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 141
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The privilege of the iron-works was not exhausted by the Pranker enterprise ; which, indeed, in its very beginning, only appropriated a part of the water, or of the fall. Lower down, almost where the fur- naces had stood, was a short, quick descent, of which no use was being made. In 1810 this spot was furnished with a dam, by the enterprise of Joseph Emes, and a building erected for morocco-finishing. In 1813, Robert Emes, brother of Joseph, joined him ; and they added a grist-mill. By 1817 business had changed, and the grist-mill was put to grinding dye-woods. These branches variously continued till 1834, when James Brierly leased the brick factory, and started the shoddy business. But, in 1847, the whole was burned, and Joseph Emes (Robert having been gone some time) sold the property to Francis Scott, of Salem, who devoted it at once to the making of flannels. At length he died; and his son, Andrew A. Scott, succeeded to the property, and has succeeded in keeping it in successful operation up to this time. These two industries have built up the village of Saugus Centre.
The East Village had a different origin ; which, however, it owes to
the river and its efficient power. We have alluded to the tide-mill of
Cheever & Merriam, sold to Joseph Gould in 1738. He, and his widow after him, kept up the business here : which consisted partly in grinding grain, and partly in making snuff (chocolate, also, say some, but this is doubtful). But the widow let it go to disuse from 1785 to 1792, when it was sold to George Makepeace ; who refitted the mills, but soon sold to Jona. Makepeace, his nephew. He certainly began the chocolate business, if no one had before, and added many other branches, till it was a place of great activity. At last, in 1805, the property was leased to Amariah Childs, who afterwards bought the title, in 1812. He kept up the business, specially in chocolate, till, in 1840, he leased the whole to Benjamin F. Newhall, and in 1844 sold it out to Charles Sweetser. This gentleman made remarkable improvements, particularly in snuff-making ; but gave up the chocolate trade as unprofitable. In its place he commenced the roasting and grinding of coffee, then almost a new branch of industry ; and also the grinding and packing of spices, in which a large reputation was speed- ily obtained. The premises afterwards were leased to Herbert B. Newhall, who still carries them on with energy.
Another tide-mill has been alluded to, further down the river. It is situated on the west bank, at " Fox Hill Creek," a little north of the Salem Turnpike. The tide here fills a large extent of open creeks and broad ditches, so that a heavy body of water is available for power at low-water. This mill was built, in 1852, by Benjamin F. Newhall ; and subsequently passed to his son, Herbert B. Newhall. by whom it is still operated. No business is done here, save the grinding of grain ; yet this trade is heavy, and proves to be profitable, adding much to the prosperity of East Saugus.
The village is, however, greatly indebted to the shoe manufacture for its advancement. This was begun here by Ebenezer Oakman, in 1800. It must be allowed that the operations of this gentleman were hardly in Saugus, as we now reckon boundaries; yet their influence was felt nowhere else so much. He located just on the cast of the " Great Bridge," and carried on business very successfully till 1818, when he removed to Philadelphia, and the business was not kept up by any one. His whole property was finally bought up by Thomas Raddin, Jr., about 1825. This gentleman, with his two brothers, George W. Raddin and Sewell Raddin, and two or three others, revived the shoe business, and gave it a new vigor, which it has never lost since. It has remained a standing industry of this village, and a large share of the wealthiest men here to-day have gained their reward from its prosecution.
The third village in importance is now known as "Cliftondale," but formerly as "Sweetser's Corners." It is reached by following Boston Street westward from East Sangus about a mile and a half; and the two villages are wholly out of each other's sight, though well settled between. This prosperous little place owes its being almost wholly to the business in cigars, snuff, and tobacco, which was set up there by Samuel Copp about 1807. He relinquished to Charles Sweetser in 1820 ; and he, in turn, transferred to his sons, many years ago. The business still goes on, being followed as well by very many other par- ties in the same village. The profitable character of this trade has enriched the little community, and Cliftondale is one of the most prosperous divisions of the town. It may be mentioned that here is found a very beautiful country-seat that once belonged to Jacob Eustis, - a brother of the governor of that name, and in which that dignitary sometimes resided.
One of the first settlers of, Lynn was Adam Hawkes. He located in 1630 on the upper lands near Sangus River, and died there in 1671. The natural increase of his own posterity, who were numerous and remained near home, would have tended to the production of a small village ; but, beside this, the discovery was made that under his cool meadow lands lay immense deposits of bog-iron ore. From this at once followed the digging and removing of this for the furnaces at " Hammersmith," as the iron-works were then called. This lasted for a considerable time ; and thus the "North Village " came to be a great deal better known than would otherwise have been the case. And thus was obtained the nucleus and beginning of a tolerable little settlement.
But, as already mentioned, there are eligible spots for water-power on the upper part of the river. Most of these are close to this village, and whatever influence has flowed from them has fallen mostly upon it. One experiment was tried here in 1814 for a linen factory, under Joseph R. Newhall and Amos Binney, of Boston. They tried the making of sail-cloth, but failed in about a year. In 1816, Joel Fox sought to revive the concern, with the making of shoe-thread ; but, after struggling three years, gave up. The same year (1816), Nathaniel
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Perry selected another spot, and tried linen again, but with no success. This was on a tributary stream. At the same time, Clark & Howlet commenced the snuff business on the other stream ; and, as Perry soon failed, they presently bought his whole interest, consolidated the priv- ilege, and ran it for about two years, when the place was given up in its turn. Again. in 1820, Clark, being alone, fitted np again for a grist and chocolate mill, ran it three years ; and then it was again given up. everything removed, and the place forgot its wonted activity.
Meanwhile a different enterprise had sought a location at a point still more to the north. Dr. John Hart and others had been incor- porated in 1812, as the "Lynn Wire & Screw Company." They built a factory, and ran well till the peace of 1815. which paralyzed them as well as others ; and they gave up, after a fruitless effort to make nails instead of screws. Finally, in 1819, John Clark, whose name seems to attach to all the thrift of the village. having quitted the lower priv- ilege, bought np this idle property, and put in his snuff and tobacco machinery. The business was in charge of James Howlet, whose son, John Howlet, at last bought the premises, and, for a long time, did a very good business. More recently, we believe, the manufacture of some light wood-work has been also pursued here, with fair snc- cess.
The fourth, or North Village, connected with the industries just de- scribed, is a very charming little country place, rather more isolated than any of the others, yet well provided with lines of public commu- nication. The Newburyport Turnpike passes directly through it, in- tersecting the county road from Lynn to Wakefield, aud Lynnfield near the thickest portion. At present, the business is almost wholly agricultural ; and, in fact, this industry has probably been the support of the village always, manufacturers being too uncertain for much re- liance. But the beautiful open lands of the " North Ward," or " Flower End." always seemed, and, indeed proved, to be the real treasury of the villagers ; and they always guarded them with jealous care from the intrusions of the factory people at the Centre. In the days of the iron works, they were terrified by the burning. of their forests for charcoal, and the trenching of their meadows for ore; in later days, they were disturbed by the flowing of their intervales for mill-pouds, and the incursions of a lawless population on their fields and orchards. At all times they were ready to give battle, and hence the standing of any manufactory was notably insecure anywhere on Saugus River above tide-water.
The remaining village of the five, best known as the " West Ward," has none of the antecedents that have given note to its sister settle- ments. It is more scattered than either of the others ; being made up of separated homesteads, along the northerly road to Melrose, and the road leading to Wakefield and Stoneham, through the narrow. rocky passage called the " Straits." Communication with any but the Cen- tre Village is not easy ; and this is by a mile, nearly. of very unat- tractive way, leading partly through swamps, and the rest beside forbidding, edgy pastures. There is an old road, little travelled, leading to the North Villages ; but few of those who visit " Oakland Vale," as this West Village is often called, care to pursue or explore it. The existence of this little sequestered community on this spot is due to a tract of fine intervale that borders the copious stream of Cranberry Brook ; and hence we do not look here for manufactures, but only for husbandry and those who pursue it. Yet there is as much artistic improvement visible here as anywhere in the town. A pretty large farm here was purchased by Brooks and Saunders, of Boston, in 1847, and not only adorned with two or three elegant residences, but cleared up. laid out. and replanted in the most attractive style of land- scape gardening. The above-named brook winds beautifully through the whole, among lawns. gardens, and shrubberies ; and the whole pic- ture suggests the possibility of an abode of happiness, such as, sad to say, is rarely or never to be realized in this life.
The varions manufactures along their beautiful stream do not pre-
vent the people of Saugus from the pursuit of agriculture, with a de- votion established by years. Market-gardening is profitably followed, chiefly at Cliftondale ; milk is a favorite product all over the town ; orcharding is good. and hay is abundant; while poultry-raising is more approved than in most towns beside. There are. indeed. some mechanical pursuits not yet alluded to : as, for instance, the cleaning and dressing of hair, by Enoch T. Kent, at a factory on Shute's Brook ; and the extensive manufacture of bricks, by Frederick Stocker, in East Sangus.
A noteworthy faet in this history, is the location here. on the rising ground near the Methodist church in East Saugus, of the first tavern, or public house, found hereabout. It was that of Joseph Armitage ; established by him in 1640, or thereabout, and which continued in useful service till past 1800. It had the honor of receiving all the great men of the nation, Washington included.
The first church in this town was gathered in 1732, being the third in Lynn. The first minister was Edward Cheever. The faith con- tinned Calvinistie till 1826. when they settled Ephraim Randall, he being a Unitarian. Still. the tendency was even more than this indi- cated ; and about 1830 the orthodox portion left, and the Universal- ists remained in possession, and settled Dunbar B. Harris. The retiring party formed a new orthodox Society, with Sidney Holman as minister ; and both institutions have thus continued sinee. These are at the Centre Village ; where, still more recently, a Methodist Society has likewise been formed.
The principal strength of the latter denomination is at East Sangus, where a church was gathered about 1823. The house was built in 1827. The first minister was Warren Emerson; and the society has been both vigorons and prosperous till the present day. There was commenced, about the same time, a Methodist Society at the North Village ; but it did not continue operations very long. But a similar one at Cliftondale had better fortune ; and, having begun in 1854, is still active.
The school facilities are excellent ; fine large buildings in each vil- lage being appropriated to the work. Even the " West Ward " bas a good house, though when built. no one knew where to find the pupils to fill it. An excellent high school is kept at the Centre, where a capacions town hall has been erected within a few years.
The avenues of publie travel in Saugus are numerous and commo- dious. We have mentioned both the Salem and Newburyport turn- pikes. Between them runs the old Boston road to Malden Bridge, traversing both Cliftondale and East Saugus. Both this and the Sa- lem Turnkike communicate directly with Lynn. In the extreme southern part, the Eastern Railroad crosses the whole township ; but being wholly upon the marshes. affords no facility to the town's-peo- ple, most of them more than two miles away. This fact led them to devise the " Saugus Branch Railroad," which was finally opened for travel, Feb. 1, 1853. The route was so contrived as to reach all the three principal villages. with an eastern terminus at Lynn, and a junction with the Boston and Maine at Malden. Afterwards, the whole was absorbed by the Eastern Railroad, and was united to that line at both ends. A large share of the trains from Boston now run out on this route, which is a great accommodation to the many villages scattered along its way.
The population of this town is considerable ; amonnting, in 1875, to 2,578. She taxed that year 765 ratable polls, and registered 644 voters. Her manufactures were worth. in the aggregate, $771,370 : among which were items for boots and shoes, $40,000 ; flannels. $437,- 500; cigars and tobacco, $100,000; slippers, $83.000. As examples of her agriculture, may be mentioned 96.118 gallons of milk, worth $19,594; 40,600 heads of cabbage, $1,963; and 260 tons of hay, $6,046. She had 21 farms of more than 10 acres, valued at $163,380. Her six public schools had buildings worth $18,000, and they made use of other property to the amount of $2,000.
SALISBURY.
Town settled in 1638, as early as March. Under that date, Win- throp, in his record, says : "Another plantation began on the north side of the Merrimac called Salisbury." Sept. 4, 1639, it was ordered to be called Colchester; and on Oct. 7, 1640, the General Court ordered Colchester to be called Salisbury. The first settlers of this town, like those of all other towns in New England, came at dif- ferent times, from different parts of Old England, and may for conven- ience sake be divided into three elasses. The first class comprised all those who, either by birth, education, or office, were entitled to the appellation of Mr. This, of course, included the ministers, magis- trates, those who held an office in the militia as high as captain, and a few others. All the other inhabitants were ealled by the offices they held, - such as corporal, eornet, ensign, lieutenant, &c., - and, in default of any office, were styled goodman.
Of the sixty-four grantees of Salisbury, ten were entitled to be ealled Mr., - a large proportion ; for, says Hutchinson, " in a list of 100 freemen you will not find above 4 or 5 distinguished by Mr. although they were generally men of some substance. Goodman or goodwife were common appellations." If the husband was called Mr. the wife shared the honor, and was called Mrs. or Madame. The second class comprised the farmers, mechanics, &c. ; and the third elass, the servants whose time had been bought of themselves, or were hired by the month or year.
Salisbury originally included in its limits, South Hampton, a portion of Kingston, Plaistow, Seabrook, Newton, and Hampsted in New Hampshire, and Amesbury and Merrimae in Massachusetts.
The first record of a inceting held in Salisbury is dated March, 1639 ; at which it was ordered by Simon Bradstreet, Daniel Dennison, Christopher Batt, Samuel Winsley, Samuel and John Sauders, that there shall be two divisions of mcadow-land, each man to have four acres to his one hundred pounds of personal property, and other divi- sions were left to be determined by future action. Upland lots were to be divided so that he who had £50 should have four acres, and he who had £150 should have sixty acres. This division of land was upon the principle, " that to him that hath shall be given." Its real objeet was, undoubtedly, to attract among them the settlement of men of wealth. The lots granted were on condition that they should be sct- tled upon before the 6th of May, and that those having families should- inhabit before the last of October. The granting of the lots to indi- viduals shows the money value of the persons receiving them. The number of men who shared in this graut was twelve, and in 1639 the number had increased to sixty.
Simon Bradstreet was at the first meeting, and helped to organize the town by laying out roads, the "green," on which the first mecting- house and court-house stood, and assisted in the adoption of rules for their government.
Mr. Bradstreet was born in Lincolnshire, Eng., 1603 ; came over in 1630, as one of the assistants, and was thus continued till 1673. He was secretary of the Colony from 1630 to 1643; was chosen deputy governor in 1673; and so continued till 1679, when he was elected governor. He received no grants of land in Salisbury. He settled in Ipswich, and afterwards in Salcm.
Daniel Deunison helped organize at the first meeting at " Merri- mack," yet received no land. He settled in Ipswich in 1634, and received large tracts of land there. In 1671, he was appointed to hold a court at Hampton and Salisbury, was commissioner of the United Colonies, and appointed by the legislature major-general of the Colonies.
. Samuel Dudley was a son of Gov. Thomas Dudley, born in 1606 ; came over with his father in 1630; settled in Salisbury, and received a house lot, a planting lot, and a meadow lot, at the first division of land in 1639. He was appointed magistrate " to end small causes " at Salisbury, for six years from 1639 ; lot-layer of the town ; deputy from 1641 to 1646; appointed to lay out the bounds between Exeter and Hampton ; 1647, associate justice of the court at Ipswich ; 1648, ap- pointed to keep court in the county of Norfolk. The same year sold all his land in Salisbury, and removed to Exeter; settled in the min-
istry there in 1650, where he spent his days ; and died in 1683, aged seventy-nine years.
John Clark, born in England, 1598; was in Newbury 1638, and was one of the "petitioners for the plantation in Merrimac," but re- ceived no grants of land. Tradition says, " He was the first regular educated physician who resided in New England."
Christopher Batt came from Salisbury, Eng., and settled in Salis- bury, Mass., in 1639. He was at the first meeting of the proprietors ; a lot-layer, and one of the committee to confirm grants from 1639 to 1643 ; one of the prudential men; "drill offieer " to train the eom- pany ; commissioner; loeal magistrate ; and four years deputy. He introduced the tanning business into the town, from which early sprung that branch of trade. In 1650-51, he removed to Boston ; became a somewhat noted merchant, but was accidentally shot by his own son, who was firing at a mark in his orchard. He was sixty years old at the time of his death. The following is of interest : "1654-Chris- topher Batt, of Boston, merchant sold to Edmund Elliott of Salisbury, 30 acres of meadow, and also 'my 100£ Commonage' for and iu con- sideration of a lot of merchantable boards, &c., 'to be delivered when I send for them by boat'" &e.
Edmund Batter was one of the grantees of the Merrimae Planta- tion ; though no land was granted him. He settled in Salem as early as 1636.
Henry Diley, from Salisbury, England, received house, planting, and meadow lots, at the first division, and additional lots in 1640. He died, and his widow sold her landed cstate to Henry Ambrose, of Salis- bury. She married Mr. John Hall, a wealthy land-owner, who soon after dicd ; and her third husband was the Rev. William Worcester, first minister of the town.
Gyles Fyrman was one of the grantees of the town, but had no land assigned him. He had large tracts given him in Ipswich, on condition of his living there three years as a practising physician. He afterwards returned to England, and became eminent as a religious teacher and physician.
Richard Kent, Jr., was one of the grantecs of the town, but had no land assigned him. He was one of the early proprietors of Old New- bury.
John Sanders attended the first meeting of the proprietors; and house, planting, and meadow lots were granted him. He was from Weeks, Wiltshire Co., Eng. He sold his land in Salisbury to Richard Wells, in 1653; and settled in Wells, Me., where he and eighteen others took the oath of allegiance to the government of Massaehu- setts.
John Woodbridge, of Stanton, Eng., was born in 1613. Came to New England in 1634; was one of the grantees of Salisbury, but no land was laid out to him. He was ordained the first minister of All- dover, Mass., in 1644.
Samuel Winsley, one of the grantees of the town, was the only one of the twelve who settled in Salisbury, and remained there until his death. He was a planter ; lot-layer at the first division ; committee to confirm grants ; prudential man for eight years ; local magistrate ; free- man, 1639 ; commmissioner, 1640; deputy from 1642 to 1653 ; com- mittee to view and run out the line between Salisbury and Hampton, between Exeter and Hampton ; and also held other important trusts in the town. He died in 1663.
The twelve men who received the grant of Merrimae "were pos- sessed of intelligent minds, virtuous hearts, useful influence and respectable character."
In 1639-40 the business of the town was almost wholly confined to the disposal of land among the settlers. In 1640 we find the first recognized action for the proper organization of a "town meeting." Then it was ordered that " in ye first of every mceting a Moderator shall be chosen who shall have to interrupt and call to order any who shall exceed propriety, and the Moderator who neglects to preserve order shall be fined two shillings and sixpence. Every freeman shall speak his turn and not otherwise, and shall signify when he is to speak by rising up and putting off his hat, and on his speech being ended
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
shall signify it by putting on his hat or sitting down, and in case he be interrupted by the Moderator and shall refuse to cease, shall forfeit for every such offense oue shilling." "No person shall depart from the meeting without leave of the moderator, without subjecting himself to like fine."
Notwithstanding the wilderness of woods that covered the town, the care with which the early settlers guarded the growth of the forest- trees is very remarkable. No person could fell a tree on any street, or about the town, or on the " green," without being suhjeet to a fine of twenty shillings ; and the early records of the town contain several names of persons fined for violating these laws.
The names of those who received grants of land in the first division of the town, in 1639, are taken from the old book of records, as fol- lows : Mr. Samuel Dudley, Mr. William Hooke, Mr. Christopher Batt, Mr. Samuel Winsley, Mr. Henry Biley, John Sanders, Mr. Francis Dowe, John Rolfe. Mr. Henry Munday, George Carr, Mr. Thomas Bradbury, John Harrison, Mr. John Hodges, John Fuller, Phillip Challis, Luke Heard, Josiah Cohbet, Jarrit Hadden, Anthony Colby, John Bailey, Sr., John Stephens, John Severance, Robert Pike, Robert Ring, Richard Singletary, Thomas Macy, John Haux- worth, John Clifford, John Eyres, Roger Eastman, Anthony Saddler, Mr. Fitts, Mr. Rowell, and Widow Christian Brown.
In 1641, at a general meeting of the freemen, there was granted William Patridge a meadow lot that was formerly granted William Currier, containing four acres, if it do not prejudice lots formerly laid out, in full of his lot formerly granted. The same year, George Carr was granted the island which bears his name, in the Merrimac River, and which has remained in the hands of his descendants to this day. Mr. Hall was granted twelve aeres of land on the north side of the Merrimac River. In the 5th month, 20th day, an order was passed by the town, that all persons who had been granted lots of land should come and reside in the town before the first of November, or else their land should be forfeited to the town.
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