History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 75

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 75

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In 1515 Richard 11. Dana, the poet, being struck woh the great beauty of the region about " Graves Beach, purchased some thirty acres and built a summer-house on the high bank overlooking the beach and the clear blue waters of the ocean. Here, away troth the vi lage and at some distance from the highway, the author of the " Buccaneer," Julled by the court of the sea as it rolled upon the beach, found peaceful seclusion and rest. In speaking of this p .. . Charles Sumner pronounced it one of rare beauty, atbomich superior to the famous summer resort ot Napoleon 111

Mr Dana wasthe first of the summer residents to

purchase land in Manchester ; he was the pioneer of that detachment of worthy gentlemen who with long purses invaded our shore, bought the old pastures and wrought marvelous changes in the landscape; they crowned the bald headlands with villas, civilized the briery thiekets into grassy slopes, transformed the narrow cattle paths with carriage-drives, and beautified everything.

The change that three-score years has effected in the appearance of this town has been very marked. Then the fishing interest was at its height; it was the prominent industry; the streets were crooked and very narrow ; many of the houses were innocent of paint, and frequently an old mast, a decrepid boat, or a net spread on the fence told the owner's occupa- tion.

When cabinet-making became the oceupation of the people, a decided change for the better took place. The streets were improved, the houses were painted and repaired, fenees built, and shade trees were planted. An appearance of thrift became visible.

But as the town assumed prominence as a watering- place, the spirit of improvement which had made the shore so attractive, spread to the village, where streets were still more improved, new ones opened, residences beautified, and more trees and shrubs planted. The effect of a good example was to be seen everywhere, and Manchester became an attractive village.

In the early days the change in the occupation of the people was only from the sea to the land, but now the growing tendeney towards the concentration of the trades in the great centres is fast taking from the towns all occupations, and their young people are forced to abandon their homes, the homes of their ancestors and seek employment among strangers; they feel they are being crowded from the fold. The change is an inevitable one, but it has its side of sad- ness.

This year the First Congregational Society pur- chased of the town, and of the proprietors, their interest in the old church. Capt. B. L. Allen pre- sented a bell of twenty-two hundred pounds in ex- change for the old one of three hundred.

This season there were thirteen vessels engaged in the cod and mackerel fisheries, and the value of their catch for the year ending April 1st, was $21,435.

The railroad connection with Boston being com- pleted, the cars began to make regular trips on the 2d of November, 1847. At that time the station was at the foot of the hill on Sea street; about five years afterwards it was moved to its present location.

The completion of this road added very materially to the prosperity of the town.

James Knowlton and others petition for the an- nexation of a part of Gloucester (Magnolia) to Man- chester ; the project was not favored by the people of the latter town.

1848. A high-school was established.

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MANCHESTER.

1849. This year was made notable by the immense emigration to the newly-discovered gold fields of California. The effect of this excitement upon the industrial and commercial interest of the county can- not be estimated; everywhere it was the absorbing theme of conversation, and all the marvelous stories from the diggings found ready believers, who aban- doned their well-earned positions in banks, ware- houses, counting-rooms, stores, shops, on farms, rail- roads and vessels, and hurried to the land of promise.

In this, as in all other excitements, Manchester had her full share. Every variety of business was neglect- ed, and many of her citzens joined the multitude hurrying westward.

Some went by the treeless regions, and mountains of the Great West, where they trudged the dusty way for about two thousand miles.

Some by the hastily extemporized routes of the Isthmus, where they suffered from the effects of that baneful miasmatic climate.

A party of twelve purchased the schooner " Billow," of about one hundred tons, and fitted her for sea, at a cost of six thousand seven hundred and eighty-three dollars. Her cargo consisted of provisions and the material for a house. Thus equipped they joined the great fleet of gold hunters, who in crafts of every size and description, and under the flag of every nationality, sailed in search of the golden fleece.

The pecuniary successes were few, and disappoint- ing, but the experience was valuable ; and as a lesson in the geography of the continent, it was perhaps of still greater value.

On the 16th of May, 1849, Ebenezer Tappan died. at the age of eighty-seven years and ten months. He was the last survivor of the soldiers of the Revolu- tion from this town.

In 1850 the population was 1604.

Rev. Oliver A. Taylor died on the 18th of Deeem- ber, 1851. He was well known as a scholar and a writer on religious subjects.

The stone bridge on School Street was built.

During the following year the railroad station was moved from Sea Street to its present location, and the street opened from it to Union Street.

In 1852 Rev. Rufus Taylor was ordained as pastor of the First Congregational church.

At a very early period the people of Manchester took a very decided stand in opposition to slavery. As early as 1775 the subject was agitated from the platform, and subsequently the free soil party became a large and controlling organization, and any measure that tended to promote the interest of slavery at the expense of human liberty, was always stoutly op- posed. An example of this occurred in 1853, when at the town-meeting the following resolution was adopted :

" WHEREAS, The action of the United States Senate, in the introduc- tion and passage of the Nebraska bill, which contains a provision for the repeal of the Missonri Compromise (by the terms of which slavery or

involuntary servitude was forever excluded from all the vast territory arquired by purchase of France) thereby prostituting the patrimony of Freedom to the detestable purposes of slavery :

" Therefore Resolned, That we view with alarm and indiguation, this attempt of the slave power to enlarge the area of slavery, by the viola- tion of compacts and trampling on the rights of man.

"2d, Resolved, That we hold the Representatives of the North, who may vote for the violation of the Missouri Compromise, as false to the glorious cause of Freedom and recreant to the dictates of Humanity.

"3d, Resolved, That the Town Clerk be instructed to forward a copy of these Resolutions to our Representative in Congress, Charles W. Up- ham."

On the 9th of April, 1856, the old church built in 1809 having been remodeled and modernized was re- dedicated.

The town made an appropriation for planting trees about the school-houses.

On the 11th of September the Free Soil party of the county held a "mass convention in Manches- ter," in the interest of John C. Fremont, as candi- date for the President of the United States. The gathering was held at Gale's Point, and not less than ten thousand sons and daughters of old Essex were present. Mammoth tents were erected on the grassy slope, and in their shelter eloquent addresses were delivered by Gov. Kent, of Maine, Henry Wilson, George W. Curtis, Richard H. Dana, Jr., Moses Kim- ball and others.

In 1858 Rev. Francis V. Tenney was ordained as the pastor of the Second Congregational church, August 15th. And during the same year Rev. George E. Freeman was installed as pastor of the First Con- gregational church.

In 1860 the population was 1698.

In 1862 Rev. Edward P. Tenney commenced his labors as pastor of the First Congregational church on the 3d of November.

In the town records we find the following :

" MANCHESTER, 1865. " Monday, April 3d, of this year, was a day of great rejoicing. In the morning we heard our army had achieved a great victory over the enemy, but none of us dared to believe Richmond would fall so 8000, if nt all. So in the afternoon when the dispatch announcing the occupation of Richmond hy our forces was received, the people manifested their joy by triumphant shouts, excited congratulations and the ringing of bells. So long had we hoped for this event and so long had our hopes been deferred, onr faith bad growu weak, but now great joy fell upon us and we celebrated.

" April 10th, 1865."

One week later and we are the recipients of still greater and more glorious news : " Lee and his whole army have surrendered ! ! "

Such was the jubilant shout which went forth in the early morning, and the people heard wonder- ingly. As if moved by a spontaneous impulse the excitement and the enthusiasm of the town was immediate and intense.

Prompt action followed by the choice of a com- mittce of arrangements under whose direction the event was celebrated.

April 11, 1865, was a day of rejoicing, for an ac- count of which we copy the following from the Salem Register :

122-0

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Y'ten warlor, be remembered. At an early hour we tom vag of bells and the glad shout, 'Lee and his

>1 . fannitt and Lewis N. Tappin had made haste to ride fr . reity with the joy ful tilings. The people of the town were , Bastır flags were unfolded and flung to the breeze, droms and fifes brought ut, a perces-i u formed and marched to the depot, where short only for the rain were made by Rey. E. P. Tenney and Mr. Thir, author of the " Bobl n Boy." These speakers leaving in the early truin, the processien returned to the common where a stage wns erected at the fost of the flag staff, from which Rev. F. V. Tenney read the despite h announcing the surrender of Lee.

" several citizens addressed the people, setting forth in befitting terme the gl rien of the day. d'el. Tannati and Mr. Tappan also favored us with remarks pertinent to the glorious realities of the occasion.

"Loud and repeated chrers were given for the speakers, President I.Ine In, hin generals and the heroic soldiers of the army. " America," " Rally round the Flag, Boys," and "John Brown " were sung with thrilling cfbrt. Allusions were made by most of the speakers to that "in noter sin 'which had well-nigh been our ruin. One of them was pleasedl to read un extract from "Helper's Impending Crisis," the same being a warning found in Jeremiah 34 ch. 17 verse. To make his point str nger the spreukor read the following extract from a letter written in May, 1×47, by a former clergyman of this town (Rov. O. A. Taylor) while journey ing in the border States :

". Savery must and will be destroyed. It is inconsistent with the sjørit of our institutions. Freedom frowns upon it from every quarter of our land. The world is against it. God's curse rests upon it. If let alone it will sooner or later poison itself to death, as do some serpents, under the y ty malignancy of their own venom.'

" The speaker had carried this prophecy in his pocket for eighteen yram, anl for the most part of the time, with bnt faint hopes of ever WITH - NE It- fulfillment, but to-day he was glad, and thought the pro- phe y uf un orthodox chogy man equal to that of Jeremiah. After other cong itulatery ower ises the professi n ro-formed and marched through different actions of the town.

" In the afternoon the fire department turned out and with the citi- Tout es ated tour wounded soldiers, three of whom had lost a leg and vue ah ri, through the principal streets nmid the waving of flags and the Huging of b Hs. Notwithstanding the rain the enthusiasm was uu- ahalte 1, and at an early hour in the evening the Baptist Church was filled with joyous people of both sexes.

. J.lo le was the ted as the presiding officer and Rev. F. V. Tenney invoh de nom Mening. The carteises were all of a very interesting charurter, consisting of singing by the choirs of the several religions societies, jinsol in part by the assembly, nud of congratulatory addresses fram the severed clergynien of the town, and frem other citizens, inter nilnghe l with hver, for the different speakers oud of the great successes not lebt sted ime forgetting the brave boys now absent and the equal- ly de iving who have returned, nor the 20 of our heroic dead, 5 of whom dient on the field of battle, & in rebel prisons, and the rest in hospitals or at h-mo. Trara Arie In many eyes in memory of those departed heroes.

"A colle tion for the Christian Commission was taken up. Altoge- ther it was a day of Jubilee, and one we mmy all rejoice to have been E. R. N."

But on Saturday, April 15th, the great heart of the prople so rerently gladdened, is plunged into the deepest grief. From the town records we copy the follow ny .

". I'D l' nt Is shot, and soon, ere we could comprehend or he- Hlv th Irtd th, au ther sutl, 'Our beloved President, Abraham

od b the faling of surprise, grief, indignation and A . d won -very one All Imsiness was suspended. F. I .. . hell In th Congregational Church, opened by the | von d / -fipintes by Rev. F V. Tenney, followed by an nd- HOE EPTm. Chatnel and sulstued by the solemn

Ling pally disperse ) to their homey."

In the War of the Rebellion, as in carlier conflicts, Manchester bore her part faithfully. The people really reymodel to the call of the President for men, and shereally raised their proportion of the mnome anstain the government.

The town sent to the field one hundred and fifty- nine men ; of that number no less than one hundred and fifty-three were her own citizens.

More than twenty natives of the town, but residing in other parts of the State, were actively engaged in the war; one a lieutenant-colonel, and one a captain. Of this number eight died in the service, and three perished in rebel prisons.

The whole amount of money paid by the town for bounties, and recruiting expenses was seven thousand eight hundred and eighty-five dollars. The amount of aid furnished to soldiers' families during the war was seventeen thousand four hundred and ninety- eight dollars.

Much of this has been reimbursed by the State, but the increase of the town's debt, by reason of the war, is ten thousand dollars.

The Manchester Lyceum library established with two hundred volumes, which was increased to four hundred volumes in 1835. This library, from a pecu- liar feature of its organization, viz. : Membership for one year, by paying a fee of fifty cents without becom- ing a permanent proprietor, caused its continuance np to 1871, when it was merged in the "Manchester Public Library."

From the trustees' report for the year ending March 1, 1887, we find the library contains over four thou- sand seven hundred volumes; and the circulation has reached eleven thousand one hundred and forty-three volumes, an increase of two thousand eight hundred and fifty-one over that of the previous year.

Doubtless this is largely due to the greater demand for books from the summer visitors.

In 1871 the Rust and Marshall mill was destroyed by fire. This mill stood on the site of the old " veneer- ing mill."

In 1873 the town purchased the site and the pond for a " reservoir " for fire purposes; there is always an abundant supply of water, and convenient to the thiekly settled parts of the town.

Beach Street was opened.

The Catholic Church was built in 1873. It is a very neat, well-built structure on School Street. It is fifty by thirty-eight feet, and is very complete in all its appointments.

In 1875 T. Jefferson Coolidge, a wealthy and pub- lie-spirited summer resident, presented to the Public Library a complete set (twenty-one volumes) of the "Encyclopedia Britannica," a very generous and wel- come addition to our excellent collection of books.

The winter of this year was very cold ; the harbor was frozen so that parties on February 18th, walked to "Ilalf Tide Rock," and from "West Beach" to "Misery Island."

In 1575 Julius F. Peabody, then postmaster, began the publication of a monthly journal called the Beetle and Wedge. This was the first paper ever started in the town. It was ably conducted, and in every respect highly creditable to the publisher, and

1281

MANCHESTER.

to the town. After about three years it was discon- tinued. It should have been a permanent publi- cation.

On the 19th of June, 1876, it being the one hun- dredth anniversary of our National Independence, the people were called together by the peal of the church hells, and on the common within a few feet of where in early times stood the stocks and the whipping- post. A beautiful elm taken from the grounds of Lewis N. Tappan was replaced in the soil as the "Children's Centennial tree." It was planted with appropriate speeches, recitations, singing by the school children and by the grand old anthem of ' America," in which all joined ; it was thus consecrated to liberty. In the words of the " BEETLE AND WEDGE":

" May the tree live and may the future generations gather in its shade, a free end happy people ; and as they shall weigh the purposes and deeds, the trials, successes and short-comings of their fathers, with the light they will possess, may they not halt, but keep on the progres- sive march and look higher and higher to a still nobler sphere."

John Baker also planted one at the junction of School Street and the Essex Road; Captain John Carter, one at the town's landing; Dr. Priest set a rock maple on the common ; and John Knight set a long row of Norway pines on the northern side of the "reservoir pond," and many others were set in various parts of the town.

The " Masconomo House" was built in 1878. This delightfully situated and very popular hotel, has from the first been a favorite resort of the pleasure-seekers.

In front lies " the Singing Beach," where surf bath- ing may at all times be indulged in with safety ; be- yond the boundless sea invites the yachtsmen ; while in the rear, the bay and land-locked harbor allure the less skilled with smoother seas ; and the many drives over unsurpassed roads among the primitive woods with ever-changing undergrowth are among the at- tractions to be found in this quiet and healthful re- treat.

At the suggestion of Mrs. Alice N. Lincoln, the sea- shore residents of Manchester and Beverly contrib- uted thirty-five hundred dollars for the purchase of a strip of the woodland seven rods wide on each side of the highway leading to Essex. The first purchase was made in the spring of 1879, and was followed during successive years by that of other lands, and several gifts of woodlands were received from resi- dents of the town of Manchester, who owned lots bordering npon the road ; until now the reservation extends with but few interruptions through the beau- tifully shaded part of the County Road known as the "Essex Woods." As a result of these purchases, many of the finest oaks and hemlocks in the vicinity have been preserved, and a beautiful shady drive has been secured through this lovely region.

At the desire of the trustees of the fund (Colonel Henry Lee and T. Jefferson Coolidge) the lands pur- chased in the township of Manchester were offered and very generously accepted by the town, to be held " for the public use and benefit of its inhabitants, for

the purposes of a public forest or woods, as an orna- ment of the town and for promoting the comfort and health of the inhabitants forever."

The Rev. Mr. Tenney, in his " Coronation," says of these woods, "a favorite drive for the lovers of Cape Ann scenery lies in this famous forest. The thick undergrowth, rough boulders, high ledges, swamp lands and brooks give a constant charm, which is heightened by the varying colors of different seasons, the changing light of morning and evening, the shade at noon, or quiet hours under the high moon near midnight."

Reaching out from this roadway are the paths of the wood-cutters; and if the pleasure-seekers, who roll along this hard way with their fine carriages would tie up and strike off into the timber and walk a score of miles, as they easily may do without seeing a human face or crossing a high road; they will know that the woods as well as the sea conspire to make Manchester the most delightful resort on the whole New England coast.

John Lee died July 9th, 1879. This gentleman had been identified with the affairs of the town for an un- usually long time. At different periods he had served on the board of selectmen for twenty-five years; and for a considerable portion of that time he was the town clerk.

He represented the town in the Legislatures of 1846, '47, '48 and '68.

When the publication of the " Beetle and Wedge" began, he gave additional interest to its columns by a series of valuable articles on the " History of Man- chester," but unhappily they were not concluded when the publication of the paper ceased.

He was buried from the town hall, where appropri- ate remarks were made by Rev. Mr. Gleason, Major Russell Sturgis, Jr., Albert E. Low, Rev. Dr. Bartol, James T. Field and Rev. Mr. Emery.

He was sixty-five years old.

On the 25th of February, 1880, Lewis N. Tappan died in Leadville, Colorado. He was always inter- ested in any measure which advanced the interests of the town ; and while a citizen of the west he proved a worthy representative of the "liherty-loving " peo- ple among whom he had been reared, as will be seen by the following sketch from the columns of the Bos- ton Journal :

" In 1857 he went to Kansas, and was elected Secretary of the Sen- ete under the Topeka Constitution. He was one of the 'Fort Scott Treaty ' Commissioners, and also one of he fifteen ardied men who went from Lawrence to Lecompton and captured the candle box con- taining the altered election returns upon the adoption of rejection of the Lecompton Constitution. The premature discovery of these elec- tion returns, which were found buried noder a wood-pile, caused the immediate destruction of the Pro-slavery party, and made Kansas a free State. Io 1859 Mr. Tappan joined the Colorado pioneers, was a mem- ber of the first City Government at Denver, was active in raising and sustaining the Colorado Volunteers until reorganized by the General Government, was n member of Gov. Gilpin's Council, and one of Gov. Cummings' staff officers."

He represented the town in the Legislature of 1877.

1にルに

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Ile died in his forty-ninth year, and was buried with bis ancestors in the old grave-yard.

In 18-4 an important addition was made to the pleasure drives by the widening of the okl road to White Beach ; and making a new one along White and Black Beaches to the county road.

On the 12th of February, INSG, a very heavy rain fell, when the earth was thickly coated with ice, and " Mr. Ralph Smith, a minister has desired a passage in one of our shipps, which was granted him before , we understood of his difference in judgements, in some things from our ministers, but his provisions for his voyage being shipped before notice was taken thereof, through many occasions wherewith those en- trusted with this business have been employed; and that quiet stream called "Saw Mill Brook," for the first time since the settlement of the town, overflowed it- limits, and became riotous, overleaping the bridge on School Street, and doing no little damage in that neighborhood; and on Central Street, from the "Seaside " engine-house to the foot of the hill, it was navigable for boats, and the base of "Powder- ; for as much as it is to be feared there may grow some house Hill" formed the northern limit of the harbor.

A great improvement in the highways at West Manchester was made by the widening of Harbor and Bridge Streets at either junction.

CHAPTER CHII.

MANCHESTER-' Continued).

Church History-The Parsonages-The Tytheing-Man-" Staying over "- Grar .yards.

CHURCH HISTORY. - That the planters at Jeffrey's ('reek had the Gospel preached to them at a very early date there can be no doubt. Tradition says the first meeting for public worship was held beneath the branches of a tree at "Gales Point," near the site of an ancient wharf that is yet visible ; but the name of the preacher, about whom that little band of hardy men collected, has not been preserved.

Unfortunately there are no records of the churches' infancy save the few entries found in the town books. In Dr. E. W. Leach's history he has preserved an orig- inal note by Rev. Amos theever, dated November 20, 1726, in which are the names of thirteen who had preceded him in the ministry at Manchester. The following is the list: Jenners, Smith, Stow, Dunham, Millet, Hawthorn, Jones, Winborn, Hubbard, Emer- son, Goodbye, Eveleth and Webster; it is accom- pamed by no explanation, and it may be but a mem- oranda of names without reference to their order. At that early period it certainly would have been ay for him to have collected reliable information In the subject if he had wished, for it is quite possi- 1,le ano ol the older people of the settlement may Five had (ny onat knowledge of every name desired. That the list is dedotive is evident from the entire of1 -100 Xt the name of Marsterson. All things consibred, we think we are safe in following Mr. I livever & list will we reach the records, and to them wasball gis . preferen e

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 75

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