USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 41
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 41
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 41
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 41
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 41
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1819.
the noise of whose oars must have disturbed him, as he appeared to us to be a harmless, timid animal. We had here more than a ' zen different views of him, and each similar to the other ; one, however near, that the coachman exclaimed, "O, see his glistening eye !" . . . C. L'it is, he is a very strange animal.
[Among the papers left by the late Benjamin F. Newhall, of Saugus - than whom no man in the community stood higher for truthfulness - I find an interesting account of what he wit- nessed of the seeming gambols of the monster, who appeared to him also to be a timid animal. As he approached the shore, at about nine A. M., says Mr. N., he raised his head apparently about six feet, and moved very rapidly ; " I could see the white spray each side of his neck, as he ploughed through the water." He came so near as to startle many of the spectators, and then suddenly retreated. " As he turned short, the snake-like form became apparent, bending like an eel. I could see plainly what appeared to be from fifty to seventy feet in length. Behind his head appeared a succession of bunches, or humps, upon his back, which the sun caused to glisten like glass."
[And, lastly, the writer well remembers traveling down to the Beach, with other barefoot urchins, on the memorable day, but arrived too late - the serpent had gone and the multitude were dispersing. Boastful boys declared that they could have thrown stones beyond him as he ranged about there in the morning.
[The following is copied as a fair specimen of the pictorial representations of the Sea-serpent which were given at the time. I do not find, however, in the written descriptions, that he was in the habit of carrying his tail in that style. And con- sidering the use that serpents in general put that appendage to, it would seem improbable that if he belonged to the tribe he would have displayed it in that manner, which is much like a ship carrying her rudder above water.
-
THE SEA-SERPENT.
[A small work, somewhat odd in style but evidently the pro- duction of a person of intelligence and ingenuity, was published at Cambridge, in 1849, under the title, " A Romance of the Sea- serpent, or the Ichthyosaurus." It contains, in the Notes and Appendix, divers interesting matters relating to sea monsters. Two editions were readily disposed of, the author informs me.
[For several years succeeding this alleged visit of the Sea- G2 25
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1820, 1821.
serpent, accounts were spread from time to time of his appearance at different points on the coast. And so many false reports were made for the transparent purpose of attracting visitors to the marine resorts, that doubts increased as to the existence of this solitary rover of the deep. Little has been heard of him of late years. In 1849, however, John Marston, a respectable and credible resident of Swampscot, appeared before Waldo Thomp- son, a justice of the peace, and made oath that as he was walking over Nahant Beach, on the 3d of August, his attention was sud- denly arrested by seeing in the water, within two or three hundred yards of the shore, a singular looking fish, in the form of a serpent. He had a fair view of him, and at once concluded that he was the veritable Sea-serpent. His head was out of water to the extent of about a foot, and he remained in view from fifteen to twenty minutes, when he swam off toward King's Beach. Mr. Marston judged that the animal was from eighty to a hundred feet in length, at least, and says, "I saw the whole body of the serpent; not his wake, but the fish itself. It would vise in the water with an undulatory motion, and then all his body would sink, except his head. Then his body would rise again. His head was above water all the time. This was about eight o'clock A. M. It was quite calm. I have been constantly engaged in fishing, since my youth, and I have seen all sorts of fishes, and hundreds of horse-mackerel, but I never before saw any thing like this."]
1820.
On the 14th of February, two barns, belonging to Mr. Joseph Breed, in Summer street, were burnt by the carelessness of a boy. The people by a subscription, built him a good barn immediately, which they stocked with hay.
[India rubber over-shoes first made their appearance about this time. They were made much thicker and heavier than at present. Pattens, clogs, and goloeshoes were in use for keep- ing the feet dry, before rubbers were known; but they all, to some extent, failed of their purpose.
[There were six tanneries in Lynn, this year. But before 1833 they were all discontinued, as leather could be procured from Philadelphia and other places at such rates as rendered them unprofitable.]
1821.
On the 25th of January, the thermometer was 17 degrees below zero.
[There was a violent northeast snow storm, on the 17th of April. It was so severe as to prevent the assembling of a quo- rum of the house of representatives, at Boston.]
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1822.
Rev. Joseph Mottey died on the 9th of July. He was born at Salem, May 14, 1756, and graduated at Dartmouth, in 1778. He was ordained over the Lynnfield parish, September 24, 1780. He was characterized by extreme sensibility, and fond- ness for retirement. His manners were affable, and his mode of preaching mild and persuasive. He married Elizabeth Moody and had four children ; Charles, Elias, Charles Edward, and Eliza.
1822.
A considerable disturbance was this year occasioned in the meetings of Friends, in consequence of a portion of that society having embraced different views. On Sunday, the 17th of Feb- ruary, one of these essayed to go into the ministers' gallery, with a sword by his side, which he said was an emblem of the warlike disposition of those against whom he wished to bear testimony ; but before he had reached the seat, he was stopped, and the sword taken away. In the afternoon the disturbance was renewed, by several persons attempting to enter the high seats ; and many people having assembled about the house, the deputy sheriff was called from the First Parish meeting-house, who read the riot act in the street. Four persons were appre- hended, and after an examination, the next day, before a justice, were committed to prison, at Salem, where they remained until the time of their trial, at Ipswich, on the 16th of March. Two of them were then discharged, and the others were fined. A report of this trial was published, with a review in a separate pamphlet.
The first Circulating Library at Lynn was opened this year, by the author of this sketch. [This was a very limited collection, and may have formed the basis of a small circulating library kept by Charles F. Lummus from 1827 to 1832.
[A singular phenomenon was witnessed at Saugus river, in March, and is thus described by the late Benjamin F. Newhall, of Saugus, who was careful in noting unusual occurrences : " The ice in the river had just broken up, and the dam at the bridge was overflowed with a large volume of fresh water. It was in the evening succeeding a very foggy day, and as dark as a foggy night with no moon could possibly be. In looking under the great bridge, where the waters swiftly poured over the dam, my eyes were greeted with the appearance of balls of fire, about the size of a large cannon ball. They made their appearance as soon as the water broke over the dam, and seemed to dance and whirl about upon the swiftly rushing tor- rent for a moment or two, and then disappear, to be succeeded by others. The light of these apparent balls of fire was so great that the whole space under the bridge was illuminated to that extent that all objects were clearly visible. So striking
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1823, 1824.
and beautiful was the phenomenon, that I summoned several persons from the neighborhood to come and witness it. The balls of fire were continuous that night as long as we had pa- tience to look at them. There was no appearance of that phos- phorescent sparkling that is often seen about the bows of a vessel. There was no light but what seemed to be balls of fire. They were not seen at all on the succeeding evening, and have never been seen since."
The Second Congregational Society [Unitarian] was incorpo- rated on the 15th of June; and on the 25th of November, the corner stone of the first Unitarian meeting-house was laid with an address by Rev. Joseph Tuckerman, of Chelsea.
As some workmen were this year digging a cellar, in Liberty street, they found the skeleton of an Indian. It was more than six feet in length, and the skull was of an uncommon thickness. Two large clam shells were found buried with it.
1823.
The coldest day this year, was the 1st of March. The ther- mometer was seven degrees below zero.
The Unitarian Meeting-house was dedicated on the 30th of April. Sermon by Rev. Henry Colman.
On the 5th of May, snow fell, and the ice was a quarter of an inch thick. Thermometer twenty-nine at sunrise.
A young woman named Sarah Soames, aged 19 years, living at Thomas Raddin's went in to bathe in Saugus river, on the even- ing of June 15, and was drowned.
[The first Methodist meeting-house in Lynnfield, was dedi- cated on the 14th of October.]
1824.
The tide, during great storms, had for many years been making its encroachments upon Lynn Beach, washing its sands over into the harbor, and sometimes making deep channels, as it ran across in rivulets. In compliance with a petition of the town, the General Court, on the 18th of February, made a grant of $1.500, to which the town added $1.500 more; and by aid of this fund, a fence was constructed, about half the length of the beach, to prevent the encroachments of the tide.
On the 6th of May, the ice was a quarter of an inch thick. Thermometer twenty-seven at sunrise.
On the 21st of June, Rev. Joseph Searl was ordained pastor of the Congregational society in Lynnfield. He continued his connection with that parish, till the 17th of September, 1827, when he removed to Stoneham.
The French General Lafayette, who served in the War of Independence, this year came to America, and was received
389
ANNALS OF LYNN-1825.
with general gratulation and welcome. He passed through Lynn on the 31st of August. He was received at Saugus bridge, on the Turnpike, by an escort, consisting of a battalion of cavalry, the Lynn Rifle Company, Lynn Light Infantry, the Salem Cadets, and a large number of officers and citizens, by whom he was conducted to the Lynn Hotel, where an address was delivered to him by Capt. John White, to which he made an affectionate reply. After being introduced to many gentle- men and ladies, with several revolutionary soldiers, he entered an open barouche, and passed through two lines of the children of the town, who threw flowers into his carriage as he pro- ceeded. A salute of thirteen guns was fired, on his entrance into the town; and another of twenty-four, when he departed. On his way he passed through seven beautiful arches, decorated with evergreens, flags, and festoons of flowers, and bearing inscriptions in honor of Lafayette and Freedom. Proceeding through the principal streets, he was received, at the eastern boundary of the town, by another escort, and conducted to Marblehead.
Rev. James Diman Greene was ordained pastor of the Unita- rian Society, on the 3d of November.
[That very ingenious mechanic, Joseph Dixon, lived in Lynn at this time. And here he labored on some of those useful inventions by which he became so widely known. Among other things he directed his attention to the application of steam, and was the originator of combinations that proved the germs of some of the most gigantic and useful contrivances through which that mighty agent works at the present day. The New England Farmer, of 21 February, 1824, thus speaks of one of his inventions: " We have seen some ingenious ma- chinery for heating steam to a high temperature, invented by Mr. Joseph Dixon, of Lynn, Mass., which promises to prove of much utility." And a particular description is added.]
1825.
[The Probate Court was first held at Lynn, on the 4th of Jan- uary. And sessions were continued here for about thirty years.]
For several days, in April, the moon and stars, with the planet Venus, were visible for some hours, in the middle of the day. There were no clouds, and the sun shone with a dim light.
On the 20th of April, a piece of land adjoining the Quaker burial ground, in Lynn, was purchased by several individuals and opened as a free burial ground. This was done because that society had refused to permit a child to be buried in their ground, without a compliance with their regulations.
This year Frederic Tudor, Esq., of Boston, built his beautiful rustic cottage at Nahant.
G2*
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1826, 1827.
On Thursday, the 23d of June, at the commencement of twi- light, a remarkable sungush appeared. It proceeded from the place of sunsetting, and rose perfectly straight and well-defined, to the height of twenty degrees. Its color was a beautiful bright red, and its width equal to that of a broad rainbow ; the clouds around were variegated with the finest colors, and the pageant continued about fifteen minutes.
[The thermometer rose, 21 July, to 101 degrees in the shade.]
On Saturday, September 3d, the first newspaper printed in . Lynn was published by Charles Frederic Lummus, with the title of Lynn Weekly Mirror.
A comet was visible in October, on the right of tne Pleiades, with a train about six degrees in length.
1826.
The coldest day this winter, was February 1, when the ther- mometer was sixteen degrees below zero.
A schooner, loaded with six hundred bushels of corn, struck on a rock off the mouth of Saugus river, on the 12th of April, and sunk.
The festival of St. John, June 24, was celebrated at Lynn, by Mount Carmel Lodge, and five other lodges of free masons. The address was delivered by Hon. Caleb Cushing, of Newburyport.
The Lynn Institution for Savings was incorporated on the 20th of June.
[A temperance meeting was held at the First Methodist meet- ing-house, on the evening of August 12. A hundred and thirty members were added to the society, which before numbered seventy-one. The object of the society was "the suppression of intemperance and its kindred vices."]
The Quaker meeting-house, in Boston, with the burial ground adjoining, having been long disused, and few or none of the society remaining in the city, it was thought best to remove the bones. The remains of one hundred and nine persons were taken up and removed to the Quaker burial ground at Lynn. Mr. Joseph Hussey, who had two sisters buried at Boston, was unwilling that they should be removed with the rest, and caused their remains, so dear to his memory, to be deposited in the cemetery of King's Chapel.
1827.
On the 11th of April, the First Congregational meeting-house [the Old Tunnel] was removed from the centre of the Common to the corner of Commercial street. Its form was changed, a new steeple added, and it was dedicated on the 17th of October. [It would perhaps be more correct to say that the old house was demolished and a new one built, in which a portion of the
391
ANNALS OF LYNN- 1828.
old materials were used; the new erection bearing no resem- blance to the old, either inside or out. The Second Universalist Society now occupy the house.]
On the 30th of April, Mr. Paul Newhall was drowned from a fishing boat, at Swampscot, in attempting to pass within Dread Ledge. His body was found, uninjured, thirty-nine days after; having, it was said, been caused to rise by heavy thunder, which agitated the water.
On the night of Thursday, May 10th, a schooner from Kenne- beck, loaded with hay and wood, was driven by a storm upon Lynn Beach, and dismasted.
The anniversary of Independence was this year celebrated at Woodend. In the procession were thirteen misses, dressed in white, wearing chaplets of roses, representing the thirteen original states, and eleven younger misses, representing the new states. They recited a responsive chorus, written for the occasion, and an oration was delivered by the author of this history.
On Tuesday evening, August 28th, a most beautiful pageant was displayed in the heavens. During the first part of the evening, the northern lights were uncommonly luminous ; and at half past nine, a broad and brilliant arch was formed, which spanned the entire heavens, from east to west. No one who did not behold it, can easily imagine its splendor and sublimity. [It was like a splendid rainbow, with the exception of the pris- matic colors ; and was so transparent that stars were clearly discernible through it. It shot up in a stream of white light from the western horizon and extended to the eastern.]
On several evenings in September, the northern lights were exceedingly luminous, sometimes so bright as to cast shadows.
In the month of November were several great and drifting snow storms, and the weather was colder than had been known at that season for many years. It was so cold that it froze a large water cistern solid, and burst it.
1828.
On the 2d of May, a whale was cast ashore at Whale Beach, Swampscot, measuring sixty feet in length, and twenty-five barrels of oil were extracted from it.
An oration was delivered, on the 4th of July, by Rev. James Diman Green. His connection with the Unitarian Society, was dissolved, at his request, on the 4th of August.
[The Lynn Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized this year -- Dr. James Gardner, president, and Benjamin Massay, secretary.]
Flora, a black woman, died on the 1st of October, aged one hundred and thirteen years. She was born in Africa, and re-
1
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1829.
lated many interesting anecdotes of her country. Her father was one of the chiefs, and when he died they built a house over him, as they considered it an indignity to suffer the rain to fall on his grave. One day a party of slave dealers came and set fire to their happy and peaceful village. Her mother was unable to run so fast as the rest, and as Flora was unwilling to escape without her, she remained and was taken. She had two hus- bands and five children in Africa, and three husbands and five children in America. She was a sensible and purely pious woman, and was greatly respected.
In a storm, on the 22d of November, a schooner, belonging to Freeport, was cast upon the Lobster Rocks. The crew, with a lady passenger, immediately left the vessel, which was found in the morning, drifted upon Chelsea Beach.
The Lynn Lyceum was established, 23 December.
1829.
One of the most beautiful appearances of nature was presented on the morning of Saturday, the 10th of January. A heavy mist had fallen on the preceding evening, and when the sun rose, the whole expanse of hill and plain displayed the most enchanting and dazzling prospect of glittering frost. The tall and branching trees were bent, by the weight of ice, into grace- ful arches, and resembled magnificent chandeliers, glittering with burnished silver. As far as the eye could reach, all was one resplendent surface of polished ice; and in some places, the trees which stood in colonnades, were bent till their tops touched together, and formed long arcades of crystal, decorated with brilliant pearls, and sparkling with diamonds. But the scene in the open village, although so highly beautiful was far exceeded by the magnificent lustre of the woods. The majes- tic hemlocks bent their heavy branches to the ground, loaded as with a weight of gold, and formed delightful bowers, sparkling with gems, and illuminated with colored light. The evergreen cedars were covered with crystal gold, and glowed with emeralds of the deepest green. The silver tops of the graceful birches crossed each other, like the gothic arches of some splendid temple; while the slender shafts, and the glittering rocks, re- sembled columns, and altars, and thrones ; and the precipitous cliffs looked down, like towers and battlements of silver; and far above all, the tall pines glittered in the frosty air, like the spires of a thousand cathedrals, overlaid with transparent gold, and burnished by the cloudless sun. This beautiful and sur- prising exhibition continued undisturbed for two whole days. On the third morning, the warm fingers of Aurora found the frozen chords which upheld the glittering show. They severed at the touch - and from lofty spire and stately elm, came show-
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1829.
ering gems and pearls, that tinkled as they bounded on the crystal plain. The ice, which had confined the mighty arms of aged forest trees, came crashing down, breaking the frosted shrubs beneath, and sending through the woods a mingled sound, like falling towers, and the far dash of waters. The admirer of the works of nature, who, during the continuance of this beautiful scene, was in the majestic woods, will never forget their indescribable splendor, or doubt the power and skill of' Him, who, with such slight means as the twilight vapor and the midnight mist, can form an arch of fire in heaven, or create an exhibition of glory and grandeur on earth, so far surpassing the utmost beauty of the works of man.
[On this inspiring occasion Mr. Lewis produced the poem which has generally been considered the most beautiful of his productions. It first appeared, I think, in the Token, one of those elegant gift volumes so fashionable at this period. And surely if he had never written any thing else, this would have been sufficient to seal him as a poet. Its insertion here seems appropriate :]
THE FROSTED TREES. JANUARY 10, 1829.
What strange enchantment meets my view, So wondrous bright and fair? Has heaven poured out its silver dew On the rejoicing air ? Or am I borne to regions new, To see the glories there ?
Last eve, when sunset filled the sky With wreaths of golden light,
The trees sent up their arms on high, All leafless to the sight, And sleepy mists came down to lie On the dark breast of night.
But now the scene is changed, and all Is fancifully new ;
The trees, last eve so straight and tall, Are bending on the view, And streams of living daylight fall The silvery arches through.
The boughs are strung with glittering pearls, As dew-drops bright and bland ; And there they gleam in silvery curls, Like gems of Samarcand ;
Seeming in bright and dazzling whirls, The work of seraph's hand.
Each branch is bending with the weight, Which makes it nod and swerve,
As if some viewless angel sate Upon its graceful curve, Causing its heart to glow elate, And strain each secret nerve.
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1829.
It seems as if some robe of God Had been spread out below ; As if His hand had stretched abroad, Where midnight breezes go : To make the mind of nature awved With His most glorious show.
In the snow storm on the 6th of February, a woman perished on Farrington's Hill, on the Turnpike, one mile eastward of the Lynn Hotel. Another great storm commenced on the 20th, when several vessels belonging to Swampscot, were driven out to sea. One of them remained five days, and went on shore at Chatham, where the crew were much frozen.
On the night of the 5th of March, a schooner, loaded with coffee, struck on Shag Rocks, on the south side of Nahant, and was dashed entirely to pieces. No traces of the crew were found, and it is probable that they all perished.
Great excitement was occasioned this year in Lynn, as it had been in many other towns and cities for some years previous, on the subject of Freemasonry. On the 1st of April, Mr. Jacob Allen, of Braintree, gave an exhibition of some of the alleged mysteries of that institution, at Liberty Hall, corner of Essex and Market streets; and on the 6th, the inhabitants, in town meeting, voted, that they regarded Freemasonry "as a great moral evil," and its existence "as being dangerous to all free governments," and gave Mr. Allen the use of the Town Hall to continue his exhibitions. [The nature and tendency of the oaths taken on admission to the different masonic degrees were soon vehemently discussed in the community at large, and the principles of the institution and its value freely canvassed, it being generally conceded that the veil had been rent from its privacy. Anti-masonry presently formed an active element in politics, and its influence began seriously to be felt. We had here an anti-masonic newspaper - the Lynn Record - and in other places similar journals, conducted with zeal and ability, sprang up. In Lynn, for several years, the anti-masonic party were in complete ascendancy, and managed things as they thought best. The battle against the institution continued to rage till in some states extra-judicial oaths were prohibited under severe penalties. Many lodges surrendered their charters, and then the excitement began to decline. Soon after, how- ever, other secret societies - the Odd Fellows' for instance - claiming to be free from the objectionable features of Free- masonry, were established. And, finally, after a disturbed sleep of about twenty years, the ancient institution began to arouse and assert itself with renewed vigor.]
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