History of Fitchburg 1865 part 10


The reasons of this dismission (of Rev Gardner - see part
9), so far as I have been able to learn them, appear to be
these:--He was not a man of that grave and sober demeanor,
which the people of his time thought essential to the
sacredness of his office.  He was apt to indulge in a levity
of manner on the Sabbath, which was not in keeping with the
solemnity of the day.  He had also quite a predilection for
hunting, and, it is said, wild turkeys and other game, even
on the Sabbath, sometimes bore testimony of his skill as a
marksmand.  For the truth of these reports I cannot vouch.

On the first day of August, 1728, the proprietors of Turkey
Hills, with their lands, were incorporated by the name of
Lunenburg, in the county of Middlesex.  It was so named in
compliment to George II who, in the preceding year,
succeeded to the British throne.  One of his titles was Duke
of Lunenburg, he having a town or province of that name in
his German dominions.

The first "town" meeting was held at the house of "Ensign
Jonathan Willard" (This house which first had the honor of
containing the people of Lunenburg assembled in their
corporate capacity is now owned by Jacob Hadley, and
situated on the Lancaster road about one and a half miles
distant from the meeting house.) on the 19th of the same
month by authority of an order in Council, directed to
Capt. Josiah Willard, a principal inhabitant &c.  The first
Selectmen were James Colburn, Josiah Willard, Hilkiah
Boynton, Ephraim Pearce, and Smuel (Gov) Page.

In Sept it was voted to raise the sum of L200 ($88.88) for
building and finishing a meeting house, "so far as it will
do or answer therefor."  This, the first meeting house, a
building of small dimensions and a mere shell, was located a
few rods to the north of the dwelling house of Edmund
Cushing and nearly opposite to the present Town Meeting
House.  A pulpit and a body of seets were built in 1731.
The persons, "preferred" to have pews, had to build them at
their own cost.  A committee was chosen "to state places for
building the pews and order who shall have them," and it was
further ordered " that the rule the committee shall go by
shall be according to the inhabitants' improvements and
stations, and having some regard to pay.  In April, 1733 it
was voted to finish the galleries in the meeting house, and
to build "stears up into them."  (In 1736 the town "granted
all the room behind the front gallery in the meeting house
to Jona. Wood, Samuel Reed, Phinehas Osgood, Ezekiel Wyman,
David Page, Stephen Boyton, John Fitch & Jona. Abbot for to
build a long pew or seet for themselves and wives forever to
set in."

The worthy people of Lunenburg took good and seasonable care
that all vagrants and rogues whould meet with their deserts;
and accordingly in 1732 they voted" the sum of eight
shillings for building a pair of stocks."

In 1729 they chose Capt Hosiah Willard their agent "to join
with others to consider what may be best in order to divide
the county of Middlesex."  This object was effected April
2d, 1731 when Worcester County was incorporated.  At this
time grand and "Petty" jurymen were chosen by the people in
town meeting assembled.

In a little more than two years after this, attempts were
made to form a new county out of the counties of Worcester
and Middlesex, of which Groton was to be the shire town.
These attempts in a short time were abandonded.

The subject of schools appears to have first engaged the
attention of the town in 1732, when Rev. Mr. Gardner was
employed to teach a school for three month in his own house.
Next year it was kept at the houses of several individuals
in rotation, and in Dec. 1734 40l ($17.77) were voted for a
"Lawfull School" for the year past and present.  In 1735 the
selectmen were directed to provide for a school "according
to the best manner for the town's safety and interest." and
the year following they were directed "to hire School Dames
as they shell see fit, and otherwise as the Law requires."
In 1737, 50l and in 1738 60l ($26.66) were appropriated
towards the support of schools.  During six months of the
latter year, "School Dames" were employed.

In 1740 the town resolved to build two "school housen" one
at the north and one at the south end.  But this vote was
soon reconsidered, and they resolved to build one school
house near the meeting house -- and all persons residing
more than two miles distant from it, had liberty to support
schools amoung themselves the money which they paid to the
town for this purpose being refunded to them.  Whether ths
school house was ever build I do not know, as for the
several subsequent years, the school committee were directed
to provide places to keep the school in, and to move it as
they thought best.

(to be continued)

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