History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 137

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 137

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At a town-meeting held May 17, 1736, "according to the desire of Mr. Jonathan Sargant and others, it was put to a vote to see if the town will set them of with all the inhabitants and estates into a distinct township or parrish by the bounds hereafter mentioned, beginning at a stake and heep of stones in the marslı by Molton's island, which is the station-line or bounds between Boston and Malden, and so as bos- ton line runs to the creek where Boston line crosses the creek in Capt. Oliver's farm, and from thence on a strate line to pemberton's brook at the bridge, and from the said bridge south and southwesterly as the lane runs to the end of hutchinson's lane, and from thence ou a strate line to sandy bank river, then as the river runs to the mouth of it, and from the mouth of the said river southeast as the grate river runs to wormwood point, formerly so-called, [now

a part of the Van Voorhis estate] and from the said point northeastwardly as the river runs to the first station, with all there proportionable part of all there ministerial lands belonging to the said town, and it passed in the negative." These bounds would include somewhat more than the present territory of Everett.

In 1737 the efforts of South Malden for separatiou were more successful, and by act of the General Court passed December 27, 1737, the south part of Malden was set off as a separate parish by the lines prayed for by the petitioners, "Saving that Samuel Bucknam, John Shute, James Hovey, James Green, Obadiah Jenkins, Isaac Waite, Isaac Wheeler and Jonathan Knower" were allowed to continue with the North Precinct, so long as they, with their families, should attend the public worship there.

From this time much of our knowledge of South Malden and of the men who were prominent in its affairs for more than a hundred years later, is derived from the records of the South Parish and South School District.

The first precinct meeting was held January 23, 1738, at which Captain Samuel Green was chosen moderator ; Thomas Waite (3d), clerk ; Captain Samuel Green, Stower Sprague, Benjamin Blaney, Samuel Stower, Joseph Willson, committee to call precinct meetings.

At a meeting held March 13, 1738, a permanent or- ganization was effected : Elder Jonathan Sargant, moderator; Thomas Waite (3d), clerk; James Bar- rett, Captain Samuel Green, Nathaniel Upham, John Burditt, Joseph Willson, committee; Lieut. Thomas Burditt, Thomas Waite (3d), Stower Sprague, Benja- min Blaney, John Winslow, assessors; Joses Buck- nam, treasurer ; and Phinehas Sargant, collector.

A parish was a territorial corporation at that time, and taxes were assessed for the support of public wor- ship in the same manner as ordinary town taxes. The assessors held their first recorded meeting at the house of Benjamin Blaney, now occupied by William J. Part- ridge, June 9, 1738, and assessed a sum of seventy-five pounds for the support of " ye ministry."

At a meeting of the South Precinct March 30, 1739, "a vote was called for to see if ye Precinct would finish ye school-house, and ye vote pased in ye negitive."

At a public meeting of the South Precinct in Mal- den, May 8, 1739, voted, " To finish ye outeside of the meeting-house."

The South Precinct maintained a troubled existence of fifty-five years For about three years after the departure of Mr. Stimpson they were without a pastor. On April 2, 1747, Rev. Aaron Cleveland was called to the pastorate at a salary of £360, "old tenor "-depre- ciated paper-money, not worth twenty cents on the dollar. Shortly after, on April 24, 1747, the South Parish voted to raise £1200, old tenor, for the purpose of providing a parsonage, and selected the tract of land which, with eight acres added in 1749, is now known as the "Sargent and Popkin Estate," ou Main,

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Prescott, Everett and Tremont Streets. The old par- sonage may still be seen at the corner of Main and Prescott Streets. Mr. Cleveland commenced his labors May 23, 1747, and continued to serve until Nov., 1750. For somewhat more than a year from this time the parish was without a pastor. On Oct. 16, 1751, it concurred with the church in calling Rev. Eliakim Willis as the precinct's minister, but the negotiations for his settlement were somewhat pro- tracted, and it was not until February 20, 1752, that the terms were definitely fixed, the salary to be £53 68. 8d. specie value, use of the parsonage, enlarged and repaired, and 18 cords of wood. Considerable opposition was developed by a portion of the parish, who desired re-union with the North Precinct, which now proposed to pull down the new meeting-house and remove it to its original site. These overtures were rejected and Mr. Willis commenced his labors. The affairs of the parish steadily declined from this time, owing largely to internal discord and the withdrawal of influential members. In 1758 it proposed a re-union with the North Parish, the united parish to maintain two ministers to be paid from the town treasury, but the North Parish acted upon these proposals "in the negitive." On March 23, 1766, the South Precinct, finding itself unable longer to raise the money to pay Mr. Willis his salary, voted to convey to him its par- sonage-house and land, 'on condition that he would relinquish his civil contract and preach to them for three years, the weekly contributions to belong "to the parish, and to be paid to Mr. Willis for the purpose of extending the period of his service. This parsonage estate remained in the hands of Mr. Willis and of his devisees until 1870, when all of it except the house-lot was sold and cut up into build- ing lots. At the end of the term for which he was thus compensated, Mr. Willis, at the request of the parish, engaged to continue the work of the ministry for a free contribution. From March 27, 1775, to June 5, 1787, through all the period of the Revolu- tionary War, and for four years after, there is no record of any parish meeting.

At the latter date, in consequence of dissensions in the North Parish, growing out of the ministry of Rev. Adoniram Judson, a considerable number of wealthy members left the former and joined the South Pre- cinct. With this seasonable reinforcement, the pros- pects of the South Parish brightened. The then dilapidated old meeting-house on Belmont HIill was repaired, and for fonr years the parish enjoyed an era of prosperity. On the dismission of Rev. Mr. Judson, in 1791, the way was opened for a reconciliation between the North and South Parishes.

At a meeting held January 12, 1792, the South Parish accepted the terms of union reported by a joint committee of the two parishes, and on February 23, 1792, after a separation of fifty-five years, the arti- cles of union were confirmed by the General Court. Rev. Mr. Willis became the pastor of the united

churches, and so continued until his death, though with Rev. Aaron Green as colleague after September 25, 1795.

By the terms of the agreement it was stipulated also that the Rev. Mr. Willis should be allowed to preach in the South Meeting-house six Sabbaths a year so long as he should continue able to administer the sacrament to any of the then church.

The old meeting-house continued to stand for sev- eral years longer, but was at length sold about the year 1796. On December 10, 1800, we find the last entry of a meeting of the South Parish, at which meeting it was " Voted that the Money the Meeting- House was Sold for that Belonged to the South Par- ish in Malden Should be as a fund in the hands of the Treasurer of the South District upon Intrest so long as the District Continues to be a District in the South Part of Said Town and that the Intrest of that Money be anualy be Laid out By the Said District Comttee for the Benifit'of the Schooling of the youth."

At this point we may notice a few of the prominent citizens who were residents in this part of Malden during the latter part of the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth century.

Captain Isaac Smith was for many years a repre- sentative of the town of Malden in the General Court, and was said to have been an influential mem- ber. Though taken from the almshouse in Boston when a boy, he sustained, as a citizen, an enviable and untarnished reputation. He is mentioned as the commander of an armed vessel in the Revolutionary War. He lived first in the north part of the town, and afterwards removed to South Malden, where he had large landed possessions, which, after his death, in 1795, were for the most part sold to his son-in-law, Captain Nathan Nichols, for many years a prominent and respected citizen of Malden. At the time of his death Captain Smith was said to have been the wealthiest man in Malden. As indicating the stand- ard of wealth in those days, it may be added that Captain Smith left, after his estate was settled, about $20,000 to be divided among his ten heirs.

Rev. Eliakim Willis, already mentioned as pastor first of the South Parish and then of the united par- ishes, was a man of eminent piety and very highly respected in the community. He was born in New Bedford, January 9, 1714, and graduated from Ilar- vard College in 1735. He died March 14, 1801, aged eighty-eight. He was chairman of the committee that reported the instructions of the town of Malden, addressed to Ezra Sargent, then representative in the General Court.

There still remained at or near 1800 several citi- zens who had tak en a prominent and honorable part in the Revolution ary War. Among these may be mentioned Captain Benjamin Blaney, who com- manded the company of militia from this town in the battle of Lexington, and the company which marched to join Washington's army'in !New Jersey in Deccm-

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ber, 1776. His father was a prominent man in the South Parish, and a magistrate of some note, and was found dead in the road when returning from the discharge of his duty, not without suspicions of murder. Captain Blaney was prompt in duty and persevering in effort. He frequently served as mod- erator in parish meetings. He removed from the town in the latter part of his life.

Colonel John Popkin was of a Welsh family, and was born in Boston in 1743. Before the Revolution- ary War he was a member of Paddock's artillery company. In the army he was a captain of artillery in Gridley's regiment, and was in the battle of Bunk- er Hill and at the siege of Boston. He was commis- sioned captain in Knox's artillery and was in the battle of White Plains; he was made a major in Greaton's regiment January 1, 1777; was aide to General Lincoln at Saratoga and was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of Crane's artillery regiment July 15, 1777, in which position he continued until the disbanding of the army, in 1783. After the war he resided in Bolton and later in South Malden, in the old South Parish parsonage-house devised in part to his wife by Rev. Mr. Willis, on Main near the corner of Prescott Street, where he died, May 8, 1827. He was a member of the Society of Cincinnati, and was for many years an inspector of customs in Boston. He walked to and from Malden, four miles, every day, from 1789 until he was more than eighty-four years old. His most distinguished descendant was Rev. John S. Popkin, born January 19, 1774, a cler- gyman and professor in Harvard College, and his successor in the Society of the Cincinnati.

Captain Jonathan Oakes was born in Malden, Oc- tober 4, 1751, and was in command of a vessel in the merchant service before he was twenty years of age. In the latter part of 1776 he was captain of the pri- vate armed brigantine "The Hawke," of ten guns and eighty men. The next year "The Hawke" was taken into the service of the State, and sailed with Captain Manley, on the disastrous cruise in which his asso- ciates were captured at Halifax. Captain Oakes was more fortunate, and, being separated from them, he escaped and took several valuable prizes. He continued in command of the " Hawke " until 1779, making three important captures in 1778, when he purchased an in- terest in the armed brigantine " Thomas," of which he took command. In 1780 he made a cruise in the ship " Favorite," of ten guns, and when he returned he took command of the " Patty," of which he was an owner. In 1781, while in comand of the latter vessel, he took the British brig " Betsey," bound to Lisbon. He was a representative in the General Court for twelve terms, the longest service on record with one exception. Captain Oakes died August 16, 1818, at the age of sixty-seven years, leaving a son of the same name, who also was for many years a prom- inent citizen of South Malden. Two grandchildren of the latter are now living in Everett.

Captain Daniel Waters was among those who marched with Captain Blaney on the day of the bat- tle of Lexington, where he saw his only service upon the land. Immediately upon the investment of Bos- ton he was appointed by Washington upon the gun- boat doing duty on Charles River, and, in 1776, was promoted to the schooner "Lee," in which position he distinguished himself by bringing the prize ship "Hope," which had been captured by Captain Mug- ford, into Boston Harbor, in the face of the British fleet, and by assisting in the capture of a number of transports, in one of which was the colonel and a por- tion of the Seventy-first Regiment, with supplies of great value to the Continental service. He was ap- pointed a captain in the United States Navy, March 15, 1777. He sailed as a volunteer with Captain Manley in the "Hancock," and upon the capture of the British frigate " Fox," of twenty-eight guns, was put in command of that vessel. Both vessels were captured at Halifax by a superior British force. Cap- tain Waters was taken a prisoner to New York, where he was retained until April, 1778, when he was ex- changed. In March, 1779, he was in command of the United States brig "General Gates." He commanded the ship "General Putnam," a privateer of twenty guns, on the expedition to the Penobscot, in 1779. In December, 1779, he sailed on a cruise in the armed ship " Thorn," of eighteen guns and 120 men, and, on Christmas morning captured two British brigs, "Try- on " and " Sir William Erskine," after inflicting great loss upon both. These two brigs carried thirty-four guns and 178 men. The " Thorn " lost eighteen men, killed and wounded, among the latter being Captain Waters, who received a wound in the knee, from the effects of which he became permanently lame. The "Tryon," after being captured, escaped, while the " Thorn " was pursuing the " Erskine," but in a shat- tered condition.

In January, 1780, Capt. Waters fell in with theship " Sparlin," of eighteen guns and seventy-five men. trom Liverpool for New York, which was taken after an action of forty minutes. His next, and probably his last voyage, was as commander of the armed ship " Friendship," from Boston, to which he was appoint- ed in January, 178I. After the war he retired from the sea and lived on his farm in Malden, where he died March 26,1816. The site of his. residence was at or near the present location of the Everett Spring House, and his lands extended on the westerly side of Ferry Street, as far north as the estate of Thaddeus Peirce, and southerly to Island End.

Besides the persons above mentioned, the names of Nalor Hatch and Nathan Nichols, appear as com- manders of armed vessels. Capt. Hatch commanded a company which was stationed at Beacham's Point, on the Van Vooris estate, during the battle of Bunker Hill. He also commanded the earthworks afterwards thrown up at Beacham's Point, and at the junction of Main and Bow Streets.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

For many of the foregoing particulars I am indebt- ed to the historical sketch of Malden, by Deloraine P. Corey, in Drake's " History of Middlesex County," to the "Bi-centennial Book of Malden," and to Mussey's " Reminiscences and Memorials."

It may be well to notice in this place some of the changes in the southern part of the town. In the course of one hundred and sixty or seventy years since its settlement, it had become a fairly prosperous farming community, with convenient roads and means of communication with Boston. It is probable that the oldest road is that leading to Penny Ferry, al- ready mentioned. It is impossible to give the exact date at which this road was laid out.

In 1796 a county road was laid out three rods wide from Main Street to what is now Everett Square, and thence northeasterly in a nearly straight line over Belmont and Corbett Hills, and through the swamp, and then turning easterly to Linden. A portion of this road is now known as Lynn Street, a part as School Street, and for upwards of a mile between these two, it was mostly within the limits of what was afterwards the Newburyport Turnpike. The road to Wormwood Point, now known as Beacham Street, was laid out in 1681; Shute Street as a town-way in 1695, and after- wards as a county road. Chelsea Street, formerly ex- tending through Bucknam and Locust Streets to Main Street, was laid out in 1653. Another old road is Ferry Street, formerly known as the county road to Winnisimmet. Main, Ferry and Chelsea Streets have been several times widened by the county commis- sioners. Elm Street, Nichols Lane, (now a part of Nichols Street), Paine's Lane (now a part of Chelsea Street), and Baldwin Avenue are also old roads. So far as can be ascertained, these are the only roads in Sonth Malden of an earlier date than 1800. Former- ly, ordinary travel went around through Medford, and thence to Boston, making quite a journey and inter- fering seriously with public convenience. The build- ing of Malden bridge, which was formally opened to the public by the firing of cannon and other festivi- ties, Sept. 29, 1787, proved of great benefit to South Malden, offering, as it did, a direct route to Charles- town and Boston.

This bridge was built by private capital, and was for seventy-two years owned and operated by the Malden Bridge Corporation as a toll-bridge. The payment of the tolls imposed a heavy tax upon the public travel, and continued to impede the growth of Sonth Malden. To reach Boston it was necessary, according to the " Bi-centennial Book of Malden," to pass two toll- bridges, and a man could not ride into Boston and ont again without paying the heavy tax of forty-seven cents.

The south part of Malden did not long remain without a separate local organization. The South Parish was succeeded by the South School District. On the 6th day of May, 1799, the town of Malden voted "To accept the report of the committee ap-

pointed to divide the town into districts." This report provided for three districts,-the North, the Middle and the South Districts,-the boundaries of the Sonth District to begin at the wharf on Malden Bank, so called, thence running easterly over the hill to the Chelsea line, leaving Jacob Perkins and Asa Tufts a little to the southward of said line. This line was probably not far from the line between the South and North Parishes, and included a slightly larger area than the present town of Everett. The South Precinct had evidently had a school-house for many years located on the southeast side of the County road, laid out in 1796 ; but on the division of the town into districts, it was deemed advisable 10 build a new one, and on October 7, 1799, the town voted to build a school-house in the south part of the town, of the same dimensions as the one proposed for the north part, and to raise $600 for the purpose of building these school-houses. William Emerson, Stephen Pain, Jr., Joseph Barrett, Jr., Bernard Green, Esq., and Capt. Amos Sargent were appointed as a building committee for both. On the 7th day of April, 1800, the selectmen were empowered to purchase land as a site for the school-house, and pursuant to this authority they purchased of Thomas Sargent, for $20, the lot near the corner of Hancock Street and Broadway, where the house of Hon. Alonzo H. Evans now stands. The South School- house was erected thereon at the cost of about $300, and continued on or near that spot for the next forty- two years. The old school-house was bought of the proprietors by the town at an appraisal for $50, and sold for $35. The first meeting of the South District was held December 10, 1800, on the same day as the last meeting of the South Parish. Capt. Benjamin Blaney was chosen moderator, Ezra Sargent (since 1758 clerk of the South Parish) was chosen clerk, Capt. Jonathan Oakes, Stephen Pain, Jr., Capt. Amos Sargent a committee ; Mr. John Howard, treasurer.

It was voted " that the Committee Shall hire such a Master, and when they think best for the Benifit of the Children." It was also voted " that the fifty Dol- lars that Belonged to the Proprietors of the old School- house ly on interest, and that the interest of it be an- nualy Laid out for the Benifit of Schooling of the youth of the South District."

In 1802 Uriah Oakes, whose descendants to the third generation are still living in town, appears as treasurer. The last entry in the handwriting of Ezra Sargent is under date of March 12, 1804. lle was succeeded April 12, 1805, by Winslow Sargent.

From April, 1808, to March 4, 1819, there is no record of any meeting of the South District. At the meeting held on the latter date Captain Ebenezer Nichols appears as moderator; Isaac Parker, clerk ; Nathan Lynde, treasurer; Captain Eben Nichols, Captain Nathan Nichols and Isaac Parker were chosen a committee to purchase land for the district at their discretion.

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At a meeting held March 25, 1820, it was voted "to remove the School-house, and Captain Nathan Nich- ols, Captain Ebenezer Nichols, Captain Uriah Oakes, Captain Thomas Oakes and Thadeus Pierce were chosen a committee for the purpose." June 14, 1823, Captain Nathan Nichols was chosen clerk, and from that date to 1830 the records are very neatly kept in his handwriting. He was for many years a prominent citizen of Malden and a man of sound business quali- fications, and grandfather of our present town treas- urer. On the 12th of March, 1830, Solomon Corey was chosen clerk, and so continued until 1834.

Nathan Lynde was treasurer of the South District from March 4, 1819, to March 21, 1835, a period of sixteen years. From the year 1820 the names of William Pierce, Thaddeus Pierce (father of the pres- ent Thaddeus), Thomas Oakes, Captain Henry Rich, Elisha Webb, David Faulkner, Daniel A. Perkins, Leavitt Corbett, Alfred Osgood and Seth Grammer frequently appear in the proceedings of the South District.

At a meeting held March 27, 1837, measures were taken for establishing a primary school, which was subsequently opened in Webb's Hall, so-called, in the house now owned and occupied by Dea. Calvin Hos- mer. By a report of the financial concerns of the South District for the year 1839, the cash receipts are stated at $641.52.

In 1841 the increasing population of the South Dis- triet and the local jealousies of its different sections led to an agitation for a division, and on March 19, 1842, Captain Jonathan Oakes, William Pierce, Ste- phen Stimpson, Benjamin Nichols, Benjamin S. Shute and Solomon Shute were chosen a committee to report on a proper division line between the two districts. This committee reported March 21, 1842, in favor of a line running across the hill so as to leave Daniel A. Perkins, Jonathan Baldwin, Jr., and William Whitte- more on the west side of the hill, the east side to keep the school-house and land for their own. At a town- meeting held April 18, 1842, it was voted that the South District be divided according to the above line, and all the inhabitants southwest of said line were set off as a new district by the name of the South- west School District. At this time there were in South Malden eighty-eight houses and one hundred and five families as compared with fifty-two houses in 1828.

The South School District continued in existence until 1853, and the old school-house was, in August following the division, removed to the present Glen- dale School-house lot on Ferry Street, which the South District purchased of Mary Polley for the sum of $300, originally containing about two acres, of which an acre and three-quarters were sold. The old school-house was repaired and continued to be used until 1854, when it was replaced by a new building, which continued in use until 1885, when it was, in turn, replaced by the present Glendale School-house.

John Cutter, Jr., was chosen clerk of the South District June 18, 1842, and served until March 7, 1849, when he was succeeded by Charles D. Adams, who continued in office until the abolition of the dis- trict system.

The Southwest District, as the new district was called, embraced the larger portion of the population and wealth of the former South District. It held its first meeting on May 12, 1842. William Peirce was chosen moderator; William Johnson, the last clerk of the South District before the division and for many years a prominent citizen of Malden and Everett, as- sessor, town treasurer, representative to the General Court in 1851 and 1882, was chosen clerk; Stephen Stimpson, Prudential Committee. A Building Commit- tee was chosen consisting of Jonathan Oakes, Stephen Stimpson, George Winslow, Uriah Oakes, Charles Baldwin, Henry Van Voorhis and William Peirce. This committee was authorized to select and purchase a lot of land as a site for the school house, and to bor- row not exceeding $1500 for building the same, in addition to $500 to be raised by taxation, making a total of $2000 placed at the disposal of the building committee.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 137

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278