USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Watertown > Historical sketches of Watertown, Massachusetts > Part 13
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"5. The town anditor shall have the right whenever the town, the selectmen, or the trustees wish it, to inspect the securities in which said fund may be invested, and report as requested.
"H. W. Orfs, Escutar.
"I engage to be responsible for the payment of the above amu is svou as the town shall take satisfactory action.
" CHAS. PRATT,
"212 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, N F., March 3, 188 ...
The town, at the regular annual March town-meet- ing, after very full discussion, took the following ac. tion :
" Voted, That the town accept the gift of the heirs of Ass Pratt with thanks, and will gladly comply with the conditions of the gift.
" Voted, That the trustees of the Public Library and the Selectmen be a committee to take into consideration the whole matter of fr. viding for a reading room, and, if thought expedient, a trustees' room, and that a sum not exceeding $3000 he put at their disposal to accomplish the emils in view."
The following obituary notice copied from the Boston Journal of November 12, 1878, acquires addi- tional interest to our readers, in view of the action of the town at its annual meeting in accepting the pro- ceeds of Mr. Asa Pratt's estate increased by the gen- erosity of his sons, to establish a fund for furnishing reading matter for a new reading-room in the Free Public Library building for the benefit of working- men :
" ASA PRATT .- Asa Pratt, one of the most venerable and esteemed cit- izons of this section, died in Watertown on Friday last, in the eighty- fifth year of his age. He was the son of Jacob Pratt, who was born in Malden in 1754, where he lived until his death in his ninety-first year. ITis son Asa, at the age of fourteen, was put out to learn a trade. After serving an apprenticeship of seven years in Boston in learning the trade of cabinet-making, he removed to Watertown and started business on his owu account, September 18, 1818. For about fifty years he continued huis business on substantially the same spot where he started it, until old age compelled him to rest. He was an honest man and did honest work. His dealings with men were true ; be feared debt, and amid the many struggles of maintaining a large family, he would never contract debts that he could not meet to the last dollar. Ile never made changes, but stuck to his trade in the same place. He bought his little home where he took his bride as a young man, and it was the home of his children until he had to build larger, but within two hundred feet of the same Mpot he lived for sixty years until his death. He had remarkable health. He was a kind father and singularly unselfish in all his rela- tions of life. He could not brook a mean or selfish thing of any kind. lle had a large family. Seven of his children survive him, displaying the same traits of industry, honesty and generosity. He was a charter member of the Pequosette Lodge of Freemasons, and before his death was the oldest member of that order. The social, genial, faithful waya which first won him esteem among his fellow-Masons continned to the end. For the past ten or fifteen years, since he gave up his business,
A a Pratt has lived a quiet, meditative life. He had neither poverty nor riches. His wants, which were simple, were all supplied, and he had a little for every call of charity. He leaves his widow, now in her seventy-eighth year, in comfortable circumstances, and with a good name, which is better than riches."
Several of the workingmen of the town who felt a deep interest in the project of a free reading-room, addressed the following letter to Mr. Chas. Pratt, who represents the Pratt heirs. It secured a large number of signatures :
"WATERTOWN, March 12, 1888. "To CHAS. PRATT, EsQ., Brooklyn, N. Y.
"Dear Sir,-The undersigned citizens of Watertown, and householders whiuse homes represent the earnings of their own hands in some form of productive industry, desire to thank you for the gift that has come through your kindness to the chies we represent.
" We are workingmen, and we think that we appreciate the united and social condition of a large class of our people somewhat more di- rectly and fully than those conditions cao be understood by persons who see them only from the outside, and we have long felt the pressure of a public need that, up to this time, has not been met. But now your gen- ervus remembrance of your former home opens the way to a good we have hoped for, but which has been beyond our reach. We confidently expect to see the most beneficial results from your bequest, and we wish to assure you that our best endeavors shall be given to turn our experi- ments into facts.
"The list of nanies at the end of this note will not be a long one, but eich dame will stand for a man who sends you greeting and the thanka of a grateful heart.
"Hoping that you will long live to see the good that will come from your gift, we remaio sincerely and faithfully yours."
The selectmen of the town meeting with the trustees of the Public Library, according to one of the condi- tions of the trust, appointed with Horace W. Otis, Charles Brigham and Albert O. Davidson, trustees of the Asa Pratt Fund.
It should be stated that Mr. Pratt has done more than he promised. He placed the funds ($5000) in the hands of the special Board of Trustees, he sent the librarian money to furnish the reading-rooms entire with fitting and durable furniture, and as an earnest of his pleasure in the first year's administra- tion of the fund, sent the library a check for a hun- dred dollars for reference books, which has been ex- pended for valuable works that have been much called for by students of art and manufactures and history. It is the express direction that these be all credited to the " Asa Pratt Fund" in honor of his father, whose useful life was spent in this place.
It may be too soon to record the influence of this gift in enlarging the effectiveness of the public library. That it is gladly and thankfully used by many young men and women is apparent to those constantly in the rooms.
CATALOGUES, AND USE OF THE LIBRARY .-- As a new card catalogue is being prepared for the use of the public, it may be well to state the fact that a card catalogue of the whole library was begun in 1868, long before there was any Library Bureau, and consequently when few card catalogues were known outside of Harvard College. The Boston Public Library had begun one for the use of the librarian and assistants, not yet for the public ; the Boston Ath-
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enium pasted its titles into great blank-books like serap-books.
This catalogue was begun as the aid of the librarian in doing his work, and was written mostly nights and holidays. It was patterned after the catalogue of Mr. (afterwards Prof.) Ezra Abbott, assistant librarian of Harvard College Library, with of course simplification of the subject portion of the catalogue, with more specific subjects as adapted to a smaller library. The work done twenty years ago is the basis of work done now.
All other lists and catalogues, as shelf-lists, acces- sion catalogue and bulletins have been kept up from the beginning, every title thus being written five or six times in different relations for different purposes in the manuscript lists. No labor of this kind has been spared to make the library a well-organized and effective instrument.
The library has had good direction from trustees and experts in the choice of books, so that for the purposes to which this has been put, in the education of this town, it may be said to be fairly equipped with good books of good authors.
Considerable attention has been given to assisting pupils of the schools and other learners to the use of the materials which the library contains
Its life seems to be comparatively active. It has nearly three volumes for every man, woman and child in town, and these are read on the average twice each year. This rate would give Boston a library of a million and a balf of volumes, and a circulation of about three millions annually.
Its friends expect it to do much better than this. A love of reading, and the habit of thinking by the aid of the printed page, seems not to be the natural inheritance of all people. Doubtless the new era ot progress which started in Europe with theinvention of printing and the use of the printed page, the emergence of universal intelligence from the gloom of the Dark Ages, has to be wrought over again in the personal history of each individual of the race. Agassiz traced in the successive heds of fossil rocks the zoological history of the world ; this he found again repeated in like order of development in each individual of the higher species of the present time, by traeing the progress from the first signs of life in the embryo to the condition of maturity. It is clearly within the province of the historian to note the successive stages of growth of use and usefulness of public libraries, to note both the early and successive stages in the growth of the public library as a complete organism, and to note the early and successive stages of growth in the minds of individuals brought or coming within the sphere of its activities. This large view helps to clear the air of much confusion of ideas in understanding the nature of the life of a public library, and prepares wonderfully to settle intelligently the many questions constantly arising in regard to the proper administra- tion of these great public trusts. For instance, the
ever-recurring question as to what books should be allowed in a public library, Should they be selected with reference to a certain standard of literary excellence? Should they accord with certain political or religious ereeds ? Should they treat only of facts of science or history ? Should they ignore all that has misled or deceived the expectations of the past ? Is it best or to be allowed to try to catch the eye and excite the imagination of the thoughtless by some- thing within the scope of their minds? In the administration of this library, the experiment of try- ing Mrs. Southworth and Oliver Optie for those who else would not, perhaps could not, read Scott and Dickens, Irving or Bancroft, has been made. Seience and philosophy have on the other hand been given ont to babes. The effects have been noted. This is a field for intelligent experiment. It should not be expected that the results of modern culture can be gained by relapsing into the freedom of that accidental untrained life which our fathers found among the aboriginal savages. Christian science and Christian philosophy, aided by the best literary pro- duet of the world to the latest day are no more than equal to the best results desired and possible.
The history of this library, to gather up the ex- perience of twenty years in a single statement, has shown that the best books, the most carefully selected and sometimes the most costly, brought at the op- portune moment when the want had been created, the assimilative powers being in condition, have sup- plied the material for the want of which.perhaps a life failure would have resulted rather than the laying of a foundation for future growth.
The great need of a young man or a young wo- man who finds that it takes most of his time and strength to live, whose whole life and energy is ab- sorbed in the material and mechanical conditions of existence, is to catch some glimpse of the world of mind, of imagination above him. Doubtless other libraries than this have been able to catch such an one's attention by a printed page not too obscure for his enlightenment and his enjoyment.
Not to spend too much time in describing individ- ual cases in the history of the library, it may be elaimed, doubtless without fear of contradiction, that some in every condition of mental development, the more the higher we go, have found it a garden of de- light and of refreshing, the open door to new views and more effective labors. Such will prove their grateful appreciation by leading others to still greater help, still higher and wider, and more constant men- tal activity.
In this town, a model New England town, with its full share of dull material existence, the library has been evolved in the course of progress as the repre- sentative of the best intellectual forces, as that con- necting link, if one can excuse the figure, which binds this toiling, busy life to the onward car of pro- gress. It is for the masses what the schools are to
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the young, what the university is to the scholar. It is, in fact, the university of the masses.
It requires men yet on its board of control. It re- quires administration with firmness, freedom to try new means and measures, and intelligence to observe results and draw conclusions.
OFFICERS OF THE WATERTOWN FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY, 1868-1890. TRUSTEES.
Rev. Jobn Weiss, 1868-72 (chairman, 1868-69 ;) Alfred Hosmer, M.D., 1808-79 (secretary, 1808, '69, '70, chairman, 1571, '73-'56 ; ) Josiah Stickney, 1868-72 ; Joseph Bird, 1868-69 ; Jesse A. Locke, 1808-73 (chairman, 1870); Abiel Abbott, 1868-69 ; Rev. Jas. M. Bell, 1868-69 ; David T. Huckins, M. D., 1868-69 (treasurer, 1stis); Charles J. Barry, 1808, '69, 1873-83 (secretary, 1875, '76, chairman, 1877-83) ; Joshua Coo- lidge, 1868-88 (treasurer, 1871, cbaltman, 1872, 'S3-87 ; ) George N. March, 1869-ST (secretary, IST1, treasurer, 1869, '70, '72-84, '85-'87) ; Geo. K. Snow, 1872-84 (secretary, 1877-81); A. C. Stockin, 1872-84; (sec- retary, 1872-74) ; Charles F. Fitz, 1879-81 ; Rev. Robert P. Stack, 1982- (treasurer, 1884); William Cushing, 1854 (secretary, I>>4); Rev. Ed- ward A, Rand, 1894-87 ; Edward E Allen, 1885- (secretary, 1855, 'st, treasurer, 1890-) ; A O. Davidson, 1885-00 (secretary, 1888) ; Chas. S. Ensign, 1887-90 (secretary, 1887, chairman, 1888, '80 ); Horace W. Otis, 1888 (treasurer, 1888) ; Charles Brigham, 1889- (treasurer, 1850, chair man, 1500) ; Geo. E. Priest, 1889- (secretary, 1889) ; Herbert Coolidge, 1800 -; Wm. Il. Bustin, 1890 -.
LIBRARIANS.
Soloo F. Whitney, librarian, 1868 -; M Agnes Gribble, assistant Ii- brarian, 1972-73 (now Mrs. Geo. H. Chapio) ; Nelly Bradford, assistant librarian, 1873-77 (now Mrs. Solomon B. Stebbins) ; Jane Stockwell, as- sistant librarian, 1877- ; Ella Sherman, assistant librarian, 1887-88 (now Mrs. James Norcross) ; Helen Cushing, assistant librarian, Is88 (now teacher in Philadelphia ; T. E. Macurday, assistant librario, 1889 (now in Boston Public Library) ; M. Louise Whitney, cataloguer, 1889 -; Mabel Learned, assistant, 1800 -.
THE WEARS-THE SOUTH SIDE-MORSE FIELD.1 -History narrates that Captain John Smith, when exploring the Massachusetts coast, in 1614, proceeded up a river which he named the Charles, landed on the south bank, probably within a few rods of the present Watertown Bridge, and his party refreshed themselves from the pure springs located in this vicinity.
When the settlers of the town located within its territory they considered themselves the sole proprie- tors of the territory on both sides of this river, but preferred to settle on the north bank, as it was better adapted for immediate cultivation, and safer from the Indians, who frequented the opposite shore for hunt- ing and fishing, and who had a settlement at a place called Nonantum. The land on the south side was marshy, back of which extended bluffs heavily tim- bered, or high bluffs rising abruptly from the shore.
For home-lots the south side was too inconvenient and too remote from the main settlements in case of danger from the neighboring Indians.
When the settlers in Newtown (Cambridge, from 1638) erossed the river and settled in " Little Cam- bridge" (Brighton), and extended to New Cambridge (Newton), they were gladly welcomed by the planters
in Watertown. So, when in May, 1634, the colony, under Rey. Thomas Hooker, who had, under the order of the General Court, in 1632, removed from Mount Wollaston to Newtown, complained to the General Court for lack of room, particularly meadow land, Watertown and Boston offered them land, which was accepted. This offer included a part, if not all, of the thirty aeres of land granted by the Court, No- vember, 1632, to Mr. George Phillips (the minister in Watertown), "on the south side, beginning at a ereek a little higher than the pines, and so upwards towards the wears." Bond says that the plot was nearly op- posite the United States Arsenal ; but it may have extended beyond and reached nearly to the present Watertown Bridge. The Court, in .September, 1634, "ordered that the ground abont Muddy river (Brook- line), belonging to Boston, and used by the inhabit- ants thereof, shall hereafter belong to Newtown, the wood and timber thereof, growing and to be grown, to be reserved to the inhabitants of Boston : provided, and it is the meaning of this court, that if Mr. Hooker and the congregation now settled here, shall remove henee, that then the aforesaid meadow grounds shall return to Watertown, and the grounds at Muddy river to Boston."
By the permission of Governor Winthrop, granted in April, 1632, without the order of the General Court (for which he was severely condemned by his un- friendly deputy, Dudley), the inhabitants of Water- town were allowed to construct a fish-wear. May 9, 1632, "it was ordered" by the General Conrt, " that the town of Watertown sliall have that privi- lage and interest in the wear they have built up Charles river, according as the court hereafter shall think meet to confirm unto them."
Johnson, in his " Wonder Working Providence," says, " This town (Watertown) abounds with several sorts of fish at their seasons, bass, shad, salmon, frost fish and smelts."
Wood, in his "New England Prospect," 1633, nar- rates, " A little below the fall of waters " (the present dam across the river) " the inhabitants of Watertown have built a wear to catch fish, wherein they take great store of shads and ale-wives. In two tides they have gotten one hundred thousand fishes."
Historians say that the leading spirit in the build- ing of the wear was Mr. John Oldham, a freeman in 1631, "whose house near the wear at Watertown was burnt in August, 1632." Sept. 4, 1634, the General Court "ordered that no man shall fish with a net nearer the wear at Watertown, than the further part of the island in the river, and there also never to eross the river wholly with any net except it be at high water or after."
In April, 1635, a committee was appointed by the General Court to determine the bounds between New- town and Watertown, and reported, " It is agreed by us whose names are under written, that the bounds between Watertown and Newtown shall stand as they
1 By Charles S. Ensigo, LL B., a life member of the New England Histor- ic Genealogical Society ; member also of the Historical Society of Water- towo.
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
are already, from Charles river to the Great Fresh pond, and from the tree marked by Watertown and Newtown, on the northeast side of the pond, and over the pond to a white poplar tree on the northwest side of the pond, and from the tree up into the conn- try, northwest by west, upon a straight line by a meridian compass ; and further, that Watertown shall have one hundred rods in length above the wear, and one hundred rods beneath the wear in length and three-score rods in breadth from the river on the south side thereof, and all the rest of the ground on that side of the river to lye in Newtown. William Col- bron, John Johnson, Abraham Palmer."
This tract contained by estimation, on the south side, about seventy-five acres, afterwards called the Wear lands. In town-meeting, Jan. 3, 1635-36, it was "agreed that there shall be four rods in breadth on each side of the river, and in length as far as need shall require, laid (out) to the use of the wear so it may not be prejudicial to the Water Mill. Also, one hundred and forty acres of ground to the wear upon the other side of the river, to be laid out in a conven- ient place."
" Agreed, that there shall be laied out to the use of the Water Mill twenty acres of ground neare to the Mill & foure rods in breadth on either side the Water, and in length ay farre as need shall require, so it be not predniciall to the Ware."
Mr. Hooker and his company never settled upon the grants of land made by Watertown and Boston, and continuing dissatisfied and complaining, finally were permitted to remove to Connecticut and settle upon land which later was called Hartford. My direct ancestor, James, was one of that colony.
The General Court thereupon appointed a committee to settle the boundaries between Newtown and Muddy River (Brookline), which made the adjustment in April, 1636. Newtown retained the large territory gained in 1635, comprising Brighton, Arlington, Lex- ington, Billerica, part of Bedford, part of Tewksbury, extending to the Merrimack River, while Watertown never recovered the territory which it had originally granted. The reason for this may be accounted for in the fact, "it was not a shire town, nor place for much trade, no shipping-port, only reached by small vessels, and no resort for official men and capitalists." " After Sir Richard Saltonstall's departure, until 1686, there were no resident assistants or magistrates- The people were devoted to agriculture and some mechanical trade in the intervals of farming," plain in their habits and simple in tastes, and had no inter- est or pride in municipal aggrandizement.
In 1679 when the boundaries between Cambridge and New Cambridge or Cambridge village, (that is, Newton,) were fixed, it was stipulated " that this Watertown reservation on the south side of Charles River, two hundred by sixty rods, should be main- tained and held by Watertown for the protection of her fish wears."
The boundaries not being satisfactory, were in 1705 again readjusted so that this territory was increased by estimation to eighty-eight acres. It is stated that the lines have been since rearranged so that the total num- ber of acres, including that covered by water, is one hundred and fifty, and is surrounded by Newton, except on its northern boundary, which is the Charles River.
From the orders of the General Court it would seem that the wear built by the town in 1632 was public property. But soon after it became private property and was held in shares.
The General Conrt had granted the "Oldham farm," on the north side, to Mr. John Ollham, April 1, 1634. He mortgaged this grant to Mr. Matthew Cradock. The land was not ordered laid ont until June 2, 1641, after Oldham had been murdered by the Pequot Indians at Block Island, July, 1636. But Oldham had soon after soid this grant subject to the mortgage of Thomas Mayhew, and this plot included the wear. For the General Court confirmed the town's grant of one hundred and fifty acres with the wear (Jan. 3, 1635-36) on June 2, 1641, when it was "agreed that Mr. Mayhew shall enjoy the one hundred and fifty acres of land on the south side of Charles River by Watertown wear."
Thomas Mayhew, a freeman in Medford, May, 1634, came to Watertown in 1635. He received six large grants from the town. He was a townsman or selectman from 1636 to 1640 inclusive; also in 1642; also representative to the General Court from 1636 to 1644. He is described as a merchant in his deeds. From 1638 to 1642 he was a commissioner for Water- town "to end small causes." On October 10, 1641, Nantucket and two other adjacent islands, and on the 23d of October, Martha's Vineyard and Elizabeth Islands were granted to him and his son Thomas by James Forett, agent of the Earl of Stirling, who con- stituted him Governor. He removed to Martha's Vineyard in the spring or summer of 1645.
He built the first bridge, a foot-bridge, in 1641 over Charles River, and one record states that this was the reason for the grant of 150 acres on the south side of the river.
In 1643 the General Court granted to him "three hundred acres of land in regard to his charge about the bridge by Watertown Mill and the bridge to be- long to the County."
Thomas Mayhew Sept. 29, 1638, granted to Simon Bradstreet, of Ipswich (Governor of Massachusetts, under the first charter from 1679 to 1686), for six cows worth abont $200 each. " All that his farm con- tainynge by estimation 500 acres lying in Cambridge wth all the buildings thereto belonginge."
Sept. 23, 1646, Simon Bradstreet, Andover, gent, for £140, conveyed this tract to Edward Jackson, Cambridge, naylor, described as "his farm of 500 acres, which was lately in the tenure of Thomas Mayhew, adjoining the wear lands."
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This tract commenced near the division line of the same. This interest, once valuable to the town, Newton and Brighton, and included the present New- ; has ceased on account of the pollution of the stream tonville.
His mansion-house, the first dwelling-house in New- ton, was located only a few rods from Washington Street, near the Catholic Church.
Feb. 27, 1639-40, Mayhew conveyed to Governor Dudley for £90 the rent of his wear for the last four years, leased to Robert Lockwood, Isaac Sternes and Henry Jackson for six years. Also the river side and inheritance of the wear forever, subject to a certain mortgage (referring to that made to Cradock).
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