Carlisle, Massachusetts, USA
1848 - Carlisle

The party divisions in Concord, occasioned principally by the religious controversies from 1740 to 175O, were the cause of the formation of several separate societies and districts. Carlisle was incorporated as a district of Concord in 1754. The first object of the inhabitants was the selection of a suitable place for erecting their meeting house. After a great many fruitless attempts to fix the location, a committee was appointed to petition the general court that the district might be set back to the town of Concord, with all their former privileges. An act for this purpose was passed by the general court, in 1757. After the dissolution of “Old Carlisle,” no definite attempts were made to obtain a separation till about fifteen years afterwards. During this time, the occasional preaching of the gospel had been supported, and a meeting-house was begun as early as 1760, though not completed till 1783. Several petitions were presented to the adjoining towns to obtain their consent by the inhabitants of Blood’s farms and the extreme parts of Concord, Acton, Chelmsford, and Billerica, and an act was passed incorporating them as a district of Acton, by the name of Carlisle. In 1805, they were incorporated as a town.

The surface of the town is generally uneven and rocky, though there are no considerable elevations; and the soil is unfavorable to agriculture. Concord river washes its eastern bounds. Agriculture is the principal business of the inhabitants. There are two churches, 1 for the Orthodox and 1 Unitarian, and about a dozen dwelling houses, in the center of the town. Distance, 5 miles north of Concord, and 18 miles north-west of Boston. Population, 596. The Rev. Paul Litchfield, the first settled minister, was ordained Nov. 7, 1781. He died Nov. 7, 1827, on the 46th anniversary of his ordination. He was succeeded by Rev. Stephen Hull, in 1830.

Historical Collections Relating to the History... John Warner Barber, Worcester, Warren Lazell, 1848

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