USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Gloucester > The book of the three hundredth anniversary observance of the foundation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at Cape Ann in 1623 and the fiftieth year of the incorporation of Gloucester as a city > Part 14
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
America stands for liberty, and in estimating the value of an ancient American community our first questions are: What has it contributed to the cause of liberty? How has it supported the nation in its ideals? Gloucester from the beginning has had a liberty loving people. She has been devoted to the new land and to the efforts of the people to build here a new nation. She has ever been ready to defend her freedom, and has not counted the
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cost in her resistance to tyranny. She has done her part in the strengthening and the defence of the nation. Back in the colonial days, in the Indian war of 1675, although she and her territory were never threatened with Indian attack, she nevertheless sent sixteen, or one-fourth of her eligible men to serve as soldiers in the defence of her neighboring colonists.
When in 1744 King George's war began and Massachusetts undertook on her own account, with the help of a portion of the British navy, to reduce Louisburg on Cape Breton, 45 men from Gloucester joined in the attack, and this, the Gibraltar of America, was taken through the courage and the nerve of these colonial troops. A few years later, in the French war, Gloucester men were again in the attack on Louisburg, which this time was to be taken and to pass into the hands of the English and to be forever dismantled. The people of Gloucester were particularly interested in its destruction, because it had been for years a menace to their fishing fleets. Gloucester troops were on the Plains of Abraham, and with great reason did Gloucester rejoice and celebrate at the close of that war, which brought the end of French rule in North America.
This town had always resisted encroachments of the Crown upon its rights. More than a hundred years before the revolu- tion, in 1667, its leading citizen hesitated not to hurl defiance at "Charles Stewart as King" and would accept no office under him. He was fined, imprisoned and deprived of his privileges as a freeman.
In 1688 seven citizens were fined for defiance of Governor Andros and refusal to pay odious taxes.
When the storms began to gather previous to the Revolution, and the horizon was dark, Gloucester, out at sea, as it were, on her rocky foundation, open to attack from every direction by Eng- land's navy, hesitated not to show her opposition and to join in defiance to the English government. When the Stamp Act was passed, Gloucester at a full town meeting unanimously declared "that the Stamp Act is disagreeable," and instructed her repre- sentatives in the Great and General Court to make no concessions and to enter into no measures "whereby our liberties which we have as Englishmen by the Magna Charta or which we the in- habitants of this province have by our particular charter may in any manner or degree be infringed or destroyed." Old England attempted to discipline Boston because of her independence, and Gloucester sent her sister town messages of good cheer and sup-
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port. At a meeting in December, 1772, she adopted resolutions condemning the British ministry for its attempt to subvert the rights of the colonies, and she thanked Boston and assured it that the people of Gloucester were "ready to join with them and all others, in every legal way, to oppose tyranny in all its forms and to remain steadfast in the defence of their rights and liberties dearer to them than their lives." When in 1773 Boston was ablaze with resentment because of the cargoes of tea that had been sent, and upon which duty had to be paid, the people of Gloucester in town meeting on the 15th of December unanimously resolved
"This town think it an indispensable duty we owe to our- selves, to our countrymen, and to posterity, to declare, and we do declare,-
"That we will use our most strenuous exertions not only that there shall be no teas landed in this town subject to a duty payable in America; but that we will have no commerce with any person or persons that have or shall have any concern in buying or selling that detestable herb.
"That we are determined to oppose every species of tyranny and usurpation, * *
"That, if we are compelled to make the last appeal to heaven, we will defend our resolutions and liberties at the expense of all that is dear to us."
And then they proceeded to thank Boston for what it had done, and stated
"This town shall always record them the friends of human nature, and guardians of that heavenly palladium,-the liberties of America."
These resolutions were sent to Boston, and the next day oc- curred the historic Boston tea party.
Brave as had been the words of Gloucester when the troubles were threatening, equally brave were the acts of her citizens when the tempest burst. Two days after the battle of Lexington, that is, as soon as the news reached her, she had men on the way for the defence of Boston. Two of her companies helped bear the brunt of the assaults on Bunker Hill and there several of her men were killed.
All through the contest of years her courage was triumphant. Not only were her men on every battlefield but the contest was brought to her own doors many a time. Soldiers from a sloop-of- war at the mouth of Squam harbor attempted raids unsuccessfully.
CHARLES EDWARD STORY Chairman Committee on Interesting Secret Orders EZRA L. PHILLIPS
Chairman Committee on Decorations LAWRENCE J. HART Secretary Chamber of Commerce
EDWARD V. AMBLER Chairman Housing Committee JOHN H. GRIFFIN Chairman Committee on Grounds
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British vessels engaged in the pursuit of the American craft off the the shores of Cape Anne. In this harbor the Falcon attempted a capture, and was opposed by hastily improvised fortifications and the assaults of citizens with a few old swivel guns and muskets. Broadsides were poured into the town. But eventually the fight was won by the citizens, who saved the two schooners that the Falcon had been pursuing and captured the cutter and her crew of thirty-five men who had been sent to make attacks upon the shore. In this battle Gloucester lost several men in hand to hand fighting, but the broadsides that were fired did little damage. There were many other contests that took place off the shores of Cape Anne. Some of them read like stories of fiction, and all are revelations of courage and resourcefulness. A book might be written on the privateers and the skill, seamanship and courage with which they were handled in this war.
When the question of the Declaration of Independence was pending, on the 24th of June the town voted, and this time also unanimously, that if Congress should resolve upon that measure the people of Gloucester would support it "with their lives and fortunes." Ten days later the Declaration was proclaimed and read in all the churches of Gloucester.
The War of 1812, although not popular in Gloucester and regarded as unnecessary, nevertheless found Gloucester people ready with their all to serve their country. The town suffered much through the loss of fishing craft taken by the enemy. Time and again her shores were menaced and sometimes attacked by British cruisers.
When in 1861 Lincoln issued his first call for troops, Com- pany G, the Gloucester Company of the 8th Regiment, on the very next day was on its way to Washington. Not only that, but Gloucester entered into the contest with the greatest enthusiasm, and her men were in the contest from the beginning to the end. Well and proudly did they serve, and the record of their deeds is to be found in the nation's records. On land and sea they failed not. She sent more men to the war than was called for by her apportionment. They were at Cedar Mountain and at Bull Run. They were at Fredericksburg, at Marye's Heights, at Antietam- in the bloodiest single day's battle of the war. They were at Gettysburg, where one of her men fired the first gun and where the sea of gray at its high water mark dashed against the wall of blue and then rolled back never to return. They were in the Wilderness, in the "land of the jungle and the ooze" where General
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Grant was fighting it out on that "line, if it took all summer," and they were at Appomattox where the Rebellion lay dead. And nowhere did their courage fail.
When, in 1898, America at last listened to the cry of distress from the island to the south and sent her troops to remove the stranglehold of Spain that had been upon Cuba hundreds of years, Gloucester men were with the army and Gloucester men were with Dewey at Manila and with Sampson at Santiago.
In this recent great World War, when the very earth trem- bled under the feet of armed men, Gloucester boys were marching and fighting in the fields of France-overthrowing the oppressor and advancing the cause of humanity.
They were at Chateau-Thierry when at 4:30 on that ever memorable morning, July 18, 1918, the welcome order to advance was sounded,-the morning when the tide turned in the affairs of all mankind. For eight days and nights they fought in the wood and they fought in the open. They faced artillery fire and they were swept with the machine guns with which the woods bristled but on they pressed for
"Behind the dim unknown God was standing within the shadow, Keeping watch above his own."
So on they marched and fought till they ushered in Armistice Day and joy came to all mankind, for again
--- our hearts could sing "Carol and Clamor like the tides of Spring. "For the great work was ended and again "The world was safe for men."
Nine of her boys were killed in action. Some sleep in Flanders field. More than 50 of her men were wounded. Twenty died of their wounds, and 34 from disease contracted in the ser- vice. Some were decorated with the Croix de Guerre, and others with medals for distinguished service, bravery and meritorious conduct. And, says your late City Clerk, who so faithfully kept the record, in all the discharge papers he found these words : "Honorably discharged. Character excellent."
In King Philip's war in 1675 Gloucester had 16 men; in the French war of 1745 she had 720; in the War of the Revolution, 1565 ; in the War of 1812, 552 men in the navy where most of the fighting was done; in the War of the Rebellion she had 1026 in the army and 476 in the navy; in the Spanish War in 1898 she had 500 men, and in the World War of 1917 she had 1686.
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From the beginning the people of this community have possessed a religious faith that has sustained and uplifted them. They came from a land where the state controlled the church. In this land for a while the situation was reversed and the church controlled the state.
Parish after parish was established here by division of the old, because first one growing village and then another demanded that it should have a church and a pastor near enough to permit of convenient attendance at regular worship. I do not find in the history of Gloucester anything to indicate that extreme narrow- ness in religion which characterized some other localities. If there were those who viewed with alarm the coming of John Murray and the spreading of the doctrine that he expounded, there were others who listened intently and insisted that he should be heard. Today it is one of Gloucester's noteworthy distinctions that her people were so tolerant that Murray took up his life here and here established the first Universalist church in America, which fact has made this City the Mecca of the Universalists of the nation. The people of Gloucester were not greatly disturbed over the coming of the various denominations, and while at first they invited the Methodists to move on, when they found they would not move on, in a spirit of resignation they allowed them to stay, and so the Baptists were also permitted to stay and the various other sects that have since the old days come into this settlement and made themselves strong as progressive units in the advancement in their own way of the cause of Christianity.
It is related that when an African Prince through his repre- sentative, asked Queen Victoria what had made England great, that the Queen replied : "Tell your Prince that it is the Bible which has made England great." The Christian faith has been at the foundation of the greatness of Gloucester.
But Gloucester was not only liberty loving and devoted to the service of God, it has been through these three hundred years also a community of industrious men and women, who have done the day's work and built for themselves a name throughout the world as a people that no hardships and no disasters could discourage.
Massachusetts became a maritime state when in 1640 the revolution in England cut off the shipping and supplies from the mother country, and compelled the Colony of Massachusetts Bay to go into the shipping business and to engage in commerce if it would prolong its existence.
In the general progress of Massachusetts as a maritime state,
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Gloucester has taken a prominent part. There have been times when her foreign commerce has been second only to that of Boston. We are told that in the old days five and six square rigged vessels could often be seen in this harbor at one time. In 1881 there arrived here one ship, 18 barks, 2 brigs and 182 schooners from foreign ports. Soon after the revolution, Gloucester began to engage in foreign commerce and her vessels sailed to all the principal ports of Europe and the West Indies. There came a time when some of her vessels went around the Cape of Good Hope and Gloucester merchants had dealings in every part of the world, but the foreign commerce that was most prof- itable and that which for the longest period was carried on, was that with Surinam or Dutch Guiana in South America. To this land our skippers carried dried fish, mackerel, meat and flour and traded for a cargo of molasses, spices, and other tropical products. For more than fifty years this business increased and reached its height perhaps, in 1857 but for many years thereafter was car- ried on to a lesser extent. One of her old sea captains is said to have made 93 voyages to Surinam, making his last voyage in 1881 and never meeting with any serious disaster. Gloucester vessels were better known in that port than were those of any other place in North America.
When Gloucester's attention was centered on this foreign trade, there were other towns that rivalled and even exceeded her in the fishing industry but with the diminishing of her foreign trade her fishing industry took on larger and larger proportions.
Upon this industry the prosperity of the Colony and the Commonwealth had been built. John Smith in 1614 came here to seek whales and an alleged gold mine. He never found the gold mine and he said they found whales but could not kill them, but of other fish he took a plenty and Massachusetts since that time has ever found her gold mine in the sea. In 1784 the House of Representatives voted to accept an emblem of a codfish and to hang it in the room occupied by it in the old State House at the head of State Street in recognition of the debt that Massachusetts owed to the fishing industry. When the House of Representatives was moved to the new State House on Beacon Hill, this emblem was hung in the new chamber and there it remained for nearly a century until in 1895 the House of Representatives moved again into new quarters in the annex to the Capitol, and well do I re- member with what formality of proceedings committees of escort were appointed, and the emblem of the "Sacred Cod," was
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brought in state from the old chamber to the new, and the after- noon was devoted to eulogies of the fishing industry as the founda- tion of the prosperity of the Commonwealth.
It has always been recognized that this business had a claim on State and Nation, not only because of the wealth that it has produced, but also because of the measure of protection that it has assured. It has been a constant source from which the Merchant Marine and the Navy have received valuable and experienced men.
In this industry Gloucester has been the chief factor and has made her world wide and unique reputation.
I have heard Gloucester men say that Gloucester was the greatest fishing city in America. They have been too modest, for I find that in the most authoritative gazetteer published in England it is said of this city on Cape Ann that it "is the chief cod and mackerel fishing port in the world." There are a thousand fish- ing ports. How happens it that of them all Gloucester is chief ? This place was no better suited for the development of the fishing industry than others. Her harbor is good, but so is many another. The great fishing grounds are no nearer, yea, not so near to her as to many other American and foreign ports. For a city to be the greatest in any industry is a compliment of high order. To be the greatest in an industry where there have been hundreds of rivals and where great courage, hardihood and skill are required for success, is to attain a distinction of no mean order. In each of many years the value of the fish brought into Gloucester has run into the millions, and it has been estimated that the value of the mackerel brought in by Gloucester vessels from 1808 to 1915 aggregated $80,000,000 while the value of the cod fisheries from the beginning to the present time is estimated at over half a billion.
One who earns his livelihood fishing, of necessity develops a spirit of independence, every man literally engaging in the busi- ness, as in no other "on his own hook." Its development has re- quired enterprise in the designing, building and fitting of vessels, and enterprise in the pursuit of the fish in every sea. Here have been made great improvements in craft and in methods. Here was first launched and given to the world the type known as the schooner. The seine boat in use everywhere was modelled here and no one has been able to improve the model.
Above all the fishing industry requires hardihood and cour- age. The losses and frightful disasters that have been incident to the industry have caused it to gradually disappear from many
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localities where it was once a main reliance. Not so in Gloucester where a stout hearted and optimistic people have never yielded no matter what the obstacle or the danger opposed.
In an ancient record made by the Town Clerk, I read :-
" And none of the above said vessels or men have been heard from since."
He is writing of four Gloucester vessels that started home from Cape Sable in a storm. These vessels carried one-fifteenth of the male population of the town. They represented one-tenth of the tonnage. How often might a similar record have been made? We hear of the dangers of mining and various other oc- cupations, but there is no occupation that has been carried on by men in which more dangers have been inherent or where the loss of life proportionate to the number engaged therein has been greater than in the fishing industry?
Taking the decade from 1870 to 1880 by way of illustration. In 1871 there were lost in the Gloucester fishing business 140 lives ; in 1873, 174 lives ; in 1875, 125 lives ; in 1876, 212 lives ; in 1879, 249.
Our late lamented friend, Frederick W. Tibbets, who had looked forward to this anniversary and had engaged so enthusias- tically to insure the success of the celebration, told us in his ex- cellent article "The Story of Gloucester," that from 1830 to 1916, a period of only 86 years of Gloucester's 300 years' history, 807 vessels were lost representing a value of $4,650,000 and with them were snuffed out in the waves of the sea the lives of 4,534 men or an average during that period of 53 a year. Since the beginning over 8000 lives have been sacrificed.
Dog Town, so called, far up among the boulders of Cape Ann, for many years having hardly any inhabitants save the widows and orphans of men lost at sea, is today, in its deserted and overgrown cellars, a silent and impressive ruin witnessing to the losses and tragedies incident to the fishing industry. Longfellow's tale of the Wreck of the Hesperus, so full of pathos, could be duplicated a thousand times in the history of this settlement.
But hope dawns. The winds still blow, the tempests rage and the seas threaten, but the terrible loss of life is growing smaller in these later years largely as the result of improvements in the size and design of the vessels and in the methods employed.
With this great fishing industry there have grown up many allied industries. In the curing and packing of the products of
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the great deep, Gloucester merchants have developed a skill and a fame that makes their goods welcome in every market on the globe. Nets and lines made in Gloucester are catching fish in every ocean.
In 1920 the population of Gloucester was 22,947, the value of the products of her industries was $15,140,184. She employed 2,958 wage earners and to them she paid $2,852,538.
Conditions are changing. The discovery and dragging forth from the bowels of the earth of the great deposits of oil, making possible the explosive engine, the building of power trawlers, the combinations of capital and other factors are all having an im- portant effect on the fishing industry. Gloucester is studying the problem and, as many times before, is adjusting herself to the new conditions.
It is 300 years since Gloucester was settled and 50 years since that settlement became so large that the people reluctantly were compelled to abandon the old town form of government and ac- cept in its place a charter as a city. These 50 years have seen a constant growth in all that had made the town before it a pros- perous and successful community.
Her officials have been diligent and forward looking. Among them have been those in whom has flashed again the old Puritan spirit as they have stood for the principles in which they believed and proved to the world they had rather be right than hold political office. Your home guards, your police and firemen-fighters of crime and fighters of fire, have shown themselves to have the same sturdy characteristics as the fighters of storm and sea.
Judged as a whole, the city administration has been wise, economical and progressive. Her adequate water supply, her im- proved streets, her public buildings, her beautiful parks of shore and wood and mountain are witnesses to the wisdom of her of- ficials and to the public spirit of generous citizens. In pro- portion to her population and her wealth, no community can boast of better schools. Her humane institutions, her fraternities, her libraries, newspapers and churches, all attest that she is not want- ing in those things that are the crowning glory of civilization. To this city, year after year, there come in ever increasing numbers, people from every part of the Union who seek to spend here as much of their time as circumstances will permit, attracted by the beauties of this shore, the quaintness of the ancient houses, the crooked streets, the health giving properties of the climate, the
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sturdy, rugged, democratic manhood of the people. No city has a more beautiful location. None has a fairer approach.
Every page in the history of Gloucester has something of interest ; every chapter its surprise. Are you interested in legend- ary lore? Go read of the Viking King, Thorwald, and how he landed here twelve centuries ago and called it beautiful and said here he would like to dwell and how the savages attacked his vessel and slew him and how, as his spirit went out, he directed his men to bury him here.
Care you for fairy tales ? Read how Peg Wesson, the witch, as a crow followed the Gloucester soldiers to Louisburg, and how they shot the crow with a silver button and it fell with a broken wing and at the same hour Peg Wesson fell with a broken limb at her home over by the brook.
Like you the old Biblical love story of Rachel and Jacob at the well? You can find a match for its beauty in the story of the weary Jeffrey Parsons and the ministering Sarah Vinson in 1657 at Vinson Spring.
Would you read of pirates and adventure? See the Sloop Squirrel as it sails out of Squam Harbor in 1724 captured by pirates that had long harassed the waters of New England. A few days pass and Captain Haraden and six of his fellow prison- ers have retaken the sloop and back she comes into Squam with the head of Phillips-the Pirate Chief-hanging from the mast head. Go learn the story of Hangman's Island in the Annisquam. There were real pirates in those days.
Would you read stories of the seemingly impossible? Go read the page that tells of Andrew Robinson, and his many ex- ploits, and particularly of how when captured by the Indians he slew his guard and escaped to his vessel, only to find that the Indians had discovered his escape and were pursuing in many canoes, and how there was no wind to bear him away, and how he thought of the cask of scupper nails with the large flat heads and their long sharp points and how he scattered them over the deck and how when the Indians came over the rail and in their bare feet felt the piercing nails they fell to the decks while he despatch- ed them and threw their bodies over so rapidly that the Indians thought he had a charmed life and fled to the shore.
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