History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 2

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 2

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:54

Du Bois. A. E

210

Adams, Thomas

375

Everett, George

514

Alden, Ebenezer.

208

Faxon, Henry H

377

Ames, William

111

Field, Willian:

:- 1

Atherton. Jame-

415

Fisher. M. M

557

Atherton, Samuel.

417

Fisk, Emery

488

Atwood, Shadrach

1~6

Fiske, Isaac

Fiske. . /. \

Bacon, Joseph T

670

Flagg, Solomon

489

Baxter, Daniel.

Fosz. Davis

515

Barrows, Thomas

between 92, 93

Fogy, John S.

615

Beals, E. S.

facing 618

Frederick, Eleazer

382

Bird, Francis W

French. Charb - HI

Blake, George B.

916

Gay, J. W

between 110, 111

" Boylston Place," Residence of Henry Lee.

S60

Griggs, Thomas.

facing

S71

Burgess, Ebenezer

Hewins, Whiting

471

Bullard, John

Hodges, Alfred

708

Candage, R. G. F

951

Hodges, Leonard.

418

Capen, Nahum

957

Hodges, Sewall

705

Carpenter, J. E

703

Hodges, William A 386

15S

Churchill. Amos

Holbrook, E. N

132

Clapp. Lucius

facing

424

Holmes, Warren MI

Clark, Joseph W

102

Hunnewell, H. H., Residence and Views of Grounds .. 478-480

Cleveland, Ira.

101

Howe, Appleton.

facing 612

Colburn, Wahlo

Lamson. Alvan

Cook, Horace L

Lawrence. A. A. Refine of

Cook, Nathan A

159

. Lincoln, James D

between 670, 671

Crocker, L. O

142

Lyon. E. A facing

539

Curtis, Daniel D

452

Mann, George H.

470

Davis, Robert S

Manstiebl, Willian ..

Deane, Francis W

971 McDonnell, Patrick 384

Dizer, M. C

616 Monk, Elisha C.

422

Chapman, O. S.

962

Holbrook, Amos H.

Churchill, C. C between 108, 109

Hollingsworth, E. A.

Bleakie, Robert

Hodges. Benjamin

Canton Memorial Hall

S83

Gaston, William

Babcock. S. B

xii

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Morrison, A

facing

131

Stone, Ebenezer.

facing

728

Morrison, A. S

135

Stone, Eliphalet

108

Morrison, B. L

136

Stuart, William J

917

Morse, Elijah A

965

Taft, Ezra W

106

Morse, Otis

516

| Talbot, Warren

.between 472, 473

Noyes, Samuel B

Thayer, David

.facing

137

Orr, Galen

538

| Tinker, Francis.

between 514, 515

Parsons, Thomas

881

Tirrell, James,

612, 613

Paul, Ebenezer.

109

Tirrell, Minot

612, 613

Peirce, Henry.

S80

Torrey, James.

facing

620

Pierce, Edward L

777

Wales, Martin ..

414

Pierce, Henry L

110

Wales, Nathaniel

412

Pierce. JJesse

408

Ware, Josiah

976

Porter, Robert.

425

Warner, Samuel

Ray, James P.

184

Washburn, Andrew

918

Ray. Joseph G.

185

Wason, Elbridge

Richards, Moses.

472

Wellesley College.

482

Richardson, Stephen W.

187

Wellesley College, East Lodge.

483

Sanford, M. H.

555

Wellesley College, Library.

485

Sargent, James II

560

Wellesley College of Music.

487

Shaw, Nathaniel.

613

Wellesley College, Stone Hall.

486

Sheldon, Rhodes.

671

Wellesley Town Hall and Library.

facing

477

Shepard, James S

964

Wentworth, Edwin.

969

Sherburne, William

.between 670, 671

Wentworth, Nathaniel.

968

Sherman, Job

facing

707

Whitaker, E. K.

536

Slafter, Carlos.

107

White, Judge George.

492

Smith, Isaac.

702

White, N. L

139

Smith, Lyman.

513

White, Thomas

438

Southworth, Amasa.

421

Whiting, Edwin.

between 110, 111

Southworth, Consider.

419

Wild, Charles.

facing

S74

Southgate, George A ..

109

Wild, Edward A

876

Spaulding, Corodon.

970

Wood, Henry.

490

Stetson, Caleb

131

Wolcott, H. F

Stetson, Everett.

727

Worthington, Erastus.

Stetson, J. 1.

376.

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QUINCY

INTRODUCTION.

BY NAHUM CAPEN, LL.D.

THAT divisions and subdivisions of extended terri- | things for the General Court amongst the three Regi- tory, of increasing population and the multiplying ments, is to be carried by the deputies to the freemen wants of society are necessary for safe and economic | of every towne, and their answer returned to the efficiency, are truths almost too obvious to require next session of this Court." Winthrop's Journal of May 16, 1639, says, " two Regiments in the Bay mustered at Boston." Evidently the phrase "in the bay" " then excluded soldiers who belonged to what was afterwards called Essex County. Hence regi- ment at these dates denoted an equal number of gen- eral and territorial divisions in the colony." 2 elucidation. In these are to be found the outlines of republican strength necessary to a permanent union. Their importance was fully exemplified in the reign of Alfred the Great of England.1 The Puritans and the Pilgrims had no choice but to adopt such a system that they might hold their possessions as they ac- quired them by purchase or otherwise, and preserve their authority as they had means to establish it with an increasing population. No individual nor family | was recognized as a part of their community without a registered permit. The terms first adopted were modified from time to time, according to their grow- ing importance. Under the monarchy of Great Britain the American continent was divided into provinces, or colonies, and these were subdivided into towns and counties.

The following statistics of Norfolk County repre- sent the towns as they stood from 1793 to 1868, when Hyde Park was taken from Dorchester, Ded- ham, and Milton, and incorporated April 22, 1868. Norfolk was taken from Wrentham, Franklin, Med- way, and Walpole, and incorporated Feb. 23, 1870. Norwood was taken from Dedham and Walpole, and incorporated Feb. 23, 1872. Holbrook was taken from Randolph, and incorporated Feb. 29, 1872. Wellesley was taken from Needham, and incorporated April 6, 1881.

Before Massachusetts was nominally divided into counties, in 1643, it appears to have had such divis- ! ions, designated by the term regiments. Under the date of Oct. 7, 1641, in General Court records is the following passage : " The proposition of choosing dep- uties for a yeare, and transacting and preparing all

Norfolk County was taken from Suffolk County, March 26, 1793. It was bounded northeast by Bos- ton harbor, north by Suffolk County, west by south- east part of Worcester County, south by the northeast part of Rhode Island, and southeast and east by the counties of Bristol and Plymouth.3

Number of square miles, 445.

Population : 1790, 23,878; 1800, 27,216; 1810, 31,245 ; 1820, 36,471 ; 1830, 41,901 ; 1840, 53,140 ; 1850, 78,892 ; 1860, 109,950 ; 1870, 51,286 ; 1880, 70,922.4

County town, Dedham. Number of towns, 27, less Dorchester and Roxbury, annexed to Boston, viz. : Bellingham, Braintree, Brookline, Canton, Co- hasset, Dedham, Dorchester, Dover, Foxborough, Franklin, Holbrook, Hyde Park, Medfield, Medway, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, Norwood, Quincy, Ran- dolph, Roxbury, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Wel- lesley, Weymouth, Wrentham.

2 Mass. State Records, vol. i. p. 26. Edited by Nahum Capen.

3 Mass. State Record, 1847, vol. i. p. 26.

4 These figures will be varied by the annexation of Rox- bury, West Roxbury, and Dorchester to Boston.

1 " After Alfred had subdued and had settled or expelled the ! Danes, he found the kingdom in the most wretched condition ; desolated by the ravages of those barbarians and thrown into disorders which were calculated to perpetuate its misery.

"These were the evils for which it was necessary that the vigilance and activity of Alfred should provide a remedy.

"That he might render the execution of justice strict and regular, he divided all England into counties ; these counties he subdivided into hundreds, and the hundreds into tithings. Every householder was answerable for the behaviour of his family and slaves, and even of his guests if they lived above three days in his house. Ten neighboring householders were formed into one corporation, who, under the name of a tithing, decennary, or fribourg, were answerable for each other's con- duct, and over whom one person, called a tithing-man, head- bourg, or borsholder, was appointed to preside. Every man was punished as an outlaw who did not register himself in some tithing. And no man could change his habitation without a warrant or certificate from the horsholder of the tithing to which he formerly belonged."-Hume, vol. i. pp. 70, 71.

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Bellingham was set off from Dedham and incorpo- rated as a town in 1719. It lies eighteen miles southwest from Dedham, seventeen north by west from Providence, R. I., and twenty-eight southwest from Boston.

Braintree formerly included Quincy and Randolph, and was at first called Mount Wollaston, the first settlement of which was in 1625. Braintree was incorporated in 1640. It lies ten miles south by east from Boston, and twelve east by south from Dorchester.

Brookline, before its incorporation in 1705, be- longed to Boston. It is four miles southwest from Boston, and five miles north-northeast from Ded- ham.

Canton was originally the south precinct of Dor- chester, the first parish of Stoughton, called Dorches- ter Village. It was incorporated in 1797. It is fourteen miles south by west from Boston, and six miles southeast from Dedham.

Cohasset was originally a part of Hingham. It was incorporated in 1770.

The settlement of Dedham commenced in 1635. Dedham is the shire-town of the county, and lies ten miles southwest from Boston, thirty-five east from Worcester, thirty-five northwest from Plymouth, twenty-six north by west from Taunton, and thirty north-northeast from Providence.1

Dorchester was incorporated in 1630, annexed to Boston at different periods, and now makes a part of Suffolk County.

Dover was originally a part of Dedham. It was incorporated as a precinct in 1748, and as a town in 1784. It is five miles west from Dedham, and four- teen southwest from Boston.

Foxborough was settled previous to 1700, and was formerly a part of Wrentham, Walpole, and Stoughton.

Franklin was set off from Wrentham in 1737 as a distinct parish, and incorporated as a town, and named in honor of Dr. Franklin, in 1778.2

1 See History of Dedham, by Erastus Worthington, Esq.

2 " The name was selected in honor of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. While Dr. Franklin was in France, a friend of his in Boston wrote to him that a town in the vicinity of Boston had chosen his name, by which to be known in the world, and he presumed, as it had no bell with which to summon the people to meeting on the Sabbath, a present of such an instrument from him would be very acceptable, especially as they were about erecting a new meeting-house. The doctor wrote, in re- ply, that he presumed the people in Franklin were more fond of' sense than of sound ; and accordingly presented them with a handsome donation of books for the use of the parish."- Smalley's Centennial Sermon.

Centre Village, twenty-seven miles southwest from Boston, and seventeen southwest from Dedham.

Medfield was originally a part of Dedham. It was incorporated in 1650. It lies eight miles south- west from Dedham, and seventeen southwest from Boston.

Medway was originally a part of Medfield. It was incorporated in 1713. It lies twenty-four miles southwest from Boston, and fourteen southwest from Dedham.

The Indian name of Milton was said to have been Uncataquisset. The town of Dorchester in 1662 voted that Unquety should be a township, and it was incorporated in 1662. It lies seven miles from Boston, and six east from Dedham.

Needham was originally a part of Dedham. It was incorporated in 1711. It lies five miles north- west from Dedham, and by Worcester Railroad thirteen miles southwest from Boston.

Quincy was originally the first parish in Braintree. It was first settled in 1625. It lies eight miles south by east from Boston, and ten east from Dedham.

Randolph was originally a part of Braintree. It was incorporated in 1793. It was named in honor of Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, the first president of the American Congress. It lies fourteen miles south from Boston, and twelve southeast from Dedham. .

Roxbury was incorporated in 1630. Roxbury and West Roxbury now make a part of Boston and Suf- folk County.

Sharon was originally the second parish of Stough- ton. It was incorporated in 1765. It was first named Stoughtonham, but it was soon changed to Sharon. It is seventeen miles by railroad southwest from Boston, and nine south from Dedham.

Stoughton was originally a part of Dorchester, and embraced within its limits the towns of Canton, Sharon, and Foxborough. It was incorporated in 1726. It lies eighteen miles south from Boston, and ten southeast from Dedham.

Walpole was originally a part of Dedham. It was incorporated in 1724. South Village is three miles from the East Village, and the East is nine miles south by west from Dedham, and nineteen southwest from Boston.

Weymouth, the Wessagussett of the Indians, is the oldest settlement in Massachusetts except Plymouth. It lies eleven miles south by east from Boston, and fourteen southeast from Dedham.

Wrentham was originally a part of Dedham. It was set off in 1661, and incorporated as a town in 1673. It lies twenty-seven miles south-south west from Boston, and seventeen south-southwest from Dedham.

INTRODUCTION.

It is a beneficent provision of Providence that society is divided and subdivided into circles, whether of a political, industrial, moral, domestic, social, or religious nature.1 Each circle has its centre, from which emanate its own peculiar influences, and which are reflected back from its circumference. This is true of the county, although the political organiza- tion of a county affords but few opportunities to its inhabitants to distinguish themselves either officially or as citizens. Still, it is alive to its own interests, extent, and character. And yet, if we turn to his- tory, we find numerous examples of remarkable events within the smaller circles leading to great re- sults in the larger. This truth was fully exempli- fied in the action of committees, town-meetings, and county conventions in the earlier days of the Ameri- can Revolution. Such action was natural, easy, con- venient, and practicable, party-men acting together in the same neighborhood, town, or county. Some of the most important measures of the Revolution originated in the committee, the town-meeting, or in the county convention.2 Several of the counties of Massachusetts held conventions, and some of the most spirited and patriotic resolutions were passed. The Provincial Congress was recommended by these county conventions and the Continental Congress · boldly sustained.

At this critical and alarming period no county distinguished itself for intelligence and patriotism more than the inhabitants of Norfolk County.

" At a meeting of the Delegates of every Town and District of the County of Suffolk [which embraced the towns now Nor- folk County], on Tuesday, the 6th of September, 1774, at the house of Mr. Richard Woodward, of Dedham ; and by ad- journment at the house of Mr. Vose, of Milton, on Friday, the 9th of September.

"Joseph Palmer, Esquire, being chosen Moderator, and Wil- liam Thompson, Esq., Clerk.

" A Committee was chosen to bring in a Report to the Con-

vention; and the following being several times read, and put, paragraph by paragraph, was unanimously voted." 3

The committee reported nineteen resolutions, re- citing the grievances of the colonies and recommend- ing uncompromising action, and boldly appealed to the people to defend their constitutional rights.4

" At a Meeting of Delegates from several Towns and Dis- tricts in the county of Suffolk, held at Milton, on Friday, the 9th of September, 1774.

" Voted, that Dr. Joseph Warren and Dr. Benjamin Church, of Boston ; Deacon Joseph Palmer, Germantown ; Captain Lem- uel Robinson, Dorchester ; Colonel Ebenezer Thayer, Braintree ; Captain William Heath, Roxbury; William Holden, Esq., Dorchester; Colonel William Taylor, Milton; Captain John Homans, Dorchester; Isaac Gardner, Esq., Brookline; Mr. Richard Woodward, Dedham; Captain Benjamin White, Brook- line; Doctor Samuel Gardner, Milton; Nathaniel Sumner, Esq., Dedham; and Captain Thomas Aspinwall, Brookline, be a Committee to wait upon his Excellency, the Governor, to inform him that the people of this county are alarmed at the fortifications making on Boston Neck, and to remonstrate against the same; and the repeated insults offered by the sol- diery to persons passing and repassing into that town, and to confer with him upon these subjects.

" Attest, WILLIAM THOMPSON, Clerk."

The committee prepared a communication to Gov- ernor Gage, and he replied to it, but his reply was deemed unsatisfactory, and it was voted to insert the correspondence in the public papers.5

In August, 1774, the grand jurors of this county and the petit jurors unanimously refused to be sworn because of the late tyrannical acts of the British Parliament, and publicly gave their reasons. Of the twenty-two in number, six were from Boston, and sixteen were from the towns, now Norfolk County, viz. :

Ebenezer Hancock, Boston ; Samuel Hobart, Hing- ham ; Peter Boyer, Boston ; Joseph Pool, Weymouth ; Joseph Hall, Boston ; William Bullard, Dedham ; Thomas Craft, Jr., Boston ; Jonathan Day, Needham ; James Ivers, Boston; Abijah Upham, Stoughton ; Paul Revere, Boston ; Moses Richardson, Medway ; Robert Williams, Roxbury ; Henry Plympton, Med- field ; William Thompson, Brookline; Lemuel Hal- lock, Wrentham ; Abraham Wheeler, Dorchester ; Joseph Willet, Walpole; Joseph Jones, Milton ; Thomas Pratt, Chelsea; Nathaniel Belcher, Brain- tree ; Nicholas Book, Bellingham.

The names of the petit jurors are given, but not the towns from which they came.6

The county is an important part of the common-

1 The Puritans did not allow the people to plead distance as an excuse for non-attendance at church. The following item is taken from the town records of Ipswich, Mass .: "1661. As an inhabitant of Ipswich, living at a distance, absented him- self with his wife from public worship, the General Court em- power the 'Seven men' (the town authorities) to sell his farm, so that they may live nearer the sanctuary, and be able more conveniently to attend on its religious services."

2 In his letter to the Abbé De Mably, John Adams says,-

"The consequences of these institutions have been, that the inhabitants having acquired from their infancy the habit of discussing, of deliberating, and of judging of public affairs, it was in these assemblies of towns or districts that the senti- ments of the people were formed in the first place, and there resolutions were taken from the beginning to the end of the disputes and the war with Great Britain."-John Adams, vol. v. p. 495.

3 American Archives, vol. i. p. 776.

4 These resolutions are too long to be copied. They may be found in American Archives, vol. i. p. 776.

5 See American Archives, vol. i. pp. 779-782. 6 See ibid., pp. 747-49.

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

wealth, and the ambition of its officials is to make reports of the people not only favorable to themselves, but creditable by comparison with other counties. It has a natural ambition and a commendable pride in its courts and institutions to see that justice is promptly administered, the criminal secured, the wicked re- formed, the weak defended against the strong, the widow wisely advised, the orphan protected. Its authority adjusts the highways from town to town, builds the bridges, and decides upon the convenience and interests of the people who have occasion to travel within its boundaries. The farmers and the learned professions associate within county limits to perfect themselves, each class in its own way, by making common stock of individual experience, and by discussing doubtful questions. The fruits of such associations in due time are extended to the com- monwealth and to the nation, either by the press or conventions.

Norfolk County can boast of one organization, such as cannot be found in New England, viz., " The Stoughton Musical Society." It was organized by leading men of Norfolk County, Nov. 7, 1786, and it is said to be, of the kind, the oldest in the United States.

It adopted a constitution of nine articles, denomi- nated " Regulations."

The following extracts " indicate the moral and artistic character of the association :"

" Every member shall behave with Decency, Politeness, and Dignity; and whosoever behaves disorderly shall be punished according to the nature of his offence, as the society shall order.

"There sh ill be a Committee chosen, who shall examine all persons who shall wish to join the Society, and no one shall be admitted without their approbation."

To these regulations the following names were subscribed :

Elijah Dunbar, Esq., Enoch Leonard, Capt. Samuel Talbot, Samuel Capen (2d), Nathan Crane, Thomas Crane, Elijah Crane, James Capen, Joseph Smith (4th), Uriah Leonard, Samuel Dunbar, Jonathan Capen, Andrew Capen, Isaac Horton, Thomas Capen, Sam- ucl Tolman (deacon), Joseph Richards, Jr., George Wadsworth, David Wadsworth, John D. Dunbar, Peter Crane, Lemuel Fisher, Jonathan Billings, Jesse Billings, Atherton Wales.

At a meeting, Nov. 22, 1786, the following were chosen officers of the society :

Elijah Dunbar, Esq., president ; Lieut. Samuel Capen, register (or secretary) ; Capt. Samuel Talbot, vice-president ; Joseph Smith (4th), first treasurer ; Andrew Capen, second treasurer.

Committee of Examination : Elijah Dunbar, Esq., Capt. Samuel Talbot, Lieut. Samuel Capen, Capt. Joseph Richards, Jr., Andrew Capen, Jonathan Capen, Enoch Leonard.

At this meeting it was voted to purchase the " Worcester Collection," a book which had been recently published by Isaiah Thomas,-the first type music published in America. The society issued its first publication in 1829, "The Stoughton Collec- tion," from the press of Marsh & Capen, Boston, which passed through several editions, and was the text-book for practice by the society for many years.1 The second publication of the society was "The Centennial Collection," published by Oliver Ditson in 1878.

Esquire Dunbar, as he was universally called by way of honorable distinction, remained president of the society until 1808, and was succeeded by Capt. Talbot, who held the office until 1818.

In 1787 a new constitution was adopted. In the preamble the value of the cultivation of vocal music by man, "who is of that elevated rank of beings capable of sounding forth the praise of God," was asserted, declaring it a recognized duty " to study to promote that harmony which is pleasing to our Maker, and so delightful to ourselves."

In 1801 another constitution was adopted, in which the members pledged themselves anew to the duty of the study and practice of vocal music as a " Divine institution, promotive of friendship and sociability."

The constitution was again revised in 1872. Since 1825 the annual meeting has been held the 25th December, Christmas afternoon and evening; dinner at five o'clock, and a grand concert in the evening with a selected programme from ancient and modern authors.

The society now numbers about five hundred mem- bers, resident chiefly in Stoughton, Canton, Sharon, Randolph, Braintree, Weymouth, Milton, Abington, Brockton, Easton, and Quincy. The attendance of members at these annual meetings is often above three hundred, "joyously uniting their voices," to quote the language of President Battles, "in the swelling strains of the precise tunes, words, and notes which were sung by their predecessors nearly a hundred years ago."

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 2

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