The history of Lynn - Lynn Massachusetts Genealogy Project

1632.] HISTORY OF LYNN. 41public stock. The persons selected for Lynn were, CaptainRichard Wright, and another whose name was not recorded.At the same ccmt, "a proposition was made by the people,that every company of trained men might choose their owacaptain and officers ; but the governor, giving them reasons tothe contrary, they were satisfied without it."^The Reverend Stephen Batchelor, with his family, arrived atBoston on Thursday, the fifth of June. He came in the shipWilliam and Francis, captain Thomas, which sailed from Londonon the ninth of March, with about sixty passengers. Heimmediately came to Lynn, where his daughter resided, andfixed his abode here. He was now 71 years of age. In hiscompany were six persons who had belonged to a church withhim in England ; and of those he constituted a church at Lynn,to which he admitted such as were desirous of becoming members,and immediately commenced the exercise of ihe ministerialduties, without installation. One of his first ministrationswas to baptize four children, born before his arrival ; two ofwhom, Tiiomas Newhall and Stephen Hussey, were born thesame week. Thomas, being the oldest, was first presented,but Mr. B. put him aside saymg "I will baptize my own childfirst "The church at Lynn was the fifth in Massachusetts. Thefirst was gathered at Salem G August, 1620; the second atDorchester in June 1630; the third at Charlestown, 30 July,and afterward removed to Boston ; the fourth at Watertownon the same day, and the fifth at Lynn in June 1632. Thefirst meeting house was a small plain building, without bell orcupola, and stood on the eastern side of Shepard street. Itwas placed in a small hollow, that it might be the better shelteredfrom the winds, and was approached by descending severalsteps. Before this, the people of Lynn had no setdedminister, but part of them attended public worship at Salem.On the fourteenth of June, captain Richard Wright and severalodiers were returning from Pemaquid, in a small vessel,loaded with goods to the value of about eight hundred dollars.At the mouth of Piscatoqua river, one of the men began tolight a pipe of lobacco, and was requested to desist, as therewas some powder in the vessel ; but he replied that he wouldtake one pipe at whatever consequence. The fire was prese;;tlycommunicated to vhe powder, which exploded and de-1 Winthrop.