History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 177

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 177

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).

LUCIUS BEEBE .- Mr. Beebe was a man whom any town might be proud to claim as a citizen. He was born in Hebron, Connecticut, March 2, 1810, and was the son of Stuart and Sophia Beebe. His father was a graduate of Williams College and a lawyer, but financial reverses coming to him, the son, Lucius, at the age of fifteen years, set out from home to seek his fortune, and having a strong foundation of good principles, sound health, a capacious mind and hahits of industry, he was able at the age of twenty-four to go into business for himself, and, with his brothers, successfully prosecuted North and South the business

745

WAKEFIELD.

of wooden ware and cotton. Their store was in New Orleans and the principal northern office at Boston in the charge of Mr. Beebe. Extensive losses were sus- tained during the Civil War, but Mr. Beebe amassed a considerable fortune, which he disbursed with a liberal hand. Mr. Beebe came to Wakefield in 1862, pur- chasing the beautiful "Forrester estate" on the easterly shores of Lake Quannapowitt, which he oc- cupied until his death.

Not by eloquence of speech nor by the graces of polished rhetoric did Mr. Beebe attain the high place he held in the esteem and affections of his fellow- townsmen, for his voice was seldom heard in the public assembly, and his pen was used only for busi- ness or correspondence. Of noble presence and dig- nified mien, he was as courteous and unobtrusive as one among a thousand. The qualities which com- manded universal respect and confidence were his unswerving integrity, his sympathy with the unfor- tunate, his unostentatious benevolence, his wisdomn as a counselor, and his readiness to assist any good enterprise. He was an earuest and consistent friend of temperance, education and religion, and cheerful- ly bore the burdens of municipal office with con- scientious fidelity. He served his town many years on the Boards of School Committee and Selectmen, on important committees, and as a trustee of Beebe Town Library, which last-named institution was named in his honor, and received from him frequent and substantial tokens of remembrance. The National Bank owed much to him for his invaluable services and counsels as director and president. The Wake- field Savings Bank had also the benefit of his advice as one of its trustees. He was director and president of the Wakefield Real Estate and Building Association, while his interest in the Fire Department was recog- nized by the bestowal of his name on the fine Silsby steamer. He was a representative in the General Court, and faithful to every trust.

He died April 15, 1884, of heart disease, sitting at his desk, in his counting-room in Boston. The sor- rowing citizens of Wakefield came together almost spontaneously on receipt of the news, adopted an ap- propriate testimonial, and asked of the family per- mission to award their deceased friend the honors of public obsequies. On the day of the funeral the re- mains lay in state in the Town Hall, while the citi- zens generally ceased for a time from labor and busi- ness, and, gathering at the Congregational Church, lis- tened to the impressive services conducted by the Rev. Charles R. Bliss and Rev. David N. Beach.

Mr. Beebe had twelve .children, of whom eight survive, the six sons filling responsible and honored places in the business world.

PAUL H. SWEETSER .- The name of Paul Hart Sweetser is an honored one in tbe annals of Wake- field. He was the eldest son of Paul and Sarah Sweetser, and came of the same blood as Dr. John Hart. He was born in this town September 23, 1807,

and, like most of the boys of South Reading, he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked during his minority. He embraced an opportunity to euter the South Reading Academy, when that in- stitution was opened in the towu, proving himself an apt scholar with strong mental powers. For a num- ber of years he divided his time between teaching district schools and attendance at the academy. He proved himself to be an accomplished and popular instructor, and easily secured an ushership in the pub- lic schools of Boston, from which, in 1838, he was promoted to be master of Harvard School, in Charles- town, where he remained until 1847. He was prom- inent in the formation of the Massachusetts Teach- ers' Association and the establishment of the Massa- chusetts Teacher, as its organ, and for several years was one of the editors of this journal.

The last twenty-five years of his life were worthily spent in his native town, on his Greenwood home- stead and farm, in active participation in municipal affairs. He was ever the enthusiastic and influential friend of education, serving many years as school committee and trustee of Public Library, and often writing the annual reports with signal ability. He was often called to various town offices and especially as moderator of town-meeting, the arduous duties of which position he performed with remarkable effi- ciency and promptness.

Mr. Sweetser was in high repute as a public speak- er in behalf of anti-slavery, temperance and other re- forms, and much valued as a contributor to various newspapers and magazines, and also wrote many hymns and short poems of excellence. He was, for six years, a county commissioner for Middlesex County, a jus- tice of the peace and a trusted adviser to his fellow- citizens. In politics he was an ardent Republican, in religion a stanch Universalist. His sympathies were intense in behalf of all efforts to benefit humauity. He was justly regarded as one of the first citizens of his town, and died June 11, 1872, greatly lamented.

Mr. Sweetser married Miss Louisa Foster, daughter of Capt. Aaron Foster, of Danvers, and has left a family of six children, who are doing good and strong work in the world.

The foregoing sketches include but a few of the choice men who have left upon Wakefield the im- press of their love, their labors and their genius, and there are still living able men who are even now doing the same gracious work for the town of their love and their pride, but it is too early to render unto them the meed of praise they deserve. The people of Wakefield are grateful to them all, and will inscribe their names upon the public record, on the printed page, and cherish them in their heart of hearts. The children, too, are coming on-a great troop-to take the places of the fathers, and grasp the flag from nerveless hands, and the hope and the prophecy may be here recorded that never, in the old town with its

746

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

new name, shall there be found wanting true men and wonien, loyal in fibre and strong in soul, mind and spirit, to stand before this people and Icad them to things better and grander than they have before at- taincd.

In 1894 will occur the 250th anniversary of the in- corporation of ancient Reading, and it is probable the three towns which now represent the original do- main will again come together in cordial co-operation, and jointly celebrate the historic event with fitting observances. Wakefield certainly would not be back- ward in such a movement. Her inhabitants feel a pardonable pride in their beautiful town, favored by nature with fairest scenery, adorned with many grace- ful specimens of architecture and works of taste and art, and cquipped with all the institutions and im- provements that make suburban life desirable.

Wakefield is not exclusive nor inhospitable, and while to the glad reunions of her quarter-centennial day, she will, with peculiar tenderness and motherly pride, call her own sons from far and her daughters from the ends of the earth, she stands ready every day in the year to extend a cordial welcome and in- vitation to good men and women, of every name and race, to cast their lot within her borders, and help make her more and more a centre of intelligence, virtue and enterprise, a place of beauty, a city of homes.

CHAPTER LX.

WINCHESTER.

BY W. R. CUITER.

T. CIVIL HISTORY PREVIOUS TO 1850.

THE town of Winchester was originally and prin- cipally a part of the town of Woburn. It was the southerly part of that town. After the Boston and Lowell Railroad was opened in 1835, a village grew up in that part, which was soon dignified by the name of South Woburn. Previously therc had been in that quarter a number of scattered houses, such as were common to a farming community, and there were a few mills; but otherwise, there was little to 'distinguish it from other parts of the old town. In 1850 it was large enough to become a town of itself, and in that year it was incorporated as a town, by the name of Winchester. Its growth has been con- stant and rapid, favored by its railroad facilities and its superior natural attractions, and at the present time it is one of the best known and influential towns in the State, as a location for finc residences, and the abode of cultured and influential people, many of whom have business interests in Boston and else- where, and reside here simply for a home. Such, in brief, is its history.

The late Rev. and Prof. George Cooke, the histori-

ographer of the Winchester Historical and Genea- logical Society, whose duty it should have been to have prepared this sketch, left a scheme for the his- tory of Winchester which was published in the Win- chester Directory for 1887. This the present writer will attempt to amplify in accordance with the idca that gentleman intended to carry out. The sources of Winchester history are, of course, to be obtained in the history of the older town of Woburn, in the sketch of which many matters relating to Winchester have already been treated, and do not need repetition here. One matter which has a particular relation to Winchester territory, and which has been reserved for especial mention in this place, is a description of lands in Winchester of the date of 1692-99. This is a particular description of the lands of the Converses, who lived at Winchester Centre, and which is to be found in the first volume, so called, of the Woburn town records, and was entered in a description of several Woburn estates to be found in the appendix to those ancient records, commencing with the last page of the volume and going backward, as written, towards the middle of the book.

WOBURN RECORDS. VOL. I : APPENDIX.

[The so-called inverted pages of the records. ]

"[ix .* ] 1692. Records of lands in Wohurn that belong to James Converse, Sen.

" Imprimis. To his homestead, about twenty acres upland and meadow, bounded east by the [ Aherjona] River and Josiah Converse's land, southwest by Wm. Symmes, northwest by Wedge Pond ; together with thirty-four acres, more or less, on the east side of the River bounded by the River west, Wm. Symmes soutb, the 500 acres of wood- land southeast, Sam'1. Converse, his land northeast ; also twenty-two aeres, more or less, at a place called the Indian Hills, hounded by land that was Wm. Green's southeast, Josiah Converse's land northwest, Wmn. Johnson northeast, and the woodland southwest ; [*] [year '66 granted, page 32, otherside the book.] also fifteen acres, more or less, that the town was indebted to him, and is laid out to him by the eom- mittee in two parts, viz., twelve aeres, more or less, near Shawsbin, ad- joining to the farm called the Church's Farm, bounded hy Billerica line north and northwest, and by the lots, southwest and southeast, in form as upon the margin [fig.] and the other three acres, more or loss, by his son James Converse's barn, hounded by Winter Pond south, the high- way by the Mountain northwest, and said James Converse, his own land that he purehased of Wm. Johnsou northeast, and by a little valley lead- ing from the highway to Winter Pond southwest, it being James Con- verse's woodland on that sido ; aud this last piece was laid out to James Converse, Jr., by order of tho committee, viz., Capt. John Carter, Dea- eon Josiah Converse and Sergoaut Thomas Pierce, with the help of Capt. Wm. Johnson, who was a surveyor to tho committee ; and all this fifteen acres was given iu both pioces by James Converse, Sen., to his son, James Converse, Jr.

"Also thirty-four acres, more or less, upon the plain, called the Great Field, bounded by tho land of Wmn. Symmes southeast, Riehard Gardner northwest, Josiah Converse northeast, John Carter and Wm. Jobnson southwest ; only four acres, part theroof lyeth at the west eorner, out of tho square of tho other, but it just joins at tho west corner, it being four aeres of that which was called Davidson's.

* *

ต๊ะ

* *

"Also about oight acros of meadow in tho Mill Pond Meadow ; about fivo acros thereof abovo Blind Bridgo, npon the two brooks that come out of Horn Pond and Wedge Pond; and the other three acres on the east sido of tho way adjoining to Mr. Hale's meadow.

"Also a skirt of upland on tho northwest and southeast sides of Wedge Pond, undivided with Josiah Converse.

* * * # * .

"[x*]. Rocords of land bolonging to James Converso, Jr. (1699), in Woburn.

747

WINCHESTER.

"Imprimis. To his homestead, twenty-five acres, more or less, that was Shepardson's lot, bonnded by Josiah Converse southeast, that wbich was Henry Brooks's northwest, Richard Gardner's southwest, Jobn Crowe's (that was) northeast.

"Also twenty eight acres, more or less, part of that which was John Crowe's bonnded hy James Converse, that was Daniel Shepardson's sonthwest, James Fowle, the other part of Crowe's lot, nortbeast, James and Josiah Converse's land sontheast, and Thomas Belknap's land north- west.

"Also five acres of land, purchased of William Johuson, that was Henry Brooks, at the northwest end of Shephardson's lot, and adjoining thereto ; and also four acres of land, more or less, that he had of the town, three acres thereof npon his father's account, and the other acre given hy the town, and it lyeth between the highway and Winter Pond, adjoining to his own land.

"Also abont fifty acres of npland and meadow land, purchased of W'm. Hamlet, bounded hy Horn Pond northwest, Thos. Belknap south- east, Horn Pond Brook, northeast, and on the southwest side, partly by Sam'l. Pierce's and partly hy the common.

"Also two acres, more or less, purchased of Wm. Hamlet, on the side of the Monntain hy Samuel Pierce's field.

"Also ten acres and a half of npland, more or less, bought of Wm. Johnson, at a place called Powell's Lot, the southeast end thereof, bonnded southeast by John Carter, northwest hy the other part of the seid lot, and hy Richard Gardner's woodland elsewhere.

"Also fourteen acres of land in the thick woods, part of that which was Capt. Carter's great lot, and it joins to Wm. Johnson's land, that was John Seers.

. *

"Also abont one acre and half of land npon the plain, adjoining to Shepardson's lot, that he had of Josiah Converse, and it lyeth at the sonth corner of said lot.

"Also two tracts of woodland, one reaches from Sam'l. Pierce's or- chard over the Mountain to Stony Lane ; thirty acres, more or less, and about twenty acres more, adjoining to Stony Lane, on the south west side thereof, and reaches home to Hutchinson's Jot.

"There is also twenty-four acres of Hutchinson's lot, given to his children, per Capt. Carter, that is not sold nor divided, at the date hereof."

* * *

[EDITORIAL NOTE .- Consult map of the Waterfield lots in the WVin- chester Record, vol. 2, for location of Shepardson's, John Crowe's, Powell's and Hutchinson's lots in 1638. Also description accompanying for number of acres, etc. Davidson or Davison's lot is evidently an ownership later than 1638 of another of these lots.

N. B .- The descriptions of lands not located in the vicinity of Win- chetter are generally those omitted in the above extracts.

-Woburn Journal, March 15, 1889.

To the Converse description may be added others:

" [xiii*] Records of land belonging to Richard Gardner in the town of Woburn, entered in the year 1678.

" [The dwelling house. ] One dwelling house and barn, with forty and seven acres of arable land adjoining to it, situate in Plain Street, uear Winter Pond, part of it being formerly a lot that was Seth Sweetzer's, of Charlestown, and part of it being part of a lot that was formerly Edward Gibbons's, and part given by the town of Woburn, bounded by the land of James Converse on the east, and on the southeast hy the land of Josiah Converse and the land of James Converse, Sen., and on the south by the land of the said James Converse, and west by the land of Matthew Johnson, and northerly hy Winter Pond and the highway to the meeting-house, and a line from the said highway to Winter Pond.

"[Swamp at Simple Bridge. 6 [acres.] One parcel of land situate Dear Matthew Johnson's and Simple Bridge, by estimation six acres, be it more or less, bonnded by the meadow land of William Johnson east, and the highway leading to the west end sonth, Horn. Pond Ilill lying north of it, and north west by a line between the said land and the woodland of James Converse, part of it being swamp and all granted hy the town of Woburn.

* * * * *

* * * * * *

"[Round Meadow, 10 acres.] One parcel of meadow land, being at a place commonly called Round Meadow, containing all the said meadow, by estimation ten acres, be it more or less, bounded by the land of Rob- ert Pierce north, and a highway sontheast, and the woodland of the sixth divleion elsewhere."

[N. B .- The above piece of meadow is supposed to be also in Win- chester.]

"[xv*]. Records of lands belonging to Richard Nevers lying in the hounds of Woburn, entered in the year 1674.

"[18. Lawrence's lot in Waterfield.] Imprimis, one lot that was for- merly Jobn Lawrence's, of Charlestown, hut now in the possession of Richard Nevers, it lying in Waterfield, aud is hounded by William Jobnson's land east, and the land of Capt. Edward Johnson south, and tbe woodland of the eighth division west, and the woodland of the sev- enth division north, it being eighteen acres, more or less."

[EDITORIAL NOTE .- Seth Sweetser's lot, near Winter Pond; Edward Gibhon's lot; John Lawrence's lot in Waterfield, are shown on the map of the Waterfield lots of 1638, in Winchester Record, vol. 2. Jobn Lawrence's lot was then his father's, Heury Lawrence's. The ranges or divisions beyond the seventh appear to be hased on the original survey, as in the map of Waterfield, where seven divisious are shown.]

-Woburn Journal, March 22, 1889.

"[xviii #]. Records of lands helonging to William Johnson entered, lying in the bounds of Wohurn, 1673.

" [Acres 50. Plain Street]. Imprimis : One dwelling-house, barn, stables and out-houses, with fifty acres adjoining thereunto, of arahle land and meadow, situate or heing in a place commonly called Plain Street, bounded hy the land of John Green south, and the land of Matthew Johnson and John Carter east, and the land of Josiah and James Converse west, and the town Common uorth.

"[27. This was Hutchinson's lot.] One parcel of upland, hy estima- tion twenty and seven acres, more or less, situate in Waterficld, heing the hetter half of a lot that was formerly George Hutchinson's, houuded by the land of John Carter west, and the land of Edward Johnson north, and the town Common east, and the land of Josialı Converse south.

" [50. This was Hubhard's lot.] One parcel of land, hy estimation, fifty acres, more or less, situate in Waterfield, hounded by the land of John Johnson north and east, and hy the land of Jobn Carter south, and hy the land of Mr. Wade west.

" [25. This was Isaac Cole's lot. ] Que parcel of land, hy eslimation, twenty and five acres, more or less, situate in Waterfield, hounded hy tbe lands of William Bachelder east, and Abraham Pratt west.

"[45. Abraham Pratt's lot.] One parcel of land, hy estimation, forty- five acres, more or less, hounded hy William Locke's and John Carter's woodland west, by the land that was Isaac Cole's east, hut, now in the pessession of William Johuson, and to the land of Mr. Wade north, and the land of William Johnsou south.

" [45. Bachelder's lot.] One parcel of land, hy estimation, forty and five acres, more or less, situate in Waterfield, hounded hy the land of John Carter east, and by the land that was formerly Isaac Cole's west, and hy the woodland of William Johnson south, and by the land of William Johnson north.

"[15. Powell's lot.] One parcel of land, situate in Waterfield, hy esti- mation, fifteen acres, more or less, hounded by the land of James Con- verse south, by the woodland of Richard Gardner east, and hy the wood- land of the said Gardner west."

[EDITORIAL NOTE .- William Johnson's lands, here described, were in the vicinity of "Plain Street," or the present Cainhridge Street, in the westerly part of the present town of Winchester, where his dwelling- house, with other huildings, stood, "situate or being in a place com- monly called Plain Street." George Hutchinson's lot, Huhhard's lot, Isaac Cole's lot, Abraham Pratt's lot, Bachelder's lot and Powell's lot, all in Waterfield, are shown on the celebrated map of the "first pos- sessions of civilized man" in the past and present limits of Woburn. We state here, with confidence, that we consider the homestead of Wil- liam Johnson to have been the estate latterly known as the Luke Reed place, in Winchester, in former times occupied by the second Thomas Belknap, and by Daniel Reed and others, and at present by Edward Rus- Bell].

Woburn Journal, March 29, 1889.

Thus we have in the above a description of lands from the period of 1673 to 1699, in the limits or on the borders of the present town of Winchester, and all originally in the bounds of Woburn. The familiar names of localities, such as the Plain, where William Johnson and Richard Gardner lived, and the names of such objects as Horn Pond Hill, Horn Pond itself, and Winter Pond, the Aberjona River and Wedge

748

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Pond, Blind Bridge, etc., are readily recognized by all who read those pages to-day, and thus a clue is given to the locality of the various lots deseribed 200 years ago.

The Indian Hill referred to is in Winchester. On July 30, 1850, there was a conveyance from Ruth Wyman to Gardner Symmes of 183 acres of the " Iu- dian Hill pasture" in Winchester. This plot was bounded north by land of Captain Edmund Parker, called the Great Pasture, west by land of heirs of Jo- siah Locke, south by land of heirs of Elijah Pierce, and east by land of heirs of Daniel Wyman. ( Midd. Reg. 588 : 306-7.) The height is evidently that to the west of Cambridge Street, in rear of the estates of Ammi C. Winn, or in rear of what was, formerly known as the Daniel Wyman estate, on Cambridge Street, later owned by Daniel W. Locke. The use of the word Indian Hill for this same height is found in Edward Converse's Inventory, 1663 .- Winchester Record, ii. 61.1

Winchester as a territory exhibits a number of local features, still more ancient than those just men- tioned, which have been already noticed under the history of Woburn. It was the greater part of the traet known by the name of Waterfield (1638), at a period when the area of Woburn was included within that of the town of Charlestown. Here a large por- tion of the lots laid out and granted to the inhabit- ants of Charlestown, before the incorporation of Woburn, were located. Here was the ancient Rock- field of 1638, named in those grants. Here were, at least, the first to the fifth ranges of these Charlestown lots. Here were the farms of Symines and Nowell, the first named the minister and the second named the magistrate of Charlestown, and a part of the res- ervation for the Indians near the Mistiek Pond. Here also were a part of the farms of John Harvard, the minister from whom Harvard College was named, and of Thomas Graves, the admiral, the original lots of the Richardsons and of Edward Converse (1638) and others, afterward connected with the settlement of

1 Mrs. Martha (Cutter) Gardner, who died in Winchester, May 9, 1862, in tho ninety-eighth year of her age, was a widow for sixty years, and was danghter of John Cutter, who owned the estate of his father, John Cutter, Sr., later known as the Sheriff Charles Kimball place, at the west side of Winchester, on the corner of present Cambridge and Church Streets. When she was eleven years old she viewed the con- flagration of Charlestown on the day of Bunker Hill battle, "from the top of Indian Hill, near her residence." For an obituary, containing an account of her antecedents, her family, herself, and her funeral, by Dr. Benjamin Cutter, see Woburn Budget for May 16, 1862. "Her grandfather, John C., was estecmed one of the most upright men of his day, and living in the time of Whitefield, and partaking in the refor- mation of the times in 1740, was called a New Light. Old people within the memory of those now living have mentioned the interest they felt when young, in listening to his holy conversations in the interval of divine worship, when, from the distance travelled, they were obliged to spend the Sabbath noon ai. or near the house of worship in Woburn." This good man die I in 1788, and some of his descendants were among the early settlers of Cincinnati, Ohio. There one of the family was killed by the Indians, two others died of the small-pox, another was buried alive in a well, and one of the principal streets is named Cutter Street.

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 177

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