HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-06-11 sPE0 11, 1955 (con, t.) 459
Rev. Mr. Brown: The time is 1855. ~"nrough the past ~o centuries th~ lovel~
co~unlty of ~dover has gro~ ~o ~eoome a th~vi~ ~o~ which consists of
two parishes: one which is 'located near ~e sho~e of Lake Cochlchewick, is
~o~ as the Nor~ Parish, the o~her located ne~ the 8~wsheen River is ~o~
as the South Parish.
By 18~ these two parishes had gro~ to approximately equal size and there had
been expressed some interest by residents of the S~th Parish, ~d by ~os
Abbott, tha~ they ~ght ~ve closer access to' their to~ goverbment. The
section of the North Parish where we gather today ~d ~til ~is time served
as ~he center of to~ afl, rs ~d ~ this. ve~ building to~ meeti~s had been
held. ~us, 'in 18~ a petition had been presented to the General Co~t of
~e Co~onweal~ of Massachusetts seeking for ~ equi~ble division of.the
territo~ of Cochichewick into two comities.. Nothwi~s~nding ~e opposi- .
~ion of ~ny leadi~ citizens of the Nor~ Parish, ~th resul~i~ controversies
and delays~ ~ Act was passed by ~he General Court on April 7, 18~ de. i~
the North Parish as Nor~ ~dover ~d the Sou~ Parish as ~over. We c~
· ~gine t~t ~ere ~d been n~erous meet~s of approval ~d dissent hem in
the two Parishes ~d today's e~ctment is suggestive of such ~
meeti~ which might ~ve been arr~ed' to hear the reading of the Act pro-
clai~~ ~e separation into ~e two to~s.
S~ce ~e Parish ~11 was ~e location of all co~i~ meet~gs, today we
become a ~rt of the ~story of t~s co~ity by sitti~ ~ the seats of
~ose who might have t~en part in such ~ i~g~-ry historic occassion Just
a cen~ ago. ~erever possible, direct descendents have been chosed to sit
in ~e places of their ~cestors ~d ~-uy others have Joined us to t~e ~e
places of those who did not participate in ~e discussion of the Act.
First come the selectmen (~ho are also assessors ~d overseers of the poor)
~niel Carleton, (Willi~ A. Fi~er~) James C. Carleton,. (~th~ P. Kirk)
Fa~ Spofford, (Ra~ond Broa~ead) He, comes ~n Weed (Carl MilMr) ~
da~hter (Alice Miller) ser~ng on ~e School. C0~ittee. Her comes
Ber~, To~ Clerk. (~o~ ~. Lyons). Now c~es some ~t-of-to~ ~sitors-
the Saltonstalls, ~d come by tra~ from Salem for ~e day. ~e ~dersons~
of Virginia; a~ here are ~he ~dicotts from Beverly, ~e Pickeri~s from~
Salem, ~s; A.A. Stevens from Ware; Mr. ~d Mrs. William Gray Brooks fr~
Boston;.' Mrs. Brooks was fo~erly Miss P~llips of
Nex~ comes the Rev. Bailey Loring,
Parish Ch~ch. Close beh~d ~m comes ~s.. H~ ~ttr~dge[,
P~esid~t of the Ladies Benevolent .~ocie~,~'~dow of one ~
~d mo~e~ of ~o~er who is still with her today.' Here are
his wife, closely followed by the Honorable George Hodges, (FranCiS' Ef~'tredge).
the woolen ~-~ac~rer. Newt we see several s~st~ial North;Andover
f~lies, Jaco~ Far~, (~o~ Fa~), ~. ~d ~s. Nat~ F0st~'~.:(~rl
Foster ~d ~ife), ~. and ~s. Jo~ Barker~ - (George Barker' J~"[a~d %ire.):
~atric~ Costello. Here is t~ Honorable Se'or~e L. Da~s, ~'~ of the ~ch~e
Shop, (Da~s Simpson), ~d now appe~ Captain Na~el Stevens ~d-..~s.
Steyens, (Abbot Stevens ~d ~fe), and after ~em, Capta~ Nat's son ~
partne~ in ~e woolen ~11.- Moses T. Stevens with his ~fe,. the :foyer.
C~rlotte 0sgood.. Next we see ~ with is wife Jovan WaXwork~who is a
cloth fi~sher ~ to~, ~d after ~em, that well-~o~ citizen
Jonson. General Willi~ ~tton ~scome over from ~vers, b~in~ ~ ~m
his son ~d da~hte~-law, the ~en Suttons who are sa~d to be interested
~ find!~ a place to' settle in Nor~ ~dover so as to be near ~e .f~lu
bus,ess. Lastly we see arrivi~ ~e Honorable Gabon P. 0sgood, a foyer
Congressm-~ ~d me, er of ~e State Legisla~re(Jo~ B. 0sgood) who is
accomp~y!~ Miss ~y Fa~, later t8 become his wife. 0n t~is 'occasion
Sa~on Osgood will act as Moderator of the meeti~, wo we ~11 now leave
~rther proc~ed~gs ~ ~s h~ds.
' Moderator Gabon Osgood (Jo~ B. Osgood) ~e meet~ ~11 please come to
order. Fellow citizens, ~d friends of the To~ of Nor~ Andover, .~ou a~
~ow that a bill to divide ~e To~ of Andover ~d to incorporate the To~
of Nor~ ~over ~s been passed by ~e General Co~t of the Co~onweal~ of
~ssachusetts. We ~ve met .here today for the readi~ of the Act
rich. Before we proceed to the' reading of the Act, is there ~y
~..Lor~g: : ' ....
Rev. B~iley Lor~: (Rev. Wm. S. Nichols) ris~g. As pastor of ~e
Parish Ch~ch for for~ 2ears, ~d as a resident of t~s ~ for ~ additi~
five ~ears, ~ still s~2 I see ~o re~son for ~e division.
Da~el Re~. (George Re~) Some of ~e folks ~ ~dover cl~ it's 2o° far
· come over here to 2r~s~c~ ~o~ ~us~ess. -
Eon. George Ho~es. (Precis B. Ei~tre~e) I w~s on ~e Remonstr~ce
~d we wen~ over all argents. I say we w~e w~i~ our case, we ~d pret~
fairly con, ced th'~t :i~ wo~d be better 2o leave well enoch ~one, when
some of our f~ends im--er--"~dove2" slyly c~e up Behind us ~d tripped us
up. Now we~ve got to show them we can be ~ocked do~ ~d'get up again
~acob Fa~, (Jo~ Fa~) Mr. C~i~sn, w~ I don~t see is--w~t~s
~o happen at election t~e.
460 SPSC A mm SG n, 1755
Moderator: Your point is well taken Mr. Fa~,mm. As..t ~ers~ it, however,
Nor~ ~dover will con~ue ~o vote wi~h ~dover ~til ~ere is a new census--
in 1860, t~t is.
Na~an Fostem,(~l Poste~). ~o's going to look ~tem the paupers?
Moderator. Accordi~ to the Act, '~. Foster, each to~ ~11 look after is o~ poor
~ob~ Ba~ker. (George Barker, ~r.) How are we goi~ to look ~.ter ~em without
George L. Davis, (Da~s S~pson) Mr. Moderator, it Is ~ ~derst~d~ that by
te~s of the bill ~e Committee appo~ted by ~e Court of Co,on Pleas will
dete~e upon a s~ to be paid to ~e To~ of Nor~ ~dover by the To~ of
~dover. With ~at s~, we might buy a To~
D~lel Weed, (C~I Miller) We ~y be short a poor fa~ but remember, Nor~
~.~dover ~s. two fire e~es--one do~to~--one ri~t up here on the co,On.
Moderator: ~at is correct, gentlemen- Captain ~tevens.
Capt. Nat Stevens: (Abbot Stevens) ~. Moderator: As a member of the Co~Ittee
of Remonstrance, I believe ~ foyer sentiments are well ~o~ to ~s. comply.
However, ~y I po~t out ~at we are li~ng in a time of great ch~ges. We
~st look to the ~e; I now believe.we have no choice but to ~concur
the Co~ittee on To~s, which, after-due consideration, decided ~t ~e pu~llc
good w~ld be pr~oted by a division of the To~.
Moderator: If the chair ~y be allowed to e~ress ~ open, on. ' I would say ~at
Nor~ ~dover is a fine n~e for a f~e to~, ~d ! for one ~ve
other. ~d now, if there is no'fur~er discussion, we will proceed to the
rea~ of the Act by our To~ Clerk ~d will be dls~ssed ~ a prayeP .by o~
'9~astor. · ~. Clerk.
To~ Clerk Hir~ Ber~: (~o~ ~. Lyons) To ~e Citizens of the To~ of ~doW~.
G~NGS:
~ ACT( TO DI~E ~TO~ OF NOR~ ~D0~ ~D T0 INC0~0~
TOWN' OF .NOR~ ~0~
Be it enacted by ~e Senate ~d House' 'of' Represen~atives-i~' Gener~ Co~
~e~led, ~d b~ the ~thori~ of the s~e, as follows:--
Section 1. ~1 that part.of the t~ of ~dover, in the Oo~ of Ess~,
w~ch lies north~rl2 =d easterly 'of the---line (~rther aescribe~ in
Act) is hereb2 ~corporate~ into.a separate ~o~, b~ ~e n~e of ~orth ~ao~r
Section'.2.. ~e ~bitants of sai~ to~of .~or~ ~dover s~ll
pa7 all arrears'of t=es legall2 as.sesse~ upon them ~efore the passage 'of ~is
Act.
Section ~. ~e sai~ to~ ~f Nor~-~over shall be hol~en ~o pay
of the debts Sue and ow~g by, ~d of all liabilities existi~ against the To~
of ~over at the time of ~e passage o~ '~s Act.
Secti0~' ~. ~e said to~s of ~dover ~d Nor~ ~dover s~21 be respectivel2
~able for ~e support of ali persons who now are relieved or ~2 hereafter be
relieved as paupers.
~ Section 5. ~e ~c~rd ~ee S~ool ~ ~dover s~ll be free for all yours
~esidents in said to~ of'Nor~ A~over.
Section 6. In case ~e said to~s s~ll disagree ~ respect to the ~sion of
th~ 'paupers, to~ p~oper~, to~ debts, or State ~d C~ T~es, *~e Court of
Co~on.,Pleas for ~e Co~ of mssex is hereby authorized to..., appoint t~ee
~s~terested persons as co~ssioners to he~r the parties, ~d awed ~ereon.
Secti~ 7- - ~e said to~'of ~dover, ~ consideration of '~ariou~isadv~tages
arisi~ to Nor~ ~dover from the di~sion thereby ~de s~lZ pay t~e said
.to~ :of Nor~ ~oveP, such s~ as the Co~ssioners a~ove provided for s~ll
dete~e-...~ the said t0~.of ~dover s~ll-...~sh for .~e to~ of
Nor~ ~dover a ~ ~ correct copy of ~1 ~e records kept ~ the~To~
Clerk of ~e t~ of ~dover, no in e~stence,-up to ~e t~e of ~e passage
of ~is Act.
Eection 8. ~e said to~ of Nor~ ~do~r shall re~ a part of the to~ of
~dover for the p~pose of electing State officers, Senators and Representatives
to "~e General Court ~til ~e next dece~ia! census shall be t~en, or ~til
~o~er appoin~ent of Representatives to the General Co~t s~ll be made.
Section 9- ~y ~ustice of the Peace for the .$o~ of Essex is hereby au~orized
to issue ~s 'warr~t to ~y,principal i~abitant of said to~ of Nor~ ~dover
req~ring ~m to'~ the i~bit~ts of ~id to~ to meet at the time -~. place
~erein appo~ted.
Section 10.
This act shall takei'effect from and after the passage.
~SPECIAL TOWN MEETING JUNE ll, 1955 (Can't)
461
By: House of RepMesentatives, April 7,_1855
Passed to be enacted. Daniel C. ~dy, Speaker
In Senate, April 7, 1855
Passed to be enacted, Henry W. Benchly, President.
North Andover, June 11, 1855. Hiram Berry.
North Andover, June 11, ~1955- John J. Lyons.
A true copy.
Rev. Mr. Brown: (Narrator)
Having heard the Declaration of the great and General ~ourt of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts granting permission for the division of the
territory of Cochlchewlck into two separate communities we can lmagln~ that
the citizens returned to their daily ways. The Act of Separation made
provisions for a Committee to correct and iniquities which might arise in
the division of territory. Such a Committee was immediately appointed and
after amica$1e conversations they presented to later meetings of the two
towns their report which provided that: .
1. The Town of Andover should relinquish to To~n of North Andover all
right,~ title and interest-in two fire engines, called the Cochichewick
and the Merrimack, now located in North Andover, together with the
- equipments and houses connected therewith.
2. The Town if North Andover should assume all liability resting on the
Town of Andover for contract between Andover and Nathaniel Stevens to
maintain-a fire e~gine in NorthAndover. (That engine is today located
in the historical building.)
5. T~e Town of Andover shouldretain the fire engine called the Shawshin
with equipments and houses and land connected therewith.
4. The Town of Andover would have and own all Sf Town Farmknown as
the Alms House or Poor Farm, situated in Andover.
5.'The Town of Andov&r wSuld pay to the Town of North Andover the sum
of $6500 with interest from June 25, 1855.
6. The Town of Andover should not charge the Town of North Andover anything
for paupers,previous to June 25, 1855
Thus it is that North.An~over has become a separate entity- a ne~lynamed
community with a gIorious heritage and history, ready to take it s place in
the growing life of the Commonwealth and devoted to the same integrity and
good feeling which had been its trade-mark through earlier'years.
Today.the towns of Andov~r _and North Andover exist side by side with'mutual
good feelings and hopeX~ oX a resurgence cf interest in the concerns which
they hold in common.
Benediction given by the Rev. William S.. Nichols.
Meeting tuxrned back to Moderator Arthur A..Thomson.
Remarks of occasion made by Moderator and motion duly made and seconded that
meeting, stand adJournsd. Adjourned at 2:50 P.M.
W A R R A N T ..
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex SS:To either of the Constables of the Town of North Andover:
Greetings:
· · In the Name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby
irected to notifya~d warm the i~bSt.a~ts of..Nort~_~A~d.o~,
~ote in Town Affairs, to meet~in the -e~erans ~emor~a£ Auc~.~orm~.
in said North Andover on Wednesday evening, the 29th day of June 1955, at
eight o, clock P.M. then and there to act on the following business:
ARTICLE 1. To see if the Town will vote to change or amend the Zoning Map
or Zoning By-Laws of the Town of North Andoverby changing or reclassifying
from a Single Residence District to a Business District the following de-
scribed parcel of real estate:
Being Lot #~A on & plan entitled "Pland of Land in North Andover Massachusetts
wned b Frank H. and Francis S. Dushame, May 15, 1955, Ralph B. Brasseur,C~E.,
~ -~-~- " ..... ~-setts" recorded in the North District Essex Registry of
Deeds,~ as Plan ~5015, bounded and described ~s follows: Westerly b~ 0s~ood
et b, ~a curved line as shown on said plan one hundred sixty five ann 92
Stre Y ' i lan three hundred three
165. 2 feet; northerly by Lot ~5-A a~ s~own on s~ d p
show~ ~n salh plan seventy-eight and 9~/100
now or formerly of one Maguire as.shg.wn on sai~ p~and three hundred two and !~.,~
56 100 (502.56 feet; containing.~6,1~8, s~.uare~'e~ more or less according to
sa~d plan, or take auy other ac~xon re&a~mve ~nereo.
Petition of Barbara Fountain and others.