USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 46
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 46
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 46
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 46
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 46
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The Central Congregational meeting-house, Silsbe street, was dedicated on the 11th of December.
Rev. Elbridge G. Brooks was installed minister of the First Universalist Society, on Sunday evening, December 22.
The valuation of the real estate in Lynn, for this year, was $3.160.515; of personal, $1.674.328 - total, 4.834.843. Rate of taxation, $9 on $1.000. Number of polls, 3.215. City debt, $56.960.55. By turning to date 1860, the reader will have an opportunity to determine what progress had been made in these particulars in ten years.
The whole number of deaths in Lynn, this year, was 262; of consumption, 43. Aggregate population, 14.257. Many have an impression that Lynn is an especially unfavorable locality for such as are liable to pulmonary diseases. But it is thought that a careful study of the bills of mortality will show that a smaller number of deaths, from all diseases, occur in Lynn, in a given period, than in almost any place of equal population, in New England; and that though the consumptives here bear a greater proportion, they are yet less in the whole number than the consumptives in those other places.
1851
On Wednesday, 8 January, the commodious structure, erected on High street, for the use of the High School, was dedicated. The school was commenced 28 May, 1849, in the wooden school- honse on Franklin street, under the charge of Jacob Batchelder, as principal.
The carpenter shop of Thomas Taylor, on Sagamore street, was destroyed by fire, on the night of 4 February. And on Monday night, 17 February, the two story wooden building on Market street, corner of Essex, was nearly burned up. The
HIGH SCHOOL HOUSE. Erected in 1850. High Street, corner of Liberty. (See page 428.)
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lower story was occupied as a crockery ware, grocery, and provision store. The Freemasons and two temperance societies had their rooms above.
On Sunday evening, March 11, a barn near the Dr. Cheever place, in Saugus, was burned, with about twelve tons of hay.
On Tuesday, 18 March, a tremendous storm occurred. The tide was driven entirely over Long Beach, at several points, so that Nahant was literally an island. The new road, on the harbor side was much damaged, the marshes were submerged, and considerable injury was done to the rail-road bed.
The second City Government was organized April 7-George Hood, mayor, James R. Newhall, president of the common coun- cil, William Bassett, city clerk.
On the 15th of April, another violent. easterly storm com- menced, continuing two days. The wind was terrific, and much rain fell. A higher tide was occasioned than any since that driven in by the great gale of 1815. The sea again swept over Long Beach, to such an extent that a continuous sheet of raging water lay between Lynn and Nahant. Two men, on horseback, attempted to cross the Beach, but the horses were thrown down by a wave, and they were in great danger of losing their lives. The lower part of Beach street was submerged, and much lumber, wood, and other property floated off. This storm was more severe than that of the 18th of March. Seven successive tides rushed over the Beach, badly gullying the road so lately built, and rendering it almost impassable. At Breed's mill, on Oak street, a part of the dam was carried away and much damage done, a more particular statement whereof may be found on page 411. But the most serious disaster on the coast was the destruction of the light-house on Minot's Ledge, and the loss of two faithful assistant keepers. The height of the building was seventy-five feet, and it was supposed to have been so strongly built as to survive any storm. It was seen to fall, a few minutes after midnight, by persons on board an inward bound vessel.
After these two severe storms it became apparent that some- thing must speedily be done for the protection of the Beach or it would entirely disappear leaving the town exposed to the unobstructed inroads of the ocean. As the cheapest plan, it was concluded to place a line of red cedars along the ridge, working stones, sand, and sea debris as compactly as possible among them. A guard was thus formed, answering a very good pur- pose. The city appropriated $5.000 to the object. There should, however, be a substantial wall of stone; and it is hoped that government will one day supply the need; though there is not much prospect that they will do so at present.
On Friday afternoon, May 2, Miss Sarah Churchill, aged 19,
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a daughter of Ivory Churchill, of Vine street, while on a pleas- ure ride with a young man named Davis, visited the Fort, at Marblehead. They rode on an embankment, and Mr. Davis step- ped from the chaise to turn the horse, when the animal suddenly backed the carriage over the embankment, at a perpendicular descent of some nine feet, and Miss Churchill was instantly killed, her neck being broken. She was buried from St. Ste- phen's church, on the following Sunday, and a great concourse attended the solemn service.
On Sunday evening, 4 May, a barn on the Ballard estate, in Saugus, was destroyed by fire. An ox and a cow perished in the flames.
At about noon, on Saturday, 28 June, Charles Furbush killed John J. Perdy, at the boarding house of Mr. Bailey, on Market street, near the rail-road crossing. Furbush and Perdy were both journeymen shoemakers, boarding with Mr. Bailey. They had come home to dinner, and immediately after the meal was ended, Furbush went to his room, and Perdy went out, but soon returned, and went into the chamber where Furbush was. Presently two discharges of a pistol were heard, and some ex- cited ejaculations. The people below rushed to the chamber and found that Perdy had been shot; and he immediately ex- pired. Furbush was tried for murder, but acquitted on the ground of insanity.
A petition was this year presented to the city council, by Hiram Marble, for leave to excavate Dungeon Rock. Leave was granted, in July, and then commenced those labors of Mr. Marble in that romantic locality, which will remain forever, evidence of his faith and perseverance. For a somewhat ex- tended notice of the whole subject see under date 1658.
An effort was made this year, by a considerable number of ladies, to bring into fashion the Turkish costume, or, as it was called, the Bloomer-dress, from a lady of the name of Bloomer, who strongly urged its adoption. They however had but small success in inducing the sex generally to lay aside their graceful flowing robes for those which, though more picturesque and perhaps more convenient, have always, among the more fastidi- ous at least, been deemed less appropriate if not less modest. On a pleasant afternoon in July, a bevy of young ladies from Boston, richly and gaily habited in the new costume, left the cars at the Central Station, creating considerable observation if not admiration by their short tunics, full trowsers, bright sashes. and jaunty hats. Quite a number of the young ladies of Lynn arrayed themselves in the new style, but such a strong prejudice against the innovation began to manifest itself, that they soon laid aside the unappreciated garments.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, 13 .August, during a thunder
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shower, the lightning struck the house of Mr. Conner, on River street; and in a description of the singular effects, given by one who soon after visited the premises it is stated that the light- ning descended the chimney, bursting it all to pieces as far down as the attic floor. Then it passed down a stove funnel to the chamber floor, bursting the cook stove, passing. along the floor into a room adjoining, where two persons were taking tea. In its course here it tore up a large piece of the floor, upsetting the table, bursting out two whole windows in the room, break- ing the very chairs on which the persons sat, and throwing table, dishes, food, broken chairs, splinters of wood, and broken plastering, on all sides. Pieces of the broken iron and shivered wood were afterward to be seen sticking in the casings of the room, having been driven in, endwise, with much violence. From this room it could be traced to the basement, and off into the ground. And what is most wonderful of all, out of seven persons who were in the house at the time, none were seriously injured. The curious fact appeared, that pieces of the broken stove were so highly magnetized, that in one instance a piece about six inches square had strength enough to take board nails from the floor and hold them by the point. At about the same time that Mr. Conner's house was struck the lightning also struck the store of Mr. Vickary, in Gravesend village, somewhat injur- ing it, and knocking down one person.
On Friday afternoon, 22 August, a fierce tornado visited this region. It was felt, however, to but a small extent in Lynn. At Woodend, a boat was thrown out of the pond, and an apple tree eight or ten inches in diameter torn up by the roots. In Gravesend, the lightning which accompanied the tornado, in one instance descended the chimney of a house and went out through the front door, taking the side-lights. But it was terrific in some of the adjacent places ; tearing up lofty trees, demolishing out buildings and fences, wrenching off roofs, and more or less injuring many persons who were exposed to its fury.
The new grammar school-house at Nahant, was dedicated on Tuesday afternoon, 16 September.
On Sunday, 21 September, a great fire raged in the woods. Some streets were filled with smoke, and much damage was done.
The Independent Methodist meeting-house, at Nahant, was dedicated on Thursday afternoon, 25 September.
The Methodist meeting-house in Saugus, east village, was broken into on the night of Thursday, October 23, and the mis. sionary box robbed of six dollars, and some thirty yards of carpet stolen from the floor.
On Sunday night, October 26, the British schooner Brothers, Captain Clark, was wrecked by striking on the outer ledge, off
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Swampscot. The crew, seven in number, were landed in safety, about midnight, by the assistance of Edward C. Bates and his men, who heard their outcries and hastened to their succor. The wreck drifted over to the Nahant rocks, near Mr. Tudor's.
The new grammar school-house in Woodend, was dedicated on Wednesday afternoon, 29 October. It was destroyed by fire, 21 January, 1859, being then valued at $6.000.
A new religious society, called the Central Unitarian Society, was formed in Lynn this year. They commenced worship in a hall, on Sunday, 9 November. This society was afterward dis- tinguished as the Free Church.
Sagamore Building, near the Central Depot, was again nearly destroyed by fire, 14 November.
The new grammar school-house in Gravesend was dedicated 19 November.
On Friday evening, 21 November, the brig Exile, of Yar- mouth, N. S., Captain Sharp, was wrecked on Long Beach. | Large quantities of her deck load of wood were washed ashore, and by the means an immense fire was kindled on the Beach, by the light of which the multitude worked in saving the lives of the mariners, who were very much exhausted and in great peril. By half past one o'clock all were safe on shore, but the vessel was a total loss. It was estimated that there were a thousand people on the Beach that night, and the scene was one of terrific grandeur.
The first power printing press ever used in Lynn was set up at the office of the Bay State on Christmas day. Before that all the printing here was done on hand presses. The second power press was set up in the Reporter office, in March, 1854.
The first meetings of the Second Baptist Society of Lynn, . were held this year.
The legislature authorized the offering of a reward of $10.000 for the discovery of a remedy for the potato rot.
1852.
On Wednesday night, 7 January, Joseph Barrett, of Graves- end, aged 70, was frozen to death on his way home from Salem, whither he had been to testify in the Perdy murder case.
At about sunrise, on a morning in January, a noble eagle was observed, perched upon a house in Green street. Finding that he was attracting a good deal of attention, he presently soared away.
A light snow fell on Sunday evening, March 21, and the next morning mysterious footprints were discovered in the vicinity of Nahant street and Long Beach. They were of a shape that excited much curiosity, and no one was able to determine what sort of a creature had made them. But on Monday evening,
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Mr. John Barry shot a very large gray owl, on the marsh, near the foot of Pleasant street, and it was concluded that the won- derful tracks were made by him. He measured more than five feet from tip to tip of the wings.
An act was passed, 26 March, to prevent the destruction of shad and alewives in Saugus river, and the tributary streams in the city of Lynn. Shad had long before disappeared, but ale- wives continued abundant.
The Saugus Mutual Fire Insurance Company commenced business on the 1st of April.
The organization of the third city government took place on the 5th of April. Edward S. Davis was elected president of the common council, and William Bassett, city clerk. Mr. Hood continued to act as mayor, no other having been elected. Daniel C. Baker and Benjamin F. Mudge were the principal candidates ; but there were sufficient scattering votes to defeat an election. The old majority law was then in force; and it was not till the eighth trial that a choice was effected. Mr. Mudge was elected, June 12, by a small majority, and took the oath of office, on the 16th of June.
A violent snow storm occurred on the 6th of April. A foot of snow fell. There was also a snow storm on the 13th of April, during which from six to eight inches fell.
On Thursday, 6 May, Louis Kossuth, the distinguished Hun- garian patriot visited Lynn, and was received with public honors. He arrived at about one o'clock in the afternoon, and a procession was formed which proceeded through the Common, between lines of public school children, and thence, by Market street, to Lyceum Hall, where an enthusiastic reception awaited him. He was quite ill, from exertion and exposure, but was able to speak for about three quarters of an hour. The proces- sion was imposing, embracing some military, the fire companies, the city government, associations, and citizens generally - with stirring music. It was thought that ten thousand persons were on the Common at the time the procession passed. Kossuth left in the afternoon. The day was quite warm, the thermom- eter standing at eighty.
An act was passed by the legislature, 13 May, designed more effectually to restrain people from carrying away sand, sea-weed, and stones from the beaches. Much damage had been done by inconsiderate and mercenary trespassers.
The Lynn City Guards were chartered this year. They were formed as an independent company, and for a short time. called the Kossuth Guards, their first duty having been to serve as escort on the reception of Gov. Kossuth, May 6. They were chartered as an artillery company. William T. Gale was the first captain, but he resigned in August, and was succeeded by K2
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Thomas Herbert. Capt. Herbert resigned 15 May, 1857, and James Hudson, jr., was chosen commander. This was one of the companies belonging to the renowned Eighth Regiment, which so promptly responded to the first call of President Lin- coln, on the breaking out of the war of the great rebellion, in 1861. In five hours after the unexpected requisition arrived in Lynn, this company and the Light Infantry were ready for duty. And they both departed in the forenoon of the next day.
ยท A band of music was formed in Lynn, this year, under the name of Mechanic Brass Band.
Swampscot was incorporated as a separate town, May 21. And on Saturday, the 29th, public festivities were held there in honor of the event. Bells were rung, cannon fired, and flags raised. In the afternoon there was a procession, with music by the Salem Brass Band, an address by Rev. J. B. Clark, and a collation. In the evening there was a torch-light procession and illuminations.
On Thursday, June 3d, three men were in a boat, near Pig Rocks, when a severe squall struck them with such force as to lift the boat entirely out of the water. It was capsized, and two of the men, Mr. Small, of Swampscot, and Mr. Danforth, of East Boston, were drowned.
The bells were tolled and flags raised at half-mast, on the 3d of July, by order of the city government, on account of the death of Henry Clay.
The planet Venus was brighter in the month of July, than it had been for the ten preceding years. And for several nights the unusual occurrence of all the visible planets being above the horizon at the same time, was witnessed.
In July, a rattlesnake, having ten rattles, and measuring nearly five feet in length, was killed on the Lynnfield road, by Joshua Soule. And on the 29th of July another was killed by Samuel J. Sargent, measuring five feet in length and eleven inches in girth, and having twelve rattles. Still another was killed in August, on the Turnpike, between Lynn and Boston, by a Mr. Grout, which was four and a half feet long and had seven rattles.
On the 28th of August, Mrs. Jerusha Rhodes died, aged a little more than 97 years - being the oldest person then in Lynn.
On Thursday, 2 September, the Sixth Regiment of Infantry went into camp at Lynn, occupying the field on the southeast corner of Washington and Laighton streets. Many military notables and others were present from abroad. Some gamblers and pickpockets also made their appearance, but the police interfered with their arrangements.
Building was very active during the spring and summer of this year. Many houses of the better sort were erected.
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On Wednesday, 15 September, the new meeting-house of the Trinitarian Congregational Society, in Saugus, was dedicated. It cost $5.500.
An omnibus commenced running between the east and west sections of Lynn, in October, and was continued till the horse rail-road was built.
Funeral services were held in the First Congregational meet- ing-house, on Friday, 29 October, in memory of Daniel Webster, it being the day on which his funeral took place at Marshfield. The city council attended, each member wearing a badge of. mourning on his left arm. The house was appropriately draped. Minute guns were fired on the Common from twelve to one o'clock, the bells were tolled, and flags raised at half-mast.
Died, on Tuesday, 9 November, Isaac Gates, aged 74. He practiced law in Lynn, for many years, but closed his life at Harvard, his native place. He had been unwell, but recovered, as was supposed, and went to the polls to vote the day before his death. He retired apparently in good health and was found dead in his bed the next morning. He graduated at Cambridge, with the class of 1802, and possessed good natural abilities, but had such eccentricities and irregularities, as tended to impede his success; and he never prospered much at the bar. His style of address was dogmatical, and his expressions extrav- agant; but he possessed an abundance of grating wit and loved much to indulge his powers of sarcasm, particularly in the political caucus. His talents were sufficient to have ren- dered him conspicuous and useful in any community ; but in him was afforded another of those instances over which the philanthropist is so often called to lament. He took a good deal of interest in the management of town affairs, and often wrote timely articles for the newspapers; but his really judi- cious suggestions too frequently lost their force through some lurking prejudice or severity of expression. He also loved to write political articles for the newspapers, but his style even here was often so pungent as to destroy the effect. Neverthe- less 'Squire Gates, as he was popularly called, secured many friends by his good nature and readiness to do a neighborly act. The following very well exhibits a common way he had of giv- ing vent to his humor. He had in the court of common pleas defended a man of notoriously intemperate habits against the charge of being a common drunkard, and by some strange good luck succeeded in winning from the jury a verdict of not guilty. The man was so elated that he began to stammer out his thanks. Mr. Gates, perceiving his object, sprang to his feet, and throwing up his spectacles, exclaimed, in that earnest manner which every one who knew him will remember, "There, there ! don't you try to say any thing; the jury on their oath
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declare that you are not a drunkard. Now go right home and see if you can't keep sober for a week, a thing that you know you haven't done for the last six months." Before coming to Lynn Mr. Gates practiced in Concord, N. H., and Brunswick, Me. He had one son and three daughters, and the family were refined and highly esteemed.
On the 26th of November, an earthquake was felt at Lynn.
A bell was raised on the meeting-house of the Trinitarian Congregational Society, in Lynnfield, November 26. And this was the first church bell in the town.
At the great World's Fair held in London, this year, several lots of shoes, the product of Lynn industry, were exhibited, highly praised, and in one or two instances took prizes.
1853.
On Monday, January 3d, a prize fight took place between two pugilists from Boston, in a field bordering on the north- eastern road to Lynnfield. The stakes were $300. The fight was arranged in Boston, continued about an hour, and was witnessed by a large number of persons, many of whom came in carriages from other places. The combatants were badly bruised. The city marshal succeeded in arresting one of the par- ties who was afterward convicted in the court of common pleas.
The gas was lighted in Lynn, for the first time, on Thursday night, 13 January. The price to consumers was fixed at $3.50 a thousand cubic feet.
On the 16th of January, the harbor was frozen to Sand Point ; on the 23d it was clear of ice; and on the next day it was again frozen to Chelsea.
The new grammar school-house in the fourth ward was dedi- cated on the 25th of January.
On Tuesday, February 1, the cars commenced running over the Saugus Branch Rail-road.
On Monday afternoon, February 14, Richard Roach, a man about forty years of age, was at work near the Lynn Common rail-road depot, sawing wood with a steam circular saw. The balance wheel suddenly exploded, with a terrific report, and fragments flew in all directions, one of them striking the unfor- tunate man just above the chin, and knocking his head com- pletely off, with the exception of a part of the jaw. Another part of the wheel was thrown with such force as to cut off a four-inch joist and shoot to a distance of a quarter of a mile ; and two pieces landed on Boston street.
Nahant was incorporated as a separate town, March 29.
The organization of the fourth city government took place on Monday, April 4 - Daniel C. Baker, mayor, Edward S. Davis, president of the common council, Charles Merritt, city clerk.
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On Friday afternoon, May 20, the remains of Jesse Hutchin- son were buried from the stone cottage at High Rock, which was built by him six years before. He was one of the band of vocalists known as the Hutchinson brothers, though his duties lay rather in making arrangements and writing songs than in singing. He was the poet of the family, had much skill in touching the popular vein, and would, could he have been per- suaded to spend a little more time and thought in elaborating some of his pieces, have left what would have endured. He had a social disposition though his temper was impulsive; and he possessed many eccentricities that were attractive, coupled with some that were not. He had a good printing-office educa- tion, had traveled some, read a great deal, and his mind was well stored with information, much of which was unavailable in the practical concerns of life. He was a spiritualist, and, it is said, pledged himself to return, after entering the spirit land, and convince mankind of the truth of his views. But from some cause, he appears to have failed in fulfilling his pledge. He died at Cincinnati, where he had stopped at a water-cure establishment on his way home from California, in the hope of recovering his health. He was the father of several children, all of whom died young, and before his own decease.
The Lynn Light Infantry was chartered this year. This was the second company of the name formed in Lynn. See under date 1846.
Boston street Methodist Society was organized this year, and their meeting-house dedicated on Thursday, 9 June.
'During a thunder shower, on the 23d of July, electrical dis- charges were heard in several places near where telegraph wires ran, resembling the discharges of muskets. When one of the explosions took place near the Central Depot, two horses were thrown to their knees. At the mill on Saugus river, as one of the discharges took place the glass attachment on the ridge-pole was shivered and pieces sent to the distance of a hundred rods.
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