USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > Ancient Melrose and some information about its old homesteads, families & furnishings, 1915 > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
7 Francis D. Howe
8 George "Tit" Lynde
36 Asa Upham, (ancient 63 Joseph Vinton 1790 Upham House) 64 The Thos. Vinton house
0 John"Toddystick"Lynde 37
Eri Upham
1770 Dr. Levi Gould 1758 65
1 I Nathaniel Howard 39
Jesse Upham (about 1703 see page 50)
67
John Stratton
13 Jona Kimball Ezra Tainter
40 New House built by Jesse Upham
69
Samuel Howard
15 James Howard
41 John Wilde
70 Deacon Samuel Howard about 1750 71
17 Polly Manning
43
Nathan Derby 1810
David Blakely
18 Wm. J. Farnsworth
44
John Edmunds 1730
72
Joseph Green, about 1750
I9 William Dix about 1800
45
John Grover's heirs about 1713
74 William Newhall
21 Isaac Emerson 46
75 Henry B. Wells
22 Widow of Wm. Emerson, 1805 47
76 Marmaduke Hay, about 1750
23 Phineas Sprague, 1812
48
Sally Upham about 1700 Dolly Upham, 1812
77
Charles Cummings, about 1780
24 Nathaniel Howard, 2d, 1663 49
25
William E. Fuller
50
William Lynde about I750
78 Franeis Hemenway, about 1 800 79 Isaac Cowdry So George "Turkey" Lynde 8[ Amos P. Lynde
27 Shubael L. Taylor
52 Jonathan Lynde 1700
28 Freeman Upham 53 Jabez Lynde 1700
7212 Isaae Vinton about 1770
29 Samuel D. Taylor
30 Samuel S. Upham, about 1800
55
Wm. A. Richardson
7412 George E. Fuller about 1770 82 Augustus Vinton
1 Road to Reading as relocated in 1806
B. Parts of old road to Reading in 1653
C. Upham's Lane, a Range Way in 1695
D. Hemenways' Lane, a Range Way in 1695
E. Saugus Road, the Saugus portion ex- isted as early as 1635
F. Stoneham Road 1789
Stoneham Road from Malden, 1790
HI. Spot Pond Road from Malden, 1695 I. Ell Pond, 1638
J. Nimans Pond (not now in existence) 1795
K. Long Pond, 1700
1. Swains Pond 1695
M. First Methodist Protestant Church 1842
N. School House (burned in 1845) 1829 0. First Methodist Episcopal Church 1818
P. Little Red School House 3rd School District of Stoneham 1836
IO Elbridge Green 38
Joshua Upham
66
John "Sopus" Green 1800
12 James L. Green
68 Aaron Green
14
16 Benjamin Boardman 42
George Upham 1775
73
John Simonds
20 Josiah H. Barker
Henry J. Ireson about 1 700
Rev. John McLeish
26 George Emerson (house and store) 51 Charles Pratt 1806
54 John Peabody about 1 800
Washington Barrett, 1757 Mrs. Jona Barrett 1758
John Larrabee 1805
Win. J. Farnsworth 1839
[63]
A FEW SCRAPS OF LOCAL HISTORY
BY LEVI S. GOULD
First mention of what is now Melrose was in the "Book of possessions of the inhabitants of Charlestown" wherein was recorded the possessions of Ralph Sprague being "nintie acres more or lesse situate and lying in Pond feilde". This was in 1638. "Pond feilde" was adjacent to Ell Pond so called from the earliest history.
Amos P. Lynde, father of A. Wilbur Lynde, was a carpenter in the "Forties" and built several houses, all of one style, for which his invariable price was $500. One of them was moved from Green St. to corner of Avon and Elm St., and it is still standing. The finest house here in early days was the "Liberty Bigelow" house built by Wm. Foster in 1828. He resided there and Foster Street was then called Foster's road from his house to that of Pelatiah R. Wait afterwards the Wm. Bogle house. This was the second finest house in North Malden; and at that time there was no through road to Main Street, nothing but a cart path having bars to take down. Most of the land north of the Masonic Temple and bounded by Cottage Street, on the west, Myrtle Street, on the East and almost as far north as the Melrose Station was known as the "plain" covered with serub pines and birches, and in the early "Forties" could be bought for about $20,00 an acre. It was nostly owned by Joseph Boardman who held extensive tracts here as well as marshes in North Chelsea where he frequently hunted reed birds. On one occasion, returning from a visit there, while taking his gun from the bottom of the wagon, it was prematurely discharged, from the effects of which he died. He was very prominent here. He owned where the Masonic Temple now stands a house acquired from the Howard's. Attached to the property was a slaughter house where now stands the westerly half of the Masonic property.
In 1843, the only general store was that kept by George Emerson on Main Street, corner of Green Street. This section was the "Court end" of the town, and gathered around the big stove might be found the bone and sinew of the section on every week day evening, discuss- ing politics and local affairs until the clock struck nine, when all would rise and retire. George Emerson was an ardent Methodist and the pillar of the Church opposite his store, but they do say there was a time when he dispensed New England rum as freely as he did his dry goods and groceries, but that was many moons away. He built the unsightly ice-houses which still remain as a standing blemish to the charming sheet of water in the midst of our lovely city. From these buildings, and as a store-keeper and shoe manufacturer, he amassed a moderate fortune and was considered as the leading citizen of the North End. Con- trasted with Mr. Emerson was George W. Grover of Wyoming, who descended from an ancient Malden family of Revolutionary fame owning a mill at Swain's pond. Neither George W., or his wife, also born here, could either read or write and he brought up his family in equal ignorance until the law compelled him to attend to their education. He used to beat a drum, and at town-meeting time, the voters of the North End assembled under his leadership and marched to Malden to the inspiration of his "rub-a-dub-dub" for a day at the polls. On one occasion they came within one vote of electing Elbridge Green to the Legislature, and often elected a Selectman of their choice.
Capt. Unite Cox (of the Revolution) cut from his farm, between Otis and Perkins Streets, the sturdy oak which formed the keel of the old "Constitution" and with great yokes of oxen hauled it to the ship-yard in Boston.
The first settler was undoubtedly Ensign Thomas Lynde about 1640, and the house he built in 1670 is the oldest one now standing, and one of the best preserved in America of its age.
Phineas Upham came about 1703 and the house first built by him is believed to be standing on Waverly Avenue in an entirely reconstructed condition. While being reno- vated and repaired it was struck by lightning and a paper hanger killed. After that, with every pane of glass broken and a prey for owls and bats, it remained and was shunned as "the haunted house" until purchased by Mrs. Stantial some 20 years ago who has resided
[64]
there ever since and stoutly avers that she has never seen even the Ghost of the original Phineas.
The house recently purchased by the Melrose Historical Society and now called the "Phineas Upham house" is an ancient structure, and may have been built by him for his son Amos, as, until quite recently it has been known as the "Amos" Upham House.
In 1843 a stage ran from Reading to Boston three times a week, which was the only publie conveyance. In that year and for many years thereafter, no daily papers were taken here. If anything occurred of great public interest a man loaded up a wagon with news- papers and drove from Boston through suburban towns blowing a fish horn to attract attention. At that time there were about eighty-five houses in North Malden, with a total population of three to four hundred engaged in farming and shoemaking.
The first ice sent to hot countries was cut from the waters flowing from Long Pond by Frederick Tudor. It is said to have been sold as high as twenty-five cents a pound.
Cottage Street was first called Boardman Street, from Joseph Boardman.
Foster Street West was called Foster's Road from William Foster.
William Bogle was not a resident here in 1843, but Rev. John MeLeish was. After Bogle came in 1847, both he and Rev. John MeLeish were in partnership in a land deal taking in several aeres south of Wyoming Avenue opposite the Masonic Temple. Bogle was a wigmaker and made a fortune in a hair wash which he called "Hyperion Fluid". The Boston Directory claims him as a resident there for several years previous to 1847 and the Malden records do not mention him until the latter date so that the story of his travel- ing by the old stage coach from North Malden to Boston previous to that time except per- haps for an occasional visit is probably pure fiction.
In 1843 there was but one doctor here, Levi Gould, and he was the only Orthodox. It is doubtful if there was more than one Catholic, Nathan Derby, while Baptists were as scarce as "hen's teeth". The balance of the people were mainly Methodists, of which there were two societies, the Episcopal and the Protestant, and they were quarreling most of the time, until the Baptists finally captured the latter society and its Church in 1856.
Peat was largely used as fuel and almost every farmer had a bog from which it was eut in the summer.
William J. Farnsworth for many years a propersous dealer in real estate, as well as a public official, was not a resident in 1843, although he owned property here at that time, (thirty-three aeres in 1839 located between Otis and Perkins Streets) and as late as 1844, he was a "hair cutter" in Charlestown. His first residence was corner Perkins and Vinton streets.
An Englishman named Atkinson had a rope-walk on what is now Russell Street, just off of Trenton Street. He was here in the early "Forties." Samuel D. Taylor built a curriers shop in the rear of the Methodist Church, at the junction of Main and Green Streets.
John Wilde, an Englishman, had a shop, seventy-five years ago, in the rear of his house on Upham's lane where he made fine cutlery by his own work.
In 1843 there were but nine streets, or rather roads in the North End known and supported as publie ways, and one of them, Foster's road, was not a town way throughout its entire length.
Cotton Sprague, a descendant of Ralph Sprague one of the first white men to own property in "Pond Fields," was a most prominent man in North Malden. He was a mem- ber of the Legislature in 1823, '24, '25 and '26. It is related of him that he was so liberal in entertaining the members of various sessions of the "Great and General Court" that he was obliged to mortgage his ancestral domains to pay the bills-Being unable to discharge the obligation they passed from the family control forever-He lived on the Liberty Bige- low property-He was buried in a tomb which formerly stood on the line of Main Street at entrance of the High School Building.
The first train over the Boston and Maine Railroad extension left Boston for Malden July
[65]
4th, 1845. A train due to pass the "North End from the East on July Ist did not get through and a great throng waiting to see it all day were disappointed-It was a single track road with wood burning locomotives which had to "wood and water" about every ten miles. Wyoming had no station until the citizens built one by subscription. It was called "Boardman's Crossing" and if you wished to board a train there you had to stand on the track and wave a white handkerchief! The writer has been a commuter from that station continuously for 63 years and in the "forties" often waved the "white flag" for a single trip-The centre station had the only depot building and during the first 7 years Washington Barrett, father of our respected citizens Jonathan and David A. Barrett, was the station agent-This building is still in use as a freight house-In 1848 the first sessions of the Melrose Orthodox Sunday School, of which the writer is perhaps the only living re- presentative, was gathered there-On "Independence Day" every inhabitant who could, visited Boston to see the military display and fire-works, and the R. R. ran special trains of open freight cars to accommodate the public, not having near enough passenger cars- Sometimes they got caught in rain storms and then their condition can be better imagined than described.
THE OLD BOARDMAN HOUSE
Although this house does not actually stand on Melrose territory, it is so near it, being just over the line in Saugus, its age, its history, and the lives of some of its former occupants, are so closely connected with our city, that it is appropriate to give a short sketch of its history.
It is known, far and wide, as the Abijah Boardman House, and is situated on Howard Street. It is one of the oldest, if not the oldest house now standing on New England soil. It was built in 1635-6, by Samuel Bennett, who came to Saugus in the first of these years. He came over from England, at his own cost, in consequence of which he received a grant of fifty acres of land, locating it on this spot.
With the shrewdness which was characteristic among the first settlers, he selected for the site a moderate elevation just west of a running rivulet which came down from Castle Hill to water his "horned cattle," and to meet at the declivity south of the house another little stream that kept green and fertile his meadows.
The house is the best preserved specimen of the projecting upper story architecture to be found. It has the old fashioned huge chimney, fireplaces, and ovens, of the early colonial period; large beams cross its ceilings; hand-made, wrought iron nails were used; its cellar stairs are made of hewn logs instead of boards; and the walls were bricked between the upright timbers from top to bottom, thus making it warm and impervious to the storms of winter; and the old house is still strong and able to defy the tempests of yet other cen- turies. The projecting upper story, in this case eighteen inches wide, so often thought to be so built for a means of defence, simply followed familiar architectural designs for dwellings extant in the early part of the seventeenth century. The openings, through which to shoot, or pour hot water upon the heads of attacking Indians, exist only in imagination.
[66]
THE MELROSE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
For several years many of our citizens have realized that the last of the children of the earlier settlers of North Maklen, now Melrose, were attaining an age when they would soon leave us, and in most cases their homes, with the furniture, pictures, furnishings, etc., which they had inherited would naturally be distributed to descendants who are living away from Melrose. It was also learned that in some instances these persons woukl esteem it a privilege to leave many of these articles permanently in our city if some suitable place could be provided for them and some legal organization found to whom could be entrusted these remembrances of their ancestors. It was also discovered that there was located on Upham Street, nearly opposite Stratford Road, a farmhouse in an excellent state of preservation, which in location, design, and construction was a purely colonial building, of which there are very few left standing.
With these facts in mind, Mrs. Henry E. Johnson inaugurated a movement in 1912, the outcome of which has been that The Melrose Historical Society was formed in 1913, and incorporated in 1914, the Phineas Upham House purchased, and definite steps taken to preserve within its walls many colonial articles. In order to make it easy for every one to share in this most commendable enterprise, the annual membership fee has been made only $1.oo, with life emembership at $to.oo, and honorary membership at $100.00.
The Society has already secured four honorary members, twelve life members, and over three hundred annual members, and every one, old and young, is invited to become a member.
The house is located on southerly side of Upham Street just above Stratford Road, and the Society secured both the house and 31,800 feet of land for only $1,916, as the Upham heirs were desirous of helping the Society to the utmost. The Society has also bonded the tract of land and house directly to the west of the farmhouse and has the privilege of becoming owner of that proporty by paying only $2,000 for the house and five cents a foot for the land any time during the next two years. It is thought by many of our citizens that it is very essential that this property should eventually be owned by the Society in order to secure proper surroundings for the Ancient Upham farmhouse. It is also apparent that if the Society should decide to take this property the house can be rented for a suffi- cient sum to more than pay the cost of interest, taxation, etc., and that the tenant could also be made a general caretaker of the entire property and arrangements be made so that simple meals could be furnished in the old farmhouse to visitors and organizations who might desire to hold their regular meetings in this unique building.
The "Upham" families and the "Old State House" and "Faneuil Hall" Chapters D. A. R. have agreed to completely fit up and furnish three of the larger rooms.
The officers and committees are giving the most careful consideration to the whole plan and will gladly welcome suggestions from interested persons. They will appreciate receiving information as to the whereabouts of any furniture, woven carpets, rugs, pictures, dishes, ornaments, etc., which are associated with the early life of our city. Every article accepted by the Society will be carefully preserved and so marked that a perfect record will be pre- served of its history, its donors, etc.
Attention is called to the fact that "The Melrose Historical Society" is the legal title of this organization and that gifts of money, furnishings, ete., can be left to it by will. Arrangements have been perfected whereby any one desiring to give the Society money while living can be assured of an annuity from their gift as long as they live.
It is expected that eventually arrangements can be made whereby the house and grounds can be made self-supporting and the income secured from memberships used for advancing other historical interests, the "object" of Society, as expressed in its charter, being: "To arouse interest in the study of the history of the city of Melrose; to secure the preservation of its oldest buildings; to collect by gift, loan or purchase, colonial books, pictures, furniture,
[67]
dishes, etc .; to provide suitable rooms for their preservation; and the publication from time to time of such information relating to Melrose families, organizations, events, etc., as shall be deemed expedient."
The officers and Executive Committee not only invite but urge that every one interested in preserving mementoes of colonial days join the Society and by their annual dues of only $1.00 help make its work effective and also become entitled to visit the "Phineas Upham" house, grounds, and inspect the many interesting articles preserved there.
The following are the officers of the Society for year 1915.
THE MELROSE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
President FRANKLIN P. SHUMWAY, 25 Bellevue Avenue
Vice-Presidents
LEVI S. GOULD CHARLES H. ADAMS OLIVER B. MUNROE
Honorary Vice-Presidents
MRS. PHOEBE N. BENNESON MOSES S. PAGE MRS. CHESTER H. ARNOLD JAMES G. BOWDEN
Treasurer DON E. CURTIS, Melrose National Bank
Clerk MRS. ALBERT N. HABBERLEY, 17 Bellevue Avenue
Directors
CLAUDE E. ALLEN
JOHN BUFFUM
HOWARD T. SANDS
MRS. FRANKLIN P. SHUMWAY
MRS. BESSIE G. FLEMING
ICHAROD F. ATWOOD
CHARLES M. Cox
MRS. HENRY E. JOHNSON
VICTOR A. FRIEND
MRS. FRANK H. BROWN
MISS AGNES L. DODGE
WILLIS C. Goss
FRANK R. UPHAM
HENRY E. JOHNSON
Librarian and Historian, REV. HAROLD MARSHALL
Executive Committee
George R. Jones
William N. Folsom
Miss M. Bertha Corson
John Larrabee
George R. Farnum
Mrs. Ethel B. Fletcher
Chas. J. Barton
Herbert H. Gerrish
Chas. E. Seaverns
Chas. E. French
George H. Dearborn
William Townsend
Arthur M. Willis
Mrs. Wm. A. Morse
Mrs. Harris M. Barnes
Lowell F. Wentworth
George W. Bosford Mrs. H. Garland
Mrs. Benj. Ames Mrs. W. H. Cotting
Mrs. Ichabod F. Atwood
Mrs. Howard T. Sands Alfred H. Colby
Mrs. F. S. Hesseltine Peter J. Lynch
Mrs. F. H. P. Lowe
Miss Famie M. Sanborn
JOHN H. Duffill
Henry Lynde
Mrs. Chas. M. Cox
Mrs. E. S. Page
Mrs. E. E. Babb
George E. Cornwall
Neil S. Casey
Mrs. Harry H. Hunt
Mrs. J. L. Campbell
Frederick P. Bowden
Mrs. Frank R. Upham
[68 ]
PLAN FOR RESTORING AND IMPROVING THE UPHAM HOUSE GROUNDS
25
MY/2
The Melrose Historical Society hope to be in position shortly to complete the purchase of the entire tract of land as shown on the above plan, and in order to give a proper setting for the whole property Mr. H. P. Kelsey, of Salem, the well-known landscape gardener of many of colonial gardens and grounds in Massachusetts, has prepared plans which when fully developed will make the property one of the most attractive beauty spots in Eastern Massachusetts. Mr. Kelsey discovered that there were a large number of lilac bushes on the premises and there has been planted a three-foot purple and white lilac hedge along the front and side lines of the two properties and it is proposed later on to have the entire grounds enelosed by this lilae hedge about three feet wide and from four to five feet high. It has also been provided that a grape vine covered pergola be erected in baek portion of grounds, old-fashioned flowers, vines, and shrubs are being placed about the house, trees and grounds, and it is intended to restore the old well and provide it with wellsweep, etc.
[69]
THE PHINEAS UPHAM HOUSE
It has already been stated on page 42 that John Upham came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635. He first settled at Weymouth, and in 1648 removed to Malden. His great-grandson Phineas,- the third to bear that name, - great-great-grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the poet-philosopher, and great-great-great-grandfather of W. Cameron Forbes, former governor-general of the Philippine islands - received a grant of land in North Malden, now Melrose about 1700.
In 1703 Phineas Upham was married in Malden by the Rev. Mr. Wigglesworth, and soon after came with his wife, Tamzen (Thomasin) Hill, to North Malden. We have no proofs that this old house was built in 1703, but the statement has been handed down as a family tradition only, that Phineas came to this house, then new, "on horseback, with his bride, Tamzen riding behind him on a pillion".
The son and the grandson of Phineas, were both named Amos, and the house was there- fore in the possession of an Amos Upham by descent for two generations. This probably accounts for its being known as the "Amos Upham House," (See notes on page 50 L. S. G.)
Asa Upham, son of the second Amos, was the last Upham to spend his life in the Old House. On August 20, 1869, he died there, as also did his widow, three years later. For the greater part of the next sixteen years, (1872-1888), the house was unoccupied, and rapidly falling to decay. A part of the roof fell in, most of the windows were broken, and one entirely disappeared. At last the daughters of Orne Upham, who were then owners of the old place, decided to repair the house so that it might again be habitable. Roof and walls were made whole, panes of glass were reset. one walled in fire-place was opened, and gradually, room by room, the walls were cleaned and papered, and the wood-work repainted. When the many layers of paper were scraped from the walls of the "Best Room" there was revealed beneath, an unsuspected dado. After these repairs were accomplished, the old house was partly furnished and used by the family of Orne Upham. After his death, his widow and daughters lived there for many summers, and in 1903 his eldest daughter was married in the large south-east room, known in earlier days, as the "best room" of the house. Since the summer of 1907 the house has been vacant, and at the time of its pur- chase by the Melrose Historical Society in 1913 was in a fairly primitive condition, most of the modernizing having taken place more than one hundred years ago.
ITS RESTORATION by Mrs. Hattie Elliott Johnson. The Society commenced its restoration by shingling the roof and making temporary repairs in the house, and in June, 1914, a consulting architect, expert masons and carpenters were put to work. Under their direction new sills replaced the unsound old oak ones portions of which however were sound as ever. Under the small north-west lean-to room the sills were of pine, having been put in when this room was added to the main house. Clapboards were next removed but none of original type were discovered, but on the west side of the house, three layers of clapboards and shingles with strips of furring between were uncovered, why, were a mystery. Underneath all these clapboards was the first outside boarding of the house, many of the boards being from one-half to three quarters of a yard wide, all were chamferred and splayed and put on with hand made nails and but few new boards replaced these old ones, which were in excellent state of preservation. The new clap- boards used were of soft pine, and splayed and were laid as originally placed in narrow courses at the sills, increasing in width towards the roof.
New plates and girts were put in on the east, north, and south walls of the east end of the house. The studding was either replaced, spliced, or laid up beside the old, and the brick lining to these walls was replaced. The summer beams were solid wherever un- covered. The modern windows and frames were removed and windows of the first period
[70]
.
square paned wooden muntin double casement put in their place, and windows of the second period were put into the lean-to. New outside doors of the batten type, a little over five feet were made after one found in the house, and set into lowered door frames, which have been moved over into their original positions. The width of the beams vary, many being thirteen inches square. Floors are of white pine being those first laid, some are single, some are double.
The modern woodwork which is left is to be torn out, is of no consequence and the Society will select such doors, mantels, and hardware as will be of interest for its museum.
Fine sheathing is found in the upper west chamber, which has a mantel set into it, in such a way as to be a part of the sheathing itself, and must be nearly as old; sheathing of the same type is also found in the lower back hall entry, and also on one side of the lean-to kitchen wall, here it runs horizontally, the boards being three quarters of a yard wide.
A wooden dado consisting of two wide boards from floor to casement window is in the east and west parlors, above the east parlor dado the walls are plastered against hand-made lathes, behind which, on the south and east sides, between the outer and inner wall is an open space the only one in the house not brick filled, and while once it naturally would have been built up there is no evidence in the tearing out to show otherwise and it was therefore left as found.
On the opposite side of the house, the west parlor, is a "furred in" room, this false parti- tion is on the north, south and west sides and is to be torn out; the space behind this wall being about five inches, a large hole being made in the wall, a dado to match the east parlor was found, also the original plaster walls against the brick filling. The south wall is wain- scotted from floor to ceiling and contains on its surface three layers of interesting old wall papers. This room must have been in its present condition at the least one hundred years.
The lean-to kitchen and milk room were built separate from the main house and are butted up against it, evidence of this is in plain view.
The chimney when the Society took the house contained six fire-places and one a so-called false fire-place in the west chamber was removed. The two largest and oldest fire-places of the main chimney have been restored, their extreme width being nine feet six inches, height fifty-seven inches, depth three feet. One fire-place is square cornered with stone fire baek the other has round corners and a herring bone pattern of fireback, both have pot sticks and their original Dutch ovens. The hearths are built of square tile, and both fireplaces contained at time of restoration brick ovens, one had been made smaller four different times the other three and some interesting utensils were found behind them. An oven or hole goes from one fire-place through to the other and was probably used to keep things warm. Modern dampers have been placed in the flues of the chimney to facilitate heating.
The lean-to kitchen contains a fire-place of still different construction, having a crane and two brick ovens. Two more fire-places remain upstairs one in the east chamber which is very old and has a raised tiled hearth and a tiny one in the chamber over the kitchen built many years ago by a resident of the house.
Restoring this chimney and fire-places by no means, meant rebuikling for so carefully was this accomplished by an expert restorer that it seems as if the chimney and fire-places had always been thus, the outside chimney was rebuilt from the ridgepole up. The rest was gone over on the inside brick by brick, and where ever desiccation had taken place, old bricks from the torn out fire-places were used and the entire chimney restored to its original condition.
The lower and upper front halls are very primitive, restoration work here, means simply removing of paint, leaving the wood natural and patching in the plaster on the side walls.
[71]
The lower flight of stairs while old are distinctly modern as the style of the stringers show. but the upper flight leading to the attic lend distinction to the house being the original, and having unique construction known to be at least two hundred years old. Plain wooden sheathing slanting back from floor to ceiling encases both flights.
The attic contains all its first timbering and the two sets of rafters tell the story of the present lean-to. The cellar is under the east parlor only, but in prime condition and on the door is portion of a very old "butterfly" hinge.
The story of the house handed down by tradition in the Upham family is that the original house contained but two rooms, and this seems to be borne out by investigation. The first two rooms being those on the east side, then two more were added on the west, then the lean-to kitchen and milk room on the north and east were built and finally the seventh room on the north-west corner, which contains to this day on one wall the original outside boarding which for some reason was never plastered. Over this lean-to adjoining the main house was a little open attic in each end of which were windows eighteen inches square which were uncovered at time of outside restoration. The original pitch of this lean-to came to within ten feet of the ground. As the Upham family grew, the roof was raised from the ridgepole out and up, as it is seen to-day, making a high, light and well ventilated open attic on the second floor, the whole length of the house. At this time the present back stairs, descended into the kitchen without protection at the sides or around the top. This is vouched for by the oldest living descendant born in the house now eighty-six years old, who says he with his brothers slept in a row of trundle beds in this open unfinished attic. As these children grew, a room was partitioned off in the north-east corner for the sisters, then another partition erected thus making two more rooms for the boys, at this time they were all lathed and plastered as now, and in the middle room a fire-place previously spoken of was built by an elder brother.
The last addition to the house was made about sixty years ago when an ell was put on to the lean-to kitchen giving more room, light, water and toilet accommodations.
The complete restoration of the inside of this house will be soon completed as it presents no unusual difficulties and the Society confidently expects to secure the funds needed.
The Melrose Historical Society has accomplished much since the idea started two years ago, which grew into the saving of this pioneer house. In addition to the ample grounds acquired with the house the Society has bonded and hopes to take over the adjoining pro- perty which contains a house large enough for the Library, Tea Room and home for the custodian. It is also desirable to restore the two old wells, one with a sweep, and the little old shoe shop with its ancient fittings, which with the possible addition of a fire-proof museum building would give Melrose one of the finest historical attractions of Greater Boston.
[ 72]
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 0 014 078 837 5
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.