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 26

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 26

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In 1670, the land between Newbury line and Mr. Rogers's farm was laid out, beginning at the Newbury line. Philip Nelson had 483 acres, 67 rods wide at the river, and Deacon Ezekiel Jewett had 145 acres, 20 rods wide at the river. From Deacon Jewett's lot, the land for the burial-ground was given for the use of the town. The grants of land were then quite numerous, indicating a pretty rapid settlement. These river-lots, above Johnson's Creek, extended back to what is now Boxford line, and those below the creek extended to what is now the Rowley line. These lots were all long and narrow, that of Mr. Nelson being nearly three miles and a half long, and one hundred and forty rods in width.

These lots were difficult of access, in many instances, on account of their depth and narrowness. They were also divided by lines of marked trees, indicating bounds, which sometimes led to misunder- standings and a clashing of rights. There was the line of " marked trees " above the plough land, the "middle range," and the " upper range," which were the only designating bounds. No mention is made of early clearings of forests, from which it may be inferred that the pasture lands spoken of were natural openings, sufficiently free from trees or underbush to admit of the growth of grass, and formed the nasturage of that day.

In 1675, this tract of land was incorporated into the town of Brad- ford, embracing what is now known as that town, and what is em- braced in the present town of Groveland. After the incorporation of the town, and at about 1681, the people felt the hardship of sustain- ing a distinct town government, and appealed to the town of Rowley for some aid, either by an additional grant of "meadow land," or in some other way. The old town sympathized with the new township, but rendered no further aid than to grant to the Rev. Mr. Symmes " six or seven loads of hay yearly," from the Rock-pond meadow. By this it may be inferred that one of the burdens was the support of the minister, which was then a town affair.

The claims of Bradford still continued to be urged for an additional grant, till 1701, when an appeal was made to the General Court to interfere in their behalf. The appeal was finally settled hy reference to a committee consisting of Dea. Ezekiel Jewett, Capt. Joseph Boynton, and Lient. John Dresser, of Rowley, who met the Bradford committee at the house of Samuel Hale, on the 14th of October, 1701, where they agreed upon a line running from the great rock by Samuel Holmes's house to Newbury line south of Crane Pond, instead of north of it, giving an addition of five hundred acres of land to the town of Bradford, which, in the light of present judgment, would he of little value, being chiefly meadow land, but then considered as quite desirable.

After the river lots were laid out, the town proceeded to lay ont the remainder of the Merrimack lands, which was done by the joint consent of all the proprietors. In this division were ten small lots, in all, 186 acres, all bonnded by Little Pond, southerly, and north-

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

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erly by the " Ministry land," so called. These lots, beginning at the west, were laid out to Joseph Chaplin, Abraham Foster, Thomas Palmer, John Simmons, Hugh Smith, Jonathan Hopkinson, John Eastman, James Dickinson, Dea. Maximilian Jewett, and Jonathan Remington. The ministry lot contained forty acres, and "at all times forever hereafter, for the use of the ministrie in that town Mer- rimacke, and that it should never be the proper and peculiar right of any person or persons, any longer or further than while he or they were the orderly ministers of the aforesade towne of Merrimacke "

The average length of the town was seven miles, with a breadth of two and a half miles, containing over ten thousand aeres, and of excellent soil, bounded by the Merrimae River on the northerly side, and lying opposite Haverhill. The first settlers were chiefly Rowley men, and though, for a period of twenty-five years, really a part of the town of Rowley, they do not appear to have been taxed by that town, but were allowed to manage their affairs in their own way, as a distinet community, holding town-meetings, in the name of the town of Merrimack, till at a meeting, Jan. 7, 1672-3, they voted to call the town Bradford, and by that name it was incorporated in 1675.

The records show that Robert Heseltine, and John Heseltine, his brother, were leading men in the town, and that in 1666 Robert was paid by the town of Rowley 1s. for services as juryman, and the same year 5s. for killing two foxes. In 1655 the same Robert Heseltine was ordered by the " Courte " to keep a ferry over Merrimac River, "charging 4d. for the ferriage of a stranger, if they pay presently ; and 6d. if bookt, and to keep entertainment for horse and man for one yeare unless the General Courte take further orders."

The first recorded town-meeting of the Merrimack people was Feb. 20, 1668-9, while yet territorially a part of Rowley, at which the following officers were chosen : Constable, Thomas Kimball; Select- men, Sergeant John Gage, Robert Heseltine, Joseph Pike, John Griffing, John Tenney; Clerk of Writs, Joseph Pike ; Overseers, Samuel Worcester, Benjamin Gage, Benjamin Kimball, David Hesel- tine ; Commissioners to lay out all Highways within the bounds of the town, Sergeant John Gage, Joseph Pike, John Griffing.

The same rules of enforcing attendance upon town-meetings, peci- liar to all the colonial towns, existed here. Whoever did not attend a regularly warned town-meeting was fined 6d. per hour during his absence, and whoever should speak in town-meeting, without liberty from the Moderator, was fined 6d. for each offence. The legal places " for the publishing of any orders or other business of public concern- ment to the whole town, was by setting up a writing or writings at the houses of Thomas Kimball and Benjamin Gage, until we have a more convenient place."

The seleetnien were given full power to "carry on, and finish the minister's house according to Mr. Synim's direction, and to raise the pay by rate, upon the estates of said inhabitants." By-laws were established containing a variety of wholesome and orderly provisions. All swine above half a year old were required to be substantially yoked, "the yokes being two feet one way and twenty inches the other, on penalty of 1s. per hog, for every defeet, the which to be done by the first of August, and so be kept yoked till Indian corn be gathered." Horses and cattle were also required to be yoked or fet- tered. A legal fence was a five-railed fence, three feet ten inches high, or a hedge, pale or ditch, equivalent to such a fence in the judg- ment of the overseers The meeting-house was not forgotten in the .provisions for order and comeliness ; and Samuel Heseltine was em- ployed to sweep it, receiving the compensation of "one peck of Indian corn per year from every man who hath a right to vote in town meetings, to be brought to his house." As early as 1671, the selectmen, by direction of the town, laid out the bnrying-ground in the First or West Parish. As late as March 27, 1669, they styled themselves " The inhabitants of Rowly Village by Merrimack," and not till the town was incorporated in the name of Bradford did the connection with the old township entirely cease.

It will be remembered that the Bradford of 1675 contained the whole of the territory now embraced in the town of Groveland, its eastern boundary being Newbury. It early became a post town, and is located thirty miles uorth of Boston, twenty north of Salem. and ten west of Newburyport. In 1810 its population was 1,369, and in 1820, 1,600. East Bradford, or the East Parish, was a thrifty and growing community, and in 1850 the two parishes separated, dividing as equally as possible the population and the valuation, creating the town of Groveland, which became its eastern boundary. Its south- ern boundary is Georgetown and Boxford, with North Andover on the south-west, and the Merrimae River on the north and north-west, dividing it from Haverhill and Methuen. After the division, in 1855, the population was 1,372. In 1875 its population was 2,347, cou- taining 413 dwellings and 531 families. It had seven manufactories with a capital of $21,500 invested, yielding a product of $52,300, and an agricultural product of $43,635.

The surface of the soil is uneven, and in quality various, though generally excellent for cultivation. There are several elevations, the highest being Powder House Hill, or Head's Hill, commanding a delightful prospect of the Merrimae River, and the pietnresqne valley through which it flows, together with a commanding view of Haverhill, Lawrence, North Andover, as well as the outlying terri- tory of all these thrifty communities, and an extensive view of the hill country of New Hampshire for many miles. It has long been connected with Haverhill by a bridge, the present iron one taking the place of the wooden structure of earlier days, and is one of the finest bridges in New England. The Boston and Maiue Railroad passes through the town, crossing the river just above the populous portion, where is located the depot. The Newburyport Railroad also passes through the town, having its depot at Haverhill Bridge, which road gives direct communication with Newburyport and Salem, and furnishes another route to Boston via Georgetown and Danvers.

The location and character of the soil renders it a natural agricult- ural community, and in the early days of its history agriculture was its leading interest, though its water-power was utilized for mechani- cal purposes, which, at that period, became of considerable import- ance. When the shoe-manufacturing interest began to develop itself, it was quite extensively engaged in by the enterprising men located there ; and while that industry was becoming established in Haverhill, a thrifty business in the same line sprang up in Bradford, or West Bradford, as it was then called. In 1837 the leading men engaged in that business there were, Josiah Brown, Leonard Johnson, Samuel Heath, William Day & Co., J. P. Montgomery & Co., War- ren Ordway, George K. Montgomery, Humphrey Hoyt, Ordway & Webster, Guy Carleton, Jr., and Pressey & Fletcher ; with Kimball Farrar in the leather business. No more energetic manufacturers were in business in this section than the men of this community. Gradually the business and the trade began to centre in Haverhill, and in a few years nearly all these manufacturers had their places of business there, but retained their homes in Bradford, which still con- tinues to be the situation with those still living, and with most of their successors.

Much of the early history. of its mechanical industries is connected with what was then East Bradford, Johnson's Creek furnishing water- power which caused a concentration in that quarter; and it became a centre for considerable trade. Moses Parker was a leading merchant there, and was widely known in the back country. For a century and a half this was a prominent and growing centre for trade and mann- factures, at that time regarded as leading and important. Many of the carly settlers of Rowley, who made up the sixty families gathered about Ezekiel Rogers in that early settlement, were mechanics, and they naturally sought the localities favorable to putting machinery in motion. The weavers, the spinners, and the fullers soon located themselves on the streams, though it was not for some years after the first settlement was made in this section, that much was doue in the

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

mechanical line. It was not before 1750 that much manufacturing activity was shown. In 1760, Thomas Carleton established a fulling- mill on Johnson's Creek, and Aaron Parker had a mill there for dress- ing cloth. In this line Benjamin Morse and his sons had a wide reputation as superior manufacturers. At a later time Stephen Fos- ter was a large manufacturer of pewter buckles and sleigh-bells, on the same stream, and Jesse Atwood had a chocolate manufactory there. The coopering business was early carried on to a considerable extent, but had its decline with the lapse of years. During the Revo- lutionary war Deacon Samuel Tenney was a manufacturer of saltpetre, but that business was not long sustained. As early as 1770, Moses Parker, who is said to have been a man of good mechanical powers, constructed machinery for manufacturing tobacco, when only thirteen years old, and never having had but one opportunity of observing the requisite machinery used in the business. This became quite an extensive business in his hands.

The manufacture of leather was quite extensively carried on in this town, and was first established by Shubael Walker in the Upper Parish, but was finally transferred to the East Parish where, in 1820, were in existence five tan-yards in active operation. In connection with this was introduced the manufacture of shoes of a coarse grade which were sent to the Southern and Middle States, and to the West Indies. In 1820, and prior to that time, one hundred and fifty men were con- stantly employed in that business, with a product of fifty thousand pairs of boots and shoes yearly ; but it must be remembered that hand-work ruled in those days. Daniel Hardy, of Pelham, N. HI., was one of the leading manufacturers at that time, and was followed by Thomas Savory and Nathaniel Mitchell, manufacturing extensively for the Southern trade and the West Indies. The business continued to in- crease in importance, and about the time of the French Revolution, Moses Savory and a Mr. Gage extended the business, so that it became the leading one in the town.

In 1798, William Tenney, Jr., established a chaise manufactory, which continued to flourish for thirty years or more. In 1800 the manufacture of straw bonnets was commeneed, which became a very profitable business, continuing for many years, but it has finally entirely faded out, not a vestige of it now remaining.

The extent of the manufacturing carried on upon Johnson's Creek was enumerated by the Rev. Gardner B. Perry, in his historieal discourse delivered in 1820. Up to that time there were, or had been, four saw-mills, five grist-mills, three fulling-mills, and two bark-mills. The first was a grist-mill set up by Edward Carleton, whose father was the first person born in Rowley ; Deacon Phineas Carleton, and Mr. Aaron Parker built mills there. In connection with the latter enter- prise, the venerable divine remarks that the sluice to that mill was " dug by the job for $70 by Cuff Dole, a person of color, of remark- able strength, steady habits, and who died in the comfortable hope of a blessed immortality." In 1740, Joseph Kimball and Eliphalet Hardy set up the lower mills, so called. In 1790, Retier Parker built a tan- yard near the lower mill, and "contrived to have the stone by which the bark is ground, moved by water instead of by horses, certainly a useful improvement."

As early as 1684, the town received proposals from Richard Thomas, of Rowley, and John Perle, of Marblehead, to set up a corn-mill on Johnson's Creek, which were cordially received and liberal subscrip- tions made to aid the enterprise, " upon conditions that the mill should be a good and sufficient one, and that the people in this town should be served in turn in preference to those out of town; and also that a suffi- cient passage should be left for fish, which conditions were agreed to, and the mill accordingly set up," although the terms were in subver- sion of the old grist-mill rule of " first come, first served."

The first saw-mill was owned by the Carleton family, but when built is not certainly known. It stood across the road above the first grist- mill, and the mud-sills were to be seen as late as 1820, though they had probably lain there more than one hundred and fifty years. In

1784, Mr. Francis Kimball built a saw-mill, and Mr. Benjamin Morse a fulling-mill, near the mouth of the ereek. Besides these have existed five or six saw-mills, and one grist-mill upon temporary streams, one of which was on the farm of David How. These appen- dages to civilization now appear as insignificant in comparison with the improved mechanical facilities of the present day, but they were " institutions " in their time. The power on Johnson's Creek still remains, reference to which will properly appear in the history of Groveland.

CHAPTER II.

EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS - BRADFORD ACADEMY - ITS ESTABLISH- MENT - ITS FOUNDERS AND PRECEPTORS AND PRECEPTRESSES - ITS CHANGES AND ITS PRESENT STANDING.

In every town the church and the instrumentalities of religious instruction were of the first consideration ; and the establishment and maintenance of the gospel, not only as supplying the proper and prac- tical rules of life, but furnishing a system of theological faith, was of the first importance with the people of the early times. This element of life was a part of the constituent elements of the civil- ization that was attempting to establish itself upon these virgin aeres, and the threads of its life were incorporated into the whole texture of society. The ministrations of the altar and the teachings of the gospel, as they understood them, were to be waited on and supported by contributions to the common treasury, but the organization of the church did not always immediately follow the settlement of a town.

The first church was formed in Bradford, Dee. 27, 1682, and the Rev. Zachariah Symmes was ordained the same day. He had previously preached here fourteen years, and was the ordained pastor twenty-six years. He died in 1708, aged 71. His son was his successor, and was ordained in 1708, dying in 1725, aged 45. Both were graduates of Harvard, and men of learning and piety. The Rev. Joseph Parsons was the third minister. The fourth minister was the Rev. Samuel Wil- liams, LL.D. Ile was dismissed in 1780 to become professor in Mathe- maties in Harvard College, subsequently removing to Rutland, Vt., of which State he wrote a valuable history. The Rev. Jonathan Allen was the fifth minister, and the Rev. Ira Ingraham the sixth. The Rev. Loami Ives Hadley was the seventh minister ; the Rev. Moses Coleman Searle was the eighth minister. The Rev. Nathan Monroe was the ninth minister ; the Rev. J. T. McCollum was the tenth minister ; the eleventh, and present pastor of the society, is the Rev. J. D. Kings- bury.

The church is a flourishing one in point of numbers and zeal in religious work. The ordinary instrumentalities for instrnetion in re- ligious knowledge, as the Bible-class and Sunday-school, exist, and are in a flourishing condition.

The East Parish was set off in May, 1726, and the Second Church in Bradford organized in 1727, at which time the Rev. William Balch was ordained as their pastor. The Rev. Ebenezer Dutch, the second min- ister, was ordained as colleague with Mr. Balch in 1799. The Rev. Gard- ner Braman Perry, the third minister, was ordained Sept. 28, 1814. A general history of the church from that time is to be found in the history of Groveland, which, though it did not exist as an incor- porated town, was practically a separate community in all its religious interests, and to a great extent in its business affairs. Many years were spent in debating the question of being set off as a separate parish before the action was reached, and the question of the division of the town was sometime agitated before final action took place.

In 1831 a Methodist church was organized in Bradford, followed by the organization of a society and the erection of a meeting-house in 1833, in the East Parish, which flourished for several years, when it was finally sold to a society termed the Independent Congrega-

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

tional Society, rallying around the Rev. D. A. Wasson, who was first settled as a colleague pastor with the venerable Dr. Perry, but in con- sequence of his liberal religious opinions, did not long remain with the society. The associated incidents of this movement will be found in the history of Groveland.

An carly organization of the religious sect then styling themselves "Separatists," but finally taking the name of Baptists, established worship in this town in the year 1769, and appears to have been largely an offshoot from the society in Haverhill which was organized under the ministry of the Rev. Hezekiah Smith. In that year they pur- chased the old meeting-house of the Second Parish in Rowley, which was taken down and rebuilt at the "Four Corners," near the house of Jonathan Hale, in Bradford, where public worship was sustained a part of each year for several successive years, though they had no settled minister. Mr. Eliphaz Chapman, a Congregationalist, who afterwards settled in Bethel, Me., preached for them more than any other. The supporters of this meeting were principally residents of the towns of Rowley, Bradford, and Newbury. The record appears to show that on the 4th of May, 1781, the people interested in this movement organized as a branch of the Baptist church in Haverhill, and by a petition, setting forth their desires, were received into that church agreeably to their request. Elder Samuel Harriman, a mem- ber of the Haverhill Baptist church since May 9, 1765, was appointed elder of this branch, and is supposed to have been the first person of Rowley who united with any Baptist church. This church had some imniediate growth, thirteen females being soon added. In 1782 the meeting-house was again taken down and rebuilt in the Second Parish in Rowley, near where it formerly stood, and in 1785 this branch petitioned the Haverhill church to be set off and established as a distinct church, which was permitted, and at its organization the Rev. Hezekiah Smith preached the sermon.

The first meeting of the persons who afterwards constituted the Christian church of Haverhill, was held in Bradford, December, 1803, at the house of John Marble, the Rev. Elias Smith, of Portsmouth, N. H., preaching on the occasion. This movement was styled, by those engaged in it, "the reformation in Bradford and Haverhill." The record says, " A door was opened Dec. 22, 1803, by Bro. John Marble, where Elder Elias Smith preached the Gospel for the first time in Bradford. The word had some effect." "Sept. 26, 1804, Elder Smith preached again in Bradford. God blessed the word to the awakening of some souls, who soon after found peace in believing." In 1805 and 1806, forty-three persons were baptized in Bradford by Elders Smith and Jones, most of whom were between the ages of twelve and twenty-five years. The church was organized in Haver- hill, and the meetings established there. Out of that early organiza- tion grew the present Christian church in Haverhill.

After the close of the War of the Rebellion, a community of colored people settled in Bradford, forming a society for religious worship, aud built a small church, but after a brief existence there, its location was changed to Haverhill, and now constitutes the Calvary Baptist Church. The Congregationalist Church is now the only one in Brad- ford, and all who do not sympathize with the sentiments of Orthodox Congregational worship find their religious homes among the various organizations in Haverhill.

The first meeting-house in town was located near the old cemetery, the usage being to have the meeting-house and burying-ground near to each other. A second meeting-house was built in 1705, and twenty-five years later another house of worship was built near where the present one now stands. There was a small parish fund estab- lished in 1800, in support of the minister, by a donation of $1,000 from Jonathan Chadwick, which has been increased by the sale of land, from time to time, belonging to the parish, till it now yields about $400 annually.

In connection with religious instruction, and the maintenance of public worship, the educational interests of the town received a proper

share of attention. The records supply but very little information upon this subject, and it is probable that the educational advantages for the first fifty years of the settlement of the town were very limited. Although not suffering so severely from invasions by the Indians, as did some other towns, a constant fear rested over the town for many years, which prevented much advance in educational interests.

The first vote of the town, bearing in the direction of providing for schools, which found its way to the records, appears in 1701, which authorized the seleetmen to provide a school at their discretion, at the town's expense. This plan became modified the next year, and a tuition fee required of twopence per week for those learning to read, and fourpenee for those learning to write, which was about all that was taught at that time, except the rudiments of arithmetic.

The first teacher known to have been employed was Ichabods. After him, in 1723, came Mr. White, at an annual salary of £24 10s. Succeeding him was Master Hobey and Master Merrill. School-houses were not plenty in those days, the first one being built on the " meet- ing-house land," at a cost of £25. The usage of the times was to teach in private houses in different parts of the town. As late as March 7, 1774, the records of the town inform us that " 'Twas put to vote to sce if the town would supply the schools with wood after September next, and so on for the future, and it passed in the negative." Without doubt the scholars, and all having any interest in the cause of education, regarded that as a very cool vote.

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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 26

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