after sermon ; Nathaniel Prentice, who
made the first prayer, and gave the right hand of
fellowship; and Thnmas Parker, who gathered and
formed tlic elmreli. This first ordination was
solemnized NuM'iiilii'r l."j, 17:i7."
Of the members of the council. Rev. Samson
Stoddard was of Chelmsford, Rev. Benjamin Shattuck
of Littleton, Rev. Nathaniel Prentice of Dun-
stable, and Rev. Thomas Parker of Dracut.
The first pastor. Rev. Willard Hall, was born in
Medford, Massachusetts, March 11, 170:3. He
was the son of Stephen and Grace (Willis) Hall,
and grandson of John Hall, who was of Concord in
1658. He graduated at Harvard ( 'olh'ge in 1 7:2£,
in the class of Richard Salt„nst;ill ami William
Ellery. He married Abigail Cotton, of Ports-
mouth, New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Hall
were the parents of eleven children, four sons
and seven d;ntghtcrs. One of the daughters died
young; the other children lived to mature age.
The oldest son, ^Villard, was born in Portsmouth,
Jtine 12, 1730. All the others were born in
Westford.
Mr. Hall, who belonged to a distinguished family
in IMedford, was regarded as a truly ])ious and use-
ful ministir. Dr. Payson, pastor in Chelsea, spoke
in sfriiiii^- l,ii,,s of the pleasure of having an ac-
(piaiiit;,iiee with him, and mentioned as remarkable
the clearness and strength of his mind. He united
the olliecs of pastor and physician, thus, in the
cfindition of society at the time, greatly exfeiiding
his inlluenee and usefulness, lie «;is ;i st niiiioiis
siijiporter of edncalion for all. Tli,' lnwii, mi mie
occasion, considering itself excnsi'd by special
emergency from levying the re,|iiired sehool-tax, he
comi)l;iiiu"'d to the Genenil Court, and arniigned his
own eh;ir-,< lM'r„re lli;it I ril,iiii;il. In this lie „f-
le,i,l,.l, as he knew li,' woiil.l, lii;i,n .if his pi.iple :
Init lu' w,uil.l iii;ike 11,1 e.iiiipniuiise wilh d,'lin-
ipiincy in this in;illir. II, w;is il,'\,iii',l to agri-
eultniv, iiad a uood lann, eullivaled frint-lrees,