USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > History of Newburyport, Mass., 1764-1905, Volume I > Part 17
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When Newburyport was incorporated, in 1764, the meeting house in Market square and the burying ground near Frog
1 " Ould Newbury," p. 387.
2 History of Newbury (Currier), p. 226; " Ould Newbury " (map of Frog pond and vicinity), p. 610.
215
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD
pond were included within the limits of the new town. In 1773, the selectmen were authorized "to do what they shall think best respecting the fencing and enlarging the Burying Place in this Town."I In 1790, the town voted to add several acres of land to the enclosure and extend it to Pond street on ยท the west and Auburn street on the north.2
The place is now known as the Old Hill burying ground. On the northwesterly side of the hill several French refugees, who came to Newburyport from Gaudaloupe and Santo Domin- go, are buried and near by is the grave of the eccentric Lord Timothy Dexter. Seven seamen,-the crew of the brig Poca- hontas, wrecked on Plum island December 23, 1839,-are buried on the southwesterly side of the enclosure.3
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.
In 1738, the frame of St. Paul's church was raised on land owned by Joseph Atkins, Esq., at the corner of High street and Ordway's lane, in Newbury, but the building was not com- pleted until near the close of the year 1740.
The first person buried in the graveyard adjoining the church was Elizabeth Davis, who died July 17, 1742, aged seventeen months, daughter of Ambrose and Margaret Davis.
When a part of the town of Newbury was set off and incor- porated by the name of Newburyport, in 1764, St. Paul's church-yard was near the geographical centre of the new town.
Within its narrow limits many prominent members of the church are buried, including the Right Reverend Edward Bass, D. D., first bishop of the diocese of Massachusetts, and Hon. Tristram Dalton, first senator in congress from Massachusetts after the adoption of the Federal constitution.4 In the half- tone print on the next page Mr. Dalton's tombstone is shown in the foreground.
1 Newburyport Town Records, vol. I., p. 173.
2 Newburyport Town Records, vol. II., p. 18.
3 " Ould Newbury," pp. 453-463.
4 "' Ould Newbury," p. 419.
216
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.
HIGHLAND CEMETERY.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Newburyport, held July 10, 1800, the treasurer of the town was authorized "to pur- chase of William Coffin Little five acres of land for a Burying ground."1
In the deed conveying this land to the town of Newburyport, dated July 29, 1800, William Coffin Little and Francis Little reserved about five rods at the northerly corner, "in which there are now several graves," for a family burial lot.2 Grave- stones bearing the following inscriptions now stand there :-
William Coffin Ripp Son of Mr William & Mrs Sarah Ripp who died 12, 1739 aged 7 months - Days
1 Newburyport Town Records, vol. II., p. 228.
2 " Ould Newbury," p. 605.
2 I 7
HIGHLAND CEMETERY
Here lies Buried The Body of Mr William Ripp who died July 13th 1740
Here lies Buried The Body of Sarah Little
Ye Darter of Mr John and Mrs.
in ye 46th Year
Temperance Little
of his age.
Died Jan. 30, 1754 I Year 9 mo old.
August 14, 1800, the inhabitants of Newburyport appointed a committee consisting of Enoch Titcomb, Nicholas Pike and John B. Titcomb, to take into consideration the laying out of the New Hill burying ground ;1 and, March 26, 1801, the selectmen leased for three years, to Moses Hoyt, "about four acres of the land lately purchased by the Town for a burying ground " upon condition that the said Hoyt plow up at least one acre of the land each year and on or before the termination of the lease lay the whole four acres down to grass.2
The new grave-yard, like the Old Hill burying ground, was near the centre of the town and bearers were employed to carry the dead from the house to the grave. Hearses were not used until ten or twelve years later. At a town meeting held March 23, 1813, it was voted "to buy two hearses for the use of the town," 3 and the following items were approved and allowed, April 6, 1814, by a committee appointed to audit the accounts of the selectmen :- +
Cost of hearse & harness $167.57 128.95
Cost of house for ditto
April 19, 1839, the selectmen were instructed to procure
. a new hearse and enlarge the hearse house.
March 14, 1848, the selectmen were instructed to purchase the Davenport pasture, so called, adjoining the New Hill bury- ing ground, and on the same day a committee, previously appointed, consisting of Charles H. Hudson, Philip K. Hills and Nathaniel S. Osgood, recommended that the land be laid
' Newburyport Town Records, vol. II., p. 230.
2 Newburyport (Selectmen's) Records.
3 Newburyport Town Records, vol. II., p. 443.
4 Newburyport Town Records, vol. II., p. 470.
218
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
out in burial lots, so far as possible, and conveyed to individ- uals who may wish to purchase them. The committee also recommended the selection of a suitable place for a burying ground at each extremity of the town.1
March 27, 1848, Anthony and William Davenport sold to the inhabitants of Newburyport about twelve acres of land bounded on Low street, West India lane, the town's land, and land owned by the Eastern Railroad Company,2 and the next year, on the second day of April, the town " voted to lay out the Burial Grounds in Lots and Tiers, the lots to be sold at a reasonable price."3
In 1870, adjoining land was purchased of Susan H. Coffin and John Little and added to the burying ground.4 Grave- stones and monuments to the memory of Rev. Samuel P. Wil- liams, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Rev. Samuel Spring, pastor of the North church, Rev. John Boddily and Rev. John Giles, pastors of the Second Presbyterian church, James Prince, collector of the port, Margaret Atwood, Edmund Bartlett, Hannah F. Gould, Hon. Caleb Cushing and others who were prominent in the religious, social or political life of Newburyport, are in the enclosure formerly known as the New Hill burying ground, now a part of Highland cemetery.5
OAK HILL CEMETERY.
A few of the prominent citizens of Newburyport, having purchased several acres of land on the southeasterly side of the turnpike, now State street, were incorporated by the name of the Oak Hill Cemetery Association June 20, 1842.
Officers were chosen, trees and shrubs were planted, and avenues and paths laid out. The property was soon trans- formed into a well-arranged and attractive cemetery, which was consecrated, July twenty-first, with appropriate exercises, including an address by Rev. Jonathan F. Stearns, and the
1 Newburyport Town Records, vol. IV., p. 296.
2 Essex Deeds, book 395, leaves 209, 210.
3 Newburyport Town Records, vol. IV., p. 324.
4 Essex Deeds, book 795, leaf 196.
5 " Ould Newbury," pp. 605-609.
-
219
ATKINSON COMMON
singing of two original hymns, one written by Miss Hannah F. Gould and the other by Hon. George Lunt.
In 1855, a way. leading from State street to Brown street was extended to the cemetery, and in July, 1864, an imposing granite gateway was erected at this new entrance,- a memo- rial gift from John S. Tappan, Esq., of New York city."
In 1894, additional land was purchased, extending the south- ern limit of the cemetery to Parker street where another gate- way was erected by John T. Brown, Esq., who subsequently gave, in his will, dated August 7, 1900, and proved December 5, 1901, the rest and residue of his property, after the pay- ment of certain bequests, to the trustees of the cemetery to be used in the erection of a memorial chapel.2 When the amount due from Mr. Brown's estate becomes available the chapel will probably be erected on land that has recently been graded near the main entrance to the cemetery.
CATHOLIC CEMETERY.
St. Mary's cemetery, on Storey avenue, was laid out in 1874, and consecrated by Archbishop Williams of Boston, in 1876, as a burial place for the communicants of the Roman Catholic church residing in Newburyport and vicinity. It has an area of twenty-three acres, and contains over fifteen hun- dred burial lots, with well-graded avenues and paths, aggre- gating two or three miles in length.
ATKINSON COMMON.
Mrs. Eunice Atkinson Currier, in her will, dated March 23, 1867, and proved June 17, 1873, gave to the city of Newbury- port several acres of land on High street near the junction of Moseley avenue, Storey avenue, and the Ferry road " to be known forever as Atkinson Common."
On the first day of September following, an ordinance pro- viding for the appointment of a board of commissioners, to take charge of and superintend the laying out of this common, was passed by the city council. No attempt, however, was
1 " Ould Newbury," pp. 701-705.
2 Probate Records, book 585, leaf 250.
220
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
made to improve the property and it remained an uncultivated field until September 4, 1893, when the Belleville Improve- ment society, was organized and begun the work that has transformed the neglected field into a beautiful park, by grading the land, deepening the soil, laying out walks and planting trees and shrubs.
In 1895, the society become interested in a plan to erect a monument, on Atkinson Common, to the soldiers and sailors
%
STATUE ON ATKINSON COMMON.
who served in the Civil war. At the suggestion of Mr. Walter B. Hopkinson a monument association was organized January 18, 1896, consisting of representatives from A. W. Bartlett post, No. 49, of the Grand Army of the Republic, Belleville Improvement society, City Improvement society and Woman's Relief corps. The money needed to carry the plan into effect was contributed by the several societies named above and by a few friends interested in the work of the association. Mr. William H. Swasey was the largest individual contributor.
22I
SHOE MANUFACTORIES
The statue of a soldier returning from the war, designed and modeled by Mrs. Theo Alice (Ruggles) Kitson, wife of Henry Hudson Kitson, of Boston, was selected as an ar- tistic and appropriate design for the monument. It was sub- sequently cast in bronze and placed on a rough boulder near the entrance to Atkinson Common. It was presented, with imposing ceremonies, to the city of Newburyport July 4, 1902, by Mr. Walter B. Hopkinson, president of the monu- ment association, and accepted by Hon. Moses Brown, mayor.1
SHOE MANUFACTORIES.
Although boots and shoes were made within the present limits of Newburyport before the town was incorporated, in 1764, only a few persons were engaged in the business at that early date. The shops were small, not large enough to ac- commodate more than three or four workmen, and the total value of the boots and shoes manufactured in these shops, prob- ably, did not exceed a few thousand dollars annually.
A century later, the business had expanded somewhat. In 1864, John D. Pike and Horace Choate under the firm-name of John D. Pike & Co., had a shop on High street, near the head of Ashland street, where they employed about twenty- five hands. Jacob T. Rowe occupied an adjoining building, employing about the same number of men. Elbridge K. Batchelder had a shop on the same street, near the westerly corner of Jefferson street, where he employed as many more ; and Edward F. Tibbetts manufactured boots and slippers near Threadneedle alley, on State street, and afterwards at No. 17 Middle street, employing from twenty-five to thirty men and women, who received about two hundred dollars weekly for their labor.
In 1866, Nathan D. Dodge and John H. Balch, under the firm-name of Dodge & Balch, leased several rooms over the First National Bank, on State street, where they manufactured shoes for six or eight months and then removed to No. 33
1 Newburyport Herald, July 5, 1902; Newburyport Daily Evening News, July 5, 1902.
222
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
Pleasant street. In December, 1867, they sold their stock in trade to Elisha P. Dodge and Joseph N. Danforth.
Nathan D. Dodge removed to Troy, New York, where he remained until 1869, when he returned to Newburyport and, in company with William H. P. Dodge, under the firm-name of Nathan D. Dodge & Brother, began the manufacture of ladies' boots and slippers in two small wooden buildings on Water street near the foot of Fair street. This partnership was disolved in 1871. Nathan D. Dodge, however, continued business in the same place until 1872 when he removed to the brick building, No. 17 Water street, near the custom house. He remained there for twelve months, and then occupied the second and third floors of No. 37 Water street until 1878, when he purchased a brick building on Prince place, erected for a yarn factory, and continued in business there until 1889.
In 1890, the Nathan D. Dodge & Son company was organized. They commenced business in a wooden building then standing on the corner of Middle and Fair streets. Sub- sequently, the company removed to Amesbury and soon after dissolved.
In August, 1892, the N. D. Dodge & Bliss company was incorporated ; Nathan D. Dodge, president, and Charles A. Bliss, treasurer. The company commenced the manu- facture of boots and shoes in a building previously occupied by the Standard Yarn company on Tracy court. A shop on Dalton street was leased for one year, in 1895, and, subsequent- ly, a building on Fair street, near the corner of Water street, was occupied until 1899, when the company leased the armory building on Prince place and established itself in business there. It is still in active operation, employing two hundred and twenty-five men and women and turning out one thousand pairs of shoes daily.
Most, if not all, of the labor-saving machinery now used by this and other boot and shoe manufacturing companies, has been invented and developed, in competition with hand labor, since Mr. Dodge began business in Newburyport, in 1866.
In December, 1867, Elisha P. Dodge of Newburyport and Joseph N. Danforth of Georgetown, under the firm-name of
223
SHOE MANUFACTORIES
Dodge & Danforth, began the manufacture of ladies' shoes in the second story of a wooden building on the southeasterly corner of Pleasant street and Hale's court. The firm was dissolved in 1868, but Mr. Dodge, in company with John H. Balch, under the firm-name of E. P. Dodge & Co., occupied
ELISHA P. DODGE.
the building and manufactured shoes there until July 1, 1872, when the partnership was terminated by mutual consent. After that date, Mr. Dodge continued the business on his own ac- count, with William H. Swasey as a special partner. In 1873, he erected the brick factory, No. 21 Pleasant street, and, in
224
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
July, 1875, with Edwin N. Sherrill and Henry B. Little as co- partners, under the firm-name of E. P. Dodge & Sherrill, he extended his trade in the southern and western states and found it necessary to enlarge the factory in order to meet the demands of his customers. In 1877, Mr. Swasey and Mr. Sherrill withdrew from the firm, and Mr. Dodge and Mr. Little, under the firm-name of E. P. Dodge & Co., continued the business until 1889, when the E. P. Dodge Manufacturing company was organized and incorporated, with Elisha P. Dodge, president, and Henry B. Little, treasurer. Early in the spring of 1902, the company sold all its stock in trade to the C. A. Ellis company, who still continue to manufacture boots and shoes in the brick factory, No. 21 Pleasant street.
For thirty-five years Mr. Dodge was interested in the work of establishing and developing the shoe industry in Newbury- port.
He was one of the first to combine the many parts of shoe manufac- turing under one roof and to build and successfully operate a large estab- lishment where from the raw materials shoes were made up, complete from start to finish, under the management and care of one man. Others who have followed owe much to the example set by him, who was one of the pioneers in the manufacture of shoes on a large scale.I
Mr. Dodge died September 30, 1902. On Sunday, the six- teenth day of November following, a memorial service was held in the Unitarian meeting house on Pleasant street. It was attended by friends and relatives of the deceased ; mem- bers of the city government, and many of the prominent and active business men of the city.
In 1888, Harry D. Dodge and Chauncey W. Dodge, under the firm-name of Dodge Brothers, commenced the manu- facture of boots and shoes in a small building on Prince place. In 1889, they leased a larger building, on the corner of Fair and Middle streets, previously used as a meeting house by the Universalist society of Newburyport. In 1891, they removed
' Biographical Sketch of Elisha P. Dodge and Report of the Memorial Service in the Unitarian Meeting House, p. 80. Mr. Dodge was born in Ipswich Octo- ber 5, 1847.
225
SHOE MANUFACTORIES
to No. 102 Merrimack street, opposite the foot of Market street. In 1902, they rented the two upper stories of the brick building, No. 37 Water street, just below the custom house, which they still occupy, in addition to the factory on Merrimack street. They have also recently increased their manufacturing facilities by enlarging the factory at the foot of Market street, and leasing the building on Prince place, formerly occupied by the Newburyport Shoe company.
In 1889, Daniel S. Burley and William R. Usher, under the firm-name of Burley & Usher, were engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes in Milton, N. H., and Springvale, Me. In 1891, they leased a large wooden building on Merrimack street, between Titcomb and Market streets, in Newburyport. In 1893, William R. Usher withdrew from the firm, and Daniel S. Burley, J. P. Stevens, and William H. Sargent, under the firm-name of Burley, Stevens & Co., continued to occupy the factory on Merrimack street until it was destroyed by fire, Oc- tober 31, 1894, when they removed to the brick building on the corner of Kent and Munroe streets, formerly owned and occupied by the Ocean Mills Company for the manufacture of cotton cloth. Mr. Sargent having withdrawn from the firm and removed to Lynn in 1899, the business since that date has been carried on by Daniel S. Burley and J. P. Stevens, under the firm-name of Burley & Stevens.
William R. Usher dissolved his connection with Burley & Usher in 1893, and with his son, William A. Usher, com- menced the manufacture of boots and shoes at Springvale, Me., in 1894, under the firm-name of William R. Usher & Son. In 1898, the members of the firm were incorporated by the name of the William R. Usher & Son Shoe company, having an office in Griffin block on Pleasant street, Newburyport. The factory at Springvale was destroyed by fire. April 14, 1905, and the company is now making arrangements to start a new factory in Newburyport.
The Barton Shoe company, established in 1899, Lewis F. Barton, proprietor, has a convenient and commodious factory
226
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
at No. 26 Charter street, where ladies' and children's shoes and slippers are manufactured, and one hundred and fifty men and women employed.
The Baby Shoe company, established in 1900, Fred E. Manson, proprietor, occupies the third story of the Morss building on Inn street, where shoes for infants are manufac- tured and sold to the New England trade.
ICE DEALERS.
In the winter of 1840, Charles Smith cut from Frog pond several hundred tons of ice, which he stored, and sold during the following summer. This new industry was popular and well patronized for several years, but in 1845 the purity of the ice was questioned and a correspondent replied, in the col- umns of the Herald, "No town is supplied with better ice than Mr. Smith furnishes his customers." Five years later, how- ever, Mr. Smith considered it advisable to secure a larger and better supply from Pentucket pond in Georgetown.2 He con- tinued to cut and deliver ice from Georgetown, and afterwards from a small pond in Newbury, until his death, August 29, 1879, when his children, Charles T. Smith, Jacob H. Smith and Harriet M. Smith, under the firm-name of Charles T. Smith & Co., took charge of the business which they still con- trol.3
In addition to the above-named firm the following persons are ice dealers in Newburyport at the present time : James E. Frost, son and successor to James N. Frost, who was es- tablished in business as early as 1878 ;4 Wilbur Abbott, broth- er and successor to Andrew M. Abbott ;5 and the Newbury- port Ice company, Cornelius F. Creedon, proprietor, estab- lished in 1903.
1 Newburyport Herald, August 12, 1845.
2 Advertisement in the Newburyport Herald, November 25, 1850, and May 21, 1853.
3 Charles T. Smith died June 7, 1904.
4 James N. Frost died January 31, 1905.
5 Andrew M. Abbott was an ice dealer in Newburyport from 1887 to 1895.
22 7
STREET SPRINKLING
STREET SPRINKLING.
In 1860, William Porter, teamster, having purchased a wa- tering cart, made arrangements to sprinkle with water a few streets in the centre of the city during the summer months. He collected a small sum weekly from persons owning or oc- cupying houses or stores on the streets sprinkled. A similar arrangement was made the next year, and annually thereafter, until the death of Mr. Porter in 1885. Frank H. Plumer, in company with Charles R. Fogg, had charge of the sprink- ling for several years after that date. Later, Jeremiah Cash- man provided the carts and furnished the water. He died April 24, 1895. During the summer of 1896, the streets were sprinkled by Daniel Cashman ; and since then the work has been done by Michael and Daniel Cashman, under the firm- name of Cashman Brothers.
The sprinkling of High street, owing to the scarcity of water and the cost of applying it, was delayed until 1875, when Michael H. Simpson of Boston purchased two watering carts and employed William B. Porter to sprinkle the street during the summer months, between Bromfield and Kent streets. This arrangement was continued from year to year until the death of Mr. Simpson, in 1885.
The next year, the Newburyport Street Sprinkling associa- tion, consisting of Elisha P. Dodge, Lawrence B. Cushing, T. Gillis Todd, Joseph E. Moody, Charles W. Moseley, William O. Moseley, Thomas C. Simpson and John J. Currier, was or- ganized ; and the association purchased the watering carts owned by the estate of Mr. Simpson, subscriptions were re- ceived from the owners of property on High street, and ar- rangements were made to sprinkle the street between Marl- borough and Kent streets and afterward to Woodland street. In his will, Mr. Simpson gave to the city of Newburyport twenty thousand dollars, the income to be expended " for the purpose of watering the streets of the city." A portion of this income was paid annually to the Newburyport Street Sprink- ling association, and the balance was used to defray a part of the cost of watering Pleasant and State streets and Market square.
228
HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
In 1897, the General Court passed an act providing for the watering of streets in any city in the commonwealth, and the city council of Newburyport, having determined that High street, and certain other streets.in the centre of the city, should be watered at the expense of the abuttors, the Newburyport Sprinkling association voted, July 13, 1897, to dispose of its property and dissolve the organization. Since that date the watering of streets, in whole or in part, within the limits of Newburyport, has been under the care and control of the board of mayor and aldermen.
BARTLETT SPRING WATER SUPPLY.
In 1842, a corporation by the name of the James Steam Mills was organized in Newburyport for the manufacture of cotton goods. In 1845, the stockholders of that corporation petitioned the General Court for liberty to erect and maintain a bleachery in the town of Newbury, and lay pipes through the streets of Newbury and Newburyport " for the purpose of supplying said towns with water for domestic and manufactur- ing purposes."I A committee, appointed by the legal voters of the last-named town to confer with the petitioners, reported February 13, 1846, that Charles T. James, and others associ- ated with him, proposed to supply the inhabitants of New- buryport with water from Bartlett spring in Newbury, and recommended that the prayer of the petitioners be granted, the town to have the right to put in hydrants at its own expense, and use the water for extinguishing fires. The report of the committee was accepted and a certified copy sent to Hon. Dennis Condry of Newbury, one of the senators from Essex county, at the state house in Boston.2 During the next two or three weeks, however, the plan was materially modified, and March 7, 1846, the Newbury Spring Bleaching Company was incorporated, and a small pond on the southwesterly side of Oak Hill cemetery purchased.3 Water for extinguishing
1 Newburyport Town Records, vol. IV., p. 233; History of Newbury (Currier), P. 302.
2 Newburyport Town Records, vol. IV., p. 239.
8 Acts and Resolves, 1846, ch, 85.
229
BARTLETT SPRING WATER SUPPLY
fires and for manufacturing purposes was taken from this pond and conveyed by the shortest and most direct route from the turnpike, now State street, to the James Steam Mills, on Charles street, Newburyport.
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