USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lawrence > History of Lawrence, Massachusetts : with portraits and biographical sketches of ex-mayors up to 1880 and other distinguished citizens, including many business and professional men now living > Part 15
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Voted, That a committee of two from each religious society be invited to meet in convention with a committee of two from the Provident Association to take into consideration the subject of estab- lishing a City Mission.
Provident Association .- George Packard, William D. Lamb.
Grace Church .- James Payne, B. F. Watson.
Lawrence Street Church .- Benjamin Coolidge, Chas. H. Bigelow. Central Church .- Daniel Tenney, John Fallon. Universalist Church .- Robert Stere, Artemas Harmon. Unitarian Church .- Charles S. Storrow, H. K. Oliver. Free Baptist Church .- E. M. Tappan, Simeon Briggs. First Baptist Church .- S. C. Woodward, A. J. French. Presbyterian Church .- John McKay, Mr. Daylish. First Methodist Church .- Amasa Bryant, N. Ambrose. Garden Street Church .- W. F. Evans, David Ambrose. Common Street Presbyterian .- J. Hudson, John Clayton. Spiritualist .- W. R. Wason, J. C. Bowker.
The delegates were convened March 23d, 1859, and the Lawrence City Mission organized. Dr. Packard was chosen President, and Rev. George P. Wilson Missionary. The organization has since con- tinued, managed by a board of advice elected and constituted simi- lar to the original delegates. Through this agency some $2,500 in money and clothing has been collected and distributed annually. The salary of the Missionary has been raised by the corporations outside of this fund.
1
1
1
CHARLES URBANE DUNNING,
City Missionary, Chaplain at the Jail and House of Correction, and clergyman of the Methodist faith. Mission office, 205 Essex Street ; residence, 89 Newbury Street. Was for three years pastor the Gar- den St. M. E. Church-1866-9. City Missionary and Chaplain at the Jail since 1872. Born at Ithica, Tompkins Co., N. Y., July, 1829. Married Harriet Frances Batchelder, 1858 ; has three children. (For history of early life and preparation for life-work see history of City Mission in this book.) Mr. Dunning has been stationed for pastoral work in New Hampshire as follows : East Sanbornton, (now East Til- ton, ) 1854 ; Chester, 1855 ; Bethlehem and Carroll, 1856 ; North Hav- erhill, 1858 ; Haverhill, 1858-9 ; Enfield, 1860 ; East Canaan, 1862-6 ; three years in this city and three years at Dover, returning from that place to Lawrence.
177
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
Rev. George P. Wilson than whom the poor of the city never had a firmer friend, continued to hold the office of Missionary till April, 1872, when he resigned to accept a position in the Methodist Con- ference, stationed at South Boston. A little more than a year from that time, July 10th, 1873, he sickened and died. His remains were brought here for interment, the funeral being held in the Garden street church. He was buried in Bellevue Cemetery, a beautiful monument on the eastern slope marking his resting place.
At the same meeting of the resignation of Mr. Wilson, the board elected as his successor Rev. C. U. Dunning the present incumbent. Mr. Dunning came from Exeter, though he was no stranger, having been previously stationed over the Garden street church. He was peculiarly fitted for the position-reared in a Christian home in Utica, New York, first studying law and afterwards preparing for the minis- try. He was ordained in 1858 and had been appointed spiritual guide over eight different Methodist churches before accepting the position of Missionary.
CATHOLIC SOCIETIES.
Connected with the Catholic churches of the city are several or- ganizations for the promotion of temperance, mutual relief and charity. These have a numerous membership and usually on St. Patricks day they turn out in procession and make a very creditable display. The oldest of these is the Irish Catholic Benevolent Society, organized October 15, 1863. As its name implies its object is mutual charity and the disbursements for this object are upwards of one thousand dollars annually.
The Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society is the largest society of its nature in Essex County. It was organized in 1869. Its presi- dent is Joseph T. Nichols.
1 78
QUARTER-CENTENNIAL.
There are two lodges of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Nos. I and 8. These are beneficial organizations and weekly sick benefits of $5.00 per week are paid. The president of No. 1 is John O'Keefe and No. 8, John T. O'Connor.
The Knights of St. Patrick embrace some of the most wealthy and cultured of the Catholic faith in the city. They have a handsome uniform and number about 100 members. The commander is Patrick Ford, treasurer Wm. H. Keefe.
NEWSPAPERS.
To write at length the history of the newspapers of the city would make an interesting chapter to those familiar with the business, but to the average reader it would be exceedingly dull. The career of none has been brilliant. All the early ventures were failures, and of the last decade their growth has only corresponded with the growth of the city. Considering the capital and brains required in their production no paper in Lawrence could be said to be a paying investment. But newspapers are not made, they grow. And some of those in this city are destined in the course of time to be powerful metropolitan sheets.
J. F. C. Hayes was the man who inaugurated the newspaper enter- prise here. Early in 1846 he came to this city and set up a printing press in a partially completed block on Broadway. He soon threw out a little weekly sheet called the Merrimac Courier, afterwards called the Lawrence Weekly and Tri-Weekly Courier. He continued them for a few years and before they expired in 1862, they had been under the guiding hands of John A. Goodwin, Homer A. Cook, and Nathaniel Ambrose. They were finally merged into a paper called the Daily Journal, but soon expired. In January 1847, the Weekly Mes- senger, by Brown & Beckett, was transferred from Exeter, N. H., but
179
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
lived only about two years. Then followed the Herald and the Van- guard, both Democratic papers ; the latter was published by Fabyan & Douglas, the former by Amos H. Sampson. After a time the Vanguard was changed to the Sentinel, which still continues under the management of Abiel Morrison & Son. In 1854 the Home Re- view was started by J. F. C. Hayes, afterwards transferred to Frank Leath, but lived only a few months. In 1855 Geo. W. Sargent and A. S. Bunker began the Lawrence American as a Know Nothing organ. Mr. Bunker soon sold out to Mr. Sargent for twenty-five dollars ; and Mr. Sargent was soon succeeded by Geo. S. Merrill, the present proprietor. In 1861 Dockham & Place began a daily paper, but it did not have an existence long enough to be worthy of the name of a daily paper.
In 1867 the Essex Eagle was started by Merrill & Wadsworth, Mr. Merrill soon retiring, and has of late been local editor of the Sentinel Mr. Wadsworth continued on, starting the Daily Eagle from the same office, July 20, 1868. In 1873 he sold both papers to Hammon Reed, the present owner, Mr. Wadsworth still continuing with the paper. The Daily Eagle is the oldest daily in the city, the Daily American being issued the next evening.
The Lawrence Journal, weekly, was started by Robert Bower as a labor organ in 1871, but was sold in 1877 to Patrick Sweeney, the present proprietor. The only papers in Lawrence to-day are two dailies, the Eagle and the American, and four weeklies, the Eagle, American, Sentinel, and Journal.
.
HORACE A. WADSWORTH,
The compiler of this book and pioneer of successful daily journal- ism in Lawrence. Office, 307 Essex Street ; house 65 Tremont Street. Born in Milford, N. H., 1837. Came to this city in 1866. Started the ESSEX WEEKLY EAGLE, 1867 ; LAWRENCE DAILY EAGLE, 1868, and is still connected with the office. Has a wife and three children. Attends Lawrence Street Congregational Church.
CONTENTS. :
Prefatory, .
Chapter 1,-Geography and Topography,
3
Chapter
2,-Merrimack River,.
1 2
Chapter
3,-The Indians, .
15
Chapter
4,-Early Settlers, .
2I
Chapter
5,-Beginning of the Enterprise-The Essex Co.,
39
Chapter 6,-Andover Bridge-The oldest Corporation, .
56
Chapter
8,-The Corporations,.
86
Chapter
9,-Municipal Administration,
106
Chapter 10,-Public Schools,.
122
Chapter 11,-The Courts-Public Library, I34
Chapter 12,-Water Works-Fire Department-Navigation,. . . I37
Chapter 13,-Orders and Societies,. 143
Chapter 14,-Minor Industries-Corporate and Incorporate, . . . 150 Chapter 15,-Notable Events,. 160
Chapter 16,-Lawrence in the Rebellion, 165
Chapter 17,-The City Mission -- Catholic Societies -- Newspapers, 175
-
7
Chapter
7,-The Churches,
66
ILLUSTRATIONS AND PORTRAITS.
Birds eye view of city
Frontispiece.
Map of territory (1845).
.Page 8
Isaac Tewksbury, (portrait) opposite.
22
Artemas W. Stearns,
24
James D Herrick,
26
Aaron Ordway,
66
28
Asa M. Bodwell,
.6
30
Wm. R. Spalding,
32
Stephen P. Simmons,
34
Hezekiah Plummer, 66
36
Charles S. Storrow,
33
Daniel Saunders, Sr.,
40
Albert Warren,
66
42
John R. Rollins,
66
44
Daniel Saundere,
46
Wm. H. P. Wright,
Alfred J. French, 66
48 50 52 54
Smith B. W. Davis,
66
56
Robert H. Tewksbury,
E. R. Hayden,
Caleb Saunders,
James R. Simpson,
66
Thomas Clegg,
.6
James G. Abbott,
1
Joseph Shattuck,
70
George Sanborn,
Luther Ladd,
66
M. P. Merrill,
A. V. Bugbee,
James O'Donnell,
St. Mary's Church,
83
James E. Shepard,
84
Byron Truell,
66
86
Nath'l II. P. Melvin,
John K. Tarbox,
58 60 62 64
George Packard,
66 67 63
72 74 76 78 80 82
Silas H. Loring,
CLXXXIV
Illustrations and Portraits Continued.
Levi Emery, (portrait) opposite,
S8
Granville M. Stoddard,,
90
Albert R. Field,
92
J. Clinton White,
66
94
Michael Rinn,
96
Lurandus Beach, Jr., 66
9S
Thos. A. Emmons,
100
John K. Norwood, 66
102
Charles R. Mason,
104
John C. Dow,
106.
Ebenezer B. Currier,
108
Daniel Hardy,
110
David Dana, ¥
112
Sammel M. Davis,
114
James S. Barrie,
116
Engene S. Yates, 66
118
Edward Canfy,
120
Gilbert E. Hood,
122
John F. Cogswell,
124
Albert D. Swan,
126 12S
Albert F. Colburn,
66
130
William Stevens,
135
Nathan W. Harmon,
136
Moulton Batchelder,
66
13S
Win. E. Heald,
140
Albert Emerson,
66
142
D. F. Robinson,
144
Odd Fellows' Building,
147
Win. W. Colby,
148
Eben E. Foster,
66
150
John W. Porter,
66
152
Mark Manahan.
66
156
Chase Philbrick,
162
Melvin Beal,
3
166
Smith M. Decker,
16S
Daniel F. Dolan,
170
L. N. Duchesney,
66
172
Timothy Dacey, =
174
Chas. U. Dunning,
176
HI. A. Wadsworth,
180
Prescott G. Pillsbury,
F8444 15.8
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