USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. II > Part 44
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. II > Part 44
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. II > Part 44
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The Foxborough "Gazette" was issued from November 28, 1874, to March 6, 1876, by J. E. Carpenter & Son, edited by R. W. Carpenter.
The Brookline "Transcript" was the first newspaper in that town and was edited and published by Bradford Kingman, author of several histo- ries. The "Transcript" began its existence October 15, 1870, and was conducted by Mr. Kingman until May 31, 1873. For a short time, be- ginning July 4, 1873, the "Independent" was published by a local or- ganization with Dr. N. C. Towle as manager.
The Brookline "Chronicle" took the field May 9, 1874, and was con- ducted successively by Wing & Arthur, Murray M. Wing, Charles M. Vincent, Alexander S. Arthur, Charles A. W. Spencer. Eliot F. Soule was a partner of Spencer from January 1, 1883, to November 1, 1883. The paper is now issued by the Chronicle Publishing Company.
The Hyde Park "Journal" was started in that town in 1868, the same year the town was incorporated. Barrows & Gatchell were the proprie- tors and they also owned the Dedham "Gazette," which was established in Dedham in 1813. The two papers were united under the name of the Norfolk County "Gazette," February 26, 1870. Henry O. Hildreth re- tired as editor and later became postmaster of Dedham. Mr. Gatch- ell then took as a partner Samuel R. Moseley. The latter became sole proprietor January 13, 1877, and ran the paper successfully until his death.
The Hyde Park "Times" was started June 9, 1883, with E. S. Hath- away as editor. He sold out to Hunt & Chamberlain and a little later Herbert E. Hunt became sole owner. A later owner was Frank Mac-
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Gregor who conducted the paper until his death. The Hyde Park "Gazette" and Hyde Park "Times" were eventually consolidated and are now published by George J. Desmond as the Hyde Park "Gazette- Times."
The Stoughton "Sentinel" made its initial appearance November 10, 1860. William H. Jewell was editor and publisher and the issue was printed in the neighboring town of Canton. The editor seems to have been what was called "a northern man with southern principles," and his newspaper closed its service.
William W. and C. A. Wood published a weekly newspaper in Stoughton from November 7, 1863, to October 15, 1864, using the name "Sentinel." In the issue of the latter date appeared a notice that both proprietors had enlisted in the war, but the paper continued until September 9, 1865, when it stopped from lack of support.
The "Sentinel" next appeared from an office in Randolph, with Pratt & Hasty of that town as proprietors, in 1870. Later Hasty moved to Stoughton but continued to run the paper until his death in 1877. A. P. Smith was his successor, until August, 1883, when it was purchased by Lemuel W. Standish.
There was a paper called the Stoughton "News" for a time and later the Stoughton "Examiner" appeared with Herbert Mosman as editor.
The present Stoughton weekly paper is the Stoughton "News-Senti- nel." The editor is G. Lester Gay.
Sharon has a good weekly newspaper in the Sharon "Advocate," published by the Sharon Publishing Company, which has been in the field many years.
Early in October, 1870, James M. Stewart of the Franklin "Register" started the "Walpole Standard," the first newspaper bearing the name of Walpole. It was printed in Franklin. It came out regularly every Fri- day for eight years. Its successor was the Walpole "Enterprise," which was started Saturday, March 1, 1878, by E. H. Hosmer of Wal- pole. After conducting it about six months he disposed of it to T. S. Pratt of Mansfield. It was edited by Charles M. Thompson of Walpole until June, 1881. Charles J. McPherson was editor three months and then became the owner. He started the Norfolk County "Tribune" in its place and ran it about a year.
The Walpole "Star" twinkled in the local journalistic firmament from June 17, 1882, being published by Charles J. McPherson.
The Walpole "Times" ably represents the town at present. It is edited by J. J. Fitzhenry and E. B. Knobel.
The Wellesley "Townsman," George W. Adams, editor, is the weekly paper of that college town. The college itself has the Wellesley Col- lege "News," which is edited during the college year by the students.
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The "Wellesley Alumnae" is a bi-monthly magazine, edited by Helen F. McMillin.
The first newspaper published in Milton was the Milton "News." The first editor and proprietor was Frederick P. Fairfield of Boston. He brought out the first issue April 29, 1882, conducted it about six months and sold it to W. A. Woodward.
Medway is served by the Medway "Gazette."
The first newspaper in Randolph appeared March 28, 1859, as Volume 1, Number 1, of the "Randolph Transcript and New England Advertiser," with Samuel P. Brown as editor and proprietor. The name was changed August 31, 1862, to the Randolph "Advertiser." It was discontinued October 10, 1863, but Mr. Brown cherished the de- sire to revive it, which was done January 7, 1865. October 1 of that year the ownership changed to Joseph Jones. Among other changes which the new proprietor made was in the name. It became the East Norfolk "Register" and successive owners under that name were Elmer W. Holmes, Stillman B. Pratt and David S. Hasty, E. Marchant, Ichabod N. Fernald, E. Marchant for a second time, and Charles M. Vincent. The latter remained editor and proprietor until March 15, 1873, when the property was transferred to Daniel H. Huxford. The latter changed the name to the Norfolk County "Register and Hol- brook News" and conducted it to his death. The paper and job printing plant accompanying it were purchased of the estate by Elroy S. Thompson of Brockton who conducted it a few months and sold it to Miss Katherine Hill of Randolph.
The present Randolph paper is the "Sentinel-News." The editor and publisher is Walter L. Hickey.
There have been several journalistic attempts in Weymouth but the most vigorous of all has been the Weymouth "Gazette." This weekly made its first appearance in 1867, with C. G. Easterbrook as publisher. The Weymouth "Gazette-Transcript" is still in the field, published by Frank F. Prescott. The "Transcript," included in the name, was a paper which ran for a time but was eventually absorbed by the "Gazette." The Weymouth "Courier" was started by Jones & Com- pany in 1876, and the Weymouth "Advance" by C. F. David in 1877. Both were short-lived. The Weymouth "Item" is a rival of the "Ga- zette-Transcript," published by Edwin Mulready. A third paper in the town is the "South Weymouth Sun" which shines for the south part of the town.
The Canton "Journal" was started in December, 1876, by N. T. Merritt of Dorchester. He sold it, after four months' experience, to D. S. Hasty of Easton, proprietor of the Easton "Journal" and Stoughton "Sentinel,"" and E. B. Thorndike became the local representative. A
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few months later Mr. Hasty died and A. P. Smith of Stoughton pur- chased the printing office which was located at Stoughton. Mr. Thorn- dike became the proprietor of the Canton "Journal" in November, 1880, and moved the plant to Canton. He secured J. T. Geissler of Sharon as editor.
There have been other Canton weekly papers in competition with the "Journal," among them in recent years, the Canton "Mirror." The "Journal" is now edited by Herbert Mosman.
Braintree has been represented by several newspapers at various times in its history. The present weekly, the "Observer-Bee," is a combination of two publications of recent years. The publishers are Pratt & Pratt.
Cohasset has two weekly newspapers bearing the town name. Both are members of chains of South Shore weeklies. They are the Co- hasset "Cottager" and the Cohasset "Sentinel."
The Holbrook "Times"" is a weekly paper published for many years and still in existence, edited by John King. Mr. King also had a long tenure as one of the selectmen of the town. The Holbrook "Register" is another weekly visitor to homes of the citizens of that town. Philip D. Finnegan is editor and publisher.
The local newspaper needs of Needham are cared for by the Need- ham "Chronicle," of which George W. Southworth is editor and pub- lisher.
The Norwood "Messenger" ably represents that large town in Nor- folk County. Robert E. Costello is the editor.
THAYER GYMNASIUM, BRAINTREE
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THAYER ACADEMY, BRAINTREE
CHAPTER LVI "BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN LIBERTY"
Resolves Written By a Bunker Hill Martyr in Three Norfolk County Towns Caused George III to Sign Off After "The Shot Heard Round The World" Showed Him Where To Get Off-Galaxy of Towns. Have Been Shaken Well Before Using But Have Always Landed Right and Been Counted On The Side of Dependability-County of Useful Institutions From Girls' College to State Prison, Inclusive- New England's First Aviation Fatality-First Railroad in America in Quincy-Making of Shoes and Straw Bonnets More or Less Gen- eral in All the Towns Throughout the Years-Modern Instances of the Survival of Spirit of the Fathers.
The twenty-eight towns in Norfolk County are of numerous sizes, as regards population, ranging from less than 1,500 to the one city in the county, Quincy, which has more than 60,000 inhabitants. A study of how the county was made up, numerous changes, giving and taking, leads one to surmise that the giant who threw his porridge at random when it was hot, resulting in the deposits of pudding-stone over a part of the area, according to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, might have taken the collection of towns, as a gigantic pack of cards, and thoroughly shuffled them. Anyhow they became thoroughly shuffled and the corners knocked off. How they have been played in the game of municipal skill and purpose and something of their individual char- acteristics and achievements, is shown in this chapter.
Their cooperation in the county life and their individuality as town units, show equal sincerity, loyalty and good citizenship. From the days of the horse and pillion, through the early railroad building and developing, running the gamut of street railways, and accepting the motor cars and airplanes, Norfolk County towns have played their parts, and played them well. Some high lights on twenty-eight branches of the House of Norfolk are here re-kindled.
AVON
It has been said that Avon is the town in Norfolk County which holds the northern gateway to Brockton, the only city in Plymouth County. This town of about 2,500 inhabitants has just passed its fortieth birthday, having been incorporated February 21, 1888. Pre- vious to that date, it was a part of Stoughton and its history in earlier years was merged with that of the more ancient town. Parts of Hol- brook and Randolph were annexed to Avon April 16, 1889.
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Highland Park, for many years the most popular pleasure ground reached by trolley lines, is situated in Avon and, in the days of its popularity, was owned by the Brockton Street Railway Company. A large chestnut grove, with an open air theatre, zoo, aquarium, roller coaster, electric fountain and numerous other equipment, and a large ball field adjacent to the park, furnished entertainment for many thou- sands of people daily. Everything was free, outside of the baseball park, except the railroad fares to and from the pleasure area, and in those days a nickel would purchase a long ride.
The twin cement tanks of the Brockton water supply are located in Avon, as was the water supply before that city sought a larger supply by piping to Silver Lake, twelve miles in another direction. The Avon reservoir is still maintained as an emergency supply and the two res- ervoirs filled with Silver Lake water are close at hand. Brockton is a trifle lower than Avon, measured in terms of gravitation, which makes the flow of nature's thirst-quencher easy for the Brocktonians to obtain.
Avon is a compact town of prosperous people, enjoying the improve- ments and facilities common to communities of its size in the vicinity of larger towns and cities. Shoe manufacturing has been one of the in- dustries for many years. The Avon Sole Company produces a product shipped far and wide, a waterproof sole of great durability and popular- ity. Moccasins, welting and other things are also produced in Avon.
The town of Bellingham was set off from Dedham and incorporated as a town in 1719. The inhabitants a hundred years ago were engaged in cotton manufacturing, woolen manufacturing, and making boots, shoes and straw bonnets. They became much interested in 1849 in the proposed Charles River Railroad and did their share in securing the building of the Woonsocket Division of the New York & New England Railroad, as it was afterward called. This railroad brought the people of Bellingham in easy communication with Boston, Woonsocket, Provi- dence and New York.
Farming has always been an important industry. For several years an iron mine in the town furnished ore for locomotives built in Taun- ton. There was a whetstone quarry on the road leading from North Bellingham Station to Bellingham Four Corners from which consider- able quantities of the material were taken as long as it was a paying venture.
Parts of Dedham, Mendon and Wrentham were taken to form the town in 1719 and the industrial and social life has been much the same as in those towns. The present population is nearly 3,000. The growth from 1920 to 1925 was from 2,102 to 2,877.
Dating back to the seventeenth century but keeping up to date in
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whatever lines of progress have been established is an outline of Brain- tree, one of the larger towns of Norfolk County. It is a town beauti- fully situated as to scenery, railroad accommodations, and all the con- ditions which assist in making a town prosperous and desirable as a place of industry and residence. It is ideally located for business. Professional men whose offices, factories or stores are located in Bos- ton, like to spend their leisure and resting hours in attractive Braintree homes. It is just as well situated for industrial purposes and there is a diversity of industries to help make the town prosperous.
Its population in 1925 was 13,193. Five years previous, when the Federal census was taken, the figures were 10,580. In recent years shoe manufacturing has been one of the principal industries.
Looking forward to the future, a planning board has engaged re- cently in zoning the town, as the most effective means to promote the growth of the town along well defined and orderly lines by establish- ing definite districts for industry, business and homes. Plans are on foot to widen some of the principal thoroughfares to meet present and future needs. The planning board is devoting thoughtful considera- tion to the creation of additional parks.
The greater part of the water supply of the town is taken from Great Pond, and distributed through sixty-four miles of pipe. Randolph and Holbrook take their water supply from the same pond, part of which is in Randolph.
Until 1926 the playgrounds of the town were under the direction of groups of women who supplied playground apparatus and made a very satisfactory beginning of recreational facilities. The property was given to the town which took charge in 1926 and instructors and a supervisor were employed.
There is a waterfront playgrond at East Braintree, on the salt water. The other principal playgrounds are at French's Common and at Hollingsworth Park, South Braintree; the Hollis Playground and the small one on Commercial Street, Braintree.
One of the pressing needs of the town, in the opinion of the Board of Health and many citizens, is a sewerage system.
The town has the Thayer Public Library, available to the public, with about 21,000 books. The annual circulation is about 40,000 volumes.
A handsome High School building adequate for the town was opened in 1927. It houses about five hundred pupils. The equipment is creditable to the town and the teaching force in every way efficient. Exclusive of the new High School the buildings and equipment under direction of the school department are valued at upwards of $950,000. The school maintenance amounts to about $240,000 annually.
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Bits of the annals of Old Braintree appear in various places in the history of Norfolk County and the proud record of the town in educa- tional matters has not been overlooked and need not be repeated. The attractiveness of the town on account of natural scenery reminds one that the "Blue Hills Land" was divided between Braintree and Milton, May 30, 1712.
One 'hundred years ago, in 1827, a survey between the tide-waters of Braintree and those of Taunton River, to unite Massachusetts and Nar- ragansett bays by a ship canal, was commenced by the United States Government. The distance is thirty-six miles to the tide lock at Som- erset, thirteen miles below Taunton. The summit level between the two bays is at Howard's meadow in Randolph, one hundred and thirty- four feet above high-water mark at Braintree or Weymouth Landing. It was stated in "Hayward's Massachusetts Directory," published many years ago, that "a ship canal in this direction, or one across Cape Cod at Sandwich, would save many lives and a vast amount of property," The Cape Cod Canal has been built and in 1928 is being taken over by the United States Government. A canal from Braintree or Quincy, through Brockton, to Taunton and Narragansett Bay, has been agitated in past years.
When the town of Braintree was incorporated May 13, 1640, Old Style, it included within its limits the present towns of Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Holbrook. The name for Quincy was Mount Wollaston and that for Braintree, Monoticut. Holbrook and Randolph were called Cochato. Quincy became a separate town in 1792 and Randolph the following year. A small portion of Braintree, known as Newcomb's Landing, was annexed to Quincy in 1856.
Among the industries which have been important in the town have been cotton, satinet, shovels, paper, nails, chocolate, boots and shoes, rubber cloth and, in early days, sawmills and grist-mills were turning out valuable products from the various water privileges.
BROOKLINE
The largest town in the State is Brookline. It is so large that several years ago it had to depart from the regular plan of having all the voters of the town assemble at the Town Hall for town meetings, for the very good reason that the Town Hall would not contain them and there was no auditorium in the town which would. There were a few instances where those interested in some particular bit of local legis- lation packed the Town Hall early with those who favored the meas- ure; and late comers, who might be on the opposite side, were unable to get into the hall and the meeting. Since those occurrences, there
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has been a representative system of voting, toning down the New Eng- land town meeting plan in a sense but leaving the situation, in the opinion of the people of Brookline, more satisfactory than maintaining a regular city government.
The regular and special appropriations passed at the annual town meetings in recent years have been in the neighborhood of four and a quarter million dollars. The figure in 1927 was $4,222,771. The town spends about $700,000 for schools; $65,000 for its Public Library ; $225,000 for its water department; $125,000 for parks, public grounds, trees and cemeteries; more than $600,000 for highways and lighting; about $900,000 for public safety and health; considerably over $200,000 for sewers, and drains and other town expenses are in proportion.
There are several hospitals in Brookline and other institutions de- voted to the care of the sick and unfortunate. The Free Hospital for Women in Brookline is an unusual institution. It was founded in 1875 and Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale spoke at the dedication of the main building. The founder was William Henry Baker, M. D., first pro- fessor of gynecology of Harvard Medical School. This hospital is the second oldest in the country for the free treatment of diseases peculiar to women. Some of the best-known gynecologists of Mas- sachusetts make up the unpaid staff of the hospital.
The Zion Research Library is another unusual institution in Brook- line.
Situated on Fisher Hill, entrance to the library is through a heavy iron gate, then by way of a brick walk skirting beautiful formal gar- dens. The furnishings are of rich simplicity. There are five thou- sand volumes on the open shelves and many of them are rare and valu- able books. The library adjoins the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Munro Longyear, by whom the Zion research foundation was endowed in 1922. The library is non-sectarian and open to the general pub- lic for the purpose of Biblical study and research every afternoon, with two capable librarians in attendance.
Several of the large sales agencies for automobiles are located in Brookline. Among the manufactured articles are gears and shafts, screens, automobile bodies, cards and novelties, confectionery, ice- cream, soft drinks and knit clothing.
Brookline was incorporated as a town in 1705. Previous to that time, its beautiful hills, rivers and sheets of water which make it pic- turesque, belonged to Boston. There was a back formed by the Charles River between the present town and Boston and this was Back Bay, later to become an aristocratic part of Boston, while Brook- line itself was to become the place of residence for many of the promi- nent and most successful business and professional men of the metro-
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polis. In 1855 the northerly part of Brookline, bordering on the river, was ceded to Boston.
The soil of Brookline is of excellent quality for agricultural and horticultural purposes, and there are in the town some beautiful estates with green lawns and gardens among the best in this part of the country. Until about a hundred years ago, the inhabitants of Brook- line were largely farmers, dependent upon the products of the land. One of these farmers was Ebenezer Richards who owned a sheep pasture of thirteen acres, on an elevated spot commanding a fine view of Boston and the numerous islands in Boston Harbor.
Honorable Stephen Higginson, a successful Boston merchant, pur- chased this sheep pasture for $120 an acre. He erected a handsome residence, beautified the grounds and had the show place of the vicin- ity of Boston for many years. Immediately the Brookline farmers began to accept offers to exchange sheep pastures for dollars and the prominent families of Boston began to locate in Brookline and erect elegant homes. The process has been going on ever since.
Proud as are the inhabitants of present-day Brookline in all its beauty, they include in their pride the unique character of the town from early days. The unique beginning of the town is well described in Wood's "New England's Prospect"; referring to the year 1633, he wrote:
"The inhabitants of this place (Boston), for their enlargement, have taken to themselves farm-houses in a place called Muddy River, (Brookline) two miles from the town, where there is good ground, large timber, and store of marsh land and meadow. In this place they keep their swine and other cattle in the summer, whilst the corn, is in the ground at Boston, and bring them to town in the winter." As early as 1686, the inhabitants at Muddy River had obtained an order that said hamlet should thenceforth be free from paying taxes to the town of Boston, and to have the privilege of annually choosing three men to manage their affairs. The conditions were, that they should bear their own expenses, erect a schoolhouse, and maintain a reading and writing master. After the overthrow of Andros, the town of Boston disregarded the above order, and rigorously exercised over them all the authority they possessed. After some considerable op- position, a petition, signed by thirty-two freeholders, was presented to the Legislature in 1705, for a separation from Boston. The petition was granted, and the place was incorporated as a distinct town by the name of Brookline. "It is supposed that this name was adopted from the circumstance that Smelt Brook is a boundary between that town and Cambridge, and that another brook, which falls into Muddy River, is a boundary between it and Roxbury."
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT. BROOKLINE
PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, BROOKLINE
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CANTON
The towns of Norfolk County are known by many students for their historic connections, and as the theatres for many interesting occurrences when the vicinity was young in the ways of the white men. It is well, however, to consider the future and present of the towns, as well as their interesting and important past. Canton was the town of John Eliot in Colonial days, of Paul Revere shortly after the Revolution and of numerous other worthies but, it is also a mod- ern town, delightful in its present-day appointments and qualities. As to the number of inhabitants, the State census of 1925 disclosed 5,896. These people spend about $3,000 annually on schools, $12,000 for fire department, a like sum for street lighting, nearly as much for the sup- port of the poor and unfortunate, twice as much for highways and bridges and half as much for the public library. The library has nearly 25,000 volumes and an average daily circulation of about one hundred and seventy-five.
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