History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

530 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
counters with the odious tool of despotism, war-
rants the belief that some of the people Mere ac-
tively engaged in it.
In looking back over the years that had now
Soon after this a new charter was granted by elapsed since the settlement of the town, it may
William and Mary to Massachusetts, which com- be well to recall some of the men who had been
bined the two colonies of Plymouth and Massachu- prominent in its affairs. The committee of thir-
setts, and was generally acceptable.
One of tlie matters that excited much interest
in the early days of the town was the support of
Mystic Bridge, on Mystic Itiver, in Medford. This
bridge, which was an important one in connection
with the main avenue from Charlestown, was main-
tained for a long fiiiie by the towns of Medford,
Charlestown, Woburn, UMm, and Eeading. Wo-
burn was restive under the cost of iier portion of
the repairs, and inclined if possible to tiirow it
off. In 1691 the town voted "to withstand allow-
ing anything more to the repairing of Mystic
Bridge," and paid nothing for more than two
years. But the court interfered, and indicted the
town for neglect of duty. Great excitement fol-
lowed. The town appeared in defence, and denied
its liability ; but the court ordered the towns
named, including Woburn, to continue to support
the bridge upon " paine and penalty of five pounds
fine." Woburn reluctantly complied with the de-
cision of the court, but always with a protest, until
17111, when the town was released from further tax-
thus permanently settled.
As tiie end of the century approached, Woburn,
in common with other towns of tlie colonies, was
growing ])oorer ratiier than richer. Much difficulty
was found in collecting and paying the salary of
tlie Eev. Jabez Fox, wiiich was £80 per year.
The most severe measures were adopted for tlie purpose,
even to "collecting it by distress." During
the ministry of Eev. Mr. Carter, and the earlier
years of that of Mr. Fox, the ministerial salary
had been easily and promptly raised, and many
gratuities in addition to the legal amount were
annually bestowed. But now there was an ab-
solute want, on the part of a great many, of
the means to jiay. The depressin"; effects of
the tnuil.l.s and d'is;,>t,Ts nf the last Iweiitv-tlve
\r;u-s M,IT now ni.iiv tull) rrall/cl tlliin 'ever.
Jii'fore tlie renewal of jirosperous times \{v\. Mr.
Fox died suddeidy, in Boston, of small-pox. Like
people a full share of their confidence and affec-
iiis predecessor, ]w was not widely known as a raised to the rank of rear-admiral by Cromwell.
preaclKT, but lie mmi„s to have been a faithful He died in Charlestown. The Richardsous, of whom
and accei)table mini>ter, who received from his there were three brothers, were all men of probity
tion.
teen appointed by the town of Charlestown in
1610 to explore the new territory, as well as thtf
seven commissioners selected by the church for
a similar purpose, had all pei'formed the work
allotted to them : they had laid out the town,
begun its settlement, formed a church, organized
a municipal body to administer civil affairs, and
had continued to aid, foster, and support the com-
munity that had grown up around them, with
energy, prudence, and industry. These were now
all dead : Edward Converse, Edward Johnson,
John Mousall, Thomas Graves, Ezekiel Richard-
son, Samuel Richardson, Thomas Richardson, and
John Russell. Each of these men had marked
and solid traits of character. Edward Converse
was a deacon of the church, and for many years
one of the local justices, or "commissioner to end
small causes," giving evidence through his life
of integrity, fairness, and self-control. Edward
Johnson was one of the striking characters of that
period. With an education suited to the calibre
of his mind, he would have left a record in the
ation on account of the bridge, for the present pay- early annals of New England second to none of its
ment of ^;J00 Old Tenor ; and the controversy was chief scholars. His Wonder-Working Proeidciice
of Zioii's Saviour in New England bears evidence
of strong intellectual power and a fertile imagination.
Its structure may be faulty, but the book
has much originality and quaintness, and sufficient
force and vitality to give it a permanent and honored
place among the early literature of Massachu-
setts. Mr. Johnson was also an excellent man of
business, and had great perseverance and fortitude.
To him, more than any other one of the original
settlers, is Woburn indebted for its early and suc-
cessful planting. Thomas Graves had a strong
and ardent nature. He resided iti the town oidy
for a short time. He returned to his former
occupation as a ship-master, and commanded the
first ship built at Boston, named the Trial. lie is
next heard of as capturing in the English Channel
a Dutch jirivatecr, under circumstances (hat called
for great resolution and bravery. For this act he
received a silver cup from his owners, and was