USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 24
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Israel Hildreth was born in 1791, one year before the birth of Peleg Bradley and their professional life covered nearly the same period. Choosing for his life work the profession of medi- cine, he studied with Dr. Thomas of Tyngsboro and Dr. Wyman of Chelmsford, afterward attending a course of lectures in Boston. The duties of a country doctor were shared with Dr.
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Bradley as the increase of population, about the year 1825, caused by the erection of cotton mills, demanded the services of two physicians. In common with the other doctors of the time he was ready with the knife and saw for amputation or the for- ceps to remove an aching tooth. He had a broad mind, ever ready to accept new methods and his cheerful disposition made him welcome in the sick room. Before his death the occupation of country doctor had ceased to exist. Dr. Bradley had removed to Lowell and Dr. Hildreth spent the remaining years of his life on his farm in Dracut. He was the last of the Dracut doctors and the jogging horse and thoroughbrace chaise remain only as a memory.
TRAGEDIES.
In common with other towns, scenes of violence have per- formed their part in the history of Dracut. As its southern line was the Merrimack river, Beaver Brook flowing through its entire length and bordering on several ponds the opportunities for deaths caused by drowning were many. Deaths caused by stroke of lightning, falling from buildings when in process of erection and other causes all contributed to furnish scenes of tragedy. There are those to whom the cares of life were a burden and who chose to appoint a time when it should cease. Only a few cases are on record where a life has been taken by the hand of another. In 1858, a blacksmith, Joshua Heath by name, lived in the north- east part of the town, near the Pelham line. His wife was dead and with a son and daughter, he lived remote from neighbors, deriving a small income from the exercise of his trade in which he excelled, especially in the manufacture of knives. The chil- dren were deficient in intelligence, the daughter being almost idiotie and the son weak in intellect. Unable to reason correctly although possessing that peculiar quality of craftiness so com- mon in the mentally deficient, they considered their father to be a burden and planned to take his life. Their first attempt was to administer to him a dose of tea prepared from apple peru, a poisonous plant, which was not sufficient to cause his death, al- though it stupefied him. While in this condition they loaded a musket with scraps of iron and discharged it with fatal effects, then digging a shallow grave in the blacksmith shop they buried him. Parties who came to have work performed found the shop
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locked and could get no information from the son and daughter, but from facts gathered by questioning the girl they found the body partially covered with dirt. The authorities were notified and the son arrested, the trial resulting in a sentence to state prison for life where as time passed on he became the oldest prisoner in the institution. The danghter was taken to the town farm, but her physical condition was such that she lived but a short time.
Gordon, in his "Early Grants," says: "The husband of one of the Colburn girls, Richardson by name, was killed by a blow of his opponents fist in a brawl; and I find no indictment based on this lamentable scuffle." In the vital records, a young son of Benjamin and Clarissa Bradley, named William, was killed by being kicked by a horse; this occurred in 1823, the family lived at the Navy Yard village near the mill. In 1789, Aaron, son of Eleazer and Bridget Coburn, aged 21 years, was "suddenly killed by the fall of a tree." In 1744, Henry Colburn was killed "by a fall of a fraime at a Raising." In 1825, George Washington, son of Jonathan and Mercy Richardson was killed by falling from a building. Obadiah, son of Asa and Elizabeth Parker, was killed by being struck by lightning when engaged in mowing for a farmer in Tewksbury.
In 1867, Dea. Renben Coburn was killed by falling from an apple tree. He lived in the brick house at the foot of Tanhouse hill. About 1870, two men lost their lives while digging a well at the Navy Yard village. Mr. Pierce, who lived in Maine, was a well digger by profession and assisted by Austin, son of James and Harriet Frye, had excavated about twenty feet when a large mass of sand fell and buried them. In 1836, Myron aged 11 years, son of Marens L. and Elizabeth Coburn, was killed by being thrown from an ox cart, the heavy wheels passing over his body. John, son of Anthony Negro, was drowned in April, 1739.
An event occurred which brought sadness to Dracut homes in 1799. On April 16th, of that year, three little girls lost their lives by drowning. They were Sibbel, daughter of Abijah and Esther Wood, aged 12 years, and Lydia and Orpah, daughters of Joshua and Lydia Thissell. Their ages were 11 and 8 years. Their home was on Dracut heights, now Christian hill, and while at play, probably near the river, the sad accident occurred.
CHAPTER XVI
MINES, QUARRIES AND FISHERIES
A T what time or by whom the mine in East Dracut was dis- covered we have no certain knowledge. One account states that some Welsh or Cornish miners prospecting along the course of the river found the outcropping of minerals at this place. Another attributes the discovery to surveyors who found their magnetic needle to he deflected by the presence of iron, a not uncommon occurrence. The earliest mention on record is in 1710, when the Reserved Lands began to be surveyed and roads were laid out. References at that time to the "mine pit" and "mine pit hill" are to be found in old records. It is possible that when opened it was with the expectation of finding gold or silver, but as it contained only iron no further attempts were made to develop it until 1726, when the owner of the land, Joseph Varnum, entered into partnership with Joseph East of Boston, who lived on the farm in East Dracut, known as the Herbert Coburn farm, on the Pelham road, leading to Lawrence. At the above named date the metal nickel was unknown, but iron and other minerals were supposed to be abundant.
A contract was made dated September 9, 1726, and in it Mr. Varnum gives conditionally to Mr. East "one half part of all the mines and minerals that shall be found by the said Joseph East and Joseph Varnum their heirs ete as equal portions upon the same, when refined, upon a certain tract of land in Draent in the easterly part of the town bounded by Merrimack River on the south, by Ephraim Hildreth and Josiah Colburn on the west by Ephraim Curtis and Cheever land on the north and by Joseph Varnum and Mr. Higginson on the east." The contract gives permission to use any fallen timber under fifteen inches in diameter for the use of the works, leave to erect a stamping and refining mill on the brook near the mine pit, and liberty to flood the land between September 1st and April 30th. Mr. East was to receive no salary, but to have one half of the net proceeds of
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the products when smelted and refined. He was to have full control of all the work and to pay one-half of the expenses. Mr. Varnnm was to furnish one able-bodied man. The business was conducted by Varnum and East and each had entire control of their share, providing it did not interfere with the contract. By a deed of sale dated October 13, 1727, Joseph East conveyed to North Ingham, a mathematical instrument maker of Boston, for the sum of £150, 3/16 of the whole Lot, being an eighth and a half of all the mines and minerals on the land described. By the close of 1730, East had sold all his rights in the mine to North Ingham, Job Lewis, Samuel Eames and George Cradock, and thereafter seems to have had no further connection with the business, although he purchased a farm in Dracut, eastward of Cedar pond, and became a resident of the town.
Varnnm also disposed of the major portion of his rights to Adam Winthrop, who purchased one sixth for £220, and to Ezekiel Cheever and Job Lewis. The greater part of those own- ing shares in the mine were residents of Boston. The terms of sale in each deed were alike, viz., the right to dig "oar" and make improvements, but not to undermine any building unless pay- ment was made, this amount to be determined by disinterested parties, to pay their share for digging and draining shafts and carrying on improvements, and if the mines yielded gold or silver they were to pay their proportionate part of the one fifth part which belonged to the king. They could cut any pine tree which was less than fifteen inches in diameter and use any fallen trees. They had leave to set up a stamping mill and to flow the meadows as before mentioned. The brook was the eastern branch of Win- throp's, later called Richardson's brook, and runs on the north- west of Mine Pit Hill. The length of time in which the mine was worked is not known, but it is supposed to have been found un- profitable and abandoned. Later the land came into possession of Joseph Bradley Varnum, grandson of Joseph, the original owner, and the mine is said to have been worked in the time of the Revolution for the manufacture of cannon balls.
An old account book in the Varnum family contains items of sums paid for labor at the mine in 1777. A shaft was sunk to a depth of forty-three feet, which with the cellar like holes in the ledge and heaps of stones which had been thrown out by blast-
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ing, were all that remained until these later years of those early mining operations. When the shaft was again cleared from water and debris, some relies of the ancient workings were dis- covered, some drills and decaying plank, the latter indicating the erection of buildings at an early date.
In 1876, a company was incorporated which leased the land and commenced the work of mining as nickel was found to exist with iron ore. They bonded the adjoining land, erected buildings, installed a stamping machine and steam machinery for furnishing power. They drained the shaft and sunk it to a depth of sixty-one feet. In a paper read before the Old Residents' Association in 1879 it is stated that, "It is expected that in one year from this time the establishment will be able to supply daily 400 pounds of commercial nickel, ten tons of sul- phuric acid and eight tons of pure iron, each of which has a marketable demand and value as that of any product of the best farm in the country. * * # If therefore the Dracut nickel mine shall yield as it is expected by the owners to do, it will certainly be a prominent feature in the future of Lowell." In 1881, the property came into possession of the Dracut Nickel Co., organized under Maine laws with a capital of $500,000. The president was Wm. E. Whitehead; the treasurer, Abel T. Atherton ; and the secretary, Jerome B. Melvin. But the enter- prise was not a success. Great difficulty was experienced in securing experts who understood the reduction of ores. For this and other reasons the mine was again abandoned. Test pits had been sunk of the adjoining land of Joseph Gilman and Luther and Bradley Coburn where there were outcroppings of ore and if the mining had been successful these ledges would also have been opened. The buildings were standing in 1889, but the elements were gradually causing them to decay, while, at present writing, all that remains consists of heaps of rocks, deep gullies and gloomy pits.
A communication in the Morning Times, dated May 2, 1896, adds to the interest which is attached to this ancient work: "The only authority that I am able to command says that nickel was discovered in 1751. There is no doubt that it is present in large quantity in this mine. Nearly every geologist in the State has visited the mine and most of them concur in the opinion that
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it could be worked with profit. The ledge is of trap rock. En- closed in the trap is an ore called pyrrhotite, often called magnetic ore and iron pyrites. Its symbol is F E 11 S 12. This is the richest ore for nickel and often contains from three to five per cent. of that metal. The presence of iron in this trap is very noticeable and many rusty fragments are scattered about. We brought home some specimens and among them are found not only feldspar but also limestone in the trap. It was an inter- esting place to visit for several reasons, scientific, historic and so forth. Its scientific interest will always remain and perhaps the commercial history of the mine is not yet ended."
GRANITE QUARRIES
Ledges of granite or gneiss are found in the Pawtucketville section of the town. Ward's ledge, near the terminice of the Pawtucketville car line, extends from Mammoth Road easterly nearly to East Meadow Road, or Pond Street as it is now called. Farther north and lying between Mammoth Road and the Donohoe Road is an extensive ledge or series of ledges. On what was called the Old Gumpus Road from West Meadow Road to Mammoth Road, near the latter is another ledge. All of these ledges show signs of extensive quarrying in past years, but are now abandoned. 4 These were the sources from which were drawn the material for the foundation of the factory buildings of Lowell, and for other purposes before the use of cement for concrete was known. Across the New Hampshire line, but for- merly included within the limits of Dracut, are the Carlton quarry and several at Gage Hill, the latter still used to some exent.
FISHING RIGHTS
As wild animals were abundant the Indians procured their meat by hunting. And as the rivers were stocked with fish they were able to provide a supply of food with little labor. Sturgeon, salmon, shad and alewives were abundant, the latter to such an extent that, being considered of an inferior quality, was used by the farmers for fertilizer. When apprentices were
(See Page 350)
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"hound out," as it was called, to a trade, an article was inserted in the contract providing that they should not be obliged to eat salmon excepting when agreed upon at the time of apprentice- ship.
In 1653, the General Court set apart for the Indians a tract of 500 acres at Pawtucket falls for their use as fishing grounds, and this was later called the Indian Reservation. When later the Indians sold their lands to Jonathan Tyng and Thomas Hinchman they reserved the right to visit the falls and fish at any time. Within comparatively recent years a few families of Indians visited the falls each year and are said to have camped on Long Island, called then Musquash Island, near the bend of the river, but now losing its identity by reason of the filling in of the channel between the Island and Lakeview avenue. The northerly end of Aiken Street bridge rests on what was Long Island. Tyng and Hinchman sold shares in their purchase to many others, including the fishing rights. At one time there were forty-two different parties who owned these rights. As early as 1801 a petition had been presented to the General Court for permission to erect a dam across the river. The people of Dracut considered it an invasion of their rights and, at a town meeting, voted to present a petition remonstrating against the granting of the first-named petition. As this petition will convey some idea of the value of these rights at that time, a brief record is here inserted. Voted, "That the erection of a dam across the Merrimack River at Pawtucket falls will, in the opinion of the town, totally destroy the fish in the said river and deprive the people of the important privilege which they for a long time have enjoyed without molestation, of taking near their doors the most delicate food and much of the real neces- saries of life." But petitions of remonstrance were only of service temporarily, the valuable fishing rights were soon to become valueless and with the construction of the dams at Lowell and Lawrence and the admission of poisonous dyes and contents of the sewers to the river, the fisheries were ruined.
As early as 1740 the General Court passed an act forbidding the building of any dam across a stream unless suitable provision was made for the free passage of fish to the water above the dam. Although many plans have been devised to comply with
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this law and fish-ways constructed, such plans have met with little success at the present time. As it would be difficult to define fishery rights without dissension on the part of the owners, it became necessary to arrange for the settlement of disputed questions. The owners of these rights prepared a contract, which has, with its original signatures, peculiar spelling and abundance of capital letters, been preserved and laid away for many years, to be reproduced in this history :
"Know all men by these presents That We Edward Coburn, John Coburn, Joseph Varnum, Timothy Coburn, Robert Coburn, Aaron Coburn, Daniel Coburn, Ezekiel Richardson, Abraham Blood, Christopher Williams, John Varnum, the Heirs of Abraham Varnum, Moses Richardson, Joseph Hamblet, the Heirs of Jabish Coburn all of Dracut, Timothy Clark, John Butterfield and Zachary Richardson of Chelmsford and James Littlehale of Dunstable all in ye County of Middx Being Propriators In a Great Sean Fishery in Said Dracut at ye mouth of Beaver Brook at ye place called ye Bunt Fishery In merrimack River. And We Being owners & Proprietors in a Great Sean made and provided for said Fishery With Roaps and accoutrements to sd sean & a fishing Boat provided by us for ye use of sd Fishery there, We Every and Each of us owning one Twentyeth part of sd Sean, Roaps and accoutrements to sd Sean Belonging and the one Twentyeth part of said Boat each of us all excep the above said Joseph Varnum & he ye said Joseph Varnum ones one tenth of sd Sean, Roaps & Boat. And for ye Future Peace, Quiet & Good order of sd Propriators & to prevent Disputes, Contro- versies and Confusion ariseing amongst sd Propriators & in sd Company & Sosiaty We & Each and Every of us & Each & Every of our Heirs Will and Shall at all times Forever Hereafter Submit our Selve to a Majer Vote of the Majer part of ye said propriators at any meeting of them met for that Business at all times and in all things any Way Relating to manageing & carry- ing on the Said Fishery and settleing the account thereon and that we will at all times & in all things Relating thereto submit to each vote and if any or either of us at any time Hereafter Refuse or neglect to comply to any and every such vote that of sd propriators so neglecting or Refusing to comply to such
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matters and things as shall be Injoyned him or them to Do & perform by ye majer part of sd propriators at any such meeting he or they so Refusing or Neglecting to Do & perform as shall be Injoyned by ye majer part of sd propriators he so neglecting shall be De Clared No partner In sd Sean & Fishery & be liable to a suite from sd company & propriators for non performunce. In Wittness Whereof We Have hereunto Set our Hands this Sixth Day of may A. D. 1761" 1781 May 14 "The proprietors of the great sean, Part of them, met to tie on and mend the great net, That is, self, Capt. Peter Coburn, Jonathan Varnum, Eleazer Coburn, Jonas Varnum, Jabish Coburn, Tim: Williams & Timo. Coburn."
At a town meeting, held March 14, 1714, it was voted :
"That Caleb Varnum, John Varnum, Edward Coburn and John Coburn Jr. should have the fishing place in Merrimack River two pool (pole) into ye River upon Dracut Side in the bounds of said town for the season of fishing salmon, shad, alewives &c for the year 1714. And likewise the Town of Dracut does engage not to molest them on any account whatever. Like- wise these men that have hired this fishing place doth and hath engaged to pay to the Town of Dracut 16 pounds on the 20th day of June next for the use of said town and with the receipt they are to have the salmon pots that are already made and they shall pay for the nails that hold the posts."
At a town meeting, held March 3, 1715, a protest was entered after a majority vote was passed to give a lease of the rights.
"We the subscribers do hereby protest and declare ourselves against all the articles and business done at this town meeting relating to the letting the fishing place &c within 3 rods of the shore for the reasons following. First it is not the sd towns property. The lands on the shore are appropriated to particular persons and three rods from the shore are in some places in the channel and in some places across the channel. Second. The vote passed tends to debar and hinder particular persons from
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rights in catching fish in ye channel which is and always ought to be free to all persons.
Abraham Varnum
Thomas Varnum
Joseph Varnum
John Littlehale Jr.
John Littlehale
Samuel Varnum
Joseph Varnum Jr. John Varnum."
There is no record of any notice being taken of this protest, and as, later, the town continued to issue leases, it is probable that the petitioners were "given leave to withdraw." The quantity of fish which was taken may be estimated by the following items: An ordinary catch by a single hand of the seine would be about 1500 shad and 3000 alewives. Thirty bushels of eels have been caught in a single evening from one hole at the Great Bunt. The price of shad was ten cents each, while lamprey eels could be purchased for two cents each. The cheaper quality of fish was often carted away for fertilizer.
A clause in the will of John Varnum, dated 1783, relates to the value placed upon the fishing rights. To his son, Jonas, he gives, "also 1/3 part of all my Rights in the Lands at the mouth of Beaver Brook called the Great Bunt sean Proprietors Lands with 1/3 Right of a small house standing thereon, called the Proprietors Fish House, with 1/3 part of my right in the Great Sean, Called the Great Bunt sean, also 1/3 part of all my right of the privilege of the Fishery at Petucket Falls, and 1/3 part of all my wharfings, staging and privilege of building same or setting of Salmon pots as any other fishing at said Falls."
About 1817, the question arose as to what was the town's interest in the fisheries. When the land owners commenced to sell land to the Locks and Canals Co. the way was opened for litigation and a prospective destruction of these valuable rights. A committee consisting of J. B. Varnum, Isaac Coburn and, Daniel Varnum was appointed to examine titles and ascertain what rights, if any, the town had in the premises. After careful study they reported that it was their opinion that the fishing rights on the north or Dracut side of the river belonged to the town, but by their neglect to make improvements and by the action of the land owners the town might have lost its claim.
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A few years later these rights, on account of the erection of the mills, became valueless.
As late as 1820, Jonas Varnum sold to the Locks and Canals Co. his fishing rights between Cat Brook and Pawtucket Falls. He, with eight others, owned these rights in common and he sold one-eighth of his undivided part for $400. The control of fishing rights in the various brooks was vested in the town and votes were passed at the annual meetings in regulation of these rights.
March 1, 1779, it as "Voted that there shall be no alewives taken in Beaver Brook, or ye Brook called Dubble Brook or in Dennison's Brook only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays & on these days not to take any in sd Beaver Brook within 30 feet of the sluiceway at Capt. Hales' mill; and no fish to be taken on Dubble Brook from the mouth to the road that leads from Dr. Abbotts to Capt. Coburns, and that there shall be none taken in sd Dennisons Brook between the townway easterly of ye old mill called Wilsons mill & the upper side of said mill."
In 1780, it was voted that "no person shall catch alewives by net or otherwise from the mouth of Beaver Brook to the State line, or on Double Brook to Long Pond on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays."
These entries show the value placed upon the fish and the care with which they were protected from extermination. There was no intimation of the coming days when the river water would be polluted with poisonous dyes and waste from the cities which would cause the fish to be driven from the streams and the valuable fishing rights destroyed.
CHAPTER XVII
ELECTRIC SERVICE, DRACUT WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
T HE establishment of factories in Lowell and Dracut was the cause of extensive changes in the town. Until the early part of the last century, the town was composed of farming people, but the change mentioned caused villages to be formed. For more than a half a century no change of any importance occurred until the introduction of street cars, which furnished quick and easy transportation and resulted in the transformation of farms into small building lots and the erection of houses. The lumbering stage coach was discarded and railroads furnished superior means of transportation for passengers and freight. This town has never been on the direct line of the road and the only public conveyance was the mail carrier's wagon which passed through the town three times each week.
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