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

ANNALS OF LYNN 1
89 1. 359
extensively and favorably known. Nothing like a full collection
of his writings has yet appeared. He was a true
lover of nature and delighted to rove among her varied and
beautiful works ; to him a day in the woods was worth many
days of what most of us call the pleasures of social life. It
is not overstraining even to call him the father of our late
splendid acquisition known as Lynn Woods. His little book
entitled " Essex Flora " will be studied long after the fragrant
beauties it classifies have been driven far away by the aggressive
hand of "improvement." "Mr. Tracy," say the Park
Commissioners in their report for 1891, "was a versatile,
many-sided man. His call, his inner inspiration, was to teach
the people of Lynn that they had in the Woods an asylum
'
of inexhaustible pleasure.' Of all the work he accomplished
in his useful life he would undoubtedly desire to be remembered
for this. . . . That to-day the whole magnificent
domain is the people's is due to the momentum which he gave.
The children of Lynn, in all generations, will cherish and
revere the memory of Cyrus M. Tracy for the marvelous
gift to which his seer's vision guided them." He delivered
the poem at the dedication of the City Hall, Nov. 30, 1867,
and the oration at the celebration of the 250th anniversary of
the settlement of the town, June 17, 1879. Notwithstanding
all his early disabilities, his physical imperfection and the
discouragement of stinted means, Mr. Tracy kept on his rising
way with unwavering courage, till guiding purpose and
laudable ambition began to yield their ripening fruit. He
was one of the founders of the Houghton Horticultural Society,
and never tired in his efforts to enhance the usefulness
of that and kindred organizations. The death of Mr. Tracy
was startlingly sudden. He was abroad as usual on the
evening of the 27th, and on the morning of the 28th was dead
and cold upon his bed.
John Wooldredge, whose death took place at the age of 68,
in San Francisco, Cal., on the 7th of October, was long a
conspicuous resident of Lynn, though Marblehead was his
native place. He came in 1847 and here passed most of his
business life. He was a prominent shoe manufacturer, and
amassed a large property ; was interested in municipal affairs,
and in the development of all promising resources. He
served in the City Government as an Alderman, and was for
some time President of the First National Bank. In railroad
affairs he became widely known, and was for a time President
of the Eastern Railroad. His large and fine estate at