The History of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts; From the Earliest Settlement Known to the Present Time: A Period of about Two Hundred and Thirty - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. 1665-1685. Church At Topsf1eld.-- Rev. W1ll1am Kn1ght. -- Rev. W1ll1am Perk1ns. -- F1rst Meet1ng - House 1n Topsf1eld.-- Rev. Thomas G1lbert. -- Early Settlers, 1665-70.-- Road From Topsf1eld To Haverh1ll La1d Out.-- P1ckard's Farm.-- Elect1on.-- M1l1tary Matters.-- Iron Works.--"m1n1sTer's Farm." -- Rev. Jerem1ah Hobart. -- Pet1t1ons.-- InD1an War Of 1675-76. -- V1llage Off1cers. -- Early SetTlers, 1670-85. -- M1l1tary Orders. -- Church Affa1rs.-- Rev. Joseph Capen. <5Xvtfr^OPSFIELD was first settled in 1635. Preaching Ar'li^ was first carried on there in 1641, by Rev. William Knight, a resident of Ipswich, which town paid him for his services. Mr. Knight died, as is supposed, in 1655, as in that year Rev.. William Perkins came hither from Gloucester to preach the gospel. Mr. Perkins had been the spiritual guide of the little band of worshippers then living in Weymouth, and removed to Gloucester in 1646, where he continued in the ministry from 1650, for five years, when he came to Topsfield to take charge of spiritual matters there. To his preaching the earliest settlers of Rowley Village (Boxford) listened from sabbath to sabbath, and received the true essence of piety and holiness of life. Far from being an Antinomian or a Liberalist, he preached, whether his audience bore or forbore, the truth in a manner that would make our ministers of to-day, who claim to be orthodox, hide their faces for shame. It is said of him that he could pronounce the word "damn " .with greater emphasis than any other man. Mr. Perkins was son of William Perkins, a merchant-tailor of London, Eng., where, by his wife Catharine, William was born, Aug. 25, 1607. In 1633 we find him associated with John Winthrop, jun., in the settlement of...