USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Centennial anniversary of the town of Saugus : 1815-1915 > Part 4
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
the southeast corner of the old burying ground. It served its purpose until 1801, when Richard Shute bought it for $63.00. He removed it, made some alterations and additions and thereafter conducted it as a grocery store in connection with his house. Fire destroyed it in 1820.
About 1800 five schoolhouses were petitioned for, two at the Centre, one at the "North End" (North Saugus), one at "Boardnian's End" (Oaklandvale), and the other in the "South Part" (East Saugus). One was decmed sufficient, however, and the Centre got it, "Southwest of the meetinghouse." It was later used as a shoe shop by William W. Boardman.
Rev. Joseph Emerson of Beverly, previously referred to, established a Ladics' Seminary in Saugus, a plan that was encouraged by the parish. It was constructed in 1822. Young ladies came to it in considerable numbers, but, unfortunately, in the autumn of the second year, an epidemic of typhoid broke out and several of the students died. In 1824, Mr Emerson's health failed him and he retired, to be succeeded by Rev. Hervey Wilbur, who continued it until 1826, when he abandoned the Seminary. Fanny Fern, the noted authoress, attended, and later, young men being admitted, Cornelius Conway Felton, previously mentioned, was also a student, and chore-boy.
SAUGUS SEMINARY, BUILT 1822
The course of study in the Seminary embraced two terms of twelve weeks each, separated by a vacation of a fortnight. The terms were $6.00, "payable in advance, common price of board from $1.00 to $1.75 per week, without fucl, lights, or washing." Attached to the Seminary was a preparatory school taught by Mrs. Emerson and Miss Z. B. Cheever at fifty cents a week. The bell of the Seminary, which was a very fine one, was sold in 1854, and soon after, we are informed, Mr. Edwin Jeffers purchased the building and converted it into a dwelling house.
While the typhoid epidemic is generally ascribed as the reason for the cessation of the Seminary's activities as an educational institution. apparently the unfortunate religious difficulties of the period also permeated its affairs and undoubtedly played a somewhat prominent part in its dissolution.
The old Rock Schoolhouse is appropriately chronicled under East Saugus, where it played such a prominent part in town affairs.
The town now has thirteen schoolhouses, which, together with the land under thein, have an estimated value of about $217,000, according to the town's appraisal committee.
These schoolhouses arc: High, Roby, Feltou, Lincoln, Cliftondale, Armitage, Ballard, Mansfield, Emerson, North Saugus, Lynnhurst, Oaklandvale, and the old building at the Centre.
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
The High School was erected in 1906. At one time the High School was held in a large room in the Town Hall. The Lincoln School is named in honor of the martyred President, Abraham Lincoln. The Cliftondale School was originally called the Bond School, in honor of an old Saugus family, but after an unfortunate controversy in connection with it, the name was changed to Cliftondale School, by a vote in town meeting. The Armitage School is named in honor of Laura F. Armitage, one of the town's most faithful teachers, who served in that capacity for many years. The Lynnhurst, Oaklandvale, and North Saugus Schools bear their designations in honor of their respective localities, and the Roby, Felton, Ballard, Mansfield and Emerson have already been alluded to. Cliftondale's next school building might appropriately be named the "Sweetser School," in honor of "Sweetser's Corner" and the well- known family of that naine.
We are indebted to Hawkes for an interesting recital concerning the Oaklandvale School. When the proposition to build it was pending (1848) a general budget was before the meeting. A resident of the Centre, Ben. Parker, desirous of defeating the whole measure, moved to increase the amount for this school from $1500.00 to $2200.00. It carried. The voters evidently felt exceedingly generous. Probably the tax rate was not mounting skyward then as it is now. The residents of Oaklandvale, to show their appreciation. put up the foundation walls themselves, and the $2200.00 was utilized for the building alone.
"The result was that the smallest school in town had the largest schoolhouse," concludes Hawkes, to whom we are also indebted for another interesting thing in connection with our earlier educational facilities, to wit:
"Before the building of the first schoolhouse, the first detached school of the Third Parish was estab- lished in an apartment of this house" (the old Nathan Hawkes house, on the north side of the road from North Saugus to Wakefield) "a few rods west of the present North Saugus Schoolhouse."
In David N. Johnson's "Sketches of Lynn" is found the first school report made to the Town of Lynn. The outlying districts were Nahant, North Saugus, and Swampscott, thus mentioned:
"Your Committee visited Nahant; found nine present. Also the school at Nathan Hawkes'; present twelve. All the schools visited were in good order." The date of this report is April 14, 1812.
The Rev. Edward T. Taylor, afterwards founder of the Seamen's Bethel in Boston, received the rudiments of his education in this school of Nathan Hawkes' and also was entertained under the roof of this same house during his itinerancy, which carried him also to the old Rock Schoolhouse at East Saugus.
He was introduced to Saugus by "Ma'am Swcetser," to whose house Taylor came in 1814 as an itinerant peddler, selling his wares. Social evening meetings, for exhortation and prayer, were appointed, and the peddler guest took a prominent part therein. People came from miles around. Ma'am Sweetser's whole house, parlor and kitchen, soon became too small to accommodate the crowd that came.
B. F. Newhall writes: "To meet this exigency, a few of the neighbors projected' the building of a schoolhouse, which would answer the double purpose of teaching and preaching. This, by great effort on the part of a few, was soon accomplished, and the 'North End Schoolhouse,' so renowned in after years, sprang into existence."
During Taylor's administration, Methodism took a deep root in North Saugus, and later the First Methodist Episcopal Society (East Saugus) was formed.
At the Rock Schoolhouse in East Saugus, Taylor's career was a stormy one, if all reports are correct. B. F. Newhall says Taylor was there "threatened with stones, tars and feathers, the rail, etc., but he is not in the least discouraged or cast down. His staunch friend, Solomon Brown, is always by his side. 'Fight On, Brother Taylor,' were the encouraging words then given, and he did fight on, and his persecutors quailed before him. Such was the beginning of Methodism in Saugus, and such was the fortune and treatment of the stripling Taylor in its defense," begun in the two earliest schools of Saugus, the one at Nathan Hawkes' house in North Saugus and the other at the old Rock Schoolhouse in East Saugus.
After about two years of labor in Saugus, Father Taylor said "adieu" and entered the academy at Newmarket, N. H., preparatory to entering a wider field of labor, in which he became famous.
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
FATHER TAYLOR
The story of Father Taylor in Saugus is very replete with historical, educational and religious sig- nificance, and we regret that we must leave it and hurry on.
Hawkes says, in one of his many historical gems: "As early as 1635, our towns established schools, supporting them in various ways, by subscriptions, by endowments, by grants of income, by fishing privileges, by tuition fees, by direct taxation, and they have been steadily climbing to the top. At no time has the work relaxed. And now, Massachusetts leads the world in educational privileges."
Saugus is one of the towns included in this complimentary paragraph. Our earlier schools accom- plished much; our modern ones are doing immeasurably more, and that we are not niggardly in this day and generation is shown by the size of our annual appropriations for the maintenance of our public schools, which, as Lord Macaulay once said in parliament, deserve "the peculiar attention of the State."
"Say, I taught thee-" -Henry VIII
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
SAUGUS AS A SEPARATE TOWN
Of our original Saugus territory, our well-known historian, James R. Newhall, aptly says that down to 1814 no very extensive tract had been severed, and continues:
"In that year Lynnfield, which had been called Lynn End, and having been incorporated as a district in 1782, was set off as a separate town under its present name. Another portion was, by legislative action, taken from the mother town in 1815, and incorporated under the name of Saugus, thus reviving the old name in that detached portion of the territory. In 1852 still another portion was set off, and the new town of Swampscott canie into being. The next year, 1853, the pleasant little peninsula was unbound and made a separate municipality. By these facts it will be seen that it is very difficult to treat of those municipal children of Lynn as having any separate early history."
Thus, in 1814, Lynnfield blazed the way to separate corporate identity which Saugus followed the following year, 1815, and which our town is now in the midst of celebrating. Your present historian had at first intended to treat Saugus in three periods, the Colonial, from 1629 to 1775; the Revolutionary, from 1775 to 1815; and the Centennial, from 1815 to 1915, but in a brief, running narrative, hastily pre- pared and of necessity limited as to its scope, it has been decided not to attempt any such subdivision of the topic, which is interwoven and closely allied from the beginning until the present year.
Our town, which was for nearly two hundred years the West Parish of Lynn, was set off as a separate town on Feb. 17, 1815, by an act of the Legislature. There were two remonstrants, petitions against it, but they availed nothing.
The following is a copy of the petition asking that the separate municipality be established, and procured at the State House in Boston:
To the Honorable the Senate and the Honorable the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth in General Court assembled.
The Subscribers of the Second Parish in Lynn in the County of Essex,-"Respectfully represent that the said parish lies in the western part of Lynn and is bounded westerly on Malden and Reading, northerly on Lynnfield and southerly on Chelsea, being wholly in said Town of Lynn except a small section of land in the Town of Chelsea in the County of Suffolk, which is annexed to the said second parish: that it would greatly promote the interest and convenience of the said second parish of Lynn to be set off from a Town; that the travel of the said inhabitants to and from Town meetings would be shortened from one and a half to four miles; that the taxes, now almost insupportable to your petitioners. would be much reduced and would be more equally assessed and distributed, and that many other evils and inconveniences would be remedied. Your petitioners, therefore, pray that the second parish in Lynn may be set off from the Town of Lynn and established as a separate Town, and include all the lands within the boundaries of said parish, except the section of land be- longing to the Town of Chelsea, with all rights and privileges belonging to Towns in this Commonwealth, by the name of Westport, if that shall scem to your Honors right and expedient-and as in duty bound will ever pray.
Lynn, June 2, 1814. (Signed) William Jackson, Thomas Mansfield, Daniel S. Oliver, Thomas Mansfield, Jr., Peter Davis, Robert Emes, Richard Mansfield, Nathaniel Tarbell, John Southwick, Benjamin Wilson. James Johnson, Ahijah Hawks, William Hawks, Ebenezer Hawks, Jolin Raddin, Nathan Hawks, John Felch, Abner Cheever, Ilenry Cheever, William Sweetser, Jr., John Butts, Joseph Danforth, Jacob Newhall, J. I. Newhall, Ebenezer Bancroft, Jonathan Makepeace, Thomas Raddin and James Oliver.
The remonstrants had suggested that the town, if established, be named Westport. This plan was abandoned, however, and the bill, as enacted, incorporated the town of Saugus from the Second Parish of Lynn.
In part, the act was as follows:
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen: An act to incorporate the Second Parish in the town of Lynn into a separate town by the name of Saugus. Section 1-Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by authority of the same:
That all that part of the town of Lynn in the County of Essex lying and being situate within the boun- daries of the Second Parish in Lynn aforesaid, together with the inhabitants therein, be and the same is incor- porated into a separate town by the name of Saugus, viz .: Beginning at Bride's brook, so called, and continuing as the said brook runs until it meets the river that runs between Chelsea and Lynn, and then by said river until it meets Pines river, and then by said Pines river until it meets Saugus river, and then along Saugus river by the middle of said river to Great bridge, so called, then running from said bridge a straight line to the easterly
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
end of the farm now owned by William Sweetser and Ephraim Sweetser, formerly belonging to John Hawks' successors, and then turning and running to the line of Lynnfield to the northern side of the land now belonging to John Reading, formerly of Isaac Larrabee, thence running by the line of Lynnfield until it meets the line of the town of South Reading, thence running by the line between South Reading and the town of Lynn until it comes to the Three County Mark, so called, thence running on the line between Chelsea and Lynn until it comes to Bride's brook, the place first set out from.
LOOKING BACKWARD
Our people in 1815, when we were set off, numbered approximately seven hundred. This year occurred our first town meeting, in accordance with the terms of our charter granted by the Legislature.
It was held in the parish church, Saugus Centre, March 13, 1815. In 1837 General Jackson dis- tributed the United States revenue surplus. The share for Saugus was $2000.00. What should be done with it aroused much discussion. Some wanted it distributed pro rata among the citizens; others wanted it put into a town hall. Finally, after much discussion and heated argument, it was voted to build a "town-house," which was done, the structure being the so-called old town hall, now used for school purposes and the town library.
This "town-house" was used for town meetings until 1875, when the present Town Hall was com- pleted and has since been used for our corporate home. The inhabitants of East Saugus were not very enthusiastic over the new town hall program and made an effort to be annexed to Lynn at this time. The effort was not successful, as the bill was killed by the Legislature. To assuage the feelings of the East Saugus people the town voted $5000.00 to introduce water pipes into that section of the town. This event was celebrated in 1878. The pipes were generally extended throughout the town about ten years later, when an appropriation was passed, July 8, 1887, for seven miles of pipe at a cost of approximately $35,000.00.
In connection with the town's water supply, it is worthy of note that a large standpipe on Baker's Hill is now nearing completion, at a cost of $25,000.00. It is 45 feet in diameter, 85 feet high, and has a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons. It will give a much desired addition to our water supply, and increased pressure, which is so much needed. Its actual use is contemplated about Aug. 1, 1915.
The town has always had three post offices, that is, since their establishment. The first one was authorized at East Saugus in 1832. Henry Slade was the postmaster. In 1858, offices were created at the Centre and Cliftondale. Julian D. Lawrence was postmaster in the former locality, and William Williams at the latter. In those days, these offices were what are called fourth-class offices, where the patrons call for their mail. In 1901, Saugus postal affairs were consolidated with Lynn, and the free delivery of mail established, a privilege which it has since enjoyed, in addition to retaining its local offices of by-gone days. The Saugus post offices now have superintendents instead of postmasters, John E. Stocker being in charge at Saugus Centre, Ernest C. Brown at Cliftondale, and Henry J. Mills at East Saugus. Mr. Stocker has occupied this responsible position since 1870. Ernest C. Brown succeeded Miss Martha S. Fiske, who held the position from 1883 until her death in 1914. Henry J. Mills at East Saugus was appointed in 1885 and is still in the saddle.
During this change in our postal arrangements what is known as a rural free delivery route was installed for the benefit of the people in the outlying sections of the town. It is still in operation and a great convenience to those who are fortunate enough to be upon its line. What such public service would have meant in the Colonial and Revolutionary periods is easily understood, of course, for the rural route, the telephone, and other handmaids of civilization have sent the Saugus countryside ahead by leaps and bounds in the last few years alone.
Another interesting fact in connection with the Saugus postal administration is that when the avia- tion park was in its heyday of threatened success at the Old Saugus Race Track, mail for two or three days was sent by flying machine to the Lynn boundary, where it was dropped to waiting messengers, and by them carried to the Lynn Post Office from a point not far from the foot of Commercial Street, West Lynn, and thence dispatched to the addressces, wherever they might be. Such a letter was dis- patched to the late Hon. Curtis Guild, Jr., at the time United States Ambassador at St. Petersburg (now
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
Petrograd), Russia, who courteously acknowledged its receipt, with complimentary references to the unique manner in which it had been dispatched from Saugus. The temporary post office, which had been established at the aviation field, by authority of the national government, was abandoned after two or three days.
From Saugus to Russia seems a far cry, but the incident of forwarding a letter from Franklin Park to General Guild, at Petrograd, reminds us that the visit of our native son, Gustavus V. Fox, to Russia after the Civil War, has been declared by several writers to have been largely responsible for the purchase of Alaska by this country in 1867.
GUSTAVUS VASA FOX
On May 16, 1866, Congress passed a resolution of greeting to the Emperor of Russia, and Fox was selected to carry a copy to the Russian ruler. This he did on the Miantonomoh, the first American ironclad to cross the Atlantic. He was the recipient of numerous honors, and after he had presented the copy of the resolutions to the Czar on August 8, he telegraphed to Secretary of State Seward of the fact, which cable was the first message from Russia to come to America by the Atlantic cable, as was General Guild's letter to St. Petersburg the first one to be started to Russia by aeroplane from the aviation park years later.
The late Robert C. Winthrop, a distinguished Massachusetts nian, before the Massachusetts His- torical Society, in November, 1883, paid a remarkable tribute to Fox, this son of Saugus, saying, among
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
other things: "He was a nian of great intelligence, accomplishments, and ability; no one rendered more valuable service to the Navy, and to the whole Country, during the late Civil War, than he did."
Fox died in New York City, Oct. 29, 1883, and was not only a very prominent figure during the war, "but was in a large measure responsible for altering the national boundaries when through the instru- mentality of his mission to Russia, the vast territory of Alaska, then the property of that empire, was added to the domain of the American Republic," certainly an interesting historical fact to chronicle in this the hour of our Centennial celebration in Saugus, where Gustavus V. Fox was born in 1821.
U. S. S. SAUGUS
Through the influence of Fox, a monitor of the United States Navy was named "Saugus," a brief history of which is timely. The vessel was a single turret monitor, 4th rate, 2 guns, and 2100 tons dis- placement. It was built by the Harlan Hollingsworth Co., at Wilmington, Delaware, under contract dated Oct. 13, 1862, at a cost of $ 160,000.00; completed April 9, 1864, and put in commission April 7, 1864; North Atlantic Squadron, 1865; laid up at Washington, D. C., in 1866; and sold at Washiington, April 20, 1891.
Another prominent citizen of the 1815 period was Samuel Hawkes, born Dec. 4, 1816. He was a son of Ahijah, who was chairman of the first board of selectmen. Members of the present generation remember Samuel Hawkes well. He was a Democratic member of the Legislature in 1854, the last year tlie State had a Whig Governor. He was appointed by Governor Russell as a delegate to the National Farmers' Congress held at Sedalia, Mo., in 1891. Mr. Hawkes rendered efficient service as Chairman of the Boards of Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor and as Town Moderator. He was exceedingly well versed in town affairs in his time, and by general consent his suggestions as to the amount of the annual appropriations of the Town were almost invariably adopted. From its establishment in 1888, he had been a member of the Sinking Fund Commission, to which he was re-elected at the March meeting of 1903, though known to be seriously ill. He died March 21 of the same year.
The 1820 census gave Saugus 748 people. On April 3. 1815 we cast 150 votes for governor. At the last State election, Nov. 3, 1914, we cast 1193 votes for governor. On April 1, 1914, the population. as taken by the assessors, was 9,360, and Town Clerk Henry A. Parker gives it as his opinion that the population at the present writing, June 1, 1915, is very close to 10,000. The valuation of our real and personal property on April 1, 1914, was $6,913,355.00. Fifty years ago, 1865, the valuation was $1,319,517.00, and the tax rate $17.00 a thousand. In 1911 the rate was $25. 10. In 1860, it was $6.80.
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
The first Town meeting, under the new form of government, held on March 13, 1815, elected to office the following persons:
Moderator William Jackson
Town Clerk Richard Mansfield
Selectmen, Assessors and ยง Overseers of Poor
Ahijah Hawkes, Jonathan Makepeace, Richard Mansfield.
Treasurer
Joseph Cheever ..
Collector of Taxes Richard Shute
Constables
Caleb Downing, William Sweetser.
Surveyors of Highway John Batts, Thomas Hitchings, Benjamin Wilson.
School Committee Thomas Mansfield, Joseph Ames, Solomon Brown, Benjamin Goldthwaite, Jonathan Makepeace, Jacob Newhall.
Fence Viewers Ebenezer Bancroft, John Raddin, Ebenezer Hawkes.
Tythingmen Zachariah Mansfield, Thomas Hitchings, James Cheever, William Nelson, James Howard.
Hog Reeves - Thomas Mansfield, James Howard, Joseph Dampney, Nathaniel Mansfield, John Felch.
Pound Keeper
James Cheever
Sealer of Weights and Measures
Jonathan Makepeace
Surveyor of Lumber
David Capen
CITIZEN SOLDIERY
In all the wars in which the country has been engaged, Saugus has never failed to send forth the flower of its citizenship. That was true of the Revolution. It was equally true of the Civil War. In the trying days of 1861, the town had 163 enlisted men, eight of whom served in the Navy. Gen. E. W. Hinks, Post 95, G. A. R., is one of the most honored of Saugus' organizations, representing, as it does, the Civil War Veterans and their valorous deeds of bravery. Charles A. Newhall was its first com- mander and James F. Pratt is the present occupant of that office. The names of all the soldiers and sailors from Saugus in that period are inscribed on the enduring bronze tablets of the soldiers' monument at the Centre, to which the reader is referred for more detailed information in this regard. This monument was the gift of the late Henry E. Hone, and occupies, worthily, one of the most prominent places in our leading public square.
Saugus was also well represented in the Spanish War.
CONCLUSION
We are "loath to close." The subject deserves more space and attention, but both are denied us. In fact, we were not advised that the willing task of preparing this history was to fall to our unworthy hands until May 11, 1915, which gave us less than two months in which to prepare it, among multitudinous
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HISTORY OF SAUGUS
other duties. Deeply conscious of its many errors and omissions, it is submitted in the hope that it may at least answer some useful purpose, and, in small measure, indicate that even though Saugus is a small Town, there are those who love her. Why, is attempted to be shown herewith.
The history of Saugus ought to be taught in its publie sehools. Our pupils who are learning a great deal about other history, aneient and modern, might well glean something of their own Town. It would make them proud of Saugus, as well as better citizens of it.
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