| 1605 |
Sir Fernando Gorges sees the Maine coast savages brought to England by Captain George Weymouth. |
| 1614 |
Gorges explores Martha’s Vineyard for gold. Takes Squanto, who had been captured by Captain John Smith’s men, back to England. Smith describes area after sailing and mapping the coastline. |
| 1617 |
Pestilence kills many local Indians. |
| 1622 |
In, May Phineas Pratt on the "Sparrow" is sent on a scouting mission to Wessagusset by Thomas Weston, English merchant. In August, Weston and 70-80 men arrive on the Hunt’s Hill believed to be site of the first colony. Located between Fore River and the foot of Sea Street, it was sold as gravel fill to Boston, so it no longer exists. The 1930 history on page 28 of Volume I states: "The town of Weymouth ought to wake up to the importance of many things in this town, and if she had been wide-awake she would have known of this site long ago and been able to save it." |
| 1623 |
"Charity" returns to England with Weston. Richard Green in charge of colony. "Swan" sails up and down the coast trading and getting fish. Green died in October. John Saunders carried on in November with Myles Standish and Squanto. At Chatham Squanto died. The expedition could go no further, but not before they had venison and eght hogshead of corn and beans. They went to Eastham in January to retrieve supplies "lost" there in November on a wrecked boat of the Plymouth Colony. All was divided with Plymouth. People at Wessagusset became weaker after January. In February Saunders tried to buy food from the Indians, but the refused to sell. Saunders proposed taking food by force by Plymouth opposed, so colonists lived on clams, nuts, oysters, fish, and stolen corn. Some bartered their clothes and blankets. Saunders died the first winter. Indians became bolder and stole from the settlers who, in turn, stole corn seed from the Indians. Thomas Morton in his "New England Canaan" tells how one man was caught, tried, and hanged for stealing from the Indians. Chief Wituwamat threatens the colony. Phineas Pratt escapes to Plymouth seeking assistance. Winslow had learned of the plot from Massasoit. Myles Standish leads a party in the winter of 1623 to Sandwich for a parley. Insulted by Wituwamat, they (eight men, Standish, and Hobomock) go by boat to Wessagusset. There Standish and settlers meet Wituwamat and Pecksnot, feed and drug them, kill them, and chase and destroy other fleeing Indians. Standish advises the settlement be given up. Some go to Plymouth, others to Maine or back to England. Buildings are left and used by Indians and stragglers. Weston disparaged by Plymouth and blamed unfairly. He tried to return but was wrecked near the Merrimack River, captured by Indians, left for dead. He escaped to Maine, the to Plymouth. Gorges restored his (Weston’s) vessel the "Swan" to him. Weston sailed to Virginia. In 1642 he settled in Maryland, prospered, built "Westbury Manor" and won praise and distinction. He died in 1647 in Bristol, England of the plague. |
| 1623 |
Sir Fernando Gorges Company arrives in September. Like Weston’s settlement, a trading proposition, but bringing families. One hundred twenty settlers led by Robert Gorges came on "Ketherine" and "Prophet Daniel". Used building already here. Had Rector William Morrell.
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| 1625 |
Religious life developed. Church built on Watch House Hill. Some Wessagusset settlers go to help found Boston, Quincy, and Braintree. |
| 1627 |
Morton arrested for May 1st Merry Mount affair while visiting Wessagusset. Standish and eight men sent from Plymouth to take Morton back for trial drank too much and Morton escaped. He wrote: "Shrimp Standish took on most furiously and tore his clothes for anger to see the empty nest and the bird gone. The rest were eager to have torne their hair from their heads, but it was short and gave them no hold." Morton crossed the river at Braintree; Standish went by boat across the bay, burned Morton’s house, took Morton to Weymouth, jailed him, but finally set Morton free.
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| 1630 |
Town recognized as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony with 500 inhabitants. Lore has it that in 1624 a small company from Weymouth, England came in the "Charity", among them Richard Harding, ancestor of President Warren Harding. |
| 1635 |
Ferry licensed from Wessagusset to Mt. Wollaston. Rev. Joseph Hull, Oxford graduate, arrived on July 8, 1635 with twenty-one families. In September it was made a plantation with the name WEYMOUTH. Sixty-eight people held title to land. |
| 1636 |
First constable appointed. Pequot Indian Wars drew five men from Weymouth. Final battle at Mysitc, Conn. |
| 1640 |
Mill of William Waltham on "road to Hingham plain" was a saw and grist mill. Captain William Torrey arrives, an ancestor of Rev. Samuel Torrey, twice selected president of Harvard, and only man ever to decline the honor, also an ancestor of William Howard Taft. |
| 1641 |
First record of town meeting. Town clerk designated. |
| 1642 |
Indian title to the town extinguished by purchase. |
| 1643 |
Forty families depart probably from religious dissension. Population of 900 – increased on 500 in next 130 years.
1648 First mention of "herring broge" (Chaucer for herring brook). |
| 1650 |
Bicknell home built on Sea Street. Still Standing. |
| 1651 |
Decided that Townsmen be called Selectmen. Captain William Perkins hired as schoolmaster. |
| 1675 |
King Philip’s War (2/12/75-4/6/76) reaches Weymouth. Battles at Weymouth Heights, Neck Street area, Middle and Washington Street, Pleasant and Whitman’s Pond area. High water mark of Philip’s penetration toward Boston. Nineteen Weymouth men known participants; eight houses burned. |
| 1682 |
New church built on Church Street, Weymouth Heights |
| 1688 |
Worst phases of Puritanism prevailed. Capt. Samuel White of Weymouth with a warrant from Gov. Bradstreet pursued Sir Edmund Andros, captured him. He and his firty-two men rewarded. |
| 1693 |
Tirrell’s Mill in Operation |
| 1700 |
Shoemaking in Weymouth and local tannery. |
| 1725 |
Establishment of second church. Division of town agitated. |
| 1744 |
Abigail Smith born. Married John Adams. Mother of John Quincy Adams. |
| 1751 |
North Meeting House burns. Gunpowder stored in attic explodes. One of every ten inhabitants perish from "throat distemper." |
| 1755 |
French and Indian War. Forty men from Weymouth departed for Crown Point. Six never returned. |
| 1771 |
First mention of iron industry |
| 1776 |
Revolutionary War. One hundred seventy-nine enlisted |
| 1779 |
Brig. Gen. Solomon Lovell sent on Penobscot Expedition. His diary preserved by Weymouth Historical Society. First Poor House built. |
| 1790 |
Census of 1,496 inhabitants. |
| 1804 |
First post office established near head of Fore River. |
| 1808 |
First shoemaking factory built by James Tirrell. Business in family for next 125 years. |
| 1812 |
Forty-eight men enlist in war; some served in privateers. |
| 1820 |
Three hundred seventy of the four hundred fifty heads of families engaged in making shoes. |
| 1830 |
Volunteer fire-engine company operated the "Aquarius." Others in town were named "Conqueror", "General Putnam", "General Bates", "Defender", "Amason." |
| 1837 |
Streets named. Old designations disappear (Matten Lane, Back-of-Pond) |
| 1840 |
Cost per week for pauper, .09 cents. Support of schools $2,176; Roads $240. |
| 1845 |
Texts used recommended by Horace Mann. "Nothing we can do for our children can be of more service than a thorough common school education." Old Colony Railroad opened through South Weymouth. |
| 1846 |
Mexican War – Joshua Torrey only known Weymouth volunteer. |
| 1848 |
Ten school districts |
| 1849 |
South Shore Railroad opened to Landing, North and East Weymouth Town Hall |
| 1851 |
Matter of a high school considered |
| 1852 |
Town Hall built at geographical center which is at the corner of Middle and Washington Street. |
| 1854 |
First high school established with teacher Joseph Dow ($600) |
| 1857 |
Average school attendance in high school was 47. |
| 1858 |
George Finch of Weymouth invents machine for sewing soles to shoes. |
| 1860 |
High School move to North Weymouth with 56 students; experimental high school at South Weymouth for 46 students. |
| 1861 |
War of Rebellion in which 936 Weymouth men marched away and 120 never returned. |
| 1865 |
On April 3rd Jerry Quinn of Lovell’s Corner hauls down the Confederate flag from the capital at Richmond. |
| 1867 |
Weymouth Gazette appeared. |
| 1874 |
250th Anniversary celebrated at King Oak Hill. |
| 1880 |
Tufts Library established as memorial to Dr. Cotton Tufts who served on the Revollutionary Committee of Correspondence. His home still exists on Commercial Street. Papers in Tufts Library. |
| 1883 |
Beginning of Town Water Department, from Great Pond |
| 1890 |
Census of 10866 |
| 1898 |
Spanish-American Wat calls about 30 Weymouth men. |
| 1900 |
William Seach wins the Congressional Medal of Honor in the Boxer Rebellion in China. |
| 1913 |
A trilobite (fossil of small crab-like crawling creatures) entirely new to science discovered here and named Weymouthia nobilis. |
| 1918 |
About 750 Weymouth men go to fight in France. Ralph Talbot wins the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in air combat over France and Germany on October 18 1918. |
| 1921 |
Representative Town Meeting held. |
| 1922 |
Weymouth Historical Society founded in 1879 places tablets on Abigail Adams House and Bicknell House. |
| 1926 |
First Vocational school constructed. |
| 1928 |
New Town Hall erected, a replica of the Old State House. |
| 1939 |
First zoning law passed. |
| 1941– 1945 |
World War II. Eldon Johnson wins Congressional Medal of Honor. |
| 1941 |
South Weymouth Naval Air Station Built |
| 1947 |
Abigail Adams House removed to present site. |
| 1958 |
First large apartment building – Chauncey building – constructed. |
| 1959 |
First summer school session. Walter Gutterson, Director Southeast Expressway completed. |
| 1962 |
North High Opened. New Vocational School opened. |
| 1963 |
Laban Pratt funds used for South Shore Hospital. |
| 1964 |
Industrial Park created. Opened 1966 |
| 1965 |
Incinerator built |
| 1970 |
South High opened. |
| 1972 |
350th Anniversary celebrated. |
| 1973 |
Stetson Shoe Company closed down. |
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View
from Randall Ave.
