USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 124
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For two years its popularity was very great.
Such numbers of young ladies flocked to the institu- tion that board accommodations could scarcely be found.
While the seminary was in a successful tide of prosperity, the old parish affairs, now rapidly on the wane, considerably revived.
Rev. Joseph Emerson was a very popular divine, and supplied the pulpit for the greater part of the time.
It unfortunately happened that the autumn of the second year was a very sickly season.
The typhoid fever prevailed in many towns, and among these was Saugus.
Several young ladies of the seminary died, causing many of the pupils to be withdrawn and deterring others from coming, so that the school never recov- ered from the effects of this unfortunate sickness.
Mr. Emerson's poor health obliged him to leave, and in the autumn of 1824 he was succeeded by Rev. Hervey Wilbur, who also supplied the parish pulpit.
But in spite of Mr. Wilbur's efforts to revive the seminary he was obliged to give it up in the autumn of 1826.
Public Schools .- Our town has always maintained good public schools. If they have not been fully up to the high standard of our neighboring cities, we have spent for them a much larger proportion of our valuation. I notice in the last State report that of the thirty-five towns and cities in Essex County, Saugus is the eighth in the percentage of valuation expended for schools.
The whole number of children in our town between five and fifteen years of age is five hundred and twenty-four, divided as follows :
Ward 1, North Saugus. 26
2, Centre Saugus . 175
3, Cliftondale. .167
4, East Sangus 128
5, Oaklandvale 28
Total . 524
There are thirteen schools ; the two at North Sau- gus and Oaklandvale are mixed schools, but those in the other wards are arranged into three and four grades.
In these schools there are five hundred and twenty pupils.
Our High School had its beginning in April, 1872. Since 1875 it has gathered in rooms fitted up for its use in the new Town Hall. It has a three years' course of study, including Latin and French.
Diplomas are given to gradnates.
There are now about forty-five pupils in this school.
It has had six principals since its commencement. Mrs. Frances H. Newhall served from 1872 to 1875 ; Mr. James B. Atwood a few months in 1875; Mr. F. W. Eveleth from October, 1875 to 1879. He was fol- lowed by Mr. Charles E. Lord for one year, then by Mr. C. H. Smart for two years, up to 1881.
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
The present principal, Mr. Wilbur F. Gillette, took charge in April, 1881.
CLIFTONDALE LIBRARY .- About two years ago a library association was formed in Cliftondale, and is now in a prosperous condition. It has about seven hundred volumes.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY .- This last spring (1887) a free public library was started by private subcrip- tions from all parts of the town.
The town has furnished and fitted up a room in the Town Hall for its use.
About thirteen hundred volumes have already been purchased and carefully catalogued.
It will be opened this autumn, and it is hoped that it will form a worthy nucleus of a large and perma- nent public library.
THE WILLIAM SUTTON LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS was instituted in 1866. Its lodge- room is now in East Saugus, in Mr. Sisson's building, on Franklin Square. It now has seventy-five mem- bers.
THE ABOUSETT DIVISION, NO. 10, SONS OF TEM- PERANCE, was organized in 1850. It now has forty members, and holds its meetings at the Town Hall every fortnight.
THE SUNSHINE LODGE, NO. 111, OF GOOD TEM- PLARS was organized in 1879. It has about sixty members, and meets at the Town Hall every week.
THE SAUGUS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY was incorporated February, 1852, and commenced business the following April.
Benjamin F. Newhall, Esq., was the originator of this company, and it was through his energy and re- gard for the public welfare that the company has had so prosperous a career. The community at that time was poorly provided with insurance, its cost being so great from the heavy assessments of companies lo- cated in other States particularly.
In forming this company Mr. Newhall determined to provide purely mutnal insurance, receiving no cash premium in advance, but only notes to be assessed sufficiently to pay the losses and expenses as they occur.
He was chosen its secretary and treasurer, and Ed- ward Pranker its president.
Its office was, and continues to be, in East San- gus.
On the resignation of Edward Pranker, in 1858, Hon. Harmon Hall was elected its second president and has continued to fill that office up to the present time.
Mr. Newhall being severely afflicted with rheuma- tism, was obliged to resign in the summer of 1861,
when his son, Wilbur F. Newhall, Esq., was chosen secretary and treasurer, which offices he now fills.
On April 1, 1853, the company had $812,500 of property insured. In 1863 it had $2,208,665. On April 1, 1887, it had $2,889,300.
It has paid out for losses during these thirty-five years $36,328.
By its prudent and conservative management it has not only provided insurance at a very small cost to its members, but at the same time has given them a strong and reliable company, which has earned for itself' the confidence of the public.
AGRICULTURAL .- As our farming interests are con- siderable, I will give a list of our farms, with a few additional items.
North Saugus .- Louis P. Hawkes, 33 acres of tillage, 17 acres pasture, 21 cows and 4 horses. He also has a large silo.
Samuel Hawkes, 13 acres of tillage and 10 acres of cranberry meadow.
Heirs of Richard Hawkes, 26 acres tillage and 9 cows.
These three farms form a portion of the original farm of Adam Hawkes, settled in 1634, and have cou- tinued down in an unbroken line from their ances- tors.
Byron S. Hone, 50 acres tillage, 114 acres pasture, 42 cows and 4 horses.
Henry E. Hone, 4 acres tillage, 32 acres pasture, 7 cows and two horses.
Joshua H. Coburn, 20 acres tillage, 15 cows and 2 horses.
Heirs of George W. Butterfield, 10 acres tillage, 20 cows and 4 horses.
Elijah G. Wilson, 6 acres tillage and 23 pasture.
Francis M. Avery, 15 acres tillage and 9 cows.
These farms furnish chiefly milk and hay.
Oaklandvale .- Artemas Edmands, 9 acres tillage and 5 cows.
Samuel Simmons, 60 acres and 13 horses ; this is the Lott Edmonds farm, and is now used as a veterinary farm.
Heirs of Nathan Hawkes, 4 acres tillage and 3 cows.
E. W. Bostwick, 28 acres tillage.
J. M. Hall, farm owned by J. J. Zeigler, 16 acres; this is a veterinary farm.
E. W. Saunders, 38 acres tillage, 17 acres pasture. Mr. Saunders came here in 1850, cleared his land, built him an elegant residence and has laid out his grounds into lawns, tillage, shrubbery and forest, so as to re- semble an English park, presenting to us an elegance of landscape rarely found.
The long avenue, shut in on either side by tall evergreen trees, is of wonderful beauty. Mr. Saun- ders has expended more than fifty thousand dollars on this place.
A ride through these grounds will well repay one.
TTUL
RESIDENCE OF A. A. SCOTT. SAUGUS, MASS.
421
SAUGUS.
Lowell Howard, 5 acres tillage and 2 cows.
Elbridge S. Upham, 8 acres tillage, 8 cows and 2 horses.
Isaiah Longfellow, 10 acres tillage and 4 cows.
These last three farmers give attention to straw- berry culture, and furnish great quantities for the ‘ market.
John Gillon, 13 acres tillage.
Arthur Watson, 10 acres tillage, 20 acres pasture ' and 9 cows.
J. Henry Howard, 8 acres tillage and 8 cows.
Saugus Centre .- The Town Farm, 40 acres tillage and 18 cows.
William H. Penny, 20 acres tillage, 39 acres pas- ture, 30 cows and 2 horses.
John M. Berritt, 10 acres tillage, 15 acres pasture and 4 cows.
Lewis J. Austin, 7 acres tillage, 14 cows and 2 horses.
Charles M. Ames, 11 acres tillage and 5 cows.
Heirs of Samuel A. Parker, 12 acres tillage.
Harrison Wilson, 10 acres tillage, 7 cows and 2 horses.
William Fairchild, 9 acres tillage and 2 cows.
Cliftondale .- Walter V. Hawkes, 10 acres tillage and 2 green-houses.
George N. Miller, 24 acres tillage, 10 cows and 5 horses. He bought this farm in 1870.
A. & J. R. Hatch, 20 acres tillage, 10 cows and 5 horses.
George W. Winslow, 19 acres tillage, 7 cows and 2 horses.
These last four farms are largely for market-gar- dening for Boston and Lynn.
East Saugus .- William A. Trefethen, 9 acres til- lage, 16 acres pasture, 2 cows and 2 horses.
John W. Blodgett, 31 acres tillage, 15 acres pas- ture, 22 cows and 6 horses.
Mr. Blodgett runs his farm for market-gardening almost entirely. He has owned it since 1854.
Charles H. Libbey, 7 acres tillage, 3 cows and 2 horses.
Frederick Stocker, 30 acres tillage, 3 cows and 12 horses.
Henry W. & A. Dudley Johnson, 48 acres tillage, 34 acres pasture, 15 cows and 3 horses.
CHAPTER XXXI.
SAUGUS-(Continued).
MILITARY RECORD.
IN the late War of the Rebellion our town nobly showed its patriotism by an early and prompt response to the country's call for volunteers. One hundred
and sixty-three men enlisted, and of these, eight served in the navy.
The larger number of these were in the Seventeenth and Fortieth Massachusetts Regiments.
The following are the names of the soldiers :
Bimsley P. Guilford.
Noah G. Harriman.
Abel Wilson.
Charles A. Kidder.
Jesse Hitchings.
Charles W. Sweeteer.
Willard Edmunds.
William T. Ash.
David H. Cheever.
Bimsley P. Guilford, Jr.
.John H. H. Wilson.
James Roots, Jr.
George H. Penney.
George McAllister.
Joseph W. Flye.
Daniel Flye.
William Chambers.
William L. Stocker.
William Noble.
Reuben R. Coates.
Edwin A. Reed.
John H. Copp.
John F. Carlton.
Samuel T. Langley.
Nathan J. Thoms.
Watson J. Thomas.
Charles A. Newhall.
John W. Seward.
Thomas McDowell.
John H. Twisden.
Edward Hitchings.
M. Porter Newhall.
William M. Stocker.
John H. Hone.
George H. McClary.
John Powers.
Warren P. Copp.
Hiram H. Newhall.
George Childs.
Charles F. Pearson.
James Herk.
Joseph Newhall.
Charles H. Williams.
Europa R. Newhall.
John A. Whittemore.
Joseph Wiggie.
Kenedy McElroy.
Henry Baker.
Augustus W. Bruce.
Thomas Twisden.
Benjamin E. Morgan.
John E. Stocker.
Daniel Kidder.
John W. Howlett.
James Charlton.
Edwin Mansfield.
Oliver F. Childs.
James A. Parker.
Thomas Gibbons.
Philip F. Floyd.
William H. Fuller.
Charles A. Hobbs.
William S. Copp.
George H. Newhall.
Elbridge S. Upham.
George A. Mansfield.
Abijah S. Boardman.
James Eaton.
Elisha Bragg.
Ilenry Kidder.
Charles Osgood.
John Timony.
Lorenzo Mansfield.
William Cheney.
William HI. Rich.
Benjamin P. Coates.
William H. Amerige.
George S. Williams.
Edward A. Jeffers.
Frederick A. Trefethen.
Tristam Goodale.
Robert Harrison.
11. Clay Cross.
John L. Andrews.
James R. Goodwin
Henry P. Nichois.
James Ifughes.
William J. Love.
Porter Newhall.
Walter E. Rhodes.
Alfred B. Roots.
William Fisk.
Frederick Lewis.
Marcus M. Sullivan.
Moses Spofford.
Willard W. Burbank.
George W. Fairbanks.
William Blanchard.
William S. Copp.
William E. Gabriel.
Charles H. Mansfield.
Frederick Dearborn.
Benjamin Homan. Willard Edmands.
George V. Carleton.
William W. Brown.
Luther Harriman.
Stiles F. Sherman.
Charles Maloney.
Samuel A. Guilford.
George Campbell.
Harrison E. Stocker.
William C. Richards.
William Halliday.
Charles S. Hicks.
Moses E. McAlpine.
James L. Pike.
- Theodore Houghton.
Elliott W. Oliver.
Renben B. Prince.
Jacob E. Newhall.
Benj. N. Trefethen.
Wesley Stocker. David Brierley. William Murray.
A. James Parker.
Otis A. Foster.
Stephen Stackpole.
Charles Walwick.
Marcus M. Sullivan.
E. Herbert Downing.
Francis H Dizer.
Isaac B. Schofield.
Thomas Florence.
Thomas Twisden, Jr.
Isaac Perkins.
Edward Charlton.
John A. Whittemors.
-
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
James H. Kent.
William E. Oliver.
Samuel S. Wormstead. George II. Oliver.
Albert Eaton.
Willard L. Fiske.
Henry A. Oliver. George Kidder. Frank Peterson.
George II. Brown.
Those whose names do not appear on the above list were credited to some other town or State.
Among these soldiers, serving as they did in a great many ditl'erent regiments and in almost every arm of the service, strange as it may seem, yet we cannot certainly name any who were killed in battle, although many were seriously wounded, some to die from these wounds, and some from exposure and disease in the service.
Some few were unaccounted for.
Their brave deeds and patriotic service are recorded on a more enduring tablet than any earthly scroll, and our town feels proud of the men who bore her escutcheon through the War of the Southern Rebel- lion.
The veterans of Saugus, in June, 1869, organized as the General E. W. Hinks Post 95, Grand Army of the Republic, with Charles A. Newhall as their first Commander.
The post held their meetings at first in the old Town Hall, afterwards in Flye's Hall, and later in the new Town Hall, until they moved into their own new hall in 1886.
Their new building is situated near the railroad depot, and was purchased of William T. Ash in the early part of 1886. The building was remodeled and an assembly room for the Post provided in the second story of ample dimensions, and elegantly furnished throughout.
The Post is now is a very prosperous condition, having a membership of some sixty, owning their building and having nearly a thousand dollars in their relief fund.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN NEWHALL.1
Benjamin Franklin Newhall was born April 29, 1802. His father was Jacob, son of Landlord Jacob Newhall. His mother was Abigail, daughter of Wil- liam and Ruth Makepeace, of Norton, Mass.
She was a woman of noble presence, of exemplary Christian character, pious without ostentation, and devoted to her family, which consisted of three sons and five daughters, for whom she labored day and night and lived to see her prayers answered in their behalf.
Benjamin Franklin was her first-born child, and so very naturally upon him fell early the burdens of the family. Passionately devoted to his mother, he gave
his whole energies to her assistance in the support of the family, the father being of little help the greater part of the time.
Brought up in a tavern in his earliest years, he was exposed to great temptation. In his autobiography he thus speaks of these days and experiences : "What saved me God only knows. But I was saved. I remember I always resisted, and often heard the exclamation, 'What ails the child that he will not drink !' Some spiritual guardian was about me to watch my infantile footsteps and keep me in the path of rectitude." After writing of the many beauties of his birth-place, he speaks of his mother thus : " And better still, the glowing vision of that angel form, who every day supplied my infant wants, and whose voice was sweeter to me than the sweetest music."
He writes again, " How well do I remember, in the late hours of the night, when her husband was away and her dear ones were sleeping, that she would come to my bedside and, kneeling with overflowing heart, pour out her soul in prayer that God would preserve her darling boy from the snares so thick around him. She thought I was asleep, but I was awake and still, and the silent tear moistened my young cheek, and I vowed before God that a mother's prayers should not be in vain, How often she kneeled at my bedside when I was asleep I know not, no doubt often." Again he writes, "My mother, in her extreme anxiety for my welfare, never tired in giving me good advice. She felt that there was great danger of my giving way to the use of the dreadful cup, and so there was."'
Again he writes, "When about four years of age my mother had bought me some picture books, aud she commenced learning me to read. About the same time the school-house, afterwards called the "Rock," was in process of building. My mother took me into it one pleasant summer's eve, and, pointing out to me the smallest and lowest seat, saying at the same time, ' there, my son, is your seat.' This in a few days I found to be literally true, for on my first entrance into the school I was appointed to the little seat."
It was here that he attended school during its un- certain sessions, until about fourteen years of age.
It was at this early age, in the autumn before he was fourteen, that he commenced work for Mr. Childs in the chocolate mill, often working day and night.
He writes again in his autobiography, "I could scarcely endure it. I sometimes declared, ' this shall be my last night ; ' but when the beautiful sun shone in the morning I felt better and was encouraged to go on. I hated shoemaking and was yet determined to earn something for my mother. If I could earn eighty- three cents a day for work night and day it was to me a great sum. But with all the hard work and suffering I got through my first winter in the mill. How I bore the fatigue God only knows. Some un- seen hand supported me, and when I was just on the
1 Written by his son, Wilbur F. Newball, Esq.
1
Buy A Newhire
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SAUGUS.
point of giving up several times some impulse of mine forbade it. God helped me."
Such were his early labors that it might almost be said he had no boyhood, so early was the yoke fitted to his youthful shoulders. But he bore it with cour- age. He writes, " When I had nothing to do I could read, and used always to keep a book in the mill always ready." He soon also engaged in teaming for Mr. Childs, He writes of himself when eighteen years old, " I had so much per day for driving the team and twenty-five cents to buy me a dinner. I always managed to carry my dinner, and thus save and lay up twenty-five cents. This I continued for two years or more. I generally took my book with me and studied while I was driving; so I turned my labor into amusement." Of this same period he writes, "This season I found religious impressions growing more and more in my mind. I felt more and more the need of Divine strength to enable me to resist suc- cessfully the evil temptations of the world. I read the Bible, prayed often and frequently went to meet- ing. I began to hear with new ears, because I felt an interest in the subject preached. Night and day re- ligious matters were in my thoughts, and I was look- ing forward to a period of church membership as a kind of bulwark of defense."
He identified himself at once with the Methodists and labored zealously with them. When twenty years of age he was baptized by immersion in the pond at Melrose.
He was now making his plans for more schooling, just as soon as he was twenty-one years of age, and for this object he laid some money aside until he had one hundred and seventy dollars. He reached his free- dom year, and away he went to New Market Academy, in New Hampshire. We wish we had space to give his account of his start in the stage. He says of his studies: "I pored into the grammar with all my energy, but it was all darkness to me; I knew nothing about it. My boyhood's studies of grammar were but a parrot performance, as I now found by experience. What would I not have given for some one to explain to me the first principles, and know the meaning of the Parts of Speech. But I had no one and so I delved alone. I read and then thought, meditated and then studied. One night, while I was trying to penetrate its mysteries, I instantly saw it all clearly. As the sun suddenly bursts through the obscuring clouds and shines upon the earth, so a knowledge of English grammar burst suddenly on my mind. I saw it all in a glance, simple as my A, B, C. I could pass the most difficult passages instantly." He writes again : " I soon procured some French books, and commenced that language. I learned five thousand words in about a week, and in two weeks could trans- late the New Testament pretty well."
He remained at the Academy about six months. He then returned home and immediately procured a school in Stoneham and began teaching. As an in- !
stance of his remarkable memory, he states that while teaching this school he committed to memory the whole New Testament in thirty-seven days. This was in 1824. He taught this school six months. April 25, 1825, he married Dorothy Jewett, daughter of Da- vid and Sarah Jewett, of Standstead, Lower Canada. This explains why, soon after this, he, in company with his brother-in-law, opened a store in Canada. But this business proved disastrous and left him in heavy debt. He then returned to Saugus for good, wiser from experience, if poorer in purse.
We have thus dwelt upon his early life experiences to show the difficulties, the privations, and the hard- ships he wet and subdued. He was stronger than all of these, even making them his servants for discipline and preparations for his remaining life's work. On his return from Canada, already in debt, he borrowed money and commenced the shoe business in earnest. His untiring zeal, his strict business rules, his stead- fast integrity, his keen foresight, and his rigid econo- my, brought him rapid success. He never swerved from these paths, so early choseu. They brought him competence, if not wealth; respect and honor from those who knew him best.
The very poor privileges of the village school in his early youth, ending at thirteen years of age, adding a six months' term at New Market Academy when twenty-one years of age, constitute his scholastic equipment ; but these were a small part of his endow- ments. His mind was always inquiring, extremely re- ceptive, and, what was far more important, it grasped with a tenacity never to be loosed and never to be forgotten, everything that could be of value, benefit, use, or help to him. He might be called a self-edu- cated man, in the best sense of that term. His heart and nature were sympathetic. Having had so many difficulties in his youth, he knew how to sympathize with young men, and many there are of these, to-day, who will testify to his personal assistance in their time of need. What he espoused was with his whole heart. Interested from his youth in the temperance cause, having witnessed the direful effects of intem- perance, he never relinquished his warfare against the demon, but, with sledge-hammer blows, on the plat- form, in the pulpit, as well as in business and social walks of life, he lifted up his voice for total abstinence, and labored in every way to save the youth from this destroying vice, and to make of the inebriate a sober and useful man.
He showed the same characteristics in politics. Al- ways an anti-slavery man, his home and heart were ever open to the fugitive slave, who found a shelter at his fireside, and a God-speed in his journey or mission. He saw in the old Liberty and Free-Soil party the cloud no bigger than a man's hand; he entered its ranks, fought beside its standard, and lived long enough to see the hydra-headed monster slain and bnried.
He very early united with the Methodist church in
424
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
East Saugus, to which his ardent, sincere nature ren- dered no half-hearted service.
lle had no place for hypocrisy in his heart, and he could brook nothing of the kind in others. Ile became an exhorter, and then a local preacher, in the Methodist Church. We may well imagine that no grass was allowed to grow under his feet. As well bid the torrent cease its How as to curb his powers of mind and heart from progress and growth. His warmth in moral reforms often led to some friction with the stereotyped ideas of the Methodist clergy, some of whom could not allow interference with their denominational tenets and labors. The church did not, at that time, stand where it does to-day in relation to these movements. It it had, he probably woukl never have severed his union with the people of his early choice.
He entered the Universalist Church because he found there a more congenial atmosphere, where he could exercise more freedom of thought and action. He became a very regular preacher for this denomi- nation, and even amid his multiplied business labors he found leisure nearly every Sabbath, for many years, to supply gratuitously some pulpit either near or far away.
He also served his native town of Saugus in nearly every official capacity. As town clerk, selectman, overseer of the poor, school committee and represen- tative to the General Court. In the Legislature he strongly opposed capital punishment. He was chosen one of the commissioners of the county of Essex for two terms, from 1844 to 1850, when the labors of that office were as abundant and onerous as to-day, and, perhaps, far more so.
He organized the Saugus Mutual Fire Insurance Company in 1852, and was its secretary and treasurer until incapacitated by disease, in 1861.
These were but a few of his labors. From his awaking in the morning until his sleeping at night, his fertile brain was always active. He gave himself little rest or recreation. Like a locomotive, steam was always on. His style was simple, chaste and clear. He wrote much for the newspapers, among which contributions were his interesting " Historical Sketches of Saugus," which have furnished me much material for my "History of Sangus" in this work. He also wrote a great deal of poetry, indeed his writings in both prose and verse would, it printed, fill volumes.
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