HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855.
Charles Brooks, Ed.

[108] proportionable part of the said town of Charlestown's rights and privileges, according to the quantity and circumstances of said lands; at least, those pieces of land, and the privileges which are within the lands hereby petitioned for.

And inasmuch as the said town of Charlestown has conveyed the land called the gravel-pit, with the marsh adjoining, containing about half an acre, that they used for getting gravel, laying timber, &c., for the southerly half of the bridge commonly called Mistic bridge, and the “ Causey” thereto adjoining, to Capt. Aaron Cleaveland and Mr. Samuel Kendal; for which consideration, they have covenanted and agreed with the said town of Charlestown to keep the half of the bridge and the “ Causey” aforesaid in good condition for ever.

We pray that, in case the before-described lands are laid to said Medford, it may not be subjected to any cost or charges on account of the before-mentioned part of said bridge and the Causey adjoining.

Which petition we humbly conceive will appear reasonable by what follows:--

First, The contents of the said town of Medford are exceedingly small, amounting to but about two thousand acres, the inhabitants very few, and consequently its charges very great compared with other towns. Besides, as to brick-making, upon which our trading and a great part of our other business depends, it very much fails.

Secondly, The said town of Charlestown almost encompasses the town of Medford, and therefore (notwithstanding the great necessity) it cannot receive large addition from any other town.

Thirdly, Those that now dwell on the said tracts of land, and those who heretofore dwelt on them, have, from time to time, enjoyed the liberty of attending the public worship in Medford without paying any thing to the taxes there. Neither is there any probability that any of the inhabitants of said lands, or any other persons that may settle on them, can, with any conveniency, attend the public worship in any other town. Moreover, the inhabitants of the said southerly tract are within about half a mile of said Medford meeting-house, the greatest part of them, and the rest within a mile.

And the inhabitants of the northerly tract before mentioned are, the farthest of them, but about two miles from said meeting-house. And great part of the lands, in both the said tracts, are now owned and possessed by those who are with us in this petition, and some of the inhabitants of said Medford.

Besides, we apprehend it to be a very great hardship for the inhabitants of said tracts of land to be obliged to go, almost all of them, more than four miles, and others more than seven miles, to town-meetings, trainings, &c.

Furthermore, we would humbly move that some of the honorable