Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society

— TO THE EDITOR. Dear Sir: If agreeable kindly use the following matter in an early issue. Sincerely yours, GEO. FRS. DOW, Secretary of The Topsfield Historical Society. TOPSFIELD ACADEMY REUNION. Topsfield, Mass., July 7, 1897. The teachers and students of the Topsfield Academy are to have a reunion at the old building on Thursday, August 12, 1897, it being the 70th anniversary of its founda- tion. The school was a famous institu- tion in its day being presided over by such instructors as Benjamin Greenleaf of arithmetic fame Edwin D. Sanborn for ; many years professor at Dartmouth Col- lege Asa F owler afterwards judge of the ; supreme court of N. H., and speaker of the N. H. house of representatives. He was a law partner of President Franklin Peirce and later of Senator Wm. E. Chandler. Other principals were Edward F. Slafter, clergyman, historian and liter- ateur now living in Boston and Asa Far- well for many years principal of Abbot Academy, Andover. The Topsfield Academy was one of the earliest of those famous institutions of learning which have now largely given place to the high school. Solomon Wildes proprietor of Wildes Hotel on Elm Street Boston renowned in coaching days was one of its founders. Another, was Billy Emerson the most extensive trader Essex county has ever seen, who in journeying to Canada could stop in his own hotel every night while on the way. Gen. Na- thaniel Perley, Dr. Nehemiah Cleaveland, Dr. Jeremiah Stone and many others are named in the act of incorporation. The Topsfield Historical Society and the resident students have united in or- ganizing the reunion. George W. Ather- ton, president of the Pennsylvania State College will deliver the oration and M. V. B. Perley of Ipswich is to give the historical address, George Conant of Pasa- dena, Cal., a former principal will read the poem, John W. Perkins, superintend- ent of Salem Schools will preside over the literary exercises. The occasion promises a large attend- ance, a pilgrimage from many different states. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/historicalcollec04unse DR. ROYAL A. MERRIAM. THE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE TOPSFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY. VOL. IV. 1898. TOPSFIELD, MASS. : Published by the Society. 1898. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. In presenting to the society my fourth annual report, I have pleasure in being able to chronicle a continued increase in the membership, and a growing prestige among kindred societies scattered about the county, and in fact the state and nation. The year just closed has added thirty-seven members to our rolls—members who reside in thirteen different states. We have lost two members by death, Mrs. Eunice Perley of East Boxford, and Mrs. Mary A. Colburn of Wellesley Hills, while four have resigned their affiliation. Eight meetings of the society have been held during the past year and papers have been read by Sidney Perley, Esq., of Salem, Miss Marietta Clark, Benj. J. Balch, Mrs. George Warren Towne, the president and your secretary. The society now has a total active membership of 271, resident in twenty different states. Every New England state pays its tribute. We have three members on the Pacific coast and one in the southern state of Alabama. An effort will be made during the coming year to largely increase our rolls and proportionately our income. One event during the past twelve months comes to the fore with much prominence—the highly successful field meeting held on July 27th, the Essex Institute of Salem, uniting with us in extending a cordial invitation to the thirteen Historical societies in the county, to be represented at the gathering, and every one without exception sent its del- egation, large or small. Methuen on the extreme northwest and Lynn on the southeast sent parties of enthusiastic anti- quarians. A stranger within our gates, a Westerner visiting New England’s shrines for the first time, left “Cold Roast (v) VI REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. Beef Boston,” or as we affectionately term it, Nahant, at the seasonable hour of five o’clock in the morning, and after spending the day in our midst told the reporter of a great metropolitan newspaper, that he had known the ideal New England country village only by what he had read and seen in picture, but at first glance he recognized in Topsfield a most delightful type. He had travelled the wide world over and never seen any spot more picturesquely rural than this same Topsfield of ours. At the public exercises in the afternoon the Town Hall was filled by an interested audience that heard eloquent speakers of national reputation. The Hon. Robert S. Rantoul, president of the Essex Institute; Prof. Edward S. Morse, administrative head of the Peabody Academy of Science ; Gen. Francis H. Appleton of the Gov- ernor’s staff Mrs. Alice Palmer, of ; Freeman ex-president Wellesley College and an educator of national reputation; Rev. D. O. Mears of Albany, N. Y., the orator; Hon. Alden P. White of Salem; John W. Hutchinson, the famous singer of emancipation and other speakers of almost equal note, contributed to the unqualified success of an occasion that ever will remain a marked day in the history of our society. To unite the historical societies of the county at one common field meeting was something unknown in county annals. It remained for the Topsfield Historical Society to achieve this event and years to come will feel the good fellowship and influence of that July day. But this society must not rest upon its oars and drift with the tide, for in the rapidly approaching year, 1900, must be celebrated with all pomp and honor possible, the 250th anniversary of our birth as a town, the 28th in order on the list of settlements incorporated in the Massachusetts Bay colony. We should all take a wholesome pride in our honorable record as a town and make every effort to crown the anniversary of our natal day with a round of becoming festivi- ties. It is perhaps none too soon to discuss at the annual town meeting the question of “ways and means,” and even the election of a committee having power to outline the exercises of the day and submit estimates of cost at a future meeting. He who goes forewarned goes armed in all points. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. VII A consideration of the matter in ample season may prevent mistakes of both omission and commission. One other matter I would keep ever before your eyes —the eventual ownership by the society of a permanent home, a resting place in some ancient building, where our collection of historical objects can be housed and feel a natural growth, and where associations with the shadowy past may sharpen our appetites for things historical. Such a movement must be made in the not distant future. It only needs the sinewy arm to guide the plow, for neces- sary funds will be forthcoming with the successful launch- ing of the project. Shall we not unite in bringing the question to a successful solution before the dawn of our anniversary year, the year when objects of historical interest will be most in repute? Let a continuation of the good fellowship and earnest work of the past be hoped for in the future. Let our society be the spot where all creeds and stations can meet upon common ground, bound by a common tie of venera- tion, —a research into the storied past. Respectfully submitted, George Francis Dow. TREASURER’S REPORT. Topsfield, Jan. 2, 1899. The treasurer would submit the following report of receipts and expenditures for the year ending Jan. 2, 1899. RECEIPTS. Balance on hand Jan. 1, 1898, $ 77-90 Historical Collections sold, 2.50 Binding volumes, 1.75 Annual dues, 97 - 5 ° $179.65 PAYMENTS. Printing, $42.84 Engraving, 1 .40 Binding, 11.44 Paper stock, 10.68 Postage, express, etc. 22.5 1 Field day expenses, 21.89 $1 IO.76 Balance on hand Jan. 2, 1899, $68.89 Respectfully submitted, George Francis Dow. (viii) NECROLOGY. Mary A. (Blanchard) Colburn was born in Shrews- bury, Vermont, June 28, 1824, and died at her younger son’s home in Wellesley Hills, Mass., Dec. 26, 1897. She was the daughter of Stephen and Rebecca (Lake) Blanchard. On the twenty-fifth of November, 1846, she was married in Winchendon, Mass., to John Colburn, of Leominster. He died in Wellesley Hills, Dec. 1 5, 1886. Both are buried in the family lot at Leominster, Mass. Four children were born to them; the eldest died in in- fancy; John Henry, who married Helen T. Bliss of New Bedford and lives in Boston Mary Eleanor, who married ; Thomas Guthrie. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Boston, March 12, 1897; Frank Martin, who married Ida E. Childs of Roxbury. She died Nov. 26, 1894. Mrs. Colburn joined the Topsfield Historical Society in 1895. She was until within a few weeks of her death, an active, energetic woman, and maintained a lively interest in current events at large, as well as in the minute details of her daily life, the care of her son’s motherless children, and the domestic duties which she personally supervised. She was the true type of a New England woman of the old school. Her unselfish life and beautiful character will be a pre- cious memory to a large circle of friends, and to the children and grandchildren who survive her. Eunice Perley, died at Boxford Sept 4, 1898, at the age of seventy-three.

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