USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 52
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When, in 1828, the town was refused the longer free use of the First Par- ish meeting-house, the question arose, to whom belongs the land where the First Parish meeting-house now stands? A committee was chosen by the town to investigate the point. The result of their investigations left the matter in doubt. Finally, in 1836-7, the parish decided to replace their old meeting-house by a new and more imposing structure, and made a proposition to release all claim to the " common," in exchange for the Marsh lot, just north of it. The matter came before the town at their meeting in May, 1837, and $1,000 was appropriated toward purchas- , ing the claim, that the place might be laid out as a common forever. The above estate was purchased, at a cost of $2,750, the buildings sold for $1,000, and the balance was made up by individual subscription.
James H. Duncan, Esq., was made chairman of a committee to carry out the vote of the town, and to his exertions and liberality we are largely indebted for our present beautiful common. The following vote of the Parish, passed June 5, 1837, shows the conditions upon which the quit- claim was made : -
" Voted, That the Parish will sell, by quit-claim deed, to the Town of Haverhill, for the use of the Town, as an ornamental common, not to be built on, the land of the Parish heretofore used as their meetinghouse lot ; reserving all the stones and brick on the same, on full and plain conditions, expressed in the deed, limiting the use of the said land, for the purpose
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of an ornamental common, and providing for the said deed being void, and the land reverting to the Parish, if any building or buildings whatever, shall, either by the said town or any person or body, ever be placed or suffered to remain on said land, or on any of the land situate between any part of the said land and the Marsh lot, so called, lying a few rods north- erly of the land so deeded to the Town."
The Parish immediately commenced the, ercetion of an elegant church · edifice on the new lot; and at the next annual meeting, the town chose a · committee to level the common, and otherwise improve it. It was several years, however, before the work of enclosing and embellishing it was fully completed ; and to the active and energetic labors of the ladies of the town must be accorded a large part of the credit due for its final accom- plishment.
At the annual March meeting in 1837, the town voted to receive its share of the surplus revenue then about to be divided among the several States. The General Court of Massachusetts had passed an Act author- izing its proportion of the surplus to be divided among the several towns in the State, upon the same conditions that Congress had authorized its distribution among the several States. At the above meeting the town accepted the conditions, and chose a committee to devise some appropriate plan for the disposition of the money. At the adjourned meeting, the committee submitted the following report: -
" The committee chosen at the last meeting ' to recommend a disposition of the portion of the surplus Revenue that may belong to the town' have attended to that duty and Report,
That the probable amount of the Town's proportion of said surplus Revenue will be nearly Twelve Thousand Dollars. That it is payable in four quarterly instalments, two of which will be soon receivable, and the remaining two in July and October next. That as a condition of receiving the money, the Town must give a certificate of Deposite binding the town for a repayment of the same or any part thereof, when required, and that by the Act of the Legislature, the Town must apply the money, or the interest on the same to those public objects of expenditure, for which Towns may now lawfully raise and appropriate money, and to no other purpose. And as the Town is now indebted to the amount of nearly seven thousand dollars, your committee recommend, first, that three thousand dollars of said deposite money be applied to the payment of the Town's debts. Second, that one thousand dollars of the same be re-loaned on interest to the First School District in Haverhill, to enable their building
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committee to pay for the School House lately erected by said District. And lastly, in order to secure a safe and productive investment of said deposite money, your committee recommend that the residue of said depos- ite money, including the future instalments, and the sum recommended to be loaned to said School District, when repaid, be invested in the stocks of the Merrimack and Haverhill Banks at the lowest rate at which shares can be purchased, and that the interest of all the amount invested on interest, be annually apportioned by the Selectmen to the several School Districts for the support of common schools, according to the number of scholars in cach school district between the ages of four and sixteen years. And to carry into effect the foregoing recommendations, your committee propose the following votes. All of which is respectfully submitted.
By order of the committee,
James H. Duncan,
Haverhill, April 8th, 1837. Chairman."
The report was accepted, and its recommendations adopted.
The necessity of an official and well understood name for each of the several streets, now that the town was rapidly increasing in population, and new streets were being frequently laid out, was too apparent to escape attention ; and we accordingly find that, at the annual meeting in 1838, a committee was chosen to name them. The following is copied from the records of April 16th, of the same year: -
" Voted That the report of the Committee chosen April 2d, 1838, to name the several streets in the village, be accepted, as amended, which is as follows, viz.
Water St., From the Great Bridge to Gage's corner, or Plain Gate.
Front St.," From the Great Bridge to Little River Bridge.
Washington St., From Little River Bridge to West Parish line, by Daniel Silver's house. -
Main St., From the Great Bridge to the State line near Plastow meeting- house.
Summer St., From Main to Mill St. near Col. Woodman's Mill.
Broad St., + From Main St. by the Street Pump to Derry St. over the Stone Bridge.
Derry St.,¿ From Little River Bridge to corner of Derry road west of Moses Poor's house.
c Changed May 2d, to Merrimack street.
1 Changed May 2d, to Winter street.
# Changed May 2d, to Essex street (from Little River Bridge to the foot of the hill.)
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Bradford St., From Water St. near Mrs Whittier's Brick house, to the Chain Ferry.
Mill St., From Water St., by Col. Woodman's Mill to Pond St.
Jew St., From Derry Street by the brick yard, and Aaron Carlton's house, to New Hampshire line.
Cross St., From Water St. to Mill St.
Kent St., From Water St. crossing Summer St. to Pond St.
Stage St., From Water St. by Merrimack Bank to Summer St.
Green St., From Water St. by Nathan Webster's Hat Factory to Sum- mer St.
Pecker St., From Front St. by the Baptist Vestry to Broad St.
How St., From Front St. to Broad St. west of the Baptist meeting house. Portland St., From Broad St. to White St.º
Pleasant St., From Broad St. to Pecker St. by Benj Kimball's house. High St., From Derry St. to Washington St. at top of the Hill.
Primrose St., From Broad St. to Main St. near Mrs Duston's house.
White St., From Broad St. to Main St.
Pond St., From Main St. by Capt. John Ayer's to Bridge at the great Pond.
Webster St., From Summer St. to Pond Street.
Dow St., From Main St. crossing Webster St. to Kent St. All of which is respectfully submitted. ;
Haverhill, April 16th, 1838. Moses Wingate, chairman."
In the fall of 1838, Mr. Moses E. Emerson, of this town, advertised, that on the 19th of November, he should commence going to Boston in the cars every morning, returning in the evening, for the purpose of trans- acting any business entrusted to him. This was the beginning of what has now become an important and extensive business, - the " Express " business. E. C. Thompson & Co., now employ three messengers, (making three trips daily each way) two horses and drivers in Haverhill, and three horses and two drivers in Boston.
In 1839, Ezekiel Hale, Jr., petitioned the town, for liberty to erect a flume at the outlet of the Great Pond, for the purpose of holding the water in reserve to supply his factory during the dry season of the year. He had already expended upwards of seven hundred dollars in widening and deepening the bed of the stream leading from the pond to Little River, and crecting flumes ; and now wished to hold the surplus water of the
Portland street was accepted at the March meeting of the same year.
t School street was accepted the following year.
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pond under his own control. The town gave him a quit-claim of its right to erect such a flume, and to flow the pond, on condition that he erected a suitable bridge and causeway at the outlet of the pond, and secured the town from all costs and damages arising from such flowage.º
The Fourth of July, 1839, was celebrated by a large party at the Great Pond ; and by the First Universalist Society, at Plug Pond. The day was further noticed, by a national salute of twenty-six guns, and the ringing of bells, at sunrise, noon, and sunset, and a display of fireworks in the evening. Previous to this, it had for many years been the practice, -in addition to bonfires, dragging burning tar-barrels through the streets, &c., - to throw " fire-balls " back and forth through the streets, on the even- ing of the Fourth of July .; But this year, on petition of many of the citizens of the village, the town voted to prohibit the use of not only fire- balls, but crackers, and squibs.
Toward the latter part of 1839, Rev. Wm. Miller, - whose predictions that the year 1843 would witness the destruction of the world by fire, had already awakened a deep interest in other places. - visited this town, and preached a course of lectures upon his startling topic, in the Christian Union Chapel. The earnest manner of the preacher, the apparent plausi- bility of his interpretations of scripture, and the awful sublimity of the subject, caused him to be listened to by large audiences, with deepest in- terest. In January, (1840) he delivered a second course upon the same subject, which deepened the impression already made, and led to a general religious awakening in the town. In the following April, there were, at one time, four series of protracted meetings being held in the village. At the Union Evangelical Church (Winter Street) such a meeting commenced on the 5th of April, and was continued every evening, and a part of the time every afternoon, for some two months. In the height of the excite- ment, several persons were thrown into a trance state, and the meetings were repeatedly continued until near the morning's dawn. Scenes such as were witnessed in that place during these memorable weeks, are beyond the power of description, and will probably never be repeated in all their wild extravagance.
= In 1814, Ezekiel Hale (senior) petitioned the town for permission to erect a Lock at Little River Bridge, " so as to float lumber to his mill." The matter was referred to a committee, who reported fav- orably, but the town refused to grant the desired permission. In 1826, Mr. Hale applied to the General Court for permission to make a canal "from Hale's Mill pond, by the Little River, to the Merrimack." The prayer was granted, and the canal was made, but never used. It was intended for the purpose of running logs and lumber between the Merrimack and Mr. Hale's saw mill, which was located on the opposite side of the stream from the present flannel factory.
t These fire balls were balls of cotton, soaked in spirits of turpentine, and thrown back and forth with gloved hands, while burning.
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From the official " census of Pensioners," for 1840, we find that there were but six then living in this town. These were James Walker, aged 90; David How, 84; Daniel Bradbury, 77; James Simpson, 83; Daniel Silver, 77; Daniel Clough, 77.
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CHAPTER XXVII.
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1840 To 1860.
THE large increase in the population of the town, in the years immedi- ately preceding that in which our chapter opens, created a demand for more extensive and perfect school accommodations in the central district.
In the year 1838, a small wooden building was erected upon the pres- ent site of the School Street school-house, to afford school accommodations for the increasing population in the easterly part of the village. Similar buildings were also erected during the same year in the westerly part of the village, -one on High Street, and one on Washington Street. Pre- vious to this, the old building at the head of the common was the only public school-house in the village.
The School Street house had two rooms, - one for a Primary and the other for a Grammar School, - with an average attendance of about forty pupils each. The Grammar department was under the care of Isaac Ames, Esq.," for a short time, and for several years was taught by a suc- cession of teachers, all of whom retained the situation for a short time, with the exception of Mr. John B. Carrick, who taught successfully for several years, until failing health obliged him to resign his charge. He died while the dews of early manhood were fresh upon him, beloved and honored by his pupils, as an affectionate and faithful instructor.
The house was remodeled in 1847, by throwing both rooms into one, for the Grammar School, and fitting up a room in the basement for a Primary department. This proved to be an injudicious measure, as the basement room was damp and unhealthy, and the upper room too small for the large increase of attendance in that department. The old building was there- fore sold, and removed, in 1855, and the present spacious and substantial structure erected, at a cost of nearly $15,000. The building is of brick, with free-stone trimmings, and granite foundation ; cighty feet in length by fifty in breadth ; two stories in height, - with a fine basement for play-rooms in stormy weather. The building is divided into six school- rooms, and a spacious hall, with ample entries, and closets for clothing,
Now Judge of Probate and Insolvency for the County of Suffolk.
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connected with each room. The rooms are light, spacious, and well venti- lated, and furnished with all the modern improvements and convenien- cies. Ample play-grounds, ornamented with shade-trees, are connected with the building. The house was dedicated June 17, 1856, with appro- priate exercises by the pupils, addresses by gentlemen of the General School Committee, and singing an original hymn. The school is estab- lished upon the graded system, consisting of the primary, Intermediate, and Grammar divisions, cach division being sub-divided and occupying a separate room. Children five years of age are admitted to the Primary room where they remain until fitted for the next grade.
This school has been under the care of Dr. John Crowell, as principal, for several years, assisted by five female teachers, with an attendance of about three hundred pupils."
Since the present building has been occupied, nearly five hundred dol- lars have been raised by the efforts of the teachers and scholars, and ap- propriated in purchasing a fine piano, and several beautiful engravings for the hall, and planting shade-trees in the yards.
As early as 1835, the population of the town had reached the number fixed upon by the commonwealth for the establishment of a High School, and a proposition to that effect was made, but was indefinitely postponed.
. In 1840, the subject of a High School again came before the town for definite action. A committee was thereupon chosen to consider the matter and report. At the September meeting, the committee reported, that the town was liable to indictment unless they established a High School, or accepted the act of the previous Legislature, which released all towns from establishing such a school, provided they expended twenty-five per cent. more on their district schools than they had previously raised for that purpose. The committee recommended the latter course, which was agreed to, and $700 additional was appropriated for the purpose.
The next year, the First District voted to establish a High School, and the Academy building was hired for the purpose. The first examination for admission to the school was held at the latter place, April 28th and 29th, 1841, and the school went into immediate operation.
The same year (1841) the town accepted the act of the General Court establishing a " fire department," and the fire companies and wardens were
o Since the above was written, Dr. Crowell has resigned his position as principal of this flourishing school, and again resumed the practice of his profession. Dr. C. was admirably qualified for the position he so long filled, and to him belongs a large share of the eredit due fur the high position occupied by this school.
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immediately re-organized, agreeably to said act.º The town also voted to pay the firemen " for staying over night at the Stage Street fire," the pre- vious October, - when the steam mill of Noyes & Dunbar, and the house and shop of Lyman Worthen, were totally destroyed. This was the first instance of payment to the firemen in the town for their services, except the allowance of their annual poll tax, as previously mentioned. At the same time, the selectmen were authorized to pay them for any similar ser- vice the ensuing year, at their discretion.
The Fourth of July, 1841, was noticed in town by a grand Temperance Celebration, under the direction of the " Haverhill Washingtonian Soci- ety," which had been recently organized, and was then in vigorous opera- tion.
The Washingtonian movement, which originated with a few obscure men in Baltimore, in 1840, spread rapidly over the whole country, and was the means of rescuing thousands from a drunkard's grave. This town was an carly sharer in the happy fruits of that movement, and not a few who read these pages have cause for gratitude that they were brought within the charmed circle ; while a still greater number, around whose pathway the dark shadows of intemperance were silently but surely gathering, will bless the day that rescued some dear friend from the fearful snares which entangled him.
Many persons will remember the exciting scenes and discussions in Con- gress, about the time of which we now write, upon " the right of petition." While the free and unrestrained right of the people to petition their repre- sentatives in Congress assembled, was claimed on the one hand, it was not only denied on the other, but the dissolution of the Union was threatened if petitioning upon the subject of slavery was persisted in. These threats, while they alarmed many, provoked the just indignation of others. The writer well remembers frequent and warm discussions upon the sub- ject in the place where he was then employed, and the repeated and earnestly expressed wish of one ardent believer in " free speech,"t that these hypocritical threats might be rebuked by petitions from the North, praying for the very thing so fiercely threatened by members from the South. Acting upon the hint, as we have no doubt, Benjamin Emerson, 2d, who was frequently present at these discussions, drew up such a petition, which was signed by forty-four persons, and duly forwarded to the Hon.
" The next year, the town accepted the code of By-Laws adopted by the Engineers.
t Deacon Tappan Chase.
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John Quincy Adams, the fearless and uncompromising defender of the right called in question. The following is a copy of the petition : -
" To the Congress of the United States. The undersigned, citizens of Haverhill, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, pray that you will immediately adopt measures, peaceably, to dissolve the Union of these States.
First, Because no Union can be agreeable or permanent, which does not present prospects of reciprocal benefit.
Second, Because a vast proportion of the resources of one section of the Union is annually drained to sustain the views and course of another sec- tion without any adequate return.
Third, Because (judging from history of past nations) this Union if persisted in, in the present course of things, will certainly overwhelm this whole nation in utter destruction.
Benj Emerson 2d WVm H. Noyes
Samuel Stuart
John P. Montgomery
Edwin A. Sargent
Samuel Plumer
Osgood G. Boynton
Herman Kimball
Nathaniel Foot
Elisha Hutchinson
Washington Johnson Leonard Parker
Franklin Currier
Thomas Ball
Francis Butters
Edward R. Dike
Joseph B. Spiller J. Henry Johnson Geo. F. Bailey Elbridge G. Davis
Elijah S. Tozier
Wm Hale
Francis Butters, jr Alfred Gage
Joseph Flanders
Sewell E. Jewett
Truman M. Martin
Alfred S. Parmlec
Willibee H. Currier
Oliver H. F. Delaware
George O. Harmon
Daniel Brickett
B. Greeley
N. P. Dresser
Cornelius Jenness
Nathan Webster
James Harmon
Wm N. Davis
Charles Fitch
Otis W. Butters
Ezekiel Hale, jr
John L. Head."
John Philbrick Tappan Chase
On the 24th of January, 1842, Mr. Adams presented the petition in the national House of Representatives, and moved its reference to a special committee, with instructions to report an answer to the petitioners. An exciting scene followed. Mr. Hopkins asked if it was in order to move to burn the petition in presence of the House ; Mr. Wise, (of Va.,) asked if it was in order to move to censure any member who presented such a petition; and Mr. Gilmer, (of N. C.,) offered a resolution censuring Mr. Adams for presenting it. After an exciting discussion, the House abruptly adjourned. Nearly the whole of the next four days was spent in discuss- ing resolutions offered by Mr. Marshall, (as a substitute for Mr. Gilmer's) declaring that " a proposition to the representatives ' to dissolve' the Union, is a high breach of privilege, contempt offered to the House, a proposition to commit perjury, and involves the crime of high treason ;
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that John Q. Adams, in presenting a petition praying the dissolution of the Union, has offered the deepest indignity to the House, and insult to the people of the United States ; " and " that John Q. Adams might well be held to merit expulsion from the national councils," for offering such a petition. On the 29th, the resolutions were " postponed for the present ; " and February 5th, the whole subject was tabled, by a large majority.
In view of recent developments, and the present condition of our national affairs, we have deemed the history of the "Haverhill Disunion Petition " entitled to a place on the pages of this work, and have therefore given it. As we distinctly understood it at the time, the petition was intended as a rebuke for what were believed to be hollow threats of dis- union, and its effect certainly seems to have proved the shrewdness of the petitioners.
The Fourth of July, 1842, was celebrated by the " Washington Street Washington Total Abstinence Society," by a procession to the common, where an address was delivered by Charles T. Woodman, Esq., followed by a collation, at the same place.
At the annual town meeting in 1843, it was voted to divide the "sur- plus revenue " equally among the inhabitants of the town, cach giving his individual note to the town, promising to return the sum received by him, on demand. This was in direct violation of the terms upon which the town itself held the money, and an injunction was immediately issued, restraining them from making such a distribution. A meeting was there- upon called, (June 5) and it was voted to apply the interest of the fund to the support of the schools in town.
The Anniversary of the National Independence was celebrated in 1843, by a Ladies' Levec, on the vacant lot, corner of Summer and Stage Streets, the proceeds of which were applied " for the benefit of the Poor." The day was also observed by the Sabbath School connected with the Second Baptist Society, in a procession, an address by Rev. Benj. Wheeler, of Plaistow, and a collation on the banks of the Merrimack.
The subject of temperance still continued to occupy a prominent place in the publie mind, and at the annual meeting in 1844, the town passed reso- lutions similar to those it adopted in 1842.
Though the common was purchased and leveled several years previous to this time, it was not yet suitably enclosed and laid out. But in 1844, the ladies of the village took hold of the matter, and, in September of that year, held a levec, at the Academy Hall, to provide funds for that purpose. The effort was successful, and the public spirited maids and mat- rons are fully entitled to this honorable mention for their seasonable services in improving this beautiful park.
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In 1845, a new temperance organization was introduced into town, under the form of a semi-" secret society," known as "The Independent Order of Rechabites." A " Tent " was formed here in the carly part of that year, and so rapid was the increase of its members, that in August the large hall in Duncan's Building, Main Street, was leased, and dedica- ted to their usc. 'The new organization continued to flourish for a few years, when it rapidly fell into decay, and soon ceased to exist.
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