USA > Massachusetts > Gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
James Bowdoin, LL.D., 1727,
Thomas Pemberton, 1728,
Robert Treat Paine, LL.1)., 1731, Benjamin Edes, 1732,
Winslow Lewis, M.D., 1799, Rufus Choate, 1799-1859,
John Singleton Copley, 1737,
Nathaniel Gorham, Charlestown, 1743, James Gridley Howe, M.D., ISO1,
Lydia Maria Child, 1802-ISSO,
William E. Channing, D.D)., IS03,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803,
Horatio Greenough, 1805-1852, William Lloyd Garrison, 1805,
William Billings, 1746,
Col. Richard Carey, Charlestown, 1747, Theodore Parker, 1810,
Col. David Henley, Charlestown, 1748, Charles Sumner, 1811,
Isaiah Thomas, LL.D., 1749,
General Henry Knox, 1750,
Wendell Phillips, 1811, Samuel Osgood, D.D., 1814,
Jonathan Mason, 1752,
Edward L. Davenport, 1814-1877,
Benjamin Austin, 1752,
John T. Andrew, 1815,
Charlotte S. Cushman, 1816-1876
John Gilbert, 1810,
Thomas Ball, 1819,
William M. Hunt, 1824,
Samuel Sewall, 1757,
Thomas Dawes, 1758, William Bentley, D. D., 1759,
Laura Bridgman, IS29-ISS9, Daniel Webster, d. IS52,
Jonathan Belcher, 1710,
William Tudor, 1779,
Washington Allston, 1779.
Gen. Wm. II. Sumner, Dorchester, 1780,
Nathaniel Bowditch, 1773-183S,
Samuel F. B. Morse, 1791,
George Ticknor, 1791,
Edward Everett, 1794-1865.
T. W. Harris, M.D., 1795-1856,
Horace Mann, 1796,
Isaac Rand, Charlestown, 1743,
Francis Dana, LL.D., Charlestown, 1743.
Jeremy Belknap, D.D., 1744,
Theophilus Parsons, 1750,
Sir Thomas Astor Coffin, 1754, Gilbert Stuart, 1755. Royal Tyler, 1757,
George L. Brown, 1814-1879,
Andrew Croswell, 1709,
BOSTON CORNER - BOSTON HARBOR. 187
Dr. Samuel G. Howe, d. IS76,
Dr. William Rimmer, d. 1879, The Lawrences,
Bishop E. O. Haven,
George Ripley, E. P. Whipple, John A. Andrew, and James Freeman Clarke.
Boston Corner was incorporated as a district, April 14, 1838. It then occupied the extreme south- west corner of the State ; but being separated from the town of Mount Washington, which was the extreme southwestern town, by a lofty ridge, was physically inconvenient for jurisdiction by the State; and it consequently became the theatre of prize-fighting and other illegal practices. In order to bring it under proper restraint, it was ceded to the State of New York, to which it naturally belonged, May 14. 1853. It contained about 940 acres of land and 75 inhabitants. It was first settled by Daniel Porter, in 1763, or earlier.
Boston Harbor has its outer limits marked on the south by Point Allerton, the northeast ex- tremity of the peninsular town of Hull, and on the north by Point Shirley, the southeastern extremity of the town of Winthrop, the two points being about four miles apart. The intermediate space is largely occupied by islands, which afford additional protection to the waters within. The harbor embraces an area of about 75 square
BOSTON LIGHT,
miles. The main ship entrance is by Point Allerton and Fort War- ren to the inner harbor, which is deep, and sufficiently capacious to hold 500 ships at anchor between Forts Winthrop and Independence.
The first of these defences is situated nearly in the centre of the inner expanse of the harbor, with the latter on the south, equally distant from it and from the outer point of South Boston on its
·
CASTLE ISLAND AND FORT INDEPENDENCE.
189
BOSTONVILLE - BOURNE.
westward side. The other and stronger fortification, Fort Warren, is on Georges Island, directly facing Lighthouse Channel, which is the main entrance of the harbor, before mentioned. About one and a half miles distant, a few points north of east, is Boston Light, with the Brewsters (islands) on the north and Point Allerton on the south. The tower of this light is 80 feet high, and is connected by a covered way 80 feet long with the keeper's dwelling. There are also two fog-signal buildings. The lantern gives a flashing white light, visible 163 miles. About one half mile northeast from Fort War- ren, in the direction of Great Brewster, is The Narrows Light Station, popularly known as the "Bug Light," being a low structure set upon seven iron pillars, or piles. Between this and Fort War- ren is the main ship channel ; which passes, further in, between Lov- ell's and Gallop's islands.
South of Fort Warren are Nantasket Roads. About one and a half miles west of this fort is Long Island, about whose southern extremity are the waters of Back or Western Bay. Directly west of this, behind Thompson's Island, is Dorchester Bay ; and north of the latter is Old Harbor Bay, washing the southern shore of South Boston. West of this place, and separating it from Roxbury dis- trict, is South Bay with its bridge-locked entrance from the north.
Close on the southeast of Point Shirley is Deer Island ; and be- tween this and Long Island, directly south, is Broad Sound, the main northern entrance of the harbor, marked by a light on the northern end of the latter island. Directly west of Broad Sound, and on a line with South Boston, is the clear expanse of water known as President's Roads. At the northwest is the entrance to Mystic River and Charles River basins, both crossed by one or more bridges.
In the extreme south of Boston Harbor are the smaller ones of Hingham and Quincy ; while on the southeast is Hingham Landing; and north of the last, in Hull, are, successively, Sagamore Bay, Nan- tasket Landing and Hull Landing.
For further mention of the islands in this harbor, see the article on Boston, and that on each island.
Bostonville, a village in Wellesley.
Bourne occupies the northwest extremity of Cape Cod and Barnstable County, and is about 56 miles from Bos- ton, on the Old Colony Railroad. The stations are Buzzard's Bay, Bourne and Bournedale, on the main line, and Monument Beach, Po- casset, Wenaumet, Cataumet, and Sagamore on the Woods Holl Branch. All these are post-offices except Wenaumet.
The town is bounded on the north by Wareham and Plymouth, on the east by Cape Cod Bay and Sandwich, south by Falmouth, and west by various bodies of water forming the eastern extremity of Buzzard's Bay. The harbors are Buttermilk Bay, Red Brook Harbor, Cataumet Harbor, and Back River Harbor. The last is near on the south of Monument River, and forms the western terminus of Cape Cod Canal. Wenaumet Neck, on which there is a lighthouse, pro-
190
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
jects southwesterly into Buzzard's Bay, having Bassett's and Scraggy Neck islands on the south and Burgess or Tobey's Island on the north. The town is 11 miles long by 5 wide. The assessed area is 23,472 acres, including 11,621 acres of woodland. The latter occupies the larger portion of the eastern side of the town, and is chiefly in oak and pine. It is the habitat of numerous red deer.
The geological formation is drift and alluvium. The land is gen- erally level, -a group of three hills near the centre, and Pine Hill in the southeast part, being the chief eminences. The soil varies in different localities from clay to loam and sand. There are several small ponds : Manomet Lake, and Ellis, Queensewel, Deep Bottom, Mill, and Flax ponds, two more at South Pocasset, and others in the wilderness at the southeast.
The number of farms is 71; and their total marketed product in 1885 was $71,159. The dairies furnished $6,178; the poultry yards, $3,082; and the cranberry bogs and orchards, $49,462. There are 270 acres devoted to cranberries, valued at $67,572. At Sagamore is a car shop; at Bournedale an iron foundery and axe shop; and at Pocasset the Tahanto Art Works, making metallic goods in orna- mental forms. The aggregate of these manufactures in the same year was $69,337. A considerable number of the inhabitants are en- gaged in the fisheries; the commercial catch in 1885 being valued at $24,418. The oyster beds yielded $18,922 of this amount.
The shore fishing is very good here, and bluefish and bass are plenty in the bay. From the prevalence of southwest winds and the shallowness of the water on the eastern side of Buzzard's Bay, its temperature is unusually agreeable ; and this, with the good beaches, has made them favorites with sea-bathers. The town is a favorite summer resort, and there are numerous fine residences. The valua- tion of the town for 1888 was $1,077,400; and the tax $12 on §1,000. The population is 1,363, with 495 dwellings.
Bourne has graded schools, occupying nine buildings valued at about $9,000. The Baptists have a church at Pocasset, and the Meth- odists one at Bourne and another at Sagamore.
Bourne embraces the northern end and the western side of Sand- wich, from which it was taken; the act of incorporation having the date of April 2, 1884. The name was chosen in honor of Hon. Jonathan Bourne, an aged and esteemed citizen of New Bedford, whose name liad long been attached to a hill in Sandwich, as well as to a neck of land in Wareham. This gentleman was born in Bourne, near the present village of Bourne (then Monument Village and a part of Sandwich), on March 25, 1811. He was the son of a farmer; but went to New Bedford when 18 years of age, and hired in a gro- cery store; and from that arose in fortune and esteem. At one time his investments in the whaling business were larger than those of any other person. He served the Commonwealth in an official capa- city in the legislature and as a member of the Governor's Council. He died in New Bedford, August 7, 1889.
Eminent among former citizens may be named Benjamin Burgess, Isaac Keith, Rev. S. W. Coggeshall, D.D., Heman Swift and Eben- ezer Nye.
BOURNE'S HILL- BOXBOROUGH. 191
Bourne's Hill, in Sandwich, 297 feet high.
Bourne's Neck, ham.
the southeastern extremity of Ware-
Bowenville, a village in Fall River.
Bowkerville, a village in Saugus.
Boxborough, a village in Rockland.
Boxborough is a small farming town, somewhat hilly and of a passably good soil, lying in the westerly part of Middlesex County, midway between the Concord and Nashua rivers. It is bounded on the north by Littleton, east by Acton, south by Stow, and west by Harvard.
It has calcareous gneiss for its formative rock, in which has been opened a good quarry of limestone; and there are found the minerals scapolite, garnet, spinel and augite.
Guggins Brook rises near the centre of the town, and running easterly is joined by Half-moon-meadow Brook, from the northeast part, both soon entering the Assabet River; while Beaver Brook, running northerly, and Assabet Brook southerly, drain the western section of the town, and afford a little motive power. Whittington Pond, of an elliptical forin, and containing 37 acres, lies in the northwest section of the town. The Fitchburg Railroad crosses the northeastern corner, but the nearest station is West Acton, 27 iniles from Boston. That village is also the post-office for Box- borough. The area of the town is 6,406 acres aside from high- ways and ponds. There were 1,617 acres of woodland, consist- ing of oak, maple and pine. The population, in 1885, was 348, with 76 dwelling-houses. The number of farms was 69; of neat cattle, 762; and of fruit trees, 13,715. The dairies yielded a product valued at $31,019; the wood, $5,632; fruits, berries and nuts, $6,468; hay, $24,651; vegetables, $6,695. The total farm product was $92,349. The limestone quarries, and some small wood and other manufactures, aggregated $4,600. The valuation, in 1888, was $249,563, - with a tax of $10.50 on $1,000.
The town has four school-houses, valued at $3,300. One Sunday school possesses a library of about 300 volumes. There is an Evan- gelical Congregational church, and a Universalist Congregational, the last founded in 1784.
The town furnished 28 men for the late war, of whom 3 were lost. Boxborough was formed of parts of Harvard, Littleton and Stow, and established as a district under its present name, February 25, 1783; and was made a town May 1, 1836.
.
192
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Boxford is a large and long township of an irregular form, occupying a central position in Essex County. It has Bradford on the north; Groveland and Georgetown on the north and east; Rowley, Ipswich and Topsfield on the east; the last, with Middleton, on the south; and North Andover on the southwest and west. Its assessed area is 13,819 acres, of which 4,842 acres are woodland, consisting of pine, oak, birch and maple. The population in 1885 was 840, and there were 189 dwelling-houses. The Danvers and Newburyport Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad passes through the easterly side of the town, the Boxford station being at East Boxford, which is also a post-office and vil- lage. The other post-offices are Boxford and West Boxford, which are also villages.
The land is well diversified by hill and valley. The rock is cal- careous gneiss and sienite, and there are many bowlders of various minerals. The flora is rich and varied. Bald, Long and Stiles hills are the most notable eminences. The ponds are numerous, and well stored with pickerel and other fluvial fish. Perley's Pond, near the Georgetown line, contains 54 acres; and Hovey's Pond, West Boxford, 36 acres. Hasseltine Brook, rising in West Boxford, flows easterly into Parker River; Pye Brook, running through Wood's, Four-mile and Spofford's ponds, and Fish Brook, coming into Boxford from North Andover, are affluents of the Ipswich River.
These streams at present furnish motive power for two or more lumber and grist mills. " Other manufactures of the town are boots and shoes, wagons, matches, clothing and food preparations,-val- ued, in the aggregate, at $60,140. The farms number 105; and their product, in 1885, amounted to $114,695. The valuation, in 1888, was $658,625; with a tax of $9.10 on $1,000.
The town has six school-houses, valued at about $4,300. There is a convenient town-hall; and the public library has nearly 2,000 vol- umes. There is a Congregational church at Boxford, and another at West Boxford.
Seventy-six men went from Boxford into the late war, of whom 23 died in the service.
This town was named, it is supposed, from Boxford, in England, and was incorporated August 12, 1685. It is mentioned in the Tax Act in 1694. In 1728, part of Boxford was taken, with others, to form the town of Middleton. In 1846, part of Ipswich was an- nexed, and in 1856 part of Boxford was annexed to Groveland. The first church was organized, and the Rev. Thomas Symmes ordained as pastor, in 1702. The first pastor of the second church was Rev. John Cushing, ordained in 1736.
This town was very patriotic in the Revolution, and eight of its citizens were killed in the battle of Bunker Hill. Col. Thomas Knowlton, an intrepid officer of the Revolutionary army, was born here, November 30, 1740. He was killed in the battle of Harlem Heights, September 16, 1776. General Washington said of him that he "would have been an honor to any country."
BOYLSTON. 193
Samuel Holyoke, a musical composer, author of "The Colum- bian Repository of Sacred Music," and other works, was born here October 15, 1762 (11. U., 1789), and died at Concord, N. H., in 1820.
Boylston is an agricultural town in the eastern part of Worcester County, about forty miles west of Boston, on the Central Massachusetts Railroad. There are sta- tions at Boylston (Sawyer's Mills) and West Boylston. The post- offices are the first and Boylston Centre; which, with Straw Hol- low, are also the villages. It is bounded on the north by Sterling and Clinton, east by Berlin and Northborough, south by Shrews- bury, and west by West Boylston. The land is elevated and broken, yet of good quality.
Merrimack schist and calcareous gneiss constitute the geological formation. There is much clay suitable for bricks. Iron ore, good building stone and crystallized quartz, are found. The location of the quartz is Diamond Hill, near the centre. In the southern part of the town is Sewell's Pond, with a feeder coming from the East Woods, noted for rattlesnakes. In the eastern part of the town is Rocky Pond, of eighty-six aeres, with bottom full of bowlders, and a pretty island near the centre. Its outlet is Cold- Water Brook, in Northborough. The southern branch of the Nashua River flows through the northwest section of the town, affording power for manufacturing purposes. Along its course are rich intervale lands. There are 127 farms, whose aggregate product, in 1885, was $127,437. The area of the town is 12,243 acres, of which 3,173 acres are woodland. At Straw Hollow there is a fine large creamery. There is a cotton yarn factory at Sawyer's Mills. Muddy Brook (formerly called Meddegaskee), a tributary of the South Branch, furnishes power for a saw mill and a grist mill. The value of the manufactures for the period mentioned was $10,339. The valuation, in 1888, was $523,573, and the tax-rate $15 on $1,000. The population is 834, and the number of dwel- lings 172. There is a good town-hall, of granite, a Congregational church at the centre, and a Roman Catholic church at Sawyer's Mills. The town has six school-houses, valued at $6,600. There is a town public library, containing about 2,000 volumes, and one or more Sunday-school libraries. The climate is salubrious, and its people have been noted for longevity. The number of soldiers fur- nished by the town for the late war was 41, of whom seven were lost.
Boylston was named in honor of the family of that name in Bos- ton. The territory was taken from Shrewsbury, and was incorpo- rated in 1786. In 1806 parts of Boylston, Holden and Sterling were established as West Boylston; and again, in 1820, part of Boylston was annexed to West Boylston. A church was organized here October 6, 1743; and in the same month the Rev. Ebenezer Morse was ordained as pastor. He was dismissed in 1775 for oppo- sition to the war with England. A leading physician of the town for forty years, and a native, was John Andrew, M.D., who died in 1872. The noted John B. Gough resided in this town.
.
194
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Bradford is beautifully situated on the right bank of the Merrimack River, in the northwesterly part of Essex County. Its bounds are Haverhill on the north ( separated by the river), Groveland on the east, Boxford on the south, and Methuen on the east. Its assessed area is 4,546 acres, including 578 acres of woodland. It is about thirty miles north by northwest of Boston on the Boston and Maine Railroad, which has a branch on both the east and west sides, with Ward Hill and Bradford as sta- tions. Little Pond, in the southerly part of the town, sends a small tributary to the Merrimack. The land is handsomely diversi- fied by hill and valley. The soil is generally productive, and the climate healthful. The 122 farms, in 1885, yielded products to the
BRADFORD ACADEMY, BRADFORD.
value of $108,204. There were twenty-five manufactories of differ- ent kinds,- boots and shoes, hats and other straw goods, leather, paper goods, food preparations and others, the aggregate value of these being $472,947. The valuation, in 1888, was $1,619,402; and the tax, $17 on $1,000. The population is 3,106. The public schools are graded, and occupy six school buildings valued at about $33,000. There are five libraries, to some extent accessible to the public; one being the public school library of about 500 volumes, another the academy library, of upwards of 4,000.
The marked feature of interest in the town is Bradford Academy,
195
BRAGG VILLE- BRAINTREE.
founded in 1803 for the higher education of both sexes. The female interest from the first predominated, and in 1836 the school became an exclusively female seminary. Benjamin Greenleaf and Miss A. C. Hasseltine were long associate principals; and Miss Hasseltine, as associate, and, later, as sole principal, was connected with the institution for almost half a century. This was the school of Ann H. Judson and Harriet Newell; and in it are concentrated many sacred and tender memories of the Christian culture of woman. Bradford Academy opened a new era in female education. It com- bined then, as now, the three elements,- the material, the Chris- tian, and the ornamental. The institution now has its third hall, erected in 1843, at a cost of about $130,000; and upon which con- siderable sums have since been expended. The buildings occupy a commanding site overlooking the broad Merrimack, the beautiful city of Haverhill arising at the northward, on the opposite bank. A memorial volume of Bradford Academy has been published by the trustees, from the pen of one of its graduates and teachers,- Mrs. E. A. Barrows, the wife of the Rev. William Barrows, D.D. Another eminent native was the Hon George Ashmun (1804-1870), an able lawyer and a member of Congress.
Originally this place bore the name of Merrimack; later, it was called Rowley Village. It was first occupied as wild land by Ezekiel Rogers and others, in 1658; and in 1675 it was incorporated under the name which it now bears. This appellation was probably chosen from regard to the large town of this name in the West Rid- ing of York, England. On the 3rd of May of the ensuing year Thomas Kimball was shot by the Indians, and his wife and five children carried away captive. A Congregational church was organ- ized here, and the Rev. Zachariah Symmes ordained pastor, Decem- ber 27th, 1682. The society has now a large and handsome church edifice here.
Braggville, a village in Holliston.
Braintree, one of the most respectable and ancient towns of the State, lies in the northeastern part of Norfolk County, 10 miles south of Boston, on the Old Colony Rail- road. The stations, villages and post-offices are Braintree, South Braintree, and East Braintree. It is bounded on the northwest and north by Quincy, east by Weymouth, south by Holbrook, and south- west and west by Randolph. The area is 7,956 acres, aside from the highways and water surfaces. There are 1,997 acres of woodland, consisting chiefly of oak and pine. The holly tree (Ilex aquifolium) is indigenous here. Along the highways are numerous elms and maples, some of which have been growing fifty years.
Gooch, or Great, Pond, in the westerly part, contains about 150 acres; Little Pond, near South Braintree village, about 75 acres; and Cranberry Pond, at the south, 25 acres. The surface of the town is agreeably diversified by several eminences, affording fine views, but none of great height, except on the northwest border, where the Blue Hill group is met.
196
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
The town is drained by the Manatiquot, or Monatignot, River, which meets the tide at East Braintree in Weymouth Fore River. Its tributaries, Blue Hill and Cochato rivers, drain respectively the western and southern sections of the town. On these streams are several good mill powers, which have been well utilized. The num- ber of manufacturing establishments in the town is 53. Of these, the most extensive are the boot and shoe factories, of which there are several, with a product in 1885 valued at $218,605; metallic and wood and metal goods, $111,132; hosiery, knit goods, findings and trimmings, $284,150. There are two or three tanneries, a large paper mill, three or four establishments for food preparations ; one each for cement, soap, dye-stuffs, furniture, rubber and elastic goods. The aggregate product in 1885 was valued at $1,468,571. The town has quarries of excellent granite, from which, as early as 1752, Mr. John Hayward furnished the material for King's Chapel, in Boston. The prevailing rock is sienite. The soil is a gravelly loam, which is fairly productive; and the 78 farms, in 1885, fur- nished a product valued at $100,615. There are upwards of 7,000 fruit trees and several cranberry bogs in the town. The valuation in 1888 was $3,064,125, with a tax of $12 on $1,000. The popula- tion is 4,040, and the dwelling-houses number nearly 950.
The schools are graded, and occupy nine buildings, valued, with appurtenances, at $29,166. At South Braintree is Thayer Acad- emy, founded in 1877, incorporated in 1879, which already has a large patronage and a high reputation. The edifice is valued at $75,000, and the various appendages would largely add to the esti- mate of the property. The libraries, accessible to the public, in the aggregate have about 12,000 volumes. The town has a public library, containing nearly 10,000 volumes, in its own building, val- ned at $25,000. The "Braintree Observer" fills the important office of a local weekly for the town.
The first church edifice of the Union C. T. society, in the pleasant village of East Braintree, on Weymouth Fore River, was dedicated in 1812, and the Rev. Daniel A. Clark ordained pas- tor. He was succeeded in 1815 by Rev. Jonas Perkins. Rev. Lyman Matthews, ordained in 1830, was the first minister of the Congregational church at South Braintree. The Baptists erected a house of worship in 1844.
The original settlement of this town was in 1625. Some of the earliest settlers came from the town of Braintree, in the county of Essex, England; and when the town was incorporated, May 13, 1640, it was under the name most familiar to them. Previously it had been called Mount Woolaston. The township included what are now Quincy, Randolph and Holbrook. The town purchased the Indian right to their lands, in 1679, of Wampatuck, otherwise Josiah Sagamore, the chief of the Indians hereabout; the price paid being £21 10s. In 1792 parts of Braintree and Dorchester were estab- lished as Quincy; in 1793 part of Braintree was established as Ran- dolph, there being a further annexation in 1811; and in 1856 another part of this town was annexed to Quincy. The part of this
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.