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23]
1734
The first meeting-house was built.
The area of the building was 50 by 40 feet (
Rev. Dr. Fiske), and it stood just seventy years. See dimensions given under 1732.
The Precinct by vote authorized that there be seventeen pews in the meeting-house besides the ministerial pew, which was next the pulpit-stairs, but allowed no more.
The holders of pew-lots on Sept. 2, 1734, were
Rev. John Whiting, John Cutter,
Henry Dunster,
Jason Russell,
Ephraim Frost,
James Cutler,
Joseph Adams,
Jonathan Butterfield,
Joseph Winship,
Rev. Nathaniel Appleton, Abraham Hill,
John Swan,
Joseph Russell,
William Dickson,
Samuel Cutter, and
John Winship.
Mar. 4, 1733-4, the standing committee were authorized to provide preaching.
A Mr. Smith was preaching here in 1734; possibly
Rev. William Smith, H. U. 1725, who inherited a farm in this vicinity, and who was settled pastor of the
First Church in
Weymouth, 1734.
His estate in this neighborhood was taxed in 1727 and 1736.
See
Wyman's
Charlestown, 874-5.
He was father-in-law of
President John Adams.
Rev. John Whiting mentioned in this year, like
Dr. Appleton, may have been a proprietor of lands in the Precinct only, and non-resident.
1
May 1, 1734, one hundred pounds was granted by vote to support preaching the present year.
A gift of fifty pounds from various individuals in 1734 was made toward building the meeting-house.
Capt. Samuel Hendley, named on records here in 1733, gave fifteen pounds of this amount;—a forgotten benefactor of the Precinct.
2
1735
On the first day of Feb. 1735, the first meeting-house of the Precinct was ‘opened and consecrated.’
On April 13, 1735,
the Rev. John Hancock records, ‘I baptized at 'Notomy Mercy
Osborn.’
As
the Rev. Mr. Appleton, minister of
Cambridge First Parish, had previously by vote of the inhabitants of this Precinct, been desired ‘to preach with us on the first Sabbath in February ’
