History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield ...

270 Miscellaneous Notes.
Lynn Hospital.
This beneficent institution was incorporated
in 1880, and after a thorough examination into the merits of
several proposed locations, early in 1882 the Hathorne estate, so
called, on Boston street, was purchased as a site for the necessary
buildings. It is on the southerly side of the street, a few rods
east of Franklin. The brook which runs from Flax Pond flows
in front, and in the vicinity rise abrupt woody hills, with here
and there a towering porphyry cliff; the whole surrounding
being strikingly picturesque. It is in the quarter known from
early times as Mansfield's End. Deacon Mansfield's house stood
on the hospital grounds ;
and there, also, one or two other conspicuous
individuals of the name resided. And being on the
principal thoroughfare, some of the most prominent people of the
town lived in the vicinity. The old mansion standing at the
time the hospital corporation purchased, was long known as the
Deacon Farrington house, that dignitary having lived there for
some years. Long afterwards it was occupied by Capt. John
White, of the United States navy, who, in addition to his fame
as a naval commander, gained some reputation as an author.
Subsequently it was occupied by Rev. Mr. Barlow,
second minister
of the Unitarian society, and later still by William Hathorne,
from whom it took the name of Hathorne house. The estate
formerly embraced many acres ;
and Washington street wasextended
over a portion.
In our Annals, under date 1875, ^ " Lynn Hospital " is spoken
of as having been formally opened on the 31st of March, in the
Phillips mansion, on Water Hill. The site was airy and pleasant,
and the institution seemed to be doing much good. But the
contributions for its support were not sufficient, and its doors
were soon closed, much to the regret of worthy but not wealthy
friends.
Several liberal donations in aid of the funds of the present
hospital have already been made, the largest of which was by
John B. Alley— ^10.000.
John B. Tolman, an old Lynn printer,
gave $2,500, in respect of his craftship. And numerous other
generous contributions have been made, some of hundreds of
dollars, and thence down even to a few cents. Little tin receptacles
were deposited all about the city, in convenient places,.
to receive the sanctified mite that even a poor widow might give..