USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 20
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CIVIL HISTORY.
effect .... until a release and discharge of all the covenants of warranty made by this Commonwealth of any of the lands conveyed by said Commonwealth, lying at or near Lechmere's Point mentioned in this Act, shall be obtained from the person or persons who are legally authorized to make such release or discharge." So also when John C. Jones, Loammi Baldwin, Aaron Dexter, Benjamin Weld, Joseph Coolidge, Jr., Benjamin Joy, Gorham Parsons, Jonathan Ingersoll, John Beach, Abijah Cheever, William B. Hutchins, Stephen Howard, and Andrew Craigie, with their associates, were incorporated, Feb. 27, 1807, with authority to erect Canal Bridge, familiarly called Craigie's Bridge, from " the northwesterly end of Leverett street " in Bos- ton " to the east end of Lechmere's Point," a similar provision was inserted that the act should be of no effect " until a release and discharge of all the covenants of warranty contained in the deed of James Prescott, Joseph Hosmer, and Samuel Thatcher, Esqs., unto Andrew Cabot and his assigns shall be made and ob- tained from Andrew Craigie or the person or persons who are legally authorized to make such release and discharge." The memorial setting forth this claim of damage is mentioned in the Records of the Executive Council, Feb. 9, 1807, while the peti- tion for leave to erect Canal Bridge was pending in the General Court : " The Committee to whom was referred the memorial of Andrew Craigie, praying that some measures might be adopted to ascertain the terms on which his claim to damages for a breach of the covenant of warranty contained in a deed made by this Commonwealth to Andrew Cabot of land lying at or near Lech- mere's Point, so called, and on which the same claim may be ad- justed, beg leave to report : that on the 24th of November, 1779, this Commonwealth by its Committee conveyed to Andrew Cabot the fifty-four acres and one quarter of land as stated in the said memorial, in which deed of conveyance there was a general warranty against the lawful claims and demands of all persons ; that the said Andrew Craigie by sundry successive conveyances duly executed is the assignee of the said Cabot, and is by law entitled to the benefits of the said warranty and capable of dis- charging the same ; that the said fifty-four acres and one quarter of an acre, on the death of Richard Lechmere, will by law revert to Mary Lechmere liis wife, or to her heirs, in whose right the said Richard possessed the same at the time of its confiscation ; that the land in question, from its local situation, appears to be capable of important improvements, but from various connecting
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
circumstances it is very difficult to ascertain its value to the pro- prietor ; that he has mentioned no sum of money for which lie would discharge the Commonwealth from the warranty," etc. The Committee thus reported the facts, without any specific rec- ommendation. It would seem that Mr. Craigie did not succeed in obtaining any further compensation, and that he preferred to abandon all claim for it, rather than to forfeit the privilege of erecting the dam and bridge before mentioned ; for on the 9tli of May, 1808, he executed a deed releasing all such claims for damage, in consideration of the right granted to him by two Acts of the General Court, in 1807 and 1808, to erect a bridge from Lechmere Point to Boston ; which release was accepted and ap- proved by the Governor, May 12, 1808.
Having thus released the Commonwealth from liability to damage for breach of warranty, Mr. Craigie completed his record-title by receiving, for the nominal consideration of one dollar, a conveyance, dated Sept. 20, 1808, of the reversion- ary right to "all the estate which was set off to Mary Lech- mere," which had been held for him since Oct. 14, 1799, by his friend and kinsman, Mr. Haven. The actual value of the prop- erty was much enhanced by the privilege to erect a bridge, and to make the other improvements authorized by the General Court. But the apparent inflation of value was scarcely ex- ceeded by the more recent and almost fabulous transactions in coal-fields and oil-wells. As nearly as can be ascertained from the records, Mr. Craigie paid less than twenty thousand dollars for the whole estate. Reserving sufficient land and flats for the construction of the bridge and the location of a toll-house, he put the remainder on the market at the price of three hundred and sixty thousand dollars, in sixty shares of six thousand dollars each. At this price, three shares were conveyed to Harrison G. Otis, three to Israel Thorndike, and one, each, to Ebenezer Francis, William Payne, Thomas H. Perkins, and John Callender, by deeds dated Nov. 30, 1808. The bridge was completed in 1809, and roads were opened to Cambridge Common, to Medford, and elsewhere, to attract travel from the country to Boston over this avenue. To enable the proprietors to manage and dispose of their valuable real estate, which had hitherto remained apparently undivided and uninhabited (except by a single family in the old Phips farm-house), the General Court, by an Act approved March 3, 1810, incorporated " Thomas Handasyde Perkins, James Perkins, William Payne, Ebenezer Francis, and Andrew Craigie,
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CIVIL HISTORY.
being tenants in common " of lands at and near Lechmere Point, with their associates, as " the Lechmere Point Corporation." Within the next two months the several proprietors conveyed their shares to the Corporation at the nominal price of five dollars. Streets and lots of suitable size were laid out; but the records indicate that the sales of land were few. The first deed of a house-lot, entered on record, is dated Aug. 20, 1810, and conveys to Samuel S. Green the lot on the northeasterly corner of Cam- bridge and Second streets, where he resided more than three- score years, and where he died, Sept. 8, 1872. One store-lot, on Bridge Street, had previously been sold to Aaron Bigelow, but the deed was not placed on record so early as the other. The rec- ords exhibit only ten deeds of lots given by the Corporation, until Sept. 20, 1813, when a sale was made to Jesse Putnam, which con- tributed materially to the prosperity of the new village; this lot was bounded on East Street 400 feet, on North Street 400 feet, on Water Street 300 feet, and "on land covered with water " about 400 feet, and was conveyed by Putnam, March 16, 1814, to the " Boston Porcelain and Glass Company." But the " crown- ing mercy " to the whole enterprise was the agreement, approved by the Corporation Nov. 1, 1813, and by the Court of Sessions at the next December Term ; namely, that the Corporation would give to the County of Middlesex the square bounded by Otis, Second, Thorndike, and Third streets, and a lot, seventy-five feet in width, across the westerly side of the square 1 bounded by Thorndike, Second, Spring, and Third streets, and would erect thereon a court-house and jail, satisfactory to the Court, at an expense to the Corporation not exceeding twenty-four thousand dollars, on condition that as soon as the edifices were completed, they should be used for the purposes designed. The town pro- tested most earnestly against the removal of the courts and records from Harvard Square, but in vain. At the March Term of the Court, 1816, a committee reported that the court-house and jail were satisfactorily completed, and it was ordered that they be immediately devoted to their intended use. It was also ordered that the sum of $4,190.78 be paid to the Corporation, being the amount expended in excess of $24,000. From this time, the success of the enterprise was assured.
During the period embraced in this chapter, while two new vil- lages were established, whichi, after many vicissitudes, became more populous than the older settlements, the town was sadly 1 The County has since purchased the other portions of the square.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
shorn of its already diminished proportions by the incorporation of its second and third parishes into separate towns. Dr. Holmes, writing in 1800, says,1-
ACRES.
RODS.
" The First Parish in Cambridge contains,
2,851
60
The Second Parish in Cambridge contains,
4,345
118
The Third Parish in Cambridge contains,
2,660
81"
The original organization of these parishes will be mentioned elsewhere. Their separation from the parent trunk occurred al- most simultaneously. The third parish was incorporated as the town of Brighton, Feb. 24, 1807, and became a part of the city of Boston, Jan. 1, 1874. The second parish was incorporated as the town of West Cambridge, by an Act passed Feb. 27, 1807, but not to take effect until June 1, 1807 ; its corporate name was changed to Arlington, April 30, 1867. By the incorporation of these two towns, Cambridge lost nearly three quarters of its terri- tory, but probably somewhat less than half of its population.
The political disturbances in the country, at the commence- ment of the present century, were disastrous to its commercial prosperity. The Embargo, proclaimed in December 1807, fol- lowed by other hostile measures, culminating in a declaration of war against Great Britain, in June 1812, paralyzed the commerce of the whole country. Grass grew in the streets of the seaports, and ships rotted at the wharves. Cambridge felt this calamity the more keenly, because it involved so many of her citizens in distress. Merchants, mechanics, and laborers, mutually depend- ent on each other, were thrown out of business, and some were reduced to absolute want. A general and rapid depreciation in the value of real estate followed, particularly in Cambridgeport ; 2 the owners ceased to erect houses and stores; those who had purchased on speculation were unable to effect sales, and some of them were financially ruined. General stagnation ensued, from which the new village did not fully recover for many years, and the hope of making it a great commercial centre seems to have been utterly and forever abandoned.
In common with many towns in New England, Cambridge earnestly protested against the Embargo. At a town-meeting, Aug. 25, 1808, an address, reported by a committee consisting of
1 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., vii. 6.
2 Lands, which had been worth in the market more than twenty cents per square foot, were afterwards sold for less than one eent per foot. The settlement of East
Cambridge had not been commeneed when the Embargo was deelared ; but its growth was retarded by the hostilities which fol- lowed.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
Royal Makepeace, Francis Dana, and Samuel P. P. Fay, was adopted, to wit: -
" To the President of the United States of America : The in- habitants of Cambridge, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in legal town-meeting assembled, respectfully represent : That we are sensibly impressed with our obligation to submit to and support the laws of our country ; and we flatter ourselves that we have been and ever shall be forward to manifest our patriotism, and make any sacrifice, and submit to any privation, that the in- terest and honor of our country shall require. But in times of great public calamity and distress, we deem it no less our duty than our privilege, ' peaceably to assemble and petition the gov- ernment for a redress of grievances.' Under these impressions, we feel constrained to confess to your Excellency that we, in common with our fellow citizens of the Eastern States, suffer a severe and increasing distress from the operation of the laws ' laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and har- bors of the United States.' Could we see a termination of our sufferings, we would submit in silence. But with consternation we observe that this is not a temporary measure, but imposed by perpetual laws. We admit the power of Congress to regulate commerce ; but laws to abolish it, and raise a perpetual barrier to foreign intercourse, we believe was never contemplated by our national compact.
" Your petitioners inhabit a district of the Union which does not abound with all the conveniences of life. The fisheries and commerce have contributed in an eminent degree to give us what- ever of wealth, happiness, and importance, we enjoy. We can never, therefore, subscribe to the opinion, ' that it would be un- wise evermore to recur to distant countries for the comforts and conveniences of life.' Situated as we are on the shores of the Atlantic, we have occasion to remark and bitterly realize many distressing consequences of the embargo laws, which fall not un- der the immediate eye of Government, the recital of which, we are confident, will excite all your excellency's philanthropy, and induce you to exercise the power with which you are invested, for the relief of your fellow-citizens. The laws which shut us out from the ocean, the better part of our inheritance, palsied all our enterprise. The farmer gathers his harvest with a heavy heart, while he has no hope of vending his surplus, and the mechanic, sailor, and fisherman, find that their willing industry will no longer enable them to supply their daily wants. Many, very
4 ..
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
many, who, by a long course of persevering industry, supposed they had reached the desired point of independence, find their property so fallen in value, that it must be wholly sacrificed for the payment of their debts. Their endeavors to extricate them- selves avail them nothing ; and they can only weep over the ruin that overwhelms them and reduces their families to beggary. Our distress is rendered the more severe and intolerable by a conviction that the neighboring British Provinces, by the very measures that embarrass us, are acquiring a consequence which their natural advantages could never have given them.
" We apprehend that the benefits expected by your Excellency and Congress from the Embargo have been but partially experi- enced. It is a notorious fact that great numbers of our native seamen, disheartened by their situation, have resorted to the British Provinces to obtain the means of subsistence, and entered voluntarily into the service of that very nation from which the hand of government has been extended to protect them. Our hope and expectation now rests in the laws authorizing your ex- cellency, in the event of important changes in the measures of the belligerent powers affecting neutral commerce, during the recess of Congress, to suspend, in whole or in part, the acts lay- ing an embargo. The existing Revolution in Spain is a change indeed important to the world, and cannot fail to awaken the sympathy of every friend of mankind. The trade of Spain and Portugal and their colonies is now open and offers a golden har- vest to the first nation who shall show themselves wise enough to gather it. We therefore request your Excellency to suspend the" operation of the embargo laws, so far at least as they relate to Spain and Portugal and their dependencies ; or, should your Ex- cellency doubt that you have such power, that you will call Con- gress together for that purpose."
This address, says the record, was adopted "almost unani- mously "; and the selectmen were directed to forward it to the President. Very soon a reply was received, - apparently an autograph of the President, - which is still preserved in the of- fice of the city clerk : -
"To the inhabitants of the town of Cambridge, in legal town- meeting assembled. Your representation and request were re- ceived on the 8th inst., and have been considered with the at- tention due to every expression of the sentiments and feelings of so respectable a body of my fellow-citizens.1 No person has
1 In the original, as usual in Jefferson's manuscripts, capital letters are generally omitted at the beginning of sentences.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
seen, with more concern than myself, the inconveniences brought on our country in general by the circumstances of the times in which we happen to live; times to which the history of nations presents no parallel. For years we have been look- ing as spectators on our brethren of Europe, afflicted by all those evils which necessarily follow an abandonment of the moral rules which bind men and nations together. Connected with them in friendship and commerce we have happily so far kept aloof from their calamitous conflicts, by a steady observance of justice towards all, by much forbearance and multiplied sacri- fices. At length, however, all regard to the rights of others hav- ing been thrown aside, the belligerent powers have beset the highway of commercial intercourse with edicts which, taken to- gether, expose our commerce and mariners, under almost every destination, a prey to their fleets and armies. Each party, in- deed, would admit our commerce with themselves, with the view of associating us in their war against the other. But we have wished war with neither. Under these circumstances were passed the laws of which you complain, by those delegated to exercise the powers of legislation for you, with every sympathy of a com- mon interest in exercising them faithfully. In reviewing these measures, therefore, we should advert to the difficulties out of which a choice was of necessity to be made. To have submitted our rightful commerce to prohibitions and tributary exactions from others would have been to surrender our independence. To resist them by arms was war, without consulting the state of things or the choice of the nation. The alternative preferred by the Leg- islature, of suspending a commerce placed under such unexampled difficulties, besides saving to our citizens their property and our mariners to their country, has the peculiar advantage of giving time to the belligerent nations to revise a conduct as contrary to their interests as it is to our rights. 'In the event of such peace or suspension of hostilities between the belligerent Powers of Europe, or of such a change in their measures affecting neutral commerce as may render that of the United States sufficiently safe in the judgment of the President,' he is authorized to sus- pend the Embargo. But no peace or suspension of hostilities, 110 change of measures affecting neutral commerce, is known to have taken place. The Orders of England and the Decrees of France and Spain, existing at the date of these laws, are still unrepealed, so far as we know. In Spain, indeed, a contest for the govern- ment appears to have arisen ; but of its course or prospects we
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
have no information on which prudence would undertake a hasty change in our policy, even were the authority of the Executive competent to such a decision. You desire that, in defect of such power, Congress may be specially convened. It is unnecessary to examine the evidence or the character of the facts which are supposed to dictate such a call ; because you will be sensible, on an attention to dates, that the legal period of their meeting is as early as, in this extensive country, they could be fully convened by a special call. I should with great willingness have executed the wishes of the inhabitants of Cambridge, had peace, or a re- peal of the obnoxious Edicts, or other changes, produced the case, in which alone the laws have given me that authority ; and so many motives of justice and interest lead to such changes that we ought continually to expect them. But while these Edicts remain, the Legislature alone can prescribe the course to be pur- sued. TH: JEFFERSON. Sept. 10, 1808."
The appeal of the people to the President was fruitless. Equally vain was an address by the General Court to the mem- bers of Congress. A spirit of hostility to England was predom- inant in the national government ; the Embargo was made more stringent, and enforced by regulations which were here considered unreasonable and unconstitutional ; and the general condition of the people, both present and prospective, " was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse." Under such circumstances, at a town meeting, Jan. 27, 1809, " The act lately passed by Congress for enforcing the Embargo was read and submitted to the town for their consideration ; and after maturely considering the same, and also considering the present alarming situation of our country," a vigorous protest against the hostile measures of the general government was adopted by a very large majority of the inhab- itants.
This protestation, and hundreds of similar character by the people of New England, were in vain. In Congress, the influence of France was in the ascendant, and the Embargo was followed, in June, 1812, by an open declaration of war against Great Britain. For the next two or three years, Cambridge suffered its full proportion in the general stagnation of business. Cam- bridgeport did not recover from the blight which had fallen upon it ; and the growth of East Cambridge was sadly retarded.
With a very decided majority of voters politically opposed to the war, and smarting under the losses and inconveniences re- sulting from it, the town could not be expected to enter with
193
CIVIL HISTORY.
enthusiasm into its support, or voluntarily to assume a dispropor- tionate share of its burdens. In fact, no reference to the war, during its continuance, is found on the Town Records. A few months after its close, May 8, 1815, the town " Voted, that the report of the Committee appointed to determine what compensa- tion, if any, should be allowed by the town to the militia-mnen drafted and called out for the defence of the State, be accepted : - the report allows four dollars to each person for every thirty days service." The Cambridge Light Infantry was called into service by the Governor, for the defence of the State, and readily responded to the call. There may have been some voluntary en- listments into the regular army of the United States: but any evidence of such a fact is not found.
One of the most eminent citizens of Cambridge, ELBRIDGE GERRY, was Governor of Massachusetts from May 1810, to May 1812, and Vice-president of the United States from March 4, 1813, until Nov. 23, 1814, when he suddenly expired, as he was about to enter the Senate Chamber in Washington for the performance of his official duties. However bittterly his politics were denounced, Mr. Gerry enjoyed the personal respect and esteem of his towns- men ; yet neither their affection for the man, nor their regard for his high political position, could overcome their detestation of the war, of which he was an advocate and defender, nor induce them to volunteer their persons or their property in its behalf. Hence the dignified silence of the Town Records.
When the news of Peace arrived, in February, 1815, there was a general outburst of joy in Massachusetts. In many towns, public meetings of prayer, and praise, and mutual congratulation, were held. There was such a meeting in Cambridge, Feb. 23, 1815, and an address was delivered by President Kirkland. Among the papers presented by Hon. John Davis to the Massa- chusetts Historical Society is a handbill, or broadside, announcing the approaching festivity, as follows : -
CELEBRATION
OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY OF PEACE
between the United States of America and the U- nited Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland, at Cambridge, Feb. 23, 1815.
13
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
ORDER OF PROCESSION.
The procession will be formed at University Hall, and move at 11 o'clock A. M. in the following order, to the Rev. Dr. Holmes's meeting-house. Military Escort. Musick. Marshal. Chief Marshal. Marshal. The President of the University and the other Gentlemen, who officiate. Government of Harvard College. Selectmen of Cambridge.
ยท Marshal. Committee of Arrangements. Marshal.
Strangers. Marshal.
Resident Graduates. Students. Marshal. Citizens of Cambridge. Marshal.
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
1. Anthem - By Stephenson. " I was glad when they said unto me,":&c.
2. Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Ware.
3. Reading of select portions of the Holy Scrip- ture, by the Rev. Mr. Gannett.
4. Hymn, written for the occasion.
Almighty God, to thee we bow, To thee the voice of gladness raise ; Thy mercy, that hath blessed us now, In loud and grateful songs we praisc.
Long hast Thou stretched the avenging hand
And smote thy people in thy wrath ; Hast frowned upon a guilty land,
While storms and darkness veilcd thy path.
But light from Heaven has shone at last, And PEACE is beaming from above, The storm of doubt and fear has past, And hope returns, and joy, and love.
Then praise to that Eternal Power, Who bids our wars and tumults cease, And hymn, in this auspicious hour, The God of mercy - God of Peace.
5. Address, by the President of the University.
6. Poem, by Mr. Henry Ware.
7. Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Holmes.
8. Anthem, from Handel's " Grand Dettingen Te Deum," " We praise thee, O God," &c. 9. Benediction.
CHAPTER XIII.
CIVIL HISTORY.
IT has already been stated in chapter v., that a ferry was estab- lished in 1635 across Charles River (at the foot of Dunster Street), from which there was a road through Brookline and Roxbury to Boston. The only other feasible route to Boston was through Charlestown, and across a ferry near Copp's Hill. Desiring to avoid the inconvenience and peril of a ferry, the in- habitants of Cambridge consented, Nov. 10, 1656, "to pay each one their proportion of a rate to the sum of 200l. towards the building a bridge over Charles River, upon condition the same may be effected without further charge to the town." A place for the bridge was selected, at the foot of Brighton Street ; but the work was too great to be accomplished at once. Three years afterwards, Feb. 4, 1659-60, " the former propositions and votes that had passed, for the building of a bridge over Charles River, were again considered and debated ; and the question being pro- pounded, whether the town did agree and consent that the said work should be yet further prosecuted, and that 200. should be levied on the inhabitants of this town towards the effect- ing thereof, the vote passed on the affirmative." The structure was probably completed before March 23, 1662-3, when it was ordered, " that the bridge be laid in oil and lead, provided that it exceed not 40l. charge to the town." This bridge was much larger than any which had previously been erected in the colony. From the first it was called the " Great Bridge; " and such is still its legal designation. The cost of maintaining such a bridge, together with a long causeway, was very great, compared with the means of defraying it, and many methods were devised to re- lieve the town of some portion of the burden. Under date of Oct. 12, 1670, the action of the General Court is recorded : " Whereas, the Bridge over Charles River, which was first erected at the cost of that town, together with the free contribu- tion of several public spirited persons in some neighbor towns,
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