USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Stoneham > Brief history of the town of Stoneham, Mass., from its first settlement to the present time > Part 2
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a man named Phillips, who is said to have been a man of un- common courage. He was a member of the troop company. While they were on an excursion at a certain time. for the purpose of destroying the Indians, somewhere near Concord they came in contact with a company of these sons of the forest, skulking in a rye field. Phillips entered the field with others; he was cautioned to be on his guard. He imme- diately answered in his usually decided way, that he was not afraid of the black rogues. Scarcely had the words escaped his lips, ere a musket was discharged. Phillips received a fa- tal wound, sprung several feet from his horse and expired. The last member of his family is said to have died about 20 years since, in the town of Malden. The house of Samuel Brown is also a relic of antiquity. For many years a tavern was kept there. The house of the late Ebenezer Bucknam is one of the oldest buildings standing ; this was the place of rendezvous during the time of the Revolution. The house occupied by Dea. Jabez Lynde, and James H. Gould, is also a very ancient building. It was formerly owned by a Scotch- man named Maize. Maize, as I am informed, came to this country (like many others who settled here) on board a war ship. One night as the vessel lay at anchor somewhere near Boston, Maize resolved to desert. He accordingly bound his clothes to his back, leaped from the vessel, and swam ashore. He came out here and took up his abode. Subsequent to Maize, an Irishman named Tolen came in possession of the afore-mentioned house. He kept a kind of tavern for some time, also selling goods of various descriptions. It is said that previous to coming to this country he had the plague ; that he was taken in a very sudden manner. One report is that he dug his own grave and got into it expecting soon to die, but that the ground had the wonderful efficacy of remov- ing the plague. Another statement made is that the attend- ing physician opened his skull and inserted a small piece of silver which produced a cure. One or more of the reports are no doubt true. It has also been said that an individual who recovers from this dreadful disease, will never again be subjected to any disease, but that such persons will finally die of old age. This was verified in the case of Tolen, who lived to be about a hundred years old and at last died in his chair, apparently as easily as he would have gone to sleep. He
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had a slave named Dinah, who waited upon him to the end of his days.
Tolen used to teach school in the school house which stood north of the town pound, which was the second school house built in town. I am told that he was in the habit of sending some scholar to the tavern of James Hay, (which stood where the shoe maker's shop of Jacob Gould now stands) about 11 o'clock in the morning to get a glass of grog and carry it to the school room for him to drink. What would the members of the Cold Water Army say, in 1813, if sent out by their teacher to procure a glass of grog for him ? Methinks they would not only sing "away the bowl," but with indignation would they sing, away, away, the teacher.
After the death of Tolen, Capt. Samuel Ingalls kept tar- ern in that house for several years. The sign first stood a few feet southwest from the house. The sign I am told was painted by an Indian named Sol Wamscott. A few rods to the east from this a house stood many years ago occupied by a family named Buck.
The house of James Hadley, I am told was built many years ago by a man named Eben Knight. The house of John Bucknam I am told was built by a man named Allen. It has been built for more than a hundred years. An an- cient building formerly stood a short distance south or southwest from this occupied also by a man named Allen. The house of Thomas Gould is a very ancient building. It was stand- ing in 1714. How many years previous to that is not known. It is probable however, that it has stood nearly 150 years. The house occupied by Timothy Sprague has been built about 60 years. A short distance southwest from this there stood a building, many years ago, known as the Guard House. This was built by Timothy Sprague, that a family might live there and guard the dam, by which he flowed Spot Pond, as it had been several times taken away. It appears that sever- al persons in town, were opposed to having Spot Pond mea- dows flowed ; and consequently they had a good deal of con- tention with Mr. Sprague at different times. They frequent- ly went to law, but Sprague was generally successful in getting the case. At that period, a man by the name of Jabez Allen lived in town. He is said to have been a horse thief, and also well skilled in all kinds of roguery. He was in the hab-
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it of going in a boat to the damn, for the purpose of taking said dam away. He also took his gun with him, when any person . appeared, to drive him from hislabor, he would get into his boat and sail to a small Island near by. On a certain occasion while at work taking away the dam, Sprague approached him, with orders to desist. He quickly got into his boat and sailed to the island. His gun being loaded with buck shot he discharged the contents of it at Sprauge. He was wounded in one or both of his legs. Allen was prosecuted. What his punishment was at this time I am not certain. Either at this time or for some other offence he was sentenced to sit upon the gallows for several hours. This being as agreeable to him as sitting in a parlor, he occupied his time in making poetry. The following is a specimen of it.
Some call me Jaby Allen, And others they call me Medes, And here I sit upon the gallowe, For all my evil decds.
O that I were the Judge, Now, in poor Jaby's caso ; I'd have poor Jaby out of jail, And have old Tim Sprague in his place.
Old Cambridge is a mighty place For learning and for knowledge, For some they whip, and some they hang, And some they send to College.
Allen at length became so bad to deal with that he was finally sold on board a man of war. The captain of the ves- sel having heard of his evil deeds told him on a certain day that he should like to see some of his iniquitous feats. Allen with a good deal of apparent sobriety, told him that he was not in the habit of practising unlawful deeds. A short time after however, Allen got a hand saw and sawed all the oars on board the vessel in two, with the exception of one pair. When a convenient opportunity presented itself he took a small boat and the only pair of oars (good for any thing,) and started for the shore. The alarm was soon given on board, that one had deserted. Orders were immediately given to have the boats lowered, which was done. The boats were manned. The oars on being used went crack, crack, one after the other, till they were all used up. This being done.
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they fired upon Allen a few times. This did no good. Or- ders were then given to pour a broadside upon him ; but he had got so far that it did no good, and thus he effected his escanc.
The house owned and occupied by the widow of the late Daniel Bryant, and which was destroyed by fire a few years since, was built in the year 1S05.
The old Sprague House, so called, is the last building on the old road to Medford. In this house lived Capt. Samuel Sprague, who commanded the company in this town, during the time of the Revolution.
The eastern section of the house owned by Joseph Hurd was built about fifty years since by Nathan Wiley. The western part of said house was put up by Luther Richardson, Esq. in 1806. The building which goes by the name of Hurd's old factory, was built in the year 1792. It was first used as a snuff mill, afterwards enlarged and used for the purpose of manufacturing sattinets. The mill owned by Oliver Wheeler, was built in IS12. It is used for grinding cinnamon, ginger, and various medicinal articles. The house near it was built about the same time. The house occupied by Mr. Baldwin, was built in the year 1S03. The mill near the house is used for the purpose of turning various articles. On this spot (or near to it,) a chocolate inill formerly stool. At the northwest from Mr. Baldwin's, there stood a building many years since occupied by a man named Anthony Hadley. A few rods northeast from Mr. Baldwin's, a house once stood owned by Ebenezer Bucknam.
The house of Asa Holden has been built atout 100 years. A few rods north from this, an Irishman with his wife lived, many years since. He finally removed to the northerly side of Doleful Pond, (so called,) cleared up about a quarter of an acre of ground, and lived the remainder of his days. He died in a very sudden and unexpected manner, at quite an advan- ced age.
A. house formerly stood a few rods southeast from the school house in district No. 4. This house was occupied by a man named Hadley. The circumstances of his death were as follows. He with his son had been to Medford on some business ; he did not return homewards till night. It was a cold stormy evening in the last of November, or first of D :-
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cember. On his return home, he stopped at Mr. David Gould's, as he had his horse. After leaving Mr. Gould's, he went towards home it is supposed, (as a wallet which he car- ried with him was found near his house,) but instead of turn- ing in at a pair of bars which led to his house, he turned di- rectly back, passed Mr. Gould's house, and was found dead the next morning near the bars, where we now turn in to go to Sandy Shore. And what is very remarkable, his son was found dead the same day, in a clay pit in Medford.
Two ancient buildings formerly stood near where the house of E. H. Stevens now stands. About half a mile northeast from the house of said Stevens an ancient building formerly stood occupied by a family named Howe. An old orchard near where the house stood, still retains the name of Howe orchard. About 1-3d of a mile west from this there formerly stood a house occupied by a family named Fensom. It was afterwards occupied by a man named Daniel Connery, who married one of the Fensom family. It was for a long time cal- led Connery's den. What kind of beasts inhabited there is not exactly known. One thing is pretty certain. however, which is, that the lion rum was one of most precious among them.
I have now attempted to give an account of those buildings concerning which there is no date with regard to the time of their erection. I have also given some incidents connected with the inhabitants who lived in them.
This town was incorporated in the year 1725. The fol- lowing is the Act of incorporation.
An Act for Dividing the Town of Charlestown, and Erecting a New Town there by the name of Stoncham.
W HEREAS the Northerly Part of the Town of Charles- town, within the County of Middlesex is competently filled with Inhabitants, who labor under great Difficulties by their Remoteness from the Place of Publick Worship, &c .- And have thereupon made their Application to the said Town of Charlestown, and have likewise Addressed this Court that they may be set off a distinct and separate Town, and be Vest- ed with all the Powers and Privileges of a Town; and the Inhabitants of Charlestown by their Agents having Consented to their being set off accordingly ; And a Committee of this
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Court having Viewed the Northerly Part of the said Town of Charlestown, and reported in favor of the Petitioners :
Be it therefore Enacted by the Lieutenant Governour, Coun- cil and Representatives, in General Court Assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Northerly part of the said Town of Charlestown : That is to say, All the Lands lying on the East side of Woburn, the South side of Reading, the West side of Malden, and the North side of the Fifth Range of the First Division of Charlestown Wood-Lots, be and hereby is set off and constituted a separate Township by the name of Stoneham. And that the bounds and limits of the said Town of Stoneham be according to the Agreement made in Novem- ber, One thousand seven hundred and twenty-five, by and be- tween the Committee or Agents for and in behalf of the said Town of Charlestown, and the Petitioners of the Northerly Part thereof, wherein it was consented and agreed, That the Five Ranges or Remaining Part of the said first Division do remain to the Town of Charlestown, agreeable to a former Grant of the Town made in the year 1657, 8. And that the Inhabitants of the Northerly half of Charlestown should have and enjoy that Tract of Land lying in the bounds aforesaid, commonly called and known by the Name of Goulds Farm, . now under Lease to Messieurs Thomas and Daniel Gould, containing One hundred and ten Acres, or thereabouts ; Also one half of all the Towns Meadow (and Upland) lying on Spot Pond, both for Quantity and Quality, containing Seventy-nine Acres (by Capt. Burnap's Plat) as an Estate in Fee, with an equal Share in Spot-Pond ; the said Lands or the value there- of to be improved for the Settling and Maintaining an Ortho- dox Minister, to dispense the Word and Ordinances among them : The Inhabitants of the said Northerly half of Charles- town being by vertue of the said Agreement to be debarred from any Claims or Demands of and to any Lands, Money, Rents or Incomes of what kind soever, which now are or shall belong to the Town of Charlestown, as well those several Farms and Land lying within the bounds abovesaid, as all other Estate or Income either Real or Personal, and from all Demands for High-Ways, that so the Town of Charlestown may quietly and peaceably enjoy the same : And further it is to be understood, That none of the Land contained in the two
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Ranges and half belonging to the first Division, shall on any pretence whatsoever be Assessed or Taxed by the said Town of Stoneham, except those Lands that shall be put under Im- provement, such as Mowing, Ploughing and Pasturing.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Inhabitants of the Northerly half of Charlestown, living within the bounds aforesaid, be and hereby are Vested with the Powers, Privileges and Immunities that the Inhabitants of any of the Towns of this Province by Law are or ought to be Vested with : And that the Inhabitants of the said Town of Stoneham do within the space of two Years from the Publica- tion of this Act, Erect and finish a suitable House for the Pub- lic Worship of God, and as soon as may be procure and settle a Learned, Orthodox Minister of good Conversation, and make provision for his comfortable and honorable Support ; and like- wise provide a School Master to Instruct their Youth in Wri- ting and Reading; and that thereupon they be discharged from any Payments for the Maintenance of the Ministry and School in the Town of Charlestown.
Provided, That the Inhabitants of Stoneham, nevertheless are to pay their respective proportions to two several Assessments already made by the Assessors of Charlestown for County and Town Charges; and David Gould, one of the present Consta- bles of Charlestown, is required to Collect and Pay in such parts and proportions of each of said Assessments, as are com- mitted to him by the said Assessors of Charlestown, according to the Powers and Directions in the Warrants duly made and deliver'd : Any thing in this Act to the contrary notwith- standing.
This town I am told took its name from a town called Stoneham in England. On Tuesday, March 22d, 1725. the committee from the town of Charlestown, met a committee chosen by this town and set the bounds as follows. Begin- ning at, Holden's line.
Ist. A heap of stones, the west side of a little cedar.
2d. A heap of stones.
3d. A large red oak.
4th. A small tall white oak with a croich.
5th. A tall walnut.
6th. A white oak with a crotch near the top.
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7th. A young white oak with a crotch about half way up, on the west side of a hill east from Spot Pond.
Sth. A heap of stones near a small white oak, within 12 rods of the east side of the pond.
9th. A tall walnut about 20 rods south of the pond.
10th. A dead white oak stump, about 12 rods west of the pond, with a heap of stones about it.
11th. A red oak on the north side of a clift of rocks.
12th. A young walnut with a heap of stones about 12 rods east of Turkey Swamp.
13th. A large red oak about six rods, near Turkey Swamp.
14th. A heap of stones upon a flat rock about 20 rods west of Turkey Swamp.
15th. A pine tree upon a rocky hill.
16th. A heap of stones with a stake against a stone wall upon Woburn line.
The trees are marked on the south side with C. and on the north side with S. A true record of the bounds between Charlestown and Stoneham.
DANIEL GOULD, Town Clerk.
The town of Woburn was first settled in 1610. The bounds between this town and Reading were of a more definite char -. acter. Reading was also settled in 1610.
As certain lands were reserved by Charlestown in the Act of incorporation, it may be well to state, that the farms of Caleb Wiley, Widow Mirandi Richardson and Ephraim Pierce, were included in the reserved portions of land. The town of Charlestown relinquished their title to these lands about -10 years since.
The first public, meeting held for business by this town was on December 21th, 1725. Timothy Boden, Sen .. was chosen moderator and Daniel Gould was chosen Town Clerk. At this meeting they voted to build a meeting house. For this purpose they chose a committee to examine the meeting house at Lynn End. The dimensions of the house, were to be 36 feet in length and 32 feet in with. They however af- terwards concluded to have it 10 feet in length and 36 feet in width, with 20 foot posts. The committee chosen to examine the meeting house at Lynn End were Jonathan Green, Daniel Gould and Daniel Gould, Jr. The committee to prepare
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materials for building, consisted of Capt. John Vinton, Daniel Gould, Jr. and Lieutenant Timothy Wright. This commit- tee were also instructed to procure the spot of land on which to set the meeting house ; also a place to build a Parsonage, and likewise provide a burying ground. The first board of Selectmen, consisted of Capt. Benjamin Gerry, Capt. John Vinton, Peter Hay, Timothy Bolden and Lieutenant Timothy Wright. For many years five persons constituted the board of Selectmen. I am told, however, that they served without any compensation. At a meeting held on the 16th day of March 1726, they voted to raise £120 towards defraying the expense of building the meeting house. It is said there was a good deal of contention with regard to the location of the house somne being very anxious to have it stand on the plain somewhere near the house of Reuben Locke. They however finally voted to have it stand between the black oak tree and the red oak tree upon the hill near the east end of the school house. It was raised about the last of November 1726. The following are some of the items of expense connected with raising the meeting house.
Paid for five gallons of ruin, £1 00s. 6d.
bread, 0 12 0
" Capt. Gerry, for cider, ¥
0 15 0
The lime used in building was taken from the marble pit now owned by Joseph Hurd, situated at the southwest part of the town. There are two pits open at the present time. The western pit is said to have been open from time immemo- rial. The former practice of removing the marble to make lime, was that of making a fire in the pit, thereby rendering it more susceptible of impression from the tools made use of for removing it: Marble of an excellent quality might still be obtained there were it not that the expense of getting it out would outweigh its value, when ready for use. This pit lies north from what is now called Bear Hill. This was for- merly called Bears Hill, from the fact of its having been a no- ted place for the residence of those animals. Gov. Winthrop states in his History of Massachusetts, that he was travelling this way on a certain occasion, and stopped upon Bear's Hill, to rest and refresh himself with food. On examining for his provisions it seems his servant forgot to put up any thing but
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some cheese, from which circumstance he called Bear Hill Cheese Rock. He also gave Spot Pond its present name, from having so many islands, rocks, &c. in it.
The town burying ground originally contained 1-4th of an acre. It was afterwards enlarged to its present size, which is about one acre. The land to enlarge it wrs procured of Mr. James Hay.
The old road leading to Medford was built about the year 1731, at least that branch of it passing near the house of. Joseph Hurd, a short distance east from Spot Pond. The road passing through what is called the meeting house swamp, has also been built about 100 years. A path formerly led over what is now called the old flat logs, about 50 rods south from the present causeway, leading through said meeting house swamp. In 1760 they voted to choose a committee to meet with committees that might be chosen by the towns of Reading and Woburn, for the purpose of building a work house for the benefit of said towns. What the result of their meeting was I have not ascertained, though the probability is, that they were not successful in their proposed union. They also about this time voted to raise the sum of £66 1Ss. and Ad. for the purpose of repairing the meeting house. It was accordingly newly shingled, new windows put in, &c.
It was customary at that time when children were taken into a family to be brought up (or even to remain for a few months,) to give notice of the same to the Selectmen. The following is a copy of the same ; Gentlemen, Selectmen of the town of Stoneham, these lines are to inform or notify you, that I have this day taken into my house one Catherine Clentick to live with me for her work. she is about 12 years old. As to her circumstances, she has a father to take care of her. Notices of this kind seem to have been given, in order that the town might be apprized of the fact, that they might possi- bly have accession to the list of paupers, from time to time, as the case might be. It was also customary when an individual came into town to live, to warn them to leave in so many days. It seems a law of this description was framed so that each town might be on their guard as it respected paupers.
The following is a copy of a record of this kind ; Stone- ham Nov. 20th. 1772. Ebenezer Richardson was warned out of Stoneham, and the place he came from was Boston.
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And the persons hereafter mentioned, Ebenezer Williams and. his wife Elizabeth and their son Ebenezer. The place from whence they came last is Reading. It is understood that if they were natives of Reading, it would belong to Reading to support them. If they were not natives of Reading and Reading neglected to warn them out they would still have them to maintain in case they became paupers. But if Read- ing had warned them out, they would have no difficulty whatever with regard to the case.
At a meeting held on the first day of Nov. 1774, the fol- lowing patriotic resolves were passed. The preamble reads thus.
We the inhabitants of the town of Stoneham being legally assembled, sincerely declare our strict attachment to the Con- stitution of our nation; and our unfeigned loyalty to our Right- ful Lord and Sovreign King, George the Third ; ardently wishing that we might ever live in the utmost harmony with Great Britian. Yet we are driven to the disagreeable neces- sity to say : that having taken into serious consideration the precarious state of the liberties of North America, and more especially the present distressed condition of this insulted Province, embarrassed as it is by several acts of the British Parliamentary vending, as we apprehend to the entire sub- version of our natural and charter rights, among which is the act of blocking up the harbor of Boston; therefore we do solemnly covenant and engage with each other :
1st. That we will henceforth suspend all commercial inter- course with Great Britain until they shall afford us relief.
2d. That we will not buy, purchase, or consume any goods or merchandize, which shall arrive in America from Great Britain, from and after the last day of September ensuing.
These things we solemnly promise to observe, provided, no better scheme shall be devised to answer the same ends, by the Congress, who are to mect at Philadelphia to consult the general political interests of America.
The town held another meeting subsequent to the meeting of Congress, when they voted toaccept of the doings of said Con- gress in all respects.
I have before stated that the house of Dea. Ebenezer Buck- nam was the place of rendezvous, during the time of the Revo- lution. I am told the town voted on a certain occasion that
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no gun should be discharged in town, except under the follow- ing rule ; a certain number were chosen as minute men. The first person that received an alarm was immediately two or more individuals to repair to the common, front of the old meeting house. The discharge of the muskets in succession were considered as a general alarm, when the members of the company were immediately to repair to the place of rendez- vous. The company in this town were called out at the time of the battle of Lexington. It will be remembered Samuel Sprague was commander of the company, He how- ever previous to reaching Lexington told the members of the company, that their numbers was so small that he thought it would be well to separate and each one look out for himself. They accordingly separated into companies of three or four, and scattered themselves abroad. Edward Bucknam, Timothy Matthews, and James Wiley went in company together. Somewhere in the vicinity of Lexington they were discovered by some British Regulars. A bullet passed between the left ear and skull of Bucknam, also through the hats of both Mat- thews and Wiley. Thus did our fathers expose their health and lives that we might enjoy the blessings of civil and reli- gious liberty.
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