History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

July ij Samuel Appleton died in Boston. He
was a large stockholder in the various mauulactur-
iug companies in Lowell.
August 1, the Wamesit Steam Mills Company
was formed ; Isaac Place, J. G. Peabody, and
others were interested in the enterprise.
September 30, the Lowell Museum was burned.
October 6, T. P. Goodhue, postmaster, died.
At a later day Fisher A. Hildreth was appointed
his successor.
November 1, George Wellman invented one of
the simplest and yet most important improvements
to the carding-machine, called the " self top-strip-
per."
November 10, Joseph Locke died. He was
born in Fitzwilliam, N. H., April S, lll-l, and
graduated at Dartmouth College in 1797. He
studied law with Timothy Bigelow, and was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1801. The next year he
opened an office in Billerica. He was elected rcji-
resentative to the legislature from that town in
1806, and was re-elected seven times. He was
president of the court of sessions eight years. He
was presidential elector the same year. He was a
member of the constitutional convention of 1820,
and of the governor's council in 1822-23. He
came to Lowell in 1833, and received tiie appointment
of justice of the police court. In 184-9 he
was one of the representatives to the legislature
from Lowell.
The old city hall building was remodelled this
year at an expense of $13,000.
In 185-t Sewall G. Mack was chosen mayor.
Two principal events of this year were the organi-
zation of the Merchants' Bank, May 8, and of tlie
Five-Cent Savings Bank, May 16.
In March, 1855, WiUiani Livingston died.
Chietly to him Lowell owes the successful comple-
tion of the Lowell and Lawrence, and the Salem
and Lowell railroads. These roads were incorpo-
rated and built, notwithstanding the persistent opposition
of the Boston and Lowell Company, which
claimed that its chartered rights were violated by
their construction.
June 1, the number of school-children was
6,253.
The plans drawn by James H. Rand for the new
jail were adopted by the county commissioners.
In June the Middlesex North Agricultural So-
ciety was organized, "William Spencer president.
The society purchased a lot of land of the Boston
and Lowell Railroad Company, and in 1860
LOWELL. So
bought of the Lowell Bleachery Company a build-
ing vhich flab nio\ed on the giound and fitted up
toi the iccommodatiou ot the socRt\ 'Ihis buildmg
wi-. didicUid JuuL Is isdii Lilly mSei)-
Fivc-Cent SaTings Bank.
tember, 1861, this ground was rented to the United
States for a camp, called Camp Chase. It was
vacated November 19.
In 1860 the Union Agricultural Library Asso-
ciation was established, with one hundred and forty
members and a library consisting of two hundred
and seventy-five volumes. The interest has sub-
sided, but the books remain.
July 2, a registry of deeds for the Northern
District of Jliddlesex County was opened in tlie
new court-house, and A. B. Wright was appointed
register. Mr. Wright was succeeded by I. W.
Beard, and Mr. Bea^rd by J. P. Thompson. The
district now comprises Lowell, Billerica, Carlisle,
Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Littleton, Tewksbury,
Tyngsborouglr, Westford, and Wilmington.
July 4, Augustus Woodbury delivered the ora-
tion.
August 18, Hon. Abbott Lawrence died. In
1830 he was induced to take an interest in the
manufacturing business established here ; his name