History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 270

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 270

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broadened, Rev. Dr. Rufus Anderson, the secretary of the American Board, was induced to take the position. With him were associated Samuel D. Warren, Ezra Farnsworth, Rev. Nathan Monroe, Hon. E. S. Tobey, Hon. George Cogswell, Hon. William A. Russell, Rev. Dr. J. II. Means and others. After the new building had been erected, Dr. Anderson retired from the board and was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. James HI. Means. lIon. George Cogswell is the present president of the board, with

BRADFORD ACADEMY.

A new Academy Hall had been built and dedicated dent ; Dr. John Crowell (of Haverhill), secretary ; April 15, 1841. In 1853 the semi-centennial was

Rev. Dr. E. K. Alden, Hon. William A. Russell, celebrated, which drew together fifteen hundred of Elbridge Torrey, Ezra Farnsworth, Rev. Dr. John D. the friends of the school. Kingsbury, Rev. Dr. Means, Rev. Nehemiah Boynton

After the retirement of Miss Haseltine, the academy | (of Haverhill).

was not considered fully prosperous again till it was conducted by Miss Abby H. Johnson, a native of Bradford, named for the former distinguished prin- cipal.

whom are associated Samuel D. Warren, vice presi-

The institution is justly the pride of the town and is itself, no doubt, largely benefited by the excellent character of the town, in respect to beauty, health- fulness, general good order and good government.

Distinguished men lecture here, like Prof. Charles A. Young in astronomy. Indeed, it is the intention

The fine new academy and dormitory was com- pleted in 1869, and dedicated in May, 1870, amid great rejoicing of the friends of the institution. The | of the able and earnest managers that the school school building, including boarding and school depart- shall not be inferior to any in any department. With- in the last year or two there has been great interest among the friends of the academy in the fine por- traits which have been presented to adorn its walls. ments under the same roof, is located near the centre of an area of twenty-five acres. The view commands the valley of the Merrimac.

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as of Rufus Anderson, pupil in youth and president in age ; of Harriet Newell and Ann Il. Judson, the missionaries who were educated at the school ; Ilon. George Cogswell, who for more than fifty years has been connected with it and done so much to build it up ; of Rev. Nathan Monroe, the former pastor of Bradford Church. It is believed the future of Brad- ford Academy will be brilliant and useful, even ex- ceeding its past extraordinary record.

In 1821 Merrimac Academy was established in the East Parish, which for many years was successful.

In 1820 there were two libraries in the town. Among educational influences, Dr. Perry enumerated also at that time the Washington Benevolent Society, exclusively devoted to literary improvement.

April 2, 1813, the Philendian Society was formed in what is now Bradford. Its object was "to support female teachers" in places where they might be use- ful in the moral and intellectual training of neglect- ed children. Parson Allen was much interested in this organization. Its membership embraced many women of Haverhill and Newburyport. Schools were established at Haverhill, Wenham, the Isle of Shoals and Byfield, where Mary and Abigail C. Haseltine were teachers. The results were considered eminent- ly satisfactory. Long since superseded in its work, to recall it now is mainly valuable as showing the tone and spirit of Bradford women in the early years of this century.

The public schools of Bradford have also kept full step with the advance of progress. May 1, 1886, there were 554 school children, 167 being between the ages of five and eight and 387 between the ages of eight and fifteen. The increase over the previous year was nineteen. September, 1886, there were twelve schools, with a teaching force of fifteen. The number of recognized grades was eleven, viz. : two second primary, two first primary, six grammar and the high school. The high school was established in 1866.

From an early period in the history of this town, its public officers have been respectable and respected. One of its first town clerks, Shubael Walker, was a superior officer for the day in which he lived, being an admirable penman and accurate in the discharge of his duties. The town has generally reposed con- fidence in its selectmen, who appear, upon the whole, to have deserved it. The first selectmen were Sergeant John Gage, Robert Haseltine, Joseph Pike, John Griffin and John Tenny. Thomas Kimball was the first constable. And at the same meeting it was voted that the houses of Benjamin Gage and Thomas Kimball " should be legal places for posting up any order or other business of public concernment for the town." Contrary to the custom in most places, the meeting-house was not employed for such noti- fications until the division of the town into parishes.

In 1707 it was voted that there should be two con- stables instead of one, as before, the compensation to

be divided between them. This was the first recogni- tion of the growth of the eastern part of the town, leading to the division of town offices, employment4 and conveniences. About twenty years afterwards the town was divided into parishes; and thus things proceeded in the way of equitable division until, May 20, 1766, it was " voted that the one-half of the town meetings shall be held at the East Meeting-Ilouse in said town for the future." This was a most important vote, giving the clue to the course of things for nearly a century after, till the East Parish was set up as the town of tiroveland, in 1850. But it is believed that this vote has not been printed before the present oc- casion.

Provision for order in the town meetings was also made on the very first occasion, when it was voted " that whoever did not appear at town meeting at the time set for such meeting, should pay sixpence for every hour that he was defective ; " and if anyone in meeting should speak without leave obtained from the moderator, he should pay the same sum for every "offense." January 4, 1668, it was further " voted that when the town are assembled in town meeting, no one should leave the house withont liberty obtain- ed, under the penalty of twelvepence per hour, and that no act passed by the town after sunset shall be of value."

Dr. Perry claimed that in respect to health, Brad- ford had been as much favored as towns in general. So far as was known, there had never been a specific local disorder. One in ten of the deaths had been of persons more than eighty years old; Dr. Perry thought full one in eight since his residence in the place. That there were uot so many persons of very great age at the time of his writing as before had been the case, he ascribed to the destrue- tiveness of the French Wars, but more especially to the terrible destruction of infant and child life, through the awful throat distemper of 1736, which originated in Kingston, N. 11., and of which the Rev. John Brown, of Haverhill, published an interesting account in a large pamphlet. This disease in one year carried off in the East Parish of Bradford, forty-seven children and nine grown per- sons. "And it is said," proceeds Dr. Perry, "that only two families entirely escaped the disorder, one of which was that of their reverend pastor." If they and he had known that across the river, in Haverhill, the Rev. John Brown, the historian of the disease, lost three of his children by it, there could not have been much generalization from the exemption of the Rev. Mr. Balch's children. In 1762, twenty-three persons died of the same throat distemper, in a short time; and in 1794, fifteen more.

In 1777 the small-pox appeared in the East Parish, and at that time, indeed, it was prevalent in this vicinity, perhaps brought from the army. Bradford built a pest-house, to which were removed those taken with the disorder. Fourteen had it, of whom ten died.

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Of the seven thousand persons, who, according to his calculations up to and including 1820, had lived in Bradford, Dr. Perry estimated that 1284 had made open profession of religion.

In 1720 the town's expense was £60 16%, 4d. ()n an average for the ten years before 1820, it had been £900, which Dr. Perry estimated was raised at least as easily as the former taxes ; whence, of course. the inference would naturally be drawn that the wealth of the place had increased in that proportion. It certainly has increased in at least as great a proportion in both towns since 1820. Dr. Perry exhibited the increase in the value of land since the early days by an incident which has been often repeated. Before Thomas Kimball settled in Bradford, probably about the year 1660 or a little after, he was driving a herd of cattle through on his way to Haverhill or Hampstead, when one of the land owners, probably Haseltine, offered to take his cattle at a high price and pay him in land upon the river, at eight pence an acre.

In 1810 the population of Bradford was 1369, and in 1820, 1650. When in 1850 the two parishes separ- ated, they were, as nearly as possible, equal in popu- lation and valnation, Bradford had about 1300. In 1855, after the division, the population of Bradford was 1372. In 1875, its population was 2347, contain- ing 113 dwellings and 531 families. It had an agri- cultural product of $43,635.

As a matter of curiosity and comparison, the in- dustries of Bradford as returned in 1855, after the sep- aration of Groveland, are here given. It is probably however, an approximation only.

BRADFORD.

"Saddle, Harness and Trunk Manufactories, 2; val. of saddles, &c., $1500 ; cap, $100; emp., 2.

" Boots of all kinds m'd., 75 pairs ; Shoes of all kinds m'd., 20,"00 pairs ; val. of boots and shoes, $1000 ; m. emp, 12; t. emp., 11.

"Bricks m'd,, 250,000 ; val. of bricks, $1250 ; emp., 3.

"Horses, >4; val. of horses, 89160; Oxen over three years old, 94 ; Steers under three years old, 30 ; val. of oxen and steers, $6235 ; Milch Cows, 258 ; Ileifers, 30 ; val of cows and heifers, §§110.

" Butter, 17,060 lbs .; val. of butter, $4265; Cheese, 3825 lbs. ; val. of cheese, $382 ; Honey, 325 lbs. ; val. of honey, §60.

"Indian Corn, 142 acres; Indiao Coro, per acre, 35 bush. ; val .. $5494.

" Wheat, 4 acres; Wheat, per acre, 18 bush. ; val., $144.

"Rye, 17 acres ; Rye, per acre, 20 bush. ; val., $376.

" Barley, 2 acres ; Barley, per acre, 25 bush. ; val., 850.

"Oats, 98 acres ; Oats, per acre, 40 bush. ; val., $2352.

" Potatoes, GI acres; Potatoes, per acre, 100 bush. ; val., $5490.

"Om ons, 1 acre ; Onions, per acre, 30 bush. ; val., $180.

" Turnips, cultivated as a field crop. 4 acres ; Turnips, per acre, 150 bush. ; val., $150.

" Carrots, 2 acres ; Carrots, per acre, 300 bush. ; val., $180.

" English Mowing, 1130 acres ; English Hay, 1240 tons ; val , $18,600.

" Wet Meadow or Swale Hay, 40 tons ; val., §320.

"Apple Trees, cultivated for their fruit, 6850 ; val., $6580.

" Pear Trees, cultivated for their fruit, 420 ; val., $225.

" Shoes made the past year, 102,700.

Jack Screws, 200; val., $10.0."

In 1880 the population of Bradford was 2643; in 1885, 3106. The valuation in 1886 was, personal estate, $305,867.00; real estate, $1,274,020.00 : total,

$1,579,887.00-rate of tax, $15 per $1000. Total taxes, $25,472.44.

When the Boston & Maine railroad was opened to this town in 1837, the village contained but three streets, the Andover road and the Salem road, which unite at the meeting house and extend 'to Haverhill bridge-excepting the old Ferry Street.

The average expense of maintaining the town poor, from 1810 to 1820, was 8839. Abont the last date, the town purchased a house and farm for their use, where it was expected they would be more comfortable and less expensive.

In 1882, on the two hundredth anniversary of the church organization, it was stated that the "actual necessities of the poor are so few that most of them are supplied from private distribation of charity. The town poor-farm was actually sold for the reason that the town had no paupers to live on it." But, March, 1886, $2000 was appropriated for the poor. The town paid for board, care, groceries, wood, boots and shoes, burial, etc. In a word, it has recurred to the methods of more than a century ago.

In 1752 there appear to have been two persons sup- plied with out-door relief-Martha Simons and " Mr. Pufer."

"Sept. 18, 1752, voted to Capt. Mullicken, for keeping Martha Simons from May 22 to - Sept .; providing her with showes (shous) and an aproo, £. 19s.

" To same, for keeping Martha Simmons twenty-seven weeks and one cotton llandkerchief, £2 19s. 5d.

" Stephen Kimball, for making one pair of showes and mending one payer for Martha Simons, 48. 6d.

" March 16, 1756, voted and allowed to David Ilall, for seven yards of too (tow) cloth for Martha Simmons and making them, Sa.

" Dec. 18, 1759, voted yt ten shillings be raised for clothes for Martha Simmons.

" March 9, 1762, Dudley Carlton, for Martha Simmons' coffen, 5s. 4d. " To Benj. Walker, for diging her grave, 38.

" To Obadiah Kimball, for a winding sheet, 38.

"Sept 18, 1852, voted to Joseph Mullicken, for providing a shirt for Mr. P'nfer, 6s.

" Voted to Joseph Kimball, for providing another shirt for Mir. Pufer,

" Voted to Philip Tenney, for two payer of gloes (gloves ?) for Mr. Puffer's funeral, 4s.

" Voted to Joseph Mullicken, for rum and shugar that he provided for Mr. Puffer in ye time of his sickness, 10s.

" Voted to Joseph Kimball, for a sheet and shurt and cap to bury Mr. Puffer in."

And thus pauperism seems to have come to an end, temporarily. But the poor we have always with us.

At that time the selectmen were expected to keep a sharp look-out that strangers coming into town did not become chargeable to it; to prevent trouble of that kind, they generally warned them ont again im- mediately-which explains the following : " Bradford, Jany. ye 1, 1775 ; Peter Russell gives notice to select- men that Alexander Montgomery has come from Andover to live with him-son of John Montgomery."

September 24, 1745, in town-meeting : " It was put to vote whether the town would abate the heads (polls) of such persons who are or have bin in his Majesties service this year & vote passed in ye negative."

The town was certainly not very liberal to such as

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had come or were coming home from the famous Louisburg expedition of that year.

The following is the most suspicious vote, though it might be explained : " Dec. 18, 1759 : voted to Joseph Mullicken for going to Newbury Court and dining ye committee, & two ( ), £5 08. 0d. "

1760-61. In these years there are many charges, abont "the French." These were the poor Acadians, who were distributed about among the towns to pro- vide for.

March 9, 1762,“ voted to Samuel Trask for building a oven for the French, 4 shillings ; voted to Samuel Kimball for bricks and wood for ye French, March 15, 1763, £5 58.0d."

There has been some difficulty about tracing the stocks in Bradford; but March 19, 1763, " voted to Deacon Thomas Carlton for mending the town stocks."

May 17, 1773, the town voted to build a powder- house-probably at Head's Hill, which, it is believed was known as Powder-House Hill. The powder-honse was stocked with ammunition. "Six half-barrels of powder, bullets and flints proportionable."

CHAPTER CLXIX.

BRADFORD - (Continued).

Bradford in the Wars.

IT appeared from the journal of Captain William Kimball, who, during the French War of 1755, marched a company from Bradford to Stillwater, New York, that all his men returned to their homes in safety.

The same good fortune attended the company of forty men, commanded by Captain Nathaniel Gage, which was in the battle of Bunker Hill. Although stationed in a place much exposed to the enemy, not a life was lost. Tradition has brought down the story that this was one of the best disciplined and most effective companies engaged on that day, having been carefully instructed by an English deserter, who, in 1820, was still living in Haverhill.

Early in the troubles with Great Britain a town- meeting was held in the West meeting-house, January 7, 1773, to see what, if any, instructions should be given to the town's representative relating to the existing difficulties. The town chose a committee to report what should be done, and adjourned to six o'clock, P.M., the same day. Instructions were adopted to Captain Daniel Thurston, the town's repre- sentative in the General Court, informing him that his constituents felt " very great uneasiness at the infringe- ments on our national and Constitutional rights, by many of the late measures of the British Adminis-

tration, particularly of the taxation of the Colonies, and the granting of salaries to the judges of the Su- perior Court, measures adapted, as we apprehend, to lay a foundation in time to render property pre- carious, and to introduce a system of deception which we cannot but view with the utmost aversion, and to" which we cannot submit while possible to be avoided. We recommend it to you as our Representative in General Assembly, to use your influence to obtain redress of all our grievances, and in particular to enquire whether the support of the Judges of the Superior Court has been adequate to their services, offices and station, and if not, to use your influence in obtaining suitable grants and establishments as may be thought sufficient to remove all pretence that government is not supported among ourselves-which was voted unanimously."

It will be remembered that most of the country towns on the patriotic side followed the bold and shrewd leadership of the Boston Committees, under the masterly management of Sam Adams. This vote certainly showed that Bradford was sound, and it remained so throughout the war.

The town was represented in the Provincial Con- gress, which assembled at Concord, October 11, 1774, by Captain Daniel Thurston, who was also chosen to represent the town in the Provincial Congress, held in the following February at Cambridge.

More ammunition was laid in store, and thirty pounds sterling were voted for that purpose. and this before open hostilities had commenced. The enlist- ment of minute-men now commenced, and these were drilled, equipped and paid by the town. The num- ber of hours required for drill was increased from time to time, as the emergency seemed to demand, so that they might be ready to contribute their aid when needed. Town-meetings now were frequently held, adjourning often to the East or West meeting-honse to hear reports from committees, vote supplies and encourage each other.

The town-meeting called May 23, 1775, was an im- portant one. It was the first after the battles of Lex- ington and Concord. The Massachusetts army had appealed to the town for aid, and the articles needed were stated in a circular from a committee of supplies. The town was also called upon to choose a Committee of Correspondence, according to the recommendation of the Provincial Congress.

The supply for the army called for was voted and the committee chosen. This committee were instructed to return the names of those persons who deserted the I'ro- vincial service to the county committee, unless they re- turned to duty. Soon after the battle of Bunker Hill- June 28, 1775-being only eleven days after, another town-meeting was held, encouraging re-enlistment of the minute-men, and promising to pay them.

At a town-meeting held June 20, 1776, it was voted, apparently unanimously, to desire Dudley Carleton, the Representative in General Assembly, " as our rep-

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resentative, to use your utmost endeavor that our delegates in General Congress be instructed to shake off the tyrannical yoke of Great Britain, and declare these United Colonies independent of that venal, cor- rupt and avaricious court forever-provided no pro- posals for a happy reconciliation be offered, which the honorable congress think proper to accept; and we hereby engage that we will, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, endeavor to support and defend them therein."

This town also lent its aid in securing the observ- ance of the State act to prevent monopoly and oppres- sion. Abraham Day, Jr., was chosen to guard the town against the danger arising from internal enemies. It would be impossible to give all the details of the various town-meetings, fifty or more in number, held to carry on this war. But the records abound in evi- dence of the zeal and readiness of the people to do their part, by voting supplies and furnishing men.

The town seems to have met the calls upon it dur- ing the war, for men and supplies, with at least reasonable promptitude.

The delegate from Bradford to the convention held at Cambridge, in 1779, to form a State Constititution, was Peter Russel, Esq. The new Constitution was accepted by the town after some discussion upon the third article.

The feeling against those who opposed the Revolu- tion and left the country during the war, or conspired against it, was very strong ; and a vote was passed in- structing the Representative to use his utmost en- deavors to prevent all such from ever returning to live again in this Commonwealth.

When the Rebellion broke out, the town of Brad- ford, at a meeting held April 26, 1861, voted one thousand dollars to be used for the benefit of soldiers volunteering, or called into the service. E. F. Brig- don and Georgo Johnson were chosen to act with the selectmen in the distribution of this money. It was voted that no soldier receiving aid from the town, should, for that cause, be subject to any disability as a citizen.

The selectmen were authorized to borrow money necessary to furnish State aid to the families of vol- unteers, in conformity with the laws of the Common- wealth. Money was raised to pay bonnties in order to fill the quotas of the town. Bounties were also raised by private subscription. In 1863, town bonds were issued for the payment of aid to the families of deceased soldiers.

August 20, 1864, a unanimous vote of thanks was passed to the selectmen " for their energy and success in filling the quota of the town. They were anthor- ized to use their own discretion in bringing home the bodies of soldiers killed in battle or dying while in service, and in defraying transit charges and funeral expenses. The town, at the close of the war, had a credit of thirty-one men, over and above all demands.

Four of the number were commissioned officers.

The comrades annually decorate the graves of thirty- one who fell. The town expended $22,149.42 on ac- count of the war, and $8,756.33 was raised in addi- tion from private subscription, making a total of $30,- 906.05. $11,915.03 was paid out to the families of volunteers, which the Commonwealth refunded. The war debt of the town has been extinguished.

The women of the town worked with energy and zeal, to supply the needs of the soldiers and their families. They worked largely in co-operation with the women of Haverhill, as the "Soldiers' Relief So- ciety of Haverhill and Bradford." Their cares for the suffering ceased only when there were no more to care for. During the war, the following were select- men : In 1861, Richard Haseltine, Samnel W. Hop- kinson, Leverett Kimball ; in 1862, Edmund Kimball John Perley, Samuel W. Hopkinson ; in 1863, Samuel W. Hopkinson, Walter Goodell, Nathaniel Carleton ; 1864 and 1865, Charles B. Emerson, John Perlcy, A. Judson Day. The town clerk, during all these years, was Nathaniel Hatch. The town treasurer in 1861 and up to August 19, 1862, was thence, till after the close of the war, Harvey M. Towle.

Judge Carter had four sons in the service.

Dr. George Cogswell's two sons, George B. and William, born in Bradford, served one as surgeon of the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts, the other, as Col- onel of the Second (Brevet Brigadier-General, Decem- ber 15, 1864).

The following is a record of soldiers and seamen, during the Rebellion, from the town of Bradford (being that preserved in the office of the town clerk) :

Kelley, Samuel E., private, must. in July 6, 1861, 3 yrs, Co. E, 14th Regt.

Kimball, Frank II., private, enl. July 30, 1862, 3 yrs., Co. 11, 22d Regt. ; disch. Jan., 1863, disability.

Kimball, Leroy N., private, enl. July 30, 1862, 3 yrs , Co. H1, 22d Regt. Day, Joseph Warren, private, must, in July 22, 1861, 3 yrs., Co. F, 17th Regt. ; pro. lient. 1863.

Walton, Joseph H., private, most. in July 13, 1861, 3 yrs., Co. D, 14th Regt.

Walton, Edward M., private, enl. Ang., 1862, 3 yrs., Co. H1, 22dl Regt. ; killed in action Jan, 3, 1864.

Carr, Charles E., must, in July 17, 1861, 3 yrs., Co. F, 14th Regt.

Mills, Joseph E., private, must. in Aug. 26, 1861, 3 months, Co. G, 5th Regt .; re-enl. in 17th Regt., drum-major ; disch. by act of Congress Nov., 1862.

Holt, Francis E., private, must. in Sept. 24, 1861, 3 yra., Co. 11, 22d Regt.

Bean, Charles E , must. in June 26, 1861, 3 yrs., Co. D, 12th Regt. ; sup- posed killed at Gettysburg.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 270

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