USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > The Essex memorial, for 1836: embracing a register of the county > Part 11
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History and Map .- An excellent history of this town, and a minute and accurate map, have been published within a few years, by Alonzo Lewis.
LYNNFIELD.
THIS township was formerly called Lynn-End, having been granted to Lynn, by the General
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Court, soon after the settlement of that town. It became the second parish of Lyun and a meeting- house was built, in 1715; and in 1782 it was in- corporated into a district ; thus it remained till 1814, when it became a separate town. Itis 12 miles northeast of Boston, and is bounded south- east by Lynn and Saugus, east by Danvers, north by Reading, and west by South Reading.
This township presents a broken and t even surface, and many of its hill are clothed with a dense forest growth. It affords a delightful retreat for those who would retire from the bustle of the populous town, to partake of the pleasures of rural life ; and in no place hereabouts is a wider range of wild and romantic scenery presented for the contemplation of the lover of nature.
Along the northern border of the town flows the main branch of Ipswich river, and the western boundary is chiefly traversed by the Saugus. Within its precincts are one or two fine ponds, and the Boston and Newburyport turnpike passes through the southern section.
The inhabitants are chiefly farmers, though shoemaking is carried on to considerable extent.
POPULATION.
The population was, in 1800, 468 ; in 1810, 509 ; in 1820, 596 ; in 1830, 617.
Ratable Polls, 158.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Town Clerk-Andrew Mansfield, Jr.
Town Treasurer-Andrew Mansfield.
Selectmen-Andrew Mansfield, Jr. John Perkins, Jr. Moses Richardson.
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JUSTICES, AND CORONER.
Justice of the Peace and Quorum-Asa T. New- hall.
Justices of the Peace-Daniel Needham, Bowman Viles, Josiah Newhall.
Coroner-John Upton.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Orthodox Congregational .- This church was form- ed, a. the second of Lynn, Aug. 17, 1720. The pre- sent pastor is Josiah Hill.
The first pastor was Nathaniel Sparhawk. He was born at Cambridge, 1694; graduated at Har- vard, 1715, and settled here at the formation of the church ; resigned July, 1731, and died May 7, 1732. The second pastor was Stephen Chase. He was born at Newbury, 1708 ; graduated at Harvard 1728 ; settled here Nov. 24, 1791 ; resigned 1755 ; died Jan. 1778. The third pastor was Benjamin Adams. He was born at Newbury, May 8, 1719 ; graduated at Harvard, 1738 ; settled here Nov. 5, 1755 ; died May 4, 1777. The fourth pastor was Joseph Mottey. He was born at Salem, May 14, 1756 ; graduated at Dartmouth 1778 ; ettled here Sept. 24, 1782 ; died July 9, 1821. The fifth pastor was Joseph Searl. He was born at Rowley, Dec. 2, 1789 ; graduated at Dartmouth, 1815 ; settled here Jan. 21, 1824 ; re- signed Sept. 27, 1827. The sixth, and present pas- tor, Josiah Hill, was born at Bedford, July 11, 1792 ; settled here Oct. 23, 1833.
Methodist .- There is a society of Methodists here but they are at present without a settled pastor.
SCHOOLS.
Lynnfield is divided into three school districts ; there are 170 scholars, and the annual school tax is about $400.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
Public Houses .- Lynnfield Hotel, kept by Theron Palmer; one near the meeting-house, kept by E. Parsons,
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Military .- One company of infantry of the line.
Library .- Social Library, comprising about 200 volumes.
Debating Society .- A Debating Society has been recently established, with a small library attached.
Stores .- Two grocery and one variety.
Town Expenses .- The annual town expenses amount to about $500.
Stages .- Two stages, running between Boston and Newburyport, pass through daily ; and one other running between Salem and Lowell.
Varieties of Soil .- Tillage, 311 acres ; English and upland mowing, 415 acres ; fresh meadow, 725 acres ; pasturage 1,205 acres ; woodland, 554 acres.
Valuation .- This town stands in the State valua- tion at $116,751 19.
MANCHESTER.
MANCHESTER is bounded east by Gloucester, north by Essex, west by Beverly, and south by Massachusetts Bay.
This town, prior to 1640, was known as Jeffrey's Creek, and formed a part of Salem. In 1640 sev- eral of the inhabitants petitioned for Jeffrey's Creek, and land, to erect a village, which was granted, and it was incorporated, and called Man- chester, in 1645. It is almost 4 miles, from east to west and 3 from north to south - embracing the variety of soil common to a primitive region, and in a good state of culture. The chief reliance of the population, has been on foreign trade, coast- wise commerce, and the fishing business ; but these branches of industry have sensibly declined, within the last ten years. As early as 1645, Man-
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chester is mentioned, as being engaged in the fisheries, which business was continued, till about the year 1816, with considerable enterprise, and profit.
Manchester has furnished a great proportion of the enterprising ship masters, of Boston, and vicinity - and has trained the majority of her youth, to the seas. The number of vessels em- ployed at present, comprise about 1000 tons ; necessarily of small size, as the depth of water at the wharves, will not allow vessels exceeding 120 tons to come up to the town, though there is a well protected, and capacious harbor affording anchorage for vessels of any size. The town is very pleasantly situated, having a southern decliv- ity to the water : the houses are neat, and every- thing about conspires to give the stranger a very favorable impression, in regard to the thrift, and well being of the inhabitants.
POPULATION.
The population in 1800, was 1,082 ; in 1810, 1,137 ; in 1820, 1,201 ; in 1830, 1,260.
Ratable polls, 330.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Town Clerk-D. L. Bingham.
Town Treasurer-Obed Carter.
Selectmen-John W. Allen, Daniel Leach, Ariel P. Crowell.
PHYSICIANS, JUSTICES, ETC.
Physicians .- Ezekiel W. Leach, Asa Story.
Justices of the Peace .- D. L. Bingham, David Colby.
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MANCHESTER.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Orthodox Congregational .- This society was gath- ered under the ministry of Rev. Ames Cheever, in 1716 ; and previous to this year no church records of Manchester are known to exist, though several min- isters, were settled here, viz : Ralph Smith, 1635 ; John Winborn, 1680 ; John Eveleth, 1689 ; John Emerson, 1695 ; Nicholas Webster, 1699. The pre- sent pastor of this church is Samuel Moody Emerson, a native of Conway, born Nov. 13, 1785 ; graduated at Williams College, 1810 ; and settled here, Sept. 12, 1821. Number of communicants, 230. There is a Sabbath School, attached, organized in 1816, hav- ing about 250 scholars. The present place of wor- ship, is a neat and commodious edifice erected in 1809, costing $8,000.
Universalist .- There is a small society of Univer- salists here which was organized in 1820. They have at present no stated preaching.
LIBRARIES.
There is a Lyceum Library, instituted in 1829, comprising about 500 volumes.
Also a Library attached to the Congregational Sab- bath School, comprising about 350 volumes.
SCHOOLS.
There are three public, and five private schools, besides a high school, instituted in 1835, now under the direction of William Long, having 40 scholars in the higher English branches, and the ancient lan- guages. One of the above public schools, is kept during the year ; and the others are maintained dur- ing the summer or winter season. The whole num- ber of scholars is about 400 ; and the amount annu- ally paid for the support of schools, about $1,200.
STAGES.
The Essex and Salem stage leaves at 8, A. M., and arrives from Salem at 6, P. M. The stage for Boston front Gloucester leaves at 9, A. M., and arrives from Boston at 3, P. M., continuing on to Gloucester.
1
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MANCHESTER.
LOCAL SOCIETIES, ETC.
Lyceum .- Organized, 1831. Number of members 100. President, Asa Story.
Temperance Society .- Organized, 1828. President, Larkin Woodbury.
Gentlemen's Benevolent Society .- Organized in 1816. Number of members, 75. President, S. M. Emerson.
Ladies' Benevolent Society .- Organized, 1810. Number of members, SO. President, Mrs C. B. Emerson.
Tract Society .- Organized 1829. Number of members 100. President, Mrs A. H. Trask.
Female Dorcas Society .- Organized 1830. Num- ber of members 65. President, Mrs L. S. Woodbury.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
Manufactures .- Within a few years the attention of the population of Manchester, has been directed to the manufacture of cabinet furniture, which is rapidly increasing.
There is at present the mahogany veneering mill of J. P. Allen, working five circular and two perpen- dicular saws, with turning lathes, &c. ; and ten other manufactories, having about 150 men constantly em- ployed. These manufactories, are favorably located, for the exportation of their articles, to various mar- kets. 'The amount of sales of furniture last year was $50,000.
Taxable Property .- The amount of taxable pro- perty in Manchester is $360,674 82.
Town Expenses .- The amount raised for town ex- penses, last year, was $3,000.
Public House .- There is one Public House in Manchester, kept by N. Chapman.
Fire Department .- The Manchester Fire Depart- ment was organized in 1829. They now have one engine, well supplied with hooks and ladders, and 30 men attached.
Stores .- Two dry goods and five grocery.
Trades, &c .- 9 carpenters, 8 shoemakers shops, in
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which about 20 men are employed ; 1 architect, 1 tanner, 1 brick maker, 1 brick mason, 1 stone mason, 2 house and sign painters, 1 caulker, 2 black- smiths, 1 goldsmith, 3 ship carpenters.
State Valuation .- The valuation of Manchester was in 1811, $171,647 33 ; in 1821, $194,107 50; in 1831, $260,604 25.
Fisheries .- There are about 150 men engaged in the fisheries, 7 fish yards and flakes, and ten houses for storage.
Mills .- There are three saw, and two grist mills.
Dwellings .- The number of dwellings is 171.
Distances .- 'The distance from Manchester to Bos- ton, is 23 miles, to Salem 9, to Gloucester 7.
Wood Land .-- There are about 1300 acres of wood land, in Manchester. It is said that snakes abound in these woods more than in any other place in this vicinity.
Vessels .- 18 schooners and two sloops, besides the small craft.
Post Office-The post office yields to government about $100 annually.
Magnolias .- Manchester woods, are celebrated for producing the magnolia ; it is a low tree, with deep green leaves, and is rarely found at any other place in this region ; the flowers are white, and possess a most delicious fragrance ; the scent is so powerful that a small grove of them will perfume the air for miles.
MARBLEHEAD.
MARBLEHEAD is a peninsula, situated at the south - eastern corner of the county, 16 miles northeast of Boston ; it is about 4 miles in length from northeast to southwest, and 1 1-2 to 2 miles in breadth, con- taining 3700 acres. With the exception of about
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twenty farmers and their families, its population is comprised within the limits of one mile by one quar- ter. A large proportion of its surface is extremely irregular and rocky, and considerably elevated above the level of the adjacent country. In an ora- tion pronounced in Latin by Professor Sewall at the funeral of President Holyoke, the town is called " Marmaracria, oppidum maritimum, saris abun- dans ; inde Novanglice dictum Marblehead, asperri- ma vor, aures Latinas horride perstringens."* Elsewhere it has been denominated " Marmoreum Promontorium," - a promontory as hard as marble. As the celebrated Whitfield was entering the set- tlement late in autumn, when no verdure was to be seen, he exclaimed, " Pray, where do they bury their dead ?" Its elevation, together with its being nearly surrounded with salt water, gives it a pure and healthful atmosphere, similar to that of Nahant. The thermometer seldom rises so high or descends so low here as elsewhere. Notwithstanding the rough and repulsive aspect of the territory, its soil is productive ; and it is a fact surprising to stran- gers, that more hay is cut than is consumed in the town. A single farm has yielded more than a hundred tons a year. Premiums have also been awarded by the Agricultural Society for the largest crops of corn and barley, as well as hay, from an acre here.
The harbor, in front of the town, a mile and a half long from northeast to southwest, and half a mile wide, formed by a narrow isthmus at the south- west, that separates it from Lynn Bay and connects the town with Great Neck, is deep and excellent,
Marmaracria, a maratime town, abounding with rocks, hence called, in the language of New England, Marblehead ; a very hard name, terribly grating to Latin ears.
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capable of being entered at all times by ships of the largest size, and would be one of the finest in the country were it not for its exposure to storms, which often renders its anchorage unsafe. It is defended by Fort Sewall, situated upon a point near its entrance, and formed by two angular bat- teries of earth and stone, with a stone and brick wall in their rear. The barracks, which are bomb proof, are sufficient for a garrison of sixty or sev- enty men. The origin of this fortress was an act of the colonial government, in 1742, granting the town £690, with authority "To erect within the town or harbor a good and sufficient breastwork, and a platform for the accommodation of twelve- pounders, or other guns equivalent, and suitable warlike stores." It was ceded to the United States, by vote of the town, in 1794.
The Great Neck is over a mile in length, and half a mile wide on an average, containing two or three farms, leases, &c .; in the whole about 300 acres. On its northeastern point, the United States government have just completed a Light House, with a dwelling house for the keeper.
The nar- row beach, protected by a wall, which constitutes the head of the harbor, has repeatedly been en- croached upon and endangered by the ocean. To assist in repairing it, and building a wall about a quarter of a mile long, the General Court granted £500 in the year 1729; and in 1790, with the aid of &1000, obtained by a lottery, a wall of granite in addition to the old wall was erected.
Off the Neck, seaward, are two small islands, Tinker's and Ram islands, which have been claimed both by Marblehead and Salem. The former, one quarter mile distant, is supposed to have been connected with the Neck, and it is said
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that the father of one of the present distinguished inhabitants once rode to it upon his horse. It has still a bar partially dry at low water. It is said formerly to have contained 14 acres. It now con- sists of two parts, connected by a beach 730 feet long, the sea breaking over it at high tides. The southern part contains 106 rods, on which a marine house was erected, and some trees planted, by the Marblehead Marine Society, by the authority of General Court, in 1807. The northern part con- tains 1 acre, 43 rods. During a snowstorm, April 2, 1786, a Boston vessel from Spain, loaded with iron, was wrecked on this island, and the whole crew perished ; their bodies were recovered and buried from the town house. On petition of the two towns that claimed it, the island was ceded to the United States by the legislature in 1822. Ram island lies 1 1-2 mile southwest from Tinker's, and was used before and after the revolutionary war, at certain seasons, as a pasture for sheep.
For more than twenty years, Marblehead was a component part of Salem. The earliest settle- ment is supposed to have been made in the neigh- borhood of Salem harbor, near what is still called the Ferry, and where for many years was the only communication between the two places by means of the ferry boat. There were probably settlers on this side nearly as soon as on the other.
From the records of General Court it appears, that as early as 1635, " In consequence of some objections made to Mr Allerton," an enter- prising "inhabitant of Marblehead," he was " requested to move thence." Afterwards, also, during the same year, it was voted by the Court, " That there should be a plantation at Marblehead." 'The place therefore must have been known by this name long before it was incorporated.
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MARBLEHEAD.
An interesting circumstance concerning it at this period, is related in the following extract from Mather's Magnalia. " In 1635, Mr Avery, a wor- thy minister, coming into Newengland, was invited unto Marblehead ; but there being no church there, and the fishermen there being generally too remiss to form one, he went rather to Newberry, intend- ing there to settle. Nevertheless, both the magis- trates and ministers of the country urging the common good that would arise from his being at Marblehead, he embarked in a pinnace with two families, his own and his cousin Mr Anthony Thacher's, which with some others then on board made in all twentythree souls, designing in a few hours to have reached the port. But on August 14th, in the night, there came on as mighty a storm as perhaps was ever known in these parts of the world ; a storm which drove the vessel upon a rock, and so tore it that the poor people sat presently up to the middle in water, expecting every moment the waves of death to be rolling over them. The vessel was quickly broken all to pieces, and almost the whole company drowned, by being successively washed off the rock ; only Mr Thacher, having been a considerable while tossed hither and thither by the violent seas, was at last very strangely cast alive upon the shore, where, much wounded, he found his wife a sharer with him in the like deliv- erance." This storm is noticed on page 79 of this work, where the date was accidentally put 19th of August.
In 1638, the town of Salem granted " 8 acres of land on the maine to Mr Walton," who was preach- ing at Marblehead, and who continued in the min- istry here till his decease in 1668.
From the earliest records of the " Plantation," we learn, that in 1648, it contained 44 families,
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the heads of which were named " James Smith and Rowland, Saml. Doliber, Edmund Nicholson and Francis, John Gatchell, William Barber, David Thomas, John Legg, Peter Pitford, Erasmus James, Thomas Bowinge, John Stacie, George Chine, John Northy, Nicolas Merrett, Thomas Pitman, Timo. Allen, Thos. Sams, Arthur Sanden, Isaac Allerton, Moses Maverick, Mr Walton, John Lyon, Henry Stacie, Wm. Chichester, Saml. Corwithen, Thos. Gray, Richd. Norman, John Peachy, Richd. Cur- tice, John Hart, Wm. Charles, John Deveroe, Abrm. Whitcare, John Peach sen., John Bartoll, Joseph Doliber, Robert Knight, John Bennett, Francis Johnson Walsingham, John Norman, Wm. Lu ckis, Christopher Latimore, John Goyt."
The town was incorporated May 2, 1649.
In 1674, the number of inhabitants called house- holders was 114, whose names, not found in the preceding list, were these : " John Waldern, Wm. Woods, Thos. Rose, Wm. Nick, John Codnar, Elias Henley, Roger & Lot Conant, Mr Saml. Chee- ver. Thos. Smith, James Dennis, Mr Samuel Ward, Mr Ambrose Gale, Mr Richard Knott, Samuel Cun- die, Matthew Clark, Thos. Cawly, Wm. Waters, John Roads, Henry Trevett, Wm. Beal, Stephen Griggs, Thos. Dixie, Ben. Parmiter, Edwd. Read, Samuel Morgan, Wm. Brown, Capt. Corwinge, Mr Thaddeus Reddan, Mr Wm. Bartholemew, Mr Wm. Pitt, Richd. Reed, John Brimblecom, Richd. Hanniford, Henry IIanniford, Henry Russell, Thos. Treny, Dinson Stilson, Richd. Reith, Saml. Reed, Thos. Tainor, Edwd. Homan, Thos. Ellis, Edw. Damon, John Houper, John Pedrick, Elias Fortune, John Martin, Francis Godlar, John Trib- by, Andrew Tucker, Rob. Bartlett Richd. Crock- er, Geo. Bonfield, Mr Wm. Pow, John Harris,
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George Godfrey, John Hoyle, Alexander Gilligan, John Williams, Win. Poat, Geo. Darling, James Watts, Wm. Lightfoot, Philip Harding, Wid. Boat- son, Robt. Johnson, Saml. Watton, John Marriott."
From the manuscript diary of Rev. Mr Barnard, the following valuable and authentic account of the condition of the town in olden time is obtained. " In the year 1714, there were two companies of men, badly clothed, who attempted to do military duty, but were trained to no military discipline but that of whipping the snake, as it was called. Now, [i. e. in 1766] and for years past we have seen it, a distinct regiment is completed, of seven compa- nies, well clad, bright countenances, vigorous and active men, so well trained in the use of their arms and the various motions and marches, as to exceed most other regiments in the country, and equal the best in the appearance of spirited men and the inanual exercise. At the beginning of the cen- tury, or before 1720, there was not a carpenter, a tailor, nor mason, nor butcher in the town; nor any market worth naming. They had their houses built by country workmen, and their clothes made out of town, and supplied themselves with beef and pork from Boston, which drained the town of its money. Some years after, the town abounded with artificers, good workmen of every description, and the market had a full supply. At the time before mentioned, there was not one foreign vessel, al- though the town always possessed every advantage for a free and extensive navigation. The people contented themselves to be slaves to work in the mines, leaving it to the merchants of Salem, Bos- ton and Europe to carry off the gains; by which means the town was poor and in debt ; so much were they involved in debt to merchants of other
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places, that very few families, not more than twenty, were independent as to their circumstances. They were generally a rude, swearing, drunken and fighting crew ; but, as they increased in numbers, they made improvement in social life, in virtue and good morals. By the middle of the century, the manners of the people were so much cultivated as to be remarkable for their civilities, and especially for their hospitality to strangers. There were not only gentleman-like families, and pious and well- behaved people in the town, but the very fishermen rose superior to the rudeness of the former gener- ations. When they were persuaded by individu- als of public spirit to send their fish to foreign markets, they soon became conversant with the mysteries of trade; they soon likewise became sensible of the advantage they should reap from it ; and while individuals grew rich, the town also re- ceived the benefit of it. Mr Joseph Swett, a young man of strict justice, enterprising genius, quick apprehension and firm resolution, but small fortune, was the first man who engaged in it. He sent a cargo to Barbadoes, and from the profits of the voyage found that he increased his stock, and went on building vessels till he was enabled to send them to Europe, loading them with fish, and pointing out to others the path to riches. The more promising young men of the town followed his example, and from this small beginning Mar- blehead became one of the first trading towns of the Bay. In the year 1766, there are between 30 and 40 ships, brigs, snows and topsail schooners engaged in foreign trade."
At the commencement of the revolutionary war, this town had become the second in the colony, both in population and wealth. " As to its num- 11
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bers and opulence, it swarmed with inhabitants, was a pattern of industry, flourished in trade, and abounded with wealth; from hence, as from a fountain, streams of wealth flowed out, which great- ly enriched the vicinity, and penetrated far into the country."*
But the war of the revolution, and likewise the war of 1812, preceded by the long embargo, pressed with greater severity on the people of this, than of almost any other place.
In 1775, an entire regiment of 1000 men, from Marblehead, commanded by Col. Glover, joined the army at Cambridge, of whom a very large pro- portion, before the struggle was over, lost their lives in the service of their country. At that crit- ical period, when men's souls were tried, her hardy sons were confessedly distinguished for patriotism, skill and valor, both by sea and land. Many sig- nalized themselves upon the ocean by deeds of noble daring, and either died like heroes, fighting for freedom, or languished in loathsome prisons. The embargo, which commenced in 1806 and con- tinued six years, though it annihilated the business of the place, and occasioned, it is supposed, a loss of at least a million of dollars, was borne by the generality of the population with unflinching firm- ness and without a murmur. And if it be asked how much the last war cost the inhabitants of Mar- blehead, a sufficient, though by no means full an- swer is contained in the appalling fact, that, when peace was concluded, not far from 500 of her sons were found in a single British prison, where most of them had remained during nearly the whole of the war!
* Mr Stone's sermon, at the ordination of Mr Hubbard.
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A few particulars, merely as a specimen, with respect to individuals, which might be indefinitely multiplied, may not be uninteresting here, and are worthy to be held in remembrance.
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