YEAR |
EVENT |
1633 |
Agawam (Ipswich) settled |
1634 |
Church gathered and organized in Ipswich (Rev. Nathaniel Ward, minister) Parish organization set up to govern Ipswich settlement William White and Goodman Bradstreet first two settlers granted land in Chebacco |
1679 |
Rev. Jeremiah Shepard called to preach in Chebacco, in private homes |
1680 |
John Wise engaged to preach in Chebacco One acre of ground granted to Chebacco Parish for a burial place |
1682 |
Chebacco people officially released from membership in the First Church in Ipswich |
1683 |
Organization and gathering of Chebacco Church - officially known as the Second Church in Ipswich John Wise ordained as the first minister of Chebacco Church Organization of Chebacco Parish as the governing body for the settlement - officially the Second Parish in Ipswich First "training day" for citizen soldiers in Chebacco |
1700 |
Chebacco (population about 300) consisted of a church, a school, a military company, five sawmills, one shipyard, three bridges, two causeways. Farming, fishing, and boat building the major occupations. |
1712 |
Burying ground fenced in by a stone wall |
1725 |
Death of Rev. John Wise Rev. Theophilus Pickering became second minister of Chebacco Church |
1746 |
Dissention in Chebacco Church and Parish, causing a rift among the people; formation of the Separated Church ('Separatist Society") which became officially the Fourth Church in Ipswich Ebenezer Cleaveland, brother of John Cleaveland, minister in Separated Church first six months |
1747 |
Rev. John Cleaveland ordained as minister of the Separated Church |
1749 |
Death of Rev. Theophilus Pickering |
1750 |
Nehemiah Porter ordained as minister of the original Chebacco Church (January) |
1752 |
"Separatists" gained official release from Chebacco Parish and were granted a separate precinct - officially the Sixth Parish in Ipswich |
1766 |
Nehemiah Porter resigned Proceedings started for reuniting 2nd and 4th Churches (Chebacco Church and Separated Church) |
1768 |
Informal agreement by both churches to worship together temporarily, one half a year in each meeting house with Rev. John Cleaveland assuming the ministry for both churches (1766-1775) |
1770 |
Chebacco inhabitants voted to abstain from buying tea unless the Revenue Act was repealed. |
1774 |
Official vote by both the Second Church and the Fourth Church favoring uniting as The Second Church in Ipswich |
1775 |
Sixth Parish reunited with the Second Parish; the union named The Second Parish in Ipswich
|
1775 |
Revolutionary War (1775 - 1781) Declaration of Independence |
1783 |
Peace treaty with England - Revolutionary Army disbanded |
1787 |
Population in Chebacco 1,200 |
1799 |
Death of Rev. John Cleaveland after 55 years as pastor Josiah Webster chosen as minister |
1806 |
Light Infantry company formed |
1807 |
Rev. Josiah Webster resigned |
1808 |
A Baptist minister formed "The Christain Society" in southern section of Chebacco |
1809 |
Thomas Holt, minister at Second Church in Ipswich The Christian Baptist society erected a meeting house on site of present United Methodist Church |
1812 |
War of 1812 |
1813 |
Rev. Mr. Holt resigned as minister at Second Church in Ipswich |
1814 |
Robert Crowell, minister at Second Church in Ipswich |
1818 |
Grave robberies at the Burying Ground (8 bodies removed) |
1819 |
Chebacco Parish, separated from the Town of Ipswich by the Massachusetts Legislature; incorporated as the Town of Essex The Second Church in Ipswich (Chebacco church) renamed The First Congregational Church in Essex. |
1827 |
The Christain Society disbands |
1829 |
The Universalist Society formed in Essex |
1834 |
Support of churches by general (public) taxation abolished by state law |
1837 |
Light Infantry Company and Militia Company disbanded |
1844 |
Massachusetts Legislature passed a law requiring the clerk of each town to register births, marriages, and deaths |
1848 |
Christain Baptist society formed |
1852 |
Spring street Cemetery established |
1874 |
Founding of the First Methodist Episcopal Church |
1893 |
Construction of Essex Town Hall; transfer of all Town offices and all town meetings from the congregational church to the new building |
1910 |
Electricity installed in some buildings in Essex |
