USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 48
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1930
1630 Fairbanks House
Oldest house in Dedham. A part of it built about 1636. Homestead of Jonathan Fairbanks who with his sons John, George, and Jonathan Junior, signed the Dedham Covenant September
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10, 1636 .* Ancestral home of the late Vice- President Fairbanks.
BEVERAGES. The early settlers at first obtained water at Dwight's Brook; using the wooden yoke which they found in use among the Indians. Wells were later sunk for household pur- poses, but little water, however, was drunk as it was deemed unwholesome, and in absence of sanitary conditions it often was so. Many cases of typhoid fever and dysentery were directly traceable to poluted well water. There seems to have been no importation of coffee until about the middle of the 18th century when coffee sold for five shillings a pound, and tea cost from twenty-five to fifty shillings per pound. Roasted cereals were early used in place of coffee. Our ancestors brought over from England the habit of beer drinking which was a universal bever- age in the home land. The first beer was brewed in the kitchen, but later, the brew house came into existence. Barley malt, rye malt, and at first, wheat malt, was used in brewing. A peck of malt brewed a half barrel of light beer which was valued at two shillings. The English "bitter" beer with hops was brewed, but later German lager was introduced. It was customary at first to drink the "home brew" at breakfast, dinner and supper from pewter pots. In 1651 Francis Chickering was fined "one quart of saick for late coming" to the town meeting. Hot spiced beer was considered a delicious drink in cold weather. Cider came into general use as soon as orchards were grown. Cider sold in 1669 at ten shillings a barrel. Distilled liquors were not much used before the middle of the 18th century. Wine was in early use for festive occasions. Soft drinks and soda fountains did not come into general use much before the Civil War, but spruce beers brewed in the home had been in use for generations. Chocolate came into general use soon after 1725, but was somewhat used before that time. Judge Sewall records in 1709, "Bait Dedham & go to Mr. Belcher's where I drink warm chockelat and no Beer; find my self much refresh'd by it after great Sweating to day, and yesterday."
AGRICULTURE. For more than two hundred years, Ded-
* It is to be regretted that this serious mistake was made as Jonathan was not admitted townsman until March 20, 1636-7, George, on January 18, 1648-9, and Jona- than, .Jr .. at a later date.
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ham was essentially an agricultural town .* The soil of Dedham was found well adapted to the cultivation of fruit trees. Orchards were early found on Dedham farms. More than a hundred vari- eties of pears, largely imported from France, once flourished here. The Hon. Fisher Ames was fond of agricultural pursuits and by his example encouraged his fellow townsmen to ornament their estates with fruit trees ** rather than shade trees and in caring for them with a more perfect cultivation. Slade's Evolution of Horticulture in New England says: Dedham has had many horti- culturists who have been recognized as warm patrons of the art. In former years, the residences of Edward Dowse and Fisher Ames were well known far and near, for their situation, orchards, gardens, and plantations. Later, those of Wight, Richards, and the Rands have been familiar to the public for the cultivation of fruits and for the superior collections of green houses and orchids.
Edward M. Richards of Highland Street had on his estate not only a great variety of fruit trees, but was the discoverer of the Benoni apple still grown in Dedham. This early fall apple was highly esteemed for many years throughout the county and was generally listed by our nurserymen throughout the middle and northern portion of the apple ground region of this continent. This apple was introduced by Mr. Richards shortly before 1832. The Benoni apple was shown a few years since in an exhibition of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and enlisted much inter- est. A tree of the variety is still standing at No. 125 Court Street. Mr. Richards experimented extensively on tree trans- portation from foreign lands and demonstrated the pre-eminent value of those that are native to the soil and climate.
NEGRO SLAVES. Negro slaves were employed on farms in Dedham. Even ministers in New England owned slaves. Dedham slaves were probably purchased in Boston. In 1736 the "Boston News Letter" carried this advertisement "just imported from Guinea, a parcel of likely young negroes, boys and girls." As described in bequests, most Dedham slaves seem to have been
* In some parts of Nova Scotia. especially in Digby County. cherry trees are planted by the roadside which yield an abundance of delicious fruit in their season.
** Of forest trees the oak perhaps predominated at the time of the settlement of the town and were especially protected by town ordinance .. A century ago there were thirty-two varieties of forest trees growing in Dedham soil.
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young. A negro maid sold for £25 in 1650, and a negro boy for £20 in 1657.
THE AVERY OAK. The image of the Avery Oak is en- graven on the escutcheon of the town seal, because it is believed to be the last survivor of the "forest primeval" which the found- ers of Dedham looked upon three hundred years ago. That it is older than the settlement of the town cannot be doubted and the present condition of the tree indicates that it has not reached its span of life which for a white oak is a thousand years. The tree stands on the old Avery homestead on East Street, settled by William Avery, who was admitted a townsman in 1650, and whose descendants for many years were prominently connected with the town. The old oak has ever been precious to the Avery family and when "seventy dollars was offered for it, to be used for timber in building the frigate Constitution, which is now dear to the hearts of the American people, the offer was rejected." "The Constitution," or "Old Ironsides" as it has been known for many years, was built at Charlestown under the supervision of Capt. Samuel Nicholson, who during the period of its construction, was a resident of Dedham (1794-1800). The tree and the small plot on which it stands became the property of the Dedham Historical Society in 1886.
QUAKERS IN DEDHAM. By order of the General Court, Quakers were banished from Massachusetts and the constables of the towns through which they passed were required to whip them. With all we know of the fine traits of the Friends of today, with their philanthropy and good will to all men, it is hard to realize that seldom have enthusiasts been more unfriendly and annoying than the early Quakers. "New England Judged by the Spirit of the Lord," published in 1661, gives an account of the treatment in Dedham of a dozen or more Quakers from 1656 to 1665. The following selection illustrates their treatment. Rich- ard Dowdney was apprehended in Dedham and brought to Boston where he was given thirty stripes at one time with a whip made of dried gut, such as is used in a bass viol, with three knots at the end, which the hangman many times laid on with both hands a most violent torture. Dowdney was searched for papers, kept for twenty days a prisoner, and then sent away with the threat of the loss of his ears should he come back again. In March, 1658
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John Small, Josiah Southwith, and John Burton traveling from Salem to Rhode Island, arrived in Dedham in the evening and went to Lieut. Fisher's Ordinary to lodge. Capt. Lusher was sent for who examined them about religion and fearing he was at- tempting to ensnare them, they refused to answer his questions. He then told them he would send them where they would answer questions. In the morning the constable came with aids, and with a helbard and brazen headed staff conveyed them to Boston. They were brought before the Deputy Governor who reviled them, tell- ing them they should go to prison. On their request, they were permitted to go before the Governor, who hearing their case, set them free saying "That they could not hinder men from traveling on their journey." Nevertheless, they were fined twenty shillings to pay the Dedham Constable and his Aids.
Banished Quakers were often tied to the tail of a cart and publicly lashed as they passed through the several towns on the route. The following warrant shows that the constable at Ded- ham was required to administer this punishment to a banished Quaker who passed through the town going south.
To the Constables of Boston.
You are, by Vertue of an Order of the Court of Assistants, held at Boston, the third Instant, required to repair with the Executioner unto the Prison, and there, fortwith, take the Person of Josiah Southwick, a Ban- ish'd Quaker; and the Executioner is to take him, and to strip him from the Girdle upward, and to tye him to a Cart-tail, and whip him ten Stripes out of Boston, and deliver him to the Constable of Rocksbury, who is also to cause him to be tyed to the Cart's-tail, stripp'd, as aforesaid, and to whip him through Rocksbury, with ten Stripes, as aforesaid, and then deliver him to the Con- · stable of Dedham, who is also required to whip him at the Cart's-tail with ten Stripes, as aforesaid, and so dis- charge him out of Our Jurisdiction: Make your several returns on the back-side of the Warrant, to the Secre- tary, forthwith. Dated at Boston, the 9th of September, 1661. By the Court.
Edward Rawson, Secretary.
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TERCENTENARY. At the annual town meeting in April, 1935, it was voted that the moderator shall appoint ten citizens to act in conjunction with the officers and curators of the Dedham Historical Society to arrange and carry on the celebration of the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of the town. The members of the committee, as constituted in April, 1935, were as follows. Dedham Historical Society: Julius H. Tuttle, Frank Smith, Alvan F. Worthington, James P. Roberts, Theodore T. Marsh, Charles Stearns, Dr. Arthur M. Worthington, Earl W. Pilling, Ernest J. Baker, George A. Phillips and Charles E. Mills. Committee of the town: H. Wendell Endicott, Mrs. Frank H. Clarke, John A. Hirsch, Miss Rosanna F. Lynch, James J. Mande- ville, Lyman E. Matta, Mrs. Chester M. Pratt, John J. Smith, Boyd G. Whiting, George C. Willard. The committee organized June 11, 1935 with Dr. Arthur M. Worthington as chairman; Mrs. Chester M. Pratt, vice chairman; Mrs. Frank H. Clarke, record- ing secretary; Miss Rosanna F. Lynch, corresponding secretary; George C. Willard, treasurer. September 20, which marks the signing of the covenant and the incorporation of the town, was set as the focal date of the celebration.
NATIONALITIES. As in the opening chapter, the names of the permanent English settlers are given, so in this closing chap- ter are recorded, as far as known, the names of other residents, who have the honor of being the first permanent settlers of their respective nationalities in this town.
IRISH. A party from Ireland was hospitably received by the Dedham settlers in May, 1640, when it was voted that the town shall entertain Mr. Samuel Cooke, and Mr. (Benjamin) Smith, and Mr. (Michael) Bacon, all from Ireland, and offer them such accommodations of upland and meadow as their estates shall require. Samuel Cooke was given the twelve acre lot previously granted to Robert Feke with twelve acres of meadow belonging there unto. Samuel Cooke later returned to Dublin, where he died and his estate in Dedham was sold to Lusher and Fisher in 1652. Michael Bacon's descendants removed from Dedham. Ben- jamin Smith became a freeman in 1641 and continued to live with his family in the town. From the 1830's there was a steady increase in people from Ireland here, of whom the following fami-
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lies are recalled as early settled : Riley, Colman, Kearny, Wade, Leonard, Sullivan, Carlan, Darcy, Connors, Gallagher, and Slat- tery.
HEBREW. There were no Hebrew settlers in Dedham prev- ious to the present century. The following became residents soon after 1900; Wolf Luftman, John Blumenthal, L. J. Brody, and Samuel Rosen.
GERMANS. Of the many German citizens who have carried on their trades and occupations in Dedham, Franz Kiessling, a musician, has the distinction of being the first German to settle here, having taken up his residence in East Dedham in 1853. He was soon joined by others from the Fatherland as follows: John Laninger, George Eichler, Fred Kiesling, Carl Runger, Simon Hersh, Charles Eis, Albert Vogel, Carl Pipping, Fred Hecker, and John Gruener.
ITALIANS. The Italian pioneer settlers were Marco Di- Gennaro, Antonio Colombo, Michelangelo Veleno who came to Dedham in 1892. They were joined the next year by Nicola Po- razzo, Guiseppe Massarelli, and Giovanni Rinaldi since which time there has been a steady increase in Italian population.
SCOTCH. Of the Scotch-Irish who arrived in Boston early in the 18th Century, none seem to have settled in Dedham. The Rev. William Patterson, as far as known, was the first Scotchman to settle in Dedham. He became pastor of the East Dedham Bap- tist Church in 1848. He was a real Scotchman to whom his re- ligion meant something. When the present Baptist Church was built, he sold his horse and buggy and with the money bought the brick used in the foundation of the Church. The next resi- dent was an artisan, Richard McClashan, who came to Dedham about 1850. Scotch workers were employed in the Woolen Mill at East Dedham but their names are not recalled.
SCANDINAVIA has never been largely represented in Ded- ham. Andrew Jacobson is believed to have been the first Swede and Alfred E. Johnson the first Norwegian to settle in the town.
AFRICAN RACE. Some of the African race* colonized here from New Jersey after the Revolutionary War. It was generally supposed that a majority of the men folks had been slaves. In
* See John Cox; Pen-Pictures of Old Times in the Dedham Historical Register, Vol. I, Page 100.
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addition to this number there were scattered through the town many single colored individuals in domestic service. Among the families who had a permanent residence here, about 1830, were the Johnsons, the Freemans, the Gerrishes, the Harrisons, the Robinsons, and the Nichols. Of the Nichols family, Caesar Nichols is still recalled. He was born in slavery. His parents were probably natives of Africa. In 1779 while the British held New York he was a servant to Col. Webster of the British Army. In 1802 he came to Dedham bringing with him credentials at- testing to his honesty, fidelity, and industry. Here for many years he served in different families. In the church of the New Meeting house Society pews were set apart for members of this race. Of the colored persons seen upon the streets Mott John- son, who had been a slave, was long remembered. He was a man of patriarchal appearance-tall and straight, and not without a certain dignified bearing when on especial occasion he was ar- rayed in his holiday apparel. He sometimes lapsed from, strict sobriety and on one occasion when arraigned before the local mag- istrate and sentenced to a few days imprisonment, he rose to full height from his seat and extending his long and sinewy arms protestingly exclaimed, "I tell you I can't go Massie Worthing- ton ! I can't go. I'se got wood to saw for Mr. Joseph Guild." Joseph Robbins was an occasional performer on the violin and with the coming of Saturday night would take his instrument to the village where he received the attention due to a noted, if not a great, player. He was probably the first to introduce the plan- tation melodies, pure and simple, in Dedham. Through the years the numbers of the African race have been industrious and re- spected citizens of the town, although they have not increased in numbers.
A century of progress? With a town debt, at the present time, (1935) of $516,386.70, it is interesting to note that in 1838 the town was out of debt, and the entire expense of maintenance, with the exception of the highways, was $7,965. Today the town assessment is $1,084,305. The property owned by the town is listed at $2,459,651, while in 1836 it consisted of 9 guns, with cartridge boxes and bayonet belts, 22 knapsacks, 1 atlas, 1 set of money scales and weights, and 1 pair of bullet moulds. Such
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has been the growth and development of the town through a century.
DEPRESSION. The financial depression still effects the town. The Board of Public Welfare expended during the year 1935, $185,736.62. The Public Works Administration, a bureau of Federal Government, expended for labor in Dedham, $198,000. To the Federal projects the town furnished materials costing $37,588.54, making a total expenditure of $421,325.16 during the year.
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CHAPTER XXIX
NORFOLK COUNTY
THE General Court of Massachusetts passed on March 26, 1793, an act to take effect June 20, 1793 dividing the County of Suffolk and establishing a new county of 445 square miles, with a population of 23,878, to be known as the County of Norfolk. This act brought to fruition an agitation of three quarters of a century. The earliest attempt to secure legislative action in dividing Suf- folk County was made in a Memorial, May 31, 1726. This and many repeated efforts failed, but after many trials and disap- pointments, Norfolk County was finally founded comprising 21 towns. It was established that the residents of these towns, on account of the poor conditions of the roads, and inadequate means of conveyance, experienced great difficulty in attending Court in Boston. Five or six towns were suggested for the County seat. Although Dedham had an early disrespect for lawyers, she was nevertheless anxious to be made the shire town of the new county. As Dedham was the parent town, which once included all the southerly and westerly towns of the County, and being in the center of the territory she occupied a strategic position. Medfield was soon eliminated by the objection of its own citizens who thought "that the practice of visiting the Court room during the trial of cases would be prejudicial to habits of industry in the citizens." While no town was satisfactory to all, yet the greater number concentrated on Dedham, which was made the "County town" till otherwise ordered by the General Court.
It is believed that the new County derived its name from the fact that the whole territory of the Colony was divided at one time into four counties. The most easterly county was named Essex; the middle county was named Middlesex; the southerly county named Suffolk; and the northerly county, made up largely of the towns of Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter and Hampton which were a part of Massachusetts from 1641, was called Norfolk. In 1680 these towns became a part of the Province of New Hamp- shire and Norfolk County then ceased to exist. It is, therefore, probable that the new county got its name from the extinct county of Norfolk of former days. The earliest Courts in Norfolk County
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were held in the Meeting house of the First Church with later sessions held in the taverns of the town. The County Courts in 1793 were the Court of General Sessions of the Peace, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Probate Court. The Court of Common Pleas had cognizance of civil cases of the value of more than forty shillings, and its first term for Norfolk County was held in the Meeting house of the First Church, September 24, 1793. The first case committed to a jury was at its April term in 1794. The Court of General Sessions of the Peace, which among other powers, had jurisdiction of criminal offenders, of laying out of highways, of apportioning County taxes, of granting licenses and of erecting County buildings, held its first session on September 24, 1793, with John Jones of Dover presiding. The first session of the Probate Court was held in 1793 with Gen. William Heath as Judge, who allowed wills and appointed guardians. A Court of Insolvency was established by the General Court in 1856 with Francis Willard as Judge. This Court was consolidated, in 1858, with the Probate Court. The first Judge of the Court of Probate and Insolvency was George White of Wellesley. The first Registrar of Probate was Samuel Haven. The first justice of the Court of Common Pleas was Stephen Metcalf of Bellingham, Chief Justice, and James Endicott of Stoughton and Ebenezer Warren of Foxboro, Associate Justices. Dr. Nathaniel Ames of Dedham was its first clerk, also the first clerk of the Court of General Sessions.
In 1828, the Court of Sessions was abolished and the Court of County Commissioners was established. The first board of County Commissioners was Samuel Pierce Loud of Dorchester, William Ellis of Dedham, Nathaniel Tucker of Milton, and Louis Fisher of Franklin. In 1859 the Court of Common Pleas was abolished and the Superior Court was created, a court which now hears the civil and criminal business of the county. The first term of the Supreme Judicial Court held in Dedham came in 1794. Isaac Bullard of Dedham was chosen the first County Treasurer in 1793; Capt. Eliphalet Pond was chosen in 1793 the first Regis- trar of Deeds; Ebenezer Thayer of Braintree, was the County's first sheriff.
COURT HOUSE. Action was taken by the Court of General Sessions, in reference to the erection of a Court House on Janu- ary 7, 1794. The necessity of such a building appears in the
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records which say "The Court opened in the Meeting-house but by reason of the coldness adjourned "to the Sign of the Law Book" (Woodward's Tavern) and there opened again." A committee consisting of Thomas Crane of Canton, Stephen Penniman of Braintree, and Joseph Guild of Dedham, was appointed "to look out a proper spot of ground and report on what terms the County of Norfolk can be accommodated for their public buildings." On May 16, 1794 the committee made a report stating the offer of the Episcopal Church of Dedham of "the land lying common adjoin- ing" reserving to the proprietors of the church liberty of worship therein on the Sabbath until such time as they can build another church. This report resulted in the appointment of Joseph Guild, Dr. Nathaniel Ames, and Elijah Adams, a committee with power to procure subscriptions for two different objects-one to raise funds to repair the church so as to accommodate the courts; and the other to raise funds to build a court house on land of the First Church. The committee appointed to procure subscriptions evi- dently found their task a hard one, judging from their report made July 1, 1794 that "They could obtain nothing in that way to repair the Episcopal Church for a Court House, or towards building a new Court House near it." On June 30, 1794 the First Church in Dedham made a voluntary grant to the County of Norfolk of the northeast corner of their lot near the Meeting house and just south of the Church Green, together with as many suitable trees as will be sufficient for making all the joist for the proposed Court House. This offer was accepted and the Court ordered "it to be the ground on which the Court House shall be built." Thomas Crane, Stephen Badlan, Joseph Guild, Stephen Penniman, and James Endicott were appointed a committee to build a Court House. The location was on the westerly side of Court Street opposite the present Court House. August 19, 1794 the Court accepted a plan, or rather a wooden model, of a Court House offered by Samuel and Isaac Doggett, contractors of Ded- ham.
The first Court House was a wooden building, the exact di- mensions of which were 36x50 feet with posts 32 feet in height. The exterior was designed after the colonial style, of good archi- tectural proportions with corner ornaments, with quoins and sur- mounted by a cupola. The Court was particular about the cupola
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and instructed the Committee to apply to Mr. Bulfinch,* architect of Boston, for a plan of a decent cupola, or turret, to the Court House agreeable to the rules of architecture for a building on such a site, use and magnitude. The cupola was furnished with a bell cast by Paul Revere in 1796, which is now in the rooms of the Dedham Historical Society. The ends of the building faced north and south. A hall ran through the lower story with offices on the side for the Clerk of Court, Registrar of Deeds, and Probate Court. In the story above was the Court Room and rooms for the accommodation of the Court. This building after the erection of the Stone Court House in 1827 was sold and moved nearby to a location on the easterly side of Court Street where it was later known as Temperance Hall.
THE STONE COURT HOUSE. After a quarter of a century with an increase in wealth and population, the need of a fireproof Court House, for the keeping of public records, with increased ac- commodations for the Court, began to be agitated. It was also felt that the Court House was "an undesirable encumbrance upon the church green." After careful consideration the Court of Sessions, in 1821, appointed a committee to take into consideration among other things, the subject of erecting "a fireproof building for the safe keeping of the records of the county." In July, 1822 the com- mittee unanimously reported in favor of erecting a fire-proof build- ing, the same to be made of convenient size and constructed as soon as practicable. For a site for the new Court House the committee presented the claims of two lots, the Ames lot facing High street, and the Bullard lot "bounding on the jail lot." The Ames lot was finally selected and it was agreed "that all the front of said land on the road (High street) shall be kept free from buildings and no buildings shall be erected on any part of the same, except for County purposes, so long as said land may be occupied for County purposes." The committee also reported that "a building 36x18 feet, with side walls 12 feet in height from the underpinning, with a proper pitch for the roof of solid materials, divided by two parti- tion walls, would conveniently accommodate the several depart- ments, and insure the safety of the public records."
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