Bay State Monthly, Volume I, No. 2, February, 1884 by Various
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Various >> Bay State Monthly, Volume I, No. 2, February, 1884
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The first city government established a police department, and appointed
a city marshal and six assistants. As at present organized, there is a
chief-of-police, two deputies, and fifteen patrol-men, whose duties are
to keep watch over the city day and night, keep the peace, and protect
property, and observe and report any defects in the public way which
could by any chance result in injury to either man or beast.
In 1842, at the annual town-meeting the selectmen were authorized to
erect twelve street-lamps. Their number has been increased from time to
time until there are now over five hundred and fifty lamps, besides two
large lanterns: one on the Square, the other in front of the Academy of
Music.
[Illustration: MAGEE FURNACE COMPANY'S FOUNDRY.]
[Illustration: HIGH SCHOOL. ERECTED IN 1872. F.A. HILL, PRINCIPAL.]
[Illustration: FIRING THE KILN. (Low's Art Tile Works.)]
A board of health was first elected in 1846. From 1850, to the
organization of the city government, the selectmen acted as the board.
From 1857 to 1878 the duties of the board were in the hands of the mayor
and board of aldermen. Since 1878, a board has been annually elected.
Their supervision and oversight have been of great advantage to the
city.
In 1863, the Chelsea Library Association presented the city with about
one thousand volumes, which became the nucleus of the Public Library.
Eight thousand books have already been collected; they are soon to be
gathered within an appropriate and spacious building generously donated
to the city.
There is much of romance in the history of such an ancient settlement as
Winnisimmet and Rumney Marsh, although most of the incidents worthy of
note have long since passed into oblivion.
The Indian wars never affected directly the early settlers, for before
hostilities commenced the frontier had been advanced some miles into the
interior; but the brave sons of the pioneers were called upon for the
defence of more exposed localities, and promptly responded.
"In military affairs Rumney Marsh, for many years, was associated with
the neighboring towns in Essex and Middlesex, in an organization called
the 'Three County Troop.'" The company appears to have been formed as
early as May, 1659. Edward Hutchinson was confirmed as the first
captain. Captain John Tuttle was in command of the company in 1673.
In the war of 1676, the Three County Troop sent ten men, "well fitted
with long arms," to the rendezvous at Concord.
"In the year 1677, about April the 7th, six or seven men were slain by
the Indians, near York, while they were at work two miles from the town,
whereof one was the son of Lieutenant Smith of Winnisimmet, a hopeful
young man.... Five Indians paddled their canoes down towards York, where
they killed six of the English, and took one captive, May 19 following;
and, May 23, four days after, one was killed at Wells, and one taken by
them betwixt York and Wells; amongst whom was the eldest son of
Lieutenant Smith, forementioned; his younger brother was slain in the
same town not long before."
The company was disbanded in 1690. A company of sixty soldiers under
command of Captain John Floyd, a citizen of Rumney Marsh, was sent as a
garrison to protect the frontier at Portsmouth, about this date.
[Illustration: ORNAMENTAL JUG. (Low's Art Tile Works.)]
"While the regulars were on their retreat from Lexington, on the 19th of
April, 1775, protected by reinforcements under command of Lord Percy, a
detached party who were carrying stores and provisions were attacked at
Metonomy by Rev. Phillips Payson, leading a party of his parishioners,
whom he had hastily gathered on the alarm. One of the regulars was
killed and some were taken prisoners, together with arms and stores,
without loss to the attacking party."
Captain Samuel Sprague had command of a Chelsea company of twenty-eight
men, which was mustered into the service April 19, 1775. At a later date
Chelsea furnished the patriot army with a company of fifty-two men,
under the same commander.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF TILES. (Low's Art Tile Works.)]
"On the 27th of May, 1775, as a party of the Massachusetts forces,
together with a party of New Hampshire forces, In all about six hundred
men, were attempting to bring off the stock upon Hog Island, and about
thirty men upon Noddle's Island were doing the same, when above a
hundred regulars landed upon the last-mentioned island and pursued our
men till they got safely back to Hog Island."
A spirited engagement ensued, attended, however, with no serious loss to
the American forces. The regulars were supported by an armed schooner
which the enemy were obliged to abandon, having first set the vessel on
fire.
[Illustration: A TILED FIREPLACE. (Low's Art Tile Works.)]
General Putnam, Colonel Stark, and Dr. Joseph Warren, are said to have
been present during the contest, either as actors or witnesses.
"During the siege of Boston, Chelsea formed the extreme left of the line
of circumvallation; and on the south-eastern slope of Mount Washington
stands the house of Robert Pratt, which occupies the site of an earlier
house at which Washington lunched when inspecting the lines."
In closing this sketch, the writer wishes to give credit to the
Honorable Mellen Chamberlain, an honored resident of Chelsea, for
information relating to the early history of the town, which he has
kindly furnished, and to the researches embodied in his valuable
article, "Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, Pullen Point, and Chelsea, in the
Provincial Period," printed in the second volume of the Memorial History
of Boston, published by James R. Osgood and Company, in 1881.
It is not difficult to predict the future of Chelsea. Situated as it is
on navigable waters, with an extensive waterfront, near to the
metropolis of New England, and already the site of many important
industries, prosperity awaits it. Time alone can tell whether, like its
namesake in the Mother-Country, it becomes absorbed in the neighboring
and growing city, or develops into a great manufacturing suburb, like
Newark and Patterson.
[Illustration]
[Footnote 3: Date of Act, January 10, 1739.
Chelsea, as every Englishman is aware, is the name of a suburb of
London, where are situated the great national hospitals of Great Briton.
It was in existence as a village as early as A.D. 785, but was long
since absorbed by the expanding city.]
* * * * *
JOHN WISWALL, THE OBJURGATORY BOSTON BOY.
John Wiswall, a "young man with somewhat original objurgatory
tendencies," was not of the meaner sort of families. His grandfather,
John Wiswall, then some eighty-three years old, ever took an active
interest in the church and social affairs, first in Dorchester, and
afterward in Boston. Mr. Savage says that he was a brother of Thomas
Wiswall, a public-spirited man of Cambridge, Dorchester, and Newton; but
John Wiswall was ruling elder of the First Church, Boston, made so the
third month, fourth day, 1669, the day John Oxenbridge was ordained
pastor. He also was one of the town's committee to act with the
selectmen, to receive the legacy of Captain Robert Keayne, in 1668.
"Elder Wiswall died, August 15, 1687, aged eighty-six years."
Elder John Wiswall left one son--John, Jr. This John, Jr., was a man of
life and zeal in the community. He is mentioned as "a well-known and
wealthy citizen." Among his children, by his wife Hannah, was one John,
born March 21, 1667, who became the "young man with somewhat original
objurgatory tendencies," and in the autumn of 1684 was rising seventeen
years of age. John Wiswall was a Boston boy, full of the animation which
has ever characterized the youth of that town. If he had been entirely
of the plastic sort, and represented not one of the leading families, he
never would have been made an example of to the youth of the community.
An example was needed. The new government felt that stringency was
demanded. If data serve us well, would say that John Wiswall, "a
mariner," died about 1700, leaving a widow, Mary, who afterward married
a White. None of the Wiswall name of to-day are from this line, but the
Wiswall blood is infused in the Emmons, the Fisher, the Cutler, and the
Johnson families.
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