HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MEDFORD, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT, IN 1630, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1855.
Charles Brooks, Ed.

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[360] has more than doubled in the town; and land which was sold for thirty or fifty dollars an acre has since been sold for two or five hundred per acre. The names of Magoun, Turner, Lapham, Sprague, James, Fuller, Rogers, Stetson, Waterman, Ewell, Curtis, Foster, Taylor, and others, will be held in grateful remembrance for many generations.

Mr. Calvin Turner was esteemed as one of the most skilful and accurate draughtsmen, as well as one of the most faithful builders, in New England. His yard was opposite Cross Street. He came to Medford in 1804, and rapidly acquired reputation by his genius and fidelity.

Mr. George Bryant Lapham was among the earliest comers connected with ship-building here. By patient industry, sound judgment, and unobtrusive merit, he won confidence, and commanded respect. Of others we should be glad to speak, did our limits allow.

Of the pioneer in this eventful movement of ship-building, we may take the liberty of stating a few facts, as they belong to the history of the town.

Thatcher Magoun, Esq., was born in Pembroke, Mass., June 17, 1775,--that red-letter day in Freedom's calendar. He early chose the trade of a ship-carpenter, and served his time with Mr. Enos Briggs, at Salem, where he worked five years. He was fond of being in the “mould-room,” and soon showed good reasons for his predilection. From Salem, he went to Mr. Barker's yard, in Charlestown (the present Navy Yard), where he worked and studied two years, and assisted in modelling. There he made the model of the first vessel he built, which was the “Mount Aetna,” of Medford. In 1802, he began to look about him for a place in which he might safely begin, on his own account, the business which was the darling choice of his life. An accident, so called in the world's language, led him, one pleasant day, on a stroll upon Winter Hill; and, standing on one of those mounds of earth thrown up by our patriot soldiers, probably on the day he was born, for a rampart, he took a calm survey of Mystic River as the tide gave its full outline. At this moment came into mind the thought that here was a good place to build ships. But many things were to be ascertained about it. How deep is the water at high tide? Are there any rocks or shoals in the bed of the stream? Can timber be readily got in the neighborhood? and can land be bought at a fair price? These were inquiries which rushed through his young