History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 37

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 37

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During the month of August the ladies of the Uni- tarian Society held a fair for the benefit of the sol-

diers. The people responded nobly,-as they had done to every patriotic appeal,-and the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars was netted. Of this sum four hundred dollars was given to the Sanitary Commission, and the balance was distributed among the sick and wounded soldiers and the needy families of those in the navy.

The desire to do something to alleviate the suffer- ings of those in the army was almost universal. Nearly every organization in town sent boxes of luxuries and medicine to the soldiers in camp. Early in the year the members of the Gerry Fire As- sociation presented eighty-two dollars to the Soldiers' Aid Society, the proceeds of a dancing-party held under their auspices. The members of Washington Lodge of Good Templars presented thirty-five dollars, the proceeds of a social party held at their hall. These donations were applied to the purchase of materials which were made up into quilts, comforters and dressing-gowns for soldiers in the hospitals.

In November of this year the ladies of Marblehead supplied a table at a fair held in Boston for the bene- fit of the sailors, and by their efforts alone the sum of thirteen hundred dollars was netted.

Shortly after the return of the Eighth Regiment from the one hundred days' campaign, Captain Sam- uel C. Graves resigned as commander of the Sutton Light Infantry, and organized an unattached com- pany. The company left town in February, 1865, and was stationed for some time at Fort Warren, Boston harbor. It was then ordered to Plymouth, where it remained several months after the close of the war.

We have written only of the companies actually organized or enlisted in Marblehead. But it is im- possible to do otherwise. The history of the part taken by the men of Marblehead in the great Civil War can never be fully written. They were in nearly every regiment that weut from Massachusetts, In every battle of importance, from Bull Run to Appo- mattox Court-House, they proved themselves worthy of their ancestors, and of Marblehead.

Though the citizens of Marblehead did not take so prominent a part in the naval service of the coun- try during the Civil War as in the wars against Great Britain, the record of those who enlisted is, as a whole, creditable to the town. Captain Michael B. Gregory rendered efficient service at the Charles- town Navy-Yard in the summer of 1861, during which he was distinguished for his promptness and ability in fitting out government vessels. He after- wards commanded the United States ship "R. B. Forbes," during a short cruise along the Atlantic coast. Captain Josiah P. Cressy commanded the United States ship " Ino," eighty members of his crew being from Marblehead.

After cruising iu the North Atlantic, his ship sailed to the Straits of Gibraltar and there formed a blockade for the Confederate steamer "Sumter." He subsequently sailed to the Island of Tangiers,

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Mere and captured two Confederate officers, who were made prisoners of war. The distinguished ser- Vies of Captain Samuel B. Gregory, in the U. S. "teamer " Western World," and of his brother, Capt. When Is, Gregory, in the steamer " Bahia," along the southern coast, are de serving of much more space than is at our disposal. Both were noted for their wal and were among the most successful comman- ders in the limited States Navy. Their names are recorded, with honorable mention, in the archives at. Washington.

Throughout the entire period of the war the news of every I'nion victory was announced to the people by the merry peal of the church bells. On Saturday, April », 1×65, news was received of the surrender of General Lee, at Richmond, Va., and the bells rang out their joyful tidings. The event, however, did not take place until the following day. On Mon- day, April 10th, the citizens formed in procession and headed by a band of music, marched through the principal streets to Lyceum Hall, where addresses of congratulation were delivered by Dr. Briggs, of Sa- lan, and other speakers. In the evening many of the houses were illuminated, and beacon-fires were lighted on the hill- in honor of the great event.

The assassination of President Lincoln, on the night of April 14th, gave a tragic ending to one of the greatest civil wars recorded in history. In Marble- DURING the war, and the years immediately fol- lowing its close, the shoe business of Marblehead was in a more prosperous condition than it bad ever been before. With the introduction of the Mckay Sew- ing Machine, a division of labor became necessary, hend, as Asewhere throughout the country, every mark of respect was paid to the martyred President. Otc the day of the funeral many of the shoe manu- factories, private residences and other buildings were appropriately draped in mourning ; the church bells, and the entire system of manufacturing shoes was were tolle ), and public services were held at the Baptist Church, where an address was delivered by the Rs. George W. Patch.

Though actual hostilities ceased in AApril, the sol- dier- who had enlisted for a service of three years were not discharged until June, when the war was Esiderel as finally ended. On the 20th of that month the people of Marblehead gave a reception to the members of the Tenth Massachusets Battery, a Frire pr portion of whom were citizens of the town. The battery had been engaged in all the most im- port ut batthy of the army of the Potomac, and had becorn distinguished for efficiency and bravery.

On the Shot Deventer, a reception was given to I. moral Kilpatrick, who delivered an address on the

During the war Mar debe ut furn shed for the army in this one then and and forty -vocht men, which w is a sample of ninety-one over and above all de- 1 dl I bt th dr land twe ity-seven were in the ti ary rviande two liin bed and twenty-one writers Of these, one hundred and ten wer blev 1 ale or dvd Bom wounds and sick I up by c were wounded, many of whom r pro / Tomar sody thede after months, amut, in some

The whole amount of money raised for war pur- posts by the town. exclusive of State aid, was $139,725. The sum of $107,800.65 was raised by the town and paid to families of volunteers as State aid during the four years of the war. This sum was af- terwards refunded by the Commonwealth.

CHAPTER XC.

MARBLEHEAD-(Continued).

Improvements in the Shoe Business-New Streets-Increase of Business- Fire ou Pleasant Street-First Observance of Memorial Day-John Good- mein, Jr., Post $2, G. A. R , Organized-Other Local Organizations-First Steam Fire Engine-Atlantic trenne Opened-Firemen's Demonstration- Catholic Church Burned-Small Pox Excitement-Manatang House Burned -Swampscott Brunch Railroadt Opened-William B. Brown-The Gregory Fund-Bequest of Benjamin Abbot-Abbot Hull-Generosity of the Citi- zent-l'élaboration of Mugforit's Vutory-Mugford Monument Dedicated - Dedication of Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument-Abbot Public Library -Great Fire of 1877-New Local Newspaper Established-Murder of William Frank Hathaway-Marblehead Improvement Society Organized- Exercises on the Death of President Gurfield - President Arthur Captured -The Luckout of 1883-Celebration of the Fourth of July-Horse Rail- roads Extended from Lynn and Sulem-Attempts to Diride the Town and Form a New Township-Memorial Services on the Death of Er-President U. S. Grant-Development of the Town as a Summer Resort-Marblehead as a Yachting Centre.

revolutionized. All work was now performed in the factories, and instead of the old system, under which boys were taught a thorough knowledge of shoemak- ing as a trade, they were taught to be simply profic- ient in some particular branch of the work. By the improved method of manufacturing, thousands of cases of boots and shoes were made in a much shorter time than it had formerly taken to produce as many hundreds. As the business increased and became remunerative, the effect was apparent in the improved condition of the town. Large buildings were erected in the vicinity of the depot for manufacturing pur- poses, while handsome residences in various parts of the town gave evidence of the prosperity of the people. The town was also greatly improved by the building of new streets, and by removing buildings and widening several of the older highways.

On the night of February 5, 1867, the town nar- rowly escaped a destructive conflagration. A fire broke ont in the shoe manufactory of Joseph Harris & Sons, on Pleasant Street, destroying the building, together with the Baptist Church and the dwelling- house of Increase Il. Brown. The flames were com- municated to several other buildings in the vicinity, but the fire was fortunately controlled before doing fur- ther damage. The work of rebuilding began early in

1117

MARBLEHEAD.

the spring. A commodious factory was erected by Messrs. Harris & Sons on Elm Street, and the Baptist Society erected a new church on the site formerly occupied by their old house of worship. On the 14th of October, eight men at work on the new church edifice were thrown to the ground by the breaking away of a staging. One man was killed instantly, and another died from his injuries after several days of extreme suffering.

The custom of decorating the graves of soldiers with flowers was observed in Marblehead for the first time on the 13th of June, 1868, under the auspices of the " Soldiers' and Sailors' Union League." Nearly every organization in town participated in the proces- sion. The exercises, which took place on the com- mon, consisted of an oration by William B. Brown, Esq., an address by the Rev. William G. Haskell, and reading a poem written for the occasion by Benjamin K. Prentiss, Esq .. of Lynn, a native of Marblehead. The procession then marched to the several ceme- teries, where the graves of those who gave their lives in defense of the country were reverently decorated. This beautiful custom has been annually observed on the 30th of May under the auspices of the "Grand Army of the Republic."

The most notable events of the year, besides the ex- citement attending a presidential election, were the organization of the Liberty Hose Company, and the action of the town in authorizing the lighting of the public streets at night.

Little of importance marked the passage of the year I869. A prominent local organization was chartered, however: John Goodwin, Jr., Post 82, Grand Army of the Republic. During the following year, Unity Degree Lodge, Daughters of Rebekah, and Neptune Lodge, No. 31, Knights of Pythias, were organized.

In 1871, the town voted to purchase a new steam fire engine, which resulted in a controversy among the firemen as to which company should have the custody of the new machine. At the annual March meeting, the citizens elected a board of fire-wards, in accordance with the time-honored custom of the town. This action was resisted by the Board of Se- lectmen, who appointed another set of fire-wards, and claimed that the election by the citizens was illegal.

The question was finally carried before the courts, and a decision was rendered declaring the election by the people to be the only legal method of appoint- ment. The new engine arrived on the 8th of Septem- ber, and was given the name of "Marblehead, No. 1."

The Marblehead Savings' Bank was incorporated early in the year, and in December a new local news- paper, known as the Marblehead Messenger, made its appearance.

During the year, also, Atlantic Avenne, which had been the canse of great controversy for several years, and which the town had been ordered to build by the Connty Commissioner, was completed and opened for travel.

On New Year's night, 1872, the fire department made a grand demonstration in honor of the satisfac- tory ending of the controversy concerning the new steam fire-engine.' After a torchlight procession about town, the several companies assembled at the rooms of the General Glover Fire Association, where a dinner was served. The Marblehead Steam Fire Engine Company was organized the same evening.

On the Sth of July, a new church, which had been erected a short time before on Gregory street, by the Roman Catholics, was burned to the ground. Soon after, a parsonage was erected on the same site for the use of the parish priest.

During the month of August, Manataug Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, was organized.

The year 1873 was one of the most eventful in the annals of the town. Early in the winter several per- sons were reported sick with the small-pox, and great excitement prevailed among the people. The first to die with the disease was George IIatch, Esq., a member of the Board of Selectmen, and a gentleman well known and highly respected in the community. Shortly after, a house on Water street was taken for a small-pox hospital, and several persons were placed there for treatment. The management of this hos- pital was not satisfactory to the citizens, and a con- troversy ensued which continued until the close of the annual town meeting.

On Thursday morning, September I1, a fire broke ont in a stable on Darling Street, belonging to Mr. Thomas T. Paine, and before it could be extinguished a large hotel on Washington Street, known as the "Manatang House," and a dwelling-house adjoining, belonging to the estate of Samuel Homan, were des- troyed. Several other buildings in the vicinity were badly damaged.

On Monday, October 19th, the railroad from Mar- blehead to Lynn, known as the Swampscott Branch, was opened for travel, and the event was celebrated in an appropriate manner. Five hundred persons were conveyed over the route in the first train, and on its return a dinner was served at Allerton Hall. The Marblehead Band was in attendance, and speeches were made by many of the prominent citizens and in- vited guests.

At the annual town meeting in March, 1874, Wil- liam B. Brown, Esq., who had served as a member of the school committee for a quarter of a century, de- clined a re-election. As soon as his determination was made known to the citizens the following resolu- tion was nnanimously adopted :

" WHEREAS, Our beloved fellow-citizen, William B. Brown, has served his native town asa member of the School Committee for the long period of twenty-five years ; as Chairman of the Beard writing the an- nual report, and giving most freely of his time, his intelligence and his hearty sympathy to the cause of education in our midst, without one cent of remuneration, even to the prejudice of his pecuniary interest and bodily health ; and whereas, for the present high standing of our public schools, we gratefully acknowledge a large indebtedness for his direct personal efforts, therefore be it

" Resolved, That we, the citizens of Marblehead, in town-meeting

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

(for riet hearty thanks, for these rare

Ata town meeting held on Wednesday, May 27th, Mr. James J. H. Gregory generously presented two thousand dollars to the town, to be used as a fund, the interest of which is to be applied once in four years to promote the moral, mental and physical welfare of the inhabitants. The method of investment for this purpose is to be decided by a committee consisting of the chairman of the selectmen, the chairman of the school committee, and all the ministers of the gospel settlelover religious societies in the town. The in- chine of this fand has been appropriated to the use of the trustees of the public library.

During the year the selectmen were formally notified that Mr. Benjamin Abbot, who died in Boston, in September, 1572, had bequeathed all the residue of his property, after the payment of several other legacies, to the town of Marblehead. The property consisted of United States bonds and other securities to the value of one hundred and three thousand dollars. The will of the donor concluded as follows :

I base mae. this provision for the town of Marblehead, because it w . Abit my desire that a building shall be erected Ittof the Inhabitants of wald town, but I do not intend to 1 tour leggey . that purpose of to imp we conditions which " I prosent the me of it for each other general objects as the citi. z . (Hilt wn msy dete mune upon in their discretion. I desire that

The legacy was formally accepted by the town, and it was voted unanimously to erect a building in ac- cordance with the wishes of the donor, to be known as Abbot Ilall. This building, which is of brick, with stone trimmings, was completed during the year 1877. It is situated on the C'ommon, on Training-field Hill, one of the highest points of land in the town and is visible for several miles at sea. It contains a large audience hall which is capable of seating fully twelve hundred persons, a public library and reading-room, a hire-proof vault for the storage and security of the records, and rooms for the use of the various boards of town officers. Its total cost was $75,000. Great creht is due to Messrs. Simeon Dodge and Moses Wilbert, of the building committee, under whose supervision the building was constructed. Many of The convemences which render the new hall superior to in ast public buildings, are due to the faithful man- ber in winch the e gentlemen performed the work a meme ] them by the town. Upon the completion of the building several of the citizens and natives of the town rendong abroad, generously contributed pictures allother article to ald to its attractiveness. The 11 h. Jindy J Hl. Gregory presented a clock and bell for the tower and a large oil painting for the reading- rim Mr Thomas Appleton also gave a picture for the r hn room, a piano for the use of the hall was frentelly Mr. Henry ] - Pitman ; and a carpet for the wage by Mr Joel tollthwaite of Boston. MIr. \il in'd Brit lee mo, et bo ton, gave a clock for the Wall, wal Mir William Filos, of Biston, a ook-

case for the use of the town clerk. Subsequently, General John H. Devereux, of Cleveland, Ohio, pre- sented Willard's famous painting, "Yankee Doodle, or the Spirit of '76." The dedication of the building took place on Wednesday, December 12, 1877, under the direction of a committee of thirteen gentlemen elected for that purpose. The exercises consisted of instrumental music by the American Band, of Provi- dence, R. 1 .; prayer by Rev. George Pierce, Jr., of Milford, N. H .; singing by the Marblehead Musical Association ; an original ode written for the occasion by Miss Marcia M. Selman ; aud an oration by the HIon. Edward Avery, of Braintree, Mass. The bene- diction was prononneed by the Rev. Edward Crow- ninshield, of West Dedham, Mass. In the evening a concert was given by the American Band, of Provi- dence, R. I.

Wednesday, May 17, 1876, the one hundredth an- niversary of the capture of the British transport " Hope," by Captain James Mugford, in the Conti- nental schooner "Franklin," witnessed one of the greatest celebrations ever known iu the history of Marblehead. The day was ushered in by the ringing of all the church bells for an hour at sunrise, and a salute of thirty-nine guns from a battery on " Work- house rocks." The bells were also rung and salutes were fired at noon and sunset. At nine o'clock, A. M., a procession was formed, consisting of military com- panies of Marblehead and Lynn, seven bands of mn- sie, distinguished visitors, soldiers and sailors of the War of ISI2, veterans of the Civil War, town officers, secret societies, pupils of the public schools, and the entire fire department. The procession marched through the principal streets to the square at the junetion of Pleasant and Essex streets, where a mon- ument, which had been placed in position the day before, was dedicated with appropriate exercises. The monument is a shaft of Hallowell granite, eighteen and one-half feet high, and four feet, nine inches square at the base. It is inscribed on all four sides as follows :

On the northern side,-

" A TRIBUTE OF MARBLEHEAD.

" To the memory of the brave Captain Mugford and his heroic crew, who, in the ' Franklin,' of sixty tous, and four four-pounders, May 17, 1776, under the guns of the British fleet, captured and carried into Bos- ton the transport .Hope,' three hundred tons, ten guns, loaded with munitions of war, including 1,500 barrels of powder."

On the eastern side,-

"PREW OF THE ' FRANKLIN,' AS FAR AS KNOWN.

James Mugford. .. Captain.

Thomas Russell. Lieutenant.

Jeremiah Hibbard Lientenant.

William Thomas

.Gunner.

Samuel II. Green Quartermaster.

Jubes Topham Carpenter.

Jom Powers. Bontswain.

SEAMEN.

J. In Dive

Samuel Roff.

Th this Dove.

James Quilty.

JJolin Withum.

Quinn Bettis."

1119

MARBLEHEAD.

On the western side,-

" CAPTAIN JAMES MUGFORD.

" Born in Marblehead May 19, 1749; killed May 19, 1776, while suc- cessfully defending his vessel against thirteen boats and two hundred men from the British fleet."

On the southern side,- " ERECTED MAY 17, 1876."

After the dedication of the monument the proces- sion moved to the Unitarian Church, where the other exercises took place. They consisted of singing by the Marblehead Musical Association, prayer by the Rev. Benjamin H. Bailey, an ode written for the occasion by the Rev. John W. Chadwick, an oration by the Hon. George B. Loring, of Salem, and an ode written by Miss Marcia M. Gilman.

On the Fourth of July another celebration took place. At nine o'clock, A.M., a procession was formed consisting of the Marblehead Brass Band, the Mug- ford Monumental Association, the Hibernian Friendly Society, a delegation of the Mugford Fire Association, the Board of Selectmen, the clergy and the children of the North and South Church Sabbath Schools in carriages. The procession moved through the princi- pal streets to the square at the junction of Mugford and Elm Streets, where a monument erected in men- ory of the soldiers and sailors of Marblehead who fell in the Civil War was dedicated with appropriate cere- monies. The monument is of Hallowell granite, be- ing thirty-four feet high, and eight feet square at the base. It bears four tablets containing the names of one hundred and thirty-eight soldiers and sailors. On the face, directly in front, is the following inscription :

IN MEMORY OF OUR COUNTRY'S DEFENDERS.

1776, 1812, 1861.

ERECTED BY THE CITIZENS OF MARBLEHEAD. Dedicated July 4, 1876.

The other exercises of the day took place at the Unitarian Church. They consisted of prayer by the Rev. Julius H. Ward; singing by the Marblehead Musical Association ; reading the Declaration of In- dependence, by Mr. Charles H. Litchman ; and ad- dresses by Messrs. James J. H. Gregory and William B. Brown. At the close of the exercises a dinner was served at Allerton Hall.

The local events of the year 1877 were among the most memorable in the entire history of the town. At the annual March meeting the town voted to appro- priate twenty thousand dollars from the Abbot fund, to be placed in the hands of trustees and devoted, principal and interest, in their discretion, to the founding and maintenance of a reading-room and li- brary to be called "Abbot Library." It was also voted to place the unappropriated balance of the Ab- bot fund at interest, and to devote the income to the payment of the annual expense of maintaining the Abbot building, including heating, lighting, and the

care of the building and grounds. The library was opened to the public early in the year 1878.

On the 15th of May the town voted to make a reser- voir of Read's Pond, and to lay water-pipes therefrom, with hydrants in suitable places for use in case of fires. The sum of ten thousand dollars was appro- priated for the purpose and a committee was elected to carry the vote into effect. The work was finished during the summer of that year.

The most extensive conflagration ever known in the anuals of the town took place on the morning of June 25, 1877. At about half-past one o'clock a barn in the rear of a large three-story building known as the "Marblehead Hotel," situated on Pleasant Street, in the midst of the largest and finest buildings of which this town could boast, was discovered to be on fire. Before assistance could be summoned the fire had communicated to the hotel, and when the firemen arrived on the scene the building was in flames. Every effort was made to stop the progress of the destructive element, but without avail. The General Glover en- gine-house, situated directly over the Brick Pond reservoir, was soon in flames, cutting off the supply of water from that source. The fire was now beyond the control of the firemen, and in spite of their almost superhumau efforts to stop it, spread from building to building with lightning-like rapidity. In a few moments a large shoe manufactory, known as Pope's Block, was on fire, the flames spreading to a barn owned by E. V. Bartlett & Co., and from thence to a shoe manufactory owned and occupied by that firm. The fire now defied all efforts at control. Leap- ing around the corner of School street, the conflagration extended all the way from Rechabite Building to a shoe mannfactory owned by Natha- niel Glover, theuce to a large block owned by Wormsted and Woodfin, and soon the shoe manu- factory of William Stevens, a stable owned by Thomas T. Paine, and fifteen other buildings, mostly dwelling houses, comprising every building on Sewall Street, from the corner of School Street, to Spring Street were in flames. Extending along the North side of Pleasant Street, the fire consumed a building belonging to T. T. Paine, a small dwelling- house owned by William Humphrey, the beautiful depot erected a few years previously, said at that time to be the finest on the line of the Eastern Railroad, a barn and dwelling-house owned by Benjamin G. Hathaway, a boarding-house owned by Henry F. Pitman, a large shoe manufactory owned and occu- pied by Jonathan Brown, the dwelling-house of William C. Lefavour, and a barn belonging to the estate of the late Dr. H. H. F. Whittemore. On the South side of Pleasant Street every building save one was consumed, from a house belonging to the estate of Mrs. Leonora Chapman, nearly opposite the place where the fire originated, to the Mugford Monument at the junction of Essex and Spring Street. These included a large block owned by Joshua O. Lefavour,

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 37

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