USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Wenham > Notes on Wenham history, 1643-1943 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
9 Brig. Gen. Lander has another connection with Wenham: an engineer by profession, in early manhood-1842-he was em- ployed in building the ice-houses and spur track by Wenham Pond when the ice industry was being exploited-
93
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
of its building, other than naming Camp Lander in Wen- ham as the assembling place for certain regiments, we must turn to local diaries and letters for details.10
The barracks were built by Salem contractors, the horse sheds by local people, Rufus Dodge and Jacob Dodge. The camp had twenty well-built barracks, each barrack accom- modating one company. In addition, there were cook houses and officers' quarters, providing accommodations for two full regiments at one time-the 48th and the 5th occupied the camp.
As described at the time-"some of these barracks were surprisingly clean, and none are dirty. Evergreens and pine boughs adorn most of them; the cook houses were compact and well provided, some beef soup we tasted could not be surpassed by the Parker House Boston."11 A hos- pital, barber shop, and restaurant, where clam chowder could be served on order, and a store were scattered over the grounds.
The bunks in the barracks were in two tiers, one bunk for two men; straw was furnished in place of mattresses, blankets and overcoats were the bed-coverings.
A typical letter home from one of the volunteers is in- teresting to compare with the home letters in the present World War II, as the men first arrive at camp.
"Well here we are at Camp, though we are hardly settled as yet. We stopped about three o'clock in Boston, there were three companies in all. The people cheered as we left the Depot and in Salem and Lynn as we passed through. And by the way, our encampment is in Wen- ham on the Eastern rail road, a few miles from Salem. This morning the company was drilled in squads-we took our first lesson in military tactics. We have not been sworn in yet, but probably will soon receive our uniforms. We cannot tell when we shall have a furlough, but prob- ably not before next week. Excuse the writing, as my desk is only a newspaper on my knee."
Such a number of men in the little town of Wenham, with their visitors coming and going, changed the whole atmosphere of the town, it would seem, as someone wrote,
10 Diary of Major Andrew Dodge-Selections W. H. Ms. Col .. vol. 21.
11 History of the Fifth regiment : Roe-p. 129-
94
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
"that the whole town was in the stable business, as signs for 'stabling for horses' were in every door-yard. The side walks were filled by strangers, in a strange commu- nity-wives and mothers visiting their men, or looking for lodging, uniformed men every where; on leave they went fishing, they went to prayer meeting, to political rallies, walking six miles to Salem to hear Charles Sum- ner."
On one occasion when at prayer meeting, the opening prayer was interrupted by news of a terrible railroad acci- dent just beyond the village. The soldiers were rushed to the scene, and helped in extricating the dead and wound- ed. The Post surgeon, Dr. Robinson, our own local physi- cian, worked untiringly. It was a horrible accident, fol- lowed by the usual curiosity crowds and memento hunters.
October 22, 1862-this was a memorable day for Wen- ham, for on that day the 5th regiments left Camp Lan- der. 12
"At eight o'clock the men were ready to march, but the cars were late, and it was eleven before they got off. The records of the 5th regiment disclose that twenty men for- sook the regiment that day-'deserted at Wenham.' These men were the forerunners of that great army of bounty- jumpers, a disgrace to manhood; receiving their first bounty, they were ready to re-enlist under a new name and were ready for the next bounty and still more re- enlistments."
When the regiments left Camp Lander in 1865, the vacant buildings were at once put up for sale by the Gov- ernment, and scattered in various towns, some as private dwellings in Hamilton and Danvers and some remaining in Wenham. The shed at Mrs. Alice (Patch) Jones was one of the officers' quarters.
Civil War Memorial. Hardly was the war over, before the citizens of Wenham bestirred themselves to "see if the town would erect some suitable monument in memory of the soldiers of Wenham who lay down their lives in the war of the Rebellion."
Nothing was done about providing such a memorial un- til eight years later, when Edwin Mudge of Danvers of-
12 History of the Fifth regiment: Roe-p. 129-
95
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
fered his salary as Representative, which in 1878, had accumulated to $550. This nucleus for a memorial was increased by private subscription and town appropriation to $1476.91, which was the total cost of the monument as erected. Upon this monument are cut the names of the twenty-seven men who lost their lives in this war.
13 Warrant in Wenham Town Report of 1869.
14 W. H. Ms. Collection of Civil War papers from late George Norris.
NOTES ON SOCIAL AND CIVIC LIFE IN WENHAM IN THE 19TH CENTURY
The Civil War left a trail of conditions which each town was obliged to meet in its own way, particularly in the matter of the general condition of unemployment.
The Town Poor. From the very beginning of the cen- tury, the care of the town for its poor shows quite a dif- ference, both in the kind of cases eligible for town help and the methods of providing that help. Included in the town poor, in addition to the sick and aged, are those now definitely unable to secure employment. From the time of the serious depression in the very early part of the nine- teenth century, we find the town hiring out its poor to those who would bid for the services of this or that man or woman, and their worth was carefully calculated. One Betty Senter in 1801 was let out to Downing Gentlee for eighty-one cents a week, the next year to John Perkins for fifty cents a week, and the next four years her value steadily decreased (perhaps she was getting too old), for she was bid to four different employers for an average of forty-four cents a week. Another woman, the widow Pierce, was apparently more capable, as she was bid for $1.49 a week to Capt. Isaac Dodge, and for several suc- cessive years she commanded the highest price of any of the town poor.
Poor Travellers. The lack of employment created an- other situation : men and women were travelling through the country, looking for work, and when night came threw themselves upon the mercy of the countryside to provide them with lodging and food. It finally became necessary for the protection of the homes to provide a public lodging house; this was done in Wenham by building a place in the basement of the Town Hall, later called a "lock-up," where there were sleeping accommodations, and where a simple supper and breakfast was provided. This was done at the expense of the town, totalling forty and fifty dol-
(96)
97
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
lars a year. As time went on the "poor travellers" looking for work became "tramps" living off the countryside, and bumming their living. In the year 1875 Wenham "enter- tained" two hundred and fifty tramps.
Town Hall. Until the middle of this nineteenth cen- tury, town meetings and social affairs were held in the church. There was much talk of the need of a building to house a grammar school, or an academy for lectures and entertainments and for town meetings. Repeatedly this desire was expressed in the town warrant, and repeat- edly voted down.
Finally in 1853, Jonathan Porter, a forceful and far- sighted man, declared in town meeting-"the time has come to build a Town Hall," and they proceeded to build ; the vote was very close, 79 against 61.1 The building was completed at a cost of $5908.77. Such an expense became the object of keen scrutiny, probably from that large mi- nority, and a year after its completion, the town voted that a "report should be made of the cost in full-to whom the money was paid, also for what purpose the house was let, and what money was received for rent." A most de- tailed and elaborate report was then printed,2 showing that the first year there were two balls, four panoramers, three concerts and the private school, in addition two en- tertainments of the ladies, to raise money to help pay for the chandelier.
Public Health. During the 19th Century, the popula- tion of Wenham continued to be entirely dependent upon cisterns and wells for its water supply. These wells were frequently located for convenience near the house, and consequently close to sink and other house drainage, mak- ing the water an unsuspected source of contamination, which was the undoubted cause of repeated epidemics, both of typhus and diphtheria.
Each autumn was the dreaded typhoid, occurring more frequently where there was a little settlement of houses.
There was a severe epidemic of influenza during the years 1826, 1889, particularly fatal to people past middle age.
1 Contract in W. H. C., Vol. 21.
2 W. H. C., File 13.
98
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
"Consumption," "Slow fever," "Decline," as the nine- teenth-century called Tuberculosis, continued to take a heavy toll of life.
Small-Pox was prevalent through the first two centuries, decreasing as inoculation began to be introduced. Great precautions were taken from the beginning of the settle- ment, against this dread disease. Ships from the West Indies were strictly quarantined if one passenger was in- fected. Entering a village from an infected town, meant first fumigating the clothes.
As late as the latter part of the 18th Century, Dr. Cutler records in his Journal, attending over forty patients sick with small-pox in Wenham at one time. The required vaccination, has eliminated these epidemics, despite oc- casional protests.
Diphtheria was another most virulent disease, which had periodic outbreaks and took a large toll of life.
The most serious outbreak in Wenham was in 1737, when whole families of children were stricken and died within a few days. Five children of Charles Gott and four of Richard Dodge died within a short time of each other, the first family (Gott) living in the West part of the town, the Dodge family in the East part.
The Vital Records of the town call this epidemic "throat distemper." In Essex County a total of fourteen hundred children died. Little was known at the time of the incidence of this disease, or its prevention and treat- ment.
During the next century and a half there were frequent recurrences which took a toll of life and suffering.
The twentieth century, with clinics and continual edu- cation of the public has reduced this dread to a minimum.
Tuberculosis. The dread of consumption called by var- ious names, was prevalent through the centuries.
A medical report is not needed to explain the prevalence of this disease. One need have only some knowledge of family relationships in the town, and study the Vital Rec- ords to find the trail of this serpent of disease, and be grateful that we live in a more enlightened century which understands prevention and healing.
TRANSPORTATION
Coming of the railroad. It was in 1836 that a group of far-sighted capitalists petitioned the Legislature for a charter to build a railroad from Boston to Salem. It took some time to convince the legislators that this was wise or necessary. The group persisted despite the protests of the stage companies, and finally the General Court became convinced of the advantages, and the Eastern railroad was incorporated, not only in accordance with the original pe- tition, but with the provisor that the rails should be ex- tended to the New Hampshire line. This meant that the most direct route was through the town of Wenham.
By August 1840, the way was completed to Newbury- port : we have been told by old citizens of how they climbed the hills to watch that first train, puff through the hills and meadows-a noisy herald of modern life. The rate of fare from Ipswich to Boston was 871/2, to Salem 371/2, to Wen- ham 311/4.
The station for the towns of Wenham and Hamilton, was at first a private house.
Horse-Cars. Almost fifty years after the coming of the railroad-another method of transportation was developed. In the summer of 1885 there were rumors that the Naum- keag Street railway was trying to purchase land for car- barns and stables, for a line that might pass through Wen- ham.
Rumors became facts, when at a special town meeting, permission was given by the town to lay tracks through the Village, under certain provisions. Three days after the petition of the Company was granted the work started: there rose on the old tavern site-corner of Arbor Street and the County road-two large buildings-a car-house 100 x 38, and a stable 100 x 35, accomodating forty horses.
It was a gala day when the first car run: they were eight bench cars, and must have been heavily laden, from the remembrances of the number of people, who say they rode to Beverly that first day.
With the first car which jangled down the quiet elm shaded street, the peaceful calm of the town was ended, and in its place, the clang and hurry of modern life was to be for ever more, a noisy reminder of our hurrying
(99)
100
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
lives. These horse-cars were neighborly conveniences, in the early days, in proportion as the drivers were of a friendly and helpful spirit. They did errands, brought packages, took eggs and produce, if anyone was sick, and needed a prescription filled, they would do it, this all might seem disturbing to running schedules, but lost time could be made up, by a little whipping up of the horses, or skipping a switch.
The early horse-cars had open platforms and winter storms tested the mettle of the men. In cold sleet storms, they drove with one hand, while the other thawed out. Mr. Barnes, recalls that his overcoat would be frozen so stiff, it would stand alone when he took it off. A snow storm meant thirty to thirty-five hours on duty, they were for- tunate if they had had the foresight to take a pail of food. Many times, it was a battle, in which the efforts of man and beast were futile, and the horses were unhitched, the car left in the drifts while horses and driver struggled through the storm, back to the car barns.
During the blizzard of February '88 the roads became quite impassible and the street car company sent an omni- bus to tide over the emergency: Mary (Quimby) Cole recalls the swaying omnibus, and the conductor collecting fares in a tin-dipper. The hardest storm Mr. Barnes re- calls, is the night Mary Patch barn burned; he started his trip at eleven o'clock, at night from Wenham Depot and reached the Gloucester Crossing at eight o'clock the next morning.
Wenham, being the least important of the car barns, got the poorest horses. The horses cost from seventy-five to one hundred dollars; they worked two hours a day, except on busy days when the best horses would do double time. There was one man to care for each ten horses.
Since Wenham was one of the last lines to use horses, it did get the pick of the other stables as they were closed.
Besides having the poorest horses, Wenham usually drew the poorest cars. When the ten bench cars were put on, there was a decided improvement and a trip to Asbury Grove from Salem was a summer outing to many in Salem. The cars seated fifty, and on Sundays and holidays were filled. As soon as the seats were turned over at Asbury Grove, these "rounders" as they were called, boarded the
CAR BARNS AND STABLES-1885 Corner County Road and Arbor Street-Old Tavern Site
101
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
same car, and returned to Salem, a good outing for three or four hours for thirty cents.
Electric Cars. It finally became Wenham's turn to have horse cars replaced by electric cars, as had been already done in larger towns; this meant new permits, relaying the tracks, and giving up of the car barns, with a reduction in the number of employees.
The State law made very definite regulations for motor men: the candidate must work under a trained motor man, without pay for two weeks before he was given a car.
The street cars were a source of employment for town men. The Company as far as possible secured their em- ployees from Wenham residents, and those who were from other towns soon secured homes here.
Car Barn property. After the electric cars replaced the horse-cars the property of the Company became a lia- bility. The house on Arbor Street was sold to Mr. Fred Mason and moved to a nearby lot opposite. The second story of the car barns was used as a riffle range during World War I. No permanent use was found for the big vacant barns, though many possibilities were consider- ed by the Company, first a pool room, then a gymnasium, and finally the rumor came that the Company was about to sell for a gasoline station. To have a gasoline station in the midst of the Village was most undesirable : there was no zoning law to prevent it, so purchasing the property was the only solution. A few interested citizens met at the Claflin-Richards House. Dr. Phillips presided, and then and there sufficient money was subscribed to pur- chase the car-barn property. After being held for a few years the subscribers presented it to the Town, for a small Park.
Electric Cars in the Neck District. This sparsely pop- ulated portion of the town had an electric car service in 1896, and for a few succeeding years.
The tracks through Wenham were laid over Essex Street and Rubly Road. This effort was the project of the Com- pany to reach Ipswich by car, the town of Hamilton hav- ing refused permission to lay tracks on its Main Street, the Old Bay Road. The long, circuitous route adopted, was through an undeveloped farming country, and in a few years was abandoned as unprofitable.
SPORTS
Fox-hunting. About the year 1880, there appeared in Wenham, a new sport : the uncultivated fields and pastures, offered to a group of sportsmen from other places, a fair field for their runs. These early days of drag hunting, are thus pleasantly summed up by Judge Robert Grant.1 "Under the conduct of the Myopia Hunt Club, fox hunts after the English pattern engage the attention of a con- siderable number of young and middle aged people during the early autumn months. The beautiful inland country about Wenham, Hamilton and Topsfield, has become a race course for the hunting element, many of whom do not hesitate to risk life and limb to their almost hysterical enjoyment of the transplanted ancient sport."
At first this new sport was looked upon with disdain by the farmers, but the punctiliousness, with which the Club repaired any damage to stone wall, fence or land, won their respect, and some interest.
The Club yearly gave a ball, complimentary to the own- ers of the land, over which were the cross-country runs of the Club. In 1887, Wenham Town Hall was the scene of one of these balls. The account in the Boston Globe gives a vivid picture of this country ball : the long list of invited guests, is an excellent check-list of the people liv- ing in this vicinity at that time.
Polo. A few years after the Myopia Hunt Club be- came established in the Wenham neighborhood, polo was taken up by the members, and offered much interest to the town's people in watching this new and exciting game.
The members leased for some years, the old Camp Land- er field, now Pingree Park : this field offered an excellent level stretch for the game, and drew large groups of specta- tors. "Three afternoons a week during July, August and September, there is opportunity of which many avail them- selves to see the members of the Myopia Hunt Club play polo on the Club grounds in Wenham. This is a favorite meeting ground, to reach it you enjoy a delightful drive,
1 The North Shore of Massachusetts, by Judge Robert Grant.
(102)
1890-SNOW SCENE-MAIN STREET Elm trees planted by Rev. Jeremiah Taylor, 1847-1856
103
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
and while there you are afforded a panorama of the toi- lettes and equipages of the shore, while watching the an- tics of the players."2
Horse-Trotting at Pleasant Pond. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, during the winter season as weather permitted, horse trotting on Pleasant Pond, had ardent local followers.
When Pleasant Pond was frozen a track was cleared, and here, the local people, with a flair for trotting horses, had much sport on the snowy track. N. J. Conrad and Levi Lord were leaders in the Driving Club, composed of members from Wenham and adjoining towns. The races were watched by a good crowd, and offered an interesting winter sport, to lovers of good horses.
2 Early Myopia by Allan Forbes.
SCHOOLS
Perchance the building which the proprietors at Wen- ham Neck, had built for a school house in 1766 had burned or become dilapitated, for again in 1813 there was urgent need of a school building; William Dodge and his wife Joanna deeded1 to Abraham Dodge and the other proprie- tors of the school in the East ward "land for a school building to be occupied for a school house forever, and for no other purpose." This land was 25' 2" x 20' 2", and was on the corner of the Lane (now Walnut Road) and the Manchester Road, and set about twenty five feet from the present Edward H. Osgood farm house.
This new school house was built of red brick, and is described2 by Issacher Lefavour, of Beverly, who taught this school during the winters of 1834, 1835. He de- scribes the building as about nine feet high, and 16 x 25. "The school room itself had three rows of seats on the front side for the boys, with their backs to the street. There were three other rows similarly arranged for the girls, so the boys and girls faced each other ; the rows were elevated toward the back, a step each; the floor space between these rows had a stove at one end and a box desk for the teacher, and a plank against the wall for a visitor. This central aisle was bordered by low benches for the four and five year old children. During the winter, the school was kept fourteen weeks, and seventy one pupils were squeezed into that small space." "The teacher looked back upon these winters with pleasure" and recalls- "the sun shone on these children, morning, noon and afternoon. There were bright boys and girls in that group, who later distinguished themselves in the out side world, and became ministers, doctors, teachers, merchants and public officials." It was the responsibility of the proprietors to secure teachers, who were largely recruited from young men working their way through college, and either skipping a year to earn
1 E. R. D., 203 : 58.
2 W. H. Ms. Col., Vol. 19.
(104)
105
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
money to go on, or getting release from College for a few weeks just before the Spring vacation. 3 A series of bills for the daughters of Andrew Dodge illustrates the scale of tuition.
During the same year that Mr. Lefavour was teaching the seventy one pupils at the Neck, Mr. John Fullonton had an enrollment of eighty-four pupils at the center school, with an average attendance of sixty five. These schools of a hundred years or more ago, showed a much more intimate relationship between pupil, teacher and parent, than exists today. The interest of the masters in their pupils extended over many years,4 even after leaving town. Those pupils who had the inclination and capacity for hard work, received a grounding in the funda- mentals which carried them successfully through College and into their chosen profession, despite the large classes and, crowded conditions.
The list of books prescribed by the school committee to be used in this school of eighty four pupils and one Mas- ter was-Progressive Primers, Cummings spelling book, Old and New Testament, Pierpoints National reader, Walkers dictionary, Olneys Geography, Peter Parleys Geography, three arithmetics, Smiths, Colburns, Emer- sons, Smiths Grammar, Writing books.
The thirteen or fourteen weeks of school conducted by Masters during the winter months, was supplemented by schools privately conducted by women teachers, and the so called "select schools" which were carried on by Masters of the Public School, following the public school period. In 1854, a Mr. C. I. Edwards taught the Public school at the Center, commencing Nov. 28, and ending Feb. 17, 1854. The compensation was forty five dollars a month. He boarded with Rufus Dodge, and with Mr. Judson. Ten days after the Public school closed, Mr. Edwards opened a "Select school" in the room where now is the Public Li- brary. This school continued four weeks and comprised twenty nine of his former pupils in the Public schools.
3 W. H. Ms. Col, Correspondence with Major A. Dodge rela- tive to teaching school at the Neck, Vol. 21.
4 W. H. Ms. Col., Correspondence of Wellington Poole and Mr. Fullonton and Mr. Edwards.
106
Notes on Wenham History, 1643-1943
The receipts were $43.00. The new Town Hall was just completed and thus a room was available for such a school. Mr. Edwards returned in the autumn, and conducted his private school for three months until time for opening the Public schools, which he also taught.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.