History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 109

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 109

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

When Amory was sixteen years old his father died, and the son took charge of the property. Instead of selling the saw-mill, he did that which, perhaps, few lads of his years would have undertaken, or could have so successfully carried out, which was to take the responsibility of conducting the business alone.

This he did in a way to do credit to an older and more experienced person. So successfully did he manage the property that it increased in value, and the business gradually developed. For about a quar- ter of a century he carried on the lumber business con- nected with the mill. During this period he became widely known as a builder. He erected various houses in the neighboring towns, and at one time employed over fifty workmen.

Under his supervision were erected the New Eng- land Carpet-Mills.

In 1846 an act was passed by the Legislature

authorizing the city of Boston to take water from Long Pond in Wayland and Natick, and the act con- ferred the right to construct a dam at the outlet. This action prevented the further use of the waters of Long Pond as an unlimited or unobstructed mill-power at the carpet factories of Saxonville, in the town of Framingham, and work at these places ceased. Mr. W. H. Knight, the owner, conveyed by deed to the city of Boston all his right and title to Long and Dug Ponds, and the land about them, which he had pur- chased of the Framingham Manufacturing Company, and others, which consisted, besides the water privi- lege and several dwelling-houses, of three factory buildings, all which property amounted to $150,000. Two of the factories were burned March 20, 1847.

A joint partnership was then formed between W. H. Knight and Amory Maynard for carrying on the carpet business at what is now Maynard. The com- pany was formed in 1846, and the same year Mr. Maynard went to reside in the place, and occupied the dwelling-house of Asa Smith. A factory was soon erected, which was one hundred feet long by fifty feet wide, and supplied with machinery for the manufacture of carpets and carpet yarn. Success attended the new partnership, and by the vigilance and thrift of such ownership, the business increased and became firmly established.

In 1861 and 1862 the first brick factory was erected, and there was commenced at the same time the manufacture of flannel blankets of about fifty kinds. From that time the business has steadily developed.

When Mr. Maynard went to the Assabet territory there were but few houses in the locality, among which were those of Wm. Smith, Benjamin Smith, Abram Smith, Dexter Smith, Aaron Thompson, Wm. Parker, Paul Litchfield, Ephraim Randall, Silas Brooks and Isaac Maynard. About the time of his arrival in the place as a permanant resident he began to purchase land, and from time to time added to his purchases until he became the owner of several hundred acres. For twenty years Mr. Maynard lived on Main Street, in a house opposite the main entrance to the factory. His last residence was at the home- stead on the hill, to which he moved in 1873. Such is the business career of this prominent manu- facturer.

The simple story is that the business commenced by Knight & Maynard in 1846, on the quiet banks of the Assabet River has in less than a half century developed from a property value of $150,000 to a corporation holding property to the amount of $1,500, 000. As a result of this enterprise there has arisen a new town with thrifty commercial, social and moral influence, and affording the means of a livelihood to hundreds of people. A few years ago the follow- ing statement of Mr. Amory Maynard was pub- lished in the Boston Herald :

"Among the guests who registered at Thayer's hotel, Littleton, N. H.,

460

ITISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Saturday afternoon, is the name of Amory Maynard, Esq., the widely known agent of the Assabet woolen mills at Maynard. The only peculiar fact connected with this gentleman is that the vacation he is now enjoying is tho second ono only that he has taken for over hall a century, his first and only other one being spent in this samo vicinity, the second week in August, 1822, whon he drove in a wagon, alone, from his native town of Marlboro' the distance being some two hundred miles, and the time consumed in the journey being four days. At the time Mr. Maynard was eighteen years of age. Since then he has estah- lished the largest strictly woolen mill in the country. Nearly all of his time has been spent in travelling in the capacity of purchasing agent and salesman."

Mr. Maynard was not so absorbed in his mercantile business as to be unmindful of matters of a moral and religious concern. He and his wife were original members of the Evangelical Union Church of May- nard, and gave liberally for its support. Mr. Maynard died at his home March 5,1890. He retained full possession of his faculties until his eightieth year, when he became enfeebled by a stroke of paralysis, from which he never wholly recovered. His death was the result of an accident which occurred a short time before his death, when he was found in an un- conscious condition at the foot of a stairway. Being left for a short time by himself, it is supposed that he attempted to go up-stairs, when his limbs failed him and he fell. The funeral took place March 8th, and the following description of the event was published in the Boston Herald of that date :

" MAYNARD IN MOURNING. "Funeral of Its Founder and Most Prominent Citizen.

" MAYNARD, March 8, 1890. This thriving village has to day worn a funeral aspect, and well it might, for all that is mortal of Amory May- nard, the founder of the town, as well as its' most conspicuous local fig- ure for a long period of years, has been consigned to mother earth. Everywhere about the town emblems of mourning have heen noticed. In fact, the praises of Amory Maynard are in every one's mouth, and nowhere were more evidences of esteem shown than among the hun- dreds of operatives who have for many years had reason to regard this venerable aud worthy citizen as their friend. The mills of the Assabet Manufacturing Company, which were started hy Mr. Maynard, and at the head of which concern he had so long been placed, were closed during the afternoon. All the places of business wore a Sabbath as- pect from 1 till 4 o'clock, out of the respect entertained for the de- ceased. The private service occurred at the family residence on Beech- mont, where prayers were offered. In the Congregational Church, with which Amory Maynard had been identified ever since its organiza. tion, the public funeral services occurred, and the structure was filled to overflowing. Among those who came to offer the last tribute to their friend's memory were a great many of the employes of the inilis. As the funeral procession entered the church, Rev. David H. Brewer, the Congregationalist pastor of Maynard, read passages of scripture. In his remarks he traced the carcer of this remarkable man from the time when he started, a poor hoy, in the ueighboring town of Marlboro', until he had obtained that degree of success in a hnsiness way which had enabled him to found one of the leading towns of this commonwealth. The singing was by a selected quartet, composed of local talent. The closing selection was 'God he with us till we meet again.'"

Old business associates from New York, Boston and other localities were present at the funeral services. The remains were taken for their last rest- ing-place to the beautiful family tomb at Glenwood, which Mr. Maynard constructed years ago.

NATURAL FEATURES .- The scenery of Maynard is beautiful, and perhaps unsurpassed in this part of the State. It has a good variety of objects, each of which

adds a charm to the diversified surface, and con- tributes something to the beauty of the landscape.

There are the streams, hills, forests and dales ; while hierc and there the little brooklets sparkle and flash as they speed on their way.

Green pastures stretch out in acres of luxuriant grass, verging in some places to the broad, smiling meadow-lands, and in others reaching up the hill slopes to the very top. Upon these fields herds of cattle find bountiful feed, and by them the town is supplied with rich dairy products. About 100,000 cans of milk have been raised in Maynard in a single year. A large share of this is consumed in the place ; but within a few years as many as 40,000 cans have been sent to the Boston market. Not only is the country suited for grazing, but for farming purposes in general.

The near proximity of a central village, whose population is so given to mill interests, affords oppor- tunity for the market gardener to vend his produce to ready and substantial customers, and furnishes, on the other hand, safe patrons to the Maynard shop- keepers for the disposal of their dry-goods and groce- ries. Maynard has thus become a small commercial community of itself, dependent to an extent upon its own resources for thrift; and combines in an excel- lent measure those substantial elements that make up the thriving manufacturing town of New England.

THE ASSABET RIVER .- A prominent feature of the town's scenery is the Assabet River, which takes a winding course through the territory. It enters May- nard by the Dr. Wood's Bridge, and passes along what may be termed the smaller Pompositticut Hill to the mill dam. At this point its waters are turned from their original course into an artificial channel, and conducted to the mill pond, where they afford power for the factories.

The pond helps make a fine village scenery. Like a little lake in a park, it is alike for the benefit of riclı and poor, as they gaze on its surface on a hot summer day, or watch it sparkle and flash in the sun's rays in the early spring or late fall.

In winter it is a place of amusement for the many merry school children as they skim over its frozen surface with skate or sled. Beyond the factories, the waters speed on their unrestrained course to the now unused paper-mill, and from thence pass on to be again turned for a mill purpose.

Perhaps few streams of its size have in so short a dis- tance furnished power for purposes more dissimilar in character than this. Near its entrance to the town it turns aside for the manufacture of cloth ; and by the aid of the highly-improved machinery of the " Assa- bet Manufacturing Company " and the skilled work- men who use it, some of the best woolen fabrics of America are produced. A little easterly it once moved the machinery of a paper mill, which at one time furnished the material for one of the leading daily newspapers of New England, while just beyond

461

STONEHAM.

its exit from the town it affords power for the manu- facture of gunpowder.

POMPOSITTICUT HILL .- Another prominent fea- ture of its scenery is Pompositticut Hill. This, like the river along one of whose spurs it flows, is a well- known landmark. As before noticed, it was a promi- nent place of rendezvous for the Indiaus in the early times, and it is to-day a favorite resort for lovers of fine views, and much frequented both by the towns- people and others.

The hill is about 250 feet above the river, and situ- ated westerly of the village. It is mainly used for pasturage. On one portion are a few acres which have a young wood growth, and scattered over other parts are still standing a few specimens of the old " pasture oak," which may have stood there when the place was the " town's common land," or when possessed by "ye ancient hereditary Indiau proprietors." The " Reservoir " is on the summit ; and from this point extends a magnificent view, dotted by a great variety of objects, and in some directions uninterrupted for several scores of miles. To the northwestward are the far-off hills of New Hampshire. Old "Monadnock " towers upward with its massive rock-crowned summit as a lone sentinel above its fellows.

In this State "Watatic," in Ashby, and " Wachu- set," in Princeton, stand out as familiar hill-tops, which are first to whiten with the early snows. To the easteriy are the hills of Wayland and Waltham, prominent among which, in the latter place, is " Prospect Hill." To the southerly, in Sudbury and Framingham, is "Nobscot." The view of the inter- mediate country is grand. It outstretches in places like acres of vast intervale covered with herbage and forest. Interspersed over the beautiful prospect are villages, hamlets and fruitful farms, threading among which are winding highways and streams.

Southwesterly is Marlboro', Westboro' and South- boro'; southeasterly, Sudbury Centre, South Sudbury and Wayland; while Lincoln is near by on the east ; to the northeasterly is Concord; and to the northerly is Acton with its Davis monument, and various vil- lages.

Nearer, and almost at the very hill's foot, is the smiling and busy village of Maynard.

Prominent in the place is the tall factory chimney and factory buildings, while about them are scattered clusters of comfortable cottages and tenement-houses, and upon the high land adjacent is the former resi- dence of Mr. Amory Maynard, the chief founder of the village, and his son, Lorenzo, the present agent of the Assabet Mills. These latter residences, are beautifully situated, surrounded by a grove of beech, oak and maple trees, while upon the grounds are a choice variety of shrubs and flower-bearing plants.

Pompositticut Hill has the more gradual slope to the north and west, and upon these sides are ex- cellent orchard and plow-lands. On the south side

is a fertile valley and many broad acres of fine pas- turage.

Beside the prominent landmarks now mentioned there are lesser objects of interest and beauty, and all together give a pleasing variety, which makes May- nard and the vicinity one attractive alike to the man of business, to those seeking the retirement of a quiet rural retreat, aud to the farmer and transient trav- eler.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

STONEHAM.

BY WILLIAM B. STEVENS.

DURING the year 1620 if a white man could have stood upon the summit of Bear Hill a grand and lovely view would have stretched out before him. Turning his face to the east, he would have beheld the rays of the sun gleaming along the waves of the Atlantic. With his back to the ocean, the murky lines of Wachusett and Mt. Monadnock would have traced their forms on the western horizon. Three or four miles to the south, upon the shores of the Mystic, he would have seen the late habitation of Nanepas- hemit, chief of the Pawtuckets. Beyond the Charles was Shawmut and the dominion of the Massachu- setts. At his feet he inight have noticed an Agawomc or a Naamkeek paddling his canoe over the pic- turesque waters of Spot Pond. On the plains to the north he might perchance have discovered fields of Indian corn breaking the swecp of continuous forest, and detected here and there smoke rising over the fields and above the wigwams, but he could have dis- cerned no trace of civilized habitation. Captain John Smith and a few navigators had sailed along the eastern shores of Massachusetts, but no explorer had penetrated so far into the interior. Through the primeval wilderness was scen only the track of the savage. The history of all the past was buried in oblivion, and yet for ages these hills and valleys had been peopled by a race so primitive and barbarous that they have left behind them hardly a trace of their existence. As the plough turns up the carth, the farmer occasionally discovers the head of a spear or an arrow-head. Sometimes the rudest kind of a stone implement is found, and just beyond the eastern limits of the town, in Melrose, extensive heaps of arrow chips constitute about the only memorial in the immediate neighborhood left behind them by the war- like aborigines.

Prior to 1632 there is no evidence that any portion of Stoneham had been visited by a Europcan, but on February 7th of that year the following record of a visit by Governor Winthrop has been preserved :

"The Governor, Mr. Nowell, Mr. Elliott and others went over Mys- tic River, at Medford, and going North and East among the rocks about

462

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

two or three miles, they came to a very groot pond, having in the midst some Islands of about one acre, and very thick with trees of pine and birch, and divers small rocks standing up in it, which they therefore called Spot Pond, They went ull about it upen tho ico, from thonco towards the Northwest about one-half mile, they camo to the top of a very high rock, beneath which, towards the North, a goodly plain partly open land und partly woods, from which there is a fair prospect, but It being then close and rainy, they could see bnt a small distance. The place they called Checso Rock, because when they went to eat somewhat they had only cheese, because of the Governor's man forgetting for haste to put up some bread."

This must have been the north part of Bear Hill. Very generally the early towns of Massachusetts were of large territorial extent. The original settlement often served as a nucleus from which radiated other settlements, the inhabitants spreading out through the wilderness, forming separate communities, and gradually organizing into independent towns. These communities, in many instances, were separated from each other by long distances, with no means of com- munication between them but by an Indian trail or the rude path of the forest. This was true of Charles- town, which, within a few years after its settlement, included Woburn, Malden, Stoncham, Burlington, Somerville and Melrose, a large part of Medford, and a small part of Cambridge, Arlington and Reading. Woburn, including Burlington, was incorporated in 1642; Malden, including Melrose, in 1649, and Stone- 'ham in 1725. Charlestown was settled in 1629 and '30, so for almost a century she embraced within her limits the territory comprised within this town. The early settlement of Charlestown having been made between the mouths of the Charles and the Mystic, it soon became a matter of great importance to ex- tend the boundaries and fix the limits, which was done by negotiations with the Indians, and by grant from the General Court. July 2, 1633, the Court granted " Mistick Side" to Charlestown, ordering that " the ground lying betwixt the North (Malden) River, and the creek on the north side of Mr. Maver- ick's and up into the country, shall belong to the in- habitants of Charlestown." But this grant does not say how far up into the country the limits of the town shall extend, and so on March 3, 1636, another order was more definite : "Ordercd that Charlestown bounds shall run eight miles into the country from their meeting-house, if not other bounds intersect, re- serving the propriety of farms granted to John Win- throp, Esq., Mr. Nowell, Mr. Cradock and Mr. Wil- son, to the owners thereof, as also free ingress and egress to the servants and cattle of the said gentle- men, and common for their cattle on the back side of Mr. Cradock's farm." May 13, 1640, on petition of the town, an additional grant was made " of two miles at their head line, provided it fall not within the bounds of Lynn Village (Reading), and that they build within two years." So it appears that as early as 1640 all the territory afterwards embraced within the limits of Stoneham formed part of Charlestown, although it contained at this time not a single white inhabitant.

In 1653 an order was passed by the selectmen " that no inhabitant of the town or any other town shall under any pretence whatever fell or cut down any trees upon the Common without the neck, or the Common beyond Mistick Pond within Charlestown bounds, or the Common on Mistick side belonging to Charlestown, without first acquainting the selectmen therewith, upon the forfeit of what the selectmen shall see meet, who are to judge according as they are to conceive of the offence."

Prior to 1658 all the territory at Mistick side after- wards comprised within the bounds of Stoneham was owned by the inhabitants of Charlestown in their cor- porate capacity ; but this year it was divided among them in severaity. A committee had been appointed to make the division, and on the 13th of February, 1657, they made the following report :

"The returne made by those brethren that were deputed by the in- habitants of Charlestowne for the propounding of a way for dividing their town's land on Mistik Syde into Commonage, as alsoo, the dividiug of the wood and tymber that each inhabitant may have in his proportion. After some debate spent, and tyme in the consideration hereoff, all the committee unanimously concurring therein doe present this as their advice unto the sayd town. Imprimis; that every head rated in the cuntry rate be vallewed at twenty pounds. 2. That all women, chil- dren and servants that are not ratcd in the cuntry rate in regards of their heads, that every two of them be vallewed at the like proportion, that is to say at twenty pounds. 3. that every £100 estate brought in to he rated to defraye cuntry charges, then that to have the like proportion, that is to say five tymnes as much as he that is only ratable for his head, and ten tymes soe much as where there is onely women and children; that is to say, ten of them to £100 estatc; and soe where there is not £100 rated yet what part of a hundred pounds that is rated, then that to have its proportiou as aforesayd, and soe where there is but one woman, childe or servant, they to have their proportion as being halfe heads. 4. Ffor the devision of the wood and tymber we con ceave the whole to be de- vided into ten equall parts, and the devisions to runn from Mistik bouuds to Redding hounds the longest way. 5. That the whole according to the pro- portions ahove sayd be cast up as supposing them a thousand parts, that then every hundred of these to be comprised under each equal part of the ten parts, the first devision to be made hy survayours chosen out by the whole towne, the latter to be made hy those whose lot shall fall to be to- gether in any one of the tenn parts. 6. That because some inhabitants in this towne are ratable and yet not rated by means of hearing some publick office ; and being freed by Court order ; as these alsoe that are troopers and soe exempted by their heads in poynt of cuutry rates, as alsoe some by means of poverty ; yet all these to have their proportion in this devision, they that have estate for them to have a proportion according- ly, and those that have no estates yett those of years to be vallewed at twenty ponnds. And those that are women and children and servants that they he vallewed as aforesayed, that is two to twenty pounds.

" THOMAS BRATTLE in hehalf of the rest."

The division was finally made on the 1st of March, 1658, under the following agreement :

" CHARLTOWNE, the first of March, or the first moneth 1552

"1. It is Agreed that the first head line shall he Medford Farme, that line between them and our Towne, And all other head lines to rune Parralell with that line foure scoree poole asunder.

"2. The first Lott, distinguished by the figure oue, shall begin at the southeast corner whore Mr. Nowells Farme and Meadford farmo micet, And so successivoly according to the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., is to the end of the last figure er lott. And at the end of the first Range to turne back againo in the sceond Range. And so to the third, &c., successively till each man have halfe his proportion, for the first, And then the first to begin againe, 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., and successively cach number to tako place, in the second division, as in the first, till every man have his other halfe of his Lott.

"3. It is Agreed that the Pouds shall not be measured.

"4. It is Agreod that lie that Tarrys not in the Towno as an inhahit-

463

STONEHAM.

ant for one year next ensuing the date hereoff, upon his going out of the Towne shall lose his whole Proprietie, hoth off wood and commons.

"5. It is further Agreed, That no man shall sell his wood or commons but to the Inhabitants of Charletowne, upon forfeiture of twelve pence. p. load of eyther wood or Tymher : And not to dispose of the commons to any of any other Towne, upon forfeiture of the same, And if any remove to inhahite in any other Towne, shall make no use of their com- mons, but shall sell it or lett it to some of the Towne of Charletown, that the commons may be reserved for ever to the use of the Inhabitants of Charletowne.

"6. It is Agreed that each shall pay for the laying out of his wood lott within one moneth after it is layd out, upon forfeiture of his wood and common. And the selectmen of Charletowne shall have hereby power to sell it to pay the survayour.

"This was Agreed unto hy vote of the inhabitants of Charletowne at u meeting in the meeting-hous, this first off Marchi 1657 and ordered to be Recorded in the Towne Booke."

It appears by the foregoing order that, commencing at what was then the line of Medford Farm, about one mile and a fourth south of the present Stoneham boundary, range lines were run in an easterly and westerly direction a quarter of a mile apart, there being two divisions, and seven and a half ranges in each division. These ranges extended north to near where Captain Rufus Richardson's Lane, so called, connects with Main Street. The territory north of this and westerly of High Street was retained by the town in its corporate capacity, and constituted what was afterwards known as the Charlestown Farms. There was also excepted from this allotment Spot Pond Meadows. Nearly all the long stretches of wall running easterly and westerly mark these an- cient range lines. The land was drawn by lot and set off to the several inhabitants in proportion as they were rated, one-half of the share of each lying in the first division, and one-half in the second division, probably for the purpose of equalizing, so far as pos- sible, the value of the land. This allotment is of great interest, because it lies at the foundation of nearly all our titles, which can be traced back directly to it, where the deeds have been recorded. Could one go back to the year 1658, and accompany a sur- veyor of that time, as he came up from the Market Place (now Charlestown Square) with compass and chain to Mistick side, he would leave the road near the river and strike into the primeval forest by a trail or possibly a path over which had been hauled timber and cedar from the swamp near Spot Pond. No break or clearing would meet his eye, except reaches of water and meadow, till his arrival at Doleful Plain, where part of the land was open and had been used, as we suppose, for fields of Indian corn. He would roam through an almost trackless wilderness and could probably discover no human habitation unless possibly a few Indian lodges. No public road had penetrated the recesses of the forest, and there was hardly a landmark to indicate the presence of civil- ized man. A few years prior to this time, in 1642, Charlestown Village, incorporated as Woburn, had been settled three miles to the west of us, and three years earlier, 1639, just over the line to our east, Lynn Village (afterwards Redding) had been planted.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 109

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226