The taverns of Medford.
The Blanchard Tavern.
[Read before the
Medford Historical Society, November 21, 1904.]
Continued from Vol.
VIII., No. 1.
This house was built about the year 1752 by
Mr. Benjamin Parker, at one time treasurer of the town of
Medford.
By deed dated June 6, 1752,
Mr. Jonathan Tufts sold to
Mr. Parker one-half acre of marshland, bounded easterly on the county road; southerly on land of
Merrow; westerly on land of said
Tufts, and northerly on
Mystic river.
This lot of land is the same as that
[p. 26] lately occupied by
Messrs. Page &
Curtin, and also that occupied by
Mr. John Crowley.
The whole property has been taken by the
Metropolitan Park Commissioners for a parkway.
The land described as that of
Merrow is the same as that upon which now stands the paint shop in the possession of
Mr. Nathaniel Ames.
In the year 1753
Messrs. Ebenezer Merrow and
Thomas Welsh were fined ‘for setting up a fence on the highway between said
Merrow's dwelling house and Medford river, ten rods in length.’
This fence extended across the whole front of the
Parker lot, completely shutting him off from the highway.
It is perhaps not generally known that when the inhabitants of the town of
Charlestown sold the lot of land upon which stands the Central Fire Station and the
Symmes' buildings, they also sold with it ‘a two pole way leading down to the river above the upper side of the bridge, bounded easterly upon the
Country Road 10 1/2 poles.’
This sale by the town of
Charlestown was the foundation of the claim of
Mr. Merrow, but the two pole way had then become a part of the common highway and
Mr. Merrow's encroachment made him liable to a fine.
A part of this passage to the river was filled up in the year 1880 when the present stone bridge was built.
The estate remained in the
Parker family until the year 1776, when it was sold to
Mr. Hezekiah Blanchard, and the house on the lot was called a dwelling house.
None of the
Parker family were innholders, and
Mr. Blanchard did not take out a license as one until the year 1780.
From the year 1753 to 1780,
Mr. Blanchard was licensed as a retailer of liquors, and the record says that he kept his shop in the house of
Mr. Benjamin Parker.
After the purchase of this estate by
Mr. Blanchard he improved the building by the addition of a dancing hall (the hall was in the second story in the corner next the river), calling it
Union Hall.
When this addition was made it is impossible to determine.
In the
Columbian Centinal of
Boston, September 3,
[p. 27] 1796, the following advertisement appears: ‘
Union Hall,
Medford, is now completely fitted up for the reception of large companies, with every convenience to promote festivity and happiness, the house is furnished with the best of Wine,
Porter and other Liquors and every kind of refreshment called for can be supplied, Tea, Coffee &c. provided either morning or evening and those who are fond of an afternoon's excursion for amusement and exercise can be accommodated to their minds, the distance from
Boston is about 5 miles, a distance not so long as to occasion fatigue and long enough to promote exercise, the commands of the Public are respectfully requested and every exertion shall be made to give pleasure and satisfaction to every guest by their humble servant
Hezekiah Blanchard, who also manufactures the best of Spirits and will sell them by wholesale or retail at reasonable prices.’
During the latter days of the occupancy of this building as a tavern there was suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the dancing hall the model of a full rigged man of war (the
Chesapeake), and upon its flag was inscribed the dying words of
Commodore Lawrence, ‘Don't give up the ship.’
A sign post with a swinging sign and the inscription ‘
Union Hall,
H. Blanchard,’ with a foul anchor as its emblem, stood at the southerly end of the building.
Prior to the year 1804, when Cradock bridge was first provided with a draw, the road and land in that vicinity was about three feet lower than at present, and on high courses of the tide it was not uncommon for people to float around in boats in the road and upon these premises.
This house was one of the most popular houses in the vicinity of
Boston, and many sleighing and dancing parties were among its guests.
It was also a common rendezvous for the people of
Medford, and all the current events of the day were discussed over a plentiful supply of
Blanchard's own manufacture.
On that part of the land adjoining the road and river was a grocery store and in the rear stood a small distillery.
[p. 28] Mr. Blanchard's last year as landlord was in the year 1800.
(He died in the year 1803.) He was succeeded by his son,
Hezekiah Blanchard, junior.
Hezekiah, junior, died in the year 1818 and was succeeded by
Messrs. Isaac W. Blanchard,
Samuel Blanchard, and others.
The
Blanchard heirs sold the estate in the year 1833 to
Mr. Joseph James, who in company with
Mr. Milton James, established a lumber yard on the premises.
A portion of the old tavern building was sold to
Mr. Jacob Butters, who removed it to another location on Main street and fitted it up into a double dwelling house; it is now standing opposite the head of Mystic avenue and is numbered 133 and 135 Main street. The old tavern was the headquarters of the
Medford and Boston Stage Coach,
Samuel Blanchard, proprietor.
The Medford house.
This house stands upon land purchased in the year 1803 by
Mr. Andrew Blanchard of
Mr. Ebenezer Hall, 2d.
It was part of a tract of land purchased by
Colonel Royall of
Mr. Jonathan Tufts in the year 1755, and devised by him to his daughter,
Herriot Pepperell, and by her sold to
Mr. Hall in the year 1800.
The house was probably built by
Mr. Blanchard in the year 1804.
It was opened as a hotel in the year 1805, and was known as the
Medford Hotel.
Its first landlord was
Mr. John Jaquith.
He was succeeded by his widow,
Mrs. Elizabeth Jaquith, and by
Messrs. Seth Mayo,
Rufus Frost,
Samuel Kendall,
Moses Jaquith,
A. Proctor, and others.
On May 11, 1835, a company of thirty-five gentlemen and one lady formed an association known by name of the
Medford Hotel Association, for the purpose of purchasing certain lands and tenements situated in
Medford, to be used and occupied as a hotel.
The capital stock consisted of one hundred eighty-three shares, par value per share, one hundred dollars.
[p. 29]
Shareholders.
| No.
of Shares |
| Jonathan Brooks, | 5 |
| Samuel Train, | 10 |
| Marcus Whitney, | 10 |
| Luther Angier, | 10 |
| Timothy Cotting, | 5 |
| Galen James, | 5 |
| John Angier, | 5 |
| David Kimball, | 5 |
| Thatcher Magoun, Jr., | 5 |
| Henry Porter, | 5 |
| Joseph Manning, Jr., | 5 |
| George W. Porter, | 5 |
| George L. Stearns | 5 |
| Thomas R. Peck, | 5 |
| S. P. Heywood, | 5 |
| Dudley Hall, | 5 |
| B. M. Clark, | 1 |
| Thomas H. Floyd, | 3 |
| No.
of Shares |
| Thatcher Magoun, | 10 |
| Nathaniel H. Bishop, | 10 |
| Andrew Blanchard, Jr., | 5 |
| Samuel Kidder, | 5 |
| Turell Tufts, | 10 |
| Isaac Sprague, | 5 |
| Francis R. Bigelow, | 5 |
| John W. Mulliken, | 5 |
| Joseph and Milton James, | 5 |
| Jonathan Porter, | 5 |
| Waterman & Ewell, | 2 |
| Nathan Sawyer, | 2 |
| Isaac and James Wellington, | 2 |
| Jotham Stetson, | 3 |
| Isaac H. Haskins, | 2 |
| James O. Curtis, | 2 |
| Abner Bartlett, | 1 |
| Abigail Whitney, | 5 |
Under this association, which had for its main purpose the keeping of a temperance house, the building was enlarged.
In the upper story of the ell was a large and commodious dance hall.
The first landlord under this new arrangement was
Mr. Marcus Whitney, and he was succeeded by
Messrs. David Carleton and
James Bride.
The movement for the keeping of a temperance house failed, and in the year 1845 the estate was sold to
Mr. Augustus Baker, who kept the house for many years.
He was succeeded by
Messrs. A. J. Emerson,
Peter A. Garvey,
Daniel K. Emerson,
Charles H. Day and
J. F. Folsom.
The house is at the present time under the management of
F. M. Viles, and is known as the
Medford Inn.
The Columbia house.
On Main street, nearly opposite Royal street, stood a house called the
Columbia House.
It was first kept as a public house by
Mr. Augustus Baker, who afterwards was landlord of the
Medford House.
At the time
Mr.
Baker purchased the
Medford House,
Mr. James Bride [p. 30] was its landlord.
When
Mr. Baker took possession of that house,
Mr. Bride removed to the
Columbia House, vacated by
Mr. Baker.
The
Columbia House was afterwards used as a private dwelling.
A few years ago it was removed to a court, leading from Mystic avenue, and after being cut into two parts, was remodeled, and these are now used as tenement houses.
Simpsons Hotel.
The brick house standing on the north side of High street was built in the year 1756, by
Mr. Thomas Seccomb, upon land purchased by
Mr. Seccomb of
Philip Carteret, the deed being dated May 20, 1755.
It was formerly known as the
Seccomb House.
It was occupied for many years by
Mr. David Simpson, and kept as a public house, and was then known as Simpson's Hotel.
（
Mr. Simpson opened this house as a public house about the year 1866.) It is now occupied by several departments of the city of
Medford.
The Canal house.
This house stood upon the banks of the
Middlesex Canal and at the northwest corner of Boston avenue and Arlington street. It was opened and chiefly used as a stopping place for persons employed in navigating the canal.
Among its landlords were
Messrs. Bowen Crehore,
Darius Wait,
Joseph Wyatt and
Jeremiah Gilson, This house has been removed from its original location, remodeled into tenement houses, and these are now located at the foot of Canal street.
There were many persons licensed as innholders from the year 1690 to the year 1831, whose places of business cannot be located.
It is hardly fair, however, to speak of such places as taverns, for they were only saloons for the sale of liquors, and the same may also be said of some of those previously mentioned.
[p. 31]
The following is a list of persons licensed as innholders in
Medford, from the year 1690 to the year 1831, both inclusive:—
Adams,
Benjamin, 1756.
Bascom,
Henry L., 1822, 1823.
Billings,
Moses, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 775, 1776, 1777.
Blanchard, Hezekiah, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800.
Blanchard, Hezekiah, Jr., 1800, 1802, 1803.
Blanchard, Hezekiah,
1 1804. 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818.
Blanchard, Isaac W., 1819, 1820.
Blanchard, Samuel, 1829, 1830, 1831.
Bossee,
Thomas, 1781.
Bradshaw, John, Jr.,
2 1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, 1734, 1735.
Bradshaw, John, 1736, 1737, 1738, 1739, 1740, 1750(part of the year), 1751, 1752, 1753.
Bradshaw, Mercy, 1753, 1755.
Bradshaw,
Thomas, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, 783, 1784, 785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789.
Brooks,
James W., 1824, 1825.
Brooks,
Thomas, 1785, 1786, 1787.
Crehore,
Bowen, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820.
Curtis, Eliphaz, 1807.
Curtis, Lebeus, 1811.
Dexter, George B., 1826, 1827, 1828.
Dodge, William, 1769.
Doggett, Isaac, 1754.
Floyd, Hugh, 1754, 1755, 1759, 1760, 1761, 1762, 1763, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1770, 1771, 1772.
Floyd, Sarah, 1741, 1742, 1743, 1744, 1745, 1746, 1747, 1748.
Francis, John, Jr., 1717, 1718, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1726.
Francis,
Capt. Thomas, 1783, 1784.
Frost,
Rufus, 1811.
Goldthwait,
Benjamin, 1760.
Goldthwait, Charity, 1761.
Hall, John, Jr., 1702, 1703, 1704, 1705, 1706.
Hall, John, Sr., 1696, 1700, 1701.
Hall, Stephen, 1697, 1698, 1699.
Hawkes, Jonathan, 1755, 1756, 1757, 1758.
Hills, Ebenezer, 1773.
Hyde,
James, 1818, 1819, 1820.
Jaquith,
Elizabeth, 1808, 1809.
Jaquith, John, 1805, 1806.
Jaquith,
Moses, 1826, 1827.
Johnson, Josiah, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810.
Jones, William, 1762, 1763, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767.
Kendall, Samuel, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831.
Kimball, John, 1754.
King, Isaiah, 1820.
Lathe, Francis, 1714.
Lealand, Abner, 1758, 1759.
Mayo, Seth, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818.
Mayo, Seth and
Rufus Frost, 1810.
Mead, Israel, 1759, 1760, 1761, 1762, 1763.
Moore, Augustus, 1768.
Peirce, Lydia, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1726.
Peirce, Nathaniel, 1707, 1708, 1709, 1710, 1711, 1712, 713, 1714, 1715, 1716, 1717, 1718.
Perham,
Daniel, 1812, 1813.
Porter, Jonathan, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786.
Putnam, Ebenezer, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818, 1821.
Rogers, Philip P., 1827.
Rookes, Richard, 1703.
[p. 32]
Scolly,
Benjamin, 1738.
Seccomb, Peter, 1713, 1717.
Shaw,
Benjamin, 1780.
Skinner, Jacob, 1821, 1822, 1823.
Stearns, Charles, 1824, 1825.
Stevens,
Thomas, 1821.
Taylor, Timothy, 1755, 1756, 1757.
Turner, John, 1749, 1750, 1751, 1752, 1753.
Tufts,
James, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801.
Usher, Abijah, 1795, 1796, 1797.
Usher, Eleazer, 1798, 1799.
Usher, Robert, 1792, 1793.
Wade, Samuel, 1715, 1716, 1717, 1718, 1719, 1722, 1723, 1724.
Wait, Darius, 1813, 1814.
Walker, Edward, 1778, 1779.
Weston,
Wyman, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805.
Whitmore, Francis, 1759.
Willis,
Benjamin, 1720, 1721, 1722, 1723, 1724, 1725, 1726, 1727, 1728, 1729, 1730.
Willis,
Thomas, 1691, 1692, 1693.
Woodward,
Daniel, 1690.
Wyatt, Samuel, 1819, 1820.
