USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 49
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 49
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 49
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 49
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, 1629-1864 > Part 49
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A comet was just visible to the naked eye, in June. Its tail was about four degrees in length, and pointed upward.
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1860.
On Friday, June 29, a severe thunder storm occurred. It commenced about six o'clock in the afternoon, and continued till nine, with scarcely an intermission. There was some hail ; the wind blew with great fury, and torrents of rain fell. The house of Stephen Lewis, on Fayette street, was struck by the lightning, and slightly damaged. The meeting-house in the south village of Lynnfield was also struck.
The Methodist meeting-house, in Saugus, east village, was entered on Sunday night, July 8, and robbed of a hundred yards of carpeting. This was the second time that the carpets of this house were stolen.
There was a muster of the fire companies of Essex county, at Lynnfield, on the 18th of July. Many firemen from Lynn at- tended, though the authorities would not suffer the engines to be carried.
An extraordinary meteor appeared in the heavens at about ten o'clock, on the evening of July 20. It moved slowly, in a southeasterly direction, leaving a luminous train which was visible for about a minute. The meteor resembled two bright balls as large as full moons.
A turtle, weighing thirty five pounds and measuring, on the shell, thirteen by seventeen inches, was taken from Stacey's brook, in Woodend, in July.
The jewelry store of George H. Moore, on Market street, was robbed at noon, August 16, of some twenty watches and other articles, of the value of about $400.
On the afternoon of August 8, the barn of Henry Clay, in Lynnfield, was struck by lightning, set on fire, and entirely consumed, together with a large quantity of hay and other farm property.
John Denier, a tight rope performer, walked upon a single rope a distance of fourteen hundred feet, at Nahant, on the afternoon of August 16. The rope was stretched high above Canoe Beach, in the rear of Nahant House. A very large con- course witnessed the dangerous feat. And on the afternoon of the 27th, he walked up a rope one inch and three quarters in diameter, stretched from the top of a three story building on the southwest side of Exchange street, in Lynn, to a derrick erected near the entrance of Mount Vernon street, and per- formed sundry astonishing feats - among them hanging by one foot, head downward - while on the rope, many feet above the heads of the crowd of spectators.
On the 22d of August a swing-tail shark was captured in a net, by Chandler Lewis, of Swampscot, a short distance from the beach. He measured ten feet in length. This species is very rare on our coast.
The new light house on Minot's Ledge was lighted for the first M2*
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1860.
time on the night of Wednesday, August 22. The light, how. ever, was only shown toward the shore, it being merely an experimental lighting. It began to be regularly lighted on the night of Thursday, November 15.
A sun-fish was caught near Egg Rock, in August, weighing about two hundred and fifty pounds.
A small encampment of the Penobscot tribe of Indians erected their wigwams on Phillips's Point, Swampscot, in the latter part of the summer, and pursued their trade of basket making.
On the night of the 7th of September, a fire occurred on Beach street, at the wood and coal wharf of Breed and Thing. A heap of about three thousand tons of coal took fire and con- tinued to burn two days, notwithstanding the efforts of the fire department to extinguish it, aided by a steam fire engine from Salem. The coal and hay sheds, were destroyed, and a large portion of the coal and wood either burned or thrown overboard. Loss, about $9.000.
Early on Sunday morning, September 16, the baking estab- lishment of Nathaniel Holder, on Pine Hill, was burned. Four valuable horses perished in the flames. Loss, about $4.000.
The carpenter shop of N. P. Boynton, on Broad street, was destroyed by fire, September 30. . Loss, about $1.200.
The planet Venus was distinctly visible to the naked eye, at about eleven o'clock on the forenoon of October 11. The sun was shining brightly.
The Lynn post office was broken into on Sunday night, Octo- ber 14, and robbed of a quantity of postage stamps, a small amount of money, and a large number of letters. Many of the letters were afterward found, broken open and rifled, some near the High School house, and some at Oak Island.
A slight shock of an earthquake was felt on the morning of Oct. 17. There was a rumbling sound and the earth trembled.
The Prince of Wales passed through Lynn at about ten o'clock in the forenoon of Saturday, October 20. The special train in which the august youth journeyed, made a slight pause at the Central Station, and he stepped upon the platform of his car, thus vouchsafing to some of the anxious crowd gathered in the Square a glimpse of his royal person. Some preparations had been made to receive him, and divers of the city officials were present, but he did not appear to appreciate the honor.
The Republicans had a grand torch-light procession on the evening of the 30th of October. Music, illuminations, fireworks, and bonfires abounded. Brilliant lights were placed upon the stone posts that surround the Common, making a fine show. The procession numbered from twelve to fifteen hundred. The demonstration was in favor of Mr. Lincoln then a candidate for the presidency. The other parties also had their demonstrations.
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1860.
On Saturday night, November 3, the severest storm of the season occurred. There was a strong easterly wind and a high sea. The Gazelle, a small vessel belonging to Gloucester, broke from her moorings at Swampscot and was driven ashore at King's Beach, where she went to pieces.
On the 6th of November, Micajah Burrill of Woodend, aged 96, was at the polls and voted for Mr. Lincoln for president. He voted for Washington at the time of his election.
Captain Ammi Smith, of Lynn, was master of the ship Oliver Putnam, which foundered at sea, this year. After the ship went down the men remained eleven days in an open boat, sub- subsisting on two biscuits and a pint of water a day. A Dutch bark, bound for Rotterdam, finally picked them up and carried them to St. Helena.
Early on the morning of Saturday, November 24, a severe southeasterly gale set in, which was particularly disastrous to the shipping at Swampscot; more so than any other that had occurred for many years.
In the latter part of November, Zachariah Phillips, of Lynn, during four days' fishing from his dory, in the bay, experienced in a singular manner the vicissitudes of a fisherman's luck. His first day's catch sold for 25 cents. That of one of the other days sold for $21.00. And taking the whole four days together he realized $46.50. The fish sold for three cents a pound, on the beach, and were chiefly cod.
The cars began to run on the horse rail-road, through Lynn, on the 29th of November.
Market street was lighted by gas, for the first time, on Friday evening, December 7.
Cars commenced running over the Cliftondale horse rail-road, from East Saugus to Boston, December 26.
The sessions of the Probate Court in Lynn were discontinued this year.
There was a very large crop of fruit this year; particularly of apples and pears ; and the quality was superior.
The fire department was called out fifty-six times during the year, seventeen of which were from false alarms. The whole loss by fire was about $32.000.
By the census taken this year, Lynn was found to contain 19.087 inhabitants; Lynnfield, .866; Nahant, .380; Saugus, 2.024; Swampscot, 1.530.
The valuation of real estate in Lynn, this year, was $6.291.460; personal, $3.357.605 - total, $9.649.065. The rate of taxation, was $8.80 on $1.000. Number of ratable polls, 3.933. City debt, $107.600. By turning to date 1850, the increase of ten years may be determined. But it should be borne in mind that Nahant and Swampscot were set off during the period.
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1861.
1861.
Friday, 4 January, was observed as a national fast, in view of the threatening aspect of public affairs.
An extraordinary change in the weather took place during a few hours preceding sunrise, on Friday, the 8th of February. On Thursday the air was mild, the thermometer standing at forty-five degrees, at two o'clock in the afternoon. About that time a change commenced, the cold increasing rapidly, till Friday morning, when the thermometer stood at twenty-one degrees below zero. Thus, between two o'clock on Thursday afternoon and eight on Friday morning, the thermometer fell sixty-six degrees.
On the night of 18 February, a barn, on Howard street, be- longing to James E. Barry, was burned. Two horses perished in the flames.
A severe storm occurred on Saturday evening, 9 March. Con- siderable damage was done to the shipping at Swampscot. And again on the 22d of March there was a heavy blow, and while the sea was running high a vessel was discovered some two miles off the eastern point of Nahant, rolling heavily at anchor, with all her masts gone excepting a portion of the mizzen. She proved to be the bark Nonpareil, Capt. Flynn, from Palermo, for Boston. She was finally taken safely to Boston, by a steam tug. No lives were lost.
A snow storm commenced 1 April, during which eighteen inches of snow fell.
The brick Catholic Church, at the eastern end of South Com- mon street, was built this year. It was the finest and most costly church edifice that had been built in the place.
Fort Sumpter, in the harbor of Charleston, S. C., was attacked by the South Carolina forces on Friday, 12 April. And this was the commencement of the terrible civil war which will forever remain a marked point in American history. Presi- dent Lincoln immediately issued a proclamation calling out a portion of the militia of the several states. Lynn was instantly aroused to a high pitch of patriotic fervor. In five hours after the requisition arrived, two full companies were armed and ready for duty. And in the eleven o'clock train of the next forenoon - Tuesday, 16 April - they departed for the south, amid the cheers and sobs of the immense concourse who had gathered in Central Square." These two companies - the Lynn Light Infantry and Lynn City Guards - formed a part of the Eighth Regiment of Massachusetts troops, which became so celebrated in the early part of the war, for discipline, prompt- ness and heroism. These troops were called for three months' service. And just before their departure it was announced to
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1861.
them that six hundred dollars had been contributed for each of the companies. The names of those who so promptly responded to their country's call, in the day of her peril, are worthy of re- membrance, and are here inserted. Others would have gone had there been time for equipment, as is shown by the terse des- patch sent to head quarters -" We have more men than guns - what shall we do ?" The names of such of the regimental officers as belonged to Lynn, are also given.
TIMOTHY MUNROE, Colonel.
EDWARD W. HINKS, Lieutenant Colonel.
EPHRAIM A. INGALLS, Quartermaster.
ROLAND G. USHER, Paymaster. BOWMAN B. BREED, Surgeon.
WARREN TAPLEY, Assistant Surgeon.
HORACE E. MUNROE, Quartermaster Sergeant. COMPANY D - Lynn Light Infantry.
George T. Newhall, Captain - Thomas H. Berry, First Lieutenant - El- bridge Z. Saunderson, Second Lieutenant - Charles M. Merritt, Fourth Lieu- tenant - William A. Fraser, Henry C. Burrill, William H. Merritt, and George E. Palmer, Sergeants - Daniel. Raymond, Henry C. Conner, Henry H. Good- ridge, and Horatio E. Macomber, Corporals - James O. Clarrage, Musician.
PRIVATES.
Foster, Samuel
Nichols, John H. Nichols, N. A.
Foxcroft, George A. Foye, John
Noonan, Daniel
Fraser, Joshua H.
Oliver, Harrison
Hills, Edwin T.
Oliver, Stephen A.
Patten, John B.
Patten, Thomas P.
Carpenter, Henry A. Caswell, William Cilley, John W. Clement, Oscar H Coe, John T. Curtis, George Dudley, Alonzo G.
Kelley, James D.
Remick, Samuel D.
Kimball, Edwin H.
Sanborn, Joseph R.
Elder, Josiah L.
Martin, John M.
Trask, Israel A.
Emerton, William W.
Merrill, Arthur T.
Tuttle, Lyman M .-
Fales, Charles
Merritt, George G.
Wentworth, Rufus O
Mudgett, Isaac N.
Whitney, J. A. P.
Foss, William H. Foster, George W.
Newhall, Henry A.
Williams, J. Henry
COMPANY F - Lynn City Guards.
James Hudson, jr., Captain - Edward A. Chandler, First Lieutenant - Henry Stone, Second Lieutenant - Matthias N. Snow, Third Lieutenant - Hanson H. Pike, George Watts, George E. Stone, and Timothy Newton, Sergeants - James R. Downer, George Harris, Joseph W. Johnson, and Jeremiah Towlin, Corporals - Edward D. Clarrage, Musician.
PRIVATES.
Alley, James E. Alley, Richard Bailey, William E.
Barker, Patrick W. Baxter John B.
Black, James O. Boynton, Benjamin F. jr. Brown, Ezra W. Brown, James W. Brown, William B.
Caldwell, William
Campbell, George Chase, Charles H. Chase, John C. Cryon, Thomas
30
Alley, James D. Andrews, Oscar D. Atkinson, Charles O. Bailey, George W. Bartlett, Alonzo W. Bates, Lewis H. Berry, William H. Besse, Francis E.
Hixon, E. Oswell Hoyt, Wheelwright Jones, James E. Keene, William H.
Pierce, Levi M. Pousland, Thomas J.
Keith, Friend H.
Reed, Samuel A.
Lambert, Daniel Lock, James Lougee, John E.
Smith, Frank M.
Sweetser, Charles H.
Tarr, John S.
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1861.
Dalton, Frank Davenport, Charles Davis, Henry S. Donelly, James E. Dougherty, James B. Edwards, George Estes. Jacob S. Flanders. Augustus B. Foster, John F.
Kimball, Josiah F. Kimball, Moses
Laborda, James S.
Lake, Charles H. Luscomb, Murray Mahoney, Dennis Martin, Robert P. Mc Davitt, William S. Mead, Samuel Mellen, Andrew
Millar, Andrew W.
Moulton, Edward
Gilbert, John Griffin, William H. Grover, Benjamin P. Harriden, Oscar Harris, Edward Hiller, Edward Hunnewell, Francis Ingalls, Abner
Moulton, James F.
Murray, James W.
Newton, William S.
Orr, Charles Owen, Joseph
Peabody, Benjamin W Phillips, Daniel
Pike, William J.
White, George H.
Wilson, William B. Young, Hugh
And many of the foregoing were soon in higher positions than they at first occupied. But with their departure the zeal of the citizens by no means subsided. Meetings were held, funds were subscribed by individuals and appropriated by the city govern- ment, new companies were raised, and every thing was done that could be expected of a loyal and patriotic people. A mass meeting was held at Lyceum Hall, on the afternoon of Monday, 22 April, at which a considerable sum was subscribed for the benefit of volunteers, stirring speeches were made, and divers animating pieces played by a band of music. The following preamble and resolutions were passed by acclamation.
WHEREAS, The country has been plunged into civil war, by the rash, tritor- ons, and unjustifiable action of the leaders in the so-called Confederate States ; therefore,
1. RESOLVED, That we, in the hour of peril to the nation, to free institutions, to life, liberty, and social well-being, unite as one man to uphold our govern- ment, and to defend our country.
2. RESOLVED, That as our fathers pledged to each other their "lives. their fortunes, and their sacred honor," to establish the institutions under which we have lived, so we now renew this pledge, to maintain those institutions, and to hand them down, intact, to our children.
3. RESOLVED, That the present crisis has been forced upon us, lovers of peace and of the Union; and that there is left for us nothing but to rally about the government, which has shown itself forbearing, and whose efforts for a peaceful settlement have been met with bravado, insolent contempt, and war- like opposition.
4. RESOLVED, That it is the duty of every citizen to stand ready for the performance of every work which the government requires at his hand, till the traitors shall desist from their unhallowed purpose, and peace be restored to our distracted land.
5. RESOLVED, That Governor Andrew, General Schouler, and the civil and military authorities of the state, have acted in an able, prompt, and patriotic man- ner, in this trying crisis ; and that their efficient action is deserving of all praise.
Johnson, Nathaniel Kelley, Daniel
Pratt, Daniel W.
Rand, Benjamin
Reed, Orson R. Reynolds, Andrew T. Reynolds, John W. Rhodes, Isaac N. Rowe, George W. Rowe, William B. Sargent, Albert Sargent, George W.
Snow, Warren Sparks, Uriel Swan, George W.
Sweetser, George W.
Taylor, Henry Thompson, Samuel Tufts, William F. Tutt, Benjamin Webster, Samuel
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1861.
6. RESOLVED, That the action of our City Government. in making an appro- priation for the support of the families of our brave and devoted volunteers, meets the exigency of the hour, and receives our hearty approval.
7. RESOLVED, That the prompt response of the Eighth Massachusetts Reg- iment, to which so many of our citizen soldiers are attached, together with the dispatch "We have more men than guns - what shall we do?" proves the loyalty of our citizens, and inspires us with the belief that the glorious old flag shall not be trailed in the dust, nor be wrested, by traitor hands, from its right- ful guardians, an acknowledged majority of American citizens.
Enlistments now went rapidly on. The whole community seemed fully awake to the demands of the calamitous exigency. The ladies applied themselves diligently in the preparation of clothing and other things necessary and convenient for the departed and the constantly departing soldiers. Flags were kept flying in every direction, and drums were beating at all hours. And those other places, the offspring of good old Lynn, which are named in the title-page of this work, manifested the same zealous and patriotic spirit. It would be an exceed- ingly agreeable task to give in these pages a circumstantial history of events here, as connected with the war, and to record the name of every one who went out from among us to battle for the honor of his country. But it will be at once seen that such a thing would be impossible. The most that can be done will be to note the more prominent occurrences. God grant that all who survive may have a reward here commensu- rate with their labors and sacrifices, and that all who perish may receive a reward in the better land.
On the morning of May 4th, the grocery store of Robert Collins, corner of Franklin street and the Turnpike, was con- sumed by fire, with all its contents. The adjacent out buildings were also consumed, and the dwelling of Mr. Collins was some- what damaged. Loss, about $2.500.
The ship Abælino, Capt. Ammi Smith, of Lynn, was captured by a rebel privateer, 20 May, while on her passage from Boston to New Orleans, with a cargo of ice. This was one of the first of such seizures in the war. The officers, crew, and vessel, were, however, soon released.
On the first day of June, the Lynn horse cars began to run to Boston.
On Sunday, 2 June, Julia, aged ten years, a daughter of John Fitzpatrick, an overseer in one of the Saugus woollen factories, died of the terrible disease of hydrophobia. She was slightly bitten by a small dog with which she was familiar ; but little or nothing was thought of it at the time. Six weeks after, while at school, she was taken with spasms and soon died, in great agony.
The brick school-house, on the west side of Franklin street, was dedicated on Monday afternoon, 24 June.
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1861.
A great comet suddenly appeared in July. It was first seen on Tuesday evening, the 2d, and was very bright. I was stand- ing on the slope of the hill, near Sadler's Rock, at dusk, con- versing with a friend. On looking up, as one or two of the brighter stars began to appear, he remarked, "Why, there is a strange looking star." As the darkness increased, the propor- tions of a magnificent comet became developed. On the follow- ing evening the celestial stranger made a still more imposing appearance. Its position was a very little west of north and it was finely delineated, from the tail which spread out into a silvery light at the zenith, to the bright nucleus at the horizon. Observation determined that it was moving with extraordinary rapidity .; and it was soon beyond the vision of the unassisted eye. One remarkable fact about this comet is that its tail, which was upwards of ninety degrees in length, actually came in con- tact with the earth. In the report of the visiting committee of the Cambridge observatory to the overseers of the college - which report, by the way, was signed by our eminent townsman, William Mitchell, as chairman -it is stated that the comet was subjected to a rigorous examination and its path marked with great care, its position being determined at forty-nine periods. And the report adds that as soon as its real motion was ascer- tained, it became evident that its train had swept the earth ; and subsequent observations, both in this country and Europe showed that only three days previous to its sudden apparition in our heavens a part of the train must have been in actual con- tact with the earth. It is an ancient superstition that comets portend dire calam- ities to mankind ; particu- larly wars. And that of 1858 and this of 1861, com- ing so opportune for the terrible civil war, will be likely to confirm the appre- hensions of some unculti- COMET OF 186]. vated minds.
The Lynn soldiers who so promptly responded to the call of the President, and on the 16th of April hastened southward, returned on the first of August, their three months term of ser- vice having expired. And they had a very enthusiastic and gratifying public reception. The City appropriated $500, and individual liberality contributed a large additional sum, to make the occasion one of uncommon display. Not a man of the whole regiment had died during its absence. Col. Munroe had re- signed, 12 May, and returned home, and Lieut. Col. Hinks had succeeded him. The reception was quite imposing. There
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1861.
was a large escort of military and fire companies, and public and private places were profusely decorated, business was sus- pended, and the large body of the population were in the streets. The procession was something more than an eighth of a mile in length, and moved through the principal neighborhoods, the bands playing, church bells ringing, and guns firing.' At about seven o'clock a collation was had at Exchange Hall; and when the hungry stomachs had been supplied the patriotic tongues were loosed. And the whole furnished a notable instance of the liberal bestowment of well-earned honors.
The Union street Methodist meeting-house (St. Paul's) was dedicated on Thursday afternoon, 1 August.
On Thursday night, 12 September, the spacious building known as Nahant Hotel, was destroyed by fire. It was an immense structure of wood, with the exception of the small part built in 1819, which was of stone; was in some parts three and in others four stories in height; was something more than four hundred feet in length, and contained three hundred rooms. It was sufficient for the accommodation of a thousand visitors at a time ; six hundred could be seated together in the dining hall ; magnetic telegraph wires connected it with Boston; and it had every appliance of a first class public house. The conflagration made a striking display as seen from Lynn and the adjacent places. And it was observed from vessels a great distance at sea.
In September the little green in Washington Square, at the junction of Nahant street and Broad, was enclosed by a neat iron railing, and otherwise improved. The ladies held a fair, on May-day, to raise funds to defray the expense. The cost was $550.
An encampment was formed at Lynnfield, at which a number of regiments were drilled, preparatory to leaving for the seat of war.
Thursday, 26 September, was observed as a national fast.
In October, Miss Mitchell, whose astronomical observations and discoveries at Nantucket had made her name familiar to the scientific world, removed with her accomplished father, William Mitchell, to Lynn. Besides several smaller instruments, used at her former residence, she brought with her a beautiful equa- torial telescope, which she has since constantly applied to vari- ous original researches, the principal and perhaps the most important of which are observations on the phenomena of the double stars or binary systems. The telescope was the gift of a few friends of both sexes, and no pains were spared in its construction. It was made by Alvan Clark and Sons, of Cam- brigeport, and is unquestionably among their best productions. The telescope is furnished with all the appliances belonging to N2
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1862.
the largest class of instruments, measuring circles of right as- cension, and declination, has clock-work, and micrometer. It has six eye-pieces of powers from fifty to three hundred. The telescope and equatorial apparatus are connected to a heavy iron tripod resting on a firm piece of solid masonry, whose base is sufficiently below the surface of the ground to be secure from the effects of frost and the tremor of passing carriages in the street at a distance of two hundred feet. The observatory is a circular building of great simplicity, with an ordinary roof revolving by means of iron balls running in grooved circular plates, thus enabling a narrow scuttle in the roof to be turned to any part of the heavens.
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