A History of Boston ... Massachusetts, ... with some account of the environs. ... With engravings

Front matter

S<DTff1TU£ ISAS1T T2ISW ©If IB©S3T®ST. A HISTORY OF BOSTON, THE iWetronolfs ot fttassachusetts, FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT PERIOD; WITH SOME ACCOUNT Or THE ENVIRONS. BY CALEB H. SNOW, M. D. Mons Idæus ubi et gentis cunabula nostræ. — Virgil . EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS. BOSTON : PUSHED BY ABEL BOWEN, No. 2, CONGRESS- SQUARE, CONGRESS-STREET. PRINTED BY MUNROE AND FRANCIS, 128 WASHINGTON-STREET. 1825. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT : District ClerVs OJficl BE it remembered, that on the twenty eighth day of November, A. D. 1325, in theji eth year of the Independence of the United States of America, ABEL BOWEN, pe said District, has deposited in this Office the title of a book, the right whereof he #is as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit .- A HISTOR-V of BOSTON, the Metropolis of Massachusetts -, from its origin to th<p ent period.

With some account ofthe Environs. By CALEB H. SNOW, M. D.pns Idæus ubi et gentis cunabula nostræ. — Virgil. Embellished with Engravings. I In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, " An for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and booksphe authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned:" aplso to an act, entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled an act for the encr*e ment of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the autl^'"' proprietors of such copies during tbe times therein mentioned; and extending thepfits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching, historical and other prr ' JOHN W. DAVIS, Cleric of the District of MtusacNt*-

Preface

. The reader may expect to find in this book some account of the persecutions, which drove the first settlers of New England from their native country, and some brief notices ofthe settlements, that were made or attempted to be made, in various parts of the United States, before the arrival of Governour Winthrop and the company under him, which laid the foundation of Boston. There taking up our history, I have endeavoured to" select from the mass of records, which numerous hands have left to us, those facts which appear to have excited any great or general interest among the inhabitants of this metropolis. To 4hose who are aware of the disadvantages under which I have composed this work, I need oner no apology for the imperfections they may discover in the execution of it. To others it may be proper to mention, that Mi.

Bowen, the publisher, was disappointed in his expectation of the assistance of other gentlemen, and that my engagements with him commenced at least Tour weeks after his proposals ofthe 17th April, 1824, had been issued. To enable him to fulfil the terms of those proposals, I was obliged to let the first number appear, on the first of July, before I could possibly know what the succeeding number should contain. The case has been similar with all the other numbers. I have consequently found it necessary to put my notes to the press, almost in the same form in which I had taken them, at the hazard of being compelled afterwards to exclude other matter, perhaps more important. These circumstances, indeed, do not derogate from the correctness of the work, or from its usefulness as a book of reference, so far as it extends, yet they may account for some peculiarities, which might otherwise have been amended ; and the same circumstances will, I trust, sufficiently apologize for any dispropor- TREFACE. tion between the importance of some ofthe subjects and the attention I seem to have bestowed upon them.

It has been my aim to be accurately minute and scrupulously correct : some errours art marked in the errata, (into which also has crept the mistake of Bar ton's for Burton's ;) and I am requested to rectify another, which occurs on page 356, attributing to Mr. Wallcut an agency in the formation ofthe Historical Society, to which he makes no claim. As Mr. Bowen is the proprietor of Shaw's Description of Bos ton, I have, sometimes without the formality of marks of quotation, made such use of that book as suited the purposes of mine ; how much I have depended on it may be ascertained, if any have the curiosity to compare the two. It is right, however, to state, that this volume contains three times the quantity of matter contained in Mr. Shaw's, and thirty-two pages more than were originally promised, besides several extra plates.

While engaged in this pursuit, I have been particularly indebted to the libraries of the Historical Society and the Athenæum : the records in the offices of the secretary of the commonwealth and clerks of the city have been of much service to me : every facility has been afforded at each of these places for the accomplishment of my object ; and I have great reason to acknowledge my obligations to the gentlemen who have those invaluable archives and collections in charge, and no less to many private gentlemen, for the patience and politeness with which they have attended to my frequent calls for information and assistance. CALEB H. SNOW. Boston, October 20, 1825. •■ NAMES or THE STREETS, LANES, PUBLICK EDIFICES, &c. IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, JULY, 1824. N. B. To find any street on the plan, search for the number annexed, in the square given by the letters following the name ; thus, for School-street look in square F h, and you find the number 123.

Publick edifices, itc. not numbered, are located within the squares referred to. The wards are designated by large figures, and the dotted lines show the boundaries of each. The ancient high-water mark is shown by the shading on ibe new plan. Allen st. N. o d 52 Allen st. S. - - - C e 53 Ann st. I e 24 Arch St. - - - Fj 138 Ash st. - - - D n 162 Atkinson st. - - - Hj 110 Bangs alley - - - Hh Bath st. Hi 93 Battery alley - - - J c 10 Battery-march st. - - H h 95 Beach st. E 1 150 Beacon st. ---Eh 124 Bedford St. - - - E k 142 Bedford place - - - F k Belknap st. C g 73 Bennet St. S. - - - F n 156 Bennet st. N. - - - Id 9 Berry st. X . - h j 111 Blossom st. - - - .

C f 58 Bowdoin st. D g 77 Bowdoin place - - D h Bowdoin square - - E f 65 Boylston st. - - D 1 151 Boylston court - - D 1 Boylston square - - D 1 Brattle St. F g 83 Brattle sq. - - - G g !98 Bread st. - - - I h 99 Bridge St. B f 57 Brighton st. B c 47 Broad st. - - - I h 102 Bromfiold lane - - F i 122 Bulfinch st. E g 78 Bulfincb place - - - E g Bumstead place - - E i Butolph St. C g 71 Butlers row - - - H g Cambridge St. - - - C f 66 Carnes court - - F f Carver st. C m 160 Castle st. ---Do 16.5 Causeway at. - - - E c 30 Central st. H Ii 96 Central court - - - E j Centre st. N. - - Hi 28 Centre st. B g 69 Chamber st. - - - C f 60 Charlestown st. G d 34 Cbardon st. - - - E f 64 Charles st. ---Ah 129 Charter st. - - - H b 3 Chauncy place - - Fj 139 Chesuut st. B i 131 Clark st. ---Id 14 Columbia fit. - - - Fk 147 Common st. E i 134 Congress st. - - - G h 91 Cooks court - - - F h Copeland lane - - - F f Cornhill court - - - G h Court st. F h 92 Court square - - - F h Crab alley - - - H h Crescent court - - - E e Cross st. H e 21 Custom house st. I h 98 CusLom house - - - I h 98 Deacon st. F e 180 Derne st. D g- 181 Devonshire st. - - - G h 89 Distill-house square - - Fe 41 Doane st. - - - H h Dock square - - - Hg East st. G 1 182 Eaton st. G e 5G Elliot st. ---Dm 152 Elm st. G f 81 Essex st. E 1 140 Exchange st. - - - G g 86 Federal st. G j 120 Federal court S. - - G j Federal court N. - - G s HISTOUT OF BOSTON.

Lindallst. - - - Hh 186 Lowell place - - " * Lynde st. . . - D f .« Lynn st. ---Ib 2 Margaret st. - - - He 187 Margin st. N. - - - Sd 36 Margin St. S. - - - E e 45 Market St. - - - F g 84 Market row - - - G g Market place - - - El Marlboro' place - - F i Marlboro' row - - F i Medfordst. - - - E d 188 Marsh lane - - - G f Marshall St. G f 37 Mason st. D k 142 May St. - - - B g 125 Merchants row - - - H g 88 Merrimac St. - - - E e 32 Methodist alley - - . - J d 12 Milk St. . . - G 119 Milton St. - - - C c 189 Millpond st. G d 35 Moon St. ---Id 23 Mount Veraon - - - C g Myrtle St. - - - B h 126 Newbury place - - E k North square - - - le 200 North row - -He Norfolk place - - E k Olive st. - - B h 128 Oliver St. ---Hi 105 Otis place - - - F k Park st. - - - D i 133 Pearl St. H i 106 Peck lane - - - F 1 148 Pinckney St. - - - B g 127 Pine St. - - D n 163 Pitts St. E e 43 Pitts court - - - E e Pleasant St. - - - B m 160 Poplar st. C d 51 Portland st. F e 40 Portland place - - - F f Prince st. ---He 6 Prospect st. - - D d 190 Purchase st. - - I j 107 Quincy place - - I j Roe-buck passage - H g Richmond St. - - He 25 Ridgeway lane - D g 75 Robinson alley I c 7 Robbins court - - He Flag alley - - - G g 87 Fleet st. I d 15 Foster St. - - - H b 18 Franklin St. - - - F i 137 Franklin place - - - G j 121 Franklin avenue - - F g 183 Friends st. G e 36 Front st. - - - E o 164 Fruit st. B e 54 Gallop alley - - - He Garden st. C g 70 Garden court st. - - - I d 22 George st. B h 130 Gibbs lane - - - I j 184 Governour alley - - - F i 185 Gooch st. E e 44 Gravel st. C d 50 Green st. D e 63 Gridleylane - - - Hj 109 Grove st. B g 68 Haerlem place - - - E k Hamilton St. - - - I i 103 Hamilton place - - - E i 203 Hamilton avenue - - - I i Hancock st. D g 74 Hanover st. - He 29 Hartford place - - - I j Harvard st. ---Em 155 Harvard place - - - F i Hatters square - - - H f Hawkins st. - - - F f 42 Hawley St. F i 136 Hawley place - - - F i Haymarket place - - D k Hayward place - - - E k Henchman lane - - - I c 19 High st. - - - Hk 114 Hollisst. - - - Dm 157 Hospital square - - - Be Howard St. - - - E g 79 Hull St. - - - H c 4 India st. - - - I h 100 Jarvis row - - - E k Jefferson place - - - Em Kingston st. ...

F k 140 Kilby st H h 94 Kneeland st. - - - E m 153 Langdon place - - - le Leverett St. C c 46 Leverett court - - - D d Leverett place - - - D e 179 Liberty square - - - H h 201 Lincoln St. - - - G 1 Russel st. S. - - - C g 72 Russel st. N. - - - C f 59 Salem st. H d 17 Salt lane - - - G f Salutation alley - - - I c 11 School St. - - - F h 123 School alley - - - H d Scotts court - - - G g Seast - - - III 115 Second st. C c 48 Sheafe st. ---He 5 Sheaf lane - - - D k 143 Short st. F k 145 Sister st. - - - Hj 112 Snow Hill St. - - - Gc 16 Somerset st. - - - E g 124 Somerset place - - - E g 191 Somerset court - - - Eh South st. G 1 116 Southack st. - - - B g 67 Spring st. C d 49 Spring lane - - - G i Spruce st. - - - B i 194 Staniford St. - - - D f 62 State st. - - . H h 192 Stillman st. - - - G e 199 Suffolk place - - - E k Sudbury St. - - - F f 80 Summer St. - - - Fj 139 Sumner st. C h 128 193 Sun-Court st. - - I e 25 Sweetser court - - E k Temple st. - - Dg 76 Thacherst. - - - G d 195 Theatre alley - G i 196 Tileston st. ---Id 8 Tremont place - - - F h Union St. G f 38 Unity St. H c 21 Vine St. - - B e 55 Walnut St. - - Oh 132 Warren st. ...Cm 159 Warren place - ■■ - On Washington st - - - D m 154 Washington place - - I j 104 Washington avenue - - J i Water st. - - - G h 118 Well st. I h 97 West st. - - E j 141 Wharf st. - - - I h 101 White bread alley - - Id 13 Williams st. - - - Hj 113 Williams court - - - G h Wilsons lane - G g 85 Wiltshire St. - - - Cd 197 Winter street - - E i 135 Winthrop place - - - G k PRINCIPAL WHARVES. 9.

Town dock - - Hg 10. Codman's wharf - I g 11. Long wharf - Kg 12. Central wharf - K h 13. India wharf - 3 h 14. Liverpool wharf - Ik 15. Russia wharf - Ik 16. Wheeler's point - <* n 17. Baxter's wharf - F» 1. Wm. Gray's wharf - Ib 2. Winnesimet ferry way - Jb 3. Battery wharf - K. c 4. Union, wharf - J d 5. Hancock's wharf - K e 6. Lewis's wharf - Ke 7. Eustis's wharf - I g Canal, or Mill creek - 171 G e 8. Philadelphia Packet wharf H g Island wharves - J f NOTED BLOCKS. Phillips's Buildings - H h Province House Row - F i Rogers' Buildings - G h Scollay's do. - F g South Row - <* i Suffolk Buildings - G <> Tudor's do. - F h West Row - E f Barristers' Hall - F h Colonnade Row - Dj k Congress square - G h Cornhill square - G U Hinckley's Buildings - H h Market square - H g Merchants' Hall - G h Parkman's Buildings - TC ?

PUBLICK EDIFICES. State house - - D h Laboratory - C 1 Town house, or old State house G h Old Court house F h County Court house - F h Municipal Court house D d Jail and House of Correction D d House of Industry South Boston Alms House - C c Faneuil Hall - H g Ward Room, No. 3 G d Eliot School, N. Bennet st. G d Hancock School, Hanover st. <3 e Mayhew School, Hawkins st. Fe Bowdoin School, Derne st. D g High school, Pinckney st. - B g Latin School, School st. - F h Adam? School, Mason st. E j Franklin School, Nassau st. D m Boylston School, Fort Hill I j South Boston School Boylston Hall - D • Medical College - D k Massachusetts General Hospital B e Province House " * 1 Asylum for Indigent Boys H e Female Orphan Asylum - F 1 City Market and Gallery of fine arts G g Parkman's Market - B f Columbian Museum - F h New England Museum - F g Atheneum - H j Theatre - - Jj Concert Hall - F g Exchange Coffee House G h Green Dragon - G f Washington Gardens - E j Pantheon Hall - D 1 Marlboro' Hotel - F i Custom House - I lr CHURCHES.

CONGREGATIONAL. First, Chauncy place - Fj Second, Hanover st. H e Third, Old South - F i Fourth, Brattle st. - 82 G g Fifth, Clark st. - Id Sixth, Summer st. - G k Seventh, Federal st. - G j Eighth, Hollis St. - Dm Ninth, Lynde st. - D f Tenth, Park St. - E i Eleventh, Essex st. - E k Twelfth, N. Allen st. - C e Thirteenth - South Boston BAPTIST. First, Stillman st. H d Second, Salem st. - H d Third, Charles st. - Ah African, Belknapst. - C g EPISCOPALIAN. King's Chapel, Common St. F h Christ's ch. Salem st. - He Trinity ch. Summer st. F j St. Paul's, Common st. - D i St. Matthew's, South Boston QUAKER. Congress st. G h UNIVERSALIST. First, North Bennet st. Id Second, School st. - F i Third, Bulfiucb St. - E g METHODIST. First, Methodist alley - J c Second, Bromfield lane - E S ROMAN CATHOLICK. Uhurch of the Holy Cross, Franklin st. Fj St Augustus's Chapel, South Boston I

Introduction

. The City of Boston owes its origin to a spirit of civil and religious liberty, which was excited to action by the persecu tions that prevailed in England, during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, and Kings James and Charles the First. Most of those who can properly be considered as first settlers arrived here, and in other parts of New-England, prior to the year sixteen hundred and By that time, it is computed, the number of emigrants amounted to twenty-one thou sand two hundred souls, or thereabouts.* Had this multitude been composed of barbarian hordes, who, in their wanderings for sustenance, might have chanced to light upon this fair theatre in its wild and savage state, we should have had no interest in tracing their history. The wilderness they found, would have remained a wilderness still, and their descendants have been dancing yet to the orgies of Woonand and Mannit, or listening to the powaws of Hobbamoc and Kiehtan.

Not so with us : the hand of refinement has beautified the charms of nature ; monuments of art in our own habitations and in the temples of our God, a thousand endearments and ten thousand privileges enjoyed, invite us on every side to inquire into the character of the men that have preceded us, and to review the steps in which our fathers and ourselves have been led from infancy to our present state. To do this is the object we have now set be fore us ; and we are animated to the work by the persuasion, * If eat, N. E. ch. V. states the number at 4000, and thinks the above computation very ex travagant, on the ground that only 298 transports were employed. A little calculation, how ever, would have shown that if each of those had brought 72 persons, the number would be accounted for : whereas some of them were ships of good burthea that carried about two

INTRODUCTION.

. that a familiar acquaintance with the story of our early times will tend to generate in the reader ' a love of country of the best complexion, and ofthe highest order ; a love of country chastened and improved by elevated sentiments and dignified examples;' while the recapitulation of events more recent may serve to gratify the pride, which springs from a con sciousness of having borne a part in transactions worthy to be recorded. hundred passengers apiece. Besides, if any confidence is to be placed in the following estimate, which Neal cites without any doubts, the matter is almost certainly decided. Johnson, in his Wonder-Working Providence, published in London, 1654, has thus stated the costs of the expedition. Chap. 13, 14. The passage of the persons ---------------- 95,000?. The transportation of swine, goats, sheep, neate and horse, exclusive of their cost 12,000 Getting food for all the persons until they could get the wood to tillage - 45,000 Nayles, glasse, and other iron worke for their meeting-houses, and other dwelling bouses, before they could raise any other meanes in the country to purchase them - - 18,000 Armes, powder, bullet, and match, with great artillery ------- 22,000 192,000/.

"The whole sum amounts unto 192,000/. beside that which the adventurers laid out in England— neither let any man think the sum above expressed did defray the whole charge of this army." The charge for a passage was 5 pounds for a person ; — nursing children not to he reckon ed ; those under four years old, three for one*, under eight years, two for one ; under twelve years, three for two— Prince, Dec. 1. 1629.— Judge Davis* Disc.

Chapter I

From torturing racks and burning flame, Through seas of their own blood, they came. Var. Led. The fathers of Boston entered upon the stage of life while Elizabeth enjoyed the throne, and they learnt in the nursery, the tale of former persecution and of deaths for conscience sake. It would have been happy for them, if her reign had afforded no occasion to recollect the relation she bore to her tyrannical father and more cruel sister. She indeed discoun tenanced popery, but established a church herself, to whose rites and ceremonies it was most unpardonable heresy not to conform. ' My masters and ye ministers of London,' was the word, ' the Council's pleasure is, that ye strictly keep the unity of apparel, like this man who stands here, canonically habited, with a square cap, a scholar's gown, priest-like, with a tippet, and in the church a linen surplice.

Ye that will subscribe, write Volo ; those that will not subscribe, write Thsolo ; be brief ; make no words.' The consequence of a refusal was immediate suspension, with threats of deprivation in case of not conforming within three months. Many were accordingly suspended and deprived, and rules were enacted which forbid printers and booksellers to publish any appeal the sufferers might desire to make. The weight of this harsh treatment fell in the first instance upon ministers. Great numbers of the laity, however, sym pathized with them ; they abhorred the habits, and would not frequent the churches where they were used. Several of the deprived ministers, therefore, and their friends, associated and resolved to break off from the public churches, and to assemble for worship in private houses, or elsewhere as they had opportunity ; this step was the era or date ofthe Separa tion, 156G. Such a procedure could not fail to heighten the displeasure of the Queen.and her bishops.

The commissioners were enjoined to be still more severe ; and thereupon twenty-four men and seven women were seized and cast into prison, for attending a sermon and communion service in a private hall, and having the boldness to defend their conduct before the bishop of London and other magistrates. But neither their arguments nor their sufferings had any influence to effect the deliverance of the puritans. As we approach nearer to the period of our particular history, we find them exposed to impositions less and less tolerable ; and as a natural result of persecution, more and more convinced, both of the correctness of their own principles, and of the errors of their persecutors. Most of their objections had hitherto been made to the ceremonies of the church : to these they came by degrees to add doubts concerning her doctrines.

This widened the extent of their criminality, and the more certain ly to convict them, they were compelled to answer upon oath against themselves. In the midst of so much wrong, it is gratifying to discover that there was a spirit in the parliament which convened in 1571, to attempt something in favour of the puritans. An act was passed with that view, but no material benefit ever accru ed from it. The commissioners went on rigorously executing the old laws against all opponents of the established church. Among others, two anabaptists suffered under the act for burn ing of hereticks, in Smithfield, July 1575. The narrowness of the terms of conformity reduced the number of able preachers : most of the incumbents were disguised papists, or such conformists as were incapable of performing the ministe rial duties.

A fourth part at least of all the preachers in England were under suspension, and so many parishes were vacated that persons who wished to hear a sermon must go five, seven, twelve, and even twenty miles, and that too under the penalty of a fine for being absent from their parish church, where no service was performed. More effectually to distress both people and ministers, the former were forbidden to em ploy any of the latter as instructers of their children. The people of London and Cornwall petitioned parliament for relief: the whole country exclaimed against the bishops for their high proceedings, but all to little purpose. Some slight appearances of milder measures were now and then to be seen, but the next day would dissipate all hope, and the dissenters would be called to witness the public execution of their friends on the gallows.

The Queen continued resolutely bent on perfect obedience to her requirements, and in 1583 established a court of high commission, with powers to inquire into misdemeanors by every way and means they could de vise, and to punish by fine or imprisonment according to their discretion. The proceedings of ,*1|^ tribunal were as merci less as its powers were boundless : and when the Commons inclined to remedy some of the evils that arose from this and other measures of the Queen, they found out the iniquity of the act of supremacy, which vested the whole power of re forming the policy of the church in the single person of her Majesty, who would permit no infringement on her preroga tive from any quarter whatsoever. Under these circumstances the puritans could expect no amelioration of their condition during her reign : they there fore looked forward with anxious hopes, to the probable ac cession of King James, who, having been bred a puritan, they anticipated would redress their wrongs.

Elizabeth died on the 24th of March, 1603, and James came to the throne only to disappoint these hopes. He had hardly been king a year before a proclamation was issued, in which he ordered the puritan ministers either to conform by a given day, or dispose of themselves and families some other way. He was determined to be rid of them, and to sanction his own will, procured the opinion of several judges, that it was lawful to deprive such ministers as would not conform, that it was not necessary to furnish one accused, with a copy of his charge, and that it was treasonable to frame petitions and collect numerous signatures to the same, as the puritans had done. Af ter these determinations, the Archbishop, Bancroft, resumed fresh courage and pursued the nonconformists without the least compassion.

The most trifling causes furnished ground for the prosecution of the laity, and three hundred of the clergy were either silenced, or deprived, or excommunicated, or cast into prison, or forced to leave their country, by the end of the year 1604. A considerable number of religious people had left Eng land, in the time of Mary's persecutions, and some of them returned on Elizabeth's accession. We haye detailed sufficiently the reception they met, and we behold them now reduced to the alternatives of stifling their consciences or quitting their homes. Among those v. ho preferred the latter, we perceive a company, to whose unwavering attachment to pure and undefiled religion we are indebted for the settlement of our country. In the spring of 1609, the persecution growing still hotter, the Rev. John Robinson with a church under his care removed into Holland and settled at Leyden.* They had not long been there, before they found themselves en countered with many inconveniences : they felt that they were neither for health, nor purse, nor language, well accom modated, but the concern which they most of all had, was for their posterity.