USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > North Bridgewater > History of North Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to the present time, with family registers > Part 25
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
one and a half miles south of the centre. Varanes Wales was the first station agent, and was succeeded by Isaac T. Packard and Nelson J. Foss, the present incumbent. During the year 1845, a charter was applied for, to build a branch road from Stoughton to North Bridgewater Village, with a capital of $200,000 ; but for some reasons, to the writer un- known, nothing was done. Such a project, if ever accom- plished, would result to the great advantage of a thrifty town like North Bridgewater, and we hope to see it accomplished ere many years.
STAGES.
Who is there in the town that does not recollect how the old mail-coach sounded, as it rattled over the stone roads from this town to Boston, first tri-weekly, then daily, carry- ing the mails. How the people gathered around the driver, to catch the latest news on the route; for a stage-driver was the greatest man of the age. Hear the crack of his whip, as he reins the horses up to every person's door, and piles on the trunks and bandboxes. Now the iron horse takes the place of horse-flesh, and steam the place of oats and hay.
The first public stage that ran through or from North Bridgewater was about 1820; it was a joint-stock company, of whom Silas Packard, Esq., of North Bridgewater, Seth Allen, of Halifax, Captain Nathaniel H. Cross, of East Bridge- water, and Captain Asa Pratt, of South Bridgewater, were part owners. It consisted of a two-horse carriage. that was formerly used by Governor Phillips as a private carriage. Colonel Nathan Jones, of North Bridgewater, was a driver for one year. It started from Bridgewater three times a week. After running about two years, the company sold their inter- est to Messrs. A. M. Withington and Burr, who afterward sold to Nathaniel Blake, and Wheeler. Soon after Mr. Wheeler sold his interest to Jacob Churchill, and he to Newton Hodges, who continued to conduct the line with Mr. Blake.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
At the time Mr. Withington bought of the company, Colonel Jones left the line, and started a two-horse coach from North Bridgewater, running from that place on Mondays, Wednes- days, and Saturdays, in and out from Boston the same day. While Colonel Jones was running his coach, Mr. John Mad- den, of Randolph, put on a coach to run from that place to Boston. Mr. Madden and Colonel Jones soon put their teams together, and ran from North Bridgewater for two years. At the end of that time they ran their coach to Bridgewater. Messrs. Hodge and Blake continued to own and run the line carrying the mails from Bridgewater through North Bridgewater, they running one day, and Messrs. Jones and Madden running opposite days. Mr. Blake then sold his interest to Colonel Jones, and he to John Long, who continued till the opening of the railroad.
An opposition coach was started in 1837 or 1838 by Jabez Gould, and ran to Boston daily from North Bridgewater Village till the " Stoughton Branch Railroad " was built, when he ran in connection with the cars ; he ceased to run when the " Fall River Railroad " began to run their cars, in 1846. Another line of coaches passed through the " West Shares " in the west part of the town, on the old turnpike from Taunton to Boston. The line was owned for many years by Jesse Smith, of Taunton.
S. D. Butler commenced running a line of coaches, in connection with the Stoughton cars, from the Salisbury House, Campello, October 2, 1854, but continued for a short time only. May 13, 1857, A. S. Porter commenced a line to Boston three times a week, and in the middle of next month commenced to run a daily line. I. Tisdale, of Stoughton, and John O. Hudson, of East Bridgewater, ran a coach from Stoughton to Plymouth for a year or more, about twelve years since. There was also a line of stages connecting at Bridgewater with a coach for New Bedford, owned by 39
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
Pelatiah Gould, that ran through the town to Boston tri-weekly, about the same time.
POST-OFFICES.
The first post-office established in North Bridgewater was in 1816. The following are the names of the postmasters, with the dates of their appointments : -
Charles Packard. November 2, 1816.
Nathaniel H. Cross. .July 1, 1829.
Edward Southworth, Jr. .September 16, 1836.
Aaron B. Drake
July 20, 1853.
Abel W. Kingman. . December 11, 1855.
Henry French.
,1861.
A post-office was established in the west part of the town in 1828, called North-west Bridgewater, with the following appointments : -
Heman Packard. . November 13, 1828.
Nathaniel H. Cross July 1, 1829.
George Clark. February 11, 1831.
Levi French. .September 5, 1840.
Previous to 1850, the people of the south part of the town known as Campello had for some time hired the mail for that village brought down to them by a messenger, for distribution at the store; but finding the business increas- ing to such an extensive amount daily, a few public-spirited individuals of that place petitioned for the establishment of a separate post-office. This was granted to them February 12, 1850, at which time Mr. Nelson J. Foss the present incum- bent, was appointed postmaster. Previous to the establish- ment of a post-office in the North Parish, and the running of a mail-coach, the letters and what few newspapers people had in those days were brought to town by post-riders,* market-wagons, and other private conveyance from Boston. About the time of the incorporation of the town of North * Major Hartwell, of West Bridgewater, was one.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
Bridgewater in 1821, a regular established line of mail communication having been provided by the government, the people had one mail per day from the city ; and since the mail has been carried by railroad they have two mails each way daily.
TOWN MAPS.
March 1, 1830, the Legislature of Massachusetts passed a resolve requiring the several towns in the commonwealth to " make a survey of their territory, and deposit a copy in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth." In conform- ity to this resolve, and by a vote of the town, passed May 10, 1830, Jesse Perkins, Esq., made a survey of the town, and a map was published, a copy of which may be found, as above ordered, at the State House.
April 5, 1853, at a legal meeting of the town, George W .. Bryant, Chandler Sprague, Edward Southworth, Jr., Benja- min Kingman, and Frederic Howard were chosen a commit- tee to cause the town to be resurveyed, and a new map to. be published. The contract for publishing the same was given to Messrs. H. F. Walling and E. Whiting. The map contained names of residences, views of churches, manufacto- ries, roads, wood, streets, ponds, rivers, and divisions of the various school districts. The first map was about twenty inches square, of which a few copies only are in existence. The last map was thirty by thirty-nine inches .*
NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper published in North Bridgewater was. commenced by George H. Brown, Esq., of East Bridgewater, August 22, 1835, under the name of " Bridgewater Patriot and Old Colony Gazette," in the hall over Major Nathan. Hayward's store.
* The first map of the ancient town of Bridgewater, including what is now North Bridgewater, was drawn with a pen by Beza Hayward, at that time one of the Selectmen, June 16, 1795.
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
Mr. William H. Burleigh and Rev. E. Porter Dyer assisted Mr. Brown in the publication of the paper till its removal to East Bridgewater.
The next paper in the town was entitled the " Old Colony Reporter," and was published by Messrs. F. W. Bartlett and Thomas D. Stetson, of Kingston, Massachusetts, under the firm of "Bartlett and Stetson," commenced in November, 1848. Mr. Bartlett left the firm after a term of one year, after which Mr. Stetson and Rev. William Whiting contin- ued the paper, in Colonel Edward Southworth's hall, till 1851.
During the latter part of the winter of 1850 and 1851, one Dr. Cawdell (celebrated for having stepped out on sundry indi- viduals for various small bills) commenced the publication of a paper called the " Bay State Clipper; " a few numbers were printed, and the paper, press, types, and one form of the paper were left in the hands of Colonel Southworth, the owner of the premises occupied by the doctor, for expenses.
The " Adelphian," a literary paper, was published for two years from October 11, 1850, by the Messrs. Loomis, which was edited by the young ladies of the Academy, and was especially devoted to the interests of the young.
About the same time, there was a small sheet published at the office of the "Reporter," devoted to the temperance cause, edited by young persons. May 16, 1851, the " North Bridge- water Gazette" was commenced in the hall over Colonel E. Southworth's store, by George Phinney, who continued to publish the same till July 25, 1855, when he removed his office to a new building on Franklin Street. Mr. Phinney continued to edit and publish the paper till 1863, when he sold his interest in the paper and printing-office to Mr. Au- gustus T. Jones, who has recently removed to the old stand in Southworth's Hall, opposite the First Congregational Church, and continues to publish a weekly paper, second to none in the county for general intelligence, and local news.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
PUBLICATIONS.
List of publications by the people of North Bridge- water: -
Rev. John Porter.
" Evangelical Plan ; " or, an Attempt to form Right Notions in the Minds of the Common People, and to establish them in the Minds of the People. Republished by Dr. E. Alden, of Randolph.
Rev. Asa Meech.
Ordination Sermon, delivered by Rev. Lemuel Tyler, A. M., October 15, 1800. Colleague Pastor with Rev. John Porter.
Oration by Rev. Asa Meech, delivered in North Bridgewater July 4, 1805, in commemoration of the Anniversary of American Independence.
Valedictory Sermon. By Rev. Asa Meech, A. M., December 1, 1811. Preached at the North Church, in Bridgewater.
Rev. Daniel Huntington.
Sermon at the Funeral of Alpheus Packard, delivered in the North Meeting-House in Bridgewater, May 12, 1812.
Discourse delivered in the North Meeting-House in Bridgewater, Decem- ber 22, 1820. Being the Second Centennial Anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Published by Ezra Lincoln, Boston.
Sermon on the Occasion of the Death of Rev. R. S. Storrs's Wife, April 9, 1818.
Discourse delivered before the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. May 26, 1824.
A Memoir of Mary Hallam Huntington, his Daughter. Published by the American Sunday School Union, Philadelphia.
A full Account of the Great Revival in 1816 was published by him in the " Boston Recorder " of June 10, 1818.
Address before the Pilgrim Society, at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Discourse delivered in the South Church in Campello, October 31, 1852, it being the Fortieth Anniversary of his Ordination.
A Poem on the Pleasures and Advantages of True Religion, delivered before the United Brothers' Society in Brown University, on their Anniver- sary, August 31, 1819.
Rev. Eliphalet Porter, D. D.
Thanksgiving Sermon. 1783.
Sermon before the Roxbury Charitable Society. 1794.
Sermon on the Occasion of the National Fast. 1798. Sermon on the Death of Gov. Increase Sumner. 1799. Eulogy on the Death of Washington. 1800. Sermon, New Year's. 1801.
Sermon before the Humane Society. 1802.
Sermon at Ordination of Rev. Charles Lowell. 1806.
-
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
Sermon before the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians in North America, 1807.
Sermon before the Convention of Congregational Ministers." 1810. Sermon on the Occasion of Artillery Election. 1812.
Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. John G. Palfrey. 1818.
Rev. Huntington Porter.
A Discourse on " Sympathy with the Afflicted." Occasioned by the Death of his wife, Susannah Porter. Delivered February 27, 1794, the Sabbath following her death, which took place February 24. Text, Job xix. 21 : " Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends ; for the hand of God hath touched me."
A Discourse delivered to his people, at Rye, New Hampshire, Thursday, January 1, 1801, being the Commencement of a New Ycar, and a New Century. Text, Psalms lxxvii. 10-12.
A Eulogy on Washington. 1800.
A Discourse delivered June 5, 1803, occasioned by the late remarkable sickness and mortality in the town of Rye, New Hampshire. Text, Psalms ci. : "I will sing of mercy and judgment ; unto thee, O Lord, will I sing."
Two Discourses delivered at Rye, New Ilampshire, January, 1825, on the Occasion of the Closing of the Fortieth Year of his Ministry in that place, and the Commencement of a New Year. Text, 1 Peter i. 12-14.
A Funeral Discourse. August, 1800.
Two Discourses delivered on First Lord's Day after President Madison's Declaration of War. Upon Peace, and War. Another on the Present Unhappy and Perilous Situation of the Country, and the Duties of Minis- ters and People in such a Time as this. Delivered on the National Fast. Text, Ecclesiastes iii. 8. August 20, 1812.
A New Year's Address to the People of Rye, New Hampshire. January, 1836.
Rev. Theophilus Packard, D. D.
Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. Josiah W. Cannon.
Sermon before the Hampshire Missionary Society. 1821.
Sermon on the Death of Elisha M. Case, at Williamstown, Massachusetts. 1831.
Two Sermons on the Divinity of Christ. 1808.
Sermon before the Hampshire Missionary Society. 1813.
Sermon on the Evil of Slander. 1815.
Sermon on the Life and Death of his Son, Isaac T. Packard. 1820.
Rev. Joshua Cushman.
Sermon Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1804.
Oration July 4, 1807, at Augusta, Maine. Pp. 23.
Oration at Wiscasset, Maine, July 4, 1808.
Oration at Waterville, Maine, July 4, 1814.
Discourse delivered before the citizens of Winslow, Maine, on National
* This sermon is spoken of as being of singular merit.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
Thanksgiving Day, April 13, 1815. Dedicated to James Madison, then President of the United States. Published at Ilallowell, Maine.
Rev. D. Temple Packard.
Sermon Preached at Somerville, Massachusetts, on the National Fast, entitled " The Dawn of the Morning." December 28, 1862. Published by Rand & Avery.
Rev. Edward L. Clark.
Daleth ; or, the Homestead of the Nations. Egypt Illustrated. Pub- lished by Ticknor & Fields, 1864.
Rev. James Andem.
The Rise and Progress of the First Baptist Church, North Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Being the first Annual Sermon. Preached on Sunday, January 26, 1851. Published by J. M. Hewes & Co., 1851.
Rev. Jonas Perkins, D. D.
Sermon before the Palestine Missionary Society, on the " Constraining Love of Christ," June 20, 1828.
Sermon before the Norfolk Educational Society, on the "Treasure in Earthly Vessels," June 8, 1831.
Sermon preached to his own people, on the " Condition of a Happy Life," December 9, 1838.
Thanksgiving Sermon, on " God's Blessing on his People," November 30, 1843.
Sermon, published in the " National Preacher," Vol. 23, No. 11. "This Life Man's Season of Probation for Eternity."
Two Tracts, published by the Congregational Board of Publication. No. 10, on the " Personality and Offices of the Holy Spirit." No. 22, " Im- mortality of God."
Reports of the Doctrinal Tract Society, from the commencement, June 24, 1829. Published by them. (Secretary of the same twenty years.)
Farewell Sermon, October 21, 1860. " Christ's Design in the Institution of the Ministry."
Rev. Paul Couch.
Two Sermons, preached December 23, 1849. Published by Damrell & Moore, Boston. 1849.
Temperance Sermons, on Different Occasions.
Sermon preached at the Funeral of Rev. Daniel Thomas, former Pastor of the Second Congregational Church, in Abington, on Friday, January 8, 1847. Published by T. R. Marvin, 1847.
Sermon preached in the First Congregational Church of Stonington, Con- necticut, August 6, 1863, on National Thanksgiving.
B. Winslow Packard.
Honesty. A Poem delivered before the Phi Beta Society of the Adel- phian Academy, North Bridgewater, February 8, 1853. Published by J. B. Chisholm, 1853.
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
D. Hudson Howard .*
Journey of the Israelites in the Wilderness, Considered in its Spiritual Meaning. Published by T. H. Carter & Co., 1864.
Rev. Austin Cary.
Prize Tract, on Dancing, by the American Tract Society.
Rev. Warren Goddard.t
An Address delivered before the County Lyceum of Worcester County, at their annual meeting in Worcester, October, 1831.
A Sermon. Text, Luke ix. 24. Delivered before the Convention of the New Church in America, at its meeting in Boston, June, 1836.
Two Discourses on the Commandments respecting the Sabbath, from Ex- odus xx. 8-11. Published May, 1837.
A Discourse from Zechariah ix. 9. Published May, 1839.
A Discourse from John xxi. 6. Published November, 1839.
A Discourse from Matthew xviii. 1-4. Published May, 1840.
An Address to the Receivers of the Doctrines of the New Jerusalem in the United States. Written at the request of the General Convention. Published September, 1840.
A Discourse from John xiv. 2. Published February, 1844.
A Discourse from Matthew xvi. 24. Published December, 1845.
A Discourse from Matthew xiii. 45, 46. Published October, 1846.
A Discourse from Matthew vii. 13. 14. Published June, 1847.
A Discourse preached before the Maine Association of the New Jerusa- lem at the meeting in August, 1851. Published April, 1852.
A Discourse, in Two Parts, from Psalms cxxxvi. 1-3, cviii. 4, and xxxvi. 5, 7, 9. Published April, 1853.
A Discourse preached at the Dedication of the Temple of the Society of the New Church, in Gardiner, Maine, August, 1855, from Revelation xxi. 9-17.
A Discourse preached at the Dedication of the Temple of the New Church Society in North Bridgewater, January 22, 1857, from John i. 1, 3, 4, 11-14.
A Discourse from Psalms xxxvii. 5. Published October, 1858.
A Discourse preached before the Massachusetts Association of the New Church, at its meeting, October 7, 1858, from John xvii. 3.
An Address to the General Conference of the New Church in Great Britain. Written at the appointment and in behalf of the General Con- vention of the New Church in America, June, 1860.
A Discourse from John xvii. 24. Published September, 1860.
* Mr. Howard has contributed a large number of articles for the " New Jerusa- lem Magazine," to which the reader is referred. There are but a few numbers of that magazine that do not contain something from his pen, either poetry or prose, since 1845. He has also contributed poems for various public gatherings.
t In addition to the foregoing, Mr. Goddard has contributed to various jour- nals, magazines, and newspapers, upon the doctrines of the New Church.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
A Discourse from Isaiah lxiv. 4. Published November, 1861.
A Discourse from Kings v. 9-14. Published March, 1862.
An Address delivered before the Massachusetts Association of the New Church, at its meeting in October, 1863.
Response of the Ministers of the Massachusetts Association of the New Jerusalem to a Resolution requesting their consideration of what is usually known as "Modern Spiritualism." Published by George Phinney, 1858. Pp. 50.
Bradford Kingman.
Kingman Memorial. History of North Bridgewater. Contributions to Different Magazines.
LIBRARIES.
The first public or social library in North Bridgewater was raised by subscription about 1781, and was kept for most of the time in private houses. The last librarian was Colonel Edward Southworth, and the library was given up.
In 1842, the Legislature appropriated fifteen dollars for the use of every school district in the commonwealth that should raise an equal amount for the purchase of a School District Library. With this encouragement, many of the districts raised the requisite amount, and purchased libraries. They are now, however, nearly laid by.
At a regular town meeting, held March 30, 1857, the town " voted to purchase a town library, the amount not to ex- ceed $1,400, or one dollar on every poll paid in the town." For this purpose the following committee were chosen ; name- ly, Edward Southworth, Jr., C. C. Bixby, Dr. Alexander Hich- born, David L. Cowell, Ellis Packard, Jonas R. Perkins, Lu- cius Gurney, 2d, Jonathan White, and M. L. Keith, who pro- ceeded in the selection and purchase of such books as were thought suitable to the wants of the community. The libra- ry was well selected, and consisted of many of the best works extant. Many persons, not wishing that the town should have any library, raised an opposition to the plan, and as the result, the town " voted, May 1, 1857, that all books, effects,
40
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
and appurtenances of the Town Library be placed in the hands of the Selectmen, to be disposed of in the best manner for the interest of the town." And in accordance with these instructions, the Selectmen sold the library of books that cost $1,183, to an association called the " North Bridgewater Library Association." The price for the entire lot was $600, being only three months old, which, we should judge, was a heavy discount.
NORTH BRIDGEWATER LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
This association was formed by a few individuals for the purpose of holding a library. It was organized under a statute made for such purposes, July 11, 1858. Each member paying five dollars becomes a stockholder, and an additional one dollar annually entitles him to all the rights and privileges of a member of the association. It has over two thousand volumes, and is in a flourishing condition. The officers at the organization of the association were, David L. Cowell, President ; Rufus L. Thatcher, Vice-President; Augustus Hayward, Secretary ; David F. Studley, Treasurer. Henry A. Ford, John L. Hunt, Alpheus Holmes, Charles B. Crock- er, Darius Howard, Edward Southworth, Jr., Lorenzo D. Hervey, Charles Curtis, Jr., Washburn Packard, Directors.
CHAPTER XVII.
MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY - CONTINUED.
Indians. - Slavery. - Colored Persons. - Temperance. - Sinclair Band of Hope. - North Star Division No. 88. - Fraternal Lodge No. 24. - Old Colony Temper- ance Union. - Sabbath-Schools. - Music. - Band. - Thespian Society. - Union Musical Association. - Bank. - Savings-Bank. - Fire Department.
INDIANS.
" There was a time when red men climbed these hills, And wandered by these plains and rills ; Or rowed the light canoe along yon river, Or rushed to conflict armed with bow and quiver, Or, 'neath the forest leaves that o'er them hung, They council held, or loud their war-notes sung."
ITHE war of the colonists with King Philip proved very - disastrous to the Indian race. Many obstacles were thrown in their way, which so far discouraged them that they were forced to give up their possessions, and seek other localities away from the new-comers, who were gradually extending their territory westward.
To what extent Indians occupied the North Parish we are unable to learn. We have no doubt however, that they were quite numerous, as the plough frequently brings to light some relic of past days, and of an uncivilized people. Spear-points, arrow-heads, mortars, pestles, gouges, and stono hatchets are often found in different sections of the town.
In the north part of the town are found hearthstones of ancient Indian wigwams. There was one directly under the house of the late Oliver Howard, which was taken down a few years since. Judging from the number of relics found in the northerly section of the town, we should judge they frequented that part of the parish to a considerable extent.
The author has a clay pipe found by Mr. Willard Howard,
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER
near his residence; also specimens of arrow-heads of stone, found by Bela Keith, Esq., on his land at Campello, which are splendid specimens of natives' work, besides many other relics of barbarous days.
There is another evidence of the town having been the residence of the red man. In the west part of the town, on what is called " Stone House Hill," a natural cave is found in the solid stone, from which the hill derives its name, which is said to have been the dwelling of some tribe of Indians. It is situated on or near the old road leading from North Bridgewater to Easton, and near the residence of Timothy Remick.
It is also traditionary that Indians had their huts in the valley of Salisbury River opposite Campello, and so on north as far as the bridge at "Sprague's Factory." There was an Indian family named Hammond, who lived on the land now owned by Benjamin Kingman, west of his barn, in a lot formerly known as the " Old Pasture," and nearly oppo- site the residence of Lucius Keith. The native Indian tribes living upon " maize " and fish principally, as well as game, we are inclined to the opinion that they generally sought for dwelling spots near some stream, where fish could be found, as it made no difference about their game; that they could find all over the forests.
It is impossible at the present time for us to realize to ourselves the situation of the first white settlers of the town. They lived in constant fear of a sudden attack. Exposed at all times, they were haunted in their imaginations by death with torture, or of a hopeless captivity. The principal companion of the white man, whether in the field or at his dwelling, was his gun. While at his daily labor in the cultivation of his lands, if he had not his gun, he was likely at any time to be carried away.
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