USA > Massachusetts > Gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 25
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
258
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
The town has eight school buildings, valued at about $4,000. There is a town-hall, and a free public library of some 6,000 volumes. The nucleus of this library was presented by William Cullen Bryant, who was a native of the town.
Other eminent men, natives of the town, were Thomas Snell, D.D. (1774-1862), clergyman and historian; Luther Bradish, LL.D. (1783-1863), a lawyer of learning and eminence ; and Henry Lau- rens Dawes (1816), United States senator.
The Baptists and Universalists each have a church here; and the Congregationalists have one at East and one at West Cummington.
This town was sold by the General Court to Colonel John Cum- mings in 1762. The first settler was a Mr. MeIntire from Scotland, who moved into the place in 1770. Many of the early settlers came from Bridgewater and Abington; and among them was Dr. Peter Bryant, father of the poet Bryant.
Curtisville, in East Bridgewater : also, in Stockbridge.
Cutham, a village in Dedham.
Cutter Valley, in Winchester.
Cuttyhunk, an island, a cape and a village in Gosnold.
Dalton, celebrated for the manufacture of paper, is a long, narrow township in the central part of Berkshire County, 146 miles from Boston by the Boston and Albany Railroad, which runs across the middle. It is bounded on the north by Cheshire, east by Windsor and Hinsdale, south by Washington, and west by Pittsfield, Lanesborough and Cheshire.
The population is 2,113, and the number of dwelling-houses 376. The township is about ten miles in extreme length north and south, and about two miles at the narrowest part. The assessed area is 13,493 acres ; of which 5,704 acres are woodland, consisting chiefly of pine, oak, maple and elm.
A range of compact hills crosses the midst of the northern half of the town ; and the southeast is occupied by four or five hills of larger area. Among these are, of things curious or beautiful, the Wizard's Glen, Cold Spring and Waconah Falls. There is a tract of level country at the northeast and a smaller tracs at the southwest, the latter well occupied. The middle section of the town is a broad and beautiful valley, into which gather numerous stream ;, there forming the east branch of the Housatonic River, and furnishing very con- venient motive power for several mills. The principal map :... cture here is paper, for which there are three establishments, having cx more mills each. These, with a woollen and cotton mill, employ in the aggregate about 800 persons. There are other manufactures, as boxes, lumber, and food preparations. The value of the paper made in 1885
259
DALTONVILLE - DANA.
was 8697,583; and of woollen goods $14,192 ; the value of the entire manufactured product being $1,072,755.
There are 70 farmis cultivated. The soil is gravel and loam, and yields fairly well. Of animals, swine are proportionately numerous. The value of the entire farm product in the year just mentioned was $118,074. The valuation of the town in 1888 was $1,880,469; and the tax-rate $11.25 on $1,000.
Dalton has seven school-houses, valued at about $14,500 ; and these accommodate primary, grannar, intermediate and mixed schools. There is a town-hall, a free public library of about 2,500 volumes, and the Crane Library, which has, also, a reading-room, both open to the public on easy conditions. The Methodists, Congregationalists, and Roman Catholics have each a church here. One is of stone and two are of wood; one is Gothic and one in Queen Anne style of archi- tecture. Of the soldiers furnished by this town for the late war, only three were lost.
Dalton was originally a part of Pittsfield; and was once known as the " Ashuelot Equivalent," granted to Oliver Partridge and others of Hatfield in lieu of a township in New Hampshire supposed by the early surveyors to be in Massachusetts. A settlement was commenced in 1755. The place was detached from Pittsfield, and incorporated, March 20, 1784. It was named in honor of Hon. Tristram Dalton, then speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
The manufacture of paper was commenced here in 1802 by Henry Wiswall, Zenas Crane and John Willard, Their establishment was called " Old Berkshire," and goods of this stamp were long in the highest repute. The next paper mill was built in 1809.
The Rev. James Thompson, the first minister of the town, was settled in March, 1795.
Daltonville, in Newburyport.
Dana is a small farming and manufacturing town situated near the middle of the western border of Worcester County, about 75 miles west from Boston. Petersham forms the north and most of the eastern boundary, with the western angle of Barre and a portion of Hardwick on the latter side, while the last- mentioned town forms the southern boundary, with Greenwich, Pres- cott and New Salem on the west.
The assessed area in 1888 was 10,970 acres. Another return gives 11,591, and a third 10,867. Neither of these are intended to include highways or water surfaces. There are 5,632 acres of woodland, con- sisting mainly of chestnut, pine, and oak. There are intervals of good - land ; the soil varying from loam to sand. The number of farms is 187, which is an increase of 69 since 1870. Their aggregate product in 1885 was 865,904. The population at the same date was 695; and they were sheltered by 179 dwelling-houses.
The villages and post-offices are Dana Centre and North Dana. The Springfield, Enfield and Athol Railroad passes through North
260
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Dana, which is at the northwest of the town. Swift River also passes through this village, and its east branch forms for a mile or two the southeastern line of the town. In this quarter is Pottapaug Pond, of 160 acres ; and in the northwest corner is Neeseponset Pond, of 118 acres. The scenery is further diversified by brooks, verdurous meadows and woody hills; the largest of the latter being Rattlesnake and Pottapaug. There is much granite in the town, and a soapstone quarry has been worked with fair returns.
A box factory and a satinet factory in the town furnish the chief employment aside from the farms. Formerly large quantities of piano fittings, picture frames and palm-leaf hats were made here, and this work is still done to some extent. The manufactured product in cloth- ing in 1885 was $16,850; in boxes and other wooden goods, 851,225. The aggregate value of the goods of all kinds was 871,169. The valu- ation of the town in 1888 was $281,869; with a tax-rate of $18 on $1,000.
There is a town-hall for entertainments, and five school-houses provide for primary and grammar schools. The churches are the Methodist and Universalist. Sixty men were furnished for the late war, of whom eiglit were lost.
Dana was made up of parts of Hardwick, Petersham and Green- wich, and incorporated February 18, 1801. A Congregational church was founded here in 1824. Perhaps the most eminent names of this town are Nathaniel Johnson and Albert Ameden.
Danvers is an ancient and beautiful town lying in the southerly part of Essex County, and having for its boundaries Topsfield on the north, Wenham and Beverly on the east, Peabody on the south, and Middleton on the west. The general form of the township is triangular, with its corners nearly at the northeast, south- east and southwest. The assessed area is 7,420 acres, of which 452 acres are wooded with oak, with some pine, walnut, alder, maple, and the gray and rarely the white birch.
There are groups of hills at the southeast and centre of the town- ship, and a more extended group at the northwest, having Putnam's Hill as their eastern outpost. At the west is Hawthorne's Hill, with . its summit 257 feet above sea-level, bearing the State Lunatic Asy- lum, - the largest building in Essex County and visible from a great distance. Lindall's Hill slopes down to Danvers Plain, the principal village; and a little westward Whipple's Hill overlooks Danvers centre, anciently Salem Village. The other villages are Danversport, Tapleyville, Putnamville, Searsville and East Danvers. All except the last three are post-offices. Danversport is at the head of naviga- tion on Porter's River, at the southeastern part of the township. It was formerly quite a shipbuilding place for small vessels, and has now some lumber business. An affluent of this river, on the east, is Frost- fish Brook ; Crane Brook flows through Danvers centre, furnishing some power. Beaver-dam Brook, in the south, enters the Ipswich River ; which, flowing northward, forms a considerable part of the western line of the town. The Lawrence and the Newburyport rail-
THE STATE LUNATIC HOSPITAL, DANVERS.
. :
262
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
roads, both being branches of the Boston and Maine Railroad, intersect near the main village, and thuss afford direct communication with Bos- ton, Salem, Lawrence and Newburyport. Alarge mmmmber of men en- gaged in the various kinds of transportation business live in this town, as well as merchants and professional men of Boston.
'The underlying rock is sienite, over which are strewn many bowl- ders, giving an le indications of the glacial period. Good clay for bri ks and pottery is found ins weral localities, and the meadows af- ford peat. The soul dewhere is loamy and yields excellent crops. There are in the town 100 farms, whose product in 1885 amounted to $266,349. Of this the dairies yielded $76,662; and vegetables $8 , 625. At that dat . were also reported seven brickyards, with an annual product valu das 826,523 ; six tummeries and morocco factories turning out good's to the value of $2.3,922 annually; fifteen shoe factories employing &22 persons and producing goods in that your to the value of $1,701.241 ; four food establishment :, whose anmal prod- n t reached the sum of $175,958; an iron formulery, and shops for metallic work, whose product amounted to $66,707 ; the aggregate valne of the manufactures being :2.024,809. The valuation of the town in 1888 was 83, 61,270, with a tix-rate of 814.80 on 81,000. The population is 7,001; of whom 1,560 are voters. The First National Bank, Danvers, has a capital of $ 150,000 ; and the Danvers Savings Bank, at the close of last year, h: 11 51,674, 1CS in deposits.
The town has excellent graded schools, housed in ten buildings, whose valu . with appurtenances is upward of $50.000. The Peabody Institute, situated in Peabody Park, contains a select library of about 17,000 volumes, and a fine audience hall. The institution was the gilt of George Peabody, the philanthropie London banker. The Motl:cdi. ts, Baptists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Unitarians and Adventists each have a church lere, and the Trinitarian Congre- gali nalists have two. The town supports two weekly journals - the " Mirror " and the " Union," -and the " Daily Evening Courier," which are worthy of their patronage.
The turnp ke from Boston to Newburyport runs through the length of the town, and there are several other fine drives. The roads are generally good, and are extensively bordered with trees, mostly chin and maple, many of which are half a century old. The old man- sion in this town which was the birthplace of General Israel Putnam still stands ; the " Collins House" was for a time the headquarters of General Gage; the old Jacobs house, on Water's River, was the home of George Jacobs, cxecuted as a wizard in 1692; Governor John Endicott's " orchard farm," at Danversport, with the old Endi- cett pear tree and the site of the Governor's house ; the home of Re- becca Nurse (the Witch-House, Tapleyville) is still to be seen, and several other points historically interesting.
This town, in its original limits, embracing what was the village proper and the millle pari hes of Salem, was incorporated as a district January 28, 1752; and as a town, June 16, 1657. It is sup- posed to have been named in honor of Sir Panvers Osborn, Bart., governor of New York in 1763. South Dauvers (now Peabody) was
263
DARTMOUTHI.
detached from it in 1855. The district called "New Mills," in the eastern part of the town, was settled in 1754.
The first church was formed in 1671, as a branch of the church in Salem. The first pastor was the Rev. James Bailey, settlelin O to- ber of the same year. His successor was the Rev George Burroughs, settled Nov. 25, 1680, and inhumanly executed on Gallows Hill, in Salem, for witchcraft, Ang. 19, 1692. The church became an inle- pendent society Nov. 10, 1689; and, on the 15th of the same month, the Rev. Samuel Parris was ordained as its fourth pastor. It was in the family of this minister that the terrible delusion known as the "Falem Witchcraft " first appeared in 1692. In Dr. Joseph B. Felt's "Annals of Salem" it is thus noticed : " Feb. 25, Titaba, an Indian servant of Rev. S. Parris, is complained of for witchcraft. Before this, John, her husband, another Indian servant of Mr. Parris, had been persu uled by Mary Sibley to make a superstitious experiment for discovering persons who, they supposed, secretly afflicted Mr. Parris's daughter Elizabeth, aged nine, and his niece Abigail Wil- liams, aged eleven, and Ann Putnam, a girl of the neighborhood."
"The inhabitants of Danvers," says Mr. Barber, "have always been distinguished for their patriotism, and its citizens bore their full share in the great contest of the Revolution." It is sail that of the patriots who fell at Lexington, one sixth part were inhabi- tants of this town. In 1835, a monument was created to their memory, on the identical spot (it is claimed) whence the young patriots set out on their march. It has also erected a handsome monument to perpetuate the names and deeds of its soldiers lost in the late war. Some of the distinguished persons who have originated in Danvers are: Moses Porter (1755-1822), a brig- adier-general, U. S. army ; George Peaboly (1705-1869), an eminent banker and philanthropist; Daniel Putnam King (1801- 1850), a scientific farmer, and M.C. from 1843 to 1849; Hannah O'Brien Chaplin Conant (1812-1865), an able author and editor, and an Oriental scholar.
Dartmouth is a large farming, fishing and manufacturing town in the southern part of Bristol Connty, bordering on the other section of Lu zard's Bay. It is bounded on the north by Fall River and Freetown, on the cast by New Bedford, on the west ly Westport, andt south by Buzzard's Bay. The shore line is quite irregular, being broken by Apponaganset Bay, Paman- sct River Pay, and others, and projecting far into the sea at Mishaum and Barney's Joy points. The assessed area is 34,848 acres.
The Old Colony Railroad station at New Bedford is near and just opposite the middle of the town, and the Fall River and New Bedford Branch has stations at Hicksville and North Dartmouth. The villages are on Apponaganset Bay at the southeast, on the Pamanset River near the eastern line, in the north part of the town on the main branch of the Westport River, and at Westport Mills, on the same river, where it leaves the town on the western side. The
264
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
villages by their latest names are Apponegansett, Nonquitt, North also South Dartmouth (Padanaram), Hixville, Bakerville, Russell's Mills, Smith's Mills, and Westport Factory village. The first four are post-offices.
Two broad hills or elevated sections are found in line north of the middle, and two ranges of small hills in the southwestern part of the town. The land elsewhere is generally undulating, and the soil very good. The geological formation is felspathic gneiss. More than 13,500 acres are woodland. The farms number 382. In 1885 the aggregate product of the farms was 8362,407. Fish is used to a large extent as a fertilizer on the farms.
Many of the inhabitants are mariners, and more are engaged in the shore fisheries. The fishing craft belonging in the town are one schooner, one sloop, three sail-boats, six dories, and eleven seine boats. The product of the fisheries of all kinds in 1885 was $17,794. About $400 of this was from shellfish, and $1,960 from whales.
The manufactures consist of oils, small cotton goods, paper, car- riages and wagons, building stone, lumber in numerous forms, iron and other metallic goods, fertilizers, salt and food preparations of fish and of grain, etc .; the aggregate product for the last census year having the value of $696,531. The valuation of the town for 18SS was 81,822,000, and the tax-rate $12 on $1,000. The inhabitants numbered 3,448, and were sheltered in 836 dwelling-houses. The number of voters was 969.
The town has a complete system of graded schools, provided for in 18 school-houses, - these having a value of upwards of $30,000. There are seven Sunday-school libraries, and these, with the fine new "Southworth Library," at South Dartmouth, provide well for the literary appetite. The churches are one Congregationalist, one Roman Catholic, four of the "Christian Connection," and four of Friends.
The Indian names applied to various parts of this town were Apponaganset, Acushena, and Coakset. They had a fort on the bank of Apponaganset River; and several of their burial places are still known. Dartmouth was named for a seaport in Devonshire, Eng- land, and was incorporated June 8, 1664. It then embraced the territory of the present towns of Westport and Fairhaven, together with the city of New Bedford. The place suffered severely from the incursions of the Indians during King Philip's War; many people being killed and the settlements laid in ruins. About 160 Indians surrendered to the commander of Russell's garrison at Ap- ponaganset, and were sold and transported, contrary to the promise at their surrender. The remains of this fort are still visible.
Henry C. Crapo, governor of Michigan from 1865 to 1869, was born in this town May 24, 1804. He died in Flint, Mich., July 23, .1869.
Davistown, a village in Tisbury.
Davisville, in Falmouth.
265
DAWSONVILLE - DEDILAM.
Dawsonville, in Holden. Dayville, in Chester.
Deantown, a village in Attleborough.
DEDHAM is a fine old town, the seat of justice in Norfolk County, about ten miles south- west of Boston by the New York and New England Railroad, which passes through the eastern side of the town. The north- eastern part has two branches of the Bo ton and Providence Division of the Old Colony Railroad, which has a beautiful station of Ded- ham granite in the principal village. The town is bounded north by Needham and West Roxbury district (Boston), east by Hyde Park and Canton, south by Norwood and Walpole, and west by Dover. The Charles River forms a part of the northwestern line, and the Neponset the eastern line.
The assessed area is 12,224 acres, inchiding 3,494 acres of woodland. The largest ponds are Buckminster in the south- west, whose ontlet swells Bubbling Brook, and Wigwam Pond in the north, which sends its stream to Charles River. Near the latter stream is Mother Brook, discharging into the Neponset its own waters and about one third of the Charles River, drawn from it by a canal one mile in length. This was the first canal cut in this country, having been opened within ten years of the settlement of Boston. It's purpose was to make available for power the fall of about sixty feet between the Charles and Neponset rivers. On this stream are two woollen mills, dye-works, a factory for hosiery, an iron foundery and machine shop. At West Dedham are malleable iron works, a wood-turning mill and furniture factory; at other points are a brass foundery, a tin shop, a carriage and a steam-car factory, piano parts, food preparations and several others, to the number of 44 establishments. The product in food preparations in 1885, as shown by the census, had a value of $188,705; while tex- tile goods were manufactured to the value of $726,500.
The soil of this town is light and sandy, but highly productive under its good cultivation. The 97 farms in 1885 yielded a product valued at $192,294. The largest item was that of the dairies, which had the value of $85,713; the vegetables coming next, at $20,811. The valuation in 1888 was $5,273,965; with a tax-rate of $14.60 on $1,000. The population was 6,641, and the dwellings numbered 1,228. Dedham National Bank has a capital of $300,000; and the Institution for Savings, at the close of last year, had deposits to the amount of 82,000,149. The "Standard" and the "Transcript" of this town are weekly journals of good standing and a fair circula- tion.
There is a complete system of graded schools, which are provided for in thirteen buildings having a value of about $60,000; to which has recently been added a new high school building in a central loca-
.
1
DEDHAM: STATICHE
HOLD COLONY. R.R
PROV. DIV.
267
DEDIIAM.
tion, in which have been embodied all known improvements. The Methodists have a church here; the Baptists have one at East, and another at West, Dedham; the Congregationalists (Trinitarian) have one at the chief village and one at Islington; the Uni- tarians have ond at West Dedham and one at Dedham village; and the Roman Catholics have just completed here a fine stone church at a cost of about 8125,000; while the American Epis- copal Church has two in the town, - that in Dedham village being a beautiful stone edifice containing a chime of bells. The village has its green, about which are several fine buildings. West of this village are the agricultural grounds and race-course.
The scenery of the town is varied and picturesque. The geolog- ical structure is sionite, in which asbestes and gilena appear. The highest point of land, 400 feet above sea-level, is about one mile southwest of the centre. The view from the Oll Powder Honse of the river and the neighboring scenery is charming. The town gen-
HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUILDING, DEDHAM.
erally has an appearance of being well kept, and the roads arc noticeably good. In most of the villages the streets are a lorned with numerous trees, mostly elms, some of which in Dedham village are a century old. Probably the oldest tree in town is the " Avery Oak," which in 1636 was already a venerable tree; and it is yet well preserved. The Bussey Farm, an I Bussey Bridge, of tragic memory, are in this town. Here also are the Fairbanks mansion, built in the first year of settlement; the Quincy house; che Avery and the Mot- ley homesteads ; with later buildings, as the substantial old court- house, with its massive columns and yellow dome; the county jail; the house of the boat club on the bank of the Charles; the beautiful building of the Dedham Historical Society; the ample town-hall, erected in 1867 as a memorial of the fallen brave; the oll cemetery and the beautiful modern one; and the new library building with its
268
GAZETTEER OF MASSACHUSETTS.
10,000 volumes,-making a list of attractions such as few towns can show.
This town 'was originally settled in 1635, and called "Content- ment." Its Indian name was Tiot. On the 8th of September, 1636, it was incorporated under its present name, which was adopted out of regard for the old town of Dedham, in Essex County, England, from which several of its founders came. But the original designa- tion, "Contentment," was engraved on the town seal, together with the symmetrical old " Avery Oak." The town at its incorporation embraced Medfield, Needham, Walpole, Dover, and parts of Dor- chester, West Roxbury, Hyde Park and Norwood. A subsequent grant of land in the Pocumtuck valley was the beginning of the present town of Deerfield, also. The early records are very full and perfect. The collection of the historical society embraces a great amount of genealogical, as well as historical, treasures. Among the early settlers were John Rogers, Daniel Fisher, Samuel Morse, Ralph Shepard, Francis Austin, Michael Metcalf, John Ellis, Sam- uel Guild, Captain Daniel Fisher, Thomas Carter and Major Eleazer Lusher.
The first water corn mill in Dedham was constructed in 1640, the first saw mill in 1664, the first fulling mill (on Mother Brook) in 1681. The first school-house was built in 1640, and the first meeting-house in 1637. The latter was a low, thatched building, against which a ladder was kept for the event of a fire. "The greatest tax-payer had the highest seat." The Rev. John Allen, ordained in 1639, was the first pastor; and was followed by Revs. William Adams in .1685; Joseph Belcher, 1693; Samuel Dex- ter, 1724; Jason Haven, of Framingham, 1756; and Joshua Bates, 1803. The first minister of the second parish was the Rev. Thomas Balch, ordained in 1736, and succeeded in 1776 by the Rev. Jabez Chickering. The Rev. William Clark became rector of the Episco- pal society in 1768; but a few years later was removed for refusing to swear allegiance to the State in the Revolution. The Rev. Wil- liam Montague became rector of the church in 1791, and remained until 1818. The Baptist society was incorporated in 1811, and the Rev. William Gammell ordained pastor.
The prelude to King Philip's War was enacted here in April, 1671, when the first white man was shot by an Indian in Dedham woods. When the war fairly broke out, the town was prepared; and a watch was kept in the belfry of the new church (built 1673) for the stealthy enemy; but no attack was made. A party of men from Dedham and Medfield, who had taken the field, on July 25, 1676, killed Pomham, and took fifty of his followers; which aided much in bringing the conflict to a successful issue. There is an old Indian burial place near Wigwam Hill. The last person buried there was Sarah, wife of Alexander Quabish, who died in 1774.
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.