USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Lakeville > History of the town of Lakeville, Massachusetts, 1852-1952; one hundredth anniversary of the town of Lakeville > Part 7
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SHEEP RAISING
Raising sheep was an important industry of long ago. Spinning wheels were in every home. No girl was considered marriageable until she had spun and woven with her own hands all her house- hold woolen and linen; hence the name "spinster" often applied to unmarried women.
Many a grandmother wove a whole blanket at her loom from wool of her own spinning and sheared from sheep raised on the farm. Among prized heirlooms are woolen bed coverlets woven on looms in the quaint Colonial patterns of the early days.
One of the sheep farms of long ago was on Southworth Street at the Otis Southworth farm. It is believed that his father before him also raised sheep.
The swingled tow sheared from the sheep in the spring on this farm was washed in the brook that crosses Southworth Street, known now as Poquoy Brook, but at that time it was called Swingled Tow Brook.
The last sheep raising carried on to any extent in town was on Highland Road on the farm of Len Canedy.
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CHAPTER VII
POST OFFICE SHORT STORIES
AIL was first carried by stagecoach between Boston and New Bedford, stopping at the taverns along the way. Sampson's Tavern was the stop in Lakeville (when Lakeville was included in Middleboro). The first post office was established about 1804, at the Washburn house, near the site of the Town House. This was a distributing office as the mail was left there to be sent to the adjacent towns by horse- back.
James Washburn, the first postmaster, appointed by President Adams in 1804 resigned in favor of Major Levi Peirce in 1811.
In 1824, an office was re-established under the name of The Assawompsett Post Office. Captain Daniel Smith, its first post- master, was succeeded by Elias Sampson, Jr. In 1831, the name was changed to the West Middleboro Post Office. This office was discontinued about the year 1846 for some time and when re- established it was located near the Lakeville Depot. The office of postmaster was held for many years by Cephas Haskins. Later his two daughters, Mary and Lillian, were in charge. In 1879, the post office at Lakeville station was burned, but was rebuilt and continued to be located in the Haskins' neighborhood until the mail came through the Middleboro Office.
In October, 1899, the town first enjoyed the benefits of Rural Free Delivery, secured through the efforts of O. K. Gerrish. This town was the second in the State and the third in the United States to be so favored. Arthur Johnson was the first R.F.D. carrier in Lakeville making daily deliveries. Mr. Johnson lived on Rhode Island Road between the Haskins Cemetery and the Haskins School.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE THE BETSEY AND WILLIAM ELMS
"Betsey and William" are Lakeville's historical elms, located at Camp Joe Hooker, on Staples Shore Road. James Raymond Simmons in his book, "Historical Trees of Massachusetts," des- cribes them as being wine-glass elms.
The larger of the two has a height of sixty feet, a spread of sixty-five feet, and a circumference of eight and a half feet. The smaller tree is sixty feet high, has a fifty foot spread and is seven feet in circumference.
"Betsey and William" Trees on former Camp Joe Hooker Grounds, Main Street
The story connected with the naming of the trees is very interesting. They were planted in 1780 by the owner of the farm, at that time Nathaniel Smith. Some years later, after the trees had grown so that they towered above all the other trees, the farm adjoining changed owners. This was the farm to the north. The new owners were Betsey and William Harlow. Mrs. Harlow had a brother, Peter Vaughan, who lived on what is now Vaughan Street in the Old Vaughan Homestead. Mr. Vaughan was very fond of his sister and after she moved away from the homestead, he grew very lonesome. He would console himself by looking
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toward his sister's new home. He could see the elms above all the trees in the woods. These trees seemed the nearest he could get to his sister so, when he was looking that way, he would remark, "There Are Betsey and William." These names are still applied to the two venerable trees which are still living and are noticed by all passing by. They are considered historic in that they stand in the middle of what was once a training field, where the soldiers of this community were mustered for service in the Civil War. The men who enlisted from Lakeville served their country with honor and distinction. The towering elms, ever a fitting memorial to the brave, stand here as if wrapt in silent reflection, over-looking the place where some of the boys in blue prepared themselves for the great crisis.
"William and Betsey" stand at Camp Joe Hooker as silent reminders of the patriotism and military activity which clustered around the old muster grounds in the days of the sixties.
KING PHILIP'S LOOKOUT
On the southwestern shore of Lake Assawompsett, on what was known as Shockley Hill, may be seen the conical-shaped hill called King Philip's Lookout. Some say that it was built by the Indians and some say that it is a natural formation.
King Philip's domain was included in this section and was under the rule of the subchief, Pamantaquash, or as he was known to the whites, the Pond Sachem. He ruled all the neigh- boring tribes and his seat was at King Philip's Lookout.
It is known that during the war with the Indians, this hill was used also as a signaling station by means of fires at night.
It was from this same hill that the renegade Indian saw King Philip's braves place the body of the murdered Sassamon under the ice in Lake Assawompsett.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE
THE ALEWIFE
The alewife, or herring as it is commonly known, is the little fish with a big story. The alewife takes its name from the Indian word "aloof," meaning a fish.
In 1853, when Lakeville was separated from Middleboro, it was agreed that the Town of Lakeville should have rights in the herring fisheries. Lakeville's share was based upon the pro- portion of its ratable polls to Middleboro's ratable polls. The ratio was approximately 15 per cent. at that time.
Laws concerning herring were among the earlier ones enacted in Colonial days. The Indians used the fish to fertilize their corn. They taught the Colonists how to put a fish in each hill with the corn. The Indians depended on herring for food. They used them fresh, and smoked and dried them for future use.
The upstream run for the spawning grounds usually starts the latter part of March and the first of April. Studies made by the State Department of Conservation, Division of Fisheries, indi- cate that the hatching of young herring follows a three-year-cycle. Young herring spawned and hatched in inland water in the spring and summer of 1950 will make their way down stream to the ocean and return as adult fish to spawn in 1953.
Early in the history of Middleboro, community leaders realized that if the herring was to be protected there must be restrictions on the number of fish taken and the manner in which they were taken. At a town meeting of March 29, 1706, as recorded in Thomas Weston's History of Middleboro, Samuel Pratt and Ebenezer Tinkham were authorized to construct a weir, to catch the fish on certain days, and turn them over to any townspeople desiring them at six pence a load.
Throughout the years many regulations and ordinances have been passed regarding the taking of herring, for the number of the herring running upstream in the spring has greatly varied. All through the years however, it has been found necessary to limit the days of each week during which the fish may be taken.
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If days are not left open for through-migration of these fish, the result is indicated by a meager fish supply three years later.
Years ago a man by the name of David A. Tucker was known as the herring King. He annually bought the right to catch all the fish which came up the river. Mr. Tucker's specialties were corned herring and smoked herring. He processed them and packed them for export, principally for the West Indies.
One of the prize jobs for youngsters was stringing the herring on sticks, for which they received a cent a string. The fresh fish were placed a dozen to a stick to hang up for smoking. Older folk may remember when herring on sticks were displayed out- side markets and when herring peddlers were a common sight in the spring and summer.
In years gone by hundreds of gulls followed the herring up stream and arrived with the first fish, a sign to the natives that the herring run was on.
For years the fish warden saw to it that fishing was only done at legally designated places and by persons authorized to take them.
In 1945, the Eastland Food Products Company bid and paid $8,600 for the alewife fishing rights. This was the highest price ever paid for the rights. In 1946, the same company paid $3,100 for permission to seine for the fish. In 1947, The Neptune Food Products of New Bedford bought the fishing rights for $1,500. This company caught only 75 barrels of herring which must con- stitute some sort of a record price for herring. The spring of 1947 will be remembered as the first year in the memory of the oldest inhabitants, that the herring failed to come up the Nemasket River and through the sluice-way by the thousands. In normal years the catch has numbered about 15,000 barrels.
For the past three years the herring rights have not been sold. The Nemasket River has been kept open and as free of barriers as possible to permit the herring coming up from the open sea by way of the Taunton River, to pass through Lake Assawomp- sett to spawn.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE THE INDIAN OVENS
Lakeville has at least two outdoor ovens, believed to have been used by the Indians for baking purposes. These ovens are cut into rocks and are similar to the one in Maine, where the location is the same, on a knoll or hill and near a lake or brook. History of the Indians does not mention use of the ovens, but towns- people who believe the stories handed down through the genera- tions are convinced that they were used for baking purposes.
Indian Oven
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SHORT STORIES
The Indian oven in North Lakeville is located on a knoll on the northeast side of Poquoy Brook, or Pudding Brook, so-called because the Indians took water from the brook with which to make their pudding. It also has been known as Swingled Tow Brook. The swingled tow reportedly was wool from the sheep and it was supposed to be washed in spring water. Years ago there was a large sheep farm near the brook.
The oven is a hole drilled about forty inches deep into the rock. The neck of the oven is twelve inches by six inches. The rock itself is eighteen feet long, ten feet wide and about four feet high. It has large cracks as if exposed to intense heat. A visit to the rock shows evidence that archeologists have dug in several places. Two people in that part of the town have told of rushing to the Indian Oven to play before it was time for the bell to ring when they would have to return to the Miller School.
The other oven is on the west shore of Long Pond about three hundred feet from Sandy Beech. It is on a knoll and is in a smaller rock than at North Lakeville; but the oven part is the same size and had a cover that seemed to fit the neck of the oven. This rock is also cracked as if by fire. A stone wall has been built over the oven, using the rock as a foundation. A large walnut tree grows near the rock, showing that many years have passed since the oven was used.
THE LETCHER FAMILY
The story of the Letcher family is told by Clifton W. Nelson. Most of us remember the Letcher family of Main Street. John, the father, was a slave in the northern part of the south, possibly Virginia, and was brought to Lakeville about 1863 by Abiel Nelson. Mr. Nelson was a doctor in the army at the time of the Civil War.
John Letcher, a lad of about seventeen, was in charge of some of the fine horses of his master in Virginia. His master raised and
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trained colts. One of the fine bred horses broke loose one day while John was taking care of him. This made his master angry and he told John if the horse strayed away again he would whip him soundly. Through no fault of John's the horse again broke loose and John was so frightened that he ran away and finally came to the army camp where Dr. Nelson was serving.
The captain of the company told John that he would not send him back to his master, but if his master should come for him he would be obliged to return him. The captain then assigned John to assist Dr. Nelson.
John's master trailed him to the camp and the captain was obliged to tell the owner that John was in the camp and was with Dr. Nelson. As John's master went to locate them, the captain sent word ahead and told them that the man was coming and for John and Dr. Nelson to do as they saw fit. When he arrived the soldiers would not let him find John and so the master went away without the slave. After that, John continued to assist Dr. Nelson and they grew very fond of one another. A short time later, Dr. Nelson was taken seriously ill with a fever and as he began to recover the captain thought it advisable to send him home to Lakeville; but Dr. Nelson was so ill he was unable to travel alone. John said that he would come with him and take care of him on the journey.
After the doctor entirely recovered, he re-enlisted and returned to the South. The slave, John Letcher, stayed in Lakeville and built a home on Main Street, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Mahoney. Mr. Letcher's sister, Alcinda Letcher, came from Virginia to make her home in Lakeville. She built a house on Main Street, a short distance from that of her brother. The present owners are Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Jefferson.
There were four children born to John and Nellie Letcher: Viola, Zilpha, Edgar, and Harry.
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SHORT STORIES
THE LAKEVILLE STATE SANATORIUM
The site selected by the State for a tubercular sanatorium was the well-known Doggett Farm, this historic mansion being pre- served for the first fifteen years. In 1910, when the Lakeville State Sanatorium was built, the Doggett farm was selected be- cause of its elevation, its beautiful southerly exposure, and its porous sandy soil.
Here was erected a group of buildings which, though simple in construction, rank with the many other State institutions through- out the Commonwealth.
The central building is a frame construction having two stories above a high basement. This basement contains the large general kitchen, a storeroom, a drug room, and dining rooms. Above the main floor are the administration offices, library, and quarters for the superintendent's family and his assistants. The entire upper floor is occupied by employees.
On the east and on the west of this central building are more rooms extending some two hundred and fifty feet in either direc- tion. Facing the south are ward buildings, two in number. These buildings, one for men and the other for women, contain four wards each, and several private rooms. The south front of each ward building is largely of glass and so arranged that several wards may be closed and heated or opened freely for the open- air treatment. This group of buildings is heated by steam and lighted by electricity, generated in a power plant on the premises. The water supply comes from Clear Pond.
Doctor Sumner Coolidge of Watertown was appointed the first superintendent of the Lakeville Sanatorium. The present superintendent is Dr. Harry A. Clark.
Great changes have been made at this well-known institution from time to time. Improvements have been made and many more buildings have been added. But in 1925 one was taken away. The Doggett house was demolished and Lakeville lost another old landmark.
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THE JAPANESE GARDENS
In 1902, Nathan Hathaway of New Bedford bought from Abbott Smith a tract of land and buildings on the Old Back Road which is now Lakeside Avenue. The land extended from the road to Long Pond. Mr. Hathaway, president of the New Bedford Institution for Savings, for many years used this place as a summer home. He traveled extensively and made several trips around the world. On his first trip in 1912, he bought trees, shrubs, plants, seeds, and bulbs all over the world, mostly in Japan, and had them sent to his place in Lakeville. He also purchased images from many countries and had them placed in his gardens and woods in the most attractive places. It was the tubercle or knoblike growth on the roots of the iris which gave him the most trouble in getting them into this country.
The sundial was one of the interesting features of the gardens; as was the crow's nest at the top of one of the large straggly oak trees, with its winding wooden stairs.
In any direction could be seen a rustic seat, chair or table. In the woods could be found numerous houses for the birds and rabbits and other wild animals. From early spring until late fall the colorful array and fragrance of the profusion of the flowers attracted many.
Near the road was the well-remembered waiting room with its thatched roof, made from the real reeds imported from Japan. Leading from the waiting room to the house was a wooden walk with rustic arches and stone bridges. Another restful walk was to follow the stone steps from the house down to the lake, where one could sit in the summer house, which was built on the wharf over the water.
With the passing of Mr. Hathaway the lawns and gardens have gradually been forgotten.
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ELECTRIC CARS
The construction of the New Bedford, Middleboro and Brock- ton Street Railway, with its New Bedford terminal at Lund's Corner, was well under way during the spring of 1899. Abbott P. Smith was one of the New Bedford promoters of the road. He gave it the name, Lake Shore Road, since it followed the highway that passed by the south end of Long Pond and ran along the shore of Assawompsett Pond.
The Car Barn
During its period of service, the line was owned by three Street Railway Companies: the Old Colony, the Bay State and the Eastern Massachusetts. The first electric car ran from Brockton as far as Middleboro, June 15, 1899. On Labor Day, of that year, tracks were completed and the first car made the entire trip from Brockton to New Bedford. Later the short line from Lakeville Town House connected with the cars at Eliott's Corner in East Taunton.
The men in charge of the first car, No. 539, were Alfred P. Manton as motorman and Walter Cornell as conductor. Later
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this car burned. The cars ran every hour in the winter and every half-hour during the summer months. Like all suburban street railways, the Lake Shore Road had its bonanza period until the automobile came along and put it out of business. On Labor Day, 1919, just twenty years to the day, the Eastern Massachu- setts Street Railway was discontinued. The men in charge of the last car, No. 4192, to pass over the line were Bertram Manton, son of Alfred P. Manton, as motorman and Albert Harrison as conductor.
The superintendents through the years were A. C. Ralph, George Smith, John Hayes and Alfred P. Manton.
It is needless to say that the conductors and motormen of this enterprise could tell many unusual and amusing incidents con- nected with the old electric cars.
The car barn was torn down in 1935.
THE SAILOR'S HOME TOWER
The Sailor's Tower was located far upon the hills to the west of Assawompsett, and off Highland Road, on Benjamin Phillip's farm, near King Philip's Lookout. This tower for many years was a landmark. It has been compared to the famous Norse Tower at Newport. In point of resemblance, the comparison is permissible; in point of age, however, it is quite another story. While the Norse Tower is shrouded in the mists of antiquity, the Lakeville tower bears the date, 1882, carved in the stone above one of its arches.
As the story goes, the National Sailor's Home, which at that time was located at Quincy, was to be moved to Lakeville. Accordingly, a tract of land of about one hundred acres was purchased. The first requisite was water; therefore a sixty-foot well was dug. A place to store the water was next needed and a tower was built of field stones cemented together. Six columns
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were constructed with arches between and a big column in the center, to support a massive stone tank which could contain thousands of gallons of water. The tank was to be filled from the well by a wind-mill. An arched roof was added, which was attractively set off by a weather vane. Shortly after the com- pletion of the tower, work on the home was stopped and it was never renewed.
..
The Sailor's Home Tower
A name often applied to the tower was "The Old Powder House." It is said that the soldiers would go to the powder house to fill their pouches.
This tower was on its way to ruin, when Major and Mrs. A. Hamilton Gibbs took it in hand. Thirteen windows were cut in beneath a new roof. A stairway was built and the spaces between the windows were filled with matched boards. It is in this tower that Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs have worked and written many of their books. This old landmark was burned in 1948.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE THE GOLD - HEADED CANE
The Gold-Headed Cane, which was given to the Town of Lake- ville by the Boston Post for the eldest resident, has been held by several.
Dennis Tinkham, who lived on the Ministerial Farm and was the oldest person in town, was eligible for the cane; but he did not use a cane and at the time of his death in 1910 it was not certain whether he had accepted it or not.
Josiah DeMaranville, who lived on the Turnpike near Bell School Corner and died in 1911 in his ninety-first year, held the cane.
Orrin C. Cook, a Civil War Veteran, was its owner for awhile, but, before his death, he moved to East Taunton.
SELECTMEN PRESENTING GOLD - HEADED CANE TO MR. STAPLES Chester A. Ashley, Martin K. Staples, Wallace C. Wilkie and Henry L. Pember
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Records show that Henry Parry of Freetown Street, who died in 1921 at the age of 90 years, was also holder of the cane.
The cane, after Mr. Parry's death, belonged to Mary Cole Johnson, who lived with the William N. Cudworth family on Bedford Street. She died in 1922.
Charles Dunham of Main Street, who died January 30, 1948, at the age of ninety-six, had the cane in his possession for awhile.
On March 20, 1948, the selectmen of Lakeville presented the Gold Headed Cane to Martin King Staples of County Road, who was ninety-two years old. Mr. Staples died in 1952.
THE TOWN POUND
Years ago the Town Pound was a common sight but today few are left. In Lakeville there was only one as far as is known. It was located on Shockley's Hill and was built in 1853. It was on the right side of the road, almost opposite the entrance to the Rotch Estate, on what was then the Shaw farm. The lot, twenty- five feet square, was surrounded by a stone wall about five feet high. The stone walls were taken down and the stones used when the new road was built. A wooden gate closed the five-foot open- ing at the front.
In the early days of the town, cattle were allowed to run freely along the road. Frequently they strolled on to another man's land. It was usually all right, but, if there happened to be un- friendly feelings between the men, a field driver was summoned and the animals were taken to the town pound. There they were placed in charge of the pound keeper. The keeper would feed and care for the animals until the owner was notified. When the owner came for them he had to pay fifty cents per head and expenses. In later years the keeper was allowed to keep the stray animals in his own pasture or barn.
Today one would think of the pound and pound keeper as things of the past. As recently as 1949 the Town of Lakeville had a case of this kind.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LAKEVILLE THE TAUNTON PUMPING STATION
In 1894, the City of Taunton built a pumping station on a site adjoining the Walter Parkhurst homestead. The working capacity of its pumps was five million gallons per hour. The water was conveyed through a twenty-four inch pipeline to Elder's Pond, which was used as the reservoir. In 1952, an electric pump house was completed and the old pumping station was no longer needed.
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Former Taunton Pumping Station
The people of the Town of Lakeville had been considering obtaining central quarters for town offices. A committee was appointed and recommended the purchasing of the station.
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At a special town meeting, held July 1, 1952, the town voted to appropriate seven thousand dollars with which to buy the former pumping station. At the present time the land angle is being investigated and awaits a solution.
MEMORABLE STORMS
Records tell us that one of the worst snow storms was back in 1717. It began on Sunday and continued until the next Wednes- day night. The snow fell at an average depth of seven feet and drifted to the depth of twelve feet. In one storm of that year ten feet of snow fell. Statistics show that in 1740 fences were covered with snow. In 1786 the snow was six feet deep. In 1836 there were twenty weeks of sleighing. In the winter of 1856 - 1857 there were thirty-two snow storms.
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