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Browsing named entities in a specific section of HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855. (ed. Charles Brooks). Search the whole document.

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1750 AD (search for this): chapter 14
, upon my knee, in this sharp winter, &c. If the deputy-governor had no more accommodations than these, what must have been the deprivations of the rest of the people? For many of our modern superfluities they had no names in their vocabulary. So late as our day, we have seen aged persons who have assured us that they never tasted tea or coffee until they were over twenty-one years of age. In 1666, tea, in England, was sixty shillings sterling a pound, and was not used much in America till 1750. It was nearly the same with coffee. Any cooking which required sugar was too expensive for our early ancestors; and the Sunday suit of clothes went through a whole life. For vocal music, they had the volunteer solo from the cradle; for instrumental, they had the sputter of the churn, the scraping of the wool-cards, the whiz of the spinning-wheel, and the jerk-rattle of the weaving-loom. Their sofa was the settle, and their spring-seat was the soft side of an oaken plank; their carpets we
1687 AD (search for this): chapter 14
bably blindman's-buff, and such other tolerable frolic as took place at huskings. Pope-day, though of English origin, was noticed by our ancestors; and the 5th of November brought the gunpowder-plot, sermons, and carousing, into the same twenty-four hours. It was the season for bonfires, and for replenishing the mind with hatred of the Catholics. Of the European holidays which our fathers rejected, there was Christmas. If any one observed it, he was fined five shillings! Increase Mather (1687), in his Testimony against several Profane and Superstitious Customs now practised by some in New England, says Candlemas-day had superstition written on its forehead. Shrove Tuesday was the heathen's shrove-tide, when the pagan Romans made little cakes as a sacrifice to their gods, and the heathen Greeks made pancakes to their idols. Drinking healths, and making New-Year's gifts, were discouraged, as paganish customs. The drama was thus forbidden: Baptized persons are under obligation to
December 25th (search for this): chapter 14
untry to be popular here. There were some holidays, of American origin, which were celebrated with enthusiasm. Election-day was hailed with drums, guns, and drinking. Commencement-day at Cambridge College was a great festival, uniting the church and the state; and each one of the whole community seemed personally interested in it. Small detachments of boys from Medford went under the care of trusty slaves. Neal says, The people were as cheerful among their friends as the English are at Christmas. Ordination-days came not very often; but, when they did, the occasion demanded great outlays in food and drinks; and, in the evening, there were what the ministers called unbecoming actions, --probably blindman's-buff, and such other tolerable frolic as took place at huskings. Pope-day, though of English origin, was noticed by our ancestors; and the 5th of November brought the gunpowder-plot, sermons, and carousing, into the same twenty-four hours. It was the season for bonfires, and fo
1830 AD (search for this): chapter 14
grown. The following records give the town's population at several epochs :-- 1707: Medford had 46 ratable polls; which number, multiplied by five, gives 230 inhabitants. In 1736, it had 133; which gives 665. In 1763, it had 104 houses; 147 families; 161 males under sixteen; 150 females under sixteen; 207 males above sixteen; 223 females above sixteen. Total, 741 inhabitants. In 1776, it had 967; in 1784, 981; in 1790, 1,029; in 1800, 1,114; in 1810, 1,443; in 1820, 1,474; in 1830, 1,755; in 1840, 2,478; in 1850, 3,749. In 1854, 1,299 residents in Medford were taxed. Manners and customs. The law-maxim, Consuetudo pro lege servatur, expresses what we all feel,--that custom is law; and is it not stronger than any statute? A free people project themselves into their custom and manners as a part of their freedom. So was it with our Medford ancestors. The children of our first settlers, removed from the sight and dread of European aristocracy and social oppressi
August 19th, 1685 AD (search for this): chapter 14
expedient and Christian, by the Puritans, not to imitate such examples; and, accordingly, they buried their dead without funeral prayers. Neither did they read the Scriptures! What they could have substituted for these simple, rational, and impressive rites, we do not know, but presume it must have been a sermon and a hymn. The first prayer made by a clergyman at a funeral, which we have heard of, was made by Rev. Mr. Wilson, of Medfield, at the funeral of Rev. Mr. Adams, of Roxbury, Aug. 19, 1685. The first one made at a funeral in Boston was at the interment of Dr. Mayhew, 1766. The pomp and circumstance of grief were certainly not forgotten on this side of the Atlantic. At the burial of a rich man, a magistrate, or a minister, there was great parade and much expense. Mourning-scarfs, black crapes, pendulous hatbands, common gloves, and gold rings, were gratuities to the chief mourners. The officers accompanying the funeral procession bore staffs or halberts, robed in mourn
September 9th, 1639 AD (search for this): chapter 14
woollen, silk, or linen, with any lace on it, silver, gold, silk, or thread, under the penalty of forfeiture of said clothes. Also all gold or silver girdles, hatbands, belts, ruffs, beaver-hats, are prohibited. Also immoderate great sleeves, slashed apparel, immoderate great rayles, long wings, &c. It took only five years for the modistes of this centre of transatlantic fashion to change the forms so as to make another legislative interference necessary. Accordingly, on the 9th of September, 1639, the General Court forbade lace to be sold or used; and they say,-- Hereafter, no garment shall be made with short sleeves, whereby the nakedness of the arm may be discovered in the wearing thereof; and, hereafter, no person whatsoever shall make any garment for women, or any of their sex, with sleeves more than half an ell wide in the widest place thereof; and so proportionable for bigger or smaller persons. In this forbidding of bare necks and naked arms (the very opposite o
1700 AD (search for this): chapter 14
break off and start for home, and are ready to sit down at the table just as the sun is square on the window-ledge, and the sand in the hour-glass is out. A blessing craved, they begin with the Indian pudding, and relish it with a little molasses. Next come a piece of broiled salt pork, or black broth, fried eggs, brown bread, cabbage, and cider. They denominated their dinner boiled victuals; and their plates, wooden trenchers. Potatoes did not come into use till 1733; tea and coffee, till 1700. Turnips, carrots, and parsnips were cultivated. Dinner despatched in fifteen minutes, the time till one o'clock was called nooning, when each laborer was free to sleep or play. Nooning over, they repair to the fields, and find that a fox or wolf has killed a sheep, and eaten his dinner. The father takes his gun and hastens in search, telling the boys to keep at their work, and, if they see the fox, to whistle with all their might. The fox, that took great pains to be there when the owne
1820 AD (search for this): chapter 14
r in bodies full grown. The following records give the town's population at several epochs :-- 1707: Medford had 46 ratable polls; which number, multiplied by five, gives 230 inhabitants. In 1736, it had 133; which gives 665. In 1763, it had 104 houses; 147 families; 161 males under sixteen; 150 females under sixteen; 207 males above sixteen; 223 females above sixteen. Total, 741 inhabitants. In 1776, it had 967; in 1784, 981; in 1790, 1,029; in 1800, 1,114; in 1810, 1,443; in 1820, 1,474; in 1830, 1,755; in 1840, 2,478; in 1850, 3,749. In 1854, 1,299 residents in Medford were taxed. Manners and customs. The law-maxim, Consuetudo pro lege servatur, expresses what we all feel,--that custom is law; and is it not stronger than any statute? A free people project themselves into their custom and manners as a part of their freedom. So was it with our Medford ancestors. The children of our first settlers, removed from the sight and dread of European aristocracy and
1766 AD (search for this): chapter 14
, they buried their dead without funeral prayers. Neither did they read the Scriptures! What they could have substituted for these simple, rational, and impressive rites, we do not know, but presume it must have been a sermon and a hymn. The first prayer made by a clergyman at a funeral, which we have heard of, was made by Rev. Mr. Wilson, of Medfield, at the funeral of Rev. Mr. Adams, of Roxbury, Aug. 19, 1685. The first one made at a funeral in Boston was at the interment of Dr. Mayhew, 1766. The pomp and circumstance of grief were certainly not forgotten on this side of the Atlantic. At the burial of a rich man, a magistrate, or a minister, there was great parade and much expense. Mourning-scarfs, black crapes, pendulous hatbands, common gloves, and gold rings, were gratuities to the chief mourners. The officers accompanying the funeral procession bore staffs or halberts, robed in mourning. The dead body was carried, not by hired men, but by the near friends of the deceased
1763 AD (search for this): chapter 14
town went so long without public schools and churches. Surely, in some respects, Medford had a small beginning; but Governor Dudley, speaking on the subject, says, Small things, in the beginning of natural and political bodies, are as remarkable as greater in bodies full grown. The following records give the town's population at several epochs :-- 1707: Medford had 46 ratable polls; which number, multiplied by five, gives 230 inhabitants. In 1736, it had 133; which gives 665. In 1763, it had 104 houses; 147 families; 161 males under sixteen; 150 females under sixteen; 207 males above sixteen; 223 females above sixteen. Total, 741 inhabitants. In 1776, it had 967; in 1784, 981; in 1790, 1,029; in 1800, 1,114; in 1810, 1,443; in 1820, 1,474; in 1830, 1,755; in 1840, 2,478; in 1850, 3,749. In 1854, 1,299 residents in Medford were taxed. Manners and customs. The law-maxim, Consuetudo pro lege servatur, expresses what we all feel,--that custom is law; and is it no
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