wards an importer of Scotch goods, in Boston, in the aurie & Co. Several of the

firm of Mackintire, printed school reports bear his name as chairman of the committee, and he was interested in all the benevolent work of his day. He will be remembered for his marked piety and great excellence of character. He was a member of the Legislature, from Charlestown, in 1835 and 1859.

Nathan Tufts, the brother of Deacon Amos, was a noted man in the old town. He was very enterprising and energetic as a business man, and the evidences of his ability and usefulness can still be pointed out. He was originally a butcher, and did a large business in packing beef. He was also a tanner, widely known by the superior quality of the sole-leather manufactured by him, the popularity of which, for many years, gave a good reputation to the town as well as to himself. Mr. Tufts had also a wharf, where he dealt in wood and lumber; and a grist-mill made a part of his establishment. His tannery and wharf were on the Mystic-river side of the town, and a good many of the town's people found steady employment there. Besides this, he built the Mill-pond at the Neck, and was connected with Abel Fitz in the grain and meal business there. He also started a new tannery there, and carried it on as long as he lived. It was afterwards sold to Chester Guild & Sons, whose extensive business at this tannery will be remembered by a great many of the present residents of the town. "Hacker" Tufts, for he had this nickname which lasted as long as he lived, was the owner of several farms outside the Neck and in Medford, and spent much time in their improvement. He made his rounds to his

many business places on horse-'back, and was a wellknown figure, as an equestrian, i'i Boston and the neighboring towns as well as in Charlestown. He was one of the first board of directors of the Bunker Hill Bank, and did as much as any other person in securing the original subscription to its capital stock. He was an early advocate of free bridges and one of the incorporators of Warren Bridge. He was one of the founders of the Harvard Unitarian Society, and his coach was seen at the door of the church every Sunday morning and afternoon, as he was a regular attendant at its services. His turnout was the most stylish in town, and there are others besides myself, I doubt not, who remember the beautiful pair of cream-colored mares with milk-white manes and tails as making a part of it for several years. Mr. Tufts lived in the house on Chelsea Street, since known so long as the home of Doctor Lambert. The house was built and occupied at first by Aaron Putnam, who has been mentioned before. I must try to describe this homestead in another article.

Nathan Tufts died in October, 1835, aged seventy-one years. At this time, and for many years previous, Peter Sanborn was his coachman, and in the settlement of the estate Sanborn became an unexpected claimant. Mr. Tufts had no children, and by his will, after provision for his wife, and a few bequests, among them $1000 to the Bunker Hill Monument Association, — the bulk of his property was given to his nephews and nieces, the children of his brothers, Daniel and Deacon Amos. On the 18th of September, 1837, a writ to attach the goods and estate, late of Nathan Tufts, was served on Josiah P. Cook, executor, with an order to appear on the first

Tuesday in October in the Court of Common Pleas. The case was afterwards appealed to the Supreme Court, on ruling of law holding defendants' plea good. The declaration set forth that Nathan Tufts, on October 17, 1835, made his promissory note to plaintiff, Peter Sanborn, for $5000, with interest till paid; also, that said Tufts, in consideration that said Sanborn would serve him faithfully during said Tufts' life, promised on January 1, 1833, to pay him $370 yearly and build him a dwellinghouse convenient for Sanborn, his wife, and family, upon half an acre of land between Tufts' stable and Ebenezer Breed's garden, and would convey same to said Sanborn by warranty deed, and would pay Sanborn $50 yearly until same was completed. Samuel Hoar and Augustus Peabody appeared for defendants; Rufus Choate for plaintiff.

Mary Tufts, the widow of Nathan, testified that she believed the signatures to the note and contract to be genuine. The verdict at the November term, 1837, was as follows:

First, Jury find signatures on note and contract to be genuine.

Second, They allow balance of accounts for money expended on Tufts accounts, $1230.30.

Third, They allow the lot of land as claimed in the writ.

Fourth, They allow plaintiff $1500 for building house on said land.

Fifth, They allow plaintiff the note for $5000.

Sixth, They allow plaintiff the $370 per year from April 1, 1836.

(Signed) EZRA EATON, Foreman.

They assess damages at $9686.22.

January 12, 1838, a motion was filed for a new trial, which was granted and the verdict set aside. At the term of the Court, November, 1838, the jury disagreed. At the November term, 1839, a compromise having been agreed upon, judgment was rendered for the plaintiff for $6000, and execution January, 1840. A great deal of interest had been manifested in the trials of the case, and the court-room was filled with Charlestown people while they were going on. The claim was resisted under the belief that the note and agreement were not genuine, but the testimony of the widow was in favor of the claim, and the settlement was thought to be a wise one on the part of the defendants.

Peter Sanborn lived in Charlestown until his death. He was the brother of John Sanborn, who also had been employed by Mr. Tufts, as a tanner, and who afterwards was in the coal and wood business, a part of the time as partner with Peter. Later in his life John Sanborn was wharfinger for the Tudor Company. He was much in public life, a member of the school committee for many years, and his seat at the board was never vacant. was a member of the Legislature in 1843. politician he was shrewd and successful-a power to be estimated in calculating the result of elections in the town, for "Uncle John" in all his movements was pretty sure to land on his feet.

MAY 4, 1889.

He

As a

XXIX

Some Fine Old Estates

Retrospective Glances at the Homes of Former Citizens

Tufts - Ebenezer Breed Nathan Adams.

Nathan

T

HE homestead of Nathan Tufts, as it appeared in

my boyhood, was in a fine locality. Let us see if

we can get any idea of how things looked here when that enterprising man was about with his gangs of workmen improving and beautifying everything which stood within the lines of an estate which he was proud to point to as his residence.

Suppose, then, in imagination, we clear away from the rising land on the upper side of Chelsea and Adams streets - between Doctor Lambert's house and Chestnut Street all the buildings save the Tufts house and stable, the Devens house on Chelsea Street, the Breed house (at present the residence of Charles F. Smith) on Mt. Vernon Street, and the Kettell house on Chestnut Street, leaving these buildings surrounded by green fields stretching away as far as the eye can see. In place of Chestnut Street is the driveway to the Adams (Kettell) house, stopping at the gateway leading to the side door. The entrance to Mt. Vernon Street marks the line of the carriage-way to the Breed house. Prospect Street was then but the roadway up to the Tufts house and