History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II, Part 18

Author: Drake, Samuel Adams, 1833-1905
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat
Number of Pages: 650

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II > Part 18

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Fire ravaged this building three different times. The tall spire was taken down November, 1846. The building seemed fated to disaster. It is now reconstructed and occupied for stores, offices, etc. The post-office, Daily Courier office, and horse- railroad office are located in it.

The above is a history of a church building. The history of the church, now called the First Freewill Baptist, is as follows :-

May 19, 1833, the first public services were held in Classic Hall by Rev. Nathaniel Thurston of Dover, N. H. The Hamilton Chapel, on Middle- sex Street, was afterwards engaged, and the society organized August 15, 1833; the Rev. Nathaniel Thurston was elected pastor, but did not euter upon his duties until April, 1834. During the interim Rev. Benjamin S. Mansur and J. L. Sin- clair officiated. March 30, 1836, an act of incor- poration was obtained for the erection of a church edifice. The notes of the corporation were issued to obtain the money. The church was dedicated November 15, 1837, and vacated July 31, 1846, during the pastorate of Rev. Silas Curtis. Rev. Na-

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

thaniel Thurston remained until September, 1840, at which time Rev. Jonathan Woodman was in- stalled as pastor, and remained until March 1, 1844. Rev. Silas Curtis came a few weeks later, and continued until February, 1849. The first Sabbath in August, 1846, the society commenced to hold meetings in Mechanic's Hall. In 1847 Welle's Hall was sccured for two years ; afterwards the Wesleyan Church on Prescott Street was rented and occupied. In June, 1849, Rev. A. H. Moul- ton was installed as pastor. He resigned the pas- torate in June, 1855. The Paige-Street church building was commenced in August, 1853, and dedicated February 1, 1854. It cost $15,877.67; $3,500 of which was donated by the manufactur- ing companies. July 2, 1855, Rev. J. B. Davis was installed as pastor, and continued until the close of 1859. April 1, 1860, Rev. Darwin Mott was installed as pastor, and continued until June, 1862. In May, 1863, Rev. G. W. Bean becaine pastor, and continued until March, 1865. No- vember 1, 1865, Rev J. B. Drew became pastor. He resigned January 17, 1868. May 1, 1868, Rev. D. A. Morehouse was installed as pastor, and resigned December 31, 1869. November 1, 1870, Rev. J. E. Dame commenced his pastorate, and continued until June 30, 1875. On the first Sab- bathı of. December, 1875, Rev. E. W. Porter, the present pastor, commenced his labors. The whole number of members from the date of organization is 2,836 ; present number, 614.

John - Street Congregational Church. - This church was organized May 9, 1839, by two hun- dred and forty-three persons; all but eighteen came from the First Congregational and Appleton Street churches. The church edifice was dedicated January 24, 1840. It was built at a cost of $17,884.12; repaired in 1846, again in 1871, at a cost of $10,000. The first pastor was Rev. S. W. Hanks, who was installed March 20, 1840, and labored twelve and one half years. Rev. E. B. Foster immediately succeeded him, was installed February 3, 1853, labored eight and one half years, and left on account of impaired health. Rev. J. W. Backus was the third pastor, installed September 24, 1862, and served three and one half years. Rev. Dr. Foster was recalled, and reinstated May 16, 1866. For twelve and one half years he labored among his people, and, on the 29th of No- vember, 1878, he was made Pastor Emeritus by the unanimous vote of the church. His entire pastorate embraced a period of over twenty-one

years. Rev. J. B. Scabury was installed Septem- ber 8, 1875, as associate pastor. Since November, 1878, he has been pastor in full charge.

The entire membership of the church during its existence of forty years has been 1,324; the pres- ent membership is 376.

Kirk-Street Church. - The Fourth Congrega- tional Church was organized June 13, 1845, and adopted the above name. Rev. Amos Blanchard was called from the First Church, and continued pastor until his death, January 14, 1870. He was succeeded by Rev. C. D. Barrows, the present pastor.

High-Street Church. - The first meeting to con- sider the expediency of forming a fifth Congrega- tional church was held in the lecture-room of John- Street Church, July 7, 1845. The failure on the part of the Episcopalians to raise sufficient funds to liquidate the debt on St. Luke's Church, in Bel- videre, necessitated the sale of that edifice, and negotiations were opened for its purchase. The purchase was accomplished December 4, 1845, and the first meeting for worship was held in the lec- ture-room of St. Luke's Church, December 14, 1845. The name was changed to High-Street Church. The inauguration of the church took place in John-Street Church, January 25, 1846, when seventy-one persons entered into a covenant. February 25, 1846, Rev. Theodore Atkinson was installed as pastor; the services were held in John- Street Church. He was dismissed June 28, 1847. December 15, 1847, Rev. Joseph H. Towne was installed as pastor, and remained until May 22, 1854. September 5, 1855, Rev. Orpheus T. Lan- phear was installed, and remained until October 21, 1856. September 16, 1857, Rev. Owen Street, the present pastor, was installed.

The Worthen-Street Methodist Episcopal Church was organized October 2, 1841, and the edifice erected in 1842, at a cost of $8,800. Pastors : Rev. A. D. Sargent, Rev. A. D. Merrill, Rev. J. S. Springer, Rev. Isaac A. Savage, Rev. Charles Adams, Rev. I. J. P. Collier, Rev. M. A. Howe, Rev. J. W. Dadmun, Rev. William H. Hatch, Rev. A. D. Sar- gent (sccond time), Rev. J. O. Peck, Rev. George Whittaker, Rev. George S. Chadbourne, Rev. David H. Ela, Rev. F. J. Wagner, and Rev. George L. Collyer, the present pastor.

The Central Methodist Episcopal Church, corner of John and Paige streets, was built for the Third Baptist Church in 1846, at a cost of about $14,000. The Central Methodist Episcopal Church was or-

LOW ELL.

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John Street Congregational Church.

ganized in 1854; Pastors, Rev. William S. Stud- ley, Rev. Isaac S. Cushman, Rev. I. J. P. Collier, Rev. Chester Field, Rev. Lorenzo R. Thayer, Rev. J. H. Mansfield, Rev. William C. High, Rev. F. Woods, Rev. Daniel Dorchester, Rev. J. H. Mans- field, Rev. M. B. Chapman.

The Free Chapel. - The Ministry at Large was organized in 1844; Henry A. Miles president, John Clark, David Dana, J. G. Carney, Hazen Elliott, Hapgood Wright, A. W. Buttrick directors, Frank- lin Forbes secretary and treasurer. The object of the institution is to reach those outside of the

churches ; relieve poverty ; sympathize with and console the suffering; enlighten and elevate the ignorant ; reclaim and guide the wandering.

This institution purchased the chapel on Mid- dlesex Street in 1863, at a cost of $2,064. The funds for this purpose were given by citizens who did not regard the institution as sectarian, but as a broad public charity. The land and building were deeded to trustees, who choose their succes- sors, to be devoted to religious, charitable, and educational purposes, unsectarian and free.

The Free Chapel is sustained by a general sub-

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

scription of $1,000 by citizens, and an equal amount by the manufacturing companies. In addition to these, the income of the Nesmith, Tyler, Dalton, and Holbrook funds is devoted to this ob- ject, making altogether an income of $3,000.

Rev. Horatio Wood was the Minister at Large from October, 1844, to January, 1869, and was succeeded by Rev. H. C. Duganne, the present minister, in July, 1872. Mrs. Duganne is an assistant in the work.

July 30, 1860, St. John's Parish was organized. August 29, Rev. C. W. Homer was elected rector. Services were held in Wyman's Hall, on Merrimack Street, until October 6, 1861, when the church on Gorham Street was finished and occupied. The corner-stone was laid April 15, 1861. The church was consecrated as soon as the debt on it was cancelled, July 16, 1863. It cost $ 14,000. Mr. Homer's connection with the church ceased in November, 1862. He was succeeded by Rev. Cornelius B. Smith, May 24, 1863, who remained until May 18, 1865. In November of the same year Rev. Charles L. Hutchins became rector. He resigned May 24, 1869. During his rectorship the chapel was built, at a cost of $5,000. From June 1, 1869, to June 30, 1873, Rev. D. C. Rob- erts was rector. Rev. Leander C. Manchester, the present rector, came October 1, 1873. The pres- ent number of communicants is two hundred and seventy.

The First Presbyterian Church was established June 23, 1869, with the Rev. J. L. Robertson as stated supply. He had declined a call. Novem- ber 9, 1869, Rev. John Brash was installed as pastor. He resigned May 31, 1870. Rev. A. C. Rowe came in June, 1870, was installed Novem- ber 1, 1870, and resigned May 3, 1871. Rev. S. F. Calhoun was installed in November, 1871, and resigned September 9, 1873. The church on Appleton Street was purchased in the fall of 1873 for $15,000. The first service was held Novem- ber 2. Rev. Robert Court, the present pastor, was installed in March, 1874.

The Fifth-Street Baptist Church was organized March 17, 1874. The chapel was dedicated Jan- uary 2, 1873. It was under the charge of Rev. T. J. B. House from November, 1873, to the close of the year 1876. Rev. M. C. Thwing, the present pastor, was installed March 1, 1877. It com- menced with twenty-six, and now has two hundred and five members.

The Highland Methodist Episcopal Church was

organized March 12, 1875, with Rev. G. W. H. Clark as pastor. He remained until August, 1875. The house was dedicated June 11, 1876. It cost $7,000. Rev. A. R. Gregory came April 11, 1877, and left April 9, 1878. Rev. George H. Clark came April 9, 1878, and left April 8, 1879. Rev. Austin H. Merrill, the present pastor, came April 8, 1879.

The Mt. Vernon Free Baptist Church, located on the corner of Mt. Vernon and Butterfield streets, was built in 1872 - 73, and dedicated July, 1873. In July, 1874, Rev. George S. Ricker of Richmond, Maine, was called to labor as a missionary, and commenced his labors August 1. The church was organized December 29, 1874, with twenty-six members ; the present membership is one hundred and twenty-six. The Mt. Vernon Church is con- ducted on the free-seat system, and all funds are raised by voluntary contribution. Connected with the church and parish is a literary society, a young Christians' association, a ladies' benevolent society, and a band of Little Mission Helpers. The Sunday school numbers more than two hundred, with an av- erage attendance of about one hundred and twenty.

The Young Mens' Christian Association was or- ganized in the fall of 1854. S. N. Merrill was president, and continued about two years. After a number of preliminary meetings, the present in- stitution was organized January 26, 1867, with Ithamar W. Beard as president. The rooms in Barristers' Hall were dedicated April 4, 1867, and the Association was incorporated February, 1868. The rooms consist of a hall, reading-room, parlor, lodging-room, and secretary's office. The present officers are Philetus Burnham president, Henry J. McCoy missionary and general secretary.

St. Patrick's, Fenwick Street. - October 28, 1828, religious services were held in the Merrimack Company's School-house on Merrimack Street, under the direction of the bishop of the diocese. July 3, 1831, St. Patrick's Church, which had been erected on land donated by the Locks and Canals Company, was dedicated. It was a frame building seventy by forty feet. Father Mahoney, who had charge of the parish, built the priest's house, located next to the church, in 1832. In 1835 Father Curtin came to Lowell as an assistant to Father Mahoney for a short time. He was suc- ceeded by Father Connelly, who, under Father Mahoney's direction, built two wings to the church. Father J. T. McDermott succeeded Father Ma- honey in 1837. In 1839 Rev. James Conway was

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MALDEN.

appointed assistant to Father McDermott, and in 1842 built and had charge of St. Peter's Church, on Gorham Street. Father McDermott purchased the church on the corner of Lowell and Suffolk streets, which was built by the Baptists; it was dedicated in 1847, and called St. Mary's. Father Tucker, after a brief pastorate at St. Patrick's, was succeeded by Fathers Timothy and John O'Brien. The old building was removed ; the new church was erected by these clergymen, and dedicated Oc- tober, 1854. Rev. Michael O'Brien, the present pastor, is assisted by Rev. William and Rev. Wil- liam M. O'Brien. St. Mary's Church is a mission attached to St. Patrick's Church. Father Campbell is the officiating priest.

The Academy of Notre Dame, on Adams Street, is under the care of the Sisters of Notre Dame. A free school for six hundred and fifty pupils, and a boarding school for one hundred pupils, is main- tained, under the charge of nearly thirty teachers.

St. Peter's Church, Gorham Street. - Rev. James Conway, who came to Lowell as assistant to Father McDermott in 1839, secured a lot of

land, in August, 1841, on the corner of Gorham and Appleton streets. On this he built the brick church, still standing, known as St. Peter's Church. It was dedicated October 16, 1842. In March, 1847, Father Conway was succeeded by Rev. Peter Crudden, the present incumbent, who is assisted by Rev. Jolın Ryan.

St. Peter's School and Orphan Asylum occupies the former residence of the agent of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company, on Appleton Street. It was established in 1866.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception was dedicated June 10, 1877, and is under the charge of Rev. James McGrath, assisted by Rev. E. Van Laar.

'St. Joseph's Church, Lee Street, was established by the Society of Oblates for Poor Missions for the French Catholics. This church was built by the Second Unitarian Society, and sold to the Catholics in May, 1868, for $11,500. The pur- chasers added galleries at an expense of $1,500; bought more land for $2,800, and made an addi- tion that cost $16,000. Fathers Garin and Four- nier have charge of the mission.

MALDEN.

BY DELORAINE

P. COREY.

N 1629 Ralph Sprague and his brethren, who had recently land- ed at Salem, passing through the country on the easterly bank of the Mystic River, found it " an uncouth wilderness " and "full of stately timber." Its inhabitants, a remnant of the once powerful tribe of the Paw- tuckets, were under the nominal rule of Wonohaqualiam, or Sag- amore Jolin, a chief " of gentle and good disposi- tion," whom Thomas Dudley described as " a hand- some young man, conversant with us, affecting English apparel and houses, and speaking well of our God." He dwelt upon the creek which runs from the marshes between Powder-Horn Hill and Winnisimmet into the Mystic at Sweetser's or Beacham's Point, in Everett. His tribe, at the dawn of authentic history, were led by the Sachem

Nanapashemet, who lived on the borders of the wide marshes which stretch from the easterly por- tion of Malden through Revere to the sea. From the Atlantic to the Connecticut River the savage tribes owed him a rude allegiance; but the com- bined attacks of the Tarratines, whom Mr. Lewis styled the " Goths and Vandals of aboriginal New England," and the plague, which Thomas Morton of Merry Monnt called " the hand of God," reduced his tribe to a feeble remainder. He retired from the banks of Rumney Marsh to a hill near the lead- waters of the Mystic, where he was slain in 1619 by his old enemies the Tarratines.

After the death of Nanapashemet and the retirc- ment of the Tarratines, his people again gathered around the Mystic and Rumney Marsh under the general government of his widow, the Squaw Sa- chem, and the local rule of his sons, Wonohaqua- ham and Montowampate, or Sagamore James of Saugus. The Squaw Sachem appears to have been

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

equal to the task of ruling the barbarous bands of | pied the land toward the Connecticut River, he the Pawtuckets ; and she succeeded in re-establish- ing and maintaining authority over the domain of her deceased husband to the Connecticut River.

In 1632, says Increase Mather, "the Indians began to be quarrelsome touching the Bounds of the Land which they had sold to the English, but God ended the Controversy by sending the Small- pox among the Indians at Saugust, who were before that time exceeding numerous." Whole villages were swept away by this new enemy; and Wonohaquaham and Montowampate died, with the most of their people. The former, at his own re- quest, " was taken among the English, promising if he recovered to live with the English and serve their God." By the death of the Sagamores, their brother Wenepoykin, then about seventeen years of age, became chief of the few Indians remaining in this vicinity. He was known to the English as George Rumney Marsh, from the place of his abode near Powder-Horn Hill, on the southern borders of this town. He had one son, Manatahqua, and three daughters, who were named by the whites Cicily or Su-George, Sarah, and Susannah ; but who were collectively styled by their own people Wanapanaquin, or the Plumed Ones.

George Rumney Marsh appears to have lived in friendship with his English neighbors until 1651, when he produced evidence of "his interest and just Title to the Lands of liis late brother deceased on mistick side," and "the Ground about powder horne hill," which, in the words of the record, were " wrongfully detayned from him." In his petition he prayed " that now at last out of your Great clemency and compastion towards your poore Indian and Petitioner you will be pleased to vouch- safe him somme small parte parcell or proportion of his inheritance for himself and company to plant in." He was advised by the General Court, in answer to his petition, to prosecute his claim in some inferior court ; and the worldly wisdom of such advice was proved by the fact that he was twice defeated in attempting to recover his own. The matter was finally set at rest by an order of the court to " lay out twenty acors of good plantinge land in some convenient place for Sagamore George to make vse off." Whether this land was ever laid out or not is unknown; but the Indian's friendship for the English thereafter was not strong. Having by the death of the Squaw Sachem in 1667 become chief of the Pawtuckets, and the nominal if not the real head of the Nipmucks, who occu-

joined King Philip in the bloody war of 1675-76. At the same time the Rumney Marsh Indians left the Mystic and the Abousett and retired to the Pawtucket Falls at Wamesit, now Lowell. Wene- poykin was taken prisoner, and was sent, with other captives, a slave to Barbadoes, By some means he was finally enabled to return to Massachusetts Bay, and he died in 1684 in the house of Mumin- quash, or. James Rumney Marsh, the son of his sister Yawata, at Natick. With him the line of the Pawtucket sachems came to an end, His English surname survived many years, and an Indian of that name did military service as late as 1740.

Tradition has preserved the memory of the red men in Malden, and still points with uncertain finger to the place of their habitation on the high lands of the tract long known as the Nichols farm ; and, to enforce this vague testimony, the pickaxe of the laborer has at times uncovered the moul- dering bones of the former lords of the forest. There still remains the Nichol's farm-house, a relic of the days of the seventeenth century, within whose time-worn walls the visitor may see the spot where household legend says the axe of the settler clove the head of an Indian and insured safety to the wife and child who were hidden from sight in the ample fireplace near by.

It was not long after the Spragues passed over the land before the "uncouth wilderness " became attractive to the new-comers. In 1633 the terri- tory between Island End River and Malden, or North River, " and soe vpp into the country," was granted to the town of Charlestown; and the next year an allotment of land was made to the sev- eral inhabitants. This land, which was afterwards known as the five-acre lots, was apparently lea-land, and lay between the forest and the marshes in the extreme southern portion of the grant which now began to be known as Mystic Side and Mystic Field, and was, long after the foundation of the new village, within the bounds of Charlestown. About the same time four hundred acres of land upon the west side of " the North Ryv, otherwise called the Three Myle Brooke," were granted to Rev. John Wilson and Increase Nowell, and for many years separated the towns of Malden and Medford. At this time several had actually set- tled upon the ground. Governor Cradock's men had crossed the Mystic and built the first house upon its northern bank at Wilson's Point ; and it

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seems probable that Ralph Sprague early removed from Charlestown to his ninety acres in Pond Field, near Eel Pond, where he died in 1650.

In 1636 a commission laid down the line of Boston and Charlestown, "from the mked tree vpon the rocky hill above Rumney Marshe, neere the written tree nore-nore west vpon a straight lyne by a meridean compass vpp into the coun- tric." This line, running from near Black Ann's corner in Linden, has never been changed, and is still the eastern limit of Malden and Melrose. The rocky hill, called in 1635 " a point of rock, on the side of the high way to Mistick," may still be recognized, and is a prominent feature in the land- scape ; but the "marked tree," an ancient pine, after having been a landmark more than a century, disappeared many years ago.

In 1638 another division of Mystic-Side lands was made, and a large tract was set apart for " de- sirable persons," and "for such as may come with another minister." The southern border of this tract was " at the head of the five-acre lots," and " ran in a straight line from Powder-Horn Hill to the head of North River"; and to this reservation " three hundred acres above Cradock's farm " were added.

Settlers now increased; and the building of a dam by Thomas Coytemore, in 1640, at Black Rock, on Three Myle Brook, and the establishment of a mill soon after, prove a growing community. The first comers appear to have located upon the hills in the easterly vicinity of the landing-place at Sandy Bank, near the burying-ground. Traces of early habitation could be found here within a few years, but improvement has obliterated them. Among these early settlers we may recognize John Greenland, who was granted, in 1640, his petition "to plant upon a five-acre lot in Charlestown bounds on Mistick side." About the same time came Joseph Hills, who was a landholder here in 1638, and his son-in-law, John Wayte. With the names of these men, who were ever foremost in its affairs, the early history of Malden is indissolubly connected ; and the story of their lives is the story of the founding of a town. William Sargeant, a " haberdasher " and a preacher, who is described by Edward Johnson as a "Godly Christian," was here as early as 1643. His lands, which were pos- sessed by his descendants nearly two centuries, were in the southern part of the town. With these men came others across the Mystic from the parent towil. Settlers began to push northward up the

valley between Mount Prospect and the western hills, whither the Spragues had led ; and the sparse population, in their advance, met others coming from Lynn and settling around the ponds in Read- ing. The "Salem path to Mistick ford" now began to be intersected by other ways; and in 1640 the Penny Ferry was established, which existed until it was superseded by Malden Bridge in 1787. In 1643 Thomas Canle represented that he " Dwell- eth by the water at the Ferry-place on mistick side, many people having occasion to come that way"; and he did " humbly request leave to sell bread, beare, and other victualling for the refresh- ing of such." The road to the ferry lay along the edge of the marshes between the burying-ground and Mystic River.

In 1647 the public convenience demanded a new way from Reading to the ferry at Winnisim- met, which was not finally laid out until 1653. This winding way may still be traced from the Chelsea line to the Reading ponds, although large portions of it have been abandoned many years. Chelsea and Bucknam streets, in Everett, and sec- tions of Madison, Main, and Forest streets, in Malden, are the relics of the " new way." Above Forest Street, in the still wild hills, although long disused, its marks are seemingly of yesterday ; and the curious pedestrian may cross a little brook on a rude stone bridge which served the men of two centuries ago.

All the elements of an independent community might now be found at Mystic Side; and that the element of religion made all others subordinate, and was the power which gathered together the people in the formation of a town, was character- istic of our Puritan fathers. Separated "by the broad spreading river of Mistick," as Johnson re- cords, from the Christian privileges of the parent town, the outlying settlers "gathered into a church some distance of time before they could attain to any church-officer to administer the Seals unto them," and were edified by the ministrations of "a godly Christian," William Sargeant, " wlio did preach the Word unto them, and afterwards they were supplied at times with some young Stu- dents from the Colledg."

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II, Part 18

Author: Drake, Samuel Adams, 1833-1905 Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat Number of Pages: 650

Author: Drake, Samuel Adams, 1833-1905
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat
Number of Pages: 650