upper being used for public worship, and the lower containing a large hall and other rooms for public purposes. Adams is still pastor of this church.

Mr.

The Baptist Society. On the 27th December, 1803, fortytwo persons were constituted into a Baptist church, by Rev. Henry Pottle, who became pastor of the church which worshipped in a barn temporarily fitted up for their use, till September in the following year; when they entered upon the use of their unfinished house of worship, which stood for forty years between Salem street and the new burial ground. Rev. William Bently succeeded Mr. Pottle in 1807, and continued one year. The church was then without a settled pastor for seven years. During this period the pulpit was supplied by various ministers, one of whom was Rev. Jason Livermore, from Frankfort, Me., who remained about two years. He was succeeded for a year by Rev. Samuel Wydown. In 1816, Rev. Ebenezer Nelson removed from South Reading, and became the pastor of the church until 1823; and was the only pastor of this church who has died while in that office. His death took place May 4, 1825. He was succeeded by Rev. John Cookson, who was ordained March 24, 1824; and after two years removed to Lowell. Rev. John Newton Brown was installed December 20, 1826. He continued till January 31, 1828, when he removed to Exeter, 1 N. H. Rev. Avery Briggs was called to the pastoral office Sept. 28, 1828, and continued four years, when he removed to Marblehead. During his residence, the meeting-house was enlarged, at the expense of $1500, and a bell weighing 1500 pounds was given, mostly at the expense of Mr. Timothy Bailey. Rev. Conant Sawyer next held the pastoral office for three years. On the first of April, 1837, Rev. Edward N. Harris entered upon the duties of pastor, which he discharged for a few months. In November, 1838, Rev. Joseph M. Driver entered upon the pastoral office, which he filled till April, 1840. On July 19th of that year, the Rev. Nathaniel West Williams was installed. He remained three years. It was during his ministry that the present spacious and elegant Baptist meeting-house was erected at an expense of about $10,000. The prosperity of this society has been greatly aided by a munificent legacy. After the departure of Mr. Williams, the Rev. John Cookson was re-installed

pastor, who remained till 1847, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. Charles Billings Smith. Within a short time an elegant organ has been procured, and other improvements made upon the place of worship at an expense of some $1500.

Methodist Episcopal Society in North Malden. This society originated in what is now Melrose, in 1813, by the agency of Rev. Timothy Merritt. He was succeeded the same year by Rev. Thomas C. Pierce; and he again by Rev. Ephraim Wiley. Under his administration in the summer of 1815, the church was duly organized, according to the Discipline. Mr. Wiley remained till 1818, and was succeeded by Rev. Orlando Hinds, who officiated one year, during which a meeting-house was built, which gave place about five years since to the neat structure now occupied by the society.

Methodist Episcopal Society in Malden Centre. A "Class" of Methodists was formed in Malden Centre in 1820. They worshipped in the hall of the old brick school-house, till their first place of worship was erected, in 1825. At this time the Rev. Joseph Marsh was the minister in charge. Their present beautiful house was constructed in 1843, during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Landon; and during the past year, under the ministry of Rev. Mr. Dennison, the society was freed from the debt incurred by its erection.

Methodist Protestant Society. In consequence of a dissension in the Methodist Episcopal Church in the north part of Malden, which arose in 1828, this society was formed; and purchased an old school-house, which was fitted up and dedicated as a place of worship in 1830. About ten years afterwards, under the ministry of Rev. John M’Leish, their present house of worship was erected. Rev. J. Parsons is at present pastor of this flourishing society. Trinitarian Congregational Society. Upon the installation of Rev. Mr. Cobb in the First Parish in 1828, the majority of the church, and such as adhered to them, withdrew from the First Parish meeting-house, and instituted public worship in various places, but chiefly in the hall of the brick schoolhouse, which some two years since was destroyed by fire. This society was organized according to the provisions of the law, in 1832, and Rev. A. W. McClure, who had been

occupying the pulpit since April, 1831, was ordained December 23, 1832. Their present house of worship was dedicated in 1833. In November, 1842, Mr. McClure retired, and went to Florida, on account of his health. In 1843, Rev. Chauncey Goodrich was ordained, and remained in the pastoral office for four years. Soon after his resignation, Mr. McClure resumed the supply of the pulpit, and after one year, was re-installed as pastor of the church, in which office he still remains.

Congregational Society in Melrose. In the spring of 1848, a few individuals who had lately removed to this part of the town, were organized into an Orthodox Congregational church. Rev. Stillman Pratt preached to them for some months; and when their place of worship was dedicated in 1849, he was duly installed as pastor.

Winthrop Congregational Society. This congregation was organized in the South part of Malden soon after the Melrose society was formed at the North. It worships in the commodious hall of the South-west District school-house. Rev. George E. Pratt was ordained as pastor of this church in 1849.

Melrose Universalist Society. In 1849 this society_was organized, and meets for worship in the Academy Hall. Rev. J. W. Talbot is their pastor.

16*

OLD MALDEN FAMILIES.

66

SARGEANT. The "godly Christian," mentioned by Johnson, as prophesying" in Malden in the first days of its settlement, is, undoubtedly, William Sargeant, who came from England in 1638, and was made a freeman at Charlestown in 1639. He had several children born as early as 1644; and is undoubtedly the ancestor of the numerous heirs of his name in Malden, which was then a part of Charlestown. One of his sons, Peter Sargeant, was a member of the Council of Safety in 1683, and one of the first Councillors under the new Charter of William and Mary in 1692. John Sargeant, another son of William, is known to have resided in Malden. He had the following sons, viz: Joseph, John, William, Samuel, Jonathan, and Ebenezer.

Jonathan Sargeant was born at Malden, April 17, 1677. He had the following children: Jonathan, by his first wife; by his second wife, who was Mary Sprague, he had Nathan, John, Mary, Hannah, Ebenezer, Lydia, Hannah, Ebenezer, Samuel. He removed to Mansfield, Conn., where he died Oct. 27, 1754, aged 77.

His son Nathan, born at Malden, Aug. 27, 1718, married June 24, 1742, Mary Sargeant, of Malden, who was born Nov. 18, 1721, and was a daughter of Joseph and Hannah Sargeant, of Malden. They removed to Leicester, Mass., in 1741. They had three children, Lydia, Mary, and Nathan. This Nathan was a wealthy farmer in Leicester, where his descendants still live in high repute. His great grandfather, John, born March 3, 1644, had by his first wife, Deborah, Jabez, born April, 1669. This Deborah died April 20, 1669, probably in child-bed. John Sargeant next married Mary Bense, Sept. 3, 1669. She died the next year, leaving no issue on record. He married for his third wife, Lydia,

by whom he had Hannah, born Dec. 1675; Ruth, born Oct. 1686; Samuel, born March 22, 1688; John, born March 22, 1689; Ebenezer, born Sept. 25, 1690; Sarah, born January 23, 1692.

The following Sargeant marriages are on record in Malden:

Mary Sargeant married Thomas Douglass, June 10, 1725.
Elizabeth married Ebenezer Barrett, Nov. 7, 1734.
John married Mary Wadkins, July 24, 1740.

Hannah married Jabez Burditt, Feb. 7, 1740.

Nathan Sargeant, of Leicester, married Mary Sargeant, of Malden, June 24, 1742.

Samuel married Lois Wate, Oct. 25, 1743.

Sarah married John Goddard, Aug. 3, 1745.

Silas Sargeant married Mary Winslow, Feb. 14, 1746. Jabez married Rachael Wait, Oct. 9, 1746. Joseph married Hannah Whittemore, Jan. 20, 1747. John married Hannah Knower, Oct. 1, 1747. Thomas married Mary Waite, Jan. 17, 1749. James married Elizabeth Upham, April 25, 1749. Ezra married Deborah Sargeant, May 23, 1751. David married Mehitable Green, June 27, 1751. Silas Sargeant, a brother of Ezra Sargeant, Esq., married Mary Winslow, February 14, 1746. He died May 1, 1796, aged 73. Their children were, Isaac Winslow Sargeant, Silas Sargeant, Amos Sargeant, John Sargeant, and Rhoda Sargeant.

Amos Sargeant, third son of Silas, married Alice Bucknam. Their children were, Amos, married to Esther Oakes; Silas, married to Diantha Fisher; John, married to Dorcas Nichols; Sally, married to Lewis Fisher; Alice, married to Leonard Emerson, both deceased; Aaron, married to Sarah Nichols; Thomas, married to Phebe Bridge; Mary, died in infancy; Nathan died in infancy; and another Nathan married to Mehitable Brown.

HILLS. Of Joseph Hills we have already given a sketch. Although he moved from Malden to Newbury, he left one or two sons and daughters in this place.

There was also an Abraham Hill, made a freeman in Charlestown in 1640, who died at Malden, February 13,