USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > History of Newton, Massachusetts : town and city, from its earliest settlement to the present time, 1630-1880 > Part 57
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The first purchase of land embraced thirty acres. All the sur- veying and engineering work for the first fifteen years were per- formed by the late Marshall S. Rice, Esq. Mr. Henry Ross was appointed Superintendent in April, 1861, and the success of the enterprise is due largely to his taste and skill, and his devotion to the interests of the cemetery.
Work was commenced upon the grounds in 1855. After a few years, it became evident that the wants of the rapidly growing population would soon demand enlargement ; and the Corporation added to the first purchase about thirty-five acres more, adjoin- ing the first on the north and west, and extending the cemetery through, from Beacon Street to Homer Street. In 1859, it used to be known as " Grove Hill Cemetery," but that name soon dis- appeared.
The exercises at the formal consecration of the Cemetery to its sacred use were held on a lovely summer afternoon, June 10, 1857. All nature seemed in harmony with the scene. Seats had been arranged for the audience on an elevated platform, beautifully shaded. Walks and other improvements had already been made, in the immediate vicinity, and a few of the neighboring lots had been occupied. The simple adornments,- here and there a lowly grave, or a tasteful monument, removed, perhaps, from an older cemetery,- were a sufficient prophecy of the nature and destina- tion of the place,- a repository of " seed, sown of God, to ripen for the harvest." It was easy to feel the adaptation of so choice a spot to its future use. The calm beauty of the day, the breath of
NEWTON CEMETERY. 587
the summer air, just moving the leaves of the forest, the arching canopy of the sky, with a few floating clouds, like angels watch- ing over the scene, the presence of an orderly and interested assem- blage, in full harmony with the spirit of the occasion, the voice of prayer and hymn, and words of Christian consolation and hope,- all rendered the day one long to be remembered, and a fitting in- auguration of this fair resting-place for the dead. At the begin- ning, the President of the Corporation made an Introductory Address ; after which, the following hymn, by S. Jennison, Esq., of Worcester, was sung to the tune of Duke Street.
Why, in these sunniest hours of June, With the young summer's freshest leaf, Stand we together to commune On that which is but linked with grief ?
In this serene, sequestered wood, Scarce known but to the birds' soft tread, With solemn rite, in saddened mood, A home we hallow for our dead ;-
Where we, too, when these scenes shall close, May join tlie loved ones gone before, Who, sunk in death's unmoved repose, To earthly homes return no more.
The dead,-even now they slumber here And if, above their rest profound,
There hath been prayer, or sigh, or tear, Have they not made this sacred ground?
And is thy name, O grave ! allied Only with terrors and with pain? Then Christ for us in vain has died, Then were his resurrection vain.
But earth exulteth in that word Which dotlı the gate of heaven ope; And we who have its promise heard No longer sorrow without hope.
Father! to us such faith be given, That we in death may see the face As of an angel from thy heaven, Bidding us back to thy embrace.
-
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HISTORY OF NEWTON.
Rev. D. L. Furber, of the First church, offered the prayer of Consecration. Rev. F. D. Huntington, then Plummer Professor of Christian Morals in Harvard College and Preacher to the Uni- versity, delivered an address, which was touching, simple and beautiful. The ceremony was closed by singing, to the tune of Naomi, the following hymn, written for the occasion by Rev. S. F. Smith, D. D., of Newton Centre.
Deep, 'mid these dim and silent shades, The slumbering dead shall lie, Tranquil, as summer evening fades Along the western sky.
The whispering winds shall linger here To lull their deep repose ; Like music on the dewy air, Like nightfall on the rose.
Light through the twining boughs shall shed Its calm and cheerful ray, As hope springs from the dying bed, And points to perfect day.
Around each funeral urn shall cling The fairest, freshest flowers,
Emblem of heaven's eternal spring, And brighter lands than ours.
Gathered from thousand homes, the dust In soft repose shall lie, Like garnered seed, in holy trust For immortality.
Room for the households !- till the morn Its glories shall restore, And on the silent sleepers dawn The day that fades no more.
The concluding prayer was by the late Rev. Washington Gilbert, of West Newton.
As early as 1868, a large portion of the first thirty acres had been laid out with avenues and paths, into lots of different sizes, to suit the wants of the citizens, and five hundred lots had been taken. In 1871, by additional purchases, the property of the Cor- poration had extended to about eighty-two acres, the cost of which was about eleven thousand dollars. The expenditure, up to that
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
date, had been about twenty-eight thousand dollars, including land, buildings, gateway, entrance, implements, etc. The cost of the new entrance and gateway was about $7,500, and this improve- ment was completed in the year 1871.
The number of interments up to October, 1878, was about 1,800 ; the average number per year, about 130. The amount of the fund for perpetual care of lots, at the above date, was about $29,000. Besides the general Receiving Tomb, there are six or eight private tombs ; but the prevailing taste in the community prefers to com- mit the remains of the departed directly to the bosom of the earth. The average price per acre of the original purchase was $145 ; the present value is estimated at $600 per acre. The total number of lots sold to October, 1878, was 757,- each lot containing an aver- age of three hundred feet. The fund for perpetual care was com- menced by a bequest of $100 from the estate of Mr. Elisha Field for this purpose ; in 1867, a like sum was received from the heirs of Charles Pelham; and in 1868, $200 from the estate of J. S. Cummings.
The expenses of maintaining the cemetery to 1878 are as fol- lows :
Estimate for the first three years at $ 800 per annum,
$ 2,400
For the next five
3,000,
15,000
" five 66 4,000,
20,000
last five 66 6,000,
30,000
$67,400
For land and buildings,
15,167
For gateway and trimmings,
7,200
Total expenditure,
$89,767
An additional strip of land, on Walnut Street, was purchased by the Corporation in the year 1879.
DEDICATION OF THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
One of the most interesting and touching ceremonies ever wit- nessed in the Newton Cemetery was the Dedication of the Sol- diers' Monument,- an event well worthy of a place in these records. Believing that it is good to perpetuate the memory of those who give their lives to the service of their country, a distin- guished citizen of Newton generously offered to give the sum of one thousand dollars, provided other friends would contribute an
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HISTORY OF NEWTON.
additional amount, sufficient to erect a Monument, which should stand as a permanent testimonial of the high appreciation of the inhabitants of Newton for their heroic dead.
The proposition was cordially welcomed by the people of the town, and at a meeting held August 7, 1863,
Hon. J. Wiley Edmands, Henry Bigelow, M. D.,
Hon. William Claflin, Hon. Thomas Rice, jr.,
Hon. David H. Mason,
William E. Sheldon, Esq., Willard Marcy, Esq., J. S. Farlow, Esq., John C. Chaffin, Esq.,
were chosen a committee, with authority to erect a Monument.
In order that all might share in this grateful tribute, a donation of one dollar was solicited from each inhabitant and nearly twelve hundred dollars were received from this source. More than eleven hundred children of the public schools contributed each one dime ; and the remainder necessary to construct the monument, and to grade and surround the lot with a suitable curbstone, together with the erection of an appropriate entablature, was cheerfully contributed by the generous friends of the soldiers in the town. Standing, as it does, near the entrance of the cemetery, and where every visitor is sure to encounter it, the monument is a perpetual memorial of that patriotic spirit which cannot die, and by which Newton has ever been distinguished. Summer and winter, by day and by night, like a sleepless sentinel, it seems to keep watch and ward over the dead, and at the same time to remind the living of the duty they owe alike to their country and to God. Whether the fragrant breezes of summer sweep over this Eden of the departed, or the soft mantle of winter, like a bridal garment, rests on the place of their repose, this granite pillar, towering heaven- wards, speaks the same language of patriotism, of honor, and of hope.
The monument itself, with the entablature, cost, $3,975.50
The curbstone and posts, 1,245.00
The work was completed at an expense of $5,220.50
The lot of land occupied by the monument was given by the town for this use, and the trustees of the cemetery Corporation engage to keep the grounds in good order and condition. The monument
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
is an octagonal shaft of Quincy granite, resting upon a die and plinth of the same material, and is twenty-eight feet in height. Upon the front of the die are inscribed the words,
" IN MEMORIAM PERPETUAM."
Near the monument is the entablature, on which is carved the motto,
" PRO PATRIA MORTUI SUNT,"
bearing the names of fifty-nine brave men of Newton, who offered up their lives in the cause of freedom and the Union.
LIST OF NAMES ON THE SOLDIERS' TABLET.
LIEUT. EBEN WHITE,
ORESTUS J. ADAMS,
JOHN ALLEN,
THOMAS L. JACKSON,
GEORGE BAKER,
ALBERT A. KENDALL, M.D.,
GEORGE H. BAXTER,
WILLIAM R. BENSON,
THEODORE L. BRACKETT,
LEROY S. BRIDGEMAN,
EBEN R. BUCK,
STEPHEN L. NICHOLS,
REUBEN L. BUTLER,
THOMAS W. GIFFORD,
GILBERT A. CHENEY,
FREDERICK CHAMPION,
WILLIAM RAND, JR.,
SETH COUSENS, JR.,
EDWARD H. TOMBS,
FREDERICK A. CUTTER,
LUCIUS F. TROWBRIDGE,
WILLIAM FELL,
MICHAEL VAUGHN, CHARLES WARD, GRAFTON H. WARD,
CHARLES E. FIFIELD,
WILLIAM N. FREEMAN,
JOHN FORSYTH, JR.,
SAMUEL F. WOODWARD,
WILLIAM L. GILMAN,
THOMAS C. NORCROSS,
ROGER S. KINGSBURY,
DANIEL SANGER,
MAJOR HENRY T. LAWSON,
WILLIAM B. NEFF,
HARVEY L. VINTON,
MATTHEW T. H. ROFFE,
WILLIAM L. HARRIS, JOHN MYER, JR., JOHN MCQUADE,
THOMAS DURAN, LEMUEL F. BASSETT,
GEORGE H. RICH,
GEORGE H. NICHOLS, JOHN B. ROGERS,
EDWARD LYMAN,
LOWELL M. BRECK,
ALFRED WASHBURN.
LIEUT. JOSEPH B. BRECK, WILLIAM L. PARKER,
LEOPOLD H. HAWKES, PATRICK HAGGERTY,
JEFFERSON LARKIN, CHARLES A. LEAVITT, MICHAEL MARTIN, DANIEL H. MILLER,
ALBERT F. POTTER,
JOSEPH R. PRATT, WILLIAM H. RICE,
It was deemed accordant with the spirit of the enterprise, as well as suggestive of the duties and responsibilities of the living, in this juncture of national affairs, to celebrate the completion of the Monument with public ceremonies, and dedicate it to the mem- ory of the brave heroes of Newton, who have fallen, or may fall,
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HISTORY OF NEWTON.
in this struggle for liberty and good government. Accordingly on the twenty-third day of July, 1864, this beacon memorial to the present and after times was solemnly inaugurated, in the presence of a large and deeply interested audience. The ceremonies took place in the open air, a few yards to the left of the monument, on the opposite side of the main Avenue.
The exercises opened with the following graceful address of Thomas Rice, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Rice had been a most efficient leader of his fellow-townsmen in all the struggle, burning with patriotic zeal, now visiting the soldiers of Newton in camp, and bearing to them, together with material succors, assurances of the confidence, regard and sympathy of the people ; now returning to comfort the widow and provide for the orphan, and to stimulate those at home to continued courage, and effort for the welfare of their country. What Governor John A. Andrew was to the State of Massachusetts, in those days of pa- triotic faith and struggle, the same was Thomas Rice to New- ton. . It was fitting, therefore, that his voice should be the first to be heard on such an occasion. The following were his words :
FELLOW-CITIZENS,-We have assembled in this quiet and beautiful cemetery, to dedicate this noble Monument, as a perpetual memorial of those brave sons and patriots of Newton, who, seeing our flag insulted, our homes threatened, our country in danger, buckled on their armor, and went forth in our defence, and in the defence of their country, and fell martyrs in the midst of the struggle.
This Monument is built of the enduring and never-crumbling granite, that it may stand as long as the everlasting hills from which it was taken; that we may come beneath its shadow, and teach our children and children's children to honor and revere the names of those inscribed upon its tablet.
Would to God that the last name had been inscribed,- that the sacrifices which we have now made were sufficient to secure permanent peace ! But, my friends, such is not the case. We shall be called upon to add name after name to this honorable list, before this wicked and shameful rebellion is crushed, as it surely will be ; for it cannot be that this great nation, which has achieved its own independence, and has so long been the asylum of the op- pressed of all other nations, is now to be destroyed by its own internal dis- sensions. That the time may not be far distant when this contest shall be over, should be the ardent supplication of every Christian; that it may end in the reestablishment of the Union, the fervent prayer of every patriot.
The promise made to our soldiers when they enlisted, -" that should any of them be so unfortunate as to fall in battle, their remains should be recov- ered, if possible, and tenderly cared for,"-has been faithfully carried out by the town, and most of those who have fallen now repose in their native dust.
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
But some still remain on Southern soil, where or how buried we know not. All we can say of them is, they have fulfilled their mission, their heroic deeds have passed into history, and their names are engraven upon our memories.
This is a voluntary tribute of a grateful people to perpetuate the memory, and to hand down to future generations the names, of those patriots who have fallen in this second struggle for freedom and right. The people of the town have not waited till the war was over, before recognizing the services of those who have fallen in their defence; but in the midst of the contest, while the government is calling for more men and more money, they have gone for- ward in this noble work. We have done what the town and people may well be proud of. The town has given and graded this beautiful spot, and the people have contributed the money to purchase this memento. It has all been done by voluntary subscription, and by all classes, from the princely merchant down to the humblest scholar in our common schools, that all might feel that they have a common interest in this patriotic work, and have done something towards perpetuating the memory of those who have proved good soldiers, and at the command of the Supreme Governor have laid down their arms and gone up higher.
Let us invoke the God of our fathers,- that God of concord who presided over their deliberations when they laid the foundation of the Republic,-to incline the hearts of our Southern brethren to peace and submission to the legally constituted rulers of the nation; but, failing this, let us pray that same God, who is also the God of battles, that he may grant victory upon victory to the Union arms, until every vestige of rebellion is swept from the land, and the flag of the United States,- the symbol of her sovereignty,- shall again wave, in undisputed supremacy, over a free, united, and prosperous people.
The address of Mr. Rice happily breathed the same spirit which animated the entire audience, and spoke the language of every heart. There were no divergent sentiments, and no uninterested spectators. The people had lived through more than three years of the war, with all its trials, expenses and hardships ; they had suffered again and again the agony of disappointment and the poignant distress of hope deferred ; they had been parted from husbands and fathers, brothers and sons, many of whom were sleeping the soldier's last sleep, and would return to them no more. Many families had found their means of living seriously abridged, and the whole economy of life was necessarily.changed with them. And still with undaunt- ed spirit they scorned to abandon the struggle. They were re- solved to go forward, and trust in God.
Mr. Rice's address was followed by prayer by the Rev. Edward James Young, pastor of the Channing church and Society. Then came the following ode :
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HISTORY OF NEWTON.
.'T is holy ground - This spot, where in their graves, We place our Country's braves, Who fell in Freedom's holy cause Fighting for liberty and laws - Let tears abound.
Here let them rest - And summer's heat and winter's cold, Shall glow and freeze above this mold -- A thousand years shall pass away - A nation still shall mourn this clay, Which now is blest.
Here, where they lie, Oft shall the widow's tear be shed, Oft shall fond parents mourn their dead, The orphan here shall kneel and weep, And maidens grieve where lovers sleep - A broken tie.
Great God in heaven ! Shall all this sacred blood be shed - Shall we thus mourn our glorious dead, O, shall the end be wrath and woe, The knell of Freedom's overthrow - A country riven?
It will not be! We trust, O God! Thy gracious power To aid us in our darkest hour. This be our prayer - " O Father ! save A people's Freedom from the grave - All praise to thee !"
The principal discourse on the occasion was by the Rev. Horatio Balch Hackett, D. D., Professor in the Newton Theological Insti- tution,- a man of the most ardent patriotism, who, at the request of the town, brought his scholarly culture and brilliant eloquence to dignify and adorn the hour. None had kindled with a gran- der enthusiasm than he during the entire progress of the strug- gle. None had felt more keenly the joy of every victory, and the pain of every defeat. None had more fully comprehended the magnitude of the occasion. His culture, his learning, his enlight- ened Christian patriotism pointed him out as the orator specially fitted for the service required. And all felt that he spoke in a
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
manner worthy of himself and of the occasion. The discourse, with the other exercises of the day, were afterwards printed. Dr. Hackett's address was followed by a poem by the Rev. S. F. Smith, D. D., and the ceremony was closed with an original hymn, by the same author :
Take these choice treasures, gentle earth, And shield them in thy faithful breast, Gathered like gems of priceless worth, And brought among thy dead to rest.
Take this new honor, reared in love, Where sleep the trusted and the brave,
Pointing the mourner's faith above, To Him who takes, to Him who gave.
Round this fair shaft let summer leave Its fragrant airs, at morn and even, And golden clouds in sunlight weave Pathways of glory into heaven.
Again the flag of peace shall float O'er all the land, from sea to sea ; O'er all the land shall swell the note Of Freedom's final Jubilee.
We build the shrine, we sing the brave ; Yet own how vain are human boasts ; In God alone is power to save,- Our trust is in the Lord of hosts.
The literary performances of the occasion were printed in a pamphlet, at the expense of the town.
The tranquil beauty of the day was in striking contrast with the storm of war and tumult still raging at the South. The end of the war was still nearly a year away ; but the scenes of such an occa- sion had a stimulating effect upon the hearts of all who were present. And it may well be believed that every one left the hallowed spot with the fresh resolve to be found ready for any coming emergency.
It is an interesting fact, and highly honorable to the town of Newton, that this was the first soldiers' monument known to have been erected in New England to the memory of the heroes of this terrible struggle, and also that it was erected while the conflict was still surging with its waves of bitterness over the fair domains of
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HISTORY OF NEWTON.
our national inheritance. On this very day, there was a truce between the two armies at Atlanta, Ga., for the burial of the dead of the last engagements.
It is not known that any others of the soldiers of Newton were slain during the war; so that the list on the tablet received no additions. Several, however, returned home, diseased and infirm, as a consequence of the hardships and exposures to which they were subjected, and, in process of time, one by one, passed away. They as really laid down their lives for their country's welfare, as those who fell in battle.
CHAPTER XLVI.
NEWTON IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION .- TOWN ACTION .- THE WOMEN OF NEWTON .- BATTLES IN WHICH NEWTON MEN WERE ENGAGED .- UNFURLING THE FLAG .- THE SLAIN IN BATTLE .-- GEN. A. B. UNDERWOOD .- NEWTON'S DEAD IN THE WAR .- BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG DESCRIBED BY A PARTICIPANT.
ON the 19th of April, 1861, immediately after the tidings of the firing on Fort Sumter reached Boston, with an account of the action of the President of the United States thereon, the Selectmen of Newton issued their warrant for a town meeting to be held at the earliest practicable date. The warrant contained just three clauses. The spirit of patriotism glowed as of old, and the people were ready to fly to arms in defence of the country. The fathers of the Revolutionary period were dead, but their mantles rested on their sons. The three clauses above referred to were as follows :
1. To choose a Moderator.
2.' To see if the town will make suitable provision, by an appropriation of money or otherwise, for the relief of the families of such of her citizens as may respond to the call of the President for men to maintain the Govern- ment of the United States by entering the military service of their country.
3. To see if the town will appropriate money for the purchase of uni- forms or equipments of such military companies as may be formed within the town.
At the meeting held in accordance with the above warrant, April 29, 1861, J. F. C. Hyde, Moderator, is the following record :
D. H. Mason, Esq., presented and read the following preamble and reso- lution, viz. :
Whereas, for the first time in the history of our Government, the Republic is placed in great peril by an armed rebellion of several of the United States, threatening the destruction of our National Archives and Capitol, and a sudden resort to armed resistance has become necessary for the preservation of our lives and liberties,
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HISTORY OF NEWTON.
And whereas, by solemn Proclamation, the President of the United States has called upon the good Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the means of effectual resistance,-
Now, therefore, we, the inhabitants of the town of Newton, in town meet- ing assembled, ever loyal to the Constitution and the laws of the land, do hereby instruct and direct the Selectmen of our said town to take and ap- propriate from any moneys at any time in the treasury of said town, during the current year, a sufficient sum, not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, to fully arm and equip, in the most approved and effectual manner, one Com- pany or more of Volunteer Militia, who have enlisted or may hereafter enlist from said town, in the service of the General or State Governments.
And if any such persons are called into the actual service, leaving their families unprovided for, the said Selectmen are also directed to take especial care to provide for them all the needed and necessary comforts of life, in sickness and in health, during the continuance of said service, and as long as the exigency of the case requires.
And if any should perish in said service, the town will tenderly care for their remains, and furnish them a suitable burial.
Resolved, that the people of this town have the most perfect confidence and trust in our present form of Government, that we have faith in the wis- dom and patriotism of its framers, and that, without distinction of party or party lines, in our heart of hearts we revere and love their virtues and their memories. The cause of this Union is our cause, and to its support, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we pledge our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
This resolution was a precise counterpart to that passed by the fathers of Newton in the opening chapter of the Revolution. It had the same ring. The preamble and resolution were discussed in patriotic speeches by D. H. Mason, Esq., Hon. J. Wiley Edmands, Andrew H. Ward, jr., William McIntosh, and others, and passed unanimously.
Andrew H. Ward, jr., a member of a large committee from all parts of the town, who had held a meeting at Newtonville on the subject of Volunteers, here presented two papers, and read them. The first, after being amended, was as follows :
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