The directory of the city of Lynn, 1851, Part 1

Author: Lewis, Alonzo
Publication date: 1851
Publisher: Lynn : T. Herbert and H.J. Butterfield
Number of Pages: 196

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LYNN P

Advertisements

159

Lynn Directory

City Government for 1851

181

EMBELLISHMENTS.

Central Block

(front cover) 1 Watch Cut 167

Sagamore Cottage

(front title) Lyceum Building

170

Map of Lynn, 1629

page 4 Robinson's Building 172

High School House

158 Mechanics Bank Building

174

Newhall's Building

160 Union Street Bazar

176

People's Clothing Store

162

Boyce & Pratt's Building

180

Woodbury's Building

164

West Lynn Drug Store

183

Exchange Building

166 Lynn Station

(back cover)

Naumkeag

Lakes

off

Lynn.

GUS

Jron }Works

LOY

Sagamore

Hill

HARBOR

Beach

OCEAN

Salı

Marsh

Egy Rock

NAHANT

MAP OF LYNN AT ITS SETTLEMENT,

BY ALONZO LEWIS.

1629.

Swamscot

Winuisimet

LYNN.

LYNN is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts. Its settlement was begun in 1629. The earlier towns are Ply- mouth, Weymouth, Braintree, Boston, Charlestown and Sa- lem. Lynn was incorporated in 1630, and those persons err who date the incorporation at any other time. In that year the freemen of the eight towns of Salem, Lynn, Boston, Charlestown, Roxbury, Dorchester, Cambridge and Water- town, assembled at Boston, in one great court, which was thence called the General Court. No formal act of incorpo- ration was ever passed for either of these towns, but the act of their assembling was an incorporation. In 1634, instead of a general attendance, the people found it more convenient to have a representative government, and the town sent three representatives, as may be seen, with many other interesting particulars, in the History of Lynn. The Indian name of the town was Saugus, which was changed to Lynn in 1637. Two towns, now called Lynnfield and Saugus, have since been separated from it. Having existed as a town for two hundred and twenty-one years, Lynn was instituted a city on the thirteenth of May, 1850. The previous cities are Boston, Salem, Lowell, Roxbury, Cambridge, Charlestown, New Bedford and Worcester. The opposite engraving rep- resents Lynn, then called Saugus, at its early settlement. It was bounded on the northeast by Naumkeag, now Salem, and on the southwest by Winnisimmet, then part of Boston.

Lynn is pleasantly situated on the northern shore of Mas- sachusetts Bay, nine miles northeast from Boston. In vari- cty of scenery, it is probably not surpassed by any town in the union ; embracing all the diversity of mountain, hill, valley, plain, field, forest, grove, glade, vale, dale, marsh, meadow, bog, swamp, ocean, bay, lake, pond, river, estuary, channel, harbor, brook, rill, spring, creek, cove, cavern, cliff, cape, grotto, glen, dell, fissure, ledge, bar, bank, bluff, beach, precipice, promontory, peninsula, isthmus and island. Very pleasant and extensive views may be obtained from High

LYNN DIRECTORY.

Rock, Forest Rock, Lover's Leap, Pine Hill, Tower Hill, Sagamore Hill, Poquannum Hill, Wenepoykin Hill, and many other places.

Lynn extends about six miles on the sea shore from east to west; and, including Nahant, it spreads out eight miles from south to north, containing fourteen square miles. It is bounded on the west by Saugus, on the north by Lynnfield, on the east by Danvers and Salem, and on the south by the ocean. It contains fifteen churches ; nine principal, six inter- mediate, and eighteen primary schools, a high school, an academy, and several private schools. It has a Natural History Society, possessing a valuable collection of curiosi- ties, with a library of about twelve hundred volumes attached. There is also a small library at Nahant, the gift of Boston gentlemen. There are few books in Lynn in proportion to its population. Two newspapers are published here, the Lynn News and the Bay State. The other public buildings are the City Hall, Lyceum Hall, Exchange Hall, and Saga- more Hall. The houses of entertainment are the City Hotel, Lynn Hotel, Railroad House, and Washington House. At Swampscot are the Atlantic House, Swampscot House, and Marshall House. At Nahant are Drew's Hotel, Whitney's Hotel, Rice's House, and Johnson's House. There is much travel through Lynn, on the old eastern road, and on the turn- pike from Salem to Boston. It is also intersected by the East- ern Railroad, on which about twenty trains of cars pass daily.

NAHANT.

On the south of Lynn, nearly surrounded by the ocean, is the peninsula of Nahant, six miles in circumference, con- nected to the main land by a broad isthmus beach, nearly two miles in length. Besides the permanent inhabitants, Naliant contains the summer residences of many citizens of Boston, and is one of the most agreeable watering places in the union. The Directory of Nahant precedes that of Lynn.

SWAMPSCOT.

The eastern extremity of Lynn is called by its Indian name, Swampscot. The inhabitants of this portion are mostly fishermen. Swampscot is conveniently designated from the rest of the town by a straight line from the bridge over Stacey's brook to the east end of Cherry street, and in

LYNN DIRECTORY.

the same direction to the Salem line. Here are some of the finest villas and villa-sites in New England. In compliance with the request of the people, as well as for convenient ref- erence, a separate Directory of Swampscot has been made, which follows that of Nahant.

VILLAGES AND LAKES.

The most thickly settled part of Lynn is a plain between the hills and the sca. Near the western boundary of the town is Tower Hill, on the west of which is the picturesque vale of Saugus River. In the northeastern part of the town is the village of Gravesend, which occupies a plain around a beautiful sheet of water called Wcnuchus Lake. · More northerly is the pleasant village of Wyoma, bordering on Wyoma Lake. There are five other lakes in this neighbor- hood. The northwestern part of the city is a mountainous forest of several miles in extent, comprising a great variety of scenery ; which, when it shall be traversed by winding avenues, will furnish delightful retreats for those who shall have the taste to occupy them.

CENSUS OF LYNN.

For the first century after the settlement of the towns in New England, there seems to have been no census taken ; or, if the inhabitants were numbered, no record has been pre- served. In 1638, when Boston was " a village containing 20 or 30 houses," it is certain that Lynn had more than one hundred families. Being a farming town, including a terri- tory six times larger than Boston, it naturally invited set- tlers ; and after the opening of the iron works, the number was greatly increased. But as many families afterward moved away to form new settlements, the number of inhabi- tants at no time, during the first century, exceeded two thou- sand. The first recorded census was taken in 1765, when the number was 2,198. After the revolution the census was again taken in 1790, when the number was 2,291. The fol- lowing table exhibits the census as taken at eight periods.

1765

2,198

1820

4,515

1790

2,291

1830

6,138

1800

2,837

1840

9,367

1810

4,087

1850

13,613

LYNN DIRECTORY.

It will be seen that for twenty-five years, the increase was only 93. From 1790 to 1800, the inerease was 546, or a fraction less than 25 per cent. From 1800 to 1810, after it had become decidedly a shoemaking town, the increase was 1,250 or 44 per cent. Between the years 1810 and 1820, af- ter Saugus, with its 748 inhabitants, had been separated from it, the increase was found to be 1,176, or about 28 per cent. From 1820 to 1830, the inerease was 1,623, or 36 per cent. In 1830 the Map and History of Lynn were published, and being widely circulated, and extensively noticed in publie papers, perhaps they had some influenee in giving a new im- pulse to the place, by ealling attention to it ; and the inercase for the next ten years was 3,229, or 51 per cent. For the last ten years, from 1840 to 1850, the increase has not been quite so rapid, being 4,039 or 43 per cent.

The particular census of the city, as taken for this Directo- ry, exhibits the following results :

Males.

In Lynn proper,

6,082

Females. 6,393

Excess of Females. 311

Swampscot,

436

465

Nahant,

121

116

5 less.

6,639

6,974

335

6.639

Total, 13,613

Should the organization of the city government give a new start to the business and prosperity of the place, and the in- crease be as it was for ten years after 1830, the city in 1860, or in ten years more, will number 20,000 inhabitants.

THE SHOE BUSINESS.

The inhabitants of Lynn for the first century were mostly farmers, but gradually they gave their attention to the man- ufacture of women's shoes, and that is now the principal business. The stock for the shoes is cnt in the larger build- ings, called manufactories, by men termed clickers. The up- per parts are then tied in packages and given to females, who reside at their own honies, to be bound. They are then returned to the manufactories, where they are put together in bundles with the soles, and distributed to the workmen, who make the shoes in small-quite too small-shops,

LYNN DIRECTORY.

usually at or near their own homes. The workmen are called cordwainers, or more properly cordovaniers; the word being derived from the Cordovan leather, originally manu- factured at Cordova in Spain, from goat skins brought from Morocco in Africa. When the shoes are finished, they are packed at the manufactories, in wooden boxes, usually con- taining about sixty pairs, and sent to all places where there is a demand for them. A few of the nicer sort of shoes and buskins are packed in paper boxes of a smaller size. Some interesting statistics of Lynn, and particularly of the shoe business, will be found near the end of this volume.

It may seem a work of supererogation for a civil engineer to attempt to teach a shoemaker; but as it happens to be a simple fact that no lasts are made to fit the feet, and having for many years suffered more torments than Peter Pindar's pilgrim from ill-shaped shoes, we shall venture, out of our pure regard for suffering humanity, to suggest an improve- ment. Nothing like science has ever been introduced into the construction of a last or shoe. It is quite time that a be- ginning were made. We shall take out no patent for our invention, though thousands of patents have been given for things of less importance. It should be observed that the feet of many persons have an outward inclination at the toe. To crowd such a foot into a shoe made on a straight last is only a protracted torture. Now any person may have a shoe fitted to the foot, F IJ and exchange corns and torture for comfort in PARAO walking, by having a last made by the follow- K L ing rule :- Place the naked foot on a piece of pasteboard, and with a pencil draw the exact outline. Then through the centre of the heel draw the line A B, and through the ball of the G foot the line C D; and through the centres of C these lines, draw the line E F. Then through I H D the foot near the toes draw the line G H a little sloping, and through the centre of this line draw the line I J. Next, on the slope of the great toe, draw the line G K to an agreeable length beyond the toe. At the end of this line, and at right A angles with I J, draw the lines K Land L H B D. Then instead of making the last straight E on the line E F, make it on the line E I J and

LYNN DIRECTORY.

the outline, and the thing is done. The last may have a sin- gular shape, but the effect of the shoe will only be to give the foot the appearance of toeing out a little more, and that is gen- crally considered an elegance. All that is further required, cither for beauty or comfort, is for people to make broad- toed shoes fashionable. Another thing which has been en- tirely overlooked, or not understood, is, that the centre of gravity, or the centre of weight, should be in the centre of the heel. In other words, the centre of the heel should be directly beneath the centre of the leg, as in fig. 1. The leg then rests firmly upon the heel, like a column upon its pcdes- 1 tal; the foot remains in its place, and the tread is natural and unconstrain- ed. But when the heel is made short, and put far back, as in fig. 2, the centre of weight falls in front of the heel. The foot does not then fall naturally into its place, but the sole 2 is bent, as in fig. 3; the heel is turned outward, the broad part of the foot is thrown forward into the narrow part of the shoc, the cords are strained, the tread is unsafe, the gait awkward and unnatural, and the foot uncasy, cramped and pained. This is the reason why a shoc sometimes . seems large enough when first put on, 3 but afterwards appears too small and bursts near the toe. No one will deem these remarks improper, but will rather be grateful for them, when it is considered that the two principles we have explained affect the comfort of mil- lions of the human family. Science has long had a place in the head ; it is well that it should occasionally be applied to the feet, that it may affect the under-standing in all respects.

THE DIRECTORY.

Much care has been taken to make this Directory correct in all its details ; but the trouble of numbering all the houses,

LYNN DIRECTORY.

taking the census, and obtaining statistics over so large an area, has been very great. The labor has been increased by the omission of many persons to give the whole of their names. The intermediate letter often forms the only dis- tinction in a place where so many persons have the same pri- mary name. It would be better if parents would give their children names not quite so common, even if they have to invent new names. A still greater difficulty has been oc- casioned by the custom of many people to "keep moving." To find such families, it would be as useful to consult the list of voters as the Directory. It was a saying of that wise ob- server, Dr. Franklin, that " Three removes are as bad as a fire." And again he says,

" I never knew an oft remov-ed tree, Nor yet an oft remov-ed family, That throve so well as those that settled be."

If young men would seek to have fixed abodes of their own among the many lovely hills and dales that abound in the city, and spend their leisure hours in reading and study, and form societies for mutual improvement, they might find their happiness greatly augmented.

NUMBERING THE HOUSES.

It will be noticed that the odd numbers are placed on one side of the streets, and the even numbers on the other, except- ing in North and South Common streets, where the buildings are numbered continuously. If the people will have the kindness to put the numbers over their doors, as they will find them in this Directory, the public will be very greatly accommodated, and the labor of making succeeding directo- ries will be materially lessened.

In numbering the houses, the people will perceive the pro- priety of omitting as many numbers, where there are spaces between the houses, as it is probable there will be buildings in future to occupy those spaces. It is proper to remind per- sons who remove buildings into other streets, that the old numbers should be taken off, and a new one put in its place, otherwise confusion will be caused. It is also very desirable that signs should be placed upon the corners of the streets.

In naming new streets, people are often at a loss for names. It might be well, having exhausted the names of all

LYNN DIRECTORY.

the trees of the forest, and of eminent men, to take the names of states, or, more fancifully, of females. What could be prettier than Caroline or Ianthe street ?

IMPROVEMENTS.

Most persons are pleased with external beauty in dwell- ings as well as in persons ; therefore it is proper to call the attention of those who erect new buildings to the importance of having a design from the hand of taste. Many people imagine that to pay a surveyor for measuring the grounds, or an architect for preparing a plan, is a mere waste of money ; but if they knew, as well as we do, the many quar- rels and law suits that are occasioned by a neglect of the former, and the great saving that may be made in carpen- ters' bills by attending to the latter, they would soon change their opinions in regard to these matters. As few people have leisure to consult works on architecture, it will not be improper to suggest a few evils which should be avoided. Great improvement has been manifested within a few years in the construction of houses and cottages, but there is room for much more. It is very displeasing to good taste to see a spot which the Creator has beautified with natural loveliness, marred into deformity by the ercction of some uncouth struc- ture, devoid alike of style, symmetry, or convenience. The practice of putting Gothic cupolas upon Grecian churches, and inserting Gothic windows bencath Grecian mouldings, is only not offensive to those who have not formed the first conception of correct taste. Still more objectionable is the custom of building a dwelling house in the form of a Corinthian tem- ple, and cutting windows through the entablature. The ad- dition of ornamental gables upon cottages, when directed by enlightened skill and taste, is execedingly pleasant; but when uncouth figures are cut from thin boards, by those who seem to imagine that what is fantastic must be beautiful, be- cause it is new, that which was intended for ornament be- comes ridiculous, and makes us sigh for simplicity. To be sure, every man has a right to build such a house as he may like, and so a woman has a right to dress as she pleases ; but if she dress preposterously we have a right to laugh at the display of her fancy. The difference however is in favor of the latter ; for if a woman enrobe herself absurdly, there is a relief to the mind in the probability that she will change her

LYNN DIRECTORY.

dress in a month ; but if a man build's an uncouth fabric, it must remain until a better taste or the merciful hand of time shall remove it. The practice of constructing piazzas where there is no door or long window to enter upon them, is absurd ; as is the custom of placing shields over the win- dows of a lower story, which are already protected by a piazza roof. Every one would perceive the absurdity of wearing a cap bencath a broad-brimmed hat. It is often convenient to have basement rooms, especially where the ground seems to require them ; but to construct such where they are not so required, and where there is room to have the kitchen on the same floor, is generally in bad taste; and to live in them still worse, as it is detrimental to healtlı. But if people will have cellar kitchens, it is well, if possible, to avoid placing them on the street side, where there is no place for the offal and slops but the sidewalk. A house cle- vated upon pillars is commonly as offensive to good taste as would be a man walking through the streets upon stilts. The builder of such a fabric forgets, or more probably never heard, the advice of John Rogers, the martyr, to his chil- dren, " Build not your house too high !" One of the great- est ornaments to a house is the chim- ney top; but nothing is more com- mon than to sce a building deformed by an uncouth chimney. We have often constructed plans for cottages, A B and directed the workmen to finish the chimney with a basc, as represent- ed at A, but they usually mar tlie design, by carrying it up as at B. Among all the cottages built in ae- cordance with our plans, there is not a single chimney which the owner has found it requisite to surmount with smoke-drawers. When chimneys project from the summit of a roof, they appcar to be supported by it, and when prop- erly constructed, they impart a finish and a beauty to the house. They also invariably draw better, than when they are placed near the eavcs. A book devoted exclusively to chimneys, showing the best method of constructing them so as to carry smoke and prevent fire, with designs for orna- mental chimney tops, exhibiting minutely the metliod of lay-

LYNN DIRECTORY,

ing brick modillions and cornices, would be of great service. It is somewhat surprising that people who erect large and valuable buildings in thickly populated streets, should build so many with clapboards and shingles; especially in a place that abounds with clay, and where there is rock material enough for all the houses in Lynn for five centuries to come. They will probably improve upon this wooden custom, when a few destructive fires shall have taught them better. As our streets, generally, are fifty feet or more, in width, and in ex- cellent repair, there is little to be said on that subject, except that it might be well to plow down certain hills and high places to obtain gravel. As our citizens are also very neat in regard to the appearance of their houses, keeping them in good repair and well painted, they need no suggestion on that subject ; only if their eyes were offended, as ours are, with the incessant glare of white, they would occasionally vary them by the introduction of some more fanciful color. This glare might be pleasantly relieved by the multiplication of shade trees. Indeed there would be no cheaper or more agreeable mode of ornamenting the city, than by setting trees through all the streets.

BOUNDARIES OF WARDS.

These boundaries are copied from the records. They con- tain a great amount of verbiage, and are still indefinite. The ward boundarics in Salem are expressed in seven lines.

WARD 1 .- SWAMPSCOT .- To commence at the bridge which crosses Stacey's brook near King's beach, then run- ning northerly to the southern corner of Ebenezer Burrill's field, then northeast to the Salem line, thence following the. Salem line to the ocean, following its margin to the first boundary.

WARD 2 .- WOODEND .- To commence at the bridge which crosses Stacey's brook near King's beach, to run on the seashore westerly to a point that would intersect with the continuation of Atlantic street to the ocean, thence through the centre of Atlantic street to a pump at the head of Chest- nut street, thence on a direct line to Newhall's court, passing through the centre of said court to Essex street, to include all the houses in Chestnut street, and all, if any, that it may intersect in passing to Newhall's court, thence northierly to a

LYNN DIRECTORY.

bridge in Chestnut street, near John Carrage's house, thenee north to Salem linc, and to run down on the Salem line un- til it intersects with ward 1, and to include all territory within these lines and west of ward 1.

WARD 3 .- GRAVESEND .- To commence on Chestnut street at the bridge near John Carrage's house, to run wes- terly to the point that Maple street intersects the Salem turnpike, thence northwesterly to Forest Rock in Pine Grove Cemetery, thenee northeast to Mansfield's Hill, thence to a bridge at the western end of Spring pond, then southeasterly on the Salem line until it intersects the line of ward 2.

WARD 4 .- CENTRAL DEPOT .- To commence at the pump at the head of Chestnut street, to run southeast through the eentre of Atlantie street to the ocean, thence by the shore to the eastern end of Long Beach, where Beach strcet interseets said beach, thence westerly by the shore to the western end of the Railroad House, thence northwesterly to the bridge at the head of Harrison Court, thence northerly on a direct line to the magazine in Rock's Pasture, thenee northwesterly to the point that Maple strect intersects Salem turnpike, from thenee to bridge ncar John Carrage's house, and from thence on the westerly line of ward 2, to pump at the head of Chestnut street.

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The directory of the city of Lynn, 1851, Part 1

Author: Lewis, Alonzo Publication date: 1851 Publisher: Lynn : T. Herbert and H.J. Butterfield Number of Pages: 196

Author: Lewis, Alonzo
Publication date: 1851
Publisher: Lynn : T. Herbert and H.J. Butterfield
Number of Pages: 196