History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 15

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 15

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the people from wasting " health, time and estate in drinking; " and they were earnestly requested to continue their efforts.

In 1818 Dr. Andrew Nichols delivered an address entitled Temperance and Morality.

In 1827 a committee of nine was raised to prose- cute all licensed persons who infringed the laws, and all unlicensed persons who sold ardent spirits. Dr. Ebenezer Hunt this year delivered the first public address in Danvers advocating total abstinence.

In 1831 the overseers of the poor were forbidden to furnish alcohol to the town poor, except by order of a physician. On March 4, 1833, Danvers refused to grant licenses for the sale of liquor; Mr. Proctor claimed that she was the first town to take such ac- tion, and it is certain that she was among the first. This policy was adhered to until the separation of South Danvers in 1855.

The peculiarities of the boundary line between the South Parish and Salem made it easy for those living near the line to obtain liquor, it being necessary only to cross the street in many places to be free from the restrictions of "no license."

In 1837 resolutions were unanimously adopted by the town, on motion of John W. Proctor, calling the attention of the Salem authorities to the objectiona- ble character of these border dram shops. The change of line in 1856 did much to obviate this evil; and very lately the city of Salem, in putting in force the plan of restricted area for the granting of licenses, has removed all cause for complaint in this respect, so far as official action is concerned.

SLAVERY .- At the time of the separation of Dan- vers from Salem there were within the limits of the town twenty -five slaves -- nine men and sixteen women. Slaves continued to be held until the adoption of the Constitution in Massachusetts in 1789. Most of those who were thus freed remained in the service of their former owners. The last survivor of the slaves of Danvers died in extreme ohl age in the South Dan- vers Almshouse in 1863,-Sibyl Swinerton, once a slave of John Swinerton.

A strong anti-slavery feeling grew up in Danvers in the early part of the century. In 1819 citizens of the town addressed a communication to the Hon. Nathaniel Silsbee, in which their attitude as opposed to slavery is forcibly presented, and the hope ex- pres-ed "that every practical exertion will be made, to hasten the time when the republic shall witness the complete emancipation of the African," and that " ere long this infernal traffic in human flesh will be completely and entirely abolished." This letter was signed, among others, by Edward Southwick, Wil- liam Sutton, Andrew Nichols and John W. Proctor, from the South Parish,

In 1847 a resolve, drafted by Mr. Proctor, relating to the Mexican War, was unanimously adopted, in which it was declared " that the town would not in any manner countenance anything that shall have a

tendency to extend that most disgraceful feature of our institutions,-domestic slarcry."

Anti-slavery meetings were held, and many of the citizens were prominent workers in the cariy days of the abolition movement.

THE OLD-TIME TAVERNS .- In the old days before the time of railroads the various taverns were impor- tant centres of interest. There strangers visiting the town on business made their headquarters; there the news of the day was received from the passing stage, or repeated by the traveller from a distance, and ea- gerly discussed by the politicians of the parish ; there public events were celebrated, and meetings were held of organizations and patriotic cit zens. Of the-e the Bell tavern, which stood for many years on Eagle corner, now the southeast corner of Main and Wash- ington Streets, at the bend of the old Boston road, was one of the most famous. Here, in the south room, on election days and other occasions of privi- leged merrymaking, the dance was led by the fiddle, and in the days before temperance was agitated as a special virtue, the convivial bowl flowed freely. Even the officers of the town sometimes consulted here over stimulating refreshment or entertained visitors of im- portance with the moist hospitality of the times.

In the days before the Revolution, the time of the spring election, beginning on the last Wednesday in May, was recognized by custom as a sort of jubilee of the colored people, and was celebrated by them with great festivities, in which they were allowed consider- able license in the way of sports and entertainment. The Bell tavern was one of the localities where the merrymakers gathered. This festival, known tradi- tionally as "Nigger 'lection," was continued by roys- tering young people among the natives long after the colored people had become few and far between, and did not wholly ccase to be observed till after the spring elections were abolished.

To quote from an article on the Bell tavern by Fitch Poole :

" The loyal neighbors here collected to mourn the demise of the good Queen Anne, and rejoice in the accession of the first George. His de- parture and the rise of his son, George II, were here celebrated in the same bowl of punch. George III was also welcomed with a zeal that was only equalled by that with which they drank confusion to his min- isters. The odions Stamp Act and all Parliament taxes on the colonies were patriotically denounced. Tea was proscribed and its sale forbidden under penalty of a ride on a raif nud the brand of toryism. One con- viction only took place, and the uulucky wight obtained a reprieve from his sentence by furnishing the villagers with a bucket of punch. His neighbors kindly gave him n share of the beverage, obliging him to repeut over his cup three times the following elegaut couplet :

" ** I, Isaac Wilson, n tory I bo; I, Isaac Wilson, I sells tea.'"

Francis Symonds, one of the hosts of early times, displayed a wooden bell as a sign, and he informed the people of his good cheer by the following strain :

" Francis Symonds makes and sells The best of chocolate ; also shells- I'll toll you in if you buvo need Aud feed you well, und bid you spoed."

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PEABODY.

There was a printing office in the building, in which were printed the earliest news letters of the town. One of these, which has been preserved, issu- ed September 27, 1777, contains news of the Revolu- tionary battle at Stillwater. Among the other works known to have been published here are Amos Pope's Almanacs, "A Price current for Wenham," and " An account of the eap'ivity and sufferings of Elizabeth Ilanson, wife of John Hanson, who was taken pris- oner by the Indians," published in 1780. Mr. Rus- sell, the printer, afterward removed to Boston.

It was at the Bell tavern that the heroine of the novel, "El za Wharton, or the Coquette,"-a work almost forgotten, but of great interest to a former generation-spent her last days and gathered about the tragie ending of her unfortunate life a veil of mystery and romance which long gave her a place among the memories of the simple and kindly villa- gers. Here was the appointed rallying place of the minute-men of the Revolution, and from this corner they started out across the fieldls on their hurried march to Lexington. Here the regiment commanded by Col. Timothy Pickering halted for refreshment on the way to Bunker Hill. Up to 1815 there were few houses in the immediate vicinity, and the road was separated from the open fields by a low stone wall.

Even on Sundays the inn retained its hospitable appearance, for the farmers from the outskirts of the town dismounted there and walked to the meeting house.

Southwick's tavern, on the Reading road, was also a well-known baiting place in the old days of turn- pike and post-roads, and in later years the Essex Coffee House, kept by Benjamin Goodridge, on the corner of Foster Street near the square, was a favor- ite resort. Oliver Saunders kept a tavern on Main Street, near Washington Street.

Dustin's Hotel, sometimes called the Sun Tavern from the sign of a blazing sun which formally hung on a post before the door, was built in 1825, on the square, where it still stands. It was occupied as an inn or hotel for about sixty years; at present it is used for stores and other purposes, the post-office be- ing located in a portion of the building.

As time went on, the decaying commerce of Salem made trading journeys to Salem and its vicinity from the interior more rare, and the new era of railroads left the old taverns empty and deserted, and the hos- telries were useful only for local convenience. The Bell tavern was taken down about 1840, and a build- ing containing stores was built on the site, which was removed about twenty years ago to make room for an ornamental grass plot. The old South room of the Bell Tavern is still in existence as a dwelling. The Southwick tavern became a private dwelling, and the Essex Coffee House was burned in the great fire of 1843. Other places of refreshment and accommoda- tion for travellers have been built and occupied by the town, but the age of historie taverns has passed away.

THE POOR .-. ALMSHOUSE .-- Throughout the whole town of Danvers, a liberal and enlightened spirit has always been manifested toward the poor, and there is no place where the unfortunate are regarded with more sympathy and kindness.

Previous to 1808, the town owned a building for its poor, with part of the Gardner estate on Central Street. In that year a farm and buildings were pro- cured of Nathaniel Nurse for seven thousand dollars for the use of the poor.

The present Almshouse, built in the South parish in 1844, at a cost of about thirteen thousand dollars, is a commodious and cheerful house, situated in a pleasant farming district. Beside the Poor-House and Hospital, there are over two hundred acres of land belonging to the farm, the value of the whole establishment at the time of the erection of the build- ing being about twenty-four thousand dollars.

Miss D. Dix, of Boston, took a deep interest in promoting the action of the town toward establishing this institution. It has been carefully and humanely conducted, and its inmates find many comforts in their simple life on this quiet farm. It was stated by the orator of the centennial celebration of the town that in fifty years of the history of the poor depart- ment of the town, a careful analysis showed that at least three-fourths of those who had received relief at the hands of the town had been brought to that necessity by reason of intemperance, notwithstanding the unremitting efforts of the town to protect its in- habitants, to the extent of the law, from the devas- tations of this debasing vice.

THE FEMALE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY .- During the earlier part of the period in question there were few very poor persons in the parish. In 1814, at a time when there was unusual distress among the poor owing to the high prices of the materials of clothing and the general stagnation of business caused by the war with Great Britain, the Danvers Female Be- nevolent Society was formed ; the first two clauses of its original constitution read as follows :

"Sensible of our obligations to imitate our blessed Savionr, and prompted by a desire to promote the comfort and happiness of the pour, the subscribers have agreed to associate together. The principal object of this association shall be to provide anitalde articles of clothing, for those who are unable to provide for themselves."

The Society at once commanded the support of the charitably inclined, and it was enabled at the outset, by means of liberal contributions made to it of second-hand clothing and money, to relieve much of the destitution of that period. Its original members, forty-eight in number, were all connected with the South Church, that being then the only religious or- ganization in the parish. The society has since drawn its forces from all the Protestant societies, and bas served as a means of uniting the various denomi- nations in practical Christian work. It is still in vi- gorous life, and its publie meetings and entertain- ments, while serving to increase its funds for chari-

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

table purposes, have for many years been a promi- nent feature of the social life of the place.

Until 1×31, the work of the society was confined exclusively to distributing clothing among the poor. Since that time, its means have enabled the managers to make occasional gifts of money to worthy benefi- ciaries, but its main work continues the same, and throughout all the years of its history, there has been no period of inactivity, but every year has been wit- ness to its clothing the poor and relieving misery and destitution. A careful organization of its methods was long ago effected, and a wise discrimination is shown in its bestowal of charity. It cares mainly for those who would receive aid from no other source, or for such wants as cannot be supplied by the poor department of the town or the funds of the various churches. Its work does not interfere with that of any other organization. For these reasons, it is likely to continue to receive the merited support of the ci- tizens of Peabody.

The society has been favored with several bequests and donations from friends and from members.

MILITARY COMPANIES .- Much interest was taken in military matters, and at the time of the War of 1812 there were three companies in Danvers, the Artillery, the Militia company of Infantry and a company of Exempts, composed of volunteers from th se exempted from military duty. This last was commanded by the veteran General Foster. The Artil- lery company was under command of Capt., after- ward Col. Jesse Putnam, who lived almost to see the next war, dying in 1860. David Foster was first lieutenant and Benjamin Goodridge second lieuten- ant. Lewis Allen, afterward a prominent citizen of Peabody, who lived to an advanced age, was one of the youngest of the company. The uniform of the Danvers Artillery consisted of a chapeau bras cap, with a long white plume, tipped with red, a long skirted red coat with white trimmings, white waist- coat, buff' brecches, buckled at the knees, and long boots. They each wore a sword in a belt over the shoulder, and cach soldier had his hair powdered. As it was then the fashion to wear a queue hanging down over the coat collar, the latter was whitened by the powder. The cut of the coat was such as is rep- resented as worn by officers in the Revolution.

The Militia company of Infantry was commanded at that time by Capt. Daniel Preston. Robert S. Daniels was a lieutenant. The meeting-place of the company in time of alarm was the green,-then really a green,-in front of the Old South Meeting- House.

tons, white or buff waistcoat and pantaloons, and a high stiff cap, larger at the top, adornedl with gold trimming and a tall plume. At one time, helmets were worn by the company.

The armory of the company was for many years a building standing at the end of Cabbage Lane (now Holten Street), at a point near where Sewall Street now intersects Holten Street.

A spirited representation of an encampment of the Danvers Light Infantry in 1826, on the green in front of the Old South Meeting-House, painted by Gideon Foster, the son of General Foster, was for many years in the possession of Gen. Wm. Sutton, and was pre- sented by his son, Gen. Eben Sutton, to the town. It now hangs in the selectmen's room, in the Town House. This very interesting picture gives an ex- cellent idea of the uniform and individual appear- ance of the members of the corps, and it contains also the best representation known of the original meeting-house, with its three rows of windows and its western tower and belfry. The district school- house, near the meeting-house, whose position after- ward gave rise to some litigation between the society and the town as to the ownership of the land on which it stood, is seen in the painting, and also the Sun Tavern, then recently built, with its sign, and Gardner's Bridge, at the head of the mill-pond. A sight of this picture carries one back to the old days of the town, and helps one to realize the extent of the changes that have been wrought in the physical aspect as well as the social characteristics of the place.

The Danvers Light Infantry continued as an ac- tive organization till about 1850.

On the 10th of September, 1862, the past and present members of this veteran company were called together to do escort duty to a company of volunteers for the War of the Rebellion, led by Capt. Robert S. Daniels, Jr., a son of the first captain of the old company. On a very brief notice, over a hundred of the past members gathered together, including six- teen of the original forty-eight. Capt. Robert S. Daniels, the first commander, led the parade, and (ion. Win. Sutton acted as lieutenant, and other well-known citizens were chosen to fill the various offices. Abner Sanger and Ralph Emerson, of the early officers, rode with the veterans of 1812, and the procession attracted great notice as it pa-sed from the Square to the Eastern Railroad Station in Salem, ac- companied by a large number of the citizens, with fire companies and other organizations in line. This was the last appearance of the Danvers Light Infan- try, and probably not one of the original members now survives.

The Danvers Light Jofantry, a military organiza- tion of high repute in its time, was organized in 1818, its first officers being Robert S. Daniels, cap- AQUEDUCT WATER .- The South Parish was one of the earliest communities in the State to enjoy the privileges of water conveyed by aqueduct. The Salem tai 1; Abner Sanger, lieutenant ; Allen tiould, en- sign. There were originally forty-eight members, chiefly from the South Parish. The uniform con- and Danvers Aqueduct Company, incorporated March sisted of a blue "swallow-tail" coat, with gold but- 9, 1797, with a capital of ten thousand dollars, sup-

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PEABODY.

plied water from a group of natural springs near Spring Pond. The first primitive reservoir consisted of a large hogshead sunk in the ground, from which wooden logs of three inch bore conducted the water through Danvers to Salem. William Gray, the famous merchant of Salem, was the first president of the company. The operations of the company were gradually extended as the demand for water in- creased; the wooden logs were replaced by others ; in 1834 an iron-pipe was laid, in 1850 a twelve inch iron-pipe was laid directly to Salem, and in 1867 an iron and cement pipe sixteen inches in bore was laid. The reservoir was several times increased, and about 1850 a stone reservoir was built, with a capacity of six hundred and fifty-two thousand gallons. In 1850 a connection was made with Spring Pond, a sheet of water covering fifty-nine acres, and whose surface is about sixty-four feet above mean high-water, and a filtering box was placed in the pond. This pond is fed by natural springs, and is of great depth. The water is very pure; an early analysis of the supply from the springs showed in ten thousand pounds of water only 188% of a pound of solid foreign matter, consisting of silicious earth, sulphate of soda and common salt, the salts constituting about one-half of the solid matter. A sample of the water sealed up with a piece of lead for many years did not percepti- bly affect the lead, such was its purity and freedom from corrosive qualities. The water of Spring Pond is about equally pure.

The supply proved inadequate to the needs of Salem, and the water from Wenham Lake, introduced in 1869, took the place of the old aqueduct water to a large extent in Salem. In 1873, the town of Peabody bought the aqueduct from the company for one hun- dred and twenty-five thousand dollars, and the town authorities have since greatly improved the facilities for supply, and have increased the head by the con- struction of pumping-works and a large tank or stand-pipe on Buxton's Hill, the top of which is one hundred and eighty-four feet above mean high-tide. The cost of the high service was eighty-five thousand dollars, and the town has expended in all on its water-works about two hundred and ninety thousand dollars. By judicious management on the part of the water board, the income from the use of water has more than paid for the cost of maintenance and the interest on the cost of the water-works, while the town has the free use of one hundred and sixty-three hydrants for fire and other purposes. The service is highly efficient, and the quality of water furnished as fine as any in the State.

CHAPTER LXXIV.

PEABODY-(Continued).

South Danvers-The Civil War.

THE new town of South Danvers began its corpor- ate existence in 1855, with a population of about six thousand, a territory of about fourteen square miles, and with thriving manufacturing interests firmly es- tablished. The valuation in 1856 was two million nine hundred and forty-four thousand nine hundred dollars. In spite of the depression of the times before 1860, the town had gained both in valuation and pop- ulation, the population in 1860 being six thousand five hundred and forty-nine, and the valuation three million six hundred and thirteen thousand four hun- dred and eight dollars.

There is little of the eventful to chronicle in the his- tory of the town until the time when the fall of Sum- ter startled the land, and President Lincoln issued his call for seventy-five thousand men for immediate emer- gencies. Then the old time spirit of patriotism which inspired the Miante-men of Lexington and the de- fenders of Bunker's Hill flamed up with ardent en- thusiasm. Forty-two of the citizens of the town started on the first call; nine members of the Salem Zouaves, formerly the Salem Light Infantry, under Capt. Devereux, starting on Thursday morning, April 18th, to join the Eighth Regiment, and ten men in the Mechanic Light Infantry, Capt. Peirson, and twenty-one in the City Guards, Capt. Danforth, in- cluding four commissioned officers, setting out on the following Saturday to join the Fifth Regiment, under Col. Lawrence. One South Danvers man enlisted in the New York Fire Zouaves, and one in the First Iowa Regiment. The following are the names of those who responded to this first hurried call as given by the town records ;

Salem Zouaves, Company H, Eighth Regiment.

Prirates.

Moses Shackley. David G. Lake. Leonard D Cobb.

Geo. B. Symonds. Henry Symonds.

Sullivan J. Wiley.

Wm. F. Wiley. Daniel Bruce, Jr.

Frank Plumer.

Salem Mechanic Infantry, Company A, Fifth Regiment. 2d Sergeant, James II. Estes. 2d Corporal, David N. Jeffries. 3d Corporal, John W. Hart.

Pricat s.

Elbridge II. Hildreth. Denuison T. Moore. Win. W. Stiles.

Samuel JI. Buxton. Henry W. Moulton. Albert J. Crane.

James Poor, Jr.

City Guards, Company HI, Fifth Regiment.

Ist Lieutenant, Kirk Stark. Od Lieutenant, Wm. F. Sumner.

3d Lieutenant, Geo. H. Wiley. Ath Lieutenant, John D. Stone.

2d Corporal, John A. P. Sumner.

Prirates.

B. Hardy Millett.

David II. Pierce. John W. Lee.

W'm. F. Guilford.

Oliver Parker. C. G Marshall, Jr.

John G. Estes. George O. Huit.

Henry O. Merrill.

James W. Kelley. Wm. Tobey. Samuel Wiley.

Thomas G. Murphy.

Thomas B. Kelley. S W. Williams.

.. Geo. IL. Peart.

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Beside these there were about twenty members of the Salem Cadets and Light Art. Hery who hehl them- selves in readiness to start at a moment's warning.

On Thursday evening, April 18, a crowded meet- ing was held in the Town Hall to discuss the events which so profound y stirred the community, and to adopt measures for raising money to fit out volunteers and to provide for the families of those who left home on such short notice for the defense of their country. The deepest feeling was shown as the speaking pro- gressed, and a subscription paper started at this meet- ing realized the sum of three thousand dollars. A committee was appointed to consider the expediency of forming a military company in South Danvers, and a report was made at the same meeting recom- mending the enrolment of two companies, one for immediate service and another to enter upon a course of drill to become a home guard or to enter the Fed- eral service whenever they should be required.

On April 24th a call was issued to the patriotic ladies of South Danvers to meet at the vestry of the old South Church to take measures for making gar- ments for soldiers. Donations were solicited of money, flannel, yarn, etc., old linen and cloth. This was the beginning of the " Ladies' Soldiers' Aid So- ciety," an organization which co-operated with the United States Sanitary Commission and other agen- cies for relieving the necessities of the soldiers dur- ing the whole war, and which, during the war, dis- pensed over three thousand four hundred dollars in money, besides large contributions of clothing, one hundred blankets and other supplies. The society also conducted one of the tables at the great fair of the Sanitary Commission at Boston in 1863, at which about seven hundred dollars was realized for the cause. Mrs. Henry Cook was for a long time the ac- tive and efficient president of the society. The so- ciety was disbanded October 11, 1865, after nearly four years and a half of enthusiastic and vigorous effort.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 15

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672