USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Brockton > History of Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1656-1894 > Part 58
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1762-3. Very cold winter. Snow of great depth.
1762, September 10. Wild pigeons flew in abundance.
1763, June 8. Wild pigeons flew in abundance.
"In the year 1769, when the disputes between England and America had begun, and the importation of foreign goods was stopped, it became customary for people to manufacture their own clothing; and in many places the young ladies had spinning matches at their ministers for the benefit of their families. On the 15th of August, 1769, at two o'clock P. M., ninety- seven young ladies met at the house of their pastor, the Rev. John Porter, and generously gave his lady, for the use of her fam- ily, 3,322 knots of linen, tow, cotton, and woolen yarn, which they had spun for that purpose. At three o'clock something, of American pro- duce only, was set before them for their refreshment, which was more. agreeable to them than any foreign dainties, considering the situation
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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
of the country at that time. At four o'clock the ladies walked in pro- cession to the meeting-house, where a discourse was delivered by their pastor from Acts ix. 36: 'This woman was full of good works,' in which piety, industry, frugality, and benevolence were recommended and encouraged. The closing prayer being made, the following lines, composed by their pastor, were sung :
Ye rubies bright, ye orient pearls, How coveted by men ! And yet the virtuous woman's price Excels the precious gem.
How kind and generous her heart! How diligent her hand !
How frugal in economy, To save her sinking land !
Foreign productions she rejects, With nobleness of mind, For home commodities; to which She's prudently inclined.
She works, she lends, she gives away, The labors of her hand ; The priest, the poor, the people all, Do find in her their friend.
She clothes herself and family, And all the sons of need. Were all thus virtuous, soon we'd find Our land from slavery freed.
after which anthems were sung; and, the assembly being dismissed, they retired to their respective homes."
David, son of Rev. John Porter, was riding in a chaise when about ten years of age; the horse took fright, ran, and threw him out, break- ing one of his legs, which was soon after amputated. He survived but a short time. Died May, 1767.
1769, October 30. Violent storm, doing great damage.
1771. Very mild winter; not over four inches of snow fell during the season.
1772, March 9, 11, 13, and 20. Very severe snow-storm.
1772, April 3. Snow six to ten feet deep. People were obliged to dig themselves out of their houses. Many sheep and cattle lost.
1778, November 10. Hay sold for six dollars per cwt. 1779, February 16. Hay sold for nine dollars per cwt.
1779, November 12. Hay sold for twenty dollars per cwt.
1780, November 19. Hay sold for thirty-three pounds per cwt. 1780. Winter very severe. Great depth of snow.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1780, May 19. Remarkably dark day. Between twelve and one o'clock people could not work ; were obliged to light candles to see to eat dinner ; looked very melancholy indeed ; but little rain. The even- ing was very dark.
1781, August 5. Wild pigeons flew very thick.
1782. Very dry season.
1785, April I. Severe snow-storm. Snow three to five feet deep.
1785, April 15. Very cold. Gronnd frozen hard. Rivers crossed on the ice, with excellent skating on ponds.
1785, May 20. Severe snow-storm. Snow several inches deep.
1785, November 25. Severe snow-storm. Snow very deep.
1786, May 21. Wind east for eight weeks in succession.
1791, July 18. Rev. John Porter's horse killed by lightning in a severe thunder-storm.
1804, October. Severe gale ; large trees blown down and torn up by the roots.
1805, February. Snowed five days in succession. The road be- tween North Bridgewater and Randolph was even with the top of the walls.
1806, June. Total eclipse of the sun.
1806. Winter of 1806-7 very mild ; ground not frozen over four inches deep all winter.
1806. Summer of 1806 very cold.
1808. Very heavy frosts in August.
18II, May 5. Severe snow-storm.
18II, July. Great freshet, doing great damage.
1815, September 23. Severe gale, Monday. Some verses published soon after were as follows :
It chanced to be our washing-day ; I saw the shirts and petticoats
The clothes were all a-drying ; Go riding off like witches ;
That day I lost-ah, how I wept !-
The stormy winds came through the lines And set 'em all a-flying. I lost my Sunday breeches.
The air became filled with limbs, shrubs, old pieces of timber, etc., roofs blown off from buildings, and great damage generally.
1815, September 25. Very powerful wind, unroofing many build- ings, and doing considerable damage to other property.
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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
1816. This year was remarkable for its severe cold weather.
1816, February. Azra Keith was severely burned while making varnish in his house, from the effects of which he never recovered.
1817, February 20. Remarkably severe snow-storm.
1818. Great freshet, doing great damage.
1820, December 22. Rev. Daniel Huntington delivered a discourse in the meeting house of the North Parish, it being the second centen - nial anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Text, Psalms xliv. 1-3.
1821, July 4. The first town meeting was held in North Bridgewater this day. The meeting was opened by prayer by Rev. Daniel Hunting- ton. Over two hundred were present, and the first yearly town officers were chosen. Joseph Sylvester was moderator. Col. Edward South- worth was chosen town clerk.
1821, October 31. Messrs. Daniel Temple, of Reading, Mass., and Isaac Bird were ordained as missionaries to the heathen in the old meet- ing house. Rev. Richard S. Storrs, D.D., of Braintree, preached the sermon ; Rev. Daniel Thomas, of Abington, gave the charge ; and Rev. S. Green, the right hand of fellowship. Mr. Temple married Miss Rachel B. Dix, of Boscowen, N. H., and sailed for Malta, January 2, 1822, on the brig Cypress from Boston. In 1833 Rev. Isaac Bird sailed for Beyroot as missionary. Mr. Temple has since died, August 9, 1850.
1823, November 1.3. David Brown, a native of the Cherokee tribe of Indians, delivered an address in the meeting-house of the First Church, after which a collection was taken for supporting schools in his nation.
1835, November 6. Miss Susan Hersey, a young miss of sixteen, who resided in the family of Deacon John Crafts, was drowned in How- ard's pond.
1837, July 15. David Lincoln drowned in Sprague's pond.
1845, August 23. Daniel Brett's house struck by lightning, and Mr. Brett instantly killed.
1845, November 22. Joseph Brett killed by an ox.
1844, November 6. Hon. John Quincy Adams delivered a discourse to the citizens of North Bridgewater in the meeting-house of the First Congregational Church.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1847, August 14. Lorenzo D. Hervey had his left arm fractured by coming in contact with another train at South Boston, which was stand- ing on a side track, his arm resting at the time on the side window.
1849, May 21. North Bridgewater Union Cemetery consecrated by Rev. Daniel Huntington, then pastor of the South Congregational church, Campello. An admirable address was delivered on this occa- sion.
1849, May 22. Ethan and Henry Leach (brothers) were thrown from a chaise while crossing the railroad at the burying-ground crossing at Ashland street, and instantly killed.
1849, March 22. Howard's mill-dam washed away ; also railroad bridge near Lewis Keith's mill, damaging so much as to stop the cars.
1851, October 30. Timothy Sullivan was killed by coming in con- tact with a bridge at the north end of the village, known as " Harlow's Bridge."
1852, May 12. David I. Gray had thumb sawed off in Howard's mill.
1852, May 27. Michael O' Leary drowned.
1852, July 22. " Enterprise " Engine Company, accompanied by the North Bridgewater Brass Band, visited New York.
1852, July 26. Eugene Marshall was a passenger on board the steamer Atlantic that sunk on Lake Erie. The steamer came in con- tact with the Ogdensburg near Longport, two o'clock Friday morning. Three hundred lives lost. One hundred and fifty men and women were drowned in the cabin. Mr. Marshall narrowly escaped drowning.
1852, August 15. Salmon Manly died from injuries to his spinal column to- day.
1852, September 18. Galen Edson died from wounds received by a fall that fractured his skull.
1853, November 24. Frederick A. Babcock injured on railroad.
1853, February 5. George Washington, son of Levi French, was badly scalded, injuring him so much that he died the next day (Sun- day). Age two years and ten months.
1853, February 26. Edward Elmer, son of Perez Marshall, was drowned while attempting to cross a pond near his father's house. Age six years and five months.
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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
1853, February. Ellridge G. Cobb, and one hundred and seven oth- ers, sent a petition to the Legislature opposing the passage of a law re- stricting the sale of intoxicating liquors.
1853, November 21. A collision took place between two trains of cars on the railroad, one of which was the steamboat train ; four per- sons severely injured. One died soon after.
1853, December 29. Severe snow-storm. The cars on the railroad were stopped, for the first time since the road was opened.
1853. Alonzo S. Drisko, a workman engaged in building the new house of worship for the First Congregational Church, had an arm broken by a board falling from aloft.
1854, March 18. Severe gale. Railroad-crossing sign at Court street blown down. The steeple of the Porter Church was somewhat damaged by the force of wind, which was pretty general throughout this section of country.
1854, June 14. Severe hail-storm about noon. Thermometer stood at ninety in the shade. Hailstones as large as cherries fell in abun- dance. Zophar Field's house struck. Cow belonging to Chandler Sprague, esq., instantly killed.
1854, June 19. The house of Weston Simmons, known as the " Poor Farm," was struck by lightning, instantly killing Lemuel Reynolds, who had just stepped into the house for protection from the storm.
1854, July 27. The new meeting. house of the First Congregational Church was dedicated to-day.
1854, September 18. Michael Coleman and Michael Keho were run into by a steamboat train that came in contact with chaise.
1855, September 20. To-day was observed as a holiday for the pur- pose of holding a fair to obtain means for erecting a fence around the new cemetery. A large and brilliant procession, consisting of the vari- ous fire engine companies in full uniform drawing their engines, hand- somely decorated, preceded by a band of music ; also the North Bridge- water Light Dragoons, under the command of Captain J. Freeman El- lis, together with a representation of the various trades in large num- bers. The procession was formed at one o'clock, when, after marching about the various streets, they proceeded to Yale's mammoth tent, which had been erected for the purpose of serving the dinner, in a lot
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
owned by Frederick Perkins, and opposite the residence of Franklin Ames, esq. The procession was under the care of Francis M. French, as chief marshal.
1856, January 5. Severe snow-storm. No trains passed for two days. No meeting on the next day (Sabbath). Roads badly blocked.
By an act of the Legislature. passed April 19, 1856, a Probate Court was established at North Bridgewater, to be held the last Tuesday of July in each year.
1856, June 3. The centennial celebration of the four Bridgewaters was held to-day, and the bells of all the four towns were rung half an hour before sunrise, and cannon fired on Trooper's Hill.
1856, June 4. A meeting was held to show the feeling in regard to the assault on Charles Sumner at Washington, at which resolutions were passed condemning the act in the strongest terms.
1857, January 18. Vere severe snow-storm. Trains on the railroad were blocked for several days. The thermometer during the day was sixteen degrees below zero. The sky was obscured by a dense cloud of snow, that extended in every direction. At night the weather moder- ated ; but the wind increased to a gale, piling the snow in huge drifts. The storm in the night was of unexampled severity. The force of the wind caused the spire of the church at Campello, which had been erected but a short time, to break just below the clock, and the bell to break through the roof and lodge in the vestry below. The damage to the house by this fall was about $3,000.
1857, April 6. Some fiend placed some iron rails upon the railroad track about one mile north of the village, causing the locomotive called the " Pilgrim " to run off the track and injure the train, breaking Alden Reed's jaw-bone, an employee of the road in charge of the train.
1857, May 17. Ice formed one-sixteenth of an inch thick to-day.
1857, May 31. Terrible hailstorm, doing great damage to crops and fruit trees in the town. Hailstones as large as robin's eggs fell to the depth of an inch, continuing about one-half hour.
1858, March 30. Emma Olivia, daughter of F. B. Washburn, was so severely burned while at play that she died in fifteen hours after. Age seven years and eight months.
1858, May 14. Bela Keith, esq., fell and broke his collar-bone while at work repairing a shed belonging to the Satucket House.
639
MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
1858, May 14. Elisha Hall had his hand badly injured at Howard & Clark's steam-mill.
1858, July 21. Charles W., a son of Rev. J. Cooper, was drowned in Howard's pond.
1858, September 21. Frank Richmond, son of Philo W. Richmond, broke his leg by falling from a ladder while at work painting on the east side of Kingman's brick block.
1859, January 22. John B., son of Charles Wentworth, was drowned. Body found Sunday noon following.
1859, June 3. Gershom I. Sylvester, son of F. M. Sylvester, seven years of age, was run over by cars near Keith's mills, and injured so that he died soon after.
1859, July 30. Mrs. Harriet Everson and Thacher Everson, wife and daughter of Joseph H. Everson, of Hanson, were killed by a locomotive near Keith's mills. George W. Monroe and Miss Sarah F. Stetson were in the covered wagon at the time and severely injured.
1859, August 25. Herbert, son of Albert Keith, choked to death by a piece of apple, which he was eating while running.
1859, September 9 Mr. Henry Volney French, who had just ar- rived at the depot in the Centre Village, from New York, in the steam- boat train, attempted to jump from the cars while the train was in mo- tion, was thrown upon the track and run over by the train, and lived but two hours after the accident. Mr. French was of the firm of French & Howard, shoe manufacturers. He was a man of excellent habits, smart, active, and very exemplary in all the walks of life. A deep feel- ing of sadness pervaded the entire community upon learning of the sad affair. His wife and children were absent from home at the time of the accident, in Maine.
1859, November 26. When the four o'clock train was approaching Campello, and near the brick factory, from Boston, a woman named Joanna Barrett, in attempting to cross the track, was struck by the loco- motive, and injured so that she died in a few moments.
1860, June 16. Severe hail-storm. Hailstones plenty, as large as bullets, doing much damage to fruit.
1860, July 1I. C. Adelbert, son of T. M. Packard, came to his death by falling into a tub set in the ground to catch water.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1860, August 2. A young child of Daniel Hayward, eighteen months old, fell from an attic of a two story house to the ground, a distance of thirty feet, through the carelessness of a domestic ; taken up apparently uninjured.
1861, February 25. Bridget O'Brien was killed by violence.
1861. Mr. G. E. Wilbor and Thaddeus Keith made a bet on the election of Abraham Lincoln, Wilbor betting he would be elected, and Keith that he would not; the condition was that the one that lost was to walk to Boston. Mr. Keith, having lost the bet, started for Boston March 6, and walked the entire distance to the city in five hours. He was accompanied through the village by fife and drum.
1861, March 24. ' Severe storm,-snow. Trains delayed twenty-four hours.
1861, April 8. As Mrs. John Ellis and another lady were riding from North Bridgewater Village to Campello they were robbed of their pocket-books. The rogue was caught soon after and punished.
1861, October 3. M. W. Dwight jumped from a car when in motion near Campello station and was killed.
1862, May 26. Michael Larry, a lad of eight years, was drowned in a saw- mill flume at Sprague's factory pond.
1863, June 15. Malcolm Howard died of injuries received by the kick of a horse owned by Dr. Baldwin in the north part of the town.
1863, September 24. William Tolman, son of Elijah Tolman, engi- neer at Ellis Packard & Co.'s steam-mill, had an arm broken and other- wise severely injured.
1863, October 20. Leroy Hamilton, a driver in the employ of Han- cock's express, was struck by a locomotive while crossing the track at Elliot street crossing. The wagon was a complete wreck. Mr. Hamil- ton escaped with a few bruises only.
1863, November. Nahum Perkins, a man over seventy years of age, shot a goose from a flock that was passing over his home.
1864, February. Moses Packard fell and broke his leg in his barn.
1864, February 12. Michael Murphy and Patrick Early were burned to death in the town lock-up.
1864, February 13. Herbert Eaton broke his collar-bone while at play.
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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
1864, April 29. A child of Cornelius McAuliffe was so badly burned while playing with fire in the Pine grove that she died next day.
1864, July 14. Jennie, daughter of Patrick McCullough, was drowned in a tub of water.
1864, September 26. A boy in the employ of Harrison Rogers was dragged about by a horse till life was extinct, by incautiously fastening the rope-halter around his arms. The horse became unmanageable, so the boy could not release himself.
1864, October 12. Eliza J., wife of James S. Bond, of North Bridge- water, committed suicide by drowning at Mansfield, Mass.
1864. The drought of 1864 has had no parallel for years. For June and July only 2.38 inches of rain fell ; May previous only two inches ; July 1.32 inches ; June 1.06 inches. In 1854, ten years in August pre- vious, there was no rain.
1864, January 3. The body of an unknown man was found on the railroad track, about a half-mile south of Campello depot ; supposed to have fallen from the New York train. The body was terrible mangled, so that it could hardly be identified.
1864, October 27. Five cattle were killed by a Fall River train at Howard's crossing in the north part of the town, and others badly in- jured.
1864. Adeline Harris was appointed teacher by the Freedman's Re- lief Association, stationed at Newbern, N. C., and sailed from New York December 8.
1865, July 4. Charles Hayward, son of the late B. F. Hayward, was badly burned in the face by powder.
1865, July 4. Daniel Huntington, son of Joseph Vincent, had a thumb blown off by the discharge of a pistol.
1865, August 23. Mrs. Sanford Winter committed suicide. Cause, temporary insanity.
1865. This summer season has been very dry. Wells throughout the State dried up. Fall feed very light, or none at all. Mills stopped running for want of water.
1854. J. O. Patten introduced the first stitching into the town, two Singer stitching machines, and were doing the work for Daniel S. Howard. He sold the business to Oliver O. Patten.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
John H. Cole, of Campello, was one of the first and oldest machine operators in Brockton, commencing in 1855, on a Home Cylinder No. 26, for Benjamin F. Hayward, on the lot now occupied by the " Cam- pello House."
1856. Willard Keith and Horace Bryant commenced manufactur- ing shoes in Campello, being the second firm then engaged in that line. Marcus H. Reynolds was then the only one in that village.
1858, September. Ira Copeland started a grocery store in what was then known as "Spragues," or Factory village.
1860, May. The clothing store of Harmon, Hayward & Co., corner of Main and High streets, was opened.
1860, May. The estate of the late Benjamin G. Stoddard on North Main street was sold in May, 1860, to Edward Southworth, jr., store and land, for $1,575. House lot in rear of above, sold to Dr. Henry Eddy for $275.
1860, June. The building erected for the late Francis A. Thayer as a residence was built by Jason Perkins, as master builder, on West Elm street.
1860, July. The old burying ground, nearly opposite Grove street, was placed in good order, fenced and cleared up, and other im- provements made.
1860, August. Hunt's Academy held a reunion.
1864, September. Opening of the Brockton High School.
1865, May 30. A son of C. C. Bixby lost a finger ; chopped off by a hatchet.
1865, July 14. First annual exhibition of the Brockton High School.
1865, July. The well known Rev. Daniel Huntington estate on North Main street was sold to Domenio Hall.
1865, August. The Old Colony Railroad are about to erect a brick freight house, 600x80 feet, with platform accommodations, 1,200X25 feet.
1865, August. The shoe manufactory of Cyrus B. Kingman sold to Lyman E. Cobb, and removed from Spragueville to Centre street and converted into a grocery store, and afterwards removed to Court street.
1865, August. The dwelling house of the late Abiel Kingman on Summer street, sold to Nathan Holmes.
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MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
1865, October. A meeting of the stockholders of the old North Bridgewater Bank was held to see if it was thought best to change into a National Bank. The vote was 184 in favor, and 272 opposed. Fred- eric Howard advocated a change to the new bank vigorously, but the measure was defeated, and the city was without a bank for several years, previous to the organization of the present Home National Bank.
1865, November 9. The church building, at East Bridgewater, of which Rev Baalis Sanford was for many years pastor, was moved to East Elm street, and converted into a shoe manufactory.
1865, December 4. A little son of John Wild had a hand and foot crushed while playing with the cars near Soule's lumber yard.
1865, December 2. Charles S. Pierce, while in the employ of Messrs. Howard & Clark, lost a finger while using a moulding machine. .
1866, March 18. Thomas Ward found dead, Sunday, very near the drift road, now Grove street.
1866, April. Israel Packard house, afterward owned by Benjamin Kingman, on Belmont street, sold to Harrison L. Higgins.
1866, April. The Sidney Packard house on Chestnut street, Cam- pello, sold to Charles H. Cole,
1866, April 2. North Bridgewater Bank votes to wind up the affairs of that institution.
1866, April 24. A man in the employ of Edward E. Bennett, thrown from a horse, and killed.
1866, May. I. M. Foye fell while at work on Nahum Dickerman's house, severely injured in the side and chest, also in the face.
1866, Thursday, May 25. J. Lowell French severely jammed between two cars.
I 866. Moses W. Hancock, the veteran expressman between Brock- ton and Boston, who commenced his business in 1846, celebrated his twentieth anniversary.
1866, June 5. Robert A. Bliss struck by the "Lightning Express " train near the station, and killed, his body was terribly mangled. He resides at Holmes's Hole.
1866, June 8. A corn barn and other outbuildings belonging to Jonathan Keith, on the late Nathaniel Ames's homestead, destroyed by fire.
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HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
1866, June. A child of Dennis Sullivan scalded, and died in a few hours.
1866, June 28. Nahum Hayward was found dead in bed at his home. Ilis death was problaby caused by heart trouble.
1866, July. Daniel S. Howard changes his hot air engine for a new steam engine.
1866. The Harrison Howard farm sold to Dr. J. D. Baldwin, in the north portion of the town.
1866, July 2. The golden wedding of Capt. and Mrs. John Battles took place to- day.
1866, July 3. Rev. Edward L. Clark dismissed from the First Con gregational church.
1866 July 5. While the venerable Micah Faxon was walking in the woods near Snow's brick factory, he was met by a man who asked him for what money he had. Mr. Faxon immediately handed him all he had with him and thereupon the robber left. saying as he departed, to Mr. Faxon, that he had been loafing in that vicinity long enough, and now had better go home.
1866, July 27. Rev. Chiarles W. Wood and wife, of Campello, were seriously injured by a railroad collision near Fitchburg, Mass.
1866, July 28. Severe tempest and rain, during which several build- ings were struck by lightning and much damage done in the flooding of cellars, streets, etc.
1866, October. The well-known Crosby mansion, formerly the par- sonage of Rev. John Porter, the first minister in the North Parish, has recently been sold and is being taken down and removed.
1866, October 12. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lincoln celebrated to-day.
1866, September 5. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Vaughan observed to night.
1866, October 24. An enthusiastic public meeting was held this evening, of persons interested in the construction of a railroad to Stoughton.
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