Dedham /?^d?>d?Tm/ is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,464 at the 2000 census. It is located on Boston, Massachusetts's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, Massachusetts, on the southwest by Westwood, Massachusetts and on the southeast by Canton, Massachusetts.

History

Dedham was settled in 1635 by people from Roxbury and Watertown and incorporated on September 8, 1636, and is the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts.The originally proposed name of the town, was'Contentment'. When the Town was incorporated the residents wanted...

Dedham /?^d?>d?Tm/ is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,464 at the 2000 census. It is located on Boston, Massachusetts's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, Massachusetts, on the southwest by Westwood, Massachusetts and on the southeast by Canton, Massachusetts.

History

Dedham was settled in 1635 by people from Roxbury and Watertown and incorporated on September 8, 1636, and is the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts.The originally proposed name of the town, was'Contentment'. When the Town was incorporated the residents wanted it to be named Contentment, but the Massachusetts General Court overruled them and named the town Dedham, after Dedham, Essex in England. Some of the original inhabitants, including Samuel Morse, were born in Dedham, Essex.

The first public meeting was held on August 15, 1636 in which 18 men signed the town covenant. They swore that they would'in the fear and reverence of our Almighty God, mutually and severally promise amongst ourselves and each to profess and practice one truth according to that most perfect rule, the foundation whereof is ever lasting love. '

They also agreed that'we shall by all means labor to keep off from us all such as are contrary minded, and receive only such unto us as may be probably of one heart with us, [and such] as that we either know or may well and truly be informed to walk in a peacable conversation with all meekness of spirit, [this] for the edification of each other in the knowledge and faith of the Lord Jesus... 'The covenant also stipulated that if differences were to arise between townsmen that they would submit the issue to between one and four other members of the town for resolution and that they would each pay their fair share for the common good.

Dedham is home to the Fairbanks House, the oldest surviving timber frame house in the United States, scientifically dated to 1637. On January 1, 1643, by unanimous vote, Dedham authorized the first taxpayer-funded public school;'the seed of American education. 'Its first teacher, Rev. Ralph Wheelock, was paid 20 pounds annually to instruct the youth of the community. Descendants of these students would become presidents of Dartmouth College, Yale University and Harvard University.