Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 101

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America. > Part 101

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Around this structure, upon whose architectural symmetry and proportion I congratulate you, and which, I trust, will long stand as a monment of the wisdom and generons pur- pose of your benefactor ; may there gather, year after year, the faithful representatives of those who gave this town its high character in the beginning, engaged still in the noble work of self-government. And may He who blessed the fathers in their work, bless you also in yours, for the strength of society and the purity and elevation of the State."

Prof. Wyzeman Marshall, of Boston, prefaced the reading of an original poem, written by Harriet Prescott, by appropriate remarks.

Remarks were made by Dr. J. R. Nichols, a native of the town, who spoke approvingly of the new town, and of the good-begun and well- finished work.

Addresses were made by Mr. Brastow, of the governor's council, J. W. Silloway, the architect of the building, the Rev. Mr. Paine, of Somerville, a former pastor of the town ; Patten Sargent, Esq., then 88 years of age, father of the donor, and Wingate P. Sargent, Esq., of Boston.

The edifice is built of briek; in plan, a parallelogram, eighty feet long and forty-eight feet wide, exclusive of tower and wing projection. The architecture is modern Gothie. The principal dressings are of brown Nova Scotia sandstone, the remaining parts being of east-iron and Flemish ornamented briek-work, relieved by Minturn pottery colored tiles. At the rear right-hand corner is a fine public library- room. At the corresponding corner, immediately baek of the main tower, is the selectmen's room, and, connected with it, is a com- modious brick vault or depository for town records. The main en-

trance to " Sargent Hall," which is on the floor above, is through a large tower. The tower is adorned by a well-finished roof-clock, donated to the town by the Hon. Patten Sargent. The hall is hand- somely finished, and will seat six hundred persons. The building accommodates the National Bank, post-office, and a periodical store. Its whole cost was $20,000.

A movement for the establishment of a public library was made at a meeting of the citizens, held Aug. 21, 1876, when they voted unan- imously to accept the offer made by Dr. James R. Nichols, of Boston, to donate one thousand volumes for the formation of a public library. Patten Sargent, J. Austin Laneaster, John S. Poyen, William Chase, James R. Nichols, M. D., and the Rev. William H. Hubbard, were chosen trustees ; the first two named for one year, the next two for one year, the next two for two years, the last named for three years.

On Wednesday evening, May 10, 1877, the public library was formally opened, and dedicated to the use of the citizens of the town. It was made an occasion of much interest, and Sargent Hall was filled for the second time with people intent on giving character as well as a name to Merrimae by the institution of a free library.

The Rev. William H. Hubbard acted as president, and opened the meeting by an exceedingly appropriate address. Dr. J. R. Nichols, the donor of the library, spoke at some length upon the proper books to read. Mayor Jenness, of Haverhill, and the Rev. Dr. Seeley, also addressed the meeting.

The library contains two thousand volumes. It is opened Satur- day and Wednesday afternoon and evening each week. The library- room is very handsomely fitted up and furnished with every con- venienee for the accommodation of the people. The registered number of books taken out shows a high appreciation of the library and a desire to profit therefrom.

The town is divided into two villages. The south part, called Merrimaeport, is located on the bank of the Merrimac River.

The valuation of the town, in 1878, was as follows : Real estate, $683,440 ; personal estate, $433,365; total valuation, $1,116,805. Number of polls, 616; dwelling-houses, 422. Number of property holders, 373; non-resident property-holders, 78. The common schools (seven in number) receive a liberal support, and a watch- ful eare on the part of the citizens; and compare favorably with those of any town in the State.

The churches are five in number,-Congregational, Baptist, and Universalist in Merrimac ; and Baptist and Methodist at Merrimae- port. A post-office is established at each village. The railroad communication is via a branch connection with the Boston and Maine at Newton Junction, N. H.

METHUEN.

In following backward the line of history, for information concern- ing a community and a people, it is of the highest importance to obtain and preserve correct views of the topography of localities, the relations of which have very much to do with the general history and distinguishing characteristics of a people. In tracing the history of the early settlement of this section. even for a brief sketch. as what is now made must of necessity be, the aboriginal inhabitants and their surroundings first enter the vision of thought.

To begin by contemplating this town as once embracing the territory of the city of Lawrenee, which now presents to view a municipality with a population of more than thirty thousand. with its palatial residences, its metropolitan streets, its giant manufactories. with millions of spindles and thousands of operatives, engaged in producing fabrics which eommand the markets of the world. is to begin at the modern end of the line ; and the ancient view, which it is desirable to picture and preserve, is likely to be buried forever from sight by the magnifi- cence of the present, now appearing as the triumph of art and civil- ization over the rudeness of nature.

The "elementary" Methuen, as it existed when the red man was master of the soil, contesting general possession with the beasts of the forest, and local occupancy with warring tribes. is what should be first considered. Long before it was known to the white man. its soil was crimsoned by the blood of that "fighting animal" we call man, by means of which the territory had well-nigh become depopu- lated, and when taken possession of by civilization, only scattering representatives of once powerful tribes of men were to be met with.

This town was embraced in the original grant of the town of Haverhill to John Ward and his associates, by the colonial authority, and conveyed to them by the ancient deed from Passaquo and Sagga- hew, a copy of which is contained in the history of that town. At that time it extended to the Merrimac. and far back into the interior, the locality being known as " moose country." Unlike much land of the valley, the acres bordering upon the river composed a barren plain, while the back land was the strong soil adapted to agriculture, and was covered with a dense forest. The spot now occupied by the great artificial cataract, was known at different points as " Bodwell's Falls " and "Deer Jump," which at certain seasons of the year was. doubtless. easily crossed from rock to rock by the swift-footed and agile animals who visited its brink. It was also a noted place of re- sort, in the fishing season, to capture the finny tribes which gathered there to "take a rest," before ascending the rapids. A little way inland, the wild and dashing Spicket came rushing and foaming over the stony barriers, to its flow, and all united to make the locality sin- gularly wild and picturesque in its landscape features.

It was in February, 1698, that Jonathan Haynes and Samuel Ladd, of West Haverhill, were killed, and their two sons captured by the Indians, on their return from " London Meadow." In the absence of authentie records of settlements at that date upon what is now Methuen, it is generally thought that West Haverhill was at that time the extent of possession by habitation. About 1700, or soon after, however, the tide of settlement began to flow into this section. and in 1712 nine Haverhill citizens, living in that quarter, petitioned the town to abate their rates for the support of the ministry and schools, which was met by a compromise. abating one-half their taxes. It is probable this petition represented all the inhabitants there at that time. In 1722 another petition was presented, asking that this por- tion of the town should be set off as a separate town or parish, but it was not granted. Tax-payers were essential and desirable at that time, and the town did not care to lose them. On the other hand, taxation without enjoying the benefit thereof was offensive. These people were precluded, by distance. from the privileges of public worship and the advantages of the schools ; hence their solicitude to be relieved from the burden of supporting either.

It is evident that the inhabitants were actuated by the general desire, existing at that time, to sustain the institutions of religion, for in 1723.Joshua Swan and twenty-six others petitioned the town of Haverhill to " set off fifty or sixty acres of land south-west of

Bare meadow. together with a piece of land lying on a hill com- monly called Meeting-house Hill, in times past reserved by our fore- fathers for the use of the ministry. might in hard times make a con- venient parsonage, if by the blessing of God the Gospel might so flourish amongst us, and we grow so prosperous as to get able to maintain and carry on the Gospel ministry amongst us." This peti- tion was considered and granted at the succeeding town-meeting, the effect of which was to encourage the people of that section in the hope of being finally established in a separate town.

In the spring of 1724. Lient. Stephen Barker, with others. resid- ing in the western portion of the town of Haverhill, petitioned the General Court for a new town. by setting off that portion of Haver- hill above Hawke's Meadow Brook, which embraced the land down to Deer Jump and Bodwell's Falls, together with all the territory through which conrsed the dashing Spicket River. This was not agreeable to the people of Haverhill, and they appointed Capt. John White as agent to oppose the petition.

In November. of the following year. the inhabitants of this section petitioned the town of Haverhill for a school in their neighborhood, which was granted, and a Mr. Heath employed as the school-master. They were also "allowed ten pounds to pay a minister to preach there. if they got one that year." These acts were designed to be of a conciliatory and paternal nature, with a view to leading them to abandon their attempts to secure a separate town organization. It was too late for results in that direction ; self-reliance. ambition, and interest centred around the movement, and Lieut. Barker, with his associates. pressed the application for a town charter with renewed vigor. and on the 8th of Dceember, 1725. the General Court gave the petitioners an Act of incorporation under the name of Methuen, which name is supposed to have been written into the petition by Gov. Dummer. complimentary to Lord Paul Methuen, privy eoun- cillor to the King, and for years prominent in the English Govern- ment.

The corporate Act creating the new town was as follows :-

" An Act for Dividing the Town of Haverhill and erecting a new Town there, and in parts adjacent, by the name of Methuen.

" Whercas, the west part of the Town of Haverhill, within the county of Essex, and parts adjacent not included within any township, is Competently filled with Inhabi- tants who labor nuder great Difficulties by their remoteness from the Publie Worship. &c., and they having made their application to this Court that they may be set off a dis tinet and separate Town and be vested with all the Powers and Privileges of a Town, Be it therefore enacted by the Lientenant Governor, Council and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same. That the West part of said Town of Haverhill, with land adjoining be. and hereby are set off and constituted a Separate Township by the name of Methnen. the bounds of the said Township to be as follows, viz: Beginning at the month of Hawke's Meadow Brook, so called, in Mer- rimack River, and from thence to run half a point to the northward of the northwest to an heap of stones, or till it intersects Haverhill line ; from thence upon a straight course to the head of Dunstable line, and so upon Draent line abont four miles to a pine sontheast : from thence six miles or thereabonts upon Draent line. Sonth to Mer- rimack River, and from thence to run down said river ten miles and forty poles till it come to the first mentioned bounds. And that the inhabitants of the said lands as before described and bounded, be and hereby are invested with the Powers Privileges and Immunities that the inhabitants of any of the towns of this Province by law are or ought to be vested with.

Provided, That the Inhabitants of the said Town of Methuen, do within the space of Three Years from the publication of this Act. erect and finish a suitable honse for the Public Worship of God. and procure and settle a Learned, Orthodox Minister of good conversation, and make provision for his comfortable and honorable support, and that they set apart a lot of Two Hundred acres of land in some convenient Place in said Town for the use of the ministry, and a lot of fifty acres for the use of a school. And that therenpon they be discharged from any further payments for the maintenance of the ministry in Haverhill. And be it farther enacted by the authority aforesaid That the Inhabitants of the said Town of Methnen be and are hereby empowered to assess all the lands of Non Residents lying within the said town, Two pence per acre toward build- ing the Meeting House, and settling of a Minister there. Provided, nevertheless that there be and hereby is made a Reservation or Saving of the Right and property of the Province Lands (if any there be) within the bounds aforesaid, to this Province."

Following this action. the Court ordered "that Stephen Barker, a principal inhabitant of the Town of Methuen be, and hereby is empowered and directed to notifie and summons the inhabitants of the said town duly qualified for voters, to assemble and meet some- time in the month of March next, to choose town officers according to law to stand for the year."

295

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

" Att our first annual meeting in the town of methuen march ye 9th 1725, 6 Leutanent Stephen Barker was leaguly chosen moderator for ye meeting.

" At the same meeting william whittier was chosen town clark & sworn for ye yer insewing. .

" Att the same meeting selectmen war leagully ehosen for ye year. 1 John Bailey Selectmen sworn to the faithful discharg of 2 Ebenezer Barker the ofies of assessers august ye second

3 Asie Swan

1726 before me William Whittier

town clark.

Att ye same meeting Richard swan is leagully chosen cunstable for the year insewing.

" voted that the cunstable or eoleetor shall be paid one shilling for each twenty shillings of money that he shall colect or gather of the Taxes which shall be laied upon the nonrazedance or peopel which belong to other towns, March ye 9th 1725, 6 the town voated that Thomas silver should be expected to serve cunstable or colector instead of Richard swan for ye year insewing and ye same day thomas silver was sworn to the faithfull discharge of the office of cunstable by the selectmen of methuen. Robert swan is leaguly chosen town treasurer att the same meeting march ye 9 for ye year insewing.

town treasurer sworn. 1 i

sureirs of 2 1 Robert Swan, high ways § 2 Ephraim Clark, 3 Benjamin Stephens, 4 Thomas Masser.

of highwaye surveirs all sworn."

The town of Methuen, when incorporated, included a large part of Salem, N. II., and most likely, a portion of Windham, extending, also, to the Dunstable line. It also embraced a tract of land about a mile and a half wide between the Haverhill line and " Drawcut," which was orginally granted by the General Court to individuals. In the historical sketch of Methuen prepared by Joseph S. Howe, of Methuen, in 1876, it is stated that " An old plan in the county records indicates that Major Denison, who had a grant for 600 acres from the General Court, in 1660, owned more than a thousand acres on the river, above the Haverhill line, including what is now the Bartlett farm and lands south and west. West of that was Col. Higginson's farm of over three hundred acres. A little north of these was Mar- shall Michelson's tract of three hundred acres. Peter Green had three hundred acres lying on each side of the brook which runs from " White's pond,' then called North pond."

The boundaries of this town remained as indicated by the Act of incorporation till the disputed boundary between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was settled. That question was decided by the King's Council in 1740, and promulgated in 1741, by which it was decreed that the northern boundary of the Province of Massachusetts Bay " is and be a similar curved line pursueing the curve of Merrimack River at three miles distance, on the north side thereof, and beginning at the Atlantic Ocean."

The changes which have recently taken place in the manufacturing interests, and the surprising increase in population, far overcap every- thing which the most sanguine had anticipated, and the continued development of manufacturing facilities, attended by a constant increase of population, mark this town as one of the most enterprising and thrifty in the Commonwealth. It is a remarkable fact, however, that the farming portion of the town has had very little inerease in popu- lation, if any, since 1820, when the whole population was 1,371, and in 1875 the entire population was 4,205, of which 3,000 were inhab- itants of Methuen village.

Unfortunately, at the outset, a bitter quarrel sprang up concerning the location of the meeting-house. On the 28th of May, 1726, a meeting was called to " prefix " a place whereon to build a meeting- house. The dispute waxed hot, meeting after meeting was held, votes to provide labor were carried and reconsidered, but the majority finally prevailed, and the new meeting-house was raised and boarded on " Powder-House Hill." The minority were determined not to be beaten, and petitioned the General Court to reverse the popular decision. The committee appointed by the Court to visit the place, concluded that the parsonage lot " was the properest place for the meeting-house to stand," so the minority were victorious, and in May, 1727, the town voted to remove the frame to the " place where the Court ordered it should stand."

The town records show that the Sunday services, as well as the town-meetings, were held at the house of Asie Swan until the meet- ing-house was ready for occupancy. Asie Swan seems to have been a man " prominent in those days," and his house is said to have been

situated a little east of Prospect Hill. The meeting-house was "forty feet long, thirty feet wide, and twenty feet stud." There was but one pew, and that for the minister's family, the congregation being generally scated on benches. There were no means of heating the house in cold weather, until within the recollection of persons now living, and in the cold winter mornings the humble worshippers must have needed a fiery discourse to make them comfortable. It is said that there was a tavern in those days on the " Frye place," to which the meeting-goers usually resorted at noon, where they found a kettle of hot water ready, and plenty of spiritual comfort, less etherial than that which they received within the sacred edificc.

After settling the question of the locality of the meeting-house, and erecting the same, the next business was to settle a minister, and this was the work of the town-meeting. In 1729, a committee was chosen to " Discourse with Rev. Christopher Sargent in order to his settlement with us in the work of the ministry." There was much discussion of terms between the prospective pastor and people, which resulted in a final vote "to settle him at a salary of £80 a year, for four years, and then £100 a year so long as he should continue to be their minister."

The Rev. Sylvester Pierce was afterwards the Orthodox minister of the society, who was succeeded by the Rev. John C. Phillips, brother of Wendell Phillips, and a very popular, liberal, and broad-minded man, of the Congregational order, who was the pastor for nearly twenty years. The Rev. T. G. Grassie was also a pastor of the society. The last pastor was the Rev. Lyman H. Blake. There is now no pastor settled over the society.

In 1774, an unsuccessful attempt was made for a division of the town, the inhabitants of the westerly portion petitioning to be set off and united with the easterly portion of Draeut, the dominant idea being " so that both the above said towns may be better aceouimodated to attend upon public worship."

The ancient usage of supporting the church and the minister by a town tax was destined to have an end, and in 1778, appears the last town record of such an appropriation. "The 'athadoxt' meeting-house was first built on Meeting-House Hill, near to which was laid out the first burying-ground, as was the custom in those days, and was the only place of public worship for nearly fifty years. In 1796, the old house was torn down and a new one built on the same spot. The erection of this house excited much interest throughout the town, and it is a peculiar fact, illustrative of the habits of the time, that it was voted, 'That the spectators be given a drink of grog apiece at the raising.'

With the growth of the village around Spicket Falls, Meeting- House Hill ceased to be a common centre, and, to better accommo- date the majority, the meeting-house was removed in 1832 to the site now occupied by the stone church. It served for the purposes of worship until 1855, when it was torn down and the present stone structure erected in its place.

In 1766, a new church organization appeared, with the Rev. Eliphaz Chapman as its pastor. Soon after, the "Second Parish " was incorporated by the Legislature, and every taxable person in town assessed for the support of the minister, paying the tax to the parish instead of the town. This meeting-house was first located near the residence of Leonard Wheeler, but was afterwards placed near the house of Stephen W. Williams, whenee it was removed to Law- rence, and subsequently burnt. This parish had an existence of nearly half a century, when it beeame absorbed in the First Parish. In 1830, it was again organized, but was afterwards united with the First Parish again, and at present there is but one Congregational church in the town.

The next oldest church is the Baptist, the germ of which made its appearance when the "Separatist " movement came to the surface.

Following the advance of more liberal religious opinions came the organization of a Universalist church and society, in 1824, which has had considerable prosperity. The congregation first worshipped in " Wilson's Building," after which a meeting-house was built, which within a few years has been remodelled and improved in appearance and accommodations for religious worship. Among the ministers of ability who have been connected with this society, the Rev A. A. Miner, D.D, is prominent, having sinee been the pastor of the School Street Society in Boston, and til! recently the president of Tufts Col- lege.

The Methodists organized a society here about the year 1834, experiencing varied success till 1871, when they built a meeting-house at the junction of Lowell and Pelham streets, from which time they have been crowned with increasing prosperity. A Catholie congre-

4 Daniel Bodwel

5 Thomas Whittier J

296

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

gation has worshipped in the town hall for a year, but no church has yet been projected.

An Episcopal church was formed in Methuen as early as 1833, which did not long exist as an active organization. Within the past year a new organization has been effected, and a new church erceted near the boundary line between this town and the city of Lawrence. It is believed the locality will unite persons interested in this form of worship residing in the two communities, thereby attaining success in establishing a permanent ministry. The organization is what is termed " High Church."

Immediately connected with the provisions for establishing and maintaining public worship in the early settlement of the town, was a proper regard for the cause of education.

In the beginning, schools were few and of short duration, and the teaching limited chiefly to reading and writing, with attention to arithmetic if the pupils desired. Grammar was little taught, and in many communities it was regarded as a useless study. To be able to read, thereby being able to become possessed of the thoughts and opinions of others, and, in turn, to communicate thoughts and opinions to others by writing, were regarded as the most desirable, practical attainments of the majority, and with the limited facilities for instruc- tion, confinement to this limited " course" of study most certainly had its practical advantages. It may be reasonably supposed there was very little " cramming," or over-study, in the days of the fathers.

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Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 101

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett Number of Pages: 450

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450