History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

528 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
this structure little or nothing is known. John-
son, in his history, alludes to it as standing in a
" small plain wliere four streets meet." The loca-
tion is with good reason believed to have been at
the easterly end of the Common, near where the
soldiers' monument now stands. The house could
not have been otherwise than a very plain affair,
witliout tower or steeple. Humble as it was, it
served the purpose of a place of public worship for
about thirty years. A new one was voted by the
town in 1671 and completed in 1673. It stood
on the sharp spur east of the Common wliich is
still known as Mceting-iiouse Hill. It was never
dedicated, as tiie Puritan methods were in o])posi-
tion to all rites and ceremonies in religious matters.
This meeting-house was not divided into pews, as
became the fashion in after years, — only tlie min-
ister's and the deacons' wives having the privilege
of pews allowed them. Thirty or forty years sub-
secpiently special permission was given to a new-
comer from Boston to build a pew at his own cost.
This led to requests of the same sort from other per-
sons aristocratically inclined, which being granted,
caused such an outbreak of feeling as to induce tiie
town autiiorities to revoke tiie order. A committee
was appointed to "seat the ])eople," and each per-
son was assigned a regular place. In doing tiiis,
reference was to be had to " estate, office, and age."
Privilege was, therefore, recognized in the matter of
position, if not in the form of pews. This meeting-
house, with one or two enlargements, served the
religious uses of the town for eighty years, or
until 1753. Rev. Thomas Carter occupied its pul-
pit for a few years, though for the larger part of
his ministry he had preached in the one built about
the time of his ordination. In 1678 his growing
age and infirmities led the tf)Wii to consider the
matter of providing iiim a colleague. An invita-
tion Avas given to the Rev. Jabez Fox to become
his associate. Tliis was accepted, and the two
clergymen labored together harmoniously and satis-
factorily to their people for six years, wlien Rev. Mr.
Carter died, in the seventy-fourth year of his age
and the forty-second of his ministry. Mr. Carter
was born in England, and received his degree at
St. Jolin's College, Cambridge. He was emiiientiv
a good paslor, sound in doetriiie, and ready witli
tender consolal ion and sympathizing words to meet
the sjiiritual needs of his people. In illustralion of
one of the customs of the town, now hap])ilv re-
mitlcd lo the darkest corners of socici v, I he lolliiu-
ing bill, I'liuiid on the town records, niiling u, th,'
funeral ceremonies of Mr. Carter, may be properly
introduced —
:
" Chart/es at Mr. Thomas Carter s funeral in lOSi.
Fourteen gallons of wiue at 3«. d. per gallon £ 2 9«. Or/.
For tarr 2
For gloves 1 1(5
For Ills coffin money G
For his grave
For Maucliester, 6 jds, and a jarr
5
16
£i 19 6"
Rev. Jabez Fox, associate pastor, now became
the sole minister of the church. He continued in
his position for twenty-four years, laboring success-
fully to promote the general interests of the parish.
During the ministry of Rev. Mr. Carter, or from
1613 to 1675, Woburn had steadily increased in
population, the land had been partially subdued,
good crops were gathered, a better class of houses
than those built at first had been erected, and some
of those industries started which have since made
the town so well known. The number of inhabi-
tants cannot be given with accuracy, as no recorded
census was taken till nearly a century later; but
from the rates levied by the county, and the laws
respecting the establishment of grammar schools,
it is probable that the population was not far from
500. But this general prosperity Avas soon to re-
ceive a serious check on account of the outbreak of
the Indian wars. King Philip, who had heretofore
been in accord with the colonists, and had agreed
by solemn treaty to live with them on amicable
terms, now became restive under the restraints im-
posed by the compact, as well as moved by an ambi-
tion to rid the land of an alien race which seemed
likely soon to become its sole possessors. He
brought into combination his own and two or three
other powerful tribes, and began a murderous as-
sault upon all the exposed frontiers. Woburn was
too near the central towns of the colony to receive
much harm by the direct invasion of the wily enemy.
Small raiding parties appeared in two or three in-
stances in the town or its immediate vicinity, and
although little loss was incurred by the burning of
dwellings or destruction of crops, four persons were
killed. This, however, was but a small portion of
the suffering and Iiardship that befell Woburn in
common with all tiie towns of New England. To
carry on a vigorous and successful w'ar, the taxes
of the people were enormously increased.
The year before the war broke oiit Woburn's
share of llu' colonial tax was but £50 ; before its
close il had grown to the laiirc amount of i(!.".:i.
Thor hravy drams upon the 'proplr .ausrd nnu'll