History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 31

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 31

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While the town was thus active in its domestic affairs, accessions had been made to its territory by the New Comers, and the boun- dary lines that had been established on the east in 1659 and in 1685, were readjusted, substantially where they now are, by the se- lectmen of Sandwich and Barnstable in 1702. The bounds between Falmouth and Sandwich were established the same year, and be- tween Sandwich and Mashpee in 1705 by agents appointed for the purpose. In 1887 the legislature established the present straighter line of separation between Sandwich and Mashpee. While its ter-

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

ritory had been somewhat increased, the bounds defined, and peaceable title secured, accessions had also been made to its settlers as the years rolled on and the eighteenth century dawned upon the settlement. The first "three-score families" prior to 1641 have been named; the deaths, removals and new arrivals which had occurred in the plantation are plainly indicated by the training list and the names of the resident freemen in 1654,-the year the recording of their names was first required by law. No accurate list of further changes in the settlers can be given until 1730, when Mr. Fessenden, many years a pastor among the people, made a list of 136 heads of families-exclu- sive of Quakers-the then residents of the town. After this lapse of nearly a century from the settlement, the changes would naturally be great ; the original settlers had passed away and their descendants were occupying the patrimony; others had arrived; and as many were not freemen their names have not appeared in the lists hereto- fore given. But by appending the names given by Mr. Freeman, a comparison of all, each with the other, the reader will recognize the names of the settlers of Sandwich during the first century of its settle- ment and growth. The names in this list of 1730 were: James Atkins, Samuel Barlow, Samuel Barber, Thomas Burgess, Lieutenant William Bassett, Nathan Barlow, Peleg Barlow and Eliza his wife, Nathan Bourne and Mary his wife, Eleazer Bourne, Jonathan Bourne, Dea. Tim- othy Bourne and Temperance his wife, John Blackwell and Lydia his wife, Silas Bourne, Colonel Methia Bourne, John Barlow, Ezra Bourne, John Bodfish, Jacob Burge, Samuel Blackwell, Micah Blackwell. Joshua Blackwell, sr., jr. and 3d; John Chipman, Edward Dillingham, sr., Sim- eon Dillingham, Solomon Davis, Richard Essex, Nathaniel Fish, John Ellis and Sarah his wife, Josiah Ellis and Sarah his wife, Lieuten- ant Matthias Ellis, sr., Malachi Ellis, Moses Swift, jr., Seth Fish, John Freeman, John Foster, Joseph Foster, John Fish, sr., John Fish, jr., Benjamin Freeman, Widow Freeman, William Freeman, Edmund Freeman, Benjamin Gibbs, Widow Gibbs, Cornelius Gibbs, Richard Garrett, Thomas Gibbs, sr. and jr., Samuel Gibbs, sr. and jr., Sylves- ter Gibbs, Hannibal Handy, Isaac and John Handy, Cornelius and Zaccheus Handy, Richard Handy, Ebenezer Howland, Joseph Hatch, Thomas Hicks, Isaac Jennings, Samuel Jennings, Shubael Jones, Ralph Jones, jr., Joseph Lawrence, Samuel Lawrence, Richard Lan- ders, John and Nathan Landers, Widow Morton, Nathan Nye, William Newcomb and Bath his wife, Joseph, Timothy, Peleg, Samuel, Benja- min, Jonathan, Ebenezer, and Nathan Nye, jr., Joseph Nye, sr., Seth Pope, sr. and jr., Widow Pope, and the following Perry's: John, jr., Samuel, Elisha, Benjamin, Benjamin, jr., Widow Perry, Timothy, Elijah, John, Ezra, Ezra, jr., Abner, Samuel, jr., and Ebenezer Perry; Elkanah Smith, John and Samuel Smith, Seth Stewart, Samuel Swift,

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TOWN OF SANDWICH.

Ephriam Swift and Sarah his wife, Moses Swift, Jabez and Abigail his wife, Samuel Sanders, Captain Stephen Swift, Gamaliel Stew- art, Samuel Swift, jr., Josiah Swift, Jireh Swift, Joseph Swift, Jona- than Tobey, Nathan and Cornelius Tobey, Gers. om Tobey, Medad Tupper, Eliakim and Eldad Tobey, Dea. Israel Tupper and wife Eliza, John Tobey sr. and jr., Eleazer and William Tobey, Samuel and Seth Tobey, John Vilking, Nathaniel Wing, Widow Wing, Eben- ezer Wing.

Returning to the details of the advancement of the town it is found by the records that the inhabitants had not been idle. Leave had been given "to certain persons to box and milk two thousand pine trees, for two years, £2 to be paid to the town for the use." This was in 1707; and in 1717 leave was given "to sundry persons to set up a saw-mill upon the brook at Spring Hill;" also to others the priv- ilege to build a dam across the cove between town neck and the beach to prevent the overflow of the meadows. The remains of this dam are yet visible-a suggestion of future cranberry bogs. Again in 1742 Samuel Wing was voted " the liberty to erect a grist mill on Spring-hill river ; " and another law enacted by the town the same year " ordered that a passage be made into the pond in the centre. of the town, for herrings."

`Another custom of the proprietors, would, if followed, be a cause of alarm at the present day ; it was that of firing the words. At the town meeting held March 21, 1754, forty-two men were appointed "to fire the woods before Apr. 16." To the reader it may appear strange that the custom of firing the woods prevailed here as late as 150 years ago. When this territory was settled the forest was composed of larger trees, consequently but little underbrush, and the trees were not in- jured by the fire which was to facilitate the growth of herbage of va- rious kinds for sheep and cattle. It also destroyed the noxious shrubs and decaying fallen branches which impeded the travel of man and beast. Doctor Hildreth, in his description of the custom, says : " While the red man possessed the country and annually set fire to the fallen leaves, the forests presented a noble and enchanting appearance. The eye roved with delight. Like the divisions of an immense temple the forests were crowded with innumerable pillars, the branches of whose shafts interlocking, formed the archwork of support to that leafy roof which covered and crowned the whole. But since the white man took possession, the annual fires have been checked, and the woodlands are now filled with shrubs and brush that obstruct the vision on every side, and convert these once beautiful forests into a rude and taste- less wilderness."

Referring again to the town records, the fact is evident that prior to 1726 the town had had no poor people, or the community had for-

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

gotten that "The poor ye have with you always"; for on the 14th of July of that year, in open town meeting, it was ordered "that a house be sett up of seventeen foot long and thirteen foot wide, at the town's cost and for the town's use for such of the poor of the town to dwell in as shall from time to time be ordered there by the selectmen or overseers of the poor ; and that the same be furnished fit to dwell in and the cost thereof to be drawn out of the town treasury per order from the selectmen. And that sd house be sett in the most conven- ient place between the town's pound and the mill river." On the 18th of May, 1773, a committee, that had previously been appointed, re- ported that it was best to hire the house of Seth Tobey for the poor, which was done only a short time, when the town purchased the pres- ent poor-house farm on the Spring Hill road, of which Elijah Hancock has been the keeper for many years.

The clouds of war again were spread over the county, and Sand- wich had individual duties to perform, which were executed in the most seasonable and loyal manner. In 1767 the town ordered the building of a powder house, which was duly stocked with munitions of war. Other precautions were wisely taken, and every call, by the government, for men and means during the war of the revolu- tion, was responded to with alacrity. Besides the proportion due and required in this great struggle for independence by the people, Sand- wich had local obstructions to impede and embarass. The north shore must be watched and secured from threatened bombardment and in- vasion by the enemy; Falmouth relied, when similar depredations were threatened, upon this town for aid, which was granted by mid- night marches.

In 1778 the smallpox appeared among the inhabitants of Sandwich, causing more alarm than would a British fleet if anchored within gun- shot of the town. The action taken to suppress this contagion was prompt and effective. A pest-house was erected, the roads were fenced, nurses were provided, red flags prevented intrusion to its vicinity, and even stray dogs and cats were sacrificed to prevent a spread of the contagious disease.

The sunshine of peace in 1783 dispelled the clouds of war. Sand- wich had suffered the loss of several brave citizens-some had fallen in defense of the liberties for which they had contended; but the greater number had fled to Long Island, a clime then more congenial to their tory proclivities, but later they were permitted to return by the generous people of Sandwich.

With the dawn of the present century the town had assumed its wonted activity. Other mills and improvements sprang into existence; the town bounds on all sides were renewed; and such was its buoy- · ancy that the war of 1812 passed without disturbing its industries.

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TOWN OF SANDWICH.

Illustrative of their independence was the vote of the town, September 20, 1814, that " in case of any attack by the enemy we will defend the town to the last extremity." The significance of this vote more fully appears with the fact, that the English cruisers had made demands, with threats, upon other towns of the Cape, and had been paid con- siderable amounts.

The war of 1812 did not deter the building of a cotton factory in that year, for which enterprise the town gave its consent by vote the previous year, " that Samuel Wing and others have leave to erect a dam and works of a cotton factory on the stream between the upper and lower ponds in Sandwich village, at a place near Wolf-trap Neck. so called." This was used many years as a factory for various purposes and was burned in 1883.

The present town house, near the old grist mill, was erected in 1834. Prior to this, public meetings were held in the church accord- ing to the custom of those days.

The prosperity of the town in its manufactories established after the first quarter of this century, is unprecedented in the history of the towns of the Cape. The loyalty of the inhabitants was strongly marked during the civil war of 1861-65, by its early action as re- corded in Chapter VII. Every quota was filled promptly, and the rec- ord of the soldiers, as kept by the town, shows that during the war 386 men were enlisted, ten of whom were colored. These were scat- tered among various regiments and batteries, and in the naval service, the larger numbers in single regiments being 68 in the Twenty-ninth, 51 in the Fortieth, and 24 in the Forty-fifth. On the 9th of April, 1864, by a vote at town meeting the tax of one mill on the dollar was made to create a sinking fund for the payment of the debts contracted, and under the economical supervision of the selectmen the town was soon free from the debts of the rebellion.

After the excitement of the rebellion the people again relapsed into peaceful habits. The bogs, were further developed to the culture of cranberries, rendering these marshy lands of more value than up- lands; the Old Colony railroad had opened more direct and rapid trans- portation to the best markets for the products of the land, and indus- tries of every kind were greatly increased. The territory embraced within the town was fifty square miles and the communities along the western border had become important. The residents of North and West Sandwich with those along Buzzard's bay had asked for a divis- ion of the town; but without avail. After the opening of the Wood's Holl branch of the railroad the western portion more urgently per- sisted in the division of the original town of Sandwich, for which cogent reasons were advanced, and the matter was contested finally in the legislature by both factions, resulting in the erection of Bourne

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

from Sandwich in 1884, the particulars of which, with the line of sep- aration, are fully given in the Bourne chapter.

The population, territory and valuation of the original town was lessened one-half by this division; but also were the expenses. The old town had lost the seacoast of Buzzard's bay; but had retained nearly all that of Cape Cod. Sandwich still leads the other towns of the Cape in manufactories, paying yearly $6,000 for schools, $2,500 for the poor. $2,500 for roads, and other proportionate expenses, which indicates to the reader that it retains its rank among the first.

VILLAGES .- The history of the village of Sandwich and that of the town are so inseparably blended during the first 150 years of their growth, that either would compose the warp or the woof of the fabric presented to the reader at the close of the 18th century. The three- score families who first settled in 1637 the plantation of Sandwich, had formed the nucleus of this principal village which so promi- nently marked the town in its industries and growth during the pe- riod mentioned. Early in its history the village of Sandwich was the door of the Cape and the terminus of lines of travel. This, in its turn, created taverns and other places of business, for which the vil- lage was most celebrated in the early days of the Cape. In 1659 John Ellis was licensed to keep an " ordinary " at Sandwich village, and sell "strong waters and wines, only not to let town-dwellers stay drinking unnecessarily at his house." There is no evidence that the strong waters sold by Ellis had any connection with those of the pond above. Newcomb's was a favorite resort situated by the side of the lower pond; but the records do not indicate that he sold the waters thereof. William Bassett was licensed by the court in 1659 "to draw wines," a business which he followed several years attended with its consequent troubles, as in 1666 he complained of James Skiff, jr., who was fined 10s. "for going to sd Bassett's house and taking away liquors without order." This was an industry susceptible of no improvement except in the desires and appetites of the town-dwellers; and so, after a fair trial of rum rule for 154 years, the good people on May 3, 1819, voted "that there shall be no retailer of distilled liquors licensed; and that tavern keepers are not to be approbated unless they desist from mixing and selling to town-dwellers."

The early stage and mail line from Plymouth to the Cape termi- nated at the celebrated tavern called "Fessenden's," which was then the middle section of the present Central Hotel on Main street. This building was originally the residence of Rev. Benjamin Fessenden, and William Fessenden, his son, opened an ordinary after the decease of his father. We can date its advent in 1790 as the principal tavern of the village, from which all the stages started-to Plymouth daily and east on the Cape tri-weekly. Mr. Fessenden retired in 1830 and

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RESIDENCE OF GEORGE P. DREW, Sandwich, Mass

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TOWN OF SANDWICH.

was succeeded by Sabin Smith, who at once erected the eastern and larger portion of the present Central Hotel. Elisha Pope and Sewell Fessenden were the landlords successively until 1844, then Michael Scott and David Thompson until 1863. Zenas Chadwick then became the owner, kept it for a time and was succeeded for two years by Frank Aborn, then by A. C. Southworth until November, 18SS, when Zenas Chadwick resumed its control and continued until his death in 1889.

Nearly in the rear of this hotel, or perhaps more directly in rear of the church near by, is the site of the old pound which the people were compelled to build in 1715 by the order of the court of sessions, to which complaint had been made of their neglect.

Nathaniel Freeman, whose appointment was dated April 25, 1793. William Fessenden succeeded him October 6, 1795, and continued the office in his hotel until May 9, 1825, when his son William H. Fessen- den moved it to the drug store building east of the hotel, where he filled the duty of postmaster until Avery P. Ellis was commissioned, October 26, 1839. Zenas R. Hinckley was the next postmaster from September 16, 1841, until . July 28, 1853, when Charles B. Hall was appointed and kept the office until 1861 in the same building. Fred- erick S. Pope served from 1861 to October 1, 1SS7, when James Shev- lin was appointed.

There is no mention of stores in the early records except of the class that " draw wines," but no doubt codfish and molasses, tea and tobacco were kept at such establishments. Mr. Fessenden had a store, such as it was, with his post office, and was succeeded by W. H. Fes- senden in the present drug store building east of the Central Hotel. Zenas Hinckley and Mr. Stetson were partners in a dry goods and grocery business in the same building, wherein also Charles B. Hall did business until his death in 1SS1. Stores of various kinds were numerous after 1825.

George P. Drew of Sandwich was born in 1828, and, although not a native of the Cape, has been one of its solid business men nearly forty years. He was born at Plymouth, Mass., and after a short pe- riod in business at New Bedford he opened, in 1851, a clothing busi- ness at Sandwich, which he continues and is now one of the oldest living business men of that town. During his term of business life he has been identified with the growth and prosperity of his adopted town, and his thorough and energetic nature has marked his enter- prises with success. In 1881 he erected on Jarvis street the fine resi- dence in which he lives, and which is the subject of the accompanying illustration. Mr. Drew may point with pride to his ancestry, the primogenitor in New England being John Drew from whom in suc- cession descended Lemuel, Seth, Lemuel and William, his father, who married Priscilla, daughter of Judah Washburn. George P. Drew,

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

youngest son of William, in 1852, married Martha A. Southworth and their children are Sara C. and Ida W.

John Q. Miller opened a clothing store in 1857 at the foot of Jarvis street in Swift's block, which was burned in the fire of 1870. He pur- chased and moved the Universalist church to the burnt district the same year and continued the business until 1885, when he commenced the present livery business. R. C. Clark's store, started in 1857, was one of the six burned; the fire originated in the building that occupied the site of the present store of Frank H. Burgess and extended to Wil- low street. Mr. Clark opened another store which he continued sev- eral years. In 1875 his sons, C. M. and Fletcher Clark, opened a general store where Mr. Fletcher Clark is now, who purchased the interest of his brother C. M., January, 1888. In 1877 Frank H. Bur- gess built the present store and deals in furniture, wall papers, and fancy goods.

T. C. Sherman commenced business about 1856 on Jarvis street, afterward erecting the store now occupied by Sanford I. Morse, to which he removed. He sold the grocery business to Charles H. Bur- gess in 1861 and the dry goods to A. F. Sherman. Mr. Burgess con- tinued the business in the same store, his three sons, Frank, Charles, and Thornton being partners alternately, until 1880, when the present grocer, Sanford I. Morse purchased the business. James W. Crocker opened a store in 1854, in Boyden block, when the building was new, and he is still engaged in the grocery and confectionery business. An old merchant here was William Loring, who was several years in a room under the town hall, and in 1845 we find him nearly opposite the Central House with his store. For twenty-one years John Murray was a merchant here on Jarvis street dealing in dry goods and cloth- ing, removing from Providence, R. I., where he commenced business in 1854. Gustavus Howland for forty-two years has been engaged in the lumber business, having purchased the Deming Jarvis lumber yard of H. H. Thayer in 1847.

The first hardware merchant in the church building, east side of Jarvis street, was Josiah Foster, who had a store at his house previ- ously. In 1870 Foster sold this hardware business to E. F. Hall, who in 1873 was succeeded by James S. Bicknell. O. H. Howland, the present owner, purchased the stock in May, 1876, and his business desk is placed upon the pulpit of the Puritan chapel. Not that he was a member of said church, or that his good business name is nec- essarily based thereon; but his desk actually rests upon the pulpit occupied by Rev. Giles Pease forty-two years ago. In 1866, Gibbs & Hunt erected the building now occupied by Benjamin G. Bartley for a boot, shoe and dry goods business which was subsequently sold to Joshua Jones, who ran it about eight years. J. F. Knowles, in 1880,

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TOWN OF SANDWICH.

purchased the boots and shoes, and F. S. Allen & Co. the dry goods, both parties occupying the store. After four years Mr. Knowles sold his stock to F. E. Pierce, who removed it to the Novelty block and and then to the building next north of Howland's hardware store, where he was burned out in 1888. In October, 1884, Allen & Co. sold their stock to Benjamin F. Bartley, who added to the depth of the store in 1887, and carries a large line of dry goods only.

Sandwich has long been noted for its many and useful manufacto- ries, of which that of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company was for many years the most prominent. Deming Jarvis established it in the village in 1825. The adjacent pine lands, of which vast tracts were purchased for the wood, was the inducement for its location. A stock company, mostly of Boston capitalists, was formed in 1826 under the above name, running one furnace and gradually increasing to four of large capacity. During the years 1861-64, the business employed 500 hands in its various departments, manufacturing yearly to the amount of $300,000. The establishment closed its doors January 1, 1888, having then on its pay rolls the names of 275 men. Ten of its employees the same year erected a building, and eight of them are . now manufacturing under the name of the Sandwich Co-operative Glass Company.

Another important manufactory is that of Spurr's Patent Veneers, Marqueteries, and Wood Carvings. In 1882 Charles W. Spurr, of Bos- ton, started veneer cutting in the building formerly belonging to the Cape Cod Glass Works. In 1887 others became interested, creating the firm of Charles W. Spurr & Co. A large number of men are now engaged in cutting veneers for cigar boxes, car work, furniture, and for ornamental uses, and carvings for furniture and ceilings. In con- nection with it a company was formed in the autumn of 1888 called the Cape Cod Glass Company, of which Charles W. Spurr is the presi- dent. The cutting and decorating of glass employs many men.

Near the works mentioned, is the factory of the Bay State Tack Company. The manufacture of tacks was begun by Stephen R. Wing and Stephen R. Rogers, southwest of the village in the old cotton mill, which was built by Mr. Wing's father, Samuel. They did busi- ness as the Sandwich Tack Company and after Zenas R. Hinckley, their successor, had been followed by some Sandwich people as owners; Jones & Heald bought the property about 1863 and operated it under its original name, until its destruction by fire in 1883. In the meantime E. B. Howland organized the Bay State Tack Company and in 1880 they built the factory still standing near the Catholic church, and operated there for several years. In 1882 Jones & Heald bought of the Central Manufacturing Company of Boston, who had purchased of the two Burgess brothers, a two-thirds interest in this

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

factory and leasing the other third of Mr. Howland, have operated the works until the present time. These works are valuable, being com- posed of a good building, 125 by 35 feet, 20-horse power engine, twenty-four tack-cutting machines and other tools and machinery.

An institution for mutual saving and assistance in building, called the Sandwich Co-operative Bank, was organized August 11, 1885, and chartered October 1, same year, with an authorized capital of $1,000,- 000. It began business December 15, 1885, occupying Hunt's Hall for a place of meeting. Stock was issued at the first meeting of which SS members took 133 shares. The sixth series was issued June 18, 1889. J. E. Pratt, M.D., has filled the office of president since the organization; E. B. Howland, vice-president; and W. H. Heald, secre- tary and treasurer. The office of treasurer was distinct and filled by Frank H. Burgess until 18SS. The Sandwich Savings Bank was an institution, in operation prior to 1874, which was closed by order of the commissioner, and paid 80 cents on the dollar to its stockholders.

The Cape Cod Glass Company mentioned, was the outgrowth of a business started in 1859 by Deming Jarvis after his severance from the Boston and Sandwich Company. He then erected the building · now occupied by Charles W. Spurr & Co. for the manufacture of glass by his son and son-in-law, and from this the first-named company was established; it is said to have closed its doors the day Deming Jarvis died. Another unsuccessful enterprise connected with the various glass manufactories was the building of a steamer to ply between Sandwich harbor and Boston. Mr. Jarvis, while agent of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, instituted this steamship line after the advent of the railroad. It was very soon discontinued.

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History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 31

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