Temple street may be called one of the oldest streets in Somerville, being originally the drive to the ‘Manor House’ on ‘Ten Hills Farm,’ occupied successively by Sir Robert Temple, General Elias Hasket Derby, and Colonel Samuel Jaques. From detailed descriptions of people and events connected with ‘Ten Hills’ already printed in Historic Leaves, one may glean the following facts about the trees:—
A winding drive led up to the house, ‘fringed on either side with the fragrant Balm of Gilead.’ ‘On either side of the house were magnificent elm trees. One, in particular, was unusually large, girting more than eleven feet, three feet from the ground. The spreading branches formed a fine support for a platform at a distance of thirty feet from the ground, and tea parties were given among the leaves, as many as eight or ten participating.’ Fruit trees abounded.
Fifty years or so ago there were seventeen elms in the vicinity. A boy of seven proudly fulfilled a contract for several years for protecting the trees from the ravages of the cankerworms by keeping a band of tarred paper freshly coated with tar during the season.
After the death of Colonel Jaques in 1859 brick-making was carried on, and the industry sounded the death-knell of the trees. In the boyhood of one, at least, of the present generation an interesting spectacle was the falling of the great stumps into the pits, as excavations undermined their stronghold. Under one, of the trees near Jaques street was a fine well of water, which was often a halting-place for the boys on their way to the river for a swim.
Five elms of the Temple-Derby-Jaques trees are standing on Temple street now, but to which of the owners of ‘Ten Hills’
