History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 248

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 248

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in the South Danvers (now Peabody) post-office, and the one who took it out paid twenty-five cents postage; another from the same place arrived at Danvers Plains, and some one informed the one to whom it was directed that a letter in one of the grocery stores was waiting for him. The postage ou that letter was eighteen cents.

It seems that all the improvements for two thousand years have been crowded into the last half century.

In the late rebellion, this town did more than its full share, more than one-tenth part of the whole po- pulation (one hundred and four) enlisted in the army for a longer or shorter time, and fifteeu of their num- ber either fell in battle or died of disease contracted in the war.

Justin Flint, died of disease ; Henry A. Smith, died of disease; Joseph M. Richardson, died of disease; Lemuel F. Esty, died of disease ; George W. Peabody, died of disease; Asa W. Brooks, killed in skirmish near Richmond; George S. Esty, died of disease; Charles Manning, killed in battle at White Hall, N. C .; Joseph A. Guilford, killed in battle at Freder- icksburg, Va .; Jeremiah Peabody, died of disease; Charles H. Guilford, killed in battle of Gettysburg ; Solomon Richardson 2d, killed in battle in front of Petersburg, Va. ; George J. Danforth, died at Ander- sonville Prison ; Abishai A. Higgins, died at Ander- sonville Prison; Samuel O. Wilkins, died at An- dersonville Prison. And many others returned with disease, and were soon laid in a soldier's grave like their fallen comrades. Others still now linger among ns, unable by reason of impaired health (due to ex- posure in the war) to enjoy the blessings their labors have helped to purchase.

PUBLIC-HOUSES AND STORES .- The old tavern stand was purchased from a man by the name of Goodale by John Estey, abont 1760; how long this Goodale had been in possession is not known; but eighty years previously was in possession of Aaron Way, and bought by him of Bray Wilkins, Sr. Estey was proprietor till 1816, when his son-in-law, Daniel Fuller, with others, bought him out and sold about 1824, to Capt. Joseph Batchelder, of Topsfield (grandfather of our postmaster, Joseph A. Batchelder, Esq.), who subsequently let it, among whom was William Goodhue; afterwards Mr. Batchelder's son Joseph was proprietor for a few years, and then his son Amos, and since his death it has ceased to be a public house.

After Mr. Estey sold out, his son William erected across the way what is now the Fuller house, which was used as tavern and store for a few years only, and, subsequently, this place was purchased by Ephraim Fuller, who lived in it for many years and kept a store in a building, now standing south of the house where now a little store is kept.

1795 .- About this time, a tavern was kept in an old house taken down some years ago by Samuel F. Estey, a little south of his present dwelling. This

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was then owned by John Stiles, who also kept a lit- tle store across the way under the hill, the foundation of which is now seen.

Francis Peabody kept a few groceries in the house, now occupied by Mr. Witham, in the east part of the town; this was a century ago.

Daniel Fuller, Esq., when a young man (nearly a century ago) kept a little store in his mother's house, or rather the lean-to, now occupied by his daughter, Sophronia Fuller.

1780 .- Dr. Silas Merriam, about the same time, kept groceries for sale, as well as corn-meal and rye, and run the grist-mill the year round to accommo- date the people, so say the town records as they gave him liberty to put on flash boards for this purpose.

1821 .- Mr. Daniel Richardson built a grocery store, and continued in the business about twelve years. This building is now standing and is a part of the dwelling-house of the writer.

1838 .- Capt. Stephen Wilkins, Amos Batchelder and Francis P. Merriam & Co. kept groceries for sale in the Ephraim Fuller store, but only a few years.

1845 .- Daniel Emerson and Hiram Moore carried on the store business in a building, since burned, that stood on the site of the present Merriam & Tyler's shoe-factory.

1848 .- Elisha Wilkins bought out the above store, and it took fire and consumed the following year.

1850 .- A large store and shoe-factory was run by F. P. and James N. Merriam for several years, and then sold to W. A. Merriam, who continued the gro- cery-store. The building was enlarged, and the previous firm of Merriam & Co. continued the shoe business exclusively, which was nearly the first shoe- factory in town, and subsequently W. A. Merriam moved to the new building which was erected by Joseph and John A. Batchelder for a grocery and shoe manufactory (and occupied by them for a short time), and continued the general store business for about twenty-five years, and theu sold to M. E. Tyler, who soon after sold out to Capt. Thomas Hoyt and John Beckford. . Beckford soon died, and the business was continued by Hoyt for some years, and for the last eight years the building has stood unoccupied.

After selling out to Hoyt & Co., M. E. Tyler erected a new building at East Middleton, and con- tinued the grocery business there a few years, and subsequently turned the building into a dwelling- house, and put up another store building near the old grist-mill in the village (which building has re- cently been moved to near the parsonage), and built ' a little store near his present stable, and continues both the store business and livery stable.

1856 .- Henry Wilkins and Ruel Phelps carried on the shoe business and grocery store in the same building, now occupied by Wilkins & Sons.

1812 .- A store was kept by John Fuller, Jr., lo- cated on the site of the carriage house of the late Daniel Richardson. A dance hall in the upper story,

and in 1812 a school was kept for a short time by the Rev. Jacob Hood in this hall. (Mr. Hood died a year since, aged ninety-four years.) This building was moved across the way about 1820, and was used for a dwelling-house. The last owner was Richard Green, and the house was burned about 1872.

Some fifteen or twenty years since there were several small manufactories of shoes here. Edward and A. A. Averill, near the town hall; Wm. H. Hutchinson, in the village; and Augustus Hutch- inson, near Howe Station.

In the early days there were no butchers in town ; each farmer killed and salted his own meat, and when fresh meat was wanted a neighbor killed and lent it around, to be paid for in the same way. The first butcher to set up here was Abraham Shelden, about 1830; and six years subsequently he carried on a larger business and extending into other towns. He had several good double teams and a large number of men employed. He owned the farm now owned by Jesse W. Peabody, and built the large barn now on the place. Subsequently J. Augustus Estey carried on the business in the same place. Since, the busi- ness has been carried on by Jesse F. Hayward and A. W. Peabody.

CEMETERY .- The land was bought and laid out by the town about 1858, at which time several lots were sold.

Subsequently the remains from many of the old burying-lots in town were removed to the new ceme- tery, and stone monuments erected or the old stones reset. There are yet known to be not less thau forty- five old family burying-lots in town, many of which are indistinguishable, being hid in the forests and jungles. Among these now unknown graves must be those who when alive, were the leading men in our early history.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES .- A social library was formed here in 1772 (just forty years after the first library in the city of Philadelphia). The Constitution was drawn up by Rev. Elias Smith, and contained twen- ty-two articles. The officers were chosen annually and the committee were required to meet once a quarter. Library to be kept within a mile of the meeting-louse. No book to be kept out more than three months, after which time a fine was imposed. The library at first contained seventy-one volumes ; some of these were given. These volumes were most- ly sermons of old divines, Morse's Geography, His- tory of South America and other histories, Mason on "Self-knowledge and Family Instruction," etc. Elias Smith, librarian ; Archelaus Fuller, Silas Mer- riam and Elias Smith, committee. Admission fee, six dollars, according to the value of money of that day. Proprietors could sell or give away their right, but all were, if able, required to be present at the annual meeting, or not allowed to take out a book for three months. All through the years from 1772 to 1826 this library was run with remarkable success.

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The last records were made by Rev. Ebenezer Hub- bard, who left towu two years subsequently, and the library was put into the hands of Daniel Fuller, Esq., and a few years ago handed over to the Flint Library. A few of these old volumes are still well preserved.

In 1838 Dr. E. S. Phelps started a social library or- ganization with forty six members and eighty-four volumes of books, which had only a short run, as but little interest was taken in it.

In 1865 an association was formed, of which John M. Peabody was president. Three dollars was re- quired to become a member, and one dollar annually. This gained in importance till 1879, when it was given to the towu and valued at upwards of one thou- sand dollars, at which time Charles L. Flint made a donation of about one thousand dollars and four hun- dred volumes of books, and the library was made free and called the Flint Library. Since that time Mr. Flint has made other donations, aggregating more than fifteen hundred dollars. Many other individuals have contributed valuable volumes to this library, which is now in a very prosperous condition, and numbers three thousand one hundred and thirty-sev- en volumes. and supported by the town. By the will of Benjamin Franklin Emerson, who died in Boston April 5, 1887, the Flint Library receives the interest of ten thousand dollars after the decease of his moth- er. This sum is to remain in a fund to be called the B. F. Emerson Trust Fund, with six trustees. Mr. Emerson was the son of Stephen and Sarah Emerson, born in this town, received his early education here, and subsequently in Oxford and Townsend (Vt.), academies. For fifteen years he was superintendent of the Copper Falls Mining Company, Mich. His death was caused by falling from a coal bridge while giving directions for extinguishing a forest fire that was fast approaching their quarters. In this fall he received a fracture of the spine, after which he lived seven months, some of the time in terrible agony. His age was forty-nine, unmarried and highly es- teemed by all who knew him.

N. B .- Since writing the above, Mrs. Emerson, the mother, has died.

SCHOOLS .- A century ago there was but one school- house owned by the town, and that stood by the church, and was moved to Danvers in 1810 by John Fuller. Subsequently the town owned three, and they were located at the east side, on the north road and in the centre, or present village. For a short time private enterprise maintained, in part, a school at the Paper Mill Village. This same state of things prevailed before the three districts were set off as be- fore mentioned, at which time the east side of the town was the most thickly settled, and the school there and at the North District had double the schol- ars of the present day. The manufacturing of shoes at the village and the accommodation of the railroad, stores, churches and a higher grade of teaching in the schools had cansed many to abandon the farm and

move to the village; and the people have spent their money freely to make these schools at the centre what they should be, while the others have not been neglected, and the advantages to gain an education here are as good as in any town in the county of the same size.

The following are the physicians of the town, with the date of their practicing as near as can be ascer- tained: Dr. Daniel Felch, 1728; Dr. Silas Merriam 1 came from Lexington, Mass. (his birth-place still standing in that town), about 1759 ; Dr. David Ful- ler, an old resident, 1815; Dr. Smith, 1816; Dr. Wal- lis, 1818 ; Dr. Ezra Nichols came here about 1830, left about 1837 ; Dr. E. S. Phelps came here abont 1837, died 1882; Dr. Odlin, 1870; Dr. Metcalf, 1874; Dr. Knight, 1880; Dr. Henry T. Batchelder came here 1884.

The following are a few persons known to have held the office of Justice of the Peace: Captain Eph- raim Fuller, 1777; Asa Howe, 1815; Daniel Fuller, 1825; Ezra Nichols, 1835; E. S. Phelps, 1850; W. A. Phelps, 1880; Joseph A. Batchelder, 1880.

The following are the blacksmiths, with date and place of location: Thomas Fuller, shop between Pierce's Brook and the tomb, 1663; Joshna Wright, shop on the street just north of Grothe's shop, 1760; Kenney and his brother's shop on the John B. King farm, 1780 ; Asa Stiles, shop on west side of the road at Uptou place, moved to New Hampshire 1785 ; Eben Putnam, grandfather of Mrs. Henry Wilkins, his shop on the corner by the house of Mr. Augustus Hutchinson, 1790 ; Theodore Ingalls, shop at Ingalls' place, 1798; Silas Lake, of Topsfield, shop at shoe factory corner, 1824; Hammond Berry, from North Andover (same shop as the latter), 1825; Moody Iu- galls, son of the above T. Ingalls, shop moved down to front of Captain Hoyt's house 1829, and subse- quently sold to Timothy Sanders, who left town 1833; John Richardson, shop in the Bush Corner (so called), 1820; George W. Winslow, shop as above stated," 1834; David Stiles, shop of the above, 1835; George Webb, shop now the house of Mrs. Timothy Wilkins, 1837; Cushing, the same shop, 1839; followed by Whitney, Shaugnessy and Grothe, 1875.

ROADS .- The oldest road entered town over the hill by the Allen Porter place, thence near William Pea- body's and Nichols' house to the corner east of Box factory, thence to the corner, as the road now trav- eled, below Samuel H. Wilkins', and so on to North Andover, by Asa Howe's. This road is supposed to have been traveled by Richard Bellingham, Esq., and the first settlers on the Cocbichawicke (Andover) in 1639; some writers put it five years earlier.

The next road through town is the old north road, as now traveled till it came to the sunken hole called the long causeway, then it diverged, part of the travel

1 Dr. Silas Merriam was born in Lexington, Mass., and the house in which he was born is still standing. He came to this town about 1759, died suddenly in 1812.

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

going to the left, by what is called Black Pole, com- ing out at the Roger Eliott place, thenee across the road and by Jolin B. King's to the Indian Bridge ; the other to the right, going by Emerson's Mill and across Andover road towards the great pond, and coming out by the William Berry place. In 1802 this road was straightened above William Berry's place, and not till 1808 was the long crossway made perfectly safe for travel. As the country began to be settled further in the interior the South Andover road (so-called) was opened, and settlements along its route made. The Essex turnpike in 1806. It may be well to state that the west branch of the old North road, in its earliest travel, passed the present village to the house of Benjamin P. Richardson, where it turned a short angle to the left and forded Ipswich River, coming out at J. J. H. Gregory's Seed Farm, and thence over the hills, on nearly a straight line, by Mr. Gregory's two other farms, to the road first mentioned by the Allen Porter place. This old ford-way and the entire route is now visible.

The road from the village to Danvers Plains was widened and straightened in 1811, and took most of the travel to Salem ; before this time the most trav- eled was by the old log bridge and Danvers Centre, and strike the great traveled at Felton's corner and avoid the toll gate on the turnpike just over Ipswich River.

The first town road was laid out, beginning at the Symonds' place and Averill's, thence across Beech Brook at Wilkins' mill and knife factory, coming out by the house of John Gage. The Paper Mill road is much older than the town, and was used by the first settlers. No records are anywhere to be found of its being laid out. Probably it went through the com- mon lands, and for its commerce, no one cared to dis- turb the public title.

A town way was laid out in 1744 for Joseph Foy, then living in Charles Mason's house across the woods to come out on the Andover road by ye saw- mill lately erected. This mill was near the Dempsey place. Subsequently a road was laid out through the land of Ezekiel Stiles to the old highway to North Andover, by Asa Howe's. Many such cart ways were laid out by the early settlers to shorten distance from house to house, all the roads being mere cart paths.

The Paper Mill road to North Reading, as now traveled is much older than the incorporation of the town.

The Essex Railroad was opened September 5, 1848.

MILLS .- There has been but one mill on Ips- wich River, though it runs nearly the length of the town, and that is where the paper-mill now stands, and for several generations a saw and grist- mill was owned by the Flint family, and must date back further than the mills at North Reading, as the latter were obliged to hoist their gate when short of water at the former. A mill once stood near the wood-

shed of Mr. Sylvanus Flint's. On thestream from Mid- dleton Pond two mills were erected, one owned by Silas Merriam and the other a little below the Abijah Fuller place, owned by Timothy Fuller. Dr. Merriam's was a grist-mill, and highly valued by the towns people to purchase grain for food, and about 1770 the town voted that "Dr. Merriam be al- lowed to put on flash boards and raise the pond three feet that he might be able to grind throughout the year to accommodate ye people."

M. J. Emerson's mill stands on Swan Pond Brook and the privilege is an old one and formerly belonged to Joho Estey, and subsequently to his son-in-law, Daniel Fuller, Esq. On the same stream was the Nichols grist-mill, and last owned by Stephen Nichols in 1820, and soon after taken down. On the same stream a little below stood the ancient iron-works owned by Major Daniel Dennison, of Ipswich, of which Thomas Fuller was foreman and subsequently owner.

A saw-mill was erected in 1740, on a little stream that empties into Beech Brook near the Dempsey place, owned by Timothy Perkins, who lived on G. H. Tuft's place.

Only one mill on Beech Brook, and that on the site of E. W. Wilkins' mill, and was owned by a Peabody family ; here more than a century ago two brothers quarrelled and one lost his life ; the survivor said he threw him a crow-bar which his brother failed to catch, and it struck him in the head and killed him ; they were alone, but soon it is said that the women folks appeared upon the scene, but too late ; they feared there would be trouble between them; tradition says the survivor hastened to the brook and filled his hat with water and threw in his brother's face, but without effect.

A man by the name of Gray set up a carding-mill about 1810, near Dr. Merriam's grist-mill, but other mills in larger places, with better machinery, took the business. Mrs. Sarah Conlan's house was former- ly a saw-mill which had been moved from Bald Hill woods.

EARTHQUAKES .- On June 1, 1638, about two o'clock P. M., was an earthquake throughout New England, which caused the pewter in many places to be thrown off the shelves, and tops of chimneys in some places to be shaken down.

Sabbath day, October 29, 1727, a little more than half past ten o'clock in the evening, the first and great shock was felt, when the heavens were must serene and the atmosphere perfectly calm, and it was repeated several times that night, and afterwards to January 6th, next following, when about two o'clock in the afternoon there was a very great shock, which exceeded any other since the first night. This day was warm and calm. This has been denominated the great earthquake in New England. The tops of many chimneys were thrown down.

On November 18, 1755, was another great eartlı-

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quake, doing much damage to property. On March 12, 1761, between the hours of two and three P. M., there was a slight shock. On Sabbath, March 1, 1801, about half past three o'clock, P.M., was a slight shock, resembling a coach passing over frozen ground. (Gage's " History of Rowley.")

The dark day took place May 19, 1780, accounted for by a peculiar state of the atmosphere and passing clouds.

The rude appliances for the performance of female labor in generations past severely taxed their ener- gies and patience, yet their loveliness still remained to bless their households and hand down to us the fruits of virtuous lives.

" From the early history of New England up to within a little more than half a century, the wearing apparel for the family was manufactured by the fe- males. The daughters were early taught to run the spinning wheel, and as years and strength increased mounted the loom and drove the cloth together with the great swinging beam; such exercise produced a muscular frame and was transmited to their posterity. They enjoyed the labor and ate the fruit thereof with joy; nor were these active beings content only with household work and manufacturing, but were often seen in the field doing the most rugged work with a cheerfulness that made life all about them most pleasant ; the gentle cow was still more gentle when the young maiden sat by her side."

All good farmers kept sheep, sufficient to produce wool for clothing and bedding, raised beef, mutton and poultry, with plenty of grain for subsistence. The cordwainer once a year came round with his bench and tools, sat down in the kitchen, took the measure of the feet of not only the little ones but the stalwart sons and daughters, and made shoes which were supposed to last from November to November, from leather either tanned from the hides of their own cat- tle or purchased from the leather store, and should they not last a whole year, even the great girls often went barefoot till the time when the shoemaker again ap- peared on his yearly rounds. The sandy floor of that day was no friend to shoe leather, but many a maiden had rather go barefoot a part of the year than to lose the chance of a good dance now and then.

PEOPLE OF COLOR .- A few wealthy farmers owned servants, of which Timothy Fuller, Sr., had the largest number (about forty); other families, number- ing perhaps half a dozen, had from one to five each, all of which were liberated when the State Constitu- tion was adopted, a little more than a century ago.

By a vote of the town, the second seat on the east gallery was set apart for the colored people. This was a long seat that would accommodate perhaps ten or twelve persons. The last of this old stock of colored people, by the name of Snow, lived in a hut on the spot now occupied by the house of Isaac Gates.

It was no unusual occurrence seventy years ago to see an Indian tramp on the road, begging bread in

broken English language, and presenting by no means a pleasant appearance.

BURIAL GROUNDS .- The oldest in town is near the box-factory of J. B. Thomas, which was a part of Rowley Village (now Boxford), and contains the remains of those who lived beyond the Ipswich River. The latter town was incorporated fully forty- three years before Middleton. The one known as the "Granny Tim's," named from Timothy Fuller's widow, is near the centre of the town, and contains the remains of many of this ancient family, and also of the first minister-Rev. Andrew Peters. There are forty-five places where the dead have been deposited, at least. Almost every old farm has its burying- ground. About 1860 the present cemetery was laid out, and very few are now buried elsewhere. The tomb near the residence of Charles O. Frost was built a little more than a century ago by Rev. Elias Smith and his son-in-law, Joseph Peabody, of Salem, who married two of Smith's daughters, both of whom were interred in this tomb. This tomb also contains the remains of Rev. Mr. Smith, Rev. Solomon Adams and several others. This tomb was finally closed about fifteen years since.

These partial genealogies are inserted to give the different names of families who have resided in this town. A full genealogy of a single family would fill a larger volume than we have now written.

AVERILL .- Of the Averill family there appears to have been two brothers-Paul and Samuel. Paul had a family of eight children, and was the ancestor of the family by that name now living in town. His oldest child was born in 1738, and the oldest child of Samuel was born about the same time, and his children numbered seven, and we think that this family soon left town. Joseph, born 1757 (son of Paul) ; Benjamin, born 1781; Hannah, 1808. This family doubtless settled here about the time the town was incorporated, while the Wilkins and Fuller family were here sixty-eight years before that date. The Averill family does not appear to be so numerous as many others found on the town records.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 248

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