History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 183

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 183

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866

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

curious medley of old rooms of all sorts and sizes, con- | street above and below the tavern, from what is now nected together in a nondescript manner, and present- Harrison place, to the gas-works, in a continuous line, while the men and horses were being fed and rested. ing an architectural style which, if we might apply a geological term to it, we should call a conglomerate.

This old tavern and its outbuildings occupied all the space on the street, from the brick blacksmith- shop near the corner of Pearl Street to the provision- store of Brown Brothers. It was of a yellowish color, and had a seat running along the front under an over- hanging porch, or rather projection of a part of the second story, where loungers congregated to discuss the news of the day. In front of it and near each end was a large elm-tree ; under the westerly one stood a pump. This tree and pump remained until within ancient sign, suspended from a high, red post, gave a name to the tavern and the village, and swung its hos- pitable invitation creaking in the wind for probably nearly a hundred years. The design was a huge bowl and ladle overhung by a lemon-tree, resplendent with fruit, some of which lay around the bowl, as if fallen from the tree.

Here the selectmen of the town used to have an annual supper, and on one of these occasions the old

had sat round the table smoking, after the repast, and probably dropped fire upon the table-cloth, which was gathered up and thrust into a closet by a servant. Soon after retiring the family were wakened by the smell of smoke, and flames arising from the closet burst through to the chamber overhead, where the landlord's children slept. The frightened children rushed out in their night-clothes to the neighbors' houses ; the night was bitterly cold, and the ground covered with ice, and but for the landlord's prompt- ness and presence of mind the whole establishment would have been speedily reduced to ashes. Without stopping to put on a single garment, just as he sprang from his bed, he gave the alarm and seized a bucket of swill, which he dashed upon the burning mass in the closet, closed the doors carefully after him, and brought water from the pump, directed the labor of others who came with their buckets, and put the fire out and saved the building, though the flames actually reached the attic. There was at that time an engine in the village, kept in a house which stood in what was the front yard of the Oliver Whyte estate. It was owned by Brookline and Roxbury in common, as the south side of the street from Village Lane to the creek below Pond Avenue was then a part of Roxbury. The extent of the patronage of the old " Punch Bowl" may be roughly estimated from the fact that it was common for a row of teams to occupy the side of the

The mill-dam, the bridges, and the opening of the Worcester Railroad at last took all the business away from the old " Punch Bowl." It was bought by Mr. Isaac Thayer about 1830 and torn down. Much of the material was of solid oak, and was used in build- ing nine houses which he erected on the site of the old buildings.

The old house owned by the Gas Company, situated on the corner of Brookline Avenue and Washington Street, where the Gas Company's office now stands, was kept as a tavern for several years with the sign of a few years, the other was long ago destroyed. The | the "Punch Bowl," but it had little except local patronage, and that of the lowest sort, and was finally given up.

Police Court .- Under the old law, previous to 1857, justices of the peace had jurisdiction of crim- inal cases. About that time there was a law for the designation of a certain number of persons out of the justices of each county as trial justices for the trial of criminal cases.

As justices of the peace, William Aspinwall and building came near being destroyed by fire. They | Artemas Newell were the principal ones. Those who have held the appointment of trial justices were Wil- liam Aspinwall, Edwin Grover, Charles E. Abbott, William B. Towne, Bradford Kingman, and Charles H. Drew.

In May, 1882, the General Court authorized a Police Court to be established in Brookline, for civil and criminal business. The first court held was in a room at the police station. Soon after this the county of Norfolk fitted apartments for the use of the court, consisting of a commodious court-room and a room for the justices, containing a library, and having con- nection with the police department, so that the facil- ities of doing business are now as complete as any to be found in the county. The new apartments were used for the first time Sept. 1, 1882. The justices are Charles H. Drew, justice ; Charles F. Perkins and Albert L. Lincoln, special justices ; appointed in May, 1882.

Masonic .- Beth-Horan Lodge of Free and Ac- cepted Masons. Although many brethren of the Masonic order affiliated with the lodges in Boston and Roxbury, and were residents of Brookline pre- vious to 1870, it was not till that year that a lodge was established here. The following persons peti- tioned for a charter: William Aspinwall, George F. Homer, Benjamin F. Baker, James W. Edgerly, R. G. F. Candage, Benjamin B. Davis, Charles K. Kirby, Nathaniel C. Towle, George M. Towle, Charles

867

BROOKLINE.

O. Foster, Cyrus W. Ruggles, William K. Melcher, Charles H. Drew, John W. Candler, Charles W. Cot- ting, and George J. Fisher. The first Master was George F. Homer. The name of the lodge was adopted in commemoration of the cities of Beth- Horan rebuilt by King Solomon. The first lodge- room was in Lyceum Hall building, but after a few years that was found inadequate, and the lodge fitted up commodious apartments in the brick block at the corner of Harvard and School Streets, which it still occupies. This lodge is in a prosperous condition, and its Masters have been as follows: George F. Homer, Benjamin F. Baker, James W. Edgerly, R. G. F. Candage, John Emory Hoar, and Dr. Thomas W. Clement.

The Grand Army of the Republic have an or- ganization in this town under the name of Charles L. Chandler 1 Post, No. 143. The post was organized, the date of the charter was Jan. 24, 1871. The fol- lowing are the charter members : George P. Richard- son, Milton J. Stone, James Sinclair, Willard Y. Gross, George W. Funk, Leo Bertsch, Bradford P. Cook, Arthur Kemp, John McAndrews, Francis H. Mc Intosh, John P. Loftus, Horace N. Fisher, Wil- liam Bowes, W. W. O'Connell, Fergus B. Turner, Samuel D. Edwards.

Royal Arcanum .- Sagamore Council, No. 181, was organized in Brookline, Mass., Oct. 19, 1878. Charter members,-R. G. F. Candage, Benjamin F. Baker, David B. Van Slyck, M.D., Thomas T. Rob- inson, George E. Everett, T. W. Clements, James W. Edgerly, Charles A. Bowditch, Jos. G. Stearns, A. G. Sanborn, David Bentley, George F. Brown, Ira B. Cushing, M.D., George W. Stearns, Fergus B. Turner, Francis H. Bacon, Charles B. Farnum, J. H. Boody, William S. Cutter.

instituted Feb. 8, 1877. Charter members,-C. H. Hackett, R. K. Sawyer, W. S. Brown, James Harri- son, R. D. Mills, E. S. Milliken, G. T. Defrees, A. E. James, E. W. Packard, W. M. Bellows, Solomon Burt, W. H. M. Bellows. The officers for 1884 are as fol- lows : P. D., J. H. Allen ; D., M. F. Kenrick ; V. D., J. F. Hutchins ; A. D., C. H. Wilson ; Chapl., W. M. Bellows; Rep., E. W. Packard ; Fin. Rep., A. E. Kenrick ; Treas., E. N. Gutterson ; G., A. E. James ; Guard, E. G. Brooks; Sent., L. S. Lyon.

American Legion of Honor .- Corey Hill Coun- cil, No. 33. Charter members,-Levi Doran, Alfred Kenrick, Jr., William S. Brown, Alfred B. Tyrell, J. H. Boody, George L. Newcomb, A. Mccullough,

Andrew Noland, Thomas T. Robinson, F. M. Bond, Charles E. Rogers, E. W. Packard, A. G. Sanborn, E. N. Gutterson, C. W. Morse, and David B. Van Slyck.

Sons of Temperance .- Pierce Division, No. 86. Instituted March 27, 1861; charter surrendered in 1884.

Brookline Savings-Bank (incorporated Feb. 24, 1871) .- The first regular meeting of this institu- tion was held on the 20th of April, 1871, for organ- ization. Amos A. Lawrence, president ; Charles U. Cotting, Alanson W. Beard, and Edward Atkinson, vice-presidents ; William A. Wellman, George F. Fabyan, Alfred Kenrick, Jr., Martin Kingman, Austin W. Benton, Charles H. Stearns, Phillip Duffy, Wil- liam I. Bowditch, Charles D. Head, John W. Cand- ler, Moses Williams, Jr., trustees. The business commenced in the building owned by John Gibbs, corner of Washington and School Streets. It is now in " Colonnade Block," on Washington Street. The present officers are William H. Lincoln, president ; William E. Lincoln, secretary and treasurer.

The Press of Brookline .- Bradford Kingman was the pioneer in the newspaper enterprise in Brook- line. His paper was entitled the Brookline Tran- script. The first number was dated Oct. 15, 1870, and ended with May 31, 1873. The file of this paper contains a great number of historical articles, under the titles of " Recollections of Brookline," " Historical Sketches," and "Brookline as it was." Those under the last title numbered nearly one hun- dred, which were the basis of a work afterwards pub- lished in a volume and sold by subscription entitled " Historical Sketches of Brookline."

Knights of Honor .- Brookline Lodge, No. 459, published by a club having a special object, and run

The next attempt to sustain a paper was July 4, 1873, when the Independent was started. This was but a short time. Dr. N. C. Towle was a manager.

The Brookline Chronicle commenced May 9, 1874, by W. H. Hutcheson. Wing & Arthur purchased the same July 10, 1875. Arthur sold to Murray M. Wing, Nov. 4, 1876. Wing sold to Charles M. Vin- cent, Jan. 27, 1877.

Feb. 1, 1878, Alexander S. Arthur purchased the paper, and published it till July 1, 1879, when Charles A. W. Spencer became a partner, under the firm-name of Arthur & Spencer, who continued together until May 14, 1881, when Mr. Spencer purchased Mr. Arthur's interest, and became sole proprietor to Jan. 1, 1883. At that time Eliot F. Soule was admitted partner, who continued to Nov. 1, 1883. Mr. Spencer has since that date been editor and proprietor.

On the 1st day of January, 1881, the paper was

1 This post was named in honor of one of Brookline's earliest patriots in the Rebellion of 1861.

868

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

changed to a quarto and the word Brookline left out of the title. It is a fine-looking and well-patronized paper. Mr. Spencer has a completely furnished print- ing-office for publishing and printing his paper, as well as for book and job printing.

Libraries .- In the year 1825 a few individuals were associated together for the purpose of procuring a library of books for mutual improvement. They were organized with Rev. Dr. John Pierce as presi- | dent; Deacon Otis Withington, secretary; Oliver Whyte, librarian ; and Deacon John Robinson, treas- urer, with a board of trustees. Rules and regulations were adopted Dec. 27, 1825. The terms were five dollars per year the first two years, and two dollars per year after that time. The library was kept in the house of the librarian, and was open for delivery of books on the first and third Saturdays of each month, from three to four o'clock P.M. The books were at one time kept in the shoe-store of James Leeds, nearly opposite to the present hook-and-ladder house on Washington Street.

In 1827 a printed catalogue was issued for the use of members, which contained twelve pages of matter, and the titles of between two hundred and fifty and three hundred volumes. This may be said to have been the first library in the town.

In 1865 there was a collection of works on agri- culture in the town, owned by about eighty sub- scribers, which had been deposited with the town library in the original apartments at the town hall. There were one hundred and seventy-three volumes in an elegant black-walnut case, and the association was known as the Brookline Agricultural Library. During the year above named the proprietors pre- town, and the same forms a portion of the agricul- tural department in the Public Library.

Brookline is believed to have been the first town in the commonwealth to avail itself of the general statute authorizing cities and towns to raise and ap- propriate money for founding and maintaining public libraries. At the annual town-meeting, held March 16, 1857, the subject was introduced under an article in the warrant, and referred to a committee, consisting of Edward A. Dana, Abijah W. Goddard, Samuel Philbrick, George F. Homer, and Charles Follen. This committee reported at the adjourned town-meeting, March 30, 1857, and upon their recommendation the town promptly voted to establish a public library, and appropriated for its foundation and commencement the sum of nine hundred and thirty-four dollars, being the rate of twenty-five cents per ratable poll. These sums were all that could be legally raised by

taxation for this purpose. A suitable place was pro- vided, and arrangements were made so that the Public Library was opened for the delivery of books to the citizens of the town Dec. 2, 1857, in a single room in the town hall, which was afterwards increased to four rooms ; but having outgrown their limits, meas- ures were taken to provide better accommodations, which resulted in the erection of the present building devoted to library uses in 1867.

Land was purchased of Messrs. Henry Collins, Charles Chase, and John Gibbs on Washington Street. The entire lot, containing sixty-five thou- sand feet, was graded, fenced, and provided with avenues and suitable walks, making it very attractive. The building was completed in 1869, and, with the furniture and furnishing, cost about forty-five thousand dollars. The architect was Louis Weissbein, Esq., of Boston, and the contractors for the work were as follows : mason-work was done by Horace James ; carpenter-work, by Nathaniel Lyford ; freestone trim- mings, etc., by E. F. Meany ; granite, by Frederick & Field ; cellar, by James Driscoll ; painting, by Ben- jamin F. Baker; gas-fixtures, by M. W. Pierce & Co. ; heating apparatus and tinning, by Kenrick Brothers.

The library hall has a capacity for fifty thousand volumes, a commodious reading-room, librarian's room, trustees' hall, committee-room, and six other rooms, with accommodations for all the working departments of a successful public library for the present and for a long time to come. These rooms were opened to the public Oct. 13, 1869, and the delivery of books commenced on the 18th of the same month.

From that date to the present the library has been sented the case and contents, as above stated, to the | a marked success. The first librarian was Mr. John

Emory Hoar, who took a great interest in the institu- tion from the commencement. Since the 1st of De- cember, 1871, the library has been under the charge of Miss Mary A. Bean, who brought to the office of librarian qualifications which it is the lot of but a few to possess, in the thorough knowledge of books and literature generally and an extensive experience in the catalogueing of books, which is now an art requiring hard study, experience, and talent to insure success. Under the supervision of Miss Bean and her two as- sistants, the Misses Wood and Lanman, the library bids fair to be among the leading institutions of its size in the country.

As the growth of the library has been somewhat rapid, increasing at the rate of one thousand volumes or more per year, we append a table showing the number of volumes and the circulation from its com- mencement to the present time.

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BROOKLINE.

Table showing Statistics of Growth and Circulation, from Dec. 2, 1857, to Feb. 1, 1884.

Report.

Year.

No. of Vols.

Circulation.

Established

1857

1,000

.. .

Ist

1858

2,138

2,000

1859

2,856

10,108

1860

4,118

11,000%

4th

1861

5,751

11,619

5th

1862

5,360

14,022

6th

1863

6,239

15,005

7th

1864

6,817

17,575

8th

1865

7,520

19,206

9th

1866

8,502

19,793

10th

1867

9,026

19,103

11th

1868

9,687

18,011

12th

1869

10,500

18,144

13th

1870

12,000

22,381

15th

1872

14,448

17,389+

16th

1873

15,593

37,105

17th

1874

16,669

50,120

18th

1875

17,893

37,949±

19th

1876

19,323

42,427

20th

1877

20,282

45,619

21st

1878

21,416

50,427

22d

1879

22,925

44,736%

23d

1880

24,018

50,435

24th

1881

25,181

44,585

25th

1882

26,158

45,565

26th

1883

27,089

48,852

27th

1884

28,062

50,608

* Librarian's report says, " A little less than 11,000 vols. have been delivered."

¡ Library closed several months in summer for rearrangement. The above figures date from the reopening, Sept. 11, 1872.

¿ Change in town by-laws, requiring reports to be returned Feb. 15' cut short the library year.

¿ Library closed two months for examination and cleaning of books.

While the success has been so marked in the past, and the influence that has gone out from the estab- lishment of such an institution has been so great, the citizens of the town are to be congratulated upon the acquisition of such high privileges as they now enjoy.

In this connection we cannot fail to notice and duly appreciate the great liberality that has been shown towards the library enterprise from its begin- ning. The reports and records show that there has never been a year in its history when books and pamphlets have not been generously and freely be- stowed.

The following gifts of money have been given to the library, viz. :

John S. Wright, in June, 1861, $100.

James M. Howe, in February, 1863, $100.

Mrs. Samuel Philbrick, May, 1864, $1000.

Abijah W. Goddard, July, 1869, $100.

John L. Gardner, January, 1871, $10,000. John L. Gardner, November, 1873, $1000.

The will of Martin L. Hall gives " to the town of Brookline five thousand dollars for the benefit of the ! town library, to be placed on interest, and such interest i

forever applied to the increase of said library by the purchase of books of standard value."

Numerous smaller sums of money, varying from ten to fifty dollars, amounting to several hundred dol- lars, were contributed during the early years of the library.

One of the leading features in the library, and a valuable portion, is the reading-room, where may be found magazines and periodicals and many newspapers readily accessible, in what has been named " Gardner | Hall." Much of the success of this institution is due to the character and management of the board of trustees, who are selected with reference to their fitness for the duties of such institutions, persons of culture, education, and good taste,-the requisites for good managers,-some of whom devote a large por- tion of their time to its interests.

Town Hall .- The necessity of a new town hall, to meet the growth and increasing demands of our people, had become so apparent, that at the annual town-meeting of the citizens, held on the 28th . of March, 1870, a committee was appointed to con- sider the subject, and to report in regard to the same at the adjourned town-meeting. The committee, at their first meeting, without previous conference, found themselves a unit in favor of the immediate erection of a tasteful, commodious, and substantial edifice for this purpose. The committee were also impressed with the fact that the town was seriously deficient in those social advantages which would be derived from the possession of such a building. Their report was accepted, and the same persons were con- stituted a building committee, viz. : William A. Well- man, Charles U. Cotting, John C. Abbott, Charles W. Scudder, William Aspinwall, Augustine Shurtleff, William K. Melcher, William Lincoln, and Martin P. Kennard. The town appropriated the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, and placed the same at the disposal of the committee, who were authorized to issue the bonds of the town, payable in twenty years. At a subsequent meeting fifty thousand dollars were added to the appropriation, for which sums the bonds were negotiated at six per cent., at their par value, and a sinking fund has been provided for their redemp- tion.

The first duty of the committee was to invite plans and sketches, with the understanding that the author of the accepted design should be employed as the archi- tect. All were requested to sign their designs with a motto, and inclose their names in an envelope, to re- main until the choice was made. Sixteen designs were offered, and after very careful study and con- sideration the one with a red seal was chosen, and dis-

14th

1871

13,552

33,393

870

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

closed the name of the author to be S. J. F. Thayer, Esq., of Boston. The contract for the masonry was taken by Messrs. Adams & Barstow, of Boston ; and for the carpenter-work by our townsman, Mr. Wil- liam K. Melcher. The corner-stone of the building was laid, in the presence of the town officers, May 23, | 1871.

The structure is upon the site of the old town hall, which was removed to Prospect Street. This is the third hall the inhabitants have built for town pur- poses. The first was dedicated Jan. 1, 1825, a small stone building, afterwards used for the high school, and now standing on Walnut Street, near the First Church. The second was opened on the 14th Oc- tober, 1845, twenty years after the first ; and the late venerable Dr. Pierce, in his address on the occasion, - remarked, " The progressive improvements of modern times render it not improbable that, when this beau- teous fabric shall grow old, it may give place to an i Boston. The main vestibule is decorated in a style

edifice which shall as far exceed this as the present is superior to the rude structures of former times."

In style, this structure is a secular Gothic, well fitted for a building designed for municipal uses. The principal façade has three entrances, divided by pol- ished granite columns with carved capitals, the whole being covered with an arch resting upon solid abut- ments, and forming above the entrance a large window, which is divided by granite mullions. Above this window, and nearly in the centre of the front, is an arcade inclosing several windows, which are separated by short granite shafts. Still higher is the cornice, ornate in character, and somewhat above the general level. The centre of the front rises to a height of one hundred feet, being higher than any other portion of the structure. The roof is slated in green, red, and purple, in ornamental style. The building is three stories in height, and constructed of rose-colored granite from Dedham, and trimmed with light-gray hammered granite from Blue Hill, Me., having a massive base of the same material, while the body is quarry-faced. The ground-floor is a rectangle, ninety feet in width by one hundred and thirty-six feet in length, each side being recessed ten feet, and fifty-six feet of the centre front projecting, giving an extreme width of ninety feet, and extreme length of one hun- dred and forty-six feet. The first floor is seven and | one-half feet above the grade of the location, and is divided into corridors, offices, and a hall. Entering by the main door-way, we pass through the vestibule, thirty-nine feet long by thirty in width, with a tile | floor. In this vestibule, and on either side of the entrance, are the staircases leading to the second story. Beyond this is a corridor fifteen feet in width, extend-

ing back half the length of the building, where it meets another corridor running at right angles with it, and giving an entrance on Prospect Street, through a carriage-porch. On either side of the main corridor are three rooms, twenty-three feet width, for the use of the town officers. At the rear of the main corridor is the lower hall, in the rear of the building, which will seat between five and six hundred persons, and is designed for political and other meetings, which do not require the larger hall. Ascending the broad staircases, we enter this hall, which is sixty-five and one-half wide by ninety-two and one-half feet in length ; and it will seat between twelve and fourteen hundred persons. Its form is an elongated octagon. The walls are thirty-seven feet in height, the ceilings extend into the roof sixteen feet, giving in the centre a height of fifty-three feet. The decorations and windows were done by McPherson & McDonald, of

like to the hall, and is lighted by a large window, in which are placed the coat of arms of the United States and of the State, both in medallion. The building is heated by indirect radiation of steam, under the direction of T. S. Clogston, of Boston.

The character of the work is completed in the spirit of the liberality of the town.

An able address was delivered on the occasion of the dedication of this hall by Hon. Robert C. Win- throp, which has been published in pamphlet form. -

At the conclusion of Mr. Winthrop's address, the following original ode, written by Miss Harriet F. Woods, written for the occasion, was sung by the Choral Club :

"ODE.

" Written for the occasion by Miss Harriet F. Woods.

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 183

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