Dedham Town (part 2 of 7)

About this time much dissatisfaction Avas manifested with the action of those who had sold the School Farm. The feeling became so prevalent that an attempt to recover the farm was thought advisable, and the town in September, 1735, voted to try to recover it by legal measures, and to expend £30 for that purpose. But it is not certain that any money was expended on the business ; and it is evident that nothing was accomplished. The Dedham Grammar School was not destined to become an endowed institution. Its annual supply of funds was to depend on the interest of the citizens in the subject of free education.

From the twenty-third day of November, 1736, till October, 1738, the school was in the hands of Solomon Townsend, who divided his time among three parts of the town, as his predecessor had done. A native of Boston, he graduated at Harvard College in 1735, and probably studied theology with the Rev. Samuel Dexter, while in Dedham, so far as hisduties to the school permitted. He lived sixty-one years after graduation, and spent fifty-seven years as a pastor in Barrington, R. I., where he died in 1798, at the age of eighty-two.

Voted that the said Southerly Parish in Dedham & Springfield Precinct, (now Dover) have granted unto them ten pounds each. Part of the before Granted Eighty Pounds, to be improved for y® schooling of y® children in those two parts of y^ Town.

Thus it appears that five localities in the town had school privileges some part of the year - the Town, Clapboard trees, East Street, Springfield and the South Precinct - a district system in the process of rapid development.

October y^ 30*^ 1738 M' Jonathan Winchester by Agreement with the Select men began to keep y® Schoole in y^ Town neare y® meeting house for one quarter after the rate of seventy-five pounds p annum.

This teacher, born in Brookline in 1716, had graduated at Harvard College in 1737. He probably remained in charge of the school about two years. Afterwards he became a minister of the gospel, and was settled over the First Church in Ashburnham, Mass., in 1760. He died in 1767, fifty-one years old.

March 2 1740-41 Received of M' Ephraim Willson Town Treasurer the sume of four pounds & Ten shillings for y** entertainment of Mr. John Cams School-master P"" Samuel Dexter.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 53

As Mr. (Jarnes did not graduate at Harvard College till 1742, we infer that he taught only as a substitute during some temporary absence of Mr. Winchester. He became a clergyman, and lived till 1802, sixty years after his graduation. It is pleasant to be able to say where, and in what labors, such a long life was spent. Rev. John Carnes was settled, first at Stoneham, then at Eehoboth. From the latter place he was dismissed, at his own request, in 1764, and removed to Boston, his native town, where he resided till it was evacuated by the British, March, 1776. Then he entered the American army as chaplain, and served during the war. Removing to Lynn, he became a justice of the peace, and served nine years as a member of the General Court. In 1788 he was chosen to the Convention for ratifying the Constitution of the United States. As " minister, magistrate and politician," he led a useful and honorable life, which closed Oct. 20, 1802, seventy-eight years after his birth.

During 1741 Mr. John Wight was again employed; and in 1742 Mr. Daniel D wight also again had charge of the grammar school ; but no change in the management of the school is recorded. The salary was £80 per annum, evidently in an inflated currency of paper currency.

Mr. Nath^^ Sumner began to keep the School at the Clabbordtrees y® first of Desem. 1742 and concluded thare March y® first following at twenty five pounds a year lawfull money. [This meant silver.]

Mr. Sumner's labors probably continued till the following autumn. He was born in Roxbury, April 10, 1720; A. B. at Harvard College 1739 ; married at Dedham, Hannah Bullard of Walpole, September 5, 1743 ; continued to reside in Dedham South Parish; was Captain, Deacon, Selectman ; and was Representative of Dedham in the General Court for 1757 , 1762, 1769, and 1770. He died December 23, 1802, leaving a name highly honored.

Pursuant to which s*^ John Metcalfe went to Wamouth & obtained M'' Josiah Tory to keep the schoole in Dedham for three months at y* Rate of Seventy pound p annum & his board he began Desem 21 : 1743 at the school hous neare y® meeting hous, select men procured his being entertained at Averies Jun"" for 20^ p week.

How long the town enjoyed the services of Mr. Torrey we cannot determine. He received thirty-five pounds for a half year, June 11, 1744; and, as no other was employed, we presume he completed the year. He graduated at Harvard College in 1741, but we have not been able to trace his career.

The next schoolmaster, William Kneeland, graduated at Harvard in 1744. He was born in Boston, Jan. 1, 1724-5; and it is supposed that he died in office, for the reason that John Metcalf received March 27, 1745-6, sixteen pounds, "in part of what is due to Mr. William Kneeland decasd for keeping schoole in y® Town 1745." Afterwards he received nineteen pound? more due to the same person. The date of Kneeland's death is not given in the Harvard Quinquennial, but he died, either in 1745, or early in 1746.

Mr. Kneeland's successor in the school was his college classmate, Benjamin White, who up to September 5, 1746,had received £40 for teaching. Mr. White received the master's degree ; his death occurred in 1790.

Lusher Gay haveing not Procured a Schoole Master the Select men Desired John Metcalfe to Procure one ; Accordingly sd Metcalfe Procured M"^ Samuel Huntington of Lebanon & Agreed with him that he should Recive four pounds old Tenor for his & his horses time & expences in Coming down ; and forty Pounds old Tenor & his board for his keeping y® schoole six months beginning the first of November at the school house by Chamberlins.

Old Tenor was the name given to the first issue of paper money which soon greatly depreciated. May 13, 1747, Samuel Huntington received £44 for keeping school ; his last payment was received March 27, 1749. William Avery re- ceived for his board (seven months and one week), £46, 10s. From this meagre record we infer that the school was under his care between two and three years. He was the son of Deacon Samuel Huntington of Lebanon, Conn., and was born Oct. 16, 1725. He married Rebecca Fairbanks of Dedham (pub. Apr. 13, 1750), was deacon in Canterbury, Conn., and afterwards in East Haddam. He studied for the ministr}^ after graduating from Yale College in 1746, but finally decided upon a mercantile career, in which he was highly successful.

On the first day of January 1744-5, the Trustees of the School Money had in their care the sum of £236, 2s, 8d. This money was loaned on good security to citizens of the town ; and the disposition to increase the fund is shown in the following, taken from the records of the March meeting, 1749 : -

And then Dea : Nathaniel Kingsbery made the following Proposal to the town. - Gentlemen, Being Desirous of the flourishing State of Learning in this place I Purpose a Donation to the Town of One Hundred Pounds old Tenor the yearly interest of which to be appropriated to y® use of y^ school - If it may be acceptable : Under such Regulation as y^ Town in their wisdom and Prudence shall see meet to order and appoint, - I also propose if it may be agreeable to the Town that a Committe in Trust be choozen to Receive the money and give a Receipt, And that it may be at this meeting - Sincearely wishing that others might be stirred up to Cast in to such a Treasury for the Incourigment & advancment of Learning and good manners, and am an harty Well-wisher to all your Interests.

Upon which the Town voted harty thanks to Dea : Kingsbery for his generous gift - And pursuant to the proposal of y^ Doner The Town chooze Dea : Joseph Ellis, Dea : Ephraim Willson & Eliphalet Pond to be a comittee to receive Dea : Kingsbery's Donation, To give a Receipt for it, and Improve it to the Ends for which it was Given.

At a meeting of the Selectmen Feb. 14, 1 749-50, the Dedham Stock of School money was reported to be £345, 8s., at that time loaned to twelve citizens of the town in sums varying from five pounds to one hundred, the last amount being secured by the bond of Jos. Chickering, the Trustees being Dea. Joseph

Ellis, Dea. Ephraim Willson, and Eliphalet Pond. At the March meeting of 1751, the Town voted to raise money by tax for building, or repairing, five school houses ; and that the Grammar School should be taught in each of the houses some part of the year, unless a parish or society might accept as an equivalent a sum of money which they could use for school purposes at their own discretion. In that case the remaining societies should have the Grammar School in proportion to what they paid. But at the Town meeting held in May following, all this was reconsidered, and matters were managed as before.

May 15, 1750, Timothy Pond was paid for one quarter's service in keeping school in Dedham. Besides other payments in the mean time, he was paid a quarter's salary in Feb. 1752, when he probably closed his labors in the school. He was the son of Baruch and Abigail (Slocum) Pond, born in Wrentham, Sept. 15, 1729 ; graduated at Harvard in 1749, and afterwards received the degree of A.M. He married Elizabeth Bullard of Dedham, June 27, 1755. They had three sons and three daughters. In deeds he was styled " gentleman," but studied no profession ; he resided in Wrentham, where he died "suddenly," Nov. 10, 1804.

On the 29th of July 1751, Mr. John Wiswall entered the school as its teacher ; but his term was the shortest thus far on record, as the following will show :

August 6th, 1751, Mr. Wiswell Informs y® Select-men that he, having Received greater Incourigment to Keep School elsewhere, Should Dismiss the School here this day. And that He demands nothing for what he has done.

William Avery, however, received eight shillings for his board. This schoolmaster was the son of John Wiswall of Boston ; graduated at Harvard College, 1749 ; teacher in Falmouth (now Portland) Me., in 1753; ordained as a Congregational minister of a society in New Casco, Me., 1762 ; became Episcopal in 1764 and was ordained in England ; returned to Falmouth (Portland), in May 1765. Had 70 families in his parish, the « ' Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts" contributing £20 for his support; in 1775 he was imprisoned for his tory activity, but was soon released, and went to England ; was included in the Banishment act of Mass., of 1778 ; in 1781 was a curate in Oxford, Eng. ; returned to Nova Scotia after the war, and died there in 1812.

Elizur Holyoke began to teach in the " Old School House " Sept. 18, 1751, at a salary of £200, old tenor, the currency being terribly depreciated. He boarded at Isaac Bullard's, and received his last payment Feb. 6, 1753. He was the nephew of Edward Holyoke, President of Harvard College, born May 11, 1731 ; graduated at Harvard in 1750 ; was Librarian in 1757 ; was ordained in Boxford, Mass., Jan. 31, 1759; married Hannah, dau. of Rev. Oliver Peabody of Natick, Nov. 13, 1760. <'The cords of harmony between him and his people were ever perfect, even to reverence and love." [Hist, of Boxford, p. 273.] He died March 31, 1806, in a house that is still standing and which was built for him by his father, a wealthy merchant of Boston. The paper money issued by the Colony of Massachusetts Bay prior to 1737 was called Old Tenor; that issued in 1737, on better security, was at first called New Tenor. But in 1742 another issue was made and called New Tenor, after which the issue of 1737 was called Middle Tenor. In 1751 Mr. Holyoke's salary of £200 was equal to about £20 of silver. This paper money was finally redeemed, according to an act of the Colonial Legislature, at seven and a half old tenor for one of specie. (See Felt's Massachusetts Currency, page 251.) The following record is a curiosity : -

Joseph Perry had earned a quarter's salary and was paid it, April 18, 1753 : and on Nov. 5 of the same year was paid "for his last Quarter Keeping School in Dedham and for paying for one Horse Journey agreed on to Groaton." On Oct. 23,1755, he married Sarah Lawrence, of Groton, so that his " Horse Journey" is easily accounted for. See Groton Historical Series, by Dr. Samuel A. Green, vol. H, pp. 454, 455, for an account of Mr. Perry as well as of his wife, and for the reprint of a broadside containing a tribute to her memory. He was a native of Sherborn, Mass. ; graduated at Harvard College in 1752, and settled in East Windsor, Conn., 1755. He preached the Election Sermon in 1775; and died, 1783, aged 50 years. Of IVIr. Perry's ability we are assured by the fact that he was settled as the Colleague of the Eev. Timoth}'^ Edwards, the father of Pres. Jonathan Edwards, to whom the father was not thought inferior as a preacher.

In 1754 three noteworthy men, Jonas Clark, William Symmes, and Nathaniel Sherman became teachers in Dedham. Jonas Clark received £13, 6s, 8d, for six months, Aug. 17, when he was styled " late schoolmaster." Born in Newton, Dec. 25, 1730, graduating at Harvard in 1752, he was ordained at Lexington, Mass., Nov. 5, 1755. He was an ardent patriot, and the men who " stood for liberty on Lexington Common" were his parishioners. An interesting sketch of his life and character by Rev. William Ware may be found in Volume I. of Sprague's Annals. The pupils of such a teacher may be deemed fortunate. He died in 1805 ; but the influence of his life and work survives.

The second of these men, William Symmes, H. C. 1750, taught in the Springfield Precinct, for which he was paid May 19, 1755. He was a Tutor at Harvard College from 1755 to 1758, and on Nov. 1, 1758, he was ordained as a pastor at Andover, Mass. He preached the Election Sermon in 1785, and received the degree of D. D. from his alma ?nater in 1803, fifty-three years after his graduation. He died four years later, aged 77 years.

Nathaniel Sherman taught in the "second parish" in 1754-5, and in 1755-G. Born in Newton, Mass., March 5, 1724, he graduated at Princeton College in 1753 ; was ordained at Bedford, Mass., 1756, dismissed in 1767, and installed at Mt. Carmel, Conn., May 18, 1768. He died at the close of a successful ministry, July 18, 1797, in his seventy-fourth year.

These three teachers must have exerted an excellent influence upon the youth of the town. We may reasonably presume that the effects of their silent tuition were good and permanent in many minds.

A new policy from this time onward appears to have been adopted. Instead of one master, continuing through the year, but teaching in different parts of the town, competent men were employed to teach short-term schools in the several districts. This was essentially the district system.

Nathan Webb taught the school in the new school house of the First Parish twenty-two weeks, for which he was paid Sept. 19, 1755. He was the son of Rev. Nathan Webb of Uxbridge and a cousin of President John Adams. See Adams Diary, Vol. II, p. 11. He graduated at Harvard in 1754, and died in 1760.

James Dana, son of Caleb and Phoebe (Chandler) Dana, was born in Cambridge in 1735, graduated at Harvard in 1753 ; but remained several years at Cambridge pursuing his theological studies. In the winter of 1755-6 he was the schoolmaster in Clapboardtrees three months, or perhaps longer. His abilities, as shown in his subsequent life, were such that in 1768 he was honored by the University of Edinburgh with the Doctorate. He was ordained at Wallingford, Conn., in 1758 ; and in 1789 was called to the pastoral charge of the First Church in New Haven. His publications w^ere numerous. He

October 24th 1755 M"^ William Patten began to Keep Schoole in the First Parrish in the New Schoolhouse, he has engaged to Serve at the Rate of ^25. ^G. '^8. a year & to have his board.

This was the son of Rev. William Patten of Hartford, Conn. ; he was born in Billerica, Mass., in 1738, and graduated at Harvard in 1754. He was pastor, first at Halifax, Mass. ; afterwards of the South Church in Hartford, Conn. He married Ruth, the daughter of President Eleazer Wheelock of Dartmouth College ; and his son Dr. William Patten, was the pastor of the Second Church in Newport, R. I., a little short of 47 years. Mr. Patten lost his voice, and soon after his health, and died in Roxbury, Mass., Jan. 16, 1775.

Nathan Kidder, a classmate of the first President Adams, 1755, taught in the South Parish during the winters of 1755-6, 1756-7 and 1760-1. According to the Harvard Quinquennial he died in 1761.

In the winter of 1755-6 the East Street School was taught by Joseph Metcalf for three months. He was a descendant of Michael, of the fourth generation, born May 11, 1710 ; married Ruth Aldus of Roxbury, and died Feb. 25, 1785, leaving four sons.

The same winter Benjamin Bacon was teaching in the South Parish. He was the son of John and Hannah, born after his father's death, in Salem, Aug. 26, 1716; a descendant of Michael of Dedham in the fifth generation.

George Damon, the son of John and Elizabeth, having graduated at Harvard in 1756, taught in the First Precinct beginning Nov. 22, 1757, continuing for a year, or 44 weeks. He joined the church in Dedham, Aug. 4, 1757, and was dismissed Sept. 14, 1760, to take pastoral charge in the town of Tisbury. He died in Woodstock, Vt., in December, 1796.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 61

Mr. Damon's college classmate, Eleazer Weld, taught the Clapboard trees School during the winter of 1756-7. He received the degree of A.M. in 1761 and died in 1800.

The school money for 1756 was proportioned to each precinct as follows: to the first, £24, 12s, 6d ; to the second, £11, 3s, 7d ; to the third, £10, 16s, 9d ; to the fourth, £9, 7s, 6d. From this time onward the moving of the Grammar school to different precincts appears to have been discontinued ; but a master qualified to teach the classics was employed in one precinct at least, and sometimes in two or three. The district system had become an established fact, sanctioned by satisfactory usage in the entire absence of any law permitting or requiring it. It was, indeed, the only practicable method of conducting schools under the conditions then existing, and grew out of the exersise of good sense, shaping plans to circumstances.

In the winter of 1756-7 Ebenezer Bacon taught in the South Precinct, and again in 1759-60, and probably the two intervening winters. The son of William and Expedience, he was born Oct. 6, 1721 ; and on Feb. 6, 1745-6 he andhis wife, Rebecca, were received into full communion with the South Church.

James Draper managed the education of East Street in 1756-7. This was Capt. Draper, the father of Maj. Abijah whose name appears on the Pitt Monument in Ded ham Village.

In the winter of 1756-7, and also of 1759-60, John Jones was the teacher in the Fourth Precinct, now Dover. Born in Weston, Mass., Oct. 30, 1716, as teacher, land surveyor, deacon, and magistrate, he was a conspicuous character in the town of Ded ham for many j^ears. He surveyed Mt. Desert Island, Maine, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1762-3. He was a firm Loyalist ; and in 1774 was visited by a body of citizens and required to vacate his office, held under King George, which he is said to have done without any sacrifice of his dignity. After this he was not molested for his fidelity to his sovereign. Some years after the close of the revolution, he was appointed a justice of Suffolk County by the Governor, and was as faithful to the new government as he had been to the old. His first wife was Hannah Morse, and his second Tabitha Battelle : he had six daughters and four sons. He died in 1801 in the eighty-fifth year of his age.

The summer of 1757 is to be remembered as the time when the records show that the Town began to employ women as teachers. Mary Green is the name first recorded ; and she instructed the children of the fourth precinct. It would be pleasant to speak more fully of this pioneer school-mistress ; but we can only say that her success was such as to warrant the policy of giving women a large share in the work of school instruction.

But Miss Green was not entirely alone in this new field of labor. Bethiah Colburn, " Nathaniel Colburn's daughter," had charge of the Clapboardtrees School the same summer of 1757. Of her we can only say with certainty that, born Jan. 13, 1734-5, she died July 15, 1762. She, doubtless, as well as Miss Green, was educated in the Dedham Grammar School, where girls had probably for many years enjoj'^ed equal privileges with boys ; although we have not been able to find anything in the records to show how early the schools were open to both sexes alike. It is believed that, for many years after girls began to attend the town school, they were not expected to study arithmetic, that being considered an almost useless subject for women to understand. " The Ladies' Accidence," a kind of English grammar, was thought a more appropriate study for the feminine intellect.

In 1757 the Grammar School came under the instruction of Edward Brooks, who had just graduated from Harvard College. He was born in Medford, Mass., became a member of the Church in Dedham, Feb. 5, 1758, and was dismissed from it June 10, 1764, to settle in the ministry at North Yarmouth, Me., where he was ordained July 4, of the same year. He Avas dismissed in 1769, and died in Medford in 1781. Peter C. Brooks, the eminent merchant, was his son ; and among his great-grandchildren are Bishop Phillips Brooks and the sons of Charles Francis Adams and Edward Everett.

We find Abner Ellis as teacher in the (clapboard trees School in 1757-8. This record may be his : " Marry ed by y« Rev'd Mr. Andrew Tyler. Abner Ellis & Meletiah Ellis, both of Dedham, March 3, 1756."

In 1758 Susannah Bridenho was teaching in the First Parish. She also taught in the Third Precinct three summers, 1761, 2 and 3. Miss Bridenno died in 1764, and by her will left a sum of money, and all her personal estate, about one hundred dollars, to establish a school, to \^g taught by a woman, in the Third Parish. Rev. George W. Cooke in his History of the Third Parish gives the names of the follov/ing fifteen persons who were paid for teaching by the income of the Bridenno Fund : 1800 to 1810 - Rebecca Ellis, Mary Fairbanks,Celia Baker,Fanny Ellis, Betsy Shepherd. 1811 to 1817 - Lydia Newell, Mrs. Mary Colburn, Polly Baker, Mrs. Hannah Richards. 1821 to 1828 - Mrs. Delia White, Cornelia S. Dwight, Deborah Baker. 1831 to 1841 - Rebecca Ellis, Elizabeth White, Mrs. Lj^dia D. White. They taught in all about forty terms, of four weeks each, and were probably all residents of the neighborhood ; but it has not been convenient or even possible to obtain further particulars of their personal history. One of these teachers, Mrs. C. H. Silsbee, then Miss Elizabeth White, sa,ys : "Being in the days of six per cent, and of low salaries, the $6 per year gave the tliree weeks^ schooling. Accordingly such a school was kept, sometimes in a neighbor's house, sometimes in the porch or vestibule of the Church, and even one or two years in the horse sheds. It chanced to be omitted one year ; therefore the large sum of $12 was accumulated, and I was asked by one of our old deacons

I was not too proud, and accepted the situation, enjoying 25 little pupils in a room in my father's house. After a while it was so difficult to find any one willing to teach in this way, it was resolved to divide the money between the Sunday-schools of the Unitarian and Baptist Churches, as carrying out the spirit of the will as nearly as possible." So we may truly say that MissBridenno, though dead, yet teacheth.

Persilla Ellis taught ten weeks in the Springfield Parish in 1758. She seems to be referred to in the following record : " Periscilla, y^ daughter of Josiah & Dorcas Ellis, was born May 25, 1729."

The summer school, taught by a woman, for the benefit of those scholars who could not conveniently attend in the winter, and of those whose help was not needed on the farm, became now a permanent institution. Up to this time, 1758, fuel for the schools was not generally paid for by the town, but appears to have been furnished by the parents in proportion to the number of children they sent to the school.

In 1758 three men graduated at Harvard and came to teach in theDedham schools. Simeon Howard took the school in the First Parish. He was born in Bridge water, Mass., April 29, 1733 ; held the office of Tutor in Harvard College, 1766-7, and was a Fellow from 1780 to 1805. As pastor of the West Church in Boston., and Jonathan Mayhew's successor, he was ordained. May 6, 1767; received the degree of S. T. D. from the University of' Edinburgh in 1785. During the E,evolution his Church was used as a barrack by the British, which only exasperated his patriotic zeal. He married twice : first, the widow of Dr. May hew ; secondly, the daughter of the Kev. Dr. Ebenezer Gay of Hingham. " His parishioners loved him as a brother and honored him as a father." His classical knowledge was full and accurate, and it is said that he cultivated it to the end of his days.

Roland Green of Maiden was employed in the Clapboardtrees School several months, and one of the results is thus put on record : " Marryed by the Rev. Mr. Andrew Tyler. The Rev. Mr. Roland Green of Norton and Mrs. Hannah Fairbanks of Dedham." Mr. Green was ordained in Norton as the successor of Rev. Ebenezer White in 1761. Afterwards he was the minister of Marshfield, and lived till 1808, when he died suddenly of apoplexy on July 4, at Norton, having come thither to celebrate the day.

Oakes Shaw, the third of these graduates of 1758, found employment in the school of the South Parish. In the Church Records of that parish we read : " July 1, 1759. Mr. Oakes Shaw was received into full communion." He was born in Bridgewater, Mass., in 1736; was the minister of Barnstable, Mass., 1769-1807 ; married Susanna Hay ward of Braintree, whose son, Lemuel Shaw, was a distinguished Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts thirty years ; his life ended with his ministry in 1807.

Contemporary with the last three. Dr. Josiah Dean taught in the Fourth Precinct. We venture to think that the following record is appropriate here: "Marryed by ye Rev. Mr. Andrew Tyler, Josiah Dean of Upton & Abigail Richards of Dedham, Decem'' 2, 1762." If Dr. Dean was not thus <' marryed,'! we have rejoiced in vain over his supposed good fortune, as the reward of his patience-trying labors in primitive Dover.

In the summer of 1759 the Centre School had for its teacher the Widow Ruth Thorpe, the "relict" of Samuel Thorpe, Jr., who died at Cape Breton, Oct. 20, 1745, aged 33 years. Her maiden name has not been ascertained ; as no

In the Second or South Parish, Zeruiah Crane and Elizabeth Holmes were teachers in 1759. Of the former I find no account : of the latter some information is contained in the South Parish Church Records. " May 14, 1738. Rev. Mr. Dexter baptized a child of Ebenezer Holmes named Elizabeth." In the Town Record of persons married by Rev. Thomas Balch, we read : "]Mr. Jacob Fisher and Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes of Dedham, Sept. 9, 1762." That the maiden is styled Mrs., accords with the fashion of that day.

In 1759 the school in the First Parish came under the care of William Whitwell, who graduated at Princeton in 1758. In 1762 he became the colleague, at Marblehead, of the Rev. John Barnard, whose character he ably portrayed in a funeral sermon. [See Sprague's Annals, Vol. 1., p. 254.] Mr. Whitwell died Nov. 8, 1781, in the twentieth year of his ministry and the forty-fifth of his life. A contemporary says of him: <' He was the gentleman and the Christian happily united. He was a well instructed scribe, concise, pertinent, enlightening and moving in all his addresses on all occasions."

Money was paid to jVIr. Jonathan Fisher for a Mr. Brick [or Breck] , the teacher of the Clapboardtrees School, 1759. Nothing further has been ascertained concerning him. But Jonathan Moore, a senior in Harvard College, and a native of Oxford, Mass., taught the usual winter term there, 1759-60. Mr. Moore was librarian of the College in 1767, but in 1768, settled in the ministry at Rochester, Mass. He was dismissed in 1791, and died, aged 75, in 1814.

Jonathan Craft taught the South Parish School in the winter of 1759-60. All we have been able to learn of him is, that he graduated at Harvard in 1761, and died in 1786.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 67

ried by Rev'd Benjamin Caryl, INir. Thomas Draper & Miss Lydia Cheney, both of Dedliam, May 14, 1766." " Mr. Timothy Merrifield & Miss Lydia Cheney, both of Dedham, May 22, 17H6." So it is almost certain that this good teacher was married ; but whether she became Mrs. Draper, or Mrs. Merrifield, it is^now, perhaps, too late to determine.

Her successor was Mehetabel Ellis, 1760-1, who appears to have been the first woman to teach a winter school in Dedham. She still retained her name after marriage, as the record shows : " Marrted by the Rev. Benjamin Caryl, Mr. William Ellis and Miss Mehetabel Ellis, both of Dedham, February 18th, 1763."

David Fales, sometimes styled Dr., was schoolmaster in East Street and South Parish four winten;, from 1760 to 1765. There is some uncertainty as to how his time was divided. We think the following record relates -to him : - " Marryed by the Rev. Mr. Thomas Balch. Mr. David Fales & M^[«] Hannah Thorp, both of Dedham, March 9, 1762."

Jabez Porter had charge of the Grammar School in the First Parish for 1760-1. He was the son of Deacon William and Phebe (Dorman) Porter; born in Topsfield, Mass., Feb. 1, 1723 ; graduated from Harvard, 1743. After teaching a year in Dedham he taught in other places, and in 1767 began to teach in Braintree, Mass., and continued many years fitting young men for college, among whom may be mentioned Rev. Dr. Eliphalet Porter of Roxbury, and President John Adams. He married Ruth Wadsworth, and lived in the South Parish of Braintree (now Randolph), Mass., where he died Jan. 28, 1792.

Phebe Willett, beginning in 1761, was three summers in the teacher's desk at the South Precinct. Her subsequent life is learned from the Rev. Jason Haven's record. "Married Mr. Joseph Kingsbury & Miss Phebe Willett, both of Dedham,

The duty of instructing the East Street School in the winter of 1761-2, was entrusted to Jonas Humphrey. Our knowledge of him is limited to the following record : " Marryed by the Rev** Mr. Sam" Dexter. Jonas Humphrey of Dorchester and Sarah Fales of Dedham, Aug. 11, 1748."

Dr. Nathaniel Ames, the second " Almanac Maker," born Oct. 9, 1741, taught the " Town School," as he calls it, from Nov. 23, 1761 to May 4, 1762, and again from Dec. 13, 1762 to April 16, 1763. He graduated at Harvard in 1761. From his diary we learn that Fisher Ames "kept school " as his substitute one day at least, Jan. 20, 1762. We cannot imagine that Dr. Ames ever had a sleepy school. If he was as earnest and aggressive in school as elsewhere, the idle ones found little comfort or sympathy. Under the date of 1790 in the Town Records is this statement : " This day the Select Men agreed with Doct. Nath Ames to keep School nine months to teach Latin and Greek." We think, however, that this contract was never fulfilled. There is no record of money paid for his services. His extremely active and laborious life came to an end in 1822.

Jonathan Crane taught in the Third Precinct in 1761-2. He was born in Berkley in 1738 ; graduated^at Harvard in 1762 ; received A.M. in 1766 ; became a physician, settled in Bridgewater ; married 1st, Mary, daughter of Col. Josiah Edson, 1770 ; 2d, Lydia Adams of Kingston, 1783, and died Dec. 31, 1813.

In the winter of 1762-3 the South Precinct employed as its teacher Benjamin Balch, the son of Rev. Thomas Balch. He graduated at Harvard College in 1763 and settled in the ministry in the town of Mendon. In the summer of 1763 Elizabeth Balch, sister of the above, succeeded him in the school. The great event of her life is thus recorded : "May 8, 1766, Mr. Jonathan Dean & Miss Eliza. Balch, both of Dedham, were married."

In 1752 a school house in the First Parish near the meetting house was built with money raised by a subscription amounting to 134 1 IS^ 3<i old tenor. It was 26 by 18 feet; Dea. Badlam built the Chimney for 6 i ; the lock cost 2^5^; a thousand shingle nails cost 1 M ^ ; and according to the fashion of the time raising the frame of this immense structure was made pleasant by the consumption of " six quarts of rum and one pound of sugar," which cost 1 ^ 14 ^ 6 ''.

Rev. Ephraim Ward graduated at Harvard College in 1763, and taught the Centre School the two subsequent winters. He was born in Newton and was ordained in West Brookfield, Oct. 23, 1771, Mr. Haven of Dedham preaching the sermon. The same minister did him another favor. " Married by Rev. Jason Haven The Rev«* Mr. Ephraim Ward of Brookfield and Miss Mary Dexter of Dedham, Nov 28th 1771." Mr. Ward died March 19, 1818, at the age of 77.

The South Precinct, 1763-4, employed in its school Seth BuUard of Walpole. On Nov. 3, 1761, he had married Joanna Lewis of Dedham, and he was again in charge of the school in 1769-70. He was active in the town affairs of Walpole; a member of a committee to prepare resolutions on public affairs in 1773 ; Captain of a militia company in 1775, and Representative of the town in the General Court eleven years, the last time in 1800.

The same winter, 1763-4, another Walpole man, Enoch Ellis, taught the school in the Third Precinct. We suppose he also found a wife in Dedham. This is the record : " Marriages - Mr. Enoch Ellis of Walpole & Miss Juletta Ellis of Dedham May 21, 1766." His prominence in town affairs is shown by the fact that he was chosen as delegate to represent the town in the Provincial Congress of 1774. He was also chosen a delegate for six months to the Congress to be held at Watertown in 1775.

Thomas Balch, which are of interest here : - " Nov. 16, 1740. Baptized my dear daughter named Mary the same day she was born." " Oct. 8, 1766. Mr. Manassah Cutler and Miss Mary Balch of Dedham were married."

Sarah Draper taught in Clapboardtrees two summers, 1764 and 1765. The following record may relate to her : - " Sarah y^ daughter of Joseph and Deborah Draper, born Nov. 29, 1735."

Mary Morse was the teacher of the summer school. Third Precinct, in 1764. The following record may relate to her : - " May 4, 1769 John Dean jr. & Mary Morse, both of Dedham, were married."

Jesse Ellis, beginning in 1764, taught two winters in the Third Parish, and probably taught two fall or spring terms in the Fourth or Springfield Parish. In the Dedham Eecord of Births we find this : - " Jesse y® son of Aaron Ellis & Ziporah

Benjamin Chapin taught in the Fourth or Springfield Precinct, two winters, 1764-5 and 1765-6. He was born May 24, 1736, and married Margaret Colton, March 4, 1760. He is the only Benjamin Chapin of that time who could have been the teacher.

Jeremiah Whitney was paid for teaching in Dedham 1764-5. In what precinct is unknown. A Jere Whitney, son of Nathan and Mary (Holman) born April 1, 1727, is the only one of that name in the Whitney genealogy who could have been the teacher.

Abigail Fisher taught in Clapboardtrees, 1765. In the Dedham Record of Marriages for 1767, there are three Abigail Fishers. We trust our schoolmistress was one of them, and that she became either Mrs. Burridge, or Mrs. Kingsbury, or Mrs. Starrett.

Seth Ames, Harvard College, 1764, was in charge of the town school three successive winters, 1765, 1766 and 1767-8. He was the son of Dr. Nathaniel and Deborah Ames, born Feb.

14, 1743 and died in 1778. Dr. Ames often mentions this brother in his diary. It is said that he served as a surgeon in the American Army of the Ee volution.

Manasseh Cutler, Yale College 1765, taught in the South Precinct from December, 1765 till April 1, 1766. He was a native of Ivillingly, Conn., the son of Hezekiah and Susannah (Clark) Cutler, born May 13, 1742 ; married Mary Balch, daughter of Rev. Thomas Balch of Dedham, Oct. 8, 1766. From his journal we learn that his school numbered over ninety pupils. He studied law and began the practice of it in Edgartown, Mass. ; then studied theology and settled in the ministry at Hamilton, Mass. ; was chaplain in the Continental Army two campaigns; as chief agent of the Ohio Co., he purchased 1,500,000 acres of land ; was a member of Congress two terms ; studied medicine and practised successfully ; opened a boarding school and fitted young men for College, and taught navigation. He received L. L. D. from Yale in 1789, and was a member of many learned societies. He continued his ministry till near the end of his life - about fifty-two years - and near its close he had to be carried into his pulpit, and sat during the delivery of his sermons. He died July 28, 1823. His Biography may be found in Sprague's Annals, Vol. II ; and his Life, Journals and Correspondence in two volumes may be consulted at the rooms of the Dedham Historical Society.

Rebecca Newell was the teacher of the Third Parish in 1765 and again in 1768. She soon changed her name. " Married, Ichabod Ellis of Dedham and Rebecca Newell of Needham, Mar. 23, 1769." She died July 3, 1831, aged 86.

Mrs. Job Richards taught in the Third Parish 1765, '66 and '68. "Married by the Rev. Jason Haven, Job Richards & Mary Gay, both of Dedham, May 10, 1757." Job's Island took its name from her husband.

Rev. Nathaniel Fisher was the teacher of a school in some part of Dedham in 1766-7. In Dr. Ames' Diary we find this characteristic entry : " Nat Fisher live at Mr. Battles in qual- ity of Pedagogue." He graduated from Harvard College in 1763. He was the son of Capt. Jeremiah (H. C. 1726) and Elizabeth (Cook) Fisher of Dedham, and was born July 8,1742. He was the uncle of Fisher Ames ; married Silence, dausfhter of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Baker. He was missionary teacher in Nova Scotia at the beginning of the Kevolution ; ordained in 1777 by Dr. Lowth ; was Rector of Annapolis and Granville, 1778-1782, when he returned to Massachusetts; was Rector of St. Peter's, Salem, from Feb. 25, 1782, till his death, Dec. 20, 1812, on Sunday after preaching from this text : "How long have I to live ? " A volume of his sermons was printed in 1818.

Mary Newell, teacher in the Clapbordtree District in 1766, probably became Mrs. Whiting. So runs the record : " Nathan Whiting of Dedham and Mary Newell of Needham, Nov. 25." [Pub. 1775.]

Jonathan Felt taught in the South Parish 1766-7. The following record of the South Parish is supposed to refer to him. " Jonathan Felt and Love well his wife Having been dismissed from the Church of X in Lynn to which they belonged and Recommended to us were this day June 18th, 1758, Received by the Church." He had a son Jonathan, born in 1747, who was probably too young to be the schoolmaster.

In 1767-8 William Keous taught in the South Parish. In the South Parish Records we find this : <' Dec. 3, 1758. William Keous, Born in Kirkolm Parish in the County of Galloway in Scotland belonging to the Church in sd Kirkolm of which Mr. James McCuUoch is Pastor, was by vote of the Ch'h received to occasional communion wth ye Chh. (N. B. Kirkcum McCullogh)" ]\Ir. Keous graduated at Harvard 1768 : A. M. 1775.

Mr. Andrew Peters was schoolmaster in the Fourth Parish 1756-7. He was the son of William and Hannah (Chenery) Peters of Medfield, and was born in 1742. Resided in Mendon, Mass.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 73

Eliphalet Pond, Jr., was the teacher in East St., 1766-7. He was born April 11, 1745. Married Sally Richards May 29, 1769. Capt. Pond, as he was commonly styled, resumed teaching in 1784, and the First Middle School was under his care every winter until 1793. He was Town Clerk for twenty-five years, Selectman sixteen years, Register of Deeds from 1793 till his death, or about twenty years. No one can examine his Records without being reminded that he was an accurate scholar as well as an expert penman. The School, the Town, and the County were all fortunate in enjoying so long his valuable services. He died July 13, 1813.

The South Parish for two winters, 1768-9 and 1769-70, had for a teacher Jeremiah Kingsbury, who is supposed to be the subject of this Record of the South Church: "Oct. 28, 1759. Jeremiah Kingsbury Junr. & Abigail his wife were rec'd into full Communion." He died June 3, 1788, aged 57.

Ebenezer Battelle, Jr., teacher in the Fourth Precinct 1768-9, was in the Third Precinct in the same capacity in 1770-71. Was this Col. Ebenezer Battelle, Jr., or Ebenezer Battelle, Jr., who entered college in 1771 ? We incline to believe it was the Colonel, and that he had a well-disciplined school.

Jonathan Metcalf, Esq., taught the East Street School in 1768-9. It was not unusual for the prominent citizens of that day to take charge of the winter schools. Apparently they took the duty as one they owed to the community. Esquire Metcalf was often employed in town affairs, and in 1776, 1778, and 1779 was a representative of Dedham in the General Court.

Samuel Shuttleworth, son of Samuel and Abigail (Whiting) Shuttleworth, began to teach in the Third Precinct of Dedham in 1768-9 ; afterwards taught in East Street several winters, making in all not less than twelve winters of teaching in Dedham. Born in 1751, graduating at Harvard in 1777, he settled in the ministry at Windsor, Vt., in 1790. This is his record ; *' By Rev. Mr. Jason Haven, Rev. Samuel Shuttleworth of

Windsor (Vt.) & Miss Deborah Ames of Dedliam, Jan. 1, 1792." A portrait of Deborah Ames supposed to be a Copley, may be seen in the Library of the Dedham Historical Society. It seems that he began to teach when 17 ; graduated at 26, settled in the ministrj^ at 39, and died in 1834 at the age of 83.

Ebenezer Starr, son of Jonathan and Sarah, was born May 1, 1744, graduated H. C. 1768, and was in charge of the Centre School 1769-70. He settled in Dunstable, Mass., and was a practising physician there till he died, Sept. 7, 1798.

"Enoch, ye son of Ebenezer & Abigail Kingsbury, born Desemr 7th, 1738." This record introduces us to the man who taught in the First Parish in 1770-71, also in the west part of the Third Parish in 1774-5-6 & 7, and in the north part of the Third Parish in 1778. Other facts of his life are wanting.

Rev. Wm. Gay Ballantine, H. C. 1771, taught the Grammar School 31 weeks in 1771-2, also in 1772-3. This record will be pertinent: " Marryed by the Re vend. i\Ir. Samuel Dexter. The Revd. Mr. John Ballentine of Westfield & Mrs. Mary Gay of Dedham Septemr 20, 1743." This man was the minister of Westfield, Mass., about 40 j^ears, where his son William G&y was born in 1751 ; graduated at Harvard in 1771, and lived till 1820.

Dea. Ichabod Ellis taught in the Third Parish the winter of 1771-2. He married Rebecca Newell of Needham as previoush^ stated. His epitaph shov»^s that he died Jan. 14, 1811, aged GS.

In the summer of 1772 the Fourth Precinct had for its teacher Mrs. John Chickering, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Gay. She became Mrs. Chickering Jan 9, 1766.

Capt. Hezekiah Allen was her successor, 1772-3. As he was in his fiftieth year and accustomed to command men, he doubtless was master of his school. Born in 1724, he married Mary Peters of Medfield in 1757, and died Aug. 16, 1775.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 75

ering; born in 1753 ; graduated at Harvard in 1774: ; married Hannah, the daughter of Rev. Thomas Balch, 1777 ; and about the first of July, 1776, settled in the ministry of the Second Parish of Dedham as Mr. Balch's successor. After a prosperous ministry of nearly thirty-six years, he died, March 12, 1812, in the 59th year of his age.

The same winter John Eliot had charge of the Grammar School in the First Parish. He was the son of Dr. Andrew Eliot, pastor of the New North Church of Boston, and was born May 31, 1754. He became a member of the Dedham Church Jan. 4, 1774, and in the church record of dismissions from the First Parish (p. 91) we read: "Oct: 24, 1779. Mr. John Eliot to ye new North Church, Boston over which he is to be ordained." He was ordained Nov. 3, 1779, and received the degree of S. T. D. from Edinboro' Universit}^ in 1798. He co-operated with Dr. Belknap in establishing the Massachusetts Historical Society, and was the author of the New England Biographical Dictionary. He died Feb. 14, 1813.

Mrs. Samuel Richards, or Hannah Richards, was the teacher of the summer school of the First Parish in 1774, and again she was in the sanie position in 1777. The following record evidently refers to her : " Marry ed by ye Revnd Mr. Samll. Dexter, Samll. Richards, & Hannah Metcalf, Dedham, Sept. 28, 1737." She was the grandmother of the late Edward Metcalf Richards, and consequently^ the ancestor of some of the most active members of the Dedham Historical Society.

Jose[)h Haven, Jr., H. C, 1774, taught in the First Parish 1774-5. Rev. Mr. Haven was paid for boarding him thirtyfive weeks. He married the daughter of Nathaniel Fish of Needham, Mass., and was settled as a minister in Rochester, N. H., where he died in 1825.

Philip Draper began to teach in tlie Third Precinct in 1774, and taught there each year till 1777. He graduated at Harvard in 1780 ; was a physician, and died in South Dedham (now

Joseph Crosby, H. C. 1772, was teaching in Dedhamfrom 1774 till 1778. On July 1, 1776, he was paid £10 for teaching four months and two weeks " last winter."

In 1775 Sarah Onion taught in Clapboardtrees precinct, and again in 1783. She was born, Oct. 2, 1749, and married Stephen Whiting in 1791. It is not unlikely that she taught in several other years, as sometimes the money to pay the teachers of the summer school was given to the precinct agent, and the names of the teachers do not appear in the town record.

Daniel Chickering, Jr., taught in the Fourth Precinct two winters 1775-6 and 1776-7. The following is supposed to be his record : " Daniel, son of Danll & Keziah Chickring, born Augst 20, 1758." Consequently we infer that he became a teacher in his eighteenth year.

Ebenezer Newell, Jr., was paid for teaching school in Dedham in 1776. In what precinct he did his work is not known. The following are probably his records : ' « Ebenezer, ye son of Ebenezer & Elizabeth Newell, born Oct. ye 18,1736." "Ebenezer Newell, Jr., of Dedham to Elizabeth Wheaton of Needham, April 24, 1760, by Kev. Mr. Jonathan Townsend."

Rev. Ebenezer Wight began to teach in the First Parish in 1775, and continued for two winters. His admission to the Dedham Church is thus recorded : " Oct. 15, 1775. Ebenezer Wight Junr, Student, at ye College at Providence." His dismission thus : " Feb. 15, 1778. Mr. Ebenr. Wight to South Church, Boston, over which he is to be ordained as pastor." Mr. Wight received a unanimous call to the Hollis Street Church, and was ordained, Feb. 25, 1778, as the successor of the facetious Dr. Mather Byles. He was a popular preacher, but resigned his pastorate in 1788, and afterward taught a private school twelve years in Dedham, where he died Sept. 25, 1821. Though he studied for awhile at Brown University, he graduated at Harvard in 1776.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 77

The Third Precinct employed Anna Baker in its school during two summers, 1776 and 1777. On June 4, 1778, she married Nathan Newell of Needham.

John Haven appears as a teacher in Dedham, 1775 and 1777. It is not quite certain in what school we ought to place him. He graduated at Harvard in 1757 ; was the son of Joseph and Mehetabel, born in Framingham, June 2, 1735 ; was a schoolmaster many years ; removed to Greenland, Exeter, and finally to Lancaster, N. H., where in 1837 he w^as living with his wife, formerly Anna Stone of Framingham.

The East Street School during three -^vinters, 1775-6, '6-7, and '7-8, was in the care of Richard Woodward, Jr., the son of Richard and Susannah (Luce) Woodward, who married Deborah Ames of Dedham, Aug. 31, 1771.

The winter school of 1777-8 in the Fourth Precinct was taught by Nathaniel Battelle. This record may be his : "Nov. 29, 1764, Nathaniel Battle of Dedham, Silence Kingsbury of Wrentham."

The penmanship of a hundred years ago was all executed with the quill pen : and yet it was remarkably good. It is rare to find any writing of the present day to compare with it. The method of teaching it was exact and laborious. For several years the beginners wrote only coarse hands, the short letters extending from line to line of paper coarsely ruled, say a half an inch apart. These letters were practised on till they were correct in shading and in the delicate hair lines. Especially was the pupil trained to hold the pen correctly, and rest the nibs equally on the paper, so as to make a perfectly smooth line. Holding the pen correctly also caused the letters to take the proper slant. After a good degree of excellence in the short letters had been attained, the longer letters were practised on, the easier ones first, and so progressing to the f, which was considered the most difflcult. It was two or three years before the capitals were undertaken, and at least two winters were consumed in mastering them. To secure freedom of hand, the pupil practised on the wave line in all its combinations in the most elaborate forms of the capital letters ; at the same time maintaining the utmost regularity in the angle and length of the small letters. Finally the same forms were diminished to what is called fine hand. This, in its perfection, was almost equal to impressions made by the copper plate. Account books a hundred years old often show in their headings what the goose-quill pen was capable of doing. One of the most interesting and finished specimens of the art I ever saw was a bill made out by Dr. Jonathan Pope, in which he charged three pounds and twelve shillings for removing a cancer from the face of Jonathan Metcalf, Esq., and healing the ulcer. If his surgery equalled his penmanship, it must have been well worth the price charged in 178(3.

Xeedlework was taught in the Dedham schools at a very early date. Patchwork, samplers and embroidery were common as early as 1780, and perhaps earlier. An exhibit of the pupil's skill in these branches of the art was generally made at the closing day of the school ; and among the old families one may still see treasured specimens of what was done by greatgrandmothers in the early schools.

The boj^s also were not less expert in making things for school use. As they were expected to rule their own copybooks, for no ruled paper was then sold in the stores, each one was accustomed to make his own ruler as shapely and handsome as possible. Also he fashioned his plummet to be used as a pencil in ruling ; sometimes it took the shape of a hatchet or tomahawk. Many cast their own pewter inkstands ; and some even made their own ink, consisting chiefly of a decoction from oak bark and a modicum of iron rust. They were all ambitious to make and mend their own pens, and therefore generally carried in their pockets good, well sharpened pen knifes for that use. A school boy without a knife in his pocket was regarded as somewhat lacking in smartness. The slate and slate pencil, now utterly extinct in our schools, taxed the boys' ingenuity in framing, adorning and keeping them clean and in good condition.

In the winter the boys who were old enough took turns in building the morning fire an hour be'fore the school commenced. The older girls swept and dusted the school room and its furniture. Thus the school of early days fostered industrial and housekeeping ability, which we need not say, was highly profitable ; and besides it encouraged self-help. The boys sharpened their own tools ; and would have been greatly amused at the idea of hiring a person to sharpen their pencils. Under such conditions the boys and girls acquired a very good education ; and, in the general results, the old schools compared favorably with the methods of the twentieth century.

Moses Haveq, H. C. 1782, taught the grammar school in 1782-3. He was a nephew of Rev. Jason Haven, being the son of his brother Isaac and Ruth (Grant) Haven, and was born in Framingham, Sept. 5, 1754; died April 3, 1785.

Caleb Child taught school in the First Parish, in the winter of 1783-4. He was the seventh child of Caleb and Rebecca (Dana) Child, born in Brookline, May 13, 1767; graduated at Harvard College, 1787 ; after teaching five years and preaching occasionally in Roxbury he went to Albany, N. Y., and opened a school. June 1, 1798, he was certified as a Physician at Poughkeepsie and March 3, 1803, was appointed surgeon of a militia regiment. At Troy, N. Y., he was for several years apothecary, doctor, and preacher. July 21, 1799, he married Sarah Bramhall, of Armenia, N. Y. He died at Albany, Jan., 1830.

Rev. Ichabod Draper, H. C. 1783, was in charge of the grammar school, 1783-4. The eleventh child of Timothy and Hannah Draper, he was born in West Dedham, Aug. 24, 1755. He was settled in 1785 over a church in Amherst, N. H. ; married Sarah Bowles of Amherst, Dec. 6, 1798 ; resigned his charge in 1809, but lived in Amherst till his death, Dec. 17, 1827. He served as a sergeant in the war of the American Revolution.

Mrs. Daniel Gookin taught the summer school of the First Parish in 1784. According to the Town Records Daniel Gookin, of Dedham, married Finis Peters, of Medfield, March 4, 1784. She was the daughter of William and Hannah (Chenery) Peters, born June 4, 1749, in Medfield, the youngest of eleven children.

It is a fact worth rememberino^ that during the Revolution, or from 1775 to 1783, nine graduates of Harvard College were employed as teachers in the Dedham schools from one to four terms each. This shows that the stress of war did not lower their standard as some have supposed. As the currency became inflated the appropriation was increased, till in 1780 it became 6000 £.

Peter Woodward, H. C. 1776, was the teacher of the Third Parish in 1784-5. Among the baptisms of the First Church is the following : " Dec. 17, 1752, Peter, son of Mr. Richard and Mrs. Susanna (Luce) Woodward."

Thomas Hammond was schoolmaster in the Third Parish, 1785. He was born in Rochester, Aug. 17, 1766, graduated from Harvard College in 1787, and died in New Bedford, 1803.

In 1785-6, Henry Ware taught in the First Parish. He had just graduated, H. C. 1785, with highest honors. Born in Sherborn, April 1, 1764, he was settled as the successor of Dr. Ebenezer Gay at Hingham, Oct. 24, 1787. He became Hollis Professor at Harvard College in 1805. He had three wives and nineteen children - a school of his own. See Sprague's Annals,Unitarian Pulpit, for an interesting biography.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 81

Lydia Clark had charge of the summer school of the First Parish in 1786. She came from Medfield, and Mr. Simeon Gould took very seasonable measures to secure her for a home in Dedhara. His intention to marry her bears the date Nov. 11, 1786 ; and Dr. Prentice of Medfield made her Mrs. Gould on the nineteenth of April, 1788. So deliberate a marriage ought to be a happy one.

The Third Precinct during two winters, 1784-5 and 1785-6, enjoyed the services of Daniel Mayo, a student at Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1787. He was born at Warwick, Sept. 13, 1762, and lived ti^l 1838 ; but of these fifty-one years of his post-graduate life we can give no account. He died in Newport, Kentucky.

In the winter of 1786-7 the Third Parish School was under the instruction of Solomon Vose, who graduated at Harvard College the next summer. He was the son of Col. Joseph and Sarah (Howe) Vose, of Milton, Mass., born July 22, 1768. After graduating he first settled in trade in Charleston, S. C. ; but a dangerous illness soon caused him to return to the North, and he entered upon law studies with Hon. Levi Lincoln of Worcester, Mass. He commenced practice in Northfield,Mass. , where he was appointed the first postmaster in 1798, and in 1801 and 1802 he was chosen Representative to the General Court; but he removed to Augusta, Maine, in 1805, having married Eliza Putnam Chandler, of Worcester, Sept. 11, 1796. He was successful in the law; but died suddenly, July 11, 1809, leaving four sons. His widow survived him fifty-two years, dying in 1862 at the age of ninety-one. He is spoken of as a man of '<a noble figure, an impressive presence, and martial bearing." Several of his descendants have graduated from the New England colleges.

The same winter Jesse, the son of Enoch Ellis, taught in the eastern part of the Third Parish, where now is the Fisher School. He was probably the son of Enoch Ellis, of Walpole,

In 1786-7 and 1787-8 John Wiswall had charge of the Mill School, here mentioned for the first time. His introduction to Dedham was somewhat earlier, according to this record : "Married by Rev'd. Mr. Haven, Dec. 30th, 1784, Mr. John Wiswall, of Newton, and Miss Lois Worsley, of Dedham."

From 1786 to 1789, George Ellis, of Medfield, taught the North School of the Third Precinct, here first mentioned, now known as the Burgess School. He was the son of Samuel and Sarah (Morse) Ellis, born in 1763. He taught in Medfield, 1784; went into trade in partnership with Johnson Mason ; was Coroner, Selectman and Town Treasurer; married, 1786, Martha Chaloner ; secondl}^, 1795, Meriel Fuller, of Newton : and thirdly, in 1797, Deborah Baker, of Dedham. His first wife bore him four children ; Betsey, Mrs. Hensdale Fisher ; John, who died at the age of 98 years ; Patty, Mrs. Sheriff John Baker, Dedham ; George, Treasurer of Norfolk County. Mr. Ellis died in 1808 ; his widow survived him 40 years.

Deborah Baker taught summer schools in the Third Parish, 1787 and 1788 ; also in East Street, 1789. That George and Deborah formed a pleasant acquaintance while they alternated in school duties, appears from the following : -

Low Plain School first appears in the records in 1786-7, when Lemuel French was the teacher. He was born May 16, 1770, and died Feb. 8, 1809. Married Mary Bailey, sister of John Bailey, Representative to Congress, 1823-1831. His son, George French, was famous as a maker of telescopes. Lemuel French lived near the corner of Washington and Green Lodge streets, Canton, Mass. The house is now (1892) used as a barn.

Benjamin, son of Benjamin and Susanna (Aldridge) Weatherbee, born Oct. 19, 1762. By Rev'd. Jabez Chickering, Benj'n Weatherbee [Jr.]. and Lucy Morse, both of Dedham, Dec. 1st, 1785. Died. Oct. 6, 1827, Benjamin Weatherbee, aged 65.

Sarah Averj, the daughter of Jonathan, taught the Middle School of the First Parish two summers, 1787 and 1788. She married Dea. Jonathan Richards, and they resided on the estate in Dedham, now known as Broad Oak, the home of the late Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, D. D., where the late Dea. Edward P. Burgess resided.

The Low Plain School was taught by Jonathan Fisher in 1787-8. He was the son of Jonathan and Catherine (Avery) Fisher, born in New Braintree, Mass., Oct. 7, 1768. In Sprague's Annals, his remarkable biography may be found. The following extract from it is pertinent here : - " About the close of 1787 he engaged in teaching a school in Dedham for three dollars per month. Here he continued for three months, at the same time prosecuting his own studies, and improving his hours of relaxation by making bird-cages which he turned to some pecuniary account. He entered the freshman class at Harvard in July, 1788. At a public exhibition in 1790 he delivered a Hebrew oration. While at Cambridge he prepared a philosophical alphabet and combined with it a system of stenography. In this he wrote more than twenty-five hundred sermons ; the alphabet saved about one page in seven, and the stenography saved about half the paper and half the time in writing his sermons. He wrote French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew with facility ; and, to fill up his leisure, made a Hebrew lexicon. He settled in the ministry at Blue Hill, Maine, in 1796, where he spent a pastorate of forty-one years. He published a volume on scripture animals, of which the illustrations, drawn and engraved by his own hand, were a great curiosity. The frontispiece of this book contains several trees, in the branches of which there is said to be a good profile likeness of the author. He was instrumental in founding the Blue Hill Academy, and in securing for it an endowment of half a township of land. He was a ' prodigy of industry to the end of his life,' which came on the 22d of September, 1847."

Every one who visits Dedham admires the Judge Haven house, recently owned and occupied by the late John R. Bullard. This house was built, and the noble English elms in front of it were planted, by Samuel Haven, who taught the Third Precinct School in 1787-8 and 1788-9. He was the son of Rev. Joseph and Catharine (Dexter) Haven, born April 5, 1771; graduated at Harvard College in 1789; studied law with Hon. Fisher Ames of Dedham, and with his cousin, the Hon. Samuel Dexter of Boston. On the formation of Norfolk County, he was appointed Register of Probate, an office which he held for forty years. He was also Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas from 1804 till that court was abolished about 1811. He died in Roxbury, Sept. 4, 1847. He might be called a boy teacher, as he finished his second term, or winter before he completed his eighteenth year.

The East Street School was taught by John Tyler in the winter of 1788-9. He is supposed to be " John, ye son of ye Revd. Mr. Andrew and Mrs. Mary Tyler, born March 14th 1763." No other John Tyler of that age has been found.

The South Branch School of the Second Precinct was taught by Lewis Thorp in the winter of 1788-9. This record of Parson Balch, probably relates to him: - "Jan. 18, 1767. Baptized a child of Ephal [Eliphalet] Thorp, named Lewis."

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 85

Caleb Ellis, Harvard College, 1793, taught in the East District of the Third Parish in 1788-9, and 1792-3. He was the son of Enoch and Juletta (Ellis) Ellis, born in Walpole, Mass., April 16, 1767. See Dedham Historical Register, Yol. HI, page 177. He practised law in Claremont, N. H. ; was a member of Congress, 1804 to 1809 ; Associate Justice of Superior Court from 1813 till May 9, 1816, the date of his death. He married Miss Nancy Means of Amherst, N. H., Feb. 4 1816. His widow married Amos Lawrence of Boston. She died Nov. 27, 1866. Caleb Ellis left a bequest of $5,000 for the support of the ministry in Claremont.

In the same school Olive Ellis taught three summers, 1788, 1789 and 1790. She was the daughter of William and Olive (Fairbanks) Ellis, born Feb. 3, 1767. What is remarkable, she died Feb. 3, 1837, having lived exactly the allotted age of man, three score and ten years, still bearing the same pretty name which she took from her mother.

Dr. Samuel Gould of Needham, was for several winters a teacher in Dedham : of the Mill School, 1788-9 ; East Street, 1792-3 ; North School of Third Parish, 1797 ; and the Second Middle School, 1798. He was the son of Maj. George and Rachael (Dwight) Gould, born in Sutton, Mass., Nov.29, 1770, and married Esther, daughter of Jonathan Kingsbury. Where he was known it was esteemed a compliment to be called '< as polite as Dr. Gould."

In 1789 the teacher of the North District, Third Parish, was Miss Betsey Wood. I find this record: "Married by the Revd. Mr. Thomas Thacher . . . April 19th [1791] Mr. Edward Whiting to Miss Elizabeth Wood, both of Dedham."

In 1789, School Districts were established by a statute in the following terms: "Be, it enacted that the several towns and districts in this Commonwealth be, and they are hereby authorized and empowered in town meetings to be called for that purpose, to determine and define the limits of school districts within their towns and districts."

At that time convenience and usage had already set up the following school districts in Dedham : in the First Parish, five districts, the First Middle, the Second Middle, East Street, Mill School and Low Plain ; in the Second Parish, two districts, the North District and the South District ; in the Third Parish, four districts, the Central District, the South District, Walpole Corner, the East District, Clapboard trees, and the North District, Westfield ; in the Fourth Parish only one school was mentioned. Thus the town had twelve schools. How many scholars attended each we cannot state ; but it is evident that the school houses were well filled. In 1766 the school in the Second Parish contained upwards of^ ninety scholars ; and doubtless the First Parish School near the Meeting House, was divided into First Middle and Second Middle, because of the large number of scholars.

In 1789-90 East Street had Ira Draper in charge of its school. He was the son of Abijah and Alice (Eaton) Draper, born Dec. 29, 1764; admitted to the Church Feb. 4, 1787, and married to Lydia Richards of Dover [Pub. April 19th, 1786]. Col. William Franklin Draper, his grandson, was Representative in Congress, for the Eleventh Mass. District.

Sarah Glorer taught the North School or Westfield, Third Parish, in 1790. This record may be hers : " Sarah, daughter of Henry & Hannah Glover, born Jan. 13, 1763."

Eleazer Wight is found teaching the East District of the Third Parish, 1791-2, and 1792-3. He is on record as teaching somewhere in the First Parish in 1776. The following doubtless also refers to him: - "Married March 30, 1796, Eleazar Wight & Joa Wight, both of Dedham," by Rev. Mr. Haven .

Of Dedham. Massachusetts 87

Jonathan Richards was master in the First Parish, West School (Upper Village), 1791-2. Whether this was Deacon Richards or another we cannot determine. If it was the deacon , he "merged" his honeymoon in school-keepmg ; as he married Sarah Avery on the 4th of January, 1791.

Elijah Dunbar was master of the East School of the Third Parish, 1791-2. He graduated from Harvard College in 1794, being a native of Canton, Mass. ; was a tutor in Williams College, 1794-6 ; and the pastor of Peterboro, N. H., from 1799 till 1827. He lived till 1850.

Isaac Colburn, having been a teacher in Northboro from Dec. 31, 1788, till March 24, 1789, began to teach in Dedham, Dec. 21, 1789, and probably, was engaged every winter till March 20, 1797. He was the son of Isaac and Hepzibah (Pond) Colburn, born in West Dedham, August 8, 1766, and died May 10, 1845. He married 1st, Elizabeth Dexter of Marlboro ; 2dly, Mary Harris of Needham, Nov. 17, 1817. See Dedham Historical Register, Vol. II., page 112 and III., page 143. He was the father of 15 children, several of whom, including one pair of twins, lived to be over ninety years of age. There is to be seen a photograph of the twelve children of his first wife in a group, taken when the youngest was 55 years of age and the oldest 75. His youngest son, Dana Pond Colburn, was the author of an arithmetic, and at the time of his death, Dec. 15, 1859, was principal of the Rhode Island State Normal School.

In the winter of 1792-3, Joshua Whiting was master in East Street. He was the son of Joshua and Elizabeth (Pond) Whiting, born Feb. 21, 1758. He appears to have married Mary Ellis, March 16, 1783. Died May 7, 1842, aged 84 years.

we interpret, or rather apply the records correctly, he was the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Balch) Dean, and the grandson of the Rev. Thomas Balch, minister at South Dedham. He was born Feb. 10, 1766, and was married to Hannah Morse of Canton, July 22, 1799.

Beginning in the summer of 1792, Anna Smith taught in the Middle District of the First Parish five successive summers. She was the daughter of William and Margaret Smith, born Oct. 6, 1769. On April 6, 1797, Mr. Haven joined her in marriage to Thaddeus Mason, with whom she lived over 30 years, dying June 26, 1828.

In 1 792-3 we find Abner Ellis teaching in the Third Parish, North District. This was Col. Abner Ellis, Jr., who represented the town in the Legislature five years. The following are his records : - "Abner, son of Abner and Meletiah Ellis, born January 4th, 1770." " Married by the Rev. Thomas Thatcher, Decemr 18, [1793], Abner Ellis to Mary Gay." "Abner Ellis died Dec. 14, 1844, aged 75 years."

Abijah Draper, Brown University, 1797, taught the Low Plain children in the winter of 1792-3, and those of the Centre School, First Parish, in 1797-8 and 1799-1800. This was Dr. Draper, son of Maj. Abijah whose name is on the Pitt Monument in Dedham Village. Dr. Draper lived and died in Roxbury. He was a good classical scholar, and after he was settled in his profession often taught J^oung men in preparation for college. It is said that he was accustomed to hear them recite their Csesar without taking a book into his hands, being so familiar with that author that he could detect any mistake without seeing the text.

Jesse Draper was schoolmaster in the east division of the Third Parish in 1793-4. We suppose the following records apply to him: - "Jesse, son of Joseph and Hannah Draper, born Feb. 26th, 1771." "Nov. 15, 1772. Baptized a child of Joseph Draper named Jesse." [South Ch. Records.] " May 25, 1797. [Married] by Rev. Benjamin Caryl. Jesse Draper of Dedham, Lois Draper of Dover."

The First Middle School of the First Parish, was under the care of Rev. William Montague three winters, 1793-4, ' 4-5, ' 5-6. He was born in South Hadley, Mass., Sept. 23, 1757, the son of Joseph and Sarah (Henry) Montague ; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1 784 ; was Rector of Christ Church, Boston, 1787-92 ; of Christ Church, Quincy, 1793-99 ; then of St. Paul's, Dedham, till 1818. He taught a school in Dorchester in 1800, having as his assistant, Lawrence Sprague, son of Dr. John Sprague of Dedham. He is said to have excelled as a teacher of mathematics. He was ordained by Bishop Seabury of Connecticut, and being in London, England, in 1790, he was the first minister who had been ordained in America, to occupy a pulpit of the English Church. He died in Dedham, July 22, 1833.

In the Third Parish, South District (now the Union School), Benjamin Fairbanks was the teacher for the winter of 1793-4. We suppose him to be the son of Benjamin and Mary Fairbanks, born Feb. 18, 1769. Also we find that Benjamin Fairbanks, Jr., was married to Miss Hannah Dean of Dedham, by the Rev. Jabez Chickering, Jan. 21, 1790. This concise historjs which we hope will prove correct, is all we can write of this first teacher at AYalpole Corner.

The same winter, 1793-4, Deacon Joseph Swan taught the young ideas to shoot in the Low Plain School. He was the son of Joseph and Mary (Hunting) Swan, born about 1772. Joseph Swan, Jr., married Nancy Fales, Dec. 25, 1794. Deacon Swan died Nov. 13, 1798. His daughter Adeline married Mr. Leonard Alden, who for many years occupied the Deacon Swan estate at Low Plain, or Readville.

Dr. Paul Dean was a teacher in the Centre School of the First Parish in 1794. He was the son of Ebenezer and probably Abigail (Fales) Dean ; received his medical degree from Har-

Peter Thacher taught in the East District of the Third Parish, 1794-5, and 1795-6. He was the son of Rev. Peter Thacher of Attleboro, born Oct. 21, 1753, who spent most of life in his native town as a farmer : married Nanna, daughter of Capt. John Tyler, and died December 4, 1814.

Moses Gay, Jr. , was a teacher for several winters ; first in the Walpole Corner School from 1794 to 1798 ; then in the Clapboardtrees District in 1802-3. This may be his record : "Novemr 26, [1801] Moses Gay, junr. to Mehitable Holmes, both of Dedham."

Cynthia Whiting had the summer school of the Middle District, Third Parish, 1797. The following appears to be her record: "Jan. 24, 1799. Mr. Frederick Richards of Dedham, Miss Cynthia Whiting of Needham, by Stephen Palmer, Pastor of the First Church in Needham."

Dea. Abram Capen of Stoughton taught at Low Plain about 1798. When over ninety years of age, he showed me samples of ornamental writing which he executed in the little schoolhouse at Low Plain as copy for his pupils ; it was unique and beautiful.

Geo. Whitejfield Adams of Medfield was in charge of the Middle School, First Parish, three winters at least, 1798-9, 1799-1800, and 1804-5. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah (Harris) Adams, and half brother of Hannah Adams, the distinguished authoress. He married Polly Drowne 1793, and died in Savannah, Georgia, in 1820.

Of Dedham. Massachusetts 91

Elizabeth Gould, commonly called " Betsey Gould," began to teach in Dedham Village in 1799, and according to the testimony of one of her pupils continued the work for eight years or more. Of course she was an acceptable teacher. She was married May 13, 1813 to Mr. Benjamin Simmons of Dorchester. It is said that she lived more than ninety years.

During the first half of the nineteenth century the spelling school was for the young people one of the most popular winter entertainments. It combined utility with not a little amusement ; and all the boys and girls were eager to attend it. The hours were generally from seven to nine in the evening, unless a later hour of dismission was rendered necessary by the difficulty of spelling down the contestants. Choosing sides was the most prominent feature of this school. The privilege of choosing was usually given to the two pupils who first volunteered for that important office. After casting lots for the first choice, they chose alternately those whom they judged to be the best spellers until all were chosen ; and as fast as these were chosen, they took their places on opposite sides of the the schoolroom, this being facilitated by the usual arrangement of the boys' and girls' seats. Then one on each side was appointed to keep the tally ; after which the master put out the words from the spelling book, the first to the one who had the first choice, and then alternately from side to side in order. No one was allowed to try a word the second time. If a word was missed on both sides, and finally spelled correctly on the side where it was first missed, it was said to be saved, and was not counted in the billy. After spelling about an hour, the tally was reported, and the side having the fewest failures was declared victor. Then, after a short recess, they returned to their places and stood up to spell. The hardest words from the dictionary or any other source, provided they were English, were now given out; and those who missed took their seats till all were "spelled down." This was the usual mode of proceduj.'e ; and was never much varied, except occasionally a dialogue or declamation was introduced for variety. But the spelling school, pure and simple, was always sufficiently interesting ; and its effects were highly beneficial to the community.

Mary Bullard, who was Mrs. Joseph Howe, after Aug. 26, 1800, had charge of the Middle School, First Parish, 1798 and 1799. She was the daughter of Dea. Isaac and Patience (Baker) Bullard, and was bom Nov. 30, 1767.

Daniel Leeds in 1799-1800, was master of the Village School about six weeks. This was Daniel Leeds, Jr., son of Daniel and Abigail (Gore) Leeds of Dorchester, born May 7, 1764. His father was a schoolmaster, and I do not learn that the son had any other business. He taught at Dorchester Lower Mills in 1802, and some years following; died unmarried at the house of his brother in School Street, Boston, August 19, 1811.

He was succeeded by Phillips Clark of Medfield, who also taught six weeks ; afterwards he taught in many other places, and was again teaching in Dedham in 1808-9. He was the son of Solomon and Jane (Phillips) Clark, born 1761, and died in Medway unmarried.

A new schoolhouse was built in Dedham Village in 1801. It was a brick structure of two stories, standing on the site of the original school and watch house, and cost $1540 ; for which payment was made to Israel Fairbanks, Jr.

The first master in the new schoolhouse in 1800-1, was John Whitney, who graduated at Dartmouth College in 1797. He was the son of Ezra and Mercy (Morse) Whitney of Douglas, Mass. Afflicted with mental disease he became a " wanderer," and is supposed to have died in Georgetown, Ky., Feb., 1824.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 93

March 24, 1803, Jabez Chickering, Jr., son of the Rev. Jabez Chickering of South Dedham, received sixty-three dollars for teaching the East Street School. He graduated at Harvard College in 1804, and married Miss Deborah D. F. AUeyne of Dedham, July 3, 1805.

Calvin Ellis taught the East School of the Third Parish in 1803-4. In Dedham Records, p. 115, we read: "Calvin, son of Beulah Ellis, born June 21, 1772." We suppose this to be the School Master, finding no other record.

In the central district of the Third Parish, Nathan Armsby began to teach in 1803, and continued five winters, and perhaps six. What other good works he did we are unable to declare.

For two summers, 1803 and 1804, Miss Miriam Wight, daughter of Joseph Wight, was in charge of the Second Middle School. On the 18th of December, 1805, she was joined in marriage to Capt. Asa Newell of Natick. It is said that they removed to New Hampshire.

Alpheus Baker was master of the First Middle School two winters, probably 1802-3 and 1803-4. He was the son of Sherebiahand Clotilda (Daniels) Baker, born at Athol, Mass., Nov. 3, 1780, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1801. After teaching in Dedham he went to Alabama, and was very successful as a teacher, and acquiring means he bought a plantation, to w^hich he retired. He died in Columbus, Ga., Dec. 20, 1857.

In the winter of 1801-2, Dr. George Gould of Roxbury had charge of the Village School. He was the son of Major George and Rachel (Dwight) Gould of Sutton, Mass., where probably the Doctor was born. I have heard aged persons speak of the Goulds, Samuel, Betsey and George, as famous teachers, whose services were in high esteem. With less severity than many of that day employed, their discipline was strict and their schools orderly.

Mr. Edward Roberts was Master of the Mill School two months in 1804. The following is found among the Intentions of Marriage in the Dedham Records : Mr. Edward Roberts and Miss Nancy Whiting, both of Dedham, April 29, 1809. Mrs. Roberts died Oct. 24, 1826, and on her tombstone is the following : -

Betsey Metcalf of Providence, R. I., was mistress in the same school 12 weeks in 1804. She became Mrs. Obed Baker in 1807. Her fame connected with the manufacture of Leghorn bonnets need not be recounted here. Her portrait graces the walls of the Dedham Historical Society ; her name and her family will not soon be forgotten in West Dedham, where she spent a long and useful life. In 1817 she organized in her own house the first Sunday School in the Town of Dedham.

In 1804-5 the First Middle School had as its master, James Flint, who was born in Reading, Dec. 10, 1781, and had graduated at Harvard in 1802. Having studied theology with Dr. Bates of Dedham, he was minister in East Bridgewater 14 years, from Oct. 29, 1806 ; then settled in Salem, Sept. 20, 1821. He published many sermons and some poetry ; received the degree of S. T. D. in 1825 : and died March 4, 1855 at the age of 75.

Nabby or Abigail Baker taught in Clapboard trees six consecutive summers and one winter, 1809-10, beginning in 1804. She was the daughter of Daniel and Mary Baker born Sept. 3, 1775.

Of Dedham, Massachusetts 95

John Wickliffe Adams, half brother of the famous authoress, Hannah Adams, was master in Clapboard tress 1804-5 and 1805-6. " He taught school in several of the surrounding towns about that time. He died in 1870 aged 97."

Thomas Whiting, the eldest son of Calvin and Elizabeth (Fuller) Whiting, was paid in March, 1805, for teaching five weeks in the Second Middle School. He was subsequently a merchant in Boston, finally went to engage in trade in New Orleans, La., was very successful, became interested in a cotton plantation, and died of the yellow fever in 1828 at the age of forty-two years.

Beginning in 1806-7 Clapboard trees, a name hereafter limited to the East District of the Third Parish, profited by the instruction of Richard Ellis, Esq., seven consecutive winters, and then again in 1820-21. This marriage record exists : " Jan 7, 1813. Mr. Richard Ellis & Miss Abigail Ellis Dean, both of Dedham" (Ch. Rec. of First Parish.) Mr. Ellis was for many years the Town Clerk of Dedham, and two of his grandchildren have held prominent positions as teachers in Boston Schools.

It would be interesting to see a complete account of what was done in the winter schools of this period. They often contained a few highly gifted pupils Avho were far in advance of their schoolmates, and were allowed to enter upon higher branches of study. A class in surveying was sometimes formed, and in many of the New England towns land was measured and boundaries were established, by men who learned to use the compass and the chain, and to calculate areas, from the teachers of the winter schools. Pike's Arithmetic furnished to those who were fond of mathematics a long course of study, almost equivalent to that pursued in the Colleges. I have by me a copy of " Blair's Lectures on Rhetoric" which was used as a school-book in Dedham as early as the year 1810, When- ever a master was found to be gifted, or well equipped with learning, the more ambitious young men and women took advantage of their opportunities and formed a class in some new kind of mental culture. In this way the influence and usefulness of the instructor were increased, his power was made to produce its noblest fruits, and the community realized more fully " that the Schoolmaster was abroad."

William Learned Marcy graduated at Brown University in 1808, and while a member of college spent one winter in Dedham as teacher of the first Middle School. His honorable political career as Governor of New York, United States Senator, Secretary of War, and of State, is so well known as to make it unnecessary to dwell upon it here. He was born in Southbridge, Mass., Dec. 12, 1786. He was an oflScer in the war of 1812, and is said to have captured the first prisoners and the first flag taken from the British on land in that war. He died at Ballston Spa, N. Y., July 4, 1857. The highest mountain in the State of New York bears his name and will justly perpetuate his memory.

Benjamin James, who graduated at Brown University in 1805, taught in Dedham soon afterwards, probably in 1807. He became a chemist and physician in Boston ; and one of his pupils informed me that his eyesight was seriously injured, if not destroyed, in a chemical experiment.

Sally Baker was the mistress of West Dedham in the summer of 1805. She was the youngest daughter of Eliphalet and Elizabeth (Fisher) Baker, born January 23, 1776, and died unmarried in 1850.

Gardner Daggett, Brown Univ. 1802, Av^as master of the First Middle School in 1806-7. He subsequently practised law in Providence, R. I., and was prominent in the military service of that State.

David Bates, H. C. 1807, and A. M., was Mr. Daggett's contemporary in the Second Middle District. He was the son of Zealous and Abig-ail Bates of Cohasset, Mass., and the charge of the First Middle School two winters, 1807-8 and 1808-9. He studied law and settled in Westborough, Mass., which he represented in the legislature in 1832. He married Mary Fairbanks of Dedham, Jan. 4, 1816. His son was for many 3^ears Superintendent of Schools in the city of New Bedford.

Willard Ellis taught the Mill School eight weeks in 1807-8. Money was drawn from the town treasury for twenty scholars. Wages $14 per month ; board $1.86 per week. He was the son of William and Olive, born June 12, 1785, and was married to Mary Morse of Dedham, July 1, 1810, by Rev. Thomas Thacher.

The following summer the Mill School was managed still more economically. Miss Lucretia Whiting taught nine weeks for nine dollars ; and Hezekiah Whiting boarded her for one dollar per week ; but in November of the same year. Rev. Joshua Bates joined Lucretia Whiting in marriage to Mr. Lemuel Babcock, Jr., of Milton. She was the daughter of Abner and Loacada Whiting, born Jan. 10, 1787.

He was succeeded by Titus Strong, who had been a writer in the office of Horatio Townsend, Esq., Clerk of Courts. He was a fine elocutionist and interested his school in speaking and composition. For a time he edited the Norfolk Repository. Finding some church books in Mr. Townsend's ofBce he was induced by their perusal to study for the ministry, and was ordained deacon in 1814, and in 1815 became the Rector of St. James's Church, Greenfield, Mass. He taught several terms, one as late as 1813-14. Among the Intentions of Marriage in Dedham is the following : " Mr. Titus Strong and Miss Hannah Dwight, both of Dedham, June 24, 1808." Dr. Strong ranked high among the clergy of the Diocese of Massachusetts, and by his numerous publications was widely influential.

We find Edward Rawson teaching the West Dedham School 1809-10 ; but we are unable to give any facts of his antecedent or subsequent history, except that he probably died at Woonsocket, R. I., June, 1833.

Jerem}^ F. Tolman closed his school in the mill district Jan. 31, 1809, probably a two months term. He was the son of Capt. John and Elizabeth (Fisher) Tolman, born in Needham Dec. 17, 1784; married Elizabeth Leland Oct. 25, 1814; commenced preaching in Dana, Mass., 1814; at Templeton, 1816 ; refused ordination, preferring pioneer life in the wilds of New York ; settled at Jumin, N. Y., where he was ordained April, 1819 ; was for many years pastor of a Baptist Church in Sandwich, Illinois, and died there March 24, 1872. " His distinguishing characteristic was Faithfulness."

Rhoda Whiting instructed the Mill School three summers, 1809, 1811, and 1813. Of her we only know that she was the daughter of Rufus and Elizabeth, born Nov. 13, 1787.

Hannah Tyler of Attleborougli came to Dedham to teach in the 2d Middle District in 1808. She married Gen. Nathaniel Guild June 10, 1810, and spent the remainder of her days in Dedham.

The next summer, 1809, the Second Middle School was taught by Chloe Morse, the sister of Rev. Abner Morse, the genealogist, and the aunt of the Hon. Elijah Adams Morse, a recent Representative in Congress.

In 1809 Sybil Mudge was school mistress in the Second Middle, or Upper Village district. She was the daughter of Joseph and Lois (Pratt) Mudge of Wrentham, born Feb. 1, 1787; taught schools in Needham and Westminster, Mass., and in Winchester, N. H. ; married Col. Alvin B. Doolittle of Winchester; died there Nov. 8, 1836.

Abigail Ellis Dean taught schools in Dedham from 1810 to 1813. She was the daughter of Phineas Ellis and Jerusha (White) Dean, born in Dedham, April 25, 1789. She was educated at Day's Academy, Wrentham ; married Richard Ellis, of Dedham, Jan. 7, 1813, and died in Canton, Mass., Dec. 26, 1889. She is the only centenarian among the Dedham teachers.

Harriot Wilson taught the Mill School three summers, 1810, 1812, and 1817. The first summer she received precisely $1.45 a week. We hope they made it $1.50 afterwards.

Joseph Onion began to teach school in the Second Middle district in 1810. He had charge of the Clapboardtrees School in 1814 and 1815, and of the Westfield School in 1820-1, 1825-6 and 1826-7. He was born July 3, 1786, married Phelinda Bills, Dec. 25, 1816. He was a descendant of Robert Onion, one of the early settlers of Dedham, and always resided in this town, where he died Feb. 15, 1866, leaving five children .

The Clapboard trees School had two teachers in the summer of 1811, Roxa and Mary Whiting. The first was the daughter of Abner and Loacada, born Jan. 29, 1789, and married Capt. Aaron Baker, Nov. 4, 1812. She died Feb. 29, 1852, at the age of 63. The second was the daughter of Paul and Mary, born Oct. 18, 1793. Other facts concerning her are wanting.

Thaddeus Whiting, whose history, previous or subsequent, we have not been able to trace, taught the Westfield School in the winter of 1811-12.

The winter schools in South Dedham were instructed in 1810-11 and 1813-14, by Mr. Jesse Pierce, soon after known as Colonel Pierce, of Stoughton , the son of Jesse and Catherine (Smith) Pierce of that town, born Nov. 7, 1788. Being a diligent student he had acquired a good education in the common schools of Stoughton, and after some success in teaching, he added to his qualifications by a short course of study in the Taunton Academy under the tuition of the Rev. Simeon Doggett, a graduate of Brown University in 1788. He first taught school in Stoughton, then alternating, probably, with those in Dedham, and arranging his terms accordingly ; and afterwards taught the West School of Milton three years, and the school on Milton Hill two years. In 1816 he was commissioned Colonel of the Second Regiment, Second Brigade and First Division of the Massachusetts Militia. In 1819 he opened a private school in Milton, on the Bay Road near the Lower Mills Village, which continued five years and was attended by many who became well known citizens. In 1824 he married Miss Eliza S. Lillie, of Milton, and removed to Stoughton.