Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

[295] was dismissed. After a like unsuccessful attempt in April, 1748, the petition was renewed by a committee in December, 1749, in which it is said, “There is within the bounds of the proposed new parish on the south side of the river, . . . . . 2660 acres and 81 rods of land, by the plan; 42 dwelling-houses; about 50 families; above 50 persons in full communion with the church; and this part of the town's proportion to the Province Tax in 1748 was £ 700. 11s. 8d., old tenor, and 67 ratable polls, about 290 souls.” It is also said: “We have supported the gospel among us some part of the year for fourteen years, during which time we set apart a house for divine worship that had been a dwelling-house: upon finding it too small for the congregation we erected a convenient house for the worship of God, . . . . and soon after we had winter-preaching in this house we concluded to have summer-preaching in it also: and we are now in the 5 year that we have had constant preaching.” ¹ This petition, like those which preceded it, was dismissed. It was followed by another in June, 1758, in which it is more definitely stated that it was “necessary for the inhabitants on this side the river, about twenty-seven years since, to procure preaching among ourselves during the winter season, which we for the space of fourteen years continued to support at our sole expense, paying our full proportion of the gospel in the old town; but afterwards finding the house in which we met neither convenient nor large enough for the purpose, we did about thirteen years since erect a meeting-house of suitable dimensions in the most suitable place to accommodate the people on this side the river, and have ever since supported the public preaching of the gospel among us at our own charge (except about ten or eleven pounds per annum which has been allowed us by the First Parish for a few years last past),” etc.² So strong was the opposition, however, that this petition was dismissed; and another which was presented Feb. 22, 1774, met the same fate. At last, nearly half a century after the commencement of regular religious services (for the winter), and about thirty-five years after the erection of a meeting-house in which public worship was offered throughout the year, the inhabitants on the south side of the river were incorporated by the General Court, April, 1779, as a separate precinct with authority to settle a minister, and to provide for his support by a parish tax,— “excepting Samuel Sparhawk, John Gardner, Joanna Gardner, and Moses Griggs, and their estates, who shall ”