USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 17
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The acts of Parliament for regulating the trade of the Colonies are said to have been generally disregarded, and smuggling, at which some of the revenue officers are reputed to have connived, was common. No officer of the customs is known to have resided here till after the com- mencement by England of the series of measures which resulted in the Revolutionary War, but officers were sent here from Salem when the occasion required. On one occasion a brig belonging to Colonel Joseph Foster arrived from a foreign port with a valuable cargo during the night, and according to custom the hatches were immediately opened and the landing of the cargo commenced, the owner himself assisting. A considerable part had been landed and stored before daylight, but more than half was still on board, and a tide-waiter was expected from Salem early in the morning. A watch house had been erected at the Cut, where John McKean, a stout Irishman, had been employed in time of alarm about the small pox to stop all strangers and subject them to a fumigating process before they could enter the town. At the suggestion of Col. Foster, when the customs official arrived, he was ushered into the watch house and kept till after dark, when he was released, purified from all infectious diseases, so far as a thorough smoking could do it, but in
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ESSEX COUNTY
the meantime the balance of the cargo had been placed in secure quar- ters.
With the attempt for a rigid enforcement of the revenue acts, com- missioners of the customs were sent over from England, to whom was delegated the appointment of local officials to enforce the provisions of the act. The first person to be so employed in Gloucester was Samuel Fellows, who rendered himself so obnoxious to his fellow-townsmen that one night in September, 1768, a mob of about seventy persons, headed by several respectable citizens, proceeded one night to the house of Jesse Sa- ville, where it was suspected he was concealed. They thoroughly search- ed the building in pursuit of him, showing much violence in their be- havior and a determination to deal severely with him if found. He sought safety, however, in flight, and the anger of the mob was vented on Mr. Saville and his family, the former being knocked down while de- fending his home, while a servant was threatened by Dr. Rogers, forceps in hand, with the loss of all his teeth unless he told where Fellows was. One or two of the party were haled into court and fined for their share in the offence, one being confined in jail several months for the non-pay- ment of a fine of five pounds, but was finally released by the Governor, who remitted the fine.
The merchants continued to land their goods in defiance of the customs regulations, and Mr. Saville, not intimidated by the scene which took place at his house, accepted a position in the revenue service. The zeal with which he performed his duty, however, brought upon him the vengeance of some of his fellow-townsmen. On the night of March 23, 1770, he was dragged from his bed in an inhuman manner by a party of men disguised and negroes and Indians, and taken a distance of about four miles to the Harbor, where he was subjected to various indignities, but was finally allowed to return home. The outrage caused consider- able feeling in the town, and it was called to the attention of the Gover- nor, who presented it to the general court. The grievance found little sympathy or redress from the representatives of the people in the in- flamed state of public opinion, although a mulatto servant of Dr. Plum- mer was later convicted of aiding and abetting in the assault. He was punished by being kept on the gallows in Salem for an hour, with a halter around his neck, after which he was whipped, but he refused to give any information of the persons concerned with him.
A Mr. Phillips held the office of "land-waiter, weigher and guager" in 1770, and in January, 1771, the commissioners appointed Richard Sil- vester as his successor. Although they could not fail in performing their duty faithfully to expose themselves to public indignation and the danger of personal violence, it is not recorded that either received any bodily injury at the hands of the people. Silvester, however, was ordered to leave town with his family in September, 1772. He took no further notice of the order than to publish an ironical card in the Boston News Letter, in which he "prays leave to acquaint these worthies that he can- not and will not comply with their request."
In 1776 the General Court passed an act providing that in the sev- eral ports of the State, including Gloucester, "there shall be an office kept, to be called and known by the name of the naval office, for the purpose of entering and clearing all ships and other vessels trading to and from this state, to take bonds in adequate penalties for observing the regulations made or which shall be made by the General Congress or the General Assembly of the state, concerning trade, take manifests upon
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CITY OF GLOUCESTER
oath of all cargoes exported or imported, and keep fair accounts and en- tries thereof, give bills of health when desired, and sign certificates that the requisites for qualifying vessels to trade have been complied with, and the fees to be demanded and paid in said office shall be the follow- ing and no greater, that is to say :
For entering any ship or vessel from any of the States 2
S.
d.
0
For clearing any ship or vessel to any part of the State 2
0
For entering any ship or vessel from any other of the United States 6 0
For clearing any ship or vessel to any other of the United States 6 ... 0
For entering any ship or vessel from a foreign voyage 6
6
0
For a register
6
0
For indorsing a register
1
0
For recording endorsement
1
6
For any bond ..
2
0
For a certificate to cancel bond
1 0
For a bill of health
2
0
For a permit to unload
1
0
For a cocket.
0 3
For a let pass
0
8
Samuel Whittemore received the appointment of naval officer for Gloucester under the above act in November of that year, and was re- appointed annually, except during a portion of the year 1782, when the position was held by Samuel Gorham, until a United States custom house was established in 1792.
For about a quarter of a century after its establishment, the custom house was located at Annisquam, and after its removal to the Harbor occupied various sites, according to the convenience of the collector until the erection of a permanent building. The customs district included Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester and Essex, and continued as an in- dependent district until July 1, 1913, when all the customs districts of the state were combined into a single district, known as the district of Massachusetts, with headquarters at Boston, each former district being under the charge of a deputy collector. The collectors of customs since the establishment of the office have been as follows, with year of appoint- ment: Epes Sargent, 1789; William Tuck, 1796; John Gibaut, 1802; John Kittredge, 1805; William Pearce, Jr., 1822; William Beach, 1829; George D. Hale, 1839; George W. Pearce, 18b1; Eben H. Stacy, 1843; Eli F. Stacy, 1844; John L. Rogers (died in office) 1849; Frederick G. Low, 1850; William H. Manning, 1853; Gorham Babson, 1858; John S. Webber, 1861; William A. Pew, 1865; Fitz J. Babson, 1869; David S. Presson, 1885; William A. Pew, 1889; Frank C. Richardson, 1895; Wil- liam H. Jordan, 1900; Walter F. Osborne, 1911; Albert H. Mckenzie (deputy in charge), 1913.
Following the close of the Revolutionary War and the establish- ment of a custom house, a foreign trade of considerable magnitude was established, which reached its zenith during the period between 1820 and 1850, Gloucester ships making voyages to all sections of the globe, in- cluding South American ports, Calcutta and Sumatra. Among the prin- cipal firms engaged in the foreign trade were Daniel Rogers, David Pearce, William Pearce & Sons and Winthrop Sargent, the latter import- ing 16 cargoes from foreign ports in 1827. An extensive commerce was
Essex-37
0
For clearing any ship or vessel from a foreign voyage.
578
ESSEX COUNTY
also established with Surinam, the capital of Dutch Guiana, which reach- ed its highest point in 1857, when 20 barques and brigs arrived with car- goes valued at over $400,000. Gloucester at one time had a monopoly of this trade, but the business ceased to be profitable with the freeing of the slaves in that country, and was abandoned some three or four years later.
Although the activities of the custom house officials have been con- fined mainly to the fisheries, at the time of the consolidation of the office with Boston, Gloucester ranked third among the ports of Massachusetts in the amount of foreign imports, and was the leading port in the country in the importation of salt, of which nearly 40,000,000 pounds were im- ported in 1912. The decisions of the Gloucester customs officials on disputed points regarding the interpretation of the laws governing the fisheries have as a rule been adopted and promulgated by the Treasury Department, thus governing the method of procedure at other ports.
The following history of the Gloucester Post Offices is contributed by the same writer as the foregoing :
A postoffice was established in Gloucester a few years after the adoption of the Federal Constitution, probably in 1792, previous to which the mails were carried by messenger to and from Beverly, then a part of Salem and known as "Cape Ann side," the trips being made twice in each week. When this arrangement was started or how long it con- tinued is not known, and the name of only one of the messengers, John Oakes, has been transmitted to posterity. The place for the reception and delivery of the letters was at the tavern kept by Philemon Haskell, which was located on what is now Middle street.
The rates of postage at the time of the establishment of the post- office and until 1816 were as follows: Single letters, under 40 miles, eight cents; under 90 miles, ten cents; under 150 miles, twelve and one- half cents; under 300 miles, seventeen cents; under 500 miles, twenty cents; over 500 miles, twenty-five cents.
The first postmaster was Henry Phelps, who served from 1792 to 1809, the office being located in the apothecary shop kept by him on Fore, now Main street. The postmasters who have succeeded Mr. Phelps, with the date of their appointment or assuming the duties of the office, have been as follows: Isaac Elwell, March 3, 1809; William Stevens, August 2, 1820; Leonard J. Presson, November 22, 1834; Gorham Par- sons, February 20, 1839; T. Sewall Lancaster, January 22, 1849; Octa- vius A. Merrill, May 22, 1853, appointed but never qualified; Gorham Parsons, second appointment, August 17, 1853; John W. Wonson, June 14, 1858; William H. Haskell, July 1, 1861; Charles E. Grover, May 6, 1867; David W. Low, July 1, 1873; Charles C. Cressy, April 1, 1886; James H. Mansfield, March 31, 1890; Leonard J. Presson, September 1, 1894; Charles D. Brown, September 1, 1898; Charles D. Smith, April 1, 1915.
During the terms of office of the earlier postmasters and until the erection of a brick building by the United States government in 1857 to furnish quarters for the postoffice and custom houses, the office was lo- cated to suit the convenience of the postmaster, and was generally at his regular place of business. "Squire" Phelps, the first postmaster, who kept an apothecary shop and was also the local justice of the peace and trial justice, had the office near what is now the westerly corner of Main and Centre streets. His successor, Captain Elwell, removed the office to
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CITY OF GLOUCESTER
a room in his home on Angle street, and the third postmaster changed the location to a building near the westerly end of Front (now Main) street. On the appointment of Mr. Presson, the office was removed to the westerly corner of what is now Main and Porter streets, and when he was succeeded by Mr. Parsons the latter transferred its location to a small building a few doors westerly on Front street, this building being now located on Prospect street near the Defiance engine house. Mr. Lancaster had the office at the corner of Front and Short streets, ad- joining and connected with his dry goods store, and when Mr. Parsons was again appointed, the office was transferred to a new building occupy- ing the same site as during his previous term, until it was removed to its present location at the corner of Main (then Spring) and Pleasant streets in 1857.
Through the efforts of Hon. Timothy Davis, then representing the district in Congress, and who was the only native of the town to be elected to that position, aided by other citizens, an appropriation of $40,000 was secured from Congress in 1855 for the erection of a building to be used for a postoffice and custom house, and a lot was purchased at the corner of Spring and Pleasant streets. Work was begun April 17, 1856, and it was completed in March, 1857, but was not occupied until the following September, It is of brick, two stories in height, 60 by 40 feet, and as originally constructed had a separate entrance and corridor for ladies, the ladies' department being opened December 13, 1857, being discontinued after a few years.
With the introduction of the free delivery system and especially the parcel post, the accommodations, already overcrowded by the increase in the volume of business, became so cramped that it was necessary to se- cure additional quarters, and an annex at the corner of Duncan and Rogers streets was opened July 1, 1917, which is used especially for the distribution of incoming mail and as quarters for the carriers. An at- tempt was made in 1920 by Congressman Wilfred W. Lufkin, then rep- resenting the district, to secure an appropriation for a new and larger postoffice building, but at the time of writing this sketch, favorable action on the matter has not been taken by Congress.
The free carrier service was established June 1, 1883, four carriers being employed, and at the present time the service requires twenty- three regular carriers and fifteen substitutes, besides twenty-two clerks and seven sub-clerks in the office. A rural free delivery service was established January 1, 1903.
The increase of business in the outskirts of the town and the incon- venience caused by the distance from the postoffice and lack of transpor- tation facilities resulted in the establishment of postoffices in other sec- tions of the town, the first one being in the Sandy Bay or Fifth parish in 1825, and having at first tri-weekly service, Winthrop Pool being appoint- ed postmaster, who held the office till 1838, when he was succeeded by Henry Clark, who occupied the position in 1840 when that section of the town was set off as the town of Rockport.
The residents of the Annisquam parish started a movement for a postoffice in that section a few years later, but although most of the fish- ing business of the town was at that time conducted in that village and the custom house was at times located there, their efforts were not suc- cessful until January 1, 1833, when a postoffice was established there, Oliver W. Sargent being appointed postmaster. Letters destined for Annisquam unless placed in a separate package from the Gloucester let-
580
ESSEX COUNTY
ters at the office from which they were sent, were subject to an addition- al postage of six and a quarter cents. Mr. Sargent held the office until 1839, when he was succeeded by William W. Chard, who held the posi- tion till February 14, 1862, a period of over twenty years. Mr. Chard was followed by John D. Davis, who continued in office for over thirty years, Frank E. Brown being appointed to the office July 1, 1893, and holding the position till June 20, 1897, his successor being Charles E. Cunningham, who when the office was made a sub-station of the Glou- cester office, July 1, 1907, was made clerk in charge and has since con- tinued in that position.
A postoffice was established at Lane's Cove, December 15, 1854, and given the name of Lanesville postoffice, the first postmaster being Levi Dennen, his successors being Albert Young, 1866; Levi Dennen, reappointed, 1872; Fitz E. Griffin, 1879, who resigned March 15, 1906, after twenty-seven years service, and was followed by Emerson L. Saun- ders, who was continued as clerk in charge when that section was added to the free delivery service and the office was merged with the Gloucester office as a sub-station, April 1, 1909.
The West Gloucester postoffice was established January 1, 1859, Theophilus Herrick being appointed postmaster, who held the office till his death, November 29, 1863, his successor being Henry C. L. Haskell, who was appointed January 1, 1864, and who held the office until it was abolished June 30, 1903, on account of the establishment of the rural free delivery service in that section, with the exception of less than two years, Jacob W. Dennen being appointed in 1888 and resigning the fol- lowing year, Mr. Haskell's term of service extending nearly forty years.
The East Gloucester postoffice was opened March 24, 1860, and was discontinued July 1, 1885, when the carrier service was extended to that section. The first postmaster was Henry S. Wonson, who resigned February 20, 1868, his successors being J. Warren Wonson, 1868; H. Mackay Coffin, March 28, 1873, and Joseph Parsons, 1875. A contract- station was established at East Gloucester after the postoffice was dis- continued, with William Parsons (3d) as clerk in charge, his successors being George H. Gerrard in 1889 and E. J. Farrell in 1920.
A postoffice was established at Riverdale, February 2, 1863, with Miss Lizzie Elwell as postmistress, she being the first woman in the city to be employed in the local postal service. The office was located in a room in her house, and she held the position till the office was discon- tinued, December 1, 1886.
The Bay View postoffice was established at Hodgdon's Cove, April 1, 1870, Henry H. Bennett being appointed postmaster, who resigned in 1892, after twenty-two years service. He was succeeded by Alphonso Sargent, who held the position till April 1, 1909, when the office was consolidated with the Lanesville postoffice, which was made a substation as before stated.
The village of Magnolia having come into prominence as a summer resort, a postoffice was opened there in 1875, the first postmaster being Lorenzo D. Story, his successors being Mrs. Sophia J. Tuck, 1881, Arthur M. Lycett, 1885; Maggie G. Fanning, 1895; Mrs. Mary A. Lycett, 1897; and Fred S. Lycett, 1907, who was appointed clerk-in-charge when the office was made a sub-station of the Gloucester postoffice July 1 of that year.
From its commercial and fishing prestige, Gloucester has five United
581
CITY OF GLOUCESTER
States lighthouse stations, two of which date back to Colonial and early days. The most important is the Cape Ann or Thacher's Island light station, consisting of two stone towers each 212 feet high, with lights of the first class, which were erected and first lighted by the Colonial gov- ernment in 1771. During the Revolution, the keeper of the lights was forcibly removed by citizens for disloyalty to the popular feeling against the crown, lights remained unlighted for several years. They were relighted by the United States government in 1791, and have shone con- tinuously every night since. The present towers were erected in 1861. The lighthouse at Wigwam Point, Annisquam, was erected in 1901, the present tower being built in 1861. Ten Pound Island light was estab- lished in 1821 and a new tower was placed there in 1881. Eastern Point light was established in 1831, the present tower being built in 1891. A lighthouse was erected on Straitsmouth Island at the entrance to Sandy Bay (now Rockport) harbor in 1835, the present lighthouse being erected in 1851.
Gloucester citizens have a remarkable record for longevity, no less than ten of her citizens having according to authoritative records at- tained the age of more than one hundred years, while the records are re- plete with the names of those who have lived to within a few years of this age. The earliest record of a centenarian is that of Joseph Eveleth, son of Sylvester Eveleth or Everleigh, one of the first settlers, who died November 1, 1745, at the age of 105 years, having previously removed to Chebacco parish. The oldest inhabitant of the town was John Huse or Hews, a native of Wales, who came to Gloucester early in the eigh- teenth century and died in August, 1793, at the age of 108 years.
John Blatchford, son of the early settler of that name at Sandy Bay, who was born in England, died in 1809 at the age of 107 years; and William Pew, who came to Gloucester from Virginia, died January 1, 1840, claiming to be 107 years old, and was unquestionably several years beyond the century mark. Other deaths which have occurred in more recent years are: Mrs. Joanna Andrews, died April 20, 1847, aged 102 years 2 months 28 days; Mrs. Deborah Saunders, died April 12, 1868, aged 101 years 6 months 6 days; Mrs. Mary H. Gilbert, died December 1, 1887, aged 101 years 2 months 23 days; Mrs. Betsy Tucker, died March 28, 1891, aged 100 years 11 months 11 days; Mrs. Sarah D. Steele, died January 6, 1918, aged 101 years 4 months 15 days; Mrs. Nancy D. Babson, died December 12, 1919, aged 102 years 4 months 21 days.
Shipbuilding in Gloucester commenced in 1643, when a man named Griffin employed William Stevens and other ship-carpenters to construct him a craft. This is all that is recorded about ship-building in the place until about 1661. There does not appear any warrant for the belief that there was much ship-building here until the early years of the eighteenth century. It was left for Gloucester, however, to become famous with seafaring men on account of the construction of the first known vessel
582
ESSEX COUNTY
styled a "schooner". The date was not far from 1713. A diary kept by Dr. Moses Prince, visiting Gloucester, September, 1721, says: "We went to see Captain Robinson's lady. This gentleman was the first contriver of schooners, and built the first of the sort about eight years ago."
Nearly seventy years afterwards another visitor gives further par- ticulars of this most interesting fact. Cotton Tufts, Esq. who was in Gloucester in September, 1790, writes: "I was informed (and commit- ted the same to writing) that the kind of vessels called "schooners" de- rived their name from this circumstance, viz: Mr. Andrew Robinson, of that place, having constructed a vessel, which he masted and rigged in the same manner as schooners are at this day, on her going off the stocks and passing into the water, a bystander cried out, 'Oh, how she scoons?' Robinson instantly replied, 'A schooner let her be!' From this time ves- sels so masted and rigged have gone by the name of 'schooners'; before which, vessels of this description were not known in Europe or America. This account was confirmed to me by a great number of persons in Glou- cester. The strongest negative evidence confirms these statements. No marine dictionary, no commercial record, no merchant's inventory of a date prior to 1713 containing a word 'schooner' has yet been discovered; and it may, therefore, be received as an historical fact that the first ves- sel of this class had her origin in Gloucester, as stated by the good authorities already named."
Gloucester had its first land communication with Boston, April 25, 1788, when a line of travel was opened up by Jonathan Lowe between the two points. He was a tavern-keeper in Gloucester, living on Front street. He made these trips twice each week, by a two-horse open car- riage. At that date there were only four stages (besides this one) run- ning into Boston-from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, from New York, from Providence, Rhode Island, and from Salem. Later the trips were made between Gloucester and Boston three times each week, and in 1805 a daily service was established. Four-horse coaches soon followed, and within a few years two coaches were put on the run daily.
In the autumn of 1844 a survey for a railroad between Beverly and Gloucester was made. At Beverly the road was to connect with the Eastern railroad as its branch. November, 1847, regular trips were be- ing run over this steam road. It will be recalled that railroading was then in its infancy in the world, hence to get a railway at any given place was indeed rare and greatly appreciated.
Steamboats have been running more or less regularly from Boston to Gloucester since 1840. What was known as the Boston & Gloucester Steamboat Company was organized, and commenced making regular trips that year.
Since the introduction of cement for building purposes, one does not see or hear nearly so much about stone quarries as people did prior to 1900. But as a matter of history worth preserving, it should be record-
THE NEW YOR! PUBLIC LIBRAF
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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