Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 18.

We sometimes wonder why certain entries are not found on our town records that we might naturally expect to see there. The following from Hunnewell's ‘A Century of Town Life, a history of Charlestown, Mass,. 1775-1871,’ containing an historical sketch of the First Church, taken from the records kept by the Rev. Warren Fay, explains one instance:—

Marriages.

1829 July 21 Elisha Hayden to Elizabeth J. Sables, both of Medford. The Congregational Minister was put of town.

The minister referred to was Rev. Aaron Warner of the Second Congregational Church, Medford. They were members of his church before their marriage, and were among those who withdrew in 1847 and formed the Mystic Church. Mr.Hayden and Mrs. Hayden are well remembered by our older citizens. Their home for many years was in the second house west of the Central Fire Station, on the north side of South street. He was of the firm of Hayden & Cudworth, and in a list of twenty-four ship-builders only five built more ships than this firm. The output of their yard was thirty-nine vessels, the first in 1847, the last in 1866. The largest tonnage, 1,250, [p. 9] was only surpassed by three vessels built in Medford ship-yards.

Mr. Hayden came from Scituate, and his partner from Marshfield. The South Shore towns furnished nearly all the workmen in the yards here. They were sturdy, thrifty men, skilled in their trades, an honor to their times and to American labor, and we might well wish to see their type reproduced today. Many became prosperous and influential, and a goodly number established their homes here, along the river, especially in the vicinity of Ship street, and their descendants are still our citizens.

Mrs. Hayden died in Medford, August 29, 1872, and her husband November 25, 1874, aged sixty-nine.

William M. Cudworth died February 3, 1877, aged sixty-three. Models of several vessels in possession of the Medford Historical Society were presented by Mr. Cudworth's daughter.