USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 45
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Ah spem dolosam ! Morbo crudeli subito correptus animam efflavit spe immortalita- tis beatæ firmissima, anno cursus academici tertio, die Julii 26, anno salutis 1805, æta- tis 18.
M. S. die 7 mo. Julii, A. D. 1810, ineunte ætatis anno 27 mo. obiit academiæ Har- vardinæ alumnus, SAMUEL HARRIS, patre Samuele Harris et matre Sarah, natus Bos- toniæ. Literarum a puero mire studiosus; et vixdum adultus omnibus fere linguis orientalibus eruditus, rerum antiquarum abdita et mirabilia quibus maxime delecta- retur curiose et feliciter perscrutatus, cæteris suæ ætatis facile præcelluit. Cum spes amicorum maxime foveretur futurum patria honorem et decus, cursu academico jam prope peracto, infelici morte correptus, fluctibus Caroli fluminis submersus, eheu ! mortalia reliquit. Tanta illi pietas et benevolentia, tanta morum suavitas, tanta mo- destia, ut nullum suis, vel amandi vivus, vel mortuus lugendi statuerit modum. Hoc literis, hoc moribus, hoc eximiæ virtuti, amicitiæ quam impar monumentum ! sacra- verunt juvenes, amici, sodales. Heu ! quanto minus est cum aliis versari, quam tui meminisse.
CARLISLE.
THE party divisions in Concord, occasioned principally by the religious controversies from 1740 to 1750, were the cause of the formation of several separate societies and districts. Carlisle was incorporated as a district of Concord in 1754. The first object of the inhabitants was the selection of a suitable place for erecting their meeting-house. After a great many fruitless attempts to fix the location, a committee was appointed to petition the general court that the district might be set back to the town of Concord, with all their former privileges. An act for this purpose was passed by the general court, in 1757. After the dissolution of " Old Carlisle," no definite attempts were made to obtain a sepa- ration till about fifteen years afterwards. During this time, the occasional preaching of the gospel had been supported, and a meeting-house was begun as early as 1760, though not completed till 1783. Several petitions were presented to the adjoining towns to obtain their consent by the inhabitants of Blood's farms and the extreme parts of Concord, Acton, Chelmsford, and Billerica, and an act was passed incorporating them as a district of Acton, by the name of Carlisle. In 1805, they were incorporated as a town.
The surface of the town is generally uneven and rocky, though there are no considerable elevations ; and the soil is unfavorable to agriculture. Concord river washes its eastern bounds. Agri- culture is the principal business of the inhabitants. There are two churches, 1 for the Orthodox and 1 Unitarian, and about a dozen dwelling-houses, in the center of the town. Distance, 5 miles north of Concord, and 18 miles north-west of Boston. Population, 596. The Rev. Paul Litchfield, the first settled minister, was or- dained Nov. 7, 1781. He died Nov. 7, 1827, on the 46th anniver- sary of his ordination. He was succeeded by Rev. Stephen Hull, in 1830.
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CHARLESTOWN.
CHARLESTOWN.
CHARLESTOWN was settled in 1628, being the oldest town in Mid- dlesex county, and one of the oldest in the state. It was incorpo- rated in 1635. It derives its name from Charles I. of England, the reigning sovereign at the time of its settlement. Its Indian name was Mishawum. In 1628 " six or seven persons, with the consent of Gov. Endicott, traveled from Naumkeak (Salem) through the woods westward, and came to a neck of land, between Mystic and Charles rivers, called Mishawum. It was full of Indians, called Aberginians ; and with the unconstrained consent of their chief they settled there." Their old sachem being dead, his eldest son, John Sagamore, was chief in power. He is described as a man of gentle and good disposition, and was probably induced to give his consent to the settlement on account of the advantages he had derived from the skill of Thomas Walford, a blacksmith, who had previously taken up his residence, and built himself a house, which he had thatched and palisadoed, at the south end of the West Hill, not far from the river.
In 1629, a considerable number of persons arrived at Salem from England. Being dissatisfied with their situation at this place, Thomas Graves, with some of the company's servants under his care, and others, to the number of one hundred in all, removed to Mishawum, where they laid out the foundation of a town. Mr. Graves laid out the town in two-acre lots, one of which he assigned to each inhabitant ; and afterward he built a great house for the accommodation of those who were soon to come over to New England. In 1630, a fleet, bringing more than 1,500 persons, arrived in Massachusetts Bay the sixth of July. Among the pas- sengers were Governor Winthrop and several other distinguished gentlemen. The governor and several of the patentees took lodg- ings in Charlestown, in the great house built there the year before; and the rest of the company erected cottages, booths, and tents about the Town Hill. Their place of assembly for divine worship was under a tree. The first court of assistants was holden at Charlestown on the 23d of August, on board the Arabella. On the 27th of August, a day of solemn fasting and prayer was observed, when the governor, deputy governor, and others, entered into church covenant; Mr. Wilson was chosen pastor ; a ruling elder and two deacons were also chosen; and thus was laid the founda- tion of the churches of Charlestown and Boston.
It was the general intention of the company to settle at Charles- town, where the governor ordered his house to be framed; but the prevalence of a mortal sickness, ascribed to the badness of the water,* induced several of the people to explore the neighbor- ing country for more eligible situations ; and from this circum-
* "The neck of land on which Charlestown is built abounds with good water, but the settlers had found only a brackish spring by the water-side, to which they had no access excepting when the tide was down."-Prince, 244.
1
Drawn by J. W. Barber-Engraved by S. E. Brown, Boston.
SOUTH VIEW OF CHARLESTOWN, MASS.
This view was taken from the burying-ground on Copp's Hill, in Boston. Bunker Hill Monument, in its unfinished state, on Breed's Hill, and Bunker Hill, a little to the northward, are seen in the distance in the central part of the view. A part of the buildings con- nected with the U. S. Navy Yard are seen on the extreme right.
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CHARLESTOWN.
stance, probably, the settlement of Watertown, Boston, and Rox- bury, was commenced this year, (1630.)
The natural divisions of this town are distinguished as Charles- town Peninsula and Charlestown "without the neck." These divisions are of very unequal size : the peninsula, on which the town is principally built, is only about one mile and a quarter in length ; the tract beyond the neck is upwards of seven miles in length. The width varies from half a mile to a mile in various parts of the town. Charlestown peninsula is somewhat of an oval form, and is about half as large as that on which Boston is situated. It has, like Boston, three principal hills, viz. Bunker's Hill, Breed's Hill, and the West or Town Hill. Bunker's Hill is on the north-east part; it is 113 feet high, and is the largest of the three. Breed's Hill (on which was the battle of Bunker Hill, and where the monument is erected) commences near the south- erly portion of Bunker's, and extends towards the south and west ; its height is 87 feet. Town Hill is in the south-west part of the peninsula ; its height has been somewhat reduced from what it was originally, but it never was as high as Breed's Hill. Its western base reached to the shore of Charles river. The avenues from Charles River bridge and Warren bridge mcet in Charlestown Square, an open space of two or three acres, regularly laid out soon after the opening of the town, in 1776, for the purposes of a market place. Around this square a number of the public build- ings are situated. There are 9 churches, 3 Congregational, 2 Baptist, 2 Universalist, 1 Methodist, and 1 Catholic. There are 3 banks: the Bunker Hill Bank, with a capital of $150,000; the Phoenix Bank, capital $300,000; and the Charlestown, with a capi- tal of $150,000. Charlestown is united to Boston by Charles and Warren bridges. Warren bridge is 1,390 feet in length and 44 in width. It was incorporated in 1828, and opened the same year. It is now the property of the state. Charlestown is also united to Boston as a port of entry, and in its various commercial pursuits. Population, 10,101.
" The United States Navy Yard was first established in this town about the year 1798. The yard is situated on the north side of Charles river, on a plot of ground of about 60 acres. It is en- closed by a high wall of durable masonry, and contains several ware-houses, dwelling-houses for the officers, and a large amount of naval stores, live oak, and other timber. It also contains three large ship-houses, in which are the Vermont and Carolina of 74, and the Cumberland frigate of 44 guns. These ships can be launched and ready for sca in a very short time. The dry dock at this place is of hewn granite, and of unrivalled masonry. It is 341 feet in length, 80 in width, and 30 in depth. It cost $670,089. This dock was completed and received the Constitu- tion on the 24th of June, 1833. Connected with this establishment are a naval hospital and magazine at Chelsea, now in progress. A large ropewalk is now in the yard, and other additions are con- templated. 'This is considered one of the best naval depots in the United States."-Hayward's Mass. Directory, 1835.
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CHARLESTOWN.
McLean Asylum, Charlestonn.
" This establishment is located on a beautiful rise of ground, in Charlestown, near East Cambridge, and about a mile and a half from the City Hall. The buildings are large, and are exceedingly well adapted to their philanthropic design. They cost about $186,000.
" This house was opened for patients on the 6th of October, 1818, and from that time to January 1, 1834, 1015 patients were received. Of this number, 264 were inar- ried, and 340 unmarried, males ; 238 married, and 173 unmarried, females. Of this number, 70 were from 10 to 20 years of age ; 616 from 20 to 40, (of which 368 were males, and 248 females ;) 191 from 40 to 50; 91 from 50 to 60 ; and 47 from 60 to 80. Of this number, 362 recovered, 143 were much improved, 140 benefitted, 89 died, 21 eloped, 193 were not improved, and 67 remained in the asylum. Of this number 112 had been intemperate ; 122 had insane ancestors ; and 59 had near collaterals, but no ancestors stated as insane. The average current expenses of each patient at this asylum is estimated at $4 50 a week. The lowest rate for which patients belonging to this state are received, is $3 a week-from other states, $4 50 a week. The num- ber of patients received from January 1, 1834, to June 19, 1835, was 150. The num- ber of patients at the latter date was 88, which was a greater number than at any former period. RUFUS WYMAN, M. D., was superintendent and physician from the commencement of the asylum to May, 1835, to whom the public is much indebted for the great intelligence and fidelity by which he has advanced its usefulness.
" Belonging to, and surrounding this asylum, are about 15 acres of land appropri- ated to courts and gardens. These are laid out with gravelle3 walks; the former are furnished with summer-houses, and the latter are ornamented with groves of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubbery, and flowers. Surrounding the lower garden, and within the enclosure, is a carriage path, where patients are taken to ride. In the center is a small fresh-water pond, containing several hundred gold and silver fish, and immedi- ately contiguous is a summer-house, where the patients at times resort for games and amusements.
" The system of moral treatment adopted and pursued is founded upon principles of elevated benevolence and philanthropy, and an acquaintance with human nature and the capabilities and wants of the insane. The previous tastes, habits, and pursuits, and the present inclinations and feelings of each individual, are habitually consulted. A library for the use of the patients has recently been purchased, and those of them who are disposed to read are permitted at stated periods to send in their names and the number of the book desired ; the list is examined and approved by the physician, and the books are distributed by the librarian. In the same way, writing materials are distributed, and patients are engaged in keeping journals, writing sketches of their lives, poetry, addressing letters to their friends, and in drawing, &c. Some engage in games, as bowling, throwing the ring, battledoor, graces, jumping the rope, chess, draughts, back-gammon, &c., or are occupied in walking and riding into the country,
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CHARLESTOWN.
or in making fishing excursions in the company of their attendants; while others are working on the farm and in the garden. The female patients, besides being employed in various kinds of needle and ornamental work, are engaged in various domestic labors. About 30 of the quiet and convalescent patients now regularly attend the reli- gious exercises of the family, and a portion of them join in the vocal and instrumental music of the occasion ; a part of this number also attend church on the Sabbath, in company with the nurses and attendants, and dine with the family. A regulated. in- tercourse with the family and society is regarded as an important auxiliary in the means of cure, and on suitable occasions they are invited into the house, where parties are made for their special amusement and benefit."-Hayward's Mass. Directory.
State Prison at Charlestonn.
This establishment is situated at the west or north-west of Charlestown village, or town, near the tide waters of a bay con- nected with Charles river, and is enclosed by a high, solid stone wall; and consists of four large stone buildings, besides a chapel and an extensive work-shed. The point of land on which the prison is located is connected with the village of East Cambridge by a lateral bridge of 1,820 feet in length, connected with Canal bridge. The following account of this prison, &c., is from the 2d vol. of the American Magazine.
" This state prison, or penitentiary, has been established nearly thirty years, and on a similar principle to that in Philadelphia, founded twenty years before. Some alter- ations in the criminal laws of the state were made at that time ; and confinement to hard labor in this prison was substituted for imprisonment in the county jails, where no employment was provided for the convicts, and for whipping and sitting in the pil- lory. The number of capital crimes are now five, on conviction of which death fol- lows as the legal punishment. For crimes of less enormity, the punishment is con- finement in the state prison, with hard labor. It is intended by this establishment to keep the wicked secure from depredating on society, to require labor to meet the ex- penses of the institution, and at the same time to allow opportunity and provide means for the reformation of the prisoners. The object is a combined one-punishment and reform ; or rather the safety of society, and the reformation of the guilty. The design is most praiseworthy, and honorable to the humanity of the present enlightened age. In the opinion of those best qualified to judge and most entitled to belief, the institu- tion has proved useful, and such as was hoped it would be by the founders. The criminal is safe from doing mischief to others; he is obliged to labor, and thus acquires habits of industry ; he is kept in solitary confinement when not at work ; and has religious instruction and advice to aid him in his desires to reform.
" For some years, the buildings were not sufficient to provide a separate cell for each ; but that defect is remedied by new buildings. And order generally, as well as indi- vidual reform, is now much better promoted and secured. Few who have been dis- charged, within the last few years, have been returned to the prison, or convicted of new crimes, and there is reason to believe that many afterwards became sober, moral, and industrious citizens. The profits of the labor of the convicts are greater than the
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CHARLESTOWN.
expenses, for the two last years, by about seven thousand dollars. The government of the convicts is firm and strict, but not severe. The error of a severe discipline, and of power in the immediate officers to inflict corporal punishment, has been seen and abandoned ; and yet extra confinement is allowed for gross disobedience or refu- sal to work. The state prison of Massachusetts was never better regulated, nor answered more truly to the character of a penitentiary.
"The number of convicts in the prison in Oct., 1834, was two hundred and seventy- seven, twenty-five more than a year previous to that time. During the year ending in October, 1834, the number committed was one hundred and nineteen, fifteen of which had been confined in the prison before. This is a much smaller portion than twelve and fifteen years ago. And though some of those discharged in 1832 and 1833, on the expiration of their sentence, left the state, and may have committed crimes in other parts of the country, still there is reason to believe that now not more than one in twelve or fifteen are found repeating their crimes ; and that the residue become re- formed, and are sober and industrious citizens. About a fourth part of the convicts are said to be aliens, and not naturalized.
" The convicts are obliged to labor the greater part of the twenty-four hours, in which they can have the benefit of day-light; except the time spent in religious worship and in eating. The number of hours of work in a day differ, therefore, in the different seasons of the year. They are employed in stone-cutting, at blacksmith work, cabinet- makers, brush-makers, tailoring, shoe-making, upholstering, batting-making, and tin- workers."
North-west of the Neck, about 22 miles from Boston, is Mount Benedict. On the summit of this commanding eminence was situated the Ursuline Convent, which was constituted in 1826. It was burnt by a lawless mob, on the 11th of August, 1834, who were excited to this outrage by the reports of improper conduct in the convent, and of the confinement of some females by threats and force, who wished to leave the institution. The disfigured walls of the convent still remain, standing as a beacon to warn every friend to civil and religious freedom of the fatal effects to be apprehended from the blind fury of a mob, who are suffered to trample upon the laws of the country and introduce a despot- ism of the worst kind. On Winter Hill in this town, north-west of Bunker's Hill, General Burgoyne's army encamped as prisoners of war, after their defeat and capture at Saratoga. Prospect Hill is situated a little to the south-west.
On the 17th of June, 1775, the ever-memorable battle of Bunker Hill was fought in this town, and will render the heights of Charlestown an object of interest to generations yet unborn. The following, stated to be a "full and correct account" of this battle, is taken from a pamphlet published in Boston, June 17th, 1825.
" After the affair at Lexington and Concord, on the 19th of April, 1775, the people, animated by one common impulse, flew to arms in every direction. The husband- man changed his ploughshare for a musket; and about 15,000 men-10,000 from Massachusetts, and the remainder from New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connec- ticut-assembled under General Ward, in the environs of Boston, then occupied by 10,000 highly-disciplined and well equipped British troops, under the command of Generals Gage, Howe, Clinton, Burgoyne, Pigot, and others.
" Fearing an intention on the part of the British to occupy the important heights at Charlestown and Dorchester, which would enable them to command the surrounding country, Colonel Pres- cott was detached, by his own desire, from the American camp at Cambridge, on the evening of the 16th of June, 1775, with about 1000 militia mostly of Massachusetts, including 120 men of Put-
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nam's regiment from Connecticut, and one artillery company, to Bunker Hill, with a view to occupy and fortify that post. At this hill the detachment made a short halt, but concluded to advance still nearer the British, and accordingly took possession of Breed's Hill, a position which commanded the whole inner harbor of Bos- ton. Here, about midnight, they commenced throwing up a redoubt, which they completed, notwithstanding every possible effort from the British ships and batteries to prevent them, about noon the next day.
"So silent had the operations been conducted through the night, that the British had not the most distant notice of the design of the Americans, until day-break presented to their view the half-formed battery and daring stand made against them. A dreadful cannonade, accompanied with shells, was immediately commenced from the British battery at Copp's Hill, and the ships of war and floating batteries stationed in Charles river.
" The break of day on the 17th of June, 1775, presented a scene, which, for daring and firmness, could never be surpassed-1,000 unexperienced militia, in the attire of their various avocations, without discipline, almost without artillery and bayonets, scantily supplied with ammunition, and wholly destitute of provisions, defying the power of the formidable British fleet and army, deter- mined to maintain the liberty of their soil, or moisten that soil with their blood.
"Without aid, however, from the main body of the army, it seemed impossible to maintain their position-the men, having been without sleep, toiling through the night, and destitute of the necessary food required by nature, had become nearly exhausted. Representations were repeatedly made, through the morning, to head- quarters, of the necessity of reinforcements and supplies. Major Brooks, the late revered governor of Massachusetts, who commanded a battalion of minute-men at Concord, set out for Cambridge about 9 o'clock, on foot, it being impossible to procure a horse, soliciting succor ; but as there were two other points exposed to the British, Roxbury and Cambridge, then the head-quarters, at which place all the little stores of the army were collected, and the loss of which would be incalculable at that moment, great fears were entertained lest they should march over the neck to Rox- bury, and attack the camp there, or pass over the bay in boats, there being at that time no artificial avenue to connect Boston with the adjacent country, attack the head-quarters, and destroy the stores : it was, therefore, deemed impossible to afford any reinforcement to Charlestown Heights, till the movements of the British ren- dered evidence of their intention certain.
" The fire from the Glasgow frigate and two floating batteries in Charles river, were wholly directed with a view to prevent any communication across the isthmus that connects Charlestown with the main land, which kept up a continued shower of missiles, and rendered the communication truly dangerous to those who should attempt it. When the intention of the British to attack the heights of Charlestown became apparent, the remainder of Put- nam's regiment, Col. Gardiner's regiment, both of which as to numbers were very imperfect, and some New Hampshire militia, marched, notwithstanding the heavy fire across the neck, for Charlestown Heights, where they arrived, much fatigued, just after the British had moved to the first attack. The British com- menced crossing the troops from Boston about 12 o'clock, and 47
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landed at Morton's Point, S. E. from Breed's Hill. At 2 o'clock, from the best accounts that can be obtained, they landed between 3 and 4,000 men, under the immediate command of Gen. Howe, and formed, in apparently invincible order, at the base of the hill.
" The position of the Americans at this time was a redoubt on the summit of the height of about eight rods square, and a breastwork extending on the left of it, about seventy feet down the eastern declivity of the hill. This redoubt and breast- work was commanded by Prescott in person, who had superintended its construction, and who occupied it with the Massachusetts militia of his detachment, and a part of Little's regiment, which had arrived about one o'clock. They were dreadfully deficient in equipments and ammunition, had been toiling incessantly for many hours, and it is said by some accounts even then were destitute of provisions. A little to the eastward of the redoubt, and northerly to the rear of it, was a rail fence, extend- ing almost to Mystic river ; to this fence another had been added during the night and forenoon, and some newly mown grass thrown against them, to afford some- thing like a cover to the troops. At this fence the 120 Connecticut militia were posted.
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