History of East Boston; with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix, Part 40

Author: Sumner, William H. (William Hyslop), 1780-1861. cn
Publication date: 1858
Publisher: Boston, J. E. Tilton
Number of Pages: 883


USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > East Boston > History of East Boston; with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix > Part 40
USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > East Boston > History of East Boston : with biographical sketches of its early proprietors, and an appendix. > Part 40


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447


THE TITLE COMPLETE.


1833.]


self to the by-laws and votes, if you will have it reduced to form, we will execute it. The certificates of stock you will please take as trustees expressed on the face of the certificates and in the books of the company; that will dispense with the necessity of your executing a declaration of trust.


"J. W. GERARD."


Immediately, that is, on the 2d of May, indentures were en- tered into between William H. Sumner and Benjamin Welles of the first part, the East Boston Company of the second part, and James W. Gerard and wife of the third part, to the effect, that, in consideration of the certificates of eight hun- dred and eighty shares in the stock of the East Boston Company received by the trustees of Mrs. Gerard, they convey to the East Boston Company her remaining one sixth of the Island, according to the survey of William Taylor, in 1801, to- gether with the remaining one undivided sixth of all the flats and appurtenances.1


Mr. Gerard's letter was read at a meeting of the stockholders of the company held on the 13th of May, and the vote proposed by him adopted. The vote is in these words : -


" Voted, That in case Mrs. Gerard or her trustees shall sell any of her said shares of stock to be issued to her on the transfer of her sixth part of the Island, then the shares sold shall lose the privileges attached to them by the previous vote of this com- pany, but the privileges shall remain pro rata for the stock re- tained by her or her trustees."


Thus were accomplished the sale and transfer of Mrs. Gerard's two sixths interest in Noddle's Island, one sixth having been sold to Messrs. White and Oliver for the proprietors, and one sixth transferred to the company for one sixth part of its stock, being eight hundred and eighty shares out of five thousand two hundred and eighty, the whole number. The certificates of stock were taken by Messrs. Sumner and Welles as trustees for Mrs. Gerard.2


1 Suffolk Deeds, lib. 369, fol. 15.


2 The letter from Mr. Gerard quoted above mentions a proposed union of the East Boston Company with the proprietors of the Winnisimet lands and ferry. This is explained more fully on an advance page. After due consideration the


448


HISTORY.


[1833.


The long desired end was now accomplished. The whole Island was now owned by, and under the control of, the newly incorporated company, and there were no hinderances to the extensive improvements so long contemplated.


To proceed safely and surely was the guiding principle of the company, and every precaution was adopted to remove all possi- bility of doubt respecting the completeness of their title in all future time. With this end in view, although conveyances had been made by and to the parties concerned, a deed was given by General Sumner on the 5th of August, 1833, and upon the same day by Mr. and Mrs. Gerard, of all their interest in the Island.


Consequently, at a directors' meeting held upon the day fol- lowing the date of these deeds, Stephen White, from the com- mittee of inquiry on the title, reported that Messrs. Adan and Bowditch, their counsel, to whom the subject had been com- mitted for investigation, " are of opinion that the title is com- plete." Thus the whole question of the title was settled, and the company had full and peaceable possession of the whole Island, flats and appurtenances.


These particulars of the different conveyances are thus minutely detailed, in order that every person may be furnished with answers to any inquiries which may be instituted, and also to show the numerous difficulties encountered, and the length of time required to make the title complete.


plans which had been entertained of uniting the two interests were given up as inexpedient.


CHAPTER XV.


THE EAST BOSTON COMPANY.


THE history of East Boston, as forming an important part of the city proper, may be said to begin with the formation of the East Boston Company. This company was incorporated by the legislature of Massachusetts on the 25th of March, 1833, for the purpose of improving Noddle's Island, with the powers and requirements contained in the act concerning corporations passed Sth March, 1833.1


In the earlier stages of the bill incorporating the company, it bore the name of the North Boston Company. But during its progress through the house, Lot Pool, Esq., an intelligent and influential member from Charlestown, moved to amend by sub- stituting East for North ; and gave as a reason, that he wished the latter name to be reserved for Charlestown when her annex- ation should take place. His motion prevailed ; and the East, instead of the North, Boston Company was incorporated.


The property at this time consisted of Noddle's Island, con- taining, by William Taylor's survey in 1801, six hundred and sixty-three acres of upland and marsh, surrounded by several hundred acres of flats, which had been declared as belonging to it by the special act of 13th May, 1640, in these words: " It is declared that the flats round about Nodles Iland do belong to Nodles Iland to the ordinary lowe water marke."2


The Island lay directly opposite to the commercial part of Boston, from which it was separated by a distance of one hun-


1 For the act of incorporation and by-laws, and a list of the officers of the company, see Appendix G.


2 Mass. Records, Vol. I. p. 291. Also see ante, p. 56.


38 *


450


HISTORY.


[1833.


dred and thirty-two rods, which distance, however, has since been diminished by the extension of the wharves. The Island and the city of Boston were originally reputed to be of about equal size, each being supposed to contain about one thousand acres. This estimate of the Island was too large, or else over three hundred acres of it have, since that time, been washed and worn away by the action of the sea ; probably there is truth in each of these suppositions, for there is no record of any actual survey prior to 1801, when it was surveyed for Mr. Greenough, the then proprietor, and it is a well-known fact, that islands of no inconsiderable size have entirely disappeared from the harbor since the settlers first came to Massachusetts bay.


It is easy to perceive the causes which have been operat- ing to preserve, and indeed extend, the area of the Boston peninsula, and at the same time to diminish the Island to the extent of several hundred acres. Boston was early an impor- tant settlement; and the enterprising inhabitants, not content with preserving intact the original boundaries, extended wharves far into the water, and thus were continually increasing their territory, and protecting it from the action of the sea. Noddle's Island, on the contrary, inhabited by a few individuals only, could not preserve its natural limits, much less increase them. To be sure, the proprietors expended a considerable portion of the rent for sea-walls in front of their gardens and buildings, but these were of necessity on too small a scale to be of any other important benefit; and as Brewster's and other islands and headlands gradually yielded to the winds and waves, Noddle's Island was left exposed to the full force of the east and north- east storms, and to the perpetual wear of the ocean. The Island, being of diluvial formation, offers but little resistance to the severe storms which sweep our coast. The wasting away of acre after acre of valuable upland on the exposed sides of the Island, and the consequent formation of an immense area of flats, would seem incredible to those who are ignorant of the locality, and of the force of the action of the sea. To these causes are to be attributed that vast extent of flats upon the north-east side of the Island, occupying ground formerly covered, at least to a great extent, by upland. This is apparent to even


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451


THE NUMBER OF SHARES.


1833.]


a casual observer ; and such facts as that Bird's island is entirely washed away, and that Nix's Mate, now a mere point of rock, was not long ago a pasturage ground, besides other instances equally striking, are strong proofs of similar operations at Nod- dle's Island. During the formation of these flats, as the waters ebbed and flowed over them, and the waves dashed up the shore and carried back loads of soil and gravel, channels were formed in the soft earth, large and deep, or small and shallow, as the circumstances at the time decided. The position of these channels naturally varied at different times; their di- rection being entirely dependent upon various contingencies. The flux and reflux of the waters, the situation of the detritus taken from the upland at different times and places, the direc- tion from which the storms came, -these and other causes were continually altering the channels, so that, as lines of boun- dary, they were literally as "shifting as the sands of the sea- shore," deceptive, and worse than worthless. Consequently the " line of lowe water marke" should be run without reference to these variable channels, for this would simply be marking the boundary over what was upland when the special act relative to the flats was made. This mistaken view the harbor com- missioners have adopted, and have run their line over land be- longing indisputably to the owners of the Island.


To trace the beginning and growth of the improvements upon the Island will, for the first few years, be but the history of the operations of the company, as it was the prime mover in, and was identified with, the commercial and manufacturing enter- prises which give to East Boston its character and importance. We will therefore follow on in the track of the company's operations, reserving special enterprises for future chapters ; and, although brief allusions will of necessity be made to various plans and undertakings, particular descriptions of each will be found under distinct heads. These details, although presented in a somewhat disconnected manner, are important as illustrative of the early history of the Island improvements.


The land, comprising 660 acres (the odd three acres being thrown out of the calculation), was originally put into a com-


452


HISTORY.


[1833.


mon stock and divided into 1,320 shares, each share represent- ing an half acre. When lands were sold, the proceeds were to be passed to the credit of the company, constituting the fund from which its expenses were paid and its dividends were made. It was soon thought best, however, to increase the number of shares, and, by a vote of the stockholders on the 22d of April, 1833, the by-laws were so amended as to divide the corporate stock into 5,280 shares. As the circle of the company's operations increased more and more, and embraced a greater number of individuals, alterations in the number of shares were made from time to time, and, for convenience of reference, are here given in connection : -


Original number of shares in the company 1,320


1833, April 22, shares quadrupled . 5,280


1836, May 2, shares doubled


5,280


10,560


1839, June 14, shares created


10,000


10,560


27, 66


560 S


21,120


1840, Dec. 31, cancelled .


560


20,560


1841, May 3, created 10,000 ; issued


9,108


29,668


1843, April 18, cancelled


3,037


26,631


1846, Dec. 26, cancelled


6,631


The result of these different changes was that the number of shares was permanently fixed at 20,000.


In order to make the Island immediately productive to some extent, the company rented it for farming purposes, excepting Camp and Smith's hills, and the marshes immediately adjoin- ing, reserving the right of viewing, leasing, selling, or making improvements in any part of it. It also voted to provide accommodations for the occupant, on what was called the " Middle Farm," using, as far as possible, the buildings then upon it.1


1 E. B. C. Records, Apr. 9, 1833.


453


THE FIRST EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.


1833.]


By way of inducing Mr. Thomas Williams, the tenant, to continue his residence upon the Island, and in consideration of the assistance rendered by him in various ways at the commence- ment of the company, which, from his thorough acquaintance with the Island, he could do better than any one else, the com- pany voted to give him an acre of land on the " middle farm," its location to be determined by an executive committee to be subsequently appointed, on condition that he would erect a house upon it for his residence.


The committee was chosen on the 12th of April. It consisted of three persons, to be renewed every month, whose duty it was to lay out streets, appraise lots, advise with the superintendent as to the course of action when he was in doubt, and thus save frequent meetings of the directors. William H. Sumner, F. J. Oliver, and Amos Binney composed the first committee. Mr. Williams saved them the trouble of locating the acre of land by declining the offer. Gen. Sumner endeavored to convince him that in a few years the acre would be of greatly increased value. But Mr. Williams laughed at the idea, and " wondered if any one was foolish enough to think he would accept of an acre of land on Noddle's Island, and be obliged to erect a house upon it !" It seemed perfectly visionary to him to think that the Island property was so soon to be of such value as to make this piece of land a most lucrative possession ; and this same feeling, without doubt, was entertained by many others.


This company commenced, as many other companies do, by borrowing. Its property was large and available, and it had a good credit with the business community. This credit was a natural consequence of the character and standing of the gen- tlemen engaged in the enterprise. The first loan authorized by the company was on the 2d of May, 1833, and was to the amount of $6,000. Upon this same day, Mr. Williams was requested to surrender the old mansion-house on the Island occupied by him, as it would be needed by the company in a fortnight for the accommodation of their workmen. This house, which was then the only one upon the Island, was partly built of the old army barracks at Cambridge, which Gen. Washing- ton gave to Mr. H. H. Williams, when the camp broke up, in partial compensation for the destruction of the buildings on the


454


HISTORY.


[1833.


Island in 1775 by the American troops to prevent their falling into the hands of the British. The timber was moved from Cambridge to the Island, and the house was erected, as has been already narrated, about where Sumner and Lewis streets now join, over the cellar of the house formerly occupied by John Yeamans. It was a one-story house with a gable end, and a picture of it was adopted for the seal of the East Boston Com- pany. For a time it was used as a boarding-house for the workmen engaged in building the Maverick House, but in 1834 was torn down to give place for laying out the hotel on Mave- rick square. The whole Island was now needed by the com- pany, in order to carry out the extensive improvements contem- plated.


Public officers of Boston first set foot on Noddle's Island, in their official capacity, on the 4th of May, 1833. Upon that day the Hon. Charles Wells, the mayor, the aldermen, and the direc- tors of the company, visited it to select portions of land, not ex- ceeding four acres in the whole, to be set apart by the company, free of expense to the city, for the purpose of providing suitable sites for school and engine-houses, burial-grounds, and other public purposes. This was in accordance with the fourth sec- tion of the act of incorporation.1


The gentlemen having transacted their business, partook of a collation, at which the wants of the physical and intellectual man were abundantly gratified, and where pleasing anticipations were indulged with reference to the future condition of the Island that day taken under the wing of the city protection. After the collation, the mayor, with some of the aldermen and directors, took a walk towards Camp hill. All were in good spirits, and enjoyed the sea-view and the fine breeze, which


1 The section is as follows : " Be it further enacted, That said corporation shall set apart on said Island, in such place or places thereon as the mayor and aldermen of the city of Boston may designate, a portion of land, not exceed- ing in the whole four acres, free of expense to the city, for the purpose of pro- viding proper sites for engine-houses, school-houses, burial-grounds, and for other public purposes; provided, that no lots, except the lots for burial-grounds, shall contain more than ten thousand feet, without the consent of this corpora- tion ; and provided further, that said mayor and aldermen shall designate the land so to be taken within six weeks from the passing of this act."


455


VISIT OF CITY OFFICIALS.


1833.]


ยท already had a summer mildness. One of the gentlemen re- marked, as they were looking at the prospect, and talking of the Island and its future destiny, " Here is where we are to have our principal street." His honor the mayor was at that moment quietly enjoying his cigar, and peacefully digesting his dinner under the influence of the invigorating air and the narcotic weed, when one of the aldermen, tapping him on the shoulder, said, " It is against the law to smoke in the streets of the city of Boston." The mayor, loth to give up his cigar, and at the same time determined to obey the law, observed, " Really, sir, if you will show me where the streets are, I will step out of them and finish my cigar." The reply was, " Come over in a few days, and we will show you the boundaries of the streets and squares." They returned to the city in the miniature pad- dle-boat " Experiment," a boat of four-man power, and capable of carrying twelve or fifteen persons, which Gen. Sumner had purchased at Newport a few months previous and placed it at the foot of Long wharf, for the purpose of transporting the pro- prietors and other persons to and from the Island. The boat was a novelty in Boston harbor, and attracted much notice from its original mode of propulsion ; and to persons inquiring about the strange craft, the answer was, "that is the Noddle's Island boat." It paddled its course well until it was superseded by the steamboat " Tom Thumb."


Previous to the passing of the act of incorporation, there had been some mutual overtures for uniting the then rival interests of the purchasers of the Winnisimet lands and ferry and the proprietors of Noddle's Island. It- was thought that such an union would be for the benefit of the parties, saving the expense of two distinct organizations, of two ferries, etc., and give increased vigor and strength to the plans. J. W. Gerard, Esq., of New York, so far as his interest went, declined uniting with the Winnisimet Company.1 On the 30th of May, a letter was received from Mr. W. H. Gardner, on the part of the proprie- tors of the Winnisimet Company, which was considered as notifying the intention of the proprietors to decline the execu- tion of the contract made with the company on the 20th of


1 See his letter on page 445.


456


HISTORY.


[1833.


March. From other papers, it appears that the negotiations between the two companies had reached the point of an agree- ment through their respective committees, but were broken off chiefly from a difference of opinion as to the appointment of commissioners for the appraisal of the property of the two companies, with the view of uniting them under the same management. The Winnisimet Company appeared the most willing to adhere to the terms of the agreement, and delayed applying for a distinct charter until the East Boston Company raised objections. The companies from that time went on sep- arately.1


Scarcely a month had elapsed since the formation of the company, when arrangements were made preliminary to the first sale of land on the Island. A primary object to be attained in this sale was to secure purchasers whose position in com- munity would give character to the enterprise, and who would erect such buildings as would induce others to settle at East Boston. Consequently, Camp hill, then the most desirable location, was selected, having a beautiful prospect overlook- ing the city, the harbor, and the adjacent country; and the following paper was drawn up and signed : -


" The subscribers being desirous of forming an association for the purchase of certain lots of land situated in the city of Boston, on the heights of Noddle's Island, to be called Bel- mont, and numbered from one to fifty-eight on a plan which is hereto annexed, for the purpose of laying out and embellishing the same, and erecting pleasant summer residences thereon, the following rules have been adopted in furtherance of their views, namely, -


" The said lots shall be purchased of the East Boston Com- pany at the rate of ten cents per superficial square foot.


" The right of choice of said lots shall be sold at auction among the subscribers, the highest bidder to have the first choice, and so on.


1 The Winnisimet Company was incorporated on the 27th of March, 1833, two days after the East Boston Company ; capital, $500,000. F. B. Fay, T. H. Perkins, W. H. Gardner, and W. A. Gragg, petitioners.


457


FIRST SALE OF LOTS.


1833.]


" The amount received for the choice of lots, over and above ten cents per foot, shall be divided among the subscribers in proportion to the number of feet of land by them respectively taken.


" Such of the subscribers as shall not purchase a right of choice shall make their selection from the remaining lots, in such manner as a majority may agree.


" The sale and choice of said lots shall take place on the fifteenth day of May next, or as soon thereafter as the superin- tendent shall direct.


" The hour and place of said sale shall be appointed by the superintendent of the East Boston Company, and the whole business shall be under his care.


" Now, therefore, we the subscribers, in consideration of five dollars to each of us paid by the East Boston Company, a cor- poration established by law, the receipt of which we hereby acknowledge, do each for himself, and not the one for the other or others of us, hereby promise and agree to and with the said East Boston Company in manner following, that is to say :


" That we will severally pay, in the manner and on the terms and conditions hereinafter mentioned, the amount of considera- tion, whenever the same shall have been ascertained and deter- mined, for the land hereto subscribed for by us respectively, and at the aforesaid rate of ten cents for each and every square foot thereof; and that we will pay for the same agreeably to the following terms of sale, to wit :


" Twenty per centum in cash on the delivery of the decd ;


" Fifteen per centum in one year, with interest ;


" Fifteen per centum in two years, with interest annually ;


" The balance in ten years, with interest annually ; the whole to be secured by note and mortgage. Or if a purchaser shall, within twenty days after the sale of the lots as aforesaid, give a bond to the company to erect a dwelling-house within two years, the balance due at the time of the completion of the house may remain on interest for a further time, if required, not exceeding ten years from the sale.


" Purchasers in every case to have the right of paying the whole amount in cash on delivery of the deed.


" The streets on the hill, as described on the plan, to be laid.


39


458


HISTORY.


[1833.


out and graded at the expense of the corporation during the present season.


" The hill in no part to be reduced in height more than six feet from its present elevation, and the grading of it, and of the streets, to be under the direction of S. P. Fuller, city surveyor.


" No factory or mechanical trade to be carried on within the limits of the lots now offered, unless it shall be within fifty feet of the lower street on the south side of the hill.


Francis J. Oliver 2 lots.


B. T. Reed 1 lot.


Stephen White


3


Grenville T. Winthrop


1


Daniel Webster


1 lot.


John Brown . 1 44 .


James W. Paige


1


Robert G. Shaw


1


Samuel S. Lewis


1


66


Levi R. Lincoln .


1


66


Amos Binney 1


66


Joseph Ripley


1


Edwin Adams .


1 66


Benjamin Lamson


.


1


66


Daniel D. Brodhead . 1


Seth E. Benson .


1


Ammi C. Lombard .


1


C. E. Bowers .


1


William H. Sumner


1


66


George Darracott 1


Benjamin Welles, by Wil- ) liam H. Sumner 1


1


66


Samuel A. Allen 1


66


J. C. Tebbets


1


66


John Henshaw


1


.


Jos. Marriner


1


66


Gardiner Greenleaf


1


66


Total 30 lots.


Our national birthday, the 4th of July, was appropriately celebrated at East Boston this year by the Washington So- ciety, a political organization. They were carried over from the city and taken back at night in the steamer Connecticut, Capt. Porter, and under the extended shade of the willow trees on the hill north-west of Maverick square, the company, num- bering five hundred persons, sat down to a public dinner. The day passed off pleasantly ; the excellent dinner, the appropriate. speeches and sentiments, and the content and enjoyment of all, made the ceremonies agreeable, and the celebration - the first public one upon the Island - was a happy inauguration of all which have followed.


The work of " filling up" or "making land," which has increased the area of the city so much, was early commenced at East Boston. This was rendered necessary from the char- acter of much of the land, which otherwise would prevent the




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