USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 14
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Authorities: Hudson, Charles, "Abstract of the History of Hudson from its first settle- ment", 1877. Worcester, E. F., "Hudson, Past and Present", 1899.
EVERETT
The city of Everett was formerly a part of the town of Malden, called South Malden, and was incorporated as a town March 9, 1870, and named after Hon. Edward Everett. It was incorporated as a city on June 11, 1892. Its population when incorporated as a town was 2220, and in 1890 it had increased to 11,043. In 1905 the population was about 30,000.
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South Malden had been distinct in several features from the present city of Malden for many years, or from the time it was made a separate precinct for religious purposes in 1737. It became first a fairly prosperous farming community, with convenient communication with Boston, by means of the building of Malden bridge in 1787, which offered a direct route to Charlestown and Boston. The South Parish was succeeded by the South School District in 1799. In 1842 the South District was divided into two districts, and at that time there were in South Malden eighty-eight houses and one hundred and five families as compared with fifty- two houses in 1828. An unsuccessful effort was made in 1848 to have South Malden set off and incorporated as a town by the name of "Winthrop", and the several following years were devoted to a strenuous attempt to effect a separation. Success did not attend the effort until 1870. In 1850 the number of inhabitants was 1169. In 1853 the town of Malden abolished the district system. In 1860 the population was 1547, and in 1867 it was 1986. In 1870 it had increased to 2290, in 1875 to 3651, in 1880 to 4159, in 1885 to 5825, and in 1890 to 11,043. The present population is about 39,000.
AYER
The territory now covered by the town of Ayer was formerly in large extent a part of Gro- ton. It is the youngest of the Groton family of towns in the northwestern part of this county, and the length of its territory is about four miles in one direction and about two miles in width in another. The soil as a rule is poorly adapted for agriculture. The new town of Ayer was incorporated in 1871.
The tract was settled as early as 1662. It shared in the Indian attacks on Groton during King Philip's War, and in later wars, but this belongs to the history of the older town. The development of steam railroads is what made the village of South Groton, later the town of Ayer, a "railroad town." From a dozen farms of doubtful prospertiy in 1843, by the beginning of the Fitchburg railroad in that and the next few years it started first as a railroad station for Groton in general, resulting in a Union Station for several railroads in 1848.
An agitation to be incorporated as a new town possessed the inhabitants of South Groton as early as 1855, when a debating society decided the question in the affirmative. In 1869. the agitation assumed a more definite shape. The population in 1870 was 1600. A petition signed by 270 of the citizens was presented to the legislature of 1871. The name of Groton Junction was first selected. A census of the proposed new town was taken, showing the fol- lowing figures: from Shirley 90; Littleton, 31; Groton, 1890; total, 2003. The name did not meet with entire approval, and the name of Ayer was suggested " as easy to spell and speak." The name was given in compliment to Dr. James C. Ayer, a prominent citizen of the city of Lowell. The act of incorporation was passed by the legislature February 14, 1871, and the first town meeting was held March 6, 1871.
Authorities: Charles Cowley wrote a work entitled "Reminiscences of James C. Ayer and the Town of Ayer", which attained three editions (Lowell, 1879). Daniel Needham de- livered an oration at the dedication of the town house in Ayer, which was published in 1876.
MAYNARD
Maynard was incorporated as a town on April 19, 1871 .. Its territory was made up of parts of Stow and Sudbury. Its name was taken from that of an individual. The town is divided into two sections by a stream called the Assabet river. Lands in this section of Sud- bury were early laid out by the first settlers. The early inhabitants depended for a livelihood largely upon the products of the soil, for which the country was fairly suited, but in process of time the water-power of the Assabet river began to be considered as valuable for manu-
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facturing purposes; and a hamlet or village was begun. In 1845 the water-power which up to 1822 had been used for grain mills was sold, and in 1846 the Assabet Mill Works were begun. Carpets and carpet yarn were made the first year. In 1862 the Assabet Manufacturing Com- pany was organized, and manufacturing became the feature of the place, which was popularly known as Assabet Village. The town was named in honor of Mr. Amory Maynard, to whose energy the development of its business prosperity was due.
Authority: Hudson, A. S., "The Annals of Sudbury, Wayland, and Maynard," reprinted from Hurd's "Middlesex County," 1891.
The town of Maynard was at one time a part of Sudbury and Stowe, and there is nothing of especial historic interest connected with the old houses of the place, and most of them have passed into "hands in no way connected with the original owners." The old Daniel Puffer place is more than a century old and is the oldest house in Maynard. It is now owned by for- eigners. The old Harry Rice tavern is owned by Mrs. Abram Ray. It is called the Vose place. Mrs. Ray's maiden name was Vose. Others now old are the Parker house on paper mill land. The Daniel Whitney house, now owned by Joel Parmenter. The Bent place and the Wilder place, owned by Herbert Fowler, and the Silas Brooks place now owned by James Bent.
Note .- As every town in the county has a sketch of more or less length in Drake's or Hurd's histories of the county, these are omitted in the enumeration of authorities given under towns in this article, except in the case of reprints or enlargements. The "Guide to Massa- chusetts Local History" by Charles A. Flagg, 1907, contains a much fuller list of works con- cerning the different towns of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, than is here presented, and to this the reader is referred.
THE NEWTON FREE LIBRARY
As a factor in the development of public education, the free circulating library is second only in importance to the public schools themselves. The fact that the mission of each is iden- tical has long been recognized by the philanthropic and benevolent citizen, as well as by the governing board of every well organized municipality, hence a city or town unprovided with a public library is lax in the promotion of its educational facilities.
Through the liberality and foresight of Hon. J. Wiley Edmonds and several other public- spirited citizens, the Newton Free Library was established some forty years ago, and the edifice, a handsome granite structure, was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies in 1870. In the fol- lowing year the institution was incorporated by the state legislature, and continued under pri- vate auspices for the succeeding five years, or until 1876, when it was formally presented to the municipality, from which it has since derived its support principally from annual appropria- tions. The development of its importance as a public institution has kept pace with the city's growth, and its usefulness in the field of education, healthy amusement and moral enlightment cannot be too highly estimated.
At the present time the library has seven branches, situated at convenient points where citizens may obtain books for home use, and it circulates annually one hundred and seventy thousand volumes. Its well-appointed reading rooms are not only resorted to by those de- siring special information-technical, scientific, historical, etc.,-but the lover of high class fiction goes there to spend an hour or two with the novelists, and the delving student may be also seen striving through the aid of profound erudition to still further enhance his intellectual attainments.
Fully appreciating the importance of the work accomplished by the library, various philan-
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thropic citizens have emphasized their interest in its behalf either by personal donations or bequests, and the income arising from this source is used for the purchase of books, thus con- stantly increasing the number of volumes. The "Aleden Speare Fund" has been set apart for the purpose of supplying works upon the industrial and mechanic arts; the "Jewett Art Fund" of $10,000 is devoted solely to the fine arts department, embracing, beside standard literature upon this subject, a fine collection of pictures, etc .; and the "Charles Read Fund" is also used for the purchase of general books. The "Farlowe Reference Fund" serves to keep the supply of reference works up to date. The " Elizabeth L. Rand Fund" furnishes books of a miscellaneous character, while the "John C. Chaffin Fund" provides for a goodly increase of works of an elevating and instructive nature.
A young people's room in the main library is proving of great advantage to youthful read- ers, who signify their appreciation of its ... privileges by their frequent attendance, and pupils from both the public and private schools, as well as members of the various local clubs and other organizations, depend largely upon its bookshelves for assistance in the propagation of their studies. The sheet music department, which receives additions from time to time, contains at present some six hundred volumes, representing the famous composers. Among the other attractive features of the library is an excellent collection of photographic reproductions of famous paintings by the old masters, and also of geographical views, which prove exceedingly helpful to teachers, art students and travel clubs. Bulletins are issued at regular intervals ten times a year, and a weekly list of new books appears in the local newspapers.
WESTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
In the winter of 1856-7. a movement was started among the citizens of Weston, Massachu- setts, to establish a free public library. Subscriptions of money were secured and books were contributed. On November 3, 1857, at a legal town meeting, it was voted that the town should establish a library to be called the Weston Town Library, and to be free to all inhabitants of Weston of a suitable age. The money and books already given were delivered to a committee chosen by the town to receive all donations. The books of the several district school libraries were added to those given by individuals, and the volumes remaining in the Weston Social Library were also given. In 1859 one thousand dollars was given by Mr. Charles Merriam to the library. This sum was invested, and the income from it is annually expended for books. Since that time the funds of the library have gradually increased through the generosity of ·public-spirited citizens, several of whom have contributed large sums. In addition to the Charles Merriam fund there has been given to the library three hundred dollars by Mr. Isaac Fiske, one hundred dollars by Mr. Charles Fiske, one thousand dollars by Mr. Charles A. Gow- ing, five thousand dollars by Mr. Henry A. Gowing, and one thousand dollars by Mr. Herbert Merriam, amounting to $8,400. The income from these funds is to be expended for books and periodicals, and by the terms of the gifts cannot be used to pay the incidental expenses of the library. By vote of the town the trustees receive also the proceeds of the dog tax, which aver- ages not far from $450 per annum.
: For seventeen years in succession, Mr. Francis Blake has placed at the disposal of the trus- tees the salary of his office as a member of the board of selectmen, amounting this year to one hundred dollars, and in addition he has promised such further gifts as will enable the trustees to buy; at his suggestion, for the Reference Room, the most valuable and costly set of reference works that the library has ever possessed, namely, Sargents's "The Silva of North America", costing $350. There are few libraries richer in reference works. There are 17,198 volumes in circulation.
The library, occupied a room in the town house for several years, but in 1899 steps were
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taken by the town toward better accommodations by purchasing a site for a new library build- ing. In 1900 a handsome brick building with stone trimmings was erected, and in November of that year the new library was opened to the public, Miss Elizabeth S. White, librarian. This property is now valued at $60,000, viz .: Land, $7,500; building, $41,000; and books, $11,- 500, and is a splendid monument to the culture and refinement of the citizens of Weston.
WOBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY
The noticeably beautiful stone structure occupied by the free public library, known to the world as the Woburn Public Library, is one of the masterpieces of the celebrated architect, the late Henry H. Richardson. The building has a frontage of 163} feet. Its architecture is of a style called "original composite," and its ornamentation was left to the uninterrupted will of its designer. The result is one of the most remarkable buildings in the country in this particular aspect.
The building was erected with funds which were bequeathed by a private citizen, named Charles Bowers Winn. Mr. Winn died in 1875, and the building was ready for occupation in 1879. It has a well-stocked art gallery, a museum, and its collection of books now numbers over fifty thousand volumes. It is provided with ample funds, all the gift of private citizens of the city, has many autographs, rare books, and manuscripts, and for its size may be regard- ed in every way well provided with all that is needed to make an all round equipment for in- tellectual work.
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Genealogical and Personal Memoirs.
The name of Winthrop,- WINTHROP that of the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Com- pany at their emigration to New England,- may be traced back in various spellings for at least six centuries and a half. The family can be traced to various places in the mother country, and latterly there to Groton in Suf- folk, "where they lived many years." In a volume by the late Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, entitled, "Life and Letters of John Win- throp," the line of descent is there corrected, and begins with a man called the second Adam Winthrop, born Octoher 9, 1498, died November 9, 1562, (eldest son of Adam and Joane (or Jane) Burton, married November 16, 1527, Alice Henry, or Henny. Children : I. Thomas, born November 8, 1528, died April, 1529. 2. William, born November 12, 1529, died March 1, 1581, at London; had wife Elizabeth, died June 2, 1578, and six chil- dren : Jonathan, Adam, William, Joshua, Elizabeth, and Sarah. 3. Bridget, born Janu- ary 1, 1530, died January 1536. 4. Christopher, born January 4, 1531, died aged nine months. 5. Thomas (2d) born June, 1533, died 1537. Adam Winthrop was married (second) in 1534 to Agnes Sharpe, daughter of Robert Sharpe, of Islington, she eighteen, and he thirty-six. Children : 6. Alice, born Novem- ber 15, 1539, died November 8, 1607, married Sir Thomas Mildmay, and had six sons. 7. Bridget, born May 3, 1543, died November 4, 1614, married Roger Alabaster, and had four sons and one daughter ; one of the sons was a celebrated poet. 8. Mary, born March I, 1544, married Abraham Veysie. 9 and IO. John and Adam, twins, born January 20, I546; Adam died in six months and John died in Ireland, July 26, 1613, having married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Risby, of Thorpe Morieux, Suffolk county. II. Adam (2) born August 10, 1548; see beyond. 12. Catharine, born May 17, 1550, married and had children .* 13. Susanna, born December IO, 1552, died August 9, 1604, married D.
Cottie (Dr. John Cotta?) and had children. The widow of the father Adam Winthrop married William Mildmay. She died May 13, 1565.
(II) Adam Winthrop (3d) son of Adam (2d), born in London, August 10, 1548, died March 29, 1623; married first, December 16, 1574, Alice Still, daughter of William of Grantham, Lincolnshire; she and her first born child died December 24, 1577, and he married (second) February 20, 1579, Anne, daughter of Henry Browne, of Edwardston; her mother's name was Agnes. Adam Win- throp (3d) was a man of good education and high social standing, lord and patron of the manor of Groton. Children by second wife : I. Anne, born January 5, 1580-1, died Janu- ary 20, 1580-1. 2. Anne, born January 16, 1585-6, died May 16, 1618; married February 25, 1604-5, Thomas Fones. 3. John, born January 12, 1587, the governor of Massachu- setts ; see forward. 4. Jane, baptized June 17, 1592 ; married January 5, 1612, Thomas Gost- ling. 5. Lucy, born January 9, 1600-1 ; mar- ried April 10, 1622, Emanuel Downing.
(III) John Winthrop, governor of Massa- chusetts, son of Adam (2), born in Edwards- ton, a little village in Suffolk county, Eng- land, immediately adjoining Groton, January 12, 1687, died in Boston, New England, March 26, 1649, nineteen years after his embarkation on March 22, 1629-30, in that harbor. For details regarding his early life the reader is referred to the admirable work on that subject by his descendant, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, already named, and to the various standard histories of Massachu- setts and New England for the latter part. He married first, April 16, 1605, Mary, born January 1, 1583, died June 26, 1615, daugh- ter and sole heir of John Forth, Esq., of Great Stambridge, in the county of Essex, and Thomasine, only child of Hilles, in the county of Essex. Her own immediate family was a wealthy one. Sixteen children : I. John, the eldest, born in Groton, England, February 12, 1606, died in Boston, April 5, 1676, known to history as John Winthrop, the
*This last item is challenged by Robert C. Winthrop.
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governor of Connecticut. 2. Henry, born (baptized January 20) 1607; drowned at Salem, Massachusetts, July 2, 1630, aged twenty-two years, the next day after his land- ing in America. (See his father's journal.) He was somewhat adventurous, had been in the Barbadoes, was married, April 25, 1629, to his cousin Elizabeth Fones ; had daughter Martha, baptized at Groton, England, May 9, 1630. He was left behind in his father's first voyage, but arrived safely on a later one. He was drowned in a small creek. His widow came to New England afterwards and married Robert Feake. 3. Forth, born December 30, 1609, died (buried at Groton, England, No- vember 23) 1630; was educated in the uni- versities, and was betrothed to Ursula Sher- man. 4 and 5. Daughters named Anne, bap- tized 1614-1615, who died in their earliest infancy. 6. Mary, eldest of the first three daughters, came to America, and married, about 1632, Rev. Samuel Dudley, son of Gov- ernor Thomas Dudley, and died April 12, 1643, having had four children, two of whom survived her. Governor Winthrop married second, December 6, 1615, Thomasine Clop- ton, died December 8, 1616, daughter of Wil- liam Clopton, Esq. Child : 7. Daughter, born November, 1616, died. 1616, two days old. Governor Winthrop married third, April 29, 1618, Margaret Tyndal, died in Boston, June 14, 1647, daughter of Sir John Tyndal,
knight. Her mother was Anne Egerton, widow of William Deane, Esq. Children : 8. Stephen, born March 24, 1618, came with his father to America, was recorder of Boston, member of Parliament for Scotland under Cromwell, and colonel of a regiment in the civil wars of England; was married and left posterity. 9. Adam, born April 7, 1620; see forward. 10. Deane, baptized March 23, 1622, died at Pullen Point (now Winthrop), March 16, 1704; married first Sarah, daughter of Jose Glover; and left a widow, Martha and children. II. Nathaniel, baptized February 20, 1625, probably died young. 12. Samuel, baptized August 26, 1627, married in Holland, had estate in Antigua, where he held the office of deputy governor, and died there about 1677. 13. Anne, baptized April 29, 1630, died on her passage with her mother to New . England, when aged about a year and a half. 14. Will- iam, born at Boston, August 14, 1632, prob- ably died soon. 15. Sarah, baptized June 29, 1634, probably died soon. Governor Winthrop married fourth, December 4, 1647, Martha, daughter of Captain William Rainsborough, and widow of Captain Thomas Coytmore, of
Charlestown, and sister of Increase Nowell. After the death of Winthrop she married, March 16, 1652, John Coggan. Child by Winthrop: 16. Joshua, born December 12, 1648, died January II, 1651.
(IV) Adam Winthrop, son of John (3), born in Groton, England, April 7, 1620, died in Boston, suddenly it is inferred, August 24, 1652, thirty-two years and four months old; came to New England in 1631. Adam's Chair, a rock in Waltham, Massachusetts, was named for him (1631) ; married first, about 1642, Elizabeth, died September, 1648, daugh- ter of Joss or Jose Glover; married second Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hawkins. Children : I. Adam, born October 15, 1647; see forward. He was his parents' only child in 1652, and the only one, unless there was a daughter Mary, who died near the same time with her mother, Septem- ber, 1648. The widow of Adam (4), married May 3, 1654, John Richards ; no children. by either husband.
(V) Adam Winthrop, son of Adam (4) born in Boston, October 15, 1647, died August 3, 1700, aged fifty-two; will dated July 29, proved September 5, 1700. He was gradu- ated at Harvard College, 1668 (Sibley's "Graduates," II. 247), was for some time a merchant at Bristol, England, and married there, Mary, daughter of Colonel Luttrell, and there his children were born, one of whom was Adam, see beyond. His daughter Mary married, March 9, 1703, John Ballentine. The father was an orphan, about five years old in 1652. He returned with his family to Bos- ton in 1679. He was captain of· a military company in Boston in 1689; representative 1689-1692; named as one of the governor's council, but left out in the first popular elec- tion, May, 1693. No time of marriage or births of his children or baptism of them is found here, as his marriage was in England, and there the children were born. Mary, his widow, married March 13, 1706, as the third wife of Joseph Lynde, of Charlestown. Her death occurred October 30, 1715.
(VI) Adam Winthrop, son of Adam (5), graduated Harvard College, 1694, and died October 2, 1743; married Anna He was of the council of the province. Children : I. Adam, born August 12, 1706, died Decem- ber 12, 1744. Harvard College 1724; mer- chant of Boston, and lived in Brattle street. He was also clerk of the judicial courts. Mar- ried Mary, daughter of Hugh Hall, Esq., of Boston. 2. John, Harvard College, 1732; see beyond.
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(VII) John Winthrop, son of Adam (6), born in Boston, December 19, 1714, died in Cambridge, May 3, 1779; married first, Re- becca died August 22, 1753, aged twenty-nine, daughter of James Townsend of Boston ; married second, published March 25, 1756, Hannah, died May 6, 1790, widow of Tolman of Boston, and daughter of Thom- as and Sarah Fayerweather. Children : I. John, born September 17, 1747, graduated Har- vard College, 1765, lived in Boston, a mer- chant; married Sarah Phillips, and died in 1800, leaving posterity-John, Harvard Col- lege, 1796, and Adam, Harvard College, 1800. 2. Adam, born November 27, 1748, died February II, 1774, aged twenty-five, graduated Harvard College, 1767; left home contrary to the desire of his father, became a shipmaster in Governor Hancock's employ- ment, and in the Downs was knocked over- board and lost. He "was unfortunately knocked overboard by the boom of his vessel on his passage from hence to London, and was drowned," February II, 1774 (Boston News Letter). 3. Samuel, born July 20, 1750, died July 28, 1751. 4. James, "a man of much curious erudition," born March 28, 1752, graduated Harvard College 1769, LL.D. Allegheny College 1817; postmaster 1775 (i. e. with headquarters at Cambridge,
Boston being invested by the Ameri- can troops), register
of probate from September 6, 1775 until 1817; for several years judge of court of common pleas; li- brarian of Harvard College, 1772-1787; one of the founders of the Massachusetts Histori- cal Society; resided in Cambridge, and died unmarried September 26, 1821. A character- istic letter written him in 1775 is published by Paige, "History Cambridge," p. 700, note. 5. William, "the last survivor," born April 19, 1753, graduate Harvard College 1770; town clerk 1782-1788; selectman ten years between 1786 and 1802; senator in 1799; a gentleman farmer, residing in Cambridge, and died un- married, February 5, 1825. The father of this intelligent family was a man of great dis- tinction in his day. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1738, appointed Hollis professor of mathematics and natural philoso- phy in 1738. He was in 1771, as already stated elsewhere in this work, the preceptor of Count Rumford and Colonel Loammi Baldwin of Wo- burn. He was elected Hollis professor of mathematics and natural and experimental philosophy August 30, 1738. He was then a resident of Boston, and his inauguration with appropriate ceremonies occurred January 2,
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