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Jamaica Plain, more commonly known
as "JP", is an historic neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts. It
was originally part of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and then part of the
town of West Roxbury, Massachusetts when that was established in
1848. West Roxbury (including Jamaica Plain) was annexed to Boston
in 1874. (Source:
Wikipedia.com)
[Pictures have been added by Genealogy Trails]
ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S NOTE:
"This sketch was prepared by
request to be read before the Jamaica Plain Ladies' Tuesday Club.
Subsequently a desire was expressed to have it put in a more
permanent form and offered for sale at a Fair for the Jamaica
Plain Indian Association. Although personally reluctant to appear
before the public in this way, I have allowed my desire to aid a
good cause and give pleasure to my friends who have kindly
received my paper to influence me in its publication.
I am
indebted to "The Memorial History of Boston" to Drake's "Town of
Roxbury," to Dr. Thomas Gray's "Half-Century Sermon," and to the
memory of a few of the older residents for some dates and
incidents given.
If any of these should prove to be
inaccurate, I must rely upon the charity and courtesy of my
readers for only indulgent criticism. H.M.W. " |
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To collect and review the circumstances and events which have
made our homes and those of our ancestors for many generations is
more than a pleasant service. We find an interest and fascination
in every step of the way, leading us, as it does, into one of the
most delightful portions of our country, and introducing us to not
a few of the most refined and cultivated, as well as distinguished
people of New England.
There is ever a charm about
old-fashioned people and places, as about old books and pictures,
antique furniture and china; they affect us by the very contrast
they afford with ourselves and our surroundings, even though it is
with a touch of pathos and sadness.
Long years ago a
much-traveled man, who knew the country well, said, "Jamaica Plain
is the Eden of America." He was not a Bostonian, and our village
was still a part of Roxbury, so that the suggestion of conceit and
boasting over this small portion of "the Hub" could not be imputed
to him.
It has often seemed to us that the loving,
favoring smile of heaven rested peculiarly upon our plain,
environed as it is by gently rising hills, which, with their robes
of verdure and noble trees, shelter it from harsh winds, and hold
it in the warmth and freedom of a pure health-giving atmosphere.
Our charming lake, covering more than sixty-five acres, nestles
like a gem in its western borders, mirroring forms and colors, all
of beauty, and holds upon its banks some of the most delightful of
our homes.
In early days it gave of its clear, soft waters
for the needs of the neighboring city; while through the eastern
portion of our village the quiet Stony River made glad the farms
and yielded power for mill and factory.
We find that the name
originally given to out village was Pond Plain, but as early as
1667, it is referred to in an official paper as the "Jamaica End
of the Town of Roxbury."
There are differing opinions as
to the origin of the present name; some have so far reflected upon
our colonial ancestors as to intimate that a decided fondness for
Jamaica rum suggested it, and it is doubtless true that the punch
bowl had other uses than to be simply ornamental on the sideboards
of our grandsires. Others, however, believe that it was given to
commemorate Cromwell's acquisition of the island of Jamaica, in
1670, which secured to Boston numerous very valuable products.
There seems, to us, to be a peculiar appropriateness to the name,
as it signified in Indian "Isle of Springs," because if the brooks
and springs which abound here, making the land verdant and
fertile. If we cannot to-day boast of grand and stately castles,
reared in the olden time, as in the mother country, with guarding
moats and bastions, loopholes for crossbows and guns, -- silent
testimonials of opulence and power, -- we yet can bring to view
pictures of many a dwelling, gray and brown with weather stains
and lichens and folds of ivy, which have held within their walls
of oak and cedar people and events whose records thrill our hearts
with patriotic pride or affectionate reverence.
In early
times our village was chiefly an agricultural community, and the
cultivation of fruits and vegetables for the city supply was the
specialty; but here and there were elegant countryseats occupied
by government officials, professional and literary men, and city
merchants. Some of these homes and people we hope to see, by
favoring records and memory's aid, this afternoon.
Until
within a short time, near the Boylston Station, stood a very
ancient building, with a pitched roof in the rear sloping nearly
to the ground, known as the "Curtis Homestead." It is claimed that
this was one of the oldest houses in our country, and that, in
1639, William Curtis made a clearing in the forest for it, using
timbers in its construction from his felled trees. The record is
that William Curtis marries Sarah Eliot, sister of Rev. John
Eliot, in Nazing, England, in 1618, and that, in 1632, they came
with their four children to Boston, and it is believed that most
of those who bear the name of Curtis in our country are direct
descendants of this William and Sarah. For about two hundred and
fifty years this house was the home of the Curtises, the last
occupants being the widow and children of Isaac, seventh in
descent from William.
During the siege of Boston, troops
were quartered here and added their record of strife and suffering
to that of domestic peace and happiness, in which the "Apostle
Eliot" and his estimable wife often shared; and possibly Winthrop,
Pynchon, and the Dudleys, and others whose names stand as pioneers
of religious liberty in New England.
Emerson aptly said,
"There has never been a clearing made in a forest, that did not
let in the light on heroes and heroines."
A few years
since, the march of improvement, so called, obliterated this
genuine relic of colonial days, with the fine old elm, which for
more that a century had shaded it and wafted kindly breezes over
it.
Although we have no knowledge that the Apostle Eliot
ever lived in the "Jamaica End of Roxbury," he is closely
identified with our early history and development, and deserves
more than a passing notice. In 1689 he gave some seventy-five
acres of land, including the tract lying from Orchard to Thomas,
and from Centre to Pond streets, "the income from which was to be
used for the support of a school and a schoolmaster." The street,
hall, and schoolhouse, which bear his name, commemorate his
generous gift. This noble man stands out in those early days as a
beacon of godliness, for education, and for trust in philanthropy.
Perhaps, in no sphere of his remarkable life does he more command
our admiration and reverence that as the friend of the Indian and
the Negro. His untiring zeal and self-denying labors on their
behalf entitle him to be called "the Apostle."
In a letter
to a friend in 1659, he writes: "Pity for the poor Indian, and
desire to make the name of Christ chief in these dark ends of the
earth, and not the rewards of men, were the very first and chief
movers in my heart." Nor can we question that these were the all
controlling motives, when we consider that after acquiring their
language, by the aid of a young Pequot, he translated the entire
Bible into their tongue, besides a Psalter, primers, grammars, a
and other useful books; and all this in addition to faithfully
fulfilling the duties of minister of the First Church in Roxbury
for fifty-eight years, a record of devotion, diligence, and
scholarship almost unequaled.
One has beautifully summed
up his life in these words: "His missionary zeal was not less that
Saint Paul's, his charity was as sweet as that of Saint Francis
d'Assisi, and his whole life a testimony that the call to
saintliness has not ceased and the possibility of it has not died
out." Eliot lived to see the fruits of his devoted work in the
changed character and life of many Indians. More than two
centuries have elapsed since this leader on the Indian cause went
to his reward, but his mantle rests to-day on some here who deeply
feel the need and love that work in behalf of the poor Indian.
In 1663 our Centre Street was laid out and called the
Dedham road or highway, being a direct route from Boston, by way
of "the Neck" and Roxbury Street, to Dedham. At that time and for
more than one hundred and fifty years after traveling was by
horseback, by private carriage, and by the stagecoach. Those who
were unable to own horses or pay stage fares walked to and from
Boston, often heavily laden.
The accommodation stages would
stop for passengers along the route, blowing a horn as they
approached the dwelling, wherever a signal had been placed for
them. The express stages, used chiefly by business men, running
from Providence and the New York boat, took no heavy baggage,
required double pay, and made stops only as they needed relays of
horses. Four such changes were made from Providence to Boston, and
the journey was completed in about four hours. In 1826 the first
Jamaica Plain hourlies began to run; the fare was twenty-five
cents. They started from Mr. Joshua Seaver's store, and would call
for passengers in any part of the village as requested in the
order-box.
Mr. Seaver's store, established in 1796, stood
on slightly elevated ground farther back from the street than the
one now occupied by his grandsons, and connected with his
dwelling.
Here, also, was the village post-office for many
years, and the favorite meeting-place of the townspeople to
discuss local interests, indulge in pleasantries, as well as
exchange their coins for fine groceries, small wares, and farming
utensils. Our grandparents of that day folded their quarto sheets,
sealed, stamped, and addressed them, and paid twelve and one-half
cents for the privilege of sending then on their mission. The
advent of the two-cent postage stand and the one-cent card was not
then dreamed of.
Entering Centre Street at the Railroad
bridge, frequently confounded with the historic Hog's Bridge,
which formerly spanned Stony Brook near Heath Street, we see on
the right all that remains of the once extensive and very
beautiful estate of the Lowells, a family among the most honored
in our State for character, learning, and culture. The original
house, built of stone in the latter part of the last century, was
modeled from an old castle in Europe, and became the property of
Judge John Lowell in 1785, who resided here until his death in
1802. He was President of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting
Agriculture, and his extensive grounds were largely devoted to the
cultivation of a variety of the finest fruits and plants. His son,
Hon. John Lowell, inherited this estate and the talent and
fondness for horticulture and agriculture, and added several fine
glass houses, which he filled with rare and beautiful plants, many
of them imported from Europe and other foreign lands. He erected
the present commodious mansion. The aged lady who occupied the
house until recently was a sister of Dr. Charles Lowell, once
minister of the West Church, Boston, and father of Hon. James
Russell Lowell. The Lowell Institute for free lectures on
scientific, literary, and religious theses was founded by John
Lowell, Jr.
In 1834, the Boston and Providence Railroad cut
through this estate, and from time to time other innovations have
despoiled it of its grandeur and beauty. |
We pass several ancient houses, with associations doubtless
dear to the descendants of their first owners, but unknown to use,
and come to Hyde's Square, and the intersection of Centre,
Perkins, and Day streets. The triangle in the center, bordered
with shade trees, had a valuable landmark on it, not a dwelling,
but an old pump, which, if it could voice its memories, would tell
is interesting tales of weary, dusty travelers, in vehicles, on
horseback, and on foot, of state-coach horses, and those
heavy-laden teams from far away, to which it had given its
cooling, refreshing waters, through nearly every day and hour of
bygone years. |
Victorian House in Jamaica Plain
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And now, after a few rods, we come to the well-preserved old
farmhouse, the Joseph Curtis homestead, built in 1722 by Samuel
Curtis, grandson of the first William, for his son Joseph. A
descendant with the same name, and fifth in line from William, now
resides here, while the broad acres adjoining, bordering the
street with graceful elms, smile with the fruits of careful
husbandry, and afford ample space for the beautiful homes of four
generations of the same family. During the war of the Revolution
troops, from Rhode Island, under General Greene, used this house
for barracks, the family willingly giving up its space and
comforts for their accommodation.
On the corner of Centre
and Boylston streets one is attracted by a quaint and picturesque
dwelling, in style and setting one is the most interesting of the
older houses in our town, which tells the story of its age on one
of its chimneys, 1738 being the date. It was erected by Captain
Benjamin Hallowell, who married a Miss Boylston, of Boston, whose
family was prominent in its early history. He was a hot-headed,
active loyalist, and commissioner of His Majesty's customs, as
well as mandamus councilor, which facts made him obnoxious to the
public, and in 1775, during the siege of Boston, he found it wise
hastily to vacate his house and seek refuge in the city. The house
was then appropriated by the patriotic troops doe a hospital, and
some of the soldiers who died were buried in the lot in the rear
of the house. Later the property was confiscated by the State,
and, in 1791, bought by Dr. Leprilete, who resided here until his
death. He also was buried in the garden, and a memorial tablet
marked the grave until the remains were removed to a cemetery.
Upon the death of Captain Hallowell in England, his widow
reclaimed the estate. His son, Nicholas Ward, then took his
mother's name of Boylston and inherited the property. Mr. Boylston
was a gentleman of true culture, education, and philanthropy,
making valuable donations to Harvard College, and to several
schools. He is justly honored by having his name perpetuated not
only by our street and district, but by a bank, market, school and
street in the city proper. Dr. Benjamin F. Wing purchased this
property in 1845, and it has remained in his family to the present
time.
In 1797, just one hundred years ago, was erected the
stately brick mansion which, with the ample grounds extending to
the pond, was called "Lakeville." Mr. Du Ballet first resided
here; later it was the home of Horatio Greenough, the sculptor,
and it is said that he carved his celebrated group, "The Chanting
Cherubs," while living here. In 1840 Lakeville Place was opened,
dividing this estate, and later made beautiful by the several
residences upon it. Since 1842, the Lakeville Mansion has been the
home of Mr. Thomas Seaverns and Family. The inception of the
Episcopal Church in our village was largely due to Mr. Charles
Beaumont, father of Mr. Frank Beaumont, who resided in the
Lakeville mansion in 1833. The first services were held here, and
later in the Village Hall on Thomas Street, Rev. Mr. Howe of St.
James Church, Roxbury, officiating. In 1840 a lot of land was
purchased of Mr. Charles Beaumont on the site of the present St.
John Street, and a chapel built which was consecrated on 1841 by
Bishop Griswold. The rectory was completed in 1849, and "was paid
for, in large part, with money raised by the exertion of the
Ladies' League." Many of us remember the attractive avenue,
bordered with greensward and graceful elms, which led to the
little brown church and rectory, the retirement of its situation
seeming to be suited to its purpose of worship and quietness. The
membership was very small at first, but in a few years it became
the church home of some of the most influential people on our
town. Rev. E.F. Slafter was the first regularly settled rector,
assuming his duties September 1846. The beautiful stone edifice
erected upon land bequeathed by General William H. Sumner, son of
Governor Increase Sumner, was ready for the enlarged church
congregation in 1882.
General Sumner's old residence on
the hill near the present church is beautiful in situation, and
still very attractive.
Near the north corner of Pond Lane was
built in 1732, a plain, comfortable house by Benjamin May, great
grandson of Captain John May, one of the earliest settlers of our
village. Captain John Parker married the daughter of Benjamin May,
and afterwards resided here for many years which accounts for its
still holding the name of the "Old Parker house." Here were the
high-decorated wooden mantels over large chimney-places, the
paneled wainscoting and ornamental cornices, which adorned many of
the better houses of that period. The grounds were ample,
extending to the pond and covered with a variety of fine fruit and
shade trees. Now crowded by modern buildings into the background,
deprived of its garden gray with weather stains, this old house
shows few signs of its birthright. About the middle of this
century the small cottage still standing on the lot adjoining the
Parker house was the quiet home of two much esteemed old ladies,
Mrs. Shepard and her daughter Abby. Miss Abigail P. Shepard died
October 4, 1878 at 82 years of age. The mother was then totally
blind, but possessed the sweet contentment which not even so great
a deprivation and trial could affect. Miss Abby devoted the little
front room to a store for small wares, school children's utensils,
and candies and it was the delight of the girls and boys to leave
their coppers there in exchange for her good things.
Some
of you may recall an episode connected with this home which might
have had a tragic ending. Because of the unprotected condition,
and the drawer in which the small receipts from the store were
kept and unworthy young man, belonging to our village, planned a
midnight entrance. Miss Abby heard the window raised, and, in her
night robe and cap, faced the intruder, just as he entered the
room. She dragged the surprised and struggling man into the front
room, and held him fast, meanwhile calling loudly for help. The
aged mother secured a window stick and dealt unerring blows upon
the youth. After a desperate struggle, he escaped carrying a
window frame and many bruises with him, but no money. The
neighbors were aroused by Miss Shepard's cried and came to her
relief.
We may safely say that not since the days of the
Revolution had the midnight silence and peace of the village been
disturbed by so exciting an experience. The friends of Miss
Shepard presented her with a large, illustrated Bible in
appreciation of her courage and bravery.
On the west
corner of Pond and Centre streets stands a large mansion house of
colonial style, with an air of quiet dignity, in the midst of
attractive grounds. In the early days it was called "Linden Hall,"
doubtless because of the magnificent linden-trees which lined the
walk to the entrance and shaded the grounds. John Gould erected it
in 1755 for his son-in-law Rev. John Troutbeck, assistant rector
of King's Chapel, where he officiated for twenty years.
He was
an ardent loyalist and returned to England in 1776. As an example
of the change in public sentiment with the lapse of time, we learn
that this noted clergyman was a distiller as well, of whom a witty
rhymster wrote:--
"His Sunday aim is to reclaim
Those that in vice
are sunk.
When Monday's come he selleth rum,
And gets them
plaguey drunk."
This fine estate, extending then in the rear to the pond,
was later owned by Mr. Charles W. Greene a descendant of General
Nathaniel Greene, of revolutionary war fame. He enlarged the house
and large wings, and established a successful boarding and day
school for lads fitting many of them for college. Possibly some
here may recall that in the school building and the grounds the
first Papanti taught some of the parents of the rising generation
to dance.
Among the men, since famous, who graduated from this
school, are John Lathrop Motley, the historian, and George William
Curtis, the elegant writer and able editor. The scenes and
characters in Mr. Curtis's novel "Trumps" were drawn from our
village. Dr. Randall, of Roxbury, but recently deceased, who
bequeathed $70,000 to Harvard University, was early a student at
the school, and also the two brothers of Margaret fuller, one of
whom was afterwards a clergyman and a chaplain in the Union Army.
Mrs. Greene is referred to in an interesting article recently
written by a graduate of the school, as one "for whom no need of
praise could scarcely be excessive, as she was in sober truth a
mother to every lad committed to her care."
This property was
next purchased by the brothers John and George Williams, who
resided there for several years.
On the opposite side of
Centre Street, near Green Street, can to-day be seen a two-story
cottage, with pointed roofs and dormer windows which in our day
has been known as the Calvin Young house. This building with its
fresh paint and modern style can yet trace its history through a
century and a half of years. It was originally owned by Eleazer
May who sold it in 1740 to Benjamin Faneuil, nephew of Peter
Faneuil, and in 1760 it became the property of his brother-in-law
Benjamin Pemberton.
We may readily believe that Peter Faneuil
-- the Huguenot who in 1740 erected and gave to the town of Boston
the noted hall which bears his name -- often shared in the
comforts and joys of this home of his niece, Mrs. Susanna
Pemberton. About the year 1802, this estate was purchased by Dr.
John C. Warren, son of Dr. John Warren, and nephew of General
Joseph Warren, hero of Bunker Hill, for a summer residence. He was
one of the most distinguished surgeons of our country, and for
many years professor of anatomy and surgery at the Harvard Medical
School. His name was honored in the recent ether celebration, he
having performed the first surgical operation under ether in 1846,
and to his sanction it owed its introduction throughout America
and Europe.
The dwelling was at that time constructed after
the West Indian style, with one and a half front and two in the
rear. An immense chimney buttressed the north side; a hall
extended that the center of the house, with doors opening on to
piazzas at both ends; the windows in the front rooms extended to
the floor, all conducing to make it an ideal summer home. The elm,
linden, and horse-chestnut trees near the house were remarkable
for size and symmetry.
Dr. Warren beautified the grounds with
rare plants and shrubs imported from Europe; the extended over
many acres, including the present Hill, Parley Vale, Burrage, and
Harris estates, and to the line of the Providence Railroad.
Captain Charles Hill purchased a portion of this estate about the
year 1830, and Mr. Calvin Young the residence in 1837, with the
radical alterations in the house, which are apparent to-day, were
made.
About the year 1828, the Warren estate became the
property of Samuel G. Goodrich, author of many histories, books of
travel, school and story books, the kindly, well-loved Peter
Parley of our childhood. What a delight it would be to welcome one
more the monthly visit of "Merry Museum and Parley's Magazine," to
read the charming letters to "Billy Bump," and the adventures of
Gilbert Go Ahead, and puzzle out the charades and enigmas which
tested out youthful wits! It was Mr. Goodrich who cut the fine
avenue through the ledges and woodland, and erected the ample
mansion in the grove, which later, because of financial
embarrassment, he transferred to Colonel Fessenden, and ultimately
became the property of Mr. Abram French. Then it was that Mr.
Goodrich enlarged and improved the building which had been his
gardener's cottage, among the quaint and unique house now owned by
Mr. George Harris. here he resided for several years,
accomplishing a large amount of literary work, which repaired his
fortune, so that on his return form Paris, where he was United
States Ambassador, under President Fillmore, he purchased a
country-seat in Jube's Lane, now Forest Hills Street. Mr. Goodrich
was in Paris at the time of the abdication of Louis Philippe, was
an intimate friend of M. Lamartine, and was of great service
through his wise diplomacy. Many of his works were afterwards
translated into French by M. de Boisson. While a resident here he
was interested in local affairs, and was genial in his relations
with every one. It is related that on an occasion of a Fourth of
July celebration, he gave an after dinner toast, "To the ladies of
Jamaica Plain, not so very plain either!" Here we are tempted to
linger for a little longer. We may not be permitted to enter
within the precincts of many of the old homes on our town, to view
the veritable memorials and relics of early days, but such has
been the privilege of some of us in connection with the Harris
home. Through many generations of education and culture, treasures
in books and music and pictures, in furniture, plate, and china,
have been collected and preserved, until the home has become
verily a museum of rare and beautiful works, whose possessor is
eminently suited to these delightful surroundings.
Nor can we
fail to offer and appreciative and loving tribute to the two
sisters who have long been among our most learned and accomplished
women, and have exemplified through their long lives the quiet
beauty and loveliness of true charity. The beautiful hill with the
adjacent vale on occupied by the estates of Mrs. Hook, Mrs. Pratt,
and Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Sprague, was in the early days the
Harris homestead. Here Dr. Luther M. Harris, the father, was born.
Some of us remember his as the valued family physician, who, when
burdened with the infirmities of age, gave up his practice to Dr.
George Faulkner.
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One of the most interesting and attractive of the ancestral
homes still standing, in this vicinity, is the Greenough mansion,
finely situated on the curve of Centre and South streets. It has
an air of dignity and spaciousness which many a more portentous
modern countryseat fail to match. Although it has been home to
five generations of the Greenough family, -- since about the year
1780, -- its history antedates their ownership by many years. This
estate was originally of royal dimensions, covering about one
hundred acres, and belonged to John Polley. |
Loring-Greenough Place |
In 1752, it was purchased by Commodore Joshua Loring, one
of the Tory gentry, who a few years later built the present house
(1758), the frame having been brought from England. Commodore
Loring was a native of Roxbury and did gallant service in the
British navy, in the campaigns against Canada. He was severely
wounded at the siege of Quebec while in command on Lake Ontario,
and was retired on half pay when he came to live here.
Although probably at heart in sympathy with those who
resisted the injustice of the English government, for personal
reasons he adhered to the royal cause, and, on the morning of the
battle of Lexington, he left his home and everything belonging to
it, and mounting his horse, "with pistol in hand, rode at full
speed to Boston." He never returned, but sailing to England soon
after settled in Highgate. During the siege of Boston this house
was the headquarters of General Greene, and has the honor of
having been visited by General George Washington. Colonel David
Henley, who had charge of Burgoyne's captive army while at
Cambridge, also occupied this house at one time. For a while, it
was converted into a hospital fore the Roxbury Camp, and some
fifty of the soldiers who died here were buried on the grounds,
near where the Hillside schoolhouse now stands. The remains have
since been removed to the old burial ground on Walter Street. This
property also was confiscated, by order of the General Court of
April 30, 1779, and was then purchased by Colonel Isaac Sears, a
successful Boston merchant, who had been one of the most active
and zealous of the Sons of Liberty, and a member of the Provincial
Congress. Soon after ( in 1784) it became to property of the first
David Stoddard Greenough, son of Thomas Greenough, who had been a
member of the Committee of Correspondence in the Revolution.
It was in 1769 that the first church in our village was
built, upon land given by Eliot, -- on the site of the present
stone edifice, -- and names the Third Parish, from its relation to
the First Parish on Dudley Street and the Second or Upper Parish
on Walter Street. And it was to Mrs. Susanna, wife of Benjamin
Pemberton, that it owed its origin. The distance from the other
churches, and consequent inconvenience of regular attendance, led
her to desire a nearer church home. She proposed to her husband,
who possessed large means and had no children or near relations,
that they should erect a house of worship, principally at their
own expense. He heartily engaged on the project, "and in the
course of a year the house was completed, with thirty-four square
pews, and three long seats for the poor on each side the broad
aisle nest the pulpit on the ground floor. There were five narrow
long pews [for the colored people, several of them slaves] in the
front gallery against the wall, and long seats for the singers
below."
The Rev. William Gordon, a Scotchman by birth, entered
upon his duties as first pastor, July 6, 1772. A few months later
Mr. Pemberton conveyed to the parish the house which had been
removed from Commodore Loring's estate to the site now occupied by
Mrs. Dr. weld's house, next to the church for a parsonage. It was
occupied by Mr. Gordon during the remainder of his pastorate, and
by Dr. Thomas Gray, the second pastor, for sixty years. In 1851
the old house was moved to South Street, and later to Keyes
Street, where it still stands. On account of a disagreement with
Dr. Gordon, Mr. Pemberton altered his will, in which he had first
bequeathed all of his property to this parish "for the support of
his future pastors," and left it "in trust for the benefit of the
poor of the town of Boston;" and the income of the fund is still
used for this specific purpose. Pemberton Square, once lined with
many of the fine residences in Boston, and now the site of our new
court-house, honors his name.
The first bell on the old
church was presented by Governor John Hancock, in 1783, then a
resident here, and bore the inscription, "Thomas Lester, of
London, made me, 1742." We can readily appreciate the happiness of
the people when first called to their house of worship by the
voice of this bell, and can weave threads of joy and of sadness
around its echoes, In 1852 this old church was dismantled of its
spire and removed to the site of the present Eliot Hall. It was
subsequently destroyed by fire. While the stone edifice was being
erected the congregation occupied the Baptist Church one half of
the Sabbath.
We find Dr. William Gordon a very interesting
character of the strict Puritan type. In a word-picture drawn by a
friend, we see him commissioned by Congress to secure Governor
Hutchinson's Letter-books, "as he ambled on his gentle bay horse,
in his short breeches and buckled shoes, his reverend wig and
three-cornered hat, worthy the spirit of a native-born patriot."
It may not be amiss to add that will all Dr. Gordon's admirable
characteristics, his faithful work as a minister, his active
interest in the cause of American liberty, his unwavering
adherence to his convictions as an opponent to the slave trade,
and a champion of the Negro, he frequently lacked prudence and
good judgment in speech and action. It was because of his severe
and public criticism of John Hancock that the governor gave up his
summer residence here; it was because of his attack upon the
proposed Constitution of Massachusetts, in 1778, that he was
summarily dismissed from his office if chaplain in both houses of
the Legislature. There is a tradition that the Doctor was somewhat
strict and severe in his requirements of the young catechists, and
on occasions he resorted to the birch to enforce his teachings.
"After punishing several of them one winter day, his feet slipped
as he stepped from the icy threshold of the school, and he fell at
full length, his hat and wig rolling off his head. There-upon the
boys shouted in high glee, and gave three cheers." The rod gave
place to persuasion after that experience.
The little cemetery
in the rear of the church was consecrated in 1785. A quiet walk
through this "garden of the dead" is full of interest, awakening
memories as association of the past. There are twenty-four tombs
and many graves upon whose ancient, moss-covered headstones we
trace familiar names and some unusual epitaphs. The tombs of Dr.
Thomas Gray and the Greenough family, side by side, are
particularly noticeable, as, unlike the others, they have a large
bull's-eye of ground glass inserted in the doors, evidently to
admit light into "the chamber of death." Very few interments gave
been made there since the consecration of Forest Hills Cemetery in
1848. Upon the small triangular lot at the junction of Centre and
South streets the first schoolhouse in our village was erected in
1676. The land was the gift of John Ruggles, and John Eliot and
Hugh Thomas were the principal benefactors of the school. In the
early days this spot was the municipal center of our town; and
here, in 1871, was dedicated our beautiful Soldiers' Monument, in
affectionate, grateful remembrance of our heroic dead, who gave
their lives in the service of their country during the Rebellion
(1861-65). Eliot Street was opened to Pond Street in 1800, and at
the corner still stands an old milestone, inscribed: "Five miles
to Boston Town House, 1735. P. Dudley."
The Eliot School was
incorporated in 1804, and later, January 17,1832, the brick
building was dedicated which now stands on Eliot Street in the
center of ample grounds. Within a few months we have witnesses
with feelings of regretful interest the decay and removal of the
old house known to us as the Nathaniel Curtis homestead. This
estate once belonged to Dr. Lemuel Hayward, a physician of high
repute, and one of the first to practice inoculation for small-pox
in this vicinity. He practiced medicine here for several years.
About the year 1780, John Hancock, after he resigned the
presidency of Congress, purchased this place of Dr. Hayward for
his summer residence. He paid for it seven or eight shares in Long
Wharf property, amounting them in all to about $400, but at the
time of Dr. Hayward's decease, in 1821, valued at $100,000, -- a
striking evidence of growth and financial prosperity in less then
fifty years. We learn that the house was, like many of that
period, one story and a half in height, covering much space on the
ground, and shaded by fine linden-trees. We love to tarry here and
do grateful honor to this first governor of our new State, who,
during our country's struggles for freedom, was one of the most
fearless opposers of British tyranny, one of the most active
patriots, and the first signer of the declaration of Independence.
He was of fine, dignified presence, six feet in height, with a
very handsome face and gracious manners. In public speaking he was
eloquent, graceful and accomplished, and plainly formed by nature
to act a brilliant part in the affairs of his time. According to
the customs of that period with men of fortune, his apparel was
very elaborate and costly, of velvet and satin, embroidered with
gold and silver lace. "His equipage was splendid, and public
occasions he rode with six beautiful bay horses and attended by
servants in livery." Mach of his large fortune was spent for
benevolent and useful purposes, Harvard College coming in for a
share. In the year 1800, Thomas Hancock, nephew of the Governor,
built the house which has recently been destroyed, and resided
here until 1819, when the estate was purchased by Mr. Nathaniel
Curtis, fifth in descent from the first William Curtis. He was a
merchant of Boston, highly esteemed, and filled various positions
of trust on our town. He resided here during the remainder if his
life, a period of thirty-eight years, and died in 1857. He married
for his second wife the widow Leeds, who at the time was living in
the old Stephen Brewer house, still standing at the end of Thomas
Street, and which was afterwards for several years the home of Mr.
William D. Ticknor, of the publishing house of Ticknor &
Fields. Mrs. Curtis lived in the old house for many years after he
husband's death, until we missed the gentle, sweet face, and the
kindly, cordial greetings -- and the home was desolate.
More
that two hundred and fifty years have passed since the first John
May, master of a vessel, came from Mayfield, in Sussex, England,
and became a resident of Jamaica Plain, and the ancestor of the
many who bear the name of May in this country. In 1650 the old
house on May's Lane was built by Mr. Bridge, and since 1771 it has
been owned and occupied by the direct descendents of John May. It
has always been a typical New England fruit farm, noted for the
fine quality of its cherries, peaches, pears, apples, and berries
of various kinds. In the early days it covered many acres,
including the beautiful hill now occupied by the fine estates of
the Bowditch family and others, and the lowlands, extending north
and east to Pond and Eliot streets. During the siege of Boston,
the house was given up to soldiers for barracks. Captain Lemuel
May was one of the minute-men who responded to the reveille at the
break of day on the 19th of April, 1775, and fought valiantly for
his country at Lexington and concord. This house, of the
seventeenth-century pattern, has maintained its original features
until very recently, carefully preserved from any sign of neglect
or decay. Possibly a hasty view of the interior of tee old
homestead will interest us. Entering by the front porch, we find
the small, square entry open through narrow doorways into low
studded, irregular shaped rooms, with overhead and corner beams
and wainscoted sides, triangular cupboards and dressers and
convenient little shelves. There are high wooden mantels adorned
with specimens of antique china and brasses over the large bricked
fireplaces. In one room an iron crane with kettles suspended on
chains, swings over the fire-dogs piled with logs, and on both
sides hang quaint domestic utensils. The narrow stairway, from he
little entry, had a halfway landing to economize space, and leads
to cozy apartments above, all interesting for their antique
furniture and family relics.
And now a glance at the old
square barn east of the house and more pretentious in size than
the dwelling, with wide doors opening at both ends, and lofts
stacked with fragrant hay. This is the comfortable home of
faithful horses and gentle kine, who looked from their stalls and
stanchions on the youths and maidens who often made the walls
resound with their merriment and they were borne quickly past in
the old swing hanging from the creaking rafters.
The
well-curb, with its long sweep and old oaken bucket, brings
memories, to some of us, of refreshing droughts of pure water, and
of delicious cream and butter rolls, which the moss-covered stone
shelves far down the well held securely from possible taint. Back
of the house ran the babbling brook and emptied into "the ditch,"
which was often broad and deep enough to merit a more comely name,
and was the favorite resort of the young in winter for skating and
sledding. But this ancestral home, with all its charms, had passed
from view, like man others, leaving but cherished memories.
Captain Charles Brewer, whose fine estate on Pond Street was
originally a part of the May form, was a lineal descendant of
Captain John May, on his mother's side. He was born in Boston in
1804, and received his education there, but early developed baa
fondness for the sea, and for several years was a successful
ship-master in the Pacific and East India trade. In 1836 he
established a shipping business in Honolulu, and in 1846 returned
with his family to this country, and became a resident of Jamaica
Plain. Soon after he erected the commodious mansion in the midst
of highly cultivated grounds, which was his home during the
remainder of his life.
Mr. Edward Bridge was one of the
earliest settlers of the town, and it is believed that he built
the house, which has recently been taken down by the Park
Commission, near the corner of Centre and May Streets. The date
1710 was found cut into one of the old timbers, which is still
preserved.
Mr. Abijah Seaverns, grandfather of our townsman,
resided here with his family for many years. The original Seaverns
homestead, owned by Mr. Joel Seaverns, the ancestor of the family,
was upon a farm of some fifty-five acres, now included in Forest
Hills cemetery. In this old house, during the later years of Mrs.
Abijah Seaverns' life, a small band of the Baptist faith met
frequently for religious meetings, and in 1840 took steps to form
a church. Soon after they began to worship in the Village Hall,
and in 1842 the public services of their recognition were held in
the Unitarian Church, in which Rev. Mr. Gray then ministered. On
October 4, 1843, the new house of worship was dedicated, and on
the same day Dr. John O. Choules, an Englishman, was installed as
pastor. The little church stood on elevated ground on the east
side of Centre Street near Star Lane. On September 26, 1856, the
church was destroyed by fire, with its furniture, library, and
records. For two years the congregation used the Unitarian house
of worship one half of the Sabbath, and the Mather (now Central)
Church for evening meetings, accepting the very king invitations
which came from both societies while the fire was still burning.
In August 1859, the present house of worship on the corner of
Centre and Myrtle streets was dedicated.
Following May Street
to Pond Street, we come to the beautiful estate now owned by Mr.
Edward Rice, and formerly by Mr. John J. Low, and here ready fancy
rears again the vanished walls of a stately mansion, three stories
in height, first occupied by another of the Tory gentry, Sir
Francis Barnard, the royal governor of Massachusetts from 1760 to
1769, -- the period of our greatest historic interest. The
beautiful sloping lawn, shaded with lofty English elms, gave a
charming setting to the house, while broad acres highly
cultivated, filled with choice fruit trees, plants, and shrubs,
including orange, lemon, fig, cork, and cinnamon trees, and other
rare exotics, added grandeur and beauty to the landscape. One can
easily call back the old-time scenes within this mansion, of
stately official pomp, of social gayety, of dinners and balls,
where the brocade and stain and lace, in towering head-gear, and
ample panniers; and where the cavaliers rivaled the ladies in
their powered wigs, gorgeous velvet coats and stain waistcoats,
ruffled shirt-fronts, small breeches and silken hose. We catch a
glimpse of them as they troop through the broad hall (fifty-four
feet long and twenty feet wide), and the wainscoted tapestried
rooms, on the stately minuet or the livelier contra-dances, and
possibly recognize the forms and faces of Adams, Hancock, Otis,
Warren, and Quincy. Governor Barnard was an Englishman, a graduate
of Oxford, a man of erudition and large wealth. He had remarkable
conversational powers, and so tenacious a memory that he boasted
he could repeat all of Shakespeare's plays. He was a zealous
advocate of the claims of the Crown, and through professing to
sympathize with the men associated with him in their resistance to
unjust taxation, and other coercive measures to the royal
government, he secretly worked against them, and used his
influence to have the British regiments sent to Boston, and thus
initiated the war. After holding his high office for nearly ten
years, he was recalled to England, in response to a petition from
the House of Representatives that "he might be forever removed
from the Government of the Province." As he departed from Boston
the bells were rung, cannon fired from the wharves, and the
Liberty Tree hung gaily with flags; so great was to joy of the
people to be rid of him. Lady Bernard did not leave Jamaica Plain
until a year later -- in 1770. Sir William Pepperell was the next
resident of this house for about three years. He was a graduate of
Harvard, and, in 1776, became a member of the Council, and was
avowedly in sympathy with the royal cause. During the siege this
house was also occupied by the patriotic troops, and later used as
a hospital. The soldiers who died here were buried on the hill in
the rear of the house. This property was confiscated in 1779 by
the State, and purchased by Mr. Martin Brimmer, a Boston merchant,
who died here in 1804. Captain John Prince next owned it, and took
down the old house, a part of which had stood one hundred and
forty years, and erected a very attractive mansion which has
recently given place to the one now occupied by Mr. Rice. Mr.
Prince opened the street, which bears his name through his estate
to Perkins Street, and it has since been the seat of several
beautiful residences.
The summer home of Francis Parkman,
LL.D., on Prince Street, deserves more than passing notice, no
only because of his great prominence as an historian and writer an
scientific horticulture, but for the remarkable beauty of the
grounds lying along the chores of the lake and covered with
luxuriant and rare shrubs, trees, and plants, many of them models
of symmetry and loveliness. One cannot but regret that this
homestead had not been preserved in its completeness, as a
memorial of this distinguished man.
The old Jonas Chickering
estate adjoining Mr. Parkman's, with its lovely water-front, its
unique Gothic buildings, its vine-covered lodge, and its
deer-park, was, in our early days, one of the most charming of our
country seats.
Pinebank, the home of the Perkins family for
nearly a century, with its broad, winding avenue, beneath noble
pine and larches, its stately mansion its many rich landscape
features, claims admiration for its grandeur and nobility.
Returning to South Street, we find that in early days
different branches of the Weld family owned and lived upon estates
in this portion of our village. The largest and most important of
these was the estate which was given to Captain Joseph Weld by the
province, about the year 1660, in consideration of services
rendered. It was bequeathed by him to his son, John, and was the
home of seven generations of that family, until about the
beginning of this century (1806), when it became the property of
Mr. Benjamin Bussey. During the Revolutionary War, Weld's Hill was
selected by Washington as a rallying point for the patriot army to
fall back upon in case of disaster, as it protected the road to
Dedham, the depot of army supplies. Mr. Bussey, after a few years,
erected the fine mansion, still standing, and resided here until
his death, in 1842. The late Mr. Thomas Motley, brother of the
historian, was the husband of one of Mr. Bussey's granddaughters,
and occupied the house with his family until his decease. This
magnificent estate of three hundred acres was bequeathed to
Harvard University for the establishment of a seminary "for
instruction in practical agriculture, useful and ornamental
gardening, botany, and such other branches of natural science as
may tend to promote a knowledge of practical agriculture and the
various arts subservient thereto and connected therewith." The
Bussey Institute was built in 1871, and the beautiful Arboretum,
embracing one hundred and sixty acres, has been in the process of
development since that time. During Mr. Bussey's; life, and for
years after, the public enjoyed the freedom of these charming
grounds. There were lovely wood paths, carefully kept, in all
directions. Here was a rustic bridge spanning the jocund brook;
there a willow-bordered pond, the home of gold and silver fish.
This path wound back and forth to then summit of Hemlock Mountain,
where was an arbor with seats for resting surrounded by majestic
trees, and where lovely vistas of the distant hills and nearer
valley could be enjoyed, On the gray rocks yonder were nature's
moss-clad seats, where one listened to the endless whispering of
the leaves, the prattle of the happy brook below, and the
ever-changing songs of birds.
"Up springs, at every step, to claim a tear,
Some
little friendship formed in childhood here;
And not the lightest
leaf but trembling teems,
With golden visions and romantic
dreams."
Mr. Bussey's life is a remarkable illustration of the
success, which results from natural ability and persevering
industry. With very small pecuniary means in early life, he made
the most of every condition and advantage, and ultimately acquired
large wealth and influence. Possibly some here may remember the
family coach, with its yellow body and trimmings, drawn by four
fine horses, in which Mr. Bussey and his family rode to church
each Sabbath. There is a pleasing tradition that the old gentleman
had the unusual but very gracious habit of bowing to people near
him on all sides in the church before taking his seat in the
square pew. On the occasion of President Andrew Jackson's visit to
Boston, accompanied by Vice-President Van Buren, in June 1833, Mr.
Bussey joined the grand procession in his yellow coach, drawn by
six horses, richly caparisoned, and attended by liveried servants.
On the opposite side of South Street one sees the very
attractive house known to us as the Peters homestead, which, in
1799, was built by Captain William Gordon Weld. About three years
after making this home, Captain Weld was lost at sea, leaving his
widow, who was a sister of Judge William Minot, with a large
family of sons and daughters, who have been very prominent in the
interests and development of our town. Mrs. Weld is remembered
with great respect and admiration for her character and life work.
She lived to a great age, happy in the prosperity and the loving
devotion of her children. We recall the beautiful the touching
scene when her form was carried on the bier by her noble sons,
followed by the other mourners, all walking from her house to the
family tomb in the little church cemetery, and lovingly laid at
rest, without the touch of a stranger hand.
Soon after Captain
William Weld's death, the estate was purchased by a Mr. Wilson,
who resided here for a few years, Mr. Horatio Greenough, the
sculptor, also lived here when young, and it is believed that he
took his first lessons in art of Binon, the French sculptor, in
this house, In 1829 Mr. Edward Peters purchased it for a summer
residence, and it is still occupied by his descendants, This house
in the finest specimen of the West Indian style in the vicinity.
Stony Brook runs through the dell back of the garden, with a line
of fine old oaks and butternut-trees on its banks. Years since,
when trenching the land, the smooth bed of the broad Stony River
was reached, into which some of the large trees had fallen and
lain imbedded in the mud, well preserved. A perfect beaver dam was
also discovered there, and marks of beavers' teeth on some of the
trees. Various Indian relics have been unearthed in different
parts of the place.
About the year 1827, Mr. Stephen M.
Weld, son of Captain William G. Weld, established a
boarding-school for young men on the site of the present residence
of his family, the corner of South and Centre streets, which was
very successful during thirty years, pupils coming from many of
the States and from Mexico, Cuba, and Yucatan. Weld Hall,
connected with Harvard College, was erected by William F. Weld, in
memory of his brother Stephen Minot Weld. Dr. Christopher Weld,
another son of Captain Weld, was the first homoeopathic physician
here, and was much esteemed and beloved during his long practice.
Upon the site of the present Seaverns mansion, on Morton
Street, near Washington Street, stood the old house of the gifted
and scholarly Margaret Fuller between the years 1839 and 1842. Her
father had died a short time before, and her mother, sister (the
late Mrs. Walter Channing), and two brothers made with her the
household. In this quiet, rural home, Margaret found time and
inspiration for many of her charming outdoors sketches. She often
wandered through the lovely walks in Bussey Woods, soft with
fallen needles from pine and hemlock, and bright with abundant
wild flowers, and drew glowing pictures from nature's wealth,
which her pen has preserved for us. It was while living here she
inaugurated the literary conversations, which produced such a
marked effect upon the young and old of the women of the time.
They were weekly meetings for free conversation on literary and
aesthetic topics at which she was the principal talker. They began
in the autumn of 1839 at the home of Miss Elizabeth P. Peabody, on
West Street, Boston, and continued through five successive
winters. It was also while here that she edited "The Dial," a
quarterly journal, in which she was aided by Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Theodore Parker, George Ripley, and others. In this old house
Ralph Waldo Emerson boarded for a time with a Mrs. Tilden, who
afterward had a young ladies' boarding school at the Cold Spring
House on Washington Street, opposite Green Street. In Franklin
Park, on Schoolmaster's Hill, may now be seen a bronze tablet,
inserted in a boulder, which records the fact that Mr. Emerson
lived in a farmhouse in that spot for two years, from 1823 to
1825. The home of Rev, James Freeman Clarke, D. D., on Hillside
Avenue, has a lasting interest, because of the noble, beautiful
souls who thought and worked there, and gave by spoken and written
words strength and counsel and comfort to many.
Returning to
Centre Street, we pass south from Eliot Street, and look with
interest upon the old Williams house, a commodious, square
building with central porch and balustrade along the roofline,
built in 1805 by Stephen Gorham, a Boston merchant. It was for
many years the attractive home of Mr. Moses Williams and family
and is still in their possession.
The old Hallet,
Seaverns, Balch, and Louder homes, all suggest interesting and
valuable memories, which we would gladly record did our limits
permit. But we are tempted to spare a few moments doe a stroll
through Louder's Lane. Many times have we proved the truth of
Young's words: "How blessing brighten as they take their flight!"
and they ring in our hearts to-day as we wander into this
picturesque old way; and we love even more dearly than of yore the
quiet, the grassy sides, the wild growths of roses and
blackberry-bushes, the tangle of ivy and woodbine, and the lovely
vistas through leafy framings of sunny hillsides and woods, of
pastures dotted with grazing cattle, and of peaceful farm homes.
It is a country idyll, sweet and restful! We may slacken our
horses reins while he crops the wayside grass, or we may sit on a
fallen stone from the old wall, while we muse of early days when
there was no turnstile to block our path, but we should wander on
around the loops of Sargent's woods, and gather at will the blue
and white violets, the anemones and columbines and cowslips,
without a fear of brass-buttoned monitor or coasting wheelman.
We see again the dignified form of Manlius Sargent in his
stately horse, as he rode through his wood-roads, and many another
familiar face of those who sought these rural paths, and cared not
yet for "rapid transit," with its spectral accompaniments. And our
hope is akin to a prayer, that what is left of Louder's Lane may
be spared to us yet many years.
The old Winchester house,
on the hillside of Centre Street, was built in the year 1800 by
Captain Artemas Winchester, grandfather of the third Artemas, now
residing here, for his young bride, Miss Anna Fuller, and it was
their home through their long lives.
In early days,
whenever a new dwelling was begun, the neighborhood volunteered
their services, prepared and stoned the cellar and well, often
giving days of labor to help on the work. Then at the time of
raising the house, as in the case of the Winchester dwelling, --
an unusually fine one for the times, -- the relatives and friends
came from near and far to show their kindly interest and enjoy the
tempting and bounteous collation.
This farm originally
belonged to Mr. John Morey, who in 1771 presented the clock, which
for many years ornamented the front gallery of the First Church,
and is today faithfully meeting its duties in the Parish House.
Greenbank, a quiet old home overlooking the Arboretum, holds
among its treasures a record of a few years, when Rev. William
Ware lived there, after resigning his ministry in New York and
wrote those remarkable works, "Zenobia" and "Probus." Mr. Ware was
a man of great learning of classical culture, and elegant
accomplishments. His mind was a gallery of pictures which he
portrayed in his writings for the profit and delight of others.
Dr. Bellows, in his memorial sermon of Dr. Ware, writes of these
books: "The evinced talents, resources, and tastes, which could
not be traced to any known writer, while they seemed wholly beyond
the reach of any unknown one."
On the corner of Allandale
Street and Centre Street, Peacock Tavern stood a century ago. It
was kept by Captain Lemuel Child, distinguished for having led the
Minute Company of the Third Parish in the battle of Lexington.
This tavern was a somewhat noted resort at that time, being on the
direct highway from Boston to Dedham and Providence, a
stopping-place for travelers and stages and factory teams. We
learn that when the British officers were in Boston they
frequently made up sleighing and skating parties, and after
exercising on the pond, came to "The Peacock" for their late
suppers. Doubtless Generals Gage and Burgoyne indulged in bumpers
there, to help their drooping spirits. The records state that
during the siege of Boston, Generals Washington and Knox and other
distinguished officers were frequent visitors, the former stopping
on his way to New York after the evacuation of Boston. In May
1794, Samuel Adams, the grand old patriot, purchased "The Peacock"
tavern and forty acres of land, and resided here during his term
as governor, and during the remainder of his life made it his
summer residence. We are proud to add this name to our list of
honorable and distinguished men. It stands inseparably with
Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Hancock, and they form
together the brightest constellation which illumes the
Revolutionary annals of our country!
Some of the most
apparent and pleasant indications of growth and progress in our
town have been the establishment, from time to time, of the
churches, which represent the faith and worship of our people, the
erection of the commodious school buildings, and the various
charitable institutions. Strongly as we cling to much that makes
the past dear to us, we rejoice in all that is making this the
golden age of our country.
Within the limits given, it is
impossible to review all of the homes and characters which have
left their impress on our village and made it worthy to be a part
of the admitted "Athens of America." A long line of names comes at
memory's call in the various walks of life, -- clergymen, authors,
teachers, physicians, lawyers, and merchants, men and women whom
we delight to honor.
"They hurry from out the forgotten past, Through
the gathered mist of years, From the halls of memory, dim and
vast, Where they have buried lain in the shadows cast By recent
joys or fears."
More than three hundred years ago the poet Drummond wrote: "It
is a great spur to virtue to look back on the worth of our line.
In this is the memory of the dead preserved with the living, being
more firm and honorable that an epitaph, and the living know that
band that tieth them to others."
Footnotes
The Jamaica Plain Aqueduct Company was
incorporated in 1795, and was the first systematic water system
that the city of Boston had. It extended from the Pond to Fort
Hill, and had about forty-five miles of pipes, made of white pine
logs, nearly a foot and one half in diameter, with a bore of five
and three quarters inches. The average daily supply was about
400,000 gallons. In excavating for the Subway, several specimens
of the old wooden pipes have been unearthed in a good state of
preservation.--From a recent number of the Boston Transcript. The
first dwelling, built in 1633, was a simple log house, and was
burned three or four years later.
An historical sketch of
the First Church in Roxbury, by Dr. De Normandie.
One of
the old omnibuses was very long, and named Osceola, for an Indian
chief, a representation of whom was painted on the side.
At the time to which we refer, postage was regulated by
distance. Thus, 6 1/4, 12 1/2, 16 3/4, and even 25 cents, were
sometimes necessary.
For the origin of this peculiar name,
see the incident which gave rise to it described in Drake's Town
of Roxbury.
Dr. Thomas Gray's Half-Century Sermon.
Dr.
Thomas Gray was born in Boston, March 16 1772, and graduated at
Harvard College in 1790. He married a daughter of Rev. Samuel
Stillman, D., pastor of the First Baptist Church in Boston, by
whom he was prepared for the ministry, and entered the pastorate
at Jamaica Plain, April 22, 1792. His mother, Mrs. Abigail May,
widow of Moses Brewer, was then living in the old homestead, and
died April 24, 1849, aged 80 years. Perkins Street, known in early
days as Connecticut Lane, was named for William Perkins, who came
to Roxbury in 1632. Within our recollection, a very small, old
house, on the opposite side of the street, almost hidden from view
by shrubbery and trees, was the humble home of old Simeon Giles, a
Negro, who made a precarious living by wood-chopping and like
service for the neighbors. He was the son of old Peter, who was a
slave of Governor Adams, valued and kindly treated, and who lived
to number one hundred years. Long, long ago their tired bodies
were laid at rest in the little graveyard on the hill.
Contributed by K.
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Annals and Reminiscences of Jamaica
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