WESTON, MASSACHUSETTS, FIRST PARISH
Founded in 1698.
silver.
JN this church are two tankards, a baptismal basin and two salvers, all of plain
All these vessels are illustrated on Plate CXXXVII.
The first of the tankards is of the conventional cylindrical shape; it has a ring
moulding on the body; a domed and moulded cover with a turned finial,
and the usual scrolled thumb-piece; a plain oval boss is on the handle-

end.
The accompanying arms are engraved in front.
On the handle are the initials THT [Thomas Hub-
bard Townsend]. On the side is this inscription:
TH Tl toI Weston CAurck

Height, 78 in.; diameter of the mouth, 34in., and
of the base, 43 in.
Maker's mark: m      for John Potwine of Boston
(1698-1792).
This was given to the church by Mrs Mary Ann
(Hubbard Townsend) Bigelow, daughter of Thomas
Hubbard Townsend, in accordance with his wishes.
He was the son of William Blair Townsend and his
wife, Mary, daughter of Thomas Hubbard, who
gave some plate (now remade into baskets) to Hollis Street church
(see page 84). Thomas Hubbard Townsend died in 181o.
The second tankard is similar but taller and has a turned and twisted
scription, in an oval panel with a floreated and foliated border:

at Boston
finial. In-

The Giftl of I Isaac Biglow A.M. To the CAurch of CArist in
WESTON 1 1777
Height, 88 in.; diameter of the mouth, 3 1in., and of the base, 5 -in.
Maker's mark: MSRLT     for Samuel Bartlett of Concord (circa 1750-
1 82 1).
Isaac Bigelow, the donor, was the son of Abraham and Abigail (Bullard) Bigelow
of Weston. He was born May 2, 1 750, graduated at Harvard college in 11769,
and was prepared for the ministry. He died April I8, I 777, bequeathing this
piece in his will, dated March 27, 1777 and proved April 29, 1777: " To the
Church of Christ in Weston a silver Tankard, to be made the value of all the
silver and gold now in my possession, exclusive of the making unless my
Executors judge it more than necessary." According to the executors' account for
September 14, 1785, the cost of the tankard was f20 6s. 7d.
The baptismal basin is plain with a fluted or gadrooned edge.
486