New-York tribune., 1885-09-13
TWO CENTURIES AND A
CELEBRATION AT ANCIENT CONCORD.
FROM PURITAN TINES TO THE PREsENT-LAsTlNG
MEMORIALS OF A TOWNS HISTORY.

lar TELEGRAPH IRIBUNE.1
BosToN, Sept. 12.-Historic Concord cele-
brated today the two hundred and ffieh anniversary
OF its settlement and the presence Of crowds
OF sightseers had been discouraged rather than
sought, the exercises participated in and wit
messed by few persons except to whom personal
or historical associations had made the town dear. AT
sunrise bell ringing and the firing OF cannon reused the
people and at half past there was a
procession of local military and fire companies,
which ended at the Town Hall. Among
those who present as guests were the Governor
and Mrs. Robinson George r. Hoar, the orator OF the
dsy, George William Curtis, and later in the
day james Russell Lowell. After the guests
had been seated and John Keyes had taken the chair
the hush that fen upon the crowded auditorium was
broken by few words OF earnest prayer
and thanksgiving uttered by tho Rev. Benjamin
r. Buckley, OF the Unitarian Church. They were fol
lowed by singing by local vocalsts and this sue
ceeded by the report historical tablets by Mr..
Charles IL. WOcott for the committee. Mr.
Wolcott stated that the Simon Willard farm. which s
pre-. ent owned by c. H. Hurd, handsome boulder is
set into the stone wall and a panel snnk In this
boulder will appear the following inscriptions
on THIS farm dwelt Simon willard one
of the founders OF Concor who dd good service for
Another boulder set in the wall at the locality known
rs Merrlani's Corner is inscribed as follows:
the Old North Bridge were here attacked in flank by the
men of Concord aud neighboring towns ana driven.
under q not nfe, TO Charlestown.
An inscription on panel sunk in
the Sudbury River face of Egg
Rock which is nearly perpendicular reads thus:
On the Hin Nashantuck at the meeting OF the rivera
and along the banks lived the Indian owners OF Muske-
taquid before the white men came.
stone post is set up the site Of the old town
house and small sized bronzed tablet is set in It, The
following inscription Is placed on this tablet:
Near this spot stood the first town house used for town
meetings and the country courts, l72i-lIS4
of int known a
Buttrick Farm the Americans formed on that
memorable nineteenth day of April l775. is designated
by slab firmly set in n wall and inscribed as fol-
lows:
On this field the minute and militia formed before
marching down 20 the light at the Bridge
The site of the Rev Peter Bukeleys house b honored
with bronze tablet bearing the following:
Hero In the house OF tho Rev;
dSsV one Of the founders Of this town bargain was
with the squaw sacbem and SYCAMORE Tahattawan and
square called Concord TO the English planters and gave
them peaceful pos ossion or the land A. ID. 1898.
"Concords Old Hill Burying Ground" so-callcd. al
ways spot sacred interest is designated by slate
tablet, which is set in the wall and inscribed.
on hill the settlers Of Concord built their meeting
honse. near which they were buried. On the south
slope Of the road their dwellings, during the first
winter. Below II they laid out their first road and on
the summit stood the liberty poe of the Revolution
In connection with this report MIR. Wolc0tt read a
quaint uoVumeh Mhich nc uaCuf'i'u iu tue "iV"'S VI
the Commonwealth. which. IL II believed has never be-
fore been published. II IS tie petition OF Martha Mou
ton to the General Court on February 4, i776 The
Of it viii be understood from ths resolve which
the legislature passed win tho pray OF
the petitioner:
Eesred that there be paid out OF the Publok Treas
ury Jaunes Barra esq the sum OF three pounds fol
Of Martha Moultu, the petitioner. FOR her gond
seryces Ia boldly and successfully lsic) preventing
the enemy from burning the Town House IN Concord
set forth Ia her petition.
At the conclusion OF this presentation George
i. Hoar delivered the oration. Ii was not "a mere
recital OF historical facts, but full OF the
snlts OF scholarly study of tho character
and motives OF tho who founded
aud maintained the towns existence.
At the close % the exercises there dinner
which 500 persons down. followed by speeches from