Essex County, Massachusetts - Chapter 32: Danvers, 1888 (part 2 of 2)

To Israel, who established the third and last branch of the Porter family, his father by will bequeathed " my new mansion-house, with all ye housings thereupon, orchards and lands adjoining, so much as was by me purchased of Mr. Sharpe, also I do give him sixty acres of Skelton's necke, i. e. that pt wh I purchased of Mr. Skeltou's daughters," also " my interest in the Saw-mill near Skelton's neck." By purchase from his brother Benjamin, who was unmarried, and otherwise, Israel retained all the southern portion and, as now settled, by far the richest, of his father's great landed property. One of these deeds from Benjamin to Israel, dated January 23, 1700, conveys " a certain parcel of land given unto me by will of my dearest father, and by him purchased part of it of Mr. Gott, part of Jacob Barney, Jeffry Massey, William Watson, John Pickard and Pasco Foot, all which parcels are commonly called Gott's Corner." This"Gott's Corner " included a part of the beautiful estate which is known as the Burley Farm, now owned by George A. Peabody, Esq., and also the Proctor farm, and other lands eastward. It was on or near the site of Mr. Peabody's residence that Israel Porter himself was living in witchcraft times. Israel died in 1706, leaving by will to his oldest sons, John and Israel, all of Sharpe's farm above the Ipswich Road. A deed of partition was made between John and Israel in 1809. John was a " mariner," and probably died in Boston. By virtue of a power in his will his widow Elizabeth, in consideration of twelve hundred and ten pounds, " good bills of credit on the Province," sold to Timothy Lyndall, of Boston, gentleman, four tracts embracing about two hundred and fifteen acres, July, 1715. The old Lindall house, which stood at the corner of Locust and Poplar Streets, has been referred to in what has been said of the Putnams.

Israel Porter's second son, Israel, one of the clerks of the Village parish, was the father of Ginger, a name now somehow gone out of fashion, who married Elisha Hutchinson and became the mother of another Danvers military hero, spoken of later. Colonel Israel Hutchinson.

William, the third son to leave descendants, seems to have lived east of Frost Fish Brook, then Beverly, now East Danvers; but, April 19, 1750, he sold his farm of two hundred and forty-six acres to " King" Robert Hooper, and thus another great slice of the Porter lands passed out of the family.

Benjamin, the fourth and last son of Israel to leave descendants, was the father of John, an inn-holder, and Benjamin, potter. One of the latter's sons was Israel, who lived during the last half of the last century, and was the father of Abijah and Benjamin. Abijah lived and died in the old house, on High Street, nearly opposite Aaron Warren's. This his son Isaac inherited, and, in a little cottage close by, the widow of Isaac, Eliza Jocelyn Porter, is living, in her ninetieth year. Abijah's brother, Benjamin, was well known as "Cap'-n Ben," who made a fortune in the fishing business at Marblehead, came back to Danvers about 1835, and bought the Nathan Read mansion, near the Iron-Works. His son, Benjamin F. Porter, with his children, now live on the same estate ; and it depends solely upon the young grandsons of Capt. Ben and the lawyer's little boy, before alluded to, whether the family-name shall be longer preserved whei'e once it was so numerously and powerfully represented. A few other Porters in town are not of this stock.

The Mudges. - Though this family cannot be reckoned among the early settlers, they have been prominent in town for more than a century. Their ancestor was Thomas Mudge, who was born in England, about 1724, and came to Maiden, where he was in 1657. His oldest son was killed at Bloody Brook in 1675, and two others were in Captain Moseley's company. His son John was one of the grantees to whom land was given for services in King Philip's War. John's son was Deacon John, and the deacon was the father of another John, who was a Maiden farmer and died in 1762. This last John had a number of sons, the eldest of whom was killed in his nineteenth year in the French War, under General Amherst; the youngest died from the effects of service in the Revolution ; Simon, the fifth of a family of nine, is of especial interest here.

Simon Mudge was born in Maiden, April 8, 1748. He was a carpenter, and he came to Danvers to live two years before the Revolution. The farm which he bought is the one now owned by Amos Pratt, on Centre Street. Subsequently, his widow went to live with her brother, William Whittredge, on the farm at the corner of Dayton and Newbury Streets, where her son Amos continued to live and bring up his family. Simon Mudge also served in the Revolution, and, in July, 1776, marched away with a Danvers company for Ticonderoga. A diary which he kept of his march is preserved in the family and extracts have been printed. Very likely its custodian, who is one of the most zealous of temperance men, fails of being touched by this pitiful complaint:

"August the 6, 1776. Last night Ly in tentoa the town being go full that v\o could neither get vituals nor Logeing till this morning there and Knni sells for nino Shillings and fore Pence a gallon and tlie most miserable stuff j ever Drank. Drawd for 62 men but uo sauce reed. Orders to march to Ticonteroga to-morrow."

He was at Lexington in Captain Flint's company. His wife was Elizabeth Whittredge, of Danvers, who died in 1836, ninety years old; he died in 1799, in his fifty-second year, leaving six children. Of these, two were sons, - Simon and Amo^, and but one daughter married, - Nancy, wife of Elijah Hutchinson, of Middleton. Simon was like his father, a farmer and carpenter, and lived and died, 1775-1853, on his father's homestead. His wife was a daughter of Silas Merriam, of Middleton, and the family of Amos Pratt are their only descendants in town ; a son, William Whittredge, married a daughter of Jonathan Perry, and moved to Bedford, Mass., in 1856.

Simon's son Amos, born in 1782, was also a carpenter and farmer, and died April 7, 1853. His wife was Sarah AViison, and they had six children, four sons and two daughters. Josiah, the oldest son, to whom the double occupation descended, is represented by the families of his sou Albert H. Mudge and by those of George H. Peabody and Walter T. Martin. Otis, the next son of Amos, received a good academy education, for several years was a successful school teacher, and then began the manufacture of shoes, a business in which he was successfully engaged until the close of his life. He died in 1862 in his forty-ninth year, on the old homestead, leaving no children. He was in the Legislature of 1851, and helped to elect Sumner; was on the school committee and a selectman.

Edwin and Augustus Mudge sons of Amos, are among the most respected and influential citizens of the town. Both have represented their fellow-citizens at the State House, the former in the House, the latter in the Senate. Edwin Mudge's contribution of his legislative salary towards the erection of the Soldier's Mouument is mentioned in the chapter on the Civil War. Augustus is president of the savingsbank. In 1849 the partnership of E. and A. Mudge, shoe manufacturers, was formed, which, with the addition of Edward Hutchinson, in 1858, has remained since unchanged. Of this business something further appears in the sketch of the shoe industry of the town.

Incorporation. - The municipal individuality of Danvers begins January 25, 1752. For a considerable time previously there had been a growing desire for separation from Salem both at the Village and the Middle Parish. During the preceding summer a special committee, consisting on the part of the Village, of Samuel Flint, Cornelius Tarball and James Prince, and on the part of the parish, of Daniel Epes, Jr., Malachi Felton and John Proctor, considered the matter, and in anticipation of securing their end proposed that plan which, for more than a hundred years, was substantially lived up to, namely, - " Ye major part of ye selectmen and assessors shall be Chosen one year in one parish, and ye next year in ye other parish successively." The committee were instructed at once "to labour," both at old Salem and in the General Court, - a mild sort of lobby, perhaps, which was successful in obtaining desired legislation. The full text of the act of incorporation is as follows :

" An act for erecting the Village parish and middle Parish so called, in the Town of Salem into a Distinct and separate District liy the Name of Danvers.

" Whereas, the Town of Salem is Very Large and the Inhabitants of the Village and Middle parishes so called within ye same (many of them at Least,) live att a great Distance from that part of Salem where the Publick affairs of the Town are Transacted and also from the Grammer School which is kept in ye sd first Parish.

"And Whereas, most of the Inhabitants of the sd first Parish are Either Merchants, Traders or Mechanicks & those of ye sd Village and Middle parishes are chiefly Husbandmen, by means whereof many Disputes & Difficultys have Arrissen and May hereafter arise in the manageing their public Affairs Together, &, Espeacially touching ye Apportioning the Public Taxes, For preventing of wliicli Inconveniences for the future.

" Be it Enacted by the Lieut. Governour, Council, and House of Representatives, That that part of ye s'd Town of Salem which now constitutes the village and middle parishes in sd Town according to their boundaries and the Inhabitants therein, be Erected into a separate and Distinct District bj' the Name of Danvers, and that said Inhabitants shall do the dutys that are Required and Enjoyned onjother Towns, and Enjoy all the Powers, Privileges and Immunities that Towns in this province by Law Enjoy, except that of separately chuseing and sending one or more Representatives to Represent them att ye Genii Assembly, &c.

A " district " differed from a "town " only in the matter of sending representatives to the General Court. A district could not do that ; it sent a " delegate." And so jealous was the King of that body 28i that the Governor was charged to consent to no division of territory which would add to its members. The act was considerably more than half a loaf, and the rest soon came. As to the origin of the name "Danvers," there is yet some doubt. " D'Auvers " is an old English family name, evidently of French origin. In one of the numbers of the London Art Journal an article on ancient street tablets gives a cut of one in Chelsea with this inscription :

The conclusion accepted by S. P. Fowler, who has made the subject a study, is that "in some way not yet discovered the name came from Sir Danvers Osborne, Bart., the unfortunate Governor of New York, in 1753." Mr. Eice has added: "I think it must have been through Lieutenant-Governor Phipps."

It is believed that there is but one other town of the same name in the country, and that one, in Mc- Lean County, Illinois, is a namesake of the first. The western town was laid out about fifty years ago "and it was agreed to call it Danvers, out of regard to Israel W. Hall, who came from Danvers, Mass." A speaking acquaintance is maintained between the two towns through the medium of local papers.

" Voted to Chuse Seven Selectmen for this present year, viz. : four in ye first Parish & three in y Second Parish, & to chuse by written Votes, & chose Mr. Archelaus Dale, M''. John Andrew & M'. Henry Putnam, to tell y« Votes Chosen Selectmen, Daniel Epes, Jun'., Esq'., Captain Samuel Flint, Dea Cornelius Tarball, M'. Stephen Putnam, M'. Samuel King, M'. Daniel Gardner, & M'. Joseph Putnam ; & the above Named Persons were chosen Assessors and Overseers of yo Poor.

" Voted to Chuse four Constables, viz. ; Two in y« first and Two in yo Second Parish ; & Chose M'. David Goodale for y» West Ward in ye first Parish, & M'. Samuel White for ye East Ward in s^ first Parish, and Chose M'. Roger Derby Constable in ye East Ward, and M'. Jonathan Twiss Constable in ye West Ward in ye Second Parish.

" Voted to Chuse five Tithingmen, & Chose M'. Samuel Putnam, Jun'., and M'. Archelaus Putnam, Jun'., for ye first Paiish, & Chose M'. Samuel Osbon, Jun'., M'. James Upton & M'. Timothy Upton, for ye Second Parish.

"Voted M'. John Andrew, M'. John Preston, M'. Francis Nurse, Lieut. David Putnam, M'. Jacob Goodale, M'. George Goold, Surveyors of High ways for the first Parish.

" Voted Mr. James Chapman, M^. Ebenezer King, M^. John Brown & M'. Gideon Foster, to Take care that yo Laws relating to y"> preservation of alewives be observed.

" Voted that ye Selectmen be Hereby fully Impowered to agree with the Town of Salem concerning our proportion of the poor in the Alms House, & Settle y« Number, and take care of them as they shall think best, and make Report of their doings att the Adjournment of this meeting.

" Voted To mend the High ways in s* District by Days' works, and that Surveyors be chosen in Different parts of y« Dist^., & that y" selectmen shall appoint y surveyors their Respective Wards, and the selectmen to Tax y» Polls &, Estates, and such persons as chuse to pay their s* Tax in Labour, shall Iiave free Liberty so to do ; and such persons as will not pay thoir Tax in work on y« si* High ways, shall be oblidged to pay the same in mony, according as they are Taxed, and the Surveyors are Hereby fully Authorized and Impovver'd to Collect and Gatlier the 6* Taxes in there Respective Wards, & to be accountable for y^ same, to the Selectmen, & the Allowance shall be, Two Shillings and Eight pence p. Day for a man, & that boys & Teams be Left to y^ Surveyors to sett y" Valine, & y Surveyors shall give Timely Notice to the Persons Taxed in their Lists, not Less than three days and the High way work shall be done, some time between the first day of April & ye first Day of November, and att no other Times, Except in Cases where it may Happen that there may be Necessity.

" It being put to Vote whither ye Inhabitants will raise Two Hundred Pounds Lawful! mony, to Defray ye Charges of ye District, & the County Tax, Exclusive of high ways for this present year It passed in ye Affirmative.

" It being put to Vote whither ye Inhabitants will raise one Hundred & Fifty pounds LawfuU mony, to Defray the High way charges. It past in the Affirmative.

" Voted That Meetings of the District shall be warned for ye futxire, by posting attested coppys of ye Warrants for Calling s'l Meetings, on the Meeting-House in ye first parish, & on ye Meeting-House in ye second parish.

" Voted That ye Selectmen be Hereby fully Impower,d to Settle with ye Town of Salem, Relateing to ye School mony, & all other accounts, and to Receive ye Mony that may be Due from s* Salem to us.

Within two years boundaries were run between the district and all the adjoining towns, and many other measures taken, but the more the inhabitants acted after the manner of towns, the more impatient they grew to become a town. So on the 3d of February,

1755, they passed a vote " that it be the minds of the Inhabitants that the said District be erected into a separate Town Ship, & that the said Daniel Epes, Junr., Esq., be and hereby is desired and impowered to prefer a Petition to the Great and General Court, and to use his Endeavours to get the same affected."

The act which conferred the full powers of a town upon Danvers, was not, however, passed until June 9th, 1757, and then only after persistent demands and against the protest of Thomas Hutchinson, Governor.

The population of the town at its incorporation was not far from 2000. The first State census, 1765, gives it then 2133. Subsequent figures may, for convenience, be given here:

" Rec* of Daniel Epes, Jun'., a Province Note of twenty pound For supporting the French Neutrals the year past. Being the Charge the Town was at for the Same."

It recalls the melancholy event of Longfellow's " Evangeline." The English expelled some thousand of these inoffensive people from Acadia in 1755, and in the scattering a few came to Danvers. The only other mention of the unfortunate people is eight years later, when, on the question of supply, "they being gooiug off," these voi.es were passed :

" Voted: thattho Overseers of the Poor sliall allow the French people what they shall think just, and to be drawn out of the Treasury, and then the moderator dissolved the meeting."

It is common to find in the town records of a hundred years ago assessors' returns of the " Number of Coaches, Chaises, etc., in the Town of Danvers." There is an air of aristocracy in these lists, containing the names of those I'ich enough to " ride in chaises." But twenty-three persons in the whole town owned these vehicles in 1784. Those owning " fall back" chaises were Hon. Samuel Holten, Israel Hutchinson, Esq., Nathaniel Pope, Arch. Rea, Colonel Jere. Page, Joseph Flint, Widow Mercy Porter, Daniel Jacobs, Jr., Samuel Gardner, Captain Timothy Orne, Widow Elizabeth Poole. Nathaniel Putnam owned two "standing-top " chaises, and the following, one each : Benj. Putnam, Zorub. Porter, Colonel Enoch Putnam, Captain Wm. Shillaber, Jos. Southwick, Jr., John Dodge, Ebenezer Dale, Arch. Putnam, Phinehas Putnam, Amos Putnam, Gideon Putnam.

Regarding maps of the town, as early as 1794, the selectmen were directed to take a plan of the town in accordance with a Legislative act. No further action was taken until 18.30, when the same instructions were repeated, and the next year the selectmen were authorized to publish a map if they should think proper. After some sixteen years, three lawyers, Northend, Abbott and Proctor, were directed to make a complete survey of the town for the correction of the plate. The maps of the old town of Danvers, now somewhat rare, embellished with cuts of " The Naumkeag House, North Danvers, E. G. Berry," " Moses Black, Jr., Wood and Coal -Yard, Danversport," " Third Congregational Church," and a few scenes in South Danvers, are printed from this plate.

For about half a century, commencing with 1S16, it was the custom of Danvers people to be reminded of the dinner-hour and of bed-time by the ringing of church-bells. In the year mentioned it was first voted " that the Bells be rung at 12 o'clock at noon and at 9 o'clock A. M. (P. M.), provided it does not cost moriB than $25 at each Meeting-House."

In 1832 Moses Black and others succeeded in adding the music of "the Bell at the Neck." The practice has been discontinued since 18G3, except for a single year (1874), when the sextons rang its final knell. The dinner-hour seems likely to take care of itself, but if the later alarm could shorten the average "evening out" it might be well to bring it back again.

There were at least two flourishing local military companies a half a century ago. These were the Artillery Company and the Danvers Light Infantry. Doubtless much of interest might be written concerning both. This requisition was found among the old papers in the town-house.

" Having been ordered to parade the company which I command for the purpose of inspection and review of arms on the I'lth day of the present month, it is my duty to request you, Gentlemen, and I do hereby request you, to provide a quantity of good powder sufficient for 100 men (that being the number born on the company roll) agreeable to the 23d section of Massachusetts Militia Law.

Captain Felton presented a similar requisition for blank cartridges for his company of forty-five ; and Captain Asa Tapley, Jr., for seventy men.

At the annual meeting of 1840, the need of a more complete system of by-laws was met by the election of Dr. Andrew Nichols, J. W. Proctor, John Page, Eben S. Upton and Elias Putnam as a committee of revision and construction, which committee reported to the meeting which elected them that "on examining the existing by-laws, they find them so imperfect and incomplete as to demand an entire revision and new arrangement. . . . They would recommend that a committee of one from each school district, together with the selectmen and clerk prepare such a system of by-laws as in their judgment the interests of the town require, etc.," and that the same be printed, distributed and acted upon the next year.

Eight years afterwards the subject was revived, and John W. Proctor. Dr. Nichols, Moses Black, Jr., A. A. Abbott and Nathaniel Pope were appointed to draft a new code. At the first annual meeting after the division of the town, that is, in 1856, it became necessary to take a fresh start, and Moses Black, Jr., Edwin Mudge and Francis Dodge were appointed to perform the duty. In 1874 important revisions were made at the suggestion of a committee chosen for the purpose, namely, Rev. C. B. Rice, Israel W. Andrews and Henry A. Perkins. The last revision, 1883, was made by a committee consisting of Rev. C. B. Rice, D. N. Crowley, I. W. Andrews and George Tapley.

The part which Danvers took in the Revolution which came soon after the incorporation of town has been spoken of separately. During and some time after the Revolution the people of the town were concerned about small-pox, which in October, 1773, seemed "to spread in several of our neighboring Towns," and Ebenezer Goodale and Dr. Joseph Osgood were chosen to take preventive measures against its appearing here. Though in some respects an unpleasant topic to write of or to read of, nevertheless much may be learned from the records of these years, before Jenner's great discovery, of the way in which inoculation, which ])receded vaccination, was regarded. In the spring of 1777, Benjamin Porter and others petitioned "to see if the town will grant Leave to inoculate for the Small-pox in that part of the Town called the Neck from the house of Benj*. porter to the Bridge By Abel Watterses, the Town inhabitants only unless their should not so many of the inhabitants appear to Be Inoculated as could be convend in that case to take in persons From other towns ; also to choose a committee to regulate the affiiir," and another committee to apply to the General Court for their approbation. The record of the meeting which considered this petition is short and to the point :

"At a Leagel meeting of the inhabitants of Danvers, may 19th, 1777, Voted, Dr. Amos putnam moderator ; Voted not to Act on the Request of Benj». porter and others ; Voted to Desolve s* meeting, the moderator Declared s* meeting Desolved."

The next year, measures were taken for suitable quarters "for the reception of those persons belonging to this Town who shall be taken with the Small Pox the natural way." Another move was also made for " Liberty to Inoculate such persons as shall chuse to take the Small Pox that way belonging to this town ; " it had a momentary success :

"Voted to Inoculate in the Town for the Small Pox. "Voted to reconsider the vote respecting Inoculation. "Voted to dismiss the clause in the warrant respecting Inoculation : Voted that this meeting be Disolved."

In May, 1778, the advocates of inoculation gained more substantial yet temporary success. It was then voted " that Captain Derby's house be set apart for the Inoculation in this Town," and three men, whose names signify the interest taken in the matter, Captain Daniel Jacobs, Major Caleb Low and Major Samuel Epes, were appointed "to regulate said affair." In less than a fortnight Ezekiel Marsh and others brought to the selectmen their petition to put a stop to inoculation at the Derby farm, though when the selectmen issued their warrant it contained also another petition, of Benjamin Balch and others, for inoculation "in that part of the town called the Neck." The former petition was granted ; the latter, refused.

Feeling ran high on the subject. This last meeting, held on the 8th of June, set the seal of its condemnation unequivocally upon the new and absurd idea. But it was not enough ; it should be killed and buried beyond resurrection. Therefore, four days later another warrant was posted at the meetinghouses giving notice of a meeting on the 15th of June to take into consideration the desire of Mr. Arch's Dale and others for a final stop of the business, and it peems worth while to quote at length from the record of this meeting. Mr. Dale was himself moderator.

"Voted to put a final Stop to the Small Pox by Iiioculation in Cap* Derby's House, that was allowed of by the Town dureing their Pleasure ; voted that the Stop take place this Day ; voted no person be allowed to enter into Said Derby's House after the 15"i of June, 1778, for Inoculation ; voted if any Doci^ or any other person after the Said IS"" Day of June, 1778, Shall Inoculate any Person whatever with the Small Pox in sd House or Teritories thereto belonging, Shall be liable to pay the Same fine that they would have been liable to have paid had they Inoculated without leave from the Town, and incur the Town's Displeasure ; voted if any Person whatever Shall, after the Said 15 of June, 1778, Enter the Said House or teritories thereunto belonging and be Inoculated contrary to the True Meaning of the Town, Shall pay the Same Fines & Suffer the Same Peualtys, which by Law they are liable to as those Persona that Inoculate in their own Houses.

" Voted that all the votes and orders of the Town respecting the Stoping of the Inoculation that have or Shall pass be fairly Copied of by the Clerk and immediately Sent to the Docters and others Concerned ; voted to Choose a Committee ; voted the Committee to Consist of three ; voted Cap' William Shilhiber, Stephen Needham and Aaron Osborn be Said Committee, whose business Shall be to dul}' Inspect into and See that every vote and order of tlie Town respecting the Stoping of Said Inoculation be faithfully Complied with, and to prosecute any and every Person (if need be) that doth not Comply with the Same. Voted to Disolve this Meeting, and the Moderator declared the Meeting Disolved accordingly.

Thus the matterremained for twelve years. Not till 1792 was any proposition bearing upon the subject brought before the town, and then public opinion had so far changed as to allow " persons to inoculate in proper places," under the superintendence of another committee of solid men.

At the annual meeting of 1793 the town was asked to consider if any allowance should be made " to some of the Persons that have had the Small pox that are poor ; " and three pounds were voted to Nathan Upton, who was an unfortunate victim of the "natural way."

More than twenty years later " vaccination '' was for the first time the subject of public action. General Gideon Foster's name was at the head of a petition for a town-meeting, held in July, 1815, for the especial purpose of considering the expediency of accepting certain proposals offered by one Dr. Fansher. They were as follows :

" Dr. Fansher begs leave respectfully to propose to the Town of Danvers that he will (in case it meets the approbation of the Town) Vaccinate at such places in the different Neighborhoods throughout the Town as shall be designed by a Committee for the Children to assemble for that purpose, and attend and examine his patients at the proper time to see that each individual are secure from the danger of the small Pox at 25 cents per head, and he believes that no person can possible do this nice business and do it justice for a smaller fee and be the gainer."

These proposals were accepted with the provisions reserved - there must be some Yankee to the trade - that all above six hundred were to be treated gratis. And if any one doubts that this Dr. Fansher was an important man just at this time, let him read the names of the committee chosen to inspect him, " two from each district and three in the districts where the clergymen reside:" No. 1, Rev. Samuel Walker, Squires Shove, Fitch Pool ; 2, Rev. Jere. Chaplin, Nath'l Putnam ; 3, Zerub'l Porter, Eben Putnam, Jr.; 4, Eleazer Putnam, Daniel Putnam; 5, Rev. Benj. Wadsworth, Joseph Hutchinson ; fi, Nathan Felton, Jonathan Proctor ; 7, Jesse Upton, Asa Gardner; 8, John Marsh, Amos King, 3d; 9, John Mansfield, John Douty; 10, Jona. Walcut, John Jacobs ; 11, Gideon Foster, Elijah C. Webster; 12, Rich'd Osborn, Nathan Poor.

" Resolved, That this Town entertain a high opinion of Vaccination, and consider it (when conducted by skilful and experienced hands) a sure and certain substitute for the small Pox.

"Resolved, That this Meeting deems it the indispensable duty of a commi.nity to make use of the means that Divine Previdence has given us to guard against every impending evil to which we are exposed, especially those which involve the health or the Lives of the Inhabitants."