History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 122

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 122

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The town, which was always conservative, did not | look altogether with favor upon the new enterprises, but viewed with jealous eyes the proposition to open new roads through its borders and construct bridges Mechanical industry being then in its infancy, and across the rivers, and went so far (3d February, 1803) | needing the services of only a part of the men, num-

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bers of these had entered into the mercantile marine, and at the opening of the war, this branch of service being paralyzed, many of them found employment in the navy and upon privateers.

A change appears upon the records in May, 1818, with respect to the qualification of voters,-an income from freehold estate of ten dollars, or one valued at two hundred dollars, being required, and an age of twenty-one years.

Town Lines .- In the beginning of the third vol- ume of the town general records there is a full descrip- tion of the town lines, as measured by James Humph- rey, Esq., in 1794, probably the most correct and reliable of any to be found upon any record. Aug. 21, 1820, a committee was appointed to oppose the petition of the Hingham and Quincy turnpike to the General Court to have the allowance paid to vessels passing through their drawbridges removed.

Manufacturing Companies Discouraged. - In the years 1822 and 1824, committees of manufactur- ing companies were looking over the State in search of the most desirable water privileges, with a view of selecting a location, and Weymouth Back River ap- pears to have had a preference. In the former year, 12th of August, Samuel Hubbard and others had so far decided in favor of this locality that they re- alewife fishery, the only serious difficulty ; but the town, valuing a small present income more highly than a large one in prospect, refused. Again, April 5, 1824, Gen. W. H. Sumner and others, impressed with the value of the water privilege, offered the town two hundred dollars per year for ten years, and agree- ing to make a sufficient fishway by which the fish could ascend into the pond above, to employ a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, and pay a parish tax to be divided between the three parishes. But the town, with strange short-sightedness, again refused. Had better counsels prevailed, Weymouth might now be what Lowell is. On May 2, 1825, Gen. Sumner again renewed his request with a still more favorable proposition, but the town would not consent.

In 1831 the report of the expenses of the town was printed for the first time.

Surplus Revenue .- In 1836 the general govern- ment found itself in the anomalous condition of an overflowing treasury, and a large sum amounting to many millions was distributed among the States for their use as a loan. Massachusetts distributed its share among the several towns, and Weymouth, in 1837, after one of the most hotly-contested struggles in its history, having called no fewer than eight meetings upon the matter, divided its share among

the inhabitants, pro rata, taking notes therefore, which was in reality a perpetual loan without interest, for on March 16, 1868, the town voted to destroy the notes, amounting to $6146.40, they being out- lawed and worthless.

Anti-Slavery Resolutions .- Soon after this time the anti-slavery agitation commenced, and an earnest, determined body of its friends were found among the citizens, and so vigorous and successful were their efforts that a strong sentiment was created in the town in favor of the movement, so strong that when, in 1842, George Latimer, a fugitive slave, lay in Boston jail, at the instance of his alleged master, James B. Gray, of Virginia, a series of indignant resolutions were passed at the meeting held November 14th, protesting against the act.

In 1837 another movement was made by Jacob Perkin and others towards the improvement of the water privilege at East Weymouth, in the interest of iron manufacturers, which, after long and tedious ne- gotiations and litigations, resulted in the establish- ment of the Weymouth Iron Company, which has proved one of the most important business enter- prises of the town.

Pay of Town Officers,-At the March meeting, in 1843, it was voted to pay town officers one dollar quested of the town the privilege of purchasing the per day for their services, the clerk to have no pay for town-meeting days. This seems to have been the beginning of regular payments for this purpose, but with an advance from time to time until it has in- creased to three times its original amount.

In 1847 a strong effort was again made for a divi- sion of the town, but like that of fifty years previous it proved unsuccessful, the vote on the question being. taken by a committee going from house to house, with the following result: 460 in favor and 465 against, 72 not voting, and 56 not found; of the nays, 359 were in the South Parish. This agitation was renewed again in 1850 with similar result.

On Nov. 12, 1850, strong, denunciatory resolutions I against the fugitive slave law were passed, and on March 10th, succeeding, the town voted that they be expunged from the record, which was accordingly done by writing across the face. Thus the record stood until March, 1880, when the latter vote was rescinded, and the record stands as originally made in favor of the resolutions and as the voice of the town.

Town Records .- The original town records being badly worn and in a very dilapidated condition, the selectmen were instructed to have them transcribed, also to look up the books belonging to the town, have them catalogued, and to procure a safe in which

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to keep them. The first and last clauses of the vote were carried into effect, but that relating to the cata- logue remained unattended to.

Town Hall .- In 1852, in view of the want of a proper place for holding town-meetings, and for quarters for town offices, the town hall was built on the westerly side of Washington Street, at the corner of Middle Street, and very near the geographical centre of the town. A plain, inexpensive structure, but which has answered the actual necessities of the town in that respect for over thirty years. And again on March 13, 1854, a series of strong anti-sla- very resolutions stand upon the records as the ex- pression of the town.

War of the Rebellion .- As will be seen, the records are very bare of interest, other than that which attaches to the ordinary but necessary business of the town, until the stirring days of 1861. The long continued quarrels in Congress upon the slavery question, each year growing more intense and bitter, had culminated in a marshaling of the contending parties and the election of a Republican President. The crisis was brought about by accident, each party believing, until the actual collision, that the other would give way and not force matters to an extremity. But the attack upon Sumter and the call of President Lincoln for volunteers decided the question in favor of war. The spirit of the people was aroused to the highest pitch and the greatest enthusiasm pre- vailed.

A public meeting of the citizens was called at once, and the organization of a military company for actual service commenced. Volunteers for what was after- wards Company H, Twelfth Regiment of Massachu- setts Volunteers, were enlisted; the company was soon filled, and made choice of James L. Bates for captain, whose after-record was the brightest in the town's military history. He passed through the vari- ous grades of service, and at the close of the war wore worthily the honorable title of brevet brigadier-gen- eral. His regiment saw the hardest service, and fought in twenty-eight battles.

On the 29th of April a special town-meeting was called, at which five thousand dollars were voted to equip this company and for other necessary expenses connected therewith. Each married man was to re- ceive fifteen dollars per month and each single man ten dollars, while in actual service under command of its officers ; the same to be paid to others who shall hereafter enlist. June 11, 1861, the selectmen were directed to furnish necessary aid, not exceeding fifteen dollars per month, to the wife, and children under sixteen years of age of men enlisted by the town in

the service ; also to other near relatives who might be dependent upon them at the time of enlistment.

On the 10th of March, 1862, ten thousand dollars was appropriated for aid to the families of volunteers in the field, and the poll-tax of last year's volunteers was also remitted.

Military Records .- The selectmen were instructed to cause a record to be prepared and kept of all the Weymouth soldiers engaged in the service of the gov- ernment, with such details as may be obtained with respect to them and their service, names, ages, resi- dence, and such particulars as may be necessary to a full knowledge of them and their service in the war.

Within the first year of the Rebellion Weymouth had paid out for aid to families of soldiers over fifteen thousand dollars, something over one-third of which was to be reimbursed by the State; and in order to guard against unforeseen and sudden emergency " Union Guards" were formed, for whose supplies and necessary expense the town also paid in the same time nearly a thousand dollars more.

Bounties .- During the summer of 1862, the urgency for soldiers became so great and the call so persistent that the town, upon the report of a com- mittee appointed for the purpose, voted to pay a bounty of one hundred and fifty dollars to each inhabitant who should enlist within ten days (25th July) as a volunteer in the United States service for three years, unless sooner discharged, under the call of the Governor, as per general order No. 26, to be paid on being mustered in ; volunteers for one year to be paid one hundred dollars; and nineteen thousand dollars was appropriated for the purpose.

Upon the spur of this incentive a second company was speedily raised, which was mustered into the service Aug. 12, 1862, as Company H, Thirty-fifth Regi- ment of Massachusetts Volunteers. Benjamin F. Pratt was chosen captain, who was promoted through the several grades of the service, and at the close of the war was breveted as brigadier-general. This regiment and the Twelfth saw very hard service in the Army of the Potomac, and their losses were very severe. On the 19th of August the town extended this offer to all who should enlist in the town's quota, whether inhabitants or not.

Town Bonds and Seal .- On the 4th of Novem- ber fifteen thousand dollars was appropriated for aid to the families of soldiers who were inhabitants of the town when enlisted. At the same time it was voted to issue town bonds not exceeding thirty thousand dollars at five per cent., and March 24, 1863, the selectmen were instructed to procure a corporate seal, with the legend, "Town of Weymouth, Mass., Incor-

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

porated 1635," for the use of the town, upon its bonds and other documents, which was accordingly done.

In the fall of that year a company of nine months' men were enlisted, and mustered into the service September 13th, as Company A, Forty-second Regi- ment Massachusetts Volunteers, under the command of Col. Burrell. Hiram S. Coburn was chosen its captain.

On the 21st of July, 1863, the town voted three dollars per week for aid to the families of volunteers for one year, to fill up the town's quota, in addition to the sum paid by the State, and the same amount for a second year, provided they continue in the service so long; and on November 23d one thousand dol- lars was placed at the disposal of the recruiting com- mittee, who were to receive no pay for their services.

Contributions .- At the annual meeting, March 21, 1864, the town voted to raise twenty-five thousand dollars for State aid, and subsequently, April 9th, it was voted to refund the contributions made by citizens for filling the town's quota of men under the calls of the President, October 14th, and February 1st, provided the contributors agree in writing to apply the same towards furnishing the men called for March 14, 1864; and six thousand five hundred dollars was appropriated for the purpose. The recruiting committee were also instructed to solicit subscriptions of money, to be used in raising men to fill the present quota. On the 20th of May ten thousand dollars were voted for recruiting under the last call.

Difficulties .- On the 8th of June the town voted to pay one hundred and twenty-five dollars to each volunteer recruited under any call of the President this year, or in anticipation of any future call, this

As the time approached for the expiration of the term of service of the Twelfth Regiment, the select- men were directed to proceed to Boston and receive Company H of that regiment, and to invite those members of the Eleventh Regiment, who enlisted from this town, to assist in this duty. In the summer and autumn of this year a fourth company was en- listed for one year, and mustered in as Company G, Fourth Heavy Artillery. Many of these were re- enlistments of members of the Twelfth, Thirty-fifth, and other regiments whose terms of service had ex- pired. This company was stationed upon the fortifi- cations near Washington and saw but little active service.

On the 8th of November the town appropriated twelve thousand dollars for bounties, not to exceed one hundred and twenty-five dollars to each man counted in Weymouth's quota under the next call. March 20, 1865, the town voted to borrow thirty thousand dollars on its bonds at six per cent., to be sold as re- quired ; and on the 22d of May the town voted to refund the money contributed by individuals to aid in filling the quota of the town in accordance with the law of April 25th of this year ; a list to be prepared and payment to be made in town notes, due Sept. 1, 1866. On the 21st of December a committee was chosen to consider the subject of a soldiers' monument and report. A vote was also passed to pay two years' aid to all who had not received it; also, to pay each man drafted July, 1863, who furnished a substitute, whether the latter remained in the service or not, payable in town notes in three years with interest.

This completes the record in brief of Weymouth dur- ing the war as far as it appears upon its books; but

enlistment to be made under the direction of the | before a correct judgment can be formed as to what the chairman of the board of selectmen. There seemed | town actually did in the great struggle for existence at this time to be great difficulty in answering the calls of the President, and so serious was the emer- gency that the selectmen resigned in a body, but were afterwards persuaded to withdraw their resignations. It appeared, also, that the town was justified in that the country carried on during the four years from 1861 to 1865, it will be necessary to go somewhat more into detail, and to ascertain more nearly the number of men sent into the field and what became of them. It is well known that the town answered making serious complaint of the manner in which the | all of the calls made upon it, but what was their enrollment of those liable to military duty was made, as appears by the following resolves : " That the en- rollment of this town is fully 20 per cent. larger than the average towns in the district, large numbers of whom are unfit to be enrolled, and that the town re- quest an equitable enrollment. That the town believes their selectmen and assessors to compare favorably | with those of neighboring towns, and feels aggrieved that they should have been entirely ignored in the matter of enrollment, while those of other towns have been appointed to that duty." measure ? As before noticed, there were enlisted four full companies ; these were sent into the service and performed all the duties required of them, which in many instances were neither few nor light; besides these, enlistments were made for all the various branches of the service, infantry, artillery, and cavalry, in more than fifty different organizations, as well as many in the navy. The whole number actually con- tributed by the town probably will never be accurately known, but upon its records are the names of nearly eight hundred ; without question enough have been

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WEYMOUTH.

omitted to carry the total above that number, or nearly one in ten of its population.

Of these, ninety-eight have their names upon the soldiers' monument as having been killed in battle or died in the service. Besides these, and this list is by no means complete, more than a hundred are reported as wounded, and nearly forty taken prisoners, many of whom died in rebel prisons. And of the whole num- ber, only eight, less than one in a hundred, are re- ported as deserters, and some of these returned to their regiments. This certainly is an honorable record and one of which the town may well be proud ; and when the history of Weymouth in the Rebellion is written, which will some day be a fact, it will be made sure that this town is entitled to a high place among the thousands that contributed cheerfully and liberally towards the accomplishment of the same noble purpose.

Water Question .- The last important business found upon the town records is upon the question of Final Attempt to Divide the Town .- Several attempts were made to revive the question of a di- ; vision of the town, and March 19, 1866, a vote was | or some other means by which the inhabitants and actually passed to do this (two hundred and sixty- nine to two hundred and thirty-nine) upon the north- erly line of the fifth and sixth school districts, and a ; committee of one appointed from each district to carry the vote into effect ; but the matter appears to have been dropped, to be again called up March 4, 1878, | September, 1883, a town-meeting was called, at when the selectmen and three from each ward, twenty in all, were constituted a committee to take the whole matter into consideration and report. This report was made at the next annual meeting, held March 3, 1879, and was unanimous that it was inexpedient to divide the town at that time, and the report was accepted. supplying the town with water from Great Pond. Many and urgent had been the calls demanding this the rapidly growing necessities of the town should be furnished with an ample supply of water. Efforts were put forward to that end, and a charter was ob- tained from the Legislature of 1882-83, of sufficient powers to cover the undertaking. On the 18th of which it was voted, by a large majority, to accept the water act, and on the 25th of the same month a board of water commissioners was chosen, and in- structed to cause to be made thorough surveys and estimates of all work and costs proposed by the act, and to make a report of the same at a special meeting to be called for the purpose. This, one of the most Soldiers' Monument .- After various votes and ap- propriations, a soldiers' monument was erected upon Burying Hill, in the old North Cemetery, upon the easterly side of the highway, consisting of a plain granite obelisk, suitably commemorating the names and services of those who perished in the Rebellion in defense of their country, and was dedicated in 1868. important enterprises ever undertaken by the town, has not reached its present stage without violent op- position. The unfortunate situation of the town in respect to its various villages, with their often con- flicting interests, and the jealousies occasioned thereby, has shown itself in this matter, as in nearly every important movement that has ever been proposed, and its success, however much it may be desired, is not the town into five wards, for convenience in carrying | yet assured. (The final action assuring it has since been taken.)

On the 21st of March, 1870, it was voted to divide on the necessary public business. This was accord- ingly done, and it remains thus to the present day. In 1871, March 6th, the first appropriation was made for the celebration of Memorial day, and the vote has been annually repeated ever since.

The Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary .- At the annual meeting held March 2, 1874, a com- mittee was chosen to make arrangements to celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the set- tlement of the town, and the same committee was

also authorized to engage some one to prepare and publish a history of the town. The first vote was carried into effect on the 4th of July of that year, by a public meeting upon King Oak Hill, with appro- priate services, among which was an historical address by Charles Francis Adams, Jr., Esq., whose great- grandmother, Abigail Smith, wife of John Adams, second President of the United States, inferior to none of the honorable women mentioned in the national his- tory, was born and reared within a short distance of the spot where the address was delivered. The occasion was one of great interest, being the second of the kind held in Massachusetts, and was celebrated with much enthusiasm by a large number of the citizens of this and other towns, who were cordially invited to the entertainment.

Fire Department .- Until quite recently the town, officially, had made no attempt to afford its citizens protection against fire. What had been done was the work of volunteer companies, or of fire districts in which the town government had no part. A half century or more ago a small hand-engine, called the " Aquarius," manned by a company of volunteers, was located at Weymouth Landing, which was for many years the only protection against fire, other

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

than the primitive hand and bucket arrangement. Some twenty years later several fire districts were erected in town, and hand-engines provided for them. At that time the town attempted some action in the same direction, and went so far as to choose a committee to purchase four engines and the necessary apparatus to go with them, for the four principal villages. This was April 29, 1844; but on the following May 7th this vote was rescinded, and the matter remained in its previous condition until March 5, 1877, when a committee of three from each ward was chosen to organize "a fire depart- ment." In accordance with the report of this com- mittee, the town, on the 15th of May, voted to pur- chase 3 fire-engines, hose-carriages, etc., 2 hook-and- ladder trucks, and 1500 feet of hose. Also to build 3 engine-houses and construct 5 reservoirs, appropri- ating $18,000 therefor. On the 30th of January, 1878, a vote was passed making a further appropria- | tion of $1100 for another hand-engine. On May 2d, $2000 was voted for an engine and hose-carriage. In March, 1880, a steam fire-engine was purchased for Ward 3, at a cost of $3200, and in 1883, $4200 was appropriated for a steamer for Ward 2. Thus it will be seen that the town has made a beginning in this important matter, which only needs to be supple- mented by the introduction of water from Great Pond, as proposed by recent votes, or from some other source, to afford really effective protection.

Growth of the Town .- It may be of interest to note the gradual growth of the town expenses from the beginning, when almost every separate item was voted upon in open town-meeting, and there were almost no general appropriations, until the present time, when the annual expenditure of the town is not far from $100,000. On the 23d May, 1751, is noted the first general appropriation for the poor, amount- ing to £20. The highways were provided for by personal labor, and it was not until after the year 1800 that anything like regular, stated appropriations were made. Beginning with the year 1820, the average sums appropriated for expenses, other than schools and highways, were for the ten years from 1820 to 1830, about $1400 ; for the succeeding de- cade, from 1830 to 1840, about $2000; from 1840 to 1850, about $4000, an increase of 100 per cent .; from 1850 to 1860, about $7000; from 1860 to 1870, about $15,000; and from 1870 to 1880, about $25,000, an increase in half a century of nearly 1800 per cent., while the increase of population was but | little more than 400 per cent.

year 1800 to about $500. From 1800 to 1810, the yearly average was about $700; from 1810 to 1820, about $1000; from 1820 to 1830, about $1000 to $1200 (in 1821 there were 895 children of school age) ; from 1830 to 1840, from $1200 to $2000; from 1840 to 1850, from $2500 to $3500 (in 1842 there were 1099 children of school age); from 1850 to 1860, from $3500 to $7000; from 1860 to 1870, from $8500 to $15,000; from 1870 to 1880, from $20,000 to $26,000, an increase since 1821 of 2500 per cent., while the number of school children had increased but about 125 per cent. (the census of 1880 showing 2028 children of school age).

The increase of population for the first century and a half was very small indeed, the estimate for 1643 being about 1000. The next estimate is from the Egerton manuscript in the British Museum, and dates about 1675, in which the number of houses set down for Weymouth, in round numbers, is 250; allowing 5 to a house, this would give a population of 1250. In 1750 the estimate was 1200. A census in 1765 showed 1258, while that of 1776 indicated 1471, and in 1790 this had declined to 1469. In 1800 quite a gain was shown in a total of 1803. The following ten years there was an increase of but 86, while in 1820 the number had increased to 2407. From this time the gain was rapid, the census of 1830 giving a population of 2837, while that of 1840 was 3738, and that of 1850 stood at 5369. The succeeding ten years showed an increase of over 40 per cent., giving a total of 7742. In 1870 the population was 9010, and in 1880, 10,570, a gain in the present century of almost 500 per cent.

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 122

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534