USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Charlestown > Century of town life; a history of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1775-1887 > Part 16
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The estate 127 on the corner of Austin St. seems to have belonged to JOHN CODMAN, who claimed (391) for a dwelling near Capt. Bar- ber's (see 31). A two-storied wooden house with a hipped roof stood here from an carly date, and was long occupied by Mra. Draper. At present there is a large three-storied wooden building with a high roof, and with stores below and dwellings above. By the Survey, 1767, it was 93 feet "from Codman's House over to M' John Hay's Land" (lot 116).
Here and beyond (?) for 226 ft. on the street, Leach (1780) has placed a few memoranda that are about as puzzling as helpful.
Dr. Isaac Rand appears to have owned the land at the opposite N. E. corner of Austin St., and to have sold (1745, deeds 46, p. 312) lot 129, with a house, to Jas. Hay, who sold (1765) to his son John. HIe left it (1802) to children of Richard Hay, another son, who sold (1804) the corner lot to B. Gage (for many years an occupant). Los3
148
MAIN ST. TO MILLER ST.
on a house (or two houses?) here would be estimated in the claim (74) of JOHN HAY. DR. RAND appears to have continued to hold land through the war, and lost hereabouts a barn occupied by T. Rayner.
Back of 129 and 130 was a piece of mowing land mortgaged (1767) by Ann to T. Rayner (deeds 66, p. 554). It was N. E. 64 ft. on Benj. Rand, 46 on Nich. Hopping; N. W. 296 on Eleazer Dowse ; S. W. 77 on Jos. Lynde; S. E. 306 on Isaac Rand, with a 10 ft. passage to the "country road" (see 110).
NICHOLAS HOPPING (53), whose house in 1767 was, by the Survey, 53 feet from the corner of Hay's pasture (116), sold lot 130 in 1784. D. Wood, Jr., bought (1768) lot 131, 50 ft. front, where, as his claim (131) was for fences, etc., there seems to have been no house (but perhaps end of a barn 20 ft. long).
ELEAZER DOWSE mortgaged (1760, dis. 1770) to Dr. I. Rand, dwelling-house, shop, barn, etc., at 132, and claimed (54) £369. 10s. for loss in 1775, only £17. 10s. of which was for personal estate. He had valued a house in Main St. £266. 13. 4; a barn, workhouse, and smoke-house, £73. 6. 8. His son, Thomas Dowse, LL. D., born in 1771, collected (in Cambridgeport) one of the most superb and ex- tensive private libraries of English literature ever in N. E., that he gave to the Mass. Historical Society.
Back of several lots just described was part of the large amount of land owned by Joseph Lynde, which included the site of the State Prison. He lost about ten buildings, and some of them may have been here. Beyond 132, and along the street northward, was 133, an extensive tract of land owned by Richard Miller (whose marslı was opposite D. Wood). He died in 1755 (see p. 128), and his heirs gave (1765) a general quitclaim to his son Richard, who seems to have held, and to have sold after the war to Jon. Chapman and others. A large part of lots 129 to 132, and of the Lynde and Miller land, is now occupied by wooden houses, most of them old. On Main St., at 129, are, however, two four-storied brick buildings with stores below and dwellings above, and also on Main St., and each side of Chapman St., a little beyond the end of Plan IV., is a block of three-storied brick houses set a few fect back from the street. They occupy the site of the Chapman distillery, a large, low building, that was for years dingy and unsavory. Three of the most notable places on this large area were (at the end of Plan IV.) the garden of S. Johnson, small but very fine, now covered by a shop; the grass arca in front of Dr. Cheever's house (next S.) with two of the noblest trees on private ground on the peninsula, cut down (1885) to make way also for a shop ;
PLAN IV.
133
132
131
Twood St. opened burian soia 0100]
Sec. Cong., Harvard Unularian Ch. 1818
James Hunnewally and J.FH.
este nds further -+
Green Street
1
[DO-IT - Row at hun isAl
Winthrop Chiork.
2
pasture until
117
3
4
127
1
5
116
113
12.6
Thompson Square
nz
123
124
111
Back 49
123
110
[Union St] 122
121
100
1799
Pleasant 9
120
pasty urt.4179.
Cordis Street
Chapel
118
[This Plan enlarged from one made for the Cijas C.]
bust is ante
130
129
...
First Baptist Che
Austin St.
Main St.
6
115
Universalist church
Warren St. after 1786 ]
---.
114
(laid out through l'ordi's pasture)
149
THE TOWN IN 1775.
and the printing establishment of S. Etheridge, and of his son. The 'two houses, altered, still stand, of wood, with three low stories, and ends on the street ; but the building whence issued a large part of the volumes ever printed in town was burned over forty years ago. It stood at some distance back from the street, at 132-3, and was of brick and three stories high. Mr. Etheridge (Sr.) bought the estate, with a house, in 1806, and did a good deal of creditable work here, continued by his son (1810-17), but neither of them had the pecuniary success that their enterprise and skill deserved. (The G. and E., which is very imperfect in regard to the earlier printers in the town, mixes the father and son in a brief notice.)
On Main St. the more closely occupied ground ended at 113 and 132 on Plan IV., and northiward, except in three neighborhoods, there were only scattered houses. These groups and a few of the notable houses were successively as follows : -
At the right, a little beyond the end of Plan IV., and opposite the Chapman estate just mentioned, is a square house, three stories high, the upper story low, and set a few feet back from the street. It is built of wood, and was arranged for, and much of the time occupied by, two families. Internally it was well and quaintly finished, but now it is much changed. According to Drake (S. A., Hist. Mansions, 1874, p. 19), this was the first house "erected in Charlestown after its destruction in 1775," - a statement repeated in the Memorial History of Boston (1880). In these accounts it is called the house, or mansion, of Thos. Edes, where Samuel F. B. Morse was born, to become one of the most distinguished natives of the town. renowned for his inventions, and remarkable for the honors he received. There is a report, traced to one of the oldest inhabitants, that this house was built about 1759, partly of oak grown on the hill close by, and that the British used it as a bakchouse during their occupation of the pe- ninsula, in evidence of which was a remarkably large hearth found under the floor of a back room by the present owner. Papers be- longing to another family and dated before the war are said to have been found at the same time under the floor of the second story. As shown already (p. 11), the house here before 1775 was probably not burned June 17th, but used by the British, and its destruction must have been later. Mr. Wood's own list of losses is given under 118. As he was a baker his services would be early in demand, and he may have speedily built, and have worked in the back part of his house, thus accounting for the hearth. Thos. Edes, a leather-dresser, who does not appear to have held real estate (G. and E., 322), mar-
150
MAIN ST. TO MILL VILLAGE.
ried (1761) a daughter of D. Wood, who after his death married (1793) John Stanton. As Mrs. Stanton she bought the estate (1797) of the heirs of Wood, and held it until her death (1818).
Farther north on Main St., and on this side (easterly), the houses seem to have been more separated. Opposite the shop of R. Miller (lot 133) was JOHN STONE'S estate, 68 ft. front, bought in 1766, in his elaim (108), and sold by his wife (1795). ISAAC CALL (98), who married a daughter of Dea. John Frothingham, lost a shop. ISAAC KIDDER & SON bought (1774) adjoining Frothingham prop- erty and claimed (101) for a dwelling, as did SAM! (or more likely Jas. ) KENNEY (103), who had also a shop. He bought in this neigh- borhood (1767) and sold in 1787. JOHN STIMPSON also owned prop- erty originally Frothingham, but long in his family, and elaimed (93) for a dwelling in "fore street." Next to him MERCY FROTHINGHAM elaimed (300) for 3 of a house, a woodhouse, and furniture.
On the other (westerly) side, at the corner of Miller St. (?), STE- PHEN PIERCE (106) held (1768 to 1800) a lot 157 ft. front, and 330 to 367 ft. deep. He lost a house, barn, and "furintur." Next him seems to have been JOIIN CHAMBERLAIN, who bought just before the war, and elaimed (62) for a house new-shingled, with four lower rooms, one chamber, fine new sash windows, and a shop at the back.
THOMAS WOOD elaimed (66) the unusually large amount of £412. 10s. for loss on personal estate. He seems to have been a dealer in furniture, and had a large stoek, ineluding 43 desks, 23 tables, ete. His place was near the entrance to the old Burying- ground. Opposite it he had a pasture, and BENJ. WOOD a lot of mowing ground, and a small claim (52). MARGARET THOMAS, spinster, had a hard time hereabouts, buying (1773) on mortgage a house on Main St., claiming (63) for loss of it (1775), and having the mortgage foreclosed (1776) by Gov. Increase Sumner. SARAH FROTHINGHAM also hereabouts (?) had a elaim (69) for loss of a house, and personal estate.
Mill Village and Neighborhood.
This was a group of houses at and near the junction of Main, Mill, and Eden Sts. Approaching it from the south, there were several estates on the Westerly side of Main St. ABIGAIL FROTHINGHAM (64), wife of Thos. (he died Dec., 1775), lost a house "in fore street," a barn, and a "joyner's " shop. JONAS EATON (67) lost a house 40 × 21, and outhouse 25× 18, covering-shop 20 × 18, bark-house 25 × 20, and a good mill with 9 "tanpats." Next was Maj. BENJ.
151
THE TOWN IN 1775.
FROTHINGHAM (68), who lived on the lot next north of the engine- house opposite Walker St., and who lost a dwelling, barn, and shop. At his house, built of course after the war, Gen. Washington made the only private call -the only call -that he ever made in Charles- town. All the three last-named losses included personal. The Froth- inghams held lands in this neighborhood from its settlement, owning nearly across the peninsula, and, until recent years, being here rep- resented by several families. Richard's great square wooden house, built after the war at the corner of Eden St., was prominent. Mrs. F. Hall still represents the family on their old ground, in a well- known and hospitable house, a brick one with a swell front and three stories. John Fenton, named in the Leach sketch, was some- where near here. WMI. WYER claimed (210) for loss of the Cape Breton Tavern at the corner of Main St. and Mill St., the site of which he sold (1785) to B. and E. Mitchell. From the "main Road" a highway 25 feet wide led to the mills, that in some form stood from early to recent times. For losses here WM. PAIN claimed (72) £800., the value of eight buildings, - a large double dwelling, a barn 30 × 18, a mill-house with 2 gristmills, a store 60 × 24, a store 30 × 16, a fulling-mill with 3 pairs of stocks, a smoke-house, a wharf, and gates to the mill pond. These buildings, or some of them, were not de- stroyed until Jan. 1776, and then by Americans as a necessity of war. WM. GREENE claimed (70) £120. for a house, cistern, and wharf, near them.
On the easterly side of Main St., approaching from the south, Leach has marked successively, with the lengths of frontages on the street, "JOS. FROTHINGHAM" (60 ft.), who claimed (59) £358. for loss on buildings ; "J. Frothingham " (114 ft.) ; "Colley " (?) (72 ft.) ; "from Mr. Eaton [foot of p. 150] over to Calleys is 54 Feet" (Survey, 1767); Robert Calley was a schoolmaster in town for some years ; "J. FROTHINGIIAM " (40 ft.), JAMES claimed for a shop (142) ; " N. FROTII- INGHAM " (97 ft.), NATHANIEL claimed (96) £676. for losses on real estate ; "WM. FROTHINGHAM" (90 ft.) claimed (94) £436. for a house, shop, barn, and orchard. Furniture and a house were reported lost by Sam. Frothingham. The next lot is marked by Leach vacant ; the next "Edles," and the last he notes on the street, "Mallet's house," appears to have been ISAAC MALLET'S, "blacksmith " and "schoolmaster at the neck," who had considerable property and a claim (89) £558. MARTHIA MALLET (90) had a small claim. In this region seems to have been Bethia, widow of Thos. Call, who stated a loss of a dwelling, barn, and outhouse. From the Mill Village
152
NECK VILLAGE AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
to the end of the neck by the main land the ground along Main St. was low, and much of it marshy, so that it was overflowed by high tides, thus accounting for an absence of houses on it for nearly half a mile. The Survey of 1767 mentions little except marshes, lands, and fences.
Neck Village and Neighborhood.
There was a group of estates and houses on the main land close to the narrow neck. Of the owners ABIGAIL WILLIAMS (81) lost fur- niture; JOHN HANCOCK (84) a large dwelling, barn, and small build- ings (see 73) ; JAMES FOSDICK (part of 86) a dwelling "just without the Neck," and his fences and trees were damaged; the estate of JABEZ WIIITTEMORE (87), "innkeeper," who died in 1773, a house, barn, and store; WMI. LAMSON, who lost boats and other personal, and JOSEPH LAMISON, who had a large and comfortable estate, lost a dwelling with 3 stacks of chimneys, a shop, barn, etc. (He also had a wharf, and about a dozen acres of land, most of it cultivated.) Frances Lamson, for Jolin, deceased, stated a loss of a house "with 5 smoaks," a shop, storehouse, and barn. Some of the Temple prop- erty (see next page) was close by, and apparently some of its large loss (416).
At a short distance was the ferry to Malden, and on the way to it was JOHN BEACHIAM (80), who lost a large dwelling with 14 rooms, a barn, "wearhouse," goldsmith shop, and sundry small buildings (Relief Ellery reported that the Continental forces took much fur- niture and clothing, owned by her, from his (?) house June 17); also CAPT. BEAL (82) £120. on real estate; STEPHEN SWEETSER (83), "ferryman," who lost a house and barn; and LYDIA ABBOT (99) near the ferry, who had a house and shop. All these had per- sonal losses. STEPHEN MILLER (395) lost chiefly trees, fences, etc. On the road to Medford was John Deland, who stated that he lost a house, barn, and woodhouse.
As buildings included in these losses were much too far from the main town to catch fire from it, they were probably destroyed by the British "armed transport " stationed to rake the neck. The de- struction, probably from the same source, extended inland and along the road to Cambridge, that for some distance was near the water.
In the Mass. Archives (138, p. 350) is a small leaf without date, place, or signature, but relating to this subiect, with a statement of " The Number of Houses that was Exposed to an armed Vessel of a Hundred Tun Burden - Daniel Whittemore House ; Joseph Whitte- more; John Burdit; John Nickols, Eben' Pratt; Daniel Waters;
153 -
THE TOWN IN 1775.
Benje Blaney ; John Barrot; Eben! Sargeant ; John Bucknam ; Aaron Bucknam ; Thomas Sargeant; Stephen Pain ; Joseph Pain ; Widow Barrots ; Number 15. - The Houses exposed to the Cannon on Bun- kerhill, John Beachams; Stephen Greens; Samuel Sweetzer; Benj: Sprague ; Eben! Barrot; Number 6. - and Twelve more houses Ex- posed to a Flooting Battery up our North River ; 12+6+ 15= 33; these thirty three Houses was Exposed to the Enemy Without it Being in our Power to hurt our Enemy."
Apparently on Cambridge road were losses claimed by MARTHA (404), THOMAS (434), and JOHN (437) IRELAND, for crops, fences, "locos " and "Frute " trees ; Jos. PHIPPS (424), who lost a dwelling, bakehouse adjoining, a barn, fences, trees, and crops ; JOHN DELAND, who lost a dwelling, barn, and woodhouse; EUNICE MILLER (428), whose house was damaged ; as were the trees, fences, etc., of ABRA- HAM FROST (430). Peleg Stearns (417) claimed for 2 houses, 2 barns, outhouses, and fences. EBENEZER SHED (407) stated the loss of his part of a "hows an barn an chear hows" (£140., besides £279. 3. 2. to crops, fences, etc.), April 19th, and with the same name (409) and date there is a long list of tools, crops, etc., lost ; also " the wido abigal Sheds thirds " damaged in "apil," and "locest tres," small house, etc. James Miller (398), stated (G. and E., 669) to have been killed by the British April 19 (but whose list is dated Needham, Feb. 19th), lost £4. 12. by "the Regulars " April 19th, and £16. June 17th. Hereabouts seem to have been the large losses of WM. BARKER (51) (Barber?) "19th of June," a dwelling, "his house on the wharfe by the Ferry," etc., and of Mary Barker, of furniture in her father's house. The estate of SAM. KENT (438) lost little but on trees, fences, etc., while (hercabouts ?) Jos. WHITTEMORE (233) lost a dwelling, a shop separate, a "warehouse with shed to pack fish in," furniture, etc., and WHITTEMORE and KETTELL (236) a dwelling where Jos. W. lived.
At some distance inland, arose claims for the estate of WM. TUFTS (440), who died in 1773, chiefly on trees, fences, etc. ; the small one of PETER TUFTS (401) ; the much larger one of PETER TUFTS, JR. (399), that included £358. damages on lands (the second in amount of this sort, - £416., R. Temple, being the largest), and probably SAM. TUFTS (420) similar, and also large. [David Tufts also pre- sented a claim for crops.]
Joseph Teel reported damage to furniture, clothing, etc., part of it " done by our own people," in a "house on way leading into Temple's
154
TEN HILLS FARM.
farm." This last was the important historic estate called "The Ten- Hills Farm," that extended along Mystic River about half a mile be yond the Neck, and was open to fire from British guns brought up by water, as apparently they were. A descendant of Sir Purbeck Temple (G. and E., 938) of Co. Bucks, Eng., ROBERT TEMPLE, held it and claimed (416) for losses in 1775, amounting to £965. 4s., none of which was on buildings, and £260. on personal estate. This was the original country seat of Gov. J. Winthrop, whose heirs sold the farm (1677) to the widow of Peter Lidgett, merchant, of Boston. Iler daughter married Lt .- Gov. Usher, of N. II., into whose posses- sion the farm seems to have passed after his wife's death (1698), for he mortgaged it (1707-10, etc.) described as "309 acres upland, 146 acres marsh." At his death it was estimated 500 acres, worth £10,000. From the Usher heirs it passed (1740) to Robt. Temple, and from him to his son (above), who, 1764-65, mortgaged it as 251} acres. From the Temples it passed (1780) to N. Tracy, mer- chant, of Cambridge and Newburyport, and later (1785) it was mort- gaged to Hon. Thomas Russell, when there were about 300 acres, with , buildings (deed 91, 408). In May, 1842, by a map (1 B. 48, deeds) the farm extended along the line of Medford from the river to Winter Hill road, and by these to a creek eastward. Subsequently the farm was occupied by Col. S. Jaques, an agriculturalist and sports- man, who kept his dogs, dressed somewhat in the quaint fashion of an English country squire, and, in a degree, followed his ways, and lived in a square, two-storied, wooden house, shaded by a few elms and standing conspicuously on one of the hills towards the river. His heirs mortgaged the farm (1852-58) when it was a remnant of 80 acres, 25 rods, all between the river and Medford turnpike. The whole place is now (1887) dismantled, as it has been for years, leav- ing it a dreary waste as the ending of the one early estate in the town resembling or suggesting an English gentleman's country seat.
In the long list of claims there are a few that the writer has not placed, accurately or probably, as on the foregoing pages. These claims are of NEHEMIAH NORCROSS (13), a workshop, etc., £26. - Estate of NATH. SOUTHER (121), a house with a kitchen, and a barn, £125 .- THOMAS NEWELL (209), a dwelling and a little furniture, £200 .- SAM. HARRIS (232), dwelling and bakehouse, "which Cost me £186. 13. 4," claim £200. - T. DAYLEY (251), a dwelling, out- house, and "New finsing," also furniture, £87. (a claim seems not to have been allowed for his " beeing Cast away on account of not knowing
1
155
TOWN LIST OF LOSSES, 1775.
Where for to Come to on the 6 day of Novemb. 1774"). - Estate of THOMAS DIZART (252) (list by widow Mary ?), dwelling with 3 lower rooms, 2 chambers, 2 garretts, 2 stacks chimneys, a large barn, a little house, 50 trees bearing fruit, furniture, etc., £395. 3. 2, made in the claim £250. (B. Hill, near the Training field ?) - JON. CAREY (286), dwelling and furniture, £80. - JOHN CAREY (287), dwelling, work-house, timber, and furniture, £213. (Mardling St. ? ). - SAM. PRESTON (298), of Littleton, } of a house, and } of a house, £116. - BENJ. MIRICK (363), dwelling adjoining Jos. Hopkins, £10. (Fish St .? ).
Besides the claims that include buildings, nearly all of which have been located, there were many for personal property only, furniture, shop-stock, loss of trees, crops, fences, and other damage, most of which it would be hard to place. The object of the writer, after great labor, has been attained, - that of finding the arrangement and ex- tent of the town burned.
Among the lists prepared by the individual sufferers there are names and buildings - especially parts of the latter - mentioned and not found on the list of the committee. Of these the writer finds un- certain the location of Sarah Call's } of a house; John Harding's § of a dwelling, on Main St., with 3 rooms on a floor, 3 square cham- bers, and a garret ; Thos. Hender's house and furniture ; Eliz. Miller's dwelling (main st.) ; Sarah Miller's house and barn ; Thos. Powar's house ; some of Dr. Rand's houses ; Mary Rand's half house and barn ; Mary Smith's mansion, outhouse, and large shop; Aaron Town- send's house, "which cost more than £80 .; " and Henry Sweetser's shop and tools. Claims for some of these may have been finally made under other names.
TOWN LIST OF LOSSES, JUNE 17, 1775.
A BOOK in MS., lettered Charlestown Archives, Vol. 59, among the records of the Town, bears a written title on its third page: "This Book contains, [ an Estimate of the Loss | sustained, by the Inhabi- tants of | Charlestown | by the Destruction there of | June 17º Anno ) Domini, | 1776." The first and fourth pages are blank, the second bears " R. Deven's" at the upper left corner, and the date shows an error of one year, as is found to be the case elsewhere in the records.
At the top of the fifth page is the entry : "In the Committee ap- pointed by the Inhabitants of | Charlestown at their meeting in March 1776 to receive | and liquidate the Accounts of Losses said Inhabitants | have sustained by burning the Buildings in Charlestown | and other
1
156
TOWN LIST OF LOSSES, 1775.
Ravages of the British Troops in said town." Also: "Voted, as the sense of this Committee, that in making | the Estimate above referred to, it will be expedient to | consider the losses in the following manner, viz; first, [ The loss on Buildings the sum to be allowed for any | Build- ing to be so much as will make the Building as good | as it was imme- diately before its destruction, Secondly | the Damage done to Land, Trees and fences, Thirdly, the | loss in personal Estate."
The lower third of this page is blank, and there are neither signa- tures, names of the Committee, place of meeting, nor date. On the next page the following list of losses begins. In order to determine the extent and plan of the town in 1775, the writer endeavored to place as nearly as he could, after much labor, each loss, or the home of each claimant, as this course was the only one by which a nearly satisfactory result could be obtained, and for reference the whole list is here printed (for the first time, it is thought).
The Town meeting that acted in the matter was held " at Mr. Jere- miah Snow's, innholder, in Charlestown, March 6, 1776," without the peninsula, all within having been destroyed. The Committee con- sisted of the seven Selectmen : Nath! Gorham, Nath! Frothingham, Peter Tufts, Jr., Capt. Jno. Stanton, Stephen Miller, David Wood, Jr., and Timº Tufts, to whom were added Richard Devens, Benj. Hurd, Thos. Wood, Peleg Stearns, John Larkin, and David Cheever. April 3, Capt. Nathan Adams, Eben! Breed, Capt. Isaac Foster, Nath! Brown, John Frothingham, and John Turner were also added. It was voted that any seven of the nineteen were to be a quorum, and that meetings should be held in Cambridge. The report was made and accepted May 16, 1776. Later meetings were held in "Mr. Swan's barn," and "at the house of Mrs. Anna Whittemore, innholder." Note of the ill-success of this and other efforts has already been made.
The numbers 1 to 484, and the last column of references to places, are added to the original list by the writer for convenience.
Names of Persons.
Loss on Buildings.
Lands, trees, and fences.
Estate, Personal.
Expense of Cartage.
Total
d.
1. Estate of Mich! Brigden
2. Richard Trumbull
3. Thomas Larkin .
200. 0. 0
3. 0. 0 282. 6.
4 I. do.
4. John Larkiu .
12. 10. 0
62. 19. 10
3. 0.0
5. Thos. Russell . 1,750. 0. 0 .
504. 2. 4
12. 0. 0
6. Sam! Larkin .
·
287. 0. 0
22. 0. 0
33. 0. 0 13. 13. 0
18. 0
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