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 38

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 38

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Following this, the town voted that the library should be ealled the " Georgetown Peabody Library," and appropriated a sum of money to furnish the library-room, and for other incidental purposes ; but its expenditure was unexpectedly intercepted by the receipt of a check from Mr. Peabody for $4,000, to be used by the trustees for the benefit of the library, accompanied by the assurance that he should not permit the town to be at any expense in the maintenance of the library, and, if any had been contracted, he wished it to be repaid with interest. In emulation of the example of liberality by her brother, Mrs. Daniels made a donation of books, which was followed by contributions from other persons. The institution was then fully organized by the choice of the following board of trustees and other officers for the year 1869 :-

David D. Marsh, Charles Beecher, J. M. Burtt, ex officio. Chas. P. Low; Isaac Wilson; G. J. Tenney, Treasurer; J. P. Jones ; Solomon Nelson ; G. D. Tenney.

President, D. D. Marsh ; Secretary, Isaac Wilson ; Librarian, O. R. Tenney. The officers are changed, from year to year, as necessity requires. The present librarian is Richard Tenney.

Following these noble gifts to the town, in December, 1871, the trustees received a letter from Mrs. Daniels, giving to the board, in trust for the town, " The Peabody Lecture Hall," adjoining the library building, a joint gift of herself and her affectionately remembered brother; the objects and purposes of which, with the conservative restrictions attending the gift, are fully set forth in the letter, which was accompanied by a gift of $500, to be expended for lectures and concerts. This munificent gift was accepted by the trustees, and the hall taken possession of by appropriate dedicatory exercises, as had already been the case with the Memorial Church and the Library. In the hall hangs a fine portrait of Mr. Peabody. The letter of gift from Mrs. Daniels is as follows :-

President and Trustees of the Georgetown Peabody Library.

GENTLEMEN :- It is known to you, but probably not to all who are interested, that the death of Mr. Peabody suddenly checked the building of the library hall, which he had caused to be commenced before he left this country.

No record having been made of his gift for this purpose, I was aware that considerable delay must ensue before the balance due, ($3,000) could be paid over, and being desirous that the building should be finished at or near the time which he had contemplated, I assumed the responsibility, and authorized the immediate prosecution of the work.

That work has been faithfully and beautifully accomplished ; each artisan having seemed to vie with the others that his particular depart- ment should excel.

The $3,000 which I advanced at the commencement has been re- turned to me, and, having previously directed that the whole of the gift of $5,000 should be expended on the building, I have employed the returned $3,000 in furnishing it suitably and conveniently for the purposes for which it was designed; and I now, in behalf of my beloved departed brother, and for myself, offer for your acceptance, as trustees, the finished and furnished lecture and concert room as our joint gift, to be part and parcel of the Georgetown Peabody Library, and, as such, subject to the entire management and control of your- selves and your successors.

In regard to the uses to which the room is to be devoted, I have but one condition, -- that which the founder invariably attached to the literary institutions which sprang from his bounty,-in substance, as follows :

That it shall be strictly guarded against being made a theatre for the dissemination or discussion of infidelity, party politics, or that pretended philosophy which may be aimed at the approved morals of society ; and, that it shall never minister, in any manner whatever, to the propagation of opinions tending to create jealousies and alienation among the people.

I make the above articles a condition, knowing how earnestly my brother enforced them, and having seen how quickly they were ignored when he did but recommend them.

125

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

The piano I include in the furniture, on condition that it be kept locked, and the librarians have custody of the key, and that it shall never be carried out of this hall, to be used elsewhere on any occasion whatever,-unless by some contingency another room shall be substi- tuted for this,-and as the hall is the property of the town, and not any particular district or parish, it is my hope that no article of the furniture or fixings will be carried out to be used elsewhere, that everything may be preserved to you as long as possible, and be on hand whenever it is wanted.

Believing that, had my brother lived to sce the lecture-room fin- ished, he would have provided for at least one course of lectures in a year, and finding my happiness in carrying out his intentions, as far as I may, I have placed in the hands of your treasurer the sum of $500, to procure a course of six free lectures for the ensuing season.

These lectures must be given by gentlemen of high moral standing, of acknowledged talents, and of approved ability on the subjects of which they treat.

Should the $500 not be sufficient to procure six lectures as speci- fied, then let there be five only, rather than that the standard of ex- celleuce be lowered.

Whether they shall be a conscentive course by one person, and one subject, or separate lectures by different individuals, on different sub- jects, alternating with such lectures, concerts, or entertainments, as may be supported by tickets, whether they shall be literary, scien- tific, or miscellancons, I leave to the discretion of the trustees, who will act as circumstances or their better judgment determinc.

If once, or even twice in the course, the trustces shall choose to substitute for a lecture a first-class concert, it will not be inconsistent with my views ; and here allow me to state, that it was the request of Mr. Peabody, that the hall should be finished and furnished with spe- cial reference to music, and especially the improvement of the music of the town, remarking that the influence of good music on a commun- ity is more salutary than that of popular lectures, generally.

The library lecture-room then may, in accordance with his wishes and intentions, at the discretion of the trustees, and on occasions which they shall approve, be used for any musical purpose of good moral tendency, either of instruction or entertainment, in which the whole town are interested.

I have only to ask, that before the room is opened for its legitimate purposes, some simple ceremonies of dedication may be observed ; and that whatever religions services are required, may be performed by the ministers of the town.

That the citizens of this town and their successors may enjoy with- in its walls all the pleasure and instruction which our lamented bene- factor hoped and anticipated, is also the earnest desire of her whom a kind Providence has permitted to finish his work.

Most respectfully, J. P. RUSSELL DANIELS.

J. P. JONES, President, in behalf of the Trustees.

These interesting official records and correspondence cover the ori- gin and completion of the most important movements ever occurring in connection with the religious and literary interests of this town, and which are to supply the elements of religious improvement, literary culture and refinement for generations to come, filling a distinguished and pleasant page in the local history of this town.

CHAPTER IV.

SCHOOLS - WITCHCRAFT - THE MOVING MEAL-CHEST - BUSINESS CHANGES - GREAT FIRE - ARTS AND INVENTIONS - DISTRESSING CASUALTY, &c.

The history of the establishment of common schools in this town, possesses the usual interest which surrounds the action of all the col- onial towns ; but the records are very imperfect as relating to the first movements for their introduction. It was an indictable offence, in 1647, for towns to neglect to maintain schools of some kind, which shows the just appreciation the fathers had of education. In 1706, the town was fined for not keeping schools as the law required. Comfortable school-houses appcar, also, to have been appreciated ; for the record shows, that, in 1720, the " rogueish boys " tore down a dilapidated

structure, because of the tardiness of the town in supplying a new one. In 1742, Benjamin Adams was a teacher, keeping school eight months in the First Parish, two month in the Second Parish, and two months in the Byfield Parish. In 1749, the town apportioncd the schools among the several parishes, according to their county taxcs paid.

In 1789, the law required the defining of school districts, and the town was divided into four districts. Long after that, other divisions were made; and, in 1840, Georgetown had seven school districts. In 1839, there were 336 scholars, between the ages of four and six- teen years. The appropriation for schools was $600, to which was added the interest accruing from their surplus revenue. A high school or academy had then been kept for several years, supported by tuition from the pupils. Among the early teachers in this town, were Greenleaf Dole and Dr. Joshua Jewett, graduates of Dummer Academy ; Samuel Adams, of Harvard ; the Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin, of Providence ; Nathaniel Merrill, of Dartmouth ; Dr. Richard Spof- ford, of Cambridge. In 1836-1837, the Old South School was taught by Mr. Pingrce, of New Hampshire, now at the head of the seminary at Newark, N. J.

With the changes in the modes of education, the school district system has been abolished, and a high school established, in Scp- tember, 1856. The following named persons, in the order given, have filled the position of principal; William Reed, D. Milton Crafts, Edward Parker, Jr., A. J. Dalton, S. C. Cotton, and Edward F. Fickett, the present incumbent.

The external elements of a people are ever visible, but the pres- ence of invisible forces is only shown by results. The religious, the political, and the educational impulses of the carly settlers of this town, and those of their successors, have been briefly traced in the acts which make up their history. There still remains to be put ou record, in this connection, some account of a mystical power, which made its appearance in this town at an early day, and appears to have been a mixture of delusion, superstition, and facts, strangely com- bined in its development, the manner of its handling, and the nur- derous results, which supply a dark page in the history of the judicial proceedings of the county. This mystic force was denominated " witchcraft " in the early time, but its close relations to the phenom- ena of the present day, known as Spiritualism, brings it to considera - tion as a matter of great historic interest.

Many persons at that time believed that the witches actually signed a material book, presented to them by the devil, and were baptized by him, in which ceremony the devil used the words: "Thou art mine, and I have full power over thee !" After this, they were thought " to partake of a hellish bread and wine administered unto them by the devil," which was denominated a " witch sacrament." In these communions, " the witches were supposed to meet on the banks of the Merrimac River, riding there upon poles through the air."

It is recorded. that "on the 27th of September, 1692, John Shcp- ard of Rowley was bound over to Court for assisting to convey Mary Green, of Haverhill, a prisoner, charged with witchcraft, out of Ips- wich jail." Twenty persons thus accused, tried, and condemned, were put to death, and eleven others were under condemnation, before there was a halt in the horrible slaughter.

The following is a specimen of the evidence upon which these witches were condemned and executed, given Sept. 15, 1692 : -

" Danell Wycomb | Depo agst Margret Scott.

" The testymony of Daniell Wicom ayged aboue fifty years who sayth that abought five ore sixs years a go Margret Scot of Row- lah came to my hous and asked me if she might gleane corne in my felld i towld hir she might if she would stay whilst my corne was ought of the feeld sd Scot sd you will not get youer corne ought to night it may be i tould hir i wonld sd Scot sª maybe not; at that time my wife gave sª Scot sum corne and then Scot went a way and presently after sd Scot was gon i went with my cart and oxsen into the felld for corne and when i had lodid my cart i went to go home with my corne but the oxsen would not draw the cart any ways bont from home thof i wear not twenty Rod from my Door and i coulld not get any corne ought of my felld that day the next Day i touck the same oxsen and put them to the same cart and the sd cart and the same lode of corne they did draw a way with case."

"IURAT IN CURIA."

Nearly a hundred years after the date of the above deposition, a remarkable event took place in Georgetown, at the house of Moody

126

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Spofford. Esq., situated on Rowley Hill, in the westerly part of this town. These singular occurrences took place about the year 1780, nearly a hundred years ago. The following statement, written by the venerable Dr. Jeremiah Spofford, of Groveland. prepared by the request of many persons, is given, as the facts were related to him by his father, corroborated by the testimony of a dozen other eye-wit- nesses of what took place, among whom were Dr. Amos Spofford, David Thurston, Capt. William Perley, late of Haverhill, and David Tenney, of Georgetown, grandfather of David B. Tenney, city clerk of Haverhill, who was one who rode across the room on the meal- chest propelled by the invisible power. This statement is of value as to the fact of what occurred, on account of the entire reliability of Dr. Spofford as a witness concerning a traditional matter, and also from the fact that he had no sympathy with modern Spiritualism or in the defence of any of its theories :

"On a day about 1780, - exact date not known, - my father, living at the next house, was passing the house of Mr. Moody Spofford, and was called in to hear the strange statement that the girl weaving in the chamber, was annoyed by strange sounds, apparently iu the walls of the room, answering each stroke of the lathe with which she beat each thread of the filling into the eloth ! He examined to see if the jar of the loom produced the sound, but could find no loose boards or clapboards producing it. He pounded on the house himself, and found every blow made by the experiment, answered by a similar blow. Unable to account for these things, he left and went home, but was soon recalled.

" The weaver was Hannah Hazen, a native of the place, of respecta- ble family and good character, and nothing is known of her having any voluntary agency in relation to the doings of the afternoon, but a saying of the children's that Hannah had been trying her fortune, by some of the experiments popular at that day. . . Dis- turbed in the weaving, Hanuah was set to sifting meal, but she or her clothes had no sooner touched the meal-chest than it began to move away from her by jogs of one or two inches, and so continued as long as she kept at work ! A family of children, up to ten or a dozen years of age, soon spread the story over the neighborhood, and many gathered to see the wonders. My father, with my mother, a sister of 'Squire Moody, soon returned to find many there, and experi- ments going on ; a table, standing in the open floor, when touched by the girl or her clothes, would move by jogs from her, and other articles in the same way. The door-latch flew up and down with great rapidity when her clothes touched the door, and even the farmer's heavy work-bench, at the shop, upon trial, receded by a similar jog- ging motion. Spectators, by this time, were plenty, and the meal- chest experiment was renewed, and the chest moved as before, and continued to do so while the girl sifted meal, though the weight of three men were added. This motion was continued till it reached the corner of the room. The men concerned in this experiment, often named in stating those facts by those present, were Dr. Amos Spof- ford, David Thurston, Esq., afterwards removed to Maine, Capt. Wil- liam Perley, late of Haverhill, all of them residents here, and large and heavy men, well known to the writer.

" Hannah was a passive instrument iu the hands of others in all these experiments, and probably knew no more of the cause of these won- ders than they did. Iron or steel played its usual part ; a fork stuck in a table or meal-chest arrested its motion, a horse-shoe hung on the door, and the latch was still ; why the latch, if of iron, did not do the same we do not know; perhaps it was of wood. Other experiments might show the curiosity or preconceived notions of the actors, but throw no light on the moving cause of the chest, bench and chairs. On the esquire's return at evening, he put a stop to all experiments, and would not even hear their stories ; and everything was quiet over the Sabbath ; but, on his departure, Monday moruiug, the same game was recommenced at his house, upon which he was immediately recalled.

" Mr. Chaudler, the minister, and Mr. Bradford, the candidate for settlement, as colleague, were called in. Ere this, it had been decided that all unnatural appearances were optical delusions. Salem Village had never seen Margaret Rule suspended above the bed without hands, - it was all deception and imagination; but the twenty witnesses. who had seen the loaded meal-chest move to the wall, and begin to turn the corner, were not to be put down by a theory, even by two clergymen ; they were obliged to concede the facts as stated, or vir- tually hold half the Parish to be fools and liars ! To conclude, the girl was sent away. Prayer was offered at the house, and henceforth. to this day, chairs, tables and chests, have obeyed the laws of gravi- tation there as elsewhere."

in the manifestations of that or later times, thinks it " unphilosophical and absurd to disbelieve all facts we do not understand."

The most important and extensive early mechanical industry estab- lished in this town was that of tanning and currying, the annual produc- tion of leather being quite large. Among the principal tauners and cur- riers were Jeremiah Nelson, Asa Nelson, Nathaniel Nelson, Nathaniel Morse. Capt. Benjamin Adams, Solomon Nelson, Benjamin Low, Asa Nelson, Henry P. Hilliard, William Nelson, and Col. John Kimball. This branch of industry has now nearly ceased to exist in this town, only one establishment, doing a small business, now remaining.

The boot and shoe business, which began to exist here contempo- raneously with the leather business, has been a constantly growing interest, and is now the principal mechanical industry of the town, its extent and importance being indicated by the manufacturing and agricultural statistics elsewhere given.

The early manufacturers of boots and shoes were Moses Stickney, Solomon Stickney, Joseph Little, Benjamin Little, John L. Platts, George W. Nelson. Greenleaf Spofford, Coleman Platts, D. M. Winter, Benjamin Winter, Samuel Holmes. Nelson & Hood.

The later ones are G. J. Tenney & Son. Little & Noyes, Little & Moulton, Walter M. Brewster, John A. Lovering & Son, H. P. Chaplin, Holmes & Noves, Noyes & Carleton, A. B. Noyes & Co., Daniel Pierce, George Spofford, James B. Giles, Maj. Jerry Nelson, and Capt. Moses Wright. Heavy goods are principally produced, and the business has been subject to comparatively little fluctuation for many years.

At an early date there were numerous small mechanical enterprises started, most of which have now passed out of existence. Between 1730 and 1740, Dea. Abner Spofford erected the first saw-mill on the site where William Spofford's mill was afterwards built. In 1780, Col. Daniel Spofford erected a grist-mill in connection with the saw- mill, which was in existence about forty years, but only run a portion of the time.

About the same time Eleazer Spofford erected a mill in the same neighborhood for drawing wire, which was only operated a few years. Another enterprise added to that locality was a snuff mill by Jeremiah Spofford, which also ceased to operate after a few years.

In 1739, iron-works were established on a stream running from Rock Pond into Pentucket Pond, believed to have been operated by Samuel Barrett, but they have so long been closed up that little is now known of them.

In the year 1740, the only canal enterprise ever attempted in the town was projected by Daniel Pierce, who attempted to convey the water from Pentucket Pond to the site of Dole's mills, for the purpose of operating a grist-mill, but the scheme was not a success in his hands. It was finally accomplished, and a mill established which was capable of being operated six months in a year. In 1807, John Wood came in possession of the power. and erected a saw-mill.

All these enterprises have passed out of sight, or have ceased to be noticeable by reason of the prominence of more important interests. The manufacture of boots and shoes, most of which is heavy pegged work, has proved to be quite remunerative, and for many years has been less fluctuating in this town than in a majority of towus engaged in similar manufactures, which is attributed to the peculiar styles of goods made.

For the last twenty-five years the custom-clothing trade has been an important and profitable branch of manufacturing, commanding the best trade of the country for many miles around. The two principal clothing-houses are those of Stephen Osgood and S. Plummer, and both have been successful. The business still continues to be exten- sive and profitable.

It is a noticeable fact that iu Byfield Parish, a portion of which is iu Georgetown, the first woollen manufactory iu New England, and per- haps in America, was established, but the business was never largely extended, and has now passed away.

The first triumph of the Daguerrean art, in Essex County, was in this town, the achievement being by Mr. W. S. Horner and his brother, who conducted the process according to printed directions obtained in New York. Mr. Horner has a pair of compasses in his possession, once owned by George Washington, which are regarded of value as a relic of the past. Mrs. Horner is one of the most thorough botauists in Essex County, and is thoroughly acquainted with the whole funily of ferns. It is not uncommon for her to take to Boston one hundred and fifty specimens of wild flowers. Mr. Horner is the ticket-master at the railroad station.

Georgetown lays claim to being the home of the inventors of many

The venerable author of the above, though not taking any interest |, improvements in machinery and devices connected with the manu-

127

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

facture of shoes. Among these are improved modes in making pegged shoes, by the late Paul Pillsbury ; the application of machinery to cutting sole leather, by H. P. Chaplin ; the Post sewing-machine, by David Haskell ; the first use of upper-leather dies, by Horatio Nelson ; the first pegging-machine and metal-bound patterns, by Mr. Chaplin ; the inventions of Moses Atwood, Manly Morse, Edwin Brown, William Burton, Dr. Huse, and others.

Paul Pillsbury was a remarkable man as an inventor. He first invented a corn-sheller, and next a bark-mill, both of which were prae- tical. His next great invention was the peg-making machine, which he long kept a secret, but, as his biographer says, he " let a good pious deacon see it, to gratify his curiosity, and when he went out of the door the secret went with him." In this way the monopoly of peg- making ceased. Mr. Pillsbury invented many other machines, but the pegging-machine was the leading one. Mr. Pillsbury was an athletic man, and when a soldier in the war of 1812, is said to have shouldered a eannon weighing seven hundred pounds. He was born iii West Newbury in 1780, and died in Byfield in 1868, aged eighty- eight years. His first wife was Elizabeth Frink, of Haverhill, who was born in a house standing on the present site of the Boston and Maine Railroad station. His second wife was Mrs. Benjamin Pike, mother of Gen. Albert Pike, of Arkansas, the poet and the rebel general in the war of the Rebellion. Parker Pillsbury, one of the great anti-slavery leaders, was his nephew.

Since the existence of this community as a precinct, or its incorpo- ration as a town, few fires have occurred, involving great loss, till, on the morning of Oct. 26, 1874, when a fire broke out in the barn of Mr. George J. Tenney, which rapidly spread, threatening the destruc- tion of the whole compact portion of the town. A large number of buildings, stores, Masonic Hall, stables, and the dwelling-house of George J. Tenney were destroyed, laying in ruins the establishments of more than thirty business men and firms, destroying a large amount of merchandise, and other property. The origin of the fire is not certainly known. The property was generally insured, and the loss to individuals substantially covered. The fire department was entirely inadequate to cope with so extensive a conflagration, and assistance was sought from Newburyport and Haverhill, which was promptly supplied, by which a general sweep of the village was prevented. The burnt district was at once built up with substantial structures in the place of those destroyed. The business of the town was only tempo- rarily interfered with, and a succession of successful business years have followed. It is a singular phenomenal fact, that a lady friend of one of the sufferers by the fire, at that time residing in the western part of the State, was able to tell at the time that a fire was raging there, and to describe the buildings burnt, though no communication, by telegraph or otherwise, had reached her.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 38

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