USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Genealogical history of the town of Reading, Mass., including the present towns of Wakefield, Reading, and North Reading, with chronological and historical sketches, from 1639 to 1874 > Part 49
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In 1873, the Boston passengers to and from Wakefield furnished the sum of $53,186.00.
THE PRESENT TOWN OF READING.1
THE POST-OFFICE.
The Post-office was first established in this town in 1811, in a build- ing that stood where the bank now stands. Col. Nathan Parker was postmaster. He was succeeded in 1815 by John Weston, Esq., who held the office until his death, in 1849. It was kept for a time in the Weston house at " Hill End," and then for a short period in Johnson's store, that stood where Thomas Pratt's garden now is. It is said that Mr. Ambrose Kingman had charge of it for a time, and kept it in his house. It was then removed, and kept in a house nearly opposite Lyceum Hall, just south of W. R. Perkins's house, since removed. John P. Sherman, druggist, was the next postmaster, appointed prob- ably in 1849 or '50, and the office was kept in the north side of the building occupied by Beard's watch store. He resigned on account of ill-health. Capt. Thomas Richardson became his successor, and was followed when the administration changed, or some time subsequently, by Horatio M. Cate, who was appointed by President Pierce. He removed the office to the market building. In the course of two or three years, C. D. Brown was appointed to the place, and held it till the appointment of Mr. Gleason, the present postmaster, by President Lincoln, in May, 1861. Mr. Gleason removed the post-office from
1 The following pages in this chapter have been prepared and contributed by Hiram Barrus, Esq., of Reading.
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the market building near Stephen Foster's, to Lyceum Hall building. It is a noteworthy fact that not one of Mr. Gleason's predecessors is living.
For many years the Concord stage brought one mail a day from Boston, over the "turnpike," now Main Street. When the stage came to the top of the hill, in the south part of the town, in sight of the vil- lage, the driver blew a powerful blast with an immense tin horn, which was the signal for getting another set of horses ready on his arrival, that he might change his team without delay.
After several years, Mr. Samuel W. Carter, who had been doing a general express and freight business since about 1821-2, put another stage on the route between here and Boston, carrying the Stoneham mail and passengers. He drove four horses, said to have been one of the best teams that went into Boston.
After politics began to affect the post-offices, another party was appointed to carry the mail. to Stoneham, via Malden. Many were disaffected at the change, and a meeting of the citizens of Reading resulted in sending Mr. H. G. Richardson to Washington to lay the matter before the Postmaster-General. This was in 1843. On Mr. Richardson's arrival at the Capitol, he obtained an introduction to the Postmaster-General through a former postmaster of Washington city, with whom Mr. Richardson had had business transactions for many years. The Postmaster-General, Mr. Wickliffe, received Mr. R. very cordially, and introduced him to Mr. Hobbie, the First Assistant Post- master General, who listened attentively to Mr. Richardson's state- ments, and directed him to call the next morning at 10 o'clock. With characteristic promptness Mr. R. was on hand at the moment, and was assured that his requests would be granted, and the papers promptly forwarded.
An interesting incident occurred while Mr. Richardson was sitting in the Postmaster-General's office. An old man who had been for some time quietly sitting there, said to Mr. R., "Young man, where do you belong ?" - " In Boston, Massachusetts."-" Your name ?" " Richardson."-" Well, my name is Richard M. Johnson. I am glad to see you. I am always glad to see a citizen of Massachusetts."-" I am glad to see you, sir, responded Mr. Richardson, who also referred to the ex-Vice President's fight with Tecumseh. Col. Johnson contin- ued, "Yes, I have reason to remember it. You see I still carry the marks of those days." He then exhibited his arm, which was deeply engraved with frightful scars. Reference was made to his age. " Young man," said he, firing up with what must have been something
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of his youthful vigor, "young man, if my services were again needed, I would mount my horse soon as ever." Mr. Richardson returned, and the desired arrangements were soon established. Mr. Carter con- tinued to carry the mail till after the opening of the Boston and Maine Railroad, which commenced running its trains through this town July I, 1845.
LIBRARIES.
The first library in the West Parish, now Reading, was established Sept. 27, 1791, and was known by the name of "The Federal Library." It was owned and managed by an association which held its first meet- ing at the date above given. Rev. Peter Sanborn, Dea. Timothy Pratt, John Emerson, John Temple, and John Weston, were a commit- tee "to take care of the affairs of the society." Mr. Sanborn was the first librarian, and seems to have served till 1814. It had a membership of about sixty persons. Rights of membership were sold at first, at a dollar each, which was afterwards increased to two dollars, and an annual tax of twenty-five cents.
In 1817 the association assumed the form and powers of a corpo- ration. Abijah Weston was chosen clerk; John Weston, librarian ; David Emerson, treasurer. The number of members increased to seventy-five, and the librarian was paid five dollars per annum for his services. The records close in 1830. The books were sold at public auction Jan. 24, 1831. Jonathan Frost and Charles Parker, the com- mittee making the sale, reported the number of books sold 273. Net proceeds $97.12, to be divided among fifty-seven proprietors. This closed the existence of the "Federal Library" at the age of forty years.
The next was known as the "Franklin Library." The application of the proprietors for a meeting to organize was dated Dec. 25, 1841. It was signed by Stephen Foster, Dr. Kendall Davis, H. G. Richardson, and others. The organization was completed Jan. 1, 1842. John Batchelder, 3d, was elected president ; Geo. Bancroft, vice do .; Oliver Peabody, clerk, treasurer, and librarian ; Kendall Davis, Thomas Sweetser, Stephen Foster, Nathan P. Sherman, Haven P. Cook, Chas. Newman, Loea Parker, curators. The constitution and by-laws were signed by one hundred and three persons, who probably included nearly all that ever belonged to the association. The terms of admis- sion were two dollars for each member, with an annual tax of fifty cents. Dr. H. P. Wakefield succeeded Mr. Batchelder as president in 1855 ; Milo Parker followed in 1858 ; J. H. Bancroft, 1860; Stephen
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Foster, 1862. In 1869, by vote of the members, the library- four hundred and sixty-two volumes - was transferred to the trustees of the Reading Public Library. The last meeting of the members was held Jan. 7, 1871, practically dissolving the association after an existence of thirty years.
The Agricultural Library Association was formed in March, 1860. N. P. Pratt, Esq., was its first president ; Thos. E. Prescott, vice-presi- dent ; J. W. Manning, secretary ; Thos. Richardson, librarian. The members paid each five dollars as admission fee. Mr. Richardson con- tinued to serve as librarian till his decease in April, 1864. Miss Emily Ruggles was his successor. The books, numbering one hundred and sixty-six volumes, were transferred to the town library in January, 1869. Mr. Manning was the only person who served as secretary of the asso- ciation.
The present public library was established by votes of the town passed March 2, 1868, and Nov. 3, 1868. The trustees cho sen were : Ephraim Hunt, Edward Appleton, Chauncey P. Judd, Francis H. Knight, Hiram Barrus, and William Proctor ; the amount of money appropriated, five hundred dollars. The trustees organized by the choice of E. Hunt, president, and F. H. Knight, secretary and treas- urer. The whole number of volumes procured during the first year was 823. Of these, 199 volumes were presented by school districts Nos. 5, 8, and 9 ; 186 by the Appleton family ; 18 by F. H. Knight ; 210 by purchase ; and the remainder by donations from various sources. The library, located in the high school building, was opened for circulation of books Feb. 17, 1869, Miss Mattie H. Appleton, librarian. During the following year the library received a donation of five hundred dollars from Dr. Horace P. Wakefield, which amount was offered in 1867, on condition that the town should appropriate an equal sum for the founding of a public library. In 1871, a donation of one hundred dollars was received from the estate of T. Ward Hartshorn ; Loton Parker presented 228 volumes ; Edward Appleton and sister, 38 ; Rev. Dr. Barrows, 15 ; John B. Lewis, Jr., 100; and, with other ยท liberal donations from friends of the institution, added to the purchases by the town, the number of volumes in the library, reported March, 1871, was 2,475. F. O. Dewey, Esq., the largest donor since that date, presented in 1873, a complete set, numbering 115 nicely bound vol- umes, of "Littell's Living Age."
Dr. Hunt resigned his position as trustee of the library in April, 1871. F. O. Dewey was chosen his successor, and Edward Appleton, president. Stephen Foster, Esq., succeeded C. P. Judd, Esq., in 1872.
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OF THE TOWN OF READING.
The remaining trustees belonging to the original board are still in ser- vice. Miss Appleton resigned her position as librarian in the summer of 1873, and Miss Alice Temple was appointed. The library was removed the same season to the Perkins building, corner of Woburn and Lowell Streets. The whole number of books then reported as catalogued was 3,237 volumes. The whole number of volumes taken out for circulation during the year was 14,671.
THE READING CHRONICLE.
The publication of the "Reading Chronicle" was commenced in 1870 by H. C. Gray, Esq. The first number was issued Saturday, May 28th. The first local item relating to Reading announces that a veteran association has been formed, and Col. C. D. Wright has been chosen commander. Another item refers to the death of Mrs. C. Au- gusta Soule, Aug. 20th, at Newark, N. J., sister of Dr. E. Hunt, of this town, and formerly a teacher in the Reading High School. Reference is also made to the Reading Brass Band, which flourished for several years ; and to the services of Wm. H. Temple as auctioneer, who still continues to act in that vocation. S. Temple & Co. advertise millinery goods, now succeeded by Miss Charlotte Buck ; R. M. Boyce offers coal for sale ; Charles Schweizer supplies bread, cake, and pastry from his bakery, now carried on by J. & T. Carley ; J. W. Manning, nursery- man, offers fruit trees, in large variety, and fifty kinds of grapes, which business he still pursues with undiminished energy.
THE READING FEMALE ANTISLAVERY SOCIETY.
The preamble of this society explains its purposes and objects in the following language : ---
" Whereas we believe that slavery is contrary to the precepts of Chris- tianity, dangerous to the liberties of the country, and ought immediately to be abolished ; and whereas we believe that the citizens of New Eng- land not only have the right to protest against it, but are under the highest obligations to seek its removal by moral influence ; and whereas we believe that the free people of color are unrighteously oppressed, and stand in need of our sympathy and benevolent co-operation ; there- fore, recognizing the inspired declaration, that God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and in obedience to our Saviour's golden rule, 'All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them,' we agree
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to form ourselves into a society to be governed by the following consti- tution."
The object of the society is declared to be, to endeavor, by all means sanctioned by law, humanity, and religion, to effect the abolition of slavery in the United States ; to improve the character and condition of the free people of color ; to inform and correct public opinion in relation to their situation and rights, and obtain for them equal civil and political rights and privileges with the whites.
The payment of three dollars constituted a membership for life, or the payment of twenty cents, membership for a year, with power to vote in all meetings. The society met in Union Hall, and organized March 22, 1833, choosing the following officers : Mrs. Sarah Reid, president ; Mrs. Sarah Parker, vice-president ; Mrs. Hepzibah S. Temple, secre- tary ; Mrs. Esther Kingman, treasurer ; Mrs. Julia P. Eaton, Mrs. Su- san S. Perkins, Mrs. Sophronia Kingman, Mrs. Susan W. Peabody, Miss Lucy Parker, counsellors.
The first name on the list of members was that of Mrs. Polly Chute, wife of Daniel Chute, Esq., a lady then about seventy years of age.
The first vote of the society, after adopting their constitution, was for appropriating money to Mr. Garrison's mission. The records being defective at this point, a letter of inquiry to Mr. Garrison elicited the following interesting reply : -
ROXBURY, March 4, 1874.
DEAR SIR : In answer to your letter of inquiry, I would state that I have care- fully examined the early copies of the " Liberator," and I find that the historical honor belongs to Reading of giving birth to the first Female Antislavery Society ever formed in this country.
In the month of May of that year, 1833, I went on my first antislavery mission to Great Britain ; and among the credentials I carried to commend me to the respect and confidence of British abolitionists was an approving testimony from the Reading Female Antislavery Society, which, in the dearth of such testimonies at that time, was of real service to me, and elicited so kind a response from the antislavery ladies of England as to cause the following action : -
" At a meeting of the Reading Female Antislavery Society, on the 29th of October, 1833, called for the purpose of hearing the letters sent to us from the ladies in Eng- land, and also to dispose of their presents, the following resolution was adopted : -
" Resolved, That to the ladies of England we extend the hand of affection, recipro- cate their good feelings, and cherish their presents as mementoes of those, our fellow- beings, who are groping in worse than Egyptian darkness, and whom they, in common with us, are striving to put in possession of all those rights which nature and nature's God ever intended they should enjoy."
This society continued for several years to be an efficient antislavery instrumen- tality, and helped to give a strong impetus to the whole movement. You very justly say, - " The time has come when such efforts are remembered with respect," - and
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OF THE TOWN OF READING.
I am glad to know that you are "desirous that the ladies of Reading should have all the honor they deserve " ; and that I conceive to be very great.
But Reading has not only the honor of having formed the first female antislavery society, but also the first male society auxiliary to the New England Antislavery Society. The latter was formed on the 13th of March, 1833, a few days prior to the former. Its officers were : president, Rev. Jared Reid ; vice-president, Capt. Jonas Parker ; secretary, Horace P. Wakefield; treasurer, Ambrose Kingman ; counsel- lors, Enoch Peabody, Jesse Frost, Hiram D. Sweetser, Henry Kingman, Caleb Mc- Intire.
This society was also very active and efficient. For some time Reading continued to be " the banner town " in the antislavery conflict.
Respectfully yours,
WM. LLOYD GARRISON.
HIRAM BARRUS, EsQ.
It is unfortunate that the letters from the ladies of England cannot be found. They were probably destroyed in the fire that consumed the house of Mr. Ambrose Kingman, in 1865. The presents referred to consisted of a china tea-set, each piece ornamented with a picture repre- senting a kneeling slave, with manacled hands raised in the attitude of prayer. These were distributed among the members, and are still pre - served with religious care.
The records of the society show that it was actively engaged in car- rying out its professions. Frequent contributions of money were made to the antislavery societies in Boston and New York, and to special objects. Appropriations were made in behalf of Miss Prudence Cran- dall, of Canterbury, Conn., who was " suffering under the wicked law of that State for endeavoring by her personal instructions to elevate the intellectual and moral character, and thus improve the condition, of a portion of the free people of color." Aid was sent to Rev. S. J. May, agent of the American Antislavery Society ; to Rev. H. Wilson and Father Hanson, for the support of colored schools in Canada ; to the African captives taken in 1840 on board the brig " Amistad "; to Rev. Charles T. Torrey, the antislavery martyr ; to the New York and Bos- ton vigilance committees in charge, probably, of the famous under- ground railroad. Antislavery documents were circulated among the people, and lectures by distinguished advocates were given in behalf of the cause. Names were obtained and petitions sent to Congress against the admission of slave States, and among those presented by John Quincy Adams, for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, was one forwarded from this society.
The records of the society close in 1850. Mrs. Sarah G. Temple was then chosen president ; Mrs. Rebecca Parker, vice-president ; Mrs. Nancy A. Gleason, secretary ; Miss Elizabeth Gardner, treasurer. The
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counsellors were Mistresses Clarissa E. Weston, Selina Cheney, Sarah Wakefield, Elizabeth Porter, Roxana G. Weston.
RAILROADS AND EXPRESSES.
The Boston and Maine Railroad, when first built, did not run through this town. Its trains from Wilmington to Boston passed over the track of the Lowell Road.
In January, 1843, Mr. W. R. Perkins, learning that an effort was making for extending the railroad from Wilmington through Woburn to Boston, immediately set to work to divert it from that, to its present route. Messrs. Stephen Foster and Sylvester Harnden, with Mr. Per- kins, visited Haverhill to see the president of the road, Mr. West, who met them on the following day, with Mr. Hayward, the engineer, at Wilmington, and went over the proposed route. A hasty survey re- sulted, and in ten days from the start, the petition for the road was brought before the Legislature, with plans and estimates.
Substantial aid was. rendered by Messrs. Thaddeus B. Pratt, Joshua Prescott, Thomas Sweetser, H. G. Richardson, Daniel Pratt, Abiel Holden, Warren Perkins, and others of Reading; and Hon. Lilley Eaton, Dr. Thaddeus Spaulding, Benj. B. Wiley, and others of South Reading, now Wakefield.
A charter was procured after a short but memorable struggle, and the road was located over the present route. The speech of Dr. Wake- field, then a member of the House from Oakham, during the contest, is still remembered and referred to, as one of his best and most success- ful efforts. It presented the claims of this route in a strong light, and greatly aided in securing the passage of the act of incorporation.
The first train over the road was from Portland, in the afternoon of July 1, 1845. Mr. Calvin Temple was station agent here then, and continued in the service till Jan. 1, 1866. The fare to Boston was at first thirty cents, but it was soon reduced to twenty-five, and packages of fifty tickets were sold as family tickets at twelve and one half cents each.
The old depot, used for more than a quarter of a century by the people of this town, was the largest structure of the kind, and origi- nally designed to be the best and most convenient, on the Boston and Maine Railroad, out of the city. It sheltered both tracks, and was more than one hundred feet in length. It was erected in 1845, and came near destruction at the time of the burning of the wood-sheds and freight house, April 18, 1868. The present depot, on the side of
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the track, has been in use about two years. Another new depot has been erected near Mr. O. Foote's, a half mile north of the present station.
Of the original conductors, Messrs. Tucker and Smith are still em- ployed. Aborn, conductor, was then station agent at South Reading, and Smart was conductor of a freight train. Mr. Wm. Carter has been conductor since 1855. Mr. Clark, the present station agent, succeeded Mr. Temple.
Mr. Ebenezer Emerson did a general express and freight business between Reading and Boston for many years previous to 1820. He drove a team of two yoke of oxen and a horse. He usually started for Boston in the afternoon, stopping at Charlestown for the night, went into the city the next morning, gathered up his load and returned to Reading before he slept, unless he slept by the way, for he often did not reach home till midnight. He sometimes spent a day extra on the way doing a job of plowing or other team work for persons who desired his help. Evidently the steam whistle had not worked people up to the appreciation of telegraph lines and lightning trains as mediums for doing business at that time. About the year 1821 or '22, Mr. Carter, as before stated, commenced the express and freight business, using horses, going to the city twice a week and returning the same day. There were three stores here that did considerable business at that time, - Thomas Pratt's, Thomas Parker's, and Daniel Pratt's.
Mr. Carter sold his express and freight business soon after putting on his stage, to Capt. Thomas Richardson. Mr. Stowell succeeded him, and at his death the business fell into the hands of Mr. Cum- mings, the present efficient proprietor of the original line.
Mr. C. H. Lang has, since his return from service in the late war, been also doing a successful business in that department.
Our modern facilities for rapid conveyance and intercourse with all parts of the country and the world, do not enable us to appreciate the difficulties that surrounded our forefathers. Long journeys were made chiefly on horseback or on foot. Forty-five years ago, Erie canal packet boats were a popular means of conveyance for travellers from Albany to Buffalo.
Heavy freights were transported by ox teams. "Going West " for a long period did not imply going. beyond the bounds of Massachusetts. Early in the present century, "The West" was understood to be in central, and then in western New York ; or in the " Western Reserve," Ohio, and so onward till it finally had as little of definiteness in its meaning as had " The North " in England, when Pope wrote : -
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" Ask where's the North, - at York, 't is on the Tweed ; In Scotland, at the Oreades ; and there,
At Greenland, Zembla, or the Lord knows where."
The early roads were little more than bridle paths from one neigh- borhood to another, -
" Winding as old roads will,
Here to a school-house, and there to a mill."
Those who had horses used the pannier, a sort of basket, or the wallet, a bag that, like the pannier, hung on each side of the horse, over his back, in which parcels were carried.
Squire Sweetser, now in his eightieth year, relates that when a small boy, he went in company with two of his brothers to Poole's mill to catch alewives, taking a horse with them to aid in bringing home the fish. One boy rode astride the horse, and one in the wallet on each side. They had unexpectedly good luck, and caught several bushels of fish, which they carried home upon the horse. Instead of the expected commendation for their successful expedition, they were mildly rebuked by their father for the unmerciful burden they had inflicted upon the horse.
Squire James Bancroft had a chaise as early as 1790.
Wagons began to be used a little previous to 1807. Rev. Mr. San- born had one of the first. Mr. Ephraim Weston at that time had a chaise, and probably there were others. Col. Nathan Parker had, about the same time, a farm wagon which had an iron axle, the first in use here.
During the winter months, hand-sleds were much used for the trans- portation of the lighter articles of commerce. Shoes, produce, etc., were carried to the cities, and supplies obtained for the family. Salem was more popular as a place for trade, till a comparatively recent date, than was Boston. Parties of several men, each with a loaded hand- sled, frequently went to Salem in company, going and returning the same day.
Newhall's tavern, near the present Lynnfield hotel, was the usual halting place for rest, refreshment, and the indispensable "mug of flip." One of these parties in a happy mood, before starting off homeward in the evening from this tavern, added a heavy stone to the load of one, who had rather boasted over the others of his superior strength and agility. The stone had a free ride to Reading, and the weariness it brought to the one that drew it was greatly enjoyed by those who per- petrated the practical joke. Mr. Phineas Sweetser, uncle of Thomas,
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