USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > Ancient Melrose and some information about its old homesteads, families & furnishings, 1915 > Part 3
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THE RESTORED PHINEAS UPHAM HOUSE AND GROUNDS
first civilized men whose feet trod upon the soil, and whose eyes gazed upon the territory now Melrose, and who explored it with the view of making a permanent settlement.
As early as 1638, the Spragues (having left Salem and settled in Charlestown in 1629), both Ralph and Richard owned by allotment, a large tract of land near Ell Pond, naming it "Pond Feilde."
This covered a large part of what is now the westerly part of the town. Ralph Sprague had "Ninetie acres of land by estimation, more or lesse, seituate in Pond feilde," and Richard had
"sixtie acres of land by estimation, more or lesse, scituate in pond feilde, bounded on the one side by Ralph Sprague, on the northeast by ell pond and the river [that comes through the meadow into Ell pond .- Green,] and on the northwest by the comon."
All this territory belonging to Charlestown, north of the Mystic River, was then called Mystic Side.
These three Spragues were the sons of Edward Sprague, a fuller, of Upway, County of Dorset, England. Ralph and Richard were both prominent in Charlestown affairs, both being among the founders of the Church, Milliam genugred members of the General Court, Seleetmen for several years, and officers in the Boston
Artillery Company. William removed to Hingham, where he also became prominent in town affairs.
Richard and William Sprague signed the document establishing the first Board of Selectmen in Charles- town, and Ralph was one of the eleven Selectmen then elected, February 10, 1635.
Richart S Sprague
In 1640, Thomas Coytmore, quite often spelled Coitmore, who became a freeman in that year, and who was one of the Deputies to the General Court from Charlestown, in 1640 and 1641, built first a dam, and then a mill at Black Rock, on Three Myle Brook, Mystic Side, on the power made by the water flowing from Ell and Spot Ponds. joining as they did at Wyoming; thus furnishing grist-mill privileges to these increasing families of Mystie Siders.
Years afterwards this site was utilized for manufacturing purposes. In 1806, three brothers, George, Thomas and Ebenezer Odiorne, purchased the land and water-power at Black Rock, and established the manufacture of nails; being the first to cut and head them by one operation. William Barrett had previously, in 1803, established the silk- dyeing business, on a site near the Odiorne mill.
Among those who left Charlestown and settled in Mystic Side, was Ralph Sprague, who built a homestead a little to the northwest of the Coytmore mill. Dying in 1660, he bequesthed this home- stead and its farm to his sons John and Phineas; and his farm in Pond Feilde, near Ell Pond, to his sons Rich-ard and Samuel.
The oldest son, John, bought this Ell Pond farm of his brothers Richard and Samuel in 1652. The part belonging to Richard contained sixty-seven acres of ploughed and meadow land, and was the westerly half. His homestead stood near Barrett Mount, on the southerly side of Maple Street, about twenty rods west of Vinton Street. The old cellar was visible within the memory of some now living. John Sprague was one of the Selectmen of Malden for many years, and a Representative to the General Court in 1690. He was one of the committee on behalf of Malden to lay out the old road of 1653, from Winnesemit to Reading.
John Sprague died June 25, 1692, aged 68, and by his will bequeathed his farm to his sons John and Phineas; John living on the old Maple Street place; and for Phineas a homestead was built out of the estate. This house stood where now stands the residence
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of L. Frank Hinckley, on West Foster Street, near the junction of Florence, Vinton and Maple Streets. The old well belonging to this homestead, with its ancient well-sweep, was on the opposite side of the street, near where now stands the beautiful and symmetrical elm tree; the spot is now covered by Florence Street, then only a pathway. This well was in use as late as 1850.
Phineas Sprague, brother of John, died in 1736. He left two sons, Phineas and Samuel, to whom he bequeathed his two farms; and for Phineas he built, in 1720, a homestead on the spot where now stands the residence of the late Mrs. Liberty Bigelow, on West Foster Street, and to Samuel he gave the old homestead, which he afterwards deeded to his brother Phineas, in 1761. Middlesex Decds, book 63, p. 198. This Phineas died in 1775; and by his will the property passed into the possession of his son Phineas, the fourth of the name, who was born in 1725, in this West Foster Street house, where he lived and died. He had several sons, to one of whom, Jonathan, he gave the old homestead built for Phineas, the first of the name; which, having stood a hundred years, he demolished, and built the house now occupied by Mr. Hinckley. Another son was also named Phineas, the fifth of that name; but at the death of the father, Phineas, in 1805, at the age of eighty years, his homestead passed into the possession of another son, Cotton Sprague, who owned it until 1830, when it was sold, and was no longer owned by the Spragues. Cotton Sprague was a prominent and influential citizen. He was a member of the Legislature for the years 1823, '24, '25 and '26. In 1828 this place was bought by William Foster of Boston, who demolished the old house, and built the one now standing and owned by Mr. Decius Beebe. The very large, magnificent ehns in front of this estate are more than a century old.
Phineas seems to have been a favorite name in the Sprague families; and Phineas, the fourth, was the father of the late Captain Phineas Sprague, who was born in 1777, during the Revolution, and who in 1812, built the house now standing, on Main Street, opposite Ell Pond, in which he spent a long life, dying in 1869, at the age of ninety-two years. He was a shoe manufacturer, and continued to make and carry his shoes to Boston until within the last year of his life. "He was a worthy citizen, highly esteemed and respected by all who knew him."
One of the sons of this Phineas, was Dr. John Sprague, who was born January 13, 1754, in the old Foster Street homestead, but became a resident of Malden Centre, where he practiced medicine for thirty years. He served as surgeon's mate in Col. Ebenezer's Bridge's Regi- ment, in the early part of the Revolutionary War; entered the naval service as surgeon, was taken prisoner in 1777.
JohnSprague
The original way of travelling from these Sprague houses to Malden Centre, was in a pathway which was nearly on a line of the present Cleveland Street, crossing Spot Pond Brook, thence over the Lynde farm to what is now Washington Street, the present "back- road" to Malden.
As were the Lyndes, almost the sole proprietors of what is now the southern territory of Melrose, so were the Greens, for a long while during the early years, settlers and owners of what is now the Melrose Highlands, and a large part of Greenwood, in Wakefield, which, doubtless, received its name from that family; their land also extended westerly into Stone- ham as far as Doleful Pond. Then came another of the older families, the Vintons, who, intermarrying with the Greens, in process of time came to possess a large part of the High- lands territory; holding it until about the time the Boston and Maine Railroad was built, in 1845, when, during the next few years, the land ownership ahnost wholly passed from both families into the possession of the fast growing population of that part of Melrose.
The first settler in these Highlands was Thomas Green, who was born in England about 1606, came to America in 1635, and to Malden as early as October 28, 1651, when his wife Elizabeth, and daughter bearing the same name, together with thirty-four others signed
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[31]
FIREPLACE IN EAST ROOM OF THE PHINEAS UPHAM HOUSE
a petition to the General Court, in behalf of Malden's minister, Rev. Marmaduke Matthews, praying for an excuse for some of his errors and failings. He was one of the Selection of Malden in 1653 and 1678, and served many times on the Grand Jury of the County of Middlesex. He came into possession of his farm at the Highlands in the following manner: Thomas Coytmore, who first stitled in Charlestown, where he became quite an extensive land-owner, and where he was a Selectman, and Representative to the General Court, and who built the mill at Mystic Side in 1640, before spoken of, came into possession of one hundred and fifty acres of land lying north of Ell Pond. The following order gives the only instance known where the name of our Pond is given as Ehne, as it is here in the margin, but not in the body of the order:
"1648
Ordered to lay out young "The 20th day of the 3d of March it was agreed to entreat of
Thos. Coitmore's
two lots by Elme Pond. Bros. Robt. Hale and Thomas Lind to lay out young Thos. Coit- more's two lots by Ell pond, he to send one to go with them to help them."
Coytmore died in 1648. His widow married first, Gov. John Winthrop; and after his death in 1649, she married John Cogan, of Boston, and they came into possession of go: winthrop: for2 these one hundred and fifty acres. Four years later, in 1653, John and Martha Cogan sold and deeded one-half of this farm to Thomas Green. He built his homestead, a block house, on what is now the centre of Pratt Street, halfway between the present Franklin Street and Highland Avenue. It was built strongly, and used as a garrison and place of refuge in times of trouble between the early settlers of that region and the Indians. This old house was demolished about the year 1800.
Thomas Green, was a passenger on the ship Paull, which sailed from London, and arrived in Virginia, July 6, 1635. Thomas Green bequeathed his farm to his sons, Capt. William and Henry, one-half each. William was made freeman in 1668; was member of the Malden Church, Captain of a Military Company, and Selectman of Malden for the years 1678, 1683 and 1702. William sold his half to his brother Samuel in 1670, and from that time Samuel occupied "the old mansion house." In 1684, he bought the other half of the farm of his brother Henry.
Afterwards this homestead reverted to John Green, son of William. Ile was a select- man of Stoneham in 1735. This was after this part of North Malden had been set off to Stoneham, which, years later, came back to Melrose. John's will mentions his son John, who has "my dwelling-house and farm and the land adjoining, that lyeth on the west side of the country road that leadeth from Malden to Reading, that was my grandfather's;" and son Jonas has "all my land on the east of the country road aforesaid." He built thercon a house, just this side of the Wakefield line, on Main Street, which disappeared a few years since.
John Green left his property to his son, John, who bequeathed it to his only son, John, who was a bachelor. Before the death of the latter, he devised it to William Green, or, more truly to his wife, Abigail Green, who lived with him many years, says the Vinton Genealogy, and took care of him in his old age, till the very end. At the death of Abigail Green, Nov. 6, 1848, she left the property to her sister Sarah, widow of Aaron Green, who was a descendant in the fifth generation from the Original Thomas, by another line. At her death the property went to her daughter Abigail, who married Edmund B. Southwick. This daughter, Abigail, was the sister of the late Aaron Green, who was born in the old Lynde house, on Russell Street, March 14, 1802, and who died April 23, 1882, eighty-two years of age. Mr. Green served several years as one of the Assessors of Melrose; was also on the School Committee.
There were other descendants of the original Thomas Green, who lived on other farms on the territory first Charlestown, then Malden, then Stoneham, and then Melrose. Others lived in Malden proper. Only the ownership of the homestead of the first settler is here traced.
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FIREPLACE IN WEST ROOM OF THE PHINEAS UPHAM HOUSE
In 1682, John, Henry and Samuel Green, bought of Thomas Robinson and John Floyd, the northerly part of a farm north of Ell Pond, bounded easterly by the "Redding highway, northerly and westerly on the Common land southerly by ye said Greens land." It was in what is now Melrose Highlands. On this farm was built the homestead for John Green. Henry Green's farm and house was situated near the corner of Franklin and Vinton Streets, and it afterward passed into the possession of the Vintons. Isaac, son of above Samuel, had his homestead on what is now Ashland Street, a few rods south of Franklin Street. In 1758, he sold his estate to Thomas and Hannah Vinton. Hannah was Isaac's daughter. The farm consisted of nineteen acres, and was "bounded northerly and northeasterly by a Lane that goes from my dwelling house to the County Road." This line is now Ashland Street, and the County road Franklin Street.
Another Isaac Green, a grandson of Thomas, lived about half a mile west of the High- lands Station. He was a Selectman of Stoneham in the years of 1745, '53, and '58.
Among these other descendants were the following who lived in Stoneham: Deacon Joseph Green, whose farm was near where the Highlands Station now is. He was a Select- man of Stoneham in 1747, '49, '54, '5 and '8. April 16, 1770, he sold half of his farm to Thomas Vinton, and April 15, 1777, the other half to Ezra Vinton, a brother of Thomas; Captain Josiah Green, who was born in 1735, and lived on the county road from Stoncham to Lynn about three-quarters of a mile west of the Highlands Station, on Howard Street. He was Selectman 1781, '6, '7, 1791 and '92. Ilis first wife, Elizabeth Green, died in 1798, having borne him eight children. Hle then, at the age of 64, married Sarah Skinner, a woman twenty-two years of age, and forty-two years younger than himself.
Many descendants of Thomas Green settled in Malden proper, and attained prominence in civie, town and military affairs. In the will of one of them, Deacon Daniel Green, grand- son of Thomas, born in 1681, he bequeathed to his wife Mary, his "negro woman and child- ren." Another grandson, Jacob, born in 1689, kept a diary, or "book of memorabilia: Jacob Green, his Writing Book," which is still preserved. It is a small leather-bound volume, 37 2 by 6 inches containing about 140 pages. It is mostly in the handwriting of Jacob, but partly in that of his son, Rev. Jacob Green.
A great -grandson of Thomas was William Green, born in 1683. He was a carpenter.
As has been seen, this original Green farm was situated first in Charlestown, then in Malden, then set off to Stoneham, and then, in 1853, it was set off to Melrose; and it was in the possession of the Greens for over two centuries.
The late Elbridge Green, who built the house now standing at No. 467 Main Street, was the son of Reuben, a descendant of the sixth generation from the original Thomas Green. He was born in 1811, and died Feb. 21, 1898, aged eighty-seven years. He held several town offices. He was the first Town Clerk after Melrose was incorporated. He served as Moderator at one Town Meeting, as Assessor for three years, and was on the School Committee two or three years. Ile was an upright and exemplary citizen; "a gentleman of the old school."
There are still Green descendants living at the Highlands; among them Levi W. Green, of the seventh generation, now living on Franklin Street, whose father, Peter Green, lived on "Green Lane," some of this land is still owned by the Greens. Another is Mrs. Emily G. Cochrane, daughter of the late Aaron Green, and mother of Maurice G. Cochrane, formerly one of our Park Commissioners.
Captain Jonathan Green, of "Green Lane," was of the fourth generation from Thomas. He was a leading man in Stoncham for many years; captain of a military company; Selectman twenty years; Town Clerk and Treasurer twenty-five years; member of the Convention assembled in Boston, in 1788, to ratify the Constitution of the United States. His farm contained 215 aeres. His house, still standing, and occupied by a descend- ant, is near the line between Melrose and Stoneham. It was built carly in the 18th century, and has been occupied by five generations of Jonathan Greens. Tradition says that the builder utilized one end of his house for a while as a barn.
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Previous to the time of setting off the ten families living on the territory now Greenwood to Reading, in 1727, some of those living on territory farther south, now Melrose, were dis- satisfied with their Church privileges; and May 15, 1722, it is recorded:
"John Green Att ye farms [the original homestead at the Highlands] Samll Green Jonathan barritt [between Upham and Porter Streets] And seural othars yt petisiond with Them: doe desier: Abatement on Ther ministars Reats: by Reson as they say They doe liue more conuenant To Go [to] Reding meting Then To malden meting:
It was putt To vote To see whethar ye Town will abate Those petitionars The one half of There ministars Reates.
And it past in ye negitiue:
And just before the division was made this action was taken.
"it was put to vote whether the Town will have two meating houses in this Town and ye vote was past in ye negetive. it was put to vote whether ye Town will Alow ye people in ye north Eand of this Town some money to help them to provid themselve with preaching in ye winter sesons and it past in ye negative.""
But a little later, May 22, it was voted:
"that ye teen famelys yt have petioned to be Laid off from this Town, unto ye Town of Reding, have Liberty to goe to Reding with there Estates Acording to their petion."
This left the Greens of the woods, Barretts, Uphams and others still unaccommodated and with rates unabated; and yet many years were they necessitated to go to Malden centre for town and church privileges.
All the Malden and Melrose Barretts descended from James Barrett, who was born in England in 1615, came to New England in 1635, and settled in Charlestown. His name does not appear among those who were admitted freemen; but the Charles town Records of 1643, state that "James Barrett was admitted Townsman 'with manifestation yt he is not to expect any allotmt of land.'" By industry and enterprise he accumulated considerable property; and there are upon record many conveyances of real estate to and from him. In a deed to Peter Tufts in 1653 he is called "Plantor." His farm was in Mystic Side, in that portion of it now the city of Everett, not far from where the Eastern Railroad crosses the main street from Malden to Boston. In 1656, he was chosen Highway Surveyor in Charlestown, for Mystic Side.
James Barrett died in 1672. His son James, born in 1644, settled at the north end of Boston, near Copp's Hill, and his son James, born in 1672, came into possession of his grand- father's farm at Mystic Side. He became a prominent man in Malden, serving as Select- man for several years, and acting on many important committees. Among his possessions was a saw-mill at Spot Pond. The Bi-Centennial Book of Malden, has the following items connected with this James Barrett:
"In 1708, April 2, Deacon Greenland has liberty to build a pew. It was voted at that time, "That if james Baret will make up the twenty aight shillings, which the town is in detted to him for worke at the meting house, forty shillings, then he shall have as conveneant seat in the meting hous as his naberas have." Among other necessary appendages of an old-fashioned meeting-house in New England were the horse-blocks and stables. The first notice we find of these in Malden, is under date of Dec. 9, 1698; it was voted "that Tryall Nubry, Simon Grovar, Samuell Buckman, william pain, james Barrit, and John Greenland, hath the priveleg of a peece of land of 24 foots long and 9 foots wide, from ye South west corner of ye parsonage garding westwardly along by ye stone wall, Granted them by a town vote for to set a stable to shelter their horses on the Sabath days."
Deacon Jonathan Barret, a brother of James, born in 1678, was also a Selectman of Malden for many years, served on numerous committees, and was many times Moderator
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FIREPLACE AND BRICK OVEN IN THE PHINEAS UPHAM HOUSE
of the Town Meetings. These two brothers took opposite sides in the long and bitter con- test in Malden, which grew out of the location for the new meeting-house, which was finally settled by building it on the spot where recently stood the Universalist Church of Malden. Deacon Barrett came to North Malden about the year 1700, and his farm and homestead was situated on the "East Side;" the house being about half-way between Upham and Porter Streets. Its site, with the stone filled cellar-hole, still exists. It is on the highest rise, a little way to the west of School Street. In 1714, Mr. Barrett was one of the petition- ers for the laying out of Upham Street. Porter Street was than called Barrett Lane. He was one of the Selectmen of Malden for the years 1725, '26, '31, '36, '37, '38, '39, '40, and '44. He died in 1749, aged seventy-two years, and Jonathan's son Joseph came into possession of the Jonathan Barret old homestead and its farm.
Joseph Barrett died in 1758. His son Joseph, after becoming of age, bought the old homestead, built by his grandfather, Jonathan, of the other heirs. In 178r, he bought an adjoining estate of John Gould, which was sicuate.I on the north side or Porter Street, then Barrett Lane. The old Gould house was enlarged and improved by Joseph Barrett, and it became his homestead in which he passed the rest of his days. This was the estate long occupied by the late Charles Porter, and now owned by Albert M. Smith. An uncle of this Joseph, James Barrett, owned a farm which joined the homestead farm of Joseph, on the east and north side of Porter Street. He sold to James Nichols, and the house was burned a few years ago. At the death of Joseph his landed property consisted of his home- stead, with thirty-one acres, the old Jonathan Barrett homestead lot of twenty-one acres, the Pine Hill lot of fourteen acres, and a few other small lots.
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