Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970, Part 82

Author: Lynnfield (Mass.)
Publication date: 1961-1970
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970 > Part 82

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After the voters gather, the Town Clerk, John Upton, Jr. reads the notice received from the General Court

" On the 28th day of February in the present year an act passed the Legislature of the Commonwealth incorporating the district of Lynnfield into a town by the name of Lynn- field".

"A copy of this act was received on the 30th day of March following.

" Attest: John Upton, Jr., Town Clerk."

After the reading, Wright Newhall, the third selectman, asked when Lynn End, the name by which the North Parish had often been called was changed to Lynnfield. Turning to the old records John Upton read a part of the report of a meeting held June 19, 1782 with two committees, one for the Town of Lynn and one for the Parish:

" We the committee of the Town of Lynn and the Com- mittee of the North Parish in said Town, chosen by the Town and the Parish to agree on some terms to set off the Parish from said Town as a separate District, have met and do agree to set off said Parish in the following manner; viz: they, the said Parish, to pay all their proportion of the Town's debt due at this time and all town charges till they, the said Parish, are set off by the General Court as a sep- arate district from said Town". It wasat this time that the name "Lynnfield" began to be used.

Thirty years later the Town of Lynnfield was incorpor- ated and separated from the mother town of Lynn. In the 1800 decade there was a movement for the incorporation of "daughter towns"; South Reading, now Wakefield was incorporated in 1812, and Saugus in 1813.

Fifty years after the incorporation of the Town of Lynn- field, the Selectmen in the "Financial Report of the Town of Lynnfield for the year ending, March 1, 1814, had a special cover design, and inside an interesting article signed by the three selectmen of that year; John Danforth, Jr., Andrew Mansfield, and William Skinner, which reads:

"On the 28th day of February, in the year 1814, an act passed the Legislature of this Commonwealth incorporating the District of Lynnfield into a town by the name of Lynn- field.

" In that year there were less than onehundred voters in the town, of that number ten are now living in the town. That year the whole amount of money assessed for State, County and Town taxes was only $1,105.56. Of this sum $104.00 was the State Tax, $102.33 the County Tax, the balance expended for town purposes, including the support of Schools for that year. The past year as will be seen by the preceeding report, the sum assessed for the same pur- pose was $5,600.12 -- the State Tax alone being $1,536.00 -- several hundred dollars more than all the taxes of the for- mer period. The largest tax then paid by one, person or es- tate was $28.75. This tax was paid on the "Orne" estate, and one person then occuping a part of said estate as ten- ant, and paying that year a tax ofonly $4.00, is still living in town and in the past year paid a tax of $962.08, being nearly as much as the whole sum assessed in town fifty years ago.

"Thus it will be seen that while the growth of the town has been small, yearly, and hardly perceptible at times, yet, in the course of half a century, it has stadily increased in popu- lation, wealth and general prosperity.

" It has always been the policy of the people, in their cor- porate capacity, to be free from debt. But at the breaking out of the present great Rebellion the people of the town,- actuated by a spirit of the purestloyality and ever ready to uphold the good government inherited from the fathers -- manifested their readiness to crush traitorous power by fur- nishing their quota of men under all calls upon them by the Government. To our Volunteers the Town has paid the sum of $4,350 in addition to the Bounties paid by the State and General Government, thereby causing the small debt that exists at the present time."

Fifty years later, 1914, the incorporated town had its 100th Anniversary -- the 200th of the erection of the Meeting House. In these fifty years there had been a slow growth improvement in roads, new school buildings, and the small agricultural town of Lynnfield, with its several industries, was keeping pace with other New England towns in the same area.

The census report for this decade gives the number of polls assessed as 383, and the property value as $1,976,- 018, the population, 1,155. In an Essex County History of this period there are some very quotable sentences: " There is a truly remarkable story of Lynnfield, formerly Lynn End. Keeping its village characteristics of the best type, it is yet a sharer in, and a contributor to, the life of the larger towns and cities which surround it."

The celebration for 1914 was planned and given on a scale much larger than possible at any previous time. In the Town Report of that year a compresensive report was given by the committee in charge and among the selectmen was Albert P. Mansfield. In its 100-year history there had never been a time when a " Mansfield" was not serving the Town.

The committee report reads in part:

"The religious ceremonies were held on Sunday, the 13 th of June, and the civic portion on the 17th. Former pastors of both Centre Church and the Second Congregational Church at South Lynnfield and pastors from Lynn and Wakefield assisted the Rev. Gaius J. Slosser at the Centre and the Rev. Robert Haskins at the South Church conduct services at the morning, afternoon and evening services.

"Perfect weather made the 17th such a day as Lynnfield had never seen before. All the public buildings and many private residences were beautifully decorated with flags and bunting, and at sunrise bells were rung to usher in the great day."

The committee report continued: " In the forenoon a mil- itary and civic parade of nearly a mile in length passed through the principal streets, headed by a flag bearer dres- sed as an Indian, followed by members ofthe Grand Army of the Republic, Wakefield and Saugus Camps of Sons of Veterans, Wakefield High Cadets, and many historical, and educational, and civic floats.

" During the day a splendid display of antiques and re- lics was exhibited in the Public Library. (Several years prior to 1914, the Library had been moved from its one room in the "New" Town Hall to the school building which had been vacated when the school house on Main Street was built) Itwas indeed a surprise to find such a large and valuable collection within the Town and it is hoped that a permanent historical society will soon be organized in order that these interesting and valuable antiques and relics may be preserved for future use.

"As the Town Hall building was not large enough to accommodate those desiring to attend the banquet, your committee arranged to have a large tent pitched in the rear of the Town Hall, and at 6 p.m. nearly four hundred persons sat down to dinner, among them many prominent guests, as well as former residents of Lynnfield.

"Following the dinner there were addresses by Mayor George C. Newhall of Lynn, Congressman Michael Phelan, Hon. Nathan Mortimer Hawkes, Henry P. Emerson, Sup- erintendent of Schools, Buffalo, New York, and Eugene Put- nam, who spoke for Hon. David Hewes of Orange, Cali- fornia. Mr. Hawkes, Mr. Emerson and Mr. Hewes were born in Lynnfield."

The committee: Rutherford E. Smith, Chairman J. Winslow Perkins, Secretary Dr. Franklin W. Freeman, Treasurer Mrs. George M. Roundy Miss E. Jennie Gerry Mrs. Charles J. Bolton Mrs. Edward Q. Moulton Henry W. Pelton Albert P. Mansfield

The fifty years between 1964 and 1914 weremarked by changes never dreamed possible by folks living in the latter part of the 19th Century. Gas for heating and lighting was brought in from Lynn, and electricity from Reading. Auto- mobiles no longer frightened horses. There was telephone service in private residences, and there was an exchange at the Centre, while families at South Lynnfield were connected with the Lynn exchange. Special teachers for Music and Drawing were employed in the schools on a part time basis. A superintendent of Schools was shared with several other communities.

A town Seal was designed in 1912 by George E. Lam- bert, a young artist. Since that time the Seal has become a symbol of the Town and as such its use grows with each passing year. Because the "Old Meeting House" has been the dominant feature of the Lynnfield Common, it was nat- urally the center of the design. The Seal bears the words, "A District 1782 -- A Town 1814" Below the building the words, "Meeting House Build 1714." Above the circle is the word "Lynnfield, and below, "Massachusetts". This design was cast in metal for souvenirs for the 1914 Anniversary. Now the Seal is imprinted on all official documents of the Town, used on its stationery, and painted on the vehicles of the Highway and the Park Departments. It is used most fittingly on the official stationery of the Historical Society which has been given the Custodianship of the Old Meeting House and is working for its restoration.

In 1891 a new Town Hall was built, great was the pride of the town's people in this modern building. As the town grew in population, it had to be enlarged, and in 1964 it gave way to the needs and demands for workable office space. It wastorn down. The new Town Building is a part of the complex of municipal buildings which houses the Fire Station and the Police Station. Over the door of this new section is the Town Seal -- in its design and execution it is truly a symbol of our fine New England town.

Across the street is the United States Post Office, a build- ing of good Colonial design. From it go daily carriers with the mail to each house in the town. The growth of the mail system here has kept pace with the growth in population. When the census recorded less than eight hundred persons living in the two sections of the town, mail was brought to and sent from two small post offices that were housed some- times in a railroad station, and sometimes in a store. When Rural Delivery was inaugurated one delivery came from Wakefield, the second from Peabody, but the offices in town were kept for those who lived near by. Now there are thirty one persons employed in our Post Office Department -- A Postmaster, Assistant Postmaster, Superintendent, Car- riers, and Clerks. One custodian cares for the buildings and grounds and four mail trucks are in constant use.

The 150th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town and the 250th of the Old Meeting House marked conspicu- ously the rapid changes which had taken place during the preceding fifty years. The three outstanding ones might be noted as changes in methods of transportation, increase in population with the resulting demands for services and additional schools, and different ways of earning the livli- hoods. In 1950 the census listed 3,925 residents; in 1964 there were 9,600.

During these last fifty years the means oflivelihoodfor the inhabitants has changed -- almost completely. In 1914 a few of the folks went into Boston or the nearby towns by

train -- there was good train service. Many earned their liv- ing by farming; dairying was a big business with large herds of cows in many parts of thetown. There were large apple orchards; Gerry's Cider Mill did a thriving business. One of the larger businesses was that of Roundy Brothers who sold wood and hay -- the trees cut in Lynnfield and the grass grown in its fields. Vegetables and fruits were har- vested and sold in Wakefield, Lynn, Salem and Boston. Blacksmith and wheelwright shops employed numbers of men. In the South part of the town there were three shoe factories, each employing about one hundred workers.

There were many windmills in the town; their popularity may have been due to the fact that Leonard Wheeler, inven- tor and manufacturer of the " Eclipse" windmill was a resi- dent of Lynnfield. George and Will Roundy did teaming for Mr. Wheeler and delivered windmills " all over the State".

The 1964 Anniversary will take its place in the history of the town. Two Lynnfield marathon runners helped to start off the town's week-end by bringing a proclamation from Governor Endicott Peabody at the State House in Boston to the steps of the Old Meeting House. Robert Dolbeare received the proclamation and ran with it half way to Lynnfield. He gave it to Richard Weeks, who ran to Salem Street and Broadway. The pair then ran through South Lynnfield to the corner of the Common. Waiting for them was Francis Piatti, Town Crier for the Anniversary. The proclamation was read on the steps of the Meeting House.

Activities varied each day, every organization making an outstanding contribution. The Historical Society mem- bers, dressed in costumes of the 1700 period, greeted visi- tors to the Meeting House where there was an exhibit of antiques and pictures of early times. The Lions Club spon- sored a lobster-chicken barbecue, and 28 attractive con- testants competed for the title of "Miss Anniversary". The Junior High School Band played entertaining music. The Art Guild held an exhibit, and prizes were awarded. " The Spotlighters" presented a pageant with seven scenes, each depicting a portion of the town's history.

Saturday was the day of the big parade. And in the afternoon the new Town Office building was dedicated. On the steps stood County Commissioner C. F. Nelson Pratt; State Representative Belden C. Bly, Selectmen's Associa- tion Charles MacPherson, Architect John Guarino, Rev. Merrill Kluhsman. Rev. Douglas Elliott, and Chairman John B. Rodgers of the Building Committee. Town Clerk Harry W. Higgins introduced Secretary of State Kevin White for the dedication speech. A time capsule, to be re- opened in the year 2014, prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Osberg, and containing current items, was dis- played and sealed. Miss Anniversary, Cathy Monroe, cut

the blue ribbon which officially opened the new Town Hall. At six o'clock a New England Saturday night sup- per, prepared by the Rotary Club, assisted by members of the School Cafeteria, was served to about a thousand diners. The highlight of the evening was the arrival of the Governor of the Commonwealth, Endicott Peabody, by helicopter. The Centre Couples' Club dance was held in the High School gym, and the South Lynnfield Couples' Club's Hootenanny was in the tent behind the High School.

Sunday morning each church had its own service with special welcomes for former members. In the afternoon res- idents and guests gathered on the Common to await the arrival of a horse drawn carriage bringing Dr. Russell Schofield in 18th Century clerical costume to the 1714 Meeting House, where there was a servicewhich reproduced the Puritan simplicity of 250 years ago.

The next service was in thechurch across the street, built in 1832. Here Rev. Douglas Elliott of the Trinity Baptist outlined the religious thinking of the 19th Century.

A still larger group was able to attend the last service of the day, held in the new Centre Congregational Church built in 1960. At this service Rev. Garvey MacLean, Assis- tant Pastor of the Centre Church, and the Right Rev. Mon- seigneur Lally, Editor of " The Pilot" spoke on the Ecumen- ical Influence in the 20th Century. Each churc in town was represented by its pastor, and Rev. James C. Marshall, Pastor of the Lynnfield Community Church was the co-ordi- nator, introducing each speaker. "History was made that afternoon in our town when people of all faiths met together and reviewed their common religious heritage."

Now the Incorporated Town of Lynnfield is working for the year 2014, when the settlement (Lynn End) will mark its 375th year; the Meeting House, its 300th year, and the Town, its 200th.

Katherine Wellman Ross

BY LAW COMMITTEE

The Committee's work during 1968 was directed pri- marily toward the completion of a proposed Personnel By- Law, and it is now felt that the By-Law will probably be ready for the consideration of the Wage Study Committee, Finance Committee, Board of Selectmen and the Town Meeting during 1969.

The Summer Program employed three (3) law students and the Chairman together with Attorneys Theodore Reg- nante and John Brodbine supervised their work during their ten (10) weeks employment. They reviewed prior work, then criticized and redrafted it; in addition, they worked on other subjects which the Committee will consider in the future.

S. PETER GORSHEL Chairman

BOARD OF APPEALS

Glen R. Smith Chairman

The Board of Appeals currently meets in the Public Hearing Roon of the Town Hall on the first Tuesday of each month to act on all cases submitted four weeks or more prior to the hearing date.

The Board of Appeals acted on thirty-one cases in the year 1968, disposing of them as follows:

1 case filed without action and without prejudice to petitioner

7 cases withdrawn without prejudice by petitioner(s) 4 cases denied

15 cases granted unconditionally

3 cases granted with suitable conditions imposed

1 case granted contingent upon approval of sub- division by Planning Board

Procedural rules and all decisions of the Board are a matter of public record on file with the Town Clerk. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Board is en- titled to appeal to the Superior Court within 20 days of the filing of the decision.

Glen R. Smith, Chairman Malcolm V. Smith, Member Hubert G. Wall, Secretary

MAPPING COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: REPORT OF SELECTMEN'S MAPPING COMMITTEE.

In recent years, various Town bodies have been frustra- ted by ambiguities in property ownership. Instances were frequent in discovery of erroneous or inadequate assess- ments or assumptions, - usually at some loss of revenue to the Town. A need was recognized for some organized identification of all real estate in town, linking each parcel with a definite owner; identifying each deed with an owner and a parcel,-quickly, accurately and cheaply. This would be two dimentional, and called Assessors Maps.

Similarly problems arose pertaining to the surface irreg- ularities; to flooding, groundwater elevations, drainage, and sewage disposal: past, present and future. A general drainage study of 1963 had to conclude with approxima- tions rather than to entail intolerable expense for survey parties. The Town needed maps that would reveal topo- graphic features. This is three dimentional, and called top- ographic mapping.

The Selectmen were advised on several occasions by the Drainage Committee, of the need for the topographic map- ping. The Assessors, in July of 1967 advised independ- ently of their need for th assessors maps, and requested a study be made for feasibility.

In response to these recommendations, the selectmen appointed a committee in August, 1967, consisting of the chairmen of: Board of Assessors (and pro-tem chairman of the committee), Planning Board, Board of Health, Con- servation, Capital Outlay, Finance Committee, Lynnfield and Lynnfield Center Water Districts, the Town Counsel, the Road Commissioner, and the Administrative Assistant to the Board of Selectmen.

The committee held 13 formal meetings, conducted in- terviews, employed a graphological consultant, recommen- ded a proposal to the Selectmen, who prepared a referen- dum. We presented the findings and recommendations or- ally t a civic group and the 1968 Town meeting; obtained appropriation; advertised and received bids and recom- mended award of contract.

As of this writing, completion of the contract is expected immediately. This will give you maps of the town and other data as follows: Assessors Maps 1 inch = 100 feet and showing every parcel of real estate and every building of significant size;

Card file, linking every parcel and every transaction; Real estate deeds,-every transaction on microfilm, and with devices for reading and filing;

Topography: contour lines at every 2 feet in elevation over the entire town, showing all important natural and artificial physical features.

It is anticipated that most surrounding towns will follow our example.

Freeman W. Towers, R.P.E. Chairman.

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS STATE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS November 5, 1968

Election Officers Serving;

PRECINCT 1

PRECINCT 2

John Rodgers Warden Robert H. Settles

Joseph LeBrun

Clerk

Charles Bowser

Roger Gerry

Robert Peabody

Eugene Van Amburg

Richard Tyacke

Louise Bax

Harry Gardner

Ruth Stone

June Crumrine

David C. Farrar James Knox George Meltzer Dorothea Johnson

Leroy M. Hadsall

John Valkevich

Elizabeth Gerry

Cassie Lorente

Edward Foley

Florence Heftye

Judith Mathews

Mabel Williams

Marian Hughes

John Bax

Mildred Doremus

Doris Strout

Arline Wills

Barbara Rodgers

Anna Brodbine

Alice M. Gletcher

Mary Ford

Barbara Coffin

Mary Cappello

Shirley Rubinstein

Edith Richards

Frank Martin

Police William R. Delamater Edward Cleary

Total Vote Cast

Precinct 1 2,727

Precinct 2 2,610

5,337

Paul Jensen

Ethyle Sperry Carolyn Furey Marjorie Weiss Rita Tuoti Helen Sparkes Barbara Knower Helen Maghakian Earle Bengtson Ruthann Gates George Trickett Evelyn Gardner Blanche Settles Katherine Neumann Belva Hunt Elaine Lowey Edith Rodham

Katherine Higgins

Partial ballots 42

Partial Prec. Prec. Total

Blomen and Taylor, Socialist Labor

0 0

Humphrey and Muskie, Democratic

967

1,212

2,191

Munn and Fisher, Prohibition

Nixon and Agnew, Republican

1,673

1,308

3,009

Wallace and Griffin, Independent

146

Blanks

Prec. 1

Prec. 2

Total

CONGRESSMAN, Sixth District

William H. Bates - Republican 25 Warren Street, Salem

2,171

1,844

4,015

Deirdre Henderson - Democratic Southern Avenue, Essex

499

695

1,194

Blanks

128

COUNCILLOR, Fifth District

Thomas J. Lane - Demorcratic 92 Abbott Street, Lawrence

838

1,098

1,936

Louis H. Johnson- Republican 47 Gardner Street, Groveland Blanks

1,773

1,374

3,147

116

138

254

SENATOR, Third Essex District

William L. Saltonstall - Republican

388 Summer Street, Manchester 2,504 Blanks 223

2,257

4,761

REPRESENTATIVE IN GENERAL COURT Twelfth Essex District

Robert C. Euell - Republican

Woodcrest Road, Boxford

1,656 1,235 2,891

William P. McDonough - Democratic

7 Dunstan Road, Lynnfield 1,001 1,293 2,294

Blanks

82 152

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, Essex County

Daniel J. Burke - Democratic

2 Herrick Lane, Lynnfield

1,264

1,504

2,768

BLANKS

199

1,812 238

3,729 437

C.F. Nelson Pratt - Republican 4 Talbot Street, Saugus

1,727

1,399

3,126

William J. Donovan - Democratic 358 Ames Street, Lawrence 554 718 1,272

George F. Patten - Republican 14 Willowbrae Drive, Peabody 1,478

1,091 2,569

Blanks 431 508 939

SHERIFF, Essex County

Roger E. Wells - Republican 48 St. Peter Street, Salem

2,126

1,833

3,959

William J. Casey - Democratic 74 Osgood Street, Lawrence Blanks

106

109

215

Question No. 1.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held June 16, 1965, received 210 votes in the affirmative and 26 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held May 10, 1967, received 220 votes in the affirmative and 9 in the negative?

YES NO 423

2,077

1,895 3,972

441 864

BLANKS

227

274 501

The proposed amendment of the Constitution increases from five days to ten days the period of time the Consti- tution gives the Governor to act upon measures passed by the Legislature and submitted to him for approval. No other changes are made in the several Constitutional provisions relative to action by the Governor upon such measures.

Question No. 2

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held August 30, 1966, received 188 votes in the affirmative and 46 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held May 10, 1967, received 174 votes in the affirmative and 78 in the negative?

YES NO

611 1,917

560 1,171

495

668

1,163

353

576

The proposed amendment of the Constitution authorizes the Legislature to impose an income tax graduated accord- ing to total income, and authorizes the granting of reason- able exemptions, deductions and abatements, as an alter- native to the exercise of the Legislature's existing power to tax income under Article 44 of the Amendments to the Constitution. Without limiting the foregoing authoriza- tion, the proposed amendment permits any such tax to be imposed at a uniform percentage of an individual's federal income tax liability or at graduated rates applied to his total income taxable federally, and it permits reasonable variations of any federal provision. Itrequires that the graduated rates, exemptions, and deductions be set without regard to the kind of income being taxed.

Question No. 3.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the Constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held July 20, 1966, received 225 votes in the affirmative and 1 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held June 15, 1967, received 210 votes in the affirmative and 2 in the negative?

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Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970, Part 82

Author: Lynnfield (Mass.) Publication date: 1961-1970 Publisher: The Town Number of Pages: 1002

Author: Lynnfield (Mass.)
Publication date: 1961-1970
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1002