USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 26
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BUSSEY SOCIAL LIBRARY. The Bussey Social and Cir- culating Library was organized at Mill Village, January 28, 1837. The library was named for Benjamin Bussey, of Dedham and Roxbury, who gave $200 on condition that the residents of the village should raise $300 more. The library was in existence for eight years. In 1845 it was voted to dispose of the library and to divide the proceeds among the proprietors.
While Sunday Schools were organized in Dedham early in the 19th century-that of the First Church in 1816-yet there were few if any libraries at first established, as books for chil- dren had not been written, but as books became available libraries were established and became a prominent feature of the institu- tion. With the development, however, of public libraries, Sunday School libraries became less and less a feature and in some schools have been entirely given up.
CLAPBOARD TREES PARISH. A Social Library was or- ganized in the parish in 1816, soon after the settlement of the Rev. John White. The library was kept in the parsonage during his ministry. This was a subscription library and the "constitu- tion" of a Library Association, in existence in 1840 was doubtless the constitution of the Social library. Shares were sold at three dollars with annual dues of twenty-five cents. Members had the
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right to select books "provided there shall be no books purchased which are not allowed to be sold by law in the state." There were forty subscribers (thirty-eight men and two women.) One hundred and thirty-one volumes constituted the library in 1840, which consisted largely of history, a few books of biography and poetry, with a few books of fiction. In 1866 the Parish library of the First Parish Church was organized. In 1870 it was made an adjunct of the parish and officers were chosen at the parish meeting. The library contains an excellent collection of valuable books. It does not appear that Cutham Street* had a library before the one started by Colonel James M. Ellis in 1888.
FISHER SCHOOL LIBRARY. The Honorable Ebenezer Fisher bequeathed $600.00, the income of which was to be used for the support of the school. After many years the income from the fund was used in the purchase of books and magazines which circulated in the neighborhood and led to the establishment of the Fisher School Library of which the Rev. Calvin S. Locke was for many years a trustee. After the incorporation of West- wood, by a Probate Court decree, "the income from the Fisher fund is now used in the support of any of the schools in the town."
An effort to form a library and club was made in East Ded- ham by Colonel James M. Ellis in 1888. A room was rented over the store of Charles H. Ellis and a library opened on Satur- day evenings with Miss Susie D. Ellis as librarian. A contribution of about a hundred books formed the nucleus of the library. The annual dues were two dollars and any family in which one per- son was a member was allowed to take out books. The club met once a month, on Tuesday evenings, for an entertainment or social hour. After a year or more the Socials were given up, but the library continued. Later the books were moved to the Col- burn School House and in 1892 the library was made a branch of the Dedham Public Library .** Miss Annie L. Richardson be- came librarian and has continued in the work. The library has
* Tradition reports this name to have been given because a farmer, troubled by runaway sheep cut their ham-strings.
This name was very common for many years. Isaac Colburn records Jan. 4, 1791 "began school at Cutham."
** The Sunday School Library of the Westwood Baptist Church has existed for more than a century, having been established in 1826. This was one of the early Sunday School libraries which, before the general establishment of public libraries, did so much to hold Sunday School attendance of boys and girls.
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grown through the years and now has a fine collection of books which are housed in the Memorial Library Building erected by the late Howard Colburn in memory of his father and mother, Thatcher and Kitty (Cleveland) Colburn.
The Dedham South Parish organized a Social Circulating Library January 6, 1790 for the purpose of "gaining information and self improvement." Among the subscribers was the Rev. Jabez Chickering and twenty-six other prominent men of the parish. The price of shares was twelve shillings and the annual assessment was one shilling sixpence. Again in January 1800, under the same preamble and for the same purpose, the "Dedham South Parish Library" was formed with a permanent constitution and by-laws. The shares were two dollars each and the annual dues fifty cents. Until 1866 the books were kept in the lower end of the parish near the Congregational Church. It was then moved to the Village Hall building. To create a new interest and revive its prosperity, money was raised by the sale of shares and by a course of lectures. Five hundred volumes of new books were bought and put into circulation, bringing the total number of volumes up to fourteen hundred. But because of the limited number of shares and inadequate accommodations, interest waned and the library was finally closed, not to be reopened until the incorporation of the town of Norwood. Such was the interest of the Rev. Mr. Chickering in the "Social Library" that he made a bequest to the church, one half of the income of which to be used for church music and the other half paid for the use of the library. The church has continued faithful to the trust and each year the "Morrill Memorial Library" receives the income intended by the donor to help the inhabitants in "gaining informa- tion and self improvement."
POST OFFICE. In the American Colonies, the Post Office made its first appearance in 1639, when the General Court of Massachusetts appointed Richard Fairbanks, a brother of Jona- than Fairbanks of Dedham, to receive, at his house in Boston, "all letters brought from beyond the seas sent hither." He was allowed for this service a penny for each letter received. Serving in this capacity, Mr. Fairbanks was the first post master in America. In 1639 all Dedham letters not carried by private
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conveyance were received and delivered at the Boston post office. Inland mail for many years was generally sent by butchers who made regular trips to buy and sell and incidentally conducted a certain postal express and news business.
It was not until the beginning of the 18th century that letter writing was indulged in to any extent. Before this time the inhabitants depended largely upon verbal messages delivered by friends rather than those of written languages and often written messages were sent by the favor of friends. Mounted carriers, or men on foot, were employed by the government to carry its messages to different sections of the country, before newspapers were generally published.
In 1672 the Governor of New York established a monthly mail between New York and Boston, which, like all early mails in New England, ran through Dedham until 1835 when the loca- tion of the Boston and Providence railroad diverted the course of traffic. The mail route ran over East Street until May 16, 1794 when the route over Highland Street, Federal Hill, was established. It took the post-rider two weeks to carry the mail from the Battery in New York to Boston. He followed trails which through years slowly developed into cartways. The post- rider blazed trees on the way, through unsettled places, as a guide for the homeward trip.
In 1814 the mail coach from Boston to New York, via Ded- ham, began to make daily trips, and went through in two days, making a stop at Hartford. A weekly post was established be- tween Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Williamsburg, Virginia, May 1, 1693. Five riders were employed to cover the five stages. The first stage was from Portsmouth to Boston, and the second stage from Boston to Saybrook, Connecticut, passing through Roxbury, Dedham (over East Street), Rehobeth, Bristol and Newport.
The early post office service was so expensive that many letters were sent in the care of individuals who chanced to be traveling to or through a given place. Like a "round robin," letters were often so addressed that they went from person to person. Postage was collected entirely in cash, its prepayment being in all cases optional.
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The First Post Office in Dedham
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The postal rates prescribed by Queen Anne ruled from June 1, 1711, to June 30, 1845, with but slight modifications. The early rates adopted were as follows: For every letter of a single sheet of paper, conveyed not exceeding 30 miles, 6 cents; over 30 miles, and not exceeding 80 miles, 10 cents; over 80 miles and not exceeding 150 miles, 121/2 cents; over 150 miles and not exceeding 400 miles, 18 2-3 cents ; over 400 miles, 25 cents. Every double letter or two pieces of paper was double this rate. Every triple letter or three pieces of paper, triple these rates. Every package of four or more pieces of paper, or one or more articles and weighing one ounce, four times the above rates, and in pro- portion for all greater weights. Sheets were carefully folded and sealed with wax, no envelope being used.
The first regular post office in Boston was established January 6, 1673, and it was not unusual for Dedham residents to receive letters there.
Hugh Finlay,* representing the British Post Office, made a trip over the New York and Boston route in 1773. He reported that "it is the constant practice of all riders ... to defraud the revenue as much as they can in pocketing the postage of all way letters." He speaks of their "shameful tardiness," likewise of the bare-faced custom of making pack beasts of the horses which carry his Majesty's Mails.
The Dedham post office is one of the early post offices of the country, having been established April 1, 1795, with Jeremiah Shuttleworth as Postmaster. He received his commission from the hands of George Washington. Postmaster Shuttleworth kept his post office, which was a most primitive affair, in his West India Goods Store. This store stood on the site of the Historical Society building. Postmaster Shuttleworth used for the display and delivery of the mail a table which is now in the collection of the Dedham Historical Society. At mail time the newly arrived mail was opened and delivered to those persons to whom it was addressed. The undelivered mail was spread out on the table, just as it is today in some country hotels, and individuals coming in helped themselves to any mail they found addressed to them- selves or a neighbor, whom they might accommodate. As this was the only post office in the vicinity, mail addressed to the resi-
* Roper page 32.
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dents of the several parishes, and the adjoining towns, was de- livered from the Dedham post office. John Williams, of Dover, drove over on Wednesday and Saturday to get the mail addressed to residents of that town. The Dedham Historical Society has a letter box in which Postmaster Shuttleworth probably kept the mail addressed to persons outside of the village. There is no evidence that the compartments were individual letter boxes. In this box were probably placed the letters for residents of Dover, Westwood, Norwood, Readville, East Dedham and West Rox- bury, whose mail passed through this office.
Postmaster Shuttleworth was succeeded in 1833 by Dr. Elisha Thayer, who received his appointment from Andrew Jackson. He served as Postmaster for 23 years, resigning April 1, 1856. Dr. Thayer's house had an addition in which the post office was kept. The space was small and the delivery of the mail is thus described by his grandson, Arthur Wilder Thayer. From those who have seen the delivery of the mail, I should say it was some- thing like this. Those who expected letters gathered at mail time about the post office door steps, passing the time of day and exchanging local gossip. The mail bag was brought in and delivered to the postmaster. After a little delay, he appeared in the doorway with hands full of letters and newspapers. He surveyed the crowd "over his glasses" and then proceeded to business, calling forth the addresses, and those present, whose names were called, stepped forward and took their mail. This ceremony being concluded, the crowd dispersed. Dr. Thayer was succeeded in 1856 by William B. Tower, "the village apothecary," who moved the post office across the street to his store, two doors from the Phoenix House. The letter wheel or drum was introduced by Ambrose B. Galucia during his postmastership. This wheel is still remembered by many Dedham residents, whose fingers it many times pinched. All letters in the hands of the postmaster were daily put upon this wheel, and those who found letters addressed to themselves as they turned it, asked for their delivery.
Through its one hundred and forty-one years the Dedham Post Office has been served by the following Postmasters.
Jeremiah Shuttleworth, Dr. Elisha Thayer, William B. Tower,
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Ambrose B. Galucia, Henry O. Hildreth, Augustus Cummings, Charles H. Riley, Henry A. Hutchinson, Edward H. Bowler, Fred A. Campbell, James R. Delaney.
FINDLAN POST OFFICE. In 1917, through the efforts of a civic organization known as the Hooper Estate Improvement Association, a goodly number of mail boxes were placed, at the cost of the Association, at the junction of Sprague Street and Durham Road in Precinct Five to which mail was delivered from Readville. This collection of boxes was fittingly called the "Open Air Post Office." Through the continued efforts of the Associa- tion a regular post office was established here on February 24, 1921 with Edward L. Findlan as postmaster. This office was discontinued on December 1, 1935 and has become Station A, of the Dedham Post Office.
RIVERDALE POST OFFICE. A post office, Station No. 3, was opened in the Jenner Variety Store in 1928 with John S. F. Jenner clerk in charge. This office has proven a great convenience to residents of the Riverdale district, and like all Dedham post offices located to promote the best interests of the public it serves.
The special delivery system was introduced in Dedham in October, 1815, and during the first two days three special delivery letters were received. Free delivery of mail was instituted October 1, 1900 and Parcel Post in 1913.
WEST DEDHAM POST OFFICE. This office was estab- lished February 16, 1824 with Abner Ellis as postmaster. During more than a century* of its existence the office has had only three postmasters, namely: Abner Ellis, Colonel Theodore Gay and Charles H. Ellis, all of whom are members of one family. The old tavern used as the first post office was burned in April, 1887, and the present building was erected the same year on the old site. On March 13, 1924, the local Grange celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the establishment of this post office with an open meeting which was largely attended by towns- people and guests from the surrounding towns. A letter was read from Postmaster General New, stating that to his knowledge there is no other instance where three members of one family have served as postmaster, at the same place, for a hundred years.
* Charles H. Ellis died in office in 1935.
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Mr. New offered his congratulations to the late Charles H. Ellis, who held the position for a period of fifty-five years.
SOUTH DEDHAM POST OFFICE. This office was estab- lished December 18, 1846 with Moses Guild as postmaster.
ISLINGTON POST OFFICE. August 17, 1874 this office was established under the name of Springvale with Burton Hath- away as postmaster. The name of the office was changed to Islington and Alonzo B. Wentworth appointed postmaster Jan- uary 27, 1876.
EAST DEDHAM POST OFFICE. This office was established April 28, 1880 under the name of Walnut Hill with Henry A. Hutchinson as postmaster. This office was discontinued January 1, 1901 to become an independent station of the Dedham Post Office under the name of "East Dedham" with Henry A. Hutchin- son designated as Clerk in Charge, February 1, 1901. While the United States Post Office was first established in East Dedham in 1880, yet mail had long been delivered to residents at Boyden's Store. Letters were placed on a wheel and the addressee was required to pay one cent in addition to the postage on a letter before receiving it.
FEDERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING. The corner stone of Dedham's new Post Office Building was laid on Saturday after- noon April 6, 1935. A loud speaker, placed upon the platform, carried the voices of the speakers to the assembled company of five or six hundred spectators. Postmaster James R. Delaney presided. The Rev. George P. O'Conor offered the invocation. Postmaster Delaney made a brief address of welcome and then gave a resume of the business of the Dedham Post Office, com- paring the receipts of 1934 with those of the three preceding years, showing a steady increase in business, a sure harbinger of better times. The historical address* "Dedham's Mail Facil- ities from the Founding of the Plantation in 1636 to the Present Time" was given by Frank Smith. Postmaster Delaney read letters from Postmaster General Farley, Senators Walsh and Coolidge, Congressman Wigglesworth and Representative Sears, all expressing their regrets in not being able to be present. The guest speaker was John J. Breslin, chief inspector of the postal
* The address was printed in full in the Dedham Transcript, April 12, 1935.
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service in New England. He brought greetings from Postmaster General Farley and expressed the hope that all the letters that passed through the new post office would be messages of joy. Thomas B. Mulvehill, postmaster at Norwood, congratulated the citizens of Dedham on their good fortune in having a Federal Post Office Building. The cornerstone was laid by John J. Shea, chair- man of the Board of Selectmen. More than forty organizations, business houses, churches, and individuals, made contributions* which were placed in the box deposited under the cornerstone.
DEDICATION OF THE POST OFFICE. The formal dedica- tion of the Post Office was held on Thursday evening, October 10, 1935. Postmaster James R. Delaney presided. The interior of the building was beautifully illuminated and as a prelude to the speaking, the lights were turned off and a spotlight was focused on the American flag during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. The prayer of dedication was made by the Rev. George P. O'Conor followed by remarks by John' J. Shea, chairman of the Board of Selectmen; Oswald Hornsby, represent- ing the Dedham Business Men's Association; Mrs. John Cutter, Representative Mason Sears, Congressman Richard B. Wiggles- worth, and Owen Keene, representing the Fourth Assistant Post- master General, under whose supervision the building was erected. Mr. Keene made the trip from Washington by airplane, having made a radio address in the home city in the afternoon. The benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Lyman V. Rutledge. The Post Office was opened for business on Monday, October 14.
DEDHAM NATIONAL BANK. All banks mentioned in Colonial history were loan banks and not banks of deposit. If the residents of Dedham did any bank business previous to the eighteenth century it was with the Massachusetts Bank, located in Boston and chartered in 1784. This bank, in addition to the usual business of a bank, furnished through its notes a circulat- ing medium. A bank of deposit and circulation was organized in Dedham in 1814, with a capital of $100,000. Willard Gay, who carried on a beef and pork packing business in West Dedham, was the first president of the bank and continued in the office
* A full list of contributions was published in the Dedham Transcript. April 12, 1935.
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for fifteen years. The Bank was located in the home of Captain Nathaniel Guild on Court Street. A stone vault eight feet long, six feet wide, and seven feet high was built. In 1815, the Bank issued bank notes, an interesting collection of which are framed and hang in the banking rooms of the Dedham National Bank. This was a State Bank and at the time of its incorpora- tion served a farming community. The War of 1812 marked the beginning of the change from a commercial and agricultural nation to a manufacturing one. In connection with the Bank Holiday of 1933, and the closing of many banks, it is well to remember the conditions in 1814, when the Dedham Bank was organized. There was then a general suspension of specie pay- ment everywhere but in Massachusetts. Specie was withdrawn from circulation and the country was flooded with paper money, issued by the state and private banks and local associations. Secured from the competition of the government in the expired charter of the First United States Bank, a large number of private banks and joint stock companies at once obtained charters and flooded the country with banknotes, often unsecured and sometimes of as low a denomination as two and a half cents.
The Dedham Bank was organized in a perilous time in the history of our country. It has through the years not only served a farming community, but also played an important part in help- ing to establish manufacturing interests at Mill Village which added materially to the wealth and growth of the town. The Bank was reorganized on February 7, 1865 as the "Dedham National Bank", with a capital of $100,000, which was increased in 1934 to $150,000 by an issue of preferred stock. The Bank moved from its original quarters in 1847 to the Norfolk Mutual Fire Insurance Company Building on Pearl Street. In 1892 the Bank removed to the Dedham Institution for Savings Building, and in 1912 installed Storage and Safe Deposit boxes, equipped with electrical protection. The demand for more space resulted in the purchase, in 1924, of the present Bank Building.
An early custom prevailed in the Dedham Bank of keeping a snuff-box about half full of snuff on the counter, where any of the customers, who desired to, could help themselves. More than a half century ago, burglars broke into the Dedham Bank.
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They covered the windows with blankets and set off two explosives cracking open the outer safe, but were not able to get at the place where most of the money was kept. There was great excitement in the town and all the people had to be shown exactly how it happened.
On December 26, 1934, a merger was made of the Dedham National Bank; the Canton Trust Company; the Stoughton Trust Company; the Boulevard Trust Company of Brookline and the National Mt. Wollaston Bank of Quincy, to be known as the "Norfolk County Trust Company," with a capital of $1,000,000 and a surplus exceeding $500,000. The merger was made pos- sible through legislation enacted by the Massachusetts Legis- lature of 1934 and by Congressional enactments which have made for improvement of banking regulations. The stock of the several companies was exchanged for that of the new Trust Company on the basis of their respective net values.
NORFOLK MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY. This company was incorporated February 12, 1825. The first meeting for organization was held in Gragg's Tavern on March 17, 1825. As early as the beginning of the Eighteenth Century the problem of fires had become a serious one. With only hooks and ladders, supplemented with leather buckets,* to fight it, every fire threatened destruction to large area.
As the object of insurance is to indemnify the insured from losses incurred from causes beyond his control we can easily realize why there are so many kinds of insurance today. Fire insurance is distinctively and fundamentally in accord with the American conception of the true purpose of government, the pro- tection of the individual and his property.
The Norfolk Mutual Fire Insurance Company was first organized as a county institution and for many years confined its writings to risks located in what was then Norfolk County. In 1871 the Company extended its business to the taking of first-class risks within forty miles of Boston, later the directors extended the business to include Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut. In its inception the Norfolk Mutual Fire Insurance Company is believed to be the nineteenth company,
* Dedham Historical Society has a good display of these buckets.
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including those of foreign lands, doing business in America. This is purely a mutual company and each person insured is considered a member of the company and holden to pay such losses and entitled to such benefits as expressed in the agreement. During more than a hundred years of its existence, the company has never failed to pay just claims in full and has never made an assessment on its policy holders.
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