USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Everett > Everett souvenir. 1870-1893 > Part 2
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KILBURN & CROSS
Old Blaney House.
Now the residence of Wm. J. Partridge. Formerly the residence of Capt. Benj. Blaney, an officer in the Revolutionary Army, and a prominent citizen of Malden. This house is nearly, if not quite 200 years old, and parts of it are said to be 250 years old. It was one of the aristocratic residences of its time, and is built of oaken timbers and wrought iron nails. Capt. Blaney was a tanner, and opposite this house was his tanyard.
Bucknam to be ageants to apear at the Generall Court the second Wednesday of the next Sessions to act in behalf of the town of Maken referring to a peti- tion of Joses Bucknam. John Mudge, and sundery other of the inhabitance of the Southerdly part of said town, which petition is that the Generall Court would set them of into a diss- tinct Township or precinct acording to the bounds mentioned in said petition. "
At a town meeting held May 17. 1736. " according to the desire of Mr. Jonathan Sargeant and others it was put to a vote to see if the town will set them of with all the inhabitants and estates into a distinct township or par- rish by the bounds hereafter mentioned, beginning at a stake and heep of stones in the marsh by Molton's island which is the station line or bounds between
river runs to the first station with all there proportionable part of all there ministerial lands belonging to the said town, and it passed in the negitive." These bounds would include somewhat more than the present territory of Everett.
In 1737, the efforts of South Malden for separation were more successful, and by act of the General Court passed Dec. 27. 1737, the south part of Malden was set off as a separate parish by the lines prayed for by the petitioners, " Saving that Samuel Bucknam, John Shute, James Hovey, James Green, Obadiah Jenkins, Isaac Waite, Isaac Wheeler and Jonathan Knower " were allowed to continue with the North Precinct, so long as they with their families should attend the public wor- ship there.
From this time much of our know- ledge of South Malden, and of the men who were prominent in its affairs for more than a hundred years later, is derived from the records of the South Parish and South School District.
SKETCH OF THE SOUTHI PARISH.
The first precinct meeting was held Jan. 23, 1738, at which Captain Sam- uel Green was chosen Moderator ; Thomas Waite, 3d, Clerk ; Captain Samuel Green, Stower Sprague, Ben- jamin Blaney, Samuel Stower, Joseph Willson, Committee to call precinct meetings.
At a meeting held March 13, 1738, a permanent organization was effected : Elder, Jonathan Sargeant ; Moderator, Thomas Waite, 3d; Clerk, James Bar rett ; Captain Samuel Green, Nathaniel Upham, John Burditt, Joseph Willson, a Committee ; Lieut. Thomas Burditt ; Thomas Waite, 3d, Stower Sprague, Benjamin Blaney, John Winslow, As- sessors ; Joses Bucknam, Treasurer ; and Phinehas Sargeant, Collector.
A parish was a territorial corporation at that time, and taxes were assessed for the support of public worship in the same manner as ordinary town taxes. The assessors held their first recorded meeting at the house of Ben- jamin Blaney, now occupied by William J. Partridge, June 9, 1738, and assessed a sum of seventy-five pounds for the . support of " ye ministry."
At a meeting of the South Precinct, March 30, 1739, " a vote was called for to see if ye Precinct wouldl finish ye Schoolhouse, and ye vote pased in ye negitive."
At a public meeting of the South Precinct in Malden, May ye eightth, 1739, voted, " To finish ye outeside of the Meeting house."
The South Precinct maintained a troubled existence of fifty-five years. For about three years after the depar- ture of Mr. Stimpson, they we rewith- out a pastor.
On April 2, 1747, Rev. Aaron Cleve- land was called to the pastorate, at a salary of £360, "old tenor,"- deprecia- ted paper money, not worth twenty cents on the dollar. Shortly after, on April 24, 1747, the South Parish voted to raise £1200, old tenor, for the pur- pose of providing a parsonage, and selected the tract of land which, with eight acres added in 1749, is now known as the "Sargent and Popkin estate," on Main, Prescott, Everett, and Tremont Streets. The old parsonage may still be seen near the corner of Main and Prescott Streets, recently occu-
II
EVERETT SOUVENIR.
The Parsonage of the South Parish, in Malden.
Situated on Main Street just South of Prescott. It was built in 1747 or earlier, and was for many years the residence of Rev. Eliakim Willis, the last minister of the South Parish, and later by Col. John Popkins.
pied by Mr. Wm. G. Heaver. Mr. Cleveland commenced his labors May 23, 1747, and continued to serve until Nov. 1750. For somewhat more than a year from this time the parish was without a pastor. On Oct. 16, 1751, it concurred with the church in calling Rev. Eliakim Willis as the precinct's minister, but the negotiations for his settlement were somewhat protracted, and it was not until Feb. 20, 1752, that the terms were definitely fixed, the salary to be £53. 6s. Sd., specie value, the use of the parsonage, enlarged and repaired, and 18 cords of wood. Con- siderable opposition was developed by a portion of the parish, who desired re- union with the North Precinct, which now proposed to pull down the new meeting-house and remove it to its origi- nal site. These overtures were rejected and Mr. Willis commenced his labors. The affairs of the parish steadily de- clined from this time, owing largely to internal discord and the withdrawal of influential members. In 1758, it pro- posed a reunion with the North Parish, the united parish to maintain two min- isters, to be paid from the town treas- ury, but the North Parish acted upon these proposals "in the negitive." On March 23, 1766, the South Precinct, finding itself unable longer to raise the money to pay Mr. Willis his salary, voted to convey to him its parsonage house and land on condition that he would relinquish his civil contract and preach to them for three years, the weekly contributions to belong to the parish, and to be paid to Mr. Willis for
the purpose of extending the period of his service. This parsonage estate re- mained in the hands of Mr. Willis and of his devisees until 1870, when all of it, except the house lot, was sold and cut up into building lots. At the end of the term for which he was thus com- pensated, Mr. Willis, at the request of the parish, engaged to continue the work of the ministry for a free contri- bution from Sabbath to Sabbath. From March 27. 1775, to June 5, 1787, through all the period of the Revolu-
tionary War and for four years after, there is no record of any parish meet- ing.
At the latter date, in consequence of dissensions in the North Parish, grow- ing out of the ministry of Rev. Adoni- ram Judson, a considerable number of wealthy members left the former and joined the South Precinct. With this seasonable reinforcement the prospects of the South Parish brightened. The then dilapidated old meeting-house on Belmont Hill was repaired, and for four years the parish enjoyed an era of prosperity. On the dismission of Rev. Mr. Judson, in 1791, the way was opened for a reconciliation between the North and South Parishes.
At a meeting held Jan. 12, 1792, the South Parish accepted the terms of union reported by a joint committee of the two parishes, and on Feb. 23, 1792, after a separation of fifty-five years, the articles of union were confirmed by the General Court. Rev. Mr. Willis be- came the pastor of the united churches, and so continued until his death, though with Rev. Aaron Green as colleague after Sept. 25, 1795.
By the terms of the agreement it was stipulated also that the Rev. Mr. Willis should be allowed to preach in the South Meeting-house six Sabbaths a year, so long as he should continue able to administer the sacrament to any of the then church.
The old meeting-house continued to stand for several years longer, but was at length sold about the year 1796. On Dec. 10, 1800, we find the last entry of a meeting of the South Parish, at which meeting it was "Voted that the Money the Meeting House was Sold for that
Interior of Kitchen in the Blaney House. From a photograph taken for the Everett Souvenir.
12
EVERETT SOUVENIR.
Belonged to the South Parish in Malden Should be as a fund in the hands of the Treasurer of the South District upon Intrest so long as the District Continues to be a District in the South Part of Said Town and that the Intrest of that Money be anualy be Laid out By the Said District Com'ttee for the Benifit of the Schooling of the youth."
Rev. Eliakim Willis, already men- tioned as pastor first of the South Par- ish and then of the united parishes, was a man of eminent piety, and very highly respected in the community. Ile was born in New Bedford, Jan. 9, 1714. and graduated from Harvard College in 1735. He died March 14, 1Sor, aged SS. He was chairman of
Former Residence of Capt. Nathan Nichols.
And before him of Capt. Isaac Smith. Situated on Chelsea St., south east of Ferry St. It is said to have been 200 years old or more. Partially burned March 18, 1874.
IV.
NOTED MEN OF THE SOUTH PARISH.
At this point we may notice a few of the prominent citizens who were resi- dents in this part of Malden during the latter part of the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth century.
Captain Isaac Smith was for many years a representative of the town of Malden, in the General Court, and was said to have been an influential member. Though taken from the almshouse in Boston when a boy, he sustained as a citizen an enviable and untarnished reputation. He is mentioned as the commander of an armed vessel in the Revolutionary War. He lived first in the north part of the town, and after- wards removed to South Malden, where he had large landed possessions, which. after his death in 1795, were for the most part sold to his son-in-law. Cap- tain Nathan Nichols, for many years a prominent and respected citizen of Mal- den. At the time of his death, Captain Smith was said to have been the wealth- iest man in Malden. As indicating the standard of wealth in those days, it may be added that Captain Smith left, after his estate was settled. about $20.000 to be divided among his ten heirs.
the committee that reported the instruc- tions of the town of Malden, addressed to Ezra Sargent, then representative in the General Court.
From a photograph of a painting.
Capt. Nathan Nichols
Was born in South Malden, Mass., April 18, 1765. Died August 19, 1841. At the age of ten years witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill. Commenced to follow the sea at fourteen, and was shipmaster before he attained his majority. His voyages were made principally to Russia and Holland. 1Ie sailed for Thomas Russell of Charlestown, whose residence was where the Waverly House now stands. He followed the sea until the war of 1812, and then was shipping agent for Mr. Russell for a term of years. He owned and cultivated what is now known as the Nichols Farm. He represented the town of Malden in the legislature, in the years 1819, 1820, 1823, 1824. Married Dorcas Smith, of Malden, and had eight children. The present City Treasurer of Everett is one of his grand- children.
There still remained, at or near ISoo, several citizens who had taken a prom- inent and honorable part in the Revolu- tionary War. Among those may be
The . Nehemiah Oakes House. Still standing on Ferry Street.
13
EVERETT SOUVENIR.
mentioned Captain Benjamin Blaney, who commanded the company of militia from Malden in the battle of Lexing- ton, and the company which marched to join Washington's army in New Jer- sey, in Dec. 1776. His father was a prominent man in the South Parish, and a magistrate of some note, and was found dead in the road when returning from the discharge of his duty, not without suspicions of murder. Captain Blaney was prompt in duty and perse- vering in effort. 1Ie frequently served as moderator in parish meetings. He removed from the town in the latter part of his life. Among the minute men who marched under the command of Captain Blaney, April 19, 1775, were the following prominent citizens of South Malden : Nehemiah Oakes, Sar- geant ; Winslow Sargent, Drummer ; Ezra Sargent, Silas Sargent, Naler Hatch, Daniel Waters, Stephen Payne, Jr. A familiar acquaintance with the men of the time would doubtless show many others.
Colonel John Popkin was of a Welsh family, and was born in Boston in 1743. Before the Revolutionary War he was a member of Paddock's Artillery Com- pany. In the army he was a captain of artillery in Gridley's Regiment, and
-
The Jonathan Green House, On Ferry Street, near the Malden line.
disbanding of the army in 1783. After the war he resided in Bolton, and later in South Malden in the old South Par- ish parsonage house, devised in part to his wife by Rev. Mr. Willis, on Main near the corner of Prescott Street, where
KILBURN & CROSS-
The Howard House, (so called).
Standing next north of the Glendale Chapel. Over the door may be seen the date of the latest addition, 1797. The older part is much more ancient. From this older house, tradition says, a man named Whittemore went to the Battle of Bunker Hill, and was killed.
€
was in the battle of Bunker Hill and at the siege of Boston. He was commis- sioned captain in Knox's Artillery, and was in the battle of White Plains ; he was made a major in Greaton's Regi- ment, Jan. 1, 1777 ; was aide to General Lincoln at Saratoga, and was commis- sioned lieutenant colonel of Crane's Artillery Regiment, July 15, 1777, in which position he continued until the
he died May 8, 1827. He was a mem- ber of the Society of Cincinnati, and was for many years an inspector of customs in Boston. He walked to and from Malden, four miles, every day, from 1789 until he was more than eighty-four years old. His most distin- guished descendant was Rev. John S. Popkin, born Jan. 19, 1774, a clergy- man and professor in Harvard College,
and his successor in the Society of the Cincinnati. Colonel Popkin married, as his second wife, Sarah Sargent, widow of Rev. Nahum Sargent. The daughter of the latter, Miss Elizabeth H. Sargent, lived in the old parsonage on Main Street, until her death, Feb. I, 1877. Ebenezer Willis Popkin, a son of Colonel Popkin, lived on the same spot until his death, Dec. 12, 1883.
Captain Jonathan Oakes was born in Malden, October 4, 1751, and was in command of a vessel in the merchant service before he was twenty years of age. In the latter part of 1776, he was captain of the private armed brigantine " The Hawke," of ten guns and eighty men. The next year the " Hawke " was taken into the service of the State, and sailed with Captain Manley on the dis- astrous cruise in which his associates were captured at Halifax. Captain Oakes was fortunately separated from them, and thus escaped and took sev- eral valuable prizes. He continued in command of the " Hawke " until 1779, making three important captures in 1778. He then purchased an interest in the armed brigantine "Thomas." of which he took command. In 1780 he made a cruise in the ship "Favorite," of ten guns, and when he returned he took command of the " Patty," of which he was an owner. In 1781, while in command of the latter vessel, he took the British brig " Betsey," bound for Lisbon. He was a representative in the General Court for twelve terms, the longest service on record, with one ex- ception. Captain Oakes died August 16, 1818, at the age of 67 years, leav- ing a son of the same name, who also was for many years a prominent citizen of South Malden. Two grandchildren
14
EVERETT SOUVENIR.
An Old House on Shute Street. Former residence of George Shute. Probably a century or more old.
of the latter are now living in Everett, -Mrs. Mary F. Atwood and Mrs. Harriet S. Merrill.
Captain Daniel Waters was among those who marched with Captain Blaney on the day of the battle of Lexington, where he saw his only service upon the land. Immediately upon the invest- ment of Boston, he was appointed by Washington upon the gunboat doing duty on Charles River, and in 1776 was promoted to the schooner "Lee," in which position he distinguished him- self by bringing the prize ship " Hope," which had been captured by Captain Mugford, into Boston Harbor in the face of the British fleet, and by assisting in the capture of a number of transports, in one of which was the colonel and a
portion of the 71st Regiment, with sup- plies of great value to the Continental service. He was appointed a captain in the United States Navy March 15, 1777. He sailed as a volunteer with Captain Manley in the " Hancock," and upon the capture of the British frigate "Fox." of 28 guns, was put in command of that vessel. Both vessels were captured at Halifax by a superior British force. Captain Waters was taken a prisoner to New York, where he was retained until April, 1778, when he was exchanged. In March, 1779, he was in command of the United States brig "General Gates." He commanded the ship "General Put- nam," a privateer of 20 guns, on the expedition to the Penobscot in 1779.
Late Residence of Thaddeus Pierce,
Father and son, for nearly 70 years. Prior to its purchase by Thaddeus Pierce, the elder, it was owned by Mr. Burditt.
In December, 1779, he sailed on a cruise in the armed ship " Thorn," of 18 guns and 120 men, and on Christ- mas morning captured two British brigs, " Tryon " and " Sir William Erskine," after inflicting great loss upon both. These two brigs carried 34 guns and 178 men. The " Thorn " lost eighteen men, killed and wounded, among the latter being Captain Waters, who re- ceived a wound in the knee, from the effects of which he became permanently lame. The " Tryon," after being cap- tured, escaped while the " Thorn " was pursuing the " Erskine," but in a shat- tered condition.
In January, 1780, Captain Waters fell in with the ship " Sparlin," of 18 guns and 75 men, from Liverpool for New York, which was taken after an action of forty minutes. His next, and prob- ably his last, voyage was as commander of the armed ship "Friendship," from Boston, to which he was appointed in Jan. 1781. After the war he retired from the sea and lived on his farm in Malden, where he died March 26, 1816. The site of his residence was at or near the present location of the Everett Spring House, and his lands extended on the westerly side of Ferry Street as far north as the estate of Thaddeus Pierce, and southerly to Island End.
Besides the persons above mentioned, the name of Nalor Hatch appears as a naval commander. Capt. Hatch copi- manded a company which was stationed at Beacham's Point, on the Van Voorhis estate, during the battle of Bunker Hill. He also commanded the earthworks afterwards thrown up at Beacham's Point, and at the junction of Main and Bow Streets.
For many of the foregoing particu- lars I am indebted to the historical sketch of Malden, by Deloraine P. Corey, in "Drake's History of Middle- sex County," to the "Bi-centennial Book of Malden," and to Mussey's "Reminiscences and Memorials."
V.
OLD ROADS AND ROUTES OF TRAVEL.
It may be well to notice at this point some of the changes in the southern part of the town. In the course of one hundred and sixty or seventy years since its settlement, it had become a fairly prosperous farming community, with convenient roads and means of com- munication with Boston. It is probable that the oldest road is that leading to Penny Ferry, already mentioned, now Bow Street. It is impossible to give the exact date at which this road was laid out.
I5
In 1796 a county road was laid out, three rods wide, from Main Street to what is now Everett Square, and thence northeasterly in a nearly straight line over Belmont and Corbett Hills and through the swamp, then turning cast- erly to Linden. A portion of this road is now known as Lynn Street, a part as School Street, and for upwards
Winnisimmet. Main, Ferry, and Chel- sea Streets have been several times widened by the County Commissioners. Elm Street, Nichols Lane, now a part of Nichols Street, and Paine's Lane, now a part of Chelsea Street, are also old roads.
So far as can be ascertained, these are the only roads in South Malden of
and was for seventy-two years owned and operated by the Malden Bridge Corporation, as a toll bridge. The pay- ment of the tolls imposed a heavy tax upon the public travel, and continued to impede the growth of South Malden. To reach Boston, it was still necessary, according to the "Bi-centennial Book of Malden," to pass two toll bridges,
H.Shute
H. Rich
Estes
OJ Parker
B Nichols
Polly
Smith Flagg
Atwood
Grover
Davis
S.Shule
Pierce
.
· Pierce
· Culler
B. S. Shute Hyams
A. Sargent
J. Cutter
I. Baldwin
Baldwin
Pierde
-
·Bucknam
S Sargent
L Corbelt
Popkins Winslow
ST
S.Baldwin
Hosmer
ELM
ST
Ball
Sargent
Holmes
w .- c Balduin
es corey
Rider
Mansfield
Wafd
Lewis
Simonds & Robinson
· a Nichols
O alkes
D
Organe
Oakes
a clanh
Taggard A oliver
E Nichols
Spooner
Howell
N. Nichols
Johnson
Whitlemore
MAP OF
Whilemore
Edmester
Edmester
Emmons
oliver
. in 1842
Stimjison
Rich
PROM PLAN DRAWN BY DUDLEY P BAILEY FROM
GLO WAOWORTH'S MAP OF EVERETT AND OLD PLAN
FOUND AMONG THE RECORDS OF THE SOUTH
DISTRICT OF MALOEN
Wheeloça
E. J NICHOLS CIV ENG.
Van Yoorhis
S.H. = Old School House.
The above Map is here given for the purpose of designating the location of Roads and Houses, previous to 1842, in that part of South Malden now included in the City of Everett.
afterwards the Newburyport Turnpike. mostly within the limits of what was of a mile between these two it was
The road to Wormwood Point, now
known as Beacham Street, was laid out
to Main Street, was laid out in 1653. through Bucknam and Locust Streets Chelsea Street, formerly extending 1695, and afterwards as a county road. in 1681, Shute Street as a town way in
merly known as the County road to Another old road is Ferry Street, for-
with public convenience. The build- quite a journey and interfering seriously Medford and thence to Boston, making ordinary travel went around through an carlier date than ISoo. Formerly
of cannon and other festivities, Sept. mally opened to the public by the firing ing of Malden bridge, which was for-
29, 1787, proved of great benefit to South Malden, offering as it did a
direct route to Charlestown and Boston.
This bridge was built by private capital,
and a man could not ride into Boston and out again without paying the heavy tax of forty-seven cents.
VI.
THE SOUTHI SCHOOL DISTRICT.
The south part of Malden did not long remain without a separate local organization. The South Parish was succeeded by the South School District.
-
S MAIN
Thompson
Pickering
rowne
Edmester
osgood
NEWBURYPORT
Badger
Watkins
S.K. M
TURNPIKE
T. Pierce
Baldwin
Atkins
Pratt
s Shute
Alden
W Shute
FERRY
EVERETT
Lunde
RIVER
EVERETT SOUVENIR.
1 6
EVERETT SOUVENIR.
On the 6th day of May, 1799, the town of Malden voted " To accept the report of the committee appointed to divide the town into districts." This report provided for three districts, the North, the Middle, and the South Districts ; the boundaries of the South District to begin at the wharf on Malden Bank, so called. thence running easterly over the hill to the Chelsea line, leaving Jacob Perkins and Asa Tufts a little to the southward of said line. This line was probably not far from the line between the South and North Parishes. and included a slightly larger area than the present town of Everett.
The South Precinct had evidently had a schoolhouse for many years located on the southeast side of the county road, laid out in 1796, but on the division of the town into districts it was deemed advisable to build a new one. and on Oct. 7, 1799, the town voted to build a schoolhouse in the south part of the town of the same dimensions as the one proposed for the north part, and to raise six hundred dollars for the purpose of building these schoolhouses. William Emerson, Stephen Pain, Jr., Joseph Barrett, Jr., Bernard Green, Esq., and Capt. Amos Sargent were appointed as a building committee for both. On the 7th day of April, 1800,
MNOUNO & CROSS.
(1) Former Residence of Amos Sargent, on Ferry Street. (2) Glendale Chapel, built in 1882.
Street and Broadway, where the house of Ilon. Alonzo H. Evans now stands. The South schoolhouse was erected
, Budu's Cross-
Old Colonial Mansion.
Owned and occupied by John Lewis from 1825 till some time later. Afterward bought and occupied by Capt. Solomon Corey. Located on Chelsea Street, near the Grace Episcopal Church.
the selectmen were empowered to pur- chase land as a site for the schoolhouse, and, pursuant to this authority, they purchased of Thomas Sargent for $20 the lot near the corner of Hancock
thereon at the cost of about $300, and continued on or near that spot for the next forty-two years.
The old schoolhouse was bought of the proprietors by the town at an
appraisal for $50, and sold for $35. The first meeting of the South District was held Dec. 10, ISoo, on the same day as the last meeting of the South Parish. Capt. Benjamin Blaney was chosen Moderator, Ezra Sargent (since 1758, clerk of the South Parish) was chosen Clerk ; Captain Jonathan Oakes, Stephen Pain, Jr .. Capt. Amos Sargent, a Committee ; Mr. John Howard, Treasurer.
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