Plymouth County, Massachusetts - Chapter 3: Situation and Topogkapiiy, 1884

Chapter 3: Situation and Topogkapiiy

Situation and Extent - Topography - Centre Village - Campello - " Sprague'a" or Factory Village - .Salisbury Heights - Northwest Bridgewater - Rivers, Brooks, Hills - Natural History - Birds, Fish, Wild Animals - Geological Formation - OtEcial History - Selectmen - Assessors - -Town Clerks - Treasurers - Moderators - Dates of Annual Meetings - Engineers of tho Fire Department - Councillors - Senators - Ue])- rcsentatives to the (jeneral Court - Coroners - Notaries Public - Deputy Sherills - Justices of the Peace - Ti ial Justices - Votes for Governor in Brockton - List of Governois.

Brockton is a city in the northwest part of Plymouth County, - bordering on Bristol County on the west, and Norfolk County on the north, - and is situated between 42° 03' and 42° OS' north latitude, and between 70° 57' and 71° 04' west longitude; and is bounded on the north by Randolph and Stoughton, on the east by Abington and E;ist Bridgewater, on the south by West Bridgewater, on the west by Easton. It is twenty miles south from Bo.ston, thirty miles northeast from Providence, twenty-four miles northwest from Plymouth, the shire-towii of Plymouth County, sixteen miles southeast from Dedham, the shire-town of Norfolk County, fifteen miles northetist from Taunton, a half shire-town of Bristol County, thirty-five miles northerly from New Bedford, thirty and one-quarter miles northeast from Fall River, forty-nine and one-quarter miles northeast from Newport, R. I., one hundred miles from Provincetown, two hundred and ten miles from New York by rail and steamer. The city is five and a half miles in length from east to west, and five miles in width from north to south, and contains about thirteen thousand acres, and is about four and a half miles square, - has a total length of nearly one hundred miles of public streets, and it may truly be called a " live" place.

Campello. - The next in importance is a neat and .pleasant locality, about one and a half miles south from the centre of the city, formerly known as " Plain Village," now Campello. This name was first sug- gested to the citizens of Plain Village at the time of the establishment of the post-office, in February, 1850, on account of the name of Plain Village being often confounded with other places spelled nearly the same. It was proposed by Rev. Daniel Huntington, and uiKinimoubly adopted by the people as a proper otie, it signifying a small plain. It has always been noted for its extensive manufacturing establishments of boots, shoL-s, cabinet furniture, and musical instruments; and the thrift and industry of her citizens may be clearly seen in the neat and tidy uppearauco of the small cottages scattered throughout the limits of the same. The growth of this place was materitilly checked. May 23, 1853, by one of the most destructive fires that ever occurred in the city, if uot in the county. It is now growing rapidly, and bids fair to be aunnig the best localities for business. Here there is a large amount of business done in the shoe trade, several large establishments being engaged in manufacturing goods for foreign markets, the owners or proprietors of which have stores I'ur the sale of goods in Boston, one manufactory of musical instruments, several variety stores, grocery stores, post-office, railroad depot near by, rendering it a de.-iirablo place for trade or for a private residence. The main street runs the entire length of tiie city, north and south, with graceful elms on either side. There are schools in the place and live churches.

Salisbury Square. - Sprague's Factory Village, or Salisbury Srjuare, is another small and beautifullylocated cluster of houses and manufacturing establishments, about three-fourths of a mile east of the main street of the city, on the road leading to Abington. There is a large manufactory of last and boot-trees in this place, with water- and steam-power, formerly owned and conducted by the late Chandler Sprague, Esq., to whom the citizens of that portion of the city owe their success for the enterprising manner in which he rendered the place attractive. Several years since he erected a large and convenient building for his use, in which were couducced several branches of manufacturing; also a beautiful residence now owned by Dr. S. J. Gruver, situated but a short distance from the factory ; also a .store. In this vicinity is a neat and roomy school-house, having a tower, with a bell ; a saw-mill, and several shoe manufactories, besides other establishments for the manufacture of shoe tools.

Brockton Heights. - The next is the " West Shares, or "Northwest Bridgewater" (now known as Brockton Heights"), a prominent height of land from which magnificent views may be had. It is the highest portion of land to be found in all the four Bridgewaters. On the north we have a view of the Blue Hills of Milton, and on the west we have a jiicturesque view of the Western Hills ; and no place can excel it for its lovely scenery and its healtlil'ul locality. The land is of a good (|Uality, and the jieople in this portion of the town arc mostly finucrs. In immediate proximity to this place is one MethuJist Church, school, post-office, and store, and is situated at about equal distance from Stoughton and Centre of Brockton.

Rivers and Brooks. - This town is well watered by brooks and streams, only one large enough to he called a river, and that of small size. Most of these have had mills erected upon them. The most prominent of these is the Salisbury River, which rises in the town of Stoughton, running southerly one-half mile west of the Centre Village, till it crosses Belmont Street, a short distance below the mill known as the Caleb Howard Mill, when it turns and runs east till it meets Trout Brook.

This brook also rises in the southerly part of Stoughton, and runs south about a half-mile east of the middle of the town till it meets Salisbury Brook, near Sprague's works. At this point the two are joined, and run in a southerly direction, a short distance east of Campello village, into the town of East Bridgewater.

Beaver Brook is another stream, rising iu Weymouth ; runs in a southerly direction, and forming a boundary-line between Abington and North Biidgewater, till it enters East Bridgewater. Another river rises in Easton, and runs through the southwest part of the town into West Bridgewater, and is called Cowesett Brook.

West Meadow Brook rises north of the residence of Caleb Phillips, near Pleasant Street, and runs in a southerly direction into West Bridgewater, near Henry Jackson's.

Another small stream rises in the south part of Stoughton and north part of Brockton, near George W. Hunt's; running southeasterly it empties into Salisbury Brook, near Galen Packard's mill.

Also, a small stream rises near the residence of the late Deacon Silvanus French, and, running south, enters West Bridgewater east of the late residence of Nahum Hayward, and empties into Salisbury River.

Although the streams in this town are small, there has been, at various times, considerable manufacturing done by water-power. There are no ponds in town of any size, excepting those made by flowins; meadows for mill privileges, ihe largest in town being that at Sprague's works, next at Howard's mills, and one at Tilden's Corner. There is about a thousand acres in the town covered by water, the balance is well divided into woodland, pasturing, and mowing, and there is do city or town in the county where there is less unproductive or unimproved land than in this town. There are over four thousund acres of good woodland, and over eleven hundred acres of land tilled, uxclusive of orcharding ; over fifteen hundred acres of good upland mowing land, about eighty acres of orcliardiug, about six hundred acres of fresh meadow, about three thousand acres of pasture land.

its surface is comparatively level, with but a few hills. Besides those already mentioned, there are some elevated spots liere and there, prominent among which is Gary Hill, situated in the northeast part of the town, overlooking the village on the south, gently sloping in either direction, from the top of which we may get pure air and tine views in an autumn day. When the leaves are turned into rich drapery, it is worth while to ride to this place for the prospect that may be hail. It is of very easy access by good road.s, and the wonder is that it is not more generally selected as a place of residence by those wishing a healthy and retired lut-ality. The land in the immediate vicinity is good, well adapted to tillage, produces fine crops with little labor.

Prospect EI ill is another high and pleasant spot of land, very desirable for building purposes, and but a short distance from the village in a northwest direction, west of the late Capt. A.sa Jones' residence. On this heiglit are many tine residences.

Ridge Hill is a rough and rocky pasture, running from near the residence of Freeman Holmes, in the south part of the town, northerly for about one mile, and lias been much celebrated for its plentiful crops of huckleberries and blackberries.

Stone-House Hill is situated on the boundary-line between Brockton and Easton, a short distance west of the shoe manufactory of Jonas Reynolds at Tilden's Corner. At this place is an old cave, made in the solid stone ledge, and is said to have been used by the Indians as a dwelling. The cave may now be seen as formerly used. It is situated on the old road leading from Brockton to Easton. A pastoral poem was written by George H. FuUerton, Esq., the late postmaster of Brockton. This work is worthy of a perusal.

Every town has its natural history, and every mile of its surface, with its hills and plains, its rivers, ponds, rocks, and trees, - all have a charm that clusters around the home of childhood. The forests of Brockton consist of red-, white-, and sugar-maple (although the latter is scarce, it is occasionally fuund), white-, red-, and black-ash, the tremulous poplar and verdant hemlock, the tall spruce, much used in building, white-ash, used for carriage- work, scjthes, and rake-handles, for hoops, sieve rims, and boxes, and u superior wood for oars. Sa.ssafras was in early times quite plenty, valuable only for medicinal purposes. Chestnut is not abundant. White-oak is used fur carriages, red-oak for casks, the bark of which is used for tanning; hickory afibrding plenty of good shellbarks ; butternut is not common, - here and there a j tree ; white-pine is tolerably plenty, although it h;is been of late much cut for fuel and building purposo ; I pitch-pine is quite plenty, - good only for fuel, being ' knotty and pitchy ; red cedar, used for rail-fences and ; pencil-woods, also very useful for linings to che.sts, :i.s ' a protection from moths ; red-beech, used for plane, woods, last, and boot-tree forms. Tall and graceful elms rejoice the eye in every direction. In the early settlement of the town large quantities of ship-timber of oak and chestnut were carried I'rom the town to the sea-shore towns of Weymouth, Scituate, and Du.xbury. Among those who did a large trade in that line were Messrs. Abel and Eliphaiet Kingman, and, later, Edwin H. Kingman. Of late years a ready market is found at home for all the wood cut, where formerly large lots were either carried to Boston and the seaport towns, or made into charcoal, and then sent to Boston. Since the railroads have been built wood has been mucli used on the locomotives, and has made it scarce at times, but if we take a look about the town we shall find " a few more left of the same sort."

Fruit-Trees. - Of tliis kind of tree not so great a variety is found as in many places, although the writer is happy in believing that there is an increasing interest being felt in this most important of agricultural pursuits, - that of raising fruit. The must commou fruit is the apple. There is a fair assortment of them in the town, and the now orchards contain choice varieties, while the old and wild orchards have given way to the woodman's axe. Now the apple is a staple article of consumption, the consumers being more numerous than the producers, and people are looking more to tlie cultivation of all kinds than ever before. Choice varieties are engrafted upon the stumps of old trees, and were it not for the borers that eat the roots, canker-worms and caterpillars that cat the leaves and branches, we might look witii duligiit upon as fine orchards as could be found in any place. These pests have destroyed the orchards, as grasshoppers have the nice fields of gra.ss, and the ways and means of ridding the orchards of these plagues is not yet fully understood. Next to the apple comes the pear-tree, which does not appear to thrive as well in this town as in many others, the land not being well adapted for this kind of fruit, tliough of late many have been successful, and raised choice kinds.

Peaches are rai.sed to a very limited extent, the climate not being adapted for the successful cultivation of this variety. The trees are said to be shortlived, and do not flouri.ih.

Cherries do very well, and much is being done in this kind of small fruit, many varieties being cultivated. Of the native shrubs, we find the town has the usual variety, - such as the blueberry and huckleberry, - that affords employment for the boys and girls in a pleasant afternoon, and a source of pleasure to older persons, furnishing an agreeable repast when eaten with milk. Then we find the raspberry, gooseberry, and tliimbleberry. Of the raspberries, there are the red and white, that grow wild, and are cultivated in gardens. Gooseberries of late years have become an article of much use, many new varieties having been introduced, the best of which is the English Variety, that grow aa large as shcllbarks. Then we have the currant, an exceedingly useful article of culture, and easily raised, valuable for wine or table use. Of these we have also several varieties, - red, white, and black. Then comes that highlyesteemed and valuable luxury, - " a dish of ripe strawberries, smothered in cream." These are found in many places growing wild in the piLStures, and, although tliey are sweet and deliciou.s, they are found so scarce that not much account is made of them. The cultivated fruit of this kind is a tavorite dish, of which there is a great variety, among which are the " Huvcy's Seedlings," " Early Virginia," and " Boston Pine." These are fast becoming an article of cultivation as much as the potato or corn, and large amounts are cultivated in the gardens and fields of this town. The first that were raised for market to any extent were those by Mr. B. F. Lawton, of the West Shares. Since then several have raised them with profit and sent them to market, among whom

" Wife, into the gardeu, and set me a plot With stra wherry-root-s of thu best to be j^ot; Such growing abroad amont^ thorn.-j in the wood, Well cbu:ieD and picked, prove excellent :ind good."

Birds. - The birds common in this locality are the quail, partridge, snipe, woodpecker, woodcock, sparrow, thrush, robin, blue-bird, bobolink, wren, pewee, lark, king-bird, blue jay, black-bird, chickadee, marten, barn- and bank-swallow, cat-bird, cuckoo, huiumingbird, kingfisher, whip-poor-will, owl, hawk, crow, bats. Wild geese occasionally alight on the siuall ponds in the outskirts of the town.

Fish. - Among the difierent kinds of fish that abound in our streams may be found the trout, pickerel, sucker, shiner, minnow, hornpout, eels, perch. Herrings in early days used to run up the rivers, but of late are seldom found.

Wild Aaimals. - The early forests in town had their share of vexatious animals that were common in this part of the country, - as wolves, wild-cat. Poxes have become shy of company. Skunk, musquash, and mink have been severely hunted. Woodchucks, rabbits, and squirrels of difierent kinds. Raccoons, that damaged the cornfields, have almost disappeared. Moles and meadow-mice are found in the fields, and often do much damage, gnawing bark off of trees in winter.

But the worst enemy the early settlors had to contend with among the beast kind was the wulf, which troubled the infant settlements exceedingly, - so much that shepherds were appointed over the tiocks by da}', and they were put in folds at night and securely guarded, - and even after the town became quite thickly settled these pests would make night hideous by their howling around the farms. Rewards were offered by the town for their heads, and wolf-traps were common in all parts of the town.

Geology. - The geological formation of Brockton is similar to many other towns in Plymouth County. The hills, meadows, large plains and intervales, deep swamps and rocky pastures furnish food for almo.st all kinds of grass, trees, and shrubs. Of the rocky portions of the town we find sienite, or compusition of feldspar, quartz, and hornblende. Saj's Dr. Hitchcock, in his survey through the State, - ton, and in other parts of Plymouth County. Its btue consista of quartz and feldspar, with an abundance of epidote, di^seuii* Dated and in veins. This rock, if poliiihed, would form, it seems to me, the most oroainentat stone in the State. The feldspar, crystal, that conititutts it a porphyry, are of a flesh color. There is a dark-colored mineral ditfused throughout the mass, which may be hornblende or mica."

Large quantities of peat have been cut in the meadows of the town in pa.st times, and it is now being used as a fuel, which is of an excellent quality.

Large quantities of iron ore have been found iu tlie western aud other sections of the town, and some has been manufactured into iron. It is not, however, plenty now, aud the business of making it into iron ceased several years since.

Official History. - There are many who like to know who have liad the management of public affairs both iu town and State. To see a list of those having lield positions of trust and confidence can hardly fail to be of interest to us as showing the estimate in which they were held by their follow citizens. To be a selectman, or " townsman," as they were sometimes called, was cotisidered as being one of the fathers of the town." The selectmen have nearly the control of the affairs of a town, and it is very common, even to this day, in town-meetings, " to refer the matter to the selectmen, with full powers," or to leave business at the discretion of the selectmen, with suggestions from the towti. Hence the value that should be placed upoti such officers, and the reason why none but men of good judgment and integrity should be selected. Anytliing and everything, not otherwise provided by law, in regard to town affairs, I'alls by custom to the care of the selectmen, and generally such men have been chosen.

1 'i'he selectmen have performed the duties of assessors and overseers of the poor from the incorporation of the town to 1875, at which date they became a distinct board of olficers.

Town Clerks

List of towu clerks of North Bridgewater, now Brockton, from its incorporation to its incorporation as a city, with the years each has served :

Representatives To The General Court

List of representatives to the General Court from the town of North Brid"rewater and Brockton from its incorporation to tlie time of its incorporation into a city:

Justices Of The Peace.'

1 Those marked with * are of the Quorum ; those marked with t are to qualify civil officers; those marked with I are trial justices; those marked with ^ are justices throughout the commonwealth. All others are county appointments.

Number Op Votes Polled For Governor

* Owing to an amendmeut in the Constitution there were two elections in 1831, which required the Governor to be choaen in November instead of April, and to take his seat on the hrst Wednesday of January instead of the hist of May. The reader will therefore understand that, from 1832 those who wercoleetej in November aie chosen for the following year.

The fullowiDg list of Goveniors of the State will show when Nortli Bridgewnter (now Brockton) acted with a luajority of the people of the couimonwcalth :