History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 140

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 140

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The bill was engrossed in the House, February 26th, and sent to the Senate, where, after passing through prior stages, it was, on the 3d day of March, ordered to a third reading, 216 yeas to ten nays, among the yeas being Messrs. George M. Buttrick, (now a resident of Everett), C. R. Ladd (afterwards auditor) and Patrick A. Collins (late member of Con- gress). The bill was engrossed in the Senate on the following day, and on March 9th it was enacted in both Houses and signed by the Governor.

The achievement of this victory after so protracted a struggle was signalized by great rejoicings in Everett. On the evening of the day on which the bill was signed the people gathered in the public square and in the ves- try of the Congregational Church ; speeches of congrat- ulation were delivered, and a salute of 100 guns fired,

with other demonstrations of rejoicing. In May the organization of the new town was celebrated by a sumptuous collation under one of Yale's largest tents, in which some six hundred persons participated. Alonzo H. Evans presided, and, after a short address of welcome, read letters from the Governor of Mass- achusetts, the mayor of Boston and other distin- guished persons. Interesting speeches were also made by Lieut .- Colonel Parker, Rev. Albert Bryant, Patrick A. Collins, A. O. Brewster aud others. Among those prominent in the contest for the incorporation of the new town were A. HI. Evans, Hawes Atwood, William Johnson, Anthony Waterman, Stephen 11. Kimball, Henry S. Whitmore, Columbus Corey, William E. Titcomb and Thomas Leavitt.

The first town-meeting warrant was issued by James G. Foster, justice of the peace, March 9, 1870, and the first town-meeting was held March 21, 1870, in the vestry of the Congregationalist Church, where the town-meetings continued to be held during the first year after the town was incorporated. At this town- meeting Alonzo H. Evans was chosen moderator, Joseph H. Cannell, clerk, by 119 votes over J. F. Wakefield, who had 104 votes, Mr. Cannell having served by successive re-elections to the present time. Hawes Atwood cast the first vote. Hawes Atwood, A. H. Evans, Columbus Corey, Anthony Waterman and Elisha B. Loring were appointed a committee on the division of debts, public property, etc., with Malden. It was voted to have five selectmen, and the first board elected, who were also overseers of the poor, consisted of Henry W. Van Voorhis, Wm. H. Lounsbury, Elisha B. Loring, George W. Peirce and P. Richmond Pratt. Of these, George W. Peirce and Elisha B. Loring have since deceased. Mr. Loring had filled many places of trust in the parent town of Malden, and served by successive re-elections until March, 1876. He died February 21, 1890, after living to an advanced age, universally trusted and respected. James G. Foster, Wm. Johnson and Otis Merriam were elected assessors. Daniel Emmons was chosen treasurer, by 116 votes to 104 for P. P. P. Ware, and served by successive re-elections until January 1, 1880. For School Committee, George S. Marshall and Charies F. Atwood were elceted for three years ; J. H. Whitman and Wilson Quint for two years, and James G. Foster and Il. M. Currier for one year. Mr. Quint declined to serve on the School Committee, and the joint convention of selectmen and School Committee elected Dr. J. F. Wakefield.

Solomon Shute, Benjamin Corey, E. B. Edmester, Thomas Leavitt, George Sargent and Timothy Mur- phy were elected constables. The number of ballots cast at the first town-meeting was 232. A code of by-laws was adopted May 17, 1870. The first audi- tors, chosen November 8, 1870, were Columbus Corey and Joseph H. Cannell.

On the 4th of April the following appropria- tions were made; For schools, including contingent,

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$8000.00; highways, $3500.00; salaries of town offi- cers, $835.00 ; poor, $500.00 ; Fire Department, $200.00 ; contingent, $3000.00; street lamps, $500.00 ; bridges, $500.00; interest on town debt, $3000.00. These-with the State tax, $2726.40; county tax, $1109.91 ; overlays, $974.53-made a total tax levied the first year of $24,845.84.

The number of dwelling-houses in town May 1, 1870, was 414; the number of acres of land taxed, 1959, or about 120 acres greater than it is at present, 120 acres west of Malden River having been set off to Medford in 1875; the number of children be- tween five and fifteen years of age, 432.

In the division of the town property, the town of Everett received all the real estate located within its limits, with some personal property, valued in all at $37,606.99, and in consideration of same, it assumed $3x,500.00 of the debt of the old town. As showing the changes in the rates of interest, it may be re- marked that the first loan procured by the town of Everett bore seven per cent. interest, and this rate was paid for several years. By the report made to the secretary of the Board of Agriculture, by the town clerk, October 17, 1870, it appears that there were at that time twenty-six miles of streets, four having been laid out and accepted the first year, viz. : Lincoln Street, Fremont Avenue, Garland Street, and Oak Street, now called Central Avenue.

The school accommodations of the town at that time consisted of the old Centre School-house, with two small rooms and one large one; the Glendale School-house, with two small rooms, and the Han- cock Street, Ferry Street and Thorndike Street School-houses, with one finished room each.

Among the first things that came up for considera- tion by the new town, was that of providing a Town- House, which was indefinitely postponed; the pro- posed alterations in the old Centre School-house met the same fate. At a town-meeting held January 11, 1871, it was voted to lease the hall and offices in the Masonic building for town purposes. The first town-meeting in Everett Hall was held March 28, 1871, where all subsequent town-meetings have been held.

The incorporation of the town gave a marked im- petus to all kinds of local improvement. Several additional tracts of land were laid ont into house- lots, and opened to settlement, and the increase in population and wealth the first five years was very rapid, the population increasing from 2220 in 1870, to 3651 in 1875, and the valuation from $1,736,379.00 to $4,404,650.00.

Nor was it in material growth only that this pros- perity was manifested. Two religious societies, the Baptist and Methodist, came into existence within the first two years after the town was incor- porated. The Methodist Church originated in a class-meeting held at the house of Joseph Ladd, April 12, 1870. The society was formally organized 38-iii

October 11, 1870, and ground was broken for their church on the same day. The church had sixteen constituent members. The first pastor was Rev. W. F. Mallalieu, D.D. The corner-stone of the new edi- fice was laid December 19, 1870, and the completed structure was dedicated May 24, 1871, the cost of the building and land being $14,000. Rev. William Cheney was pastor from April, 1871, until April, 1872; Rev. Edward W. Virgin from April, 1872, to April, 1875; Rev. Edward P. King from April, 1875, to April, 1878; Rev. Edward R. Thorndike from April, 1878, to April, 1881; Rev. Thomas Corwin Watkins from April, 1881, to April, 1884; Rev. J. W. Dear- born from April, 1884, to April, 1887; Rev. F. T. Pomeroy from April, 1887, to April, 1890, and Rev. Charles Young from April, 1890, to date.

The Sunday-school, which numbered in April, 1890, 352, as compared with 198 in 1879, was organized May 28, 1871. Charles W. Johnson was the first superin- tendent, and served four years. The parsonage was built in 1875. The membership of the church in April, 1890, was 218 and 14 probationers, as compared with 128 members and 14 probationers in 1879. The church was seated with pews in place of settees, which had been previously used, in 1886, at a cost of $500. The number of volumes in the Sunday-school library is 500. The total amount of money raised for church expenses from the date of organization has been $35,000.

Until 1882 this church was burdened with a heavy debt. Sunday, June 4, 1882, was set apart for raising the debt, and voluntary subscriptions were asked for and some $4000 were pledged, to be paid in two years in four payments. The pastor, Rev. T. C. Wat- kins, labored indefatigably to make up the remainder, and his efforts were finally crowned with success. To him belongs the honor of being the pioneer in the movement for raising the church debts in Everett, and within a very few years every other church in town, stimulated by the example of the Methodists, had likewise paid its church debt. On Tuesday, July 4, 1882, subscriptions having been made covering the total amount of the church debt of $8000, the event was commemorated by a jubilee in Library Hall.

The Baptist Church started about a year later than the Methodist. The first meeting was held at the house of Levi Brown, on Charlestown Street, April 5, 1871, at which it was ascertained that there were some forty residents of Everett who were members of Bap- tist Churches, besides others of Baptist sentiments. On Sunday, April 9, 1871, the first public religious service was held, consisting of a prayer-meeting in Everett Hall, followed by the organization of a Sunday-school. Deacon Levi Pierce was moderator, and Mr. J. H. Parker, of Malden, was the first superintendent, and S. H. Kimball the first treasurer.

On June 8, 1871, a meeting was held at Levi Brown's house for the purpose of organizing a church, and a nucleus was there formed. The church was formally

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

constituted July 3, 1871, with thirty-two charter members, by a council of which Rev. G. W. Gardner, D.D., was moderator. The sermon was preached by Rev. S. W. Foljambe, of Malden. W. O. Dodge was elected first clerk ; Dr. Levi Pierce, treasurer, who resigned and was succeeded by G. L. Packard. P. F. Packard and Levi Pierce were the first deacons. For several months Mr. J. H. Arthur, a student in the Newton Theological Seminary, afterwards a missionary in Japan and since deceased, labored with great success, and gathered in a large number of members. Rev. W. F. Stubbert was called to the pastorate October 10, 1871, but declined. On January 22, 1872, a unanimous call was extended to Rev. William B. Smith, who accepted the call and com- menced his labors on the first Sunday in February, 1872. He was installed May 9, 1872. This pastorate was of short duration, as dissensions soon sprang up in the church. Mr. Smith resigned, and his resig- nation was accepted April 11, 1873, to take effect May 1st.

On the 24th of September, 1873, the church was formally organized as a corporation, and, on the 15th of October following, purchased the lot of land on which its church edifice stands, from David N. Badger. The corner-stone of the church was laid June 24, 1874, by Rev. S. W. Foljambe. During a considerable portion of the period since Mr. Smith's resignation the pulpit had been supplied by Rev. J. R. Stubbert, a student in Newton Seminary. On the 22d day of September the church was formally dedicated, and Rev. Frank B. Sleeper, who had been called to the pastorate July 8, 1874, was installed. The first Sunday service in the new church was held September 27, 1874. There were seventy-three members at the date of the dedication, and eighty- three in the Sunday-school. The land, building and furnishing cost about $13,000. The building has a seating capacity of about 280 in the main part, and seventy-five in the vestry. Mr. Sleeper continued pastor until November 25, 1877, when he resigned and accepted a call to the First Baptist Church in Gardner. For some time after this the church was without a pastor, but depended upon supplies for preaching, among whom Rev. L. G. Barrett deserves mention as one whose labors were especially fruitful. September 23, 1878, a call was extended to Rev. W. F. Stubbert, 1).1)., of Bloomfield, N. J., who had been preaching for the church since May. He consented to remain for a time, but closed his labors January 25, 1879, after a short but most useful pastorate, in which he did much to restore and encourage the church. Rev. L. L. Potter, then a student, was em- ployed for six months, April 7, 1879. The church then numbered 135. Mr. Potter was called as a permanent pastor, and was formally installed October 9, 1879. His pastorate lasted but about a year, as he resigned September 5, 1880, and closed his labors September 30th. The pulpit was then supplied for

some time by Rev. A. N. Dary, who was called to the pastorate February 25th, while still a student at Newton, and ordained August 4, 1881. He resigned September 23, 1883, and closed his labors October 1st. Rev. William O. Ayer, was called January 1, 1884, and began his labors with the church February 10th, and was installed February 26, 1884. During his pastorate, stimulated by the example of the Methodists the church resolved to pay off its debt, which amounted to upwards of $5200. The day chosen to invite pledges for this purpose was Easter Sunday, April 13, 1884, when, after a sermon appropriate to the occasion, pledges were invited, and in less than one hour the whole amount was guaranteed, the final payment being made in March, 1887. During the year 1886 extensive repairs were made on the church. The Sunday-school has had, besides Mr. John H. Parker, of Malden, four superintendents, viz .: William O. Dodge, N. J. Mead, R. A. Edwards and Amos E. Hall, the present incumbent. There are about 500 volumes in the Sunday-school library. Rev. W. O. Ayer resigned June 20th, and closed his labors June 29, 1890, after a useful and successful pastorate of nearly six and one-half years, during which the membership of the church was increased from 174 to 271, a net gain of 97. The number of persons baptized was eighty five.

The educational wants of the town received early attention. The upper story of the Ferry Street School-house was finished, and a grammar school opened there in the autumn of 1870, which three years later was reduced to a sub-grammar grade. A movement was started in 1871 to erect a new and commodious school-house in place of the old Centre building, which had been standing nearly a quarter of a century, but this was defeated, and instead, the Centre School-house was remodeled and refurnished with improved seats and desks, which had previously been of an antiquated desigu.

In the autumn of 1870, although the population of the town had not reached the number essential to make a High School obligatory, a beginning was made at the Centre School-house with a class of six- teen, of whom five graduated in 1874-the first grad- uating class. The school has been from the com- mencement under the charge of Mr. R. A. Rideont, who had been from 1866 a teacher in the Centre Grammar School, first of South Maken and after- wards of Everett. The whole number of different pupils connected with the High School since its estab- lishment has been 379, of whom sixty-nine have taken a business course of two years. The number of gradu- ates has been 122, several of whom have served the town with credit as teachers in the public schools, while others have filled other positions of usefulness. In the thirteen years from the establishment of the Malden High School in 1857 to 1870, inclusive, only fourteen pupils from South Malden graduated from that institution. The Everett High School was kept

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first in the old Centre School-house, from which it was removed to the third floor of the Masonic build- ing in 1872, and from that to the Locust Street School- house in 1875, where it remained until 1881, when it had dwindled to only fifteen pupils. In 1882 it was removed to its present quarters, where it has shown a marked increase in numbers until within the past year. An assistant was first employed in 1872; a second assistant was employed in 1886.

Among our educational institutions should be men- tioned the Home School, established April 15, 1874, and at first kept in the Cuneo Building near Everett Square. In 1875 it was removed to a building erected for its use next southwest of the Congregational Church, where it remained until 1889. It was at first under the charge of Mrs. A. P. Potter and Miss O. J. Pierce, and after the retirement of Miss Pierce was continued under the management of the former. In June, 1880, it awarded diplomas to its first graduates. In September of the same year a college preparatory department was added. Subsequently a branch of the school was opened at Natick in 1885 and has been very successful.

Owing to the rapid growth of the town a more re- tired location was found to he desirable, and in 1888 a tract of land on the corner of Summer and Argyle Streets, containing 40,000 square feet, was purchased, and in the following year a large and commodious edifice was erected, which was opened for the school in September, 1889. The architect was Mr. Geo. F. Wallis, the builder Mr. G. H. Peters, of Everett. The elevated location of the building commands a fine view of the surrounding country, and the school has been equipped with all the appliances for doing the best work. The course of study embraces four years.

Although the introduction of water by the town of Malden was one of the prominent grievances urged as a ground of separation, Everett had not been in- corporated more than a year before the necessity of a water supply became apparent, and on the 29th of March, 1871, a committee of five was chosen, consist- ing of Otis Merriam, Anthony Waterman, Lewis P. True, W. Il. Lounsbury and George S. Marshall, to see what arrangements could be made for a supply of pure water from the city of Charlestown, and also to meet a committee of the Legislature for the purpose of securing the necessary legal authority.

On June 29, 1871, the act of the Legislature of April 19, 1871, authorizing the introduction of water, was accepted, and a committee of five, consisting of Alonzo H. Evans, W. H. Louushury, Otis Merriam, Anthony Waterman and Lewis P. True, was appointed to procure estimates from different sources, and to re- port on the best plan. On the 5th of September this committee reported, their report was accepted, and the town voted by a large majority to introduce water, and to authorize the treasurer to issue bonds of the town, to an amount not exceeding $50,000.00, for a term of twenty years, at a rate of six per cent. inter-

est per annum, to defray the expense of the introduc- tion of water. It was estimated that this sum would be sufficient to lay nine and one-fourth miles of pipe. Otis Merriam, H. W. Van Voorhis, Alonzo H. Evans, W. H. Lounsbury and Charles Woodberry were chosen water commissioners, with full powers for making all contracts and laying all pipes. This com- mittee entered into a contract with the city of Char- lestown, October 5, 1871, by virtue of which the city of Charlestown was to furnish water, the town of Ev- erett to lay and maintain the necessary pipes and structures for the distribution of the water, the city of Charlestown receiving eighty-five per cent. of the water rates, Everett receiving only fifteen per cent.

The water commissioners concluded a contract with George H. Norman, of Newport, Rhode Island, Octo- ber 11, 1871, for laying 40,000 or more feet of pipe, with seventy-five hydrants and gates for same, for the sum of $46,640.00, of which 5000 feet were to be ten- inch pipe, 4000 feet eight-inch, 18,000 feet six-inch, and 13,000 feet four-inch pipe. The work of laying the pipes was not commenced till early in October, but before it could be completed cold weather set in, and it was necessary to suspend operations until the following spring. About 23,000 feet of pipe had been laid. The original estimate of $50,000.00 having proved insufficient, the town was authorized by the Legislature to expend a further sum of $50,000.00, to be raised by taxation or borrowing. The town, on April 22, 1872, accepted this act, and authorized the further issue of bonds, like those previously issued, to the amount of $50,000.00. The work was resumed as soon as the spring opened and carried forward without interruption, until about thirteen miles, or three and three-fourths miles more than the original estimate, had been constructed. Water was intro- duced May 1, 1872. The cost of the works to Febru- ary 28, 1873, was about $84,000.00.

The burdensome contract with the city of Charles- town continued in force until June 1, 1886, when, through the efforts of a committee, consisting of Thomas Leavitt, F. P. Bennett, Geo. Taylor, I. T. Win- chester, N. J. Mead, G. F. Foster and Daniel Russell, a modification of this contract was secured, by which Everett has received fifty per cent. of the water rates since July 1, 1886.

The water-works were further improved in 1888 by the construction of a plant for providing a high-water service, which was put iu successful operation in July, 1888, the entire cost being less than $10,000.00, this including the purchase of a lot of land, the erection of a pumping-statiou on Irving Street, with the neces- sary machinery, and also the purchase of land and the erection of a reservoir on Mt. Washington.

The total expenditures on account of the Water De- partment to December 31, 1889, have been $159,255.49, besides $2853.77 expended for hydrants, about $10,- 000.00 for the high-water service, and $103,020.00 for interest on the water debt to Dec. 31, 1889. Of this

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

amount, $126,873.37 have been provided for by taxa- tion. The water rates received from the incorpora- tion of the town to December 31, 1889, were $46,552.72, of which about $30,000.00 have been received since the modification of the water contract in 1886. The receipts in 1889 were $10,003.39, and in 1890 abont $11,000.00, the receipts being now adequate to pay the cost of maintenance of the water works and the interest on the water debt, besides providing a sink- ing fund. It is probable that it will be unnecessary to impose any further burden on the tax-payers on account of the water-works, and that taxation may thus be materially reduced. The gross amount of the water debt December 31, 1889, was $100,000.00. The total amount of pipe laid to December 31, 1889, was 106,319 feet, or about twenty miles, of which 12,444 feet were two-inch pipe, 941 feet of three-inch, 46,704 feet of four-inch, 47,621 feet of six-inch, 2681 feet of eight-inch, and 7128 feet of ten-inch pipe.

The Everett Lodge of Odd Fellows was instituted March 18, 1875, with fifteen charter members, as fol- lows : A. F. Ferguson, C. O. Sanborn, Carlos E. Bolton, W. W. Bullock, Nathan B. Raymond, J. O. W. Dear- ing, William Tyzzer, Jr., Josiah A. Kingman, William 11. Pierce, George A. Colby, Joseph W. Bartlett, A. B. Robinson, David Smith, George W. Paine and S. C. Currier. The first meeting was held in the Masonic Hall, through the kindness of Palestine Lodge, and subsequent meetings were held in Everett small hall until July 18, 1875, when the lodge moved into a room fitted up for that purpose on the third floor of the Masonie Building, where they remained until April, 1888, when, having purchased the present fine brick Odd Fellows' Building, formerly known as the Library Building, and having fitted up the third floor for a lodge-room, they moved into their present quarters, which were dedicated with appropriate exercises May 2, 1888. The membership of the lodge in the Spring of 1890 was 180, as compared with 69 in the year 1879. A. F. Ferguson was Noble Grand for thirteen years, being succeeded hy Walter C. Day, who at present fills that position.

The rapid increase of population made it evident that new school accommodations would soon be re- quired. The upper story of the Thorndike School- house was finished in 1873 at a cost of about $1000, and a new school was opened there in the fall of 1873. In the spring of 1873 plans were brought forward for the erection of two new school-houses, one at Mt. Washington and the other at Locust Street. The Mt. Washington School-house project was defeated. Fav- orable action was at first secured upon the Locust Street School-house, but at a subsequent meeting reconsid- eration prevailed, and the matter went over until the spring of 1874, when an appropriation of $8000 was made, to which $800 was later added from the school appropriation.

The cost of the land, 15,020 square feet was, $2388 .- 50, and the building erected, by Mead, Mason & Co.,

cost $5253, making a total cost of land, building, furnaces, $8826, without finishing the upper story. Two schools were opened in the building in Novem- ber, 1874, and in 1875 the upper story was finished at a cost of about $1350, bringing the total cost to about $10,786. The building was further enlarged in 1888, by the addition of four school-rooms, besides addition- al hall room, the old building being moved back. The architects were Messrs. Brigham and Spofford, and the contractor Mr. G. M. Coan, and the appro- priation for the same was $7000. An additional lot of land in the rear was purchased for $1900 in 1889, and the total cost of the building as it stands has been upwards of $20,500. Largely through the efforts of Mr. S. C. Currier, a town clock was procured and placed in the tower of this school-house in 1889, aud the event was celebrated by a gathering at the school- house, at which addresses were made by various citi- zens.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 140

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