USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 23
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Bridewell was ereeted in 1656. Andrew Stevenson was the prison keeper from 1656 to 1672; William Healy, from 1672 to 1682, when he was removed from of- fice ; Daniel Cheever, from 1682 until he was suceeeded in office by his son Israel Cheever about 1693. In 1691, the prison- keeper presented a petition for relief, which is inserted, as characteristie of that period : -
" To the honored Court for the County of Middlesex, holden in Cambridge by adjournment this 11th day of May 1691, the petition of Daniel Cheever, keeper of the Prison in Cambridge humbly sheweth, That your poor petitioner is in great straits and want at present, by reason that his salary hath not been paid him for some considerable time past, and hav- ing a considerable family depending on him for maintenance, he is compelled to make his complaint to this honored Court, hoping to find relief, begging some order may be taken speedily for his supply, which otherwise eannot be done without great loss and damage to your petitioner ; and he would further inform this Court, that George Newbe, who is under bond to pay a fine imposed on him by this Court,
hatlı a pair of young oxen which he would part with, in order to said pay- ment; which oxen your petitioner desires he may have, and then would put off his old oxen to help supply him with neees- saries for his family. Also he further desires to add that Sylvester Hayes hath lain upon him this many months, without any consideration from Charlestown, which your petitioner is not able to bear, therefore desires redress of this honored Court in this particular also. But not further to be troublesome, your petitioner earnestly requests your serious consideration of what is premised, and remains your Honors' most humble ser- vant." - Court Files.
1 The jail stood on the northerly side of Winthrop Street, between Winthrop Square and Eliot Street; and this eon- tinued to be the place for imprisonment until the new eounty buildings were ereeted at East Cambridge.
2 This was when the witcheraft exeite- ment was at its extremne height, and the prisons in several counties were put in requisition to eonfine the unhappy vietims who were aceused in Essex.
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the chymneys in the new Goal, and what also may be needfull for the reception of and securing of criminals."
Until 1720, the "Common " extended to Linnæan Street, and included also a few acres, lying in a nearly square form, at the northwesterly corner of Linnæan Street and North Avenue.1 This extreme point of the Common was set apart as a " Place of Ex- ecution," or " Gallows Lot," as it was more familiarly called. And after the Common was reduced to its present size, and the lots in this square fronting on the streets, had been granted to in- dividnals, about one acre in its extreme northwesterly corner was reserved for its former use, until trials, and imprisonments, and executions were transferred to East Cambridge.2 It was entered from North Avenue through a bridleway or passage, between Lancaster Place and Arlington Street, now called Stone Court.
The names and the number of the wretched convicts who suf- fered the extreme penalty of the law at this "Place of Execu- tion," are unknown to me. One horrible example, however, was recorded by Professor Winthrop, in his interleaved Almanac, under date of Sept. 18, 1755: " A terrible spectacle in Cam- bridge : two negroes belonging to Capt. Codman of Charlestown, executed for petit treason, for murdering their said master by poison. They were drawn upon a sled to the place of execution ; and Mark, a fellow about 30, was hanged ; and Phillis, an old creature, was burnt to death." The " Boston Evening Post," of Sept. 22, states more particularly, that " the fellow was hanged, and the woman burned at a stake about ten yards distant from the gallows. They both confessed themselves guilty of the crime for which they suffered, acknowledged the justice of their sentence, and died very penitent. After execution, the body of Mark was brought down to Charlestown Common, and hanged in chains on a gibbet erected there for that purpose." Dr. In- crease Mather, in his diary, printed in the first volume of the " Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society," page 320, says that on the 22d of September, 1681, " there were three per- sons executed in Boston, - an Englishman for a rape ; a negro
1 Delineated on an old plan in the City land," ete. It was sold on the 24thi of the Hall.
2 This lot was deseribed in the Pro- prietors' Records, April 3, 1826, as " about one acre of land, called the Gallows Lot, in front of the house of James Rule, and separated from his real estate by a bridle- way leading from the county road to said
the same month to William Frost, and de- seribed as bounded "easterly, southerly, and westerly, by his own land, northerly and northeasterly by a bridle-way, lead- ing from the county road to land belong- ing to Mary Stone and Susanna Jarvis," cte.
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man for burning a house at Northampton ; and a negro woman who burnt two houses at Roxbury, July 12, in one of which a child was burnt to death. The negro woman was burnt to death, --- the first that has suffered such a death in New England." It is devoutly to be hoped that the woman who thus expiated her crime at Cambridge, in 1755, was the last " that has suffered suclı a death in New England."
" Ye have the poor with you always ;" and the judicious re- lief of their wants is an important but often a very perplexing duty. For several years, as will be related in chapter xv., the church assumed this duty, and made suitable provision for the destitute and distressed. It does not distinctly appear at what time the management of this charity passed into the hands of the town. The earliest reference to this subject which I find on the Town Records is under date of June 29, 1663: " Jane Bourne [or Bowen] making her complaint to the selectmen, that she can find none in the town that is willing to entertain her to their service, and craving their favor that she may have liberty to provide for herself in some other town, with security to such as shall so entertain her, - the Townsmen do grant her request in manner following, viz., so as that she place herself in some honest family ; and in case she stand in need of supply, or the town whither she shall resort do see reason to return her again upon the town, she shall be still accepted as one of the poor of this place; and this is to be understood and taken as binding to the town for one year next after the date hereof, any law, usage, or custom, to the contrary, notwithstanding." Again, under date of April 8, 1672: " The terms of agreement of the selectmen with Thomas Longhorne for the keeping of William Healyes child, as followeth : That the said Thomas Longhorne is to bring up Hanna Hely, daughter of William Healy, born in the year 1671, providing all necessaries for her of food and clothing in the time of her minority and suitable education meet for one of her sex and degree ; and for his satisfaction, he is to be allowed out of the Town Rate five pounds a year for five years ; and if she should die before those five years be expired, or it should be pro- vided for by any of its friends before that time, then he is to have no more than for the time he keep it, after five pounds per annum ; only forty shillings of said pay is to be made in cash, or, if not, then so much in other pay at money price." In like manner, for more than a hundred years after this date, provision appears to have been made for the poor, in private families,
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under the supervision of the selectmen. At length it was de- termined, March 15, 1779, to purchase a house in which they might be gathered together, and their wants be more systemati- cally supplied. Accordingly, " the committee who were chosen at the last Town Meeting, March 1, 1779, to purchase a work- house for the poor of the town, reported that they could purchase of Deac. Samuel Whittemore a suitable house for that purpose. Voted, That said Committee purchase the house and land be- longing to said Whittemore, take a deed for the same for the town, and that the Treasurer be directed to give security for the same, or hire the money to pay for it. Voted, that the Select- men take care of the said house, and appoint some discreet per- son as Overseer." The estate consisted of a dwelling house and twenty-five square rods of land on the northeasterly corner of Brighton and South streets, and was conveyed to the town by deed dated March 29, 1779. For some reason this estate proved unsatisfactory ; and the town voted, March 1, 1785, " that Mr. Caleb Gannett, Stephen Dana, Esq., Capt. John Walton, Deac. Aaron Hill, and William Winthrop, Esq., be a committee to in- quire whether there is any person who is desirous to purchase the house and land belonging to the town, situate near the causeway, which was bought for a workhouse and almshouse, and what price it will fetch ; and they are also to inquire whether another place can be purchased in the town that will answer for said pur- poses, and upon what terms it can be had." The committee having been authorized so to do, reported, March 6, 1786, that " they sold the house at public auction for &£19, 10s. ; they after- wards sold the land for &37, 10s., both amounting to £57." They had also received an offer from the heirs of Abraham Watson of a house and about five acres of land for the sum of £60. This estate 1 was on the southwesterly corner of North Avenue and Cedar Street, and was conveyed to the town by deed dated March 9, 1786. The committee reported, June 12, 1786, " that an house is nearly finished and will be ready within a few days for the reception of the poor," and rec- ommended that it "be called the Poor's House ; " also that there " be chosen and appointed, as soon as may be, five persons, distinct from the Selectmen, to be Overseers of the Poor," who should have the general charge of the house, and provide all necessary " food, fuel, clothing, and medicine, proper for " the occupants, and tools and materials necessary to their proper em-
1 Formerly owned by Matthew Cox.
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ployment ; that the Overseers should " appoint a suitable person to be Warden of the Poor's House," who should " cause his fam- ily to lead their lives and behave at all times soberly, quietly, decently, orderly, and regularly ; particularly he shall cause them to attend the public worship on Sundays as often and generally as conveniently may be; " and he " shall endeavor to form the paupers under his care to habits of economy, frugality, temper- ance, sobriety, and industry ; particularly he shall keep them em- ployed in such useful and profitable labors as they may be re- spectively able to perform, within doors or without doors, having regard to their different sexes, ages, bodily strength, former habits of life, and all other circumstances, with the approbation of the Overseers ; " and that they should also appoint a suitable physician, and employ all necessary servants. The Warden should be required to pay all the earnings of the paupers, monthly, to the Overseers, who should pay the same, half yearly, to the Treasurer, drawing on him for the funds necessary to de- fray all charges ; and the Treasurer should keep a separate ac- count of all such receipts and payments, Finally, " the Overseers of the Poor shall from time to time make such regulations, not inconsistent with these general regulations, the laws of the Com- monwealth, or the principles of humanity and benevolence, as they may judge fit for the better ordering of the Poor's House and the affairs of it ; which regulations so by them made shall be binding until the expiration of the year for which such Overseers shall be chosen, or until they shall be by them revoked." This report was accepted ; and Dr. William Kneeland, Mr. Jeduthun Wellington, Deac. Aaron Hill, Mr. Ebenezer Stedman, and Mr. Edward Jackson, were thereupon elected as the first " Overseers of the Poor, distinct from the Selectmen."
In this house, and under such regulations, the pauper estab- lishment was admininistered until 1818, when a new Almshouse was erected in Cambridgeport. By deed dated April 2, 1818, Jonathan L. Austin and Benjamin Austin conveyed to the town about eleven acres of land, being the whole square bounded by Harvard, Norfolk, Austin, and Prospect streets, except one house lot, previously sold, at the corner of Norfolk and Austin streets, " measuring 100 feet on each of said streets, 100 feet on the westerly side, and 78 feet on the northerly side." The Over- seers reported to the town, Nov. 2, 1818, that they had sold the old Almshouse to Jonathan Fowle, for $454.50, and had erected
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on the lot purchased of the Austins a brick house 1 55 feet long, 36 feet wide, about half three stories high, and the other half two stories high, with accommodations for sixty persons, and had removed the paupers into it. A code of Rules and Regu- lations, an Address by Royal Makepeace, on behalf of the Over- seers, and a Sermon delivered in the Almshouse by Rev. Dr. Holmes, in September, 1818, are entered at full length on the Records of the Overseers of the Poor.
The new location of the Almshouse did not prove satisfactory ; and a desire for further change was soon manifested. As early as Nov. 14, 1831, a Town-house having been erected on the north- easterly corner of the square, a committee was appointed by the town " to cause the Almshouse lands to be surveyed and laid out into proper streets and building-lots, and to ascertain what the same may be sold for ; also to ascertain for what sum a suitable spot of ground for an Almshouse may be purchased, and a proper and suitable Almshouse erected thereon." During the night pre- ceding July 30, 1836, the Almshouse, together with the out- buildings, was utterly consumed by fire, and one of its wretched inmates perished. The order for surveying the Almshouse lands was renewed, Aug. 22, 1836; and it was further ordered, that the building-lots be offered for sale at auction. Meantime, the town voted, Aug. 8, 1836, " that the Overseers of the Poor be authorised to make such temporary provision for the support of the Town's Poor, and such of the State's Poor as are not of competent health to labor, by hiring a building, or otherwise, as they may consider for the interest of the town." The Overseers accordingly hired a spacious house, originally designed for a tavern, on the northerly side of Main Street, nearly opposite to Osborn Street, which was occupied until a new Almshouse was erected at Riverside.
The town purchased, Dec. 9, 1836, of Amos Hazeltine, for $5,600, eleven and a quarter acres of land, bordering on Charles River, and extending from Western Avenue nearly to River Street, together with two acres and three quarters on the op- posite side of Western Avenue, extending from the river to Putnam Street. A committee reported in April, 1838, that a
1 This house stood on the westerly side of Norfolk Street, opposite to Woreester Street. It contained " a kitehen, 30×15 feet, a bathing room, and three cells, in the basement story ; a work-room 30X15 feet, and six other sizable rooms, in the
first story ; and ten chambers in the second story ; a large garret, 55×24 feet, and a eellar, 34×24 feet." Connected with the house were a wood-house, 30X15 feet, and a barn 35×25 feet. The land cost $1,750 ; the buildings, $4,851.77 ; total, $6,601.77.
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brick Almshouse had been constructed on the first mentioned lot, at an expense of $7,490.90; and the paupers were again placed in a comfortable habitation.
Within a few years afterwards, a desire was manifested to abandon this pleasant spot, which had attained a greatly in- creased marketable value, and to try the experiment of farming on a larger scale. Accordingly the city purchased, Aug. 7, 1849, of Samuel Smith and Spencer Cook, for $12,000, about thirty- two acres of land, situated partly in the northwesterly corner of Cambridge and partly in the southwesterly corner of Somerville, and erected a stone Almshouse of the size and fashion then preva- lent. The cost of the whole establishment was reported by a com- mittee to be, - for the land, $12,000 ; for the house, $32,970.69; for fences, furniture, etc., $3,000; total, $47,970.69. The house was formally placed in the custody of the Overseers of the Poor, April 3, 1851, with much congratulatory speech-making, in pres- ence of a large assembly of citizens, and the paupers were trans- ferred to their new home. When this house was erected, its magnificent proportions were considered necessary for the accom- modation of the large number of State paupers then under the charge of the city. Shortly afterwards, the Commonwealth adopted a new policy, erected State Almshouses, and withdrew its paupers from the care of cities and towns. Complaints were uttered, that the erection of so large a house for so few inmates was unnecessary, and involved an extravagant outlay of money. But such complaints are no longer heard ; partly, because the increase of city paupers has kept pace with the rapidly increasing population, until the house is nearly if not altogether filled ; and partly, because the citizens have become accustomed to expendi- tures so much more unnecessary and extravagant, that this has dwindled into 'comparative insignificance. The old Almshouse (together with the land) was sold, May 22, 1851, to Little & Brown, publishers and booksellers, for $24,000; they converted it into an establishment for the manufacture of books, and erected many additional buildings. Subsequently the larger part of the estate became the property of H. O. Houghton & Co., by whom it was further embellished and rendered famous as the seat of the Riverside Press.
Ordinaries, or houses of public entertainment, were established at a very early period. The General Court ordered, March 4, 1634-5, " that no persons whatsoever shall keep a common vict- ualling house, without license from the Court, under the penalty
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of xx8. a week."1 The power of granting licenses "to keep houses of common entertainment, and to retail wine, beer, &c." was transferred to the Connty Courts, May 26, 1647, " so as this Court may not be thereby hindered in their more weighty af- fairs." 2 Various laws were enacted, regulating such houses, notably in 1645 ; 3 yet so necessary were they considered, that the town of Concord was presented by the grand jury, June 19, 1660, " for not having a common honse of entertainment," and was "enjoined to present a meet person to be allowed at the next Conrt at Cambridge for that employment, on penalty of 5l., and to pay costs of Court, 28 and 6ª."
Great caution was manifested in the appointment of grave and respectable citizens to keep ordinaries and to sell intoxicating drinks. The first person licensed by the General Court, Sept. 8, 1636, " to keepe a house of intertainment at Newe Towne," was Thomas Chesholme 4 a deacon of the church, and . afterwards Steward of Harvard College. He was also licensed "to draw wine at Cambridge," May 13, 1640.5 His dwelling-house was on a lot at the northwest corner of Dunster and Winthrop streets, adjoining the lot on which the first meeting-house was erected ; so that the first church edifice and the first tavern in Cambridge stood side by side; and from all which is known of Deacon Chesholme's character, it may be confidently believed that he permitted nothing to be done in the one which could bring dis- grace npon the other. The first person " allowed to sell wine and strong water " in Cambridge, March 12, 1637-8,6 was Mr. Nicholas Danforth, a selectman, a representative in the General Court, and one of the most active and honored citizens. He re- sided on the northerly side of Bow Street, near Plympton Street, but died about a month after the date of his license. The next year, May 22, 1639, " Mr. Nathaniell Sparhawke was permitted to drawe wine and strong water for Cambridge.7 He also was
1 Mass. Col. Rec., i. 140.
2 Ibid., ii. 188.
8 It was then forbidden to " suffer any to be drunk or drink excessively, or continue tippling above the space of half an hour, in any of their said houses, under penalty of 5s. for every such offenee suffered; and every person found drunk in the said houses or elsewhere shall forfeit 10s., and for every excessive drinking he shall forfeit 3s. 4d .; for sitting idle and continuing drinking above half an hour, 2s. 6d .; and it is declared to be execssive drinking of
wine when above half a pint of wine is al- lowed at one time to one person to drink : provided that it shall be lawful for any strangers, or lodgers, or any person or persons, in an orderly way, to continue in sueh houses of common entertainment dur- ing meal times, or upon lawful business, what time their occasions shall require." - Mass. Col. Rec., ii. 100.
Mass. Col. Rec., i. 180.
5 Ibid., i. 292.
6 Ibid., i. 221.
7 Mass. Col. Rec., i. 259.
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a deacon of the church, and resided on the easterly side of Brigh- ton Street, about midway between Harvard Square and Mount Auburn Street, in the house formerly owned and occupied by the Reverend Samuel Stone.
We come next to the establishment of an ordinary which was long known as the " Blue Anchor Tavern." Dec. 27, 1652, " The Townsmen do grant liberty to Andrew Belcher to sell beer and bread, for entertainment of strangers and the good of the town ; " 1 and the County Court granted him a license, June 20, 1654, " to keep a house of public entertainment at Cambridge." Mr. Belcher was a trustworthy man, occasionally employed by the General Court to perform important duties. He was respectably. connected ; his wife was daughter of Mr. Nicholas Danforth and sister of Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth ; their son, Andrew Belcher, Jr., was a member of the Council, and his son, Jonathan Belcher, was Governor of Massachusetts and of New Jersey. It does not appear where he first opened a " beer and bread " shop, or a " house of public entertainment ; " but on the first of Oc- tober, 1671, his son Andrew, then residing in Hartford, Conn., purchased of Sarah Beal, widow of Deacon Thomas Beal, an estate at the northeast corner of Brighton and Mount Auburn streets, where the sign of the Blue Anchor was soon afterwards displayed. Mr. Belcher was licensed for the last time in April, 1673, in which year he probably died. In April, 1674, license was granted to his widow Elizabeth Belcher, and afterwards from year to year until she died, June 26, 1680. She was suc- ceeded by her son Andrew Belcher, who was licensed in 1681 and 1682.2 In September, 1682, Capt. Belcher sold the estate to his brother-in-law Jonathan Remington, who performed the duties of host until April 21, 1700, when he died, and was succeeded by his widow, Martha Remington, daughter of the first Andrew Bel- cher. The Belcher family ceased to be inn-holders May 12, 1705, when the widow and children of Captain Remington sold to Joseph Hovey the estate " near the market-place, commonly called and known by the sign of the Blue Anchor." Joseph Hovey retained the house only four years, and then sold it to his brother John Hovey, who died in 1715. His widow Abiel Hovey
1 Although this was not, as Rev. Dr. Holmes supposed, " the first license for an inn, in Cambridge " ( Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., vii. 28), it may be regarded as the house. most important, in respect to its charae- ter and permanency.
2 Capt. Belcher's son Jonathan, after- wards Governor of Massachusetts, was born Jan. 8, 1681-2, and probably in this
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received license for two years, and then married Edmund Angier, who conducted the business until April 4, 1724, when he died and his widow Abiel again assumed charge of the house ; she married Isaac Watson, Aug. 27, 1725, in whose name business was transacted about four years, when it passed into the hands of John Hovey, son of the former owner. In November, 1731, the General Court authorized the Court of Sessions to grant (out of the usual season) to Joseph Bean, late of Boston, " a license to keep a Tavern in Cambridge, in the house of Mr. John Hovey, which he hath lately hired, and has for many years past been used as a house of public entertainment." On the 23d of April, 1737, Mr. Bean bought of Nathaniel Hancock an estate on the westerly side of Brighton Street, about midway between Harvard Square and Mount Auburn Street, to which he transferred the sign of the Blue Anchor; and for nearly a century afterwards it was a famous Tavern. Mr. Bean sold the estate, Jan. 26, 1749, to Ebenezer Bradish ; Mr. Bradish died in 1785, and his son sold it, Feb. 29, 1796, to Israel Porter, who is well remembered by many now living, and who died May 30, 1837, aged 99, according to the town record. A part of the tavern-house remains stand- ing, though much changed in appearance.1
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