USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Medford > History of the town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement in 1630 to 1855 > Part 34
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To the anti-slavery movement of the present century, Medford has made an honorable contribution. It has had its full share of intelligent, persevering, and Christian opposers of the slave system. Prominent among these we may proudly record the name of Mrs. Lydia Maria Child; " than whom," said "The North American Review," " few female writers, if any, have done more or better things for our literature in its lighter or graver depart- ments." She was born in Medford, Feb. 1I, 1802, and was the daughter of Convers Francis, a baker well known in New England and elsewhere as a manufacturer of a celebrated sort of biscuit called "Medford crackers." In 1824 Miss Francis published her first book, “ Hobomok, an Indian Story." It was followed afterwards by "The Rebels, a Tale of the Revolution," and other works of interest. In October, 1828, she was married to Mr. David Lee Child, of Massachusetts. In the outset of the anti- slavery movement initiated by Mr. Garrison, Mrs. Child identified herself with it, and remained an advocate of it through her life. One of the first distinctive anti-slavery books was her " Appeal in Behalf of that Class of Ameri- cans called Africans," in which she advocated the imme- diate emancipation of the blacks, as the right of the slave, and the duty of the master. The book, though
358
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
opposed and denounced in high quarters, was widely read, and converts were multiplied by its influence. This work was followed up in subsequent years by various smaller publications of a similar character. In 1841 Mrs. Child removed to New York to take charge, as editor, of "The National Anti-Slavery Standard," in which work, aided by her husband, she was eminently successful. She lived to see the abolition of slavery in our nation effectively brought about by the logic of events.
Other anti-slavery workers in Medford were Rev. Caleb Stetson, a conscientious, out-spoken, and faithful reforma- tory prophet ; Rev. John Pierpont, one of the giants in the anti-slavery strife; George L. Stearns and Rev. Dr. William H. Furness, equally devoted to the cause. The downfall of the slave system in this nation is now a mat- ter of history. These early agitators lived to see the end they had striven for attained.
PAUPERISM.
When a case of extreme want occurred among the early settlers, it was provided for by private charity. There seemed to be a settled resolve of the Pilgrims, that they would not have here the poverty and the alms-houses they had left behind them. In Medford this purpose was manifest as early as June 9, 1637, when we find the follow- ing vote concerning a resident here : "Whereas John Bin- field died, leaving two children undisposed of, the charge of the one is ordered to be defrayed by Mr. Cradock, he having the goods of the deceased, the other child being dis- posed of by the country." We see from this that the poor belonged to the whole colony, and "the country disposed of them."
The vigilance of our forefathers may be seen in the following vote :-
" March 4, 1685: The selectmen shall be empowered to prevent any person from coming into the town that may be suspicious of burden or damage to said town."
This vote of Medford looked at a case then existing. April 1, 1685, the selectmen protest as follows : -
" Whereas William Burges, of Cambridge, hath lately intruded himself, with his family, into the town of Meadford, contrary to law, without the approbation of the town or townsmen, and he having been warned to be gone, and yet continues in said town without
359
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
liberty, we, as selectmen, do hereby, in behalf of said town, protest against him, said William Burges, and his family, as being any legal inhabitants of the town of Meadford."
The first person who threw himself on the charity of Medford, and caused legislation in the town, was John Man, who seemed a standing irritant to the parsimonious, and a convenient whetstone to wits.
" Seven cities now contend for Homer dead, Through which the living Homer begged his bread."
Whether any thing of this sort happened to John Man, we do not know; but we do know that Cambridge and Medford did "contend " stoutly that the "living" man did not belong to them. When the question of habitancy arose, the justice of the King's Court would cite the towns in- terested in the case, and require from them the fullest proofs in every particular ; and, when a town got rid of a pauper, it seemed to call forth a general thanksgiving. The final decision gave the pauper in this case to Medford; and, in 1709, the town passed a vote "to put him to board at Sam- uel Polly's, at three shillings a week." But their bene- ficiary must have something more than board ; therefore we soon find the town furnishing "one coat for John Man, £1. 13s .; one pair of stockings, 4s." That his clothes wore out, we have record-proof in the following item : "Oct. 27, 1713 : Voted a pair of leather breeches, a pair of shoes and stockings, to John Man."
1718: Voted to defend the town against vagrants, and to prevent their coming to rest in it. Paupers coming upon the town were thought to be like angels' visits only in one respect, - they were "few and far between." An- other is introduced to our notice in the following record : April 25, 1728 : Voted to support the widow Willis as we have done, " she being more than ordinarily troublesome." Ten pounds were voted.
Dec. 3, 1737 : "Voted that the town will not choose over- seers of the poor." For many succeeding years, Medford took the same care of its poor as did other towns. It was a common custom to board them in private families, at the lowest rates, allowing such families to get what work out of them they could. Accordingly, at the March meeting each year, the "poor were set up at auction," and went to the lowest bidder. In 1799 the town voted to pay for the schooling of all the poor children at a woman's school.
2
360
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
They had always enjoyed the privileges of the public school, like other children.
Thomas Seccomb, Esq., who died April 15, 1773, gave by his will some money to the town of Medford, as is noticed elsewhere. The interest was to be distributed among the poor.
It was common to imprison the poor debtor. July 16, 1770, the town voted to give security to the high-sheriff, and thus release Nathaniel Francis from jail.
When the town bought their first alms-house, the num- ber of paupers lessened, because there were some who would not submit to being connected with such a house, and some who would not associate with such a mixture. The pauper-tax, therefore, was smaller. When, in 1813, the new brick house was built, and afterwards so admir- ably managed, the earnings of the inmates were enough to lessen the poor-tax nearly one-half. The cost that year was $1,010.25 ; which is fifty per cent less, pro- portionally, than the expenses before an alms-house was used. This may help to explain a statement in the report of a committee on town-expenses in 1815, when they say, "The revenue of the town has, fortunately, been more than sufficient to meet its expenditures." The males in the alms-house were put to mending our highways. The keeper of the house and the surveyor directed their labors ; and it took them most of their time to accomplish the whole work. In 1830 they did three hundred and ninety- one days' labor on the public roads ; and the cost of each pauper's support then was seventy-eight and one-half cents per week.
Since the erection of the present alms-house, in 1852, the town's poor thus provided for have not increased in number, but a considerable expenditure is made for outside relief.
ALMS-HOUSES.
The first mention in our Medford records of any alms- house is May 16, 1737, - more than a century after the incorporation of the town; and then it is proposed to invite neighboring towns to unite in building a common workhouse. The inhabitants chose a committee to confer with the adjacent towns, and to induce them to join in " building a house for employing poor, indigent, and sloth- ful persons." This proposition was not accepted ; and
361
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
Medford did nothing more about the matter till May 23, 1774, when a committee was chosen to provide a poorhouse on account of the town exclusively. This was the definite movement that led to practical results, and it was the first in this particular direction. It shows that the number of paupers was small till this time.
In 1790 the town purchased a large house at the West End, near where the Lowell Railroad-station now is, to- gether with a small lot of land, sufficient only for a vegeta- ble-garden. Here the poor and helpless were gathered and made comfortable. But after twenty years it was found insufficient ; and the constant perplexities to which the overseers of the poor were subjected induced the town to think of building a new and ample house of brick. On the 4th of March, 1811, the whole matter was committed to the five following gentlemen : Timothy Bigelow, John Brooks, Jonathan Brooks, Isaac Brooks, and Abner Bartlett. After several meetings and much investigation, they report that it is expedient for the town to build a large and commodious house of brick, on the spot occupied by the old one. This report was accepted ; and the same gentlemen were ap- pointed the building-committee, to proceed immediately in the work.
This house answered its purpose well for forty years. In 1827, the town voted to purchase eight acres of land adjoining the almshouse lot, at one hundred dollars per acre. In 1828 the project of purchasing a farm, as some towns had done, on which to employ the poor as laborers, came up for discussion ; and so favorably did the inhab- itants view it, that they voted to purchase as soon as a proper one could be found. No purchase was made ; and in 1832 a committee is directed to sell the poorhouse, if they think it advisable. It is not done ; and in 1837 the town again called up the subject, and appointed a com- mittee to examine lands and close the bargain. But no farm was purchased.
In 1849 the town bought a large lot of ten and a half acres in West Medford, on Purchase Street, for a ceme- tery. After the purchase, it was thought that the situa- tion was better for an alms-house than a cemetery ; and accordingly, March 10, 1851, they voted to change the appropriation.
April 8, 1852 : A committee was appointed to sell the old alms-house, and devise a plan for a new one. This
362
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
committee consisted of the following gentlemen : Samuel Joyce, Elisha Stetson, Caleb Mills, John A. Page, and Franklin Patch. The committee performed their duty acceptably, and were directed to build according to the model ; and the consequence was the spacious and com- fortable house now occupied by the public poor of the town.
Since the erection of the last-named structure, the town's poor have been kept at that place. In August, 1883, a portion of the building was destroyed by fire, sup- posed to have been set by an insane inmate. By an agree- ment with the insurers it was rebuilt to the satisfaction of the town. The location, grounds, and buildings are specially adapted to such an institution.
363
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
CHAPTER XVII.
TAXES.
THE first inhabitants of Medford, bringing with them the common usage of England with respect to poll and property taxation, adopted the rules which they had fol- lowed in their native country. The records of our Colonial General Courts, under Governor Endicott, before the arri- val of Governor Winthrop, are lost, and therefore the rates of taxation from 1628 to 1633 cannot be ascertained ; yet they may be presumed from the subsequent rates which were soon after established with respect to Church and State expenses. The first rule enacted by the Legislature was in 1646. This was twenty pence a poll, and one penny on a pound, for the State. Sterling was the currency till 1652, when the " pine-tree " coin, called New-England cur- rency, was introduced. This new coin was six shillings and eightpence less than the English pound sterling, and was so made to keep it in the country.
The earliest payments were made in money ; but after- wards the Province agreed to take beaver, grain, pease, cattle, fish, lumber, etc. This was called country pay, and also called specie : this last word retained its early meaning till within seventy or eighty years of our time. After the "Province bills of credit" were introduced, country pay for Province taxes ceased in 1694.
As Charles I., by his charter of March 4, 1629, released the Pilgrims from "all taxes, subsidies, and customs, in New England," our fathers had no taxes but what were necessary in their own borders.
To show how taxes were assessed at our earliest history, the following specimens may suffice.
At the first Court of Assistants, under Winthrop, in Charlestown, Sept. 28, 1630, the following was passed : -
" It is ordered that there shall be collected and levied by distress, out of the several plantations, for the maintenance of Mr. Patricke
364
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
and Mr. Vnderhill, the sum of fifty pounds; viz., out of Charlton, seven pounds ; Boston, eleven pounds; Dorchester, seven pounds ; Rocksbury, five pounds ; Watertown, eleven pounds ; Meadford, three pounds; Salem, three pounds ; Wessaguscus, two pounds ; Nastascett, one pound."
This tax was paid for instructing the colonists in mili- tary tactics ; an art quite necessary for self-defence against unknown Indian tribes. On Nov. 30, 1630, the same court levied a tax of sixty pounds, to pay the two public preach- ers, Rev. George Phillips and Rev. John Wilson ; and the places and sums were as follows : " Boston, twenty pounds ; Charlton, ten pounds ; Rocksbury, six pounds ; Meadford, three pounds ; Winnett-semett, one pound."
Feb. 3, 1632, the same court levied a tax of sixty pounds, to make a palisade for the defence of Newton, that town having been chosen as the seat of government. To this tax, twelve towns contributed; and Medford paid three pounds.
On March 4, 1633, another levy was made, to pay mili- tary teachers ; and here Medford again paid three pounds. Thus our town seems to have taken its place with con- tiguous plantations in bearing its proportion of the public burdens. The levy, in each place, was made by the offi- cers of said plantation or town ; and the following order, from the General Government, attests to the ideas of right universally existing : -
" 1634, May 14: It is further ordered, that, in all rates and public charges, the towns shall have respect to levy every man according to his estate, and with consideration of all other his abilities whatsoever, and not according to the number of his persons [or the individuals of his family]."
" 1636, March 3 : For explanation of an order made at the General Court in May, 1634, it is ordered, that hereafter all men shall be rated, in all rates, for their whole ability, wheresoever it lies."
In a general levy of £600, in 1634, Medford paid £26; Charlestown, £45. In 1635, in a levy of £200, Medford paid £10, and Charlestown £16. Keeping about these proportions, Medford paid its share as follows : In 1635, £19. 15s. ; in 1636, £15 ; in 1637, £49. 12s. ; in 1638, £59. 5s. 8d. ; in 1639, '40, and '41, no record of tax; in 1642, £10; in 1643, £7.
Winthrop tells us, that, ,
" Of a tax of £1,500, levied by the General Court in 1637, the proportion paid by Medford was £52. Ios .; by Boston, {233. IOS. ;
365
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
Ipswich, £180; Salem, {170. Ios .; Dorchester, £140; Charlestown, £138; Roxbury, £115; Watertown, {IIo; Newton, {106; Lynn, £105."
The diversity in the several years was owing to accidental occurrences, such as supporting the expedition against the Pequods ; also for service-money, to prevent the effort in England to withdraw the charter of Massachusetts, and to liquidate charges in London.
The rates and prices were distinguished as follows : -
" It is ordered, that, in payment, silver plate shall pass at five shil- lings the ounce ; good old Indian corn, growing here, being clean and merchantable, at five shillings the bushel ; summer wheat, at seven shillings the bushel ; rye, at six shillings and eight pence the bushel ; and, for horses, mares, cows, goats, and hogs, there is a committee appointed to value them under their worth, rather than above their worth."
At this time (1644), Medford began to pay its tax to Harvard College. Each family was required to send one peck of corn annually, for the support of poor students.
Until 1646 the poll-tax of each man in Medford was one shilling and eightpence ; on real estate, one penny on the pound.
The above data show how heavily or lightly Medford was taxed during the first ten years of its history. The grants of land made, in 1634, by the General Court, to Rev. Mr. Wilson of Boston, Mathew Cradock, Esq., of London, and Mr. J. Nowell, were exempted from taxation ; and, as some of them lay within the limits of Medford, it made this town an exception. In the records of the General Court, April 4, 1641, we find the following : -
" It is ordered, that all farms that are within the bounds of any town shall be of the town in which they lye, except Meadford." " Meadford declared a peculiar town, Oct. 15, 1684."
While it was right in the General. Court to make gifts of land, tax-free, to such distinguished benefactors of the Province, it deprived Medford of so much annual income as said districts would have paid. No complaint was made on this account ; and our fathers struggled through nobly, notwithstanding their small means and yet smaller num- bers. The above record of taxes tells a tale of deep interest. We can see how a handful of first settlers, in a wilderness district, who could only pay three pounds towards a provincial tax, must live from year to year.
366
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
Fed by what they could raise from their own lands, and clothed by what they could weave in their own looms, their cares must have been uniform, pressing, and material. Bound together in a common lot and a common danger, they must have been well acquainted with each other, and must have passed much time in friendly consultation for the common good. With these elements before us, it will be easy for every one to imagine what our earliest settlers could not do, and what they could; and thus see their habits, actions, and hopes.
After these inferences from the taxes of Medford, during the first ten years of its history, we can proceed to gauge its growth in succeeding years by the same means.
"At a Court of Elections at Boston the 14th of the third month, 1645, the levy upon the towns of the Province was £616. 15s. ; and Medford's amount was £7."
There were three kinds of taxes, - province, county, and town. The first tax-bills of Massachusetts Colony, which were made out by counties, began October, 1659; and, in these, the tax of "Meadford " was far lower than that of any adjoining town.
In 1657, " Meadford " was taxed as one of the towns of the county of Middlesex, in a county levy, £3. 6s. IId. ; in 1658, £3. 3s. Id. ; in 1663, £4. 4s. 6d. ; in 1670, £4. 12s. ; in 1674, 54. 3s. 10d. ; in 1676, £4. Is. IOd. During these years, Cambridge was paying £40; Woburn, £25; Malden, £16; and Charlestown, £60. A county-tax of £1. 13s. 9d., levied on Meadford, Jan. 17, 1684, was paid by the inhabitants as follows : -
€
Capt. Jonathan Wade
O
6
4 John Bradshor
O 8
Capt. Nathaniel Wade
0
4 3 Jonathan Tufts o
0 IO
John Hall 0 Daniel Woodward O
3 3
Caleb Brooks O Andrew Mitchell . I II
O
O 8
Thomas Willis O Stephen Willis O
3 7
Roger Scott
0
O 7
Peter Tufts, jun. O
O
I IO
Joseph Baker O
0 8
Gershom Swan O
5
£1 15 8
Isaac Fox O
I 7 I O II d.
€
d.
The excess raised in this tax, over the sum required, was to pay the collector.
The valuation of live-stock, for rates in Medford, at this time, were the following : Oxen, four years and upwards,
8
John Whitmore
O
3 4 Jacob Chamberlain 0
O 8
Stephen Francis
I IO Edward Walker O
0 8
367
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
in 1677, £3 ; in 1687, £5. Horses, three years and up- wards, in 1677, £3; in 1687, £5. Cows and bulls, four years old, in 1677, £2; in 1687, £3. Sheep, above one year old, in 1677, 5s. each; in 1687, 8s. Swine, above one year, in 1677, 10s. ; in 1687, £1.
The first session of the General Court, under the second charter, began June 8, 1692 ; and they voted that Ios. a poll, and one quarter part of the annual income on all real and personal estate in the Province, be assessed. These taxes, assessed upon the Province by the House of Repre- sentatives from 1692 to 1702, averaged £11,000 per an- num. Of this sum, Medford paid, in 1692, £32. 18s .; in 1696, £42; in 1698, £20; in 1702, £19. Is .; while Mal- den paid, in the same years, £121, £90, £45, and £48. Woburn paid £181, £144, £75, and £85. Cambridge paid £214, £189, £102, and £102.
To show a town-tax at this period, and also the names most frequently occurring in the town's records, we here insert "a rate made by the selectmen, May 16, 1701, for defraying town-charges ; namely, for the deputy, and the laying-in of ammunition, and for fetching and carrying Mr. Woodbridge, and the entertaining of him."
48
s. d. 4
£ s. d.
Maj. Nathaniel Wade
I
6 6 8
Jacob Shepherd Nathaniel Peirce .
0 13 o
John Whitmore
0
7
5
James Tufts
5 Eliezer Wier
John Bradstreet O
7 6 Mr. Thomas Swan John Tufts
O
I 8
John Man . O
I O
O
2 4
Lieut. Peter Tufts I 5 IO Mr. Joseph Prout Francis Whitmore 8
O
4 0
0 II 5 Benjamin Marble .
O
2
6
O
2
6
John Francis
I2
8
6 Mathew Miler .
O
2
5 6 6
Stephen Willis, jun.
O 6 8
Thomas Clark .
O
2
Stephen Hall, sen.
O
6 6 Peter Seccomb
2
6
Serg. Stephen Willis I 4 Ebenezer Brooks 0 17 8 Benjamin Peirce O
Samuel Brooks
O IO IO
Samuel Stone
O
2
2 O
Mrs. Elizabeth Wade 0 18 9 Mr. Jonathan Dunster O
Parcill Hall .
O
6
6 Mr. John Hall .
I
I IO
George Blanchard O
3
6
O
2 6
Stephen Hall, jun.
O 5 Timothy Prout
I
6
Serg. John Bradshaw Mr. Thomas Willis o 17 6 James Wright . William Merroe Nathaniel Hall O 5 4 6 Thomas Miler .
O
2 6
O
2
6
Jonathan Tufts O 19 IO William Walden
O
2
I Eben. Brooks his man O
2 O
2
O
Mr. Richard Rookes O 7 O William Paten .
I 8
The warrant issued to the constable empowered that
4
O O IO
Ens. Stephen Francis 0 16
John Hall, jun.
368
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
functionary "to distrain the goods or chattels of any per- son or persons who refuse to pay ; and in case there be no goods or chattels, then he is to seize the body of any per- son who refuses, and commit him to the county jail."
To show what taxes were assessed for, it will be inter- esting to see a record of the entire debts of the town of Medford, April 19, 1710. It is as follows :-
£ s. d.
Due to Ensign John Bradstreet, for dining the ministers thirteen sabbaths, at Is. 6d. per sabbath 0 19 6
Due to Captain Peter Tufts, John Francis, Ebenezer Brooks, and Samuel Wade, 5s. per man, - paid to Mrs. Bradstreet, for nursing Rachel Blanchard I
0 O
Due to Ebenezer Brooks, for actions entered in court O
2 O For taking a copy out of the records, &c., about John Man .
O
4
6
For pocket expenses in tending court three days O Due to Thomas Willis, for sweeping meeting-house, 1709. Due to Mr. Samuel Wade, for John Man's diet eleven weeks, at 3s. per week I
I3
O
Also boarding John Man three weeks, at 4s. per week Also for five weeks' sickness in the eleven weeks' board aforesaid
4
O O
Due to Thomas Hall, constable, for James Tufts's head- money .
o IO
O Due to Stephen Willis, sen., for pocket-money at Court of Sessions, three days . O 3 O . Due to Ensign Stephen Francis, for boarding John Man ten weeks, at 4s. per week . 2 O O
Due to John Francis, for money paid to the clerk about a presentment of Mistick Bridge
2 6 O For pocket expenses at court, three days, about John Man, 0 3 O Money paid for searching the records about John Man . . 0 O 9 £8 I3
3
To show the relative amount and distribution of prop- erty among the inhabitants, the following record of taxes paid by each is here inserted : -
"Sept. 20, 1711 : This list is a county rate that was made and per- fected by the assessors, in obedience to a warrant from James Taylor, gent., treasurer, for the levying a tax on polls and estate, both real and personal."
Heads.
Real Estate.
Personal Estate.
€ S.
d.
€
s.
d.
s. d.
Lieutenant Thomas Willis .
O IO
O
I 16 O
Ensign Stephen Francis
I
O
O
O 16 6
O IO 2
John Francis, sen. .
O IO O
I
4
O
John Whitmore
O IO
Francis Whitmore .
IO
6
John Whitmore, jun. Mrs. Elizabeth Wade O
IO
O
I
13
IO
7 6
O
O 16 II O 7 8 7 8 3 O I £ O IO II
3
O
0 I 5
O
O 12 O
o I [ 12 O IO
369
HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
Heads.
Real Estate.
Personal Estate.
€
S.
d.
€
s.
d.
S.
d.
Miss Elizabeth Wade
O
O
0
O
9
O
O
0
O
John Hall .
O
IO
I
I
5
O
I2
4
Seth Richardson
O
IO
O IO
O IO
IO
IO
19
2
O
6
9
John Tufts
O
O
15
6
O
O
C
Stephen Willis, jun.
O IO
I
7
O
O
0100
3
6
O
Benjamin Peirce
O IO
IO
I
I
O
6
4 7
Stephen Hall
I
O
IO
Samuel Polly
Jonathan Blanchard
O
O
3
9
O
O
Peter Seccomb .
2
O
IO
12
O
O
7
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