USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 57
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 57
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 57
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Samuel Pearly Gates was prominently connected with industrial, banking, educational and civic interests of the town for half a century, although not a native of the town, coming here from Ashby in Middle- sex County. Silas Gates, one of his ancestors, was a member of that famous Revolutionary War Fourth Middlesex County Regiment be- longing to the alarm list of Captain Benjamin Monroe's Sixth Company. Samuel P. Gates enlisted in the Regular Army of the United States and was detailed as a clerk in the War Department at Washington, serving there till the close of the war. He was one of the trustees of the Public Library many years. The others represented by memorial trust funds were honored residents of Bridgewater, keenly interested in the work of the library.
The first librarian was Miss Lucia L. Christian, and she had as as- sistant, Charles H. Sampson. The present librarian is Miss Edith M. Ames, who is much devoted to the work and has succeeded in bringing into close relationship the educative influences of the public schools and the library to a remarkable degree. The annual appropriation for the library in recent years has been approximately $5,000.
Babies and Other Assets-The State Farm represents a value of $1,307,205, and the State Normal School a value of $760,050, both of which are exempt from taxation by law. Churches, cemeteries and or- ganizations exempt from taxation have an aggregate valuation of $133,- 261. In fact the total value of property in the town exempt from taxa- tion amounts to $2,223,266.
The assets of the town are worth $512,056, the principal items being $190,450 for schoolhouses, land and equipment ; $123,625 for water de- partment, real estate buildings and equipment ; fire department buildings and equipment worth $27,500; $48,473 in trust funds, $40,000 in public land, $30,000 in sewer department property, a public library worth $12,000, a town hall worth $21,000, a town farm worth $6,700 and the equipment of various other departments.
In 1926 there were 110 babies born in the town, sixty-four marriages and ninety-four deaths, exclusive of one hundred and twenty-seven deaths at the State Farm, within the town limits, of inmates sent from all parts of the State.
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SUBURBAN LIFE AT ITS BEST
The Town Officers who served Bridgewater in 1927 were: Town clerk, Edwin Keith; town treasurer, Herbert E. Reed; accountant, Charles H. Bixby ; selectman, Herman F. Wheeler, Robert G. Clark, Jr., and Leo F. Nourse; assessors and overseers of the poor, same as select- men ; collector of taxes, Herbert E. Reed; school committee, Albert F. Hunt, P. Percival Dorr, Clarence B. Fuller, Jr., Agnes Devine, Fred L. Hasey and George C. Richmond; trustees of Public Library, Margaret A. Crane, Charles P. Sinnott, Herman F. Wheeler, Katherine C. Proph- ett, James H. Dickinson, Martha M. Burnell, Gustavus Pratt, and James J. Gorman ; Board of Health, Albert F. Hunt, Charles R. Smith and Henry A. Gow; constable, James R. Moore; tree warden, Francis C. Worthen; sewer commissioners, George S. McNeeland, George J. Alcott and John Reardon; water commissioners, William H. Bassett, Joseph W. Keith and Samuel B. Cholerton; town physician, Dr. Wil- liam E. Hunt; inspector of cattle, Ernest Leach; chief of police, James R. Moore; superintendent of streets, Roscoe W. Sanders; registrars of voters, Thomas Hourahan, George T. Frawley and Louistone H. Dyke; field driver, Frank R. Chadwick; pound keeper, Frank R. Chadwick; surveyors of wood and lumber, Benjamin F. Ellis, Wendell P. Hutchin- son, L. Melvin Leach, Rosario Wood, Wayne S. Atwood, Elijah B. Gammons, Frank D. Reed and Edmund W. Merritt; fence viewers, Mar- cus A. Pierce and Walter E. Rhoades; forest fire warden, Frederick Waite; deputy forest fire warden, Francis C. Worthen ; superintendent of moth extermination, Francis C. Worthen ; night patrolmen, E. Frank LeBaron and William McAnaugh; town house committee, Roland M. Keith, Leo F. Nourse and Walter E. Rhoades; sealer of weights and measures, Charles R. Smith; superintendent of town farm, Myron E. Amber; dog officer, Henry A. Gow; inspector of slaughtering, George F. Weston ; fire engineers, Frederick Waite, chief; Charles E. Marshall, first assistant; Robert A. Price, second assistant; superintendent of water works, Roscoe W. Sanders; advisory committee: Herbert K. Pratt, chairman; Annie M. Keith, secretary; Mrs. Walter S. Little, Samuel J. Kingston, Arthur R. Tinkham, Mrs. Thomas Carroll, Wayne S. Atwood, Edward F. McHugh and Benjamin E. Ward.
Early School Days-The home of the first normal school in Massa- chusetts and with a high regard for the advantages of education, Bridge- water has always taken an advanced place in the instruction of youth. It is uncertain just when the first school was established but Nathaniel Willis, one of the original proprietors of the town, was the first school- master, and records show that his estate was settled in 1686. It is prob- able that his instruction began very shortly after 1663, when the Plym- outh Colony courts "proposed to the several townships in its jurisdic- tion, as a thing that ought to be taken into serious considera-
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tion, that some course be taken in every town that there be a school- master set up to train children in reading and writing."
In 1694 Nathaniel Brett was chosen schoolmaster and two years later the town made an arrangement whereby the school be kept in the meet- ing-house. In 1698 the town provided four school-dames for the out- lying districts.
From records, it appears that among the early school teachers were Thomas Martin, "who came out of England;" Joseph Snell, a graduate of Harvard College, schoolmaster in 1735; Nicholas Henabry, hired March 1, 1721, at a salary of twenty pounds a year and his board; Dr. Abiel Howard, chosen in 1756 "to teach all grammar school scholars at the expense of the town that shall be sent to him," John Porter (3), a graduate of Yale (1770), son of Rev. John Porter of the North Precinct; Sarah Brett, in 1753; Beza Howard, graduate of Harvard College in 1772; Joseph Snell, in 1772, graduated from Harvard College in 1735; William Snell, employed in 1773 as grammar schoolmaster; and so on through a list of men apparently well qualified.
In 1717 "the town passed a clear vote to raise forty pounds the ensu- ing year, upon the whole town, for a schoolmaster's salary, and, what is required more, to procure a preaching schoolmaster." In many of the towns in those days the preacher, school teacher and physician was the same person, and usually considered practically infallible in all three professions. Evidently something had occurred to bring dissatisfac- tion in 1746 for in that year the town voted to "choose a committee, of which Captain Josiah Edson was one, to consult what method may be most beneficial to the town in improving of the school for the future."
Beza Howard, referred to as one of the early teachers, also represen- ted the town in the General Court as representative and senator, was register of probate, a preacher and teacher.
Rev. John Porter and twenty other citizens petitioned the selectmen November 15, 1763, that Joseph Snell might be delegated to teach the North Precinct scholars the part of the year in which the school should be kept in that division of the town. Joseph Snell evidently was a school teacher several years to the satisfaction of all concerned, as there is a record under date of 1767 to the effect that Benjamin Edson and twelve others petitioned the selectmen "that William Snell and Jedediah Southworth, who were nominated to do the service of schoolmaster, neither of whom are likely to be satisfactory to them, be dropped, and that Joseph Snell be allowed to keep the grammar school."
The schools were taught for a generation by George Chipman, and he was !the author of a textbook. He continued in service until about 1840. Thomas Cushman was another who had a service continuing from twenty to thirty years. Another was Leander A. Darling and still
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NORMAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS, BRIDGEWATER
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SUBURBAN LIFE AT ITS BEST
another Philander D. Leonard, who also served as a member of the school committee.
Original Deed from Massasoit - Bridgewater was originally a plan- tation granted to Duxbury by the Old Colony Court in the year 1645, "four miles every way from the place where they shall set up their cen- ter." This being a mere right to purchase of the natives, afterwards in 1649, a tract of land usually called Satucket, which extended seven miles each way from the weir at Satucket, was granted to Myles Standish, Samuel Nash and Constant Southworth, in behalf of the town of Dux- bury, by Ousamequin, who afterwards styled himself Massasoit. In June, 1656, this plantation was incorporated, by an order of Court, into a separate and distinct town under the name of Bridgewater.
In 1668, upon a petition praying for an enlargement "the whole six miles from the center, east, west, north and south" was granted, pro- vided that grants of land formerly made by the Court be not molested. This was known as the two-mile additional grant and the first as the old four-mile grant. By this grant were secured two additional miles on the north towards the Massachusetts Colony line, and part on the south, but little if any on the east and west, as on the east six miles from the center would interfere with an earlier grant called the Major's Purchase.
On the south six miles would extend into the Indian settlement of Ti- ticut, and all of the land on the north side of Titicut River was within the six miles. In or about the year 1672, Nicholas Byram, Samuel Ed- son and William Brett were appointed to purchase, and did purchase, by a deed from Pomponcho alias Peter, all the lands lying on the north side of Titicut River and within the bounds of Bridgewater, excepting two parcels afterwards purchased of the Indians by individuals.
In 1685 all of these grants were confirmed by deed under the hand of Governor Hancock, and the seal of the government. About the same time another deed, confirming the deed of Ousamequin, was made by Josiah Wampatuck to Samuel Edson, John Howard and John Willis, agents for the town of Bridgewater. Thus the greater part of the town was twice purchased of the Indians, once of Massasoit and again of Wampatuck.
With a small tract of land on the north, along the Colony line, pur- chased by individuals after the union of the Colonies, and annexed to Bridgewater in October, 1730, these several grants and enlargements constituted all the territory ever belonging to Bridgewater in its greatest extent. In this location, containing about ninety-six square miles, the town remained without diminution in its territorial limits until June 10, 1712, when the town of Abington was incorporated. Again on the 7th of June, 1754, a large tract of land, now forming part of Hanson, was taken from Bridgewater and annexed to Pembroke. Thus the town re- mained for nearly one hundred years, containing about seventy square Plym-34
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miles. There were of course divisions in reference to church matters made from time to time, five parishes being formed, the North, South, East, West, and Titicut. These parishes or precincts constituted the ground work of the subsequent divisions of the town.
As early as 1719, the South, only three years after its incorporation as a parish, applied to the General Court, to be made a distinct town. This although agreed to by the remainder of the town and granted by the House, was not concurred in by the Council. Again, in 1738, the North precinct petitioned to be incorporated as a town; the remainder of the town at the same time consented and voted that the South and East should become separate and distinct towns-all these applications were, however, resisted and it was not until June 15, 1821, that any change was made. At this time the North, the youngest, but most populous parish, was incorporated by the name of North Bridgewater. The West (the old town) was incorporated February 16 of the next year, by the name of West Bridgewater, and the East, by the name of East Bridgewater, was incorporated June 17, 1823. Thus the South Parish, although the first to move in the matter, was left with Titicut to retain the old name.
The first settlements in this town, also the first in the interior of the Old Colony, were commenced in the year 1650 upon the Town River, which flows from Nippenicket pond, principally by inhabitants from Duxbury. House lots of six acres were granted these first settlers. The house lots were contiguous, and the settlement compact, to serve as a protection against the Indians. Among the names of these first settlers we find those of James Keith, the first minister, Deacon Samuel Edson from Salem, who built the first mill; and Bassett and Mitchell, who were among the forefathers. The adjoining towns of Marshfield and Taunton were also represented in this settlement.
First Meeting House a Fortress-The first meeting-house in the old town was built as early as 1663. Here also was built, in 1853, a State Almshouse, situated in the southern part of the town.
In its military history, Bridgewater has nobly sustained the honors it gained in its infancy, during the struggle with the Indians, particularly King Philip's War. Then, although removed from their friends, situ- ated in the midst of the Indians' country, and numbering not more than fifty capable of bearing arms, urged by every possible inducement to re- tire to the seashore, they still resolutely held out. They were the first to take up arms. The meeting-house was converted into a fortress by means of palisades. In 1676, the Indians, about three hundred strong, having made an attack upon the easterly part of the town, were repulsed and overcome by the inhabitants issuing from the garrison. Nearly all the houses on the border of the town were burned.
VILLAGE OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER (NOW BROCKTON), 1844
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In the Revolution, too, it stands forth as patriotic and as true to liberty as any of its neighbors. At the time of the Revolution the male popula- tion capable of bearing arms did not exceed one thousand. In the Con- tinental service, exclusive of the Province and State service, during three years of war it furnished four hundred and twelve men, more than three thousand dollars, besides contributions of supplies for the army. Among the number of killed are the names of Capt. Jacob Allen and Abner Robinson who were killed at Saratoga, at the capture of Bur- goyne, in 1777.
Honor Roll of Civil War-In the Civil War, the town stands forth in all the strength of its riper years, furnishing forty men more than were required to fill its quota. Company K, of the Third Massachusetts Regi- ment, was mainly composed of men from this town. Also a large por- tion of this company reenlisted in the Fifty-fourth Regiment and there did good service at the battles of the Wilderness and before Petersburg.
BROCKTON
County's Only City-Shoes and the Brockton Fair have already re- ceived mention in this history. They are the two things which im- mediately leap into thought when the word Brockton is spoken, and to consider Brockton without either of these two, as is the intention, will seem to most people like considering Sampson with his hair bobbed, Hamlet with the melancholy Dane playing the role of a cheer leader, or something else equally incongruous. As the English say, "It isn't done." But these two distinctions associated with Brockton are not confined to Brockton but are internationally famous. They do not belong to Brockton alone but to New England and beyond and more especially to Southeastern Massachusetts, Brockton and the South Shore District; and in that larger connection they have been disposed of. They did not make Brockton but Brockton made them what they are.
In the beginning was the Brockton spirit. It is, perhaps, the only town in Plymouth County which was neither founded on fish nor agriculture. It had no brooks through which the historic herring wrig- gled its economic way and the land was too unproductive to coax corn to grow. There was a grim determination on the part of early residents of that part of the county now called Brockton to take the least promis- ing natural material on which to build a home and there make a suc- cess. This spirit has made of Brockton the only city in the county, a municipality of workers and winners.
Even when a part of old Bridgewater, the North Parish had different characteristics than the other villages. March 28, 1874, North Bridge-
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water was authorized to change its name. On May 5, 1874, Brockton was adopted as the new name. The following year, on April 24, a part was annexed to South Abington, and parts of East Bridgewater and South Abington were annexed. Brockton was incorporated as a city, April 9, 1881, and May 23 of that year, the act of incorporation was accepted by the town. On May 8, 1893, part of West Bridgewater was annexed to Brockton, if Brockton saw fit to accept the act, and this was done November 7, 1893. It took full effect March 1, 1894.
After this give and take, the area of Brockton consists of twenty-one and a half square miles. Using the statistics of 1927, there are one hundred and thirty-mile miles of accepted streets, one hundred and thirty-five miles of water mains, through which flow as pure water supply as can be found in the country.
There are thirty-one school buildings, and the schools rank among the best in Massachusetts, with the highest percentage of pupils grad- uating from the high school. There are 2,673 high school pupils, 9,153 grade school pupils, 911 parochial school pupils. The public school maintenance figures are $948,585.69. There are 98,170 volumes in the Public Library.
There are thirty-six Protestant churches, seven Catholic churches, two Jewish synagogues, three hospitals, two national banks, two savings banks, two trust companies, three cooperative banks, one Morris Plan bank, five postoffices, three railroad stations, six fire stations, two police stations, two daily newspapers, two hundred and ninety-six acres of public parks, sixty acres of public playgrounds, large fraternal build- ings housing the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Knights of Columbus, Eagles and Elks; also buildings for the Young Men's Christian Association, Young Women's Christian Association, Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew associations.
The valuation of the city is $72,610,050, the revenue payments $6,135,- 551, non-revenue payments $425,680. There are 4,984 individuals who pay a Federal income tax. There are 20,500 poll tax payers. The population is 65,343.
Brockton is located twenty miles south of Boston on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. It is a trolley line and motor bus centre for fifteen neighboring towns. There are over thirty-four miles of street railway tracks within the city limits, thirty-one miles of per- manent sidewalks, fifty-seven miles of permanent roads, in addition to the one hundred and thirty-nine miles of accepted streets. The sewer mains extend ninety-seven and one-half miles and the city is served by the renowned intermittent downward filtration sewerage system.
Brockton is one of the healthiest cities in New England. The city won the State silver cup for three successive years, for having the best
CENTRAL METHODIST CHURCH, BROCKTON
COURT HOUSE, BROCKTON
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SUBURBAN LIFE AT ITS BEST
milk supply in the State. The laboratory in City Hall is acknowledged to be one of the foremost and best equipped municipal laboratories in Massachusetts. The average yearly precipitation is 40.56 degrees and the average temperature fifty-one degrees.
"Greater Brockton," a city and fifteen surrounding towns, includes in its population 30,000 of the most skilled and highest paid shoe workers in the world, employed in sixty plants. They turn out $100,000,000 value of shoe output annually. Three of the largest shoe manufacturing cor- porations in America are located in Brockton; also several of the largest shoe findings manufacturing plants in the country.
Brockton was the first community in Massachusetts to abolish grade crossings, at a cost of several million dollars when there were less than 40,000 inhabitants. This was in 1896. It was a pioneer in lighting its streets by electricity. The first central power station in the United States from which current was distributed through three-wire under- ground conductors, was the present Edison Electric Illuminating plant. In had the first electric street railway especially built for the use of electric power and Thomas A. Edison came to Brockton to see the first car run over the line. Brockton solved the sewage disposal problem for inland cities, and investigating committees have come from many countries to learn the system and arrange for its adoption. In the early days of its municipal life, Brockton decided upon a police signal system by electricity and sent a committee from the city council to New York to familiarize itself with the system there. The committee returned after finding out that New York had no such system.
Brockton is one of the pioneer cities in the country to have a com- munity chest, a peace-time adoption of the war chest idea, which was put over with remarkable success.
For many years the city has held an enviable position among the cities of the country because of its low death rate. An efficient Board of Health and volunteer health agencies have contributed their intel- ligent efforts, as well as the pure water supply and unsurpassed sewage disposal system. The American Public Health Department and the American Child Health Association have made surveys and placed Brockton in an advanced position among the leaders.
The greatest universities, technical and professional schools, as well as the State Normal School at Bridgewater are within easy access from Brockton. There are numerous women's clubs and fraternal organiza- tions, three service clubs, a Commercial Club and Chamber of Com- merce, all working together harmoniously for the common good. The city has two unusually good golf courses in connection with country clubs, and a municipal golf course as a part of a new D. W. Field Park, covering four hundred and fifty acres and connecting the most sightly
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PLYMOUTH, NORFOLK AND BARNSTABLE
bodies of water. There are more than 3,000 home and school gardens conducted in connection with the Brockton High School Agricultural Club, the Grade Schools, and encouraged by scholarships furnished by the Brockton Agricultural Society. For many years Brockton has led all other cities and towns in Massachusetts in this regard.
If it were the purpose of this history to devote adequate space to annals of the towns, a volume might well be written about Brockton. Rather is it the intention to give mention from each town, concerning those matters which relate to the county as a whole or, at least, have general interest throughout the county.
Brockton has a wonderfully pure water supply but it secures that supply from Silver Lake, twelve miles away, passing through several towns in bringing the water to twin reservoirs in Avon. The water is shared with these neighboring towns.
The same is true of electricity. Brockton has been electric from the first. The first fire station ever lighted by incandescent lamps was the Central Fire Station in Brockton. An automatic switch was so arranged that the sounding of an alarm lighted lamps in the building and at the same time liberated the fire horses. This was an advanced arrange- ment in fire fighting. The city was one of the first to have its entire fire-fighting equipment motorized. The Edison station, from which the first Sprague electric motor ever built, distributed power, now furnishes light and power for several Plymouth County towns. The Brockton Electric Station was formally opened for commercial service October 1, 1883. Since that time it has steadily increased its service to Whitman, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Halifax and disposes of its surplus through other companies to many other towns, extending its influence and commercial supremacy.
It has been the same with the Brockton Gas Light Company, succeed- ing the North Bridgewater Gas Light Company, chartered in 1859. The trolley-car service, for which the county has been noted, started in Brockton and steadily made its way into the other towns, Brockton proverbially sharing its good things with its neighbors after the pioneer- ing was over.
Promotion of the Brockton Idea-Something decidedly unique in con- nection with Brockton is the way in which the foreign-born persons seeking citizenship and the advantages of a real American is received and assisted. The organization of a citizens' committee, fostering a progressive program for the development of better citizenship, cul- minated in a patriotic meeting at the High School Auditorium, April 22, 1927. Its purpose was recognition, welcome and reception to new American citizens. The speaker of the evening was Governor Alvan T. Fuller and, at the close of his address, there were presented to more
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