USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > South Boston > History of South Boston (its past and present) and prospects for the future, with sketches of prominent men > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
Dr. Ebenezer Stevens and Dr. John A. Stevens were at 103 Broadway, near B Street. Dr. D. McGowan was a druggist and physician, and was the first to establish such a business at the corner of Broadway and the Turnpike, where there has since been a drug store.
Dr. A. Alexander, father of George Alexander, now at the corner of Broadway and Dorchester Street, was high up in his profession and had an office at 146 Broadway.
Dr. J. S. Calef was at the corner of Broadway and C Street, Dr. A. Southard at 130 Fourth Street and Dr. J. H. York at 206 Broad- 2 way. All the above were members of the Suffolk medical society.
Of the carpenters and builders who erected many of the houses of these days, some of which are now standing, there were William Andrews at 68 Fourth Street, N. H. Tilden corner of D and Sixth Streets, Benjamin James corner of Broadway and Dorchester Street, J. Emerson on the Old Road, William P. Houston, Broadway near B Street, H. A. Kent corner of D and Sixth Streets, James Smith and M. Sprague on Second Street, Joseph Tobey on Second Street near E Street, M. Ventress on Third near Dorchester Street and D. A. Weeks on Broadway near Dorchester Street.
Apothecaries, boot and shoe dealers, coal and wood dealers, dry goods establishments, furniture dealers, tailors and blacksmiths were in sufficient numbers to accomodate the residents of the district.
Of apothecaries there were seven. J. W. F. Wilson was at the corner of Broadway and Dorchester Street until 1900. Charles Mead
C
I71
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
was the first at the corner of Turnpike and Fourth Streets and in the same location, in after years, were leading druggists of the district.
Dr. McGowan kept his store at the corner of the Turnpike and Broadway, and the Deering Brothers were at 153 Broadway. S. W. Goodhue was corner of Broadway and E Street, Edward S. Hickson corner of Fourth and C Streets. Thomas Blasland and Radford had a large establishment at the corner of Broadway and D Streets.
Retail boot and shoe dealers numbered ten. Archibald Ellms was the first to start the business in the district. He was at 94 Turnpike Street, between Fourth Street and Broadway, and was also a maker of boots and shoes. G. Emerson & Son also made boots and shoes at 1 89 Broadway.
Then there was Joseph Baker corner of Broadway and B Street, Timothy Goodwin corner Dorchester Street and Broadway, Isaac Groves on the opposite corner of Broadway and Dorchester Street, Lincoln & Burrill at 56 Turnpike Street, M. B. Newhall also on the corner of Broadway and Dorchester Street, John D. Newhall on Third Street near F Street, Julius Taylor at 122 Broadway and John Topham corner Broadway and Turnpike Street.
J. W. Sullivan was the only cigar maker in the district and he did a big business on Turnpike Street near Second Street.
Of coal and wood dealers there was William B. Brooks on Second near C Street, Colburn & Howard's large wharf on Turnpike Street near the bridge, Henry Crafts on Boston wharf, George W. Merrill & Co. on Boston wharf and Moody & Norris on Boston wharf and Alpheus Stetson at the foot of I Street.
The first dry goods store in the district was that of R. Nelson, 98 Turnpike Street, near Fourth Street. William Trumbull came next and was in business at 114 Broadway. William H. Tilden was in the Lyceum hall building, corner of Broadway and E Street, where the savings bank is now, and Edwin Tilden was corner of Broadway and B Street. William L. Jordan kept a store corner Broadway and B Street, Briard & Breck at 120 Broadway, John Kirkpatrick at 6 Broadway and H. Allen, corner of Broadway and Dorchester Street.
Three furniture stores provided for the house furnishings of the homes of the people. They were William Andrews on Fourth Street, near A Street, W. C. Jenkins, corner of Broadway and the Turnpike, and Jonathan Pierce at 59 and 61 Turnpike.
Provision stores had begun to start up and one of the first and largest was that of J. D. Richardson, corner of Fourth and A Streets. Warren Kimball kept at 217 Broadway, Dodge & Co. were one of the first at the corner of Broadway and C Street, near the Baptist church, H. Hamlin, corner of Fourth and C Streets, George N. Noyes & Co., corner Broadway and B Street, E. Welch, at 91 Fourth Street, and John Welch, corner Broadway and D Street.
172
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Four bakers werc in business in 1850. C. Crafts was at the corner of Third and Dorchester Streets, J. D. Richardson at the corner of Fourth and A Streets, A. Spring at 181 Fourth Street, and Vining & Allen at 232 Broadway.
E. H. Brainard, at 146 Turnpike Street, Dennis Cronan, corner of Turnpike and Fifth Strcets, and B. Cunningham, corner of Dorchester and Second Streets, were the blacksmiths at that time. There was also J. G. Fowler, at the South Boston bridge, Green & Davis, on First Street, near Turnpike Street, and S. S. Lord, Jr., corner F Street and Broadway.
"Dr." Henry Humphreys was a botanic and vegetarian physician at 114 Fourth Street, near B Street, and his was a familiar figure on the streets.
Rev. J. W .: Alvord, the Congregational minister, lived at 237 Broadway, Rev. G. W. Bosworth, the Baptist minister, at 317 Broad- way, Rev. Joseph W. Clinch, the Episcopal minister, at 235 Fourth Street, Rev. J. H. Fairchild, an Orthodox minister, resided at 260 Fourth Street.
Rev. Terrence Fitzsimmons, the Catholic priest of SS. Peter and Paul's church, lived at 35 Broadway. Other clergymen were Rev. T. D. Cook, at 235 Fourth Street, Rev. H. V. Degen, Fourth, near K Street, and Rev. G. W. Lippitt, on Broadway, near G Street.
Mr. Hugh Montgomery was the leading lawyer of the district. He was a splendid man, held in high esteem by the people, very bright and a good lawyer. He was trustee for the Sears estate. Other law- yers were William B. Dorr and F. A. Lovis.
W. D. Martin kept the only gentlemen's furnishing store and was also a dealer in hats and caps.
Frederick Chemin, at 74 Turnpike Street, was the first hairdresser in the district, opening a shop in Mr. Leavitt's hotel in 1845. He is still in business at the same place and is the oldest barber in Boston at the opening of the 20th century. Other hairdressers were George Grimes, at 47 Turnpike Street, M. Morrison, on Turnpike Street, near First Street, E. H. Pennington, corner Broadway and E Street, and T. S. Waters, at 55 Turnpike Street.
Lumber dealers did a good business and made much money. They were Alpheus Stetson, at the foot of I Street, William F. Boyn- ton, on Boston wharf, Eaton & Dupee, also on Boston wharf, and Moody & Norris, on Boston wharf. William B. Brooks was at the corner of Second and C Streets. John P. Monks, father of Richard J. Monks of the present day, had a large wharf on Second, near E Street. Then there was C. Thurston, on Foundry, near Fourth Street, by the bridge.
Of tailors and drapers there were Thomas Hammond, at 56 and 58 Turnpike Street, H. B. Janes & Co., at 96 Broadway, and Thomas O'Maley, at 106 Fourth Street, near B Street.
173
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
There were no establishments, at that period, where liquors were exclusively sold, but grocery stores where West India goods in general were dispensed were quite numerous. There were 37 of these establish- ments, besides the hotels, and the principal resorts for the workingmen was at the Laborers' Union, corner of Fourth and C Streets, and the Workingmen's Protective Union No. 3, corner of Broadway and C Street.
Josiah Dunham and his son, Josiah Dunham, Jr., were the only rope makers in South Boston and they had a large establishment on Fifth, near B Street. Both of the Dunhams represented the district in both branches on the city government, at various times.
Mr. James Burns, for more than half a century a leading dry goods merchant of this city, at first in business with his father on Milk Street, is yet a resident of South Boston, and looks back upon his 65 years of residence in the district with a great deal of pleasure. He now lives on M Street near Emerson Street.
" One avenue to South Boston was by Sea Street, until recently known as Federal Street," said Mr. Burns. "Across the free bridge and South Boston was reached. On the Boston side just where the gasometer recently stood, now covered by railroad tracks, was a little knoll on which were two or three houses and the windmill, from which it derived its name, Windmill Point.
" At the bridge, on the South Boston side was Colburn & Howard's coal and wood wharf and next to that was George Thatcher's foundry, near the junction of Foundry Street. Then came Jabez Coney's machine shops, one of the biggest in the country. He made the boilers and machinery for the first steamer that the United States ever owned.
" Along down on Foundry Street was Isaac and Seth Adams' machine shops, builders of sugar machinery and builders of the famous Adams printing press. Next to that and extending to Fourth Street was Alger's foundry. Cyrus Alger's house was next to that of his son corner of Fourth and Foundry Streets, opposite the foundry.
" Isaac Adams lived on Broadway about opposite the church. Between his house and A Street was the old French block, used as a hat factory.
" Cranston Howe kept a grocery store on the first floor of the Phillips church, corner of A Street. After the election of William Henry Harrison as President, Howe was appointed an appraiser in the Custom House, filling that position for many years.
" In regular order, next to the church, were the residences of Jeremy Drake, Eben Jackson, Stephen Jenney and Jabez Coney. Then the second house from the present railroad bridge was the home of J. Fox Allen. All of these houses had gardens extending back to Silver Street.
"On the opposite side of Broadway, between A and B Streets,
174
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
was the remains of Nook Hill, as high as Phillips church. When it was dug away the earth was used for the filling in of Boston wharf.
"Cains' glass factory was on B Street and it was a large estab- lishment, employing many hundred men. Thomas Cains and his son William Cains were looked upon as among South Boston's leading citizens. They were very wealthy, entertained in grand style and lived in a magnificent house.
" On the east side of Broadway near E Street was Harrison hall and above that, on the corner, was Lyceum hall. Above Lyceum hall two brick houses were occupied by Mr. Williams and Mr. Bryant. Williams was a tailor and Bryant an architect.
" Corner of Broadway and F Street was the home of Deacon Hill, one of the proprietors of the chain factory which was on the corner of F and Third Streets. At the foot of F Street was the Briggs ship- yard.
"Corner of H and Third Streets was a fine building, a sort of annex to the Mt. Washington hotel. It was fitted for a billiard room and afterward used for office purposes by the omnibus company.
" John H. Reed and Ralph Crooker started a big rolling mill on First Street near the foot of I Street. For many years they did a tremendous business and employed hundreds of men. They paid the men big wages and there was no excuse then for a man to be out of work. Beyond that was Wheelwright's shipyard, one of the largest in the district.
"From Broadway, between I and K Streets, side of where is now the Lincoln school, Fish Lane run down to First Street. Many fish dealers were in business here, and at the foot of the lane was the Golden Queen, kept by John Holton.
"On Fourth Street, near the Point, was the Adam Bent house, still standing. Corner of P and Fourth Streets was Samuel Blake's house, and on Fourth Street, near P Street, was the City Point hotel. Corner of Q and Fourth Streets was Mr. Well's school for boys. It was a preparatory school and was burned down one cold winter's night.
"There were several handsome green-houses taking up almost the entire block bounded by M and N Streets from Fourth to Fifth Streets, and were owned by William McCullough.
"On Fourth Street, also, was the house of Thomas Murray, sexton of the St. Augustine's cemetery and church, and an undertaker.
"The Globe nail works and Seth Wilmarth's machine shops on Foundry Street employed a large number of men. Corner of Fourth Street and the Turnpike was the building erected and occupied by the Lafayette bank until it failed in 1837, and Rev. Fr. Fitzsimmons, pastor of SS. Peter and Paul's church, lived there afterward and until his residence was built on Broadway. The bank building is now standing and occupied by a carriage manufactory.
"On First Street was Craft's coal yard, James M. Green, black-
175
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
smith, Patrick Lally's machine shop, Downer & Austin oil works, John Souther's boiler and machinery works, and the Boston Machine shops at the corner of Granite Street.
" On Second Street was the old bottle house, several blacksmiths, Cains glass works, Boston beer company, the camphor factory, Leonard & Co.'s soap factory, and several lumber yards.
"Over the Bay View way was the government ordnance yard where the large guns cast by Alger were tested. On the south shore were several yacht builders, Hoar Brothers, Pierce Brothers, and Elisha Harris.
" On Lowland Street, afterward changed to Mercer Street, was a large ropewalk and also the Coffin lubricating oil company."
Mr. Benjamin B. Whittemore has written an article in reference to South Boston before 1840.
1
ALGER HOUSES
"When I entered the Hawes grammar school, about 1838, the schoolhouse was undergoing repairs and alterations and for some months sessions were held in the old lead factory building on Fourth Street, near E Street. When we went to the Hawes school there were two large rooms, an upper and lower one. While the girls were assembled in the writing class down stairs in the morning the boys were in the grammar class up stairs, and then in the afternoon they changed about.
"At this period South Boston presented the appearance of a beautiful suburban village, Broadway being the main street, with many newly built residences standing in the midst of gardens more or less extensive, but exceedingly tempting to the youthful eye with their dis- play of fruits and flowers.
" But a large portion of the territory on this street was unoccupied, and furnished open fields on which the boys found ample room for their summer and winter sports. Between Broadway and Fourth, from C to
1 76
HISTORY OF SOUTHI BOSTON.
D Streets, there was a large pond that afforded excellent opportunities for skating.
"The upper part of Fourth Street was sparsely settled, while stretching along the marsh from the bridge to Dorchester was the Turnpike, now Dorchester Avenue, with water at high tide covering the space on either side. First, Second and Third Streets were laid out, but little built upon.
" On the easterly side of the peninsula, First Street, was the busy portion with shipyards, chemical works and glass factories.
"But the greatest change has taken place above Dorchester Street. Except the Mt. Washington House, afterward the Perkins In- stitution, Mrs. Burrill's school for young ladies, a little colony near the Hawes church and the House of Correction on the east side, as one stood on the old fortifications at the Heights, there was only to be seen an unbroken, grassy slope, extending to Dorchester Bay, across which could be seen the farms in Dorchester.
"The residence of Hall J. How, one of the handsomest in the district, was on an eminence not far from the forts.
" Everybody at that time was supposed to pay strict attention to business six days a week and to 'go to meeting ' on the seventh. Any departure from an observance of the Sabbath was made the subject of prayerful investigation by the entire community. Vacations for adults were almost unknown, and children were fortunate in a four weeks' release from school during August.
" The people of South Boston were mostly of the middle class of mechanics and shopkeepers, and, having small surplus of cash, their children knew little of the luxuries that mark our modern time. The result was that a large number of the prosperous men and women of today, whose childhood was spent in this suburb, have to thank the industry, frugality and abstinence of those days for the health and vigor which they now enjoy."
CHAPTER XXIII.
SOUTH BOSTON, 1850 TO 1870.
Causes that led to the rapid increase in population - Street railway companies incorpo- rated - Street improvements - Additional bridges - Gas introduced - Filling in of flats - Engine companies - Banks, insurance company and societies - Newspapers - News from the South Boston Gazette of 1851 - Largest taxpayers - Shade trees planted - Washington Village annexed - Bay View - Mail delivery - One new church - Carney Hospital - Church Home - New schools.
T WO important events in the history of Boston were largely responsible for the sudden and tremendous impetus given to the growth of South Boston, and particularly for it taking a position as one of the leading sections of the great metropolis of New England.
South Boston's most rapid growth was experienced immediately following the introduction of the street railway system in the district, and the abolition of Old Fort Hill, a few years afterward, compelled the residents of that thickly settled territory to make their homes else- where. Many of them moved to the North End, but the larger number, attracted by the excellent prospects in the new field of South Boston, were induced to make their homes in the peninsula. The bridges made it easy to reach the city, and, as has always been true, the general situation of South Boston was tempting.
Two street railway companies were incorporated in April, 1854. They were the Dorchester Avenue Company and the Broadway Com- pany. The former was allowed to lay tracks from the Lower Mills in Dorchester to the foot of State Street, over Federal Street Bridge.
The Broadway Company was empowered to construct a railway from South Boston Point to Dorchester Avenue, where it was to form a junction with and enter upon the Dorchester Avenue Railroad. Horse power only was used. The capital stock of the company was $150,000 and the city of Boston had the privilege of purchasing all the rights of the Company at the end of ten years after its opening, on certain con- ditions, and the existence of the corporation was limited to fifty years. Not more than five cents fare was allowed on either of these roads.
This latter company did not build its road previous to 1856, and the following year the act was changed so as to give the company liberty to pass over Dover Street Bridge or Mt. Washington Avenue Bridge.
Gradually the city government proceeded to give to the streets and sewers that attention which they had so long neglected to do. Before 1855 a sewer had been built in Dorchester and Second Streets,
178
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
in Broadway and Fourth Street, in the lower part of Third Street, in First, Second, I and H Streets, also in Broadway, and finally in Fourth Street, from Dorchester to G Streets.
Several of the streets were paved, Fourth Street was widened from Dorchester to G Streets, then First Street was completed from A to E Streets, Broadway and Fourth Street were graded. Property owners and abutters on Broadway and Fourth Street, from the Turn- pike to Dorchester Street, were ordered to pave their sidewalks with bricks, or flat stones, and when this was not done within a specified time the Superintendent of Streets did the work and charged it to the property owners, who had failed to comply with the first order.
In 1852 Quincy, Gold, Silver, Athens and Bolton Streets were accepted by the city.
In 1852, on the surrender of the Dorchester Turnpike as a toll passage way by the Turnpike corporation, the portion of it in South Boston, from Fourth Street to the Dorchester line, was accepted by the city. In 1853 the owners and abutters on Broadway, between Dorchester and K Streets, were directed to pave their sidewalks with brick or flat stones.
Mt. Washington Avenue Bridge was completed and opened to the public in 1855. It was the third bridge established between Boston and South Boston and was built by the Boston Wharf Co., extending from the wharf to the foot of Kneeland Street. Since the building of the new South Station the avenue ends at Dorchester Avenue Exten- sion. The bridge was purchased by the city from the wharf company for $60,000.
In 1856 the name of the North Free Bridge was changed to Federal Street Bridge.
In 1855 the Boston and New York Central Railroad, having located a depot at the foot of Summer Street, and the track of its road lying through a part of South Boston, it became necessary to construct a bridge from near the depot to South Boston. This was built in a half circular course from the wharf of the company in the city to near Slane's wharf in South Boston, a distance of about 4,700 feet, and a double track was laid thereon. It was a pile bridge, provided with a draw where the channel passed under it, and extended to First Street, between A and B Streets.
Another bridge was built by the company across South Bay to Dorchester, and was 5,030 feet long, making the total length of the two bridges 9,730 feet or about 1 34 miles. They were opened for the use of the road in January, 1855.
The railroad, passing under the streets of South Boston, necessi- tated the building of bridges at the several crossings. Shortly before 1860 these bridges, between A and B Streets, were completed.
The Memorial presented to the city government in 1847, had the effect, among other things, of abolishing a portion of the City Lands.
179
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
SOUTH BOSTON, VICINITY OF DORCHESTER HEIGHTS.
1850.
Rosorvoir.
Thomas Park.
Fourth Street.
Boston.
G Stroot,
Porkins Institution. Dr. Howe Residence.
180
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
It was agreed by the city fathers that sixty acres of good land were almost wasted where one or two acres would suffice for the same pur- pose of providing farm products for the institutions. Accordingly, in 1854, the stockade fence was removed and soon Second and Third Streets and Broadway were laid out through the lands. The following year the Committee on Public Lands decided to grant the request of the people for a public square, and a large portion of what was the City Lands was set apart for a recreation ground, the present beautiful Independence Square.
Gas was first introduced into South Boston in 1852. For many years the local press and public had urged the incorporation of a com- pany for this purpose and finally the South Boston Gas Co. was incor- porated April 13, 1852. Work of laying pipes was soon completed and gas was used for the first time in the district December 16, 1852. The gas plant was on Seventh, near B Street, and the first officers of the Company were : President, William T. Andrews ; Directors, William T. Andrews, Francis Alger, John H. Blake, Thomas B. Wales, Edward J. Davenport ; Clerk, Edward J. Davenport; Treasurer, Jeremy Drake ; Agents, John H. Blake and Franklin Darracott, and Supt. Edward Jones.
There were still several swamps and ponds scattered throughout the peninsula, but they were principally in sections thinly settled. As the houses increased in number the low lands were filled in. The largest swamps were in the vicinity of Third and O Streets and another on Third, near L Street. Boys used to catch birds and pick blueberries in their vicinity.
As early as 1830 plans were made for the filling in of the flats, that portion of the water north of First Street and at the foot of A and B Streets, but it was not until twenty years afterward that anything noteworthy was done in this direction. The delay was largely owing to similar work in the Back Bay district and the filling in of the waters. of the Charles River.
All along a large portion of Boston's shore, and especially South Boston, there was excellent opportunity to reclaim lands from the tide water. For the past seventy years this work has been going on, and is not yet finished. In 1855 but a small portion of that on the shore of South Boston had been reclaimed and that was principally through the efforts of the Boston Wharf Company. Thus was begun the filling in where now is the large tract known as the Commonwealth Lands.
There was but little change in the streets. The Old Road was only from Third Street to the Point, Quincy Street from D Street to Dorchester Street, and there were Ontario, Swan and Colony Streets near the Turnpike. These latter have since been abolished.
The principal churches, in 1851, were the South Boston Methodist Episcopal, the Hawes Place Congregational, St. Matthew's Episcopal, Phillips Congregational, Fourth Universalist, St. Augustine's Chapel,
HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
(in the cemetery), South Baptist, and two years later the St. Peter and Paul's church, destroyed in 1848, was rebuilt.
Of engine companies there were two, Mazeppa No. I, house on Broadway, between F and Dorchester Streets, next to the Hawes School : and Perkins No. 2, house on Broadway, between B and C Streets. Elijah H. Goodwin was foreman of Mazeppa and Joshua Jenkins foreman of Perkins.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.