History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

76 HISrORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
degree of M. D. at the Medical School at Yale, and
in 1824 came to Lowell or East Chelmsford.
May 31, 1825, he married Hannah Hinckley,
daughter of Joseph and Deborah Hinckley of
Marblehead. He was re-elected mayor in 1840,
1841, 1844, 1845, 1852, 1856, and 1858, making
eight years in all. He served in the board of aldermen
in 1847, 1853, and 1854. In 1852 he was
elected lieutenant-governor with Governor Clifl'ord,
but declined the nomination for the next year.
He was on the board of overseers of Harvard Col-
lege ; and served one term as an inspector of the
State Almshouse at Tewksbury. His wife died
September 19, 1859. He was for many years a
vestryman of St. Anne's (Episcopal) Church, and,
with others from St. Aime's, in 1860, united to
form St. John's Church, of which, during the remainder
of his life, he was senior warden. He
died December 13, 1865, of apoplexy.
When the new city hall was built, it was named
in honor of him. His portrait graces the reading-
room of the Middlesex Mechanic Association, and
a beautiful memorial window was placed in the
west end of St. John's Church, in the centre of
which is a life-size figure of St. Luke, the " beloved
physician."
January 28, the Massachusetts Cotton Mills
were incorporated, with a capital of §1,500,000,
which was increased in 1846 to $2,000,000. The
persons named in the act were Abbott Lawrence,
Ozias Goodwin, and John A. Lowell. Homer
Bartlett was the agent from 1839 to 1849 ; he was
succeeded by Joseph White from 1849 to 1856;
and by Frank F. Battles from 1856 to the present
time.
April 26, a proposal was made for the creation of
the office of city solicitor. It originated in the
board of aldermen, but was rejected in the common
council.
July 24, the city council authorized the building
of a bridge over Concord River, near 0. M. Whip-
ple's house. It was completed December 28.
John Nesmith and others were incorporated as
the Whitney Mills for the manufacture of blankets,
and occupied the Stone Mill in Belvidere. The
enterprise proved a failure, and they sold the
machinery to Joseph W. Mansur and John D.
Sturtevant.
C. P. Talbot & Co. commenced the business of
cutting dyewoods and manufacturing and selling
chemicals in a small way. The firm is now a lead-
ing house in the busiiiess.
November 1, 1839, the several incorporated
companies united for the purpose of establishing
the Lowell Hospital Association. The purpose of
this association is "the convenience and comfort
of the persons employed by them respectively when
sick, or needing medical or surgical treatment."
They purchased the house formerly occupied by
Kirk Boott, which had been sold August 1, 1838,
to Luther Lawrence, and moved it to the spot
where it now stands, near Pawtucket Falls. This
house, and the land on which it stands, were deeded
in trust to the Proprietors of the Locks and Canals
on Merrimack River ; the trustees were not to be
held liable for insurance, repairs, and taxes. The
treasurers of the several companies have the control
of the property, and power to elect twelve trustees
and a treasurer, to hold office during their pleasure.
This board of trustees, made up from the resident
agents of the companies, is empowered to hold
meetings once a month, to have a chairman and
clerk, to appoint one or more surgeons or physi-
cians, and a superintendent for the hospital, and to
establish the rate of board to be paid by the patient.
In case a patient fails to pay, the company in whose
service he or she may be at the time of admission
pays it.
The location of the hospital is retired, and yet
easy of access ; commanding a view of Pawtucket
Falls and the adjacent country, north and west.
Dr. Gilman Kimball had charge of it until 1865 ;
he was succeeded by Dr. George H. Whitmore,
Dr. John W. Graves, and Dr. Hermon J. Smith, the
present physician.
In 1840 Dr. Elisha Huntington was re-elected
mayor. April 7, Thomas Hopkinson was elected
as city solicitor, the first person who occupied the
office.
According to a census taken in June, the popu-
lation of Lowell was : males, 7,341 ; females,
13,640; total, 20,981.
July 29, a call \\ais issued for a meeting of all
desirous of establishing a cemetery. The meeting
was held at the office of the Lowell Mutual Insur-
ance Company, and Elisha Bartlett was chosen
chairman and Thomas Hopkinson secretary. A
committee of thirty was chosen to take the matter
into consideration. This committee reported, at a
meeting held Aug. 22, in favor of obtaining a suit-
able lot of land for the purpose. At this meeting a
new committee of five were chosen tn make esti-
mates and suggest jJans. This committee reported
in favor of the Fort-Hill Lot, owned bv Oliver