USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : containing carefully prepared histories of every city and town in the county, Vol. II > Part 59
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341
" STONEHAM.
behind a log, and not caring to unnecessarily ex- pose his person, he kept himself under cover, and extended his hat in such a manner as to draw the fire of the unwary savage, and the next instant the ball had whizzed from his unerring musket with fatal effect. Fearing the vengeance of the tribe should they discover the dead body, he buried it in his own cellar. By family tradition it has been handed down that this man died as a soldier in 1690, when returning home from the expedition of Sir William Phips to Canada. From then till now his name has been borne by numerous de- scendants who have always been among the chief men of the town of which he was one of the first settlers. I refer to Thomas Gerry."
The tradition connected with the settlement of the first person by the name of Hadley is as fol- lows : One morning, during the early settlement of the town, a man named Gould, living near the residence of Philander Ames, formerly that of Thomas Gould, being at his barn at a very early hour, saw a man destitute of clothing approach- ing him, who said that he had deserted from a vessel the previous night, and being fearful that his clothes might retard his escape, had divested himself of them. He also stated that if Gould would provide him with clothing, and keep him secreted until after the vessel had left Boston, he would work a sufficient length of time to compen- sate Gould for all the trouble and expense incurred.
Hadley's Christian name is supposed to have been Anthony ; the records, however, do not con- firm this. But as he is said to have married a daughter of Richard Holden, and the marriage of Anthony Hadley to Abigail Green, November 15, 1744, is registered, and the birth of Abigail Had- ley, a daughter of Anthony Hadley, Jr., and Abi- gail, recorded July 5, 1747, there can be little doubt as to his Christian name.
In a few years after Richard Holden's purchase he disposed of a considerable portion of his land to Ebenezer Parker, Jacob How, - Spring, and Anthony Hadley ; a piece of it still retains the name of Spring Pasture. Among the first settlers were John Vinton and Jonathan Green, at the southeasterly part of the town ; the lands then be- longing to John Vinton, and in later years owned by several of the same name, as well as lands owned by persons by the name of Green, being at the present time included within the limits of the town of Melrose. The house of Jonathan Green was built about the year 1700, and is still standing
on the westerly side of Green Lane. When first occupied, the east part of the house was used for a stable, thereby exhibiting the kindness of the occupant for his horse as well as for the members of his family. Green was a member of the Troop Company, and often went to Groton and vicinity, as that appears to have been a noted place of resort for the destruction of the Indians. Jonathan Green, a descendant in the fifth generation, is still an owner and occupant of the premises. John Gould, Thomas Cutler, and William Rogers are said to have been numbered with the first settlers at the northeasterly part of the town, and although the names of John Gould and William Rogers do not appear in the records of births, marriages, or deaths, the births of Sarah Gould, born August 29, 1706, and Daniel Gould, born June 10, 1709, son and daughter of Daniel and Sarah, are found the first births occurring in Stoneham that are entered upon the records.
Of those early days Mr. W. B. Stevens says in his oration : " Prior to 1685, when two of the first highways were built, -one from that part of Reading which now constitutes Wakefield, to Woburn, and the other to Charlestown, -and the communication had been by means of bridle-ways and circuitous cart-paths cut through the wilder- ness, you will be able to form an idea of the rude life which must have been led by our early ances- tors. During these years our pious forefathers, not numerous enough to support a minister them- selves, with the musket in one hand and the Bible in the other, travelled on Sunday to the meeting- house in Reading, and there mingled their prayers with the people of a neighboring town."
Stoneham remained for a long period a part of Charlestown, notwithstanding the early dates of the incorporation of the town of Medford, Septem- ber 28, 1630; Woburn, May 18, 1642; Reading, May 29, 1644, and Malden, May 2, 1649. Stone- ham was made a town December 17, 1725. The following is a part of the act of incorporation : - " An act for dividing the Town of Charlestown and enacting a new Town there by the name of Stoneham : -
" Whereas the Northerly part of the Town of Charlestown, within the County of Middlesex, is competently filled with Inhabitants who labor under great difficulties by their remoteness from the place of Public Worship, &c, And have there- upon made their application to the said Town of Charlestown, and have likewise addressed this Court
342
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
that they may be set off a distinct, and separate town, and be vested with all the powers and privi- leges of a Town, and the Inhabitants of Charles- town, by their Agents, having consented to their being set off accordingly. And a committee of this Court having viewed the northerly part of the said Town of Charlestown, and reported in favor of the Petitioners : Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same ; That the northerly part of the said Town of Charlestown, That is to say, All the lands lying on the east side of Woburn, the south side of Reading, the west side of Malden, and the north side of the Fifth Range of the first Division of Charlestown Wood-lots, be and hereby is, set off and constituted, a separate Township by the name of Stoneham. And that the inhabitants of the said Town of Stoneham do, within the space of two years, from the publication of this act erect and furnish a suitable house for the Public Wor- ship of God and as soon as may be procure and settle, a Learned Orthodox minister, of good con- versation and make provision for his comfortable and honorable support and likewise provide a school master to instruct their youth in writing and reading, and that thereupon they be discharged from any payments for the maintenance of the Ministry and School in the Town of Charlestown."
The bounds at the southerly line were set, March 22, 1725, nine months previous to the act of incorporation, by committees chosen from Charles- town and the proposed new town of Stoneham,
The first town-meeting was held December 24, 1725. Timothy Bolden, Sr., was chosen modera- tor, and Daniel Gould, Jr., clerk. The next vote passed was "To chouse a commity To treat with Mr. Nathaniel Rencook to preach with us." They also chose a committee of three to survey the meeting-house at Lynn End. It was voted, January 4, 1726, to build a meeting-house thirty- two feet wide and thirty-six feet long, with twenty- foot posts, but subsequently the dimensions were changed to thirty-six feet in width and forty feet in length. The third meeting was held March 7, 1726, at which time the following named persons were chosen a board of selectmen : Captain Benja- min Geary, Captain John Vinton, Mr. Peter Hay, Mr. Timothy Bolden, and Lieutenant Timothy Wright. For many years the board consisted of five persons, who received no compensation for their services. The committee for building the
meeting-house was also instructed to select the site. There was considerable contention in regard to this, some being anxious to build at the easterly part of the town, on the plain, which for a long time was owned by the heirs of the late Captain Daniel Green. It was, however, finally decided to have it stand between the black-oak tree and the red-oak tree, upon the hill, near the end of the school-house ; and the building was raised about the last of November, 1726. The lot of land on which it was erected is now owned by Mr. Charles Buck, and is situated on the east side of Pleasant Street.
For furnishing the meeting-house, "the sum of £5 lls. 9d. was given by the women of Stone- ham, £1 1s. 6d. by the Malden Gentlewomen, and £11s. 6d. by the gentlewomen of Woburn .and Reading." About ten years after its completion a vote was passed that family pews might be built which should be lotted out to such men as ap- peared to be the highest in rate and right, and by the subsequent distribution the preferred indi- viduals were the Hays, the Goulds, and the Greens.
The old burial-ground was purchased of James Hay for £13 5s., the deed being dated July 11, 1726.
" The only public building in existence previous to the erection of the meeting-house was the school- house. The town well organized, and the meeting- house built, measures were next taken to procure a settled minister and to secure the services of a schoolmaster. The former was considered a ques- tion of such vital importance to the welfare of the people, that it was voted in town-meeting assembled to set apart a day for prayer to seek God's direction in the choice of a minister, and so strong was their religious faith, that they doubted not their prayers had been answered when, in the following month, they elected the Rev. James Osgood." 1
Mr. Osgood received his call from the inhabi- tants of the town to settle, October 29, 1728, and gave an affirmative answer, April 21, 1729. The church was organized July 2, 1729, and Mr. Os- good's ordination occurred on the 10th of the following September. The first marriage solem- nized by him was that of John Tidd, of Woburn, to Abigail Gould, of Stoneham, November 26, 1729.
The town continued gradually to increase in population, and consequently in the demand for more tenements, land, and additional highways or bridle-ways, so that about 1731 the road now known as Wyoming Street was built, passing on 1 W. B. Stevens' oration.
343
· STONEHAM.
to Medford on the easterly side of . Spot Pond. Action relative to this way was taken at a meeting held December 31, 1730, the town voting to have " an open road from the county road at Spot Pond to Charlestown land line, and as near the pond as the selectmen shall see room and convenience for the road to be."
It is probable that the first representative to the General Court was Captain John Vinton, and that lie was elected May 24, 1734. The records do not show this, but at a town-meeting held May 23, 1735, the following vote was passed : " Voted, Rased and granted to give John Vinton, Esq., the sum of twenty-three pounds, eighteen shillings, (£23 18s. Od.) for his sarving representative for the yeare 1734."
At a town-meeting held Monday, May 22, 1738, it was voted to raise ten pounds towards building a new school-house, using, as far as was possible, the materials of the old one.
Mr. Osgood continued as pastor of the church until his sudden death, March 2, 1746. A war- rant was issued for a town-meeting to be held March 4, at which fifty pounds, Old Tenor, were voted for the burial of Rev. James Osgood, the sum being equivalent to about thirty dollars. The funeral was on Wednesday, March 5, when the body was carried to the meeting-house, and then attended to the grave by several ministers and a great concourse of people.
The second minister was Rev. John Carnes, of Boston, who was settled December 17, 1746.
In the year 1748 a man named Peter Hay, sup- posed to be the Scotchman Hay, died at the ad- vanced age of ninety-one years. It is said that he married no less than five wives, and at the last marriage ceremony he displayed his youthful buoy- ancy by dancing. His death occurred at the house, several years since destroyed by fire, for- merly owned by Captain Jonathan Hay, deceased, standing on the lot of land upon which the house of the late Jesse Tay stands.
The dwelling-house known as the Old Parsonage, standing on the west side of Central Street, for many years the property and residence of the late Rev. Jolin H. Stevens, was erected or completed in the year 1747, and first occupied by Rev. John Carnes.
In reference to the matter of schooling there seems to have been some delinquency, as no action was taken until a meeting held August 15, 1729, when Captain John Vinton, Daniel Gould, Jr., and
1
Peter Hay, Jr., were chosen a committee to pro- vide a schoolmaster. At a meeting held Novem- ber 21, 1729, it was voted to raise nine pounds for a school for the ensuing year. In the years 1730 and 1731 nine pounds were raised; in 1732, six pounds ten shillings; in 1733, nine pounds; in 1734 it was voted to raise two pounds ten shillings to repair the school-house. May 17, 1736, voted nine pounds for schooling; in 1737, sixteen pounds. At a town-meeting, held May 18, 1752, " Voted, raised, and granted, the sum of two pounds, lawful money, to pay for repairing the meeting House in said town. Also, voted, to give Elder Samuel Sprague liberty to build a pue in said Stoneham Meeting House, according to his desire to cut down the remaining part of the two hind seats in the body of seats below, on the woman's side, and to build said pue upon his own cost and charge." At a meeting held in March, 1753, it was "Voted to sell a pue belonging to the Town that was built by perticular men at thir own cost and charge for Mrs. Sarah Osgood, formerly widow of Rev. James Osgood, but now Mrs. Sarah Hart." Also voted not to give to " those perticular men that built said pues the money they expended in building said Pue." A great deal of disquietude appears to have been occasioned at different times in consequence of taking down the long seats and erecting pews. They also appear to have experi- enced considerable difficulty in reference to provid- ing seats for the colored persons then resident with them, and at that time slaves, as at a town-meet- ing held October 14, 1754, they passed the two following votes : " Voted, That the Town will seat the negroes in Stoneham in Stoneham Meeting House. Voted, That the negro men in Stoneham shall set in the hind seat in the side Gallery in the west end of Stoneham Meeting House, and the ne- groes wives and other negro women shall set in the hind seat in the side Gallery in the east end of said Meeting House and no where else in said Meeting House, if there be convenient room in said seats, except it be on special occasions."
The Rev. Mr. Carnes was dismissed from his pastoral charge July 31, 1757, expressing his wish to remain if he could have received a sufficient amount of salary for his support. During his ministry he solemnized eleven marriages.
His successor was Rev. John Searl, who was settled January 17, 1758, so that they were with- out a pastor only a short time. The population at that time was small, and the means of acquiring
344
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
wealth and the facilities for improvement were limited. Stoneham was a poor town, inferior to most of its neighbors in territory, population, and wealth, the number of its people being probably about three hundred, with fifty houses, including those which now form parts of Melrose and Wake- field. In 1767 the valuation included 10 slaves, 42 horses, 41 oxen, 222 cows, 311 sheep, 233 swine. There were 2,346 bushels of grain, and 526 barrels of cider. The money at interest was £1,160. May 9, 1768, the town voted the fol- lowing amount to defray the expenses for the year ensuing.
For Sehooling £8 0s. Od.
Paper for town's use . 0
2 0
For keeping Stoneham meeting-house 0 4 0
For sweeping said meeting-house 0 4 0
For wood for school
0 10 0
The purchasing of a bell appears to have been agitated as long ago as 1772, as an article was in- serted in the warrant for a meeting of that year held July 9, and although the vote relative to its purchase was negatived, a few months later the desirability, if not the necessity of having one was seen.
Although nearly half a century had passed since the incorporation of the town, there had been a general unanimity of action in its public affairs, but this tranquillity was soon to be disturbed by a foreign foe. The change in the administration of government in the mother country had given rise to feelings of intense anxiety. The people believed, with all the colonies, that their rights had been in- vaded. Expression was given to their views on the subject by the calling of meetings, writing of letters, passage of resolutions, etc. In January, 1773, a communication was despatched to Boston, in which they declared their belief that, as the right of free- dom is the gift of Almighty God, it is not in the power of man to alienate it. At a meeting held August 1, and adjourned to November 1, 1774, a covenant was made which contained the follow- ing : " That having taken into serious considera- tion the present distressed condition of this in- sulted province, embarrassed as it is by several acts of the Brittish parliament, That henceforth we will suspend all intercourse with Great Britain, That we will. not buy, purchase, or consume any goods or merchandise which shall arrive in America from Great Briton. These things we solemnly promise to observe, provided no better scheme shall be devised to answer the same ends by the Congress who are to meet the next month at Phila-
delphia." Captain Samuel Sprague was chosen delegate to the provincial congress holden at Con- cord, October 11, 1774, and also to the one con- vened at Cambridge, February. 5, 1775. During the time of the Revolution the house of Deacon Edward Bucknam, at that time town-clerk, was the place of rendezvous. An arrangement was made that no gun should be discharged in town, except under the following rule : A certain number was chosen to give an alarm. The first person that received the notice was immediately with two or more individuals to repair to the Common, in front of the old meeting-house. The discharge of the muskets in succession was considered as a general alarm, when the members of the company were immediately to repair to the place of rendezvous. This ancient dwelling was recently owned by Hiram Marston, and was taken down in 1873. "The population was small ; but a common enthusiasm possessed the hearts of the whole community, and a company of sixty minute-men was organized, which comprised nearly all the inhabitants capable of bearing arms. Samuel Sprague was captain ; Joseph Bryant, lieutenant ; Abraham Gould, en- sign. John Bucknam and Daniel Bryant were ser- geants ; and David and Joseph Geary, drummers. They were called together at early morn, on the 19th of April, 1775, and hurried over the hills to Lexington, arriving there in time to meet the Brit- ish as they were retreating from Concord, and pur- sue them to Charlestown. The first shock over, the war fairly commenced, and the history of Stone- ham was that of almost every other Massachusetts town. Captain Sprague and Major Joseph Bryant were sent as representatives to the Provincial Con- gress. Among those who were killed during the war were John Noice and William Connery. Ephraim and George Brown and John Noble were prisoners of war. The roll of honor embraced the names of Peter Hay, Reuben and David Geary, Nathan Willey, John Hill, John Holden, Charles Richard- son, Joseph Matthews, Joseph Holden, John Wright, William Deadman, Samuel Clap, Benja- min Eaton, Jonathan Farley, Thomas Hay, Eli McIntire, John Thayer, Jabez Upton, Jacob Brown, Samuel Brown, John Boyd, Henry Hawks, Daniel Holden, Samuel Howland, Samuel Ingals, John Knight, James Weston, Joslina Geary, Daniel Bryant, Daniel Hay, Freeman Sharper, Cato Free- man, John and Job Potama, and Pompey Magus, the last five of whom were negroes, some of them obtaining their liberty by enlisting in the army.
343
"STONEHAM.
Among the military officers were Major, after- wards Colonel Joseph Bryant, Captain Abraham Gould, Lieutenant John Bucknam, Lieutenant Joshua Burnham, and Lieutenant Daniel Bryant. The names of at least eighty-seven different Stone- ham men appear upon the revolutionary muster- rolls. During these years the town was constantly purchasing ammunition, furnishing supplies to the army, raising bounties with which to pay soldiers, and with unflagging zeal supporting the common cause.
At a meeting held September 17, 1792, it was voted to procure a schoolnaster, with instructions to commence the school the middle of October and continue two months; then a vacation until the next March ; then to continue until all the money raised shall have been expended.
Although farming had hitherto been the chief occupation, this year a mill was built, being first used as a snuff-mill, but afterwards enlarged and used for the purpose of manufacturing satinets. It was located but a short distance north of the rubber-works now known as Hayward Mills, and near the buildings for a series of years owned and occupied by the millwright, the late Jabez Kendall, and subsequently by the Messrs. Grundy for the purpose of brass-finishing. In 1812 a mill was built on the grounds of the rubber manufactory, and used for several years for grinding spices and various medicinal articles.
The ministry of Mr. Cleveland was a few days over nine years, his dismission taking place Octo- ber 23, 1794. During his ministry he solemnized twenty-six marriages. His successor was Rev. John H. Stevens, who was pastor of the church at Methuen at the time of the dismission of Mr. Cleveland. Mr. Stevens was installed November 11, 1795. He was a popular preacher and a good pas- tor, and continued with the society for thirty-two years.
In 1800 Rev. John H. Stevens was elected as one of the school committee, and this appears to be the first instance where a minister was chosen a member of that board. May 7, of the same year, it was voted to build a new meeting-house, and a committee was chosen to view the old one, now standing in Stoneham, and report to the town the estimated cost of repairing the old and of building a new one. In 1802 this matter was again presented, and the committee chosen in refer- ence to the subject was instructed to view different lots of ground, and report at a meeting to be held
January 17, 1803. At that time it was voted to build a meeting-house fifty feet in length and forty- six in breadth, with a porch and steeple. Each window in the building was to contain twenty-four squares of glass 8 x 10. It was also voted to hire $100 for building purposes. The meeting-house was located on the north side of what is now known as Spring Street, at its junction with Pleasant, and stood upon the lot of land at present belonging to the widow of the late Captain John H. Dike. The dedicatory services took place Wednesday, Decem- ber 14, the sermon being preached by the pastor, Rev. John H. Stevens. His text was taken from Haggai ii. 7 : "I will fill this house with glory." The Sabbath previous, December 11, Mr. Stevens preached a farewell sermon in the old meeting- house, and on Thursday, the 15th of December, the day following the dedication of the new church, the people assembled and took down the old one. There it had stood, with but few changes, for seventy-seven years, the loved resort of a Sabbath- loving people.
With the in-coming of the present century there seems to have been a good degree of financial prosperity.
With the new meeting-house, which was con- veniently and pleasantly situated, the people were desirous of making improvements in church music. Accordingly, at the annual meeting, held March 5, 1804, it was voted to raise $40 for the purchase of one or more bass-viols, or for defraying the ex- penses of learning and practising in church.
About this time the manufacture of children's shoes was begun in town, and in a few years it became the principal employment ; the farmers themselves, in many instances, engaging in it dur- ing the winter months. For several years a shoe- maker's shop might have been seen at almost every house, or a room used for the convenience of those engaged in this work.
In the year 1805 the Andover and Medford turnpike, now Main Street, was laid ont. At that time a portion of the inhabitants were desirous of having the road run on the east side of the parson- age, probably wishing it to be on the line of what is now. Central Street ; but their objections were finally withdrawn, and in 1806 the turnpike was built.
In 1805 it was voted to raise the sum of five hundred dollars to be worked out on a proposed road from Woburn to Stoneham meeting-house, - the present William Street. At that time the land over which Cottage Street is laid out was the prop-
346
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
erty of Captain Hay, who owned a mill standing upon a water privilege westerly from the house of W. B. Stevens. It being advisable to have the road go above the mill, it was voted to adjourn the meeting to the upper dam of Captain David Hay, where the necessary arrangements were made. At a town-meeting held Monday, May 5, 1806, it was voted to send a representative to the General Court, and Daniel Gould was elected, receiving thirty-one votes.
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