New Bedford, Massachusetts

“ We know in Massachusetts who built New Bedford, who built Lynn, Lowell, Lawrence, Clinton, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Portland, and many another noisy mart. Each of these men, if they were transparent, would seem to you not so much men, as walking cities, and, wherever you put them, they would build one. ”

“ Johnson told me that there was nothing in the laws or constitution of Massachusetts that would prevent a colored man from being governor of the State, if the people should see fit to elect him. There, too, the black man’s children attended the public schools with the white man’s children, and apparently without objection from any quarter. To impress me with my security from recapture and return to slavery, Mr. Johnson assured me that no slave-holder could take a slave out of New Bedford; that there were men there who would lay down their lives to save me from such a fate. ”

“ Then to the inspiring music of its own band the company marched to Fairhaven ferry, accompanied [194] by such an enthusiastic crowd as never before had been seen in the city. Owing to the extraordinary duties imposed upon the railroads which interfered somewhat with the regular schedules, the company did not reach Boston until noon. It was quartered temporarily near the Old Colony depot, and that night through the courtesy of the New England Guards, slept in their quarters over the Boylston Market. Lieutenant Porter then returned to New Bedford. ”

“ Newark, capital of Essex county, New Jersey, is handsomely built, and finely situated on the west side of Passaic river. It is one of the most beautiful towns in the country. It has extensive manufactures of shoes, leather, coaches, and cabinet work. Morris canal passes through this town. Population, seventeen thousand two hundred and ninety-two.
New Bedford, port of entry in Bristol county, Massachusetts, stands on an arm of Buzzard’s bay, about fifty-two miles south of Boston. ”

“ They were nearly all New Bedford and Dartmouth men, and as the world goes they were a fine set of fellows. Like all others of the companies of the Third Regiment, more than fifty per cent. of this company have answered the last roll call, while their relatives are reaping the benefits of their sacrifice and toil in the Southland. Some of those still living have gone to distant parts never to return. So far as known they have all been good citizens, while many of them have made their mark in the world of finance, and are well to do business men. ”

“ Six of the companies come from stations outside of Boston,—Brockton, Cambridge, Chelsea, Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton being represented. Even more truly than the Boston companies these organizations offer advantages of the greatest value; each is the pride of its own home city; each ranks amongst the leading social bodies in its community ”

“ Stephen P. Sawyer, Musician; 34; New Bedford. In the fine ware business in New Bedford.
Charles G. Allen, Musician; 14; New Bedford. Motorman on electric cars in New Bedford.
Henry C. Baker, Wagoner; 25; New Bedford. Baker. Resides in Fall River.
Privates.
Allen, Thomas L.; 23; New Bedford. Steward. Astor House, New York.
Allen, Albert M.; 20; Westport. Dead.
Angell, William H.; 19; New Bedford. Dead.
Bly, William L.; 21; New Bedford. Retired merchant. Returned to New Bedford at the close of the war. Resides in Medford.
Briggs, Charles H.; 19; New Bedford. Clerk in a furniture store. ”

“ Boston Harbor (originally known as Massachusetts Bay, a name which now has a much broader signification) is the finest roadstead on the coast. The extreme hook of the Cape Cod Peninsula forms Provincetown Harbor, which is an excellent and capacious port of refuge for vessels approaching Boston. Salem Harbor is the most considerable other haven on Massachusetts Bay; on Buzzard’s Bay New Bedford has a good harbour, and on the Atlantic coast are the excellent harbours of Gloucester and Marblehead, both frequented by summer residents. ”

“ As in the case of the national history of the Order, partially consequent thereon, but in a larger degree because of the destruction of all the department records in the great Boston fire, the early story of the Grand Army in Massachusetts is incomplete in many details, but it appears certain that during the existence of the provisional department under Comrade Cushman, ten posts were organized. On the seventh of May, 1867, a permanent department was organized by a delegate convention called at New Bedford, Commander Cushman being elected Department, or, as then termed, Grand Commander. ”

“ Marblehead, Boston and Charlestown, as one; Plymouth, Barnstable, Nantucket, Edgartown, New Bedford, Dighton, York, Biddeford and Pepperelborough, as one; Portland and Falmouth, as one; Bath, Wiscasset, Penobscot, Frenchman’s Bay, Machias, Passamaquody and Waldoborough. Districts and ports in Massachusetts.To the district of Newburyport, shall be annexed the several towns or landing places of Almsbury, Salisbury, Haverhill and Newbury, which shall be ports of delivery only; and a collector, naval officer, and surveyor for the district shall be appointed, to reside at Newburyport. ”

“ When we our greatness loudly boast.
Lest we forget our noble sons,
Who died to hold our nation one.
[212]
Corrected Roster of Company F, New Bedford. [By F. P. Vincent and Sergt. Patrick Cannavan.]
[The first figures indicate the age at enlistment: the city and town, the place of enlistment.]
George H. Hurlburt, Captain; 38; New Bedford. Died in 1900.
William H. Allen, First Lieutenant; 25; New Bedford. Died in 1892.
Jonathan W. Davis, Second Lieutenant; 25; New Bedford. Died in 1898.
Patrick Cannavan, First Sergeant; 25; New Bedford. Lives in New Bedford. ”

“ Then, too, as colored men were voters and, therefore, eligible to office in New Bedford, the Doctor's naturally ambitious and intelligent, turn of mind led him to take an interest in politics, and before he was a citizen of New Bedford four years, he was duly elected a member of the City Council. ”

“ Two-thirds of these live in New England factory towns, the remaining third, strange to say, have found their way to the other side of the continent, where they work in the gardens and fruit orchards of California. New Bedford is still the center of their activity. They are a hard-working people whose standard of living, according to official investigations "is much lower than that of any other race," of whom scarcely one in twenty become citizens, and who evince no interest in learning or in manual skill. ”

“ As he had no one to depend on, parents and relatives being left behind in Norfolk, he felt that he must rely upon himself, young as he was. He first took up his abode in Boston, or New Bedford, where most of the party with whom he escaped went, and where he had an aunt, and perhaps some other distant kin. There he worked and was a live young man indeed—among the foremost in ideas and notions about freedom, etc., as many letters from him bore evidence. ”

“ The causes which led to the establishment of civil and religious liberty in New England equally wrought out the characteristics of the people. Bedford, Londonderry, Antrim, were primarily a part of the wilds, and the "rock-ribbed" hills, that were subdued and made habitable by the indomitable energy and frugal industry of those early pioneers. Their descendants, partaking somewhat of their own robust virtues, have in turn impressed the higher culture and the later institutions of the country. ”

“ There are 27 religious societies, a domestic missionary society with two free chapels, a young men's Christian association, a Roman Catholic hospital, an orphan asylum, and a “Union for Good Works.” New Bedford has long been the chief seat of the American whale fishery, which was pursued here as early as 1755. ”

“ Like the non-slaveholders at the south, in holding no slaves, I suppose the northern people like them, also, in poverty and degradation. Judge, then, of my amazement and joy, when I found—as I did find—the very laboring population of New Bedford living in better houses, more elegantly furnished—surrounded by more comfort and refinement—than a majority of the slaveholders on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. ”

“ Life, in our quiet little town, was more leisurely than it is in cities, and the consequence was an unusual development of amusing qualities. There was more fun, and I ventured sometimes to say, there was more wit, in New Bedford than there was in Boston. To be sure, we could not pretend to compare with Boston in culture and in high and fine conversation, least of all in music, which was at a very low ebb with us. ”

“ Weymouth took his place in the southern, and Lord Rochford became secretary of state for the northern department. When parliament met in December, Bedford moved a petition to the crown to apply to Massachusetts an act of 35 Henry VIII., by which offenders outside the kingdom were liable to be brought to England for trial. This motion and eight resolutions on American affairs moved by Hillsborough passed both houses without a division, though not without opposition, the cause of the colonists being advocated in the commons by Pownall, an ex-governor of Massachusetts, Burke, and others. ”

“ Its area includes seven thousand and eight hundred square miles. The rivers are Connecticut, Merrimac, Charles, Concord, Blackstone, Miller’s, Chickopee, Deerfield, Westfield and Housatonic. The mountains are Saddle mountain, Tagkannuc, Holyoke, Tom and Wachuset. This state is divided into fourteen counties and three hundred and seven towns. Boston is the capital. Salem and New Bedford are next in size and importance; Lowell, Taunton, Springfield, and Waltham are extensively engaged in manufactures; Nantucket, Newburyport, Plymouth and Marblehead are fishing and commercial ports. ”

“ When the family goes to rest, Bedford passes a couple of hours in study in his pantry, perusing the newspapers and the new works, and forming his opinion on books and politics. Indeed I have reason to believe that the letters in the Putney Herald and Mortlake Monitor, signed “A Voice from the Basement,” were Mr. Bedford’s composition.
“Come to see all safe for the night, sir, and the windows closed before you turn in,” Mr. Dick remarks. “Best not leave ’em open, even if you are asleep inside—catch cold—many bad people about. ”

“ Sometimes an old-time tavern had a special petty charm of its own, some peculiarity of furnishing or fare. One of these was the Fountain Inn of Medford, Massachusetts. It was built in 1725 and soon became vastly frequented. No town could afford a better site for inns than Medford. All the land travel to Boston from Maine, eastern New Hampshire, and northeastern Massachusetts poured along the main road through Medford, which was just distant enough from Boston centre to insure the halting and patronage of every passer-by. ”

“ Thus afflicted, large numbers of them migrate to New Bedford, Nantucket and Cape Cod, where, after a riotous debauch of a few years with the whalemen, they die. The enormous dividends declared by the New Bedford Branch Railroad Co. are mainly attributable to this class of passengers.
Oh, civilization! thou bringest gold to the rich man’s purse, and art the sweet nursling of murder.
[7] This is fearfully true. Many of the illustrious names of the pulpit are linked with the most damning vices. ”

“ The “county road” displays many elegant mansions, the dwellings of some of the more wealthy inhabitants. New Bedford is considered a very wealthy place, and the inhabitants active and enterprising. A large proportion of them are Quakers.’
Newbern, in Craven county, North Carolina, was once the capital, and is still the largest town of the state. It is situated on the Neuse, thirty miles above its entrance into Pamlico sound. The river is navigable to this place, and its commerce is considerable. Population, three thousand six hundred and ninety. ”

“ Unfortunately, not many of these mansions have survived, many having fallen into decay and disappeared. There are, however, enough left to aid the growth of colonial ideas in twentieth century homes.
One of these houses that deserves more than passing notice stands on Main Street in Medford, Massachusetts, "a house within a house," and is called the Royall house. It is the only building standing on this land, which is known as "The Ten Hills Farm." This estate, with additional grounds, was granted to Governor Winthrop in 1631, and as early as 1637 the homestead lot was set apart and walled in. ”

“ New Bedford! It was the only word Sweetwater heard. So, he was no farther away from Sutherlandtown than that. Evidently Providence had not meant him to escape. Or was it his fortitude that was being tried? A man as humble as he might easily be lost even in a place as small as New Bedford. It was his identity he must suppress. With that unrecognised he might remain in the next village to Sutherlandtown without fear of being called up as a witness against Frederick. ”

“ The news fled from one end of Fairhaven to the other, and over to New Bedford and its environs with great swiftness, for it was felt that something serious must have happened to the ship or her skipper would not have come home. And such excitement as these stern New Englanders ever allow themselves to feel steadily rose until it affected the whole neighbourhood. ”

“ The tiny, narrow streets are lined with boozing dens, the doorways know blowsy, beckoning women; here are money-changers and pallid, furtive-eyed men with faces of preying birds, and worse. This town is a center for many things—sea-trade, traffic with America and England, the coast resorts lying all around—and is on the line between Paris and London and New York. Havre in the west, like Marseilles in the south, has its finger on the very pulse of France.
“Why not?” Ogilvy laughed suddenly. ”