USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > History of Newburyport, Mass., 1764-1905, Volume I > Part 39
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Rules and regulations for the management of the associa- tion were adopted and rooms were provided and opened, three days and three evenings in every week, for the use of mem- bers. A valuable collection of books was purchased and news- papers from nearly every state in the Union were placed on file as soon as received. In 1812, the library was in charge of W. B. Bannister, Esq., in chambers over the bookstore of Edward Little & Co. in Cornhill.1 In 1835, Caleb Cushing,
1 Newburyport Herald and Country Gazette, January 1, 1836.
2 Newburyport Herald and Country Gazette, April 22, 1803.
3 Newburyport Herald and Country Gazette, April 7, 1807.
4 Acts and Resolves, 1809-1810, ch. 54.
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Henry Frothingham, Henry C. Perkins and Roger S. Howard were trustees of the Athenaeum, and during that year the Gen- eral Court of Massachusetts passed an act limiting the number of votes to be cast by each shareholder, or by his legally author- ized representative, at the regular or special meetings of the association. In 1846, an unsuccessful attempt was made to raise a permanent fund for the purchase of books and the erection of a suitable library building.2 In the month of January, 1849, the shareholders voted to dissolve the associa- tion ; and the books and papers were sold at auction February 20, 1849.
The Franklin library was established by an association of merchants and mechanics in 1812.3 Enoch Noyes, librarian, announced in the Newburyport Herald on the eleventh day of February that books would be delivered at the house of any subscriber, when called for, any day in the week, Sundays excepted, from five o'clock a. m. until nine o'clock p. m. Samuel T. DeFord was librarian in 1825, and J. Stone, Jr., in 1828. In 1830, or the year following, the library was probably united with the " Second Social Library of New- buryport."4
"The Religious Library," containing theological, moral and instructive books, was in operation as early as May 4, 1813, and perhaps earlier. Meetings of subscribers were held annually from that date until May 25, 1838.
In 1815, Charles Whipple advertised "a new circulating library for books for delivery to subscribers " at No. 4 State street,5 and evidently continued to supply patrons with the pop- ular books of the day for many years.6
1 Newburyport Herald, January 21, 1812.
2 " There is nothing we should like better to do just now, did we possess the ability, than to give to this institution a neat and substantial building and endow it with a fund sufficient to support a library of the first class and a public reading room." Newburyport Herald, March 13, 1846.
3 History of Newburyport (Cushing), p. 69; History of Newbury (Coffin), p. 278.
4 Newburyport Herald, April 16 and December 21, 1830.
5 Newburyport Herald and Commercial Gazette, June 6, 1815.
6 Newburyport Herald and Commercial Gazette, December 27, 1825.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
"The Merrimack Circulating Library," established in 1807, was removed in 1815 to the office of W. & J. Gilman, print- ers, No. 2 Middle street, and new books were added from year to year until February 26, 1839, when the library was sold at auction.
In 1837, John Gray, Jr., had a circulating library at No. 3 South Row, Market square, which was subsequently known as "The Phoenix Circulating Library." It was sold to A. A. Call, bookseller, who notified subscribers, January 4, 1842, that they could obtain library books by calling for them at his store near the foot of State street.
"The Washington Circulating Library," established by John G. Tilton in 1840, was in operation until 1846, when it was temporarily suspended. It was re-opened, however, in 1851, and continued to thrive until the Newburyport Public library was established in 1855.
The need of a large and well-selected library, accessible to every person residing within the limits of Newburyport, was urgently advocated by the editors and publishers of the New- buryport Herald.1
The advantages which well regulated public libraries offer in enlight- ening and prospering a people, are not yet appreciated in this country, but we are persuaded the time is coming when it will be a matter of as- tonishment that they have so long been overlooked. We need in this town a well endowed library which shall be open to all and in the pros- perity of which and the extension of its usefulness all shall feel an interest.2
At a meeting of some of the prominent citizens of New- buryport, held September 7, 1850, Hon. Caleb Cushing was chosen chairman and A. A. Call, secretary.3 A series of res- olutions were adopted, favoring the establshment of a public library, and a committee, consisting of Luther F. Dimmick, Caleb Cushing, A. A. Call, William H. Wells, Thomas W. Higginson, Moses D. Randall, Amos Tappan, Eben F. Stone®
1 Newburyport Herald, March 12, 1841.
2 Newburyport Herald, May 31, 1844.
3 Newburyport Herald, September 9, 1850.
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LIBRARIES
and Philip K. Hills, was appointed to prepare rules and regu- lations for its management and solicit funds for its support. The committee reported on the thirteenth day of September, and a few days later an appeal for pecuniary assistance signed by Luther F. Dimmick, Caleb Cushing and Thomas W. Hig- ginson, was published in the Newburyport Herald. Subse- quently, a petition was presented to the General Court for an act of incorporation." The twenty-first article in the warrant for the annual town meeting held in March, 1851, reads as follows :-
To see if the town will furnish and appropriate a room in the new Town Hall for a public library and light and warm it in winter agreeably to the petition of Eben F. Stone and others.2
No definite action was taken at the annual meeting, and at the adjourned meeting held two or three weeks later the sub- ject was indefinitely postponed. May 24, 1851, the General Court granted cities and towns liberty to establish and main- tain public libraries.3 After some delay the Merrimack Libra- ry Association was organized, and all persons interested were invited to attend a meeting called for the purpose of maturing plans and providing for the purchase of books.4 A committee, consisting of Eben F. Stone, Samuel J. Spalding, Edson G. French and William H. Wells, was chosen to receive dona- tions of books and money, and in May a room was opened in the Merchants Bank building, on the corner of State and Charter streets, where the library was temporarily established.5 In October, it was removed to the corner of State and Pleas- ant streets, where it remained, accessible to subscribers on the
1 Newburyport Herald, September 20 and 21, 1850.
2 Newburyport Town Records, vol. IV., pp. 358 and 365.
3 Acts and Resolves, 1851, ch. 305. By a special act of the General Court the city of Boston was authorized, in 1848, to raise money for the support of a public library, but no definite plans were matured until 1853, when Joshua Bates, Esq., an eminent merchant of London, gave fifty thousand dollars to establish a fund for the purchase of books. A convenient room in a building on Mason street, leased for the use of the library, was opened to the public March 20, 1854. The corner-stone of the library building on Boylston street, was laid September 17, 1855. The building was completed and dedicated January 1, 1858.
4 Newburyport Herald, January 31, 1852.
5 Newburyport Herald, May 4, 1852.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
payment of a small annual fee, until rooms were provided in City hall for the free public library."
September 18, 1854, a communication from Hon. Josiah Little, giving to the city of Newburyport upon certain terms and conditions the sum of five thousand dollars for the pur- pose of establishing a free public library, was read at a meet- ing of the mayor and aldermen. This gift was accepted on the second day of October following, and a room on the first floor on the northwesterly side of City hall was fitted up, by order of the city council, for the use of the library. Hon. Charles Jackson and Col. Samuel Swett of Boston gave a large number of valuable books, and the citizens of Newbury- port were asked to contribute works of historical or biograph- ical interest. New books on science, philosophy and art were purchased by a committee consisting of Hon. Moses Daven- port, Rev. Leonard Withington, Rev. Luther F. Dimmick, Rev. Daniel T. Fiske, and Nathaniel Hills, Esq. The library was opened with public exercises in City hall on Wednesday, September 5, 1855, Rev. Daniel T. Fiske, D. D., delivering an address appropriate to the occasion.
In April, 1864, a brick dwelling house on State street, built by Patrick Tracy for his son Nathaniel Tracy, was pur- chased and remodeled by the friends of the library, who con- tributed nearly twenty thousand dollars for that purpose. September 22, 1865, the building was conveyed by deed to the city of Newburyport for the use of the library, " and for the reception of suitable objects of science and art."2 The books and pamphlets were removed from City hall and arranged in alcoves provided for them, and the library was re-opened to the public on the first day of January, 1866.
In 1881, Michael H. Simpson, Esq., of Boston and others gave over twenty-two thousand dollars to pay for the erection of a suitable reading-room to be used in connection with the library. This addition named, by the directors, "The Simp- son Annex," was completed and dedicated with appropriate exercises April.28, 1882.
1 Newburyport Herald, October 12, 1852.
2 " Ould Newbury," p. 563.
NEWBURYPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
In addition to the books and money contributed by the founders of the library,-Hon. Josiah Little, Hon. Charles Jackson and Col. Samuel Swett,-and the amount subscribed for the purchase of the Tracy house and the cost of building the Simpson annex, the following donations and bequests have been made, at various times, and the annual income applied to the purchase of books, magazines and newspapers.
From the estate of Matthias Plant Sawyer of Boston, March, 1857, $5,000 From George Peabody of London, February, 1867, I 15,000 From the estate of John M. Bradbury of Ipswich, April, 1876, 1,000
From the estate of Joseph A. Frothingham of Newburyport, November, 1880, 1,000
From the estate of Sarah A. Green of Newburyport, March, 1 882, 2,000
From the estate of John Q. A. Williams of Boston, February, 1889,2 1,000
From the estate of William O. Moseley of Newburyport, April,
1895, 10,000
From William C. Todd of Atkinson, N. H., April, 1900, 3 1 5,000 From John R. Spring of San Francisco, Cal., April, 1900, 20,000
1 Two years later the portrait of Mr. Peabody was presented to the directors of the public library, as stated in the following letter, addressed to Edward S. Mose- ley, Esq. : -
64 Queen Street, Cheapside, LONDON, E. C., April 3, 1869.
DEAR SIR :- Some time last spring, I had an intimation, as coming from you as chairman of the Peabody Trust Fund, that a portrait from me, for their library, would be highly appreciated.
I therefore employed one of the Queen's portrait painters, and gave him the last sitting, a few days ago. The portrait is pronounced excellent. I shall ship it by an early steamer to Boston and send you a bill of lading, with freight and all charges paid.
Very respectfully and truly yours GEORGE PEABODY.
(Life of George Peabody by Phebe A. Hanaford, p. 215.)
2 The testator provided in his will, proved in the probate court for Suffolk county January 31, 1887, that the sum of one thousand dollars should be paid to the trus- tees of the public library and called the " Abraham Williams Fund " in memory of his father who lived and died in Newburyport.
3Mr. Todd paid to the directors of the public library three hundred dollars annu- ally from March, 1870,'until March, 1881, for the purchase of newspapers and mag- azines for the reading room established in the library building at his suggestion and request. In 1881, he paid three hundred and seventy-five dollars for the same purpose, and afterwards four hundred dollars, annually, until February, 1893, when he gave the trustees of the library ten thousand dollars. the income to be expended in providing newspapers and magazines from and after that date. This sum was increased to fifteen thousand dollars April 2, 1900.
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LIBRARIES
From the estate of Edward S. Moseley of Newburyport, Feb- ruary, 1901, 5,000
From the estate of Elizabeth H. Stickney I of Chicago, June,
1901, . 5,000
From the estate of Stephen W. Marston 2 of Boston, October, 1901, 5,000
From the estate of Abram E. Cutter 3 of Boston, October, 1901, 4,000 From the estate of Elisha P. Dodge 4 of Newburyport, Jan- uary, 1903, 2,500
Hiram A. Tenney was elected librarian in September, 1855. He was annually re-elected to that office until his death in Jan- uary, 1889, except for the year 1862, when Horace N. Jack- man was chosen. John D. Parsons, the present librarian, was elected January 28, 1889. Under his care and management the library has steadily increased in efficiency and usefulness, and now contains over forty-one thousand books and pamphlets.
Rooms on the first floor of the library building were fitted up at the suggestion of William C. Todd, and supplied, at his expense, with newspapers and magazines. On the evening of June 30, 1870, these rooms were dedicated and the next day all persons interested in extending the work and influence of the library were invited to make use of them.
1 Edward S. Stickney, born in Newburyport October 7, 1824, married Elizabeth Hammond of Haverhill in 1869. For many years he was a prominent and highly esteemed citizen of Chicago, Illinois. He died March 20, 1880, and his widow, Elizabeth H. Stickney, died in Manchester, Mass., in July 12, 1897. She directed the executor of her will to pay the trustees of the Newburyport Public library the sum of ten thousand dollars on the termination of a trust established for the bene- fit of certain persons named in her will. Of this amount five thousand dollars has been received. The balance of the bequest is not yet due.
2 Stephen Webster Marston, son of Stephen W. and Mary W. Marston was born in Newburyport October 11, 1819. He was for many years a member of the firm of Jewett, Tebbetts & Co., in the dry goods commission business, in Boston ; at a later date he was the selling agent for several large cotton manufacturing corpora- tions. He died in Boston September 4, 1899, and was buried in Oak Hill ceme- tery, Newburyport.
3 Abram Edmunds Cutter, son of Abraham and Mary (Gibson) Cutter was born in Newburyport January 24, 1822. During his childhood his parents removed to Saco, Maine. In 1852, he established himself in business, as a bookseller and publisher, in Charlestown, Mass., where he died.
4 In his will, dated March 14, 1901, and proved October 22, 1902, Elisha P. Dodge made the following bequest :- " I give to the Trustees of the Free Public Library of said Newburyport the sum of Twenty-five Hundred dollars to be known as the William H. P. Dodge Fund, in commemoration of my deceased brother. The income thereof is to be used for the purchase of books for said li- brary, preference to be given to those upon subjects connected with education in music, including its history, and the biography of eminent musicians."
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HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
Miss Hannah E. Lunt was appointed superintendent of the reading room July 1, 1870. She served in that capacity until December 1, 1872, when her resignation was accepted and Miss Martha P. Lunt was appointed to fill the vacancy. In 1882, the library building was enlarged and a spacious and well-lighted room provided for the special accommodation of newspaper readers.
March 1, 1905, the resignation of Miss Martha P. Lunt was accepted, the office of superintendent was abolished, and Miss Helen E. Tilton, assistant-librarian, was placed in charge of the reading room ..
CHAPTER XV.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
THE destruction of tea in Boston harbor, December 13, 1773, led to similar exhibitions of the same determined spirit elsewhere.I
Last Friday all the Bohea Tea in the Town of Charlestown, collected together by a Committee appointed for that purpose, [and paid for by the town at cost price] was brought to the Market Place at Twelve o'clock at noon and there destroyed by Fire, agreeable to a Vote of that Town which may be seen in their Proceedings inserted in this" Paper.2
[Friday, Dec. 30, 1773, a searching party from Boston] proceeded to the House of old Ebenr Withington at a place called Sodom, below Dor- chester Meeting House, where they found a part of a half chest [of tea] which had floated and was cast up on Dorchester point. This they seized and brought to Boston Common where they committed it to the flames.2
The following communication, dated Newburyport, January 24, 1774, was published in the Essex Gazette (Salem) for the week beginning January 25th and ending February 1, 1774 :-
Meffrs. Printers,
As feveral Towns in this Province have lately publifhed their patriotic doings, efpecially thofe relative to Tea, I cannot fit ftill and fee the town of which I have the honour of being a member, without it's fhare in the Fame of the day. I therefore take this opportunity of informing the pub- lic, that a large quantity of the forementioned pernicious ftuff was con- fumed here laft week ; in order to imitate at the fame time both Bofton and Charleftown, it was done by Fire and Water ; and fo general was the fpirit, that all ranks and degrees of people, high and low, rich and poor, Whig and Tory, agreed in the affair ;- and to the further honour of the
1 The measures adopted by the inhabitants of Newburyport to restrict the importation of tea previous to Dec. 13, 1773, are described in chapter I., pp. 48 to 54 inclusive.
2 Essex Gazette, December 28, 1773, and January 4, 1774 (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.).
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HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
town, it was done not in the manner of fome others, on the wharves and in the public ftreets, but by each one under his own roof, and, as if by general agreement, about the fame time.
Your's
Philo Patriae & Oppide.1
In the month of June following, the ship Grosvenor arrived in Portsmouth, N. H., from London, with twenty-seven chests of tea consigned to Edward Parry, Esq. The tea was landed and stored in the custom house. Watchmen were appointed to see that none of it was sold in the town of Portsmouth, and after two or three days delay the consignee consented to send it by another vessel out of the province.2
In July, it was reported that a similar attempt would be made to land tea in Newburyport.
Newbury-Port, July 20.
We have it from good authority, that a fhip with a number of chefts of Tea on board, is hourly expected to arrive at this place. It is to be hoped that this town who were the firft in the province that appeared de- termined in refifting the detefted Bofton port bill, by hauling up all their fhipping, will not fuffer their honor to be eclipfed, by tamely fuffering that political plague Tea, to be introduced at this time,-a time when every low piece of cunning is made ufe of to rob a free people of their natural and ftipulated privileges, although guaranteed by the crown of Great Britain. But fays a high authority, put not your truft in princes, but in the Lord, he is your defence.3
In the month of October following, a large quantity of tea was burned in Charlestown, Mass., and a gentleman from Newburyport is said to have been very active in laying the fagots and starting the fire.
Boston, Monday, November 7.
On Friday evening laft, in purfuing a Perfon who had been guilty of breaking the Peace in Charleftown, a Barrel and Bag of Tea were ftum- bled on, which were immediately carried to the Training-Field and com- mitted to the Flames ; after they were confumed, it was fuggefted there was more in the fame Place ; upon which a fearch was made, and enough
1 Also published in Essex Journal and Merrimack Packet January 26, 1774.
2 American Archives, fourth series, vol. I., pp. 419 and 512.
3 Salem Gazette and Newbury and Marblehead Advertiser, July 29,_1774; and Essex Journal and Merrimack Packet, July 20, 1774.
53I
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
found to fill a large Hogfhead, which was conveyed to a Place called the Green, before Cape-Breton-Tavern, and a Quantity of Faggots laid round it, they were fet on Fire and the whole confumed : Every thing was conducted with fuch ftillnefs and order, that many People there knew nothing of it until next morning. It is fuppofed the Quantity de- ftroyed was between 4 and 500 weight.
We hear a Gentleman belonging to Newbury Port was very active in demolithing the above Tea.I
While the excitement in regard to the importation of tea was at its height, Parliament passed several acts that were denounced in the colony of Massachusetts Bay as arbitrary and unjust. The Boston Port Bill, especially, added to the turmoil and confusion that prevailed, and the inhabitants of Newbury- port, Salem and Marblehead insisted upon its unconditional repeal. At a meeting of the ship-owners and merchants of Newburyport the following resolution was adopted : -
That we will, in Cafe the other Provinces on the Continent fhall join in the Meafure, or even if all the other Sea Ports in this Province will come into it lay up all our Veffels (as they come in) after the 14th of June next, and that we will neither import or export any one article of merchandife or Produce to the Southward of South Carolina ; more. efpecially. that we will break off all Trade to and from the Weft-Indies or any Port of Great Britain or Ireland, and that this Refolution we will continue in till the Town and Port of Bofton is again opened and free to go in and out of, or till the Difputes between this Continent and Great Britain are fettled upon fuch a Bafe as that we and our Children may enjoy all thofe Privileges we are contending and reafonable Men ought to contend for.2
Two months before the delegates to the first continental congress assembled at Philadelphia the following petition was presented to the selectmen of Newburyport :-
The Petition of Patrick Tracy, Tristram Dalton, Stephen Hooper, John Stickney, Moses Frazier, Edward Rand, Samuel Tufts, Robt Bay- ley, Joseph Moulton, Jun., Nicholas Tracy, James Hudson, Ralph Cross, Jr., Jos. Greenough, Bulkeley Emerson, Abner Greenleaf, John Pet- tingell, Jos. Marquand, Robt Tracy, Edwd Wigglesworth, Jacob Board- man and John Wood :
1 Essex Gazette, November 1-8, 1774 (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass. ).
2 Essex Gazette, May 10-17, 1774 (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.).
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HISTORY OF NEWBURYPORT
To the Selectmen of Newburyport :
Gentlemen : Whereas a Congress of the Deputies of the North Amer- ican Colonies is proposed to be held at Philadelphia in September next with a view that they may deliberate and determine what measures it may be expedient for the Continent to adopt and pursue in order to pro- cure a redress of our public Grievances. And as it is possible that some measures will be proposed that must in an especial manner affect the Trading Interest, we think it highly convenient if not necessary that some Gentlemen well Acquainted with the Nature & present state of our Commerce shod attend at the said Congress as we apprehend they may greatly assist in striking out such a Plan as will produce the happiest effects to the Country in General and at the same time do as little Injury to Individuals as the Nature of the Case and the Designs of the People will admit of :
Wherefore we desire you will call a Town Meeting as soon as may be to see if the Town will appoint one or more of the Inhabitants of this Town in their Behalf to attend upon the aforesaid mentioned Congress for the purposes as before Expressd.
Also if they think fit to Chuse a Committee to prepare proper Instruc- tions or Letters of Advice, to him or them that may be thus appointed, also to make suitable Provision for the Expenses that may attend the same.
Also to see if the Town are disposed to afford any Relief or Assistance to those indigent People in the Town of Boston who are suffering by means of the Boston Port Bill (so called) and to determine or advise in what way and manner the same shall be done.
Newburyport, July 29, 1774.1
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Newburyport held August 3, 1774, Jonathan Jackson, Tristram Dalton, Patrick Tracy, Stephen Hooper and Stephen Cross were appointed a commit- tee to prepare a letter of advice to be sent to the delegates assembled in congress, expressing the views and opinions of the legal voters of the town in regard to the restrictions im- posed upon trade and commerce. At the same meeting, the following votes were passed, authorizing the payment of two hundred pounds to the inhabitants of Boston and accepting, in advance and without qualification, the acts and resolves of congress soon to assemble in Philadelphia.
Voted to raise two hundred pounds Lawful [money] to be applyed for the Relief of such indigent Persons in the distressed town of Boston, as
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