Saugus GenWeb Site

From page 13:
Saugus became a town in 1815 because as (Hon. Nathan Mortimer) Hawkes writes: "the people of
the low lands of Lynn would not go up to this hill country of Saugus to listen to the Preaching of the
Gospel according to "Puritanism," which bring us to Choose Hill. Hawkes continues: "The name is a
reminder of a controversy which was the beginning of the end of the town of Lynn -- the first step
which led up in later years ot the creation, first of the Town of Lynnfield, and second of the Town of
Saugus. For seventy years all the people had worshipped as one parish. The hardship of the long
miles from Lynnfield bore upon the outdwellers. A committee representing the three sections which
we know as Lynn, Saugus, and Lynnfield attempted to CHOOSE a site for the meetinghouse which
should be reasonably convenient for all. They selected the now wooded hill as about equally distant
from each locality. Lynn objected. Lynnfield was set off as a parish or district, Nov 17, 1712, and its
inhabitants were to be freed from parish taxes as soon as a meetinghouse should be built and a
minister settled. This was accomplished in 1715, and the Second Parish of Lynn was duly organized.
Saugus later, in 1738, became the Third or West Parish." "The natural result was that later the two
parishes became towns -- Lynn in 1814, and Saugus in 1815."

Massachusetts Archives Collection (1629-1799) On-line Index (also known as the "Felt Collection"), which
includes original records of the governor, Council, General Court, secretary, and treasurer, is an important
source of records for early Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire.

Digital History (www.digitalhistory.uh.edu) provides online textbook, visual history, virtual exhibitions, and
a history reference room. If you want to put your family's life events in context, this a great place to start. I
particularly like the Resources Guides under the section "For Teachers".

I might suggest an excellent book concerning Boston in the 1715 to 1818 timeframe. Ester Forbes won a
Pulitzer Prize for Paul Revere & the World He Lived In, published in 1942. Not only does she paint a picture
of life for citizens of all levels during that timeframe, she also explains how she obtained that information.