USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Memorial history of Bradford, Mass. > Part 15
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This seems to be the first mention made in history of annexation, but it was the annexation of Haverhill to Bradford, which was threatened then.
Mr. Ezekiel Rogers, minister of Rowley, representing the Bradford side of the river, kept himself well in- formed as to what was going on, and wrote to Gov. Winthrop :
" Sir, there is one thing that is a newe trouble to vs : though the Court doc giue vs but three miles of the eight, that we go into the country, yet we he heare that some woulde take somewhat of from that. It seemeth they thinke vs very vnworthy neighbours."
Thus the relations between the two places were rather unfriendly before the churches appeared, but they have been so pleasant ever since that I think this harmony must be attributed to the churches' influence.
There is another letter of Mr. Rogers' which is interest- ing as showing the estimation in which he held that part of his town now called Bradford. He writes to Winthrop :
" You best know how oft we expressed ourselves & how plainly, con-
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cerning our desired bounds, as Ipsw. Riuer & Merimack : without which we woulde vpon no termes accept of a Plantation here. Ipswich men desir- ing our neighbourhood coulde shewe vs little desireable here (except we purchased it at a deare rate), but the name of Merimack & some consider- able places there, as a neck of land & the like whereupon I wrote many letters to my friends in England, wherin I tolde them precisely of our bounds ; & the sound of Merimack we made not a little vse of."
But, coming down to more modern times, you all remember the famous "Boston Tea Party," where the patriots of Boston threw the tea overboard into the harbor rather than pay an unjust tax upon it. The re- sult of this act of rebellion as we may call it, was the passage by the English Government of the Boston Port Bill, which closed the town's harbor, suspended its trade, and cut off all water communication with the rest of the world. This of course was a serious blow to a commercial town like Boston, and it caused great hard- ship and suffering. In the depth of their poverty and distress, the people appointed a committee to receive the aid which was freely offered from the surrounding towns, and even from distant parts of the land. I have here a copy of the letter sent by the town of Brad- ford with their contributions to this committee. The letter shows in an interesting manner, both the religious sentiment and the unselfish patriotism of our ancestors, and also the early beginning of that industry which has contributed so largely to the prosperity of Bradford in the past. The eastern towns sent with their money, contributions of lumber and firewood; other Massachu- setts towns sent sheep, cattle, and provisions; from Pennsylvania came iron ; from the south came rice ; but Bradford, among the few towns contributing manufactured articles, sent shoes. The letter is dated seven weeks before the battle of Lexington, and more than a year be- fore the Declaration of Independence. It is as follows : " Bradford, 3 March, 1775. To the Committee of Donations, Gentlemen :
We the subscribers being chosen by the town of Bradford to make some collections for our suffering brethren of the Town of Boston, and consider-
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ing it our interest as well as our duty to promote the public cause of free- dom against those that would enslave us, we have cheerfully accepted of the employment, and do herewith transmit the same by our trusty friend Mr. Phineas Carleton, being the small sum of £19.4.5 in cash, together with 34 pair shoes, at the same time earnestly wishing that the spirit of benevo- lence that runs through the continent may keep pace with the sufferings of our distressed brethren, until He who hears the crys of the oppressed shall be pleased to deliver an afflicted people.
From your most humble servants, ABRAHAM PARKER, THOS. MORSE, OBADIAH KIMBALL."
One other subject which I wish to speak of is the derivation of the name of our town. Those of you who have visited the ancient town of Rowley will per- haps remember that the country highway entering the town from the south is called Bradford Street. This is the old original street as it was laid out by the first inhabitants, and from them it received its name. Among those whose house lots fell upon the street were five families named Chaplin, Palmer, Smith, Dickenson and Jewett, who came, according to tradition or better evi- dence, from Bradford in Yorkshire, England. This of course accounts for the name of the street, and when we find these five families among the original proprie- tors of the territory of Bradford, we need look no far- ther for the derivation of the name. . Wishing to ascertain the origin of these early owners of Bradford, I wrote, a short time ago, to the town clerk of Brad- ford, England, to see what light he could throw upon the subject. His very polite answer, received a few days ago, I will read :
" TOWN CLERKS OFFICE, TOWN HALL, Bradford, 30th Nov., 1882. S
DEAR SIR :- You did quite right in asking me for any information con- nected with this town which it was deemed likely I could supply and I need scarcely say that it will at all times afford me great pleasure to as- sist friends on the other side of the Atlantic on any subject connected with the Old Country in which they feel interested and especially friends who are founders of a young Bradford.
It occurred to me that the best course would be to apply to the Chair-
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BRADFORD.
man of the Bradford Antiquarian Society here on the matter as the an- cient records of the Parish church are not in very good order and as the Chairman has peculiar facilities at his command.
He has devoted a good deal of attention to your inquiries but cannot dis- cover much on the point. I think however you will prefer to see his own report and I have therefore the pleasure of enclosing a copy of it
With best wishes towards yourself and the other members of the new community for whom you are acting.
I remain
Yours faithfully
W. T. McGOWEN.
· HERBERT I. ORDWAY, EsQ.,
60 Franklin St., Boston, Mass., America.
Copy of Mr. Empsall's Report upon inquiries of Mr. Ordway of New Brad- ford, America.
32 Ashgrove, Nov. 29, 1852.
DEAR SIR :- Having examined carefully the Bradford and also the Cal- verley Parish Registers for information respecting the persons named in Mr. Ordway's letter, I have to report results much less important than might be anticipated.
The persons named by Mr. Ordway are, Hugh Chaplin, Thomas Palmer, Thomas Dickenson, Hugh Smith, Joseph Jewett, Maximilian Jewett. With regard to the first two, no such surnames occur at all in either Reg. ister up to 1650 nor I believe for a considerable time after that date.
The name Dickenson occurs occasionally in the early Registers, but no Thomas Dickenson. The first of this name I have inet with is a Robert Dickenson in 1616 in the marriage list. The Smiths are not near so com . mon in the Register up to 1650 as might be expected, not above two a year I believe appearing up to that date. And the christian name " Hugh" rarely occurs. The only Smith bearing it, turns up in the Burial Regis- ter of Bradford of 1651 as follows :
" May 29. Hugh Smith, Frissinghall" (Nr. Bradford). Can this per- son be at all connected with the one in question ? Hugh was, as I have observed, a rare and peculiar Christian name, adopted and preserved in very isolated families. Hence I suspect the gentleman named in the Regis- ter must have been some relation to the Hugh inquired about, perhaps his father. But if so it is surprising that none of his children appear on the Registers. Possibly it was the gentleman himself who had returned from the West to die at home.
With respect to the Jewetts (or Jowetts as they are frequently entered in all the Registers) I find that Maximilian Jewett was baptized at Bradford Church Oct. 4th, 1607, and Joseph his brother on the 31st Oct .. 1609. Their father was Edward Jewett first of Eccleshill then of Bradford and had many other children.
I very much regret that I cannot supply better or more copious inform-
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ation agreeable to the very laudable wishes of Mr. Ordway, but I am afraid there is nothing more in existence hereabouts. Only I ought to say that with respect to Chaplin and Palmer it is possible something might be learnt about them from more southern Registers, Derbyshire and Notting- hamshire very likely. But I will bear them in mind in future searches.
In conclusion let me remark that I am as pleased as surprised to hear of Bradford youth in that very early time so enterprising as to make the then long and hazardous voyage to the New World in search of a more agreeable home And if the scrap of information herein supplied respecting them, should be of any service to Mr. Ordway, any further notes on the lives of these persons that Mr. O. or any one else can supply respecting them in America, will be ample compensation to me.
I am Dear Sir
Yours truly
W. T. McGOWEN, EsQ., Town Hall, Bradford. THOMAS I. EMPSALL.
It appears then from this evidence that Maximilian and Joseph Jewett, and perhaps others among the fathers of our town, came from Bradford, England. Joseph Jew- ett owned at one time nearly one thousand acres of land in Bradford, and his son-in-law, Shubal Walker, was a very prominent man, captain in the militia, and our first town clerk. For a few years the town was called Merrimack, but in 1673, the people, doubtless influenced by their town clerk, voted to name it Bradford. Robert Haseltine, another prominent man, and son of one of the first settlers, was the son-in-law of Maxmilian Jewett.
I should much prefer to derive the name of this town from the great Pilgrim Governor, William Bradford, but with my present information, it seems to me neces- sary to attribute it to Old Bradford, England, the carly home of some of our ancestors.
Address by Dea. William Day.
The venerable Dea. William Day responded as follows : I should be happy to make a few remarks on this occasion, but I fear they will be very desultory. I sup-
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pose the audience would think it strange that a man almost one hundred years old should have nothing to say. I feel happy in seeing these faces about me. I look around with feelings of happiness in seeing my friends and recent acquaintances, but there is a sombre feeling as well in missing here so many of those fea- tures which have been familiar to me in years gone by. These vacant places suggest serious reflection, but they are profitable ones also, as training one's thoughts and attention to that which certainly must come, as surely as 200 years have come to the organization of the church. Certainly, certainly, it must come to us all at last. I tried to put a few thoughts of mine on paper, but it would not do, and I flung my manuscript aside, and have a word or two to recall from the book of memory. Standing here before you, the oldest man but one in town, and the oldest present at the anniversary of this church, I can say that I am thankful to be here, for I have long wished to see this day. I am not the elastic young man I was in 1827, when I joined this church. Very different, very different indeed ; but, sir, I have reason to be grateful for the continuance of my life and memory. My associations with the church have been most pleasant and agreeable. Our fathers who are now gone were not only patriotic, but they were in sympa- thy with the real principles of religion, and they were sensible that there must be a development of that prin- ciple to make society happy and to prepare themselves for their exit. I feel very much interested in this meet- ing. If I had time I would say a word or two on the subject matter that has been discussed here today. These memorial meetings were observed in Bible times as well as now. Moses was ordered by the Lord to remember and commemorate the departure of Israel. These days are the stepping-stones of eternity. As we stop here today to celebrate this occasion, we realize more closely that the object of our church is to prepare
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souls for the future. What has been said here today has recalled many things to my mind, but I will take up your time no longer, my brethen.
Address by Hon. George Cogswell.
Mr. President :
We have been in session almost six hours, and no word spoken on this interesting occasion has escaped my notice. I had intended to have connected my native town, Atkinson, with my adopted town, Bradford, by the connection of the Rev. Stephen Peabody, the hun- dredth anniversary of whose settlement I attended a few years since, with the Hasseltine family of this town. Mr. Peabody's first wife was a sister of Dea. John Has- seltine, and the second wife the widow of the Rev. Mr. Shaw, of Haverhill, and a sister of the wife of Presi- dent John Adams. And also, I had intended to relate some historical facts connecting these families and our Rev. Mr. Allen with Bradford Academy, but time for- bids, only twenty minutes remain, and several are yet to address us. I will only say that fifty-two years since I, at twenty-two years of age, commenced the practice of medicine and surgery in this town, August twenty- third, on Tuesday. The next day, or the next, not being overburdened with practice, I, as a first duty, engaged a seat in the meeting house and retained it till we built a new house when the choice of pews was sold at auction and I had my first choice. From that time to this I have been devoted to the parish and church, have had no quarrels with my minister, neither do I intend to have, but I have endeavored to promote the interest of all according to the wisdom God has given me. I will take this opportunity to say that I did not wait to have any one ask me to go to church or shew me a seat. I thank my Heavenly Father that I was brought
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BRADFORD.
up to go to church, and that it was my personal duty to hunt up a church myself rather than stay at home because somebody did not hunt one up for me. And I here acknowledge that this parish and church have been of great comfort to me, that my relations to both have always been the most cordial ; and I not only desire but am determined they shall so continue through the re- mainder of my life. I feel thankful for a long line of ancestors who have believed in something, in the God of the Bible. For one I do not intend to depart from the traditions of my fathers till I find something better. Let me say that in the bosom of this church I find a rest, a peace, a joy. And I have a great satisfaction in knowing at the commencement of the Tri-Centennial of this church and parish that all its financial conditions are perfect, and that the relations between minister and people are not only cordial but loving. God grant that the close of the century upon which we have this day entered may find this church and people happy and united in "every good and perfect work " as its com- mencement foreshadows.
THE BUSINESS OF BRADFORD. Address by Warren Ordway.
Bradford was originally a part of the Indian territory of Pentucket, and subsequently was included in the town of Rowley. It was an inland town and surrounded by towns of older growth, some of whose citizens be- came eminent in public affairs both in the state and nation. This left the people of Bradford free to pursue the even tenor of their way in cultivating their land and in teaching their children the principles of morality and piety which has been a prominent feature in the history of the town, which is shown in the exhaustive and eloquent address to which we have listened today.
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MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BRADFORD.
The people of Bradford were among the first to intro- duce various mechanical industries, especially the manu- facture of boots and shoes. They sold them to the large towns of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. They were packed in saddle bags and carried to market on horseback. Bradford continued to lead in this bus- iness, and her goods were sold into every state in the Union until the railroad came to Haverhill when the business men of Bradford carried their business there, where it has remained to the present time. Horn combs, potters' ware, carriages and leather were made here in former times, but they are gone now. There was a grist mill and also a fulling mill and dye house upon the lit- tle stream the outlet to Jonson's pond, now in Grove- land, and which under the practical manipulation of the late Hon E. J. M. Hale afforded ample water power for three large woollen factories which he built upon the same. Since the division of the town the population of Bradford has more than doubled, and the superior facil- ities which are offered here for business purposes in con- nection with the river and the railroad are beginning to attract the attention of business men. There are already established upon the bank between the river and the railroad a large hat factory, an extensive coal and lumber yard, a marble and stone yard, run by steam power, and arrangements are now being made for a steam mill and elevator which will probably be in oper- ation during the coming summer. Also the foundation is being laid for a large paper mill in which some of the capitalists and business men of Haverhill are interested. There are other similar localities unoccupied, that will probably soon be taken up. Bradford still sustains its su- premacy in northern Massachusetts as a quiet place of res- idence with superior educational advantages, and free from the objectionable characteristics of a large city.
Interesting addresses were made by Gen. Win. Cogswell of Salem, Wm. B. Kimball, Esq., of Bradford, and others.
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