History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 105

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York : Blake
Number of Pages: 1292

USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890 > Part 105

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VILLAGES .- The town has no large villages, but in the past, as well as present, the several communities have possessed the elements of New England villages. The East Harbor village was situated south of the harbor of that name, and last century it was the important one of the town. From East harbor southerly to the Pond this settlement extended, and there in the enjoyment of rural avocations, a large community of peaceful, contented citizens dwelt. As soon as the fishing interests clustered at the Pond, and a post office was estab- lished there, then Pond village was the center of the northern part of the town; and north of that there are but few residences at the present time. It is now called North Truro. The high banks along the bay are intersected by a valley, making from the shore, and this dividing into two parts, forms a pretty and secluded spot for a vil- lage. Early in the century the entrance to the valley afforded a con- venient landing from the bay, and the circuitous bend of land that forms the harbor of Provincetown sheltered this landing place from the winds, making a chosen spot for the fishing vessels. At this point the Cape is very narrow, and across to the ocean shore the cheerful

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

homes of the villagers extend, so that the lights and the life sav_ ing station may be considered as in the village of North Truro. The situation and surroundings of this pleasant hamlet excel any other of the town. The first graveyard of the town, and the site of the first church are visible to the south, and from the surrounding hills may be seen Provincetown and Plymouth.

In 1835 a post office was established here, the entire town having had but one office prior to that, and which was in the center of the town. David Ayres, appointed June 18, 1835, was the first postmas- ter, keeping the office at his residence. Isaiah M. Atkins was ap- pointed September 26, 1836, followed October 25th of the same year by James Small, who kept the office at the Highlands. July 29, 1841, Edward Armstrong was appointed, removing the office to his house, opposite the present office. He died, and his widow, Hannah, was appointed April 24, 1846. John Grozier was appointed June 8, 1847, and kept the office about a quarter of a century in his residence, near the pond. June 23. 1873, Captain Edwin P. Worthen was ap- pointed, and he kept it several years in his house, then in a store building just west of his present home. In October, 1889, Lillian J. Small, the present incumbent, was appointed, who removed it to her store, where, with an addition to the building for its accommodation, the new case of boxes and drawers are neatly kept.

The original store building in which the post office is kept was erected in 1856 by A. C. Small, who in 1857 began trade in groceries, continuing until 1881, when his daugater, Lillian J. Small, com- menced in dry goods, drugs and fancy articles. The post office is in the front part-all new except a standing desk that has been in use in the office for fifty years. Marshall Ayers had an old store when he was postmaster. It stood near Mr. Thompson's present store, and was moved to where John Francis lives. Anna Small kept an old store in it after it was moved. That part of the village south of and near the present Union church contained several stores early in the history of the village. Johana Mercy had one in her house where Jeremiah Hopkins lives, near the church. Sylvanus Nye had another in the house now the residence of Atkins Hughes, and prior to that he kept one where Caleb Eastman lives. Frank Small had one south of the present village, and Eleazer Collins another where Charles Col- lins lives.

David D. Smith began, in 1846, a store in a small building near John G. Thompson's present place of business. In 1851 he erected Thompson's store, where he continued business till April, 1864, when he sold to Samuel Knowles. In 1865 Sylvanus Hughes purchased the property, and began a store in June, 1866, which he sold out to John G. Thompson in September of the same year. It was in 1849 that

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Frank Small opened his store opposite the church, which he contin- ued twenty-one years, and then sold to J. W. Small, who, after a year, moved the building across next to the church. In 1873 John G. Thompson purchased the goods and moved them to his store. Mr. Thompson has recently erected a large grain and flour store-house. nearly opposite his store, and is conducting the largest trade in the north part of the town.

Taverns were formerly kept on the King's highway, in the east -. ern part of the village, but the keepers' names cannot be recalled. The present hotel, owned by I. Morton Small, is more especially for summer visitors, and has been liberally patronized. It is properly named the Highland House, from its elevated site on the clay pounds near the lights. Hiram Hatch was engaged as proprietor for 1890. Near the depot a summer hotel is kept by Mrs. Atwood, and just east Mrs. Green has opened another.

The railroad track runs across the mouth of the valley that opens into the hills, and the high embankment has cut off the tides that for- merly made the Pond a safe anchorage for small craft. On the north side of the valley stands the neat depot of the Old Colony railroad, of which Isaac Green was the first agent until his death, when Isaac Smith, his son-in-law, the present agent, was appointed.

The village has a neat and thrifty appearance, and since the es- tablishment of the several fishing weirs, of which Atkins Hughes is agent, it has assumed considerable commercial importance.

Truro village, sometimes called Truro Center, is the principal community of the town. The town house, two churches, clerk and treasurer's office, and the continuation of the oldest post office of the town have centered here, and give to the scattering community the sobriquet of a village. The valley and banks of the Pamet river, In- dian neck, and Longnook are considered within the limits of the vil- lage, and constitute an area of several square miles of hills and downs, traversed by sandy, winding roads. The dyke over which the public road passes has stopped the influx of the tide, and above this the marshes along the river bear English hay, and afford better farming land. On the old stage route around the head of the marshes were taverns, but none are extant. Of the old stores in which molasses, rum and tobacco were the staples, none are left, those of the fore part of this century being the connecting link between the past and present ..

In 1820 Daniel Paine started a store at Longnook where he had the post office. Captain Samuel Ryder prior to 1830 had a store on the bank north-east of the present post office, which he closed in 1851 when he went west. In 1833 Josiah Wilder started a store near the lower foot bridge, on the south side of the river, and years afterward

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

moved the building to where Daniel W. Oliver lives, where he con- tinued until 1864. John Smith in 1837 started a store near the present depot, and on the north bank near the embankment Snow & Paine started another. These were fitting-out stores in connection with the fisheries. Lewis Lombard and Solomon Paine, jr., continued these stores until the decline of the fishing business. John M. Gill had a tin and hardware store near Union wharf in 1840, and Nathan K. Whorf also kept a variety store there. Near this wharf two sail lofts and one rigger shop were run successfully for years, for it was here that vessels were built, and here were wharves for vessel and boat building other than has been mentioned in the town history of Truro. The harbor was excellent between the years 1830 and 1845, but in 1860 the sand had so choked it that the industries clustered there were discontinued. Then the business naturally moved a mile up the river, where it is continued, but not so extensively as formerly.

Samuel C. Paine started a store at Longnook in 1855, and in Decem- ber, 1860, moved the building and goods to his present place at the north end of the dyke, where in March, 1861, he opened his present business in drugs and medicines.

About 1855 Benjamin Dyer opened a grocery store near the pres- ent post office, in which he was succeeded by Amasa Paine and Nathaniel Dyer as the firm of A. Paine & Co. In 1879 William I. Paine, son of Amasa, took the business, which he continued until 1886, when he was succeeded by J. L. Dyer, who continues business.

In 18SS Daniel W. Oliver moved the school house from the place called Castle to his present place of business-the south end of the dyke. The store had been a skating rink when that craze spread over the Cape, and it made an excellent grocery and dry-good store in which he continues business.

The last stores at the wharves, where the railroad embankment is, were company stores, the very latest being run by Elkanah Paine under the name of E. Paine & Co. He was succeeded in 1856 by a company composed of Nathaniel Dyer, Amasa Paine and Sears Rich, as N. Dyer & Co., which dissolved after a short time. These gentle- men, as did the company composed of Josiah Wilder and Joseph Whorf, moved up the river, and in some individual cases opened other places of business at the present center. The high embankment now overlooks the sites of these busy wharves and stores of fifty yearsago, and hardly a vestige of the former industries remain. The railroad passed through in 1873, when George S. Hamilton was appointed the depot agent, which position he filled until 1885, when Isaac C. Free- man was appointed.

The first postmaster of Truro was Ephraim Harding, appointed April 1, 1798. July 1, 1803, he was succeeded by Benjamin Harding,

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TOWN OF TRURO.

who was followed by Sylvanus Nye, at the Highlands, February 25, .1809. The next incumbent was Daniel Paine, appointed December 16, 1820. He kept the office at Longnook. December 24, 1830, Hincks Gross was appointed, succeeded March 8, 1847, by Josiah Wilder, at his store. April 9, 1859, Edward Winslow was made postmaster, but he resigned in 1861 to enter the army, and Samuel C. Paine was ap- pointed. Mr. Paine kept the office at his store until 1888, when Daniel W. Oliver was appointed, and he removed the office to his store. In June, 1889, Samuel C. Paine was re-appointed, and the office was re- moved to the old place.

The Union Hall Association was instituted May 1, 1848, by the usual legal warrant issued by Barnabas Paine. Ninty-six of the one hundred shares of stock issued were taken and by an assessment of $22.78 on each share the Union Hall was erected. The lower floor was constructed for publicuse and the upper for the Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, and Cadets, all of which societies were discon- tinued after a few years. This building was sold to the town as has been stated.

The social circles are well attended and of these this village hasits proportion. The Iron Hall, Branch 984, organized February 15, 1889, has fifty members.

The Truro Library Association, with a good collection of books, and its literary entertainments given in public, is indicative of the taste of the residents. The societies and associations, although meet- ing at the center, are composed of members from the entire town.

South Truro has been so designated only since the advent of the railroad, and since the citizens of the south part of the town asked for and received postal facilities. It is situated in the southwest corner of the town, adjoining Bound brook, and has some commercial im- portance in the affairs of the town. The pleasant little depot of the Old Colony railroad is now kept by S. W. Rich, who wasappointed in 1SS2. Walter N. Elliott was the agent for several months previous, and John Elliott was the first appointee, serving from 1873 to 1881. A post office was asked for, and in March, 1874, the South Truro office was instituted with John Elliott as postmaster, who kept it at the depot while he was agent and then at his store. It is now kept by him in his store a few rods from the depot.

There had been a small community here from the early settle- ment of the town, but the first store within the memory of the present residents was that of Nehemiah Rich, who started it prior to 1835 and continued to about the year 1848. In 1849 some thirty citizens formed a stock association and opened the Union store, which was continued until about 1860, when Joseph Whorf, Elisha Rich, Ephraim Rich and Samuel Rich purchased the business. In 1862 Samuel Rich

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

bought out the others and ran the store until 1864, then moved the building to Provincetown. About 1854 the Union Store Company built a wharf on the bay shore where a fishing business was carried on, but when the company business at the store was discontinued the wharf was taken up and reconstructed at Provincetown. Three of the mem- bers of the Union Store Company-Atwood, Ephraim, and Elisha Rich-each had a small store at their houses subsequent to the dis- solution of the company business.

In 1846 Joseph S. Cole started a store in a room at his house, and after three years erected a small store building where Richard T. Cobb lives. After about two years the store was moved across to his residence, then to the site of the Union store, and a few years ago he again moved the building to the present site near his house, where he continues his business.

This post hamlet enjoys a daily mail, and has the religious advan- tages of the Methodist Episcopal church half way between this and the center.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Sylvester B. Atwood, son of Peter L. and Mary C. (Collins) Atwood, and grandson of Joel Atwood, was born in Wellfleet in 1847. He fol- lowed the sea from 1859 until 1885, when he took charge of weir fish- ing. He was for eight years master of coasting and fishing vessels. He married Sarah, daughter of Samuel and Mercy D. (Snow) Paine. They have two sons: Frederick A. and George F.

Benjamin Coan, born in 1824, is a son of Samuel and Hannah (Avery) Coan, grandson of Samuel, and great-grandson of Abraham Coan, who came from Long Island, N. Y., to Truro. He followed the sea from 1833 until 1874, twenty years of the time as master of vessels. He has been clerk and treasurer of the Christian Union church of North Truro several years. He married Sally K., daughter of Francis and Annie Small. Their two children, Benjamin and Annie, are both dead.

Elisha Cobb, born in 1817, is the eldest of six children of Freeman and Nancy (Rich) Cobb, grandson of Richard, and great-grandson of Joseph Cobb. He followed the sea for fifty years prior to 1876, as master of fishing vessels twenty-eight years. He married Thankful W., daughter of Joseph and Ruth (Atwood) Cobb, granddaughter of Mulford, and great-granddaughter of Joseph Cobb. Their children are: Joseph A., Mary E. and Julia F.

Joseph S. Cole, born in 1812 in Wellfleet, is the only surviving child of Daniel and Polly (Snow) Cole, and grandson of Daniel Cole. He was several seasons in the fishing business. In 1845 he came to South Truro. He was first married to Rachel Y. Pierce. After her

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TOWN OF TRURO.

death he married for his second wife Eliza Rich. She died and of their three children only one is living-Mary, Mrs. B. F. Rich. His third marriage was with Ruth A., daughter of Joseph and Ruth (Atwood) Cobb.

Amasa S. Dyer, son of William and Phebe (Small) Dyer, was born in Provincetown in 1837. He followed the sea as a whale fisherman from 1855 until 1882. He has been keeper of the Highland light since February, 18SS, having been transferred from Duxbury Pier light, where he had been keeperthirteen months. He married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Eli Seavey of Maine.

John Elliott, son of Phillip and Betsey (Newton) Elliott, was born in 1826. He followed the sea from the age of fourteen until 1876, since which time he has kept a store at South Truro. He married Eliza A., daughter of Samuel Rich, who was a son of Samuel, grandson of James, and great-grandson of Joseph Rich. Their four children are: Charles C., John W., Mary E. (Mrs. J. F. Rich), and Walter N.

Caleb U. Grosier, born in 1822. is a son of John Grosier, born May, 1791. His mother was Mercy, daughter of Constant Hopkins. He began following the sea, fishing, at the age of fourteen. He was master of vessels from 1857 until 1878 in the merchant service. His first wife was Hannah Slew, daughter of Thomas Slew, and his second wife was . Azubah, daughter of Ebenezer Paine.

William Hamson, son of William and Hannah Hamson, was born in 1819 in Charlestown. He came to Truro at the age of nine, and two years later he began going to sea, continuing until 1879. He was engaged in weir fishing for a few years, and is now retired. He married Nancy C., daughter of Leonard and Mary W. (Collins) Snow, and granddaughter of Stephen Snow. Their children are: Leonard S. of Syracuse, N. Y., and Mary E. (Mrs. N. D. Freeman) of Dorches- ter, Mass.

William Holden, born in 1834, is a son of William and Sarah (My- rick) Holden. He followed the sea for about thirteen years, since which time he has been a farmer, owning his father's homestead at High Head. He married Mary R., daughter of Henry Johnson. Their two children are: Seymour E. and Julia J.

Atkins Hughes, born August 14, 1828, is a son of James and Jane (Avery) Hughes, and grandson of John and Rachel (Dyer) Hughes. Mr. Hughes married Betsey Lewis Paine, March 26, 1850. Their liv- ing children are: Amelia E., Phebe N., Idella L., Georgia W. and Bessie J. Mr. Hughes began his seafaring life in 1840, and thirty- two of the thirty-nine years that he spent at sea he was master of ves- sels, mostly in foreign trade. Since 1879 he has been manager and agent for fish weirs. He was representative in 1881 and 1882.

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

DAVID LOMBARD .- The Lombard family, which has long figured conspicuously in the affairs of Truro. is to-day represented in the town by David Lombard, who was born October 9, 1825, in the home- stead he now owns. His father, a son of James, was Captain David Lombard, who was born November 9, 1796, and on December 10, 1820, married Anna, daughter of Jaazaniah Gross, the widow of his older brother, James Lombard.

Their other children were: James, born February 4, 1823, died December, 1878, leaving two children, Florence and Arthur; Lewis, born November 18, 1827, married Mehitable A. Stevens; Melvina A., born November 2, 1829, is now the widow of Nathaniel L. Harding; Angelia M., deceased, was born October 26, 1831, and married Horace A. Hughes, also deceased.

Captain David Lombard, shortly before 1841, became the first packer of mackerel at Truro, and continued the business with profit for many years. He was a liberal supporter of churches, and although his sons are all republicans, he was himself a life-long democrat. He was interested in navigation, and at one time had a hill full of salt works. Prior to his death, February 3, 1888, he was the oldest living representative of the name here.

The present David Lombard, when eighteen years of age, obtained in Boston a clerkship, and was subsequently interested for three or four years with his father in the mackerel business. He then was with Uriah Mayo twenty-one years in the fish packing business in East Boston. He returned to Truro in 1877, and after the death of his mother in October, 1879, with his sister, Mrs. Harding, main- tained a home for their father until his death. The homestead where the parents died was erected by Captain Lombard the year of their marriage and for sixty-eight years the original shingles remained.

The David Lombard of this sketch now lives retired at Truro amid the scenes of his boyhood, surrounded by his books.

Daniel W. Oliver, born in 1840, is a son of Benjamin and Abigail C. (Young) Oliver. He followed the sea from 1849 until 1887, being in command of vessels in the West India trade twenty-three years. He married Deborah, daughter of Richard A. Atwood. They have one son, Richard S.

Daniel E. Paine, born in 1848, is the only surviving child of Daniel® and Jane A. (Snow) Paine (Barnabas', Daniel, Jonathan3, Thomas'. Thomas Paine1). He is a meat and provision merchant, having succeeded his father in 1871, in the business which was estab- lished in 1846 by Daniel and Richard Paine. He married Elizabeth D., daughter of Thomas Ryder. Their only son is Daniel, one son, John R., having died. He is a deacon of the Congregational church, having succeeded his father at his death in 1871.

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David Lombardo

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TOWN OF TRURO.

Samuel C. Paine', born in 1824, is a son of Barnabas6 and Hannah (Coan) Paine (Barnabas3, Daniel', Jonathan3, Thomas2, Thomas Paine'). He was nine years a member of the school board and school superin- tendent one year. He married Henrietta, daughter of Daniel Paine.

Nathan K. Parsons, born in 1835 in Orleans, is a son of James and Urecta (Kenney) Parsons. He came to Truro at the age of seventeen and has since been engaged in the fishing business. He was master of fishing vessels thirteen years prior to 1SS0, and since that time has been weir fishing. He married Lucy, daughter of James and Jerusha (Rich) Grove. They have two children: Jesse K. and Urecta K., one son having died.

John H. Rich, son of Isaac, grandson of Isaac, and great-grandson of Isaac Rich, was born in 1850. He followed the sea in the fishing business from 1862 until he retired to go into the life saving service. He was surfman at the Pamet River life saving station from Jan- uary, 1873, until 1SSS, since which time he has been keeper. He mar- ried Edith E., daughter of Sewell S. Mayo. Their children are Arthur B. and Marilla F.

John L. Rich, son of Michael, grandson of Obadiah, and great- grandson of Richard Rich, was born in 1839. He followed the sea for twenty-five years. He was on the Highland life saving station eight years, since which time he has been engaged in weir fishing. He married Mary E., daughter of Jesse Paine. Their children are: Mil- lard F. and Frederick C., and two sons that died in infancy.

Josiah F. Rich, born in 1829, is the eldest son of Henry, and grand- son of Henry and Rebecca (Thomas) Rich. Hismother was Winifred, daughter of Paul and Mary (Higgins) Atkins. He followed the sea from 1840 to 1859, and since that time has kept a general store in Truro. He was assessor in 1877, and is now chairman of the board of selectmen, having been a member of that body for ten years. He married January 1, 1852, Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Paine, and granddaughter of Samuel Paine. Their children are: Henry F., born November 5, 1852; Samuel B., born July 1, 1854; Anna C., born February 18, 1857, died May 16, 1885; Rebecca P., born August 15, 1860, died December 11, 1864; Rebecca P., born April 11, 1866; and Sherman G., born October 15, 186S.

Michael A. Rich, born in 1849, is a son of Michael A. and Betsey L. (Snow) Rich. He is a farmer at North Truro. He married Amelia E., daughter of Atkins Hughes. They have two children-Nellie A. and Alton E. They lost one daughter in infancy.

Richard A. Rich, son of Richard and Sally R. (Atwood) Rich, grandson of Ephraim D., and great-grandson of Richard Rich, was born October 19, 1844. He followed the sea in the fishing business through the summer months from 1859 until 1878, as master after

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

1860. Since 1878 he has been engaged in weir fishing. He has been for several years a member of the school committee, and has taught school during the winter season for several years. He was elected in 1889 to represent his district in the legislature.

I. Morton Small, born in 1846, is a son of James and Jerusha (Hughes) Small, grandson of Isaac, great-grandson of Francis, and great-great-grandson of Samuel Small. He has been marine telegraph operator at the Highland station since 1860. He has owned the High- land House since 1873, having succeeded his father, who had kept a summer boarding house for eleven years. He married Sarah E., daughter of John Small. She died leaving three children: Willard M., James S. and Lillian M.

Thomas F. Small, born in 1813, was the eldest son of James and Polly (Dyer) Small, grandson of Isaac, and great-grandson of Francis, whose father was Samuel Small. Mr. Small was a farmer at Truro until his death, April 8, 1890. He married Elizabeth P., daughter of John and Hannah (Paine) Hughes, granddaughter of John and great- granddaughter of John Hughes. Their two children: Eliza F., who married John Horton, and Warren W., who married Sally A. Dyer.

Isaiah Snow, born in 1842, is one of ten children of Ephraim and Jemima (Knowles) Snow, grandson of Shubael and great-grandson of Anthony Snow. He was seven years in business in Philadelphia. Since February, 1881, he has been traveling salesman for a whole- sale house. He served in the civil war in Company E, Forty-third Massachusetts Volunteers. He is trustee, treasurer and recording steward of the Methodist Episcopal church, also superintendent of the Sunday school. He married Hattie R., daughter of Edward Hop- kins and granddaughter of Edward Hopkins. They have lost two children: Frank I. and Dean H.

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History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 105

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: New York : Blake Number of Pages: 1292

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York : Blake
Number of Pages: 1292