History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

The dismemberment caused a heavy loss to the
old town in population and wealth. By the first
United States census, 1790, Woburn contained
1,727 inhabitants; at the second census, in ISOO,
it had only 1,228. The territorial loss was 7,118
acres, and of the taxable property more than one
fourth. For the nest ten years the growth of
Woburn was scarcely perceptible in any respect,
and in population there was a decrease of nine, the
census of 1810 giving but 1,219 persons. During
this period there was little or no manufacturing
business in the town. Tlie community was made
up almost exclusively of agriculturists, the only
exceptions being the tanner, the blacksmith, the
miller, the shoemaker, and trader, who supplied
the people with the necessities belonging to their
respective vocations. Tlie establishment of a tan-
nery on a more extensive scale did not take place
until the next decade, of whicli more will be said in
noticing the manufacturing interests of tiie town.
For twenty-five years, including and following
the Revolution, the scliools were continued in a
rather desultory manner. The war disorganized
every other interest to a greater or less extent, to
which the education of children w-as no exception.
In 1790 a new feeling was aroused on the subject,
which in 1792 assumed definite form, and a com-
mittee was appointed to revise the school system,
and establish one more comprehensive and uniform.
The report of this committee, of which Loammi
Baldwin was chairman, was a carefully written and
dignified document, in which the needs and methods
of education were clearly set forth. The town was
divided into convenient districts for local schools,
while the grammar school was to be retained near
the centre of eacli parish. Within the next three
years £600 were raised for school-houses, each
of the new districts having one built for its use.
Under this new system, and the stimulus derived
from it, the schools of tiie town were greatly im-
proved, and no important change took place for
more than fifty years.
After the dismissal of Mr. Sherman as pastor of
the first church, in 1775, there was no one settled
in his place for nearly ten years. In December,
1784, Mr. Samuel Sargent was invited to the
parish. The call was accepted, and Mr. Sargent
was ordained in March, 1785. But he was scarcely
warm in his pulpit before dissension and opposition
began to manifest themselves, and these continued
through the entire period of his ministry, about
fourteen vears. His orisjinal settlement monev had
WOBURX. 541
not been paid in 1790, and the parish was sued
for the amount. It had no defence, and was de-
faulted. Tiie parish was also sued about this time
by the Baptist Society at West Cambridge for tiie
taxes of those persons who had withdrawn from it.
This suit was successful after a protracted litiga-
tion. Several years more of contention in the
parish followed, when, in 1798, an agreement was
made to call a mutual council to dispose of the
quarrel if possible. The council unanimously
recommended the dissolution of the relations be-
tween pastor and people, which took place in April,
1799. Rev. Mr. Sargent removed from Woburn
to Chester, Vermont, where he preached on agreement
from time to time, but was never again a set-
tled pastor. His death took place at Chester in
1818, at the age of sixty-three. From the dismis-
sal of Mr. Sargent to the settlement of his successor
there was an interval of four years. In December,
1803, Mr. Joseph Chickering was invited by
both church and parish to become their pastor,
which was accepted. The terms of settlement
agreed upon were § 800 to be paid within a year,
and an annual salary of §650 and fifteen cords of
wood. The ordination took place in March, 1804.
For several years the ministry of Rev. Mr. Chicker-
ing was marked with unusual success. The jieople
were united, and tiie accessions to the church were
large. In 1820 he asked for a dismissal, which
was approved by council. Mr. Ciiickering was
graduated at Harvard College in 1799. From
Woburn he removed to Phillipston, Massachusetts,
where he preached until 18;3o, when he retired
from the ministry on account of infirm health, and
died in that town in 1844. In 1808, during the
pastorate of Rev. Mr. Chickering, the third meeting-
house, which was built in. 1752, on tiie easterly side
of the Common, was burnt to tlie ground. Before
the fire the question of repairing the house or build-
ing a new one had been discussed in the parish.
The decision had now been made. Two days after
the fire a town-meeting was held, and it was voted
to rebuild the meeting-house at once. The site
selected was on the nortlierly side of the Common,
and nearly identical with that now occupied by the
First Unitarian Church. It was dedicated June 28,
1809. The pews were appraised, and the choice
sold by auction. The proceeds of the sale amounted
to more than $-3,000 over the cost of the building.
This sum was funded for the support of the minis-
try of the society, and remained thus invested until
1861, when the amount was merged in the con-