At the time of the events leading up to April 19, 1775, the town of Boxborough did not exist. What is now Boxborough was then the outlying districts of Harvard, Stow and Littleton. Rules set down by the Massachusetts Bay Colony stated that each town must have a minister and a meeting house. Town and religion being inseparable, the meeting house was not only the place of worship but also the seat of town government.
The farmers of this area found it difficult to get to worship services (a requirement) and other meetings in anyone of the three towns, and formed a "Sartain Society" in 1774 “ in order to erect a meetinghouse for the publick worship of God.” In January, 1775, they chose a moderator, Henry Cooledge, and a Committee, Bennet Wood of Littleton and Joseph Stone of Stow, to purchase the old Harvard meeting house, which was rebuilt on top of the hill where Middle Road and Hill Road meet. Silas Wetherbee gave three acres of land for the 'meatting house lot."