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 55
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WESTON.
of saws manufactured, $30,000. Value of chairs and cabinet ware manufactured, $10,000. There was also a card manufactory and a turning and sawing mill.
WESTFORD.
THIS town was formerly a part of Chelmsford grant; after a long controversy it was incorporated as a distinct town in 1729. " The church and society was established here in 1724, and the town of Chelmsford paid 100 pounds towards building a meeting- house for this parish, which was then called the west precinct in Chelmsford; they also received their proportion of the ministerial lands." This is principally an agricultural township, the soil being strong and productive, well adapted to grass, grain, and fruit trees. The village in the center of the town contains two Congregational churches and an academy, one of the oldest in the state, having a respectable fund for the support of a preceptor. The village is situated on the summit of a large swell, having a fine prospect over the neighboring valleys and of the distant mountains. Wachusett, Monadnock, and many of less height, are distinctly visible. Population, 1,451. Distance, 10 miles from Concord, 30 from Salem, 8 from Lowell, 5 to Chelmsford, 6 to Carlisle, and 25 from Boston. In 1837, there were three forges in this town ; 90 tons of bar iron were manufactured, valued at $9,900. There are large quantities of granite quarried here, which is commonly called " Chelmsford granite."
WESTON.
" THE exact period" (says Dr. Kendal in his Century Sermon, preached in 1813) " when what is now called Weston began to be settled is not known; but it must have been pretty early ; for there are still standing houses which were erected about one hun- dred and forty years ago. In ecclesiastical affairs, however, this town was connected with Watertown about sixty-eight, and in civil concerns about eighty-three years. The tradition is, that the inhabitants of the remote westerly part of this town went to worship at the remote easterly part of Watertown, at a house not far from the old burying place." Weston was incorporated as a distinct town in 1712, previous to which time it had been called the westerly, more westerly, and most westerly precinct in Water- town. In 1694, the town of Watertown passed the following vote : "Our neighbors, the farmers, being upon endeavours to have a meeting-house among themselves, the town consents that they may come as far as Beaver Brook upon the country road leading to Sudbury, and so run north and south upon a line, to the end there may be peace and settlement amongst us." There appears to have been considerable difficulty in regard to the settle-
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WOBURN.
ment of a minister among them; a Mr. Mors preached for a time, but was not settled. After having been twice directed to provide a man to preach among them, the precinct, in 1706, was presented at the court of sessions, on account of their not having a settled minister. After a period of more than eleven years after the Farms had become a distinct precinct, Rev. William Williams was ordained here, in 1709. Rev. Samuel Woodward, the successor of Mr. Williams, was ordained in 1751. Mr. Woodward died in 1782, and was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Kendal, D. D., in 1783.
This township is in general an uneven, and in some parts a broken tract of land. A considerable portion is elevated above the common level of the adjacent country. There are three houses of worship in the limits of the town : 1 Baptist, 1 Methodist, and 1 Congregationalist. There are a number of beautiful country- seats, where persons from Boston reside during the summer months. Population, 1,051. Distance, 9 miles from Concord, 9 from Ded- ham, and 14 from Boston. Boots and shoes are the principal arti- cles manufactured in this town. In 1837, of the former there were manufactured 5,606 pairs, and of the latter, 17,182 pairs.
WILMINGTON.
THIS town was incorporated in 1730. This township was com- posed of the corners of the adjoining towns. "The soil of this town is thin and light, but produces most of the fruits of the cli- mate, and especially hops have been raised here in great abun- dance and perfection." The face of the township is comparatively level. A main branch of Ipswich river takes its rise in this town. There is a Congregational church in the center, but no considera- ble village in any part of the town, the inhabitants being princi- pally farmers, who live scattered over all parts of the town. Population, 795. "Distance, 10 miles from Lowell, and 14 from Boston. The Middlesex canal and Lowell railroad pass through the western section of this town.
WOBURN.
WOBURN at the period of its first settlement was called "Charles- town Village;" it was incorporated as a town in 1642. In the same year the first church was gathered, and Rev. Thomas Carter ordained the first minister. In the year 1640 news was brought to Charlestown of the conveniency of land adjoining their north bounds. Upon this a petition was presented to the general court for two miles square of land to be added to their head line. This petition was granted, and the addition afterwards increased to four miles square. A committee was soon after chosen by Charlestown
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WOBURN.
church to explore the land, and make arrangements for erecting a new church and town. All was then a wilderness. The com- mittee were obliged to spend nights without shelter, " whilst the rain and snow did bedew their rocky beds." They have recorded one remarkable providence as "never to be forgotten." Some of the company sheltering themselves under the body of a large tree, which lay at a distance from the ground, no sooner was the last of them come from under it, at break of day, than, to their amaze- ment, it fell; and they were obliged to dig out their provisions, their united strength being insufficient to remove it.
Southern vien in the central part of Woburn.
The place for house lots and a meeting-house was originally laid out on the plain, at the east end of our bounds, but afterwards re- moved to this place. The first care was to procure a regular ad- ministration of the words and ordinances of Christ. Indeed, a set- tlement was hardly considered as fixed in those days before these were established. A meeting-house and house for a minister were among the first erected; and to procure a minister appears from the records to have been the principal concern of the inhabitants. " It is a remarkable circumstance," (says Mr. Chickering, in his Historical Discourse, printed in 1809,) "that the people had been so oppressed by ecclesiastical tyranny, and were so jealous of their religious rights, that they undertook, in the presence and with the consent of a respectable council, to ordain their own minister. The ordination was conducted in the following manner. After the candidate had continued in preaching and prayer the greater part of the day, two persons, in the name of the church, laid their hands upon his head, and said, 'We ordain thee, Thomas' Carter, to be pastor unto this church of Christ!' 'Then one of the elder ministers present, at the desire of the church, made an appropriate prayer for God's assistance to his young servant in performing the duties of his office. * * During his ministry, which was pro- longed more than forty-two years, there appears to have been the greatest harmony between him and the society."
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WOBURN.
Woburn is a village consisting of about 70 or 80 dwelling-houses, a number of mechanic shops and mercantile stores, with 4 churches, 1 Congregational, 2 Baptist, and 1 Universalist, and an academy. The cut (p. 443) is a southern view of the Congregational and Baptist churches, with some of the buildings in the vicinity. Distance, 12 miles from Concord, 13 to Lynn, 15 to Salem, 5 to Reading, 15 to Lowell, and 10 to Boston. The Middlesex canal runs a little to the west of the village, and the Lowell railroad a little to the east. Population, 2,643. The manufacture of shoes is a very important branch of business in this place. In 1837, there were manufactured in this town 800 pairs of boots, 279,844 pairs of shoes, valued at $221,251 ; males employed, 383; females, 320. There were "Tanneries, 4; hides tanned, 12,400; value of leather tanned and curried, (including 7,000 hides curried but not tanned in said town,) $150,200; hands employed, 77; capital invested, $72,533." There were 3 door, sash, and blind manufac- tories; value of manufactures, $26,500; hands employed, 17. One India rubber manufactory; value of articles manufactured, $10,000.
Southern view of Horn Pond at Woburn.
Horn Pond, lying in the immediate vicinity of Woburn village, is a place of considerable resort during the warm season of the year. In the engraving, a small but beautiful island is seen on the left. On the extreme right, the house for the accommodation of visiters is partially seen, before which is a beautiful grove of pine and other trees. In this grove is erected a summer-house, with seats, &c., for the accommodation of visiters. An artificial fountain, jutting up its cooling waters, adds much to the beautiful and varie- gated scenery of this place. Between the house and the lake the Middlesex canal passes, having 6 locks at this place, which are built in a very superior manner.
X
Drawn by J, W. Barber-Engraved by S. E. Brown, Boston. SOUTH-EASTERN VIEW OF NANTUCKET, MASS.
The above view shows the appearance of Nantucket, as it is seen from the shore of the inner harbor, south-east from the town. The Light-House, on Brant Point, is seen in the distance on the right; beyond, in the extreme distance, are seen vessels near the sand bar, -1 -- --- mailno funon the northom chr
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445
NANTUCKET.
NANTUCKET COUNTY AND TOWN.
THIS county is composed of 5 islands. Beginning west, the first is Muskeeket, which is about 6 miles east from Washqua Point, in Chappequiddick Island. It is a low, sandy island, and is not used for grazing. South-east of this island is Tuckernuck, an island containing about 1,000 acres of land, which affords pasture for 1,000 sheep and 50 head of horned cattle. Between Muskeeket and Tuckernuck are two small islands, called Gravelly Islands, which are of no value. The only island of importance is the large island of Nantucket.
" The town of Nantucket is about 30 miles south of the main or continent, 60 miles S. E. from New Bedford, 100 S. S. E. from Boston, and 382 miles E. N. E. from Philadelphia. It lies in north latitude 41º 15' 22"; in west longitude 70° 7' 56". It con- tains nearly 30,000 acres of land, and is about 14 miles long, east and west, and 3 and a half broad, on an average, north and south." The population of Nantucket in 1837 was 9,048. The principal harbor is on the north side of the island, in the bottom or bend of an extensive bay, and is nearly land-locked by two points of beach, about three fourths of a mile apart; one on the east, called Coetue, the other on the west, called Brant Point. Within these points, and on the west side, are the wharves and the town. Nearly two miles from the shore, to the northward of the harbor, is a bar, which all vessels coming in or out are under the necessity of pass- ing. Vessels drawing nine feet of water may, with good pilots, pass over this bar and into the harbor. The number of vessels belonging to the port in 1834 was 140, viz. 73 ships, 20 schooners, 46 sloops, 1 steam-boat. Total tonnage, 29,550, of which are en- gaged in the whale-fishery 25,357 tons. About two thousand men and boys belonging to the island are employed in navigation. The whale-fishery commenced here at an early period, and this place is perhaps more celebrated than any other for the enterprise and success in this species of nautical adventure. There are 3 banks, the "Citizens Bank," capital $100,000; the " Manufactur- ers and Mechanics Bank," capital $100,000; and the " Pacific Bank," with a capital of $200,000. The "Phoenix Insurance Company" has a capital of $100,000, and the "Commercial In- surance Company" a capital of $125,000. There is a regular daily communication between this place and New Bedford by a steam-boat and packets, which touch at Wood's Hole, near Fal- mouth, and at Holmes' Hole on Martha's Vineyard.
The town of Nantucket, which embraces nearly all the houses on the island, is very compactly built, most of the streets narrow, and the houses are mostly constructed of wood. The inhabitants seem sensible of their exposure to sweeping fires, to prevent which they have an efficient fire department, and eighteen public cisterns and wells. There are 9 religious societies or congregations, viz. one Unitarian Congregationalist, one Orthodox society, two meet- ings of Friends, (one attached to the New York yearly meeting, the
446
NANTUCKET.
other to that of New England,) one Methodist Episcopal, one Re- formed Methodist, one Episcopal, and two for colored persons, one of them Baptist, the other denominated Zion's Church. Previous to 1827, very little was done by the town in their corporate capa- city for the support of schools. Since that period much has been effected; there are at present two large grammar and four primary schools, at which are taught about 800 scholars. The Coffin School was incorporated in 1827. This institution originated with Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin, of the British navy, who visited the island in 1826. He found that a large part of the inhabitants were more or less remotely related to him. Having expressed a desire to confer on his kindred some mark of his attachment, it was suggested that the establishment of a school would be the means of most permanent good to his relatives ; it immediately met his approbation. He accordingly authorized the late William Cof- fin, Esq., to purchase a building for a school, and shortly after funded for its support two thousand five hundred pounds sterling. -
Athenaum at Nantucket.
The Nantucket Atheneum was incorporated in 1834, and is an institution of much promise; it has a library of more than two thousand volumes, and is rapidly increasing. The museum con- nected with the institution contains a large number of curiosities, consisting chiefly of weapons, dresses, and utensils of the islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The island of Nantucket is mostly of a sandy soil, and almost entirely destitute of trees and shrubbery, and a great part of the island is a naked plain. The south part is a plain, which is not more. than 25 feet above the level of the sea. On the north part the land rises into hills, which are 40 feet in height. The most elevated spot is Sancoty Head, which is 80 feet high. The best land is round the harbor, particularly on the south-east quarter.
The village of Siasconset is situated at the south-east extremity of the island, and contains about 70 houses. The cod-fishery
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NANTUCKET.
was carried on there a few years since, but of late it has been nearly relinquished. The houses, with few exceptions, are occupied only in the warm season. The village is compactly built on a level grass plat, near the edge of a steep cliff; the land rises in the rear so as to cut off a view of the town of Nantucket. This place presents uncommon attractions in the warm season for inva- lids. It has a fine bracing air and excellent water. In front of the village "the eye rests on a broad expanse of the Atlantic, and below, the surf, rolling and breaking, gives animation to the scenes by day, and lulls to repose by night .... From a neighboring emi- nence, called Sancoty Head, the eye commands almost the entire horizon. In the distant west is seen the town and shipping ; . .. . a view from this place, at a clear sunset, can hardly be surpassed in beauty and grandeur. The rich coloring of the sky, reflected by the distant waters, the distinct outlines of the town with its steeples and busy wind-mills, the repose of the surrounding plains, contrasted with the gloom which broods over the rolling and roar- ing ocean in the rear, give rise to sensations which can be felt but not described."* Blue and yellow clay is found on the island, and also good iron ore.
The original right of Nantucket was obtained by Thomas Mayhew of James Forrett, agent of William Earl of Sterling, in 1641, at New York. In May, 1660, Wanach- mamak and Nickanoose, head sachems of Nantucket, sold to Thomas Mayhew and others the land lying from the west end of the island to a pond called Wagutaquab, and from that pond upon a straight line unto a pond situate upon Monnumoy Creek, and from the north-west corner of the pond to the sea. This territory includes the town. The first Englishman who' settled at Nantucket was Thomas Macy, in 1659. He removed with his family from Salisbury, in the county of Essex, to Madakit Har- bor, at the west end of the island. Soon after there went from Martha's Vineyard Edward Starbuck, James Coffin, and John Daget to the island for the sake of gunning, and lived with him as boarders. The following is a list of the first proprietors to whom the island was granted by Gov. Mayhew, in 1659 :
Thomas Mayhew, Thomas. Look,
John Smith, Thomas Bernard,
Tristram Coffin, Jr., John Swain, Peter Folger,
Nathaniel Starbuck, Peter Coffin,
Thomas Coleman, John Bishop, John Gardner,
Eleazer Folger,
Thomas Macy, James Coffin,
Edward Starbuck,
Christopher Hussey,
Richard Gardner,
Richard Swaine,
Robert Pike,
Joseph Gardner,
Samuel Stretor, Nathaniel Wier.
Many of these proprietors moved to the island in 1660. At a meeting of the proprie- tors, held at Nantucket, in 1661, it was determined " that each man of the owners should have liberty to choose his house lots at any place not before taken up, and each house lot should contain 60 rods square." At first the settlers located themselves at the west end of the island. In 1671, a patent was granted, confirming the land to the pro- prietors, by Francis Lovelace, governor of New York. It was incorporated a town by the name of Sherburne in 1687, and as a county in 1695.
At the time of the settlement by the English, there were nearly 3,000 Indians on the island. They were divided into two tribes, one at the west and the other at the east end. The western tribe is supposed to have found its way thither from the main by the way of Martha's Vineyard, and the eastern to have crossed the sound from the southern shore of Barnstable county. Concerning the discovery of Nantucket by the Indians, they had the following fabulous tradition, which was related to the early English settlers.
* Nantucket shoals stretch away to the south-east of the island, 45 miles in width, to the distance of 50 miles, and are a dangerous place for vessels unacquainted with the coast. Very many vessels have been wrecked and lost on them in foriner years.
Stephen Greenleaf, Joseph Coleman, William Worth,
Tristram Coffin, Robert Bernard,
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448
NANTUCKET.
In former times, a great many moons ago, a bird, extraordinary for its size, used often to visit the south shore of Cape Cod, and carry from thence in its talons a vast number of small children. Maushope, who was an Indian giant, as fame reports, re- sided in these parts. Enraged at the havoc among the children, he on a certain time waded into the sea in pursuit of the bird, till he had crossed the sound and reached Nantucket. Before Maushope forded the sound, the island was unknown to the red men. Maushope found the bones of the children in a heap, under a large tree. He then, wishing to smoke a pipe, ransacked the island for tobacco, but finding none, he filled his pipe with poke, a weed which the Indians sometimes used as a substitute. Ever since the above memorable events, fogs have been frequent at Nantucket and on the Cape. In allusion to this tradition, when the aborigines observed a fog rising, they would say, " There comes old Maushope's smoke."* This tradition has been related in another way : that an eagle having seized and carried off a papoose, the parents followed him in their canoe till they came to Nantucket, where they found the bones of their child, dropped by the eagle. There is another Indian tradition that Nantucket was formed by Maushope, by emptying the ashes from his pipe after he had done smoking .- The two tribes on the island were hostile to each other. Tradition has pre- served a pleasing instance of the effect of love. The western tribe having determined to surprise and attack the eastern tribe, a young man of the former, whose mistress belonged to the latter, being anxious for her safety, as soon as he was concealed by the shades of night, ran to the beach, flew along the shore below the limit of high water, saw his mistress a moment, gave the alarm, and returned by the same route before day-break ; the rising tide washed away the traces of his feet. The next morning he accompanied the other warriors of the tribe to the attack: the enemy was found pre- pared, and no impression could be made on them. He remained undetected till, seve- ral years after, peace being restored between the two tribes, and the young man having married the girl, the truth came to light.
Soon after the English had settled on the island, attempts were made to convert the Indians to the faith of the gospel, and in a course of years all of them became nominal Christians. They were, during every period, generally friendly to the Eng- lish, who, though they were sometimes alarmed, never experienced any thing from them really hostile. In 1665, King Philip came to this island to kill an Indian, whose name was John Gill. He landed at the west end, intending to travel along the shore, under the bank, undiscovered, to the east part of the island, where John lived. But an Indian, happening to discover his plan, ran and gave John word, in consequence of which John ran to the town, and got Thomas Macy to conceal him. Jolin's crime was speaking evil the name of the dead, who was supposed to be one of King Philip's near connections ; for the Indians had a custom that no one should speak reproachfully of the dead. The English held a parley with Philip, and all the money which they were able to collect at that time was barely sufficient to satisfy him for John's life.
These Indians had a singular way of punishing their children and servants. It was laying them on their backs, and putting a knee on each arm; then, holding back the boy's head, by laying hold of the hair, they ejected a decoction of bayberry-root bark from their mouths into the noses of the boys. This was repeated a number of times, till the boys were near strangled. After a while, however, they would recover. This mode of punishment was called by the Indians medom-humar, or great punishment. 4
The whale fishery began here in 1690. One Ichabod Paddock came from Cape Cod to instruct the people in the art of killing whales in boats from the shore. This business flourished till about the year 1760, when the whales appear generally to have left the coast. In 1718 the inhabitants began to pursue whales on the ocean, in small sloops and schooners, of about from 30 to 50 tons. The blubber was brought home and tried or boiled in try- houses. In a few years after, vessels of a larger burthen were employed, and the oil boiled out in try-works at sea.
" At the breaking out of the Revolution, in 1775, Nantucket had 150 vessels, and employed in them 2,200 men, on whaling voyages. They took annually about 30,000
* Col. Mass. Hist. Soc. vol. v. first series, p. 57.
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NANTUCKET.
barrels of oil. The peculiar interests of the island suffered severely by the war, at the close of which the number of whaling vessels was reduced to 30. The enterprise of the people received another check in the late war, but has since again restored the business of the island to its accustomed channels and extent. In 1822, there belonged to the town 88 whaling vessels, averaging 300 tons each.
" The Nantucket whalemen now extend their voyages to the coast of Brazil in South America, and frequently to the Pacific Ocean, and are often absent two or three years. The vessels designed for these distant voyages are generally navigated by 20 or 30 men. The terms on which the men are employed are somewhat peculiar. The owners of the vessel and its appurtenances receive a certain stipulated part out of the profits of the voyage, and the remainder of the proceeds is divided among the officers and seamen, according to certain rules previously known and understood by all parties. So that if the vessel meets with great success, the pay of the men, who navigate it, will be high ; but if the vessel have less success, their pay will be proportionably less.
" Whales are sometimes found 200 feet in length, but generally are less than half that size. These monstrous animals are attacked by only six or eight men in an open boat. When in the region frequented by whales, the crew of the vessel in pursuit of them keep a sharp look-out, with all things ready for an attack. The instant a whale is discovered upon the surface of the water, a boat is manned for the pursuit. One man, the most daring and dexterous in the business, is armed with a harpoon, an in- strument five or six feet long, with a barbed point. He stands up, with his weapon in his hand, in the bow of the boat, while the others row, under his direction, with all pos- sible despatch toward the enemy, and usually to within eight or ten yards of him. The harpooner, having taken his position to the best advantage, and made all things ready for the blow, hurls his weapon with all his strength, and aims to strike some part of the whale least protected by his thick skin. This is a moment of intense interest, for the success of a whole voyage may essentially depend upon a single stroke of the harpoon. It is also a moment of imminent danger; for one blow from the tail of the wounded and enraged animal might upset the boat and dash it into a thousand pieces. The men, therefore, hastily withdraw a short distance from their danger, and wait the effects of their first onset.
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