USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lawrence > Semi-centennial history of Lawrence, Mass.; with portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens of Lawrence and Essex County, together with views of Lawrence & vicinity > Part 2
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COL. WILLIAM A. GASTON.
LAWRENCE has a warm place in its heart and always ten- ters a hearty welcome to that true son of the old Bay State, Col. William A. Gaston, who was the democractic candidate for governor last fall, and son of the first democratic govern- or of Massachusetts.
Col. Gaston, who is a leader in the Suffolk County Bar and a jurist of wide repute, was a class-mate of President Roosevelt and the late ex-Gov. W. E. Russell, and served on the latter's staff. His friends are confident of his elec- tion this fall.
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mon. The work done on the Common was principally un- der the direction of Gen. Henry K. Oliver, then agent of the Atlantic mills, and who was mayor of the city in 1859.
The Essex Company also reserved several other tracts of land in various parts of the city, which they have from time to time given to the city, and which are now under the control of the Park Commission. Altogether the park system of Lawrence exceeds 130 acres.
The town having voted in 1848 to build a town hall, the selection of a site for its location was the cause of much dis- sension among the voters. After having voted to accept and reject several sites the present location was deter- mined upon. The sum of $40,000 was appropriated for its erection, and a committee consisting of Hezekiah Plum- mer, William M. Kimball, Charles Bean, Charles H. Bige- low and Joseph M. Stone was appointed to have charge of its construction. The committee selected Mr. Bean to act as their agent, and so faithfully did he perform his duty that the building was completed and furnished within the limits of the amount appropriated. It was dedicated with ap- propriate exercises December 10, 1849, and on the evening of February 1, 1850, a grand ball was held in the hall. Dancing began at 7.30 o'clock, with music by Kendall's band. The tickets were $3.50, and the committee of arrangements included the principal citizens of the town. In its early days both the Police Court and the Court of Common Pleas were held in the hall. The eagle upon the top of the tower was made by John M. Smith, one of the selectmen and as- sessors for the year 1848. Its beak is 156 feet above the sidewalk.
There were three district schoolhouses within the limits of the new town, where schools had formerly been kept for short terms during summer and winter. One was on Ha- verhill Street, Tower Hill, one at the corner of East Haver- hill and Prospect Streets, and the other on Andover Street near the Turnpike, South Lawrence. In 1846 the Essex Company had erected a schoolhouse on Haverhill Street, near where the First Methodist Church now stands, to ac- commodate the children of the newcomers, and on Nov.
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BEACH SOAP COMPANY.
THE BEACH SOAP COMPANY is a Massachusetts Corporation en- gaged in the manufacture of soaps and soap powders. It also manu- factures much of its raw material and incidentally is a producer of glycerine and many other import- ant by-products. The business was established at Dover, N. H., in 1828, by L. Beach, Sr. Operations were commenced in Lawrence in 1845. In 1848 the late Lurandus Beach, Jr., entered into partnership with his father. In 1876 L. Beach, Sr., retired and Lurandus Beach, Jr., conducted the business as pro- prietor for many years.
LURANDUS BEACH, JR.
The Beach Soap Company was incorporated i11 1897. Its business has constantly increased, requiring frequent addi- tions to its plant. At the present time the demand for its World Soap and Soap Powders exceeds the capacity of its factory and arrangements are being made to materially increase its manufacturing facilities. Its present officers are Irving E. Beach, President, William E. Philbrick, Secretary and Treas- urer, and Fred A. Sylvester, Superintendent. L. Beach, Sr., was born at Torrington, Conn., in 1803. When a young man he moved to Dover, N. H., and later, in 1848, came to Law- rence, where he continued to reside until his death in 1883.
Lurandus Beach, Jr., was born at Dover, N. H., in 1832, and removed to Lawrence in 1845. He was a director in the Bay State National Bank, prominent in the Methodist Church, one of the founders of the local Y. M. C. A., and was interest- ed in benevolent and charitable enterprises. He conducted his business along sound and conservative lines and was more than ordinarily success- ful. Mr. Beach's death oc- curred at his summer home at Hampton Beach Aug. 2, 1900. His widow resides at 149 Hav- erhill street.
Irving E. Beach was born in this city in 1871. Was edu- cated in the schools of Law- rence and at the Mass. Insti- tute of Technology. Graduat- ing in 1894, he spent the sum- mier in European travel and immediately after entered busi- ness. Mr. Beach married Miss Ida F. Bass of this city. He has one child and resides at 61 Thorndike street.
IRVING E. BEACH.
7th, a school was opened with Nathaniel Ambrose as the teacher. Twenty-five pupils appeared the first day, and the number soon increased to over one hundred.
Upon the organization of the new town school committee they found plenty of work for their hands and their heads to do, and they went at it nobly. A system of schools. founded upon the most advanced theories of education was. inaugurated. Hon. Horace Mann, then acknowledged to be one of the most experienced educators of the day, gave much sound advice, which was carefully followed by the school committees of the town. The schools were graded to primary, middle, grammar and high departments; and so well were the plans laid out that but little change in the system has been required to the present time. New school houses were built and new teachers employed. Grammar- schools were opened in 1848 on both sides of the river, and in March, 1849, the high school was opened with sixteen pupils. Mr. T. W. T. Curtis was the first principal. As the city has grown, the schools and schoolhouses have kept pace; and to-day there are thirty or more finely equipped school buildings, with about 9.000 pupils and 270 teachers. The above figures do not include the free evening schools, which are open during the winter months, and are under the. control of the school cimmittee, nor the parochial schools under the direction of the Catholic churches, in which there- are about 2,800 pupils. The new high school building which: was completed two years ago is an ornament to the city, and would be a credit to any municipality. It will accomo- date about 800 pupils. There are at present 550 pupils, and the new year in September will open with amout 625 pupils.
During the first years of the town most of the religious: denominations organized societies and churches and erected either temporary or permanent church buildings. The Es- sex Company donated lots for many of the churches. The. first sermon was preached to the newcomers by a Free- will Baptist clergyman at boarding house No. I on the Turnpike, early in April, 1846. In June the Methodists held a service in boarding house No. 5. and others followed in rapid succession. The Congregationalists organized the first
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THE LATE EX-MAYOR EATON.
THE LATE JAMES H. EATON was born at Candia, N. H., and spent his early life upon the farm, or in the shoe or blacksmith shops. Subsequently he attended the Pembroke Academy for two years, then entered and graduated from the Bridgewater Normal School in 1856. He taught in the Oliver Grammar School for nine years and one term, during a part of which time he read law in the office of N. G. White. On the 15th of May, 1865 he commenced work in the Essex Sav- ings Bank, and was its treasurer until his death, which oc- curred on March 2211d, 1901. He was a member of the Com- mon Council in 1866-7 and of the Board of Aldermien in 1869. In '98 and '99 he was elected Mayor and gave Lawrence a brilliant administration. He was a trustee of the Boston Homopathic Hospital, the White Fund and the Public Li- brary, also a director of the Bay State National Bank and tlie Winthrop National Bank of Boston.
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society June 12, 1846, which later built the church on Law- rence Street. The Episcopalians erected the first church at the corner of Jackson and Common Streets, and the first service was held in it Oct. 14, 1846. Rev. George Packard was rector of this church from its organization until his death in 1876. He was prominent in all religious and edu- cational affairs of the town and city. The Roman Catholics are said to have held services here as early as April, 1846. Their first church was erected on Chestnut Street where the Church of the Immaculate Conception now stands. They have at present six large churches. There are altogether in Lawrence over thirty flourishing churches, besides sev- eral missions. Three large church edifices will be erected the present year.
As the business affairs of the town increased the need of banking facilities began to be felt, and in 1847 the Bay State Bank was organized under the state laws then in force. It erected a building and began business at the north- east corner of Essex and Lawrence Streets, where it is still located. The first board of directors consisted of Samuel Lawrence, William G. Lambert, John Tenney, Joseph W. Carleton, Charles H. Bigelow, Caleb M. Marvel and Charles S. Storrow, with Mr. Storrow as president. Nathaniel White, who had been cashier of a bank at Amesbury, was selected as cashier for the new bank, and proved to be a wise and sagacious financier. With no competition the business of the bank grew rapidly, and foundations of strength and prosperity were laid which have continued to the present time.
The Essex Savings Bank was organized, and began busi- ness October 7, 1847, with Charles S. Storrow as president and Nathaniel White as treasurer. Its business was trans- acted for many years in the same building with the Bay State Bank, but in 1875 it erected a new building of its own on the opposite side of Essex Street, where it is located at the present time. The first deposit was made by Lucretia B. Stowe on the above date, and thirteen days passed before another depositor appeared. The business of this bank has been very prosperous, it being reckoned as one of the
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)
ALBERT I. COUCH.
ALBERT I. COUCH was born at Webster, N. H., July 12, 1867. He removed to Lawrence when five years of age and attended the public schools of this city, graduating from the High School in the class of '85. He immediately entered the employ of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company (later absorbed by the Gas Company) as book-keeper and collector, where he remained about four years. In 1889 Mr. Couch ac- cepted a clerkship in the Essex Savings Bank, under its late treasurer, Hon. James H. Eaton. Here he rose to the posi- tion of Receiving Teller, which he held until April, 1901, when he became Treasurer of the Lawrence Savings Bank. In Sep- tember, 1902, Mr. Couch was elected Treasurer of the Essex Savings Bank to succeed Mr. Joseph Shattuck, Jr., who re- signed to accept a similar position in a larger institution in Springfield.
Mr. Couch has never held a political office, and is not a. member of any of the secret societies. His special diversion is music, and he has been for some years organist at the Law- rence Street Congregational Church, of which he is a member ..
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strongest in the state, and ranking thirteenth in amount of deposits.
In 1854 the Pemberton Bank was organized under the state laws, and was located at the corner of Essex and Pemberton Streets, in the rooms now occupied by Z. T. Merrill. Levi Sprague was president, and Samuel C. Wood- ward was cashier. The national banking law of the United States went into effect in 1865, and the Bay State and Pem- berton Banks were reorganized under that law.
The Lawrence National Bank was organized in 1872, with Dr. Alfred J. French as president and Prescott G. Pills- bury as cashier. It secured rooms in Brechlin Block, at the corner of Essex Street and Broadway. It has since pur- chased the entire block, which it now owns. In 1877 the Pa- cific National Bank was organized and occupied rooms in Saunders Block, at the corner of Essex and Appleton Street. Dr. James H. Kidder was chosen president, and William H. Jacquith, who had been cashier of the National Pember- ton Bank for several years, was selected as cashier of this bank. The Pacific was the first bank to locate on the first or ground floor, but in later years the other banks have fol- lowed the example set by the Pacific.
In 1889 the Merchants' National Bank, and in 1890 the Arlington National Bank were organized and commenced business. The former, with James R. Simpson as presi- dent and Denman Blanchard as cashier, was located in a building of its own on Essex Street, nearly opposite Pem- berton Street: while the Arlington secured rooms at the northwest corner of Essex and Lawrence Streets. William S. Jewett was its first president and Albert E. Butler the cashier. In 1892 the National Pemberton Bank went into voluntary liquidation. The other five are still in business, and all are in a prosperous condition.
It was not until 1870 that a second Savings Bank was organized in Lawrence. In that year the Lawrence Savings Bank, with Milton Bonney as president and William R. Spalding as treasurer, began business. Two years later the Broadway Savings Bank, with John Fallon as president and James Payne as treasurer, opened for the receipt of deposits.
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ALDERMAN SIMEON VIGER.
ALDERMAN SIMEON VIGER, representing ward five in the city government, is a native of Quebec, Canada. He came to Lawrence in 1877, and has been very successful in his profes- sion. Mr. Viger is the senior member of the firm of S. Viger & Company, druggists, having three stores, one at 66 Hamp- shire street, 39 Franklin, corner of Common street, and 84 South Broadway.
Representing the French Americans of Lawrence, the alderman is highly respected and ever the champion of their rights.
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The Savings Banks of Lawrence have been very successful. The total deposits of the three banks is about $13,500,000, a strong indication that the working people of Lawrence are a saving as well as an industrious class. Three Co-operative Banks, the Lawrence, the Atlantic, and the Merrimack, have been organized under the laws of the state, and are doing a successful business on their plan of operations.
The new town having completed its organization in due and legal form, proceeded to grow with all its might. The mills which had been erected. when filled with machinery and ready to run, needed men, women and children to ope- rate them, and the necessary supply was forthcoming in abundance. The increase in population was so rapid that in six years it exceeded 12,000 in number; and it was de- cided to change the form of government from that of a town to that of a city. A city charter was granted by the Legislature, and approved by the Governor March 21, 1853, and it was accepted by the people at an election held March 29th, the vote being yeas, 659; nays, 143. The first elec- tion for city officers was held April 18th. A majority of votes was then required for an election, and no choice was made for mayor. A second election was held with the same result. At a third election Charles S. Storrow was elected by thirty-five majority. On May 10, 1853, the newly-elected city government was duly inaugurated. The following named gentlemen composed the first city government :- Hon. Charles S. Storrow was mayor; George D. Cabot, ward I, Edward B. Herrick, ward 2, Alvah Bennett, ward 3, Albert Warren, ward 4, Warker Flanders, ward 5, and Samuel S. Valpey, ward 6 were the aldermen; John T. Loring, William B. Gallison, James H. Harding for ward I; Jackson Gordon, William R. Spalding, Abner N. Whit- taker for ward 2; Josiah Osgood (president), Nathaniel G. White, Elisha Winch for ward 3; Dana Sargent, Edwin L. Gowen, Isaac K. Gage for ward 4; Elkanah F. Bean, El- bridge Weston, Daniel Hardy for ward 5; William L. Tay- lor, James Stevens, John Lear for ward 6, were the com- mon councilmen. George W. Benson was elected city clerk, and Benjamin Bordman was clerk of the common
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DR. JOHN J. MCAVOY.
DR. JOHN J. MCAVOY, former City Physician, is a native of this city, and graduated from its public schools before entering college in pursuit of a medical career. He graduated from Villanova, and entered St. Sulpice College of Montreal, Canada ; from there to the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, where he earned his diploma in March, 1895. He is an alumni of New York University and Bellevue Medical College, and a graduate of the N. Y. Maternity Hospital. Returning to Lawrence, he commenced the practice of his profession, and has been highly suc- cessful. For four years he was ward physician, and in 1900 was appointed City Physician by Mayor Leonard, which position he filled with marked ability until May first of this year. Dr. McAvoy is popular in many so- cieties. He is a member of Div. I, A. O. H., American Order of Foresters, of St. Mary's Council Knights of Columbus, and the Galen Medical Society of this city.
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council. Mr. Storrow is the only survivor of this govern- ment. He is now living in Boston at the advanced age of ninety-four years.
The new city started out with prospects exceedingly bright, and everything seemed to indicate a very prosper- ous future, with a rapid and continuous increase in the population and valuation of the city. Such proved to be the case until 1857, when the great financial crisis swept over the country, and brought disaster to Lawrence as to many other places. The Bay State Mills failed and were obliged to suspend operations and close the mills. They remained idle until 1859, when they were started up by a new company and known as the Washington Mills. They continued in operation until 1885, when they were again obliged to close. The following year they were bought by Mr. Frederick Ayer of Lowell, who formed a new com- pany, and soon commenced work. One of the mills was destroyed by fire in 1887, and the others were soon torn down, and an entirely new set of modern mills erected. These mills are now a part of the great American Woolen Company, and manufacture men's wear and worsted yarns.
The Lawrence Machine Shop was also obliged to sus- pend work and go out of business. As has been before stated, the buildings and land occupied by the Machine Shop were purchased by the Everett Mills Company in 1850, and changed to cotton mills. The loss of the machine shop with its large number of skilled mechanics was a severe blow to Lawrence, from which it did not recover for a long time. Many smaller industries were obliged to suspend for a while or go out of business entirely. The effects of this depression in business affairs in Lawrence were so severe that, in the five years from 1855 to 1860, the population of the city only increased 1,525, and the assessed valuation in- creased only $630,000.
One of the resulting incidents of the crisis of 1857 has proved a blessing, from which Lawrence, as well as the rest of the country, has derived much benefit. This was the in- vention of the steam fire engine, which has revolutionized the fire departments of the country, and has helped so much
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GEORGE L. BLACK, M. D.
DR. GEORGE L. BLACK, the city physician of Lawrence, is a native of Lewiston, Maine, but a graduate of our public schools. He entered N. Y. University and Bellevue, gradu- ating in '99, and is also a graduate from the Mothers and Babes Hospital in New York, and from St. John's Hospital, Lowell, in 1900. He then traveled abroad, studying in the old world medical colleges of London and Vienna for over a year, being interne surgeon in Franz Joseph Hospital for women in Vienna.
He has, since 1901, established a lucrative practice here, and is also surgeon to the Women's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Black is a member of the Anglo Saxon Surgical Association, Mass. Medical Society, Galen Medical Society, Lawrence Council, K. of C., and Court Montgomery, O. of F. His resi- idence is at 177 Bailey street.
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in the extinguishment of fires. A large number of me- chanics who had been thrown out of employment by the general depression in business, turned their attention to the application of steam for the running of fire engines. Among these were two young men of Lawrence who had been employed at the Lawrence Machine Shops, Messrs. Thomas Scott and Nehemiah S. Bean. During the winter of 1857-8 they built a steam fire engine here in Lawrence, which was not only the first one to be built here in New England, but proved to be one of the most successful ma- chines then made. It was pronounced by skilled mechanics of the day to be a fine piece of workmanship, and it also withstood the severest tests, which was very gratifying to the builders, as neither of them had ever seen an engine of the kind before.
At a public exhibition given at the canal near the shop it drafted water direct from the canal and pumped four streams into the four hand-engines of the city, which were unable to discharge the water received for more than a few minutes at a time without being "washed." After a severe test trial in Boston, in which a variety of machines con- tested, the Lawrence engine was purchased by the city of Boston, under a contract that the builders should man and run the engine for one year. The city of Boston paid $5.000 for the engine, naming it the "Lawrence, No. 7;" and it was located in Purchase Street, where it did excellent service for several years. Mr. Scott went with the engine as engineer, and stayed with it for the year of contract. Mr. Bean left Lawrence soon after, and went to the Amoskeag Works at Manchester, N. H., and commenced the manu- facture of steam fire engines, built after the pattern of the Lawrence. The Amoskeag engines are acknowledged to be among the best that are made. Mr. Scott is still a val- ued citizen of Lawrence.
With the outbreak of the war of the rebellion business affairs took a brighter turn for Lawrence, and before the war was over, the city was on the flood tide of prosperity again. It was near the close of the war when the Arling- ton Mills were incorporated, starting with a capital at first
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DR. JOHN J. LAWLOR.
AMONG the successful and young physicians of Lawrence is Dr. John J. Lawlor, a native of this city and graduate of our public schools. He attended the Lyola and Baltimore Medical Colleges from which he received his diplomas, and enjoys a lucrative practice in Lawrence and its suburbs.
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of $200,000, but increasing from time to time until it is now $3,000,000. These mills are situated upon the Spicket river, and, unlike the other large mills of the city, are run by steam power entirely. They manufacture ladies' worsted dress goods and fine worsted and cotton yarns. They have been a leading factor in the building up of the territory between Lawrence and Methuen.
The manufacture of paper is also one of the large indus- tries of Lawrence. As early as 1826 Adolphus Durant came to Methuen and operated a paper mill on the Spicket river just below East Haverhill Street. After Lawrence became a city, William Russell came here and began the manu- facture of paper near the lower end of the canal. Samuel S. Crocker also had a paper mill near the Russell's, which he sold to Salmon W. Wilder, and which was later con- solidated with the Russell mills, and the Russell Paper Company was incorporated, with William A. Russell at its head. Mr. Russell was also connected with other paper mills, and was said to be the largest paper manufacturer in the world. The Russell mills were absorbed in the Inter- national Paper Company, but recently their mills in this city were transferred to the Champion International Com- pany, who have made large additions to the plant. The Monroe Felt and Paper Company and the Merrimack Paper Company have large paper mills located on the South Canal. The paper upon which this book is printed was made at the Merrimack Paper Company's mills.
Many other and varied industries have been introduced into Lawrence in more recent years. Lack of space pre- vents the mention by name of many which are to-day help- ing to make Lawrence a prosperous city.
It has always been a source of pleasure and pride to the citizens of Lawrence to recall the honorable and patri- otic stand which was taken and maintained by the people of all classes of this city, in the dark days of trial and dan- ger, when the life of the nation was at stake; and the noble response which the city made to all of the calls for soldiers, and for their support and that of their families.
During the earlier years of the town and of the city,
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M. O'MAHONEY,
PIONEER CONTRACTOR AND WOOD AND COAL DEALER.
THE HISTORY OF LAWRENCE would be incomplete without a portrait of its pioneer wood and coal dealer and contractor, who, when Superintendent of Streets, built the finest roadbeds of Lawrence
Twenty-nine years ago he commenced business, and has by strict attention to the needs of his patrons made a reputa- tion that will live as long as Lawrence endures.
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