"History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant"
by Alonzo Lewis, James R. Newhall

Transcribed and submitted
by Shaun Cook

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Preface

     Alonzo Lewis , the accomplished historian of Lynn, died on the twenty-first day of January, 1861. A few years before his death he proposed publishing a new edition of his work, which appeared in 1844, comprised in a volume of 278 pages. But unforeseen obstacles occurred, and his design was never accomplished. The few papers left by him came into the possession of the individual whose name is associated with his in the titlepage of this volume; but they proved of scarcely any value, consisting as they did of loose notes, mostly in pencil, mixed with surveying calculations, poetic effusions, and all sorts of memoranda; and a large portion were incapable of being deciphered. I was, therefore, compelled to lay almost every particle aside, and simply take his former edition, and add to it such matters of interest as were derived from my own original investigations. It is probable that he intended to prepare his work as it passed through the press, merely taking care to keep just a-head of the printer; though it is barely possible that some prepared pages may have been destroyed by the fire which occurred at the cottage after his decease.
     I have not felt at liberty to alter the text of Mr. Lewis excepting, of course, to here and there correct an obvious error, like an error of the press, or mere slip in transcribing -or in any way make him responsible for matter not his own; and hence have indicated by brackets all the material additions and corrections that I have made.
     It is quite impossible to avoid an occasional error in a work of this kind. In the multitude of, dates, names, and detached facts, where there are no connections and associations to prompt the mind, the most lively watchfulness will not be rewarded with entire success. Errors of the press are particularly liable to occur in works where figures are freely used; because in fonts of type the figures are all of one size, while the letters vary in their proportions, and the printer, who readily distinguishes a wrong letter by the mere sense of feeling is at fault with that sense, when his fingers seize a figure. The closing lines of Mather's Magnalia are so apt, that the temptation to introduce them here is irresistible: " Reader, Carthagena was of the mind that unto those three things which the ancients held impossible, there should be added this fourth: to find a book printed without erratas. It seems the hands of Briareus and the eyes of Argus will not prevent them." And elsewhere he says: "The holy Bible itself, in some of its editions, hath been affronted with scandalous errors of the presswork; and one of them so printed those words, Psalms, 119, 161: 'Printers have persecuted me,' &c." It is, however, believed, with some confidence, that this volume will be found as free from errors as a work of the kind can well be made.
     It seemed necessary to bring along the histories of Lynn and her municipal progeny- Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant-in a united form, as much confusion would ensue from an attempt to separate what was so blended; the tables at the close of the volume, embrace all that it appeared requisite to give in separate form.
     I have followed Mr Lewis's plan, when giving quotations from old records, of presenting them with all their vagaries of orthography and syntax. Many have been puzzled to find a reason for the diversity of spelling indulged in by the old worthies; they often seeming to have used every effort to give a word in as many shapes as possible. But I have come to the conclusion that they were either curiously experimenting with the language, or considered the style ornamental.
     It may be observed that I have not been so prodigal of titles as is common with some. But this should not be attributed to a disposition to detract from the dignity of any one; for the fact is that " Esq." and "Hon." have now come to be so profusely, improperly, and even ridiculously applied, that they have ceased to become any thing like safe testimonials of rank or worth. And it is quite refreshing to see a name without meretricious adornment. It must be a weak name that cannot stand without a crutch; and all titles of dignity, when worn by those whose lives do not become them, are debasing rather than ennobling, impressing all well-ordered minds with a sense of irony. But these remarks may be unnecessary, as it is hardly probable that the omission of titles would be noticed by any, excepting, perhaps, a few who might feel themselves wronged by the omission. Anciently there was more discrimination in the use of titles, if there was not less love of them. Mister or Master was a title of dignity, awarded to magistrates, ministers, doctors, and generally to those who had taken the freeman's oath; and on some occasions individuals were deprived of it, by special law, as a punishment. Goodman was the prefix of those who had not attained to any dignity, nor had taken the freeman's oath. Military titles were highly prized; and as exposure to perils might be necessary for their legitimate attainment the baptismal font was sometimes resorted to for the bestowal; and it will be by no means a matter-of wonder if "Honorables" are presently made in the same way. Conceit and ambition have done a great many worse things. There was a delicate, custom that prevailed to some extent even down to the present century, which deserves mentioning -the custom of giving to all respectable women who had attained middle life - those who had never been wedded as well as those who had - the prefix of Mrs. or Mistress. This, however, is not so convenient, in some respects, as our custom, and has occasioned errors among genealogists who did not keep it in mind.
     In designating a particular century, I have adopted, in place of the old form, a mode of expression that seems more readily to fix the right time in the mind. Instead, for instance, of calling the century beginning with 1600, the seventeenth, and that beginning with 1700, the eighteenth, the first is designated as century 1600, and the latter as century 1700. This seems in accordance with the mode of expression usual in similar cases.
     It may not be inappropriate to mention that the types for every page of this volume were set by my own hands. There are divers things necessary to the decent appearance of any work, about which the author has, ordinarily, no occasion to trouble himself; but when he is compelled to assume the burden his labors are greatly increased. The exactness required in everything touching the mechanical department of book making is a source of care and perplexity. And then, in a critical point of view, the late fantastical innovations in the spelling, compounding, and capitalizing of words, and the punctuating of sentences, demand constant attention, if any thing like uniformity would be preserved. But it may be unwise to volunteer disclosures that show responsibility. A local work, like this, must always be put through the press in the most economical way, or pecuniary loss is sure to ensue; and the present is issued not without apprehension on the point. But here it is, with its imperfections on its head. It was prepared during hours filched from the duties of an exacting profession, and sometimes from needed rest. Yet the labor was pleasant. And if the reader derives as much enjoyment from the perusal as the writer did from the preparation, and he escapes absolute pecuniary loss, he is ready to declare himself abundantly satisfied.
J. R. N



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