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delivered two discourses on its history, but as he did not 

 have them with him at this time, he could only avail him- 

 self of the matter contained in them, as far as his memory 

 could serve him, and he might make some mistakes. 

 This was originally the third Congregational Parish in 

 Gloucester, the one in the harbor being the first, and the 

 one in the West Parish being the second. The first 

 minister settled over the parish was Benjamin Brad- 

 street, who was settled in 1728, and continued pastor till 

 his death in 1762. He had a numerous family, and one 

 of his daughters married James Day, a resident of this 

 village, and some of their descendants are living in this 

 neighborhood at the present time. From the best infor- 

 mation he (Mr. Coffin) could obtain, he believed that 

 the first meeting house, which probably stood near the 

 old burying-ground at Bay View, was burned, and that 

 on the question of building another a division arose as to 

 the location, some of them wishing to rebuild on the old 

 site, and some on the site of the present church, and that 

 at a meeting of the Parish it was decided by a majority to 

 build on the old site, and that the frame of the building 

 was prepared and placed on the spot preparatory to rais- 

 ing it the next day. But when the people came to the 

 raising the next morning they found no frame there, the 

 friends of the present location, having, during the night, 

 removed the whole of the timber to. this site. This action 

 settled the question as to location, and the meeting house 

 was built on the place where this church stands, and here 

 it stood till 1830, when it was replaced by this structure. 

 Rev. John Wyeth was the next minister ; he was settled in 

 1766, but remained only two years. The parish could 

 not be called minister worshippers, as might be judged 

 from their peculiar way of hinting to Mr. Wyeth their 

 desire for a change : once a musket ball was fired just 



