USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Needham > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 39
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Wellesley > History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911 : including West Needham, now the town of Wellesley, to its separation from Needham in 1881, with some reference to its affairs to 1911 > Part 39
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
In this war Needham was represented by twelve or fifteen men :- John William Jones, Oscar Carpenter Appleton Child and Charles Leland Barnes enlisted at Framingham on June 22, 1898, and were in Company C of the Fifth Massachusetts United States Volunteers. They went to Camp Meade, Steelton, Pa., about September 5, thence to Camp Wetherell, at Grenville, S. C., about November 9, where they were mustered out on March 31, 1899. Charles L. Barnes became a corporal while at Camp Wetherell. Fred L. Fanning enlisted at the same time and place as the others, and in the same regiment. He was a hospital stew- ard, and was discharged at Framingham about the first week in August. Thomas E. Wye enlisted in Company C, Fifth Massachusetts United States Volunteers, on June 22, 1898, and was at the following camps: - South Fra- mingham, Meade, and Wetherell; he was a corporal, and was mustered out with the regiment on March 31, 1899. He became a member of the same company in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia on May 25, 1899, was commissioned 2d
y
I
1 S
· r e n
S t
e
S
-
1
y
5IC
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
lieutenant on July 17, 1899, and resigned August 8, 1903. He was born in Leicester, England, April 9, 1873.1
William J. Hall, a son of Thomas Hall and grandson of Charles S. Hall, enlisted at Charlestown in Company A, Fifth Massachusetts United States Volunteers (Infantry), and later became a first sergeant in Company H, Forty- third United States Volunteers (Infantry). He had an excellent record, and was killed in the Island of Panay, Visayas, Philippines, April 15, 1900, aged twenty-one years, six months and eight days. It is said that the soldiers were massacred by the natives in a church. One of his near rela- tives says that he was killed in action at Catubig, on the Island of Samar, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, in Malden, Massachusetts.
Thomas Overton of Needham served in the United States
1 His eldest brother, John James Wye, is an honorably discharged British soldier, who served in the First Brigade of the Royal Artillery for twelve years, during seven of which he was battery sergeant-major in India. Another brother, Joseph A. Wye, was a sergeant in Company G, First Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers in the Spanish-American War. He went from Chicago to Springfield on April 26, 1898, then to Chickamauga, Ga., May 17, whence he marched to Ringgold, Ga., on June 3, and from there went to Port Tampa, Fla., June 5, thence to Key West, Fla., on July 17, to Santiago and Guantanamo, Cuba, on July 9, 1898. Was under fire at Guanica, Puerto Rico, July 25 and 26, and went to Ponce on July 28. He was detailed for duty with the Engineers at regimental head- quarters on June 19, and his record both for his service, which is designated "dis- tinguished," and for character was excellent. These three brothers are great- grandsons of one of Wellington's veterans, who was a "soldier of Waterloo." The Wye family is remarkable for energy and longevity, and until the death in February, 1911, of William Wye of Leicester, England, at the age of ninety-eight, the family had the very unusual distinction of having five generations in the male line living at one time. William Wye's father is said to have lived to be one hundred and seven, and last November John Wye of Leicester, an elder brother of William, received congratulations on completing a hundred years. Two sisters were then living in their eighties, and his deceased brothers had by no means died young, as Joseph was eighty-five, Henry eighty-seven and Thomas ninety. John T. Wye, son of William, and father of the soldiers, was born in Leicester January 3, 1839, and came to Needham from England in January, 1881. His wife and younger children followed in July of that year. Mr. Wye is a manufacturer, and is well known as a writer of verse. For seventeen years he has produced appro- priate verses for each recurring Memorial Day, and has written for other anni- versaries and occasions. His sons William H. and George E. Wye did not come to this country till some years after their father, but in a comparatively short time became successful manufacturers, and acquired honorable positions in the con- munity. Two of the sons of William H. Wye have graduated from Harvard Uni- versity, and a daughter from Wellesley College.
5II
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Navy during this war, and was stationed for some time at Washington as an orderly. He enlisted in New York.
Colin McMath enlisted in the Twenty-sixth Massa- chusetts United States Volunteers, later the Twenty-sixth Regiment of Infantry of the United States Army, and saw service in Cuba under Colonel Rice. At the conclusion of his term of enlistment he was given a reception at Highland- ville, now Needham Heights, where he had lived for many years, and was presented with a watch and chain. He re-enlisted in the Twenty-first Regiment of Infantry of the United States Army.
There was another young man who enlisted from Needham in the volunteer service during the Spanish War, but he did not go out of the United States, and does not wish his name to appear.
Franklin W. Slaney enlisted on September 12, 1904, in the Twenty-first Regiment of Infantry of the United States Army, and went to Manilla in 1905. He was nine months in Camp Clorenta, East Samara, seven months in Camp Connell, Calbayog, West Samara, and two months at Ormoc, Island of Leyte, presumably at Camp Downes. He participated in numerous skirmishes with the natives, and did much provost duty.
Undoubtedly other young men of this town have served in the Army or Navy of the United States, but their names are unknown to the writer notwithstanding inquiries. There certainly have been citizens of Needham who were in the British Army in their youth, and their records would be of great interest if obtained.
Financial
The following illustrates the financial condition of the town at different periods, and its method of doing business.
From time to time rates were made to pay town debts, and on February 15, 1714, it was voted that all persons to whom money was due from the town should have orders on the constable "only this is to be minded that the town debts to other towns Shoul be payed first". Contributions were taken up for different purposes, usually for Church needs. In 1715 Captain Fisher, Lieutenant Cook and John Smith, Sr., passed the box on "Lords days". A special contribution for the support of the Gospel, independent of the rates, was voted on November 6, 1716. The people were "to go to the box," "furder more it was voted in ffull that Timothy Kingsbery Should take Care of the money that was gathered & keep an account of what was Given free as well as what was papered up & all that was put in to the box without bein papered with the man's Name on it is to be accounted free it was voted allso that Timothy Kingsbery Should Reciue of the Constable the money which he gatheres for the minesters". On March 14, 1719/20, John Smith, Sr., was chosen "to hould out ye box upon Sab- bath Days & Diliue ye money to Josiah Kingsbery treas- urer". In 1719 Eleazer Ellis and Nathaniel Chickering each gave ten shillings, and Jonathan Battelle twelve shil- lings, to help pay the minister at Needham. These "Sprig- feld Nabors" lived in what is now Dover, and attended Church in Needham, as did some families from Newton. Occasional, or monthly, contributions toward the minister's
I
t
h
f
R
١ in
I f J
C
P a
S
I
T
t
0
(
I
F d
S
P
a
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM 513
salary, or as an addition to it, are referred to in the town records. On May 16, 1733, the town voted to pay Mr. Townsend £20 "in the Roome of the Contribution", but people might continue to contribute, the minister to keep an account, and it was to be "free Money" unless receipts were taken "Directed to the Conftable". A year later the town voted to continue the contribution, and Jeremiah Woodcock was to notify the people of the same "on the Lords Day Evening before the Saboth that the Monthly Contribution" was expected. These contributions were on the first Sundays of January, April, July and October in 1725 and were gifts to the minister, but later on "the First Saboth in Each & Every month in the year" was the day for the collection.
On June 30, 1740, the "ouer Plufh of the minifters Rates the Last year", was voted to Mr. Townsend, but in the years that followed the town was not always as liberal. In 1746 the "over Plufh" amounted to £8, 7s. There was some controversy with Mr. Townsend arising from the depreciation of the currency, and in 1750 the town claimed that £73, 6s., 8d. were equal to £go "as Silver went when he firft Setteled amongst us". In 1741 they voted him £200, of which £40 was "in Land Bank Bills as it Now paffes fouer Dubble". Mr. Townsend objected to these bills, and, after the town had once declined to meet his wishes, it later did so and the Land Bank Bills were "not Raifed". The town treated their minister fairly on the whole, and were ready to make good his salary. In 1748 a committee reported that £305, old tenor, was really due to him for 1746, '47 and '48, and the town voted him £14 in "Lawfull Money", and finally made up the arrears. In 1755 there was a vote to pay him interest on £40, 13s., 4d. from 1751. On March II, 1765, Josiah Newell, Esq., Dea. John Fisher and Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery were chosen to reckon with the Rev. Samuel West for preaching before his ordination. The foregoing has been condensed from a mass
1
1
1
514
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
of material, and seems worthy of some space, as the minis- ter's salary was the principal item of the town expenses.
CURRENCY AND TOWN DEBTS
In 1728 Ensign Thomas Fuller, Dea. Timothy Kings- bery and Robert Fuller were chosen "Truftees for to Draw or tack out thire part of the Sixty Thousand pounds Now in ye Tresurey of this Proviunce". This action referred to one of the numerous issues of Bills of Credit by the General Court, which bills were to be distributed to the towns to increase the money in circulation. The towns were to appoint as trustees men worth not less than £500 each, who were to let out this money so that it should net 6%, of which the Province was to receive 2%. This par- ticular issue was that of 1727, but in 1710 there had been one of £16,500, and in 1721 of £50,000, which latter involved a special tax. In 1736 Josiah Kingsbery, Dea. Timothy Kingsbery and Jonathan Smith were to let out the "Towns Money now in bonds", and in 1740 the selectmen and town clerk were to reckon with "the Trustees of the Loan Money and to Recon with the Committy that was to Let out the Towns Money". Similar committees were appointed later, and in 1743 Aaron Smith, Dea. Eleazer Kingsbery and Jonathan Smith were to call in this money, and to let it out on new security. Evidently to call in the money was easier than to get it, and in 1744 Jonathan Smith, Amos Fuller and Dea. Timothy Kingsbery were to see what they could accomplish. In 1759 the town voted to call in its money "that is in the truftees hands", £20 of it to be used for the town charges, and Lieut. Robert Fuller was chosen "a truftee to add to the former truftees that have the Care of the towns money". In 1761 the town voted to "Impour" the town's money.
There was a time during the War of the Revolution when one shilling in hard money was worth forty shillings in Con- tinental currency for commercial purposes, but the soldiers
515
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
were paid on the basis of thirty-six to one. By Act of the General Court in 1781 the bills of the "New Emision" were to be received in the proportion of one and seven eighths dollars for one dollar in hard money. In 1782 the town directed its collectors to "take One hard Dollor in Lue of three of the New Emifion Untill the firft Day of July Next". That year the town turned into its treasury £227, 19s., 3d. "they over paid in the New Emifion Tax", and which had been returned by vote of the General Court. In 1735 Thomas Fuller, Timothy Kingsbery, Nathaniel Bullard, Robert Fuller and Jonathan Smith were chosen "to fearch the Towns a Ccompts Refpecting the towns Debt & Credit", and they were to report on the first Wed- nesday in September if it was a "Lectuer Day", otherwise on the first lecture day after that date. Their report was accepted on October I, after two adjournments. In 1737 the town reconsidered the vote passed in March granting a rate of £40 for repairing and building pews in the meeting- house "as the felect men Have Raifed the fame by the Rate Made in the year 1736". In March, 1738/9, the committee to reckon with the town treasurer was directed to set in the treasurer's book the debit and credit and "to bring it to the Town".
On May 23, 1776, Josiah Newell, Esq., "was Chofen to take Cognizance of Debts agreeable to the act of the General Court". For three years, 1777-9, Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery was chosen to perform this duty, and in 1780 he was followed by John Slack, who was succeeded for 1781 by "Crowner" Nathaniel Fisher, when the office apparently ceased to exist in Needham.
Early in 1781 a committee of nine was "to Search ye Town Books from the year 1770" "to See what the Town is in Debt". This task required eight days for which the mem- bers of the committee charged at the rate of three shillings per day each, the usual pay of a town officer at that time, when performing special duties. In March of that year
hen 'on- iers
inis-
ngs- raw NOW Fred the the wns 500 net
par- een ved thy wns wn ney the ter, and t it was mos hey its Ised sen 'are Ur"
516
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
the town chose Captains Eleazer Kingsbery, Moses Bullard and Aaron Smith "to meet at Dedham in Conference with Other Towns in the County of Suffolk, Relating to money matters", and voted forty to five against "a Late Act of the General Court, Relating to Money". In July the town authorized the selectmen to settle with Amos Fuller, the town treasurer "for his Extraordinary Service in Serving in the Office of Town Treafurer this year". Mr. Fuller was allowed £3, which was his annual salary for some years, although in 1788 it was reduced to £1, 16s. In 1751 the town had refused to pay Captain Cook anything for his services as its treasurer for several years, although by 1792 there was a fixed salary of £2, 8s., or $12, and this was unchanged in 1840, but in 1850 had been raised to $20, and in 1879 was $240. In March, 1907, the town increased the salary of its treasurer from $300 to $500.
In 1782 Michael Metcalf, Capt. Aaron Smith, Amos Fuller, Lieut. William Fuller and Colonel MeIntosh were a committee "to See what money the Town Owes and to Settle with all the Committees that have not been Settled with And alfo to See what is owing to the Town". Their report was rejected in November, but adopted in part in December. In 1785 Capt. Aaron Smith, Lieut. William Fuller, Capt. Silas Alden, Moses Fisk and Deacon Shepard were chosen "To See what is become of the Town's Money, or how it has been laid Out", and made a report. In 1787 Messrs. Smith and Fisk, with Enoch Parker, whose name is first, were "to Search the Records to See how much the Town is in Debt". In 1791 a committee of five was chosen "to give the Town Treaf" Inftructions", and to examine the books of Amos Fuller, the late treasurer. A committee of three was "to Collect the paper money that is the towns property", and in 1791 £20 were appropriated for the "Deficiencys of Some of the former Collectors with the County", and later that year £130 were voted to pay town debts, with the proviso that if this tax was not paid to the
t
t
h
to 0 a a
b 01 A P h 1 S 0 it
I I
tr
t It I'
C I
517
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
treasurer on or before January 1, 1792, he was to take "Executions on the Collectors". Capt. Josiah Newell was to dispose of the "Paper money that is the Town Property". It is not clear what was the result of the votes passed in 1791.
TOWN DEBT
The amount of the town debt at different periods has been: 1860 $6000, 1865 (December 31) $35,289.81, 1870 $54,750, 1880 $60,000, 1900 $198,000, 1905 $292,000, 1910 $308,500.
In 1881 Needham's share of the town debt was $23,788.38, but this was practically extinguished by money received from Wellesley, and until 1890 there was no town debt other than temporary loans in anticipation of taxes. On March 19, 1900, the town voted to refund, rather than to pay, the maturing water and high school bonds, authority having been obtained from the General Court to do so. This far-reaching departure by the town from its con- servative financial policy was opposed by the writer and others, William G. Moseley making an able speech against it. In March, 1908, although the tax rate was high, it was voted to resume paying a portion of these maturing bonds.
In 1837 the surplus revenue was distributed by the Federal Government to the States, and thus indirectly to the cities and towns. Needham voted to apply $2000 of its share to pay off the mortgage on the town farm, which apparently had been reduced $500 the year before, and also voted to create a school fund of $2000.
In 1854 there was discussion as to reimbursing the town treasurer, Elisha Lyon, to the amount of $181, which he had paid to the town. This sum of money had been burned, while temporarily on deposit in his bed, when his house was consumed in March, 1853. The vote desired by Deacon Lyon finally passed. This was not the first loss of money that the town had had from fire, as in 1714, or early in
he
mos re a to led heir :in am ard ey, 87 me the sen ine tee ns he the
llard with toney ct of town , the ving was ears, the his 1792 was $20, ased
518
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
1715, the house of Constable Matthias Ockinton was burned, with his accounts, and confusion resulted as to who had paid rates and who had not. The constable questioned the statements of some persons who claimed that they had paid in full, or in part.
COMMITTEE TO RECKON WITH THE TOWN TREASURER, AND AUDITORS
The question of the efficient auditing of the town ac- counts has always furnished material for discussion, and has often been referred to a special committee. On March 20, 1727, Sergeant John Smith and Josiah Kingsbery were chosen a "Commity to Reckon with the Town Treferue ". A committee of three (apparently of four in 1818) was chosen annually until 1859, when the selectmen and town clerk were made an auditing committee. On April 2, 1860, the town chose Edgar K. Whitaker, George K. Daniell and Robert Mansfield as auditors, thus finally changing the old name of this committee. In 1882 the number of auditors was reduced to two, and on March 5, 1900, the town voted that the auditors should be auditors of accounts, and chose two for 1900, with the proviso that subsequently there was to be but one, and he was to receive a small salary.
The Town Auditors since 1901 have been :-
Harrie S. Whittemore 1901 (who also served in 1897- 1900), Leonard Dawson 1902-6, five years, Walter F. Snow 1907-9 (resigned August 1), Arthur E. Smith 1909 (ap- pointed by the selectmen in August) - .
The town gave special attention to the matter of audit- ing its accounts in 1875, 1893, 1894 and 1900.
On January 13, 1910, the town adopted a code of by-laws, and under section 5 the moderator was directed to appoint at the annual meeting a Finance Committee consisting of nine citizens, who were to serve for terms of one, two and three years, and he was given authority to name the suc- cessors of those whose terms expired at each annual meeting
519
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
for all time. This extraordinary by-law was amended at the annual meeting on March 7, and beginning with 1911 the members of this committee were to be elected the same as other town officers. Leonard Dawson, John E. Buckley and John A. Tilton were chosen in 191I.
Benjamin Slack, Esq., served on the committee to reckon with the town treasurer for twenty-three years between 1799 and 1836. In 1902 the town appropriated $150 to pay for the bonds of certain town officers, and there has since been an annual grant for this purpose.
It is a singular coincidence that the earliest treasurer's book of the Town of Needham, 1730-69, and also that of the first treasurer of the First Parish in Needham, 1778- , are both in the possession of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
ASSESSMENT OF TAXES - ASSESSORS
There has been the same general system of taxation in Massachusetts from its first settlement to the present time.
In 1735 it was necessary to levy a separate rate to raise money voted for the assistance of a poor woman and her child, because the assessors then combined only such appro- priations as the town by a special vote directed, and for many years from May 21, 1733, such votes were annually passed. The County tax often formed a part of the general town rate, but not the Province tax, or the minister's salary. For many of the years the same individuals were chosen both as selectmen and as assessors, but were sepa- rately elected and sworn. In 1766 Josiah Newell, Esq., absolutely refused to serve as selectman if he must also be assessor; the town yielded, and chose a distinct board of assessors. The same situation existed at other times. In 1726 Captain Cook was chosen "Commiffioner for Affeff- ment," and in 1732/3 assessors who were not also selectmen were elected for the first time in this town. At the annual
ap- dit-
int of
97-
60, and the tors ted ose ere
ac- and rch ere e". was
ed, had ned had
520
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
meeting in 1748/9 the assessors were chosen by a hand vote instead of by the customary "paper vote." In the record for March 6, 1729/30, there is a quaint account of an agreement by the assessors to pay from their own pockets the "Rats" of John Smith, Jr., whom they had in error assessed in both lists, and it appears that on the 7th they paid; a course which later assessors have not followed. In 1736/7 the town voted that "the affefers Should keep a Copey of the Lifts of the Rats from Year to Year and deliver them to the next affefers that are Chofen."
In 1850 the town voted to choose an assessor in each school district, the Lower Falls to have two, but on recon- sideration four assistant assessors were elected to partici- pate in making a general valuation. In 1889 the three- year term for assessors was adopted, but in 1894 the town returned to annual elections of selectmen and assessors, in consequence of the alleged arbitrary conduct of the former. In 1904 the assessors were chosen for one, two and three years respectively, the town having voted on March 2, 1903, to resume electing them for three-year terms, but not the selectmen.
The assessors have always been paid by the day, and in 1727 Thomas Metcalf and Eleazer Kingsbery were allowed £I each for assisting in taking a valuation that year, and the assessors, who were also selectmen, were granted £4, 8s. In 1735 it cost £5 to assess a Province tax, and £r for a town tax. On June 4, 1751, the town voted the assessors for 1749 £2 "to be Equaly divided amongft them ", and in February, 1751/2, Eleazer Kingsbery, Jr., had an order for twelve shillings for making rates in 1750. On October 4, 1752, the town refused to have a rate to pay former as- sessors, "or any of them," but in 1761 the assessors were paid four shillings each per day for taking a special valua- tion. The number of days that each man worked was as follows: - Amos Fuller five days, Lemuel Pratt seven and one half days, Robert Fuller ten and one half days, Samuel
521
THE HISTORY OF NEEDHAM
Mackentire eight days and Capt. Eleazer Kingsbery eleven days.
In 1765 and 1766 the assessors were paid two shillings per day each, for taking the valuation, and in 1768 three shillings per day, which continued to be their compensation for some years, with the addition of the sum of sixteen shillings each "for making the rates". During the period of the greatest depreciation of the currency, which was in 1779 and in 1780, Michael Metcalf was paid £102 for thirty-four days taking a valuation, and Colonel MeIntosh £540 for forty-two days. Lieut. Samuel Townsend was granted £1, Ios. "for his Copying of the Single Rate, and the State Tax laft June (1778) to Send to the General Court". In the years prior to 1776 the town paid annually 2s., 6d. for the paper for the use of the assessors. If all of the assessors worked it usually required about fourteen days to complete the valuation, make the rates, apportion the highway taxes and school money to the districts, and to issue the warrants, including those to the surveyors of the highways.
For seventy-five years there was little increase in the time required to assess and "make" the taxes, but a "Gen- eral Valuation" nearly doubled the number of days con- sumed, and in 1850 such a valuation cost over $500, an un- paralleled amount for that period. In 1795 the assessors were paid 662 cents per day each, in 1798 $1, in 1830 $1.25, in 1850 $2 per day each, and, with the exception of a few years, they have rarely received more than the minimum allowed by law. The compensation of the entire board, including clerk hire and the use of horses, has been: - 1830 $40, 1840 $53, 1852 $85, 1860 $485.23, 1870 $663, 1880 $590.13, 1882 $264.35, 1890 $437.50, 1895 $336. In 1905 the annual cost of the assessors' department had increased to nearly $1000, and in 1910 to about $1900.
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.