History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 231

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 231

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The first marriage in town took place May 15, 1847. The parties were Mr. James M. Currier of Lawrence and Miss Mary E. Libbey of Conway, N. H. Rev. John C. Phillips was the officiating clergyman. The first publie marriage occurred October 17, 1847, at the Baptist Chapel. Mr. Edwin R. Gage of Lawrence and Mrs. Abby B. Richardson of Methuen were mar- ried by Rev. John G. Richardson of the Baptist Church.

Mr. William W. Dean of the firm of Dean & Haz- eltine, on Broadway, is the first child born of Ameri- ean parents in Lawrence, having been born in April, 1847. Mr. A. Joplin of Hampton comes next, who was born in February, 1848.

To go further into details, or to name even the vari- ons merchants and mechanics who have grown with the growth of the town and city would be making a directory, which would be foreign to the purpose of the present article.

During the first years, communication with the outside world was by means of the old-fashioned stage- coaches.

" STAGE REGISTER FOR 1847.

" For Manchester, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 812 A. M., L. W. Currier, Driver.

" For Salem, every day except Sunday at 21/2 P. M., Shackley & Cle- ment, Proprietors.

"For Lowell, every day 6 and 10 A. M., 212 and 4 P. M., and on Sun- dny 8 A. M., Currier & Abbey, Proprietors, Chamberlain & Charles, Drivers.

" For Andover, 612, 8, 10 A. M. ; 21/2, 51/2 P. M., Morrison & Lougee, Proprietors & Drivers."

Boston and Maine Railroad was extended into Lawrence early in 1848. Lowell and Lawrence Rail- road was opened July 2, 1848, and extended to North Lawrence in 1879. Essex Railroad to Salem opened September 4, 1848. Manchester and Lawrence com- pleted October, 1849. The Merrimack Valley Horse Railroad was incorporated in 1863, charter renewed 1866. The incorporators were George D. Cabot, Wm.

H. P. Wright and Win. R. Spalding, and the road was opened for travel from the Paper-Mills to Me- thnen, 1867 ; extended to North Andover, 1868; and to Sonth Lawrence, 1876. Additional facilities for travel have been furnished by further extensions in 1887. The enterprise of doubtful issue at first . has proved remunerative, and the stock has advanced materially in value. Wm. A. Russell has been presi- dent and James H. Eaton treasurer from the begin- ning.

HOTELS .- Before operations commenced by the Essex Company, there were two hotels, the Shawsheen House (now called Revere) and the Essex House, since converted into a dwelling-house, situated in South Lawrence, on the old Londonderry turnpike (now Broadway). The first hotel built by the com- pany, the Franklin House, was opened November 1, 1847, by Major T. J. Coburn, previously of the Eastern Exchange Hotel, Boston. It has been since kept by J. L. Huntress, Charles B. Melvin, Jefford M. Decker, Col. Larrabee (formerly of the Merrimack House, Lowell), Thomas W. Huse and is now conducted by Mrs. C. E. Huse.

The Merrimack House was built about the same time at the corner of Broadway and Tremont Street ; this was burned in 1849 and was not rebuilt. The United States, another large building in Essex Street, nearly completed but not occupied, was also burned in 1859. It was somewhat imposing in its external appearance, but very cheaply built, and almost as soon as touched by fire fell in ruins, as it deserved, but unfortunately cansing the loss of life of three persons.1 Hotels have since multiplied, and we have now on the main busi- ness street the Essex, Central and Brunswick, besides many others of less prominence in other parts of the city.

The Lawrence post-office was opened for the first time September 7, 1846, by George A. Waldo, post- master. He remained in office three years. William Pierce, of Andover, followed for six months, when Nathaniel Wilson followed and served four years. Mr. Wilson was the first druggist in town, aud was for eight years city treasurer. By a change of adminis- tration Major B. F. Watson became postmaster, and held the office eight years. He was succeeded by Major George S. Merrill, who retained the position twenty-six years, from 1861 to 1887, when Patrick Murphy, who had been city treasurer from 1883, was appointed to the place.

From the first sale of lands, April 28, 1846, to Oc- tober 10, 1846, the growth of the new settlement had been so rapid that the population had increased from less than two hundred to about twenty-five hundred, and there had been erected one hundred and thirty- five stores, shops and dwelling-houses. The obvious inconvenience of taxation, education, etc., in two sep-

1 George Stanley, a printer ; Frank Henry, auctioneer ; Lyman H. Larkin, mill-hand.

* Deceased.

875

LAWRENCE.

arate townships led to a petition to the Legislature for a charter for a new town ; this petition was opposed by the town of Methuen.

As early as February, 1847, a town-meeting was called to see what action the town would take on the petition of Chas. S. Storrow and others to be set off in a new town by the name of Lawrence. The meet- ing was well attended, from two hundred to three hundred being preseut. John Davis was chosen to preside, and the meeting was addressed by George A. Waldo, J. W. Carlton and John Tenney, all in oppo- sitiou to the proposed division. Messrs. Waldo and Tenney were chosen a committee to take all honora- ble and legal measures to thwart the design of the pe- titioners, and to employ counsel if necessary.

The opposition was unavailing, and on the 17th of April, 1847, the Legislature of Massachusetts granted a charter to the town of Lawrence, of which the following is a copy : (Other names had been sng- gested, such as Essex and Merrimack, but Lawrence was adopted in honor of the original founders.)

" SECTION I. All the territory now within the towns of Methuen and Andover, in the County of Essex, comprised within the following limits : that is to say, by a line beginuiog at the mouth of Shawsheeu River, at its Easterly bank, thence ruaniog Southerly by Said Easterly bank to a Stake at the hend in Said River, a few rods westerly of the bridge where it is crossed by the Salem Turupike, thence in a straight line westerly to a marked stone in the wall at the Easterly corner of the intersection of roads by Jacob Barnard's honse: thence Northerly iu a straight line across Merrimack River, passing between the house of Asa Barker aud that of Ebenezer Barker, on the Tower Hill road, leading from Me- thuen to Lowell, to a stake about 2150 feet Northerly from where the line crosses said road : thence Northeasterly to a monument ou the Easterly side of Londonderry Turnpike, passing a little northerly of the house of Abiel Stevens : thence Easterly in a straight line to a monument at the intersection of Lawrence Street with the old road which rnos easterly from Stevens' factory toward Haverhill : thence in a straight line, easterly, passing north of William Swen's house through a mouuurent abont 400 feet sonth of the intersection of the roads near said Swan's house, to the line of the town of Andover in Merrimack River : thence running by the said line of Andover westerly to the easterly hank of the Shawsheen River at the point of starting: is hereby incorporated into a towo by the name of Law- rence : and the said town of Lawrence is hereby invested with all the privileges, powers, rights and immunities, and subject to all the du- ties aod requisitions to which other towns are entitled and subject, by the constitution and laws of this Commonwealth.

"SECTION 2. The town of Lawrence shall make and maintain all bridges for public highways over the Shawsheen River, so far as the easterly bank of said river is a boundary of the said towa, including the masoury of said bridges on the easterly bank thereof.

" SECTION 3. The inhabitants of the said town of Lawrence shall be holden to pay all arrears of taxes which have been legally assessed upon them by the towas of Methnen and Andover respectively : aud all taxes heretofore assessed, and not collected, shall be collected and paid to the treasurer of the towns of Methuen and Andover respec- tively, in the same maoner as if the act had not been passed : and also their proportion of all County and State taxes that may be as- sessed upon them previously to the next State valuation-that is to say, two-thirds of the State and conoty taxes that may be assessed upoo the town of Methuen, and one-eighth of the State and County taxes that may be assessed on the town of Andover, till the next State valuation.

"SECTION 4. The parts of the said town of Lawrence now belonging to the towns of Methuen and Andover, respectively, shall remain parts of the said towns of Methuen and Andover, for the purpose of elect- ing State officers, senators, representatives to Congress, and electors of president and vice-president of the United States until the next decen- nial census shall be taken ja pursuance of the 13th Article of Amendment to the Constitution : and the meetings for the choice of

such representatives and other officors aforesaid, shall bo called by the selectmen of said towns, respectively : the selectmen of Lawrence shall make a true list of persons belonging to the territory of each of said towns hereby incorporated into the town of Lawrence, quali- fied to voto at every such election, and the samo shall be taken and used by the selectmen of said respective towns for such elections, in the samo manner as if prepared by themselves.

SECTION 5. The said towns of Methuen, Andover and Lawrence shall be respectively liable for the support of all who now do or shall here- afterstand in need of relief as panpers, whose settlement was gained by, or derived from a residenco within their respective limits ; and the said town of Lawrence shall, within one year from the time of its organiza- tion under this act, pay to the town of Methuen one thousand dol- lars as and for their just proportion of the debts of the town of Me- thuen, owing at the time of the passage of this Act, exclusive of the amount of the surplus revenue of the United States in the treasury of the town of Methuen : and the town of Lawrence shall also pay two- thirds of the amount of said surplus revenue whenever its repayment shall be demanded by the United States according to law : and shall also pay to the town of Methuen the amount that said town shall pay for building Haverhill Strect, so called, within the limits of the said towo of Lawrence, as ordered by the County Commissionors for the County of Essex.

"SECTION 6. Any justice of the peace in the County of Essex is hereby authorized to issue his warrant to any principal inhabitant of the town of Lawrence, requiring him to notify and warn tho in- habitants thereof, qualified to vote in town affairs, to meet at the time and place therein appointed, for the purpose of choosing all such towa officers as towns are by law anthorized and required to choose at their annual meetings: and such justice, or, in his abseuce, such principal inhahitaut, shall preside till the choice of a moderator ia said meeting.

"SECTION 7. This act shall take effect from and after its pas- Bage."

TOWN OFFICERS FROM 1847 TO 1853.

1847. Selectmen :- William Swan, Chas. F. Abbott, Nathan Wells, James Stevens, Lorenzo D. Browu. School Committee :- James D. Her- rick, Dr. William D. Lamb, Dao. Weed. Town Clerks and Treasurers :- E. W. Morse, clerk, Daniel Saunders, treasurer, Bailey Bartlett, collect- or, Ivan Stevens, auditor.

1848. Selectmen :- David J. Clark, Chas. F. Abbott, Wm. D. Joplin, Levi Sprague, John M. Smith. School Committee :- Rev. George Pack- ard, Rev. Lyman Whiting, Rev. Henry F. Harrington, Nathan W. Ilar- mou, James D. Herrick. Town Clerks and Treasurers :- E. W. Morse, clerk, Nathaniel White, treasurer, Parker Smith, collector, Ivan Ste- vens, auditor.

1849. Selectmen :- Chas. F. Abbott, Levi Sprague, Isaac Fletcher. School Committee :- Rev. George Packard, Rev. Lyman Whiting, Rev. Henry F. Harrington, Henry K. Oliver, James D. Herrick. Town Clerks and Treasurers :- E. W. Morse, clerk, Daniel Saunders, treasurer, N. G. White, collector, Ivan Stevens, auditor.

1850. Selectmen :- Artemias Parker, Jr., Wm. Gile, Wm. R. Page. School Committee :- Rev. George Packard, Rev. Lyman Whiting, Rev. H. F. Harrington, Rev. Geo. H. Clark, Rev. J. G. Richardsoo. Town Clerks and Treasurers :- Geo. W. Benson, clerk, Geo. W. Sanborn, treas- urer, N. G. White, collector, Ivan Stevens, auditor.

1851. Selectmen :- Win. R. Page, Levi Sprague, Joseph Norris. School Committee :- Chas. S. Storrow, Nathan W. Harmon, Rev. Geo. Packard, James D. Herrick, Dr. Moses L. Atkinson. Town Clerks and Treasurers :- Geo. W. Benson, clerk, Geo. W. Sanborn, treasurer and collector, Ivan Steveus, auditor.

1852. Selectmen :-- Wm. R. Page, Levi Sprague, Joseph Norris. School Committee :- Rev. Geo. Packard, A. D. Blanchard, Rev. Samuel Kelley, Nathan W. Harmon, John A. Goodwin. Town Clerks und Treasurers :- Geo. W. Beusou, clerk, Geo. W. Sanborn, treasurer aud collector, Ivan Stevens, auditor.

During the continuance of the town government the population increased from six thousand in 1848 to nearly thirteen thousand in 1853. And to any one familiar with the routine of town government, it will be apparent that the officers of the new town had plenty of employment,-constant meetings in the early years, for organization, to provide for schools, cemetery, po-

876

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

lice and the usual concomitants of advancing civili- zation, lockups or prisons for the turbulent and un- ruly, erection of public buildings, building of roads, etc., all expenditures of the public money being voted upon by the people in town-meeting assembled. The inconvenience of this method of conducting affairs led the people to apply for a city charter, which was granted, and the act signed by Governor Clifford March 21, 1853.

Besides the inconvenience of attending frequent meetings, vexatious delays were liable to occur, in consequence of the rancor of party spirit, and the old saying. "in the multitude of counselors there is wis- dom," proved not always true. This was amusingly and provokingly illustrated in the attempt to fix the location of the town hall, and in the refusal to accept from the Essex Company the gift of the common. But no meeting of the people was perhaps more ex- citing than the meeting of 1852 (the last under town government). Mr. Hayes, in his "Sketches of Law- rence," printed in 1868, gives the following account of the meeting: "Early in the day Mr. B. F. Wat- son, the leader of the Democrats, made some motion intended to give advantage to his party, and was de- clared out of order. Exasperated at his failure, he planted himself in the way to the polls, and in a loud voice announced, 'There shall be no voting here to- day,' and called upon his friends to block the passage to the ballot-box. The hall was filled with excited men, who rushed to the point where Watson was standing. A party fight on an extended scale seemed almost unavoidable, when above the din of the angry tumult the clear, calm voice of William R. Page (chairman of the selectmen) echoed through the hall,

'Gentlemen will bring in their votes.' Instantly General Oliver started for the ballot-box, and, after a severe struggle, finally arrived at the object of his aim, but minus his coat-tail.

"The incident operated like magic in allaying the disturbance. All parties regarded it as a joke worth laughing at, and as the two emotions-laughter and anger-cannot exist together, order was far more easily restored than the coat-tail. Probably not a man in Lawrence, who esteemed order as a law of heaven, felt any regret that a town organization, which drew together in one hall all the voters of the place, was to give way to a division of these voters into wards under a city organization."

The first election of city officers was held April 18, 1853, and the new government was inaugurated May 10th. Three parties presented candidates for mayor, Charles S. Storrow, treasurer of the Essex Company, being the candidate of the Whig party, Enoch Bart- lett of the Democratic, and James K. Barker of the Free Soil or Anti-Slavery party. Mr. Storrow was elected, and associated with him in the Board of Al- dermen were George D. Cabot, Albert Warren, E. B. Herrick, Alvah Bennett, Walker Flanders and S. S. Valpey; and in the Common Council were Josiah

Osgood (president), Nathaniel G. White (many years president of the Boston and Maine Railroad), Dana Sargent (subsequently mayor of Nashua), William R. Spalding, Elkanah F. Bean, Daniel Hardy, Isaac K. Gage and others, the members of both boards being selected by the people more with a view to their busi- ness capacity than to their political activity, and forming an exceptionally capable government for starting the machinery of the new city.

In 1848 the classification of the population was :

Born in America

3766

Colored, 16.

Ireland

2139

England.

France.

Wales

Scotland

Italy

Germany

5949

In 1885, according to the State Census :

Born in United States.

21,765

Colored, 84.

Ireland

7,1:43

England ....

3,928

Scotland

832

Germany.

1,499

Wales

France.

Canada (English)

969

Canada (French).

1,021

China.

Other Countries.

234

38,SG2

Male population, 45 ff7 per cent. Female population, 5118% per cent.

CHANGES IN POPULATION, VALUATION AND TAXA- TION.

YEAR.

POPULA- LATION.

VALUATION.

SCHOOL CHILDREN.

POLLS.

TAX PER $1000.

1845 1

150

...

$1,719,240

403

497

$3 50

1848

5,949

3,814,426

620

1,321

4 20

1849

7,225

6,730,710

1,089

2,318

3 90

1850

8,282

5,902,741

1,308

2,249

4 90

1851

9,000

6,407,926

1,593

2,542

5 90

1852

10,500

6,374,3-5

1,660

2,514

5 34

1853

12,147

6,937,160

1,869

3,06G

7 00

1854

14,95L

8,842 915

2,167

3,36G

7 00

1855

16,081

9,954,041

2,50 8

3,659

7 80

185G

16,800

10,483,725

2,792

3,525

7 GO

1857

17,800

10,228,400

3,021

3,898

8 20

1858

15,300

10,249,009

2,610

2,962

8 40

1850

16,000

10,022,947

2,702

3,057

7 20

1860

17,639

10,584,023

3,171

3,609

8 40

1861

18,400

10,769,615

3,210

3,90G

8 80

1862

18,500

10,777,920

3,310

3,378

9 00

1863

19,:50

10,939,450

3,384

3,282

11 20

1864

20,500

11, 74,430

3,193

3,692

11 60

1865

21,698

12,783,273

3,613

4,147

13 50

1866

23,750

13,748,285

4,026

5,250

13 50

1867

26,0 0

11,6$4,000

4,462

5,714

17 20

1868

21,50 )

15,570,000

4,359

5,960

13 50

1869

28 000

16,647,000

4,665

6,336

13 50

1870

28,921

17,912,507

4.846

6,500

17 20

1871

29,000

18,552,0 0

4,85G

6,625

16 80

1872

31,000

20,713,693

4,847

7.400

15 80

1873

33,000

21,687.732

5,141

7,557

16 00

1874

33,800

22,918,775

5,285

7,728

16 20

1875

34,416

24,117,373

5,648

8,120

17 60

1876

35,000

23,903,598

5,63

8,026

10 00

1877

36,000

23,902,537

6,088

8,139

16 60

1878

37,500

23,744,017

6,668

8,542

15 00

1879

38,600

23,0S8,897

6,836

8,707

16 40

1880

39,151 2

21,142,724

6,865

9,024

16 80

1881

25 348,620

7,143

10,023

16 00

1882

26,277,223

6,698

10,435

16 60

1883

26,932.560

6,896

10,735

1G GO

1884

27,369,095

7,177

10,538

16 80

18$5

38,862 8

27,144,050

6,9-47

9,981

16 60

1886

27,165 590

7,277

9,967

16 40

1887

39,2994

28,324,373

10,129

17 SO

1 A part of Methuen and Andover.

2 Assessor's estimate.

3 U. S. Census. 4 State Census.

1847

3,577

877

LAWRENCE.

CITY OFFICERS, 1853, TO THE PRESENT TIME.

MAYORS.

CITY CLERKS.

TREAS, & COLLECTORS.

1853. Chas S. Storrow

Geo. W. Benson.

Brackett HI. Clark.

1854. Enoch Bartlett.

Benjamin Boardman ...

Nicholas Chapman.

1855. Albert Warren

William Morse

Nathaniel Wilson.

1856. Albert Warren

William Morse.

Nathaniel Wilson.

1857. John R. Rollins

Geo. R. Rowe.

Nathaniel Wilson.

1858. John R. Rollins

1859. Henry K. Oliver

Geo. R. Rowe

Nathaniel Wilson.

1862. Wm. H. P. Wright .. |Geo. R. Rowe.

Geo. R. Rowe

Nathaniel Wilson.

1864 Alfred J. French ..

Geo. R. Rowe

Robert II. Tewksbury.

1865, Milton Bonney

Geo. R. Rowe

Robert H. Tewkslmry.

1866. Pardon Armington .. Geo. R. Rowe.

Robert H. Tewksbury.

1867. N. P. H. Melvin.

Geo. R. Rowe

Robert H. Tewksbury.

1868. N. P. H. Melvin.

Geo. R. Rowe.

Robert 11. Tewksbury.

1869. Frank Davis

Geo. R. Kowe

Robert II. Tewksbury.

1870. N. P. H. Melvin .... Geo. R. Rowe

Robert H. Tewksbury.

1871. S. B. W. Davis.

Geo. R. Rowe

Robert H. Tewksbury.

1873. John K. Tarbox.

Geo. R. Rowe ...

Robert H. Tewksbury.

1874. John K. Tarbox

Geo. R. Rowe

Elihn W. Colcord.

1875. Rob. H. Tewksbury ..

Walter R. Rowe.

Albert V. Bnghee.

1876. Edmund R. Hayden.

Walter R. Rowe

Albert V. Bngbee.

1877. Caleb Saunders.

James E. Shepard

Albert V. Bugbee.

1878. James R. Simpson ...

James E. Shepard.

Albert V. Bngbee.

1879. James R. Simpson ..

James E. Shepard

Albert V. Bngbee.

1880. James R. Simpson ...

James E. Shepard

Albert V. Rughee.

18.1. Henry K. Webster ... James E. Shepard

Albert V. Bugbee.

1882. John Breen.

James E Shepard

Albert V. Bngbee.

1883. John Breen.

James E. Shepard

Patrick Murphy.

1884. John Breen

Timothy Kane.

Patrick Murphy.

1885. James R. Simpson ...

William T. Kimball ...

Patrick Murphy.

18×6. Alexander D. Bruce Timothy Kane

Patrick Murphy.

1887. Alexander B. Bruce. William T. Kimball.

Edward P. Poor.

Two of the citizens of Lawrence have represented the district in the United States Congress-Hon. John K. Tarbox in the Forty-fourth Congress, and Hon. Wm. A. Russell in the Forty-sixth.

In the Massachusetts Senate the city and Senatorial district has been represented by Daniel Saunders, Jr., Thomas Wright (four terms), Ben. Osgood, N. W. Harmon, John K. Tarbox, Horace C. Bacon, Byron Truell, Edward F. O'Sullivan. Members of the House of Representatives,-Wm. A. Russell, Fred. Butler, George E. Davis, John K. Tarbox, Robert Bower, Patrick Sweeny, Henry J. Conch, William S. Knox, Patrick Murphy, Horace C. Bacon, Byron Truell, Edwin Ayer, Melvin Beal, Morris Knowles, George D. Lund, James K. Barber, Thomas Wright, Charles Stark Newell, Josiah Osgood, E. B. Currier, Enoch Bartlett, David Wentworth, Enoch Pratt, Amasa Bryant, Thomas A. Parsons, John A. Good- win, Timothy V. Coburn, Benjamin Harding, John Gale, Rev. J. R. Johnson, Thomas W. Floyd, Walker Flanders, Wm. Hardy, N. W. Harmon, Cyrus Wil- liams, Levi Emery, John C. Sanborn, Michael Rinn, Abel Webster, Jesse Moulton, John C. Hoadley, A. J. French, Geo. W. Benson, H. D. Clement, John J. Doland, L. A. Bishop, E. J. Sherman, W. H. P. Wright, Albert Blood, Henry M. McIntire, John J. Nichols.

Hon. John Kimball Tarbox was horn in that part of Methuen now within the limits of Lawrence May 6, 1838. In his boyhood he resided for a time in North Andover, and later entered the drug-store of Henry M. Whitney in Lawrence. His tastes led him to the study of law, which he read in the office of Colonel B. F. Watson, and while thus engaged he

contributed largely to the editorial columns of the Lawrence Sentinel, and was for a considerable period its editor. He was admitted to the Essex bar in 1860, and entered into partnership with Mr. Watson, and conducted the business of the firm while the senior partner was in service in the first campaign of the Sixth Regiment in 1861. In the fall of 1861 Colonel Watson was appointed paymaster in the army, and_Mr. Tarbox went with him as clerk, and was engaged in that and the following year in pay- ment in the field of the armies of the Potomac and Gulf Department.

In the summer of 1861 he united with Eben T. Colby and George S. Merrill in raising a company un- der the call of the President for nine months' troops. A call for volunteers was issued, which appeared on the bulletin boards one Sunday morning, and Tues- day night following one hundred and sixteen men were enrolled. Mr. Colby was chosen captain, Mr. Merrill first and Mr. Tarbox second lieutenants. This company and one other, raised immediately after by John R. Rollins, James G. Abbott and Hi- ram Robinson, went into camp at Wenham, were at- tached to the Forty-eighth Regiment, from which they were detached, owing to the exigencies of the service, and sent to complete the Fourth Regiment, which had for the second time volunteered its ser- vices to the government. The regiment served about a year in the army in Louisiana, at Brashear (now Morgan) City, at the battle of Franklin and in the siege of Port Hudson, and was among the first to en- ter the captured works. Mr. Tarbox during this time was once acting adjutant of the regiment, and com- manded the company at the battle of Bisland (or Franklin), while Captain Merrill was in hospital with malarial fever.

After the return of his regiment Mr. Tarbox re- sumed the practice of law, but his taste for political affairs and his ability as a writer and speaker brought him prominently before the public, and he was chosen representative to the Legislature in 1868 and again in 1870. In 1872 he was a member of the Senate, elected mayor of Lawrence in 1873, and re-elected in 1874, and in 1875, '76, '77 he was a member of the House of Representatives in the United States Con- gress. In 1882 and 1883 he was city solicitor of Lawrence, and in April, 1883, was appointed by Gov- ernor Butler insurance commissioner of the com- monwealth, and re-appointed by Governor Robinson -a position in which he displayed marked ability, and conducted the affairs of the office so as to win the commendation of all parties.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 231

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