USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > Tale of a Dedham tavern; history of the Norfolk hotel, Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 10
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1 Dedham Gazette, May 18, 1867.
2 Dedham Transcript, July 18, 1874; October 26, 1878; April 26, 1879.
3 Dedham Transcript, September 5, 1874.
4 Dedham Transcript, July 4, 1874.
5 Dedham Transcript, July 5, 1879.
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L
Saint Mary's School
tion of premiums. A few selections of vocal and instrumental music were finely rendered, after which the beloved Pastor, Rev. R. J. Johnson, con- ferred honors on the most proficient in their respec- tive classes."
The Sisters of Charity left Dedham soon after the closing of the School: "The Sisters of Charity, not having met with that encouragement they really. deserved, have left Dedham for the present. People of all sects and conditions are free to admit the great good done by the ladies during their sojourn here and we have no doubt that efforts will be made to continue the School according to the pro- visions of Mr. Bates's will. Various statements in relation to the property have been circulated, but there can be no immediate change unless the project for which the Sisters have so assiduously labored is at once and forever abandoned. This is not likely to be the case." 1
The Rev. Edward W. Virgin, in The Old Norfolk House, states that the Lady Superiors of Saint Mary's School were Sisters Mary Ann Alexis, Mary Frances and Mary Vincent; that the teachers were Sisters Mary Josephine, Mary Martin, Mary Gene- vieve, Mary Theotina, Mary Victorina and Mary Vincent; and that other teachers were associated with them from time to time.
Since the School was given up in 1879 until 1905, when the premises were bought by Charles H. Gif-
1 Dedham Transcript, August 23, 1879.
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2
A Dedham Tavern
ford, the building or portions of it were occupied by various people for office, residence, and storage pur- poses, and private schools held their sessions here. John Cahill, of Dedham; occupied the house as caretaker from August, 1879, to April, 1903, his daughter, Mary Cahill, continuing to hold the house and collect the rentals.
In 1884, one Dr. A. H. Stewart occuped "Room 6" as his office." 1
Miss Lucy Lee Fessenden had a private school here from 1884 to 1889, during which time the building was known as the "Sisters' Building," 2 or "Sisters' School Building." 3 "The patronage her school received being sufficient proof of its ex- cellence." 4
In 1889, Miss Sybil E. Rolland "opened a kinder- garten for little children in the old Norfolk House on Court St." 5
Miss Sarah Breck Baker also had a private school here for a few years. Beginning with ten pupils, her number increased considerably, reaching at one time a maximum of thirty, ages ranging from five to fifteen years.6
Miss Marietta Marden, dressmaker, Bernard Schermerhorn, Percival Gassett, Philip Glidden,
· 1 Dedham Transcript, February 9, 1884.
2 Dedham Transcript, August 29, 1885.
1 Dedham Transcript, August 22, 1885.
4 Slafter's Schools and Teachers of Dedham.
6 Dedham Transcript, October 26, 1889.
6 Slafter's Schools and Teachers of Dedham.
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Photographed by John F. Guild, Dedham
Photographed by John F. Guild, Dedham
THE BALL ROOM, 1905
Saint Mary's School
and others had rooms here. It was here also that Miss Clara Perry had her studio.
During this period (1879 to 1905), owing to lack of funds, the house became sadly out of repair, the Ballroom especially so. The roof of the ell was full of holes, the plastering gone in many places and the famous spring floor fairly rotted away. During the winter snow and rain beat in and then freezing furnished an impromptu skating-rink for children, a decided contrast to the days when the Ballroom was considered one of the best in New England "and from far and near parties of quality came to try the celebrated spring floor and the elegant game suppers following a royal dance." 1
The original Trustees of Saint Mary's School and Asylum being now all dead, and there being but one member of the corporation alive, the Legisla- ture was appealed to and the corporation was re- vived and authorized to sell its property free from the trusts and provisions in Bates's deed.2 .
As time went on, there was a failure to pay the town taxes which had been assessed to John Cahill as occupant, and a tax sale of the Norfolk Hotel re- sulted in 1903. There was also failure to pay the yearly land rental of $60, and formal entry and pos- session were taken to secure this rent by the First Church in Dedham. This rent having been paid by the Rev. Robert J. Johnson, a new lease on the lines of present ownership was made out to him on Jan-
1 Dedham Transcript, March 6, 1909. [ 167 ]
2 Chap. 436, Acts 1901.
A Dedham Tavern
uary 12, 1905,1 for the unexpired term of 999 years of the original leases; and the latter conveyed to Charles H. Gifford, June 19, 1905,2 subject to a rental of $60 a year to the First Church for the un- expired portion of the original 999-year lease. Mr. Gifford also bought the "Griggs estate," so called, owned by Theodore P. Spindle, adjoining the rear of the Norfolk Hotel land and fronting on Bullard Street. This land was also subject to a ground rental to the First Church. The Land Court ap- proved these proceedings and a Decree of Regis- tration issued August 28, 1906, all claims of the heirs of Martin Bates being denied.
1 Norfolk Registry of Deeds, Book 991, p. 305.
2 Norfolk Registry of Deeds, Book 1002, p. 383.
lin
Photographed by. John F Guild, Dedham
THE HOUSE TO-DAY, NORTH SIDE
Photographed by John F. Guilt, Dedham
THE HOUSE TO-DAY, SOUTH SIDE
VIII
Charles H. Gifford, 1905-1910
C HARLES H. GIFFORD, the new owner, undertook to transform the old house into a handsome residence for himself and fam- ily, and he began the work none too soon. The place had been so long neglected it had become a public eyesore in a very prominent quarter of the town. From the Dedham Transcript: 1 "The Old Norfolk House on Court St. is to be remodelled and made into a commodious private residence. Charles H. Gifford's first thought was to tear down the building and erect a modern house, but upon inspection it was found that the walls, foundation and main tim- bers of the old house were in a good state of pre- servation, and that the interior finish of some of the rooms was of rare workmanship, so Mr. Gifford decided to utilize the old building as far as possible in his plans."
The architect was Frank Chouteau Brown, 6 Park Street, Boston, and for about two years and a half he was engaged in the work of improvement. From the Dedham Transcript:2 "The Old Norfolk House, Dedham, becomes the New Norfolk House, No. 19 Court St., by the thorough renovation, 1 July 7, 1906. 2 March 6, 1909.
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A Dedham Tavern
restoration and improvement of 'Ye ancient hostelry.' The residents and real estate owners of that section of Court St. may well congratulate themselves on the wonderful transformation. It was taken hold of none too soon to save it from be- coming a nesting place for 'Weary Willies' and a home for the hungry horde of 'furriners.' The two storied veranda and the four large and tall pil- lars, painted immaculately white, and the English gates, joined by brick arches to the north and south sides, give a colonial and majestic tone to the whole structure."
The following are the architect's own notes upon his work:
"Old Norfolk House, Dedham. Alterations by Frank Chouteau Brown, architect. Style of archi- tecture, Southern Colonial. Columns, cement, 22 inches diam. at base by 18 ft. high. Capitols, Greek Ionic in type, but modified to a Colonial form. Gates, Southern Colonial. Brick fence and gate- ways agree with the house, being Southern Colonial in type. Photographer, Leon Dadmun, II Port- land St., Boston. Lot 121 ft. on Court St. by 175 ft. deep. Old ball room is 27 x 61 ft., two stories high, with arched plaster ceiling. Spring floor. Hanging musicians' gallery at one end. Living hall has staircase going up in two ways, as was the Southern fashion, and the hall is treated in the simplest Doric style, very similar to the hall in the White House at Washington, as recently
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-f
Photographed by John F. Guild, Dedham
Photographed by John F. Guild, Dedham
THE HALL
Charles H. Gifford
restored. Reception room is carried out in simple Adams type of colonial, which was derived from the French. The walls of the study are in panelled oak to the ceiling. The style of the room belonging to that time when Georgian and Elizabethan styles were interchanging in England.
"When the restoration was begun the brick por- tion of the house had all been painted a grayish white, along with the wooden addition at the back. One of the first things attempted was to remove the paint from the brickwork so as to get back the origi- nal contrast of color. The portico in front was added so as to give the house a central feature which it badly needed, and to include the two doorways that would otherwise have been jarring elements to the design. One of the old doorways is filled with a French window, and the other retained as the main entrance to the house, and is treated with a colonial door and top-light. The side entry, open- ing from the garden and driveway at the south (Bates Court), is also distinctively colonial. Here side-lights and top-lights have both been employed. The old dining room of the Norfolk House was di- vided up to get kitchen closets and pantries in con- nection with the kitchen, and the entry just spoken of, and a loggia back of it, connecting the dining room with the hall. The house is heated by a mod- ern system of hot water. The boundary fence run- ning the whole length of Bates Court is an open pleasant lattice work, also of colonial style."
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A Dedham Tavern
Mr. Gifford deserves the greatest praise for beautifying this important section of the town. Before taking up his residence, however, in his new home, his business unexpectedly called him per- manently to Detroit, Michigan, and on April 12, 1910, he sold the premises to the author of this "Tale."
Mr. Gifford was a resident of Dedham for several years, during which time he took an active and influential part in town affairs. The New Norfolk Hotel or "Auld-Inn" (as it might be called in memory of the old tavern keeper), stands as a monument to Mr. Gifford's efforts to beautify this historic spot in Dedham.
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APPENDIX
APPENDIX A
THE PASSING OF LAFAYETTE
A Romance of the Norfolk House, by Elinor Ramsay 1
IT was a night in early summer, and only now and again was the intense stillness broken by the twitter of a bird or a breath of wind coming from the river. The moon shone high in the sky, while the trees near cast shadows around the old posting-house. Time was stand- ing still, for the spirits of those long since departed were allowed once more to visit their past habitations.
The shade of Lafayette, that gay, debonair young of- ficer of the French army, stood leaning against the door- way of the Norfolk House. Coming along Court Street was the shadow of a woman, and to Lafayette's heart there came a sudden throb, as he recognized the pic- turesque dress of the Friends. Unhesitatingly she flitted along until she reached the tavern, and the taller shade advanced to meet her.
Words seemed to be superfluous, as, their hands meeting, Lafayette whispered: "I was half afraid you were detained, sweetheart. You did not fear to come?"
For answer she looked gravely but tenderly at him,. and together they passed into the house and up the staircase to the long ballroom.
"Truly there seemeth much vexation and warring of elements nowadays," the Quaker lady said as they stepped to the window, and Lafayette stood looking down at her. "I did hear some talk that owing to the in-
1 Dedham Transcript, June 19, 1909.
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Appendix
crease of riches, the Evil One had more business toattend to than he could well manage."
"Even the old houses are no longer old," she con- tinued, "but for myself I prefer the old, old things."
She placed herself on the low bench, and the Marquis stooped and raised her hands to his lips.
"Nay, Jean," she whispered. "Now gallants no longer salute the hands of those they love, courtesy has lost its sweet savor, and women are even as men, and some- times worse," and her voice fell.
"Faith," - and at the old name the Quaker lady allowed herself to draw nearer Lafayette, - "let us forget to-day and its tarnish, and think of bygone hours, tenderly, kindly, knowing that for us once there grew the primrose way, even with the sound of war in our midst."
"Jean, thee was harder hit than thee cares to admit," and a flash came as she spoke to the Quaker lady's eyes, which Lafayette had delighted in in years long past.
For a second there was silence, and the room darkened; then the moon shone again on the two bowed heads and the clasped hands.
"I loved you, little Faith, with a man's first love; you were the embodiment of every womanly virtue, and your religion only heightened your charm."
"And I -oh, how could I love a Catholic and a worldling, but thee had ever been mine idol, Jean; but I was sore punished for my sin! For it was with me, as with many an one, Jean; I gave mine all, and when the end came, I, too, said: 'I shall tread softly all my years.'" ""
As by the clearing of a mist away, Lafayette saw the . colorless avenue of years along which his Quaker love had walked, and a feeling of remorse came to him. She was quick to see the change of feeling, and with deli- cate touch she raised her hands to his breast.
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"With the woman it is the heart always, is it not? And it is right. For the man must step into the world and fight a man's battles. Thy life was not an easy one, my Jean"; and her eyes glowed with feeling.
"I can see the old place now," she murmured, "but the house was destroyed years ago. There will be few spots left for us to revisit shortly."
"You read me quite a lecture," went on Lafayette, "that night when we were quartered upon your family."
"I had prayed in my girlish folly that I might see the noble young officer who was aiding Washington so well," Faith answered. "And when my mother bade me come and be presented to thee, I scarce could stand upright, my heart was beating so! Yet I did reprove thee about the King, for it seemed to me thee was ungen- erous."
The Marquis smiled, and, raising the delicate face, he gazed into the steadfast eyes. "Faith, Hope, and Charity," he said, "but the greatest of these is Charity, which forgives us poor blundering men the mistakes which spoil a young life. Still, thy mother was somewhat negligent about thee when she -"
"My mother always trusted me, Jean." Then she smiled.
"Where was she when we walked in the garden?" La- fayette went on; and again the flash came into the gray lady's eyes.
"My lord, to tell the honest truth, my mother was very proud of certain dishes she made, and so she would not let Kezia make them while you were our guest; besides, she thought me only a child and a Friend!" And Faith smiled again.
"Ah! you were a Friend, and I - well, I was only a lover. And there came a day when you ceased to be only a Friend to me and became -"
"Hush!" Faith whispered. "Does thee remember the
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old rose-bush, the York and Lancaster, that striped rose? It never flourished from that time, but gradually pined away, and by the time thee went back to France, the rose was dead."
A gust of wind suddenly sprang up and a slight cloud passed over the moon. The woman's shadowy form leaned against the man, her head rested against his shoulder, while the memory of forgotten days envel- oped them. The faulty weaving was lost in the soft curves of the fabric, and its folds were light as thistle- down.
Lafayette was the first to speak. "I blamed myself. I might have known your parents would never have con- sented to your wedding a noble and a Frenchman, to say nothing of the religion."
"No," Faith said softly; "but they did not under- stand that love comes and goes, and for some 'with God be the rest.'"'
"Your father thanked me for the honor I had done his family, regretted his share in allowing me to see you so often, and granted my last request that I might see you once again and alone. It was in that last sad inter- view in dear old Yorktown that we made our solemn compact to meet at stated times, when our spirits, freed from their earthly forms, might once again commune in peace."
Lafayette's voice died away on the still air of the room.
"And thee rode away, afterwards to suffer those years of prison, and I -" Faith paused.
"Love, you were more faithful than I," whispered Lafayette.
"Thee had to do what was right," the Quaker lady went on. "For me, after the war was over, my parents' wealth came to me and smoothed my latter years."
Lafayette spoke. "Some travelling Americans gave
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me news of you in Paris, and I made an extra prayer for the soul of Faith Carstairs."
Faith rested her hand on his lips.
"Thee hurts me when thee speaks like that. If I suf- fered, did thee not suffer in those weary years of im- prisonment? Many was the prayer I prayed for those 'who languish in prison,' and once again we saw each other on earth."
"Little did I think," said Lafayette, "that on that hasty ride through to Roxbury, Fate or Providence would bring me a glimpse of you. Tell me again how you came to be stopping here."
"When I was left alone," Faith said softly, "I spent much of my time in visiting prisons. There was need of it, and as I sat by the side of one born far away from this land, my heart thought on thee and thy years of cap- tivity. My friends and I had stopped here to rest our horses, and disliking the publicity below, we were al- lowed to remain in the dancing-room. I heard the tu- mult and confusion, and from these windows I saw le Marquis de Lafayette!"
"There was no mistaking you," Lafayette said. "After all those years, your face still came to me as I knew it in Yorktown. The crowd around thought it only gallantry which made me salute the ladies at the window while time pressed."
"It was prophetic," Faith answered. "I felt that time for me had all but counted the last stroke, and for thee also the years might be few."
"Faith " - and the man's tones sank to a whisper -"as I rode away that night, with the gleam from the marshes lighting my road, I thought what will- o'-the-wisps men follow, and how much happier those who follow the straight, if hard road of duty, even if difficult to find."
Softly now, as of some fitful memory flashing into
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being, came the sounds of music. They fell upon the shadowy listeners' hearing like echoes of the world above. Neither form moved, but together they saw the old walk in the garden in Yorktown, and the figure. of a Quaker maiden and a French noble.
"Do you remember what I taught you," Lafayette whispered, and Faith's eyes glistened as she recalled the forbidden pastime.
"We had tried long ere thee came," she answered, "but they never knew how I learned to dance so well"; and the girl smiled.
Still the music rippled on, and surely there were other shadowy forms in the gallery. To the man's ears it rang of the early days in Yorktown, swelling to the march of war and fading away into a minor key. The woman's ear heard a spring song, the full note of a sum- mer day, too beautiful to last, and then the wailing notes of an unfinished theme.
The two figures passed into the moonlight, the air of a minuet vibrating across the room. The Quaker lady's feet had surely trod the measure before, and there was no faltering on the part of the Marquis .. To and fro, bow and courtesy, the steps went on, and only for them rang the music from the gallery.
Slowly, slowly, the figures moved, then paused, the '. hands of the woman fast clasped to the man's breast, as upon the stillness floated the farewell of the Marseillaise.
APPENDIX B TITLE OF THE NORFOLK HOTEL LAND
Report of the Examiner, Don Gleason Hill, 19061
A LARGE portion of the land in Dedham Village between Memorial Hall and the Episcopal Church on both sides of Church Street and between School Street and Court Street and also a large tract on the north side of High Street, on both sides of Washington Street, from Maple Place to the Rail- road Bridge, together with the Greenleaf Block estate south of High and east of Washington Street, are held under leases for 999 years from the Epis- copal Church in Dedham to various lessees. Also the Square bounded by High Street, Court Street, Village Avenue and Bullard Street (except the Church Green and the land on which the Church and Vestry stand) are held under leases from the First Church in Dedham. There are also a few outlying pieces which have been leased by the Church. These Churches began to make these leases a little before the year 1800, and they bear different dates from that period down. Prior to the passage of Chapter 162 of the Acts of 1834 these leases were personal estates, and I was told many years ago by the late Judge Waldo Colburn that
1 Land Registration Office, Boston. Title No. 1452.
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Judge Theron Metcalf, who was then a practising lawyer in Dedham, was instrumental in procuring the passage of this act on account of the large amount of property held in Dedham under long leases. In the earlier days these leases were trans- ferred in the most simple manner, frequently by mere endorsements on the back of the original lease. The lessees have constantly subdivided their land, dividing the rent to be paid among them- selves, and in not a few cases charging the whole rent, sometimes of two or three leases, upon a por- tion of the land described in one lease. Frequently dividing the land into two parts, the lease would be surrendered without ceremony and two new leases issued in place thereof. In our particular case the rent of several leases was charged by Martin Bates, the owner, upon our particular lot, and some of the holders under the lease would be charged with the payment of the rent under an en- tirely different lease, but this arrangement of pay- ments of ground rent has now become adjusted by the issuing of new leases in 1905 whereby each lessee is chargeable only with the rent under his own lease. Sheet 14 is a reduced sketch from a copy of a plan which I copied Oct. 10, 1874 from the original then in the possession of Jonathan H. Cobb, who was then one of the Deacons, and showed the lots according to the leases as they stood in 1863, the red shading being mine to show our particular lines.
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With this report I file a little pamphlet entitled "Dedham Village in 1636-1876" with a plan, to which I have added a few more extracts from the Dedham Proprietors' Records. On page 6 of the pamphlet will be found a grant of the land (cover- ing the Church land) to Ezechiell Holliman, 12 acres. On page 16 will be found the transfer from Holliman to Joseph Kingsbury, and also a trans- fer from Joseph Kingsbury to the Town of an acre for a "seat for a publique Meetinge House" in the added sheets the transfer from Kingsbury to the Church. Also in the July number of 1902 of Ded- ham Historical Register is an historical paper of mine giving some information with regard to these early grants, although that article relates mostly to the Landing Place on Charles River and the part of the Kingsbury land north of High Street.
Our immediate locus originally formed part of some five different leases with an addition thereto on the back of one of them. There are one or two instances in which former leases appear to have been surrendered and we have new leases in place thereof. It seemed to me necessary to follow the land under each one of these leases until the title became vested in Martin Bates, but from there on I have not deemed it necessary to follow in the abstract, the land outside of our locus. The locus was sold for taxes sheet No. 91 and was a default as to all of the leases covered by our abstract. En- try has been made for breach of the condition of
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these leases on account of failure to pay taxes and also on account of failure to pay rent, and certi- ficates recorded under Section 16, Chapter 134 of the Revised Laws. Sheet No. 96 is a plan showing the situation of the new leases and is recorded with them; the red lines being the old lease lines. My abstract does not show it, but at the time the new lease was made to Robert J. Johnson (sheet 94) new leases were also made of the other lots on this plan to the parties named with each lot. .
It will be noticed that sheet 82 which conveys our locus is made on condition that the grantees shall pay the rent, etc. and that said premises shall always be used for purposes set forth in ar- ticles of association of St. Mary's School and Asy- lum. So far as I have been able to discover I have found no evidence of any entry by Bates or his heirs for breach of the condition in this deed. After the passage of Chapter 436, Acts of 1901, referred to on Sheet 85 a real action was brought by a few of the heirs of Martin Bates (Sheet 101) against John Cahill who was a mere occupant of the pre- mises, but Cahill died and the case was dismissed Dec. 4, 1905 at the calling of the Docket. I have on sheets 98, 99 and 100 given an abstract of the Bates will and codicil, (this will was duly probated) and the latest list of heirs which I have been able to find from the Probate Documents, and from the deeds. I have not seen the conveyances by the Bates heirs and I do not know their present names and ad- [ 184 ]
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