USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > The history of Melrose, County of Middlesex, Massachusetts > Part 8
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about forty men compassing the swamp on the west side, and myself with the rest of the soldiers on the east side. Our men on foot with much difficulty got through the Swamp. gave us account that they saw a new track and smelt Indians in one place, but did not judge by their tracks there were above two, having again rendezvous about four o'clock, afternoon, near Prosect Hill, having before noon ranged the woods belonging partly to Andover and Chelmsford to the eastward of Prospect Hill, we proceeded to range the woods towards Chelms- ford; rendezvousing again near the time of sunsetting at the cheif fording place on the Merrimack below Hunts Garrison: where 1 advised with all our officers. Having no prospect of doing service against the enemy: considering the evil that had accrued by dividing of all the forces at once. I left a guard of ten men to guard that ford under the direction of Hunt and Foster of Billerica, until the 20th of Aug. instant. at night, and then to be dismissed without further order. Marching then up to Billerica town in diverse parties, we rendezvous at the Ordinary, where paying off the army with thankfull acknowl- edgements for the ready and willing services, at their request I dismissed them according to their desires, to make the best of their way home which without doubt they attended : though with difficulty, by reason of the darkness of the night. So concluding.
I am Sir your Servant Joseph- Encs & Col
Dated at Charlestown. Aug. 25, 1695.
Capt. John Lynde, who received from his father, Ensign Thomas, the northern part of the farm, left the old original house at the foot of Boston Rock and built his new house in 1693, and it stood where lived the late Warren Lynde. The farm and homestead is now owned by his son, Henry Lynde.
Warren Lynde, of the seventh generation, was born May 15. 1799, and died in 1888 at the age of eighty-nine years. The old house first built by Ensign Thomas Lynde, near the entrance to the Wyoming Cemetery was abandoned.16 The old cellar-hole and well existed until the wall of the cemetery was built. The story is told among the Lynde descendants, of a very severe winter in those early times. A long-continued
15 Massachusetts Archives. Vol. 51, page 41. Col. Lynde died Jan. 29, 1727, aged 91 years.
16 Mr. Bucknam states in the letter heretofore quoted, that this old abandoned house stood nutil about ISco, when it was torn down.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
snow-storm completely buried the house from sight; and the relatives and neighbors went to the house on snow-shoes, and could only communicate with the snow-entombed family from the top of the chimney, through which provisions were passed and the inmates thus kept from starvation.
The Warren Lynde house, with its contents, was burned April 10, 1819, in the night time, the family barely escaping with their lives, and the present capacious mansion was built the following year by Warren's father, Benjamin Lynde, born Oct. 2, 1758, who inherited the place by will from his father, Joseph, together with " Island Hill " district of fifteen acres,
WARREN LYNDE HOMESTEAD.
situated in Malden just south of the Melrose line, and the sixty acre " Hill Pasture" now known as Boston Rock. Benjamin was a member of Captain Benjamin Blaney's Malden company that marched to Lexington, April 19, 1775, " to resist the minis- teral troops."
Benjamin Lyade
Captain John Lynde was one of the Selectmen of Malden during the years 1695, 1700, 1703, 4 and 1708.17 At this period,
17 John Lynde was impressed January, 1675 6; " hyres pemberton in his stead ; " was with Maj. Wil- lard in 1676. He was captain of
the Malden military company about the beginning of the eighteenth century. Corey, History of Mal- den, 325, 718.
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Malden laws required all cattle to be marked in some manner, and each owner's mark to be recorded in the town book. Many different ear-marks put upon cattle by different farmers are upon record. These marks were snipped on the ears of these creatures in every conceivable shape. Under date of 1689, the record of the one adopted by Capt. Lynde, is as fol- lows: "The mark which cap. John Line doe put upon ye ears of those his creturs which be usually ear marks-That is, Je top of ye near eare cut square of, and a slit down in the same eare. Also a half peney cut out of ye under side of ye furder eare." 18
Another Lynde homestead was that of another Joseph, brother of Benjamin, who died in 1798, giving to his son John, grandfather of Chief Fire Engineer, A. Wilbur Lynde, his farm of thirty acres situated between Grove and Upham Streets, east of Lebanon Street, together with the homestead John Lund now standing on the corner of Grove and Lebanon Streets. This came to be known among the Lyndes as "the upper house." Until within a very few years a most magnificent elm tree stood in the square in front of this mansion. Old age, lightning and the gales made such havoc with its far spreading and aged branches, that it had to be uprooted; and the homestead it had sheltered for over a century knew it no longer. Two other farms joining this on the easterly side, belonging to John and Samuel Grover, were pur- chased and added to this in 1786. The old home- stead still remains in the possession of the Lyndes, the present owners being Miss Louisa Lynde, Mrs. Sarah E. Gage, a sister, and Mrs. William Lynde, but JOSEPH LYNDE HOMESTEAD. the farm, together with some adjoining land, was bought in 1856, by Hon. Daniel W. Gooch, Walter Littlefield and Otis Clapp: surveyed, streets
18 Capt. Lynde added much to his farm in his day. Was a trader
to a great extent, buying house- hold necessaries in quantity and
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built, and laid out in house lots, under the name of the " Home Association." Several lots in the square between East Foster, Sixth, Laurel and Larrabee Streets were reserved, and they form what is now know as " The Common." Most of these lots were then sold, or soon afterwards, and have been very gener- ally built upon. Additional tracts of land were afterwards bought and many dwellings built thereon. The whole region has come to be known as East Side.
There were still other Lynde homesteads. The very old house on the corner of Glen and Russell Streets, is still in possession of the Lyndes, being owned by Franklin G. Lynde, who inherited it through a number of generations, from the original owner, Captain John Lynde, who inherited the
L
JOHN LYNDE HOMESTEAD.
land from Ensign Thomas Lynde. It was built about 1700, by Captain Lynde, for his son John, born April 1, 1672; after- wards it was bought by Jabez Lynde, born January 10, 1744; from whom it descended to the late Jonathan Lynde, born January 15, 1785, grandfather of the present owner; and who died in 1869, aged eighty-five years. The will of Jabez made in 1769, speaks of his negro Zachary. The oldest portion of this house, to which an addition was built many years ago, with
selling to the neighbors, taking his days for market. Bucknam, letter pay in "barter," and had regular of July 10, 1899.
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its low-studded, beam-crossed ceilings, is two centuries old. Paintings and photographs without number, have been taken, together with description for press and volume, illustrating its appearance and antiquity. It is still in very good condition. In it was born the late Aaron Green, whose father once tilled the farm, which then embraced the estate now owned by Hon. Daniel Russell; also the land now Russell Park.
Captain John Lynde also built for his son Thomas, born Oct. 24, 1685, at about the same time, 1700, the old house situated about one hundred rods west of the previous one, being the last house on Washington Street before reaching the Stoneham line. It has been remodelled and now presents a modern appearance. Originally it had a very large chimney and fireplace, wide front door through which huge fire logs were taken, and 3x4 diamond-paned windows, the glass secured by lead instead of putty.
By his father's will, Thomas had the right "to pass and re- pass over to the Reading Road, leading to Malden, providing he allows his brother John to pass and repass over past his house to the old road leading from Malden to Spot Pond." This first way was ap old cart path leading from these home- steads north of the present Daniel Russell estate, over to the present Henry Lynde house to what is now Main Street, then the Reading Road. This was the only way the occupants of these farms had of getting out to the Reading road for many years. Captain John owned a negro boy, Samson, whom he disposed of by this same will made in 1747. The old home- stead remained in possession of the Lyndes for a number of generations. When owned by Jabez, it was always spoken of as "the Jabe Lynde place." It has since been known as the "Grundy place," having passed from the possession of the Lyndes in 1850. Jabez, son of Joseph, born in 1719, was Captain of the "Malden Company of foot," in 1765. When troops were wanted for the movement on Crown Point in 1766, the following order was issued by Capt. Lynde:
To Mr Samuel Baldwin, Cor!
Sir you are Required in his Majesties Name forthwith to warn all the Training Souldiers Within your Limmits to meet at the House of Mr James Kettles Inholders in Malden on Tuesday the 17 Day of this Instant Iune, at one of the Clock in the Afternoon with their arms Ammunition aquterments as the Law Directs and Make Return of this
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warrant With your Doings herein at or Before the time Set for Sd Training Dated in Malden 1766 June 9th By Order of Capt Jabez Lynds.
EZRA SARGEANT Military Clark.
This is endorsed as follows:
I have warned and Caused to be warned agreeable to within written Warrant.
SAMLL BALDWIN.
Capt. Lynde was one of the Selectmen of Malden during the years 1766, 67 and 68. His son, Jabez, born Jan. 10, 1744, was sergeant in Capt. Benjamin Blaney's company that went to Lexington, April 19, 1775; also in the Point Shirley Expe- dition, June, 1776. He received six pounds bounty Dec. 9, 1776, "Voted by the Town of malden for Providing a Rein- forcement for the american Army." 19
In 1781, this Mr. Lynde furnished the town some wood and pork, and the following from the Order Book of the Select- men of Malden shows the unsettled state of the currency at that time:
An order on the treasurer to Jabez Lynde for £325, equal to $1,083, and 2 shillings, in the first emission of Continental Dollars, for half a cord of pine wood ; and for 125 lbs. of pork at $8 per lb. for the poor, as by his acct. dated Jan. 9, 1781, may appear.
Dated in Malden, Jan. 11, 1781.
By order of the Selectmen, JOSEPH PERKINS, Town Clerk.
Thus it appears from the foregoing record, that nearly all of the territory now forming the southern portion of Melrose, with the exception of the wilderness portion belonging to the Commons and Scadan Woods, originally belonged to the Lynde family; a goodly number of its acres, which have been inherited from the first settler thereon, Ensign Thomas Lynde, still remain in possession of his descendants.
The following incident is here referred to to show how dif- ferently political office is regarded to-day from what it was in those early days. There is no date given, therefore it cannot be said which of the Joseph Lyndes, and there were many, of whom it is recorded, that instead of paying anything to get an office, "insign Joseph lynde" paid the town of Malden £5 to be excused from serving as constable.
The cost of tuition in the early part of the nineteenth cen- tury was somewhat less than it is at the beginning of the 19 Corey, History of Matden, 821.
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twentieth, as may be seen by the following bill paid by Stephen Lynde, son of Capt. Jabez Lynde, which, among other papers, belongs to Mrs. Sarah G. Crafts, ned Lynde:
STONEHAM, Aug. 13, 1806.
MER. STEPHEN LYNDE Dr to PATTY CROOKER
for instructing two of his Children 12 weeks at Seven Cents for each Child per week $1.68
Rec'd pay PATTY CROOKER.
THE SPRAGUES. The Sprague families have ever been very prominent and intimately connected with the history of this town from its earliest days. It is quite certain that our terri- tory was visited and traversed by the three brothers, Ralph Sprague, Richard Sprague and William Sprague, who came over from England, at their own cost, and
who with three or four more, by joint consent and approbation of Mr. John Endicott, Governor. did the same summer of Anno 1628. undertake a journey from Salem, and travelled the woods above twelve miles to the westward, and lighted of a place situate and lying on the north side of Charles River, full of Indians called Aberginians. Their old Sachem being dead, his eldest son, [Monohaguaham] by the English called John Sagamore, was their chief, and a man naturally of a "gentle and good disposition,20 by whose free consent they settled about the hill of the same place by the said natives called Mishawum. [afterwards called Charlestown,] where they found but one English pallisadoed and thatched house, wherein lived Thomas Walford, a smith, situate on the south end of the westermost hill of the East Field. a little way up from Charles River side, and upon survey, they found it was a neck of land generally full of stately timber, as was the main, and the land lying on the east side of the river. called Mystick River, from the farm Mr. Cradock's servants had planted called Mystick, which this river led up unto; and indeed generally all the country round about, was an uncouth wilderness full of timber. " 21
20 His home in Malden was upon the creek which runs from the marshes between Powder Horn Hill, on which the Soldiers' Home is now situated, and Winnisemmet, into the Mystic River, at Sweetser's or Beacham's Point.
21 Charlestown Records, Vol. I. The above record was written by John Greene, in 1664, and is wrong in its chronology. Gov. Endicott did not arrive at Salem, until Sep- tember, 1628, consequently the
Spragues could not have gone on their journey during the summer of 1628, as above stated. Corey, in a letter to the writer, dated Feb. 1, 1901, thinks that the Spragues did not come over with Gov. Endicott, in 1628, but with Higginson in 1629, and during that summer made their journey. This view is sustained by Savage in his Gencalogical Dic- tionary, and Frothingham in his History of Charlestown, p. 14.
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There is no doubt whatever, but that the Spragues and their companions, were the first civilized men whose feet trod upon the soil, and whose eyes gazed upon the territory now Melrose, who explored with the view of making a permanent settle- ment.22 Undoubtedly other explorers traversed our territory very soon after the Spragues, for Gov. Thomas Dudley, writ- ing to the Countess of Lincoln, in England, March 28, 1631, in giving an account of the dispersal of settlers which had taken place before this date, at various places around Boston, says: "others upon the River Saugus between Salem and Charles- town." In travelling from Charlestown to Saugus, seeking out
22 Concerning the route of the Spragues during this exploration there is some controversy. Corey in his History of Malden, p. 19, says : "Their probable course may be traced along the Salem patlı, which we may believe already ex- isted as an Indian trail." Such a trail would necessitate the crossing of the Abousett, or Saugus River, in what is now East Saugus, and near its mouth where it is quite wide and deep. A bridge was built here about 1639, after which the Salen Path undoubtedly was much travelled. This entered Malden by Black Ann's Corner, then after following the present Salem Street a while ran northwesterly through the Scadan Woods into the south- erly part of Melrose, thence wound around north of Wayte's Mount. But I am led to believe differently. It is distinctly stated in the Charlestown Records, that these ex- plorers " travelled the woods above twelve miles to the westward." The History of Lynn by Lewis and Newhall, p. 137, under date of 1631, shows a far more probable route of travel for this early date: "At this time, there was no bridge across Saugus River, and people who trav- elled to Boston were compelled to pass through the woods in the
northern part of the town, and ford the stream by the Iron Works, which were near the site of the present woolen factories in Sau- gus Centre." These factories were north of the Sangus Town Hall. Here the river was easily forded. Traces of this trail existed until within a short time. From the ford it continued westerly, enter- ing the confines of Melrose, a little way south of the cliffs be- low John Doherty's, on Upham Street, entering the woods and passing over what became tlie road from Malden through Sau- gus to Lynn, and which was laid out in 1796, a part of which is now known as Altamont Avenue ; and so on to the region of Spot Pond. After reaching our valley it would seem that the Sprague party turned to the south, crossed the Mystic, and ceased their journeying at Charlestown, where they soon afterwards settled. As we shall see, the Spragues owned land to the west and south of Ell Pond, on record as early as 1638, showing undoubted ownership some years before; clearly indicating to 111y mind, that this valley was thus explored and admired during that first expedition.
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a proper place for settlement, it is quite feasible to suppose that our valley was visited by them in their wanderings.
That the Spragues found this particular tract of country pleasant and attractive, from its varied scenery and adapta- bility as a place of settlement, is evidenced by the fact that as early as 1638, only nine years later, the Spragues having left Salem and settled in Charlestown,23 both Ralph and Richard owned by allotment, a large tract of land near Ell Pond,24 naming it "Pond Feilde."
This covered a large part of what is now the westerly part of the town. Ralph Sprague had " Ninetie acres of land by esti- mation, more or lesse, scituate in Pond feilde;" and Richard had
sixtie acres of land by estimation, more or lesse, scituate in pond feilde,25 bounded on the one side by Ralph Sprague. on the northeast by ell pond and the river [that comes through the meadow into Ell pond. - Green,] and on the northwest by the comon. 26
All this territory belonging to Charlestown, north of the Mystic River, was then called Mystic Side.
These three Spragues were the sons of Edward Sprague, a fuller, of Upway, County of Dorset, England. Ralph and Richard were both prominent in Charlestown affairs, both being among the founders of the Church, members of the General Court, Select- Millian Sangre men for several years, and officers in the Bos-
23 Richard Frothingham, in his History of Charlestown, p. 20, gives the names of "The inhabitants yl: first settled in this place and brought it into the denomination of an English Towne," and the three Spragues, Ralph, Richard and William, are first on the list.
24 Variously spelled in early doc- uments : L, Ell, Eel, Ele, in one place in the Charlestown Records as Elme; and in the Cogan deed, hereafter referred to, " Yeale." It was evidently first namel L, on ac- count of its shape and it was always so considered by the early inhab- itants; but by general usage is now, and has been, spelled Ell.
25 " This makes it certain that the first recorded name of the sec- tion now known as Melrose, was Pond Feilde. It also fixes the tak- ing up of land here, as early as 1638." Address of Hon. Levi S. Gould, at annual banquet of the Highlands Congregational Church in 1897.
Charlestown Book of Passes- sions, in "Third Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston," pp. 33. 46. Undoubt- edly the first compilation of the kind in America.
57 Traced from the original docu- ment, now at City Hall, Boston.
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HISTORY OF MELROSE.
ton Artillery Company. William removed to Hingham, where he also became prominent in town affairs.
Richard and William Sprague signed the document estab- lishing the first Board of Selectmen in Charlestown, and Ralph was one of the eleven Selectmen then elected, Febru- Richart & Spruguns ary 10, 1635.
The choosing of Selectmen and other officers at Annual Town Meetings was first adopted by Massachusetts; and to Charlestown-of which we were originally a part-belongs the honor of establishing the first Board of Selectmen, in 1635, six years after its settlement. Dorchester, two years before, had tried a plan which approached this idea, but the inhab- itants of Charlestown matured and consuminated it, and adopted an order, the original of which is still preserved, with the signatures, and of which the following is a copy; and a facsimile of which may be found in Frothingham's History of Charlestown, p. 50.
An order made by the inhabitants of Charlestowne at a full meeting for the government of the Town by Selectmen.
In consideration of the great trouble and chearg of the inhabitants of Charlestowne by reason of the frequent meeting of the townsmen in generall and yt by reason of many men meeting things were not so easely brought unto a joynt issue. It is therefore agreed by the sayde townesmen ioyntly that these eleven men whose names are written on the other syde, (with the advice of Pastor and Teacher desired in any case of conscience.) shall entreat of all such business as shall con- scerne the Townsmen, the choice of officers excepted, and what they or the greater part of them shall conclude of the rest of the towne willingly to submit unto as their owne propper act. and these 11 to continue in this employment for one yeare next ensuing, the date hereof being dated this: 10th of February 1634 (1635.)
In witness of this agreement we whose names are under written have set o'r hands.
Soon afterward the General Court embodied this idea in its legislation, and provided for general town government. Thenceforward, from that day to this, year after year, the people of the towns have met in open town-meeting, and with free discussion upon all questions, elected their Board of Selectmen, and other officers, and transacted all other necessary business.
28 Traced from the original document, now at City Hall, Boston.
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OLD FAMILIES AND HOMESTEADS.
The Town Meetings of New England have ever been its truc glory; and before the Revolution, they were, indeed, "the nur- sery of American Independence." Referring to our early town system, George William Curtis once said:
Each town was a small but perfect republic as solitary and secluded in the New England wilderness as the Swiss cantons among the Alps. No other practicable human institution has been devised or conceived to secure the just ends of local government so felicitous as the Town Meeting.
By the year 1640, the inhabitants of Charlestown had so increased that many of them had passed over the Mystic River and made quite a settlement a little to the south of Mount Prospect, now called Wayte's Mount.
In 1640, Thomas Coytmore, quite often spelled Coitmore, who became a freeman in that year, and who was one of the Deputies to the General Court from Charlestown, in 1640 and 1641, built first a dam, and then a mill at Black Rock, on Three Myle Brook, Mystic Side, on the power made by the water flowing from Ell and Spot Ponds, joining as they did at Wyo- ming; thus furnishing grist-mill privileges to these increasing families of Mystic Siders.
Years afterwards this site was utilized for manufacturing purposes. In 1806, three brothers, George, Thomas and Eben- czer Odiorne, purchased the land and water-power at Black Rock, and established the manufacture of nails; being the first to cut and head them by one operation. William Barrett had previously, in 1803, established the silk-dyeing business, on a site near the Odiorne mill, and still carried on by his sons. It is known as the Malden Dye House.
Among those who left Charlestown and settled in Mystic Side, was Ralph Sprague, who built a homestead a little to the northwest of the Coytmore mill. Dying in 1660, he bequeathed this homestead and its farm to his sons John and Phineas; and his farm in Pond Feilde, near Ell Pond, to his sons Richard and Samuel
This EN Pond farm was situated and bounded as follows: Beginning at Spot Pond Brook, below Wyoming Station, and running northeastorly on a straight line on east side of Cottage Street, crossing West Foster Street and the Boston and Maine Railroad, through the late William Bogle's land, thence cross- ing Essex and West Emerson Streets and Lake Avenue, in
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a straight line, to Ell Pond, just east of the residence of the late John Shelton; thence northerly, following the brook that runs from Charles Street through Otis Street, into Ell Pond. From about twenty rods beyond Charles Street the line ran straight to Spot Pond Brook, and then by the brook to the point of beginning. The oldest son, John, bought this Ell Pond farm of his brothers Richard and Samuel in 1652.29 The part belonging to Richard contained sixty-seven acres of ploughed and meadow land, and was the westerly half. His homestead stood near Barrett Mount, on the southerly side of Maple Street, about twenty rods west of Vinton Street. The old cellar was visible within the memory of some now living. John Sprague was one of the Selectmen of Malden for many years, and a Representative to the General Court in 1690. He was one of the committee on behalf of Malden to lay out the old road of 1653, from Winnesemit to Reading.
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