History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 38

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 38

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

a house own i by John H. Brown and occupied by G. W. Forsyth as a boarding-house, a large and com- mod ous t mur story building known as " Allerton Block," a who factory owned by MI. J. Doak, and several Iwelling-houses. On the southern end of School Street every luidling was destroyed, including a large building ownel by Henry O. Symonds, the frame and materials of a new engine house, in process of construction, a stable owned by Enoch A. Perkins, the south Congregational Church, a dwelling owned by Edward Glover, and several smaller buildings. On Essex Street, every building was destroyed, including a large shoe mannfactory, belonging to the estate of Jolin 11. Wilkin-, a small shop occupied by a mar- ble-werker, and several dwelling-houses. On Spring Street, two shoe manufactories owned by William L. Lefavour, and four dwelling-houses were destroyed ; the only building lett standing being the Sewall School-house. On Bassett Street, two dwelling houses were consumed, together with a barn, belonging to Henry F. Pitman, was destroyed, and several other buildings were seriously damaged.

At one time every church in town was on fire ex- copt the Baptist and Roman Catholic. Then it was that strong men trembled, fearing that the town would be destroyed. But their desperation only nerved them to greater effort, and at length, reinforced by assist- ance from Salem Lynn, and other cities, the firemen were successful and conquered the fire. But what a scene of devastation met the eye when the morning sun broke forth. Where but a few hours before had been large factories and comfortable homes-monu- ments of the enterprise and industry of the people- were only stone walls and tottering chimneys. The entire business portion of the town had disappeared in a single night. Seventy-six buildings, with all their contents, representing over half a million dol- var-' worth of property, had been consumed. Only tur of the large shoe manufactories were left stand- mig in the town, while ninety families were made homeless, and fifteen hundred men and women were thrown out of employment.

During the afternoon a meeting was held at the town hall to devise measures of relief for the sufferers In the fire The meeting was called to order by Lupt Knott V. Martin, and a citizens' relief com- of this was choch to solicit donations of money and (6: 4 . Boore an appeal could be issued, however, sein to pour in from all parts of the Kontry and in a short time the committee reported that endlich had been received to alleviate the dis- tre . The total amount of contributions received N . 11.50 The clothing was distributed by a -nety of Los known as the Women's Centennial Vol sales, wipi rendered efficient assistance to the

W. somit checour Point of this terrible visi- FAco si mont cho commentary words concerning farmde and enterpitting energy winch charac-

terized the business men throughout the entire trying period. They had received a blow, from which it was thought they could not recover; but with steady resolution they set themselves to the work before them, and in less than three months had rebuilt more than one-third of the number of build- ings destroyed by the fire. During the years which have clapsed since the great conflagration every building destroyed has been replaced by a new and commodious structure.

Beyond the excitement incident to the State and Presidential elections, which intervened between this period and the year 1881, there is little of interest to record. tu the 6th of January, 1881, a new local newspaper known as the Essex Statesman, and pub- lished by Charles H. Litchman, made its appearance. This paper was issued regularly for a period of three years, when it ceased publication.

Early on the morning of Tuesday, May 3, 1881, a gloom was cast over the entire community by the news that Mr. William Frank Hathaway, an estimable citizen, had been murdered during the night. His body was discovered lying face down- ward in a ditch in a field near the old Powder House on the "Ferry Road." A bruise on the forehead, evidently inflicted with a stone or some other blunt instrument, gave rise to the theory that he was accosted on his way home and stunned by a blow on the head. He was tben placed in the ditch and held down until death ensued from drowning. Robbery evi- dently was the motive for the deed, as his pocket-book, known to contain considerable money, was missing. No clue to the perpetrators of the deed has ever been discovered.

On Tuesday, May 10th, the Marblehead Improve- ment Society was organized, and within a short time began its beneficent work by setting out-shade trees in various parts of the town.

On the 2d of July President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau. The news was received in Marblehead on the afternoon of that day, and the next morning arrangements were hastily made for a mass-meeting of the citizens to take action in regard to the matter. The meeting was held at .Abbot Hall, on the evening of that day, and was called to order by Henry A. Potter, chairman of the selectmen. Benjamin F. Pierce was elected chairman, and Thomas Swasey, Jr., secretary. After prayer by the Rev. Benjamin H. Bailey, appropriate resolutions wore read by Samuel Roads, Jr., and remarks were made by Capt. Benjamin Pitman, Jonathan II. Orne, Rev. J. H. Williams, William B. Brown and Charles 11. Litchman.

September 26th, the day of the funeral of the murdered President, was observed by a general sus- pension of business. The public buildings and many private residences were draped in mourning. In the afternoon publie exercises were held at Abbot Hall, consisting of singing by the Marblehead Musical

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MARBLEHEAD.

Association ; prayer by the Rev. J. H. Williams ; singing by the Marblehead Glee Club ; remarks by Charles H. Litchman, chairman of the meeting ; singing by the Glee Club; eulogy by the Rev. Ben - jamin HI. Bailey ; singing by the Marblehead Musical Association ; and the benediction by Rev. Sanford P. Smith.

On Friday, September 8, 1882, the United States steamer " Despatch " arrived in the harbor. It was soon rumored that President Chester A. Arthur was on board the steamer and that he would take a car- riage at Dixie's wharf for Salem. In a short time quite a goodly crowd had gathered at the wharf, and on the appearance of the distinguished visitor he was greeted with hearty cheers. After his departure arrangements were hastily made for a public recep- tion on his return, and a messenger was sent to Salem to request him to meet the citizens at Abbot Hall. This the President at first declined to do; but as his carriage neared Marblehead he was accosted by Capt. Benjamin Pitman, who informed him that he had been instructed to capture the President and his entire party in the name of the people of Marblehead. Seeing that escape was im- possible, the President laughingly consented on con- dition that he should not be subjected to the ordeal of handshaking. As the carriage entered the town a signal was rung on the electric fire alarm, and the church bells were rung. A detachment of the Marblehead Light Infantry marched to Work-house Rocks to act as escort. Fearing that an attempt would be made to drive rapidly through the town and thus deprive the people of an opportunity of seeing the President, some of the enthusiastic citizens brought out the Washington Hook-and-Ladder truck and placed it across the street near the side entrance to Abbot Hall to stop the progress of the carriage. This was unnecessary, however, as the President had no desire to escape. On his arrival he was escorted to Abbot Hall, where fifteen hundred persons had assembled and organized a meeting with Jonathan H. Orne as chairman and Samuel Roads, Jr., secretary. On his appearance, the President was greeted with a perfect ovation. The people cheered themselves hoarse in their delight and enthusiasm. After a brief address of welcome by the chairman of the meeting, and a few pleasant words in reply by President Arthur, the party again took the carriage for the wharf, where they embarked on board the steamer. As the boat in which the Presidential party was rowed to the steamer proceeded down the harbor, it was lustily cheered by hundreds of people who lined the wharves and headlands. Shortly after the " Des- patch " steamed out of the harbor. This was proba- bly one of the most hearty, enthusiastic and sponta- neous welcomes a President of the United States ever received.

The year 1883 was marked by one of the greatest industrial disturbances ever known in the history of

the town. In the spring several of the manufacturers formed a combination to resist the power of the " Lasters' Protective Union," a prominent labor organization, and a general lock-out was ordered in nearly all the factories. This was attended by con- siderable excitement and was of about seven weeks' duration, a few of the manufacturers removing a portion of their business from the town before the contest ended. Fortunately for the town, an amicable settlement of the differences between the manufac- turers and their workmen was arrived at early in the summer.

No special observance had been made of the anni- versary of the declaration of American Independence in Marblehead for a period of twenty-eight years. The Fourth of July, 1884, was accordingly celebrated in a manner never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. The bells were rung at sunrise, noon and sunset. At 7.30 A.M. a band concert was given at the stand at the Brick Pond Reservoir on Pleasant Street for one hour. At nine o'clock a procession, under the direction of Chief Marshal John Quiner, and headed by the Salem Cadet Band, moved through the principal streets. This was without exception the finest procession ever seen in Marblehead. There were six divisions, consisting of town officers, invited guests, veterans of 1812 and the orator of the day in carriages ; secret societies ; an industrial display ; the pupils of the public schools; the entire Fire De- partment; and the Marblehead Bicycle Club. All the societies illustrated their teachings and precepts by tableaux. The industrial display taught the les- son of the nation's progress in the mechanic arts ; and the public schools by appropriate tableaux beau- tifully illustrated every important epoch in the nation's history.

All the public buildings and many private resi- dences along the route of the procession were deco- rated with flags and bunting.

At two o'clock the exercises of the day took place at Abbot Hall, consisting of an address by William B. Brown, Esq .; music by the Salem Cadet Band ; prayer by the Rev. William R. Harris; reading the Declaration of Independence by Joseph W. Chap- man ; an original ode, written for the occasion by N. Allen Lindsey ; oration by the Rev. John W. Chadwick, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; singing, " America," by the audience; and the benediction by the Rev. Frank R. Sanborh. Later in the day there were boat races and bicycle races, open to all who chose to participate. In the evening there was a grand display of fire-works from "Skinner's Ilead."

Early in the summer of this year the Lynn and Boston Street Railway Company extended its tracks to Marblehead and began running regular cars to and from Lynn. Shortly after, the Naumkeag Street Railway Company extended its tracks from Salem through the town to Franklin Street, establishing regular horse car connection with that city.

703

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

In the Domin of Iss1 great excitement was caused the oceny. of C'alb Chilos and others to the 1 1.1404 . rt, praying for a division of the town of Merlehval and the mcorporation of a separate Worship to include Marblehead Neck and the see- to known as the " Farms district," the line being drawn ner the vil age of Devereux. A similar peti- tiền w. - sent to the Legislature from certain citizens F swampscott, wh, desired to have the sections krevn as Phillip - Beach and Beach Bluff annexed wc the pro] = 1 town. This movement was vigor- syr sisol by the Inhabitants of both towns in intere-t. The anfject occupied the attention of the ( in otce im t wns" of the Legislature of 1885 to - real weeks, and after a full, fair and impartial lening, the joit oners were given "leave to with- Another attempt to divide the town before the la gislutore of Isati resulted in a similar report.

On the sth of August, 1>85, memorial services wer held at Abbot Hall in honor of ex-President [. s. Grant, whose death had recently occurred. Cot Khiott V. Martin presided. The exercises con- .tel of singing by a double quartette; reading of r untions by Jons than H. Orne, Esq .; remarks by Il n. James J. Il. Gregory; an ode by Miss Marcia M. cman ; prayer by the Rev. William R. Harris ; ora- 1 on by ( apt. Beniamin Pitman ; singing, "America," es the quogence ; and the benediction by Rev. Wil- Kam R. Harris.

Duing the period of which we have written in the Chapter, the town has gradually developed into a 1. wwumer resort. Nearly every available spot Mbre the shore has been purchased and built upon Vy sto uner residents, and every year brings a larger bomber of [ lasure suckers to our shore than its pre- The growth of the settlement on Marble- Cool Neck jos beeg rapid and constant. Wide and W. Seit avenues have been laid out in various In ns, con bianding a full view of the ocean, the wanted the coast from Thather's Island to the - on shore There are one hundred and fifty houses dry wcomelonning the summer, and others are or tel. The beautiful club-house of the Logro Y. cht chio, on the harbor side, is the finest llo te Wew England coast. The harbor, og (o= 1 nurters of the boats of this club, has Aller entant of yacht-men to its superior ey and ich tow yrafs past the most famous Das Acorral Great Prităn have been fre- lavantazes offered for yacht- be recognized, and several regattas the great yacht clubs of the monolog sonr .o. J. What is true tellch ush in a lesser degree, of Prach's Point 1 as

Voy you now houses known as Devereux and This is the sections are

always well filled during the summer, and the fu- ture prominence of Marblehead as a watering-place seems to be assured.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

URIEL CROCKER.

Uriel Crocker belonged to a family which has been well known in Barnstable County during its entire history. In 1634 two brothers, John and William Crocker, arrived in New England, and soon after settled in Scituate. William removed to Barnstable, October 10, 1639, and John followed soon after, dying there in 1669. He left a wife, Jane, and after provid- ing for her he gave his estate to the sous of his brother. William Crocker, the ancestor of the subject of this sketch, was a deacon in the church, an influential citizen, and the owner of a large landed estate. He first settled in the easterly part of Barnstable, but in 1643 removed to the westerly part, where, in 1655, he owned one hundred and twenty-six acres of upland and twenty-two acres of meadow. llis first wife, whom he married in Scituate in 1636, and who was the mother of all his children, was named Alice and died soon after 1683. His second wife was Patience, widow of Robert Parker and daughter of Henry Cobb, who had removed from Plymouth, where he had ap- peared as early as 1629. William Crocker died in Barnstable in September, 1692, probably about eighty years of age. His children were John, born in Scitu- ate May 1, 1637 ; Elizabeth, born in Scituate Septem- ber 22, 1639; Sammuel, born in Barnstable June 3, 1642; Job, born March 9, 1644-45; Josiah, Septem- ber 19, 1647 ; Eleazer, July 21, 1650, and Joseph, 1654. Of the above children Job was also a deacon and a prominent business man. He lived on the estate of his uncle John at the northeast corner of the West Parish of Barnstable and there died in March, 1719. His first wife, whom he married in November, 1668, was Mary, daughter of Rev. Thomas Walley of Barn- stable. She died in 1676. His second wife, whom he married July 19, 1680, was Hannah, daughter of Richard Taylor of Yarmouth. She died May 14, 1743, in the eighty-fifth year of her age. His children were a son born in 1669, who died early ; Samnel, May 15, 1671; Thomas, January 19, 1674; Mary, June 29, lbs] ; John, February 24, 1683; Hannah, February 2, 1685; Elizabeth, May 15, 1688; Sarah, January 19, 1690-91; Job, April 1, 1694; David, September 5, 1697; and Thankful, June 14, 1700.

Of the above children Samuel, of Barnstable, mar- ried, Dreember 10, 1696, Sarah, daughter of Robert Parker, who died in 1718. He afterwards married, April 12, 1719, Judith Leavet of Rochester. His children were Samuel, born December 12, 1697 ; Cor- nelius, October 24, 1698; Mary, April 8, 1700; Pa-

Nivel Crocker

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tience, April 18, 1701; Elizabeth, February, 1702-03 ; Cornelius again, March 23, 1704; Rowland, June 18, 1705; Gershom, December, 1706; Ebenezer, June 5, 1710; Benjamin, July, 1711 ; Rebecca, Rachel, David, Sarah and Tabitha.

Of these children Cornelius, of Barnstable, married, November 9, 1727, Lydia, daughter of Joseph Sturgis Jenkins, and died December 12, 1784, his wife having died Angust 5, 1773, at the age of sixty-eight. His children were Elijah, born April 12, 1729; Elisha, September 14, 1730; Samuel, July 29, 1732; Joseph, April 12, 1734; Lydia, April 14, 1739; Cornelius, August 21, 1740; Josiah, December 20, 1744; and Sa- rah, 1749.

Of these children Josiah graduated at Harvard in 1765, and was for some time a teacher in the Barn- stable Academy. He married, October 6, 1765, Debo- rah, daughter of Daniel Davis and sister of Daniel Davis, the distinguished solicitor-general of Massa- chusetts, and died in Barnstable, May 4, 1780. His widow afterwards married Benjamin Gorham. His children were Deborah, born 1766; Robert, 1767'; Uriel, 1768; Josiah and Mehitable. Of these Uriel removed to Boston and served an apprenticeship to Joseph Eaton, whose relative, Mary, daughter of Israel Eaton of Marblehead, he afterwards married. After his marriage he removed to Marblehead, making that town his home and place of business until his death in 1813. His wife died within a year after their mar- riage, and he afterwards married in February, 1792, Mary, daughter of Captain Richard James of Marble- head, who died in August, 1811. His children were Mary, born November 22, 1792; Richard James, Oc- tober 19, 1794; Uriel, the subject of this sketch, Sep- tember 13, 1796; Deborah, November 12, 1798 ; Rich- ard James again, October 29, 1800; Josiah, November 9, 1802; Abigail, October 15, 1805 ; Francis Board- man, April 17, 1808 ; and Elizabeth James, October 9, 1809. Of these Josiah and Abigail alone survive.

Capt. Richard James, above-mentioned, the grand- father of Mr. Crocker, was a ship-master and per- formed distinguished service in the War of the Revo- lution in bringing munitions of war for our armies from foreign neutral ports. His commission from the State of Massachusetts, appointing him to that special service, is in the possession of Mr. Crocker's family. He married Mary, daughter of Colonel Jonathan and Abigail (Burnham) Glover of Marblehead. Colonel Glover was a brother of Brigadier-General John Glo- ver, whose statne stands in Commonwealth Avenue, in Boston. The sword of General Glover and the portraits of Colonel Jonathan Glover and his wife are also in the possession of the family of Mr. Crocker.

Colonel Glover was the treasurer of the town of Marblehead during the whole war, and at the close it was found that a debt of twenty-seven hundred pounds had accumulated, more than half of which was due to the treasurer for advances made by him in behalf of the town. The services of General Glover, his brother,

at the head of the Marblehead (or Twenty-first) Regi- ment, designated by the army as the " Marine Regi- ment," in transporting the army across the East River, after the battle of Long Island, and saving it from further disaster, and also in crossing the Delaware on the eve of the victorious battle of Trenton, have been revived in our memories by the deeds of the soldiers of Marblehead on land and sea in the late war, deeds which deserve a repetition of the words of the gallant General Knox : "There went the men of Marblehead, alike at home, on land, or water; alike ardent, pa- triotic, aud unflinching, wherever they unfurled the flag of their country."

Mr. Crocker in his earliest youth attended the com- mon schools of Marblehead, his native town, and closed his education at the Marblehead Academy, under the preceptorship of Samuel Greeley, from whom he received the certificate for the best scholar- ship. Mr. Greeley, well known in Boston in his later years as deacon of the Berry Street Church, pursued in middle life the business of type-founder, and his former scholar became one of his chief customers.

Mr. Crocker's childhood and early life in Marble- head were peculiarly happy. He was the second of eight children, and relatives, ohl and young, were about him, bound together by the strongest ties of affection. Like every other Marblehead boy, the sea presented strong temptations to his youthful tastes, and his desire to adopt a sailor's career, approved by his father, was only checked by his grandfather, Cap- tain James, who had seen enough of sea life to know its hardships and perils. One of his early memories was the tarring and feathering of skipper Floyd Ire- son, celebrated by the ballad of Whittier, which oc- curred when he was twelve years of age. A later memory, though still a memory of his youth, was the death of his mother, which occurred in August, 1811, at the age of thirty-seven. A still later one, but im- mediately following the last, was a ride to Cambridge in the old family chaise, with his grandfather, to at- tend the commencement of 1811 at which his school- mate, Robert Hooper of Marblehead, graduated. The class of that year was a notable one, including, be- sides Edward Everett, who gave the English oration, Thomas G. Cary, Charles P. Curtis, Nathaniel L. Frothingham, Samuel Gilman, John C. Gray, Robert Hooper, George Morey, Harrison Gray Otis, Edward Reynolds, and John Fothergill Waterhouse. It is needless to say that the occasion made a deep impres- sion on his mind. It is interesting, however, to note that the modest boy of fourteen, looking for an oppor- tunity in some occupation more humble than that to which the graduates from an academic life were that day aspiring, became in later years their trusted and honored friend.

On Saturday, the 14th of September, 1811, the day after his fifteenth birthday, his father carried him again to Boston, and on the following Monday he en- tered as an apprentice the book-store and printing-

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Share of Sunuel T. Armstrong, then numbered 50 ( m)bill, the new building on the same lot being now Mayor 6 17: and 175 Washington Street. He was the youngest apprentice, the so-called " printer's devi l' and so remainol until the Monday following the next Thanksgiving, when Osmyn Brew-ter, a boy eleven months younger, entered the office as an ap- pr nowy and l'rich (reker receive | his first promo- tiền. It was by his own choice that he was employed in the printing justead of the book-se ling depart- ment. From the first he devoted himself with dili- gebr to hi- work, and early acquired that knowledge and skill which Qualified him to direct, afterwards, the labor- of maby others. His faithfulness and industry won the confidence and friendship of his employer, and at the age of eighteen, on the retirement of Ezra Linea, the old foreman, to set up an office for him- "+ 11, he was made the foreman, though four of his fel- low apprentices were his seniors in age and apprentice- .Lip. When the apprenticeship of Mr. Crocker and Mr. Brewster endel, Mr. Armstrong, with a just per- ception of their ability and trustworthiness, and with a wise foresight as to his own interests, took them into partnership. November 1, 1818. The articles of part- nerslap were drawn up by Jeremiah Evarts, the father

of William ML. Evarts of New York, and included the " the warm weather in Cohasset, where he died July 19, printing-office alone, Mr. Armstrong reserving, tempo- rurlly, sole possession of the book-selling business. On the first of April, 1825, Mr. Aruistrong retired, and the firm ot Crocker & Brewster established in 1s/s, assumed the entire business. Mr. Armstrong was connected with them, however, in several joint in- t rests until Is10, and his warin friendship and almost da is visite to their counting-r som continued until the very day of his sudden death, in 1850.

( rocker & Brewster continued in the building to which they had come as boys in Is11, until 1865, wien thor lase from Mrs. Armstrong, widow of their Vit partner, termina ed, and they moved into the ad- jetoing budding. In 1876 they gave up business as pneusher- and booksellers, and sold out their stereo- to po potes and other partnership property to HI. (). Hechton & Co. In the business of the firm Mr. ( ro ker had, from the first, the special charge of the Fristen free and Mr. Brewster of the book Store. Mr. trucker was Always zealous for the credit of their Press and car to introduce every improvement. Or : A Br. v-ter were the first in Boston to use the mes na gor power presses, the product of the babs non hin tentold that of the old hand- fre wabo wer leth bw in their operation and 1

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 38

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