USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > The history of Melrose, County of Middlesex, Massachusetts > Part 7
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CHAPTER IV.
OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
A S HAS been heretofore stated, the territory now Melrose, has been occupied by certain original families and their descendants for many generations. The genealogy of some of them has been published; that of the Uphams by Henry B. Upham, and the Greens and Vintons by Rev. John Adams Vinton, in " Genealogical Sketches of the Descendants of John L'inton of Lynn, 1648 ; and several Allied Families."
Much genealogical information concerning the Barrett and Lynde families, although in a disconnected state, was left in . MSS. by the late Artemas Barrett; and much matter concern- ing the Sprague and Lynde families, has been collected by Wilton F. Bucknam, a descendant of both families, in his Bucknam Genealogy, now ready for the press.
But a genealogy of these families does not come within the province of this history; but certain facts have been gathered from various sources, and some interesting matter rescued from oblivion, concerning some of these original families and home- steads.1
THE LYNDES. Among the early settlers in Charlestown was Thomas Lynde, who came from England, where he was born in January, 15934. He became a freeman in 1634. He bought a tract of land which included the site of the present State Prison, and which was known until after the time of the Revo- lution as Lynde's Point. He was one of the Deputies to the General Court for several years, serving first in 1636. He was one of the Selectmen of Charlestown for many years, and dea- con of the Charlestown Church. He became a large land owner, and has been styled in different documents, "master," "malster," "gentlemen," and "yeoman."
1 This information comes in a variety of ways; from the Barrett and Bucknam MSS., old records, printed matter, newspaper clip- pings, and personal interviews
with citizens and descendants which took place at the time of the historical address, "The Cen- tennial Fourth," in 1876; and, also, those of a more recent date.
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OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
In the Charlestown Book of Possessions, for 1638, issued in 1878, as the Third Report of the [ Boston ] Record Commissioners, which has been called the Domesday Book of Mystic Side,2 Thomas Lynde is credited with thirteen items or parcels of real estate, besides his homestead " on the southeast side of mill hill." In the various allotments of out-lying lands which had been pre- viously made, he had received a number of tracts belonging to Mystic Side. One of them, evidently received in the division of hay-lots, was described as follows:
Three Acres of meaddow by estimation, more or lesse, lying on the north side of mount prospect, [Wayte's Mount, now crowned with Malden's water reservoir,] butting southeast upon Edward Convers, and to the northwest upon the riverett, bounded by the comon on the southeast and northeast.
He also received by allotment, "Eightie Acres of land lying in Rockefeilde." Concerning this tract, the following record occurs in Charlestown Archives, Xx:
[18. 12" 1638.] Inasmuch as it apprs yt the Land in the great Lotts yt was laid out to Thomas Line & Richd Sprague prooves altogeth! un- usefull being nothing but Rockes wch was wholly besides or intent, & only through oversight of the Surveyors wee Judge it to bee Just & equall yt they have allowance elswhere to theire satisfaction they leave- ing the afforesd Rocks to lye Common.
Therefore, Aug. 26, 1639, it was agreed "y! Tho: Line shall have some Land by the Mount Prospect, if upon view it may bee had by his Hay ground." This was laid out as proposed; and "Here, as the Lynde family increased, several houses were built, the oldest of which was probably built by Thomas, the grantee, on the site of the brick-end house now standing near the entrance of the [Forest Dale ] Cemetery on Forest Street." 3
These two allotments of land formed the beginning of the future ownership, by Thomas Lynde and his descendants, of not only this land on the northerly side of Wayte's Mount, in Malden, but of nearly all the territory adjoining and now included in the southern part of Melrose.
Deacon Thomas Lynde died in Malden, Dec. 30, 1673. His will was dated Dec. 20, 1671. In it the institution of slavery early makes itself manifest on our New England soil: "As also I give and bequeath to her [his wife Rebecca, ] my Negro 2 Corey, History of Malden, 69. 3 Ibid.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
Peter & Negro girl haru to Enjoy and Dispose of as she sees good."
Ensign Thomas Lynde, eldest son of Deacon Thomas Lynde, was born in England in 1616, and came to Malden some years before its incorporation, when it was known as Mystic Side. He may have lived for a while in the first house built by his father, before spoken of; but soon after, about 1645, his home- stead was built either by himself or his father, just south of Boston Rock on the present Sylvan Street, near the north- western entrance to Wyoming Cemetery.4 This was the first house built on Melrose territory. As evidence of this early residence of Ensign Thomas Lynde, there is a remonstrance, dated March 16, 1648, recorded in the Massachusetts Archives, vol. 121, page 21, against the laying out of the highway from Winnesimet to Reading as then contemplated, in which refer- ence is made to his farm lands, the appointment of Mr. Lynde on a committee to take the matter into consideration, and the report of the committee thereon, in 1648; and his house is referred to in the final laying out of this road in 1653.5
He served many years in the Military Company of Malden; was Sergeant in 1658, and Ensign in 1675. This was the time of "King Philip's War," and in August of this year Malden was called upon to furnish " ten able horses well shod wth bridles & sadles well shod fitt for the Countreys seruice." The con- stable made the following return:
I haue im prest ten horses for the us of the contre a cordin to the tener of the warent. EDMOND CHAMBERLIN.
Captin John wayt Insine Thomas lind
Leftinant John Sprag
Samewill Sprag Samewel lues
Benjamin whitemore Joel jenkins thomas grouer
Steuen grouer Symon grouer 6
Ten years later, while still Ensign, he presented the follow- ing petition asking for his dismission from the service:
To the Honored generall Court : now siting in Boston The petition of Thomas Lynde of malden Humbly Showeth: whereas you haue bin
Genealogies of the Lyndes, in MSS. by Artemas Barrett and Wil- ton F. Bucknam.
5 These documents are given in the chapter on "Roads, Streets and Highways."
6 Mass. Archives, Ixvii, 234.
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OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
pleased to Commission your Suplyant to ye ofise of An Ensigne in ye foot Compy: military of malden An through the Jnfirmytyes of age J find my Selfe altogether in capasytated to doe you any further Servis in Said ofise J beg therefore your dismission from yt servis : and shall pray for yor prosperyty and Remaine your Humble Serv !.
May 6th, 1685 :
Tho Lander 1-
In the year 1670, Ensign Thomas Lynde built, for his son Joseph, a homestead on what is now the corner of Main Street and Goodyear Avenue, which, with its farm of many acres, was owned up to within a few years by one of his descendants
ENSIGN THOMAS LYNDE HOMESTEAD-1670.
of the sixth generation, another Joseph Lynde. Soon after, Ensign Thomas left his old home under Boston Rock and went to live with his son Joseph, where he remained until his death in 1693; and another son, Capt. John Lynde, occupied the old homestead of his father.
The house built by the father at this time, smaller then than now, is at present a large and commodious structure, and is an interesting specimen of the ancient colonial architecture. It is still in a most excellent state of preservation, and shaded by its ancestral elms. There are a few houses now standing in
7 Mass. Archives, 1xx, 132.
62
HISTORY OF MELROSE.
New England that antedate this one; there are none that pre- sent so fine an appearance. Not many of our modern wooden houses will exist at the end of two and a quarter centuries! But this is a strongly built, large-timbered structure, capable of defying the elements for many more decades.8
The original and main part of this house is the oldest now existing in Melrose. There are others that are very old, but none that equals this in age, being two hundred and thirty-two years old.
In the chapter on "Roads, Streets and Highways," will be found a petition signed by Ensign Thomas Lynde, with a fac- simile of the same, dated April 20, 1671. This was prelimi- nary to the change that was made in the first road of 1653; and the action of the Court thereon was as follows:
This 19 September 71.
In Order to what the County Court held at Charlestown the-of June 1671 who hath Chosen and impowered James grene Josias Conuers and Jonathan Poole to state the hyway now Jn question towards Redding nere Ensign Thomas linds being in his grounds : : we Whos names are aboue mentioned do therefore Se Cause to remoue the hywaye from where It did former ly that Js to say through the Oald feld to the place vnder the rocks where the waye now lyes. Witness our hands.
JAMES GRENE JOSIAS CONUARS JONATHAN POOLE 9
› For some interesting items con- cerning this old homestead, I am indebted to Mr. Wilton F. Buck- nam, author of the Bucknam Gene- alogy, a lineal descendant of the Spragues, Lyndes and Greens, by intermarriage, and who has given much attention also to the Sprague and Lynde genealogies, as well as historic matter relating to these families. In a letter dated July 10, 1899, he states that the original house as built by Ensign Thomas Lynde in 1670, was enlarged and its internal arrangements changed by his grandson Col. Joseph Lynde. It then had diamond-paned win- dows, which came from England, the glass set with lead. These windows were afterwards trans- ferred to the Jabez Lynde house on
Washington Street, hereafter re- ferred to. The stair-rails, mould- ings and tiles for these alterations, also came from England. Some of the timbers are 14 inches square. He also states, that tradition in the Lynde family says, that owing to some disagreement between Dea. Thomas Lynde, the original settler in Charlestown, and his son, Col. Joseph Lynde, brother of Ensign Thomas, that the deacon came to live in this new house, which had been built in part by the father's money, and died there ; which would account for his having been buried in Bell Rock Cemetery, instead of at Charlestown.
Middlesex Court Files, October, 1671.
63
OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
This changed the road from the east side of Boston Rock to the west side; "the place vnder the rocks where the waye now lyes," still existing, plainly seen and easily followed, leaving Sylvan Street a few rods east of Main Street, thence skirting the base of the "rocks" by the old stone wall, to the residence of the late D. Alvin Lynde, enters our present Main Street, opposite the Henry Lynde mansion. This change in the road accommodated the new houses then built and to be built by the Lyndes.
From Ensign Thomas Lynde descended all the Lyndes that are now living, or have lived in Melrose. He was one of the Selectmen of Malden during the years 1678, 1684, 5, 6, 7 and 8. He died Oct. 15, 1693, aged 77 years. By his will, dated Oct. 3, 1693, on file in the Probate Court at East Cambridge, he divided his farm between his sons Joseph and John ; giving
Bo- it Lumix to al mon by these projects if richard han so dienkelt my wife of charlston Daughter to camp. peter duits of it at ts ofy. county of mided of provinces of y massachusets Bay in u englare- hans checked of fine if Day of y making hops fotomy unter capt getan Lyrics ofereple Lyd af mention of county a about fo arte: to of last willsteforment at my grandfather ? shora Lyn ink of mathon pourit in full payment trong aberjasi guin to mit by my . p. grand father in his je teylament of which of 92. sums of one hundred policy no full- payment & satisfaction of all Request is Request to mi given i. f. 10 fajtamitt we acticlidy our selves cully catiffisc contenter I paid iwiffnels where of- We have heure use to get our handy of wall this frenteday of march- Seventeen hundred to nin termin in of eight years of life majest !-
₹
Reign Green .Aun -
Засов Метал ELiz Hwo
10
to Joseph the southern portion, and to John the northern. This farm embraced a region about as follows : Beginning at the southwestern corner and extending northerly along the line of Washington Street to near Wyoming Avenue ; thence easterly along the line of that Avenue, and nearly or quite to Lebanon Street, then southerly, embracing the territory of Boston Rock, Wyoming Cemetery, Pine Banks Park, and For- est Dale Cemetery, to Forest Street in Malden; thence westerly to Washington Street, embracing " Island Hill," between Main Street and the Boston and Maine Railroad, which in early days
10 Elizabeth, daughter of Ensign Thomas Lynde, and sister to Joseph and John Lynde, married Peter Tufts Her daughter married Ja- cob Hurd, and above is a facsimile
of a receipt given the executors for their portion of the estate of her grandfather, Ensign Thomas Lynde. The black spots were seal- ing-wax seals.
1
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
Some Part of the Applica tion of a Difcourse Mreally The Jabback after the Funeral M. Joseph Lynde. Jan" 1: 1736
4th Use , it certain that there isa future State of Happiness hence que learn that the Day of the Godly Man Death is Better than the Day of his Her when he was Born mito The World he was born ! Man is born to Trouble as the Sparky fly upward . The Godly while i this world are not exempted from Trouble yea tis said, many are the Mictions of the righteous. They are liable to be afflicted in outward Re- Spects by Reproaches by Lopes Crosses) Disappointments as to their worldly Af fairs & Enjoyments, by Bereavements by outward Strait of Difficulties
by Sicknefes, Jains Ve: They are liable also to spiritual Troubles Inward Darkness, the forruptions of their own Hearts, what Strugglings & Fightmas
11
11 The above is the facsimile of a page of a manuscript sermon which was preached by the Rev. Joseph Emerson, on the death of Mr.
Lynde, January II, 1736. Mr. Emerson was the pastor of Mal- den, from 1721 to 1767.
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OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
was surrounded by the meadows of Three Mile Brook. This hill is fast disappearing by the restless hand of improvement and utility. One of the descriptions in this will contains this sentence: " Bounded by a great rock at the corner of John Lyndes about 20 rods beyond his house." This "great rock" was the well-remembered immense boulder which stood near the residence of George Washington Grover, on Main Street.
This house has disappeared; so, also, has a large part of the boulder. . These changes took place when Mount Vernon Place was laid out, and the houses built thereon, together with those on Main Street adjoining.
Joseph Lynde, born Dec. 13, 1652, who received the old homestead, and the southern and eastern part of the original farm, embracing what is now Wyoming Cemetery, died in 1736, at the age of eighty-three years, leaving his real estate to his son Joseph; he gave his " negro Dinah " to his wife.
In the Melrose Public Library is a small volume containing four of his printed sermons, which were preached during the year 1738. It was at this time that occurred the visitation of a terrible disease in Malden, carrying off two, three, four, and in one instance five members of a family, mostly children. In the midst of this pestilence the inhabitants cried out - - " Be- hold ! The Lord hath created a new thing in the midst of us. It is a very strange punishment that He is inflicting upon us." It was called a " throat distemper." The titles of two of these sermons are: "Early Piety Encouraged; A Discourse occa- sion'd by the joyful and triumphant Death of a Young Wo- man of Malden, Who died of the Throat-Distemper, Sept. 6, 1738. ÆEtat. 21." This has an eight-paged " Dedication To the Children and Youth of Malden." The other was " A Word to those that are afflicted very much. A Sermon Preach'd at the Lecture in Malden, October 20th, 1738. On Occasion of the repeated and multiplied Deaths of Children in many Families in said Town, by the Throat Distemper." This book belonged to one of our Howard family, as is shown by the autograph inscription on the fly-leaf: " Nathanael Howard his Book god give him grace hearin to look in the year of March the 14 Day 1758." This unique and ancient volume was bought at an auction sale and presented to our Public Library by John W. Farwell, Esq.12
12 Facsimiles of the title pages of Corey in his History of Malden, these two sermons are given by £ Pp. 639, 640.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
This farm of Dea. Joseph Lynde was bequeathed to his son Joseph, who was born September 2, 1690; and it was while in his possession that the changes in the old house, heretofore spoken of, were made, leaving its outward appearance about as now seen. In finishing and embellishing the parlor, he adorned the large, old-fashioned fireplace with tiling. His father considered this a piece of extravagance, and was so incensed that he struck one of the tiles so hard with his cane that it broke; and it so remained for many years. When this house passed out of the possession of the Lynde family, a few years since, during a time of some repairs, these tiles Joseph Lynd mysteriously disappeared.13
Joseph Lynde was an active man in town affairs; was one of the Selectmen for fifteen years, between 1735 and 1760, and a member of the Legislature in the years 1739, 1741 and 1743. He died March 16, 1763, aged 72 years. In his will he bequeaths his " Negro Dinah," and his farm to his son Nathan, who was born July 13, 1732. From Nathan the homestead descended to his son Joseph, born July 30, 1769; and he be- queathed it to his son Joseph, who was born Nov. 19, 1804, and Joseph Lynda never married. He tilled its acres until he died in 1875, at the age of seventy years, when the homestead passed into the possession of his sister, Mrs. Rebecca Lynde Eaton; and in 1881, the farm, then consisting of 175 acres, was bought by Hon. Elisha S. Converse of Malden. Thus had these original acres remained in pos- session of the Lynde family, descending from father to son, through seven generations, and for a period of nearly two and a half centuries. While the farm and homestead was in the possession of the Lyndes, it always evidenced thrift and enter- prise. Beautifully situated in the valley between ranges of hills, its spacious mansion, shaded by tall ancestral elms, its well-tilled acres, large and commodious barns, well filled with the products of the farm, flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, all indicated one of the good old-fashioned New England homesteads, which, alas ! grow scarcer as the years go by !
On the western portion of this farm, close under the tower-
13 Afterwards one was given to
serted over one of his fireplaces. Ilon. Levi S. Gould, who had it in-
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OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
ing eastern edge of the Middlesex Fells, and near the Fells station, the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, of which Mr. Converse is the principal stockholder, built its extensive manufacturing plant, known as Factory No. 2, the works at Edgeworth being No. I. This establishment gives em- ployment to hundreds of persons, many of whom are residents of our city, and for whom the Company has built numerous dwellings on the surrounding acres.14
MILL Nº2
MELROSE. MASS
This view of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company's Works at the Fells is taken from the summit of Black Rock. In the distance is seen the Malden Water Reservoir, on the top of Wayte's Mount.
The eastern portion of this farm, south of Boston Rock and Wyoming Cemetery, is now known as Pine Banks Park. . This is a tract of one hundred and ten acres, nearly all of which are in Melrose; a few acres are across the line in Mal- den. Its surface is diversified with hill and dale, bold crags and winding streams. It has in its central part several pecul- iarly formed banks and knolls, and is mostly covered with trees; the pine tree largely predominating; hence its appro- priate name.
Under the care and superintendence of Mr. John Davidson, Mr. Converse has built many smooth and handsome carriage
14 Since writing this the business
has been absorbed by the large trust known as "United States
Rubber Co., " but the business con- tinnes in the name of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
roads, many of them bordered with shrubs and flowers, wind- ing through these acres in all directions, affording miles of beautiful paths also in- On its eastern raim, up which
drives. Many foot- vite to pleasant walks. border rises Mt. Eph- a carriage road has been
VIEWS IN PINE BANKS PARK.
constructed to its top. In the more central part is situated the "Summit," reached by a winding road, on which an observatory has been erected; and from which a charming view of the surrounding country is obtained. Nearby is "Island Pond" with its rustic bridge and adjoining picnic grove.
Between these summits there is "The Intervale," a densely
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OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
wooded glen, on the eastern brow of which, connecting Wyo- ming and Forest Dale Cemeteries, runs "Hillside Terrace," which traverses that section of the old 1653 road between Winnesimett and Reading; and on the northern part of this Park, bordering on Main and Sylvan Streets, there has been established the links of the Pine Banks Golf Club.
All of this magnificent territory, luxuriously adorned by nature, and lavishly cared for, has been freely opened to an appreciative public by the generous owner. Here all are invited to enjoy the many walks and drives which intersect this sylvan retreat. It is justly becoming a famed resort for outing parties. Each season witnesses the coming and going of thousands of visitors.
There is one unique feature in this Park which is not open to the public; the rustic "Log Cabin," situated on "Island Pond Road," not far from the romantic "Lodge" at the main entrance. This belongs exclusively to Mrs. Mary D. Con- verse, wife of the owner.
It is furnished with the old fashioned furniture of former days. Its walls are lined with pictures of historic interest. It contains many curiosities, trophies gathered from near and from far. Among the many interesting articles there may be mentioned Egyptian can- dlesticks, a Roman shield, boar's head, Chinese gods, spinning and flax wheels, foot stove, warming pan, sabres, pistols, powder-horn, guns - one with a canteen, from the battlefield of " Fair Oaks," Confederate-cup and saucer from the Spanish " Maria Theresa," etc., etc. Occasion- al parties are held herein; the marriage ceremony of one of the daughters of the Superin- tendent, was performed there- in a short time ago.
OLD CORN MILL-NOW STANDING IN READING ROOM OF MELROSE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
At the time this farm was sold, and the contents of the old homestead scattered by an auction sale, there was found in the cellar a relic of the old
70
HISTORY OF MELROSE.
colonial husbandry, of "ye olden time," indeed. It is made from an oak log, a little larger and taller than a common barrel, dug out like a mortar, with iron hoops around it. It has two heavy wooden pestles. It is an old corn or samp mill; in it was pounded the corn and grain for family use, doubtless before the building of the Coytmore mill, at Mal- den Centre, in 1640. At this sale of the farm belongings in 1881, this mill was bought by Homer S. Littlefield, who, a few years afterwards, presented it to the Town of Melrose. This curious and antique relie of by-gone days is now safely cared for in the reading-room of the Public Library.
Col. Joseph Lynde, a brother of Ensign Thomas, born June 8, 1636, was a prominent and wealthy citizen of Charlestown. He had much trouble with Gov. Andros, in 1687, relative to the title of his land. In 1695, he was commissioned by Lieut. Gov. William Stoughton, to pursue the Indians who had made an attack on the town of Billerica. His report of this expedi- tion is as follows:
Aug. 234 1695. Receiving commission from the Honorable William Stoughton, Leutenant Governor, Commander in Cheif, over all the province of Massachusetts, with instructions for his Majesty's service in the County of Middlesex: pursuant where unto, I went that night to Billerica, where I found about three hundred men in arms from Woburn, Reading, Malden, Medford, Charlestown, Cambridge, Water- town, under conduct of Major William Johnson: Major Jeremiah Swaine; Major Wade Capt. William Greene; Capt. John Greene ; Lt. Remington : Lt. Haman Capt. Gerfield Sergeant Bond and Mr. Sherman. That night we marched to the river Merrimack, guarded the fords there, being three between Andover and Chelmsford, with about forty men at each ford, and with about one hundred men encamped that Night at Prospect Hill, that lies between Chelmsford and the river, on the northern side of the Great Swamp: leaving the remaining forces to guard the town. As soon as it was light, on the 24 of Aug. instant, we sent men to the top of the said hill, where we had a view of the said swamp, and the country far about, but could discover no fire anywhere. Thence we proceed to range the woods between Andover and Chelmsford, but finding no sign of our enemies, we rendezvous at a place called Sandy Pond, about eight miles from Billerica eastward; from whence about eleven of the clock that day we went to the Great Swamp, dismounted half our men, the other half taking their horses. We caused the men on foot to pass through the Swamp in a rank. each man at a distance as much as was conveient, appointed to rendezvous again at Prospect Hill. Major Johnson with
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