History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

520 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
one now occupied by it. The corner-stone was laid
July 27, 1840. The church edifice was com-
pleted, and dedicated December 30, 1840; the
sermon on the occasion being preaclied by the
Rev. Daniel Crosby, of Charlestown. One hundred
members of the present church in Woburn withdrew
from that church November 2, 1840, and
formed a church here. During the summer of
1849 the church edifice was enlarged and thor-
oughly repaired, but on the morning of the 20th
of March, 1853, the building, with a new and
valuable organ just placed in it, and other furni-
ture, was entirely destroyed by fire.
The corner-stone of the present edifice, which
occupies a commanding position fronting on Church
Street, the Common, and the railroad depot, was
laid September 5, 1853, and the house was dedi-
cated October 11, 1854. The corporate name of
the society was changed, March 11, 1856, to the
First Congregational Society. The pastors who
have been settled over this society are as follows :
Rev. George P. Smith, ordained June 17, 1841,
and dismissed March 11, 1 M5 ; Rev. Wdliam T.
Eustis, Jr., installed April 8, 1846, dismissed Jan-
uary 27, 1848; Rev. John M. Steele, ordained
August 10, 1848, dismissed February 11, 1852;
Reuben T. Robinson, ordained October 27, 1852,
Rev. Edwin
died in the service August 24, 1871 ;
C. Bissell, installed November 1, 187»1, dismissed
September 2, 1873 ; Rev. Alfred B. Dascomb, in-
stalled March 4, 1874, resigned, and resignation
took effect July 15, 1878; Rev. Charles R. Sey-
mour, installed October 30, 1879, is the present
pastor. The Sunday school was organized Jan-
uary 3, 1841, with Deacon B. F. Thompson as its
superintendent. The school has been, from the
first, prosperous and progressive, its membership,
as well as its charitable contributions, increasing
from year to year by a steady growth. Deacon
O. R. Clark was its sui)erintcndent for fifteen years.
The present membiTslii]) is about three hundred and
fifty. Benjamin F. Thonijjson, Nathan B. Johnson,
and Marshall Wymau were the first deacons, and
served twelve years in that capacity. After tliese,
Zebediah Abbott served twenty-two years ;
Iluse, eighteen years :
Joseph
Lutlier Ricliardson, nineteen
years ; Oliver R. Clark, eighteen years. On the 5th
of .[uly, 1872, a by-law was adopted, liniiling the
term of service of \\\v iliacniis lo four years. The
present luuuber of cliiiicli-iiiriiibers is about four
hundred.
In connection with the history of the Congrega-
tional Society, a sketch of one who was intiraatelv
connected with its early history will not be out of
place here.
Benjamin Franklin Thompson was born in Wo-
burn, January 18, 1799. He was brought up in a
plain New England home, and enjoyed to a limited
extent the advantages of the town schools. Early
called upon to carve out his own fortune, he became
an apprentice to his elder brother, with whom he
afterwards became associated in business. On en-
tering upon business for himself he was very suc-
cessful, and continued so for many years, and thus
was enabled to lay aside a handsome competence.
He was a model business man, and preferred tiie
activity which a business life required. He was a
true friend, neighbor, and citizen, and to the sick,
suffering, and needy cheerfully contributed the
means at his command. He lent himself to every
good word and work. The cause of temperance
and antislavery found in him an earnest supporter.
In the last national struggle he was deeply inter-
ested, and was ready in all ways to aid in the sup-
pression of the Rebellion.
He held the office of superintendent of the Sunday
school connected with the Woburn church for
several years, and in April, 1836, was chosen deacon,
which latter office he resigned in December, 1840.
He removed to this place, then South Woburn, in
1839. Shortly after his removal here he agitated
the subject of another church in this locality, and
may be said to be the father and founder of this
church and society. He was the chairman of the
committee of the petitioners for the purpose of
forming a new church. He was the chairman of
the sub-committee to obtain the first minister, and
also of that to draw up the church covenant, and
the first church meeting was held at his house.
He was the first clerk and treasurer, and one of the
deacons in 1850. He was chairman of the com-
mittee on the building of the first church here, and
of that for selling and letting pews. He was a
member of the committee for building the pres-
ent church edifice. He resigned the office of den-
con, February, 1852. As a Christian he was
faitiiful to all his religious engagements, and re-
mained connected with the Sunday school to the
time of his death, which occurred in July, ISCi.).
./'/;.«/ Hiijilisl Clnirrli. — Some time during the
year 1819 a few individuals connected with tlie
Maptist dcnoniinali.m assembled for worship in
Union Hall, in what was ihen S„mh W.ibuni, and
continued to meet in th.it place until the erec-