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scussion of Neighborhood Sketches, furnished the Society by old residents; December 19, History of Ten Hills Farm, with Anecdotes and Reminiscences, Mrs. Alida G. Sellers (born Jaques); January 2, With Grant at the Battle of the Wilderness, Colonel Elijah Walker; January 16, An Incident of Anti-Slavery Times in Syracuse, N. Y., by Charles Carroll Dawson, of Toledo, O., (corresponding member of Somerville Historical Society), read by Howard Dawson; January 30, The Old Royal House and Farm, J. H. Hooper, President Medford Historical Society; February 4, stated meeting of the Society; February 13, William Pierce, Captain of Ships Ann Mayflower and Lion George E. Littlefield; February 27, Peter Faneuil and His Gift, Abram English Brown, President Bedford Historical Society; March 13, The Old Medford Turnpike, with Glimpses of the Brickmakers, John F. Ayer; March 27, The Ursuline Convent, Mt. Benedict, President Charles D. Elliot. 1901-1902: November 11, Five Years in New Mexico, Colone
p. 80, and Vol. XI, p. 49, for account of this and the seminary. On the opposite corner was the house occupied by a Mr. Brockway, a carpenter. This still remains, but with various additions and alterations. Its lot was narrow on High street, as Whitmore brook was close beside it, and beyond the brook a narrow meadow, then a two-story house, now for many years occupied by J. L. Brockway, Grand Army comrade and grocer. The two-story house next to Cottage street was then occupied by a Mr. Hooper, and is but little changed. Beyond Cottage street the ground rose, and there was a pear orchard and a white cottage house (now removed to Allston street), the dwelling of James W. Wilson. This was close in the corner next Allston street. Beginning back at Warren street on the other side, a large open lot lay between the street and Whitmore brook, and also beyond the brook was open until on the rising ground was the old gambrel-roofed house of the senior Samuel Teele. This in exterior s
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 18., Pine and Pasture Hills and the part they have Contributed to the development of Medford. (search)
Immediately after the issue of the January register, the editor received the following: Now comes your very useful record of High street in 1870; it reawakens my interest. . . . I send these papers in the hope of stirring up the curiosity of Mr. Hooper, yourself, or some other. One of the papers is:— Wanted, I. A contour sketch of the tract bounded as below—as nature left it, say, in 1630 to 1635: E—by line of Governors lane. S—by river. W-by line of Library lot. N-by ey left it to the kite-flying boys, and preferred to dig their homes down to the level of common folks. The writer of the above, a Medford boy of over eighty years ago, doubtless finds his heart turning gratefully toward his boyhood home. Mr. Hooper has answered in these pages many of Mr. Stetson's queries, and is carefully and diligently working on others. We commend a re-reading of The Ford at Mistick, and venture the opinion that the bulky red nose will be located by the reading of th
on the Medford side were the last of the alewife fishing industry in Medford. The Hall house, seen beyond, was removed, but the Medford branch of the parkway begun, remains incomplete. Facing page 56 is a group of Bridges over Mystic River. Its central view is that of First bridge, built by Cradock's men. We approach the description of this with caution, but are encouraged by the legend, drawing from records. In Vol. II, No. 1, Register, is the able article on Bridges of Medford by J. H. Hooper, which describes its earliest construction and gives the length of the bridge, which was approached by a causeway. But we have grave doubts of the structure, described as rude and weak in construction, being as smoothly angular and straightly railed as this seems to be. The sedge grass in the foreground is realistic, but the trees on the opposite bank are too luxuriant for their proximity to the salt Mistick, and we also fear the artist exceeded the probabilities in inserting the Unitari
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 22., Connecting link in Medford Church history. (search)
yet have not been thus presented. As a matter of record, we take occasion here to mention, ere facts are lost sight of, the West Medford Christian Union. Mr. Hooper, in his brief History of Medford, is the only author that mentions it as a society under this caption, giving its meeting place, and names of four ministers. Medford, named Mystic hall as the place, but did not give the name of the preacher. This makes the date specific—December 1, 1867—agreeing as to the year with Mr. Hooper, but placing it earlier than Mr. Usher, who is correct in his statement that there was no church organization. As this Christian Union formed a connecting li Reference has been made to records of the Christian Union. Could such be found, more accurate statement of its final dissolution might be written. Till then, Mr. Hooper's statement is fitting:— This Society retained its organization until 1872, when its leading members took measures to form themselves into separate organiza<
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 23., The mills on the Medford turnpike. (search)
s one hundred to the inch, wasting practically nothing. Just when this Medford mill ceased operation, or whether it ceased by limitation contained in the above agreement, we may not say with certainty. The Fire Department report says: Jan. 21, 1872. Mill building on Mystic Ave., supposed to be by incendiary. The building was a total loss. This account is written at some length, because neither Mr. Brooks nor Mr. Usher made any mention of this mill in their History of Medford. Mr. Hooper, in the scant space allotted him, made brief note of it, but the register, in Vol. XIV, p. 68, fixed the identity of the miller's dwelling, (Gershom Cutter's) a view of which had been shown as the toll-house several times, unchallenged. This house is said to have been burnt, but as yet we find no record of the fire. It is probable that the view we present was secured about 1890, by Mr. Will C. Eddy. With its burning disappeared the last vestige of a Medford business covering a period o
the locality better known than ever it could have been in turnpike days. As can be seen, the toll-house was a substantial structure, as were those of its day. Save that it had a central chimney, instead of two at the rear, it was a counterpart of those erected just before at West Medford and Wilmington by the Middlesex Canal Company. The latter, in 1807, was built at a cost of $833.73 (as per record) Middlesex Canal record. and the same figure may well apply to this. Inquiry as to whether this house still remains brings no satisfactory reply. It may have been burnt, removed, or remodelled to different style during the years that have elapsed. Mr. Hooper informs us that though this was the residence of the toll-man and his family, the real toll-house was a little cabin on the other side of the road. It resembled the old-time shoemakers' shops, once so numerous in Eastern Massachusetts, and may have been thus used. This has long since gone, but the turnpike road has improved.
nal was of necessity at a lower level than the other and required two locks for its operation. Land was purchased of Samuel Dexter and William H. Sumner (owners of Royall estate), seven and one-half acres and two rods for $751.25, and was to revert to the grantors if disused for two years. A storage basin The area of this is still noticeable near Mystic avenue. was constructed on this land, beside the main canal, with a side lock, or gates, in the embankment to give access thereto. Mr. Hooper, who when a boy lived nearby on the turnpike, says the lock was a big timber-framed box between two heavy stone walls which were several feet away, and timber braces between, up and down which the boys could climb. His description tallies with that given by others of the wooden locks of the Middlesex canal. At the opposite side of the basin, a lock was built like those in the canal, and from it to the river the branch canal was excavated at the requisite lower level. There another loc
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 23., Medford Saltmarsh Corporation. (search)
know about salt hay? The foregoing was in substance stated by the librarian, who exhibited the papers in evidence. Mr. Hooper followed, in interesting remarks upon the location of the marshes, their ownership by numerous proprietors, often from because of the pile of grass before him, and unless warned by the one ahead, would suddenly find himself in the hole. Mr. Hooper's description of the savage bites of the green-head flies was very realistic. No one seemed to know what staddles were till Mr. Hooper explained that some proprietors, especially those remote from the solid ground, drove clusters of posts into the marsh, leaving the tops about two feet elevated. On these the hay was stacked and removed when the ground had frozen.clumsy safeguard, and bore off the grass to the main, where it was made up into great loads for the homeward journey. Mr. Hooper gave an interesting account of the stump marsh, which is nearby and which is the remains of a primeval forest sunk into
Parson Smith's farm. It was an easy transition from these latter marshes to the consideration of Parson Smith's farm and barn which was close by one of them. Mr. Hooper located it by his remembrance as near the now disused Cummings schoolhouse and present North street. Rev. William Smith, the father of Abigail, wife of President John Adams, inherited a part of this farm, and at his mother's death bought a farm in Medford. Such is his entry in his interleaved almanac, the usual manner of keeping a diary in those days. Several of those he kept we have examined, and extracts were read in the above connection. We find in Nast's Sketch of Weymouth that in August 1634 [it should be 1734] a call was extended to Mr. William Smith of Charlestown to become the minister at a salary of one hundred and sixty pounds and three hundred pounds settlement, the latter to be paid one hundred pounds annually for three years, all in bills of credit. This invitation was accepted, and on the