USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 11
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 11
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October 2d, 1815. Abstract of report of committee on build- ing an almshouse :- " They have given much time and' attention to the duty assigned them, and have caused to be completed a firm, substantial and convenient house, for the permanent accom- modation of the poor of the town. The estimated amount for building the house last May, as they reported to the town, was $2,200, but by economy in purchasing the materials, and judi- cious management in contracting the work, we have been ena- bled to complete the house for $1,973.18." This house is the same as now used for the town's poor.
The Town Hall, in which was included the Grammar School Room, was burnt down December 30th, 1815.
March 4th, 1816. The committee on Town House and
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School House made the following report, to wit :- " Your com- mittee are unanimously of the opinion that it will be expedient for the town to cause to be erected a building of sufficient dimensions to allow two school-rooms on the lower floor, the second story to be reserved and conveniently arranged as a Town Hall, for the inhabitants to meet in. Your committee were also requested to report on a site for said building, but not having had time to give this point suitable consideration, would have it referred to another committee, and they be chosen by ballot." This was agreed to.
May 6th, 1816. The Committee on the Town Hall reported as follows :- " That, for the purpose expressed in their commis- sion, it will be expedient to erect a house in dimensions 30 feet by 55 feet, and 20 feet high, to be completed agreeable to a plan submitted for your consideration. Your committee also present for investigation an estimate of expense, material and work, by which it appears that if the house is built according to the re- ported plan of wood, it will cost $2,200; if of stone, $3,600. Your committee was also requested to point out a site the most convenient for said building. To this part of their commission they have given considerable time and attention; the result of their inquiries is as follows : The only convenient place or site is a part of Mr. John Briesler's lot adjoining the burying ground. It can be bought for six dollars per rod, at which price the land required will cost about two hundred."
Hon. Thomas Greenleaf, Thomas B. Adams, Benjamin Page, Deacon Josiah Adams, and Edmund Billings were chosen a com- mittee, and directed and duly authorized to mark out, on some part of the training field, the most convenient site, in their opinion, on which to erect, for the accommodation of the town, a building for a School House and a Town Hall, and that they cause the same to be properly staked out, and give due notice to the building committee.
June 24th, 1816. The former vote on the Town Hall and School House was reconsidered, and a new committee chosen and authorized to purchase one acre of land of Mr. John Bates, all the front northerly on the road leading to Bent's Point, so-called, on which to erect a Town Hall and School House, at the price
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of three hundred dollars per acre. Deacon Spear, Capt. John Hall and Frederick Hardwick were the committee chosen for the above purpose, and they were also empowered to give their obligations in behalf of the town to Mr. Bates for payment of the land, and take a deed for the same.
July 8th, 1816. The town not being satisfied with their pre- vious action, in choosing a committee and authorizing them to purchase a lot of. Mr. Bates, reconsidered the vote, and chose another committee, viz : Mr. Thomas Greenleaf, Noalı Curtis, Deacon Spear, Edmund Billings and Asa Pope, who were authorized and requested to ascertain if there were any other lots that would in their opinion afford a more convenient site for said building, with better accommodations for the town, than that purchased of Mr. Bates.
July 16th, 1816. The committee made the following report on the Town, House :-
" That there are several lots of land in the vicinity of the training field, which may now be purchased, either of which, in the opinion of your committee, will afford a more eligible site for a public building, and will better accommodate the inhabi- tants of the town.
"First,-A lot of Mr. Briesler's, adjoining the burying ground, which measures fifty-five rods, five feet. The price is six dollars per rod ; whole cost of said piece of land, three hundred and thirty-nine dollars.
" Second,-A lot of Mr. Savil's, adjoining Mr. Quincy's sheds, measuring twenty-one rods. Price, three hundred dollars, about fourteen dollars per rod.
" Third,-A lot of Deacon Webb's, north of Mr. Burrell's house, measuring twenty-five rods. Price per rod, eight dollars.
" Fourth,-A lot of. Deacon Adams', opposite the engine house, measuring twenty rods, at fifteen dollars per rod.
" Your committee are of the unanimous opinion that Mr. Briesler's lot possesses the greatest advantages for the town, and is the most eligible site."
The above report was accepted, and the same committee was instructed to have said Town House erected, and purchase the land of Mr. Briesler ; also to let the land purchased of Mr.
2
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Bates. Thus ended this long and vexatious question of loeating the Town House, which was as difficult and troublesome as is the settling a minister in some of our churches.
July 21st, 1817. The committee reported the School House and Town House completed, at a cost of $2,127.19.
April 11th, 1818. Voted, That Mr. Daniel Hobart be author- ized and directed to keep the boys in order in the meeting-house on Sundays.
April 5th, 1819. Voted, To allow the singers fifty dollars.
Voted, To add that portion of the land purchased of Mr. Briesler not occupied by the new Town House to the burying ground, reserving, on the southeast side and southwest end, eighteen feet, for the purpose of erecting tombs.
November 18th, 1819. Voted, That a private way be laid out for the benefit of Mr. William Packard, to his quarries of stone, at his own expense, for the purpose of transporting the same.
April, 1820. Voted, That the thanks of the town be present- ed to their Agent, for his valuable services in assisting the town petition for establishing Neponset river as the boundary line be- tween Dorchester and Quincy. This was the settlement of a question that had long been in controversy, relieving the town from a great deal of trouble and expense in assessing and col- lecting taxes.
April, 1820. This is the Committee's report on schools :- " The whole number of scholars in both schools during the last winter, exclusive of some that were transient, was two hundred and four, seventy-nine of whom belonged to the cyphering school, which was kept in the smallest room, nearly the whole number attending. The room was so much crowded that the scholars were obliged to wait one for the other, for seats, notwithstand- ing the master gave up his desk, and used every means in his power to accommodate them. The committee recommend the enlargement of the room, which seems to be needed."
April 7th, 1823. Voted, To allow the singers ninety dollars ; . also, to see what right individuals have to take children to board from out of town, for the purpose of sending them to the town school.
For years it had been a desirable object to establish a more
.
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convenient and casier method of conveying stone from the quar- ries to the wharves or place of transportation, than by the slow, tedious and extremely burdensome system of earting them by cattle; and also to lessen the heavy expense which attended this manner of transportation. No way had as yet been devised for taking stone to the wharves but by teams, and, as it could not in those days of poor roads and insufficient vehicles be easily taken to the water, a plan was devised for bringing the water nearer to the stone. Accordingly, in the spring and summer of 1824, a canal was projected and begun by Mr. Joshua Torrey, an enterprising citizen of the town. It was intended it should run from the head of the creek, east of the almshouse, nearly to the stone meeting-house, which would economize a great part of the carriage by land. It was entered upon and pursued for a time with great spirit. The town chose a committee to investigate the feasibility of this important project, who reported strongly in its favor, but were unable to afford it any pecuniary assist- ance, and it proving too expensive, at least for one individual, the whole design of this much needed and commendable im- provement was finally abandoned.
Although Mr. Torrey's commendable project proved a failure, it seems to have awakened a spirit of public enterprise among the citizens of the town, as in the spring of 1825 they set on foot another plan for the construction of a canal, which was to follow the stream called Town River, from the tide-mill up to the stone bridge on the Hingham and Quincy Turnpike, and by dredging out the old channel, so that large sloops could easily approach the spacious wharves that were to be built for the purpose of making navigation profitable, and make it more convenient for the inhabitants of the town to procure their lumber, grain and other merchandise at a more reasonable price.
A company was incorporated, under the name of the Quincy Canal Corporation, the shares were readily sold, and its construc- tion was commenced with a great deal of enthusiasm, and san- guine hopes of future success. After considerable delay, caused by making unsatisfactory contracts, the undertaking was finally completed in the autumn of 1826, at a cost of ten thousand dol- lars. The corporation continued in operation for some time, with
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varied success, but finally proving unsuccessful, was dissolved some years ago, at a great loss to the share holders.
During the construction of the canal, a more important and bolder enterprise was started for the building of a railway for the transportation of stone, as in January, 1826, a petition was presented to the Legislature for an act of incorporation to con- struct a railway in Quincy, from the stone quarries to Neponset river. The following is the form of the petition :-
" The undersigned petitioners represent, that it would be of great public utility to establish a railway from certain quarries in the town of Quincy to the tide waters, for the carrying of stone to be used in building. That your petitioners are disposed to establish the same, or to aid in effecting it; but that it will require a voluntary subscription, and employment of a large sum of money, and such sum can only be obtained by extending the subscription among many persons, and that it would greatly facilitate the enterprise if those who are engaged in it should act under corporate powers."
This petition was signed by Thomas Handeyside Perkins, William Sullivan, Amos Lawrence, Solomon Willard, David Moody and Gridley Bryant, all of Boston with the exception of Solomon Willard.
This, like other great experiments of internal improvement could not be projected and carried on without opposition from zealous and interested parties, who thought their selfish inter- ests should be paramount to the public good, as was the case in this instance.
Many of the inhabitants of Quincy, as well as individual owners of quarries, desired that the railway should run through the town to Brackett's Wharf or the Point. This route they endeavored to make appear more feasible, as its construction would be attended with much less cost, and would be more fa- vorable to the interests of those who were in possession of valu- able quarries in the North Commons, where stone had been taken for years. They anticipated that this enterprise might enable the railway company to absorb all the business by their greater facilities in cheapening the transportation of stone, and they would have to give up their business or construct a railway
15
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at their own expense, which, with their limited means, was too great an undertaking for them to accomplish.
This, like all other imaginary troubles, soon came to an end. Those who have carried on the stone business in the North Commons, have been as successful as those who have transacted the same business at the railway.
The only official action of the town we have been enabled to find, was, that at a public meeting held January 25th, 1826, a committee of fifteen of the most influential citizens was chosen to confer with the Legislative Committee, and instructed to favor or oppose this project, if in their judgment it would prove favorable or unfavorable to the interest of the town. The fol- lowing gentlemen were chosen the committee, viz : Hon. Thomas Greenleaf, Edward Miller, Esq., Josiah Bass, Isaac Riddle, Esq., IIon. Thomas B. Adams, George W. Beale, Elisha Marsh, Noah Curtis, Josiah Adams, Josiah Brigham, Frederick Hardwick, Daniel Greenleaf, John Souther, Henry Wood, and Edmund Billings.
The opposition to this important object did not seem to have been very successful, as an act of incorporation was granted it by the Legislature, and was approved on the fourth of March, 1826. The company, as soon as sufficient capital could be pro- cured, was organized by making choice of Col. Thomas H. Per- kins, President.
The railroad was built during this year, but not without much delay; the estimated cost was one hundred thousand dollars. This was the first incorporated railroad in America. It was not until the twenty-seventh of March, 1827, that the contract for the transportation of stone was made. By this contract the company agreed to carry, during the year 1827, three thousand tons of hewn granite.
This great internal improvement grew out of a project of constructing a monument on Bunker Hill, in commemoration of a great historic battle, fought on this eminence at the open- ing of the American Revolution. The Monument Association had purchased a quarry in Quincy, for the purpose of procuring suitable material for the construction of this monument. Up to this time large blocks of granite had not been used or trans-
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ported. It then became a serious matter of consideration with the Association, what method would be the most economical and successful for the carrying of stone. The committee, after becoming satisfied that the system adopted in England for the conveyance of heavy merchandise, especially coal and iron from the mines, by tramways, was successful, reasonably con- cluded that if a similar system was established here it would meet their desired wants. And so it proved, by a saving of great expense to the Association.
At this time the successful experiment of Blockett and Stephenson, in the facilitating of locomotion by the application of steam, was not generally known or in usc, and this three miles of railway to the Neponset river was operated by horse- power, and continued to be so until it was mostly absorbed by the West Quincy Branch of the Old Colony Railroad.
May 3d, 1841. Voted, That the panpers be allowed a temper- ate use of ardent spirits when they work on the road, or farm. Ninety-six voted in favor, and eighty-six against. The panpers also asked of the town the privilege to sell their rations.
February 9th, 1844. The subject of establishing a railroad came up at this meeting. A committee was chosen to meet the Legislative Committee, to make the best possible arrangement they could, so as to have the proposed railroad between Boston and Plymouth pass through the centre of the village of Quincy ; and if they deemed it expedient to employ counsel. The follow- ing committee were chosen for the purpose, viz : James New- comb, George Clapp, Daniel Baxter, and William B. Duggan.
As early as 1841, the question of building a Town House was . agitated. March 3d it was voted to build a new Town House on land of Daniel French, provided a suitable site could be ob- tained for a thousand dollars. From this time to 1844 the ques- tion was frequently brought before the meetings with various results. February 9th of that year the following vote was passed :-
Voted, To indefinitely postpone the purchasing of the Uni- versalist Meeting-house for a Town Hall. It was then decided to build one on the old site. A motion was then made that when the Town Hall was built it should be constructed of stone,
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which was decided in the negative. A committee of five was then chosen to procure a suitable plan for a Town House, of wood or stone, and estimates of the same. The committee chosen were as follows : Solomon Willard, John Savil, Gershom Clements, John A. Green and Noah Curtis. It was recommend- ed that the Town House should be eighty-five feet long, includ- ing portico, and fifty feet wide ; and that it be built of wood.
March 5th, 1844. The committee on the Town Hall reported that the cost of its construction of wood, including the cellar and underpinning, would be $7,587.20. They decided not to build on the old site by the following vote : 203 voted in favor, and 268 against. A motion was then made to build it on the Hancock lot, which was decided in the negative.
Voted, That the Town Treasurer be authorized to purchase forthwith the land called the Faxon and Willett lots,1 agrecable to a plan exhibited to the town this day, and also to choose a building committee of five persons. Daniel Baxter, Benjamin Page, James Newcomb, John Souther, and George Veazie were chosen said committee.
At an adjourned meeting the committee, through the Town Treasurer, made a report on purchasing the Faxon and Willett lots, viz :- "That in pursuance of the vote of the town, your committee proceeded forthwith to examine the title of the two lots before referred to, and found, partly by tradition and partly by record, that on one or both of said lots was erected, in the early settlement of the town, a stone garrison house,2 to protect the inhabitants from the inroads and attacks of the hostile Indians ; that at a subsequent date, in more peaceable times, the garrison house was converted into and used as a church, which . church more than a century ago fell into decay, and another church was erected on the same site, and in time became disused and deserted."
As soon as this report was made, a motion was offered to re- consider the vote to purchase these two lots, and was successful
1. The Faxon and Willett lots were located on the northerly corner of Han- cock and Canal streets.
2. We have not been able to find any recorded, or well authenticated tradi- tional evidence, that a stone garrison house ever stood in this locality.
--- - - --
Proto electro la s facetona
TOWN HALL, QUINCY. ERECTED IN 1844.
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by the following vote : 327 for, 281 against reconsideration.
April 18th, 1844. The town voted to authorize the Treasurer forthwith to purchase the lot of land offered to them by Mr. Daniel French, for the purpose of building a Town House upon, by the following vote : 325 for, and 229 against. To the build- ing committee appointed March 5th the following persons were added, viz : Solomon Willard, Henry Wood, George W. Beale, William Torrey, Abel Wright, Thompson Baxter, Levi G. Fol- som, Ebenezer Jewett, Jonathan Jameson, John A. Simpson. They were instructed to have the Town Hall completed by the first of November next.
Then voted to reconsider the vote whereby the town had voted to build it of wood, and that it be built of stone. The vote for reconsideration was as follows: 316 in favor, and 223 against. Thus ended the long and bitter strife for the selection of a site and the erection of the present Town House. Mr. Thomas Adams was instrumental in securing this result, by his untiring exertions among the workmen on stone, by promising them that if they would vote to have the Town House erected on the site where it now stands, it should be built of stone. By this chicanery he was enabled to carry his point, and change the location of the Town House from its former proposed site ; and South Quincy lost the privilege of having this public edifice con-
structed within her limits. This contention left for years a bitter feeling between the Centre and South parts of the town.
The cost of the construction of the stone Town House was $19,115.93. The following are the principal items which went to make up this cost :-
Solomon Willard, drawing plans and superintending building
five months,
$ 280.00
J. B. Whicher & Co., contract,
-
4,244.00
Wright & Barker, יי
-
-
2,573.00
Rowland Owens, -
2,375.00
William Gardner, -
2,200.00
Ebenezer Jewett, -
- 600.00
James B. Perkins,
-
4,654.18
Daniel French, land for Town House, - 1,000.00
In 1871, the Town House was enlarged by removing the two ante-rooms in front of the Hall, each side of the main entrance ; also other alterations were made, at a total expense of $6,478.08.
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This year, 1844, the following items made up the amount of School money :-
Appropriated for Schools, -
$3,100.00 School Fund,
- 139.60
Income of Coddington Fund, - 75.00
Of this sum six hundred dollars was divided equally between the six districts, and the remainder according to the number of children in each district between the ages of four and sixteen, as ascertained on the 1st of May.
Centre District, Pupils 269, Share of Money, $870.27
South
240
787.24
West
207
692.74
Point
137
492.30
North
57
263.23
East
38
208.60
April 15th, 1845. James Newcomb, Joseph Richards, and George Newcomb received a charter to construct a railroad from the quarries to Quincy Point, the number of shares not to exceed eight hundred. Not being able to procure sufficient capital for this much needed enterprise, it never was carried into operation.
CEMETERIES.
HANCOCK CEMETERY.
" With thy rude ploughshare, Death, turn up the sod, And spread the furrow for the seed we sow;
This is the field and acre of our God; This is the place where human harvests grow !"-LONGFELLOW.
We have not been able to find by the Town Records any mention made as to what time the old cemetery on Hancock street was established. It, however, must have been as early as the first settlement of the town, as we find by the epitaphs on the grave-stones that it was here that most of the original settlers were buried. Still all the dead were not deposited here, as it was then the custom for many people to inter the departed on their own farms or lands.
In these early days, the austerity of the religious views of the Pilgrims appears to have imbued the people with the same gloomy ideas in the management and selection of their grave- yards. These were generally on some barren plain, selected more for convenience than for adaptability, and cleared of its trees and shrubs, where the last resting-place of the dead pre- sented a repulsive and desolate. aspect, by being covered with obnoxious weeds and overgrown grasses. They never beautified their graves with flowers, shrubs and trees, both native and exotic ; considering the unadorned ground a more appropriate resting-place for departed and loved friends.
The refinement of modern times, in adorning cemeteries with all that is beautiful in nature and art, is a renewal of ancient customs, improved by the advancement of civilization in con- forming with the more congenial feelings of the human heart.
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CEMETERIES.
The old Hebrews chose some secluded and remote place for the interment of their dead, "with all the trees thereon, and the borders round about." The Romans buried their dead beside the Appian Way, one of their public thoroughfares, along the sides of which were erected sculptured monuments of their illustrious dead. These were not reared in common and neglect- ed wastes, but amid luxuriant foliage of trees and shrubs. " Stop, traveller ; and give a passing thought to the memory of departed heroes," was often found inscribed on these Roman monuments.
Even the Mohammedans took their dead beyond the cities and villages to the place of sepulture, and commonly planted a cypress tree over the graves of their friends, which has reared those solemn cypress groves along the Asiatic shores of the Bosphorus. "In Switzerland the little burial places of the Al- pine villages were made beautiful by the unaffected love of those who planted flowers upon the graves of the departed, or hung garlands upon the simple crosses," as affection's offering for loved ones passed away.
The customs and method of conducting burials by the early Puritans must have been repugnant to all the natural and rever- ential feelings of humanity towards departed kindred and friends. Lechford, in his "Plain Dealings," a writer of that day, relates that no prayers, sermons or singing were allowed at the house or the grave, in respect to the living or dead.1
1. "Concerning burials, this they say: All prayers, either over or for the dead, are not only superstitions and vain, but also are idolatry, and against the plain Scriptures of God. * * Mourning in black garments; for the dead, if it be not hypocritical, yet it is superstitious and heathenislı. Funeral sermons they also utterly condemn, because they are put in the place of trentals, and many other superstitious abuses follow thereby. To be brief, * the * Nonconformists will have the dead to be buried in this sort, (holding no other way lawful, ) namely, that it be conveyed to the place of burial, with some hon- est company of the church, without either singing or reading; yea, without all kind of ceremony heretofore used, other than that the dead be committed to the grave with such gravity and sobriety as those that be present may seem to fear the judgments of God, and to hate sin, which is the cause of death. And thus do the best and right-reformed churches bury their dead, without any ceremo- nies of praying or preaching at them,"-J. Canne's Necessitie of Separation (1634,) Hans. Knolly's Soc. Ed., p. 112-113. Comp. Mather's Ratio Disci- pline, 117.
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