Subject: History of Bedford, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, 1835 Source: From: The History of the Town of Concord, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, 1835. General History - Ecclesiastical History - Description - Miscellaneous Notices. Part 1 p.255 Bedford lies northeasterly from Concord, Mass., and, as has already been stated, belonged originally in part to Concord. The inhabitants of the Winthrop Farms, which were included in this territory, with others in Billerica, petitioned the General Court in 1725, to be erected into a separate parish or town. An order of notice passed on this petition but being opposed by Billerica it was unsuccessful. The following petition fully explains the motives which originated it, and met with more success. "To the gentlemen - the selectmen, and other inhabitants, of Concord in lawful meeting assembled; the petition of sundry of the inhabitants of the northeasterly part of the town of Concord humbly sheweth. "That we your humble petitioners, having, in conjunction with the southerly part of Billerica, not without good advice, and we hope upon religious principles, assembled in the winter past, and supported the preaching of the gospel among us, cheerfully paying, in the meantime our proportion to the ministry in our towns; have very unanimously agreed to address our respective towns to dismiss us, and set us off to be a distinct township or district, if the Great and General Court or Assembly shall favor such our constitution. "We therefore the subscribers hereunto, and your humble petitioners, do first apply to you to lead us and set us forward in so good a work, which we trust may be much for the glory of Christ and the spiritual benefit of ourselves and our posterity. "Our distance from your place of public worship is so great, that we labor under insupportable difficulties in attending constantly there as we desired to do. In the extreme difficult seasons of heat and cold we were ready to say of the Sabbath, Behold what a weariness it is. The extraordinary expenses we are at in trans- portation and refreshing ourselves and families on the Sabbath has added to our burdens. p.256 "This we have endured from year to year with as much patience as the nature of the case would bear; but our increasing numbers now seem to plead an exemption; and as it is in your power, so we hope it will be in your grace to relieve us. "Gentlemen, if our seeking to draw off proceed from any disaffection to our present Rev. Pastor, or the Christian Society with whom we have taken such sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company, then hear us not this day. "But we greatly desire, if God please, to be eased of our burdens on the Sabbath, the travel and fatigue thereof, that the word of God may be nigh to us, near to our houses, and in our hearts, that we and our little ones may serve the Lord. "We hope that God, who stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to set forward temple work, has stirred us up to ask, and will stir you up to grant, the prayer of our petition; so shall your humble petitioners ever pray, as in duty bound, etc. "We humbly desire our limits may be extended from Mr. Stephen Davis's to Mr. Richard Wheeler's and to the river, the line to extend so as to include those two families." This petition was dated - Concord, May 1, 1728 and signed by: Joseph French Joseph Dean John Fassett Samuel Merriam Stephen Davis Daniel Cheever Thomas Woolley Joseph Bacon Benjamin Colburn Nathaniel Merriam Zachariah Stearns Andrew Wadkins Jonathan French David Taylor Daniel Davis Richard Wheeler James Wheeler All belonging to Concord. Concord gave them liberty to be set off; and the General Court passed an act September 23, 1729, incorporating them as a town by the name of Bedford. The boundaries of the town, as described in this act, were nearly the same as they are at present (1835) excepting the farm of Edward Stearns, which was set off from Billerica and annexed to Bedford by a special act, passed in 1766. The first town meeting took place October 6, 1729. The first town officers were: Samuel Fitch, Town Clerk Jonathan Bacon, Samuel Fitch, Nathaniel Merriam, Nathaniel Page, and Daniel Davis - Selectmen. Israel Putnam & Stephen Davis - Constables. John Fassett, Town Treasurer. Job Lane & Samuel Merriam - Surveyors. Daniel Cheever & Josiah Fassett - Tithingmen. Obed Abbot & Benjamin Colburn - Fence-viewers. James Wheeler & Jonathan Bacon - Hog-reevers. John Lane - Sealer of Weights. Thomas Woolley & John Whipple - Field-drivers. The following were the taxable inhabitants in Bedford in 1748: South List Samuel Bacon Stephen Davis James Dodson Joseph Fitch Zachariah Fitch Peter Fasset John Fasset Benjamin Fasset Stephen Hartwell Joseph Hartwell Henry Harrington William Hastings James Housten John Merriam Amos Merriam Samuel Merriam Nathaniel Merriam John Moore Joseph Meeds Walter Powers Paul Raymond William Raymond Edward Stearns James Rankin David Taylor Thomas Woolly Jonathan Woolly Thomas Woolly, Jr. Richard Wheeler Samuel Whitaker. North List Obed Abbot Josiah Bacon Josiah Bacon, Jr. Benjamin Bacon Michael Bacon John Bacon Thomas Bacon Jonas Bowman James Chambers John Corbet Samuel Dutton Benjamin Danforth Cornelius Dandley Benjamin Fitch Jeremiah Fitch Josiah Fasset Jonathan Grimes Benjamin Hutchinson Timothy Hartwell Benjamin Kidder Deacon Job Lane Col. John Lane Capt. James Lane John Lane, Jr. Job Lane, Jr. John Lane 3d. Timothy Lane To be continued - Part 2 - p. 257 Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth God Bless America History & Genealogy Freely Shared Janice Farnsworth _http://tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/janice.htm_ (http://tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/janice.htm) and Toni Feeney _http://www.tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/page7.htm_ (http://www.tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/page7.htm)