USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Pembroke > Town of Pembroke, 250th anniversary, 1712 to 1962 : an illustrated historical account of the town of Pembroke, incorporated in 1712, and its West Parish, since 1820 a part of the town of Hanson > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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POINTS OF INTEREST Cont.
COUNTRY STORES
Only recently modernized, our country stores for years pre- served the traditions of the past. The Kenneth B. Henrich market in Pembroke Center dates from the early 1800's and was owned by Isaac Jennings and later by Ira Porter, who added living quarters above the store. Until a new building was erected opposite the G. A. R. Hall in 1958, the Center Post Office was housed here. Today this store, as well as Lang's Market in Bryantville, has taken on a very modern look.
A country store which still retains all the charm of the old days, however, is located in East Pembroke. Owned and operated by the late Chester B. Keene for over fifty years, it is still carried on by George F. Simpson, who has worked there for more than forty years. Customers come from far and wide to buy the old- fashioned sharp wheel cheeses, and the molasses and vinegar still dispensed from barrels in the back room. Because the town line runs down the center of the counter, the clerk stands in Pem- broke and the buyer in Duxbury.
Harold Simmons' country store in North Pembroke still re- tains its quaint look. A post-office is located here as is the custom in many small towns.
OLD ROADS
What are now the back roads of Pembroke were once a part of the post road system between Boston and Plymouth. The old Bay Path followed West Elm Street to Oldham, thence down Center Street to High Street, where it turned right to the Dux- bury line. Several inns on these roads gave food and rest to man and beast on the long journey, sheltering many famous people, including Judge Sewall and Judge Lynde of Boston, on their way to the circuit court in Plymouth. Tradition says that the old Garrison House on the corner of Barker and High Streets was at one time a hostelry, as was a long-gone structure at Brimstone Corner. These stone-walled, elm-shaded roads skirted the Great Cedar Swamp, as they do today.
Fire Station at Center
PUNICAL FIRE DEPT 10 105
Sewing Circle POINTS OF INTEREST Cont.
THE PONDS
Pembroke has long been noted for the number and beauty of its ponds. These include Oldham, Stetson, Little Sandy, Great Sandy, Furnace, Hobomock, Mill, Upper Chandler, Lower Chandler, and Randall Ponds, and Silver Lake, largest of all. It is estimated that two-thirds of the year-round residences of Pembroke are located in the areas of the ponds, which offer boating, fishing, swimming, water-skiing, and skating.
FIRST PARISH SEWING CIRCLE
The First Parish Sewing Circle was organized in November, 1845, to "Support the gospel and to carry on benevolent pur- poses." In September, 1957, the Society voted to erect its own building. Nathaniel Smith donated land and in 1879 the Society bought a small building and moved it to its present site. The deed was signed to the First Parish Church, should the Society ever disband. From 1892 until 1958 the building was used as a library by the town. It was then renovated for use by the Society. Mrs. Annie Anderson, who joined in 1900, holds the oldest membership.
Town Hall
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MAP OF PEMBROKE. A D. 1794 INCLUDING MANSON TERRITORY
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HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PEMBRO .
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Historical Society Bldg. now on former Town Hall site
POINTS OF INTEREST Cont.
PEMBROKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Pembroke Historical Society was organized on April 20, 1950, and incorporated March 17, 1952. The old Bryantville schoolhouse, built in 1847 and moved to its present site, was a gift of Marcus L. Urann. The building stands today on the former site of the Town Hall and was sold to the Society for the sum of $1.00 by a vote of the town.
The Society was able to move and restore the building through the generosity of the late George Edward Lewis. The nucleus of the collection on display comes from his estate. He gave many old pictures and photographic plates.
The late Gust Westerling also gave many valuable antiques from his extensive collections, and contributed much knowledge and experience to the founding of the Society.
The purpose of the Society is to perpetuate and preserve articles and documents of historical interest. Gifts have come from far and wide, and from former residents, as well as from the active and growing group of present members.
Post Office at Center
Pembroke Center Cemetery
CEMETERIES IN PEMBROKE Alton Ford
"Look to the writings upon the eternal stone if ye would know the history of thy people." (Anonymous)
According to tradition Indians were buried in the cemetery at Center Pembroke in the early days. Grave stones, however, were not erected until a few years after the town was incorporated. All of the older stones are in the vicinity of the middle gate, some broken, others almost indecipherable because of lichens and weather, but all bearing the names of well-known Pembroke families or personages, such as the following:
Deacon Joseph Ford, died in 1735, son of Deacon William Ford of Marshfield, and one of the town petitioners.
William Tubbs, died in 1718, also a town petitioner. (This stone, the oldest in the cemetery, has lost its inscription.) Lieut. Isaac Thomas, died in 1731, wife in 1723, and children Anne and Mary in 1715 and 1716 respectively.
The Reverend Morrill Allen, pastor of the First Parish Church. Isaac Little, Esquire, who bought control of the Iron Furnace from the Barkers.
The Reverend Thomas Smith, died in 1788, and his son Dea- con Josiah Smith, both of whom were involved in the sing- ing feud at the church
The Reverend James Hawley, died in 1798.
The Reverend Daniel Lewis, first ordained pastor of the church, died June 20, 1753, aged 58.
The Hall family: Dr. Jeremiah Hall, died Oct. 1, 1807, aged 85, a surgeon in the French and Indian War, Lieutenant- Colonel in the Revolutionary War, and member of the Pro- vincial Congress; Jeremiah Hall, Jr., died in 1776, aged 17, in the service of his country.
Joshua Turner, died July 4, 1728, signer of the town petition. Joshua Cushing, died May 26, 1750, apparently the "Joshua Cushen" whose name was on the town petition.
John Oldham, 1871, and his brother Gen. A. W. Oldham, 1865, who planted the pines of Indian Fields on Mattakee- sett Street.
CEMETERIES IN PEMBROKE Cont.
Thomas Burton, died in 1779, whose mother was the only daughter of Governor Josiah Winslow.
Elisha Bisbee, died in 1737, representative to the General Court, credited with obtaining for the town the land grant now a part of Northfield, Mass.
Joshua Baker, died Feb. 11, 1735, aged 45.
Sarah Keene, wife of Israel Keene, died April 1, 1729, aged 26. Ruth, wife of Elisha Bonney, died July 31, 1726, aged 25.
Rachael Cushing, daughter of David and Rachael, died Sept. 5, 1729, aged 11.
Peter Salmond, died Oct. 1, 1828, aged 83, who was drafted into Burgoyne's army while visiting Canada, during the French and Indian War.
Deacon Seth Whitman, died Nov. 15, 1859.
Peleg Barker, died April 3, 1882, aged 88, the last Barker to live at the old homestead.
Bryantville Cemetery (Mt. Pleasant Cemetery)
Although the Bryantville Cemetery was incorporated in 1842, and the first internment was made there in that year, there are many stones for those who were removed from other burial places, such as "James Doten, died May 20, 1817, aged 82," and 'Mrs. Dwelly, died Feb. 28, 1828."
Many of the Bryants, who gave their name to Bryantville, are buried here; for example, David Bryant, died May 22, 1822, aged 74. Here also are the Fosters, who gave the now obsolete name of Fosterville to the Pembroke and Hanson section of Maquan Street, such as John Foster, died in 1909, who had mills in Pembroke and Hanson.
On the Cobb lot we find inscriptions in memory of Arthur Cobb, who died in the War of 1812 at Greenbush, N. Y., March 13, 1813, age 37; and Rozilla Cobb; died Jan. 25, 1905, who left money for the library at Bryantville which now bears the family name.
Pine Grove Cemetery, East Pembroke
Incorporated in 1857, this cemetery was soon taken over by the town. Prominent is the Civil War monument, erected in 1867, one of the earliest in Massachusetts. There are about two hundred and twenty-five slate stones here, and the names on these, too, are typical of Pembroke, such as:
Nathaniel R., son of Solomon and Lucia Keen, Oct. 8, 1813, 4 y., 10 M.
Capt. Joseph Estes, July 6, 1846, aged 67; wife, Mrs. Polly Estes, Feb. 3, 1837, 56 yrs.
Lot Keen, died 1826; wife Mrs. Josy died in 1816.
Outside a retaining wall and hidden by bushes, as if isolated from the rest, is a white marble stone reading, "Sarah A., wife of D. Webster Stevens, died Sept. 4, 1861, 36 yrs."
Sachem Lodge Cemetery, High Street
Located on what was once known as Hall's Hill, this cemetery was at first owned by a corporation, but has recently been taken over by the town. Of the two hundred and seventy-five or more
CEMETERIES IN PEMBROKE Cont.
stones here, the oldest memorial is to Capt. Daniel Pierce, died in Richmond, Va., 1799, 31 yrs. Others, including many names still familiar to High Street, are
Mrs. Joanna Morehead, wife of John Morehead, died Nov. 27, 1816, age 22-7-26.
Daniel, son of Capt. Dan Pierce, died May 19, 1819, age 25.
Bailey Loring, son of Esq. William and Judith, died Oct. 11, 1822, aged 13, 4 mos.
Cemetery at Friends (Quaker) Meeting House
There are about fifty-four headstones here, all of the same type. Time and the elements have destroyed the rest. We can only guess when this graveyard was started. The oldest date on a stone is for Calvin Shepherd, Jr., died in 1819, aged 2 yrs. Except for Rebecca Barker, 1835, and Ben Barker, 1837, all the others are of later dates, many of which are fast disappearing because of erosion. The names of Shepherd, West, and Lefurgey are the most prominent. John Bailey, 1751-1823, who made his first clock as a child of eleven, lies here. Later in his life he was better known as the maker of Bailey's Clocks than as a Quaker preacher.
The last Quaker to be buried here was Susan Lefurgey, who died in 1931; and the last person, incidentally not considered a Quaker, was Julius Shepherd, buried near his father and mother.
Briggs Burying Ground, North Pembroke
Traditionally the Barker burial ground, this cemetery is named and is in trust for the descendants of Seth Briggs, 1721- 1801. At the top of the hill and over the fence is a hollow near which are buried some of the slaves of the early settlers. At the right, just inside the gate, the North Pembroke schoolhouse was located, and one of the reasons for moving this school was that children playing in the sand partially uncovered one of the bodies. Some of the stones here are as follows:
Capt. Alexander Parris, died June 16, 1852, who lived in what is now the Elizabeth Fairfield House, and who was the architect who drew the plans for the church at Pembroke Center in 1837, Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth, Quincy Market, and St. Paul's Cathedral, the Custom House, and some of the older parts of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Children of Thomas and Bethia Barker: Elizabeth Barker, Nov. 28, 1722, 2 yrs., Nathaniel Barker, Nov. 30, 1722, 6 yrs., William, July 13, 1729, aged 13. (These are the oldest stones.)
Mrs. Lucanna Tracy, "wife of Thomas Tracy, died March ye 7th 1752."
Susan A. Smith, 1848-1920, writer of some of the town his- tory.
Moses Smith, only son of Nathaniel and Susan B. Smith, died when shipwrecked on the N. Carolina coast, April 5, 1861, aged 22 yrs.
CEMETERIES IN PEMBROKE Cont.
Ichabod Thomas, died 1788, of the Brick Kiln Shipyard, who learned his trade from Capt. Ben Turner, and who built such well-known ships as the Beaver of the Boston Tea Party fame, the Maria, and the Bedford, the first ship to display the Stars and Stripes in a foreign port.
Capt. Benjamin Turner, "died Feb. 13th 1770 and in 67th yr of his age," one of the early builders at the Brick Kiln yards. Dr. Francis Collamore, 1825-1910, and many other Col- lamores.
Paul Magoun Cemetery, Water Street
Although this cemetery is privately owned by the Turner fam- ily of North Pembroke, many of their neighbors are buried here. The names of Turners, Magouns, and Bakers lead the list, and most of the dates are no earlier than 1857. Two of our former town officials are buried here: Frank Baker, died 1934, and William Howard, died 1944.
Luther Magoun Cemetery, Water and Schoosett Streets There are about fifty stones in this cemetery. Some of the typical old inscriptions read:
"Here lyse body of Mrs. Sarah Randall, dau. of Mr. Job Ran- dall who died September ye 23rd. 1728 aged 15 years and 5 mos."
"Here lyse ye body of Capt. John Magume who dyed Auguft ye 19, 1743, aged 41 yares."
"In memory of Abigail widow of Capt. John Magoun. She died Febry ye 4th 1791 in her 21st year."
"Here lies Hannah Magoun wife of Elias Magoon who dyed October the 26th 1707 aged 27 yares."
Silas Morton and Barstow Tomb, Water Street
This tomb is at the western end of the "Old Musterfield," where militia trained in war maneuvers and trench warfare. It is the family tomb of William C. Barstow, who died in 1864. The stone in front of the door is in memory of Capt. Silas Morton, died in 1840, member of Washington's staff and of the Society of the Cincinnati, who took part in the surrender of Lord Corn- wallis at Yorktown, Va., in 1781.
Bearse Cemetery, Long Point Road, Silver Lake
In this neglected cemetery is an upright granite monument with the family names on it: Mr. Hosea Bearse, who died in 1846 and his wife Esther, who died in 1865.
Randall Lot, Water Street
Another neglected lot, this contains the family of Ephraim Randall, who died in 1871, and his wife Lydia.
CEMETERIES IN PEMBROKE Cont.
Seth Hatch Lot, Water Street
There are about twelve graves here, including that of Captain Seth Hatch, died 1799, who, after running his ship loaded with supplies past the French blockade, was rewarded by General Wolfe at Quebec with articles of tent furniture. He later fought the English during the War of the Revolution.
The Brown Lot, in back of the Frederickson home High Street
This family was associated with Brown University and Pem- broke College, and here are the graves of Moses Brown, died in 1861, and of Samuel Brown, died in 1868.
Two Graves on land of Walter Curley, near boundary of Woodard's, about fifty feet from road, Mountain Avenue
These are the graves of two smallpox victims, members of the Ford family who lived nearby.
Two Graves, Foster Place, off West Elm Street These are in a wall enclosure in back of the Broadbent home, the graves of Thomas Mann, died in 1883, and his wife, Comfort Mann, who died before him of smallpox.
Chapel Street Burial Ground
Near the Kingston-Pembroke line, this burial ground still may contain some bodies, although most have been removed. The one headstone remaining is that of John Bonney, 1815-1905. Be- tween the cranberry building and the lots are the foundation stones of the chapel for which the street was named.
Other Burial Grounds
There are three burial grounds in the town from which the bodies have been removed: one off Valley Street, spoken of as a smallpox tomb, another on Water Street near the Pejouey home, and a third in back of Arthur Ford's home on Mattakee- sett Street, known as the Rand Tomb, which has been destroyed. Off Elm Street, near the O'Keefe home, there may be one grave. On High Street, in back of the Sayles home, are the graves of Catherine Loring (Thomas), died March 11, 1846, age 62, and of Nathaniel Loring. Off Water Street, on land now owned by Law- rence Aldrich, are the two graves of John Wesley Hatch and his father, and on Mattakeesett Street, near Big Sandy Pond, is the Jarius Howland Tomb, the burial place of Jarius and Ellen How- land and family. There are also Indian graves in the vicinity of the sand pit on Mattakeesett Street.
Box Mill
PEMBROKE INDUSTRIES Ethel M. Doyle
From the very early days of the settlement in Pembroke, the hardy pioneers who first came here have been known as indus- trious people and the many and varied industries which flour- ished here attest to their zeal and willingness to work and im- prove their way of living. They wanted bricks and a pit was built on the North River about 1700 where many were made and the section became known as Brick Kiln. They needed nails and a mill was built about 1727 by Jonathan Jackson near Furnace Pond, after water privileges had been purchased. It has been said to be the first nail factory in this country. Prior to this time, all nails had come from across the ocean and were very ex- pensive. To provide the family with shoes and to add to the fam- ily income, almost every home had its own little shoe shop where the children as well as the adults spent their spare time. The boys pricked and pegged the shoes for 22 cents per pair or in dull seasons for 17 cents. The women bound and stitched the shoes for $3 for 60 Pair. The finished shoes were collected at reg- ular intervals and sold in quantities, mostly in Boston.
Shortly after 1700, an iron furnace was built at the outlet of the pond which has been named Furnace Pond, because of this industry. It is said to have been the first such furnace in the country. It was run by the Barkers and later by the Littles. Iron ore was taken from the pond and the industry employed many Pembroke men for a number of years.
In the north part of the town, Bailey Hall, son of Pembroke's first doctor, Dr. Jeremiah Hall, made beaver hats from about 1800 to 1830.
East Pembroke was a busy section where in 1813 Isaac Hatch commenced the manufacture of satinet. He continued that business, adding to it that business of grinding grain and saw- ing lumber, till about 1834 or 1835. Having a great deal of lum- ber on hand, he abandoned the manufacture of satinet and began to make shoe boxes in a small way. All the work of saw- ing, fitting and planing was then done by hand. The business was enlarged, including all kinds of wooden packing boxes, and bringing into use machinery for sawing, fitting and planing.
PEMBROKE INDUSTRIES Cont.
After the death of Mr. Hatch, in 1850, the business was carried on by his sons, George F. and Martin, gradually enlarging it, and in 1859, they built a steam mill, where they actually manu- factured a million feet of boards into boxes. The same year (1859) the water mill was burned, and a new one built to manu- facture covered buckets and water pails. This was soon given up, and the manufacture of mackerel kits commenced and con- tinued until 1870, making from 1500 to 2000 weekly, and using about 300 cords of pine stock annually. At one time, they em- ployed about 30 men and as many horses.
The Herring Brook, between Furnace Pond and the North River, made possible a number of mills, mostly lumber mills, operated by Nathan Shepherd, Lemuel LeFurgey and John Fos- ter.
Calvin Shepherd commenced the manufacture of boxes at the old Shepherd's Cotton Factory at about the same time that Isaac Hatch began. It was carried on successfully by him for a number of years until he gave it up to his son-in-law, James H. West. Descendants of James H. West still carry on the business.
About the year 1867, F. P. Arnold started the manufacture of shoes, on Washington Street in North Pembroke, and a few years later built a large steam manufactory, employing, when running its full strength, about 100 men and all the approved modern machinery. The business has been discontinued.
Currently, the Massachusetts Industrial Directory lists the following firms in Pembroke employing eight or more persons:
Aetna Engineering Co. .... Pumps and Water Systems Protectowire Co .. . Automatic Fire Alarm Systems
E. S. Ritchie & Sons, Inc. Nautical Instruments
Gilbert H. West Co., Inc. Wooden Boxes and Shooks Thayer Scale Co .. . Industrial Scales Latest figures available are for 1958 and show employment and payrolls as reported to the Division of Employment Security as follows:
Industry
No. of Firms
Annual Payroll 1958
Employees Nov. 1958
Construction
10
$ 85,000 698,000
25
Manufacturing
7
151
Wholesale and
1
Retail Trade
22
217,000
96
Fin., Ins. & Real Estate 5
34,000
12
Service Ind.
12
261,000
97
PEMBROKE INDUSTRIES Cont.
SHIP BUILDING IN PEMBROKE
Perhaps one of the most interesting industries carried on in the Town of Pembroke is the building of ships on the North River. The bronze tablet on the down river parapet of the old stone bridge which marks the boundary line between Pembroke and Hanover tells us that between 1678 and 1871 more than 1000 vessels of from 30 to 470 tons were built on the North River. The most famous ship yard within the town of Pembroke was the Brick-Kiln Yard where over 121 vessels were built up to about 1848, and some think from about 1700. There are records of many vessels built at this yard from 1730 to 1807, but un- doubtedly ships were built here much earlier.
In 1730, Captain Benjamin Turner came to Pembroke and built at the Brick Kiln Yard and many of the noted ship builders who built after this date were apprenticed to him. Among others, Ichabod Thomas learned his trade from Captain Benjamin Tur- ner, and built at the Brick Kiln Yard from 1764 to 1787.
Among his most famous ships was the "Beaver" which hap- pened later to be one of the tea ships of Boston Harbor, from which the tea was thrown by the famous Boston Tea Party.
The "Somerset", built at the Brick Kiln Yard and sailing as a London packet, was taken by the famous Commander John Paul Jones. This vessel brought by her commander, Captain Alexander Coffin, dispatches from Dr. Benjamin Franklin to the Continental Congress, announcing the Treaty with France.
No yard on North River had more famous ships whose names have been handed to posterity than the Brick Kiln Yard at Pem- broke, and no ship became more famous than the "Bedford", also built by Ichabod Thomas. This was the first vessel that carried the American Stars and Stripes into a British port. She caused greater consternation on her arrival than probably any other vessel arriving in the British Isles.
To this Pembroke Yard too must be given the credit of build- ing a vessel which was in active service longer than any other vessel built on North River. This was the "Maria", built in 1782 and broken up in 1872, at Vancouver Island, after sail- ing for 90 years, during which time she touched at nearly every seaport of the globe.
Ichabod Thomas died in 1788, and his son built a few vessels on the same yard, mainly for coast-wise trade, but most of the vessels built during the succeeding years on this yard were built
PEMBROKE INDUSTRIES Cont.
by Calvin Turner, an uncle of Ichabod Turner, Jr. Later builders at this yard in Pembroke were William Lewis, Alden Briggs, Elisha Briggs, Jonathan Samson, Samuel Rogers, Isaac Hatch, Luther Briggs, Aaron S. Magoun, Jr., Enoch Magoun, Josuah Magoun, Jeduthan Palmer, Barker Turner, Caleb Turner, Cush- ing O. Briggs, Silvanus Smith and Melzar S. Turner. Turner, Pal- mer and Magoun who built ships separately at this yard, later went over to the Hanover side as a firm under the above name.
The Brick Kiln Yard was approximately where Theodore Macy now operates a boat yard at the end of Brick Kiln Lane.
Print of Ship Maria built in Pembroke
R
SCHOOLS IN PEMBROKE Madelon Burbeck Baltzer
Despite the fact that the colony had passed a law in 1647 making it compulsory for every town with over one hundred households to set up a grammar school, it was not until Decem- ber, 1714, two years after its incorporation, that the town of Pembroke, prodded by the General Court, voted "to keep a school as the law directs," and "to find a place or house to keep it in." The place so "found" was probably near the meeting- house, as was the custom, and the first schoolmaster was Ensign Francis Barker, who taught only three months, his place being filled by Rebecca Turner after the town meeting of March, 1715.
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