USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > Ancient Melrose and some information about its old homesteads, families & furnishings, 1915 > Part 4
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Joseph brought up a large family of children on this Barrett Lane homestead. The oldest son was Captain Jonathan Barrett, who was born in 1775, and who made his home in the western part of the town, on a farm that came into his possession in the following manner: In 1699, John Sprague sold the west part of his farm to Deacon John Pratt. It contained eighty aeres. The house had been built many years and was the one his grand- father bought of his brother Richard in 1652. It was situated on the south side of what is known as Barrett Mount, about twenty rods west of the corner of Vinton and Foster Streets. After the death of John Pratt, in 1742, the property came into the possession of Isaac Green, who married Mary, the daughter of Pratt. Tradition says that Green demolished the old Sprague house, which had stood a hundred years or more, and used the materials in building what came to be known as the "Mountain House," corner of Vinton and Maple Streets, recently removed. The farm and new homestead then became the property of Benoni Vinton, who married Mary, the daughter of Isaac Green. She afterwards married Joseph Lynde, and when a widow sold this estate to Captain Jonathan Barrett, in IS06. The homestead was then enlarged, and became one of the finest residenees in the north part of Malden. It was around and near this house that was situated what used to be known, eighty or ninety years ago, as "the village;" and here, from different parts of the sparsely settled portion of the town, would congregate the people, for games, social chat and amuse- ments. The nearest house to "the village," other than the two Sprague houses, on Foster Street, was that of John Larrabee, the great-grandfather of the present John Larrabee, who for twenty-one years was our efficient Town Clerk, afterwards one of the Sewer Com- missioners, City Treasurer in 1900, and Mayor in 1001-2. The Larrabee farm consisted of twenty-six acres, and was bought of the heirs of Benoni Vinton, in 1805. It extended to Youle Street on the north, and was bounded by Vinton Street on the east. He built his homestead on the corner of Vinton and Otis Streets, which is still standing, and belongs to the heirs of the late Smith W. Nichols.
In this old "Mountain house" of Capt. Barrett, was born a large family of children; among them, May 25, 1818, the late Artemas Barrett, to whom this history is indebted for many of its genealogieal items connected with its old families. He died Jan. 12, 1897,
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being nearly seventy-nine years of age. He was a highly respected and honored citizen. He held many town offices, and was a Representative to the General Court in 1861.
At the death of Capt. Jonathan Barrett, the estate passed into the hands of his widow, Mrs. Fanny Barrett, who bought out the heirs, with the exception of her two minor sons, James and Artemas. In 1845, she conveyed the land in front of her house to these two sons, who, in the same year, conveyed the farm portion to Jeremiah Martin, for $10,000 who established, and for many years carried on an extensive nursery business, on a portion of it, the balance being laid out in house lots, and dwellings built thereon. These nursery grounds were sold, after the death of Mr. Martin, and are now covered with many streets and residences. The old mansion house remained in possession of Mrs. Barrett until her death, in 1874. It has since been sold, removed to the corner of Tappan and Sanford Streets, and become a tenement house.
UPHAM-The name is an ancient one. It was one of the first to be used as a surname, being found in the English Charter Rolls - which were "registers of royal grants of lands, honors, dignities, hereditary offices, liberties," etc. - as early as 1208. It came from an estate that bore that name, such a place being mention in the Domesdoy Book, as belong- ing to the time of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066); and there are places in England today bearing that name, and in one of them, situated sixty-five miles from London, was born Edward Young, the author of Night Thoughts. The name Upham was probably formed by uniting the Anglo Saxon words up, high, and ham, a home, dwelling or hamlet, meaning thus: "the Home on the Hill."
John Upham, the progenitor of all that bear his name in America, was born in Bicton Parish, on the River Otter, in 1597, and came to this country in 1635. He first settled in Weymouth, which town he represented several times in the General Court. In 1642, he was appointed one of the Commissioners to treat with the Indians in obtaining a title to the Weymouth territory. He removed to Malden in 1648, where he became one of its leading citizens. As early as 1651 he was one of the Selectmen, an office he held several years. He was several times appointed Commissioner "to settle the lesser legal matters of Weymouth and Malden." He was also deacon of the Church for twenty-four years. The following is the inscription on his tombstone, Foça reglerne which is near the centre of the old Bell Rock Cemetery in Malden:
"Here lyes ye Body of John Upham aged 84 yrs. Died Febry 25, 1681."
His son, Lieut. Phineas Upham, born in 1635, soon after his parents' arrival in America, was an active officer in King Philip's War. The headquarters of our troops in the Con- necticut Valley, during this war, at this time, was at Hadley. Major Pynchon, not feeling equal to the task of commanding longer, resigned. Captain Samuel Appleton was appointed by the General Court to take his place, and Licut. Upham of Malden was selected to bear through the intervening wilderness the necessary dispatches. Following is the order:
"Sr Wee have ordered Lt Upham to lead up to you 30 men and do further order that Lt Seill be dismissed home to his family, and his souldjers to make up some of ye companie as yt chiefe Commander shall order and ye above named Lt Upham to be Lt under Capt Wayte. These for Major John Pynchon.'
This was dated Sept. 4, 1675. He arrived at his destination on the 12th, and from that time was in active service, conducting many scouting parties and expeditions. At the battle of the Narraganset Fort, Dec. 19, 1675, when one thousand Indian warriors were slain or wounded and eighty-six English killed and one hundred and fifty wounded, Lieut. Upham was severely wounded being in command of his company after the death of Capt. Johnson. Of this sanguinary fight the historian, Hubbard, says:
"It is hard to say who acquitted themselves best in that day's service either the soldiers for their manlike valor in fighting, or the Commanders for their wisdom and courage; lead- ing on in the Face of Death."
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After lingering some ten months from the effects of this wound, Lieut. Upham died, in October, 1676, at the age of 41 years. He was highly respected as a citizen, and was eminent in the military service.
In battle Lieutenant Upham exhibited the character of a brave man and patriot, pur- chasing with mortal wounds the palm of vie- Menores Nopsam tory; and the government was not unmindful of his great sacrifice but bore testimony upon the records "to the long and good services he
did to the country, and the great loss sustained by his friends in his death."
He was the direct ancestor of the Upham family in America being the only son of John Upham that left posterity. [Through his son, Nathaniel, he was an ancestor of the Gould family by the marriage of his daughter Lois to James Hill in 1727.] [L. S. G.]
One of his children, Phineas, the eldest son, became a prominent citizen of Malden. For fourteen years he was one of the Selectmen; Town Treasurer for several years; deacon of the Church; several times Moderator of the Town Meeting; and for five years Representa-
tive to the General Court. He died in October 1720, at the age of 62 years, and was buried in the cemetery at Maklen.
Phinohas Uphame
It was his oldest son, born June 10, 1682, and bearing the same name, Phineas, a favorite one with the Uphams, who came to Melrose, then North Malden, and settled on Upham Hill, in the year 1703. At the same time it is recorded, that "Phineas Upham and Tamzen Hill were joined in marriage, ye 23d of November, 1703, by Mr. Wigglesworth;" and from them have descended all of the many Melrose Uphams, and many others who have gone to other parts of the land, some of whom have become eminent as lawyers, ministers, authors, and statesmen.
Very soon after his marriage he built his homestead, and established his home "in their primitive dwelling on the wooded crest of Upham Hill."
This was situated on what is now the corner of Upham and Highview Avenue, where it remained until within a very few years, when it was removed a few rods south and now stands on Waverly Avenue.
Here Phineas and Tamzen Upham lived, and brought up a large family of seven sons and six daughters. (See note by me on page 50 regarding this house.) [L. S. G.] One of his sons, Jabez, became a doctor and settled in Brookfield, Massachusetts.
Phineas was one of the Selectmen of Malden for several years; two years Assessor, and many years - Moderator of the Town Meetings. In the year 1707-8 he is mentioned as Ensign Phineas Upham. He died in 1766, at the age of eighty-three years. His wife died two years later, at the same age.
The oldest son of Phineas, born Jan. 14, 1708, was also named Phineas. He died in Malden, July 17, 1738, of the malignant throat distemper which prevailed in that year. Amos, another son of Phineas, born in 1718, succeeded to a portion of his father's acres and the old homestead still standing; and, in turn, his son, also named Amos, born in 1741, came into possession. (See pages 8, 28, 32, 34, 38, 40) This Amos and his brother William, were in Capt. Benjamin Blaney's Company, which marched to Watertown "upon the alarm on the 19th of April, 1775, and from thence to resist the minesteral troops."
It cannot be stated just when this old house was built, but evidently soon after the Phineas Upham house of 1703. Concerning this house, Miss Mary Elizabeth Upham, a direet descendant in the ninth generation, wrote the following description in 1890, for the Upham Genealogy; The Descendants of John Upham of Massachusetts:
The original house must have been quite small. A family tradition has taught us that it little more than covered the present cellar, which extends under less than half the build- ing. A huge chimney - with a fire place ten feet long, and as high as the main room of the dwelling - rivaled the house itself in size.
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But it was not long before the family outgrew its narrow quarters. Then was the first building supplemented by such additions that it came to be a large, substantial dwelling, thirty feet in length, and two stories high toward the south. On the north the roof sloped nearly to the ground. Later still (and yet so long ago that no one now living remembers it) the sloping roof was raised, so that the house is nearly two stories high on the north, today. In the old garret the original sloping rafters may yet be seen.
The front door of the house is away from the street on the south side. Crossing its smooth door-stone we enter a small passage-way from which a few stairs, with two-square landings, lead to the upper floor. At the right a low door-way admits us to a large room. eighteen feet square, presumably the "best room" of the house. Its low wainscot, and high mantel, the broad beams across the ceiling - but a short distance above our heads - and the long hearth of the primative fireplace - all point to the age of the structure.
On the left of the front entry is another room, much like the first. The center of the house is occupied by the hugh chimney, and on the north are the smaller rooms. The oak beams are in many cases eighteen inches thick; and the walls are filled in with bricks and clay. The chimney is made of bricks of many sizes, and clay instead of mortar is used. The fire-places have been made smaller within a century, but the original hearths - in some of which square tiles are placed - are still left."
Amos' son Asa, born April 29, 1785, was the successor in the ownership of this old ances- tral homestead; and here, under this same roof-tree, he passed a long life, dying in 1869, at the age of eighty-four years.
He could well remember when Malden had but one church, where all the town could worship God, and when that part now Melrose had but one small, rough schoolhouse, with its rough seats and large open fireplace and the school kept only two months in the year, the town very sparsely settled, with its narrow, rough and crooked pathway, travelled only on foot or horseback. . . . Mr. Upham was blest with a competence of this world's goods, but with what was far better, good health from the cradle almost to the grave. And what was still better, he has during his long life, travelled in the pathway of virtue and upright- ness, and has gone down in his ripe old age to his final restingplace with an unblemished reputation, honored and respected by all who knew him.
And in this homestead a large family of children, of the eighth generation, was born; among them the late Eri, Asa, Orne and Benjamin R. Upham. Orne, born Sept. 25, 1820, succeeded his father as owner of the farm, whereon he spent a long, quiet, unostentatious life as a farmer, dying April 2, 1894, aged seventy-four years.
Eri Upham and Asa Upham, brothers, born respectively Sept. 7, 1813, and March 31, 1816, lived on Upham Street, near the old homestead, where they passed long lives; Eri dying July 2, 1897, at the age of 84 years, and Asa, Dec. 15, 1899, aged 83 years.
Another brother, Benjamin R., born April 5, 1823, lived for many years in the old Emerson mansion, on the corner of Main and Emerson Streets, where his widow, Rachal E., still lives. He died Nov. 30, 1892, at the age of seventy years. His son Frank Richardson, born Dec. 18, 1852, is Chairman of the Board of Assessors of Melrose.
Besides the Uphams already spoken of as having lived in the old homesteads on the original acres of the first Melrose Phineas, he had numerous other descendants who lived in other homesteads on Upham Ilill. The Rev. Frederick Upham, D.D., "The Nestor of the M. E. Church," was the son of Samuel Sprague Upham, and was born October 4, 1799, and died March 20, 1891, at the age of ninety-two years. His brother, Freeman Upham, born December 7, 1811, for many years had his homestead on Main Street, and until the day of his death, May 25, 1900, was hale and hearty; he walked our streets during his last years with the appearance of a much younger man.
Another branch of the Upham residents on this hill, and descendants from the original Phineas, was Jesse, son of Timothy, who was born August 20, 1710, and of the fifth genera- tion. Jesse was born March 18, 1745, and died August 23, 1825, at the age of eighty years.
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Jesse's son, also named Jesse, born November 8, 1775, lived in the original Phineas Upham homestead. He died April 5, 1860, aged eighty-five years.
[This Jesse was a very ardent Methodist and exceedingly quaint and eccentric. He is well remembered by the writer. The house he lived in originally stood on what is now the corner of Highview Avenue and Upham Street and was built about, (perhaps a little before) 1703. In my boyhood days I was in it many times. It was without doubt the first one built on one of the old Range-Ways, now called Upham Street. It was bought about 45 years ago by a Lynn man who moved it to Waverly Avenue where it now stands with no outward traces of its more than two centuries. [L. S. G.] ]
Jesse's son, Joshua Upham, born Dee. 27, 1806, built his house on Upham Street, near East Street. Joshua died January 16, 1871, at the age of sixty-four years. His brother George, born October 4, 1810, lived in his grandfather Jesse's house. Here he dwelt, cultiva- ing these aeres, until February 13, 1872, when he died at the age of sixty-two years. His homestead was on the corner of Upham Street and Waverly Avenue, and must have been built at least one hundred and fifty years ago.
Still another Upham farm and homestead built in 1876, was situated on Upham Street, that of Nathan Upham, son of Amos, born February 28, 1781, and died in 1845, aged 64 years. This was on the north side, between Upham and Porter Streets. This farm was inherited by his two sons, Eli and Albert, two bachelors, who tilled its soil for many years; and finally lost possession because they would not set back a small carriage or tool house in order to widen Upham Street ; being ordered so to do, first by the town authorities, and then by the County Commissioners. As they were determined not to move it, it was done by the State, the necessary tax levied, refusal to pay, citation in Court, non-appearance, de- faleation decreed, and the estate sold to Nathaniel P. Jones, and thus passing out of the possession of the Uphams forever. Quite a portion of the farm has been sold in house lots, and many of our finest residences built thereon.
The brick house, on what is now known as the "Parker Place," was also built by an Upham, Joshua, son of the senior Jesse, in 1810. He was a master-mason of Salem. The road leading from the present Upham Street, just to the east of this residence, built in 1796, was the old way to Saugus and Lynn. This Upham house was sold sometime during the war of 1812, to a Mr. Peale.
Time was when the old original Phineas, the Amos Upham, and the George Upham houses were the only ones existing on what is now Upham Street, once Upham Lane, or the old county road to Saugus.
Just over the brow of the hill, at the extreme end of East Foster Street, there exists what may be called an Upham Cemetery, but what remains visible has more the sem- blance of a tomb; the door has disappeared, and the entrance has been walled up. Here were buried the two Jesse Uphams, father and son, their wives and many of their children. There was also entombed, Thomas Smith, who married a daughter of Jesse Upham and his wife, also Mr. Towle, who once lived on the Parker Place. There were graves out- side the tomb, in which burials were allowed; among them, a negro named Johnson and his wife, and quite a number of others. These graves were entirely obliterated, years ago, by plowing and cultivating the soil. The tract embraced some ten thousand feet, and originally fenced; but that also dissappeared, and nothing but the face of the undoored tomb now remains, in an open, unprotected field.
[Johnson the negro had a cabin down in a thicket near a spring now in the vicinity of Grove Street and Cumner Avenue, - There he lived alone until he attained a great age. My father attended him in his last siekness and we were both present at the funeral. This was in the "forties" All bodies from the old tomb have been re-interred in Wyoming Cemetery. [L. S. G. ] ]
On the north side of Lynde Street, a few rods east of where Summer Street intersects, there once stood a very old house, built by John Pratt, who, at his death in 1743, gave it
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with twelves acres of land to his grandson David Green, who sold it to Amos Upham. Mr. Upham was a blacksmith; the only one in this part of the town; and his shop was nearby his dwelling. These were situated on the original 1653 road. In those days, besides shoeing horses and cattle, and repairing carts, a great variety of work was done at the blacksmith's shop; here all kinds of agricultural implements then used were made; plough- shares, axes, spades, hoes, scythes, etc .; also all kinds of household utensils; and a black- smith's shop was a much frequented place.
This property passed into the hands of William Upham, of the fifth generation, in 1777. He was born August 7, 1747, and was a soldier in the Revolution; being in the battle at Bunker Hill, and at White Plains, where he was wounded and crippled for life.
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