Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3.

‘[p. 14] Charlestown to pay to Aaron Cleveland sixty-four pounds and fourteen shillings, and Medford, Malden, Woburn and Reading to pay to John Bradshaw seventeen pounds twelve shillings and three pence each, and that an order be issued that the several sums be paid within two months, upon penalty of being proceeded against for contempt in making default. Woburn, Malden, and Reading appeal, and are put under bonds to prosecute their appeal.’

Medford at that time chose a committee, to prosecute the whole matter to its final settlement.

It is impossible to tell upon what grounds these towns based their appeal; the decision of the Court was against them, and we hear but little complaint in regard to Mistick bridge for some years; they, however, were not easy under their burden of repairing the bridge, and made several ineffectual efforts to rid themselves of the charge. Woburn appointed a committee to go before the General Court with a petition ‘that they be eased of the burden of Mistick bridge, or have liberty of a landing-place at the river.’ And Reading voted ‘to try to get clear of mending Mistick bridge in future.’

In 1725 the town of Charlestown sold to Aaron Cleveland and Samuel Kendall a piece of upland and marsh, situated on the corner of the great road leading to Charlestown and the way leading to the Ford; the way to the river on the upper side of the bridge was also included in the sale, and one of the conditions of the sale was that the grantees should forever maintain and keep in repair the southerly half of Mistick bridge and the causey adjoining.

The records of the County Court say that ‘March 15, 1736, the towns of Medford, Charlestown, Woburn, Reading and Malden by their respective agents appear in Court, to answer to their presentment for not repairing Mistick bridge, and the said towns plead not guilty, and move to be tried by the Court. The Court thereupon order that Francis Foxcroft, Joseph Mason, and ’