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Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 24. 4 0 Browse Search
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Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 17., An old Medford school boy's reminiscences. (search)
ate at which I was in the grammar school. In 1839 I saw the old church pulled down, and a picture of it in my possession bears that date of its destruction. It had a high pointed spire above its open belfry. At the belfry, carpenters sawed the upright posts through, and by a rope attached high above, the crowd below pulled and swayed. The spire trembled, tottered and fell with a loud crash. The great brazen rooster left its pintle, flew its first and last flight and fell at the feet of Sam Swan, who captured it and carried it home. Where is that bird now? It ought to be in the headquarters of the Historical Society. Sam was the son of Mrs. Peggy Swan who lived in the west half of the Bartlett house. Maybe some Swan may know of it. Our first teacher in the high school was Mr. Forbes, a good teacher and man. The next was Isaac Ames, the best teacher I ever knew. He was a small man with a club foot, a student at law, and in after life Judge of Probate for Essex County. He wa
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 18., Medford's home for the Aged. (search)
found place in our Historical Library—not a resting place, however, for its wealth of additions and its owner's criticisms are an illuminating sidelight on Medford history often sought. Among the interleavings is a pen and ink drawing or Map made by C. Swan July 24, 1863, which shows the course of Meeting-house brook through salt marsh on either side, with land of John Bishop at the south, while on the north side and between the brook and County road, i.e., High street, is shown land of Sam Swan, and at head of tide is salt marsh, about 1 acre Francis Leathe to Patrick Roach Oct 18, 1816. The brook, in its lower reach, is designated as Creek of salt water full every tide. Above head of tide is shown stone wall, and the stream is there styled brook, and a bridge is shown by dotted lines across County road. Three gates are shown on the roadside, the one nearest the brook about midway on a 1 acre lot next the Roach lot, on the other side of the brook is land of John Wade. Another
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 24., The towers of Medford. (search)
urmounted by an open belfry. A lofty, tapering spire, which latter seems to have been an afterthought, was a visible monument to Medford's civic pride. Whether its builders had disposition to crow over their neighbors of Woburn, Malden and Cambridge or over Charlestown (some of whose territory had lately been acquired) may not be said; but upon this lofty spire was perched a great brass rooster, beside which the present Unitarian bird is but a chicken. We were told by an eye-witness that Sam Swan, who lived next door, captured this same brass bird (which fell at his feet when the spire was pulled down in 1839), and carried it home with him. In the fifth story of this tower was placed in 1810 the first of Medford's public clocks, a gift to the town by Hon. Peter Chardon Brooks. We read in Paul Revere's Ride It was twelve by the village clock When he crossed the bridge into Medford town Doubtless the hour was right, but Mr. Longfellow was thirty-five years ahead of time, by po
Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 24., Henry Putnam of Medford. (search)
t few highways in Medford a century and a half ago. For this acre and a half, to be thus bounded by a highway and by land of persons named, it would seem most probable to lie in the valley of Meetinghouse brook, near and on the same side of the road as the present Home for the Aged. At that time there was no Winthrop street. Parson Turell had purchased his house fifty years before, which was between present Rural avenue and Winthrop street. The original portion of the Puffer house (formerly Swan, now the Home) built in 1689, was till 1872 nearer the street and to the brook, which left a sufficient space between for an acre and a half of narrow frontage (as was also Turell's). It seems more probable, however, that it was farther west on the lower ground, which was well situated for a potter's shop and works, mentioned in the mortgage to John Andros. It is a matter of record that there was clay in the land directly opposite, and the high bank now in evidence suggests a probable excava