Methuen City

Methuen City

tinned the business in his own name until 1865, when his eldest son Francis became a partner, and the firm name became Seth Norwood & Co. This name is still retained by his sons, who have continued and much increased the business, the factory having been quadrupled in size to supply the necessary room for their trade. A portion of the factory was burned in 1873, but soon restored and enlarged.

Soon after he came to Beverly, Mr. Norwood became interested in real estate, and many marked improvements grew out of his operations therein. He became a prominent citizen of Beverly ; was on the board of selectmen for three years when the water- Avorks were built and other important public improvements were made. He was also a director in Beverly National Bank, a trustee of Beverly Savings Bank, a leading member of the Dane Street Congregational Society, and interested in other good works. Having just about completed sixty years of an honored and useful life, he died of consumption, June 20, 1875, at his home on Cabot Street in Beverly, the former historic homestead of Hon. George Cabot ; a mansion hallowed by the belief that George Washington had there sought and obtained rest and refreshment from his trusted friend, Mr. Cabot.

Chapter Xlix By Joseph S. Howe

The town of Methuen is situated in the westerly part of Essex County, bordering on New Hampshire, and contains within its limits about twenty-two square miles.

Before the incorporation of the City of Lawrence, it was a section of land on the north bank of the Merrimack River, about nine miles long and three miles wide, following the curves of the river. The north part of the City of Lawrence was taken out of Methuen, on the side next the river, near the middle of the town, thus leaving the two ends three miles wide, and the middle of the town little more than a mile at its narrowest part.

The towns surrounding Methuen are the City of Lawrence and the town of Andover on the South, Dracut and Salem, N. H., on the West, Salem, N. H., and Haverhill, on the North and Haverhill and Bradford on the East. The Spicket River, a narrow and crooked stream, flows from Island Pond, in Derry, N. H., through Methuen, into Lawrence, and empties into the Merrimack in the lower part of the City. The village of Methuen is situated upon both sides of the Spicket, between Lawrence and the New Hampshire line, thus dividing the farming portions of the town into two not unequal sections. The surface of the town is uneven, somewhat Iiilly and picturesque, though not ledgy and abrupt. The soil in the main is strong, and good for ordinary agriculture, but like most New England land, more or less rocky, requiring much labor to insure agricultural success, but capable of producing excellent crops under judicious management.

There is a strip of intervale land of varying width on the bank of the Merrimack, free from stone, easy to cultivate and excellent for farming purposes. Leaving this level intervale, the land rises into ridges and hills, much of it covered with a growth of wood. There are extensive peat meadows in both sections of the town, which not only contain lacge quantities of alleged fuel, but when drained and cultivated, prove to be the most valuable lands for the production of many crops.

The hill formerly known as " Bare Hill," near the house of Joel Foster, is the highest elevation in the east part of the town, and affords a magnificent view of the country in every direction for miles around. As many as fifteen towns and cities may be seen from its summit. It overlooks Lawrence on the South, with the two Andovers beyond, and the spires of Haverhill and Bradford may be seen on the East. Far off to the North can be seen the Nottingham Hills, and in the West the Uucanoonucks, the Peterboro' Hills, Monadnock and Wachuset, " Like giant emeralds in the Western sky." The view, besides being extensive, is one of the most beautiful to be found. In the west part of the town, the highest land is the hill on which is the residence of Stephen W. Williams, Esq,

The view from its top is nearly as extensive, and quite as beautiful, as that from Bare Hill, and it is a favorite resort for lovers of fine scenery.

Harris Pond, in the extreme west part of the town, contains about fifty acres, and drains through "London Meadow " into Spicket River. Mystic Pond, a little west of Methuen village, drains into Spicket River. Worlds End Pond, a mile or more north of Methuen village, lies mostly in Salem, N. H., although a very small part of it is within the limits of Methuen, and drains into the Spicket.

There is also a small jsond in Strong Water Meadow, known as "Strong Water Pond," which is undoubtedly a small remnant of what was once a large body of water. Bloody Brook runs from Strong Water Meadow southerly into Lawrence, and empties into the Spicket. Hawkes Brook is in the extreme northerly part of the town, rising near Ayers village, in Haverhill, and emptying into the Merrimack, where Methuen and Haverhill join. Bartlett Brook, in the west part of Methuen, runs from Mud Pond in Dracut, into Methuen, and empties into the Merrimack.

worked in the town. A bed of secondary rock for the most part underlies the town a short distance below the surface, and crops out in a few places, particularly in the neighborhood of the village, but the quality of the stone is not such as to make it specially valuable for building purposes. The rocks found in the soil, and on the surface of the land, are mainly boulders, many of them primary rock, and nearly all of a different kind of stone from the underlying ledge, indicating that the mass of gravel and stones, resting upon the ledge, has been brought there from a distance by glacial action.

There are in Methuen some very marked examples of glacial action in the ridges known to geologists as " Kames," and to the unscientific as " Hogbacks." One of these ridges extends from Tower Hill, in Ijawrence, through the west part of Methuen village into New Hampshire, and is a continuation of the series of" Kames " running through Andover and Reading, and known in Andover as " Indian Ridge." There is also another line of "Kames," extending from the easterly part of the City of Lawrence through ''Germantown " northward. In the early times these ridges were thought by many to be the remains of ancient fortifications, but the investigations of geologists have determined, beyond question, that they were deposits formed in the great ice age, from accumulations of gravel in the melting ice. Methuen contains few natural objects of special interest, Spicket Falls being perhaps the most prominent. The Nevins Memorial, and grounds of Henry C. Nevins, near by, and the extensive grounds of Chas. H. Tenney, are beautifnlly laid out and kept, contain many rare and costly trees and shrubs, and are all places which would attract attention anywhere.

It is not now known who the first white man was who settled within the limits of what is now Methuen, nor exactly when or where he settled. We have no historic record of what occurred here previous to that time. Undoubtedly the land was inhabited for centuries by the red men, who were as familiar with all its natural aspects, and as strongly attached to their favorite haunts, as the native children of the town are now.

When the country first became known to the white race, the hills and uplands were mainly covered by a heavy growth of timber. The meadows were mostly cleared and covered with a thick, heavy growth of grass, which the Indians were accustomed to burn in the autumn. These meadows were favorite haunts of deer, who came there to feed on the young grass in the spring, and could easily be killed by the Indians from their hiding-places on the wooded bushy edges. It is said that some of the hills were bare, and others had only a growth of small wood. This would naturally result from the fires set by the Indians in dry weather, which might spread from the meadows to the upland, and kill the standing wood and timber. It would also appear that the Indians cultivated corn to some extent, and for that purpose selected the lands free from stones, easily worked, on the river intervales or sandy plains. We can easily imagine the appearance of this town as the earliest settlers saw it:

The meadows on Hawke's Brook, in the east part of the town, Bare meadow. Strong-water meadow. Mystic meadows, London meadows, and the meadows on the banks of the Spicket, mostly bare, and producing a heavy crop of grass ; the intervale land on the Merrimack, more or less cleared, and a few spots of plain land here and there, bare of trees and grass, and bearing marks of the rude Indian agriculture, the rest of the lands covered with wood and timber. The only paths traversing this wilderness were Indian trails, of whose location we have now no knowledge, though it is not unlikely that some of our oldest roads were developed from an Indian path.

The earliest settlers found very few Indians living in this vicinity. Some years before the first settlement of this country, a violent war broke out among the Indians living in what is now New England, which resulted in the destruction of a large number. This war was followed by a pestilence which carried off many more, and was especially fatal in the eastern part of New England. This destruction of the Indians was particularly favorable to the occuj^ation of the country by the white settlers. The native inhabitants of the valley of the Merrimack, so far as we know, were the Pennacooks or Pawtucket Indians. These were subdivided into smaller tribes or families. The Agawams had their home on the coast fi'om the Merrimack to Cape Ann ; the Wamesits, at the junction of the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, where Lowell now stands ; the Pawtuckets, at the mouth of Little River in Haverhill.

No historic evidence appears that any Indian tribe had a permanent home in Methuen, but it is known that BodwelTs Falls (at the Lawrence dam), the region around the mouth of Bartlett's Brook, and the shores of the Spicket, as far as Spicket Falls, were favorite resorts of the Indians, especially during the fishing season. There are also strong indications that there were once permanent Indian settlements near Spicket Falls and near the mouth of London Brook. The stone fire-places or hearths of their wigwams were found years ago, before the ground was disturbed, on the hillside where the east part of Methuen village is now built. Arrow-points, spear-heads and other Indian relics were found while digging the cellars of AVoodbury's Block, the hotel stable and in other places. A large stone pot was discovered while excavating for the foundation of Tenney's hat-shop and an Indian grave was found in the fall of 1886, while digging on Union Street, which contained eight very fine spear-heads, besides arrow-heads and pottery, indicating that the occupant of the grave was a person of distinction. The early records of Haverhill speak of an old wigwam near the " foot of far west meadow," which was probably what is now known as " Loudon Meadow." The Indian fire-places can be found there now, where the land has not been cultivated and the stones disturbed. These old hearths and graves would seem to show that the spots where they are found were at some time the sites of permanent Indian villages, and not merely a transient place of abode for a few weeks while fishing.

The rivers in those early times swarmed with alewives, shad, salmon, bass and sturgeon. The salmon was the principal fish used as food, and the shad and alewives were used by the Indians to manure their corn. These fish were caught by them around the falls and rapids in the rivers. It would be natural, therefore, for them to settle about such a spot as Spicket Falls, which must have afforded an excellent fishing-place, while the land south and east of the falls was easy for them to cultivate for corn. The neighborhood of London Brook and Policy Brook - up which the alewives and suckers must have run in great numbers - would also have been an excellent place for an Indian village, particularly as there was plenty of land easy to work near by.

Probably the white man first set foot in Methuen about two hundred and fifty years ago. The settlers at Ipswich and other towns along the coast explored the country before its settlement to find the most desirable places to locate. In 1640 about a dozen colonists from Newbury, headed by Mr, Nathaniel Ward, settled at Haverhill, where the city proper now stands. Two years later they purchased from the Indians a tract of land embracing the greater part of what is now Methuen. The original deed is now in possession of the city of Haverhill, and reads as follows:

" Know all Men by these Presents, that we, Tassaquo and Saggahew, with ye consent of Passaconnaway : have sold unto ye inhabitants of Peutufkett all ye lands we have in Pentuckett ; that is eyght miles in length from j'e little Rivver in Pentmkett Westward ; Six myles in length from ye aforesaid Rivver northward ; And six myles in length from ye foresaid Rivver Eastward, with ye Ileaud and ye rivver that ye ileand stand in as far in length as ye land lyes by as formerly expressed : that is fourteen myles in length ;

"And wee ye said Passaquo and Sagga Hew with ye consent of Passaconnaway, have sold unto ye said inhabitants all ye right that wee or any of us have in ye said ground and Ileand and River.

"And we warrant it against all or any other Indians whatsoever unto ye said Inhabitants of Pentuckett, and to their heirs and assigns forever. Dated ye fifteenth day of november Ann Dom 1642.

" Witness our hands and seales to this bargayne of sale ye day and year above written (in ye presents of us) we ye said Passaquo & Sagga Hew have received in band, for & in consideration of ye same three pounds & ten shillings.

It is not easy to determine exactly what the Indians intended to convey by this deed, nor does it appear to have been clear to the early settlers. No regular survey was made until 1666, when a committee was appointed by tlie General Court to " run the bounds of the Town of Haverhill." They began at the meeting-house which was situated about half a mile east of Little River, near the cemeteries in the eastern part of the pre-tent city of Haverhill, and ran due west eight miles, and "reared a heap of stones." Then they ran from that heap of stones due south until they reached the Merrimac River, and due north from the heap of stones until they struck the northern line of the town. The shape of Haverhill, as finally determined, was triangular. Starting from Holt's Rock (Rocks Village), the line ran due northwest until it met the north and south line from Merrimac River, as mentioned above. Tliere is an old plan in the County Records, made previously to 1700, and probably as early as 1675, from which it appears that the Haverhill line started from the little island in the Merrimac, situated nearly opposite the .junction of Lowell and North Lowell Streets. From thence the line ran due north, very near the house of A. W. Pinney, across Policy Pond, and struck the Haverhill north line, northwest of Island Pond, including most, if not all, of that fine sheet of water within the limits of Haverhill. Thus it appears that the title to all that portion of Methuen east of the above-described line, came directly from the aboriginal owners.

It is noticeable that the Indian deed conveyed the river and the islands in it, and thus that Haverhill and Methuen are bounded by the opposite shore. of the Merrimac, instead of the centre or channel. It will also be noticed that this land was conveyed to "ye inhabitants of Pentuckett," and consequently was owned by the inhabitants of the town or colony in common. Here was an example of the common ownership of land by a community, the practical working of which is interesting to follow now, when so many reformers (?) are holding forth the idea that such ownership of the land would be the chief remedy for the evils of modern civilization. But the early settlers were evidently not possessed with the idea that this would be good for them, and did not long cultivate the land in this way, but took steps to let every man have his own land in severalty. The records of the town of Haverhill show that no one was admitted to the rights and privileges of the colony unless first voted in by the town.

In 1643 it was voted that "there shall bee three hundred acres laid out for house lotts and no more ; and that he that was worth two hundred pounds should have twenty acres to his house lott, and none to exceed that number; and so every one under that sum, to have acres proportionable to his house lott, together with meadow, and common and planting ground, proportionably."

The site of these " house lotts" was where the city proper of Haverhill now stands, a short distance east from Little River. Here all the colonists had their houses, from which, as a centre, they sought out the meadows and planting grounds in tlie more distant part of the town. The meadow-lands seem to have been the most highly valued, and sought after on account of the grass, which was the principal subsistence for their cattle. They cut and stacked the hay in the summer, and in the winter drew it home on sleds. The planting grounds were probably patches of upland which had been cultivated by the Indians, and were free from trees. An early writer says of Haverhill : " the people are wholly bent to improve their labor in tilling the earth and keeping of cattel whose yearly increase encourages them to spend their days in those remote parts. The constant penetrating further into this Wilderness hath caused the wild and uncouth woods to be filled with frequented wayes, and the large rivers to be overlaid with Bridges passeable both for horse and foot; this Town is of large extent, supposed to be ten miles in length, there being an overweaning desire in most men after Meadow-land, which hath caused many towns to grasp more into their hands than they could afterward possibly hold."

Lot layers were chosen by the town to divide the meadows and planting-grounds among the inhabitants, from time to time, as these lands became accessible and in a condition to cultivate. The records of these divisions show that the lots set off at first were small, often not more than two or three acres in a lot, and the meadow-land seems to have been taken uj) first. So it happened that a man would own lots in the eastern part of Haverhill, and on Spicket River and might be obliged to travel several miles to his planting-ground in another direction. The distribution of land went on from year to year, and the natural result was that land-owners desiring to have their lands as much as possible in one body, traded with each other until they became possessed of a compact body of land sufiicient for a farm. The next step was to build and settle on the farm for greater economy and convenience in cultivation of the land, and so the settlers gradually scattered from the first compact settlements out over the town. The descriptions of the lots as set off" by the lot layers are recorded in the Haverhill ri'cords, but it is very difiicult to exactly locate them now, because the bounds were usually marked trees, stumps or other perishable monuments.

These old descriptions show, however, that some of our local names are of very ancient date. In 1658 five acres of meadow were laid off in " Strongwater," near a little pond. In 1666 a parcel of meadow was laid out to Matthias Button, on the south side of " Spicket Hill." In 1659 there was a division of the land west of the Spicket River, with a provision that " if more than two acres meadow be found on any one lot, it shall remain to the town." In the same year we find a record of the laying off three acres of land in " Mistake Meadow " in the western part of Haverhill, whence we may fairly conclude that our present name " Mystic," was once " Mistake." In 1678 "eleven score acres of upland " were laid off to James Davis, Sr., bounded on the west by Spicket River, Spicket Falls being the southwest bound. In 1683 we find that a lot adjoining, on the southerly side, runriing from Spicket Falls to " Bloody Brook " on the east was taken up by James Davis, Jr.

These two lots included the land now occupied by the east part of Methuen village. The family of Mr. David Nevins have in their possession a grant from the " proprietors " of the Islands in the Spicket above the falls, to Asa and Robert Swan, for two pounds ten shillings, and bearing the date of 1731. The di-tribution of the common lands was continued from time to time, until finally, after much contention between the town, and the original settlers and their heirs, the " proprietors " or owners of the common land organized sejiarately from the town, and disposed of the remaining land as they saw fit. Thus it appears that the titles to the land in Methuen, east of the old Haverhill line, have all come from the Indians, Passaquo and Saggahew, through the " proprietors." The strip of land in Methuen, perhaps a mile and a half in width, between Haverhill line and " Drawcut" or Dracut line, seems to have been granted by the General Court to individuals. Major Denison, who had a grant of six hundred acres from the General Court in 1660, owned more than a thousand acres on the river above the Haverhill line, including what is now known as the Bartlett farm, and lands south and west. West of that was Colonel Higginson's farm of over three hundred acres. A little north of these was Marshall Nicholson's tract of three hundred acres. Printer Green had three hundred acres lying on each side of the brook, which runs from " White's Pond, then called " North Pond."

As we have already stated, we can find no record showing when the first settlement was made within the present limits of Methuen, or who made it.

It is certain that the east and south parts of the town near the river, were first occupied, doubtless because they were nearer the villages of Haverhill and Andover. It is said that when repairing the old "Bodwell House," now in Lawrence, some years ago, a brick was found bearing the date 1660, which had been marked upon it before the brick was burnt. This would seem to indicate that a house was built in the neighborhood near that date. It set-ms doubtful whether there were many settlers in Methuen until near the time it was set off from Haverhill. The Indian troubles which extended over many years previous to 1700, must have seriously checked, if they did not entirely prevent, the settlement on farms. Andover and Haverhill were both made frontier towns by act of General Court, and both towns suffered severely during the Indian War. But we have never seen a record of an Indian attack on settlers living upon territory which afterwards became Methuen. There were many attacks on the scattered setilers in West

In January. 177r), the town voted to give to the poor of the town of Boston by subscription, and chose a committee to receive donations. At the same meeting it was voted that the minute-men " drawn out or exposed to train, should have eight pence per day for their trouble to the last of March."

Mr. John Bod well was also chosen at that meeting to meet the Provincial Congress on the first day of February at Cambridge. At the annual meeting in March it was voted to provide bayonets, " which should be brought to Captain John Davis, and after the service was over said Davis is to return said bayonets unto the selectmen of said town." It was also voted that the committee of safety or correspondence should continue a committee for the same purpose, and also that John Masters and Jonathan Barker be a committee to make uj) the " cartrages " for those persons who were not able to provide for themselves, out of the town stock. Soon after, the town voted to provide guns for all minute men unable to furnish theiuselves ; also to provide blankets and cartridges.

Another interesting document, dated about this time, is also found out of place on one of the last leaves of the book of records, as follows : -

"We, the subscribers, being appointed a committee by the town of Methuen to give some instructions to a certain Committee of Safety and Correspondence, that was chosen by this town in September last or majhereafter be chosen as above, that it is recommended that the above committee do stiMctly observe and conform to the instructions hereatter mentioned.

" First. That you will be vigilant in this time of public distress ; that no infractions, vi»lations be made on the good and wholesome laws of this province, whereby the morals of the people are endangered of being corrupted, and in case you should be unsuccessful in your endeavors in all proper ways, then to publish their names that the public may see and know them to be enemies of their country and the privileges of the same.

Thirdly. As a Committee of Inspection we recommend to you that you will not buy or purchase any British manufactures or superfluities in your families but such as are of absolute necessity, and likewise that yon recommend to others to do the same, for we think that a reformation of this will greatly tend to lessen our private expense and the better enable us to bear the publick charges and prevent those mischiefs that may ensue thereupon.

"Fourthly. That you will suppress as much as possible those persons, if any such there be, who travel as pedlers to introduce British goods and impose on the inconsiderate, which may impoverish us. And whereas, it is said that our enemies are sending out spies in order to get information of our schemes ;ind plans which are contrived for our defence so as they may frustrate them, it is recommended that you take care that they receive that resentment due to their deeds.

"Fifthly. If any trader or other person within this town shall take the advantage of the present distressed circumstances in America and by an avaricious thirst after gain shall raise the price of any comnioditj' whatsoever beyond their usual reasonable price, or shall use their influence by words or actions to weaken the measures advised by the Grand Continental Congress when made to appear to you that he or they persist in the same, you are to publish their names that they may be publickly known and treated as enemies to their country.

It will be noticed that this paper was dated about two weeks before the battle of Lexington. It shows the resolute, deeis-seated earnestness with which our fathers entered the contest, and that the men of Methuen were as fully imbued with the spirit of resistance to tyranny as the more widely known men of the time. As might be expected, the town records are silent in regard to the events at Lexington and Bunker Hill. There was no reason why the town as a body should take action in reference to those battles. Nevertheless the men of Methuen had an active share in those great events, and we are not without an official record of the part they took.

The archives at the State House contain the names of those who went from Methuen on the memorable 19th of April, and also the names of the Methuen Company who fought at the battle of Bunker Hill.

There were four Methuen comjianies at the battle of Lexington, and the following is a lull list of the names Just as they are found on the original muster rolls now on file in the office of the Secretary of State :

Muster roll of the following number or party of men that belonged to Methuen, in the county of Essex, on the alarm on the 19th of April, 1775, and never joined to any particular commanding officer:

Captain James Jones' pay roll for the campaign in the defence of the country at the battle of Concord, made at the rate of twenty-eight days per month, four days' service.

The tax book of that year gives the names of two hundred and fifty-two poll-taxpayers. It is surprising that a town of so small population could have sent so many men at the first call to meet the British. Nothing could more forcibly impress us with the universal, deep-seated determination of our fathers to protect their rights at all hazards, than this simple list of names. When we consider that they were not called out by any order of the authorities, that their enthusiasm had not been stirred by appeals from the daily press or by public speakers, that they only knew from the signal guns and fires on the hills that the British were in motion, and that the war had actually begun, and that nearly every able bodied man in town, more than half the poll-taxpayers, must, of their own accord, have shouldered their muskets and marched at a moment's warning to meet the foe, those of us who claim descent from those men cannot help feeling the blood tingle in our veins with an honest pride in such an ancestry. Such facts show better than anything else can, the quality of the Revolutionary spirit, and how it was that the colonies were finally successful. The next important event was the battle of Bunker Hill, on the 17th of June following, in which it is certain that a Methuen comi)any bore an important part. The following is a copy of the original musterroll on file at the State House.

"Return of the men's names, when they enlisted and where they belonged. Belonging to Captain John Davis' Company, in Colonel Frye's Regiment :

It is by no means certain that this list includes the names of all Methuen men engaged in the battle ; there may have been some in companies from the neighboring towns. It is known that the ]\Iethuen company was in the thickest of the fight, that it was stationed in the redoubt, and was among the last to leave it. It is said that it came near being surrounded towards the end of the battle, and that as the enemy came up on each hand a British soldier ran up to Captain Davis, saying, " You are my prisoner.''

Captain Davis, who was a resolute, powerful man, replied, " I guess not," at the same time running the soldier through with his sword. The blood spurted over his breeches as he drew back the sword, but he made his escape. It is also said that Captain Davis took one of his wounded men upon his back just after escaping from the redoubt, and carried him out of the reach of danger. As he was crossing the hollow between the hills, which was swept by the fire from a British vessel, he saw before him a board fence. Captain Davis, tired by excitement and the weight of his comrade, said : " I don't see how we can get over that fence." But in an instant after, a cannon ball knocked it in pieces and left the way clear.

Mr. Asa M. Bodwell tells a story of James Ordway, who afterwards lived on the west side of Tower Hill. Mr. Ordway was in poor circumstances in his old age, and had a bad ulcer on his leg. Mr. Bodwell says that his father sent him one day to Mr. Ordway with a gallon of rum to bathe his lame leg, and with it a message saying that the rum was sent to pay for throwing stones at the battle of Bunker Hill. The story being, that when the ammunition gave out, at the close of the battle, Ordway laid down his gun and threw stones at the British until driven out. Methuen lost three men at the battle of Bunker Hill. Ebenezer Herrick was killed in the battle, Joseph Hibbard was wounded and died June 20th, James Ingalls was wounded and died July 8th. It is impossible to as- certain the exact number of soldiers Methuen had in the Kevolutionary War. The town records give us no information on this point, and the State records are imperfect, but there is no doubt that Methuen kept her quota in the field. After the evacuation of Boston by the British, the seat of war was so far away, that probably few of the soldiers from this town were actively engaged with the enemy.

There are stories told of Methuen men who went to fight Burgoyne, and helped to conduct the captured soldiers to Cambridge, and guard them while there ; other soldiers from this town were stationed at different points on the coast exposed to attack.

During those years, the town business went on as usual. A Committee of Safety and Correspondence was appointed each year, and in February, 1778, the town voted that the Selectmen should supply the families of soldiers in the Continental Army with the necessaries of life. At the same meeting the town was called upon to see what instructions it would give to their Representative, relative to a resolve of the Continental Congress for all the United States of America to join in a perpetual union with one another. The subject was referred to a committee, consisting of Major Bodwell, Captain James Jones, Colonel Thomas Poor, Lieutenant John Huse and Mr. Enoch Merrill. At an adjourned meeting, the question was put whether the town would receive and accept the Articles of Confederation and perpetual union, and "voted in the aflirraative."

The currency question seems to have been as troublesome in those days as it has been later. At a meeting held April 2, 1778, there was an article in the warrant " To see what the town will do with those persons who refuse to take our paper currency, - and passed a resolve to treat them as enemies to their country, and voted to publish the same in the Boston newspaper." The rapid decrease in value of this currency is shown by the fact, that while, in 1777, £30 was raised for the ordinary repairs of the highways, in 1781 £G000 was raised for the same purpose.

In 1779, Lieut. John Sargent was chosen delegate to rej^resent the town in the convention to be held at Cambridge, to form a new constitution. In 1780, the new Constitution of the State of Massachusetts took effect, and in that year we find the first record of a vote for Governor and Senators. It is evident that party feeling did not run very high, from the fact that for the office of Governor, John Hancock had sixtyfour votes and James Bowdoin two.

In that year the town furnished 8780 pounds of beef for the army, and hired sixteen men. The next year they furnished 6957 pounds of beef, and raised twelve men to serve as soldiers.

We find nothing in the town records to indicate the end of the war, except a vote to sell the entrenching tools belonging to the town, and the frequency of military titles, indicating that the soldiers were at home and active in town matters.

From the close of the Revolutionary War, there is little of interest to be gleaned from the town records for many years. About this time we find that the town voted "not to give liberty for inoculation for small-pox," and to "choose a committee of five to take care of those persons lately inoculated with, the small-pox, and prosecute them, and take effectual care that the distemper spread no further."

In 1793, a company was organized to build a bridge over the Merrimack at Bodwell's Falls. Up to that time ferries had furnished the only means of crossing this river. We find mention of five different ferries, as follows:

The early inhabitants did not dream that a bridge could be built across so broad a stream, and a common way of expressing the impossibility of doing a thing was to say, "It is as impossible as to build a bridge over the Merrimack River." It seems, too, that some of the inhabitants did not take kindly to the new project, probably deeming it a base scheme on the part of the proprietors to make money out of the public ; for a meeting was held soon after to see if the town would send a remonstrance to the General Court against its erection. This proposition was decided in the negative. The opponents of the bridge then called a meeting to see if the town would petition the General Court to order the proprietors to pay the cost of the town roads leading to the bridge. This also was voted down, and the town decided to repair the road over Currant's Hill to the New Hampshire line.

The bridge was built shortly after, and for some years the travel from thence to New Hampshire passed over Currant's Hill, curving around over the old road - now discontinued - on the hill in the rear of the house of James Ingalls.

The "Turnpike" (now Broadway) was built in 1805-6, by an incorporated comjjany. A system of toll was established, but it caused such dissatisfaction that in a few years the "Turnpike" was made a public highway by the County Commissioners.

The town first voted for a Representative to Congress and for a Presidential Elector, December 18, 1788, the highest candidate voted for receiving twenty-three votes. It seems that at the first Presidential elections, the town voted for only one elector; but in 1804 votes were cast for nineteen electors.

The change from the use of English money to Federal currency took place about 1795-96. The last time we find "pounds" used in making up the town records was in 1795.

March, for the future ; and, at the same meeting, for the first time voted that swine should not go at large. Previous to that time, the town had always voted the largest liberty to swine, except that for a few years this liberty had been coupled with the condition that they should be " yoaked and ringed."

In the War of 1812 Methuen sent her proportion of men to meet the old enemy. The only reference to that war in the town records, is a vote passed " to give the detached soldiers a sum to make them up twelve dollars a month while in active service with what Government gives them." We have been told by veterans of that war, now dead, that the number of men (;alled for from Methuen was not large. They were mostly stationed to defend the forts along the coast. It is said, however, that a small number of soldiers went from Methuen to meet the British in Canada, and that they were present at the surrender of Hull. It appears from the census returns and the tax lists that Methuen grew but little in wealth and population, during the forty years subsequent to the Revolutionary War. In 1776 the population of the town number one thousand three hundred and twenty-six, and in 1820 one thousand three hundred and seventyone.

There was no village in the town at that time, and no neighboring markets to induce growth. At the beginning of this century, there were only six houses in the now thickly settled part of Methuen Village. The Miller Cross house, corner of Hampshire and Lowell Streets ; Sargent house, where Exchange Hotel stands ; Deacon Fry house. Butters farm ; Swan place, Nevins farm ; Jonathan Cluff house, Mill-yard; John Sargent house, at elm tree by millyard.

There was then one grist-mill, a little south of Fisher's grocery store, another on the opposite side ot the river, and a fulling-mill just below the foot-bridge at the falls. From 1820 to 1840 the town gained about seventy per cent, in population, with a corresponding increase in wealth. This was in consequence of the building of the cotton-mills, and increase in the manufacture of shoes and hats. During that time there were few events of special interest to this generation. In 1837 it ajjpears that a new town-house was talked about, and a committee was chosen at the March meeting to select a location and ijrejiare estimates. The committee reported at an adjourned meeting, and the town voted to build. A Aveek or two afterwards another meeting was called, the vote reconsidered and committee discharged. The same year the selectmen were authorized to hire the vestry of the Baptist meeting-house for holding town-meetings, and that house continued to be the place for town-meetings until the present town-house was built in 1853. In 1844 rumors began to circulate of a project to dam the Merrimack, and build factories at Bodwell's Falls. The town voted to give Daniel Saunders and his associates a refusal of the town- farm, which was situated on Broadway, the buildings being on the east side, south of Haverhill Street, at its cost, with an addition of thirty-three per cent.

The terms on which the Essex Company bonded the land now occupied by the 2)rincipal parts of the city of Lawrence were, a fair cash value, with an addition of thirty-three per cent. The land was bought in due time, and the "New City" as it was then called, grew with wonderlul rapidity. When operations first began there were only nine or ten houses standing on what is now the thickly settled part of North Lawrence. There was a paper-mill, operated by Adolphus Durant, on the Spicket, a little above its mouth. In 1847 Chas. S. Storrow and others j^etitioned for an act of incorporation of a new town to be called Lawrence. There was a strong opposition to this scheme on the part of Methuen, a town-meeting was called, and John Tenney and George A. Waldo were chosen to oppose the petition before the committee of the Legislature. They were unsuccessful in this opposition ; Lawrence obtained an act of incorporation, and Methuen lost a large section of her territory. Another small slice was subsequently taken from Methuen and added to Lawrence, since which time the boundaries of Methuen have remained unchanged. Doubtless old residents of the town will recall many matters of much interest in their day, such as the bickerings about the enforcement of the liquor laws, the efforts made to suppress the liquor traffic in Salem, the contests over the dividing lines of school districts, and the disputes over the building of new roads, but they would hardly be of general interest now. From 1850 to 1860 there was little change in population, and few events of general interest. In 1861 came the war which laid its hand so heavily on the whole land. W'hen the first note of war was sounded, and President Lincoln called for seventyfive thousand troops to protect Washington in April, 1861, Governor Andrew ordered the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment, with others, to start at once. Company F of that Regiment, Capt, Chadbourne, had its armory in Lawrence, and eight members of that company belonged in Methuen as follows:

They were notified of the call late in the afternoon, and immediately reported for duty, and the next morning they all left Lawrence for Washington. On the 19th they made the memorable passage through Baltimore where they met the first resistance to the Federal troops. Thus Methuen has had the honor of seeing her sons foremost in the fight in both of our great wars ; for as Lexington and Concord were the initial events in the Revolutionary War, so was Baltimore in the Civil War.

held, and the sum of five thousand dollars voted for the purpose of arming, equipping and furnishing volunteers. A committee, consisting of the selectmen, Eben. Sawyer, J. P. Flint, John C. Webster and Daniel Currier was appointed " to disburse the money." A company was at once formed, all of volunteers from Methuen and vicinity, and most of them from Methuen, and they were uniformed, e(|uippcd and drilled, so as to be ready for action. This company became Company B, Fourteenth Massachusetts Infantry, and for some time were stationed at Fort Warren, and went to Washington in the latter part of the summer of 1861. In August of that year, the town voted to pay State aid to the families of volunteers according to law.

In July, 1862, forty-seven men were called for, and the town voted to ]>ay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer when mustered into the United States service. On the 2d of August the town held another meeting, in which it was voted to pay two hundred dollars in addition to the sum already voted, making three hundred in all, to volunteers when mustered into the service Immediately after came another from the President for three hundred thousand nine months' men. A meeting was at once called to adopt measures to obtain the number required from Methuen. it was voted to pay one hundred and fifty dollars to each nine months' man when mustered in and credited to the town.

The next call for recruits came in November, 1863, and the town voted " to fill its quota under the call for three hundred thousand men." A vote also passed to pay the families of drafted men the same State aid that was paid to families of volunteers.

In May, 1864, the selectmen were authorized to pay one hundred and twenty-five dollars bounty to volunteers in anticipation of a call from the President for more men. After this time, however, few recruits were mustered in. The volunteers from Methuen were scattered through several different regiments, but the largest number was in Company B, First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, which was noted as a remarkably well-drilled and disciplined body of men. When the regiments were detailed for the defence of Washington, the Fourteenth Massachusetts Infantry was selected after a competitive inspection with other regiments, for iheir excellent discijdine, well-regulated camp, good appearance and reliable men.

The name of the regiment was changed from the Fourteenth Massachusetts Infantry to the First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, and the men remained on duty in the forts in front of Washington, on Arlington Heights, until towards the end of the war, when they were ordered to the front, and performed distinguished service. They were engaged in sixteen to twenty different battles, and at Spottsylvania they occupied an important position in the centre of Grant's army, and held at bay Ewell's force of more than four times their number, until reinforcements arrived from a distance of five miles, thus preventing Grant's army from being cut in two. For their heroic behavior on that occasion they received the unusual distinction of a special commendation from General Grant. The Methuen men received their heaviest blow in this battle, where fifteen were killed and many more wounded. The news that the company from Methuen had suffered heavily in this battle caused great excitement throughout the town, and a meeting of the citizens was immediately held. Resolutions expressive of sympathy and condolence were passed, and it was voted to send an agent to look after the wounded.

It ought to be mentioned also that the Methuen company held an honorable position in this regiment of eighteen hundred men. At the battle of June 16 the regimental color-bearer was twice shot down. Our well-known townsman, Albert L. Dame, was then given this honorable and dangerous place in the regiment, and had the honor of carrying the colors to the end of the war, and delivering them up to the State. The number of men lost from Methuen during the war was fifty-two, exclusive of those serving in the navy. According to General Schouler, the town furnished three hundred and twenty-five men for the war, which was a surplus of fifty-one over and above all demands. Fifteen were commissioned officers. The whole amount of money appropriated and expended by the town on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was $38j651iVo.

In addition to this amount seven thousand five hundred dollars were gratuitously given by individual citizens to aid soldiers' families and to encourage recruiting. The total amount of State aid, which has been paid to soldiers and their families in Methuen, up to January 1, 1887, is $56,747.03. There were about a thousand dollars in money raised by fairs and levees, and the ladies of Methuen devoted a great deal of time to work for the soldiers.

There were two societies, the Sanitary Commission and Christian Commission, which performed a vast amount of work whose valne cannot be measured in dollars and cents. Thus it appears that there must have been paid out in Methuen, directly on account of the war, considerably more than $100,000.

As we look back over the record of Methuen in the Civil War, on the readiness with which her men mustered in the field, and the heartiness with which they were supported by those left at home, we cannot deny that this generation has proved itself worthy its Revolutionary ancestry.

On the 7th of September, 1876, Methuen celebrated the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation as a town. The day was fine, and the event was observed with great enthusiasm. The booming of cannon in thi early morning aroused the slumberers in the valley of the Spicket, and gave the signal for the festivities of the day to begin.

The Town-House and most private dwellings were tastefully decorated, business was suspended and the busy tt>wn took on a holiday appearance quite unusual. The exercises of the day began with a procession, composed of a cavalcade of horsemen, a military company improvised for the occasion, - part equipped in the old style and part in the new, - the fire department, carriages representing the different trades and business of the town, school children, distinguished visitors and citizens in carriages, making quite an imposing display. Governor Rice, Surgeon Gen. Dale, Hon. Allen W. Dodge and Hon. Carroll D. Wright, were among the visitors. The president of the day was Hon. Jacob Emerson, orator, Hon. John K. Tarbox, chief marshal. Adjutant James Ingalls, chaplain. Rev. Lyman H. Blake.

The procession, with bands of music, passed through the principal streets of the town to the " Barker Lot," near the corner of Lowell and Barker Streets, where a stand had been erected. Here an eloquent oration was delivered before a large audience, by Hon. John K. Tarbox, a son of Methuen. After the oration a banquet was served under a large tent near by, at the conclusion of which speeches were made by the orator of the day, Hon. Allen W. Dodge, treasurer, of Essex County, Rev. Dr. A. A. Miner, once pastor of a church in Methuen, Hon. Carroll D. Wright, Hon. J. C. Blaisdell, of Fall River, Hon. J. K. Jenners, mayor of Haverhill, Major George S. Merrill, of Lawrence, Rev. Moses How, of New Bedford and several others.

Rev. Moses How was a resident of Methuen in his youthful days, and at this time, though eighty-seven years of age, a hale and vigorous man. After giving his audience many interesting reminiscences of old Methuen, he stated that he had preached eight thousand sermons, attended two thousand two hundred and sixty-five funerals, married one thousand nine hundred and four couples and had distributed five thousand two hundred and eleven Bibles and fifteen thousand Testaments to seamen. The day closed with social and family reunions at the homes of citizens of the town.

The occasion will be long remembered by those who participated in it, for the good fellowship which characterized the day, and the greetings of the sons and daughters of the old town, who had come back to revisit the old homestead, revive the memories of early days and take once more by the hand the companions of their youth.

From the close of the Civil War to the present time, the town has passed through the most prosperous period of its history. The population has increased from two thousand five hundred and seventysix in 1865, to four thousand five hundred and seven in 1885, and the wealth of the town has gained in like proportion.

In 171)0 the old "athadoxt" meeting-house, first built, was torn down, and a new one built on or near the same spot, the congregation worshipping in the meanwhile in the house of the Second Parish. The building of this house seems to have excited much interest through the town, and it is a curious fact, illustrating the habits of the time, that it was voted " That the spectators be given a drink of grog ajjiece at the raising." As the village sprung up around Spicket Falls, "Meeting-House Hill" ceased to be the most central place, and to better accommodate the congregation, it was decided in 1832, to remove the house to the spot now occupied by the stone meeting-house. It stood there until 1855, when the wooden house was torn down and the present stone house erected. In 1880 the parish received generous contributions from the family of Rev. John C. Phillips, and also from the family of Mr. David Nevins, for the purpose of erecting a chapel. The stone chapel now on the grounds was built shortly after. The grounds have since been tastefully laid out and adorned by Henry C. Nevins, Esq., and the church property of the First Parish, Methuen, is now unsurpassed in beauty by any in the County.

About this time the " Second Parish " was formed by act of the Legislature. Under this arrangement every taxable person in town was taxed for the support of the minister, but he paid to the parish to which he belonged, instead of to the town. The meeting-house of the Second Parish ' stood on the north side of Pelham Street, a little west of the house formerly occupied by Leonard Wheeler. It was afterwards removed to the hill, near the house of Stephen W. Williams, whence it was removed to Lawrence, and afterwards destroyed by fire. We have found no record of the termination of the ministry of Mr. Chapman, but we find that Rev. J. H. Stevens was ordained May 18, 1791, and was dismissed March 10, 1795. Rev. Josiah Hill was settled April 9, 1832, and retired April 9, 1833. The Second Parish existed for half a century, - until 1816, - when it was united with the First Parish. In 1830 it was again organized, but was again united with the old church and parish. At present there is but one Congregational Church in the town.

To an historical discourse prepared by Rev. K. S. Hall, and delivered at the semi-centennial celebration of that church and society, October 18, 1865, we are indebted for much of what follows. For many years there had been persons of the Baptist faith scattered through the town, and Isaac Backus preached here as early as March 30, 1756. It is also known that Baptist sentiments were held by the Messer family in Methuen a century and a half ago, and that Jacob Whittier, of Methuen, was chosen one of the deacons of the Baptist Church in Haverhill May 9, 1765. Sometime during the last century a Baptist Church was constituted in the west part of Methuen, but no record is in existence of its formation or subsequent proceedings. A meeting-house was built about the year 1778, near the burying-ground west of the Bartlett Farm, and simply boarded and supplied with a floor. Services were held in it occasionally for some years, but some of the leading families removed from town, and the church ceased to exist. Religious meetings continued to be held occasionally at private houses, and baptisms were administered at different times, until the formation of the Baptist Society in Methuen, March 1, 1815, when a number of the inhabitants met at the house of " Mr. Ebenezer Whittier, innholder," and chose a committee to draft articles of signature, which were signed by seventy-one members during the first year. The Baptist Church was constituted March 8, 1815, and the recognition services were held in the house of Daniel Frye, now the " Butters Place." During the first year of its organization the church held religious meetings in different i^arts of the town, the church meetings being usually held at the house of Daniel Frye, afterwards chosen deacon. Charles O. Kimball, a licentiate of the Haverhill Church, commenced j^reaching June 25, 1815, and was ordained pastor of the church and society May 8, 1816.

In the summer of 1815 steps were taken for building a meeting-house, and it was finally voted to build a "two-story meeting-house" on a half-acre lot given by Bailey Davis, where the Baptist Church now stands. Several other lots were contemplated on which to build the house ; one, the " mill lot," embracing a quarter of an acre near where the Town House now stands, and another on "Liberty Hill," a little southwest of the stone church on the opposite side of the street. The house was built and publicly dedicated December 5, 1816. During the long pastorate of Mr. Kimball, the church seems to have been characterized by activity and zeal in its membership, and steadily increased in numbers and influence. For the first ten years all moneys for the support of preaching and other expenses connected therewith were raised by voluntary subscription ; afterwards taxes were assessed on members of the society. Mr. Kimball closed his labors October 4, 1835. Rev. Addison Parker, of Sturbridge, was the successor of Mr. Kimball, and was publicly installed February 3 1836. The church seems to have prospered during his ministry, which closed May 1, 1839. Rev. Samuel W. Field was the next pastor, and was installed April 22, 1840. During the first year of his pastorate the old meeting-house was torn down and a new one built on the old site, the congregation holding services in

In June, 1847, Rev. Joseph M. Graves became pastor of the church, and remained until May 11, 1850, when he tendered his resignation. Rev. B. F. Bronson was the successor of Mr. Graves, and after a prosperous pastorate of seven years and a half, resigned May 30, 1858.

Rev. Hownrd M. Emerson was ordained pastor January 2, 1861, and continued in the ofBce until his death. May 16, 1862. Rev. King S. Hall was installed December 23 of the same year, and resigned April 30, 1867. He was succeeded by Rev. N. M. Williams, who was settled February 13, 1868, and left March 31, 1871.

Rev. Lyman Chase became pastor in May, 1871, and i-emained until the summer of 1876. He was succeeded by Rev. Thomas J. B. House, who commenced his labors January 1, 1877, and left April 24, 1883. Rev. Simeon L. B. Chase became the next pastor August 19, 1883, and resigned May 29, 1887.

On Sunday. March 21, 1869, the meeting-house took fire during the morning service, and was totally destroyed. The society erected the house which is now standing in the following summer on the old spot, and it was dedicated January 13, 1870. This church is strong and prosperous, numbers about two hundred members, and is the only one of its denomination in the town.

The Universalist Church and Society was organized in 1824. At first religious services were held at irregular intervals in the different school-houses in town. As the church became stronger, meetings were held regularly in " McKay's building," on Lowell Street, and later in " Wilson's Hall," Hampshire Street. The present Universalist meeting-house was built in 1835-36, and dedicated in July, 1836. Rev. John A. Gurley was the first settled minister, and was pastor at that time. He left about 1837. The next pastor was Rev. E. N. Harris, who did not remain long. Rev. A. A. Miner was settled over the church in November, 1839, and remained until July, 1842, when he left to settle in Lowell. Rev. H. R. Nye was the next pastor, and remained about three years, leaving in 1845. Rev. Willard Spaulding succeeded Mr. Nye, and preached at this time two or three years. Rev. O. A. Tillotson succeeded Mr. Spaulding, and was followed by Rev. William H. Waggoner in 1851 and 1852. Rev. Willard Spaulding was pastor a second time in 1855 and 1856. Rev. Edwin Davis became pastor in the spring of 1861, and remained until 1863. Rev. John E. Davenport followed Mr. Davis, and continued in the pastoral office about two years. Rev. C. A. Bradley became pastor in 1869, and resigned March 22, 1871.

During the pastorate of Mr. Bradley the church and grounds were remodeled and much improved. Rev. W. W. Heywood became pastor in 1871, and his resignation was accepted by the society March 29, 1875. Rev. R. T. Polk was installed as the next pastor March 21, 1877, and resigned August 31, 1879.

Rev. G. T. Flanders, of Lowell, supplied the pulpit for a year, beginning his labors February 29, 1880, was succeeded by Rev. Nathan S. Hill from November 1, 1881, to March 1, 1883. In October, 1883, the society called Rev. Donald Eraser to the pastorate, and he remained until his resignation in November, 1885. Rev. A. F. Walch, the next minister, was installed October 14, 1886, and is now in the pastoral office. The congregation numbers about one hundred and fifty.

We are informed that the Methodists first held meetings in Methuen in 1833 or '34. They occasionally occupied the Second Parish meeting-house, and held meetings in the school-houses, but after the institution of regular religious services, they occupied " Wilson's Hall." The building now used as a school-house on Lowell Street was built by them for a meeting-house, and occupied for several years, until the establishment of a Methodist Church and society at the new city of Lawrence drew off" a portion of the members, and so weakened the society in Methuen that it was thought advisable to sell the building. After the sale of the meeting-house no regular religious services were held in Methuen by that denomination until 1853 or 1854, when a reorganization was eflfected, and religious services were held in the library room in the town hall. As the society increased in numbers, more commodious quarters were needed, and the society held their meetings in the town hall until 1871, when the present meeting-house was built at the junction of Lowell and Pelham Streets. John Barnes, of Lawrence, was the first pastor after the reorganization, and since then the pastors have been as follows :

In 1833, or thereabout, there was an Episcopal Church formed in Methuen. It seems to have had a short existence as an organized body, and little can be learned about it, except that it held its meetings in " Wilson's Hall." In 1878 another Episcopal Church was organized under the name of St. Thomas'

The first rector was Rev. Belno A. Brown, whose energy and zeal contributed much to the success of the new church. The present rector is E.ev. Thomas De Learsy.

The Catholics have a large and prosperous branch of that church in Methuen. For many years there have been a large number of persons in the town, holding that faith, who attended church in Lawrence. In January, 1878, a movement was made by leading Catholics in Methuen, and approved by Father Gilmore, then Parish Priest in Lawrence, to establish religious services. The Town Hall was engaged, and has been occupied for that i:>urpose on Sundays ever since. Father Marsden ofliciated from the beginning until his death nearly two years afterwards.

The pastors who succeeded him have been Father O'Farrell, about one year ; Father Riley, about two years; Father O'Connell, about two years; Father Rowan, about two years; and Father Murphy, who is the present pa.stor. The congregation numbers about four hundred persons.

Grecian Lodge, F. A. A. M., was formed in Methuen December 14, 1825, and seems to have prospered until the Anti-Masonic excitement overspread the country. In consequence of this it surrendered its charter in 1838. The lodge reorganized in 1847 under the old charter, but within the limits of Lawrence. Methuen Masons associated themselves with the old lodge until 1860, when John Hancock Lodge was constituted. It holds its meetings in "Currier's Building,'' where it has a cosey well-furnished lodge-room, and numbers about one hundred and fifty members.

Hope Lodge of Odd-Fellows was instituted in 1844, and for a time held its meetings in " Currier's Building." It surrendered its charter to the Grand Lodge in 1855. The lodge was reinstated in 1869, and since that time has flourished. It has pleasant rooms, wellfurnished, in Dodge's Building, and numbers about one hundred and forty members.

A branch of the Royal Arcanum was established here in December, 1877. It commenced with a membership of twenty, and now has eighty-five. It holds its meetings in Corliss' Hall, and seems to be a prosperous society - if we can call an Insurance Association of that size prosperous, which has had only one death among its members for ten years.

The United Order of the Pilgrim Fathers also have a strong organization in Methuen. It was formed March 15, 1879, and numbers about one hundred members. They hold their meetings in the hall of tlie Grand Army of the Republic.

Wm. B. Green Post 100, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized in February, 1877, and has seventyfour members. It has one of the finest Grand Army halls in the region, tastefully finished and elegantly furnished. As the Grand Army is composed only of veterans in the late war, the post cannot expect to increase much in numbers, but the zeal and interest of its members seem in nowise to diminish as time goes on.

The "Home Circle," numbering about fifty members, was organized in May, 1880. They hold their meetings in the hall of the Grand Army of the Republic.

A branch of the " United Order of Workmen " was organized January 25, 1886, and has thirty-one members. They meet in the hall of the G. A. R.

Methuen does not appear to have been behind other towns of like population and wealth in efforts for literary culture and entertainment. About 1819 a society was formed called the "Addison Literary Society," for purposes of mental culture and improvement. We have been informed by Robert S. Rantoul, Esq., of Salem, that two or three years after, principally through the ettbrts of Timothy Claxton, an English mechanic and machinist in the cotton mill, this society was transformed into what was afterwards known as a lyceum. And there is some reason to suppose that this was the beginning of the "lyceum" in this country. This society flourished nearly or quite twenty years, had a small library and erected a building in which to hold meetings on Broadway Street near Park Street. But after awhile, a sinful desire for dramatic entertainment entered into the minds of some of its members, and the acting of farces and short plays to some extent took the place of the sober discussions of great questions which formed the staple of the earlier exercises. The sober, substantial people of the town looked on more in sorrow than in anger, and refused to countenance such loose and immoral practices. From this time on the society declined and fell, and utter ruin overtook it with the i^erformance of Richard III by some of its members.

The building was sold and removed to the west side of the river and converted into a dwelling-house, now owned and occupied by Hon. James 0. Parker. For many years courses of lectures were given almost every winter, and sometimes a debating club was organized, until the easy access to Lawrence made it possible for Methuen people to attend entertainments there almost as easily as at home.

In 1873, and every year thereafter until 1887, the town voted that the proceeds received from dog licenses should be devoted to the purchase of a public library. From this small beginning the number of volumes increased year by year until in 1886 a library of about twenty-five hundred well selected volumes was collected, which was much used by the people of the town, until the Nevins Memorial Library was opened to the public - January 1, 1887.

There is nothing in Methuen in which the citizens take so much pride, and for which they are so grateful, as the Nevins Memorial. The design of this institution is so well stated in the "Note by the Trustees," published in the catalogue of the library, that we quote it entire :

" The Nevins Memorial was founded in memory of the late David Nevins, who was born in Salem, N. H., Dec. 12, 1809, and was brought to Methuen by his parents at an early age, and passed here the years of hi8 childhood. In his later years he assumed the duties of a citizen, and here at the family homestead he was seized with the illness which, on the 10th of March, 1881, unexpectedly closed his active and useful career.

" Desiring to promote the intellectual and moral well being of the community whose material interests had been so greatly advanced by his business sagacity and energy, it was his expressed intention to found, during his lifetime, an institution similar in scope to that of this Memorial. His sudden decease prevented his execution of this design, but the purpose he had declared was at once taken up by his widow and sons, and the Nevins Memorial Building was erected upon the site chosen and purchased for that use some years before his death. The building was planned and its construction supervised by Mr. Samuel J. F. Thayer, architect, of Boston ; ground for its erection being broken March 27,

1884. It contains a public hall, ample in size and beautiful in decoration, a library, waiting and reading rooms, well adapted to their respective uses, and suitable rooms for the trustees and librarian. The government of the Memorial is vested in a board of seven trustees, five of whom, yira. Eliza S. Nevins and Messrs. David Nevins, Henry C. Nevins, Jacob Emerson and John H. Morse, were incorporated by the Massachusetts legislature of 1885 as permanent members. The two additional members are chosen by the town of Methuen for the term of two years, Dr. George E. Woodbury and James Ingalls being the present elective members.

" When experience shall have shown what amount is needed for the proper maintenance of the Memorial, it is the design of the founders to make an endowment sufficient to render it entirely self-supporting. The library comprises nearly ten thousand volumes of standard works, carefully selected, and covering a wide range of general literature and special topics. To Miss Ames was intrusted iti< entire organization, including the selection of the books, the details of classification and arrangement, and the preparation of the catalogue.

" We feel confident that the result of her labors will not only facilitate the use of the library for general readers, but will be found of particular advantage to those pursuing a systematic course of reading, or engaged in special studies. The end crowns the work."

The building is of brick, with freestone trimmings, of beautiful architectural design, and built in the most substantial manner. Every foundation wall and pier rests upon the solid rock, and the walls are exceptionally strong and heavy.

The building is finished in oak throughout, and all the ornamentation, within and without, is in the most exquisite taste, No expense was spared to make it a perfect work, according to the designs of the founders. The library, selected and arranged by Miss Harriet H. Ames, is admirably well chosen, and the catalogue, also arranged and prepared by her, is a wellnigh perfect specimen of the art of cataloguing. It is in two volumes, of nearly five hundred pages each, and is an encyclopedia in itself. The following inscription on the front of the building explains the purpose of the founders :

About three and a half acres of laud surrounding the building have been set apart and tastefully laid out and ornamented with rare trees and shrubs. And all this beautiful and costly estate is placed in the hands of trustees, and is to be endowed with a fund to make it self-supporting, for the benefit of the inhabitants of Methuen in all coming time. Surely no more noble or lasting tribute could have been paid to the memory of a beloved husband and father, and no benevolence could have been made wider in its scope or more far-reaching in its influence. The intellectual growth and culture resulting from the use of this library and reading-room will only begin to be seen in this generation ; the best results can never be known to those who have established this noble beneficence.

The beautiful and well-kept grounds will be an educator of no small influence, and many a home will be made j^leasanter and more attractive from the example there perpetually shown.

The interest already manifested by the young people of the town in the use of the library, and the average high character of the books most sought for, must be to the generous founders a most pleasing feature of the opening of the library to the public.

The first newspaper published in Methuen was the Iris, which was removed here from Haverhill in 1833. It was supposed to have been printed as a campaign paper in the interest of Caleb Gushing, and was soon discontinued. The next newspaper was the Methuen Falls Gazette, which was first issued January 2, 1885, by S. Jameson Varney. It was " neutral in politics" and not published many years.

The Methuen Transcript and Essex Farmer was established in 1876 by C. L. Houghton & Co., and edited by Charles E. Trow, who soon after became its proprietor, and continued to edit the paper until it passed into the hands of Fred. A. Lowell, Esq., its present editor and publisher. It is a weekly paper ot excellent moral tone, published every Friday, and the only newspaper now published in Methuen.

The Methuen Enterprise was established by Daniel A. Eollins March 6, 1880, and published by him till his death, March 25, 1882, and was a bright, readable, spicy sheet.

In 1826 or '27 a small fire-engine, the " Tiger," was bought, one-half the cost being paid by the Methuen Company, and the other half by Major Osgood, John Davis, Thomas Thaxter, George A. Waldo and J. W.