{Not all text on marker is transcribed here.}
In 1717 Rev. Peter Clark became minister at Salem Village. The 1681 parsonage was in poor condition, so that by the early 1730's Clark asked the inhabitants to come to a decision either to build a new house or renovate the old one. In January, 1734 the inhabitants voted to remove the leanto and to build an addition on the back west side of the parsonage.
...
This new addition was two and one-half stories high, included a side door which faced the west and a roof which ran perpendicular to the 1681 parsonage. The cellar foundation was composed of cut and faced stones and included a jog for a chimney.
...
Rev. Clark used this addition as a study, and it was here that he composed many of his sermons and printed theological works. Samuel Holten, later to become an important political figure as a member and as a signer of the Articles of Confederation, spent four of his formative years here with Rev. Clark, learning under the minister's tutelage.
...
At the time of the Revolution, Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth resided here as minister of the Danvers First Church. Wadsworth responded with a musket to the Salem Alarm of February 26, 1775; and upon news of the Lexinton Alarm on April 19, 1775, he gave benediction to the Danvers minutemen prior to their march.
By 1784 the parsonage was in terrible condition, and the parish was unable to pay for a new home. Upon being given land west of this site, Wadsworth built himself a new house. The 1681 parsonage was torn down, most of the foundation stones removed, and the 1734 addition was eventually sold and moved.
...
According to famed author Nathaniel Hawthorne, the workers had great difficulty moving the addition. They were informed by an old resident that the house was still under the influence of the devil, and would remain so unless the roof was taken off. Finally the roof was removed and the house successfully moved. It remained on a Sylvan Street site until the 1870's.
Comments 0 comments