History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 16

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 16

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The first legal town meeting on the war was held May 21, 1861, when two thousand dollars was appro- priated for the aid of families of soldiers, and a com- mittee was appointed to solicit subscriptions to com- pensate the members of Captain Bancroft's company for time spent in drilling, many of them being me- chanies and workmen dependent on their earnings for support.

The enthusiasm of the times spread among all classes. Drill clubs were organized for instruction in military tactics. In accordance with the recommen- dation of the town committee, a company called the Foster Guards, under the command of Captain S. C. Bancroft, was enrolled and uniforms and equipments wore procured. The company went into camp at Camp King, near Tapley's Brook, on the 29th of June, 18H1, and about a fortnight afterward went into the State Regimental Camp at Lynnfield, Camp Schouler, where it became Company B of the Seventeenth Reg- iment, commanded by Colonel Hinks.

On the 4th of July, 1831, a flag was raised on a new flagstaff in the square. Benjamin Goodridge, who had been an officer of the old Danvers Artillery, assisted by the surviving veterans of the War of 1812, John Price, B. D. Hill and Edward Hammond, raised the flag, and Mr. Goodridge made a brief speech ; Hon. A. A. Abbott acted as president, and delivered an eloquent address; and the school children sang a patriotic song, beside music by the band and a glee club. The Foster Guards and some of the fire com- panies were present, and the scene was one of the most characteristic of the early days of the war.

A considerable number of South Danvers volun- teers joined the Essex Cadets, and on July 22d the company marched from camp at Winter Island to South Danvers, where they were entertained by a collation in front of the old South Church, and a sword was presented to Lieutenant F. W. Taggard. The company was mustered into the service the same day, and formed part of the Fourteenth Regiment, which went to the front Augu-t 7.

On the 31st of July the Mechanie Infantry and City Guards returned to Salem, and on the next day the Salem Zouaves arrived. A public reception was given to the returning volunteers. The enthusiasm was great, and the bells were rung incessantly for six hours at a stretch, while one hundred and fifty rounds were fired by the Light Artillery during the day.

The drill club of young men, under Captain R. S. Daniels, Jr., began in September to organize for the purpose of forming a company for active service, but this purpose was not carried out till the next year.

A number of South Danvers men enlisted in the summer and fall of 1861 in the Ninth Regiment, and there was a good representation from the town in the Twenty second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Regiments, while there were South Danvers men in the First, Second, Eleventh. Twelfth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth and in some other organizations, besides enlistments in the Navy.

During the first six months of the war, more than three hundred men enlisted from the town.

At a town meeting held on Friday evening, October 5, 1861, $5,000 was voted for the relief of those depen- dent upon the volunteers ; $1,000 was voted to be used in any emergencies where those authorized may think proper, and $2,500 for the support of the poor.

The Wizard, a weekly paper, edited by Fitch Poole, and containing many of his characteristic and humor- ous sketches, was full of information on war topics, and from time to time published many letters from soldiers.

The work of the Soldiers' Aid Society continued to increase, and the various religious societies organized their forces in further assistance to the cause. The church sewing society were busted with knitting socks for the soldiers, and in one of their consignments of articles was a large number of mittens made by the school children.

1025

PEABODY.

The first recorded death of any citizen of the town in the war was that of Daniel Murray, who lost his life in the famous engagement with the Merrimac. He was an officer on board the "Cumberland," was wounded and went down with the ship on the 7th of March, 1862.

On the 1st of July, 1862, President Lincoln issued his call for three hundred thousand men. Enthusi- astie war meetings were held in the Town Hall on July 11 and 25. At a special town meeting July 21, 1862, it was voted to give a bounty of $150 to each man who enlisted as part of the quota of the town. To provide funds for the payment of this bounty, it was decided to borrow $12,000, and a committee was appointed to obtain a loan on the notes of the town at

six per cent. At the adjourned town meeting, July 31, it was announced that Eben Sutton, a citizen of large means and patriotic spirit, was ready to lend the whole amount needed at five and a half per cent. A committee of five from each school district was chosen to co-operate with a committee chosen at a general meeting of citizens in obtaining recruits. The three years' quota of seventy-five men was filled by the last of August.

On the fourth of August the President issued a call for 300,000 men for nine months. War meetings were held in the town on August 24th and 29th. Captain Robert S. Daniels, Jr., announced his readi- ness to enlist as one of a nine months' South Dan- vers Company, and other prominent citizens came for- ward and offered their services amid the greatest en- thusiasm, including one gentleman far beyond the age at which he could be required to serve-Mr. James Perkins.

At a special town meeting held August 25, 1862, a bounty of $100 was authorized to be paid to each volunteer who should enlist for nine months' service in the company then being recruited by Captain Daniels. At the same meeting the following resolu- tions were passed :

" Resolved that the Citizens of South Danvers desire once more to pledge their fidelity to the sacred cause of American union, and their unalterable determination never to falter in their efforts to maintain its integrity aod perpetuate its blessings ; that they will not measure their legal obligations nor pause to inquire whether they have done more or less than their neighbors ; but that, like their fathers in Revolutionary days, they will do all they can, to the extent of the means with which God has endowed them, in behalf of the cause of Constitutional government and the salvation of their beloved country.

" Resolved, That South Danvers, expressing in her municipal capacity the feelings and wishes of her individnal citizens, hereby declares her hearty appreciation of the patriotism of her eone who have enlisted, and are now enlisting, to serve in defence of the Union, and faithfully pledges her fostering care in time of need of the families of her brave soldiers, and her lively gratitude for the services and her blessings upon the lives of those who, in eerving their country in the henr of danger, confer en- during honor upon their native or adopted town ; their names will illu- mine her andals, and be handed down in affectionate remembrance to future generations."

Among the volunteers in Captain Daniels' company were two of the school teachers of the town, Mr. Wm. L. Thompson, of the Peabody High School, and Mr. Geo. F. Barnes, of the Bowditch School. In April,

1863, there were said to be thirty-two members and two teachers of the High School in the service.

One hundred and one of Captain Daniels' company were from South Danvers, and the town took the deepest interest in the company, which included in its ranks many representatives of the most esteemed families of the place, some of whom had made great sacrifices to go, giving up honorable and lucrative positions or business connections.

On the 10th of September, 1862, the company went into camp at Wenham, and it was escorted by a grand parade of the people of the town, among which marched the surviving members of the old Danvers Light Infantry, organized in 1818, Robert S. Daniels, the father of the captain of the new volunteer com- pany, being captain of the old company. Fire com- panies in uniform were in the procession, and the po- pils of the schools whose teachers had enlisted marched or rode in line. A carriage bore the three Dartmoor prisoners, and Abner Sanger, the venerable abolitionist, and Ralph Emerson rode with these veterans of 1812. The old Danvers Light In- fantry attracted great attention on the march to the depot in Salem. The new company was enrolled as Company C, of the new fifth regiment.

· The battle of Antietam was of great interest to the town's people, as two of their townsmen were killed and three wounded at that engagement.

For some months, although the interest in the war was unabated, there was a remission of the activity in enlistments and patriotic meetings. At the draft, on the 10th of July, 1863, at Salem, 109 names of South Danvers men were drawn ; of these 69 were exempted, 21 furnished substitutes, 12 paid the fine of $300, and only 7 actually entered the service.

A great war meeting was held on October 28, 1863, to promote enlistments under the call for three hun- dred thousand men issued October 17. On Octo- ber 17 the South Danvers Union League was formed. Other war meetings were held on Deeem- ber 1, December 3 and December 28, and on January 4, 1864, at which time fifty-four men had responded to the last call. On February 1, 1864, a new call for two hundred thousand men was issued, and renewed efforts were made to induce enlistments which resulted in filling the quota of the town. In spite of the large number of men already sent and the continued drain on the resources of the town, every call for men was met with a manly and deter- mined spirit; the call for five hundred thousand men July 18, 1864, was responded to by the enlistment of one hundred and thirty-eight men, a surplus of forty- nine, and for the whole war the town had a surplus over its quota. The following statement from a table compiled by Amos Merrill, Esq., from official sources, gives the statistics of enlistments. The method of computation of quotas and surplus was by reducing all enlistments to the basis of three years, one man for three years counting as three men for one year.

64元

1026

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Statement showing the number of men furnished by the town of South Danvers from April 16, 1861, to April 30, 1865.

Previous to the draft of July 10, 1863, the following enlistments were made to the credit of South Dan- vers :

Fifth Regiment ( three months). 28

Eighth Regiment (three months). 12

First Town Regiment (three months).

New York Fire Zounves (three months). 1

Total .. 42

Salem Cadets at Fort Warren (six months) 13

Seventh Regiment, Co B isix months). 3

Total 16

THREE YEARS' MEN.

First Regiment Massachusetts Volunteera. 5

Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 5

Ninth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 29

Eleventh Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 2

Twelfth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers .. 3

Fourteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. 55

Seventeenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 88

Nineteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 18

Twenty-second Regiment Massaclinsetts Volunteers. 9

Twenty-third Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, 34

Twenty-fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, 21 Twenty-eighth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, 2

Thirtieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. 1

Thirty -fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers.

Thirty-eighth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers 1

Thirty-ninth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. 45

Fortieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. 11

Saunders' Sharpshooters. 7

Wentworth's Sharpshooters 7

First Battalion. 2 Second Muine, 2

Fourth Maine 2

Fourth Battery

Fifth Battery 1

Tenth Battery

Total 390 Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers (nine months). .. 88

Product of draft of July 10, 1863 :-

served in person 7

Furnished substitutes. 21

Paid commutation fue ... 12

Total

One hundred days' men furnished. .38

Quota of March 14, 1864, for seven hundred thous- and men, including calls of October 17, 1863, and February 1, 1864, amounted to one hundred and fifty- two:

Credit joduet of draft of July 20, 1863 .. 40

Credit Naval Enlistments 11 February 1, 1864.

Credit Re-enll tients of Veterans. 36 ( rollt New Enlastiments Army. 63

Credit product of draft of May 10, 1861 3

Los surplus carried forward

Total .. 1.02

Quota of July Is, 1861, for five hundred thousand men 02

Loss err ren for ner call at Stuto House e irre ted .. ..

Total ..

( nit wat plum on frinot call of March 11 1 ('re dit von toten futtatshe I by ont alled mon 7 Credit En tments in July, Army 50

Credit Enlistments in July, Navy ... 2

('redit Enlistments in August, Army 21

Credit Enlistments in August, Navy 3

Credit Enlistments in September, Army

Credit Enlistments in October, Army ... 3

Credit Enlistments in November, Army 12

Credit Enlistments in December, Army 4

Apportioned nt [ Naval claims, 3

the State House, I Allowance for Navy at large. 30

Total 138

Deduct Quota.

Surplus.

By reducing the above one hundred and thirty- eight men to three years of service for each man, and adding thereto the town's proportion on call of De- cember 19, 1864, for three hundred thousand men, the above surplus was extinguished, and a quota assigned of eight (8) men.

Quota under call of Dec. 19, 1864. 8

Credit Enlistments in January, 1865 3

Credit Enlistments in February, 1865 7

('redit Eulistments in March, 1865. 1

Credit Enlistments in April, 18G5. 10

Total 13

Surplus April 30, 1865, in number of men

Years of service of the thirteen men, viz , five for three years and eight for one year, [reduced to three years of service ] .. 733 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF MEN FURNISHED.

Under call of March 14, 1864, including product of draft of July 10, 1863, viz., forty men ... 152

Under call of July 18, 1864, including thirty men, the town's proportion of navy at large apportioned at State House ...... 138 Under call of December 19, 1864. 13

Total, .303

Three years' men furnished prior to draft of July 10, 1863 ... 390

693

Number of one and three years' men furnished, including product of draft of 1863, and 30 men navy at large ap- portioned at the State House.

693

Nine months' men furnished 88

Six 16

Three "

100 days'

877

TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF MEN FURNISHED AND THE AMOUNT OF BOUNTY PAID UNDER EACH CALL.

Date of CnIl.

Bounty

paid by

town.

Bounty

paid by

subscrip-

Total

am't of

bounties

TotalNo.

men fur-

nished,

En listed

for 3 yrs.

2 Y.

1 Y.

9 M.

ES | 3 M.

April 16, 1861.

May 3, 1861. 2

314

May 28, 1862. {

July 14, 1802. 1

$10,950

$10,950 8,800

73 88

Angust 4, 1862.

8,800

October 17, 1863.

March 14, 1864.

1,155

109

July 18, 1864.

11,225

$19,130

30,355 1,775

109 105 13

December 19, 1864.

1,625

150

$33,755

$19,280

$53,035

744

The above table does not include the following :

Product of draft of July 10, 1863 10

Products of draft of May 13, 1864 3

Naval apportionment under the call of July 18, 1861 33

Six months' men. 16

100 days' men .. 38

130

1 Including amount paid by enrolled men not drafted, for substitutes.

June 17, 1861. 5

153

the

tion.1

paid.

1027

PEABODY.

Adding this number to the total of the table, there is a discrepancy of only three men between the table and the statement above given. The irregularities of enrolment during the earliest months of the war make it extremely difficult to arrive at entire exact- ness in these statistics.

The following list contains the names of the citi- zens of the town who died in the war, as contained in the marble tablets at the entrance of the Town Hall, which were headed with the inscription :

"In commemoration of the patriotic services of the citizens of this Town who died in defence of the Liberties of their Country in the Great Rebellion."

AGE

Capt. Samnel Brown (3d) ..... ... 24

Daniel Murray .36

Lieut. Charles B. Warner. 27

George W. Nason 18

Orlando E. Alley. 29

Theron P. Newhall. 35

Robert Andrews 30

William Andrews 24

Sampson W. Bowers. 49

Leverett S. Boynton 25

John W. Boynton. 21

James H. Bryant.

Philip O. Buxton, 20

Thomas Buxton. 36

James Byrne. 39

Lewis P. Clark

John Costello. 22

James Crowley. 34

Henry H. Demeritt .25

John P. Dodge .. 31

Thomas Campsey 20

Jeremiah Donnovan. 18

Benjamin A. Stone. .. 20

John Smith 18

Alfred Friend

Joha Stott. .30

Frank Gardner.

Horace C. Straw. .. 44

John K. Gibbs. 45

Luke Gilmartia. .26

Charles W. Trask 25

George H. Tucker .. 32

Joseph S. logalls.

Peter Twiss 31

Joshua Very .. 33

$9,000

$32,000

Building.

25,000

106,000

Carriages and wagons ..

27,000

40,350

Clothing.

200

12,000

Corks ...

6,000

18,309

Food preparations.

1,100

5,000

Gine

125,000

99,200

Grease and Tallow

4,000

14,750

Leather

768

638,370

3,042,387

Machines and machinery

9,000

36,300

Metals and metallic goods

3,800

5,300

Printing and publishing ..

6,500

12,564

Printing, dyeing and bleaching

196

200,000

800,000

Soap and candles.

6,000

37,434

Tobacco

2,700

6,750

CHAPTER LXXV.

PEABODY-(Continued).

The Town of Peabody.

AT the close of the war the population of the town had diminished from that of 1860, and was six thousand and fifty.

The valuation was $3,819,766. Manufacturing had been carried on in most of the branches in which the town is active; the times of business ac- tivity succeeding the war, largely increased the vol- ume of manufactures.

In 1868, by an act of the Legislature, passed April 13, the name of the town was changed from South Danvers to Peabody, in honor of George Peabody, who had given so largely to the town for library and educational objects. The change was not without some opposition, and was not at the expressed desire of Mr. Peahody ; but twenty years of customary use have familiarized all with the change, and it cer- tainly serves to give prominence to the name of the town's benefactor, and at the same time to make the locality known to some who have known Mr. Pea- body as a benefactor of other cities and regions.

The leather industry continued to be the largest department of manufacturing, and many of the tan- ners and curriers lost heavily, as a result of the great fire in the business district of Boston, November 10, 1872. The blow was a severe one to some of the old- est and strongest firms, but most of the manufactur- ers rallied from its effects, and continued to operate the tanyards and currying shops. A large amount of leather is produced yearly, including calf skins, kip and grain leather, harness leather and sole leather. The manufacture of morocco and sheep skins is also of considerable importance.

The following statistics from the census of 1880 give the condition of the productive industries of the town at that time. There has probably been an in- crease in most of the manufactures since that time, and some wholly new manufactures, among which is a metallic thermometer-factory employing twenty- one workmen, have been established since that census was taken.

No. of Persons establislı- em- meats. ployed.

Capital.

Value of product.

There were, in 1880, three hundred and forty-three persons engaged in agricultural pursuits, and the val- ue of agricultural products was one hundred and twenty-one thousand four hundred and fifty-seven dollars.

The valuation of Peabody in 1887 was :--

Personal estate.

$2,685,850

Real estate.

4,501,050

Total 7,186,900

1,195

1,063,670

4,208,344

Boots and shoes.

Caleb A. Webster. 24

John Maoning 26

Frederick Weeden. 15

Joseph B. Maxfield

William J. White, 32

Gregory T. Morrill 35

George C. Whitney 20

Tyler Mudge. .. 35

David Mulcaby ,23

Charles M. Woodbury. 22

Jeremiah Murphy. .. 26

Charles C. Woodman. 29

Andrew D. Murray. 21

Heory Parker 29

Alfred Hopkirk 24

George H. Pearte. .19

James Powers 25

John Price 3d. 31

Jonathan Proctor 51

Leonard Reed 12

Richard H. Roome. 19

Patrick Scamell 18

Meses Sheckley 21

Albert Shepard. 30

William H. Shore .. 22

Donald Sillers 44 William Sillers. 20

Charles H. Sawyer. .. 23

John Fitzgibbon. 22

Terrence Thomas 20

Austin A. Herrick 23

Ehen N. Johnson 24

Horace Manniug 43

Sammel Wiley 22

Totals.

The town of Peabody has continued the process of development begun half a century ago, and has be-

Paul Osborn. 25

Oliver Parker. 23

1028

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

come distinctively a manufacturing town. Large numbers of operatives, many of them of foreign birth, labor in the various factories, and the dwellings and buildings of the principal village extend constantly over a larger area. Many of the heads of families are occupied during the day in Boston, the facilities of railroad communication making the town a conven- ient place of residence for such as do not wish or ean- not afford to live in the city. There have been many changes in social affairs, some of the families whose names are identified with the earlier history of the town having removed from it, while others have come in and brought elements of energy and business success. The general aspect of the town is suggestive of a thriving, active and successful business com- munity, with many evidences of cultivated taste and judgment in the dwellings on the principal streets, and manifestations of an enlightened publie spirit seen in excellent streets, commodious and well kept public buildings and school-houses, a thoroughly equipped fire department, and effective police regu- lations.

The town has continued to take deep interest in educational matters, and has spared nothing to bring its schools to a high standard. Within the last twenty-five years, large sums of money have been ex- pended in building new school-houses, the Peabody High School has been furnished with largely in- ereased facilities, now occupying' the whole of the building formerly used in part as a town-house, and the number of schools and teachers has been inereas- ed from time to time as the needs of the growing community have demanded. The town maintains a high reputation for the general efficiency of its school system.

The spirit of temperance reform, so early welcomed by the old town of Danvers, has been faithfully cherished. With the large increase of operatives, the liquor sellers were enabled to extend their pernicious social and political influence ; but by the vigorous and unremitting efforts of the friends of temperance, pub- lie opinion has been kept upon an enlightened plane, and a steady resistance has been made to the inroads of intemperance. The various temperance organiza- tions and movements for temperance reform have re- ceived warm and effective support from the churches and from individuals. At one time the liquor sellers appeared to be gaining in strength, and a large num- ber of saloons some of them of large extent and no- torious in character, were maintained to the great injury of the town, and with the result of placing large political influence in the hands of the leading liquor-sellers, and making the liquor party an offen- xive element in town affairs, and a serious menace to the welfare of the community. To check this evil, a Law and Order League was organized in Peabody in 1854, which received the support of the best citi- zens of all hades of opinion on temperance matters, and after a vigorous campaign the new organization

succeeded by the use of conservative methods, which received the approval of the community, in effectu- ally checking the violation of the law.

Among the temperance organizations in the town are the Father Matthew Catholic Total Abstinence Society, instituted March 3, 1881; the St. John's Catholic Total Abstinence Society, instituted March 3, 1882; the Women's Christian Temperance Union, formed December 10, 1875, and the Young Women's Christian Temperance Union, formed April 19, 1886.

There have been two extensive strikes among the men employed in the manufacture of leather in the town ; one in 1863, and another, lasting several months, in 1886. The relations between labor and capital seem to be well established at the present time.

In 1881 a soldiers' monument costing eight thous- and dollars, was erected in the square. It is a sub- stantial design of white granite, containing tablets inscribed with the names of the citizens of the town who died in the war, above which a circular shaft supports a figure of heroic size.

Shortly before the town of South Danvers was incorpo- rated, a Town House was built on Stevens Street, the upper story being used for High School rooms. The hall became entirely inadequate for the purposes for which it was designed, and the town offices were greatly cramped for room. In 1882 a new Town House was begun on land purchased for the purpose on the corner of Lowell and Chestnut Streets. It was finished in 1883, at a cost of one hundred and eight thousand dollars. It is a substantial building of brick and granite, with convenient and ample of- fices for the town officials; the lower hall, for or- dinary municipal gatherings, accommodates five hun- dred and twenty, and the large hall, one of the finest auditoriums in the county, seats fifteen hundred per- sons. A police station and justice's court-room are located in the basement.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 16

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