USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 38
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In 1847 Lynn voted an appropriation of one thousand dollars to aid the required improvement in Nahant. By this and other funds, there was constructed between Lynn and Nahant a graveled road, though very narrow. In 1851 a great sea storm ruined this roadway, submerging the beach and destroying the breakwater. In 1848 the legislature pro- hibited the taking away of any stones or dirt from Long Beach and Nahant.
In 1853 the inhabitants of Nahant again asked to be incorporated as a town, to be called Nahant. This time the prayer was heard and later approved by the governor, March 29, of that year. The new town had within its limits all of Long Beach, the city of Lynn being only "too glad to get Nahant off of her hands." In the settlement between the two places, Nahant had to pay Lynn $2,000. The newly-made town had a population of three hundred souls, sixty-nine dwellings, and thirty voters, mostly all Whigs.
There was a long road or "lane" from Lynn to Nahant; a cutaway to North Spring; a street one rod wide to the schoolhouse and Cary's gate. called Schoolhouse Lane. Below Whitney's Hotel the streets had been laid out by Coolidge. At the time of its incorporation, Nahant had two churches, one schoolhouse with forty-eight pupils, four public houses, ten boarding-houses, two firms of carpenters and builders, a paint shop,
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a grocery and the little postoffice. There were then no signs of warning "Private Grounds," "No Trespassing Here," for the cattle roamed at will over the beautiful fields. After a long contest in the courts over the title of Long Beach-whether it belonged to Lynn or to Nahant-it was final- ly decided that Nahant was the legal owner of such lands.
Longfellow said in his Journal: "Life at Nahant partakes of the monotony of the sea. The walk along the shore, the surf, the rocks, and friendly chat-these make up the agreeable rounds." Here it was that Longfellow wrote much of that which made his name immortal, the "Song of Hiawatha." It was penned in the old Johnson house. Here, too, Professor Agassiz and N. P. Willis spent their summers mostly.
The present officers of the incorporation of Nahant are inclusive of these: Moderator, F. A. Wilson; Selectmen: H. C. Wilson (chairman), Daniel G. Flinnery, secretary ; Charles A. Phillips; Town Clerk, William F. Waters; Treasurer and Collector, Charles Cabot Johnson; School Committee: Fred A. Pirie, John S. Tombeno, Frank E. Bruce; Public Library Trustee: Henry Cabot Lodge, A. G. Wilson, F. A. Wilson; Sur- veyor of Highways, P. J. O'Connor; Constables, Fred J. Timmins; Tree Warden, Herbert Coles.
Fishing interests at Nahant have ever been looked upon as of great value to the people living there. Fishing vessels were owned by Nahant residents from the first. The history of the industry in olden times has perished with the faithful, brave fishermen. In 1824 a well known schooner built at Essex for this fishing enterprise was named "Lafay- ette." Among the better-known fishermen and boat-pilots were Caleb and Joseph Johnson, who followed the business for a half century, and supplied the Boston fish market with thousands of tons of fish. But the fish industry has gone from Nahant and summer resorts have taken their place.
From the beginning of its history, Nahant has had its full share of destructive sea storms and shipwrecks. An old history of Lynn and Nahant gives detailed accounts of many such storms. Commencing with 1631, Captain Wiggins' boat was wrecked on Long Beach, followed on down by the great storms of 1757, 1769, 1772, 1778, 1795, 1827, 1829, 1836, 1840, 1843, 1851, 1856, 1857, one and all making a sea story worth reading, did space permit in this work. Here ships from almost every country have gone down to sail no more. Lives in scores and property in millions have been destroyed along Long Beach, so popular a resort in our times.
In July, 1847, a postoffice was established at Nahant, the same being kept in the Nahant Hotel. Phineas Drew was the first postmaster; he was proprietor of the hotel. During the same year the office was taken to a grocery store, when W. W. Johnson was appointed postmaster, serving until his death, when his son, Edwin W. Johnson, succeeded to the
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office. In summer months, mail was carried to this office every day, but in the winter months only once a week. In 1887 T. Dexter Johnson was appointed postmaster. Before the postoffice was established at Nahant "Johnson's Nahant and Boston Express route" was opened between the two points. By many authorities this is set down as the first "Express" business formed in the country.
In 1866 a town hall was dedicated in Nahant, and later a fire com- pany was organized. In 1872 a public library was established; edge- stones and cement sidewalks were placed in position, street lamps were installed, and matters generally seemed to take on "city airs."
Mention may be made of the old iron mine from which a small amount of ore had been taken at an early day, and cooked at the various forges, including the one at Braintree; also the curiosities of the Spout- ing Horn, Bass Beach, Spouting Rock, Pulpit Rock, Natural Bridge and Swallow's Cave. Each and all have their own peculiar setting, and must needs be seen to be understood and fully appreciated.
From the close of the Civil War period, for many years, this town was noted as a summer resort, and to some extent still maintains this distinction, but with the many improvements at various headlands, here and there all along the New England rockbound and wavewashed coast, the popularity of Nahant is not so great as in former years. Former in- dustries have long since disappeared. Many of the inhabitants removed to other places, where they might work at their trades or callings. Once there was a small shoe business here, especially before the improved shoemaking machinery came into use, when thousand of pairs of shoes were made and many were "bound" by women and girls. It may well be stated that to catch fish and make shoes in Nahant is now a "lost art."
As to the patriotism of the people at Nahant, see "Military Chap- ters."
The Nahant Library is open the year round, and is constantly grow- ing in interest and number of books and papers. During the last year there was an increase of 1,417 volumes. The total circulation of books in the children's department for the year ending December, 1920, was 7,378. The total number of books in the library is 27,263; number of volumes circulated for home use, 23,540; number of patrons during the year 1,147 ; fines paid during the year, $56. These facts have been glean- ed from the report made by May W. Perkins, librarian. It should also be stated that the reading room is now furnished with thirty-four maga- zines and papers, of America's choicest publications. These various pub- lications, for old and young, with the numerous stacks of valuable books, are kept in a $50,000 building owned by the town. This of itself speaks loudly in praise of the intelligence and culture of the inhabitants.
Among the charming estates found at Nahant should not be over- looked that of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. It is situated at the extreme end of East Point. On these prominent acres, overlooking the majes-
NAHANT-ABOVE, TOWN HALL; BELOW, PUBLIC LIBRARY
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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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tic ocean, up to 1861 stood for a number of years what was known as the Nahant House, a hotel presided over by Paran Stevens, who intended to convert Nahant into a summer watering resort of a most fashionable type. September 11, 1861, it "took fire," says Senator Lodge in his re- cent autobiography, ("Early Memories") and was burned to the ground. As a hotel, it was a failure financially after the first few years. One account says that this hotel had hundreds of rooms, with dining room space for six hundred diners to be seated at once. There were literally acres of piazza's connected with the structure. Here were entertained the numerous "bonanza kings" of those early days before the Civil War. In this manner the owner of the hotel made much money.
After the fire had consumed the hotel building, the property was thrown upon the market, but no one seemed to care to invest in Nahant property. Senator Lodge's father, Mr. John E. Lodge, made an effort to have some one rebuild the hotel. Failing in this, he purchased the property himself; but before he developed his plans, fully, he died, and the estate fell to the children. Senator Lodge and his sister here erected houses of their own, including the present mansion, still so much beloved and appreciated in the summer-time by the Senator and his family. The sale of this property, so finely situated, was made to the elder Lodge in 1868. The grounds contain many acres, and the resi- dence is a veranda-inclosed mansion of attractive architecture, set upon the commanding heights of East Point. To what nature had done for this place has been added the skill of expert landscape gardeners. The grounds extend to the sea on the northeast and south, including the cliffs, upon which the surf of the ocean breaks with force of the whole Atlantic Ocean. It is truly an attractive estate. Trees, shrubs and flowers are to be seen on every hand. Here the Senator delights to spend the heated season of each year, when freedom from official cares permits.
What is to be known as Fort Augustus Gardner, Nahant, is now in course of construction. About the time of the Spanish-American War, the United States government purchased a tract of land, to which has more recently been added much more territory. Here an exten- sive fortification is being built, beneath Bailey's Hill. Seventy-six dif- ferent land holdings were bought. On these grounds were standing, at one time, forty-seven dwellings. The fort is located midway along the southern shore of Nahant, and commands an extended view of Broad Sound, as well as of the South Shore. Its natural qualifications for a defensive station are plain to the observer. Here the first earth-works were thrown up in 1898. Among other objects to be attained by this fortification, the government intends making a proving station for ordnance tests.
The old Tri-Mountain House, known far and wide, originally stood on a part of these grounds. Work is steadily being carried on in the construction of the fortress. The recent abandonment of numerous forts in Boston harbor is doubtless due to the fact that Fort Gardner is here
Essex-20
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being constructed. The site is practically a solid ledge. The bestowal of the name is in recognition of the fame and patriotic labors of Hon. Augustus Peabody Gardner, who represented the sixth district in Con- gress. He resigned his congressional office, during the World War, to accept a commission as major in the army. Scarcely had he thus enter- ed the service of the United States than he suddenly fell ill, death re- sulting shortly afterwards. Deceased was a son-in-law of Senator Lodge.
The sale of property for unpaid taxes is almost a universal thing in all towns and cities throughout the country, but the town of Nahant is an exception to the rule. Like all towns or cities, it has its delinquent taxpayers, of course, but never in the history of the town has the tax collector been forced to issue a notice of sale of private property within the town, and there are few towns in the country that can make a like boast. The "Item" of Lynn says of this subject:
The assessed value of the town last year was something like $4,149,697. Since January 1st, 1921, the delinquent tax has been reduced from $17,000 to about $12,000 without any extra effort on the part of the tax collector.
Diplomacy is the method used by tax-collector Charles Cabot Johnson, who has served in this capacity for more than eighteen years. When the unpaid taxes reach nearly the three-year mark, Collector Johnson personally visits the delinquent and in his well known gracious manner points out the law on unpaid taxes and how trouble, red tape and considerable inconvenience to both property holder and the town can be avoided. His advise is always heeded.
Before the erection of the old stone schoolhouse, the church goers usually attended church at Lynn. The Hoods and Breeds were Quakers in their religious faith, and were all members of the Society of Friends. The Johnson families belonged to the Baptist denomination in part, while another branch of the family were devout Methodists. The Rice family were of the regular Orthodox Church. The children of these families attended Sabbath School in the various churches already men- tioned. After the exercises were ended, the children had the long walk of over three miles over the beach. If the tide was out, the trip was easily made; but at high tide it became tedious, and it was as much as a horse could do to drag a buggy through the sand, empty, while the par- ents and children in such times usually had to walk, wading through the sands, ankle deep.
After the completion of the stone schoolhouse, the three churches held their services, pastors from Lynn being their preachers. The old- est church building was the Independent Methodist denomination. At evening, lights were obtained from lanterns and candles. The lantern was "a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their pathway." Before this church was built, there was erected in 1831 a frame chapel, pro- vided by the summer residents, and suitable only for summer use. The builders of this chapel were also the builders of the village church. All denominations were welcome, as all had contributed. The land upon
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which the church was built was generously donated by Caleb Johnson and J. W. Page; Dr. William R. Lawrence presented the bell, and Charles Amory gave a communion set. It was written in the eighties of these churches: "The Nahant church and the Village church have been en- larged and improved, so that but little of the original structures can now be seen." A Young Men's Christian Association was organized here in 1876.
Preaching and Mass were observed by the Catholic people in the old chapel until 1872, when, under Rev. Patrick Strain, of Lynn, a church was built and owned by the congregation.
CHAPTER XXIX.
TOWN OF NORTH ANDOVER.
North Andover occupies a part of the original town of Andover. The town lines as now maintained were fixed as late as 1855. What was called the North Parish, from 1709 onwards became North Andover, and that portion of the town as originally known was called Andover. North Andover contains about 15,400 acres, all replete with geological formations, and with matters of interest to the scientific agriculturist. Its rocky period evidently belongs to the most ancient period known to any part of the globe. One well-informed writer speaks of the charm- ing landscape scenery of this region as follows:
It is seldom that a more interesting geological formation than this can be found; and nowhere, as the result of the hand of nature's work, does a more lovely land- scape appear-the view stretching from each one of these rounded elevation miles away to the Wachusett and the Monadnock on the northwest, while to the immediate gaze the mysterious group stands around as fascinating monuments of an ancient age. The explanation which is given of these unusual hills is most interesting, and carries the mind back to the time when the great seas of ice covered this hemisphere, and left a record of their slow and steady march as a guide to man in his endeavors to unravel the mystery of the earth's formation and his own creation.
It was this territory of which in 1634, by action of the General Court, "It is ordered that the land about Cochichewick shall be re- served for an inland plantation, and whosoever will go to inhabit there shall have three years' immunity from all taxes, levies, public charges and services whatever, military discipline only excepted. John Winth- rop, Richard Bellingham and William Coddington, Esquire, are chosen a committee to license any that may think meet to inhabit there, and that it shall be lawful for no person to go thither without their consent or the major part of them."
This land was purchased by Rev. John Woodbridge of Newbury, in 1641, after a lengthy correspondence with Governor Winthrop. Finally, when seeming obstacles were removed, the purchase and grants were con-
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firmed by the court. The town was named Andover by some of the settlers that had emigrated from Andover, Hampshire, England. The earliest roster of actual settlers, probably made prior to 1644, gives the subjoined names as original settlers and residents of the plantation: John Osgood, Joseph Parker, Richard Barker, John Stevens, Nicholas Holt, Benjamin Woodbridge, John Frye, Edmund Faulkner, Robert Bar- nard, Daniel Poor, Nathan Parker, Henry Jaques, John Aslett, William Ballard, John Lovejoy, Thomas Poor, George Abbott, John Russ, An- drew Allen, Andrew Foster, Thomas Chandler.
Captain Edward Johnson, of Woburn wrote of Andover in 164 as follows :
About this time there was a town founded about one or two miles distant from the place where the goodly river of Merrimack received her branches into her own body, hard upon the river Shawshin, which is one of her chief heads; the honored Mr. Simon Bradstreet taking up his last sitting there, hath been a great means to further the work, it being a place well fitted for the husbandman's hand, were it not that the remoteness of the place from towns of trade bringeth forth some incon- veniences upon the planters, who are enforced to carry their corn far to market. This town is called Andover, and hath good store of land improved for the bigness of it.
A former set of historians, dwelling upon the general history of this portion of New England, including Andover, wrote as follows:
The motives and manners and customs of those who founded North Andover and its associate towns are interesting and important. They formed a part of that large body of dissenters who, under various names, came to New England and settled the Colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. They came, it is true, to enjoy religious freedom, but they also sought a civil organization, founded on the right of every man to a voice in the government under which he lives. In the charters granted to all the towns by the General Court, it was provided that the grantees were to procure and maintain an able and orthodox minister amongst them; and to build a meeting-house within three years. This was their first motive. In all their customs they were obliged to exercise the utmost simplicity, and they voluntarily regulated their conduct by those formal rules which in their day constituted the Puritan's guide through the world. As an illustration of their character and man- ners, in 1651 dancing was forbidden at weddings by the laws of the colony.
In 1660, William Walker was imprisoned a month "for courting a maid without the leave of her parents." In 1675, because "there is manifest pride appearing in our streets," the wearing of "long hair or periwigs," and also "superstitious ribands used to tie up and decorate their hair," were forbidden under severe penalties. Men, too, were for- bidden to "keep Christmas," because it was "a Popish custom." In 1677 an act was passed to prevent "the profaneness" of "turning the back upon the public worship before it is finished and the blessing pro- nounced." Towns were directed to locate a cage near the meeting-house, and in this all offenders against the sanctity of the Sabbath were con- fined. At the same time, children were placed in a particular part of the meeting-house by themselves, and tithing men were chosen whose
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duty it was to take care of them. So strict were they in the observance of the Sabbath that John Atherton, a soldier in Colonel Tying's regi- ment, was fined by him forty shillings for "wetting a piece of an old hat to put into his shoes," which chafed his feet on the march. People who neglected to attend meeting for three months were publicly whipped. Even in Harvard College, students were whipped, for grave offenses, in the presence of the students and profssors, prayers being offered before and after the infliction of punishment.
The domestic economy of the early colonists was simple and in many cases rude; their dwellings were small, coarsely constructed, and deficient in all those appointments that are now considered necessary to the health and comfort of the family; their diet was coarse and com- mon. Palfrey tells us that "in the early days of New England wheaten bread was not so uncommon as it afterwards became," but its place was largely supplied by preparations of Indian corn.
According to town records, the first town meeting was held in 1656 at the house of John Osgood. All freeholders were expected to attend these meetings, and were fined if they were absent without good ex- cuse. Perfect order was preserved in town meetings. If any man spoke in meeting after silence had been commanded twice, he was fined twelve pence. Care was taken that the metes and bounds should be carefully preserved, and an inspection of the same was made every three years. Discipline regarding meeting house seats was very strict. Young peo- ple were not allowed to be out abroad from home Saturday and Sunday nights. Factories were early encouraged to locate in the settlement. In 1686 Henry Ingalls was allowed to set up his saw mill on Musketo river.
From the earliest times, North Andover has been a thriving town. In the pioneer days, its soil attracted a first-class set of people who took hold to win in a struggle which was no small undertaking. Farming and kindred branches were the chief occupation of its sturdy settlers. Farms have run from ten to three hundred acres. Of course it is not to be sup- posed that after hundreds of years of constant use, this soil is now any where near what it was in its virgin state, but with careful manage- ment, rotation of crops, etc., it has been kept up fairly well to the present time.
Manufacturing commenced in this town in 1671, when Joseph Par- ker and Stephen Johnson dammed the Cochichewick river for the pur- pose of gaining sufficient water power to propel their mills. From that date on, through the first century of the town's history, a large number of mills of various kinds were in operation for a term of years. They then went into decay, or in some instances were washed down stream by the floods. Grist mills were ever encouraged by the authori- ties, and they necessarily multiplied as the settlement increased. Then came the attempts at powder-making and paper-making, while woolen
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mills, spinning mills, fulling mills and the weaving rooms all had their part in the development of the town. Arthur, John and James Schofield, Englishmen, came in first to establish a successful business in the woolen industry. They set up carding mills on the Cochichewick and Shawshin rivers. Later came Nathaniel Stevens, who operated heavier in this line. This small beginning eventually became the great and well- known Stevens Mills. Stevens was a native of North Andover, born in 1786.
The old Isaac Osgood site was later (1836) occupied by the machine shop of Charles Barnes, George H. Gilbert and Parker Richardson. This shop was the beginning of a prosperous manufacturing village. Just below this "Mashine Shop Village" was built the North Andover Mill, near the old stone mill, which was in use in 1828 by George Hodges and Edward Parker. In the eighties the three large woolen mills on the Cochiechewick river employed about three hundred and twenty-five operatives and worked up over 1,500,000 pounds of wool annually.
At this time (1921) the industries are limited to the silk factory, by the North Andover Silk Mill, the thread and yarn mills of Smith & Dove, and the North Andover foundry and hay-scale manufactory. The town is connected with Haverhill by electric cars. The present post- master is Michael F. Cronin.
While Salem has had the name of being the headcenter of all that was strange and terrible concerning the presence of witches away back in early days, yet this delusion was fully as prominent in and about Andover and North Andover as anywhere else. A belief in a personal devil and his agents on earth was a common belief among our forefathers from England. In France, in 1374, this delusion in an epidemic form, so to speak, broke out, and had its followers with tens of thousands for more than two centuries. The supernatural seemed to have possessed an incredible charm, and sorcerers were considered as important as lawyers or doctors in a community. All Europe was influenced by this delusion, and sorcerers and witches by the thousands suffered death by fire annually. In the reign of Francis I, more than one hundred thou- sand "witches" were put to death. Traditions of these delusions still had place in the early settlement of Essex county. Frightful judicial discipline was applied in this county in 1692, but let it be recorded that here in Andover and in Essex county, the fearful delusion was suppress- ed and stamped out for the first place in the world. The tragedy of 1692, usually attributed to Salem, was in reality enacted in North Andover to fully the extent that it was in Salem, if not worse. As other chap- ters from other writers on this subject will appear elsewhere in this work, no further references will be made in this connection.
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