USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 19
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176
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
Such was the unimproved condition of the easterly and now most populous section of Cambridge, before West Boston Bridge was opened for public travel, Nov. 23, 1793. At that time, Rev. Dr. Holmes says : 1 " Below the seat of the late Chief Justice Dana, there were but four dwelling-houses; one on the Inman place,2 now belonging to Jonathan L. Austin, Esq. ; one 3 nearly opposite, on a farm of Judge Dana, formerly the Soden farm, south of the main road ; one on the Phips' farm, lately owned by Mr. Andrew Bordman ; 4 and one at Lechmere's Point."5 A new impulse towards improvement manifested itself immediately after the opening of the bridge. Building lots for houses and stores were laid out by Jarvis and Dana, which were soon occupied. Dr. Holmes further says that, during the month next after the opening of the bridge, "a store 6 was erected and opened near the west end of the causeway 7 by Messrs. Vose & Makepeace, 8
1 " Memoir of Cambridgeport," ap- peace is very conspicuous. Born March pended to a sermon at the ordination of Rev. Thomas B. Gannett, Jan. 19, 1814.
2 On Inman Street, at the head of Austin Street. The mansion house, with a part of the farm, was purchased by the Austins when the Jarvis estate was sold in 1801. The house was removed in 1873 to the corner of Brookline and Auburn streets.
8 This farm-house stood until about 1840, on the westerly side of Pleasant Street, near its intersection with River Street.
4 Andrew Bordman, grandson of Lieut .- gov. Phips, inherited this estate on the death of his parents. The house stood on the northerly side of Plymouth Street, between Webster Avenue and Berkshire Street, and was wantonly de- stroyed about thirty years ago.
5 On the northerly side of Spring Street, between Third and Fourth streets ; it was demolished about the year 1820.
6 This store remains standing on the northerly side of Main Street, directly opposite to Osborn Street.
7 The eanseway extended from the river to the junetion of Main and Front streets, passing near the northerly side of l'elham's Island.
8 Among those who were actively en- gaged in promoting the settlement of Cambridgeport, the name of Royal Make-
29, 1772, at the age of twenty-one years, or earlier, he left his native town ( West- ern, now Warren, Mass.), and came to Boston, in company with Robert Vose, his townsman, each having borrowed for that purpose the sum of twenty-five dol- lars. After a short mercantile appren- tieeship, they entered into partnership, and commeneed business in Boston at the South End. They soon afterwards re- moved to Cambridgeport, where, as here- tofore stated, they ereeted the first store after the completion of the bridge in 1793. In addition to their regular busi- ness as grocers, they commeneed buying and selling real estate. This partnership was dissolved in 1803, by the death of Mr. Vose. In the business of the store John Cook became a partner; but Rufus Davenport, a Boston merchant, was the principal associate of Mr. Makepeace in his subsequent transactions in real estate, in which it would seem that Mr. Daven- port contributed the larger part of the eash capital, which was offset by the skill and judgment of Mr. Makepeace, who was the leading spirit in nearly all the sehemes projected for publie improvement. He also rendered faithful and useful services in various town offices, and as Represent- ative in the General Court. After the ruin of his financial enterprises, he re- moved to Baltimore, in 1832, to super- intend the " Canton Company Improve-
LANDING PLACE
MILLER RIVER (SO CALLED )
FILLEBROWN LAND SO CALLED
MARY LECHMERE.
DAVID PHIPS
THE
4294 a
REBECCA LEE. .
BAY
84 3/4 a.
.
OR
ELIZABETH VASSALL'S. HEIRS
MARY LECHMERE
SARAH BOARDMAN.
1 1/2 a. DITCH --
45 1/4 a.
CHARLES
CREEK
RIVER .
SARAH BOARDMAN 6/2 a.
187 ¥
·
96/2a.
PLAN OF THE
FARM
Formerly belonging to Lt, Gov, Spencer Phips. and assigned to his heirs in 1759.
1/20
INMAN CORNER
J.FOXCRAFTS CORNER
38/4ª. ORCHARD FENCE
N 28' E
GREAT DAM RUNNING S 55° &
FIRST STATION.
.
177
CIVIL HISTORY.
which, after the opening of the great road, was the first framed building set up between Boston and Old Cambridge. The fol- lowing year, a large house designed for a tavern 1 was built by Leonard Jarvis, Esq., and soon after were erected six other houses and stores." 2 Of these six houses and stores, some may be iden- tified with tolerable accuracy. Vose & Makepeace erected the dwelling-house, which remains standing on the westerly corner of Main and Osborn streets, opposite to their store, before Dec. 17, 1795. Jonathan Brooks erected a store between Cherry and Windsor Streets, on the northerly side of Main Street, before June 5, 1795, - perhaps the same building so long occupied by Eliphalet Davis, and now by his son Thomas M. Davis, for the manufacture of fancy soap. Scott & Hayden erected a store on the lot next westerly from the store-lot of Vose & Make- peace, before 1800. Besides these, Stanton Parker erected a store and shed on the northerly side of Main Street, the precise loca- tion not known, before Nov. 11, 1794. Asaph Harlow purchased a lot on the northerly side of Main Street, Jan. 15, 1798, most of which was used in 1873 for the construction of Portland Street ; and the house which he erected was then removed a few feet east- wardly to the easterly corner of Portland and Main streets. Richard Thayer bought a lot, Sept. 1, 1802, and erected the house now standing on the westerly corner of Main and Portland streets. Next westerly from the Thayer estate was a lot, with a currier's shop thereon,3 which was sold by Daniel Mason to Ol- iver Blake, Sept. 28, 1797. William Watson sold to Josiah and Phinehas B. Hovey a large lot, two hundred feet in width, on the westerly corner of Main and Brookline streets, Oct. 14, 1799, on which was very soon erected the store which was occu- pied more than half a century by the late Phinehas B. Hovey, who died April 17, 1852, and was succeeded by his son Josiah Dana Hovey, the present occupant. On the adjoining lot, at the easterly corner of Main and Pearl streets, a tavern was erected before April 10, 1802, and was then occupied by James Adams ; but the land was not sold, and it now remains in possession of the Watson family. Judge Dana sold the lots fronting on Main Street, between Pearl and Magazine streets, in Jan., 1800, and
ments," so called, and died in a green Makepeace. It was destroyed by fire, old age, his eye not having lost its bril- Dec. 22, 1851.
liancy, June 6, 1855. - See Makepeace Genealogy, by William Makepeace.
2 Ordination Sermon, ut sup.
8 This lot was described in the deed as
1 The tavern stood on the lot next being "a few rods east of Pelham's eastwardly from the store of Vose & Island."
12
178
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
March, 1801. Arrangements were made for other improvements, by laying out, on paper at least, several streets. Moreover, Judge Dana and Mr. Jarvis, for the exclusion of salt water from their inarsh lands lying sonth of Pelham's Island and east of Brookline Street, constructed before 1797 a substantial dike, which yet remains, on the outer side of Sidney and Auburn streets. In connection with this dike, Judge Dana opened the Canal which now extends from the head of Goffe's Cove to Brookline Street, about a hundred feet southerly from Auburn Street. Mr. Jarvis laid out Front Street, as far as to the bend near Village Street, and opened a canal from that point southerly to Goffe's Cove, before 1797.
The prosperity of this incipient village early received a severe check. In less than five years after the bridge was opened, and before much had been accomplished in the work of reclaiming marshes and swamps, Mr. Jarvis became indebted to the United States in a large sum, and his real estate was seized by the gov- ernment. In the subsequent conveyances of this estate by the United States Marshal, it is recited that, at a " Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts," June 1, 1798, the United States " obtained judgment against Leonard Jarvis of Cambridge, in said District, Esquire, for the sum of thirty-nine thousand six hun- dred and ninety-two dollars and twenty-one cents, and fourteen dollars and twenty cents costs of suit ; " and that an execution, issued July 6, 1798, was " levied on certain real estate situated in Cambridge aforesaid, . . . said estate being two hundred and forty-five acres of land, more or less, consisting of upland and marsh, with sundry buildings," etc. From this time for nearly three years this estate was entirely withdrawn from the market, including both sides of Main Street from Moore Street to Front Street, and extending on the northerly side to a point midway between Lee and Hancock streets. But what at first seemed utterly disastrous, proved in the end to be beneficial. In Janu- ary, 1801, this estate, having been divided into fifty-four lots, varying in size from a few thousand square feet to forty-seven acres 1 was sold at public auction. "From this time," says Dr. Holmes, " commenced a rapid settlement. Several large stores were erected the next year, and soon after dwelling-houses. . . . In the space of about five years, upwards of a hundred families liave settled on this spot ; and the number of inhabitants is esti-
1 Delineated on a plan drawn by Peter the Middlesex Registry of Deeds, Book Tufts, Jr., Aug. 22, 1800, and recorded in 164, p. 545.
179
CIVIL HISTORY.
mated at more than one thousand." 1 The principal land-holders had not hitherto manifested a very strong desire to transfer their lands to new owners. Perhaps each waited for the others to sell, hoping to share the benefit of augmented prices without parting with their own property at a low rate. Mr. Watson sold very few lots before 1801; Judge Dana bought more than he sold; and Mr. Bordman seems not to have sold a single lot, or even to have made preparation for sales by obtaining access to the Main Street. Indeed Judge Dana and Mr. Watson did not afterwards sell freely ; but much the larger portion of their lands descended to their posterity. Mr. Bordman, on the contrary, in 1801, united with others in laying out Windsor Street; giving all the land through his own estate, from School Street to Webster Avenue, and in the same year he sold that portion of his estate lying east of Windsor Street and south of Harvard Street, some- what more than six acres, to Charles Clark and Daniel Mason, who immediately divided it into small lots and brought it into the market. In 1803, he laid out into building-lots all his lands west of Windsor Street and south of Harvard Street; and in 1804 he sold all which remained of his farm on the east side of Windsor Street, sixty-five acres, to Rufus Davenport and Royal Makepeace, who offered it for sale in small lots, but were disap- pointed in the result. Mr. Austin, who purchased the Jarvis Mansion-house, with forty- seven acres of land, laid out several lots on Main Street between Temple and Inman streets, and opened Austin Street through its whole length, with building- lots on botli sides, in 1801 : he also sold a section east of Norfolk Street between Washington and Harvard Streets, to Davenport & Makepeace, who prepared it at once for the market. From this time there was no lack of accommodations for all comers ; the supply was fully equal to the demand.
In addition to the efforts of individuals to increase the market value of their own lands, by means of dikes and streets, other improvements of a more public character were projected for the general advantage of the community. Expensive avenues into the country were constructed to attract travel and business. The " Cambridge and Concord Turnpike Corporation " was established March 8, 1803, with authority to make a turnpike-road from the westerly side of Cambridge Common to Concord ; 2 and two years afterwards, March 8, 1805, the corporation was authorized to
1 Ordination Sermon, ut sup.
2 The Cambridge portion of this turn- pike is now called Concord Avenue.
180
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
extend the turnpike to the Causeway near West Boston Bridge. 1 The " Middlesex Turnpike Corporation " was established June 15, 1805, with authority to make a turnpike-road from Tyngs- borough through Chelmsford, Billerica, and Bedford, to Cam- bridge, uniting with the Cambridge and Concord Turnpike near West Boston Bridge.2 Other avenues were subsequently opened, which will receive notice in another place.
By an Act of Congress, approved Jan. 11, 1805, it was enacted " that the town or landing-place of Cambridge in the State of Massachusetts shall be a port of delivery, to be annexed to the district of Boston and Charlestown, and shall be subject to the same regulations as other ports of delivery in the United States." Accordingly this part of Cambridge has, since that time, been designated Cambridgeport. To make the place available as a " port of delivery," canals were constructed from Charles River through the Great Marsh, giving an extensive water-front. These canals are described in an agreement, dated July 8, 1806,3 and recorded in the Middlesex Registry of Deeds, Book 172, page 496. The land devoted to this purpose is said to be a part of the " hundred share estate, so called by said owners by articles under seal." 4 The description of the canals may be briefly con- densed as follows : -
BROAD CANAL, 80 feet wide, from low-water mark in Charles River to Portland Street, parallel with Broadway and Hampshire Street, at the distance of 186 feet, northerly, from the former, and 154 feet from the latter.
WEST DOCK, bounded by a line commencing at a point in the westerly line of Portland Street, 154 feet northerly from Hamp- shire Street, thence running parallel with Hampshire Street to a point 100 feet from Medford Street (now Webster Avenue) ; thence parallel with Medford Street, to a point 100 feet from Bristol Street ; thence parallel with Bristol Street, to a point 100 feet from Portland Street ; thence " parallel with Portland Street 210 feet to the southerly line of land late of Walter Frost; " thence in " a straight line to a point which is on the
1 This extension is now known as Broadway.
2 The Cambridge portion of this turn- pike is now ealled Hampshire Street.
8 Broad Canal, at least, was projeeted as early as May 19, 1802, when Vose & Makepeace conveyed to Josiah Mason, Jr., a right to use the " Canal which is
to be made," where Broad Canal now is.
4 The "hundred share estate" was owned thus : Rufus Davenport, fifty-five shares ; Royal Makepeace, twenty-five shares ; Henry Hill, ten shares ; Josiah Mason, Jr., four shares ; Daniel Mason, three shares ; Charles Clark, three shares.
181
CIVIL HISTORY.
westerly line of Portland Street, 20 feet southerly and westerly of the northeasterly line of land late of Timothy and Eunice Swan ; then turning and running southerly and westerly on Portland Street, to the bounds of West Dock begun at ; " with the " right of a water-communication, or passage-way, 25 feet wide, through Portland Street under a bridge, from the main part of Broad Canal to that part called West Dock." 1
NORTH CANAL, 60 feet wide, 180 feet easterly from Portland Street, and extending from Broad Canal to a point near the northerly line of the Bordman Farm. This canal was subse- quently extended to Miller's River. According to an agreement, June 14, 1811, between the Lechmere Point Corporation and Davenport & Makepeace, the latter were to have perpetual right to pass with boats and rafts " through Miller's Creek or North River, so called, to North Canal and Broad Canal," and to extend North Canal, through land owned by the Corporation, to Miller's River ; and the Corporation was to have the right to pass through the said canals to Charles River, so long as the canals should remain open.
CROSS CANAL, " bounded by two straight lines, 30 feet apart, and running at a right angle with Broadway from Broad Canal, between lots 279 and 280, through Broadway, and between lots 263 and 264 to South Dock."
SOUTH DOCK, bounded by a line commencing at the south- east corner of Cross Canal, thence running southeasterly 53 feet ; thence southwesterly, parallel with the line of Cross Canal to a point 10 feet distant from land of the Proprietors of West Boston Bridge ; thence westerly, at the same distance from said Propri- etors' land, to lot 215 : thence northerly, at a right angle with the causeway of West Boston Bridge, 81 feet ; thence north- westerly, 98 feet, to the easterly corner of lot 214; thence, in a straight line, to the southerly corner of lot 262 ; thence, on said lot 262, 67 feet, to lot 263; thence southerly and easterly on said lot 263, 54 feet, and on Cross Canal, 30 feet, to the point of beginning. This dock was connected with Charles River by a creek, over which was the bridge, long known as " Little Bridge," at the junction of Main and Harvard streets.2
1 Although seareely a vestige of this doek now remains, it was plainly visible a quarter of a century ago. It seems to have been designed as the head of navi- gation and a central point of business. Lots fronting on the doek were laid out,
twenty feet wide, apparently designed for stores and warehouses, some of which were sold at a high priee; but it does not appear that any such buildings were erected.
2 Little Bridge was superseded by a
182
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
SOUTH CANAL, 60 feet wide, about midway between Harvard Street and Broadway, from South Dock to a point 113 feet east- erly from Davis Street.
" In 1802, a school house was built on a piece of land 1 pre- sented by Mr. Andrew Bordman to the town for that purpose. It cost about six hundred dollars ; upwards of three hundred dol- lars were paid by the town of Cambridge, and the remainder contributed by individuals." "In 1803, a Fire Society was formed, which, at an expense of upwards of five hundred dollars, procured an excellent engine ; and a company was raised to take charge of it." 2
By an act passed June 15, 1805, Royal Makepeace, John Cook, Josiah Mason, Jr., Daniel Mason, and Andrew Bordman, were " constituted and made a corporation and body-politic, by the name of the Cambridgeport Meeting-house Corporation, . . . for the purpose of building a meeting-house and supporting public worship therein, in the easterly part of Cambridge." Of the hundred shares of stock in this Corporation, Rufus Davenport was the owner of twenty, and Royal Makepeace of seventeen. A spacious brick meeting-house was erected on the westerly side of the square bounded by Broadway, and Boardman, Harvard, and.Columbia streets. The easterly half of the square was given by Andrew Bordman, and the westerly half by the owners of the " hundred share estate." 3 This house was dedicated Jan. 1, 1807. By an Act passed March 1, 1808, the proprietors of the meeting-house, together with all the inhabitants and estates in the Fifth School District, in Cambridge, east of Dana Street and a line extended in the same direction northerly to Charlestown (now Somerville), and southerly to the river, were incorporated
solid roadway about thirty years ago. By the raising of the grade between Broadway and Main Street, and the ex- tension of Sixth Street, in 1873, the South Doek and Cross Canal were effectually obliterated.
1 At the northwesterly corner of Wind- sor and Sehool streets, where a large briek school-house now stands.
2 Dr. Holmes' Ordination Sermon, ut sup.
8 A portion of this square was offered to the County of Middlesex, for the ae- commodation of a court-house and other County buildings ; but the offer was not accepted. The meeting-house was oceu-
pied until Nov. 10, 1833, when it was so mueh damaged by the wind that it was abandoned, and a new house was erected, in 1834, on the northerly side of Aus- tin Street, between Norfolk and Essex streets. The lot, having ceased to be used for a meeting-house, was forfeited, and reverted to the heirs. and assigns of the donors. It is worthy of note, as indieating the expectations indulged at that period, that when the meeting-house was ereeted, there was not a single dwelling-house on Columbia Street ; this faet was assigned by the Seleetmen, Nov. 3, 1806, as a reason for not establishing that street as a publie highway.
183
CIVIL HISTORY.
as the Cambridgeport Parish ; and Feb. 2, 1809, the proprietors (reserving private ownership of pews) conveyed to the Parish the meeting-house and lot, containing two acres, together with a parsonage lot at the northeasterly corner of Harvard and Pros- pect streets.
By an Act passed March 4, 1809, Rufus Davenport, Henry Hill, Samuel May, Elijah Davenport, Pliny Cutler, and their associates, were incorporated as the "Cambridgeport manufac- tory, for the purpose of manufacturing cotton and sea-salt;" and they were further authorized, Feb. 27, 1813, to manufacture "printing-types and other articles usually manufactured in chemical laboratories." I find no trace, however, of the estab- lishment of such a manufactory.
While the measures adopted for the improvement of Cam- bridgeport were in the " full tide of successful experiment," a similar enterprise was undertaken at Lechmere Point in which the prime mover was Andrew Craigie.1 The earliest transactions were conducted by Mr. Craigie with much skill and secrecy. His name does not appear on the records until the whole scheme was accomplished ; indeed he took no deed of land in his own name until Feb. 14, 1803, when he purchased of Abraham Biglow nearly forty acres of land, formerly the northwesterly part of the Inman or Jarvis Farm. But other purchases, manifestly in his interest, had been made at an earlier period. It has heretofore been stated that the estate of Richard Lechmere was confiscated by the State, and sold to Andrew Cabot in 1779. This estate, together with the share of the Phips Farm assigned to Judge Lee and his wife, and subsequently bought by Cabot, was sold for £3,300 to Seth Johnson of New York, Jan. 31, 1795, and mort- gaged by him to John Cabot for £2,200: and on the 18th of December, 1797, Johnson, for a nominal consideration, quit- claimed all his interest in the estate to Bossenger Foster of Cam- bridge (brother-in-law to Mr. Craigie), who, by an agreement dated six months later, engaged to convey the estate to Craigie, on the performance of certain conditions. The next step was to secure the reversionary rights of Mrs. Lechmere and her children in the confiscated estate of her husband, or in so much thereof as was held in her right by inheritance from her father. These
1 Mr. Craigie was apothecary-general He purchased the Vassall House, or of the Northern Department of the Rev- Washington Headquarters, Jan. 1, 1792, and resided there until Scpt. 19, 1819, when he eloscd an active life, checkered by many vicissitudes. olutionary Army, Sept. 5, 1777, when the Council of Massachusetts granted him supplies for the General Hospital.
184
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
rights were conveyed, Oct. 14, 1799, by Lechmere and his wife to Samuel Haven of Dedham, whose wife was daughter of Mr. Foster and niece of Mr. Craigie. Mr. Cabot took possession of the estate under the mortgage from Johnson, having obtained judg- ment therefor in 1800, and sold the same to Samuel Parkman of Boston, Aug. 26, 1803. Parkman conveyed to Craigie all his rights in the whole estate, by deed dated June 3, 1806, and on the 26th of January, 1807, the widow and administratrix of Bossenger Foster conveyed to Mr. Craigie (her brother) the Johnson title, pursuant to the beforementioned agreement. Having thus se- cured a complete title to the whole of the Phips Farm, except the share assigned to Andrew Bordman and his wife, Mr. Craigie bought of Jonas Wyeth, 3d, Feb. 11, 1807, about forty acres, formerly the northerly part of the Inman or Jarvis estate, and May 5, 1807, of the heirs of Ebenezer Shed, about five acres, lying partly in Somerville, and adjoining the land purchased of Wyeth, so that he now owned about three hundred acres of land, in two parcels nearly adjoining each other ; the easterly parcel included almost the whole of East Cambridge, and extended westerly to a point near the intersection of Webster Avenue with Cambridge Street, bounded southerly by a line passing near the intersection of Windsor Street with Webster Avenue; the west- erly parcel extended from Elm Street to a line about midway be- tween Fayette Street and Maple Avenue ; its southerly boundary was an old lane, long ago discontinued, commencing on Inman Street, one hundred and seventy-six feet south of Broadway, and crossing Broadway near its intersection with Elm Street; on the west side of Inman Street, the south boundary was a line vary- ing from four hundred to three hundred feet north of Broadway. Although Mr. Craigie's title to this whole property was substan- tially complete, inasmuch as it was within his control, yet he had not, up to this time, received a release of the reversionary rights of Mrs. Lechmere and her children ; for obvious reasons he pre- ferred to let this part of the title remain in the hands of his rela- tive, Mr. Haven. As early as June 21, 1806, he seems to have submitted a claim against the Commonwealth for damages on account of " a breach of the covenants of warranty," in the deed of the Lechmere estate to Cabot ; for when he sought, at that date, to improve his property, by " building a dam from Prison Point in Charlestown to Lechmere's Point in Cambridge and erecting mills on the same," the General Court inserted in the act of incorporation a provision that it should " be of no avail or
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