History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

The attack was made in the night, ^Ir. Hariulcn
himself being absent, having k4't his wife and eight
children at home. The Indians forced an entrance
into tiie house, and killed iMrs. Harnden and three
of the cliildren. The others hid behind a large
rock near by, which is now known as Indian Eock.
It is said tliese children were found and carried
away, but were recovered by a pursuing party of
whites.
It is claimed that the provocation for the above
brutal massacre was as follows : A man with his
team was coming up the main roiid fimn Woljiiin,
which winds its way between twn high hills, whti:,
in the darkness of the evening, lie drove oMr a
drunken scpww, wjio was in the road. In the
morning she was found dead. The Indians then
attempted to pursue the track for some distance,
and finally, through a mistake, made the assault
upon an innoccTit and unsuspecting family,
hence the name of Squaw I'cinil.
—
In these and numerous nlhir hardships during
the period we are cousidering, it is refreshing to
notice the courage and heroism which enabled the
people to surmount obstacles, and secure tiiac de-
gree of prosperity which induced them to put forth
eflbrts in an orderly manner for seeming to tiiem-
selves and posterity invaluable prixileges.
In like manner the tyranny of the mother coun-
try, which brought on the Revolutionary War, was
met and resisted with patriotic ardor and deter-
mination. AYilmingtou in that struggle was up
to the exigency of the hour, and honorably took
her share of the burden. A company of men was
here enlisted, under the command of Captain John
Harnden, whose name was a guaranty of valor and
success. Colonel Henry Harnden, a descendant
from a branch of the captain's family, and a native
of Wilmington, rendered distinguished service at
the head of a Wisconsin regiment iu the War of the
Rebellion.
The people living in the northerly part of Wo-
burn, feeling the great inconvenience in attending
public worship, especially in winter, they being
situated nearly or quite seven miles from the meet-
ing-house, in 17:Jo began to seek a remedy, and
after repeated efforts and defeats succeeded in
attaining their object.
November 26, 1729, was presented to the General
Court the petition of Daniel Peirce, Benjamin
Harnden, and Samuel Walker, — a committee ap-
])ointed by sundry inhabitants of the north part of
Woburn and the westerly part of Reading, — set-
WILMINGTON. 507
ting forth the difficulties they were under by reason
of their remoteness from the places of public wor-
ship in their respective towns, and praying that
they might be set off and constituted a distinct
township.
This petition met with a favorable reception, and
after previous notice to all parties in interest, the
committee personally viewed the lands described,
and reported, " Tiiat it is highly reasonable that
the Prayer of the petitioners be granted."
The act of incorporation, passed September 17,
17o0, defines the boundaries, and declares the
lanils (leseribed to be a separate town by the name
of \\ ilnnngton. It also contains the following
requirement: "And the Inhabitants of the said
Town of Wilmington are hereby required within
the space of three years from the publication of
this act, to procure & settle a Learned Orthodox
Minister of good conversation, and make provision
for his comfortable & honorable support, & also
with convenient speed erect & furnish a suitable &
convenient house for the Publick Worship of God
in said Town ; and the said Town of Wilmington
is hereby accordingly endowed & vested with all
the Powers, Privileges, Immunities & Advantages
which other Towns in tlie Province by Law have
& enjoy."
In compliance with the foregoing, the inhabi-
tants of the new town erected their first meeting-
house in 1732. The church was organized with
seventeen male members, October Si, 1733, and
Mr. James Varney was ordained its pastor on the
same day. Mr. Varney was born at Boston, Au-
gust 8, 1706, graduated at Harvard College in
172.5, and was dismissed April 5, 1739, on account
of infirm heaUh. The next minister, Eev. Isaac
Morrill, was ordained May 20, 1741, and continued
here in the relation of pastor until his death, which
occurred August 17, 1793, at tlie age of seventy-
six years. It is evident that he was a man devoted
to his high calling, and labored to promote the
spiritual and temporal good of his people. Tliere
was scarcely a year during his long ministry that
did not bring in additions to the church. He ac-
tively identified himself with the interests of the
])eo])le, in times of war and peace. In the French
War of 1758 he served as chaplaui with such
patriotic devotion as to make his example strongly
felt, frequently preaching two sermons on the Sab-
bath, as we learn from the diary of a soldier in
that expedition. There were several men from
Wilmington who served iu that war, but the num-