History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 106

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 106

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1851. On March 18th and April 15th the tide, during violent storms, swept entirely over Long Beach, the storm of the 15th of April being that during which Minot's Ledge light-house was carried away. It was so severe as to force the salt water from the sea to the Common, the wind, no doubt, driving the water up the little brook that ran across the Common in such quantities as to overflow and form a sheet that was quite salt. Hiram Marble commenced the excavation of Dungeon Rock, in search of treasure, in the summer of this year.

1852. Swampscott set off from Lynn, and incor- porated as a separate town. Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian exile, was warmly received, May 6th ; greeted by some ten thousand persons assembled on the Common, and escorted through the streets by a long procession to Lyceum Hall, where an enthusias- tic reception took place.

1853. Nahant set off from Lynn, and incorporated as a separate town. Illuminating gas first lighted here, January 13th. Cars commenced running over Saugus Branch Railroad, February 1st.

1854. City Bank incorporated; reorganized as National City Bank, 1865.

1855. City charter so amended as to have the mu- nicipal year commence on the first Monday of Jan- uary, instead of the first Monday of April. Five Cents Savings Bank incorporated.

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1856. Two bald eagles appear on the ice in Lynn harbor, January 17th. Ezra R. Tebbets, of Lynn, killed by a snow-slide from a building in Bromfield Street, Boston, February 12th. Egg Rock light first shown, September 15th.

1857. Great snow-storm, with intense cold, January 18th, during which the bark " Tedesco " was wrecked on Long Rock, Swampscott, all on board, twelve in number, perishing. Goold Brown, a famous gram- marian and author, died at his residence, South Commou Street, March 31st, aged sixty-five. He was a native of Providence, R. I., and long tanght a sem- inary in New York, but spent his later years in Lynn.

1858. Telegraph communication between Lynn and other places established. Impromptu Atlantic cable celebration in Lynn, August 17th, on the arrival of Queen Victoria's message-the first ever sent over an Atlantic cable-to President Buchanan. St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery consecrated, November 4th.

1859. British bark " Vernon," from Messina, driven ashore on Long Beach, February 2d ; crew saved by life-boat. Isaiah Breed, active as a shoe manufac- turer for nearly fifty years, and a State Senator, died May 23d, aged seventy-two. Roman Catholic Church (St. Mary's), Ash Street, burned, May 28th. George Hood, the first mayor of Lynn, died June 29th, aged fifty-two. Brilliant display of northern lights, the whole heavens being covered, August 28th. Union Street Methodist meeting-house destroyed by fire, November 20th. Church bells tolled at sunrise, noon and sunset, December 2d, in observance of the execu- tion of John Brown at Charlestown, Va.

1860. Harbor so frozen in January that persons walked across to Bass Point. Shoemakers' great strike commenced in February. Prince of Wales passed through Lynn, October 20th, hardly stopping to receive official greetings. First horse railroad cars in Lynn commenced running, November 29th. The luck of a dory fisherman is well illustrated by the ex- perience of Zachariah Phillips, of Lynn, during four days in the latter part of November ; his first day's catch sold for twenty-five cents; that of one other day for twenty-one dollars; and, taking the four days to- gether, he realized $46.50, the fish being chiefly cod, and selling for three cents a pound. Market Street first lighted by gas, December 7th.

1861. Alonzo Lewis, historian and poet, died Jan- uary 21st, aged sixty-six. Lynn Light Infantry and Lynn City Guards, two full companies, start for the seat of the Southern Rebellion, April 16th, in five hours after the arrival of President Lincoln's call for troops. A splendid comet suddenly became visible, July 2d, the tail having enveloped the earth three days before, producing no disturbance and only a slight apparently auroral light.

1862. Lynn Free Public Library opened. Soldiers' burial lot in Pine Grove Cemetery laid out. Nathan Breed, Jr., murdered in his store, Summer Street, December 23d.

1863. Daniel C. Baker, third mayor of Lynn, died July 19th, aged forty-six.

1864. Rev. Parsons Cooke, for twenty-eight years minister of the First Church, died February 12th, aged sixty-three. The thermometer rose to one hun- dred and four degrees in shady places, June 25th, indicating the warmest day here of which there had been any record. Free delivery of post-office matter begins. Great drought and extensive fires in the woods during the summer. First steam fire-engine owned by the city arrives, August 11th. Town- House burned, October 6th. Schooner "Lion," from Rockland, Me., wrecked on Long Beach, December 10th, and all on board, six in number, perish; their cries were heard above the roaring of the wind and sea, but succor could not reach them.

1865. News of the fall of Richmond received, April 3d; great rejoicing, church-bells rung, build- ings illuminated, bonfires kindled. The surrender of ·General Lee was celebrated, April 10th. News of the assassination of President Lincoln received, April 15th ; mourning insignia displayed in public build- ings and churches. Corner-stone of City Hall laid, November 28th.

1866. Dr. Abraham Gould, a skillful physician of extensive practice, died, February 27th, aged fifty- eight. General Sherman passed through Lynn, July 16th, and was cordially greeted by a crowd in Central Square. A meteoric stone fell in Ocean Street, in September.

1867. Thomas Bowler, for sixteen years town clerk, died, July 22d, aged eighty-one. The present City Hall dedicated with much ceremony, November 30th.

1868. Memorial Day-called also Decoration Day -observed, May 30th, being the day for decorating the soldiers' graves with flowers ; in 1881 the day was made a legal holiday. Hiram Marble, excavator of Dungeon Rock, died, November 10th, aged sixty-five, having pursued his ardnons and fruitless labors about seventeen years. His son, Edwin, succeeded him in the work, and died at the Rock January 16, 1880, aged forty-eight, without having reached the sup- posed deposits of gold and jewels. Destructive fire in Market Street, December 25th, Lyceum Building, Frazier's and Bnbier's brick blocks being destroyed, the whole loss reaching about three hundred thou- sand dollars.

1869. Mary J. Hood, a colored woman, died, Jan- uary 8th, aged one hundred and four years and seven months. Another destructive fire, on the night of Jannary 25th, commencing in the brick shoe manu- factory of Edwin H. Johnson, in Monroe Street, de- stroyed property to the amount of some one hundred and seventy thousand dollars. Sidney B. Pratt, who left, by will, ten thousand dollars for the benefit of the Free Public Library, died, January 29th, aged fifty-four. On the evening of April 15th there was a magnificent display of beautifully-tinted aurora-

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borealis. Benjamin H. Jacobs, undertaker at the old burying-ground for thirty years, died, June 16th, aged seventy-six. Jeremiah C. Stickney, for forty years in successful practice here as a lawyer, and the first city solicitor, died, August 3d, aged sixty-four. Severe gale, on Wednesday afternoon, September 8th, destroying several small buildings and uprooting more than four hundred shade-trees about the city. The old Turnpike from Boston to Salem became a public highway this year, the portion lying in Lynn being now known as Western Avenue.

1870. Young Men's Christian Association incorpo- rated, March 31st. Land near Central Square sold at five dollars per square foot, the highest rate known in Lynn up to this time. Operations for public water supply begun.

1871. Rev. Joseph Cook, at the time minister of the First Church, gave a series of Sunday evening lectures in Music Hall, early this year, creating con- siderable excitement by his rather sensational denun- ciations. William Bassett, the first city clerk, died, June 21st, aged sixty-eight. Terrible railroad disas- ter at Revere, August 26th, eleven Lynn persous be- ing killed ; whole number of lives lost, thirty-three ; number of wounded, sixty. Electric fire-alarm es- tablished. William Vennar, alias Brown, murders Mrs. Jones, is pursued, and in his further desperate attempts is shot dead, December 16th.

1872. City Hall bell raised to its position in the tower, March 2d. Meeting of the City Council com- memorative of the recent death of Professor Morse, inventor of the electric telegraph, April 16th. Dr. James M. Nye, a reputable physician and scientist, died, April 21st, aged fifty-three. S. O. Breed's box- factory, at the south end of Commercial Street, struck by lightning and consumed, August 13th, this sum- mer being remarkable for the frequency and severity of its thunder-storms. Brick house of worship of First Church, South Common Street, corner of Vine, dedicated, August 29th. Ingalls and Cobbet school- houses dedicated. Odd-Fellows' Hall, Market Street, dedicated, October 7th. Brick and iron station of Eastern Railroad, Central Square, built. Singular disease, called epizootic, prevailed among horses dur- ing the latter part of autumn. Wheel carriages al- most ceased to run, excepting as drawn by oxen, dogs or goats, and sometimes by men and boys. The disease, though disabling and evidently painful, was not often fatal. Much speculation in real estate dur- ing the year ; prices high and business active. Pine Hill Public Water Reservoir built.

1873. Pumping-engine at Public Water-Works, Walnut Street, first put in operation, January 14th. English sparrows make their appearance in Lyun, no douht the progeny of those imported into Boston; but they were soon declared a nuisance. Willian S. Boyce, president of the First National Bank, died, August 27th, aged sixty-three. Soldiers' Monument,

City Hall Square, dedicated, September 17th. Birch Pond formed.

1874. Lynn "Home for Aged Women " incorpo- rated, Feb. Gtlı. Grand celebration in Lynn of St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, by the Irish organizations of Essex County. Benjamin Mudge, captain of the old Lynn Artillery, postmaster, and a political writer of spirit, died, March 21st, aged eighty-seven.

1875. Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad opened for travel, July 22d. Great depression in bus- iness affairs this year succeeded the late unhealthy kind of prosperity. Some tradesmen failed, and real estate fell greatly in price. On the 2d of November a blackfish ten feet iu length and weighing three hundred and fifty pounds was stranded on Long Beach, probably having pursued his retreating supper the night before farther than was safe. An unusual number of tramps-that is, homeless wanderers from place to place-appeared in Lynn and received tem- porary relief.

1876. A fire occurred on Market Street, July 26th, destroying property to the amount of some ten thou- sand dollars, the principal losers being R. A. Spalding & Co., Mrs. Lancy and W. J. Bowers. The destructive Colorado beetle, or potato bug, first appeared in Lynn this year. The Centennial year of the Republic was appropriately observed in Lynn, July 4th, and the Centennial Memorial, giving an account of the pro- ceedings, was published by order of the City Council. Benjamin F. Doak, who by will bequeathed ten thou- sand dollars for the benefit of the poor of the city, and which bequest has since been known as the Doak fund, died, Nov. 8th, aged fifty. Jacob Batchelder, first teacher of the High School and first librarian of the Public Library, died, Dec. 17th, aged seventy.

1877. Charles Merritt, for some forty years deputy sheriff, died, March 13th, aged seventy-two. Sweetser's four-story brick building, Central Avenue, with an adjacent building, burned, April 7th. Loss, about one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars. In September there was an extraordinary phosphorescent glow along the shores.

1878. Successful balloon ascension from City Hall Square, July 4th-Alderman Aza A. Breed, City Mar- shall Charles C. Fry and Charles F. Smith journal- ist, accompanying the æronaut. Dennis Kearney, radical agitator and California " sand lot orator," ad- dresses a large crowd on the Common on the evening of Aug. 12th. Ezra Warren Mudge, the sixth mayor of Lynn, died, Sept. 20th, aged sixty-six. Tbe tem- perature in Lynn and vicinity at midnight, Dec. 2d, was higher than in any other part of the United States,-six degrees higher than in New Orleans, La .; seven higher than in Savannah, Ga .; nine higher than in Charleston, S. C .; and ten higher than in Jacksonville, Fla. Gold was held at par Dec. 17th, for the first time in sixteen years ; that is, one huu- dred dollars in gold were worth just one hundred in greenback government notes. The extreme of

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variation was on July 11, 1864, at which time one hundred dollars in gold were worth two hundred and eighty-five dollars in the notes.

1879. The brick house of worship of the First Methodist Society, City Hall Square, was dedicated Feb. 27th. The newly-invented telephone now comes into use in Lynn. The two hundred and fiftieth an- niversary of the settlement of Lynn celebrated, June 17th. John A. Jackson, designer of the Soldiers' Monument, died, in Florence, Italy, in August, aged fifty-four. St. Joseph's Cemetery (Catholic) conse- crated, Oct. 16th. Extraordinary occurrence of a perfectly clear sky all over the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Nov. 4th, as reported by . the United States Signal Corps. Benjamin Franklin Mudge, the second mayor of Lynn, died, in Manhat- tan, Kansas, Nov. 21st, aged sixty-two.

1880. Tubular wells, Boston Street, sunk by order of the city government to gain an additional water supply ; first pumping from them, Sept. 4th. The notorious " Morey Letter " appeared in the autumn, creating much sensation throughout the country. This letter made its appearance in a prominent news- paper of New York City, and purported to have been written by General Garfield, the Republican candi- date for President of the United States, and addressed to "Henry L. Morey," of the "Employers' Union," of Lynn. It was in the interest of cheap labor and in favor of Chinese immigration. It created a great sen- sation among the politicians, especially upon the Pa- cific coast, in which quarter extreme indignation was manifested. But the letter was soon proved to be a base forgery, concocted to damage the prospects of General Garfield, and it would, no doubt, have had a serious effect had not timely evidence of the fraud been discovered. It was satisfactorily shown that no such person as Henry L. Morey and no such associa- tion as the Employers' Union existed in Lynn. A beautiful mirage appeared in the bay Nov. 22d.

1881. Young Men's Christian Association Building, Market Street, dedicated January 17th. Dr. Daniel Perley, a much-esteemed physician, died January 31st, aged seventy-seven years. Government weather sig- nals on High Rock first shown February 23d, National Security Bank of Lynn organized. Lynn Hospital incorporated. Andrews Breed, the fifth mayor of Lynn, died April 21st, aged eighty-six. The "yellow day," so-called, occurred September 6th, the land- scape assuming a yellow tinge for some hours in the afternoon, and the weird darkness being such that lights were required in houses. President Garfield's death announced by the tolling of church-bells at midnight, September 19th. He was shot by C. J.Gnit- eau, July 2d. Memorial services were held September 26th. Hon. Enoch Redington Mudge, donor of Si. Stephen's Memorial Church, died October 1st. St. Stephen's Memorial Church consecrated November 2d. Thomas Page Richardson, fonrth mayor of Lynn, died November 24th, aged sixty-five.

1882. On the night of February 15th a building on Monroe Street, owned by Charles G. Clark, together with one or two others, partially burned; loss, about twenty thousand dollars. The Grand Army Coliseum, on Summer Street, dedicated March 15th. On the morning of March 15th, just before the time for work- men to assemble, a terrific steam-boiler explosion took place in the rear of the Goodwin last-factory, in Spring Street. The engineer was killed and several others badly wounded. One or two adjacent build- ings were much damaged, and a piece of the boiler, weighing about fifteen hundred pounds, was thrown two hundred feet up into the air, and fell in Newhall Street, seven hundred feet di-tant. A fire occurred on the morning of April 22d at Houghton, Godfrey & Dean's paper warehouse, Central Avenue, destroying property to the amount of three thousand dollars. Electric lights made their appearance here in the spring. Barnum's "greatest show on earth " visited Lynn July 22d. Some half a score of elephants ap- peared in the street parade. The giant elephant Jumbo and the nursing baby elephant were both members of the caravan. Some twenty-five thousand persons attended the exhibition, and the amount of money received for admission reached nearly eleven thousand dollars. The show consisted of a large col- lection of animals, equestrian, acrobatic and other circus and semi-dramatic performances. It was, no doubt, the grandest and most costly show ever in Lynn. An explosion of a part of the underground equipment of the Citizens' Steam-Heating Company, at the corner of Washington and Monroe Streets, took place July 27th, injuring the street somewhat and throwing up stones and gravel to the danger and fright of persons in the vicinity. And subsequently other explosions took place, inducing an appeal to the city authorities for protection. An extraordinary drought prevailed during the latter part of the sum- mer. Most of the crops about Lynn were absolutely ruined, the unripe fruit dropped from the trees, and much of the shrubbery and many of the trees had the appearance of having been exposed to fire-blasts. Yet the springs and wells did not indicate any very marked deficiency of moisture somewhat below the surface. We had an uncommonly long succession of very warm days, with westerly winds and clear skies. And the peculiar effect on vegetation was, no doubt, at- tributable rather to the burning sun than the lack of moisture. The spring was backward by full two weeks, and the weather was, on the whole, anomalous, most of the year. Railroad competition ran so high that in October the fare between Lynn and Boston was, for a time, but five cents. The morning sky for several weeks in October and November, was adorned with a splendid comet, which rose in the southeast two or three hours before the sun.

1883. Sweetser's building, corner of Central Avenue and Oxford St., burned January 26th ; loss, eighty-one thousand dollars. There were a large number of de-

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structive fires in the woods during the dry months, all along from Floating Bridge to Breed's Pond. Electric Light Works established in Lynn.

1884. A high tide swept over the beach road to Nahant, January 9th. Steamer "City of Columbus " lost near Gay Head, January 18th, three Lynn persons perishing. John B. Tolman, April 22d, gave to the Young Men's Christian Association an estate on Market Street, valued at thirty thousand dollars, in trust, the income to be devoted to the suppression of the sale of intoxicating liquors. The new organiza- tion of religious enthusiasts, known as the Salvation Army, appeared in our streets, June 4th, marching abont with their tambourines and other musical instru- ments. Lightning struck in Chatham Street, June 5th, killing a lad twelve years of age and somewhat injuring his two boy companions. Horse railroad ex- tension to Marblehead opened for travel June 25th. Inebriates' Home, New Ocean Street, established Oc- tober 27th. A building of Quincy A. Towns, on Beech Street, used for extracting grease and oil from leather, by naphtha, destroyed by fire November 26th ; loss twenty-five hundred dollars.

1885. Lyman F. Chase died January 3d, aged forty-three years, leaving, among other liberal be- quests, to Lynn Hospital, $5000, and to Lynn Public Library 85000. Lynn National Bank organized. A fire occurred in Henry A. Pevear's building, Wash- ington Street, January 11th, destroying property to the amount of thirty-three hundred dollars. Lucian New- hall's building, Central Avenne, burned ; loss, fifty-six thousand six hundred dollars. Lynn Associated Charities organized March 19th. Trinity Church (Methodist), near Tower Hill, dedicated June 4th. Church of the Incarnation (Episcopal) formally or- ganized June 9th. St. Joseph's Church (Roman Catholic) consecrated June 21st. Church-bells tolled July 23d, in observance of the death of ex-President Grant. The City Council held a special meeting and passed resolutions of respect, and on the 8th of Angust commemorative services were held in the Coliseum, business being generally suspended. The large brick building owned by Lucius Beebe, and occupied as a glove-kid and morocco manufactory, corner of Western Avenue and Federal Street, destroyed by fire Septem- ber 3d, the loss being seventy-five thousand five hun- dred dollars. A heavy thunder-shower, October 3d, flooded several business places on Monroe Street and vicinity and delayed railroad trains.

1886. On Easter day, April 25th, Saint Stephen's chimes raug for the first time. Terrific earthquake at Charleston, S. C., August 31st ; much suffering was occasioned, and contributions for relief were sent from all quarters; Lynn contributed $2060, and Saint Stephen's Church sent a separate sum of $77 towards repairing the shattered tower of the ven . erable Saint Michael's. President Arthur died No- vember 18th, and on the day of his burial, November 221, marks of respect were shown by closing the pub-

lic offices, tolling bells, raising flags at half-mast and the performance of a dirge by Saint Stephen's chimes. Society of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) formed. French Catholic Church organized.

1887. February 25th, President Cleveland sent to the United States Senate a message vetoing the bill, passed by Congress, appropriating $100,000 for the erection of a post-office building in Lynn. Some in- dignation was expressed, but business men generally were disposed to view the President's reasoning with candor, and the unlucky slip with resignation.

Henry A. Breed, a well-known citizen, died April 15th, aged eighty-six years and eleven months. He was a native of Lynn, and commenced an active busi- ness life abont 1819, did a great deal in the building line and was zealous in forwarding improvements of almost every kind, endeavoring, in some notable in- stances, to introduce new industries here. Being of a sanguine and somewhat credulous turn, and withal attracted by projects of a speculative character, he had serious ups and downs during his whole business career, always, however, maintaining a most respec- table position, by his genial manners, his readiness to aid the unfortunate and other excellent qualities. His business prostrations were undoubtedly some- times attributable to over-confidence in his own ability to "read " the characters of those with whom he dealt ; but more often to the shrewder reading, on the other side, of those not half so honest as he. He was one of the founders of the Unitarian Society, and his connection was not severed till the hand of death interposed. For many years he was a member of Mount Carmel Lodge of Free Masons, and was like- wise an accredited member of the fraternity of Odd Fellows.

On Wednesday, June 1st, was opened, under the auspices of the Grand Army, Post 5, at the Coliseum in Summer Street, a novel and interesting exhibition of the powers of electricity, especially as applied to industrial mechanism. The Governor of the State was present at the opening and many other prominent persons. The exhibition continued a month, and gave much satisfaction to the large numbers who attended. James N. Buffum, twelfth Mayor of Lynn, aged eighty, died June 12th. On Saturday, June 18th, Robert E. Lee Camp 1, Confederate Veterans, of Richmond, Va., visited Lynn by invitation of General Lander En- campment, Post 5, of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic. The visiting party had been spending a day or two in Boston, and numbered nearly two hundred, thirty of whom were ladies. About seventy-five of the Veterans, with some ten of the ladies, arrived in Lynn early in the day, and were cordially received by the Lynn Post, which had some five hundred men in line. The weather was pleasant and the day a notable one, business being universally suspended, and the streets thronged with all classes of people. There was a grand procession, with military companies and bands of music. The city authorities took part in the

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proceedings, and there was a banquet on the Common. Early in July a delegation of Post 5, numbering oue hundred and sixty, made a return visit to the Confed- erate soldiers, and in Richmond and other places re- ceived enthusiastic greetings, with many tokens of restored brotherhood. Edward S. Davis, eighth Mayor of Lynn, died August 7, aged seventy-nine. On the 11th of September a fire occurred in the stable of J. B. & W. A. Lamper, foot of Pleasant Street, in which nineteen liorses perished. Dr. John A. McArthur, much esteemed as a man and physician, died Septem- ber 28, aged fifty-seven.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 106

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