Rev. Daniel Johnson

Daniel Johnson was born on May 24, 1747. A graduate of Harvard College in 1767, he studied for his profession with Reverend Matthew Bridge of Framingham. In 1770 he accepted the invitation from Harvard to become the church’s third minister at 143 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence. The town gave him land on the southeast corner of the Commons as a house lot, at what is now 11 Fairbank Street. The site of his home would be used as a store well into the next century, with the original building being replaced in 1828.

He married Betsey Lee of Manchester, and they had four children: Nabby Lee (1771), Daniel (1772-74), Joanna (1774), and Lucy (1778), born after Reverend Johnson had died from dysentery (1777). Reverend Johnson was known for his charismatic personality and stirring oratory. During his eight years as minister in Harvard, Reverend Johnson admitted 93 to the church, baptized 371, married 91 couples, and attended 132 funerals. He filled the church with his sermons, and the increasing membership brought the need for a larger meetinghouse. The second meetinghouse, like the first, was located at the site of the current Unitarian Church. Reverend Johnson joined the Patriot Army in 1776, much to the dismay of the townspeople, and was appointed chaplain of the Continental Army. He died of dysentery soon after. The January 1778  Town Meeting voted to erect a special raised memorial of a massive slate slab, no doubt quarried from Pin Hill. The memorial in the Center Cemetery is a large, horizontal stone, supported by four pillars of brick and stone.

Its inscription reads:

“Sacred to the Memory of the Reverend Daniel Johnson Late Pastor of the Church of Christ in Harvard; early in Life he entered the Ministerial office and during his continuance therein shone with a brilliancy and Lustre surpassing the most of his order. For the God of Nature had endowed him with Powers of mind uncommonly sprightly and active. A copious inventions & ready utterance made him in extemporaneous performances greatly to excel. In his sermons he was orthodox and elegant; In his delivery zealous, popular and engaging; So that when he ascended the desk a peculiar attention marked the countenances of his auditory. To his friends he showed himself friendly, who had frequent pleasing experience of his generous hospitality. He was formed for action and possessed of a martial Genius which lead him to accept the office of a Chaplain in the American Army, just on his entrance into which He was seized with a malignant Dysentery, which put a period to his valuable Life, (disappointing the expectations of his family friends and Flock.) On the 23rd of September, 1777. In the 30th year of his age and 8th of his Ministry. All flesh is Grass all the glory of man as the flower of Grass.”

(#1 on the Center Cemetery Tour map)