History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 179

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 179

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It was determined at this meeting to make an effort to secure an act of incorporation for a new town, and a committee of nine, consisting of Charles E. Gilman, Hiram Allen, Edwin Munroe, Jr., Caleb W. Leland, John C. Magoun, Oliver Tufts, Charles Miller, Samuel Thompson and Robert G. Tenney, was chosen to se- cure the signatures of persons favorable to a division. It seemed necessary to make efforts to this end greater than the result proved were necessary. An attempt to obtain an act of incorporation had been made in 1828, and had failed. A petition was sent to the Legislature at that time to be incorporated as the town of Warren, and the petitioners had been given leave to withdraw. It was now, therefore, deter- mined to proceed with energy and with care, and to seeure such evidence as would satisfy legislators that the best interests of all concerned demanded a divi- sion. The above committee was instructed to use all honorable means to secure an act of incorporation and to employ counsel. The committee organized by the choice of Charles E. Gilman as chairman and Edwin Munroe, Jr., as secretary. Ephraim Buttrick was retained as counsel, and after some discussion the name of Walford was selected for the proposed new town, in honor of the first whitesettler of Charles- town. At a later meeting, however, that name was abandoned, and the name of Somerville, having no special significance, was substituted.

At the session of the General Court held in 1842,

the following petition, signed by Guy C. Hawkins and many others, was presented, which was opposed by many citizens in the main part of the town, by the inhabitants immediately outside of Charlestown Neck by some of the people in the upper part of the section, asking for the division :

"To the Honoroble Senate and House of Representatives of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, in General Court assembled :

"Respectfully represent the undersigned that they are citizens of Charlestown, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts aforesaid, aod resident in that part of said town lying westerly and north westerly of the bridge near the Middlesex Canal at the Neck, so-called, and the high- way leading thence to Malden Bridge aod bounded by Mystic River go the northeast and north, and by the town of Cambridge and Weet Cam. bridge in the south and southwest-that the part of Charlestown embraced within the limita aforesaid contain an area of about four square toiles and a population exceeding fifteen hundred inhabitants thereof, and that the interests, couvenience and just rights of the inhabitants require that the territory included within said limita shall be set off from the town of Charlestown and incorporated into a separate town.

"Wherefore your petitinners pray the Honorable Legislature that the territory aforesaid, with the inhabitants thereof, may be set off and in_ corporated ioto a separate town by the name of Somerville, and as in duty bound will ever pray."

The following petition, in aid of that of Mr. Hawkins and others, was signed and presented to the Legislature by persons presumably residing in Charles- town, outside the dissatisfied district:

" To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled:

" Humbly show the undersigned citizens of said Commonwealth that they are severally the owners and proprietors of real estate, although they do not now reside thereon, but elsewhere situated in that part of Charles- town, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being Westerly and South- westerly of the bridge over the Middlesex Canal at Charlestown Neck, so-called, that the interesta and just rights of your memorialists require that the part of Charlestown being Westerly and Southwesterly of said bridge should be incorporated into a separate aud distinct town.

"Wherefor your petitionera pray that the prayer of Guy C. Haw- kios and others, now pending before your Honorable bodies for the in- corporation of that part of Charlestown into a new town by the name of Somerville, may be granted and in duty bound will ever pray."

Dr. E. C. Booth, in an interesting sketch of Somer- ville, says that " when the matter came before the Leg- islature, toward the close of the session, it was found that the act could not be secured with the boundaries as they were designated in the petition. The Rev. J. D. Green, member from Cambridge, a moment before the vote was to be put, declared nothing could be effected at the present session unless the line was drawn outside the neck as it now exists, and a narrow strip in the northerly part of the town extending near to Mystic Pond was ceded to Cambridge. Oniy two of the committee of the petitioners were present ; but Mr. Hawkins declared he would assume the re- sponsibility of the concession, and the act thus modified passed the Legislature and was approved by the Governor March 3, 1842." The aet as is follows :

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in Geu- eral Court assembled, and by authority of the same, as follows :

"SECT. 1. The westerly part of the town of Charlestown, in the County of Middlesex, bounded and described as follows, viz .: beginning at the southerly coruer of Widow Stearns' lut, near the town ledge, Bud running north seventy degrees east four hundred and four feet ; thence north thirty-five and a quarter degrees east of Mystic River; thence along the Mystic River to the line of the towu of Medford ; theoce

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SOMERVILLE.

along the Medford line to Alewive Brook ; theuce along the brook to the line of the town of Cambridge ; thence along the Cambridge line to the junction of Miller'e River with Charles River; thence along the westerly side of Charles River to the westerly corner of the Mill dam; thence along the southwesterly side of the Mill Pond to a point where a line north by the magnetic needle, will strike the point of beginning, is hereby incor- porated into a town by the name of Somerville ; and the inhabitants of the town of Somerville are hereby invested with all the powers and privileges, and shall be subject to the duties and requisitione of other in- corporate towne according to the constitution and lawe of thia Common- wealth.

"SECT. 2. The inhabitants of said town of Somerville shall be holden to pay all arrears of taxes which have been assessed upon them by the town of Charlestown, before the passing of this act, and also their pro- portion of all county and State taxes that may be assessed upon them previously to the taking of the next State valuation, said proportion to he ascertained and determined by the last town valuation; and the said town of Somerville shall be holden to pay their proportion of the debts due and owing at the time of the passage of this act from the town of Charlestown, and be entitled to receive of the town of Charles- town their proportion of all the corporate property now owned by said last mentioned town, such proportion to be ascertained and determined by the last valuation of said Charlestown.

"SECT. 3. The said towne of Charlestown and Somerville shall be respectively liable for the support of all persone who now do or here- after eball etand in need of relief as paupers, whose settlement was gained or derived from a settlement gained or derived within their rs spective limits.

"SECT. 4. Until the next apportionment of representatives to the General Court, the town of Somerville shall be entitled to one represen- tative in the General Conrt and the town of Charlestown shall be enti- tled to four representatives.

"SECT. 5. In case said towns shall disagree in respect to a division of panpers, town property, town debts or State and county taxes, the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Middlesex are hereby authorized to and shall, on application of either town, appoint three disinterested per- eone to hear the parties and award thereon; which award, when ac- cepted by the Court, shall be final.

"SECT. 6. Any justice of the peace in the County of Middlesex is hereby authorized to issue hie warrant to any principal inhabitant of the town of Somerville, requiring bim to waro the inhabitants of said town to meet, at the time and place therein appointed, for the purpose of choosing all auch towo officers as towns are, by law, anthorized and re- quired to choose at their annual meetinge. '

" This act shall be in force from and after its passage."

On the 30th of April, 1856, an act was passed alter- ing and defining the boundary line between Somer- ville and Cambridge, which provided that

" The dividing line between these towns should hereafter he as fol- lows; beginning on Milk Row (so-called) at a point being 20 ft. 8 inches dietant from the point on Milk Row where the land of Anna Hundewell is divided from the land of Benjamin Rand, and thence run- ning in a northeasterly direction along the boundary line of said estates, there measuring from Milk Row 222 ft. 4 inches, thence forning at a right angle and running northwesterly along the west sido of a

until it strikes Cottage etreet (so called), there measuring 296 ft. 6 incli- es, thea turning and running along the southerly aide of said Cottage street in a direction north of west until it reaches Elm street (60 called), there measuring 308 ft. until it intersects on the westerly side of Elm street the line before established between the said towns."

The territory of the new town was four square miles in extent and contained 2700 acres. Within this territory were the several hills called Quarry Hill, Ploughed Hill, Winter Hill, Prospect Hill and Cobble Hill, and Ten Hills Farm, which, consisting of 600 acres, lay on the banks of Mystic River and was granted to John Winthrop, September 6, 1630. On this farm Winthrop built a house which he probably occupied during a portion of the year. The first ves- sel built in New England was built by Winthrop on this farm called "Blessing of the Bay," and

launched about July 4, 1631. In 1677 it passed out of the hands of the Winthrop family and in 1740 was bought by Robert Temple and from him acquired the name of Temple's Farm, by which it was known in later days. In still later years it has been owned by Elias Hasket Derby and lcased to Samuel Jacques, in whose hands it became famous for the thorough and successful manner in which it was conducted.

On Quarry Hill the old powder-house stood, in which powder was stored at the beginning of the Revolution. On the 1st of September, 1774, Gen- eral Gage sent Lieutenant-Colonel Madison with 216 men in thirteen boats up the Mystic, who crossed Win- ter Hill, and, seizing the powder, conveyed it to Castle William. Forts and redoubts were built on the other hills in 1775 and on the 18th of July in that year, on Prospect Hill, General Israel Putnam unfurled & flag bearing on one side the inscription, " An appeal to Heaven," and on the other, three vines, the armorial bearing of Connecticut and the motto of the State. On the 1st of January, 1776, with a salute of thir- teen guns, a Union flag with thirteen stripes was on this hill flung to the breeze. In 1777, Burgoyne and his soldiers were encamped as prisoners on Prospect and Winter Hills under a guard commanded by Gen- eral Nathaniel Goodwin of Plymouth. On Cobble Hill, the McLean Insane Asylum, a branch, as it may perhaps be called, of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, was built and opened in 1818. This hospital stands on the grounds once occupied by the residence of Joseph Barrell and received its name from John McLean, who gave to the institution about $115,000. It has received numerous other gifts, among which may be mentioned those of Samuel Eliot, in 1819, of $10,000; of Joseph Lee, in 1830, of $20,000, and of Mary Belknap, in 1832, of $88,602, the residuary amount of hier estate. The different superintendents of the institution up to the present time have been Dr. Rufus Wyman, a native of Woburn, appointed March 23, 1818, Dr. Phineas G. Lee, a native of New Britain, Conn., appointed in 1832; Dr. Luther V. Bell, a na- tive of Francestown, N. Il., appointed in 1866; Dr. Chauney Booth, a native of Coventry, Conn., ap- pointed in 1856; Dr. John E. Tyler, a native of Bos- ton, appointed in 1858; Dr. George F. Jelly, a na- tive of Salem, appointed in 1871, and Dr. Cowles, the present superintendent. On Cobble Hill a fortiti- cation planned by Putnam and Knox was begun November 22, 1775, which was a part of the works encircling Boston and afterwards forcing its evacua- tion by the British forces in 1776.

On Ploughed Hill the Ursuline Convent was huilt which was destroyed by a mob in 1834. It was first established in Boston and removed to Somerville in 1826. On Central Hill, as it is now called, but really one of the eminences of Prospect Hill and con- nected in the early part of the Revolution with the other eminences by a rampart, are located the City Hall of Somerville, the Public Library and High

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School building. There are few localities in Massa- chusetts from which so comprehensive and interest- ing a view of the surrounding country may be had, and it redeems the city from the monotonous expres- sion which the generally flat character of the terri- tory would otherwise give to it.

On Winter Hill separated from Prospect or Cen- tral Hill by a valley which forms a considerable por- tion of the main part of the town, the most extensive fortifications of 1775 were built. They were beguu by Stark on the 18th of June, and when finished they were occupied by General Sullivan with troops from New Hampshire.

At the time of the incorporation of the town its valuation was $988,513, and its population 1013. It had one grammar-school, five primary schools, no meeting-house, less than two hundred houses, no stores, one factory and one old tub fire-engine. It had been simply an outlying suburb of Charlestown, its people maintaining themselves by the products of their milk and vegetable farms. The factory referred to was the Milk Row Bleaching Company which was incorporated April IS, 1838, with a capital of $50,000, for the purpose of bleaching calendering, printing, dyeing and finishing silk, cotton and linen yarns. This company was authorized, April 17, 1848, to in- crease its capital to $100,000 and to change its name to "The Somerville Dyeing and Bleaching Com- pany."

There had been enterprises established within the territory forming the new town, however, which had brought its people into closer contact with the busi- ness world, and had doubtless excited a feeling of un- rest in the quiet life they had pursued. The Middle- sex Canal had been chartered in 1793 and opened in 1803 from Charles River to the Merrimack. In 1804 the Medford turnpike was opened, and in 1835, about the time that other important avenues of travel were constructed, the Lowell Railroad was opened. The final incorporation of the town was one of those steps in the process of evolution which when taken seem almost matters of accident, but which are really con- summated in obedience to inexorable law.

In compliance with the act of incorporation, a warrant issued by Ephraim Buttrick of East Cam- bridge, justice of the peace, directed to Charles Edward Gilman, dated March 5, 1842, requiring hin to call a town-meeting at two o'clock in the afternoon of March 15th, for the organization of the town at the Prospect Hill School-house. At a meeting of citizens held March 10th, of which Columbus Tyler was chairman, and Nathan Tufts, Jr., secretary, a committee of three was chosen to nominate a commit- tee of nine to nominate a list of town officers. The committee of three was composed of Guy C. Haw- kins, Charles Adams and James Hall, Jr., who nomi- nated for the committee of nine : O. N. Towne, Wm. A. Tufts, W. A. Russell, Jr., Joseph Miller, Charles Miller, John Runey, Robert Vinal, Hiram Hackett

and Wm. Bonner. At the town-meeting held on the 14th of March, Francis Bowman was chosen modera- tor and Charles E. Gilman, clerk. Edward Tufts was chosen treasurer and collector, and Nathan Tufts, John S. Edgerly, Caleb Leland, Luther Mitchell and Levi Russell, selectmen. The School Committee were James Hill, Henry Adams, Levi Russell and Alfred Allen; the Assessors, Guy C. Hawkins, John C. Magoun and Oliver Tufts ; Assistant Assessors, Nathan Tufts, John Runey and Charles Adams ; Overseers of the Poor, Isaac S. Spring, Charles Adams and Robert G. Tenney; Board of Health, Hiram Allen, Robert G. Tenney and P. W. Hayes ; Constables, Robert Sanborn and Benjamin Fiske; Field-Drivers, Robert Sanborn and Asa Tufts ; Fence-Viewers, Wm. Bonner and Wm. A. Tufts ; Tythingmen, Wm. Bonner and Moses Griffin; Finance Committee, Robert Vinal, Wm. Munroe and Luther Mitchell. The selectmen were made surveyors of highways.

At an adjourned meeting held on the 4th of April, $1800 was appropriated for schools; $2000 for high- ways; $450 for county tax ; $200 for the poor, and $300 for contingencies. At the same meeting Wm. A. Rus- sell, Jesse Simpson and Robert Sanborn were chosen a committee on fisheries, and Hiram Allen, Levi Rus- sell, T. Frost, Robert G. Tenney and Charles Adams, fire-wards ; John S. Edgerly was added to the School Committee ; and Francis Bowman was chosen to fill the place of Levi Russell on the Board of Selectmen, who had declined.

The following persons were subsequently chosen selectmen in the year set against their names up to 1871, the year of the incorporation of Somerville as a city :

1843, Francis Bowman, Luther Mitchell, Caleb W. Leland, John S. Edgerly and O. N. Towne.

1844, Luther Mitchell, Caleb W. Leland, John S. Edgerly, James Hill, Jr., O. N. Towne and Benjamin Hadley.

1845, Francis Bowman, Benjamin Hadley, George O. Brastow, Joseph Clark and Silas Kingsley.

1846, Benjamin Hadley, Joseph Clark, Silas Kingsley, Edward Cut- ter and Isaac S. Spring.

1847, Isaac S. Spring, Benjamin Hadley, Edward Cutter, Joseph Clark and Gardner T. Ring.

1848, Abrani Welsh, John S. Edgerly, Thomas J. Leland, Gardner T. Ring and Charles Miller.

1849, John S. Edgerly, Thomas T. Leland, Charles Miller, Abram Welsh and Gardner T. Ring.

1850, John S. Edgerly, Charles Miller, Thomas T. Leland, Chester Guild and James Hill.

1851, John S, Edgerly, Thomas T. Lelaud, Charles Miller, Chester Guild and John Runey.

1852, John S. Edgerly. Thomas T. Leland, Charles Miller, Nathan Tufts, Jr., and John Runey.

1853, John S. Edgerly, John Runey, Nathan Tufts, Jr., James M. Shute and Joseph Clark.

1864, John S. Edgerly, John Runey, James M. Shute, Joseph Clark and John K. Hall.

1855, John K. Hall, James M. Shute, C. C. Walden, Benjamin Wood- ward and Benjamin Randall.

1856, Jamies M. Shute, C. C. Walden, John C. Tenney, John S. Edger- ly and N. C. Hawkins.

1857, James M. Shute, John S. Edgerly, Samuel llamblin, Benjamin Randall and Johu C. Tenney.

1858, James M. Shute, Johu C. Tenney, Benjamin Randall, Mark Fiske and Samuel Hamblin.

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SOMERVILLE.

1859, James M. Shute, John C. Tanvey, Benjamin Raudall, Mark Fiaka and John S. Ware.

1860, Banjamin Randall, Mark Fiske, Albert Kanoeson, Henry A. Snow and Thomas Cunningham.

1861, Banjamin Randall, Heury A. Snow, Thomas Cunningham, Al- bart Kennason and Charles H1. Guild.

1862, Banjamin Randall, Henry A. Snow, Thomas Cunoingham, Al- bert KeDoeson and Charles H. Guild.

1863, Hanry A. Suow, Thomas Cunningham, S. C. Whitehan, Levi Tomaon and John R. Poor.

1864, John R. Poor, Levi Tomson, Francia Houghton, Nelson Howe and George W. Hadlay.

1865, Nelson Howa, Levi Tomson, George W. Hadley, John R. Poor and Francis Houghton.

1866, John R. Poor, Nelson Howa, Francie Houghton, George W. Hadley and Silas H. Holland.

1867, Francia Houghtoo, George W. Hadley, Silas H. Holland, George O. Braatow and Jacob T. Glines.

1868, Francis Houghton, Silas H. Holland, Jacob T. Glinea, Charles S. Lincolo and John A. Paine.

1869, Francia Houghton, Silas H. Holland, Jacob T. Glines, John A. Paine, Charles S. Lincoln, Heraca Haskins, John G. Hall, Austin Bel- knap and Robert A. Vinal.

1870, John G. Hall, Horaca Haskina, Austin Belknap, Jr., Cyrua S. Croaby, Jacob T. Glines, Robert A. Vinal, Francia Houghton, Charlea S. Lincoln and Nelson Howa.

1871, Austin Belknap, Charlas S. Lincoln, John G. Hall, Robert A. Vinal, Horace Haskina, Cyrus T. Crosby, Person Davie, Jacob T. Glinea and Francia Houghton.

The following persons have represented Somerville in the General Court from the date of its incorpora- tion in 1843 to the present time :

1843-Calab W. Leland

1855-Jamea M. Shute

1844-NoDa

1856-Isaac Story

1845-Caleb W. Lelaod

1857 -- John S. Edgerly

1846-Nona 1858-Rollin W. Kayes

1847-None 1859-Isaac F. Shepard

1848-Noua 1860-Asa Fisk

1849-George O. Brastow

1861-Columhua Tyler

1850-Sama

1862-George O. Brastow

1851-Same

1863-Chester Guild

1852-Edward C. Purdy

1864-Charlas Powera

1853-NoDe 1865-Rohart A. Vioal

1854-Chester Guild

1866-Frederick R. Kinsley

In 1867 Somerville and Malden constituted the Fourth Representative District of Middlesex County aud were represented as follows:

1867-James Pierce, Maldad 1870-S. Z. Bowman, Somervilla David M. Bean, Malden George P. Cox, Malden

John A. Hughes, Somerville

Joseph M. Russell, Maldau

1868-Joho Runey, Somerville 1871-S. Z. Bowman, Somervilla Chester H. Guild, Somervilla

John A. Hughes, Somerville

Georga P. Cox, Maldan Joseph M. Russell, Malden

1869-George P. Cox, Maldan

1872-John H. Abbott, Maldan

John Runay, Semarvilla

Charles Taylor, Somarvilla

Chester H. Guild, Somarvilla

Samual A. Carlton, Sumerville

In 1873 Somerville, Everett and Malden constituted the Fourth Representative District in Middlesex County and were represented as follows :

1873-Quincy A. Vinal, Somarvilla Alonzo H. Evana, Everett

John H. Abbott, Malden

1874-K. C. Sleeper, Malden 1876-Theodora N. Foque, Maldeo

Horace Haskine, Somervilla

J. A. Cummings, Somervilla

In 1877 the First Ward of Somerville constituted the Fourth Representative District of Middlesex County, the Second Ward the Fifth District, the Third and Fourth Wards the Sixth District, and these districts were represented as follows :

District.

1877-Charles G. Popa . . . . 4th

Thomas Cunningham . 5th

Quincy A. Vioal . . .. 6th

Edward Glines . . . . Gtb

1883-Elijah C. Clark . . . 4th

Charles S. Liucola . . 6th

Edward Glines . . . 6th 1884-Elijah C. Clark . 4th

John M. Woods . . 5th

1880-John Haskell Butler . . 4th

. Robert L. Spear . . . . 6th

Peraou Davia . . 6th 1881-John Haskell Butler . . 4th

Quincy A. Vinal . .. . 5th

Person Davia . . . . . Gth

1886-Levi T. 8. Davis . . . . 4th Wm. H. Flyun . . . 5th Samuel C. Darling . . . 61h

In 1887 the same wards constituted the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Districts :

District.

1887-Samuel Cutler. . . . . 5th

1889-Joshua H. Davis . . . . 6th

James T. Darlio . . . . 6th Francis H. Raymond . 6th

Samuel C. Darling . . . 7th Irving L. Russell . . . 7th

1888-Samuel C. Darling . . 5th 1890-Joshua H. Davia . . . 5th

Francia H. Raymond . 6th

Francis H. Raymond . 6th

Irving L. Russell . . . 7th

Fred. K. Kilmer . . . 7th

As has been already stated, at the time of the in- corporation of Somerville as a town there was no religions society or meeting-house within its borders. In earlier times the existence of a distinct parish was almost invariably the pioneer of a new town. All through the periods of colonial and provincial days the precinct was established as the nucleus of a sep- arate municipal life, and indeed the town was almost another form of the precinct, adding civil services and methods to the ecclesiastical life of the people. In later times the factory on some outlying stream be- came the centre of a new population, which in time found it necessary to demaud a distinct corporate individuality. But Somerville, an exception to both rules, was a mere extension of the people of Charles- town farther out into the rich lands near the Mystic, without any well-marked or natural line of division- a people who gradually became so numerous as to pay a considerable sum of the town tax without re- ceiving its equivalent in improvement of schools, roads and other features of a well-governed com- munity.

The first movement made towards a separate relig- ious organization was made by Elizabeth l'age Whitt- redge, of Beverly, a teacher in one of the publie schools, who, on the 1st of June, 1842, opened a Union Sabbath-school on Medford Street. Its ofli- cers were George Tapley, superintendent ; Elizabeth Page Whittredge, assistant ; Miss E. A. Bonner, sec- retary, and Jeremiah Thorpe, librarian. This Sab- bath-school formed the nucleus of the first church, which held its first meeting in an upper room of the engine-house the third Sunday in March in 1844. Rev. Richard Manning Hodges, of Cambridge, offic- iated, and about thirty families were represented. Mr. Hodges continued his service with the society about a year, and on the 22d of August, 1844, the First Congregational Society was organized. Inume-

1875-S. Z. Bowman, Somerville

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 179

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