History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 107

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 107

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" Thirdly, they voted to build said house on the ground, sixty feet in length and forty-four feet wide.

" Fourthly, they voted to begin to build said meeting-house in Octo- ber next.

" Fifthly, they voted to get the timber for the frame of said meeting- house on the ministerial lot.

" Sixthly, the moderator with the vote of the assembly adjourned the meeting until the first Monday in October next ensuing, at one of the clock in the afternoon, and then they voted that said meeting-house should be in height in proportion with the length and breadth.

" They voted to raise two linndred and fifty pounds to provide for the building of said house.

"They voted that the walls of said house should be studded and boarded and shingled.

"They voted that sum of two hundred and fifty pounds should be paid into the treasury on or before first day of September next en- sning.

"They made choice of Capt. William Dean, and Deacon Benjamin Skinner, Nathan Williams, and Job Hodges for a committee to carry on and manage the building said meeting-house. The moderator with a vote of the assembly dismissed the meeting.

" Recorded by me.

" BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, Precinct Clerk."

The bell in the meeting-house tower was presented to the town July 25, 1829, by Hon. Asa Clapp, and in a letter to Dr. Benjamin Billings of that date he says, " In consideration of your wishes and the early and sincere affection I bear to my native town, I present this bell to them in hope that it will tend to unite the good people more in one scheme of worshiping God. . . The scheme is not of so much consequence to man as a willing mind and humble heart."

The location of the second meeting-house has been changed since its crection, and it now stands on the west side of Union Street. The graveyard at the centre is, and the church formerly stood upon land set off by the original proprietors to be used as " buring

field, burrying and other public uses by the parish." The inevitable controversy arose in after - years whether this land belonged to the town or to the "old society." This gave rise to several law-suits and very much bad feeling was being engendered, when the counsel employed by the town suggested to tlie counsel upon the other side an amicable settlement of the whole controversy. This was adopted, and the town voted to the society a sum of money which enabled them to purchase and remove the church to a suitable lot, upon which it now stands. It also made ample appropriation for the grading and fencing of the vacant lot as a common, and we have now a " breathing-place" in the centre of the town, which with its fast-growing maple-trees, its well-kept walks and green grass, will soon for beauty rival famous Taunton Green.

During all the existence of the town it has held its meetings as a town in the meeting-house, latterly hiring the use of the same of the Unitarian society. Several years after the subject of a building for town and high school purposes, and a vote was passed to build one, but that vote was soon after, at a special meeting, reconsidered, and the matter has remained quiet up to the March meeting of 1882, when, as ap- pears from the following article from the Mansfield News of Feb. 16, 1883, it was voted to erect such a building. Too much credit and praise cannot be given to Rev. Jacob Ide for his indefatigable and per- sistent efforts in the interest of the town for the town- hall, and for every other enterprise and undertaking tending to advance the interest of the town as a cor- poration or of its citizens.

Mansfield's New Town-House .- Mansfield is soon to dedicate her town-house, and for the information of our readers we purpose giving at this time a de- tailed description of the structure. The need of a town-house has been felt and admitted by most of our citizens for some years past, and at different times projects have been entertained and considered for building. The matter took definite shape at the an- nual town-meeting in March last, when the committee, appointed at a preceding town-meeting, " to see about a location and plans for a building for a town hall, and for the High School," presented its report. At this meeting Rev. Jacob Ide read a letter from a former resident of the town, Mr. W. O. Grover, of Boston, who offered to give five thousand dollars to aid in building a town hall. The offer was at once accepted by the town, and it was also voted that the sum of ten thousand dollars be raised and appropri- ated for the object. The choice of location was divided between a piece of land on North Main Street, tendered by Mr. J. W. Rogers, and the " Heater piece" on West Street, owned by the town. From the first the " Heater piece" seemed to be the choice of the majority, and at an adjourned town- meeting in April following that location was adopted by the town. As its many advantages become more

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and more apparent the choice gives general satisfac- tion. At this meeting several plans were exhibited by a committee appointed for that purpose. That submitted by Mr. John L. Faxon, of 7 Exchange Place, Boston, was recommended by the committee and adopted by the town. Mr. Faxon was employed as the architect, and to his taste and intelligent super- vision during the whole progress of the work are we indebted for the fine proportions and the thorough construction of the building now before us. The fol- lowing gentlemen were appointed a building com- mittee : Messrs. A. C. Hardon, E. M. Reed, and A. V. Rogerson. The contract for building was awarded to Messrs. S. M. and H. A. Chesley, of Boston, for about thirteen thousand dollars, including everything above the granite wall; no allowance, however, being made for gas-fixtures, frescoing, or clock. Ground was broken in July, and by the terms of the contract the building was to be finished Feb. 14, 1883. In spite of some vexatious delays this has been accomplished, and, except the grading and some minor matters, nothing now remains but to furnish the building.

Let us take a look at the building as it stands com- pleted, first considering the outside. The designs were original with Mr. Faxon, while the style of ar- chitecture is colonial. The building is of wood, with a brick underpinning all around about three feet in height above the stone-work. The bricks are laid in black mortar, and a heavy granite base gives a sub- stantial finish to the whole. The rough-stone work, which can be seen from the cellar, is thoroughly done, and is the work of Mr. E. G. Miller, of this town. The front steps are of granite, with brick buttresses capped with granite, and the back steps, which are of hard pine, also have brick buttresses capped with granite. There is no outside door to the cellar, but a large bulkhead serves instead. The granite-work, which is among the finest jobs on the building, was laid by Mr. Stephen Blaisdell, of Foxborough. It is a matter for congratulation that Mansfield can boast so many good workmen, and that so large a part of the best work on this building was performed by our own mechanics. Prominent among these is Mr. George W. Keith, who was assisted by Mr. J. Har- kins, of Quincy, who did the brick-work and plaster- ing, and whose labor has been praised by natives and strangers alike who have seen it and are competent to judge of its excellence.

The building is in the form of a cross, this form admitting of a more pleasing architectural appear- ance than would have been the case with a plain rectangular edifice, and the transept affording needed room to the apartments in the lower story. The depth of the building from front to rear is ninety-seven feet ; the width of the main building is fifty feet, and the extreme width of the transept is sixty feet, which leaves a projection on either side of five feet. The height of the main walls of the buildings from bot- tom of sills to top of plate is thirty-four feet. It is

fifty-eight feet from bottom of sills to top of ridge or saddle-boards, while from the top of the belfry or clock-tower to the bottom of sills is eighty feet, or eighty-four feet to the ground. The building is clap- boarded and finished with corner-boards. Instead of the old-fashioned water-table, a heavy moulded base caps the brick-work. Around the building, between the lower and upper stories, runs a moulded belt, which relieves any appearance of bareness which the plain clapboarding might convey. The frieze is divided off into short panels of diagonally-laid nar- row sheathing. The roof, which is shingled, is capped with an ornamental cresting, and with its valleys and hips presents a picturesque appearance. The clock- tower is finished in keeping with the rest of the build- ing, and is provided with a circular window on cach of its four sides, which will give place to the dials whenever a clock may be put in. Glass slats are sub- stituted for wood or iron in order that the inside may be well lighted. The tower is surmounted by an octagonal dome of galvanized iron, and this in turn by a gilded metallic weather-vane. The front eleva- tion facing on the common, and the north side facing on West Street, are of course the most highly orna- mented. Over the front platform is a fine portico, supported by moulded columns, from which an ellip- tic arch is sprung. On each front corner over the arch is the raised letter "M," inclosed in carved wreaths, while on either end, in raised figures, is the date of building, "1882." The portico is shingled to conform to the general appearance. There are no windows on the lower story front, but in their place, one on either side of the portico, are wide tablets or panels finished with ornamental architraves and pedi- ment caps. These tablets, which are now left blank, are to be inscribed at some future day. The main roof is relieved by a large pediment or gable with or- namental verge-boards, which was designed to make room for a stained-glass window which lights the gallery. The groundwork for the face of this gable is of rough-cast stones and cement, and being painted in old gold, presents a pleasing appearance. The same effect is produced on the gables of the north and south sides, in the centre of which a large panel bears the words in large raised letters, "Mansfield Town Hall." A striking feature on the sides are the cluster of windows in the lower story of the transept. They are what are called "triplets." and are crowned with a handsome elliptic arch, filled in with a large num- ber of small square lights. In the second story the triplets are finished with square heads, over which are stained-glass windows. The painting was awarded to Mr. M. H. Robinson, of Boston, and under the superintendence of the foreman, Mr. Charles Traverse, it has been most tastefully executed. The outside colors are four,-the groundwork or body is Venetian red, the main trimmings are a bronze green, the panels on the frieze and upper part of the building, together with the concrete-work before alluded to, are

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in old gold, and the roof is painted a burnt sienna color with bronze green trimmings. In addition to these colors the rosettes, wreaths, letters, figures, and other ornaments are gilded.

Without spending more time on the outside let us enter, for after all the inside is the essential part. Beginning at the cellar, we find this department well lighted and roomy, with a height of eight feet. Three Chilson furnaces here give heat to the building; ample coal-bins are provided ; the gas-machine and gasoline will be located here. Numerous brick piers give evidence that the superstructure is well sup- ported. Cells or "lock-ups" are here noticeable for their absence, and may it be a long time before they are needed. Stairways lead to the floor above at both front and rear. Ascending the front one we find our- selves in the main vestibule. Entrance is made to. this from the portico through double doors which swing out, seven feet wide and seven and one-half high, with stained-glass border lights on each side aud on top. This story measures eleven feet high in the clear. The floors throughout the building are of hard pine, well laid, and the wood finish is white- wood, except the front stairways, which are of ash, and the rear one, which is of hard pine with ash trimmings. As we come into the vestibule, the first objects of attraction are the fine ash stairways on either side, which lead to the floor above. These are without exception the finest work in the building, with their scroll-work and hand-worked newel-posts. From the vestibule a wide entry-way leads to the dif- ferent rooms. Conspicuons on the right hand wall at the entrance is a large marble tablet, finished about with fluted columns, with capitals and a handsomely- carved cap and base. Chiseled into the stone is the following inscription, which is gilded :

MANSFIELD TOWN HALL,

Erected 1882.

A. C. HARDON, E. M. REED, A. V. ROGERSON, Building Committee.

S. M. & H. A. CHESLEY, Builders.

JOHN LYMAN FAXON, Architect.

Immediately opposite is a small room, provided with desk, etc., and a window for taking or selling tickets. Beyond this is the school committee's room, and next a reception-room opening into the High School room. Opposite these rooms is the selectmen's room, with two ante-rooms, one of which is for a dressing-room, and the other one is designed for the fire-proof safe. At the end of the entry is the large High School room, which measures thirty-five feet six inches by forty-nine feet, occupying the full width of the building. Leading out of the school-room to- wards the rear are wardrobes on either side, while a

door in the middle opens into the back entry. This back entrance will be used by the scholars from day to day, and will be the common entrance, thus saving the main front entrance. The school-room is sheathed to the height of three feet, has a base, and the sheath- ing is capped with a hollow moulding to hold chalk, as a continuous line of blackboard runs around the room, which is well lighted. A small platform has been provided for the teacher, and " Paragon" desks, said to be the best in use, will be put in for the use of the scholars. Ascending the front stairs, a fine lobby is reached, from which on either side a flight of stairs leads to the gallery. At the back of this gallery is the stained-glass window already mentioned. The floor rises in steps from front to rear, that all may have an equally good chance to view the stage. From the lobby a double set of doors, swinging both ways, open into the large hall, which, with the gallery, has a seating capacity of seven hundred and fifty. The height of this hall is twenty-one feet six inches. The size of the hall is sixty-three feet four inches in depth, and fifty feet in width, while at the transept it is sixty feet wide. The gallery is twenty-one by fifty feet, and the stage is eighteen by twenty-four feet. On either side of the stage is a dressing-room, each of which opens into the stage, into the hall, and into the rear entry, from which descends a flight of stairs to the lower rear entry. In one of these rooms a place is provided for turning on and turning off the gas, while a small sliding panel in the wall enables the janitor to see at once the effect of his efforts in this direction. The stage descends from rear to front, and a narrow sunken channel at the front edge affords opportunity for foot- lights. The front is circular, and is handsomely pan- eled and moulded. The two large centre panels can be pulled out, affording opportunity to store away a large amount of scenery, etc., under the stage. The stage is framed with an elaborately ornate elliptical proscenium arch and supporting columns, the key- stone of which is a female head, representing "The Fair Maid of Mansfield." This is set off by branches of oak, the whole forming a novel and pleasing de- sign. The front of the gallery is sheathed diagonally, and the whole hall sheathed vertically to the height of three feet, with a moulded base besides. The win- dows are of plate-glass, and are " twin windows," ex- cept in each end of the transept, in which are the " triplets," over which are the stained-glass windows. Over each window is a small sliding ventilator, which is easily opened or shut, affording at any time a cur- rent of pure air without opening the windows, while the impure air is carried off through four large circu- lar ventilators in the ceiling of the hall. The large hard-pine trusses are left exposed and given two coats of oil, which shows the fine natural grain to advantage, and the iron-work is painted red. These trusses are supported at each end by a heavy hard-pine bracket, on each side of which is a conventional sunflower. The windows and doors are finished throughout with

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

moulded architraves, and the doors, which are of white- wood, are supplied with bronze trimmings. Through- out the inside of the building the painters have given the wood-work a "dead" or "wax" finish of three coats, which is afterwards rubbed with pumice-stone and oil, making it very smooth. The building is piped for gas throughout, and is warmed with furnace heat. The plaster is skimmed throughout, except in the hall, where it is prepared rough for frescoing. Over the stage is an aperture, through which by means of a ladder admission is had to the garret, where can be seen the thorough manner in which the roof is built and covered with matched boards. Much credit is due Mr. James B. Henry, the foreman on the job, for the thoroughness and skill displayed in the prose- cution of the work. A fine clock, which will soon be put into the tower, is the gift of Thomas H. Wood, Esq., of New York, whose wife is a native of this town. As there is at present no town clock in our village, this gift will be highly appreciated by our citizens. A five-hundred-pound bell has been pur- chased to ring out the hours. The contract to furnish the gas fixtures has been awarded to the firm of Shreve, Crump & Lowe, of Boston. The school furniture and the settees for the large hall have been purchased, and work will soon begin upon the frescoing. Last, but not least, we feel safe in saying that the generosity of W. O. Grover, Esq., will not soon be forgotten, for his munificent gift set the ball of improvement to rolling.

The first moneyed institution in Mansfield was or- ganized the present year (1883), under the name of the Mansfield Co-operative Saving Fund and Loan Association, the officers of which are as follows : President, Charles A. McAlpine; Vice-President, David E. Harding; Secretary, Alfred B. Day ; Treas- urer, James E. White; Directors, D. S. Spaulding, John Birkenhead, A. W. Cobb, Howard Perkins, F. W. Shepard, L. R. King, W. B. Rogerson, John Somers, S. C. Lovell, George L. Foster, S. A. Green, William C. Winter, F. L. Cady, William White ; Auditors, A. V. Rogerson, F. W. Spaulding, C. T. Borden.

Iron and Coal .- In the early history of the town iron ore was dug in considerable amounts from cer- tain localities in East Mansfield, and the excavations are now to be seen. That there is a large amount of ore in the soil of the town there is no doubt, but it probably cannot for years, if ever, be profitably taken therefrom. Much has been done in the coal business. Several corporations have been formed for the pur- pose of seeking for coal in this town, and at one time, about thirty years ago, under the superintendence of B. F. Sawyer, Esq., who is now a lawyer in New York, and was lately mayor of Jersey City, N. J., a large sum of money was expended in sinking a shaft at West Mansfield. Coal was found, but not in suffi- cient quantities and of good quality enough to en- courage the stockholders, and the money being ex-

hausted, operations ceased, though it was the opinion of eminent geologists that had the shaft been sunk deeper (as it was only sunk about sixty feet) coal in paying quantities and of good quality would be found. A shaft was also sunk to the depth of about forty feet in the rear of Mr. E. B. Goodwin's present residence, but with the same result. Several years ago the land- owners in the Copeland and Fisher neighborhood held several meetings in school-house of District No. 3, to discuss the feasibility of drilling for coal, but the pro- ject was abandoned as likely to prove expensive and profitless.

Tasker Bryant, Esq., was a leading mover in the coal business at the start. He took up his residence here, and was well acquainted with mining operations in Pennsylvania. He is still alive, and has never abandoned the hope and belief that at some time coal would be mined here in large quantities, with profit to the operators. Mr. Bryant has been one of the most active of citizens in all town affairs, and orig- inated the "free school" movement of twenty years ago. The agitation of coal-mining here has again commenced, as will be seen from the following article taken from the Boston Journal of Feb. 23, 1883, and it is hoped for the benefit of all that the efforts of the new projectors may be successful :

THE MANSFIELD COAL-MINES .- The excitement over the reported discovery of coal in Mansfield has increased, and steps are being taken to have the dis- trict thoroughly prospected. Professor Shaler, of Harvard College, is one of the most prominent men connected with the enterprise. One thousand acres of land owned by Messrs. Edmund Briggs, John Bailey, George E. Bailey, Hugh Smith, George C. Sherman and others have been leased on these condi- tions : They shall have the right to prospect for three years, paying twenty-five cents per acre for acreage ; at the end of that time if coal is found in sufficient quantities to work, the company shall pay fifty cents per acre, and shall pay ten cents per ton for all coal mined. The lease runs for ninety-nine years.

Mining experts from England have examined the land and say that there is a rich deposit of coal. Three times within the last half-century attempts have been made to mine the coal, but each one has failed. The coal near the surface contains so much slate that it is not worth mining. After reaching this stratum the claim was abandoned. The projectors of the present movement propose to go below this layer, and expect to reach a large vein of good coal. It is claimed that this is a continuation of the vein which is now being profitably worked in Rhode Island. Geologists have for years known that coal could be found in this vicinity. In the geological survey of Massachusetts, made by Dr. Hitchcock, of Amherst College, about forty years ago, he stated that coal measures existed in Mansfield, and predicted that in the near future, when other fuel would command high prices, this coal would be used. Its quality is not thought to be

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of the finest, but it is believed that the mine can be worked to advantage. Boring will at once be begun, and the actual value of the coal will soon be learned.

Cattle Marks .- To distinguish one man's sheep and cattle from another's, each owner adopted some peculiar mark, a description of which was recorded by the town clerk upon the town books.

"The mark of Mr. James Gilbert's creatures is a square crop off the end of the right car. Recorded May 18, 1779, by Benjamin Bates, town lerk."

" The mark of Jesse Ilodges' creatures is a crop off the left ear. Re- corded June 6, 1789, by Benjamin Bates, town clerk."

" The mark of Elias White's sheep is a square piece cut out of the under side of the left ear. Entered July 17, 1790. Benjamin Bates, clerk."

" The mark of Mr. Elkanah Bates' creatures is a crop off the left ear and a slit in the same.

"Recorded June the 1st, 1804, by Isaac Skinner, town clerk."

" The Rev. Roland Green's mark for all his creatures one halfpenny cut out of the upper and under side of the Rite Far, and a crop off from the end of the same ear, and a slit in the end of the left ear.

" Recorded April the 8th, 1771, by me, Isaac Dean, district clerk."

" Wolley Soullard's mark for his creatures is the top cut off the left ear, and two sclits in the top of the canie ear.

" Recorded 3d February, 1772."

"The mark for Dr. Daniel Parker's creatures is a square crop off of the left ear, and a sclit in the ends of both ears.

" Entered Aug. 10, 1778."

" The mark for Micah Allen's creatures is the end of each ear in the form of the letter W.

" Entered December ye 23d, 1778."

" The marks for Thomas Grover's creatures is a Slanting crop off of the upper side of the left ear, and a sclit in the end of the same.

" Entered 27th April, 1778."

"The artificial mark for Calvin Wheaton's creatures is a slanting sclit in the under side of the right ear, upwards.

" Entered this first day April, A.D. 1794. Isaac Dean, town clerk."

" The mark for Isaac Stearn's creatures is a crop off of the top of the

left ear, and a halfpenny out of the upper side of the same.

" Recorded the 4th day of December, 1800, by me, Isaac Dean, town clerk."

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 107

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1818

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818