History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 100

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 100

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For about fifteen years Mr. Marble continued his herculean labors at Dungeon Rock, in bodily weak- ness much of the time, but buoyed up by the strong hope and, as he believed, supernatural assurance that his labor would not be in vain. But it was in vain, and he died there, worn out and diseased, on the 10th of November, 1868, aged sixty-five years. He re- mained a spiritualist to the last, and the mediums of the vicinity were invited to be present at the funeral services, which were held at the Rock on the forenoon of Wednesday, November 11th. He was a native of Charlton, in Worcester County, and thither his re- mains were taken for burial.

Edwin Marble, who at the time of his father's death had attained the age of thirty-six years, and had continued to participate in the ardnous toil of excavation, now succeeded to the direction of the work, subject, of course, as he declared, to the en- I gineering of the spirits. His health, however, had

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already become undermined, and he was soon obliged to suspend active operations. He died on the 16th of January, 1880, aged forty-eight, and was buried near the foot of the rock, on the southwestern slope, it having been his expressed desire to be interred near the scene of his hopeful, though fruitless, lahors. A considerable number of friends, perhaps fifty, most of them of the spiritualistic faith, were present at the burial service, which was simple and affecting; and held there, in the deep forest, amid the winter scenery, was peculiarly touching. The hymn "In the Sweet By and By " was sung at the close. He was a man of good character and good disposition, and a firm believer in spiritual manifestations.

Thus died these two worthy men-father and son- their deaths no doubt hastened, if not occasioned, by their operations iu the dark, damp cavern their own hands had formed in the bowels of the mysterious Dungeon Rock, that unwholesome work-place, through the ragged seams of which the water dripped, and where the stifled air reverberated with sounds that might well be taken for supernatural indications. Their labors were in vain. No treasure was reached ; but it need not be coucluded that they suffered pangs of disappointment, for, cheered on day by day, as they believed, by guiding and unerring spirits, they were hopeful to the last.

After this brief notice of the Messrs. Marble, it would seem almost necessary to add something re- garding the supposed deposit of treasure which had induced them, as well as others before them, to waste labor, strength and means at Dungeon Rock. The floating and incoherent traditions on the subject were gathered up by Mr. Lewis and published in the first edition of his history. And, perhaps, it would be most satisfactory to give his account in its original shape :

iron manufacture were made and deposited, with secrecy, in a certain place in the woods, which was particularly designated, an amount of silver, to their full valne, would be found in their place. The arti- cles were made in a few days, and placed in conform- ity with the directions. On the next morning they were gone, and the money was found according to the promise ; but though a watch had been kept, no vessel was seen. Some months afterwards the four men returned, aud selected one of the most se- cluded and romantic spots in the woods of Saugus for their abode. The place of their retreat was a deep, narrow valley, shut in on two sides by high hills and craggy, precipitous rocks, and shrouded on the others by thick pines, hemlocks aud cedars, between which there was only one small spot to which the rays of the sun, at noon, could penetrate. On climbing up the rude and almost perpendicular steps of the rock on the eastern side, the eye could command a full view of the bay on the south, and a prospect of a considerable portion of the surrounding country. The place of their retreat has ever since been called the Pirates' Glen, and they could not have selected a spot on the coast, for many miles, more favorable for the purposes both of concealment and observation. Even at this day, when the neighborhood has become thickly peopled, it is still a lonely and desolate place, and probably not one in a hundred of the inhabitants has ever descended into its silent and gloomy recess. There the pirates built a small hut, made a garden, and dug a well, the appearance of which is still visi- ble. It has been supposed that they buried money ; but though people have dug there, and in several other places, none has ever been found. After resid- ing there some time, their retreat became known, and one of the king's cruisers appeared on the coast. They were traced to the glen, and three of them were taken and carried to England, where it is probable they were executed. The other, whose name was Thomas Veal, escaped to a rock in the woods, about two miles to the north, in which was a spacious cavern, where the pirates had previously deposited some of their plunder. There the fugitive fixed his residence, and practiced the trade of a shoemaker, occasionally coming down to the village to obtain articles of sustenance. He continued his residence till the great earthquake this year, when the top of the rock was loosened, and crushed down into the mouth of the cavern, inclosing the unfortunate in- mate in its unyielding prison. It has ever since been called the Pirate's Dungeon."

" This year (1658) there was a great earthquake in New England, connected with which is the following story : Some time previous, on a pleasant evening, a little after sunset, a small vessel was seen to anchor near the mouth of Saugus River. A boat was pres- ently lowered from her side, into which four men descended, and moved up the river a considerable distance, when they landed, and proceeded directly into the woods. They had been noticed by only a few individuals ; but in those early times, when the people were surrounded by dangers, and susceptible of alarm, such an incident was well calculated to awaken suspicion, and in the course of the evening the intelligence was conveyed to many honses. In the morning, the people naturally directed their eyes Now, it was this Thomas Veal, who is alleged to have escaped from the Glen and concealed himself in the Dungeon Rock, or Pirate's Dungeon, as Mr. Lewis chooses to call it, who, together with a piratical com- panion, spiritually appeared to the Marbles, time after time, usually in jolly mood, and assured them of the rich spoils of gold and jewels still in their keep- towards the shore, in search of the strange vessel ; but she was gone, and no trace could be found either of her or her singular crew. It was afterward ascer- tained that, on that morning, one of the men at the Iron Works, on going into the foundry, discovered a paper, on which was written, that if a quantity of shackles, handcuffs, hatchets and other articles of | ing, and seemed very willing to surrender them

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whenever they could he reached by drills and gun- powder. And Veal, moreover, added some touching revelations concerning a Spanish princess and an- other bright maiden who had been held captive there, and were, with their grim warder, shut in forever by the awful earthquake. Is it, then, to be wondered at that the Marbles, firmly believing all this, and much more, should have pursued their exhausting labors with high hopes ? It is not necessary to go into a disquisition as to the authenticity of the traditions here recounted, or an examination of the supposed spiritual revelations. The intelligent reader will per- ceive the utter absurdity of some and the improb- ability of others. But yet it can hardly be said that there is no foundation in truth; and none of us would willingly have one of our long-cherished legends entirely fade away.

There is scarcely a place on the whole New Eng- land coast that has not traditions about buried treas- ures of gold and silver, and where unsuccessful at- tempts have not from time to time been made for their recovery.

It is undoubtedly true that the old buccaneers, who were desperadoes from every nation and kindred, did for years, about the close of the seventeenth century, pursue their nefarious trade of indiscriminate piracy. And, much to their discredit, the colonists were some- times charged with connivance at the traffic. Those sanguinary sea-rovers were accustomed to rendezvous in the West Indies, and thence fall upon the richly- laden Spanish galleons as they pursued their way homeward with the wealth of the mines of Mexico and Peru. But their depredations were not confined to these ; every other craft of value that they met fell a prey, excepting in the few cases of successful re- sistance. Then there were the noted pirates, Kidd and Bellamy, who were known to be more or less on the coast. And if all the accounts of the treasures they buried are true, they must have secreted enough to load half the British navy.

Whether there was any connection between the earlier sea-robbers and those who made famous the Glen and Pirate's Dungeon at Lynn, may not now be known, but damaging fancies will arise in suspicious minds.

The following lines from a weird old chant, recit- ing the ceremony at the burial of money by pirates, are very striking:

I saw them bury their golden store at the root of the pirate tree ;

Bold Blackboard cried, "Who 'll gnard this wealth ?" and O, 'twas merry to see

llow even the wretch who fears not hell, turns pale at the thought of death !

But one bold knave stood boldly out, and offered himself for scath-

" I'll watch it," quoth he, " for these forty years I've wandered o'er land and sen,

And I'm tired of doing the devil's work-so bury mne under the tree ;

And better I'll rest as I guard this wealth, than you, in the realms below,

Where the soul cannot hurst amid endless groans-where the pirate's soul must go,"

So they shot him dead with a charmed ball, and they laid a broad flat stono

Deep in the earth above the gold, and they stood the corpse thoreon. Now wo betide the daring fool who greketh that gold to win. Let mortals beware of the noble wretch who standeth that grave within.

There is enough of this old piratical literature to forni the basis of a countless number of dime novels, and Lynn would naturally be expected to have her share.

LYNN WRITERS .- It was a favorite idea of the author of this sketch to prepare extended notices of different Lynn writers, living and dead, who have from time to time, by their works, contributed to the edification or entertainment of their fellow-mortals, giving specimens of the productions. Among the multitude of writers who have lived and still live here, a score at least are deserving of most honorable mention; some having reveled in the delightsome fields of poetry, some in the more sombre walks of history, some in the elevating regions of science and some in the dreamy walks of romance. Such a task would be a delicate one, and in several respects diffi- cult ; for, to say nothing of incompetency on the part of the writer, it would be hard to determine what names should be selected from the long catalogue. It might appear invidious to choose only those who were natives ; and then, as to those who were not na- tives, puzzling doubts might arise as to where the line should be drawn. Lynn has been the tempor- ary abiding-place of quite a number of the greater lights of literature and science,-of Longfellow, the poet; of Prescott, the historian; of Agassiz, the scientist, for example. ] But would it not be ratber assuming to claim them as Lynn authors? Their reputation, however, being world-wide, may, per- haps, be said to belong as much to Lynn as any other place. Then there are others who, though natives, turned their backs upon their good mother in early life and afterwards became eminent as writers, but never manifested any love for their deserted parent. Are they deserving of specially honorable mention ? Brief notices of a number of our writers, however, are given elsewhere, and need not be repeated here. Poets and philosophers may not be the most useful citizens in the worldling's estimation, but the lights they shed illumine many a dark passage and cheer many a dismal hour in the tramp of life. Our rever- ence for departed worth, it is hoped, will not be measured by the length of notice ; for sometimes the better one is known, the less need there is for extend- ed details. And in no case is it our desire to pose as critic.

WILLIAM WOOD, one of the earliest who settled within our borders, should be first named, for as early as 1634, in his " New England's Prospect," he outlined her physical features and drew terse word-pictures of some of her pleasant and impressive localities. But as he is several times brought into view in other parts of this sketch, nothing further is demanded here.

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Most of the old parish ministers, from Rev. Mr. Whiting, who commenced his labors here in 1636, down to Rev. Parsous Cooke, the last, whose ministry here ended by his death, were learned men and skilled in the use of the pen. Their published writings were chiefly on theological topics, and often tinctured by the acrimony of the times. Their discourses on special occasions were sometimes published, and the few copies preserved in the antiquarian collections are even now sought for with avidity, as developing the peculiar religions views and tendencies of the times, as much as for the genius and learning they display. Since Mr. Cooke's day the controversial hatchet has not beeu fiercely wielded by any of the settled pas- tors. Indeed, the differing sentiments of most Chris- tiau bodies seem to have become more and more as- similated. But it is hoped that the apparent drawing together is to be attributed to the awakening of true Christian love, rather than to indifference as to any religion. But in the company of the clerical worthies we may not long linger. Their fame is not local.

REV. ENOCH MUDGE, 1776-1850 .- This good mau was a minister of the Methodist connection for a great number of years, having been licensed at the early age of seventeen. His poetical effusions were many, and appeared in various periodical publications. His longest production was "Lynn, a Poem." It was written in 1820, comprised some six hundred and fifty lines and was published in pamphlet form in 1826. In the opening lines the muse takes a view from High Rock, his eye ranging over the wonderful panorama of the suhlime and beautiful in nature, occasionally pausing in view of some interesting fabric, and all the way scattering didactic reflections and useful hints. It was about this time that the famous sea serpent was first seen in these waters. And in view of the fact that he has this year, 1887, again made this coast his sporting-place, and seemingly retains his early love for our hay, the following quotation will not be deemed inappropriate :

" Hard by the shore is seen, day after day, Surprising sight ! the Serpens Marinus ; A sight so wondrous strange upon our coasts, That multitudes collect to feast their eyes ; He with serpentine movements swiftly glides, Thongh hnge io bulk, and leaves his lengthened wake Far io the smooth greeo sea, then 'darts his head Aloft in air, and seems with careless ease To gaze around ; anon impetuous starts, Plunging his head, and ploughs the liquid way ; Saddeo he stops and rests when on the waves, As if to give the observer leave to conut The large protuberances upon his back, And mark with leisnre eye his wondrous frame. Each eye heholds the varying scene diverse ; Some see, or think they see, the serpent'e eyes, His mane and sleader deck, and whiten'd breast ; Some see his back all clad io rusty scales, His flippers, or his smooth and velvet skin ; His girth and length as varions they describe, From fifty to thrice fifty feet in length, From fifteen inches throngh to triple that. He is a moastrons something, all agree, But know not what-Sea-Serpent is the name

By which thie nondescript is known by 116.

The literati term him Halsydons,

By Ramus and Pontoppidam described,

And seen by many in the Greenland seas."

These lines are not given for the brilliancy of their poetic conception or felicity of expression, but they are fairly descriptive. Some of his shorter poems, however, were pronounced by intelligent critics worthy of a place among the selected specimens of our ac- knowledged poets.

Mr. Mudge was father of Hon. Enoch Redington Mudge, the generous donor of the beautiful St. Stephen's Memorial Church, erected in Lynn in 1881.

ISAAC NEWHALL, 1782-1858 .- Mr. Newhall was known in the literary world only by his letters on Junius, a series addressed to Hon. John Pickering, in which he endeavored to show that Earl Temple was the author of those celebrated papers. The letters were published in a duodecimo volume in 1831, and showed the anthor to be well versed in British poli- tics, with good knowledge of her history and litera- ture. The chief business of his life was that of a retail trader, at one time in Macon, Ga., and after- wards in Salem, Mass. But he spent the evening of his days in quiet and comfort at the old homestead on the eastern side of Mall Street, Lynn-the same house in which he was born on the 24th of August, 1782, and in which he died on the 6th of July, 1858.

ENOCH CURTIN, 1794-1842 .- Mr. Curtin, for some years, was a poetic and prose writer of much local re- pute and of real ability. But his education was lim- ited, and his ambition to shine as a literary light so small that his name has never become known to the extent it deserved to be, and might have been. His poetic efforts were chiefly confined to the production of odes and verses for special occasions, public cele- brations and so forth. And his prose articles were largely on local and every-day topics-political, sani- tary, gossiping. No collection of his writings ever appeared in book-form. His residence was in the easterly part of the town-Woodend, so called.

ALONZO LEWIS, 1794-1861 .- It must be conceded that Mr. Lewis stands at the head of the writers Lynn has thus far produced. He published volumes of poetry and local history, besides contributing, during many years, articles on almost every current topic, for the newspapers and other periodicals. A more extended notice of him appears elsewhere in these pages.

MARIA AUGUSTA FULLER, 1806-31 .- Miss Fuller was chiefly known by her poems, though her prose writings were by no means without merit. No col- lection of her effusions were ever presented to the public in book-form, or, we feel quite sure, her fame would have become far from local. Her father, Joseph Fuller, was the first president of the first bank in Lynn, and was our first State Senator. The house in

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which he resided is still standing, at the junction of Union and Broad Streets. Miss Fuller died at the early age of twenty-four years.

SOLOMON MOULTON, 1808-27. - Of this young man-for he died at the early age of nineteen years- a word should be said, for while we realize the utter futility of any attempt to rear upon the uncertain foundation of what " might have been " any ideal fame, it is yet natural to augur whither steps already taken may fairly lead. Young Moulton certainly made some poetic contributions to the newspapers that gave great promise for the future, besides con- taining in themselves passages of striking thought, touching pathos and felicitous expression. It will be remembered that it was from the columns of newspa- pers that our cherished poets-as Bryant, Willis, Longfellow and Whittier-first beamed. Mr. Lewis knew Moulton well, and often spoke highly of his poetic ability. He was born in the house on Boston Street, southeast corner of Monlton, but was adopted by an uncle and lived most of his days in Market Street. No collection of his writings was ever pub- lished; indeed, he never wrote enough to make a book of much size.

The writers of whom we have thus far spoken- Wood, Mudge, Newhall, Curtin, Lewis, Fuller, Moul- ton-have long since departed ; yet, though their tongues are mute and their pens have dropped, with them we may still commune through their works.

" They are silent ; silent forever! Cold, cold are their breasts of clay ! Oh ! from the rock on the hill, from the top of the windy steep, speak, ye ghosts of the dead !"

Among her living writers Lynn can boast of several who are worthy of far more extended notice than can be allowed in this connection. Brief rec- ognition, however, is better than entire silence. Fu- gitive pieces without number have appeared in the publications of the day, many of them worthy of be- ing preserved in durable form. And it is hoped that at some future time a discriminating gatherer may arise to rescue them from oblivion. . He may not re- ceive the deserved pecuniary reward, but his labor of love would be highly appreciated. In the present enumeration it seems highly proper that mention be first made of such as have, in one way and another, contributed to the elucidation of our history. Of these should be named :

RICHARD I. ATTWILL, who has contributed for the newspapers transcripts of interesting documents which he has here and there discovered, accompanied by apt explanations and annotations from his own pen.

GEORGE E. EMERY has furnished articles which, by his well-trained descriptive powers and lively sense of fitness, have done their share to quicken the taste for historic reading.

CLARENCE W. HOBBS, by his "Lynn and Sur- roundings," published at the close of 1886, has added a work of much interest. Its mechanical execution is attractive, and the matter worthy of its neat in-

vestment. It is well illustrated, and the name in- dicates its general character.

DAVID N. JOHNSON has donc work worthy of praise in his "Sketches of Lynn, or the Changes of Fifty Years," published in 1880. He has also writ- ten articles for the publications of the day, and hymns and odes for special occasions.

JOHN T. MOULTON has done a great deal of pen work, for which he will receive the thanks of future generations. Among other things, he has had all the inscriptions in the old burying-ground copied and printed in durable form, with an introduction. He is one of the most intelligent and accurate genealo- gists among us. The Moulton family has not been destitute of poetic representatives; and he, true to the family tendency, has produced some metrical pieces of animating sentiment and easy flow.

HOWARD MUDGE NEWHALL is yet a young man, but has already written numerous articles of real value on the business of Lynn, its history and present condition. His illustrated article in Harper's Maga- zine, January, 1885, entitled “ A Pair of Shoes," at- tracted marked attention. He has an eminently practical turn of mind, skill in the arrangement of topics, and clearness of expression.

It may not be overstepping the bounds of modesty for the writer of the sketch now in hand to mention that he has prepared for publication many pages per- taining to the history of Lynn, its sombreand authen - tic side, as well as its romantic and legendary.

EDWIN THOMPSON has, from time to time, con- tributed to the newspapers articles on local historical matters that have always been received with favor.

CYRUS M. TRACY has for many years been an ac- ceptable writer as a journalist, essayist and historiog- rapher. Nor has he neglected science and the muse. His historical sketches of several places in Es- sex County were published in the ponderous volume of C. F. Jewett & Co., in 1878. His "Studies of the Essex Flora" were published in 1858, in pamphlet . form. He delivered the poem at the dedication of the City Hall, November 30, 1867, and the oration at the celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anni- versary of the settlement of the town.

GARDINER TUFTS, in 1883, contributed a series of articles to the Lynn Transcript entitled "The Old Choirs of Lynn," which, in fact, embodied the musical history of the place for a long and interesting period. They were worthy of the high commendation they received. In the course of the series appeared bio- graphical notices, anecdotes and terse descriptive passages.

For a long series of years, too, our tuneful fellow- citizens, J. WARREN NEWHALL and JOSEPH W. NYE, have, as occasion prompted, celebrated in verse marked passages in our history, past and present. It is hard to say what Lynn, for almost a generation, would have done without their felicitous contributions for celebrations, dedications and similar occasions.

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As we proceed, still other names press upon the re- collection. And some of those who do not come within the categories named certainly deserve honor- able mention ; amoug them JAMES BERRY BENSEL, who very recently forever laid aside his pen. He was regarded hy competeut critics as a poetical writer of more than ordinary promise. And there seems rea- son to believe that had he lived he would have taken high rank as a poet.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 100

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538