History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 225

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 225

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after the campaign, it was to tell the story of tor- tured prisoners and cannibalism, and of a French and Indian alliance, which it seemed the colonies were ahnost powerless to meet. The alarm list at this period was headed by Mr. Chandler, the pastor, and others on the list were Thomas Merrill, who, about 1750, had removed from what is now the Eldred Par- ker place in Groveland, and had bought the Joseph Nelson house in Marlboro' district, now the Jacob F. Jewett house; also Dudley Tyler, the inn-keeper, at that time, the owner of the Francis Brocklebank place, near the meeting-house, and seventeen others, equally prominent. Dudley, a son of Mr. Tyler, was in active service in 1757, again in 1759, and perhaps in later campaigns. He was a public charge for the last ten or fifteen years of his life, making it his home most of the time, with Moses Nelson, on Nelson Street.

At Mr. Solomon Nelson's request, the town at the annual meeting, in view of Mr. Tyler's military record, both in this and the Revolutionary war, always granted him liberty of choice (with much opposition, how- ever,) as to the family where he wished to live. The Tyler family becoming embarrassed, Mr. Nelson had bought, about 1765, their place, now owned by M. G. Spofford. This place descended from Mr. Solomon Nelson to his son, Major Paul Nelson, from whose heirs it was bought by Rev. Charles Beecher, and by him sold to the present owner. The sign which swung before this ancient tavern for many a year, with its painted soldier, in the uniform of King George's army, is now the property of Mr. Humphrey Nelson, of this town. During the French, and part of the subsequent war, the enlistments were for a short ser- vice or for the campaign, the soldiers usually entering the army in the spring, and returning home in the early winter of the same year.

In 1759, Francis Nelson, who lived near the Long Hill road, was a soldier under Captain Herrick, of Boxford. Amos Nelson, who afterwards built the Charles E. Chaplin house on Nelson Street, was in service in 1757, and was in Colonel Appleton's regi- ment, in 1759, and Benjamin Winter, the grand-father of Benjamin and D. M. Winter, was in the army the same year, and also in 1760. Other names, in different campaigns, from the West parish and Byfield families, were Richard Easty, Robert Gragg, Abner Moores, Thomas Pike, Ezra Burbank, David Plumer, John Plumer, Jonathan Gragg, Abner Burbank, Moses Harriman, John Jackman, Mark Thurlow, Abel Dodge, Rufus Wheeler, Peter Hardy, John Crombie, and doubtless many others.

In 1756, the Province of Massachusetts called for volunteers, and if there was not the requisite number at the given time, then a conscription was to be or- dered. A bounty of six dollars was offered, and pay for privates of one pound, six shillings a month. If the volunteer brought his own gun, a bounty of two dollars extra. Their powder-horns, with figures and

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ornamentations on them, the work of these men in their idle hours, are now heir-looms in families, and curios in cabinets.

The Province, as " the combat deepened," in- creased the supplies, providing in 1756, bullet-pouch, blanket, knapsack and wooden bottle, besides the powder-horn and musket. Later a uniform of breeches of blue and red was added. This forced travel from home by the stern demands of war to the novel sights at distant Louisburg, in Acadia, along Lake George, Oswego and elsewhere, gave an impetus to the peaceful emigration to New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, which took place at the close of the contest.

In 1764, the West Parish Militia was organized into one company, with Daniel the great-grandfather of Charles Sewall Spofford, as Captain. Dudley Tyler. who married a daughter of Dea. Abner Spofford, was Lieutenant and Eliphalet Spofford, the grandfather of the late Dea. Jeremiah Spofford, was Ensign. Some of this company had survived the dangers of one con- flict, with personal experiences of Indian ambuscade, pestilence and all that made the seven years French war, a trial which tested the strength of the country, apparently to the ntmost, but another, and a more terrible test of the abilities of the colonies was coming.

In 1770, papers were in circulation, pledging the subscribers to non-intercourse with Great Britain. This Whig covenant was an agreement not to use in their families, any goods of English mannfacture or any imported from England, while tea was especially named. The paper which circulated in Byfield had the names of such patriots, as Renben, Moses, Jeremiah, Enoch, Daniel, Jacob and Noyes Pearson, Jeremiah and Henry Poor, John, Samnel and John Searl, Jr., Benjamin and Amos Stickney, Mark, Jonathan and John Thurlow, Nathaniel and John Tenney, Samuel Northend, William Longfellow, Oliver Dickinson, Amos Jewett, Abraham Sawyer, Israel Adams, Moses Lull, Benjamin Jackman, Samuel Pike, Moses Smith and Abraham Colby. A few of these were, perhaps, not residents of the Georgetown part of the parish. Special enlistments as minute men were voted by the town, as early as January, 1775, and a weekly one-half day's drill was begun. The West Parish voted February 9, 1775, that minute men should be raised according to the advice of the Provincial Congress.

In March military drill, of two half-days in each week, was begun. Daniel Spofford, then colonel, led his regiment to Cambridge, on the report of the Lex- ington fight. Who were engaged in the battle at Bunker Hill from this part of Rowley, except Dnd- ley Tyler and James Boynton, who was killed (a brother of Moses), it seems to he difficult to ascer- tain.

The firing of the artillery was distinctly heard here, as we have often learned from aged citizens, and the alarm and anxiety must have been intense. Captain

Eliphalet, the grandfather of Dr. Jeremiah Spofford, commanded a company in his brother Daniel's regi- ment, in which the doctor's father was a private, and some of these Spoffords may have been at Bunker Hill. Jeremiah and William Chandler, the only children of William, the schoolmaster, were in the army in 1775, and again in 1778; one of them never returned to his wife, whom he left behind him, but at the expiration of his term of service, remained in Pennsylvania, and, it is said, married there. Twice, at least, the town was divided into classes, intermixing the poor with the rich, and each class was called upon to procure a soldier.

One of the classes had Lieutenant Benjamin Stick- ney at the head. Among those who were in this war, was one captain,- Benjamin Adams,-at least five lientenants, viz .: Thomas Pike, who lived early in this century in the Sherman Nelson house, on Elm Street, and who was a pioneer advocate of Universal- ism, removed to New London, N. H .; Moody Spofford, the bridge and church builder, who was at Ticonder- oga, and commonly known as "Esquire Spofford ; " John Tenney, Benjamin Stickney and Rufus Wheel- er. Nathaniel Burpee was drummer. David Poor was a corporal. A few names of privates are Abel Dodge, the cooper, who occupied, and perhaps built, the house on Main Street, until recently the Daniel W. Perkins house ; Panl Stickney, William Searle, Joseph Nelson, who removed to Wallingford, Me., soon after the war; Jeremiah Dodge, maternal grand- father of George Peabody ; Samnel Plumer, supposed to be the father of the Plumer brothers, who gave the parsonage farm to the Baptist Society; Francis Nel- son, afterwards drowned in Rowley River; Aaron Crombie, father of the well-known Crombie brothers; John Crombie, probably a brother, who died of small- pox in New York State; Silas Dole, and many others. Some of these were living when the pensioning of aged soldiers, and the Revolutionary veterans in par- ticular, began, which, it is said, was first suggested by President Monroe, because of finding, when on his tour through the North, an army chum, by the name of Barnes, in the Waltham Almshouse, who was a fellow-officer with him in the Revolutionary War. Doubtless the last worn survivor of that war in this town was John Phips, a native of Gloucester, who died in the family of Dr. David Mighill about 1843.

During the Shay insurrection, Joseph Pike of By- field enlisted for thirty days, the time called for. Militia organization was maintained by careful legis- lation, after the formation of the new government.

The death of Washington in 1799, caused a general outburst of sorrow and a special recognition from the militia. The writer has an order of January 1800, requiring all the members of the company of cavalry (a company composed of Topsfield and Boxford, as well as Rowley men) then living in the West Parish, ! to attend religious service in uniform and mourning

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

emblems for six months. This order came to Ste- phen M. Nelson, who was sergeant. In 1807 troubles were threatened because of the embargo and other disturbing acts, and volunteers were enlisted.

At that time what is now Georgetown began to be called New Rowley, and from the place were enrolled Joseph Adams, Robert Bettis, John Bridges, Jr., Richard and James Chute, Jr., Andrew Horner, Ste- phen W. and Moses Nelson, Benj. S. Picket, Paul Stickney, Jr., and Samuel C. Tidd.

In the second war with England, there were but few in service from this town, and these in the sea-coast de- fence for one month only. From New Rowley were John Bridges, Jr., David Brocklebank, Edmund Dole, Paul Dole, Jr., Ralph Dole, Phineas Hardy, Thomas Merrill, Jr., Daniel Palmer, Paul Stickney, Jr., and Mighill Spofford. During the contest party spirit ran so high and opposition to the measures of the National Government was so general in Massachu- setts, that the position assumed was but little re- moved from an armed neutrality. It has been said that the English naval forces on our coast, received supplies by boats from Rowley River. This may seem to have been rather unpatriotic, but perhaps not more so than supplying the Southern Confederacy with shoes, by the blockade runners, via St. John, New Brunswick. Fears of British invasion were so rife at one time, that specie and other valuables were taken for safety into the interior. Several thousand silver dollars, the property of a Rowley man, were secreted for several months in Deacon Solomon Nel- son's house.

In the Florida War only one person who was living in Georgetown is known to have enlisted : this was Samuel C. Hood, a native of Topsfield. The north- eastern boundary difficulty, known as the Aroostook War, looked threatening for a time, and it was ex- pected that troops would be ordered from this State. These were happily not called for. Charles E. Chap- lin, of this town, then living in Maine, was in the detachment of State Militia ordered out, and was in service about three months in the early spring of 1840, at Fort Fairfield, below Houlton.

Before leaving the frontiers, these hastily, half- equipped troops were reviewed and complimented by that stern old martinet, Winfield Scott. At least three residents or natives of Georgetown were in the Mexi- can War. Laban S. Keyes, who recently died in New Hampshire, was one ; also Edward Currier ; and a resident of Byfield, was, if we mistake not, another.

To many now living, the excitement and attractions of the "training field " of their earlier days is ever pleasant to recall. Twice the Brigade of Northern Essex mustered on Pillsbury's Plain, near Mr. Hum- phrey Nelson's house ; the first time about 1820, and again in 1822. Several thousand of the militia were present, with General Solomon Lowe, of Boxford, commanding. These October gatherings were made a general holiday, and the principal one of the year.

The observance of Independence Day, until 1835 or 1836, was of a quiet, reflective, semi-religious char- acter, very different from what followed for thirty years or more, when it became the chief holiday of the year, and enthusiastic public demonstrations were made everywhere. Until the date named, an occa- sional address like that of Mr. Braman's or Caleb Cushing's, with possibly the formality of a military escort to the old meeting-house, and calm thought- fulness on the part of the people, made the day but a slight remove from a Sunday service. They were too near the actual events to encourage the noisy demon- strations of a later day. For this middle period, the Fourth of July, as a public holiday, had the pre- eminence, but later, under the shadows of our last and greatest conflict, this has been transferred to Memorial Day. Under the old militia law, three seasons for drilling, besides the October muster, were required. Many parades were, for convenience, by detachments or battalions. On the farm of De Witt C. Mighill, in Boxford, about 1814, the New Rowley and the Boxford Militia drilled in companies, having a sham fight, and, as a special feature, a sham ambus- cade of fifty or more soldiers dressed as Indians. About 1815, at a brigade training on the Dole or " Esquire Gage" Farm in Byfield, now the Town Farm, Governor Brooks was present, and it was a great day generally for Northern Essex.

When Governor Everett began to express his dis- approbation of the general militia system, and the demoralizing influences of muster days, the law soon became obnoxious, and intentionally was made ridi- culous by those liable to do duty. Men came to the parade-ground in their working clothes, and these Falstaffian soldiers, in derision, had the expressive name of Stringbeaners flung at them, by the stylish, independent companies, which began to be popular.

Georgetown had, at that time, the La Fayette Guards, a company of infantry highly commended for drill and discipline. By 1843 or '44 most of these military organizations had disbanded.

About 1858 or '59 an independent company, com- manded by Capt. Joseph Hervey, known as the "Citi- zens Guard," was organized, largely through the in- fluence of the gentleman afterwards elected comman- der, and was in regular drill-practice, when the War of the Rebellion opened. When Company "K," of the Fiftieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers went into camp at Boxford, this independent corps per- formed escort duty. This Company K was recruited largely from this town, and several of the recruits were previously members of the Citizens Guard. On the morning in August, or early September, before they entered camp, a public testimonial, in the form of a breakfast, at the Town Hall, was tendered them There was a reception, at a later day, with a parade of the regiment through our streets.

Of this company several never returned to the home of their birth. At Baton Rouge, Island No.

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10, and at other points near the broad Mississip- pi, they lie, far from their friends and kindred. Much indignation was felt that the survivors, while returning from their service of nearly a year in the defence of their country, had in the rude provision made for their journey across the country, only coarse box-cars, filthy from use in the transportation of cattle. Many of the Georgetown soldiers were prostrated by the malarial influences of the Lower Mississippi, and the rough ride still further reduced their strength, so that sev- eral crossed the home threshold, but to die. Others lived, but recovery was only after a long and tedious illness.

The funeral services of Spofford, Pickett, Sherburne and others followed in quick succession. With C. W. Tenney, the expressman, S. S. Jewett and others, it seemed for a time, that in an nnfavorable moment, they also would be swept on to join their comrades. In March, 1865, Capt. G. W. Boynton visited Louisi- ana, exhuming the bodies of his son George, and comrades R. D. Merrill and Amos Spofford. On his return a joint funeral service was held in the Town Hall, with a sermou by Rev. Chas. Beecher, from the Scripture which refers to the three mighty men, who drew the water from the well at Bethlehem, for David to drink. The little hamlet at " Marlboro'," sent five of its young men to an early grave in the first years of the war, four of whom were of this company. The names of Amos G. Dole, Charles A. Spofford, M. F. Jewett, R. D. Merrill and Leonard Howe, will ever be held in tender remembrance. The first town action in reference to the War was on April 30, 1861. The meeting was called seven days earlier. It was voted to appropriate the sum of five thousand dol- lars, to aid enlistmeuts, and further voted, a commit- tee of one from each school district, to see what sup- plies may be needed by volunteers or their families.

Many of the recruits in Company "C," Nineteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, were from this town.

D. Webster Spofford, of Boxford, now a resident of the town, was a private in Company " A," same regi- ment, and saw four years of service in this hard- fighting body of volunteers.

The first death in the service from Georgetown, is supposed to be that of Isaac V. Bickford, of Company A., Seventeenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, who died in Baltimore, Md., January 29, 1862. He enlisted December 24, 1861.

The Seventeenth Company Unattached Infantry went into camp at Readville, in August, 1864, expecting to do service in the forts around Washington. This com- pany was afterwards assigned to duty in Salem har- bor. This was a one hundred-day service, and at the expiration of their term of enlistment many of the men re-enlisted for one year. John G. Barnes, who com- manded, had served as captain of Company "K," Fif- tieth Regiment, in the South in 1862-63. Many of this unattached company were from Georgetown. The

Fourth Regiment of Heavy Artillery had several men from this town. Several of our musicians belonging to the band of the Seventeenth Regiment Massachu- setts Volunteers were also from this place. One soldier, M. W. Follansbee, suffered in Salisbury, N. C., prison, aud returned home but to die. Another, Ariel Pea- body, was a prisoner in Andersonville. A few were in the navy. John Spofford and Lewis M. Perley were two of the number. More than two hundred in the different arms of the service enlisted from the town. Memorial day was first observed May 30, 1867. The school children were in the procession, and for many years afterwards, the Fire Department also joined in the observance of the day.

In 1872-'73 the erection of a soldiers' monument began to be discussed, and an aged lady is reported to have offered the sum of one hundred dollars as a basis of subscriptions for the purpose. Finally town action was taken, and after much earnest and per- haps acrimonious debate, the locality was decided upon, and the granite memorial, which very nearly occupies the site of the "Old Red School-house," was erected. The dedication took place May 30, 1874, with an address by W. H. Cudworth, D.D. Thou- sands of spectators were present. The names of fifty soldiers, dying in the service, are inscribed upon it. The entire cost was about thirty-five hundred dollars.

Post 108, G. A. R., was organized August 18, 1869, by George S. Merrill, of Lawrence, Mass .; Count L. B. Schwabe was largely instrumental in the work. Charter members were C. O. Noyes, E. P. Wildes, G. H. Spofford, J. G. Scates, Solomon Nelson, Isaac Wilson, R. C. Huse, F. M. Edgell, H. N. Harriman and J. O. Berry. The Post was named for Everett Peabody, of Springfield, a son of W. B. O. Peabody. Born June, 1830, he graduated at Harvard University, and was a civil and railroad engineer at the West. While colonel of the Twenty-fifth Missouri Regiment, he was killed at Pittsburgh Landing, April 6, 1862. The Peabody family annually remember this Post by gifts of value.

Past Commanders, C. O. Noyes, F. M. Edgell, J. G. Scates, E. P. Wildes, Cleveland Gould, H. N. Harri- man, Patrick Cole, W. E. Day, Charles Smith, D. N. Bridges, C. W. Tenney; present Commander, John Munroe. Other officers are Walter Brown, Plummer Falls, I. S. Dodge, H. N. Harriman, Allen Robinson, Colonius Morse, R. C. Huse, M.D .; chaplain, Rev. C. L. Hubbard; L. G. Wilson, J. F. Harvey.

Relief Corps No. 4 organized April 2, 1883, with Sarah S. Harriman, Emma M. Howe, Emily A. Wad- leigh, Jane T. Merrill, Naomi C. Dodge, Susau S. Bickford, Lizzie C. Putnam and others, charter mem- bers. The presidents have been Susan S. Bickford, Sarah S. Harriman, Emma M. Howe, Lizzie A. Put- nam, Emily A. Wadleigh.

General Burnside Camp, No. 12, S. of V., was or- ganized December 1, 1881, with James R. Smith, captain; relinquished its charter in 1884.

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAPTER LX.

GEORGETOWN-( Continued).

THE LATER HISTORY AND CONCLUSION.

IN the general history of the town there were but few events of a marked character, aside from the opening of railway communication with Newburyport, Haverhill and Boston direct via Danvers, during the two decades from 1840 to 1860. The first road to be opened was that to Newburyport, about 1849. Pre- vions to the final decision to run this line where it now is, a movement was projected in 1847 to connect Newburyport with Haverhill, nearer the Merrimac River, passing through West Newbury and East Brad- ford, now Groveland, and later a movement to connect with the Eastern Railroad, at Rowley instead of New- buryport.

At a meeting of the town, when bnt few voters were present, the town's proportion of the "surplus reve- nue," the income of which had been used for school purposes, was voted in aid of the railroad. At a later day this fifteen hundred dollars in the town assets was recorded by ciphers. In the early history of the road two accidents, resulting in death, occurred. Both of the killed were citizens of this town. One was Ben- jamin Hilliard, for some years a stage driver and ex- pressman, who was, while conductor, crushed beneath an overturned car, July 16, 1851 ; the other was Leander Spofford, killed September 7, 1853, by tbe bursting of the boiler of the locomotive "Baldpate," at Grove- land.

The stage-coaches, with the veterans Pinkham and Carter as the presiding genius of each, one of them , making Lowell and Newburyport the termini, had reached the acme of their fame, although the first- named still continued his Salem and Haverhill jour- neys until the opening of the Georgetown and Danvers Railroad, in October, 1854. The Haverhill branch some time previously had been opened for travel.

George Spofford, an expressman between this town and Boston, was appointed the first ticket agent, and the passenger station was the westerly half of the building at the east of Main Street, which was after- ward removed to the site of the present station, and was used as the station until the erection of the pres- ent building. The easterly part of the original depot remained, and is now the freight house.

The California fever, in 1849, drew a number of the citizens into its vortex. Among them were Messrs. Osgood, Elliott, Hosmer, and perhaps others at the village, and the brothers Marshall, Nelson, MeLaugh- lin and Follansbee, from South Georgetown.

In the early part of this period the Derry Fair, an assemblage peculiar to some localities, was in active operation in this town, once and again. The Essex Agricultural Society held here its earlier annual exhi- bitions, several times previous to 1840, and again in 1841 or 1842, and not again until 1862, when, amidst

the throes of the War of the Rebellion, this Society continued, under difficulties, to carry forward its chosen work.

The temperance movement began in this town as early as 1815, and was continued in an organized form, as the New Rowley Temperance Society in 1829, with a large membership of both sexes, and Rev. Isaac Braman, president. This broadened and deepened until the Washingtonian movement stirred the country. That in its turn started the Cadets of Temperance, a juvenile body, which existed here about 1844, and the Cold Water Army. The Band of Hope was of later origin, and in the next decade the Good Templars were active for a time.

The Reform Club some years ago did good service here, and Floral Division, Sons of Temperance, al- though its fortunes have varied, still exists, with a record of much good done.

The stores during the period named did a thriv- ing business. One of the best was that of C. G. Tyler in South Georgetown, who was a skillful buyer, and whose goods were in great variety. This building, now the shoe-factory of C. G. Baker, has had as gro- cers in trade, Leverett S. Crombie, C. H. Adams, and later John A. Hoyt, M. N. Boardman and T. B. Masury.

Moses Carter in the old establishment, previously kept by his relatives the Bros. Little, did a large busi- ness. He made a purchase at one time of one hun- dred hogsheads of molasses for retail trade, an article used to a much greater extent forty years ago than at present.

Other dealers were Jos. P. Stickney in the Phenix Building. George Spofford, J. Gove Low, and later Na- thaniel Lambert, were all in the old store which stood near where Geo. J. Tenney's house now is. Wicom Savory and William Boynton & Son occupied at different times a building further westward, since burned.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 225

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